//------------------------------// // Chapter Sixteen // Story: My Dear Shy - Life in Equestria // by Keeper-of-Harmony //------------------------------// So here's Rick's short list on how to start off a shitty morning. Throw up in a bucket the first minute you wake up in bed? Check. Throat burns like hell with irritated coughs? Check. Throw up the second time after the coughing? Check. Use the Lord's name in vain? ...Double-check. "This sucks!" I whine with an indignant frown, lowering the puke bucket down to the floor next to my bed. It really does suck to have that weird feeling when your stomach gurgles and you believe it to be an incoming burp, but then come to the horrific realization that it's not until it's too late. To the left of me, there is my precious and caring daughter using a clean napkin to wipe away some of the vomit drool on my mouth. To the right of me, dust-filled beams of sunlight stream through the two heart-shaped holes of the closed shutter window. The beams land right where my heart is. It is warm and soothing, just like my daughter's soft smile. "It's all right, Father," my daughter coos placatingly, petting the side of my noggin with a hoof. She takes the same napkin and gently dabs the corners of my mouth with her other hoof. "Everypony has to be allergic to something." I deadpan. "But hay? I mean come on! Out of all the things I could've likely been allergic to, it has to be hay. Moreover, I'm living in a universe where the inhabitants mainly eat the stuff!" "That's half-true. But we also eat fruits and vegetables, just like you," Fluttershy explains. My daughter discards the dirty tissue into a tiny waste bin next to her. "Though I'm sorry things turned out the way they did, especially right after your marvelous performance." My shoulders slump as I hang my head low. "Yeah..." I say, discontented. "And here I thought I'd made a good impression, only for it to be squandered." I shuffle slightly to lay my back against the headboard. "But the mentioning of food is makin' me hungry all of a sudden." Fluttershy giggles. "It's so funny that every time we talk about food, it makes you hungry." She rises from sitting on the floor and saunters toward the bedroom door. "I'll go boil some broccoli and cauliflower for you." "That'd be terrific," I say with a grin. "What would I ever do without you?" "You'd probably be rotting in a coffin," Fluttershy quips. My lips curl up to a proud smile. "That's my girl." As I lie back down, Fluttershy slowly cracks the bedroom door open to leave. She then squeaks in mild surprise. "Oh, Twilight? Didn't expect to see you here." "Hi Fluttershy," Twilight cordially greets, unseen yet the sound of her voice is easily recognizable. "So is Rick in there?" "Mhmm," Fluttershy loudly hums with a nod. "He's lying in bed. I was just about to go downstairs to brew him up a vegetable stew. He's still a little sick from what happened yesterday." "And you've been giving him the herbs I brought from last night, right?" Twilight asks. "Most certainly. They do seem to be working. Dad managed to sleep through the night without any incident," Fluttershy replies happily. "Courtesy of Zecora," Twilight says, sounding glad. "His condition must only be minor if it's only vomiting, and him ready to eat something is also a good sign of recovery. Is it okay if I come in to see how he's doing?" "Of course," says Fluttershy indulgently. "Perhaps seeing you will help brighten his mood. Poor thing can't even get out of bed until his tummy's all better." My daughter steps aside and poking out the edge of the door is Twilight's purple head with a gentle smile. "Heeey Rick," Twilight says, the rest of her coming into view. I would have expected Twilight, what with her now being a princess, to have kept the tiara and golden shoes on. Nope. She's just as naked as every other pony. Okay, I am not sure how I should feel from writing that last part down... "So, um, did you enjoy the coronation buffet?" Twilight asks. There was reluctance in her tone when she asked that question, as she should since she is cognizant of what transpired yesterday. I slightly sit back up, deadpanned. "Besides barfing the food I ate all over the floor? I had the time of my life," I answer with a hint of sarcasm. Fluttershy continues moving out the door as Twilight carefully closes it behind. "Nopony knew about your allergy to hay, Rick." "That makes two of us; I didn't know either until yesterday." "However it may be," Twilight huffs, "it was purely unintended and accidental. Applejack felt really sorry for what happened. I even brought her and the girls here. Thought bringing you company might cheer you up a bit." "Oh, so you brought the other girls here, too? While you're at it, why not we all have a sleepover! We can all wear make-up and prance around in our jammies and tell ghost stories!" I say, making silly hand gestures with an even stronger hint of sarcasm to which Twilight has noticed. Twilight smirks. "Looks like somepony woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I think I'll have the girls come up once you've taken your medicine." Twilight then trots over to my side, her cheery expression slowly changing to that of sympathy. She lightly brushes my shoulder. "It's very unfortunate what happened to you back at Canterlot, Rick. Nopony should ever have had to go through that kind of embarrassment." "You think?" I say, flatly as ever. "Trust me, Rick: I've had my fair share of embarrassing moments long ways back. I know how it feels." "I won't dismiss that you have. It's..." I pause to exhale a downhearted sigh. "It's just that I've been having the worst luck lately. I mean, things haven't been going my way, and I feel that every time something good does happen, bad luck smacks me in the face twofold." I shrug. "I'm not usually one to whine about my tribulations or failures since I've been taught that things just happen and that I'm supposed to roll with it." "Again, that was the old you," Twilight reminds me. "You can't move forward to the future if you're stuck in the past. Remember our talk?" I gently scratch the back of my neck. "Yeah, I remember," I mutter. "And you are right. Sometimes it's difficult to ignore the past, especially when there have been instances that have had an impact on you." "I can relate," Twilight admits. "I mean, like you, I was so obsessed with studying indoors that I was an introvert myself. To some degree, anyway. I wasn't keen on the idea of making friends; I found it impertinent and kept to myself until my mentor heavily insisted I'd go out and make friends," Twilight explains. "So I do get where you're coming from, Rick." I snort with half a smirk. "Heh. I can't help but think how strange it is that we have a couple of things in common..." Twilight softly smiles. "Normally everypony does," she says matter-of-factly. I chuckle, amused. "I mean, you're not wrong. It's, uh... What's the word..." I snap my fingers, brainstorming. "Oddly coincidental? I'll go with that." Twilight raises a brow. "Oddly coincidental?" I huff out a sigh with an annoyed frown. "Maybe I mean it as coincidentally odd. I don't know. My knowledge on word structuring isn't squarely up to par with yours." "I understand what you are trying to say," Twilight says. "And if you need help, don't be hesitant to ask, Rick." "Okay, yes, but getting back to what I am saying is that it's strange how you and I have a common ground for things like the violin or having the preference to stay indoors, you know." "Why do you find that strange?" Twilight quizzes. I hold my tongue seconds before replying. "Well, it should be obvious, right?" Twilight looks at me blankly. I sigh. "I find it strange because I wouldn't think that a pony-" "That a pony has emotions? Capable of sapience?" Twilight interrupts. "Are you still comparing us to the ponies in your world?" I could vaguely sense that she is a bit bristled. Sense probably isn't needed when I can clearly read 'offended' written on her face. "I've only been here for a month, Twilight," I say calmly and defensively. "While I may have had raised Fluttershy on Earth, it's still not that simple for me to... intimately bond outside my species? I hope I'm being clear enough." Her expression seems to soften a little. "I suppose that is fair to say. I wouldn't expect any big changes within a month. We still haven't properly dated," Twilight states. I smile gratefully with a sage nod. "I'm glad you can see it in my perspective," I say. However, that frown of Twilight's never left her. I breathe out another sigh. "I'll go ahead and say that I do apologize for offending you. It was never intentional." Twilight still has yet to say anything or remove that frown of hers, unappeased. I shake my head, knowing that I'm going to regret this... "How about I massage your wings? Would that be enough?" I bribe. Twilight's frown immediately vanishes upon those words. Complacent, she flutters up onto the bed and sits on my lap, unfolding her wings to their full extent. She peers over her shoulder with a smile that one can deem is slightly suggestive. "When you get better, I'd also like for you to come down to my place and play the violin for me," Twilight says. "Then I'll forgive you." Well, it's not like I can do anything about it as I am at fault for setting myself up for this...