//------------------------------// // Flashbacks // Story: Farmhand // by MLP-person //------------------------------// The small, busy party lasted long into the night, and Quill was quite sure that he had never enjoyed himself quite as much as he did then;watching the adults giggle and hiccup with breath heavily tainted by the hard cider, the other teens being playful teenagers. Once, just before Button could sit down, Rumble jerked the chair away and Button fell hard on his flank. Fluttershy rushed over at once, but she slipped and fell, seemingly more heavily affected by the cider than anyone else. Quill hurriedly tossed a pillow under her before she hit the floor, and the adults clopped their hooves at the reflex. Aside from that, things were mostly uneventful. When the cider ran dry someone had a way of refilling it, and he had to wonder, just a little, what sane adults allowed every single one of themselves to get drunk in a room that was half kids. But he didn't mind-they weren't trying to get away with anything. He noticed that a lot of flirting started to go on between the people his age-he even caught himself saying a few things that he might regret in the morning. It was all explained to him when he saw Pinkie tipping the contents of a vodka bottle into the punch that they had been drinking from. How had none of the other adults noticed and put a stop to this? Driven by a childish urge to do wrong, he went forward and got himself a large cup. The taste wasn't very noticeable among the strong-tasting punch, but now he understood the effects it was having on him. Someone stepped up and bumped into his shoulder. "Hi!" Dinky had somehow popped up next to him without his noticing. Damn the punch! Damn it to hell! "Ay, Quill." Pipsqueak had stepped up to his other side. Colors swam before his eyes-maybe this was why you weren't supposed to have alcohol before fully grown? He didn't care, it was fun~ "So, how you enjoying your party?" Dinky swayed and leaned against him to stay up, then Pip unnecesarilly put a bracing shoulder to Quill even though he could more than handle the filly's weight. The weight was actually comfortable... "I'm enjoying it but," he gave a tiny hiccough, "-you all d-didn't have to do this for me." "Oh, don't take it to heart.." Pipsqueak told him.. "I'm surprised I didn't..." Dinky spoke but then broke off, looking faintly depressed. It didn't last long, though, and suddenly a wide, toothy grin flashed across her face. He couldn't help but return it, it was...cute. Why was his brain working so slowly? It wasn't the best part of having punch, spiked or not. "This party's a little crowded, don't you think?" She asked him calmly, still giving that adorable grin. He shrugged. There weren't very many ponies here but, at the same time, the room was relatively small. "Yeah, guess so. But what's your point?" "Careful, Quill, when she's tipsy she likes to-" But his voice faded into the background, replaced by a dull buzzing in his ears. He didn't hear whatever the rest of the warning was, at any rate. "Sooooo let's grab some punch and go to a different room. Where it won't be as crowded, ya know?" Sounded...perfectly rational to him. Right? Yeah, she just didn't want to be crowded...he didn't like that either... "Alright, sounds good." She grinned and turned, walking past and carefully sliding her tail under his muzzle. His cheeks went the sameshade of red as a cherry, the simple trick making his wings threaten to snap up. She must've done it by accident, the alcohol whispered seductively to him, there was no reason to be suspicious of her. She giggled and left the room-Quill followed, hearing Pipsqueak mutter;"No adults gonna stop this..?" He followed her out into the hallway, looking around. Dinky had stopped, waiting for him beside a door. Out here it was empty, the noises of the party floating to him from what seemed like a mile away. "I'm surprised ya followed me out. Buuuut I'm definitely not complaining." She stepped forward and lightly pressed her lips to his-he could still taste the cherry and orange, tangy flavor on her lips. He blinked slowly and, finally, his wings snapped straight up. "Hang in there big guy!" She giggled again, still with her cute little smile, and walked off. Swallowing, he followed her until she pushed open the door to a small, unused room that was devoid of furniture. "C'mere." She told him, beckoning him over. He nodded and walked over, only to be pushed into the room itself. She stepped in after him and shut the door. "See, isn't this better~? No crowding, and no other ponies~" He gulped, even with the alcohol something deep inside of him was screaming at him that something was amiss. She laughed, looking away abashedly, her cheeks stained pink. "If you don't wanna stay here with me you don't have to..." Her face fell a bit and, instincts given, he stepped forward. "Hey hey! Don't be sad, of course I'll stay." There was a shove and suddenly he found himself on his back, Dinky pinning him down. "Yay! I promise you won't regret it~" She placed a tiny, feather-light kiss on his chest. Then a little lower. Then a little lower, until his wings throbbed painfully, and he knew all-to-well why he'd been brought to this room. After a while, Quill came to in a linoleum-floored hallway, seeing all the fillies gathered around, ahead and behind him. They were headed for the room where he had first met this group, and he fell into step along with them immediately. Ruby and Diamond had fallen into place on either side of him, but there were other fillies everywhere. At the front and back of the group, two mares walked, keeping a sharp eye on the group. The events of the party seemed a mile away, and all he remembered right at that moment was that he had fallen asleep with Dinky after...things he shouldn't have done. What had Twilight said? Something like.."your actions will reflect on Fluttershy as much as you." At least, that was how he remembered it in his dopey, sleepy state. "I'm soooo sick and tired of this place." Diamond-Tainted-whatever-complained. "We get herded around like sheep all day every day, and the only time we're free to do what we please is..." she drifted off into thought. "Never." Ruby said. "The only time we're free to do as we please is never. They even tell us not to THINK about stuff. Like the colts, and suicide, and..." She to drifted off to thought. "Yeah, well, I don't mind them telling us not to think about doing ourselves in." Quill told them reasonably, thoughtfully, calmly. "But telling me not to think about the girls here, then sticking me in a group chock full of them? That's the height od idiocy." Tainted nodded like this made more sense than anything she had been told in her entire life, and she was taking it sincerely to heart. "Makes sense." was all Ruby said, looking back at her blank flank based on a long-standing habit. "Girl, chill about your flank. You might not have your cutie mark yet but you've still got guys staring at lunches." Tainted said with an air of haughtiness. Ruby blushed and Tainted gave a tiny, self satisfied smirk, her words having the desired effect. "I don't get it. Why do fillies-or mares-care about who stares at them? Isn't it awkward?" "First off," Ruby said, "-don't say that, because you know you've stared too." Ruby didn't have a second, but Tainted did. "And secondly," Tainted began, "It's not about who stares, it's about how much attention we're getting." She winked playfully and Quill looked ahead as they walked into the wood reception area. It made sense, he supposed-it was all about vanity. Like guy's bragging about other assets. Not that he himself did that, but he'd heard the other colts going on about it when he was with them. They walked down the hallway, the sound of a hundred little hooves tapping on the wood as they went. The mares in the lead and rear never spoke, but Quill just knew that they were listening to each and ever word that they spoke. There was the blonde mare, the other was white coated with a mane of the emerald green dragons drooled for. "Well, I'm glad that they put you in the group with us. It gets boring, with only fillies to look at." A filly with a coat that matched his own and a rust-colored tail winked flirtatiously. The emerald-maned mare turned around with a harsh look on her face as they walked into the room with the tables, rug and chairs. "Keep talking like that, and I'll make sure that he's out of here as soon as possible." The blonde mare spoke before emerald even had a chance to. The filly who had spoken shut up at once. When they had all entered and the other fillies were blocking the adult's view she hissed out of the corner of her mouth; "Wouldn't want that, now would we?" He smirked-he didn't mean it in a haughty way-but to a thirteen year old, those kinds of words make you feel good. "Now, everypony, we're going to be doing art therapy again," There was a collective groan from all over the room, "-and I don't want to hear any complaining." "But-!" The rust-maned filly tried to burst out. "No! Art therapy is every Tuesday and Thursday. You know that. It's today. We're doing it. Now shush." Rust sighed, crossing her arms in her chair. Her wings probably would have fluffed up with irritation had she not been an earth filly. Not more than a few moments later emerald left, to return moments later rolling along a cart laden down with paper, colored pencils, paletts and more things that could be used to put some sort of picture together. He sighed-he hated this no matter which group he was in-and grabbed a sheet of paper and a stick of charcoal. "We can't let you have sharpeners!" Emerald made it known, "Because, (before you ask) someone on the colt's side broke it for the blade." "Is he okay?" Quill asked. "Yeah, but he's got bandaged forelegs." "Glad you aren't as stupid as the rest of those colts.." Ruby muttered to him, softly enough that it wasn't heard. "So," Emerald continued, "-if you need something sharpened, just bring it on up to us." She sat, finished addressing the foals and teens, then pulled out a book with her horn and flipped it open to a page most of the way through. Quill watched boredly for all of ten seconds before he looked away, out the window. The view wasn't spectacular-it was just the mostly-thawed parking lot. Winter was about over, but there were still patches of snow clinging to the ground in places. Beyond that, there was a stretch of trees that, while not going on forever, blocked the view of anything beyond them and gave the illusion that they stretched all the way to the horizon. "So now what. We just draw?" Ruby asked boredly. "Haven't you been here for this before?" Quill asked in confusion. "Stubborn kid wouldn't participate the last two times that she's been here for them. Yes, Ruby, just use the stuff to make something. Anything, just fillllllll the paper." Ruby nodded and reached for the wooden handle of a wide-bristled paintbrush. Quill woke up in a bed, covered in a heavy quilt. 'Wow,' he thought, '-I don't have to be watched on the couch anymore?' He was in a guest room of sorts, it seemed, colored with a plain, generic white, floor a dark paneled wood. He grunted quietly and pushed himself up, getting out of the bed. Already the foggy remnants of whatever dream he had had were slipping away from him. He frowned, then-it was a terrible feeling to him whenever you had a dream-possibly a good one-only to forget it the moment you woke up. Shrugging it off, he left the room, finding his way through the hallway into the main room. "There you are Quill!" It was Fluttershy, sitting on the couch. "I've decided you'll start fresh at school next week. Now come, sit down." She said seriously, gesturing to the couch across from her. He tilted his head with confusion but obeyed, going and sitting across from her. She regarded him with a sort of face like a friend who had caught her friend doing something illegal and was torn between silence and turning them in. The memory of how the party ended came flooding back to him in an instant. "Well, I've yelled at Pinkie for being so foolish as to give you teens a drink like that." -was how she began. Quill nodded. Though, yelling for her was probably equal to his normal voice. If that. "She's a crazy mare right down to the core, and that was seriously irresponsible." "She was drunk herself-" Quill interjected, "she wasn't in any sort of right mind." "But still, you don't spike a bowl of punch minors are drinking from." Fluttershy's voice was still soft spoken-but stern and disapproving. "Since you haven't asked, I take it you know exactly what she did to the punch?" Quill nodded. "Yeah, I found out after I had drank a few cups of it. And I admit I had one more after as well." Fluttershy nodded, her eyes full of disappointment. "And, Quill, do you remember what happened after you had the punch?" "I...um.." Quill's mouth felt very dry all of a sudden. "I remember that Dinky said the party was crowded.." He looked away. "Quill, look at me." He looked back at her. "What happened after that?" "Well, um..she pushed me into a room and..." He broke off, unable to complete the sentence. "Yes, well, luckily, you didn't get her pregnant. Honestly, giving teens vodka...what was she thinking?" Quill's eyes had widened. "I didn't BUCK her!!!!!" "I know, Quill, but you didn't do nothing, either. And you're only fourteen! I convinced the others that you just fell asleep together, tired out from the party-I wasn't going to let you be in trouble. But, still..." She sighed, wings flapping irritably. "Well, it could've been worse, I suppose. You were being a kid...who was under the influence. But, Quill, don't go around doing things like that, okay?" Quill nodded, heart thudding with embarrassment. "Alright, go ahead and find something to do." He nodded and left the room quickly, stepping outside without a word. His face burned and his ears were ringing. Had he really...had he really done that? THAT?? He was surprised at himself, but the memories of what he'd done...well, he didn't regret it. But still, it was probably wrong to have a stand like that. Shaking the thoughts out of his head, he set off away from the cottage. It was embarrassing, deeply, to have been caught. And at one point had Fluttershy discovered? Had she seen, fainted, and moved him to a bed later when she woke? Or had she just found them asleep late in the night and known from the scent. The town seemed quiet and and cheerful, only a few ponies were walking through the town. He walked on quickly, freshly-preened wings folded down at his sides. Preening was torture for a pegasus, same as horn-filing for a unicorn. The earth ponies were lucky to not have such a weakness, but at the same time, they lacked the capabilities of cloud walking or a telekinetic spell. Not to say that they were inferior- 'Damn,' he thought, 'don't think like that!' And then, 'you're not your dad. Never will be.' And this calmed him down, and he walked on, and he enjoyed the heat from the sun and started to relax. The winter's chill was being chased away rapidly by the springtime sun, and before long there would be ponies sunbathing, he just knew. It was fun, though the only times he had been able to do it were on hard concrete or tile. It was a warmth that slowly soaked in through your fur, right down to your bones, and chased the darkness away. Made you pure, he felt, and that was a feeling he could never get enough of. It made him forget about the negative things he'd seen, things he'd been through-all to be replaced by nirvana, tranquility. He blinked. He had stopped in the middle of the street, eyes closed as memories of sunbathing wrestled with memories of the very thoughts that they chased away. Good and bad, light and dark, whatever you wanted to call it. A couple passerby had stopped and were watching him cautiously-bad memories were resurfacing and his face was screwed up in an expression of agony. Shakily he tried to calm down. Only, he could hear so clearly.. "Q-Quill! Just g-g-go! K-Keep...don't ever s-stop, Quill..." She was delirious..."But g-get out of here...write it off..." Her last few words came with deadly clarity, and he ran. Ran off into the night, the image of the little white filly with her face smeared in blood burned forever into his mind. Eyes dull, half-dead, but full to the brim of love for him, full of caring and understanding. She hadn't wanted to drift off forever by herself, lying covered in blood on the wood. But, at the same time...there was no way she wanted the same thing to happen to him. She wanted to carry on, and...he knew he needed to. For her. But, the memories felt like they were just to much to bear..." His face was screwed up again and he turned into an alley, trying to escape the caring eyes that annoyed him more than anything at the moment. His breathing was uneven, eyes shut tightly. "Quill...I l-love you, ya big...idiot...now g-go. And one day, i-if you think i-it'll help...let them k-know our story. Your s-story...more important...than you k-know.." He sank down to the ground, burying his face in his hooves. 'Don't scream, don't cry.' He scolded himself as a tiny whine broke past his lips. 'Shut the buck up and get back up. You're FINE, damnit!' He told himself, and told himself, and told himself, alone in that shady alley. Nopony there, utterly alone. The darkness was pressing in on all sides, his head swam and his mind was threatening to black out. That wouldn't be good..." "Hey!" He was suddenly being held like a cat by something soft and something rough. Still panting ever-so-quietly, he looked down, seeing a paw under his chest. The rough something under his back legs felt like a talon. Twisting around, he fought down the urge to buck whatever it was as hard as he could, as many times as he could. "Shh, calm down little stallion." He growled, vision stained with black, and struggled, only to be held firm. He finally gave up, pulse pounding, and twisted around to see what had him. It was the weirdest thing, seemingly a mix of pony, bat, dragon, lion and eagle. The eyes were yellow lamps with spots of red like paint-or blood, he thought-for pupils. It was really an unnerving sight. "Kid, kid...calm down, okay?" He didn't struggle. He tried to steady his breathing-it didn't come easily at all. The creature-whatever it was-held him close, standing in the alley and holding him off the ground. Gradually the black faded away, but the image of the little filly with blood all over her, her green eyes dull, her usually glossy brown mane hanging dull and soaked through with her own blood. That stayed in his head and he knew it would be a long time before he managed to forget it, and even then it would only be for a few moments. "Why are you in an alley? You look like you're about to lose it..." "N-Not anymore I'm not..." "What is it, though? I don't want you wandering around upset, little dude." Quill turned a questioning eye up to him. "Oh, right. I'm Discord. And Fluttershy told me that you were Quill, am I correct?" "Y-Yeah, that's me." He suddenly felt small, weak and insignificant. Embarrassing, it was. "Alright, well, Quill, are you okay?" "Yeah, I am." He swallowed. He could see the blood so clearly, remember the irony scent...the way she had given him one final smile, full of all the love and affection that she could muster. He tried to shake it off but...things like that aren't just to be forgotten. "You sure? You feel a bit shaky..." "Yeah, I'm s-sure." He paused for a moment to steady his voice. "I'm sure. I just realized I don't even know-what day is it?" "It's Saturday, Quill. You'll be starting at school the day after tomorrow, I do believe, no? I remember my time in school, learning chaos and the dark arts...with trial and error on the teachers-herm well that's not the point. And you don't cause trouble when you go, mister!" Quill rolled his eyes, actually managing to crack a short, rugged laugh. "That's the spirit!" He grinned, showing off many dagger-sharp fangs. Quill wasn't unnerved anymore somehow, they weren't directed at him. "So, now seriously, do you wanna tell me what's up?" Little bloody Pegasus... "Nah. I'm good now, so it hardly matters." Discord nodded, snapped-suddenly Quill felt himself standing solidly back on the ground. Discord was weird, he stood on two legs. Draconaquis, he thought the term was. "It does matter, but I won't force you to tell me anything, mister." "How'd you know where to find me anyway?" Quill asked. "Well, SOME ponies have to keep their secrets, yes?" He gave the Pegasus a conspiring wink and again Quill laughed, feeling a little burst of energy like he'd just downed some coffee. "Let's get you home, huh?" He asked, and walked off with Quill when he received a nod. Quill sighed, the noonday breeze carrying the very faint scent of copper. Or was that just his imagination?