By and by

by Bysen

Preperation

It was Sunday morning and after their Sunday prayers, Pinkie was off to see Bysen as always. But before she did however Clyde stopped her, to have a little talk with her. “So I stopped at the library yesterday and I found out something for you.”

“Really? What?!” she said with cheer.

“Well, when a pony and a buffalo have a child, that child is called a deer.”

“Wow! Buffalos and ponies make deers?” Pinkie replied in amazement.

“Not exactly. They’re called deers because they look like deers, but they’re not the animal. They’re just like mules or hippogryphs. Just like normal people but with different parents. And I also found out about these things called ‘chimeras’ that are the children of a pony and a dragon!” he said, making the last word reek of forced childish amazement for her enjoyment. As if either a dragon or a buffalo, or in an earth pony land like this, a gryphon would ever have a child with a pony. Even one of those dirty donkeys was laugh and a half away from a long shot.

“Oh that is so cool!” she said, and while Clyde had disliked her use of slang words like 'cool' at first, he’d gotten used to it. “I wonder what a buffalo and a dragon’s child would be like!?”

“What’s this fascination with buffalo?” he asked. They’d come up a lot recently.

“They’re just really amazing is all. Did you know they make all their own stuff? Barrels out of tree stumps, bowls out of turtle shell. Or is it a tortoise shell? And houses out of branches and rope! It’s all so amazing!” and that explained it all to Clyde. Pinkie had always been a resourceful one, making her own stuff instead of buying it, saying it’s more personal that way. She was just fascinated with making her own party supplies most likely.

“I didn’t know that. It does sound amazing.” he answered as he patted her on the head and got back to his work. She then started bouncing off towards the road. The long boring walk to Bysen’s little home was just as exciting as always. And today she had big news. She was going to get him to meet her family for the first time! Well except for Blinkie who he’d already met. She’d be met for the… Pinkie thought to herself for a moment. Third time.

As she bounced through the bush, Bysen could hear her coming from a mile away. For nearly a whole seasons now she’d been visiting him constantly and no matter how much she talked on and on about the same things over and over he never got tired of it. It was surprising since one time when her sister had visited and Pinkie had gone off to get some water, he barely spoke with her. Though he found what she had to say interesting and new, the latter more so than anything Pinkie said, he didn’t enjoy his time with her like he did with Pinkie.

“Ah, Pinkie Pie. Did you bring some of those cupcakes I love so much with you?” he asked with glee.

“Nope.” she returned with equal to or greater than glee.

“How about a slice of cake. Or a super snack?”

“Nope.” she replied just as happily. “You know if I bring something every time it’ll make the times I do less special.”

“I do, but a buffalo can dream can’t he?” Bysen chuckled. It was Sunday, or more actually the eighteenth day of the ninth moon and so today was the day she and Bysen would go picking berries and fruits from the surrounding area. He had to prepare, brace himself, winter is coming. Last year he had not properly prepared, being from the warmer deserts where it didn’t snow often, if at all, he had ran out of food towards the end. That was when Pinkie started bring him treats. He had made it through winter, but vowed to not make it so closely this time.

He’d harvested berries and apples and other fruits and nuts and had shown Pinkie how to preserve them. They’d lost more to failed attempts and just eating them than he had managed to prepare properly but it had been fun and he had more than enough. After a few hours, they returned to his camp, eating a few of the better berries on the way back. They’d all be pretty bland when preserved so why not eat the best ones now?

After they’d finished, it was about the middle of the afternoon, still a few hours until her family’s dinner and she’d forgotten to ask him until now. Pinkie had told her father that she’d kept forgetting to ask the person to the dinner and by now he expected her not to bring anypony at all. Pinkie couldn't quite figure out why asking Bysen had been so hard. But tonight was the night and it was now or never “So Bysen, I was wondering if you’d maybe like to come to my farm for dinner tonight?”

“Your farm?”

“Yeah, you know, my rock farm. We’re having a really big dinner tonight! Blinkie’s inviting her coltfriend, Octavia’s inviting two of her friends and my father said I could invite someone too and I’m inviting you! So what do you say? Do you want to join us for dinner tonight?”

“I do not know Pinkie Pie. I am uncomfortable around your sister, I do not think I would be well around more ponies I do not know in a place I am unfamiliar with. No. I will not attend.” he said. He was steadfast in his ways and he felt out of place in this land as it was. This was something he’d confided in with her many times, including how he didn’t really like her sister. It wouldn’t be easy for Pinkie to change his mind.

“I’ll make those cupcakes you love so much.”

“What time should I be there?”

Author's Note:

'winter is coming' remember this story is about 4 years old. Meme was relevant then.

This chapter is about a month late. no excuse since I have them already written.