//------------------------------// // Chapter VI: Human After All - Daft Punk, March 2005 // Story: Summer of '11 // by moviemaster8510 //------------------------------// “Cheers!” Oli, Art, and the Equestrians raised their glasses of limeade up as they sat at a long folding table on the back patio. With it getting late as it was, the sky began to darken as the late-afternoon sun began to dip under the horizon far off west, but the light of the kitchen through the glass door windows provided more than enough glow for everyone to comfortably see and enjoy their meal. Sitting in front of each of the humans, ponies, and dragon were plates containing two black bean enchiladas along with a scoop of Mexican rice and a half ear of grilled elote sitting beside it. Filling the center of the table were two half-emptied glass pitchers of limeade, a large bowl of tortilla chips, smaller bowls containing a red salsa and guacamole. “My word, Art,” Applejack sighed, admiring the spread, “everything looks just scrumptious!” “You think it looks good,” Art joked, “you should see how it tastes.” “You don’t need to tell me twice!” Pinkie quickly began cutting bite-sized pieces of her enchiladas up with her fork that she held firmly in her wrist. Art couldn’t help but be amazed at the pony’s dexterity, staying still as a statue as he watched her finish cutting her last bite before scooping up her first and putting it in her mouth. Pinkie’s eyes shot open wild before she melted back in her seat, her smile having turned wobbly and ecstatic. “Oh wow, that’s good,” she huffed out. “You said it!” Spike forced out, shoving even more food into his mouth. “PHO GUUUD!” Applejack couldn’t help but notice Art’s focusing on Pinkie Pie’s skills with her silverware and chuckled. “Now, you seriously ain’t gonna’ lecture us on how your food tastes and then just let it get cold now, are ya’!” Art blinked and jiggled his head. “Sorry, I…” He began cutting his own pieces. “Just… pretty interesting to see a ho… sorry, pony use a fork before.” Pinkie Pie already had half of her first enchilada in her mouth. “That’s weird. I use them all the time!” “Still…” Twilight’s magic carried the end of her fork into the mouth, closing her eyes in bliss as she let the bite she ate slide off as her fork was pulled out. “I can’t thank you enough for inviting us over for dinner, Art, and yes, everything is delicious.” “I’ll say!” Rainbow Dash moaned as she finished her second row of elote, her hooves clamping in both ends. “And you should try the corn if you haven’t already! Wicked good stuff!” “Thank you very much,” Art said with a nod. “And honestly, it’s no problem, especially considering how much you mean to my son, and, forgive me for saying so, what… you must mean to a lot of people.” “It’s quite alright,” Rarity responded. “We’re already well aware of our… popularity on this world, but we’re happy to take it one step and one new friend at a time.” “I’m about to say. You haven’t met Jessie yet, have you?” “We haven’t,” Fluttershy answered, “but from what Oli’s told us, she’s quite enamored with us.” Art then turned to Oli. “Does she know? …By chance?” Oli confidently and immediately nodded. “She was the first person I told. I was thinking about introducing her to them next time I have to babysit.” “Ha, wow. So you introduced me to your new friends before her?” Oli’s face turned defeated and annoyed. “Dad, I–” “Just teasing is all. Though I gotta’ say, if an old fart like me likes them well enough, I’m sure she’ll just love them.” “We certainly hope so,” Rainbow Dash spoke in. “Always love to meet the fans!” Rarity finished her first enchilada and with a dabbing of her napkin on and around her lips, she turned toward Art. “So Oli decided to take us into your ‘studio,’ as he calls it.” Art pressed his lips together and nodded. “I… call it that too.” “And just to be clear, you worked on all of those guitars hanging down there?” He nodded a bit more carefully. “I’ve worked more on certain guitars than others, but I’ve done at least some touching up to each of them.” “And, you can play them, can’t you?” Art’s slowly widening eyes and pursed lips suggested he knew exactly where she was going. “I… It’s actually been years…” Spike turned his full body around, looking up at Oli with big, wondrous eyes. “You think you could play something for us on one of them?” “Took the words right out of my mouth!” Rarity rubbed her hoof on the top of Spike’s head, and he leaned back and closed his eyes, savoring her physical affection. “Maybe Oli can duet with you!” Fluttershy added. “That sounds like a wonderful idea!” Twilight chirped. “We can clear the table and clean the kitchen while you prepare something!” “That’s…” Art was once again feeling guilty for having nearly pushed them away as he had done hours ago. “…really not necessary. I don’t mind cleaning up.” “Oh no!” Applejack’s offended tone both amused and mildly terrified Art. “I’m not going to let you toil away over the sink after you just toiled over a hot stove. It’s the very least we could do for our hosts this evening.” “Plus,” Pinkie Pie added, “it’ll be good practice for Oli at his party Saturday!” Oli’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh yeah…” “Party?” Art looked to his son. “You said you were going to see a movie.” Oli shrugged. “I thought so too. Sorry I forgot to tell you, but Ray’s parents are throwing a surprise graduation/admission party for him and Javi asked me to play some music there. I mean, you can call Ray’s parents and confirm if you think I’m going to a kegger instead or something.” “It’s fine,” he responded with a hand-wave, “I believe you. Just please be sure to remember to tell me these things earlier next time. I’d like to get him something.” “It’s… still not really that kind of a party.” “Nonsense! If it’s a grad party, he’ll probably need some money.” “His parents are paying for his tuition and lodging.” “Are they? Still, I’m sure a little spending money wouldn’t harm anything.” Rainbow Dash leaned toward Applejack’s ear and cupped her wrist around it. “And I thought you were stubborn.” Oli could sense that this would once again be a losing battle. “Then I’m sure he’ll greatly appreciate it. Thanks.” “You know, I never asked,” Twilight said, beginning her second enchilada. “Where do you go to school, Oli?” “I, uh…” It became quickly apparent that this would be a much more difficult subject to approach. “I graduated high school this year.” Art turned his head away, though the Equestrians seemed far more interested in his kid. “I assume this ‘Ray’ friend of yours was in your class?” Rarity wondered, receiving an affirmative nod from Oli. “Then are you planning on attending a university in the fall too?” Oli looked to the Equestrians, already predicting the disappointment that would feel. “I… haven’t yet. I’ve got my music thing going for me right now, and… honestly I’m happy doing it.” “Do you plan on going eventually?” Twilight wondered, the most subtle pang of concern etched into her response. “I honestly can’t say. I’m just not super interested in spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on an extra education that won’t help what I’m doing with my music.” “THOU–” Twilight nearly choked on the bite in her mouth, quickly managing to tamp it down with a swig of limeade. “Thousands?! My goodness, I had no idea it was that expensive in your world.” Rainbow Dash, having long since finished her meal, leaned back in her chair. “Then this ‘Ray’ dude must be loaded if his parents can just pay for it.” Oli nodded. “His parents are very wealthy… Though, not to say that Ray’s an idiot or anything. He actually is really bright. Besides, I can’t imagine an institution with a reputation like Notre Dame’s would just let anyone in.” “Either way,” Twilight said, “that’s very good for him. Money or not, I always admire those who are willing to learn something new every day.” “To be fair, I am too. Just… not necessarily in a classroom environment.” “Well, whatever path you decide to take, Oli, I’m sure it’ll make you a better person in the end.” Pinkie Pie stood up on her chair, one hoof on the table and her arm hoisting her glass of limeade up, about one sip remaining. “And I say he’s already pretty darned good!” As Oli smiled, he found himself forced into the side of the table as Art’s hand proudly slapped him firmly between both shoulder plates. “Here, here!” Twilight and her friends cheered, lifting their glasses. Art rubbed Oli’s back as he sat back up straight, and with their free hands, they lifted their cups to join theirs. “Drink to that!” Art let the half-full glass slip through his curved tongue and down his throat, pulling back just as it began to drip. Oli laughed and shook his hanging head down low as he raised his glass, his head coming up right after. “Thank you… guys, that’s… really…” While they knew he wouldn’t find the words anytime soon, they could see in his flushed cheeks and damp eyes that he appreciated every single word Pinkie Pie had said to him. He took a gentle sip of his drink; he still had so much left in his glass. This was only the first real night of what would be an impossibly amazing summer, and he already didn’t want it to end any time soon. With Oli sitting at the bench before the keyboard of the piano and Oli leaning against it with a Taylor acoustic strapped over and around his back, the ponies and Spike were scrunched on the living room sofa, facing them and awaiting whichever song they would perform for them. The fur around their hooves was still slightly water-matted, the kitchen looking as spotless as when they first discovered it earlier that day. Both Oli and Art could see what a good job they had done through the entryway, and with everything else said to him that night, Oli knew they deserved a good show. Art turned and looked at Oli, and the two nodded to each other to confirm they were ready. Then, instinctually Oli stole one glance at the picture frame still on the lid. Even as Oli brought his attention to the keyboard, he noticed as Twilight began whispering in Fluttershy’s ear. With a deep breath in, he began playing the first chords in a soft swing rhythm, Art instantly recognizing Elton John’s I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues from them. Oli kept his eyes on his dad as his bobbing head kept rhythm and count for him. Oli began to relax as he saw the ponies very subtly sway in time to the beat. With a more obvious nod, Oli signaled Art in, and as Oli began singing, he took another glance at the picture this time studying his five year-old self and the woman whose lap he sang on. His immediate draw was the dark-brown hair that matched the color of his own, but before he could look down at the eyes, he glanced up at his father, and then to the ponies, and then to the keyboard in a seemingly passionate trance. Each time he glanced at the ponies, he attempted to get a read on them. Pinkie Pie had her arms around Fluttershy and Rarity’s necks as she rocked them to and fro with her. By the time he reached the first chorus, he seemed to completely forget that he had an audience or an accompanist in the same room as him. Art was both observant and quick-witted enough to follow along with every subtle slower tempo shift. For a while, all eyes were on Art as he flawlessly managed to keep up with his son, and his gently bobbing head betrayed his own surprise at his own success. Oli glanced over again, saw Rainbow Dash laying still, nestled between the plush arm and Applejack’s side. While not moving to the rhythm as much as most of her friends seemed to be, she still kept respectful attention on the performers as they went through another successful verse-chorus succession. In place of its harmonica solo, Art took control of it on his own guitar, and all attention was brought back to him. Oli took this opportunity to size up his remaining audience. Applejack lightly tapped her hooves against the front of the cushion she laid on, nodding her head to the beat as her ears waggled to the vibrations of each blissful twang of the guitar. Spike, on the carpeted floor beside Twilight, rested on his stomach and gently kicked his own feet in time, his head supported by the palms of his clawed hands. As Art’s solo neared its end, Oli noticed Twilight turn back to look at him, and he jerked his head away, hoping she hadn’t seen him staring long, if at all. Though rattled into settling his energy down, he still kept his voice strong and controlled through the repeated second half of the previous verse and its chorus. Through each repeat of the title lyric, Art’s playing and call-response echo grew softer, letting his son’s voice and his piano playing carry the rest of the song out until its final built-up chord. As his last note sustained, he heard the soft, muted thuds of the ponies lightly beating their hooves down on the carpet or the sofa cushions, though’s Spike’s gentle clapping was distinctive enough to stand out against his equine companions show of adoration. Oli swiveled around to face his friends with his dad, who gave them a tiny bow as thanks. “That was really somethin’,” Applejack breathed out. “Did your mom teach you to play?” Oli eyes reflexively opened as the feeling of getting cornered began to arise. “My…” “I assume that’s your ma in the photograph on the piano there?” Twilight spotted a restrained glimpse of panic in Oli’s eyes, and suddenly she understood, her once soft smile turning into a regretful frown. “She’s… she’s not… around anymore, is she, Oli?” Art too deflated a little and shook his head. “Accident took her when he was five.” “No!” Fluttershy gasped. “Guys, we’re sorry, we didn’t mean to–” Oli raised a hand, his eyes glued down to the keys he just played on as he breathed in hard through his nose. “It’s alright, Fluttershy. It… was a really long time ago.” “Still,” Rarity interjected, “how dreadful.” “Did she play at all?” Twilight asked. Art nodded, his breathing uneasy. “She was so unbelievably talented. To be able to command that beast of an instrument while still being just as good a singer…” “For the record,” Oli said, swiping his fingertips over his neck, “I definitely didn’t inherit her voice.” “Ah, but you inherited her fingers, that’s for sure.” Oli cocked his head; no use letting his dad carry the emotional burden. “My mom… never actually taught me how to play. Like dad said, only five. I just… remember her playing for me, and… after she died, I… took a stab at the songs she used to play, and… I kind of learned that way.” “That’s actually really cool!” Pinkie Pie said, perking up. “I actually had to take lessons to learn all the instruments I can play!” “Well, to be fair, I got those too eventually.” Art laughed at his son’s ironic humility. “I knew my kid was something special; he had a gift for this. I happily covered his piano lessons and taught him how to play guitar myself. And don’t sell yourself too short there, buddy, you didn’t even need lessons for that long.” Oli shrugged, acknowledging the truth in his words. “I mean, yeah, once I learned the how to make chords and read music, everything else kind of came naturally at that point. And, that wasn’t not meant to be a dunk or anything, Pinkie, I have to imagine you’re way better at way more instruments than I am.” “No dunkage detected, Oli!” Pinkie Pie said with a salute. “This cookie remains dry!” Twilight added, “Though to be able to teach yourself that much like that is truly commendable.” “Kinda’ makes you wonder why you don’t just be a regular rock star or something,” Rainbow Dash reasoned. “You seem great enough doing that.” Oli nodded, unable to shake off the backhandedness of the term “regular.” “Thanks but… I still really like what I do now. I get to blend the music my parents grew on with and the music I’m growing up with right now and… it’s kind of neat to be that generational bridge, so to speak, and to… you know, have people listen to their favorite songs in a way they may have never thought they’d hear them before.” Pinkie Pie stood up on the sofa, her energy beginning to rise once again. “Well we look forward to hearing it firsthand at your party Saturday night!” Art was quick to remove his guitar from his shoulder and lean it against the piano, “Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Pinks, you can’t just start showing up wherever you want just because we’re cool with you.” Pinkie Pie beamed wide, confusing Art. “Did you just… give me a nickname?!” “Is that really what you took from that?” “It’s alright, Art,” Twilight spoke up, “we actually have a way that we can go without raising any suspicion.” Art stuck his finger up, trying to gauge if the solution he came up with matched hers. “You’re not… suggesting turning into people and… are–” “Yep, yep!” Pinkie Pie bounced up in excitement. “Great idea, huh?” “Oli… does your book…?” Oli shrugged. “According to Twilight, it does. I haven’t gotten a chance to try it out yet, but she told me that Lauren let her explore our world all the time that way when she had the book.” Art clasped his hands together and placed both outstretched index fingers against his lips in contemplation before throwing them up and hanging his head, defeated. “Well, I assume she’s the expert here…” “With all due respect,” Applejack said, “it’s not like we really need your permission on this.” “No, I get that, just… do be careful, okay? I’m sure I’ll tell you and Oli that plenty between now and Saturday, but please don’t do or say anything that could get you all in trouble.” “I’m sure we’ll be on our best behavior,” Fluttershy promised. “Oli already told us quite a bit about the people we’d meet, and even I’m looking forward to getting to know them.” “And that’s saying something!” Rainbow Dash smirked. Art’s eyes shot open, realizing something. “Do… when you…” He had to stop. He wasn’t quite sure how to word this. “Well, spit it out already!” Spike exclaimed. “Spike!” Twilight hissed before turning back to Art and softening her voice. “Art, if you’re worried that we’ll…” Twilight had to pause herself, understanding Art’s apprehension, “appear indecent upon our transformation, I’ve discussed this all with them already.” “And needn’t worry your head about what we’ll wear either.” Rarity slid off the couch and stood straight and tall, her hoof placed on her chest. “I’m Ponyville’s premier dressmaker, and I wholeheartedly welcome the challenge of designing human clothing for my friends and I to wear!” There was a moment of awkward silence that Art was the first to break. “…Oookay great. Wow, today’s been strange…” he muttered under his breath. “But you can’t say it hasn’t been fun!” Pinkie Pie was laying atop the piano shell behind Art, making him jolt up a couple feet in the air, the act of surprise moving Twilight and her friends to laughter. Art glanced back to the now empty spot on the couch where he swore she was in before he heard her behind him. “How did you…?” “That’s just Pinkie being Pinkie,” Applejack answered, “or, as you seem to like calling her, Pinks…” Applejack’s sly smile got Art’s face turning beet red. “What, no! I was just–” Pinkie Pie’s arms wrapped around his gut from behind. “It’s okay, Arthur! If you wanted to stick to a first full-name basis, you could have just said so!” Art sighed coarsely. “Alright, Pinks, you win!” Oli and the others chuckled as Art’s bugging eyes betrayed his constriction by Pinkie Pie getting even tighter on him. Oli placed several magazines in a small messenger bag hung over his shoulder. Twilight held the Dua Harmonium in her magic as she and her friends waited at the bottom of the stairs, Art facing them all. “You sure I can’t interest you in a last drink before you head out?” he asked them, a twinge of melancholy in his voice. “That’s mighty nice of you to want to continue havin’ us,” Applejack replied before a yawn, “but it’s been a long day for all of us, and we’re going to have a bit of a busy one tomorrow too. Still though, it was a bonafide pleasure getting to meet you, Art, and I hope you’ll have us over again sometime.” Art shook Applejack’s hoof firmly. “Sooner than later, I promise you.” “Dinner was lovely, sir,” Rarity said with a bow of the head, “but we’ll be sure to give you more notice in the future.” “Appreciate it.” He shook her hoof to. As he went throughout the group and bid them farewell for the evening with hoofshakes and “good nights,” Oli leaned against the stair railing, watching elatedly as his father bonded with these ponies, and in that moment, he could still hardly believe that they and the moments they were sharing with them were real at all. After receiving a final hug from Pinkie Pie, Art watched them shift back towards the stairs, looking to Oli in particular. “Any idea when you’ll be getting back?” “Not too long,” Oli said. “Just going to finalize our plans tomorrow and I should be back in a few minutes. “No worries. I’ll be in the backyard if you need me.” “Sounds good.” Oli walked upstairs, leading his Equestrian friends with him. “Have a good night, all!” Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy both wished Art a final goodnight before they faced forward and filed into Oli’s bedroom. By himself once again, he ambled towards the sliding glass door through the kitchen entryway. Glancing to the left, he shuddered out a breath at the utter spotlessness of the kitchen the Equestrians were gracious to clean for him and Oli. He could only imagine the table outside looking just as clean would feel just as splendid. Pulling the door open and headed towards an outdoor chaise lounge, he closed his eyes and savored how wonderfully warm tonight’s air felt over his entire body. Art sat down before swinging his legs over to rest on the cushion, and with a few scooches back, he was relaxed and ready to enjoy the rest of the night he still had the energy to enjoy. Closing his eyes and focusing on the sounds of the crickets chirping, the wind-rustled grass, and the faint sounds of children and their families playing in their own yards from somewhere, he finally had a moment to reflect on what an unbelievable day he had, and how in spite of how it started, he wouldn’t trade it if it meant having made the friends he did today. After several minutes stewing in these thoughts, he could hear the distinctive whoosh of the back door sliding on its track along with a gentle clinging of unopened glass bottles. Oli walked between his dad’s chaise and the one to his right and stopped near his head, reaching out to hand him a Budweiser and an opener in the same hand. Art took both as Oli fell down onto his lounge, careful not to bounce his own bottle around. Once Art finished cracking his bottle open, he handed it back to Oli. “So…” Art wasn’t sure how to start the conversation after having had such a night. “What time do you need to be back?” Oli took a swig from his bottle, staring up at the star-dotted night sky. “Around 10 or so. I should be back before dinner, though.” “Sounds good.” Art took a particularly big gulp of his beer. “Then it sounds like we should both get to bed soon.” “True, probably right…” Oli took an equally-large swig of his own drink. “Hey, hey, don’t go too crazy on that. I’m fine letting you have one with me, just don’t do too much at once. Besides, it’s really nice out tonight.” “Yeah…” Oli took a smaller sip and then set his bottle down on the ground beside him. “So… Pinks, huh?” Art jerked his head over. “What? Are you the only one who’s allowed to give them a nickname?” Oli stuck his hands up as playfully as Art responded. “No, no! I just wasn’t expecting her to be the one you’d bond with so quick. Though… to be fair, she is Pinkie Pie…” Art took swallowed another mouthful before sighing. “Son of a bitch, I’m going to have to start watching that show with you, aren’t I?” Oli chuckled. “Why? You’re already living it. I’m sure that’s fine enough.” “Hmph. Good…” After a few moments of comfortable silence, Oli turned back to his dad. “But, if you change your mind, I’m willing to–” “Oli, stop!” Oli laughed, and Art responded with his own warm chuckles. It was certainly looking to be quite the intereting and eventful summer, and one that Oli was glad to not to experience by himself.