"Mmmmmm! Yummy!" I lick my ice cream cone. I had already eaten the peanuts off the top. Those little morsels got devoured. I don't really know why, but I love peanuts. "So. Where are we going, Miss Weathers?" I ask her without even really looking anywhere but the cone. It's really the only thing that deserves my attention at this exact moment. Damn you foalish tendencies!
Miss Weathers giggles. "We are heading to see some friends of mine. They've agreed to let you stay with them until we find your parents."
'As if I didn't already know this.' "Are they nice?" I ask after licking my cone. 'Poor ponies...'
"Oh yes. I think you'll have lots of fun. They even have a foal about your age to play with." She smiles down at me. Which I see in the corner of my eye.
'Do I... actually feel bad for these ponies? They expect to take care of me for an unknown amount of time... here I am, gonna take off on them.' I sigh outwardly.
"Something wrong?" Miss Weathers askes. "Not enough peanuts?" She giggles.
"Yeah... not enough peanuts." I give her a white lie. Too lost in my own thoughts to make up something better. 'No cold feet. This is for my own good. I have to...' I try to think of what I'll actually be doing to them by leaving. 'Break their hearts?' I shrug. Lack of anything better.
I lick my muzzle as I finish off the cone. Munching the remainder of which I was holding. I even lick off my hoof some of the ice cream that melted on to it. Next thing I know, Miss Weathers is knocking on a door in front of us. 'I guess we made it.'
"You excited?" Miss Weathers askes me.
"Well... I can sort of think of it like a sleep over. With... somepony I don't know." I respond.
"Don't worry. I hear Elaina's foal is into video games. Do you like video games?" Miss Weathers smiles.
"Well... I can't say that I don't... wonder what kind of games..."
The door to the building, which is a blue and brown 2 story house, opens up. Revealing the brown maned, tan coat mare. The one with the heart and baby bottle.
The mare looks down at me. "Oh Pink. I'm so glad you're here." She then looks to Miss Weathers. "Please, won't you both come in?"
Miss Weathers smiles again. She waits for me to walk in before walking in behind me. "What a lovely home." The house has blue walls with white borders. Potted plants. Pictures on the wall. A flight of stairs to my left. Then the faint cry of a young, but upset, pony yelling. "Stupid game! I told my character to do an uppercut, not a hurricane kick!" These sounds make Elaina laugh.
Elaina smiles down at me. "It's so good to meet you, Pink Flash." I give her a smile.
"Yeah. I like meeting new ponies." I then look up the stairs as I hear an older stallion's voice coming from what sounds like speakers. "You lose." Followed by an angry colt. "I'll show you lose! I'll get my main character!"
Elaina giggles. "I take it you like video games. Why don't you go upstairs and introduce yourself to Button Mash? I have some things to talk to Miss Weathers about. Then I'll call you down when it's time for lunch, ok sweetie?" She smiles warmly. A very motherly smile.
"Alright." I smile up at her. Then I stare at the stairs. "Ohhh... boy. I haven't tried going up stairs yet...' I approach the stairs. Then gulp as I begin climbing the stairs. Very slowly... and one step at a time.
As I reach the 5th step. "Awwwww." Elaina giggles. "Do you need some help sweetie?"
I blush. "N-no! I got it! I"ll get to the top." I look up. Seeing I'm about eight steps from the top.
Elaina giggles again. "I better help him before he falls." She trots up the steps, then picks me up in her hoof. Like scoops me up. Which only serves to make me blush more as she carries me to the top. "Just call if you wanna come down stairs, ok sweetie?" I nod as she sets me down.
I get the feeling that was fulfilling for her. 'Something to do with her cutie mark maybe?' I watch her trot back downstairs before continuing towards the sounds of the video game. 2 doors later, I find a door open. Peering inside is a little brown colt with golden eyes and a propeller hat.
"Um... hello." I say awkwardly.
"Yeah... just... a minute..." The colt is focused. A rather hectic looking match is going on screen. It looks like a 2D fighting game. Very old. I'd say 90s. This stallion wearing a black martial arts gi, dark tan coat and wild spiky mane. Looks kind of evil. That character is on the right. Making me believe Button is playing that character. While his opponent is a tall pony. Like the blue mare in my dream. But this pony on the game doesn't have wings or a horn. The tall pony is wearing a tattered red tuxeod. Dark blonde coat, wild white hair. The two characters are teleporting, doing fireballs. One of them shout out "Genocide cutter!" With a strong japanese accent. Wait... does Japan actually exist here?
Soon after, the tall pony goes down with a resounding "You win!" from the stallion voice I heard earlier. The little brown colt turns to me. Then he blinks. "Oh... um... who're you?" He askes raising an eyebrow. I also think I see him blushing a little.
'Do I tell him my pony name, or my actual name? Eh... I'll give him my pony name. I'll be out of here by tonight anyway.' I smile to the colt. "I'm Pink Flash. A colt who is going to stay with you and your mom tonight."
"What?! You're a colt?!" He whips away from me. Looking back to the screen. That's an interesting reaction.
'Oh I get it. Wait... ... is he... attracted to me? Or at least was?' I shake my head. 'Poor guy. I'll fix this awkwardness.' I sit down next to Button. "Hey. Wanna play?"
Button looks at me with a devious smirk. "You? You want to play me?" He seems to have trouble keeping in giggles. "Ok. Grab a controller and prepare to cry like a filly!"
I deadpan. 'I take it that's some kind of wisecrack about my color.' I grab the controller. "I hope not all colts can cry like a filly... for your sake." I hit start on the controller. 'I wanted to say "I hope you don't play as bad as a certain item colored the same as you." but I don't want to make the kid cry.'
The stallion announcer calls out. "Player 2 has joined. Choose your character!" I begin cycling through the characters. 'I think there's a game like this on Earth. If the controls are similar... I may actually stand a chance.' I look at Button as he hurries up and waits. Seeing as he isn't selecting a character. He must've noticed my curiousity.
"I'm in single player mode right now." Button explains. "When player two joins the tournament I'm in, the game puts player two as my next opponent in the lineup. My character was already selected at the beginning of the tournament. Which is why I'm waiting on you." He then sighs. "Hurry up filly!"
I deadpan again. 'He's gonna eat defeat.' I look back to the screen and spot a character that looks vaguely familiar. He's a pony with gray fur and a white mane. He's wearing a red trenchcoat. He's got a large broadsword on his back with two handguns. I select him. Then it askes which style. I select Trickster. The announcer askes. "Which groove would you like?" I select EX1. 'If this guy is who I think he is... I wish his brother were in the game too.'
"Ohhhh. Picking him. He's a tricky character to play." Button tells me. "If you manage to win the tournament with him, you unlock his brother."
'Helloooooo motivation! Er... more motivation.' After I select EX1. The screen moves to the loading screen. 'Button looks like he is visibly excited. Huh... that thought sounded creepier than I intended.' I shake my head as the screen shows up. Button's character stomps the ground saying something in Japanese. "Koi!" But my character speaks English. "This party is gettin' crazy! Let's rock."
'Ok... If I remember correctly... hitting the combination down down and then X... is my character's teleport. It should teleport above my opponent's head. I then hit down forward square for his dive kick. However... if I hit square a second time, it'll be sort of an axe handle attack. Making my opponent hit the ground. If I hit forward down forward then triangle, and keep tapping triangle... I can pop him off the ground and into a combo!'
The announcer states. "Round 1". Then yells "FIGHT!" Button's character does a fireball! My move works perfectly. I teleport above him just as I planned. My axe handle, my pop up attack. All of it goes off without a hitch. I follow up the pop up attack with a launcher into the air. At which point I hit square, triangle, triangle, circle. Then down forward circle. 'I can't believe it! The controls are exactly the same! You're gonna eat it kid!' I grin deviously as I continue. Activating a hyper combo and delivering the knock out.
With a resounding "K.O!" from the announcer, Button has a look of shock. His jaw hitting the floor. I look to him and blow on my hoof, then my hoof on my chest arrogantly. "And that... is how you do it."
Button squints at me. "That was a fluke! I didn't think you actually knew how to play! I'm not gonna go easy this time!"
"Round 2." The announcer starts. "FIGHT!" I bite my tongue gently as I focus. 'Let's see if he falls for it again...' As the letters disappear, I hit the combination to teleport into the axe handle. Button doesn't fall for it! In fact, he counters me! He used a dragon punch to knock me out of my axe handle! 'Craaaaap! Ok...! Dive kick from the aerial recovery!'
Button teleports out of the way, then activates a hyper combo. Catching me as I near the ground from my dive kick! 'No! He countered me again!'
My character gets to his hooves. 'Ok. If I hit forward and circle... my character will use his broadsword to thrust forward. Then I can hit down backwards triangle to use his revolver technique. If it hits, it'll pop my opponent like the axe handle. Then I can hit circle then launcher for another aerial combo!' I squint in determination. "You won't get a perfect on me!"
I hit forward circle, to begin my combo. Button blocks the broadsword thrust! Leaving me wide open. 'No!' Button hits my character with a 3 hit combo before launching my character into the air. Hitting me with another 3 hit combo into a hurricane kick. Ending it with a hyper combo. "K.O!" I stare in disbelief. "Hyper combo finish! PERFECT!"
Button laughs as my eye twitches. "Momentum is in my favor!" He grins at me. "Filly!"
I nod a few times. "Ok. Third round. Game on." I take a deep breath. Calming myself as much as I can so I can think clearly. Button getting a perfect on me really made me flustered. Only to be humiliated by him calling me a filly. 'I'll show him...' I squint at the screen as the announcer comes on.
"Round three! FIGHT!" Immediately when I can, I teleport. Like the first two rounds. Button reads this and uppercuts. I however don't use the axe handle. While using my character, and in the air. You can hold down and tap circle repeatedly. Which makes my character use his two pistols and shoot downwards. Allowing me to interrupt Button's uppercut. I grin, then use helm breaker. When in the air, I can just hit the x button to use helmer breaker. Which puts his character on the ground.
Once his character is on the ground, I hold down and forward then press circle. Which uses my characters guns again to pop Button's character off the ground. I then chain my character into the X button which begins a combo. After the x button. I use down backwards triangle for my character's revolver technique. I chain into circle, then launcher. I perform an aerial combo afterwards. Ending it with the down forward circle from the air down to the ground. The second my character touches ground I activate my character's hyper combo.
My character yells out. "Gotchya now!" He begins shooting Button's character repeatedly. Ending it with a mega shot after saying. "Jackpot."
Button grunts in annoyance. "Spamming that teleport!" Button fires a fireball. Then immediately teleports behind me. He times it perfectly. The second I block the fireball, he sweeps my character. Tripping me and then launching me into the air. 'Crap!' He performs a 4 hit aerial combo. Then uses hurricane kick. Finally chaining into his hyper combo. 'I can't take too many hits like that! His character takes more damage than mine, but his deals more damage. He can take me out in 2 or 3 combos. Well, 1 or 2 now. I need to play it smart. I need to trick him.' My eyes widen. 'I got this... I got this...'
I back up. I hold down and press the square button. Which causes my character to shoot one of his pistols at a downward angle. His character is too far back for it to hit him... but I don't want it to hit him... I'm baiting him. 'Come on... make a mistake...' I fire again.
Button uses a fireball. 'There it is!' I teleport. Above his character. After teleporting, I hold the block button. Expecting him to uppercut. Which he does. I aerial block the uppercut. 'All mine...' As Button's character reaches the ground after his uppercut, I hold down and hit square, and triangle. Followed by tapping circle.
My character shoots Button's character, then hits him with my sword. Followed by million stab. Which stabs Button's character at an extremely fast pace. I then activate my character's ultimate.
My character yells out. "Don't close your eyes!" My character moves at blinding speed. My character moves from the side of the screen, to the other 4 times. Each time he does he slashes Button's character. Finally, the camera focuses on my characters face. My character says. "Now for the finish!" My character dives at Button's character and impales Button's character on my sword. Then throws Button's character to the side of the screen before saying. "And that's... how you do it."
I frown. Button's character survives with a milimeter of health bar left! 'Damn it! If I had gone with an aerial combo into the ultimate, then I would've won right there!' I sigh outwardly. 'I just didn't want to do anything too flashy and just finish him!' I shake my head. 'It's ok... I can take him... it's like one or two more hits, then he's done.'
I press down forward, then X. It causes an energy-esque blade to travel the length of the ground towards my opponent. Button teleports through it. Seeing his teleport, I press down backward triangle. Using my character's revolver technique. Button manages to time it perfectly, and uppercut me out of the revolver. "WHAT?!" My eyes bug out.
Button giggles and super jumps to meet me in the air. He aerial combos me. Hitting me a good 7 times before slamming me down into the ground. He drops to the ground and walks me into the corner. Blocking me there.
'Simple. I'll attack low!' The moment my character gets up. Button activates his ultimate. "NO! CHEATER!" I cry out as my character is grabbed. The screen goes black as dozens of hit sparks go off. 'Please survive...!' The screen goes back to normal with Button's character having his back turned to the screen. A strange foreign symbol on his back. The announcer yells. "K.O! Hyper combo finish!
"WOOHOO!" Button tosses his controller into the air. "I'm the king!" He starts dancing.
I stare at the screen. Dumbfounded. 'D... did a child just beat me...?' I feel my eyes watering up. Feeling the urge to cry. 'Noooo... no no... Don't cry. Don't you do it...!' I talk to myself in third person as if it would help.
Button notices I haven't budged at all. He looks at me. "Pink?" He tilts his head. "What's wrong?"
I turn away and wipe my eyes. "N-nothin'! I'm fine. Who're you picking next?" I turn back to the screen.
"Are you... crying?" Button looks at me. "You are..." He frowns. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. It was uh... just some teasing." He smiles at me.
"It's fine." I smile back. "I just... sort of took it personally. I wanted to win that, to prove myself is all."
"Hey. You did very well. Much better than every other pony I've played at this. We're the best in Ponyville!"
I'm about to retort when we hear Elaina's voice. "My little ponies!" Elaina calls to us in asing song voice. "Come down here please. We're going out."
I can't help but notice the impeccable timing. Match is over, she calls to us. It's like she knows... "Coming mom!" Button calls back. He turns the console and TV off before heading down.
I frown. "Awwww..." I stare at the TV for a few seconds. Then get up and follow after Button. As I head towards the stairs, I hear hoofsteps heading up the stairs. I find Elaina at the top waiting for me with open hooves.
"I'll help you down sweetie." She smiles down at me. I mumble a thanks as I move to her. She picks me up and heads down the stairs. She sets me down. "There we go." I blush as I look to the door. "You're adorable when you blush." She giggles. "I thought it'd be better if we went to Sugarcube Corner instead of having lunch here."
"Alright!" Button calls as he heads to the door. "Getting a rainbow cupcake!" He waits for Elaina. Button is trotting in place. Practically bouncing up and down as Elaina giggles and opens the door.
"Come along, Pink." She says as she looks to me. I follow behind her. "Where did Miss Weathers go?" I ask Elaina. "Miss Weathers is going to meet us at Sugarcube Corner." Elaina responds.
We begin moving out. Heading into town. As we walk, I scan my environment. Looking for methods and routes of escape. How I will get from Elaina's house to the forest. 'To my dismay, her house is actually a decent distance from the forest.' That's when I notice something out of place. 'Where are the guards? There was a guard near the library the night of my escape. Now there are no guards at all.'
I don't have long to ponder this as Elaina pushes open the door to Sugarcube Corner. It's pitch black inside. "Why is it so dark?" I ask as I squint and peer inside. Elaina giggles. "I suppose we'll just have to find the light." She tells me as I take a cautious step inside. To anypony else, I probably look cute. When in reality my mind has gone into alert mode. My old drill sargeant telling me. "A soldier who isn't on guard is a dead soldier! Tell me, maggot! Do you like to breath?!" I have to admit there might be a little post traumatic stress in there.
'Huh. Now that I think about it... how did he never pop a blood vessel?' My eyes are beginning to adjust to the darkness. I could swear I saw movement... figures beginning to emerge from the darkness. Well... they weren't exactly emerging... I'm just slowly being able to see them.
The lights suddenly flick on. "MY EYES!" I cry out as a crowd of ponies jump out. "SURPRISE!" I'm temporarily blinded by the sudden light. 'Wait... how did I notice ponies jumping out?' Even my mind stops for a second. 'Uhhh... elite senses honed by the military?Good enough.'
A pink pony with a poofy pink mane walks up to me. Bright blue eyes. 3 balloons as her horse tattoo. 'Why call it a horse tattoo? I already know it's a cutie mark. How I know it is, I don't know... nopony has explained that to me yet...'
"Welcome to Ponyville Pink Flash! I am SUPER excited that you're here!' She hugs me. "I always welcome everypony to Ponyville with a super special welcome to Ponyville surprise party! Were you surprised? You certainly looked surprised!" She smiles big.
"Uhhh... sure. I was super surprised..." I smile awkwardly. 'Just smile and wave...'
The pink pony giggles. "I'm really glad! I'm Pinkie Pie. I threw this extra special party just for you! Make sure you have lots of fun! Play some games, have some yummy treats, and play with some of the other foals here!"
"Uhhh yes. Thank you." I continue my awkward smile. 'Kill me now...'
Pinkie Pie's smile doesn't faulter even for a second. "Now. You should go introduce yourself to the other foals. I'll be getting the games ready!" Before I can even say anything, she nudges me towards one of the corners in the room. Where other children are.
"Hi!" A mostly white pegasus filly talks to me. She has a very light tint of blue to her. Almost like a cloud. "I'm Cotton Cloudy." She smiles.
"Pink Flash..." I stare at her. Studying her. 'Hm... she's a little bigger than I am. Maybe older? I doubt she'll notice she's bigger than me.'
Cotton Cloudy giggles. "You're shorter than me." I deadpan. "You excited for the games too?" She smiles. "I hear there will be prizes for each game we win! The grown ups even said they put together group games where we can form teams and stuff!"
"Fascinating..." I say with a bored expression. 'It does sound kind of fun... what adult doesn't want to cut loose and be a kid again once in a while...?' As I ponder this, several other foals approach.
"Kind of a filly color for a colt, don't you think?" A pale magenta filly with light violet mane tells me. A second filly laughs. The second one is mostly gray with light blue frame glasses.
I look to the one that spoke."It's not really my call what color I am." I speak to the filly with a poker face.
She giggles. "Perhaps you'd like a mane clip? Silver, do we have any extra dresses for the filly?"
I stare for a few moments. "Actually... in 1918, pink was a color for boys. The general consensus is that pink was more pronounced and strong. For boys. While blue was decided to be delicate, dainty, and prettier for girls."
"W...what?" The magenta filly stares at me. "What are you talking about?"
"What I'm saying is that what colors are, and what they represent is defined by society. In 1918, 98 years ago mind you, pink was a color for colts rather than fillies. As society changes and evolves, so can the definitions that society holds. A colt being pink doesn't make that colt any less of a colt than the next non-pink colt. Biologically speaking, a pink colt carries no difference than any other colt."
"Why doesn't your mom dye you then?" The magenta filly squints at me. I feel like she doesn't quite understand the conversation. This question she asked seems kind of... illogical to ask after hearing what I just said. Leading me to believe she doesn't understand much of what I'm saying.
"Dying my color to a more societally acceptable color would be accepting some form of shame. I have no shame. Nor should I. My color doesn't represent who I am. It doesn't speak of me as a whole, it doesn't change my aspirations, goals, and desires. It doesn't affect the way I think, talk, or act. In short. Nothing is wrong with me. So nothing needs to be changed." The filly just stares at me. "I think the conversation is over. Let's go see if the games are ready." I trot away. Leaving the fillies there.
I arrive at what Pinkie Pie has affectionately labelled as the kiddie corner. Seriously. With a sign. Says "Kiddie Corner" on it. It has games like pin the tail on the grump. The poster is some kind of really grumpy donkey. A cranky looking donkey with a terrible obvious wig and bored expression. Other games include tic tac toe, Twister, and... is that a pinata?! It's a pinata of Nightmare Moon with a big dopey grin on it's face. Very cartoonish.
Pinkie Pie smiles down at me. "SO! Which game would you like to play first?" She awaits my answer eagerly. I stare at the various games this pink party pony has set up. I smile up at Pinkie Pie. "How about pin the tail on the grump?"
"Excellent choice!" Pinkie Pie holds up a blindfold. "Who ever gets closest will get a prize!" She giggles. "All foals to the Kiddie Corner!" I look around as Cotton Cloudy, the other two I was talking to earlier, Button Mash, and 3 other fillies show up. One of the three is an earth pony. Yellow coat, red mane. She has an oversized pink bow in her mane. Amber eyes. The second filly is white with a violet and pink mane unicorn. Green eyes. The third is an orange coat, violet mane pegasus with purple eyes.
We each take turns pinning the tail on the grump. I got really close. Didn't win though. The white unicorn named "Sweetie Belle" won. We begin moving to the next game. I guess we're playing tic tac toe in a sort of tournament style. Each of us are going to play against the others. Everyone plays everyone once. Who ever wins the most wins a big prize. But we're all going to get a small prize for each win. I win this. I beat everypony I face against except Sweetie Belle. Again... 'Damn that kid! Smarter than me?! Guh!' I did win the tournament though. So I'm getting a big prize and 5 small prizes. So go me.
Next up is the pinata! I've always loved those as a kid. NowI get to love them again! "I kind of feel dirty. Like... One of those creeps who join in on a kid's game just to hang out with children with less... than innocent intentions." Pinkie Pie lines up the pinata. "Ok little Pink Flash, you're first!" I'm quickly blindfolded and given a wiffle bat. 'I feel like I might be getting some form of special treatment.' I just shrug. I picture the pinata in my mind's eye. Then I swing for the pinata's face. I hear the satisfying crack of the wiffle bat against the pinata. The other foals begin cheering. Hooves moving rapidly. I can hear the candy spilling out hitting the floor. 'I nailed it! Right in the kisser!' I pull up the blindfold only to find I knocked one of it's legs off. To which I deadpan. 'I was WAY off!'
I jump into the fray. Grabbing some of the candy too. I suddenly stop. 'What am I doing?' I put the candy down. Stepping away from the candy. Then dropping the wiffle bat. "S... somepony else's turn." I put the blindfold down next to the bat and make my way away from the Kiddie Corner.
"Pink?" Pinkie Pie tilts her head. "Is something wrong?" The foals are all still preoccupied with the candy. Pinkie Pie follows after me as I move to the entrance way of the shop. A whole lot of ponies are just standing about talking. I can see Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Dr. Wind is here too.
I stop at the entrance way, then turn to Pinkie Pie. That's when I notice Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, and Dr. Wind all followed me. "Ummm...?" I tilt my head.
Twilight giggles. "Popular foal." Pinkie Pie speaks up. "Hang on everypony. I think Pink Flash is upset about something." Pinkie Pie has a concerned expression.
"What? No. I'm not upset. Why would I be upset?" I ask Pinkie Pie as I look up at her.
"Cuz you left at the good part! The candy just started spilling out and you left! Only foal I've ever seen do that is a sad foal." Rainbow Dash frowns. She seems concerned. Not for me per se. More concerned than just concerned... maybe even... guilty.
"Ohhhh! I can't do it!"Rainbow Dash suddenly exclaims. She moves to me and hugs me. Then smiles down at me. "We found her." I raise an eyebrow. "Your mother. We found her." I blink. Going wide eyed as Rainbow Dash hugs me. "She'll be here tomorrow morning. We were going to surprise you... but you... just look so sad."
"Wait... my mom? You found my mom?"I ask in disbelief. 'I wasn't aware there was a mother to find... I'm from Earth. How can I have a mother here?' I stare up at all the ponies smiling down at me. All of them expecting to see a happy foal exclaiming his happiness and all I can think is. 'Shit.'