Tales of the Oppressed

by Terran34

7. The Longest Night (rw)

I’ve lost count of how many ponies have made their way inside the building to partake in the party. It’s getting harder and harder to find a place to be in the midst of the preparations. As time drags on, everyone gets more frantic and enlivened.

It soon becomes clear that this is in fact a surprise party. While that in and of itself isn’t all that unusual, the surprise involves hiding in the complete darkness and actually yelling the word “surprise” at them. It’s similar to something one would expect from a birthday party for a small child. Yet, nobody seems perturbed or embarrassed by this, despite the fact that everyone here appears to be more or less in their adulthood.

Once the preparations are complete, Pinkie dashes towards the light switch and plunges the shop into darkness with a flick of her tail. “Alright, everypony! The Cakes will be here any second! Nopony make even the teensiest sound!” Pinkie directs, her voice rising above the thick crowd of ponies. The excitement is palpable in her trembling voice.

The chattering rapidly dies down, each pony making their way to a location hidden away from the doors and windows. After spotting Rainbow Dash entering the shop, I returned to the back hallway, so I don’t feel the need to hide any further than I already have.

I have no interest in joining in the surprise myself, but I also won’t ruin the surprise by standing near the windows. It’s completely dark outside now, but every so often an errant flash of lightning will briefly shine through the windows, painting the floor with their bright white silhouette as well as illuminating anyone foolish enough to stand nearby.

The shop is now dead quiet, the silence broken only by the wind and rain howling and buffeting the walls of the building. I can also hear the odd giggle coming from one of the many mares in the room in anticipation of the coming surprise.

Thunder booms in the blackened skies above. The resulting lightning shone through the windows, casting the shadows of two ponies galloping outside, their hooves splashing in the rapidly forming puddles. They quickly make a beeline for the front door of the shop, eager to get out of the torrential rain.

The two of them rush inside, slamming the door shut behind them. They’re breathing heavily as a result of their frantic dash through the streets.“Oh thank Celestia,” a mature and tempered female’s voice says breathlessly. “I wish I’d have paid attention to Ponyville’s weather schedule before deciding to come back today.”

“I’m just glad we’re home safe. The pegasi really outdid themselves this time,” a timid sounding tenor voice responds. The mare hums in agreement. “It’s too dark in here. Let me get the lights real quick, and then we should get ready for a…”

“Surprise!” The lights suddenly flicker on, revealing the large multitude of ponies in the room who had gathered for this very purpose. There are enough ponies to surround the two newcomers, who were now showing various degrees of shock.

The stallion is a lanky yellow coated normal pony lacking wings or a horn. His mane is a scruffy orange and runs up the back of his neck in a thin line before settling atop his sharply angled snout. A set of three frosted carrot cakes arranged in a triangle is depicted on his flank, no doubt representing his skill in baking.

The other newcomer is a plump turquoise mare also without wings or a horn. Her mane is colored two shades of magenta and swirls up on her head almost like the frosting atop a pastry. Her cutie mark is similar to the stallion’s, except hers depicts three cupcakes instead of carrot cakes. I quickly make the connection between their appearances and the names I was given.

Mr. Cake sits down on his haunches, and Mrs. Cake takes a few steps back, the both of them taken off guard by the chorus of cheers from the horde of ponies in the room. Eventually, their eyes trace up to the banner at the back of the room. Whatever the banner says, it’s enough to cause smiles to form on the couple’s faces.

“Welcome back, Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” Pinkie zips through the crowd and runs over to the two of them. Once she reaches them, she hugs the two shellshocked ponies tightly around their necks, squealing happily. “We just got so super excited at your awesome cooking reward that we just had to throw you a party to celebrate it! Were you surprised? Were you?”

“Well, I’d say so. I didn’t expect you to go to all this effort in this weather,” Mrs. Cake admits, the older mare returning Pinkie’s hug. “You really didn’t have to…”

“Of course I did, silly! You don’t win awards every day, after all! If this isn’t party worthy, than nothing is!” Pinkie insists, the mare starting to bounce in place.

“I guess we can afford to let off a little steam,” Mr. Cake decides, looking to his wife for confirmation. “Would be nice to stretch out my legs after being cooped up in that train for hours. What do you think, dear?”

“I do agree. It would be rude not to enjoy ourselves, given Pinkie went to so much effort all of us,” Mrs. Cake agrees.

“Yes! You heard that everypony!” Pinkie squeals, her smile growing even wider. “Scratchie, that’s your cue!”

“Oh wow, even Vinyl Scratch is here?” Mrs. Cake remarks with awe.

“You got it, Pinks! Let’s hit it, everypony!” Vinyl slaps a record down on her turntables and flips a series of switches. A smooth electronic beat surges out from the speakers around the room, causing the air to thrumm with the pounding bass. The LED’s switch on as the main lights dim, covering the dance floor with swirling color.

The room erupts with cheers, and the party fully gets underway as the ponies start to dance, socialize, and approach the Cakes to offer their individual congratulations. As for me, I haven’t moved from the back hallway. Despite the fact that I’m sitting down with my arms resting on my knees, it’s impossible to relax. The beat of the song seems to course through my body in time with my very heartbeat. The silver lining to this is that the music isn’t deafeningly loud; I can still hear myself if I choose to talk.

I only get a few minutes of peace. Before I realize what’s happening, my vision is filled with a set of shining golden eyes. I yelp as a pair of mint green hooves latch onto my hands and tug me forward.

“Seth! I was looking for you!” Lyra greets me happily. I glare at her after regaining my balance. Her lack of care for my physical state caused the wounds on my arms and side to ache. “What are you doing all the way back here? Come out and dance with me!”

“You were serious about that?” I groan, recalling the last thing she said to me in the square.

“Hay yeah I was! I’m in the mood to party, and you’re one of the only stallions here!” Lyra returns, grinning broadly. She then pauses, looking a little awkward. “Wait, you are a stallion, right?”

“Of course I am. You can’t tell?” I return, feeling just as awkward about the sudden confusion.

“I mean, I guessed you were. Your voice sounds pretty stallion-ish, but you’re mane is all long and you’re awfully pretty for a stallion,” Lyra answers. I sputter at her explanation, completely taken off guard. Pretty? “Though the most confusing thing is that you’ve got teats like a mare.”

I immediately recall that I’m not wearing a shirt, and I haven’t been for quite some time. The realization then strikes me as my own minor knowledge of horses returns to me. “Right… stallions don’t have those,” I recall. Sure enough, Lyra nods. “Rest assured, I am male. To answer your other question, no, I’m not going to dance with you.”

“Aw, why not? You’re like the best looking stallion here,” Lyra whines. “I mean I can dance with Bon Bon, but I always do that.”

“I don’t dance,” I tell her simply.

“Oh, don’t worry about that, there’s no right way to dance. You just move your body to the beat and have fun!” Lyra appears to misunderstand my meaning. She grabs my hand and attempts to drag me out of the hallway, but I steadfastly resist her. I rip my hand away from her hoof.

“You don’t get it. I didn’t mean that I don’t know how to dance. I meant that I don’t dance. Is that clear to you now?” I correct her coldly, retreating further back into the hallway.

“Aw, you don’t have to be shy. I guarantee you that there’ll always be somepony out there dancing worse than you. You should see Twilight dance. That’s a hoot! Come on, please?” Lyra tries again, putting on her most winning smile. I don’t reply, instead sitting back down against the wall. Lyra gets the picture, the mare pouting in defeat. “Oh fine. But I’m not giving up you hear? I’ll make you dance with me eventually!”

Lyra thankfully leaves me be now, the mare moving back into the main room. “I’ll go dance with Bon Bon,” she says. “Oi, Bon Bon! Bonnie! Where are you?”

I let out a sigh of relief once she’s gone. That mare is more trouble than she’s worth. Given the teasing, the compliments, and now the fervent attempts to dance with me, I’m beginning to think she’s flirting with me. I scowl darkly, finding that thought to be even more distasteful than Pinkie’s friendliness. I’m an entirely different species. Does Lyra have no shame?

Putting that out of my mind, I go back to trying to relax while the party continues. Unfortunately, my stomach soon growls for food once more. I sigh and get to my feet. I’ve only consumed apples and a single cupcake today. While the apples seemed filling at the time, that was mostly due to water saturation rather than actual substance. As long as the party is offering food, it would be smart of me to benefit from it.

I wince, the music assaulting me from all sides as I step out into the main room. Looking around, the ponies are clearly having a good time. The dance floor is packed with dancing ponies, and the others in the far side of the room near the food are laughing and discussing various topics amongst one another. Additionally, there are ponies playing strange childish games, one of which I recognize as a variant of “pin the tail on the donkey,” only the donkey has been replaced with a pony instead.

No matter how I feel about it, Pinkie’s methods to throwing a good party appear to be solid. I can’t say it’s nearly as agonizing to be around as a college party either; those usually involved copious amounts of alcohol, obnoxious music, and non-stop drunken flirting.

Upon reaching the table, I take my time and partake of the sugary treats there, sampling each one. Just like the cupcake, they’re of impeccable quality. The chocolate cookies are soft with firm, moist centers; the brownies are firm and sweet, seeming to melt in my mouth with every bite. The cupcakes, as I discovered before, are just as good as ever.

“Seth!?” A familiar voice sounds from beside me, her voice laden with surprise. I finish the rest of the cookie in my hand and turn to see Flitter, the mare frozen upon seeing me. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m working for Vinyl, if you must know,” I answer her, reaching for a brownie this time. At this rate, I’ll have eaten my fill long before it’s time for me to leave. “You don’t look very happy to see me.”

“That’s not it… I’m just surprised, is all. I didn’t think I’d find you at one of Pinkie’s parties,” Flitter admits. I note how she isn’t looking me in the eye. She’s not being entirely truthful with me. It’s not hard to determine why that is the case. “Um… I…”

“If you have something to say, just say it,” I grunt impatiently. Flitter freezes, and then she appears to steel herself, the mare looking up at me at last.

“Oh, okay. I...suppose I’m still a little angry at you for running away from me earlier today,” Flitter confesses to me.

“That much was obvious. However, you don’t have any right to be,” I return sharply, causing her to flinch.

“What? Why not? I was just trying to help…” Flitter protests. I notice with some dismay that Twilight has found her way back to me, just in time for her to listen in on the conversation.

“First of all, I believe I made it clear that I didn’t need nor desire your help. Yet you stubbornly refused to listen, and instead attempted to force your ‘kindness’ upon me,” I begin, keeping my tone level. “Then, you had the gall to go to your fellow weather ponies and complain about it, even sending your boss to harass me. If anything, I should be angry with you.”

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Twilight tries to get involved now that Flitter is starting to look rather distressed.

“But… I never complained about you! I was just worried, and when Rainbow Dash asked me what was wrong, I told her about how you stayed out in the c…” Flitter tries to correct me.

Realizing what Flitter is about to say while Twilight is standing right there, I cut her off hastily. “Nevertheless, she came on your behalf to harass me. As you can imagine, I’m less than thrilled with the both of you.”

“Why? All we’ve done is try to befriend and help you!” Flitter snaps, her frustration finally getting the better of her. “It’s not our fault that you never let anyone be nice to you!”

“Hey! That’s enough… please, stop this!” Twilight finally forces herself between us, her face set with determination. Flitter sniffs, and to my surprise, she looks to be on the verge of tears. Twilight, noticing this, gives Flitter a gentle hug. “It’s okay, Flitter. Why don’t you go find your sister? Leave this to me.”

“Okay…” Flitter sniffs, and then she retreats from the table, leaving just Twilight with me. Unlike before, this time Twilight looks much less likely to back down. I huff, my headache returning. This party is turning out just as I expected.

“What was that all about? Didn’t you see you had that poor mare about to cry?” Twilight confronts me, orienting herself until she’s facing me directly.

“That’s hardly my problem. It’s getting increasingly difficult to get you ponies to stop smothering me with your attempts to be friendly,” I reply, crossing my arms.

“I don’t understand why you’re so opposed to the concept,” Twilight expresses with an exasperated shake of her head. “Whatever you think we’re trying to do to you, I assure you it isn’t like that. I think you should give us all a chance; we might surprise you.”

“I highly doubt it. Either way, I’m not planning on sticking around long enough to find out,” I respond dismissively. “Once I have enough money, I’m leaving Ponyville for good.”

Twilight pauses at that, realization striking her. “You’re planning to go after King Sombra?” she asks softly. When I nod, she sighs sadly. “I guess I can understand that, but it doesn’t make me happier.”

The two of us fall into silence after that, neither of us having anything left to say to the other. I shake my head, regretting that I came over to eat in the first place. At the very least, I’ll be full enough to sleep comfortably tonight, provided I can find someplace to sleep safely.

The momentary peace doesn’t last long. I notice the throng of ponies part as Rainbow Dash leaves the dance floor. The mare chuckles at some unheard joke as she flips her mane back. Even though I immediately try to leave, Rainbow inevitably spots me. Her grin immediately drops, to be replaced with scorn.

“What the hay are you doing here!?” Rainbow demands as she storms towards me. She notices the wide-eyed Twilight standing beside me, causing her scowl to increase. “Let me guess, are you saying something completely rude and uncalled for to Twilight too?”

I press a hand to my head and take a deep breath. Now that she’s seen me, I think it’s safe to say that this party can’t get any worse. If I want to keep my job, I need to keep from yelling at her.

“I’m just getting a bite to eat while I wait. Twilight’s presence here is coincidental,” I try to explain.

“I didn’t mean here at the table, smart guy. I meant why are you here at the party in the first place? Isn’t this just a ‘waste of everyone’s time’ to you?” Rainbow accuses me sharply.

“That is what I said. I’ve no interest in the party. I’m here only for Vinyl,” I answer. Rainbow’s expression fills with disbelief. “I work for her, you see.”

“Yeah, right! You working for Vinyl? Everypony knows she does everything by herself,” Rainbow points out in her attempt to discredit me. “Even if she did hire someone, it sure as hay wouldn’t be a jerk like you!”

“Would you two please stop!?” Twilight has to step in for the third time tonight, her growing frustration easily visible on her face. “Seth, did you get off on the wrong hoof with Rainbow Dash, too? How do you end up arguing with everypony you see!?”

“Maybe because he’s an extremely nasty human who yells at everypony who tries to help him?” Rainbow inserts snidely, glaring at me. When she notices Twilight’s glance, she nods. “Yeah, I met him earlier. You should hear what he said to me!”

I sigh, feeling the weight of both of their gazes on me. “None of this would be happening if you ponies would simply leave well enough alone,” I state firmly. “If you hate me so much, just don’t associate with me.”

My words don’t have the desired effect. If anything, it just makes Rainbow even angrier. “You… this is… I can’t stand you! You keep talking like it’s all our fault, and that you’ve done nothing wrong! So you think that everything you’re saying to all of us, no matter how rude, mean, or heartless, is justified!?” Rainbow snarls. “Even if it means hurting my friends?”

“More or less,” I say matter of factly. I blink as Rainbow bristles and her gaze darkens. She draws closer to me, each hoof pressing purposefully against the floor. The air of hostility emanating from her is palpable enough to feel, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. I retreat from her until I feel the edge of the table pressing against my lower back. “Wait… what are you…?”

“Hey… hey… that’s enough,” Twilight physically presses her hoof against Rainbow, pushing the mare thankfully away from me. She wraps that hoof around her friend’s neck. “Rainbow, let’s go.”

“But Twilight…!” Rainbow attempts to protest.

“Rainbow, let’s go,” Twilight repeats with an edge in her voice. Rainbow pauses, and then she nods. She shoots me one last glare as Twilight leads her away. It isn’t long before they’re lost from sight amongst the crowd.

I release the breath that I didn’t realize I was holding. Before Twilight intervened, Rainbow had a dangerous glint in her eye. I can’t help but wonder: was she really about to hit me?

---

“Where are we going?” Rainbow questions uncomfortably as she follows the unusually serious Twilight towards the back of the store. Only once the two of them were upstairs in the hallway did it become quiet enough to hear one another clearly. “Twilight?”

Twilight turns around, the usually friendly mare looking rather harried. “I brought you up here to get you away from Seth,” she explains at last. “You were starting to cause a scene.”

Rainbow flinches at that. “What are talking about? You heard what he was saying down there, right? Don’t tell me you’re going to take his side!” she snaps, jabbing a hoof in the direction of the staircase. “He told me out on the farm that we were all intrusive and unwelcome whenever we tried to be nice, and that we were just wasting his time!”

“Of course I’m not taking his side! I agree with you,” Twilight assures her. “I could forgive the way he treated me; after all, he’s all on his own. But it’s not just me he’s treating like this… he’s cold, callous, and needlessly cruel to seemingly everypony he meets.”

“Then why did you stop me?” Rainbow demands, feeling a mixture of both relief and confusion at Twilight’s words.

“It’s because the last thing the Cakes need on their first night back is you ruining their party because you picked a fight with him,” Twilight answers. Rainbow’s ears droop, the mare looking suitably chastised.

“I mean, I guess you’re right,” Rainbow admits. “But he can’t just treat ponies like that. These are my friends that he’s hurting, and I won’t let him get away with it!”

“Trust me, I know how you feel. Before you showed up, I witnessed him ripping into poor Flitter,” Twilight reveals. Rainbow’s face heated up as her righteous anger returned. “But I believe there has to be another way to deal with this. I think I know his side of the story, and it’s not fair to him if you were to harm him over this.”

“Not fair? What’s not fair is that he…” Rainbow tries to protest, but Twilight is one step ahead of her.

“I know that. I never said he isn’t at fault. How he acts isn’t fair to us either, when all we’re trying to do is help him,” Twilight continues, placating the brash mare.

“So then, what are you going to do?” Rainbow asks curiously.

“I don’t know. I’ve never dealt with anything like this before,” Twilight confesses. “Listen: there are no humans in modern day Equestria because they’ve long since gone extinct. Seth revealed to me that he was sent forward in time against his will to our era. Do you know what that means?”

“Uh… not really,” Rainbow remarks cluelessly. “So he’s a time traveller, so what? You did the same thing once, remember?”

“No, Rainbow. First of all, I went backwards in time. Travelling into the future is infinitely more complex… but that’s beside the point.” Twilight stops herself before she can go on a tangent about the complexities of time travel. “My point is that he’s completely alone in a world he doesn’t understand, with no way home back to his friends and family.”

“Oh gosh…” The true meaning of Twilight’s argument finally dawns on Rainbow. “That really stinks… but still, that’s no excuse for the things he’s saying.”

Twilight nods at that. “Here’s what I’m thinking; just stay away from him for a day or so. Tomorrow evening, I’ll send a letter to Princess Celestia asking for advice. She’ll know what to do.”

Rainbow sighs. “Okay, I guess I can do that. But I’m gonna show him what for if he hurts another one of my friends.”

“I’ll try to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Twilight remarks wryly. “Okay, we can go back downstairs now if you want. I’m sorry if I killed the party mood.”

“Don’t worry, that won’t last long! I’ll fix the both of you up in a jiffy!” Pinkie appears from downstairs in the blink of an eye. Before Rainbow or Twilight could properly react to her presence, she wrapped her front hooves around their barrels and whisked them both down the stairs to the kitchen.

“What the…!?”

“Pinkie!?”

When Rainbow’s head finishes spinning, she finds herself beside Twilight in the kitchen with a warm fluffy cupcake shoved into her mouth. She quickly recognizes what was happening, causing her to give a muffled chuckle. She could always count on Pinkie to surprise them like this. She gulps down the cupcake quickly.

“Thanks, Pinkie,” Twilight expresses after finishing her own treat. She giggles now that her heartbeat is returning to normal. “I guess you could hear us from down here.”

“Yup! But don’t worry about cranky ol’ Seth. He’s enjoying my party in his own way!” Pinkie asserts, much to their disbelief.

“How do you figure?” Rainbow questions, peering out into the hallway. Sure enough, she spotted Seth in the same location as before, the human reaching for a cookie from the rapidly emptying plate on the table.

“Well, he’s eaten over half a plate of cookies, so I must have done something right!” Pinkie trills happily.

“But that’s not… I mean…” Rainbow attempts to protest as Twilight chuckles. Eventually she sighs. “Okay, I’ll give you that one. Too bad his tooth is the only thing sweet about him.”

“It’s a work in progress!” Pinkie responds enigmatically. “Anyway, you should go back and enjoy the party! It’s almost time for me to start cutting the cake!”

“Yes, I think I’ll go do that,” Twilight decides, smiling at the inscrutable Pinkie. She turns to eye her friend. “Coming, Rainbow?”

“You know it! I haven’t had nearly enough fun,” Rainbow agrees readily. The two of them leave Pinkie to her preparations and make their way back out into the main room. “Think I should get Vinyl to play something more heavy?”

“If you want. I’m fine with what’s currently playing, personally,” Twilight responds. She snickers at the disinterest on Rainbow’s face. “There’s nothing wrong with the slower music, Rainbow.”

After exchanging a spot of friendly banter with one another, Twilight and Rainbow split off to socialize some more. In Rainbow’s case, she looks around for other members of the weather team, hoping to discuss the storm that still rages outside.

Her path inevitably passes within sight of Seth again, but Rainbow is content to ignore him this time… or at least she was, until she spotted a familiar wall-eyed mare engaging in conversation with the human.

Rainbow’s eyes widen in surprise and dismay.

---

“I think they all sound pretty,” the bubbly mare relates. She takes a brief moment to munch on one of the few remaining cookies. “I just think it’s amazing how we can produce music with the most unlikely of objects. Ponies are amazing, aren’t they?”

“That’s a rather broad view to have. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who likes all music she hears,” I comment. Every so often, I’ll take a sip of water from a plastic cup. I choose not to acknowledge the last part of her statement. “In a way I almost envy you.”

“Oh really? Why would that make you envy me?” she questions, tilting her head to one side.

“Because if I liked all music, I would be able to fully appreciate every musician I meet. Making music takes a lot of work, no matter the genre, so they deserve respect at least for that,” I respond calmly.

“Wow, I think so too!” The mare agrees happily. Her name, as she’d revealed to me, is Derpy Hooves. It’s a rather odd name to be sure, but I suppose it’s not the most unusual I’ve heard.

She’s a slender gray mare with a simple yellowish mane that drapes over the front of her head, showing little in the way of style. For a cutie mark, there’s a set of bubbles depicted on her flank. As for what that talent could possibly mean, I’m completely unsure. However, the most noticeable of her features is her eyes. To put it plainly, they’re all over the place. It’s difficult to determine where she’s looking at, making conversing with her rather awkward; I don’t know where to look.

That being said, talking with her is easy enough. Derpy hasn’t tried to ask me about myself apart from my name, nor has she confronted me about any of the arguments I’ve had so far. Instead, we are having a calm discussion on the different types of music. As a former musician myself, this makes for a tolerable way to pass the time. In return, I don’t ask her about her eyes. It’s an arrangement that’s currently working well for the both of us.

“I know you said that you don’t prefer electronic music, so I’m wondering… what is your favorite genre?” Derpy inquires, the mare seeming eager to continue the conversation.

“A wide variety, actually. I don’t think I can classify my tastes into one singular genre,” I answer. I finish what’s left of the drink in my cup, and then set it aside. “It’s more along the lines of ‘If I like it...’”

Before I can finish my explanation, a streak of cerulean zips between the two of us, causing me to stumble back in surprise. I heave a deep sigh when I realize that Rainbow Dash has returned and is now standing in front of me, no doubt to heckle me further. I don’t miss the cold glare she sends my way.

Rainbow ignores me at first, turning to address Derpy instead. “Hey, Derpy! How’s the party treating you?” Rainbow rudely starts up a separate conversation in the middle of the one I had just been having.

“Hi, Rainbow Dash! I’m having a lot of fun! I was just talking with this nice human here about music!” Derpy returns the greeting excitedly, not seeming perturbed by the interruption whatsoever. She points a hoof towards me. “Have you met him? His name is Seth!”

“You… you were what?” Rainbow looks at Derpy with a dumbfounded expression. “Seth? Nice!?”

I decide to stay out of this conversation. I’d rather not interact with Rainbow if I have any other choice. “I think I’ll go peruse the rest of the food,” I excuse myself. I don’t get more than one step.

“You wait just a minute!” Rainbow snaps at me before I can move. My irritated huff is thankfully drowned out by the music. “Derpy, do you think you could do me a favor and check on Pinkie for me? I think she might be overworking herself again.”

“Okay! I’ll be right back then.” Derpy nods and walks away from the table, leaving me alone to deal with Rainbow. I brace myself for the inevitable argument.

When Rainbow returns her gaze to me, her original animosity is surprisingly lessened. “When were you going to tell me you knew how to be nice?” Rainbow comments wryly. My first reaction is to scoff. “No seriously, I came over here expecting to beat the hay out of you for picking on Derpy.”

“Why would I pick on her?” I ask, my tone betraying my incredulity at such a concept.

“Well, you know, she’s all like…” Rainbow adopts a defensive expression, but words failed her. She sighed and tried again. “Derpy’s a sweet girl, but she has a hard time getting around sometimes.”

“Because of her eyes?” I supply her helpfully, having already put two and two together. Rainbow nods, confirming my suspicions. “Do ponies pick on her because of that?”

“Sometimes. She can be pretty clumsy,” Rainbow admits. I shake my head in disbelief. I can’t imagine picking on someone just because of a physical disability.

“The more things change, the more things stay the same,” I mutter to myself. Rainbow hears me and tilts her head in confusion. “Nevermind. Rest assured, I know full well how I come across, but I’m not a bully.”

“You could have fooled me, the first time we met,” Rainbow grumbles. I just roll my eyes at that. She continues, narrowing her eyes at me. “I thought you didn’t want any friends? So why is it that Derpy is the only one you’re nice to?”

“If you’re thinking it’s something personal, it’s not. Derpy, as opposed to nearly every other pony I’ve met, didn’t try to nose into my business, nor force her morals on me,” I explain with a shrug. “If all she wanted was idle conversation, that’s fine with me.”

“Then how come you were such a jerk to me when I was trying to introduce myself?” Rainbow demands.

“First of all, you weren’t there to talk. You showed up to berate me about my issues with Flitter. Second of all, you weren’t introducing yourself. You were putting yourself up on a pedestal and talking down to me,” I assert coldly.

Rainbow recoils with shock. “What? That’s not what I was doing at all!” she protests fervently. “I was just trying to be friendly before talking to you about Flitter!”

“That’s not how you came across to me,” I contend, crossing my arms.

“It’s not like you gave me much of a chance to begin with,” Rainbow grumbles bitterly. She rubs her eyes and sighs. “Fine, whatever. Can we start over then?”

“What, you don’t want to kick me out of the party anymore?” I raise an eyebrow at her request. That seems rather sudden, coming from the pony who recently told me to get out of town. Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter in the end. I shake my head. “I don’t see the point, to be honest. As I’ve said, I’m leaving Ponyville. I have no need of friends here.”

“Oh come on! What’s wrong with making a few friends before you go?” Rainbow complains, the mare starting to pout. “Doesn’t acting like a jerk to every pony you meet cause more trouble than just being friendly?”

“As I’ve said, I wouldn’t need to ‘act like a jerk’ in the first place if ponies would quit meddling in my business,” I remind her, much to her frustration. “If you really want the truth, I don’t trust you. I don’t trust any of you.”

“Why not? You barely know anything about us!” Rainbow objects hotly. “Is it just because we’re ponies? What about other humans!?”

“Of course it’s not because you’re a pony. While that is still difficult for me to grasp, it’s nothing worth nursing prejudice over. I’m no bigot,” I protest, somewhat offended by that. “As for how I treated humans, that’s hardly your business, but I treated them much the same. Though their ulterior motives were more transparent.”

“You make no sense. One moment, you’re acting like a total jerk, and then another, you’re showing me you’re not as bad as I thought,” Rainbow groans, resting her face in her hoof. “I don’t have an ulterior motive.Why do you think we all have one?”

“That, I’m certainly not going to tell you. That’s as personal as it gets,” I deny her stubbornly. Ignoring her huff of annoyance, I reach for a cupcake on the table. “I’ve said more than I should, anyway. It’s probably best you go and mingle with your friends now, rather than wasting your time with me.”

Rainbow stamps her hoof down, snorting obstinately. “No, I don’t think so. I’m not going to let you get off that easy. I’ll show you I don’t have an ulterior motive!” the mare declares. My eyebrow raises once again. I don’t think it’s possible for her to do that in a way I’ll accept. “Come dance with me. Right now.”

“What? Where the hell did that come from?” I demand, scrutinizing her with confusion. Rainbow just grins in response. I shake my head vigorously. “First of all, I don’t know how you think that’s going to convince me. Second of all, I don’t dance.”

“Aw, don’t be like that. Come on, let’s go dance. What could I possibly get out of that, besides a little fun?” Rainbow counters, butting her head against my leg. “Unless you’re telling me you’ve never danced before.”

My hands start to tremble somewhat. For some reason, a feeling of deja vu settles over me. “Of course I have… a long time ago,” I reply with a halting voice.

“Then what? Is it because you’re too scared of being shown up on the dance floor?” Rainbow teases me, her grin growing wider.

I nearly drop the cupcake in my hand. With the combination of her familiar words, the expression on her face, and the similar situation, I can’t help but see Amaryllis in this pony before me. The absurdity of such a thing makes me want to laugh, but at the same time… it’s unsettling.

“Put that cupcake down and come on! Don’t be worried about what all these other ponies think.” Rainbow grabs onto one of my hands with her front hooves and attempts to drag me out onto the dance floor. I resist of course, but she doesn’t give up. “Don’t worry, I promise not to pick on you when you end up being awful at it.”

The cupcake falls from my hand as I allow Rainbow to pull me forward in a daze. It’s getting hard to determine how I’m feeling at this moment. Twilight notices Rainbow and I moving to the dance floor, causing her to tilt her head, appearing nonplussed and blinking.

Dancing is absurd. There’s nothing fun about waving my arms around like a complete fool. It isn’t appealing to move my body in erratic ways while surrounded by loud and sweaty people, while the heat gets worse and worse. Why should I humiliate myself in front of scores of people?

As we walk on to the dance floor, Lyra spots the two of us. “Hey, how’s that fair!?” she protests, emphasizing her frustration with her two front hooves. Applejack notices us as well. She removes her hat and holds it against her chest, her eyes widening.

I don’t dance. I’ve only ever danced with one person. I said I’d never dance with another person ever again. Amaryllis was the only one I’d ever consider dancing with, as she was my closest friend. So why am I here, right now, slowly moving my body to the beat while Rainbow looks on?

Vinyl’s jaw drops when she sees us, her shades nearly falling off. A smile spreads across her muzzle, and then she switches the record in the middle of a song. Surprisingly enough, the distorted tune of an electric guitar sounds from the speakers. The drums kick in, and the tempo picks up, resembling a style of music that I once enjoyed.

“See? This isn’t so bad!” Rainbow expresses to me happily as she shakes her barrel from side to side, her mane flying every which direction. I don’t have an answer, as deep in thought as I am. My body is moving on instinct and muscle memory now, remembering that time in the bar so long ago.

Pinkie screams with delight and joins the crowd on the dance floor, where she starts pulling off dance moves that seem as though they’d be unsuitable for pony anatomy. Despite this, they appear natural for her, and she shows no sign of pain. Her enthusiasm causes other ponies to join in, making this the most full the dance floor has been the whole night.

At some point, after three minutes of the rather long song had passed, I break out of my trance and realize what’s going on. Embarrassment and shame fills me in a heartbeat, causing me to flush deeply. Disgusted at myself, I stop dancing and retreat from the dance floor as quickly as I can manage.

“Hey, where are you going? We were just starting to have fun!” Rainbow follows me off the dance floor, looking upset. “Seth!”

“Stop. I shouldn’t have let you force me into that in the first place,” I snap, an edge finding its way into my tone. I push through the crowd and make a beeline for the back hallway, craving isolation more than anything else right now.

“I didn’t ‘force you’ into anything! You looked like you were having fun too, so what gives?” Rainbow insists, pursuing me all the way back to the hallway. She flinches under the blistering glare that I give her.

“Just stop! For god’s sake, why can’t you just leave me alone?!” I demand, facing her directly. She looks taken aback by the sudden vehemence in my words. I can’t explain it, but I’m furious. Furious at her, and furious at myself. The fact that I thought, even for an instant, that she could ever be like Amaryllis; the fact that I allowed myself to be moved by emotion to the point where I broke my own promise to my lost friend; The combination of these two things has me shaking with rage and self-loathing. “I don’t need this! I don’t need fun, and I don’t need friends! I’m leaving Ponyville soon, and I won’t be coming back! How dare you get in my way?!”

Rainbow is left speechless for several seconds by my sudden tirade. She looks at me with bafflement. I realize that what I said would have made no sense to her. After catching my breath, I sink down into a sitting position with my back against the wall.

“What…?” Rainbow asks.

I avert my gaze from her. A pressure grows in the center of my tightening chest, causing me to shift uncomfortably. “Just go back to your party. I need some time to myself,” I utter in a hollow voice. I don’t look at her again.

Several agonizing seconds pass, and then I hear Rainbow retreating, leaving me to my blissful solitude. I should feel relieved now that I’m alone, but instead, rage smoulders in my chest like burning coals. How could I have done something so stupid? Everyone on the dance floor saw me there with Rainbow. I pound my fist against the wall, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.

The pressure in my chest gradually fades away as I force myself to calm down with deep breaths. This was foolish of me, but it won’t pose a problem. I just need to keep a level head from here on out, and I’ll be out of Ponyville before long.

Without any method of telling time, the party seems to drag on for a painfully long time. There’s nothing for me to do other than sit here, so it’s also dreadfully dull. I spend most of the time with my eyes closed, listening to the music and analyzing its characteristics in my head.

“Oh! Well, hello there.” My solitude is eventually broken by a demure feminine voice. I glance up to see a snow-white unicorn mare walking into the hallway. Her mane is colored a rich shade of royal violet and appears to be painstakingly styled into fancy curls at the ends. It’s impossible to see her cutie mark due to the extravagant rose fabric draped over her back.

I do my best to keep a level expression. This would be the first pony I’ve ever seen wearing clothes to this degree. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that she’s wearing a dress. Like a human dress, the bodice clings to her chest and possesses two sleeves that hug her front shoulders. However, the skirt doesn’t hug her belly, but is instead cut open at the waist line to make room for her back hooves to move. Now, as nice as I’m assuming such attire is for a pony, she appears exceedingly overdressed for a party like this.

The mare waits for a reaction to her greeting, but she soon realizes she isn’t going to get one when I return my gaze to the floor. “Erm… would you kindly move your legs so I may pass?” the mare requests uncertainly. I wordlessly do as she asks. She smiles and passes me by, heading for the back staircase. “Thank you, dear.”

She climbs the stairs and leaves me for a few minutes, but it isn’t long before she returns. This time, even though I move my legs as before, she doesn’t pass me. “Pardon my rudeness earlier, I was in a bit of a hurry,” the mare apologizes to me. I sigh quietly, realize that she seems intent on speaking with me. She dips in a slight curtsy. “I am Rarity, and I run the Carousel Boutique, on the hill by the square. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

I unwillingly get to my feet. I don’t know anything about this Rarity, so it would be unwise to be rude to her. I won’t make another mistake like Rainbow Dash. Just thinking about that mare stirs my rage from its slumber.

“You can call me Seth.” I return her introduction as tersely as possible. “Don’t let me keep you. I’m sure there’s more fun to be had out there with your friends.”

“Nonsense. Mingling is part of the appeal. I noticed you sitting here all by yourself and just couldn’t ignore you,” Rarity corrects me with a smile. Her eyes slowly travel down my body until she notices my clothing. Her nose wrinkles with distaste. “If you don’t mind me asking, just what is that you’re wearing? It’s… pardon my rudeness… but it looks simply horrid.”

“My jeans? Funny. You’re the first one to point that out,” I concede. “It’s not as if I have a choice, however. They’re the only pair of pants I have.”

Rarity appears to find that understandably off-putting. “Darling, they’re filthy! As loathe as I am to say it, it would be better to do without,” she suggests. That takes me by surprise at first, until I recall that ponies don’t seem to wear clothes that often.

“That’s not an option. Humans don’t have thick fur to keep warm like you do,” I point out. “I will buy new clothes as soon as I can afford it. Until then, this is all I have.”

“That simply won’t do. I insist that you stop by my boutique sometime later so that we can rectify this predicament,” Rarity urges me. “Perhaps tomorrow, unless you’re busy?”

“I repeat: I will buy new clothes as soon as I can afford them,” I say, somewhat annoyed.

For some reason, Rarity shows a hint of concern. She composes herself so quickly, however, making me wonder if I’d seen it at all. She clicks her tongue. “A human, one of our great precursors, should be dressed elegantly! You won’t pay for a thing until I’ve made you at least one warm outfit,” she attempts to reassure me, but it has the opposite effect.

“I won’t say it again,” I state, my impatience starting to creep into my tone. Glancing at her dress, I believe I can reasonably guess that her clothing must be rather gaudy and expensive. “I may take you up on your offer later, but only when I can pay you for it.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to pay for…” Rarity doesn’t seem willing to let it go so easily. I cut her off with a frustrated huff.

“I heard what you said. It never fails to astound me how pushy you ponies can be,” I snap. Rarity recoils, lifting a hoof.

“P-Pushy!?” Rarity stammers, offended.

“I heard your offer, and I’ll keep it in mind. However, I said I’ll accept only when I have the money,” I repeat one last time. “Please do us both a favor and just accept that.”

Rarity flushed, the mare looking upset. “Well, I was only trying to help,” she acknowledges irritably, lowering her hoof. “You didn’t have to be so rude about it”

“I wouldn’t have to be, if you ponies would accept what I say when I say it,” I counter her exasperatedly. “How does anyone make their own decisions in this blasted town?”

“Very well, I suppose I shall retract my kindness and leave you be,” Rarity’s words are short and clipped now, betraying her indignance. She finally passes me on her way back to the main room. “Good evening, Seth.”

I dread talking to anyone at all now. Nearly every single one of them attempts to be friendly, which then turns into an argument. As it stands, Derpy is the only one that was content just to talk to me. Even then, I believe it’s only a matter of time.

Pinkie suddenly bounces out of the kitchen. She spots me immediately beams. “Hi Seth! I hope you didn’t eat too many cookies!” She grabs my hand before I can sit back down. “Come on out of your corner! It’s time for cake now!”

“I wasn’t in a corner,” I correct her sharply, but she doesn’t pay any attention to that. Instead, she just keeps tugging me until I’m out in the main room again. By the time I manage to extricate myself from her grip, I’m surrounded by ponies. The crowd is thickening around the table upon which the gigantic cake is situated. As unenthusiastic as I am about the party overall, I’m looking forward to trying that cake.

Pinkie signals to Vinyl with her hoof, and the DJ lowers the volume of the music. “Everypony gather around!” Pinkie announces now that she can be heard. “I think you’ve all waited long enough! It’s time for the Cakes to have their cake!”

Pinkie giggled at her own joke, and then she beckoned to Mr. and Mrs. Cake, the guests of honor for tonight. The crowd parted to allow the two happy ponies passage. “I went all out on this one!” Pinkie proclaims. She produces a cake knife and carefully slices down into the cake, cutting out a reasonable portion.

“It looks delicious, Pinkie. You’ve really outdone yourself,” Mrs. Cake evaluates appreciatively. She picks up a plate from the nearby table with her mouth and holds it out just long enough for Pinkie to put the first slice on it. Then, Mrs. Cake turns her neck and sets the plate on her back. “Thank you again for the party.”

“Yes, thank you!” Mr. Cake agrees, accepting his slice next. Once the two of them had received their cake the rest of the ponies surge forward to claim a slice as well. I notice the line forming and quickly insert myself into it before it grows too long.

As I’m waiting for my turn, the music returns to its original volume. Ponies are trickling back to find spaces to eat their cake, leaving the dance floor mostly empty for the moment. Even Vinyl steps away from her tables to partake in the baked confection as well.

Standing in the line makes me realize how exposed I am. Thankfully, the ponies closest to me no longer seem worried about my presence. They hardly spare a glance in my direction. As much as I hate to admit it, some good did come out of that...blunder of mine. Though in the end, it may cause me more trouble to make that benefit seem miniscule, judging from the way Lyra is eyeing me from further back in the line.

When I get to the front of the line, Pinkie happily relinquishes a slice to me, the cake resting on a pink paper plate decorated with balloon imagery. Beside the cake on the table, I notice a pile of neatly stacked plastic forks resting atop a folded napkin. Surprised to see them, I step out of line and take one. I had thought they wouldn’t exist because they’re impractical for ponies, but it appears I am wrong.

I proceed to withdraw from the crowd and return to my place in the back hallway to eat my cake in peace. The slice that I received consists of three layers of both chocolate and vanilla. The icing is thick and pink, and tastes like strawberries. With Pinkie’s baking skills combined with the fact that strawberry is a favorite flavor of mine, eating the cake proves to be an enjoyable experience.

When I’m finished, my stomach is as full as can be—a welcome change to the ever present hunger that’s been my constant companion for the past two days. I stretch my legs out and relax, content to lie here for the remainder of the party.

As the hour grows ever later, the party eventually winds down. Ponies are beginning to tire from constantly dancing or playing silly games. It isn’t long before they start to trickle out of the building, giving their regards to those they meet along the way. I get to my feet, recognizing that it’s soon going to be time for me to do my job.

I make my way into the main room, my hands tucked into my pockets. I’m just in time to see Applejack and Rarity congratulating the Cakes once more before they too take their leave. I spot Rainbow on her way out as well, but I pointedly avoid looking at her. I can feel her gaze linger on me for a good several seconds until she finally leaves as well.

The music soon comes to an end, and then Vinyl hops off of the stage. She briefly makes eye contact with me long enough to beckon to me with her head. I note how exhausted she looks. Like before, powering her set up for as long as she has no doubt taken its toll on her.

“First things first: let’s get all these cables unplugged,” Vinyl directs me, pointing to each of the areas where the aforementioned cables are plugged in. “That’s the easy part. Then you can help me take the speakers down from those poles.”

“Got it. Just point me to whatever needs doing,” I acknowledge her, already moving to the first cluster of cables.

The cables must be designed to prevent easy disconnection, as they require me to press down on a tiny lever to loosen them, and swiftly tug to unplug them. Once a set of cables has been unplugged from both ends, Vinyl or I will coil them up and tie them into knots to prevent them from tangling inside the cart. Then, we place them in one of the tubs Vinyl has staged at the end of the stage.

As I’m working I do my best to memorize the labels on everything. The Equestrian language consists of multiple strange glyphs, some of which appear more than once. Despite my efforts, it’ll likely take me several more gigs before I can memorize the meanings of these labels.

While Vinyl and I are working, Pinkie zips around the room like an angry hornet, taking down party decorations and gathering empty plates and discarded dishes. I don’t know how she has the energy for that, but I can’t deny that she’s cleaning the building efficiently. As for any other ponies, the building is soon nearly empty. Of the remaining ponies, I only recognize Twilight, who appears to be aiding in the cleanup efforts. The Cakes appear to have already left the room. Whether they went upstairs or to the kitchen is unknown to me.

Lifting and moving the heavier equipment in Vinyl’s ensemble is an arduous task, which is only exacerbated by my injuries. It isn’t hard for Vinyl to notice that I’m favoring my left side, but when I make no signs of stopping work, she doesn’t react apart from giving me a worried look.

Once everything has been loaded into the cart, our task is complete. Vinyl dusts off her hooves and heaves a satisfied sigh. “That’s about everything! As soon as we get paid, we’re outta here,” Vinyl announces as she sits down.

A nod is my only response. I’m out of breath and my body is aching from all of the hard work, making it difficult for me to form words at all. While I’m waiting, I rest against the stage until my breath returns. Vinyl watches me with some amusement.

“You’re pretty out of shape, dude,” she comments. “If this was hard, how did you handle working with Applejack on the farm?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” I admit, earning a laugh from Vinyl. I clear my throat and force myself to breathe normally.

“Still, you pushed through without a complaint. Respect,” Vinyl compliments me. “If you want to get in shape, that’s the way to do it.”

I want to mention that it’s because I don’t have any other choice, but then I decide better of it. Instead, I give another short nod as a response.

“Scratchie! I’ve got your bits!” Pinkie emerges from the back hallway with a sizeable sack of what I assume is our pay hanging from her mouth. Vinyl perks up at that, as do I. “Sorry for making you wait!”

“No prob, Pinks. Thanks,” Vinyl accepted the payment, the bag levitating over to the floor in front of her. Once Pinkie saw that we had it, she bounced back across the room while nattering to herself about the cleaning she still had left to do. “Now then, let’s see about your share…”

Vinyl opens the bag and sifts through the golden coins with her telekinesis, counting under her breath. “Eighteen bits. Alright, that makes it easy,” she mutters to herself.

“Only eighteen? Didn’t you say you made between thirty and two hundred per gig?” I recall, feeling somewhat worried. Twenty five percent of that, rounded down, would put me up to ten bits total.

“Pinkie Parties is a different matter. Because she has them so often, I give her a discount, because she usually asks for me,” Vinyl explains. Sure enough, she counts out four bits and passes them to me. “There you go. Thanks for the help, by the way.”

I accept the coins and place them in the sack with the rest of my money. I stand up and grab my rifle from where it leans against the stage. Before I can leave, however, Vinyl walks in front of me.

“Hold up. About yesterday,” Vinyl began, her expression turning serious. “Have you found a place to stay yet?”

“Not yet, no. I was about to ask you the cost of an average inn,” I answer her honestly.

“An inn? Well, we don’t really have one in the sense that you’re thinking,” Vinyl reveals, much to my dismay. “The closest we have is the bar, which has a few rooms upstairs that are given out at the owner’s discretion. The cheapest of those is about fifteen bits.”

“Fifteen?” I repeat, my voice rising. The bits in my hand suddenly seem as worthless as rocks in the face of such a number.

“What, you don’t have enough?” Vinyl sounds alarmed as well for some reason. I shake my head solemnly. It seems I won’t be escaping another night outside. I’ll have to figure something out to avoid freezing to death. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Applejack probably wouldn’t pay you eleven bits for anything less than a dawn to dusk shift.”

“Her pay was one bit an hour, and I worked six hours today,” I clarify for her. Vinyl nods, likely finding that similar to what she expected.

“But that means you’ve got nowhere to go to get out of the weather tonight,” Vinyl reminds me. She rubs her chin with a hoof as she ponders. “Tell you what, I can front you five extra bits just for…”

“Absolutely not. I can’t believe you’ve even consider giving me half of your pay,” I cut across her immediately.

“Just for tonight, I was about to say,” Vinyl finishes with some annoyance. “You can’t stay outside tonight, so just stop being stubborn and take it.”

“I don’t care what you call it. I won’t take charity from you. I earned four bits, so that is all I’ll accept,” I assert, crossing my arms. If I’m firm enough now, perhaps she’ll finally take the hint. “Plus, saying it’s ‘just for tonight’ is complete nonsense. Even with a one time bonus, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the daily cost of a room in the bar.”

Vinyl sighs with frustration, knowing that my argument is correct. “Fine. Then come stay with me. I told you I have a spare room I’m more than willing to give you,” she repeats with determination.

“I believe I told you that no matter what the alternative was, I’m not accepting that offer,” I shoot back, an edge entering my voice. Unfortunately, unlike most ponies I interactive with, sounding angry does nothing to dissuade Vinyl.

“Agh for the love of…” Vinyl grabs me, giving me a bit of a shake. “Seth… you don’t seem to get it. It’s still raining out there. You will freeze to death. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it! Do I have to pull the boss card on you again?”

“If you ‘pull the boss card’ on me again, I quit,” I snap back, my tone turning icy and my eyes narrowing. Vinyl’s jaw drops, taken aback by my words. “I won’t be manipulated by you. In the end, it’s no business of yours what happens to me.”

“I don’t care what you say, Seth! I’m making it my business. What kind of awful pony would I have to be to let someone freeze to death when I can clearly do something about it?” Vinyl argues vehemently. I scoff with disbelief. Why is she still pushing this? I’ve made it abundantly clear that I won’t accept her help, so why is she trying so hard? “I mean, for Celestia’s sake, it’s just a place to stay! It’s not like I’m…”

Vinyl is interrupted by a gasp from nearby. We both turn to see Twilight, who appears to have been passing us on her way out of the building. I groan, realizing that she overheard us.

“Seth, you told me you had a place to stay!” Twilight accuses me, the mare walking up to the two of us. Vinyl shoots her a grateful glance before returning her gaze to me.

“I never said I had a place to stay; I said I had it covered.” My patience is quickly nearing its limit. It’s going to be much harder to get out of this now that there’s two of them on my case. “That meant that you should mind your own business. I assumed you were smart enough to understand that.”

“But if you had nowhere to go, why didn’t you tell me? I would have given you my spare bed!” Twilight demands. When I don’t answer, she lets out a frustrated cry. “I just don’t get it, Seth! I just want to help and understand you, but everywhere I turn, I hear stories from another pony you’ve rebuffed!

“Yeah, I agree. Seriously dude, we’re just trying to be nice to you. Why are you so against the idea of us helping you out?” Vinyl adds on. “It’s like you think we’ll use everything we give you to…”

The more they demand from me, the closer I get to losing my cool. Despite the rational part of my mind telling me that I can’t afford to get angry lest I lose my only source of livelihood, it’s getting increasingly harder to keep from doing so. Finally, I can’t stop myself anymore.

“That’s enough!” I shout, my voice now loud enough to be heard over the both of them. Both Twilight and Vinyl are taken aback by my raised voice and fall silence. “I’m beyond tired of having to tell you ponies again and again that I don’t want your help nor your friendship! What happens to me is my business and my business alone!”

“But Seth…” Twilight tries to cut in, but I won’t let her.

“I don’t want to hear it! You have no reason to care about me as much as you keep claiming to! It would be so much easier if you just forgot about me, Twilight! You already know that I won’t be staying around you long enough to give you the information you need to write your book, so please stop trying!”

“But that’s not what I…” Twilight attempts once more, but to no avail. I turn my glare onto Vinyl next, causing her to flinch.

“And then there’s you! I told you just now that I’d quit in an instant. Why haven’t you fired me yet!? Haven’t either of you learned that you can’t get anything from me by acting nice!?”

“What are you even talking about? You make it sound like everything we’re doing is to try and manipulate you!” Vinyl shoots back, her voice rising to meet mine. “Get over yourself! I can’t even begin to tell you how paranoid that is! Seriously, all we’ve ever wanted from you is your friendship!”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you this whole time!” Twilight joins in once more, her nerve returning.

“For the love of… you ponies are the most frustrating creatures I think I’ve ever met!” I yell back at them, my throat beginning to hurt. “If not to manipulate me, why do you keep trying so hard to help me? Why do you keep going out of your way, when you could easily just leave me behind!? Why can’t you just pretend I don’t exist, like everyone else!?”

I finally stop shouting, having said everything currently in my mind. I keep glaring at the two of them as I breathe heavily. I press my hand against the center of my chest, where a sudden tightness has developed. I hardly even notice the fact that our argument has drawn the attention of nearly everyone else in the room.

“What happened to you, Seth?” Twilight asks softly, her eyes widening with understanding. “Why are you so convinced that our kindness isn’t genuine?”

“It doesn’t matter if it is or if it isn’t, in the end. I simply want no part of it. There’s no point in making friends when I’m simply going to be leaving town in a week or so. You understand that I’ll likely never return,” I remind her. Twilight nods, but this is the first time Vinyl has heard of that. “Either way, that… is as personal as it gets. Please, just give up on me.”

“Sorry, dude, but that’s not going to happen,” Vinyl says with a shrug. “You can yell and scream all you want, but I’m not so shallow that I’d give up on someone just because it wasn’t easy.”

“I just don’t get you at all,” I say with a heavy sigh. I don’t have enough energy to get angry with them again. “But nevertheless, I still won’t accept your charity.”

“Then… wait, hold on a sec,” Vinyl looked as though she were about to get irritated again, but then she suddenly stopped, her eyes widening. She groaned and let her face fall into her hoof. “Oh dear Celestia, I’m so dumb. I have an idea that’ll work for all of us.”

“Really? What is it?” I ask suspiciously. Twilight too looks interested in what she’s come up with.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. Come stay with me, and I’ll just charge you rent. That way, you’ll get a better deal than the bar, and I’ll be happy knowing you aren't dying of hypothermia.”

“I should have thought of that too,” Twilight admits, facehoofing as well. “This way, it won’t be charity.”

“That’s…” I open my mouth, but I can’t come up with anything wrong with that suggestion. I come to the sudden realization that all of this trouble could have been avoided if I’d have thought of that myself. I was so set against the idea of being friendly towards anyone that I completely missed the obvious solution. “Okay. I suppose I can settle for that.”

Vinyl and Twilight both release sighs of relief. “Thank the princesses,” Vinyl remarks. What Vinyl says next causes Twilight to choke back a laugh despite the situation. “You’re so stubborn you could make Rainbow Dash look like Fluttershy.”

“I don’t know who Fluttershy is,” I state irritably. “But that’s beside the point. How would this work? How many bits per day are you asking?”

“I don’t think I’m gonna charge you per day. That would strain your wallet way too much,” Vinyl decides. “I’m thinking I’d charge you per week. How many hours do you think you’ll be working on the farm every day?”

“Assuming I get up at dawn and stop around six in the evening, that’s about ten hours,” I answer uncertainly.

“I have about three gigs per week on average, so…” Vinyl trails off as she runs up some quick numbers in her head. “You’d make an average of ninety bits per week, assuming you work seven days a week. How does forty bits per week sound?”

“That leaves me fifty left over. That means I can leave Ponyville in two weeks,” I muse, liking the sound of this. I feel a little bit stupid that we didn’t just work this out in the first place instead of yelling at one another. “What all is included in the cost?”

“You get the room, access to my bathroom and everything in it, two meals a day—I’d say three, but you’ll be at the farm all day and Applejack’ll likely provide lunch—basically all the essentials,” Vinyl explains.

“This is actually a really good idea!” Twilight chimes in. I notice that there’s now a firm piece of parchment and a quill floating telekinetically in front of her, and she’s rapidly scribbling something down on it. “I’ll write up a temporary contract real quick, and you two can have it made official when you have a chance!”

“You have the authority to write temporary rent contracts?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

“I mean I probably could if I asked,” Twilight reasoned sheepishly, dipping her head. “But I just wanted to feel helpful over here. It’ll be fine as long as you make it official with the mayor soon.”

“Hah, silly mare,” Vinyl chuckles a bit at Twilight’s explanation. “Either way, you good with all of this, Seth?”

“I should be asking you that. You sure you want to offer this to me… even after yelling at you like that?” I point out.

“What that? That’s not a big deal. You’d hardly be the first who’s thrown a tantrum over something silly,” Vinyl remarks. “You should have seen me when I was a filly.”

“I’m not sure how to feel about that,” I mutter bitterly. “But I have no further objections.”

“Awesome! Looks like you’re my roomie now!” Vinyl declares. She then catches herself with a bemused expression. “Wait… is that right? Housemate? Flatmate? Twilight, help me out here.”

“The word you’re looking for is ‘tenant,’” Twilight helpfully supplies as she finishes inscribing the temporary contract. She levitates the parchment over to us, along with a quill for us to use. “Now, all you two have to do is sign it!”

“Looks good!” Vinyl decrees after looking the contract over. I glance at it as well, but the writing is as incomprehensible as ever. The two lines at the bottom, however, prove to be easily recognizable. Vinyl grasps the quill with her magic and signs what I assume to be her name on the top line. She then passes the quill to me.

“What do you think, Seth?” Twilight asks next. She moves the contract over to me.

“I can’t read it, but I’m assuming that everything that’s on it is what we just discussed,” I reveal to Twilight. I grasp the quill and sign my name on the second line in neat cursive. Writing on the paper hanging in midair feels strange, as though it's pressed against a solid surface. “That being said, I sign this under the provision that I agree only to those terms. Nothing that you put in the fine print will apply to me.”

“There isn’t any fine print, dude. Relax,” Vinyl assures me, the mare poking my leg with her hoof.

“That’s fair of course. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you can’t read Equestrian,” Twilight replies. She brings the contract back to her. After looking it over, she rolls it up and seals it. She passes it to Vinyl, who places it in the cart with the rest of her equipment. “What language did you sign it in? Was that the human language?”

“One of them, yes,” I clarify for her. After putting my rifle in the cart as well, I glance over to Vinyl. “Anything else, or are we done here?”

“That’s it! We’ll be leaving now, Twilight,” Vinyl confirms. She beckons to me, and the two of us move to the cart. Vinyl stretches the tarp back over the cart, thus protecting it from the elements. “Let’s get this puppy moving, Seth.”

“Good night to the both of you! Seth, are you still coming to see me tomorrow?” Twilight questions while the two of us push the cart towards the door.

“That was the idea… you’re telling me you’re also okay with me, even after this argument?” I return with a raised eyebrow. Twilight appears genuinely confused by my question.

“Why wouldn’t I be? It would be shallow of me to write someone off simply because of one argument,” Twilight reasons. She notices my resulting bemusement. “Is that how you perceive us?”

I shake my head, even more confused than before. “Don’t get offended. It’s just something I see rather often.”

“Well, you won’t see that from me!” Twilight proclaims. She accompanies us outside into the wind and rain for a little while, and then gives us a wave. “I’m heading back to the library now. See you tomorrow, Seth!”

With that, Vinyl and I continue on our way to her home. I shiver involuntarily at the sudden drop in temperature. The worst of the storm seems to have already passed, but the wind and rain have yet to subside. As a result, the air feels ten degrees colder than usual due to windchill. As goosebumps form on my bare chest, I can’t help but admit; I definitely would have frozen to death out here.

The aftermath of the storm consists of scattered thatch, knocked over mailboxes or boxes, and streams of rainwater surging downhill through the streets. In other areas where the elevation is slightly lower, large puddles of excess water have formed. Vinyl makes a point to avoid running her cart through such puddles.

It seems like an eternity has passed when we finally reach Vinyl’s house. No sooner had she opened the door than I was pushing the cart inside as quickly as possible. Vinyl chuckles at my haste.

“You really should look into getting something to keep warm. You look like you’re freezing,” Vinyl suggests as she closes the door behind us.

“Trust me, it’s on my list of things to do,” I grunt. The two of us maneuver the cart just inside the door to the right. “Whew, is that it?”

“That’s it!” Vinyl affirms. She then looks around the large sitting room in which we’re standing. The place is hardly tidy, and she seems to realize that; a supposition that’s supported by the faint blush on her face. “Sorry, my place is a wreck. I hope you don’t mind.”

“If you’d ever seen a college dorm before, you wouldn’t say that,” I quip while I look around.

The sitting room is simple, consisting of a small couch and two armchairs positioned around a fireplace set in the far wall. Between them is a wooden coffee table, atop of which are several coasters and empty mugs. There are also multiple end tables with candles on top of them littered about the room.

The mess that she was referring to came from clothes being thrown on the floor or hung over the back of armchairs, the empty cups on the table, and various musical paraphernalia such as books, cables, and even an acoustic guitar.

To the left is a small kitchen, separated from the sitting room by a low partition. The kitchen is also a mess, with dirty dishes still in the sink and the counters scattered with crumbs. At the very back of the kitchen is a staircase crammed against the back wall that leads upstairs, to where I assume the bedrooms are.

“Well, this is my pad! Though I suppose it’s yours now too,” Vinyl announces awkwardly. I follow her when she walks into the sitting room. She removes her ever present shades from her eyes, giving me my first look at them. Surprisingly, her eyes are a dark shade of magenta, which appears red in the dim light. The color clashes with her electric blue mane, yet it doesn’t seem out of place. “I should probably clean a bit…”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter to me how you live,” I say with a shrug. “More importantly, where will I be sleeping?”

“Oh yeah!” Vinyl pointed towards the staircase. “If you head upstairs, the spare room is the last door on the right. My room is right across from that, and the bathroom is the door closest to the stairs. The last door is the laundry room. I know you can’t read the settings though, so I can teach you later.”

“Thank you.” I move over to the cart and fish through the equipment until I find my rifle. “Last question. When’s the next time you have a gig?”

“Not tomorrow, but the next day. Tomorrow I’m not doing a thing!” Vinyl declares, the mare flopping on her couch. “Oh yeah, but I’ll be up to make breakfast for you.”

“Even though that’s at dawn?” I remark, cranking an eyebrow. The only response I get is a short groan. I shake my head with minor amusement. “Alright. Anyway, I’m going to wash up before bed. Wake me up when you’re making food.”

“Got it. Have a good night dude! By the way, the shower is right for hot, left for cold!” Vinyl calls up after me as I climb the stairs. I make a mental note of that and head directly for the bathroom.

This is the first real bathroom I’ve seen, not counting the outhouse I used while working out in the field with Applejack. I’m not sure what I expected, but it doesn’t look that much different than a human bathroom. Everything save for the tub is noticeably lower to account for pony size. It’s a disorienting effect; I feel like I’m taller than I should be.

I turn on the shower and gauge the temperature of the water with my hand. Once it feels as warm as I like it, I undress and step inside. The showerhead is low, so I get down on my knees. I let out a sigh of contentment as any chill remaining on me is washed away by the warmth.

Glancing around the tub reveals a bar of soap on a small shelf, as well as bottles of what I assume is shampoo and conditioner. As tempting as it is to wash my hair free of the accumulated grease, I’m not entirely sure what formula those hair products use, so it could potentially damage my hair. I’m not about to risk that.

However, I do pick up the soap and test its consistency. I’m assuming it isn’t made out of animal fat, of course. It feels soft on the skin and easily forms a suprisingly thick lather. With luck, this won’t irritate my skin. Deciding to risk it, I start to clean myself.

It’s been a long day. To start it all off, I suffered from mild hypothermia. Then, I spoke with Twilight, worked for several grueling hours with Applejack, and then went to a painstakingly long party with Vinyl. All of that then culminated in my presence here, as a tenant in Vinyl’s house. To say that it’s been stressful goes without saying. Nevertheless, scrubbing the dirt and grime free of my skin serves wonders for my mental state.

Once I’m finished, I dry off with a fluffy white towel that’s somewhat too small for me, and then I hang it on the rack. I dress up only in my underwear, and then I carry my clothes back to my new room. I would get them washed, but as it stands, it’s very late at night, and I’ll be waking up at dawn. I don’t have time.

I step into my room, close the door, and proceed to look around. The room isn’t anything fancy. There’s a small bed pressed up against the far room with a dark wooden dresser beside it. Additionally, resting against the wall in front of the room’s sole window is a desk equipped with quills, inkwells, and paper.

Setting my clothes down on the floor, I climb into the bed. Unsurprisingly, the bed is somewhat too small for me, so my legs dangle off the other end. I tend to sleep with my legs curled up anyway, so it’s thankfully not a problem.

I breathe deeply, letting my head rest against the soft pillow. After spending a night outside, it’s so nice to have comfort and warmth, even if I had to be convinced to accept it. I am at last in a favorable situation. I have food, shelter, and a sustainable source of income. It won’t be long before I have enough money to leave Ponyville and head to the north.

Sombra won’t be able to hide forever.

Author's Note:

Meanwhile, another month has gone by and I've just finished another chapter. Sheesh, what a mess. On the bright side, the first arc is nearly finished. All I have left to do is go back over the first chapter, as that one is rather dated. Then I'll finally get back to a Wilting Flower (as much as I've been dreading it)

Also, I can't help but notice the sheer lack of attention these rewrites are getting. It's rather discouraging to be honest. I'm even going to the trouble of posting each one as a separate chapter, but the view counts are remaining low. That being said, comments are practically nonexistent.

That aside, if you'd like to see the list of changes made to the original chapter, take a look at the blog post located here. Then, please make sure to leave a comment for me and tell me what you think of the changes! Anything at this point is better than nothing.

Comments

[Parukia_de_Bolivar]

I think that there may have been problems with notifications on things like that or something. Don't feel too discouraged, it actually happens to a lot of rewrites.

[BeardedRedMane]

What the guy above me said, also Ive been working too much to partake in the reading of tiny pastel horses, but onward with thoughts!

I really like this chapter for a number of reasons, the first being Seth and dancing; if I remember correctly he danced of his own volition instead of him being kind of in a daze and lured out by past memories and RD's likeness to Amaryllis. I'll be honest, now that I go back and remember how he went about it before it reeked an awful lot of an emo kid. Like I got this image of Seth acting like a dick to everyone, suddenly dancing of his own accord then going off in a corner to cut his wrists.

Another small thing is I enjoyed was Vinyl including meals so you can take away the back and forth struggle that normally was Vinyl trying to give the guy a sandwich.

But most importantly I feel as though the ponies actually have an idea as to what happened to Seth. In the original the only ones who really knew were Celestia and Rainbow. It felt like he was a massive dick to everyone for no discernible reason, kinda sort of stopped being as much of a dick and then finally was a decent person BUT no one got an explanation for it. Especially Twilight, can't remember about Pinkie and Scratch as well as she kinda put up with a lot of his bullshit. Also correct me if Im wrong but did he ever appologise to any of the ponies for treating them like dirt? Regardless it left me wanting more.. Like more screentime for Twilight maybe or Lyra that didn't consist of them being shat on.

[Vinyl_ScratchPlays]

Mhmm I've only just came back torch he re writes and it's great so far

[Srey]

Yay, chapter seven!

hmm, I'm actually less sure of what to say. I mean, I'd rather not repeat every time just how big of an improvement you've made, but you did make a huge one so it bears repeating a little at least...

Well, This chapter's also much more emotionally packed, and nicely too. The rework does allow one to properly see it THIS time. I at least could really empathize with both the main character and the ponies.

I actually had forgotten about that but in the previous version the ponies were pretty much doormats back then. It's nice to see each of them standing up to Seth each in their own way this time though.

[JarheadHME]

I've started rereading this again, and I have to say I really appreciate the rewrites! Makes it so much nicer to read again.

Also, I got notifications for the first couple rewritten chapters you posted, but haven't gotten any since then, so that might aid in the low view counts. But trust me, it's very much appreciated!

[Chillean]

Reading this for the first time, and the rewrites seems good! Now, time to go back to the originals. Definitely like the story so far, even if he is ridiculously stubborn

[QCosmic Derp]

“Well, you won’t see that from me!” Twilight proclaims. She accompanies us outside into the wind and rain for a little while, and then gives us a wave. “I’m heading back to the library now. See you tomorrow, Seth!”

Friendship, yay! That's what I like to see. Seems asshole main character is softening up at least a little. Wonder how he'll deal with Rainbow after that dance he apparently regrets.

Edit: Actually, I came here for the friendship. So... Let's get on with that friendship already! I shout at an already competed story ayy

...I'm going to assume Vinyl has yet to meet with Octavia here. That's probably an interesting story in and of itself.

[QCosmic Derp]

I just went back to reread this to get refreshed and I can't help but remember his edgy journal in the next chapter . That's probably thrown out in the rewrite though.

[kotor511]

“What that? That’s not a big deal. You’d hardly be the first who’s thrown a tantrum over something silly,” Vinyl remarks. “You should have seen me when I was a filly.”

“

I’m not sure how to feel about that,” I mutter bitterly.

HE should feel like a brat, because that is the equivalent of his behaviour, especially with this response

“Agh for the love of…” Vinyl grabs me, giving me a bit of a shake. “Seth… you don’t seem to get it. It’s still raining out there. Youwillfreeze to death. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it! Do I have to pull the boss card on you again?”

“If you ‘pull the boss card’ on me again, I quit,” I snap back, my tone turning icy and my eyes narrowing. Vinyl’s jaw drops, taken aback by my words. “I won’t be manipulated by you. In the end, it’s no business of yours what happens to me.”

What he shows isn't maturity or self reliability, or even sovereignty, but plain stupidity because he would let himself die in a cold storm simply because he is too Damaged in his world view to understand charity or kindness. His awareness of self-preservation equals zilch.

And all this knowing for sure he would die in a cold wet night, but seems to reject that reality since he is acting like a child, against any logic.

In addition he doesn't seem to have any feeling of self worth, resulting in others feeling miserable since they can't stand seeing him suffer.

How did this guy survive the last few years of his life and how did he pull through school, if he is in such a bad mental condition?

“You make no sense. One moment, you’re acting like a total jerk, and then another, you’re showing me you’re not as bad as I thought,” Rainbow groans, resting her face in her hoof. “I don’thavean ulterior motive.Why do you think we all have one?”

First time in a long while I have to agree with a rainbow Dash in a fanfic story. The only people that I really feel sorry for are the ponies this time.

[Lux Tenebris]

I liked the chapter. Seth is unlikable as ever but not badly written. I hope he softens up later in the story. When it comes to the edits? I think the grammar and pacing is good, yet as I didn't read the original chapter I can't point our specific improvements.

[Shadowblade019]

Why does any mature pony explain why you should just except no when someone doesn't want help or anything to do with them?

Why can't they take the hint of leave me alone when some specie say-so?

[Techite Spark]

I’m getting very depressed on how little attention the rewrites are getting ... As the writer himself has stated...

This story brought me a lot of excitement through my high school years. Coming back to see some polish on earlier chapters that I thought were a little rough is a huge treat. I also believe I read through the whole thing again about 3-4 months ago. It’s awkward for a few chapters from the translation of new to old but honestly I’m excited for more. Terran I’m really sorry this isn’t getting as much attention as it should. I’ve read your story here *this will be the 6th time literally*

You write characters that change without them losing their identity over the time the story progresses. That’s special and that’s talent. And quite honestly this and only 2 other stories I come back to read on this site. One because I love a huge word count and two you make it fun to picture in the mind. I have tons of physical books that I will reread but I find myself coming back to yours all the time. These rewrites really show how far you have come as a writer and I’m loving it! Again I know it looks bleak on how much attention it’s getting but I can’t wait for more and wish you the best of luck for the chapters ahead!

[Desti]

“I don’t care what you say, Seth! I’m making it my business. What kind of awful pony would I have to be to let someone freeze to death when I can clearly do something about it?” Vinyl argues vehemently. I scoff with disbelief. Why is she still pushing this? I’ve made it abundantly clear that I won’t accept her help, so why is she trying so hard? “I mean, for Celestia’s sake, it’s just a place to stay! It’s not like I’m…”

It's one thing to write your MC to be an asshole, it's hard to read but sure I get it. But why does he have to have a single digit IQ? Like he's actually a complete idiot

[Desti]

9545515
idk he's pretty poorly written. He's literally going to kill himself to avoid make believe ulterior motives. Can't kill Sombra if you're dead, he's completely unreasonable and kinda dumb tbh