//------------------------------//
// Dislocated 
// Story: Pinkie's Sweet Tooth 
// by Atreyu 
//------------------------------//

Sweet Tooth revelled in the diversity of expressions his stroll through town evoked in the little ponies. Stallions and mares alike looking on with: confusion, surprise, perplexity, horror, anger --to name a few. Mothers shielded their children’s eyes, ponies of all ages could be seen running for cover. Shutters closing,  doors slamming closed in panic. 
He passed through the town as if he were a plague, leaving a trail of ghosts behind him.

He passed by a group of fillies playing a game of make-believe:
“So, just pretend, I’m the doctor and you’re the mummy. And when I—” all three of them stopped dead in their tracks with wide-eyed awe and horror at the behemoth passing before them. The behemoth stared right back.

As Sweet Tooth made it out of the town centre he hummed out a deep and deranged laugh. “You should see my other ride” he scoffed over his shoulder to the inhabitants of the ghost town he now left behind him.
***

The Barrel-chested truck driver was panting by the time he had reached the outskirts of the town. “Augh! Why do such little horses have such long roads!?"
He stopped for a moment, wiped the sweat from his brow and placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath, “I miss my truck” he whined yearningly.
***

Sweet Tooth was already kicking himself to a pulp in his own mind for even knocking on the cottage door. But before he could turn around and walk away, Fluttershy tentatively opened the door.
She smiled sweetly at him in greeting.
There was a brief silence.
Sweet Tooth had little experience in exchanging pleasantries with 3” horses...or anyone really.
“Hello, Sweet Tooth. Would you like to come in?” Fluttershy invited warmly, like she was meeting an old friend.
Sweet Tooth couldn't have felt more out of place. It was like a ‘knock and run’ gone horribly wrong.
“Please” she ushered him inside.

Butterflies flittered about Fluttershy and chipmunks made themselves cosy in her mane as she lay comfortably atop the rug on her smooth wooden cottage floors.  She took a sip of tea, looking across to Sweet Tooth.  Clutching the microscopic tea-cup and saucer in his hands. The pony-sized sofa fitting him more like a small arm-chair.
“So, are you comfortable?” Fluttershy asked hospitably.
A moth perished into Sweet Tooth’s flaming 'hair’.  His stony demeanour remained unchanged. 
“This cannot be happening. How can this be happening?”  Sweet Tooth beseeched himself.
“Uhh...do you have anything... stronger than tea?” He finally managed to spit out, disconcertedly.
Fluttershy put a hoof to her chin for a moment. “Hmmm, I think I've got some bourbon in the pantry?” she concluded, gliding to the kitchen.

Sweet Tooth raised an eyebrow. 

His dumbfoundment must have been noticeable as Fluttershy giggled a little bit as she brought the bottle over to him and began pouring him a glass, “Applejack often gets it for me as a gift when she visits Appaloosa.” She left him the bottle “She knows it’s my favourite brand” she smiled cheerfully, resuming her position on the rug with her animal friends. 

“Right...Applejack... Is that the one I tried to kill?” He asked in, what he considered to be, a sincere attempt at friendly chit-chat.
Fluttershy couldn't help looking down awkwardly for a moment, “Ah, no. That was Rarity.”
“—Oh...” Sweet Tooth took a gulp of bourbon. 
The koo-koo-clock's slow ticking lingered as Sweet Tooth attempted to avoid eye contact with the little yellow pegasus.
“I guess... I should—uh, apologise for that, right?" he surmised  "--If it would make her feel any better-- I also tried to kill the pink one!”  he testified eagerly.
“Pinkie Pie” Fluttershy smiled, looking past the content and into the heart of what Sweet Tooth was saying.
“Uh—right” Sweet Tooth mumbled and slumped down. Unsure of what he was more bitter about: his latest attempts to kill or his latest attempts to try and redeem himself.

Fluttershy noticed his despair “I'm sure Pinkie Pie will forgive you. From what I can tell, she seems over the moon about you!”
Sweet Tooth went to speak, but ended up taking another drink of bourbon. With a sigh, he hung his head, his arms across his knees. Fluttershy now stepped forward and gently lifted his face with her hoof. 

She looked him in the eye with compassion “Don’t worry; you’re not a bad person. You've just made some bad decisions.”
Sweet Tooth brushed her foreleg away. “A lot of bad decisions” he confessed with a small sigh.
“It’s not too late to start making right decisions.” Fluttershy reassured
Sweet Tooth remained motionless. Fluttershy couldn't help but feel discouraged as well. 

Then, for the first time since arriving at the cottage, it was Sweet Tooth who broke the silence.
“You’re right...” Sweet Tooth rose from the sofa and put down his glass “...I’ve still got 29 days left.”