Chapter 34: Had One Twelve Months Ago
Bryce walked the way along the path away from the farm in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage. He didn't dare venture too far out because today was the day of his welcoming party. Since Pinkie Pie had insisted, he went away for a while to allow her the time to properly set everything up.
Bryce wasn't too much against it, because it made sense. He was upset, however, that the party mare had asked him to do so nearly six hours ago. That and she had standing over him in bed when she had asked. But he continued to wait as she had asked; with no one, pony or otherwise, to keep him company.
In a way, Bryce had been looking forward to it, since it meant being around the friends he had made in his time here. There was the Apple family, Applejack included if she decided to put off work for the day. Then there was Rarity and Pinkie, and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Rainbow he was particularly interested in seeing show up after the rainbow mare's prank on him while he was asleep involving a red marker. It hadn't been original, but he gave it a B +.
Also included on his list were Lyra and her housemate, Bon Bon, granted the latter believed him, and furthermore his party, actually existed. Last on his list there was Ditzy and her two daughters.
At the same time, however, he dreaded having his party as well. The day before had been a rough one on him, and Ditzy's daughter had only made it that much worse. It wasn't Amethyst that Bryce was concerned with; he had made peace with the magenta mare, more or less. It was Dinky he was more worried about. .
Before he knew it, Bryce had made it all the way to Fluttershy's cottage. It wasn't her cottage, or any nearby landmark that made him notice. What got his attention was when he tripped himself over the buttercup pegasus, who had bent over to carefully hide something in her saddlebags at his approach.
"Oh my, are you okay?"
Bryce pushed himself up out of the dirt, still in shock. "What?"
Fluttershy quickly made her way over and began to inspect him. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
"What, I... No, I'm okay." When he tried to standing up he winced as he felt a cutting pain on his shin. There was a four inch gash running down below his knee. A crimson stained rock in the dirt proved to be the culprit.
"Oh my, you hurt yourself! I'm so sorry!"
Bryce tried to calm the mare. "It's not too bad, just a little-"
"Wait right here." Fluttershy flew back to her cottage at a speed Bryce was impressed to see. When she returned she had a first aid kit in her mouth. Setting it down on the ground she opened it up. "Bryce, could you please sit down so I can-"
"Really, it's not-"
"I said sit down!" She yelled back. "I... if you don't mind."
Bryce did as she asked, more afraid at the usually timid mare's sudden change in demeanor.
Fluttershy quickly went to work sanitizing the wound and dressing the affected area. "There, it should be all better now."
"Uh, thanks. I guess."
Fluttershy smiled before returning everything back to the first aid kit. When she was done packing she said, "What brings you out here? Isn't your party supposed to be today? I was just on my way there."
Bryce weakly nodded.
Fluttershy caught on quickly to his half-hearted response. "Is everything okay?"
Bryce shook his head.
“Does it have something to do with your party?”
Bryce again shook his head.
“Then what is it?” Fluttershy asked, beginning to become concerned. She knew how he could be quiet sometimes, but he usually said something whenever somepony asked. She made her way over to him and felt his forehead.
Bryce shrank back from her.
“Bryce, please, tell me what’s going on. I only want to help.” Bryce stood up and tried to walk back the way he had came from. Fluttershy flew beside him. “Bryce, you shouldn’t be pushing yourself too hard. You just cut yourself.”
“I’m fine.” He quickened his pace.
“No, you’re not. There’s something bothering you, I can tell.”
“I’m fine.” He started to do a light power walk.
“Bryce, slow down. You might trip over-“
Bryce’s foot got caught on a root sending him falling to the ground a second time that day.
“Oh my, did you hurt yourself?”
He pushed himself up to look the mare in the eyes. “Why won’t you just leave me alone? You just made me trip myself.”
“I'm- You hit your head.”
Bryce could feel something trickle down his forehead. Wiping it off, he found fresh blood staining his hand.
Fluttershy grabbed onto his hand. “Bryce, I’m sorry. Come on back with me so I can give you a few-“
He pulled his hand out of her hooves. “It’s not the first time I’ve hit my head. I need to get back for my party.”
“No, it can wait. We need to get it taken care of before it gets infected, or worse.”
“I told you-“
The yellow mare furrowed her brow and stared intensely into the human’s eyes. “I said come with me, NOW!!!”
After seeing the hellfire that streamed from her eyes, Bryce was more afraid of what she would do if he disobeyed.. “I- I guess it… it couldn’t hurt... to have… someone…”
Without warning, Fluttershy’s mood changed completely. “Okay, now come along with me. It will only take a few minutes.”
When they both reached Fluttershy’s cottage the Persian kitten Bryce had found inside Rarity's walls came running out to greet him. Fluttershy set about putting a kettle on the stove to make tea. While she took care of this, Bryce sat back on the couch in the living room, much to the distaste of Angel. The kitten was content to curl up on Bryce's lap and take a cat nap.
Within ten minutes, Fluttershy had Bryce's head stitched and bandaged. She was amazed at how well he took the sting of the needle being inserted through his forehead.
By then the kettle let out a whistle announcing it was good and ready. Returning with a tray consisting of a teapot, two teacups, sugarcubes, and cream, Fluttershy poured them both a cup and took a seat across from him. “Bryce, don’t get mad, but do you think you could tell me what’s bothering you now?”
Bryce took his time in replying, while trying to keep his teacup out of reach of the kitten. “I’m fine.”
“Bryce…”
“I’m fine.”
“I can tell you’re hiding something. You’re acting like a dog when it’s done something it knows it shouldn’t have.”
“Well, maybe I have.”
“Oh, what did you do wrong?”
“Well, I’m not sure.”
“Who does it involve?”
“It’s… Do you know Ditzy’s daughter.”
“Do you mean her ‘daughter’ or her stepdaughter?” She was aware of the disagreements between him and Amethyst, but had heard they’d only recently came to good speaking terms.
“It doesn’t have to do with Amethyst. It’s Dinky that’s worrying me. I think… I think I may have hurt her somehow.”
“Goodness, what did you do?”
“I don’t know, that’s what’s getting to me. I mean, the day before I came home she seemed happy. Hell, she was even excited that my party was only two days away.”
Angel was getting irritated with having this ape on ‘his’ couch. The bunny thought if he could get him to drop the contents of his teacup then that would be enough to make him get off. The white rabbit began to make its ascent up the backside of the sofa.
“But yesterday… The way she looked at me… She wouldn’t even say anything to me. Amethyst was there, but every time she tried to tell me what was eating her Dinky would start having a fit.”
“I don’t know her that well, but that seems so unlike her.”
“I know, but I just don’t know why. I mean, I love the girl. Like a father, I mean. She’s even said it herself that she sees me as her daddy.”
Angel had finished his climb up the sofa and had stopped to catch his breath.
“Right before I hit her in the nose with a hammer.”
Fluttershy gasped in shock. “You… hit her…?”
“It was an accident. The head wasn’t on the shaft too well and it slid off when I pulled back to swing it.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she’s okay. It left a real nasty bruise though.”
Having caught his breath, Angel got into position for his surprise attack on the human.
“Did she seem upset about it at all?”
“No, she acted like it didn’t even happen. She even drew me a picture of her family while I stayed at hospital.” Bryce stopped and bit down on his lip. “She even included me.”
Angel pounced, his aim the cup in the human’s hand. The rabbit missed his mark, however, when Bryce decided to lie down on the couch making Angel land on the floor.
“Angel Bunny, are you okay?”
Angel began to angrily squeak at his caregiver. He pointed towards Bryce many times.
“Angel, Bryce is hurt. Don’t you think you could maybe-“
She was cut off by more of his ranting squeaks.
“Oh my! Such language!”
“Quite,” Bryce added.
“Angel, we’re going to be leaving soon. Could you wait just a few more minutes?”
The white kitten hissed to ward him off. Angel stomped once and walked off in a huff. Already a second plan was forming inside his small head as he made his way to the tea tray.
Sure her pet wouldn’t be any more of a bother, Fluttershy asked, “Do you think it could have been something you said to her?”
Bryce sighed. “I just don’t know. I thought I did everything right I could for her.” Bryce went silent for a minute before saying, “I’ve upset others before, but when it’s someone you care about… It hurts. Bryce swallowed before continuing. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had someone see me as their parent. I’ve had to play the parent before." Bryce sighed. He had to mentally prepare himself for his next statement. "I had a daughter.”
The buttercup yellow mare was thrown back by this.
“She wasn’t my biological daughter, and she never really said I was her dad, but I could tell she saw me as one. She was the scrawny one of our group, but made up for it by being tough. All the other kids her age would pick on her, but she held her own through every spat. It's not like she wasn't asking for it. She was always the one instigating it.”
“The day I met her, however, two girls playing were playing Monkey-in-the-Middle with her inhaler. I only stepped in because none of the older ones were doing anything to stop them. I scared them off before it got to be too much for her." Bryce stopped and he started to snicker. "After they'd ran off I went up to her to help her up. Her response was to take her inhaler from me, breath it in a few times, look up at me, and say: 'Damn, you really scared the crap outta those guys.' I couldn't hold back laughing."
Fluttershy shifted where she sat, a little disturbed by this.
"After that we were always together, nine times out of ten. None of the other kids dared come near her after that because she was with me. From the little she would tell me she was an orphan, so she felt like she had family then. My nephews were quick to liking her. The middle one was even sweet on her." The smile Bryce had quickly faded, however. "And then... there came the day..." He placed his cup on the floor so h wouldn't drop it.
"Wh- what did you do?"
"I did something I immediately regretted doing, let's leave it at that. Scout and I had to get out of there as fast as we could manage. I only took Scout, that's her name by the way, because I was the only thing keeping her safe. If I had left her there no one would have taken her. There was someone I could trust to take care of my nephews." The rest of his narrative was cut short.
Angel had finally set everything he needed. In a matter of seconds he was sure that Bryce would be off his couch and hopefully out of the house for good. Hefting up a spoon, Angel laid the bowl down into the cream pitcher with the handle hanging out over the spout. Hopping up in the air, the rabbit landed on the handle sending cream flying.
A significent amount landed on the kitten causing her to stick her claws down into Bryce's gut. Bryce immediately jumped up, the kitten hanging onto his shirt for dear life.
Angel smiled to himself. Operation Cannot Possibly Fail A Second Time was a success.
"Oh dear! Bryce, try and calm down or you'll only scare her worse."
Bryce tried to do as she asked, but the pain of the kitten digging into his gut was making that hard to do.
Fluttershy came over to try and help. When they were finally able to free her from Bryce he said, "Well, I've had about enough of that for one day."
"I'm- I'm sorry."
"It's alright, I don't blame you. Look, it should be about time for my party to start. We should be heading on."
Looking at the clock, Fluttershy saw that it had been almost a half hour since their arrival. Doning her saddlebags, they both set off for the farm.
"Uhm, Bryce?"
"What?"
"You never did say how you upset Scout."
"Do you really want to know?"
"If you don't want to, but-"
Bryce cut her off, "I abandoned her at an orphanage to keep her from getting into any crossfire."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ditzy walked down the path towards Sweet Apple Acres. Amethyst trotted at her side while Dinky was piled up on her back along with her saddlebags. None of them were happy, even though they were all headed to a party for their only human friend.
Amethyst decided to try one last time to try and settle her little sister. "Dinky, we-"
"Nuh uh!"
"Dinky-"
"Nooo!"
"Look we promised you'll-"
"Just shut up!"
Ditzy spoke up, "Dinky, don't say things like that. It could hurt somepony's-"
"I don't care!"
"i know you're upset, and I'm sure if I were your age I'd be upset too, but you can't let something like this get you flustered. I'm positive there'e no way he could have known."
"Well you should have him choose a different day."
"Dinky, we both know I tried at least ten times yesterday to tell him," Amethyst said, "and every time you would throw a hissyfit."
Dinky looked down at the ground and snorted.
A few minutes later the three mares had reached the fence that ran along the farm's border. When they reached the front yard Ditzy dropped her daughter down and began to stroke her across her back. "Dinky, I'm going to say this one more time. Please try and enjoy Bryce's party. You have your whole life left to have your own party, if he knew what day it was today he'd have picked another day. I'm sure Bryce would have."
"Sure I would have what?"
Both mares jumped when they heard Bryce ask that. They were both so caught up with Dinky they were totally oblivious to his and Fluttershy's approach.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Oh, you didn't really do any- I mean, you aren't..." Ditzy walked over to Bryce and showed him aside.
Fluttershy decided to try and talk with the two sisters. "Wh- whats the matter?"
Amethyst sighed, afraid of how her sister would react. "She's upset because-"
"Amy, don't-"
"Dinky, hush!" Turning back to Fluttershy, Amethyst continued, "She's upset because Bryce decided to pick the very same day as her birthday to have his welcoming party."
"Oh my... Well, I'm sure he didn't mean to."
"That's what I keep trying to tell her. She won't listen to me."
"Well do you think I could have a try?"
Amethyst was sure Fluttershy would fail where both she and her stepmother had, but she saw no harm in trying. "I guess you could. Don't be surprised if you can't. " She walked off to join Bryce and Ditzy.
"H- Hi," Fluttershy said in a more meek tone.
Dinky didn't return the greeting.
"So, how old are you going to be today?"
"S- seven," the filly stuttered.
"Really? You know next year you'll be old enough to start school."
Dinky didn't respond.
Fluttershy sat down on her haunches. "I bet I could tell you something you probably didn't know."
"What?"
"I knew your mother when she was your age."
Dinky interests were peaked. "You did?"
"Oh yes. Your mother and I were friends."
"I didn't know that."
"We were. Your mother, Rainbow Dash, and I were the best of friends together. Just like you and Bryce are now."
"We... we aren't friends anymore."
"Don't say that, you both still are. I know he would have come to your birthday if it were happening today."
"How would you know."
"Because that's what friends do. I remember the first time I had somepony besides my mother and brother to come to my birthday. It was fun."
"Hey, Dink?" Fluttershy flinched when Bryce came sneaking up on her. "Fluttershy, could you go inside with the others? There's something I need to say to Dinky."
"Oh, yes, of course." Before leaving, the kind pegasus bent down to the filly's ear. "He knows about it now. Give him a chance."
After Fluttershy had left Bryce alone with Dinky he bent down on one knee. "Well... Your mother told me it's your birthday today."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everypony was lying in wait for Bryce to come in through the front door. Everything was set up in almost the exact same was as his original welcoming party, but with significantly fewer ponies than before. The only ponies who weren't there who'd been invited were Dinky, who was still outside with him, and Applejack, who said she had too much work that needed doing to be wasting time.
It had been more than five minutes since Amethyst, Ditzy, and Fluttershy had entered and everypony was getting antsy.
"Hey, what gives, is he coming or-"
Rainbow Dash was cut off by Pinkie Pie, who stared the rainbow mare straight in the eyes, held a hoof to her mouth, and said, "Shh!"
"But this is going on for-"
"Shhhh!"
Apple Bloom said, "Should somepony go out and-"
She was met with the same result as Rainbow. "Shhhhhhhhh!"
Bon Bon then said, "Uhm, I really have to go to the bath-"
Pinkie Pie did the same to her, a little spittle coming out. "SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"I can... hold it."
"Good," Pinkie whispered. "He'll be here any second. When he comes in we all jump out and say-"
Everypony stopped at the sound of the doorknob slowly turning. Pinkie quickly jumped back up to her perch up on the chandelier.
Eventually the door clicked and was pushed open slowly. The hinges creaked as it went along.
From the doorway a lone figure came walking in prompting everypony to jump out.
"SURPRISE!!!"
This left Dinky standing alone in shock.
Rainbow was the first to speak. "Ahh come on! Don't tell me he-"
"Wow, Bryce, that was amazing."
Bryce stepped in from the side with a smile on his face. "Well, go on in and let's have some fun."
Dinky did so, running to find her family to tell them what had happened.
Pinkie jumped down from the chandeleir and ealked up to Bryce. "Hey, that was supposed to be for you!"
"Well, she deserved it more than I did."
"Whatever. Come on in and let's get this party started!!!"
"Well, I'm not real sure what I should do."
"Don't worry; Pinkie Pie's here to show you how to let out your inner party animal."
"My inner animal's a grizzly bear, so be prepared to face an 800 pound killing machine."
Meanwhile, Dinky was retelling the events of the past few minutes to her mother and sister. They were both overjoyed to find her mood had taken a complete turn for the better. They were also amazed to learn that more than one person was having a birthday today.