• Published 2nd May 2018
  • 1,439 Views, 110 Comments

Learning to Soar - Pinky Music



Bob, a brony with a growing depression, somehow finds himself in Equestria. Will this be a good thing, or will he wind up alienating the ponies he loves?

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Chapter 4

Three hours had passed since Twilight had locked me in the bedroom. At first my eyes wandered around the purple room, taking in all of the various hues and the colors that complimented them. If I were a little girl or a small pop star from Minnesota this would have been ideal. However, since I was neither, its appeal wore off quickly and was replaced by the mounting frustration of the entire situation. I thought of Sarah and my frustration was slightly dulled. I knew she would have loved the color.

This was my dream. It was completely unfair that I was being held prisoner, unable to do anything I wanted within it. It was entirely too much like my daily life in that respect. At work it was Reilly who kept me boxed in with a million forms and derisive comments. When it wasn’t work there was always someone else or a physical condition that kept me from accomplishing my heart’s desires. Eventually good enough became just that. In this dream I could see color, that wasn’t good enough.

As I muttered about my situation the sugary aroma of fresh baked donuts wafted through the room. I inhaled the scent and ran to the window to see if whoever it was that had the food was within shouting distance. If they were a pegasus they might be able to fly a few to me in trade for something in the room. Yet, when I reached the window no vendor was in sight and my stomach began to lament its situation loudly.

“This is ridiculous,” I growled as I marched to the door of my room and pushed on it. Back in my apartment, the bedroom door seemed solid enough, but in reality it was nothing more than hollow particle board. One good shoulder tackle was more than enough to knock a hole through it if not knock it off its hinges. “I’m dreaming. I may have to compromise in real life but I’m not going to start doing so in my dreams!”

I walked to the far end of the room directly in front of the door. This was it. No longer would I be held prisoner by my subconscious. Today was the day freedom would ring for me. I lowered my shoulder and reared back. Then with a mighty shout I dashed at the door.

The thud was minimal but my groan was mighty. The door hadn’t budged an inch but my shoulder had. The lightning and fire that shot through my right foreleg brought tears to my eyes. It was dislocated. I knew the feeling well and even had the pills from the first time it had happened. “Why am I feeling this?” I asked nobody in particular, “I thought this was a ….”

Before I could finish the sentence the question ‘what if it’s not,’ slipped into my mind. When it did my heart sunk into my stomach and I squirmed back to the bed. Each breath came more rapid than the next, my eyes wide with both fear and realization. This was no dream, it was real.

My eyes darted about the room until they rested upon a large bookshelf with a hole in it. I limped over to it and stuck my foreleg through the hole, gripped the shelf, and pulled until I felt the familiar pop of the ball going back into place. Once it did I gasped in pain and dropped to my rump, removing my foreleg from the hole.

With my shoulder back in place, panic now replaced the pain. My thoughts drifted back to what I’d said to Twilight. Even if she forgave me others might not be so forgiving. If anything I came off as an incompetent spy, stalker, or nutcase. Would the others overrule her if she forgave me? Would they send me to the rack or Tartarus? I ran over the details of all that could happen to me when the sound of the door being unlocked echoed through the room.

Not wanting to take any chances I reared up by the door and waited until it was fully open. Once opened, I pounced, knocking Spike and the tray of food he was carrying over. Quickly I bolted toward a set of stairs going down, adrenaline dulling whatever pain I had. Upon reaching the stairs I stopped when I saw Twilight coming up. We froze the moment we saw one another and stared, me in fear and her in surprise. Without thinking I jumped onto the railing and slid down to the bottom and hoped that the entrance was straight ahead.

“Stop, get back here!” she shouted.

“Not a chance!” I shouted back.

My guess was correct and the world spilled out before me for the first time since Twilight teleported me to her castle. “Sweet freedom,” I cheered with gleeful abandon. It occurred to me as I ran down the road that I’d need a place to hide out until the heat died down. The first pony I saw I asked which direction was the Everfree which he pointed out but warned that it could be fairly dangerous to go into at dusk let alone at night. I thanked him and said, “As long as I don’t stumble through some Poison Joke I should be okay,” before running off.

Any sense of satisfaction that I had was quickly dashed by the familiar ‘pompf’ sound of Twilight’s teleport spell. My legs and lungs burned with exertion as I entered Ponyville, the princess hot on my trail. I continued to dodge my way through the other ponies as Twilight did her best to keep up occasionally even getting ahead of me, looking utterly confused as to what I was up to.

In spite of her confusion Twilight didn’t give up. She continued to stay with me as I wound my way through the streets of Ponyville. Winded, my run had slowed considerably and I knew she’d catch me if I didn’t do something soon. I quickly looked about and saw a large drop cloth under a freshly painted sign. Without thinking I grabbed it and dragged it with me, waiting for the next ‘pompf’ of magic. The moment it came I threw it on her and made my way down a dark alley.

The sound of the next magic burst caused me to skid into the side of a building, even though it was some distance away. I groaned as it aggravated my shoulder injury. Panting, I collapsed on the ground as the sound of magic began to get closer. I looked about quickly and saw a large moving box and dove in just before the next ‘pompf’ sounded next to it.

In spite of the need for silence my lungs and heart did everything they could to give away my hiding spot. I closed my eyes and quietly begged not to be discovered as the low slow sound of clopping hooves echoed along the alley. They paced back and forth, each time they stopped my heart fluttered as fear’s grip squeezed ever tighter about me. Finally, the hoofsteps stopped right in front of my box. I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter, knowing that this was the end and that a lonely cell in a dungeon was calling for me.

The ‘pompf’ that sounded by my box was the most glorious sound I’d ever heard. I waited a few more minutes to ensure that the coast was clear before shakily crawling from my hiding spot. Slowly I made my way through Ponyville and passed Rarity’s boutique as quietly as I could and rounded the corner without incident.

After passing a few more of the shops and stalls that were closing up for the day my next challenge was to make it by Sugarcube Corner. The world-famous bakery was known for its delectable desserts. Even at one hundred yards away the scents of fresh baked goods made my long empty stomach growl loudly. “Easy there boy,“ I said quietly, ”Don’t get me in trouble now.”

“Don’t get who in trouble?” responded a familiar peppy voice.

Quickly I wheeled about and saw her, the original party pony herself in all her pink glory. “Hey there Pinkie,” I said as a huge smile crossed my face.

Pinkie had always been my favorite character on the show. Her over the top cartoonish ways reminded me of a weird combination of Warner Bros. and Disney cartoons. She was her own character and when she showed up I knew I was going to have a good time, no matter how my day had gone. Yet, her showing up as she had made me uneasy. She was one of Twilight’s best friends after all. “So, what’s new in the bakery,” I asked, trying to sound natural.

“Oh, it’s the same old, same old,” began Pinkie, “Not that we sell anything old. We make everything new every day. Did you know that Mrs. Cake made a giant apple strudel cake today? It was at least seven layers!”

“Wow,” I exclaimed, “That’s a lot of cake.”

“I know! It must be for some new visitor from far away,” continued Pinkie, “Like Count DeMoney of Griffonstone or something.”.

“Without a doubt,” I said and took a cautious half step back.

“Hey,” said Pinkie Pie slowly, “I don’t know you. Are you new in town? Because I know everypony in town! Ooh, I should throw you a super awesome amazing ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party! Though it might have to wait a bit.”

“Why is that,” I asked with a gulp as I took another step back.

“Well duh,” said Pinkie, “I’m looking for somepony for Twilight.”

“Who?”

“I dunno. She just said that I’d know who it was because I wouldn’t know them. Wait, I don’t know you do I?”

My mind whirled as I glanced about nervously in front of her. Pinkie Pie could be unusually perceptive at times and completely oblivious at others. Without warning I shot out my foreleg, pointed over her shoulder and shouted, “What in the world can that be?” The moment she turned her head I was off like a shot.

Unfortunately, the head start wouldn’t matter. Pinkie Pie was after me--no matter how fast I ran she would catch me and when she did I knew it would be all over. So, I slowed down and let her close the distance between us as I approached a balloon vendor. “Hey why’d you take off like that,” she asked, “Are you who Twilight was looking for?”

I grabbed the balloons in my mouth and tossed them in her general direction, “I hear you’re really good at making balloon animals Pinkie! Can you make me some?”

“Oohh, balloons! Sure,” she said as she began working feverishly on the balloons. While she did so I snuck off, hid in some bushes and watched as several ponies walked by in the early evening hours. I couldn’t hide from Pinkie or any other pony forever and knew I would have to find some sort of a disguise.

Eventually my gaze landed upon a small white unicorn who was dragging a large garment behind her. It was Sweetie Belle. “Hey kid,” I called out to her, “You with the oversized dress.”

Sweetie Belle faced the bush I was hiding in and looked at it questioningly. “Hey if you give me that dress I’ll give you five bits,” I said to her. She shook her head and I doubled my offer.

Slowly she approached the bush, “I don’t know who you are. Anyway, why would you need a dress?”

“I’m a famous dress maker.”

“If you’re a famous dress maker why are you hiding in a bush asking for a dress?”

“I’ll explain it really simply,” I said and climbed out of the bush and snagged the dress. It was obvious that I was too big for the gown and it tore in several key spots as I shimmied it on as best I could. “Thanks,” I said to the utterly perplexed Sweetie Belle as I ran off.

I skidded around another corner into the marketplace and managed to find a shop selling party supplies. The store clerk stared at me, mouth agape as I grabbed some glasses, a false nose, and a local tabloid. “Charge this to Pinkie,” I shouted to the clerk who seemed to immediately recover from the absurdity of my attire with the mere mention of her name.

I found a park bench and sat down dressed in my disguise. I sighed quietly and let the cool evening air slowly run across my mane. My legs were sore and I looked ridiculous but if it bought me time that was all I could ask for. As I sat on the bench Pinkie slowly walked up to me, “Hey, have you seen a blue pegasus with a brown mane running around who can’t fly?”

“I think I saw somepony like that headed toward the bowling alley. Must be league night,” I said and gestured in a random direction.

“Thanks! This way Twilight,” She said before she bolted off in the direction I pointed, as Twilight wasn’t far behind.

I chuckled and ditched the outfit as soon as they were out of sight. Without further ado, I walked at my own pace toward the Everfree. My legs cramped and if it were possible to limp on all four legs I would have done so.

After about ten minutes of slow walking a murmur started to form in the distance behind me. Slowly I turned to see what the noise was about only to witness a large segment of Ponyville’s population with lights headed in my general direction. “Oh, for crying out loud,” I muttered and began to run again.

For the first time all day fortune smiled upon me when I realized I wasn’t far from the woods. As soon as I crossed the bridge I turned and faced my pursuers who stopped at the bridge. “Ha! I made it,” I said triumphantly, “You thought you could catch me but, I’m here on the edge of the Everfree and none of you would dare enter here at night!”

“Well, of course not. Most of them have work in the morning. There’s no reason for any of us to go into the woods at night unless we have to,” said Twilight calmly, if tired, “Why did you run?”

“I’m not going to jail! There’s no way I’m doing that. I couldn’t do a day in Cook County, I’m not going to be stuck in Tartarus or worse for…,” my voice trailed off as I looked toward the woods, “It’s just probably best for all concerned if I’m in there.”

“No,” replied Twilight, “You’re just confused. Frankly, so am I. So, how about you come on back and we work this out? No more magic locks or anything like that.”

“I’m sorry okay? Sorry that I knocked Spike down, stole a dress…”

“You monster!” shouted a fashionable voice from the crowd.

I winced. Tired, hungry and just ready for it to be over, I asked, “You’re sure it’ll be okay?”

“I promise.”

I smiled weakly and slowly began to walk back toward Twilight when I heard a low rumble in the distance. It sounded like a jet coming in at just around mach one low and fast. Quickly I looked about, unsure as to which direction it was coming from. “The heck is,” I began but never finished.
Time slowed down as the rainbow blur collided with me. For the second time that day I was airborne and not in the way I’d hoped. Yet, as I came crashing down I thought about how this was the weirdest day I’d ever seen in my entire life. Then as soon as I hit the ground blackness overtook me and the world faded from earshot again. Just as well.