Stallions of Equestria: Adam's Apple

by mr lovecolt

Pierce

Chapter Ten: Pierce

The morning at Sweet Apple Acres went by almost as usual, the main difference being that Big Macintosh, instead of performing his usual chores, was upstairs with Rarity helping her pack Adam’s clothes. Rarity levitated a pair of pants across the room and set them into Adam’s bag. Behind her, Big Macintosh sat on top of a suitcase to force it closed, reaching down to latch it just before it sprang back open.

“Careful, Mister Macintosh,” Rarity said. “We don’t want to ruin anything.”

“Didn’t even wear half these things,” Big Macintosh muttered as he lugged the suitcase into the hall.

“It never hurts to be prepared,” Rarity replied as she held up a shirt that shone in the morning light. “Why, imagine how horrified poor Mister Garnet would have been had he required his cerulean silk shirt and had to run all the way back home to retrieve it.”

“Can’t have that,” Big Macintosh replied, only to hear Rarity snicker. “What’s so funny?”

Rarity held up a photograph from one of Amy’s boxes. She levitated it towards him and then placed a hoof on both sides of the picture once Big Macintosh grabbed it. It was a photo of when Amy first moved in with the Apple family. As the first humans, Twilight Sparkle had insisted that they document every step of their journey, and this was the first of many photos they had taken together. Amy leaned against the barn with her arm wrapped around Adam, who was captured with an awkward smile as he tried to release himself from her grasp. Applejack had a scowl on her muzzle as her hoof pointed towards the humans, and Big Macintosh chuckled as he remembered the way she and Granny Smith must have yelled at the two just as the camera went off. Apple Bloom, either through serendipity or absurdity, had managed to get photographed in midair performing a karate kick in an attempt to separate the two humans from one another.

As Big Macintosh laughed at the picture, Rarity gently coughed and pointed to the other side of the picture, where Big Macintosh saw himself standing in the middle of the open doors with a lopsided smile, as though he had tried to pose himself too many times and was now unsure of how to look at the camera. Big Macintosh’s smile faded as he looked more closely at how rigid he looked compared to his family and the humans, as though he had no idea what was happening at the time. He tried to turn away, but immediately felt Rarity’s hoof on his cheek.

“You’ve been talking a lot more lately,” she said. “Have you noticed that?”

Big Macintosh walked back into the room and sat on the bed. He looked around the room and frowned as more of Adam’s things were packed away. Rarity set down the shirt and joined him on the bed.

“Adam and Amy do that,” Rarity said. “They have their way of making you want to say something… more.”

Rarity sighed as she resumed her packing, making her way to the last empty suitcase and pulling it over. Rarity hummed to herself for a moment before turning to the stallion.

“Speaking of saying something, have you decided whether or not to let your feelings be known to him?”

“Eeyup.”

Rarity waited for him to continue, but when she noticed him head over to the corner of the room, she cleared her throat to get his attention.

“Is that a yes or a no?”

“Seen these songs Amy got?” Big Macintosh replied, not answering her question. “Lotta new material for the Pony Tones.”

“Yes there is,” Rarity said as she placed a pair of shoes in the final suitcase. “Were there any songs that stuck out in particular?”

“A couple,” Big Macintosh said.

“I see.”

Rarity levitated the last of Adam’s shoes into the suitcase. She glanced over everything to make sure she didn’t miss any of Adam’s things before she turned to the door. Before she left, however, Big Macintosh got her attention.

“Thought ‘bout what you told me,” the stallion said. “Don’t seem right to say somethin’, what with Pokey in the picture and all. Stallions get territorial real quick. Don’t wanna step on no hooves.”

Rarity laughed for a moment and shook her head. She gazed upon the bookcase for a moment before heaving another sigh.

“It simply isn’t fair,” she said. “With how much of a gentlecolt you are, and how fabulous Mister Garnet is, and how debonair Mister Pierce is…” Rarity stamped a hoof on the floor. “As Miss Applejack would say, you all seem to get the pick of the litter.”

“Ain’t like that,” Big Macintosh replied. “How ‘bout that Trenderhoof fella?”

Rarity narrowed her eyes and turned back to the bookcase. Her horn glowed, and a small book levitated from the shelf and into the air. Rarity cleared her throat and read the title.

“‘Making It Relatable: A Guide to Interspecies Dating’, by Trenderhoof.”

Rarity slowly lowered the book back onto the shelf. She paused for a moment as her aura still surrounded the book. Her eyes shifted back and forth, as though she were considering something. She then shook her head, let go of the book, and turned to Big Macintosh. “Do you have something to say about that?”

Big Macintosh shook his head. “Nope.”

“You really are impossible,” Rarity replied as she turned her attention to the suitcases. “Care to join me to the boutique?”

Big Macintosh shook his head.

“Nope. Got chores to do. Be there in the evenin’ to pick up the cart.”

Rarity glanced back towards the hall, where all of the suitcases were stacked until they nearly touched the ceiling.

“Well, I’ve carried carts of gems. Adam’s luggage shouldn’t be an issue.” The smile grew on Rarity’s muzzle until she squealed. “Oh, I’m just so happy he’s coming home. I’ve missed my little assistant.”

Big Macintosh nodded his head and quietly made his way out of the bedroom. As he started to pick up a suitcase to take it downstairs, Rarity lifted the rest of them with her magic, to which Big Macintosh rolled his eyes.

“Oh, don’t be like that, Mister Macintosh,” Rarity said. “I shall make sure that Adam visits the Apple family every Sunday, just like Amy did for him.” She smiled. “Regardless of what happens, I truly believe that he has been good for you, and you for him.”

Big Macintosh pushed the front door open and made his way down the porch steps. He lowered the suitcase into the cart and then stared out towards the front gate. Rarity followed close behind, and soon, the rest of the luggage was settled into the cart. As the mare hitched herself to it, she turned towards Big Macintosh, who was now staring at the nearby trees. A pair of bluebirds alighted from the air and onto a branch, and Rarity couldn’t help but noticed the stallion quirk his head at the sight. A gust of wind shook the leaves, and the birds flew away. Big Macintosh turned back to Rarity, who stood transfixed at him.

“Somethin’ the matter?” he asked.

“What?” Rarity asked before shaking her head. “No, you just reminded me so much of something Mister Garnet did recently.” She tossed her mane back and started for the boutique. “Until next time, Mister Macintosh.”

The stallion waited for her to reach the front gate, and as she disappeared behind a hill, he turned to the barn to get started on his chores. Above him, he could still hear the sound of the two birds calling to one another. When he glanced up, he saw them just as they darted behind a cloud.

Adam stood in the lobby of the hospital, unsure of what to do. As Doctor Horse and Nurse Tenderheart waved goodbye and left, Adam turned to Doctor Stable and Nurse Redheart, who had both just returned for the evening shift.

“Doctor Horse informs me that you are fit to leave, Mister Garnet,” Doctor Stable said.

Adam looked out the front doors again. In the distance, he saw the path that led to Carousel Boutique, lined on both side with vendor tents. Ponies walked up and down the thoroughfare. They crossed back and forth, buying this and that from the different sellers. Adam reached up and covered his face.

“Are you sure the studies proved conclusively that a human can’t interact with a teleportation spell?” he asked with an awkward smile.

“Yes, we’re sure, Mister Garnet,” Nurse Redheart replied playfully.

“Then a masking spell?” Adam offered. “You can just cast the spell on the air around me, not on me.”

“Magic doesn’t work that way,” Doctor Stable answered as he quirked an eyebrow.

“...a paper bag?” Adam asked pitifully.

“I think I see what the problem is.” Nurse Redheart said after a moment.

She turned to the nearby table and picked something up. When the nurse returned, she gave Adam a small brochure. On the cover was a picture of three foals: a pegasus and unicorn pair of fillies flanked an earth pony colt on either side of him. The trio smiled straight ahead.

“No Pony’s Perfect,” Adam read the title out loud. “A Guide to Body Image, Self-Acceptance, and the Search for Respect.” Adam lowered the brochure and gave the mare an unimpressed look. “I do not have body image issues.”

“I’m sure you don’t,” Doctor Stable replied. “But sometimes a creature in your position may view themselves in a different light than how other ponies really see them.”

“It’s just good to remain open to the idea,” Nurse Redheart added.

“There’s no idea to be open to,” Adam said.

“Then what is the issue, Mister Garnet?” Doctor Stable asked.

Adam grumbled and shoved the brochure into his pocket. He glanced back out towards the streets and imagined the ponies outside staring at him as he tried to make his way home. Why do their eyes have to be so big, he thought. He smiled when he saw a familiar figure approach the hospital. As Rarity reached the front door, Adam gave her a half-hearted wave. The doors drifted open, and the mare trotted into the waiting room, nodding her head to Adam first, then the other ponies.

“Hello, dear,” Rarity said as she nuzzled Adam’s side. “It’s good to see you out and about.”

“Thank you,” Adam replied. “It feels like it’s been a while.” He took a deep breath and pointed towards the door. “Shall we?”

Rarity nodded, and soon, the pair were outside of the hospital. As the sun hit Adam’s exposed skin, he reached up and covered his face with his hand. When Rarity nudged his side, he smiled weakly.

“I’m fine,” he said. “It’s just sensitive.”

They headed towards the main square, though Rarity swore that Adam was walking much faster than usual. As the human’s strides grew longer and quicker, she had difficulty keeping up. A few ponies glanced up from what they were doing, but the moment their eyes locked onto Rarity’s expression, they quickly turned away.

“Adam, darling,” Rarity said. “I have a wonderful evening planned for your homecoming. I got us a nice bottle of wine and a film reel of the most delightful romantic comedy.”

Adam paused for a moment.

“What kind of wine?” he asked.

“Oh, you know what I say, Mister Garnet,” Rarity replied with a smile. “White for delight, red for dread. The Pinot Grigio is chilling as we speak.”

“What movie?” he asked as they continued on their way.

“It is adorable. How to Lose a Stallion in a Fortnight.”

Adam stopped again and looked off into the distance. Rarity wondered what was wrong until she realized her mistake.

“Oh, you know how those titles are, dear,” Rarity said. “I’m sure that the couple will find love, regardless of their intentions. You know how those things—”

“Hi!”

Adam and Rarity screamed and leaped back as Pinkie Pie materialized from beneath a pile of oranges sitting on a farmer’s stand. The proprietor stared at Pinkie Pie with a look of horror as she slinked out of the pile and landed on the ground. Adam winced as Pinkie Pie hopped in front of him.

“Adam, I’m so happy you’re out of the hospital,” Pinkie Pie said. “I didn’t know whether to make you a cake for the occasion, but then I remembered that every time I do, you just say something like ‘that’ll just make me fat’, or ‘how many calories are in this’, so I just made you a raisin oatmeal cookie instead.”

Pinkie Pie reached into her mane and pulled out a small cookie. When she handed it to Adam, he had to squint his eyes to read what was written on it. Adam read the words out loud as he turned the cookie clockwise.

“Congrats on not being paralyzed anymore and getting out of the hospital so quick I can’t wait to see what clothes you help Rarity design next.” Adam sighed. “Just reading that gave me a migraine,” he muttered.

“Oh, wow,” Pinkie Pie said as she hopped forward another step and looked at Adam’s face. “If only this had happened closer to Nightmare Night.”

Both Adam’s and Rarity’s eyes narrowed at the oblivious pony.

“I mean I know you aren’t scary or anything, but wouldn’t it be fun to be able to just poke your head out and scare the foals?” Pinkie Pie closed her eyes and laughed. “I know that I like being scared, and scaring other ponies can be fun. Oh, maybe we can try something together.”

Adam shied away as Rarity levitated a newspaper from her saddlebags.

“Oh my gosh,” Pinkie Pie shouted. “You could ride on top of me and we can go as Tirek! I know the stitches don’t matter with that, but think of how much fun it will be with your arms flailing around as I gallop through town!” Pinkie Pie laughed in devilish glee. “We could totally scare Rainbow Dash with it, too!”

“Pinkie!” Rarity shouted as she batted the mare away. “You shall do no such thing!”

Rarity glared at Pinkie Pie and readied herself to give the mare a piece of her mind, but stopped the moment she felt Adam’s hand come to rest on her shoulder. She glanced up and saw Adam looking down at her. Adam glanced around at the small crowd that had now formed and then back down.

“No, it’s fine,” Adam said. “Can we just go, please?”

“What’s wrong?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Don’t you like the cookie?”

As Pinkie Pie’s mane began to deflate, both Rarity and Adam’s eyes widened. Adam looked down at the cookie, sighed, and then shoved it into his mouth. His cheeks bulged and he forced a smile.

“Nmph,” Adam choked as he gave the mare a thumb’s up. “Tho good.”

“Oh, yay!” Pinkie Pie shouted as her mane reinflated and she reached out to hug him. “I’ll be by soon as soon as I figure out the right theme for your party, Adamy.” She frowned and stroked her chin. “No… Garnety? Ugh!”

Adam and Rarity exchanged puzzled looked as Pinkie Pie threw her head in the air and began to walk away. As Adam started to choke on his cookie, he beat his chest and struggled to swallow.

“Pinkie, you need to get it together,” Pinkie Pie mumbled. “Adam’s a man, so…” her voice grew softer as she walked further away. “Adaman? Adamant? Adamantium?”

The moment Pinkie Pie disappeared into the crowd, Adam glanced down at Rarity. He finished swallowing the last of his cookie and narrowed his eyes.

“How in the hell do you put up with her?” he asked.

“Oh, you know what they say, Adam,” Rarity replied.

“Friendship is magic,” they answered in unison.

They finally reached the end of the stalls and could see Carousel Boutique standing in the distance. Rarity hummed to herself as she trotted ahead.

“Adam, let me just say that I am ever so happy to have you back.” Rarity waited for his response, but when he didn’t say anything, she stopped and looked around. She saw his staring off into the distance. “Adam?”

“Should I try to see Mister Pierce tonight?” he asked.

“I don’t think he has been made aware of your… situation, Adam,” Rarity said. “And shouldn’t you be more focused on healing completely?”

Adam turned towards the setting sun, sighing the moment it disappeared beneath the horizon. Behind them, they could hear the sound of the vendors closing up shop for the day. Adam looked up just in time to see the evening stars appear.

“He should be seeing the last of the foals off by now,” Adam said. “Maybe I should just drop by to let him know what’s happened?” he suggested.

Rarity stared at Adam, trying her hardest not to look at his stitches. She knew she wasn’t very convincing, however, as she noticed Adam’s smile falter. Adam raised his hand over his face again.

“I want to know what he thinks when he sees me, Rarity,” Adam said. “I need to know.”

Adam slowly turned away and headed off towards the daycare center, but stopped when he felt Rarity’s hoof on his arm. He turned back and saw tears in Rarity’s eyes.

“Adam, you know I always worry about you is all.”

“I appreciate that,” Adam replied as he placed his hand on her hoof. “But remember what I always say? Garnets are made out of tough stuff, too.”

Rarity closed her eyes and nodded. In the distance, the sound of birds chirping to one another echoed across the land.

“I know,” she said. “I wish you luck.”

As Adam walked away, Rarity fought every urge within her to stop him. As he made his way through the crowd, Rarity could see the occasional pony look up from what they were doing and stare at Adam’s face. Finally, once he disappeared behind a nearby tent, she shook her head and slowly made her way back to Carousel Boutique.

Adam walked through the familiar toy-strewn lawn and found himself standing at the front porch of Safety Pens. He peered through the front window and saw that there was still a single filly inside, sitting at a drawing table. Pinot Noir, Adam thought, let’s pray that names and cutie marks aren’t linked. Adam knocked on the door, chuckling as the filly jerked up from her work and made her way to the front door. How would a filly get a cutie mark about wine, anyway?

As Adam waited for the filly to answer the door, he turned back towards the center of town. He shook his head as he remembered the way some of the ponies looked at him as he made his way through Ponyville. The ponies’ eyes burned through his mind until a voice finally broke through. You are not a monster, he remembered Rarity tell him. He slowly raised his hand over his face once more. The door opened behind him, and he turned back to greet the filly.

“Hey, there,” Adam said with a smile. “You’re here—”

Pinot Noir’s pupils shrunk as she stared at Adam’s face. She leaped back and stumbled over a stuffed animal. Adam gasped and reached out to stop her from falling, but as the filly started to scream, he saw a light appear from the corner of his eye.

“Pinot, I’m here!” Adam heard Pokey Pierce shout. “I’ll—”

Adam turned towards the light and saw that Pokey Pierce was standing in the hall with his horn aglow. The stallion’s muzzle was turned upward in a snarl and his eyes were dark and furious. Adam locked eyes with Pokey Pierce and the stallion saw the human standing in front of him. However, the light on his horn remained for a moment until Pokey Pierce realized who it was. Pinot Noir backed away and Adam clutched his hands together as though to hide his fingers. Adam took a step back and waited for one of the ponies to say something. Pinot Noir galloped behind Pokey Pierce, and the stallion sighed and shook his head.

“Adam,” Pokey Pierce said as he lowered the blinds. “I know you like playing pranks, but there’s a point where you just scare the foals.” The stallion sighed. “Please remove that makeup so she knows you aren’t trying to scare her.”

Adam’s lip quivered. He reached up to cover the side of his face, but his gaze fell to the ground.

“It—” Adam choked up. “It’s not makeup.”

As he glanced back from the stallion to the filly, Adam felt himself grow light headed.

“I...I had an accident,” Adam muttered. “Manticore venom.”

“You were in the Everfree?” Pinot Noir asked from behind Pokey Pierce’s leg. “Only monsters and Zecora go there.”

“Yeah,” Adam mumbled. “I guess they do.”

“Oh, Adam,” Pokey Pierce said. “I’m so sorry.” The stallion looked down and sighed as Pinot Noir still trembled behind him. “Pinot, sweetie, he’s not trying to scare you.”

Pokey Pierce reached back and pushed the filly forward. Adam bent down on one knee and tried to smile as best he could, but the moment Pinot Noir looked at his teeth, he covered his mouth. He glanced up at Pokey Pierce for help, but the stallion simply rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m a vegetarian, remember?” Adam said hopefully.

“Oh yeah,” the filly replied.

“Come on, Pinot,” Pokey Pierce said. “I know he looks really scary—”

Adam shot Pokey Pierce an offended glare, and the stallion took a step back.

“…but that doesn’t mean he’s not the same human we all got to know the other day. It’s always about what is on the inside.”

He smiled at Adam, and the human could tell that Pokey Pierce hoped he had smoothed things over. He forced a smile, making sure not to show his teeth to either pony. There was a knock at the door, and Adam got to his feet and turned to open it, but was stopped by Pokey Pierce.

“Um, Adam?” the stallion asked. “Would you mind terribly going into the other room?” He smiled nervously. “It’s just that I don’t want anypony else to upset you.”

Adam blinked a few times before nodding and forcing himself to walk to the hallway. Behind him, he heard Pokey Pierce whispering to Pinot Noir about not saying anything about Adam. Why do my legs feel so heavy, he thought as he reached up to grab the door handle to the bathroom, why is it so hard to breathe?

The moment Adam closed the door to the bathroom, he heard the front door open. The muffled sounds of ponies talking managed to reach him, and Adam’s lip twitched. He looked over and saw his reflection in the mirror. He stood there and looked at himself—the stitches snaking their way across the side of his face and the abrasions burning blood-red from sun exposure—and gritted his teeth. The moment Adam saw his incisors, however, he reached up a clenched fist and shook it towards the mirror. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he slowly lowered his hand and gripped it against the sink.

Adam wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but the sudden sound of a knock on the door behind him jolted him from his daze.

“Adam?” Pokey Pierce asked. “Are you all right? Pinot’s gone.”

Adam practiced a few smiles in the mirror before settling on a tiny half-smile that kept his teeth hidden before opening the door. Pokey Pierce stood there with a smile that made Adam wonder whether he had practiced his smile, too.

“I just got out of the hospital today and thought I’d come and see you,” Adam said. “Just wanted to see if you wanted to go out.”

“Oh, really?” Pokey Pierce replied. “Gee, I—”

“I was thinking the park,” Adam interrupted him. “Someplace nice and quiet, you know?” He covered his face again. “As you can tell, I don’t exactly want to be around a lot of ponies right now.”

“I can understand that,” Pokey Pierce said.

Adam watched Pokey Pierce’s shoulders loosen, and he wondered whether or not the stallion realized that they had been clenched nervously the whole time. He watched the stallion hesitate for a moment before nodding his head.

“Sure,” he finally answered.

Adam nodded as well, and soon the pair made their way through the day care center. Pokey Pierce’s horn glowed bright, and the front door opened. Adam stood silently on the porch as Pokey Pierce locked the door. The two smiled at one another and headed into the darkness. In the distance, Adam heard the sound of birds cawing as they flew through the air.

“Kind of a weird second date,” Pokey Pierce said as he lay on the grass.

“I guess,” Adam replied hesitantly as he stared up at the night sky.

Adam ran his fingers through the grass and smiled. Even the grass here is different, he thought as the blades ran across his skin. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Pokey Pierce looking at him expectantly as he rest on his stomach with his legs splayed out. The stallion gave a gentle smile, but unlike the first date, he seemed to be at a loss for words.

“Besides,” Adam whispered. “I’m sure you don’t want to be seen in public with me.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Not like this, at least.”

The unicorn’s smile disappeared immediately, there was a faint glow to his horn and he turned up to look at the moon. Adam watched as the stallion’s eyes narrowed for a moment and he shook his head, as though going through the motions of a conversation without speaking. Adam looked up at the moon, but saw nothing unusual happening. Finally, Pokey Pierce closed his eyes and sighed before turning back to him.

“I’m sorry if I offended you, Adam. I really am,” the stallion said as his hooves shuffled on the grass. “I did tell Pinot that it’s about what’s on the inside, remember?”

His smile returned, and Adam had no choice but to return it. As the grass touched his face, he felt a stinging sensation; he immediately grimaced and rubbed his cheek, but was unable to ignore how uncomfortable the stallion appeared. Pokey Pierce looked up to the sky once more and pointed at the stars.

“You remember how we talked about the constellations the other day?” Pokey Pierce asked as he work hard to not let his gaze trail over Adam’s scars. “You said that humans had a lot of stories about them.”

Adam looked up at the night sky once more. He lifted an arm and his fingers traced lines through the air, connecting dots in places that only he knew. Why are the stars still the same, he wondered, out of everything, why can I still see the same constellations?

“Adam?” Pokey Pierce asked.

The human remained silent for a moment, and as the stallion settled back, they both heard the sound of a lyre strumming. They turned their heads to find the source, and saw a mint unicorn holding the instrument in her telekinetic grasp. She hadn’t noticed the two were there amongst the trees, but Pokey Pierce immediately recognized the mare.

“Oh, right,” he mumbled. “Lyra tends to practice in the park.” Pokey Pierce closed his eyes and snickered. “Something about artists needing darkness.”

“Lyra?” Adam asked.

“Yeah,” Pokey Pierce replied as he inched closer to Adam. “She and her coltfriend, Noteworthy. They perform as a piano and lyre duet at Epicurious sometimes. Maybe I can take you there once you get better?”

Adam clenched his teeth. You mean once my face doesn’t look at bad, he thought. He fought every urge not to speak the words out loud, especially when he saw how hard Pokey Pierce was trying to not upset him.

“You don’t want ponies out there seeing you like this and getting scared,” the stallion continued as he placed a hoof on Adam’s hand. “Most of them don’t know you, and what if they saw you and came to some wrong conclusion about you because they made judgment about what they saw?”

Adam’s free hand clenched the dirt beneath him. He felt the soil as it became lodged beneath his fingernails. He lifted the hand that Pokey Pierce was holding and point to the sky.

“There,” Adam said. “That bright star with the four stars beneath it, is Lyra, the lyre. That one has a very interesting story.”

Adam bit his lip, lifted his other hand, and shook off the dirt before placing it on his chest.

“I don’t remember the names, but there was a man who played the lyre so well that even the animals and trees nearby stopped to listen. A long time ago, humans believed there were… gods, I suppose? Beings that controlled things: life, nature, even death. The god of death took the man’s wife, but the man went into the land of the dead to bring her back. The god of death said he would only if he could be moved to tears.”

Adam paused for a moment as Pokey Pierce’s eyes went wide. In the distance, the mare continued to practice, the notes of the lyre rising through the air.

“So he played for the god of death, and the music was so beautiful that a single tear fell from the god’s cold, dead cheek. He agreed to let her go, but on the condition that the man not look back until both he and his wife were in the land of the living once more. The man continued to play the lyre, his wife following behind, until he saw the entrance to the land of the dead.”

Adam gasped and held his breath as he imagined the scene. As Adam continued the story, he turned back to Pokey Pierce, whose wide eyes were now filled with tears. He saw the stallion’s muzzle shaking.

“I-I don’t like this story, Adam,” Pokey Pierce said as he inched away.

“As soon as the man got out,” Adam said, ignoring how Pokey Pierce’s gaze turned towards the moon. “He heard his wife stumble and instinctively turned back to help her up, but then watched as she slowly faded away and was pulled back into the land of the dead."

Adam chuckled for a moment.

"The worst part was that he finally saw her as she had become. She had become a ghost of what he believed her to be. The gods took pity on him, though. When he died, they took his lyre and put it in the sky.”

Adam grew quiet as he finished his story. Pokey Pierce closed his eyes and the tears that had welled up inside of them fell to the ground. The mare continued to practice, and Adam watched as her hoof ran back and forth through the air. Even though her hooves never touched the instrument, the notes still rang out, thanks to her magic.

As he glanced back up at the stars, Adam remembered everything both Rarity and Big Macintosh had said to him. You are not a monster, he heard Rarity say as he imagined her shaking her head back and forth. Nopony sees you as a monster, he remembered Big Macintosh saying before the wedding.

“Pokey,” Adam said. “When you saw me tonight at Safety Pens, you kept your horn glowing, even after you saw me.” Adam stared into Pokey Pierce’s eyes. “Why?”

“Adam,” Pokey Pierce sighed. “You can’t blame me for being a pony. What was I supposed to do? Pinot was screaming. My cutie mark tells me to take care of foals.” The stallion shook his head. “Why is it my fault that you scared her?”

Adam blinked. He opened his mouth a few times to speak, but no sound came out. His mind raced with thoughts, but none of them managed to grow powerful enough for him to say them out loud. Instead, he remained motionless as Pokey Pierce stood up.

“This isn’t about me,” the stallion continued as he pointed a hoof at Adam. “This is about you. I reacted as any pony would.” Pokey Pierce walked back and forth as though justifying himself. “I-I didn’t recognize you while my horn was glowing… I saw Pinot cowering, and then your—”

Pokey Pierce stopped himself as Adam turned away. Adam looked up at the moon floating in the sky. Everypony didn’t react that way, Adam told himself, though he shook the thought out of his mind.

“What matters is that I was able to fight that and go against that nature.” Pokey Pierce reached out to Adam, but Adam pulled away. “Doesn’t that matter?”

Adam shook his head. Everything Pokey Pierce said to him just made him think about what Big Macintosh had told him. The only thing Big Mac was scared of was me getting hurt, he thought. Adam thought back to the news articles he had read from the Tall Tale Times and at how Tall Order told him how strange it was that he was so passive. Another thought ran through his mind as he shook his head—that of Big Macintosh trying to help him while in the barn.

What is happening, Adam wondered as he leaned back onto the grass. But then he remembered the way Big Macintosh looked at him in the hospital room. Adam’s head shook as he glared at the stallion in front of him.

“Pokey,” Adam said. “When have I ever shown anypony that I was threatening?”

Adam jerked up into a sitting position, and Pokey Pierce leaped back again. When Adam realized what he did, he looked back and forth and sighed in relief as the mare’s music continued. He took a deep breath before he continued.

“Ever since coming here, I have gone out of my way to make sure that ponies don’t think of me as threatening. And then you have the audacity to be scared of me because of this?” Adam pointed to his face.

“What pony wouldn’t be?” Pokey Pierce shouted. The moment has realized what he said, his eyes widened and he covered a hoof to his muzzle. “I mean it’s only natural for us. We… frighten easily?”

Adam narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t even the words themselves that hurt—it was the way that Pokey Pierce said it without conviction, as though he was trying to convince himself what he said was true. Adam got to his feet and brushed off his hands again.

“I thought I could do it,” Adam muttered. “I guess I was wrong. I’m not ready for this. I can’t deal with—” Adam stopped himself. He thought for a moment, and then chuckled. “I’m sorry, I misspoke.”

“Beg your pardon?” Pokey Pierce asked.

“I said ‘I can’t deal with this’ when I meant to say ‘I won’t deal with this’.”

“Adam, I—”

Pokey Pierce glanced back up at the moon and shook his head. Adam gave a quizzical look and followed the stallion’s gaze, but when he saw nothing out of the ordinary, his confusion only grew. What the hell is happening, Adam thought.

“I was scared of humans for a long time, Adam. When I saw you dancing that night, I could tell that you weren’t like the humans I was scared of.” The stallion poked his hoof in the ground. “And you’re right. You aren’t threatening.” He looked down and sighed. “But I can’t fight the way I feel.”

Do you still want to kiss me?” Adam asked.

“What?”

“Do you still want to kiss me like you did the other night after our date?” Adam repeated himself as he bent down until he was inches away from the stallion. When Pokey Pierce flinched, Adam nodded his head. “I understand.”

“Princess Luna said that the only way to get rid of your fears is to face them,” Pokey Pierce replied as he reached out to touch Adam’s hand. “And because of you, you’ve helped me see that not all humans are aggressive. Just because they aren’t ponies on the outside doesn’t mean they don’t share the same desires of ponykind.”

“I’m… not sure how to respond to that, Mister Pierce.”

“I really feel we can make this work,” the stallion said. “Besides, it’s not like those stitches will be there forever.”

“And what if they were?” Adam asked. “What if my face looked like this permanently?”

“Well,” Pokey Pierce replied. “I’m sure I’d get used to it.”

Adam shook his head.

“No, Mister Pierce,” Adam said. “I am not something to get used to.”

Adam sighed and wrung his hands together. Pokey Pierce stood frozen in place as Adam reached out and ran his fingers through the stallion’s mane. As Adam thought about what Pokey Pierce had said, his grip tightened.

“And for the record, who I am has nothing to do with me being human or wanting to be pony. My desires are my own, and to tell me otherwise only shows me that you haven’t learned a damn thing.”

Adam let go of the stallion, who was now shaking. Adam looked down at his hand, closed his eyes, and sighed.

“You’re still scared of us, you know. I hope you can one day see me for who I am, and not what I am. Until then, goodbye, Mister Pierce.”

Adam backed away from the stallion, whose jaw nearly touched the ground in surprise. He glanced over and noticed that Lyra had put up her instrument and was preparing to leave. As Adam watched her trot away, he looked up at the moon again. Glad Luna thought I’d be fine being seen as a morality lesson for one of her subjects.

Behind him, Adam could hear Pokey Pierce’s hoofsteps. He turned around just in time to see the stallion back away towards the treeline. The stallion glanced up once more, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

“I-I’m sorry,” he finally said. “You’re right… about everything.” He shook his head, as though he were trying to shake a certain thought out of it. “It’s so strange.”

“What’s so strange?” Adam asked.

“Getting to know you,” he replied. “You’re so gentle, but then when I see you, I immediately see how big you are and instinctively see you as a threat.” Pokey Pierce narrowed his eyes, unaware that Adam was still looking at him. “Wow, you are so much like—”

Pokey Pierce stopped himself once more before turning his frightened glance towards Adam. He laughed quietly, but then hung his head down and turned away, disappearing behind the trees and into the darkness.

“Who?” Adam called out. “Who am I like?”

When Adam couldn’t hear Pokey Pierce anymore, he looked off into the distance and started to make his way back to Carousel Boutique in the dark. He shivered as the wind around him picked up.

Adam felt the moon’s glow on his face and took note of it. As he saw the orb in the sky once more, he sneered and started back for home, his footprints not even echoing into the emptiness around him. Above him, the moon shimmered again and a few stars winked into and out of existence, but he was unable to see them through the thick branches over his head.

Comments

[Jake The Army Guy]

Good. Pokey ain't good enough your you, Adam. Now, go get your big hunk of Apple!

[Misty Horse]

I wanna be happy and sad at the same time!

[Epona Aghra]

6055762 Personally, I love it when I can make someone happy and sad at the same time.

[Misty Horse]

6055801

Signs of a good writer, I'd imagine. I just feel bad for pokey...

[Epona Aghra]

6056059 will it make you feel better if I tell you that I plan to use him for a later story?

[Misty Horse]

6056180

Actually, i pretty much saw it coming. Seems like there are things left unsaid.

[Bad_Seed_72]

Alright, Adam! Now go after the stallion who deserves you!

[yamgoth]

“Adam, I’m so happy you’re out of the hospital,” Pinkie Pie said. “I didn’t know whether to make you a cake for the occasion, but then I remembered that every time I do, you just say something like ‘that’ll just make me fat’, or ‘how many calories are in this’, so I just made you a raisin oatmeal cookie instead.”

I think this is the most I've seen Pinkie showing restraint while still remaining her her true Pinkie self. Pffftttt... this whole section of the chapter was ridiculously funny.