The train ride back was filled with the sounds of my friends talking and laughing, but that was a given since every time we talked through video chat it would involve funny gifs. or pictures that made us laugh. So we talked and laughed at some of the things that had happened the week before they showed up here.
"Okay so you won a gaming competition, and you got 10,000 bits from it, and on top of that you got a brand new game system along with it?"
"Eeyup." I nodded my head at Sub's.
"Dang dude, that was lucky."
"Yeeeeeaaah, I didn't really try at the end, since Barb shot at me with a shotgun, a shotgun, I should have died but instead I crouched and panic threw my knife at her guy, nailing 'em right in the face...just don't tell Barb that."
"Haha, so I guess you aren't as good as you say you are." Said a certain smug zebra from the seat behind Misty, and Subs.
"Hahaha, yuk it up mohawk, I still got 10 grand for playing a video game." I finished with a grin while leaning back in my chair.
"Well you sound like you certainly made out very well from that" Trixie said.
"Yeah, if you had gone up against me you would have lost, Griffon Kingdoms' is known as the warrior country for a reason."
"Yeah, your probably right Gild's, you most likely would have just steam-rolled me from the start if what you say is true, and I believe ya'."
"You better believe it Bolty."
"I can already tell that we're gonna be great gaming buddies."
I turned my attention back to my newly turned pony friends and saw Draco staring at a mare across from him, Misty was one her computer probably checking it out, and Subs was just chilling out listening to some music. If I had to guess, it's 'I See Stars'. It's a good band, I have a couple of their albums because of him.
I was about to grab my phone when I realized, "Wait, where are they going to sleep tonight? Hmmmm, oh, duh! I got plenty of rooms in my house, courtesy of good ol' Princess Tia." I figured that I should ask them anyway, unless they want to stay with somepony else.
"Hey guys," They all looked away from what they were doing, except Subs, Misty had to pat him on the shoulder to get his attention. "I just realized that you don't have anywhere to stay, and was wondering if you'd like to stay with me at my house?"
"You got room man?" Draco decided to ask for all of them.
"Yeah, if four rooms aren't enough, than we need bigger house,"
"Daaaaaaamn bro, you living good up in here."
"Hey being friends with the rulers of the country can have it's perks, but that doesn't mean that I'll take advantage of them either."
"True, true.
I turn my attention back to the other two sitting beside me. They both have their brows raised.
"You got a freaking mansion!
I thought about it for a second, "Yeah, I do."
"Yeah I do! You know what, I never really thought about it since I just never really cared for the whole rich per-er, ponies kind of house."
"You two can come on over after lunch if you want to see it. Not really a big deal to me, never really understood the appeal of having so many rooms that you forget which one is for which."
"Alright dude, can't wait to see the inside of this place of yours, we're just used to out dinky little apartment."
"Well then, my place will be a system shock to ya'."
*Grrrrrrrr*
Draco chuckled. "Sorry, I'm a bit hungry here, what do they got here for fast food places?"
"Well so far I saw they had a Burger Princess, you know, Burger king."
"Cool, we should go there."
"Alright, I already ate there yesterday but I guess that's okay." "I'll just stay away from there for a while afterwards."
After we got off the train we really high-tailed it, "Get it high-tailed it, cause we're ponies...and we...have...ahhhh screw you guys, you're no fun." to the Burger Princess and I think that by far that was the most expensive order of food I will probably ever pay for at a fast food restaurant. I think the order came out to about over a hundred bits. The look on that mare's face, which was the same one from yesterday, was just full of 'what' since I just came in yesterday for a burger, and now here I was again getting a hundred bit order.
"Hahaha, did you see the look on that mare's face, priceless ay' Bolt."
"Yeah Space man."
Draco chuckles at the his nickname. "Pfft, Space man?"
"Yeah 'cause meteor's come from space."
"HAHA! alright then. Whatever you say man."
"I do say so, ese."
Gilda 'snrks' at my saying. "What are you from Mexicolt?"
"No, but I'm Hayspanic, I think that's how you say it here right?"
"Yes that's right." "Trixie, you just saved me from looking dumb."
"Alright, thanks...What?"
"I didn't know you were Hayspanic?" Gilda half-asked, half-stated.
"Well before I ended up here I was, so it only seems right that I'd keep that coming here, si?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
Draco started, "Okay I'm hungry you guys, lets get...to...dude?" and then stopped walking entirely.
"Yeah, bro?"
Everypony stood in awe, and just stared ahead. What lay before them was my house, graciously built by Ponyville's construction service and commissioned by the princesses. To them it looked, as Draco kindly stated "Massive bro".
"Dude, this is all yours!?" Gilda asked.
"It was, now it belongs to me and my friends."
"Dang dude, nice."
"Yeah, I was expecting something a lot smaller when-"
"Howdy Sugarcube, what'cha doin' partner, and who're yur' friends? Oh and Hey Trixie, Gilda."
I turned and saw the rest of the gang standing behind us
"Woah! I knew the Princesses had a house built for you but, geez man this sucker's huge!" That's Barb, ever observant.
"Yup, oh and these," I walked over to my newly arrived friends. "are my friends from earth." I said throwing my arms around Misty and Subsonic, with Draco appearing just above my right shoulder.
"Sup, girls!"
"Hello."
"What's up."
Most of the girls greeted them, leaving only Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash wondering where these other pony's came from.
Applejack asked the question I'm sure they were all thinking. "Wait, so there's more of'ya?"
Twilight facepalmed. "I would have asked differently but, yes, When did they get here?"
"Well I actually got a letter from Celestia in the mail, asking me to come to the castle today, that my other friends were also in the same boat as me."
"Wait you were on a boat when you came here?" Ohhhh Rainbow.
Twilight beat me to it. "No Dash, I think what he meant by that was that his friends also wanted to come here."
"Oh...I knew that." Dash said with a light blush and a sheepish smile.
"Well, we were just about to go inside, you girls wanna come in?"
Rainbow flew right up to my face. "Heck yeah!...uhhh, I mean, yeah sure."
I chuckled at her complete 180 of her demeanor. "Well alright then, let's go in."
I unlock my door and walk in. "Welcome to the house of entertainers...and one zebra."
"Heeeeeey."
"I'm just messing with yeah...you entertain in a different way."
Draco plopped down on the sofa and put his hand behind his head.
"Haha, you know it."
"Ahhhhh shut up mohawk." He just rolled his eyes at another ridiculous nickname.
After everypony got situated in the room, which for that to happen I had to pull the chairs from the kitchen to do so, we talked for a while about where my friends came from, their hobbies and such.
"So you draw?"
"Mmmhmm." Responded Jaye, well Misty Inks now, man it's gonna feel weird calling them by their OC's names for a while.
"Do you think I could ask for your help in drawing designs for some dress ideas at my shop?"
"Ohhh, uhhh, well I'm not sure how well I'll do, but, I can give it a shot."
"Wonderful darling."
I just had to ask the question that both me and most likely Subs was thinking. "So is it just me or does Misty and Rarity here sound like it's one pony talking?"
My buddy Dustin just looks at me. " 'Cause of the accent right? Oh Jaye say salsa!"
"She just shook her head and laughed but still complied. "Salsa."
"YEAH!" We both cheered and high-fived, leaving the other to look at us like we grew two heads.
"You two are something else." Said Trixie.
"Well they do sound similar, *gasp* maybe they're long lost sisters and they just found each other!" Good ol' Pinkie, was kinda wondering when an outburst was going to happen.
"Or they jus' have the same accent Pinkie Pie." There's AJ with the rebuttal.
"ORRRRR, maybe-"
Time to be stupid, brain shutting off, in five, four, three, two, one, channeling Patrick Star. "Or maybe, they are both the same pony-slash-person, and they just met each other in this world, and they just need to reunite and become one again." Ahhhh, thank you Patrick Star for that moment of stupidity, you were always the favorite in that show.
"WHAT!?" Yup, just as I thought everypony looked at me like I just lost my mind, the exception of Draco, Misty and Subsonic.
"What? If Pinkie can do it, then why not me?"
"Because silly billy, there's a method to my craziness."
"Ummm, ouch...I just got told by Pinkie Pie...LIFE COMPLETE!"
"Umm, okay then, does anypony want anything to drink? 'Cause if not I'm going to get an ice pack for my burn."
"Yeah man she got you good."
"I can't even argue with that Subs. I really can't." Chuckling as I went into the kitchen and bringing out two 12 packs of Mtn Dew: Baja blast, which is the best drink that man as ever created, and the other cherry Pepsi, also good, but it can't beat Mtn Dew.
"What's this?"
"Well I had Eris magic up some of my worlds' sodas. Lemme' know what you think."
Everypony had a bit of a struggle with the tabs on the tops of the cans, with the exception of me, my friends and Gilda, who just stabbed her claw into the can opening it up instantly.
"Damn that's...handy...no? Nothing...huh, tough crowd."
Everypony just looked at me with varying face of 'that was bad' written all of them.
"Yeah it's handy, I never have to look for a letter opener either."
I nod my head in response and then hear Rainbow exclaim. "This is pretty good!"
"Well, it is Mtn Dew, so of course it's good, every flavor is good."
"You said that Eris brought these here?" Twilight asked.
"Yeeeeaaaaahhh."
"Well, how did she pay for them? I'm sure they're not free."
"No, yeah of course, I gave her 2 bits to leave behind for them and a note."
"What? only two bits? That can't possibly be enough for these."
"Well gold isn't used for money over there, and it's also a very rare metal so it's very expensive as well."
"Twilight, he's right," A new voice sounded out throughout the room and then a second later Eris popped up sitting on her lap. "you should have seen the looks on their faces when they found those two gold pieces for the cases we, ummm, borrowed."
Eris, how many did you take?" Twilight put on her best reprimanding face on.
Eris seemed to shrink back a bit. "Ummmm...five?"
"Eris, for real this time, how many?" She was crossing her arms now.
"IIIII may have taken the whole pallet of different sodas."
I was drinking my soda when she said that and of course I spit my drink out upon hearing this. "WHAT!? Where did you put them all?"
"Downstairs in the your basement."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about the basement, I had the Princesses' have the construction workers put one in, instead of a cellar outside."
"Dang Eris, a whole Pallet of those things, wait it's not just one flavor, is it?"
"No it's got all of the flavors, except diet, I can't stand diet."
"Nice, so we should have enough to last us for about maybe a few months or more if we stretch it out."
Twilight just gives up and sits back down and drinks her soda, and does a very poor job of hiding that she likes it.
"Okay so if we are done with the questioning," I looked over at Twilight and smiled at her. "maybe we can actually hang out now."
At that very moment there was a flash and a fairly large basket full of Ponystaion games sat in in the middle of the room.
"Eris?"
"Not me, I didn't even move, otherwise miss no-fun here would spank me."
I rolled my eyes are her, as did Twilight.
"I would."
Everypony turned to look at Draco, including Eris, though with a blush on her face.
"What?"
There was a group head shake, and we moved on.
"So who sent it then?" Looking back at the basket as Twilight asked.
"I dunno' I don't see a," I saw a folded piece of paper mixed in with the games and I fished it out. "oh wait a minute, there's a note, it says, "Hope you have fun with these games, my sister doesn't know I sent these. P.S. If you don't add me I'll send you to the moon." well, at least we know who sent them now."
"Ahhh, good ol' moonbutt, well what' she send?"
"Better question is, what didn't she send? There's like pretty much every, ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!"
I got a bunch of 'whats' and 'what now's'.
"There's a Marebox one and a Mare-u along with, Super Mareio Kart for the mare-u and Battlepony 4 for the marebox one. Luna your gonna give me a heart attack." I said while chuckling to myself.
Gilda ran up to the me and the basket and dug around until she pulled out the Marebox one from the pile of games.
"Awwww man, are you freaking kidding me, and it's a special edition Battlepony Marebox one," She put it down next to the rest of the stuff. "lucky."
"Wanna play it?"
Her eyes got wide and she was almost begging me to play it, Gilda, the griffon, damn near begged me to let her play the game with me. How could I not set it up and play it with my favorite griffon.
"Sure, here come on guys, I wanna show you my special room."
I walked up the stairs to the second floor and opened the second door on the right, the last door being my room. I walked in and flipped the light switch and listened to all the 'woahs' and 'wows' from behind me.
"This, everypony, is my studio for all things ponytube and video games." Putting out my arms trying to add flare to my reveal of my now most cherished room in the entire house.
"Woah dude, this place is bitchin'." says Barb.
"I know right. I had about 7,715 bits after I did this whole room. 'course now that's done to around 6,165 bits after I bought my friends, Gilda and Trixie theirs own things. Although that's fine since I now have a partnership with Ponytube and I get paid from my videos, I think I get paid around 350 bits a week or more form my videos for now until I get more ponies subscribed to me. Though I've been live-streaming more than recording lately since I have had no one to record with."
"Dang, this stuff wasn't cheap." said Barb as she inspected my setup.
"Nope, it wasn't, but it was totally worth it, since now," I lifted up the box with the Marebox inside. "we can record Battlepony 4 on it. I have an HD PVR to record stuff with, and the first game to get the honors is gonna be the one Luna sent me. Gilda you get to be the first co-host with me." Flashing her a toothy grin.
"Well it's about damn time blueberry." She laughed at me as I narrowed my eyes at Barb for telling her that.
~25 minutes later~
"Okay that should be it than." I said getting up off the floor. I had just finished connecting all the wires that had to be plugged into the back to get the system to work and record to the HD PVR.
"Alright, let's play thing bad boy."
I hand Gilda a headset and plug both mine and hers into a splitter that I bought and then plugged that into the system by USB port.
"Okay, I think it's time to tear it up in multiplayer."
"You know it."
What ensued was a good 2 hours of explosions, deaths, and altogether awesomeness. Sadly before all that The other girls, minus Rainbow who decided to stick around, had left for home. Misty had gone to her room, which she had picked would be the one across from my studio, and went to use her new computer and set up an account on Equesart, which was the same as deviantart on earth. Draco had retired to his room which was at the end of the hall and just went to take a nap. Subsonic had stayed downstairs and helped Trixie get her PC set up.
"Okay, now that, was epic."
"Oh yeah, I swear I haven't had a good game of Battlpony in a long time, I was a bit rusty at first, but it started coming back to me quick enough."
Both Gilda and I were flexing our hands and claws to try and relieve the tension in our joint from gaming for so long. My hand was feeling better after a few flex's but Gilda still looked a bit worse for wear, she was rubbing her right claw and then the other so I scouched over and took her claw in my hands and started to press down in the spots I know hurt after you play for a lot.
"Here let me."
"Uhhhh."
"You see sometimes flexing ain't enough so you need to," I pressed down and popped her knuckle closest to her palm making her grunt for a second and then sigh in relief the next. "pop somethings back into place, you know what I mean?"
She didn't respond, but I didn't mind, so I continued to pop the rest of her knuckles in her right claw and then the left.
"There you go, should feel a lot better now, right?"
"Uhhh, y-yeah, t-thanks." she had the slight beginnings of a blush showing through her feathers.
"Hey you guys up here!?"
I heard Rainbow calling for us. A few seconds later her poked through the doorway.
"There you guys are, I was getting bored downstairs just sitting around and doing nothing but listen to those two talk about RPG this and RPG that. The only RPG I use is the ones in P.O.D., not those games that take you like half you damn life to play."
I stifled a chuckle so as not to upset her, but I did think it was funny since I do remember subsonic telling me that he liked RPG's at one point and so does Trixie, of course those two would get caught in their own little world. I almost felt bad for Rainbow...almost.
"Hey 'imma get going, it's starting to get a little late and I wanna get to our home and check it out before it gets to dark."
I looked at the clock in the room and it read five-fourty five, "wow it got really late" I thought to myself.
"Alright Gilds, take it easy."
"Yeah later man."
WE bumped fists and then she was on her way. I could hear her asking for the house key from Trixie downstairs before she I heard the front door open and close. Then It was just me and Rainbow in the room. She just stood there twiddling her thumbs, not saying anything. It was kinda starting to get awkward.
"So..."
"So..."
"Okay I have to do something to break this awkward tension...wait why is it even awkward, I've never had a problem with her before. So she's cute, that doesn't change the fact...wait, did I just think she was cute. When did I start thinking about her like this? I would have noticed it before right? Shit man, Gotta do something to get rid of the awkward atmosphere."
"Do you uhhh, want to play something...with me?" "Smooth Sound, real smooth." My inner me is just face palming right now.
"Uhhh, s-sure yeah, w-what game did you have in mind?"
"Dang, she's as nervous as me. Better observation, why is she nervous in the first place?"
"Well, we could always setup the Mare-u and play Mareio Kart. There's two controllers so we can both play."
"Okay, I'll uhhh, go get it."
As soon as Rainbow Dash walked out the door I lean back in my chair and cover my eyes with a hand and sigh deeply. "Okay Cobalt, there has to be a reason why she's fidgeting and acting totally different around you all of a sudden. Maybe something happened and she wants your help, or maybe, maybe...she likes you..." I swallowed hard, letting out an audible gulp noise. "Yeah right, even if she does have some similar interests with me, doesn't mean she'd like me," I sigh again, only this time with a sense of longing. "As if I even have a chance with her, she's athletic, strong willed, and altogether, a hell of a lot better in pretty much than me in every way. I sit here and play games, don't work anywhere, and to top it all off, I don't fly around everywhere like she does, or even that fast for that matter. Why would she want someone who's just going to weigh her down?"
"Okay I got it."
Her sudden entry caused me to jolt in my chair and nearly topple over in surprise. "Woah!"
"You alright dude?"
"Glad to see that she's not stuttering anymore." "Y-Yeah, ya' scared the ever living cripes outta' me is all."
"Haha, so I did scare you."
"Well I'm not ashamed to say it at least."
For some reason Dash winced slightly at my comment about admitting something, and it bothered me. I wanted to know what was bothering her so much, but my head just told me to leave her be, that she'd tell me if and when she wanted too.
Re-situating myself in my seat, I gesture for her to come over. "Let's set it up then."
There were a couple of times while connecting wires that our hands just grazed each others', causing us to blush a bit and apologize. It took us about 5 minutes to get it to work, since a certain rainbow mare told me we didn't need a wire when we clearly needed it.
"Told ya'."
"No, you said we MIGHT need it." She said crossing her arms and with a cute pout on her face. "Damn it Dash, really not helping here."
"Ahhhh, well, same difference, at least it's working now, see."
The screen was indeed showing the menu screen of the Mare-u.
"Where's the game?"
"I got it in case you wanted to take 5 minutes to get it out." She snickered at me.
"Ya well it's better than taking 5 minutes to put it in..."
Silence...awkward silence again. "Damn it why'd I have to say that?"
"Uhhhh, yeeeaaaaahh, let's just play the game." She said with a hint of redness on her cheeks.
"Yup, just uhhh, go ahead and pop it right in." And like that, as if the universe really wanted to make my life difficult, Rainbow opened the case holding the game, took it out and bent over, right in front of me, giving me a full view of her perfectly round buttocks, and inserted the game, then walked back like nothing happened. I swear it's like she knows what she's doing it, but damn man, this girl is not making it any easier for me here.
Noticing the look of slight shock on my face. "Hey you alright?"
Her voice broke me out of my stupor. I blinked rapidly and shook my head lightly. "Hmm, oh yeah, just got caught in thought is all." "Yeah and almost in staring at her ass. Come on man get it together, this ain't like you."
"Alright, then let's play."
"Yeah, I'm totally gonna beat your butt...I-I mean I'm gonna beat you...wait that's not what I meant...ummm, lets play?"
I risked peak over at Rainbow and what I saw was beyond mortifying. Her hands were gripping the controller hard, she had her legs crossed and she had a heavy blush on her face, which if I'm right, was the same for me.
"Y-Yup."
"Yup."
Trying to avoid anymore awkwardness I just hit start on the game and started playing. After a few races the silence seemed to have changed, thank Luna for that, and she was actually playing and having fun, and so was I.
"You're gonna' lose."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
"NO!!"
"YES!!"
Then we both shouted. "NOOOOOOOOOO!!"
"Fuck you Mareio, fuck you and your stupid blue shell!"
"That over-alls wearing sonuva-bitch, argh, and we both lost!" Dash equally as upset as me.
I leaned back into my chair and sigh, closing my eyes. Until Rainbow speaks, which make my heart beat faster again.
"Hey, Cobalt?"
I look over, and she's got her hands on her knees, looking right at me, with those beautiful magenta eyes of hers.
"I was wondering if...if uhhhh, why is this so difficult to ask?"
"Ummm, what was that?" Okay I was getting really nervous now, why was I getting nervous, she's probably just embarrassed about something. I know her by now that she takes pride in doing everything with no help, kinda like AJ.
"I...I...Oh screw this!"
She jolted forward and engulfed my lips in a kiss, completely catching me off guard. I was stunned, to say the least, but she looked worse. Rainbow had her eyes shut, almost painfully so it seemed. When she felt that I wasn't doing anything back she opened her eyes and back away suddenly.
"I...I...I'll just." Tears clearly starting to form in her eyes.
She turned to leave but I jumped up out of my chair and grabbed her hand and put my other on her other shoulder and spun her around.
"I thought-UMPH!"
I didn't give her a chance to say an apology or an excuse for leaving. She let me know what was on her mind, albeit physically but still. Plus Luna and Celestia damn me to the pits of Tartarus if I let her walk away and have her believe that I hated her or didn't like her like that. I wouldn't be able to see her sad like that, not after what she just did.
Her wings were twitching the whole time during the kiss, and I'm sure mine were doing the same. It had to be the greatest minute of my life since I got here. I would've gone on longer with the kiss but, alas, ponies need to breath. When we broke apart there was a little sliver of saliva connecting both out lips, and we were breathing hard.
"I thought you didn't like me?" She said between breaths.
"W-Well I do, I didn't really notice it until now but, well, at the risk of sounding sappy, you're very beautiful."
"Haha, yeah, that was pretty bad," She giggled cutely.
"Well I-mmph." She gave me a quick kiss and grinned at me.
"but thank you......hey?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you maybe wanna, I dunno, go out to eat somewhere?"
"Sure, how does Burger Princess sound."
"Sounds good, if you would have said anyplace fancy I would have had to whack ya' over the head."
I chuckled at her comment. "Well, you never seemed like the kind of mare that would go to a big fancy restaurant anyway."
"And you'd be right, now come on, we got some games to play."
"Hee, alright, and hey,"
"What?"
I gave her another quick kiss.
"I think my stay here just got a whole lot better." I grinned at her smiling face.
"Okay, enough with the sappy, now lets get to playing."
She says to stop with the mushy stuff yet she likes it, I can tell by the blush on her face.
"Alright, let's play something else though, there's a whole basket of games downstairs compliments of Luna."
"Oh yeah I forgot about that, I'll be right back."
She left the room with a noticeable spring in her step, and all the while I just sat in my chair, thinking to myself, "If I had known that coming here, meant I would find this level of happiness, I think I would have come sooner. I wonder if any of my other friends'll find somepony for themselves?"
When she got back she had the basket in hand and a big smile on her face. I had her close the door so we would bug anypony in the house in case they were sleeping, it was only six o'clock but still, ya'know.
When we looked at the clock next it read nine at night, no wonder she and I felt, and looked so tired. I told her she could spend the night here, since I didn't want her flying at night, only to remember after I got out of the bathroom when I finished showering, that I only had ONE bed in my room. ONCE AGAIN making it a little awkward, just not as awkward as before. So there we were, standing in the middle of the room, in our pajamas.
"Uhhh, I only have one bed."
"Y-Yeah I can see that."
"I could sleep in the couch downstairs and yo-"
"NO! I mean, no, it's fine, I can take one side and you can take the other...right?"
"Yeah I guess so, if it's cool with you."
Rainbow crawled into the bed and got situated underneath the sheets, followed by me slipping in on the other side. As I was about to turn the lamp on the nightstand off, I heard the sheets rustle and then felt a pair of soft lips touching my cheek.
"Night Cobalt."
"Uhhh, night, Dash."
As I laid myself down and covered myself with the sheets, I thought of how red Rainbow Dash's face must be, and then I thought of how red my face must be too. All in all I think today actually went well. I had my friends move in with me, Luna sent me a a crap-ton of games and two game consoles, and to top it all off I'm pretty sure I just got a marefriend.
It's only been one week's worth time here in Equestria and so much has already happened. I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring with it, but first I need to sleep for the night before tomorrow could come. After I laid my head down on my pillow it only took me a few minutes before I joined my already lightly, and adorably, snoring marefriend. Luna's sweet dream realm took us for the night and we dreamed peacefully.