Embodiments

by Thorn buck

The Man With The Weird Name

"Pish posh, rish rosh!"

A tall man with a pale white skin, twirly mustache and brown hair complained as he gazed at the over sized map in his hands.

"It seems that in my enthusiasm I have forgotten to take the correct path to the location of my old chaps!" He turned his brown eyes on the busy street he was currently standing on, the green bucket hat on his head bouncing from the sudden motion.

"Why must the streets in this city be so mind dazzlingly complicated? Oh, how I miss the simplistic, but charming country roads of Hollow Shades.." The man sighed, his white sock and sandal covered foot tapping the ground slowly.

"But alas!" He yelled out, casting a finger in the air dramatically. "These shortcomings wont stop me from reaching my goal!"

Several people on the street stopped and gave the loud man confused and wary stares, some whispering to each other about the possible mental illnesses he could have.

"I might not be the best map reader, but I will certainly give it the good old college try!" He finished with a smile. "I just have to find the righ-" He stopped as he noticed that a small crowd had formed around him.

"Is he right in the head?"

"He seems a bit creepy.."

"Whats up with that weird mustache?"

"What a dreadful outfit."

The gathered crowd murmured.

He gave a broad smile to the mass of people and waved. "Greetings! A fine day for walking on the streets, is it not?" The man said cheerfully.

The gathering of people went completely silent, some giving the man an awkward smile and returning the wave while others just quickly scurried away from the clearly insane person.

"Now then!" He snapped his head towards the map in a fluid motion. " Where should I advance to correct my path?" The man spoke to himself again.

"Hmm.. I should figure it out any minute now.."

---

One hour later

"RISH ROSH!"

A shout of frustration and dread echoed in the streets.

"Why must map reading be so rigedy digedy hard!" The bucked hat wearing abnormality whined, lowering his head in shame. "This is quite embarrassing...." A weary sigh escaped him.

"Perhaps it is best if I just indulged myself with some delightful hospitality by asking some directions from the locals." He said with a defeated tone and carefully folded his map. The sun had already lowered quite a bit, casting a pleasant evening light on the buzzing city.

"But where should I ask?" He hummed in thought while twirling his mustache, eyes scanning his surroundings.

"Maybe...AHA!" He snapped his fingers as the perfect place grazed his eyes. "This is perfect!"

He quickly stuffed the map in one of the pockets of his blue short sleeved shirt that was decorated with palm trees. Eagerly grabbing a big and old suitcase, the tall man quickly made his way towards the target with long strides, hat and mustache bouncing happily with each step he took.

If one desired to now their way around a city like this, they would most certainly go to a... He grinned as he reached his destination.

....BAKERY! The man thought in triumph and moved in.

The door bell announced his arrival as he entered the empty shop with a smile on his face. "Greetings! May I have a mome-"

"WELCOME TO SWEET SHOPPE, MAY I TAKE YOUR ORDER!?"

"EEEEEEEEENT!?" He yelped as a fast and loud pink blur suddenly filled his vision.

"Oh, sorry!" The ball of pink chuckled. " Didn't mean to startle you."

"W-what in the name of afternoon tea?" He gasped, leaning on his suitcase for support.

Standing in front of him was a poofy haired and pink colored young lady with a very stained apron.

"So! What can I do for you?" She said enthusiastically, clapping her hands together. "We don't usually get customers at this time of the day! I was actually just about to close shop before you came in, Mister." The grin plastered on her face only grew in size." Aaand since you are the only one here that means that you get the Pinkie Pie special treatment!" She giggled and threw a handful of confetti up in the air.

"T-that is very kind of you lady...Pinkie Pie was it?" The man asked, still leaning on his suitcase.

The girl gave a rapid nod. "Yup, thats me!"

"Right, I apologize for my rather...jumpy response to your jolly hospitality." He said apologetically as he stood straight and fixed his disheveled mustache. "It was rather rude of me to react in such a startled manner."

"Aww, theres no need to feel sorry, Mister! You're not the first one to get startled by little old me"

An appreciative smile found its way on to the mans face. " Such positivity! A rare trait these days."

Pinkie Pie blushed in embarrassment. " Shucks, theres no need to be so formal! It’s just who I am."

"Even a stranger like myself can see that very clearly, young lady." He chuckled, his gaze turning towards the clock on the counter .

Oh dear,It seems that I'm running quite late on the promised schedule. The others will certainly not be pleased with my rather late arrival. He thought grimly, his smile slightly lowering in response. I should not dilly dally any longer

"So! What kind of pastries would you like?" Pinkie piped up, pulling him from his musings." We have cupcakes, muffins, cakes, pies and loads of other things to sooth your sweet tooth!" She giggled again. "Get it? Because pastries are sweet?"

The man could only give her a polite nod "That sounds very nice, Miss Pinkie, It truly does, but.." He pulled the map from the pocket of his shirt. "...the reason I came here was not to buy pastries, which I'm sure are delightful,but to ask for directions." He showed his map to her.

"Oh." She said, her hair visibly deflating in response. "Sorry, I got a bit carried away.." The pink girl said with an awkward chuckle.

...Did her hair just pop like a balloon?

He frowned at the sight and patted her shoulder. "Pish Posh, young lady! One should expect that people would come here to enjoy the fruits of your labor, rather than to ask for directions!"

Her hair poofed back up and her trademark grin returned. He could also swear that he heard a light "squee" sound in there.

How in the name of cold socks does that wor-

"You are very kind, Mister!" The cheerful teen beamed, interrupting his train of confusion. " And don't sweat it, Pinkie Pie here knows the entire city like the back of her head! Just say the place!"

A dumbfounded expression painted the mans face as he stared at the pink anomaly.

Pinkie tilted her head to the side. "Umm,hello? Is everything alright?"

He quickly shook his head when he noticed that he was just standing in complete silence. "S-splendid!" He stuttered and clapped his hands together excitedly, trying to clean the awkward atmosphere that had fallen upon them.

Pinkie frowned. "Are you sure? You were kinda spacing out there for a moment."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Pish posh! I was just taken aback by your positive and helpful nature! You have made this old man quite happy." The man said smoothly, giving her a quick bow.

This time she was the one patting his shoulder, although rather awkwardly due to the height difference between the two.

"No need to thank me, tall Mister." She giggled, standing on her tiptoes.

He chuckled at her antics and placed the map on the nearby table. "Charming, but let us not dilly dally any longer and move to the topic at hand." He motioned at the laid out map.

"Okie dokie!" She nodded and hopped to side of the table."What do you have in mind?"

"Miss Pinkie, could you point me the in the direction of the motel called "The Hungry Rooster"?" He asked calmly, giving the clock a sideway glance.

"Sure! All you need to do i- THE HUNGRY ROOSTER!?" She suddenly shouted out, eyes wide like dinner plates.

"Indeed! That is my location." He said with a smile. " Could you tell me the most direct way to it?"

"Th-Th-The Hungry Rooster is in the most not-nice-scary part of the entire city!" She blurted out in disbelief. "It’s filled with all sorts of nasty and mean people!"

"Thats what I have been told, but The Hungry Rooster is known for its rather cheap prices, so it suits a chap like me just fine." He reassured her. "Besides, I'm not going to be spending my time alone there. I have old chaps that are waiting for me in that very same location."

"B-b-but!" She gave him a pleading look.

"It’s going to be fine, Miss Pinkie." The man said soothingly. "I believe a jolly old fellow like me can survive just fine!" He winked at her.

"...If thats what you want, Mister.." She said in defeat, her hair slightly deflating again.

"You have my deepest gratitude!"

"BUT!" She raised a finger and shot him a determined glare. "You will not go there alone! I will personally escort you!"

His grin turned into a confused frown. "Miss Pinkie, theres no need to do th-"

"Not buts!" She said fiercely.

"Oh dear..." He muttered. "You really are something, Miss Pie, not many people would be willing to escort a complete stranger." Sighing the man grabbed his map and suit case and motioned towards the door. " Well, we best be going before night falls and shrouds our merry path."

Her glare immediately vanished. "Great! Just follow me then!" She grinned and jogged towards the door.

"Miss Pinkie, what about the bake-"

"No worries! No one comes at this hour anyway!" She yelled back.

The man hummed, giving her an calculative stare, before following.

---

"Sooo..."

"Yes, Lady Pie?"

They had been walking in comfortable silence for several minutes, with Pinkie Pie leading the way and the man following just behind her.

This was clearly a huge no-no for Pinkie, so she decided to move with the same pace as her escort did.

"What brings you here, Mister?" She asked with genuine curiosity, her eyes looking up at him." You are cleaaarly not from around here."

He blinked owlishly and looked down at her. "Rish rosh! How did you figure that out? I thought that I blended with the locals like hot water with tea!"

She giggled at his extravagant response. "Firstly, everyone knows where The Hungry Rooster is, it’s pretty much common knowledge around here with the nasty reputation and all..." Pinkie shuddered for a bit, but kept going.

"Secondly, you dress like a tourist!" She pointed at his clothes, causing the mans jaw to drop at the claim.

"Wh-what!?" He gave himself a once over. "This is a perfectly normal casual outfit!"

His guide playfully rolled her eyes. "Bucket hat, palm tree shirt, shorts, white socks and sandals...I don't have to be Rarity to know that you look like a classic tourist."

"Damnation!" He slapped his forehead in shame. "This is the last time I take advice from a coffee cup commercial..."

She snorted in amusement and faced the road.

The odd duo made their way through the evening streets of Canterlot City, all around them shops were starting to close up as their attendants prepared to return home after a hard day of working.

"...Who's Rarity?" Her mustached companion asked with confusion as they entered a park.

"Oh, shes a good friend of mine!" Pinkie chirped. " She too likes to use those fancy confusing words like you do, Mister."

"Confusing words? Oh dear." Her escort sighed glumly, his bucket hat sliding to the side.

"She also designs veeery neat clothes! Though I wouldn't go near her dressed like..." She coughed into a fist and nodded towards his outfit. "...that."

"I will take that into consideration, Miss Pinkie." The man said with a curt nod, knowing that the young lady didn't mean any harm by it.

The streetlights lit one by one as the sun lowered in the horizon, illuminating the shadowy park and providing comfort for those who found the chilling darkness uncomfortable. Though that didn't seem to bother his guide at all, she just kept walking with a big smile and bounce to her step. A rare trait to witness, but not unwelcome.

"It’s getting pretty late, Miss Pinkie." He hummed. " How much longer till we reach this "famous" part of the city. I would hate if you would have to walk a long road home at this hour."

"No worries! We should arrive there in about five minutes." She pointed forward. "The street that leads to The Hungry Rooster is on the other side of this park."

"That is a jolly thing to hear. I would hate to take so much of your time, Miss Pi-"

"Geez, no need to be so formal, Mister! It’s really not an issue for me." She scowled playfully, before her eyes widened in realization. "OH! You still haven't answered my first question!"

He looked down at her with a raised brow. "What questio- Ah!" The man said with a snap of his fingers. "Now I remember! My apologies, I got so distracted by the topic of my fashion-" He pouted quickly at the mention of fashion "-that I had completely forgotten the main point!"

"Happens to the best of us, no biggie!" She said with a happy shrug of her shoulders."So, what brings you here?"

"Oh, many things actually, but lets just say that I was invited to this city by a group of my old chaps." He said cryptically.

"Old chaps? Like friends?"

The man idly pulled his twirly mustache with a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmm...I believe the word "acquaintances" would fit us better. We rarely see each others these days and when we do, it’s usually when all of us are needed to get a job properly done"

"Soo,like work partners then?"

"That is correct, Miss Pinkie." He said with a smile.

"Cool! What do you do?" She asked with childish wonder.

Her companion chuckled at her enthusiasm. " Nothing special, we just do a little research."

She tilted her head. "About what?"

"Anomalies." The man said simply.

"Ano-what now?"

He patted the young girls head like a father would. "I doubt you would understand it even if I explained to you in a greater detail, Miss Pinkie. Lets just say that it’s related to my work and that research is involved."

"Aaah, grown up professor stuff! " Pinkie said with a smack of her lips and a thumbs up."I gotcha."

"I'm glad you understand." He said with a slight bow of his head. "Do you have any other questions? I would gladly answer them." The man inquired.

"Oooh, theres so many things I would like to ask you, but..." Pinkie sighed and pointed ahead."The Pinkie Pie express has arrived to its destination."

He followed her gaze with a raised brow and a flick of his mustache." Is that so? Time truly flies when you spend it in good company."

They had arrived at the edge of the park, the soft grass giving way to hard asphalt. In front of them stood a small street entrance, its red neon lights that decorated the walls blinking erratically, giving it an eerie look. The street itself was in a rough shape, trash littered the ground which attracted rat and other vermin that were looking for an easy meal. The surrounding houses looked like they would collapse at any second, their walls dirty with filth and grime, the lights that shined from the windows being the only sign of life.

"Well..here we are." Pinkie said halfheartedly.

"Aah, yes!" The man said with a satisfied sigh, seemingly ignoring Pinkies worried and nervous tone. "I have finally reached my destination! By my magnificent mustache, It was certainly quite the task.." He turned towards her and removed his hat. "A task that would have been extremely hard to achieve without your help, Miss Pinkie! Truly you are the embodiment of joy." The man placed his bucket hat on his heart and gave her a deep bow. "You have my infinite gratitude!"

"Eh..heh, thanks?" Pinkie said with a forced smile, eyes glancing towards the menacing street. "Look, are you really sure that you wanna go there? I mean, maybe you should return here when theres daylight?" She turned and gave him her best puppy eyes. "You know, when there arent any nasty people arou-?"

"It has been a pleasure! Mayhaps I shall visit your lovely bakery when I have the time!" The man said, already making his way towards the entrance.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAIT!" Pinkie screeched, her eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Miss Pin-KIEH!?" He yelped in surprise when the pink menace seemingly teleported right next to him.

"IpromisedthatIwouldescortyouthere!" The girl blabbered frantically.

The man blinked in disbelief."Theres no need of that, Miss Pinkie. I can continue from here on out." He said reassuringly.

Pinkie opened her mouth to protest.

"No buts, young lady."

She clamped her mouth shut and sighed. "Okay dokie.." Pinkie muttered sadly.

"Pish posh! No need to feel sad, Miss Pinkie." He patted her head. "I'm very certain that you will see me entering through the doors of your fine establishment very soon."

She looked up at him with an unsure look. " You will?"

"Most certainly! It is only fair that I returned the favor..." He drummed his fingers against his chin in thought before continuing. "And who knows, perhaps I shall bring the others with me." He paused for a moment. "Well, if they are in the right mood that is, they can be a rather serious bunch." He added with an awkward chuckle.

A small smile returned to her gloomy face. "I would like that. It would be nice to meet the people you hang out with."

He grinned and extended his hand towards her. "So it shall be!"

Pinkie Pie clasped the offered hand and shook it gently. "It’s a deal, Mister! " She giggled. "You know, you're pretty fun for an adult! Most grown ups cant stand me!"

"You flatter me!" He chuckled and gave her another deep bow. " You are quite the person yourself! It is wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the company of a silly old man like me."

The man grabbed his luggage and winked at her. "I shall see you around then, may you return home safely!" He gave her a wave and turned towards his destination.

"WAIT!" Pinkie yelled out suddenly.

"Yes, Miss Pinkie?"

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You haven't even told me your name yet! Calling you just "Mister" will get old really fast."

"Oh dear, how foolish of me!" The man smiled sheepishly and tilted his head towards her.

"The name's Görnebog!"

"Geyne..borg?" Pinkies asked with a raised brow, having difficulty pronouncing the foreign name. "You're really not from around here."

Görnebog chuckled."Not the most prettiest or easiest of names, but you will get the hand of it eventually."

"I sure hope so! I would hate to get your weird-sounding-but-kinda-funny name wrong every time." She giggled and waved at him. "I will see you around then,Geurnbork!"

Görnebog waved back. "Indeed we will!"

Pinkie flashed him one last smile.

"Bye!" She beamed and quickly jogged back towards the park, leaving Görnebog alone with a soft smile plastered on his mustached face.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

What's with the picture of a hat?