Seconds Late

by FerociousCreation

The Word "Sex"

It was such a frightening face to see. High Brass was easily showing his colors as if he was comfortable with sharing what he really was; an unjust vigilante. “It’s more than petty just revenge!" High Brass said. "I protected Quick Draw from that hurtful rat of a pony!” Hatred gripped High Brass’ throat, the pony’s eyes almost bulging from his head. “Alto, I’ll ask you this, and I don't want you to include me in the answer.”

Alto glanced left and right, not sure what High Brass was getting at. “Alright…”

“Would you want Harp Hearts to be with a pony who hurts others? Or would you do anything to keep them away from her?”

Alto had to fight the urge to say, “Haven't you forgotten what you did to me?” Instead, he looked at Harp Hearts and said, “I wouldn't want any harm to come to her.” The mare blushed but didn't smile; her lips were weighed down by the serious discussion.

“Let me build you the setting,” High Brass began. “It was Jr. High; a time where our hormones start to bloom and begin to appreciate the opposite sex. To my misfortune, Pencil Pusher attended the same school as Bastion and I. Then again, there aren't many schools to choose from here in Canterlot.” Alto nodded in agreement. With Canterlot’s walls being tall and unmovable, expanding inside the kingdom was near impossible. Alto managed to go to a private school for his junior high school years, so he knew nothing about High Brass until high school. “Among those ponies who began to become more attracted to mares,” High Brass continued, “was Pencil Pusher.”

“I can assume this Quick Draw you just mentioned was the mare Pencil Pusher had his sights on,” said Alto, and High Brass nodded.

“I noticed Pencil Pusher was becoming friendly with her when Quick Draw and I were in art class. It perplexed me at first because Pencil Pusher was a colt who made fun of mares.” Harp Hearts’ brows creased and High Brass noted it aloud, “Yes, Harp Hearts. He wasn't just mean to me exclusively, but not as harsh.”

“It just… upsets me that there are ponies who hurt others, regardless of their reasoning,” Harp Hearts said. “And I wouldn't want Pencil Pusher to be with anypony I knew.”

High Brass smiled, “Then I am sure you will be glad I made him cry.”

Harp Hearts creased her brows even more. “No, it does not… Remember, you hurt my friend.” She looked at Alto and frowned, “He cried because of you when he told me the truth, you know.” Alto’s ears fell back, embarrassed Harp Hearts had to speak of something he did privately with her. “And I wasn't glad for his hurt in the slightest.” A cramping pain gripped Alto’s throat, recalling the previous night’s sobbing, both onstage and in Harp Hearts’ arms. The memory was still raw and still very recent. Alto saw his friend’s clenched hoof, her fury visible in her grip. Alto was glad Harp Hearts included himself as a constant way to argue against High Brass and his hurtful ways. She was clearly on Alto’s side.

High Brass returned to his story, ignoring Harp Hearts’ words of disagreement. “Quick Draw was quite the determined mare. Her drawing skills were much more advanced than other students. However, she was very prone to being discouraged by criticism, much like Harp Hearts.” The pink pony looked away from High Brass, trying to direct attention elsewhere. High Brass quickly brought the spotlight back to his story and characters within it. “Pencil Pusher was having his sights on Quick Draw, and I was not going to allow somepony who not only is a bully but also known for saying harsh things to others, to be with her.”

“I admit,” Alto said, “I wouldn't want him with Quick Draw, either. Of course, instead of telling her yourself about Pencil Pusher’s attitude, you had another thing planned.”

“At the time, I heard that Quick Draw’s birthday was on the approach,” High Brass continued. “That would be a perfect time to confess feelings to somepony. A simple, but memorable gift. I was worried for Quick Draw and I wondered if that would be the time Pencil Pusher will ask her out.” Alto adjusted himself, eager to hear how High Brass conspired against Pencil Pusher. Alto was disgusted with himself for getting a guilty pleasure out of the story. He knew what was going to happen. He knew Pencil Pusher was going to be crushed. And he knew poetic justice was delivered. Alto told himself he would only condone High Brass’ act of mare snatching just once.

“I asked Bastion to spy on Pencil Pusher and his friends and see if he was truly interested in Quick Draw. The result: he was.” High Brass looked to Bastion with a smile, “Convincing you to spy was quite difficult.”

“I didn't mind doing harm to somepony who undid harm to you,” said Bastion. “I just hated leaving your side.” Harp Hearts shook her head in disapproval, visibly showing everypony in the room she didn't like any bit of the story. Alto leaned forward, the climax in view.

“Thankfully, you were training in the Jr. Canterlot Guard and I convinced you to practice your stealth,” High Brass said. “And nopony knew you were there when you spied on Pencil Pusher.”

“How did you do it, High Brass?” Harp Hearts asked, surprising High Brass and Alto for her sudden input.

“Great timing and charm,” High Brass answered. “With Quick Draw’s birthday on the approach, Pencil Pusher was working very hard on a sculpture in our art class; his gift to Quick Draw. Two days prior to the mare’s big day, I confronted Quick Draw and I told her that I caught wind that her birthday was just a couple days away. Just like every other mare, she had a school crush on me and was overjoyed to have me speak to her.” A chuckle escaped High Brass, “The poor mare was hyperventilating to the point where I feared she may faint.”

Harp Hearts flushed, “Well, just as you did to me, it’s not every day the charming rich stallion talks to middle-class mares.” Alto didn’t think ill of his friend’s comment. She was right. Most ponies in Canterlot stick to their own social class because they cared about their family’s reputation. And hanging with the wrong crowd can give a family a bad name. With High Brass being among the wealthiest of the high class, his face was known not just in the school, but around the city as well. But to many, a rich stallion being with a pretty mare, regardless of class, was never frowned upon and was a common sight; so long as the mare didn’t cause any rabble. The same went for a wealthy mare and a common stallion if they happen to be a couple. Most relationships, however, between one higher class member and one middle-class dweller usually end up breaking off because of how the middle-class pony lives, behaves, or associates with others; the vicious cycle of Canterlot romance; status means too much in the so-called pure white-walled kingdom.

“It’s easy to charm when you have a status behind your back,” High Brass admitted, sounding like he was confessing to a crime. “But my intentions were to help Quick Draw.”

“We know,” said Alto. He was starting to be bothered with how much High Brass was emphasizing how he was “helping” the mare. Alto just wanted High Brass to get to the point. The anticipation was killing the unicorn, despite knowing the ending. He needed to know how the ending came about.

“I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, and Quick Draw said she wanted art supplies,” High Brass resumed. “She wasn’t too specific because she was too flustered by my presence. Before I left, I told her I might get her something based on her birthday wishes. At that moment, I decided to get a good look at Pencil Pusher, and the look on his face was priceless.” High Brass couldn’t hold in the evil joy from within, and a wicked sneer revealed his white teeth. “There was pain and wrath in his eyes; a fire I have never seen from him. He knew what I was up to. And I loved that he did. Before Pencil Pusher could stare at me any longer, he returned to his stupid ugly sculpture, whatever it was supposed to be.”

“After class, Pencil Pusher had the nerve to approach me after class. Thankfully, I had Bastion their to watch over me and keep him and his posse off my back. I warned Pencil Pusher to hurry up with his sculpture and then left without another word. I gave him a fair warning to let him know I was up to something.”

“Why, though?” Alto asked. “You did the same to me. You didn’t ask Harp Hearts on the spot when you interrupted our talk. What reason did you have for that?”

“To put the pressure on you,” High Brass replied. “I wanted to make you panic and fear that I will make my move if you don’t. And panic can make somepony hesitate, worry, and jumble up their composure to make them unable to get a grip on themselves and do the proper thing.”

“I was very close to confessing my feelings to Harp Hearts before class started that day, even after you left us alone.” Alto’s ears fell back, remembering the error he made. “But I was an idiot and forgot my song in my locker.” Alto saw Harp Hearts part her lips, but her words were caught in her throat. Instead of forcing out a potentially incoherent sentence, she gave her friend a supportive rub on the shoulder instead.

“The next day, I decided to make my move during lunchtime,” said High Brass. “I was a bit nervous when I pulled Quick Draw aside. It was the first time I was asking out a mare, after all. But I knew what I had to do.” High Brass bit his lip, “When I asked her to be my special somepony, she fainted.”

“Woah!” Alto exclaimed. Harp Hearts gasped, just as surprised as her friend.

“My reaction was the same as yours, Alto,” High Brass said. “I rushed her to the nurse’s office with her on my back in a fit of panic.” The rich pony shrugged, “I never thought my first confession was going to be so eventful. But then again, it helped me in the end, much more than I realized.”

“How so?” Alto asked.

“Because as I ran down through the school, some of Quick Draw’s friends noticed me carrying her. I told them what I had done, which was enough to spread the word of my doing.” High Brass sighed, “And when Quick Draw opened her pretty little eyes, she asked me if she was dreaming. I kissed her forehead and said, ‘If you felt that, then it is real.’” Flush invaded High Brass’ cheeks. “Quick Draw was the first mare I ever kissed.”

It was a sweet thought as High Brass remembered the first mare he had kissed. Alto’s lip twitched a little, the warmth of Spearmint’s lips still hot from the previous night. But he didn't want to get sidetracked again. “What happened with Pencil Pusher?”

“Ha!” High Brass exclaimed. “What happened to him was more memorable than my confession to Quick Draw!” Neither Alto nor Harp Hearts gave the rich pony any sign of joyous expressions. “Pencil Pusher burst into the nurse’s office in a fit of panic. The first thing he saw was Quick Draw and I holding hooves.” The rich pony looked up to his guard and asked, “You remember the look on his face, don't you?”

Bastion’s mouth writhed into a twisted grin, her teeth a chilling sight to behold. “He was so broken.”

Harp Hearts stood from her bed, “I've heard enough! I hate how you two are getting excited about the pain you have caused! Disgusting!” Alto wasn't surprised his friend interrupted the story. Even he was getting sickened by the grinning and mad giggling High Brass and Bastion were doing. The fact that High Brass was exciting himself by hurting somepony made Alto realize something about the rich pony, though it wasn't much of a shocking reality check: High Brass and Bastion were very messed in the head.

“But I am not finished with my story,” said High Brass. “And I am sure Alto wants to know just a little more about my past.”

The pink earth pony snapped her head at Alto, “Please tell me he is wrong.” Her ear twitched, and her eyes were angry; but not at Alto.

“Just… one thing,” Alto admitted. Harp Hearts was not happy to hear her friend wish to resume High Brass’ story for a little longer.

She let out a sigh and said, “Just tell him one more thing. After that, I would like to leave.”

Alto noticed High Brass’ frown, the rich pony’s eyes on Harp Hearts. But that did not make Alto hesitate to say, “What caused you to continue your reign of terror among stallions, even after you stole Quick Draw from Pencil Pusher?”

“I did not steal her!” High Brass pouted, his hoof pounding on the mattress. “I protected her from a hurtful pony!” Alto found it difficult to be angry with High Brass. Pencil Pusher was being depicted as a hurtful bully who had a grudge against rich ponies. What was there to like about Pencil Pusher? Alto couldn't find an answer to that question. “Spearmint told me she talked to you last night.”

Alto flushed and wondered if she told High Brass about her make-out session with him. But Alto was more curious as to why she was mentioned. “Why bring her up?” Harp Hearts asked for Alto. “She isn't relevant to the conversation.”

“But she is, Harp Hearts,” said High Brass. He looked at Alto and smiled, “I wanted to thank you for comforting her last night, first and foremost.”

“She was in need of some company,” Alto answered.

“If I had heard about what you did without myself being thrashed last night, I would have definitely gained a lot of respect for you naturally. Of course, now I respect you a lot more because of your forgiveness, but the point still rests on my current opinion of you.” High Brass shifted himself, a grunt of pain escaped him. “She can be quite the desperate mare when it comes to wanting a special somepony.”

“Indeed,” said Alto. Harp Hearts looked confused, left in the dark, only to wonder what the stallions were discussing. “I'll tell you about her later.”

“Can you tell me the just of what happened?” Harp Hearts asked.

Alto had a feeling Harp Hearts would ask more questions after he answered the current one. But his answered nonetheless, “Spearmint’s date ended up using her, and I helped keep her company.”

Harp Hearts gasped, “That's horrible!”

“It was…” said High Brass. “I warned her about Hot Shot, but she said he was a different stallion when he asked Spearmint to the dance.” Harp Hearts’ brows furrowed, a thought cloud forming around her head and it quickly grew black.

“I… mean this with no malaise,” Harp Hearts began, her words uneasy, “but why didn't you… why didn’t you take Spearmint to the dance and… keep her away from Hot Shot. Yes, what he did was not right and you should have protected Spearmint- Wait! That’s not what I meant! I-” The mare grumbled with frustration, her thoughts conflicted like a cyclone trying to fight a hurricane.

High Brass sighed, “The world is a cruel and ironic place, isn’t it, Harp Hearts? You say it was wrong of me to take you away from Alto, and yet you wish for me to take somepony else's potential date.” Alto bit his lip, seeing the “justice” High Brass was trying to deliver, even though High Brass got it wrong when he stole Harp Hearts.

Already in deep, Harp Hearts asked, “Why didn’t you ask Spearmint to the dance, actually knowing Hot Shot could hurt her?”

“Because I have already dated her before,” High Brass answered. “And asking her a second time would conflict with past issues she and I have already have.”

Again, Harp Hearts looked to her friend for an answer, but he simply said, “I’ll tell you later.” She nodded, then returned her attention to High Brass. “Unfortunately for us all, I have another question,” said Alto.

High Brass shook his head as much as he could, “We are all trying to understand each other right now. I am all ears.”

“No, you are all bruises,” Alto joked, which caused the rich pony to crack a smile at such a crude joke. With all humor exhausted, the unicorn asked, “Why bring up Spearmint? And-” Alto worried if his cheeks were flushed. “-what else did she tell you.” Spearmint did promise Alto their makeout session would be kept between themselves, but the stallion did worry about her accidentally slipping up.

“That was two questions,” smiled High Brass. “I’ll answer them out of order.”

“Alright,” Alto said with a nod. He took a fast glance at Harp Hearts and saw his friend staring at him. The act doomed Alto and his cheeks flushed. As he looked down at High Brass, Harp Hearts brought herself into Alto’s view, getting a better look at the flustered unicorn. “I’ll tell you about my talk with Spearmint later.” A wide grin bloomed on the very suspicious Harp Hearts, and Alto hoped she hadn’t already cracked him before he even went into detail about the previous night’s “talk.”

“To put it in simple terms and because it is not as important to the topic at hoof,” High Brass said, “Spearmint told me that you helped her cope with her sadness, and you helped cheer her up.”

“How sweet,” Harp Hearts giggled. “Is that why you look so flustered, Alto?”

“Let’s go with that,” he answered.

High Brass raised his hoof to recapture Alto’s and Harp Hearts’ attention. “Spearmint also did assist Alto as well, doing her best to keep his sadness from rising.” The memory of the staircase he sat at with Spearmint was still fresh in Alto’s mind. It was temporary relief, but it was nice relief nonetheless.

“She is a nice mare, even if she is a helpless romantic,” Alto said.

“I agree,” High Brass nodded. “Now to segue into your other question.” Alto was curious about how Spearmint would tie into the main discussion of mare snatching, but knew she would be relevant to the topic. As for Harp Hearts, she only sat at the side, spectating. “As you two talked, I am sure Spearmint mentioned that she and I dated.”

“Yes,” said Alto. “I can assume you… protected her and made her your girlfriend on purpose.”

High Brass grew an angered expression on his brow, “Did she mention her friend she once had?”

Alto closed his eyes to ponder the evening’s discussion he had with Spearmint. He fast forwarded through the talk they had until she began to talk about her past. Then he remembered her mentioning another stallion. “She said something about having a friend who she thought he liked her, but they no longer talk,” said Alto. “Spearmint was very vague about her friend, whoever he was and didn’t linger for very long about him.”

“I’m glad she didn’t go into detail about that- sexual deviant!” High Brass’ anger began to overflow once more, but it didn’t take Alto by surprise. “I forget his name, but it is not relevant. What’s important was that he was a stallion who couldn’t keep his hormones in check! He was all about gaining pleasure for himself. The feel of a mare’s touch, the pleasure of kissing and- more.” The rich pony bared his teeth in a sharp bite. “And when he got his sights on Spearmint, I gave him no chance with her!”

“Did you have any proof of his actions?” Harp Hearts asked, her bothered expression not directed at High Brass, even though she looked directly at him.

“I wouldn’t have targeted Alto if I didn’t have proof of his past wrongdoing,” High Brass answered. It was an example that didn’t have to be used, but it was relevant and recent enough. “Spearmint was- no, is a mare that is susceptible to having her affectionate emotions abused.” High Brass’ hot eyes fell on Alto. “Would you want Spearmint to be with somepony who would abuse her loving character? To take advantage of her urge to be with somepony? To give her the false facade of what love really means?”

“I would never want Spearmint to be in a pony’s hooves that would use her for their personal gain,” Alto answered. “Even now, I worry about Spearmint after everything she told me about herself.”

“I am glad you do,” said High Brass. “Love is the close bond of two ponies who care about each other’s well being, be it a close friendship, to romantic interests, to... intimate activities...” High Brass flushed, his throat clearing itself to interrupt the thought. “... including… sex…” The word “sex” flustered everypony in the ward. The mere mention of the word sex was enough to get a room full of teenagers’ attention rather quickly. Mares would begin giggling and stallions would exchange quiet locker room talk among other stallions.

Rather than letting a single word clog up the discussion, Alto spoke up, his face still red, “Continue, please…”

It took High Brass to regain his strength, but he endured and recaptured it. “Because of Spearmint’s desperate urge to be with somepony, I didn’t want her to be with somepony who may ruin her idea of what being in love with is. The pleasure of kissing and hugging and… other… things… are shared through passion, and should only be used sparingly. Otherwise, the experience would be ruined.”

“Have… you experienced 'other things,'” Alto nervously asked.

High Brass cleared his throat again before saying, “It doesn’t matter if I have? What does matter is that my argument about romantic pleasures still rests.”

“I agree with your train of thought,” Alto said, “even though I have very little experience with romance.” Harp Hearts nervously rubbed her cheek, perhaps trying to hide half of her blush.

“Then you would have done the same thing I did to protect Spearmint,” High Brass said. “Or am I wrong?”

“I would warn her about her sexually driven friend, not steal her away!” Alto argued. “Don’t put me on your level!”

“Are you saying you would rather let Spearmint be in the hooves of somepony who could pressure her into doing things she would be normally uncomfortable with? Look at what happened to Spearmint when I tried to warn her about Hot Shot! She didn’t listen! And look at what happened to her!”

“Perhaps she needed to learn on her own,” Alto shrugged.

High Brass was beginning to become frustrated. “Did you learn anything on your own when you made that mare cry in class? Did you learn everything on your own while you were a very critical towards others? No. You needed Harp Hearts to pull you out of the hole you dug for yourself.”

Instead of being angered by High Brass’ quip, it reminded Alto of how horrible he was toward not only others, but to himself as well, and saddened the unicorn in return. However, Harp Hearts was the one that got angry for Alto. “Why do you always have to use Alto as an example?” she asked, her brows furrowed. "You always bring up his past and attack it with no malice, despite your "respect" for Alto!"

Bastion chimed in, reminding everypony she was still present, “Why are you getting angry for your friend? Besides, High Brass isn't wrong. You kept Alto from continuing his self-destructive attitude. Or am I wrong?”

“I did help him, but out of care, not out of harm like High Brass has done to my friend and other stallions.” Both Harp Hearts and Bastion stared each other down, neither one letting the other overcome them.

“High Brass saved those other mares,” Bastion argued. “Alto was the only one High Brass regrets stealing from because he didn't know Alto had changed.”

Harp Hearts pounded her hoof on the mattress, “Why are you justifying High Brass’ actions!”

Bastion rose her brows, “And now you want to know about me.” The silence between the two mares made both High Brass and Alto uneasy. “Fine. I'll tell why I stand beside High Brass, or as you say, ‘justify High Brass’ actions.'”

Author's Note:

I am deeply sorry for the delay on this chapter... School has been a heavy burdin on me, along with my other popular story. However, that does not give me the excuse to ignore this story I created. It is already finished. I should be consistant with chapter uploads.

Again, I am sorry for the delay.

Comments

[Mythic Night]

Seems to me like High Brass’ actions are less about helping mares and more about causing stallions suffering.

[OConnerGT-R]

This getting so intense! Seems to me like High Brass went to far after helping Quick Draw. I strongly dislike using the word “help” to describe what he is doing, but using any other word right now escapes my vocabulary skills.

I have to admit, High Brass is a well thought out character. Even some of the longer stories I’ve read don’t have an antagonist with such strong motivations.

However, I believe I once said I want to use my version of The Rock Bottom on a character, I’m adding High Brass to this list for his messed up head. And Bastion to, provided I have my barge pole between us first.

I’ve got to be honest, I really didn’t expect to hear much of a backstory from Bastion other than what was mentioned previously. Now I’m left wondering what’s going to happen next.

Oh, and this more of just how I prefer chapters, but awesome job with the chapter length! I’ve got my fill for this story right now, but I’ll be back for more.

[FerociousCreation]

8558783 Thanks again for liking what was given, though I feel that Failed Confessions could have had a longer chapter. But the chapters there are expected to be short. That's why the lengths are somewhat less than 2k.