//------------------------------// // A Full Day // Story: Living in Equestria // by Blazewing //------------------------------// Early the next morning, I was woken up by a series of loud knocks at the door. Glancing at my watch, I saw that it was 7 in the morning. Grumbling to myself for losing a precious half-hour of sleep, I got up and shuffled to the door. Opening it up, I found my four fellow Crusaders standing at the door, beaming up at me. One by one, they saluted me, as if I was a general or captain. “Girls, what’s going on? Why are you up so early?” “We got your gift yesterday, Dave!” said Apple Bloom. “How did you know we really wanted that chocolate fountain?” asked Sweetie Belle. “You’re a total mind reader!” said Scootaloo. “Thanks so much!” said Dinky. “Aw, you’re welcome, girls,” I said, kneeling down so I was more on their eye level. “And thank you for the gifts you and your families sent. I was really happy to get them. Just promise me you won’t get too carried away with that chocolate fountain.” “We promise,” they said, in unison. “Applejack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith also really liked the gifts you got them,” said Apple Bloom. “How did ya ever guess what they wanted?” “Yeah!” said Sweetie Belle. “I didn’t think Rarity told a lot of ponies about wanting that fancy silk you got her. She was so excited to get it, though!” “What did I tell ya, girls?” asked Scootaloo. “He’s a mind-reader! Must be a human thing.” “There’s probably a low level psychic field around him,” said Dinky. “He’s sure a better psychic than Ah am. Scootaloo’s probably still got a paper cut from those cards hittin’ her face.” “I think I do too, come to think of it,” said Sweetie Belle, putting a hoof to her cheek (Man, first Pinkie, now them? How long is this gonna keep up?) “All right, Crusaders, since you woke me up, I should get ready for work. You still off of school?” “Uh-huh!” said Sweetie Belle. “Until next week!” “We’ve got some big plans for today,” said Apple Bloom. “We’re gonna get our ice skatin’ cutie marks!” “Ice skating?” I echoed, pensively. “You sure, girls? I didn’t have too good a time when I tried it.” “It’ll be easy-peasy,” said Scootaloo, confidently. “The next time you’ll see us, Dave, we’ll be-” Oh, here we go again. This time, I was just in time to cover my ears. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS ICE SKATERS!” “Well, good luck,” I said, uncovering my ears. The Crusaders scampered off, all except Dinky. She dawdled behind the others, stopped, then turned back to look at me. “Something wrong, Dinky?” I asked. Dinky looked at me for a moment longer, then shook her head with a smile. “No. Nothing’s wrong. Bye, Dave!” And she hurried off after her friends. What had that been about? Was there something she had wanted to tell me? Well, Dinky would let me know if anything was bothering her eventually. We were fellow Crusaders, after all. Giving off a huge yawn, I got up and went about getting myself ready for work. I had just gotten dressed when someone else knocked at my door. Fortunate timing. Opening it up, I beheld Derpy and Sparkler, both beaming. I saw that Derpy was wearing the muffin-motiffed scarf I had commissioned from Rarity, as well as a cap with a bauble that resembled a muffin top. It looked like I wasn’t the only one who got her something muffin-related. “Hello, Derpy,” I said, pleasantly. “Hello, Sparkler. I already saw your sisters earlier.” “Hello, Dave,” said Derpy. “Thank you so much for this scarf! It’s wonderful!” “Rarity made actually. I just commissioned her for it.” Derpy fluttered her wings, smiling like a filly. “Well, it’s a really nice gift,” said Sparkler. “Oh, and the sign concept for the Brimstone Lounge! I love it!” “I figured I’d run it by you first. I’m so glad you approve.” “I do! You should get started on the real deal soon. Meanwhile, I’m gonna get the restaurant going!” “Great! And let me just thank the both of you for the great muffins! Had one or two with breakfast yesterday. It was almost hard to stop from gobbling down the whole batch at once.” “You’re very welcome,” said Derpy. “Remember, just like our card said, it’s-” “Never too late for a muffin,” concluded Sparkler, grinning. “Exactly,” said Derpy. “Duly noted,” I said, unable to keep from grinning myself. “Have a great day, Dave,” said Sparkler. “You too, both of you,” I said. The two Hooves mares turned and made off back for home, and I shut the door. Having them pop by to thank me made me wonder how many other thankful ponies I would see today. I was both half-anticipating and half-dreading the welcome I was going to get from Lyra and Bon Bon once I showed up, considering I got them exactly what they wanted. *** Sure enough, I had hardly stepped through the candy shop door when I was greeted with a piercing ‘EEEEEEEEEE!’ that made my ears ring. Once Lyra finished squeeing, she pointed at me, and began to dance in an odd, yet admittedly graceful, way, flailing her forelegs about like she was a ballerina and wobbling back and forth. “Lyra!” came Bon Bon’s reprimanding voice. “Down, girl! Heel!” Lyra made a disgruntled noise and stopped dancing. “Don’t talk to me like I’m a dog, Bonnie,” she said, grumpily. “That’s how the seaponies express their thanks: through dance. It’s authentic!” Bon Bon merely rolled her eyes. “I take it you liked what I got you?” I asked, perplexed. “Are you kidding?” Lyra asked. “I love it! A genuine seapony comb! The box itself is so beautiful, but the comb, man! The comb! An honest-to-Celestia seapony artifact! Oh, you are the best human I’ve ever met!” (I’m the only human you’ve ever met, Lyra.) “Besides,” she added, looking at Bon Bon, “it’s not like you weren’t over the moon when you got Dave’s bottle of liquid rainbow.” “I wouldn’t call my excitement ‘over the moon’, Lyra,” said Bon Bon. “Oh, please,” said Lyra, disdainfully. “You were parading around the apartment squealing like a school-filly.” “Don’t you have some candy to taste test?” Bon Bon snapped, cheeks reddening. Lyra smirked in a self-satisfied way and trotted off, while Bon Bon approached me, muttering something that sounded like ‘crazy unicorn’. Her anger melted, however, as she reared up to my eye level, smiling gently. “Thank you so much. You’re a very thoughtful young man.” She pressed her cheek warmly against mine, then got back on all fours. “I owe a lot to you for letting me work here, Bon Bon,” I said, truthfully. “You and Lyra have really made me feel welcome. But now I’ve got thank the both of you for your very generous gift. I never expected my own piano!” “It was my idea,” said Lyra, proudly. “Our idea,” said Bon Bon, giving Lyra a dirty look. “It was a collaborative effort.” “Right, of course,” said Lyra, but she whispered to me, “Totally my idea.” “Lyra!” “Just kidding, Bonnie,” said Lyra, before saying to me, in a more business-like tone, “So we don’t want you slouching in between lessons, mister. We want to see improvement. Get me?” “Yes, teacher,” I said, in a sarcastic imitation of a bored school kid. “That’s ‘Maestro’ to you!” said Lyra, with a smile. “All right, you two,” said Bon Bon, “let’s get cracking.” “Yes, ma’am!” I said, saluting. “Aye-aye, Capitan!” said Lyra. I took my place behind the counter, while Lyra sat in her usual spot. “Fun Hearth’s Warming?” I asked the both of them. “The best,” said Lyra, fondly. “Great food, great gifts, a cozy night in front of the fire.” “Yes, very nice,” concurred Bon Bon. “How about you?” “For my first, it was great. Everypony’s gifts, plus a snowball fight in town square-” “We heard about that!” said Lyra. “If only we knew about it sooner, we could have joined in! I was a wicked snowball fighter when I was a filly, the best in Canterlot!” “Until Octavia got you from behind while you were gloating inside your snow fort,” said Bon Bon. This earned her a sour look from her taste-testing friend. “And then Moonlight and I went to see the town’s production of the founding of Equestria.” “Ooh, neat!” said Lyra, perking back up. “The Canterlot play’s spectacular, but the one here in Ponyville’s pretty impressive too!” Just then, the door’s bell tinkled, and we snapped to attention. “Welcome to Bon Bon’s Bon Bons!” I said. “How may we satisfy your sweet tooth? Oh, hey, Twi, Spike!” Sure enough, both Twilight and Spike entered and went straight up to me, grinning from ear to ear. Twilight reared up, and placed her hoof on my hand as it sat on the counter. “I don’t know how you knew, but thank you so much!” she said. “Those quills were exactly what I wanted, but they must have cost you a fortune!” “I’m just glad you liked them,” I said. “And thanks for the pillow!” said Spike. “Last night was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time, especially since my spines went through my last one. It just hasn’t been as fluffy since.” “You’re welcome, little buddy,” I said, leaning down so he could give me a fist-bump. “Who wrote that book you guys gave me, by the way?” “Oh, that?” asked Twilight. “It was written ages ago by an Equestrian anthropologist. Lyra was a great help in tracking it down. She’s like a bloodhound for anything mythical or steeped in lore.” Lyra grinned proudly. “I helped,” declared Spike. “We know, Spike,” said Twilight, with a smile. “Well, thanks,” I said. “Anything we can get you?” “Oh, no, thank you. Spike and I still have a lot of holiday treats cluttering up the pantry. We’ve gotta get through those, and I’ll probably need to diet afterward,” she added, ruefully, putting a hoof to her belly. “Guess I kinda went overboard baking this year,” said Spike, sheepishly. “And thank you, Bon Bon,” Twilight said, “for that antique cookbook you found me. I’d been looking for a reference on what the settler ponies used to eat.” “Oh, it was my pleasure,” said Bon Bon. “Well, have a good day, everypony!” After that, Twilight and Spike exited the shop. “Well, at least somepony’s looking out for their figure,” said Bon Bon, “unlike some ponies I know.” She glanced fixedly at Lyra, who had just swallowed the last of a chocolate bar she had set before her. It took her a moment or two to realize Bon Bon was glaring at her. “What?” she asked, innocently. “Lyra, I think I know a good New Year’s resolution for you.” “Yeah? What?” “To lose some weight.” Lyra stared at her, then burst into a hearty fit of laughter. Bon Bon gave me an exasperated look, as if to say ‘This is what I have to put up with’. “I’m serious!” Bon Bon snapped at Lyra, who was still giggling. “I have no issues with you taste-testing my candy, but outside of that, you’ve been getting...well, even more ravenous than usual. Remember when I baked a baker’s dozen of cookies, and by the time you left the kitchen, they were reduced to half a dozen?” Lyra stopped laughing, but she still looked amused. “Don’t you smirk at me!” Bon Bon snapped. “And just who ate the other half dozen?” Lyra asked. Bon Bon blushed furiously and said, hurriedly, “T-That’s besides the point! While this had been going on, I looked down at myself. Was it just my imagination, or had I gotten a bit bigger as of late? I’d never been in the best of shape, but during the holidays, especially, I had felt a bit more bloated. I put a hand to my stomach, and couldn’t help feeling that I had indeed put on a few pounds recently. I’d never made much of an attempt back home, but then again, I was doing a lot of things here that I never would have at home. Well, I knew what I was going to do in light of this. “We could all lose weight together,” I suggested. Both ponies stared at me, Bon Bon’s indignation melting. “Huh?” asked my unicorn pal, looking puzzled. “I’m not feeling too fit myself, to be honest. All those cupcakes and candies start to add up, you know. Pinkie inhales sweets like crazy, but she puts in the effort to exercise. We could all do something similar together.” Bon Bon’s face lit up. “Now there’s a good idea! What do you think, Lyra?” Lyra looked from Bon Bon to me. She had the look of one trapped between a rock and a hard place. She chewed her lip, then sighed, as if resigned to the inevitable. She said, “Well...I’m not too jazzed about diet and exercise, but if you two are there burning the fat off with me, I think I’ll give it a shot.” “Wonderful!” said Bon Bon. “I knew you’d see things my way, Lyra.” “Don’t get too cozy about it,” said Lyra, grumpily. “It’ll fit nicely with my daily routine, anyway,” I said, “since I only have a couple days left.” Whoops. I wondered if I should have said that. “Yes, that’s right,” said Bon Bon. “Thank you so much for your help during the holidays.” “It’s not gonna be the same without you here, man,” said Lyra. “I’m really grateful I got to help you girls out,” I said. “Just know that, if you ever do want an extra hand, I’ll be glad to pitch in.” Bon Bon and Lyra both smiled, and soon after, we returned to our posts, as more customers were coming. *** As I had predicted, several of my pony friends stopped by the shop to see me and thank me for their gifts. The first was Rainbow Dash, who was in very high spirits. She soared up to me and threw a foreleg around my shoulders. “Dude, you’re amazing!” she said. “Thanks so much for the poster!” “I tried to get you the newer one, but they ran out, so I got you that one. I was hoping you didn’t already have it.” “Nope, I didn’t. Thanks, man!” “You’re welcome, and thanks for the record. So, you and Pinkie were both in on the whole piano prank thing?” “Heheh, yep! Pretty good joke, huh?” “I’ll say. You were really elaborate with it.” “Might have been our best yet! Well, it’ll still be hard to top the time we put bubble bath into the Ponyville Marching Band’s instruments before its latest parade. There were pink and blue bubbles everywhere!” Rainbow hugged herself in midair, kicking her back legs and giggling from the memory. “Were they able to trace it back to you because of that?” I asked. “Funnily enough, yeah,” said Rainbow. “Guess we should have chosen different colors.” *** The only pony who wasn’t outspoken about their gift today was Screwball, and I’d never known her to speak ever since our first night at the bowling alley. She lifted herself into the air (the propeller on her beanie spinning like crazy), flew from the door to the counter, and, still suspended in the air, placed her hooves on my hands. She grinned toothily and wagged her messy tail. “I take it you liked the cards I got you?” I asked. She nodded her head vigorously, making that familiar jingling noise. “Well, thanks for the lamp. It’s really got me entertained.” Screwball looked very pleased with herself, and leaned forward to give my cheek a nuzzle. As soon as she had left, Lyra chuckled to herself. “Well, somepony sure seems thankful,” she said. “Oh, don’t even go there, Lyra,” I retorted. “Or did you already forget your seapony dance of gratitude?” “Touche, Dave,” said Lyra, sounding impressed. “Tou. Che.” *** The only others who showed up to thank me that day were Berry and Vinyl, who came in together. Berry breached the counter and cuffed me right in the side, knocking the wind right out of me. Vinyl snickered. “Golden Griffon Grapes!” Berry squealed “Golden! Griffon! Grapes! How did you get your hands on them, Dave??” “One of my colleagues in the Round Table’s a griffon,” I wheezed, massaging my side. “He was very generous about it.” “Oh, thank you so much!” Berry gushed, giving me a squeeze that set me aching again. “You’re welcome. And thank you for the grape juice. I do love grape anything.” “Me too! Great minds think alike, don’t they?” “Of course.” (Except I’m much more of a lightweight.) For her part, Vinyl just beamed at me. “Dude, you’re something else,” she said. “I’ve been looking everywhere for that record, and you found it for me! Thanks a mil!” “You’re welcome, Vinyl. Thanks for my record, by the way. How did you know I’d be getting a phonograph to play it on, though?” “The Pinkinator told me you just might be getting one, so I thought, ‘better safe than sorry’.” (Does she have nicknames like that for everypony, or just Pinkie?) “Listen, Vinyl, I wish I could have come to either of your Hearth’s Warming shows-” “Ah, don’t sweat it, dude,” said Vinyl, airily. “I’d love it if you could come tonight, though. It’ll be my last performance before I head up to Canterlot. I’m gonna spend time with Octavia before and after her concert, so I won’t have a New Year’s show.” “You’re not gonna injure yourself so she’d have to take care of you again, are you?” I asked, shrewdly. “So long as they catch me when I stage-dive,” said Vinyl, with a cheeky grin. “Well, I’ll definitely try to come tonight, then. Just don’t be offended if I’m not up at the front.” “Sweet! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re on the list. Catch ya later, man. See ya, gals!” She directed this to Lyra and Bon Bon, who bid her goodbye as she strutted out of the shop, bobbing her head to what I presumed was a song in her brain. Berry followed soon after, waving goodbye in turn and holding a bag of gummy worms she’d purchased while Vinyl and I had been talking. *** The rest of the day passed like any other, without further visits from grateful ponies. Finally, when closing time rolled around, we packed up and prepared to head out. Bon Bon turned to me. “Dave, New Year’s Eve is your last day working here, since we’re closed on New Year’s Day. I’m not saying that to discourage you, but just as a heads up.” “Thanks, Bon Bon. Again, thanks a bunch for the job.” “Oh, it was my pleasure.” “Our pleasure,” Lyra interjected. “Can’t have all the glory, Bonnie.” Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Have a great night at Club Scratch,” she said. “And be careful. The volume may take some getting used to.” Lyra blew a dismissive raspberry. “Who cares about volume? You feel music, Bonnie, not just hear it.” “Yes, of course,” said Bon Bon, adding in an undertone, “whatever that means.” “Night, dude!” Lyra said to me. “Good night, ladies. See you tomorrow.” *** It wasn’t difficult to locate Club Scratch that night. All I had to do was follow the sound of ground-shuddering bass. At last, I came upon a building brilliantly lit with neon, twisted into the words ‘Club Scratch’ and a representation of Vinyl’s sunglasses. There was a line of ponies still waiting to head inside, and the majority of them looked like teens or college-age ponies, with wild hairstyles and clothes and young faces. An intimidating stallion, about as tall and buff-chested as Big Mac, dressed in a black suit jacket and wearing a pair of shades, stood at the door, holding a checklist. Each pony that came up to him was asked to submit their name, he’d check his list, then decide if they could enter. Once or twice, I saw him oust what must have been gate-crashers not on the list. At last, it was my turn. “Name?” the stallion asked, in a deep voice. “Dave,” I said, trying not to betray my nervousness. The stallion peered down at his list, then nodded. “You’re clear,” he said. “Head on in.” Relieved, I stepped past him through the doors. The reverberating beats were much more intense in here, as were the lights. The floor was one of those multicolored flashing panel dance floors, and it was occupied by ponies getting their groove on. I could also see a brightly-lit bar where a stallion was serving drinks. I imagined things got pretty crazy around here when the patrons were nice and sauced. There were tables set up on the outside of the dance floor, where some ponies were enjoying drinks and appetizer-esque foods. And there, behind the turntables, situated between two monstrous speakers, was Vinyl herself. The lights glinted on her shades, and there was a wild, carefree smile on her face as her head bobbed, her frizzy mane flying. She looked like she was in her exact element, just like the times I’d seen her deejaying at parties. I still wondered how she could hear so well with so much reverberation and sound. I’ll be honest, I felt a little out of place. Here I was in my street clothes, as plain as you could possibly be, standing among these ponies brimming with wub-induced energy. I didn’t even know where to start, since I wasn’t a dancer by habit, that dance I did with Rarity notwithstanding. I supposed I could just take a seat and listen, so I made my way to an unoccupied table. No sooner had I done so than a mare, whom I supposed was a waitress, came up to me, handing me a small menu. “Welcome to Club Scratch!” she said, in a loud voice so that I could hear. “Can I getcha something to drink?” I glanced down at the menu. There was a long list of cocktails, but there was also a list of soft drinks and non-alcoholic beverages, quite affordable and with free refills. “I’ll take a cola,” I said, handing the menu back to her. She scurried off, returning momentarily with a tall glass of cola with a nice cluster of ice cubes within. I paid out the three bits it cost. “Thanks.” “Sure thing, hun!” The waitress went to take care of another table, and I sat back, sipping my drink. I couldn’t quite place the taste. It reminded me simultaneously of Pepsi and Dr. Pepper, though both had very different flavors. The bass was so intense that even the soda inside the glass shuddered, the ice cubes vibrating. There was a nice variety in the music: techno, rock, jazz, rap (Vinyl herself provided the lyrics), as well as one that was an odd mix of techno, tropical, and...classic. Vinyl called it the ‘Tropical Octave’. Was it composed with Octavia in mind? It was pretty dang catchy. It actually had me bobbing along in my seat. *** Several glasses of soda later, my head was throbbing from the overabundance of bass and wubs, but despite the volume, I could hear nature calling loud and clear. All in all, however, it had been a pretty good night. The music had been amazing, even if I could still feel it vibrating in my body. I’d just pop into the restroom, then be on my way. Once that was taken care of, I joined the few other club patrons who were ‘wubbed out’ and heading home earlier than everypony else. At the door, I turned around for another look at Vinyl. Her shades were up, and she caught my eye. I gave her the thumbs up, and she grinned and nodded back, although that could have been just more of her head bobbing. At least she’d know I had enjoyed myself. Out on the streets, I could still feel the reverberations of Vinyl’s music as I walked away. I was just nearing the edge of town when a familiar voice called out to me. “Dave! Hey there, sport!” Turning around, I saw Magnum trot up to me. He was grinning from ear to ear. “Glad I caught up to ya, kiddo. Thanks a bunch for the jersey! I heard Big Mac and Caramel got ones just like it.” “And Meadow Song and the Doctor,” I added. “Swell! I feel like we’re a bona fide team now! Thanks, kid.” “It was my pleasure, and thanks for the bowling ball from all of you. Maybe now I’ll be on a more even keel with a ball with finger holes.” “Don’t mention it, kiddo,” said Magnum, clapping me on the shoulder. “Can’t wait to see how it goes next Tuesday. First of the month, remember?” “Yep!” “Well, see ya then, Dave.” “Good night, Magnum. Say hi to the family.” “Oh, I will.” The two of us headed our respective ways for home. As I neared my own home, I wondered how long it would take my insides to stop vibrating from my exposure to Vinyl’s music. Hopefully it wouldn’t throw off my bowling game.