//------------------------------// // Frustration // Story: Life, Death, and Ponies // by thunderclap //------------------------------// Applejack sighed as she laid her head on her pillow. ‘Ah can’t believe Ah did that.’ She thought, pressing the pillow against her face. ‘Ah haven’t talked like that since Ah ran away. Then, Blackstar asks me and Ah do it. What’s wrong with me? And the worst part is Ah almost wanted him to say… No Applejack, ya can’t think like that. Ya said ya wanted this t’be Blackstar’s choice and ya meant it.’ Applejack removed the pillow and a weak smile spread on her face. ‘At least Ah told the girls that Ah like ‘im. It felt good to say it to somepony. Too bad most a them feel the same way. Ahm kinda worried about it.’ She thought with a gulp. ‘What do Ah have that the others don’t? Ahm not smart like Twilight or pretty like Rarity. Ahm just me.’ ‘For Celestia’s sake do you ever stop kicking yourself in the flank?’ Asked the voice in her head, ‘every time I try to take a break you go and worry about something stupid.’ ‘Leave me alone, Ahm not in the mood to deal with you.’ Applejack thought, groaning. ‘I am you. Seriously, I’m talking to you in your head. Who did you think I was, Rainbow Dash?’ ‘Just shut up and leave me alone.’ ‘No can do, Sweetheart. I’m here to smack a bit of sense into that thick skull of yours. You’re a great pony. You’re athletic, hardworking, and a lot more than that. Besides, Pinkie’s idea could be good for you.’ ‘But Pinkie’s idea could give an edge to anypony.’ ‘Then you have to make anypony be you. Now get some sleep. Trying to woo somepony with sleep circles under your eyes will be hard.’ Applejack didn’t argue with the voice anymore. She was just glad to have it be quiet. A yawn escaped her as she felt herself drift into sleep. Applejack was sitting on a bench next to Blackstar in the park. Apple Bloom was also there. She was dancing around happily as the sun started to set. “Ah did it! Ah finally got mah cutie mark!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Thank ya so much, Blackstar!” Apple Bloom beamed showing off her new cutie mark, but the glare from the sun blocked it from Applejack’s view. “Don’t worry about it, Kiddo.” Blackstar said with a warm smile. “Maybe you should go and show the other Crusaders? I bet they’d like to see it too.” And with that Apple Bloom ran off into town. “Ah still can’t believe ya figured out her special talent like that.” “That was the easy part. The hard part was helping her realize it.” “Thank ya, Blackstar.” “I didn’t really do anything that deserves thanks.” “Yeah ya did,” Applejack laughed. “Ya helped Apple Bloom earn her cutie mark. If that doesn’t deserve a thank ya, then nothin’ does.” “Hey Applejack,” Blackstar said with a strange look on his face.” “Yeah, Blackstar?” “You got something on your face.” “What is…”Applejack didn’t have time to finish the sentence because Blackstar pressed his lips against her own in a brief but passionate kiss. He pulled away from her with a sly grin on his face. “…It was me.” “Why’d y’all go an’ do that?” Applejack asked, her cheeks turning redder than a ripe apple. “Did you not like it?” “Ah never said that.” “Good,” Blackstar leaned in again and gave Applejack a much longer kiss that she returned. Applejack let out a sigh in her sleep from the pleasant dream she was having. Rainbow Dash flailed around in her bed trying to keep herself from thinking about Blackstar. “He’s not cool at all.” She said to herself. “So what if he’s the only pony that can keep up with me?” Rainbow Dash’s shoulders slumped and knew she couldn’t lie to herself at this point. “I do like him don’t I? He’s more than somepony that can keep up with me in a race. He was really nice to me even after I was a jerk to him. Normally, I hate somepony touching my hooves, but he was gentle.” “He’s the only stallion that doesn’t seem to be… I don’t know, intimidated by me I guess. He can even reel me in when I get a bit full of myself. I always thought I’d go for a Pegasus.” Rainbow Dash sighed, turning her head to see Tank the tortoise sleeping in the special bed that Twilight made for him which brought a small grin to her face. “Then again, I thought I was gonna get a pet that could fly.” “Blackstar’s smart, fun to be around, and a bunch of other things that I didn’t even know I wanted in a stallion. Ugh, I just wish I could tell him I like him instead of having to wait for him to make his choice. Taking any kind of action would be better than waiting! I mean I know I’m awesome, but Twilight’s smart, Rarity’s pretty, Fluttershy’s so kind and good with animals, and he lives with Applejack!” Rainbow Dash boomed. “They all have something that gives them an edge over me. The only thing left is to hope Pinkie’s idea works out for me.” Rainbow Dash said, trying to calm herself down. Fluttershy sniffled a little into her pillow and couldn’t shake the image of Blackstar from her mind. Angel came over and patted her on the back to try and cheer her up. She turned on the lamp next to her bed and saw Angel with a concerned look on his face. “Oh Angel, it’s alright. There’s nothing to worry about.” Fluttershy weakly said to the rabbit. Angel shot Fluttershy a cross look and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not lying, Angel Bunny. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me.” Angel started tapping his foot repeatedly, irritated. “Oh fine, I can’t stop thinking about Blackstar. Are you happy now?” Fluttershy said, a tear rolling down her cheek. Angel rolled his eyes at the mention of the unicorn from earlier, but straightened up almost immediately to help his distraught master. He offered her a comforting look and a pat on the head. “Thank you Angel, but I don’t know what I should do. I mean there’s no way anypony would like a mare like me. I’m scared of my own shadow and I’m not a great flyer like Rainbow Dash. There’s nothing appealing about me.” Angel put a paw over his face and slowly dragged it across his features. Then he started making a variety of gestures that only Fluttershy would ever be able to decipher. “I guess he did say that he liked my singing. But, there’s nothing else that’s really special about me.” Angel rubbed the bridge of his nose at that comment and made a few more gestures. “Well, I suppose me taking care of animals is my special talent, but I don’t think taking care of animals would make somepony fall for me.” Angel made another series of gestures that caused Fluttershy’s cheeks to turn bright red. “Angel Bunny! That… that is… just… how could you even suggest something like that?! You’re a very naughty rabbit. No carrot juice for a week mister.” Fluttershy firmly retorted. Angel hung his head in defeat as he made his way off the bed, but when he was out of view of the yellow Pegasus he had to work to contain his laughter. His comment had done exactly what he had meant it to. Fluttershy was out of the funk that she had put herself in. Losing carrot juice for a week was a small price to pay for something like that. Then he remembered the reason she was in a funk in the first place, that crazy unicorn, Blackstar. He made Angel look like an idiot with that trick of his. Then, when Angel had gotten even to try and make him look like an idiot in front of Fluttershy, he had somehow turned it into a big joke. And now, Angel had helped her work through whatever problem she was having regarding the stallion. Angel brought a paw to his temple due to a slight headache that was starting to form there. Fluttershy turned off her lamp and sat uncomfortably and thought about what Angel had told her. “I can’t believe Angel would say something like that. I mean, he is handsome, and nice and…” Fluttershy lost her train of thought as a few ideas started crossing her mind. “Nonononono. I just met him and the others like him too. I just have to hope that he picks me. Oh, I hope he picks me. I mean, if it’s okay with the others. I wonder if Pinkie’s idea will even work.” “…That should go in Ancient Equestrian History.” Spike’s eyes opened and let out a groan. He had been pulled away from his ice cream dream with Rarity for the second time this month. He rubbed his eye to get the sleep out and walked down the stairs to see Twilight talking to herself and rearranging the shelves. “Proper Horn Care. That should go in the Medical/Hygiene section.” Spike had to duck to avoid the book that flew towards his head. “Hey, watch it Twilight! What’s got you so worked up?” “Nothing, I just happened to notice that a book that belonged in nonfiction was with the fiction books. So, I’m just rearranging the bookshelves so everything is in place.” Twilight said frantically. “Twilight, we just rearranged the shelves a few days ago. You only rearrange the bookshelves twice in one week if you’re stressed out about something.” “What makes you say that?” “I don’t know, maybe I’ve known you my entire life. Seriously, spend as much time together as we have and anypony would know all of your habits.” “I guess you do make a good point.” “So, what’s got you so upset?” “Spike, am I pretty?” Twilight asked after a long period of silence. Spike was taken aback by the question. In all the time he had known her, Twilight had focused more on studying than appearances, and it made him a little uncomfortable. “Where did that come from?” “Well, I kind of have a bit of a crush on Blackstar. He seems to be studious and he’s a student to the princesses just like me.” “Oh that,” Spike said, rolling his eyes. “Don’t worry about it. He's planning on studying with you, right?” “Yes, he is.” “Well there you go. You can use that to help you.” “But, most of the others like him too.” She said, not wanting to admit that Rarity was one of them. “You can either try to get him to like you and have the possibility of having a relationship with him.” Spike firmly stated. “Or give up and rearrange bookcases every night. It’s your call. And if it helps you’re the second prettiest pony I know.” “The first being Rarity?” Twilight asked, knowing the answer already. “Yup, now, let’s go and get some sleep.” Spike said, turning to go back up the stairs. “Spike,” Twilight called, causing him to turn around. “Thank you.” “Don’t mention it.” You hated your dreams. Every night you were forced to relive a memory of your parents, usually they were perverted into something strange and terrifying. However, tonight your dream took you farther into your life. You were fifteen or so. You were sitting on the roof of one of the schools you had gone to and were ditching class. Even while ditching you still read about the material. At the moment you were reading about Chemistry and took notes on the different types of bonds. “In a metallic bond metal atoms share their electrons evenly and form something called a sea of electrons.” You muttered to yourself.” You were so absorbed in your reading that you didn’t hear the door to the roof open. Your concentration was broken only when a girl with a deep southern drawl called out to you. “Ya know, the purpose of skippin’ class is t’avoid doin’ the work.” You turned around to see a girl that looked about a year older than you wearing a faded orange flannel shirt and jeans. She had long blonde hair that had a ribbon tied to the end. She had dark emerald green eyes and at the corners of them were three freckles that made an odd triangle. “Is there any reason you felt like telling me that?” You said, trying to return your attention to the textbook. “Not really, I just thought you’d be interested in knowin’.” “Well, I’m not. I just came up here to be left alone.” “Ahm here so ya can’t say yer alone now, can ya?” “Is there a point to all of this because I fail to see one?” “What’s got you in such a foul mood?” “To properly answer that question would take a lot of time and effort. So, I’ll just give you the short version. Life’s a bitch.” “Oh, well it can’t be all bad.” The girl offered. “It can, and it is.” “Its talk like that that makes everyone in our class hate ya.” “You’re in a class of mine?” “Yeah, we’re in Chemistry together. The teacher sent me ta find ya. I’m Annabeth by the way.” “I’m [Your name]. So are you here to drag me back to class or something?” “Nah, I just wanted ta get t’know ya a little. Ya seem kinda distant in class.” “Moving all over the country from one random home to another makes it kind of hard to keep friends so I don’t bother with it.” “That sounds hard.” Annabeth offered with a sympathetic look. “I reiterate life’s a bitch.” Annabeth chuckled a little at your ill attempt of humor and you stifled a smile at hearing her laugh.