//------------------------------//
// Easy Come, Easy Go 
// Story: Extremely Loud, Intensely Bright, Drastically Tense, Exceedingly Tight 
// by h4ns 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 19: Easy Come, Easy Go

In the weeks since Bryce had arrived in this land of magical talking ponies, he had been viciously beaten, made a complete ass of himself, and gotten half of everyone he had met angry at him in some way or another. The beatings, while agonizingly painful, were manageable, and he could easily recover. He knew he could act a little sarcastic or ridiculous at times, sometimes even perverse. He wasn't, however, trying to be mean about it. Sure he was a difficult person to work with, which was part of the reason he preferred to work alone. When others were around, they always seemed to hinder his work.

Whenever someone was fed up with Bryce’s attitude or work ethic, they would usually chew him out relentlessly, leaving Bryce to walk off and feel like crap. This time, however, was not one of those times. For the past two hours, he had been lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Bryce felt like shit.

Granny Smith was able to coax him up off the ground, but when they reached his bedroom, the aged mare decided it best to give Bryce some alone time.

Less than an hour later Ditzy had returned to pick up her two daughters. Both Ditzy and Dinky wanted to at least say their goodbyes to the human for the day, which Granny Smith granted in hopes it could snap Bryce out of his stupor. But they both came and went after neither one of them were successful in getting even a mumble of acknowledgment from him.

About a half hour after their departure, Applejack returned from the orchard. When the apple mare questioned why both Granny Smith and Apple Bloom were so distraught, they gave their answer much to Applejack’s distaste.  Bryce listened as everypony talked downstairs. About him… About what had just happened to him

Soon after, the voices downstairs stopped and were replaced with the sound of a single set of hooves clopping on the hardwood flooring. Damn it, they’re coming up to talk to me. What can I say? They all saw me; I was nothing but a nervous wreck. Just all nerves. Even if I attempted to explain, they’d just tell me to get over myself or… something along those lines.

As the door creaked open, Bryce continued to stare up at the ceiling. He didn’t even take notice that Applejack was the only pony to enter. When she turned to look at Bryce she said, “Uh, Bryce, right…? What the hay is it this time? Ah mean Ah can understand you acting this way if Rainbow had roughed yuh up worse than last time. Ah mean it was just a little rain. What's the big deal?!"

Easy for you to say. You know nothing about me, nor what I've been through. Bryce just laid in his bed, not even bothering to look and see that Applejack had entered the room.

"Ahh come on now, sugarcube. Ah know a lot's happened since yuh got here, and Ah suppose Ah didn't help matters..." Applejack stared down at the floor. "The worst that happened today was that you got a little wet. It's not like yuh got hurt or anything."

Well I'm so glad you can handle getting wet like any other 'normal' person... horse thing... What the H ever.

"You've taken a shower before, haven't yuh? At least Ah hope yuh have."

Yeah, and I hope you have too.

Applejack continued talking. "Well the rain is a lot like the shower, you get a little wet."

Well the shower is usually in the bathroom.

The orange mare let out a heavy sigh, fed up that she wasn't able to even faze the human. "That's the end of that conversation or whatever yuh wanna call it," she said before exiting the room.

Bryce turned on his side and crossed his arms over his chest. He wanted to just go back to his old life. At least there he could charge his smartphone, listen to his music, and get lost in his own world.

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"Come on, Apple Bloom, it's time for bed."

"Applejack, can't Ah at least check and see if Bry—“

"Apple Bloom, Ah think it'd be best ta just leave the fella alone." Ever since Applejack had returned downstairs to report she had been unsuccessful in getting a single word out of Bryce, everypony had been in a humdrum state. When it was time for supper, Granny Smith brought Bryce up a tray of food. Even this wasn't enough to break his silence. She came back around bedtime to find the contents of the tray mostly intact with only a few things nibbled at here or there.

Now at bedtime proper, Apple Bloom was the only one that still had hope her friend would snap out of it. If he hadn't already, that is. "Applejack..."

"Ah said no. He's not going anywhere so try and get some sleep. This whole thing will probably be better in the morning." Having said that, Applejack gave her little sister a light hug and stepped out of her bedroom. Deep down in her heart, however, Applejack would bet bits that he'd be in the same state she'd last seen him.

Now that Apple Bloom was alone, she immediately went into action. Walking on the tips of her hooves, the yellow filly crept over and pressed an ear to the door. Hearing Applejack's door close shut at the end of the hall, she held her ground, wanting to make sure it was going to stay shut. After about ten minutes, Apple Bloom turned the knob and crept on the tips of her hooves once again towards Bryce's room.

Doubting Bryce would answer if she knocked, Apple Bloom opened his bedroom door and walked right in. "Bryce... Are you still awake?"

From his place on the bed, Bryce said, "Yeah..."

"Bryce, what's the matter with yuh?"

This time Bryce gave no response. You just wouldn't understand.

"Bryce...? Bryce...?"

Bryce still didn't respond.

"Bryce... You're hurtin mah feelings."

Even though Bryce didn't show it, Apple Bloom's last statement hit him hard. Why did she have to go and say that? I could handle hurting someone I didn't really know... but Apple Bloom.

"Bryce..." Apple Bloom turned to leave. She was the verge of tears. "Ah... Ah'm gonna go on back ta bed... Ah love yuh, Bryce."

Bryce balled up his fists. Come on, you fucking son of a bitch, get over yourself! You can't just let her leave, not after that!! If you let that sweet little girl go now, you'll regret it forever and you know it!! He yelled out, "Wait… Apple Bloom, don't leave..."

Apple Bloom was stopped in her tracks at his sudden outburst, almost to the point of fear. When she turned back to stare at the human, she could make out the outline of his wall-like form in the moonlight. The light reflected off his grey eyes, giving the impression they were glowing. "Bryce...? Wha...?"

"Do you still promise me that you won't judge me?"

"Bry..."

"Do you promise me?"

Apple Bloom kept her mouth shut and nodded in agreement.

Bryce let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in. "I have a thing when it comes to getting wet. I mean... It's not that I'm afraid of water; in fact, I love to go swimming. When I get wet it.... hurts me."

Apple Bloom cocked an eyebrow. "But I've seen yuh get wet lots of times. You take a bath every night."

"I... I know. But what happened with that rain cloud... It was different." Bryce looked down at the ground as he unknowingly began to rock himself. "When I take a bath, I feel okay... But with rain it's... I just don't feel in control of the situation. I can't control the temperature and can never expect when it'll end. The feeling of it when it hits me is just all so... cold and... uneven."

Apple Bloom continued to sit on down on the floor, her mind holding onto Bryce's every word. "In the bath, the water is all the same. It's always warm. It's always uniform in texture. But if it feels any different, I can run the taps to get it just the way I want it."

"But how come yuh said it was hurtin yuh?"

"It’s not like it was literally physically hurting me. It's more like... Have you ever been in a situation that's so uncomfortable... like where you're trying your best to get into a position that will give just a 'little' bit of relief, but you just can't for the life of you find it... That's what happens when I get wet."

"Is that why you were..." Bryce looked away before she could finish. After a while, Apple Bloom asked, "Then why are you like that then, what caused yuh ta act that way?"

"Well it's... something I don't have full control over. I mean... I'm just overly sensitive to certain things."

"Really... Like what?"

"Well... Like today; when Rainbow got me wet, it felt like the temperature had fallen down to below freezing. I know it wasn't that cold, but my nerves just read it differently. There are others things too like... If I put something in my mouth that feels weird, it makes me nearly lose my lunch... Certain odors make me want to cough up a lung... Some fabrics make my whole body squirm... Makes me want to rip off my own skin just to get rid of that feeling... In truth, I'm uncomfortable even walking around in my own skin." Bryce sighed before he said, "Sometimes, when something gets thrown by me, I can feel the air being forced out of its way. When the humidity's high, I have to push myself to get just one more breath of air...

"But why are yuh like this?"

Bryce couldn't bring himself to look at Apple Bloom. "I... It's just how I am... It's... how I was born."

"Ah... Ah don't understand."

"No one really understands what I have."

Apple Bloom could only stare up at Bryce, her face a textbook example of confusion. The yellow filly slowly got to her hooves and hopped up to Bryce's side. "Is that why yuh don't like ta be touched?"  Bryce nodded. "Do yuh feel that way when Ah hug yuh?"

"That's a different as well. I can handle being hugged, but only if someone applies the right amount of pressure behind it. Anything else and I feel like I'm caught in a vice."

Apple Bloom's ears drooped down and her voice dropped down to a whisper. "Have my hugs been hurtin yuh?"

Bryce looked at her and smirked. "No... Yours have all been right in that little area of perfection." That was enough to perk the little filly's mood as she smiled back. Bryce held his arm out behind Apple Bloom. "Come on... We both know you want to."

Apple Bloom jumped up and wrapped herself around Bryce's neck. Bryce hugged her back. "Am Ah doing it hard enough, Bryce?"

"Just a little tighter... That's perfect."

They both stayed like that for a while. For how long no one can say. Neither one of them wanted it to end. To them, it felt like an eternity, the whole world around them all but gone.

Apple Bloom was the one, however, to break the moment. "Bryce, can Ah stay with you tonight?"

Bryce thought it over for a few seconds. He broke their hug and held her out in front of him. "Okay, but only for tonight."

Apple Bloom smiled at that and threw a forehoof into the air in triumph.

Bryce gently laid her at his side facing him. When he lied down to join her, Apple Bloom crept up and gave him a peck on the cheek. It felt wet, but Bryce didn't move to try and wipe it off. To him, it felt perfectly right. "Goodnight, Apple Bloom... Dolci sogni."

"Bryce, do you think you could sing something to me?"

"Well... There is... one song I do know. It's my favorite." Bryce brought the yellow filly close to his chest and put his chin over her head. "No warning sign, no alibi, we faded faster than the speed of light. Took our chance, crashed and burned. No, we'll never ever learn."

Neither Apple Bloom nor Bryce even took notice of a single green iris, belonging to a certain apple mare, peeking in through the crack in the doorway. Upon seeing her younger sister cuddling up to this creature, a creature nopony even knew all that well, dampened her heart. Applejack quietly trotted back down the hallway to her own bedroom.

"I fell apart but got back up again." As Bryce finished his song he could feel the rhythmic breathing of the filly he held to his chest, the little filly having fallen soundly asleep about halfway into Bryce's singing. "I love you too, Apple Bloom." Bryce gave her a kiss on the forehead before he too fell asleep.

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The following morning, Apple Bloom awoke and nuzzled her face into the thing in front of her. Instead of pressing into the hard, bony chest of Bryce, she was met with something soft and cushiony. As she opened her eyes, she was met with the sight of a pillow. "Bryce... BRYCE?!"

From down the hall, a set of thundering hooves came rumbling in through the door. "Apple Bloom, what's the matter?!" It was Applejack. "What's got yuh yellin out?!"

"Applejack, where's Bryce?"

"Wha... Why are yuh so worried about him?"

"He's mah friend... BRY...!"
Applejack raised a hoof up to her young sister's mouth. "Easy there, sugarcube. That fella's alright. He's downstairs right now eating break..."

Before Applejack could even finish, Apple Bloom was already bounding out of Bryce's room. When she reached the stairs, she hopped down each one. When she reached the ground floor, she skidded to a halt in front of the kitchen. She was beyond belief to find Bryce sitting at the dining table. He was eating his usual breakfast as if nothing was wrong.

Bryce turned to look at the filly. "Morning."

"Ah... Huh?"

"I said morning. What's the matter?"

"Ah... You..."

"Sprout, just calm down. Everything's all right. I needed to get up early so I could get to work. After last night, I thought you could use the sleep. I wouldn't leave without saying anything. Most especially to you."

"Apple Bloom, what the hay's the matter with you," Applejack said as she caught up with her sister.

"Sis, Ah..."

"It's okay, sugarcube, just don't ever do anything like that again. Yuh hear me?"

"Ah... Ah hear yuh."

"Good." Applejack turned to Bryce. "Ah see yuh made a full recovery." Bryce turned his attention back to his breakfast. "Well, when you're done there, you can help by going out and milking the cows. After that, Ah want you ta go clean all the shavings out of the hen houses, scrub the coops down, and replace 'em with some clean shavings. And make sure you do it in that order."

Bryce smirked and said, "Yes, Boss."

"And don't call me that."

"Okay, Capo."

"Just hurry up and get to it, and stop talking in all of those made up words." Applejack stepped out the front door and stood a few feet in front of the house. The week before she had seen the human as just another mouth to feed. Sure, Bryce may have agreed to do work on the farm, but that did little to quell her enmity for him.

What got Applejack the most was that not only had Apple Bloom gotten Bryce to snap out of whatever funk he was in, but that he acted like the incident with Rainbow had never happened. How can he just say it didn't happen? When Ah saw him, he looked like he was never gonna come out of it. Now he's in there, eating our food, got Apple Bloom worried sick about him... The orange mare stomped a hoof on the ground.

"Is everything alright, sis?"

Applejack jumped in surprise at the deep voice. "Oh... Hey Big Mac... Uh, no... Ah mean yeah. Everything's alright." She forced a smile. Big Macintosh stared back without saying another word. The smile faded from her face. "No, everything's not fine. How can Apple Bloom take up to that... Bryce fella? Ah mean he nearly split us both down the middle more than a week ago, smacked her hard against the head, wouldn't even say a word to anypony yesterday afternoon... And she actually loves the fella."

Big Macintosh shrugged. "Ah don't know what ta say, AJ. He just seems like one of the good ones."

"Now what's that supposed ta mean?"

"Well Apple Bloom and Granny like him. How bad can he be?"

"But we don't even know the first thing about him. As far as we know, he could be plotting ta kill us all one by one."

Big Macintosh countered this claim "Then why hasn't he done it yet?"

"Ah don't know. Deep down though Ah can tell he's hiding something from us."

"Like what?"

"Ah don't know, but if Ah even find him alone in a room with me, he better—“

At that moment, both Bryce and Apple Bloom came out the front door. "Well I wish I could. If I get done early enough then..." Bryce stopped mid-sentence when he caught Applejack shooting death glares at him. "Then I'll come play with you and Dinky." Applejack walked off in the direction of the barn.

"If we both helped would you get done quicker?"

"I'm going to be cleaning up chicken shi… cra… droppings. Are you sure you want to be messing around with," Bryce stopped to acknowledge Big Macintosh who did the same back, "with the likes of that?"

Apple Bloom paused before answering. She was juggling the pros and cons of each. Eventually she gave her answer. "If it means you'll play with us sooner then sure Ah do.

Bryce smirked. "Well if you can convince Dinky to help out too, it'll get done even sooner. But first the cows need to be milked. You can stay here and wait for her while I do that." Bryce walked with Big Macintosh towards the barn. "Hey, Big Mac, is everything alright with the orange one?"

With a blank face, the red stallion replied, "Eeyep."

Bryce laughed a little at this response. "Well that'll never get old."