Lying on soft and grassy ground I can finally get myself a breather. I kept panting with exhaustion after running from the bottom to the top of the hill on hoof. I grabbed my saddlebag by the bush where Twitch had hidden the wagon by and pulled out a bottle of water inside of it. I removed the cap and took a few mouth fulls of water, I didn’t even bother leaving it in my mouth as I would normally do with every other drink I have since this is just water and has no exact flavor to it at all, but mostly because I was dying with thirst.
I began to hear hoofsteps down the hill’s pathway, I didn’t bother checking on who it was since I was already getting myself comfortable underneath the tree. I see Twitch in the distance as he approaches me, he seemed exhausted at the time and maybe a little upset though I’m not really sure if he is.
“What... the heck... was that about?!” he says with an angered tone while panting.
“What was what about?”
“YOU JUST LEFT ME ALONE DOWN THERE WITH THOSE FILLIES!”
“Uhh, is that really a problem? If it is then I’m sorry but I can explain everything to you, just not now.”
"Ugh, It's alright just promise me you won't leave me like that again ok?"
"I promise I won't leave you alone with girls," I said showing a big smirk to Twitch.
Twitch notices my smirk and gave me a you got to be kidding me face. I don't think he is convinced by that, but I'm sure he knows I'm just messing with him.
"Listen, I'm sorry for what I dragged you into. I really REALLY didn't mean for your horn to crack, I just wanted to help you have fun and all."
"It's fine don't be sorry, I know you were just trying to help... though I'm not sure how my parents would feel about this."
"TWITCH GET BACK HERE, YOUR FATHER IS HOME!" a mare shouts in the distance somewhere close to where I had crashed.
"Oh, right... I have to go now, it was nice hanging with you. Here take this-" Twitch lends four bits to me "-It's not much but I'm sure it's enough to get you something to treat your horn."
"Thanks, I guess... but you didn't need to give me your bits, I still have a couple in my saddlebag."
"I'M STILL WAITING!" Twitch's mom shouted stronger and louder than before.
"Well I'm off, cya Confusion, make sure you spend those bits wisely!"
"I will don't worry, cya Twitch!"
We both waved to each other as he trots down the hill, I stayed by the tree and stared at the four bits Twitch had given me. The only thing that came across my head was to go back to the cafe and have a drink, I'm sure I can walk the pain off. Is it the best Idea? No definitely not. Should I find some paste for my horn instead? Nah I'm sure it'll be fine... I think.
I pushed myself off the ground and placed my water bottle inside my saddlebag, I placed the bag on my back and gave myself a short stretch. I then followed the path to the cafe Twitch and I were at before any of this, I'm sure they won't mind my horn.
-
A long trot back and I can see the cafe in a distance, I can finally get some decent rest after that crash. I made my way to a chair outside the cafe and took a seat by a table with an umbrella above it. I lied my head on the table and groaned with pain and exhaustion, I slowly moved my hoof to the crack on my horn and rubbed it continuously while doing my best to resist the pain I'm going through.
I removed my saddlebag and placed it on the table pulling out the four bits Twitch had given me before he left. I stared at the bits showing deep thoughts about what I should do with them, either I get myself some paste for my horn or spend it on something else. I looked into my saddlebag and spotted one bit of change I received after buying a coffee hours ago, this is definitely not enough to buy me paste for my horn if I buy myself a drink but it will help me with my thirst, yet again it won't help me with my horn problem.
I was thinking about buying a drink before but now that I think about the situation, I started to have second thoughts about it. I placed the bits back inside my saddlebag and sighed with deep thought not knowing what I should do with the bits I have.
Ponies inside and outside the cafe were staring at me strangely, it's obvious why they are staring but I just find it a little weird. I was starting to feel uncomfortable outside the cafe for ponies wouldn't stop looking at me with concern, the last thing I want right now is more attention being brought to me.
I began to hear familiar voices in a distance while I was groaning in confusion, these voices were high pitched and one having some accent... hold on it can't be them. The guess that's floating in my head started to strike fear into my mind, it can't be them, can it?
I turned my head to the familiar voices in the distance hoping that the ponies that are talking are not the ponies I'm thinking of right now. To my surprise, I was correct the ponies were the three fillies I met in the park... I hate being right. I moved my saddlebag in front of my face and pulled out anything that would help me to hide from them. This was a stupid idea for I was bringing more ponies attention to me since I'm showing obvious signs of struggling to hide from fillies walking by a cafe... just by thinking about it, I believe that sounds wrong even for me to say.
"What should we do today crusaders!"
"Hmm, maybe we can go hiking?"
"Didn't we already do that?"
"Oh, right we did..."
I could hear the three fillies' conversation as they trot past by, weird for me to eavesdrop but I couldn't do anything, could I? What were these ponies up to, and what are they doing here by the cafe? Shouldn't they be I don't know, playing dress-up or something?
As I try to listen more into the conversation my horn began to sting A LOT, I wanted to screech in pain but doing so will give my position away so I held it in for as long as I can until they are at least somewhere away from my sight.
"Wait! Do you girls hear that?"
I believe they can hear my groans of pain as I try to resist the stinging, I'm trying my best not to make any noise that would grab the attention of the fillies and even other ponies. I placed my head inside my saddlebag to make my groans less audible to the three fillies. Why are they still here can't they talk somewhere else?!
"I don't hear anything."
"I swear I heard something, never mind that then. Let's just go back to the clubhouse!"
The three fillies began to trot away from the cafe, watching them leave gave me a sudden snap of relief. I began to rejoice quietly to myself as they started to leave my sight, nopony was close besides the ponies inside the cafe and the three fillies were far enough for me to screech in pain so I took this opportunity before some other pony comes by.
Keeping my head inside the saddlebag, I shouted as loud as I was holding it in for inside the bag making myself less audible to other ponies surrounding the block. After a sorta long shout to myself, I pulled myself out of the saddlebag and sighed with relief. A few ponies were staring at me strangely looking generally confused as to why I screaming inside a saddlebag... ok so the saddlebag was not very effective, but it was better than nothing.
I gave a small smile to the ponies that were staring at me and placed my saddlebag on my back, I think I had enough rest for now. I got off the chair and trotted onto the pathway following it until it leads me to something I might be interested in, maybe a bakery or some small shop I could go to buy something or maybe even find something for my horn.
-
Minutes of wandering and I had not found anything that appeals to my interest, except for a local cafe that is three blocks away from the cafe I would normally get my coffee from. Knowing this gives me a few scratches of confusion, why are there so many cafes here in the town?
I continued to walk down the pathway until I find something that catches my attention, something that isn't a cafe but something a little more unique and relaxing for me to go in. Maybe I could spot a big arcade zone where I would gladly stay in for hours, or maybe I would find a bowling ally for me and my father to go enjoy ourselves in, oh or maybe I would find a building made out of candy... hehe, that would be impossible to find especially in a small town like this.
"Enjoy your cupcakes!"
I hear familiar voices in the distance as I was following the pathway. I peaked a corner of a building not because I'm a creep or anything but because I was curious, I spotted a stallion waving at a pink mare while trotting away from a house that looked like it was made out of candy, hold on... did my small joke come to life or am I just going crazy?
I want to know how this house is even built and why it looks so delicious. The whole structure looked like something you would find from a gingerbread house in Hearts Warming Eve, there were candy canes as support beams for the main door with a roof that looked mostly like chocolate and frosting above. At the very top of the building was a huge cupcake with three lit candles, I'm telling you if I was dared to eat a bit of the place by Twitch then I would gladly take the dare and eat the roof first.
All of this obviously grabbed my attention for I had never seen any place like it. I gladly trotted straight to the building not giving a heck about my surroundings. I notice a sign hanging outside the building, on the sign was a pink cupcake with yellow sprinkles on it and with a blue wrap under it. Judging by it all, I'm gonna guess this is a bakery and I know how much my mother loves pastries, I might get some cupcakes for all of us to share only if I have enough bits for it.
I trotted inside the bakery while thinking of what I should buy with the bits I got. As I trotted inside my jaw dropped from what I had laid my eyes on, the whole place looked like a foals dream house. The whole place was filled with pastries like cakes, cupcakes, brownies, and many more pastries I had never tried!
After standing by the door for a short period of time, I wandered around the place with interest to see if there was something I could buy for my parents and even for myself. As I was observing the pastries that were displayed almost everywhere I started to hear somepony using a mixer in the back.
"I'll be there in a minute just getting something done!" a mare announces in the back.
This mare had a very familiar voice, not like the ponies I met here in Ponyville but somepony I met back in Manehatten. This started to give me weird chills down my spine making me fear for whoever is in the back of the lobby. The mare leaves the back room and makes her way to the counter I was standing by.
"Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner's is there anything you would like?" a pink mare stared at me with a smile on her face.
I stared at the mare dead in the eye with a puzzled face, the mare kept staring at me with a smile but then slowly changed her facial expression to something more familiar.
"Wait... do I know you?" The mare questioned me as she trots to the other side of the counter.
I used this time to scan her from top to bottom, this mare was mostly pink with blue eyes and an even darker shade of pink for her mane and three ballons for a cutie mark. This gave me a snap of realization, it's Pinkie!
"Pinkie is that you?!"
"Confusion?!" the mare exclaimed dropping her jaw with shock as she stares at me with realization.
"Yes, it's me Confusion what are you doing here?!"
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?!"
"I don't know I just came for some pastries what are you doing here?!"
"This is my home silly! But what are you doing here? Where are your parents? How have you been, it's been so long!"
"Yeah, I know right! I think it's been four years since we last saw each other!"
"KEEP IT DOWN PINKIE, YOUR GOING TO WAKE THE TWINS!" a mare shouts from upstairs making herself clear.
"Oops, sorry... we should keep our voices down, the cake twins are asleep. Follow me, I'll take us somewhere we could talk." Pinkie trots her way to the back while I followed from behind.
Following Pinkie to the back of the lobby she trots inside the kitchen she had left a few minutes ago. The place was a little bit of a mess seeing a couple of spilled batter around the counter and the floor dashed with a bit of flour, seemed like somepony had a busy day today.
"Make yourself at home! I'll get us someplace to sit." Pinkie says as she trots into a room.
I stayed in the room and gazed my curious head around the kitchen, the place just looked like every other kitchen you would see in your average home but with less mess. Pinkie trots back into the room while pushing two stools with her head, one of the stools had a tray of cupcakes on them similar to the cupcakes she had made for me years ago for my birthday.
She removes the tray of cupcakes from her stool then takes a seat while placing the tray on a counter. I took a seat on the stool she had provided for me, we sat there quietly not knowing what to say or do. She looks at the cupcakes she placed on the tray and smiled at it, I turned to the cupcakes and stared at them with nostalgia.
"I'm guessing you remember them?" she said breaking the silence between us.
"Why would I forget something like that?! That was one of the best parties I had ever had in my entire life!"
"Aww, thank you! I'm glad you still remembered, would you like one?"
I nodded my head showing how much it would mean to me if I had at least one cupcake or even the slightest slice of it. She giggles as she grabs a cupcake from the tray, she then lends a whole cupcake to me while giving me a smile. I obviously accepted the cupcake and hovered it to my hoof, I stared at it with a glimmer in my eyes.
I had no hesitations to take a huge bite out of it, I left a huge portion in my mouth slowly chewing it and letting the sugar and taste melt all over my mouth. It all tasted sweat and nostalgic, each pop of the sugar in my mouth brings me back to the party she had planned for me years ago. She was the best pony I had ever met and the only pony that had made me happy when I was feeling down in Manehatten, though it was sad knowing that she had left the city after a short visit but I'm just glad I get to see her again.
"What brings you to Ponyville?" she asked with curiosity while I was still chewing on the first bite of the cupcake.
"Well you see, I and my parents live here now!" I said after swallowing the portion in my mouth.
"That's wonderful to hear, though why did you move to Ponyville?"
"My school problems like being bullied and stuff like that, you know the usual."
"Oh, I'm sorry... but I'm sure you're doing great here in Ponyville right?"
"Absolutely!"
She smiles at me showing how happy she is to know how I'm doing, I'm glad to see somepony who actually cares for me again even if it had been years ago ever since I've seen her. I watched as her face changes from a happy one to a concerned one, just by this I think she had noticed something was wrong with me.
"OH MY GOSH, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HORN!?" she exclaimed with shock and concern while pointing at my horn.
"It's nothing really, It's just a minor crack, not a really big deal... I think."
"Well, how did you get it?!"
"I crashed onto a tree while sledding down a hill with a wooden wagon, it was fun I'll tell you that."
"Stay here, I think I got some paste that could cover the crack on your horn."
"NO NO NO! I don't think that would be necessary, trust me I'm fine!" I obviously lied.
*Ding*
A bell had rung in the lobby, thank Celestia for that. Pinkie turned her attention to the lobby and trotted to the counter, at least this would give me a few minutes to think about my horn getting paste on it.
It was completely silent inside the kitchen, nothing interesting was really happening. I started to hear familiar voices in the lobby, not just Pinkie's but other ponies... oh your just messing with me now Celestia huh?!
"Hey, Confusion! may I introduce you to the crusaders?"