Going to the Hardware Store
Chapter 36
Going to the Hardware Store
“So let me get this straight. All I have to do to pay for things is stamp my hoof, sign something and draw my cutie mark?” Heartbreak asked questioningly, as she looked back at the bank.
“That’s right!” Rarity answered, “What’s wrong?”
“I just got a large amount of money for doing nothing-” Heartbreak answered.
“Think of it as something that will help with your recovery!” Rarity answered, the girls nearly rushing past her out of the bank.
“I changed my mind,” Scootaloo said, grabbing her scooter and donning her helmet. “I so don’t want to be a banker. The most boring job ever.”
“Not ta mention complicated. Even ah didn’t understand what that Bit Counter fella’ was talkin’ about! An ma brother does all the finances fer the farm!” Apple Bloom replied.
“And he was talking about paperwork being fun! Rarity hates paperwork!” Sweetie Belle chimed walking next to her sister. Rarity smiled at her sister and then suddenly found herself getting glomped by the little filly. “I missed you so much!” Heartbreak looked at the scene next to her. She sniffed hard and coughed.
Rarity hugged Sweetie Belle back. “Aww, I missed you too!”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Ugh... Everything’s getting... Mushy. And I don’t want to earn my mark in, ‘mushiness.’”
Apple Bloom snorted. “Ah, come on Scoots! Sweetie Belle is just excited ta see her big sis! Ah bet ya’ll be just as happy ta see Rainbow Dash when she gets back.”
“Yeaaaah, but that’s Rainbow Dash! Besides, I would never be like that,” Scootaloo replied. As she looked back, Sweetie Belle stuck her tongue out and bounced along with Rarity happily.
Apple Bloom coughed and looked around. “Ah... Hey! H.B!”
Heartbreak jumped and looked up at Apple Bloom. “Huh?!”
“Uhm, sorry, didn’t mean ta startle ya. Ah was just wonderin’... How’d ya get yer cutie mark?”
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Chalk another reason I didn’t want to meet these three: That question.
Bad enough that I have a constant reminder about this stupid thing burned into my ass. It’s even worse when asked by little fillies who want to learn everything there is to know about cutie marks. But then again, I already covered this like... two- three days ago when meeting Creampuff and crew? Fuck, that seems so long ago now...
“Yeah!” Scootaloo interjects. “How do you get a broken heart as your cutie mark?”
I am once again, forced to think about things on the fly and come up with an idea about what to tell others. But it is with good reason. I don’t need these ponies thinking about, ‘poor-pity-me-Heartbreak.’ I especially don’t need three young fillies thinking about these things.
Original Equestria or not, they have lives to live.
“Ah’ve never see anypony with a black heart like yers-” Apple Bloom says looking at my flank with a disturbing fascination. Her hoof starts to reach out when I jump back.
“Please! No touching,” I cry out. Apple Bloom looks at me in fright. “I... well- There’s scars under the mark... and they really hurt when others touch it.”
“Oh yeah,” Scootaloo says rolling along. “Mars Orange said something about that happening last week. I think a filly named Cream Puff hugged on you, right?”
“Right,” I reply. Rarity says nothing. She’s just most likely seeing how I am reacting and trying to handle myself here. Alright, time to make something up. “As far how I earned it?” Fuck, the gambit of emotions that I have been through in the past ten minutes is annoying. I wouldn’t mind all this if I could just grow numb to these feelings! “When I was young, I told a really sad story and made everyp-p-pony cry.”
“Wait, so telling sad stories is your special talent?” Scootaloo asks, turning and looking at me.
I just shrug. “Oh, Scootaloo, don’t be silly. I don’t tell sad stories! I am a sad story!” Ugh, getting sick of the funk I’m in. But: I see something that will cheer me up and another thing that can make me feel like I’ve done something productive. “Say, did you girls have lunch? We can go to Sugar Cube Corner and then the Hardware Store. My treat!”
“Really?” Sweetie Belle asks.
“Score! That sounds awesome!” Scootaloo cheers zipping forward.
“Hey! Wait up!” Apple Bloom calls out.
Rarity gives me a look. “I thought you said, ‘No frivolous spending?’”
Damn it Rarity. I’m trying to... Not monolog so much. Right, just say what you need to say. “This isn’t frivolous, growing fillies need to be fed. And besides: I need some chocolate. Chocolate is never frivolous.” I reply, following the girls into Sugar Cube Corner.
After we’ve sat down in the shop, Mrs Cake came out and asked what we’d like. I said that I wanted an eclair, while the girls wanted various forms of cake. Rarity didn’t want anything too sweet, commenting on watching her weight. So she ordered hot water with lemon in it.
The girls ate their sweet treats and I munched down on my eclair, which was of course as good as I expected it to be. For a moment I ponder if there isn’t any food here in Equestria that doesn’t taste good. Then I look down at Apple Bloom and am reminded of the first time these three got together officially. I say officially due to the fact that they were seen huddled together in the first episode of the show.
Rarity is giving me this look of disapproval as I scarf down my treat.
“You know you are going to be paying for that later, right darling?” She asks me sipping on her lemon tea.
“Yeah,” I swallow. “With bits.”
“That isn’t what I mean, H.B,” She replies frowning. “You ought to watch your weight, after all: those sort of things go straight to your flanks!”
I just want to point out that there isn’t a single part of me that cares about that sort of thing. True, I want to keep healthy, but a fucking donut filled with a rich creme and covered in a rich chocolate glaze that melts in your- I definitely take another bite and finish the eclair off. I lick my lips.
“You might be on a diet, Rarity,” Mmm! Yeah, that hits the spot. “But that doesn’t mean that the rest of us can’t enjoy a nice treat.” I look at the three fillies who are practically gorging themselves on their cakes of choice. “Right girls?”
“Right!” Scootaloo says with a mouth full.
“Eeyup!” Apple Bloom replies after swallowing.
Sweetie Belle realizes how messy she is eating and merely nods, her cheeks still stuffed with cake.
Rarity looks at the frosting covered fillies. Once again? I am delighting in a bit of pleasure created by her discomfort. “Sweetie Belle!” Her sister looks up at her with big eyes. Fuck, Rarity might be older and more trained in the art of, ‘shining-eye-fu?’ But the little dictionary has it down to a science.
“Hmmph?” Sweetie Belle asks, trying not to spit crumbs.
Rarity pauses and takes a deep breath. “Uhm, smaller bites and after this? Please do remember to wash up in the bathroom...” She proceeds to pull a mirror from her saddlebags and preen a bit. “Speaking of which, if you don’t mind, I need to go freshen up.”
“It’s a free country, right?” I reply. Rarity once again gives me a strange look. “I don’t mind, Rarity. Go, freshen up.” ‘Again.’ I quietly add.
After Rarity leaves, I realize that I am alone with these three fillies. Three fillies that I have given sugary treats to because I was feeling generous for a moment.
Crap.
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“So!” Apple Bloom said, licking her hooves clean. “Have ya decided on whether or not we can come an’ see yer house?”
Heartbreak shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I’m still undecided.”
“Ah, come on! We three can be of big help ta ya, H.B!” Apple Bloom exclaimed.
“Yeah! Totally!” Scootaloo said joining her friends’ enthusiasm. She leaned her chin on her hooves and waggled her eyebrows. “And if we do a really good job, maybe we could get a... reward for our hard work?” Apple Bloom frowned at Scootaloo. “What? I’m just saying...”
“Applejack says that hard work is it’s own reward!” Apple Bloom chided.
“Oh come on!” Scootaloo rolled her eyes at Apple Bloom. “She’s got bits to-”
Heartbreak put her hooves up between the two fillies. “Girls. Please, no fighting? Look, I haven’t even decided whether or not I want you there to begin with. There might be some dangers that I don’t even know about.”
“No offense there, H.B. but we’re not little foals! We can handle ourselves,” Apple Bloom retorted. Scootaloo got up from her seat as she spied on Heartbreak’s saddle bags.
“I’m sure you can, Apple Bloom,” Heartbreak replied scratching her head and chuckling a bit. “It’s just- Hey!” She shouted as Scootaloo took the blueprints and list from the saddlebags.
“Wow! This is a big job here, girls!” Apple Bloom said, looking over the list of things and comparing them with the blueprints.
“You’re telling me!” Scootaloo said pointing at the roof. “According to this? There’s a hole in the roof! I could totally get up there and take care of it!”
Heartbreak cringed as she saw that the little filly’s hoof was still had a bit of frosting on it. “Girrrls...” She whimpered.
“The windows need replacin’,” Apple Bloom looked up at Heartbreak. “Ya might want ta think about gettin’ rid of that one window in front if it has somethin’ growing through it.”
“Wow, this could take a really long time!” Sweetie Belle said, resting her face on her hooves and her elbows on the edge of the blueprints.
“If ya got one of yer fancy tunes out there, we could be done in no time there, Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom pointed out as she waved her hoof in the air.
“Apple Bloo-” Heartbreak’s voice turned nervous as she saw the frosting off the little filly’s hoof get flung about.
“Yeah! I mean, as long as I don’t have to join in...” Scootaloo smiled as she leaned her arm on the table, causing the blueprints to crinkle.
Heartbreak found herself not being able to stand it anymore. “Girls!” She shouted. The three little fillies jumped in fright as she took deep breaths through her nose.
“Yeees?” They asked in unison.
“One,” Heartbreak began, trying to keep her calm. “Please, remove hooves from blueprints. I might not be as fastidious as your sister when it comes to keeping things clean, Sweetie Belle. But this is the only copy of blueprints I have!”
“Oh, right... Sorry H.B,” Sweetie Belle said as her and her friends pulled their hooves away from the paper.
“Thank you,” Heartbreak pulled the papers away from the table with her mouth and shook them off before attempting to fold them up. “Secondly, I haven’t decided whether or not I want you at my house right now! I just got it and as you saw from the list: it needs extensive work in some areas!”
“But we could help with that!” Apple Bloom protested as Heartbreak shoved the paperwork back into her saddlebags.
“Yeah!” Scootaloo frowned. “We’ve totally taken care of projects like this before!”
Heartbreak took another deep breath. “Right. Girls, as nice as it is for you to offer your assistance-” She turned her head and avoided eye contact with the three fillies. “I would rather have this done by professional p-p-ponies. No offense.”
“Could we at least come over and see what the house looks like?” Sweetie Belle asked, attempting to look at Heartbreak in the eyes.
Heartbreak turned her head. “Maybe... I don’t know... I mean if you did there would have to be a few rules that you would have to follow.” She scratched her neck.
“Pfffft, rules?” Scootaloo asked. Just then, Sweetie Belle elbowed her friend. “Uhm, I mean, rules? We can follow a few simple rules no problem!”
“Are you sure? Cause if you came to my house, and I mean, ‘If,’ you came? There would be no unnecessary stunts,” Heartbreak’s eyes shot right at Scootaloo.
“Why are you looking at me?”Scootaloo asked, confused.
“No reason...” Heartbreak replied before she looked at Apple Bloom. “Secondly, there will be no alterations to my plans. I have ideas for what I want.”
“What if ah have a better idea?” Apple Bloom asked frowning.
“Then bring it to me and I will consider it,” Heartbreak replied searching around in her saddlebags for something. She pulled out several golden bits. “Fifteen bits for everything, Mrs Cake?”
“That’s right!” Mrs. Cake replied looking back around the corner.
Heartbreak laid the bits on the counter. “And finally,” Her eyes turned to Sweetie Belle. “And this is important. No. Singing.”
“No singing!?” Sweetie Belle nearly teared. “Why not?!”
“It’s nothing against you, Sweetie Belle. I’m just not the singing type,” Heartbreak replied, shrugging her shoulders and getting up. “Are you three sure that you still want to come to my house right now?”
The three fillies looked a bit more questioning now that Heartbreak had laid down such sterile stipulations.
“Uhm...” Apple Bloom started.
“Well...” Scootaloo flumbled.
“Hmm...” Sweetie Belle hummed.
“How about this?” Heartbreak looked at the three. “We’ll go to the hardware store, I’ll look at supplies and you three can think about whether or not you want to come. Kay?”
“I guess that’s alright...” Apple Bloom replied.
Heartbreak turned and smiled. She could totally beat Rarity at whatever game she was attempting to play here!
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Rarity returned from the bathroom looking as fresh as a daisy. Looking around however, she saw that Sugar Cube Corner was devoid of any fillies or tan mares.
“Mrs. Cake!” She called out. “Mrs. Cake!”
Mrs. Cake popped out with Pumpkin clinging to her neck and nomming on her mane. “Oh yes, Miss Rarity?”
“Did they leave without me?” Rarity asked, looking at the little clinging foal.
“Oh, I’m afraid so! They were going to the hardware store if I’m not mistaken,” Mrs. Cake replied kissing her daughter’s cheek. “Down, Pumpkin. Go play with your brother.”
“Thank you eversomuch!” Rarity walked out the door. Looking around the street, she noticed the door to the Ponyville Hardware store swinging closed. “Hmm, I must have just missed them. Those three must be really adept at getting past H.B’s defenses if she let them follow her to the hardware store!” She paused. “It is fun to watch her... squirm a bit, but how am I going to get her to actually learn anything from all this? Particularly about generosity?” She sighed and pushed the door open. “We’ll just have to take this in stride and strike when the iron is hot!”
As she walked into the hardware store, her eyes were assaulted with the harsh spiky metal tools that came with manual labor and home improvement projects. She peered around and attempted to spot her sister.
“I don’t know about this now,” Came Scootaloo’s voice to her left. The three little fillies were sitting on a comfortable looking hanging swing that had been put out on display for the store. “I mean, it seemed like a fun idea at first? But she’s seems like such a stick in the mud now!”
“Ah don’t remember Crab Apple sayin’ anythin’ about her puttin’ down so many rules when he was with her! In fact, she left him alone for a while at that weird party he goes ta!” Apple Bloom said, shaking her head.
“How are we supposed to do any work if we can’t even sing?!” Sweetie Belle asked waving her hooves around. “It’s like she doesn’t want us there!”
“Well, it is kind of a-” Apple Bloom started to say.
“Girls! There you are!” Rarity interrupted.
“Oh, hi Rarity...” The three said in a disappointed unison.
“What’s wrong, girls?” Rarity asked, frowning. “Great. Now she’s even depressed these three.”
“H.B. sorta agreed that we could come to her house...” Scootaloo started.
“Well, that’s good! Maybe then-” Rarity stopped as Apple Bloom put her hoof up. “But there are some rules we have ta follow while we’re there...”
“I hate to say this, girls, but every house has its own rules that you must follow.” Rarity explained. “Though, what rules did she put in place?”
“While at her house... There’s no, ‘unnecessary stunts,’” Scootaloo started.
“No changes or alterations ta her plans,” Apple Bloom said frowning.
“And no singing!” Squeaked Sweetie Belle.
“Those are some rather strict, if not vague restrictions to put in place,” Rarity replied, frowning at Heartbreak as she looked through the different colour swatches on display. She looked like she was having trouble figuring out what colours to use. She shrugged and then slowly wandered into another aisle muttering to herself about something.
“Ah get the, ‘no stunts,’ rule there, Scootaloo. Applejack told me about the ol’Miller’s house an’ how it looks like it’s fallin’ apart,” Apple Bloom said watching the tan mare wander aimlessly about the hardware store. “But, ‘no changes to ma designs’? Ah don’t think she knows anythin’ about fixin’ up houses! We Apples know more than enough ta help!”
“Then there’s, ‘no singing!’” Sweetie Belle squeaked out. “How are we going to get a job like fixing a house done if we’re not allowed to sing!?”
Scootaloo raised her hoof to the side while looking at Rarity. “If you ask me? This whole thing sounds like it’s going to be one big boring dud... We should try earning our cutie marks in something else and leave your sister to handle Heartbreak on her own...”
Rarity jumped at the little filly’s words. “You’re losing them, Rarity! Think, think, think! You’ve got to get them interested again! If not for H.B’s sake, for yours!” Just then, a wonderful, beautiful and almost horrible idea blossomed in Rarity’s mind.
“Girls... Perhaps H.B. doesn’t want you to do these things because she doesn’t feel confident in your abilities...” Rarity said with a cunning smirk on her face.
“Not confident in our abilities?” Scootaloo asked.
“Sweetie Belle, What’s yer sis talkin’ about there?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Yeah! What do you mean by that, Rarity?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Well, she’s from Minneighsota, from what I understand, the winters there are terribly cold and it’s a much harsher climate,” Rarity put on her best poker face. “She might feel that you’re... Oh how should I put this? Softer than the colts and fillies she’s accustomed to?”
“I never thought about it like that before,” Scootaloo said tapping her chin. “Maybe that’s why she’s always calling you a, ‘marshmallow!’”
Rarity blinked and then laughed. “Maybe it is! But maybe she feels that you three aren’t well equipped enough to handle helping fix up a house.”
“Ha! We three are more than capable of fixin’ up a house!” Apple Bloom said pulling Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in for a hug.
“Well, I know that, and you three know that, but H.B. might not know that,” Rarity said hinting at something.
“Maybe we should show her!” Scootaloo replied excitedly.
“An just how are we going to do that?” Apple Bloom asked. “We’re not allowed ta do anythin’ we’d normally be able ta do at her house!”
“Oh! Maybe we could sing about how we could help fix her house up!” Sweetie Belle said bouncing up.
“Wait, what?” Scootaloo looked at her friend questioningly. “How is singing about it going to get her to see how we can help? And didn’t she say, ‘no singing?’”
“That is true,” Rarity bent her head down and smiled at the three little fillies. “But she said, ‘no singing while at my house,’ and we currently aren’t at her house now are we?”
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle blinked and smiled before giving Scootaloo an evil grin.
“What?” Scootaloo realized what the look was suggesting. “Really?” The two fillies persisted in their looks. “Ugh... fffine...”
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Geez, who would have thought that I could get this lost in a hardware store? Or that a hardware store run by ponies would have so many varieties of things!
There’s a dozen different paints, oil based paints, normal paints... magical colour changing paints? I eye the price tags... Essh, ninety bits per gallon. At least that’s what I think is a gallon. They have the measurement of, ‘bucket.’ on the can. I would look at the different tools, brushes and other things, but I would much rather wait for the construction crew come tomorrow. Note to self: hire construction crew.
“So much stuff... So little time... At least I have a good idea of what I can find here. Gah, why am I feeling a bit... twitchy?” I roll my eyes at myself. “You know why you are feeling this way. You just practically shut the Crusaders down from doing what they do best.” I push myself past this wall of paint and move into the next isle. There’s more hardware here. “Don’t tell them what their special talents are or you’ll ruin the magic?! There is just something fishy about that... Then again, what the fet do I know about magic... Maybe I should just apologize and explain my reasons. Yes, that would be the reasonable thi-”
Just then I look up and see the three of them at the end of the isle. Each of them has something different in their mouths and they’re looking at me with a rather... unsettling smile on their faces.
=
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“Uhm... Hi... girls...” Heartbreak said stepping back. “What are you doing?”
Apple Bloom spit the hammer in her mouth out. “Well, we figured out why ya don’t want us doin’ too much around yer house.”
Heartbreak blinked in confusion as the three little fillies started to walk towards her. “Heh, uhm what makes you think that I don’t-”
“Cut the small talk!” Scootaloo shouted pointing hoof at the mare. “You don’t think we have what it takes to help fix your house up!”
Heartbreak’s face started to grow with even more concern “Uhm, what are you-”
“Yeah! But we’re going to show you that we do! After all!” Sweetie Belle called out. Just then Scootaloo took out a harmonica and blew through it and the lights in the store suddenly dimming before three spotlights targeted the little fillies.
“Weeee have our shovels and pails!” Sweetie Belle started to sing.
“Weeee have our hammers and nails!” Apple Bloom joined in.
“Oh.. fet no... not.. Barber Shop...” Heartbreak’s eye started to twitch. “Uhm girls-”
“To repair this house up, we’ll do whatever it will take!” Scootaloo chimed in looking determined.
“Because home is where the heart is, so we’ll fix it for Heartbreaaaaaaak!” The three sang together.
Heartbreak started to open her mouth but found that she was nearly blinded by the bright light of a spotlight hitting her. “GAH!” She quickly turned only to find herself face to face with the three fillies again.
Scootaloo zipped over to one of the outdoor furniture displays. “We could always add a patio so she could tan her flanks!”
“But ah just don’t think that’s gonna earn her thanks,” Apple Bloom said, watching the retreating Heartbreak.
“Maybe we can add a small pond, pool or a backyard lake!” Chimed Sweetie Belle.
“That might be impressive, but ah doubt that has what it will take...,” Apple Bloom fluttered her eyes at Heartbreak. “How about some input ta help us out?”
Heartbreak said nothing but her left eye began to twitch. Only the sound of a cricket could be heard as she slowly kept backing away in hopes of getting to the next isle.
Scootaloo appeared between two paint cans and looked at Heartbreak, the gears in her mind starting to turn. “Boy, that one there, sure is stout!”
“Maybe she thinks we’re coming off phoney?” Sweetie Belle suddenly jumped out of a shelf higher than Scootaloo. “So some observation it might take-”
Apple Bloom joined her friends standing at the top shelf and the three of them came back into harmony.
“Into the likes and spites of this stubborn pony, Heartbreak!”
“Girls... I really wish you would-” Heartbreak squeaked before the three of them collected at her hooves to hear what she was about to say.
“Yes?” They asked in unison.
“Gah!” Heartbreak jumped up and dashed past the service counter.
Sweetie Belle looked confused as she and her friends took off after her. “It seems so silly-”
“-for this strange filly-” Apple Bloom rhymed taking on a full trot.
“-to try to run and try to hide!” Scootaloo dawned on her helmet jumped on her scooter. Once she had caught up with her friends, she pulled them aboard.
The three fillies targeted Heartbreak and made an attempt to catch up with her. “Doesn’t she know that it only makes us more curious to see what she keeps locked away in siiiiiiiide!”
“Girls!” Heartbreak gasped.
“Yes?!” The three asked, triangulating on Heartbreak at the end of another isle. As Rarity watched she giggled a bit.
Heartbreak snorted and glared at her. “This was your doing...” She mouthed.
Rarity made a mock posture and acted like she didn’t have any idea what Heartbreak was talking about.
Heartbreak ducked behind a tool display and peered over the edge. “Hopefully I’ve lost-”
Sweetie Belle suddenly appeared next to Heartbreak leaning on a large hammer. “What we learned is that she’s gruff and surly!”
Scootaloo appeared on the other side of Heartbreak leaning against a rather over-sized wrench. “Doesn’t like things she thinks girly!”
Apple Bloom hopped in front of Heartbreak clinging onto a jackhammer. “M-m-m-more a-a-a h-h-h-him t-t-than a-a-a her o-o-or s-s-so I-I-I’ve h-h-heard?”
“Apple Bloom, that’s just absurd!" Scootaloo glared at her friends while Heartbreak attempted for another quick exit stage left. “Where the hay did she even here that?”
Apple Bloom smirked and pointed out that their target was running off again. “Ah kinda promised to keep it under ma hat!”
Sweetie Belle jumped between her friends. “Girls, concentrate! Because we’re going to have to do whatever it will taaake!”
“Cause if home is where the heart is: then we better help fix it for Heartbreak!”
“Maybe we should make it more like a simple house, like the ones that we live in?” Sweetie Belle asked as the three of the three crusaders kept in hot pursuit after Heartbreak.
“Sweetie Belle, Ah think that might be just the win!” Apple Bloom said starting to catch up with Heartbreak.
“There can not be a single mistake!” Sweetie Belle lept right in front of Heartbreak causing her to jump back and race in the opposite direction.
“‘Cause it’s only the best for good old Heartbreaaaaaaak!”
Heartbreak found herself at a three way intersection inside the store. “How the fet are they so fa-”
“Now for furnishings!” Scootaloo flanked Heartbreak on her other side. “Our ideas for the kitchen have been put together with care!” She sang out pointing at the end of intersections. “While our ideas for the the living room are positioned right over there!”
"And we all agree that stony face could use some cheer," Sweetie Belle pointed down the aisle in front of them. “So our decorations to put in your large bedroom to clear away that sneer!”
Apple Bloom pulled out the blueprints to Heartbreak’s house. “We’ll work on that roof so that it’ll last long after yer gone!”
Scootaloo tapped on the blueprints. “But after that what are we going to do about the lawn?”
Heartbreak twitched and glared at the three fillies, the barrier that she was holding in place to keep her just from yelling at them could not hold any longer and finally cracked as she snagged the blueprints away from them!
“Girls!"
"It isn’t what you can or cannot do-” She began, snarling through her teeth as she stamped her hoof down.
“Or even what I may or may not think of you!
I know your persistence is your group quirk!
I’m just reluctant because you might get hurt!
But I know that you won’t listen, ‘cause here’s the thing!
You’ve already forgotten that one of the rules is not to sing!”
She snorted and looked at the three of them. Just then she heard Rarity’s giggle come from behind her. “What?” Suddenly she realization of what she had just done hit her. “AH-FET. LOCKS-
Sweetie Belle joined her friends without skipping a beat. “Let’s decorate the lawn with fancy rocks!”
“And add picnic tables with lacy, frilly flocks!” Apple Bloom shouted excitedly.
Heartbreak found herself backing into a wall and starting to put her hooves over her face. “L-let me know when-”
“Now ta pick the colours of the inside rooms!” Apple Bloom shouted. “To yer favorite favorite colour, girls get ready ta zoom!”
“I think the bedroom should be this stylish green!” Sweetie Belle pointed out.
“With the living room being white, friendly and clean!” Apple Bloom suggested.
“The last one should be trusty sky blue!” Scootaloo leaned against a bucket that was distinctively the colour of Rainbow Dash’s fur.
“After all it’s a calming colour, through an through!” Apple Bloom cheered gathering the three buckets in her hooves and presenting them to Heartbreak.
“Girls, what we got somethin’ great here; make no mistaaaaaaake!”
The three fillies gathered in front of the tan mare who only momentarily raised her hoof off her face.
“And all for our good friend Heeeeeeeearrrrrrrt-Breaaaaaaaak! We’re gonna help rebuild a house for Heartbreak!”
Heartbreak groaned and waited. She lifted her hoof and looked around. “Are you three don-”
“Cutie Mark Crusader Construction and Inspection Crew! YAY!”
“GAH!” Heartbreak shouted before she was doubled over by the cheer. She rubbed the sides of her head while whimpering. “Ouch... my ears...”
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You know. I have never been in the center of a storm before. And quite frankly? After dealing with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and especially Scootaloo singing quasi-barber shop in the hopes of getting me to let them help me rebuild my house?
I think a storm might be preferable.
I can feel parts of me shaking that I don’t think ought to be shaking! My ears are pinned down to nearly the sides of my head! My tail looks puffier than normal! My mane while a frequent mess looks like I’ve been through a wind tunnel!
Now the three of them are looking at me with big cute eyes while I have doubled over into a whole section of paintbrushes and other home improvement supplies.
“So can we help ya?” Apple Bloom asks, starting with her big cute eyes.
“Yeah! Between the three of us? We can totally make your new house look awesome!” Scootaloo interjects almost taking on the spitting image of a mini-Dash.
“And best of all, we won’t cost as much as a real contractor!” Sweetie Belle pointed out.
“You do realize that might not be point in our favor, right?” Scootaloo asks.
“I want to spend time with my sister who I haven’t seen in two months,” Sweetie Belle says through her teeth at Scootaloo, her big dewy eyes still focused on me. “And if I don’t get to do that, I might get cranky.”
“Hey, now girls, play nice!” Apple Bloom says stepping in. “It’s up ta H.B. on whether or not we can help!” Thank you for acting like an adult here, Apple- “We can help ya can’t we?” She asks, joining in on the, ‘itty-bitty-filly-with-big-eyes’ committee.
Ugh, I feel so pinned, so trapped, so- “Ugh! I don’t know! I’m really exhausted! How about you three talk to me tomorrow!?”
“Ah suppose we could do that...” Apple Bloom replies.
Fuck... Where did this wave of fatigue come from? I didn’t do that much running... Did I? I push myself up. “Thank you,” I glare at Rarity, my face twitching. “Thank. You. Whitewash, for a lovely day. I think I’m going back to the library, if Twilight will let me, for the night.”
"You're going already? But, we just arrived!" Rarity looks at the clock on the wall. “And it’s only three-thirty! There’s still daylight out!”
“Well, due to this little romp around the store? I am exhausted and have decided to opt out for the rest of the day,” I so want to snark at her. Ugh! I’m so confuzzled and frazzled that I can barely think straight!
I am burning with the snark. I don’t care if she thinks that having me participate in a song will help me become a better pony. Which I’m sure is her overall intention here. I didn’t want nor need to be forced into singing some dumb song about fixing up my house. Like they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Or in this case, three little fillies who are off in their singing today. “So, Rarity. It’s been swell. But you have a pleasant day.” I remark seethingly as I walk out the door.
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Just because it had to be done, I will now post this video.
The song with the CMC was highly amusing. I was half expecting H.B. to just collapse on her side on the floor with a thousand mile gaze.
Well this can only end well.
Nice evasion on the cutie mark front, although I suspect that won't be the last time they ask.
Nice song, usually an author just slap some youtube link or stolen lyric for a musical number, it's refreshing to see something original.
Anyone else have a feeling of wanting to punch Rarity in the face?
3487152
ever since this arc started.
3487124
Great minds think alike
3487159 In a battle of the videos, I'd say we tied. Yours had ponies, mine was a good music video that could be remade by Al himself.
3487128 didn't you hear? That's now against the rules. I love it, no padding chapters with stolen lyrics. If you wanna use song lyrics you gotta make them up yourself
3487128 I do all of the above. Sometimes a youtube link with a collection of drawings that uses a pre-existing song is good. Sometimes just that video says it all. But other times you need to get something... organic.
Nice song. Awful art.
3487253 I drew that. And now... I'm going to draw you.
3487318 i think the art is great, better than mine, but im a scenery artist
Yeah the art is a nich touch.
Even if anyone can do better, Watch my amazing drawing skills :
i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a525/FicusCat/AwsmPaintskillz_zps04e0affd.png
Done in less than 5 minutes on Paint, how awesome and talented am I ?
3487454 That is totally getting saved to my Creativi-tea folder.
doom day approaching~!
3487543 Heartbreak has answered some of your tumblr questions. This of course has nothing to with what is happening in the story. I thought I would just let you know.
3487543 Also, keep in mind that fillies that age have short attention spans. While today fixing up a house might seem like it could be fun. Tomorrow they will want to do something else. That might not stop Rarity from bringing them along with her the next day however!
After all. HB hasn't seemed to make any outwardly signs showing that she has learned anything.
3487318
Is this a threat? Thou hath desire for challenge?
Even Rarity agrees with me!
3487646 ARE YOU CHALLENGING MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE?!
Heh. No. Have a face monkey.
I can understand hb fears for not wanting to take anything from anyone in this world so far there so much deception in equestria so far it kind of make me over think the whole shady free money and gifts is it really free or even real generosity so far? hb got the right idea for being cautious in this situation beware of stranger bearing gifts and smile's.
3487646 Also obscure old timey anime strong bad meets Mighty Cornholeio Reference.
3488389
you missed the italics.
Wow, Rarity is hard to like in this story. Could someone explain to me how the retconned first meeting between her and H. B. affected her? Rarity did keep calling H. B. Heartbreak over and over, setting the tone for their future relation.
So, is singing a fundamental force of this world? Do ponies possess a natural talent for telepathy? Is there really an orchestra situated on the town hall for spontaneous music related emergencies?
And why is H. B. so exhausted? Is cuteness reacting with her butt mark?
*edit* Fimfiction double posted my comment. Fixed it.
3488702
Ever since they first met, Rarity has been on her case. Yet, it seems that she is disturbed by H. B. and is lashing out at her. I just can not fathom why. Is this the Uncanny Valley? Or does she suspect that Anthony had to be involved with some dark stuff, or even be bad himself, for attracting the attention of at least one Fay?
This has nothing to do with any dislike of Rarity on my part. She has her flaws, more then the other mane characters in my opinion, but she has her fans for a reason.
3488738
Well, that we can agree on. It seems H. B. is not the only pony in need of a friendship lesson. I doubt that Jet_black1980 would write her OOC for personal reasons, though.
Now for something completely different. What will happen if and when Discord breaks loose? And are canon changelings related to the Fay?
Thoughts anyone?
Wow! Sweetie Bell has some serious singing mojo going in the CMC if they can manage to drag a fey-touched "i'm-not-a-pony!" into a song and dance number.
Granted it took a few stanzas for the spotlight cues to break through the resisitance, but that's still an amazing accomplishment for Sweetie Bell against at least one GEAS and HB's own hidden Masculinity. If she knew what she was up against and still succeeded, she might have got her cutie mark right there.
hmmm...
I wonder if Rares was listening when they were singing about her being more a male than a mare... If she was, the cat may be out of the bag once Rares eventually puts 2 and 2 and 2 together...
....For once I actually dislike a chapter from this series. I might have disliked it less if I actually heard the lyrics being sung instead of read. (I don't translate lyrics into song very well.) But still...this chapter seemed over the top, and self-conscious. Overall from the feelings I've received from reading this chapter, I rate it 2/10. It can be done better, HB. It can be done better.
3490073 Glad you aproved!
3490183 We might have to get a few people to sing those lyrics then! ^.^
3490361 Well that would be good, but who would do it?
3490391 Good question... The brony fanbase is large and has a rather good talent pool. If we ask around, perhaps we can get a few volunteers.
Oh lookie. Somepony is going around down voting me on my own story again!
Got to love passive-aggressive post it notes whose purpose is an attempt to make you quit writing right?
And no, that wasn't directed at you. I was just noticing that it was happening again. Course, now that I have brought it up, EVERY post that, I the Author of this story, make, will be downvoted.
Tsk-tsk-tsk.
3490489 I have no connections to those people. I know a few people who can ask around, but I myself, don't know anybody who can work a barbershop triple with just the lyrics. Maybe I'll find someone willing to do it at NerdaCon tomorrow.
I still like your drawings but Sweeties right front leg seems off. Either some shadow lines are missing or it is not long enough.
3490518 Hmmm I am also going to Mid West Fur Fest... Maybe I'll find someone to do it there. ^.^
And if you don't like songs just being ...flat... I'm going to call this flat. There are a few more songs in the future. Not in this story but other stories...
3490635 Ok. Best thing to probably do is put them out before hand. If you can find someone willing to do that for you, you should be dandy.
3490668 A dandy... singing a dandy song... A handy dandy song...
3490779 Wouldn't that be a 'Dandy Dandy-Song'? ...It's still rather awkward to talk about, though.
3488738>>3488758
Personally I don't mind rarity personality in the story...maybe she's a bit aggressive but that's about it.
3491760>>3488738
Actually, I do believe Rarity is in character in this story and disturbed by H. B.. Even if she did not hear part of the torture, it is still a freakishly un-lady like, un-pony like even, creature she's taking care of who flaunts around personal information about her as if there are invisible spies following ponies their entire life.
Nothing personal against H. B., she has no control over her life and tries to keep herself together. And since that should be "HIMself"...
And there is the small pet peeve of mine about bullies using brute force to dominate other people. If H. B. would grab Rarity's head to make her shut up then Rarity would label her a brute. Who does something like that? It might even be called assault on earth. Yet, unicorns do not seem to have qualms about using magic on ponies who are unable to defend themselves against it.
(Question. Do I need to add a second "." after "H. B. if it is the end of a sentence? And my spell checker says I have to leave a space between the "H" and the "B" of her name. Is this correct?)
Haha, a song, awesome. I was getting a real Simpsons feel toward the end there when HB catches herself joining in the singing.
Dig the way you write the CMC, you make them sound really fun. There's a lot of potential there if/when they do start working on the house.
I do have to wonder what's going on next, though, since HB decides to just scrap it and leave, so either the scene didn't really have a "turn" because everything is the same as when it started, or something else is going to crop up that forces her to work on the house (or do something else entirely new), but I think that would've been a better place to end the chapter.
It seems like we're in kind of a "consolidation" phase of the story, where HB is securing a lifestyle that'll then be the base for further antics, but I'm sure things won't settle down that easily.
H.B. could have so much healing done.
It might only be a fast MS Paint drawing but here.
http://s50.photobucket.com/user/Gargoyle2500/media/MLP%20Sketches/hb_zps6e703eaf.png.html?sort=3&o=0
It's something.
3499534 Huh?
3501072
Am I In outer space, I ponder?
3509865 I'm not sure what you mean by "she could do so much healing" here. Explain.
3509967
Though I'm not the same now as then, Here goes...
There's a lot which could happen for H.B. including inner healing. More than healing bodily scars.
Having caught up with your story, I can now give speculation as to what happens next yay!
The Fae seemed to go through entirely too much trouble just to humiliate the one who snubbed them. They could have just turned him into a frog or made him cursed to chronic loud flatulence. I wonder if there isn't some more sinister purpose in their sending him/her to Equestria, and if perhaps H.B. isn't in fact important to the punishment at all... in particular I think H.B. is entirely too optimistic when she speculates that the opportunity arising in one year will merely fail to send her back. Whatever happens then could be so much, much worse than that.
It's funny you never get to see exactly what Derpy does for a living. I like that sort of unspecificity leaving us free to speculate as much as we want. (I'm voting professional hit mare)
The main cast we have left after Rarity, which in fact seems to be wrapping itself up thanks to one little orphan filly opening H.B. to the possibility that maybe she can help other ponies, are Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. I can imagine that Dash would be next as Fluttershy would be completely terrified and putting it off as much as bpossible, but Pinkie would be adamant about going last on the month of Nightmare Night. I'm not sure the problems they'll face with Dash but I wonder if H.B.'s curse will have unraveled enough by Fluttershy for the animals to stop treating H.B. like she's walking around with a pony eating dragon clinging to her back the whole time. At the same time I worry whether Heartbreak coming to harmony and healing herself might stress the branding to the point that something terrible occurs.
I'm dying of curiosity just what the cows told Applejack about the experience, as well as the "whisperings" Fluttershy sensed from her animal friends. I'm also curious as to how H.B.'s branding is changing shape exactly. The drawings are inconsistent and it's clearly shifting around but I wonder if any measurable patterns are emerging. I'm also dying of curiosity just what is going on with Heartbreak's hooves. It's a rare person who wouldn't jump at the chance to investigate why one's hooves are crippled, which lends more credence to the idea that Anthony was picked for a different reason than just his lackluster romantic history.
I really really wish Twilight would just slap H.B.'s flank already to sate her curiosity on what affect the mark has on ponies who touch it, but now H.B. knows it causes intense pain to her she'll be leery as all heck of anyone touching it. And as much as I wish that would happen, the tension and suspense of it not happening is great, and Twilight might just manage to find something in her ancient books if she ever remembers that what's on Heartbreak's flank is not a cutie mark, and really powerful princess blindly messing with foreign invasive magic... it's just exactly the thing I would set a trap for if I were an evil Unseelie thing.
Oh and I'm also really puzzled how Dash is going to teach H.B. loyalty at all. It's just... how is that pegasus going to be able to stand staying close to the ground long enough to do anything besides give H.B. the time of day? ADD and powers of flight do not, a good teacher, make. I can't even imagine what H.B. would have to go through to learn to be loyal to her friends... that's sort of exactly what got her into this mess in the first place. It's not just someone sticking by you when you're being a cunt, but someone who will defend you when your life is in danger. Where's H.B. going to get a friend like that??
I like the house. :3 It's spooky and out of the way pretty much perfect. I speculate H.B. will want to use the hole in the roof instead of patching it, since that's what she did with the hole in her hoof. I wonder about the house's previous inhabitants too. They clearly left in a hurry since so much of their stuff was just left behind to gather dust. Hopefully they didn't get axed!
Oh also I predict upon the secret being spilled Heartbreak tries to put off the gender swap as a cultural difference. "See on my planet the stallions wear dresses and the mares aren't really allowed to. Also the mares are supposed to protect the stallions due to the fact that in my old world stallions bear the children. ...what?"
Does Scootaloo have her wings? *goes back and checks* Good job! Unlike most of Hasbro's animators that worked on Sleepless in Ponyville