Shadow and the others trotted their way down the dirt path to Apple Acres. Fluttershy told the other two that he usually hangs out there with Applejack during his free time. They see the orange mare leaning against the dark stallion under a large tree when they arrive.
Rainbow Dash raises a brow and smirks "Well well, what have we here?”
Applejack sits up and smiles "Well howdy sugarcubes."
"Don't change the subject on me girl. I saw how close you were to Charcoal" Rainbow Dash grins. She blushes and tips her hat forward
"Yeah. Me and Charky are together"
Shadow chuckles at the nickname "I didn't know you go for southern style mares... Charky" Charcoal eyes the purple pegasus and gives her a bit of a sour look.
Shadow gives a cheeky smile and Fluttershy tries to break the tension. "We need your help with something Charcoal" the quiet pony mutters.
"Let me guess. It has to do with Pinkie Pie right?" he says blankly. The trio looks at him in surprise "How do you know?” He points to the nub of hair on the back of his neck
"I think it's pretty obvious". Upon seeing the disaster, Rainbow Dash falls over laughing her mane off. Shadow puts a hoof over her face and sighs
"Ok, ok. We all get the situation now. Charcoal, we need you to talk to Pinkie. You're the only pony that hasn't gotten a party from her yet."
"And you want me to help set it in a way that'll get her to at least notice you right?" he said. Shadow nods and Charcoal thinks it over.
He trots down Ponyville Square and spots Pinkie. 'Ok, so I just act a bit hurt that she never threw me a party' he thought 'Sounds simple enough'. Looking around, it'd be pretty obvious to spot a pink pony with cotton candy hair among a crowd of ponies. However, it was very crowded and with everypony trotting about, he could barely keep his focus on one. He wades his way through the crowd until he accidentally bumps into somepony. A white mare with goggles stumbles back a bit and shades her head.
"Whoa, sorry! I didn't know where I was going!" she said. The blue maned mare stood quiet for a bit and took off her goggles, wincing her eyes at him. "Charcoal? Charcoal is that you?" she says. He tilts his head wondering how she knew his name, until it hit him.
"Vinyl? What?! Wow, you changed!" he said in shock. Vinyl laughed and smiled
"Yeah! And it looks like I won the bet too!” Charcoal cringed, remembering the bet several years ago when he was working for Celestia. They made a bet on who would leave their hair growing without cutting it. Thanks to Shadow, he lost the bet. He handed her 20 bits and Vinyl placed it in her saddlebag. "So what brings you to Ponyville?" Vinyl said with a bit of excitement.
"A lot of things really, but right now I'm looking for Pinkie. Have you seen her?”
"Pinkie just took off to Sugarcube corner" Vinyl said.
"Ok, cause I have to set up some party that she forgot to do for me, I don't really know all about the details" Charcoal shrugged. The DJ pony laughed and hugged him
"I really missed you. I'll be sure to talk to Pinkie about it. I'm always at her parties anyway!"
"Good to know" Charcoal smiled. He left the Square and decided to trot around Ponyville to become more familiar to the places he hasn't been to yet. He turns into a path that cuts off just before hitting the Library and sees a large building labeled "Carousel Boutique". Rarity is seen outside and waves at him.
"Hello there darling! I hardly see you around. What brings you around this part of Ponyville?" she smiles.
"Just walking around Ponyville. I got to know the places I have to work right?" he said with a half-hearted smile.
"Oh indeed" Rarity says, taking a look at his tattered vest and gasping "What is that abomination of a cloth you have around you?” Charcoal looks down and back at her with a confused look
"It's my vest..."
"You can't simply be working with such a worn down vest! Come into my shop! I'll have you fitted with a new one in no time!" she says, grabbing his hoof and dragging him inside.
Charcoal sat on the floor and just stared as his vest was ripped from his chest and thrown onto a table. He tried to cover himself, still a bit self-conscious as Rarity worked in her workshop of fashionable horrors..... as Charcoal describes. Wiping a bit of the sweat from her forehead, she turns and shows him his vest, which looks brand new and has sleek silver lines going along the sides.
"Wow... uh..." Charcoal was speechless.
Rarity giggles "I am the most generous pony in Ponyville. Though I am a bit curious" Rarity hesitates as Charcoal looks at her with a bit of confusion. "Why are you so cross with your memories from Canterlot?”
He only looked at her quietly and took his vest. "Thanks for patching up my vest..." The sullen stallion said, walking out. Rarity looked concerned as Charcoal left the shop in a hurry. Pinkie suddenly crashed into him and gasped
"Charky! I'm so sorry! I forgot to throw you a welcome party!"
“I am offended" he said sarcastically "Not throwing me a party. I am hurt."
"Don't worry! We’ll throw one right away!" the party pony jumped up and bounced about before disappearing in a pink blur. She was gone before he could blink; setting up everything for the party, though Charcoal himself had other plans....