Unexpected Meetings
Tuesday was the start of our official bowling league. I’d had a clumsy start the first time, but I was eager to do better this time. Since Lyra and Bon Bon were both part of the mare’s team, they were just as excited, if not more so, than I was.
As for the work that day, it went much the same as yesterday. Now that I had gotten a handle on what to expect from customers, I was prepared to take their orders and ring up their self-serve purchases, when Lyra wasn’t taking care of specific customers. I didn’t mind that she did this, really. It felt like a certain kind of territoriality, a knack with certain customers. I was the new guy, so who was I to butt into that? At any rate, I didn’t see Pinkie back again, so that candy she bought must not have run out yet, though it was only a matter of time.
I still had heard no sign of Moonlight, not even this morning, but I supposed she was just getting into her job. I was happy for her, of course. It gave her something to do out in the community while earning some bits for herself. Still, it had only been her first day, so it was too early to tell how long this would last, though I hoped it would work out for the best.
I did get a welcome visit from Twilight that day. She, like my other friends, was surprised and delighted to see me behind the counter, and ordered a bag of rock candy for Spike.
“He’s gotten a taste for it lately,” she explained, as I filled up her order. “It’s hard enough to be like eating gems, but sweet enough to still be candy.”
“Have you ever asked him what the distinction is in eating gems?” I asked.
“Of course. He offered for me to try one, but I politely declined. He said sapphires are ‘cool and refreshing’, emeralds are ‘sweet and spicy’, and rubies have a ‘smoky, barbecued’ flavor.”
“Wow,” I said. “The next time I see Brutus, I might have to ask for his own opinion. Has Princess Celestia told you anything about how the dragon business is going? I forgot to ask Minister Ironmane when he was here last time.”
“Yes, but it’s not good news,” said Twilight, sadly. “She told me that Brutus is doing everything he can for a fair exchange, but he’s not the only dragon leader in the wastelands, and not all of them think like he does.”
“But some at least do?”
“Yeah. It’s some comfort, anyway.”
“Yeah. You know, there was something I wanted to ask you, but what was it?...Oh, yeah! Moonlight and I finished The Staff of Star Swirl. Is there anything after?”
Twilight’s smile returned.
“Certainly! You didn’t think that’d be the end, did you?”
“I was hoping not, even after what happened. That ‘A.K. Yearling’ is a genius! Who is Yearling, by the way?”
But Twilight didn’t answer. Instead, her eyes flicked to the bag of rock candy I was filling, and I realized what was going on.
“Gah! Look at me, prattling away and keeping you waiting. Sorry about that.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble. Anyway, the next book is Daring Do and the Batpony King.”
“...Batpony? What’s that?”
“They’re part of Princess Luna’s elite guard,” said Twilight. “They’re like pegasi with bat wings. All anypony really knows about them is that they live in mountain caves and are extremely loyal to Princess Luna. Actually,” she added, thoughtfully, “there’s not much known about them. They’re very mysterious, despite the lore behind them.”
“Ohh, is that what you call them? That sounds like what Minister Ironmane’s catalogue of Equestrian creatures said about, what were they...’terrabees’?”
“Pteruppis?” Twilight suggested.
“Yeah, that. Personally, I like ‘batpony’ better. It’s easier on the memory.”
Twilight giggled.
“Well, I’ll pick up the book next chance I get. Here’s your rock candy, Twi. That’ll be 6 bits.”
Twilight levitated 6 bits onto the counter and accepted the bag.
“Thank you!” she said. “You’re doing a great job here, Dave.”
“Thanks, Twi. Have a great day, and say hi to Spike for me!”
“I will. Bye!”
The bag levitated at her side, Twilight stepped out of the shop. The wind was whistling louder than earlier, and the snow seemed to be falling faster. Lyra seemed to have noticed as well.
“Storm on the way,” she said. “We’ll have to be careful heading to the alley tonight, if it doesn’t ease up. It’s supposed to get really bad tonight.”
“Why do the weather ponies even decide to make bad weather like that, if they control how it goes?”
“Gotta balance the good with the bad,” said Lyra, with a shrug. “Can’t just have perfect weather all year round, as nice as that would be.”
“I suppose not.”
“Besides,” Lyra went on, “we gotta get the bad storms out of the way so that we can have a peaceful Hearth’s Warming: sitting by the fireplace, sipping hot cocoa, unwrapping presents.”
She sighed blissfully.
“It’s times like that I wish I wasn’t single, that I had somepony to share it with.”
“You have Bon Bon, don’t you?” I asked. Then, realizing the implications that could lead to, I hurriedly added, “Not that I meant-”
But Lyra laughed.
“Chill out, man, I know what you meant. Yeah, Bonnie’s great company, and I love the gal like a sister. It’s just not a comforting thought that we might become spinsters together.”
“Who are you calling a spinster, Lyra?” came Bon Bon’s sharp voice through the door.
“I wasn’t calling you one, sheesh!” retorted Lyra. “Do you have to eavesdrop on everything I say?”
“The way you talk, there’s no need for eavesdropping!”
(They may both be single, but they sure bicker like an old married couple…)
***
That evening, we locked up as usual, but before we went to the alley, Lyra and Bon Bon stopped at their home to grab their bowling balls. I opted to wait outside for them, since they wouldn’t be long. The snow was falling thicker, and the wind was whipping up even stronger than before. I don’t even know how we managed it, once they returned with their bowling ball bags, but we made it to the alley in one piece. The only thing I was wondering then was whether the other bowlers had made it.
It was an intense relief to get inside the building, and as we made our way to the alleys we used last time, I saw that the others had made it after all, and were standing by, waiting for us. There was Big Mac, Magnum, Caramel, Pearl, Cheerilee, and Screwball. However, something was off: Meadow Song wasn’t there.
In his place was a stallion I swore I had seen before. He had a light brown coat, a messy brown mane, a green tie around his neck, and a cutie mark resembling an hourglass, like Minuette. He had a genial, intelligent face to him, his eyes twinkling boyishly. Now where had I seen him?
Of course! He was the guy who gave the last donation to our derby jar, the one whom Twilight said was browsing the history section looking for comedies. Come to think of it, I felt like I’d seen him several times before, but had never been introduced.
“There they are!” boomed Magnum. “Made it through the blizzard, eh, kids?”
“Like a little snow’s gonna stop us!” said Lyra. “Let’s do this!”
Screwball waved to me from where she stood beside Cheerliee, and I waved back. Bon Bon and Lyra joined the mares while I went to grab a ball before heading to the stallions. This time, I made sure not to drop it on my feet.
“Evenin’, Dave,” said Big Mac. “You ready?”
“Yes, sir!” I said. “Where’s Meadow Song?”
“Poor fellah caught a bad cold over the weekend,” said Big Mac. “Granny’s made him some of her specialty soup to help him get out of it.”
“Oh. Poor guy.”
“So Doc here is takin’ his place,” said Big Mac, indicating the newcomer.
“Doc?” I asked.
“It’s just ‘the Doctor’, actually,” said the stallion, in a cultured, English-accented voice, though it sounded like there was a hint of laughter behind it as well. “‘Doc’. That’s a good one. How do you do?” he went on, holding out his hoof.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said, shaking it. “My name’s Dave.”
“Dave, Dave,” he muttered, as if seeing if he liked the name or not. “Short for David?”
“Yes.”
“Mm. I like that name. Can’t exactly say why, but it’s got a nice ring to it. You’re not from around here, are you?”
“No. Let’s say I’m from...someplace else. It’s less complicated that way.”
“Ah. Pity,” said the Doctor. “I’ve never been a fan of abridged history, but different strokes for different folks, I suppose.”
“You’re the stallion who donated to the derby fund, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am!” he said, delighted. “When Miss Sparkle told me about what it was for, I put in a generous amount. I’ve always loved tinkering side projects, and I wanted to see where it went. I will say I was thrilled to see how the race turned out, even if your cart did end up in 2nd place. It was such a nice-looking little craft, too, and Scootaloo...Heh. She’s one ace of a driver.”
“I know,” I said, grinning. “Do you know her?”
“Hey, Doctor!” called Caramel from the lane table. “You’re up!”
“Coming!” called the Doctor, before saying to me, “Sorry, Dave, but busy night, you know?”
“Oh, yeah, sure.”
The Doctor went to take his turn.
(He seems like a nice guy, especially if he felt obligated to helping out a children’s cart race that much. Still, did he know it was for us from the start? Does he know the Crusaders? He named Scootaloo specifically. Then again, with the kind of stuff they pull, they must be famous...or is that infamous?)
“Hey, Dave! Yer up next!”
“Er, coming!” I said, and I hurried to take my place at the lane.
(Stay focused, Dave. Stay focused…)
I balanced my ball between my hands, took a deep breath, and lobbed it. It curved to the right and took down 4 pins. Retrieving my ball, I hurled it again, but only managed to take down 2 more.
“Not bad, kiddo, not bad,” said Magnum, slapping my shoulder as I returned.
“Ah, tough luck, old boy,” said the Doctor. “Those balls are pretty tough to manage, eh?” He added, in a secretive, excited tone, “But that’s where the challenge is, isn’t it? Do you use your hooves, or your mouth, or do you just give it a good kick? Anything goes!”
What was with this stallion? He was so...giddy.
“What you need, my friend, is a ball with finger holes. That might help put you on some even ground.”
“Do you study humans or something?” I asked. “Bowling balls back home have holes for just that reason.”
“It’s one of many things I try to study. I dabble. Here and there, this and that. I’ve got my hooves in a lot of strange things. No offense.”
“Er, none taken?”
“You, though,” he went on. “I hear the princess hoof-picked you to be a diplomat.”
“Yes, she did, actually,” I said, modestly. “I only hope she made the right decision. I’m pretty much a nobody back home. I’m not the world’s biggest expert, or the wisest man who ever lived. That’s people like Solomon or Benjamin Franklin, and they’ve been long dead. I’m only 20.”
“Now, what kind of talk is that?” asked the Doctor, soberly. “Are you trying to call yourself unimportant?”
“Well, not exactly, but-”
“Good,” he cut in, “because I’ve been around this block and quite a number more in my life, and in all of that time, I have never met anyone who wasn’t important.”
“Really?”
“Scout’s honor,” he said, “even if I’m not technically a scout myself.”
“Excuse me, Doctor,” came Cheerilee’s voice, “but I wanted to talk to you about your planned visit to the school this Friday.”
The Doctor sighed and put a hoof to his temple.
“Alas, my escapades demand my presence here, there, and everywhere. Cheerilee’s a dear friend, you see. Keeps a school full of bright young pupils, and she has me come in to speak to them from time to time. History, science, English, the works. This may take me all night, in between turns, so I hope you understand.”
“Uh, yeah, sure. I understand. It was nice getting to know you, Doctor.”
The Doctor beamed.
“Same to you, and thanks for being a good neighbor. You’re very close to us. Well, to the lanes, my man! Allons-y!”
And he went to over to where Cheerilee was sitting, after having taken her turn, and the two began a long discussion that did indeed last most of the night, in between their turns to bowl. This pony really was rather interesting.
Wait a minute...He was my neighbor? And he mentioned ‘us’. What did he mean by that?
I was jerked out of my thoughts by a tap at my side. Looking down, I saw Screwball standing beside me. She smiled when I noticed her.
“Hey, you,” I said, genially. “Glad to see you too.”
Her eyes briefly shifted to Cheerilee and the Doctor, then back to me.
“Oh? Do you know him?”
She shook her head.
“Ah. Well, he seems like a nice guy, right?”
She nodded.
“I can’t wait to see what kind of throws you pull off tonight,” I said. “I’ll admit, as...unorthodox as they look, they were quite fun to see last time.”
Screwball smiled, making a noise like a chew toy being squeezed.
“Hey, Screwball!” called Pearl. “It’s your turn, honey!”
Screwball jumped, making an ‘Oh!’ face and trotting off briskly. I wondered how long it would be before she was ready to speak, if that time was ever gonna come at all. Her pantomimes were kind of cute, but was a simple yes or no too much to ask for?
***
It turned out to be another great night at the alley. Despite Screwball’s amazing bowling prowess, which nopony else came close to matching (if anypony could match making their ball bounce between bumper-less gutters like a pinball), the stallions managed to scrape together a lead in the end by only 3 pins. Thank the Lord for powerhouses like Big Macintosh and Magnum; they really saved our bacon. Heck, even the Doctor knew how to bowl like a champ. I wasn’t terrible, but seeing how they bowled with hooves made me a tad envious.
“That’s the game, fellahs!” said Big Mac. “Good goin’, everypony!”
“We nearly had you this time,” said Cheerilee, “but you really surprised us at the end.”
“But next month,” said Pearl, “we’re gonna show no mercy!”
“Ah’d be ashamed if ya did,” said Big Mac, coolly.
“Well, everyone,” said Magnum, “as a kick-off to the official bowling league, I say we pulled it off with flying colors!”
“Definitely!” said Caramel.
“Undoubtedly!” said the Doctor.
“Unquestionably,” I supplied, trying to stay within the trend.
“So we’ll see you all next time!” said Lyra.
“As for myself,” said the Doctor, “since I’m certain poor Meadow Song will make a full recovery, I may or may not continue in the league runnings. That all depends. I’d hate to throw the equality of player numbers out of whack.”
“Well, it was good of you to join us, Doc,” said Big Macintosh.
“Heehee!” the Doctor chuckled. “‘Doc’. I still love that.”
So the two teams dispersed, heading their separate ways home, but warning each other to take heed of the blizzard outside. Sure enough, when we stepped out, the wind had really picked up, and the snow was falling in flaky torrents. My glasses began to fog up immediately, and it was an effort to walk at all.
“ARE YOU GOING TO BE OK, DAVE?” Bon Bon shouted over the wind.
“DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME, BON BON!” I shouted back. “I’LL BE ALL RIGHT!”
“OK, IF YOU’RE SURE! SEE YOU TOMORROW!”
“SAME TO YOU!”
We trudged on our respective ways home, my arm raised to shield my face, the wind nearly whipping my hood off. Now this was one thing I didn’t miss about winters back in my old home…
I still don’t know how I did it, but I managed to make my way, step by step, from the alley to home. Through the swirling snow, I saw two things ahead of me. One was that the blizzard had knocked down the flag at Fort Hooves. I doubted anypony would have launched an attack on it today anyway.
The second was an odd blurb of something standing in front my door. It wasn’t until I got up close to it that it spoke, making me jump despite the loud wind.
It was Vinyl Scratch!
“Y-You f-finally c-c-came b-back, d-d-dude,” she stammered. “T-Thank Celestia…”
“Vinyl?!” I shouted. “What in the name of Verne are you doing out here?!”
“C-Can we t-talk about it ins-s-side?” she asked. “I c-can’t feel my h-h-horn…”
“Y-Yeah, of course!”
I unlocked the door as quickly as I could, and Vinyl and I went inside. As soon as I shut the door, the unicorn let out a loud exclamation of relief. She shed her winter jacket, then shook the snow from her mane like a dog shakes off water.
“Phew!” she said. “Thanks, bro. I thought my tail was gonna freeze off out there.”
“Mind telling me what you were doing outside my house in a raging blizzard?” I asked.
“I came to see ya, bud!” said Vinyl. “Thought I’d drop by and see how you were hanging in there, living the bachelor’s life.”
“Really? You wanted to visit me? Boy, now I feel kinda bad for not doing the same for you.”
“Aw, sheesh, man, I’m not trying to guilt-trip you,” said Vinyl, rearing up and putting a foreleg around my shoulders. “My place isn’t in the best state for guests, anyway. Heck, it’s only ‘presentable’ when Octy drops by. She can be such a priss, but what can ya do?”
“How long were you waiting out there?”
“Probably 15-20 minutes.”
Aw, man. I left her waiting out there for that long?
“Well, I’m sorry I wasn’t here to let you in. I was out bowling.”
“It’s cool,” said Vinyl, casually. Then, she snickered and said, “Cool. Get it? Cuz it’s winter! And Octy says I’m not funny.”
“Heh, yeah, right,” I said. “So, can I get you anything? I headed to the alley right after work, and didn’t really grab anything to eat there.”
“I’m good with whatever you can dish up,” said Vinyl, “long as you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. I like having guests, even if I’m not the most efficient when it comes to cleaning.”
“Hey, neither am I,” said Vinyl, “like I said.”
“Well, please, make yourself at home while I get something started.”
While I went to the kitchen, Vinyl plunked herself down on the couch, stretching herself until I heard her joints crack.
“Do you like tomato soup?” I asked, pulling two cans of it out of the pantry. “It’ll do you some good after the chill you just endured.”
“Yeah, I’m good with that,” said Vinyl. “It’s been crazy lately, bro. Pinks invited me to a party and didn’t even need me to DJ.”
“Really?” I asked. “How was it?”
“Pretty decent,” said Vinyl. “P-squared always throws the best parties. The entertainment wasn’t too bad, but it definitely was lacking in the wub department.”
“P-squared?” I asked, confused.
“Yeah, Pinkie Pie. Double P. The Pinkster.”
“How many nicknames do you have for her? Or anypony for that matter?”
“My brain’s an arsenal of creativity, D-bro,” said Vinyl, proudly. “You could write a book on my thoughts!”
(Oh, no doubt about that, but what kind of book remains to be seen.)
Eventually, the soup was ready to be served, so I ladled two bowls out, bringing them into the living room and handing one to Vinyl, who sat up.
“Thanks, man,” she said, and before I could stop her, she gripped the bowl in both hooves and took a swig from it as if it were a drinking glass.
“V-Vinyl!” I spluttered. “That’s piping hot!”
Vinyl brought the bowl down, letting out a satisfied sigh, followed by an obnoxious belch.
“Good stuff,” she said. “Really hit the spot.”
I just stared at her, stunned.
“What?” she asked, innocently.
“...Nothing,” I finally said, and started on my own soup, while Vinyl took sips from what remained of hers from time to time.
***
With the soup in her stomach, Vinyl seemed to become much more relaxed. She settled herself cozily on the couch beside me, and even removed her sunglasses, setting them on the coffee table.
“You’ve got some sweet digs, man,” she said. “Doesn’t it ever get lonely here?”
“Inside, maybe,” I said, “but I’m never really alone. I’ve got my neighbors: Moonlight and the Hooves family.”
“Wish I had neighbors like that,” said Vinyl. “Mine just bang on the walls or the floor, telling me to keep the noise down. I’ve gotta work on my music, though! What do they expect me to do?”
“You live in an apartment? With all the shows you do, you must make enough to afford your own house.”
“I’m a simple gal,” said Vinyl. “I don’t need much: just a roof over my head, three squares a day, a warm bed, and my equipment.”
“But are you happy?” I asked.
Vinyl gave me a weird look.
“What kind of question is that?” she asked. “Are you trying to get all existential on me? Of course I’m happy! I’ve got the greatest job in the world, lots of fans, plenty of friends, why shouldn’t I be?”
Guess that was kind of a stupid thing to ask.
“Ok, ok, sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” I said.
“Forget about it,” said Vinyl. “Like I said, I never stay mad for long, and you’re too nice a guy to get mad at.”
“You think so?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“Well, thanks, Vinyl. I think you’re pretty nice, too.”
Vinyl looked slightly surprised, but then slyly smirked.
“What?” I asked.
“Are you flirting with me?” she asked.
(What?!)
“W-What?! Why would you think that?”
“You said I was ‘pretty’ nice, and not just nice,” she said, batting her eyelashes. “It was that one little adjective.”
“Vinyl, I never- I didn’t-” I blustered.
But then Vinyl burst into a hearty guffaw.
“Oh Celestia!” she gasped, clasping both hooves to her belly. “You should have seen the look on your face! It was priceless!”
I felt dumbstruck. Was she just screwing with me?
“That wasn’t funny!” I snapped.
“You’re right, it wasn’t,” said Vinyl, calmly, before adding, in another laugh-riddled tone, “it was hysterical!”
She threw herself against the back of the couch, kicking her back legs and slamming the armrest with one of her forelegs, cackling loud and long. I saw no reason to laugh, myself. Sure, I thought some Ponyville ponies were cute or attractive in their own right, but I never felt the urge to flirt with one of them. I was spoken for! ...Back home, anyway.
When Vinyl had finally expended all of her laughter, she took a minute or two to compose herself, before looking at me and spying my unamused expression.
“Aw, c’mon, man,” she said, cuffing my arm, “I was just joking. Even Octy knows I never mean what I say when I’m messing around. So, forgive me?”
She pouted in a rather exaggerated way, looking up at me with puppy-dog eyes. I couldn’t help it; I smiled at such a goofy face.
“All right, all right,” I said. “I guess I overreacted anyway.”
Vinyl grinned.
“See, that’s why I like you,” she said. “You’re a nice guy. Just goes with the flow.”
“Thanks. Well, it doesn’t look like the storm’s gonna clear out anytime soon, so you may as well stay the night. The spare bedroom doesn’t have a bed, but you can use mine while I use the couch.”
“Aw, dude, no,” said Vinyl. “Even I can’t let ya do that. I’ll take the couch.”
“No, Vinyl. As the host-”
“Don’t think like a host,” Vinyl interrupted. “Think like a friend.”
“Well,” I said, after a pause, “as a friend, I still wouldn’t feel right letting you use the couch.”
“Dude, I sleep on mine all the time when I’m all wubbed out. It’s no big deal.”
She was stubbornly insistent. I hated when that happened. The right thing to do was to have her use the bed, yet she said she didn’t care if she used the couch. I didn’t want to risk an altercation.
“Well, if you really insist,” I said, “then at least let me lend you a pillow and blanket.”
“Thanks, bro,” she said. “I can accept that.”
I got up and grabbed what was needed, while Vinyl made herself comfortable on the couch, stretching out along its length. When I returned, I handed her the pillow, which she telekinetically stuffed under her messy-maned head, and I tucked the blanket in around her. She stifled a giggle.
“What?” I asked.
“Ticklish,” she said.
“Ah, sorry. Well, I’ve got to be at work for 10, so hopefully the blizzard will be done long before. If not, I’ll let you stick around until it’s clear.”
Vinyl smiled.
“Thanks, man,” she said. “You remind me a lot of Octy.”
“I do?”
“Yeah. Kinda prudish, but with a good heart beneath that.”
“You think I’m a prude?” I asked, indignantly.
“I said ‘kinda’,” Vinyl said, “though that word is kinda fun to say.”
She giggled to herself, before letting off a huge yawn.
“Good night, you crazy DJ,” I said, grinning.
“Good night, you big lug,” she responded.
She snuggled herself in deeper, and I softly turned off the light, making my way to my own bedroom. As I settled under the covers, I could hear Vinyl’s soft snores from the living room. As strange and kinda nutty as she was, I’d have been lying if I said she wasn’t a good friend to have around. I hardly even noticed the loud whistling of the wind as I eventually dozed off.
Tuesday, December 6
***
When I awoke the next morning, I was feeling even warmer than usual. Had the temperature risen outside or something? My vision was still rather blurry, so when I looked for the source, it just looked like a pillow in front of me. But then, what was laying across my arm, and why could I see so much blue?
…
“YAH!” I yelled.
Vinyl jolted and slid to the other side of the bed, while I grabbed my glasses. As I put them on, the unicorn rubbed her magenta eyes tiredly.
“Not the best ‘good morning’ I’ve ever had,” she said, sleepily.
“Vinyl, what are you doing in my bed?!”
“It got chillier during the night,” said Vinyl. “I was gonna see if you had a warmer blanket myself, since I didn’t feel like waking you up, but when I couldn’t find one, I decided to share the bed with you. Besides,” she added, in a teasing tone, “I wanted to keep you safe and sound from any nightmares that might come at you.”
“What are you, my mom?” I asked, dryly, and that made her start laughing.
“Oh my gosh!” she gasped. “That face you made when you said that! It was hilarious! It was so deadpan serious!”
“Well, I’m glad you’re entertained,” I muttered. “Look, Vinyl, I gotta get ready. While I’m getting cleaned up, you can help yourself to breakfast in the pantry and see what the weather’s like outside.”
“All righty,” said Vinyl, and she clambered out of bed. “Best night’s sleep I’ve had in a while.”
She stretched cat-like, then trotted off for the kitchen. As I got out of bed, I mused to myself.
(I wondered why it felt like I was holding a teddy bear. Still would have been nice if she’d have asked me first.)
***
The sky was clear, though the ground was thickly laden with snow from the blizzard. Still, that meant Vinyl could come with me into Ponyville, and she could head home while I went to work. She had helped herself to a generous stack of toast, which she split with me when I came out dressed for the day. After that, we geared up, locked up, and headed into Ponyville.
“Hey, man,” said Vinyl.
“Hmm?”
Vinyl had moved her sunglasses with her magic to above her horn, and she looked up at me with those vibrant eyes of hers.
“I really do appreciate you letting me crash at your place,” she said. “I hope I didn’t weird you out too much by popping up beside you in the bed.”
“Well, it would have been nice to be warned,” I said, “but I’m still glad I could give you shelter for the night. Don’t be afraid to drop by whenever you feel like.”
Vinyl grinned.
“Thanks, dude. Whenever I feel like, huh? So when you’re sleeping, or in the shower, or-”
“Vinyl!” I snapped.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” laughed Vinyl. “Sheesh, do you and Octy share the same kind of stick up your butts? Well, later, man!”
Since her coat matched the snow almost perfectly, she seemed to just disappear into the banks covering the streets, though the blue of her mane and tail was still very vivid. The two of us had come to Bon Bon’s during our conversation. I sighed, letting out a cloud of freezing vapor.
“She’s crass,” I said, “but she’s friendly in her own weird way. Can’t fault her for that.”
And with that, I opened up the door and stepped inside, ready for another day of sugary sweets.
Wednesday, December 7
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Huh. And here I thought this was going to be an humanxPinkie story.
Now that was an interesting chapter. Too bad Twilight didn't tell Dave who Velvet really is, but she will in the future though right?
Oh come on maybe the Doctor must go into a small tardis blue shed. Dave nah it wouldn't be funny if he finds out now. Question got the Doctor the pages from Daves notebook or what it was.
This is getting waaaaaaaay too long
3422460
What can I say? I'm thorough.
Congrats on referencing Laurens opinions of bat ponies btw, always good to show your research
i sat here for the better part of the last hour laughing my soontobefrozen ass off because of this chapter
vinyl is a boss when it comes to humor in this chapter, the whole bed scene...that actually happened to me once, only i woke up to someone nomming on my head at the buttcrack o dawn
and now that same someone owes me 10 bucks on a shipping bet for the story
My thoughts on how you played the Doctor pony
and the rest of the chapter
3422229
read daring done and youll understand XDD
Vinyl is so awesome. And hilarious.
I could *so* see Nowacking voicing that whole altercation. Bowling league was cool, and, even though I know next-to-nothing about Dr. Who, the Doctor was an interesting character to see. Excellent work once more, man
And now, my brain is demanding I look for DoctorxCheerilee stories. Hm. Either epic wins abound, or I shall be crushed by the insurmountable epic losses. Wish me luck! Tally Ho!
Either Vinyl was really, REALLY cold...
Or we have no idea how pony anatomy makes it possible for them to ingest boiling hot tomato soup
So, am I the only person in existense that doesn't care for or like Vinyl Scratch at all?
3424288
Yes.
3425064 I want to get off this planet. Since when are obnoxious toolbags so loved?
3425073
Since MEGAS XLR.
3425081 Well, that's one mystery solved. Now I just need to know since when self-absorbed jocks like RD are loved so I can go (possibly back in time if needed) and strangle whoever's responsible for that event.
3425085
If you paid attention to character development, you wouldn't be speaking in such absolutes. Rainbow isn't always self-absorbed. She cares about her friends, about Scootaloo, and she's the Element of Loyalty for a reason. Yes, she's rough around the edges. She's a competitive tomboy. Nobody's perfect. Are you telling me everyone except Rainbow and Vinyl is perfect the way they are?
3425085
Rainbow Dash is the exception, not the rule.
I'm pretty sure she's the first, and isn't starting a pattern.
Her viewed 'awesomness' is likely a byproduct of her being so awesome.
You know, like Rainbow Dash.
3425098 No but everyone else is at least bearable and their flaws make them more interesting, not less. Over the course of the show so far RD is slowly made into not a total bitch, sure, but she's still the only consistently annoying/boring canon character for me.
Vinyl obviously varies since that's not canon, but her "messy, constantly teasing/playing, using stupid-ass nicknames for everything" variant is, admittedly, not a personal favorite.
3425100 "Awesome like Rainbow Dash"? Is that a sort of phrase like "Scary as balls", where everyone knows balls are not scary but still says it?
3425148
Ah well. Different strokes for different folks
3425148
Oh? And when was the last time you broke the sound barrier and simultaneously shattered the visible light spectrum?
The sentence describing her awesomeness even sounds awesome.
3425173
Shade, I appreciate your defense of RD, but I'd rather not let this escalate. Just sayin.
3425176
Alright.
...
Rainbow is best pony.
3425173 I dunno about you pal but I notice her shit personality before I notice her "spectacular" "feats" (that I don't care about even after I notice them). Besides, eπ is the real best pony.
Don't worry Blazewing, this is all I'm gonna to say on the subject. :3
*Clears throat* Eh-hem! ....
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THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!THANKYOU!
*Clears throat... again* Eh-hem....
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3422460 Think of it like a T.V. show in reading format. Each episode takes a look at Dave's life as he adapts to this new world.
3425081
I DIG GIANT ROBOTS! YOU DIG GIANT ROBOTS! CHICKS DIG GIANT ROBOTS! WE DIG GIANT ROBOTS! *Dunna-duna dun-dunnn~* Nice~
3431905
The closest I can see is 'Female in Equestria', even though Dave is a male. I'm sure it was just a spelling mistake, unless it's something else entirely.
3431905
That was an awful long time ago. I'm quite sure I meant something by it, im just not sure what anymore
I find myself voicing david tennant when reading the parts the doctor says lol
3430153 I don't think that's the only "giant" thing you dig. If you know what I'm saying... Sorry, it came to my head. And if it came to my head, you can bet your sweet ass I'm gonna say it.
3436584
naw, naw! When it's Anthro Raritry, it's mean in the literal sense.
Mount (the) Marshmallow!
3450038
Actually, I had Pinkie demonstrate the achy shoulder one in Chapter 8, but simplified it to Gummy being in the vicinity.
3424020 what if cheerilee was ace
You know...I was listening to Final Fantasy V's 'Dear Friends' when I read this chapter...and I have to say it fits really well.
obligatory " it's the Doctor" comment also
if you know what I mean
lol So many potential flirty scenes from the ponies with him. Makes me want this to be a herd fic more and more with how adorable each of them are with him. I know it's wishful thinking, but can't help it. XD
What are you talking about? Our humor is perfect.
"P-squared always throws the best parties." i swear to god that is a reference to something my mom and sister watch all the time. if it isn't, it's a weird coincidence.
OMG DOCTOR YES!!!!
4979029
EXTERMINATE *pzzzzzz*
I think I would have found out she was ticklish sooner. On purpose.
I have to wonder which Verne was meant. I tried to figure it out from the disambiguation article on Verne, but didn't come up with a definite answer. Maybe it was there and I didn't realize it. But as a result, three of the people in the article now have their death years on it where they didn't before, so...
I'm really hoping to see some sort of ship eventually
Looking for coolly. Cooly is a uhh... sorta offensive noun.