Extremely Loud, Intensely Bright, Drastically Tense, Exceedingly Tight

by h4ns

Every Party Needs a Pooper

Chapter 35: Every Party Needs a Pooper

By then the party was in full swing. Already a slight buzz was beginning to work its way into everyone present. Everyone had already had their pick at the desserts that were available, with a few taking more than could possibly be healthy.

A short while later Bryce felt it was as good a time as any to try and get his revenge on Rainbow. Slowly making his way through the room to the rainbow mare, who was currently having a conversation with Fluttershy in a corner of the room, he began to set his reverse prank in motion. His instrument of revenge was held behind his back.

At his approach both mares stopped talking to each other and turned their attention to the human. "Oh, hello, Bryce, are you enjoying your party?" Asked Fluttershy.

"Well, yeah, it's more fun than the others I've been to. By now I'd usually be in a corner somewhere missing around with a cat or dog one."

"Oh, I can understand. I've done the same myself."

"Yeah, I could imagine." Bryce turned to Rainbow. "So, Blitzkreig, about that prank you pulled on me when I was in the hospital."

"I can't really say it was my best work. It would've been 20% cooler if you hadn't woken up before I could finish."

"Maybe so, but I'm going to get you back."

The three of them went silent.

After a minute Rainbow snorted out a laugh. "Yeah right, you may be a good pranker, but there's no way you could get the best of me." A second later she took notice of something. "What's that you got behind your back?"

Bryce brought his hand forward. "This? It's a cupcake." There was a cupcake in a paper wrapper resting on the palm of his hand. On top there was a layer of white cream. "I got it off the table, but it looked better then than it does now. I don't think I can eat it." He held it out to Fluttershy. "Would you like it, Fluttershy?"

"Oh, no thank you. I couldn't eat another bite."

Bryce then offered it to Rainbow. "Do you want it then?"

"Sure, I could go for another." Rainbow quickly grabbed the cupcake and was about to bite into it. However, a thought immediately popped into her head. "Hold on a second. You didn't really think I'd fall for that, did you?"

Bryce looked puzzled. "Fall for what?"

"You really thought I wouldn't remember?'

"Remember what?"

The cyan mare continued to hold the pastry in her hoof. "Does your sister's wedding cake ring a bell?"

Bryce looked at Rainbow, then at the cupcake with white cream, then back at Rainbow. "You mean...?" Bryce held up his hands and began to laugh. "No no no no no. I didn't do that, honest."

Rainbow continued to eye him. "No way, I'm not falling for it. Take it back."

"No, I don't want it," Bryce refused.

"What wrong with it?" Fluttershy asked.

"She's refering to when I put shaving cream all over my sister's wedding cake, but I didn't put shaving cream on it."

"Yeah right; why else would you have hidden it behind your back?"

"Well, why would I have offered it to Fluttershy if it was meant for you?"

That stopped Rainbow in her tracks. After that she had nothing left to say.

Bryce bit down on his lip and looked down at the ground. "I was just trying to be nice," he said, "I know I told you I was going to get you back, but I have something much more elaborate and unneccessary planned. But now you've hurt me." He turned back around and walked away at a slow pace.

"Rainbow, you didn't have to-"

"I know, I know. I was just so sure." Taking a look across the room they both saw Bryce sitting on the floor across the room with Rarity. Looking at the cupcake still in her hoof, Rainbow decided to at least try it. Bringing it close to her mouth and giving it a quick lap she was surprised at what she tasted. "Vanilla."

"I'm sorry?"

"It's... vanilla frosting." She again looked over at Bryce. This time he and Rarity were looking in their direction. "I guess he was just trying to be nice." Taking off the wrapper Rainbow opened wide and took half of it in her mouth. She chewed on it for a second before she began to gag.

Fluttershy became frightened. "Rainbow, are you okay!?"

Coughing up the bite of cupcake Rainbow tried to catch her breath. "That jerk!" Flying across the room she landed where she'd last seen him. Unfortunately the only one she could see was Rarity, and Rainbow could see she was having a heyday over Bryce's prank. "Where is he!?"

"Why, whomever could you possibly mean?" Rarity replied while trying not to laugh.

"You know who I mean now where did he-"

Rarity cut her off. "Bryce ran upstairs."

Rainbow Dash was off again. Clearing the way to upstairs in a dash she quickly began opening and closing every door until she came to one she couldn't open.

"Hey, occupied!"

"You get out here right now!"

"I can't. I'm busy."

"Doing what?"

For a few seconds there was no response until Bryce replied, "Shaving."

Rainbow lowered her brow before hitting the door full force. She landed on the floor inside where Bryce was in the furthest corner with a grin on his face. Rainbow gritted her teeth. "You put shaving cream inside it?"

"Well, I told you I'd-" Bryce stopped when she stepped closer. "Look, I wasn't trying to be-"

Rainbow took another step closer.

"Come on, it was just a prank."

She took a flying leap forward with a foreleg brought back to strike him.

Bryce flinched, prepared for the rainbow mare to thrash him.

But it never came.

Once Bryce found the courage to crack his eyes open he saw Rainbow hovering off the floor with her hooves crossed in front of her and a sly smile on her face.

"I gotta say, I've been doing pranks almost my whole life, and I never would have seen that coming."

Bryce lowered his arms. "Well you shouldn't have underestimated me," he said with a smirk, "I've done pranks sneakier than that to people far smarter than you; and I'm not calling you an idiot."

"Yeah, well, I guess it's my turn to get you back, isn't it?"

"I look forward to it, but for now there's a party going on."

They both headed out of the bathroom. "Hey, one more thing." Rainbow said before they reached the stairs.

"What?"

"Two for flinching." She then reached up and socked Bryce twice in the shoulder.

"Ow, ow!" Bryce balled his hand into a fist prepared to hit her back but stopped himself. He shook his head and said, "If only you weren't a girl, but you are so much like a boy."

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

Bryce stood in a corner of the room with his back against the wall. It had more than an hour since he and Rainbow had returned. Since then he'd tried to make small talk with the party guests but it only lasted for a short while. Bryce had tried to keep a conversation going but each time it was either of little interest to him or the one he was conversing with had a hard time understanding what he was telling them. To him it was infuriating.

This is why Bryce was here at the moment; his back against the wall; overlooking everypony present. He knew it was a party for him, but even so he felt so distant from them all. Most of these ponies had known each other for years, some a whole lifetime. Bryce had only known a few of them for six weeks at the most. Some he grown attached to.

Regardless, in his mind he still felt different from them all; a difference that went well beyond species. Bryce wanted to tell them about himself, but there were some things that were best left out. The things he did fell comfortable about telling them he felt would be of little interst to them.

When he had revealed his interests in devices of death and torture, poisonous plants, and mythical creatures to Nurse Tenderheart it had almost been a blessing to him.

That was a leap of faith on his part. He could understand someone like her being more okay with matters of death and bloodshed, after all she was around death and sickness all day, but Bryce was scared at how well she seemed to take it. Most especially at how euphoric she'd became after mention of the brazen bull. He still remembered the day he'd revealed how his kind ate the the flesh of animals. He couldn't even imagine how anypony else would react to something like that.

Bryce was brought out of his stupor when somepony said, "Hey, are you enjoying yourself?"

Bryce jumped up, unaware somepony had been standing beside him. When his senses returned he saw it was Pinkie Pie. "What's the matter, cat walk over your grave?" She asked.

"I... Cat walked over...? But I'm not dead yet."

"Duh, I know that."

"Then why would you say that?"

"It just a phrase. It means something almost scared you to death."

Bryce looked down at her confused. "Then why wouldn't you have just asked me that?"

Pinkie Pie began to laugh. "Come on, everypony knows what that means."

Bryce turned away without saying another word while he rubbed his still hurting shoulder. A few seconds later he looked back to see Pinkie still standing in the same spot with a smile on her face.

"Hey, you never answered my question."

"What, a- about the cat?'

"No, silly, are you enjoying yourself?" She gave him a toothy smile and stood up on the tips of her hooves as if expecting a good response.

"Uhh, yeah," Bryce answered half heartedly, "it's... fun."

The enthusiasm the party mare had had dissipated. "Are you sure you are?"

"Yeah."

"Then why aren't you smiling?"

Bryce looked at her again wanting more than anything for her to go on and leave him to himself. "I don't smile."

Pinkie gasped in utter shock. "What do you mean you don't smile?"

"I... don't see the point in doing it."

Pinkie laughed at him a second time. "Now I know your trying to funny."

The glare Bryce gave her proved he wasn't joking.

"But that doesn't make any sense."

"What doesn't?"

"Your name is Bryce 'Smiles'! That means you should know everything about smiles. You know, when I was a filly it was soooo dull and boring where I lived. I lived on a rock farm with my ma and pa and sisters. I don't know if you've ever been to a rock farm but there's little to do except, you know, harvest rocks. And then one day there was this huge, ginormous rainbow. It was all like BOOM!!! And I was all like 'Whaaaaaaa!? and 'Ohhhh!!!' and 'Ahhhh!!!' And then I knew then and there what we all needed. So I went at lightning speed and put together the first party I'd ever put together. I bet you know what happened next?" Pinkie spun around and held her rump up for Bryce to see. "I got my Cu-"

Bryce held up his hand to avoid looking at the party mare's ass. "I don't want to see that!"

"But I was only trying to show you my-"

"And my name isn't 'Smiles'. It's Smales; like small, but minus an L and ending in -es.' It's not Smiles, it's smallz-uh.'

"Oh... How'd you get a name like that?"

"My great-grandparents took a boat trip across the Atlantic and never went back."

"Oh, that's neat." Pinkie stopped and thought for a second before saying, "Is it you don't know how to smile, Bryce Smales?"

"I do; just don't"

"Then give me a smile. One like this." Pinkie then gave Bryce a smile that looked to wide to even be anatomically possible.

It was enough to creep him out a little. "No."

"Ahh, come on. Just one?"

"Would you leave me alone if I did?"

"Yeah, sure. Now give me give me give me!!!"

Bryce looked down at her and smirked.

"Hey, that's not a smile!"

"Who says it isn't?"

"Smiles are supposed to be happy and warm and nice and happy. That's a smirk. Ponies only do that when they're trying to be smug." Pinkie stood in front of Bryce and looked him in the eyes with a look showing she was deep in thought.

At that instant Fluttershy and Rarity came trotting over "Um, excuse me, but I really should be going. There's a bird at my house I need to check on. If it's okay with you I'd like to give you my gift and go."

"Yes, and I have a big order I must get finished by Friday. So if it's alright I'd like to-"

Rarity was cut off when Pinkie Pie yelled, "That's a great idea!" She turned around and announced, "Hey, everypony, let's give Bryce his gifts!"

Everypony else quickly did as Pinkie suggested and formed a semicircle around Bryce.

Pinkie jumped into the center standing on her back legs with her forelegs stretched out. "Surprise!"

Bryce slowly looked over the scene before him. Almost everypony had a box; each one a different size; each covered in wrapping paper. Then he looked a Pinkie who had a large smile on her face expecting him to do the same. Bryce shook his head. "Look, I'm flattered you would all do this, but I-"

Apple Bloom spoke up, "Don't your kind give presents to other ponies?"

"They do, Sprout, it's just-"

"Oh, OH! Let me give you mine first, Bryce," Dinky said, "I've been waiting... how ever many days there are in a week to give it to you."

Bryce looked down at the filly. The same filly who'd only a short while ago been upset at him for having his party on her birthday. He could see her gift for him in her small hooves. It wasn't very big, about the size of his thumb. It looked like she'd even gone to the trouble of wrapping it up herself.

Even though Bryce felt bad everypony had gone to the trouble of getting him something when he felt he hadn't earned it, there was no way he could say no to her. Not after accidently taking away her special day.

"Well I... just wasn't expecting it. But Dinky, Miss Fluttershy and Rarity have to leave soon. Do you think you could let them go first?"

Dinky nodded her approval.

"Okay then. Since you asked first, Fluttershy, let's do you first."

Fluttershy gave him a small spherical object. Bryce began to roll it around in his hand. "It's some kind of ball." Bryce peeled off the wrapping paper to find a brand new tennis ball.

"I really got for Corn. Is that okay?"

Bryce tossed it up in the air and caught it before it hit the ground. "It's perfect, I'm sure he'll get good use out of it." He placed the ball down and turned to Rarity. "Okay, Rarity, let's see what you have."

She levitated up a small rectangular box. "It's nothing much, but I thought you could use... whatever you call them."

Opening the box revealed it contained a pair of fingerless leather gloves that looked like the ones he usually wore while he worked. Picking them up they felt almost like leather, but it felt different enough for him tell it wasn't leather

"I saw the pair you had at the hospital. They looked like they were about to literally fall apart at the seams. I took them while you weren't looking so I could try and make new ones."

"Well, I did notice that, but what exactly are they made of?"

"I know it might sound strange, but I couldn't find an exact match for the material. They're made from the same thing as the upholstery used for couches."

"Well, that's a relief, I guess." He pulled them onto his hands and stretched out his hands. They were a little tighter than his old pair, but felt soft on the insides. "What'd you put on the insides?"

"I lined the insides with a special type of spider silk. It should be much much softer than what you had before."

Bryce continued to stretch out his hands. "Well it'll take some getting used to, but I like them."

"Really, are you sure? If you want I could-"

"No, they're fine the way they are. It's just not something I'm used to." before he could forget he said, "Thank you."

"It's no problem at all, darling, no problem at all. If there's nothing else Fluttershy and I must really be on our way."

"Nothing I can think of now. Thanks to you both for these." After they had both left Bryce turned to a certain filly who was beginning to become impatient. "Okay, now Dinky, it's your turn."

The eagerness the purple-gray filly once had was scrambled when she saw the gift Rarity had made for Bryce. To her it would be nothing compared to what she'd gotten for him. She was afraid that after Rarity's gift it couldn't compare to her's. "N- no, I'll wait until everypony else has gone."

"Are you sure? You looked real excited to give it to me."

Dinky nodded.

"Okay, I'll just save your's for last. Who's-"

Before he could get another word out Rainbow Dash came forward and held out a large wrapped box.

For the next fifteen minute everypony came forward one at a time and gave Bryce their gift. Rainbow's had been an official Wonderbolts hooded sweatshirt. Bryce was surprised she'd even been able to find one in his size until she said she got in contact with an old friend that was about his size. It did explain the two holes in the back, if anything.

Next there was the Apple family. Apple Bloom had gotten Bryce a new bandana to replace his old one. Granny Smith a hat to keep his head out of the sun for the upcoming summer months. Big Macintosh's gift would have to wait until everypony that was underage had either gone home or went to bed. The fillies and the lightweights.

After that there was Ditzy. She'd gotten him his own satchel to help him carry around anything he would need for almost any situation in lieu of a saddlebag. It looked to be an old one and had been greatly stitched back together. Amethyst gave him a small rock that she had enchanted to change color depending on its holder's mood. When Bryce held it it shimmered an assortment of colors all at once.

Amethyst had thought she had gotten the spell wrong until she held it in her hoof. It was a pale purple color showing she was confused.

Next there was Lyra. It was another spherical object much larger than the one Fluttershy had given him. Bryce shook it as he held it up to his ear. There was the sound of flowing liquid inside.

"Ugh, Lyra, don't tell me you actually bought him that stupid-"

"Shh, don't ruin it." Lyra said as she covered her housemate's mouth.

Bon Bon shoved it off. "Lyra, that was just foalish."

By then Bryce has removed the wrapping paper. It was a Magic 8 Ball. Bryce chuckled. "You mean to say they actually have these here?"

"See, even he thinks it's foalish."

Bryce looked at the side of the 8 ball with the little window and began to shake it. He asked it, "Do I like this gift?" When the answer popped up he smirked. "As I see it, yes."

This made Lyra have a smile that went from ear to ear at Bon Bon.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes as she let out a huff. "Whatever." She then brought out her own gift. "Mine may not be much, but here you go."

It was a flat square one. Bryce brought it up to his ear and shook it. "Well, before I open it, can I ask one thing? Is what in this box 'real'?"

"What do you mean? Of course it's real."

"Let me tell you where I come from. It's a 'real'm where there are many 'real'ists. Don't get me wrong, the place is very sur'real'. There are many 'real'tors, all of them 'real'located there. The main food they ate was ce'real'."

"What are you...? Wait, I get what you're saying. You're getting on to me for saying human's weren't real, aren't you?"

Bryce smirked.

"Fine, I get it. Humans exist. Now will you please open-"

"I got one more: I didn't 'real'ize I was doing it."

That got a few snickers to come out of everypony.

"Wow, that one was 'real'ly good," Lyra said.

"Are you being for real? DARN IT!!!"

That got everyone laughing. When they were finally done Bon Bon said, "Okay, you've had your fun. Now would you please-"

"Okay, you've been a good sport about it." He pulled off the wrapping paper to see 25 round chocolate candies. "Well, you guessed three of my favorite things in the whole world."

"Re- What'd I guess?"

"I like chocolate, round things, and perfect squares."

"Perfect squares?"

"Well, there are 25 candies in here. The square root of 25 is 5. It's a perfect square number."

"Oh, well, I... I don't know what to... I made them all myself."

"Well, thanks for them," Bryce said.

"There each have a different flavored center too."

Bryce picked the one out of the center and popped it into his mouth. When he chewed on it it took all his will to not spit it out. It was by far his least favorite flavor of anything: coconut. Not wanting to upset Bon Bon after his hazing, Bryce chewed and swallowed ther morsel. "They're... great."

"That's a relief; it looked like you were having a hard time chewing it. Was it too hard?"

"No, I was... tryin to... savor the flavor," he lied.

Bon Bon smiled. "Thanks, that means a lot."

Bryce handed them back. "I know they're for me, but pass them around for everyone to enjoy, please."

Bon Bon did so.

Since Pinkie had thrown Bryce his party that had been her gift to the human.

All that was left was Dinky, who was trying to hide from his sight as best she could.

"What's the matter, Muffin?"

"Nothing."

"Did you give Bryce your present?"

"I don't want to give him my present...-"

Ditzy bent down to better hear her daughter. "What was that?"

"I said: Could we just go on home?"

"Dinky, are you sure that's what you said? You haven't even given Bryce your gift."

"I know, but it's stupid."

"Don't say that. I'm sure he'll love it. What did you get him?"

"It's... that shiny rock I found. You know, the clear one."

"Oh, you wanted to give him that? But you said you always loved that one."

"I know, but I didn't know what else to give him. I know we don't have very much, but I wanted to give him something special. Everypony got him something nice. Some stuff you say we can't af... aff... affjord. All I have is a dumb shiny rock."

Ditzy frowned at her daughter's last statement. "Dinky, don't say that. Don't you remember how excited you were when you found it. You even set out a special place for it and won't let anypony but you touch it. You care about it so much, so don't go saying things like that. And don't you worry what everypony else got Bryce. They all got him things they thought he might like, and they hardly even knew him. They didn't know if he'd like what they got, but he did. He didn't even say anything about how ratty that old satchel I gave him was. And it took me a long time to even get it in working order." Dinky looked up into her mother's walleyes. "No matter what happens, I'm sure he'll like it. Not only because it was from you, but because it was thoughtful."

"Do you really think so?"

Ditzy smiled and nodded. "Now, while he's free, why don't you go and give it to him?"

Dinky stood up and nodded. Taking the wrapped rock in her mouth, Dinky ran through the small crowd of ponies and found Bryce sitting alone by himself playing with the mood rock Amethyst had given him. It still shimmered an assortment of colors.

"Oh, hey, Dink. What's going on?"

Dinky held out her gift for him to take. When her mouth was free, she said, "I... got you something of mine."

"Something of yours? Are you sure you want to part with it?"

"I... I do."

"Well, if you say so," Bryce gently pulled the wrapping paper off. Inside was a long, transparent, triangular object. Each side was flat and smooth, with the occassional nick or scratch. "Wow, this is nice."

"But it's a rock."

Bryce looked down at Dinky. "This isn't a rock."

"What? But I- I found it in the yard."

"You're telling me you found this?"

Dinky nodded, more confused than ever.

"Do you know what this thing is?"

"I- I thought it was just a- a rock."

"This thing is magical. It works a very special kind of magic."

"It does?"

"Come here, I'll show you."

Bryce gently picked Dinky up and craddled her in his arm. He walked over to a window. The sun was at a perfect angle to show off the magic the object contained.

"Are you ready?"

"I- I guess... Is it... Is it gonna hurt?"

"No, of course not. Now... watch this."

Bryce held it out in front of the window. Dinky was frightened, scared something bad was about to happen to her. To everypony. At the same time, however, she was hoping to see something she'd never seen before.

She continued to look into the object, but the light only shined through.

"Bryce I don't see-"

But Bryce wasn't looking at the object, or at her. He was looking up at the ceiling. Looking around she saw everypony was.

Everypony looked up, some of them with their mouth's hanging open as if in awe. Or their brains had been melted and they were all... zombies.

Deciding to chance it, Dinky closed her eyes tight and slowly turned her gaze upwards.

Cracking one open she was prepared to have her mind zombified.

Instead she saw something she had seen before, but had never been lucky to see up close.

Spread out on the ceiling of the living room was a rainbow. It wasn't like the ones she'd seen in the sky. This one was more like a blot on the ceiling. The others were more graceful, and had a elegant curve. Nonetheless, the sight was amazing.

After a while sun sanking down behind a cloud cutting the light show short.

When Dinky looked over at Bryce she saw him looking back at her, and he was smiling.

"Bryce... what was that?"

"It was a rainbow." He held the object up to her eye level for her to see. "This is a prism. You see, white light may seem clear, but it's really made up of every single color all in one. But when light travels down at a certain angle into this it breaks apart. That's how a prism works. When light hits it just right all the colors break apart into their individual components. This is called refraction. It's the same thing that happens whenever it rains; except rain takes the place of the prism."

"So that pri...prison could always do that?"

"Yeah. Always."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the living room, Pinkie Pie stood in amazement. For whatever reason her idea had worked. Through whatever reason she'd gotten Bryce to smile. Okay, maybe she hadn't done it herself, but he was smiling. At least it looked like he was, she wasn't entirely sure. Running over to Amethyst, Pinkie asked, "Amethyst you know that rock you gave Bryce?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I was so sure I did the spell right."

"What does it mean when it's light blue?"

"It means the holder is happy, why?"

"Oh, no reason," Pinkie said with a smile, "just curious."

Author's Note:

I know this may be a big spoiler, but sometime in the future I plan on having Bryce getting into a fight against a mythical creature. The reason I'm telling you this is that I want you all to give me suggestions on what the creature will be. I'd prefer something that hasn't been seen in the show.

Comments

[dmhero16]

I read your note and want to make a seggetion on a fight how about troll or a goblin they are mean and nasty. ps. good chapter by the way really had me going with that first real smile moment I loved it keep it up.

[Hawkx1]

How about a kappa (took me a while to remember that name)

[h4ns]

4729531

Well I bow to your suggestion... Damn it!

[Valhuir]

4728577
I'd suggest it NOT be a hipppogriff, that brings up cross-species things better left unexpored in a fic like this...

On the other hand, my suggestions would be either a Vodyanoi (think froglike / troll like water critter) if sapient, and a Catoblepas if not (a cruel cattle/boar like creature with a huge head so heavy they can rarely lift it to make eye contact, but eye contact with it means either death, perhaps via wasting away of life force for the purposes of drama to be cured or stalled, or petrification like a basilisk).

4727963
I'd think a goblin would be too similar to humans as well, unless they are altered so much they may as well be something else just 'called' goblins.

[FattBoy94]

How about a Sphinx?

[KingCornRobot]

he felt would be of little interst to them.