> It's too Cheesy! > by graceyadorable > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Manehatten > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Oh Manehatten! What you do to me!" Cried Cheese Sandwich. The young colt had lived in the city all his life. He knew every corner and alley. But what he still didn't know was friendship. He had always been a very shy pony and afraid of crowds. He had always wanted to feel importent but never could figure out how. He had given up. Cheese had always blammed his shyness and fear from growing up in Manehatten. It wasn't the nicest place for a colt scared of his own shadow. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Newbery Award gave Cheese a nervous look. While the rest of his classmates had gone off to the playground, Cheese was in the library. He just sat there, flipping through pages of a old history book, completely uninterested. Newbery did understand that some students just didn’t like playing outside, but Cheese had never been one to just give up on making friends. The unicorn pondered her attachment to the small colt, the concern librarian felt for him was strange, almost as if they had some kind of connection. He is a very likable pony but Cheese was to shy to let it out. She dismissed her earlier thoughts, but her concern for him stayed. Newbery walked up beside Cheese and sat down, ‘Hey sport, is something wrong?” she asked. Cheese Sandwich looked as guilty as a captured thief, “Ummm, no! What makes you think that?!” he unconvincingly lied. “Well, for starters you’ve been reading the same book for the last thirty minutes.” Newbery said, smirking as Cheese got even more nervous. “It’s uh… very interesting!” Cheese countered, giving an innocent smile. “You’ve been flipping through the same chapter the entire time.” The unicorn deadpanned. Cheese’s nervous smile slowly faded from her face, “Well, uh um I was uh…” Newbery gave the colt a warm smile, “Listen, you don’t have to try and cover it up, I’m only trying to help.” He sighed in resignation. “You know how Mrs. Creative told us we have to do a project on our family’s history?” “Your class came here because of that.” Newbery reminded him. “Well, you see I’m having some trouble with my project…” Cheese said, obviously leaving something out. The mare laughed, “Is that it? Cheese you had me worried there! What kind of trouble is it, don’t know who to chose?” “No…” Cheese said quietly. “Can’t find a certain book?” “No…” “Having trouble with writing the report?” “No, well a bit, but it’s not the problem…” “Well then what is it?” Newbery asked, “Whatever it is, I’m sure I can help.” “It’s a problem with my family itself, not the project.” Cheese admitted, feeling a bit better getting that off his chest. Newbery on the other hoof felt worse for laughing earlier. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn't realize.” She said softly. “It’s okay.” She shook her head, “Is something happening between your parents?” she asked, this time is a more hushed tone. Cheese took a deep breath, “The problem is that… that… I don’t have any parents, or family.” Her eyes widened, “You’re an orphan?!” Cheese Sandwich shoved a hoof into Newbery's mouth, “Shh! I don’t want anypony else to know!” He then looked around, when he saw that no one else was in the somber building. Newbery's face went red, “Sorry about that, but why can’t you tell anypony?” Cheese looked down at his hooves, “Well, The doctors said that my mom abandoned me at the hospital.” He started to cry a little. Realization struck Newbery’s heart like a knife. It wasn’t very common for parents to abandon their foal in Equestria, but it still happens now and then. “I’m so sorry.” She said, draping a hoof over the young colt. He shook her head, “Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault Newbery.” Newbery hung her head. She wished there was something she could do. Wait, maybe there is something. “Hey, I think there is something I can do.” She said. “What?” Cheese replied, curious about what Newbery had to offer. “Well, remember when we found out that Sweet Apple found the life she always wanted when she left Manehatten? She found her special somepony and is now pregnant with her third foal. Maybe you should venture out of the world you know and try to find who you really are!” Cheese gave a little smile, “Of course, but what you? Won't you miss me?” “I will.” Newbery explained, sadness hit her like a knife. She had always thought the young colt had somepony who loved him. But that wasn't the case. Cheese's face brightened, “Really?! Could you come with me?” “I will always be with you in here.” Newbery said, placing her hoof on the colt's chest where his tiny heart was beating rapidly. “Come to the library tomorrow and we talk some more.” “Thanks Newbery! I won't disappoint you!” Cheese Sandwich said, embracing the librarian. Newbery smiled, it always felt nice to give help to other ponies in need. > Journey > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cheese Sandwich rode down the path he always took to see Lipton Green. The colt knew he had to tell his idol the truth, as much as it pained him to do so. With a heavy heart he parked his scooter and walked up to Lipton, who was sitting on a hill waiting for him. “Hey Lipton.” Cheese greeted, surprising the old pegasus. “Hey Cheddar! Didn’t see you there.” Lipton said. Lipton had always called him Chedder because when Cheese was younger, he had a horrible stutter that made it hard for him to talk and even say his name right. When the old stallion first met Cheese, the foul pronounced his name as 'Cheddar Sandwich' and Lipton had been calling that ever since. It always made the colt smile to be around the stallion. Even when he would take long naps, Cheese was snuggled up beside him sleeping. Cheese paused, he was meaning to tell Lipton his secret now. I’ll tell him after Cheese thought, dismissing his worries. “You bet I am gonna get my cutie mark today! I’ve been working on my take off!” He said, excited to start but still distraught, “Its gonna look awesome on my flank!” Lipton chuckled, “I’ll be the judge of that, show me.” With that Cheese gave a pat on the back to Lipton to be there for him since he had no other pony. But Lipton noticed the distraught in the colt’s eyes and gave him a sympathetic look, “Don’t worry, the only way to remedy any problem is to try again. You will get it” Cheese smiled pulled himself up and with determination in his eyes, was sure to get a cutie mark today! Lipton was right, no matter how many times he fell she would get up and try again. ---------------------------------------------------------Two Hours Later---------------------------------------------- Cheese lay on the ground, panting like a dog in summer. His orange yellow coat was covered in sweat and his mane was covered in rocks. “Had enough?” Lipton asked, hovering directly above Cheese. “Yeah.” Cheese said, breathing heavily. Lipton smiled, “Well I think you deserve a break, you’ve been working your tail off.” Thanks.” Cheese replied,sitting himself up. Lipton flew down and sat beside the small colt, draping a wing over him. They sat there for a few minutes when Cheese Sandwich broke the silence, “I haven’t been completely honest with you.” He said. Lipton pulled his hug back in surprise, “What do you mean?” “Well you see the reason I never introduced you to my parents is…” Lipton’s mind was racing as fast as a sonic rainboom. He remembered when he had asked to meet Cheese’s parents, the colt had dodged the question until Lipton forgot about it. The memory came flooding back when Cheese mentioned it though. Lipton put the pieces together in his mind he assumed why the colt hadn’t introduced him."Wait, are your parents abusing you?” He asked, almost certain that it was the case. “What?! No!” Cheese said, almost as surprised as Green was. The old pegusus gave a sigh of relief, “Well then what is it?” “I don’t have any parents.” The young earth pony admitted. Lipton’s thought process came screeching to a halt, “You’re an orphan?!” Cheese laughed a bit, “That’s exactly what Newbery did when she found out.” “Hey! Why’d you tell New before me?!” Green asked, feeling a pang of betrayal. Cheese just shrugged, “She wormed it out of me.” “Heh, New can be kinda nosey sometimes.” Lipton chuckled. “Yeah,” Cheese said, “but she told me she had a plan to help my problem!” Lipton grinned, “That’s great squirt!” “She told me to meet her tomorrow so I thought you could be there. But I would’ve asked you no matter what.” Cheese said, hugging Lipton “Well what are we waiting for?” Lipton said, getting up, “Let’s go!” > Discovery > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lipton Green walked with Cheese Sandwich to Newbery’s Library. “You know I’m still upset that you didn’t tell me you were an orphan.” he said. Cheese looked slightly guilty, “Yeah, I’m sorry about that it’s just…” Lipton Green raised a hoof, cutting him off. “Listen, it doesn’t matter why you did it, I’m sure you had a good reason. What matters now is finding out who you are.” “Yeah, but what do I do after that?” Cheese asked. Lipton shrugged, “Who knows? Maybe we already know, I mean why else would you leave? You need to find who you are.” Cheese paused, considering that. “Yeah I guess.” “That’s the spirit kid.” Lipton said with a smile, “Now let’s get to the library. We don’t want to leave Newbery of all ponies waiting.” Cheese shuddered, remembering what happened last time they’d shown up to the mare’s house late. “Alright, race you there?” Lipton laughed, “Sure! Don’t worry I’ll g-” Suddenly he was cut off by a gust of wind. Lipton looked beside him, Cheese wasn’t there. He then looked in front of him, and saw a brown and orange dot on the horizon. “Hey no fair!” He shouted, giving chase to the colt on a scooter. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The library was silent as Cheese and Lipton watched Newbery mixing a potion. Unlike most unicorns, Newbery could get distracted rather easily. Lipton impatiently tapped his hoof on the floor, “C’mon New, are you nearly finished?” Newbery looked up from her brewing, “Just about…” Suddenly a poof of blue smoke came out of the vial, “now.” Twilight finished. “So you can help me leave Manehatten?" Cheese asked. “Not, right now! I am in the moment!” Newbery explained. Then her horn lit up. Cheese felt a sharp pain on his head because of his fall earlier. “OW!” He complained, louder than expected, wincing and putting a hoof on the spot his head hurt the most. “Sorry I am taking forever dear! Just one more moment!” Newbery said, not noticing the glare the orange colt was giving her. Newbery dropped the the vial and a popping sound was heard, “Alright, then one more thing to do.” Newbery said. She grabbed the bottle and violently lifted it, throwing the contents into the air. When the potion was in the air, however, it dissipated into mist and hung in two separate spheres side by side. Then Newbery’s horn lit up like purple fire and two pink beams shot towards each sphere. Once the rays hit it disolved into the air above Everypony stood still in shock at who they saw. Lipton broke the silence, “Wait! What the heck was that?!” Then Cheese popped up, “What was the whole point of that?” Newbery knew the answer, but she was too mad to care. “Lipton, please take a letter!” She shouted. “Sure thing Newbery!” Said Lipton now even more aggravated with the delay, rushed off to get parchment and a quill. “This is going to be harder than I thought.” Newbery muttered under her breath. > Leaving it behind > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- He stood at the edge of a manehatten. The town was busy as normal. Even though its three in the morning. Cheese had had a rough time sleeping that night and new that he just had to leave. If he didn't take the chance, he would dismiss it. Newbery had given him a map of Equestria to use as a guide when he decided to leave. She took forever to finally give it to him. She was so focused on mixing a potion to make oranizing the library better organized. She could get caught up so quickly with anything. It always could take her forever to talk to you when she is busy doing practically anything! He wished Newbery and Lipton could have came with him but they had there own lives that they had to live. This is his chance. He had doubts about this but today is better than never. He set one hoof on the border. The sign said 'you are now leaving manehatten.' He pranced towards Celestia's sun towards the new horizon. As happiness fell to critical levels, his Cheesy Sense began to pull him in a dozen different directions at once. Fillydelphia, Canterlot, Vanhoover: happiness was tanking in all of them, one after another. Manehattan went, and he worried about his friends. In Bayroan nothing interesting was found. He felt Appleloosa go from his vision. He barely had time to think, before Las Pegasus started to pull at him too. It got to the point where he was literally chasing his own tail. After that, something went hideously wrong. He felt as though his insides were being sucked out, along with all his earth pony magic. He crawled behind a rock, threw up, and huddled there, hiding from whatever it was that could negate all the happiness in the world.