Brushed Away

by TheVClaw

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Hoof Ahead

Troy and the two stallions stared in awe at how much Canvas had already done with the barn. Even with all the spending he did to furnish his new home, most of Canvas’ earnings went to stocking his brand new art studio with everything he needed.

Along the three walls were large stacks of supplies. Several towers of art cans were laid out along the left side of the studio, while multiple stacks of canvas boards leaned against the right. On the back wall, a large wooden shelf was built to hold all of Canvas' various supplies; paint brushes, rags, specialized paints, and other miscellaneous items were already arranged neatly with a level of organization that would’ve made Twilight Sparkle proud. In the middle of the room stood a worn-looking red couch, which seemed a little out of place amongst all of the brand new stuff.

"Dang!" Troy exclaimed, his beak nearly going agape as he walked through the spacious studio. "How the heck did you get all of this done in a few weeks?"

Canvas blushed bashfully and shrugged. "Well, it wasn't easy, but Applejack and her siblings were really good at getting everything cleared out first. By the time the place was fixed up, I already had a lot of these supplies bought through special order."

With a flap of his wings, the gryphon leapt across the room onto the top of the wall. The resulting gust of wind caused many of the supplies to shake violently, with some almost toppling over. Canvas frantically ran around the room as random pieces of paper flew around, trying his hardest to make sure nothing too expensive toppled over. Troy didn't notice the commotion he caused when he landed, and was instead peering at Canvas’ living space behind the wall. "Man, those Apples know how to fix stuff up!"

"Could you not fly around like that, please!?" Canvas said in exasperation, refraining from sounding too upset while picking up the rustled papers. "I'd rather not deal with a bunch of wind messing up my stuff."

"Oops!" As soon as he looked behind him and saw the remaining sheets of paper being picked up by Canvas, Troy looked away and his head sank with guilt. "Sorry, dude."

"Well, I must say,” said Filthy Rich as he stepped inside, and stared around the studio with a look of bewildered fascination. "You really made yourself a nifty workplace here!"

"Well thank you, Mister Rich.” Canvas trotted over to the stack of boards, sighing softly in relief upon seeing that nothing was damaged. "I couldn't have gotten all this without your help."

Filthy rolled his eyes with an appreciative smile. “Hey, that’s just part of the magic of being an entrepreneur. Your paintings helped me a lot back in Canterlot, so it’s only fair I got to help you a little as well.”

“Well, I think we have very different definitions of the word ‘little,’ Mister Rich.” Canvas pulled out a large board with his teeth, and carefully placed it against the front for the stallions to see. Fancy Pants’ brows rose with interest as he walked past Filthy to scan the painting first. Meanwhile, Canvas tried to give a confident smile while presenting his latest piece. "I actually got this one done right before I moved out of my hotel room. I figured you might like seeing my more abstract work."

Canvas stepped back from the painting, allowing both stallions to get a closer look without crowding too awkwardly. The canvas board was about five feet high and three feet wide, with the background carrying a deep shade of cherry red across every inch. Against the rosy backdrop were several slashes of black paint strokes all randomly arranged, as well as a bunch of splash effects of white paint over that. Troy's head turned sideways, and his eyes narrowed in confusion as he tried to make anything out of the random collage of colors. Filthy Rich put a hoof to his chin as he stared silently in contemplation, while Fancy Pants narrowed his eyes and peered in closer. The unicorn’s horn lit up so he could adjust the monocle over his eye, which helped magnify the piece and give him a better assessment.

"Hmm…” Fancy Pants cocked his head and tried looking from a different angle. As for Filthy Rich, it was obvious that he wasn't as encaptured as his client. While Fancy hummed to himself and scanned every inch, Filthy looked back at Canvas with his thick eyebrows skewed.

"Um… are you sure this is what you wanna be showin' to a pony like him?" He knew that Filthy wasn’t trying to sound too judgemental, but Canvas still tried his hardest not to wince at the stallion’s perplexed tone. "I mean, it's alright, I guess. Trust me, I’m not tryin’ to be insulting. But still… don't you think you should focus more on--”

"Well, I quite like it!"

Filthy Rich and Canvas both turned to Fancy Pants, who was now gazing at the painting with an exuberant look in his eyes. Filthy looked surprised by his response, but Canvas was struggling not to smile too excitedly. "I've always had an interest in interpretive pieces. Some ponies might not see the appeal, but I always found abstract art to be rather captivating. The right piece always seems to speak to anypony who looks at it, and not one pony sees it in the same way." Fancy Pants looked back at Canvas with a prideful smile. "And I happen to know of an associate back in Canterlot who would love something like this!"

"Really?" Canvas' eyes shot open in delight, clearly happy about the prospect of already making a sale so soon. “I-I mean, uhhh… Should I provide some contact info?”

“Actually, I think I have an easier solution for both of us." The unicorn looked back at the piece, and then around the room to make sure the space had adequate lighting. "Hmmm… Would you mind if I take a picture to show her?"

Canvas blinked in confusion. He tried to figure out how in Equestria this pony was going to do that. He couldn't see a camera anywhere on the stallion, and the only ones he had seen were bulky enough to require back harnesses to keep them in place. "Umm… sure, I guess...”

“Ah, thank you!” Fancy Pants lit up his horn, and used his magic to pull out a small camera from the inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket. Canvas' eyes widened in surprise when he saw how tiny the camera was; it was small enough to fit in his hoof. To think that technology had come such a long way in recent years. Troy was also bewildered at the device; the way he stared at Fancy’s camera from his perch atop the wall resembled an owl when it spotted its prey.

With a quick flash of light, Fancy Pants took the photo in an instant before levitating the camera back into his pocket. He adjusted his collar with his amber-hued magic, and then froze for a moment until he gasped in revelation.

"Oh that’s right!” Fancy turned back to Canvas with an optimistic smile. “I almost forgot, but I happen to know where she's going to be! I'm planning on meeting her at a social in Baltimare later this week. Have you ever been there?"

Canvas tried not to wince as he shook his head. “No, I honestly haven’t. Sorry.”

"Oh, don’t worry about that,” he assured Canvas with a wave of his manicured hoof. “There’s always plenty of time to travel for ponies your age. But if you're interested, I would love for you to attend the social as well."

Canvas did a double take and reeled his head back in shock. "W-wait, what!? Are… are you serious right now?"

“Absolutely.” The unicorn levitated a piece of paper and a pen out from his jacket. "I know this may seem a bit sudden, but I think your artwork is simply exquisite. And since you’re just starting your own business, this could be a great opportunity to get your hoof in the door. Not to mention, I’m certain that your paintings could make quite the splash amongst my associates and friends."

Canvas stood frozen. Did some rich unicorn just invite him to a huge elite social event? Just because of his art? Was this some elaborate dream crafted by Princess Luna herself? Or was it just a huge setup to a joke?

Fortunately, Canvas could see the genuine interest and sincerity on Fancy Pants' face. If anything, it truly seemed that Fancy Pants was wanting not to use him for his personal gain or exploitation, but to help out a rising artist who he saw potential in.

Canvas eventually looked back at Troy, who was already smiling cheerfully for him. "You know what? I totally think you should do it, dude! I mean, you were hoping to find some more clients, right?"

“I agree with your friend one hundred percent!,” said Filthy Rich, sounding equally convinced. "I've known Fancy Pants here for years, and I can't think of too many ponies I trust more than him. So, what do you say?"

Canvas could feel his heart racing from the three pairs of eyes staring, waiting for an answer. Canvas looked down at the ground, biting his lip briefly before taking a deep breath. This was a big chance for him, but so was everything else that happened over the past couple of months. Heck, he was lucky to even be alive, let alone in a situation with this much promise laid out before him...

It only took a few seconds of thought, but Canvas looked back at the unicorn with a confident grin, and gave his answer. "Well… If you really think my work will make an impression, I’d be more than happy to accept your invitation."

Canvas’ hoof trembled a bit while shaking Fancy’s in agreement, but he couldn’t have felt happier.

---

Due to the scorching weather that struck Equestria without warning, the number of ponies waiting at the Ponyville Train Station was surprisingly small. Cloudsdale’s weather teams tried their hardest to maintain the incoming summer heat waves, but there were only so many clouds to spread around for shade and cooler temperatures. And since Ponyville’s teams had to place emphasis on the Schoolhouse for children’s safety, most of the town’s adults were trying to keep cool indoors as much as they could.

Regardless, neither the heat nor the lack of crowds seemed to faze Canvas too badly (aside from a couple beads of sweat lingering across his brow). The stallion sat patiently by himself at the bench, waiting for his train to Baltimare. Several large canvas boards of his finished works were securely strapped together and sitting alongside his personal bags. The luggage fees may have been a pain, but Canvas was mostly grateful he wouldn't have to walk that far with the load until he reached the city.

Canvas instinctively wiped his head with his foreleg, cringing a little when he saw how much sweat had already soaked into his fur. He grabbed a water bottle from his art bag, when suddenly, a quick 'whoosh' hit him with a cool gust of wind. The stallion shivered a little from the surprisingly pleasant breeze, and quickly looked up to the skies for the source.

A bright trail of rainbow light was already fading as Rainbow Dash landed at the end of the train station. She wiped her brow before quickly trotting up to Canvas, though she looked exhausted from flying around in the heat unprotected.

"Hey Canvas!" she shouted before pausing for a second and breathing out slowly. The mare then slowed down her pace as she continued walking, almost as if she regretted trying to move that quickly in this weather. "Hey, before you go to Baltimare, you mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure, I gue--” Canvas’ words stopped as Rainbow Dash came in closer. His eyes widened in shock from how parched she appeared. Her cyan fur was damp and matted to her skin with sweat, making her coat look a shade darker than usual. When she finally reached Canvas, he could hear her heavy panting as she tried to catch her breath. He quickly pulled out a second water bottle, and hoofed it to her before he spoke again. "Here you go, Rainbow. You really shouldn't be pushing yourself."

"Oh, thanks!" Rainbow Dash's voice came out in a light gasp as she snatched the bottle, and she chugged half of it down in an instant. She gasped a few times, looking relieved to get some hydration in her system. After shuddering from the brisk relief to her drying tongue, Rainbow's voice came out slightly less raspier than before. "I just had to get some clouds over the retirement home. I usually have my sports drinks on me, but I went through all of them this morning."

Rainbow Dash took a few more breaths before finishing her bottle, and then tossing it back to Canvas. "So anyway, I was hoping to ask… What do you know about Troy?"

"Umm… What do you mean?"

"Well…” Rainbow wiped more sweat off her face. "The guy's been working really hard the past few weeks, and he’s been making a good impression with the rest of the crew. And since he hangs out with you so much, I figure you might know what I could get him for his birthday next week."

"Oh, that’s a nice ide--Wait, WHAT!?" Canvas shot up from his seat. "His birthday is next week!?"

"Well, yeah." Rainbow answered with a shrug, like it was common knowledge. She didn’t seem to notice the bug-eyed look she was receiving. "I am his boss, you know! I kinda have to know his personal info."

Canvas he couldn’t help shrugging over that fair point.

"Anyways, since you're his closest friend and all, I figured that maybe you know what he likes."

Canvas pulled his head back and stared at Rainbow Dash in confusion. "Wait, you mean... I'm his closest friend?"

Now it was Rainbow’s turn to look confused. "Well, duh! Of course you are! I mean, he spends most of his time outside work with you! What did you think he was?"

"I…” Canvas’ words trailed off as he stared down at his hooves, looking dumbfounded. He knew that they hung out a lot, and they certainly had a lot of fun; and though he considered Troy to be his best friend, he didn't think that their friendship was that mutual. He figured that since Troy lived in Cloudsdale for so long, he probably had a lot of other friends there. Heck, it was weird enough to think that he was a closer friend to Troy than most gryphons back in his homeland. After shaking his head, Canvas stared at the mare suspiciously and asked, "If that's true, then why didn't he tell me about his birthday? I mean, that's kind of a big thing not to tell a friend, you know!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and sighed in response. "Dude, it’s not like that at all. If anything, Troy probably doesn’t care about his own birthday.”

“Wait… How could someone not care about their birthday!?”

“I have no idea, but gryphons have this weird thing about not celebrating their birthdays. I think they see it as being like… narcissistic or something? I’m not entirely sure, but I remember that detail when I had a gryphon as a friend back in the flight academy. She was really weirded out by birthday parties and stuff.”

Canvas wasn’t sure how to feel about such a foreign concept. Regardless, he was still mostly pondering the fact that he was Troy’s best friend. The gryphon had moved to Equestria a few months before they met, so how could he have made such an impact on him in such a short amount of time? Was that why Troy hung out with him so often? Was that why he didn’t talk much about the friends he had back in the Gryphon Kingdom? But most of all… How lonely would Troy have been if he hadn’t found Canvas back in that storm?

Rainbow waited a moment while the stallion thought things over. When she overheard the engines of the train in the distance, however, she decided to speed things up, and placed a hoof on Canvas’ shoulder. "Seriously though, Canvas? Troy really does like being around you. I…”

The mare bit her lip and looked around, making sure nopony was eavesdropping on them. "I shouldn't be saying this to you, but... I’m pretty sure you're the reason he's being so social now. I mean, not many ponies knew about him until that storm prep, and he'd been around Cloudsdale for a while before that. But ever since he helped you out and started hanging around Ponyville, he's been a lot more outgoing and stuff."

Rainbow then let go of Canvas’ shoulder, and added with a sincere smile, "I mean it, dude. He may have helped you first, but... overall, I think you’re helping him a lot more."

Rainbow Dash hoped that her words made an impact. Canvas just stood there with a befuddled look on his face. He and Troy had developed a solid friendship from the start, but Canvas wouldn’t have assumed the gryphon saw him as much more than some pony he helped out. But after hearing Dash’s honest assessment about him, Canvas couldn’t help blushing from the realization. A realization that put Canvas in higher spirits than before.

After a smile creeped on Canvas' muzzle, he looked up at Rainbow Dash to see she had a satisfied grin of her own. Before either could say anything, a blaring voice boomed over the train station’s speakers.

"Next train boarding! Baltimare! Next train boarding!"

Both ponies saw the train pull in from the distance, the steam engines chugging along as it made its arrival. When the steam engine finally entered the station at a crawling pace, plumes of smoke from its stacks rumbled up to the skies while steam emanated from underneath. Canvas quickly picked up his bags and artwork, and began to haul all the things over his back.

"Welp, this is my train!" Canvas made sure everything was on him as the train doors opened up. While several ponies made their way out of the passenger car, Canvas glanced back at the mare and said, "Hey, Rainbow."

"Hm?"

"Thank you. You know... for telling me all that."

The pegasus shot a warm smile back at him, but didn’t feel the need to say anything else. Canvas climbed into the passenger car after it emptied out, and was one of the first ponies to get into a vacant seat. Before Rainbow could fly off and get back to work, she heard Canvas' voice call out to her from a train window.

"He likes opera!”

Dash paused. She looked back with a face that carried a mix of surprise and disgust. "Wait, really? Opera!?"

Canvas happily nodded, and tried his hardest not to giggle at her confounded look. "Seriously, he likes opera music!"

Rainbow Dash paused, then chuckled. “You know what? That’s something I never would’ve guessed! Thanks, Canvas!”

The train doors eventually closed, and the engines fired back up to make its departure. Rainbow made sure to wave Canvas goodbye before the train could leave. The artist happily waved back at her, and then disappeared back through the window once the car began to move. Though she felt fine enough to fly right off again, Rainbow Dash waited until the train was out of sight before she flew off.

“Hmmm…” The mare’s muzzle skewed in thought as she soared through the muggy skies and she muttered to herself. “I wonder if Rarity has any good opera albums to recommend…”

Author's Note:

Just so any newer readers are aware, I've recently been undergoing a big project to turn the Brushed Away series into physical books for individual sale. Because of that, I just wanted to make a quick note for which chapters have been revised so far, including this one.

I want to give my deepest thanks, as well as some well-deserved credit to my followers helping me out with this process, as well as Double R. Forrest for their proofreading credits. And if anyone is interested in helping out with making this project a reality, I highly recommend checking out my Official Ko-Fi page dedicated to it.

Comments

[light snow]

Ok I felt pretty happy during this chapter. I don't know why but I shed a manly tear during the talk with rainbow dash there, but I think we need more Troy though. Other than that this is awesome

[AdamAperture]

What's the date of his birthday?

[Fley_The_Dragon]

This story started out pretty good but now it is really dragging on.

Here is where I abandon this fic. Farewell.

[SolangeEggbert]

large strap-on ones that journalist ponies wore on their backs.

Oh - it's that kind of fic.

[Laknock]

4682568
26-06-2010
Sorry about making SO many DW references, but I couldn't find a the date of the first episode of AoT.

[Misty Horse]

Rainbow likes troy!

[DerpTape]

5675916 No joke, that's my birthday! Well, 1981, but June 26th.

5312551