> Lost and Blind
>  by Blue Cultist
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1. Lost
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lost and Blind
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Chapter 1: Lost
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Pinkie Pie took a deep breath.

The spring countryside was alive with a sweetness that put an irresistible spring in her step as she walked along the quiet country road toward Ponyville. All around her were the sounds of birds freshly arrived from the warmer south, filling the air with song.

Trundling behind her was the small cart that held all her worldly possessions, which wasn’t much. Most of it was party supplies she had ordered from magazines that found their way to the rock farm. What wasn't predominately party planning material were personal items--gifts from the family to remind her of home in an unfamiliar town. 

Turning her head to look over her shoulder, Pinkie realized this may have been the furthest she had been from the boundaries of her home in all her life. The barren rock farm was no longer in view, with only the green grass and the road she had traveled visible to her. 

The prospect of leaving was still a little scary, but Pinkie found it hard to worry when the countryside was so serene and tranquil.

Pinkie could have taken the train, but the pony at the train station would have charged her more than she could afford to load her cart into the baggage car. She wasn't upset by this, if she had taken the train she would have missed all this nice scenery. On the upside, not taking the train meant she could use her money for more important things once she got to the Cakes’ shop.

She giggled with excitement at the thought of learning to bake all the different kinds of cakes, pies, cookies, and everything else that brought a smile to a pony's face. Although she had copiously thanked the Cakes in her letters for allowing her to stay and work in their bakery, Pinkie was going to make it a point to thank them again in person for allowing her to explore her special talent.

Of course this meant she’d be around sweets all day, and although she might not be able to eat cupcakes all day it would mean she could sneak one or two or five.

She wondered if she could throw her own welcome party? Was that legal? She’d have to ask and find out.

Turning her attention back to the road Pinkie reasoned she still had quite a way to travel before she arrived, but the ticket master at the train station had promised her that she could make it there before dinner time. The road had just led Pinkie to the top of a small hill, from which she could see to the colorful shapes of Ponyville’s tallest buildings in the far distance. If she hurried Pinkie bet she could be there by lunchtime.

From those distant buildings, Pinkie’s eyes traced the winding road back to where she stood. Not far from the hill was a lake that rested near the road, fed by a stream that ran next to the road and eventually under a bridge near the lake. The stream seemed to flow from Ponyville, and Pinkie hoped there were closer bodies of water. She enjoyed swimming and ice skating in the winter.

While the countryside was beautiful, the longer Pinkie looked at the downward slope of the hill, the more she began to get some of her creative ideas. Ideas that usually resulted in her sister Limestone yelling, and maybe being sent to bed without dinner. But her family was all the way back at home, and there was no pony for literal miles.

It was a perfect time to have a little fun.

Pinkie effortlessly turned the cart around so the wheels could roll freely, unhitched herself, hopped inside and began to rock the cart forward and backward. It wasn’t long before Pinkie felt gravity taking over as she and her cart began to roll down the hill. Despite the hill’s small size and the generally shallow incline, she managed to get enough speed to whip her mane back, and Pinkie stood up to feel the wonder of the wind in her face as the cart raced down.

She let out a squeal of delight, only to realize her impromptu ride was virtually over. The cart was already losing speed as Pinkie had reached the bottom of the hill and was now rolling over flat terrain again. By some miracle she hadn’t rolled off the road, and was slowly coasting to a halt not far from the bridge she had spied from the top of the hill.

Pinkie sighed, the ride had been over too quickly. She felt the temptation to push the cart back up the hill for a second try, but Pinkie shook her head. She had to keep moving. She’d remember to try this again some other time.

After turning her cart back around, rehitching herself, she resumed her happy trot toward the Cake’s bakery. It hadn’t been her intention, but her little stunt had saved her a little walking and given her some much needed excitement. The bridge ahead was no comparison to her wild ride, but she resolved to stop and look over the side just the same.

The only body of water back on the Pie farm was a small shallow drainage pond that kept the land from flooding when it rained. It wasn’t anything meant to be anything more than a soggy hole in the ground.

In stark contrast the water beneath the bridge flowed clear and slow, allowing the pink mare to glimpse some minnows darting in tight formation. This stream fed the lake just beside the bridge, the sight of which elicited a sigh of contentment from Pinkie as she took in the natural splendor.

On the bank near the bridge near a patch of reeds she saw a family of ducks waddling toward the water. A fat bullfrog sat in a patch of moss while a turtle sunned itself on a log not far away. The wind blew across the surface, causing just enough of a disturbance to catch the sun and make the surface sparkle with flecks of captured gold.

It was quite the sight.

What was less picturesque was the strange creature she saw wandering along the bank.

Pinkie tilted her head as she looked at it, having never seen anything like it before. The more she looked at it, the more curious she became.

From this distance she couldn’t tell if the creature was completely hairless or simply had a very thin coat. Whether thin or hairless, Pinkie reasoned it didn’t get a lot of sun from how pale its skin looked. A short mane of messy brown hair sat atop its head, but that was the biggest patch of fur she could see on it.

It seemed to be a master of walking on its hind-legs, something Pinkie had a hard time with after the sixth step. She wondered if it could give her some pointers. Around it's barrel and hind legs was a set of funny looking cloth pants in a colorful pattern Pinkie wasn’t familiar with.

Concern for it rose up when she saw it stumbling forward, seeming to measure its steps with slow, careful movements. The cuff of its pant legs were stained with mud, and it kept rubbing its eyes for some reason. Was it crying? If so, why was it up on its hind legs like that? If it was crying, how could she best brighten this funny looking creature’s day?

She rolled her eyes. "The answer is muffins of course."

Everypony loved muffins and she had a dozen of the little treasures packed in her cart. She could stand to part with one.

Pinkie was so lost in her thoughts as she gawked at this strange creature that she didn’t realize it was edging closer and closer to the lake.

“Hey, you’re gonna-” was as far as Pinkie got.

Her shouts seemed to startle the hairless creature, causing it to lose its balance and tumble into the water with a splash.

Pinkie gasped; quickly worming herself free of her harness she galloped as fast as she could to the panicked creature as it thrashed in the shallow water.

By the time Pinkie had managed to race to the edge of the lake the thing had managed to sit up in the mud, covered in stringy water weeds and sandy mud. It coughed and sputtered, using those strange wormy things on its not-hooves to slick the water off its bare cheeks.

It suddenly jolted up in the mud, reaching into its soaked pants to pull out a small fish that had somehow found its way inside in its panicked thrashing. With a sigh, it dejectedly tossed the fish into the water.

Pinkie giggled, thinking this would be a good reason to not wear clothes like that while swimming.

The two-legged thing seemed annoyed, judging from how it was frowning on its flat muzzle. Now that Pinkie was closer, she wondered how it could smell at all with that small nose. Its eyes were even stranger. They were small, but they were looking red with irritation like it had just woke up but worse than Pinkie had ever seen.

“Hello? Is someone there?” it asked with a stallion’s voice.

Pinkie was a little surprised it could talk, but was pleased to have met somepony new.

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie, do you like muffins?” Pinkie asked, excited to be talking to something so incredibly new to her.

The creature tried to stand on his hind legs again, only to stumble back down into the mud. It sputtered as it tasted pond water, and again brought its not-hooves to its face.

“Um, can you help me out, it’s so dark I can’t see anything.” He asked, seemingly embarrassed to ask.

Pinkie tilted her head, then looked at the sky. Yes, the sun was right where it should be. After another look at his face Pinkie reasoned that maybe he couldn’t see very well with those small eyes of his. Were his eyes supposed to look cloudy like that?

At the very least she should help him out of the water, game or no game.

“Sure, just a sec.” Said Pinkie.

He hadn’t exactly fallen in very far, but Pinkie still needed to stretch her neck a bit and stand on the very edge of the lake to reach him.

Whatever he was, he let out a yelp and jolted up when Pinkie gripped his shoulder with her mouth and pulled. His panicked thrashing didn’t stop Pinkie from dragging him out of the water and onto the bank. She couldn’t do anything about all the mud, but at least he wasn’t sitting in the lake anymore.

“Um, thanks.” He said, sounding very confused as he rubbed the area where Pinkie had gripped him, “Miss, could you see what that thing that grabbed me was?”

Pinkie tilted her head. Was this a joke? If it was it didn’t seem like a very funny one, but she’d play along. This whatever-he-was seemed like he could use all the cheering up he could get after falling in the lake.

“That was me, silly.” Pinkie giggled as she glanced back at her cart. She wished she had the foresight to bring towels so her new friend could dry off.

Before she would turn her attention back to her tall, gangly friend, she felt something touch her mane. Her eyes crossed as she looked up to see its wiggly little not-hoof atop her head, gently patting her poofy mane before moving down to touch her face, her cheeks, her muzzle.

Pinkie figured this was the greeting of his people, and stepped forward and put her hoof to his cheek.

He pulled back a little at the contact, but quickly moved his not-hooves to feel the frog of her outstretched hoof.

“I… I’m sorry I don’t understand.” He said, sounding very confused, “Am I touching a... horse?”

Pinkie didn’t laugh, not because of the very serious implication but because she was beginning to suspect this wasn’t a joke.

“N-No, I’m a pony.” She said meekly, concern rising for this stallion. “What are you? I’ve never seen anything like you.”

“Pony? But...” He seemed to stumble with his words as he felt her hoof again, almost like he was trying to confirm she was real, “No, one thing at a time… What did you mean ‘see me?’ It’s so dark out I can’t see anything.”

Pinkie could feel a tremble in the way he was gripping her hoof. She didn’t like it.

“No, it’s not.” She said gently, now absolutely sure there was something wrong, “It’s bright and sunny out.”

Her new friend let go of her hoof and  wordlessly shook his head, a tangle of algae unceremoniously slipping out of his hair and onto the ground.

“But… I can’t see anything,” He said, that tremble that Pinkie had felt could now be heard in his voice, “I don’t understand. I… I just went to bed and suddenly I’m laying in the dirt. How did I get here?”

The smile Pinkie had been wearing since she had left home crumbled. She had been expecting to see a lot of beautiful countryside and maybe meet a few new friends before she arrived at the Cake’s bakery. Yet here was the first creature she met, miserable and lost.

Something that desperately needed a friend.

“I dunno, I was just passing by on my way to Ponyville when I saw you fall in.” Pinkie said plainly.

He seemed to scoff at the name of the town for a reason Pinkie didn’t understand. He tried to stand on his hind legs again but seemed to falter and settled back down into the grass. Once again he rubbed his face, and let out a painful groan.

“My eyes hurt...” He said, “Can you tell if something’s wrong?”

Pinkie was no doctor, but as she leaned in to take a closer look at his face she knew something was wrong. She might have never seen anything like him in her life, but she was sure eyes weren’t supposed to be red like his. A foalhood memory of touching the hot stove and the resultant red burn that formed came to mind, like he had somehow done the same to his eyes. There was also a distinct lack of something in his small eyes, something she couldn’t quite articulate, like something important was missing.

“Yeah, I think you hurt them somehow.” She said gently, “Does anything else hurt?”

He wiggled his not-hooves and rolled his withers, then shook his head, “Nothing as bad as my eyes. What does it look like?”

“Um, you didn’t by chance touch your face to a hot stove, did you?” Pinkie said, her ears pinning back as she knew he wouldn’t like this answer.

He lightly shook his head as his withers slumped, he rubbed his eyes again in vain to make them work. He didn’t say anything more as he repeatedly blinked his eyes, trying desperately to see anything.

The water had run off his face, but Pinkie could see tears beginning to form as her new friend began to panic again. She knew the look on his face, even if it didn’t look even remotely like hers. It was the face she made in her deepest, darkest moments, when she felt like the world was an empty joyless world that would never get better.

Unlike her, her unnamed friend didn’t have Maud to pull her away from those dark thoughts.

So Pinkie did the only thing she could do; be his Maud. She stepped forward and without warning wrapped her forelegs around him in a hug, gently nuzzling his cheek without any care to the mud.

He was surprised at first, but slowly he wrapped his own forelegs around her, stroking her back with one hand that Pinkie thought was oddly soothing in a strange way. He laid his head on her withers and shook with a silent tremble as he held back his sobs.

For the first time in her life, Pinkie didn’t think muffins were going to make everything all better.

---
To be continued...
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> 2. Sightless
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lost and Blind
---
Chapter 2: Sightless. 
---

Pinkie had scarcely heard the creak of her cart’s wheels since she had left home, but now the sound had somehow become uncomfortably loud as she pulled it.

Her new friend was now sitting with all her belongings, looking as miserable as a whatever-he-was could be. He hadn’t said a word since she’d managed to calm him down, and had barely moved since she had helped him climb aboard.

The more Pinkie thought about him, how lost and confused he was the worse she felt.
There were already a million questions she wanted to ask like what was he, where he came from, and what was his favorite kind of cake. However, there came the question of how to ask these questions without making him feel uncomfortable and therefore a zillion times worse?

Try as she might nothing in Pinkie's vast reserve of jokes seemed appropriate to break the ice.

The longer this awkward silence went on, the more Pinkie felt like taking the risk of blurting out something that might upset him. Thankfully, her strange companion was the one to break the silence.

"Sorry if I'm heavy, miss." He said quietly.

Pinkie nearly beamed at the destruction of that uncomfortable malaise, regaining much of the lost spring in her step.

"No, you're fine. I'm just glad I'm able to help!" She beamed, "By the way, you never told me your name."

The long-limbed creature shifted in the cart but looked to be just as despondent as before.

“...Jonathan.” He said.

Pinkie tilted her head at the strange group of syllables he had croaked out. Everypony she’d ever met had a name that clearly meant something but that just sounded like somepony just smashed a bunch of letters together.

A stone in the road collided with Pinkie’s hoof. It wasn’t enough to hurt, but it was a reminder to pay attention to the road and not just walk the whole way to Ponyville with her head turned over her withers.

That, and she might develop a nasty kink in her neck like when she had got that ‘How to be a contortionist in five easy lessons!’ book and forgot step four. Sometimes on cold mornings she still felt like she didn’t have her spine completely straight.

“Ja-na-thin.” Pinkie repeated slowly, “Never heard anything like it but I like it!”

It didn’t seem to comfort him much, but Pinkie liked that she at least knew his name.

That gloomy silence began to descend again, but with the ice officially broken Pinkie spoke again, “You really don’t remember how you ended up by the lake?”

He shook his head, “I just remember climbing in bed, falling asleep, the next thing I knew I was laying in the dirt.”

Pinkie had often had ponies tell her that her sister Maud was hard to read. She had guessed that was because they hadn’t known Maud as long as she had. What others saw as impossibly subtle changes in Maud’s mood or tone of voice, Pinkie saw them clear as day. She could hear the difference in inflection and could read Maud and the rest of her sisters like a book.

Even with those few words that Jonathan had said, Pinkie could hear exactly how devastated he was. She knew how much he needed a friend right now. She thought of the extra bits she’d saved not taking the train, maybe she could help.

“Well, how far from Ponyville do you live? I’d be glad to help you get back home.” Pinkie offered.

“You ever heard of Columbus, Ohio?” He asked, sounding skeptical.

Pinkie thought for a second, trying to remember the names of all the different places around Equestria the Pie family farm supplied with stone. Most of them were quiet hamlets and mildly noteworthy cities but aside from a few orders of crystal to Canterlot they were all definitely pony settlements. She was sure that she’d remember a city of not-ponies like Jonathan.

She had no idea what ‘Oh-hi-oh’ meant, but Pinkie chose to believe it meant ‘friend’ until he told her otherwise.

“No, but just because I don’t know doesn’t mean that somepony else doesn’t.” Pinkie said, “I’m abso-posi-tively sure somepony in Ponyville can help you get back to Coal-bumpus!”

He sighed in a way that reminded Pinkie of Limestone. More accurately it was when Limestone was more disappointed than annoyed. Maybe she needed to switch to a different topic for now.

“I think we’re only about an hour from Ponyville.” Said Pinkie, “I’m headed there to stay with my cousins, the Cakes and learn how to cook cakes and pies and cookies and all kinds of yummy things.”

Jonathan looked confused, “But you’re a pony, how would you hold… anything?”

Pinkie giggled, that was such a silly question. “With my hooves of course.”

“Right...” Jonathan muttered, “I’m guessing you haven’t heard of humans either, huh?”

Now that word Pinkie was certain she’d never heard her parents say, “No, but I’m sure you could get a plate of them in town too.”

Jonathan recoiled against the back of the cart, “Pinkie, I’m a human.”

Pinkie nearly stumbled as she realized what she had just implied, “I-I didn’t mean that! I thought it might have been a tasty snack… or a game, or a hat! I didn’t mean anything like that! And if someone does try to take a bite out of you I’ll show ‘em! …”

When she saw that he still looked like he was going to jump right out the back of her cart, Pinkie quickly added, “Please don’t be scared of me...”

Her pleading seemed to reach him, as he slowly sank down into the cart once again. She couldn’t be sure, but it seemed like something had distracted him from her cannibalistic insinuation as he slowly brought his muddy not-hoof to his face.

The thin, multi-jointed wiggly things looked so fragile to Pinkie, like they could snap like dry twigs at the lightest pressure. She wondered if he walked on his hind-legs to keep from breaking them.

The last thing she expected was him to bite it.

He let out a welp as his teeth sank into the large flat part of his not-hoof, and Pinkie stopped the cart as she saw pinpricks of red showing up in his mud-streaked skin.

Long ago Pinkie had seen her sister Marble break her leg and heard her wail and cry. Another time Limestone had cracked her hoof in a fit of anger and had to have it bandaged for a week. Never once however, had Pinkie seen somepony intentionally hurt themselves so abruptly and so intentionally.

If she hadn’t been so firmly strapped in the harness’s straps she would have jumped up into the cart with him.

“W-why’d you do that?” Pinkie stammered out, at a loss to understand what she’d seen.

Her friend slumped back into the cart, looking like his heart had just broken into a thousand tiny shards.

“This… isn’t a dream.” He whimpered in a voice so quiet that Pinkie just barely managed to hear it.

“A dream? He hurt himself because he thinks this was a dream?” Pinkie’s ears pinned against her skull as she tried to process what she’d seen and how she could help.

A quick glance in her cart was all Pinkie needed to remember everything she had packed and sadly nothing seemed capable of lifting somepony this hurt inside.

This certainly did not seem to be a day for muffins.

After she had settled into Ponyville, she’d make sure nopony would ever get this sad.

Pinkie resumed walking at double her normal pace. The sooner she got to Ponyville, the sooner the doctors could tell her hew-min friend he’d be fine.

---

That uncomfortable silence reigned throughout the rest of their trip, and Pinkie was relieved to hear the sound of other ponies as they arrived in Ponyville. All around her were clean, cheerful buildings with thatched roofs. The road had slowly turned from dirt to cobblestone, making her cart jostle slightly as she pulled it along the streets.

“Sorry for the bumps...” Pinkie apologized.

“Don’t worry about it...” Jonathan said, his voice as dull and cheerless as Pinkie’s early childhood.

Pinkie looked around, the sheer amount of buildings was far more than she was expecting. Most of them looked like houses, but some were a bit stranger in shape. She was used to just a few structures and a great expanse of empty rock fields but Ponyville was shaping up to be quite a lot more than that.

A quick glance at the sun and a rumble in her stomach had Pinkie guessing it was nearly lunchtime. The Cakes would be expecting her soon, but she couldn’t just wander around town until she happened upon the hospital. She could explore later, her friend needed to see the doctor.

A few ponies were looking at her, no doubt surprised to see a new arrival in their town. With every fiber of her being Pinkie wanted to bound over there and learn every one of their names, but she held herself back.

“Wait, I can’t just dump Janathin off at the hospital and leave him there. Suppose he can’t find his way to Sugar Cube Corner?” Pinkie sighed, things weren’t going to be simple were they? “But I can’t just sit there all day and make the Cakes worry.”

She tapped her chin, thinking of how she might solve both her problems. Ponies around her were still moving about on whatever task was at hoof, but Pinkie straightened up upon seeing one of them. From around a corner came a mare, a gray pegaus wearing the familiar uniform of the post office.

“I’ll be right back, Janathin!” Pinkie shouted, quickly squirming out of her harness to grab a pad and pencil from her cart.

The hew-min raised his head at the mention of his name, but quickly resumed slouching in her cart.

“It’s not like I can do anything else...” He muttered to himself.

Pinkie galloped across the street to the mail mare, somehow managing to scribble out a note while running on three legs. The mailmare had turned her head away from Pinkie as she approached, only looking back in time to suddenly have the pink mare virtually nose-to-nose with her.

“Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie.” Pinkie said with most of her usual cheerfulness.

The mailmare blinked, looking totally nonplussed at Pinkie’s lack of personal space before smiling back.

“I’m Derpy, Derpy Hooves.” She said, offering her hoof to shake, “Are you new in town?”

“Yeah, well, I just got here. Just moving from the Pie rock farm to the west.” Pinkie’s smile slowly faded as she reminded herself of why she was in a hurry, “Look, I’ve got a bit of an emergency and I need some help. Can you tell me which way to the hospital? I need to get there.”

Derpy blinked her eyes, one of them seeming to drift a little as she quickly pointed with her hoof down one street. “Just go down that way and make a left at the park. You can’t miss it.”

Pinkie took a moment to follow Derpy’s outstretched hoof and nodded in understanding, “Oh, one more thing, have you been to Sugar Cube Corner yet?”

“Every morning!” Derpy said happily, “They make great muffins, their lemon surprise is my favorite!”

Here at last was a pony who liked muffins as much as Pinkie did, “But are you going there again soon?”

Derpy blinked, realizing what the other mare actually meant, “Oh! Yeah, it’s coming up on my route.”

“Good, here.” Pinkie slipped the note into Derpy’s bag, “Please give that to Cakes, it’ll explain why I gotta run to the hospital.”

Derpy frowned, it wasn’t exactly legal to do this. A letter needed to be processed and at the very least needed a stamp. But, if this was a medical emergency then maybe she could overlook it just this once.

Derpy nodded and continued walking, catching sight of the pink mare hitching herself up to a cart with what looked like a shaved chimp covered in mud in the back.

The mailmare shrugged it off. Ponyville had seen stranger things.

---
To be continued…
---
> 3. Prognosis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lost and Blind
---
Chapter 3: Prognosis. 
---

Getting Jonathan out of the cart proved to be far simpler than getting him into it. Back on the road, she had to shift her belongings around so that he could have a spot to sit. It had been interesting to see something that tall almost curl up into a ball. Thankfully all he needed to get out of the cart was just an assurance that nothing was in his way.

The hospital ponies were not sure what to make of her hew-min friend. Some seemed concerned, others frightened though Pinkie wasn’t sure why. She could have sworn that she heard somepony mention that the vet was down the street, but she didn’t see how that was connected.

With the hew-min’s hand on her back, Pinkie slowly guided him through the sliding doors to the reception desk.

“Um… can I help you?” Said the elderly mare who seemed to shrink back away from the large creature beside Pinkie.

“My friend Janathin hurt his eyes and he says he can’t see.” Pinkie blurted out, “Which way to the doctor’s office?”

In truth Pinkie had never been to a hospital, but she had been to a library once. She figured they operated with similar rules. If she asked politely she’d be directed toward the doctor that saw all the the patients in this hospital.

The gray haired mare looked at Pinkie, “Um, well, the optometrist is on the second floor. But miss I don’t know if he’ll accept your… uh...”

“Janathin’s a hew-min. You probably know all about them.” Pinkie said casually, “I know he’s a little dirty but don’t worry. I’ll sweep up if any of that dry mud comes off. Thanks for everything!”

With their destination known, Pinkie left the confused receptionist with Jonathan barely able to keep up as she led him down the hall toward the stairway.

“Pinkie, is everyone around me a pony too?” Jonathan asked.

“Yupperoni.” Pinkie answered, “I don’t see any hew-mins but maybe ponies get hurt more often here than hew-mins.”

Jonathan let out a tired groan, “I have no idea what’s going on…”

“That’s just silly,” Pinkie playfully scoffed, “We’re in a hospital and you’re going to get your eyes fixed. You know that!”

Jonathan sighed, “That’s not what I-”

“Whoop, careful, steps ahoy.” Pinkie warned as she took the first step.

Jonathan paused, then let out a sigh of resignation as he felt along the wall, taking hold of the safety rail that ran along the steps. He frowned, though Pinkie didn’t understand why.

She watched as he raised his foot, almost standing on one leg as he promptly brought it down and lost his balance. He would have fallen face first on the steps if Pinkie hadn’t rushed forward and caught him.

“Oh my Celestia, are you okay? What happened?” Pinkie asked, not sure what could have caused him to fall over like that since she had seen him walk so confidently on two legs before.

Jonathan brushed off her question and stood back up, then began to trace the height and length of the step with his not-hoof. Pinkie hadn’t gotten a good look at it before, but it looked almost nothing like the ones on his forelegs.

Once he was done with his examination he said, “The steps, they’re so… short.”

Pinkie looked at the steps. They looked about the same as they had back on the farm.

“Are stairs different in Coal-bumpus?” Pinkie asked, a little confused by his statement.

He sighed and shook his head, brushing off her question as he slowly began to feel his way up the stairs with Pinkie by his side. The entire trip to the second floor Pinkie shadowed him closely, fearful that her friend may fall again.

It was slow, but soon the pair were on the second floor. With his hand back on her withers, Pinkie began to lead him around the hospital, but despite her best efforts she could not find the door marked ‘eye doctor.’ When Jonathan told her that the weird word the receptionist used actually meant a doctor who specializes in eyes, Pinkie quietly tried to claim that she knew that and was testing him.

After that, it was easy to find the right office. Again, Pinkie watched as ponies gave Jonathan strange looks as she sat with him, waiting their turn. She couldn’t blame them, he was quite tall, and he did look kinda funny. Maybe they were impressed at how he could walk so far on his hind-legs too. He had walked up all those stairs on them, that’s something even Pinkie couldn’t do.

The door next to the receptionist opened, dragging everypony’s attention away from the tall, filthy creature in the room. The doctor quickly zeroed in on Pinkie and her friend, losing the bored look he had worn upon entering.

“Um, ‘Jana-thin?” He announced after re-reading the name on his clipboard.

Jonathan rose, and Pinkie helped to lead him over to the doctor who seemed to recoil a little at his approach.

The doctor glanced at Pinkie, “Um, ma’am, you’re going to have to wait out here.”

Pinkie winced, “But… he needs somepony to help him get around.”

“I’ll be okay Pinkie,” Jonathan said, causing the doctor to flinch in surprise, “... Thanks for getting me here.”

Even though he couldn’t see it, Pinkie grinned brightly up at him. “No problem, I’ll be right out here. When your eyes are all better we’ll go to Sugar Cube Corner and see about getting you home!”

He raised an eyebrow but raised a hand to begin following the wall and the sound of the doctor’s hooves. Pinkie noted how the doctor was keeping his distance from the hew-min before the door closed. 

She tilted her head in confusion, why wouldn’t the doctor lead him like she did? Was it because he didn’t want to get mud on his white coat? It was the nicest reason Pinkie could think of, and Pinkie didn’t like it.

Now alone, Pinkie resigned herself to the waiting room chair with only the ticking clock for company.

Time passed slowly for Pinkie. She quickly flipped through every outdated magazine in the rack, learned the receptionist’s name was Sticky Note, and counted the ceiling tiles and the clock had only moved a few scant minutes.

Pinkie sank into her chair, feeling like this was going to take forever.

Her wait in this endless purgatory took a drastic change when the door to the office burst open, and a short, pudgy mare with a soft, twisty mane stepped inside, looking quite out of breath. The receptionist eyed her with concern, but the mare quickly her attention to Pinkie.

“Pinkie?” The mare sputtered in between gulps of air, “What’s… how’d you hurt yourself?”

Pinkie blinked, suddenly realizing this was her older cousin, Cup Cake. The co-owner of the bakery she was going to be apprenticing under. It looked like Derpy had delivered her note, but she didn’t have to rush all this way…

“I’m not hurt,” Pinke stood from her chair and rose on her hind legs and waggled her everything, “See? I’m perfectly fine.”

Cup Cake’s eyes narrowed, “Pinkie, your note only said it was an emergency and that you had to go directly to Ponyville general, and you’d come to the bakery as soon as you could.”

Pinkie sank back to all fours, lowering her head a little as Mrs. Cake continued to stare disapprovingly. Ironically, even like this Pinkie was still about eye-level with the short mare.

But despite all her bluster, Cup Cake’s anger slowly gave way to relief, “I thought you had managed to hurt yourself on the way to Ponyville. Next time, please think ahead of how others may take a message like that.”

Pinkie nodded, “You’re right, I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“Apology accepted, now, who did you meet that needed to come here of all places?” Cup Cake asked, glancing back at the door which was clearly marked ‘optometrist.’ 

“Oh, that’s my new friend Janathin,” Pinkie said, “He hurt his eyes somehow and I brought him here to get him all fixed up.”

Cup Cake smiled, “Well, maybe getting somepony who needed medical attention is enough of an excuse for scaring me and Carrot half to death.”

Now it was Pinkie’s turn to feel relieved, since it seemed like she was off the hook for writing that poorly planned note

“Can’t say I’ve met anypony with that name before, though.” Cup Cake said, “He’s not from Ponyville, I take it?”

Pinkie shook her head, “Nope, he’s from Coal-bumpus.”

Cup Cake raised an eyebrow, “That…doesn’t sound like anyplace I’ve ever heard of.”

Pinkie shrugged, “I haven’t either, but it doesn’t matter. I’m sure somepony knows. When he gets out I’m gonna help him find out where it is and help him find a train that goes there.”

Cup Cake smiled, “You’re a good filly, Pinkie. How long ago has your friend-”

The doorknob jerked, halting Cup Cake’s question as the door slowly swung open. The sight of the tall creature caused Cup Cake’s mouth to fall open. With a name like ‘Janathin’ she had expected a Gryphon or perhaps a Minotuar but what she saw didn’t fit any normal creature she was familiar with.

Pinkie however wasn’t focusing on that. She was more focused on the bandages wrapped around Jonathan’s face, covering his eyes. Maybe the doctor had some sort of special medicine in his eyes… but if he was all better, why was the doctor patting him on the leg and looking so… forlorn?

“Ms. Pie?” The optometrist pony asked, beckoning her to come closer.

After a quick glance at Mrs. Cake, Pinkie did as asked.

“He… wanted me to tell you what we found out.” The doctor said somberly.

Pinkie however, refused to give up hope, “That… he’s going to be better in a few days?”

The doctor gave her an awkward look.

“Weeks?” Pinkie asked.

The doctor shook his head.

“A month?” Pinkie begged.

“Ms. Pie,” The doctor said, seeking to end this sad display now, “I’m afraid he’ll never regain his sight.”

Pinkie stood there. She blinked her eyes, then rubbed her ears. She made a few sounds with her mouth that had the adults in the room question her maturity before looking back at the doctor.

“Um… I may have had something in my ear. Could you repeat that?” Pinkie asked.

The doctor sighed, being an optometrist didn’t normally give him problem patients or emotional moments like this, but he supposed every medical professional would have a few times like this throughout their career.

“Ms. Pie, it’s admirable you’re trying to be so positive but his sight is not going to return.” The doctor said, “His corneas have suffered trauma like I’ve never seen before. The damage is near total, and without some kind of miracle there’s nothing that can be done. I’m sorry.”

For Pinkie, it was like somepony had kicked her right in the gut. Doctors were supposed to cure ponies, they always could. That’s what she had believed wholeheartedly ever since she saw them mend her sister’s leg and hoof. Yet here… there was something that they couldn’t fix?

“Dear, why don’t we take your friend to Sugar Cube Corner?” Cup Cake offered, “You can tell me what happened along the way.”

Pinkie nodded, trotting over to touch Jonathan’s leg with hers.

“Are you okay?” She asked, afraid he may say no.

“Let’s… just go.” He whispered.

Pinkie’s ears folded back, and quietly began to lead him to the door. As they left the optometrist Pinkie vowed that once they got the Sugar Cube Corner she would let him hug her for as long as he wanted.

---
To be continued…
---
> 4. The Cakes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lost and Blind
---
Chapter 4: The Cakes
---

For the second time, that day Pinkie’s cart trundled through Ponyville.

The ponies around them were staring again, but Pinkie could understand why. They were probably worried about Jonathan who was once more riding in the back of the cart. Those bandages around his head didn’t exactly scream ‘I’m perfectly fine.’

Or maybe they were concerned about the cart. Pinkie had seen several fancy town carts being pulled, and her rock-hauling cart did look pretty homely in comparison.

“So… Pinkie,” Said Cup Cake, who had accompanied her as they made their way across town, “How is the family?”

Pinkie felt she should be paying more attention to Jonathan, but the chance for some actual conversation was just too enticing. “Oh fine, Ma and Pa are doing fine and Maud’s off getting her rock-torate. But Limestone and Marble are just the same as ever.”

Cup Cake smiled for the first time since they had left the hospital, “Ah, that’s good to hear. I’m afraid there’s little to tell. Nothing’s changed for me and Carrot since our last letter. Wake up early to make the donuts and we don’t go to bed until everything’s ready to start again in the morning. It’s all very routine.”

“Sounds nice.” Pinkie glanced back at Jonathan, “Um, I know you said I could have the room in the attic, but I need to ask if Jonathan could maybe stay with me until I can find which train goes to Coal-bumpus.”

“Columbus.” Jonathan grumbled from the cart.

The hew-min’s destination, whichever it was called, did not ring any bells with Cup Cake. She had some experience with the Equestrian rail system, having ridden them in her youth and had personally delivered some orders to cities as distant as Canterlot. Yet in all her years she hadn’t encountered a settlement with such a name.

“Are you from Equestria, by chance?” Cup Cake asked.

Jonathan shook his head, and quietly muttered “Ridiculous name...” under his breath.

“Perhaps you’re from the Gryphon lands, or the Minotaur kingdom? Someplace further?” Cup Cake asked, quietly hoping he’d say yes to one of them.

She was disappointed when he shook his head again. For reasons the baker-mare couldn’t fathom, he seemed frustrated by such a simple question.

“Further perhaps?” Cup Cake probed, “Mt. Everhoof, The Crystal mountains, Rainbow Falls, the Sparkling Sea, anything sounding familiar?”

Jonathan frowned and once again shook his head.

“... is your home underground?” Cup Cake asked, regretfully bringing to mind those Diamond Dogs.

“No, please just stop.” Jonathan asked, a touch of hostility in his tone.

Cup Cake’s mouth snapped shut, and her ears folded back to mirror Pinkie’s apprehensive concern. She hadn’t meant to touch a tender spot, but she clearly had. A nervous glance around her reminded her they were still in the streets and drawing the eye of everypony.

“I um, don’t suppose it could hurt for him to stay a day or two.” Cup Cake offered, hoping to make up for upsetting Jonathan, “But I’m not sure where he’ll sleep.”

“Aw, that’s no problem.” Pinkie said, “I know where he can sleep.”

Cup Cake raised an eyebrow at that statement. Pinkie hadn’t even stepped one hoof in Sugar Cube Corner and yet she acted like housing the blind creature twice her size would be simple.

“And… how did you come to that conclusion, dearie?” Cup Cake asked.

Pinkie’s answer was like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “Easy, he can sleep in my bed!”

A few whispers around them had Cup Cake glance around at the ponies watching them. While some had been trying to look like they weren’t eavesdropping or staring, now it was clear the rumor mills were going to have a field day with Pinkie before she’d even settled in. 

Even Jonathan raised his head at that pronouncement. Whether he seemed comfortable with it or not, Cup Cake couldn’t quite say due to the amount of gauze on his face. It wasn’t easy to read his face to start with.

“You don’t really mean that, do you Pinkie?” Cup Cake said, hoping to spare the filly some embarrassment in the future.

“Nah,” Pinkie said nonchalantly, “I had to share a bed with all three of my sisters for a long time, I’m sure this will be pretty much the same.”

Cup Cake shook her head. The filly was pure as sugar and just as sweet, but so blissfully naive. She would have to keep an eye on Pinkie for Cloudy’s sake. The creature she was bringing into her home may be blind, but aside from his name, she knew almost nothing about him.

“We’ll… discuss this later.” Cup Cake said, noticing familiar street signs, “It’s just down this way, almost there.”

Pinkie turned and followed her cousin, and just a block away was Sugar Cube Corner. It couldn’t be anything else. The first thing Pinkie had to get over was the size of the building. Back home the biggest thing was the rock barn, and this was nearly as big. But while the rock barn was large, it didn't look like a giant pastry. The sides of the bakery were light wood with a decorative molding of darker wood, and pink shutters. The short, stone steps to the bakery entrance were painted a similar color as the shutters. But it was the roof that had really impressed Pinkie. The large shingles were textured and colored to look like large chunks of chocolate, with swirls of molded frosting. Peppermint sticks and gumdrops further decorated the building, but what made Pinkie's mouth open in awe was the tower-like structure atop the faux-chocolate roof. It was two extra floors, sitting like a candle atop a slice of cake while in the shape of two cupcakes stacked atop each other.

It was so beautiful that Pinkie had to wipe a tear from her eye.

Cup Cake was tickled by Pinkie’s admiration for her bakery. The majesty of it had worn off for her over the years, and she was regularly more fixated on the actual work that kept the place running, but Pinkie’s sense of wonder did seem to rekindle that old enthusiasm.

“It’s… beautiful.” Pinkie whispered in joy. 

“Before you ask, your room is the top floor there, the big cupcake.” Cup Cake said, eager to see how the younger mare would handle that.

In the cart, Jonathan simply looked confused.

Pinkie however stopped the cart. An entire floor to herself? She had never had a room to herself in all her life. The only room Pinkie had been alone in was the bathroom. This was like being given the keys to Canterlot castle to the pink mare.

Pink flowers were blooming in a small garden near the storefront entrance, and it was here Pinkie unhitched herself. She could already smell the odor of freshly baked bread wafting through the open window, as well as the siren scent of refined sugar and vanilla.

She had to get into that kitchen and was bouncing up and down as she watched Jonathan slowly climb out of the cart.

“Pinkie, why don’t you take Janathin up to your room, maybe start a bath for him and start unloading your cart. I… need to have a talk with my husband.”

“Alright! Wait,” Pinkie paused, “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Oh, you have your own on the top floor.” Cup Cake said offhandedly as she trotted up to the door and went inside.

Pinkie just stood there with her mouth hung open, she couldn’t believe what she heard.

“My… my own bathroom...” Pinkie wheezed, barely able to contain her joy.

The family’s homestead had just one bathroom, and a decrepit outhouse far out in the rock fields that nopony used unless there was no other choice. There was always somepony in the bathroom.  Despite her parent’s insistence that the bathroom be kept spotless, it was always half-filthy from six ponies constantly using it.

The very concept that Pinkie now had her own bathroom was almost as shocking as the idea of having her own room.

She quickly stepped close to Jonathan, pawing at him with her hoof to let him know she was there. He limply set his hand on her withers and began to numbly follow her up to the door…

---

“Honey, I’m back.” Cup Cake announced as she entered the kitchen of Sugar Cube Corner.

The kitchen was a large room as expected from a bakery. Beige walls with dark stained wood formed nice contrasts and had been cut or shaped by magic into decorative shapes along the walls. Dark blue tile floors allowed for easy cleanup, since the married couple worked with a lot of powders and liquids, carpet, even rugs were quite out of the question.

Cup Cakes’ husband, a honey-yellow stallion of a build that some charitably called ‘lanky,’ stood at the large island counter in the center of the kitchen. He turned his head only for a moment to acknowledge his wife, his attention however was needed on twisting pretzels to prep them for frying.

“Welcome back, how badly is the poor thing hurt?” Carrot Cake asked.

“Actually, she’s not hurt at all. Turns out the note was a little misleading and was helping a, er, stallion to the hospital.” Said Cup Cake.

Carrot Cake let out a relieved snort, “Well, that’s some good news. It also means it’s not that clumsy Rainbow mare again.”

“Not this time. The note Derpy gave us was just a little rushed and didn’t tell the full story.” Cup Cake said, walking around to begin heating the oil.  “Also, there’s also been a slight change in Pinkie’s living arrangement that I need to discuss with you.”

This got Carrot Top’s full attention as he stopped twisting pretzels, “Did something else happen?”

"It’s about the uh, ‘stallion’ Pinkie helped to the hospital..." Said Cup Cake.

“You keep saying ‘stallion’ strangely.” Carrot Top pointed out.

Cup Cake chewed on her lip, how was she going to explain this when she barely understood it herself?

“I’ll get to that,” Cup Cake said, “I better explain. Pinkie apparently met this fellow along the road from the farm. He’s apparently lost his way and his sight. Pinkie had rushed him to the hospital, that was the emergency.”

“Well, it’s terrible some colt’s lost his eyesight but I won’t lie. I feel relieved that Pinkie hadn’t hurt herself.” Said Carrot Cake.

Cup Cake continued, “I arrived just after they went into the optometrist, and got to hear the doctor explain to Pinkie that the poor thing’s eyes are completely shot with no hope of recovery. He’s also apparently a long way from home from what I understand.”

Carrot Cake gave a sympathetic sigh, “Hm, that’s a shame.”

“Poor dear isn’t taking it well, he’s completely shut down.” Cup Cake rubbed the back of her head, “Pinkie’s taken quite a liking to him as I said, and she’s keen on letting him stay here for a few days.”

With a groan Carrot Top ceased his pretzel-making and turned to frown his displeasure at his wife, “Please you didn’t...”

Cup Cake rolled her eyes, “I’d never go behind your back and agree to that without discussing it with you first, which is what we’re doing right now, Carrot.”

Much of Carrot Cake’s bluster died with that knowledge, “Thank you, honey, I know she means well but this is a bakery, not a flophouse for down-on-their-luck stallions.”

“No, but considering his condition he shouldn’t be a bother.” Cup Cake said, “It should only take a day or two to find which direction he hails from and get him on his way.”

“Sounds like your mind’s already made up.” Carrot Cake huffed.

The portly mare softly touched her husband’s side, “The only other option is to throw a blind, traumatized young colt out into the street. And I know that’s something neither of us could do.”

Carrot Cake gave a defeated sigh, “I suppose you’re right. So what’s the colt’s name?”

“Janathin.” Said Cup Cake, “And before you say it’s a strange name for a pony, he’s something called a hew-min.”

“He doesn’t breathe fire or something does he?” Carrot Cake asked.

“No, at least I don’t think so. Frankly dear I doubt he could hurt anything. He may be tall, but he’s spindly and frail-looking. Add in the fact he needs somepony to lead him around, I doubt there’s any danger.”

The lanky stallion reached out for another piece of dough to twist, “Alright, fine. So where is this hew-min?”

“He went upstairs, Pinkie’s running a bath for him.” Cup Cake said, a smile starting to return now that she and her husband were once again on the same page.

“I’d like to see this erm,” Carrot Cake seemed to falter with his phrasing, “Well, he’s not a pony but I’d like to meet him.”

“We’ll all get to meet each other over lunch, dear.” Cup Cake said, leaving to start a quick meal for four.

Carrot Cake simply shook his head.

Today had started out so simple...

---
To be continued…
---
> 5. First Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lost and Blind
---
Chapter 5: First Night
---

Jonathan had barely said a word as Pinkie led him up the three flights of shallow stairs to what would be her loft apartment.

While his companion excitedly rambled on about the size of her new living quarters, he merely leaned against the doorframe, head downcast, and seeing nothing.

He was still overwhelmed by all of this. The sound of hooves constantly drove home the undeniable fact the people he heard talking were not people but horses. Ponies. The gauze around his face itched and smelled of chemical sterilants, the same smell of the hospital. Reminding him of what the doctor had told him, that his eyes may never work again.

At last, Pinkie seemed to hone in on the fact she was speaking but not receiving any feedback, and bounded back to his side, tapping the side of his leg despite the fact he could hear her hooves on the bare wood floor. 

He'd have to be deaf not to hear that.

"Hey, uh, the bathroom's over this way, follow me." Urged Pinkie.

Of course, Jonathan couldn't see where 'this way' was. He could tell she was trying to be sensitive to his condition but he couldn't help but feel needled by her words, regardless.

She led him like a child, and Jonathan's bare feet felt a sharp transition from bare wood to ceramic tile. Bathroom tile, he reasoned. 

Pinkie shifted under his hand and the sound of running water followed, a lot of it.

"I used to draw baths for my younger sister Marble." Pinkie began, "Of course she grew out of it, but I used to be able to get the water just right."

Jonathan doubted her, but he really didn't care. A bath meant he could be alone with his thoughts and not have this woman hovering over him. 

He released his hold on Pinkie's back and reached around until his hand tapped the side of the tub. It was cold and smooth, definitely ceramic, and not like the cast iron tub he knew back home. He leaned forward, reaching into the rising water, and despite his doubts Pinkie had indeed managed to get the water to a very agreeable temperature.

He gave her a small but thankful smile as he simply shook the water from his hand and stood back up.

It wasn't long before Pinkie turned the faucets again and the water stopped.

"There you go," said Pinkie, "I know stallions don't really like bubble baths so I didn't do that for you... but I still could make it that waaay..."

It was clear she really wanted him to say yes.

"Thanks, no." Jonathan fidgeted, "Just some soap and I'll be fine."

Pinkie didn't move, Jonathan had expected her to leave. Either to get to moving her belongings up the stairs or to give him privacy.

"Um... are you going to get in?" She asked innocently.

"I don't want to get naked in front of you." He stated firmly.

Pinkie tilted her head, a safe gesture since her friend couldn’t see it. She wasn’t exactly sure why he wouldn’t. She had seldom worn clothing in all her life, and she couldn’t imagine why he would want to wear muddy clothing like what he had on now.

However, she wasn’t going to judge him. He didn’t have a decent coat, maybe he needed clothes? She had to imagine he was quite chilly all the time without a coat of fur like she had.

“Okie-dokie-lokie.” Pinkie said, “I’ll go down and start bringing things up.”

Jonathan nodded weakly and listened to Pinkie’s hooves as she retreated to the door, and closed it behind her. Now alone with his thoughts, he pulled himself out of his flannel pajama bottoms, removed the gauze, and stepped into the bath. As before, the water was pleasantly warm and instantly began to melt the dried mud that had caked around his ankles. But as he sat his feet bumped against the hard ceramic wall of the tub.

A quick grope around the tub revealed that the bathtub is a little shorter than what Jonathan had expected. Even with his back against one end of the tub, he couldn’t quite stretch his legs out to a comfortable position. Further, inspection revealed the sides were also much higher than he expected, suggesting that the whole bathtub was designed to hold much more water than he was presently sitting in.

He pulled his legs into an awkward half-crossed, half-extended position to keep them submerged. The bath was nice, even if he was mildly uncomfortable. A little more groping around and he discovered the soap dish. It felt like a typical bar of soap but its dimensions were unusually wider and thicker, like a small plank.

A quick sniff of it revealed the scent of clean hay.

Jonathan let the soap rest on his lap as he rubbed his forehead with his wet hand. Of course, it was hay-scented. The shallow steps were meant for short-legged horses, the bath was intended for horses, he’d heard hooves non-stop…

He rubbed his hand where he’d bitten it earlier. He could still feel the itching, burning sensation where he’d broken the skin. Everything about this was just so surreal, it had come like a blast from a firehose and hadn’t let up. In a strange way, he was proud that he wasn’t panicking or crumbling, but instead of anything he simply felt numbed to his situation. Like it was all a mad dream.

Deciding on something less self-destructive than biting his hand; he reached up and flicked himself across the nose. Again, aside from some discomfort, he did not wake up. The world was still black, his eyes ached and he was sitting in a bathtub meant for horses.

“Ponies.” He corrected himself.

Taking the soap, Jonathan slowly began to methodically wash himself, finding the large brick of soap unusually lathery as he went. It did provide a decent improvisatory shampoo since Jonathan couldn’t find any bottles near where he found the soap. He offhandedly wondered if ponies even needed shampoo. He doubted it, even if their manes were longer than their coats fur was fur.

He could hear Pinkie clomping up and down the stairs like the equine she was. It was a quick, almost rattling sound as her hooves collided on the wood in rapid, frantic succession. He tried to ignore it as he let the warmth of the water ooze into his body.

But then came the question; if this wasn’t a psychotic break, then how did he end up in horse land? Why were his eyes shot to hell?

He took a breath and thought back. He had come home from work, kicked off his shoes, sat in front of his computer as he ate dinner, ignored his weights for the second night in a row, then went to bed early because he had work again… today.

A frown spread across his face as Jonathan imagined his overweight boss having a fit that he ghosted his shift. He probably didn’t have a job now considering the bloated elephant seal only let the girls get away with that. A shame, despite the sea pig’s antics he liked working at a riverside bait shop. It was better than the gas station or the convenience store.

That still hadn’t explained how he’d gotten in his current situation. He had gone to sleep in his bed and suddenly he was laying in the dirt with his vision kaput. Aside from a slight burning in his eyes, he didn’t feel any pain or anything that might give him any clues.

Still, how long would he be here? Hallucination or not. He’d paid his share of the rent at his townhouse apartment just last week. If he didn’t show up, how long would it be before what little he possessed was taken or sold off? How long was it until a missing person was declared legally dead? He couldn’t remember.

He seriously doubted Pinkie or any of these ponies could send him home by train. It stood to reason that if he could come here, he could somehow return home. The problem was he and the few ponies he’s spoken to had no idea how he could just appear in the field. The doctor had suggested magic had brought him here but Jonathan had scoffed at the idea.

He was already well past his limit for absurdity, he didn’t need more.

A knock at the door caused him to nearly jump out of the tub.

“Hey Janathin, the Cakes want to meet you.” Came Pinkie’s voice, “And they have lunch ready.”

It sounded like he was going to get more absurdity, like it or not. He did feel like he needed to eat, something he was certain didn’t happen in dreams.

At least it was something else to focus on.

Jonathan rose out of the tub, then sat back down. “Um, Pinkie, where are the towels?”

---

After some embarrassment on Jonathan’s part, Pinkie was helping her friend back down the stairs. She didn’t mind, but she did think it was kinda backwards for him to put those muddy ‘pants’ back on after he’d just gotten clean.

“They’re the only clothes I have.” Was Jonathan’s excuse.

She’d have to clean them for him later. Maybe a good soak in the tub overnight would do the trick. At least now he smelled clean.

Once they finally reached the bottom of the stairs Pinkie quickly led them to the dining room. It was a relatively small room tucked away from the seating area beyond the kitchen. The Cakes had separate storage for the food they planned on eating privately and had indeed set an extra place for their unexpected guest.

Mr. Cake had jolted upright, nearly slamming his hindquarters against the back wall upon seeing the human for the first time. His wife was quick to lay a hoof on his withers, helping to calm him down and return him to the table. Her reaction was noticeably dulled by personal experience and fully understood why her husband found him so shocking.

Pinkie hardly noticed Mr. Cake’s shock and simply smiled, “Hiya, sorry we took so long to get down here. The steps aren’t like what he’s used to.”

“Yeah.” Was Jonathan’s only addition to Pinkie’s excuse.

Mr. Cake cleared his throat in a rather transparent way to cover his uneasiness. The creature was near twice his size, and loomed over the table they were all seated around. There was medical gauze wrapped tightly over its eyes, mitigating some of the fear Mr. Cake felt upon seeing it.

“Do you feel any better, dear?” Cup Cake asked the human with concern in her voice.

“Eyes still hurt, ma’am.” He said plainly, “...Thanks for asking.”

The portly mare smiled, it was the most he’d spoken to her since leaving the hospital and she was pleased to learn he had manners.

Pinkie had already bitten into the sandwich resting on her plate, clearly thinking with her stomach. She was on her third bite before she noticed Jonathan’s fingers roaming around the table. 

“They kinda look like big soft spiders when he does that.” Pinkie giggled.

Pinkie reached across the table and pushed his plate into the path of Jonathan’s roaming hands. His fingers found the bread and held it up to his nose.

“May I ask what kind of sandwich this is?” Jonatan questioned.

Carrot Cake was still a little overcome by the strangeness of his houseguest, but his wife gladly spoke up for him.

“It’s a cucumber and daisy sandwich, with a little mayo and onions.” Explained Cup Cake, “The bread is some unsold rye that came from our kitchen.”

“I hope this doesn’t make me sick,” Jonathan said a little too loudly as he took a bite.

Cup Cake tilted her head, “Can you not have bread?”

The sandwich tasted much like a vegetarian sub, a little bland for Jonathan’s taste but he had to agree with the old saying that hunger was the best spice.

“I’m not sure if daisies are edible. I… we normally don’t eat flowers.” Jonathan said, “Tastes fine though.”

Pinkie gave him a slightly worried expression, but the Cakes shrugged it off. It was hardly the strangest detail of this meal. Seeing that the topic was officially dropped, Pinkie quietly resumed eating.

Carrot Cake took another breath and at last found his voice, “Mr. Janathin, er, I don’t know exactly what you and Pinkie discussed, but we weren’t exactly expecting another tenant.”

“I understand, I think. She talked about staying here to learn to cook.” He then mentally added, “I don’t like being a burden. I just want to go home.”

“You’re not a burden,” Pinkie affirmed, taking a bite of her sandwich and continuing to speak regardless, “Om shure… I’m sure we can get you on your way home tomorrow!”

With all his heart, Jonathan wanted to believe Pinkie. She was so genuine in her conviction, she truly meant well but how does one take a train home from talking horse land?

Still, he found himself not wanting to upset her.

“Sure, Pinkie.” He said simply as he continued eating.

Glancing over at her husband, Cup Cake could see Carrot Cake was still not on board with having the human in their home.

“Could you tell us a bit about yourself, Janathin?” Cup Caked asked, “Maybe what you do in Coal-Bumpus.”

The sandwich was now just a pleasant feeling in Jonathan’s stomach, but he couldn’t help but roll his eyes at his benefactor’s repeated mutilation of his name. Maybe he’d have to simplify things for them.

“First, it’s Jon-a-thin, but Jon or Jonny will work too.” He said, “As for Columbus, I was just a clerk at a small bait shop. I sold worms, minnows, lottery tickets, and candy bars.”

Cup Cake smiled at the mention of candy, “I suppose you have some experience in the kitchen then?”

Jonathan shrugged, “Some. I can cook, and I have worked in a few kitchens.”

Carrot Cake silently shot his wife a suspicious glance.

“I suppose then perhaps you wouldn’t mind washing dishes to make up for room and board?” Cup Cake asked.

Pinkie let out an excited squeal at the idea of her friend working alongside her.

“Washing dishes? Child’s play.” Jonathan smiled, eager for something to do. He’d been sitting or standing like a stationary object all this time. He needed something to occupy his mind.

It did make Mr. Cake feel a little more at ease knowing this house guest could provide some help in the kitchen until he departed, even if his wife had stepped on his hoof again. He’d let it go, after all, it was only going to be a temporary thing.

Carrot Cake looked up at the clock on the wall, “Alright, the dinner rush will be starting in about an hour, Pinkie you can help Jonathan and watch us get a feel for how we run the kitchen.” 

Pinkie gave the stallion a salute but kept on grinning. She was finally going to start learning how to bake real sweets! This was going to be so much fun!

---

It was so much work! 

Pinkie had been so fixated on all the yummy things she could bake that she didn’t realize what went into the actual function of a bakery.

The actual baking was fun but there was so much of it. In such huge portions, too! Pinkie was used to baking for her family, sure but everything had to be made for ten ponies, or else it was a waste of time. Then came the cleanup. Once the sign was flipped to ‘Closed’ Pinkie was shown how to clean the ovens, the counters, even the floors, and walls. Flour got everywhere, and if the floors weren’t mopped regularly any sugar that was dropped could mingle with the moisture in the air and make a sticky mess.

Then came inventory, marking down what they’d need to order for tomorrow, and special orders. Then they prepped the kitchen for making donuts and muffins in the morning. The sun had barely begun to set and the pair were urged to get some sleep. They had to wake very early to have meals-on-the go ready for when ponies first start stumbling their way through the streets.

Pinkie flopped down on her bed. Ready to get some rest. It had been a long day.

She turned her head, eying an unfamiliar bundle on the floor. A neatly folded blanket and pillow for Jonny. Pinkie had taken to calling him ‘Jonny’ as it sounded much less stuffy than his full name.

He had passed the day quietly, despite being blind he had washed pots and pans with surprising ease. Everything that had been passed into the large sink had been washed in a slow calculated manner that ensured that the human’s washrag touched everything twice, and then he ran a soapy hand over it to ensure nothing was left behind.

It was slow and methodical, but the Cakes were both surprised how well he did despite being blind. It was only with washing the more complicated bits of the blenders and mixers that he had trouble.

She had asked if her friend was okay, and although Jonny had said he felt fine she knew it wasn’t true. She couldn’t explain it, but it was clear he wasn’t. She kept thinking of how he needed that hug back outside of Ponyville. There was something in the way he carried himself that bothered her.

She heard the flush of the toilet and turned her head on the mattress. He walked slowly, one foot cautiously extended, and made a slow sweeping motion, feeling for anything that could trip him. Pinkie began to hum a tune, giving him a direction to come toward. It was slow, almost torturously slow but eventually, he reached the bed.

“Are you sure this is okay Pinkie?” Jonathan asked, “Us sleeping in the same bed?”

“Yeah, I used to sleep in the same bed as all my sisters. This isn’t any different.” She said, pulling the covers down.

“I could sleep on the floor.” He offered.

“Sleep on the floor?” Pinkie made a face, “Doesn’t sound comfortable. Nah, you can stay here and keep me warm.”

“That’s… you know, I’m not going to question it.” Jonathan slipped his feet under the covers, “When I wake up, maybe things will be fine.”

Pinkie wasn’t sure that was how blindness worked, but she kept quiet and snuggled next to him.

---
To be continued...
---
> 6. Morning Routine
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lost and Blind
---
Chapter 6: Morning Routine
---

Sleep died from the thunderous clatter of a metal alarm clock. 

Sleep ended, but not the darkness of Jonathan’s world.

Pinkie had bolted upright almost as the first ring of her alarm clock had sounded, rising with unnatural exuberance at the prospect of making donuts.

Her bedmate was not so enthusiastic. Instead of rising he clenched his eyes and tried to drown out the noise with his pillow.

Unperturbed by her hew-min’s attempts to force his way back to dreamland, Pinkie casually turned her alarm off before prancing to his side of the bed. With the grace of a master magician, Pinkie pulled the sheets and blanket off the bed with one clean jerk, leaving the human alone on the mattress.

“Up and at’em, sleepyhead! We wanna have time to eat breakfast before we start baking today!” Pinkie said as she bounced on her hooves as if she was ready to rocket down the stairs this very second.

The pillow was lowered from Jonathan’s ears as the cold of the morning air pricked his bare skin.

“You go. I’ll stay here.” Jonathan groped around for the covers that were no longer there. He wasn’t here to bake cookies. That was Pinkie’s thing.

Undaunted, Pinkie tugged on the waistband of his pajama bottoms, “Nope, because if you don’t you won’t get any breakfast.”

Jonathan rubbed his face, the ache in his eyes leaping up as if it too was stirring from slumber. The events of yesterday slowly trickled back into his memory, and despite all his hopes he was still blind, and still trapped in a world of talking horses. Whatever had brought him here had clearly not seen fit to send him back.

Pinkie poked his bare side with her cold hoof, eliciting a startled yelp from the human.

“C’mon, I can smell pancakes...” Pinkie teased.

It was a childish statement, and Jonathan was about to tell her to leave when he too could smell the odor of pancakes. It made his insides clench, momentarily eclipsing the ache in his eyes as his body began to ache for substance. Tempting as it was, he still would have preferred sleep. He might have tried if he hadn’t noticed another smell drifting up from the Cake’s kitchen.

It was the alluring smell of freshly brewed coffee.

Where pleading, hunger, and cold failed, caffeine addiction succeeded. With a shiver, Jonathan pulled himself from his warm spot on the mattress and up onto his feet. He yawned, gave a stretch, and pulled his pajama bottoms higher. He felt like a slob going to breakfast with strangers while not wearing a shirt, but it couldn’t be helped.

“I’ll help you find the stairs, come on.” Pinkie said, presumptuously bumping his leg with her barrel.

Jonathan frowned, feeling a little annoyed that Pinkie assumed he couldn’t find the stairs but as the fog of sleep began to leave his brain he had to admit he truly didn’t know where the stairs were. With his hand once more on the pony’s back, he allowed her to lead him to the stairwell.

As with the previous day, Pinkie was Jonathan’s shadow as he traveled the stairs. The shallow pony-made stairs and his stooping posture meant that it took longer than it probably should have, but Pinkie easily kept pace with him.

An exploring probe of his free hand revealed there was a low handrail. Why quadrupeds would need a handrail however was a bit beyond Jonathan’s ability to reason so early in the morning. It was a good sign that even though it was short, he could easily climb these stairs again without Pinkie’s aid.

Finally, Pinkie called out they were near the bottom of the stairs. Jonathan’s barefoot touched what could only be a rug, much different than the cold wooden surface of the steps. He paused, testing the area around it to confirm this was indeed the bottom of the stairs, and he was proven correct.

“I thought that might be useful since you can’t tell when the steps would end.” Pinkie said, clearly proud of her forethought.

Truthfully it was, but Jonathan hoped it wouldn’t be something he’d need for very long. Nevertheless, he traced his hand up to her head to ruffle her mane.

With a wide smile, Pinkie led Jonathan back to the dining room. Mr. Cake was already there, reading a newspaper with what Pinkie recognized as a plate smeared with maple syrup and crumbs of pancakes.

Three other plates were set, with plenty more than just pancakes. 

The sound of hooves on the carpet behind them got Jonathan to turn his head on reflex. Pinkie looked too and saw Mrs. Cake was approaching from the kitchen. She was in mid-yawn, and her mane was a mess, suggesting she had gone to cook breakfast before anything else.

“Good morning!” Pinkie beamed with all the warmth of a sunny day.

“Good morning dears, did you sleep well?” Cup Cake asked, a shadow of weariness still lurking in her voice.

“Yup! I can’t wait to get to baking!” Pinkie declared, utterly devoid of any of the lethargy in Jonathan or the Cakes, “I’ve been waiting for this all year since you agreed to let me come stay with you.”

Cup Cake chuckled warmly as she ushered them into the dining room. As with last night, Pinkie led Jonathan to the small stool, which he squatted down onto and sat hunched over his plate.

Mr. Cake peeked over his paper at the human, but quickly shifted his attention to Pinkie.

“So Pinkie, will you need help finding the train station to ask about sending Jonathan home?” Carrot Cake asked.

Pinkie pulled the serving platter of pancakes over and was helping Jonathan to a large portion, “Nah, I’m sure I can find my way. If not, I can always just ask. I’m sure everypony knows where it is!”

Carrot Cake couldn’t help but smile at Pinkie’s attitude, “I’m sure you’ll find it with that attitude, once the breakfast rush is over, of course.”

Pinkie gave a nod, “You can trust me not to shirk my baking duties! This is my first time away from the farm so I gotta make a good impression on everypony!”

“‘First time away from the farm?’” Jonathan asked.

“Yup, this is my first time coming to a town as big as Ponyville.” Pinkie said.

Jonathan gave a small smile, “I guess we’re sorta in the same boat then.”

“Yupperoni, but we’ll get things figured out lickety-split! Just you wait and...” Pinkie flinched, “Er, find out?”

It was a commendable save, but it didn’t exactly work. Jonathan gave her points for trying.

Cup Cake seated herself beside her husband.

The mare of the house watched as the human touched the side of his plate, and seemed to be searching for something.

“Can I help you, Jonathan?” Cup Cake asked.

“I don’t know if this will seem like a strange question, but where is the silverware?” The human asked.

"Silverware?" Pinkie blinked, "You mean that super fancy stuff that unicorns eat with?"

Jonathan tilted his head toward Pinkie, “Unicorns?”

“Yeah, you know. Like me and the Cakes but a horn can do magic and stuff.” Pinkie said nonchalantly, “Oh that’s right you said you’d never met a pony like me before, so you’ve probably never heard of a unicorn.”

This tidbit had the Cakes cast a silent confused look at the human, both of them wondering how he could make it so far within Equestria but not know what a unicorn was.

Jonathan however simply dismissed Pinkie’s explanation. She had previously stated she hadn’t ever been off her farm before, so even if unicorns also existed in this crazy place it stood to reason that Pinkie might have been fed some misconceptions. 

This line of reasoning didn’t explain how unicorns (magic or not) could use silverware with hooves. But before Jonathan could ponder any further a fork was pressed into his hand.

“We normally keep a set for when any unicorn guests, so please feel free to remind us while you’re here.” Said Mrs. Cake, who was now standing next to him.

“Thank you.” Jonathan said, “For all of this.”

Mrs. Cake smiled and returned to her husband’s side.

Such fluffy excellence. The familiar blandness of store brand instant pancake mixes was nothing compared to what Jonathan was inhaling. Each bite was fluffy without being mush, the texture was unlike anything he’d experienced. It was almost like the Cakes had managed to partially leaven their pancakes from how they seemed to have risen in the pan just a little.

Pinkie had poured syrup for him on them and went a little overboard but even that was delicious. Instead of the homogenous stuff he got at the store this felt like it had a vintage, there was a unique flavor to it like he could taste what the tree had given up to make this.

The eggs were more or less the same as he knew it, just without any salt. He didn’t mind, he felt he needed to cut back on his sodium intake anyway. The coffee however was the real prize. It wasn’t some high-quality stuff but Jonathan could almost feel the blessed caffeine seeping into his bloodstream. It was when he got to the third item off his plate he finally stopped eating.

The first bite was crispy, whatever it was it was obviously fried but as he chewed his first bite he paused. He had first thought it to be hashbrowns, but they were dry and poked at his cheeks. After trying to chew that first bite several times Jonathan finally identified what it was and raised his plate to spit out the fried hay without looking like he was metaphorically spitting in the Cake’s faces.

The ponies had seen this of course and watched as the human looked visibly repulsed by what he’d tasted. Pinkie had eaten her hay hash first, but she thought it was great. 

“Something wrong with your hay hash?” Mrs. Cake asked, hoping with all her pride as a baker that she hadn’t made him sick.

“N-no it’s not that...” Jonathan strained his vocabulary to come up with a gentle way of vocalizing his thoughts, “I know you probably spent a lot of time making this, but I don’t think I can eat this.”

Cup Cake couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. She had never met anypony who didn’t like her hay hash and yet here was the one creature who’d broken that record. This she reasoned was just one of the many unexpected things she’d experience living with a non-pony under her roof. At least he was polite.

“Well, don’t worry about it. I’m pleased you tried it at least.” Cup Cake said as she took the empty plate, “Did you like the rest of it?”

“Some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had,” Jonathan said, glad he could move onto a positive topic.

A smile returned to Cup Cake’s face, “Good! Now that we’ve eaten it’s time to get to work. I’ll toss these into the sink, and Pinkie you can help Carrot with the donuts.”

Pinkie squealed with delight, “Lead me to the fryer! I’ll make the best you’ve ever seen!”

Carrot Cake liked her enthusiasm and stood to lead the young mare to the kitchen. The plates were soon collected by Cup Cake, and although she was a little hesitant to let those hairless paws touch her back, she knew the blind creature might not be able to find his way around.

“Do you think you can handle more dishwashing, dear?” Cup Cake ventured, not wanting to press on the injured creature.

“It’s better than sitting here listening to the walls...” Jonathan sighed, rising from his seat.

Cup Cake watched him, slowly measuring his steps, using the edge of the table to guide him toward the door, only coming to a halt when he ran out of table.

“Here, let me help you.” Cup Cake said gently, mimicking Pinkie as she stood beside the human and tapped his leg.

The act was a little patronizing, but Jonathan didn’t want to argue. He guessed if he could make it to the door he didn’t exactly know if multiple doors were leading to the dining room. Each room was an opportunity to get lost and waste time.

With Cup Cake’s help, it wasn’t long before he was washing all the dishes and pans that had been used to make breakfast. It wasn’t anything special, his home dishwasher had been broken for years and he hadn’t had the money to fix it or get a new one, so doing them by hand was an everyday occurrence.

It was mindless, brainless work. Rub the washcloth around the surface, feel for anything stuck on, rinse,  place on the rack, repeat. But it did provide ample opportunity to listen in on Mr. Cake as he taught Pinkie all about making donuts.

It was a simple process, at least it sounded like one. Jonathan got to hear Pinkie excitedly fixate over every detail that Mr. Cake laid out in the process, and despite her silliness, she seemed to soak up the information like a sponge. His own task was hardly as important or glamorous, but it was certainly better than standing there like some voyeur. 

“Jonathan, when you’re done would you like to help me with something?” Mrs. Cake asked.

The question drew Jonathan out of his drudgery, and he turned an ear toward where he thought Mrs. Cake was standing.

“I think I only have some stuff in the bottom of the tray,” The human said, “What do you need my help with?”


“Well, have you ever worked an ice cream churn?” She asked.

A smile came to Jonathan’s face. Old memories of turning a heavy metal crank at his aunt’s farmhouse, and all the sounds, smells, and even the faces he used to see. It was a happy memory, yet it stung at him now.

“I used to churn ice cream at my aunt’s every year since I could reach the sink,” Jonathan said, with just a hint of pride.

Cup Cake smiled, “Good, if you can handle that then I can open the front. I just need to get my mane in order and it’ll be time to start letting ponies in.”

---

The sound of the ice cream churn going around in slow, rhythmic turns could be heard as Mrs. Cake made her last checks behind the register. Everything was in order, and so she moved to the door. As always ponies were waiting in the early morning light for her to open the doors.

She had set several loaves of bread out to cool, and muffins that had been started along with breakfast were sitting ready to be enjoyed. Baking in the morning was no challenge at all if you pre-mix batter and store it in the fridge all night. Fresh coffee had been brewed, and donuts were coming out clockwork. They were ready.

With a quick trot to the door, Mrs. Cake flipped the store sign to ‘Open’ and unlocked the door, and retreated to the counter.

First in line, as always was Minuette. The unicorn was a Canterlot resident but she spent so much time in Ponyville that nearly everypony knew her. Some claimed she was a clockmaker while others said she was a dentist, but nopony had bothered to ask. It didn’t matter, after all. 

She was a loyal, predictable, paying customer.

“Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner, what can I get you this wonderful morning?” Cup Cake asked with practiced enthusiasm.

Minuette chuckled, “Hiya Mrs. Cake, my usual coffee and two honey-glazed.”

Cup Cake gladly moved to pour the mare’s coffee but noticed how Minuette kept her eyes focused on the dutch doors that led to the kitchen as if she was trying to peer around the corner.

“Is something the matter?” Cup Cake asked, already bagging the donuts for her always-punctual customer.

“Well, a lot of ponies are saying you have a monster staying with you. I wanted to see if I could catch a glimpse of it.”

Cup Cake’s well-practiced smile faltered, “Um, there’s no monster here. You must be mistaken.”

Minuette looked unconvinced but continued to eye the kitchen with almost voyeuristic enthusiasm. When Mrs. Cake rang up her bill, Minuette paid and left with a disappointed ‘goodbye.’

And on it went. Not every pony wanted to see the creature in the kitchen, but enough did that Cup Cake began to wonder exactly what rumors were circulating around Ponyville. 

---
To be continued...
---
> Non-canon: Happy Holidays!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lost and Blind
- - - - - -
Chapter X: Happy Holidays.
---

Jonathan ran his hands under the kitchen faucet, enjoying the warm water as it caused the leftover bits of dough to down the drain. The kitchen was always warmer than the rest of the store thanks to the ovens, but the stiff winter wind that would rattle the windows on occasion would always remind that the icy cold was just a few feet away.

The colder it got, the more Jonathan was happy that whatever had brought him to Equestria had sent his winter coat with him. He had managed to argue Rarity into letting him at least pay for the materials needed to make the warm clothes he was currently wearing, but paying full price? Rarity wouldn't allow it.

It was quiet in the kitchen, too quiet. The Ponville Theater Troupe had requested Pinkie's help with a play for an upcoming pony holiday. Pinkie had said that she was just helping the prop and background designers, but that was six days ago, and Pinkie would be gone by breakfast and not come back until dinner was over with.

It was only because of his now-intimate relationship with this kitchen that Jonathan was able to help the Cakes without Pinkie hovering over him. The Cakes still had to measure everything, but he could almost bake a cake without his sight. Amazing maybe, but Jonathan attributed it to merely hearing same recipes for eight months straight.

At the moment, Jonathan had little to do while the bread dough raised in their pans. He could hear the Cakes fussing over their gingerbread mansion, their contribution for the celebration. They had actually shut down the breakfast shift early in the week so they could find time to bake all of what was going into this massive building. Jonathan didn't remember how many rooms they had said it was going to have, but he was surprised to hear that it was actually being furnished with candy furniture made by a fellow confectioner, Bon Bon.

"There." Carrot Cake said, backing away from the center island counter, "All finished."

Cup Cake squinted her eyes, scrutinizing every flake and swirl for flaws, "Are you sure it doesn't need a little more frosting along the corner here? That licorice downspout could come off when we move it."

Carrot Cake knew better to argue with a pregnant mare, and so he took the icing-filled pastry bag and dabbed on a few more spots of white frosting.

"Perfect. Now all we need is for Bon Bon to stop by and we'll have it finished." Cup Cake let out a tired sigh, "We're cutting it close this year."

"Yes, but we did decide to go all out this year." Carrot Cake said as he looked from the detailed gingerbread siding to the sculpted frosting tile roof. "We did finish a day before Hearth's Warming Eve, any sooner and the bread might start to go stale."

Cup Cake tapped one of her hooves on the floor as she stared at their creation. "I suppose you're right, and this will get us plenty of business in the weeks after Hearth's Warming Eve."

"Is there anything else I can help you two with?" Jonathan asked as he leaned back against the counter, "This feels a little less than I usually handle..."

Carrot Cake had been so focused on putting the finishing touches on the gingerbread mansion that he hadn't really paid Jonathan much mind. His wife would occasionally leave his side to do the obvious things that the blind human couldn't, but he was a little surprised.

Flecks of bread dough hung in the human's arm hair, and his apron was dusted with flour. The oven window showed the elements were preheating for the seven rising loafs of bread. Carrot Cake had to feel a small amount of pride in what he was seeing.

Just a few short months ago Jonathan was just mixing batter and dough while Pinkie handled most of the work load. It was slow, like a newborn foal's first steps, but the human had stuck with it and proved he could work just as hard as Pinkie.

To Carrot Cake, it almost felt like he was about to belittle Jonathan's accomplishments with what he had to say, "Actually, there's not much more for you to do. Today's our last day open for the holiday season so we can't have too much leftover."

A hint of worry came to Jonathan's face, "Did I make too much?"

"I don't think so, we might have to make a little more from the looks of it." Cup Cake said, "But even if you had, so what? We'd have something extra to give to neighbors and friends as gifts."

A fragment of a smile appeared on Jonathan's face. "Well, if we'll be closing up, does that mean we get to sleep in?"

"The true gift of the holiday season." Carrot Cake grinned, "But we won't be getting too much sleep since we have our own little celebration to make."

Cup Cake narrowed her eyes at her husband, but she quickly let it go. "Yes, lots of cooking, but I have everything in our personal refrigerator. It shouldn't take me less than a few hours to get a Hearth's Warming Eve dinner prepared, with Jonathan's help."

"Sure, just tell me what needs to be done." Jonathan said as he rubbed his damp hands together to help them dry.

The bell above the front door stole everypony's attention, announcing the arrival of another customer. But before Cup Cake could take two steps toward the front her husband was already up and through the swinging doors.

"Hello Rarity!" Carrot Cake said, his voice carrying back to the kitchen, "How are things with the play?"

Rarity wiped the snow from her boots on the welcome mat, "Progressing wonderfully, thanks for asking."

As she walked toward the counter, Rarity looked around Sugar Cube Corner, "I'm amazed that I'm the only one here. One should think that there would be a run on freshly baked bread, seeing how it's your last day open."

"Just the calm before the storm, there's always a few ponies who wait 'til the last minute to get something." Carrot Cake chuckled, "Speaking of which, what can I get you today?"

Rarity smiled, "Oh I'm afraid I didn't stop by to buy anything. I'm out on a short break and I came to see if I could steal our favorite human for lunch. We haven't had a chance to chat in almost a week."

"I don't think he'll turn you down." Carrot Cake leaned over the counter to whisper, "I think he could use the company."

Rarity covered her mouth in a silent chuckle, "I thought so too."

The dressmaker followed Mr. Cake into the kitchen, her eyes instantly gluing onto the massive gingerbread structure sitting on the center island.

"My, you've certainly been busy too." Rarity breathed, the smell of ginger was almost overpowering. "Is it for a special client?"

"It'll be set out in the lobby after the play where anypony can have a piece." Cup Cake said, "Of course, we know we're not the only ponies who are busy..."

Rarity smiled, "It is hard work, doing all the costumes for the play but it's an incredible opportunity to create a reputation. How are you doing, in your condition should you really be working?"

Cup Cake leveled an annoyed frown at Rarity, "Please, I hear that enough from these two. I'm not made of glass."

"No, but if Jonathan is giving you trouble I would happily relieve you of him for a while, say as long as it takes to eat lunch?" Rarity punctuated her question with a wide smile.

"Take him, we're done with our Mansion de Ginger so we can handle a few orders until you bring him back." Cup Cake smiled, "Go ahead."

"Alright, let me get my coat." Jonathan slipped out of his apron and measured his steps to the wall where he managed to hang it up on the apron rack on his second attempt.

Rarity watched with silent fascination as Jonathan used his hands to find the side door, then disappeared into the living room. It wasn't long before he reappeared with that heavy, wool-lined denim coat Rarity had found last spring. He had his ball cap on, but he hadn't done anything to tame that uncombed mess of hair that resembled a mane. Rarity wanted to sit him down and comb it for him, but she knew better than to embarrass her friend like that.

"Okay, cane's by the door." Jonathan said, "Mrs. Cake, would you want me to pick you up something while we're out?"

"Just go, dear. Don't worry about little ol' me." The pregnant mare shook her head.

Taking a cue from Pinkie, the alabaster mare lightly bumped Jonathan's leg with her side, cueing him to set his hand on her shoulder before she slowly let him toward the door.

"I'll have him back in a little while! Ta!" Rarity called over her shoulder.

After collecting Jonathan's cane, the two went out into the winter air and were headed up the wintry streets of Ponyville. The wind tickled Jonathan's ears, and as much as his winter coat helped, he envied Rarity having a layer of warm fur all over her body.

"Did you have something in mind for lunch?" Jonathan asked, silently hoping it wouldn't be someplace all the way across town this time.

"The Haybasket Inn has a delightful seasonal salad I'm eager to try, although you might not think highly of the amount of flowers that goes into it." Rarity answered.

"I guess I'll let you read some stuff off the menu and we'll go from there." Jonathan smiled, a little happy to hear they were going someplace familiar, "While I have you, would you mind me asking a question or two?"

"Of course, anything you'd like." Rarity smirked, "Does it have something to do with a pink mare we both know?"

"It's nothing like that. I just miss her at the store. You get used to having someone, somepony around you a lot, then when they're gone you notice how quiet it is." Jonathan smiled, "She can be a little too much sometimes, but that's just the way it is."

Rarity grinned up at the human's face. "If that's the case, then maybe... Oh Rarity, you really must stay away from romance novels. They fill your head with such nonsense."

Thankfully before Rarity could be tempted to say something she really shouldn't, she noticed the sign for the HayBasket Inn just a few yards ahead.

"Ah, well that took no time at all. The benefits of working in the middle of Ponyville." Rarity beamed as she guided Jonathan toward the door. "I can't tell you how glad I am to spend time with a friend after a week between helping mother and father and everypony at the theater. I don't suppose-"

Rarity remembered too late to stamp her hoof twice to signal Jonathan to stop when she reached out for the door knob. The door shuddered when Jonathan slammed into it,his cane fell in the snow while his hands flew up to cradle his face.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" Rarity winced in embarrassment as she picked up the discarded cane with her magic, "Please, let me make it up to you."

"I'm fine..." Jonathan grumbled as he felt his nose. He hadn't noticed the thin red line that had started down his upper lip. "Nothing broken, so don't worry about it."

"Oh my... Here, hold still." Rarity levitated a white linen handkerchief from her saddlebag up to Jonathan's face to gently dab up the blood. "I never meant to do that. I'm so, so sorry..."

"Am I bleeding?" Jonathan blinked in surprise.

Rarity's ears splayed back, "Er, yes, a little."

"Remind me to not get on your bad side Rarity," Jonathan teased as he pressed the clean cloth to his weeping nostril, "You can be dangerous."

At first Rarity was irritated and a little ashamed at Jonathan's words, it was as if he was implying she had done that on purpose! That was just her knee jerk reaction, Rarity was pleased to see Jonathan bouncing back so quickly, and that he clearly held no grudge.

The door suddenly opened enough for a young mare to poke her head out. Rarity knew her as the hostess, and concluded that she had likely come to investigate who or what had slammed into the front door.

"Is everypony okay?" The hostess then squeaked when she saw the human and the blood-stained cloth he was holding, "Oh my, sir are you going to be okay?"

"Just a bump on the nose is all." Jonathan showed the hostess a smile, "We came to eat."

"Of course, of course, please let me hold the door open for you!" The hostess said, quickly pushing the door open with her body.

Once inside, the pair were quickly led to a table and seated as the hostess repeatedly offered Jonathan something for his nose. Jonathan accepted some ice, though it was just for the mare's peace of mind.

The hostess returned quickly with a plastic bag with some ice in it, and personally took their drink orders.

"Rarity, how busy is it in here?" Jonathan asked as he folded Rarity's handkerchief, his nose no longer bleeding.

"Not really," Rarity said, craning her neck up to check around the homey restaurant, "We're the only ones here, I think."

The human chuckled, "Here I thought I might have caused a scene and everypony was just being quiet."

Rarity cocked an eyebrow, "You sound disappointed."

"There's always next time." Jonathan replied, "Anything good on the menu?"

"Hmm..." Rarity's eyes darted over the seasonal menu that had come with their usual menu. "Let's see, other than that salad I mentioned there's a vegetable and flower soup that you wouldn't care for... a five alarm chili, pumpkin bread..."

"Pumpkin bread? Sold!" Jonathan grinned, "I'm not really in the mood for something I have to eat with a spoon, so maybe I'll just my usual sandwich."

"Suit yourself, but the tuesday after Hearth's Warming Eve we'll be back to our usual tea time." Rarity relaxed against the back of her seat, "As much as I love this festive time of year, it does feel good when it's done."

"Speaking of, I haven't asked what you wanted for Hearth's Warming Eve, Rarity." Jonathan patted his upper lip with Rarity's cloth to clean any leftover blood that hadn't dried yet. "Maybe a new handkerchief?"

Rarity blinked, "Get me? You don't have to get me anything for Hearth's Warming Eve."

"Come on Rarity, it's the holidays. I don't spend a lot of bits as it is, so why not let me buy you something?" Jonathan smiled, "At least let me buy you lunch."

Rarity narrowed her eyes, for what little it would do against a blind man. "No, I should have known by now to warn you about the door, and because of my little... 'error' I caused you grevious injury. I insist that I make reparations."

Jonathan's smile evaporated, "You aren't budging on this, are you?"

Rarity's answer was a sharp and chipper, "Nope."

Jonathan put his elbow up on the table, "You're not even let me pay for my own, are you?"

"Nuh-uh." Rarity said, just as playful and final as before.

The sound of their waitress approaching silenced Jonathan before he could make any other attempt to get Rarity to accept his money. Sure it never worked when she got in one of these moods, but he had to make it difficult or else he'd feel like he was taking advantage of her.

"Earl Grey for the lady," The unicorn waitress said, levitating a cup in front of Rarity, as well as a small plate with sugar packets and lemon wedges, "And coffee for our favorite human. Do you know what you want?"

"Er yes, I'd like to try your seasonal five-petal salad." Rarity said as she squeezed a lemon wedge into her tea.

"And you?" The waitress gently asked.

"Just a sandwich. Lettuce, red onion, tomato, pepper jack cheese, on rye." Jonathan said, "And an order of your pumpkin bread."

"Okay, I'll be right back with your order." The waitress smiled, carrying away the empty tray on her back.

"If I can't get you anything, maybe you can help me get Pinkie something for Hearth's Warming Eve?" Jonathan reached over, feeling around for the bowl that held all the sealed cups of cream were kept, "I can't keep anything hidden from that mare, so I need somepony else to help me."

Rarity stared at her companion for a moment, idly dropping her discarded lemon on the plate. "Why this sudden desire to give gifts?"

Jonathan frowned, managing to open his cream and pour it into his coffee without incident. "I suppose this leads into what I wanted to ask you... You see, I don't really know what you do for Hearth's Warming Eve."

"Nothing at all?" Rarity asked, "But, you've been baking fruit cake and gingerbread all month. Surely the Cakes said something about it."

"Remember how I said that Nightmare Night was very similar to a holiday humans celebrate? The same goes for Hearth's Warming Eve, apparently." Jonathan slipped out of his coat, "I guess you don't give gifts to each other?"

Rarity put a hoof to her head, where should she begin? "No, I've never gotten a gift on Hearth's Warming Eve. I'll try to explain what happens on Hearth's Warming Eve in a nutshell. We spend a day with our families and friends, singing songs, enjoying a large scrumptious meal toward evening, and of course we have a play we put on as it is the central focus of the entire celebration. I won't give away what it's about, since you'll be seeing it for yourself, if you pardon my phrasing."

"Don't worry about it, I'm used to it by now." Jonathan waved off Rarity's apology, "Ours is a bit more... material. We get a gift or a card for our friends and family, or sometimes it's just money. We wake up and open presents that have been sitting out, wrapped in bright paper under a decorated pine tree, called a Christmas tree. The entire point is to give of yourself to others, even though kids do tend to be a bit focused on getting presents rather than giving them. After that comes a meal, and maybe some caroling or watching a few christmas specials on TV, which would be about the same as going to a play."

Rarity leaned on her forehoof, "Aside from getting presents, it doesn't sound terribly different from our holiday. Strange how your people are so far removed from us ponies yet we share so much in common."

"Yes, after hearing how close Nightmare Night is to Halloween I assumed that Hearth's Warming Eve was the same as Christmas." Jonathan explained, "Even though you don't get presents for Hearth's Warming, I still would like to give my best friends something for the holidays."

Rarity delicately sipped her tea as she turned this information around in her head. "A present? Hm..."

"What was that Rarity?" Jonathan asked, idly stirring his coffee with his spoon.

"I'm just wondering, would you want to celebrate your version of Hearth's Warming Eve?" Rarity asked.

Jonathan shook his head, "Well, I don't really want to go all the way. I just want to show you, Pinkie, the Cakes, Rainbow, a few others my appreciation with a few gifts. Something they'll like."

Rarity smiled, "We have a few days before the stores close down for Hearth's Warming Eve. I'll help you, if I can get you something in return. If I'm going to be party to your holiday then I insist on joining in."

Jonathan wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, thoroughly enjoying the warmth it brought. "You don't have to, you're still doing your work with the play."

"I've exposed you to plenty of pony culture, it's only fair you return the favor." Rarity levitated a short pad of paper and a mechanical pencil from her saddlebag. "Let's make a list shall we, we'll see whom we need to buy for. And please tell me more about... er, what was it called again Jonny?"

"Christmas." Jonathan said plainly as he sipped his coffee.

"Yes, while we wait I'd love to see if there are more differences, no matter how small." Rarity grinned, signing the top of the page 'Krismas party.'

---

Pinkie Pie didn't remember exactly when she had started to paint the backgrounds, but she had been at it long enough to develop a terrible crick in her neck. She was starting to think that memorizing lines and sitting still for a costume fitting wouldn't be so bad.

The second Pinkie set her paint brush down in the bucket a smile creeped back onto her face. Sure the work was boring and the director rejected her idea of putting a whoopie cushion in the three tribe's summit scene, but Pinkie was getting to see the play coming together right before her eyes! Best of all, being part of the stage crew meant she could watch everything from the the catwalk. Her own personal skybox seat!

"Pinkie, there you are!" Rarity called out, "I thought you were helping the others with the special effects?"

Pinkie shrugged, but her smile didn't diminish one bit. "I was, but yesterday there was teeny-tiny, little mishap with the flash powder, so they decided that I could help here instead!"

Rarity felt like inquiring further but instead she said nothing. This was Pinkie's first time helping with what she no doubt perceived as a large party and Rarity wasn't about to put a damper her friend's enthusiasm with pointless criticism.

A second, closer look at the background showed more than just simple flat colors like Rarity's past experiences with Ponyville's volunteer theater troupe. Here the colors of the sky seemed to swirl between lighter and darker hues, looking almost as if Pinkie had captured the motion of wind. The clouds weren't just blobs of white, but had shadow and warmth thanks to a light shading of purple and cream. The hills and the other terrain were yet to be painted, but Rarity found herself a little anxious to see the final result. It was more than what Rarity had expected from Pinkie considering her humble background as a rock farmer.

"Pinkie, I must say you're doing a marvelous job! Wherever did you learn to do paint like this?" Rarity inquired, eyes still lingering at the background.

Pinkie's cheeks reddened a little, "I really wanted to do a good job, so I asked Jonny for advice since he knows all about painting!"

Rarity looked to Pinkie, a surprised look on her face. "He taught you how to do all this in one night?"

"Nah, I just asked him what colors I should use. When he'd get all sad and mopey I used to get him to tell me about painting or something else." Pinkie giggled, "Well, that or a good hug would work."

Rarity nodded, taking another long look at Pinkie's work. "You really put his advice into practice, I'm sure he'd be very proud of what you accomplished here. But speaking of our mutual friend, I have something for you."

A slight tilt of Rarity's head was all she needed to accurately levitate her notepad over to Pinkie, who took it in her paint-speckled forehooves.

Pinkie's eyes lit up when she saw the heading at the top of the note, "Krismas party? You mean like Jonny's version of Hearth's Warming Eve?"

"Yes, he thought I was helping him write down a gift list but I kept him talking about the little this and that that goes along with 'Krismas.'" Rarity watched as Pinkie nosed the first page over, "There's a lot more differences than I first suspected."

Pinkie continued flipped through the notes, quickly scanning the pages before she stopped on one particular set of words. "What's a yule log?"

"He didn't go into detail about every one of his traditions and I didn't dare to pry. I didn't want him to stop talking or become suspicious." Rarity grinned, "I suppose we'll get a chance to ask him, after we surprise him of course."

Pinkie nodded, almost shaking with barely contained excitement. "I can't wait, he'll be so surprised!"

"I'll bring some of the costumes out here," Rarity said, already walking toward the dressing room she'd been using as a on-site sewing room, "We can plan while we work."

---
Later that day, Sugarcube Corner
---

The oven's alarm gently sounded, and Jonathan carefully groped for the bread pans with his gloved hands. He grit his teeth as he fished each pan out, setting them out to cool on the stovetop as the kitchen filled with the smell of freshly baked bread.

The first batch of bread of the day was always cause for Jonathan to smile. Something about the warm, inviting aroma conjured up a warm, homey sort of feel to the bakery. After the third or fourth batch that magic would drift away like smoke in the wind under the daily grind, but today was a slow day. This was his second batch and demand had been so light that he could do much of the work himself.

The Cakes and Bon Bon had continued to fuss over minor details of their Mansion de Ginger. How they were moving the furniture around without a unicorn's levitation he wasn't sure, and he didn't want to distract them from the task at hand. He didn't want to be the one responsible for causing untold hours of work to come crashing down.

Just like Carrot Cake had said, two mares had come in and bought the entire first batch he had made. That much bread sounded excessive, but Jonathan felt proud that they had bought bread that he had so much a hand in making. Cup Cake measuring out the butter, flour, and other ingredients was just a necessity of his situation. He claimed this batch as a personal triumph.

After setting his oven mits in their usual spot, Jonathan closed the oven and leaned against the counter as he thought about his lunch with Rarity. It was his only real highlight for the whole week with everypony working on that play all the time. It had been wake up, wish Pinkie a good time and help the Cakes in whatever capacity he could while they worked on their elaborate gingerbread house. It had been the quietest week Jonathan had known inside Sugarcube Corner.

Only one more day and he'd have Pinkie back in the store, and meeting Rarity for tea. An irrepressible smile crossed Jonathan's face as he thought of Pinkie coming back to the kitchen. He'd spent most of his spare time just sitting or laying on the couch in the living room. It was comfortable, but lounging quickly lost its appeal when there was nothing to accomplish except going to bed.

"Jonny, can you come in here for a second?" Cup Cake suddenly asked.

Jonathan straightened up, feeling his way across the kitchen to the center island. "Yes Mrs. Cake?"

"We're getting the Mansion de Ginger ready to move, we could really use those hands of yours." Cup Cake explained, "We have a cart waiting outside the back entrance."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow, "Wouldn't a unicorn's levitation spell be safer than having the blind man carry this down several steps? And won't I move all your candy furniture out of place?"

"Nope." A new voice popped up, Bon Bon's, "We anchored them in place with a little cake icing."

Jonathan was unconvinced about this being a good idea, but his only other option was to refuse and go back to the living room sofa while the Cakes did all the work. "Okay then, help me find the edges of... whatever you have the gingerbread on."

After setting his hands on the island counter, Carrot Cake gently nudged Jonathan's hands until they rested on opposite ends of the metal tray the mansion was set on. Jonathan's hands were further guided to two grips, and once he lifted he saw why the Cakes wanted him. The grips were wide enough for him to easily hold them, but from the soft coating they were supposed to be held in a pony's teeth. Also, the gingerbread structure wasn't centered on the tray, or at least that's how it felt as  the weight was largely over the right side. There was no way Bon Bon and Carrot Cake had lifted this with their teeth and maintain the cooperative balance needed to carry it down to the cart without it ending up on the ground.

With the Cakes and Bon Bon guiding his every step, Jonathan slowly made it out the door and down the steps. A patch of ice at the bottom had them worried, but Jonathan proved this wasn't much of an obstacle by merely having the Cakes back the cart up to him. With a little more direction from Bon Bon, the elaborate gingerbread house was safely placed in the back of the cart.

"Terrific!" Cup Cake gave the ground a few celebratory stamps, "Jonny, those hands of yours are a miracle."

Jonathan folded his arms, stuffing his hands into the warmth of his armpits. "I'm just glad to be useful Mrs. Cake. Are you all ready to go?"

"Yeah, just one thing..." Cup Cake grinned, "You need to get your coat."

Jonathan lifted his head, "Not that I wouldn't mind the company, but why invite me along?"

"Tomorrow's Hearth's Warming Eve, do I need a reason to spend time with my favorite human?" Cup Cake asked.

Carrot Cake nudged Jonathan on the shin with his hoof, "Don't argue, you won't win."

As much as Jonathan wanted to argue, he knew the stallion was right. Besides, if he ended up at town hall then he could visit with Pinkie and Rarity.

A quick journey back into Sugar Cube Corner soon had Jonathan properly dressed for winter travel, his cane in one hand and his other resting on the edge of the cart. The wool cap Rarity had given him at the start of winter was pulled down over his eyes. Jonathan knew he must have looked silly, but his face was warm, and that was what really mattered.

"Are you excited for the play?" Bon Bon asked, "I know it's your first."

"I'm definitely curious about it, but I do feel sorry for everypony going through so much work and I can't fully appreciate it." Jonathan chuckled, "It could be the most elaborate show ever or a two bit puppet show and I'd only know from how it sounded."

"I'm sure it'll be the best two bit puppet show Equestria's ever seen." Bon Bon smiled, "They've been working on it for a week."

"I know it." Jonathan winced as he felt the cart jump as it went over a stone, "Is Lyra involved in the play too?"

"Just a bit part, but she's happy about it." Bon Bon shrugged, "Maybe next year she'll get a bigger role."

"I never heard, be sure to tell her congratulations for me." Jonathan smiled, turning with the cart as the Cakes slowly rounded the corner.

The conversation fell into humble mundanity of Bon Bon's holiday preparation and about the candies she had picked for the gingerbread mansion. Jonathan eagerly listened and asked a few questions, but before long the cart came to a stop outside of the town hall.

A friendly pair of unicorns helped to levitate the heavy tray up into the building, sparing Jonathan or the Cakes and Bon Bon from having take it up the snowy stairs.

Once inside Jonathan pulled his hat off and turned his head to listen to the activity in the room. Many ponies were moving about, their hooves dampened by carpeting as they talked. It was hard to pick out a single conversation thanks to the acoustics, but a few were speaking much louder than the others in a way that Jonathan could only describe as 'dramatic.'

"Probably rehearsing." Jonathan thought, "Mrs. Cake, do you see Pinkie or Rarity anywhere?"

"Oh, are you looking for Pinkie?"

Jonathan knew that voice, "Hi Minuette, yes I am."

"Sorry, she and Rarity took off just a little while ago." The blue unicorn said, "I think they said they were going out to get something for the show."

Jonathan felt a little disheartened about the news, but he couldn't fault Pinkie for being busy. "It's okay. Do you have a part in the play Minuette?"

"You bet! I'm playing Clover the Clever this year!" Minuette squealed, "I've been practicing for this role ever since I got passed over for it last time."

"Is it a big role?" Jonathan asked.

Minuette giggled, "Oh that's right, you've never seen the play. No big spoilers, but it's one of the more important roles a Unicorn can play in this production."

Jonathan smiled, pleased to hear Minuette so happy. "Cool, nervous?"

"Nah, I've been on stage lots of times. Roseluck's a little nervous but it's her first time." Said Minuette, "Everypony's nervous their first show."

"Lucky you." Jonathan then noticed he couldn't hear the Cakes. "Um, do you see the Cakes anywhere?"

Minuette looked around the main hall, "Yeah, they're talking to the Mayor with Bon Bon and Rainbow Dash. I can't wait to get a piece of that gingerbread house after the show."

"I'll just be happy to not smell ginger when the next week rolls around." Jonathan smirked, "It smells good the first day, but by day five you just want to throw it out the window. ... don't tell the Cakes I said that."

Minuette smirked, "Oh Mrs. Caaaake~"

"Hey, come on!" Jonathan winced, slapping a finger over his lips in a shushing gesture.

Minuette laughed, "I'm just teasing, I wouldn't get you in that kind of trouble on purpose. Hey I see the director giving me the evil eye. See you after the show tomorrow?"

Jonathan nodded, "I'm pretty hard to miss. Break a leg."

"Thanks, see ya then!" Minuette said as she galloped away.

Jonathan listened until he couldn't distinguish Minuette's hooves from the others. He leaned on his cane, feeling just as out of sorts as he had back at Sugarcube Corner. The only plus side was that there was plenty to listen to, almost too much. There was also an odor to the hall, not an unpleasant one, merely different in the way that houses that went along with their character.

"Hey big guy, enjoying the rehearsal?" Rainbow Dash said, seeming to appear out of nowhere above Jonathan's head to gently prod at his head with her hoof.

Jonathan gave an annoyed snort as he swatted her hoof away. It didn't work, as Rainbow effortlessly changed positions midair and poked him again.

"I was..." Jonathan groaned, giving up as Rainbow prodded him a few more times, "Please quit."

Rainbow snickered, "Oh liven up, I'm just having some fun."

"Fun for you maybe." Jonathan frowned, "Did you just come over to pester?"

"Just making up for lost time." Rainbow frowned, "You've been hiding in Sugarcube Corner all week."

"I thought you were probably busy with some kind of preparation, since you're on the weather team."

"We do have a doozy of a snowstorm to get ready, but that's next week." Rainbow said nonchalantly, "A little wind this week but other than that, it's actually been light work so everypony can get things ready."

"Next week? I think I can kiss that tea with Rarity goodbye..." Jonathan sighed, "Well, thanks for the warning."

"No prob, hey, you got any plans today?" Rainbow asked.

"Nothing that I'm aware of. We're closing early tonight so there's very little to do." Jonathan said as he puzzled at Rainbow's intent. "Why?"

Jonathan heard the sound of Rainbow's hooves hitting the floor as she landed in front of him. "Since I'm not part of the play and you're free, wanna hang out for a bit?"

Some more company sounded good, and being with Rainbow might not be too bad... so long as she kept her hooves on the ground. Still, he knew better than to just wander off when it was still technically his shift.

"I'm pretty sure the Cakes will be wanting me to help them close down Sugarcube Corner." Jonathan said, showing a polite smile, "Sorry Dash, but thanks for the offer."

"Actually I just talked to them, they told me it was okay for you to take off." Rainbow trotted around Jonathan, "So whaddaya say?"

Jonathan blinked, "They really said I could take off?"

Rainbow nodded, but quickly remembered he wouldn't notice the gesture. "Yeah, they're gonna close after they get back, and they said you wouldn't have much to do when they did other than nap on their couch."

That proved to Jonathan that she actually talked to the Cakes. "Alright, what would you like to do?"

---

Being blind, Jonathan had a hard time judging the passage of the hours. Hours, coincidentally, was what it felt like as Rainbow led him through the streets of Ponyville. The cold had long since seeped into his shoes, leaving his feet half numb as he continued to walk with the blue pegasus as a guide.

It had been so long since Jonathan had spent time alone with Rainbow that he had forgotten what an ego she had. Much of their conversation centered around her and her interests, but she was slipping in some useful news about what was going around town that Jonathan just couldn't observe on his own.

Thankfully they did make a stop at a street vendor selling hot chocolate which helped, but the entire time they drank Rainbow had insisted on stretching her wings. She paid for the drinks, and as soon as Jonathan finished one, she pushed a second cup on him, citing 'Hey come on, it's the holidays!'

It was good hot chocolate, but Jonathan noticed that Rainbow was really taking her time with hers. She kept saying it was too hot, and when it wasn't she was 'enjoying it.' By the time he had finished his third round she had maybe drank her first.

Annoyances aside, Jonathan was glad to spend some time with someone outside his usual circle of ponies. While a lot of ponies tended to treat him like he was injured or helpless, Rainbow had the gaul to tease him like there was nothing wrong. It still got on his nerves, but in a weird way he was grateful for it.

When Rainbow was finally done with her drink Jonathan had convinced her to take him back to Sugarcube Corner. The mare's back was marvelously warm as he walked with his hand between her folded wings. Rainbow complained about Jonathan's hand being colder than a Windigo's smile, but that just gave Jonathan incentive to keep it against her fur. It was decent payback for Rainbow's earlier head-poking.

Sadly, Rainbow again lead them around and around the streets, and Jonathan was starting to sense they were doubling back from the amount of turns Rainbow was making. He guessed that since Rainbow spent so much time in the air that maybe she didn't have any sense of direction while on the ground.

Just when Jonathan was starting to think that he might have a better chance of finding Sugarcube Corner on his own, Rainbow spoke up. "Oh, here we are! Sorry about taking you the long way around. It's been a long time since I walked anywhere."

"Called it!" Jonathan cleared his throat, "Finally, it feels like we've been walking around all day."

"What? No, just an hour or so." Rainbow said as she walked her friend up to the bakery's steps, "Uh, watch your step."

Jonathan's hand left Rainbow's back as he used his cane to navigate the steps up to the door. He was about to turn the knob when he turned his head back over his shoulder to face Rainbow. "Coming in, Dash?"

"Sure," Rainbow beamed as she flew up to land next to him on the front stoop. Jonathan couldn't quite understand why, but it sounded like she was giggling.

Warm air rushed over Jonathan as he held the door open for Rainbow, and once he was inside he shed his coat, wanting to feel warm air against his arms.

The scent of cedar tickled Jonathan's nose, he turned his head to see if he was merely smelling some customer's festive perfume by accident. Sugarcube Corner constantly smelled of bread, cake, and frosting, not like a christmas tree lot.

"Did you lead me someplace else?" Jonathan smiled, ready to accept some new prank born from Rainbow's odd sense of humor.

"Nope, you're back in Sugarcube Corner alright." Rainbow grinned, "What makes you say it isn't?"

"I don't remember Sugarcube Corner ever smelling like pine." Jonathan sniffed the air, "What's that other thing I'm smelling?"

"Gingerbread men!" Pinkie announced as she trotted over to Jonathan and Dash, a plate of human-shaped cookies balanced on her head. "Rarity and I baked them with the ginger the Cakes had left over."

Jonathan pulled his wool hat off so Pinkie could see his face, "Rarity helped you?"

"Don't be so surprised darling," Rarity said as she stepped into the storefront from the kitchen, "I may not be a baker by trade, but I know how to cook."

"Well, I am surprised, what's this about?" Jonathan asked as he slipped his coat onto the hanger by the door.

"This is a Krismass party!" Pinkie announced, tweeting her favorite party favor.

"A christmas party, how do you know about..." Jonathan rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Rarity told you, didn't she?"

"Guilty." Rarity giggled, "I know our conversations were supposed to be confidential, but I was serious about participating in some of your traditions and you shared so willingly."

"I wasn't complaining, I just wasn't expecting you to go through so much trouble." Jonathan suddenly frowned, "That's why you had me walking all over town, wasn't it Rainbow?"

"Can't put anything past you." Rainbow snickered, "Yeah, they asked me to distract you while they went out and got everything for this party. Looks pretty if you ask me."

Jonathan blinked, "How much did you guys do? I don't remember what I told Rarity, I just rambled off whatever came to mind about Christmas decorations."

"Dashie, take the cookies, I'm gonna take Jonny around so he can feel the decorations." With a flick of her head, Pinkie launched the plate off her head.

Rainbow had to rear up to catch the plate with her front hooves, but she didn't complain once she saw she had a plate of free cookies right in front of her.

Jonathan tucked his hat into his pocket just in time for Pinkie to nudge his leg with the side of her flank. With his hand on the mare's back, they left Rainbow to indulge herself while Pinkie slowly walked the human around the room, Rarity helping to guide his hands to higher decorations with her magic.

Pinkie and Rarity had done plenty in the time Rainbow had bought for them. Rarity especially had gone above and beyond, using much of the red and gold ribbons to create festive bows and garlands that draped down from the railing of the stairs. These bows also sat in the three, freshly-made wreaths that hung on the kitchen, living room, and front doors; each of them further decorated with bits of gold and silver. Rarity claimed she wanted to put a few rubies and emeralds in the wreaths, but she decided to remain as true to Jonathan's description as possible.

Cedar trimmings were everywhere, weaved into prickly garlands and decorated like the wreaths. These lined the counter and above the fireplace that warmed the front of the store. Jonathan instantly credited Rarity for the stocking that hung there, one for himself, Pinkie, the Cakes, Rainbow and Rarity.

"You never explained what the stockings were for." Rarity said, "It seems an odd thing to make a tradition."

"In olden times, people would hang their clothes near the fire for them to dry in winter." Jonathan explained as he felt Pinkie's stocking, noting just how much longer it was than his, which was just a normal sock. "On Christmas parents would fill them with candy and small toys if they thought they were good."

"And if they were bad?" Rainbow asked, having had her fill of gingerbread men.

"They'd get coal." Jonathan said, "Of course, the parents would always tell the children that Santa Claus had come in the night to make the gifts seem more special."

"Oh, the pudgy human with eight reindeer that can fly." Rainbow scoffed as she pushed the half-empty plate aside, "Whoever heard of reindeer with wings?"

"Actually... you know what, it doesn't matter anyway. They never existed. We just tell the kids that to make the holidays a little more magical for them." Jonathan let go of the stocking as Pinkie lead him away from the fire, "Remember, my world doesn't have any magic at all."

Rainbow bristled up at the thought of wild, untamed weather. "Oh yeah..."

"There's one more thing, and we'll have eggnog and gather around the fire for presents." Pinkie said, "Reach your arm out."

"Where are the Cakes, haven't they come back yet?" Jonathan asked as he did as requested.

"No, they were going to meet a few friends of their own for a while." Pinkie grinned, watching as her friend's hand with a wide, excited grin.

A familiar prickliness met the center of Jonathan's palm, and out of reflex he drew back his hand. His other hand left Pinkie's back to check his palm, but upon finding no splinter he reached out again, more carefully this time. He felt silly at being startled by a pine tree, and one that clearly wasn't even as big as he was. He had tentatively traced the branches upward, finding it only went up to his chest. It made sense, since to a pony it would seem large enough.

Running his hands back down led Jonathan to discover various delicate things hanging in the branches. "What did you hang in it?"

"Strings of popcorn," Rarity chuckled, "I've used a needle for many things, but this was the first time I ever used it on popcorn."

"We didn't have time to make any other ornaments, I hope that's okay." Pinkie said, her voice trailing off.

"Pinkie, why wouldn't it be okay?" Jonathan knelt down, his hand reaching out toward the sound of Pinkie's voice.

"Well, I really wanted to make it a real Krismass party for you. I know you can't see it all, but-" Pinkie's lips were clamped shut by a set of human fingers.

"Pinkie, I'll tell you a secret that a lot of humans back home tend to forget and do what you're doing right now." Jonathan smiled as he released Pinkie's lips. "The traditions, the presents, they don't mean squat. You, Rarity, even Rainbow went all out to try and make me feel welcome on the holidays."

Pinkie said nothing as she stared up at Jonathan with wide, curious eyes.

"If... if I was home I'd just be sitting around, feeling lonelier than ever before. I know I can't see everything you three have done, but I can imagine it." Jonathan paused to wipe the growing moisture from his eyes, "How about we sit by the fire with that egg nog and I'll tell you a Christmas story after we open presents? It's got ghosts n' stuff."

Pinkie sniffed and rubbed her own eyes as her smile returned in full force. "Okay."

"I'm up for that. But um, what was that about presents?" Rainbow asked as she sat near the fire, warming her hooves.

Jonathan slipped his boots off, needing his bare feet to navigate without his cane. "I was planning on getting you something, but I never got a-"

Rarity cleared her throat, "Look under the tree."

The sight of a brightly wrapped box sitting underneath the tree sparked a very 'Pinkie-ish' grin on Rainbow's face. "Awesome!"

Jonathan's face twisted into an aimless scowl, "You didn't."

"I might not have written down every gift idea you had, but I did remember most of them. And yes, I did use my own money to buy your gifts." Rarity then added, "I kept the receipts, so we can settle the matter of what you owe me."

At the mention of owing Rarity anything, Jonathan's annoyance melted away. "... You aren't going to quibble over wanting to pay for this all yourself? That's unlike you."

Rarity let out an annoyed huff, "If I pay for it all then these gifts aren't really from you, are they?"

Jonathan was silent as he pondered Rarity's words, but in the end he smiled and nodded his head. "Thanks Rarity."

Jonathan then grinned, "I do have one gift already bought. Pinkie, Rarity's gift is upstairs in my thermos. Could you get it?"

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie chirped as she bounded off to the stairwell.

"In your thermos?" Rarity repeated flatly.

Jonathan gave a shrug, "I wanted to hide it, and I don't have a lot of places I could've done that given my living arrangements. So... I dumped out my thermos and I've been going without my coffee for about a few days."

"I think I understand." Rarity said, sure that Pinkie was now out of hearing range, "I can't begrudge you an odd hiding spot with you and Pinkie sharing room. But I'm sure you could have told Pinkie about it, she's very capable of keeping secrets."

"Yeah, but I wanted see if I could keep a secret from her. Personal challenge sorta thing." Said Jonathan.

"Hey um, while Pinkie's getting it, you mind if I open my present?" Rainbow asked.

Jonathan waved his hand in a nonchalant manner, "Nah, let'er rip Dash."

Jonathan heard an almost comical 'zip' before Rainbow fell on her Christmas present, tearing through the neatly wrapped paper with reckless abandon.

"Oh sweet!" Rainbow grinned as she buried her face into the opened package.

With a flick of her nose, Rainbow tossed the pair of sunglasses that was inside into the air and effortlessly got them to land square on her face.

Rainbow struck a bold pose, "How do I look?"

Without skipping a beat Jonathan replied, "Like a giant purple caterpillar."

Both mares stared at him.

"I think hanging around Pinkie's starting to affect your brain." Rainbow said at last.

Jonathan cleared his throat but said nothing, but inwardly he was inclined to agree.

The thunder of Pinkie stampeding down the stairs alerted everyone of her impending arrival. The metal container had been stuffed into Pinkie's mane, and despite its weight it somehow hadn't slipped out as she bounced across the floor toward Jonathan.

"Here you are, one thermos!" Said Pinkie as she touched the container to Jonathan's hand.

Jonathan's fingers wrapped around the familiar object, "Thanks Pinkie, there's one for you under the tree too. Maybe something good?"

A high pitched squeal instantly made the human's ears ring as Pinkie dove under the tree to retrieve her gift. Somehow it remained upright as it teetered, and even more amazingly not one decoration fell off or shifted out of place.

Pinkie emerged from under the tree, pushing a large, colorful present with the top of her head. The paper was ripped away with complete savagery, revealing a blue box with large yellow print that read...

"Party cannon!?" Pinkie squealed as her eyes danced over the on-box advertisement, "Capable of shooting all kinds of confetti and other party supplies, compact, lightweight. Perfect for celebrations of all kinds. Some assembly required."

The pink mare danced on her hooves as all the possibilities this opened up! Afterall, what party couldn't be livened up with a cannon?

"ThankyouthankyouTHANKYOU!" Pinkie gushed as she rushed to Jonathan's side, almost knocking him over when she reared up to hug him.

"Hey, a little more careful next time." Jonathan wrapped his free hand around Pinkie's back as he gave her a friendly shake. "But I'm glad you like your present."

Rainbow flew over for a closer look at Pinkie's gift, "Where in Equestria did you find a 'party cannon?'"

"I got to talking with the party supply shop that Pinkie frequents about a month ago and he mentioned they, well, existed." Jonathan released Pinkie, "I asked him to order one for me but to keep it secret. I didn't really plan it to be a Christmas present, just something nice to do for a friend."

"Aw, you didn't have to do that." Pinkie beamed, "But I do love it! I can't wait to see how well it fires! Is it accurate? Maybe I can fire it an entire mile! Ooo! A mile-away party! That's gotta be an Equestrian first, I can't wait to see if it works that well!"

Rarity bit her lip, hoping to everything hip and trendy that it was only a toy cannon that didn't require actual black powder. Considering she had to pick it up and spent all that time wrapping it, she should have actually read the box...

"Rarity, I know I wasn't able to wrap this, but I hope you'll accept this." Jonathan held out the thermos in his hands.

"Of course." Rarity's horn lit up and the thermos floated over to her. "I think it's my turn to say you didn't have to purchase something to show how much you care, but I think it's a sweet gesture."

After unscrewing the lid with her magic, Rarity removed the way of tissue paper that had been unceremoniously crammed into the thermos. Despite her humble sentiments, Rarity's hooves trembled with anticipation as she wondered what Jonathan had picked out for her. But when Rarity lifted the contents of this unconventional package out with her magic, she stared at it with a complete loss for words.

"I hope you like it." Jonathan said with a proud grin, unaware of the confused look Rarity as giving his gift. "I didn't know they could cut emeralds perfectly round like that, but a smooth gem like that and a gold chain for forty bits? That's a steal."

Rarity felt sick, and not from from Jonathan's admitted choice in jewelry. If the situation were different she would have gushed at the idea of receiving any gift from her friend. It really didn't matter what he had bought, Jonathan had clearly tried to get her something that she would have liked and under normal circumstances that would have been enough.

But it wasn't an emerald, it wasn't a gem of any kind. The chain wasn't even gold. Having been responsible for finding many of the gems that circulated around Ponyville, Rarity had seen all manner of jewelry. She could identify most valuable stones and metals at a glance since she used them so often in her fashion designs. The chain that dangled before her was no precious metal. It looked like the low quality steel mesh any foal could get out of a gumball machine along with a cheap plastic locket. The 'emerald' was just a worthless glass marble that had been lazily glued into its housing, and it wasn't even a green one.

Rarity bit her lip, her mind burning as she wondered, "Should I tell him?"

Her friend had been cheated, swindled out of what was a Hearth's Warming Eve present, a gift from him to her.

A look over her shoulder revealed that Rainbow was thinking something similar. The pegasus's nostrils flared, clearly disgusted and outraged that somepony would take advantage of somepony like this.

Pinkie on the otherhoof was staring at the marble with a simplistic smile on her face, like it was just as Jonathan had described.

"I think it looks great!" Pinkie said in her usual, bubbly way.

Rarity blinked, trying to process what had just come out of Pinkie's mouth.

Rainbow's brow furrowed, but before she could make any sort of objection Pinkie stuffed her hoof in Rainbow's mouth.

"I didn't know you could get a necklace that pretty for forty bits." Pinkie beamed, "Rarity, you're so lucky!"

"Well, I just wanted to show my appreciation for all the time you take out of your schedule to visit me Rarity. I don't know a thing about clothes or fabric but I know you like jewelry, so... yeah." Jonathan grinned as he smoothed the hair on the back of his head.

Rarity looked to the marble necklace again, then shamelessly slipped it over her head.

"It'll always remind me of how lucky I am to have such a good friend." Rarity rubbed her eye.

Jonathan continued to smile like a fool, "And I'm glad you like it."

Rainbow looked between Rarity and Pinkie, not understanding why they were going along with this. Jonathan was sitting there, completely unaware of how badly he had been ripped off. Of all ponies, Rainbow had thought Rarity would be the first to go off on this matter, that it was a travesty to "fashion" or whatever.

Looking down at her own present, Rainbow thought to the human's earlier words. Being called a purple caterpillar aside, he really wouldn't know what she looked like. Not really. That's when it hit her; Rarity wasn't going along with this just to sweep a bad present under the rug. Sure Jonathan had been swindled, but if he had been told this it would ruin the night. In a way, it was Rarity's Krismass gift to Jonathan.

Now with a clearer view of the situation, Rainbow set her sunglasses back in the box and flew over to Jonathan. "So... what's this story you talked about before, with ghosts?"

"I'll try and remember the whole story, but it's one I heard every year since I was a kid." Jonathan shrugged, "Get me a glass of eggnog and I'll start."

One glass of eggnog later Jonathan had settled down on his favorite stool, enjoying the crackling of the fire as his friends made themselves comfortable.

"Any questions you might have about christmas before I start?" Jonathan asked, "It's a long story, but a happy one."

Rainbow's hoof shot up, but she quickly put it back down when she realized how foolish the gesture was in this situation. "Yeah, well I have one question. What's a Yule log?"

Rarity looked up at the mistletoe that Pinkie had hung above them, she was sure there was some traditions around it too, but it could wait until after the story.

---

"You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato. There's more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are. Humbug I say!"

The Cakes paused as the door cracked open, quickly sharing a curious look as they opened the door to hear Jonathan continue.

The human raised his arms and let out a roar, before quickly dropping them. "Scrooge cowered from the spirit's cry of tortured rage, cowering behind his chair. 'Mercy, dreadful apparition. Why do you trouble me?"

They couple stood in the doorway, but they were waved in by Rarity who gestured them to sit with them. Jonathan was so engrossed with his story telling that he didn't notice the door closing.

"It is required of every man, the ghost returned, that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide; and, if that spirit goes not forth in life, it is condemned to do so after death."

---

An hour passed and the sun outside Sugarcube Corner waned, sending a short but hauntingly warm glow across the white snow. Celestia herself might have felt a little envious if she knew her work was being ignored so completely in a small bakery in Ponyville.

The small audience had sat, waiting on baited breath whenever their storyteller paused to sip his drink or clear his throat. The story of the old miser first gave rise to a loathing for the old man and the way he lived solely to bring pain and misery to those around him. Slowly, these attitudes gave way to sympathy and even fear as the spirits changed from sweet past, to joyous present, to the dreadful future.

He couldn't see it, but the ponies around him smiled when the old man awoke a changed man, and one by one undid the events of the previous day.

"... and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. It was said of Ebenezer Scrooge that he knew how to keep Christmas well if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that truly be said of us, and all of us. And so as Tiny Tim observed, God bless us, everyone."

Jonathan slumped down in his stool, his voice a little strained but feeling very accomplished that he had managed to remember A Christmas Carol so well. Of course he supposed he had to thank George C. Scott for being such a memorable Scrooge that he could parrot most of his lines. What he couldn't remember he picked from the mouse's rendition that he saw as a child. He reached down for his drink only for the floor to rumble with the stamping applause of many ponies.

"Darling that was a wonderful story!" Rarity stepped forward to place her forehoof on Jonathan's knee, "You should really tell this story again."

"Yeah, I wasn't expecting ghosts to work so well with Hearth's Warming Eve, but it worked." Cup Cake chimed in, "Sadly I've known a few ponies like that in my time."

"Mrs. Cake?" Jonathan blinked, "How long-"

"About the time 'Marley' was screaming." Carrot Cake said, "But I'm glad we came in when we did."

"Well, don't expect a repeat performance soon." Jonathan cleared his throat, "But maybe I'll tell it again some cold night when business is slow."

"Alright." Dash yawned and stretched her wings, "Tomorrow's Hearth's Warming Eve, so I'll see you all then."

The weather team captain flew over to Jonathan, "And Big Guy?"

Jonathan put his hand up to his head, expecting another poke, "Yeah?"

"Merry Christmas." Dash nuzzled the human's cheek before floating off toward the door, her new sunglasses resting on her forehead.

"Merry Christmas Dash..." Jonathan blinked, rubbing his cheek in surprise.

Rarity looked up at the clock, "My, where does the time go? I suppose I'll see you all at the play tomorrow?"

"Uh-huh!" Pinkie nodded, "And we'll have plenty of cocoa and gingerbread cookies here if you need some!"

Rarity smiled, she really was blessed to have friends like Pinkie who would lend her a helping hoof when she needed it. "I just might need to call in that favor. Farewell everypony!"

---

Jonathan's head hit the pillow, feeling very tired for someone who had just spent the entire evening walking and talking. Whatever, he felt satisfied that his friends liked their gifts. Tomorrow was what was important though, he actually felt a little curious about this play Pinkie and Rarity had been so involved in.

"Say Jonny," Pinkie said as she snuggled down between the covers, "What does mistletoe have to do with Krismass?"

Jonathan pulled the blanket over himself, answering without even thinking about it. "You're supposed to kiss under it for good luck or sumthin..."

Pinkie's eyes shot open, remembering the mistletoe was hung right over where the customers usually lined up. It might be a good idea to keep this information quiet until she could take it down tomorrow...

---
End.
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