Cheese slowly closed the door, taking in one last glimpse of the blue eyes staring at him. He took a shuddering breath and turned away from the door, his rucksack swinging with him. He held back the tears in his eyes as he whispered to himself, “It’s for the best.”
“Look out!”
“If you got your hooves out of my face I might just be able to!”
Cheese turned as he heard the commotion and saw an orange and pink blur coming toward him. He took a deep breath and put on a smile as he started to wave. He was promptly slammed into by the mares on a scooter and taken along for the ride. Looking behind him and thinking fast, Cheese pulled out a large balloon and started to blow into it as they neared a cabbage cart.
“My cabbages!”
Standing up, Cheese saw Scootaloo glaring down at Diamond Tiara. “What were you thinking?”
Diamond Tiara shook the cabbages off of her and plucked some out of her mane. “Well lets see. My exact thoughts were, ‘Too fast! Someone get me off of this screaming metal death trap! We’re going to die!’ Or something like that.”
The two glared at each other as Cheese paid for one of the destroyed cabbages, deciding it would be good for his trip. Scootaloo turned as Cheese paid for it and said, “The least you could do is pay for this guy’s cart before Cheese gets roped into it.”
Diamond Tiara blushed as she remembered they were in public and that she had just caused an accident. “I suppose that is only fair. Here you go sir, and please, let me pay for your cabbage Cheese.”
Cheese nodded and sighed to himself. So much for me just leaving town quietly “Thank you. Now what were you two crazy kids up to?”
Scootaloo started munching on one of the cabbages as she walked over. “I decided to pick Diamond Tiara up this week to hangout, instead of waiting for her somewhere. Apparently somepony doesn’t like speed though.”
Diamond Tiara huffed and scowled at Scootaloo. “I’m fine with your speed. It’s your recklessness and those silly tricks that cause my stomach churn.”
Cheese smiled at them and lifted a hoof to cover a smile caused by their playful banter . “Well, if you two don’t need me any longer, I have places to go and parties to plan.”
Scootaloo rubbed her chin. “Where are you going?”
Cheese smiled wide and glanced sideways at her. “Now now, it isn’t like you could come with me. I’m sure you two have important things to take care of.”
Scootaloo laughed and said, “After blowing up one of the engines in the lab, I could use a vacation." She paused and looked off in the distance. "So could my boss now that I think about it.” She turned to Diamond Tiara. "What about you?"
“My dad is visiting mother at the hospital right now, so I’ve got at least a couple days to kill." She shrugged and tapped Cheese on the side. "Besides, it could do you well to have some younger company. I mean, other than Pinkie.”
Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo shared a laugh as Cheese huffed.
“I’m only thirty two!” Cheese swept a hoof in front of their eyes and suddenly looked as old and decrepit as Mr. Wattle.. “You whipper snappers need to learn to respect your elders already.”
“See, we already let you have some fun. Besides, I bet Boneless Two would like the company.” Diamond Tiara smiled at Cheese
He blushed and looked away. “Actually, it’s Boneless three. I gave Pinkie Boneless two... recently.” Cheese looked at the two, his chest hurting. “You know what, why not? Let’s go on an adventure!”
======+++++======
“Can we rest already?” Diamond Tiara collapsed on the ground, her hooves feeling like any time she had to wait too long for coffee, only a hundred times worse!
“Suck it up Dia.” Scootaloo smiled to herself as she glided along on her scooter. “We’ve only been walking for a few hours and the sun hasn’t even set. Why would we—"
Gurgle
Diamond Tiara started laughing as Scootaloo wrapped an arm over her stomach and blushed.
Cheese smiled at the two. “Told you two you should have brought boots." He looked up at the sky, then at the horizon. "However, we could stop now. Sunset is in a few hours and we can make camp early to eat. Sound good?”
The two mares nodded and Cheese laughed. “Alrighty then. Bust out your packs and I’ll get to cooking.”
Scootaloo opened her mouth and then smacked herself. “I forgot to bring a tent.”
Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “You need to prepare better Scoots." She turned to nose the large rucksack she'd been carrying to the ground. "Luckily for you, I have a tent that can hold all of us.”
Cheese grabbed them both in a two legged hug and pulled them close. “I didn’t think you two were close enough yet for that type of relationship.”
Diamond Tiara flushed from her ears to her tail and looked away.
Scootaloo just rolled her eyes. “And what about you and Pinkie Pie?”
Cheese stared at her, then forced a chuckle. “So, what would you all like to eat?" He shoved his head into his rucksack. "I have beans, cabbage, and... thats it.”
Scootaloo licked her lips and nudged her friend.
Diamond shoved her hoof against her muzzle and bent over, drawing up a fake retch. She straightened when Cheese looked at her; then giggled and said, “Sounds good. I wish my dad and I still went camping like this. I haven’t been out like this since mom got put in the hospital for the first time." She brushed a hoof through the dusty trail. "I was four.I think.”
“Your mom spends a lot of time in the hospital, doesn’t she?” Scootaloo turned to Diamond Tiara and helped her start laying out the parts to the tent.
Diamond shrugged and smiled at Scootaloo. She straightened out the tent poles, and started setting them into the ground. “I have a sickly mom. I don’t mind seeing as she is around these days almost as much as my dad. Better then you I suppose.” Diamond Tiara rubbed Scootaloo's arm awkwardly before asking, “Maybe we should find a different topic?”
Cheese poked his head up from his rucksack. “I need sticks for the fire. Think you could handle it Scoots?”
Scootaloo nodded and looked out into the forest.
Diamond Tiara grinned. “Gonna use that foolproof stick call?”
It was Scootaloo's turn to blush now. “How do you know about that?”
Diamond Tiara smirked at Scootaloo and winked at Cheese—who looked at them with a raised eyebrow. “Well you know I’ve been talking to Sweetie since she and Button got together; with my help. After three months of that, you start running out of topics and go with stories about people you know.”
Scootaloo returned the smirk and said, “Maybe I should talk to Sweetie about you then?” Scootaloo chuckled as Diamond Tiara paled.
"Um." Cheese Sandwich rattled behind them. “I don’t really know how to respond to this.”
The two mares turned to Cheese who was now surrounded by branches. The two looked at each other and asked, “How?”
“Well Diamond Tiara mentioned calling for them, so I tried it out.” Cheese turned away from the two and started preparing the fire. He sighed after stacking the branches in the fire pit and turned back to the two slack-jawed mares. “That, or I’m hungry enough that I did it while you two were enjoying your talk.”
They blushed as one and looked away from each other while Cheese finished getting fire going. “Now, anyone want some cheese on their beans?”
Scootaloo's eyes widened as Cheese started slicing off part of his hoof. “What are you doing?”
Cheese chuckled and passed the hunk of orange cheese between his hooves. “Just a little punny humor girls. No reason to get upset.”
Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief. “I suppose I can live with that. Do you know when the food will be done?
Diamond Tiara prodded Scootaloo with a hoof and snickered, then mimed slicing off a piece. "You're so gullible."
"Oh yeah? I heard you gasp too!" Scootaloo poked her right back.
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Girls!" Cheese held his hoof up for a few moments before jumping up and pointing at the food while he shouted, “Dinner is served and I even have foil to serve it on.”
The three laughed as Cheese doled out the beans and Scoots stuffed some cabbage into her mouth. “Not hungry Dia?”
Diamond Tiara gulped as she looked at the bowl in front of her. “Well, I may have gone camping before, but we may have not eaten like... this.”
Cheese chuckled. “Come on, trying something new won’t-” Cheese suddenly became silent for only a split second before finishing with, “kill you.”
Scootaloo continued to eat but Diamond Tiara turned to Cheese as she lowered her bowl. “Cheese?”
Cheese shook his head. “Sorry, cliched advice is cliched so I thought about stopping myself.” Slipping back into his old man impression he said: “Then again, I ought-a be teaching you youngens some lessons seeing as you can’t even respect me enough to eat my slop!”
Cheese smiled as Diamond giggled and started to choke down the food, and then devour it when she realized how hungry she was.
Don’t give advice you won’t take Cheese. Don’t slip up again, and maybe you’ll manage to have a peaceful journey. Cheese turned as Scootaloo pushed her bowl towards him. “Think I could get some more? Long day and all.”
“Of course Scoots, but you might lose that pretty mare’s eye if you suddenly get fat.” Cheese smirked as Scootaloo glared at him.
“And what would Pinkie think if you suddenly came back as the king of cellulite?” Scootaloo smacked a hoof across her muzzle as Diamond raised an eyebrow at her. “I have been spending way too much time with Sweetie recently.”
Cheese walked away from them. Scoot's quip had struck too close to home for him to just ignore it. What would she think? More pertinently, what did she think?
Scootaloo furrowed her brow. “Cheese, I’m sorry. I know you and Pinkie are as tight as two ponies can get. Now come on back.”
Cheese looked back and bit his lip. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go think for a bit.” Cheese cantered away away as he put on his hat.
Scootaloo bit her lip as she thought about going after Cheese to see what was wrong. However, upon seeing Diamond Tiara still struggling with the tent, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Want some help?”
“Seeing as you recently blew up something you’re familiar with, no." Diamond Tiara sat back on her haunches for a moment and looked at the fire. "However, it might get cold tonight and if that fire dies it'll be hard to get warm again."
"Yeah... Sure will." Scootaloo sat down and fanned her wings at the fire, stirring a small breeze to kick up the flames.
Diamond Tiara snorted. "That's not what I meant. Can you actually get some sticks this time?”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes and nodded at Diamond. “Alright. Good luck.”
“Good luck!” Diamond Tiara did not notice the rope already around her hind hoof as she continued her grueling task.
Cheese sighed as he realized he no longer could see the campsite. Maybe it would be best if I left now. I’m used to these trips being by myself, and it would give me plenty of time to think. Besides, it would be a little stupid to have them here on the whole trip when part of the reason I wanted this trip was to get away. I’ll shoo them off tomorrow morning by telling them we need to go our separate ways, before we actually end up talking about her.
Cheese started poking at the ground as he wondered what he would do for his next party. There were plenty of options, but none of them felt right to him. Come on man, you need to get it together! You are the party extraordinary, nothing can stop you. He halted dead in his tracks as he heard a bloodcurdling scream for one thing.
“Help!”
Scootaloo heard Diamond’s call and dropped her sticks immediately. She may not have been able to fly, but few would have debated it had they seen her galloping back to the campsite.
Bursting into the clearing, Scootaloo's blood chilled when she saw Diamond Tiara strung up within the ropes of the tent, struggling to get out of her self made prison. That would have made her laugh, had it not been for the mountain lion that was pacing closer and closer to the struggling Diamond Tiara.
“Get away from her!” Scootaloo tackled into it’s side and knocked it away from the vulnerable mare. Scootaloo huffed at it as the jaguar started to circle her. Her heart was hammering in her chest, but something forced her to always be between the jaguar and its prey.
“Scootaloo, move!” Scootaloo jumped out of the way as Cheese threw something under her hooves. The jaguar pounced and bounced off of Boneless. Or to be more accurate, was launched like from an air cannon fifty feet into the air and a hundred feet away. Scootaloo looked at Cheese with wide eyes. “Is it okay?”
“Of course it is. At least, I hope. Just remember little mares, don’t buck with Boneless.”
Scootaloo decided not to touch that subject, even if she had a mechanical hoof to do so with, and instead moved over to Diamond Tiara and started disentangling her. “You’re an idiot, you know that right?”
Diamond looked down and nodded. “At least I didn’t just try to get myself killed.” After a long pause between the two she added, “for some mare you don’t even like.”
Scootaloo bit into her lip. “I would do it for any friend Dia, so don’t think about it too much.” She watched as Diamond looked down and her own eyes drooped. “There may have been just a little more than that though.” Scootaloo blushed as the pink mare looked at her with tears in her eyes. “So why don’t you take me out for dinner or something to make us even. You can even call it a date if you want.”
Diamond tackled Scootaloo, and the two started to almost got tangled back into the mess of ropes that made up their tent. The two recovered and sat against each other, watching as the sunset slowly faded from existence. Scootaloo wrapped a wing tentatively around Diamond who immediately went for a full hug but was then pushed away. Scootaloo then scooted a little closer to Dia and wrapped her wing back around her marefriend.
Cheese watched it all, tears slowly building in his eyes. He had heard plenty about the two, and the little time he had spent with them proved to him how much of opposites they were. However, here they were, snuggling, laughing, falling in love against all the odds. Cheese closed as he pushed the sadness down and refused the tears release.
And what did I do? In fact what am I doing now? He looked back at the two and for a moment saw the fights they would have, the hate and pain they would go through. See Cheese, you chose your path for a reason. You didn’t want the pain that would eventually come.
“Well I don’t know about you, but I think that is more then enough excitement for one day. How about we hit the hay? I’ll even grab the sticks.”
Diamond Tiara yawned as Scootaloo nodded. “Sounds good Cheese.” Scootaloo squinted before walking over to Cheese. “Are you crying?”
Cheese stepped back before putting a hoof to his face and feeling damp hair under his eyes. “How odd. Perhaps I got something in my eyes?” Cheese rubbed at his eyes furiously as Scootaloo flicked her tail and threw dust into his face.
“Yeah, something..”
Dia knocked a hoof into the back of Scootaloo’s head. “You aren’t helping by trying to be obnoxious. Now Cheese, what is wrong?”
Cheese squinted down at the two mare’s faces and pondered the question for a few moments. “I... don’t know.”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “If you want Pinkie here instead of us, you can just say it.” She watched as Cheese let out another nervous chuckle and then went to pull out a book of ghost stories from his rucksack. She put a hoof over it and moved to directly in front of him, staring him dead in the eyes.
Cheese swallowed hard. “What, do you think ghost stories are tacky now?” He let out a chuckle that no one responded to. “Come on gals. We have a long distance to travel tomorrow if we want to make it to Neigh York, so we better get to bed.”
Diamond went over to Scootaloo’s side and raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised you noticed at all.”
“You gonna back me up then?”
Diamond Tiara pulled Scootaloo’s hoof off while shaking her head. “If him and Pinkie are having trouble,” there was a break in Diamond’s voice as a tear slid down her face, “that is his personal business.”
Cheese hung his hat over his face as he came over and wrapped a hoof around Diamond Tiara. “We are having problems, but that is no reason to be sad. Relationships come and go, just as I do.”
Scootaloo stomped on Cheese’s tail and glared at him. “But your’s and Pinkie’s was the strongest ever seen in Ponyville, if not all of Equestria. I want to know how the hay you two managed to have a problem.”
Cheese looked away, and both mares could see that he was still crying. “I don’t know. It’s like these tears. I know that they exist, but I never gave them any thought until somepony brought it up. During our last fight, Pinkie brought up our party careers and I let her know how stale Ponyville was becoming. She didn’t want to leave her home though, and I told her goodbye. However, I can’t always remember my reasons for leaving, but only the reasons she gave for staying. Not while you two are around at the least.”
Scootaloo sat down in front of Cheese and put a hoof onto his chest. “When was this big fight?”
“Last night.”
Scootaloo nodded. “Maybe you should think then. I know I had to give it a lot of thought before I even began thinking of Diamond as a... friend.” Scootaloo immediately regretted as she saw the sad face on Dia appear. “But just as starting a relationship can be hard, you have to be absolutely certain when you leave them, and I think you didn’t do Pinkie justice. Do you?”
Cheese sighed as he stood and shook himself. “I won’t be here in the morning. I don’t know where I’ll be, but I need to go.”
Diamond hugged Cheese which caused him to stumble in shock. “Do what you need to, but please remember the pain you could cause with that choice, alright?”
Cheese nodded, and then slowly faded into the forest. Scootaloo turned to Diamond and grinned. “Ten bits that he goes back to her.” She was shocked as Diamond buried her face into Scoot’s chest.
“I don’t want to see a functioning relationship fall like this. I don’t know if I could handle it. Not with how ours is.”
Scootaloo bit into her lip as she guided Dia back to the tent. “I’m sorry Diamond, but you really shouldn’t worry about it. Two awesome mares like us will make it out just fine, I promise. Now, how about we finally get some of that nice thing called sleep, though if you touch me I will kick you out of the tent.
Diamond smiled and shook her beloved’s hoof as agreement, but then was firmly kicked out of the tent for having touched her when she made the deal. “You b-”
======+++++======
Cheese stumbled into town, his coat a wreck, his eyes ringed with fatigue and the fur on his face matted with tears. He yawned as he looked down the main street at Sugarcube Corner. Why am I back?
He kept trotting, slowly meandering down the street. He could take a nap where he stood, but the thought of Pinkie standing over him almost terrified him as much as coming into Sugarcube Corner did. She’ll ask questions either way. It’s inevitable.
Cheese looked up just as he was about to walk into the front door. He swallowed hard as he raised a hoof to his face, admiring the worn sole of his boot. Memories flooded him as he thought about all that the boots had done with him. They had followed him on so many journeys and lasted so much that it seemed almost like a form of self treason to give those travels up.
That’s why you can’t stay. You’re a traveler by nature and that is who you always will be. Her heart will break again if you go back in there and she does not deserve that pain. She is a strong mare and has probably even moved on. Just as I told her I was going to.
Cheese glanced at something in the corner of his eyes and continued to stare as he watched Pinkie crash at the foot of the stairs within the bakery. She walked on legs that shook like jello, had the reddest eyes he had ever seen on anypony, and her flat hair almost broke his heart. She was functioning, but nothing of the Pinkie he knew was within the actions, only a robotic shadow of them. Cheese saw himself in the reflection of the window and winced at his own appearance and the similarities.
No Cheese, think about what you will do to her. Don’t destroy her future just for a few fleeting moments of happiness now. Cheese looked back down at his boots. The same boots he had worn the day he’d met Pinkie. But since when have I worried about the future?
Pinkie turned as the doors to Sugarcube Corner opened wide to reveal an orange stallion beaming at her. She backed a pace while tears welled in her eyes, but then tackled him as he announced, “I’m home.”