I'm Brownie Fudge. 19-year-old stallion. I go to college, so I guess you could say I'm a smart guy. I dream one day of being a biologist. There's, uh.... just one problem... I'm uh... homeless. My parents left me. Not quite sure where they went, but they're a thing of the past now. I have to focus on my life. But there's a certain bouncy pink pony, a very beautiful one at that, distracting me from my work. I can't get her out of my head, and that's saying a lot, considering my memory. I never thought we would ever be together. But here I am. This is my story. Our story. But as many say, I'm just another stallion.
It's a cloudy day outside. Looks like it might rain. I don't mind, in fact, I like rain. It calms me. I walk down to my alley, get as comfortable as I can be, which isn't that comfortable. I use my magic to pull the blanket over me. It's poorly made. I tried my best, though. My best apparently isn't enough, as my teachers say. I got used to the cold nights, the dogs barking, the bugs crawling, the rain pouring, all the norm in this alley. I called this certain alley my hell of a home. This is the best it gets. I'm still in the middle of my first semester, that's all I can afford after all. That's also why I can't get a house. How great would it be to feel warm and comfortable in my bed, instead of on the concrete using rocks as a pillow. I often get scrapes on my head from my tossing and turning on the rocks. I eat the leaves off of the trees, sure they don't taste good, but they're free. If I'm lucky, I can find a delicious insect to munch on. This is my life.
My parents left me and took most of my money. Some parents, huh? Yeah, they're not the best. They let me live happily till 18 years old. That was my time to move out. They left a few hundred dollars in my pocket (metaphorically, of course). I spent this money on college. Smart choice, right? Well, now I can't afford a home. I wish there was a way to undo everything, but my magic limits that. I'm still learning a few things about magic in college. I get a few Bs and Cs every once in a while, mostly in the sizing objects sections. I can do much simpler things though like levitating objects, but I have yet been able to levitate myself.
In case you haven't figured out yet, I'm broke. I'm bruised. I'm bumped. I'm battered. I'm blasted. I'm still breathing. I'm Brownie. Brownie Fudge. Great name, hmm? Well, my parents were apparently selfish and not creative.
I lay my head down on the hard rocks, poking at the back of my mane, head, and neck. The itchy and dry blanket lay on my body as I sleep. Or at least I attempt to sleep. I feel drops on my face. Rain. Calm, soothing rain to help me sleep. I thank Celestia. Or the pegasi, considering they control the weather. I slept somewhat peacefully that night.
I wake up. The position of the sun suggests it's about 5:00 A.M., the usual time I wake up. I stretch and make a cracking sound. Your back on the concrete wouldn't exactly be your choice of night residence. I can feel the cold morning wind go through my mane, swooshing the short hair to the side. I grab my things, my books, my pencils, my lunch, my everything. I levitate it inside my saddle bag and trot to school. One would say it's early, I would say there's no such thing. "You can never be too early," my mother said when she was in her generous years.
I feel as if today, something good will happen. This was normal. I think something good happens, next thing I know, I'm covered in mud. Someone comes towards me, I hope they want to be friends with me, they push me down on the ground. There's something else I don't have. Friends. I got used to the lack of company, other than the constant bullying that I face everyday.
It was a normal day at school. Learned new things, Equestrian history, new spells, the normal things you learn. I had a test the next day, so I studied hard. This wasn't just a normal test, this would be 14% of my entire grade this semester. My heart pounded as I went home. I forgot most of the things, I have a pretty short memory.
"What's wrong, nerd, scared you'll fail?" one of the bullies said. The others laughed. I can tell where they get the nerd part from. I have messed up teeth due to my lack of a toothbrush and toothpaste. This makes me very unattractive. I also have half-broken glasses, and I can't afford to fix them. I have freckles from the large amount of time I spend outside. It's not my choice. I would stay inside all day if I could find a house. I always cover up my flank with an orange lab coat. Yeah, that's right.
I don't have a cutie mark.
The only one in the school who does not have a cutie mark, and doesn't know what their true meaning in life is. Maybe I'm not meant to have a cutie mark. I can deal with that. What's the big deal for having some kind of random object on your flank? I have an idea of my true meaning in life. I have an idea about my talent. It could be cooking, I haven't tried that before. Maybe I'm not meant to have a place in Equestria. Times like these depress me. Hell, what doesn't depress me? I have no friends, no job, no money, no house. I think I've over-mentioned not having a house... it's just a necessity in life, right? I guess I can live without a house. I've managed to do that for about a year now. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty tough physically from all the time I've had outside. However... I'm definitely not tough emotionally.
When I walk down the streets of Ponyville, I can't help but notice a certain pink pony always bouncing around. She brightened up my day every time I walked by her. She would always come over to me and make me smile. I had a huge crush on her. But why would she like me? After all, I'm just another stallion...
I walk back home to my alley. It was a very windy night, not cloudy though. I guess the weather pegasi just weren't in my favor right now. Meh, I can live with it. "That mare," I said to myself. Being alone all the time with no friends will definitely make you talk to yourself a lot. "She had some... magical force...." I continued. "Well, who am I to be talking? I'm a bucking unicorn for Celestia's sake," I didn't mind if anyone was hearing me. I paced around my trash can, literally, the center of my alley is a trash can. "I have to be around her more, she makes me feel... happy." I never thought I'd say that word. I haven't said that word in years. Much less have I been described as it. This certain pink mare was special. I had to study her. "You can't just change someone's emotion, not even the extremely skilled unicorns, not even Celestia herself can do that, this bouncy mare wasn't even a unicorn." I continued my logic rant, as I like to call it. I had to figure out her bucking name as well. "That mane and tail of hers... it's as if she was inflatable. How can she do that?"
I decided to stop the rant, I had a very big test tomorrow, I could use all the sleep I can get. I once again lay my head on the hard rocks. Same thing every night. I had a bit of trouble sleeping that night. But this wasn't because it wasn't comfortable. It was because of the mare.
The mare of my dreams.
The next morning, I woke up normally, stretched, found some crickets left over from last night, put 'em over a fire that I set up and ate them. Normal routine. I grabbed my stuff and set off back to school.
As I walked inside, everything was normal. Well, normal for me. Being pushed around, yelled at, and me just ignoring it. I hung my head down, hoping to avoid anyone noticing me. Alas, my distinct brown mane and horn stuck out of the crowd. I started crawling on the floor, then ponies started stepping on me. Not the best place to be in, but it helps your back after laying on the concrete for 7 hours. I was extremely nervous for today's test. I can't imagine what it would be like if I failed.
There she was...
That pink bouncy mare I found yesterday evening! There she was!
...But I couldn't muster up the courage to go to her. And you're probably like 'Oh, he's just a tough colt with a weak heart.' Well, I am. I, however, am NOT shy, it's that I'm extremely sensitive emotionally. It's not that I'm scared of asking... I'm scared of the word "no" coming out of her mouth. If that happens, nothing in life would be better. It would just put more stress on me, more than I already have. Considering my statistics in life, I can't afford any more stress. Hell, I can't afford anything. This definitely was not a good time to ask.
I did anyways.
I trotted over to her, excited on the inside, apathetic on the outside. She was standing away from me. That beautiful flank of hers, with balloons as her cutie mark. No, I had to focus on the task at hand. No distractions... no matter how pretty they are.
"Uh... hey," I greeted.
"Oh, hi! I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name?" She answered, bouncing up and down. This was another illogical thing about her... she can bounce perfectly.
"Brownie Fudge," I answered.
"Nice to meet you, Brownie!" She shook my hoof vigorously, I pulled back suddenly, my protective instinct taking over.
"Heh, sorry, instinct." I blushed.
"Oh, it's okay! I've never met anypony like that!"
"I've never met anypony like you..." I accidentally said out loud. Force of habit, once again. After speaking to myself multiple times, I often say my thoughts out loud.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you can bounce up and down, your mane and tail are all inflatable... and you make me smile every time I see you." That last part, again, accidentally said out loud. I wanted to facehoof so hard.
"Yeah, ponies say I have that effect!"
"And, uh... you're really... beautiful..." That part I actually wanted to say out loud.
"Oh... thanks..." She said, this time wasn't as loud. She stopped bouncing. This was more of a soft, embarrassed tone. She was blushing hard. I was too. Might as well call her Reddie Pie.
I avoided getting too close to her. From never having a good shower for a year, I take baths in the pond. I am extremely smelly. This had to be fixed. Nopony will like you if you smell like plot. Either she hasn't noticed yet, or just didn't mind.
"So um... we should hang out some time..." I awkwardly continued the conversation.
"Sure!" She started bouncing again.
I couldn't believe this. My first friend in years. Even before I became broke, I was still very anti-social. I focused on studying. This was an unfamiliar feeling of excitement and nervousness. How would I tell her my feelings for her? I kind of already told her she's beautiful... 'Why the buck did I say that...' I thought.
I walked off to class, as did she to her own class.
And now it's test time. But I look over to my right, and I couldn't help but smile. I know she likes me, or at least as a friend. I definitely know we're friends now. But I someday hope we can be more than friends. She's always in my mind. There she was...