There’s something about arcades that bring out the kid in me.
Not the murderous kid who beat his teacher to death, no. Not that one.
That innocent little colt in me I sometimes like to pretend hides in the recesses of my mind who gets excited when he walks through the door of Peppy’s Pizzeria.
It might be the flashing lights, the high pitched music, maybe even the sound a token makes as it slides into the machine, I don’t know.
No matter the reason, I try to make it a habit of coming to Peppy’s and enjoy myself now and again.
“Hey, Daymos! Hey Daymos! Let’s play this game over here!”
It only seems fitting that I share it with a hurt little filly.
Sure, in time, Scootaloo will cry again as the pain creeps back, but for now? She deserves to be happy.
“Ooooh, a fighting game, huh? I don’t know... I have a feeling you’re going to kick my butt,” I said with a little chuckle. “But sure, I’ll take a whack at it.”
In goes a token, on come the lights... The hypnotic music...
“Who do you want to play as?” the excitable little filly asked, bouncing on the little step stool she grabbed from who knows where.
Looking over the roster of characters you could choose, I rolled my shoulders and picked one at random. “I’ll choose this scary looking guy.”
“Blanka huh? In that case, I’m going to go with Chun-AH!!”
I looked to my side just in time to watch as another filly with a dark blue coat ripped the stool out from underneath Scootaloo’s feet, her face bouncing off the edge of the machine and sending her down to the ground. My fatherly instinct kicked in — I’ve long since given up trying to attribute my urge to care for her to something else — and I bent down as Scootaloo cradled her now bloody face, the other filly not even looking as she sat down and went on to play her game.
“Lemme see, lemme see...”
“It... It huuuurts!” she yelled out with a ragged sob.
Gingerly taking her hooves in my own, I moved them away carefully and inspected the damage. “You didn’t split your lip open, that’s good at least... You just have a nose bleed. Just tilt your head back and pinch your nose for now. I’ll be right back.”
I was getting up first to get some tissues, but something about the filly sitting there ignoring the group of onlookers as she lost herself in the game got on my nerves.
“Where are your parents?” I asked, putting on my “adult” tone on now. It seemed so weird I was doing this, but something deep in my gut would just not let this transgression go.
She didn’t reply.
Moving behind the arcade game itself, I grabbed the plug and gave it a good yank. This should get her attention...
“HEY!” she screamed out as the screen grew dark. “What did you do that for, I already put a token in!”
“Good, now that you’re listening, where are your parents?” I asked, more sternly this time.
“My dad’s over there,” she said casually as she pointed to the stallion across the room. “Now pay me back for the-”
“Excuse me, sir?” I called out as I walked towards him. He didn’t hear me; he was too busy chatting away to some uninterested mare. “Hey, I’m talking to you!”
He finally turned and scowled at me as I started marching up to him. “What?” he asked, sounding half insulted that I was even talking to him. I knew his type and I knew I wasn’t going to like talking to him. He was the kind of pony who liked wearing a pressed suit to a family restaurant, along with that costly watch that just screamed ‘Hey, I’m rich and you’re not.’ I wasn’t going to let that stop me, though.
“Your daughter just ripped the stool out from another filly’s hooves and gave her a bloody nose,” I said with a hint of anger in my voice. “I wanted to talk to you about it.”
The unicorn rolled his shoulders. “You’re probably mistaken. The clumsy filly probably just slipped and-”
“I watched her do it and I want an apology,” I said through grit teeth. Something about this guy just got under my skin. Maybe it was just the superiority complex he was trying to put on. Perhaps it was the fact that he called Scootaloo clumsy. But I was suppressing every urge not to pounce on him and let his true colors shine through while he was in a headlock.
“Listen boy. I don’t think you know who you’re talking to. Now it’s best if you just walk away and be glad she’s just got a bloody nose.”
I took a step close and locked eyes with the stallion. And you have no idea who you’re talking to. I’d love nothing more than to strap you to a table and laugh as you beg for-
“Whoa, are they going to fight?” I heard a voice from behind me say. Turning, I looked over at the growing crowd of ponies. I turned back to the stallion and started to grind my teeth.
I could punch him right now, but I’d rather not get kicked out of Peppy’s... I like it here and it’s a good way to get ponies curious about things they shouldn’t ask about. Like why a normally friendly pony just tried to break someone’s neck.
“Listen boy, I think we got off onto the wrong hoof...” he said, putting on a plastic smile. “I’m Big Wig, by the way...Why don’t we take this outside and talk this over like gentlecolts?”
I managed to smile back. “Sure. Why not?”
I followed him through the arcade floor as the crowd dispersed and stopped by Scootaloo with some napkins I took off an empty table. “Listen, I’ll be right back. I’m going to talk with the filly’s father and get this all straightened out.”
“O...Okay...” Scootaloo said, her nose sounding slightly plugged. “But you don’t really have to. I mean-”
“But I want to. It’s the principle of the thing. Everypony should be held accountable for their actions, especially if it hurts another pony.”
Scootaloo looked up to me with those big, purple eyes of hers and nodded, a small smile growing on her face. “Okay then... Thank you.”
Big Wig was waiting and tapping his hoof impatiently as he held the backdoor open for me. It’s only when it closed did he drop the whole “gentlecolt” routine.
“Listen here, boy... I don’t care who you think you are, but you’re talking to the branch manager of the Ponyville Credit Union. Now, I got a lot of powerful connections so if you apologize now, I’ll forget this whole transgression. So what do you say?”
I wasn’t paying any particular attention to what Big Wig was saying. I was too busy making sure there was no one else around us after the first few words left his mouth.
Nopony around... Perfect.
“What do I say?” I asked as I felt that all too familiar sadistic smile of mine starting to shine. “I say... Collapsed windpipe says what?”
“Wha-”
That’s about all Big Wig was able to get out before I charged forward and pinned his throat to the side of Peppy’s Pizzeria with my forehoof. All he could do was kick and struggle in vain and let out a faint, gurgling sound that satisfied me to no end. But now was no time to gloat or relish. I moved in closer so that the only pony who could hear me was him alone.
“Listen here... I don’t take well to ponies telling me what to do, especially self-righteous assholes like you. So here’s how it’s going to go down...” I said, punctuating my demand with a little shove, making his eyes bulge a bit. “You’re going to get your kid, you’re going to get her to apologize, you’re going to leave, and when you finally get home, you’re going to teach her some fucking manners. Do we understand each other?”
“O-O-Okay! Okay!” Big Wig gasped out, his whole body shaking either from a lack of oxygen or fear, maybe a little of both. “Just... PLEASE!”
A shiver of excitement ran down my spine... That begging, that pleading. It always manages to set my passion aflame.
“Ohhh, because you asked so nicely...” I said with a little chuckle as I let Big Wig go, relishing the sight of the over pompous prick bouncing off the ground.
“Y...You bastard...” he gasped out as he picked himself up. “Now you’ve fucked up... I’m going to get the police and tell them-”
Leaning down, I got right into his face and just smiled. “And tell them what?” I asked, laughing under my breath as he stared at me in blank horror.
“T-T-Tell them... T-Tell them...” That sound of a pony trying to swallow the lump in their throat as they slowly realize what they’re looking at... Next to the killing itself, it’s a feeling I’ve come to relish. “N-Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“And here I thought you were thick... Way to prove me wrong,” I said as I helped Big Wig to his hooves. “Now get out of here.”
He didn’t waste the moment to threaten me this time and instead scrambled to his hooves and did his best to walk as quickly and calmly as he could into the arcade.
Meanwhile, I walked in with almost a little kick in my step. That is, until what I did finally reached the more rational part of my brain.
Oh sweet sisters, what have I done? There’s no way that guy will keep quiet... The police are going to come knocking any day now and are going to want to talk to me and then they’ll press charges before-
“Hey, I- Fine... I’m sorry, okay?”
My internal worry was drowned out as the filly who started this whole mess apologized at the urging of her terrified looking father before he practically dragged her out of the arcade. Scootaloo looked over to me and smiled from ear to ear. “Daymos, you’re an amazing pony. You know that, right?”
All that panic just seemed to be melt away as Scootaloo ran up to me, smiling happily as she hugged me.
I’ve been called many things, either by myself, the ponies who think they know me and the ponies who have seen the true me. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone call me ‘amazing.’
“I do now,” I said as I returned her embrace. “Come on, let’s go see if our pizza is done.”
“Okay!”
While Big Wig represents a problem in the future if he did open his mouth, but for now? I didn’t need to worry about him while he was still shaking in his horseshoes. If there was anything I needed to worry about now is if we were going to finish this pizza now or take it home for leftovers.
“Ohh wow! This looks soooo good!” Scootaloo yelled as she hopped into her seat, her eyes lighting up as she stared down at the pizza.
“Jeez, you act like you’ve never been to a pizza parlor before,” I said as I sat down, grabbing a slice of cheese, onion, green pepper, and mushroom pizza — my favorite.
“Well... No, not really,” she said rather meekly. “My mom never really had like, the time or money to take me out to eat.”
I never knew how hard the little filly must have had it. I mean, I didn’t have the perfect childhood either, but at least my parents treated me well while they were around.
“Then eat up and enjoy yourself. We have a lot of pizza, so don’t feel afraid to help yourself.”
Scootaloo’s eyes lit up, and apparently, that was all the encouragement she needed to pile three slices onto her plate.
“Mmmm! Thank you!” she said in-between bites.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” I said with a little chuckle. “The last thing we need is for you to choke.”
“Yeah... Nothing ruins a meal more than the Heimlich maneuver.”
I practically jumped in my seat and turned to face the familiar voice and let out a heavy sigh. “Jeez Twilight... You really know how to scare a pony,” I said with a laugh. “What are you doing here?”
I didn’t even hear her...
“Oh, I was just coming by to pick up an order I called in and saw you two over here,” she says with a little shrug. “I thought I’d say hi. And also, I was wondering if I could employ your services again for something a little more... sensitive this time. I was wondering, could I talk to you alone?”
I shot Scootaloo a look and she just gave me a nod as she continued stuffing her face. I shook my head and got to my hooves, swallowing what little pizza I managed to nibble on. “Sure, sure... But can we make it quick?”
I hated it when my meals were interrupted. I honestly wanted to tell her to leave me alone, but that wouldn’t be a friendly thing to do.
Twilight nodded and started trotting outside. “Thank you. It’ll only take a minute, I promise.”
Following her out of Peppy’s Pizzeria, I followed Twilight roughly to the spot where I strangled Big Wig into line. “So, what do you need me to-”
“What I need you to do is to tell me why none of Honeysuckle’s friends know about you,” Twilight said flatly. “For Scootaloo’s sake and at Spike’s request, I started looking into you. I tried to get more info from Honeysuckle’s friends about how well you knew her, but... They all said that they didn’t know you.”
Ohhh gods damn it... This is the last thing I need right now...
“Twilight, I already told you... Honeysuckle and I were just well... Acquaintances. We weren’t all good friends, buddy-buddy. I talked to her and she talked to me. That was about the extent of our relationship,” I said with a heavy sigh. “Twilight, I’ve already gotten the fourth degree from the police about all this and I’m not comfortable with-”
“And I’m not comfortable with the fact that Scootaloo’s taken to you so easily,” Twilight said with more than a hint of anger in her voice. “I mean, she practically looks to you like a father now and it doesn’t take a genius to notice. And I’m sorry if I’m coming off as pushy, but I just want to make sure that nothing else is going on here.”
My life used to be so simple. Wake up, brush my teeth, do some cleaning, murder a few ponies...
“Twilight, this is ridiculous... I-”
“I like Daymos because he’s the only one who’s actually treating me like a pony instead of like I was... I was made of glass or something!” I whipped around and found myself staring at a rather angry looking orange filly. “Not only that, but he also wasn’t lying when he said I knew what I was going through, not like those officers or the nurses.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up on end. I’d be perfectly fine with Scootaloo telling somepony else about my past, but Twilight Sparkle? The most resourceful pony in Ponyville? The one who has access to whatever she could possibly need, just by saying ‘I’m the Princess’ student’?
Keep your mouth shut Scootaloo... Please, for the love that all is holy. SHUT UP.
Twilight cast a glance in my direction, and by now, it was painfully obvious that I was sweating. I could feel it.
“What do you mean he wasn’t lying?” she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
“Well... Daymos told me about what happened to his mom and dad,” Scootaloo said, half mumbling as she cast a nervous glance my way.
Twilight turned to me and put me under even further scrutiny than before. “What happened to your parents? I don’t think you’ve ever mentioned them before.”
“For good reason,” I said sharply. “They both passed away. Now listen, Twilight? I’ve been courteous. I’ve been helpful. But can you please drop it?”
“But-”
“Twilight, if you have any respect for me as a friend, you’ll leave the past in the past,” I said, nearing close to a yell. “What happened, happened. So just, please. Drop it.”
Twilight opened her mouth again, but let out a heavy sigh in defeat. “Fine... I’m sorry. I’m just trying to make sure Scootaloo is in good hooves,” shifting her gaze to Scootaloo, Twilight knelt down to Scootaloo’s level. “Spike and the rest of the girls keep asking about you and they’re all worried about you. I’m worried too.”
“Well... I’m doing good,” Scootaloo said, managing a small smile. “Daymos has been a big help. But I... I don’t want to see Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, or Spike just yet. It’s not because I don’t want to see them, though! It’s just... I want to make sure I won’t cry in front of them. Cause I don’t want them to cry either.”
“Okay... I’ll make sure to tell them how strong you’re trying to be,” she said with a warm smile. “But if you want to talk to me or any of them, we’re all here for you.”
Leaning up, Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s neck and hugged her tight. “Thank you.”
Twilight gave her a quick hug back and started to turn towards the main road. “I’m sorry for ruining your evening. I’ll just be on my way. Have a good night you two.”
I put on my best smile and gave her a wave as she set off, but on the inside, something screamed out in a mix of rage and fear.
“Hey, Scootaloo? Are you okay with packing up the pizza and heading home? I’m not exactly that hungry anymore and I do have to get up early...”
“Yeah, I know the feeling... I wasn’t really expecting any drama. But um, Daymos? You’re not mad, are you? At me?” she asked, a hint of fear in her voice. I guess her question was a valid one, seeing as though I was practically throwing the pizza into the box our server gave us. “I just wanted to stand up for you like you did for me.”
“No, no... I’m not angry. At you, or anypony. It’s just my parents are a... a touchy subject. If you can just-”
“I won’t tell anypony without your permission, I promise.”
Well, that’s at least some measure of peace.
“Thank you... Now come on, let’s go home.”
But Scootaloo's promise did little to quell so many emotions that were bubbling away inside me.
* * *
Okay... Scootaloo’s in bed, she’s sleeping away... Now... I can try to relax.
Part of me has always wanted to get one of those metal isolation chambers that are supposed to be good for meditation. But they’re still too expensive. So instead, I use my bathtub.
Sliding back into it and letting the water pass over my head, I held my breath and tried to unwind, but my mind raced a mile a minute.
She’s got to be looking into newspaper articles by now... The library is full of them. It won’t take her long to find the one she wants.
I sometimes kick myself for being so close to Twilight, even becoming her friend in some weird way. In truth, I was scared of her. I’m not afraid to admit it. She’s smart, she’s determined, and she has the resources. But on top of all that, the one thing that really made me fear her was the fact that she nearly figured out I was the one responsible for the murder of the Cherry twins in Canterlot.
Twilight Sparkle almost caught me.