//------------------------------// // Part 1/3 // Story: Various Kinds Of Dread // by JC Borch //------------------------------// “Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this story in no way endorses a belief in ponies.” - Michael Jackson EQUESTRIAN SHIPPING SHORT STORY 04: VARIOUS KINDS OF DREAD PART 1/3 It is difficult for me to pinpoint exactly where this story begins. Only by going through the string of extraordinary events can I begin to make a serious attempt. Were I to hazard a guess, however, I would put it at the day we returned to school. No, it must have been earlier than that. Already the day before summer vacation I noticed something that would put things into motion. I had long observed the Cutie Mark Crusaders from the sideline. As a blank flank myself, I understood their burning desire to find their special talents but, as you will later see, I had other things in my life to worry about. It was on that morning before the bell rang that they would make a decision. A decision with unforeseeable consequences that would nearly damn all of Ponyville. For the CMC, it was just another Friday morning. “Fellow Crusaders!” Apple Bloom said in seriousness and pounded her hooves into her desk. “Another year has gone by and we still haven’t found our talents.” “Don’t remind me,” Scootaloo said from the floor with her arms crossed. “That’s wha we gotta do sumthing about it.” Apple Bloom jumped down from her seat and paced in front of them. “During this year’s summer break, we have got ta work hard! Ah suggest daily meetings and activities. Them cutie marks has ta be found before we begin school again.” “Sorry Apple Bloom.” Sweetie Belle hung her head. “I uh… already have plans for summer break. I won’t be back in Ponyville before the last week.” “Whu –?” “Yeah, me neither,” Scootaloo said with a sheepish grin. “It always gets so hot in Ponyville during summer so I’m going skiing.” Apple Bloom looked at them both in turn, her expression begging for one of them to say “Kidding!” or something like that. Faced with the prospect of not only missing out on crusading time, but also missing her best friends, Apple Bloom drooped all the way to the floor. “But don’t worry,” Sweetie Belle said optimistically and beamed. “Even apart, the Cutie Mark Crusaders vow to find their talents!” “Yeah!” Scootaloo chimed in and perked up as well. “It doesn’t matter where we are, Apple Bloom. We just have to promise to work on it. Like trying three things before bedtime.” “We already do that.” Apple Bloom’s eyes becoming distant as she looked around the classroom for inspiration. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon entered, chatting. They saw the Crusaders sitting on the floor and laughed loudly. Scootaloo shot them a nasty glance. They just feigned fear and continued inside giggling. A devious smile crossed her lips. “Ah’ve got it!” she exclaimed and banged one hoof into the other. “Got what?” Scootaloo asked and drew her baleful eyes away from the class bullies. “We should just ask somepony who already have their cutie marks!” “But we’ve already tried that,” Sweetie Belle interjected. “Yeah, and what a waste of time that turned out to be.” Scootaloo rolled with her eyes, but Apple Bloom grabbed them around their necks and put her head between them. “Of course it was, we asked the wrong ponies. If we want help finding our talents, we should ask somepony our own age.” “Hey yeah, that’s not a bad idea!” Sweetie Belle spat with her face mashed up against Apple Bloom’s. “Can’t be any worse than Rainbow Dash’s story.” Scootaloo made a gagging motion that made the others giggle. “Great, it’s settled,” Apple Bloom grinned. “Before the day is through, we pledge ta ask one from owah class how they got their cutie mark.” “Cutie Mark Crusaders,” they said in unison and clapped their hooves together. The bell rang shortly after and the first class of the day began. If only I knew then what I know now. So much hardship could have been avoided and so much suffering averted. Admittedly not a bad strategy, but for three fillies cursed by bad luck it was bound to go wrong. Having overheard it all, I found myself actively spending the rest of the day observing them. I just had to see where this was going. Playing jump rope with my friends outside during the first recess period, I noticed Scootaloo select her target. That filly’s name was Archer, a blue pony who looked a little like her. It was a brief conversation straight to business. The next of them was Apple Bloom during math. She sat behind me and I didn’t want Cheerilee to think I was cheating, again, but I stole a few glances. She whispered a few words to the greyish pink pony next to her. I’m not sure what an island cutie mark is indicative of, but Apple Bloom was very interested, smiling and nodding. Unfortunately Cheerilee took the sudden whispering to be a hard division problem. For that, Apple Bloom earned a trip to the blackboard. Sweetie Belle was struggling however. Not many others had gotten their cutie mark yet and she had always been a picky one. Pretty much only Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon was left from our year. It wasn’t until after class that she picked out her mark. I assume. My mum picked me up before I could actually see her doing the asking. My summer vacation was rather uneventful so perhaps instead I’ll introduce myself? The name is Dinky Doo and I have just one sibling, my older sister Amethyst Star. She moved out before I was born and even at time of this story had a family of her own. I often questioned my dad on these age discrepancies, but he just said it was because he married my mother when they were young. We’ll get back to that later. My dad is Time Turner, the only time keeper for miles and always busy. He doesn’t have any kind of schedule and just shows up wherever he’s needed. Either at marathons or contests or some other event. He’s a good stallion and I love him deeply, but he can be very distracted and stressed-out at times. Doesn’t help he was converting our house to a shop. My mom on the other hoof is completely relaxed and a bit clumsy at times. Her name is Ditsy Doo, but she’s rarely called that. Derpy is what everyone calls her, but she doesn’t care either way. “As long as you don’t call me too late for muffins,” quote unquote. I guess it’s because her eyes tend to wander in opposite directions. She doesn’t say much and have a habit of getting herself into trouble, but she’s my mom and I love her more than anything else. But back to the story. When school started out again, I still hadn’t got my cutie mark. Mom just kissed me on the forehead. “You’re my special muffin. That’s something you don’t need a cutie mark to prove.” She would usually fly me to school, and I either got to ride in a mail bag or she would hold me tight. It was the latter on that day and I felt it was tighter than usual. You can’t read my mom’s face if there’s something she wants to hide, but I knew what that hug meant. She was going out on one of her expeditions again. I waved goodbye to her from the schoolyard, knowing it would be some time before I would see her again. My mom sometimes goes exploring and stays gone for extended periods of time. Then she comes back and acts like nothing has happened. I hoped that she was just embracing me tighter because of my first day of school after the vacation. Many of the other ponies had gotten their cutie marks. As one of the only ponies left over the summer, I had gone to Berry Pinch’s cute-ceañera. Now the others could enjoy her golden horseshoe as well. Whatever talent that represents. Okay, maybe I was little jealous of her and the three other fillies with shining cutie marks. I just had a hard time finding my talent. My dad never had time to talk about it and my mom always told me not to worry. Well, I didn’t say anything. My best friends already had their cutie marks so I was used to the disappointment. I took my seat and immediately began looking for the Crusaders. I was a little late and it was near ringing time. Craning my neck, I spotted Apple Bloom and Scootaloo in a corner alone at the very bottom of the class. They didn’t just look older and lankier, what I probably did as well, but they had actually succeeded! Apple Bloom’s cutie mark was a wooden plank with a beautiful apple bud blooming out of it. She was quite proud of it and shook her flank, but Scootaloo had to one-up her of course. Or try at least. Hers was a flaming wheel and actually looked pretty radical. Of course, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had differing opinions. “Oh look,” Tiara pointed and laughed. “Only a couple of losers like you could have gotten such lame cutie marks.” “You’re one to talk,” Scootaloo replied. Her confidence had soared tremendously and was actually standing up to those two! “What’s your cutie mark good for anyway? Wearing jewellery?” Tiara gave an affronted gasp. “I will have you know that my special talent is better than yours!” “Oh yeah? What is it then?” Apple Bloom added smugly. Tiara hesitated for just a moment, allowing the bell to ring. “Come on, Silver Spoon. My dad promised me I could go to a private school if I improved my grades. That way we don’t have to talk with these losers.” “Yeah...” I thought I noticed a hint of sadness in Silver Spoon’s voice. For just a moment, it almost seemed like she was sorry. But she still found her seat with Diamond Tiara, listening to how she bragged about valuable assets and overseas investments. But I still hadn’t found Sweetie Belle, and she was usually early or at the very least together with the CMC. Cheerilee entered the classroom just as I finished my cursory search. As always, our teacher was in a good mood and hummed as she closed the door behind her. “All right, class,” she said and cleared her throat. “I hope everyone had an exciting summer break. I will certainly be looking forward to read those essays.” Only exciting thing about that summer was dad oversleeping and tearing through the house for his tie. It was around his neck the whole time. “Now, I have some exciting news as well!” Cheerilee paused for dramatic effect and we all looked up at her with renewed attention. Needless to say, getting reminded of the essays had spurred a few murmurs and a bit of grumbling. But before Cheerilee could continue, the door opened again and silence fell on the room. Like someone had sucked all sounds out of it for just a moment. It was Sweetie Belle and she had certainly grown during the time away. Not just taller but... wider as well. She had gotten a good amount of padding to her belly and her neck creased into folds as she kept her head down. Then the laughing started. I was one of the few who just stared in shock. She had let herself go and then some, with splotches of food all over her coat. “Sweetie Belle, what happened?” Scootaloo asked but Sweetie Belle ignored her, her face cold and distant. “Settle down, everypony. And Sweetie Belle, take your seat,” Cheerilee said and tried to continue like nothing had happened. But we were staring, we were all staring and wondering what was going on. The next thing she said barely registered among us until the mention of: “... Manehattan! So everypony, get permission from your parents before the end of the month.” Yes, as you may have guessed from that blurt and which I only later that day found out, we were going on a fieldtrip to Manehattan. It naturally made me very thrilled, having not seen much of the world outside Ponyville. Yet still I felt odd inside seeing Sweetie Belle acting so differently. It may only have been a natural concern which I would feel about the ponies I saw in class every day... or it could be something deeper. I was too young at that time to have such possibilities flash into my mind. But I decided to act on what feelings I knew while still sticking to my pre-established plan. I wouldn’t interfere with the Crusaders, only observe them. The first class of the day, Equestrian, drew to a close and a short break followed where we had a little time to play or do whatever we wanted. Under the pretence of going through homework for the next class, I spied on the Crusaders a little more. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo wanted to find out what was wrong with Sweetie Belle and maybe even show off their cutie marks. “Sweetie Belle, are you all right?” Scootaloo asked, but Sweetie Belle ignored her and instead drew a lunchbox from her backpack. It was filled with confections. “Why are ya mad at us?” Apple Bloom asked. Sweetie Belle crammed a whole éclair into her mouth and munched very loudly, possibly in some sickening attempt to drive them off. “Ugh, at least tell us what your problem is!” Scootaloo raised her voice, but to no avail. Sweetie Belle swallowed and reached for the dozen glazed donuts but Apple Bloom snatched it from her. “Sweetie Belle, what is the matter with ya!” she asked. Sweetie Belle flailed her hoofs at the lunchbox but her belly cut too deeply into the desk. “It’s all your fault,” she finally said. Angry tears slithered from her clenched eyes as she drew another lunchbox up from her bag. “All our fault how?” Scootaloo demanded and pushed the schoolbag away. “All your fault that I’m a blimp! It was your stupid idea to ask the other kids how they got their talent.” “What?” Scootaloo asked, unable to suppress a slight giggle. “You yourself said it was good idea!” “It was a terrible idea and you took all the best ones. I was stuck with Truffle Shuffle.” “So?” Apple Bloom asked and put the donuts back down. With colour blushing Sweetie Belle’s cheeks, she ripped the donuts back and dug into them with wild abandon. “He got his cutie mark from eating, so I thought I could do the same.” “When you didn’t get your cutie mark from the first hundred cakes, why didn’t you just stop?” Scootaloo asked cynically. Sweetie Belle got up from her seat and pressed her smeared face up against Scootaloo. “I spent a whole summer in a bakery sampling their wares because of your stupid idea!” “Sweetie Belle, the others just told us ta do what came natural to us,” Apple Bloom said and tried consoling Sweetie Belle by stroking her back. Her hoof was slapped away and Sweetie Belle turned towards her instead. “And you didn’t think to tell me that? ‘Let’s see if Sweetie Belle is stupid enough to make herself a prize pig?’ Is that it?” “What are you mad at us for?” Scootaloo asked angrily. “It’s your own damn fault this happened to you. Maybe you’ll get your cutie mark by being stubborn bitch, ‘cause you sure are good at it.” Scootaloo went back to her desk without a second glance. Apple Bloom looked from one to the other, tripping over her words as she tried to mediate. Sweetie Belle’s horn glowed and Apple Bloom was pushed off her hooves. “Leave me alone,” Sweetie Belle said heatedly and chowed down her donuts. Apple Bloom wiped her eyes. “Ah wouldn’t have anything ta do with a big mean bully like you either!” she said and turned in anger. The Crusaders were basically broken apart at this appoint. I know I should have been more interested in the other two since it was Sweetie Belle who had been rude to them, but I felt weirdly obligated towards her. There was something troubling her and I wanted to find out. But she had just chewed out her best friends. It would not be any easier for a veritable stranger like myself. *** Slime slithered down the grey bricks and the dumpsters smelled of rotten food from the takeout restaurant. On the left side of the alley was an old store that had been foreclosed. The windows were broken and boarded up. The inside was ravaged by graffiti just like the walls outside. The basement door however was open and light streamed up the stairs and illuminated a cardboard box. The flaps opened and a blonde head peeked out. A grey pegasus smiled happily but there was no one around her to requite it. The walleyed pony curiously tried stepping out of the box but tipped it instead, tumbling out and landing in front of the stairs. Raised voices carried out with distinctly foreign accents. “Giovanni, how we gonna play with just three men?” a gruff voice asked. “Ain’t mah fault Johnny was knifed in the leg, Boris,” a mousy voice replied. Attracted by the warm light, the pegasus scooted down the stairs and in through the door left ajar. The room looked to have been a storage in the past with all its shelves, but had recently been refurbished with wooden a table and matching rickety chairs. A Chinese man stood up at the sight of the pony, surprised at first but a hungry smile creeping across him. “Ah, pony! Favourite dish!” he exclaimed and took a cleaver from his belt, but a big hand grabbed his shoulder. “Hold on, Ming,” the gruff voice said and scratched his prominent chin. “Don’t tell me cartoon horse here to play Texas Hold ‘Em?” The pegasus nodded and stood up happily. “Ah, jeez, you can’t be serious!” the mousy voice said and reached into his jacket. Boris held up a hand. “I hear about cartoon horse. Very smart. All right, buy-in 200 green ones. Wanna play?” The pegasus retracted a muffin seemingly from nowhere. Boris roared with laughter and slapped his knee. “Very well, cartoon horse. You join table.” The three men sat down again and the pegasus joined them. “You uh... you got a name there, friend?” Giovanni asked as he shuffled the cards. “Derpy!” the pony chirped and put the muffin down on the table where the others had their money. Giovanni was a snivelly little man in a too big suit and was not happy about the arrangement. Though, he might just have been nervous about the stakes. He continuously wiped his brow and his poker face was bad. Whenever things didn’t go his way, he drew a handkerchief and lifted his hat to wipe his brow. Boris, on the other hand, was taking the game more seriously and his mien was cold until he won the pots. Then he laughed and slammed his hand into the table much to the annoyance of the others. Contrarily if he lost, he would lose his temper and downright frighten the other players with insults and accusations. As the game dragged on, it was him who sat with the biggest share. Ming was a portly little Chinese man who would get smug when fortune blessed him and often made big gambles. He had put most of it into the pot, confident in his two jacks. One on hand, the other out on the table. Giovanni was the first to fold, whimpering as he put his cards down and grasped his face. But Derpy wasn’t swayed. Scrunching up her face, she pushed both her muffin and all the money she had into the pool. Frustrated, Ming threw down his cards. “How does cartoon pony even hold cards?” But Boris smiled widely. “You don’t fool me, little horsey. I call your bluff.” And with that, he too shoved all of his share in as well. “Three of a kind!” he said and put two nines down on the table, matching with the one already out. He reached for the pot but then Derpy laid out her hoof. Boris reared back in his seat. “A f-f-flush? No! Is not possible!” But it was. Derpy had the queen and king, matching with the nine, ten and jack. Boris howled and flipped the table over. Money and cards went flying everywhere. Giovanni fell from his chair but Ming rose to his feet. His pudgy hands grabbed around Boris’ exposed biceps. Derpy looked with confusion and worry between them. “You calm down!” Ming said but Boris was blind with rage. Giovanni dove behind the table and stashed as much money into his suit as he had pockets. Ming crashed through the table and Boris jumped down on top of him, fists clenched tightly around his shoulders. “We talk about this. You no get angry when lose!” “I... I know,” Boris said. His eyes were getting shining, so he wiped them with an arm. “Psst, cartoon pony. Whadda ya say the two of us split?” Giovanni whispered. Derpy grabbed her muffin and nodded. The well-clad Italian grabbed around her middle and hurried up the stairs. “You are gonna make me a rich man!” *** “Oh Dinky, where IS your mother?” dad asked and paced the kitchen nervously. He raced to the window and placed his hoofs on the counter. The skies outside were clear. “I think she went on one of her trips,” I replied and bit into a mitt, using it to take a hot tray from the oven. The scent of my creations filled the kitchen and my dad settled down. “Is that... muffins?” he asked in surprise. I nodded and put the tray down on the table in the middle. We usually sat there at night to eat. “Yup,” I replied and wiped cookie dough off my brow. “One of my classmates has been kind of depressed so I thought I’d cheer her up.” My dad wrapped an arm around me and took the chef’s hat off my head. “You remind me why I married your mother to begin with,” he said and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Da-ad!” I said with a giggle, pushing him off me. “It’s only muffins, jeez.” “Listen sweetie, daddy has a very important meeting today. I have to be there...” he released me and looked up at clock. “Two minutes ago. I’m sorry, Dinky, but I have to run now. Go straight to school, don’t accept any strangers and don’t talk to any candy! Wait, what was I saying?” I took a bread bag from the cupboard next to the fridge. “That you were late!” “Yes. Right. Have a good day, sweetie!” I could see him from the windows galloping down the streets, careful to apologise to anypony he bumped into. I shook my head and tipped the muffins into the bag and I was off myself. It was minutes before the bell rang when I arrived. Making the muffins had taken me longer than I had anticipated and mom wasn’t there to fly me. Yet Sweetie Belle was late again. Like the day before, she snuck into the class well after the bell rang. She looked if possible like an even bigger mess. Apple Bloom opened her mouth to speak but Scootaloo shook her head. Sweetie Belle ignored them both. I decided to seize my opportunity at the following break. Everypony else had gone outside in the sunlight but I remained behind and went up to Sweetie Belle’s desk. She took out her lunchbox, but gagged when she saw the contents: a single pear. Disinterested, she took a bite from the top. I took a deep breath, but found it hard to just do it. I had to work up my courage first. “Heya,” I finally said and placed my muffin bag next to her Sapphire Shores lunchbox. “What do you want?” Sweetie Belle asked in a rude tone and took another bite. I was thrown a little off but I held my ground. “Uhm, maybe you’d like a muffin?” I asked and opened the bag. “Oh sure, let’s all feed the fat kid in class because she’s always hungry. Ha-ha, how funny!” she said sarcastically and swallowed the rest of the pear. “So you don’t want a muffin?” I asked crestfallen and took the bag away again. “Gimme that.” Sweetie Belle yanked the bag out of my grip and greedily devoured the muffins whole, no concerns given to her manners. “Dumb Rarity thinking I’ve gotten too fat. Making me eat healthy. Never giving me enough.” I found myself transfixed on Sweetie Belle. The way she slovenly crammed every treat into her puffy cheeks made me silent. Her face became smeared with the bleeding chocolaty centre. She was getting full and her pace slowed, and she didn’t speak either. I felt warm inside watching as she forced the last of the muffins down. Her breathing was laboured as she leant back in her seat. Her stomach was distended even more after the feast. “What happened to you? During the summer?” I finally asked in a quiet voice. She looked at me as if I was a thousand miles away. I think she really would have told me then and there, but the bell rang again. I was forced to sit down again and she was back to ignoring me again by the next break. I had lost one opportunity, but not the last. I was determined to finding out what ailed her but I also needed time to reflect on what I had experienced that day. There was only thing I could do. I had to ask aunt Carrot Top. Her real name is Golden Harvest and she’s not really my aunt either, but she is one of my mom’s oldest friends in Ponyville. She used to sit me all the time when I was younger. As much I love my mom, I sometimes needed a down-to-earth advice and Carrot Top is where I always went. She lived in a house not far from ours and has a sizeable plot behind it where she grows her namesake vegetables. She made a small living selling them at the market and could usually be found harvesting them. Sure enough, with a blue rag around her head and mud all the way up her legs, Carrot Top stood in her garden. A carrot came up from the ground with a comical pop and was promptly placed in the baskets she was wearing over her shoulders. “You didn’t come to help me pick my carrots?” she asked and bit into the stalk of another one. I shook my head. “Your mother’s disappeared again, hasn’t she?” I nodded. Carrot Top released the carrot again and wiped her face with the rag. “Come inside, I’ll make us some tea.” Her house was small and painted yellow. A backdoor led into her rustic kitchen, a room reflecting her practical nature. She shook off the saddle and the half-filled pouches fell to the floor with a heavy thud. “So how can I help you, Dinky? Your dad too busy to help you with homework?” I made myself comfortable by the table as Carrot Top retrieved a kettle and started pouring water into it. “No,” I said quietly and rubbed my hooves nervously together. “Come now, you can tell me. That’s why you came to me, after all.” She fixed us two mugs while the water slowly boiled on the stove. “Well, uhm...” “I haven’t seen that look since you tried hiding a puppy from your parents,” she said with a little smile as she put the mugs down in front of us. “Don’t tell me you have a coltfriend?” “No! No, it’s nothing like that!” I said and hastily averted her eyes by picking from her box of tea bags. “You’re blushing, Dinky. Is it another filly then? There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” She sat down opposite me and grabbed my hoof. I had to look up at her, but telling her what I felt was difficult. I didn’t even know it myself but I had to say something. “One of my classmates recently gained some weight so I thought I would cheer her up but she’s so grumpy and she pushed all of her friends away and I’m not sure what to do!” The words tumbled out of my mouth in a long stream and I felt tears lining my eyes. I took a deep breath and sucked them back in. Carrot Top’s green eyes became sharp like a hawk’s. I remembered that look all too well. She was an amazing pony person and it was impossible to keep a secret from her. I could only smile sheepishly. “Ho, so that’s all,” she said. The kettle was whistling for her attention and she jumped down to fetch it. I knew she wasn’t convinced, that she had seen even what I tried to find. She didn’t mention anything though and simply poured the water into my mug. It mingled with the leaves of my tea and turned a bright orange shade. The scent of mangoes wafted into my nostrils and I gave a delighted sigh. Carrot Top had the best tea in all of Ponyville and she often travelled far to acquire new samples. One sip and your tongue loosened and your mind cleared. “Let me guess, the muffin trick didn’t work?” she asked. I nodded and she shook her head. “You remind me of your mother when she first came here as well. I had just found my talents but I had no way to realise it. I wanted to grow carrots and take care of them, but I had no money to settle in Ponyville. Ditsy hounded me every step I took, always offering her muffins and embraces. But if it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have had the energy to fight. Do you understand?” “You’re telling me... not to give up?” I asked and sipped my tea again. “Find out what makes your classmate sad. Giving a hungry pony a carrot staves off hunger for a bit. Give her seeds and she will never go hungry again.” Her face was kind but had the authoritative aura which all grownups seem to have. I had to think about her words for a moment. “When she came to school again after a long vacation, she still didn’t have her cutie mark. I bet that’s what’s bothering her!” I exclaimed. “Thanks Carrot Top!” “You’re most welcome,” she said calmly and sipped her tea. “Why don’t you and your dad come here for dinner tonight? Without Ditsy around, I fear that stallion is going to starve himself.” *** Giovanni had equipped a cape to his suit and donned a top hat and clutched a cane in his hand. He grinned down at the people who gathered around his small scene, waiting for the crowd to grow large enough. They were enticed by the large banner that he had raised above the stage and stood in silent expectation. “People of Manburg!” he finally said, his voice magnified by the microphone attached to his cheek. “I am proud to present to you the eighth wonder of this whole crazy world, a miracle so defying of nature that you will not believe it!” People from around the park flocked around the raised platform. Giovanni bowed down low so he could face the ones nearest to the stage. “Are you ready for this? I mean, are you really ready for this ma’am?” “Is this another one of your mermaids?” a voice called out. “Or did you find the Bigfoot?” The crowd began to laugh and Giovanni withdrew, nervously coughing. “I assure you, I did not know that was a stuffed monkey sewn on to a shark.” “Just get on with it already!” another one said. “Yes, well, all right!” Giovanni stumbled back to the red curtain that obscured the other half of the scene. His fingers fumbled for the cord while sweat broke from his brow. “Behold! I give you the world’s only... cartoon pony!” The curtains rose up under the roof, the mechanics creaking dangerously. A fog machine obscured the contents behind the drapes and took a moment to lift. Derpy stood in the middle, smiling serenely with eyes wandering off in separate directions. “Ah? Ah?” Giovanni said and waved at the pony. “Ten dollars to pet it and, who knows, you might even acquire it if the price is right.” “Nice effects, jackass!” a young boy said. “Looks like your projector is glitchy!” a woman said. The audience proceeded to throw rotten fruit at him amidst their laughs and taunts. “I assure you, this is... no, please, I beg you, stop!” he said and raised his arms to shield his face. “Ten dollars, and you get to feed it as well!” A watermelon straight to his face floored him. The crowd thinned until he was alone again. Giovanni woke up moments later when Derpy licked the fruit flesh of his face. He raised a hand to stroke her mane and she smiled down at him. “Bah, these people don’t appreciate the true talents of Giovanni. We’ll hit another town where my face is less known and then we’ll wow them.” He jumped off the stage, wiping the last of the melon away. They went up the hill to the parking lot where Giovanni had his trailer, essentially just a cargo container on wheel. He went inside the improvised door on the side, stopping up abruptly. His face paled when he saw the interior. “You... you ate all the muffins again!” he said and almost fell outside again. “Those were supposed to last you all week!” “They were delicious!” Derpy said and licked her lips. “No. Those were my last money! How am I supposed... debt... gas! I...” Giovanni fell to his hands and knees. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he continued to blubber. After a moment, he sat up and wiped his face with the sleeve of his large jacket. From an inside pocket he took a gun and held it up to his head with a shaky hand. “I’m sorry for exploiting you, cartoon pony. I’m sorry for all the bad things I’ve done. If I could take them back, I would. Maybe like this I can make things right.” Giovanni closed his eyes and whimpered as his finger slowly squeezed on the trigger. The gun gave a loud bang and he fell on his back. The gun slipped from his hand and slid across the pavement. His eyes stared up at sky where he could see Derpy fly up into the air. “You saved me,” he said in disbelief. He lay there on the ground for a long moment, Derpy getting smaller and smaller against the sun. “You saved me. After all I did to you, you want me to live?” He stood up and shielded his eyes with a hand. “So long and thanks for all the muffins!” Derpy shouted, her voice no louder than the whispering of the wind. “I understand now. You want me to turn my life around! I can’t believe what a loser I’ve been. I have to patch things up with my brother... and I have to apologise to my ma! I’ll reopen my dad’s old shop! Thank you, thank you!” *** Sweetie Belle was depressed about her lack of cutie mark was the conclusion I had arrived at. My problem then was to find out how I could help her. I couldn’t just use my unicorn powers to make one appear. I think Twilight tried that once and if she couldn’t do it… Well, I wouldn’t need my magic anyway. It was also still a little unstable and I couldn’t quite control it yet, and I’ve always prided myself with my fast thinking. A plan quickly formed in my adolescent head. It was school the next day that I stepped into action. I had only two friends left without cutie marks now but that was all I needed. Half Note and Noi were usually together somewhere like inseparable twins. Their friendship had only strengthened as more and more of our classmates had found their talents. Half Note wasn’t too bothered about it but Noi was very touchy. I’ve seen her many times with a fake cutie mark, but not as often lately. I think Half Note had a good effect on her. “Oh hey Dinky!” Noi said and waved me over from across the playground. “Want to play hopscotch with us?” She was throwing a stone up and down in the air while Half Note meticulously drew the track. “Uhm, maybe we could do something else for a change?” I suggested. Half Note spat out the chalk and looked at me funny. “Who are you and what did you do with Dinky?” she asked. “How about we try and find our cutie mark? Wouldn’t that be fun?” The two exchanged incredulous glances. “What, like the Crusaders?” Half Note scoffed. “No, no, no!” I quickly inserted and shook my head. “Just a couple of fillies trying to find their cutie marks, nothing more.” “I... guess we could do that,” Half Note said. “Why are you so interested in getting your cutie mark all of sudden?” Noi asked me suspiciously, her tail instantly covering her own blank flank. “The Crusaders got their cutie mark, so their strategy seems to have worked. The larger our group, the more ideas we could come up with!” I tried to cheer them on, but they wavered for just a moment too long. Diamond Tiara walked past us with Silver Spoon next to her. “Looks like the who’s who of Ponyville’s losers!” Tiara said and laughed. Silver Spoon chuckled nervously prompting a venomous stare from Tiara. “What’s with you these days, Silver Spoon? Sometimes I wonder if you’re more interested in these dorks than me.” “Of course not!” she quickly inserted, a little too quick. Tiara did not let it go by unnoticed but simply rolled her eyes. “We’ve got better things to do than talk to these lamos anyway. My dad is taking to us art gallery.” Tiara whipped her tail in my face and looked behind her with a smug smile. I instantly rubbed my tingling nose which is just what she wanted to see. Again Silver Spoon gave me an apologetic look. “This is why blank flanks shouldn’t be seen together!” Noi said and hyperventilated. “Stress... mounting! Cracking under... pressure! Ability to describe symptoms... fading!” “Snap out of it.” Half Note whapped Noi over the head and looked up at me with a defiant smile. “Let’s do it, Dinky. It’s been too long since we did something together.” “And maybe we could invite other fillies to join us who hasn’t got their mark either?” I suggested quietly and pawed at the ground. Half Note raised an eyebrow. “Other fillies? The only other pony without a cutie mark left is...” She turned to look over her shoulder. Sweetie Belle sat by herself on a bench behind the school. Older kids sometimes broke into the school and then hung out there, so none of us dared go there anymore. The perfect place to be alone. “No! No way!” Half Note said and shook her head. “Why not?” I pleaded. “Because she sweats all the time,” Noi said and wafted a hoof over her nose. “Yeah, and she just farts without even trying to hide it,” Half Note added. “But she’s all lonely and sad. I’m sure if we could help her find her cutie mark, she would get in a better mood.” The others wavered and I knew I was losing them. This mission hinged on their participation. Sweetie Belle would no doubt be deterred if I approached her alone again. “Half Note, who designed your big sister’s dress at the very last moment when she lost her old one?” “Rarity... but that still doesn’t–” “And Noi, don’t tell me you didn’t have fun playing with Sweetie Belle when you were trapped in that storm. You told me so yourself.” The two exchanged glances. Finally, Noi sighed and looked at me sternly. “Fine. I don’t know why this is so important to you, but we’ll help you.” “But just remember, you owe us big time!” Half Note jabbed at my chest, but all I could do was laugh. “I couldn’t do it without you guys!” Truth be told, I wasn’t sure myself why it was so important to me. But that tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach increased. I couldn’t suppress it and the joy I felt showed on my face. With my two new compatriots, it was finally time to cheer Sweetie Belle up. It was a big task just from what I had already experienced, but... I had no idea how bad it was getting. Half Note and Noi followed me, but I could feel their anxiety. The furthest corner in the very back of the school was not filly turf. As always, the stench of stale urine flared in my nostrils and I swear I trod on a used condom wrapper. Those older kids had no respect for the school and just waded in like they owned the place. And Sweetie Belle just sat at the corner, on a bench that had been defaced with all kinds of symbols. Thankfully at that time I didn’t know what half of them meant. Half empty glass bottles and cigarette buds were spread out over the place. They had been there just last night, but Sweetie Belle didn’t care. A dozen empty lunchboxes were up high piled next to her and a dozen more waiting for her. Her own Sapphire Shores one was peeking out just at the bottom of the used pile. Guess she had made short work of that one first. “I don’t think we should be here,” Half Note insisted and tried to stop me with a hoof on my back, but I shrugged her off. “Dinky, she’s becoming one of them!” “Auntie Carrot Top calls them delinquents,” Noi said. Unlike me, Noi was actually her niece. “That doesn’t sound good!” “Guys, that’s exactly why we’re helping her. So she won’t become a delin... a delin... a bad egg!” My eyes were focused on Sweetie Belle but I could feel Noi shake next to me. I took a deep breath and went up to the bench. “Got any more muffins?” she asked gruffly and forced another lunchbox open. She stuck her whole head into it and smeared peanut butter all over her face. The lunchbox was deprived of its sandwich in a matter of seconds and quickly discarded into the pile. “No, but I thought maybe–” “Then go away, if you don’t have anything on you.” Sweetie Belle seized a big Wonderbolt lunchbox and found a small heap of hay fries. “Where did you get all those from... is that my lunchbox?” Noi asked with tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t know, I just found it in some bag in the classroom,” Sweetie Belle said nonchalantly and stuffed all of the fries in between her pudgy cheeks. Noi turned around crying while Half Note just stood there, stupefied for a moment. “You know, we actually wanted to be your friends here. I don’t know what your problem is, but stay away from us.” Half Note took her own box from the uneaten pile and ran after Noi. “Sweetie Belle...” I muttered. “Buzz off,” she replied gruffly. Her eating had taken a turn for the worse and her weight was suffering from it. Just looking at her, unable to take my eyes off her, it seemed she swelled with every bite. I don’t think she was even hungry anymore. She was only my size and ate a whole class worth of lunch boxes. It was excruciating to look at her huff and puff just to swallow every bite she took. Her gut was beginning to dig into the table and several rolls adorned her white fur. If the bell hadn’t rung, I would surely have been standing there until nightfall. I was so shocked that my mind had numbed. I paid little attention in class and even less on the way home. A cold wind blew to fit my mood but I could hardly notice it. I simply wandered down the streets of Ponyville, the other ponies hurrying home in the face of the oncoming storm. It was already starting to drip slightly but that wasn’t what shook me back to reality. What it was I first noticed, I’m not really sure. A sudden gust of wind forced me to stop and I heard an extra set of clip-clop on the pavement. Looking over my shoulder, there was nothing to see. A chill that had nothing to do with the weather ran down my spine. I began to walk again and stopped, again hearing that extra clip-clop. I picked up the pace and so did my stalker. The harder I pressed myself, the louder the hoofsteps. I just wanted to get home quickly, especially as the weather worsened. My dad always told me never to enter the large construction site, even though I could save some time by cutting through it. I wavered at the entrance. I could just be imagining the whole thing. That is, until a fork of lightning sundered the sky and a large shadow fell down the street. It was not my own. Screaming slightly, I ran headfirst through the hole in the plank fence and my own clip-clop became splish-splash. The sky illuminated the muddy ground again and I could see the shadow coming along. I forced myself to look over the shoulder but I saw no pony. Unsure what to do, I hid in a large pipe resting next to the wooden skeleton of a building. There were no workers out. When the pegasuses announced a storm, everypony crept inside and there I was, stuck in a concrete pipe and hoping my beating chest wouldn’t give my position away. A pair of legs slowly made their way towards me and paused. I slinked further inside where the shadows were darker than the night sky. I could feel cold eyes resting on me even as I had closed my own. I was shivering and whimpering for a few minutes before I dared open them again. The legs were gone. I edged towards the mouth of the pipe. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I peeked outside. I was alone again. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I went out into the rain again. It had really picked up and I was soaked in a matter of minutes, but I didn’t care. I was just relieved and even smiled at my own foolishness. Another lightning split across the sky and cast light on the fence right next to me. Two words had been written in some red material. “Butt out?” I whispered. The blood, or whatever it was, slithered down the wood. I screamed louder than I ever had and darted across the construction site straight towards home. It was irrefutable now and that was what scared me most, not the childish writing or the very frightening blood effect, but the fact that someone was after me. I tore open the door and ran straight up the stairs to my room where I cowered under the blankets. I didn’t even dare turn on the lights. I just lay under my covers and shivered. My dad would not be home for a while, ordinarily, but I heard his voice call to me from downstairs not long after. “Dinky! Dinky, are you home? Why aren’t the lights on… Don’t tell me I need to go out there again to find you.” My door opened and the light was flicked on. “Dinky, what... you’re shaking!” He didn’t even have to yank my blanket off like he did a moment later to find that out. He sat down on my bed and took me into a tight embrace. I bawled my eyes out like I had never done before and I told him everything, everything about Sweetie Belle and even the mysterious pony in the night. All he did was hold me and rub my head. My dad and I had never been as close as he had been with my sister, but I knew then that he loved me just the same. “I can’t believe how stupid I was.” I wiped my eyes and snivelled. “I’ll just leave her alone now.” “You really think that’s the best thing to do?” “Huh?” I looked up at him and saw him smile down at me. “You think you would be here if I had just given up?” He looked out at the window with a smile lost in memories. “It was on a night not unlike this that I met your mother. I can understand that she was caught out in the storm but I had no excuse. I took shelter under a park bench, hoping that it would clear up soon and who do you think I saw flying around?” “Mom?” “That’s right,” he said and booped my nose. “She was lost and flying around aimlessly. The rain made it impossible to see and she couldn’t hear me over the thunder. Daddy had a very important paper in his mouth that would decide his future, but I couldn’t just leave that clumsy pegasus out in the storm. I went out of my shelter and crossed winds like you wouldn’t believe it to reach her. Fortunately we found a pagoda but my paper was ruined. But I didn’t mind one bit. I fell in love with Derpy right then and there and I knew I would never want to leave Ponyville again.” “So... are you telling me not to give up?” “Never stop for anything if you believe in what you are doing. Don’t ever forget that, sweetie.” “But what about the message?” “You don’t know what that message was about or to whom it was addressed. I don’t think you have anything to fear except your vivid imagination. Now what do you say we make dinner?” I could not ignore my rumbling stomach and agreed with a nod. The mere mention of food made my thoughts wander towards Sweetie Belle and what I had seen that day, but I also knew to not let it get me down. I wasn’t sure what I could try next. Cheering her up with homemade muffins hadn’t helped and I was doubting it was cutie mark depression either. I spend a lot of time thinking up something else. The days went by at torturous speed. Every time I saw Sweetie Belle again, I swear she looked ever fatter. Her legs were getting as wide as me and the folds on her body multiplied like weed, but she didn’t appear to be affected at all. Sweetie Belle kept getting smaller lunches from home which just resulted in her stealing to feed herself. I followed her one day back from school and found her sneaking fruit from the market and licking the plates people left behind at restaurants. But that was how I knew how I could gain her trust. There was a piggy bank in my room. Dad gave me a monthly allowance and instead of wasting it on candy, I had been saving it. I figured I might need some extra cash in an emergency situation, yet looking up at the drawer across my bed, I hesitated. “Come on, Dinky. If there ever was a situation calling for it, this is the one.” Biting my lip, I kicked the drawer. The piggy bank tumbled down and broke on the thick white carpet. The noise of pink porcelain smashing into pieces was dampened and the reward could be collected instantly. I began to count. “Twenty-three, twenty-four... twenty-five precise. Just enough to treat her to dinner. I just hope I’ll have some left... no, if I can get her into a stupor, she might be drowsy enough to tell me what’s bothering her.” I poured all the bits into my pouch, a square of coarse leather wound with string, and dropped it in my school bag. Just in time as I heard my dad called me to remind me of school. I couldn’t wait to see Sweetie Belle again. My heart was pumping with excitement as I ran down the hallways. I almost missed dad waving my lunchbox at me from the kitchen. He bowed his head and I pecked him on the cheek. He had his tie on again so he would probably be gone all day, which was just perfect. I had all the time I needed without any interruptions. The school seemed too far away for once, but Sweetie Belle hadn’t arrived yet. But she wasn’t just late, she was gone the entire day. I sat patiently through the classes and hoped that she would come with her usual huffing and puffing, but there were neither hide nor hair of her. So when the day was over again a few hours after noon, I decided to pay her a visit. I had not gone far outside the school and down the street when the first surprise of the day presented itself. “Wait up!” I looked behind me to see Silver Spoon, but knowing what ponies she hung around with, I ignored her. Silver Spoon was persistent though and came up next to me and trod along. “What do you want?” I asked curtly. My bits clinked slightly in my backpack and I was constantly reminded of my mission. “I’d just like to know what’s going on with the Crusaders... and with Sweetie Belle. It isn’t because we teased her, is it?” To my astonishment, I found genuine concern in her voice. I admit I was unsure what to say. “Why do you ask me?” “They’ve just grown so apart and neither Scootaloo nor Apple Bloom wants to talk to me about it... I can kind of understand that though.” She chuckled nervously but tensed suddenly when she heard her name being called. “Silver Spoon, what are you doing talking to that lame blank flank!” It was Diamond Tiara and she was looking surlier that I had ever seen her before. “Just... reminding her of... how lame she is!” Silver Spoon smiled sheepishly. Diamond Tiara looked at her suspiciously and then shot me a nasty stare, like it was somehow my fault. “Well, come on! My dad is draining the pool tomorrow so this is the last chance we’ll have for a pool party.” Silver Spoon nodded and followed her along, but I could feel her unspoken objection. Maybe if I hadn’t been so preoccupied with another filly’s problem already, I could have had the time and surplus to help out Silver Spoon as well. But my pouch jangled again and I was brought back to my current task. The Carrousel Boutique was my first step. I wasn’t sure whether Sweetie Belle actually lived there but where else was she supposed to be when she was in Ponyville? Which was like all the time anyway. It was a store so the front door was open and I could just walk in. Rarity sat at the other end in one of her rare, peaceful moments, humming along to the sewing machine. Whatever she was designing, it was very, very red. “Be a minute, darling!” she called to me at the chiming of the doorbell and looked up. “Oh... I thought you were... mmm, how may I help you?” “I was wondering if Sweetie Belle was here,” I said. For some reason, other ponies loved it when I put on my cute voice and Rarity was no exception. She stopped tapping her foot and the sewing machine halted. “Well aren’t you just the most adorable! You’re one of my sister’s friends from school?” “I, uh... came by to drop off some homework.” I tossed my head at my backpack, and Rarity smiled at me. “The poor dear hasn’t been feeling too well today. I don’t want to embarrass her, but I think it’s because she’s put on a little weight recently. Maybe you could cheer her up? I don’t see her friends around so much anymore.” That was putting it lightly. “Sure. I could take her outside for a bit?” “Would you?” I could hear her begging, even if she didn’t outright do it. Sweetie Belle must have been a greater burden than I thought. “I know it’s just puppy fat, but I fear she will never shed it if she refuses to move around.” “Y-yes!” I felt a pang of guilt knowing what I was intending to do. But something had transformed Sweetie Belle from a nice little filly to a churlish eating machine. Unless I could find the underlying cause there would be no saving her. Even if that meant egging her bad habits on just a bit to gain her trust. “I’ll make sure that she gets a little exercise!” Rarity directed me up the stairs to the first floor where I found Sweetie Belle had her own room. It might just have been a guest room with a spare bed, but it definitely looked more like a girl’s room than anything else. Sweetie Belle herself lay on her pillow of fat which almost touched the ground when she walked. Her face had doubled in size with the puffy cheeks and many extra chins. I had to stop at the doorway to catch my breath. “You again? Can’t you see that I’m not feeling like dealing with you today?” “I-I-I... uh, I thought maybe you would like to go out and have something to eat?” My suggestion was nervous and contained faint traces of my real intention but Sweetie Belle was hooked on the word eat. Panting and sweating, she got down from the bed and made her way over to me. I couldn’t decide what was loudest, her stomach rumbling or her steps across the wooden floor. “Why didn’t you just say that?” She eagerly made her way out which was admittedly not all that fast. When I had brought her muffins, she had been suspicious, now she wasn’t even questioning me anymore.... I feared that her mind had atrophied to the point where it could only think of one thing. But I wasn’t about to spoil it with any unnecessary questions. I waved goodbye to Rarity and followed after Sweetie Belle. In her waddling tempo she was quickly searching out the best place to exploit my promise. And wouldn’t you believe it, she went straight for Sugarcube Corner. The large gingerbread house wasn’t all that far from the boutique either so I could only imagine how often Sweetie Belle went there. Naturally, Pinkie welcomed her like a regular customer. Sweetie Belle was too busy huffing and puffing to reply. Instead I took the leather pouch from my bag and placed it on the counter. “What will it be today, Sweetie Belle? Oh, and I see you brought a friend along with you!” Pinkie was as exuberant as I had heard, but Sweetie Belle looked rather disinterested. “I’m very hungry,” she simply said. “All right, what do you want?” I asked her and looked up at the signs hanging from the ceiling and then down to the glass counter. In fact, everywhere I looked was cakes stacked high and low along with loaves of breads. “If you can’t decide, just do as Pinkie always do!” Pinkie said and put four different plates of food up on the counter in front of us. “Give me the salt,” Sweetie Belle said. We both looked at her surprised but Pinkie slowly prodded the saltshaker towards her. She took it with her hoof and swallowed it whole. “Give me the sandwich.” Cautiously, Pinkie pushed a plate with toast towards her. Sweetie Belle slapped it out of her hooves so that it shattered against the wall. Several customers looked up disturbed. “No, I don’t want that. Give me the sandwich!” Pinkie nodded and pushed the correct veggie salad sandwich in front of Sweetie Belle, who nearly ate Pinkie’s hoof as well. “Give me the cheese.” It continued like this for some, with Sweetie Belle devouring an entire jar of jam, a whole stick of butter and a full glass of juice. Every time Pinkie accidently gave her the wrong order, Sweetie Belle promptly hurled the item in question at the opposite wall. Most of the guests were leaving in a hurry, some with mousse and whipped cream in their hair. “Make it stop! Please, make it stop!” Pinkie said, very near tears. But Sweetie Belle was insatiable. She continued to feast on a can of soda, a large bowl of pudding and about a dozen éclairs. It didn’t stop until my money ran out, otherwise I don’t doubt she’d have continued. She wiped her mouth and jumped down from her stool. “You know, that wasn’t too bad,” she said and made her way. Her large rear almost couldn’t fit through the doorframe anymore but she just barely managed to squeeze herself out. Pinkie sighed in relief and accepted my bits. I clutched my empty pouch with some melancholy. My mom and I had made it during the summer vacation. Most of the decorations had fallen off but I could still see her image faintly in glitter. It had been over a week already and I found my eyes wet. “Where are you?” *** A lonely boy sat at his computer with a headphone over his fat head, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He was a pimply-faced teenager playing his favourite computer game with a host of friends online. The character he controlled ran across the factory floor dressed in combat attire like the three other people in his squad. “Let’s show those n00bs the wrath of Malachi!” he screamed into the microphone, his face getting closer and closer to the screen. His fingers furiously tapped the keyboard while his hand directed the mouse. But just as a firefight broke out, his monitor blackened. He let out an exasperated gasp and jumped to his feet. “No... NO! What now? Did you overheat again?” He looked down at the large block next to his desk and then to his jumble of cords. A grey pony flailed around, completely entangled in the mess of black plastic snakes leading up to the computer, external hard drives and a host of other electronic equipment. “Good morning!” Derpy greeted as she tried to free herself. The pimply-faced teenager took a step back. “Who are you?” he asked angrily. Derpy only managed to get herself even further bound by the cords. She looked up at him with wide eyes and a big grin. “I’m Derpy.” “Mother... MOTHER!” he bellowed. It didn’t take long for the ground to shake as a heavily overweight woman in a flowery pink dress entered his room. “What is it, dear?” she asked in a concerned voice, until she saw Derpy. With a squeal she ran towards the pegasus and picked her up in a big bear hug. “Derpy, what are you doing here?” “Just in the neighbourhood,” she replied. “Wait, you know this cartoon pony?” the fat kid asked and raised an eyebrow. “Of course, this is Derpy! And when she decides to come for a visit, it’s sure to be a time you’ll never forget.” With one arm around Derpy, the woman used the other to help her free. “I don’t care! Look at this mess!” The boy angrily picked up the cords in his arms and started plugging them back in. “Oh, I’m sure she didn’t mean to.” Derpy shook her head, but the boy was not impressed, refusing to even acknowledge the pony. “Come on, how would you like to feed her?” “Not very much. I just hope for that pony’s sake my programmes were saved.” He sat back in his seat and flicked the computer back on, but Derpy flew up and grabbed him under his armpit. The mother clapped in her chubby hands and followed after them downstairs. She went inside her cupboards and retrieved a big pack of muffins and placed them on the floor. Derpy immediately munched away happily. “Exciting,” the boy said in a lacklustre voice and put a hand to his chin. “Can I go back now?” “Just you wait, soon it will begin!” “But now she’s just fallen asleep!” Indeed, Derpy was resting her head on the plastic tray with a little bubble blowing out of her nose. “Ugh, I’m going back to my room.” The mother tried to reach out to her son but retracted her arms again. By the time he was back upstairs, the computer had finished starting up and was ready for a password. He had not typed more than a few letters however before a noise from the garden caught his attention. He got up and went to the window where he saw Derpy pawing at the ground below him. A hole was slowly forming but all the boy could offer was a dissatisfied grunt. He went back to his computer and put on his earphones to ignore her. That is, until he heard a large growl. He sped back downstairs and out through the kitchen. Derpy scooted past him on her butt with shock painted on her face. The boy looked at the way she had come. Light was pouring out from the hole, but that wasn’t all. Grotesque monsters with ten arms and a dozen horns and eyes flooded the back garden. “What did you do?” he asked in dread fear. She looked behind her to see what he meant and opened her eyes wide. “Uh-oh.” “Uh-oh? That’s all you have to say?” The boy grabbed Derpy by her shoulders and shook her. Her head lolled back and forth without ever making attempts to look at him. A tall monster with enormous front teeth approached them with its arms raised. The boy gave a frightened yelp and dropped Derpy as he ran inside. Other monsters awaited him in the living room. A monster lacking its lower jaw came up to him. He backed away and bumped into a purple monster with big fangs. He pressed himself up against the wall as the monsters ganged up on him from all sides. They were inches away from him, spit running from their sharp teeth and down on the carpet. He covered his pimply face. Something snatched him from behind and dragged him into the closet. He screamed but Derpy held up a hoof to his mouth, one eye concentrating on him and the other trailing off. “I have a plan,” she whispered. He nodded, so she took a small scroll out of her ear. She unfolded it and read up from it. “Get awesome weapons. Kill monsters. That is all.” “But that’s just a picture of a small unicorn with the caption ‘Dinky Doo’ under it.” He pointed to the black letters but Derpy simply pressed the picture back into her ear. “I don’t have time to get into details. Grab a weapon and come along.” She reached in between the coats and procured a large mallet, then burst through the closet door. The fat boy lingered for a moment before closing his eyes and sticking in a hand himself. It touched something cold and hard and when he took out his hand again, it held a long sword with a golden hilt. “Wow!” he exclaimed impressed, the steel shining in his eyes. “But I only know how to be a victim...” “Just follow my lead!” Derpy flew into a monster and it disappeared with a poof. An enormous worm burst from the ceiling with its tongue aimed at her. She shot a beam from the mallet and the worm disappeared. A head with arms and legs flailed at her but she kicked it into dust. “What are you waiting for?” she chided. The boy shrugged and poked a few of the monsters at first. They vanished with a low scream, giving him more courage. He kicked and sliced all around him until the hallway was clean. “You’re amazing! Now let me hear your war cry!” She growled herself and followed the monsters into the living room. Furniture was half-eaten and ripped, the stuffing spread out everywhere. A bookcase had been tumbled along with the TV and a glass case. Derpy pounced a small group of the monsters and watched them disappear. The boy charged into the room, screaming and twirling around like a deadly typhoon. The monsters recoiled at his sword and burst through the wall to get away from him. The beasts fled into the garden hole where they had come from and disappeared with a bright flash. The boy followed them. The light blinded him momentarily and made him fall on his back. When the world swam back to him, everything seemed normal again. The sword in his hand was just a bunch of toilet rolls taped together. All the damage was undone and there was no hole in the lawn. “What happened?” he asked confused and scratched his head. “That’s Derpy for you,” the mother said and came out of the kitchen door. “Shows up once and gives you a good time... just like your dad.” “This was all just my imagination? Cool!”