Chapter 40
Burning Curiosity.
I suddenly understood how every single cat I had ever picked up improperly as a child must have felt! An oppressive tightness forces the air out of my lungs. I looked down to see a pair of huge, brick-red hooves crushing my waist. I make an attempt to struggle, and my hat falls off.
“Air!” I squeak out. I am spun around, suddenly face-to-face with a version of Big Mac - if he were a mare, and had a muddy red mane.
“What did you say?” she asks, and before I can answer, she has me in another bear hug that causes my spine to emit a series of loud and painful cracks. I make another attempt at squirming free. I need air, dang it! Come on, let go!
“Ah think she said she can’t breathe there, Miss House,” Apple Bloom says from my left.
“Oops!” I feel myself jarred forward and a bit of a dizzy feeling washes over me while I try to regain my breath as the mammoth mare lets go of me, and then places me gently on the ground. Gasping, I twitch a little from the adrenaline running through my veins. “Sorry, sometimes I don’t know my own strength.”
After a few deep gasps, I regain my composure. “You... don’t... say...” I cough a little. I remember when I used to give bear-hugs to others at the fur meets. I'd cracked more than one back in my time there. Seems that the karmic wheel wants to go into overdrive here.
Brick House gave an apologetic look and picked up my hat, before practically smooshing it atop my head. “Anyway, on behalf of Hammer and Nail, I would like to, uhm-” she pauses and looks like she’s trying to grasp for a word. She lifts up her hat and pulls out a slip of paper. “Form-a-lly, apologize for the-” she narrows her eyes at the paper.
“Miss.... Uh, miss, miss... Ah! Misconduct!” She nods her head in a goofy manner. “Yep! Misconduct! By our employ-” She frowns and in frustration crumbles up the paper. “I would just like to say that I’m really sorry that Narrow Beam was such a stupid jerk. I know Slide says that he needs to be on the team, but I just think we should replace him.”
“I-it’s alright,” I reply, readjusting my hat. “I just expected him to act more professionally than he did.”
“Yeah, but don’t you worry! He shouldn’t be bothering you at all anymore! I took care of him real good!” Brick nods at me and then leans forward with a hoof at the side of her mouth. “And just between me and you,” she whispers. “I don’t think he’s terribly bright, if you know what I mean!”
I blink at this... spectacle of a pony. I don’t know how to react to her. I mean, she’s so big! She’s almost like a mountain with legs! Alright, that’s an exaggeration but that explains why Lyra assigned her guard duty for the Hu-Mare convention.
“Heh, yeah,” I rub the back of my head at this awkward conversation. “He didn’t seem to take, ‘no’ for an answer.”
“No he didn’t!” Brick replied with a frown. “Some stallions are like that. Too thick for their own good. But I have yet to meet a stallion that doesn’t understand what these mean!” She held up her hooves, making mock boxing moves. One of which almost grazes my hat. I jump back and let out a surprised cry. “Oh! Did I almost hit you? I’m sorry... It’s hard to watch out for others sometimes.”
“I-I-I’m alright!” Fuuuck. I feel like I’m in that movie, ‘Rainman.’ Only I’m not sure how to hold up a conversation with this pony!
“Sooo,” Rarity’s voice chimes to my left. “Brick House was it? How did you and H.B. meet?”
Oh. Fuck.
“Oh! A friend of hers brought her to a small gathering last month,” Brick House replied, waggling her hoof dismissively. “I think his name was...” She scratches her head. “Crab Apple?” She asks me.
“Uhm, yeah,” I reply. “Some sort of weird club for obscure Equestrian Mythology or something like that. I was really only there because he was.”
Brick House shoulder bumps me. “It’s still nice to see new ponies and make new friends!” I rub my shoulder again. Fuck, if we keep this conversation going any longer, I’m going to be a piece of tenderized meat.
“Anyway...” I reply, scratching the side of my head. “It was really... Uhm, nice to see you again, B.H. But I kinda want to see what else is lurking around in my house. And you have to make sure things are running smoothly.”
Brick House’s ears droop a bit. “Ugh, yeah. Work, work, work.” She replies in a dopey voice.
I can’t help but snicker at the way she sounds. “I’m really glad that you addressed the issue that was happening here. I guess I’ll be seeing you around.”
Her ears perk up and she smiles again. “Yeah! Totally! We should hang out sometime later!”
“When you’re not working,” I say turning and walking back to my door way.
“Yeah,” Brick replies distantly. “Hey! Narrow! Cast! Bob! Get your sorry flanks out here. Front and center! We have work to do!” A giddy little thrill goes through me as I keep my head hanging out just long enough to see the three stallions zip to attention.
“Well that was interesting,” Rarity comments to me as we start to walk up the stairs.
“Well fuck,” I thought as I sighed, I really didn’t want to have a conversation about what just happened. If anything happened. Well, I know what happened. It’s the same thing that would happen if two furries met out in the open. The awkward conversation of talking about what you do on the weekend without actually talking about it sort of conversation.
“How was that interesting?” I ask as we reach the top of the stairs, little fillies in tow.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you actually went out last month and made some friends?” Rarity asks in a whiny voice that I swear only a pony like her can pull off.
“For one, you never asked, so it never came up,” I reply as I looked into one of the rooms. Nope, this is the bathroom. I don’t want to put my saddle bags there. I pushed open another door and see what appears to be the master bedroom. It seems like a place where I would want to dump things off, but I wanted to look at that final room, still. Looking in, it appears to be a secondary bedroom. Fuck, how many rooms are on this floor? One door, two doors, three, four... five? Five rooms? I swear, the floor plans for this place look like they were thrown together by a drunk pony. “And finally, I wouldn’t call Brick House a, ‘fffriend.’ We’ve only met one time, and even then we barely spoke.” Right, going for that spare bedroom. Just ‘cause. “Well, twice if you count this time.”
“Well, it seems to me that you certainly left a lasting impression on her!” Rarity replies as I tug on the fabric straps of my saddle bag. Fuck, have I mentioned that I really miss having fingers?
“I think she’s more apt to leaving impressions on other ponies,” I reply, jokingly. “Both my shoulders hurt, and I can still feel that surprise hug she gave me. Anywho, how about we get to making those pants?” Hopefully, reminding her about the pants would derail her line of thinking, regarding Brick House and her connection to the Human Lover’s Club.
“Pants!” She replies with a sparkle in her eye. There we go. That’s what I want to see in Rarity. Less probing and more ...robe-ing? Ugh, that’s horrible. Whatever. I know what I mean. “Would you excuse me for a moment? I left all my fabrics and equipment downstairs!” She looks like she is about to rush off when she pauses. “You don’t mind too horribly if I use your sewing nook, do you?”
I chuckle. “I told you before, Rarity. I’m not going to be using it anytime soon, so somep-p-pony might as well.”
“I just thought I would be polite and ask, after all, I want to be respectful to your boundaries,” Rarity replies, her head halfway in the door.
I scratch at my ankle awkwardly. “Uhm, thanks. Yeah, you can use it if you want to.” I reply.
“Splendid!” She sings, heading back downstairs.
“Is there anythin’ we can do for ya, H.B.?” Applebloom asked from behind me, startling me as I turn around. “Are ya alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine! It’s just that you were so quiet that I almost forgot you were here...” I take a deep breath and calm that surprise running through my veins. “I hate to say this girls, but right at this moment there isn’t anything that you three can do,” I watch their faces droop with disappointment. “At this moment! I mean, unless you want to start pulling sheets off the furniture and fold them up...”
“Oh yeah, cause that sounds like a whole barrel of fun,” Scootaloo remarks sarcastically.
“Maybe we could get our cutie marks in sheet fold-” Sweetie Belle’s enthusiastic tone takes a dive bomb as she realizes how terrible of an idea that sounds. “-ing...”
“Are you kidding me?” Scootaloo asks frowning.
“Yeah... I don’t know what I was thinking...” Sweetie Belle replies shaking her head.
Apple Bloom looks up at me with her big-overly-cute eyes. “There’s gotta be somethin’ that we can do fer ya, H.B!”
“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle joins in pleading.
“Something other than folding sheets!” Scootaloo gripes.
Fuuuuuck! They’re doing that big eyed thing again! I need something or someone to defuse the situation here! Come on-
“Excuse me?” Slide Ruler’s voice intoned, interrupting the cute attack. I turn to the stallion now standing in my doorway. “Could I have a moment of your time, Mis-” He autocorrects himself as a seething glare is shot is way. Seriously? How hard is it for these ponies to remember two letters? “I mean H.B., I was wondering if I could have a word with you about a few things that the inspector apparently seems to have missed.”
Inspector Number Nine, my branded-behind! What kind of inspector pony actually misses things?! Damn it, I’m monologuing again. “Excuse me, girls. He missed some things? What kind of things did he miss?”
Slide Ruler rubs the back of his head. “Well...” He fidgets, “I would rather show you them then just outright tell you about them.” His eyes hint at the three little fillies behind me. “One of them is kind of... F-R-A-G-I-L-E...” He spelt out, whispering. Finally, one of these ponies gets a fucking clue about something. A little fucking common sense.
“Can we come along with ya?” Apple Bloom asks.
Scootaloo pops up over her shoulder. “Yeah! Seeing whatever these fraaageeelie things that he’s talking about sounds like it could be a blast!” Fuuuuck, Scoots, you really have a way with words.
“It’s not frageelie! It’s fragile!” Sweetie Belle corrects.
My eyes dart back and forth. Damn it! Isn’t there any way to shake these three!? Mentally, I apply both my non-existent hands and hooves to my face. Who are you talking about here H.B.? Right. Redundant question is redundant. Just then, my saddlebag catches my eye and I come up with an idea. One that I hope will work.
“Maybe not this time girls,” Again, they start with the disappointed eyes. “I mean if there are breakable things in the house, I don’t want you getting hurt. Instead, here’s an idea.” I open the bags up and pull out some loose blank paper and pencils. “Maybe you three could do some drawings for me!”
“Ugh, that’s just your way of saying that you don’t want us around,” Scootaloo remarks bitterly. “And besides, drawing is boooring!” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Bell almost do synchronized face hooves.
I can practically feel the growl leave my throat as I narrow my eyes at the orange little filly. “I do a lot of drawing, Scootaloo.”
Almost instantly I can see the backpedaling going on in her mind. “Well, I mean to say is that... It sounds, uhm... I just can’t think of anything to draw!” Calm. Down. Just calm down. It’s nothing to get upset over. In fact, it’s stupid to get upset over this. Act like the adult that you know you can be already!
“Well then, why didn’t you say so?” I ask another idea forming in my mind. “Oh! I know what you can draw. Remember the one time that you three went camping with Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash?” They all blink at me with wide eyed amazement.
“You heard about that?” Sweetie Belle asks me.
“Yes, uhm, Applejack told me about it!” Alright, yeah this might be using my knowledge of the show, but it’s in a positive manner! It’s positive metagaming! “Sounds like it was loads of fun. Its a shame I couldn’t have been there to enjoy it. Maybe you three could draw what was your favorite thing out of all that was.”
“I guess that could be fun,” Scootaloo says smiling, no doubt recalling the moment where her and Dash really bonded. Fuck, I can’t help but smile when I think about that... “I still want to know what’s in the basement though...”
“I’m sure it isn’t anything really interesting, Scootaloo. And if I think that it’s something worth looking at? I’ll come back up here and get you three,” Geez, H.B.! You realize how dangerous that could be?! Then again, they have short attention spans. By the time I get back, they might be engrossed in something else. “If not, then I’ll see if Rarity can whip us up some snacks. Deal?”
“Sounds good ta me!” Applebloom says taking one of the pencils and applying it to the paper.
“Me too!” Sweetie Belle exclaims.
Scootaloo shrugs and looks like she’s already busy drawing up one of the most famous scenes in all of the fandom: Rainbow Dash holding her up in mid-flight. Fuck, even the thought of that brings a feeling of sentimentality to mind... “Huh? Yeah, that sounds great, H.B.”
I turn around and walk to Slide Ruler. “Alright, I want to get Rarity, and then you can show me whatever the fet it is that’s so-” I turn and nip myself in the bud about over using my word in front of these three. Because there are several universal constants involving the young. One of them is that they will repeat anything you say. “-interesting about this house.”
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“Rarity! Come on!” Heartbreak exclaimed from the middle of the staircase that led to the basement.
“Do you really expect me to go down there?” Rarity inquired from the top of the stairs. “It’s dark, musky, dusty, most likely covered in cobwebs, probably very filthy, and only Celestia knows what’s living down there! Honestly!”
“Rarity, you’ve been through the Everfree Forest, sulfur stained lava pits that dragons lived in and dirty gem mines that are the homes of the diamond dogs!” Heartbreak exclaimed. “There is nothing to be afraid of in my basement!”
“Says the pony who is walking backwards down her own staircase!” Rarity protested.
“Hey! I get vertigo if I look down stairs!” Heartbreak replied, whimpering. “Please, I don’t mean to whine. It’s just that... I’m not comfortable going down here all alone...”
“Darling, you’re not alone,” Rarity explained opening one eye and looking down. “After all, Slide Ruler is down there with you.”
“Yeah... I know...” Heartbreak muttered before giving Rarity large pleading eyes. “Please? I’m sure whatever he wants to show me will only take a second... and your keen eyes might be able to spot something dangerous that I might not be aware of... after we’ve looked at what he wants us to look at, you can go back to working on my pants, right?”
Rarity looked down at the terrified mare. “I’m not sure if she is faking that face or not. Or even if she's aware of how pitiful looks...” The unicorn’s heart softened a bit. “Come Rarity, she’s just had a hard time and wants reassurance that things are alright. It won’t take long and we’ll be back to sewing some pants in no time!”
“Oh, alright,” Rarity said starting down the stairs. “But If I see a snake, or a rat, or some living creature...”
Heartbreak kept backing down as Rarity walked towards her. “Thank you, Rarity.”
Slide Ruler stood in front of a door that was at the far back wall. “Alright, when I was doing a bit of inspection while you two were out, I nearly tripped on some wires out back. Following the wires-”
“Can you please just show me what it is you want to show me?” Heartbreak asked looking around. “No offense and not to curb your excitement, but I was hoping that I could actually sleep on one of the beds tonight.”
“H.B.!” Rarity exclaimed before she noticed one of the boxes shuffle slightly. “Then again, perhaps we should hurry this along.”
“Sorry, it’s just that finding old, weird, quirky things is something of a hobby of mine. I get bored with all the paperwork that I have to do for clients, so getting out and exploring the house is fun.” Slide Ruler coughed as he watched the mare’s expressions persist. “Right, well, like I was saying. I followed the wire to this wall and this is what I found!” Slide Ruler opened the door with a silvery telekinetic grasp revealing a room with long rows of shelves. On the shelves were rows and rows of odd boxes that seemed to be connected by cords.
Rarity blinked in confusion as she peered at what the shelves contained. “You brought us down here to look at some pony’s long lost collection of strange, grey boxes?”
“Uhm, no,” Slide Ruler said coughing. “These aren’t just grey boxes they’re-”
“Batteries,” Heartbreak said interrupting and looking over the room with a peaked interest.
“Batteries?” Rarity asked, making a face over a corroded white fuzzy spot on one of the battery terminals.
Heartbreak was looking pleasantly surprised. “Yeah. Direct current. Electrical power, you know right?”
“I’m terribly sorry, H.B. darling, but I fear I don’t know much about these things...” Rarity confessed.
“Right, it’s what powers most homes back in Minneighsota. Two metals are placed into an electrolytic solution, usually a weak acid or water. If connected, they cause an electric current to flow in the wires.” Heartbreak explained. Slide Ruler blinked and shook his head. “What? It’s basic chemistry. What I want to know is whether or not these are rechargeable.”
“Yes, these are actually a type of rechargeable battery!” Slide Ruler replied excitedly. “I mean, once you repair the corrosion that’s going on here, and fix some of the cables. That’s the real reason I wanted to bring you down here to show you. As it stands, these corrosive acids aren’t a terrible threat. Yet. If they spill on the floor however? They could damage the foundation, and cause problems in the nearby pipes. The damage isn’t extensive enough to just scrap this whole thing, though repairs won’t be cheap. ” He rubbed his chin. “Though... now that I think about it, I have been dying to experiment with these fancy carbosilicate batteries from the Crystal Empire. They last twice as long and are selling really cheap right now!”
“Like I said before. Money isn’t an issue,” Heartbreak replied looking thoughtful. “Wait, if there was a wire coming out of the house, does that mean that there is something charging these batteries?”
“Funny you should mention that!” Slide Ruler exclaimed walking past the two mares.
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Well, Slide Ruler doesn’t seem to be all bad.
Granted that I am only cutting him slack because:
A) The issue with Narrow Beam had actually been taken care of. I made a complaint about something and one of the talking, magical equines didn’t just brush me off and tell me that I was being overly concerned about things.
B) It wasn’t him that was calling me a miller. He’s just a boss who happens to have an employee that needs to be gelded. With rocks.
And finally, some of these things that he has shown me are genuinely interesting. After the room of batteries, he showed me the windmill out back that was charging them. I guess the only reason that I missed seeing it was that I wasn’t looking up, not to mention all the foliage that was covering it up. The thing looked like it needed a few repairs and the vines needed to be cleared off it, but it’s in overall good shape.
Apparently the way he found it was wandering out back and cracking his head on the steel pole as he followed the wires back from the house. After a bit of uninteresting commentary about the windmill that left Rarity completely baffled, we headed back inside and went upstairs to what I am deemed the guest bedroom.
I peered into the bedroom where I had left the C.M.C. They were still there. Busily drawing their favorite scenes from Sleepless in Ponyville.
Well, for them it was ‘that day.’ I feel a small sense of pride in the back of my mind. I chuckle at what a stink Scootaloo raised over the idea of drawing. There’s a giddy little feeling that reminds me the times that Kylie would come to me with her little drawings. Over the years I was with my girlfriend, I had grown attached to her children. Jeff was a bit distant, but we could always find things to talk about. After all, we were both into games.
But Kylie was different...
Kylie was a sweet ball of sunshine tethered to a rainbow and wrapped in the most adorable little package. When I arrived, she almost seemed... starved for fatherly attention. I gave what I could, I would encourage her in her endeavors, even if her artwork looked like it was drawn by a nine year old, (which, no duh, it was), and keep telling her to try harder. The giddy moment is ruined as I am reminded of her face that night. That horribly, twisted, terribly happy face...
I shake my head from these thoughts. “Let’s not go there right now, brain. Maybe later. But you don’t need to have another breakdown. Particularly not in front of any of these ponies.”
This place is going to have so much for me to do. My guest bedroom is filled with a strange assortment of furniture and linens. There’s an old green couch that looks like it could be a comfortable sleeping area, if need be that is. There are an assortment of pictures that are covered with cobwebs, white sheets and dust.
“So!” Slide Ruler says rubbing his hooves together. “I’ve saved the best for last in all this!”
“I certainly hope it’s something special,” Rarity comments looking worriedly out the window. “I don’t mean to rush you, but, there are only so many hours in a day, and I don’t relish the idea of finishing H.B.’s pants after dark.”
“Oh, it is very special!” Slide Ruler replies walking over to the fireplace. He waves his hoof over it as if he was displaying some sort of wonderful prize on a t.v. game show.
“The fireplace?” Rarity asks. “I hate to say this, but-” She pauses and rolls her hoof around. “-what exactly is so special about this fireplace?”
“Other than it being on the second floor?” I interject. Rarity looks over at me. “What? It just seems like a really odd place for a fireplace. I mean, aren’t they in the basement? After all, heat rises and well...” Both ponies gazes are starting to make me uncomfortable. “Right, what is special about this fireplace?”
“Why, it’s an old emergency message service hearth! A Flankland Model, if I’m not mistaken,” Slide Ruler replies dusting off the framework and revealing the fine craftsmanship that was put into this device. “This here device is what earth ponies would use in case of a dire emergency. In case they needed help right away! It’s an old beaut’... but it looks like it needs some servicing and maybe a bit of upgrading.” He’s suddenly looking at me with a sparkling eyed expression that brings his smile from ear to ear.
I can feel my ears droop. “And let me guess, it won’t be cheap?”
“Oh please! A chance to tinker around with something like this?! I’d practically do it for free!” Geez, this guy needs to get out more often. Then again, who am I to talk?
“Sure, go for it. Just please don’t blow up the house...” I roll my eyes. All of this stuff is interesting, and I’m sure it’ll end up being useful, but I’m not feeling the same enthusiasm as he is over it all. Guess the after meal fatigue is finally setting in. “If you need us, we’ll be in the master bedroom.”
He doesn’t even hear us as we walk out of the room.
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“Dang it,” Scootaloo said after she had finished the crude looking shapes that were meant to be her body.
“What is it?” Sweetie Belle asked, looking over at the drawing.
“Drawing is just a lot harder than I thought it would be! All these lines and shapes and things aren’t coming out like they should!” Scootaloo retorted, spitting her pencil out. “All these mistakes keep happening and my eraser is gone!”
“Here!” Applebloom said, tossing a grey lump of something to Scootaloo. “Try usin’ this!”
The orange filly picked it up and looked at it questioningly. It looked more like a lump of clay than anything else and after some pushing and prodding, seemed to act exactly like it too.
“What the fet is this?” She asked.
“What the what is what?” Sweetie Belle asked in confusion.
“This? What is this?” Scootaloo asked.
“It’s a word that H.B. uses when she's all frustrated about somethin’ there, Sweetie Belle.” Applebloom erased a bit from the scene where her and Applejack were hugging tightly. “An' that there is one of them really fancy erasers. A moldable one. Just rub it on the paper like ya would any other eraser!”
Scootaloo peered at the eraser skeptically before she applied it to the paper. “Like this- Oh hey!” She watched as the malleable grey blob erased some of the unwanted lines. “Wow, that’s pretty cool!” She exclaimed pushing and pulling the eraser in and out of shape.
“So...” Applebloom started still looking at her paper. “What ya all think about her?”
Scootaloo looked up from her drawing. “About H.B.?” Applebloom nodded. The young pegasus chewed thoughtfully on her pencil. “She’s alright, I guess. But she worries too much about us getting hurt. She really needs to learn to relax.”
“Maybe we can help her do that!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
“And how the hay would ya suggest going about doing that there, Sweetie Belle?” Applebloom asked. “From what Ah heard? She’s wound tighter than one of Pepper Pocket’s watches. Least that’s what Applejack said.”
“Well, Rarity said she hates the spa,” Sweetie Belle said looking at her pencil growing dull.
“I can understand that,” Scootaloo remarked.
"Ah can’t,” Applebloom said raising an eyebrow. “Even Applejack goes ta the spa when there’s a big fancy thing goin’ on.”
“Anyway...” Sweetie Belle said thoughtfully. “I was thinking, if she doesn’t want to go to the spa, maybe we can bring the spa to her!”
“Huh, there’s an idea...” Applebloom replied. “Maybe after she’s gotten her house all set up, we can surprise her with that!”
“I’d still like to know how she really got her cutie mark,” Scootaloo remarked.
“What’cha mean there, Scoots? She told us how she did that already.” Applebloom replied raising her eyebrow in confusion.
“I...I’m not so sure I buy the whole, ‘I told a sad story and got a broken heart as my cutie mark,’ story,” Scootaloo rolled the pencil in her mouth. “I mean come on, think about it. Remember when all the other ponies told us about earning their cutie marks?”
“Yeah, what about it?” Applebloom asked.
“They nearly went on all day about how it all happened! I mean it was hard to get them to stop talking about it.” Scootaloo replied.
“Remember how Twilight was bouncing around going, ‘Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!’?” Sweetie Belle interjected.
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “How could I forget that? But H.B. was practically squirming to get out of telling us how she got her cutie mark! There has to be an awesome story to go along with that broken heart, what with that really weird upside-down tree crack going through it.”
Applebloom paused in her drawing. “What’chu talkin’ about, Scoots?”
“You know what I mean,” Scootaloo replied trying to get another line just right. “We don’t see a mark like that everyday!”
“That’s not what ah meant,” Applebloom replied shaking her head. “I mean, about the crack. It don’t look like an upside-down tree. It looked more like a clean jagged line. Like a lightnin’ bolt!”
Scootaloo frowned. “No it didn’t. It was like if somepony took a tree, painted it white, turned it upside-down and cut off the roots!”
“Ah’m pretty sure that it was a jagged line like a lightnin’ bolt, Scootaloo,” Applebloom retorted.
“And I’m saying-” Scootaloo began angrily.
“Girls!” Sweetie Belle interrupted. “You’re both wrong!”
Applebloom and Scootaloo looked at each other. “Huh?”
“It’s more of a break with little pieces falling out of it!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
“That’s totally not what it looks like!” Scootaloo exclaimed leaning forward towards Sweetie Belle.
“It is so!” Sweetie Belle countered.
“Is not!” Scootaloo bickered back.
“Girls!” Applebloom got up between her friends and pushed the two apart. “Arguin’ never solved any of our problems. Now, each of us thinks that the crack in H.B.’s mark looks different. How’s about we settle this by drawin’ out what we think the heart looks like, then we can find H.B. and compare drawin’s?”
“I guess we can do that...” Sweetie Belle said, her expression softening.
“Fine by me,” Scootaloo replied getting a clean sheet of paper. “But you two are going to look so silly when you both see that I was right.”
It didn’t take long for the three of them to produce their versions of what each thought the heart looked like.
“Alright,” Scootaloo said, holding hers up. “Here’s what I was talking about.”
“Which is totally different from what I saw when I looked at her mark...” Sweetie Belle said chewing on her pencil.
“Well, we are gonna’ compare them the real deal,” Applebloom looked around and then out the window. “Huh, ah don’t see her out there...”
“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked joining Applebloom in window watching.
“Ah thought ah heard the three of them outside!” The little filly said in confusion.
“You mean you didn’t hear them come back inside? I think I heard Rarity saying something in H.B.’s bedroom like five or ten minutes ago!” Sweetie Belle explained.
“Well, ah’m ready as anypony ta figure out this little mystery,” Applebloom said waving a hoof at the other two.
“Me too,” Scootaloo replied. “And besides, maybe H.B. finally came up with something for us to do!”
“Hey!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed jumping up. “Wait for me!”
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“All done!” Rarity chimed floating her newest creation over to the snoozing pony. “H.B? Darling?” She used the pants to poke and prod Heartbreak.
“Ugh! Huh? What’s going on!? Where am...I?” Heartbreak blinked and swallowed hard. “Right, new house. I must have dozed off. I didn’t mean to, Rarity.” She apologized while yawning. “How long was I out?”
“Oh, only about twenty or so minutes,” She replied looking at the dusty clock to her left. She grimaced at it’s state and floated a rag over the body and face to clean it off. “You’re fortunate that I still remember your measurements.”
Heartbreak looked at the pants as they floated in Rarity’s lilac glow. She narrowed her eyes over the details, inspecting anything and everything. Every stitch, every line, the loops and lengths of the legs. Finally she blinked and shook her head.
“Is there something wrong?” Rarity asked uneasily. “Oh, please, please, please do like them.” She thought biting her lip.
“Bravo, Rarity,” Heartbreak replied, her head tilting in a bit of stunned wonder. “You... did exactly as I asked. There’s no secret little flourishes, no unnecessary embroidery, and I must say that the elastic waistband was a nice last minute idea...” She turned and gave the unicorn a look of approval. “Well done and thank you.”
Rarity found herself not quite knowing how to take the assessment of her newest creation. The blank black folds of denim were practically screaming at her to have something placed on them. A row of pink hearts, a few embroidered flowers, maybe even a starry night motiph!
‘Something! Anything!’ Her inner fashionista kept begging. “No, H.B. wanted plain. Nothing fancy. Just like the dress we made for Twilight. That worked out well, didn’t it? This will be just like that. And then maybe H.B. will finally like me! These aren’t for some fancy get together or dress or anything of the like. They are casual pants. Perhaps next time. Next time I can make her something with a bit more flare. Right now-” Rarity felt her magic aura being pulled on.
“So!” Heartbreak exclaimed smiling, a foreleg in one of the loops. “Shall I try these on to see if they are a good fit?”
“But of course!” Rarity practically squeed. All her hard work and efforts were finally starting to pay off. “And to think. Last week she was practically mocking me and we couldn’t see eye to eye. Gosh, that feels so far away. Almost like a year ago. Now? She is actually asking to try something on that I made! Well, something that isn’t overwear...” She thought as she lowered the pants to the ground.
Heartbreak stood over the pants and seemed to be assessing the best way to position herself about. “Let’s see... Rarity, is this the front or the back?”
Rarity tapped her chin. “I do believe that you are standing properly. All you need to do is put your back hoof in-”
“And then put my back hoof out?” Heartbreak said quirking an eyebrow. Rarity did a double take. “I know how to put pants on, Rarity. I was just-”
“No, it’s alright, I just wasn’t sure if that was a jest or not,” Rarity replied. “I must confess, sometimes it’s a tad difficult to tell.”
Heartbreak placed her back hooves into the legs of the pants. “Alright...”
“Do you need any help?”
==================================================================
As I lean on the sewing table next to me, I can’t help but notice that Rarity is extra excited? Attentive? Chummy? Enthusiastic? She’s one of those. I’m not sure if this should bother me or not. I mean, she was not too long ago chewing me out for my chewing out of Diamond Tiara.
“Nope! I should be good...” Fuck, stupid hoof. Get into the loop! Come on! “Ugh.. almost... come on... Ugh! ” A thought hits me. “But what do I do about my tail?” I ask out loud, looking behind me. The loop glows lilac for a moment and then I look up. I sigh. “So much for putting these on by myself.”
“It’s the first time putting them on, Darling. You’ll have plenty of time for practice once I have made any final adjustments,” Rarity replies with a soft smile. “And I should have made mention that the tail goes in before anything else.” I feel the loops being pulled tight, and something going over and around to the base of my... well, not really the base of my spine, seeing that I have a tail now. Whatever the place just where my tail comes off my body. She then proceeds to help put the loops back over my hooves.
Sighing, I give in a little here. I guess I have no choice but to take Rarity’s kindness and sorta-generous act at face value. It still would have been nice to have done this on the first try. “I guess you’re right.” Now that I have one hoof in one loop, the other is at least a bit easier. Alright, let’s stand up!
My back protests for a moment as I reach a bipedal stance. Come on back! It will only be for a moment! A one! A two! A three and tug up!
I feel the pants covering up my hind quarters hug my lower legs. I quickly pull my forelegs out of the loops before my back forces me back to all fours. Otherwise, this is going to be a lovely trip to ‘painful-face-in-the-floor-centralia’. With a clattering of hooves, I look back at my newly acquired attire.
“Well?” Rarity’s voice casts a line as she fishes out my overall feelings for the pants. I can’t blame her for that. She’s put a good deal of effort into making them look plain and simple.
“Hmmm, they could be a tad looser around the legs but-” I pause and try walking in them. They don’t seem to be rubbing up against anything I don’t want them to be, (most likely due to the tail,) and they give me a small thrill of nostalgia. “They look about right. And hey! Pockets!” Holy shit! I didn’t notice those before! Rarity smiles at me, most likely pleased that I actually like this gift. We just might-
Suddenly I feel something. It feels like... I’m leaning against a space heater? A small panic hits me as I realize that this sensation is centered right over my flanks.
==================================================================
Heartbreak’s eyes started to grow wide and she bit down on her lower lip as her gaze was locked on her flank. A stifled squeaking was attempting to make a barred escape as tears started to form in the mare’s eyes.
Rarity cocked her head in worry. “Is there something wrong, H.B-” She began to ask, but her well founded compassion turned to horror as the pants she had just made started to make a sizzling sound.
“Get them off! Get them off! Get them off! H-h-h-hot! HOT!” Heartbreak’s high pitched voice screeched out. Within mere moments, the fabric covering Heartbreak’s flanks began to turn a faint red colour before it smoldered, turning an ash grey as it fell in small pieces and wafted to the ground. What remained was a heart-shaped hole in the newly sewn pants whose still glowing edges were framing the black broken heart that was her mark.
After a few moments of wide-eyed disbelief, Rarity’s senses returned to her and words started to tumble from out of her mouth. “D-darling! Are you alright?! What just happened?! Do you need any help?!” Rarity looked almost frantic.
Heartbreak’s brow dripped with a bit of sweat and she took several deep breaths. “I-I-I’m fine, Rarity... Augh! Ah... I-it’s stopped...”
"But what was that?! Was that the-” She stopped herself in mid sentence. “We should see Twilight! Maybe-”
“No! It’s. Fine. Rarity,” Heartbreak replied. Her eyes still wide as she sniffed and fought the urge to scream.
“But, but H.B.! You- you’re-” Rarity gasped still in shock over what she had witnessed. Heartbreak put a hoof up and swallowed hard.
“Jussst fine.” she hissed, shaking her head in an attempt to block the pain. She took a deep breath to compose herself and looked up at Rarity. “I guess the fetting thing just doesn’t like to be-” She looked up and paused before she eyed the door.
“What is-” Rarity began looking around.
“I thought I heard...” Dust fell from the ceiling as Heartbreak’s ears pivoted upwards. She rolled her eyes. “I guess Slide Ruler finally wanted them to start work on the roof. Would have been nice if they gave me a heads up first...”
Rarity sighed looking at the charred fabric lying on the floor and then she glared at Heartbreak’s ‘cutie mark.’ “Ruined on the first day!”
Heartbreak smirked, her leg shaking a little. “They aren’t ruined to me, Rarity. You did a nice job of making some rather simple pants. It’s just that in the future? I guess we’re going to have to make some ... adjustments.”
“You still like them?” Rarity asked smiling.
Heartbreak paused as she looked at Rarity. “Yes. Other than what just happened? They are nice comfortable and well fitting pants. Thank you, Rarity.” The white unicorn nearly giggled in glee. “Now, not to sound ungrateful? Mind helping me take them off? The last thing that we need is others... uhm... seeing...”
“Oh! Right, of course,” Rarity replied. “If need be, and if anypony asks we can always say it was a last minute alteration to make your scars more comfortable.”
Heartbreak smirked and stood up. “That’s so close to the truth, its scary.”
==================================================================
The three young fillies darted to the sides of the door before Heartbreak could see them. All three of them seemed utterly confused at what they had just witnessed. Scootaloo looked as if she was going to say something, but Sweetie Belle quickly raised her hoof in time to silence her.
Applebloom motioned the three of them to move back to the room from which they came. Upon arrival, she quickly closed the door. For a few minutes, the fillies were completely muted by what they had just seen. It couldn’t have been a trick of the light, Rarity’s magic or anything else! The cutie mark had burned it’s way right through her pants!
Finally, after the quiet was too much to bear, Scootaloo spoke.
“I told you that the crack looked like an upside down tree,”
Applebloom and Sweetie Belle blinked and frowned in confusion at their friend.
“What?” Scootaloo asked, innocently.