//------------------------------// // Act 1: Flash of Memories // Story: Friendship is Failure #23: Let's just NOT be friends // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// ACT ONE The trio made it into town, but they couldn’t find exactly what they were looking for, as the map only gave the locations of the problems, but never actually revealed what it was or who was involved. “Every-pony seems so happy.” said Cadance. She was right; there were so many friendly faces, kindness, and sharing going all about; hardly anything to consider a problem in friendship. “We have to keep looking.” explained Twilight. “Sometimes, the problem just comes right up to us.” Just then, some-pony came up to her and the others. He was a light grayish Earth Pony, with a brown mane, and his cutiemark was that of a camera, which looked identical to the one he was holding too. “Pardon me, Princess Twilight… Princess Cadance…” he asked softly yet politely. “Could I have your picture please?” he paused and held out an ID card with his name “Snapshot” “…I’m with the Ponyville Times newspaper. We heard the Princess was in town, and we’d love to feature a small article.” The two princesses couldn’t refuse such a polite-acting pony, and they huddled together, while poor Spike could only stand out of the shot and sulk softly and grumble, “Sure… ignore the ever-faithful assistant.” The picture was taken, and Snap was incredibly pleased. “Can I just take one more to be sure?” “You certainly may.” replied Cadance. Twilight giggled softly. “This isn’t what I had planned, but what the hay.” Just as Snap was ready to take the shot, he could see over the two mares a groups of ponies coming up the street, which make a shiver run up his spine, and he just lowered his camera and began to take off like he was afraid. “Thank you so much!” he quickly called to the ladies before he was gone in a flash leaving the trio of friends confused. “That was weird.” said Spike. “I’ll say,” agreed Twilight. “He didn’t even take the picture. He just up and ran off.” Just then, that gang of ponies approached the trio. There were five of them… A red Earth Pony with a green mane, and a cutiemark of a flower in a pot: His name was Red Bud. A yellow Earth Pony with a tan mane, and a fencing sword being his cutimark: His name Pierce. One blue Pegasus with a cloudy white mane, and her cutiemark was raincloud. Her name was Droplet. Her Colt-Friend, was a gray Unicorn with a black mane. His cutiemark was a text-book. His name was Seeker. The remaining two were also a couple… One of them was Slam Dunk; an orange Pegasus with a bright yellow mane, and a cutimark of--what else-- a basketball hoop. His mare-friend had to be the prettiest of the group. Her name was Pirouette. She was a pink unicorn, with a beautiful long dark golden mane, and a cutiemark of ballet slippers. …Even Spike thought she was pretty. “Princess Twilight Sparkle…” said Red, then he and the others bowed to her and Cadance. “I’m sorry, we didn’t know you were with the Crystal Princess.” Cadance chuckled and insisted “You needn’t be so formal with us.” Twilight agreed, and asked, “Can we help you with anything?” Pirouette stepped up the trio, and she held up a photograph, of the five ponies, but also with Snapshot. “Have you seen a pony like this anywhere?” “Sure, he was just here.” replied Spike. “Then he just took off.” The gang looked frustrated, and Twilight was beginning to think that this was the friendship problem they were looking for. “Why don’t we go someplace and talk.” suggested Cadance. They all headed to the park where there were benches to sit on, and the gang told their story. Snapshot and the gang used to be good friends for many years, especially Snapshot and Seeker. The problem they were having was about Pirouette and Snapshot, and even Slam as well. Snapshot had a huge crush on Pirouette for as long as anyone could remember, and even she knew about it. She thought it was cute and all that, but in truth she only thought of him more as a friend. Slam and Pirouette had known each other since they were younger, and recently they had begun dating. …Cadance could immediately sense what was happening. “Snapshot took it hard?” Everyone nodded, and Droplet replied, “We expected he would, but he took it much harder than any of us expected.” Seeker agreed, “He lost that joyful spirit he once had, and he spent more time to himself rather than hanging with us. We invited him out, but he always seemed to have some kind of excuse, as if he was deliberately avoiding us.” “Long story short…” Slam cut in “He’s jealous that I’m dating Pirouette and he’s not.” The trio didn’t seem to like his tone of voice. It sounded a bit harsh and cold. “Did you try talking to him about it?” asked Twilight. “We tried, and for all the good it did,” replied Pierce. “We told him “They are together now, and you have to accept that.” Red then added, “I told him that Pirouette values him as a friend, and she doesn’t want to hurt him.” Pirouette looked a bit regretful at what she was about to say. “I tried to talk to him myself, and it didn’t work out too well.” She recalled a month ago… It was pouring rain, Pirouette and Slam had started dating, but she sensed that Snap was indeed upset, and she needed to talk to him about it. Pirouette dashed up to him. “Snap, I need to talk to you.” “You don’t have to.” he said calmly. “I know about you and Slam.” Pirouette looked shocked. “You knew about us?” He nodded, “Why didn’t you tell me? You know I’ve always liked you, Pirouette.” “I know that, it’s just that… well…” she tried to choose her next words carefully. “Look, the point is, I’m with Slam now, and I know this hurts, but you’ll just have to get over it.” Snap looked visibly hurt. “You mean just be friends, huh?” Pirouette nodded. “What? Is that not good enough for you?” Snap shook his head. “I don’t think I can do that.” By now Pirouette’s features hardened. “What? You’re just going to brood all the time now? You’re to hope that somehow I cave in, and dump Slam for you? I’m going to tell you this flat out: Even if I wasn’t dating Slam, I would never have gone out with you anyway, Snapshot!” She stopped right then, realizing what she had just said, and the look that Snap was giving her-- a very cold, hurt-felt gaze. She tried to apologize to him, but it was too late. He had backed away from her and run off into the rain, leaving Pirouette feeling guilty and ashamed at what she had just said. There wasn’t much left to say after that. Pirouette wiped a tear away from her eyes, while Slam sighed and held his head low. The others could only shake their heads in dismay, while Twilight and co were positively appalled. “Ouch… that’s cold.” said Spike. The princesses gave him a small, stern glare, but really they, too, had to agree, and it was starting to make sense. “Heartbreak…” said Cadance. “It’s one of the most deadliest and complicated of emotional problems there is.” Even Twilight understood why Snap had suddenly run away when the gang approached. “He hasn’t spoken to any of us, or hung out with us for all this time.” explained Seeker. “Like we said…We invite him to parties; he doesn’t come. We write him letter; he won’t answer.” “Well, it’s obvious why.” said Spike. “He just doesn’t want to see Pirouette.” Hearing this made Pirouette feel worse, and Slam placed his hoof over hers to comfort her. “It’s worse than that.” said Droplet. “He won’t hang out with any of us, even if Pirouette isn’t around.” Now Twilight was really concerned, but not nearly as much as the others. “We’re really worried about him.” said Pierce. “He’s practically going to great lengths to avoid us.” Seeker felt especially bad, “He’s the best friend I ever had. I want to try and help him.” “We all do.” said Slam “But first he has to be able to help himself, and he needs to start by getting over this whole Pirouette and Me thing.” “Stop it! Just stop!” snapped Pirouette. All of a sudden, everyone was gazing at her. “Sorry I yelled, but I can’t stand going on like this. I hurt Snap, I know I did, but I don’t want him to be like this. I don’t want to cut himself off from his friends. I want to make it up to him.” “That may not be easy.” Cadance cautioned her “Heartbreak can be very serious. I should know, I’ve seen my share of broken-hearted ponies before, but it’s always hopeful that they find strength to carry on.” Right now Twilight felt, “The best thing we need to do is find Snap and talk to him. Does any-pony know where he lives…?” “Yes, but there’s no point in going there.” said Red. “We all tried dropping in on him, and there’s never an answer. It’s like we always just miss him.” Twilight was not deterred. The gang led her and friends to where Snap lived; in a quaint and ordinary house. Twilight and Cadance decided to walk up to the house and talk to Snap without arousing attention from the rest of the gang, whom stood with Spike behind the fence to the house so they could spy on things and still see. Twilight and Cadance were just stepping up to the stoop when the door opened and Snapshot came out, surprising the ladies, and himself to the point that he nearly dropped his bag full of photos he had just developed. “Your highnesses!” he panted while catching his breath. “I wasn’t expecting company. I was on my way to work with these photos.” Twilight cleared her throat after regaining composure. “Snapshot, we’d like to talk with you if you have a minute.” Snap blinked his eyes once. “What is it?” “We’d like to talk to you about your friends.” said Cadance, but the second she mentioned the word friends, Snap’s features hardened softly. He had feared this would happen when he saw the gang coming down the street earlier. “Excuse me please, I’m late for work.” he said trying to get away quickly. Twilight and Cadance’s eyes narrowed, and they both teleported themselves in his way… “So you are avoiding them.” said Cadance. “Why are you avoiding all your friends?” asked Twilight. Snap really didn’t wish to answer them. Now he was more than certain his former friends put the princesses up to this. Pirouette could see through the fence boards, and she felt very nervous. “Gee, Twilight’s really laying into him.” thought Spike. “I don’t see how he can get out of this.” …But just as that moment, Snap quickly whipped out his camera, and snapped a shot of the princesses; at such a close range, the flash blinded the mares, giving him the perfect chance to escape. Red leapt up over the fence. “Snap!!” …But Snap had already gone out of sight.