Extremely Loud, Intensely Bright, Drastically Tense, Exceedingly Tight

by h4ns

Where Did the Party Go

Chapter 27: Where Did the Party Go

Bryce was lying on his back, staring up at the majesty of the stars that dotted the sky. They seemed to shine brighter tonight because tonight was the night of a new moon. The only other lights were the faint lights of the camp in the distance. He felt completely relaxed; not a care in the world. Right now, all that mattered was this moment right here. Both him and Sidney. They both just lied back and looked up at the stars.

"So, Bryce, do you think they know what is going on down here on Earth?"

"Who?"

"You know, 'they'. The ones who-"

"Who knows. Maybe they do, maybe they don't, but who cares? We should worry more on just getting everyone through the day." Bryce let out a sigh. "It's just getting harder and harder everyday."

"Ahh, it is, but we cannot give up hope, Bryce. We are already so few in number. If we give up-"

"I'm not saying that, Sid, I know what's at stake." They were both silent for a minute. "Sid, do you ever wish we weren't the way we are? Don't you ever wish we could be 'normal'?"

"Bryce, do not ever say that word. Normal does not-"

"It doesn't exist, I know, but you know what I mean. Don't you ever wish we could be... not like ourselves?"

Sidney sat up and gazed off into the distance. "Sometimes... But if it had not happened this way, I would never have met you."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do. You are a... nice boy, Bryce, you need to have more confidence in yourself." Sidney crawled over and gazed down at Bryce. "And quite a looker as well, or so I have heard."

Bryce smiled. "As far as you know, Sid, you're the only one I can look in the eyes because I know you can't stare back."

"Well, you know me." Sidney bent down and kissed Bryce on the lips.

Bryce smacked at Sidney and spat the taste out. "Damn it, Gorgon, you know I hate it when people do that."

"Ahh, but I am not 'people', no?" Sidney got up. "Let us get back before the others come looking for us."

Bryce quickly got up. "Yeah, it's my turn to cook, you know how much they like... my..." He caught sight of a group of flashing lights in the distance. At first he'd thought they were just stars, but they were moving too fast to be mere stars.

"What, what is wrong?"

"Sid, they found found us!"

"What?!"

Bryce grabbed Sidney's hand. "Come on, get your pack. We need to warn the others." When they reached their packs, Bryce rummaged through his own and pulled out a flare gun. Aiming it in the direction of the camp, Bryce pulled the trigger. The strobing glare that erupted from the barrel burned into his eyes. He could only hope someone would see it in time.

As his vision cleared, the world around him began to fall apart and was replaced with a hardwood floor.

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

Applejack had had enough. For the past half-hour she'd knocked on the Bryce's bedroom door to wake him up. Entering his room, Applejack found him snoozing away in his small bed. She tapped at his back with a hoof. "Come on. It's time for yuh ta get up."

His response was a mixture of inaudiable gibberish.

Applejack tapped him a second time with more force. "Get the hay up, you've already done slept through breakfast."

Bryce shifted in bed.

Applejack huffed before going to the opposite side of the bed and taking the blanket he was nestled in into her mouth. Walking back, the apple mare managed to pull him off the bed and drop him square onto the floor.

That was sufficient to wake him up. "AHH, WHAT THE FUCK!!!" Bryce wiggled himself out of his blanket and found Applejack standing over him. "WHAT THE H IS WRONG WITH YOU!?!?!?"

"Ah've been tryin ta get yuh up for a half-hour. Now come on, your breakfast's already cold."

"Why are you trying to get me up at... six-thirty?"

"Cause you've got chores ta do that're gonna take most of the day for yuh ta do."

"What, you were serious last night?"

Applejack shot a glare at him.

"Well you can go-"

Apple Bloom came in, rubbing her still drowsy eyes. "W- what's going on?"

Applejack growled, "Apple Bloom, go on back ta bed!"

"What are yuh doin ta Bryce?"

"Apple Bloom!"

A sudden shot of adrenaline awakened the filly's senses. "Applejack, don't hurt'em!"

"Ah told yuh ta go on back ta bed. Now go! Ta! Bed!!!"

"No! Ah don't want yuh ta hurt Bryce!" Apple Bloom stepped between her sister and the human.

"Ah'm not gonna hurt him, now get outta here!"

"Ah'll tell Granny on you!"

"Ah said Ah wouldn't, now get!"

"NO!!!"

Granny Smith came in to find out what all the commotion was. "What's going on in here!?"

"Granny, Applejack was gonna hit Bryce!"

"What!? AJ!?"

"A- Ah won't gonna-"

Bryce spoke up, "She was just checking to see if I was okay."

Granny Smith asked, "What's that?"

"Applejack came in while I was getting up and surprised me and I fell off the bed."

"Oh, is that so? Well are yuh okay?"

"Yeah. I've been through worse since I've been here."

Granny Smith began to laugh. "Well if you're alright then come on down. Your breakfast's already gone cold. Now come on back ta bed, Apple Bloom. You were up pretty late last night."

Both Granny Smith and Apple Bloom left Bryce's room.

Now that they were alone, Applejack looked back at Bryce. "What... The hay!?"

"This is the last time I'm doing something like that for you. I don't know what your deal is with me, but the next time it'll all be on you. Now what do you want?"

"Ah... Well for starters there's hole that need ta be dug for some apple saplings. After that you'll go out back and shear all the sheep. And Ah mean the entire flock. When yuh get done with that you come on back to the house and wash up. Any questions?"

Bryce stared daggers at the orange mare. "... What the H is your problem with me?"

"What are yuh goin on about now?"

"In the month I've been here you've been nothing but nasty to me. So I want to know. Why?"

"Do Ah really need a reason?"

"Yes, yes you do."

"Fine, if you wanna know so bad. Since you've been here Ah've been having ta worry what crazy thing you're gonna do next. Yuh nearly killed me, and Apple Bloom, nearly got mah granny hurt, gotten into a least two fights Ah know of, made my sister not listen. Above all, the thing that really ticks me the most is how much of a foal yuh are."

"Okay... So what do you want me to say?"

"You could at least apologize."

Bryce stared at Applejack for a second before smirking. "That's not going to happen."

"... What'd yuh say?"

"It doesn't matter what I say to you, or how I say it, you would never accept any apology I have to give. Most especially in the state you're in. And what the H if I do act like a child? At least I don't act like a bitch like you have."

"What's that supposed ta mean?"

"I've been attacked three times since I've been here. The second time was by 'you'. You never apologized for that. Everytime we see eachother you look at me like I'm about to pull out a knife a stab you. I may have smacked you a few times, but I feel bad about it afterwards. I highly doubt you feel even a tiniest bit of remorse. And what's this I hear about you asking everyone about me? I have secrets that are best kept to myself. There are just somethings you don't need to know about me. I've done some bad things, some really bad things, but nothing gives you the right to ask me, or anyone about that. But the thing that really 'ticks me off' is how you think you're the boss of me. I may be working here, but you don't have to treat me as some kind of slave. If you have something you want me to do, then ask. I won't feel hurt, or upset, or offended. Just talk to me like you would any other person... and ask!"

Bryce stopped to catch his breath, breathing in heavily. When he could talk again, he said, "Well, what do you have to say?'

Applejack was shaking in anger. Angry at everything Bryce had just told her. In her mind she wanted to bust him through a wall. But she simply snarled, "Get your chores done!" Applejack made her way out of the room. "How'd yuh know you were having a party?"

"At first, I didn't. But after Fluttershy told me to enjoy my party, and when I say all the lights off in the house, I put two and two together. So I hid in the barn until everyone was gone."

Applejack snorted once before saying, "Get'em done!" And walked out of the room.

This time, she was going to make sure he showed up. He wasn't going to get out of his party this time.

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

Late in the afternoon, Bryce had finally finished with all of his chores for the day. The digging had been hard, mostly because the spots he was supposed to dig were in the roughest parts of the soil. The shearing, while it had been much easier, had been very time consuming, At the same time, the wool seemed to have given him a rash over most of his arms.

When he came towards the house, he found all of the windows dark. Deciding to not take a chance, Bryce stopped at the front door and knocked a few times. When there came no answer he opened the door and walked straight inside. The house was completely void of any pony inhabitants; just as he had planned on.

Going up the stairs, Bryce quickly made his way to the bathroom and ran himself a bath. After the tub was full he turned off the taps, stripped down, and submerged himself as much as he could in the warm water. "Ahhhhhhhhh, that's it!"

He just sat there and enjoyed the relaxing feeling that went across his aching muscles.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the bathroom door.

In a feminine sing-song voice, he asked, "Who is it?"

The door opened and Applejack entered.

They both stared at eachother for a few seconds. "Well, I'm naked under the water." He waved the back's of his fingers at the apple mare. "So go away."

"What are yuh doin in here?"

"... What the H does it look like, I'm making soup a la my sweat. I'm taking a damn bath!"

"Well hurry up, everypony's waiting."

"I know ; we both agreed there would be a party. Go enjoy it."

"It's a party for you."

"I know, but I never said I would go."

Applejack sighed. "Yuh see, this is what Ah meant when yuh act like a foal."

"Oh, so it's childish to not want to go do something when you don't want to?"

"Yeah it is, you're making everypony out in the barn upset."

"Well, you're making me upset by forcing me to do something that'll cause me to freak out in front of everyone. Do you care how I feel?"

"Of course Ah don't. Now dry yourself off, get down there, and try and enjoy yourself."

"I'm not going, so you go enjoy it."

"That's not an option."

Bryce began to chuckle. "You want to know what I find funny? I've been told I have very little empathy. While that may be the case on many things, I find you have a huge lack of sympathy. So why don't you get out, leave me alone, and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out." Bryce laid his head back.

"So you're just going ta lie there and ruin Pinkie's party, again?"

"He's not the one that's ruining it, AJ."

Both Applejack and Bryce looked to find Pinkie Pie standing in the doorway. "Pinkie? Ah thought you were gonna wait and let me get him."

"I- I know, but you were taking so long, and ponies were starting to leave... Bryce, did you really not want a party?"

Bryce shook his head. "It's not that I didn't want to..."

Tears began to form in Pinkie's eyes as she looked to Applejack. "And- and you knew?"

"Look, sugarcube, Ah was only tryin ta-"

Pinkie's mane and tail suddenly deflated. Her fur took on a greyish tone. "I'm just gonna go home." The pink mare walked towards the stairs.

Applejack turned her attention back to Bryce. "Yuh see that, you just had ta go and-"

Bryce cupped his hand and slung water into Applejack's face. "No, this was mostly you." He got out of the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist. "You just go stop any more of those horse things from leaving. I'm going to talk to her about this." Bryce rushed out of the bathroom to catch the pink mare. He reached her before she could exit out the door. "Hey, Pinkie!"

Pinkie stopped and looked up as Bryce descended the stairs.

"I want us to talk about this. This had nothing to do with you, I swear. Let's just go on into the kitchen and I'll make some tea. What do you say?"

Pinkie Pie stood there a second before she walked into the kitchen. Bryce followed soon after.

As Pinkie took a seat at the table, Bryce opened up the top cabinet and reached up high for the tea canister. "Okay, as soon as I get the tea going we'll-"

"Twitchy tail."

Bryce's attention was drawn to the pink mare. "What?" The canister came loose from his grip and dropped down on his head. The lid fell off and all of its contents were spilled onto the floor. "Crap.... Well, I guess there's not going to be any tea. We still have sugarcubes, though." Bryce brought down the box of sugarcubes and placed it in front of the mare. "I'll clean this up, you just help yourself."

When Bryce returned with a broom and dust pan, he found that Pinkie had already finished off the entirety of the sugarcubes. Okay... that ain't healthy. After sweeping up the tea, Bryce leaned back on the counter. "Now, Pinkie Pie, let me just start by saying this had nothing to do with you." Pinkie didn't respond. "I just really don't like parties."

"Well why not, parties are fun. There's balloons, and cake, and pie, and dancing, and music, and... I was only trying to welcome you. I do it for every new pony."

"I know you were, but I'm the kind of person that doesn't enjoy parties. To me, they're just loud, crowded, and obnoxious. In fact, before I even got here, there was this big week-long party called Spring Break. And trust me when I say it's a nightmare compared to one I'm sure you're more accustomed to."

"What's so different about them?"

"It's nothing but a week of drunken idiots, extreme exhibitionism, and deafening music. Actually, not music, more like incomprehensive noise. The entire coastline is more or less a whole week of Hell. To me, at least."

"What's exhibitionism?"

"When you expose your body."

"What's wrong with that? Ponies usually walk around naked."

"Humans are... different."

"Why would they do that?"

"... Beads."

"Beads?"

"I don't know, I've never really been to the beach during Spring Break. But my point is I just don't like to go to parties. Plain and simple."

The room went silent. Pinkie finally responded with, "I'm sorry..."

"You don't have anything to apologize for. You were just trying to welcome me, and I only blew it for you." Bryce sighed. "I didn't show up because I don't know how to handle loud noises, or being around others. Most especially strangers." There was a pause before Bryce asked, "How important is it to you that I have a party?"

"It's really important to me... It's my special talent."

Bryce crossed his arms. "If it's really that important to you, you can throw me a party."

That seemed to perk up the party mare somewhat. "Really, are you sure?"

"Yeah, b-"

Pinkie Pie's mane and tail immediately inflated, the shine in her fur returning as well. She began to rapidly hop up and down in place. "That's so great! So I was thinking we could go and invite everypony inside from the barn. I know a few of them have already left, but the rest could still have fun. The party goodies are a little crusty, but I bet we-"

Pinkie's ranting was ended once Bryce held here down on the ground and placed his hand over her mouth. "You didn't let me finish. You can throw me a party, but I have a few conditions. Could you please only invite ponies I know. I act better around the ones I already know."

"Uh moe emmymome."

Bryce took his hand off Pinkie Pie's mouth. "What?"

"I said I know everypony."

"You probably do, but invite only the ones I give the okay on. Okay?"

"Would I be invited?"

"Hmm, let think..." He went silent for a full minute. "Sure."

"Okay, what else?"

"I want it to be on the last Tuesday of this month."

"But that's two weeks away, I can't wait for that long. The last time I had to wait that long for anything I lost a tooth. Of course I was a little filly, and it was only one of my baby teeth. And there was that time I waited a whole week so I would be first in line for the Apple family's cider. And then-"

Bryce put his hand back over her mouth. "The last Tuesday of this month. It's important to me that it's on that day. Take it or leave it."

"Mkie dokie lolie!"

Bryce took his hand away from her mouth. "Good, now there's a party that's yet to start in the barn. You know anyone who could help kick it off?"

Pinkie Pie smiled and said"Yepper pepper."

Bryce reached forward and touched her on the tip of her nose. "Of course you would. Now get out there."

Pinkie Pie hopped out of the kitchen and out the front door. "Damn it, Bryce, what the H have you just got yourself into?"

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

Later that night, most of the ponies who had remained at Pinkie's party were all ready to go home. Lyra, on the other hand, wouldn't leave until her housemate had seen the human.

"Come on, Bons, he's right inside."

"Lyra, what is it with you and these humans?"

"Bon Bon, I swear to Celestia this is for real. Just give me one last chance to prove it."

"Ugh, fine, but if there's nopony in there then you start cleaning out the attic tomorrow."

"Okay, sure. Let's go. I can't wait to see the look on your face when I prove you wrong." Lyra pranced her way to the front door of the farmhouse and started banging on the door. "BRYCE, COME ON OUT HERE!!!"

There was no response from the other side.

"BRYCE, IT'S ME, LYRA! OPEN UP!!!"

There was still no response.

Lyra was about to bang on the door a third time when Bon Bon stepped in front of her. "Lyra, that's enough. Honestly, I think you've actually convinced yourself that humans exist. I know we've been best friends for years, and that you have your own interests and hobbies, but you've taken this all too far. Now, Lyra, I'm going to tell you something I know you're not going to like hearing. Humans do not-"

The door opened from behind Bon Bon. "What is it now, Lyra, I've had a long, hard day. Now will you please... Who is this?"

Bon Bon craned her neck back towards the human. She could hardly believe her eyes. Standing there, almost twice her height, standing on its backlegs, forelegs ending in hands was the thing her housemate had been telling everypony for years was real. The cream colored mare could only let out a few words. "... exist...? Sweet Celestia!"

Bon Bon fainted right there on the Apple family's doorstep.

Comments

[damnaion]

hummm and lol

[shinikage]

it seems like this fic is located before the nightmare moon event?

[h4ns]

4196470
None of these characters existed 1000 years ago, except for Luna and:
fimfiction-static.net/images/story_images/118666.png?1374295322

I know what you meant. You are correct. I've set this story the year before episode one.

[Hawkx1]

This will be a good lesson for Pinkie to remember when Cranky comes to town