Beebee’s eyes were glued onto his bedroom ceiling, and his lips were tightly pressed into a thin line. His cracked flank occasionally throbbed at him as a reminder of its presence, but the pain was dull enough to be ignored for now. Besides, it didn’t hurt nearly as much as the memory of Eventide shouting at him.
Beebee winced and closed his eyes as he recalled just how loud his father had gotten. He had only ever heard the man get that loud once or twice before in his life, and usually, it was out of concern for Beebee’s wellbeing than out of anger or disappointment. Hearing it directed at him like that… it had been more than a little upsetting.
But that was far from the worst of it. It had been scary and saddening, yes, but the shouting was far from the worst part. No, the worst part was the emotions that had been pouring out of Eventide while he had been shouting. He had been angry, sad, relieved, disappointed, frustrated, and many more feelings that Beebee couldn’t name.
If he had to make a comparison to what it was like, he would say that it was similar to being swallowed whole by one of those avalanches he sometimes saw on TV. There had been no way out, no escape, and nothing he could do to protect himself. There was just the rush, and the pain it had brought. Just the thought of it made him shudder uncomfortably, and he rolled onto his side to pull his blankets up to his chest for warmth.
He was abruptly drawn out of his ruminations when he heard a gentle knock on his door. He opened his eyes with a quiet intake of breath, then looked over to see Eventide slipping into the room. He flicked on the overhead lights, allowing Beebee to get a look at his face. He looked calm, thoughtful, and even a little tentative. The hazy lavender hue of his aura displayed his trepidation clear as day.
Beebee released his hold on his blankets and sat fully upright, his eyes trained intently on his father. Eventide paused for a moment under those eyes, then walked over to the bed. He stood there for a moment, just looking at Beebee, who looked right back. Then, with a quiet exhale, Eventide got down on one knee so he could examine the cracks on Beebee’s flank. “Hey,” he greeted quietly. “How’s your leg?”
Beebee winced and glanced back down at his injury as it gave another spark of pain. “It still hurts… but it’s not too bad…” he answered truthfully, his tone quiet and dispassionate.
“Good…” Eventide breathed, his voice sounding a little relieved. He then turned around and sat on the edge of the bed, gingerly scooping Beebee into his lap while he did so. “Have you been thinking about what I said?”
Beebee nodded slowly, his glowing eyes unable to look into Eventide’s. “Yeah… I’m sorry, dad…” he apologized in a hushed voice, burying his face into the man’s chest.
“I know you are,” Eventide acknowledged, pulled Beebee a little closer and sharing his body heat. The warmth soon began to ease Beebee’s muscles and mind, and he started to relax in Eventide’s grip. Then, to his quiet delight. The air around them began to fill up with love and fondness. Beebee peeled his head back from Eventide to look at it, then opened his mouth to pull some of it in. The colors flowed down his throat and tickled his taste buds with flavors similar to strawberry ice cream and lemonade.
He bit back a grunt of disgust when he accidentally sucked down a far more rancid and bitter tasting emotion- leftover guilt and uncertainty that smothered his mouth in a flavor he could only describe as moldy bark on a tree. He stuck his tongue out and shook his head to dispel the rotten flavor before hugging Eventide close again, his wings wavering on his back.
They sat like that in silence for a while, and Beebee’s own fears and worries slowly became more manageable. Yes, he was in trouble, and he knew that. But he also knew that he deserved it. He had made a stupid decision. He’d almost gotten himself killed out there, and the punishment he had received was only fair.
After a few minutes, Eventide slowly nudged Beebee back so they could look into each other’s eyes. His own were slightly narrowed as if he were searching Beebee for some kind of specific sign or clue. Beebee shrunk back a little from that piercing gaze, his hooves fidgeting together.
At last, Eventide broke the silence. His voice was gentle and slow. “Now… Beebee… you mentioned earlier that you left the house because you were lonely, right?”
Beebee grimaced as that was brought back to the forefront of his mind. He looked away guiltily, his upper lip peeling back in disdain. “It’s stupid,” he grumbled, clearly dejected. “Why should I feel lonely? I have you, Buddha, and Aunt Fluttershy. I love you guys, and you love me. I’m not alone.”
Eventide reached out, lightly taking Beebee’s chin in his fingers and turning his head so they were eye to eye again. A flicker of confusion swam in to join his other feelings on the matter when he saw Eventide’s face. It was a thoughtful and unsure one like he was trying to think of how exactly to say something. He shifted slightly and licked his lips. “Beebee… there’s a difference between being alone and being lonely.”
Beebee frowned and tilted his head in confusion at that. His confusion only grew when a small smile of understanding spread on Eventide’s face. In the back of his young and developing mind, Beebee tried to piece it together. “Isn’t loneliness just what you feel when you’re all alone?”
In the end, he couldn’t find an answer on his own. So he tilted his head the other way and gave a wordless, questioning chitter, prompting Eventide to continue.
Eventide nodded sagely, lowering his hand so it was firmly grasping Beebee’s shoulder. “You see, Bee, being lonely doesn’t mean being all by yourself… It means that you are missing something. Something important that you can’t get from me, or Fluttershy, or Buddha. It has to come from someone else.”
Beebee straightened his head out, thinking that answer over. His wings twitched a few times on his back before he looked into Eventide’s eyes again. “What am I missing?”
Eventide sagged slightly before he withdrew his hand. His expression became solemn and regretful. “...Friends.”
Beebee blinked and leaned back a little bit. “Friends?”
“Yes. See, I’m your father, and Fluttershy is about as close to a mother as you’re going to get, I think. But… we’re the only people you really know. We’re your family, and you’ve known us for your entire life. But do you think, when I was growing up, all I had to talk to were my parents and a dog?”
Beebee slowly shook his head. “No… I guess not.”
“Exactly. I had friends growing up, I had friends when I worked at the Ginger Mart, and I have friends I work with on the trails every day. But you…?” he reached out, and gently poked Beebee in the chest, right where his little heart was beating under his chitin. “You don’t have any friends… and if you’re feeling lonely, then I think it means you need some.”
Beebee’s eyes slowly widened as Eventide spoke. And as he finished, Beebee perked up significantly, and his face lit up with realization and excitement. He leaned forward and lifted himself up on his hind legs, planting his hooves on Eventide’s shoulders so they were close to eye to eye. “You mean like Apple Bloom!?” he asked, his wings giving a quick little buzz. “She said we were friends before she went home!”
Eventide shrugged noncommittally. “I don’t know. Do you want her to be your friend?”
“Yes. Yes, I really do! Please, dad? Please?” Beebee all but begged, his heart beating just a little faster at the thought of getting to see Apple Bloom again. What little time he had spent with her had been frightening, to say the least, but it had also been thrilling and fulfilling. He couldn’t help but smile when he thought back on how they had talked when coming back, and what she had said before they went their separate ways.
“Sure Ah will! We’re friends now, ain’t we?”
Eventide took a moment, making a show of thinking over Beebee’s request, and drawing an annoyed and impatient pout from the bug. However, after a minute, Eventide smiled and nodded. “Alright, sure. You two can be friends.”
Beebee jumped off of Eventide to do a quick spin in the air, a visual display of his excitement. “Woohoo, yeah! Thanks, dad!”
“On one condition!” Eventide continued, a bit louder to be heard over Beebee’s wings.
He was quick to stifle his anticipation, coming to a stop in the air before coming in for a landing by Eventide’s side on the bed. He swallowed heavily. “What? What’s the condition?”
Eventide reached out to lightly poke Beebee on the tip of his horn, making the little guy snort and withdraw instinctively from the contact. “You need to be able to hold your human form for over an hour straight.”
Beebee’s eyes went wide again when he heard those words. He staggered back a few steps before falling to his haunches and gaping at Eventide in disbelief. “An hour?! That’s twice as long as I can do it!” he protested, his hooves flying up to his chest. “How am I supposed to do that?!”
Eventide frowned and rotated to face Beebee more directly. “Look at it like this, alright?” he began while leaning forward and clasping his hands together. “Apple Bloom is a regular girl, right? But you are the basement bug. You’re something completely foreign to her, and so leaving any room for her to see your real form is strictly out of the question.
“More than that, she is a teenager in high school. She’s older than you are by probably a decade, or more. Her perspective of time is a little different from yours because of that. She sees things faster than you. So, while thirty minutes is a long while for you, it’s not long at all to her, and it’s nothing to me.
“Besides, we know that your magic puts a strain on your physical body,” he continued, and Beebee nodded along, getting more comfortable on his haunches. “Well, a body under strain is a body that grows stronger, and you’ve gotten at least a little stronger in the last couple of years. Plus, when you first learned how to transform, you couldn’t do it for more than a minute. But now here you are, thirty times that. And, between you and me...” he leaned down towards Beebee and spoke in a quieter voice. “Thirty is a lot bigger than two.”
Beebee sat there for a moment, his mind doing some gymnastics of their own to process this. He didn’t even really notice as Eventide leaned back and watched him. The gears must have been practically visible, because he outright laughed at the sight, and the air lit up with some golden light.
Thinking about it, it made a lot of sense. Eventide was right; when he first discovered that he could shapeshift, he could only hold it for mere moments at a time. But as he had done it more and more, he could hold his shapes for longer and longer. He hadn’t even been trying to extend it, it just kinda happened on its own.
Now, if he made an active effort to get better, if he started training himself like those muscular guys in the action cartoons on TV did, maybe he could get better at holding his forms for longer. And with what Eventide had just put out, if Beebee wanted to be friends with Apple Bloom, he needed to get better.
With that thought firmly cementing itself in his mind, and a flame of determination igniting in his chest, Beebee looked up at Eventide and gave a sharp nod and appreciative smile. “Alright, I’ll try.”
Eventide smiled in return, then snaked one of his hands behind Beebee’s head to scratch at the base of his fin.
Oh, that was so unfair.
The sensation was delightful, as it always was. Beebee was powerless to do anything but let his eyes roll up into the back of his skull, and lean into those heavenly fingernails with a pleased series of chitters and chirps that he couldn’t prevent.
Eventide just laughed again as he abused the ‘Beebee off switch’, his smile growing wider and wider with adoration. “That’s all I need to hear,” He finally said before pulling his hand back.
Beebee quickly regained his composure with the loss of the scratches and stared at Eventide in slight disappointment. He couldn’t hold the pout for long, though, and smiled again. After a few moments, though, a thought occurred to him, and his happy smile became a tentative, yet hopeful one. “So… I can’t see Apple Bloom in person until I can hold my form for a long time right?”
Eventide nodded simply. “That is the deal, yes.”
Beebee shifted uncomfortably on his haunches, trying to think of how best to word his question. It was an odd one, and he had very little experience with the subject matter. But, after a minute, he lifted his eyes to meet Eventide’s again, those glowing blue orbs standing out brilliantly in the room. “Um… do you think that until I can do that, we could sometimes talk using your phone?”
Eventide blinked in surprise. He shifted around a little himself and rotated to face Beebee more directly. “Huh… y’know, I suppose we could do something like that,” he mused thoughtfully, a hand rising up to stroke his chin in thought.
Beebee relaxed all at once, an unseen tension fleeing from his muscles. He had to resist the urge to pump his hoof in victory.
“But I’ll need her number, first,” Eventide continued after a moment. “And I dunno if or when she’s gonna come by. And I’m not going out to look for her personally, at least not now. So you’re gonna have to rely on luck for that.”
Beebee’s face fell a little. Of course, he should have thought about that. “Oh… right.”
“And plus, you’re still grounded. Until you’re out of that, no phone calls for you.”
Beebee sighed heavily in disappointment, letting his face plow right into his covers. He groaned long and loud, feeling utterly defeated. “Aaaaw, man…”
Eventide just chuckled and rolled his eyes before leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on the back of Beebee’s head. When he pulled back, he kept his forehead pressing gently into his son’s. “I know you’re not happy with it, but it’s gotta happen. And no matter what, I will always love you… more than anything else in the world. You know that, right?”
Beebee nodded in response, relaxing somewhat. He sat up a bit and pressed his own forehead back into Eventide’s, reciprocating the pseudo-nuzzle. “I know, dad. I love you, too,” he said softly before leaning back and opening his eyes.
The two stayed like that for a little bit, just relaxing and enjoying the comforting presence of the other. Sadly, the moment couldn’t last forever, and Eventide had to go. He got up to his feet and nodded down at Beebee again. “Anyway, it’s late. Go ahead and get some sleep, okay? I’ll see you in the morning.”
Beebee couldn’t find it in himself to argue with that. He nodded and slowly dragged himself along his bed for his pillow. “Okay, dad. Good night…” he called, realizing only then just how drowsy he was. In short order, he was under the blankets and closing his eyes. The last thing he saw that night was his door swinging closed as the overhead light flicked off, plunging his room into darkness.
The next morning was, unfortunately, a gloomy affair. A heavy blanket of thick, dark clouds had smothered the sky, washing out the colors of the otherwise vibrant countryside. To add to the dreary atmosphere, they had started unloading a heavy torrent of warm summer rain on the world, drenching everything it touched.
Little streams and rivulets ran through the front yard of the house and between the pebbles of the gravel driveway, while water dripped from the roof and off of the leaves of nearby trees in excessive amounts. Puddles had formed practically everywhere, and the loud white noise generated by it all was simultaneously relaxing and unsettling.
Apple Bloom stood there before Beebee’s home, dressed in a bright blue water-resistant hoodie, long blue jeans, and her typical shoes. Over her shoulders was her backpack, same as the last time she had been here. She looked up at the sky for a minute, blinking rapidly as a few water drops splattered against her cheeks. She grimaced after a moment and looked ahead at the house before her. More specifically, the front door.
She had spent the last thirty minutes walking over here, stopping more than once to recall the specific direction she needed to go in. Now that she was here, she had taken notice of the plain blue car that sat in the driveway. Beebee’s father was home, then.
She frowned softly. She had no idea what to expect from the man, or even who he was. Beebee had claimed that he was a good man, and Apple Bloom had no reason to think that Beebee was lying. But still, there was a little bit of uncertainty in the back of her mind, warning her to at least be careful.
With a shrug, Apple Bloom finally pressed on, marching up the incline and sharply knocking on the front door several times. While she waited for an answer, she reached into her pocket and withdrew her phone to check the time. 10:07 AM. She put the device away, then glanced back at the backpack she was hauling along with her. She still had her first aid kit in there, ready to be used if needed.
Before she could think any further, the door of the home clicked and swung open. Apple Bloom faced forward and was greeted by the sight of a man that she hadn’t seen in years. She couldn’t remember his name, but she knew his face, and that Fluttershy was apparently really good friends with him.
He had light pink skin, close to the color of a peach, and he had short maroon-colored hair. His bright blue eyes looked at her in curiosity. He was wearing a grey t-shirt and cargo shorts that he looked pretty comfortable in. He looked at Apple Bloom for a moment before leaning against the frame of his door. “Hello? Can I help you?”
“Oh, sorry,” Apple Bloom shook herself and gave him a hopeful look. “Howdy, sir. Mah name’s Apple Bloom. Ah met Beebee yesterday out in the woods. I just wanted to check and see how he’s doin’, maybe change his bandages if they need changin’.”
The man nodded along slowly, his face lighting up with recognition. “Ah, Apple Bloom. I was kinda hoping you’d swing by. I want to thank you for taking care of Beebee yesterday.”
Apple Bloom just smiled wider. “Yes, sir, it was mah pleasure.”
“Glad to hear it. I’m Eventide,” he introduced himself in a friendly manner before glancing over his shoulder. He frowned and shifted a little to wave his hand dismissively at something moving around inside. “Hey, Buddha! No! Back!” he snapped, but his words were fruitless. A golden retriever dog shoved right by him and moved up to Apple Bloom, sniffing at her with a happily wagging tail.
Apple Bloom just giggled and reached down to pet the dog, Buddha, on the head a few times. ‘Why hello, there, Buddha! Yer a friendly girl, ain’t ya?”
“Bark!” Buddha responded happily before giving Apple Bloom’s hand a few friendly licks, making her chuckle in amusement.
Eventide sighed and shook his head in defeat. Apple Bloom didn’t miss the small smile on his face, though. “Heh. I can never win with this dog,” he grumbled before his expression became serious. “Anyway, you wanted to check in on Bee?”
“Oh, yes please, sir,” Apple Bloom looked back up at him, still giving Buddha a few pets. She didn’t mind that the dog was starting to get wet in the rain. “How is he? His leg was pretty messed up when Ah found him. How are his bandages?”
Eventide sighed heavily. “Well, he’s doing alright. His leg is still busted, so he’s not walking for a while. Don’t worry about his bandages, I changed them when we got up this morning.”
“Can Ah talk to him?” Apple Bloom asked hopefully. “Ya know, just to see for mahself? Ah kinda lost some sleep last night worryin’ if Ah’d done the first aid thing right.”
Eventide shook his head. “Sorry, but he’s grounded. He could have gotten himself killed, and he wasn’t supposed to leave the house without me. No TV, no guests, no games. Not until he’s learned his lesson.” he explained with an almost guilty look in his eyes.
Apple Bloom deflated at the news. Not really a surprise, she figured. Beebee had said it himself, he was going to be in trouble. “Ah understand…”
Eventide sighed quietly. “Sorry to disappoint you…” he muttered before his face lit up with realization. “Oh! Actually, I have an idea. Well, it was his idea, but…” he paused before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. “It’s actually kinda lucky that you came here so soon. Beebee’s been wanting to talk to you again, so how about I give you my cell number? If you wanna talk to him, you could call and see if it’s a good time. And if it is, I can hand you off to him. How’s that sound?”
Apple Bloom blinked, mildly surprised. Then she pulled her own phone out of her pocket with a smile growing on her face. She hadn’t been expecting this, but she wasn’t going to say no. “Well, Ah’d be lyin’ if Ah said Ah wasn’t interested, mister Eventide. And mah big sis always told me to never lie.”
“Ha. That’s a good philosophy to have,” Eventide replied, though there was something odd in the way he said it. Apple Bloom’s smile faltered as she considered it for a moment while copying down Eventide’s number into her contacts list. It was strange, but she just couldn’t put her finger on why.
Either way, once the numbers were copied down, she slid her phone back into its pocket and nodded at Eventide. “Alright, mister, Ah gotta run. Tell Beebee Ah said hi, alright?” she asked before turning to go.
“I will. And really,” Eventide called after her, giving her pause. She looked back at him to see that his face had softened considerably, and he gave her a look of profound gratitude. “Thank you very, very much for taking care of my son… I don’t know what I’d do without him. I owe you big time.”
Apple Bloom just grinned and nodded her head. “Nah, ya don’t owe me nothin’. He needed help, Ah gave it, and it was mah pleasure. Bye, now!” she waved at him before turning and walking off down the street and back for her home, a slight bounce in her step.
From the doorway, Eventide watched her go. Then, with a sigh, he beckoned Buddha back into the house and closed the door with a thunk and click.