//------------------------------//
// Welcome To Ponyville 
// Story: A Mourning Heart 
// by Professor Tacitus 
//------------------------------//

	The bright morning sun was shining beautifully over the town of Ponyville. The sound of birds chirping was all that could be heard until something in the distance disturbed the relative silence. A loud rumble and a piercing whistle told of the approach of a train. The sound grew louder as it grew closer before finally coming to a stop as the train pulled into the Ponyville station. The doors of the train opened and dozens of ponies of all shapes and colors came pouring out of the train. Some left right away, while others headed towards the luggage compartment where larger luggage was stored during travel.
Among the ponies headed towards this compartment was a chocolate-brown unicorn stallion with a black mane and a strange looking cutie mark that resembled a stylized eye. He took a moment to straighten the grey wool cap with thin black stripes that sat atop his head and adjust the green and black plaid scarf that was wrapped around his neck before scanning his new surroundings with emerald eyes. After his moment of adjustment, he continued on towards the compartment where his luggage resided.
The stallion got to the compartment and, with some aid from one of the train’s staff, unloaded his wagon from the train and hitched it to his back before leaving the platform. 
“Now to find where town hall is and see if I can find a house,” he thought as he continued to walk and look around.
As he walked, the stallion once again found himself thinking about the events of the last few months that had led up to his arrival in this town, and the memories once again caused his face to fall, his ears to flatten, and his eyes to drop to the ground. Because of this, the stallion was not looking in front of him and thus was completely unaware of the mare that was bouncing right towards him, equally unaware of his presence, due to her eyes being closed as she hummed to herself.
The two ponies collided head-on and fell into crumpled heaps on the ground. The stallion was the first to stand up. He looked to see who it was who he had ran in to and saw that it was a pink mare with a curly mane of darker pink and light blue eyes. He also noticed that her cutie mark took the form of three balloons. “I’m so sorry miss. I should have been paying attention. Are you alright?” 
The mare just sat there for a moment before leaping into the air and letting out an enormous gasp.   “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!Idon’tknowyouandthat’sweirdbecauseIknoweveryponyandifIdon’tknowyouthenyoumustbenewandifyou’renewthatmeansIcanmakeanewfriend! Myname’sPinkiePie! What’syours?” 
The mare talked so quickly and was bouncing around so much that it took him a minute to figure out what she had just said. “Uuuuh…my name’s Tacitus. Do you know where-“
“Wowthat’sareallyneatname!It’snicetomeetyouTacitus!OH!YouhavetoletmewelcomeyouwithmyWelcomeWagonandWelcomeSong!Pleasepleaseplease?!”
Again, she was going so fast he had to process everything for a moment before answering. “Uh, okay, I guess. Go right ahead.”
The mare known as Pinkie Pie squealed in delight before pulling a brightly painted and decorated wagon out of nowhere, which opened up to reveal brightly colored flags and several different instruments. The instruments began to play by themselves as she sang.
“Welcome welcome welcome
A fine welcome to you
Welcome welcome welcome
I say how do you do?
Welcome welcome welcome
I say hip hip hurray
Welcome welcome welcome
To Ponyville today!”
“Wait for it,” she said as she finished her song by sliding on her knees. 
Suddenly, the oven that was attached to the wagon shot out a stream of confetti and what looked to be some sort of cannon shot out …was that cake batter? The confetti flew harmlessly past the two ponies, but the gooey dough completely covered both of them in a sticky mess.
“Yup, definitely cake batter,” Tacitus thought as he licked his lips to taste what had just engulfed him.
“Oops! I always mix up the confetti cannon and the cake oven. Sorry about that,” Pinkie said through the thick batter.
“No big deal. Just give me a second and I’ll clean us up.” 
Tacitus’s horn then began to glow with a dark blue aura. The aura soon enveloped both himself and Pinkie before it caused all of the batter to be removed from their bodies. The magic then formed the collected batter into a huge ball, which Pinkie then proceeded to swallow whole.
“Mmmmmm! That was delicious,” Pinkie said as she licked the last traces of batter off of her mouth.
“I bet it was,” Tacitus said, a little disappointed that he hadn’t gotten to eat any of the batter. “Anyway, would you happen to know where I can find town hall?”
“Sure I do! It’s the really big round building in the center of town, you can’t miss-“ She interrupted her own sentence when she let out another huge gasp and leaped into the air. 																	 		
“OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!IhavesomuchtodonowIhavetogetsuppliesandgeteverythingsetupandinviteeveryponyI’llseeyoulaterTacitusbye!” And with that, she dashed off with impossible speed, leaving a pink streak in her wake.
Tacitus could only watch with wide eyes as she sped off, wondering how anypony could have that much excited energy.
“Well, that was…interesting. At least I know where I’m going now.” He then began to make his way toward the center of town, his face once more taking on the fallen look it had before running into the zany pink mare.

* * *

The pink blur that was Pinkie Pie suddenly came to a screeching halt some distance away from where she had met the new pony as she put a hoof to her chin in thought.
“Hmmm. Something seemed off about that pony, but I can’t quite put my hoof on it. Oh well, no time to worry about that now, I’ve got a party to plan!”  She took off once again, leaving a dust outline of her figure where she once stood.

* * *

It took only a few more minutes of walking before Tacitus found the building he was looking for. It was indeed as Pinkie described it, a large round building that stood alone in the middle of the town. 
“You really can’t miss it,” Tacitus thought as he approached. He unhitched himself from the wagon and left it in front of the building and, after slapping on a fake smile, proceeded inside. 
Inside sat a red mare with a blue mane who Tacitus assumed to be either a receptionist or a secretary. She sat behind a desk and was typing away at a typewriter.
“How can I help you sir?” she asked without looking away from her work.
Tacitus tipped his hat slightly in greeting before speaking. “I was hoping I could purchase a house today. What would I have to do to do that?”
The mare finally stopped typing and looked up at him. “All real estate purchases need to be discussed and approved by the mayor. You can see her now if you’d like.”
“Thank you that would be perfect.”
The receptionist pressed a button on an intercom and spoke into it. “Mayor Mare? There’s a pony here interested in buying a house.”
“Send him right in,” a voice spoke from the intercom. 
The mare rose from her desk and beckoned Tacitus to follow her. She led him down a hallway that ended at a large door that had the word “Mayor” printed on it, before turning around and heading back towards her desk.
Tacitus gently knocked on the door, and not a moment afterwards, a voice answered from the other side of the door. “Come in!” 
Tacitus opened the door and stepped into the office. Behind a large desk sat a tan earth pony with a silvery gray mane and dark blue eyes. She wore glasses on her muzzle and some kind of ruffle around her neck.
“Good morning sir. I hear you’re looking for a new home.”
Tacitus nodded slightly. “That’s correct Miss Mayor. Do you have any available?”
She put a hoof to her chin and pondered to herself for a moment. “I do believe we have one house up for sale. Let me just check our records…here it is!” She pulled out a document and began gazing over it. “It’s a little big for just one pony to live in, but I’m afraid that it’s the only one for sale at the moment.”
Tacitus waved a hoof dismissively. “It’s fine. I could always use the extra space. Trust me when I say that I fill up any empty shelf space fast. How much does it cost?”
Mayor Mare once again looked at the document before answering. “It’ll be 2500 bits. A little more expensive than some of the other homes, but like I said, it’s a little bigger and it’s fully furnished. It’s also right down the street from a very popular bakery called Sugar Cube Corner.”
“The price is fine. Just let me go get my bits from my wagon and I’ll be right back.”
Tacitus left the office and went back outside the building where his wagon was still waiting for him. He used his magic to unlock and open the lid of the wagon, revealing a pile of books, papers, scrolls, tablets, and several large bags of bits. He took one of the bags in his magic before closing and locking the wagon, and headed back inside to the mayor’s office.
After weighing the bag to ensure it was the correct amount, Mayor Mare smiled and handed Tacitus the deed to the house and a quill. “Just sign this and the house is yours.”
Tacitus took the quill in his magic and signed his name on the dotted line. Mayor Mare took the paper in her hooves and looked it over.
“Welcome to Ponyville Mr.….Tacitus. Here’s the key to the house, and here’s a map of Ponyville. I took the liberty of marking the location of your new home on the map. I’m sure you’ll love living in our town."
Tacitus took the key and tipped his hat to the mayor before exiting, finally allowing himself to drop the false smile he’d had to keep up the entire time. He hitched himself once again to his wagon and headed towards his new home. 

* * *

By following the map provided to him by the mayor, Tacitus arrived at his destination in only a few minutes. It was a two story house pressed so closely to the two houses on either side of it that they almost touched, and right down the street was building that he assumed was Sugar Cube Corner, since the roof was made to look like ginger bread and the towers like cupcakes.
Tacitus approached the front door and procured the key with his magic and unlocked the door. The interior of the house looked cozy and comfortable, and it was indeed fully furnished. He left his wagon in the living room and began to explore the house. The first floor had a living room with two sofas, a reclining chair, and a coffee table and also a fully-supplied kitchen with a pantry, refrigerator, stove, and dining table. He went up the stairs and saw that the second floor had a bathroom and two bedrooms.
“I guess I could sell one of the beds and turn that room into a study or something.” He went back downstairs to begin unpacking.
He once again used his magic to unlock the wagon and open it up to reveal its contents. He levitated almost everything in the wagon and began putting things away one at a time. 
First, he placed his books on the empty bookshelf in the living room, although there were more books than shelf space so some had to be stacked on top of the shelf. Next, he took all the old scrolls and tomes and gently placed them in drawer in one of the two bedrooms. He’d have to remember to get a proper filing cabinet at some point. He did the same thing with a large stack of papers that seemed to be research essays. After that, he took two stone tablets that were covered in strange writing and leaned them against a wall on top of a low shelf. Finally, he took all the bags of bits and placed them in a closet before locking the door. A safe or a bank would need to be found as well. 
All that was left in the wagon was his saddlebag, which he levitated onto the couch, and two framed pictures. He took both in his magic and stared at them, tears forming as he gazed at the ponies shown in the pictures. Both of these photos brought him unbearable grief, but for very different reasons. He hurled one of the photos at the wall, shattering the glass and obscuring the picture. He held the other one close to his chest and began to weep.

* * *

After setting the photo tenderly on the nightstand next to his new bed, his eyes now devoid of tears but still miserable, Tacitus began considering what he should do next. Anything to takes his mind off of them. 	
“Well, the day’s still young. I might as well see if I can find a job. Can’t live on the bits I have forever.” Just as he was about to leave, a terrible growl came from inside the house. It took him a second to realize that the growl was coming from his stomach. He looked at the clock. 
“Wow. It’s already noon. No wonder I’m hungry, I didn't even eat breakfast this morning.” 
He made his way over to the fridge and was happily surprised to find it fully stocked. He picked up a potato that was lying near the front and took a big bite out of it. If he had had anything in his stomach, he would have puked. He quickly spat out the rotten spud before going to the sink and frantically washing out his mouth with hot water. Upon inspection of the contents of the fridge, Tacitus found that everything in it was just as rotten. He quickly cleaned out the fridge and threw out the rotten produce.
“Guess I should add grocery shopping to the list of things to do. But first, I really need something to eat. Maybe there are vendors or something.”
Tacitus grabbed his saddlebag, in which he stored his map and a small pouch of bits, and headed out the door.
He didn’t have to look far. He’d hardly taken two steps out the door before he heard somepony calling out.
“Apples! Get yer Sweet Apple Acres Apples! Best crop we’ve had this year!” 
Tacitus couldn’t help himself. He, or rather his stomach, drew him closer to the noise until he found its source, an orange mare with a blonde mane who was wearing a brown Stetson hat was sitting at a stand selling apples of all sizes and colors. She saw him approaching and gave a warm smile.
“Howdy there partner! What can I do ya fer?”
“Two apples please,” he said as he levitated four bits and placed them on the stand.
“Sure thing. Say, you all right there? Yer lookin’ mighty upset about somethin’.”
As she said this, Tacitus realized he’d completely forgotten to put on his “mask” as he’d come to refer it as.
“Idiot,” he berated himself as he quickly put on the best smile he could. “Quick! Think of something to say!”
“Oh, I’m fine! I’m just…new to town is all.” It was the best excuse he could think of and he hoped it would be enough to satisfy her.
It seemed so. “I reckoned you were a newcomer, on account of I ain’t seen you before. My name’s Applejack.” She extended her hoof out to him.
He took the hoof in his own and shook before responding. “Tacitus. Pleased to meet you.”
“Well Tacitus, these apples are on the house. Consider it a welcomin’ gift.” She handed him two apples and pushed his bits back towards him.
He picked up the apples and the bits in his magic, storing the bits back in his saddlebag. “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”
“Think nothin’ of it. We here in Ponyville love meetin’ new ponies and makin’ new friends.”
“Yeah…friends…” Tacitus failed to notice his ears flatten against his head as he said this. But Applejack noticed. “So, uh, do you know somepony I could talk to about finding I a job?”
Applejack looked at him with some concern over his reaction, but thought about his question seriously.
“I suppose my friend Twilight would be the best pony to ask about that. Bein’ the princess and all, she should be able to help you find what yer lookin’ for.”
Tacitus internally flinched at the thought of going to see the Princess of Friendship herself, but it didn’t look like he had much of a choice. However, he could find ways to put it off for a bit. 
“Well…do you also know where I can get some new clothes? I’d like to look nice for a job interview.”
Applejack perked up considerably at this question, because she had the perfect answer. 
“I know the perfect place. My friend Rarity runs this place called the Carousel Boutique right here in Ponyville. She’s the greatest fashionista in all of Equestria! Just tell her Applejack sent ya and she’ll take care of ya lickety split. You got a map? I’ll show you where it is.” 	
Tacitus handed her the map and she pointed to a location just south of town hall. He thanked her before walking away towards the boutique. Applejack watched him, still concerned with what she saw.
“Are you sure you’re alright,” she called as he continued to walk away.
“I’m fine, really. Just hungry is all.” As if to emphasize this, Tacitus took a big bite out of one of the apples. It really was delicious. He knew he was lying, but there was no way he could or would tell her what was really wrong. Why he had to where the “mask.”
Applejack continued to watch him go with concern still evident in her deep green eyes. “Somethin’ ain’t right. He looked more beat down than an old mule.” She silently promised herself she would speak to the girls about this later today

* * *

Tacitus had just finished his second apple as the building that he assumed to be the Carousel Boutique came into view. It was a beautifully decorated blue, pink, and gold building that had the general shape of a carousel.
“Wow, I really was hungry,” he thought as he tossed the two cores into a garbage can. As he approached the boutique, he took great care to make sure he applied a smile to his face prior to entering the establishment. 
“Hello,” he called as he entered and saw nopony there.
“Just one moment darling, I’ll be right with you,” a regal and elegant voice answered from an open doorway to the right of where he stood.
Tacitus stood there waiting for a minute or two before a beautiful white unicorn with an equally beautiful indigo mane trotted into the room. A tape measure hung from her neck and a pair of half-moon glasses rested on her muzzle. Three diamonds adorned her flank.
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique.” Her eyes opened to reveal ocean-blue orbs that widened slightly as she took in her new customer, specifically taking in his choice of attire. “Oh, sweetie, I don’t believe that hat goes well with that scarf. If you’ll just let me take that, I’ll find you something more appropriate.” 
Her horn radiated with a light blue glow that soon enveloped Tacitus’s hat. His eyes became wild.
“NO,” he screamed as he leaped back, his hoof clutching his hat as if his life depended on it. 
The outburst caused Rarity to flinch and recoil, her magic dissipating and releasing its grip on the headgear. Tacitus saw the look of fear on Rarity’s face and instantly regretted his momentary loss of control. 
“I-I’m so sorry. I shouldn't have yelled like that.” His hoof still didn't leave his hat. “But, please don’t touch the hat, or the scarf for that matter. They’re very important to me.” His eyes betrayed the heartache he was trying so desperately to hide.
“I’m the one who should be apologizing. I didn’t know how dear they were to you, but I shouldn’t have just tried to grab it like I did.” Rarity looked apologetically at Tacitus before raising her hoof, as if taking a solemn vow. “I Pinkie Promise that I will not lay a hoof on your accessories. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She did all the movements associated with her words before giving Tacitus a warm smile, the tense moment seemingly forgotten.
“Beg your pardon?” Tacitus looked at her with confusion as he slowly lowered his hoof away from his hat and planted it back on the ground.
"It’s something my friend Pinkie Pie does, and my friends and I have taken to doing it ourselves. Have you met her?”
An image of the hyperactive pink mare flashed through his mind, and he swore he could still smell cake batter. 
“We’ve met,” he said flatly, trying to give off an air of composure to make up for the earlier outburst.
“Well, I don’t believe I’ve properly met you yet,” she said as she extended a hoof in greeting. “My name is Rarity.”
He took the hoof in his own and shook it cordially. “I’m Tacitus. A pony named Applejack said you could make me some new clothes. She said you were the, quote: ‘greatest fashionista in Equestria.’”
A wide smile overtook Rarity’s face. “Oh, that Applejack is such an exaggerator. And a charmer. What kind of outfit were you looking for?”
“I’d like something nice for a job interview. I’d like to find a job as a teacher, so something that looks academic.”
She put a hoof to her chin in thought. “Hmmmm. Well, let me take your measurements darling and we’ll go from there. If you’ll just step over here please.” 
She led him over to a small raised platform, where he stepped up and tried to remain as still as possible as Rarity used her magic to manipulate the tape measure, careful not touch either the hat or scarf.
As she took measurements, she levitated a pencil and notepad in front of her face and began sketching, crumpling up and throwing away the paper when she wasn’t satisfied.
“So,” she said, her eyes not leaving the notepad. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are those things so important to you?”
Tacitus froze up at the question. He had no idea how to answer that. “She deserves at least some explanation. She really seemed scared when I freaked out.”
He thought for a moment on how best to answer. “They belonged to…some ponies that were very dear to me.”
“What do you mean ‘were’? Who were they?” Rarity looked right at him now, curiosity and worry etched across her graceful face.
Tacitus would not go any further. “Please don’t take offense, but I’m really not interested in talking about it.” He spoke politely, but firmly, leaving no doubt that he wasn’t going to reveal any more. Although somewhat disappointed, Rarity respected his wishes and dropped the subject.
Rarity happened to look down and took a good look at the scarf around Tacitus’s neck. Her eyes widened and an almost insane smile spread across her face.
“IDEEEA!!!” she said in a sing-song voice. She quickly made a sketch and dashed into the other room. “This is going to be brilliant! Simple, but fabulous!” She was positively giddy. “Come back in a few hours and it’ll be ready for you dear.”
“Are you sure? Don’t you have other things to work on?” He wasn’t expecting his visit to end so abruptly. The whole point of this was to postpone his meeting with the princess as long as possible. 
“That’s the beauty of this design! It’s so simple that it hardly takes any time at all. Just come back this afternoon and you can pay then.”
Guess he didn’t have a choice. He walked out of the boutique back into Ponyville. 
Rarity looked up from the work that she had become engrossed in and watched as Tacitus left her shop. She couldn’t get the look he’d made when he’d shouted out of her mind. His eyes, specifically, stuck in her mind. She saw something in them…pain. Something had hurt him badly. She watched him walk out the door with worried eyes, wondering what it was that was the source of such pain.

* * *

“Guess I can’t put it off anymore.”
He began to walk in the direction of the castle, when his surroundings suddenly became almost pitch black. He looked up into the sky, which was completely clear when he’d walked out of the boutique, but was now covered in dark clouds. 
“What the hay? There wasn’t a cloud in the sky a second ago.”
“8 seconds ago actually. A new personal best,” a voice spoke from behind and above him. He turned around and looked up  and saw a sky-blue pegasus with a rainbow mane hovering in the sky, looking very proud of herself
. “You might want to get to cover new pony, cause it’s going to pour right about…NOW!” She bolted away faster than anything he’d seen, even Pinkie, and left a rainbow streak in her path.
Just as she left, the sky opened up and small, stinging droplets of rain began to pour from the sky. Tacitus had just enough time to put up a magic barrier over himself before he got soaked. He breathed a sigh of relief as he managed to remain dry.
“Say, you’re pretty good with magic new guy,” the now familiar voice called. Tacitus turned his head and saw the pegasus standing under a nearby awning. “Name’s Rainbow Dash,” she said with pride. 
“Very appropriate name,” Tacitus thought. “Tacitus. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He began to walk away, leaving Rainbow with a puzzled look on her face.
“Hold up!” She flew into the rain and landed in front of Tacitus. He extended his barrier to shield her from the rain as well. “Don’t you know who I am?”
Tacitus raised an eyebrow. “Should I?”
Rainbow’s mouth was agape and her rose-colored eyes were wide in surprise. “Duh! I’m only the most awesome pony in Equestria! Hero of Ponyville, flew in the Equestria Games, the only pony to perform the sonic rainboom? Ring any bells?” 
“Not…really.” Tacitus was getting uncomfortable. “I really should be going now.” He turned to leave, but Rainbow stuck a hoof out to block his way.
“Well, if you don’t know who I am, then you’re just going to have to get to know me. We should hang out sometime and you’ll see just how awesome I am!”
Tacitus flattened his ears against his head. “Thank you, but I’m not really interested in getting to know anypony. I’m sorry.” He walked away, leaving a shocked Rainbow behind him. No pony turned down an offer to hang out with her. She was too awesome.
As she stared after him, she suddenly wondered why she wasn’t getting wet. She looked up and saw a dark blue barrier hovering over her head similar to the one that hovered over Tacitus. She looked back at the pony, wondering what his deal was.

* * *

As Tacitus walked through the rain, he began to wonder if moving here was a bad idea. He didn’t feel any better here than he did in his old home, the memories still tormented him. And the ponies in this town seemed determined to get close to him. He couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t let himself fall into that trap again. 
As these thoughts rushed through his head, he heard a small sound coming through the rain. “Oh…um..p-please, just calm down. I-I don’t think we can all fit. Please don’t shove.”
Tacitus walked towards the noise and saw a pale yellow pegasus with a pink mane standing under an umbrella along with a plethora of different animals. Several squirrels, rabbits, beavers, a dozen different birds, and even a huge bear were all trying to crowd under the umbrella that the pegasus held on her back. They were failing miserable, as the animals shoved each other to get under the way-too-small umbrella. 
“Just walk away. It has nothing to do with you. Don’t get involved.” He tried to ignore it, but he couldn’t. They would have been disappointed in him if he’d just ignored her. He sighed before coming closer to the motley group and extending his barrier so that it protected both ponies and all the animals from the rain.
“Do you need some help?” he asked the pegasus, who looked away to avoid eye contact.
“um…yes,please…” She spoke barely above a whisper.
“I’m sorry? Could you say that a bit louder?” He held a hoof to his ear to try and hear her better.
“Yes please…” She was even quieter.
“One more time,” he said as he drew a bit closer.
“yes, please” She drew into herself and all Tacitus heard was a squeak.
“Ooookay. Why don’t I walk you home? Lead the way.”
“Ok,” the pegasus said, finally loud enough for him to hear.
She and her animals began walking in the direction that Tacitus had come from, Tacitus following close beside her to make sure the barrier kept them all dry. 
Her blue-green eyes kept darting back and forth, looking at Tacitus before quickly looking away again. She kept silent as they walked, until she finally worked up some courage to speak. 
“Th-thank you for helping me.” Her voice was small, but sweet, and she had a kind smile on her face. “I’m Fluttershy.”
Part of Tacitus wished she had just stayed quiet. It would have been easier for him if he didn’t have to interact with her. Another part of Tacitus, one he wished would go away, was glad to hear her open up to him. No matter which part of himself he agreed with, he had to respond.
“I’m Tacitus.” He opted to say no more than that. The less said the better. 
Fluttershy seemed to close up again. She looked away from Tacitus and remained silent for the rest of the journey. A cottage soon came into view and the animals all rushed the last few feet to get into the house, leaving Tacitus and Fluttershy alone under the barrier. 
He walked with her the last few feet until she was in the doorway, safe from the rain. 
“Thank you again Tacitus. I-It was nice meeting you.” She gave him another kind smile.
“You’re welcome. Have a nice day.” He tipped his hat to her and turned around to leave.
Fluttershy hesitated for a moment before calling out to him. “W-Wait. Do you need help?”
Tacitus raised an eyebrow, a confused look on his face. “What do you mean?”
“I-I’m sorry. It’s just that…you seem sad about something.”
How were these ponies so observant? Or was he just that transparent? Either way, Tacitus wondered why these ponies seemed to care so much about how he felt. What did they get out of it? He quickly applied his “mask” before responding. 
“No, I don’t need any help. Thank you.” With a little more urgency in his step, he walked away from the cottage, leaving an unconvinced Fluttershy behind him.
“Oh dear, what should I do? Maybe Twilight and the others will know.”
A voice called from inside the cottage. “Oh Fluttershy! I’m so glad you’re back from your picnic. The tea was starting to get cold. I hope you don’t mind, but I let some of the rain in through the roof and made a hot tub.”
Fluttershy sighed slightly. “Coming Discord.”
She closed the door behind as she went to see the damage he’d caused this time.

* * *

After his detour with the shy pegasus, Tacitus finally ran out of excuses about going to see the princess and had made his way over to her castle, the rain still beating against his shield. He didn’t need the map to find it, for it was the largest and strangest structure in the town.
The crystalline tree house castle had been there since Tirek was defeated almost six months ago. Tacitus still remembered having his magic stolen by that monster. At the time, Tacitus thought the feeling of having his magic ripped from his body was the worst feeling in the world. He knew better now. He’d gladly go through that again instead of what he’s been through these last few months. He shook his head, futilely trying to force the memories from his head.
He ascended the stairs and approached the immense doorway, unsure of what to do next. Weren’t there supposed to be guards? Should he knock? He opted to just walk in. 
He pushed open the doors, which were surprisingly lightweight despite their size. Inside, the castle was beautifully decorated, but surprisingly empty. Where were the servants, the maids, the scholars, and the guards? Strange how a princess seemed to have none of these. 
He called out. “Hello? Is anypony here?” His voice echoed throughout the room, but he caught the sound of something shouting in surprise, followed by the sound of something landing with a thud. 
He ran in the direction of the sound and found himself in a large library bursting with books. His eyes widened and he practically drooled at the sight of all the literature. He snapped himself out of the trance and he looked down to see…a baby dragon?! He rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing right, and indeed there, rubbing his bruised backside, was a purple and green baby dragon.
The dragon stopped massaging his sore posterior and saw the pony that was staring at him with a gaping mouth. “Uhhhhhh, can I help you?”
Tacitus shook his head violently and put on his artificial smile. 
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. It’s just that I’ve never seen a real dragon before. Is Princess Twilight available?”
“Sure she is. Just go up the stairs and you’ll find her in the throne room, probably still reading that history book. I’m Spike by the way.”
“Tacitus. Honored to meet you Spike. Are you all right? Sounded like a nasty fall.”
Spike absentmindedly rubbed the spot where he had fallen. “Don’t worry about it. I’m tougher than I look.” As if to emphasis this, he flexed his arms and produced a tiny muscle on each arm. 
“Now, I should get back to sorting these books for Twilight. Don’t say anything to her; I want her to be surprised when she sees it.”
Tacitus nodded in ascent, although he wondered why a sorted library would be a pleasant surprise for somepony, and exited out the doorway. 
He went to the main staircase and went all the way up before finding himself just outside the throne room. Seated on one of the seven thrones was a light purple alicorn. Her mane was dark blue, with one pink and one violet streak going through it. Her violet eyes were embedded in a very familiar-looking book. She didn’t seem to notice the pony that stood in the doorway.
Tacitus cleared his throat loudly enough to be heard. “Excuse me.”
The unexpected sound caused the alicorn princess to jump out of her seat, her book flying out of her hooves and landing comically on her head. She scrambled to her hooves and blushed slightly in embarrassment.
“I’m sorry; I didn’t even hear you come in.” Tacitus reluctantly bowed once he had gotten her attention. “Oh there’s no need for that. I’ve never liked the whole bowing thing. Do you need help with something?”
Tacitus didn’t know how to feel about the smile she gave him. He just wanted to get this over with. 
“I just moved here today, and I was told that you were the one to talk to when it comes to finding a job Your Highness.”
“You don’t need to call me ‘Your Highness’ either. Just call me Twilight. And yes, I can certainly help you with that. Did you have something specific you were looking for?”
“I was hoping for some sort of teaching position.”
Twilight thought for a moment. “Well, the only school we have in Ponyville is the Schoolhouse for foals. A pony named Cheerilee teaches and runs the school. I’m sure if you talked with her tomorrow she could give you a position. Do you have any experience teaching?”
“Three years experience actually.” He tried to keep his answers simple and to-the-point. However, if she was like the others she’d probably ask more-
“Where’d you teach,” she asked with genuine interest.
-questions. Great. He couldn’t just not answer her, he’d look like a liar. Besides, his records would be revealed at a job interview anyway. 
“I taught at Equestria University.” 
Twilight’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she processed this information.
“Equestria University is the most esteemed college in the world! You have to practically be a genius to be accepted as a student, let alone as a teacher! But, you don’t look any older than me. How’re you a professor at such a young age?”
Tacitus was beginning to feel uncomfortable with her questioning. He didn’t want other ponies to know too much about him for a number of reasons.
“I…attended the university at a young age, so when I graduated I was still fairly young. I began teaching history immediately afterwards.”  
Twilight looked at him suspiciously. “Hmmmmm. What did you say your name was?”
He gulped loudly before he answered. “My name’s Tacitus.”
Twilight gasped loudly and stared wide-eyed at him. 
“OH. MY. GOSH! You’re Professor Tacitus, the famous historian! You discovered the lost tomb of Trotankhamun, the palace of Hoofshepsut, the Roamen ruins of Nova Domus! I have your book on the history of the Roamen Empire right here.” 
She picked up the book she had been reading when he walked in and showed it to him. He’d thought it looked familiar. It was the book he’d published for his dissertation, The Imperium: Rise and Fall of the Roamen Empire. 
Twilight was giddy as she squealed and hopped around the room like a school filly. 
“I can’t believe I’m finally meeting you! I’ve read all your books and studied all your research. You’re amazing! I can’t believe you live here in Ponyville now! Finally, a pony who loves history as much as me! We can have study sessions and discuss our favorite eras and civilizations, work on our theories on lost civilizations, maybe even study artifacts together! We are gonna be best friends.”
This is what Tacitus was worried about. Now that she knew who he was and all he’d done, she’d want to be his “friend”, just like she did. No. He refused to be used again.
“No Princess, we’re not.” Twilight stopped bouncing and the smile fell from her face. “I didn’t come to Ponyville for ‘friends’. I came here to find a job and live the rest of my life in peace. The last thing I need in my life now is what ‘friendship’ brings. I’m sorry. Good day.” He turned to leave, but stopped at the sound of Twilight’s voice.
“But friendship only brings happiness.” She couldn’t understand why somepony wouldn’t want friendship and the joy it brings.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I’ve found that it only brings hurt.” And with that he walked away, not giving a second glance to the stunned alicorn he left in the throne room.

* * *

The rain had finally stopped when Tacitus began his march home after what was, to him, an exhausting day. It was about 3:00 by the time he had finished his awkward meeting with Twilight, and so he had headed back to the Carousel Boutique to pick up the outfit that Rarity had made. 
The outfit had consisted of a collared jacket that was a slightly lighter green than his scarf and a collared white undershirt. Rarity had even instructed him on how to wear his scarf so that it was tucked into the jacket and slightly puffed out, giving him a more professional and elegant appearance. The outfit was indeed very handsome and Rarity had seemed pleased with her work. He probably should have complimented her on a job well done, but he was so desperate to get home and be alone that he only gave her a curt thank you, paid, and practically ran out the door with his purchase.  
He had already gotten back home and hung up his new jacket to keep it nice for his interview tomorrow when he realized he forgot to get groceries, leaving his kitchen still devoid of food.  He groaned and collapsed in the reclining chair in the living room. 		
“Too tired. I’ll go shopping tomorrow after I talk to Ms. Cheerilee.” 
As far as dinner went, Tacitus found that he had no appetite, the knot in his stomach that he thought he had grown used to had doubled in intensity after the day’s events.
Maybe he should have stayed in Canterlot. At least there, the ponies were too busy or too snobby to care to notice him.
No…he couldn’t stay there. The memories hurt too much as it was. He didn’t need to be constantly reminded of them by seeing Canterlot every day.
Tacitus had the rest of the day to himself, so he engaged in one of his favorite pastimes: research. 
His horn radiated with his dark blue aura as he collected the necessary material. He took several old tomes, some more contemporary books, some blank paper, a quill and ink, and one of the two stone tablets that leaned against the wall and levitated them all over to him. His eyes scanned each piece of historical data gathered in front of him and began writing. 
Tacitus became engulfed in his research, his mind focused solely on deciphering the texts and discovering the secrets they contained, the history they told. It was only at times like these, when his mind was absorbed in his passion, that he could forget the pain. At least for a little while.
Hours passed by without Tacitus even noticing. He had just discovered that the tablet was a record of the conquests of Suleimane the Magnificent, before he was brought back to reality by a knock at the door. He looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 7:00. 
“Who the hay wants to see me at this time of night?” 
Tacitus opened the door to see the pink mare he had met earlier that day, a pointed party hat on her head and a goofy smile on her face.
“Come on Tacitus, it’s party time!” Confetti exploded out of nowhere and she blew a party horn loudly right into his ear.
“What party?” he asked as he put a hoof in his ear.
“Your ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party silly! It’s at Sugar Cube Corner, and everypony’s gonna be there!”
Tacitus gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry Pinkie, but I’m not interested in parties.” He started to close the door, but Pinkie put her hoof on it to prevent this.
“But everypony likes parties. You get to play games, meet new friends, and have lots of fun! Why aren’t you interested in that?”
He sighed. “You will be the third pony I’ve told this to today. I. Don’t. Want. Friends. I never want to have friends. I appreciate your invitation and I wish you and your friends a happy life, but please, it would be best for me if you and the others just left me alone.”
He closed his door, Pinkie too shocked at what she’d heard to stop it from closing again. Her ears flattened against her head and her mane lost some of its bounce before she turned around and headed to Sugar Cube Corner to deliver the bad news.
Tacitus sat down on the floor, his back resting against the door. He kept seeing the look Pinkie gave him as he turned down her invitation. It was the same way the other five ponies he’d met today looked at him. “Why do they keep looking at me like I’m an injured puppy? Why throw me a party? What do they get out of it?”
He hoped that Twilight hadn't gone and told the entire town who he was. Then they’d all just try to use him. He smacked a hoof on the floor in frustration. He sat there for maybe an hour before he got up and decided he couldn’t take today anymore. He was going to bed. 
Once he had walked up the stairs and gotten into his new bedroom, he tenderly removed his hat and scarf before placing them almost reverently on his nightstand next to the photo he’d placed there earlier. He laid in bed and stared at the photo and the two articles of clothing for almost an hour before mouthing the words “I love you” and drifting off to restless sleep, tears stinging his eyes.