//------------------------------//
// The Odd One 
// Story: Lentils & Rice 
// by wayward_pony 
//------------------------------//


1


Lentils was an odd one. That's why he saw Doctor Strong Heart. If anypony could help, it was Doctor Strong Heart. "Skitzo-frenia" was his diagnosis. Over and over the Doctor told him what it meant, and over and over he would ask. He finally asked Rice what it meant, and Rice told him not to bother him as he was in a sour mood at the time.

Only Lentils can hear Rice, but that's okay. Rice is good to Lentils -- after all, Lentils and Rice is the stallion's Cutie Mark, why wouldn't they be good together? For 20 years they were together, having found Rice just a few years before his Cutie Mark at the age of 12... Rice even told Lentils the best way to make dinner, getting him his Mark late one night when his parents were passed out in the usual stupor...

He was quite talented. The way he cooked, the way he banged on the ivories and painted in his alone time would have drawn ponies to him... but Rice told him to keep it all to himself, or else they could steal his energy:

All ponies want favors. Said Rice. They take and take and take, and only so few give back. It's dangerous.

Even though he didn't like it, he had to agree. Sometimes he and Rice would argue, but Rice would always win... he could talk faster than Lentils could think, and Rice seldom approved an idea he did not first plant himself.


* * *


Today was Lentils appointment. The Doctor was smiling, he was smiling, Rice was smiling above all; the day was so far good. He was on his way home now. Home... he liked home.

Always he wore dark glasses, a thick winter hat, and a black jacket which contrasted against his light fur. No pony should see his eyes, except for Doctor Strong Heart and Rice, and... the sun always hurt him. Not just his eyes, but his whole body.

It was Spring. Spring had Sprung and should he listen to music on the way home or shouldn't he?

"What do you think, Rice?"

I think you've been very good lately, replied the small voice of Rice. Took your medicine everyday and you made Doctor Strong Heart happy. I think you deserve a reward.

He had with him a small Walkman, a CD full of works written over a hundred years ago. Doctor Strong Heart says that music can be better than listening to Rice sometimes, so if Rice is saying something really bad he can put on his music. Doctor Strong Heart gave him this music, but Rice agreed... is that bad? He didn't like to think about it because Rice would just tell him.

He put it on... Gymnopédies #1 played soothingly in his ear. He could kind of hear Rice, which was okay since he wasn't angry. He walked with him above. It would take at least until Gnossienne #3 to get home... a lot of time for just him and his music. Then he'd paint, play his ivories, and maybe sleep, if Rice would let him. He knew all the notes to his magic music by heart -- he loved his ivories more than lentils.

He looked around at the lush, beautiful scenery as he walked home. Some young fillies walked by in maroon cloaks, and looked at him... he simply nodded and they smiled.

They deserve good things, don't they? Said Rice, loud enough to be heard over the music in his ear.

"Yeah. Foals are nice."

He walked further on and he was almost home... until he ran into an older group of ponies: 3 Teenagers -- one colt, two fillies.

"Why... coat?" Asked the colt, the tallest of the bunch.

Don't bother us. Sneered Rice. in a loud voice

"Yes, don't bother us." Replied Lentils, taking off his head phones. "How can I help you?"

"I was wondering why you're wearing that Winter winter coat?" The pony laughed. "It's not cold out!"

"I like am body covered," replied Lentils. "That's no crime, is it?"

"No, you just look silly," said a filly behind the main one. "We should call the fashion police!"

"Please do," replied Lentils nervously, looking at the ground. "It wouldn't hurt for some advice..."

"I think this pony's nuts, Teddy," said the last filly, who had remained silent up to this point.

Teddy smirked:

"What're you listening to, crazy pony?"

Goodness, replied Rice sarcastically.

"Nice music," said Lentils. "It makes me very happy."

"Can I listen?"

Lentils looked to Rice:

Doctor Strong Heart said to share, didn't he?

"Okay," said Lentils. "But be careful!"

"I will, I will..." said Teddy as he put the head phones on. "Soothing, but... where are the notes?"

It's minimalistic, you dolt. Shouted Rice in the teenage colt's ear.

He seemed not to respond, disprespecting Rice. Lentils let it go, as Doctor Strong Heart says everypony deserves the benefit of a doubt

The lead pony Teddy removed the CD:

"Octavia is where it's at." He put in his own CD. "Listen."

Lentils put the headphones to his ear and listened to Octavia playing the cello. It didn't take him long to shutter at the intentional, repeated discord, which his music did have, but a much greater dynamic range... the excess of notes was off-putting, regardless.

"I don't like it," he said, firmly. "Give me my music back and I'm go home."

"Okay, I can respect that," said the colt removing his CD.

Lentils CD got dropped onto the road accidentally. He looked at Teddy, who immediately apologized:

"How dare you, T-ttTeddy??" He asked, bending over to pick it up.

Having made many copies, it was at least burn of Lentil's design, which had landed on the pavement back up-side-down. It was scratched:

"Serves me right for sharing."

Terrible thing, isn't it? Said Rice. He should pay, but you know he meant well... what would you do anyway?

"I don't know."

"Who are you talking to?" Asked Teddy.

"I'll be going now," said Lentils. "I'm sorry I bothered you..."

That's a good boy, whispered Rice in his ear. Turn your back... you can trust them and we are almost home.

"Yeah."

He started off in the direction of home, saddened that his music was no more for now. But he'd get home and make it for real and it would be all better. He would be happy and Rice would be quiet listening to what they both thought was the best sound in the world!

Walking away, he felt a sharp pain by his flank, followed by something about the size of a hoof hitting the road behind him. He turned to see a rock setting in the ground.


* * *


"Did one of you just throw something at me?" He asked, turning back to the three. "I forgive you, if you did."

Two of them turned back looking confused, one... the one who said something about fashion police, was smiling.

"Please tell me... it's okay if you did, it's just a matter of coming to do who did it?"

"We didn't throw a rock," said Teddy.

You're going to let him say that? Sneered Rice in his ear. Teddy lies! ...how would a pony in the front know all three of them hadn't?

"You're absolutely right," replied Lentils. "I JUST WANT TO KNOW!"

"Go away, crazy stallion," said the colt named Teddy.

You started off by saying don't bother us, now he's saying it... and he's the one who talked to you... does that make sense?

Lentils set down his CD player, shaking his head:

"No."

Doesn't it make sense that you should show him... you're to be respected? You're a good pony. What do you say?

"I'd love to."

You're old enough to be his father... yet you don't look it. How old's he? 15? I dare say do it. Give him one good reason not to do this again to you... Do it! Do it! DO IT!!!


* * *


It was a blur and he was in a dream. Fully clothed in his off-season garb, Lentils charged.

"I don't want to hurt you!" He screamed, as Teddy bolted around.

The two fillies got out of the way, leaving Lentils to face the lead pony Teddy.

Immediately, Teddy got to his back legs and struck at Lentils his his hooves. Most of the blows connected and hurt, knocking the pony to the ground, but Lentils knew the secret to pain by now... he just chose not to feel it. Rice taught him that. All he lost, afterall, were his glasses. Smashed. He got up and rammed the pony to the ground:

"You lied to me!" He screamed, taking a swipe at the ponies face.

The blow connected, blood squirting from the pony's nose. His companions screamed.

"It would have been so much easier if you just told me the truth! I wouldn't be here!" He struck him again, this time in the jaw. Sufficing to say, he was out cold.

If we were guilty, he wouldn't have gone down so easily. Said Rice. You might have to kill him now.

"I don't want to!" Screamed Lentils into the air above him.

Then turn your attention elsewhere...

Though Teddy had been defeated, there were two others fillies. One bolted as he looked up, leaving the other there... shaking... the one who had said fashion police was there... alone.

It was you, wasn't it? Asked Rice.

She was silent, looking into Lentil's eyes.

"Well, was it you?" Asked Lentils, after a long bit of silence.

"Please... don't hurt me."

Lentils got up, looking her in the eye even closer:

"Was it you?" He sneered. "Why would I hurt you, hun?"

She was very close to him now. His gaze looked like the eyes of a doll she had at home... brown, glazed over, and without feeling. She's never seen anything like and would remember this image for a very long time.

"Yes. I did it!" She cried. "Please, just don't..."

He rubbed the side of her face:

"The truth will set you free." He smirked. "I really don't want to do anything bad to you..."

Set her free! Set her free!

Lentils ignored his friend:

"All I want is peace, is that so much to ask?" He continued rubbing her face. "It's a bueatiful day and all you did was take a rock and throw it in my direction. Are you proud of yourself for that?"

"No." she replied, still shaking, as a siren approached. "You hurt my friend!"

You're going to have to go away you know. Said Rice. You did the right thing, though. Do it again.

"I know, I know... It's a shame, isn't it?"

"Why!?! Why did you hurt my friend?"

...

Lentils wondered that himself as the Officers now approached.

He turned to Rice, who was infront of the officers:

"Why?"

"Easy son," said the closer officer. "We just want to talk to you... how 'bout you come down to a nice quiet room with us and you can tell everypony all about what happened here, huh?"

Lentils looked to Rice:

Sounds like fun.


Epilogue


Save a broken nose and fractured jaw, Lentils victim was okay after a night in the hospital, but after this encounter he was due to spend a while there himself a few floors above. The cops knew he was crazy right off the bat, but after looking at some paperwork and talking to the Doctor, they knew what was best.

He had been deemed safe for pony society up to this point. He had been in fights before, but they were with stallions his own age. He was 30, after all. These were children he'd hurt.

He ended up spending a year in the hospital, until he was finally released yet again. He stopped blaming Rice, but only because Rice figured out the Doctors wanted him to... that was his ticket out.

"It's my fault," he said. "And I'm sorry."

He wasn't. He didn't know what he'd done. But at least he could show that he moved on and become a better pony. Now he had his music again... Rice told him he'd get his music again if he lied and he was right! His computer, piano and paintings were gone now, he didn't understand, but that was okay... he had it all in his head and the new place he was staying at, which was like a big appartment, had a big piano in the main room! Not only that, Doctor Strong Heart gave him another CD and player!

Ponies gathered around when he was playing in the main room, which Rice first shouted for them to go away... it didn't work. It seemed a lot of ponies really did like his music. Doctor Strong Heart said they would and he was right! Mares sat close and stallions patted him on the back afterwards... he hated being touched, but he was happy again.

Doctor Strong Heart started coming to him instead of the other way around. He felt important, like he had something special that even the Doctor didn't know about. Even Rice said so. Eventually, he'd be going to see him again, but that wouldn't be for a while.


THE END