//------------------------------//
// Hangin' 'Round - Lou Reed 
// Story: Extremely Loud, Intensely Bright, Drastically Tense, Exceedingly Tight 
// by h4ns 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 74: Hangin' 'Round - Lou Reed

Now was the perfect time to strike. This was the thought that now ran through the mind of the catoblepas' pawn as he measured out a cup of punch. Tonight was as fine a night as any to set their joint scheme into motion. There were many ponies here, a lot more than there had been at the Running of the Leaves. This way they would know, they would all know of the real beast they should all fear. They would no longer feel afraid of a princess who fell from grace almost a millennia ago. 

They would soon know true fear once they bore witness to Bryce turn into a enraged bull of a man. The first drought of devil's snare had been enough to drive the black ram to madness. The ram had spoken with individuals who were not there and had seen abominations which were nothing more than apple trees. Golden Eyes had his doubts such a small sample could cause any harm to the human. But when the half vial he had forced on the ram presented astonishing results he thought the contrary.

The golden-eyed stallion poked around inside his costume until he found his prize. It was a small vial. He'd made a good choice when he'd picked something to wear to keep the vial from moving about, but his suit was tight. He removed the vial from a small roll of cloth. The cloth made sure none of the vial's contents spilled onto his exposed flesh. He uncorked the vial and spilled the contents over into the cup of punch in his hoof and swirled the mixture. He did this until the contents of the cup looked to be nothing more than a sugary liquid treat.

Golden Eyes stared at the punch in his hoof with a crooked ear to ear grin. Be honest with my fillyfriend, you say? He asked in his mind. Well honesty goes both ways—if I have to be honest you have to be honest. Let's say we start with you showing everypony the savage side you try tohide from yourself. 

He swirled the cup once more to insure the contents of the vial could not be differentiated from punch. It was hard to believe a weed one could find in their backyard held such a sinister nature. A nature which could turn a softhearted mare like Miss Fluttershy into a crazed beast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Clack held up the water filled bag to meet his gaze, content with his prize. The foal could not bring himself to look away from the pair of small aquatic critters his BB had won for him. He shook the bag around, rattling the two goldfish inside.

Rocksalt shot a hoof over to Clack, and as careful as he could held the bag down on the ground. "Clack, ya can't be doin' that, now! The guy at the game said 'don't shake the bag or you'll kill'em'."

"I remember, BB, but they aren't doing anything. All they've done is swim around and eat their poop."

Dolph let out a snort. "Well what'd you expect? They're not good for anything except to pretty up the place. Other then that they're about as useful as a-" From out of the corner of his eye the Tyrian purple colt thought he saw Mina. When he turned his head to see for himself it was nothing more than a silver foil decoration.

"As useful as what?" Rocksalt asked a few seconds into Dolph's long pause, well aware of what the older colt meant to say.

"Uhh... Nothing, let's just get this over with," he said as they made their outside of town.  Their destination: the statue of the holiday's namesake.

At their arrival the foals—including Dolph—came to a stop. Before them in the center of a wide open clearing was the the mare who haunted the dreams of most of Ponyille. The mare stood with her forelegs held high as her mouth hung open to reveal the sharp white fangs she held within. 

Most of the foals stood stupefied at the sight of her, more so because the mare looked as if she were a real life pony. They could each swear her mane flowed in a soft breeze, one none of them felt.

This time it was Dolph's turn to break the silence. "Well, there she is. Now go on and waste your candy so Bern and I can get on with our night," he stated, not trying to hide his agitation.

"Why you gotta say it like that?" Rocksalt demanded. "We're not wastin' our candy, we're doin' it so Nightmare Moon doesn't come and eat us."

"Oh, and who told you that, your mommy? Nightmare Moon's an old mare's tale. She was made up hundreds of years ago to frighten little morons into obeying their parents."

"If that's so then why do we give up our candy and dress up, smarty pants?"

"Because, like, a hundred years ago the candy companies wanted to make more money. So they came up with this bull about 'Nightmare Moon's gonna get you. But wait, not if you give her candy, because then she'll be too full.' And it's the same with the costumes; just more bull on a big crap of lies.

"Th- That's not true, Dolph," Clack wailed, "Nightmare Moon is real. Sh- She's ri- right there..." He indicated with a shaky hoof.

Dolph gave the mare a blank, unimpressed stare. "Oh, p-lease. Mayor Mare just went over budget of the effects. I mean, why of all places would a cannibalistic princess be in a po'dump town like this? I mean, there are foals in worse places like Detrot, or the ghettos of Manehatten."

When this sent a shiver through the young foal a small smirk spread across Dolph's mouth. "Then again why wouldn't Nightmare Moon come here? I mean, this place is safe for the most part. There's no crime, hasn't been a murder in forever. I'd find it weird if she didn't come around to sink her teeth into a small, tender, 4 year old foal." Dolph had to hold back his excitement when he saw the foal shrink back into Rocksalt. "Now get on over there, dump your crud and let's go!" The older colt stated, almost to the point of yelling.

This outburst caused Almond to crouch down behind her sister. Clack sought refuge as far beneath Rocksalt as his cardboard robot costume could allow. Bern, though doubtful of his friend's claims was shaken up by Dolph's rant.

Rocksalt wrapped a foreleg around the bright yellow colt. "Clack, come on now. He didn't mean it. It's just a statue."

"I don't wanna go, BB!"

"Clack, it's fine, Ah promise." It was clear Clack had no intention of coming out from under his BB. Rocksalt shot the teenage colt before him a glare. "You're nothin' but a jerk, ya know that!"

Dolph blew a raspberry. "Like I care. Now get it over with, I got stuff to do."

Rocksalt continued to glare. "Ya know what, if you're so great you go and do it!" This got the attention of everypony present.

"The hay you say!?"

"Ya heard me. If you're so great you go ahead and take the candy. Unless you're chicken."

Dolph narrowed his eyes at the dull brown colt. "What was that, little boy?"

Rocksalt narrowed his eyes in turn. "Ah didn't stutter," he stated through gritted teeth.

It wasn't long after Dolph let out a snort. "Scared? You wish." A smile again crept across his face. "But if I'm gonna do it I'll need some incentive." He looked down to the candy before he turned his attention again to Rocksalt. "If I take it I'm taking a big cut for myself. His eyes looked down towards Clack. "Enough to leave Nightmare Moon hungry for something more to her liking."

Clack gave a shudder, prompting Rocksalt to hold the foal tighter in his foreleg.

"Fine, yer on," Rocksalt stated, drawing Dolph's attention back to him. "But just to prove you ain't chicken how about you put a piece of candy right in her mouth?"

"That's it, just one piece of candy in her mouth?" The thuggish colt took the foals' bags of candy in his mouth. "You're as dumb as ya look! I'll do three just to prove my point."

Dolph turned his back on the foals. He made sure to sling back a bit of loose dirt onto the foals as he pranced toward the mare. As he came closer and closer to the mare he thought he saw the mare's eyes roll downward at his approach. It took him a while but he came up with an explanation: it was a trick of the eye. He'd seen it in an art book once. When painted a certain way the eyes of a painting would give an illusion of the kind the mare gave to him now. It worked in sculpture, as well. He had to admit Mayor Mare may have gone over budget on such a cheap gag, but it was money well spent.

When he reached the mare he lowered his head and placed the bags of sweets on the ground. He rummaged around inside one of the bags until he found a small hard candy. He unwrapped the candy and looked back to the foals at the edge of the clearing. "Welp, here I go. Number one," he said as he stood on his hind legs to place the candy in the mare's open mouth.

Rocksalt felt Clack nudge him in his chest. "Clack, not-?" He stopped when the bright yellow foal whispered something into his ear.

By then Dolph held a second unwrapped candy and placed it inside the mare's unhinged maw. "Number two!"

When Rocksalt saw what Clack had made known and squinted at the object. "What is...? Is that...?"

A smirk spread across Dolph's face as he unwrapped the third and final piece of hard candy. He stood up to place it in the mare's mouth. "And this makes number- AHHH, SHE'S BITING ME!!!" He shouted. He cried out in pain for a full thirty seconds as three of the five foals behind him screamed in alarm.

When he finished his prank Dolph dropped the candy inside the mare's mouth. He turned back and laughed. "Ha, got ya!" None of the foals replied back. "What's wrong, did I scare you dumb?" Again no response. Bern and Pecan were still recovering from their initial fright. Almond had yet to recover from Dolph's original story. As for Rocksalt and Clack the way their mouths hung open told Dolph he scared them into a metaphorical coma.

Not wanting to waste any more time Dolph began to trot back. He made it halfway before he remembered he forget his cut of the candy. When he reached the bags he felt something sticky drop on top of his head. He brought the object down to meet his gaze. It was one of the pieces of candy he'd placed inside the mare's open mouth.

Well, don't want it said I didn't go through with it, he thought to himself. Dolph took the candy in his hoof. As he stood up to place it in the mare's mouth he spotted something off on the edge of the clearing. It was the start of what what would turn into the most nerve ripping day of his entire life.

In the time it took him to see the statue of Nightmare Moon he came to three realizations.

The first was the absence of candy. Not the candy in the bags he himself had brought over but of any extra candy bags. These sat in front of the Nightmare Moon statue—the real statue.

The second was a wet feeling in his upraised hoof. He knew from personal experience how candy became sticky when one sucked on it and the piece he in his hoof was a fine example.

The final realization was a literal shot to the face: hot, musky breath blowing in rhythm into his face.

Frozen in fear, the saliva-drenched candy dropped out of Dolph's hoof. The mare before him closed her open mouth into a fanged grin. One last, drawn out breath blew into the Tyrian purple colt's face. The mare then made a statement which served to make the teenage colt scream in bloody murder to this day.

"Fresh foal..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Bryce popped open the front casing of his watch. Almost five minutes had passed since Thunderlane went to retrieve them some punch. He didn't know where the pegasus stallion had gone but he wasn't coming back anytime soon. Bryce almost walked off when somepony asked in a snide tone, "Are you having fun, too?"

Bryce closed the casing on his watch and turned to see Bait had taken a seat against the wall next to him. "Well, I was until-"

"She was talking with some other colt, and right in front of me."

"Uh, okay... You mean Amethyst?"

"Yes, and you know why she did it, right? Just to spite me."

"Come on, she's not like that."

"Oh ho ho, that's what she wants you to think, but why else would she have done it?"

"Well, what did they talk about?"

"If you must know it was about her costume."

Bryce's face kept its typical neutral expression. "Her costume...?"

"Yes, and he was clear—quite clear on his intentions. And Amethyst did nothing but butter him up. 'It's just something I found around the house.' 'I think it's a little much, don't you?' And how could I forget 'watch where you're looking, mister, my eyes are up here'!"

Bryce furrowed his brow. "And that last one was bad because...?"

"Because I should be the only one who sees her that way."

There was silence between them for a moment before Bryce bent down to Bait's level. "I think I see the problem now. Look me in the eyes."

"What?"

"Look me...in the eyes..." Bait did as Bryce asked. For a few seconds Bryce said nothing as he looked into Bait's eyes. "You're eyes are really red," he said in a carefree tone.

Bait narrowed his eyes, surprised by his friend's comment. "What...?" He asked a second time before Bryce struck the left side of his with the force of his open right hand. Before Bait could utter another word the tan colt felt a second, harder slap.

In a low tone where nobody else would hear, Bryce scolded, "You needed that. Now listen-" Bryce stopped to raise his hand to where it was over Bait's left cheek. When it was clear Bait would keep his mouth shut he continued. "Now listen, in a few minutes Amethyst is going to come through here. If she sees the way you're acting you will lose her."

"How... How do you-?"

"Shush! Now the best thing for you to do now is to walk off, get yourself a drink, and come back once you've thought this over."

"I- I can understand what you're saying, but the words... And you say-"

"D o you want Amethyst to see you acting like a jealous kid who's seen his mother talk to another child?"

"No, but I-"

"Then go do as I told you." Bait opened his mouth, which was  all Bryce needed for him to say through gritted teeth, "Do it!" Bait walked off. He only stopped when Bryce called out, "Also, if you see Thunderlane tell him to get his butt back here. I'm waiting for him. He's in a black and yellow suit, just so who know."

Bait returned a small nod to Bryce's request before he turned back. He didn't know what moved him forward but he understood Bryce's reasoning. If Amethyst were to see him fuming over such a small matter he would indeed lose the mare of his heart's desire. Bait drew in a deep breath as he tugged at the front of his bandit's sweater. The fabric was somewhat tight and it was poor insulation for the not so cool weather. A cool drink would help him now more than ever. 

It didn't take Bait long to find the punch bowl. As he poured himself a cup he caught somepony in a black and yellow bodysuit make their way down an alleyway. That must be Thunderlane, but why is he going away from Bryce?

Bait downed the punch in his cup and measured himself out a second. He then went down the same alleyway he'd seen Thunderlane take not long before. When he caught up to him the tan colt found the pegasus' back turned on him. There were two cups of punch on the ground between them. 

He would have thought Thunderlane would turn to greet him, but his attention was on the front of hiole in the neck.

It appeared to Bait as if the pegasus wanted to grab something he'd hidden inside his costume, but whatever it was wouldn't come to him easy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

For a second time Bryce opened the front casing on his watch. The clack's face showed an extra five minutes had passed since he'd talked with Bait. He bit his lower lip in frustration. He closed his watch and re-positioned his hat atop his head. Well, every time I send someone out they get themselves lost. I better go and look for myself, he thought.

He hadn't made it a whole stride when somepony called out in a rushed tone, "Bryce, wait up a second!" He caught himself as Amethyst, minus Corn and the girls, came rushing to catch him. "Bryce, you didn't see Bait come through here, did you?" She asked in the same panicked tone.

Bryce managed to get out a, "Well-"

"I think he might have gotten upset over something I had no control over. There was this perv who started hassling me in front of the girls. By the time I was able to make him stop—through means I won't discuss—I couldn't see Bait anywhere. I'm afraid he may have taken it the wrong way."

"He did come through here."

Amethyst waited a beat before saying, "And...?"

"And he...unloaded on me. Said something about a guy who was saying ugly stuff to you. He said if the girls weren't there he would have given the other guy a smack to the jaw, but he didn't want to make you mad. Well...madder."

The magenta mare let out a sigh. "He didn't say any of that, did he?"

"Well, he said it a different way, but the point's the same. He wouldn't want to make you any more upset with him than you are now." Amethyst relaxed her scowl at Bryce's words. "Yeah, I mean, you have to give him some credit. I'm sure he wanted to sock the guy for what he said, but instead he vented on me and now wants to cool down." Bryce bit his lower lip a few seconds before he continued, "I mean, he does care about you. As hurt as you were about him telling you his past I can't see him wanting to add insult to injury."

Amethyst looked into Bryce's neutral expression, then down to her hooves. "I can tell some of what you said was a lie," she began as she looked back to Bryce, "but the rest..." They stood in silence for a breath before Amethyst asked, "He was jealous, wasn't he?"

"Well, he was, but he knows you would never do something so spiteful. I mean, you're trying your best to ignore him right now, but that's the worst you would do."

"Well what would you have done? He actually admitted to crimes—and not small ones either."

"Well, he knew it would hurt you. But if someone else—even if someone like me had said something would you have just ignored him? I mean, I knew, Applejack knew, Big Mac and Granny Smith knew, but still he told you because he cares... Because he cares, for you... He cares for you."

"How can you say nice stuff about him, Bryce? You're literally forgiving the same pony who tried to kill you."

Bryce raised his hand to silence the mare. "That's where you're wrong."

"What do you mean? He almost killed you."

"And that's where you're right. He almost killed me but he was after AJ."

"Okay, semantics, but still you almost died because of what he did. And your reaction is to act like it never happened."

Bryce stopped for a minute to collect himself for what he said next. "I never said, nor did I imply it never happened. I know what happened every day and every night when I look in the mirror. The injuries he caused me will always be on my body. He could have injured my mind but I chose to let it go. I had ample opportunity to make him pay for what he did to me, but if I had I would never know how good a friend he would become. I trust him with my life. Maybe not my wallet, but my life I would bet money on he'd do what's right."

Amethyst couldn't bring herself to say anything for a few breaths. "Even if I can forgive him what makes you think I can forget."

"I never said anything about forgetting I said forgive. It takes a long time to forget. Hell, sometimes it takes generations to forget the actions of one individual. Right now my question to you is did you ever feel for Bait in ways you never felt for anyone?"

"I... Yes..."

"Do you still feel the same way for him now as you did then?"

Amethyst couldn't bring herself to say 'yes'. She returned Bryce's question with a nod.

"Then you will forgive him. I'm not saying that's how you should feel right now," Bryce refuted. "I'm saying if you do care for Bait you you'll feel the need to forgive him, in time." Bryce took in a deep breath and let it out. "Well, that's all I have to give tonight, but it's still a young one. What you should do is try and enjoy it. Not my kind of thing but if it's your's then you should enjoy it."

"I guess that's something I can agree with, but what if I run into Bait?"

"Act as if nothing happened, but if he does say something don't accuse him of anything. Otherwise, like I said, enjoy yourself."

"Okay, but what are you gonna do?"

"Wait here a few more minutes and see if Thunderlane ever comes back. If not I might head back to the farm."

At mention of the pegasus Amethyst's face cringed. "You're still hanging around him?"

"Why not?"

"I know your forgiving, Bryce, but that guy's nothing but trouble. Plus the history with you two...it's hasn't been good."

"You're starting to sound like Applejack, but I'll tell you what I told her: we made up."

Amethyst raised an eyebrow. "Made up how?"

"We just did."

"That's not an answer."

"Well, it's all I'll give."

Amethyst rolled her eyes. "Whatever, just don't say nopony warned you," she said.

"Warned him about what?" Thunderlane asked as he came up from behind the mare, who jumped at his sudden intrusion. Amethyst looked back to see the slate-grey pegasus. "Something you want to ask me? Ask it to my face."

Amethyst said nothing as she made her way past the stallion.

Thunderlane did nothing as he and Bryce watched the mare leave. Once out of sight Thunderlane turned to Bryce. "What's her problem?"

"Well, do you want the truth?"

"Let me guess, 'he's nothing but trouble'?" He offered a cup of punch to Bryce

"Right on the head," Bryce said as he took the cup.

Thunderlane blew a raspberry. "Who needs'em? Their loss if you ask me."

"Well, can you blame them? They don't know you like I do. They weren't there when you put your life on the line for your brother. And there was the incident a few weeks back at the Running of the Leaves."

"It was an accident, sue me."

"I know it was but they're convinced you did it on purpose. Hell, I don't mind I lost out on second place anyways; I hate grey. What upsets me more is they signed my last name wrong, again."

"They put 'Smiles' instead of "Smales'?"

"Yeah, and by this point I can't tell if it's on accident." Bryce shook his head. "Sometimes I hate my last name."

"Ahh, come on, it's not... It's not bad... For somepony like you... I mean, if I would've named you I'd call you Bryce Smirk." Bryce shot the pegasus one of his signature smirks. "Yeah, like that one."

Bryce shook his head. "Yeah, 'Smirk' fits me more, but I'm stuck with an Ellis Island bastardization." He looked to the cup in his hand. "Well, thanks for the drink." He lifted the cup to his mouth to take a drink, but stopped when a shrill cry pierced the air. 

It's source was a Tyrian purple colt in nothing more than his birthday suit. "She's real, she's real!" He cried. "Nightmare Moon's real!!!" This went on until the colt found the proper way through the loose crowd of ponies. His words died down little by little as he made distance between the clearing outside of town and his bed.

Suffice to say, the ordeal frightened the foals more than it did the adults. A minute later the square filled back up with eerie music, conversation and the munch of candy and sweets.

Thunderlane let out a snort. "What do you think happened with him?"

"Clever girl," Bryce said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you some other time." Bryce lifted the cup to his mouth.

"Hey, wait!" Thunderlane cried. "I mean, this took me a while to get. How about we make a toast?"

Bryce lowered his cup. "Well, if you want we can." He held out his cup between his middle finger, pointer and thumb. "Toast to what though?"

"I guess to life. I mean, to still being alive. One of those. I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for you. Rumble too. I don't know what I would do without the little dork. And Chase..." Thunderlane looked down to his drink. "I guess I should say something to her. She wanted to go and pick out costumes a couple of weeks back, but I blew her off. I don't even remember for what." He swirled his drink around. "I took Rumble for granted once and I almost lost him. I don't want that to happen with her."

"Well, be honest with her, Lane. If you care then be honest."

Thunderlane shot Bryce a glare, then pulled it back into a frown. "Yeah, I guess I should. I didn't make it far not listening to you, huh? But then I wouldn't have known what a cool little bro Rumble was and I wouldn't have Spits."

'Whoop,' the salamander called out from the golden-eyed pegasus' back.

"Yeah, you are. You are awesome." Thunderlane looked to Bryce. "I'm a little conflicted, but at least nopony died or got hurt. I'll say this, though, I've got your back. Anytime you need me I've got your back." He brought his cup forward and tapped it against Bryce's. "Cheers."

"Salute," Bryce said in agreement. 

'Whoop,' Spitfire cried to join in on the toast.

They both downed their punch in unison.

When Bryce finished he began to smack his lips. "Hmm, it tastes odd. It's a little syrupy."

"Are you sure, because mine was fine."

Bryce sniffed his now empty cup. "Maybe just too much sugar. If that's the case Pinkie must have made it." He looked to Thunderlane. "Well, we did that. Anything else you want to do?"

"I don't know, but for starters I want to know what she wants." Thunderlane pointed a hoof behind Bryce.

Bryce looked back, and when it he met the gaze of Cocoa Buerre he felt his heart beat at an accelerated rate. The dirty look she had made it clear on which list she had his name. Her husband stood beside her, and his expression was the sameif not worse than the human's.

The cream-colored mare started to clear the distance between herself and Bryce. It took her other half a moment before he followed after. 

Bryce didn't move. "Lane, you remember when you said you had my back? Well, at least make sure she leaves me alive... Lane...?" Bryce looked to his side, and saw the pegasus had since left him. Bryce bit his lower lip in frustration. Thunderlane, you dick! He wanted to shout, but instead kept it inside his mind. 

When he looked back the slender unicorn stood no more than two yards from him. Kernal was the only pony who stood between Bryce and what the two males were certain would be a massacre. "Cocoa, listen, you can't do this. Not here of all places," Kernal stammered as he sat on his hind legs and held up both his forelegs. "That's not to say you can't, more that you shouldn't. Come, come, weren't we just having fun?"

"Kernal, leave us." She said it in such a way it sounded like a request, but her body language told anypony who saw it was anything but.

"I would, love, but- but I don't know if it would be prudent. I mean, think of the girls. The girls need-"

"Kernal," the mare said in a tone the chestnut stallion could swear his wife meant to twist his leg. "Leave us, s'il vous plaît." The three words she added to her previous statement left the nut stallion rattled.

Kernal settled himself back down on all fours. He opened his mouth to speak, taking his time to form his words into a well thought out statement. "Cocoa, please try to least be civil. He... We only wanted our tenth anniversary to be something special. If I could cook something like he did for us I would have done so, but we have trouble with scrambled eggs." He rubbed the back of his neck when the mare's eyes turned on him. "Not to say you're a bad cook, love, but to say..." Kernal hoped he'd said enough to placate his better half. In order for Cocoa to not take anything he said out of context Kernal left, repeating, "Oh dear..." as he went.

With her husband out of the way the cream-colored unicorn returned her attention to Bryce. The human was not surprised to see the mare; he knew he would have to deal with her one day. He hadn't expected it to happen in a public place. At least then she couldn't kill him or jab her horn into a place it wasn't meant to go, not with witnesses all about. Instead he thought she would resort to worse methods. Methods such as the use of words so vulgar no one would suspect they existed in any language, living or dead.

All the mare said next, however, were three simple words, "So, you cook."

What she said was not a question but a statement of fact

"I can," was the most Bryce could think to say back.

"And you cooked for me, no?"

This time she had asked him a question. "Ye- No, I didn't cook for- I cooked but-"

"Did you or didn't you?"

Bryce swallowed to clear his mouth. "I did cook, but I did it for everyone. Your whole family, I mean."

Cocoa fell silent before she asked a sole, "Why?"

"Why?"

"Yes, Why?"

"Uh... I... I did it because he asked me. Because your husband asked me."

"Is that the only reason? Did not Amande et Pécan ask you for help?"

"No, they- They needed my help but their dad- Their dad asked me. Asked me to help them cook."

"Okay, and what about zee—merde, comment vous dites... The wood-picture, was zat also you?"

"My wood carving? Well, I did that, too."

"Okay, and who asked you to make this 'wood carving'?" Cocoa asked, struggling to repeat the word Bryce said.

"No one. I only did it to make your anniversary..." Bryce swallowed the saliva which had accumulated inside his mouth. "To make your anniversary memorable. It was a gift." It was hard enough for Bryce to hear Cocoa, let alone himself over the sound of his own heartbeat. The muscle felt as if it would burst inside his chest. "It was a gift for your husband to give to you. I mean, it's five anniversaries too late but I thought it would be better than anything made of tin. There's nothing good in tin. Unless you wanted a tin can of water chestnuts, but those aren't-"

"Arrêtez!" The mare exclaimed. "Stop it! Stop what you are doing!"

"I... I'm sorry, I know that was terrible."

"Zat's not it. I am telling you to stop because you are nervous."

"Nervous, yeah. I mean, you're here to yell at me... Aren't you?"

"I am about to because you are... You are upsetting yourself over nothing." Cocoa drew in a deep breath. "I have been looking for you everyday since my anniversary, and now zat I have found you I would like to say thank you."

What the mare said helped to slow Bryce's heart, if only by a few beats. "Thank you?" He asked her as if she were speaking another language.

"Is zat not how you say it? Does it not have the same meaning as merci? Bah, ce langage est dur comme de la baise à comprendre!"

"No, that's not what I meant," Bryce explained as he stifled a laugh. "It's just a big load off. I thought from the way you looked at me you wanted me dead."

"Hmm, well I thought on it."

"Wait, you wanted to?"

Cocoa dispel these assertions with a wave of her hoof. "Non! Well...a few times I thoughts about it, but zat was only after what happened with Pécan...for zee most part."

"Oh... Well, I'm sorry about what happened that day, I really am."

"It is alright now. I can only thank Celestia she was not hurt. Though zere are times I wish she would... Ahh, Mais que peut-on faire? But now zat I have you I have something I want to ask, and I hope your answer is yes."

"Well, let me hear the question first, then I'll decide."

"Yes, okay. Would you—and please say yes—be kind enough to teach me?" The creamy mare asked with a wide toothed grin.

"Teach you what?"

"How to cook."

"Teach you how to cook?"

"Yes, to cook," she said, her smile now almost begging the human to comply.

"You want me to teach you how to cook?"

"Yes, yes, a des milliers de fois yes! And my girls, as well, if it is not too much to ask."

If Cocoa's face wasn't about to burst with excitement he would have taken it for a joke at his expense. 

"Did the girls enjoy my help that much?"

"Yes. They will not stop asking their papa and moi if I would have you over to help make supper. I only ask you not for them but for myself. Won't you please, please say yes?!"

Bryce held a smirk as he shook his head. "Okay, but only if you stop begging. I'll help you."

"AHH, MERCI!!!" Cocoa cried out before she took one of Bryce's hands in her fore hooves and began to kiss them. "Oh, thank you. Cela signifie le monde a moi et a eux!!!" She said before she grabbed Bryce's waist in a big hug.

"Yes, I'll do it, but next you have to let go of me, and now."

"Oh, sorry. I do not know what came-"

Bryce raised his hand. "It's fine. Just tell the girls when you see them. I have a few projects to finish but I should be free Saturday morning, if that works for you. I'll teach you the basic essentials, since you seem to have a hard time with scrambled eggs."

"Yes, it will do," Cocoa said back, oblivious to his comment about scrambled eggs. "Oh, thank you again, Bryce!" She said before she ran off to find her husband and daughters.

As Bryce watched the cream-colored mare run off he couldn't help but to smile. As he walked through the town he held his smile, not once releasing it. He walked until he came to a bench on a less populated part of town.

He hadn't sat down for a full thirty seconds before he heard a familiar, "Hey, you!" The Nightmare Moon-dressed mare took the open seat next to the human. "So, did you see that little twerp after I scared'm? Boy, if this doesn't make him straighten up I don't know what will."

"Yeah, that was something."

Mina shot the human a puzzled look. "There's something wrong with this picture."

"What?"

Mina narrowed her eyes. "I see it, right there," she said, a hoof pointed to his lips. "That's what's wrong."

"Why, is there something on my mouth?"

"No, it's not on your mouth it is your mouth. You've never smiled. I've never even see you smile, anyway."

"Am I smiling? I didn't notice," he replied as he continued to smile.

Mina and Bryce sat in silence for a moment before the former couldn't bear to be out of the loop. "Alright, spill it. What happened to make the Blank Slate Bryce I used to know turn into...this."

"Well, you remember a few weeks back when I helped the twins make dinner?"

"Uh huh."

"Well... Do you know the whole story between me and their family?"

"You mean with the twins' mother? When you almost killed one of'em and her mother wanted to shove her horn where the sun don't shine? Yeah, I know; I was there."

"Well, their mother approached me a few minutes ago. I was sure she wanted to berate me again for what I did months ago, but she didn't. She asked me if I'd teach her and the twins how to cook. And I said yes."

"Really, well that sounds like fun. I just hope her hubby has something good to show at his stall. I've had a few of the things she's made and I want to puke afterwards."

"I know, but she tries."

"Yeah, I'm sure, but now it'll get better. With you as a teacher I'm sure they'll learn."

"I don't know. I've never thought of myself as a teacher, Mina. The only real reason I agreed was so she would let me see the girls."

"Come on, don't be so down on yourself. Hay, you helped Rocksalt with his math, and he seems to be doing great."

"Yeah, but I don't know about cooking. What if I cause their house to burn down, or one of them gets food poisoning, then where will they be?"

"Don't think about stuff like that. I've seen the way you act in a crisis situation. If a fire starts you'll know how to put it out. And if you poison anypony you'll just give'em a douse of your life force, right?"

"You're right, I would do those things, but... I'm glad I'll see the girls again without feeling like I did something wrong."

"That's the spirit," Mina declared with a punch to Bryce's shoulder. "Bet you really fit in now, don't ya?" Bryce said nothing as he returned a bigger smile than before. "Yep, that confirms it: a smile does not look good on you. You look more like a serial killer than somepony to entertain the foals."

"Serial killer you say?" Bryce asked with a smirk. "Then tell me what you think of this?" Bryce looked the mare in the face. He parted his lips to show all his teeth as he grinned from ear to ear. 

Mina let out a snort. "Whoa there, you better stop before somepony sees. You're sure to make it onto Equestria's Most Wanted list." Mina began to laugh.

Bryce held his smile for a few seconds before it melted away.

Mina slowed her laughter when she saw the human's face change. "Hey, what's the matter? I wasn't trying to be mean if that's what's wrong." Bryce didn't move an inch. "Helloooo," Mina droned as she waved a hoof in front of his face.

A split second later the human shook with a jolt. It was enough to scare the mare and make her fall to the ground. She held a hoof up to her chest as she struggled to catch her breath. "Hey, what gives, Bryce?! Like to scare me to death!"

"Wha... What did I do?"

"What do you mean 'what'? You didn't say anything for like a minute."

"I did...?" He held his hand up to his neck.

"Yeah, you did. You made me worry for a cheap scare, that so not like you." When Bryce began to look worried the mare took on a serious tone. "Bryce, what's wrong?"

"My heart's beating fast."

Mina jumped up, placed a hoof against his neck and counted to twenty seconds whilst she counted the number of beats. The result was not a good one: at least 150 beats per minute if her math was right. He felt warm to the touch. "Celestia, you weren't kidding. Should I go and get somepony?"

Bryce could see the mare's mouth move, but she sounded miles away.

"Bryce...! BRYCE!!!" Mina screamed, but the human did not respond. Mina didn't feel she should leave him, but what other choice did she have. "Look, I don't know if you can hear me, but you stay here!" She indicated with her hooves. Without another word the mare ran into town.

Bryce understood and sat plastered to his seat. He looked up to the moon above him. It had never seemed as bright as it was now. The light which reflected off the moon's surface was like needles forced into his eye sockets. Before the pain became too much for him to bear he pressed his hands over his eyes and fell across the bench.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

There were huge creatures all around him. Their features were shrouded in shadow but they were humanoid in shape. Their appendages were as thick as tree trunks. 

They made their way through Ponyville, and not a single stallion or mare, colt or filly took note of them. Bryce couldn't understand it. They were there and yet everypony treated them like air. 

The huge creatures had done nothing to the ponies below them, not yet anyway. Bryce didn't know how but he knew—he knew these large creatures were malevolent, and he had to stop them.

With a thought a nearby cauldron floated in the air, and with another the cauldron went flying.  The cauldron flew through the air, hit one of the dark apparitions and slammed into the side of a building. The crash sent building materials everywhere.

By then the pony population noticed something was not right. They looked at the dark giant near the opening of a small shop but stood in silence.

Bryce couldn't believe they still did nothing. Were they blind or stupid?! The large monster bent down to grab a mare in a black and red ladybug outfit. Bryce would have none of this. These bastards were not to harm a single living being, not if he could help it.

He ran forward. "Run, get out of here," he yelled to anypony who would listen. And listen they did as a plastic tombstone landed in the gut of the dark being.

The citizens of Ponyville screamed as they ran off into the night; they didn't want to be in the middle of the human's frenzy. The entire time said human fought off the creatures with whatever was available. He flung about pumpkins in volleys. He used strings of lights as lassos and whips. Anything not moving on its own accord or equine in shape he turned into a weapon. It proved pointless soon after. The tall creatures continued to stand no matter what he brought against them. But Bryce was like a man possessed and he fought on, up and down the streets.

When he would find a pony he'd shout at them, telling them to run from the monsters, and they listened to him out of fear for their lives.

Then before he knew it a new creature appeared, one not cloaked in darkness. It was a lion. It roared once it had the human in its sights. It charged at full throttle, teeth bared; this feline meant to rip him to shreds. It was a formidable opponent in a hand-to-hand fight, he was sure, but Bryce never allowed it a chance. With a telekinetic swipe Bryce swept the lion into the side of a wall rendering it unconscious.

With the lion taken care of Bryce continued to hurl anything he could grab hold of with his mental hands into the darkness of the giants. The immediate area around him was in shambles. By the time the last of the shadowy monstrosities disappeared the area was like a warzone.

When Bryce stopped he noticed the damage he'd caused. He also noticed the shadowy figures were nowhere in sight. It was as if they'd dissipated into thin air, or into smoke. From behind him a voice called, "Bryce!"

He turned, and came face to face with a figure wrapped in smoke he had not seen in months. His dark grey eyes starred into the orange glowing embers of the black foal. Since their last meeting it had grown to the full height of a mature pony and its form was more definite. "You... You again?!" He shouted. "What do you want now?!"

"I want you to stop this nonsense!" It shouted back. 

"Why, so you can steal my life force? Dream on!" Bryce took a second to laugh at his own terrible joke. "If you want it you come and take it yourself, you smoky bastard!"

"Smokey bastard...? What are you...? Oh!"

"Oh what!?"

"Oh, as in oh, you're dreaming," the black foal said.

"You don't say!"

In response, the black foal galloped away.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?!" The black foal said nothing back. Bryce gritted his teeth. "You get back here, you son of a bitch! I let you live and this is how you come back after so long?! I'm gonna do what I should have done before!!!" Bryce yelled out to the smoke-weaved pony as he ran after it.

Bryce kept the mare in sight as they made their way outside of town. They ran until Bryce chased the black foal to the bow of a river. "Well, seems you all out of track and have no place left to go," Bryce said as he inched closer to the mare. "I'd say I'd miss you, but after tonight my leniency is at an end. Any last words?"

The black foal looked to Bryce with its smoldering embers. "Please let me live. I promise I won't show my face again Oh, and don't look behind you."

Bryce presented this statement with a smirk. "You expect me to fall for something like that? What, I look back and you run off? Oh, bravo. Bravo!" He said as he clapped in spite. "Tell you what, I'll look back and I'll let you have to the count of ten. To give you a fair chance to fight back." He turned around, his back to the black foal. "One-" But he never had the chance to make it to two when a fast moving equine tackled him into the dirt.

"Ha, now it's a fight!"

"AJ, NOW! DO IT NOW!!!"

"AJ...? Wait, Rain-" Before he could say more Bryce felt the impact of a pair of hooves on the side of his head. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Bryce awoke to the buzzing of hundreds of flies. It came from all around him, and with each movement the buzzing only increased in volume. With each movement also came the sound of thrashing water. His throat was bone dry and it scratched, as if he'd been yelling for hours on end. Without a second thought he sucked in some of the liquid below him. It took him less than a second to do a spit take. The liquid tasted of cider, hard cider, but with an under-taste so vile he couldn't place its source. None of this compared to the smell. It was awful, like the inside of a septic tank. 

Bryce tried to push himself up and found it hard to do so. His muscles ached, begging him to keep his place but his dry throat won in the end. He needed something wet and clean now. After he pushed himself onto his side he felt around for anything in the empty darkness. At last he found something; hard, round and made of wood. He took a grip of either side of the object and wiggled it side-to-side. The result was the swish-swash of a liquid. Feeling around the cask he found what he expected to find: a spigot. 

He wasted no time and turned the spigot's handle on full as he positioned his mouth under the spout. The liquid was cider, but this time fresh cider. The cool liquid burned his throat as it made its way into his empty stomach but he didn't notice. 

When his lungs could no longer go without air Bryce pushed himself onto his back. He didn't bother to turn off the tap as the cider mixed with the tainted batch at the bottom of the black void. By the time he caught his second wind the last few drops of cider level with the spigot dripped out of the barrel.

"Damn it all!" He said, but the voice which escaped him sounded raspy and not like his own. He pulled on the spigot with all his might until it gave. What came out was a small trickle of sweet apple cider from the open hole. Bryce cupped his hands under the thin stream and lapped up the small amount of liquid like a dog. He had never tasted anything so refreshing and lifesaving.

With the cider gone Bryce took in his surroundings. From the edge of the darkness Bryce could see four evenly spaced vertical beams of light. He crawled over to the light. He was disappointed to find they were only large enough for him to get a fingernail through each slit. It didn't take a genius to discover the slivers of light before him were the narrow openings of a door. He began to beat his fist against the door, shouting as loud as his hoarse throat would allow. 

He did this until he felt someone grab him from behind. He kicked his leg back but met nothing but air. "Hello? Is someone there?" He asked in his raspy voice, at first thinking he would go unheard.

"Do not be afraid," a disembodied voice answered.

Bryce knew this voice from somewhere, but without a face he couldn't say the name. "Who are you?"

"I am a friend; someone who has always been with you."

"Well, friend, do you have a name?" No answer came from the darkness. "Where am I?"

"You are someplace where you are safe, for now anyway."

"Okay, and where is this safe place?" Again no answer. "What do you want?"

"I come bearing gifts." From the darkness a round object shot out and landed less than a foot from Bryce's face. In the dim light Bryce could make it out as an apple, one with mixtures of red, orange and yellow across its surface. "Take it and eat; you will need the strength it provides to make it through your stay in this place."

Bryce looked to the apple before him. His stomach, still filled with cider was not yet full. Taking the fruit in both hands he devoured the fruit, gnawing it down to its core. If the apple were poison he was a dead man, but at least he would be a dead man with a full stomach.

When Bryce finished the voice from the darkness made its presence known once more. "This was but one of my gifts to you; it was not the first and it shall not be my last."

"Wait, what other gifts? Who are you?" The room was silent. "Can't you tell me anything?"

"Yes. We will meet again, but for now you must rest."

As if through magic Bryce fell into a deep sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Applejack was unsure of herself as she, her brother and Nurse Tenderheart made their way into the orchard. For the past few days they had confined the human to one of their apple cellars; one deep within the orchard where nopony but they could find. It was part way to keep Bryce from being found by anypony, but more so he couldn't go on another blind rampage. When they reached their destination, Applejack said, "You stay out here, big brother. If something happens it'd be better for me on account of Ah'm the faster one.

The large apple stallion said nothing, not wanting to debate the issue, not under the circumstances. That, and she also spoke the truth. If something happened with the human she would be able to maneuver herself better inside the cellar than he ever could.

Applejack approached the cellar door, placed the key in the padlock and opened the door. As she did so she was met with the chorus of flies, flies irritated by the sudden intrusion of sunlight. And the smell was like nothing she'd ever smelt until now.

She drew in a deep breath and made her way inside. It didn't take her long to find the pale form of Bryce at the back of the cellar. He was hunched over. With cautious steps Applejack tiptoed over to the human and nudged him in his side. "Bryce, are you awake?" 

Bryce started to thrash about. Good, at least he wasn't dead; not yet, anyways.

Applejack nudged him again. "Bryce, wake up. Are you yourself yet?"

Bryce parted his eyes a slit, and let out a hiss as the light burned into his eyes.

Applejack, taking the human to still be in his enraged state followed her first instinct and ran for the cellar door. Before she could slam it shut and put on the padlock she heard Bryce say something.

"Would you get that damn light out of my face, Rainbow, I'll be up in a minute."

Applejack had to stop herself. It was the first legitimate sentence he'd made in almost a week. She strode onto the threshold of the cellar. "Bryce, can you hear me?" Bryce heard Applejack ask.

"What the hell is that smell?!?!?!" Was his response. He rubbed his eyes and looked ahead of him. His eyes burned from the light of the early afternoon sun. Blocking the light at the center of the doorway was the orange apple mare. His heart raced in his chest, upset at the rude awakening. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Bryce, are you alright?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah, I was fine until... Wait, where the H am I?!" As his eyes adjusted to the dark and his mind registered his surroundings he saw he was in one of the Apple family's cider cellars. Between him and Applejack there was a puddle of what must have been apple cider, due to the large quantity. Whatever else was in it filled the small earthen room with the nose hair burning rank. Around the puddle were rows of barrels, with a dozen or more laying broken or shattered across the room. 

"What am I doing in here?" Bryce questioned. He looked down at his body. Not counting a few mangled shreds of red and white cloth he was nude. "And what happened to my clothes?!"

"Bryce, come on out and we'll talk about it," Applejack 

Bryce smelt himself. "What am I covered in?" He took a deeper whiff. "Is that...? Is this mine or...?!"

"Try and stay calm, sugarcube. Come outside and we can-"

Applejack didn't have the privilege to suggest anything else. Bryce stood up, ran past the farm mare and slipped on a half dozen apple cores in various states of decay left near the door. He fell forward into the open air of the apple orchard. He crawled the rest of the way out of the cellar. 

In the open he could smell the air; the clean air. He covered his eyes and fell down to the ground because the light hurt his eyes.

As his eyes adjusted to the afternoon sun he placed his hands on top of his head and looked around. The light continued to hurt his eyes but he could take it for the moment. He was in a part of the orchard he was sure he'd never seen before. As he looked around he could see Applejack near the open cellar door. With her was Big McIntosh. Off to the side stood Nurse Tenderheart with a concerned, yet professional look on her face.

"What's going on?" Bryce asked. When asked the two Apple siblings took a small step back. Bryce didn't know who was most frightened at this point, him or the two Apple ponies. He would never think Applejack would shrink back from him. From a giant timberwolf maybe, but not him. And this went more so with the large red stallion. 

The only pony to stand their ground was Nurse Tenderheart. She took a step towards Bryce. When she moved he met her gaze. "Bryce, do you know where you are? If possible please be specific." She stated without a hint of fear in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm in the apple orchard. At Sweet Apple Acres. But what am I doing here?"

Nurse Tenderheart took another step forward and ignored his question. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes..." Bryce said in an agitated tone. "You're Nurse Tenderheart, she's Applejack," he pointed to the apple mare to prove he wasn't crazy or whatever they thought of him. Applejack response was to take a step back from his outstretched digit.  Bryce became worried as he pointed next to the apple stallion. "And he's...Big Mac."

When Bryce looked back Nurse Tenderheart was within hand's reach of him. "Good. Now what I ask you next is most important. Do you remember what happened on Nightmare Night?"

Bryce was taken back by the question. "No."

"And why is that?"

Bryce looked to the two apple ponies, then back to the blue nurse pony. They couldn't be serious, could they? "Because Nightmare Night isn't until tonight."

His response caused the nurse to shake her head. "It's as I feared."

"What is?" Bryce asked.

Nurse Tenderheart said nothing as she trotted over to Applejack and Big McIntosh. They exchanged words, words he was not able to hear. There was one phrase the nurse kept using: 'Datura stramonium'. The phrase was familiar to Bryce, but he couldn't remember from where.

Nurse Tenderheart let out a sigh before she trotted back to Bryce. "Bryce, if you can I need you to stand up and come with us to the house."

"I want to know what's going on first."

"I will explain everything, but I think it best for you to bathe and have a proper meal."

"Am I in trouble?"

Nurse Tenderheart drew in a breath, and released it. "No. You've given me more than enough evidence to prove you were not in complete of your actions a week ago."

"A week ago? What happened a week ago? What day is it?!"

"Bryce, I'm sure you have many questions, but must ask you to cooperate."

Bryce lowered his head in defeat. The sunlight was starting to hurt his eyes again. His sensitivity to bright lights was nothing new to him, but this was a new level of overstimulation. 

Bryce stood up, using a tree for support. "Okay, I'll listen. But I want to know what happened. I want to know everything."