Ponies on Ponies

by Ravenmane

25 - I'm a Long Way From Equestria..?

It’s been a while since I wrote anything that wasn’t a program or information on an order form online. I’m pleased to say that I have space on my hard drive again. Regrettably, I also have nothing pony related on it. I cleared everything off, moving it to a spare drive and leaving said drive alone.

You know what; I finally got it. I mean to say that I’ve read it quite a few times, but I learned it firsthand now. How does someone’s life go back to normal after something wonderful goes away, never to return? I wouldn’t be the first to tell you that it just doesn’t go back to normal…ever. When something really changes you, the last thing you want is for it to end. When my seven guests left, it was sad. Good friends were leaving; they really helped change my life. When they left, all I could do was try to piece my life together without them anymore.

After Sam moved in with my brother, I smiled for the first time in what felt like a very long time. I thought they’d be a good couple, but after all that happened, I didn’t even think about it before I turned my brother’s old bedroom into a workshop, and started making my own things in there now. It’s interesting, and a very curious way to kill time. Sam came by a few times to check up on me after Rick went off on his second tour. After she found out I was tinkering in some simple electronics to whittle away time between jobs she stopped coming by the house.

Days turned to weeks, weeks into months. Somewhere along the lines, I managed to sorta duplicate Pinkie’s strange neon foaming/frothing/steaming drink. Don’t ask me how; mine was green, it wasn’t right. I tried a few more times as the weeks rolled on. Perhaps I was hallucinating when I started to hear her whispering in my ear, trying to give me tips. This caused me to stop trying; hearing things was a bad sign, let alone other things I could feel.

Every morning I looked to the empty place next to me, never would I feel Fluttershy’s mane tickling my nose in the morning. I would never wake up with the bruises that told me Pinkie Pie was probably trotting in her sleep. No Rainbow nudging me to wake up so she could tell me to get in the shower before Spike drains all the hot water. Applejack not prodding me awake at the crack of dawn, so I could get an early start. Not even Twilight snuggling into me, making me blush bright and early. Really doesn’t feel the same. It feels wrong.

~~~~~

That last night, I remember it like it was out of a bad soap opera. Twilight and I were relaxing out on the lawn, staring up at the stars. Everyone else had already gone to bed, leaving the two of us alone. Ok, we both caught Rarity’s eyes peering out of a second story window more than once. For a while, we just stargazed and enjoyed the company.

Twilight was first to break the silent night. “Is there anything you’d like to say Alex?”

I sighed. “If I begged for you to stay would you?”

“I told you before, I can’t do that, but why don’t you really want to go?”

If I met you earlier, no that sounded too corny in my head. “If we had more time I would go in a heartbeat. If it was just you and me going, I’d want to follow.” I held her hoof tightly. “Please try and understand that. I just don’t want everything to get, you know, awkward.” To be honest, I would’ve also gone in a heartbeat if it was just me and Rainbow.

“Just deny everything happened? Does that sound any better?”

“I’d never deny that anypony was here, regardless of circumstances. Everypony has really made an impact on my life.”

She turned and just looked at me, her rich purple eyes staring into my grey ones. “What about me? Can you tell me what I did to your life?”

“You gave me hope,” I had to look away from her. It wasn’t easy to just stare into her eyes and do something like pour my soul out. “I wish I was half as brave as you or Rainbow. I mean she just flat out said how she felt, but I could see it in your eyes Twilight. I always saw it in your eyes. Just… hearing it… well, hearing it made me feel better.”

She turned my head so I was looking at her again. “So you’ll just give up on me and Rainbow then?”

I gave her a wispy smile. “I don’t want to, but what would either of you say to everypony? I’m sure your parents would be cross, so forget the whole ‘introduce my parents to my boyfriend’ right?”

She giggled. “I could see that a little. ‘Mom, dad, this is my boyfriend Alex. I met him on a different world and we fell in love.’ Yes,” she added sarcastically, “I think they’d take that well.”

“If I could pick up everything and leave I would. If nothing else, I want you to know that I would if I could.” We just spent most of the night staring at each other. Now that I’ve reflected a bit on it, I suppose we were both waiting for the other to make the first move, the same goes for all those drives with Rainbow.

~~~~~

Dear Princess Celestia,

I think I may have made a mistake. I thought it would have been greedy of me to travel with your subjects to Equestria. I don’t think it’s much to ask for now, but I know a lot of time has gone by since then and it isn’t easy to write to you now. If there’s any mercy in your heart please give me another chance. I want to set things right with everypony...

No that doesn’t feel right…

I guess I’m rusty. I’ve gone so long without anything pony related in my system so I don’t know for sure anymore. I know I went from apologetic to pleading, and I doubt she’d listen to me acting like a kid at all.

After everyone left, I went to work harder than ever. I stopped reading fiction, re-watching episodes, even listening to music or looking at anybody’s fanart. It was weird, with nobody home it was as if the whole series lost its place in my life.

*****

Neck deep into August, my birthday came around and it seemed doomed to be abysmal. A party just didn’t feel right; I only wanted company that wouldn’t come today, or any day for that matter. I had given my clients explicit instructions not to bother me today. To them I was in one of my funks, something they all tolerated for the excellent work I’d do for them.

Something odd did happen that day though. I was just about ready to mull things over in the study all day and enjoy a slice of cake when the buzzer went off; someone was at the gate. The person in question was the mailman. I always thought it was rare for me to get mail when I didn’t order something.

“Hello there Alex,” he said to me after I came down to the gate. “You look like the dead kid.”

I simply shrugged. “What brings you to my home Zack, didn’t order something I’m unaware of did I?”

“Nope, was going to pass by your house after doing my route but when I came back from doing the last road in the subdivision I found this stuck to my windshield,” he held up a large envelope. “All it’s got is your name so I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me.”

“Don’t know what to tell you. Everyone knows to leave me alone when I’m in one of my moods.”

“Yeah, I know but you didn’t do something like this to stir yourself out of your funk?”

I held out my hand and he handed me the envelope. “I’m not up for a joke right now Zack.” Without Pinkie around it just loses the punch line, I thought. “Kinda odd though, no stamp or anything right?”

“Yeah,” he looked a little more puzzled than me, “just your name. Don’t know what to tell you Al.”

“Well I’ll just have to figure it out then. Have a good day Zack,” he gave me a wave before returning to his truck. I was curious, but I was also a little spiteful. What kind of stalker gives someone something like this anyways? Also, how would I, a virtual shut-in, even have a stalker?

When I got back inside my house, I made my way up to the study with a slice of cake this time. I went back downstairs to bring the letter and a drink up with me. I opened it calmly, but inside it was a second envelope, smaller than the last. This one was stranger, an address I didn’t know written on it.

Alex
Everfree Lane
Ponyville, Equestria

I turned it over and saw something familiar, the cartoony wax seal of Princess Celestia. I grew worried about what the Princess sent me. It already troubled me that I didn’t get it via fax this time. There was something about the address that I couldn’t place. Something that was more confusing than the possible contents of the envelope. Why was it an address allegedly in Ponyville? “Everfree Lane,” I mumbled. I wasn’t saying it to anyone in particular but more like affirming those two words were actually there.

I sat down and looked outside. “There’s no forest out there, where’d the subdivision go?” It clicked as a chill ran down my spine and I tore open the letter. After reading it a few times, I left it on the desk, raced downstairs, and opened the door. What was once an overcast day had turned into a blindingly sunny day.

Don’t forget to send me a friendship report from time to time.

Down the hill was a group of familiar ponies, and even a few I didn’t quite recognize, under a large banner saying “Welcome to Ponyville Alex.” There wasn’t much in me aside from shock and joy right then. Quickly those conflicting feelings were joined however by pain as something very pink plowed into me from behind. I knew those hooves; I still remember the feeling of bruises from them.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, “Pinkie if you threw out my back I’ll make sure you get sent to the moon!”

“Silly Alley,” she replied, “how can I throw you a big party if you go to the hospital?”

Both Twilight and Rainbow came up to see me, the latter trying to get Pinkie off my back. “You’re home now Alex,” said the former.

“Yeah,” added Rainbow, “this party’s gonna be awesome!”

*****

From Alex:

Now, I must ask you to please forward all questions to my new address on Everfree Lane and please, make things easy on our mailmare she has enough on her plate already. It’ll take time for me to read letters and a lot of work just to reply. I’ll still be around writing, commenting, and reading when I can but it’s not easy writing from my new home. Not while I have good friends just down the road.

All inquiries about my home on the hill, your computers (if I have them I am truly sorry), and what in the hay just happened should be forwarded to Canterlot Castle, the desk of Princess Celestia to be exact. If you enjoyed the journey then I’ll be pleased and I hope that this trip straightened some things out for everypony. I’ll be sure to fill you in on the after party later tonight.

P.S. I wish you the best of luck regarding sending mail here. Be they via dragon flame, magic, or some unknown form. I suggest trying e-mail and phone first though.

Comments

[Waterpicker]

is all

[Zoomwar]

What?!?!

[uis]

Days turned to weeks, weeks into months. Somewhere along the lines, I managed to sorta duplicate Pinkie’s strange neon foaming/frothing/steaming drink. Don’t ask me how; mine was green, it wasn’t right. I tried a few more times as the weeks rolled on. Perhaps I was hallucinating when I started to hear her whispering in my ear, trying to give me tips. This caused me to stop trying; hearing things was a bad sign, let alone other things I could feel.

I don't know. Maybe it is like in "Why am I Pinkie Pie" where main character started to do Pinkie-fu. Anyway hearing Pinkie isn't bad.