//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Silent Dreamweaver // by -Brutus //------------------------------// Waking up, feeling groggy from last night’s drinking binge, Silent was successful at wasting himself away. What happened yesterday wasn't on his mind, not because him forgetting it was because of massive hungover; hurts so much to think, his head pounded. Silent groaned and rolled over in his bed. Six vodka lay empty and scattered around the room, the room was still dark. Silent didn't know what time it was when he decided to push himself out of the bed to go to the bathroom. Silent wished that he never made out of that bed when only few seconds after setting his body upright, the booze decided to smack in his stomach with a vengeance. Silent dropped on his knees, his stomach hurt too much. He hated this life and himself; though there was nothing he could to to escape this self destructive loop. Moving some more at where was, his stomach churned more, a awful taste began to snake its way up his throat; the deaf Unicorn stood and ran fast he could to the bathroom. He burst through the door and directly to the toilet, emptying his stomach into the porcelain bowl. Making it just in time when he began to throw up his stomach's contents. His body shook in paroxysm; hugging the toilet tightly like his life depended upon it to keep himself upright to ward off the stomach torture. Slowly the deaf stallion rubbed his stomach in soothing circles, it seemed to work, but when he tried to stand up his stomach rumbled when booze went ahead with second vengeance. Pain was all that went through his mind when its contents filled the bowl, and all that seemed to leave anymore was acid. Heaving hard, he managed to sprout off a single thought. I am going to put off drinking, but I don't know if it will last..heheeheheeee. Ugh... Silent rested his head on the rim of the bathtub, alone in the dark lavatory; he hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights. The deaf Unicorn's eyes wandered, barely making out objects; only able to ascertain black silhouettes in the bathroom. Having lost track of time, Silent began the process of standing up, slowly turning over carefully to be upright again, then slowly got into his stomach then knees. One hoof at time, he chuckled nervously to himself when he finally stood up. Releasing a small victory sigh when his stomach didn’t chur, not soon after he climbed inside the bathtub; slowly turning the knob to cold first. Silently he stood under there, letting the water droplets peck him endlessly. Silent began to feel better; slowly turning the knob to lukewarm then began to wash himself with complimentary hotel shampoo and soap. Silent sniffed himself, and commented upon it with inadequate pride. At least I don't smell like booze and vomit now, ha! Silent dried himself off before heading out of his room. Before he left his hotel room, he made sure to clean after himself: throwing his empty bottles into trash can, washed some of vomit off the toilet, packed his saddlebag neatly after he just dumped the contents into floor last night and hiding the saddlebag since it contained bits that his father gave to him. Locking the door behind him, then headed to hotel’s lobby. The first thing he noticed was a different receptionist than the one he met: this time it was a brown stallion. As Silent wandered closer to ask him the time, he took in more features of this earth stallion, yellow eyes and mismatching blue mane. Oh whatever, can't let myself get off track. I can see outside, though all I can see is light. I need actual time! He gently set himself to stand up on his hind legs on the counter, abstaining from certain movements to avoid the stomach pain like Silent experienced one hour earlier. The deaf Unicorn began to gesture briefly for pen and paper, the receptionist didn't understand him. He tried to speak at first, then tried to gesture something back to the deaf Unicorn, both in vain. Releasing an annoyed sigh, Silent activated his magic, snagging a pen and scrap paper and hastily writing on it. What time is it now? Also could you tell me where I could get a breakfast or lunch or dinner? I don't know where the dining room is at. The receptionist seemed annoyed that he had to go out his way to deal with this customer, Silent could tell by his facial expression when he turned over the paper. The brown stallion tapped the pen few times, looking at the time under the counter. The stallion's writing was very indolent as Silent read his reply. Around 2:00 in the afternoon is the time, walk straight down this hallway the dining room should be on the second door on the right, or was it fourth? Whatever. Silent, annoyed at the receptionist’s apathy, merely forced a smile. The deaf Unicorn turned around, set on his journey to the dining room and sprouting off few things in his mind when he found the hallway. Silent took the view in, walking through it in small strides. It was decorated with some cheap artwork, the deaf stallion took a closer look at some wood carving in the ceiling or the arcs then finally the hall was draped in blue carpet in full length. Let's see he said this hallway, ah there is the first door on the right. I see an exercise room on the left, maybe I could check it out. I so hope they make some greasy food, it's one of better hangover cures. At least my stomach isn't hurting like earlier, oh Luna! Aha, second door on the right, oh god- can't it be! Yes! A pool! I'm going to check it out quickly before my curiosity kills me. Pulling the door open with his magic, walking around moderately sized pool looking for one of his favorite things in hotels. Silent felt himself getting excited more and more as he takes a every trot closer to his destination: a bubbling hot tub, and two small rooms next to each other- one was a steaming room; the other a wooden sauna. Silent became giddy, making a mental note to return after breakfast if he was feeling well enough, to relieve his hangover. Silent Finally made his way to the dining room- it was moderately sized with few tables draped in simple white cloth. Scoping out the dining lodge further the deaf Unicorn could make out a self-serve table with various food arrayed upon it. Everything from hay, fried hays, grass, flowers and wheats with few fruits assorted. On the other table, there was drinks- water, fruit juice, vegetable juice and coffee. Out of the corner of his eye, a hotel employee came up from side, saying something. Once again Silent went through the usual gesture of that he didn't understand, the employee gave yet another look of pity. Silent's eye twitched before examining this employee- her coat was light green, her splurged mane was in light brown with her purple eyes examining him in return. Silent began smiling politely, pushing himself to not show his true feelings; the deaf stallion didn't want to deal with anything right now. The light green mare turned around, walked into door that had the sign that stated “Employee Only”- coming out only a few seconds after with paper and pen in her mouth, she set it down first to restate what she had said earlier. Silent looked over the paper on the floor as she wrote. Hello there! Could I please have your name so I could check if you're on the list on paid meal plan. If you are, then you may can just go ahead and eat all you want. Silent's attitude toward her changed slightly because she understood his gesture earlier and was set on explaining things instead of pestering him about being deaf like most ponies do on their first encounter. The deaf unicorn held a hoof out, asking for employee's paper and pen which she promptly hands it over; watching white stallion promptly start working on it. Yes, you may know my name. It is Silent Dreamweaver “Silent Dreamweaver...” the mare quietly mouthed herself to take it right. She then proceeded to check the guest list, mumbling to herself as she read over few names- looking up after little while with inviting smile; nodding at Silent. Silent beamed at the prospect of getting some food to drown his hungover. Sprouting off his knowledge of hangover cures, as well as stomach ailments, when he arrived at food table- Silent only grabbed few things, that he deemed as remedy of his hangovers. Let's see, sleep..I'm wide awake, although I might get some if I don't feel too good. Some fruit juice and water, check! Orange juice for some vitamins, check! Take a shower- already crossed off! Some soft food, aha- warm soup. Coffee? Ain't no way I'm drinking this now, makes my hungover even worse... I learned that the hard way. I couldn’t go to the bathroom properly that day. Silent carried the tray with his magic, floating in the air above his head; keep his eyes unobstructed so he won’t run into things. He began to ravage through his meal choices. After few minutes, he was done with his meal with some leftovers- after all, he had to watch himself carefully; ensuring there will not be anymore vomiting. Silent still could feel some dull pain in his head, pounding very lightly along side his heartbeat. With a punctilious attitude, Silentclimbed off the chair then leaving the tray behind on the table as he didn't notice any disposals; figuring it was employee’s responsibility to tend after this. He left his 'mess' as neat as possible- after all, that employee deserved that much due to her quick adaptation of dealing with a deaf customer: namely himself. Buck yes! Time for that hot bubbling spa, then maybe that steam room. Silent was at least happy; getting out of his usual apathy attidute. The deaf Unicorn's mind wasn't on what had transpired over the last few days, and his need of booze was greatly suppressed along with his cloud of depression. Silent finding the exit of the dining lodge then simply walked across the hall to the pool. Silent began to prance lightly, around the pool straight to the hot spa; noticing there was nopony around. Silent felt warm, then goosebumps when the first of his hooves dipped into the lukewarm bubbling water. Slowly he sank until the water was level to his head- closing his eyes and letting the water take control of his body, his pain seeping away through the soothing waves. After spending about half of the hour relaxing, Silent made a decision to hop into steam room next. The deaf stallion got out hurriedly when the cold air struck him full force. With haste he trotted over to steam room- throwing open the door then slamming it closed; shivering from the sudden onslaught of cold air. Emitting out a sigh of relief when he was in the steam room, climbing up to one of ledge inside the steam room. Silent's horn activated in a display of green, glimmering light as he turned the knob to ON then set it to one hour. With the preparations complete, he began to drift into half-sleep state- free of worries, for now. Across Ponyville, at the tree library, Twilight was running around. Finally finding the paper that Silent and herself had used to communicate a few days ago; after reading some of them she discovered some important clue, but it wasn't much to begin with. Since Silent never actually told her, or anypony else for that matter, his actual plan she had no idea where to begin looking, and she was running out of time. Silent will be here for only two more days, today and tomorrow; he will be gone by Tuesday. Twilight sighed. I'm not exactly moving in per say, I missed my train stop at Trottingham. I apparently overslept and missed it. The train won't be running for four days so I'm stuck here until then. Twilight kept reading the paper over and over, focusing on the key word: train. If Silent isn't moving in like he said, it means he doesn't have somewhere solid to live, which comes down to two options- some sort of hotel near the train station, Twilight remembers seeing it when her friends and herself went out of the town to Canterlot some time ago to visit Princess Celestia. Another option was that Silent was sleeping somewhere outside; probably at that oak tree where I found him twice now. Twilight could hope that he was at either two aforementioned places. That name: Princess Celestia, reminded her that she sent her a letter requesting some guidance/advice from her teacher. As soon she reminded herself, Spike walked down the stairs being sleepy holding a letter. Apparently, the letter burp woke him up rather rudely. Spike sent himself back upstairs to go back to sleep. Twilight thanks him when he departed, as she hastily snatches the royal parchment with her magic- noticing there was two letters, first one was Twilight's first correspondence to Princess Celestia. Dear Princess Celestia, Recently I met this great stallion, his name is Silent Dreamweaver however when we first met, I learnt that he was deaf. Nevertheless, our first meeting went decently well, but as when Pinkie Pie threw him a party to introduce the “newcomer” to Ponyville, he didn't show up. When I found him after asking some ponies around- I saw some sort of ‘dream magic’ as I call it. I researched it and found nothing about it. When I got to know him some more, he looked so fragile and seemed to have his guard up and so restricted; refusing to tell anything more, so I thought I would be his friend! When we arrived at the party, it seemed to go well, until Rarity went...overboard with her passion of fashion- touching Silent's black turtleneck. He left when I touched his shoulder- he seemed upset; on verge of tears when I attempted to coax him. I didn't understand why, and the shock set in when I found him at same spot, he was amidst of scattered bottles; knocked out. I didn't understand why somepony would drink himself to death like that. So I chosen to carry him back to my home. More to the point, I had more interaction with him than previously today, when I invited him to dinner, along with my plan of Rarity coming up to apologize. It worked, but Silent turned on me. I attached what he have wrote, and while I understand of what I did wrong, I do not understand, however, why he doesn't acknowledge that I'm trying to help him or to befriend him. I don't know if I really tricked him or not. Please- could you give me your guidance on this? Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle Twilight discarded the letter, as she already knew what it said. What is interesting is what her mentor had to say about this, however Twilight was slightly disappointed that the letter was short. Nevertheless, Twilight began to scan the letter with her purple pupils, taking every word to the heart- reading her royal and regal hoofwriting. My Faithful Student, May I first say I apologize to hear of the situation that Rarity, Silent Dreamweaver, and you have gotten into thus far. In most ways, Silent is right- you were too obtrusive with your quest of knowledge- learning about him and his magic. If I may jest, do you like this stallion in certain way- since you are asking me for guidance on him? With my jest out of way, the best I can offer is to be his friend. Ask him out to do things, learn about him naturally and he might open up to you and tell you his secrets and what troubles him. In time, you will learn something about friendship, and I shall be expecting that letter with baited breath. Secretly, Princess Celestia Twilight sighed, setting down her mentor's letter. Her beloved mentor didn't offer much, but she was right. If she simply was told what to do, she wouldn't learn new things about friendship. Wait a second! Did Princess Celestia just joked that I liked Silent? Ugh! Now I can't get him out of my head. Twilight felt herself blushing; engrossed with her thoughts starting to wander upon the deaf Unicorn. Twilight thought he was nice, good looking if she ignored the scars that adorned his body, and his drinking. The lavender Unicorn debated with herself if she should go or not. No! She firmly decided that she would go and try to find to him, after all, when he left the opportunity of apologizing would be lost forever. Also there was the matter of her mentor’s joke- yet Twilight can’t start to push him out of her mind. With a renewed vigor within Twilight, she set out to seek him out and apologize to him, moreover if at all possible, become friends with him. The purple Unicorn actuated her horn, picking up and leaving a note for Spike explaining where she had gone and telling the baby dragon to take care of the library until then. Twilight’s horn radiated light purple, walking toward the door as her magic began surrounding the door, and upon stepping out, began heading to her first destination: Ponyville hotel. Extraordinary editor as usual! -> MrMinimii