//------------------------------// // Quiet Nights - Uncomfortable Details // Story: The Cost of a Sunrise // by No one is home //------------------------------// “I can’t believe you’ve been with us a year, big guy.” Ziggy laughed easily as he drove the stake while the nameless giant held the tent rope tight.  “I admit, I was kinda nervous with you being around Maggy and Daisy at first…” The pony thing snorted and shot the human clown an incredulous look.  “Oh come on don’t look at me like that, I’m not jealous like bug-boy over you and the Queen.  It’s just you were a straight up wastelander, and I care about the twins… like… a lot…” One of the beast’s snakes coiled around the rope to look Ziggy in the eye’s and giggle like a schoolgirl.  “Yeah, yeah, real funny, laugh it up, but I’m serious. Tonight I’m gonna ask Mr. Atlas for permission to court her propper.” Following another incredulous look, the human burst out in frustration, “Look, I’m not even that much older than her.  I’m not some perv like Rollo! And she’s not a little filly anymore. Nine hells, they get married younger in half the settlements we perform in.” The beast just laughed and shrugged as Ziggy continued.  “Yeah, I know, you’re not the one I need to convince…” -=-=-=-=- “I’m not jealous of him, Magpie!” Slapstick fumed at his costar. “Oh, yeah, nobody whose jealous ever angrily proclaims the they’re not jealous,”  Magpie smirked. Daisy replied, “Look, Slapstick, we know you’ve got a crush on her majesty,  trust me, everyone knows....” Magpie sharply interrupted, “Which, mom says Queen Sunrise should have shut down a long time ag.” Daisy rolled her eyes and continued, “All I’m saying is just think about it.  What’s your real problem with Mister? He’s nice as he can be to everyone...” Magpie interrupted again, “Nine hells, you two were buddies up until last week when you found out he was having cuddle times with her majesty...” Daisy stamped her hoof and huffed, “Magpie! We talked about this!” Magpie testly replied, “What? We’ve been competing with a Queen for two years and now all of a sudden HE gets to feel all jealous over HER?!?!” “Wait!” The young, chitinous colt yelped, “What are you talking about?” “We like you stupid!” Magppie snapped, “Is it THAT hard to notice???  I know we’re not statuesque royalty, but we work together on the same stage every single day!” “Woah!  What?” Slapstick too half a step back. “You like me?  Both of you? I mean I like you too, I mean both of you... I don’t know what to say?  I mean… I thought… I mean Ziggy said you two and him were kinda a thing, but you were putting off making it official because of your dad or something…” “Ziggy told you what, again?”  Daisy’s normally warm and kind voice chilled the air. -=-=-=-=- You thought I was illiterate? Deadlift passed the notepad to Baylie and laughed at the leatherwing’s expense, “HE thought you were illiterate.  We’ve had a running bet for the whole year! You owe me five beers, you old bat! Good ones, from a real town, not some local beet-beer!” “Yes, yes, you’re right, he’s a regular intelectual, which makes this much easier.”  The blue leatherwing waved a dismissive hoof. “You’ve been with a us for a while now, you’ve done a wonderful job supporting her majesty, but we do have a few questions.  I think we can start with why you hid the fact that you can read and write.” I didn’t.  You just assumed I was illiterate.  Why IS that? “Don’t turn this around on me!”  The ringmaster fumed. “He’s got a point Baylie,” Atlas Deadlift admonished his boss, “I didn’t assumed he was illiterate, and neither did Margarine.  You can bet your best shoe that Babs didn’t, that old goat ain't never assumed nothin’ in her whole life, I’d wager.” He turned to the beast.  “Does her majesty know?” Of course she does. “Alright, that just leaves the big question then,” giant pale horse sighed heavily, “What’s your damned name already.” I don’t have one.  I haven’t since I became… this. The beast gestured with one hoof at it snake infested face.  Drawing an incredulous glance from the antean. “Okay, so you weren’t born like that… but you did have a name before, right?” I don’t remember, I had to have one.  I SHOULD remember it. It’s been a long time but there’s so much more that I DO remember.  It has been a long time. Mostly ponies in the ash called me “freak” or “monster” if they didn’t just shoot first.  It’s been years at least. “Okay,” Deadlift nodded slowly, “Fair enough.  What should we call you then?” ”Big Guy” and “Mister” hasn’t been a problem so far.  Is it now? “I suppose it isn’t.”  Deadlift nodded. “I’ll be honest, we’ve just heard how you and Queen Sunrise have been getting mighty close lately.  We’re just looking out for her, she can be flighty sometimes, and we don’t want some stallion twice her age taking advantage of her… condition.” Twice her age?  At least twice THAT. I know the scars make it hard to see the lines, but I am OLD. Deadlift looked closer at the beast, suddenly noticing deep set wrinkles around incredibly cold and calculating eyes, “Nine hells… you are old, big guy.” I was 78 when the army forced me to retire.  That pissed me off. We were in the middle of the war, and they sidelined me just because the young bucks were uncomfortable that a stallion who looked old enough to be their granddaddy could out march, and out fight any two of them.  I wasn’t always this big, but I wasn’t exactly a little pony neither. “78?!?!” Baylie sputtered haplessly. “Wait, a minute… war?  Army?” Atlas narrowed his eyes.  “Just how old are you?” I don’t know.  I sort of lost track of time, I know it has to have been years… how many? 20? 30?  I think I gotta be at least a hundred? How long has it been since the sky caught fire?