CHAPTER 36
AUTHORS NOTE: I would like to give a shout-out to MuzzledElk, the one who did my cover art, and some fanart. Thanks dude!
Now that shout-outs are done, there will be more viewpoint changes. I will indicate them each time, just like before.
"Hrm... Ugh... AHHH EVIL SPACE MONKEY STEALING MY PERKS!"
...
"Wait, what?"
I woke up on Dashie's couch, having slept there instead of at home. I had half a mind to sell my house and move in with her, but immediately decided against it. Moving all of my stuff up here would be a major pain.
"Oh, Kyle! You're awake! I have breakfast for you!"
"Ohhh, thanks Dashie!" She had made wheat pancakes. I could feel a drool working up, so I dug in.
"Wow! This is great! Better than my Mom's cooking."
We both laughed at that.
"Yeah, I don't really try cooking that much, but decided to for you."
"Awww. Thanks."
I kept chowing down. I hadn't eaten anything other than restaurant food ever since my picnic with Fluttershy. You have no idea how good it was to eat something homemade.
"So, what do you wanna do today, love?"
"I dunno, Kyle... Wait, what did you call me?"
"You heard me."
She blushed a cute dark red color.
"Oh... W-well... I..."
"Relax, just think about it, OK?"
"O-OK..."
She walked out of the dining room.
I finished eating, and decided it would be best to just get up before I get too comfortable.
"Ooohhhh... My back..."
"You have a bad back too?"
"Yeah... It happened when I was about twelve. I always carried a lot of books in my backpack, and I carried at least five textbooks with me all day in school. I eventually developed a slouch, and it made my back go bad."
"Wow, you're like a crotchety old man."
"I know... I'm a sixteen year old with the body of an eighty year old..."
Dashie walked behind me, and gave me a light buck in the back. I felt a pop, and I could stand up straight again.
"Thanks..."
"No problem, love." She grinned mischievously. Now it was my turn to blush.
"Oh you... So, what is it that you want to do today?"
"I think that you should just have some time with your other friends. Hang out with a stallion for once... Like Big Mac."
"Yeah, that would probably be good for me. I've been around you mares too much lately."
We laughed again.
"All right, well, bye Kyle."
"Later, Dashie. Onwards and upwards! Allons-y!"
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I was at Sweet Apple Acres, talking to Big Mac about how things were going with Fluttershy.
"She's finally startin' t' talk t' me, and she ain't as shy 'round me no more."
"You're slowly making progress, Mac. I'm proud of ya'."
"Eeyup... How're things 'tween you n' Rainbow Dash?"
"Great. We've gotten... Closer... Recently."
"Ah' heard 'bout what happened."
"Ah. I see. Well, I would assume that everypony in Ponyville would know after Pinkie threw a party about it..."
"Eeyup. That, n' the fact that AJ told me."
"Curse her honesty... So, wanna go hang out somewhere other than this farm?"
"Eeyup. Ah' ain't been out on th' town fer' a while now, so it should do me some good."
"What do you wanna do?"
"How about we go lookin' fer' somethin'?"
"Alright."
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Me and Mac had wandered for a good twenty minutes before stopping at a small tavern.
"Ah'm hungry. Lets git' somethin' t' eat here."
"Sure. I've got money with me."
We walked in, and I saw Zephyr sitting at a table with Spitfire.
"Well hey there Zeph, Spitfire."
"Oh, hey Kyle."
"Well if it isn't the hero." I swear, it's as if Spitfire WANTS me to get angry.
Me and Mac sat down at the table.
"So, how goes it with you and Dash, Kyle?"
"Zeph, you aren't gonna believe this... We kissed."
I saw his pupils get smaller, and his jaw drop.
"R-really? That's... Nice."
"Yeah... So, how about you and Spitfire? You seem nice and friendly." I shot him a smug grin.
"Oh! She just offered to hang out, to get to know the most likely candidate to join the team."
"Woah, really? Dude, that's awesome!"
"Yeah, I'm glad you gave my offer to him. He's a good flyer. Really good."
"No problem Spitfire."
"Ah' can't believe Ah'm sittin' at a table with two celebrities..." I had almost forgotten that Mac was there.
"Oh, right. Spitfire, this is Big Macintosh. He's a friend of mine."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Big Mac."
"It's a mighty fine chance t' meet Ya' too."
"OK, so now that introductions are out of the way... Zeph, I'm a tad bit worried..." I looked down in front of him, hinting to the five empty apple cider bottles that were sitting in front of him.
"Oh, I'm fine... Just trying to... Unwind..."
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CHANGE VIEWPOINT: ZEPHYR
I sat at the table, keeping a fake smile on the whole time. I was actually pretty upset about Kyle and Dash going even further in their relationship, but I didn't want to ruin the night.
"...And then I poked him on the shoulder and said 'Excuse me, kind sir...' And then WHAM! He was down. The lady wasn't hurt, thank the Goddesses."
Spitfire giggled. "Yep, sounds to me like you really are a hero, Kyle."
"Nah... I'm just a guy who likes to help."
"Yer' puttin' on the modest guise, huh?"
"Oi!"
I downed another bottle of apple cider. My head was already swaying, and I felt woozy, but it was definitely keeping the away.
"Zeph, dude. I don't think you should be drinking so much."
"Oh yeah? Well, why donsh you try ish?" I tried to talk back, but my voice was slurred.
"Nah, I'm too young. The food here is pretty good though."
He sounded smug to me. I wanted to hit him. But he was my friend, and I was pretty sure that if I tried to stand up, I would fall right over.
"Alrighty, Kyle. Ah' gotta git' goin'. It was nice gettin' t' hang out with ya'. Ah'll seeya later."
"Laters, Mac!"
Big Mac left. It was just me, Spitfire, and Kyle.
"I gotta get going too. I have a party to DJ tonight. It's supposed to be crazy, so I have to think of some crazy beats to mix up. See you guys later."
Correction: It was just me and Spitfire.
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CHANGE VIEWPOINT: KYLE
I was banging my head, loving the rush from the music and the party. my earbuds somehow stayed in place.
"Man, it feels good to party with the crowd. I'm glad that I'm not the only DJ in town now." Vinyl had walked out of the crowd. Her hoodie was wrinkled, but I didn't dare ask why.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. But I think I would prefer to be up here. Making sure these ponies all have a good time... It feels right to me."
"You're a natural-born saint, Kyle."
"Oh come on..."
"I mean it! You love to help people!" I saw Octavia emerge from the crowd. Her face was a deep red, and I saw a glass in her hoof. Oh... Now I see why Vinyl's hoodie was wrinkled.
Vinyl looked to where I was looking, realized what I was thinking, and blushed.
"Well, we are marefriend and marefriend."
"Just try not to bite her tongue off."
Vinyl smiled, and trotted off. Then, I saw somepony fly up from downstairs. It was Spitfire.
"Hey, Kyle? Think you could help me carry Zephyr home?"
"What the heck happened?"
"Too much apple cider."
"I saw that coming... Alright, just let me play the next song."
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CHANGE VIEWPOINT: SPITFIRE
It had been a few days since I met up with Zephyr at the tavern, and he had been drinking non-stop until then. It was all he did. It was like he was trying to drown out his sorrows... But what could they be?
I knocked on his door. No answer. I took the spare key out of his mailbox, and I went inside.
"Zephyr?"
"Ohhh..." I heard him groaning in his living room.
"Oh... Zephyr... You need to stop doing this..."
"I'm fine... Ow my head..."
I heard the door open again, and then fast-paced hoofsteps... But they sounded strange...
Kyle walked into the room, with a distressed look on his face.
"Listen, Zeph. I know you've been drinking ever since I told you about me and Dashie... Yeah. Are you still upset that we're together?"
"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be! I love her, and you snatch her away from me! Why'd you do that? I thought we were friends!"
"Zephyr..." I tried to reason with him.
"I just wanted some love in my life..."
"Zeph..." Kyle put his hands on the back of his head and took a deep breath. This was really bugging him.
"Go away... I just want to be alone..." Zephyr rolled over.
A thought popped into my head.
"Zephyr... If you want love in your life, you should just look a little further... It isn't far off..."
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CHANGE VIEWPOINT: KYLE
"DANG IT KYLE! YOU MESS EVERYTHING UP! YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT! YOU'RE A FAILURE!"
I was screaming at myself in my mind. I had turned my friend into an alcoholic.
"Zeph... You said you wanted love in your life? Just get out there and look around! It can't be that hard! There are plenty of mares out there looking for a good stallion like you!"
I was throwing my arms around to emphasize my point.
"That's what I was just thinking..." Spitfire said.
"Well who else would possibly want a loser like me?"
"Me..." Spitfire said, almost inaudible.
"What?" Me and Zeph said at the same time.
"Yes... Zephyr, I really like you. You seem like a nice guy, and you're always determined to do your best. You can always see the good in people... And I can see the good in you..."
Spitfire was... Into Zeph? This was certainly a revelation.
He sat up. "Do you really mean that?"
"Yes... Will you give me a chance?"
There was a long pause. The tension was killing me. For some reason, I felt a hint of irony.
Then, Zeph finally answered.
"Yeah... Yeah I'd like that."