Peachy

by trinidream

Party of Two

I opened my eyes to a bright light. I was back as me, Two feet, human glory! I was about to jump for joy until I flinched seeing the pony in front of me. Peachy stood, with a blank expression, just staring point blank at me. It was kind of unsettling. Before us, a party venue was appearing with balloons, cake, and even a party hat popped into existence on Peachy’s mane. For a minute, he looked up at it, but then his eyes slowly moved back down to me. Then, his expression changed, and he did a solid bounce accompanied by a “boing” afterwards lowering himself into a sit.

“Welcome to the party!” He beamed. This was like some nightmare… I stepped back. Am I finally going to get the answers I deserve?

“Peachy, what am I doing here?” I glared. I felt weird despite being back to human. I ran my hands through my hair, glad to actually feel my fingers.

“We’re jumping into that right away?” He glared, rolling his eyes. “You’re the one who passed out in front of Cider. Now, I’m gonna be babied for the rest of my life!” He huffed.

“Wait, wait, wait…you were watching the whole time?”

“I was sitting back, enjoying the show. But no, not the whole time.” He shook his head. “I was asleep through most of it. I was exhausted!" He threw his hoof up in a dramatic fashion. "I can’t believe the spell worked!” He smiled.

“Spell?”

“I kept having these itches…” He paced around a bit. “Somepony was thinking about me, they were making me so crazy I couldn’t even focus on the party!” Did his one eye bug out then? “I know how much it means to Marcy to open her cafe, but me going crazy wasn’t doing her any favors. The itches, I just needed to find out what was causing them…” He grumbled. “Until…I did the spell Pillow Talk gave me.” He laughed. “She called herself an enchantress of mass proportions, a witch without a horn. A traveling…” He tapped a hoof to his chin. “I don’t know. Either way, she was a weird one. I have done magic all my life and I never had to pay for anything.” He waved a hoof. “I knew though…as soon as I cast that spell…it was dark magic…but I went to sleep and thought it was nothing but foalplay.”

“You…” I didn’t have the words. “Peachy, am I stuck here?”

“I…don’t know…” He trailed off. “I’m just wondering who’s gonna take the wheel when Cider wakes us up.” He thought to himself.

“That’s all you’re wondering about?” He was making me frustrated. I facepalmed. “Peachy! Two souls are occupying this body.”

“Yes, yes.” He muttered, nodding.

“I don’t belong in Equestria.” I exclaimed.

“Obviously.” He replied, itching his hoof.

“How...why…” I felt angry. I felt like a Mother yelling at their son for doing something stupid. “How can you be so calm about this?” His current attitude was somewhat aggravating.

“The spell had a timer.” He explained, standing up and walking over to the cake. “It was like...uhh until the sun rises on the third day or something like that. The world will be shrouded in darkness until come that day. And then there will be a price to pay.” He hissed, narrowing his eyes and then burst out laughing. “Whatever that means.” I watched as he picked up some frosting on his hoof, and licked it off. “Mm! Buttercream...you want some?”

“No! Do you know the sun hasn’t risen all day! There’s your darkness. It’s been off the cahoots! And Twilight...she’s probably trying to rid your weird enchantment on the thing!” I ranted. “Wait, I don’t say...cahoots.” I muttered, thinking to myself.

“I do.” He blinked.

“Well, whatever! You know what...once we wake up, I am going to go to Canterlot to the archives and...and…”

“Canterlot is like a three day journey. Unless you’re an alicorn.” He rolled his eyes. “Time will run out as soon as you get there.”

“Then...I’ll have to settle for the library in town.”

“No library.” He shook his head, swallowing more icing. “Unless you take the ferry back to Vanhoover.”

“I hate you.” I glared. “I just need one book on soul travel.” I mumbled.

“I have a book on lucid dreaming!” He smiled. “Though, I doubt that’s what you want to hear. What’s your name?”

“My name isn’t important young one.” I spoke, waving a hand.

“Unfair.” He shot. “Why were you constantly thinking of me?”

“If you were awake when I explained it to Water Rush, you would know. I don’t like explaining it.” I admitted.

“How’s the party planning going?” All of these questions…

“Fine.” I said. “Everything is peachy, Peachy.”

“Don’t do that…” He grumbled. I swear, I saw his eye twitch when I said that. “I am sharing a body with a soul I don’t know, who looks like a weird shaven monkey…” He trailed off.

“Hey!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “That’s human to you and-“ I cut myself off as he walked back over, getting real close to me. “What?”

“What is your name? Explain yourself.”

“Or what?”

“I’ll start singing.” That was a threat?

“Heh. Pony songs, okay.”

He looked angry that I agreed to his threat, but opened his mouth taking in a big inhale. “Peachy and party hats, you scream what’s that? It’s cake! It’s cake! Oh my what a mistake! I made a mistake!” He stopped his little song as he did a spell making confetti pop into the air with fireworks. “Peachy and party hats…”

I would admit, the song was catchy but as he went on, it just gave me a headache. The same verse, over and over with little change. He bounced around singing the same tune and I knew it would become an earworm.

“Ohhhhh when you can’t turn your frown into a smile just rememberrr Peachy’s got the party style for you and you and you! Peachy and party hats why don’t you take a look at that! And that! Confetti, fireworks, balloons! The cake is ready!” I don’t know where he was pulling this stuff from but before I knew it he was throwing a cake in my face.

Before he could sing another verse I quickly grabbed him and pushed him down onto his side. “Okay!” I yelled. “You can stop singing.”

“Finally! Now tell me.” He beamed.

“Where to begin…” I groaned, running my hands down my face.

After telling Peachy everything, his tail was twitching and he looked like he was about to explode. His ear twitched, his eye was twitching now. What have I done? Did I break him? How many of my characters do I have to make have an existential crisis? He opened his mouth and I could tell he was trying to say something but couldn’t. “I…”

I gave him a soft smile, sitting in front of him. “Are you okay?”

His mouth closed again, and he looked down at the floor away from me. Sometimes I wish I could hear what he was thinking about. “You...created me?” He finally spoke. “But that can’t be because I exist here.” He muttered.

“I don’t understand the logistics myself.” I replied.

“I was a drawing?” He asked. “On paper?”

“I always liked the idea of pocket universes…” I thought, perhaps that idea was true? “I never thought you would summon me to one though for thinking of you.”

“This makes absolutely no sense.” He stated, softly.

“I agree.” I laughed. “Though, if I had the chance...I’d explore more here or stay…” I whispered. “Wait, did I just say that?”

“How? You’re not your own separate entity. Well, you are but you’re in me.”

“Thanks for the reminder. I totally forgot.” I rolled my eyes. Suddenly, I felt nauseous and light headed. “Ugh…what…”

“This feels like those bad cake leftovers I ate once from the fridge…” Peachy groaned and I heard him heave. “I think...I think I’m gonna-“

“Peachy?” My voice was high and winded, and I reached my hand out as he faded from my vision.

---

I felt wet. Having a coat and being wet isn’t ideal. I was cold. I blearily opened my eyes, that same nausea from before making a bad taste in my mouth. Standing over me, Water wore a look of concern. “What happened? Cider said she couldn’t even get you up to the smell of icing or a birthday cake scented candle!”

“I…” I looked behind her as I stood up and Cider looked distressed. “I…” I couldn’t say anything to her with Cider in the room. I leaned into her ear and then whispered, “I talked to Peachy.” I whispered.

“What?!” I threw a hoof to her mouth as soon as she yelled. Cider was looking to and from Water and I. I made eye contact.

I felt groggy, like I needed coffee. The headache that was surfacing wasn’t doing me any favors either. “Cider Drip,” I stepped around Water Rush to see her more clearly and stumbled. Right, pony legs. “I want to talk to Water alone please.” I announced. “There’s a bakery not far from here, can you go pick up some donuts with strawberry cream?”

“Sure…” She seemed skeptical and stepped away with slow hooves. Then, she was out the door.

I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Was Peachy still there? Was he still watching or did our little last moment together put him to sleep again? He sounded sicker than I was.

“You talked to Peachy? That’s great news! That means he’s still here.”

“Yeah...you know how the sky is dark?”

“Mmhmm.”

“He did that and I’m here because of him.” I grumbled. Going from my voice to his voice wasn’t pleasant either. “I actually fainted from the shock of hearing him comment.” I admitted.

“He turned...what?” She was fumbling with her words. “What?”

“He had an itch and performed a spell of dark magic.” I explained.

“Yep, that sounds like him.” She made it seem like he did this before. “Well, can you perform it again? Maybe there is a counter-spell?”

I shook my head. “He didn’t tell me how he casted it. Just what it entailed.” Does she even own a coffee maker? I wasn’t seeing one. “And I think...from the silence, he’s not watching anymore.” I was kind of disappointed. I wish he was still there, but it seemed like the last few moments in the headspace did a number on the both of us.

“What are you looking for?” I looked back at her and her head was tilted in confusion.

“Do you have a coffee maker? A french press?”

“Mm-mm…” She shook her head. No… “I had to throw it out when Peachy was getting an obsession. He would drink five cups a day.”

“And that’s a problem, how?”

She glared at me. “He would bounce off the walls!”

“But you don’t mess with a coffee drinker.” I pointed a hoof at her. “Now...now how will I get rid of my headache? Or wake up?”

She walked over, picking up a little container and levitated out two pills. “Here, for your headache.” Then, she pushed over a canister labeled instant. “Have some instant coffee. I’ll brew some water.”

I didn’t like that idea, but I took the pills while she put the pot on the stove. I guess instant coffee was better than nothing and if Cider comes back with the donuts, you can’t have donuts without some form of coffee.

Cider...what was taking her so long? The bakery I saw wasn’t far from here. “I wonder what’s taking Cider so long…”

As if on cue, Cider walked through the door but she had a pony in tow. “Hey guys! I hope you don’t mind but I made a new friend! Meet Pillow Talk.” She said, smiling at the red earth pony entering behind her.

I, knowing full well who Pillow Talk is now, I could only look at her wearily. “Welcome!” I smiled.

She smiled back and Cider set the donuts down on the table. “And...the bakery had free samples.” She laughed. “Pillow walked me around a little and we chatted. I hope it’s fine I invited her over.”

“No...it’s fine!” Water Rush smiled.

The kettle started screaming, and I was kind of screaming in my head. Out of all the ponies in town, she had to meet...the one who put me in this situation. Once I had my instant coffee doused in sugar and cream I drank down a couple sips.

“The more the merrier.” I choked out, raising my mug. “Does anyone else want coffee?” I asked, feeling awfully twitchy.

Comments

[KvAT]

“The spell had a timer.” He explained, standing up and walking over to the cake. “It was like...uhh until the sun rises on the third day or something like that. The world will be shrouded in darkness until come that day. And then there will be a price to pay.” He hissed, narrowing his eyes and then burst out laughing. “Whatever that means.” I watched as he picked up some frosting on his hoof, and licked it off. “Mm! Buttercream...you want some?”

My brother in Christ you can't just "whatever that means" something like that?!