//------------------------------// // Prompt #373-The House of Equestria // Story: Ponywatching // by ThunderTempest //------------------------------// The white unicorn studied his reflection in the mirror of his dressing room, and finding nothing out of place, he departed the room, and began to walk down the halls of the house he resided in, the illustrious House of Equestria. His name was Canterlot, and he considered himself a stallion of some class and stature, and walked with his head held high. Though he was a noble pony, he wished he could say the same of the other ponies who resided in the House with him. As he approached the dining room, looking to break his fast with some oats, he could already hear the brewing of another argument. “Oh Yeah? I’d like to freakin’ see you try, you namby pamby pegasus. Go back to your gossip columns and putting more glitter on everything you own, and let the grownups discuss this,” came a rough male voice. Canterlot knew that voice, even if he heard it far less than he heard any of the others who resided in this house. It was Stormholm, one of the pegasi of the group. Stormholm lived right near the top of the House, up near Crystal Empire’s domain. He was a hardy, no-nonsense pegasus, who had little use for anything that was only there for the visual appeal. As such, he barely tolerated, let alone got along with the other pegasus who lived in the house, the one he was arguing with, Los Pegasus. Canterlot entered the dining room, to find Stormholm hovering over the table, completely drenched and with the marks of fierce lightning strikes all over his body. “Now now, Stormholm, just calm down. You know that if we could have, we would have helped you,” explained a unicorn mare, as she snacked on her daisy sandwich, “Morning, Canterlot.” “Good morning, Fillydelphia,” Canterlot replied, as Stormholm spun to face the unfortunate unicorn. “Would have helped, my flank! I sent messages. You guys had been ignoring me for years before this. ‘Oh, we don’t need old Stormholm, now that Crystally’s coming back. In fact, let’s build an elevator up to her room, rather than the stairs,’” Mimicked Stormholm, “You only liked me because I was useful at keeping the weather out. And you!” Stormholm turned to face Canterlot. “Hey. Take it down, Stormholm, or I’ll take you down,” threatened a dark Earth pony, as he nursed a bottle of something. “Yeah, right, Manehatten. You’re too ‘busy’ to even do anything. Manehatten, the pony that never sleeps! Manehatten, the pony so concerned with trying to be like Canterlot that he can’t even see when his friends are being shocked to death by the weather. Go and get liver poisoning, you alcoholic,” said Stormholm, wheeling to face the earth pony, as a few of his feathers fluttered to the ground and water continued dripping off his mane. Just then, a cheerful-looking earth pony entered the dining room, took in the scene before her, and gulped. “I guess this is a bad time, huh?” “You,” intoned Stormholm. The pony who had just entered was called Hoofshire, and was moving into Stormholm’s old room. Understandably, the tough pegasus was not fond of the earth pony. “You know what?” began Stormholm, “I’m done with you guys. I used to think we were friends, but now I see it was just a friendship of convenience. You all had chances to help me, and you all turned them down. I didn’t ask for much. Just occasional companionship, and you guys used to indulge me. We may not have always been on the best of terms, but we used to be content. Now, with Crystal coming back, and this...pony moving into my old room, you guys obviously have ‘bigger’ things to worry about. So screw you guys, I’m finished.” And with that, the pegasus stalked out of the dining room, slamming the door behind him. ***time*** Canterlot sighed, and hurried after the pegasus. “Stormholm, wait.” “Shut up, Canterlot.” “Stormholm, Stop.” “Shut up, Canterlot.” “Stormholm,” began Canterlot, grabbing one burnt and smouldering wing with his magic, and stopping the bitter pegasus in his tracks, “What happened to you? You used to be more forgiving than this.” “Oh, I don’t know, Canterlot. Maybe it was all of you guys abandoning me in my singular hour of need. Where was Los Pegasus when I needed another cloud bucker? Where were Fillydelphia, or Manehatten when I needed supplies on the job? Hell, where the buck is Cloudsdale? None of you wanted to help me, despite my attempts to stay in contact. We ain’t friends, Canterlot. We never really were. You guys were, are, worth nothing to me. It’s time I left,” said Stormholm, and with that, the pegasus shook his wing free of Canterlot’s magical grasp, and walked out of the door into the night, never to be seen again by any resident of the House of Equestria.