//------------------------------// // Home // Story: Never // by ZombieBrony22 //------------------------------// It's been a day since Sunset's... offer. It was mid-December and it snowed hard enough to cancel school, so I had nothing to do but tend to this dump. My house isn't much. Hell, it's practically nothing. I mean, it's big, but it's rotten wood, broken windows, dripping pipes, and the fact that it's set next to a polluted lake gives it a poor-hermit vibe. Before you ask, no, I didn't want Rarity inside the house. I just wanted her to help me out with getting it fixed to back when my dad was a kid: Bold, proud, and cheerful. But then he started drinking, and the house started collapsing around us. I was about to check the house for termites when I saw a swarm of them by the bathroom. This being a common situation due to the rotting wood, grabbed what was left of the spray and opened fire. They stopped moving, now I just had to dispose of them-- the harder part. I put them all on a dustpan and took them to the lake for the fish. I felt the bitter, raw cold as I dumped the bugs... onto ice. "Damn..." I knew the ice would melt sooner or later, so I headed back inside and applied the egg solution to insure that this wave of eggs won't hatch. "So, you live here?" A voice asked behind me, chuckling. I jumped back and saw Sunset and Snails, the latter leaning against a rotting wall. "Aww, you two look so adorable together." I teased sarcastically. Sunset seemed unfazed, but definitely disgusted. Snails's face became blood red by the time I was done with my joke. "Lighten up, Sunset. It was a joke." I said as I shut the door behind them. "It wasn't a good one." Sunset said as she noticed a chair and took a seat. That was my dad's favorite chair... "That was my father's chair..." I said, angry. "Okay, so what?" "Get. Off." "Make her." Snails said, getting between us. "It's fine, Snails. It's his house..." Sunset said as she got up and moved to another chair. "What do you want?" I asked her. "Oh, just to chat. I heard something about you wanting to redecorate the place." Sunset said, propping her feet on my table. "Well, redecorate is a weak word, but... yes." I confirmed. "Maybe I can help you, if you'd let me..." She said, softening her tone. "Why does this sound like yesterday? Look, I don't care who you are, or who you set yourself up to be-- I don't want you. That is not happening until the day I die." I said to her. "Worth a shot..." Sunset sighed. "Oh, by the way, I saw you're out on that bug spray." Sunset said as she tossed me a bottle of the bug spray I use. "Seems like you want something in return..." I said cautiously. "No, I just like you. Not romantically, don't worry. I just wanna break you down, understand you. That's all." Sunset said as she and Snails exited the house. Good, they're gone... Now back to checking the house. After I was done with the perimeter sweep, I decided to see if there were some food left in the pantry. My father collected dried foods for multiple years, enough to last me decades. I never had to grocery shop a day in my life... I grabbed some hash and got the oven going. I had some time to grab a book and get a few chapters into it... Daring Do and The Quest for The Sapphire Stone. My father's favorite book when I was 12, before he left. I managed to reach to the climax when the oven beeped and it shook me awake. After finishing the hash, I decided to go for walks like I tend to do in the afternoons. After reaching the city, and getting waves and "hellos" from students and residents, I wound up at my destination: Everfree Park. The park was here for multiple years. I always walked through it and cleared my head on whatever stressed me. However, I saw someone very familiar in my vision. "Cloud?" Rarity asked to my right. I nearly jumped, never expecting anyone I knew, least of all her, in the park. "Oh, uh... hey Rarity." I said. There was a silence, and Rarity seemed to receive the brunt of it. "Look, I'm sorry if I... surprised you. It's just--" "I understand, darling. You couldn't hide it anymore, you said as much." "It's not just that. I wanted your help about something, but I need you to promise me not to freak out." Rarity blushed slightly. "N- not like that! I... I need help with the house." I confessed. "Well, it's about time, darling." Rarity said unfazed. "What... what do you mean?" I asked. "Sunset showed me the photos. Cloud, why didn't you say you needed help? I would've been glad to help." "But after what I said?" I asked. Rarity sighed. "Yes, after what you said. Don't beat yourself up over it, I've heard many, many worse date offers before, most from strangers. I wanted to think about it, and in truth I still am. But let's not get wrapped up around that. You want my help? You have it." Rarity held me in an embrace. But as soon as we broke off, I saw a bright, quick flash of light. I saw Snails with his phone. "Crap..." I muttered as Snails ran off. I tried to chase him, Rarity right behind me. But we lost him and he ran free. "Damn it..." I said, falling on my knees, out of breath. "It... it's alright, darling. I've heard rumors about us before, this will just have them riled up for a week." Rarity said, trying to comfort me. "No, it's more than that. If he gives Sunset that photo... who knows what she'll do with it." "Don't worry about Sunset. She's just a cruel woman spreading sadness and fear." Rarity said as she knelt next to me. I knew she had a point and there was no finding Snails, so I let the subject go. "You... saw the house, huh?" I asked her. "Yes I have... It... wasn't the worst residence I've seen." Rarity said. "But it's below the standard." I said. "N... yes. Yes it is." Rarity confessed. "So... what now?" I asked. "Have... anything planned tonight?" Rarity asked. I turned to her and I saw some red on her cheeks. Was she asking me on a date? "No... no I don't." I said. "Well, I have a rather serious dilemma. I have two tickets to see the new play at school tonight, and I was going to take Sweetie Belle. But, alas, she has a playdate, or arrangement, or whatever she and her friends prefer.