//------------------------------// // Summer Heat vs. Quick Study - Winner: Summer Heat (by Forfeiture) // Story: OC Slamjam - Round Three // by OC Slamjam //------------------------------// Runaway Train - by Summer Heat's Author “Acting like a lovestruck colt, you say?” A distant smile spread across Cliffhanger’s face as he stared at the far corner of the ceiling, straightening his neck as if there were an invisible movie camera positioned to capture a low-angle profile of his expression. Quick Study was certain that her old friend was either reliving the events of the previous night, or mentally editing faint shafts of light and slowly drifting sparkles into the scene. He might also have been trying his best to shed a single tear. “Of course I’m acting ‘lovestruck;’ what other name could I give to the lightning strike that struck my sleeping inner colt in that tiny, smoky tavern?” Quick Study could hear the low grr-rr-rrk of her own teeth grinding. “Listen to yourself! How are you going to write your book on this trip when you can’t even put a proper metaphor together? Hurry up and grab your bags!” “My dear friend, I couldn’t possibly write a single word while tormented by the need to learn her name." He didn't place the back of one hoof against his forehead, but he might as well have. "Alas, I'm afraid I will not be joining you after all." Quick Study felt her glare hardening until her brow started to ache from the strain. She pressed her lips together, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. It didn’t help. “I can’t believe this. You’re canceling your plans, wasting the money you paid for your ticket, and making me explain to the association that they set me up with a double room for no reason, all because of a mare that didn’t even tell you her name?” There it was again, that ridiculous glassy-eyed look. The look of an oblivious romantic who couldn’t acknowledge the fact that he was head-over-hooves stupid in love with somepony who had probably forgotten all about him by now and was probably named Easy Mark or One Nightstand. Cliffhanger rolled his eyes, and his tone flipped from brainlessly melodramatic to brainlessly excited. “The passion that flared between us that night revealed far more than words ever could. This is real, Quick Study! She promised me that we would meet again! If I lose this chance at true love, I may never—” “That’s enough,” Quick Study snapped. “I have a train to catch. Go ahead and ruin your life by chasing some tart who doesn't give two horseapples about you. I’m sure you’ll be able to tell me all about it when I get back from Canterlot.” The train was a smog-belching dinosaur that smelled like old wood despite the new carpet and thin coat of fresh paint. It also had walled compartments instead of rows of seats, and Quick Study was lucky enough to find an empty one and claim one side with her saddlebags. Then she sat on the bench herself--uncomfortably, because the cushion was thin from age--and used the moment of privacy to slump against the window and let out a growling sigh. The cool glass felt good against her face. When the spot she was resting against got warm, she leaned back by an inch and thumped her head into a different spot. Her horn tapped against the glass with a light click, and when the train jolted into motion, it vibrated against the surface with a rattling noise. Quick Study didn't realize that she had dozed off until she was woken by the low rumble of the door sliding open. “Other side's empty,” Quick Study grumbled. Outside, grassy suburbs had turned to craggy mountains, and the train was tilted in an uphill climb--they would be arriving in Canterlot soon. The door rumbled shut again. "Sorry to intrude," said a mare's voice, from inside the compartment. "They told everyone in my car to find different seats. Figured it was best not to ask why." There was a pause. “You look like you could use a drink." Quick Study peeled herself away from the window and righted herself against the backrest. "Do I, now?" The pony who’d joined her was a young mare, pink, with a warm chocolate mane. She had already taken her seat, and was busy digging through a pair of reinforced, multi-sectioned bags that looked to be nearly as heavy as their owner and twice as old. "Sure do. I know that look. Here. Trust me.” The mare pulled a metal flask from her pack, flipped the cap open with her teeth, and extended it across the gap between seats. Quick Study picked it from her hooves with magic and levitated it closer, peering at what she had been offered as if it were a puzzle box. “Don't worry; I don’t have Whinnybola. Unless that's why they chased us out." “Very funny. Whinnybola is only contagious once you start displaying symptoms anyway." Quick Study lifted the flask parallel to her muzzle as she tilted her head back--and then she coughed, hard, when the liquid within rolled over her tongue and into her throat, burning the whole way down. Drinking cider now and then at the occasional book club social hadn’t done a thing to prepare Quick Study for whatever had been in that little metal bottle. She could hear chuckling coming from the other seat, followed by a “Feel better?” Quick Study swallowed hard in an attempt to quench the chemical sizzle. It didn't work. Still, she forced a smile as passed the flask back; the gesture from a friendly stranger was quite welcome, even though it had been the wrong one. “Well, no. I appreciate the thought, though. My name's Quick Study." A nod. "Good name for an academic." Quick Study folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I'll have you know that thirty seven percent of unicorn names are not explicitly descriptive of cutie mark identity." That just made the other mare smile wider. “Pfft. Am I wrong?” “I’m just saying--” “What, is the book on your cutie mark not explicitly descriptive of your cutie mark identity either?" “Well, for your information, as many as forty five percent of unicorn cutie marks are symbolic instead of explicit!” Quick Study folded her arms and frowned as her fellow traveler giggled. Maybe it was the liquor, or maybe the stranger's special talent was an infectious laugh, but eventually Quick Study couldn't help but laugh along despite trying to pout. "Well. Well, I'm only a scholar on my own time. My official title is 'Scribe and Keeper of Books.'" "Sounds important," the mare said, only a little teasingly. "I like to think so," Quick Study said. "They’re bringing me in for a restoration project. How about you? What’re you doing on a train to Canterlot?” "For now, what I'm doing is getting to know another traveler on a train to Canterlot." She grinned at the way Quick Study rolled her eyes, then cleared her throat and continued. "Honest answer, though? Not sure whether I'm staying in Canterlot for a while, or just taking a pit stop on the way to Los Pegasus." "Los Pegasus, huh? That's... very far away." The other mare shrugged, seemingly undaunted by the prospect of crossing the entire continent by train. "Nowhere is 'far away' once you get there. Besides, I’d been in Baltimare too long. It was starting to feel like home." Quick Study tilted her head. “So... where's home for you, then?” There was a brief pause. “My home’s wherever I can find good drink and good company.” As if to illustrate, she took another pull of booze, or tried to--the bottle turned out to be empty. With a click of her tongue, she started to dig through her pack, pulling out the odd article of clothing in search of, presumably, something to refill her flask with. Quick Study abruptly straightened as a glint of metal caught her eye. "Oh! Is that a… fencing blade?" “This? Yeah.” she said, pulling it from the deep bag that it had been wedged into. The object in question was a thin metal shaft that came to a point, covered by a rubber nub. At the base was a scratched and pockmarked steel dome—perfect for protecting the hoof, but positioned in a way that would make standing on all fours impossible. “Met a stallion in Prance who fancied himself a ‘master equuscrimeur.’” The word master had audible quotation marks around it. “Nice enough guy. Bit self-absorbed. Wanna hold it?" Quick Study’s voice leapt at least an octave. “Aah! You trained with a real Equuscrime master? I’ve been meaning to learn more about Equuscrime for years!” Already she could envision crossing out one of the oldest entries in her ‘learn-about-later’ notebook, and the idea made her giddy. She leaned forward to grab the weapon with her hooves instead of her magic. It was surprisingly heavy, and the guard's dull steel surface was covered with scratches, no doubt from use in many furious battles. The already comely mare sitting across from Quick Study suddenly looked very attractive indeed. “Do you know any of the history? Which styles did you learn? Was it anything like in The Alicorn Bride? I mean, of course it wasn’t all that much like the movies, but—“ Quick Study cut herself off only when she noticed that her would-be source of knowledge was laughing again. “S-sorry. I get excited. I really do want to hear about it, though.” The mare shook her head. “Nah. Never asked him that kinda stuff. I just learned enough basics so that I could play around in practice bouts. Was fun, but I'm no expert." “Oh.” Quick Study sagged slightly. "Sorry. Know what, though--you should hang onto that, since you're interested." Quick Study’s heart jumped as she looked with widened eyes at the weapon she was holding, then at the one who had given it to her, then back down to the weapon. “I... no, I couldn’t...” “I insist. Haven’t used it at all since then anyway.” Quick Study turned the little metal tool over and over between her hooves. It felt both right and wrong to hold it as her own; every scar and dent was evidence of an unspoken story that Quick Study wasn’t part of. “But... you said it was a gift from that stallion in Prance..." “So now it's a gift from me to you. Like I said, I don’t need it, and memories weigh less than souvenirs." “Memories weigh less than souvenirs,” Quick Study echoed, still examining her new possession. “Ha. You sound like my novelist friend when he’s feeling philosophical at three in the morning.” "Novelist friend?" Quick Study grimaced darkly. Talking to this stranger had been a such a welcome distraction. “Mm. He's a really old friend, actually. Even if... even if he’s a real idiot sometimes. His name's Cliffhanger. I wouldn’t expect you to know his work." The other mare reacted in the most unexpected way imaginable: with a sudden burst of laughter. “Knew your name sounded familiar! Hold on. It's in here somewhere." From the depths of one of her bags, the mare unearthed an all too familiar looking yellow hardcover. "This is him, right? Damn if that ain't a coincidence! Haven't started reading it yet, but here, look." The mare pulled back the front cover and leaned forward to offer the book as she had done with the flask and the blade. Quick Study craned her neck to look without touching or lifting it this time. The book was open to the dedication page, which was supposed to read "with thanks to Quick Study and Soft Spoken, for all that they did to make this book possible." As for this copy, though, everything after 'they' had been obliterated by the start of a whole paragraph of heavy black marker. Most of it was illegible—even more so than Cliffhanger’s usual hoofwriting—but the last line made the message clear enough. As long as Celestia’s sun burns in the day, as long as Luna’s moon guides us through the night, as long as the world gives us earth and sky, let our love never die. -Cliffhanger Quick Study leaned back in her seat, pressed her lips together, and placed her hooves in her lap, calling upon every lesson that Soft Spoken had ever given her on managing impulses. Breathe deep. Don't jump to conclusions. Stay rational. Irrationality is the mind-killer. Maybe this mare just met him at a book signing. Yes, that’s it. There was that book signing two weeks ago, and-- “Yeah, met him at the bar just last night! Really sweet guy, liked him a lot. Can’t hold his liquor, though.” Soft Spoken's rules and mantras were instantly purged from Quick Study's mind. “You! You’re her? He wouldn't shut up about you! He was a good writer until you came along and now just look at that drooling nonsense that he wrote for you! I’ve been talking to you this whole time and riding this train with you when the whole time it was you!” Quick Study realized that she was on her hooves, and that her volume had risen to a full-scale bellow, and that she was glaring down at a seated pink pony who was leaning away with an almost comical expression of wide-eyed shock. The pink mare’s blue eyes flicked toward the window, then the door, then back to the window. “Uh. Gonna have to slow down for me. Sounds like some kind of mistake.” She sounded confused. To Quick Study, her confusion sounded like a sham. “You’re the one who—who did whatever you did with him last night, and you promised you’d meet him again, and here you are on a train, skipping town for Los Pegasus! He deserves better than you! Better than somepony who’s going to stomp all over his heart like that!” Cliffhanger’s mystery mare put on a glare of her own. “Hey! I was nothing but good to him! Matter of fact, I gave him the time of his--” The practice blade rolled off of Quick Study’s seat and onto the ground with a gentle clatter. Quick Study picked it up with magic and threw it down onto the bag it had come from, hard enough so that it bounced and nearly fell onto the floor again. “No wonder you keep moving all the time! You had one in Prance, you had one in Baltimare, and now you're off to add Canterlot to the list, you sleazy, cheap--” There was a loud knock at the door, and then it opened to reveal the frowning face of an attendant. "Is everything okay in here?" The object of Quick Study’s fury, who had been trying to avoid eye contact, immediately looked up with a charming smile as if nothing more serious had happened than a dispute over seat space. She reached for her bags and started to close them up. "Yeah, we’re all good in here, I was just about to--" Quick Study fired a searing, lethal, evil glare at the attendant. "We are perfectly fine. Now GET OUT." The door handle glowed briefly, and then the compartment’s door slammed shut with a BANG that left Quick Study’s own ears ringing. For a moment, she just stood facing the door, trying not to tremble with anger. “Nice try,” she said icily. The reply came in an insultingly disarming lilt. “Look, I’ve seen enough to know for a fact that he's fine. Even if it seems like he’s going to have trouble...” Quick Study whirled, reared up, and all but exploded with anger. "Don’t you dare tell me that you know more than I do about my foalhood friend!" “I didn’t say that. I just meant--” “You think you know about him and ‘getting over it?’ Well, I know that the last time a mare dumped him, he didn’t do anything but listen to sad songs for months. He wrote poetry that even he’s embarrassed to show anypony. And he still avoids so much as walking past the cafe where he met her. Two years later." Now the other mare was the one wearing a grimace. "Everyone has to deal with--you know, with loss, and painful memories. That's just his way of showing it. His way of dealing with it, you know?" “And just what does that have to do with you toying with my friend and then walking away like nothing happened?" The mystery mare didn’t reply to that, except by staring out the window while Quick Study glared at her. "Well..." A whistle sounded from the front of the train as it started to slow down. “I’m going to send him a telegram saying that you'll meet him at the park next to the library. Four o'clock tomorrow." Silence again. Outside the window, the platform was coming into view. “Did you hear me? I said, you are going to meet him at the park and fix this.” Quick Study thought she saw the mare's shoulders move in a sigh. "Yeah, I will. Promise.” She was still looking out the window. “Really. Is that the same kind of ‘promise’ that--” The train came to a stop, and the whistle sounded again. Before Quick Study could get another word in, she was alone in the compartment. It took a few moments of and seething for the realization to strike: she hadn't gotten that mare's name. At four o'clock the next day, a pink mare with a red-brown mane was standing on a platform and waiting for a train. The familiar rumble of an incoming engine didn't give anything like the feeling of relief that it usually did. After all, the last train ride she'd taken had included being trapped with an angry and persistent scholar-librarian who refused to relent on something that was supposed to have stayed in Baltimare instead of following her all the way to Canterlot. Well. But now the train was here, and with it, a chance to put that mess behind her as well. She had made a promise, after all. The train screeched to a halt and the doors opened, letting out a load of passengers. Cliffhanger, that was his name--he was the first one off the train and onto the platform. He found her eyes almost immediately, and all but sprinted the short distance between them. "It's... it's you! It's really you!" "Sure is," said Summer Heat, forcing out a sad smile. “C'mon. Let's go somewhere we can talk." Heat of the Moment - by Quick Study's Author The night was young in Baltimare’s waterfront district, and it was alive with activity. Ponies were out enjoying the nightlife with exuberance and elation as they went bar hopping or clubbing to dance the day’s troubles away. The air was fresh with the smell of fallen rain and the ground was still wet from the late afternoon shower. For two ponies walking down one of the streets this was a night to relax, unwind and party. Well, for one of them at least. “Come on Quick,” chided Cliffhanger, a navy blue Earth Pony stallion, “I thought this was supposed to be a night of cutting loose and having fun, not a night of getting cold hooves and going home.” “Hey, home sounds wonderful. I think there’s a mare-athon of Star Trot starring Hammy Acting playing tonight. That show is a classic.” replied Quick Study nervously. “Quick,” said Cliffhanger as he put a hoof on her shoulder, “You’ve spent the past two weeks doing nothing but go to work and hide in your home. You need to get out, live a little. I know these past few months have been stressful for you.” “If by stressful you mean destroying an entire archive and being haunted by the world's dumbest ghost, then yes, ‘stressful’.” Quick Study snarked using her hooves to add air-quotes. Cliffhangers response was a swift and deadly noogy to the cranium. “Come on, you can’t beat yourself up over a few small problems.” Cliffhanger sagely advised. Quick Study questioningly mouthed the words ‘small’ before she broke out of the hold and gave Cliffhanger a sock to the shoulder. “Ugh, fiiiiiiine. Though to be fair, the last time I entered a bar, things didn’t go well.” she added with unease as she looked at the many establishments up and down the street. “And that’s why I’ve brought us here!” Cliffhanger said with a sweeping motion to the large building around the corner. Before them stood ‘The Chameleon’, one of the hottest dance clubs in the entire town. Ponies had formed a line that reached down to the end of the block and around the corner. “Should have brought us here a few hours ago buddy,” suggested Quick Study as she crained her neck to see the end of the line, “cause we’ll be standing out here till the sun rises at this point.” “And that,” stated Cliffhanger as he flashed a VIP pass to one of the bouncers, “is why you are with me.” After the Bouncer closely scrutinized Cliffhanger’s pass, he motioned the two of them to enter, much to the chagrin of the other patrons still waiting in line. “How did you-?” “The perks of being a famous writer.” Cliffhanger answered with a smile as they entered the main room. Ponies and many other races could be seen sitting around the many tables or dancing on the dance floor to the beat of pulsing music. A DJ was stationed on the second floor who controlled both the music and the lights for the enthralled patrons enjoying themselves shuffling about. Cliffhanger noticed an unoccupied table and pointed it out to Quick Study over the loud music. Sitting down they found themselves thankfully far enough away from the speakers to be able to talk to one another without yelling. “So what’s the plan, sit here and drink while our earbuds rapidly deteriorate?” asked Quick Study. “Maybe!” Cliffhanger answered with a grin. “Let’s see where the night takes us!” Soon both of them were enjoying themselves with some drinks, Quick Study’s however was non-alcoholic. She insisted that she’d rather not chance it, since last time she got drunk, it rained books. Soon they were catching up on what had happened in life lately for the each of them, but their conversation ended when the crowd of dancers began to cheer. Across the room on one of the raised platforms stood a lone mare whom the crowd was going crazy over. It was soon apparent why as the beat increased and she began to dance to the music. Her movements were graceful and powerful at the same time. Not a single motion was wasted, nor an individual step out of place. She danced with the flow of the music following nopony but her own self. The crowd ate up every second of it and hollered and roared with applause at her moves. “Dang,” commented Cliffhanger who was completely enraptured by the mysterious dancer’s moves, “I wonder if she does that for a living?” “Hrm, she is quite good.” added Quick Study as she closely watched the dancer’s steps. “But she doesn’t have any form to her dancing, she’s just improvising the whole way.” “Oh ho ho, is that jealousy I sense, Quick?” asked Cliffhanger smiling devilishly. Quick responded with a roll of her eyes, “Jealous? Of what? She’s obviously has been practicing for years, she has a lot of skill with it. I just don’t think she does it for a living. Professional dancers even when dancing for fun, still show some of their training subconsciously. And I didn’t see any of that while she-” Quick Study was interrupted by a wadded napkin bouncing off her horn. “What did I say about relaxing, Quick?” admonished Cliffhanger with a wagging of his hoof. “I wasn’t working, I was just-” “Doing that weird thing where you use that freaky head of yours to know everything about something.” Quick Study just laughed in response, “Know everything? I highly doubt there's a single pony who knows ‘everything’.” “I don’t know about that,” interjected a new voice, “There are some pretty smart ponies out in the world.” The two of them looked over and their new table companion to see that it was the dancer they had seen earlier. On closer inspection her coat was a hot pink that stuck out even when not under the darklight on the dance floor. Her mane was a wavy red brown that offered a deep contrast to the rest of her color. But by far the most striking part of her was her oververt personality. Even after dancing as hard as she had, she still leaned on the edge of their table bobbing to the music as if she would tear off again to the floor and begin her own personal waltz. “Oh, hello?” questioned a confused Quick Study. “Hi, I’m Summer!” she announced with a toothy grin. “Well greetings Summer,” spoke Cliffhanger, “She’s Quick Study, and I’m Cliffhanger. Your dancing was quite something.” “Oh, why thank you. I’m quite proud of it myself.” Summer replied with her own smile. “But while I was dancing, I couldn’t help but notice that everypony else was having a good time either dancing or partying it up, except you two. And I thought, ‘Wow, they must be having one amazing conversation to be having that much fun.’ So, I thought I’d come over and check it out.” Quick Study didn’t know what to make of this mare, while her words and intentions seemed honest, it really felt spontaneous, and/or a completely ludicrous excuse. However if she had to judge by words alone, maybe this mare was just the overly friendly type and a few moments of hyperactive interaction would be all that was needed to continue with her night uninterrupted. When Quick turned to look at Cliffhanger however, those thoughts were shatters at the sight of a droopy eyed stallion as he smiled lackadaisily at Summer. ‘Oh great’, Quick Study thought to herself, ‘He’s soshed and crushing on the pretty mare. Celestia tell me this isn’t going where I think its going?’ “So Summer,” asked Cliffhanger, “You much of a reader?” ‘And it is going where I thought it was. Thanks Celestia, see if I ever pray to you again.’ “Oh, I read a few things here and there,” she spoke with a wave of her hoof. “I’m more interested in going out and experiencing things for myself, rather than reading about them.” ‘I wonder if she means the same thing for venereal diseases.’ Quick Study wondered darkly before her own thoughts slapped her in the face. Why did she think that? Was she really feeling jealous of this mare? Summer so far had been nothing but nice, maybe a little invasive, but still nice enough. Quick Study soon noticed she hadn’t been paying attention to the conversation and only caught the tail end of it. “-its just great to be able to create whole new worlds as a writer you know? Stuff no pony has ever seen before, and probably won’t ever see!” finished Cliffhanger excitedly. “I don’t know, I think its kind of sad really.” Summer countered. “I mean, I know it probably is entertaining for a lot of other ponies, but if I were to hear about a place as fantastical as that, but then learn that I could never see it with my own eyes, it would make me feel rather down.” “Well its not like the real world is that fantastical in comparison.” added Quick Study joining the conversation, “I mean, we’ve explored most of the whole planet, the ocean is now traversable in a matter of a day or two. What else is there left to really see that hasn’t been seen?” Summer looked thoughtfully at Quick Study and then she scanned around the dance club. “You would call all this,” she said with a motion of her hooves, “dull and boring?” “Well, not so much in those words…” sighed Cliffhanger. “More like…” “Monotonous and unchanging?” suggested Quick Study. “That’s even worse Quick.” Summer tittered for a moment before clearing her throat. “You know, what you describe reminds me of a sultan I met in Saddle Arabia.” Both of her table mate’s eyes shot up at that and she took it as a cue to continue. “He had spent so much of his wealth maintaining this lavish garden of his, but he was never satisfied with how it looked. Every time he would come out he’d have the gardeners rearrange the flowers positions, move a tree, and even once divert a whole river in the opposite direction.” “Pretty soon his demands became more and more lavish, and his funds started to dwindle. He confided in me one night, saying that he just wished to see something new for once. Every day he walked the same path, and saw the same plants, but nothing felt fresh and alive to him anymore. I told him, ‘go to sleep, and in the morning, you will find what you seek’. While he slept that night, with the help of his wife and a few palace guards we moved the sleeping sultan out of the palace and into the nearby residential district. When he awoke the next day, well he was furious. He thought he was either the victim of an elaborate joke, or that he was being overthrown.” “However, that was the exact moment he decided to step outside, and what he saw, caused his mouth to hang wide open in shock. Its well known that space was always tight in his city, so much so that ponies had started making their own rooftop gardens so they could have extra food and decorations. Soon it became such a popular pastime for many residents that if you looked out from the tallest house in the district, you could see all the interconnecting roofs and the greenery that connected them. And it was this sight that had driven the sultan to silence. His palace was situated low to the ground and his garden hidden behind stone walls, but this? There was beauty growing from the top down of his very city, and he had never known.” “From then the sultan started visiting all the different gardens each week, and since the gardens changed so rapidly, and new building sprouted up, he never was given the same view twice.” Summer told them as she began to wrap up her tale, “So in the end, there are plenty of amazing things around you to see. You just might have to shift your perspective to see them.” “Wow, that was pretty c-” began Quick Study. “So, coooooool.” sighed Cliffhanger as he gazed at Summer with a dopey smile on his face. “Aw, well I’m glad you think so, that’s one of my favorites to tell. Well, that and how I dated a kelpie for awhile, now that’s a story.” Summer wistfully remembered. “Well, it will have to be a story for another time.” stated Quick Study as she got up. “Twinkle hooves here has a deadline at the end of this week, so I’d better take him home before he knocks himself out until then.” “Hey, I am perfectly-” objected Cliffhanger as his legs gave way beneath him and he was performing mouth to mouth with the floor. “Drunk off your flank is what.” quipped Quick Study as she picked up with her telekinesis. “Thanks for the story Summer, but we must be heading out.” “You are very welcome Quick, and I must be honest, I’m quite envious of him.” Summer admitted pointing to the stallion now asleep in Quick’s telekinetic grip. “You, envious?” Quick Study asked disbelievingly. “Why?” “Because he has a good friend like you looking out for him.” she smiled softly, “I’ve seen many things, but true good friends are among the rarest.” With a short wave goodbye, Summer disappeared back into the crowd of dancers to fanfare, and the dancing continued with much rejoicing. Quick Study walked out of the nightclub carrying her friend in her magic. Cliffhangers soft murmuring were ignored as the events of the evening played out in her mind again. Quick Study after some thought, decided maybe it was time to get Cliffhanger and herself back to their proper homes and get some well needed rest. She had some plans, she needed to get working on. It was a week later that Cliffhanger was laying down on his couch exhausted from writing, his hooves hadn’t felt this sore in any recollection of his life, and he nearly vowed to never touch another typewriter as long as he had lived. When at that moment, a knock came at his door. “Ugh, unless you’re giving out free pizza and ice packs, I’m not interested!” he shouted out. The door then opened in response and there stood a happy looking Quick Study with a knowing smile on her face. “Well I may not have either of those, but I did bring some stir-fry, from the Fillypino restaurant down the block.” she stated as she set down her food package on the end table in front of Cliffhanger. Quick Study took a moment to examine her friend better as tisked at what she saw, “Ah, racing to finish before another deadline again? How much did we cram this time?” “20,000 words, in six hours.” Cliffhanger lamented into the couch cushions. “Ouch, that’s a new record isn’t it?” “I want to never write another thing as long as I live.” “Oh I don’t know about that.~” Quick Study sing songed to her friend. Cliffhanger shifted his weight so he could look Quick Study right in the eyes with sheer exhaustion. “You only sound like that when you are doing something weird.” “Its not weird, just… different.” stated Quick Study as she pulled out some paperwork. “These are forms for signing up for skydiving lessons, I originally asked Soft Spoken, but she was going to be busy a few days from now. You however…” “Just got done with a major deadline and want to hurl myself into the ground at high velocity?” finished Cliffhanger, “Aw Quick, you shouldn’t have.” “Well, what are friends for, right?” she snarked in response. “Yeah, but its kinda weird, I never thought you’d want to go skydiving of all things.” Cliffhanger responded confused at his friend's recent actions. “What can I say,” replied Quick Study, “Maybe I’m just trying to see things from, a new perspective.”