//------------------------------// // Party Hard(ly) // Story: Nocturnal // by Flame-LoneWolf //------------------------------// Chapter Three: Party Hard(ly)         You still feel the anxiety writhe through your body as you take a clumsy sip of the cup of fruit flavored punch.         The ponies invading your humble abode— and quite frankly your personal space— dance to the electronic music blaring through the sound speakers inside your new “home”. Of course you and mom didn’t exactly have the money to waste on any fancy speakers. And even if you did, disturbing the peace in a slum Manehattan neighborhood wasn’t usually the smartest idea. Unless, of course, you prefered rocks lying in shards of glass directly under your window. If only that DJ hadn’t brought her own set of obnoxiously large speakers; those twin noise boxes easily compared to the size of a full grown Manticore; how could those monsters even be legal?! You walk around the pony packed living room, giving it your best not to stick out as you head towards the kitchen. You and mom were already given a welcoming committee that you, afterwards, were sure you needed some sort of gel to keep your fur from standing at ends. And you’re determined to pass on experiencing whatever side effect that followed. Upon entering, you find that the room has other guests in it, but only a small group. You’re also rather ashamed to admit a rather curvaceous pink backside with three balloons on the flank sticking out from behind the door of your refrigerator was the first to catch your eye. "Pinkie," you say, exasperated. "Why are you raiding our fridge? We don't have much... In fact, I can tell you brought more for this party than could fit in five of our fridge. What could you possibly need from in there?" “Vifsh ISH uh farfy, mishisn it?” the pink party animal peeks her head out in question. Or at least you assume it was a question, what with her mouth being stretched farther than you thought was equinely possible with what you could only guess was a mix between cake bits and doughnuts. With one mighty— and probably unhealthy gulp, Pinkie wraps her forearm behind your neck, resting a hoof on your opposite shoulder. “You seriously need to relax, Minty! I ain’t Ponyville’s bestest party host for nothing!” “Yeah, and maybe next time you can work on giving a heads up before you—” The words cut short, yet it seems somepony forgot to inform your idly hanging jaw as your eyebrow cocks up a full inch. “....Minty?” “Yuppity yup yup!” Pinkie audibly squeals as she pulls you uncomfortably close, her muzzle merely a slight tilt away from touching yours. “Your eyes toootally look like peppermints or something! Oh-Oh-Oh, or the color of mint flavored ice cream, yum!” And just as you think nothing more can catch you off guard, a girlish giggle escapes the mare’s throat. “Aside from looking tasty, they’re also not bad just to look at.” Putting consideration on whose gene gifted you of said eyes, you weren’t exactly sure if you could count that as a compliment. Regardless, your face was lit brighter than any of the strobing flashes coming from the living room by unknown means. Which probably means that damn DJ. “I-uh, thanks, I guess....” you mutter shyly, just loud enough over the blaring music for the pink pony to hear. “Um... w-would you mind letting me go now—” “Pinkie Pie, let the poor guy breathe...” Being careful to not brush snouts with the pink mare currently invading your personal space, you turn your head to find that the voice belongs to a unicorn mare. Oh, fantastic. Just what you needed to make your awkward levels shoot past the moon, another mare... Giving the newcomer a closer inspection, you note the unicorn seems to be lavender in color— which was a lot harder to figure out than it should have been, due to the dangerous amounts of blood currently scalding your face like a pizza oven. Her neatly cut mane had two twin streaks of pink and violet, and under it lays a friendly, yet not too over-excited smile unlike your pink “friend”. Speaking of, you don’t even notice that Pinkie had already let go of you, but instead cut back to reality once a hoof flashes in front of your vision several times before you hear the unicorn mutter to herself: “I think you may have broken him, Pinkie....” Oh horsefeathers. You had been staring! “Um, I.... sorry. Just.... tired, is all.” “I imagine you must be after your first day in Ponyville.” For a short moment, her eyes wander. You manage to catch a look of what even you could figure out was nostalgia glazing through them, as her violet orbs sparkle like the moon in the night sky. How poetic. “I sure know my first day here was something else.... Oh— Whoops! Forgot to introduce myself,” the mare brings her attention back to you with a small chuckle. “Pleased to finally meet you; my name is Twilight Sparkle.” Once you give Twilight your name, a certain detail about her introduction rings in your head. “Finally?” The mare chuckles and smiles sweetly. “Yes, Pinkie had been telling me about you, she said you were interested in architecture and reading?” You stare blankly at her for a moment before turning to Pinkie Pie. “... How would you get to that? I don’t think I ever talked about my interests...” You furrow your brow in confusion; was she a mind reader, or something? “Noper-doper~! It was just obvious! You kept on staring at all the buildings around town, and reading all the signs!” “Uhh... yeah, who wouldn’t look at the buildings? Some of them are really bizarre. And it’s good to know what’s where, so of course I’m gonna read the signs.” Pinkie giggles at your reply and gives you a knowing look. “Oh, please! I’ve already known you for a full day! So of course I already know some things about you!” Twilight steps forward as Pinkie devolves into a fit of giggles. “Pinkie’s right, she’s usually able to guess a lot of things about somepony even after just a first meeting. If she’d talked to me when I first came to Ponyville, I’m sure I wouldn’t have been as angry about the party.” Twilight looks down with a sigh. “I’m honestly kinda regretful that I didn’t get to enjoy my own “Welcome to Ponyville” party. The “Hooray, Princess Luna’s not an evil Deity anymore” party was a pretty good substitute.” You look at the lavender mare with disbelief even as her smile grows, her eyes closed as if she’s reminiscing. “... Okay...” You shake your head and take another sip from your juice cup, only to find that it’s empty. “I’m going to go get some more juice. I’ll, uh... bye,” you manage to mutter as you shuffle past Pinkie and her friend. Pinkie giggles as she throws a hoof over Twilight’s withers. “See? Toldja he was adorkable! Just like you~!” “Oh, be quiet, Pinkie! Let’s go find Rarity.” “Okay!” …. When you get to the punch bowl, you see another familiar head near it. “Uhh... Rainbow..?” Your suspicions are correct, for when she glances over, she smiles and jumps up from her seat. “Hey, what’s up, dude? I was wondering where you were hiding! Pretty great party, huh?” You glance around at all the ponies mingling,chatting, and having a good time while the music rattles your ribcage. “Uhh... yeah?” “Ha! ‘Course it is, Pinkie threw it! She doesn’t do anything by halves, lemme tell ya!” Behind Rainbow, you see a hat, and an orange pony beneath it. Following your glance, Rainbow smiles again. “Oh! This is one of my best friends, Applejack! AJ, this is—” The crowd all starts cheering, and you glance over to see Pinkie Pie and some purple earth pony mare with a mulberry mane and tail dancing a ways away. “—into each other when I tried to tackle Pinkie for that prank she pulled last week!” The orange mare sporting a stetson shoves your rainbow maned “friend”, her emerald eyes giving Rainbow a stern look of agitation. “Rainbow, ya can’t just go plowin’ inta every new pony you see! Good gracious, yer just...” You notice her sunny blonde mane, as well as her tail, are tied up into ponytails, giving a mental chuckle at the irony, She shakes her head, releasing her apparent irritation with a sigh before she gives you a warm smile. "Pleasure ta meet ya! What brings you to a small town like Ponyville?" You shift uncomfortably, but feel like you have to say something. "Well, my mom apparently used to live here, when she was a filly..." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth, either. "She had decided she didn't much like living in a Manehattan apartment, so we moved here." You nod your head, as if to confirm what you just said, before shaking it and shifting awkwardly on your hooves. Applejack nods slowly, squinting as she looks upon you with those emerald eyes— a noticeable (and undoubtedly cute) sprinkle of freckles just below them. "Yeah... Ah was thinkin' ya looked kinda familiar... Ah wonder if yer mother's parents still live in town, maybe Ah know 'em." You chuckle nervously at that. "Yeah..." Suddenly, you remember your cup and why you had come over I'm the first place. "Uhh, well, guess I'll see you around..." After filling your cup with punch, you trundle off, nodding to Rainbow and Applejack in turn. "See, Applejack? He's so... chill. He's totally cool!" "Ah dunno, Rainbow, looked more like he was nervous 'bout somethin'. Ah wonder what... Gotta admit, he’s got a solid figure. Bet he could buck almost as good as Big Mac." “Pffffft, really, AJ?” “Not like that, ya featherhead!” …. You groan with relief as you find a corner to sit down in, unnoticed. Your ear twitches as you hear a faint sound over the throbbing of the music, coming from somewhere close by. “...Are there seriously mice around here already? I thought this was supposed to be a newly refurbished house..." Using your magic, you lift up the tablecloth on the table closest to you, and catch the slightest hint of pink before whatever's under the table pulls itself further away. Now curious, you poke your head beneath the table. "Hello? Little mousie, are you there?" Illuminating your horn with a light spell, you come face to face with something that's definitely not a mouse... “Huh?” Another pony! BAM “Ow! Shhh..." You curse under your breath as your head smacks into the underside of the table, hissing as you try to blink the tears forming in your eyes away. The other pony swiftly crawls out from beneath the table and, before you get the chance to recoil, shuffles in closer to inspect your head. After a few seconds pass, you feel her relax against you, and she leans down to your ear so you can hear her over the loud music. "Don't worry, it's just a small bump, you're not bleeding at all." She sighs in your ear, making your blush deepen, and your ear flicks, brushing faintly against her nose. "Oh!" She shrinks away from you, her wings twitching self-consciously. “Sorry, sorry... I’m sorry...” As hurt and embarrassed as you are, you feel bad when she apologizes to you. “No,” you mumble back to her. “I’m sorry, I thought you were a mouse.” The mare giggles daintily, her eyes shining. “Mice are such cute little critters, aren’t they?” You give off a good-natured chuckle and rub your forelegs together. “Yeah... I’d always feed them some breadcrumbs whenever I found them pitter-pattering around my old apartment in Manehatten.” You chuckle again. “Heh, yeah... mice are pretty cute, must’ve been why I thought you were one.” Before your brain can catch up with your mouth and realize what you just said, another familiar face comes into view. “Oh, Fluttershy! I see you’re making an acquaintance?” Rarity, that prim and proper (and quite definitely crazy) mare you’d met at Sugarcube Corner was trotting over, two cups of punch floating in her magical grip. The pale yellow pony, her face flushed, dips her head demurely. “I—yes, um...” she glances at you out of the corner of her cyan eye, her blush deepening. “Maybe..?” She squeaks, dipping her head until her face is blocked by her long, flowing pink mane. Rarity titters as she sits beside you, putting you in between the two. Suddenly, you’re getting that uncomfortable feeling again. “Umm, w-well, I’ll be going, then...” Rarity’s eyes widen. “Oh, but you must stay! I don’t think we quite finished our chat from earlier!” You look at her blankly. “Our... chat?” “Yes, yes, remember? Pinkie had wanted us to talk, and you’d turned that fork into a brush for me! We never managed to actually talk though!” Suddenly, her face gains a thoughtful expression. “I never got my replacement Éclair either, now that I think about it...” The mare shrugs. “Ahh well, I just had two while talking with Twilight. I don’t want to fill up, now do I?” She looks at you, her eyes fluttering as a bemused smile crosses her lips. You look at her for a moment before sighing and slumping against the wall. “Fine, then. What do you want to talk about?” You ask, after a few moments of silence. “Hmm... Well, why don’t you tell me about where you came from? I was born right here in Ponyville, but I’ve always longed to get my designs into places like Canterlot.” You look at her levelly, deciding that she’ probably being sincere. “Well, I came from Manehatten...” At her widening smile, you quickly shake your head. “It was a crummy place to live, ‘specially in the slums where we were. Mom’s never been wealthy, and I’ve never been able to find a job that wants me.” You look down at your flank and sigh. “I’m just not fit for a working life...” Rarity glances down at your flank and quirks an eyebrow, a faint smile tinging her lips. “Yes, I guess we all can’t all be of high standing if there’s to be an upper class, now is there?” “Nope,” you say with a small snort. “There’s gotta be a pony at the bottom for another to be at the top.” Fluttershy’s wing brushes against your foreleg, and when you turn towards her, she’s biting her lip. “Umm,” she says softly, barely audible over the throbbing music. “I don’t think ponies are any better than others just because they have money... I live on a small cottage with a lot of animals, and even though I don’t have much money, I’m happy with where I am.” She smiles shyly up at you, her mane framing her face. You feel your cheeks burning as you look away, and when you bring your cup of punch up to your mouth, you close your eyes tightly as you try not to look as angry as you feel towards yourself. Putting down your cup with a sigh, you try to return a smile (but you’re sure it comes out as an awkward grimace), and turn to look at Rarity again. “W-well, uh, good to see you again, I think I need to step outside for a moment. Please excuse me.” With that you lurch to your hooves and start weaving your way through the crowd and out the door. “My, my,” Rarity murmurs as she sips daintily from her punch. “He’s such a nervous colt, isn’t he...” Fluttershy giggles and smiles, her cheeks rosen. “He said I was like a mouse.” Rarity’s smile disappears, replaced with a scandalized frown. “Why, the nerve! You’re nothing like-” “He said that I was... c-cute.” Fluttershy squeaks and blushes harder as she covers her face with her forehooves. “Really, now..?” Rarity takes another sip to hide a smile. .... The stars seem brighter than back home. The feeling of grass beneath your hooves is also a new sensation. You feel... calmer. But then again, the whole place seems to exude a sense of calm and peacefulness. Shaking your head at the weirdness of the quiet town, you decide to lay down and just stare up at the sky above. Your eyelids slowly close, and your breath begins to even out. Your senses tell of a faint cry for help, and you hear a crackling sound that becomes a roar... and then, nothing. You’re walking through an endless field of blackness... no, it’s blue, on the very edge of blackness. Tiny pinpoints of light begin to form all around you, and you realize that you’re in space. You feel... calm. You furrow your brow, trying to figure out why that was. “What is it about this place,” you ask aloud, “that makes me feel so... comfortable?” A large, luminous object passes by in front of you. The moon. The shadow on its surface disappears before you. No... it doesn’t disappear, it shrinks and pulls away from the moon, gliding towards you as it becomes a tangible shape and not just mere shadow. “Mayhaps it be for those six mares you’ve met this day?” The figure standing before you is tall, regal, and as beautiful as the starry skies of night. “Princess Luna...” you whisper to yourself. “Why am I dreaming about Princess Luna?” The princess smiles. “You are not dreaming about me, my little pony, you are experiencing the Dreamscape. Since my return, I’ve been doing my best to put at ease the minds of those I can. You were having a nightmare, and so I drowned it out with peace.” You shift uncomfortably. “So... you’re in my head?” Princess Luna smiles, her eyelids falling to half-mast. “Yes... and no. We are merely both occupying the same dreamscape. You may wake up at any time, and return to your body. As for me, from here I can move about the dreams of every living pony in Equestria. That is what you see.” You look around at all the stars, and realize that you can see flickers of color, flashes of imagery that escapes you as soon as you see it. A colt with a bandanna brandishing a sword while a midnight blue alicorn filly cheers him on. An old mare sitting in a rocking chair spinning a sweater for a young foal. A business stallion pushing a filly with a small crown on a swing. A colt a dragon a fight a pirate tea party circus troupe rollercoaster Ferris wheel first kiss last song the moon the sun images of everything and nothing and dark and light and love and joy and how and Dreams... As your senses become overwhelmed with all the flashes of others’ dreams that have entered your mind, you snap your eyes to your hooves, and feel your jaw drop. The star below you is tinged red, like the flames of Tartarus. In it, you can see your apartment, and... “Mom,” you whisper to yourself. You shudder, even as you feel a wing draped over your withers. It’s not comforting, but you feel as if it weren’t meant for that anyways. “Yes, that is the nightmare you were experiencing; a “what-might-have-been” of the night you last went out for a walk. You weren’t fighting the nightmare, nor were you running. You were... accepting it.” Luna shudders as she says this. “Never accept a Nightmare; I did, once. A thousand and ten years ago...” Her eyes become distant, but then they harden with renewed resolve. “And that is why I pulled you into the Dreamscape, the world-between-worlds, where all and none can, will, and have happened.” You feel a shiver run up your spine as Luna’s wing pulls away from you. “What do you mean,” you ask, mostly to change the subject, “when you say those six mares? It’s now obvious that you are the one that made me calm.” Luna’s eyes flash with anger. “No, I did not make you calm, I simply pulled your mind into a place of calm. Your own peace of mind comes from you and you alone. It has nothing to do with my dream-spells.” She shakes her head and releases a breath. “No, you’re calm because it’s what you are, even in the nightmare. Calm, so calm... Troubled, yes, but calm like an untouched pool.” You shake your head. “What do you mean, I’m calm because I’m calm? You’re not making any sense...” You wonder if you should be speaking so disrespectfully to your ruler, but dismiss it because she did pull you into this place. “Pinkie Pie,” Luna says as she takes a step forward. “Rainbow Dash. Rarity. Twilight Sparkle. Applejack. Fluttershy.” As she says each name, an image of the mare she’s talking about appears before you. “The six of them are the best of friends, and also the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, one of the greatest, least understood magical artifacts in ponykind’s entire history. When around them, even I feel a greater sense of calm, as if my mind is slowing down, finding peace. The town they reside in, Ponyville, has had its share of hectic, even disastrous moments, but those six have remained a focal point for the town to form around, and because of them, the town has weathered all that’s been thrown at it. Because of this, I suspect that they're somehow emanating their auras, their Elements, and it’s creating a most perfect sense of harmony amongst the ponies of Ponyville. You, as a pony unused to this feeling, have noticed it, even as it affects you. I do not believe it to be harmful to any with a pure soul, but those who are wicked will most certainly feel different after being exposed to the Elements. I know I am.” The princess smiles, as if she’d just told a joke, before turning away from the apparitions. “Know this, young stallion, that the Elements of Harmony are under mine and my sister’s care. Going out of your way to ignore them is as much folly as it would be to hurt them on purpose. And, if I may steal one line from my dear sister, it is this: Make friends.” You blearily blink your eyes and sit up with a groan. You’re still outside somewhere, in the park, maybe? Shaking your head to clear away the fog, you look up at the sky once more. It’s only been a few hours at most, but you decide to head back, anyways. You don’t want your mother to worry, after all. …. “Wee! Hahaha!” You smile and roll your eyes when you get back home to find your mother dancing with one of the stallions that lives in town. She seems to be having a good time... And she doesn’t look that drunk... Shrugging your shoulders, you head towards the table that has the food on it. Most of it is sweet stuff, but you see a few different selections with apples and decide to eat one of those. The party seems to have died down a bit, as the DJ’s currently got her turntables set on autopilot, and she’s in the corner, making out with somepony. Applejack and Rarity are chatting, but it sounds like business talk, and Fluttershy is being dragged across the somewhat empty dance floor by an over-enthusiastic Pinkie Pie. Twilight and Rainbow Dash are roaming around and talking, the pegasus wincing as her friend prods her wing. Unable to resist, you walk up to the pegasus. “Wing still hurt from your crash?” Rainbow’s wings flare in surprise, and she winces as the one Twilight prodded only makes it to half-mast. “Alright, alright, fine. I hurt myself doing a few stunts, and Scoots got hurt when she was trying to help me. Call me an idiot for flying on it all day, but don’t call me a liar. I really was trying to cheer up Scoots.” You shake your head and chuckle. “You’ll have to forgive me, but I still don’t know who ‘Scoots’ is. Is she like... your sister, or something? I heard you say something about that, I think.” Rainbow seems to swell with pride, a warm smile growing on her face. “Yeah, I adopted her officially only a few months ago. She’s now under my wing, in more ways than one.” Rainbow continues to wear that happy look, without a single trace of self-pride crossing it. “It’s... fun, having a kid-sister. Ever since Fluttershy started taking care of herself, I’d forgotten what it was like, and how much responsibility it is.” Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy. That rang a few bells. "Yeah, I spoke with Fluttershy for a bit. Well, I spoke with Rarity, and Fluttershy commented." Rainbow Dash and Twilight share a look and a smile. "Yeah, that's 'Shy for ya. Never one to lead a conversation." "Yeah, I could have guessed that on my own," you say with an awkward chuckle. "She was hiding under a table. I’ll admit, it was kind of cu—..." And that’s when your muzzle alit with red. Finally backtracking into your memories, you recall using the same word to compliment the yellow mare herself— “Oh! Hello girls... And... um... hello to you, too...” And speaking of... “Uh...” You feel your jaw go slack as your face turns an even brighter shade of red. “... Hey,” you manage weakly. “Weeeee~!” Pinkie, the bundle of enough energy to sustain Manehatten’s magic-powered lights for a century, bounces over Fluttershy and lands right in front of you, her nose almost touching yours. “So how was it?! The party was great, I bet!” Whirling around towards her friends, her tail swishes around and starts brushing against your nose. “I’m sooo glad you girls finally got the chance to meet Ponyville’s newest resident, and my newest friend!!” Turning away from her pink posterior nervously, you notice the lavender mare is now looking at you, a single eyebrow raised. “So, were you going to finish that sentence or...” Rainbow Dash gives a coy smirk. “Yeah, you weren’t gonna leave us hangin’, were you?” You clear your throat. “I was just... saying hooowww... c-cute mice are! We’ve never had the money to afford one back in Manehattan. There were plenty of wild ones around where we lived, sure, but mom and I didn’t want to take the risk of it having rabies and the sorts...” Well, at least you aren’t completely fibbing. You can’t help noticing a new life spark through Fluttershy’s demeanor. The muscles visibly softening in contrast with the obvious tension she bared, she has a notable bounce in her step as she trots up to you. “Well... if you’re still curious,” she gives a meek smile, “my cottage isn’t too far. I could show you just how nice mice can be, a-along with the other animals I’ve raised...” Her jolt of confidence slowly wearing away, Fluttershy takes a single step back, simultaneously hiding her flushed face behind her lengthy mane like you had seen her do once before. “I-If that’s alright... with...” Needless to say, you fight back the urge to do the same. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind...” At least the unicorn of your (quite literal) party seems satisfied with that answer, though you can only guess what you had done to make the colorfully maned mare shake her head with a whispered sigh. A dainty giggle from behind you causes you to turn, finding Rarity and Applejack standing there. “Ah, there you are! I’m so glad that we were able to get acquainted! And I’m so sorry for how I acted earlier, I’ve just been so distracted lately...” Slipping easily into an accent you’ve developed for when talking to the richer ponies of Manehatten, you reply with a small smile. “No problem, madame; my attention had been on other matters at the time, as I'm sure yours were." Adding a small bow to your speech, you give her a cheeky smile. "Besides, it's not often that a mare of fine taste creams a pony of my social stature." Rarity sputters, eyes widening in shock as her cheeks go red. Rainbow falls over laughing, Applejack chuckling as well. Twilight's trying not to smile and Pinkie lets out a chortle, but Fluttershy gives a small ‘ahem’ and all the others’ attention is drawn to her. “I know that it was only meant as a joke, but Rarity is a good friend of mine, and I’ll have you know that she’s walked into quite a few stallions of your social stature while trying to eat something creamy. When she ran into Sleigh Belle’s brother, Jingle, with a Bison Cream Pie was her messiest, I think.” Fluttershy closes her eyes and lets out a small giggle. Pinkie snorts, her body shaking with laughter. “Hehehe, yeah! She creamed Jingle, got custard all over Sleigh, and their mother, Rosebud, hehehehehe.... She got the whole pie in her face!” Rarity huffs and rolls her eyes as the other mares all laugh at her expense, before smiling. “Yes, but at least I wasn’t the one licking their faces clean, Pinkie Pie. Rosebud had had a cold that morning, and Pinkie caught it after doing so. The poor dear’s Pinkie Sense developed a new sense to tell her she was about to sneeze!” And now all of them were laughing. Even though you don’t really understand everything they’re saying, you can’t help it when a grin starts to form on your face. You can’t remember the last time you’d felt... well, as you’d told Luna, calm around so many other ponies. In Manehatten, ponies left each other alone for the most part, only getting close to each other to mug or arrest one another. Your brain clicks and whirls, but no matter how hard you think back on your sad, sad life in Manehatten, you can’t remember a single conversation that was ever this... normal. Maybe... your mom was right. Maybe, this was a good idea. Just maybe. And with no warning, the blaring electronic noises coming from the DJ’s speakers suddenly cease. As disappointed whines and groans fill the living room, you see your mom grasp the DJ’s mic with a hoof, clearing her throat before bringing it to her mouth. “Sorry, folks, but the party stops here. My son and I appreciate that you’d go this far to welcome us, but even us Manehattan ponies need our sleep. Thank you all for coming!” The rest of the party-goers trudge towards the front door, only some of them unsteady on their hooves. Your mom curls up on the couch, giggling as she winks at a mare with a few pieces of fruit on her flank who’s stumbling by. “Ah think Ah speak fer all’ve us sayn’ we enjoyed this lil’ shindig, ma’am.” Applejack tips her hat to mom before turning to you. “Hope we’ll be seein’ more of y’all ‘round these parts sometime soon.” the orange pony says with a wink. “Right, what she said. You’re a pretty cool dude, so I’ll do you the honor of letting you grace my presence! I know you wouldn’t want to miss me pull of some sick stunts later, would ya?” “Don’t forget, I’ve got plenty of cute little mice at my cottage, and I’m sure they’ll love to meet you...” “Yes, and do stop by my boutique! I’ll make you a snazzy vest to make up for the creaming I gave you earlier.” “Byyyyeee!! Seee you laaaterrr!” “Don’t mind Pinkie, she’s still a bit excited... Swing by the library sometime; Rarity was telling me about a spell you used, and while rudimentary, she said you did it differently than how it’s normally done. I’d like to see it!” One goodbye after the other, the six mares  exit your new home and make their way together into the dark Ponyville streets. Unlike what you would say about Manehattan, you knew they’d each make it to their respective homes safely. As you shut the door, a strange rush of adrenaline passes from your hooves, to your stomach, and finally, to your cheeks... Had you actually made a normal conversation with, not one, not two, not even three, but six mares? You weren’t sure whether to feel big-headed, or petrified. At least you had plenty of time to think over now that everypony had finally gone— “Wicked party, dude!” Aaaand you knew you spoke too soon once you felt a hoof pat you on the shoulder, though luckily you at least manage to keep your hooves from leaving the floor. Turning around, your eyes meet the white colored DJ. This time, however, her violet-tinted glasses lay above her horn, revealing a set of magenta eyes under her striped sapphire mane. “O-Oh. Well, I-I can’t...” You begin to feel tongue tied, instinctively rubbing the back of your neck. “I can’t take credit for the music... or the food... or a-any of it, really. I barely participated in all honesty....” It looks as though the act of tripping over your own words amuses her as the DJ grins. “Easy, bro,” she laughs, “Just chill. If there’s anything I’ve learned about this town, it’s that taking it easy will probably be a lot easier and less draining on your psyche.” Rather deep for a Disk Jockey... With a final pat on the shoulder, the mellow mare trots to the front door with her final words. “Just remember that everypony living here more than likely knows what you’re going through. By the way, welcome to Ponyville.” You aren’t so sure about that first part, but the door shuts before you have the chance to share said opinion. Finally, the house is empty, save for yourself, your mom, and the rest of the food that’s still sitting out. Quietly approaching your mother, you note that she’s almost asleep. She must not have slept at all between boarding the train and now. Pulling her onto your back, you slowly mount the stairs and take her into her room. “Hey,” she whispers drowsily, “clean up this mess will ya...” A sigh is all you can manage. You know you can’t get out of this one. Despite the monstrous amounts of food, filth, and eventually bugs all surrounding a good chunk of the house, you know you have plenty of time to clean up the entire mess, even if it meant by yourself. It’s not as though you were going to be sleeping anytime soon...