//------------------------------// // The Tell Tale Heart // Story: My Little Heartbreak: Creativi-Tea // by Jet_Black1980 //------------------------------// Chapter Five. The Tell Tale Heart. Twilight opened the door for Heartbreak. As she placed the saddlebag on her back, Spike hopped on Twilight’s back and held onto her neck. “You think she’s hiding something, Twilight?” he whispered. “How should I know?” Twilight said glaring at him a little as they walked away from the library. “However, it isn’t polite to talk about ponies behind their backs, especially when they are right in front of you.” She mumbled to Spike. Spike still looked curiously at the mare in front of them. There was something more off about her than what he first thought. He might have to consult that book again. Coming to the street, several ponies nodded their greetings to Twilight and took notice of Heartbreak. Some of them gave a friendly wave, but she acted like she didn't see them. The passing ponies gave Twilight a confused look. She giggled and shrugged at them. Twilight trotted up to Heartbreak who was looking down at the ground. Her eyes kept narrowing and she had an uncomfortable look on her face. “Um, I know I keep asking this H.B., but are you alright?” “Um, fine thank you, Twilight.” She replied without looking up, her face showing a pained expression when she did. “Are you sure about that?” Twilight asked. “Because you look a bit uncomfortable.” “I said I was fine, Twilight.” She said gruffly. Twilight gave Heartbreak an understanding look. “Is it being out in the open after being cooped up in the library for a week? Ponyville is pretty small, but it can seem pretty big if you’re not used to it.” “It’s not that, Twilight. The fresh air is actually pretty nice,” She replied. “Is it the crowds?” she asked. Heartbreak seemed like the type of pony that might not enjoy large crowds. “Well...I’m not a fan of large crowds...it’s not that either,” she replied as they approached the market. “Then why do you look so down all of the sudden?” Twilight asked. However, when Heartbreak slipped into a shaded area and lifted her head, a small hint came to Twilight. “I’m not used to it being so...sunny. My last job was a night job and it required me to sleep during the day. The sun is kinda bright and it hurts my eyes a bit.” She grimaces. “I mean, I haven’t really been helping that situation...but I can’t just lift up a hoof to keep the sun out of my eyes. Not while I walk at least. Otherwise I am going to trip.” She explains. Compared to all of the other explanations that Heartbreak had been giving, this one seemed to fall a bit flat. Every other question was met with “swirling vortex of insanity” or question dodging, or slightly veiled threats. “Oh...” Twilight said. Spike on the other hoof shrugged, he had taken out a notepad and a quill and begun writing things down. “Um, While we’re here you want a hat or something for your eyes?” Heartbreak’s eye gave a nervous twitch. “It’s nothing-” She stops herself. “I mean it is something, but I don’t want to go into the nothing-nothing, nothing-something topic again. It’s just that, well...I already wrecked your quills and got ink on your table. I mean a little bit. But really...it’s just that I am not comfortable with you spending money on me like this.” Twilight and Spike look at each other. “H.B. You don’t have any money. And you have to start somewhere. Right now we are getting supplies so that You can get up an on your hooves. Think of these things as ‘paying-it-forward’,” She explained. “Once we get you your supplies, you can start drawing more, which is sure to help you recover your special talent. Then you can write that letter to the Princess about how you re-discovered your special talent. After that, you can find ways to adapt your talent to something here in Ponyville.” “You’ve...really thought about this haven’t you, Twilight?” Heartbreak asked Twilight nodding in response. “Um, I hate to be critical here, but I don’t think I am going to relearn how to draw with my mouth before the month ends. I was drawing with...” she waves her right hoof up and looks at it wistfully. “Um yeah, practically all my life.” Twilight gave Heartbreak a slight scowl. “But! That doesn’t mean I can’t try! Um, where’s a booth that sells pencils?” She asked with fake enthusiasm. Twilight rolled her eyes. Spike looked up at the sky and paused his writing. “Does it hurt to look at the bright side of life H.B.?” He asked. Heartbreak blinked as Twilight lead them to the booth that she frequented at for her supplies. They sold a variety of different quills, inks, pencils and parchments. Behind the counter sat a mostly pale blue unicorn wearing cuffs and a ruffled collar. His mane was wavy and limp and he had a pencil thin mustache. Twilight knew him quite well and had commented at one point that he vaguely looked like the famous pony poet and writer Edgar Allen Poney. Since then, he decided to take that look a little too far... “Hi Ghost Writer!” She said looking over the variety of different pencils. Ghost greeted her while sipping on some tea. “Twilight Sparkle! How is my favorite and best customer?” He asked “Are you in the need for more quills already? You just bought a set nary a fortnight ago!” “I am doing quite well, thank you Ghost Writer.” She replied looking over the pencil sharpeners. The hoof crank kind, the small single blade kind, even one that was magically operated so that a pony had to do was stick a pencil in, and the machine would do the rest. Twilight grimaced momentarily as she thought of the complaints she’d get from Heartbreak if she got anything but the magically operated one. After all, that one required the least amount of hoof work. At the same time, it would require her to use her mouth to stick the pencil in. She sighed a little, there was just no winning here. “Actually, I just might need another quill set,” she said looking at Heartbreak. “However, I am here to look at your pencils.” “Twilight Sparkle! Where are your manners? Aren’t you going to introduce me to the enchanting mare next to you?” Ghost Writer asked. Heartbreak walked backwards and began to look uncomfortable. “‘Enchanting’ is one way of describing her, Student is more apt. However, Ghost Writer, this is Heartbreak. Heartbreak, this is Ghost Writer.” Twilight said, formally introducing them. “Heartbreak,” Ghost Writer said smiling. “What a delightfully painful sounding name.” Heartbreak said nothing to this. “She’s a bit shy isn’t she, Twilight?” Twilight looked at Heartbreak. “You don’t know the half of it...” Heartbreak scowled and looked even more uncomfortable. “Did your parents really name you Ghost Writer?” The pale blue pony sipped his tea and gave a thoughtful look. “Well actually, it was just Ghost at first, the writer came when then they noticed that I had a gift for taking up quill and ink.” “Riiiiight. Ghost. I get it.” Heartbreak replied looking to her left. “So, um, Twilight, can we get to buying pencils? The sun is still hurting my eyes and I want to go back to drawing. Maybe even writing some.” Ghost Writer stops drinking his tea mid-way. “If I would be so bold to inquire, what sort of things do you draw and write, dear Heartbreak?” Heartbreak looks even more at unease. “Nothing that would interest any...p-ponies. Just...um...boring normal stuff really. Unicorns, pegasi, dragons, and other things. Whatever catches my...interest. Abstract too.” She starts to look over at Twilight. “And stories and poems. Nothing interesting.” “Oh pish-posh and poppycockle,” Ghost Writer replies. “Every artist has something interesting to show off, to express. And with a name such as Heartbreak, your stories are nary to leave a dry eye in the house.” “Twilight...” Heartbreak mutters. “Pencils and then can we go?” Twilight frowns. “Heartbreak, be nice. Ghost Writer is just curious. But I’ll take a dozen of those number two pencils, that crank pencil sharpener and that white eraser.” Ghost nods. “That will be oh...With the artists’ discount, 15 bits?” He coos. Twilight blinks. “Artists’ discount?” Heartbreak’s expression sours. “I don’t want any special treatment.” “I give all artists a special fifty percent discount...Granted,” He pauses and sips his tea. “That they come to my poetry and art exhibit night...” He smiles a thin lined smile at Heartbreak. Heartbreak’s eye twitches even more. “I’m not sure I am comfortable-” “She’d love to go.” Twilight interrupts. “No. I. Wouldn’t. Twilight.” Heartbreak replies. “Yes you would, Heartbreak.” Twilight says, placing the fifteen bits on the counter. “No, I really wouldn’t Twilight...” Heartbreak replies. Ghost Writer tsks. “Perchance I could persuade you with a free sketchbook?” He asks waving it in the air at Heartbreak. She looks even more reluctant at the offer. Twilight gives her a shooting glance. Heartbreak rolls her eyes and sighs. “Fiiiiine. But I don’t want to find out that you are giving me some sort of ‘special treatment’ of some sorts. I would like both of you to know that I am very uncomfortable with all of this.” “Perish the thought!” Ghost Writer says slipping a small card into the sketchbook and placing it alongside everything else. “I treat any artist with a discount, well any artist or my special customers.” He says blinking an eye at Twilight. “Oh, and my card is in there. It explains where and when I hold these get-togethers.” Twilight smiles and then looks at Heartbreak’s saddle bag. “Eh-hem.” She coughs, nudging her to open it. Heartbreak looks confused for a moment, and tries to reach back with her front hoof. This however doesn’t prove to be very fruitful. “Ugh! Uh! Almost...Almost...Al-” She stops as Twilight gives her a disapproving look. Sighing, she reaches back with her muzzle and flips it open with her snout before turning away. “I could have gotten it...” She mutters. “I’m sure you could have, but then we’d be here all day.” She explains, neatly levitating everything into the saddlebags. “Thank you, Twilight.” Heartbreak replies. “Back to the Library?” She asks hopefully. “Well actually, I was kinda thinking that we’d take a tour of Ponyville before we go back.” Twilight replies. “I mean, it’s a beautiful day, and while we’re out...” Heartbreak sighs. “Fine...” “You lovely ladies come back anytime you like!” Ghost Writer says sipping his tea and slowly waving a hoof. “And I do mean, anytime you like...”