//------------------------------//
// From Yesterday - 30 Seconds to Mars 
// Story: Extremely Loud, Intensely Bright, Drastically Tense, Exceedingly Tight 
// by h4ns 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 75: From Yesterday - 30 Seconds to Mars

Bryce Smales Exonerated; Ponyville At An Impasse

This was the headline on the newspaper Applejack held out to Bryce. In a flash the human snatched the paper from the apple mare, his fried egg sandwich forgotten as it fell and scattered across his plate.

The story began with an explanation of the headline, followed by a retelling of the night a week-and-a-half before. Per the article, the press dubbed the night as the 'Nightmare Night Nightmare’. In the next few paragraphs the page went on to state while Bryce was indeed the one involved in the Nightmare Night Nightmare—he was not the cause.

As Bryce's eyes crept down the page a sly smile appeared across his face. At the mentioned of Datura stramonium he slapped the paper. "Ha! I was sure I knew what it was. Jimson weed, devil's snare," he said as he read off the plant's common names, "locoweed, hell's bells, thornapple, moonflower! I knew I knew it!" 

Applejack, frightened by the human's outburst took a big step away. "Whoa there, sugarcube, don't... Don't let yourself get all frazzled. Ah can't have ya... You know..."

Bryce, oblivious to the frightened expression on the mare looked to her and shouted, "Why shouldn't I?! This proves it wasn't me. Well, not me me but still I didn't do anything wrong." 

"Bryce, ya can't say that. Everypony saw-"

"They saw me but that wasn't me. That was the me somebody else made me be." From the look the apple mare returned Bryce could tell she didn't read into his logic. "It's simple: the me they saw was the me under the effects of Jimson weed. They all know that wasn't me so it means they'll understand what happened wasn't because of me but because of what somebody did to me. It makes sense, right?"

Applejack's face held the same lost expression.

Bryce let out a long, drawn-out sigh. "Okay, which part doesn't make sense?"

"Well..." She stammered, her face now in as convincing of a grin anyone could muster under the circumstances. She wanted to lie to Bryce right now—more than any other time she had wanted to before—but it wasn't in her nature. She was fortunate to see Bait as he descended the stairs behind the wall-like human. 

Bryce flipped around, and when he saw Bait he thrust the newspaper into the tan colt's sleep-dazed eyes. "Bait, look at this and tell me I'm right."

"Right about...?" As his eyes skimmed the article before him Bait wished he had had the sense enough to make his way down via a window. He didn't know all the details but from the way Applejack's eyes pleaded him for help he knew it wasn't good. Bait gulped as he came up with a response he prayed would make everybody happy.

"Yes, well, it would appear Bryce is correct." Applejack's jaw dropped to the ground. "As I understand the situation everypony assumes he did everything of his own volition. But per this report he would never have acted in such a manner. Not unless somepony spiked his beverage. After all we know Bryce is timid—he exemplifies mercy. What we saw the week before was somepony who almost decimated Ponyville, and that doesn't sound like the Bryce we know. Would you not agree, Applejack?"

She shot him a glare as if to say, "Why did you just say my name?!"

Bryce looked back to the mare, who had managed to force her face to bear a grin once again. If he noticed the sudden transition he either ignored it or was too caught up in the moment. "See, he gets it."  

"Bryce, I'm not saying you were ta blame, but ya need to see it from everypony else's point of view."

He looked at Applejack with a carefree gaze. "And that is?"

She held back the hoof she wanted to plant across her forehead. "Sugarcube, ya might as well have wrecked the whole town. It even said a lot of ponies are homeless."

"Yes, but it also says they have since found reasonable accommodations," Bait interjected.

"Yeah, Ah'm sure the tent they're livin' in now is a lot better than their own home."

"Well, it could be worse. At least nopony died."

Applejack opened her mouth, but couldn't think of anything to contradict the colt's statement.

What Bait said was true. While a few citizens of Ponyville had suffered the minor injuries one would expect when one had to run for one's own life there were no fatalities. The only living thing who was any worse for wear was a dog. The dog would live but not without a limp, the veterinarian diagnosed.

Bryce gnawed through the rest of his second fried egg sandwich, gulped down his milk, and dropped the newspaper on the table. "Well, debates over then. I'm innocent, nobody died and I have work," he stated without a doubt as he made for the door.

"Work, what work?" Applejack questioned.

"I still need to finish the bedpost I was working on. I told Needlepoint I would have it done by Saturday, and here it is Wednesday of next week."

"Bryce, wait a minute now. Ah think you're-" Was all Applejack could say before the human rushed out the door past Corn, who did nothing as his boy passed him by. 

The dog lied down with curled-up Winona on top of him.

Applejack stared at the door for a second before she stomped her hoof and drew her attention back to Bait. "And you! What the hay do ya think you're doin' by tellin'm that?!"

Bait lifted his fore hooves to calm the apple mare. "Calm yourself. What did you want me to do, tell him he was wrong? What would we do then?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you and I both saw what he can do. If I said anything to the contrary how do you think he would react? In such a small space where could we run?"

"He wouldn't have done anything to us. He ain't like that."

"Can we be so sure, Miss Applejack?" Bait asked, taking on a charming expression. "Two weeks ago, we all thought Bryce was as normal as an earth pony. And I mean that when compared to a pegasus or a unicorn we thought his abilities were rather...dull. No offense to you or your kind."

Applejack almost scoffed, but could understand what the colt meant. "Yeah, I suppose you have a point. But Ah don't believe he'd do anything; to us or anypony."

"Oh, and what of Thunderlane?"

Applejack let out a disapproving whinny. "Don't get me started on that feather brain. But from what Bryce's said they made up."

"Yes, but how?"

"Ah... Ah can't say. He won't say, and Ah don't wanna ask Thunderlane cause Ah trust him as much as a rattlesnake." This made Bait tense up as he patted the spot on his left foreleg. "Sorry, Ah meant to say-"

"I know what you meant!" Bait answered back. "However, this is not about me." He rubbed the spot until he calmed himself enough to say, "What you said does raise the concern of Thunderlane. Applejack, there is something I must tell you."

Bait trotted over to the table. He flattened the newspaper Bryce left behind and motioned for Applejack to come over. "Do you see here where it speaks of a vial?" He asked, pointing to a paragraph at the bottom of the page.

Applejack skimmed through this section of the article, taking careful note of the more important parts. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, I... I was the one who turned it over to the authorities."

Applejack reread the paragraph, this time making sure she understood what she read. "It says 'an anonymous source'. Wait, where'd you find it?"

"If I say you must promise not to say anything to Bryce." Bait explained what happened between himself and Thunderlane the week before. He ended by saying, "I know I should have stayed and provided a proper statement, but with my history..." He looked down to his hooves. "I wanted to stay, but what help could a documented felon such as myself provide?"

Applejack mulled it over. "Ah suppose under the situation... But this proves what you and Ah have been trin' to tell Bryce. We can't not tell'm. This time he poisoned him enough to where he almost hurt everypony. Next time-"

"Applejack, no! He trusts Thunderlane. If we tell Bryce what is the first thing you think he would do? With their history, he may very well finish what Thunderlane started. And not in a good way. He could do as he's stated many times and 'pop his head like a grape'." Bait waited a beat before he added, "And after what we saw do you doubt he could do just that?"

"Ah don't... This is Bryce... Ah'm sure he'd..." In all honesty, she couldn't say either way. "Well what can we do? If we can't tell Bryce then what?"

Bait raked a hoof across the floor. "I don't know. I can't go and report my findings, now can I? And if you told the proper authorities they may question how you came about such information. We could question Thunderlane but he would surely deny his involvement..." He shook the rattle around his neck as he thought on the matter. The fruit of findings became summed up in a single word. "Criminy! The simpleton is guilty and we can't touch him. There's naught we can do. Well, nothing which would not land us in trouble.  " For Amethyst's sake I would never suggest such a thing. Not ever again.

"Ah know it seems hopeless,” Applejack said to calm the tan colt, “but Ah'm sure there's something. Ah wanna help but Ah can't sit around doin' nothing until we thinka something.” Applejack placed two cups of dog food into the empty food bowl, which Bryce neglected to fill that morning. "Ah've got apple buckin' to do. And since it looks like Bryce wouldn't be outside today the best thing you can do is watch after Apple Bloom and her friend when she comes up." Without another word the farm pony repositioned her Stetson on her head and headed outside.

Now alone Bait stomped a hoof on the floor. It bothered him he was unable to come up with a way to help his friend. After all Bryce had done for him he felt he needed to pay him back somehow.

Sensing the food bowl was no longer empty Winona released herself from the confines of her large canine friend. The border collie scarfed down what her owner had placed inside. By the time Corn managed to stand and make his way to the food bowl the much smaller collie finished the food to the last crumb. Corn looked to Bait and let out a loud bark.

Bait ignored him until Corn started to nip at his pastern. He made to shoo him away until he saw what the commotion was about. "Oh, well it seems somepony has an appetite." He did as Applejack did before and scooped another cup of kibble into the food bowl. Corn sniffed the contents of the bowl and dove in. It didn't take long for him to finish.

Bait watched the canine as he made his way back to the spot Corn and Winona occupied a moment. He pained him to see Corn as he walked along; he hobbled along with only three of his paws to bear his weight. The last one—his left hind leg—hung a few inches above the floor close to his belly. It could no longer bear his weight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Applejack assumptions proved true. For the rest of the day Bryce did not show himself; never stopping his work until he carved out the last detail. When he awoke the next day—well after everypony else on the farm—he gathered up the product of yesterday's labor and went to Ponyville.

In the time since Bryce's last visit the town’s layout was different. The first indication of a major change was the large pile of debris situated along the road. It sat for now as an eyesore, awaiting such a time when it would all be hauled off to Celestia knows where. Among this heap there where Nightmare Night decorations, but this made up less than a tenth of the whole. The rest was what remained of buildings which were deemed either unlivable or destroyed beyond anypony’s comprehension. Not only this, but here and there were pieces of furniture, some pieces which families had held on to for generations. Some went as far back as to before Ponyville's foundations.

Inside the town proper there were now vacant lots. Any notion these a building once occupied these lots were since razed and dismantled. Many houses and business were fortunate to have escaped unscathed, due in large part to the human's confinement to the town square and the immediate area. The ponies whose homes were unfortunate enough to suffer his wrath—though not damaged enough to force their removal—placed boards or plastic tarps over their broken windows and ruptured walls. To the ponies who were unable to cover their buildings—be it from the lack of bits or from the sudden shortage of wood and tarps—could do nothing as the elements and the local wildlife laid claim to the insides.

Bryce saw this and more as he went along his merry little way. He was not dull to the destruction about him, he was instead still sure of himself it had not been his fault. 

What did pass his notice was the absence of ponies. They were there, of course, but to avoid being further victimized by the human they chose to avoid him. If they hid themselves away long enough Bryce would lose interest and leave. It worked well enough when Zecora came around so it should work now.

His mere appearance now frightened everypony to this point. But the way he strutted through town without a care for his actions began to make them look past their fear. Not long after his passing a grey stallion stepped outside and stared down the human's path. He looked back inside to the ponies who followed him to the doorway. "Can you believe him?" Hhe asked nopony in particular. 

When Bryce came to Needlepoint's craft shop he took both ends of the bedpost. With his free hand he felt around for the doorknob. When he found it he stopped, his hand held tight on the knob. He heard a pair of ponies yelling inside.

"Dad, you can't be serious."

"Hush. If we don't do this now it may be worse later."

There was the telltale clop of hooves from within. "Yeah, and what do you expect him to do?” The first one asked. It had to be Ambrosia. After all the yelling she directed Bryce’s way he would know her shouts from anywhere. Do you thing he’ll take it as it is and move on? The guy's nuts."

"No, I don't expect him to accept it, but after what happened before with the Rarity figures I'm sure he can be reasoned with."

"Reasoned with? Dad, he kept throwing stuff around because he saw some 'big freakin' monsters'. And the how... It's like something from a movie. Stuff just flew around but there wasn't an aura. Then he chased a mare out of town because he thought she made him destroy everything."

"Be that as it may, Ambrosia, he wasn't himself." Bryce smirked at this comment. "I know second hoof what devil's weed can do to a pony. After you and your sister decided to have some for a snack you both swore up and down there was a 'little smoking foal' at the edge of your bed."

"Okay, you may be right about that. But what about all the...?" Ambrosia flung her forehooves about as she made a whooshing noise. "The tele-whatever?"

"It's odd, I will admit. You're right about the lack of a magic aura, but is it truly so out of place? I in fact move objects without physical contact daily. Like so." Needlepoint charged up his horn, cloaking inside of the door to his shop in a sky-blue aura. When he pulled back the door did not swing towards him. He focused more of his magic on the door.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

"I can't seem to get this to work." He pulled his magic to both turn the knob and swing the door open, as he'd done hundreds if not a thousand of times before.

On the other side of the door Bryce kept his grip on the doorknob. He did nothing as the air around the door took on a sky-blue glow.

Ambrosia stepped forward. "Dad, stop it before you break our door." When she grabbed the doorknob she pulled back. When the door didn't open she doubled, then tripled the force behind her pull. She managed to pull open the door to where the wood was not flush with the frame. "What the hay's going on here?" She grunted. “It’s like somepony put the fridge on the door, from the other side though.”

By then Bryce understood what was going on. While he listened to Needlepoint and his daughter's argument, coupled with his strain to keep the bedpost off the ground, he held on to the doorknob to keep himself upright. He released the handle, swinging his hand around to grab hold of the bedpost.

His sudden release of the door made it swing inwards. With the amount of effort Ambrosia had on her end the doorknob made an arc and planted itself above and to the left of her right orbital cavity. She yelped as the round, solid brass object collided with her face and sent her to the back wall. Her impact with the wall caused a torrent of craft items to rain onto the ground.

As the stars dispersed and her vision cleared Ambrosia found her father and Bryce standing over her.

Bryce held up a hand. "Hey, Ambrosia." When she returned his greeting with a glare Bryce lowered his hand. He then saw the bruise beginning to form around her right eye. He rubbed the fingers of his left hand into his palm. Within seconds a bright glow emanated from within the pale red appendage. He then moved to place the hand around her eye. "Relax, this will take a second."

Before the human could lay his hand on her she swatted the glowing digits away. With her swipe the life force within his grasp sprayed across the craft shop floor. The aetheric material stayed its place for a few seconds, then sank into the wood. The glow it released extinguished as it faded back to the plane from whence it came.

The three of them did nothing for a moment. 

Bryce flexed and retracted his hand. "I was just trying to-"

Ambrosia stood up and trotted for the stairs to the her and her father's home upstairs. She complained about the need for ice as her hooves clip-clopped the way up.

Once she crested the stairs there came a loud slam. 

Needlepoint was the first to speak. "Not the grandest of entrances, but I'm sure she'll live." He ran a hoof across the floor. "She's came home with worse from her construction job."

"Well, I would have helped if she let me," Bryce replied as he rubbed the fingers on his left hand together.

Needlepoint looked to a spot on the floor where the formless mass was moments ago. "I'll take your word on it." He looked back to Bryce. "I'll check on Ambrosia in a moment, but first... I believe I know why you're here."

At this Bryce perked up, his recent injury to Ambrosia forgotten. "Yeah, the bedposts." Before the sunset orange stallion could say another word, Bryce walked over to his project. "I know they're late, but I wasn't myself then, as you know," he said as he presented the two halves to Needlepoint. When Needlepoint said nothing, Bryce asked, "Is something wrong? I did a good job, didn't I?"

Needlepoint glared at the two wood frames in front of him. Under the circumstances, he could understand Bryce forgetting some of the more important details of the commission. The legs were left square instead of round. It would be plain to the untrained eye he failed to sand the wood in places. The stallion was not a hundred percent sure, but to him the legs looked uneven. If this were true the bed would wobble.

Along with this the front of the bottom section was void of any work. It was as flat as a board. 

Filthy Rich's commissioned stated this spot needed his bratty daughter's Cutie Mark. If Filthy Rich would take the bedposts—and he stated a week ago there was no way in Tartarus he would consider accepting anything made by the human—he would for sure not do so without a sizeable deduction from the bill.

There was no way he could tell Bryce this; some of what Ambrosia said filled him with doubt. He sank the commission before him to the back of his mind, along with the bits it once promised.

"Bryce, there is nothing wrong... Nothing is wrong with the bedpost."

"Well, that's good. Should I leave it here, like usual?"

"No, if you leave it here it would only gather dust." If there were the hint of a flinch in Bryce's emotionless face Needlepoint failed to register it. "Bryce, the commissioned is cancelled."

"Well, if it's because of the wait I can take less."

"It's not a matter of the time or money. It's..." Needlepoint breathed in and exhaled. "The commission is cancelled; the client no longer wants your work."

Bryce lowered the bedposts to the floor, his face remaining expressionless. "Well, I hoped for the big payment. But if he doesn't want it I can take it home. I'll find something to do with it." He stopped for a second before he asked, "Well, are there any new commissions?"

Needlepoint relaxed, if only a little. He was proven correct thus far: Bryce understood the commission was no longer open and he remained civilized. But now came the hardest part. He decided it best to be blunt. "Bryce, your services are no longer required." 

The result was what Needlepoint expected. Bryce did nothing but prove his face was the ultimate poker face. "Are you firing me?"

"No, I’m saying your services are, at present, not required. I do this not out of malice. Our partnership did wonders for my business, and the bits your work brought my daughter and I's way is appreciated beyond measure, but recent events leave your work...unwanted. Not to say I don't like having you around, no, that's not what I mean. What I mean is nopony appreciates the work you've done, nor the work you could do for them."

"If this is about what happened on Hallow- I mean, Nightmare Night that wasn't me. Here, let me explain-"

Needlepoint raised a hoof to silence the human. "I am aware of what happened and I can almost sympathize with you. You were indeed not in complete control of your actions but what you did... What you did can't be swept under the rug. Even if they understand how they can't look past what they saw. Through whatever means you moved things without touching them. If it were through the use of magic it would be one matter. If you had made it known beforehoof it would have been another." 

"But what they saw wasn't magic, and you sprung it on them in the worst possible way. And I know you would never have done such a thing, but everypony else knows near to nothing about you. To them you're another stranger. Sure, they welcomed you to their town but what can you say they know of you?" Needlepoint waited a few beats before he asked, "Do you hear what I'm saying?"

"Well, they seemed fine today. The damage didn't look too bad. I mean, you're still open, right? And they must have read the news by now. It's been a day since they published the story."

"Be that as it may, Bryce, I feel you're not seeing the bigger picture. Quite a few ponies lost their homes. Others are scared to remain in Ponyville with you only half an hour’s trot down the road. And your attitude to the situation won't buy you any friends. If they see you as you are they may well sort to drastic measures."

"Well, the worst they did the first time they saw me was stalk me. What worse can they do?"

Needlepoint brought a hoof to the bridge of his nose. "You still fail to see... I'm trying to help you. If you won't listen to reason listen to what I tell you next. The best thing for you is to go back to the apple farm and stay there. Maybe in time they'll forgive you. I wouldn't make any grandiose wagers on it but it is the best option."

Needlepoint walked the human to the door. "I thank you for your services. Once the issue starts to cool I'm sure they will see reason. If I should ever have a commission only you can manage I shall seek you out personally." Granted they want your work ever again.

"I'm sure they will," Bryce said. "They'll want some wood carving done eventually, won't they?"

This left Needlepoint a little uneasy. Bryce answered a question he thought confined to his mind. Regardless, he saw the human out and shut the door behind him. Waiting a moment to reconcile what he had done to his main source of revenue—but more importantly his friend—he ascended the staircase. If anypony arrived the 'ring' of the shop bell would make their entrance known.

When he reached the top of the staircase he found Ambrosia seated at the kitchen table. She held a washcloth filled with ice over her bruised and swollen eye. "How'd he take it?" She asked, not trying to mask her disapproval.

The sunset stallion shook his head. "I can't say. I did the best I could to warn him, but it's as if he means to deny what he's done."

"Figures. Guys as dense as my boss." She moved the ice filled washcloth around to find a colder spot. "That reminds me, did you tell him about ‘you know what’."

Needlepoint shook his head. "As I told you already: If you want him to know you can tell him."

"What?! Dad!"

"Ambrosia, zip it. It's one thing to not want to see him and another to block him when all he wants is to do some honest work."

"Yeah, well, the other guys agree with me. I don't mind the work, and the overtime is a blessing, but we're looking to fix what he broke not break it some more."

"I fear you may one day regret those words, Ambrosia. You're just like your sister. Once you find your own group—your clique—you don't care who you hurt. I'm flattered you still include me but if you shun him you could regret it."

"Yeah, well that was before."

"Before what? Before he made you those pony dolls. Don't think I didn't see you play with them, a mare your age. It was adorable, and I'm happy to see you so happy after everything we've been through together, but if it weren't for Bryce you would sulk over having nothing to do."

From downstairs, they came the familiar 'ring, ring, ring' of the entrance door bells over the entrance.

Ambrosia glared at her father with her uninjured eye. "You gonna see about that? Don't want to lose a sale."

Needlepoint let out a huff. Without saying anything Needlepoint descended the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he smiled. "Amethyst, Dinky, what brings you here?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bryce wandered through the empty streets of Ponyville, the suggestions of Needlepoint lost on him. He wandered about looking for somepony, anypony, but there were none. Sometimes he would stop before a window, looking in to see if anypony were inside. This, and to catch his breath. After enough time at each spot proved the house or café or what have you contained nopony he picked up the bedposts and wandered about some more.

The truth of the matter was Bryce felt Needlepoint, while still a good friend who wanted the best for him, was wrong. 

What good would heading back to the farm do for him? 

What good came from waiting? 

Of course a slim minority of ponies would be frightened by Bryce display, but the majority would still face him. 

What reason did they have to fear him? He was the same Bryce to them now as he was months ago. Be it now he was a Bryce who had the ability to move things with a single thought. And with another thought learn everything there was to know about them. And with yet another thought force them to do things without question.

Otherwise he was the same Bryce Ponyville grew to know and talk to and accept.

At least this is what he reassured himself every time he turned a corner, or looked inside a window. In fact, it was what he told himself with every step.

In his quest to find another living, breathing, sentient being he heard a noise. He stopped to better comprehend it, and when it dawned on him what it was the sound of foals he tightened his grip on the bedposts and tracked them to the source.

He found the foals at a playground a few streets over. Their parents broke down; they could no longer stand the confinement or their foals’ pleas for amusement. Bryce had not been seen in some time, at least in their area, and to end the nonstop complaints they escorted their foals to the playground. There were more foals about, those foals who ignored their parents' warnings and escaped from their overbearing protection.

Bryce came up behind a pair of mothers seated on the grass. They were so caught up in their exchange of idle gossip they failed to acknowledge the human's arrival. Others who were in a better position to notice his approach took it upon themselves to drag away their foals, some kicking and screaming to be left alone.

Bryce could see the foals throw tantrums to try and stay, but he made another excuse for their behavior. They had all been at the playground for a while now and they had errands to run.

One such father and colt passed by, the latter begging to go back. The stallion shot these hopes down with, "Not now. Maybe later when he's gone."

The pair of gossiping mothers noticed this, with one left to question, "What did he mean by that?"

The other looked about with hopes the stallion meant somepony else. These hopes were dashed when she looked to her side, and to distance herself squeezed as much of herself as possible into her friend. 

Before the first mother mare could question her friend's behavior she sank back, almost falling onto her back. Bryce was here, and he stood within hoof's length of them both.

Bryce lowered one half of the bedpost to the ground and waved to the mares, adding with the gesture a single, "Hi."

Without a word in response the two mares surveyed the area for their foals, and once they found them galloped to them. "Wow, would you look at the time," the first mare said, "it's past lunch time."

"But Mom, we ate before we got here," her foal protested.

"Yes, but you've both been running around and playing for a while now. You must be hungry again," the second mare said as she scooped up her friend's foal, failing to notice her mistake. "I mean look at you, you look positively famished."

"No I'm not, and you're not-" Before the foal could protest further the two mares placed the other's foal onto their own backs. It took every effort for the foals to keep on the mares' backs.  The mares galloped away for home, which were on different parts of Ponyville.

For the duration of this act Bryce placed the second half of the bed post on the ground and opened the front casing of his watch. Well, it's almost 2 p.m. They must be hungry. He closed the casing and patted his stomach. I know I am.

By this time around half of the foals remained since Bryce's arrival: the foals who went against their parents’ wishes.

It was not long after a familiar dull brown colt stopped in his tracks, stared at the human for a second and ran over to him. When he reached Bryce, he skid to a halt. He looked the human up and down with a deep glare before he asked, "Where've ya been, Bryce?"

"What...? Kid, how've you been?"

"Lousy. Ever since ya disappeared my Mom's almost never let me outta the house for my paper route. She thinks without you somepony would snatch me up or something. Every mornin' it's 'Rocky, I don't think you should today. Not without somepony to watch over you.' She eventually stopped after Mr Nut agreed to help, but he's... He's terrible at it. He couldn't throw a paper to me if his life depended on it. And by the time we get done Ah gotta rush to make it to school on time." He looked back to the Nut twins, who trotted over in the middle of his slander. "No offense, guys."

"It's fine, he's terrible at sports, too," Pecan answered.

When the pair of fillies approached Bryce and Rocksalt it was Almond who took the lead. Until now it was Almond who took refuge behind Almond and Rocksalt. Now the more daring twin hid behind her sister and their best friend.

"Are you okay, Bryce?" Almond asked, without a hint of fear.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm missing a week, but everything else is fine."

Rocksalt said nothing as a stallion and mare ran towards the playground, found their colt, and snatched him up. They later crept off at a nonchalant pace to avoid Bryce' attention.

"How are you two? Is everything fine at home?"

"Sorta. Momma's mad. Daddy tries to calm her down but he somehow makes here even madder."

"Well, men have that effect on women. Don't know why but we do. I mean, I dread to think what she'd do to me now if she saw us together."

"Why? Momma said you were gonna teach us to cook last Saturday... But you never showed up..." Almond lowered her head, disappointed to lose out on the experience.

"Why would she say that?"

"She said you said you would."

"Did I say that? Because I don't remember anything from last week."

"Sure didn't remember my math homework," Rocksalt said under his breath.

"What was that, Kid?"

"He said 'sure didn't remember my math homework'," Pecan repeated. Rocksalt shot her a look. "What?"

"Kid," Bryce said, drawing back the colt's attention. "I'm sorry I missed helping your homework and your route. I know it's important, but with the state I was in... Well, it's best to not tell you where I was, but I was out of my gourd. I promise though starting again tomorrow afternoon I'll help you. " He looked over to the twins. "And girls, if I said I'd help you with cooking I will—since I can ell it means that much to you."

The twin Nut fillies perked up, prompting Pecan to edge herself out from behind the other foals. "Would you help Mom, too?" she asked. "We liked your stuff way better than her stuff. She can't even make eggs right." She looked to her sister and whispered. "Don't tell her I said anything, okay?"

Almond nodded, agreeing with both her sister's request and the statement.

"Did she ask for my help, as well?" The fillies nodded. "Well, I must have made a good impression on her. Wish I could remember it."

"You really can't remember? Not even when you promised to buy us ice cream after teaching us?" Pecan asked.

"No, I can't remember any of the true stuff, Pecan. Nice try, but no. I don't even remember waking up last Monday."

"Then do you remember-?"

"Do you remember when you destroyed half the town?" A deep voice asked him from behind. When the foals and Bryce looked back they found a small group of ponies situated not far off. Each one held a bitter, heated expression on their face.

A few parents who dared to venture out and look for their escaped foals found them, and were beyond horrified to find something sinister not far off. It mattered not what the newspaper printed, the fear already inside their hearts and minds rekindled, and with the stoking of the flame came anger; a hatred, for Bryce.

They rounded up their foals all the same, but they did not stop there. Once they saw the foals home they proceeded to round up others to their cause. The fire inside them spread, and it spread as a plague. 

To Tartarus with what Mayor Mare said. The same with anypony who called him a friend. If they would not bring the Guard then they would matters into their own hooves. They wanted security, and they intended to make their homes, their families, their town secure from this deranged sociopath.

"How dare you find the balls to show yourself around here!" spoke a sinewy mare. Her fur was a blood red, more so like blood which had long since dried. "And you dare prance about like you own the place? You act like some stolid twit!"

"I'm sorry, what was that last word?" Bryce asked, still calm despite the ire of the crowd. "Did you just say that in front of children?"

"I called you a 'twit'. Are you as dense in the head as you are coldblooded? Must be; a wiser man would know to not revisit the scene the crime." 

"I'm not trying to revisit anything. I'm just...visiting."

"How'd you like to visit the inside of a jail for a while?" Somepony from the crowd shouted.

"Well, I wouldn't. I don't like confinement. I'm can deal with tight spaces, but confinement... No..."

The crowd booed.

"String him up and leave him to rot!"

"Hey, come on, why such hatred? If it's about what you think I did I can assure you it wasn't me."

They fell silent.

"Is he serious?" Was the general question asked amongst the crowd. There arose a loud commotion soon after, each pony with their own method to punish the human who cost a few of them their homes.

"Shut your gobs, you bleeding boobs!!!" Was the phrase the blood red mare use to silence the crowd. "We can't do anything until we get the foals from him, nitwits. Unless you want to him to hurt them too."

The crowd paused once they saw this fact.

The mare spoke again, "Release them. If you let them go we'll go easy on you."

"What do you mean? They're my friends. I wouldn't hurt them. Well, not on purpose."

All the crowd heard was up to the word 'friends'.

"He's taken over their minds."

"He wants to take over Ponyville."

"What are you all, braindead?" The blood red mare asked. She faced the crowd.

A few stallions stepped forward, ahead of the mare. They came as close as they could, their fright of what the human could do to the foals holding them back.

"Let'em go!" One demanded.

Bryce raised his hands. "Listen, you're all-"

The frontline of stallions retreated behind their de facto leader. "He's about use his powers on us!" One shouted.

"Somepony do something!" Cried another.

"Stop it now, you braying cretins, you imbeciles!  He's done nothing. Unless you stop now he may-"

From over the sinewy mare's a stone sailed through the air. The stone arced over the mare and zipped past Bryce, coming to a stop after it made contact with a piece of playground equipment, the noise reverberating across the open space.

With the toss of this one stone the crowd sank into chaos. They dug down and pulled up any loose stones they could wrench from the ground. In precision motion they did as the lone thrower before them and sent them flying for the human.

In a flash Bryce sank down and covered his head, using the bedpost as a makeshift shield. He shouted at the three foals. "Get behind me!!!"

A multitude of rocks pelted the ground in the immediate area around the quartet. A few hit the two halves of the bedpost leaving the foals unharmed. A couple found their way around the wood and struck Bryce on his right hand and left shin. Despite the pain, Bryce did not move; he and the bedpost were the only objects between the foals and the projectiles.

For the entire barrage the blood red mare tried to quell her small division of human-haters, but the fire of their hatred burned brighter than she could shout.

At last having depleted the available stones in hoof’s reach the volley ceased.

Waiting a beat, Almond, thinking it was over came out from behind her large barrier. Before Bryce could pull her into his grip she stood tall on her four almond colored hooves and began to pelt back at the crowd, "Leave Bryce alone, he's-"

That was the exact moment a rock hit her square in the jaw. It was small but still left its mark.

Almond fell back, her hooves gripping at her mouth.

The blood red mare continued to command the crowd to stop.

Bryce went as still as the stone which lay not far from Almond. Then all at once he shook. It started out slow from disbelief, but in time the fire which brewed inside the hearts of the ponies around him spread to his own. Not caring where their stones may hit him Bryce stood to his full height. 

Behind him the playground equipment shook with his anger. A few weaker pieces bent or snapped, rendering them unsafe for any further amusement.

Bryce could take the stones, but not when it harmed one of his closest and dearest friends in this chromatic and jovial hell.

It would take a miracle to stop him from unleashing his wrath, and one came in the form of a single, drawn out howl.

"AMANDINE!!!"

With one phrase the crowd which became a debacle and the human who came close to ending their lives froze to the spot. All eyes turned to the mare who released this call: Cocoa Buerre.

If Bryce was mad before his anger was like kicking an inanimate object compared to the anger of the cream-colored unicorn.

She rushed to her foal, her husband and Rocksalt's mother not far behind. When she reached her tenderhearted filly she made to cradle her to her chest. Kernal interjected, "Cocoa, don't. If her head is injured it would be best to keep her still."

The crowd looked at the scene in horror; this was never their intent.

Cocoa looked to the crowd. She saw many ponies she herself grew to know since her and Kernal's move to Ponyville. She did not know if she could ever look at them the same way after today. 

She stood tall before the crowd, and demanded with as calm a tone a mother could manage under the situation, "Who did zis?"

Nopony dared answer. They looked anywhere but at her.

"Did I not say it clearly enough? I shall ask again slowly. Who. Did. Zis?!"

She met with the same hush as before.

The blood red mare, not shaken by Cocoa's stance or forced placidity said, "Ma'am, I can't tell you who, but whoever it was should be forced to hang by their stallionhood."

Cocoa drew in a few deep breaths. "Fine," she said before turning her chocolate eyes towards the blood red mare's dark army greens. "Then tell me what iz the meaning of zis."

"Ma'am, it was unintentional. We were trying to bring this twit in."

"And what did he do?"

"He had these foals as prisoners."

"No he didn't!" Pecan exclaimed. "We were just talking and these bozos started yelling at us."

Cocoa narrowed her eyes a few millimeters. "Iz zat so...?"

"Ma'am, I think you fail to understand the situation. This is Bryce, the one who-"

"Oui, I know who he is and what he did. But what of you all?"

"Ma'am...?"

"From what I saw you all attacked him, and he defended mes filles, from you."

"Yes, but ma'am it still stands. He-"

Almond let out a groan as she rolled from side to side.

"Shh, I know it must hurt," Kernal said to try and soothe the girl.

When she continued to moan in pain Bryce stepped forward. "I can help her."

The blood red mare stood to attention. "You go near her, you fat oaf and I'll-"

Cocoa moved her long, thin frame between the mare and her filly. She said nothing but the message was clear. She turned to Bryce soon after. "Can you help her?"

Bryce nodded. "If you'll let me, I will."

Cocoa didn't flinch as she said, "Go ahead."

The crowd was in shock. They thought whatever spell or trick of the mind the human had them all under must be strong to control the cream-colored mare. They did nothing, however, as Bryce took a knee behind Almond.

He stared at the injured filly for a second, then took a long blink. When his eyes opened again his eyes glowed a soft grey light. The crowd shuttered when he stated, "She'll be fine. She's hurting, but it’s mostly hairline fractures." Bryce began to rub his hands together. As he felt his hands grow warm the same soft glow as in his eyes shot forth from his fingers. Being as gentle as he could, he rubbed the glow over Almond's aching jaw. After a few swipes the glow left his eyes, along with the glow in his hand.

"Almond, how do you feel?"

Almond removed her hooves from her mouth and rested herself on her legs. "I feel...I don't know..." She stood on her four hooves with little effort. "I feel great,” she said, though this was an understatement. She felt as if she could do anything her sister could do. If possible she would, but in no time the high of the life force would wear off.

This left the crowd in shock once more. Whatever Bryce did it healed the filly.

Almond stuck a hoof inside her mouth and touched her front-most teeth. Most of them wiggled with her touch. "I think my teeth are loose."

The crowd gasped in shock.

"Zat's fine, you imbéciles. What would you expect when you throw a rock at her?"

The crowd said nothing in return.

"Well, I can't fix that, Almond."

"Are my teeth going to fall out?!" She asked, horrified she would end up looking like her snaggletooth grandfather.

"You will, but that's supposed to happen," Bryce explained. He rubbed an open palm across her back. "They'll grow back into brand new, prettier teeth. And when they fall out make sure to put them under your pillow. The tooth fairy will come and leave you some money."

"Wow, really?!" The timid filly exclaimed. It worried her she was to lose her teeth, but if she received bits for them it seemed worth it.

"Really. Now, do you hurt anywhere else?"

"Not any more. She smiled as she sank her head into Bryce's chest. "Thanks, Bryce."

Bryce wrapped an arm around her back while rubbed her mane with the other.

Cocoa smiled, relieved her daughter would live. Then she turned to glare back at the crowd. "Shame on you. Shame on you all."

"Ma'am?" The blood red mare questioned.

"Tell me zis, does he look like the kind of monster who would hurt ma petite fille, hmm?" 

The crowd returned with a few scratches behind the head and looks to the ground at their hooves.

"You come and try to hurt him, and it is you all zat hurt my daughter. I say you all leave now, or I shall be the one to, how you say, have your asses thrown in jail."

The crowd hesitated.

“There will no such thing, not if I have any say,” said Mayor Mare as she came upon the scene. “What seems to be the problem here?” She asked as she surveyed the immediate area.

Nobody uttered a word. The aged mare could tell something was amiss, and from the way the two groups stood at odds it was nothing good. 

“Will anypony answer, or do I need to call the Guard, on everypony?”

She looked to the crowd. They said nothing.

She looked to Cocoa and the group behind her. They too said nothing.

Mayor Mare looked back to the crowd. “Right then. I suggest everypony make their way for home. Whatever this is this is not how we deal with matters in my town.”

The crowd hesitated.

"Well, go on. Loin avec vous tous! Allez ouste!" Cocoa stated.

The crowd needed no further prompting, nor understand Prench to know what Cocoa meant. The ponies left, each headed for home or a tent. They all still held fear in their hearts; fear and hatred. But the hatred now turned onto themselves. What fueled their fear more now was yet another strange ability Bryce presented to them. What they saw was a large, powerful being, and with his power he healed a little filly. They were shaken and at the same time unsure of themselves.

In time the blood red mare left, saying something under her breath. Bryce was the only person to hear her say, "He will have some explaining to do."

The remaining ponies and Bryce waited until the last of the mob was out of sight to say anything.

Mayor Mare was the first to speak, her head turned to Bryce. “I don’t know if you are at fault, but I expect you in my office tomorrow morning. I don’t care when but I’m leaving my schedule open.”

Without any parting words the middle-aged mare left.

After her departure, Bryce said, "Well, thank you for coming to help. For a moment I thought only your kids-" Before he could say another word the three parents locked a stare on him. It took a moment but Bryce understood, without the need to resort to mindreading. "Okay, I know I have some explaining to do."

He explained to them everything he knew of his powers, within his knowledge. A few times the ponies stopped him to ask a question, and he answered them without a single lie.

When he finished, he said, "I didn't do any of this to hurt anyone. I just didn't want anyone to know. I know it might not seem out of place here, but you must understand... Well, I won't say why but I can only ask you to trust me when I say I wish none of this happened." He looked to the ground. "My powers included."

"Why would ya wish something like that?" Rocksalt asked. "Ah mean, there are times Ah wish Ah could pull stuff outta the cupboard, but it's so high up."

"Kid, you wouldn't understand. You never saw the bad. Well, all the bad."

"What do ya mean by-"

His heavyset mother placed a hoof over her son's mouth. "Rocky, I'm sure he has his reasons, whatever they may be. But one thing I'm sure we want to know is why you kept this from everypony?"

Bryce remained quiet for a spell before he stated, "Because I wanted to be taken as somebody normal."

"Normal?"

He nodded. "What I can do... In my world, it's bizarre. It just ain't proper. In my world, I'm labeled a freak of nature. And the trouble is I would do almost anything to not be."

"Why would you want that?" Kernal asked. "Yes, it is quite bizarre, but I doubt 'freak' is the proper name for somepony such as yourself."

Bryce looked to the chestnut stallion. "I know you mean well, but you just don't know."

"Don't know what though?"

Bryce looked down again. "I can't say."

"Can't, or-"

"Kernal, I think that's enough," his wife stated. "Whatever it is I am sure makes sense, to him."

"Well, I thank you for understanding, I think," Bryce replied. "I'm just sorry I'm myself."

"Bah! Zat is nothing to be sorry for. You should be sorry for ruining the town, no?"

"I... I suppose I should... But if I can't apologize for being myself who can?"

"Nopony, and zat is zat."

"Well, if I can't convince you... Cocoa, I can't remember saying this, but I told you I would help you cook."

"Yes, yes you did. And I am mad you did not...hold up you part of the bargain? Is zat the right phrase?" Kernal and Whipping Cream nodded. "Well, under the circumstances I forgive you, but you still better teach me. Oh, and Almond and Pecan." The twin fillies beamed to hear their mother show her approval.

"And another thing," Whipping Cream added, "you better be up tomorrow before sunrise. My son-"

"I know, Mrs Cream, the Kid already belted me for that one. And his homework. I'll get on that tomorrow, you have my word."

"Which means I don't have to," Kernal said. He later added, "not that I didn't mind," in response to the look Rocksalt's mother shot him.

"Well, since we're square on that can I ask you all something." He held up the bedpost. "Does anyone need a bedpost? Like new, only a few dings?"

The ponies looked at him with blank expressions.

"Well, it was worth a shot. I have no idea what to do with these then." Something will come up one day, I'm sure. "Can I ask something else then? Cocoa, girls, would you like to start your lessons now? I only ask because I think I skipped breakfast." As if to confirm his suspicions Bryce's stomach let out an audible growl. 

"I suppose now is always a good time, no?" the cream-colored mare replied. "What will we cook first?"

Bryce shot the mare and her twins a smirk. "Eggs."