The Sixth Day: The Morning After
You Do (Not) Belong
The Sixth Day: The Morning After
If Connor had been dreaming, there was no way he would have been able to tell. It was like his body sent out a memo that it wasn’t even in the mood for imaginary activities, and his brain was inclined to agree. He was just that tired. He probably would have kept sleeping for another few hours at least, were it not for the fact that something decided to rudely awaken him.
Slowly clawing his way back to consciousness, the first thing Connor was aware of was something small and fuzzy poking his cheek. His eyes felt like rusty hinges as he opened them to see Fluttershy’s blurry brown ceiling in the early morning light. Again, he felt a poke on his cheek, and with a tired groan, he twisted his neck over to look at what was trying to get his attention.
Sitting there, next to his head on the top of the armchair, was the fluffy white form of Fluttershy’s pet rabbit, Angel.
They just looked at each other for a long time, the rabbit wearing a bored, uninterested expression to mirror Connor’s tired one. Connor, not in the mood for games, furrowed his eyebrows into a spiteful glare.
“Buzz off... I’m trying to sleep,” he told Angel, before closing his eyes. That, he would soon come to realize, was a mistake.
The next thing Connor felt was immediately more jarring and about ten times more irritating than the relatively gentle pokes from before, as Angel raised his paw and brought it down hard right across Connor’s horn. A spike of electric sensation coursed through his skull as a result, instantly jolting him awake.
“Ow!” he exclaimed, sitting upright in the chair. He reached his hand up to massage away the unpleasant buzzing feeling that felt as if his horn was vibrating like a tuning fork. Connor then opened his eyes to see Angel now on the floor in front of him, utterly bowled over with laughter. At least, that was what he assumed the chittering, huffing sound coming from the rabbit was. “What the fuck was that for!?”
Connor watched the annoying furball as it recomposed itself, breathing in steadily and trying to wipe a tear from its eye.
“Are you done?” Connor asked sourly, lowering his arm once the feeling in his forehead returned to normal. After a few seconds, Angel managed to nod his little head, causing his long ears to flop back and forth. Although, he was still unable to suppress the odd snicker. “Okay, I’m awake now. What do you want?”
In response, Angel pointed one of his paws at Connor, then pointed it over at one of the hallways of Fluttershy’s cottage, before opening his own mouth and motioning towards it.
“You’re hungry?” Connor guessed. “Well, what the hell do you want me to do about it?”
Angel thumped his foot in annoyed fashion while shaking his head in the negative. Then he followed up by jabbing his paw once more in Connor’s direction, and again towards the hallway. Angel was apparently telling him that he needed to go that way, but the rabbit ended his game of charades by giving him a nonchalant shrug that said to him, “Do whatever you want. I don’t care,” before he abruptly turned tail and hopped off out of sight.
“Pfft... ‘Angel.’ Yeah, right,” Connor muttered, before rubbing his face to rid himself of his remaining sleepies. Letting out a powerful yawn, he then looked over to the table on his side, where his glasses lay after Fluttershy presumably removed them while he slept. He twisted around to grab them while simultaneously straining his back in order to crack it. After slipping his glasses on, he did the same with his neck, eliciting a few loud pops and snaps as he felt his joints loosen up. It felt really good.
With a groan of exertion, Connor lifted himself up from the chair. As expected, his muscles still felt raw and sore from the previous day’s efforts, especially the bruise on his side. He lifted up his shirt to see that the part that had hit the ground was now an ugly, mottled shade of dark yellow.
Well, nothing I can do about that right now, he thought to himself. He dropped his shirt and jacket back down, and started walking through the house down the hallway that Angel pointed out to him.
Just a couple steps later, he found himself entering a kitchenette area with a short table in the center. Around that table were a couple of chairs, one of which was currently occupied by Twilight, who was reading a newspaper while sipping at something steaming inside a cup held in her magic. In front of her was a modest breakfast spread, with eggs, bread, a pitcher of juice, and an additional spot set out across from her, probably for meant for him.
Connor stopped by the entrance of the kitchen, rubbing his eyes, and this caused Twilight to look up from her paper at him. “Well, well, look who’s finally awake,” she said, amused, and with a smile on her face.
Connor just moaned in response, communicating the idea that he wouldn’t have been if he could help it.
Twilight let out a slight giggle. “You sound just like a zombie pony.”
Connor just tilted his head forward and shot her a look, before his lips curled up in a grin of his own. Then, he cast his arms out in front of him with his hands limp at the wrists. “Braaaaaaains...” he drawled as he began to shuffle his way towards the table. Twilight laughed again, louder this time.
“Well, Fluttershy made scrambled eggs for breakfast; those kinda look like brains,” she offered, using her magic to pull out the chair for him. “Go ahead and sit down.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Connor accepted, sitting in the chair and groaning a little as his back creaked with the movement.
Twilight noticed his discomfort, her expression shifting to one of concern. “Fluttershy told me about what you did... How are you feeling?” she asked him.
“Not nearly as bad as I was, don’t worry. This is just my body getting back at me for yesterday,” Connor replied. He reached forwards on the table, taking up the plate of eggs and a spatula and dishing some out for himself. Then, pouring himself some juice, he looked up at Twilight. “What about you? You look a lot better.”
Twilight nodded, lowering her newspaper on the table. “I’m back at a hundred percent. Perfectly healthy. Thanks for asking.”
“That’s good,” Connor said simply, before picking up a fork and absently starting to eat.
The two carried on in silence for a while, with Twilight gazing off to the side while pursing her lips, thinking of what to say next.
“Listen, Connor, I...” She trailed off, only continuing when she had Connor’s full attention. “About yesterday, what you did... You didn’t need to push yourself so hard.” Twilight’s eyes widened slightly as she realized how that might’ve sounded, and she tried to course correct. “What I mean is, not saying I'm not grateful or anything, but it wasn’t really anything that serious: just a moderate case of manaburn coupled with acute physical exhaustion, and--”
“Twilight, stop,” Connor interrupted, feeling like this was something that didn’t need to be made an issue of. “It really, really doesn’t matter. I’m just glad you’re okay. What happened, happened. Let’s just move on.”
Twilight swallowed the words in her throat, finding herself agreeing with him. “You’re probably right. We should just put this behind us.” The mare breathed in deeply before speaking up in a calmer, more gentle tone. “I just wanted you to know that I... really appreciate what you went through on my behalf. I’ll never forget it.”
“Uh... you’re welcome.” Connor really couldn’t think of anything better to say, so he just left it at that. After an awkward pause, he continued eating while Twilight sat for a moment more before picking up her reading material and burying her muzzle behind it. Trying to think of something to fill the space, Connor finally came up with something. “So, where’s Fluttershy gone?”
“Oh, she went out back to tend to her chickens,” Twilight said, motioning with her hoof at the window above the kitchen sink. “She’ll be back soon.”
“Mmm,” Connor grunted in acknowledgment, before returning his attention to his food.
With the two of them occupied by their current activities, the only sounds were the scraping of silverware, the shuffling of a page being turned, and the songs of Fluttershy’s birds greeting the day. The rest of Connor’s meal was polished off in short order, and when he was done drinking the rest of his juice, it ended with the stifled belch of a satisfied stomach. Finished, Connor picked up his plate and brought it over to the sink.
“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” he asked casually, as he washed and rinsed off the dish, placing it in a nearby drying rack.
Twilight was quiet for a few seconds after the question, reading the last bits on the back of the newspaper. When she was done, she folded it over and laid it back on the table before turning to address the human. “Well, first off, we should go back to the library and check in with Spike. Even though Fluttershy let him know we were okay, he’s probably still worried.”
“Yeah, I can imagine,” Connor commented, knowing how attached the little guy was to his figurative “big sister.”
“I also need him to send that letter to the Princess explaining your condition. And the sooner the better.” The unicorn got up on her hooves and walked over to where Connor was standing. Her ears and tail drooped slightly, and what she said next carried a hint of disappointment. “Until we hear back from her, there’s really nothing we can do about your horn.”
“Hopefully, she’ll have some answers for us,” Connor said in agreement. He then leaned over on his elbows and peered out the window, taking in the sight of the sun already making its way high above the green fields behind Fluttershy’s property. “So, what are we gonna do until then?”
“Well, I don’t know about ‘we,’ but there were some errands I was planning on tending to today. It’s the first Wednesday of the month, which means I have to go to the schoolhouse to deliver a new selection of books from the library. For the children to read.” Twilight gently nudged Connor in the side. “You’re welcome to come along, if you want... but I would understand if you’d rather stay at the library and rest some more.”
Connor pushed off from the countertop with a sigh, looking down at Twilight’s hesitant features. “Nah, I think I’d rather go with you. It sounds like more fun than the library, at least.”
“Great!” the unicorn said, perhaps a little more excitedly than she meant to. She then made a conscious effort to pare back her enthusiasm. “I-I mean, that’s great. I’m sure Cheerilee and the foals would love to meet you. Sweetie and Apple Bloom should be there too. You can say hi to them.”
Connor raised an eyebrow at the sudden shift in her demeanor, as well as her obvious change in topic, causing Twilight to swiftly turn in order to hide the slight blush she was getting from the attention.
“I’m... gonna go tell Fluttershy we’ll be leaving soon,” she told him as she began trotting away at a measured pace. “Can you wait by the front door?”
“Uh, sure. I’ll... do that,” he called after her as she turned the corner and went out of sight. He stood there with a confused expression for several seconds.
Scratching his head, Connor then turned in the opposite direction and started making his way back to the foyer, muttering to himself as he did so. “What was that about?”
------------------------
“Goodbye! Don’t be strangers, you two!” Fluttershy called out from the foot of her doorstep, while waving a hoof at Connor and Twilight as they descended the hill outside of her cottage.
Twilight turned and gave a short wave of her own. “Of course not, Fluttershy. Thanks again for everything.”
“Yeah, guess I’ll see ya around,” said Connor, his horn once again concealed behind a veil of magic. His gaze lingered on the yellow pegasus for a moment longer as she grabbed the door handle to close it. But just before she did so, who else but Angel appeared by her hooves.
With one paw drawn beneath his eye, he stuck his tiny pink tongue out at the teenager in a plainly mocking gesture, right before the door closed and shut him away. Connor’s expression instantly soured.
Fucking rabbit... He grimaced internally, before deciding it just wasn’t worth getting worked up over. Not when all signs in front of him were conspiring to keep him positive.
The morning air was brisk, but steadily warming with the sun rising up higher into the sky. Everything was bright, clear, and fresh outside. Even the morning dew on the grass by the side of the path sparkled like tiny gemstones in the sunlight. Connor couldn’t explain it, but for some reason he could just feel that it was going to be a great day. Even his body’s soreness seemed to be fading away little by little as the walking limbered him up.
Twilight also seemed to come to the same conclusion, as she felt as refreshed and ready as ever to tackle the day’s activities with enthusiasm. But most of all, she couldn’t wait to be back home and see Spike again. It felt like days since they had left.
Just like the day before, there weren’t any other ponies on the road, which Connor didn’t mind either way. Still, though, it did feel a little lonely, so he decided to strike up yet another conversation about magic with his purple traveling companion.
“So, Twilight,” he said to get her attention.
One of the unicorn’s ears perked up and turned in his direction. “Yes, Connor?”
“Mind if I ask you more about that teleportation magic you did before? I didn’t exactly get a chance to earlier.”
“Sure! What did you want to know?” she asked cheerfully.
Connor scratched at his chin thoughtfully, and was subtly reminded that he was due for a shave. “Hmm...”
He figured that the exact mechanics of the “how” were most likely not something he could hope to grasp, given his background in Equestrian spellcraft (or lack thereof). So he began by asking Twilight about how it worked in general; just what exactly was she capable of?
“The spell itself isn’t all that complicated. With enough practice, any unicorn can perform it,” Twilight began. “It’s not even that taxing compared to other spells, at least, magically speaking. Basically, I can teleport to anywhere I have a clear line of sight to, or can picture in my mind clearly enough.”
“Uh-huh... So, if you can do that, how come you couldn’t teleport us away when the timberwolves showed up? Or just straight to Zecora’s and back again?” Connor questioned, before following the thread of logic and going all-in. “Actually, why bother walking anywhere at all?”
Twilight let out a light sigh of disappointment. “If only it were that easy. You see, the energy requirements start small, but can quickly get out of hoof if you bite off more than you can chew.” She turned to look up at him walking beside her. “I can teleport across a room and barely use any magic at all. Beyond that, teleporting groups of ponies or going long distances requires an exponentially increasing amount of energy. That little trick I pulled back at the Everfree wasn’t easy, but if I’d been at full strength, it wouldn’t have been as much of an issue.”
“Okay, I getcha,” Connor said, nodding. What she said was actually making a lot of sense to him. Just like the energy required to move close to the speed of light, adding even a little more mass would end up being a problem. Or maybe it had something to do with the amount of “work” involved in moving the subject, and more distance equaled more energy. He had no idea if that’s what was really going on here, but it was the best he could come up with. He wasn’t Neil deGrasse Tyson, after all.
Earth’s scientists would have a field day if they could get their hands on this pony, Connor opined, causing him to chuckle. “Now I understand why you couldn’t simply teleport us out of the forest, and I assume the reason you couldn’t just take us far enough away from the wolves is because you couldn’t see the destination.”
“That’s right. Blind teleports like that are incredibly dangerous. It would’ve been far too easy for one, or both of us, to end up occupying the same space as a tree.” Twilight closed her eyes and shuddered at the thought. “That wouldn’t have been pleasant.”
“No kidding,” Connor said. Then, he idly reached up to take of his glasses, looking through them at the bright ball of the sun to see if he could spot any smudges that needed cleaning. Satisfied that there weren’t, he put them back on. “Well, I think that sates my curiosity for now.”
“I’m glad I could help. You know, I really enjoy these chats of ours,” Twilight said with a smile, looking ahead to see that they were already fast approaching the Ponyville town limits. “Spike’s a good listener, but he’s never really been interested in the finer points of magic. Oh, and that reminds me: we need to make a quick stop at Sugarcube Corner on the way back.”
“Oh, yeah. The gingerbread cupcake house, right? What for?”
Twilight looked over at Connor, cocking an eyebrow. “I made a promise, remember?”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The pleasant jingling of a bell chime announced their entrance to the popular sweet shop, and the moment Connor walked in, the decadent smells of the goods for sale inside were nearly overwhelming to his nose. The interior of Sugarcube Corner was almost as whimsical as the outside, with brightly colored candy shapes stenciled into the polished wooden furniture, and the shelves along the walls filled to bursting with candies, sweets, cakes, pies, and everything in between.
“Ouch,” Connor remarked, drawing a confused glance from Twilight.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Oh, nothing. I think I just got a cavity from walking in here,” joked Connor, tapping his teeth with the tip of his finger. Twilight responded by rolling her eyes.
Aside from themselves, the shop looked to be fairly crowded, even though it was still early in the day. Lined up at the counter near the back of the store were three mares and a stallion, each waiting patiently to have their orders taken. Off to the side in an enclosed, patio-like area, two other ponies were engaged in an animate conversation while sitting over a shared milkshake. They all looked up to notice the new arrivals, but after getting over their initial surprise at seeing the only human in town, they settled down and went back to what they were doing.
One pony in particular, a slightly pudgy earth mare with turquoise fur and a mane and tail that resembled bubble gum taffy, stood behind the counter. She wore a frilly yellow and pink apron, and at the moment appeared to be more than a little flustered. Upon noticing Twilight and her other guest, she tried to put on a smile, waving a hoof in greeting.
“Hello, there, dears! Sorry, but it’s gonna be awhile,” she said apologetically, as she finished securing the ribbon on a box in front of her and nudged it over to the beige pony at the front of the line. “Thank you for your business. Enjoy your day!”
The customer nodded politely, taking up the ribbon in her teeth and trotting back to the exit. The clerk then gave her attention to the next pony as Twilight and Connor came up along the side.
“Dozen chocolate cupcakes, raspberry frosting, correct?” she asked the slate-gray pegasus, who nodded in the affirmative. She then turned her head towards the swinging doors that led to the back of the store and, Connor supposed, the main bakery. “Number forty-two needs his order, dear!”
“Okey-dokey, Mrs. Cake!” came an exuberant, familiar voice from the back room. It took Connor a few seconds to place it, but once he did, it sounded unmistakably like the voice of Pinkie Pie, whom he’d met at the party she’d thrown on his behalf.
“It’ll just be a moment, sir,” the pony named Mrs. Cake assured her customer, before she was finally able to talk once more to Twilight after letting out a tired sigh.
“Busy day?” Twilight asked in a friendly manner.
“No busier than usual, Twilight. We’re just a little shorthoofed at the moment, what with the husband taking Pumpkin and Pound over to the doctor’s for a checkup.” The blue pony took a moment to brush a stray lock of her mane back into place, and as she did so, happened to glance directly at Connor. “I see you’ve brought our guest from Amareica with you today. Here to sample some of the local delicacies?”
“Uh... no, thanks. I’m good,” Connor replied. “Twilight wanted something, though.”
“Is that so? Well, in any case, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait in line just like everypony else,” Mrs. Cake said consolingly. She turned back to face the back room doors and took in a deep breath in preparation for saying something.
“Number forty-two, coming right up!” Pinkie Pie interrupted whatever Mrs. Cake was about to say as she opened up the swinging doors and sauntered out with a box balanced on her flank. Upon seeing Connor and Twilight standing there, she let out a gasp of recognition, and virtually everything about her features and body language instantly brightened. “Hi, Connor! Hi, Twilight! Fancy meeting you guys here!”
Twilight let out a snicker. “Pinkie, you work here. It’s really not that surprising.”
“Oh, yeah!” the pink mare exclaimed with an expression of realization, and it was hard for Connor to deduce whether she was joking, or legitimately forgot.
With a light bounce of her hind legs, she flipped the box she was carrying up into the air to land perfectly straight and upright on the counter. Inside, Connor could see, were the dozen cupcakes that the pegasus stallion was waiting for.
While a grateful Mrs. Cake thanked Pinkie and proceeded to close the sale, the party pony cantered over to her friends on the other side of the counter, near the center of the store. “So, what brings you to...” Pinkie stopped talking as her eyes fell on Connor’s forehead, while her shoulders slumped and her manic smile turned into a disappointed frown. “Aww, your horn is gone.”
“Shhhhh!” Connor immediately put his hands up and waved them around alarmingly. His eyes shifted around the store in order to make sure none of the other ponies overheard, and breathed a sigh of relief when it seemed like they hadn’t.
“What? What did I say?” Pinkie asked innocently, tilting her head to the side. Twilight then put her foreleg across her friend’s shoulder, pulling her slightly off to the side.
“The horn isn’t gone, Pinkie,” she said in a hushed whisper. “I’m hiding it with my magic. Connor doesn’t want anypony else to know about it.”
“Ooooohh, I get it,” Pinkie said back, matching Twilight's volume. Then, her eyes drifted off in thought for a few seconds, and she shook her head, her fluffy pink mane bouncing with it. “I don’t get it.”
Connor placed his hands on his hips, exasperated. “Look, Pinkie... I’d just really appreciate it if you could maybe keep quiet about it for now?”
“But why? I think it’s neato! I wish I could grow a horn.” Pinkie’s face scrunched up with strain, her tongue curling past her lips in concentration. After a moment of looking like she’d taken a bite out a lemon, she let her features relax with a grunt of frustration. “Nope. Can’t do it.”
“Ugh...” Connor facepalmed at the pony’s impetuous behavior. “Please? Just as a favor to me?”
“...Oh, alright,” Pinkie acquiesced, lolling her head back and forth. “But only because you said ‘please’!”
“Thank you.” Connor nodded in her direction.
“You’re welcome!”
“Okay, now that that’s settled, let’s get to why we’re here,” Twilight spoke up to grab her two friends’ attention. “Pinkie, do the Cakes still have any of that gemstone frosting laying around?”
Pinkie raised a hoof, tapping it against the tip of her nose. “I think so. Why? Is it Spike’s birthday again?
Twilight shook her head. “No, Pinkie. I just wanted to get him something nice, since he’s been cooped up at the library so much lately.”
“Aww, isn’t that sweet?” The mare closed her eyes as a fit of giggles escaped her muzzle. “I’ll go and check, just gimme a sec. Hey! That rhymed!”
While Pinkie bounced her way back to the kitchen, humming an airy tune to herself, Connor and Twilight proceeded to take their place in line. In the time they’d been talking, the line had shortened to just one pony: a cream-colored mare with a dark red mane and a single rose for a cutie mark.
Connor watched as Mrs. Cake placed a small bag of candy on the table for her, and the pony in front of them buried her muzzle into the depths of her saddlebags, coming out with two golden coins held in her teeth. They made the exchange, thanked each other, then went their separate ways, and the pair shortly found themselves at the front of the line.
“Alrighty then, what can I get for you dears today?” Mrs. Cake asked with a practiced salesmanship.
“One of your gemstone cupcakes, please. For Spike,” Twilight explained.
“Sure thing, Twilight. That’ll be four bits.”
Twilight nodded, but then her face went slack with sudden dismay. “Oh, no! I forgot... With everything that’s been going on, I didn’t think to bring any money.”
“Oh-ho, don’t you worry about a thing, dear,” the blue mare said, laughing it off with a wave of her hoof. “I know you’re good for it. You can just bring in the bits tomorrow.”
Twilight let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Mrs. Cake. I owe you one.”
“My pleasure, Twilight. I’ll go see how Pinkie’s coming along and we’ll get you your order right away.”
Mrs. Cake then disappeared past the doors to the bakery, leaving them swinging in her wake. While they waited, Connor leaned over to peer through the glass display case under the counter. Looking at the rows of brightly colored lollipops, literally glistening with sugar, was starting to make his mouth water in spite of the fact that he was still mostly full from breakfast.
“Do you want one?” Twilight asked, noticing the enraptured look he was getting.
Connor breathed in and out, then shook his head morosely. “No, thanks. I don’t need it.”
“You sure? I wouldn’t mind paying.”
“...Nnnnno, really. It’s okay,” he repeated humbly. Connor was a scrimper and a saver by nature, and he didn’t want to impose on Twilight any more than he had already.
“Alright. Suit yourself,” Twilight said with a shrug, dismissing the issue.
After a moment of silence (save for the noises coming from the kitchen), Connor thought of something that had been brought to his attention. “Hey, is four bits a lot of money?”
“Not really. For a single cupcake, maybe,” Twilight admitted. “But Spike’s definitely worth it. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when we give it to him.”
“Heh, yeah, I bet that’ll be something to see.”
It was another minute of waiting, with Connor occupying himself by fiddling with the tassels on his jacket, before the doors to the kitchen swung outward again, this time admitting a smiling Mrs. Cake with a box held in her mouth. The box was dark green, wrapped around by a purple ribbon that matched the dragon’s scales, and had a tag hanging off the side that read “Spike” in a fancy calligraphy.
“Here you go, Twilight. I hope Spike enjoys it!” she said after dropping the box off in front of her, which Twilight took up with her magic.
“Thanks, Mrs. Cake. And I’ll have those bits to you tomorrow, I promise.”
“I know you will, dear. Have a nice day, you two!” The jubilant mare waved a hoof and gave Connor and Twilight a friendly wink as they turned to leave the store.
Before they reached the exit, however, a sudden shout from Pinkie Pie came from behind them. “Hey, Connor, wait!”
“Hmm?” Connor questioned as he turned to see galloping out past the counter and skidding to a halt right in front of them. “Whoa, what’s the matter, Pinkie?”
“Well, I couldn’t just let you leave without saying goodbye, now could I?” The bubbly pony then reared back and launched herself into a hug, reaching around and squeezing Connor and Twilight together for a second before sitting back down on her haunches. “Oh, and I wanted to give you something, too.”
Before Connor could ask what, Pinkie reached both forehooves behind herself. “I had some extra cupcakes from the last batch, and at first I was all like, ‘Well, I’m not gonna let these go to waste, so I’ll just eat ‘em myself!’ But then I was all like, ‘No, wait! I should give ‘em to Connor since he was being all grumpy-grumps a couple days ago!’ So, here you go!”
From behind her back, Pinkie produced two cupcakes in each hoof, wrapped in silver foil. They both appeared to be chocolate, but the one in her right hoof was covered in blue frosting, while the other hoof held a red-frosted confection.
“Which one would you like? The blue one or the red one?” she asked, holding each one up in turn.
“Uh...” Connor didn’t respond right away, his eyes dancing between each of the sugary delights. Something about this scene seemed eerily familiar, somehow...
“Aaangh! Wrong! Trick question!” Pinkie brusquely interrupted, making a sound like a game show buzzer. “You can have both!”
The pink pony wasted no time in shoving both cupcakes towards him, and he took them in his hands quickly before they could fall to the ground.
“O-okay... Thanks, Pinkie,” Connor said, starting to feel a little exasperated.
“Yup yup! Catch you guys later! I gots more stuff to bake!” Pinkie Pie twirled around and started trotting back towards the kitchen, waving a hoof behind her. “Good luck with that thing I’m not supposed to talk about!”
Connor and Twilight watched her go with blank expressions on their faces. The teenager then looked between the cupcakes he now held in his arms, and down at Twilight next to him, eventually setting on Twilight. “And you have to put up with this every day?”
“Pretty much. Trust me, it gets easier.” The unicorn sighed, then motioned towards the door with her head, using her magic to prop it open. “Let’s get going. Next stop, the library!”
Connor followed her outside, while holding his hands in front of him and comparing the gifts Pinkie had thrust upon him. They both smelled heavenly, but aside from the color, there didn’t seem to be any major difference. Regardless, he didn’t think he could stomach eating both in one sitting.
“Hey, Twilight, do you want one of these? I don’t have enough room for both.”
“Sure, I guess,” Twilight said after a moment to mull it over. “Mind if I have the blue one?”
“Go right ahead,” Connor replied, and the cupcake in his left hand lifted up in a purple aura and floated down to Twilight’s level. Licking his lips, he then used his freed hand to unwrap the one with the red frosting. Just then, he was hit with an epiphany.
The Matrix! That’s what she reminded me of! he thought, Pinkie’s presentation sending his mind back to that iconic scene from the movie. He scoffed with amusement. Heh. All she needed was a pair of sunglasses and I would swear she did it on purpose.
Connor crumpled up the wrapper and put it in his pocket, but just before sinking his teeth into the cupcake, another though gave him pause.
Wait... Wasn’t the red one supposed to mean...? Connor shook his head, dismissing the idea. Then, he bit down, savoring the sweetness as it danced across his tongue and his idle worries were pushed aside. Nah. That’s just silly.
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Do my eyes deceive me, an update so soon?! I was optimistically hoping it would be released within a month.
videogameologists.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Emperor-Palpatine.jpg
Good, good...
Putting 10 internet bucks on the next chapter being named "How deep the rabbit hole goes" or the like
I'm surprised you didn't have Connor give Angel a threat or something.
Connor: "You know buddy, my kind aren't above eating rabbits such as yourself."
Angel: O_O
So, from now, will Connor perceive reality like Pinkie Pie does?
I haven't seen the Matrix.... which pill means which?
Soo, will there be any rabbit soup in the next chapter?
What if I told you, that Pinkie Pie IS the Matrix.
2965465
Down the rabbit hole again...
2965504 Thanks. So red pill lets Neo see the Matrix..... red cupcake lets him see magic?
2965465
Blue is for blissful ignorance and red is for knowing the truth even if it is painful.
2965495
That would explain a lot actually.
2965382
"You probably taste like shit now, but with a little soy sauce I think I can stomach you"
I did enjoy your matrix reference, but I think it would have been better without the explanation. After all, references are best when they aren't explained
Doing good with this fic, keep up the good work!
He will go deeper into the rabbit hole...To strangle Angels neck
.
Why do I have a bad feeling about his casual dismissal of his original thought?
2965495 None of us would be surprised.
Better start running Mr. Connor before you get the Agents on your ass.
2965528
i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/1837828352/hEA308289/
The blue pill is a means of escapism, the ignorance is bliss option. If he had chosen this he might have been thinking that regardless of why he's here he simply doesn't care and will turn his back on the answer to get home. The red pill is the truth that Connor has subconsciously chosen since he never remembered what the red pill was. Meaning he has dedicated himself to this path and all the shit that comes with it.
You could also take this all in a literal form with Conner's life being an illusion and Equestria being the real world, but I don't think the author intends that, although it's VERY possible, especially with Connor growing a horn out of nowhere. I'm taking it to be more of a nod to the philosophy The Matrix posed.
Oh Matrix.
Perhaps I'm over-thinking this line from our protagonist, but I have this sinking feeling that Connor's joke about getting a cavity is foreshadowing him losing his incisors, District 9 style.
Regardless, Connor better watch for Angel as he goes down that rabbit hole.
2639714
I know I'm late in replying to this, but those are great criticisms, and ones I agree with. The word choice and expository paragraphs aren't the greatest. But, one thing that I really enjoy about this fic is the way the protagonist is presented. He lashes out, he does stupid things, and he acts realistically, which is a nice breath of fresh air. Although he isn't characterized very well (since he is just an everyman), he appears human and relatable. And I think that's this fic's greatest strength and part of what makes the fic above the others in its genre. Also, thanks for replying so candidly and eloquently despite the standoffish and irritated tone in my original reply, and sorry about that.
And it's plainly ridiculous that your post is at 2 thumbs up and 4 thumbs down. That was a great post.
2965495 Then it would be to the surprise of no one.
Ahahah nice a new chapter!
2965465 "Gordon, do everything while I wait from a safe distance."
-Alyx Vance
Strangely enough, Gordon Freeman has a distant relative that currently serves the US Army: PSC James Ramirez.
2965603 "Maybe I can convince Zecora to help me turn you into a nice tasty stew..."
Yay updates.
Short and fun chapter was short and fun!
2965382 "Have you ever heard the word 'hasenpfeffer'?"
The likes are OVER 1000!
Red is for red herring :D!
Great chapter as always, looking forward to the next one.
2965552 Congratulations, you're turning into a pony! And Celestia bless Google!
fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/057/0/e/morpheus_pinkie_pie_by_flixwind-d4r387k.jpg
2965830
I believe the downvotes to the comment are due to the tone.
See, while the criticisms themselves are very good, the way he presents them is pompous, arrogant, and insulting. He's so absorbed in being "cleverly" acerbic that it's nearly impossible to derive any actual wisdom from what he wrote, since that would involve... well... actually reading what he wrote.
Interesting side-note: I put "cleverly" in quotes because I don't really think it's very clever at all to passive aggressively put others down.
If there was ever a clear and shining example of how being unnecessarily mean can ruin a perfectly good critique, this must be it. Which is really disappointing, because it's obvious the guy knows what he's talking about and has helpful things to say.
The title instantly made me think of an Evangelion reference.
So does this mean that Connor is supposed to be Neo and due to him being in the Matrix he can now bend and even break some of the rules that apply to the physics in that world?
Put on your bigboy pants 'cause shits going down next chapter
Missing "
2965382
Connor had the good sense of not messing with Angelo Bunnitori de Ponyville.
2.bp.blogspot.com/_IusHUw-JFj0/TAUiMcBdUII/AAAAAAAAAAw/ywAJgM75Sl4/s1600/raving-rabbids-bunny-assassins-creed-500x344.jpg
2968041 PFFT
Don't worry Conner, Pinkie Pie doesn't actually defy logic, she's just to the left a bit.
fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/054/b/b/pinkie_morpheus_pie_by_saturtron-d4qrngi.png
You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes!
2965504 2965518 2965552 2965649 2967848 2968817
Or, you know, it's always a possibility you guys are reading waaaaay too much into this. Sometimes a reference is just a reference.
Or, as Sigmund Freud once said, "Sometimes a cupcake is just a cupcake." ...At least, I think that's how it went.
Also, I should point out that Connor didn't "choose" anything, Twilight did. Speculation machine to maximum!
Everyone is talking about the Matrix reference, while I'm just sitting here wondering why Twilight's acting all weird all of a sudden.
2969064 she just forgot everything about the matrix ^^
2969045 maybe a comment is just a comment
Loved the Matrix thing at the end.
2967087
Really? I didn't think there was anything wrong with the tone. It didn't feel passive-aggressive or arrogant or mean to me at all. Just honest and harsh. I mean, for his original post, yeah, I'd say it was vague and fairly passive-aggressive, but not for this one.
2969045 "But other times a cupcake is a metaphorical cupcake meaning something completely different and thus life changing... or it could be a cupcake"
Ok, am I the only one who *squeed* like an excited Fluttershy seeing Spike for the first time when reading this? I think I got a cavity just picturing this in my mind.
2970807 I do believe you are, compadre.
images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130505135945/illogicopedia/images/1/15/621px-Neutral-feel-like-a-sir-clean-l.png
2969064 HOLY SHET!!!! THE IMPLICATIONS!!!! THE INTRIGUE!!! THE SECRECY1!!!!!1! NO DOUBT THIS IS A CONSPIRACY!!!11!1!!!!
ps~ I have no idea what I'm talking about
2968817 alrighty then morphpinkus