//------------------------------// // CH2: Pride and Prejudice // Story: A Stallion's Man // by Spirit Shift //------------------------------// “Alright, how do you want to do this?” Barrett hissed, his hand gripping the hatchet tightly. The Timberwolf merely growled back in response, the sound significantly more menacing coming from its mouth. Barrett glanced at the forest around him, while there was currently only one wolf in front of him, he knew that there could be others hiding in the bushes. Behind his confident exterior, Barrett was sweating bullets. Not that Barrett would say no to some actual bullets. A shotgun would do wonders right about now. His momentary lapse in concentration was apparently detected by the wolf as it quickly leapt to attack him. Barrett deftly rolled to the side and swung his hatchet up from a crouched position. The blade arched up and just barely scratched the wood on the beast's neck. This particular Timberwolf, Barrett realized, was far more agile than he gave it credit for. Deciding that he would have to get reckless, Barrett charged the wooden cur. The wolf met his charge head on, jaw opened and ready to bite his head off. In a surprise move, Barrett stabbed the handle of the hatchet down the Timberwolf’s throat, all the way to the blade. Now choking, the wolf backed away, hacking and coughing in an attempt to dislodge the intruding tool. After a few moments of being unable to breathe, the Timberwolf  unceremoniously fell to his side, pieces falling about, the green light in its eyes fading completely. Now safe for the moment Barrett let out the breath he had been holding. After he began breathing easier again he went to go pick up his tool. He looked around at the broken splinters and scattered pieces of wood. “Why do I always feel bad when I do that?” he muttered remorsefully. Turning around, Barrett moved to grab his backpack, an old handmade satchel full of all the food that he had acquired today. Deciding that he had gotten enough exercise this session he quickly waded through the bushes back to his home, wary of any other creatures that might like to inhabit this part of the forest. “I’m still surprised that there are Timberwolves in this part of Equestria,” he muttered to himself as he found the right path; a well worn groove of dirt that had been formed by countless treks through this part of the forest. “I guess they’re not specifically from the Everfree forest afterall. But I guess it makes sense considering this forest is apparently called the Sherwood forest.” Barrett let out a half hearted chuckle at his bad pun as he continued on his man-made path. Pushing through one final wall of foliage to see his home. A, more or less, run down shack that had been abandoned by a pony lumberjack some time ago. It wasn’t the best kind of home, but it had served him well so far. It’s not like he could go into the nearby city and cause panic. But in any case, it was better than a cave, and it wasn’t like he had a map or compass. In short, beggars can’t be choosers. As Barrett approached his front door, he turned around and looked around the front yard, his eyes searching the area. When he didn’t find what he was looking for, he couldn’t help but give a somber sigh. “I guess Smallfry didn’t come around today.” Shrugging, he opened his door and walked in. It was only through Barrett’s efforts to improve his living conditions, that the inside looked any better. The grass and roots that had made their way inside had been swiftly removed. The old, but still functional furniture, saw use once again. Small carvings that he had made in his boredom decorated the mantle near the fireplace. Sitting the bag down on a table, and the hatched by the door, Barrett walked over to the chair and collapsed into the seat. It only took a second for him to realize the soft warm body under him was, in fact, not the cushion in the chair. Before he could get back up, two hooves shot out and wrapped him up in a tight grip. “Hello, my consort,” a regal voice whispered in his ear. “I see that you have once more retreated to the memories of your old domicile. Has something happened to annoy you so?” Barrett’s struggles ceased as realization set into his mind. “Oh…” he said, disheartened. “I’m dreaming then.” Artemis, not getting the response he desired from having Barrett on his lap, released the human from his grip. Barrett did not hesitate in extracting himself from the foux-seat and moving a good distance away from the nighttime Prince. “So, it seems that I was correct. Prey tell, what ails you,” Artemis asked, his face no longer containing his earlier playful smirk, but rather a concerned frown. Barrett shook his head. “Nah, just having a hard time as usual. Dusk and Barb burned my place down. Frankly, I’m surprised that I’m not dreaming about kicking his ass.” “What?!” exclaimed the Prince, his eyes going wide at the mention. “Why would the student of my brother do such a thing?” Barrett shrugged, a small smirk growing on his face. “Maybe Solaris is a bad influence on him; being the Prince of the Sun and all. I’m not surprised if Dusk bursting into flame is his fault.” “Barrett Biggs, my brother would never impart that kind behavior in his student,” he said, reeling back in offense. “Artemis, I’m joking. Chill,” Barrett soothed, holding his hands out in front of him. “Anyway, I’m just a bit irritated because I have to bother AJ for a place to stay.” Artemis nodded in understanding. “I see. Then I’m sure that I could be of assistance. I will personally derive funds from my own coffers to have your home rebuilt.” “No, no, it’s fine. I was planning on going to see Dusk tomorrow-err today to make him pay me back for all the trouble he caused.” Artemis put a hoof to his chin in thought. “I see, however, that is still unacceptable behavior on his part, if not his dragoness assistant. I do implore you to strictly reprimand them both.” Barrett threw his hand up in the air. “God, thank you! Finally someone else who’s mad at them. Seriously, everyone else is acting like it’s par for the course. I don't think they realize how crazy that stallion could be sometimes?” Artemis gave a regal chuckle. “Barrett no need for the exaggeration. I have faith in my brother’s choice of students. I am sure this event is what you would call a ‘one time deal’.” “Whatever,” he said rolling his eyes. “Anyway, like I said you don’t have to do anything to Dusk or for my house. I got it taken care of.” “Very well but I insist that you let me spoil you my consort.” He began trotting closer to the human, his gaze lidded, and his voice lowering to a whisper. “I’m starting to feel like I neglect you.” “For the last time, I’m not your consort,” Barrett huffed dryly, his hand finding his forehead. Barrett flinched when he realized that Artemis was now rubbing up against his body. While normal ponies’ heads came up to just above his chest, something that was surprising considering he was fairly tall, Artemis’ head came up to his shoulder. And when he had his muzzle pointed upwards well… personal space be damned. “Well in technicality you aren’t yet. But on my crown this shall be rectified,” he declared, bringing the stallion into a one legged hug, the other regally pointing into the air dramatically. Barrett couldn’t help but chuckle at the Prince’s playfulness until he remembered what made consort a consort. It was in that instant of realization that Barrett willed with all his might to wake up. For a moment it seemed as if his efforts were meaningless. However, the effects of his willpower soon began to show as the room around them started to morph and wilt. Artemis’ flirty embrace and triumphant declaration was short lived as he glanced around the room sadly. Releasing the human, he took a few steps back. “Oh, it seems that you are awakening. Fare thee well then, my consort. Perhaps next time we meet we shall have more time to converse on less… heated matters,” Artemis let out a snortle while Barrett simply let out a loud groan. “Yeah, see ya,” he said, waving. As the world of the dream dissipated into nothing, Artemis to faded. Soon after, Barrett's found himself evaporating as his physical body stirred in the world of the living. ~~~ “Mornin, Biggs!” greeted Applejack as he heard the tell tale thumps of human feet coming down from the second floor. As Barrett stumbled his way into the room, slouched and half asleep, the smell of pancakes seemed to be the only thing that compelled the human to leave his nice and cozy room. Slumping into the kitchen chair, Barrett finally raised his head to look around. While the world without glasses was as fuzzy as ever, he could still see Grampy Smith in his usual seat at the head of the table, apparently less awake than he himself was. Apple Buck was nowhere to be seen at the moment, and Red Gala, in all her unassuming beauty, sat to his right. Sucks that she’s gay too. Barrett found himself staring at her for just a few moments longer before turning to see Applejack who was staring right at him. “You alright there, haystack?” he asked, absentmindedly tossing a pancake into the air. Barrett sat an elbow on the table and leaned his head in his hand. “Nah, just a bit tired. I’m kinda surprised you didn’t put me in the barn or something.” Grampy Smith’s eyes shot open, and his elderly bones shaking as he glared up from his chair. “The barn? Now what kinda manners have you been learnin’ there, whippersnapper?”   Barrett visibly flinched back from the sudden reaction. “I-I just mean that I didn’t know you had a guest room is all.” Applejack tossed another pancake turned to him and rose his brow. “Why would’ja go and think that? Did ya think this big ole’ house only had four rooms?” Now Barrett was fully awake and sweating awkwardly. “N-no of course not,” he answered. “So where’s Apple Buck?” “Right here!” called the colt, as he hopped down the stairs and into the chair next to Grampy Smith. Applejack proceeded to flip yet another pancake through the air and onto the plate in the middle of the table. With the stack that had formed from his efforts reaching critical height, Applejack cut the stove off and approached the table. Barrett stared at the stack, and his mind went blank. Only two senses remained, one being used to stare at the dream before him, his eyes never having seen such perfectly golden brown flapjack in all his life, Equestria or otherwise. The other was being pushed to its limit as Barrett tried his damndest to inhale all of the steam rising from it as it wafted up and attracted the man with its fragrant and delicious aroma. When Applejack slid a cut of butter on the top, Barrett nearly lost it. His eyes clouded over as the butter melted, its yellow drips sliding down over each individual pancake and coating them in its warm, salty taste. Just when he thought it was over, Applejack stepped up the game when he proceeded to pop open the top of a certain bottle. He began licking his lips in anticipation as the caramel coloured goodness exited the container, the flow staggering for just a second before allowing itself to be lowered onto the slice of heaven already there. Applejack tilted his head and began spreading the lines of syrup around before finally allowing the stream to end. When the butter and syrup started to mix, the final result may as well have been the most precious thing he had ever scene, cinnamon roll be damned. In what may as well have been slow motion to the human Applejack slid a spatula under the pancakes and began passing a few of them around the table. First to the patriarch, then to his brother, then his sister, then, finally, to Barrett himself. His eyes sparkled at the sight. His nose kicked into overdrive as he opened his nostrils as wide a possible to take in the scent of the precious pancakes in front of him. But unfortunately, a man could only admire food for so long before his stomach protests to it. Fork and knife in hand the human prepared himself for the blessing that the Apple family, bless their souls, had bestowed upon him. Just as the knife moved to cut the first slice, a half chewed pile of mush landed on the edge of his plate. His blissful fantasy shattered when his head jerked up to see the four earth ponies viciously tearing into the slabs of bread in front of them. Even Red Gala, he found, had resorted to slapping her face into her plate and begin to slurp up the food, eagerly licking up the butter and syrup, and utterly consuming everything else. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as Barrett made it out to be, but their trough-like eating habits this early in the morning was enough to persuade him to nudge his food away, his appetite suppressed for the time being. “Well, uh guys, breakfast was great. But, I really need to go see Dusk, deal with the whole fire thing once and for all,” Barrett said, eyes shifting from the eating family and the door. Apple Buck looked up, a splattering of pancake coating his face. “Aren’t you gonna finish your breakfast?” Apple Buck’s eyes seemed to grow to incomprehensible proportions as he stared at Barrett. Barrett quickly looked in a different direction. “Well, no, sorry, the pancakes are great, I mean it they are. Save them for me. I just, really need to go though, sorry,” Barrett said, a misshapen smile covering his face as he slowly stood up and inched toward the door.   AJ lifted his head from the table and gulped down his food to address the human. “Ay, partner, not that I don’t enjoy your boxers, but ya sure yer comfortable goin’ out like that.” Barrett needed no further comment as he quickly ran back upstairs. Once Barrett had left the kitchen, Applejack gave a look towards the plate of unfinished pancakes. The fact that Barrett hadn’t eaten them caused his mirthful expression to sour. “Why didn’t he eat mah pancakes?” Applejack muttered to himself. ~~~ “Well, let’s get this over with,” Barrett muttered, standing in front of the tree house. With his mind ready, he forced his considerably less ready body to reach for the handle. “Dusk,” he called as he opened the door. Luckily, the stallion was sitting in the middle of the room with a book held in his magical grip. The two stared at one another for a second before the human frowned and the stallion teleported away.   “Dusk, I’m not going to play hide and go seek with you!” he yelled into the library, completely disregarding normal conventions. “Either you face me like a man or I’m not going to speak to you ever again!” “No please!” he heard him say. Barrett tracked the source of the voice to the entrance of the kitchen and, reluctantly, the pony exited the room and walked over to face his fate. “Dusk,” he began. Dusk flinched, as if already hit. “Yes?” “You let Barb burn my house down,” he stated. “I’m sorry,” he blurted out, his eyes already tearing up. “She was just so convincing. Plus… I thought she… kind of had a point. It’d be nice if we spent more time together. I feel like you’ve been avoiding me ever since… well you know.” Barrett sighed. “You could’ve just asked. I’m not avoiding you. But when you blurt out how much you love a guy in the form of a twenty page research stack on how great we would be as a couple it kinda sends a… let’s call it a powerful message. I mean, I still read it, but some of that stuff you wrote.” Barrett shook his head. “Just wow, Dusk, wow.” “I, but, I thought it would be the quickest way. I just wanted you too see how I feel,” Dusk stammered as tears trickled down his cheeks. Dusk took a tentative step toward Barrett who stared at him, unfazed.   The human shook his head and leaned down to look the stallion in the eye. The two shared a gaze for a second, before Barrett continued. “Look, I understand your feelings. Unfortunately, I can’t reciprocate them, because, like I’ve told you and Berry, I don’t swing that way.” Dusk rubbed the tears away from his eyes. “Oh, Barrett, are you still saying that? We all know the truth. I know it's hard to accept that part of yourself. I know it was for me. But that day, when you kissed me, I found out how easy it was to give in to the love that I feel,” he confessed, blushing brightly and staring straight into Barrett’s eyes, his mouth forming a bright smile at the memory. Barrett himself stood back up, his face growing bright from the memory. He found himself looking away from Dusks gaze. “I-you- that was just. You were hurt and… I was just trying to help you.” Dusk nodded excitedly. “I know, but from what Barb told me you didn’t even hesitate. I think you do like me, more than you realise, deep down, and I just feel like I can make you see that,” he said, giving Barrett a wide, almost unsettling grin. “You sound like Berry,” Barrett groaned, taking an uneasy step back. Deciding not to pursue this topic for the billionth time, he chose to give up and retreat to his original objective. “That still doesn't excuse you from burning down my goddamn house.” “Yes, yes, I know,” Dusk gasped. “I’m still sorry though. I’ve already arranged to pay to repair all the damages. I was actually reading a few books on architecture so I can personally help remake your home.” Barrett actually smiled at the stallion. “Thanks, I suppose that’s a start. But before anything else.” His gaze sharply honed in on the purple face peaking out from the top of the staircase. “Barb!” “You better not have ratted me out you nark!” she called back, leering down at him. Barrett flashed back to the time yesterday when he did just that in his anger. “Of course not! But stop giving Dusk stupid ideas.” Barb stood at the top of the stairs stubby arms crossed. “Sure you didn’t you nark! I don’t believe you!” “Stop calling me a nark!” Barrett said, throwing his arms wide, his gaze matching Barb’s glare. “Then stop threatening to nark on me then you nark!” Barb said stomping a foot in annoyance. Barrett rolled his eyes and pointed at the dragoness. “Call me a nark one more time and I swear to whatever god ponies pray to that I will go down there and tell Elusive what you did,” he said watching as Barb looked down in horror. “I knew you were a nark!” she screamed. “Guys, guys stop yelling in the library!” Dusk yelled. “Barrett why do you keep antagonizing Barb?” “Don’t play mother with us! She’s the one who hates me.” Barrett said, folding his arms his voice dropping to an indigent whisper. “Alright then. Barb why do you hate Barrett?” Dusk asked looking back up at the spiteful dragoness. “You want me to get the list I made from the paper you gave me?” Barb said pointing back toward the room behind her.   Dusk’s face was a blank stare, an eyebrow arched in contemplation. “Is that what you used it for? Lists are not to be made in anger. They aren't tools of hate, Barb. I thought I taught you better than that,” he lectured. Barrett let out a loud groan. “Anyway! I have to go. I’ll see you two later. Dusk, thanks for apologizing and at least trying to make up for it. Barb, shove it.” Barb hissed at him in response. “Barrett!” Dusk chided. ~~~ “I can’t believe I wrote this,” Butterscotch muttered to himself, looking down at the bundle of papers on his desk. After a few more seconds a small whimper bubbled up from his throat and he shook his head. He turned to face the small white bunny chilling a few feet away. “Do you think he’ll notice?” he asked. Angelica, relaxing in her little bunny bed, looked her way and shrugged. “Oh, Angelica, I really hope today’s study date goes well. I mean, Barrett was kind enough to offer to help me,” he whimpered, pulling the apathetic bunny into a tight hug. The rabbit issued her response by promptly kicking free of the frantic stallion and crossing her arms in annoyance. “M-maybe I should start over,” he said moving to reach his desk. However, just as Butterscotch rushed to grab more papers he heard a knock from the door to his cottage. “Scotch, you here!” he heard a familiar voice call out. “Oh no,” Butterscotch gasped. Looking back and forth between the already finished manuscript and the blank sheets, Butterscotch let out a sigh of defeat, grabbed the inked sheets, and held them under his wing. “I hope he likes it…” Leaving his room, the stallion made his way to the front door and, taking a moment to compose himself, opened it. “H-hello, Barrett. Thanks for coming,” he greeted, moving back to let him in. Barrett smiled down at him. “No problem. Honestly, I’m still shocked that you write.” Butterscotch blushed and glanced away. “Well I have to have some hobbies.” “I was under the impression that you were just rich,” he muttered sarcastically. “Oh… no. I’m sorry to disappoint you?” the stallion said, looking downcast. “Nevermind,” Barrett chuckled, rubbing the top of Butterscotch’s mane and cheering him up. “So, what story did you want my opinion on?” he asked, looking around the cottage. Butterscotch nervously shuffled for a moment before reaching his head under his wing. He came back up with the stack of papers held in his mouth. Handing them over, Barrett took a glance at the top of the page. “‘Bittersweet’ huh. Interesting name. I like it,” he said, his praise causing Butterscotch to shrink down. “What’s it about?” Butterscotch weakly raised a hoof and pointed to the paper. “T-the first sheet has the synopsis and… plot information.” “Cool, lets see. ‘This is the story of Colt Steel the human, a strange creature who’s found his way into Equestria from another world. However, upon realizing that they are stuck there they fall into a deep depression. This is the story about the human going through the long-suffering pain of being an endangered species, and the agonizing discomfort of being alone. The fact that, every day they deal with the feeling that at any moment they could fall sick with no way for the pony medications to help out. However, when a pony by the name of Butterfly develops feelings for the creature, Colt Steel may find out that they might not be as alone as they thought.’’” Barrett nodded, a smile growing on his face. “I like the premise, but… Colt Steel?” he snickered. “Really?” Butterscotch fiddled with his hooves. “Well I don’t know any human naming conventions. So I just…” “No, I get it. Like I said it’s an interesting concept. What’s Colt Steel like?” Butterscotch’s breathing became a bit shaky as he began to recite the description from memory. “He’s a tall strong human. With rippling bronze pectorals that glimmer in the sun’s rays.” “His powerful biceps that could rend mountains asunder yet has a touch so soft it could calm the mightiest of dragons.” He stopped for a second to sigh softly and, looked up at Barrett, continued. “A beautiful well chiseled jaw with statuesque features, and a long lustrous black mane. And, at night, the moonlight would sheen off from it’s luscious locks.” Butterscotch gave a second, heavenly sigh. “And he had the most big…. thick… long… hairy…” “Stop!” Barrett said, interrupting Butterscotch from his description. “I get what he looks like. I do not need to know what’s in his pants.” “I was… just talking about his legs.” Butterscotch said. “I-I’m sorry… I’m really sensitive about legs. I think they’re important.” “Why… why would you think that?” Barrett said, exasperated. Butterscotch’s face exploded, causing him to only shrunk down more, even going so far as to wrapt his long tail around himself. Barrett shook his head. “Nevermind, what else is there before I start commenting.” Coming up from behind his tail, face still flushed, Butterscotch cleared his throat and continued. “Um… he’s sort of a gentle giant-type character with a big heart. But everypony gets really scared when they see him and that contributes to his feeling of loneliness. He starts to hide himself away and even begins to hide his true self. They don’t see that there are ponies who do care about him… especially one pony in particular,” as Butterscotch continued his description, his voice becoming softer and softer. Barrett, having closed his eyes to better envision the character in question, nodded sluggishly. When Butterscotch seemed to finish, he let out a small yawn and looked down at him. The stallion's eyes were wide and fearful, as if he were expecting the human to rip apart all that he had worked so hard on. Barrett cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. “Well as for the personality. I think he’s fairly relatable and believable character. The fact that all of the other creatures exclude him from their social circles would make them very lonely. Personally, I would enjoy the solitude, but that's neither here nor there.” Butterscotch’s expression brightened, his smile growing from the admiration he was receiving. “However…” Barrett continued. The stallion flinched back from the horrid word. “I’m not an expert on literature, but don’t you think the physical description is a little bit much?” Barrett took another look at the sheet. “I mean, ‘powerful biceps that could rend mountains asunder yet had a touch so soft it could calm the mightiest of dragons?’ Is that really very realistic?” Butterscotch’s eyes began to water slightly and he started fumbling with his words. “You… I-I just wanted to capture how I feel about the character. I only… wanted to make sure the readers know exactly how to imagine him. Humans aren't exactly common knowledge.” Barrett let out a loud yawn and moved to sit down on one of Butterscotch’s nearby chairs. “Yeah, I understand that, but if you need a realistic image you could just use me. I mean as long as his personality is different I don’t think… that… Scotch are you alright?” Butterscotch’s eyes, now the size of plates sparkled like diamonds from the human’s words. “R-really?” he breathed, stepping closer to him. “Y-you’ll let me use you in my story?” Barrett leaned back in his chair, slightly thrown off by the sudden excitement radiating off of the pony in front of him. “Sure… I don’t mind being used as a physical subject. If you have absolutely nothing else to use. Or I could describe another human for you--” “No!” Scotch blurted out. Rearing up on the seat to meet his eyes directly. When he realized how close he was, the stallion quickly backed off. “I-I mean that you don’t have to go through that trouble. It’ll be much easier to just use the body type that’s in front of me, if that’s alright.” “Sweet, I uh,” Barrett let and even larger yawn. “Ah, I’m sorry Scotch. I don’t think last night's sleep really counted. They never do when he’s in them.” “He,” asked Butterscotch, tilting his head. “He who?” Barrett reclined in the chair, his body relaxing, his eyes fluttering as he spoke. “Artemis. He shows up sometimes and we talk. Though it seems to wear me out more than actual talks with him, go figure.” “If… if it’s alright with you I don’t mind if you take a nap. It’s still pretty early afterall.” Like usual, Barrett didn’t need to be told twice. Before Butterscotch even finished his sentence, he began to hear soft snores coming from the man sitting in the chair across from him. With his head leaning on his shoulder, his glasses askew, and the peaceful expression on his face Butterscotch found that he couldn’t stop staring at him. Butterscotch, an ardent look in his eye, slowly made his way closer to the human. Quietly, he flew up and removed the pair of glasses from his face and set them down on the table. Afterwards, he turned his attention back to Barrett. With a moment of hesitation, the pegasus leaned over, his lips only inches from the humans. His face burning, Butterscotch gave Barrett a small peck on the cheek. “Sleep well,”  he muttered, yawning. “Oh maybe I shouldn’t have stayed up all night writing either,” he muttered and gently sat next to him. He scooched up against Barrett’s side and slowly drifted off to sleep. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if I joined him.” Snuggling in, Butterscotch too began snoring, his sound joining Barrett’s as the two sat together, sleeping blissfully. After a few minutes, Barrett’s eyes fluttered open. Sluggishly, he felt around his face with his hand. “My glasses?”  he muttered. Confused, he glanced around and found them on the nearby table. Without thinking he began to move to retrieve them until he noticed the four foot tall ball of fuzz snuggled up in the chair next to him. It was then that his sleep-addled brain started working again. “Butterscotch?!” Instinctively, he tried to move away, only for the pony to reach his hooves over and cuddled closer to the alarmed human. Barrett looked down at the slumbering visage of the stallion next to him and he found himself smiling and relaxing into the pony’s grip. “I swear,” he muttered, smiling down at the snoring pegasus. Relaxing further, Barrett put an arm around his companion and decided to go back to sleep. “If he were any cuter I might actually…” “Hey, Scotch are you here!” Barrett’s head snapped up towards the door and the pony knocking on it. “Blitz?” he muttered, confused. Blitz knocked a few more times on the door. “Hey, Elusive had me bring over that scarf you tore the other day. Leave it to Lucy to avoid manual labor, right?” he said laughing. “Can I come in?” Barrett nervously looked down at the stallion snuggled up to him, then back to the door. He momentarily debated removing himself from the chair to answer Blitz’s call, hoping not to fall into one of those ‘clearly a misunderstanding’ situations. However, before he could he noticed the form of the devil herself hopping up to the door. With a cheeky smirk, Angelica hopped up and pulled the door open just far enough to give Rainbow Blitz a full view of Barrett and Butterscotch together. Blitz stood frozen at the door, one hoof raised to knock. “Barrett… what are you doing?” he said, staring at the two. “Sitting in a chair with Butterscotch glued to my side,” Barrett stated. Blitz coughed into his hoof in an attempt to hide a small blush. “I can see that. My question is why you two are “glued” together?” Barrett leered at him and frowned. “You know that’s not what is happening.” “Uhuh,” Blitz took a step forward, to which Barrett squirmed in his chair. Scotch being ruffled as Barrett moved about. As the two alert mavericks squared off, Butterscotch was slowly roused from his slumber. As the world came too, Butterscotch could feel a warm entity wrapped in his arms, which had him smile in blissful ignorance. When he opened his eyes he was met with the nervous face of Barrett who was trying desperately to shake free of his grip. With each twitchy movement Scotch’s mind wandered over what could make the normally laid back human so upset. Butterscotch’s ears splayed back as he shuffled his hooves around the human, a blush soaking his cheeks and his eyes dilating in terror. “Oh no, I’m sorry.” Scotch whispered as he pulled away from the human. However, with no room on the chair, the pegasus found himself falling over the side of the chair and fell in a heap on the floor. Barrett, reacting, attempted to catch him as he fell. But now with Butterscotch looking discarded on the floor and Barrett’s hand reaching out to towards him, it looked for all the world that Barrett had unceremoniously pushed him away. “Scotch!” Blitz called, looking over at his friend. When face Barrett, who was sweating bullets by this point, Blitz snout flared and the hairs on the back of Barrett’s neck bristled. “I can’t believe you,” Blitz said, his wings spreading wide, a faint red covering his cheeks, a rabid glint in his eye. “I-I thought you were… I mean, what the hay, man?!”   A carrot stub flew through the air and collided with Barrett’s head. When he turned, he saw Angelica smirking, a stubby arm pointing at an open window beside her. In a mad dash, Barrett jumped through the window and out across the animal littered yard. Blitz only a second behind. Scotch sat puzzled as Barrett jumped through his window, Rainbow Blitz following after. “Blitz… Barrett? Oh my!”   Barret without turning back yelled as loud as he could, over the sound of wing flaps behind him. “Blitz, I swear this is a stupid mistake.”   “Then why are you running, you jerk?” Blitz said back, as the two made it out of Scotch’s property and reentered town.   Barrett continued running, Blitz easily keeping pace as the human slowly relented to his unprepared muscles. Staggering, he felt the force of two hooves jab him in the back. A hand raised Barrett slowed heaving as he neared the center of the town. “Wait, Blitz wait! I didn’t do anything,” Barrett said sputtering as he collapsed to his knees. Blitz hovered above the tired Barrett leering down at him an eyebrow raised. “A likely story, you were cuddling Scotch as he slept, then you threw him off like he was trash! What about that is doing nothing?” “I was taking a nap, he apparently joined me, I just woke up when you walked in,” Barrett said, raising his hands in surrender. “I swear I didn’t push him off.” Blitz slowly lowered himself to the ground, skeptical, but no longer furious. “Is that right?”  “Plus,” Barrett continued relieved to see the pegasus listening to reason, “Butterscotch is a guy and I’m not attracted to him like that anyway.” The two of them heard a small whimpering noise and turned around to see Butterscotch himself behind them, apparently having been following them after they left the house. The stallion began to tear up and stagger as he looked down at Barrett. “I… I…” he stammered taking a few steps back. “I’m sorry for being a guy!” he cried, running back towards his cottage. “Wait hold on!” Barrett called, reaching out to him. “Blitz… what?” Barrett turned to see Blitz staring at him, his face flushed and his eyes glistening slightly. Barrett blinked in surprise at Blitz’s response. Barrett flinched back when the pegasus’ expression soured into an intense glare, his teeth clenched in anger. “You’re…you’re an asshole you know that?!” he yelled. “Now hold on a sec!” Barrett blurted out, but it was too late, Rainbow Blitz had unfurled his wings and took flight once again. Rolling out of the way Barrett dodged his first dive bomb. Without missing a beat Barrett jumped to his feet and continued to run, wary of the death hovering just above him. Knowing that the pegasus was far faster than him Barrett did his best to gain some distance by quickly turning sharp corners and ducking in and out of alleys. To his credit, Barrett got a fair distance before his tactics failed, with the angry stallion tackling him to the ground right in the middle of the marketplace. Ponies all around turned to look at the scuffle taking place in the middle of the road as Barrett and Blitz wrestled around in the dirt. After a good bout of dirt tussling the fight ended with Blitz pinning Barrett down on the ground, his snout pressed up against Barrett's nose and their eyes locked with one anothers. Victorious, Blitz smirked. “Any last words, punk.” Before Barrett could respond, a pony near them let out a scoff. The two of them looked over to see a beautiful white coated mare with a long golden brown mane frowning at the both of them. “I know that you boys like aggressive play but could you not doing where other ponies can see you?” Blitz simply rose an eyebrow at the random mare while Barrett stumbled for words, his face roughly becoming a tomato at the sight of this curvaceous beauty. Receiving no response, the mare merely scoffed once again and trotted off in a huff. “Don’t listen to her!” yelled a light blue coated unicorn from the sidelines. “Fight! Fight! Fight!” “Crest! Don’t encourage them!” chided a brown coloured mare. “Knock his teeth out!” Crest preceded to yell. The mare next to him then proceeded to pound him upside his head. Soon enough, the entire male population in the marketplace began following Crest’s example. All of the stallions began chanting for them to start brawling as well. While the other ponies continued their ritual chanting, Barrett still had his eyes locked onto the backside of the mare walking away from the spectacle. “Who… was that?” he muttered. Unfortunately, the only answer he got when he turned to Blitz was a hoof to the face. “Ow! What the hell!” Barrett yelled. “That’s enough!” a deep voice yelled out. The circle of stallions immediately parted to reveal Applejack as he stomped into the scene. “What in tarnation are you two doin’?” “He was hugging Scotch!” Blitz announced. Applejack rose his brow skeptically. “And?” Blitz’s face flushed red. “I-I mean. I…He was sleeping with him!” AJ blinked in surprise and turned to Barrett. “Beg pardon?” All around him the crowd began muttering and chattering to themselves. Barrett eventually caught onto the topic and was quick to protest. “Hold on! It’s not what it sounds like! Blitz tell them!” Before he could continue he looked up at Blitz and saw the normally rough pegasus frowning down at him. When the two locked eyes once more and Blitz suddenly looked away. With a strong flap he dashed into the sky and out of sight. The crowd slowly dissipated and Applejack trotted over to his fallen form. “You alright there, haystack?” “I’ll live, probably,” Barrett winced, touching the swelling bruise on his face. AJ looked at Barrett’s state his face a stoic mask. “You got some splaining to do.” “I need a drink first,” Barrett muttered groggily. “Right well, I suppose it can at least wait till we get that shiner taken care of. Come on,” AJ turned and motioned for Barrett to climb onto his back. “Let’s get you home.”