Chapter 3: Introduction to a broken heart
I stood in front of the home of Hard Hat, my future boss. Lyra glared at me “Don’t just stand there. You’re gonna pay me rent so you’re gonna make some cash, now get in there!” She pushed me toward the door. From what I had seen she was still pretty upset about my “Mom comment”. I walked inside the house, which was just as colorful as the other houses. I knocked on the door and walked in “Hello? Lyra said you needed an extra pair of hooves? Or a horn I mean...”
Hard Hat called out “YUP Could you come in here? Sorry I’m drawing blueprints for the mayor’s office rebuild. Apparently somepony thought to let Derpy help Rainbow Dash fix up the place. Can you believe it?! THE TWO MOST DESTRUCTIVE PONIES SINCE... Sorry...” I walked in slowly, and took a seat in front of the light-brown earth pony with a short, blonde mane. “It’s fine, I’m used to yelling where I’m from. This is a nice place, I like the living room.” I looked around and realized that this was the first Ponyville house I’d been in. It was so different from the Inn that I had stayed at the night before.
“Yeah, you don’t become a construction worker, and do nothing for yourself you know.” He said in his gruff voice. I noticed he was slightly more rugged than the ponies at the party. “So, you seem to be tougher than the other ponies here.”
He laughed a little. “Well I suppose ye’r new here Mister.... I didn’t catch yer name fella.” I was used to this by now, ponies getting friendly before even asking my name. “Pane... call me Pane.” He looked at me suspiciously “Could ya spell that please?” I looked back at him annoyed. “P-a-n-e, sir. Yes I’m new here.”
He sighed in relief “Well mister Pane, we have lots of ponies tougher than I am. Apple Jack fer example. or Big Macintosh, Rainbow Dash, just to name a few. I just seem like the gruffest.” I looked up, distracted. “So you want a job kid?” He said
I looked right at him when I heard the word “job”. “Yes please!” He stamped on a sheet of paper. “You’re hired then, now you should go explore town, you can start work next week.” I was surprised. That was it? No huge interview or test? I said goodbye, with a confused look on my face.
As I stepped out the door, I saw Lyra talking to Bonbon. My face lit up as I ran towards them. I stopped about three feet away from Bonbon. “Hey guys.” I said nervously. Bonbon looked at me smiling. “Oh hi Glass.” She said in her perfect voice as I looked between the two mares. I realized something that made me gasp. “You two know eachother?” I said, confused. Bonbon just looked at me, and then her, and then back to me. “You guys know eachother?”
Lyra took two step back and began explaining. “So I’m guessing you two met, well Glass, I know Bonbon because she is my best friend, the one I talked about with the candy cutie mark. And Bonbon, I met glass on his way to Ponyville.” Bonbon just grinned. “So you two are on a date!” I got nervous, as the mare jumped to a conclusion that I had not yet even considered. I had to say something. Fast. “No no no no no no no no. That’s not what’s happening here!” I said as I panicked.
Lyra gave me a mean glare. “And what is that supposed to mean?” she said in a brash tone. I had forgotten how easily insulted she was. which is no small feat seeing as she’s been annoyed at me all morning. “That’s not what I meant! I mean that we just aren’t on a date. It’s not that you’re not attractive, but I’m trying to clear the air of misunderstandings.” Bonbon giggled as Lyra blushed. “You think I’m attractive?” She said nervously.
I had to resist the urge to face-hoof. Before I could speak, my brain once again caught up with me. “Well, yes, but we’re not on a date and, I don’t think we should if you’re going to be my landlady.” She nodded as I spoke my half-false excuse. I then turned my head to Bonbon “Are you going to hang out with us?” I said, excitedly.
Bonbon shook her head. “Sorry, but I gotta go talk to my friend Shimmersoar. See-ya!” She then trotted away happily. My face went from smiling happiness, to the bleak pokerface that I keep on a usual basis. I turned to Lyra “He gave me the job. Where to now?” I said as Lyra waved goodbye to her friend. She looked at me smiling. “Well now you need to have a tour of the town! You’re going to be surprised about how different it is from Fillydelphia!” She looked at me happily. I wanted to say “I’m already surprised.” but I decided that it would sound rude and she’d take it the wrong way.
I just nodded and said “Lead the way.” She began walking towards Sugarcube Corner. I followed her, trying to veer my eyes away from her plot. ‘Seriously... why didn’t she just let me walk next to her? people probably think I’m stalking her... I’m a shady-looking stallion after all.’ I continued to follow her when we reached Sugarcube Corner. She looked at me. “I’m sure you saw this on your way to The Flat Hoof last night. This is the town bakery! Sugarcube corner. Home to the Cake family and Pinkie Pie. I saw you with Pinkie last night so you know her already, but I want you to meet the Cakes.” She walked through the door of Sugarcube Corner from whence came the cheery, friendly mare whom I first thought was an apparition. I followed Lyra in to the very pink, candy-like bakery.
The second I stepped in, the pink mare who I had come to know as the “Pink Party Pony” jumped seemingly out of nowhere at me. I fell down with fright as she yelled “HEY PANE!” I looked up to see Pinkie Pie smiling at me. “Why are you down there silly? The fun is all up here!” I got up slowly and Pinkie Pie was suddenly on the other side of the room. “Hey Pinkie... ow. I’m still not used to your hellos. I hope that eventually I’ll be able to understand you. Along with the rest of this town from a little philly’s dreams”
Lyra rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him Pinkie. Glass, follow me.” She walked in to the back room with the “Ok” of Pinkie Pie. I followed them in to the back room. I expected ingredients everywhere, piled on top of eachother like boxes.
But no. Instead there was a play pen. “There are kids in here?” I said. Pinkie quickly disappeared and then reappeared with two babies. One was a light-brown pegasus colt, with brown eyes and a brown mane. The other was a yellow unicorn filly with blue eyes and an orange mane. She pointed at the unicorn and said “This is Pumpkin Cake!”
She then moved her hoof over to the pegasus colt. “And this is Pound Cake!” Upon hearing these names I laughed. To somepony who’s used to names like “Big Bucks” or “Scarhoof” these were the silliest names in the world. Lyra glared at me. “Glass! Don’t laugh at their names!” This shut me up. “Sorry... So do they have parents?”
Pinkie said “Of course they do silly! but they’re upstairs” I sighed. It was all so bright. So happy. It brought out a new part of me. But I was still depressed. Just not as much. Maybe if there were children nearby who I could actually converse with. Instead of just watch stuff their faces and hit things with random items. The cute looks of a baby make one’s worries go away, but it’s nothing compared to the naive cheerfulness of a 5 year old colt or filly.
But what I really wanted was to see Bonbon again. So I subconsciously began to frown. Pinkie was the first to notice this. I don’t know how, but she seemed to know the reason why. “Your city must’ve been tough...” She said as she tried to used her hooves to manipulate my face into a smile. I backed away from the discomfort of a pair of hooves squishing in my face. Lyra seemed confused. “What are you doing Pinkie?” Pinkie looked at her. “My job of course. I’m making him smile.”
I finally replied to Pinkies statement. “I don’t like talking about my home, but let’s just say that it’s nice to be out of that place.” Two earth ponies came down the stairs to my left. One was A blue mare with a pink, swirly mane. Almost like pudding. Her eyes and earrings were also pink. The other was a yellow-orange stallion with an orange mane wearing a striped bow tie and a hat. He had almost nervous-looking green eyes.
“Um... Hello, you must be Mr. and Mrs. Cake.” I said. I looked at the parents and their children. There was little to no resemblance other than Pumpkin’s coat, and her father’s. The adult Cakes greeted me. “Hello there, yes we’re the cakes. I’m Cup and my husband is Carrot.” Carrot gave a tip of his hat and a hearty “Hello, and who might you be?” I pondered whether or not to give my full name. I decided that my last name wasn’t necessary. “I’m Glass, it’s nice to meet you two.”
Lyra gave me a motion, saying we were late and it was time to go. You’d be surprised at how elaborate yet subtle this motion was. We said our goodbyes and left. “What did you think of the cakes?” Lyra asked enthusiastically. “They were nice. The little ones were both too young to tell.”
Lyra looked at me, much like Remy had when I asked if his casino was open. “Well of course silly, they’re babies. Barely old enough to be called trotlers.” I laughed. “Yeah, cute little demons though. Where are we heading next?” Lyra smiled. “Well you were walking a long time. So we’re going to go to my house. You can sleep on the couch, my room is off limits. Rent is due in 2 weeks and is twelve bits. You can see the rest of the town on your own time.” I was surprised. Lyra said we’d see all the important places today. I guess she was tired of babysitting a huge downer like I was at the time.
When we got to her house, I noticed one thing in particular. “I-it’s got a turquoise roof... just like your coat color.” Lyra laughed. “I got it for a good price because it was the previous owner’s favorite color.” We entered the house and I noticed that inside there were pictures of monkeys, and what the hairless apes from that scientific theory I spoke of earlier might look like.
I walked in and got settled, placing my things around the room, lied down on the couch and thought to myself...
I was thinking of Bonbon... but that was how it started... the introduction to a broken heart