//------------------------------// // Chapter 30 - Seasons Pass // Story: The Awakening of a Tactician // by Mountainmanmad //------------------------------// The months slowly rolled by, and before I knew it Summer had ended. Fall had begun to creep up on the Everfree, and the trees were slowly changing color. The nights were growing colder, and the animals seemed to be getting ready for the harsh winter right around the corner. For the most part, Autumn and Winter were relatively boring. I didn't get any messages from the Displaced, I wasn't bothered by the ponies, and my training regiment was still in full swing. I could only think of three instances when my clockwork routine had been disrupted. Nightmare Night Nightmare Night, AKA, Halloween, AKA, that night where kids became complete assholes. Even before coming to Equestria I never saw any reason to dress up as some super hero, walk around at night, and demand sweets from my neighbors. I, of course, got mocked by my classmates for not indulging myself during this fun holiday, but that’s besides the point. It was only later that I started dressing up as characters I liked and spent time with others such as myself who enjoyed similar hobbies. Not only that, they weren’t juvenile dicks, so it was much more enjoyable for all parties participating. Sadly, such a thing didn't exist in Equestria, so once again I'm stuck with children. Except this time I’m an adult and I’m seen as some ancient being who lives in an evil forest. It doesn’t take a genius to understand where I’m getting at. To counter the inevitable storm of children who would try to disturb me, I set up something that would both scare them away, and fit with the general theme of the holiday. Let me tell you, I don't normally use Yotsmungand, but I couldn't have thought of a better moment. I don't know what was louder: the screams of the children, the wails of the spirits, or my maniacal laughter as I watched from the front porch. I got a lot of angry letters from parents over the next week. Hearth's Warming Eve Ah Christmas, a holiday one should spend with family and friends, and give thanks to the wonderful year one had. A day dedicated to joy, happiness, and the magic of family. I absolutely hated it. I didn’t hate it because of what it represented, but because I had no-one to share it with. My family was gone, my friends were gone, I had a less than stellar year, and I was surrounded by multicolored talking ponies. Trixie seemed to sense my growing irritation and attempted to cheer me up in any way she knew how. None of it worked of course, but I still appreciated the gesture. It was the morning of Christmas when I got a big surprise. I walked out into the main room and found a small, decorated tree in the corner. Trixie was standing next to it with a smile on her face and a gift wrapped box on her back. I think my jaw might have dropped because Trixie started giggling like crazy when she saw me. That morning was one of the less shity days I had in quite some time. I felt terrible that I didn’t get anything for Trixie, but she assured me she never expected anything in return. She even went as far as to say me coming into her life was the best gift I could have given her. For the second time since the day I arrived in Equestria I found myself tearing up, and it wasn’t because of pain or sadness. Hearts and Hooves Day Valentines Day… not something I looked forward to. I wondered if some Griffon or Pony Saint named Valentine was executed on this day. Thanks to me choosing the life of a loner, I never had a girl to spend time with. I would always find myself locked away with a book, or if I needed to go out, awkwardly averting my gaze when I saw couples holding hands. One would think nothing would change since my arrival in Equestria and current residence in the Everfree forest. They would be right too, if it wasn’t for the fact that I had a mare living with me now. I could tell Trixie was as anxious about this day as myself. The week before the dreaded holiday I noticed her looking at me with anxiety, usually chewing on the inside of her cheek as well. She probably felt as awkward about the whole situation as I did. After the kindness she showed me during Christmas, I wanted to repay her in some way. That’s when I got the perfect idea. On the morning of Valentine's Day I woke up earlier than usual to avoid Trixie, and headed into town to pick up some stuff. Ponyville itself was decorated with red and pink hearts, and couples were walking through the streets with huge smiles on their faces. I noticed a few wave to me, but I tried to make it appear I didn’t notice them. What followed the waves were usually frowns and sympathy for whatever reason. If ignoring the ponies was hard enough, actually interacting with them on this day was worse. I only needed two items for my master plan before I could return home. The first was a large, stuffed, red heart that I purchased at a seasonal stall in the market. The shopkeeper seemed more astonished than afraid when he saw me, and the locals were talking to each other in hushed conversations. I got away from there as fast as I could. The next stop was at a liquor store ran by mare named Berry Punch. She was one of the first ponies to accept me, but I wasn’t sure if that was because of her carefree nature or the fact that she was sober half the time. Like the last shopkeeper, she was astonished that I had actually entered her store. I’ve made it well known I don’t do alcohol. Her astonishment soon developed into a predatory smirk, something I did not like the look of on a pony. That smirk only grew when I nervously asked for a bottle of her best wine. Said wine cost close to 150 bits, but it was worth it if it was for Trixie. I payed for the bottle and made for the door when I heard Berry call out to me from behind the counter. It was clear she was more than a little drunk, and her vocabulary showed this. I wont repeat exactly what she said, but long story short, I left the building with my cheeks ablaze. Turns out Berry was louder than I thought though. When I left the building I was mortified to find mares and stallions alike looking in my direction, jaws dropped and faces red in a mixture of lust and embarrassment. I noticed those adults with kids out had their hooves over their children’s ears. Yes, it was that bad. I don’t think I ever ran as fast as I did that day, and all just to escape the looks of the townsfolk and a single, drunken mare who I learned had exotic tastes when it came to mates. When I returned home I found Trixie in the main room, nursing a cup of coffee in her hooves. When she saw me with the stuffed heart and the bottle of wine, her jaw dropped. I don’t blame her, I’ve never done anything entertaining with the opposite sex before. Well, except for Luna, but she molested me so that doesn’t count. Before this whole thing could get even more awkward I told her of my plan. I figured she either had been with another in the past and it never worked, or this holiday in general was as awkward for her as it was for me. When I told her of my plan she seemed sad at first, but quickly brightened up. So the two of us spent the day together outside in the cool air, sitting next to each other in chairs with a fire keeping us warm. I didn’t need any wood to start the fire though, that was why I got the stuffed heart. It burnt beautifully and I found it symbolic as I watched the red fuzz turn black with heat. The alcohol wasn’t really my thing, but I found it much more enjoyable while in the company of a friend. I could tell Trixie appreciated it. She frowned as she watched the heart burn and I could tell she was thinking about something. Maybe I was right and some stallion had broken her heart in the past. It would certainly make sense if that were the case. Broken heart, finds this holiday to be awkward, and used to travel often as a showmare, most likely so she wouldn’t make new friends. I let her know of my assumptions and I soon found her smiling again. That smile only grew when I told her how much I cherish her friendship. Still, I could see the hurt behind the smile. We spent the rest of the day together drinking, laughing and sharing stories of past failed romances. She seemed to find it extremely amusing that most of my failed romances didn’t even happen past the introduction stage. Yeah, I never got to first base. I hardly got up to bat for that matter. Before long the day had passed in peace and the fire had died out, the heart little more than ash. The bottle of wine was half empty and I found myself a tad tipsy from the amount. Trixie teased me to no end about it, saying I held my alcohol worse than a mare does. I failed to come up with a decent argument, so I just pinched her horn and stumbled off to my room to sleep off the booze. I never noticed Trixie’s face heat up that night. I also never knew about the heart shaped box of chocolates she threw out the next day.