Cheese's Dilemma

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Cheese Sandwich stood on the little hill overlooking Ponyville. His poncho and wide brimmed black hat would had given the impression of a serious stallion if not for the rubber chicken draped over his back, sporting the number two. The spring morning blew up a gust of petals from the apple tree he stood under, causing a violent sneezing fit. Cheese loved spring, but, it didn’t seem to love him back.

Ponyville looked amazing, flowers adorned the empty spaces on the square and cloaked the houses with their cheery display. Stallions, mares, fillies, and colts were chatting animatedly with each other. Normally, this would fill him to the brim with cheer, he was the super-duper party pony after all. But today, today Cheese couldn’t help but feel a deep, dark pit forming in his stomach.

Cheese knew that he was not supposed to be here. Ever since he had received his cutie mark, he followed his “Cheesie-sense” wherever it took him. Now, he was nearly in Ponyville while his cheesie-sense was pulling him violently towards Fillydelphia. But Cheese knew this was a necessary divergence, in fact is was the most important divergence ever. After all, what use is a super-duper party pony if he cannot make anypony smile?

He turned to address the rubber chicken resting atop his poncho-covered back, “Come on Boneless 2. We’ve got to get Pinkie’s help!” With a bit of effort, Cheese pulled his party cannon down the hill and towards the town.

If anypony knew how to fix his dilemma it would be Pinkie Pie. She was his inspiration, the one reason he found his cutie mark and purpose in his life. She also happened to be the most beautiful mare Cheese had ever seen. Her glossy pink coat, sparkling blue eyes, and hair that poofed in just the right way were magic to Cheese. Not only that, she was cheerful, upbeat, spontaneous, and always brought a smile to pony’s faces.

But, the last time they had met had not gone off so well. He had inadvertently taken over her party and made her feel unwanted. They had even gotten into a huge goof-off that ended in Pinkie running away. Never had Cheese felt so bad about his actions. He should have told her the truth from the beginning. Instead, he let his pride as a party planner get in the way of their new friendship. Sure, it had worked out in the end and, after explaining himself, Pinkie had returned and planned a great party with him. Pinkie had such a forgiving nature. However, it did not change the fact that he hurt the mare and he wanted so badly to make it up to her.

Admittedly, he looked rather odd tugging at his cannon down the dirt road. The cannon held everything he owned in its magically enhanced interior. Even Cheese had no idea how it worked (it had been a gift from his mentor). Normally he would not lug it around, but he was too tired to activate its transportation magic. Cheese sighed, so much for not standing out.

Now, every pony in the square seemed to be watching him pull his cannon along. A few smiled welcome but others just stared in amazement or expectation. He had burst out into song the first time he came after all. Maybe they were bracing for a reprise? Thankfully, it did not take long to get to the entrance of Sugar Cube Corner. The store front was so very fun, and, like Pinkie, seemed to give off an aura of good cheer.

Leaving the cannon outside, Cheese stood frozen outside the door. What should I say? I don't want to make Pinkie think I'm a failure! But, no matter what comes of it, it has to be her.

He cautiously stepped into the store. It was filled with a group of ponies sharing a sweet snack at the big round table. He recognized them as Pinkie’s friends; Princess Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie had been conversing with them but when she saw Cheese, she literally hopped over to him.

“Cheesie!” Pinkie squealed with delight and leapt on Cheese, giving him a bone-crushing hug.

“Hello Pinkie.” Cheese managed to gasp.

Thankfully, Pinkie released Cheese and stood grinning at him. For some inexplicable reason, Cheese felt at a loss for words. Maybe it was guilt from before? His face began to heat up as Pinkie leaned in close, her muzzle nearly touching his. He looked down, trying to cool off the steam that seemed to be overwhelming his senses.

“You okay Cheesie?” Pinkie’s voice held a note of concern and her ears went back a little.

“Just…just fine Pinkie.” Cheese managed to stammer as he continued to regard the floor boards.

“Fine but not super-duper fine?”

The three mares gathered around cheese. Twilight looked concerned, “Is something wrong Cheese? I don’t think we’ve been planning any big parties.”

Cheese never wished he could disappear so badly. Not only was his problem embarrassing, he did not want the whole of Equestria to know about it. He took a deep breath, “I’ve lost it.”

“Lost what?” Rainbow Dash added impatiently as she fluttered overhead.

“My-” Cheese gulped, “-my super-duper party planning skills. I…I can’t seem to make anypony laugh anymore. I don’t even feel like laughing myself.”

With that the yellow stallion’s green eyes filled with tears and he sobbed. “What am I supposed to do? I’m a party pony! I’ve got to make ponies laugh.”

The group of mares looked at each other with dumbfound amazement. Pinkie Pie shot forward and gave Cheese a big hug, “Poor Cheesie. It’ll be okay. You’re a party pony just like me right? You’re not allowed to be so sad.”

Rainbow Dash flew down next to Pinkie. “Darn right! We’ll figure this out won’t we Twilight?”

Twilight nodded approval, “Of course we will. What are friends for anyway?"

Together, the group stood around Cheese until he managed to stop crying.

A piece of parchment levitated in front of Twilight. “If we’re going to help you out we need to know the whole story. Just when did you start to lose your party planning abilities?”

Cheese sniffed and composed himself. “Well, it started shortly after Rainbow’s Birthaversery bash. I was on my way from my latest party in Trottingham and felt… different.”

“Different?” Twilight started writing vigorously on the parchment with her magic.

“Yeah. Normally when I plan a super awesome party I feel fulfilled. Like, I did my job and everything is going to be okey-dokey. But, after this party I felt empty somehow.”

“Maybe the party wasn't as super awesome as mine?” Rainbow Dash smirked knowingly.

Twilight shot her an exasperated look, “Rainbow! I'm certain Cheese’s party was first rate and all the ponies loved it. Isn’t that right Cheese?”

Cheese nodded slowly. “It was great, one of my best yet. But, after that party I just wasn't my funny self.” Cheese drew Boneless 2 off his back and stared at the chicken sadly. “The next party was a wedding bash in Edinbuck. It was fun, ponies laughed, but not like my other parties. It was as though there was this big hole that should have been filled by my party. I feel as though I left some ponies down. That’s never happened to me before.”

“Oh no. That’s awful Cheesie!” Pinkie gave Cheese another hug that made his face heat up again.

He coughed and continued, “So, after the wedding, I traveled around following my cheese senses like before. But, no matter where I went my parties slowly got worse and worse. The last party was a disaster! Not a single pony laughed, not one. They even called me the ‘super-duper failure’.” Cheese looked down in embarrassment.

“Is that why you came back?”

Cheese nodded, “Yeah. I thought since Pinkie was my first inspiration she could be my inspiration again. So, I returned to Ponyville.”

Pinkie hopped around the floor excitedly. “Of course I’ll help you silly! You don’t have to be shy about it. I’m the original party pony, it won’t be hard to get your party juices flowing again. Maybe we could make some confetti cake? Oooh, oooh maybe we could make a giant bowl of pudding and jump in? Or catch a bunch of butterflies and-”

“-and hide them in a present.” Cheese smiled and started bouncing along side Pinkie.

Twilight rested a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. “That sounds like a great start. Pinkie, I want you and Cheese to do whatever it is you party ponies do. In the meantime, I will do some research and try to see if this could be caused by magical means. Any other suggestions?”

Fluttershy cautiously approached Twilight. “Maybe Cheese just needs to rest. When my animal friends work super hard, they start to have trouble remembering their jobs. But, after they rest, they feel refreshed and ready to get back to work.”

“You make a good point Fluttershy. How about Cheese holds off from party planning for a while? Then he can start up again when he's ready for it. What do you say Cheese?”

“It couldn’t hurt. I'll admit I've been very busy lately. It's been a while since I had a good rest. Maybe it'll help. But what can I do in the meantime?"

Pinkie gasped and bounced with renewed excitement. “You can stay and work at Sugar Cube Corner with me! The cakes took the twins to visit family and I’m supposed to mind the store. What do you say Cheesie?”

“Well, I guess sweet making could be fun. I’ll give it a try!”

Twilight nodded in agreement, “Good, I’ll let the two of you know when I’ve discovered more information. Rainbow and Fluttershy can help me as needed.”

Rainbow flipped in the air, "Leave it to me!"

With that, trio left the store, leaving Pinkie and Cheese standing alone. Cheese was thrilled the ponies wanted to help but could not stopper the feeling that their efforts would be in vain. He looked around the shop and sighed. A whole day to be myself again huh? I suppose a little me-time can't hurt can it? And, I have Pinkie's company to look forward to. Cheese found himself pondering Pinkie. Just how does she keep up that excited, happy front all the time? I wish I had her stamina.

“You ready Cheesie?”

“Huh?” Cheese started back to his senses, flushing. “Am I ever! Show me what I need to do.”

Well...It Could Be Worse

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Author's Notes:

So, here it is. I've never been so nervous about getting a chapter right before. Talk about pressure! I ended up writing a lot in order to convey all the emotions I wanted to (and to milk the situation for all it's worth). I really hope I captured the characters in a believable light and made an interesting tale. Let me know how I did.

A note for those of you expecting this story to be a confess, kiss, marry in three chapters kind of story I'm sorry to disappoint. My goal in writing this is to make an honest-to-goodness slice of life. A true slice of life story moves slow, relying on the character's individual emotions/struggles/relationships to tell the story instead of action-packed elements around every corner. That is my inspiration for writing this story so no, I'm not going to get to the confession in the first few chapters. Be patient, draw back on the reins and enjoy the ride.

Cheese had never been one to question the words of a lady but this was one of those times. Now, as he balanced on the rickety ladder, he began to wonder. Pinkie had insisted that to complete her next order she needed a special mold the Cakes kept stored in the attic. Unfortunately, the aforementioned attic was only accessible by climbing in from the outside of the shop.

“Are you quite certain this is stable? I could just go and fetch my ladder from the cannon!”

“Ah, don’t be silly Cheesie! It’s super-duper safe. I’ve used it like 11 times already.” The pink mare pranced around the ground looking up at Cheese. “But, if you want, I can go up and get it.”

“No, no, I’ll find it.” There was no way in all of Equestria he was letting Pinkie up here. And to think she had gone up 11 times already. She was fearless to be sure. Cautiously, he clambered into the dusty attic. It only took a few minutes to find the mold and he happily began his descent.

As he neared the middle, one of the rotting rungs broke free. Cheese felt a sickening lurch as he tumbled to the earth. He closed his eyes, bracing for the impact. Blessedly he landed on something soft. With an apprehensive shudder, he opened his eyes to discover he was sitting in a large pile of pink confetti. He turned to see the source, his own party cannon and Pinkie staring back at him.

“Oh my goodness! Are you okay Cheesie?”

“Somehow…” He stared at Pinkie, dumbstruck by her timeliness. “How did you-”

“-Oh that was easy as pie! Since you were so worried about the ladder I thought I’d go get yours. So, I went lickety split to replace it. But, when I got there you were already coming down. Then I saw you fall, and I was super worried so I grabbed the cannon and made a big confetti pillow for you to land on.”

Pinkie had said all this in a rush and the situation slowly began to sink in on Cheese. He started to laugh, “That was brilliant Pinkie! You really are the best party pony around. I would never have thought that fast.” He lept up and danced around Pinkie excitedly, eyes shining with glee. “Thank you Pinkie!”

“You’re welcome Cheesie. But, I think we need to get back to work. Those sweets aren’t going to make themselves. Would you mind picking up the confetti?”

“Not at all. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Okey dokey lokey!” Pinkie hopped into the shop humming happily.

Cheese trotted quickly to the cannon and kicked it. In an instant, the confetti whooshed back into the barrel and the yard was clean once more. He stared, amazed that his packing up attempt had worked. For the past month he had not been able to use the cannon’s vacuum function properly. And yet, the skill had come back to him just as easy as always. Was it Pinkie’s special brand of magic again?

Cheese was no stranger to part time jobs. In fact, he spent most of his free time working at whatever odd stores would hire him. Unfortunately for him, his exuberant nature made most employers cringe and he was promptly fired for a “lack of professionalism”. Cheese did not let that bother him however, and still enjoyed working for as long as they would have him.

As he joined Pinkie in the kitchen, he could not help but stare at all the wondrous objects on display. The tools of the sweet trade were truly amazing, and Cheese had to admire the loving care they received. He trotted over to the mixer where Pinkie was prepping the latest sweet.

“Watcha making Pinkie?”

“Well, I was going to get these lemon cupcakes baked. But, I’ve also got to get these chocolate bunnies started-” Pinkie nodded to the molds Cheese had liberated from the attic, “-I feel as stretched as laughy taffy!”

“Well, the cupcakes have a recipe don’t they? Why don’t you let me make them and you can work on the bunnies?”

“Okay but are you really, really sure you can handle them? I mean I don’t want to leave you all alone for your first day on the job. Cupcakes can be tricky you know. It took me weeks to get the lemony ones right. The Cakes would scold me.”

Cheese snorted with exasperation. “Of course I can make cupcakes Pinkie! I’m a party pony after all. Trust me on this one okay?” With that he gently pushed Pinkie out of the way and started on the cupcakes. Honestly, I didn’t think she could be so stubborn.

“Well okey dokey then but let me know if you need anything.”

Cheese nodded absent mindedly back as he focused on the mix. They worked in awkward silence for a time and he began to become very self-conscious as he slipped the cakes in the oven. Did I make her angry? I only wanted to let her know I could be helpful. Maybe I’m just cranky? Oh my gosh, I hope I’m not turning into a wet blanket! I don’t want her to think that!

“Oh no!”

“What?” Cheese cantered over to where Pinkie was working. Chocolate was strewn all over the counter and flecked Pinkie’s mane. He watched her glare at the mold she was working on, paintbrush held in her teeth. She dropped it on the counter and sighed.

“It’s no use Cheesie. I can’t get Mr. Bunny’s bowtie to come out right. It looks awful and the Major is counting on me to get these bunnies done for her niece’s birthday. What am I going to do?”

Stepping forward Cheese examined the bowtie. Each bunny’s details had to be painted on the mold with colored chocolate before they could be filled. Cheese knew from experience the process could be really frustrating. He grimaced at the red bowtie which at the moment more closely resembled a fuzzy boa. “That’s easy enough to fix Pinkie. Let me try.”

Taking the paintbrush from the counter, Cheese began to fill in the mold. Pinkie leaned forward, carefully observing his work. He dropped the paintbrush and picked up a second one, “There, now add a little yellow and-”

“-And it becomes a Hawaiian shirt! What a great idea Cheesie! I’ll help too.” With renewed energy Pinkie grabbed the second mold and started painting away. “What if we make the bunnies have a big island vacation?”

Cheese beamed back at Pinkie, “And use lickerish for the trees?”

“And big pieces of green laughy taffy for leaves.”

“And brown sugar for sand.”

“Ooh, ooh and gumdrops for beach balls!”

Together the ponies animatedly started to work on their creation. Cheese began to forget all about his troubles the past few months. All that mattered now was that he was spending time with Pinkie. But how much did he really know about her? Sure, she was his inspiration and a great party planner but what else?

“Say Pinkie, I was wondering. What do you like to do, you know apart from being a party planner and baker?”

Pinkie’s eyes shone with excitement. “Oooh lots of things! For one, I love to practice my instruments and play with gummy. You know my pet alligator. But my favorite thing ever is to go on adventures with my friends!”

“Adventures? You mean like fighting bad guys kind of adventures?”

“Well, not usually but sometimes! I love everything about my friends, so of course any time I spend with them is super special! Like, this one time we all went to the Everfree Forest and ran into poison joke. It made us all really ridiculous. My tongue was SUPER long and Fluttershy had this really deep voice!”

“Wow!" Cheese chuckled. "That sounds pretty funny."

"Yeah, but you're missing the really funny part..."

The next few minutes Cheese listened to Pinkie tell of her many misadventures with her friends. He had never realized all that the group went through together and now understood why they seemed so close. It was great to hear Pinkie talk, her voice was like the best kind of music.

“So Cheese-” Pinkie leaned in towards cheese as he added the final touches to the palm trees. “-What kind of adventures do you have with your friends?”

“My…my friends?” Cheese flushed crimson, taken aback by Pinkie’s abrupt change of pace. Then, without understanding why, a chill swept over his body. Not the wonderful kind of cold you get after eating ice cream or popsicles. No, it was the awful, nasty sort of chill he remembered getting as a colt back in Manehattan and it was one he never wanted to feel again.

Cheese’s ears flattened with nervous tension as he stared into Pinkie’s blue eyes. What I do with my friends? He had had met hundreds of ponies across Equestria, it was the nature of his job. Though he had a good time working with them for parties, they never kept in touch with him afterwards. Come to think of it, Pinkie is the only pony I’ve ever really connected with. I like her a lot, but if I’m being honest I’ve only known her a total of two or three days. Is that long enough to call each other friends? From what she’s been telling me, her friends spend hours a week talking to her. Does she even consider me her friend? Oh, what do I say!

“Well?” Pinkie was leaning in very close now and Cheese started to feel off balance.

“Well-” At that moment a loud timer rang and shook the pair from their staring match. “-Oh look the cupcakes are done! I’ll get them.” Cheese practically flew towards the oven and busied himself with the cakes. They might not look as amazing as some he had seen, but at least they looked edible.

Pinkie stood there a little taken aback by Cheese’s avoidance of the question. After a moment, she shook it off and trotted up to where the cupcakes were.

“Ooh, yummy. They look great Cheesie.”

“Ya think so?”

“I know so! Why don’t you decorate them and I’ll finish the bunnies?”

“All right.” Cheese could not help but be grateful for the interruption. He felt his head would explode if he had to think on Pinkie’s question any more. Come on Cheese, pull it together. It’s not like Pinkie would have made fun of you. You aren’t that shy colt anymore! You can do this.

In no time at all, he had placed the decorated cupcakes in the glass case under the counter. He looked around at the clean little dining room and smiled. He enjoyed every-day work, even if it was not as fun as throwing parties.

“Hello, any pony there? Pinkie Pie?” A young female voice called from the front of the shop.

Cheese glanced down and saw a trio of fillies walking towards the counter.

“Hello there!” Cheese gave them a toothy grin.

The palomino earth pony with a huge bow stared incredulously up at him. “Cheese Sandwich?”

“Yuparooni!”

The orange pegasus gave a knowing grin to her companion. “I told you Applebloom! I win!”

The white unicorn hopped in place. “Hey I said he’d be there too remember Scoots?”

“Yeah. Guess that means Applebloom will be buying both of our cupcakes today!”

“Hold on just a minute there Scoots, Sweetie Belle, we don’t know the whole story yet.”

“The whole story my hoof. You said there was no way he’d be working here and here he is. That means we win the bet! Play it fair Applebloom.”

“But what if he’s just visitin’?”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and turned to Cheese who had been watching them with curiosity. “So, uh Cheese Sandwich right?”

“Right.”

“You really working at Sugarcube Corner today?”

“Correct-a-mundo little filly.”

The pegasus stuck her tongue out at Applebloom and grinned. “We’ll have three lemon cupcakes and Applebloom’s buying!”

“Okey dokey then. But what's this whole argument about?”

Sweetie Bell jumped with excitement. “Well, Applebloom heard Twilight tell Applejack that you came to Ponyville today. She told Applejack that you had lost your party planning skills and that’s why you came back.”

Applebloom gasped suddenly and looked concerned at Cheese. “That means what they said about your party planning skills being gone was true. Does that mean you’ll lose your cutie mark? Poor Cheese.”

“I’m not going to lose my cutie mark! Just where did you get that idea?”

“Well, it happened to big sis, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow right before Twilight became a princess. They all got their cutie marks messed around with. Who knows, they might have lost them completely if Twi hadn’t stepped in.”

Sweetie Bell gasped, “That means Cheese really could lose his cutie mark!”

“If he does he could join the crusaders.” Scootaloo grinned at Sweetie Bell.

Cheese started to feel as though he was losing the conversation, “Crusaders? Now listen here girls-”

“Yeah! I’ll bet it’d be great having an adult around. We could try a lot more dangerous stuff. Do you think he knows base jumping?”

“Yeah or how ‘bout lion tamin’?”

“GIRLS!” Cheese glowered down at the trio. “I am NOT going to lose my cutie mark!”

The fillies looked a little put out at Cheese’s outburst. Scootaloo muttered “adults…” under her breath as they sat down at a table.

Cheese sighed with frustration. Who taught those fillies manners anyway? Sheesh, I’m not going to lose my cutie mark. He paused just inside the kitchen. Or am I? He glanced down at the cheese sandwich on his flank. It was proof, proof that he had a place in this world. It also provided the only tangible connection between him and Pinkie Pie. Without it, he really did not have any excuse coming back to Ponyville.

“Heya Cheese! What was all the shouting about?” Pinkie had materialized in front of Cheese and continued to stare in that piercing way of hers.

“Oh nothing really. Just a trio of fillies calling themselves the ‘crusaders’ giving me a hard time.”

“Really? But those fillies are super fun, well most of the time. There was this one time Applebloom had me teach her how to bake. It didn’t go too well.”

“Yeah, I don’t think they were trying to be mean. But, still, they shouldn’t even joke about that kind of stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

Cheese sighed and glanced down, “They said since I lost my party skills I might lose my cutie mark too.”

Pinkie gasped, “Oh my goodness! That wasn’t very nice to say was it?”

He stared once more at his cutie mark. “You don’t think I'll lose it do you?”

“No way Cheesie! You’re a super-duper- party pony after all. A little slump’s not going to change that okay? I’ll just have a little chat with those three.”

“You don’t have to-” Before Cheese could stop Pinkie, she had hopped to the front of the shop. He decided to leave the situation be for the moment and started work on the sugar cookies.

Pinkie seemed in a much better mood on her return and bounced up beside Cheese. “I talked with them and they apologized for being mean. I made them Pinkie promise not to say such mean things ever again. And no pony, I mean NO pony ever breaks one of my Pinkie promises!”

“That’s good but really Pinkie you could have just let it be.” Great, now I’m having a mare half my weight stand up for me in front of children! Cheese, you’ve really sunk to the bottom of the barrel with this one. You’re a stallion; have some pride! “I’d really rather deal with the situation myself in the future Pinkie.”

“Oh…” Pinkie seemed to deflate a little and her cheeks turned just a little more pink than normal. “Sorry I won’t be a nosy Betty next time. That’s an official Pinkie promise!”

“Thanks. Why don’t we work on these sugar cookies together? That way you can teach me the ropes.”

“Okey dokey then. Say, that reminds me-” Pinkie’s next phrase sounded softer, more unsure than Cheese had ever heard it. “-The fillies the lemon cupcakes were really tasty today. They said they were the best lemon cupcakes they’ve ever had. What did you do different Cheesie?”

Cheese wanted to kick himself. There I go again. I’m such a screw-up! I made a promise not to ever make Pinkie feel unwanted again and what is the first thing I do but show her up. Stupid Cheese! I’ve got to fix this or they’ll be two ex-party ponies in town.

“Oh that wasn’t my idea Pinkie. I just did what my Grammy always did when we made cupcakes.”

Pinkie snickered than burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“Grammy! What a super silly name. Who’s Grammy?”

“She was my Grandmother. I just called her Grammy. I never thought about it but, Grammy is a silly name isn’t it? It fits her though, she was the most fun mare ever! Everything I know about sweets I learned from her.”

Pinkie ceased laughing and cocked her head, regarding Cheese. “So, what did Grammy say about the cupcakes?”

“Well, she said the secret to a super-moist cupcake was a little doughnut filling.”

“Really? That sounds tasty!”

“Yeah, all I did was make a small batch of doughnut filling and flavor it with lemon juice. Then a put just a tiny bit in after they’re done baking. That way they don’t taste dry in the middle.”

“Amazing! I never thought to do something like that. Oooh, oooh what if we do that with the chocolaty ones?”

“That sounds wonderful Pinkie. Why don’t we try it with the next batch?”

The rest of the day flew by as the pair worked on various sweets. It had been years since Cheese enjoyed baking this much. Pinkie told great stories and he listened to her additional narratives of her life in Ponyville. He was in awe when she told about her role in the elements of harmony. Not only is she a talented party planner, but she helped save all of Equestria! Boy, I can’t even come close to her level.

In no time at all, the sun began to set and they closed up shop. With a decided clunk, Pinkie closed the cash register. “There! All done. Yeah, now we can have some fun. You know we’ll have to throw a welcome back party for you Cheese.”

“Oh, not tonight Pinkie.” Cheese had walked all night to get to Ponyville and, after a hard day’s work, he was exhausted. “Besides, didn’t the Princess tell me not to party for a while?”

“Who Twilight? Awe, she wouldn’t object to one teensy weensy little party. I know ‘cause I plan them all the time!”

“Yes well, I’m really tired tonight. And, I wanted to get something other than sweets to eat.”

“All righty then Cheesie.” Pinkie gasped which made him jump a few inches in the air. “You don’t have a place to stay do you? Ponyville doesn’t have any hotels. Oh this is awful. If you want you can stay here, we could throw a big slumber party!”

“It’ll be okay Pinkie. I have a tent in the cannon. There’s a nice meadow to set it up at on the way into town. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, Cheese put on his hat and poncho and, after grabbing Boneless 2, set out the door. As he pulled the cannon back up the road, his face flushed crimson. She wanted me to stay the night! ‘Slumber party’, Does she even realize what she’s saying! Geeze, she’s a young mare with a reputation to consider. She needs to be more careful.
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Pinkie stood alone in the dining room staring out the door, lost in thought. She started when she heard a thud behind her. “Gummy! Finally come down to say hi?”

She reached down and picked up the little, toothless alligator and smiled. Gummy did not like strangers and made it a point to hide upstairs whenever they came around. The little creature’s presence stirred Pinkie and she trotted over to the brick wall.

Carefully, she pulled a loose brick out to reveal a bottle of bubblegum-scented bubble bath. She stashed them around the town in case of a “bubble bath emergency” and today was definitely counted as one. She pranced upstairs and drew the bath. Ever since she could remember, bubble bathes were here best way to work out complicated situations.

Gummy was already happily swimming in the tub when Pinkie deemed it full enough. With a gleeful smile, she dived into the warm, sweet-smelling water herself. “Well Gummy, it’s been a crazy day!”

The alligator blinked and Pinkie took it as acknowledging her desire to discuss the day’s events.

“I never, ever would have guessed Cheesie to come back today. Shouldn’t my Pinkie senses have gone off? Ah well, maybe his Cheesie senses interfere with my Pinkie senses. What do you think gummy?”

Pinkie continued without further invitation from her pet. “Well, I thought the day was going to be great. I’d get to see my friend and play games with him just like before. But, it didn’t go that way Gummy-” Pinkie sniffed, a few tears forming in her eyes, “-It didn’t go that way and I don’t know why!”

“The first hour on the job I let him fall off a ladder and nearly get hurt. Oh why didn’t I listen to him in the first place! Then I made him feel like he couldn’t make sweets right. Of course he can make sweets Gummy! He’s a party pony, a party pony!”

Pinkie splashed around in frustration and blew some bubbles before continuing. “And then I asked him about his friends and he got all sad. Why? I thought he’d be super excited to talk about them. He looked like he wanted to hide from me. Maybe my smile making skills are broken too?”

“And to top it all off Gummy, I embarrassed him in front of the crusaders! I thought he’d be relieved that I took care of things for him but he was mad I’m sure of it. Argh! Are all stallions so confusing?”

“And what do after that but get jealous over the cupcakes. They’re cupcakes Pinkiana Pie, calm down! Oh, it was just like the goof off. I’m so stupid.”

Gummy floated next to Pinkie and nibbled his gums on her mane. “Thanks Gummy. But really, I need to work on making Cheese happy instead of upsetting him. I’ve never been unable to cheer a pony up, even Grumpy.”

Pinkie gasped, “What if I fail Gummy? What if Cheesie never gets his humor back and it’s all my fault. Oh my gosh! I’d never, ever forgive myself.”

“I’ll just have to try harder until I find a method that works. Thanks Gummy, you’re the best!” Pinkie lept out of the tub and dried herself off. Bubble baths really were the best way to figure out problems. Tomorrow she would get Cheese back to normal, she was sure of it.

An Extravaganza - With Cake!

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Princess Twilight Sparkle lay asleep in her library, slung over a mountain of books. At that moment, the alicorn closely resembled a limp noodle, drooling onto her copy of 400 Magical Ailments. The fault was hers however, as she had spent nearly the entire night pouring over the books until exhaustion finally won out.

Most ponies would find it odd for an alicorn to take such a keen interest in the plight of an earth pony stallion. Especially one she’d only met once. But the citizens of Ponyville knew better.

No, Twilight Sparkle did not just love research, she lived for it. The turning of pages, the hours of pondering, the sleepless nights were a special kind of magic no pony could take away. And, when she would nearly give up hope, there before her the answer always appeared. Even if that answer came from a higher authority.

“Twilight! Twilight! Oh, for heaven’s sake wake up!” A little purple dragon with green spikes was mercilessly shaking the mare awake.

“Huh? Spike? What’s all the shouting about?”

“I’ve been trying to tell you. Princess Celestia’s sent a reply to your letter.”

“Letter?”

“Yeah, the one you made me send at 10 o’clock last night. Remember?”

“Oh that letter.” Twilight jolted upright and shook her mane straight again. “Let’s hear it then.”

Spike cleared his throat and unrolled a scroll of parchment. “'My Dear Princess Twilight, I was surprised to hear of your predici-…predici-’”

Twilight rolled her eyes at the baby dragon, “Predicament?”

“Yeah that! ‘Surprised to hear of your predicament. Your friend Cheese’s problem is not a new one. You were correct in assuming that it has to do with magic-’”

“Aha! I knew it.”

“Wait Twilight. I’m not done reading yet.”

“Oh, continue Spike.”

“'However, the type of magic you refer to is not magic as you have been taught.’”

“What?”

“'I regret that though I have taught you much about unicorn magic, I have failed to teach you about a second, just as important magic.’”

“Huh? Does she mean the elements of harmony?”

It was Spikes turn to roll his eyes. “Just listen Twilight. ‘This being the magic of the earth ponies. I recall you once telling me about your friend Pinkie’s ability to sense danger with her Pinkie Sense. That ability among many others is her magic. While you or I use spells and incantations to cause large effects on the world, earth ponies unknowingly make small influences that can hardly be put into books. These small influences, affect their individual talents and, in turn, others around them.’”

“'Your friends Pinkie and Cheese have magic that relates to happiness. Both of them use their magic to bring good cheer to the ponies in their lives. However, this magic relies upon their own emotions. Do you remember when Pinkie was depressed after thinking you did not want to be her friend? Her magic had faded and she was not able to be the happy pony you know and love. I believe that is Cheese’s problem. If you wish to help him, you must uncover the root of his sorrow. That is all the advice I can give you. I wish you luck. –Princess Celestia’”

“Earth pony magic that runs on emotions? If what the Princess said is true, Cheese must be really depressed.”

“Well, you did say he started crying yesterday. I’d say that counts as sad.”

“Yes, I thought that was because he couldn’t be funny anymore. But, if his magic really is linked to his emotions…That means he was depressed before he lost his humor. What in all of Equestria could cause Cheese to be so miserable?”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………........
The birds twittered their morning song as Cheese Sandwich started awake. His dream had been a great one to say the least. He was riding on a giant circus elephant with Pinkie as they flew through cotton candy clouds. It was so much fun! Well, except for the last part. He could not remember that part clearly, but he seemed to recall falling endlessly through a dark pit. Shivering, he looked around the tent.

He was curled up on the floor, Boneless 2 resting between his front hooves. Cheese was not going to admit it to anypony but, he could not fall asleep without the rubber chicken. Cautiously he stood, feeling his muscles cry out in protest. Though he was a young stallion, he was starting to feel worn down.

Cheese winced as he flexed his legs, one by one until the creaking pain eased. Slowly, he made his way out to the brook. He took a deep swig of the cool, refreshing water and glanced around. Ponyville was a wonderful place to be sure. In less than a ten minute walk from Sugarcube Corner he had arrived in a virtual Eden.

Overhead, the trees were filled with blossoming flowers and cheerful birds. As he stood, a soft spring breeze played with his mane and sent a flurry of petals his way. Sure enough, he was set into a sneezing fit. When he looked up he noticed the sun's position in the sky. Oh no! I told Pinkie I'd meet her at dawn to start baking. I'd better get going.

He trotted as fast as his aching muscles would allow, and was halfway to the Corner when the familiar fit started. First his tail switched, then his legs, then a shiver went all the way through his body. He knew those signs anywhere, his Cheesie sense was telling him a big party was in the works down in Sarapona. For a split second he almost considered going, then realization struck. Oh yeah. I'm a party pony without a sense of humor. Some help I'd be going there. They'd just run me out of town.

He walked on, trying to ignore the crawling sensation now filling his body. This is second time I've ignored my Cheesie sense. What happens if I keep this up? Will I get struck by lightning or something? Argh! I don't know anything these days.

In what felt like a millisecond, Cheese stood outside Sugarcube Corner. He walked in and froze, "What the?"

The entire dining room of the shop had been transformed into a cake-themed wonderland. Multi-colored streamers coated the ceiling and many a balloon was tethered to the tables. There, in the center of the room, Pinkie was standing on a stool, trying to put up a big banner. She began to lose her balance, and Cheese darted forward, catching her with his hoof just in time.

"Thanks Chessie. Sorry about that." Pinkie grinned back at Cheese.

"You need to be more careful Pinkie."

"Yeah. I'll be twice as careful next time, I promise."

Cheese sighed. I'm sorry Pinkie but I doubt you'll be able to keep that promise. You seem to attract trouble. "So, Pinkie, I thought we agreed not to go planning parties. We promised the Princess, remember? And we have work to do."

"But Cheesie this is work."

"HUH?" He had worked a multitude of jobs all over Equestria, and none of them considered setting up parties as part of employment.

Pinkie practically overflowed with giddy energy and began to hop up and down. "It's an extravaganza."

"Extrava-what now?"

"Extravaganza. It's what Rarity calls super fun parties. I was thinking about a way to mind the shop and bring back your party skills. And then it hit me! Why not have both? So I decided to set up an extravaganza but with cake. I call it the cake-a-ganza."

"How's it work?"

"Well, ponies will pay a few bits to come in and sample a bunch of our sweets. While they're sampling, they can play games and have a great time. That way we're helping the Cakes and you at the same time."

"Pinkie, that's brilliant. You're brilliant! What should I do?"

"Well, it'd be super helpful if you'd hang up the banner."

"Great. I'll get on it."

Within a few minutes, the pair finished transforming the dining hall and stood back to admire their work. Cheese turned to Pinkie, "Are we ready?"

"Maybe we should double check. I don't want to forget anything."

"All right. I did the punch bowl."

"The cake carousel is spinning."

"Cake walk?"

"Yup!"

"Elephant?"

Pinkie's eyes grew wide. "Huh? Oh my gosh! I forgot the elephant."

Cheese sniggered then burst out laughing, "Pinkie calm down. It's a cake-a-ganza, we don't need an elephant. You're stressing way too much about this. It'll be fine."

"Oh right…" Pinkie found her face growing even pinker with embarrassment. The cake-a-ganza was her attempt to cheer Cheese up and she wanted everything to be perfect.

There was a creak as the front door opened and three fillies trotted triumphantly in. Applebloom puffed out her chest, "Heya Pinkie! We finished puttin' up the posters like you asked. We would have been 'ere sooner if Scoots hadn't decided to get all creative."

"Hey, how was I supposed to know posters didn't stick to cows?"

Pinkie bounced over to the Crusaders. "Wow girls. Thanks for helping out."

Sweetie Bell noticed Cheese, and shuffled her hoof, embarrassed. "Hey Cheese. Sorry about yesterday."

"That's just fine fillies." He trotted to stand next to Pinkie. "So you're our advertisement for today?"

Applebloom hopped up and down, "Yup. We've been right busy posterin' the town. Every pony knows 'bout the cake-a-ganza now."

Cheese raised an eyebrow, "Even the cows?"

Scootaloo flushed, "Ha, ha. Yeah, them too."

Pinkie and Cheese started to laugh together and the fillies joined in. After a good breather, the fillies said their goodbyes and left.

"How did you get a bunch of fillies to put up posters all over town?"

"Well, they wanted to try getting their cutie marks in poster posting."

"Cutie marks? So is that what their whole Crusader thing is about?"

"Yup a doodles Cheesie. But, I think they just wanted free cake. Everypony loves cake!"

"Guess they do." He laughed again and could not help but feel cheered by Pinkie. She really is something else.

"You ready to get baking Cheesie?"

"You know it Pinkie."

The rest of the morning went by in a flurry, as the pair prepared a vast amount of sugary treats. Pinkie worked on the little details of each sweet, while Cheese did the general baking. They were an impressive team, and they were done in less than half the time it normally took.

"Wow Cheesie, I've never seen so many sweets. This is going to be the best cake-a-ganza ever!"

"Yeah. Say Pinkie, what do we do now? The party doesn't start for another hour."

"Well…Do you want to practice our instruments together? Oooh that would be so fun. What do you say?"

"Sounds great but I don't have my accordion with me."

"Oh that's okay. You can use mine!" Pinkie practically flew up the stairs and returned with her strange conglomeration of instruments. She picked out a tuba and handed cheese the accordion. "You like polka right?"

"Yeah. It's my favorite."

What followed could only be described as the most unusual concert ever to hit Ponyville. Unlike the goof-off, they worked together to play each song. Cheese would start one of his favorites, and Pinkie would join in with the best instrument to complement the song. Then, they would switch and Pinkie would take over with one of her own songs. Cheese never felt so connected to any pony as he did to Pinkie. She seemed to read his mind before he even knew himself. I wish every day could be this fun.

As they finished their last song, a fast-paced jig, a loud cheer erupted and they looked around. The pair had been so focused on the music, that they had not noticed the ponies gathering for the cake-a-ganza. Now, what appeared to be half of Ponyville was staring at them.

A cross-eyed grey pegasus mare looped in the air. "That was great! Do it again."

Cheese grinned at Pinkie. "You up for another?"

"Don't you know it!"

They played a lively bit of polka music while the ponies danced happily along with them. Pinkie and Cheese used plenty of their party pony stunts and, in no time at all, everypony was radiating good cheer. After a grand finish, they stood in the center of the room and were inundated with happy cheers and whoops. I did it! I made them laugh. And it's all thanks to Pinkie.

Applebloom piped up. "Hey, when can we start the cake-a-ganza? I'm starvin'!"

"Right now." Pinkie bounced excitedly towards the group and Cheese went to pass out the cakes.

The cake-a-ganza was quickly turning into one of the best shindigs of the year. The fillies and colts really loved the cake walk and everypony else was enjoying the samples and conversation. Cheese was beginning to feel alive again as he joined the conversation. He was honored to discover that, not only did they remember his last party, they loved it. I never dreamed I could make such a big impact. It was just one party five months ago after all.

He noticed a group of five mares standing and talking in the corner, Pinkie's friends. As he made his way around the room, he saw how hard Pinkie was working to keep everypony satisfied. It did not take long for him to register her furtive glances towards the group of mares. He smiled and snuck up behind her. "Guess who?"

"Cheesie. How's it shaking? Are they enjoying themselves?"

"Oh most definitely. And so am I. This was a great idea Pinkie. I'm even starting to feel like my old self again."

"Oh I'm so happy Cheesie! 'Cause I was super worried you wouldn't have fun and get all sad again. And I wouldn't ever want you to be sad."

Cheese chuckled at the mare. Boy, she worries about the silliest stuff sometimes. How could I not enjoy such a great party? "Say Pinkie, I couldn't help but notice you've been eying your friends over there. Why don't you go over and chat for a while?"

"Oh I couldn't do that and leave you all alone. I'd feel oh so bad!"

"Don't worry about it. You planned this whole event, worked for hours on the decorations, and helped bake all the sweets. You've earned a break. Go on! I'll cover for you. That's a Cheesie promise."

"Okey dokey. But you'll let me know if you need me right?"

"Right. No go on and have some fun."

With that, Pinkie bounced over to the grinning group of friends and joined them at the table. Cheese turned back to the crowd, pleased that he could do something for Pinkie.

The party lasted a long time, but it eventually began to wind down. Pinkie's friends were the last to leave with a smile and a wave to him. Pinkie hopped over to where Cheese was sweeping up. "So how'd it go Cheesie?"

"Really well. We sold all the cakes and got a lot of new orders. It was a brilliant idea Pinkie."

Pinkie giggled as she started to help sweep up. As party ponies, they were no strangers to cleaning and had the place spotless in no time.

Cheese sighed and sat down at the empty table. The aching pain in his legs started to come back and he winced a little. Pinkie went over to join him.

"So, Cheese."

"Yes?" It was strange for Pinkie to omit his nickname. She looked uncharacteristically serious and he could not help but feel nervous.

"Twilight talked to me about your problem."

"Oh…well I don't think we have to worry about that anymore. After all, I was able to make ponies laugh today. I think I'm going to be just fine thanks to you. Pinkie? What's wrong?"

Pinkie had turned a paler shade of pink than normal, and her poofy mane seemed to deflate. Cheese felt his heart lurch at the sight. "It's just what Twilight said."

"What?"

"Well, she said…she said the reason you weren't able to bring cheer to others was that you were unhappy yourself. Are you sad Cheese?"

"What? I don't think I'm sad Pinkie. Besides, I'd notice if I was, wouldn't I?"

"But yesterday, when I asked you about your friends, you were sad I knew you were. Oh my gosh! They weren't abducted by sky pirates were they?"

"What? Sky pirates? No."

"Then why?" Pinkie cocked her head in that disconcerting way of hers.

"Oh, well it doesn't make me sad, more like embarrassed. The truth is, I don't have any ponies I could call friends. When you asked me about my friends, I just got so self-conscious."

Pinkie's eyes went wide as saucepans. "What? But why? You're the super-duper party pony Cheese, I'm sure you have lots of friends."

Cheese's ears flattened a bit, "Eh, not really. Because I travel so much, I don't get to speak with any pony in particular for more than a day or so. I guess I just never had the opportunity to get to know ponies personally like you."

"Doesn't that make you sad?"

"Not really. I'm a rambler after all. I guess I just got used to being alone."

"But... having no friends is just terrible Cheese. Everypony needs a friend. Besides-" Pinkie's ears flattened, her voice softer, "-I thought we were friends."

Cheese heart jumped with the sound of the word, "Yeah, yeah I guess we are."

Pinkie smiled, her coat returning to its original hue and hair springing to life. "See Cheesie, you've got a friend and don't you forget it mister! And I'm not the only one. You'll always have Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack to back you up too."

Cheese chuckled, "Okay Pinkie, you win."

Pinkie hopped up, "That's right. Say, you want some hot cocoa?"

"You bet. I'll make it. Just sit down and relax."

Cheese was so glad to have even one pony in the world who thought of him as a friend. Somehow, it felt easier talking to Pinkie than it had before. They sat together as Cheese told some about his travels. Pinkie loved to hear about all the parties he had set up, and they shared some good laughs. Daylight was fading fast, and the light of the setting sun sent a colorful display dancing off of the floorboards and walls.

They stopped conversing when a loud thud greeted them, accompanied by the flicker of ceiling lights. A female voice spoke up, "Pinkie Pie? We're back. Why do you have the lights off?"

Cheese turned to see a pair of ponies walk through the door, pushing a baby stroller. He recognized them as the Cake family. The pair walked into the center of the room and stared at Cheese and Pinkie. Mrs. Cake looked shocked, "Oh my. Cheese Sandwich right?"

"That's me." Cheese stood and walked over to the pair. "Hey, sorry for barging in like this. I've been helping Pinkie mind the shop while you were away. I hope you don't mind."

Mr. Cake stepped forward, "Oh not at all. We're just a little surprised to see you back here. How are things Pinkie?"

"Just great Mr. Cake! We had the most awesome day ever. It was a cake-a-ganza."

Mrs. Cake chuckled, "Yes, we saw the posters. Was it a success?"

"You bet ya. Especially thanks to Cheese. He helped me bake the cakes and play some party music. It was great! We sold lots too, didn't we Cheeseie?"

"Yeah. A lot more than yesterday."

"That's good to hear." Mr. Cake set his traveling hat on the hat rack and looked around at the spotless dining room. "You did a great job cleaning up Pinkie. Thank you. But, if you don't mind, we need to put the twins to bed. Why don't you walk your friend home?"

"Okey dokey." Pinkie followed Cheese out the door, humming as she went.

They went down the street, Pinkie happily keeping pace next to Cheese. "Thanks for all your help today Pinkie. I really feel better now."

"Sure. But, I didn't do anything special."

"You're more special than you give yourself credit for Pinkie."

Pinkie giggled a little bit and grinned at Cheese. "So, does that mean things are back to normal for you?"

"Normal?"

"Yeah. Can we start planning parties together again?"

Cheese chuckled, "I don't think the world's quite ready for us to plan too many parties together. No, I think I'll be moving on."

"What? So soon?"

"Yeah well, my Cheesie sense has been nagging me for days. Now that I've proven myself to be funny again, I'll hit the road."

"But what about what Twilight said?"

"Oh, I don't think I'm depressed Pinkie. Look at me, I'm the happiest I've been in ages!"

Pinkie had to admit, Cheese looked really happy. He was bouncing right along with Pinkie and grinning broadly. Yet, she could not shake the feeling they were missing a piece of the puzzle. "Awwe. Can't you stay a tinsy bit longer? You're the only pony who I've been able to practice instruments with. I thought we could at least throw one more party before you go, what do you say?"

"Well, maybe. I suppose one more day won't hurt." Cheese winked at Pinkie as they crossed over the bridge.

"Yes! It's going to be so fun."

Cheese stopped after they had crossed. "Oh, where are my manners? You've been working for hours, you must be tired. I can walk back the rest of the way. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okey dokey then see ya." Pinkie turned and hopped down the road humming a tune.

Cheese wearily crawled into his tent. As he lay down next to Boneless 2, he felt more tired than ever. The day had been one of the best he could remember in a long, long time, and tomorrow looked to be even better. Lying there in the darkness, he could not stop thinking of Pinkie's words that afternoon. Even after all the trouble I've put her through, Pinkie said I'm her friend! I must be the luckiest stallion in all of Equestria.

Slow Down!

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Sunlight cascaded down onto the meadow where Cheese Sandwich stood. He was expertly balancing on a circus ball and juggling a few cheese wheels. Sure he had done this trick a multitude of times before, but this was the first time he had attempted it in over a month. He could not help but smile at how easy it was coming back to him.

"Hiya Cheesie." Once again, Pinkie Pie materialized before Cheese. She was sporting that perfectly honed grin of hers and had two large saddlebags slung over her back. From what Cheese could gather, they were stuffed to busting with paper and drawing utensils.

"Well good morning Pinkie." Cheese grinned back, as he did a perfect backflip off of the ball and landed in front of Pinkie. Inwardly, his legs cried out in protest. "I was wondering when you'd come."

"Hehe. Sorry about being late Cheesie. But it'll be worth it, I promise." She drew out a large bit of parchment from her saddlebag. "I was thinking. Since we had such an amazing party yesterday, why don't we plan another one for later?"

"Sounds great. Which one are we planning?"

Pinkie giggled and hopped up and down. "Twilight's coronation-versary! It's still three months away but I want it to be the best party she's ever had."

"Neat. So you have any plans?"

Pinkie unfurled one of the rolls of paper, revealing a hodge-podge of colorful drawings and scribbled notes. She frowned at the paper, "I've got way too many Cheesie. I don't know which to choose."

"Hmmm." Cheese looked down at Pinkie's plans. "Seems to me you need to pick a direction. What does the Princess enjoy doing?"

"Well, she likes books. No, more like loves books! She reads them all the time. She's always having me help organize her library. History's her favorite, especially anything with Star Swirl the Bearded. He's her idol."

Cheese chuckled, "Well now. That makes it hard to plan a party."

"You bet. She always likes the parties I throw her but, I can't help thinking I can do better. You know that feeling Cheesie?"

"Yeah, there was this one foal shower in Trottingham… Well, anyway I think what we need to do is take elements from what she likes and put a fun twist on them."

"Oooh, that sounds so fun. How should we start?"

"What if we made a masquerade ball?"

"Oooh, like a Nightmare Night costume party?"

"Well sort of. Everypony would have to dress up as a historical character."

"Then we can have a contest to see who's most historically accurate."

"Now you're thinking Pinkie! And, what if we had a research contest?"

"That doesn't sound too fun Cheesie."

"Hear me out. Ponies would have a race to see who could find a piece of information in a book. Whoever finds it first wins. Besides, we can make them fun books, maybe about parties of the past?"

"Oooh, what about a slip and slide with pudding at the end?"

"Yum. And a karaoke contest on stage with Twilight's favorite songs? We can make the stage like this…" Cheese drew out a pencil and started sketching a wonderfully detailed blueprint.

Pinkie leaned in closer, eyes wide. "Wow Cheesie. How did you learn to draw plans like that?"

Cheese chuckled and flushed, "Well, it's sort of my hobby. I really like to build things, especially with wood. So, drawing up a little stage is nothing for me."

"Cool. I never knew you like building. That's so fun! Can you build houses too?"

"I dunno, maybe? I've never had the chance. Mostly it's just what I need for parties."

"Could we add a secret compartment on the top?"

"Huh? Why would we need that?"

"Well, to drop confetti on the winner of course."

"Good thinking. But, we'll have to be careful not to compromise the support beam…" Cheese happily continued to scribble on the blueprint while Pinkie watched with fascination. Neither of them noticed when a lilac mare landed in front of them.

"Pinkie Pie there you are."

"Here I am! What?" Pinkie could not help but stare at Twilight. The alicorn looked anything but her usual self. Her neck glistened with sweat and her sides were heaving with exertion.

"I've been looking all over town for you two."

"What's going on?" Cheese looked with concern at the harried mare.

"We've got a problem in Ponyville. A colt's gone missing. Snails came to me this morning saying he and Snips got into an argument last night. Neither Snails nor Snip's family knows where he is. The whole town's out searching."

Pinkie gasped and Cheese looked very serious. "What do you need me to do?"

"Well, I was hoping that since Pinkie has her Pinkie sense and you have your Cheesie sense, perhaps you might 'sense' where Snips is."

"I don't think my Cheesie sense works like that. But, I'll look all over Equestria to find that colt."

"Me too. Where do we need to go Twilight?"

"I want you both to search the outskirts of the Everfree forest. See if you can't find Snips there. We'll meet back at the bridge at three o'clock, even if we can't find him. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Good luck you guys." Twilight spread her wings and took to the sky.

"Let's get going." Cheese was already walking down the road.

"Right behind you."

Pinkie was one of the fastest mares in Ponyville but even she was having difficulty keeping up with Cheese. She had to gallop to match Cheese's long strides as they neared their destination. In no time at all, she was lathered with sweat and panting even more than Twilight. "Hey…Cheeseie….can we maybe…slow down just a smidgen?"

Cheese paused. "Sorry about that Pinkie. I guess I forgot you were back there."

"It's…fine." Pinkie collapsed to the ground. "Just let me sit for a bit okay?"

"All right." Cheese looked very anxious and glanced at the forest in front of them. "Say, is this is the forest you were telling me about the other day Pinkie? The one with the poison joke?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm, do you think Snips would have gone in here?"

"No way, Snips is kind of a scaredy pony. Besides, he wouldn't go too far without Snails. They're bestest friends, even if they did have a fight."

"Oh, I see." Cheese started to paw the ground, impatient to get started. "We need to find him Pinkie. He's got to be scared to death."

"We will Cheesie, or at least somepony will. It'll be fine." She hopped to her hooves and grinned at Cheese. "Ready."

The pair set off, Cheese setting a marginally less grueling pace around the perimeter of the forest. They looked in every conceivable place Snips might hide. Cheese could not believe the variety of terrain around Ponyville.

"Boy this is a lot of rocks." Cheese was cautiously stepping through a field of loose rocks piled along the edge of the forest.

"Naw there's not that many."

"What?" Cheese hoisted himself up onto a particularly large boulder and looked around at the sea of rocks. "Looks like plenty to me."

"Oh, there's lots more back home on the rock farm."

"You grew up on a rock farm?" Cheese looked incredulously at Pinkie.

"You bet ya Cheesie!" Pinkie practically glided across the uneven rocks. "Me, my three sisters, and my parents all lived there together."

"Why did you leave?"

"Well, after I got my cutie mark I decided it'd be best to explore. Didn't I tell you how I got my cutie mark Cheesie?"

Cheese shook his head.

"Well, it's a great story…" Pinkie happily told her tale, as the pair maneuvered around the rocky obstacles. Once, they thought they saw a trace of Snips, but it turned out to be an oddly colored rock.

Though Pinkie was as graceful as ever, Cheese found himself struggling to keep solid footing. As he crossed over a loose patch of shale, he felt his legs go out from under him and he tumbled to the earth. He winced and made to stand, only to discover a new pain in his right hind leg.

Pinkie hopped over to him. "Oh my gosh. Are you okay Cheesie?"

"Maybe. My leg feels wrong." Cheese struggled to his hooves, shaking slightly. "I'll be okay. We're here to find Snips, let's get going."

They made their way out of the rock patch, and onto solid ground. For the next few hours, the pair searched to no avail. Cheese grew increasingly agitated, and quickened his pace considerably. "Where could he be?"

"Hey Cheesie, it's almost time, let's go back to the bridge."

"But we haven't found Snips yet. Let's keep looking." Cheese cantered forward, Pinkie galloping behind. His leg was screaming out in pain, but he did not care. Something deep in his mind kept telling him that he could not give up.

"Cheesie, slow down." Pinkie was panting very heavily, running as fast as she could.

With a crash, Cheese stumbled over a root and fell to the ground. He stood cautiously, buckskin coat glistening with sweat, and sides heaving. I've got to find him. He started to move on, when Pinkie Pie stood in front of him.

"What's wrong Cheese?"

"I'm just trying to search. You should be too." Cheese started to push Pinkie out of the way. To his surprise, she pushed back.

"We have been trying. We've been trying for hours. Let's go back, we told Twilight we would."

"But, we've got to find him Pinkie! He'll be all alone, and scared-"

"Cheese. That's enough!" Cheese had never seen Pinkie look so serious before. Her blue eyes stared, flickering with concern. "The only scaredy pony here is you. Look at yourself! You've been running around like crazy for the past hour. I know you Cheese, this isn't you. It's like you're running away from something. So what is it?"

"You wouldn't understand Pinkie." Cheese pushed weakly against Pinkie's side.

Pinkie stared hard into Cheese's green eyes. "Try me."

Cheese slowly bent his head low. "It's not something a kind pony like yourself should hear. Please Pinkie, don't make me say anymore. I'm sorry. You're right, I've been acting crazy." He leaned forward and gently nuzzled Pinkie's neck. "Thanks for stopping me Pinkie."

"Coming?" Cheese called back from where Pinkie stood rooted to the spot. She trotted up, and they slowly moved back towards Ponyville. Cheese began to realize how badly he had hurt himself. Each step was becoming agony, and it was all he could do to keep up with Pinkie's relaxed walk.

Pinkie looked concerned and went to stand by him. "You okay Cheesie?"

"It's my leg, I must have hurt it worse than I thought."

"We'll walk together then." Pinkie stood next to Cheese, and they continued down the road. Though they did not speak, Cheese was inexplicably comforted by the mare's presence.

The sun was low in the sky by the time they reached the bridge. Cheese's leg was now so painful that he was unable to put any weight on it. He hobbled next to Pinkie and stared at the nervous group of mares by the bridge.

Twilight cantered over, "Pinkie, Cheese, what on earth happened?"

"While we were out looking, Cheese hurt his leg."

"Oh no."

The rest of the conversation was a blur to Cheese. The radiating pain seemed to amplify and settle in his head, drowning out the mares' words. He had never felt so sick in his life, and what little strength he had left began to leave his body. Before he knew what was happening, he was lying sprawled on the ground.

There was an awful ringing in his head, and he felt something tugging at him. His vision was clouded over, and all he care about was the immeasurable pain overwhelming his senses. Somehow, out of all the confusion he heard Pinkie's voice. She wanted him to stand, but it was so hard, too hard. I'm trying Pinkie, really I am. A dark cloud enveloped him and he thought no more.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Unfamiliar voices drifted in Cheese's head. "The muscle's badly torn, he'll need surgery."

"I'll prep him now doctor."

By the time he awoke, all was silent. He felt a comfortable warmth and slowly opened his eyes. He was lying in a dimly lit hospital room, the sun was long set and moonlight streamed through the window. He winced and glanced down at his leg, now wrapped in heavy bandages. Moaning, he turned over and was startled to see Boneless 2 lying next to him. How?

He picked up the chicken and held him for a moment, savoring that familiar smell, and something else, bubblegum? A small piece of paper fell from the chicken and he opened it. There was a note, scrawled in very girly writing.

Heya Cheesie!

This is Pinkie if you weren't able to guess already silly. We all wanted to stay to be there when you woke up but the doctors made us leave. Meanies! You tore your muscle really bad and they say you need to stay in the hospital. Anyway, I didn't want you to feel lonely when you woke up so I brought Boneless 2 to keep you company. I hope you don't mind! When I told Twilight you liked to build things, she brought you a book on construction. It's really big, but it has lots of pictures so I thought you'd like it.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that Snips was found safe and sound. He was hiding out in Applejack's storage shed. He sure scared Applebloom when she went to get a rake. His parents were super grateful for everypony's help and Snips seemed just fine. He even made up with Snails. Isn't that great?

Feel better soon.

Your friend,

-Pinkie

Cheese smiled to himself. Is she a mind reader? She really is the most considerate mare in all of Equestria. I wish I could repay her somehow.

Of Stallions and Mares

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"Good morning Twilight!" Pinkie Pie pranced into Twilight's library, a broad smile on her face. She looked around at the mountain of books strew across the floor, scanning for her friend. "Twilight? You didn't get lost in there did ya?"

The alicorn poked her head around a particularly large stack of spell books. "What is it now Pinkie?"

"Well, I wanted to plan a party with Cheese. But, it's a special party so I needed a special book. I hopped on over before I went to Cheese's place."

Twilight sighed. She loved her friend dearly, but lately Pinkie seemed obsessed with spending time with Cheese. "Pinkie, Cheese won't be home today. He's gone to help Applejack."

"But, he's only been out of the hospital three days, he'll hurt his leg again."

"Don't worry about it. Applejack's not going to let him strain his leg. I think she said something about designing a chicken coop."

"A chicken coop? That's not very fun."

"Well, maybe not to you, but Applejack said Cheese was pretty excited about it."

"Maybe I should go help?"

"Pinkie!" Twilight strode forward to where Pinkie stood. "Ever since Cheese came to Ponyville, you've been so desperate to spend time with him. I know you have a connection, being party ponies and all. But, don't you think you ought to take a break?"

"Why? I'm not tired."

"That's not what I mean Pinkie. What I'm saying is, maybe you've been spending too much time together. You may be having fun, but think about Cheese. I'm sure he needs some alone time."

Pinkie's ears drooped. "But I thought he liked spending time with me."

"I'm sure he does, but everypony needs to be left alone now and again. You're not his only friend in Ponyville, remember? Besides, he's a stallion."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

Twilight sighed, Pinkie was being unusually dense today. "Stallions aren't like mares Pinkie. Take it from me. Shining Armor loved spending time with me when I was a filly, but there were times he wanted his space. You've got to give them a little extra breathing room, especially if you aren't related. Having a mare around him all the time, might make him feel a bit awkward, you know?"

"Oh." Pinkie looked let down. "I wouldn't want Cheese to feel awkward."

"There you have it. Take the day off and spend some time for yourself."

Pinkie turned around and started to walk slowly to the door.

"Hold up Pinkie! If you don't have any other plans, why don't you help me reorganize the library. I can help you find that book you were looking for."

"You're reorganizing again? Didn't you do that last month?"

"Yes, but I've developed a more efficient system. Besides, Spike's gem hunting today, I'll be all alone. What do you say? We can talk all day, make some hot coca, and have some girl time."

Pinkie pranced back over. "Okey dokey Twilight. But can we make cupcakes instead?"
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"That's just 'bout the best plan I've ever seen fer a chicken coop."

Applejack, Big Mac, and Cheese sat around the Apple family dining room table. They were looking over a set of blueprints Cheese had drawn up. The meticulous drawings had measurements and little details neatly and clearly written, so that anypony could understand them.

"I like the idea fer the hinged back. Would make chores a heck of a lot easier. But, will it be difficult ta build? Me an Big Mac aint exactly professionals."

"Oh it'll be easy. I can show you how. Big Mac should be able to fit it on no problem."

"What do you say big brother? Up fer the challenge?"

"Eeeup." Big Mac scooped up the plans and walked outside to get started.

"Thanks a million fer yer help Cheese. I didn't 'spect you ta be so handy round the farm."

"I'm not really. It's just what I've picked up from books and a few odd jobs."

"Well, wherever you learnt it, I'm right grateful to you. You mentioned you wanted my advice 'bout somthin'?"

Cheese nodded. "You see, ever since I've come to Ponyville, Pinkie has been helping me out. She's been so kind and patient with my problems. I wanted to do something for her for a change. I'm not good at much, besides party planning and building. So, I thought I'd make her something nice out of wood. Can you think of anything Pinkie might need?"

"Hmmm, that's a bit tricky. Let me think on that a spell." Applejack put her hoof to her forehead and closed her eyes in concentration.

There was a thud as the door swung open to reveal Applebloom. The filly was absolutely covered in what looked like jam. She moved to her sister. "Applejack! I need yer help."

"What in tarnation did you do this time Applebloom?"

"Me, Scoots, an Sweetie Belle were workin' on our jam makin' cutie marks. We had a bit of a problem, an now we're covered!"

"Hang on." She got up and trotted to a cabinet, pulling out a heavy earthenware jar. Applebloom grinned and took it. She left the room, trailing jam as she went. Seeing Cheese's quizzical stare, Applejack turned to Cheese. "That was the Apple family all-purpose goop remover. It'll take any sticky stuff you got an wipe it clean."

"Impressive. Would you give me the recipe? I always have the worst time cleaning up after a party."

"Can't it's an Apple family secret. But I'll give you some if you want."

"That'd be great."

"I shoulda' got a picture of Applebloom all covered fer the album." Applejack perked up and grinned at Cheese. "I know what you can make Pinkie Pie. She's always runnin' round makin' scrapbooks and photo albums. I think she could really use another bookshelf for them all. It don't have ta be a big one. I know fer a fact she'd be tickled. I've even got some scrap wood round back you can use."

"Wonderful." Cheese pulled out a new sheet of paper and started scribbling rapidly. He loved to build, and designing came naturally to him. In no time at all, he had filled out his plan. "Do you think Pinkie will like it Applejack?"

Applejack could not help but stare at the drawing. Cheese had somehow managed to capture everything about Pinkie in an everyday object like a bookshelf. She could not believe it.

"Too simple? Maybe I should just-"

"-No! No, it's perfect the way it is Cheese. Just perfect."

"Well, I'd better get started then. It might take me a while to carve the details in. Where's the wood?"

"Round back. I'll fetch it. Just meet me in the yard."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie, that book is about Star Blaze not Star Swirl." Twilight corrected Pinkie for what felt like the tenth time that morning.

"Sorry Twilight. I don't know what's wrong. Too many books?"

Twilight sighed. "How about we have those cupcakes now?"

"Oooh, sounds great!" Together they sat at Twilight's table and savored the chocolaty cupcakes.

"Say Pinkie, what's bothering you?"

"What do you mean Twilight? Everything is okey dokey."

"Then why have you been so distracted? Even I can tell your mind is wandering."

"Gosh Twilight, I'm sorry. Guess I have been thinking about other stuff."

"Well?" Twilight leaned in eagerly.

"Just…" For the first time in her life, Pinkie found herself at a loss for words.

"Just what?"

"What did you mean when you said stallions are different than mares? I mean, you know about Shining Armor, but what about other stallions? Are they all different in the same way?"

"Of course they're not all the same Pinkie. But they are different from mares." Twilight's lilac eyes lit up in shock. "Come to think of it, I don't know what makes them different." She raced to a pile of books and started thumbing through a large tome. If there was one thing Twilight could not stand, it was having another pony point out that she was lacking knowledge.

"If you don't know Twilight, why don't we ask them?"

"Pinkie, you can't just ask them. Geeze, they won't be able to describe it to us. It's best done through observation…That's it!"

"What's it Twilight?"

"We'll do some field research, and find out what makes stallion's tick."

"Oh, like what you did when you watched my Pinkie sense?"

"Yes, but this time, we won't be noticed. Well?"

"Sounds fun Twilight. But are you sure the stallions won't mind."

"Oh they won't care. Let's get started!" Twilight grabbed a notebook and her distinctive safari hat. The pair pranced out of the library in high spirits.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Argh this leg!" Cheese had accepted defeat and resorted to lying on the ground to work on his project. He was attempting to steady the finished boards enough to nail them in place. They kept slipping, and he was growing increasingly frustrated. With a clatter, he dropped the hammer from his mouth and glowered at the shelf.

"Want some help?" A big, apple red stallion looked down at Cheese.

"Thanks Big Mac." Together, the stallions worked to assemble the boards.

Cheese grinned at Big Mac. For some unfathomable reason, the older stallion made him nervous. Get a grip Cheese. It's not like he's screaming at you. Cheese started to stand, winced, then fell to the ground. Argh, this leg.

"You okay?" Big Mac helped hoist the shaking stallion to his hooves. He never was one for words, but he knew when a pony needed to hear them. "You sure you're not pushin' yourself?"

"I'm fine." Cheese felt his face flush with embarrassment. "I just can't get use to this injury. It's bad enough I can't plan parties, now I can't even do a simple project. I'll I've done since I came to Ponyville is get in the way." He picked up the can of paint and glanced at the in-progress chicken coop Big Mac was working on. "Looks good. Are the plans easy enough to follow?"

"Eeeup." Big Mac turned and trotted into the house without a backward glance.

Cheese rolled his eyes. Why does he always respond with a yes or no answer? Is it so much to ask for a touch more conversation? He busied himself priming the wood. The mindless nature of his task left his mind free to drift. Why am I nervous around him? It's not like I haven't spoken to other stallions before. Well…I never exactly knew another stallion long enough to have meaningful conversation. Now that I have Pinkie and the girls to talk to, maybe I ought to learn to talk to him too.

"Hey, uh Cheese? You want ta have some cider?"

Cheese jumped with shock, and turned to see the muscular stallion holding two mugs of cider in his hoof. "Huh?"

"You want ta relax a bit?"

"Sure…" Of all the things Cheese expected big mac to do, bringing him cider was not one of them. They walked over to a particularly large apple tree and reclined in the shade. Somehow, Cheese found himself growing nervous again. To his great relief, Big Mac was the first to speak.

"Sorry 'bout this. I just don't have many other stallions ta talk ta. When I heard you were workin' 'ere today I thought it'd be fun. You know?"

"Yeah, me too. I don't really stay in one place too long, so I rarely get the opportunity for conversation. What's on your mind?"

Big Mac sat, frowning at the ground. Cheese began to wonder if their talk was going to end before it began. Then, "Cheerilee…"

"Come again?"

The big stallion flushed an even deeper shade of red, looking away from Cheese. "I wanted advice, 'bout Cheerilee."

"Who?" Cheese certainly could not remember every pony he had met, and Ponyville had a lot of ponies.

"She's this mare, perdy thing too. A teacher at the school. She's got this mane like…like new apple blossoms an a coat like lavender in the fields. We've sort of been getting' along. Did you hear the story from Pinkie?"

"No, I'm sorry I haven't."

"Well, guess I'll have ta tell it ta you." Then, much to Cheese's outright consternation, Big Mac began to describe the Hearts and Hooves Day Fiasco. The burly stallion was not very articulate, but Cheese could tell he cared deeply for the mare, despite what transpired.

"Hmmm. That does make it difficult for you two. Have you spoken much since then?"

"Eeeup. But it don't go nowhere. Just feels like I'm buckin' the same apple tree over an over."

Cheese stared Big Mac in the eyes. "Well, do you want it to go somewhere?"

"Eeeup."

"Then there's your answer. I'm certain a wonderful mare like Cheerilee would love to go on a date with you. Just ask her."

"But it ain't that easy. I get all, fumble lipped."

"Hmmm. Well, why don't you use a prop?"

"What in tarnation is that?"

"A prop, you know, an excuse. Say, for example a party. I tell you what, the next party that comes to town, you casually bring up going together with Cheerilee. I'm sure she won't say no. If you play your cards right, and she has a good time, ask her to go do something else with you."

"Something else?"

"Yeah, it can be anything, but try to keep it simple. Maybe, a walk around the park or an ice cream at the shop? Just think of something you both enjoy doing, it'll come to you."

Big Mac nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "You know, I think that might work. I'll sure give it a try. But what 'bout you?"

"Huh?"

"You know, you an Pinkie?"

Cheese choked on his cider. "No! No! You've got it all wrong Big Mac. Pinkie and I are just friends."

Big Mac looked skeptically at the buckskin stallion, "Eeeup…"
…………………………………………………………………………………………………........

"Ugh! Why isn't he doing anything?"

"Maybe we need to surprise him with cake."

"Pinkie, the whole point of this is staying anonymous. Remember?"

"Oh, right. I just thought he could use some cake."

The mares were huddled under a thick shrub, eyes fixed on the stallion in the meadow. The stallion in question was a hulking, snow white pegasus with tiny wings. He was lying in the meadow, smiling as he sniffed the flowers.

"What are we waiting for Twilight?"

"Nothing, we're observing a stallion in his natural habitat."

"But he's a pegasus. Isn't his natural habitat, I don't know, the sky?"

Twilight rolled her eyes at her friend. She had a point though. They had been staring at Bulk Biceps for an hour now, and had turned up nothing of interest, other than his fear of butterflies. "All right, let's move on. Maybe we can watch Caramel interact with his mare friend?"

"Oooh, sounds good."

The pair snuck away and began to trot back to Ponyville.

"Say Twilight, why do stallions like Caramel act different around mares anywho?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe because mares act different around them."

Pinkie stopped, eyes wide. "You mean we act different around stallions? I always try to treat everypony the same. Oh no, you don't think I've been treating Cheese different do you?"

"Pinkie! I wasn't talking about friends. I meant, when they like a stallion, mares treat them differently."

"But I like Cheese."

"I know you do, but you like him as a friend. This is a different kind of liking. You know, the kind that says you want to kiss each other, get married, and have foals kind of like."

"Oh, that's what you meant." Pinkie looked even more perplexed than ever. "Do you think I'll know it when I feel it?"

"Hmmm, I don't know. My mother always said I would know for absolute certain. Don't worry about it Pinkie, you've got a few years before you need to worry about that."

"I guess…" Pinkie did not know why, but Twilight's words made her sad. Their friendship was special, what would happen if they all had special someponies? Would they stop being friends? I don't want to lose my friends! "Twilight, we'll always be friends right?"

Twilight chuckled. "Of course Pinkie. That's a silly question. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Pinkie's chest felt strangely tight, like something was driving a wedge into it. All she knew, is that she was not having fun anymore. "Hey, Twilight? I think I'm going to go home."

"But why? It's only three o'clock. What about our investigation?"

"I don't think it's right to spy on ponies. Besides, I don't feel so good."

Twilight put a hoof gently on Pinkie's back. "You're right. I hope you feel better soon."

Pinkie snuggled up to her friend with a big hug. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow!"

Twilight watched as her friend bounced back to Sugar Cube Corner. Great, now who's going to help reorganize the library?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Done!" Cheese stood back to admire his work. It was not very large, but he felt confident that Pinkie would love it. He had carefully carved Pinkie's cutie mark into the sides of the bookshelf. Using his tools, he had engraved the word 'friends' into the font of the case. Though the shelf was simple, he managed to give little embellishments here and there. The paint color was an obvious choice, pink.

"Wow. That looks great Cheese."

"Eeeup."

The siblings stood next to cheese in the yard, looking over the project. Applejack beamed at Cheese, "It's right near perfect for her. How'd you get it done so fast?"

"Oh, I'm used to working fast. I have to when I plan parties."

"How 'bout we take it over to Pinkie? You mind drivin' the cart Big Mac?"

"Nope." Big Mac effortlessly lifted the shelf onto his cart. He grinned at Cheese and the pair set off towards Ponyville, Cheese riding in the cart. After a time, Big Mac turned to Cheese. "Say, why do you travel 'round so much?"

"Well, I'm just following my Cheesie Sense. It sort of tells me where to go, for parties and such. I don't know how it works myself." Come to think of it, I haven't felt my Cheesie sense since the day of the cake-a-ganza. Is it broken?

"Why don't you settle down? It'd be easier on you."

"Guess it would. But, I've been traveling since I was a colt. I guess it comes naturally to me."

"Hmmm." Big Mac didn't say anything for the rest of their trip. In no time at all, they arrived in Ponyville. It was supper time and every pony was at home, enjoying a good meal.

Cheese felt a little bad at disturbing the Cakes but, decided to knock anyway. There were hoof steps, then the door opened. Mr. Cake smiled at Cheese. "Well, how do you do Cheese? Sorry, we're eating dinner at the moment."

"I apologize for bothering you. I just wanted to borrow Pinkie for a bit." He motioned to Big Mac and the wagon. "We've got a little surprise for her."

"Allrighty then." Mr. Cake turned inside the shop. "Pinkie, Cheese and Big Mac want a word."

Pinkie hopped happily to the door and went out to join the stallions. Cheese grinned at her. "Hey Pinkie. Did you have a good day?"

"Yup-adoodles Cheesie. Me and Twilight had some girl time."

Cheese chuckled. "Big Mac and I had something similar. I made you something."

"Oooh, something for me?" Pinkie hopped with glee.

Big mac carefully lifted the shelf from the cart.

Pinkie grinned and pranced around the shelf. "It's amazing Cheese. Did you carve all those details yourself?"

"Yeah, I did."

"That's wonderful! You must be a mind reader cause this is just what I needed. Now I can put up all the scrapbooks I have lying around. Thank you so much Cheesie." She gasped. "I didn't make you anything."

Cheese laughed. There she goes again. "Pinkie, I made this to thank you for all the help you've been giving me. You don't have to make me anything in return. Got it?"

"Okey dokey."

Big Mac helped carry the shelf to Pinkie's room while Cheese chatted with the Cakes. He never realized what nice folks the Cakes were. Just from their short conversation, he could tell that they loved their family and Pinkie very much.

The pair said their goodbyes and made their way back to the outskirts of town.

"Thanks for all your help Big Mac. I really do appreciate it."

"Eeeup." Big Mac flushed and looked down. "An thanks fer the advice Cheese."

"Sure anytime." He waved goodbye to his friend. At least Cheese hoped he could call the loveable stallion that. Slowly he walked into his tent, wishing his leg would feel better soon. Laying on the cold ground, he found himself longing for a bed for the first time since he left home.

Big Mac's words rang in his head. Why am I a wanderer? Would it be better to settle down somewhere? I can't think of any place I want to settle in other than here. No! There is no way I'm staying here. This is Pinkie's town, and she's its party pony. What on earth would a town do with two party ponies anyway?

My Thoughts Get Tangled

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Sunlight streamed down onto Cheese's back as he lay underneath the blooming cherry tree. He smiled as the soothing rays warmed his back and ebbed the pain in his leg. Resting by his side was Boneless 2, and between his front hooves lay An Introduction to Construction Techniques. At first, he was skeptical about Twilight's gift. But, in no time at all, Cheese found himself immersed in the technical details. He smiled and copied another diagram into his personal journal. I love this one. Wonder if it would work as a base for my water balloon launcher?

Cheese could not remember the last time he felt so relaxed. There was nothing he had to do, no parties to plan, and nowhere to be. It was pure bliss. He chuckled happily to himself, wondering what could possibly make this day any better.

As if on cue, he heard Pinkie's distinctive step coming down the road. He knew it was her, no other pony bounced around like she did. A strange metallic clinking was mingling with the usual sound and he wondered what on earth she could be carrying. Looking up, he saw her approach with a strange musical contraption strapped to her chest. He chuckled softly. Typical Pinkie.

"Good morning Cheesie! I've got some great news."

"Great news?"

"Yup! It's only the most super spectacular awesome news ever."

Before Cheese could respond, Pinkie hopped right up to him, slipped off the contraption, and lay down in the grass in front of him. She pulled out a newspaper and laid it on top of his book. He leaned down and read.

"'Forty percent off of oats, today only.' Hmm, that's a great coupon Pinkie. Maybe I ought to go buy some?"

"No silly. That's not it." Pinkie hastened to flip the paper over to reveal a colorful, full-page advertisement.

"'Ponyville's 10th annual pair talent contest.' Hmm, it's a week from today."

"Yeah I know. I was thinking of something fun we could do together, then I remembered the contest. I've wanted to enter every year since I came to Ponyville, but I never had anypony who wanted to play instruments with me. What do you say Cheesie? Up for another performance?"

Cheese grinned back at Pinkie. "Of course, I'd love to Pinkie. In fact, the timing couldn't be better."

"Timing?"

"Yeah, I was planning on leaving a week from now. This contest sounds like the perfect way to end my time in Ponyville."

"Oh…" Pinkie's ears went back and she stared at the ground. "I was kinda hoping you'd stay a bit longer."

"I've already stayed a lot longer than I intended to Pinkie. Besides, a drifter like myself gets restless staying in one spot too long." Cheese felt his heart ache at Pinkie's sad expression. "Don't be sad Pinkie. I'll be back soon, we can plan more parties and have a good time then okay?"

"Okie dokey. But you promise you'll be back."

"Cheesie-promise!"

"All righty. Why don't we get started practicing?"

"Sounds good. I'll get my accordion."

Together, the pair found a spot of grass and sat down to practice. The hours flew by effortlessly as they lost themselves in the fun they were having. As they were settling down for a late lunch, Pinkie giggled softly.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing much. I was just thinking how I wish every day could be this fun."

"Me too."

They lay under the shade, savoring the quiet moment together. Cheese watched as the breeze played with Pinkie's mane and entrenched petals fast in the tight curls. Light danced off her face, as she pointed to a pair of bunnies playing in the grass. Cheese gulped. She really has no idea how stunningly beautiful she is.

The time passed blissfully, as the pair shared their tales of adventures and mishaps. Cheese enjoyed sharing their party planning frustrations. Her tale about Cranky Doodle was highly amusing.

"I don't get why ponies don't want to have parties. Do you?"

"Not really. I've met my own fair share of Cranky Doodles, but I've never understood why. I try polka, dancing, piñatas, fireworks, and even limbo but nothing can bring them around. It's hard trying to bring a smile to everypony's face if we can't throw a party."

"I know right?"

They kept talking, unaware of the sun sinking low. It was nearly sunset when Pinkie lept up, eyes wide.

"What's wrong?"

"I just remembered. I'm supposed to babysit the twins tonight for the Cakes. Oh my goodness! They'll think I'm the worst pony ever."

Cheese rolled his eyes. "Pinkie, the Cakes aren't going to think that. But, if you're worried about being scolded-" He stood cautiously. "-I can go and explain the situation to them."

"I couldn't ask you to do that Cheesie!" For some strange reason, Pinkie felt that Cheese should not come along, it was embarrassing. But what's there to be embarrassed about? It's just a little misunderstanding. Oh, I've got to get going!

Pinkie pranced down the road. "I'll see you tomorrow after work for practice!"

"All right!" Cheese turned to lie back down, when his hoof bumped Pinkie's contraption. "Pinkie you forgot your instrument!" Ugh, she's too far away to hear me now. Guess I'll put it in the tent. Now just how in Equestria do you pick it up?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie galloped into the shop just as the clock tower chimed seven. She was late and she knew it, a whole thirty minutes. "Sorry Mr. and Mrs. Cake! I got distracted."

"Pinkie." Mr. Cake looked serious. The lank yellow stallion was standing next to his heavy set powder blue wife, tapping his hoof impatiently. "I made it very clear to you this morning that you needed to be back at six thirty to babysit the twins. I understand you were distracted, but that's no excuse to shirk responsibility."

Pinkie laid her ears back. She'd never been so embarrassed. "I'm really, really sorry. It was awful of me to forget."

Mrs. Cake sighed. "Just what were you doing that kept you so long?"

Pinkie wanted to answer, but for the second time in years, she was lost for words. Normally, she would come out and say the truth, she wanted to now. But a small voice in the back of her mind was screaming at her not to. What's wrong with me? Just come out and say it already! You weren't doing anything bad. Say it! "I uh…I was helping Twilight organize the library."

"I see. Sounds thrilling…" The pair frowned at each other, then walked to the door. "The twins are asleep right now. They shouldn't wake up. You know what to do if they do."

"Ha, ha. Right." Pinkie watched as the couple left the shop. She felt terrible. I've never, ever lied to them before. Stupid Pinkie! Why'd you go and do something like that?

She trotted up the stairs and into the twin's bedroom. Smiling, she settled into the worn rocking chair by their crib. The rocking motion was soothing, and soon Pinkie drifted into her thoughts. I'm going to apologize to the Cakes later. But why couldn't I say the truth to begin with? I wouldn't lie like that if it were Twilight and the gang I was hanging out with. I'm treating Cheese differently.

Pinkie gasped, a nasty sort of chill filling her chest. 'When they like a stallion, mares treat them differently', 'A different kind of liking'

Pinkie shot out of the chair, her face crimson. No, no, no! I don't like Cheese like that. I can't… If I did…If I did, that'd mean I'd lose my friends. I don't want to lose them! Get it together Pinkiana. I don't like him like that, I don't. That small voice in Pinkie's head spoke up. 'But you might start to.'

Pinkie paced around the cheerfully decorated room, heart throbbing in her chest. I've got to find a solution. That's it! I'll just spend less time with Cheese. But, I don't want that either! Oh think brain, think!

Pinkie was brought back to her senses by a tiny gurgling. She looked over and noticed pound cake starting awake. "Sorry Pound Cake. Did Pinkie wake you up?"
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie's acting weird. Really, really weird. Cheese stared at the mare as she made yet another mistake with the same measure of music. They had been practicing their instruments in the clearing for three hours now, and had yet to master it. Yesterday, they had such an easy time. Now, it seemed Pinkie could not manage to play even the most basic section. "Pinkie, let's take a break."
She clutched her one-man-band tighter. "No, no. It's okay Cheesie, I can handle this."

"Pinkie." Cheese gave her a stern glare and took the instrument from her hooves, laying it on the grass. "You need a break, even if I have to force you to take one."

"Okay."

"Sit tight, I'll get some cider." Cheese trotted into the simple pole tent and came back with a large mug. Pinkie sat, ears back and head hung low. His heart ached at the sight. "Pinkie, what's wrong? You've been acting weird all day."

He settled down in the grass next to her, and pushed her the mug. "I promise I won't make any more bad jokes all day."

Pinkie giggled and drank the cider. "Your jokes aren't bad Cheesie. I've just been worried."

"About what?"

Pinkie's face felt hot and uncomfortable. Keep it together Pinkie, keep it together! "The contest maybe?"

Cheese snorted and burst out laughing. "Pinkie, you are the last pony in the world who would get nervous about a talent contest. I know you better than that. Come on, what's really on your mind?"

"I lied to the Cakes yesterday. I felt really bad about it too." Stupid Pinkie! Why are you telling him that?

"Really? That doesn't sound like you." Cheese leaned in closer, concern spreading across his face. "Why?"

"I…I don't know." Pinkie could not help but feel miserable. Oh why does he have to look at me like that? "I just was afraid."

"Afraid of what? Being scolded? Pinkie, there are a lot worse things in the world than being scolded. Trust me."

"Not that."

"Then what?"

"Of being found out. Okay?"

Pinkie stood, eyes filling with tears. Cheese could not understand what in all of Equestria had gotten into her. "Found out doing what?"

"I didn't want them to know we were spending so much time together."

"But we were just talking. It's not like we were doing anything bad."

"I know, and I have a lot of fun when we're together. But I don't want my friends to think that I care more about spending time with you then them. Their friendship means the world to me Cheese. I don't know what I'd do if I lost that."

"Oh Pinkie, you aren't going to lose your friends just because you spend time with me." Cheese rose and nuzzled her neck. "You're the most thoughtful, caring, and fun mare I've ever met. Your friends know that, and they understand. I love spending time with you, more than any other pony in the world. But, if that makes you uncomfortable, I'd rather have you go back to them and be happy. All I want is to see you smile."

Pinkie giggled and gave Cheese a quick hug. Cheese felt his heart race, the sweet smell of Pinkie's coat was intoxicating. Get a grip Cheese!

"That's my song Cheesie. You're right, guess I was over thinking things again. Let's keep practicing, I want to spend more time with you. After all, we only get to see each other for a few more days."

"All right Pinkie. Let's get started."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cheese stared up at the unusually shaped library before him. It looked more like the structure was carved from the very oak that sprouted from its roof. I wonder if Twilight would show me the blueprints? He glanced down at the book in his hooves. It upset him that he had to return it, but he was leaving tomorrow after the talent show. Knocking on the purple doors, he entered.

"Twilight? It's Cheese. I'm here to return the book you lent me."

"Coming!" A voice called from the upper loft. The princess flew down gracefully and landed in front of Cheese, taking the book. "Thanks. Did you enjoy it?"

"Very much. I loved the technical descriptions. It was really helpful."

"I'm glad. Next time you come into town I'll give you another. There's this one by Hammer Hoof I think you'll love."

"That'd be great." Should I ask her? She might think I'm being an idiot. Still, I'm worried about Pinkie. With me gone, who knows how long it'll take before they intervene. "Twilight, I have something I need to talk to you about."

"What is it Cheese?"

"It's about Pinkie. You know she's been running herself ragged lately."

Twilight sighed. "Yes, typical Pinkie. I tell her to slow down but you know her, she won't listen."

"Yes, but I think it's a little more serious than that."

"More serious?"

Cheese felt uncomfortable telling a princess of Equestria such personal matters. But, like it or not, Twilight was one of Pinkie's best friends. "Yeah. I think she's over compensating. She's…she's got this notion in her head that you'll stop being friends with her if she spends time with me. So, she's been running around all week trying to split her time among her friends. Just yesterday she worked at Sugarcube Corner, helped Applejack on the farm, practiced with me, and went to help Rarity. You can't say you didn't notice."

"Well, I did notice. But Cheese, Pinkie will be just fine."

Can she be any denser! "Twilight! It is a problem, she's going to make herself sick running around like this. So far, I've managed to get her to take a breather when we're practicing. But, after tomorrow, I'm not going to be around to watch out for her. So, I'm asking you as a friend, please make sure she doesn't hurt herself. I'm worried."

"All right. I'll give her a talk tomorrow. And don't worry Cheese. Pinkie's done this sort of thing before, we know how to calm her down. I promise, we'll keep an eye on her. So don't worry. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you at the show tomorrow." Despite Twilight's words, Cheese felt even less confident leaving Pinkie alone than ever before. Why am I so worried about her? She'll be fine. You're overreacting Cheese, it'll all work out.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ponyville's park had been decorated with the most wonderful assortment of streamers, balloons, and spring flowers imaginable. The flowers were Pinkie's idea. The mayor had asked them to personally decorate for the contest and they were more than glad to oblige her. Cheese loved planning parties with Pinkie, their minds worked on much the same level. It had really only taken them two hours to set up, but it looked as though the whole day had been spent decorating.

The setting sun glared down on the grassy patch, as most of Ponyville filtered in for the contest. Cheese was thrilled to get the chance to use his talents with Pinkie once more. He smiled as she bounced over to him.

"Heya Cheesie! You ready to get started? The mayor want's all the contestants to line up."

"Right. I'm coming." Cheese could not help but grin broadly. He knew that, no matter the outcome of the contest, tonight was going to be one to remember.
............................................................................................................................................

Moonlight streamed down onto the train station platform where Cheese stood, watching the train come rolling in. Once again, he was sporting his poncho, wide brimmed hat, and of course Boneless 2 on his back. But his exodus from Ponyville was anything like his inglorious entry. Smiling and standing next to him were his six friends. They had assured him that they were indeed his friends, and it warmed his heart.

Pinkie seemed very anxious at the sight of the train. "You sure you have to leave Cheesie?"

"Quite sure Pinkie. My Cheesie sense is telling me to high tail it over to Fillydelphia."

"But what about you're leg, it's still not healed yet."

"It'll be fine. I'll make it sure to take it easy as long as you promise to do the same."

"Okey dokey. It's a Pinkie Promise! But, you have to promise to write okay? Pinkie promise?"

Cheese laughed and gave the nervous mare a quick hug. "Pinkie promise." He pushed his party cannon onto the train and grinned back at the group. "I'll see you later! We'll have a big party then!"

Rainbow flipped in the air. "Awesome!"

"Yes, it will be quite fabulous to be sure." Rarity grinned, tossing her perfectly coiffed mane.

Cheese waved until the platform was out of sight. Sighing, he lowered his head. He loved traveling, and had always looked forward to it. Now however, he felt an inexplicable urge to jump off the train and gallop back to Ponyville. No, that wouldn't be right. I'm a traveling party pony and the road's calling me. He smiled as he felt his Cheesie sense go off for the second time that day. Cheese Sandwich is back in the game.

Letters to You

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Cold night air stung Cheese's lungs as he galloped down the forest path. The trees' dark shadows swayed in the moonlight as he sped along. His legs ached, his sides heaved, but he could not stop, not yet, not when he was so close. There before him was a dim light, a beacon pushing him ever onwards. With great exertion, he sped up and saw a group of ponies standing in the light; his friends. "Wait for me! Wait!"

But, just as quickly as they materialized, they faded. "Don't go…not yet…" Try as he may, he could not close the distance. Little by little, the forest around him contorted into shadowy images. He bulked as the whole world came crashing down over him like a great wave.

"Argh!" Cheese awoke with a start, and glanced around at the dark interior of his tent. His sides heaved, and his sandy coat was lathered with sweat. A numb, empty sensation filled his stomach as he acclimatized to reality. Somehow, the steady pounding of rain on the canvas comforted him. In a few minutes, his breathing returned to normal, and he felt in control again. Another nightmare huh? That'd make it the third this week. Gah! I need to get some sleep before I go crazy.

Cheese stood and shook himself off, his curly brown mane flouncing back to its default setting. Sighing, he took a swig of water from his canteen, and stared at the sparsely decorated tent around him. Boneless 2 sat where he had been sleeping, and the party cannon rested by the entrance. The only other objects present, were a stationary set, and a bundle of letters. With some difficulty, he settled himself down next to them. "Well, now that I'm awake, better start on my mail."

The sweet smell of cotton candy and baked goods escaped the pink letters Cheese had so carefully tied together. Over the past 3 months, Pinkie Pie had managed to deliver one letter a week without fail, to wherever in Equestria he happened to be. Her kind words, funny tales, and heartfelt concern far surpassed any measure of enjoyment he received from planning parties. It did not make sense to him, but that did not matter. All the mattered, was that he had a friend who would always be looking out for him.

Smiling, he regarded her latest installment. She was very grateful for his help planning Twilight's birthday party. Apparently, the Princesses themselves had heard of the event and gone down for the day. Half of Equestria seemed to have shown up, and the party went off without a hitch. Pinkie was sad that he had not been able to make it, but understood that he was "super duper busy" planning other parties. Cheese took out his quill, and started to write, then paused.

He glowered at the paper, trying to make the words come out as naturally as they always did, but they did not come. Something felt wrong about the whole business. His heart began to ache as he stared at Pinkie's loopy writing. I don't want a letter from Pinkie, I want to see her myself. No! I'm a traveling party pony, I've got no business in Ponyville, none whatsoever. A small voice echoed in the back of his head. But you could have business there.

Cheese gulped and stared at another letter next to Pinkie's. It's distinctly functional design contrasted sharply with her exuberant one. A large seal with a hammer shone at the bottom. He had written to them on a whim, he never expected a response. It was wrong of him to even consider it. But, try as he may, Cheese could not throw it away. Was it fate that kept bringing him back to it? It could change his life, but would it be for the better?

That small voice echoed again. Do it, just do it Cheese. What's the harm in trying? Taking a deep breath, the stallion began to write.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie darling, that's toast."

"Yupadoodles rarity. One box of toast, just like you ordered."

"Pinkie, I ordered a box of cupcakes. Cupcakes, not toast!"

"Oh. Ooopies."

Rarity rolled her eyes at Pinkie. She was standing in front of the counter at Sugar Cube Corner across from her frazzled friend. The summer sun radiated in the bakery, and the heat was almost oppressive. Pinkie was minding the store, while the Cakes took a much needed day off. Unfortunately, it seemed that Pinkie was the one that needed minding.

"Sorry about that Rarity. I guess I just got distracted."

"I've noticed. You've been a touch distracted for the past two weeks. Whatever is the matter Pinkie?"

"Nothing silly. It's just a teensy bit hot, that's all."

"Pinkie I-" Before she could come up with a comeback, Pinkie had thrust a box of cupcakes on the counter to replace the toast.

"Here you go Rarity! Better get them to the fridge lickety split before the icing melts."

"All right. But promise me you'll let me know if you need anything."

"Of course I will. But I'm okey dokey Rarity."

"Uh huh… Well, I'll see you soon." Fanning herself as she walked, Rarity made her way through the open doors of the bakery into the blazing morning sun. Pinkie frowned as she watched her friend leave. Noises from outside drifted in and echoed inside the empty room.
Normally, the whole shop would be teeming with townspeople enjoying an ice cream. However, their machine had broken, and it would be another week before the parts came in to fix it. Pinkie missed all the hubbub and conversation, but what she missed most was the distraction.

It was not as though she was miserable. No, it was more like there was a big hole in her chest that needed filling. She had tried just about everything that would normally cheer her up, but to no avail. No, there was only one thing, one pony that could fill that hole; Cheese. From his letters, she was beginning to feel he felt the same way. But then, then he had stopped writing back. It was now two weeks since his last letter, and she was getting worried.

Pinkie struggled to busy herself with cleaning the spotless dining room. What if he's been taken by pirates? Or lost in the woods? Or what if…what if he's forgotten about me? Oh I don't want that! Once again, she heard that tiny voice in the back of her mind. He wouldn't forget you Pinkie, you know that.

"I know, I know, I know!"

"Know what Pinkie Pie?" A diminutive green spiked dragon stood in the doorway, arms crossed.

"Uh…I know you're here to pick up some sweets Spike!"
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

In the course of the morning, Pinkie managed to switch up two orders, spill a bag of flour on the floor, put hot sauce on the muffins, and burn the pies. By the time the Cakes returned, Sugar Cube Corner was starting to look like a war zone. Mr. and Mrs. Cake pushed the stroller into the shop, and stared at Pinkie.

"Pinkie Pie, what in all of Equestria is going on?"

"Sorry Mr. Cake! I guess I'm just a teensy bit scatterbrained today. I'll get it cleaned up right away." Pinkie bounced around the counter and attempted to grab a broom. Instead, she sent a chair toppling to the wooden floor with a crash.

Mrs. Cake smiled motherly at the mare. "Pinkie dear, I know you mean well. But, maybe the pony who really needs a break is you. You've been working so hard, why not take the rest of the day off?"

"Oh I couldn't do that. And leave you to clean up my mess."

"Oh we'll be fine Pinkie. We decided to head back early anyway. Why don’t you go outside and enjoy the day?"

"Okey dokey then. But let me know if you need anything." Pinkie turned and walked out the door, head hung low. What's wrong with me? Stupid, clumsy Pinkie!

Pinkie looked around at the happy faces of her friends and neighbors. She loved Ponyville, and she loved each and every one of the ponies there. The day was very hot, and most of the town was reclining in the shade or drinking cold glasses of water. Even the fillies and colts seemed to be too hot to play.

They smiled and waved at their party pony, and Pinkie forced a smile back. A pair of mares offered to let her sit in on their conversation, but Pinkie declined. Even if it was for one day, she wanted to be left alone. Sighing, she walked over the bridge, towards the meadows. A good nap is just the thing I need. I'll be okey dokey after that. That familiar voice fought back, No you won't Pinkie, and you know it.

Pinkie covered her ears and tried to shake those thoughts back again. "Oh be quiet! I'm going to be just fine, you'll see!" Kicking up a little dust, she cantered down the road towards her favorite spot under the shade trees.

She had been lying peacefully in the shade for a good hour, when she heard the soft sound of hoof beats on the dirt road. Perking her ears, she listened as the sound grew closer. Pinkie had good ears, at least that's what Mrs. Cake was always saying. She could make out every one of her friend's hoof beats with no problem at all. But, what her ears were telling her, did not make any sense. Is it? No, that's impossible. You're imagining things Pinkie. Calm down.

As though in answer to her thoughts, the pony came over the hill and into sight. Pinkie gasped, then felt as though her heart would burst from the excitement. It really is him! Without a second thought, Pinkie jumped to her hooves and galloped up to meet him. It was hot, and a long way, but Pinkie did not care. With a great lunge she jumped forward, sending Cheese toppling to the ground.

"Cheese!" Pinkie gave the stallion a big hug. She buried her muzzle deep in the frizzy brown mane and savored the familiar scent she had missed for so long. In that moment, nothing mattered to Pinkie more than holding him tightly. Before she could stop herself, all the horrible emotions she'd felt while he was gone welled up inside her and she started to cry. "I was so worried. Why didn't you write silly?"

Cheese stared flabbergasted at Pinkie's change of character. I didn't know she cared about me so much. "Sorry Pinkie. I didn't mean to make you worried, I just wanted to surprise you. Don't cry, I'm okay."

Pinkie sniffed and nodded. Cheese flushed crimson. "Pinkie, could you uh let me go now?"

Pinkie released Cheese and stood up. "Oh my gosh Cheesie! I'm sorry. Guess I was just so super duper happy to see you I forgot myself for a minute."

"It's okay. Just try not to tackle me in the future. Okay?"

"Okey dokey." Now that she was standing back, Pinkie was able to get a good look at Cheese. He looked rather tired, and was wearing his traveling poncho. She seemed to have knocked his hat off when she tackled him. Flushing with embarrassment, she reached down and handed it to him.

"Thanks Pinkie. Say, what are you doing out here anyway?"

"The Cakes told me to take the rest of the day off, so I came out here for a nap. But what about you? Why didn't you let me know you were coming back? Is this about a party? I don't think I forgot any, but maybe I did…"

Cheese chuckled and smiled at Pinkie. "Nope. This is business."

"Business? What kind of business? Oooh, is it fun business?"

"Eh, well not really. But it could be. I'm doing an experiment."

"Oooh like what Twilight does?"

"Yes, but this one isn't for science, it's for self-improvement."

"Huh?"

"I've found myself an apprenticeship here in Ponyville."

Pinkie hopped up and down with excitement. Cheese is staying here! "Apprenticeship? With who? I didn't know there were any other party ponies around here."

"No, not for parties. I'm going to be spending the rest of the summer and fall working under a master carpenter."

"Carpenter? But you're a party pony Cheesie, not a carpenter."

"Well, why can't I be both? You're a party pony too, but you have a job at Sugar Cube Corner. Why can't I have a regular job as well?"

Pinkie frowned, considering. "I'm super duper happy you're staying Cheesie. But are you sure you want to? I mean, you were so excited about getting back on the road. Don't you want to keep traveling?"

Cheese felt his stomach clench. Is traveling what I really want to do? Ugh how does she manage to pick out exactly what's bothering me? He took a deep breath, considering his answer. "The truth is Pinkie, I'm not sure what I want to do anymore. I like traveling, but I also loved staying with all of you here in Ponyville. So, I'm a little torn right now. That's why I got this apprenticeship, to give me time to think."

"Oooh. You really are something Cheesie. I'd never, ever think of something so clever. I'm sure you'll figure it out soon. In the meantime, we can have fun together, just like we did this spring."

"Sounds great, but not today. I'm supposed to meet with Harvy at the office when I arrive so we can go over my responsibilities."

"Oh, okey dokey. But why don't I walk you there? You don't know where it is do you?"

"That'd be great Pinkie. I can tell you all about the parties I planned and you can give me all the details about Twilight's birthday bash."

"Oooh. That sounds super fun!" Together the pair set off towards town, both feeling happier than they had been in months.

Starting Small

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Well now, this isn't good. Cheese stood sweating in the hot afternoon sun, staring at his work with dismay. Though he had only been learning the ropes for one day, Harvey had assigned him a solo project. He thought it would be simple at the time, make a podium. Unfortunately for him, the lines simply were not coming out even, his angles were off, and for some reason the whole thing tilted ever so slightly to the left. Come on Cheese, you made that great shelf for Pinkie. It shouldn't be hard to make a podium!

Cheese jumped backwards when he heard a chuckle behind him. He relaxed when he recognized the earth pony sporting an orange safety vest, contrasting vividly with his ruddy brown coat and work-honed muscles. "Oh hello sir. I didn't notice you back there."

Harvey's mouth broke into a broad smile, stretching the grey stubble permanently attached to his face. "Looks a right mess sonny."

"Sorry sir. I thought I knew what I was doing, but I guess not."

"Hmmm." He leaned forward and looked at the sketch Cheese had drawn for the podium. "It's a good plan, real good. You've got some talent there. But, when it comes to actually constructing the darn thing, you come flat."

Cheese's ears drooped. He had been trying his very best to impress Harvy. "Sorry sir."

The stallion gave a booming laugh. "What are you doing apologizing fer? Lands sake Cheese, aint no pony knows how to build their first day on the job! This was just a test to see where I need to start you at, that's all. Ol' Harvy will get you fixed up in no time. Got it?"

Cheese nodded. Harvy pointed at the nearby construction zone. "Listen, I've got some work to do on the site today. How 'bout you come and watch? I want you to follow close and take some mental notes. Cause starting tomorrow, I'm gonna work you like a dog. But, for today, you just need to watch me, get to know the boys a little, and get a feel for how it's done. Got it?"

"Yes sir!"
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

"Are we done yet Rarity?" Pinkie huffed as she stood in the sweltering interior of Carousel Boutique. She was standing on a platform, wearing a yellow sundress as the white unicorn pranced around her.

"Won't be long now Pinkie dear. Just have to finish the final touches. I really must thank you for modeling for me. Coco Pommel's asked for my help, and her client is just the same size as you. I so want everything to go right for her. There! How's that?"

Pinkie was never very fond of everyday dresses. She generally avoided them unless her friends were wearing one too. Inwardly she grimaced at the lacy trim, floral decorations, and impractical cut (you can't really party in in this kind of dress). But, she knew how much Rarity would be hurt if she said that, so she grinned at her friend. "It's great Rarity. The bestest dress you've made in weeks, by far!"

"Oh do you think so darling? Thank you. But it is missing something." She trotted out of sight for a moment, then came back with a light sun bonnet. Tying it carefully on Pinkie's head, she stepped back to admire her work. "Well now, that did the trick if I do say so myself! Why, I'm sure all the stallions would be clambering to speak to you wearing this. Hmmm, maybe I'll just adjust that button…" Rarity hummed absent mindedly, making her minuscule corrections.

A strange feeling came over Pinkie at Rarity's words. So stallions like this sort of silly get up? Before she knew why, she found herself imagining Cheese complementing her as she strode around Ponyville in the dress. She shook those thoughts back. What in Equestria is wrong with me? Still, I wonder if he would like it. I don't want to go around in this, but maybe…Maybe I could try doing my mane different or wearing a cute hat every once in a while like Rarity? "Hey um Rarity?"

"Yes dear?"

"Could you maybe…maybe teach me how to do my mane different sometime?"

Rarity looked absolutely thunderstruck. Then, she noticed the uncharacteristically shy look on Pinkie's face. The unicorn smiled knowingly. "Hmmm. A certain stallion caught your interest?"

"Maybe, I'm just so confused. All I know is that I want him to notice me. Is that normal?"

Rarity chuckled and beamed at Pinkie. "Of course that's normal. Why, don't you remember when I had my crush on Trenderhoof? Every mare's has to have a little crush now and again, it's healthy."

"Hmmm." Somehow, Rarity's behavior when Trenderhoof came to Ponyville had been less than healthy. Is that how I feel about Cheese? I don't want to be all crazy over him like Rarity was with Trenderhoof. I just want to be around him more. Is that the same as 'liking' him? "But what if I want it to be more than a crush?"

Rarity dropped her tin of pins, sending them flying all across the floor. She stared incredulously at Pinkie. "What? Come now Pinkie, you're far too young to be worrying about anything more serious than a crush. Take it from me on this, you're not ready for that level of trouble. Just have fun playing around a bit. Fixating on one stallion this early would be a mistake."

"Okay." Somehow, Rarity's words hurt Pinkie. Cheese isn't a mistake. And I'm not 'fixating' on him. As soon as she was freed from the dress, Pinkie started to leave.

"Hold on Pinkie! You're going to talk to Cheese aren't you?"

"Yeah, we're practicing our instruments together."

"I'll do your mane for you. You said you wanted to learn right? Now would be a great time to try it out. Maybe show off a little to Cheese?"

Pinkie flushed crimson, turning her face so Rarity could not see. "Okay, but don't make it too crazy."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It's hot. Way too hot. Cheese was sprawled out under the shade tree, hoping to entice a breeze his way. He'd been in Ponyville for two weeks now, and every day seemed more unbearably hot than the last. The weather ponies told the town that it was a necessary part of summer. He couldn't help wondering if this was some kind of sick joke they were playing on Ponyville. Come on and rain already!

As if on cue, a tiny cloud floated just overhead. He looked up to see Rainbow Dash fly down, grinning broadly. "Hey Cheese! There you are. I heard you were off today. I've been looking all over for you."

"You have?"

"Yeah. Well, I've got something really important to discuss with you."

Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to end well? "Sure. I'd be happy to listen to you."

"Great!" Her maroon eyes glinted with anticipation as she landed smoothly in front of the exhausted stallion. "Since you're going to be staying in Ponyville a while, I want your advice on my routine."

"Routine?"

"Yeah. It's going to be the most awesome routine in all of Equestria. I'm practicing for this flying competition. It's not a really big one, but the Wonderbolts themselves are judging! So I want it to be epic."

"Hmmm. But doesn't Pinkie normally watch your routine and give you tips?"

"Well yeah. But I thought it'd be cool having both of you review the routine. Would it be too much of a bother?"

"Naw, it'd be a treat Rainbow."

"Awesome! This is going to be the best routine ever." She did a loop the loop, landing gracefully. Perking her ears, she turned and stared down the road. "Hey there's Pinkie now. Hey Pinkie Pie!"

Cheese watched as Pinkie trotted into the meadow, her hooves keeping that familiar sing song rhythm. However, there was something out of place. It took him a while to realize that Pinkie's mane was done up in an entirely different way than normal. Instead of her usual gravity defying poof, her mane was neatly tied in an adorable bun adorned with daisies. She's beautiful.

Rainbow clutched her sides, bursting out in laughter upon Pinkie's approach. "You look ridiculous Pinkie! What are you doing in that getup? Taking a leaf out of Rarity's book?"

Pinkie flushed bright red, pawing at the ground. Cheese immediately noticed the mare's discomfort, and moved between her and their bemused friend. "Rainbow that's enough! If Pinkie wants to dress up every once in a while, that's none of your business."

Rainbow huffed. "Okay I was just kidding, no need to get all upset. I'll meet you guys at the lake in an hour to look over the routine. See ya later!" With that, she flicked her mosaic of a tail, and flew off into the sultry air.

Cheese chuckled and smiled at Pinkie. To his dismay, the mare still looked highly upset. "Pinkie? Don't be sad. Rainbow doesn't know what she's talking about. You’re the most beautiful mare I've ever seen. And I love the way you did your mane, it really suits you."

Pinkie grinned at the lanky stallion. His few words filled her with a soft warmth. "You mean it?"

Cheese nuzzled her neck. His touch sent a shock like electricity flowing throughout her body. "Of course I mean it Pinkie. Don't let any pony tell you different." He pointed towards the accordion lying in the shade. "Shall we practice for a bit?"

"You bet Cheesie!"
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pinkie walked into Sugar Cube corner that evening, humming the tune Cheese composed for them to practice. She really liked the sing song melody, but enjoyed the composer even more.

The lights were already on upstairs. Pinkie's stomach growled. Guess I missed dinner again. Oh well, it was worth it. Mrs. Cake came down the stairs while Pinkie was eating her sandwich.

"Pinkie, you're back late."

"Sorry Mrs. Cake. I was swimming with Rainbow Dash and Cheese. We were having so much fun, we forgot the time."

Mrs. Cake chuckled and pulled up a well-worn chair next to Pinkie. She stoked Pinkie's now messy mane motherly. "You did your mane different. I heard a few customers comment on it today. They say it looked beautiful."

Pinkie coughed on her sandwich, flushing deeply. "They did?"

"Mm Hmm. They said you looked so ladylike."

Pinkie snorted and giggled. "I don't think I was all that ladylike, it was just a bun."

Mrs. Cake paused for a while, looking around at the darkened kitchen. She lovingly stroked the sturdy, finely carved table. Her words took Pinkie off guard. "You know something Pinkie? After all these years together, I feel as though you're every bit my family as the twins. I've watched you blossom from that cheerful filly that first appeared at our doorstep so many years ago. You've certainly matured into a pony to be proud of."

Pinkie leaned over and gave the older mare a big hug. "I love you."

Mrs. Cake smiled and stroked Pinkie's mane. "I love you too Pinkie. But...I think it's time you consider stepping out on your own."

"My own? You mean you want me to leave the Corner?"

Mrs. Cake shook her head. "No dear, but I want you to consider what you want for yourself in life."

"But that's obvious Mrs. Cake. I want all my friends to be happy."

"Pinkie dear, that's a wonderful dream, but it isn't something to build your life on. You need to start asking yourself the big questions. What do you, Pinkie Pie want to do with your life? You may decide to stay here in Ponyville, or travel around. Would you like to own your own shop someday, or maybe work someplace else? Or perhaps you want to settle down with a nice stallion?"

"Stallion? You mean marriage, like you and Mr. Cake?"

"Mm Hmm. I've noticed the way you look at Cheese Sandwich. I think you ought to give him a chance, you suit each other. Between the two of you, I don't think any Gloomy Gus in Equestria stands a chance."

Pinkie's face felt like it would catch fire, and she giggled. "Mrs. Cake!"

"I suppose time will tell. Whatever you decide Pinkie, I want you to know that Mr. Cake and myself will always be there to support you. It's okay to start small, get your hooves wet. Try out some new manestyles, learn some new skills, maybe flirt a little. It's all about exploration Pinkie, getting out there and deciding for yourself what you want. And, if you need any advice along the way, you know who to talk to."

Pinkie smiled weakly "I'll do my best."

Mrs. Cake stood up, and walked upstairs, leaving Pinkie to her thoughts. Her head felt as though it would burst. Of course she knew she would eventually have to branch out, but it was all happening too fast. She never felt this conflicted before. What do I do? I don't want everything to change, but it can't stay the same either. Oh make it stop!

Settling In

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Cicadas chirped in the apple trees of Sweet Apple Acres, playing a summer symphony for the two stallions hard at work. They stood next to the imposing barn, paintbrushes in mouth, and sweat matting their manes.

An unsure look stretched across the stallion's apple red face. He turned to his lank companion. "Uh Cheese?"

"Yes Big Mac?"

"What in the hay are you doin' ta the barn?"

"Why I'm painting it of course."

Skeptically, Big Mac glanced upwards at their respective sides of the wall. His was an even coat of maroon. Cheese's on the other hoof…" Cheese I don't rightly think we should be paintin' a carnival on the side of our barn."

"It's not a carnival, it's a hoedown. I thought it would match the theme better."

Big Mac sighed and pointed to the rest of barn, sides still bare. "Cheese we got ta paint this whole barn today. So why in the hay are you wastin' yer time paintin' all fancy? Just paint it like mine, that's all you have ta do."

Cheese rolled his emerald eyes in frustration. "Not you too!"

"Huh?"

Cheese set the paintbrush down, and glared at his friend. "Ever since I started my apprenticeship, it's been nothing but paint and build by numbers the whole time. Moving from one project to the next, all with the same boring colors and themes. Days and days of repeating routines, never being allowed to liven things up. You don't know how hard it is to never get the chance to express myself! I'm a party pony for Celestia's sake!"

Big Mac stared, and noticed the hurt in Cheese's eyes. Sighing, he dropped his own brush and rested a massive hoof on the younger stallion's back. "Hey, it'll be all right. Why don't you come over here for a minute?" Slowly, he walked Cheese over to his side of the wall. "Look real close. What do you see?"

"A boring, ordinary barn, painted just the way all the other barns in Equestria are."

A deep rumbling escaped Big Mac's barrel of a chest. Cheese was about to call for help, when he realized the stallion was laughing. "What's so funny?"

"It aint just like all the others. Just 'cause it looks like all the other barns don't mean it is."

"Huh?"

"Listen, I know you an Pinkie like to express yourselves real loud. It's yer personality an all. But, there are plenty of other ways ta bring a little somethin' of yerself to yer work. Look real close at my paint job. What do you notice?"

Squinting, Cheese leaned forward and gasped. "All the strokes, they're little swirls! It's beautiful Big Mac."

"Eeeup. I use this pattern whenever I go ta paint somethin'. It's like leavin' a little bit of myself in my work. So, just 'cause we got ta paint this 'ere barn quick, don't mean we have ta sacrifice what makes us special. Expression don't have ta be loud an flashy Cheese."

"I guess I never thought about like that. I'll give it a try Big Mac." With that, Cheese set off with gusto to start painting the barn the way it needed to be done. He smiled as he thought of a pattern of his own to paint in. Inwardly, he smiled at his friend's advice. Big Mac's right. I don't have to sacrifice who I am. I've just got to find my own rhythm, it'll come with time.
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Three mares stood on the book laden floor of Twilight's library. Though the windows and door were thrown open, the oppressive heat hung in the air like a blanket. The ponies were admiring a large banner splayed out on the boards, decorated with an assortment of colors. In the center, scrawled in Pinkie's bubbly writing was "Go Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow's face broke into a wide grin. "Sweet!"

"It's great Pinkie Pie. But is this all you're bringing to Rainbow's competition?"

"Oh no silly. I just wanted to show the banner. I've got lots of pom poms, confetti, and noise makers too. We'll be the loudest, most spectacular, super awesome fans anywhere! Cheese is even loaning me his candy launcher."

Rainbow perked her ears and cocked her head. "What in Equestria is a candy launcher?"

"It's like my party cannon, but smaller. It launches candy way up high! You'll even be able to catch some if you want."

"That sounds awesome!"

"I'm sure everypony will love it Pinkie. But isn't Cheese Sandwich coming with us?"

Pinkie seemed to deflate a little, and hung her head. "No, he has to work tomorrow."

"I see. Why aren't you spending time with him today?" Twilight knew her cheerful friend loved to spend any free time she could with the equally chipper stallion.

"I can't. He's helping Big Mac paint the barn today."

"What? Geeze he's turning as boring as everypony else around here!"

"Rainbow! I'm sure he has his reasons. Besides, since you're both here, I thought we could catalogue my new library books."

"Uggh! Tilight that's even worse. I'm going out to practice some more. You two can sit here and sweat all day." Rainbow dashed out of the library before Twilight could protest.

Pinkie carefully rolled up the banner, and placed it in her saddlebag. Twilight smiled hopefully at her. "What do you say Pinkie Pie? Want to help out?"

"Gee Twilight I'd love to but, I've got some things to do around town." Pinkie's stomach knotted seeing crestfallen alicorn, then thought of a way to cheer her up. "Hey I just remembered Twilight. I wanted to borrow some books. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is. Help yourself. It's a bit of a mess right now though."

Pinkie had an uncanny ability to maneuver around obstacles. Despite the stacks of books and paper, she managed to pull out three volumes from the shelves and materialize again in front of Twilight. "Can I check these out?"

"Sure, just let me get the names." Levitating the books, Twilight frowned.

"What's wrong Twilight?"

"Oh nothing Pinkie. Just-" Finding the right words were proving to be difficult. "-Are you sure you grabbed the right books?"

"Yup a doodles Twilight."

"But Pinkie, normally you check out books on baking or party planning. Now, I'm not against branching out on knowledge, but these seem more like something Rarity would borrow. Alabaster's Guide to Fabulous Mane Styles, Dress for success, and An Entrepreneur's Handbook? Are you sure you want these books?"

"Sure I'm sure Twilight!" Pinkie's face went a little red and she shuffled uncomfortably. "I thought I'd try something a little different is all."

"Okay. Well, I hope you like them. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"See you then Twilight."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The midday sun beat relentlessly on Cheese's back as he painted the barn. After four hours of continuous work, they were nearing completion. He was excited to see what two ponies could accomplish, but his strength was wearing thin. His three weeks working in Ponyville had helped to build his muscles considerably, but he would never escape his lank frame's limitations. The only reason he had done so well on the site, were the frequent water breaks everypony was obligated to take.

Cheese admired Big Mac's one track "get it done" attitude, but he could not follow it. The dizzy, nauseous sensation had started small, but now it was threatening to overwhelm his senses. Before he could stop himself, he had dropped the brush in the dusty earth and laid down. His head was pounding and all he wanted was a long drink of water.

Big Mac turned his large head to see Cheese on the ground. He had been so fixated on getting the job done, he failed to notice his friend. What was I thinking? Grabbing a pail of water, he trotted over to Cheese. "You'd better drink some water Cheese."

Grateful, Cheese dunked his whole head in the bucket and gulped down mouthfuls of the sweet liquid. Big Mac shifted the collar he always wore uncomfortably. He really enjoyed having another stallion to help out on the farm, but he had to remember that Cheese was not a farm pony. "Sorry Cheese. I got so focused on the barn that I forgot ta give you a break."

"It's okay Big Mac. I should have said something. I really wanted to finish the barn too."

"Let's go rest in the shade for a spell." The pair moved to the apple trees framing the farmyard, and sprawled out under the cool protection of a particularly large tree. Cheese grinned and rolled in the grass like a colt, savoring the cool sensation of the blades caressing his coat. Big Mac chuckled at his reaction. Is this what it's like to have a younger brother? "Say Cheese, you sure you'll be all right? I can take you ta the hospital."

Cheese grimaced at the thought of going back to blank, sterile rooms. "No, I just had a little heat exhaustion. I think I'll be fine if I rest for a bit."

"Okay, but we'll call it a day just ta be safe."

"What? But we're nearly done!"

"I can finish by myself. I'm right grateful fer your help, but I ain't lettin you go into work sick tomorrow."

"Right." Cheese remembered tomorrow, and felt his stomach clench. He would have vastly preferred to be watching Rainbow's performance with all his friends. However, he promised Harvy he'd be at work, and he was not going to disappoint him.

"Say Cheese I really appreciate yer help. It's nice ta have the girls work an all, but they got ta talk the whole time. You just put yer head down and do yer best. I really admire that."

"I'm nothing special. I just want to see the job done right. It's not like I can do much the way I am."

"Hmmm. I think you can do plenty Cheese." Big Mac affectionately clapped a hoof on Cheese's back. "An who knows? Maybe you'll be just as strong as me someday?"

"I doubt that!" A summer breeze brushed past, raising Cheese's now matted mane, and cooling his lathered neck. Despite his initial discomfort around the bulky stallion, he found himself enjoying Big Mac's company. The older pony never wasted words, but still managed to say he needed to hear. If anypony would be able to give advice, it would be him. "Say, could I ask you for some advice?"

"Eeeup."

"I've…I've been worried lately. Worried that I'm doing the wrong thing by coming to Ponyville. I've been a drifter so long, I'm not sure I know how to live in one place. Even being here three weeks, I still wake up thinking I ought to get moving again. Maybe…maybe I'm not meant to settle down. But I like staying in Ponyville. I'm just so confused."

"Hmmm. I don't think yer a lost cause. You're lost, but that aint a bad thing. Granny always says a pony's got to get lost before they can find themselves. Applejack knows, that's how she got 'er cutie mark."

"Really?"

"Eeeup. You'll figure it out Cheese. Aint no rush on it either. Just follow yer heart, it's all you can do." He looked over to the farmhouse, smiling. "Why don't you ask yer family 'bout how they figured it out? Talkin' ta Granny sure helped me. Ain't nothin' like a bit of family counselin'."

Cheese stood up as quick as though he had been shot. His normally kind eyes held an icy quality that sent shivers up Big Mac's spine. "There's no way in Equestria I'm talking to them! They can go to hell for all I care!" Before he could register the situation, he watched as Cheese galloped off down the road. Now what in the hay was that about?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

What's wrong with me? Argh! Stupid Cheese! Big Mac was just trying to be friendly. Cheese unconsciously carried himself over the bridge into Ponyville. The sickness from before was coming back with a vengeance, and he hung his head low to ease the nausea. He was so focused on his thoughts and not collapsing, that he failed to notice the mare in front of him. With a great thud, he collided with her, sending a shock that knocked the wind out of him. "Ooof! Sorry about that miss-" He was staring down at a disgruntled looking Pinkie Pie. She had tied her mane in a loose ponytail and was sporting what looked to be a newspony's hat with a quill and notebook tucked in the pink sash. Cheese quickly reached out a hoof to help her up.

"What in Equestria are you doing in that getup Pinkie?"

"Cheesie? I thought you were at Sweet Apple Acres."

"I was. We er, finished early."

"Oooh that sounds great!"

"Why are you going around town dressed like that?"

"I'm on a mission of exploration. Just like you."

"Just like me? But you have an apprenticeship."

"Not an apprenticeship silly. Advice."

"Advice on what?"

"Oh all kinds of things. I'm trying to ask everypony in town things like why they moved to Ponyville, their goals in life, what kind of adventures they went on, that sort of thing."

"Sounds super fun Pinkie! But, might I ask what's the occasion?"

"Nothing special, just something Mrs. Cake and I talked about." For some reason Pinkie could not explain, she felt embarrassed mentioning it. She could not stop herself from remembering Mrs. Cake's suggestion that Cheese was "good for her." Suddenly an image of Cheese nuzzling her came to mind, and she flushed crimson. Stop being weird brain!

"You okay Pinkie? You're not getting heat exhaustion are you? I had a touch of it today too. Maybe you ought to go cool off?"

"Uhhh, yeah. You’re right about that Cheesie! Why don't you come to the corner with me? We can get some milkshakes to cool off."

"I thought the machine was broken."

"They got the parts in early. Come on, it'll be fun!"

"I don't think I'm exactly presentable right now. Need to go wash up in the stream." The stallion's sandy coat was plastered with road dust, and the strands of his mane were glued together with dried sweat.

He has a point. Though he looks kinda cute all ruffled like that. Urgh! Stop thinking like that Pinkamena! Pinkie smiled at Cheese. "That's okay, but it's kind of sad not getting to spend more time with you before I leave tomorrow. Could I walk you home?"

"All right. I could use the company."

Two Party Ponies and a Great Idea

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The early evening sun was dipping down over the construction site as the workers put away their hard hats. It had been another sweltering day, and everypony was worn down. Cheese's muscles burned and he was already envisioning a cool off in the stream. A trio of bulky stallions trotted up to Cheese, their unshaven faces splitting into a broad grin. One with a wooden crate for a cutie mark, walked forward. "Hey Cheese. Me an the boys are heading out to get some hard cider an have a little fun. You in?"

Inwardly, Cheese grimaced. He was enjoying getting to know "the boys" but, he had never been able to hold his hard cider. And something told him that they could hold quite a few pints of the stuff. "That sounds great, but I think I'll decline. Maybe some other time?"

"Suit yerself. We'll see you bright an early scrawny."

Cheese set off on the long way back to his tent. He loved to stroll through the streets of Ponyville, watching all the different ponies going about their business. All around him, stalls were closing up for the evening, and ponies heading back home. He chuckled as a trio of fillies darted past on their way to who knows where. The Crusaders are at it again. Don't they ever get tired?

He was staring at the crowded street, lost in thought, when a mare strode towards him. It was impossible not to stare at the ridiculous green ascot tied around the older pony's neck. Her blue eyes twinkled under the spectacles carefully balanced on her muzzle. Cheese gave a broad grin and tried not to look too surprised.

"Cheese Sandwich, there you are. I heard you were staying in Ponyville, and I wanted to personally welcome you."

"Thanks. I'm really loving my time here so far."

"That's just great. You can imagine my surprise to hear that we will be having two party ponies in town this summer."

Cheese gulped. Is there some kind of rule against two party ponies living in Ponyville? "I'm not here to party Mayor, I'm here for a carpentry apprenticeship. I don't plan on stealing Pinkie's role as Ponyville's party pony."

The Mayor chuckled, easing the tension Cheese had felt building inside his chest. "Oh now, I wasn't worried about that. Last time you came, you threw the most spectacular party with Pinkie Pie. No, that's actually the reason I came to talk to you today."

"Really?"

"Really. There's a big event going on soon, and I need the two of you to plan something fun for it."

Cheese could not help but spin around and dance with glee. "Yes, yes, yes!" Noticing the Mayor's bewildered expression, he coughed and composed himself. "Uh sorry about that. It's just I haven't been able to plan any parties in weeks. Guess I'm going a little loco."

"Well now, I'm glad to see you're excited. But, it's not a party I want the two of you to plan."

"Huh?"

"Every summer, princess Celestia works to put on a meteor shower display. Since Luna's return, the event has grown in popularity. All the citizens of Ponyville gather to watch the night sky. Normally, they only gather to watch, then return home. This year though, I want to try to bring a spirit of Ponyville camaraderie to the event. I want it to be rememberable, fun, and involve as many ponies as possible, but not be just another party. Are you up to the challenge?"

"Hmmm." Cheese did not think such a request would be easy. But, he had plenty of experience planning all sorts of fun events around Equestia. Coupled with Pinkie's outlandish ideas, he was certain they could not fail. "Sure! But I'm going to have to throw some ideas around with Pinkie first."

Mayor Mare smiled warmly. "I really appreciate the help Cheese sandwich. Just bring the plans to my office the day after tomorrow. The event is this Saturday after all."

"What? So soon?"

"Mm hmm. Well, best of luck to you two! I'm certain you'll dazzle me."

Cheese stood rooted to the spot, taking in all that transpired. Plan a spectacular event for all of Ponyville in a few days that's not a party! It's a tall order. But, despite his misgivings, Cheese found himself imagining the fun he could have planning with Pinkie. Every moment he got to spend with her was precious to him.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The soft clatter of hooves on the wood floor made Pinkie smile. She knew those steps anywhere. "Heya Cheesie!"

"Hey Pinkie." Cheese strode in front of Sugarcube Corner's counter, grinning. Dust fell from his coat and his mane was still frazzled from being under a hard hat all day.

Pinkie giggled at the silly stallion. He could have at least cleaned up a bit. "Cheesie, what on earth are you doing all dusty?"

"Oh." He flushed a little, he had been in such a hurry to see Pinkie that he neglected to wash off. "Sorry."

"It's okay, but the Cakes aren't going to like getting dust everywhere. Come on, we can chat outside." She hopped over to the door, Cheese following. Settling down under a nearby tree, Pinkie giggled with excitement. "I just got back from the competition."

"How'd it go?"

"She won of course, it really wasn't much of a competition if you ask me. I didn't think you'd come to see me today. But I'm super-duper happy you did."

"Hehe. Yeah, I had something important to talk to you about."

"Something important?" Pinkie's stomach made a little jump, and her thoughts ran wild. What on earth could he have to talk to me about? I hope it's nothing serious. Mrs. Cake's words once again floated to the surface. Oh my gosh! Does Cheese like me like that! That's good, or bad, or I don't know! What should I say?

"Pinkie?"

"Yes?"

"Were you listening to a word I just said?"

"Uh…no. Sorry."

Cheese rolled his green eyes with exasperation. "Mayor Mare asked us to help plan a big event before the meteor shower on Saturday. The only problem is that she doesn't want it to be a party. She wants something different. And the plans have to be in the day after tomorrow. Of course I said I we'd do it, but I think we need to do some brainstorming."

"Oh." Somehow, Pinkie felt let down. What on earth were you expecting Pinkiana? A confession? Pull yourself together! "That's sounds amazing Cheesie! It's going to be the best event ever!"

"Yeah. At least I hope it will be. But, I've never planned anything like this before. Do you think we can get it done in time?"

"Of course we can silly! Let me think…How about a big water slide leading to a giant pool of jelly?"

"Hmmm. That's fun, but not what Mayor Mare's looking for. What about a water balloon fight?"

"Fun, but not everypony's going to want to get soaked." Pinkie put her hoof to her forehead, deep in concentration. Suddenly, she bolted upright. "I've got it! Let's have a huge picnic."

"Hmmm. You know, that might work! A giant picnic where all the citizens of Ponyville can gather, sharing food and fun. We'll have a scavenger hunt-"

"-And a bake off!"

"An organized water balloon fight?"

"Oooh and a concert!"

"Concert?"

"Yeah. We can put have the townsponies bring their instruments and play together."

"Great idea! I'm liking this."

That rested under the tree for the next hour, trading ideas and adding details. Cheese could not believe how easy it was to work with Pinkie. Her thoughts flowed naturally with his, easing his concern. They worked quickly, finishing just as night was falling on the town.

"This is going to be the best whole town picnic-meteor shower ever!"

"Pinkie, I think this is the only whole town picnic-meteor shower ever." They shared a good long laugh, and started up at the darkening sky. "The stars are beautiful here in Ponyville."

"They sure are. But don't they look the same anywhere in Equestria?"

Cheese smiled, watching the moonlight casting waves over her glossy coat. "No, it's much better here." Without thinking, he leaned forward and nuzzled Pinkie's cheek gently. "And you're every bit as beautiful as they are."

Pinkie felt as though she was going to melt right in front of the stallion. Heart racing, she turned to Cheese, who was already standing up. "You're leaving?"

"Hmmm? Yeah, I've got work tomorrow and we've got a lot of preparation to do before the picnic. I'll see you later."

"Okey dokey then. Bye."

Cheese walked back to his tent, heart pounding in his chest. What in Equestria was I doing? She'll think I'm harassing her for sure. Still…He gulped, remembering the feel of Pinkie's velvet soft coat against his muzzle. It felt good, really good. Argh! What's wrong with me! I'm her friend; I shouldn't go around treating her like…like MY mare. Urgh! Cheese get a grip! We're friends, that's all there is to it. And friends don't go around nuzzling each other on the cheek.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The week sped by in a flurry of motion for Pinkie and Cheese. Each had tasks to prepare for the picnic, and everyday work to deal with. In all the commotion, they hardly had the time to pass the time of day, let alone have any meaningful conversation. Before long, the day of the big picnic had arrived.

Pinkie had been reading up on the books she borrowed from Twilight. That morning, she carefully oiled and worked her mane into an elegant French braid. Her tail had a similar treatment, sporting a careful fish tail braid with a long blue ribbon. She turned to gummy, who was watching her from his perch on Pinkie's bed. "Well, how do I look gummy?" The little reptile blinked. Pinkie grinned, giving her pet a big hug. "Thanks gummy! You're so sweet." Humming, she grabbed a playful blue sun hat from a peg, and made her way out the bedroom.

Bouncing down the stairs, she met the Cakes at the bottom. "Are you ready for the best picnic to hit Ponyville?"

Mr. Cake adjusted his characteristic bowtie. "Sure are. My, you're looking dressed up today. What's the occasion?"

"Oh nothing much. Just thought I'd try to show off a bit." Pinkie winked knowingly at Mrs. Cake as they made their way to the picnic.

To say the whole town was gathered for the event was no understatement. Ponies thronged in on the hills outside of Ponyville, all grinning brightly despite the scorching weather. Pinkie laughed and smiled as usual, trying to ignore the incredulous stares the townsponies were giving her. She turned to Mrs. Cake nervously. "Did I overdo it?"

"No dear, you look stunning. I think they're just surprised."

Pinkie noticed the mayor standing at the podium, looking around. "Well, I've got to get to work now. I'm overseeing the bake off and running the musical squares. See you!"

As Pinkie approached the podium, she noticed Twilight standing right next to Mayor Mare. She flounced forward. "Heya Twilight! Mayor. How do you like the festivities?"

"Pinkie?" Twilight had never seen her friend dress up for anything other than the Galla. What's gotten into her this time? "It's wonderful Pinkie. You and Cheese really outdid yourselves this time."

"Ya think? I know it's going to be the best event of the summer. Well, next to your birthday bash that is."

"Mm Hmm! I can't wait for all the festivities to start."

Mayor Mare beamed at Pinkie behind her narrow spectacles. "Are you ready to commence with your half of the activities?"

"Sure I'm ready! But, shouldn't we wait for Cheese?"

"I'm already here."

Pinkie jumped several feet in the air as Cheese materialized next to her. I thought I was the only pony who could do that. The Mayor winked at Pinkie, a broad smile stretching her wrinkles. "I'm going to start off the introduction. I'll have you come up and introduce you're individual events in a little while."

Cheese smiled at Pinkie and sidestepped a little closer to the mare. He whispered softly in her ear. "You look really nice today Pinkie. I love what you've done with your mane."

She stifled a small squeak and tried to focus on the Mayor's speech. And yet, she found herself stealing glances of the lank stallion next to her. After what seemed like forever, he gave her a good natured wink and walked up. "Talk to you later Pinkie."

"Yeah, you too."

She set to work on her activities, savoring the relaxing and fun atmosphere. Despite her early misgivings of the citizens, Pinkie found that they did not mind her new look. In fact, she received a lot of complements from the contestants and onlookers.

As Pinkie maneuvered around the stacks of cakes, Rarity and Fluttershy came over to say hello. Rarity came first, striding confidently up to her, eyes sparkling with excitement. "My good gracious Pinkie Pie! You look simply divine. Where in Equestria did you get that hat?"

"Oh this?" Pinkie flushed a little, and grinned at her excited friend. "I borrowed it from Mrs. Cake. Does it look all right?"

"All right? All right? Darling, it's marvelous! And your mane, and tail! It's so simple, but so chic. Why I've never seen you so fabulous."

Fluttershy smiled sweetly. "It looks nice Pinkie Pie."

"Awee thanks girls. Just thought I'd dress up a little. You here for the contest?"

"Why yes we are. In fact, Fluttershy has made an excellent carrot cake and wanted to enter it."

"If that's okay of course, Pinkie."

"Of course it is Fluttershy! The judges will be super happy to taste some. Just put it on the table."

As Fluttershy flew off, Rarity sidled over to Pinkie. "So, practicing your flirting already Pinkie? You know I saw Carmel's friends over by stage, why don't we practice a little with them. Eh?"

"Nope. Sorry Rarity, but I've got work to do. Maybe some other time, okay?"

"Oh all right. But we've got to have a little fun together before too long. Anyway, I'll leave you to your duties."

Pinkie sighed. Rarity, why don't you get it? I don't want to flirt with just any stallion. Loud laughter brought her attention back to the task at hand. Better get back to work.

Twilight was falling fast on the hills, and the ponies started dispersing into small groups to watch the show. Pinkie was packing up the last few pieces of equipment into a wagon, when Cheese walked up to her. He held a tent in his mouth, and set it carefully with the others. "Hey Pinkie. How was your day?"

"Oh it was great. But it would have been better if we got to see each other more."

"Yeah. I know the feeling. I don't think I had a break all day, it was exhausting. Still, everypony seemed really happy with the picnic. The mayor's talking about making it an annual event."

"Uggh. I'm tired just thinking about it! But, it'll be super fun, just like today." Pinkie stood, the summer breeze playing with the strands of her mane that had escaped the braid since the morning. She was surprised to see Cheese looking just as nervous as she felt, shuffling his hooves in the grass.

"Do you want to take a walk over to the others together?"

"Okey dokey Cheesie."

They set off on a quiet path, near a group of trees. The ponies that chose to set up their blankets here were almost all couples, and the pair were careful not to disturb them as they walked towards the hill Pinkie and her friends had chosen. Cheese kept time with Pinkie, matching her hoof steps. "I'm really sorry about earlier Pinkie."

"Huh? Sorry about what silly?"

"Sorry for what happened the other night. I shouldn't have…nuzzled you like that. It was, inappropriate."

Pinkie flushed, turning her head so Cheese could not see. Then, quietly, "I didn't mind you know."

"What?" Cheese stood rooted to the spot. He expected her to laugh it off or say some cute joke. She liked it? Sweet Celestia, what have I done? Does she expect more? I was half mad to do it in the first place.

Pinkie smiled, a little moonlight reflecting in her blue eyes. "I said I liked it. And-" She paused, taking a deep breath, "-and I wouldn't mind if you did it again!"

Cheese gulped, but before he could respond, a shout made him wheel around. Twilight was cantering towards them, levitating a telescope. "There you are, the shower's about to start."

"Right. Guess we'd better get going. Pinkie?"

Pinkie nodded half-heartedly. She so longed to hear Cheese's response. "Cheese I-"

He winked, and whispered in her ear. "We'll talk about this later. I promise." Pinkie flushed crimson, inwardly cursing Twilight's timing. I wanted to talk about it now! Still, she was eager to spend the rest of the evening with her best friends in the whole world. She followed Cheese, their hoof beats now distinctly out of step.

It's Not That Easy

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Once again Cheese found himself back in the same old dream, hooves flying across the dark expanse of road. This time however, it was Pinkie and Pinkie alone he ran towards. His heart ached as she glared at him, eyes devoid of their normal kindness. She was shouting something, but he could not make out the words. He gasped, tumbling into the dark pit, scared and alone. Once again, he shot awake, head pounding and heart racing.

Though it was close to the crack of dawn, an uncomfortable warmth had settled in the tent. Moaning, Cheese turned over and tried to fall back to sleep. A small noise broke his concentration. Squeaking? Standing slowly, he made his way to outside. He was a little taken aback by why who he saw standing there. "Fluttershy? What are you doing here this early?"

The nervous pegasus mumbled. "I uh, needed your help."

"Well, why didn't you just stick your head in and shout for me?"

"Oh I couldn't do that. I'd be rude."

Cheese could have pointed out that hovering outside his tent was rude, but it was far too early for lessons in courtesy. "What do you need my help with?"

"It's terrible. Larkspur's gone missing. He must have been scared by the meteors last night and flown off."

Why is this not comforting? "Just what is Larkspur exactly?"

"Oh. He's a butterfly of course. A super rare butterfly with rainbow wings."

"A butterfly?" Cheese slapped a hoof to his forehead. How in Equestria was he supposed to find one butterfly in all of Ponyville? Still, it sounded like a good challenge, maybe even a fun one. "Of course I'd be happy to help you Fluttershy. What are friends for anyway?"

"Oh thank you." Fluttershy pointed to a pair of butterfly nets she had set on the long grass. "We can use these to catch him. But remember to be ever so careful, he's very delicate."

"Okay then." Cheese grabbed the net, surprised at how light it felt in his mouth. "You sure this'll work?"

"I hope so." Fluttershy flew off down the road, Cheese following the mare's long pink tail. Though she looked around at the tall grass and trees, she did not slow down.

"Uh Fluttershy? Shouldn't we be looking a tad better for him?"

"Of course, just as soon as we pick up Pinkie Pie."

"Pinkie?" Cheese halted as though he had hit a brick wall.

"Uh huh. She's so very good at finding things, and I know she'd love to help."

Thoughts dashed through his mind like lighting. How am I supposed to talk to her after what happened last night? She'll be expecting some kind of answer. Urgh! Why did I have to go and say we'd talk later? I haven't thought about my response.

"Cheese?" Fluttershy's soft blue eyes stared hard into his, and he suddenly felt very self-conscious. "What's wrong? I'd thought you'd be so happy to work with Pinkie."

"Of course I am. It's just-" Cheese racked his brain for a suitable excuse. "-Just that I've been hogging her so much lately. You must really want extra time to spend with her, being friends and all."

"Hmm." He's acting weird again, just like last night at the shower. "Did something happen between you two last night?"

Cheese gulped and looked away from the mare's piercing stare. "No, nothing important." He decided to change the subject; fast. "We're wasting time quibbling over stuff that doesn't matter in the first place. Why don't I just go looking for Larkspur in the meadows while you two search the other side of town?"

"Okay, I guess that's all right. Let's meet here before the afternoon shower starts."

"Later." Cheese turned and cantered off, sweating with nerves. That was way too close!
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie's really excited today. I wonder what's gotten into her. Fluttershy watched as her friend dove determinedly into yet another bush to search out Larkspur. Pinkie had been one great flurry of motion since she had picked her up from the Corner. To compound the situation, she was even more talkative than usual.

"I've got him Fluttershy!" Pinkie emerged, curls full of sticks and leaves and blue eyes sparkling with triumph. Boldly, she held out the butterfly net and its contents for examination.

Fluttershy squinted at the insect fluttering inside the net. She sighed, and dropped her ears. "Sorry Pinkie, but that isn't him. Again."

"Oh, he he. Guess I got a little carried away." Pinkie flushed, she really had wanted to find Larkspur for Fluttershy. But, she was having the worst time focusing on the task at hand.

"Pinkie, is everything all right?"

"Everythings okey dokey lokey with me!"

"Yes, but you seem a little-" Fluttershy struggled to put it delicately. "-overly determined today. Does this have anything to do with Cheese?"

Pinkie laughed, rolling in the grass to free the debris from her mane. Her voice was a little too nonchalant. "Of course not. What gave you that idea?"

Fluttershy rolled her eyes. She knew when Pinkie was dodging a subject. "Cheese said something like that too. But I think-" Why won't Pinkie just tell the truth? Does she not trust me? "-I think you ought to tell me what's really going on. You know you can trust me."

Pinkie's expression turned very serious and she looked Fluttershy straight in the eye. "I'll talk. But you have to promise not to tell any other pony. Pinkie promise!"

Fluttershy lied down next to Pinkie, smiling kindly. "Of course. Pinkie promise."

"All right then. But, it's kind of embarrassing." Oh my gosh. I can't believe I'm talking about this. "Last Monday, after the competition, Cheese and I were planning for the picnic. After we done he…he kissed me on the cheek."

"He what?" Fluttershy stared dumbstruck at the blush forming on Pinkie's cheek. "He kissed you? But, that's something a stallion does when he loves you." Fluttershy's stomach dropped out from under her, filling with an unfamiliar chill. "But of course you told him to stop."
Pinkie flushed and looked intently at the blades of grass. "I didn't want him to stop."

Fluttershy's eyes bulged with shock. The chill fast being replaced by internal panic. "You mean you liked it?"

"Mm hmm. It was the best feeling in the world. Last night, just before we met up with you guys, I-" Pinkie took a deep breath, "-I told him I wanted him to do it again."

Flutershy opened and closed her mouth, too confused to make a sound. Pinkie can't like a stallion like THAT can she? It's way too soon for us to start getting those kind of feelings. Isn't it? "Why?"

Pinkie turned to her friend, concern in her eyes. "I don't know, it just feels right. I've tried to fight it, but I can't anymore. I can't." Tears rolled softly on her cheeks. "I think I love him Fluttershy. I love him and I don't know what to do about it. What…what should I do?"

It's true! But, that means… Her heart began to race with the implications of Pinkie's words. Still, she could not let her friend cry alone. Gently, she wrapped her wing around Pinkie's quivering back and gave her a hug. "It's okay Pinkie. It's okay."

Minutes passed in silence, Pinkie sobbing into Fluttershy's chest. Fluttershy found herself wishing fervently to be any place other than in that grassy clearing. The warm summer breeze tickled the fine strands of her mane, and sent the fresh smell of grass to her nostrils. She watched the young birds fly overhead, and wondered if they were heading out on their first solo flights. It never occurred to her what happened after they had to leave the nest. Is Pinkie going to leave like them? What if she wants to stop spending time with us? What if… what if I find a stallion too? Oh my goodness, this is serious.

"Thanks Fluttershy. I feel much better." Pinkie had stopped crying and was smiling weakly at her friend. "Sorry for going all crazy on you like that."

"It's okay Pinkie Pie. It's a big issue." Fluttershy stood up, shaking herself off. "To be honest, I don't know what you should do. Did Cheese say he loves you?"

Pinkie laid her ears back, embarrassed at the realization. "Well no. But he said we'd talk about it again."

"Oh, why don't we go ask him how he feels then?"

Pinkie shot up like a rocket, panic spreading across her face. "Oh no! You can't go asking him something so….so embarrassing."

Fluttershy frowned. "But I don't know what else to do in this-" She gulped, "-situation."

"It's okay really it is Fluttershy." Pinkie sent a shower of grass into the air with her hoof. "Argh! Why isn't there some kind of handbook on this sort of thing?"

Fluttershy giggled quietly and Pinkie joined in. Before they knew it, they were laughing their hearts out. Anypony walking by might have mistaken them to be insane, but they did not care. After what felt like forever, Pinkie managed to speak. "Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and figure this out for myself. In the meantime, we've got a butterfly to catch!"

Fluttershy nodded in agreement, and the pair set off to recommence the search. Despite the restoration of a cheerful attitude, she could not help but feel apprehension. Oh Pinkie, I wish it was going to be as simple as you make it sound.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

He has found the lair of the wild beast, cautiously he approaches. Raising his trusty net, he prepares for the final approach. When-

"Argh!" Cheese felt a ripple pass through his body, and he jumped in the air with surprise. To add to the disruption, his cutie mark began playing that familiar accordion melody. With a defiant flutter, the butterfly Cheese had been working so hard to net, took to the sky. "Stupid Cheesie sense. Couldn't you have waited two seconds?"

He closed his eyes, trying to stop the tingling sensation that still radiated through his body. After what seemed like forever, it ebbed, and eventually stopped. Wow now that was a doosy! There's some serious party in the works in Trottingham. Better get going. Cheese lifted a hoof, then halted, stomach filling with an icy sensation. Oh yeah. Slowly he dropped it, and stared at the nearby road.

A strong breeze lifted his forelock and brought the sweet scent of the apple orchard to his nostrils. Around him the world was alive with activity, sensing the rain to come. And yet, Cheese felt as though his hooves were nailed to the ground. He wanted to run, to scream with frustration, but he was powerless. Do I want to leave? Should I? Is that what my Cheesie sense is telling me?

He frowned, turning to stare at the mark. It's been going haywire lately. Is it broken? He reared and plunged his hooves to the ground in frustration. "Why doesn't anything make sense?" I want to stay with Pinkie, but I need to go. Don't I? Tears began to fall down his muzzle. He never felt so conflicted.

He watched as a pair of squirrels played a game of tag up one of the apple trees nearby. They were very excitable, and were so focused on their game that one bumped right into him. It started backwards, shaking its paw at Cheese and ran to join its friend. He could not help bursting out laughing then. It was too funny. Who am I kidding? Life's way too short to go around so serious. He turned to his cutie mark, eyes filled with determination. I'm meant to bring cheer, and that's exactly how I'm going to live my life.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The sky was far from clear by the time Cheese made it back to their starting point near Ponyville proper. Above him, the pegasi were bunching dark clouds in tight groups, preparing for their promised shower. He was holding his butterfly net carefully to ensure the three butterflies held within remained contained. The warm breeze that had persisted throughout the day, was replaced by a refreshingly cool one. Somehow, the sight of Pinkie smiling and hopping up and down relaxed him. Fluttershy glanced anxiously at the net. "Hey girls. I've got a surprise for you two."

Fluttershy looked a little harried, her normally straight mane was tangled and sticks poked out from the strands. Still, she smiled and happily examined the net. She gasped with joy. "Larkspur. There you are. And you brought friends. Thank you so much Cheese."

Cheese held a hoof to his head, smiling sheepishly. "It was nothing Fluttershy. I'm just glad he's safe before the rain hit." He looked up at the darkening clouds, frowning. "Better head back Fluttershy, the pegasi seem ready to keep a tight schedule."

Fluttershy nodded, and flew off, the butterflies safely in tow. She waved back to Cheese and Pinkie. "Thanks for the help you two."
Cheese waved back, smiling broadly. "Anytime Fluttershy." After the pegasus had disappeared from sight, he turned to face Pinkie. This isn't going to be easy. But, nothing ever is. "Is now a good time to continue that talk?"

Pinkie nodded, feeling her heart leap inside her chest. She trotted close to him, and together they walked a little down the road away from town. Cheese was humming a tune and prancing along to time. It cheered Pinkie to see him acting like his old self again. She happily hummed right along and scooted closer to him, savoring the earthy scent of his coat.

Cheese flushed as the mare drew near, but secretly found comfort in her presence. He looked around at the empty field, satisfied that they were away from any prying eyes, and turned to Pinkie. "Is here okay?"

"Mm hmmm." Pinkie stared expectantly into his green eyes, tail swishing impatiently.

Cheese cleared his throat, preparing himself. "The other night when I…when I kissed you, it felt right. I hadn't intended it to end up that way, but I'm not going to pretend it was just some passing fancy." Pinkie nodded, tail swishing harder than ever now. Cheese continued, choosing his words carefully. "I considered what you said to me last night. From your words, I assume you want to start becoming a little more than friends. That right?"

Pinkie gave a little squeak of excitement and nodded. "Yes, more than anything Cheesie."

Cheese sighed, fearing the impact of his next words. "I think I might feel the same way. But, I don't think I'm ready yet." He winced, gauging Pinkie's reaction to his words. Her expression had turned to blank puzzlement. "That doesn't mean I don't like you Pinkie. Just that I'm not sure I like you like you."

Pinkie looked a little downtrodden at his words, her tail stopped swishing and she looked down. He doesn't love me back?

Cheese smiled and nudged her playfully with his hoof. "Don't be so sad, just because I'm not sure now doesn't mean I can't become sure in the future." Pinkie perked her ears up and stared at him once more. Cheese stared back, face turning a little more serious. "Would you give me some more time to get my feelings in order Pinkie?"

Pinkie smiled back, and nodded. Then, something else came over her; something completely unplanned. Leaning forward she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "That's for earlier silly."

Cheese flushed and gave a warm chuckle. They stood for a moment longer, taking in the situation. Right on schedule, drops of water began to fall fast from the clouds. They started, and Cheese turned to Pinkie. "Walk you home?"

Pinkie looked at him with concern. "But don't you have to go home."

"Not right now. I've got some questions for Twilight." Shoving her good naturedly, he turned towards Ponyville. "Coming?"

"Okey dokey lokey." Together they trotted into town. Pinkie had never really enjoyed the rain, but Cheese seemed to love it. He was laughing like a colt, and splashed in several puddles along the way. Geeze, he's so silly! She joined in of course, not to be out goofed by her fellow party pony. On their way, they danced in in no less than seven massive puddles, all filled with thick mud.

By the time they reached the Corner, their coats were saturated with mud and water, and their normally untamed manes laid flat against their necks. Mrs. Cake gasped when Pinkie and Cheese walked in the back door.

"Pinkamena Pie, what in Equestria were you doing out in the rain? Cheese too?"

Cheese held a muddy hoof to his forehead, grinning with embarrassment. "Sorry Mrs. Cake. We were helping Fluttershy find her butterfly friend. Then we got distracted talking."

The middle aged mare clucked disapprovingly, and motioned the pair in. "Come in the two of you and dry off. You'll both catch colds." She trotted over to the stairs. "Dear, can you start the bath? We've got two very muddy ponies here."

A voice called from the upper floor. "I'm on it." Mrs. Cake turned to the pair, now dripping rainwater and mud on her spotless kitchen floor. She trotted over to a cabinet, pulling out two particularly fluffy towels. Handing them the towels, she regarding the two silly ponies before her.

Cheese felt bad about disturbing the Cake's domestic tranquility. Pinkie on the other hand was giggling uncontrollably. Unfortunately for him, it was contagious. Before long, all three of the ponies in the room were laughing uncontrollably. Cheese finally managed to stop, and gasped. "Sorry Mrs. Cake. I'll be sure to bring her back completely clean next time."

"It's fine dear. I'm just glad we can all laugh about it." She frowned at Pinkie. Despite the towel, Pinkie's coat was so smeared with mud that she looked brown. "Go on upstairs and take a bath Pinkie. You're worse off than Cheese is." Cheese stuck out his tongue playfully at the mare and waved goodbye as she climbed the stairs.

Mrs. Cake smiled at the stallion. He was dirty too, but at least some of his coat was its normal sandy shade. I wonder what those two were up to? She chuckled to herself, imagining if Pinkie had confessed to him. Maybe he confessed first? Oh it's just so exciting! Noticing Cheese's confused stare, she flushed and stood up. "What kind of host am I? Would you like something to eat Cheese dear?"

Cheese gulped, he had not eaten anything all day and his stomach ached. "Yes please!" Oh, where are my manners? "That is if it isn't an inconvenience. I am barging in on you."

The mare's pink eyes sparkled with kindness. "Of course it's not. Some kind of baker I'd be not to offer a hungry pony something to eat." She turned and drew some food out of the cabinet, placing it in front of Cheese. "There you are dear."

He grinned at the food; a large piece of bread, sunflower soup, and a big lemon cupcake. "Thanks so much." It was the best food he had had in months. He savored the homemade taste he rarely got to indulge in. Almost like mother's… Defiantly, he shook his head, trying to clear thoughts of her from his mind. Let it go Cheese. She doesn't care about me; she never has.

Mrs. Cake looked concerned at the stallion. He's a party pony like Pinkie, but…something's different about him. "So Cheese, do you have any other parties to plan with Pinkie?"

Cheese swallowed the last of his dinner and shook his head. "No, just my apprenticeship right now. Though I'd never turn down a chance to make somepony laugh." He grinned at the thought of another party with Pinkie. Ponyville has its perks…

With a chuckle, Mrs. Cake picked up the bowl and laid it in the sink. Humming softly, she began to wash it. She'd always had a habit of working and talking, especially since the twins came. "Do you enjoy it here Cheese?"

He nodded vigorously. "Oh yes. It's the most fun I've ever had, though my job is hard sometimes."

"You're a good, honest worker. I'm certain you'll go far." Finishing, she sat back down and smiled at the young stallion. Though he was lank like her husband, thick muscles could be seen even underneath the dirt. She started to talk, when she heard the pattering of hooves.

Pinkie hopped over to them, coat sparkling clean and a fresh towel tying up her mane. "I'm done if you want the bath Cheesie."

"Oh I wouldn't want to impose." He looked at the ground, flushing slightly.

Mrs. Cake rolled her eyes. He really is too polite. "It's fine dear. Go on and clean up. I'm not sending anypony home covered in mud." Cheese started towards the stairs and frowned. "It's the first door on the left dear."

"Thanks." Trotting up the stairs, he found himself in a very comfortable bathroom. The massive tub was filled with warm, bubbly water. Fluffy pink towels, rubber duckies, several bottles of shampoo, and a big bottle of bubble bath reflected the ponies that called the house home. Happily, he slid into the warm water.

"This is the life." He splashed happily, savoring the delight only a warm bath could bring. Traveling over Equestria as he did, Cheese had not had the luxury of a bath since he was a colt. Bathing in streams was nice in the summer, but it was downright risky in the winter. He always ended up with a pail of icy water and a rag. But the warm sensation of a bath was something else entirely. I could get used to this.

After a few minutes savoring the moment, Cheese dried himself off and trotted down the stairs to join the mares. It was a bit of a surprise to see Mrs. Cake and Pinkie giggling like a pair of school yard fillies. I wonder what that's about? He walked over to the pair, smiling broadly. "Thanks for letting me use your bath Mrs. Cake. It was a real treat."

"Oh course dear, anytime." She winked playfully at Pinkie.

Cheese walked to the window and looked outside. The rain had stopped, and the setting sun was reflecting in the many puddles. "Guess I'd better get going. I needed to talk to Twilight before I go home." He grinned at the pair. "Thanks for everything. I'll see you two later." With that, he walked out the door, humming happily.

In no time at all, he arrived at Twilight's library. He knocked and waited for a reply. The door creaked open, revealing a short, purple dragon with green spikes. "Hello Spike, is Twilight there? I need to ask her a question."

"Sure come on in!" The dragon hummed happily as he walked across the wooden floor strewn with books. He called for Twilight, then grinned at Cheese. "You smell nice, did you have a bubble bath too?"

"Yeah. It was a real treat. You?"

The dragon smiled and hopped up and down. "Uh huh. I always have an evening bubble bath." He stared expectantly at Cheese, as though waiting for something.

He cocked his head. "Can I help you Spike?"

Spike shuffled his foot, hands crossed behind his back. "Nothing much. I just wondered…since your parties are so good and all-" He gulped, then spat out the next words in a rush. "Would you plan a birthday party for me?"

Cheese chuckled and gave the dragon a good natured nooogie. "Of course I can silly. Between me and Pinkie, we'll give you the party of your life."

"Yes!" Spike smiled and danced with excitement. The dragon was so distracted, that he bumped right into Twilight's leg. "Ooof. Sorry Twi."

Twilight smiled kindly. "It's fine Spike. Thanks for being so patient. Why don't you go back to reading your comic?"

With a cheerful wave, the dragon marched up the stairs. Twilight laughed and turned to the stallion. "You had a question for me Cheese?"

"Yes I did." Cheese thought on how best to explain his predicament. "It's about my Cheesie sense."

Twilights eyes bulged with purest excitement. She quickly levitated a quill and notebook. "Really? What about it?"

"Well, it's been going haywire lately. One minute it's telling me to go to Appaloosa, the next it's telling me to go to Las Pegasus." He sighed and frowned at the ground. "The intensity is really crazy too. Sometimes it's normal feeling, others it's weak. Today it was almost painfully strong."

"Uh huh." Twilight was scribbling furiously with her magic, nodding her head. "How often does it go off?"

"Well, normally, once I get one sense, it stops. It's never happened more than I needed it to. Its point is to tell me where parties are after all. But lately, it just keeps going off. Yesterday I didn't sense a thing, but the day before it went off three times."

"Hmmm." Twilight frowned, trying to digest the information. "Sorry Cheese, but I don't know why it's acting like it is. Would you be able to come after work to run some tests with me?"

Cheese grimaced. Somehow, the thought of Twilight running tests on him was less than comforting. Still, he needed to get to the bottom of his troubles. "Sure. I'll meet you tomorrow after work." He stood to go, now feeling rather tired.

Twilight gave her friend a concerned glance. "All right. I'll do some research in the meantime."

"Thanks Twilight." Cheese left the library and walked back. It had been a long, trying day. Still, it was not so bad. I've fixed the problem with Pinkie, helped Fluttershy find a butterfly, had a tasty dinner, a warm bath, and to top it off, I'm going to finally figure out what's wrong with my Cheesie sense. Things are looking up after all!

Turn it Around

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"Are you sure about this?" Cheese stared questioningly at Twilight as she attached yet another wire to the metal helmet resting on his head. The library was strewn with papers and books, giving detailed descriptions of spells and complex equations. Twilight clucked disapprovingly and walked around the stool Cheese was seated on, adjusting the wires.

"I'm positive Cheese." Twilight levitated a book, flipping to a page and frowning. "According to Dr. Marzipan, if you use any kind of magic, this machine will pick it up."

Cheese stared incredulously at Twilight. Is she stupid? "Twilight I'm an earth pony. I don't have any magic."

Twilight smiled smugly. "That's just what you think." She chuckled to herself, remembering Celestia's letter months ago. "Celestia herself told me you earth ponies have your own brand of magic. My hypothesis is that your Cheesie sense and Pinkie's Pinkie sense are some kind of magic." Her lilac eyes shimmered with excitement. "To think that earth ponies can magic too! Isn't it wonderful?"

In an instant, Cheese's emerald eyes lost all trace of their usual kindness. His icy tone sent shivers up Twilight's spine and echoed across the room. "What in the hell makes you think I want to use magic?" He threw off the helmet, and kicked the machine over. Pinning his ears, he advanced towards Twilight. "You got a problem with earth ponies? Eh?"

Twlight stumbled backwards. What in Equestria is wrong with him? With a clatter, he knocked her to the ground, pressing his hoof into her chest. Tears began to fill her eyes, and for the first time in her life, she found herself afraid of another pony. "No. Please, please don't hurt me."

As though a switch had been turned off, Cheese stopped. He looked around at the room, then at Twilight, stomach dropping out from underneath him. What did I just do? He stepped back from the alicorn, panic settling in. "Sorry. I-" He tried to find words to explain what happened, but he did not know himself. A sinking sensation was fast filling his senses. I'm just like him. Turning sharply, he galloped out of the Library.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey Pinkie Pie, you got a minute?" A ruddy brown stallion walked into the interior of Sugar Cube Corner. His dusty hooves sent little clouds billowing across the well swept floor. Pinkie's eyes moved from the yellow safety vest to the stallion's bright yellow hard hat. "Sure thing Harvey." She bounced over to him, teeth flashing kindly. "What do you need?"

Harvey looked rather awkward, and held his hoof to his head in frustration. How to put it delicately. "It's just that Cheese didn't show up to work today. He's always there before we start, it's making me worried. I went to his tent, but he wasn't there."

Pinkie gasped, and her heart began to race. Cheese is missing? Oh my gosh. "I'll go look for him right away. I know he wouldn't leave work for no good reason Harvey, I just know it!" Before he could protest, Pinkie had dashed out the door.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake walked out of the kitchen, looking from Harvey to the empty store. Mr Cake frowned. "Harvey, uh where's Pinkie?"

I've got to tell Twilight. She'll know what to do, she always does. Pinkie was running so fast through town that she skidded hard into the library door. It swung open, and she tumbled inside. "Twilight! I've got a big problem!"

"Pinkie Pie? What on earth is the matter?" Twilight was sitting at her desk, reading a large spell book and frowning at the unexpected disturbance. Spike was attempting to sweep the floor and moaned in frustration at the dirt Pinkie had dragged in.

Pinkie galloped over to Twilight and shook her vigorously. "It's Cheesie. He's didn't show up for work today, and he's not home. We've got to find him."

"Missing? I don' see-" Twlight stopped, remembering last evening. A sort of cold dread sunk into her chest then, and she clenched her teeth. She had pondered the stallion's sudden hostility all night, but simply could not bring herself to understand it. It was as though Cheese had become a completely different pony in a split instant; a pony she did not want to meet ever again. She decided to broach the subject with Pinkie. "Pinkie does Cheese like magic?"

Pinkie slapped a hoof to her forehead. "What does that have to do with finding Cheesie?"

Twilight frowned, preparing herself. It was no use lying to Pinkie, her birthday party incident last year was proof enough of that. "It has everything to do with it." She gestured to a stool. "Take a seat and relax. I don't think he's in any danger." Though you might be…

Spike looked as confused as Pinkie and walked over to join the mares. "What's going on Twi?"

Frowning, the alicorn gestured to the door. "Spike, you go outside. You're not ready to hear this."

"No fair." Spike folded his arms and marched outside, mumbling under his breath.

Twilight turned and stared at her nervous friend. She hoped her next words would not tear a rift in their friendship. "Pinkie. There's something about Cheese you need to know, and it's not…it's not good." She folded her wings close to her side. Why me? "You know I've been helping him with his Cheesie sense this past week right?"

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah. He told me about that." What's Twilight getting at?

"Listen to me Pinkie." Twilight frowned and smiled sadly at the mare. I'd better tell her the story from the beginning. "It all started after I had set up my magic reading machine. I told him about the letter Celestia sent me a few months ago. Did I tell you about that?"

Pinkie shook her head and began to fidget on the stool. "What did Celestia say?"

"That earth ponies have magic of their own."

Pinkie gasped and toppled off the stool. She began to hop excitedly up and down. "We do? Oh my gosh! That's amazing Twilight. Just think of the possibilities."

Twilight smiled at her friend, glad to see a semi-normal reaction to her news. "That's exactly what I told Cheese. I said 'Is't it exciting?' But instead of being happy, he-" Twilight tried to think of the best words. "-he was scary."

Pinkie stop hopping and stared at Twilight. "Scary like Nightmare Night scary? 'Cause he might have just been practicing for that. After I told him about the Ponyville Nightmare Night, he was so-"

Twilight raised a hoof to her friend's mouth, silencing her. She shook her head slowly. "No Pinkie, this was…the bad kind of scary. I thought-" Twilight's eyes began to mist over. "-I thought he was going to hurt me."

Pinkie stared in disbelief at Twilight's now tear streaked face. Twilight wouldn't lie about that kind of stuff. But, Cheesie wouldn't hurt anypony. She started to feel very confused and looked around, wishing some answers would fall from the countess tomes. "I don't understand Twilight. I believe you, but I know Cheesie. He wouldn't hurt you."

Twilight winced at the memory of Cheese's harsh glare and sudden personality shift. "You don't know everything about him, and that's my point."

"But-"

Once again, Twilight pressed a hoof to Pinkie's mouth. Her eyes turned deadly serious. "Pinkie. I want you to promise me you'll be more careful around Cheese Sandwich from now on."

Pinkie could not believe her ears. "Cheesie's not some kind of criminal Twilight. Besides-" I love him. Noticing Twilight's harsh glare, she gulped and nodded. "Okay. I'll…I'll go ask him myself. There's got to me a reason why." She looked outside the windows at the bright day outside, and stood up. Slowly, she walked to the door, tail hung low and mane distinctly less flouncy.

Twilight trotted over to join her. "You want me to come too?"

She shook her head, and smiled. "It's okay. Something tells me I've got to do this on my own." Stretching her hooves out, she gave Twilight a big hug. "Be back later. I promise."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I'm not like that. I'm not. Cheese repeated the words over and over in his head like an incantation, but to no avail. He lay by a still pond inside the Everfree forest. Though the forest scared many ponies, he found a strange measure of comfort in the Sabbath stillness around him. Heart heavy, he stared at his reflection with disgust, swirling the water with his hoof. Why do I make a mess of everything I touch?

Familiar memories began to surface, memories he long tried to forget. Moaning, Cheese gritted his teeth against them. Go away. I don’t need you! Desperate to blot them out, he focused on the ground, tears filling his eyes. "Go away." But, he was too exhausted to fight it anymore. Slowly he slipped into the darkness.

"Two C's? What kind of idiot is he anyway?" A tall, grey unicorn stallion glowered at the palomino mare standing before him. Moonlight streamed into the apartment, and danced off the immaculately kept interior. He stomped his hoof hard on the stone floor, sending an echo that reverberated throughout the room, and knocking over a vase.

The mare's amber eyes flashed to the door nervously. "Dear please. The neighbors." Using her magic, she carefully levitated the shards of the vase into a dustbin. "I do believe you are overreacting."

"Overreacting am I?" He snorted in frustration. "I'll teach that ingrate a lesson. Humiliate me will he?" The stallion strode forward and called down the hall. "Come on out where I can see you."

Cautiously, a small colt with a bushy brown mane and tail walked into the moonlit living room. A pair of over large glasses made his eyes bulge like an insect's. His legs were shaking uncontrollably as he made his way to his father.

The tall unicorn's green eyes stared with an icy chill. "So, not only do you fail to get into the academy, you decide to double my humiliation with these grades of yours." His voice cut the air like a dagger. "You've got some nerve." Striding forward, he backed the little colt into a corner of the room, glowering. "I think a day of reflection's in order."

Whimpering, the colt darted around his father's legs and hid behind his mother. The unicorn mare huffed, and casually pushed him away from her. With a green aura, he was hoisted into the air by his father. "Get the box Starlight."

She sighed, and strode into the next room. "All right dear." Returning a few seconds later, she withdrew a large, wooden box with tiny holes drilled in the side. The colt started to scream and flail against the magic, as he was lifted inside it and the lid locked tight. "Be quiet. You brought this on yourself you know."

I didn't. I'll be good. I'll be good, I promise. Cheese lay in the clearing, tears streaming down his muzzle as he twitched in his sleep.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was sunset by the time Cheese awoke. His heart was racing from the dream, and he looked at his sweat soaked sides. Sighing, he took a deep breath of fresh evening air. The pure smell of rain was in the air, and he gave a small smile. With a bit of effort, he stood and shook his mane back into position. After a quick drink from the pond, he turned to look around at the still forest.

I've got to go back. His stomach churned with apprehension. Harvey will be furious, and Twilight… He gulped, remembering his outburst with dread. The look in her eyes, she thought I was some kind of monster. I don't think she'd forgive me so easily. His heart ached at the thought of any of his friends being scared of him. I can't leave things the way they are.

He set off, hoping he would find the courage and words to say when the time came. The forest was fast growing dark, and he stumbled more than a few times on loose roots and rocks. Try as he may, the memories that had resurfaced during his dream clung heavy like the darkness around him. Don't think about it Cheese. Think of something happy. Think of Pinkie.

For a long time, he kept walking deeper and deeper into the forest. With sinking dread, he paused and looked around him. I should have left the forest by now. He slapped a hoof to his forehead. Idiot! Why didn't you pay attention to where you were walking? Glancing this way and that, he tried to make out a direction, but the undergrowth was too thick. The air around him was now heavy with the scent of rain. From Pinkie's descriptions, the rain fell on its own here, unaided by any pegasus. For all he knew it could be a storm coming. What now?

As if in answer to his question, the sound of hoofbeats made him wheel around. Over there! He galloped towards the sound, pushing through a particularly dense patch of undergrowth. Tumbling forward, he landed onto a dirt road. He looked upwards to see, "Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie looked more distraught then he had ever seen her. Her flouncy mane was covered in burrs, twigs, and leaves and her normally glossy coat was shaggy and coated in mud. She was panting hard, tears streaming down her muzzle. Before he could stop her, she jumped on top of him, giving him a bone crushing hug. "Cheesie! There you are. I was so worried."

Smiling back he pried her gently off of him. "Here I am. He he."

Pinkie wiped the tears from her eyes, and took on a stern look. "I've been looking for you for hours. I almost gave up!"

Cheese looked at the ground, avoiding Pinkie's stare. "I just had to do some thinking that's all."

"That's all?" Pinkie sighed and placed a hoof on Cheese's back. "Twilight told me what happened."

His heart leapt. "She did?" That's the last way I wanted her to find out about this mess. "I didn't mean to scare her Pinkie. Honest. I just-" Gulping, he continued slower "-lost control of myself."

Pinkie nodded, eyes filled with concern. "She was pretty scared, but I told her you didn't mean to. You didn't right?"

Cheese looked away. Oh Celestia give me strength. "I'm not sure. But I do feel awful about hurting Twilight. I want to apologize."

She helped him to his hooves, and puffed her chest out confidently. "Okey dokey then. We can go apologize now. What do you say?"

"Sounds good. But we'd better hurry. Looks like rain."

The weather soon proved Cheese's prediction to be vastly understated. When they started to Ponyville, it was drizzling. Now, thunder clashed around them and the rain came down in heavy sheets. They were still deep in the forest, when a bolt of lightning crashed into a nearby tree sending sparks in every direction. Pinkie screamed with fright, and before Cheese could stop her, she galloped into the darkened woods. "Pinkie! Wait up."

Cheese managed to catch her before she had gone too far. The mare was shaking with fright, and crying. "Sorry Cheesie. I'm not used to lightning coming so close."

He sighed and gave her a quick hug. "Yeah. Me too." He pointed to the distant roadway. "Let's head back."

They had not gone far, when another great flash of lightning broke through the sky and a thunderclap echoed so close it shook the ground. Pinkie started to prance anxiously. "Let's run back okay?"

Cheese nodded and they began to run towards the road. They were nearly there, when Cheese felt the ground give way underneath them. Before they could react, they tumbled down a dark hole and hit the hard ground with a thud.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie?" Cheese looked around blearily. It's dark too dark. A familiar chill settled in his stomach and he looked around. I can't see anything! Feeling his way, he made out that they were in a tiny, earth-lined pit of some sort. "Pinkie?" Panic settled in as he tried to locate the mare.

"I'm here." A small voice called from the ground near him.

He wheeled around and sighed with relief. "Thank Celestia you're all right!" Still, the cold dread was filling his chest. Rain still fell from the sky, but he could see no moon, no light to even tell where the earth ended and the sky began. "We've got to get out of here."

Struggling, he tried to climb, but the damp earth yielded no traction and he fell to the ground. "Ouch!" He had landed some very pointy rocks. Looking around at the dark, small space a familiar panic began to settle in the pit of his stomach. I've got to get out! Got to leave! "Let us out!" He shouted over and over again.

Pinkie spoke softly. "It's okay Cheesie. Somepony will find us."

"You don't understand! We've got to get out now." His heart would not stop racing, and soon his breathing became shallow. Desperately, the tried again and again to crawl out of the hole but to no avail. "Let us out!"

A gentle touch made him wheel about. "Pinkie, leave me alone. I've got to get us out."

The mare clutched his hoof. "No, Cheesie calm down. It'll be okay."

He pushed her away, and felt something strange on Pinkie's chest, something warm. She made a tiny squeak of pain and released him. What the? A new kind of panic fell into place. "Pinkie? What's wrong?"

The mare did not respond and Cheese felt around until he found her lying form. Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground next to her. As best he could in the darkness, he gently felt her side with his hoof. Her coat was rain soaked and cool for the most part, but his hoof slid on something warm and sticky. Blood. "Pinkie. You're cut."

Pinkie whispered, "Just a little scratch Cheesie. From the rocks…"

Cheese felt the injury and moaned. It was a great gash running from her back to belly. From what he could feel, it was deep, very deep. His voice broke, "Oh Pinkie."

Pressing her side, he attempted to stanch the flow of blood that now covered his own hooves. Tears filled his eyes as he worked. "Please be okay. Please be okay."

Pinkie's breathing was shallow, and she had gone silent. The flow of blood had stopped, but he could not tell the extent of Pinkie's injury in the dark. Slowly, he rested his head besides Pinkie's, feeling her soft breath. There was no pony in all of Equestia he cared more for. It's all my fault. All my fault.

"Cheesie."

Pinkie's soft voice pulled at his heart. He nuzzled her cheek gently. "I'm here Pinkie."

She gave a small chuckle, which sounded more like a gurgle with her breathing. "Don't leave again."

"I'm right here Pinkie." He inched closer to the mare until their bodies touched. "I'm not going anywhere."

"That's good." Her voice grew even softer. Cheese's body was quivering with fear, as he lay next to the mare. Pinkie softly nuzzled his neck. "Don't be scared Cheesie. Don't be scared."

He gulped. "I can't help it. Your hurt, and we're stuck here." Memories came rushing back, flooding his mind with thoughts of that box. His whole body shook with fear, and he leaned against Pinkie, savoring her warmth.

"Don't be scared." Pinkie repeat the words for a time. "I'm here." A soft, warm feeling filled Pinkie's heart even as the rain pounded coat. "I'm always going to be by your side." She kissed him on the muzzle this time.

Cheese felt his face turn hot. "Pinkie I-" He gulped, he never wanted to reassure her more than that moment. All he wanted was to stay by her side forever. But, he was not good for her, not one bit. "You don't want me around all the time Pinkie. I'm dangerous."

Pinkie tried to move, but Cheese pushed her down again. "You're not dangerous silly."

Cheese sighed. I can't keep her from the truth forever. "Yes I am. I'm my father's son, I guess it's in my blood." He rubbed his head gently against hers. "I'll tell you the whole story if you promise to stay still."

"Mm hmm."

"Remember how I told you I left Manehattan?"

"Mm hmm."

"I didn't just leave because I was shy. I had another reason." He sighed, inhaling the smell of Pinkie's coat and the fast falling rain. You can do this Cheese. "My parents aren't kind, not one bit. You might not understand, but sometimes, sometimes ponies can be cruel, very cruel."

"My father is a well-known businesspony and a gifted unicorn. Mother is a well renowned model for unicorn fashion. When I was born an earth pony, they didn't take it so well." He took a deep breath and continued. "Father was furious of course, said I was an embarrassment to his good name. But, in my earliest memories, shouting was all he would do. He was always going on about how they would have another foal, a unicorn, and that would be it." Snorting in frustration, he continued, "Then, one day mother got sick. The doctors said she'd never have another foal. That's when the trouble started."

"Mother used to play with me before then, treat me kindly. But, after her illness, she ignored me." His eyes filled with tears, remembering. "I wanted her to notice, to tell me she cared. But no matter what I did, she never batted an eye. So I stopped even trying."

"Oh Cheesie…"

"Father became obsessed with the idea of making me into somepony I'm not. His fits kept growing more and more violent. Then-" He shook even worse, the memory was painful. "-When I failed to get into the academy he wanted me to, he lost it. He locked me in a small, dark box. And mother-" His voice broke. "-mother did nothing. She just stood there and watched."

Pinkie could not comprehend his words. She believed the stallion wholeheartedly, but did not want to. How could anypony act like that?

"Two days Pinkie. They kept me locked in that horrible box two days. I thought I'd go mad." The shaking returned violently and he pressed closer to Pinkie, trying to blot out the memory. "I was so scared, thirsty, and alone. After they let me out, it was always the same punishment. Father didn't need an excuse to throw me in there. He was always saying things like 'a worthless earth pony like yourself doesn't deserve to be my son.' As though I could help being an earth pony? I was too scared to talk to the other colts about it, I thought I must be a terrible pony after all. So, I ran away. And I've been alone ever since."

Pinkie rested her hoof on his. He smiled at the mare, her warmth was the best kind of medicine. "I'm sorry Pinkie. I thought I was better than him, but I'm not. I scared Twilight the exact way father did to me. Maybe I'm just as bad as he is?"

"You're not him Cheesie." Pinkie sighed, voice very weak now. "Turn it around."

"What?"

"The past is just a memory, that's all it'll ever be." She lifted her head weakly. "We're party ponies, we're meant to turn frowns around." She leaned in, pressing close to him. "And those bad memories are just the same. Turn them around Cheesie. Make new happy memories, and there won't be room for the bad ones anymore."

Cheese chuckled softly. "I'll do my best."

"Mm hmm." She went very quiet for a time, then, "I love you Cheesie."

"Huh?" His heart leapt as those few words. "Pinkie I-" She had fallen fast asleep and he sighed. Leaning closer, he whispered in her ear, "I love you too."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie? Cheese? Are you there?"

A familiar voice called from the top of the hole. Early dawn light filtered down, and the rain had ceased. Cheese turned to Pinkie's still form, shallow breaths rising and falling. His stomach churned at the mare's appearance. Her coat was so caked in mud that she looked to be the color of his mane. Matted blood mingled with the dirt and hair from her injury. The gash was just as large as he feared, and it was covered in a thick layer of dried blood. Try as he may, he could not nudge her awake. He looked to the top of the hole. "Twilight? Is that you?"

He watched as the alicorn's head appeared at the top of the long shaft. Her eyes were filled with surprise and panic when she saw the pair. "What in Equestia? Are you two all right?"

Cheese shook his head. "Pinkie's hurt bad. Can you get her out?"

Twilight nodded, and levitated the mare up with her magic. After she was safely on the grass, she did the same for Cheese. As soon as his hooves touched the ground, he rushed to Pinkies side, heart racing.

"Oh my." Twilight had never seen any injury like it, and felt her stomach tighten. "We've got to get her to a doctor."

Cheese nodded, and carefully picked the mare up. Twilight moved to help, but he pushed her gently back. "I'll carry her."

They walked as fast as they could down the path towards Ponyville. Twilight could not understand the situation, and Cheese did not seem to be in a talkative mood. "How did this happen?"

"There was a storm last night. We were heading back, but didn't see the hole and fell in." Cheese wished the alicorn would not look at him with that piercing expression of hers. "She cut her side on the rocks. I tried to get us out, but couldn't."

"I see. We were looking all night for the pair of you." Twilight watched the stallion carry Pinkie, face determined. Cheese no longer seemed willing to talk, and kept up a long silence.

After a time, he turned to her, a serious expression on his face. "I'm sorry Twilight."

"What for?" She stared at the mud soaked stallion, his face red with embarrassment.

"The way I acted around you the other night, I'm sorry. It was wrong, and no amount of apologies can change that." He held his head high, and his eyes sparkled with determination. "But I want to let you know I'm going to work hard to turn myself around. I'm not going to let myself lose control like that again."

Twilight wanted to scream at the stallion for his erratic behavior, but could not bring herself to do it.Pinkie's right, he's not that kind of stallion. She looked into his eyes and nodded. "All right Cheese, I believe you." Twilight stared at her still friend, side torn open. "We need to get her treated soon."

"Yeah." Cheese adjusted the mare on his back, and walked as fast as he dared.

When they reached the edge of the forest, two ponies were there to greet them. Fluttershy gasped when she saw Pinkie Pie. "Oh my goodness."

Rainbow Dash bolted forward to Pinkie, panic on her face. "What in Equestria? Is she okay Cheese?"

"I don't know." He was getting a little tired from carrying the mare, and his legs shook underneath him. Gently, he placed Pinkie on the ground. "Go and get help Rainbow Dash."

She nodded and zoomed off as fast as she could fly. Twilight walked over to Pinkie and started a spell on her to try and clean the wound. Cheese stood by the mare the whole time, gently trying to nudge her awake.

Pinkie's blue eyes fluttered open and she stared in confusion. "Where?"

He sighed with relief. At least she's awake. "Twilight found us, we're just outside of the forest."

Pinkie nodded, her eyes were dim, and she glanced at the wound. "Guess it is pretty deep." She looked pleadingly up at Cheese. "Don't go."

Cheese leaned down, pressing his face to hers. "I'm not going anywhere."

Try as they may, they could not keep Pinkie Pie awake. The three ponies watched their friend anxiously, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. All of them were worried, but none more so than Cheese. After Pinkie fell asleep, Cheese refused to leave her side. A new incantation filled his mind as they waited. Please be okay Pinkie. Please be okay.

Healing

View Online

"Howdy Cheese." Applejack, Big Mac, and Applebloom walked into the sunlit hospital room. Cheese was lying in the corner by the window, reading a heavy book on construction. He looked up at the disturbance and smiled.

He gave a big yawn as he stood and walked over to them. "Hey guys. Thanks for coming." He eyed he basket of baked goods Applebloom was toting proudly, and the concerned smiles of Applejack and Big Mac. "She's still asleep."

Applejack glanced towards the hospital bed, curtains drawn. "That's okay. We just wanted ta let her know we're thinkin' 'bout her."

Pinkie certainly had an impact on the ponies of Ponyville. Ever since word got out of her injury, ponies had been streaming to the hospital room to drop off presents, cards, and get well wishes. The Apples had come every day for the whole week Pinkie had been hospitalized.

"How is she?" Applebloom looked expectantly up at Cheese, red tail swishing nervously.

"Better." Cheese sighed and looked over to the bed. "She's in a lot of pain, but the doctors say she'll be ready to leave the day after tomorrow."

"An yerself?" Applejack eyed the exhausted stallion with a raised eyebrow. His drooped tail and red eyes reflected his lack of sleep.

"I'm hanging in there. She still panics if I'm not by her side. The doctors say it's all the medicine making her delirious." Yawning again, he turned to Big Mac. "Thanks for letting Harvey know the situation."

"Eeeup." Big Mac put a hoof on Cheese's back. "Ya need anythin'?"

Cheese chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll be all right. Though I wouldn't say no to a muffin or two." Applebloom trotted over to him and offered a muffin to the stallion, then placed the basket on the large stack of gifts nestled by the bed stand.

"It's a might strange though." Applejack frowned with concentration, eyes darting from Cheese to the bed. "Why's she so bent on havin' you around? She's known us fer a lot longer than you."

Cheese flushed, remembering Pinkie's confession. So they noticed too. I ought to tell her, but it's Pinkie's choice as much as it's mine. As casually as he could, he shrugged. "No idea. Maybe 'cause we're both party ponies?"

Applejack's eyebrows raised in suspicion. "Right." She motioned for her siblings to follow her. "We'll be back real soon. Let Pinkie know we stopped by."

"Okay. I will." He watched as they left the room. Taking the muffin, he returned to his corner. Get better soon Pinkie.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Ughh. My side hurts! Pinkie blinked awake and started with surprise. She was lying in a hospital bed, IV's running to her legs and curtains drawn and open just a slit. From the moonlight streaming onto the sheets, it must be very late. Oh no. How long have I been out? With some effort, she managed to lift her hoof and reached unsuccessfully for the curtain. Urg, it feels so heavy! "Hello? Anypony there?"

No answer came, and she fell back against the pillow. Now what? It was so boring just resting by herself. Trying to go back to sleep seemed silly. I've been sleeping for so long! She gasped, mind racing. What if I've been asleep for years, and I've woken up in the future? Do they have ice cream in the future? Oooh I wonder if there are cyborg ponies? Her mind kept going off the track until she heard a door open. "Hello?"

Pinkie heard familiar hoof beats, and the curtain was drawn open. There in the moonlight stood Cheese, a muffin in his mouth and a construction manual in his hoof. He smiled brightly at her and set them down by the bedside table. "Pinkie? Thank Celestia you're awake."

"Oh Cheesie. How long have I been asleep? Days, weeks, months, years? Don't worry I can handle the truth. The robots have taken over haven't they?" She tried to sit up, but fell back to the bed.

Cheese rolled his emerald eyes at the mare. "Calm down Pinkie. You've only been out of it for a week." He carefully adjusted Pinkie's blankets and sighed. "You woke up a few times, but you probably don't remember."

"I have?" She closed her eyes, trying to recall the last few days. The last thing I remember was… Cheese's story once again flooded into her mind, and she cringed. For some reason, she found herself feeling very scared. "Say Cheesie, you okay?"

"Yeah I'm okay. Just a few scratches." Cheese had backed off to an unusually respectful distance, well out of reach of her touch.

Did I say something? "Say Cheese, why are you standing so far away?"

He flushed and chuckled. "Well, you may not remember, but every time you woke up, you went a little crazy."

Pinkie flushed a little herself. "Crazy?"

"Yeah. Well, the medicine was making you delirious. That's what the doctors said. You were rather obsessed with getting up."

She nodded knowingly. "That makes sense. Hospitals are no fun."

"You'd start to panic every time I wasn't around. The doctors couldn't get you to lie still unless I was right next to you." Cheese pawed nervously at the ground. "So, they asked me to stay in the hospital until you came to your senses."

"What?" Pinkie's blue eyes shone with surprise. She flushed even deeper now.

"It's no big deal." Cheese strode up to her, and leaned in close. "I promised I'd stay by you didn't I?"

Pinkie vaguely remembered asking Cheese to do that, but couldn't remember the specifics. Come to think of it, was I dreaming most of it? She gulped, remembering her confession in the hole. Did I dream that up too? "Say Cheese? What happened that night?"

"You don't remember." Cheese's face broke into a hurt expression that made Pinkie's heart ache.

"I do." She flinched at the thought of his story. "But it's kinda foggy after you told me about your past."

"Oh." So she doesn't remember that part? Should I tell her? No use hiding it from her anyway. He made his voice as gentle as he could. "You told me you loved me."

Pinkie's pink face was now entirely red. She smiled at the exhausted stallion. "He he. I do though."

Cheese gave a low, soft chuckle and rested his head against hers. "I do too."

She was too dumbstruck to speak as Cheese straightened up. "Guess I'll run for the doctor. He said to let him know if there's any change."

"Don't…don't go." Pinkie reached a hoof out to Cheese. "Please, not yet."

Cheese frowned at the mare. "Pinkie, you've got to get treated." I can't win, can I? "Fine, just for a little longer though. Okay?"

Cheese sighed, and pulled up a chair to the bedside. He took out his book, and began to read intently in the dim light. Pinkie watched in fascination. I never knew he was so interested in books. She giggled. "You're going to hurt your eyes reading in the dark silly."

"It'll be fine." Cheese flipped to the next page, eyes darting from line to line.

"Hmmm." Pinkie eyed the muffin hungrily. "Say, you don't have any more of those muffins do you?"

"Huh? Yeah." He stood up, walked to a corner of the room. Pinkie gasped. She had been so distracted by Cheese, she hadn't noticed the massive pile of presents stacked in the corner by the window. He came back, holding a basket of muffins in his mouth. "Here ya go. Applejack, Applebloom, and Big Mac dropped them off today."

"Oooh." Pinkie's eyes danced with excitement. The cakes were great with cupcakes, but nopony could beat the Apple family's muffins. She picked out a large apple cinnamon one and dove in. "So good!"

Cheese started on his own muffin. "Yeah they are. I didn't know they could bake so well."

Pinkie's mouth was stuffed with apple muffin goodness. "Uh huh." She swallowed, and grinned at Cheese. "Their muffins won the bake off for the picnic you know."

"They did?"

"Yup a doodles Cheesie." She grinned at the stallion, eyes flashing with joy. It felt so good to talk with him again. But still, he seemed distracted. "Everything okay Cheesie?"

"Yeah. I'm just tired." He yawned, and winked at her. "Somepony was making me worry."

Pinkie did not buy his casual attitude for a second. "You're not just tired. Is this about what you told me in the hole?"

Cheese flinched, and Pinkie knew she hit the nail on the head. He had turned his head away from her, avoiding her gaze. "Sorry. I'm really trying Pinkie, I am." Looking out at the peaceful night, he sighed. "I told Twilight I was going to turn myself around, and learn to control myself better. But I can't just change in a day."

Pinkie giggled and waved Cheese closer. Skeptically, he lowered his head to hers. "What's so funny?"

"Cheesie, you're so silly." She leaned in and nuzzled him on the muzzle.

He shot back flushing violently. "What? What’s that for?"

"You don't have to change in a day silly. Give it time, you'll learn how." Her face turned more serious, and her blue eyes stared piercingly into his own. "Though I'd be really, really sad if you hurt Twilight like that again."

Cheese gulped and lowered his head. "I understand."

Pinkie giggled once more. "I know you can do it Cheesie." A sharp pain radiated down her side, and she flinched. "Maybe you should get the doctor now?"

"Yeah." He made to move then paused, leaning in closer to Pinkie and nuzzled her cheek. "Thank's Pinkie."

Pinkie watched the stallion walk out of the hospital room. If she were not hurt, she would have leapt for joy. He loves me back!
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

So boring! Pinkie rolled on her large bed in her room, frustrated with herself and the world. She had been trapped in her room since her release from the hospital. Three days of rest had nearly driven her into insanity. She was far too active a pony to laze about all day. But the Cakes had taken the doctor's orders seriously, and banned her from entering the kitchen or leaving the house.

Pinkie's normally tidy room was in a state of abject disarray; papers strewn hither and yon, streamers draped across the bed, confetti littering the floor, and paint cans stacked against the wall. Despite the apparent chaos, Pinkie had used her time wisely and planned out all of the parities and events for the next two months. Now, nothing was left to do but wait. Wait to feel better, wait for her friends to visit, and wait for Cheese.

A knock at the door broke the monotony. "Come in!"

Mrs. Cake entered cautiously, a basket in her mouth. She looked at the chaos around her. "Pinkamina Pie, what in Equestria is this mess?"

"Sorry Mrs. Cake." Pinkie gave a weak smile. "I know I need to clean."

Mrs. Cake rolled her eyes and motioned to the door. "Come on then, we'll get those bandages off."

"Oh." She'd completely forgotten that today was the day. Walking as spritely as she dared, she followed Mrs. Cake to the bathroom. She hopped a little with excitement as Mrs. Cake started to cut off the bandages. They were really itchy, and it would be such a relief to be rid of them. "Thanks for the help Mrs. Cake."

"Anytime dear." Mrs. Cake dropped the last of the cloth on the ground and gave a sharp intake of breath.

"What's wrong?" Pinkie looked nervously at the blue mare who had gone very silent.

"Nothing dear, it's just-" She sighed, thinking on how best to explain it to Pinkie. "-did the doctors tell you about the scarring?"

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah they said I'd have a scar." She grinned back at the middle aged mare. "But it can't be so bad, can it? Can I see?"

Mrs. Cake clenched her teeth, and pointed to the large mirror they kept in the corner. Pinkie walked over to it, a little nervous now. She gasped, and stared for a while, trying to comprehend all she saw. There, on her left side, stretching from the top of her withers, over her chest, and to the middle of her belly, was a three inch wide scar. It was an angry red, and all the hair around it had been shaven down. "Oh."

Mrs. Cake walked up and placed a hoof on Pinkie's back. "It's okay dear. I'm sure it'll heal up till you forget all about it."

Pinkie gulped, and tried to smile. She did not know much about injuries, but it was obvious that it would be a scar for life. "Yeah."
Turning, she made her way out and to her room. "I'll just pick up my room now. Sorry for the mess."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hmmm." Harvey walked around the cabinet Cheese had constructed for the house, pondering. He knocked his hooves against the doors and sides, and felt the carvings. His stubbled face broke into a broad grin. "Excellent work Cheese. Truly a fine job."
Cheese breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Thank you sir." He smiled at the cabinet lying in the grass. The day was hot as usual, and the sun beat down on the glossy finish of the finely sanded wood. Around them construction was in full swing, and ponies crawled over the site like ants.

The job was nearly done, and Harvey was anxious to get the wood work finished up. Even now he watched nervously as a young stallion carried a crate full of supplies into the house. "Hey Brahm? When can we install these cabinets?"

The young stallion turned to Harvey. He was the older pony all over again, only about twenty five years younger. He rolled his amber eyes. "Relax Dad. We're just about ready."

Harvey frowned at his younger reflection. "You should have been finished with that tiling an hour ago. What's the hold up?"

Brahm glowered at his father. "Me an the boys are workin' as fast as we can."

"Well you're not on schedule. I not payin' you to laze about kid." Harvey's face grew serious and he glared back at Brahm. "We got ponies depending on us finishing on time. It's you're responsibility to get it done."

Brahm's ears laid back, and he shuffled uncomfortably. "Yes Dad. I'll get it done."

Harvey nodded and watched as the stallion scooped up the box and trotted into the house. He gave a good natured wink to Cheese. "Colts, eh? What you gonna do with 'em?"

Cheese could not help but stare at Harvey. He thought for certain the hard headed stallion would have screamed at Brahm. Harvey motioned for Cheese to follow, and they found a suitable shade tree. "Can't do nothin' till he's finished, so might as well rest."

"Yeah." Cheese sighed, watching the afternoon sun spread over the site. At first, he had been unsure about having a permanent job, but now he felt right at home in Ponyville. As if on cue, that familiar twitch came over him and he leapt up, accordion music playing once again. Stupid Cheesie sense!

"You okay?" Harvey was looking with concern at the lank stallion. "What was that?"

Cheese flushed crimson. "My Cheesie sense."

Harvey cocked his head in confusion. "You're what?"

"My Cheesie sense. It lets me know where parties are so I can travel to them." Cheese could not help but feel a sense of urgency after a Cheesie sense, try as he may to ignore it. He pranced in place, trying to settle the jittery sensation filling his body. "There's a big wedding party coming up in Armania."

"You know all that from a freaky twitch?"

"Yeah." The tingling finally ebbed, and he relaxed. Why won't it stop going off? "Sorry."

Harvey gave one of his booming laughs. "It's okay, just never seen a pony act quite that strange before." He looked over to the busy town and chuckled again. "Well except for your mare, she's nigh as crazy as you are."

"My mare?" Cheese felt his face grow hot and he looked toward the town too. My mare. Can I even call her that?

"Yup. Pinkie Pie and you make quite the pair." Harvey slapped Cheese on the back playfully. "Say, how's she doin' anyway?"

"I haven't seen her much since she got out of the hospital. But she seemed okay yesterday." Truth be told, Pinkie had been acting weird for days now. I hope it's not something I did.

Harvey stood up and gestured to the worksite. "Come on then scawny. We'll get these cabinets installed, then you can go spooning with your girl."

Cheese flushed crimson and jumped to his hooves. "We aren't spooning!" The older stallion chuckled the whole way back to the site.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie was laying in the shade of a large oak tree across from Rainbow Dash. Her friend had been keeping her company all day, and she could not be happier about it. They were playing a rousing game of Chutes and Ladders, though Rainbow was taking it a touch too seriously. "Nooo!" She threw her hooves to her head as she rolled the dice and her piece moved to the chute.

Pinkie giggled, rolled the dice, and moved her own piece up a ladder. "Rainbow, you're so silly."

"Argh! How do you keep winning?" Rainbow stared at Pinkie, trying to decipher her secret. She lifted Pinkie's hoof, checking for wires.
"You want to play a different game?"

Pinkie grinned and made to stand. Then winced and fell back to the ground. Rainbow looked over her friend with concern. "You sit still. I'll pick it up." She swept up the board into the box, frowning. Despite her best efforts, Rainbow could not help but stare at the massive scar on Pinkie's side.

Pinkie flushed, and subconsciously tried to cover the scar with her mane, but it was not long enough. She looked at the ground. "Say Rainbow, you had fun today right?"

"Yeah. It was awesome." She flew over to the mare, and lifted Pinkie's head with her hoof. "It's never boring playing with my friends."
Pinkie smiled, but did not feel much better. "I've just been feeling super useless. I can't make anypony smile while I'm sick."

"Naw, you made me smile today didn't ya? You'll be back to your old tricks in no time." Rainbow puffed her chest out confidently, and pointed to the bustling town around them. "No pony in all of Ponyville is as cheerful as you. Nopony."

Pinkie giggled, and made to respond, when she saw a familiar shape coming close. "Cheesie! There you are." Her tail swished with excitement and she beamed up at the stallion.

"Here I am." Cheese chuckled, smiling brightly under his hard hat and safety vest. He turned to Rainbow with a smile. "Hey Rainbow, how's it going?"

"Great. Just great." Rainbow enjoyed Cheese, especially his positive attitude that mimicked Pinkie's so well. Still, he had been spending an awful lot of time with the mare. She's my friend too you know!

Cheese lifted the hat off, brown curls springing back to their default setting. "I had a good day too. I finally got to install my cabinets."

Rainbow rolled her eyes and gave a sarcastic smirk. "Yeah, that's so thrilling."

"Oooh. It is, how'd they turn out Cheesie?" Pinkie was staring as intently at Cheesie as though he were telling about alligator wrestling instead of carpentry.

Cheese puffed his chest out. "Great! Harvey said they were really well done."

"Uggh. Way too boring if you ask me!" Rainbow stuck out her tongue and mimed gagging. She glanced over at Pinkie as the pink mare chatted to Cheese about the cabinets. What's she got to be so excited for? The pair were deep in conversation, and Rainbow was beginning to feel like awkward. "So, I guess I'll be going now."

Pinkie looked up and frowned. "So soon Rainbow?"

"Yeah, I've got stuff to do." Rainbow gave an ugly scowl at Cheese before she dashed off. Stupid stallion! What's he getting all buddy buddy with Pinkie for?

Cheese watched the pegasus fly off with interest. "Well that was strange. She mad at me for something?"

Pinkie shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe she doesn't like cabinets?" She patted the grass next to her. "Come on and relax Cheesie."

"All right." As they conversed, Cheese began to notice how strange Pinkie was acting. Whenever some pony would pass by the road, she would turn her head, lower her neck, and avoid eye contact with them. What the? "Pinkie Pie, what's wrong?"

"Oh nothing." She rolled her eyes a little too casually.

"Yes it is something. Why aren't you greeting ponies like normal?" He leaned closer, looking into her eyes with concern and warm breath mixing with hers. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah…" Pinkie tried to avoid looking into Cheese's eyes. Eventually, the desire to look at him overwhelmed her, and turned to face the stallion. "It's just, the scar."

"Oh." Cheese glanced down at the long gash and winced. It looked terribly painful, and he wished more than anything to be able to help Pinkie out. "Don't worry about it."

"I can't help but worry Cheesie." Pinkie's eyes misted over, and she tried buried her head in her hooves. "How am I going to make ponies smile if I'm so scary looking?"

Cheese laughed. "You aren't scary looking Pinkie."

She moaned under her hooves. "Yes I am."

Leaning forward, Cheese lifted Pinkie's head. He stared intently into her blue eyes. "You are the most beautiful mare I've ever met. With or without that scar. You have no reason to call yourself scary." He leaned in, and gave Pinkie a long kiss right on the muzzle.

Pinkie closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of Cheese's muzzle pressed to hers. She wanted it to last forever, but it soon ended. She smiled, her eyes very soft and pressed her head close to his. "I love you."

Cheese held the mare close. "I love you too."

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A soft summer breeze blew playfully across the hill where the four mares rested. They had set out a large checkered blanket, piled high with goodies of all varieties. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy reclined on the blanket, laughing away while Rainbow Dash fluttered back and forth above them. Rarity rolled her eyes at Rainbow. "Darling, they'll be here soon. Do sit down and have some tea."

Rainbow groaned and flew to the ground. "But we were supposed to start an hour ago! Pinkie and Twilight are never late."

The words were scarcely out of the pegasus' mouth, when a purple figure flew into view and landed in front of the group. "Hey girls. Sorry I'm so late."

Rainbow walked up to the alicorn. "Twilight. Where were you? And where's Pinkie Pie?"

Twilight sighed, settling herself down beside the others. "She told me she's not coming."

The four mares chimed up in unison. "What?"

Rarity was so flabbergasted, she nearly dropped her tea. "But, these little outings of ours were Pinkie Pie's idea. She'd never miss one."

Applejack jerked her head in a decided nod. "Darn right. She right near exploded with excitement yesterday when I mentioned the picnic."

Twilight took a slice of bread, busying herself with the jam. "I know it's weird, but she came this morning and said she couldn't make it and that she'd hang out with us tomorrow."

Rainbow held her hooves out in exasperation. "What in all of Equestria could be so important that she'd miss our picnic?"

"She said she was going to help Cheese throw a party in Breywater. Since it's an easy day trip, and on the train line, they figured they would leave and be back in the evening."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Rainbow's teal coat was turning a nasty shade of red. "You mean to say that she's skipping out on our day together to hang out with Cheese?"

Applejack frowned. "We haven't got together since before she got hurt. Today was supposed ta be special. For her ta miss it…it aint right ya know?"

Twilight nodded thoughtfully. "I agree. But, when Pinkie's set her mind to something, it's nearly impossible to change it."

Rarity huffed, pouring some more tea. "I don't see why she needs to spend so much time with him. She owes us some quality time too. Perhaps we might ask her to reevaluate?"

"Yeah. I'll knock some sense in her." Rainbow held up her hoof confidently, and started to fly off towards Ponyville. Everypony was surprised when Fluttershy flew quickly up to Rainbow and held her tail back. "Fluttershy? Let go!"

"No." She looked nervously at her friends, dropping Rainbow's tail. "You're wrong. Pinkie isn't trying to ignore us." She landed carefully to the grass, eyes pleading. "Pinkie loves us, and I'm sure she wants to spend time with us too."

"So why she so focused on Cheese then?" Rainbow glowered at the nervous pegasus.

"She uh…" Fluttershy covered her face with her wings. Why me?

Rarity stood to join Rainbow Dash. "Yes darling, we'd love to hear if you know."

Fluttershy began to cower in front of the group of mares. Oh don't stare! "I promised not to tell."

"Tell what?" Twilight looked at Fluttershy with concern.

Oooh I hate secrets! Still I Pinkie promised I wouldn't tell, and I won't. She stood up as straight as she dared. "Ask her yourself."

"Oh come on!" Rainbow glowered at the shy mare.

"Rainbow." Twilight turned a serious face to the pegasus. "She doesn't have to tell us if she doesn't want to." She motioned to the picnic. "Let's all just calm down and enjoy the day. Pinkie said she'd spend some time with us tomorrow. So, let's ask her then. Okay?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie had loved trains since she first set hoof on one as a filly. The wheels rolling down the track, the cheerful ponies in the compartments, and the companionship of a friend were all she could ask for when traveling. Today was certainly no exception. She hopped up and down with excitement on the couch next to Cheese. "Oooh I can't wait until we get there! It's going to be so fun."

"Mm hmmm." Cheese was engrossed in yet another construction manual, eyes darting from line to line.

Pinkie giggled. "Do you always read so much before a party?"

He shrugged and flipped a page. "No, normally I plan out the party."

She pressed her side against his, feeling the stallion's steady breaths. "Why aren't you planning now?"

Cheese chuckled. "Because you're with me silly. Between the two of us, we'll have no trouble giving them the best party ever."

Pinkie giggled herself, and nuzzled him on the cheek. Cheese lay down the book, and nuzzled her back. Her sweet smell was intoxicating. It had been two weeks since Pinkie had been released from the hospital, and the pieces seemed to be falling into place between them. Everything about their relationship felt so natural, he never thought he could be so happy.

"What's it about anyway?" Pinkie pointed to the heavy volume.

"Oh, just some ways to finish off the molding on houses. It's got some great techniques-" Cheese paused. "-say, I just remembered."

"Remembered what?"

"Harvey's given me an offer." He beamed back at Pinkie. "He wants to hire me full time as an under carpenter."

"What?" Pinkie's blue eyes danced with excitement. "That's wonderful Cheesie! That means you can stay in Ponyville." She gave him a big hug, turning his sandy cheeks red.

"Yeah. I think I'll accept." He smiled at the thought of living in Ponyville permanently. He gave a quick glance at the now very excited mare. As long as I'm by her side, I don't care where I am. "Say, don't you think it's about time?"

"Time for what?" Pinkie nudged him playfully in the shoulder.

"To tell the others about-" He gulped. "-about us."

"Oh, that." Pinkie's face went scarlet and she started to play with her mane nervously. "But what should we say?" She stared questioningly into his emerald eyes. "Are we a couple?"

Cheese contemplated the question, trying to make sense of it himself. Of course he wanted to be by Pinkie, to hold her close. But that could not be all there was to being a couple. Still, it seemed stupid to deny themselves the label. He grinned back at Pinkie. "Yeah. I guess we are. That is, if you want to be?"

"Of course I do silly!" Pinkie snuggled closer to Cheese's side, savoring the feeling of his coat against hers. "I want it more than anything."

"All right." He chuckled, prying the mare off of him. "But that means we have to tell the others. Okay?"

"Mmkay."
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

"Good morning Gummy." Pinkie jumped out of bed, trotting over to her pet alligator. The little creature blinked a greeting, and she gave him a quick hug. She turned to the room around her, now clean and organized. Morning sunlight streamed in through the window and danced across her pink bed covers. Trotting over to her mirror, she adjusted her mane into a loose bun.

Pinkie stared turned her attention to the scar. The hair was just starting to grow back around the gash, and she had to admit it looked better than last week. It would never go away, but she was slowly adjusting to having it there. She puffed her chest out and grinned at her reflection. "Looking good girl."

She trotted down the stairs, humming a silly tune from the party last night. The day had been so fun, and by the end of the party, everypony in Breywater had a smile on their face. And to top it off, she was planning on spending the rest of the day with her friends. "Good morning Mrs. Cake, Mr. Cake, Pumpkin Cake, Pound Cake."

Mr. Cake looked up from his newspaper. "Morning Pinkie. My, you're in a good mood today."

"Uh huh. I had the best day ever yesterday, and today's going to be just as good." Pinkie trotted over to Mrs. Cake, helping with the toast. She gave a knowing wink to the middle aged mare before she took her place at the table. After breakfast, Pinkie played with the twins while Mrs. And Mr. Cake started the morning baking.

The twins were fun, but they had reached a mischievous age where they were strong enough to explore on their own but still young enough to hurt themselves. Today they were exploring her tail. "Ouch! Pumpkin Cake that hurt!" The little foal was biting hard onto her pink curls. She pulled her tail out of reach, and attempted to direct her attention to the teething ring.

Mr. Cake chuckled. "Sorry about that. She really likes to explore with her mouth."

"Yeah. He he." Pinkie turned back to the foals, when she heard a knock at the back door. "I'll get it!"

Twilight stood, a smile stretching across her face. "Ready to go Pinkie?"

"Yeah. Just let me tell the Cakes." Pinkie poked her head into the bakery. "I'm off."

Mrs. Cake beamed at the mare. "Take care and have fun."

"I will." Pinkie hopped out the door, following Twilight to down the road. The day was already hot, and ponies were getting ready for the heat wave. She loved the early morning hustle and bustle of the town and found herself humming with good cheer. "Say, Twilight?"

"Yes?" Twilight turned her attention from the town to her friend.

"Sorry about yesterday. I really was looking forward to the picnic." She gave Twilight a big hug. "But, it's been so long since I've gotten to plan a party away from Ponyville." Pinkie turned her head, flushing a little. "And the first time I've gotten to travel with Cheese."

"Oh, that's all right, Pinkie." Twilight did not want to admit it, but she had been nervous about leaving Pinkie alone with Cheese ever since that night in the library. Something told her that, despite his desire to change, it would not come easily for the stallion. Besides… Twilight glanced at Pinkie's scar. How do we know it wasn't him who hurt Pinkie in that hole? In any case, I'll have to be careful with my words. Twilight walked closer to Pinkie, looking into her friends eyes. "Pinkie, do you remember what I told you in the library? You know, about being careful around Cheese?"

Pinkie stopped prancing, and slowed to a walk. What's that all about? Cheese apologized didn't he? "Yeah."

Twilight decided to press a little harder. "Don't you think going off with him for a whole day was a little reckless?"

"No." Pinkie stamped her hoof in such a decided fashion that Twilight nearly gasped. She turned to Twilight, eyes flashing with a touch of anger. "Cheese isn't going to hurt me and he isn't going to hurt you. He apologized, so leave him alone!"

Twilight raised a hoof, trying to think of a response. What is wrong with her? She found her own temper flaring now. "Did you at least ask him why he went crazy in the first place?"

"I did!" Pinkie's face was red with anger now, and they were starting to draw an audience. Pinkie remembered Cheese's story, and found her stomach churning. What does Twilight know anyway? "He's got a perfectly good explanation, so why don't you ask him yourself?" She turned sharply and galloped down the road.

Twilight groaned in frustration. Now what?

Pinkie did not know where she was headed, but when she looked up, she was standing in Cheese's meadow. She looked at the small brown tent and the trees in the back lining the creek, scanning for the stallion. "Cheesie?"

There was no response, but she thought she heard a splash. Trotting over to the creek, she observed Cheese prancing in the creek like a young colt. He was laughing and jumping from rock to rock as two otters splashed around him. Snorting playfully, he leapt into the chest deep water, blowing bubbles at the sleek creatures. They swam around him, playing tag with his hooves.

Pinkie could not help but burst out laughing at the ridiculous scene in front of her. Cheese whirled his soaked head in her direction and started, slipping completely into the water with a thud. "Ouch. Pinkie? What are you doing here?"

Pinkie kept laughing and trotted up to the stallion, offering her hoof. "Sorry. I guess my hooves kind of took me here." She gestured to the two otters who had swam off at her presence. "Do you play with them a lot?"

"Yeah. I guess." Cheese stood and went to the bank, shaking his coat off. "Say, you didn't answer my question. Why aren't you with Twilight and the others?"

Pinkie turned her face away, pretending to take great interest in the otters. Cheese nudged her with a hoof. "What's wrong Pinkie?"

The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. "I kinda got into a fight with Twilight."

"You what?" Of all the things that could be bothering her, this was the least likely. "But you were so happy to be spending the day with them. What happened?"

"I don't know. I just-" She turned to Cheese, blue eyes sparkling. "-Twilight said that I should be careful around you. She keeps treating you like a common criminal. I just got mad, and I shouted at her."

Cheese sighed. So it is my fault. "Pinkie, we can't force or expect Twilight to trust me right away. Not after-" He gulped. "-not after how I treated her."

"But you didn't mean it!" Pinkie's eyes were filling with tears and she hugged Cheese tightly, sobbing into his mane. "It's not your fault."

"Pinkie it is my fault. That's my point." Cheese stroked her back with his hoof. "I let myself act that way, nopony was forcing me." Pinkie kept crying, and he wished he could offer some better comfort. "I'm working on it like I told you, like we agreed upon, but it's going to take time. Remember what you told me? Give it time Pinkie."

Pinkie slowly stopped crying, and broke away. "Sorry." She shuffled the dirt uncomfortably. "I ruined your fun and made you sad."
Cheese chuckled. "You didn't ruin anything. But, since you're here why don't we have a drink and relax? Then you can apologize to Twilight."

Pinkie sighed and smiled playfully at Cheese. "Seems like we're doing a lot of apologizing lately." She trotted over to a shady spot, and waited as he brought some cider out. It was very sweet, but very warm. "Ick. It's hot."

"Sorry." He chuckled softly as he settled himself down by her side. "I don't exactly have a refrigerator."

Pinkie glanced at the tent, and flushed. Ooops I forgot. "Say Cheesie, you aren't going to live in that tent forever are you? Winter will be coming you know."

"What? You don't like my Canterlot suite?"

Pinkie snorted, blowing bubbles in her cider. "If that's a Canterlot suite, I live in a castle!"

Cheese nuzzled her neck and sighed contentedly. "No, I'm thinking of asking to board at Brahm's place for a while."

"Harvey's son?" Pinkie's eyes went wide. "He's so-" She tried to think of a way to describe the slick tongued, heavy drinking stallion but could not.

"Yeah well, at least he's a good guy. Even if his stories are terrible, especially when he's drunk." He took another sip of his decidedly nonalcoholic cider.

Pinkie giggled, and drank another swig of the cider. She looked at road, sun shining hard upon the dirt. The weather was perfect for a get together, and she longed to be playing with her friends. "I guess I'd better get going." She stood, smiling at Cheese. "Thanks Cheesie."

"Sure." He stood and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Need me to walk you there?"

How did he know? She nodded and they set off together. Cheese was whistling a cheery tune, and before long she had joined in. Traveling with Cheese was fun, and his very presence soothed her nerves. Finally, they arrived by the swimming hole where the others were waiting. Cheese stood back and whispered, "Good luck."

Pinkie leapt on top of Twilight, giving her a bone crushing hug. "Sorry, Twilight."

Twilight chuckled and returned the gesture. "That's okay Pinkie. Sorry I spoke to you like that."

Rarity beamed at Pinkie. "We're just glad you made it darling."

"Yeah." Rainbow Dash flew down, looking up the road and spotting Cheese walking away. She did not know why, but her stomach clenched at the sight. "So you were hanging out with him again I see."

Pinkie was startled by Rainbow's sudden hostility. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know." Rainbow's voice took on an icy tone. "Just that you seem a lot more interested in spending time with Cheese than your real friends."

"Rainbow." Twilight's eyes flashed nervously from the two mares. Rainbow Dash was being rude, but she had a point. She took a deep breath and placed a hoof on Pinkie's back. "Pinkie, I think you owe us an explanation."

"Yeah." Applejack joined the circle, tapping her hoof impatiently. "We'd all like ta know what's goin' on between you an him."

Pinkie flushed, pawing the sandy bank nervously. "Well, you see-" Relax, they aren't going to hate you Pinkie. Just tell the truth. "-It's because we like each other. More than friends, like-" She gulped, "-like a mare likes a stallion kind of like. We've decided to start dating actually."

Every one of the mares gaped at Pinkie. Even Fluttershy was taken aback by Pinkie's exclamation. Rainbow leapt into the air, hooves out in frustration, "You can't be serious!"

"I am." Pinkie looked nervously around at her friends. "It's nothing to get so worried about."

Rarity looked as though she were frozen in place, opening and closing her mouth like a fish. Finally, she found words. "Darling, it's not that we're worried. It's just so sudden!"

"Yes." Fluttershy flew down, and smiled at her friend. "I thought you'd take it slower."

"Well, we agreed we felt the same way. So, we're giving it a try."

Rainbow Dash's teal face was red with frustration and anger. "And you didn't ask us first?"

Pinkie frowned up at her. "I don't need your permission to date somepony Rainbow." She huffed, standing tall. "And I don't see why it matters. We're still friends. Aren't we?"

"Yeah, I guess." Rainbow deflated, lowering to the ground. "But don't blame me when you break up."

Pinkie rolled her eyes. "We aren't going to break up."

"Whatever."

That seemed to settle the matter between them, and they went to the swimming hole. Despite Pinkie's concerns, they managed to have a great time swimming together. Still, she could not stop the nagging suspicion her friends might not accept her relationship with Cheese as easily as they appeared to.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Crickets chirped in the cool evening air, mingling with the sounds of the frogs in the creek. Cheese loved the evenings in Ponyville, but he had far too much of them lately. One again he had woken up drenched in sweat, shaking from head to hoof from yet another nightmare. Ever since that night in the hole, they had only intensified to the point they were nearly unbearable. It always came back to that horrid box.

He tried to stand, and fell back down exhausted. Days of poor sleep were taking their toll. He clutched Boneless 2 close, trying to think of happy thoughts. The dark memories flooded back, threatening to engulf his senses. His father's face drifted to the surface, screaming at him once more. Leave me alone, you can't hurt me. Then, miraculously, the face shrunk back, turning into a familiar pink mare. She giggled and beamed back at him. Thanks Pinkie. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.

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The sweet aroma of cupcakes drifted lazily across the warm bakery. Pinkie loved the early morning baking rush, and today was no exception. She bounced across the room carrying a tray of chocolate cupcakes fresh out of the oven. Spinning them expertly on the counter, she walked over to Mrs. Cake and started to help decorate the cooled ones. "Oooh. I love the sprinkles Mrs. Cake." Pinkie gestured to the yellow flower shaped sprinkles covering the white icing.

"Do you? I'm glad. We just got in a whole box of them." The heavyset mare beamed at Pinkie as she finished up icing the cakes. "Did you have fun yesterday?"

"Yup a doodles. We played in the water for hours!"

"And what about your day with Cheese?" Mrs. Cake smirked knowingly at her.

Pinkie flushed, and started to decorate more determinately. "It went really well. The best." She watched as her mentor handed the finished cakes to her husband and walked back. "Say, Mrs. Cake?"

She turned her round face towards the now shy looking mare. "Yes dear?"

"You said I could ask you advice about-" She gulped, suddenly feeling very nervous. "-about stallions, and dating."

"Of course. Ask me anything Pinkie."

Pinkie never felt so awkward. She took a deep breath. "Well, you see Saturday, when I was with Cheese, we decided to start dating."

She gave Pinkie a big hug. "Oh I'm so glad for you two!" She rubbed the mare's mane affectionately. "That's wonderful news Pinkie."

Pinkie was a little taken aback. "You're not upset?"

"Pinkie, why in Equestria would I be upset about you dating? My, my it's about time you two started up." She poked her head in the front of the shop, beaming brightly. "Did you hear that dear?"

"I sure did." Mr. Cake totted into the bakery giving Pinkie a pat on the back. "Good for you Pinkie. Ah, to be courting again. Eh dear?" The couple laughed together, then split back up for work.

"But, Mrs. Cake." Pinkie looked worriedly into the mare's eyes. "I don't know how to date. What do I do?"

She ruffled Pinkie's mane affectionately. "Dear, you don't have to do anything. Just go on being yourself."

"But, isn't there some kind of rules?" Pinkie looked so serious, Mrs. Cake could not help but burst out laughing.

"Pinkamena Pie, there are no rules to dating. My, you sound like Mr. Cake the first time we started. All you can do is be yourself, and the same goes for him." She handed Pinkie a tray of cupcakes. "Don't worry yourself."

"Okey dokey then." Pinkie smiled and took the tray. Just be myself, got it.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie, don't you think there's too many balloons?" Cheese turned to the mare resting beside him in the late afternoon shade, and pointed at the drawing between her hooves. The entire page seemed to be filled with balloons and streamers of various colors.

"Don't be silly, Cheesie, there are never too many balloons." Pinkie puffed her chest out confidently, and gestured to the park gazebo in front of them. "Why even the gazebo could use some balloons. It'd make everything so cheery."

Cheese rolled his eyes. "Pinkie, not everypony wants balloons plastered everywhere. Put too many out and it looks, lame."

Pinkie gasped and knocked him playfully on the head with her hoof. "Take that back mister."

He gave a defiant smile and turned his head. "Nope. We're planning Spike's birthday party, so it needs to be cooler and less girly."

Pinkie snorted with laughter, rolling in the cool grass. "Cooler? Who are you, Rainbow Dash?"

Cheese chuckled and joined the mare, laughing and rolling around, before pinning her down. He leaned in, and nuzzled her on the cheek. "Fine, put as many balloons as you want."

"Okey dokey." Pinkie nuzzled him back, and sat upright. She looked at the darkening sky with a frown. "It's not fair that we have to work all day. We hardly get to see each other."

Cheese chuckled, resting his head on Pinkie's back. "Yeah. But, it's not like I'm going anywhere."

Pinkie grinned and lay still. She liked feeling Cheese's touch, and was happy to just savor the moment. That was until three fillies broke it.

"Eeewe. Lovebirds." Scootaloo pulled up on her scooter, Applebloom and Sweetie Bell were on roller skates, holding onto ropes trailing behind it. They jumped off, and stared at the pair.

Cheese lifted his head and smiled at the trio. "Hello fillies. Do you need something?" Pinkie was too embarrassed to speak and pretended to be interested in a pair of butterflies near the fountain.

Sweetie Belle's eyes darted from Pinkie to Cheese. "Yeah-"

"-So it's true!" Applebloom interjected, starting thunderstruck at the pair. "-Yer datin'? I thought Applejack was tryin' ta trick me. But she was tellin' the truth."

"What?" Sweetie gaped at them with renewed interest. "Are you really?"

Cheese nodded, placing a hoof on the quivering mare's back. "Yup a doodles fillies. Isn't that right Pinkie?"

"Yeah." Pinkie turned to the mares, her face the color of Applebloom's mane. "We are."

Scootaloo snickered. "See I told you!"

Sweetie Belle sighed and turned to her friends. "We didn't come here to tease them girls. Remember?"

"Oh, right." Scootaloo trotted over to Cheese. "Say, Cheese. We've got a big school play coming up. Normally Big Mac helps us out, but he's too busy at the farm. So-"

"-so can you help us make a set?" Applebloom pranced up to the stallion, eyes shining with anticipation. "Seein' as how yer so handy an all."

Cheese chuckled at the thought of being called "handy," by a bunch of fillies. "Sure. I'd be happy to."

"Yes!" The fillies held each other in a big hug. Scootaloo smiled at them. "Thanks! It's going to be so much cooler with your help."

He waved as they set off down the path. Sighing, he turned to Pinkie. "Sorry about that."

"No worries." Pinkie snuggled up closer to him. "But that means we'll have even less time together."

"What? You going to have me turn away three cute fillies in need?" He laughed and Pinkie joined in. It did his very soul good to have her around.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Big Mac pulled the heavily laden wagon down one of the orchard's side roads in the midday heat. Some way ta spend a Saturday. He stepped out of the shaft and walked around to see what was wrong with the wheels. Frowning, he examined each in turn, but no luck. Must have loaded it too heavy. Darn, I got ta get this ta the next field.

He sighed, staring up at the achingly blue sky, heart heavy. Never had Big Mac been so unsure of himself. Sure wish an answer come down an find me. As if in reply, he looked up to see Cheese Sandwich galloping towards him. Well, not the answer I was hopin' fer. Guess beggars can't be choosers.

"Hey Big Mac!" Cheese skidded to a halt in front of the burly stallion, green eyes flashing with excitement. "How are ya?"

"Okay, I guess." Big Mac shuffled the dirt uncomfortably. His last conversation with the stallion had not ended well. It's all my fault fer asking 'bout his family. It surprised him to see Cheese beaming warmly at him. "Aint you supposed ta be helpin' with the play props?"

"Already done. It was an easy job." He bounced up and down, quite like his marefriend. The resemblance was a little uncanny. "Since I finished early, Cheerilee asked if I could come help you out. Of course I said yes."

Big Mac dropped the piece of straw held permanently in his mouth. "She what?"

"She was worried about you working too hard. So she asked me if I could come and give you a hoof." He stopped his bouncing, looking at Big Mac with concern. "You okay? It's not good to work so hard by yourself. You could get hurt."

"I'm used ta it." Big Mac watched the stallion pace around the wagon and step into the shaft. "What are ya doin? Ya ain't strong enough ta move that."

"At least let me try. I'm stronger than I look."

He rolled his green eyes, sighing. I do need a break. "Fine but you push from the back. I'll pull."

"Okay." Cheese happily pranced to the back of the wagon, and started to push.

Big Mac was surprised to feel how much easier it was to pull the wagon. He smiled at the lank stallion. Guess he's gettin' stronger after all. Together, they moved the heavy wagon all the way into the grassy field. They stood panting for a few minutes. Cheese walked over to the bed and peered inside. "What's all this?"

"Just some supplies." The big stallion pulled out a jug of cider and took a long gulp.

Cheese stared questioningly at Big Mac. "What do you need so much wood for anyway? And nails? You've already got a fence."

"It ain't yer business why." Big Mac found his face feeling very hot, and he looked around at the grassy field. It was in the farthest corner of the farm, separated from the orchard, and had remained untouched since the land was purchased. He watched Cheese trotting around the field, exploring. How's he got so much energy left? "Say, if yer just gonna prance around like some filly, ya mind givin' me a hoof?"

"Sure." Cheese helped Big Mac unload the heavy cart. Long planks of wood, boxes of nails, hinges, a saw, and several hammers were lifted onto the ground. He so wanted to ask his friend what in Equestria he was building, but thought better of it.

Big Mac did a quick inventory, then pulled out a long scroll of parchment from his saddlebags. He glanced at the sun. Still plenty of daylight. Be a shame ta waste his help. Guess it wouldn't hurt ta tell him. "Say Cheese, can ya keep a secret?"

"Sure I can." Cheese trotted over to his friend. "What's up?"

Big Mac sighed and rolled out the parchment. Cheese leaned in and stared at the plan. "Wow. Did you design that yourself?"

"Eeeup." Big Mac stared at the detailed drawing he had been working on for months. It was a blueprint of a small, one story house, complete with porch, kitchen, living area, and bedroom.

"I love it. All the details, the fixtures, it's all here." He stared at his friend, grinning broadly. It would be a challenge, but the end result would be worth it. The only question remaining was why. "Big Mac, why do you need to build a house? You live with your family on the farm."

Big Mac flushed crimson. I thought he'd understand, bein' a loner. "I love my family an all, but I got ta strike it on my own sometime." He looked at Cheese's cutie mark. "Listen, yer a travlin' pony, I ya been free ta see the world fer years now."

Cheese snorted a laugh. "It's not all it's cracked up to be Big Mac."

"I know. An that's why I ain't leavin' Ponyville. Just-" He took a deep breath, "-I gotta live my own life ya know?"

Cheese had to admit, he did not sympathize with the stallion. Ever since he left Manehattan, he never hesitated to live his own life, not once. Even now, staying in Ponyville, working as an under carpenter, and even dating Pinkie were all his own choices. "I guess I can't relate. Sorry."

"It's okay." Big Mac stared up into the sunny sky. "It's just ever since my folks left-" He gulped, trying to push back the memory. "-I've been lookin' out fer the rest of my family. It's always been that way, an I don't even mind so much. Just, I feel it's time ta start thinkin' 'bout my own future."

Cheese nodded. "You're right. But is your family going to be okay with you moving out?"

"Eeeup. It's not like I'll be far away. I'll come an help out on the farm in the mornin's and go home in the evenin's." He smiled at the pile of wood they had brought. "Plus, Granny's already given me her blessin'. I'm ready."

Cheese puffed out his chest confidently. "All right. I'll be happy to help if you'll have me."

"I'd appreciate it, a lot. But wouldn't ya rather spend time with Pinkie?"

Cheese flushed and pawed the ground. "Oh, we'll make time to spend together. Besides, I'll help you out on the weekends, and I can spend time with Pinkie after work. How's that sound?"

"Sounds great." Big Mac ruffled the younger stallion's mane affectionately. "Yer like a little brother ta me. Ya know that?"

"What? Really?" He gave Big Mac a quick jab in the shoulder, chuckling. "I've never had a brother before. But, it sounds nice."

"Eeeup."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Cheesie! Were you listening?"

"Sorry. Sorry." Once again Cheese and Pinkie were resting under the tree in the park. This time however, he was not so focused on the mare. His eyes felt heavy, and all he wanted to do was sleep. But, they had a party to plan, and he was not about to let Pinkie down. He reverted his attention to the drawing in front of them. "Looks good."

"I wasn't asking about the plan silly. I was asking about the invitations. Did you send them off?" Pinkie's blue eyes were staring piercingly into his own, making him rather uncomfortable.

Cheese rubbed his eyes, trying to focus. "Yeah. I brought them to the post office yesterday."

"Okey dokey then. Now we need to figure out how much cake I have to make." Pinkie turned to the stallion, sighing. Why isn't he paying attention? He's been like this for days now. I hope he's okay. "Focus Cheesie!"

"Huh? Sorry, sorry." He sighed and lay his head on Pinkie's withers. "I'm just so sleepy."

Pinkie giggled. "Why?"

"You don't live with Brahm." Cheese moaned, his head still hurt from the raucous get together his roommate had thrown the night before. "I don't much care for his brand of parties."

She snorted, trying to imagine a party thrown by Brahm. "Was it loud?"

"Ughh. You have no idea!" Cheese closed his eyes, savoring the bubblegum smell permanently attached to her flouncy mane. Somehow, it always relaxed him.

Pinkie giggled, and watched the fountain absent mindedly. "How's the super-secret project with Big Mac going?"

"Good. We should be done by the end of fall." If I last that long…

"So long?" Pinkie had thought of all kinds of projects the two could be doing, but she never thought it would take so long. It's not fair! I want to spend time with Cheesie too. For the past three weeks, the only time they had to themselves was just after work and before supper on week days. The Cakes were always so strict about her being home in time for dinner, and she could not blame them. She was their only foalsitter and by the end of the day, they needed a break.

"Yeah. It's not good." Despite his best efforts, he found himself drifting off again. He and Harvey had worked hard all day in the scorching heat to finish the porch on the house they were constructing. Though he loved hard work, his stamina would never be as good as the heavy built stallion. Add to the fact he was helping Big Mac on the weekends, it made sense that he was tired. "Just want a day to rest."

Pinkie nodded in agreement. "I know the feeling. The bakery's had so much business, everypony wants special cakes and cookies made, it's getting crazy. And the twins are so hard to watch, always getting into trouble the second my back is turned."

Cheese started to chuckle, then burst out laughing. Pinkie stared at him confused. "Cheesie? What's so funny?"

"Geeze, we sound like an old married couple!" He rolled on the grass clutching his sides. "Next think you know we'll be sitting in front of Town Hall discussing the weather."

Pinkie joined in, laughing harder than she had in a while. She snorted with glee, and nuzzled Cheese softly. "At least we have each other."

"Yeah. We sure do." They lay in the cool grass, watching the sun fall into the horizon. Sighing, Pinkie stood up. Cheese stood to join her. "Going back to the Corner?"

"Yeah." She smiled playfully at Cheese. "Walk me home?"

He smiled back, making a little bow. "It would be my pleasure."

They laughed together the whole way back, discussing the upcoming parties and events. Admittedly, there were not many, but at this point they would take what they could get. Pinkie felt her heart grow heavy when she reached the door. Time always went way too fast whenever she was with him. "Well, guess this is it."

"Yeah." Cheese sighed, wishing they could talk longer. Pinkie's azure eyes shone beautifully in the moonlight. He leaned forward and gave her a long kiss on the muzzle. "Night. Love you."

Pinkie gave him a hug, and a kiss of her own. "You too."

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"Say Cheese, you goin' ta help with Big Mac's house again?" Brahm frowned at Cheese through the stubble on his face. He was leaning casually in the doorway, blocking his roommate from leaving the small house.

Cheese rolled his eyes, shoving the larger stallion out of the way. "Yes, every Saturday and Sunday. You know that."

Brahm held his hoof out and pushed the lank stallion back. Cheese pinned his ears. "Ooof. What'da do that for?"

The familiar booming laugh reverberated from the stallion's ruddy brown chest into the morning air. "You're not goin' anywhere Cheese." He dropped his hoof, trotting to a corner of the living room, pulling out his construction box. "Not without me that is."

Cheese could only gawk at Brahm. If the good natured stallion had a fault besides his drinking, it was his lazy nature. "You mean you want to help?"

"Course I do. Big Mac ain't a real good friend of mine, but we went ta school together. Be a cryin' shame if I couldn't help him out in his time of need." He clapped Cheese hard on the back, sending the thin framed stallion to his knees. "I even went an asked the boys. We're all in agreement. You've got our full service for the whole weekend. Congratulations!" With that, he strode forward into the early morning sunshine.

"But Brahm-" Cheese galloped to keep up with his massive strides. "-Big Mac doesn't want all of Ponyville knowing about the project."

"Awe don't worry your little head over details Cheese. Rest of the town's gonna find out sooner or later." He slapped Cheese on the back. "Besides, with all of us boys workin' together, that house'll be up by tomorrow night or my name ain't Brahm."

Cheese sighed, resigning himself to defeat. Once the stubborn stallion set his mind to something, there was no changing it. Sorry Big Mac, you're getting help whether you want it or not.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Ah, finally some peace and quiet. Pinkie reclined under the shade of the big oak tree, just outside of Sugarcube Corner. The day was not as hot as normal, and a refreshing summer breeze blew through town. Beside her in their "foal cage" fast asleep, were Pumpkin and Pound Cake. Though she normally had Saturdays off, she had agreed to watch the twins for the weekend, so the Cakes could travel to Fillydelphia for a baker's conference. She giggled to herself at the thought of a baker's conference. So silly. Wonder if they all make cakes and eat them together?

She had played with the foals all morning, until they finally drifted off to sleep after lunch. Now, she could finally focus on making her decorations. There were a few parties coming up, and she wanted to be ready. As she adjusted the streamers on a particularly tricky centerpiece, she heard fast hoof beats approaching. She looked up to see Applejack lathered in sweat, hat askew, and angrier than she had ever seen her. "Heya Applejack. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong? Urrrgh!" Applejack stamped her hooves and threw her hat onto the ground. "Everythin's wrong Pinkie Pie." She snorted and gestured back the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. "I wake up ready ta do a hard day's work, when who should pass by my door but an army of construction workers? All marchin' through Sweet Apple Acres like they own the place."

Applejack leaned in close to Pinkie, a maniacal glint in her eyes. "Oh an ya want ta know what else? Big Mac just up an tells me he's movin' out, making his own house on the back acres." She raised her head cackling uncontrollably. "An then Granny acts like she's known 'bout this all along! An then-" She stopped for air, "-an then she says the workers are there to help him finish the house. Finish it, Pinkie Pie! So my brother's been lyin' ta me for weeks, sayin' he's workin' on fixin' fences when he's really been buildin' a getaway house from his lovin' family."

Pinkie was so thunderstruck at Appplejack's rant, that she could only gape. Applejack leaned in closer to her, eyes meeting hers in that crazed way. "Ya know what else? Yer stallion shows up just as casual as I'll get out, with that Brahm fellow. Seems he's been the mastermind, pollutin' my brother with ideas of a loner's life." The mare's yellow sides heaved, and she glared at Pinkie.

My stallion? Pinkie giggled at the thought. It's got a nice ring to it. She looked at Applejack's disheveled appearance, and burst out laughing. "You're so silly Applejack."

"It ain't no laughin' matter Pinkie." Applejack stared helplessly as Pinkie rolled on the ground laughing. "Pinkie? Focus."

"Sorry, sorry." She ceased her fit, and looked up at her friend. "But don't worry so much Applejack." Applejack's face looked a little hurt, and she felt bad about teasing her. "Big Mac doesn't want to leave the family." She patted the grass next to her. "Sit down, we'll talk it out."

"Okay." Applejack scooped up her hat, and joined Pinkie.

"All Cheesie would tell me was that he was helping Big Mac with a special project and that it would take a long time to get done." Pinkie smiled at her friend, resting a hoof on her back. "Cheesie's not going to make Big Mac into a wanderer. He doesn't even like wandering himself."

"What?" Applejack stared in disbelief at Pinkie. "But he's a travlin' party pony."

"Yup. But-" Pinkie lowered her head, remembering how terrified Cheese was in that hole. "-He gets scared, and lonely really easy. He's always telling me how much happier he is in Ponyville than he was on the road." She smiled at Applejack, giving her a big hug. "Just because Big Mac wants to move out, doesn't mean he wants to go away, he just wants space."

Applejack nodded, tears streaming down her muzzle. "It's just, he's my big brother. I can't imagine not havin' him around all the time. It ain't right. Ya know?"

"I know." Pinkie snuggled closer to her friend. "I felt sad when I left my sisters for the first time. But, it'll be okay. You can still see him every day. Plus, he won't ever be too far away to visit."

"You're right. I'm sorry fer actin' so crazy. Guess I just gotta adjust." She was surprised to hear a soft whimpering noise behind her. "What in the hay? Pinkie? Ain't ya supposed ta be watchin' the twins?"

"Oh my gosh!" Pinkie bolted upright, trotting over to the foals. "There, there. Pinkie's here. Hush." After calming them down once more, she grinned at Applejack. "You want to help? We can talk all day while we watch them. What do you say?"

Applejack stood, adjusting her hat. "Sounds great. But I ain't changin' no diapers."
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cheese could not remember the last time two days flew by so fast in his life. One minute they were walking out to the work site, the next, they were all standing around Big Mac's new house on Sunday evening. "Wow. We did get it done."

"Eeeup." Big Mac smiled in satisfaction and grinned at the small herd of construction workers around him. Never had he imagined so many ponies would come out to help him, especially since he hardly spoke to any of them. Now, the project he and Cheese thought would take till the end of fall, was done and done right. "Thanks fer yer help guys."

"Not a problem!" Brahm's dirt covered face beamed back at the red stallion. He turned to his companions, grinned mischievously. "Me an the boys needed a challenge. Ain't that right scrawny?"

Cheese's sandy coat was drenched in sweat and dirt, nearly matching the shade of his mane. He managed to nod. "Yeah, it's good practice all right."

An orange stallion in a yellow hard hat smirked knowingly at Brahm. "Say, why don’t we throw Big Mac a house warmin' party tonight?"

Brahm's be-stubbled face broke into a particularly wicked grin. "You are readin' my mind. Party at my place boys! Don't wanna disturb Big Mac's good family, now do we?"

"Eeeup." Big Mac followed the herd, happy everything went so smoothly. He walked down the path next to Cheese.

The lank stallion looked up at Big Mac, flushing. "Sorry. I had no idea they were going to do this. I would've asked your permission first."

"No problem." Big Mac smiled at the merry band in front of them, all brazenly singing an off color song. "I appreciate their help. But 'specially yers Cheese. Yer a good friend."

Cheese smiled. Somehow, he always felt happy when anypony called him a friend. "Sure."

Their little parade passed by the main farm on the way out. Big Mac chuckled, and nudged Cheese aside. He was a little surprised to see Pinkie and Applejack smiling back at them. "Hey girls."

Pinkie hopped forward and gave Cheese a big hug, despite his rather filthy coat. "Heya, Cheesie. How'd it go?"

"We got it done." He carefully pried Pinkie off of him, flushing. "You'll get all dirty hugging me like that."

"Ooopsies. I was just so happy to see you again." She bounced up and down to emphasize her exuberance.

"Say, weren't you watching the twins today?" Cheese glanced nervously around, expecting to see the foals getting into trouble.

"Yup a doodles Cheesie. Applejack came over early and invited me to spend the day on the farm. So, we brought the twins over so they could have fun too." She spun around in happy circles. "Granny Smith is watching them with Applebloom right now. I just came out to say hi."

"I see." He tried to imagine the elderly mare and young filly watching the twins. "You sure they can handle it?"

"Sure am!" She grinned broadly, then slowly, realization sunk in. "Uh, on second thought, maybe I should check."

Cheese nodded and laughed as Pinkie cantered inside the building. Big Mac turned away from the conversation he was having with his sister, clapping Cheese hard on the back. "Ya want ta wash up?"

Cheese glanced down at his absolutely filthy hooves. "Yes please."

The Apple family had a clever outdoor shower behind the barn, designed just occasions such as these. The water was cold, but it felt so good on his aching muscles. In no time at all, Cheese was presentable again. Together, they went around to join the others once more. Big Mac turned to the road, grinning broadly. "I'm gonna get started movin' some stuff over. Thanks fer yer help Cheese."

"Sure thing. Anytime." Cheese beamed back at his friend, and diverted his attention to Pinkie and the twins who were playing in the dirt. He nudged the mare gently with his muzzle. "It's getting late, don't you think you should bring them home? Where's their stroller?"

Pinkie froze, glancing nervously at Applejack. "Ooopsies."

Cheese rolled his emerald eyes at the mare, carefully lifting Pumpkin Cake on his back. "Guess I'll help carry them back."

"He he. Thanks Cheesie." Pinkie picked up Pound Cake and they waved goodbye to the Apples, starting off down the road. She strode forward so her paces matched Cheese's. "I don't normally forget stuff like strollers you know. Applejack had her cart, so we took them in that. I'm really good with kids." Pinkie flushed from ear to ear. Why in Equestria am I telling him that?

Cheese chuckled. "I believe you Dear."

Pinkie stopped cold in the road. Dear? It was the first time Cheese had called her by a "pet name" as Mrs. Cake dubbed them. It made her insides feel warm and jittery. She shook her head, catching up to him. "Say, now that you're done with the project, that means we get to spend more time together."

He nodded. "Sure do. Ouch!" Pumpkin cake had taken a big mouthful of Cheese's mane and tugged. "Stop it Pumpkin!"

Pinkie giggled along with Pound Cake. "She does the same thing to me. All the time."

Cheese sighed. "How do you handle these two day in and day out?"

"Practice Cheesie." Pinkie started to hum, and her steps became very light indeed. "Did I ever tell you about the time I first foalsat the twins?"

"No, I don't think so." Cheese adjusted Pumpkin Cake on his back. "I'd like to hear it."

"Okey dokey then. But it's pretty silly." She happily told of her misadventures in foalsitting all the way until they reached the corner. It was nearly dark by the time they opened the door, and went inside.

"Mr. Cake, Mrs. Cake we're back!" Pinkie flickered on the dining room lights, frowning. "That's strange. They aren't home." She lifted Pound Cake into the playpen.

"Did they say they'd be back late?" Cheese carefully set Pumpkin Cake down to join her brother and looked around the empty room.

"They said they'd be back at sunset at the latest." Pinkie's voice was a little high, and she started to prance nervously. "You think they're okay Cheesie?"

"I'm sure they're fine. The train's probably running late, no big deal." He smiled and regarded the twins. "Though I think it's bed time for these guys. Why don't I help you get them ready? By the time we tuck them in, the Cakes will be home."

"Okey dokey then. But you don't mind?" Pinkie looked nervously at Cheese. He's been working so hard all day.

"Nope." He helped carry Pumpkin Cake up the stairs. Together, they bathed the twins, dressed them for bed, and read a story to them. Cheese was surprisingly good at reading stories, and Pinkie found herself enjoying it as much as the twins. Pinkie gave them each a kiss, and waited until they fell asleep. She winked at Cheese, and they went into the next door living room to wait.

"Well, they're all set." Cheese grinned at Pinkie and joined her on the couch. "I say we make a pretty efficient pair. Eh?"

"You betcha." Pinkie flushed. He really is good with foals. I thought he'd make the same mistakes I did, but I guess not. "Say, Cheesie? Where'd you learn to take care of foals like that?"

He laughed, and gave Pinkie a playful rub on the head. "One of my first jobs after I got my cutie mark was working for a day care."

Pinkie's eyes grew wide. "Really?"

"Yup. It was only for about two months, but it was a nice place." He went quiet, recalling the memory. "They helped me out a lot. Set me on my hooves, gave me some good advice. But, that's a story for another time." He smiled, and nuzzled Pinkie's cheek. "You do a good job with the twins yourself. You'd make a good mother."

Pinkie flushed crimson, and looked at the other side of the room. Me a mother? An image of her and Cheese with foals drifted into her head. She shook herself so violently, Cheese looked at her with concern. "You okay Pinkie?"

"Eh heh. Just fine Cheesie." She glanced at the clock above the mantelpiece. "It's almost nine o'clock. Are they okay?"

"They'll be here any minute Pinkie." Admittedly, he was getting nervous himself. "But, if you want, I'll stay here until they get back."
Pinkie leaned closer to Cheese on the couch. "Yeah. That'd be good."

They sat in silence, watching the hands drift lazily across the clock face. The long day had taken a toll on them, and before long, they drifted off to sleep. A loud knock started Cheese awake. Was that a dream? From the moonlight streaming in through the window, he could just make out the time to be one in the morning. He turned to Pinkie, her head resting on his back, fast asleep. His face felt hot, and he could not help but stare at her. By Celestia, she's cute when she's sleeping.

The knock repeated itself and he heard the front door open. There was a soft clatter of hooves, and who should appear before them, but Twilight. He gaped at the alicorn, her mane wind swept, and her eyes wide with apprehension. He felt his stomach drop out from under him. "Twilight? What's wrong?"

Pinkie started awake, staring bleary eyed at Cheese, then at the frightened mare in front of her. "Huh? Twilight? What are you doing here?"

Twilight panted, walking up to the pair. "We've got a problem."

"Problem?" An icy chill was fast filling his chest as he stared at the alicorn.

Pinkie leapt up from the couch, and proceeded to shake Twilight vigorously with her hooves. "What kind of problem Twilight? Is it the Cakes?"

Twilight sighed, and nodded. "There's been an accident. The train they were on derailed, just outside of Fillydelphia. I got the news just now."

"Oh my." Pinkie let go of Twilight, her breathing coming in fast and shallow.

Cheese stood and looked nervously at Twilight. "But they're okay aren't they?"

"The only thing I know, is that nopony was killed and all the passengers were taken to the hospital as a precaution. I just received a letter from Princess Celestia asking me to head over there as soon as I can." She glanced at the nursery. "Are the twins okay?"

"They're fine." Cheese looked worriedly at Pinkie who had started to cry, her mane decidedly less flouncy. He placed a hoof over her withers. "It's okay Pinkie. They'll be fine." He looked at Twilight. "You'd better get going. I'll stay here with Pinkie and watch the twins. Let the Cakes know they're all right when you see them."

She nodded, and trotted down the stairs and out of sight. Cheese turned to the distraught mare. If the twins see her like this, they'll be upset too. "Come on Pinkie, let's get you to bed." She didn't want to move, but he managed to drag her to her room.

He was a little surprised at the state the chamber was in. Everything was neatly tucked away, party supplies organized, and even the bed was neatly made. The pink décor really did fit Pinkie's attitude, and even Gummy's small bed was lined with lacy pink ribbon. The little green alligator had trundled over to see what was wrong with his owner. "Hey Gummy. Pinkie's not feeling like playing right now okay?"

He led Pinkie to the bed, and made her lay down. "Get some sleep Pinkie. It'll be just fine."

"But…but what if it isn't Cheesie? What if they're hurt bad?" Pinkie's blue eyes looked desperately into his.

Cheese held her in a tight hug. "Don't think about that now." Pulling back, he rested her head onto the pillow. "Get some sleep." He stood over her, rubbing her sides until the shaking stopped. "I'll be in the other room if you need me. Okay?"

She sniffed and nodded. "Okay."

Cheese walked quietly out of the room, closing the door behind him. He felt as though he wanted to cry himself, but resisted the urge. Stay strong Cheese. It'll be all right, it'll work out. Slowly, he crawled back onto the couch and tried to fall asleep.

Interlude

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Cheese nearly forgot where he was when he woke up. Early morning sunlight filtered into the living room and danced off of the decorations and photographs lining the mantelpiece. Reading the clock, he discovered it was half past six. He turned over, trying to fall back asleep, when he heard the twins crying next door. Well, guess they set the schedule around here.

Trotting into the next room, he found the twins quite ready to get on with their day. Though he did his best to smile and act as goofy as always, they still seemed upset. With a sigh, he started to get them ready. After an hour's struggle, they were changed, fed, and ready for the day. Cheese let them lose in the living room while he watched their antics. "Pumpkin cake, put that down."

The tiny filly was attempting to lift Pound Cake's toy away from him with her magic. He trotted over to the toy, handing it back to Pound Cake. Pumpkin decided that wasn't fair and bit his tail in retaliation. "Ouch. Pumpkin!" He picked her up and set her away from his tail, handing her a rubber ducky. "Play with that instead."

The morning wore on in much the same way, Cheese diverting the attention of the twins whenever their nastier habits started to emerge. Finally, he found some games they seemed to like, whilst keeping them from destroying the house. He was so involved in acting out a silly story for the foal's enjoyment, that he failed to notice Pinkie Pie walk in.

Pinkie just stared in amazement to see both twins happy and the living room fairly intact. She watched as Pound Cake jumped on Cheese's belly, laughing with delight. I can't even get them to laugh so hard. "Morning Cheesie."

Cheese stopped rolling around the carpet to see Pinkie staring up at him. He found his face going red. "Morning Pinkie." He flipped upright, beaming broadly at the mare. "We're just acting out the story of the brave knight. Pound Cake was about to scare off the dragon and save the princess." He gestured to the little pegasus, wearing a bib Cheese had drawn armor on, and the unicorn draped in a pink towel. "He was winning."

Pinkie burst out laughing. "You look so silly!"

Cheese laughed too. She's got a point. He was wearing a green sock on his head, and had a set of cardboard wings strapped to his back. "Well, you can't have serious fun, without getting seriously dressed up."

Pinkie just snorted and joined the group on the carpet. "All right, but I want to be the bard."

"Bah-red?" Pound Cake cocked his head, confused at the word.

"That's right." Pinkie nuzzled the foals playfully. "I've got to sing a song of your heroic deeds." She grabbed a harmonica from the mantelpiece, winking at Cheese. "For a harmonica emergency." The four ponies played together for the next hour, laughing and singing without a care in the world. It was nearly lunchtime when Pinkie approached Cheese about the Cakes. "Say, Cheesie?"

"Uh huh." He watched the pair out of the corner of his eye, making certain they were not hurting themselves.

"Did you hear anything about the Cakes? Did Twilight come back?" Pinkie looked anxiously at the clock, then out the window at the sunny day.

"No, I just got up and took care of the twins. I haven't had time to ask anypony." He turned to see Pinkie's worried expression, and gently stroked her mane. "It'll be okay Pinkie. I think in this case, no news is good news. They're probably on their way back right now."

"But what if they aren't?" Pinkie glanced at the twins, mind racing. "Should I write to their grandparents? Their aunt and uncle?"

Cheese placed a hoof to his head, considering. "Let's wait until we hear from Twilight. She'll know what to do, being a princess and all." He sighed, wishing there was a better answer himself. "It's only been a day, for all we know they'll be home any minute. Best not to worry the relatives until we know ourselves."

"Okay." Pinkie was feeling queasy, wishing an answer would fall from the sky. "It's just so frustrating not being able to do anything."

Cheese nuzzled her on the cheek. "I know, dear. I know."

Lunch was an amusing affair to say the least. Pumpkin discovered to her delight that she could throw her mushy peas with magic. Unfortunately for Pinkie, she had excellent aim. Cheese was trying to decide whether to help the distraught mare, or laugh at how silly she looked. He settled for a combination of the two.

By the time they put the twins up for their afternoon nap, Pinkie was looking particularly sour. Her mane was splattered with peas and her expression was a touch annoyed. As they left the nursery, Cheese gestured to the bathroom. "Why don't you get cleaned up? I'll watch them for a while."

Pinkie glanced nervously from the clock to the nursery. "Okey dokey then. I'll be out in a few minutes. Don't fall asleep."

Cheese rolled his eyes. Not much chance of that now is there? He watched the mare flounce off, and turned his attention to the room. From the décor, it was obvious the Cakes loved baking. The walls were plastered with baking awards, spoons, and cupcake patterned curtains. Glancing at the bookshelf, he noted a host of recipe books, but that remotely held his interest. He scooped up the loose toys, and made the room presentable once more. It only took around five minutes. Accepting defeat, he slouched back onto the couch to wait for Pinkie.

Try as he may, he kept wondering about the Cakes. They'll be all right. Won't they? An icy chill filled his stomach. What if they aren't? What if they never come back? How will the twins feel? His sat there, heart racing as he listened to the clock tick ever on. It's not fair! They've got good parents who love them. The twins need their parents. And the Cakes need the twins. He lay his head on the cushions, listening to the hypnotic sound of the clock. Not like Mother. She never needed me.

Pinkie trotted out, steaming from the warm bath and went over to Cheese. To her surprise, he was fast asleep on the couch. "Silly." She leaned in, giving him a soft kiss and pulling a blanket over him. "Guess it's your turn to sleep." With a smile, she picked up a book, and settled herself in the rocking chair.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The early morning sun broke through the trees of the city park as the young colt trotted next to his mother. Her immaculately groomed white mane was done up in a delicate bun, and she wore the latest Manehattan fashion which complemented her golden coat magnificently. She frowned as the little sandy colt hopped up and down, setting his overlarge glasses askew. "Rory, enough."

"Yes Mother." He pinned his ears back submissively as they made their way down the sidewalk. It was the first time in months she had taken him to the park, and he was not about to make her upset. Still, he was so excited to get to play with her, that it took all his strength not to jump for joy. She turned him to the sandpit, and stopped.

"You're to stay here Rory. I'm going to get something for breakfast and be back." She eyed the mares and their foals around them, keenly aware of their stares. They were all jealous of her beauty, of that she was certain. As a famous unicorn model, she was use to the attention. She gave a flash of her sparkling white teeth and waved at them. She chuckled to herself at the excited whispers she caused. Sighing, she turned to the unimpressive colt before her. "You stay here until I get back. Won't be long."

Rory watched sadly as the mare trotted off, long white tail sparkling in the sunlight. "Okay." He started to play in the sand box. It was good fun, and before long he built a little city out of sand. Two other colts; an earth pony and a pegasus joined in his game. He laughed and played along with them, until their mothers called them away. "See ya!" We watched as they left, frowning.

Waiting's no fun. Rory lay under the shade of the tree watching a group of foals being pushed on the tire swing by their parents. He looked left then right, but there was no sign of his mother. So boring! It was not long before the sun stood in the center of the sky. His stomach growled, and he wished he had been given breakfast. But his mother had seemed in such a hurry to leave, and said there was no time for breakfast. That's just silly. There's always time for breakfast.

He stamped his hooves impatiently. I'm done waiting! I'm going to play. Mom won't mind if I do, she'll catch up. Cantering off, he joined a group of younger foals playing on the jungle gym. For the rest of the day, he played as long as he wanted, and nopony was there to scold him for being too excited. I don't need her, I've got all the other foals to play with.

Before he wanted it to, the sun started to set over the park. He watched as one by one, his playmates left for home until he was all alone. While he was playing, he had not realized how hungry he was. Now, his stomach ached, and all he wanted was a bit of warm food. Maybe I should find Mom. I hope she's not mad.

He walked over to the sand box, and looked around. Trotting all around the area, he could not find her anywhere. "Mom?" He set off at a frantic gallop, looking all over for the mare. Though he wanted to run forever, he was growing tired. With a great crash, he tripped over some lose rocks and cut his knees. "Ouch."

Tears began to stream down his muzzle, and he ran harder than ever. His heart was racing, but he had to find her. He tripped again, this time cutting his front hoof. Sobbing, he walked over to the slide and lay down underneath. The sky was getting dark, and he was getting scared.

"Rory?" He looked up to see a peach colored pegasus mare, around the age of his own mother. She smiled kindly at him, but he shrunk back shaking. Reaching out a hoof, she tried to motion him closer. "Rory dear, what are you doing out here? And all by yourself."

"Looking for Mom." He looked into the mare's light blue eyes.

"Come on out Rory. It's not good for you to be out here by yourself. Your parents must be worried sick." She had a set of wind chimes as her cutie mark, and if any mare deserved a mark it was her. The mare's quiet voice tinkled in the air, as light and cheery as the best wind chimes Rory had ever heard. He remembered that voice, and loved it. She was Sky Belle's mother, and would always say good morning when she dropped her off at day care. Unlike his mother, she was always smiling.

He stepped out and stood by her. "Okay."

"Good." She stroked his curly brown mane with her hoof. "Let's get you home. Hopefully your father should be back by now. I just hope they aren't panicking."

He trotted next to the pegasus, despite his knees and hooves hurting. Something good had to come from a mare as soft spoken as her. Looking him over, she noticed the filthy cut on his knees. "Hmmm. Why don't we clean you up first?"

After a quick rinse off in the water fountain, she led him into the nearby apartment complex. They took the elevator up to the top where he lived. Rory heard the nice mare mumbling something under her breath, but he could not make out the words.

"Here we are." She smiled as they reached his front door and knocked. "Storm Scribe? I've found Rory. He's a little shaken up, but okay. Hello?"

"Do cease that incessant knocking." The door opened to reveal a palomino unicorn. She was wearing a particularly silky evening dress, mane done up in an elaborate style, and sporting two diamond earrings. She huffed, scowling at the pegasus.

"Starlight?" The mare gaped at the unicorn, at a loss for words. "I thought you'd be out looking for Rory."

Rory beamed at the mare, trotting over to give her leg a big hug. Starlight picked up her hoof fast, giving a disgusted look at the colt. She turned her muzzle up and snorted. "Look for him? Why bother? He's obviously too stupid to listen to simple instructions."

Rory stepped back, hanging his head low. I made her mad again. "Sorry Mother."

"But, Starlight, you can't expect a five year old to wait patiently. Why, when Sky was his age-"

"I don't want to hear it from you Chime!" Starlight swished her tail angrily, face contorted with anger. "I'm not going to stand here and be lectured to by some washed up musician."

"Starlight, I'm just saying to consider Rory's feelings. He was scared, the only logical thing he could think of was to go look for you." She stared pleadingly into the other mare's amber eyes.

Starlight stomped her hoof hard, sending an echo down the hallway. "That's quite enough. Just because I don't let my child walk all over me like you do. You think you have the right to lecture me on child care?" She leaned in close, eyes glinting maliciously. "Or should I have a conversation with Storm about your husband's precarious position in the company?"

That had done it sure enough. The peach pegasus backed away slowly, ears lying flat. "No. Sorry Starlight, it won't happen again."

"Good." With a decided huff, she turned to the colt and pointed inside.

Rory trotted into the apartment, and stared at the scene before him. Mom's planning another party. The immaculate room was even cleaner than normal, and trays of appetizers and fizzy drinks sat on the bar waiting to be served. Rory glanced up at the mare, stomach growling. He started to drool when she set out a tray of sandwiches on the coffee table. Trotting up to her, "Say Mom, can I have a sandwich?" Ooops. Rory realized his mistake immediately, and began to cringe. "Sorry. Mother may I have a sandwich?"

She glowered down at the colt. "You really must be stupid, to think I'd reward you after you blatantly disobeyed me today. No you may not. Go to your room, I don't want to see your face the rest of the night."

"Yes Mother." He walked slowly out of the room and down the dark hall. Throwing himself on the bed, he moaned. He was so hungry it hurt, and he blew his only chance at getting food. I really am stupid, aren't I?

"Cheesie? Cheesie?"

"It's not my fault!" He awoke and started to see a Pink mare looking into his eyes. "Gahh! Pinkie?"

Pinkie slinked backwards, staring with bewilderment at the stallion. What's his problem? He had been twitching in his sleep, so she had woken him up. And then…. "What'da mean it's not your fault?"

Cheese flushed crimson. Stupid memories, messing with my head. And why that one? Geeze, that was a long time ago. He clasped a hoof to his forehead, trying to orient himself. After a few moments, he looked at the concerned mare. "Sorry, Pinkie. I was –" He gulped. "-lost in my memories."

"Hmmm." Pinkie stared into Cheese's eyes. He looked rather nervous, and she was becoming worried herself. "Was it another of those bad ones?"

He lowered his head, nodding. "Yeah."

Pinkie trotted forward and gave him a big hug, nuzzling him gently. "It's okay, Cheesie. I'm here."

He smiled back at the mare, holding her tighter. "Sorry about shouting at you like that. I say some pretty weird stuff when I'm half awake. Don't I?"

"You sure do." She kissed him on the muzzle and smiled sweetly. "You want to talk about it?"

How does she know? "Sure, Pinkie, if you feel up to it."

"Mm hmm." She snuggled closer to the stallion, resting her head on his back. "I can listen well too you know."

He chuckled quietly, then took a deep breath. Guess it's better to talk about it. He recounted the distant memory as best he could. Somehow, with each painful thought, a part of him felt lighter than before. After he had finished, they lay in silence, listening to the clock tic. He turned to the mare, who had started to shake. "Sorry. I shouldn't have told you that."

"No…It's okay Cheesie. Don't apologize." She reached over, pressing her muzzle to his. "I want to share everything with you; good or bad." With a smile, she began to hum a cheery song he had never heard before. "Stay on the sunny side, always on the sunny side, stay on the sunny side of life."

Cheese chuckled. "Where did you learn that from?"

"My Grandma." Pinkie looked a little sad then. "She's gone now."

"Oh." Cheese nudged the mare gently. "Can you teach me the words?"

"Of course!" Together they sang the happy song, and they both felt their cares fly away. They were having so much fun, they forgot where they were. Pinkie started when she heard the twins crying in the next room. "Ooops. We forgot the twins."

"I think that would be difficult." Cheese hopped to his hooves, shaking himself off. "Back to work, eh?"

"Yeah." Pinkie and Cheese trotted into the nursery, and tended to the foals. The rest of the day went by much the same as the beginning, only the pair seemed more energetic after their nap.

Before long, Pinkie and Cheese discovered an easy and less exhausting way to keep the foals entertained. All they had to do was play music for them. Pinkie had pulled out her old accordion for Cheese to play and she used her "one pony band" as she called it. The twins giggled and clapped their hooves to the sound of the music. After playing for a good hour and a half, Cheese rested the accordion on the carpet and flopped down. "I surrender Pinkie. I can't play anymore."

Pinkie nodded and scooped the instruments up. "You're right there! I'll put them up while I check on Gummy." She trotted back a few minutes later, carrying a basket full of party supplies in her mouth and Gummy clamped onto her tail. "Thought we could do some decorating while we wait. Sound good?"

"Yeah." The rest of the afternoon flew by as they alternated between caring for the foals and finishing the decorations. After a quick dinner, they settled themselves on the carpet. Pinkie kept eying the clock every few minutes and giving nervous glances at Cheese. He decided to distract her a bit. "Say Pinkie, you want to act out a story for the twins again?"

"Huh? Sure." She bounced over to him, and together they reenacted the tale of the frog prince (Gummy was the frog). The twins giggled with delight, but shortly afterwards they went back to playing with their toys.

Cheese lay next to Pinkie, and they finished up the last of the decorations. He was not certain what to do in the situation, and so far nopony had come by the house with news. "Say Pinkie, you think we ought to ask Spike if he can send a letter to Twilight?"

"Yeah. Maybe that'd be best." She pulled out a piece of paper and began to scribble. Tears streamed down her muzzle, and she stopped after the first line.

"What's wrong Pinkie?" Cheese put a hoof on her back, rubbing gently. "It's just a letter."

"I know, it's just." Tears fell fast on the paper in front of her. "I don't want the twins to feel like you did, all alone and scared."

"Oh, Pinkie. They're never going to feel that way. Not with the friends and family they've got." He held her in a tight hug, and let her cry herself out over his shoulder. The twins had stopped playing, and crawled over to Pinkie.

"Pinkie her-wert?" Pumpkin Cake nudged the distraught mare with a hoof.

"She's fine Pumpkin, just sad. Come here." He reached over, including the twins in their group hug.

After a time, Pinkie stopped crying and looked up. "Sorry guys. Guess I'm just not feeling very cheery today."

Cheese chuckled, and nuzzled her on the cheek. "You don't have to apologize."

Suddenly, a loud sound brought all of them to attention. It was the unmistakable sound of side door opening. There was the clatter of hooves, and then a loud voice from downstairs. "Pinkie Pie? Are you there?"

Pinkie leapt to her hooves as though she'd been shot by lighting. "We're upstairs Mrs. Cake!"

Cheese listened as two sets of hooves clattered up the stairs. Panting before them stood Mr. and Mrs. Cake, safe and sound. They galloped over to the twins, showering them with hugs and kisses. Mrs. Cake was actually crying. "Oh my babies. Mama was so worried."

Cheese stood, walking over to Pinkie, tears in his own eyes too. "They're safe. I'm so glad." All Pinkie could do was nod, leaning against Cheese's side.

After their warm greeting of their children, the couple turned to Cheese and Pinkie. Mrs. Cake reached over and gave Pinkie a big hug. "Thank you for looking out for them dear."

Pinkie hugged the older mare back just as tight. "Of course Mrs. Cake. We were so worried about you. I'm so happy you're okay."

Mr. Cake held out a hoof to Cheese. "Thanks for your help. Twilight told us you were watching them with Pinkie."

Cheese flushed, taking the hoof. "Not a problem. We had fun, though we were really worried about you both."

"Yeah. It was a mess." Mr. Cake scooped up his son, planting a kiss on the pegasus' forehead. "The train derailed just as it was pulling into a station. No pony was hurt, but a section of the track got warped, so we were stranded there until it could be fixed."

"Oh, that's a relief. Twilight said something about a hospital." Cheese smiled at the foal who was positively brimming with glee.

"Yes, it was terrible." Mrs. Cake joined in the conversation. "They said we all had to go and get checked out, even though we were just fine. Silly really."

Cheese nodded. "I'm glad it all worked out. Eh, Pinkie?"

"Yup a doodles, Cheesie." Pinkie's mane was at its poufiest, and a broad smile broke across her face.

Cheese turned to the stairs. "Guess I'd better head home. I've got a lot of work to catch up on tomorrow."

Pinkie trotted to join him. "I'll walk you there."

He chuckled, ruffling the mare's mane. "All right. See you later, Mr. Cake, Mrs. Cake!"

It felt good to be walking in the cool evening air beside his favorite mare in the world. The moonlight always made Ponyville shimmer, and he could not help but enjoy the peaceful quiet. As they walked, Pinkie hummed that tune again. "You really like that one, don't you?"

"Yup. It's one of my favorites." Pinkie nudged him playfully as she walked. "Plus, we really do have a reason to stay on the sunny side Cheesie. The Cakes are safe, the twins are happy, and we got to spend an entire day together without worrying about work."

"You're right. It was pretty fun, and we got to be together the whole time." He started to prance, his legs feeling light as air. "I'm just so happy right now!"

Before long, they reached the house. Cheese gave Pinkie a goodnight kiss, watching her walk back. He sighed in relief. It all worked out after all.

With You, It's All Okay

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"Come on Gummy!" Pinkie whisked the alligator off her bed, and out the door. She was running late and knew it. That's what I get for writing all night. Writing in her diary was a ritual she had for years, but last night after all the excitement with the Cakes and Cheese, it seemed a necessity to scroll down her thoughts. Unfortunately for her sleep schedule, she had plenty of thoughts to write down. She skidded to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, turning to see a very perplexed pair of ponies.

"Pinkie dear, you do know you have the day off?" Mrs. Cake turned to her husband for back up.

Mr. Cake grinned at the frantic party pony. "That's right. No need to rush Pinkie. You deserve a day off."

"I'm not worried about work." Pinkie started to prance anxiously, "It's just Rarity and Fluttershy are always inviting me to their spa day, but since I work Mondays, I don't normally get to go." She adjusted Gummy's position on her back. "So me and Gummy are headed over right now."

"Oh, my. That sounds lovely. Better get going then." The couple waved kindly as Pinkie shot out of the store, curly mane flying backwards.

Somehow, she managed to skid into the spa only about ten minutes late. She looked around, spotting the mares, and trotted up to them. "Hey girls. Sorry I'm late."

Fluttershy stared in surprise, "Pinkie? I thought you had work."

"Yes, darling. But, I'm glad you could make it." Rarity gestured to the empty chair beside her. "We're just getting our facials, do join us."

"Okey dokey then." Pinkie reclined next to the girls, grinning broadly. It was a rare treat to get a Monday off.

"Say, Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy and I were just discussing what was something going on yesterday." Rarity adjusted the cucumbers now placed over her eyes. "We ran into Twilight this morning, and she said she was just coming home."

"Oh yes." Fluttershy nodded, looking concerned. "She looked so tired."

"Yes, and she said she was in Fillydelphia all day yesterday helping with a train derailment." Rarity gesticulated dramatically, "It's just dreadful. Thank Celestia nopony was hurt."

"But she said the Cakes were on the train and that you and Cheese had watched the twins all day." The pegasus' eyes were filled with concern, "Did they make it back okay? How were the twins?"

"Yup, they came back last night." Pinkie stroked Gummy happily. "We were really worried, but it all worked out. The twins were a bit sad, but Cheesie was really great and cheered them up in no time." She giggled, remembering how much fun he had playing with the foals.

Fluttershy smirked knowingly, "So, how was it?"

"How was what?" Rarity's love of cucumber slices caused her to miss Fluttershy's look.

"Oh, you know." Flutttershy giggled, "Was it a little distracting having your stallion around all night?"

Pinkie snorted with surprise, and flushed crimson. Rarity shot up, cucumbers dislodging from her eyes. "What are you implying Fluttershy?"

With a little giggle, Fluttershy started to twirl her lilac mane. "Oh, just if my stallion was staying the night, I'd feel a little nervous. You know?"

Pinkie giggled too, "Yeah. It was a little awkward." The party pony began to play with her own mane, "But Cheesie's such a gentlepony. When I was too sad to stay around the twins, he took me to my room-"

Rarity stared, her mouth hung open, "-he took you to your room?"

Her face was really red now, and she shook her head and hooves vigorously. "No! No! It wasn't like that Rarity. He just made me go to bed, and left. Honest." To her surprise, she found herself feeling just a touch disappointed at that. Pinkie, get a grip! "He slept on the couch, and watched the twins for me."

"Oh, that's okay then." Rarity found her own snow white cheeks going a little red. "How's that going anyway?"

"What going?" Lifting a hoof, she played with the facial cream over her own face.

"You know, you and Cheese." Rarity leaned forward expectantly.

Fluttershy's eyes grew wide with excitement. "I want to know too."

"Really well." Shifting over, she looked at her friends, "We get along so well, and he's so kind. He's dependable, funny, smart, and really great with foals too."

Rarity rolled her eyes. Puppy love, mark my words. "Don't you think you two are rushing things a tad?"

"Huh? We're just dating Rarity. Spending time together, getting to know each other. Isn't that how it's supposed to work? It's not like we're getting married tomorrow." Pinkie giggled at the pleasant thought.

The pegasus grinned at Pinkie. "I'm so glad it's working out. I was a bit scared when you said you were dating, but there's nothing to worry about. Right Rarity?"

"Right." Rarity frowned at the pair of giddy mares. They're acting like school yard fillies. Am I the only pony with common sense in this place?

After their facials, they had a mud bath, then went to soak in the massive bathtubs. Rarity loved her spa days more than anything, and the soaking was her favorite part. Now's as good a time as any to bring it up. "Say, girls? I have a favor to ask, if you don't mind."

"Oh, not at all. Ask anything. What are friends for?" Fluttershy smiled, and watched Gummy swim laps in the bubbly water.
Rarity puffed her chest out a bit. "I've had some great news from Manehattan."

Pinkie stopped splashing with her pet, staring wide eyed at Rarity. "Manehattan?" She saw her friends surprised stares at her overreaction. Ever since Cheese's stories, she had not had pleasant thoughts of the city.

"That's right." Rarity grinned, "There's a big, exclusive competition coming up in two weeks. I've been chosen as one of the six designers to display my talents." Rarity splashed with excitement, "Eeeee! The winner gets to have the top models in the city pose with their fall line up and be featured throughout the city. Isn't it wonderful?"

Fluttershy gave her friend a big hug. "Wow, that's just wonderful Rarity."

"Yeah, it's great." Somehow, Pinkie's chest was filled with a sense of dread at Rarity's words. Cheese's mom is one of the top models in the city. Does that mean she would model for Rarity? Oooh, I don't want a pony as nasty as her anywhere near her! She looked at Rarity's happy expression. But, she's so happy. I can't disappoint my friend. Pinkie forced a smile to her face. "I'm happy for you Rarity."

"Oh thank you both. It's just I need your support when I go." She clasped Fluttershy's hooves in her own. "Would you mind giving me some last minute advice on my lineup?"

"Of course, I'd be happy to Rarity." This is going to be so fun!

Rarity turned to Pinkie, "Pinkie dear, I've got a special request for you. You see, on the first night of the contest, we designers have to plan out a showcase event. It's like a formal party to show off the line, and meet with the big shots." Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, "Could you, would you do me the honor of planning it for me?"

Pinkie gulped, her stomach churned very uncomfortably. "Sure, but I'm not good with fancy parties Rarity." The memory of the gala was still fresh in her mind. "But, Cheesie probably knows more about them. I can ask him if you want."

"Do, do. Why with two party planners working together, it will be oh so fabulous." She hugged Pinkie tight, "I don't know what I'd do without you Pinkie."

"Ha ha. Yeah." Pinkie looked down, feeling terrible now. Stupid Pinkie! Why did you have to bring up Cheesie? He's not going to want to have anything to do with this. Oh, what do I do?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was close to sunset, when Pinkie made her way over to see Cheese. She had spent the morning with the girls, then gone home. Try as she may to prepare for Rarity's event, she knew she did not have the skill to plan something so fancy alone. There was no way around it; she needed his help. Oh, why did I have to bring him into this mess?

Her hooves felt like lead as she walked towards the house Cheese was living. Brahm was not one for decorating; the small yard was overgrown with weeds, and the blue paint was peeling on the shutters. She knocked on the door, and started backwards when she saw the burly stallion in front of her. His breath stunk like hard cider, and she recognized his stubbly face at once. "Hey, Brahm. Is Cheesie there?"

Brahm looked down at the mare, staring hard at her scar. This was the closest look he had of Pinkie sense the accident, and he was shocked by the extent of her injury. After a few seconds, he recovered himself, and shook his head. "Yeah. He's round back, fixing a wagon for a buddy of mine. He'll be done in a sec." Raising a massive hoof, he motioned her in. "Come on in, it's a bit of a mess though."

Carefully, Pinkie stepped inside the small house. The old floor boards creaked, and she looked around at the small kitchen. Fading wallpaper decorated the walls, and a thick layer of dust coated the unused portions of the shelves. At the center of the room was a very well-worn table covered in the day's newspaper and a large, empty cider mug. Brahm pulled up a chair, motioning her to sit.
"Sorry about this. We don't normally have mares stoppin' by." He quickly shuffled the dirty dishes lying atop the blue countertops into the sink. With a clatter, he brought out a clean mug, filling it with water from a pitcher. He slapped it on the table in front of her, and pulled up a chair himself. He noticed her concerned look, mistaking it for a hygiene concern. "Oh, don't you worry 'bout your stallion. This here's my mess. He's really clean, not like me. He's always tellin' me to pick up. Ha ha…"

Pinkie sighed, shaking her head. She could not help but dread her conversation with Cheese. She looked at Brahm, who looked quite nervous. She smiled at him, "It's okay. I don't mind things a little messy." In truth, despite being a silly party pony, she was not fond of disorganization. Only when she got depressed, would her natural orderly tendencies be put to the wayside.

Brahm fidgeted with his empty mug, trying to grasp some means of conversation. "So, you and Cheese must get along pretty well. He's always goin' on about you like the sun don’t get raised till you give the go ahead."

"He does?" Pinkie found herself flushing a little. She thought about Cheese all the time, but she had not imagined he would too. It felt really nice. And she was about to make him so sad. It didn't feel right. She looked down, frowning.

What's wrong with her? "Listen, if he's done somethin' to ya, let me know. I'll make him take responsibility or my name ain't Brahm."

Pinkie choked on her water, "What?"

"You know…" Brahm leaned forward, flushing slightly, "If he's gone and got you with foal or something."

There was a resounding thud as Pinkie struck the stallion hard in the head with her mug, sending him to the ground. Her face was redder than it had ever been in her life. "No! By Celestia, where did you get an idea like that? Geeze!" She stood, huffing indigently. "For you to suggest that I'm some loose mare? You've got nerve mister!"

Brahm chuckled, then burst out laughing. "My, you're quite the spitfire when you're mad. Like my ex." He rubbed his cheek, filled with new admiration for the party pony.

There was the clatter of hooves, and the back door opened to reveal an exasperated Cheese Sandwich. "All right Brahm, which mare have you insulted today?" He turned with shock to see Pinkie standing in the kitchen, giving Brahm a death glare. "Pinkie? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at home."

"Cheesie." Trotting over to him, she fixed her eyes menacingly at Brahm.

Cheese looked between the two, trying to judge the situation. He had never seen Pinkie so mad. He looked at his mare, "You all right? Brahm didn't attack you did he?"

"No, by thunder." Brahm stood, shaking himself off. "We was just chattin' when all of a sudden she goes feral on me."

Pinkie huffed, standing close to Cheese for backup. "Well, you deserved it." Pinkie stuck her tongue out dramatically at the stallion. She looked into Cheese's emerald eyes, "He suggested we were-"Flushing, she looked at the ground. "-sleeping together."

"You did what?" Now Cheese was starting to get angry himself. "I suggest you take that back this instant Brahm."

"All right, all right." Brahm turned to the irate mare, "Sorry 'bout upsetting your delicate sensibilities miss. I'll be choosier with my words in the future."

With a sigh, Pinkie nodded, and turned to Cheese. "Can we go now?"

"Yeah." Cheese decided it was best to separate the two for the moment, and to prevent himself becoming just as angry as Pinkie. "Be back later Brahm. The wagon's done, so why don't you take it over?"

Brahm nodded, grumbling under his breath as he walked out the back door. Cheese steered Pinkie out the front, and they walked in silence for a bit. Satisfied they were far enough away, he turned to Pinkie. "Sorry about that Pinkie. Normally he's all right. He's just a little rough around the edges, bit crude, you know?"

Pinkie nodded, flushing a little. "Sorry about hitting him with the mug."

Cheese's eyes flashed with surprise, "You hit him?"

"Yeah. I just got a little mad I guess." She giggled, "But he was being an obnoxious jerk."

"Right." Cheese chuckled and stared kindly into her blue eyes. "I'm a bit surprised you came to see me today." Without hesitation, he leaned forward, pressing his muzzle to hers. "Surprised, but not unhappy. To what do I owe the honor of your company?"

With a nervous glance at him, she started to paw the ground. The incident with Brahm had pushed the unpleasant truth of the matter to the wayside. Now, with it facing her once more, she found her resolve wavering. "I made a teensy mistake today." She flushed, turning to watch the brilliant sunset over Ponyville. "Rarity made a request, and I accepted without thinking. Now, I've got a problem-"

"-problem?" Cheese leaned in, concerned with Pinkie's sudden shyness. "Everything all right?"

"Yes….no…Oh I don’t know!" She looked into Cheese's eyes, her own sparkling with tears. "I told Rarity I'd help plan this party for her fashion competition in Manehattan. It's super fancy, and all the big shots of the fashion world will be there." She took a breath, continuing her hasty explanation, "-all of the big shots, and all of the best models. Your mom too."

Cheese gulped. So that's the problem. "Pinkie I-"

"-it's all my fault! I should never had said we'd help her. Of course you don't want to talk to that horrible pony. I'm sorry Cheesie." The mare's blue eyes started to mist over. "-I'm really sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Reaching over, he gave her a big hug. "There's no reason for you to apologize. My problem with my mother is my business." He lifted her head gently, "You don't have to shoulder my burden, got it?"

With a sniff, she nodded agreement. "Okay." For a while more, she clutched him tightly, savoring that wonderful earthy smell she loved more than anything else. She smiled weakly up at him. "You okay with helping?"

Cheese nodded, feeling his chest tighten. "Yeah, it's about time I stop running from her. Besides-" He grinned back at Pinkie, "-as long as you're with me, I think I can handle just about anything." He looked meaningfully into the now dark sky, voice very quiet, "-Just as long as he's not there."

"Your dad?" Gently, she pressed her side to his, feeling the stallion's racing heartbeat.

Cheese gulped, "Yeah, him."

"Don't worry. He won't be there, it's just the models." Pinkie nuzzled him affectionately, happy the issue was resolved. "Still, I don't see how we're going to plan a formal party."

"Hmmm." Cheese closed his eyes, trying to imagine such a party. All he could think of were his mother's dinner parties, and they were the opposite of a good time. "Doesn't exactly sound fun does it?"

"Nope." She giggled, playing with his mane, "It's silly to think of it as a party. Maybe, a get together, but not a party. Do you know what to do for it?"

"Oh I've got a good idea, but we'll have to make it a lot different than normal." He grinned back at Pinkie, watching the moonlight reflect in her eyes. "It'll be just fine. We can work on getting it set up tomorrow if you want."

"Okay." Pinkie hugged him, then turned back to town. "I've got to get home, the Cakes will worry."

"All right. Night." Cheese stood, watching Pinkie flounce out of sight. Despite his words of encouragement, he still felt a terrible sense of dread about the whole request. What do you say to somepony like her? Sorry I ran away? Why didn't you look for me? What did I do wrong? He gulped, tears streaming down his muzzle. "I just wanted you to love me."
……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

She's just a touch too excited. Rarity watched as Pinkie Pie hopped another lap around them as they waited at the station. She was quite happy her friend was so enthusiastic, but it did get a little tiresome. "Pinkie, dear, to try to control yourself."

The mare screeched to a halt, saluting Rarity. "Okey dokey. But I'm just so happy!" She giggled, hugging the two mares affectionately. "Cheesie and I have the best party worked out." Noting the concerned expression on Rarity's face, she grinned slyly, "Don't worry Rarity, it's super fancy. But-" She started to hop once more. "-but we have the best after party planned for just us friends. And that's going to be great!"

"Oooh. That sounds nice Pinkie." Fluttershy had to admit, she was just as excited as Pinkie, though she did not show it in the same way as her friend. "Where's Cheese?"

"Oh, he's coming after work. Since he's taking an early weekend, he wanted to work a little today." Pinkie joined her friends by the luggage, waiting for the stallion and the train. She did not have long to wait, as she soon heard Cheese's distinct hoof beats.

The party stallion grinned from under his traveling hat. "Hey Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy. Sorry I'm late."

Pinkie shot to him like a bullet, and gave him an affectionate nuzzle on the cheek. "That's okay Cheesie." Her eyes darted over the poncho donned stallion. "You brought Boneless 2?"

"Sure did." He pulled the rubber chicken off his back with a flourish. "You bring the party supplies?"

"Yup." She gestured to a pink suitcase, and sighed. "I just wish we could bring the cannon. You sure you don't want me to bring it Rarity?"

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Quite sure, dear. I'm certain what you brought will be just fine."

There was a familiar call of the train, and they watched it pull into the station. Cheese helped Rarity carry her supplies onto the train, and the friends found an empty compartment to settle into. The train moved away, and they prepared themselves for the long ride ahead of them. In no time at all, the party ponies busied themselves with a rousing came of cards.

"Gah! Cheesie, how is that fair?" Pinkie stared incredulously at Cheese, gesturing to the move he just made.

Cheese smirked, "I told you, that's what the rules say."

"What kind of silly game is this anyway?" She huffed, looking down at the cards, then hard into Cheese's green eyes.

"It's called spite and malice. At least I think that's what it's called." Closing his eyes, he tried to remember where he had first learned the game. With a clap of his hooves, he beamed at the mare, "That's right, I learned it from a traveling trick pony."

"What?" She leaned in close, sweet breath mixing with his. Cheese started to flush, and she giggled. "That sounds silly. What kind of pony was he?"

"She was a little weird. Kept referring to herself in the third person. Trixie the great and powerful or something like that." He looked at the mares, who were all starting at him in shock.

Rarity gaped at the stallion, "You met Trixie?"

"Oh, you know her too?" Wow, I didn't think they would.

"Yeah." Pinkie was a bit surprised she would neglect to tell him of such an important story. "I've gotta bring you up to speed."

For the next hour, the girls took turns describing their unfortunate encounters with Trixie the great and powerful. Cheese laughed a few times, and looked very concerned when they told of the alicorn amulet incident. Pinkie was a great storyteller, and he was enthralled by the tale (or was it the mare). He was a little surprised when they all leaned in close to him afterwards, eyes expect. Fluttershy inched forward, "Well? When did you meet her?"

He never liked being stared at, and suddenly felt a touch of his old shyness coming back. Turning away, he started his story. "It was a long time ago, when I was a teenager." Why do they have to stare? "Anyway, I went to this fair to learn some party pony tricks, and get some practice doing shows and stuff. On my way from a lesson with the local clown, I noticed a teal unicorn in a wizard hat and cloak sitting on a blanket outside of her wagon."

Pinkie nodded, "Yup, that's Trixie all right."

"Yeah. That's just what she said when I asked her name." He chuckled, remembering her eccentric attitude. "Well, I was a little impressed that a mare a little older than myself had her own show wagon, and I wanted to talk to her more." Pinkie was looked a little mortified, and he ruffled her mane playfully. "Relax, dear. I just wanted to learn the tricks of her trade, not become her."

"Well, she refused to tell me her secrets, magicians are like that you know. But, she said she'd teach me a fun card game, seeing as how I was a party pony." With a hearty chuckle, he continued, "I think she just wanted somepony to play the game with. I picked up the rules quick, and we played for hours. But-" He sighed, "-we had to part ways after that. I went to say goodbye in the morning, but she was already gone. I never saw her again."

"Oooh, I'm glad she isn't all bad." Fluttershy smiled sweetly and grinned at her friends.

Rarity nodded, "Yes, it's good to hear she can be normal."

They all laughed at that, and settled back into their "traveling mode." Pinkie and Cheese played plenty of other games, sometimes with each other, sometimes with Fluttershy. Time flew by, and they arrived in Manehattan in the afternoon.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The hall where the contest was taking place was grandly decorated for the occasion. Pinkie admired the tasteful streamers, wondering if she could make streamers as 'classy,' probably not. Cheese hummed a tune as he walked beside the group. They waited patiently for Rarity to register. The unicorn strode over to them, looking a touch nervous. "So, the preliminary rounds are tonight, with the finals tomorrow. There's only six of us, so only two of us will be in the finals. They'll announce their choices tomorrow after everypony's display tonight." She turned to Cheese and Pinkie. "We're setting up the party in the upstairs suites. Each contestant gets their own room. Could I ask you to start?"

"Sure thing Rarity!" Pinkie hopped up and down with excitement, looking at the stallion. "You ready Cheesie?"

"You know it, Pinkie." He turned, and together they walked out and up the stairs.

The room was so suited to parties, that it seemed silly to use it for anything else. A spacious wood floor provided ample space for dancing or chatting, while a smooth bar allowed for drinks and snacks. Piled against the wall, the exact number of tables needed for the event were ready for use. Pinkie found herself staring in wonder at the perfectly placement of every feature. She turned to Cheese, mouth slightly open, "It's perfect. I wish we had a place like this in Ponyville."

"Yeah, that'd be great." He trotted out into the center of the room, giving a happy dance. "With this, we can give these ponies a party to remember."

"Yup a doodles. Though-" She sighed theatrically, "-we've got to make it extra fancy."

"Oh, right." Lowering his head a little, he gestured to the hall around them, "Such a waste."

"You said it." Giggling a little, she took his hoof, planting a soft kiss on his forehead. "It'll be okay Cheesie. Remember, we've got a big after party to plan too."

"True enough. Let's get started, shall we?" Trotting over to their suitcase of supplies, he set to work decorating the hall. They had brought their most neutral decorations, and Rarity had been gracious enough to make them a few tablecloths that were 'sufficiently subdued.' Still, they felt rather meager compared to the usual fantastic style they knew and loved.

They were borrowing the serving trays, punch bowls, and other general supplies, so there was little left to do apart from setting up the tables, and placing the few decorations on them. For two highly active party ponies, it was done in a matter of minutes.
Pinkie flopped on the floor, rolling around. "Urgh! So boring. How much time till it starts Cheesie?"

"Uh…" Glancing at the clock on the wall, he moaned in frustration. "Another three hours."

"So sad." She looked around at the barren room for something to do, then spotted it. "It's our lucky day Cheesie." Trotting to the corner, she pulled out two oddly shaped cases. Carefully, she opened them to reveal an old violin and a beat up xylophone.

"Wow! Those are great!" Cheese happily set up the xylophone stand, while Pinkie took out the violin. "Let's make some music, shall we?"

Pinkie grinned, starting up a 'gool ol' tune' as Granny Smith would say. Picking up the song almost as fast as she started it, Cheese joined in. Before long, they were playing the most unusual hoedown music either of them had ever heard. Still, the two never lost a beat, and kept up the harmonious, if unconventional music.

They were so engrossed with their little performance, that they scarcely noticed the pair of mares walk into the room. Rarity smiled, and Fluttershy clapped enthusiastically. "That was wonderful you two."

Pinkie ceased her rendition of "Turkey in the Straw", and beamed up at her friends. "Hey guys! How was it?"

"Ughh." Rarity fanned herself theatrically with her hoof. "I was so nervous, but, I do believe we managed to impress more than a few ponies. Fluttershy?"

"Oh yes, they loved it." Fluttershy pointed to the instruments the pair were employing. "Where'd you find those?"

Cheese chuckled and winked playfully at Pinkie, "Oh, Pinkie here just materialized them for us."

"Wow." Fluttershy's grew wide with admiration at her curly maned friend. "I didn't know you could do that."

Rolling her eyes, she ruffled Fluttershy's forelock, "Silly. I can't do that. I found them in the corner." She turned to her stallion. "As you know full well mister."

Cheese shrugged, and grinned slyly at Pinkie. "Well, I wouldn't put it past you, dear." He looked at the hall, frowning, "Say, where are the outfits? We need to set them up."

"Oh don't you worry yourselves about that." Rarity practically giggled with excitement. "I've asked the porters to take them up. I'll arrange them just the right way in that corner. That is, if it suits you."

The exuberant party mare hopped up and down. "Sure thing Rarity. I know it'll be super-duper awesome with you setting them up."

Resting a hoof gently on Pinkie's back, Cheese beamed at the unicorn. "We have full confidence in you. Just-" He gestured to the tables and snacks. "-let the experts handle the party."

They all laughed at this, and settled themselves into some chairs to wait it out. In no time at all, the porters brought the dresses, and Rartiy worked her magic. Pinkie and Cheese went to double and triple check everything was in order, while Fluttershy tried to assist Rarity. Though, in her nervous state, the designer was far from her chipper self.

Soon, ponies began to arrive and the party commenced. As all parties planned by Pinkie and Cheese, it was a total success. Though it was 'elegant' as Rarity would say, it was somehow fun for everypony. When Cheese was helping her plan the party, they agreed that just because it was fancy, does not mean ponies could not have a good time. Instead of their usual crazy activities, they had settled for arranging the tables and snacks all around, to facilitate conversation. It worked brilliantly, and the ponies were laughing and talking the night away.

Cheese took up the violin and played some of his best 'fancy music' to the great enjoyment of the crowd. The party ponies had agreed that the xylophone was a little too weird for such an event, though they were definitely using it for the after party. With ponies having fun all around her, and Cheese occupied, Pinkie took the chance for a little break.

Sitting in the corner, she hummed a cheery tune and did some pony watching. After a few minutes, Rarity trotted over, flopping down on the chair next to her. "Argh! My, that was nerve wracking." She turned to Pinkie, grinning broadly. "Though, they were quite impressed. Things are looking up for the Boutique now, Pinkie."

Pinkie smiled, hugging the mare fondly. "I'm happy for you Rarity."

"Yes, thank you, darling." She clasp her friend's hooves in hers. "Truth be told, I was rather nervous going against so many well-known designers."

Pinkie snorted, rolling her eyes. You're the last pony in Equestria who should be nervous about that. You're a smart, successful business pony who knows what she wants in life. Me on the other hoof… "Say, Rarity?"

"Hmmm, yes?" Rarity's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

She took a deep breath, steadying the butterflies dancing in her stomach, "When we get back to Ponyville, could you maybe tell me how you started the Boutique?"

"Of course, darling. You don't have to be shy." She gave the mare a big hug, "You thinking of starting out on your own?"

"No." Pinkie waved her hooves in the air, then glanced at the hall around her, perfectly suited to parties, calculating. "Well…maybe just a little."

Rarity chuckled, "You don't have to know right away, I certainly didn't. But, I'll teach you the ropes none the less."

"Thank you so much Rarity!" Pinkie snuggled close to her friend, happy that she understood. Together, they sat and discussed the party. It was fun to point out the different ponies, and their sometimes silly antics. Though she would have enjoyed chatting longer, Rarity had to return to her 'adoring public,' leaving Pinkie lost in thought. Me start a business? I don't know. Would any pony take me seriously? Cheesie will, but who else? Hmmm. Guess I'll worry about that later. For now, I can look forward to the after party.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"You did it Rarity!" Pinkie Pie leapt on Rarity as soon as she walked into the prep room. The unicorn's white cheeks flushed red and she hugged her back. She had managed to wow the judges last night, and was placed in the final two for that morning's competition. To her surprise, she won, and could not be happier to share the moment with her friends.

Fluttershy flew over and joined the group. "Oh, congratulations. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks girls." The unicorn fanned herself, trying to staunch the overwhelming excitement filling her chest. She carefully levitated the shining trophy to the powder table, and turned to Cheese who seemed oddly quiet. "I do hope it wasn't too boring for you. I know stallions sometimes don't care for fashion shows."

"No, no." Cheese beamed, and trotted over to the mare. "It was actually really interesting, though Pinkie had to explain some stuff."

"Yeah. He thought the ponies had to dance in the outfits or something." The party mare giggled, pushing Cheese's shoulder playfully.

Rarity beamed at her friends, "I'm so honored you came out to watch me truly. We'll just have to write to the others about our adventure, won't we?"

Fluttershy did a loop the loop, "Oh yes, everyone's going to be so excited."

There was a loud knock at the door, and one of the assistants walked in. The middle aged earth pony was holding a clipboard and had a nervous look plastered on her face. "Miss Rarity, I do hope I'm not interrupting." She walked over to the group, hooves almost shaking. "But, there's been a slight change in models for tomorrow." The pale blue mare looked as though lighting might strike her where she stood. "Starlight Scribe has insisted on modeling your line. Of course, we couldn't say no."

Rarity's eyes bulged with excitement, and she screamed. "Starlight Scribe? The Starlight Scribe wants to model for my line?" She pranced happily, hugging Fluttershy. "This is a very big deal girls, a very big deal." Turning to the assistant, "When are we to meet her?"

The nervous pony clenched her clipboard tighter, "She's just outside in the reception hall. She insists on speaking to you at once."

Cheese had been watching the spectacle with mounting dread. He found his own legs quivering quite as much as the mare's. Pinkie turned to him, the same sort of tension echoed in her features. She inched close to Cheese, and whispered in his ear. "What do we do? Should we tell Rarity?"

"No-" He gulped, trying to steady the nerves that nearly overwhelmed him. "Everypony will know soon enough. Mother's not one for subtlety. Though-" He looked towards the overly excited unicorn, "-you might warn Rarity not to get too excited. She's not a nice pony, I don't want her to hurt Rarity's feelings."

"Right." Pinkie smiled at Cheese, and trotted over to her friend. She leaned into her ear, "Rarity, I think you might try to be a little less excited. Don't want to make her nervous, you know."

"Right." Rarity flushed, and shook herself into a relatively calm state. She started to follow the assistant out, when she realized they were not following. "Do come girls, Cheese. I'm certain she'll want to meet the team."

Together they set off to the hall. Fluttershy kept glancing behind her at the laborious pace Pinkie and Cheese were walking. Their heads were hung low, and they looked better suited for a funeral. What's gotten into them? She flew over, and smiled, "What's wrong you two? I thought you'd be so excited."

Pinkie gulped, shaking her head. She looked at Cheese for support, but he seemed as though he was going to be sick. She turned back to Fluttershy, "It's just. Cheesie knows Starlight and-" Pinkie glanced nervously at Rarity, "-she's anything but a nice pony. We're worried about Rarity."

"Oh." The pegasus walked in time with them. "But Surry was bad too, and it all worked out. I'm sure she can't be much worse than her."

Cheese huffed, and snorted. "Forgive me, Fluttershy, but you have no idea how horrible she is." Turning away, he reverted to his solemn death march.

"Okay." They walked the rest of the way in silence, staying well back from Rarity and the assistant. Finally, they reached the hall where a tall unicorn stood flanked by two assistants. Fluttershy made to fly out, but Cheese held her back, shaking his head. They stood in the entryway, watching as Rarity went out to the mare.

Beautiful did not begin to describe her appearance. She wore an elegant, long cream dress, and a stylish hairpiece to hold up her finely combed white mane. Her coat glistened like finely spun silk in the afternoon sun filtering through the windows. With an appraising glance at Rarity, she inclined her delicate muzzle in a small nod, the most respectful greeting she had. "Rarity, I presume."

"Yes." Rarity nearly squeaked with excitement. She held out a hoof, but the mare did not take it. "It's such an honor to have you model my line, Miss Scribe."

"Please, call me Starlight." She turned to her two assistants, a pair of yellow unicorn mares that might have been twins. Then, her gaze settled on the now quivering pony who had brought Rarity here. "I see I should have sent my own assistants to fetch you. This earth pony seems to have been confounded by the simplest of tasks." Her amber eyes flashed menacingly at the mare. "Did I not tell you to bring her at once, and post haste? My, but you are stupid."

The mare flushed, bowed, than galloped down the hall out of sight. Rarity watched in shock, "Starlight, I don't believe there was any reason to be so rude. It was my fault."

"Nonsense. It is not your fault the messenger was so slow." She smiled at Rarity, white teeth glistening. "I was quite pleased that a unicorn won the competition. The last four years have only seen earth ponies and pegasi take the title. Quite a shame really."

"Yes, truly." Rarity was already starting to become uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. What is wrong with her? They deserve to win every bit as much as unicorns.

"Tell me something, Rarity. I heard your showcase went well last night. Why, I never heard my friend Lightwave praise an event so highly." Resting a hoof on Rarity's back, she leaned in closer, "You must tell me who does your parties."

"Oh, my friends, they're party planners." With a flourish, she gestured for the others to come out. "You simply must meet them Starlight. They really are the best in Equestria."

"I've no doubt." Starlight released Rarity, and stood straight as the two party ponies crept out into the hall.

Cheese could not remember the last time he felt so nervous. Each step felt like lead as he made his way to the mare, Pinkie right beside him. His ears were laid flat, and his head sunk low. Try as he may, he could not think of anything to say to her. Pinkie noticed how nervous he was, and pressed her side to his, whispering, "It'll be okay Cheesie. It'll be okay."

Starlight's eyes flashed with surprise, then a bitter, horrid expression contorted her fine features. She let out a harsh, cruel laugh. "These two? You're party planners? They're earth ponies!" Starting closely at Cheese, she started backwards at the recognition. The cold quality of the laugh grew even more pronounced. "So there you are Rory. I was wondering what kind of gutter you ended up in."

Pinkie looked around, trying to figure out who she was talking to. Then she turned to Cheese who had straightened up. His green eyes flashed determinedly, "Nice to see you too mother."

"Mother?" Rarity stood, mouth hung open, as she glanced from the unicorn to Cheese and back again.

Starlight snorted, and struck her hoof hard against the marble floor. "I'm surprised you'd show your face again after running away." Glancing at his cutie mark, she snorted. "What do you do Rory, cook sandwiches all day? Somehow it fits, you always were preoccupied with food."

Cheese felt his face going red, but he chose his next words carefully. "I wouldn't have been, if you remembered to feed me."

Starlight turned her head indigently, "I had better things on my mind then your care." She turned to Rarity and Fluttershy, who looked thunderstruck. "Rarity, I do apologize for this. But, I am afraid I do not understand your joke."

"Joke?" Rarity glanced between Cheese and his mother, at a loss to understand what was supposed to funny about the situation.

"Yes, I doubt that Rory here is capable of planning anything, let alone a party." She glared at Rarity, "Unless you set this all up so that we would meet?"

"No, she didn't. I'm a party pony, it's my job." Though Cheese was nervous, he found the strength to walk over to her. "But, do I need an excuse to speak to you?"

She frowned, straightening her back. "I have no desire to speak to you. As far as I'm concerned, you left my life the day you ran away." Try as she may, she found herself curious as how her son had come to be here of all places. Continuing cautiously, "However, I see no harm in speaking to you. Well?"

Cheese sighed, "I want to understand." He looked at Pinkie who was standing anxiously a few paces back. Her confident smile gave him all the courage he needed. "Why don't we go someplace else, I don't want to bother my friends with my problems."

The unicorn stared at her son, calculating. He had certainly grown up taller than she expected. Smooth muscles rippled under his coat, and she suspected the stallion was quite strong. If he's anything like Storm, it could be troublesome. Still, his eyes flashed with a sadness her husband's never held. I suppose it's all right. "Very well." She turned to her assistants, "You stay here girls. I won't be long."

Together they walked slowly away, towards a side room. Cheese gave Pinkie a halfhearted smile and whispered, "Be back soon. Okay?"

"Kay." Pinkie watched sadly, as they left, hoping Cheese would come back in one piece.

They walked into the small dressing room, and Starlight closed the door with her magic. She turned to face the stallion, who looked rather distraught. "You want to know why then?"

He gulped, nodding slowly. "Yes."

For a brief moment, she thought of lying to him, of telling a sad tale to gain his sympathy. But no, something in the back of her head told her that it would be foolish and cruel. Despite her past treatment towards him, she did not want to give the stallion yet another reason to hate her. The truth then, as I understand it. She sighed, "I suppose it started with your birth. You do know how terribly unusual it is for two unicorns to have an earth pony foal. Storm was…not pleased to say the least."

She found herself shuddering at the remembrance. "Eventually, he came to understand that I was not intending upon letting you starve to death, and he might as well accept fate." The mare stared hard into Cheese's eyes. "At first, things were okay. He assumed I would simply have a unicorn the next time, and all would be right. I was content to raise you well, in the hopes that he would eventually come to love you as I did. But-" She turned away, flushing, "-of course I got sick. I couldn't give him the unicorn he wanted, and he was quite angry."

Cheese rolled his eyes, "You're repeating what I know already. Why did you stop-" He gulped, "-stop caring for me? It's not as though I did anything wrong."

Starlight stared at him, her eyes cold. "Well, that is obvious. He made it abundantly clear that you were the cause of our misfortune, and that it was your fault I got sick." She stood straight, "I have to agree."

"It's not my fault for being born." He lowered his head, and tried to control the urge to run as far away from her as possible.

The mare continued, "Of course, I was not going to waste my time on a colt like you. You were not going to give me what I wanted, so I did not expend the effort. I can find purpose elsewhere, and that's exactly what I did."

Effort? So that's all I was to her? A waste of time! He tried to steady the mounting rage he felt. His voice became rather harsher than he intended it, "So you let father torture me? Was it too much effort to tell him he was wrong?"

Starlight looked away, "Well, I did not approve of Storm's methods. But, it did the trick, you behaved afterwards, so I agreed to it."
Cheese's emerald eyes flashed with anger, and he stomped a hoof hard on the stone floor. "Did the trick? DID THE TRICK! Do you even realize how much I suffered from that? How scared I was? And you-" He stopped, chest huffing, and tears streaming down his muzzle. "-you watched. You watched, me screaming for help, locked in that box for days. You could have stopped him, let me out, but you watched and did nothing." He turned away from her, trying to staunch the tears.

Sniffing indigently, the mare continued, "That's right. And what did I have to gain from helping you? My husband's scorn? Oh I already had that in spades. Your affection? What good is the affection of some earth pony colt?" She glowered at him, tears streaming down her own muzzle. "Do you know what? I was glad when you left. Glad I did not have to suffer your presence any longer!"

Cheese stood there, his face composed once more. A cold filled his chest, and seeped into every inch of his body. He would never have her affection, and for the first time in his life, he did not care. Slowly, he left the room. "So be it. You'll not be bothered by me again."

He left her standing there in the room, and walked down the long hall. Pinkie looked up when she saw him coming, and galloped over. "Cheesie! Are you okay?"

"Fine, Pinkie." He lifted his head, giving her a small smile. "I think so. Just-" He looked at their concerned friends and the now empty hallway. "-I think I'd like to go back to Ponyville."

"Oh…okay." She lifted her muzzle to his, and smiled. "Sorry, but I told them."

"You don't have to apologize." Cheese walked over to the others, head hung low. "Sorry about this, Fluttershy, Rarity. I messed up your big day, Rarity, sorry."

Rarity smiled, and hugged the stallion. "No you didn't. Why, the assistant just came back to say the other models are looking forward to posing with my line." She sighed, looking into his eyes. "I'm dreadfully sorry about bringing you here. Forcing you to face that piece of work."

"Don't apologize, Rarity. I had to face her sometime. Still-" Raising a hoof, he gestured to the door. "-it'd be best to leave. I'll see you Tuesday."

"Yes, safe trip." Rarity waved as he walked slowly down the long hall. Fluttershy turned to Pinkie who was standing next to her, hoof raised towards Cheese. Pinkie turned to them, eyes filled with longing. The unicorn chuckled, "You going too?"

"Yes." Pinkie glanced at the two mares. "-that is, if you don't mind."

Rarity smiled sweetly. "Not at all. We'll see you back in Ponyville."

Pinkie cantered off down the hallway, and next to Cheese. She pressed close, and walked in step with him out of the building into the afternoon sun.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie could explain a lot of stuff other ponies could not, but for the life of her, she had no idea what got into Cheese. As soon as they left the building, he had begun to prance down the road, humming a cheery tune. He was so sad and nervous just a few minutes before. "Say, Cheesie, you feeling okay?"

"Of course Pinkie, I've never been better." He gave a cheery leap into the air and danced a little in front of her. "I'm just keeping on the sunny side."

Giggling, she bounced along with him. "Okay. I just thought you'd be a little sad, after talking to your mom and all."

A flash of anger flickered in Cheese's eyes before being replaced with the usual good cheer. "Oh, don’t you worry about that. I suppose she told me what I've always known from the get go." He sighed, watching the busy street beside them. "She never loved me, but you know something?" Turning to her, he leaned in close, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I don't care. Not one bit. I have you and that's all I need in life."

Pinkie felt her face go red, and she pressed her muzzle to his. "Alright-" Then, she breathed, "but if you need somepony to talk to, you come to me okay?"

"You know I will, dear." He nuzzled her back, savoring that familiar sweet taste he loved so much. Grinning, he trotted down the road, "Come on then, we'll get our things, and be on our way."

The mare stood stock still, staring at Cheese as though he had two heads. "Uh, Cheesie. Since you're not sad, and doing fine, why did you say you wanted to go back to Ponyville?"

Cheese turned, a mischievous grin plastered to his face, "Well now, that's obvious. I was kinda bored with all the fashion stuff, and honestly-" He trotted back to her, leaning in close, "-I wanted to spend the rest of the weekend just the two of us."

"Cheesie!" She slapped him playfully on the back, flushing brightly. "That's like playing hooky."

"I know." He held out a hoof, "Care to join me?"

She rolled her blue eyes at him, "Oh, all right. But we're apologizing to Rarity for the fib, okay?"

"Righto." Cheese started off down the road, humming that familiar tune of theirs. After they had stopped by the hotel, they started off to the train station. To her dismay, Cheese kept leading her down side alley after side alley. Surprisingly, rather than wasting time, they got to the station much earlier than she expected.

Pinkie's eyes darted from the clock at the platform to Cheese in his hat and poncho. "How'd you do that?"

"Do what?" He looked around the crowd, gauging the general level of cheer and calculating how long it would take for Pinkie and him to start a dance party.

"Get us here in so little time." She too was looking at the crowd, mirroring Cheese's calculations.

"Oh, well I am from Manehattan. It's not hard if you know the streets." Winking slyly, he gestured to the crowd, "They seem a little grouchy. Want to dance?"

How'd he know? She pranced close, hugging him tightly. "Of course I do!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sitting on the train by themselves felt different than with her friends. Cheese was always willing to chat with her about any random thought that came into her head, while her friends would eventually tire of her outbursts. From the window, she watched the brilliant sun set over the grassy fields. "Say, Cheesie? Are we going straight home?"

"Well-" Shoot, I was so excited to be with her, I forgot to plan. Just as he was about to ask her, a tingle filled his body, shooting up his spine and through his legs. His cutie mark played that familiar melody. The tingle quickly turned to a stabbing pain, and he jumped upright. "Outch! That was a doozy."

Pinkie stared at him with concern. I never thought his Cheesie sense would hurt. Has he been hiding it from me so I wouldn't worry? Silly stallion. "You okay Cheesie? Does your Cheesie sense normally hurt?"

He winced, rubbing his legs until the tingling ebbed. "No. It's just gets that way if I ignore it for a long time. Since I've been in Ponyville I guess." Sighing, he rejoined Pinkie on the cushion. "There's a serious shindig later tonight in Neighmours."

Her eyes seemed to grow twice as big with excitement. "Neighmours, that's like the next stop! It's perfect, Cheesie. Let's go."

"You sure? I don't want to push you to go just for me." He flicked her forelock back affectionately, concern in his eyes. "You're probably tired."

"Cheesie!" She huffed, slamming his hat down hard on his head. Standing she gestured dramatically around them. "Equestria would be in a sorry state if its two best party ponies were sick of partying." Pacing, she stood straight with confident pride. "Why, those ponies may not know it yet, but they need us. They need us Cheesie. And I for one am not going to disappoint them just because I'm a little tired."

"Okay, okay. I feel the same, but I'd thought I'd ask." Hugging her tightly, he flopped his hat on her head. "There, now we both can be traveling party ponies." He winked, "At least for the weekend."

Pinkie giggled, snuggling closer to him. For some reason, the strength of his limbs holding her was more comforting than any blanket. A train whistle sounded, and they broke away, each flushing a little. "We'd better go."

"Yeah, let's get this party really started." He grabbed Boneless 2, and they set off towards Neighmours and what promised to be a very interesting night.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well now, that was a lot of fun." Cheese was prancing next to Pinkie in the moonlight. It was a well past midnight, and the two were trudging down the road to Ponyville. They decided to keep moving, refusing the offer to stay. Cheese said it was against his 'code of partying' to stay the night in a town he planned in. Pinkie was not sure she agreed, but happily followed him along the path, though she did not have quite the energy to prance anymore.

She looked into his emerald eyes, now sparkling in the moonlight. "Yeah. It sure was." Glancing at the forest around them, she wondered where they were. Pinkie loved to walk as much as the next pony, but rarely went very far, and her hooves were starting to ache. "Say, Cheesie, when's the next town?"

He looked at her, surprise plastered on his face. "Oh, I thought you knew. It's a good four hours away yet."

"What?" Pinkie flopped onto the roadside grass, moaning. "I can't go on, Cheesie…so sleepy…"

Cheese slapped a hoof to his forehead. Stupid Cheese! I completely forgot she's not used to traveling. Besides, it's really late. "Sorry, Pinkie. I should have told you the next town was so far away." Sighing, he leaned down, blowing air into Pinkie's ear.
Giggling, she looked up at him. "It's fine Cheesie. I was having so much fun, I forgot the time too." She stood weakly, grinning at him. "Where shall we make camp?"

He gestured to the case he had been carrying, and the rubber chicken on her back. "Camp? I don't think you could call no tent, Boneless 2, and a suitcase of party supplies a camp Pinkie."

"Oh I don't know. They're more than enough for us, aren't they?" She shuffled closer to him, her soft, clean smell playing with his senses. She pointed to a clearing a ways off. "Let's try there."

"Okay." They walked over to the grassy patch among the trees. It was a cool, quiet night; the kind Cheese loved best. He took Boneless 2 from Pinkie, and curled up on the soft grass. Though he could go a long time when traveling, the moment he hit the ground he realized how tired he really was. The night was beautiful, and he found himself admiring the starry sky. He chuckled. Luna's really showing off tonight.

Pinkie lay in the grass too, a few feet away from him. Her parents had instilled the concept of 'respectful distance' from an early age, and Cheese seemed to share the sentiment. Though, it was a little tough, especially when she was cold and he was so very warm. She shivered just a little, and turned to Cheese. "Night."

Yawing, he grinned back at her, "Night." He noticed her shivering and sighed. With a bit more effort than he cared to admit, he stood, took off his poncho, and placed it on the mare. "You could've just said you were cold silly."

She giggled, "Sorry." The poncho was really warm, and had that familiar earthy scent she loved so much. "So, that's why you wear it."

"Yup." He turned, going back to his spot once more. "You don't think it's a fashion statement do you?" They laughed together for a time, then fell silent. It really was very late, and they had a lot of walking to do in the morning.

Pinkie stared at Cheese for a time, smiling to herself. She watched his sides heave up and down as he slept. She giggled just a bit at the sight of him curled up next to Boneless 2 and tail over his head. Does he always sleep like that? Silly. Yawning, she curled up herself, and soon fell into a just as deep sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie was at a loss for words. Never in her life had she had such a perfect day. How in Equestria am I ever going to top this one? She turned to Cheese, her face showing her broadest grin she had. "This is so fun!" It was probably the hundredth time she had said it, but that did not stop it from being true.

Cheese bounced up and down, sharing in her exuberance. "Yeah, I can't believe all we got to do."

"I loved the fudge in Millcreek. It was the best in Equestria." She clapped a hoof to her mouth, flushing. "Oh, don't tell the Cakes I said that!"

He chuckled adjusting the borrowed hat on her head. "Of course I won't. But, I thought the watermelon festival in Palomino was the best." They had successfully managed to visit three towns on their way back to Ponyville. Cheese playfully dubbed it a "fun gauntlet," which had set Pinkie into a fit of giggles.

"Oooh that was super yummy." She leaned in close to him, watching the setting sun dance off of his caramel coat. "I loved everything, but being with you was the best."

He nuzzled her gently, "Me too." He looked around him at the open road, passing through the many fields on the outskirts of Ponyville. "We'll be home before too long, it's a shame."

"Yeah." Her ears dropped a little at the thought of being separated from him again. "But, let's walk extra slow, okay?"

He chuckled, "Kay, but let's try to get back before midnight shall we?"

"He, he." Pinkie snuggled up close, and did her best to savor the walk. The longer she stayed with him, the more cheerful she became. At this point, she was fairly certain she might explode from sheer happiness.

Ahead of them, they spotted a cart in the center of the road. As they approached, Pinkie noticed an older brown donkey pushing the back of the cart with all his strength. From the toupee, the floppy ears, and his knobby knees, she recognized Cranky in an instant. She cantered up to him. "Cranky! You okay?"

He turned to see a familiar pink mare standing in front of him. "Pinkie Pie? What are you doing so far out of Ponyville?"

"Oh, me and Cheesie just got back from our fun gauntlet." She gestured to the stallion trotting up to meet them.

Cranky squinted, judging the mare's expression, "Party gauntlet? What in the hay is that?"

"It's a group of fun things to do, all in a row." Cheese stood next to Pinkie, grinning at the donkey. He held out a hoof, "You must be Cranky. Pinkie's told me so much about you. It's a pleasure."

The donkey shook his hoof, but still looked confused. "And you are?"

"Ooops. Guess that slipped my mind." Cheese smiled brightly at him, "Name's Cheese Sandwich. Party planning pony, and-" He raised a hoof to his head, flushing a little, "-and Pinkie's coltfriend."

"What?" Cranky glanced between Pinkie and Cheese, surprise plastered to his wrinkly face. "You mean you started courting that stallion you had that big goof off with last year?"

She beamed, puffing her chest out. "Yup a doodles Cranky."

"Well I'll be." He removed his toupee, scratching his head. "I'm glad for you, Pinkie. You deserve a stallion of your own." Staring hard into Cheese's eyes, he continued, "You treasure her like the gem she is. Got it?"

Cheese chuckled nervously, "Sure I will." The stallion regarded the cart, stuck fast in a big, muddy pothole. "Hmmm. Looks like a mess."

"Yeah." Cranky kicked the cart irritably. "Been trying to get it unstuck for an hour now."

"Let me help." Cheese walked over to the wheel, assessing the situation. Turning around, he gave a measured kick. With a great squelsh, the wheel popped loose from the mud, and was sent forward a few feet. "How's that?"

Cranky gaped, "Well, I'll be. Thanks a bunch Cheese." He stared at the stallion's handiwork. "Boy, I wish I could be as fit as you, but I'm well past that now." Turning to Pinkie, he gave an honest, and rare Cranky doodle donkey smile. "Don't let me hold you two love birds up."

"Hmmm." Pinkie turned to Cheese who nodded. She stepped closer to Cranky. "We could walk with you if you don't mind. Cheesie can pull the wagon, give you a break." She turned to her stallion for acknowledgement, and he nodded confidently.

Cranky smiled even bigger. "Sure. I'd love that Pinkie."

Taking the cue, Cheese picked up the driving collar, and started to pull the wagon along. Together, the merry group set off towards Ponyville. Pinkie was happy to tell Cranky about their adventures that day, and how things were in town. Cranky gave an account of his day to day activities, which involved a lot of junk collection.

Cranky gestured to the cart full of mismatched items. "It's just, ponies don't realize what they throw away. You know?"

"Oh I know." Cheese nodded in agreement. "You won't believe what kind of yummy treats I've found in dumpsters and the sides of roads."

Pinkie gasped, "Cheesie! It's not healthy to eat dumpster food."

He chuckled, "Beggars can't be choosers dear. Besides-" He winked at Cranky. "-it's a surprise in every can."

"Eewwwe." Pinkie stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Do all stallions eat whatever they find in the trash?"

"Probably." Cranky chuckled along with Cheese at the mortified expression on the mare's face. They continued on their way, and the pair of party ponies fell into an impromptu skit that left Cranky laughing harder than Pinkie had ever heard him. Turning to Pinkie with wry grin, "Say, when is it?"

"When's what Cranky?" Cocking her head, she stared at the donkey's unusually cheeky expression.

"Oh, you know." He leaned in a little closer, long face breaking into a smirk now. "The wedding."

Both party ponies stopped dead in their tracks. Pinkie pulled her haunches up so fast, that she slid into a sitting position. Her pink coat was as red as an apple, and she gaped at Cranky. "What? No! We're not-" She gulped, looking down, "-engaged."

"Oh." Cranky faced Cheese now, "What are you doing lad? Get on it."

"Gah! Cranky-" The stallion's sandy coat was just as red as Pinkie's and he pawed the ground nervously. "-we're not quite ready for that yet."

Rolling his eyes, he snorted. "Fine. Just-" He sighed, remembering his own lost chance, "-don't wait forever kids. You're only young once after all. Besides-" Smirking once more, "-if you want foals, you'll have to start before you're too old."

Pinkie squeaked with embarrassment, shoving her head under her hooves. Snorting, Cheese turned to the jack, "Cranky!"
Chuckling, Cranky slapped the stallion playfully on the back. "Awe relax kids, old Cranky's just playing with you. Ain't nothing to it."

"Okay, but don't do it again Cranky." She stood, regaining some of her composure. As they walked on, she felt her mind reeling with his words. Me, married to Cheese? With foals? Geeze, Cranky's getting a little pushy. Still… Her heat pounded so fast, that she felt the others would hear it for sure. It kinda sounds nice.

Eventually, they reached the inner edge of town. Cranky had to take the other road, so they parted ways. As they walked towards home, Pinkie could not help but giggle the whole way. "Thanks for the fun Cheesie."

"Sure. I had a lot of fun too you know." Cheese stroked Pinkie's soft curls. "You make a good travel buddy. What do you say to doing this again? Maybe, once or twice a month, when we're off work."

Pinkie grinned, hopping around him with excitement. "Yes, yes YES!" Then, realizing that is was dark and ponies were asleep, she lowered her volume. "Of course I'd love to Cheesie."

"Great. Let's make it a promise okay?" He held out a hoof.

Pinkie took it, grinning broadly, "Okay, Pinkie Promise."

C'est La Vie

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Cheese Sandwich trotted through the sunlit field in high spirits, anticipating all the fun he would have that afternoon with Pinkie. Just in front of him, a pair of rabbits darted through the golden stalks of wheat, seemingly unaware of the pony. He chuckled softly, and stood to admire the scene around him.

The path he was on wound lazily through a large field lined by Sweet Apple Acres’ many apple trees. Judging from the ripening fruit hanging tantalizingly close, harvest time would be fast upon Ponyville. Autumn held a special place in the heart of earth ponies, and Cheese found himself caught up in the sheer excitement of it. Sure, his race had no magic, but they did have a pride in what they could accomplish from their hooves and sheer willpower alone. At this time of year, he felt a resurgence of that pride in full force.The entire scene was an intricate tapestry of wildlife, smells, and spectacular scenery. It’s changed so much since I came.

Unconsciously, he glanced as his coat, and the rippling muscles now underneath the soft caramel hairs. I’ve changed so much. A cool, sweet breeze whipped his dark curls back, setting a broad smile on his young face. In just a few short months, his entire life had been turned upside down.

He walked on through the field, savoring the soft thud of his hooves against the dusty path. Soon his mind drifted to the mare that made it all possible, and the wonderful weeks they had spent together. Ever since their trip to Manehattan, they had been inseparable, and had grown closer each hour they spent together. Cheese found himself remembering their four weekend party trips after their first “hookie trip,” and wondering what they would come up with next. Speaking of which...“Oh no! I’m late.”

Breaking into a gallop, he sped through the field, and made his way back to Ponyville. Every day after work, he had taken to going on a long walk through the fields to “get the jumpies out” as Pinkie would say. Try as he may to settle down, his hooves always got antsy if he had to stay in one spot for hours at a time. Normally, Pinkie would happily oblige with a good game or dance, but they needed to get a lot of planning done for the start of their next trip tomorrow, and Cheese did not want to drag down their meeting with his bad habits.

He came to the bridge into Ponyville, and skidded to a halt to avoid slamming into pair of ponies walking over the boards. “Sorry.”

“Oh that’s all right.” A pretty lilac earth pony turned her head to regard Cheese’s huffing sides. She lifted a hoof, trying to stifle a giggle. “You late to see Pinkie?”

“Yeah.” Cheese felt his face turning red and he glanced at the big red stallion next to her. “You on a walk with Big Mac, Cheerilee?”

“Yes.” Once again, she broke into that carrying laugh of hers and nudged Big Mac. “That right, honey?”

“Eeeup.” Big Mac stared at Cheese, an exasperated spreading across his face. “Now, if ya were goin’ ta meet with her, why didn’t ya just leave early?” Leaning over, he gave the smaller stallion a big noogie. “Get goin’ then. An’ next time, make sure you leave on time.”

“Right.” He tore off down the road, a little irritated with his friend. Geeze, what does he think he’s coming from, giving me relationship advice?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Well?” Pinkie turned her head sideways, her blue eyes shining in anticipation. “How is it?”

Rarity looked up from underneath her red designer glasses, eyes unreadable. She glanced between her dear friend, and the stack of papers in front of her. Slowly, a thin smile broke across her face, growing into a wide grin. “Why it’s fabulous darling.”

“Yes!” Pinkie did a victory lap around the darkening boutique, and the unicorn seated on the lounge. “So, when will I be ready?”

“Oh, you’re quite ready. I’d even say you can talk to Mayor Mare tomorrow.”

“What? TOMORROW!” Pinkie stood stock still in the center of the room. Her small face wore an unusually flustered expression. “But…but…isn’t that too soon?”

“No, no, darling. Besides, you said you wanted to get started as soon as possible.”

“I know it’s just-” Pinkie gulped, “-it’s a pretty big step. Bigger than anything I’ve ever tried before.” She turned to her friend, a few tears sneaking into her eyes. “Oh, what if I fail, Rarity?”

“Pinkie…” Rarity hugged her tightly, “Hush now. I felt the same way when I was in your shoes. Just take a deep breath and go for it, you won’t regret it.”

“Okay.” A smile stretched across her face once more. She jumped at the chiming of the small clock on Rarity’s powder table. “Is that clock right?”

“Oh yes. I just checked it yesterday.”

“Oh no!” Pinkie shot towards the door, and was about to leave when she turned quickly back to Rarity. “Thanks for everything, Rarity. But, I’m late to see Cheesie, and we’ve got to plan for our party trip tomorrow.”

Rarity rolled her eyes, and added a mischievous grin for good measure. “Don’t let me keep you waiting. But-” She leaned in, ruffling Pinkie’s mane, “-you’d better tell me all the details.”

“Okey dokey, Rarity.” Pinkie whirled around, and ran out the door, seemingly oblivious to Rarity’s hint.

Sighing, the unicorn turned to her now empty boutique. The stack of papers still lay on the lounge, and she clucked disapprovingly. “Honestly, that mare. Forgets everything she was doing once he’s on her mind.”

Despite her qualms, it appeared that Pinkie and Cheese’s affection for each other was genuine and not just a case of ‘puppy love’ as she originally thought. Grudgingly, she had come to accept them as an ‘item,’ and it was almost becoming natural to see them together. That scared her a little, and she hoped time would ease the pit that formed in her stomach every time she saw them together.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie was more than a little flustered by the time she neared the Cake’s bakery. Skidding to the back door she pulled it open and was surprised to see a bewildered Mrs. Cake about to open the door herself. She sighed with relief at the sight of the younger mare. “Pinkie dear. There you are. Come in, I’ve got something important for you.”

“For me? What is it?” Pinkie hopped excitedly, until she noticed the unusually serious expression on Mrs. Cake’s plump face.

“Yes, come on in and sit down.”

Pinkie obliged, and seated herself at the table. Absent mindedly, she fiddled with her mane to cover the large scar on her side. Ever since the accident, it had become a nervous habit of hers, and she had allowed her mane to grow out. Though, as Cheese repeatedly reminded her, it would never cover the scar completely, and she should not worry about it so much.

Mrs. Cake kept glancing at Pinkie as she pulled an envelope from the counter. She placed it carefully in front of her. “This was just delivered. It’s from your mother.”

“Mom?” Pinkie’s small mouth gaped and her eyes looked searchingly into Mrs. Cake’s. Though she wrote to her family once a month, she never received a letter in return. Her parents and siblings were very frugal, and thought the expense of postage was ludicrous unless the message was of utmost importance. So, that means…Cautiously, she opened it and read.

Pinkamena,

I hope this letter finds you well. I know we don’t write often, but I hope you know we are still thinking of you. I’m sending this letter because there’s been an accident on the farm. Your father was moving rocks in the east field when a large pile collapsed on him. He’s all right, but he broke a leg, and can’t work for a month. I know you’ve been very busy in Ponyville with your friends. But, if you could spare a few days to help out, we would love your company.

Hugs and kisses,

-Cloudy

“Pinkie are you okay?” Mrs. Cake regarded the now ashen faced mare with concern.

“Just okie dokey-” Her voice shook ever so slightly, “-I’m going upstairs now.” Before her employer could get a word in edgewise, Pinkie turned, galloping up the stairs. In a few minutes, she appeared once again in the kitchen, saddlebags strapped to her sides, and a determined look plastered on her face. Slowly, she advanced towards the door.

“Pinkie, where are you going?”

Pinkie shuffled, trying to push her away. “I’m okie dokey Mrs. Cake. I’m just going to walk home.”

“Now? It’s late dear. Why don’t you go in the morning?” She placed her hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder, only to have her recoil. “Pinkie, you can’t walk all that way by yourself at night. Be reasonable.”

“No.” Pinkie’s icy tone startled even herself, and she flushed. “Sorry, Mrs. Cake. I’ll be careful, promise. I just-“ She gulped, pawing at the ground, “-my family needs me back home right now. Can you watch Gummy for me?”

“Of course, but, are you sure?”

“Yup. Just-“ Leaning forward, she hugged Mrs. Cake tightly, “-just don’t worry about me. I’ll be back soon.” The air was still and cool when she stepped out the back door. So many thoughts danced in her head, and she was in such a rush, that she did not notice where she was walking. When she looked up, she was muzzle to muzzle with another pony in the darkened park. “Ooopies, excuse me, but I’m in a hurry.”

“Pinkie?” Cheese Sandwich stared back at his marefriend, a playful sparkle filling his green eyes. “Is that anyway to talk to me?”

“Cheesie?” Pinkie did a double take and started back. Her small face turned beet red, and she stared intently at the ground, voice smaller than normal. “Sorry, Cheesie. Guess I was kinda lost in thought.”

“Lost in thought?” His eyes darted from her stormy expression to the full saddlebags draped over her sides. Something’s wrong. “Pinkie, are you okay?”

“I’m fine Cheesie.” With some difficulty, she contorted her face into a fragile grin.

Who does she think she’s fooling with that look? Honestly… “No, you’re not fine.” Cheese leaned forward, hot breath mixing with hers. “It’s all right, Pinkie. You can tell me.”

“But, I-” I don’t want to talk about it silly! Why don’t you understand? “I need to go. I need leave NOW.” She tried to run away, and to her surprise, he stepped in front of her, eyes glinting with fierce determination. “Cheesie. Let me leave!”

“No.”

“No?” Pinning her ears, she stared defiantly up at him. “Why not?”

“Pinkie, you can’t run from your fears. It only-” He sighed, stroking her pink curls affectionately. “-It only hurts worse. I should know.”

Despite her best efforts, she found a stinging pressure behind her eyes, and tears began to spill down her cheeks. She broke down then, knees hitting the ground and sobs breaking the stillness around them. Why? Why does he have to do that?

For what felt like hours, but was likely less than a few minutes, he lay next to her, whispering soft encouragement, as she sobbed into his chest. Eventually, she went silent and snuggled closer. He watched the brilliant stars now appearing overhead, and smiled. “You know, it’s a really nice night. Way too nice to be so sad. So, you need to tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.”

“What? So you think you can fix anything just like that?”

“Well now, I can try.”

Snorting, she looked up at him. “Okay. Guess it is kinda silly not to tell you, seeing as how we’re partners and all.”

“Partners?”

“Yup.” Pinkie pushed him playfully, admiring the starlight reflecting in the stallion’s eyes. “We’re always together, everypony says so. Besides, you can’t say we make a bad team.”

“Silly, I could never say that. So-” A soft smile broke across his face, the kind she loved the most. “-tell me what’s wrong.”

“Okay then.” She sat up straight, expression turning a little darker. “I kinda got some bad news today.” Digging in her saddle bags, she pulled out the small letter and handed it to Cheese.

As he read, his expression darkened. “Oh Pinkie. That’s terrible. But, it sounds like your Mom’s doing okay. You don’t have to rush out there in the middle of the night.”

Pinkie shook her head, “You don’t know my Mom, Cheesie. She’s super hard working, and proud. She would never, ever ask me to come back unless it was super urgent.”

“I see. Guess there’s nothing to it then.” He stood up, slinging her saddlebags across his back. “We’d better get going.”

“What?”

“I’m going too.”

Pinkie shot up, panic in her eyes. “But you can’t.”

“What? Why not? Isn’t better to go together?” He trotted around her, that playful glint returning to his eyes. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

Oh, Cheesie. “Yes, but. It’s just, I haven’t told them yet.”

“Told them what?”

“About…about us okay?” Pinkie looked away, staring hard at the empty park benches just in front of them.

“WHAT? Pinkie, we’ve been dating for months now. When were you planning on telling them about us?”

“Well, later I guess. It’s just, I never had the right time to, you know? Oh, please don’t be angry Cheesie. I love you, I really do. It’s just, I’m a little nervous about telling them. I mean, my parents are really old fashioned and super protective."

“So?”

“They’ll make it into some big interview. It’s just-” The damp night air helped to steady her nerves, and the next words tumbled out before she could stop them. “-I don’t want them hurting you.”

“Pinkie, come on. They’re not going to hurt me.” Why in Equestria would she think that?

“Not physically, but-” Her blue eyes sparkled with tears, “-They might ask you a lot of questions; about where you’ve been, what you do, even your family.”

Cheese’s smile shattered like a thousand pieces of glass. The familiar chill filled his chest once more, sending his heart racing. Why can’t I ever get away from them? Noticing Pinkie’s worried expression, he tried to recover. His voice was shaky, but his eyes were decided. “It’ll be fine, Pinkie.”

“But-”

“But nothing. I’m going with you and that’s final.” He pulled away, and started back towards town, Pinkie trotting to keep up. “I’ve just got to pick up some stuff then we’ll be off.”

“But, what if it goes bad with my parents?”

He winked playfully at her as they continued down the road. “C’est la vie, Pinkie my dear.”

“What?”

“It’s life, Pinkie. Good or bad, we take the challenges as they come, and we take them together. Isn’t that what we agreed on?” Then, he began to sing in a low, soft voice.

“C’est la vie, la vie.
Whatever will be, will be.
Whatever the weather,
We’ll face it together

C’est la vie, la vie.
Whatever will be, will be.
Don’t worry your life away
Just stand and say

C’est la vie, la vie.
La vie, la vie.”

The subdued quality of his singing was so different than his usual cheery, high pitched one, that he might have been mistaken for another pony all together. It sent shivers down her spine, but somehow made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, like drinking a big mug of hot chocolate. I didn’t know he could sing like that. Her sides pressed against his, “Thanks, Cheesie.”

“No biggie, but you owe me a good Polka dance for this one.”

“Okay, but let’s not settle for just one.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie was completely shocked. Being two cheery party ponies, they never grew tired of talking with each other. At least that was what she had always though. Traveling along the narrow road, listening to him tell another funny story, she began to feel almost annoyed at him. What’s wrong with me? Gulping, she turned to him, “Say, Cheesie, could you maybe be quiet?”

Cheese stopped mid-sentence and gaped in astonishment at her. “Sorry.” The moonlight was blocked through the thick canopy of trees covering the path. Even in the dim light, he could see her blue eyes staring into his own. “Story too boring?”

“No, no, Cheesie. It’s just, I’m kinda feeling sick.”

“Sick?” Oh no. He looked her over her nervously. “Are you okay, Pinkie?”

He’s really worried. She leaned close, breathing softly in his ear. “I’m okay Cheesie. I just don’t feel like talking.”

What? Absent-mindedly he pawed at the dirt and stared into the darkened forest. He drew Boneless 2 from his saddle and fidgeted uncomfortably. “Guess I can be kinda annoying.”

“No, Cheesie. That’s not it. I’m just nervous about my Dad, that’s all.”

“Right, we’ll make better time if we’re quiet. You sure you’re feeling okay?” The nod of her head was less than convincing, but he went along anyway. It was far too late to have an argument with anypony as stubborn as Pinkie. It’s going to be a long night.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“What the…?” Cheese stared at their destination with his mouth ajar. It was dawn, at least it should have been dawn. No sunlight pierced through the expansive blanket of grey clouds stretching as far as the eye could see. Just in front of them stood a valley full of an equally depressing sea of rocks. “Uh, what’s wrong with the sky?”

“What about it?” Pinkie was beaming broadly at the farm, as though they had found the lost city of Eldorido.

“It’s-” He paused, contemplating the most tasteful way to describe it. “-It’s all grey.” Well, that was lame.

A soft snort escaped Pinkie, quickly growing into a full on laugh. “Of course it is silly. It’s always grey here.” Slowly, she wove her way down the slope and into the farm.

“Why?”

“Oh, that’s easy, Cheesie. It’s ‘cause we live super far in the country near a mostly earth pony town.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Though he did his best, Cheese was much less coordinated on the shale covered hill, and ended up sliding most of the way. His loud huffing sent streams of misty breath into the air, and he moaned internally. I’m way too tired for this.

“Well, the clouds naturally gather here, and we don’t have pegasi around to do the job. Even if we did, there’s a lot of land, and it would take a whole bunch of Rainbow Dashes to clear the sky.”

The thought of measuring cloud clearing time in Rainbow Dashes caused an uncontrollable onset of laughter from Cheese. “Seriously, Rainbow Dashes?”

“What? It makes sense.” Well, it kinda doesn’t, but oh well. Pinkie nudged him affectionately, and started to walk on. “Ready?”

“You bet.”

The road to the Pie family farm certainly did not deserve the title of road; a path, a winding lane, but most definitely not a road. Their land was festooned with such an array of rocks that it more closely resembled a geology lab. Cheese rarely became exhausted, but after an all-night trek and a full day’s work, his strength was fading. To his shock, Pinkie’s bounce had turned into an honest to Celestia walk.

Finally, after what felt like ages, they reached a clear patch of dirt. There in front of them stood an aging farmyard. Though the buildings had obviously seen better days, closer inspection revealed careful repairs and continuous upkeep. Cheese could not stop the broad grin stretching across his face, and he turned to Pinkie. “The carpentry is amazing. Did your Dad build everything?”

“Yup a doodles, Cheesie.” Though she spoke to him, her gaze was set on the darkened farmhouse in front of them. A tiny light appeared in one of the windows, and she jumped up in excitement. “Mom’s up for breakfast. I’m going to surprise her.”

The ponies made their way to the house, rather more slowly than they left for the trip, though Pinkie’s bouncy walk had returned. Standing in front of the polished wood door, Cheese found himself growing nervous again. To his surprise, Pinkie had frozen stock still, hoof in the air ready to knock. “What’s wrong, Pinkie?”

“Nothing. Just-” She unconsciously set her gaze to stare at the massive scar running down her side. “-I forgot about it.”

Without hesitation, he pressed his side to hers, and nuzzled her affectionately. “You look beautiful.”

Pinkie snorted a giggle, and looked up at the stallion like he was insane. Really Cheesie? Glancing down at her coat it was plain to see that their journey had been a long one. The normally glossy sheen had been replaced by a thick layer of dust. Her mane was frizzy, and strands jumped this way and that, making her look more than a little harried. “You’ve got some weird sense of beautiful mister.”

“Maybe, but I don’t think so.” He gestured grandly to the door, and backed up into the shadows. Probably be best to let her do the talking first. They stood there for a few seconds in silence. “You knocking?”

“Yup.” Taking in an extra lungful of air, Pinkie knocked loudly on the door.

A pair of voices could be heard just inside, and sure enough, it swung open. There in the doorway stood a middle aged mare, bespectacled face wide with astonishment. Her grey coat was already covered in flour, but she happily embraced her daughter anyway. “Pinkamena Dianne Pie! What in Equestria are you doing here so soon? You could only have got my letter last night.”

"I left as soon as I got it. I wanted to see you so bad!”

“Well, dear I’m happy you came. But you can’t go gallivanting around the countryside at night by yourself! You could have been hurt.” Cloudy turned her head inside the house. “Igneous. Get out here, your daughter’s home.”

There was the soft sound of labored hoovesteps against the floorboards as Igneous hobbled forward. His discomfort was obvious from the thick cast on his right hind leg, and pained expression contorting his side-burned face. The dust colored stallion seemed more than taken aback to see his second eldest daughter standing in the doorway. “Pinkamena? What are you doing here?”

“I just asked her that, Igneous. Did you know she came as soon as she got my letter? Walked all night no doubt.” Cloudy clucked disapprovingly, and made to straighten Pinkie’s mane. The members of the Pie family were not known to be loud, and Pinkie actually jumped back when her mother screamed. “By Celestia! What happened to you Pinkamena? Who did it?”

“Did what?” She found herself growing nervous, and she danced in a circle, trying to understand what was wrong. Then, it hit her. “Oh, the scar?”

“Yes the scar! What did you think I was talking about? Igneous-” She motioned her husband forward. “-take a look at this.”

The stallion looked intently at the blemish, contemplating. He chewed more vigorously on the stalk of wheat permanently placed in his mouth. “That’s some cut, Pinkamena. Why didn’t you tell us when it happened?”

“I didn’t want you to worry.”

“Worry? Pinkamena, worrying is what parent’s do. And-” Her blue eyes turned stern. “-you know better than to keep secrets from us.”

Secrets? The knot in her stomach seemed to tighten exponentially. If she’s mad about the scar, she’ll be furious about Cheesie. Unconsciously, her eyes drifted to the spot in the shadows where Cheese was standing. “I don’t try to keep them, I just…”

Igneous placed a hoof on her back, staring at the scar. “How’d it happen girl?”

“I fell in a pit and cut it on a rock.”

“A rock?” Igneous snorted, lined face contorting in annoyance. The Pies were always contentious of rock hazards, and he trained all his children about safely sensing and walking around holes. “A rock farmer’s daughter cutting herself open with a rock? What a load of rubbish.”

“But, Dad! It’s the truth. Cross my heart.”

“Fine.” Something’s not right. Why aint she talking about it? Pinkamena’s never like this. “Your Ma said something about walking out her by yourself. Didn’t we teach you better than that girl?”

“Oh, I wasn’t alone. Cheesie was with me.”

“Who?”

“Cheesie.” Pinkie gestured to the shadow of the doorway where Cheese had been standing. Slowly the stallion made his way out, head hung a little low. His green eyes flashed nervously between the two older ponies. Pinkie hopped next to him, beaming from ear to ear. “Cheesie, these are my parents Cloudy Quartz and Igneous Pie. Mom and Dad, this is my coltfriend, Cheese Sandwich.”

Igneous had been prepared for his daughter to bring home something unexpected. In fact, every time she visited, it was always something out of the ordinary. But, nothing and nopony could have prepared him for this. The stalk dropped from his mouth and he stared in consternation at Cheese. Celestia give me strength!

You Sure About This?

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“Nice to meet you.” Cheese held out a hoof, keeping his usual cheery grin. Ignatius did not take it, but continued to stare dumbstruck at him. Something I said? He noted the state of his own dusty coat, faded poncho, and wide brimmed hat. I suppose I do look kinda suspicious.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too." Cloudy noticed the stallion’s concerned expression, and nudged Igneous pointedly. "Igneous?”

Igneous did not take the hoof. Glancing over the stranger, it was obvious that this Cheese fellow was no run of the mill stallion. He found himself drawn to the ridiculous rubber chicken perched comfortably on the saddle. To top off the freak show, the stranger was draped in a tacky old poncho. Why in Equestria is he wearing that getup? And what kind of name is Cheese Sandwich? That's not a name, that's lunch. "Cheese eh?"

"That's right…" The appraising glare was enough to send a nervous shiver through Cheese’s spine. Please stop staring!

Mercifully, Igneous turned away, sweeping up the dropped stalk. Chewing absent mindedly, he scowled back at him. "What kind of self-respecting ponies name their colt Cheese Sandwich?"

"Dear!" The carefully neutral expression plastered on Cloudy's face shifted to an uncomfortable grimace.

A familiar knot tightened once more around Cheese's heart. He turned to Pinkie, who was shifting uncomfortably beside him, eyes uncertain. It's for Pinkie, Cheese, it's for Pinkie. "Cheese Sandwich isn't my name, it kinda a nickname I go by."

"Hmmm." The chewing intensified, "Don't like nopony who goes around making names up, like your parents didn't give you a perfectly good one already." He leaned in, eyes serious. "What's your real name son?"

"Dad!"

Cheese stared dumbstruck at the stallion. Does it matter? Geeze. Snorting, he stared right back. "Rory, Rory Scribe."

Igneous lifted a hoof, a look of satisfaction breaking free between the sideburns. "Glad to meet you, Rory. Come in."

Rolling his eyes at Pinkie, he took the proffered hoof. "Nice to meet you, sir." Gathering what was left of his courage, he stepped inside the house.

Cheese half expected to see rock themed decorations and grey paint, but was pleasantly surprised. The small room was painted a baby blue and decorated with an assortment of wall quilts, clocks, and finely carved furniture. Though the space held a living room, kitchen, and table, it did not feel crowded at all. The best part for him though, was the comforting smell of warm cinnamon oatmeal.

“I know it’s not much, but we try.”

Cloudy was taken about by a sudden outburst of hopping and the broad smile breaking across the young stallion's face. With a flourish, he placed his poncho, saddlebags, and Boneless 2 next to Pinkie's things. “Not much? It’s one of the nicest houses I’ve ever been in!”

"I like it bunches too, Cheesie. Say, Mom, where's Marble and Limestone?"

"Sleeping, they had a busy day yesterday." Cloudy smiled kindly, as she began to fuss around the pot of oatmeal, filling the worn bowls.

An indignant snort sounded from Igneous as he sat at the table. Busy day my hoof. His attention turned back to the stranger walking around the room with Pinkie. And now I got more to worry about. As his daughter twirled on the hardwood, he noticed the ugly scar in greater detail, carving a path down her beautiful coat. By Celestia that's a nasty scrape. Must have been a lot of blood. Thought she was friends with a Princess. Not much help then, was she? "Sit on down for breakfast Pinkamena."

"Kay!" The energy around the table surprised the older ponies. It could have been Heartswarming Eve the way Pinkie was giggling at them. “Yay! Mom’s oatmeal’s the bestest."

Without another word, they dug into the warm oatmeal. It was easily the best Cheese had ever tasted, and in no time at all, he cleaned the bowl. Cloudy looked at him with interest. "You like oatmeal a lot, do you?

"Uh huh. It's WAAAY better than biscuits or jam, or even those little pastry things."

The small smile on Cloudy's worn face grew just a touch wider. He's just like her. "I'll think you'll be bored of it after a week with us. It's all we have for breakfast."

"Neato." Despite his best efforts to stifle it, he let out a huge yawn. "Sorry, guess I'm a little tired. We've kinda been up all night."

Clucking disapprovingly, Cloudy examined the pair. "Better get some rest. Dear, can the rocks wait until this afternoon?"

"I suppose." Igneous struggled to keep his voice calm. A thousand questions raced in his head, most focused on his daughter's safety and the strange pony invading his home. Steady Igneous, steady. Try as he may to staunch it, a nasty sort of unease threatened to overwhelm him. For a steady pony like himself, it was more than a little disconcerting. He strode over to his daughter, face stern. "You've got a lot of talking to do miss."

Pinkie seemed to deflate a little, and she lowered her head. "Yes sir."

"Bed now, Pinkamena."

Slowly, Pinkie made her way past the ponies, and up the creaky, narrow stairs. After she left, Cheese grew self-conscious at Cloudy and Igneous' questioning stares. Exhaustion had more than set in, but he was not about to argue if they wanted to talk. They’ve' probably got a lot to ask me.

To his surprise, Igneous picked up a thick quilt and handed it over to him. "We can discuss things later, you look dead on your hooves. You okay with the barn? We don't rightly have space in the house."

"Sure." Cheese took it and his belongings, following Igneous through the door and across the brightening farm yard. Each step felt clumsier than the last, and he gratefully entered the barn. It was exceptionally empty by comparison to the Apple family's barn. Most of the space was an assortment of crates, labeled with strange names he could only guess were types of rocks. Blessedly, there was a pile of straw in the corner. It was far from an unwelcome place to sleep. "Thanks."

"Yup. Say-" Igneous glanced at the stallion's strange assortment of belongings, "-I've got some questions for you later. Get some rest, I've got a job for you later."

"Okey dokey, sir. I'll see you." Questions swam in his own mind as he watched Igneous leave. He's nothing like her. Why's he so grouchy anyway? Ah well, we can change that!

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"See I told you."

"Okay, okay, you win. So what?" Marble prodded Limestone in the ribs as they peered into the room where their older sister lay fast asleep. They could not help but be astonished. Of all the members of the family, Pinkie would be the last to show up for a visit.

"So, let's ask her what's up." Striding forward confidently, she made her way into the room, only to find her progress halted by Marble's hoof in front of her chest. What the? "Marble? Let me go."

"No, let her sleep. Besides-" Her lilac eyes flashed knowingly at her younger sister, a smirk creasing her pretty face. "-You can't blame anyone for acting weird when you spend all your free time talking to that freak."

Limestone's blue cheeks turned beet red, and she wheeled around to face Marble. "He's not a freak."

"Yeah he is, or you are. Why talk to him in the first place? He can hardly hear you."

That's it missy! "Leave, Stalactite out of this. I mean it."

"Oooh, so threatening." Marble whipped her long, grey mane back and left triumphantly out the room. "Come on, we've got work to do. Besides, I didn't tell you the best part of it."

"Oh what now?"

"I heard Mom and Dad talking when she came home, and guess what?" A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes.

"What?"

"She brought back a stallion."

"No way. You're making that up, Marble. Pinkie's the last pony who'd-" Limestone paused, recounting Pinkie's last few letters. Her letters have been a little more chipper than normal. "-well, maybe she's finally maturing?"

Marble gave a decided snort as they opened the front door. "As if she'd ever mature past the age of five? It's puppy love Limestone, it'll pass. Come on, let's get going."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie was not one for serious conversations, in fact, she tended to avoid them like the plague. But now, she was faced with one of the worst situations she could think up. There, standing across from her was her father, face unflinching as the rocks surrounding them. "So, what do you want to ask me, Dad?"

"Hmmm…" The only sound breaking the stillness of the farm was the grinding of Igneous' teeth as he champed on the straw.

Oh no, he's really upset. "Sorry about not telling you about getting hurt."

"That's not it, but it would've been nice to know." He gestured to the barn, and snorted. "I'm more concerned about that stallion."

Whew, is that all? "Oh, Cheesie's really great Dad." Pinkie hopped up and down to emphasize her exuberance. The dark expression on Igneous' face brought her crashing back down again. Pawing the ground, she looked into his eyes. "Sorry I didn't tell you about Cheesie sooner."

"Sorry? Pinkamena, you're going to have to do better than that." He placed a strong hoof on her shoulder, eyes awash with concern. "Girl, did you even bother to think?"

"Think? I was thinking Dad, I'm always thinking. Cheese and I think all the time, about lots of stuff."

He huffed, "Oh really now? Do you even know this Cheese fellow?"

"Of course I do, Dad. He's kind, has a great sense of humor, is a party pony too, and lots of fun to be around. Plus-" She shifted, pawing the dirt uncomfortably. "-I love him, Dad."

"And that's it?"

Her blue eyes shone helplessly into his. "What else should there be?"

"Oh I don't know? What's his history? How's his family? Can you even trust somepony who uses a false name? For all you know, he could be some deranged criminal!"

"Cheese is not some criminal!" She began to shake uncontrollably, mane flattening. What's wrong with him? What's wrong with me? And then it struck her, she was angry. It did not feel at all pleasant, and she bared her teeth, trying to resist the nasty feeling overwhelming her. "Why don't you understand Dad?"

"Understand what?" His own temper was rising now. By Celestia she's dense! "I know his type, the smooth talking stranger who uses mares to get what he wants. Then when he does, he hits the road."

"You don't know him! He loves me Dad, and he wants to stay in Ponyville with me."

"Is that what he told you? Oh, well I'm glad you believe him so easily but can't trust your own father on such matters."

"That's enough!" Tears began to sting her eyes and drip down her muzzle. Her voice came subdued, almost desperate. "Please Dad, give him a chance."

Igneous gulped, staring at his distraught daughter. "Pinkamina, I-" What did I do? "Can't win, can I?" He sighed, chewing hard on the stalk once more. "I guess I'll give him a shot, if it'd please you."

"Really?" Pinkie's mane sprung back, and she hopped around him. "Thank you! Thank you! You won't regret it Dad."

I hope not. Looking out at the field, he noticed Marble and Limestone hard at work. "Listen, Pinkamena, you go out and help your sisters today. I'll work with this stallion of yours to help with a special project."

"Okey dokey." She set off at a bouncy trot, humming an indistinct tune.

"Hold on there, Pinkamena!"

She paused mid-stride to stare back, "Yes, Dad?"

"No funny business, no parties, get straight to work."

"Can do."

The smallest of smiles broke across the stallion's chiseled face. "Good, now get on it girl, sunlight's wasting."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was a good dream, it was filled with giant cupcakes and sandwiches the size of dragons. Well, it would have been better if it had not been broken by a rather large quantity of cold water being dumped on his back. He started to his feet before his mind had pieced together what had happened.

There stood Igneous holding a pail above him, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Well now, that was fast."

"What'd you dump water on me for?" Unceremoniously, he shook most of it from his short coat. "It's fall, I could catch a cold."

"I don't rightly think that'll be a problem." At first he had assumed the stallion to be a scrawny beanpole, but now that he could see the stallion clearly, he had his doubts. The smooth muscles under his coat told a different story entirely. What kind of party pony has muscles like that? "Say, what's your profession anyway?"

"Oh, that's easy. I'm a party pony like Pinkie. In fact-" He started to hop in a disconcertingly similar fashion to Pinkie. "-she's the one that inspired me to become a party pony in the first place."

"Really?" She didn't bother to mention that. Not that I gave her much of a chance to. Igneous sighed, gesturing to the odd arrangement of belongings. "And these?"

"Oh, that's just Boneless 2 and my traveling clothes. Nothing special."

"Right. Are you going to tell me what you do for a living now?" Igneous highly doubted that Ponyville could sustain two party ponies, so he had to have another way of making money. Fight club? Naw, I don't see that, but anything is possible, isn't it?

Cheese cocked his head, green eyes staring hard at Igneous as though he were a two headed cow. "I just did."

A loud slap echoed across the barn as Igneous struck himself hard. "Yes, that's what your cutie mark is, but how do you earn a living in Ponyville?"

"Oh, right now I'm an under carpenter at a firm in Ponyville."

"What?" For the second time that day, the straw dropped from Igneous' mouth. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish, absorbing the information. This kid a carpenter? Who'd hire a loony like him to work dangerous equipment?

Seemingly undeterred by Igneous, Cheese plowed on, rather more excitedly than before. "Yup. That's why I was so excited to meet you. Pinkie says you’re the best carpenter in Nickerlite, and I just had to see for myself. And you sure don't disappoint, everything here is SUPER well made. Isn't it?"

"I try." Igneous' face felt warm, and he turned away. Coughing, he plowed on. "Well, in that case, our project will be all the easier."

"Project?" Cheese's eyes lit up, and he looked ready to explode with anticipation. "What is it?"

The muffled thump of Igneous' bad leg echoed in the barn as he made his way to the door. "We're fixing the rock tumbler. Can't sell quality rocks without it."

"Oh, okay." Following suit, Cheese marked his pace to the older stallion's. Walking through the farm, it seemed apparent that the dismal state of grey was a normal. Rocks were piled up in peculiar formations, and the worst bit was that areas apparently rock-free were often filled with some just below the surface. This made for a comical spectacle where Cheese danced and tripped the whole way.

As they walked, Igneous pondered how to best interrogate the stallion, but got bogged down with still more questions. After what felt like forever, he managed to compose a relatively safe one. "You said Pinkamena inspired you to become a party pony? How?" Immediately, Igneous knew he hit the nail on the head as Cheese danced in a circle around him.

"Well, after I left home, I wondered around for what felt like forever. I was-" He gulped, "-in a dark place. Then, I stumbled into one of her parties." A bright smile stretched across his face as he savored the happy memory. "You should have seen the way she brought everypony together. There was more cheer in that one place than I had known my whole life. From that day, I knew. Knew that if one tiny filly could bring so much joy, why couldn't I? So I vowed from that day on to dedicate myself to making others happy."

Tears were streaming down his muzzle, and he quickly wiped them away. "Sorry, guess I shouldn't be so emotional. It's just that-" He turned to Igneous, eyes serious. "-your daughter means the world to me. The world. And there's nothing and nopony that'll ever change that."

Igneous was at a loss for words, but slowly regained his composure. "I'm glad to hear it. It's the same for me." A darkened, narrow path between two massive piles appeared, and Igneous gestured for Cheese to follow. Cautiously, he agreed.

"Say, what's a rock tumbler anyway?"

A sly sort of grin appeared on Igneous' face. "You'll see."

Why am I not comforted?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Marble! Limestone! Wait up!" Pinkie's hooves practically flew across the uneven ground to her siblings.

Ceasing their cart loading, the pair turned with mild interest. Marble cleared her long mane from her lilac eyes, "Well, if it isn't Pinkie? When were you thinking of joining us? Sundown?"

"Sorry, Marble. I was kinda tired." Why's she always like that? Geeze, it's not a big deal.

"So-" Limestone gave her big sister a bear hug, releasing her after a few snapping sounds warned her of impending damage. "-Dad says you brought back a stallion. Really?"

"Yes, I'd like some details myself." A great thump reverberated around the field as Marble hoisted a massive rock onto the cart. "But, let's work and chat. Shall we?"

"Right." Some ponies may not have appreciated it, but there was quite a lot of horsepower in three Pie sisters working on the farm. They made short work of the stacks, hauling the cart to and from set locations around the fields. To an outsider, it might look ludicrous, but the Pies knew better. For magic only gathered in the right way if the rocks were moved every month. As they worked, Pinkie happily recounted her story of meeting and eventually dating Cheese. After she had finished, she stood expectantly in front of them. "So, that's how it happened. How'd you like it?"

"It was great Pinkie." Limestone gave her big sister another hug, this one considerably dirtier than her last. Releasing her, she wiped the mud off of her face. "It's also super nice having your help with the rocks."

"But why are you two moving them?" Realization dawned on Pinkie's face as her eyes darted from sister to sister. Eventually, they focused on Marble's sculpted column cutie mark and the smooth, small rocks that made up Limestone's. "You're artists, don't you have rocks to shape for the clients?"

"Eh, well you see-" Marble shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Pinkie's gaze. "-the tumbler's broken."

"Yeah, Dad's been too sick to fix it, so we're taking his job moving the rocks. But-" Her amber eyes lit up like stars. "-since you brought a young and healthy stallion here, we'll get it fixed in no time!"

No, NO, NO! There was a great cloud of dust as Pinkie stamped the ground hard. She began to prance anxiously, "Cheesie doesn't know the first thing about it! He'll get squished!-" Her breaths became short and shallow, and her eyes were swimming with worry. "-Why didn't you stop them?"

"Well, it's not like we could take the job. Besides-" A gentle hoof rested on Pinkie's shoulder as Marble smiled up at her. "-Dad'll keep him as safe as he can, Pinkie. Don't worry so much."

She stared helplessly into the distance. "Yeah, you're right. There's nothing we can do now." Please, PLEASE be okay!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Walking had been an integral aspect of Cheese's livelihood for years, but he always had a destination residing in the back of his head. Now, he was following some stallion he hardly knew deeper and deeper into the rock farm going to some strange device known as a rock tumbler. What in Equestria is a rock tumbler? The vague answer Igneous gave seemed to satisfy the older pony, but did nothing to assure him. He was hoping, perhaps wrongly, that it was like those fancy mugs Rarity put coffee in. Igneous' voice started him from his reverie.

"Before we get there kid, there's some stuff you need to know." With more grace than Cheese would have thought possible, the stallion leapt on top of a massive boulder and started to climb. Grudgingly, Cheese followed, grateful for all those years of party pony tricks. Igneous paused to check on his status. "Geeze, kid, what's your problem?"

"These rocks are tall!" Well, that was obvious.

"Of course, we're getting near the river. They're part of the surrounding cliffs." Without another word, he continued walking up the steep path. "What I need to say, is that we'll be entering a dangerous part of the farm."

His hoof slipped on the rocks, "Dangerous?"

"Yup. Lots of ponies have nearly died here. Including Pinkamena."

"Pinkie?" Cheese felt his heart drop into his stomach. "What happened?"

"Well, when she was a filly, she wandered off, ending up here. Nearly fell into the water. And-" Taking a strong stance, he leapt up an even taller rock, wincing with the pain in his leg. "-once you hit it, there's nothing and nopony that can help you. So, be careful string bean."

"Right. But why's it so dangerous? It's just water."

An actual chuckle escaped Igneous then, "You'll see. In fact, we're getting close."

"Uh, good."

Once more, they continued in silence. The path wound this way and that, all uphill, and going who knows where. Cheese began to wonder how Igneous was faring with his broken leg as he watched the stallion wince with every step. "Say, you going to be okay?"

"Huh?"

He gestured pointedly, "Your leg."

"Oh, I'll live. Our livelihood depends on this getting fixed. Besides-" A satisfied smirk stretched his face, all the way to the sideburns. "-we've arrived."

"What?" He opened his mouth to speak, then stopped. There was the strangest noise he had ever heard. It was a low sort of rumbling, like the very earth they stood on was growling at them. To say it was disconcerting was an understatement. "What's that?"

Without a word, he pointed a little further ahead, and started off. As they neared the source of the sound, the rumbling became a cacophonous roar accompanied by strange crescendos of splattering. Cheese winced, trying to stop the tumultuous noise from overwhelming his senses. Finally, Igneous stopped on a tall boulder, looking out silently. Struggling up to join him, Cheese took a look around and felt his jaw drop. "What the…."

In all his years of traveling, Cheese had never seen anything close to the river they now stood over. Sourced from the towering mountain above them, it carved an ugly, jagged path through the very bones of the earth, directly below them. A waterfall cascaded down just in front of their hooves, falling at least four stories before crashing to the lower portion of the river. The unearthly sound of the waterfall was only matched by the sight of hundreds of thousands of gallons being dumped each second. Just below the falls, lay a forest of deadly sharp rocks, all poised to dispose of anything that got too close. And, perched just before the drop was a massive wooden barrel, at least the size of Sugarcube Corner. "What is that?"

"That is the secret to my family's success." Igneous' chest swelled with pride, and he started to walk cautiously down the rocks. The copious amount of spray had soaked the stone, turning it into a deadly ice rink. When they reached the level part just before the river, Igneous drew out a crate from behind the nearest boulder. Opening it, he fished inside, drawing out a strange leather harness. He had to shout at the top of his lungs to be heard, "Put this on, we need to anchor you!"

"Right!" Cheese's heart was racing a mile a minute while he navigated the ridiculously complicated harness, strapping it tight around his chest, body, tail, and legs. The noise was incredible, and he could only imagine what it would be like to get closer. Please let me live!

"You strapped in!?" Checking the younger pony's harness, he proceeded to tighten his own. Looking out at the barrel, he continued. "This here's the best place to tumble rocks in Equestria. We take rocks like we've got in the fields, tumble them, and turn them into smooth, salable rocks. Make Sense?"

"Yup. But why? It's so dangerous."

"I've got to provide for the family. And I'm not letting the mares help me with this one." Igneous sighed, tying their ropes to the anchors held fast in the rocks.

"Why not?"

"Well that's obvious, isn't it?" Slowly, he crept to the water's edge, looking intently at something. There in front of them was a small, wooden pathway with a massive railing on either side. Water was crashing all around it as it moved with the current. Igneous smiled weakly at Cheese. "You see kid, us stallions have got to provide for our mares. It's our job to keep them safe, give them what they need. If that means I've got to stick my neck out to help them every so often, then so be it."

Scrambling, Cheese followed Igneous down the walkway. "Wait! What are we doing?"

"Fixing the turning mechanism, it's broken."

"Mechanism?" The path was more slippery than he could ever have dreamed possible. His heart lurched with every step, and he constantly felt he would slip past the side and over the falls.

"Yup. You go into the barrel, unjam the mechanism, and then get the heck out. I can't stop it from turning for long with the way the currents are today." Igneous halted in front of the barrel, opening a small door. "Just remember to get out quick. Got it? If you don't, you will be smashed to bits, no question about that."

Why me? "Yes, sir, I understand." Feeling as though he was making the most stupid decision of his life, Cheese crept into the barrel. To his surprise, the slotted sides allowed a good amount of light to penetrate the inside. Unfortunately, it did not make up for the crashing torrents of water constantly coming through the purpose-built slats. Now drenched to the bone with icy water, he crawled around the edge, over the rocks in search for the mechanism. Sure enough, he found it; a great iron gear on the far edge of the barrel. "Is this gear it!?"

"Yup! Clear the rocks away and reattach the encasement! Leave one till the end so you aren't crushed!"

"Rodger!" As quick as he could with his sides soaked through with freezing water, he shoveled the rocks away from the great gear. It took a good ten minutes work before he found the encasement. The massive metal grate had been pushed back, and warped as it swung. Great, now what? "It's warped!"

"Kick it straight and chain it back up!"

Easier said than done. Taking a lungful of frigid air, he kicked with all his might at the grate. Again and again he pounded it, until it finally took shape. Triumphantly, he made to close it over the gear. And now it gets tricky. He had to somehow move the last rock from the gear, chain the grate, and get the heck out of the barrel before he got smashed. Just an average day for a party pony. Eh Cheese. "I'm going for it!"

Cheese's body had never moved so fast in all his life. In one swift movement, he managed to free the rock, slam the grate closed, and lock it. Then, as quick as his frozen legs would move, he scrambled over the slick rocks to the door. A mechanical grind began to reverberate around the barrel as he was halfway out. Blast! Out of time! Without registering the consequences, he leapt forward, through the door and onto the walkway. In the split second after he evacuated the barrel, it gave a massive lurch and started to life. Panting, Cheese turned to a bewildered Igneous. "I did it!"

"Good work." Slowly, he made his way off the path and onto solid rock once more. With the addition of the rocks slamming the thick timbers, the noise had intensified so badly that nothing could be heard. He helped Cheese free himself from the harness, and together they set off down the path. The violent nature of Cheese's shivering let him know he had made a mistake. Blast! It wasn't supposed to start up so soon. It got away from before I could stop it. One more second, and he'd be dead. How would I face Pinkamena then?

They walked in silence, until the roar was just a murmur in the distance. Despite his best attempts, Cheese could not stop coughing, and eventually lay down on a flat stone. "Sorry, but can we rest?"

"Huh? Oh, right." Igneous paused, examining the stallion with new found respect. "That was some fast work, Cheese. You did a good job."

"Thanks I guess. But-" He stared up at Igneous, eyes full of wonder. "-how'd you ever build something like that?"

"I did it with my own father. He was a good carpenter, like myself. My uncle forged the gears, and we all pieced it together ourselves."

"You mean you didn't use magic?"

Another sly smile broke across Igneous' face. "Well now, you don't need magic for everything, do you?"

"I agree 100%." Cheese sighed, staring off into the distance. "Magic only brings trouble."

"Well, I don't know about that." Prodding the stallion, he gestured back to the farm. "We need to get going. Cloudy's going to have our heads for being so late."

To Each His Own

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Red. If there was a single color in all of Equestria Storm Scribe could not stand on his finance reports, it was red. The dark lines of his face took on an icy grimace as he read through the stack of papers. A loud crack sounded as he snapped the expensive pen in half with his green magic. "I'll have Switch's head for this. Filthy pegasus. Expert in the housing market my hoof."

Smirking to himself, he levitated a fresh pen and began to compile a rather nasty letter to the stallion. He paused halfway through, calculating. "Not good enough." Tossing the paper into the bin, he stood, pacing the floor. "A more public display is in order. Keep those upstarts at the office in line."

Just as he was pondering the most public time to fire the hapless idiot, a small noise brought his attention back to reality. He turned to see a bespectacled head poke its way around the oak door, expression unsure. Storm was taken aback, as he had not spoken to the colt since yesterday evening and thought him asleep. Starlight had gone to a model conference, and he was left with the package. Making certain his annoyance was apparent, he turned to the colt. "What?"

"I uh-" Slowly, the lank colt made his way into the dimly lit office. His head swiveled this way and that, taking in the sturdy desk and business suit clad stallion beside it. Here we go Rory, you can do this! Puffing up his little chest as much as he could, he walked forward to face the unicorn. Unfortunately, his stomach let out a loud growl just as he was about to speak up.

"What?" The stallion's eyes glistened in the moonlight like the shards of emerald they resembled. "I fed you today, you've nothing to complain about."

Fed me? In truth, the only food Storm had given the colt was a small bowl of hay flakes and water at breakfast. It was now nearly eight at night, but Rory was not about to make note of it. "It's not about that."

Huffing indignantly, the stallion turned to his heavy briefcase beside him and levitated out a few files. "I've got work to be done, you're wasting my time. And time is bits."

"I'll be super quick. Promise." The determination in Rory's voice did not match the quivering in his legs. "Since Mother's going to be gone tomorrow, I thought maybe-" He gulped, "-could I go see Grandma?"

The look of annoyance turned to one of revulsion. "Why?"

"Because she'll be lonely. And, she said to go visit her whenever I can. And-"

"-By Celestia you disgust me." Storm looked at the colt as though he had lost all trace of sanity. "The mare's DEAD!"

"Yes, but-" Rory's ears flattened in submission as he started to back away. "-I just want to visit her grave. Just for a little while. It's what she wanted." Oh no, I messed up. Despite his best attempts, he found tears streaming down his muzzle as he watched his father's expression darken. Don't hurt me.

"Stop that whimpering." Advancing towards the colt, he levitated him until he rested at eye level. "Seems I'll have to knock some sanity into you." Without further warning, Storm tossed him hard into the wall. A satisfying thud resounded across the office, and blessed silence filled the office once more. As nonchalantly as if he had swatted a fly, he returned to the stack of paperwork. Now, where was I?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dusk was setting over the farm, casting a strange, purple glow that danced over the rocks like a dull kaleidoscope. Cheese felt as though they had been spirited away from Equestria to somewhere else entirely. Judging from the dull expression on Igneous' face, this was a normal occurrence. Come to think of it, he hasn't said anything for ages. Is his leg hurting? "Say, Igneous, you okay?"

A look of irritation shone in his amber eyes as though Cheese had slapped him. "Of course. I'm not dying, so don't bother me unless you are. Got that?"

Geeze, touchy much? "Yes sir." Hanging his head low, he followed the older pony's hoof steps. Boring! What's wrong with talking, eh? They had been walking through the sprawling fields for more than an hour, and still had a long way to go. Every instinct Cheese had was to blabber away, but he was not about to blow what little progress he made with the stallion.

"Ooof!"

A dull thud sounded just in front of Cheese, and he stared in shock at Igneous lying on the ground. He tripped? Struggling, he made to stand, only to fall back to the dusty earth. Cheese ran up to him, eyes flashing concern. "Igneous?"

Darned leg! Get up, Igneous, you're not that old. Groaning, he pushed himself up once again, only to feel his leg shoot daggers of pain throughout his body. Maybe I'll just rest a spell. What the? He looked up to see Cheese smiling at him, hoof outstretched. The heat in in face grew more intense, "Thanks, kid."

"Sure." Cheese's smile broke into a sad frown as he watched the stallion rise. He's in a lot of pain. "You okay to walk? I can get the cart or-"

"-No."

Igneous' harsh tone shot up his spine like the icy water of the rock tumbler. There I go making a fool of myself again. Geeze, get it right, Cheese. "Sorry."

"No, it's my fault, I'm just-" A long sigh escaped him as he turned to his cast. "-this darned leg is acting up again. I shouldn't have snapped."

"It's okay. I hurt my leg before too."

"You?"

"Yeah, if Pinkie hadn't been there, I might have hurt it permanently. So-" Cheese stood right beside Igneous, smile returning full force. "-let me help you. We can walk together, you can lean on me if you need. I don't mind."

"Well now, that sounds reasonable." Gingerly lifting a hoof, he set off, Cheese matching pace with him. "But I've got a little request."

"What's that?"

"Could you-" His tongue felt glued in place as he struggled to form the request. "-keep talking."

A loud laugh sounded from Cheese, echoing in the twilight stillness around them. "Of course silly. I've been waiting to talk for ages anywho."

It was more than a little awkward walking right next to each other, and at first Igneous felt like shoving the overgrown colt away. But, something about the way Cheese spoke told him to suffer through it. Could talk your ear off for hours. Geeze, couldn't have found a better match, could you, Pinkamena?

A wild gesticulation followed Cheese's tale of the Chocolate bandit. Seeing Igneous' exasperated expression, he became self-conscious once more. "Too silly?"

"Naw just that, it'd be better to hear about yourself. I hardly know you."

"Oh, guess that's fair. What do you want to know?"

"Well, let's start with where you're from." Igneous knew immediately he had said the wrong thing.

It was like an invisible wall came up around Cheese as he gritted his teeth, looking away. Then, in a small voice, "Manehattan."

"You're from Manehattan?" The straw carefully balanced in his mouth nearly toppled to the dust once more. "I never would have guessed, the way you're acting."

Concern swept over Cheese's face, and he whipped his head back towards Igneous. "The way I'm acting?" Oh please don't tell me they rubbed off!

"Yeah. Like a descent, polite, hardworking fellow. I've never met anypony from the city that acts that way." A rare smile contorted his sideburns as he patted Cheese on the shoulder.

"I uh-" His whole face felt like a pot of soup, "-thanks. I did leave as soon as I could."

Igneous continued down the road, chuckling a little to himself. "City life got you down did it?"

"Not really. I didn't mind that. I suppose I just wanted to see what else was out there."

"And was it everything you hoped for?" Another shot of pain radiated through his leg as they clambered around yet another pile of jagged rocks. The younger pony kept step, supporting him only when he needed it. Igneous could not help but smile once more. Good kid, real good kid.

"Well, yes and no. I liked the traveling, the parties, and of course meeting others. But, a pony needs more than that to be happy. I guess-" He hoisted himself clumsily over a boulder, reaching out a hoof to help Igneous. "-I needed a bit of routine. Silly isn't it?"

Igneous shook his head, "Not really. Everypony everywhere, traveler or farmer needs routine."

"Guess that makes sense. But why do we need it?"

A deep booming laugh sounded, making Cheese jump. "By Celestia herself, kid. Why do we need sunlight, or the rain? It's just a necessary part of the bigger picture. You can't run your whole life without a touch of routine. You'd go mad."

"Oh." Somehow, Cheese was reminded of all the years he lived without one. First in Manehattan, than on the road, never knowing where his next meal would come from, or even if he would wake up alive. I guess I never thought about it like that. It does make sense.

"So, how's life in Ponyville treating you? My daughter drive you up the walls yet?"

"What? No, Pinkie would never-" He stopped, listening to yet another one Igneous' bizarre laughs.

"I'm joking, kid. I'm joking. But, I am curious about you dealing with being a planted traveling pony."

"I can't say it's easy, but it's worth it. It's always worth it when Pinkie's happy." He chuckled brightly, then a little more sadly. "But, it's hard sometimes. Really hard. Pinkie understands, and does her best, but I don't think I can ever be as steady as you."

He's really worried about this. "Don't try to, kid. She'll understand. Besides, I'll tell you a little secret."

"What's that?"

"Routine's a big part of ponies' lives. But, there's something just as important." Igneous pointed to the Cheese's cutie mark. "Laughter, a break from that monotonous rut we're all in. You and Pinkamena help make that happen."

"Yeah, but nopony understands that. When we want to bring some cheer, they think we're just clowns. Sometimes it's like we don't belong in normal society."

"That's nonsense. I'll tell you what-" Clapping Cheese in the chest, he pointed to the open field. "What do you see here?"

Cheese rolled his eyes, "Rocks, hundreds of thousands of grey rocks swimming in a sea of dirt."

"Now that's where you're wrong. You want to know what I see?"

"What?"

"Opportunity. A chance to make something of value out of the ordinary, a chance to feed my family, a chance to become a better pony. Now then, let me ask you this. Would you like to farm rocks all day?"

He stepped back, shaking his hooves, "What? NO!"

"And yet, there are rock farmers like myself that do this all day and love every minute of it. And there are others, like yourself and Pinkamena that find it utterly boring." Igneous started once more down the path, scooping up pebbles and flinging them as far as he could. "So, when other ponies scold you and Pinkamena for doing what you love, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?"

"I guess. But-"

"-No buts mister. I'll tell you this little truth about life, so listen up." Smirking, he handed over a round pebble, inviting Cheese to join in. "There are two kinds of ponies in life; those that live by the routine, and those who break it up. Neither one's better than the other, and they can't exist without each other either. So what if those ponies can't understand that? You and Pinkamena keep living your lives. To each his own. Got that?"

Cheese stared at the stallion with newfound admiration. "Yes sir." They were getting closer to the farmyard now, and Cheese had to stretch his legs out to keep up with Igneous' grueling pace. Why can't he take it easy for two minutes?

"Say, kid." The soft, respectful quality of Igneous' voice was so different that Cheese turned to check it was still him talking. "You mind telling me a little about you and Pinkamena? How you met back up after all those years, why you decided to court her, that sort of thing."

"Of course. I'd love to." Cheese started off with great gusto. His whole body reflected the excitement and happy memories of it all.

The amount of admiration and love for his daughter in Cheese's story astounded Igneous. Throughout all the years of raising his daughters, he never thought anypony could love one more than he did, but this strange stallion was challenging that assumption. It warmed his heart in a way he never could have imagined. As they neared the entryway, he actually found himself wanting to hear more. He decided to stop him just before they walked up. "Hold up, kid. Sorry. I mean, Cheese."

"Yes?" Wow, calling me by my name now? What'd I do?

"Just-" A kind smile graced his face once more, "-I want you to know that I'm proud to get to know you. And that, you're a good pony, and a real good stallion." The heat in his face was reaching fever pitch, and he turned away. "You keep treating her like the gem she is."

"But-" He lowered his face, remembering all the times he had slipped up. "-but what if I'm not good enough, sir?"

"Call me Igneous. And don't be so hard on yourself. We all screw up every now and again, it's natural. Just apologize, and do what you can to make it right again." As naturally as if Cheese was his own colt, he reached over and hugged him tight.

What the? Cheese pulled away as though struck by lightning, green eyes wide with fright. The reaction was so immediate and violent that Igneous was pushed to the ground from the force of it. "Why'd you do that?"

"Sorry. Sorry. You looked like you could do with a hug." The stalk had fallen out of his mouth once more, and he stared confused at Cheese. "Didn't your father hug you when you needed it?"

"No." His voice came out ice cold and unnaturally harsh. "And why would he? He hates me." Immediately, he saw his mistake, flushing crimson. With a bit of effort, he returned his voice to its usual cheery tone. "Sorry, I guess I didn't know what to do in the situation."

"It's okay. Should've asked first. Let's get inside before the mares start to worry."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Cheesie!" A pink cannonball rushed towards Cheese the second he stepped into the house. From the ruffled state of her flouncy mane and heaving sides, she had been worrying herself into a corner. "When Marble and Limestone said you went to fix the tumbler, I got super nervous. Then I couldn't stop thinking about you getting hurt, and Mom started to worry, and-"

"-Pinkie." He pressed a hoof to her mouth, a playful smile stretching across his face. "I'm fine. Really, I am. So's Igneous, though his legs a little sore."

"Oh, that's good. He, he." The pink tint of her coat grew a little darker as she turned to the dining room table where the rest of the family was gathering round. "Hungry?"

"You bet. Say-" He breathed softly into her ear. "-you're Dad's really nice."

"Duh, silly. He's the best Dad a pony could ask for." Returning Cheese's smile, she pressed her side to his. "You have a good day?"

"If you count almost being crushed to death in a rock tumbler as good, then yes." They shared a good laugh at that, and he pointed to Marble and Limestone. "How's working with your sisters?"

"Super duper fun, but-" She pressed her soft muzzle to his. "-it would have been loads better with you around. They can be kinda-"

"-boring."

"How'd you guess?"

He gave her a sly wink, "Let's just say I've experienced a little of that with your Dad."

"You two going to jabber to yourselves all evening?" Igneous smirked over the casserole.

"Coming!" Pinkie settled down beside Cheese at the table, glad to have everypony back safe and sound.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Cheesie, Cheesie, CHEESIE!"

"Huh?" Generally, Cheese would have been overjoyed to have his special somepony wake him up. But when it was still dark outside, and the aforementioned pony was supposed to be sound asleep in a different building, it did set off some warning bells. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing silly." Several rhythmic thuds accompanied her words, like the beats of a drum as she tapped her hooves against the dirt.

What's got her so excited? Giving her a theatrical yawn, he turned his attention back to the bed of straw. "Go back to bed. It's late."

"Nope. It's early." With a flourish, Pinkie whipped the cover off of the curled up stallion. She giggled at the grouchy expression plastered on his face. "Come on! We've got to go."

"Go where?"

"To work silly. Those rocks aren't going to move themselves." She casually lit an oil lantern, swinging it in Cheese's eyes.

"Ouch! Dear, you're blinding me."

"Oh, ooopsies. But we've got to get started." Pinkie bounced to the door, lantern swinging in her mouth. "Because the best time to move rocks is just before sunup."

"Sunup?" The intricate mechanisms of rock farming still alluded him, but he was not complaining. If Pinkie and her family say we've got to move rocks before dawn, then I guess I'll do it. As cheerily as he could, Cheese trotted over to join her.

Walking out into the darkness, they were met by Marble, Limestone, and Cloudy. He was surprised to see a touch of exhausted frustration on Cloudy's lined face. If there was a mare that needed a break, it was her. But from what Pinkie had told him, she was not the kind of pony to take that sort of advice lying down. "Morning, Cloudy."

"Morning." She looked at her troops and gestured to the expansive field to the left of the barn. "We've got to move the Half Tree rocks to the river bed plot."

"Urgh!" Marble and Limestone shared a knowing grimace with each other. Limestone practically moaned, "Those are the heaviest rocks we've got, and you want to move them on the complete opposite side of the farm?"

The grey mare gritted her teeth, as though even she disapproved of the idea. "I know it's not ideal, Limestone. But the only way to get the composition our customer asked for is to move them there."

"Dad shouldn't have taken the order in the first place." Marble's grey hoof struck the dry earth, sending a cloud of dust dancing in the lantern light.

"Marble." Cloudy sighed, rubbing her forehead with a hoof. "Your father had his reasons, and the customer is paying us handily for the shipment."

"All right, all right. But I'd better get some time to work on my own orders."

Glad to see her daughter's temper tantrum was over, Cloudy turned her attention to the stallion. "Cheese Sandwich, would you mind pulling Igneous' cart? It holds more than the other one, but it's a touch too heavy for any one of us to pull."

"Sure."

Before he had time to register much about the situation, he was strapped to the heaviest cart he had the misfortune of pulling. Judging from the sturdy wooden planks and wide wheels, it was designed for the specific purpose of moving rocks. The collar fit a little too lose, but he was not about to complain. Gathering up his strength, he followed the narrow beam of lantern light towards the rocks.

Ponies who have never farmed rocks could not imagine all the effort that goes into just one day's work. From Pinkie's stories, Cheese assumed the work was mundane, but not unbearable. Now, as he hoisted yet another massive slab of rock onto the cart, he wondered how anypony could bear it day in and day out. The cart was already groaning from the weight, and he worried about adding even more strain on it. "Say, Pinkie, isn't that enough rocks?"

"Huh?" The Pink mare's flouncy mane was starting to become plastered to her neck from all the sweat. She peered into the cart, mentally calculating the weight and strain. "We can put about three hundred more pounds. So, maybe three big ones."

Cheese smiled at his mare. And ponies call her simple minded? She's brilliant. "Yeah. Let's do that."

Though the cart was well laden, and the field was decidedly less filled with rocks, there were at least three more loads left. Taking up the collar once more, Cheese dug his hooves into the dirt and pulled away. Sweat drenched his caramel coat, causing the collar to shift uncomfortably against his shoulder blades as he pulled the heavy load across the farm.

The rest of the morning proceeded in a painfully predictable pattern. They would silently load the wagon, he would pull it to the field, and they would unload it once more. After the first trip they were tired, but by the fourth trip they were downright exhausted. The sun had been up for a few hours when they finally made their way into the farmyard. Igneous gave a concerned frown and limped over. "Cloudy? You and the girls all right?"

"Yes, but we could use some lunch." Her blue eyes sparkled playfully behind her spectacles. "We seem to have forgotten breakfast."

"It's on the stove." He turned to go inside, but hesitated. "Say, Pinkamena?"

"Yes."

"Get that stallion of yours some water and liniment first. He looks dead on his hooves."

Cheese flushed red, and struggled to stand up straight in the shafts, despite the radiating pain in his legs. Wincing, he pulled the cart into the barn and removed the collar. Pinkie trotted to the well, drawing a bucket of water. When Cheese walked out, she ran over to him. "You okay, Cheesie?"

"Huh? Yeah I guess." He drained the bucket in a matter of seconds, then smiled up at Pinkie. "Just thirsty."

"That's good." She brushed her side against his, kissing his neck. "You were super helpful."

"Not really." Cheese made to hug her, and winced at the sudden pain from his shoulders.

Pinkie's heart sank as she gently ran a hoof over the open cuts where the collar had dug in. "Stupid collar. Didn't fit right."

"Awe, it's no big deal. It'll heal. Besides-" He nuzzled her gently on the cheek, breath mixing with hers. "-now we match."

A snort escaped her as she rolled her azure eyes. "That's not something you want to match, Cheesie." They shared a good, long laugh at that one as Pinkie helped spread ointment over the cuts. Realization began to dawn on her, that they had not spoken once that entire morning. It felt lonely, like how it used to feel before she saw the rainbow, and she hated it. "Say, Cheesie, could I ask you something?"

"Of course. Ask me anything."

Pinkie's teeth felt glued together, as she attempted to find the words. "I like you being helpful and everything. But-" Her small hoof began to make nervous circles in the dirt. "-I didn't like this morning."

"Didn't like what?" Cheese looked into her eyes, struggling to read the strange mood she was in.

"You were so quiet. And, well-" She stared accusingly at him, puffing out her chest. "-You weren't acting like yourself!"

"Well, I was a little tired, but I'm still me, Pinkie."

"No, no, no!" Pinkie pushed the stallion to the ground, eyes flashing with emotion. "Why should you, why should we pretend to be somepony else just to get work done? If we have to work so hard that we can't be ourselves, is it even worth it? It's like, it's like I'm losing myself, Cheesie. I'm losing myself in the past, and I might never come back!"

"Pinkie. I-" Before he could formulate a response, the mare started to sob into his chest. Geeze, what now? With a sigh, he stroked her mane and tried to calm her down. "Pinkie, you're not losing yourself. We're party ponies. Sure, we may be taking a little workcation, but we're still party ponies. No amount of rock farming or silence can change that."

"But-"

"-but nothing." He stared at her for a moment longer, then clapped his hooves together, beaming brightly. "Say, I've got an idea!" He stood up, hoisting Pinkie to her hooves as well. "Let's give them a day off, I know your Mom could use one. At least it'll give us something to look forward to. One day to act like completely like ourselves. What do you say?"

"Sounds great. But, when?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe Wednesday?"

Instead of a response, Pinkie stared at Cheese as though he was not even standing there. Wednesday? "The sixth?"

"Uh huh."

Why's that so important? Her expression clouded as she tried to remember, then it came to her. Just as suddenly as her pondering began, she jumped into the air, hopping excitedly around Cheese. "That's perfect!"

"Why's that?"

"It's Grandma Pie Day." She spun Cheese around with her, smiling from ear to ear.

"Grandma Pie Day? Pinkie, dear, I'm not following."

"It's the day Grandma Pie died. So, every year on that date, we go out to her grave and throw a big party to celebrate with her."

A death anniversary party? It's a little strange, but…it could be fun. "Did you like her a lot?"

"Yup a doodles. She was the best. She taught me almost everything I know about having fun and sharing smiles." Pinkie's eyes sparkled with the happy memory of it all. "I wouldn't be where I am today without Grandma Pie."

"Okay, okay, you've convinced me. We'll have a Grandma Pie Day party." Cheese chuckled, then stopped short.

"Cheesie? You okay?"

"Yeah, just would it be okay if we celebrated for my Grandma too?"

"Oooh." did she help you become a party pony?"

"Uh, not really." Cheese's voice took on a softer tone. "I didn't get to see her much, since she lived away from Manehattan and only came to visit. She was the only pony who was nice to me as a colt. She taught me to bake, and play the accordion. When she left, I was kinda lonely."

Pinkie giggled, trying to imagine a young Cheese learning to play the accordion. "Sounds like your Grandma and my Grandma would have been bestest friends." She lifted up a hoof in a mock serious manner. "Well mister Sandwich, shall we set up an itinerary for Grandma Cheese Pie Day?"

"I believe so, dear. I believe so."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Rainy Days

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"Sorry we're late." The heavy oak door of the house swung open, and the two party ponies walked in. A thick layer of bandages had been applied to Cheese's chest where the collar had dug in. He gave a less than convincing smile of assurance and sat down at the table.

"Yeah, but boy do we have a surprise for you!" Pinkie sauntering up to her family with the air of some victorious general. "We've got it all figured out."

Marble's eyes rolled clean over, and she snorted into the stew. "Really? What, you two discover the perfect juggling technique?"

A wave of irritation stretched across Pinkie's face, distorting her smile into a grimace. Grump! With a decisive smirk, she slowly stuck out her tongue, issuing a Pinkie challenge.

Cloudy clucked disapprovingly, and shot her daughters a trademark "drop it or take it outside" look. Delaying their sparring match, Pinkie set to filling up a plate with the lukewarm stew.

Igneous had stopped eating to regard the couple with interest. "So, what did you figure out, Pinkamena, Cheese?" He focused his attention on the quiet stallion. "You got something to ask me, Cheese?"

"WHAT?" Stew spilled all over the table, as Cheese toppled his bowl over with a clatter. Flushing crimson, he walked over to the sink to retrieve a rag. "No, nothing like that. Just-" He sat down, mopping up the mess. "-Pinkie and I are planning a special party for Grandma Pie day."

"Oooh." Limestone's eyes sparkled with anticipation and she clapped her lilac hooves together. "Sounds awesome! Pinkie's parties are always great, but I can't imagine how fun a party planned by you two will be."

Marble puffed out her lower lip, turning back to her stew. She hated to admit it, but it did sound way better than them trying to plan it like usual. "Whatever, guess it'll be all right."

Igneous beamed at them. "It's a good idea. If Cheese is going to be a part of the family, he needs to be part of our traditions. Besides-" He clapped Cheese affectionately on the back. "-my mother really would have loved to meet you."

Cheese's face felt like melting off at all the unexpected praise. Struggling for something to say, his mind drifted back to the mountain of work to be done, and he turned to Cloudy. "So, what's next on the to do list?"

"Well, we can let Marble and Limestone work on their orders, and you can help Igneous with the odd and end jobs."

"That won't work." Igneous stood, walking over to the window, and staring intently at the sky. "It's going to rain tomorrow. We need to work on the fields now."

Curious about what the older pony was getting at, Cheese trotted to join him. The grey mash of clouds looked the same as it did the day before. "It looks like it does every day."

"That's because you're not looking for the right stuff." He watched Cheese's emerald eyes dart across the sky, trying to find the secret to his prediction. Chuckling, he ruffled the stallion's sweat stained mane. "Relax kid, it takes years to learn how to read the wild weather around here. But, if you want, I'll teach you to read the basics before you leave."

"Really? That'd be great."

"Sorry to break up your little bonding moment but-" A small twitch started behind Marble's eyes, as she flicked her tail irritably. "-Mom said we could work on the projects after we moved those rocks. I need to finish!"

"It can wait, Marble." Cloudy stared exasperatedly at her daughter. "You know the fields will be unworkable for at least a day after the rain stops."

"But-" Frustrated tears smeared the fine features of the grey mare. "-It's not FAIR!"

"Quit being a foal, Marble. Don't you think I've got projects too?" Limestone stared helplessly at Pinkie for support.

Pinkie gave her younger sister a big hug. "I'm sure it'll be okey dokey, Marble. I'll help you with the projects when we get time." She pressed her muzzle to the distraught mare's forehead. "Trust your big sis on this. Kay?"

Snuffling softly, Marble hugged her sister tightly. "Kay."

As they walked back out to the fields, Cheese found his mind racing with a storm of thoughts. He thought he knew most everything about Pinkie, but he was wrong. Pinkie seemed kinda angry at Marble. But, why was she so nice just now? Do all siblings act like that? He shook his head, accepting defeat. Guess I'll never understand mares.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Snuggling under the quilt that night, Cloudy began to contemplate the day, as was her routine. Tonight however, her mind raced out of control, trying to place the uneasy feeling in her chest. Apart from the unusually backbreaking work, she could not think of what could have caused it. Then, it came to her. Pinkie. Cloudy had come to expect the unexpected from Pinkie, but today she seemed almost predictable. What's gotten into that girl? She turned to her husband. "Igneous, I'm worried about Pinkamena."

Igneous released a long suffering sigh. "What now? Don't tell me she was singing the whole time again?"

"No, but-" She paused, staring hard at the family picture on her bedside table. "-that's just it, Igneous. Pinkamena wasn't herself."

Champing on the straw, he sized up the worried wrinkles on his wife's face. "Well, what?"

"She was so quiet. You know I didn't hear a sentence out of her the entire morning." Cloudy slipped the small spectacles from her muzzle. "She's depressed."

"Hmmm, guess we did put her to work as soon as she got home."

"It's not her, Igneous. Cheese is the same way."

"Dear, they're party ponies, they aren't going to enjoy staying here no matter how hard you want them to. It's not like either of them can help it." The creases on Cloudy's face deepened, and he knew that he had upset her. "Listen. It's not your fault, we've just got to find something they can enjoy helping out with. Other than that ridiculous party."

Cloudy raised an eyebrow, "And how do we do that?"

"Oh, well now..." Good question.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was nearly midnight, and instead of sleeping, Cheese found himself tossing and turning on the straw. He never had been bothered by sleeping on straw before, and it was more than a little luxurious compared to the rambling life he had led. And yet, he found every ache, every cut, and every blister being magnified a hundred fold in the still coolness of the darkened barn. Stupid bed's been spoiling me.

His tongue kept catching on the roof of his mouth, and he smacked his lips to no avail. Wincing, he stood shakily and sparked the kerosine lantern to life. The darkened farm was as silent as the grave, and Cheese found himself flinching as each hoof beat dug into the dry earth with a resounding thud. A strange, soft light peeked its way through the dense clouds overhead, casting the farm in an alien light. If anypony was making a horror film, this would be a place. Right about now I'd be picked off by the monster.

Checking behind him for any intruders, he leaned against the stones of the well, looking down at the black depths. Be a nasty long way to fall. He rubbed his temple with a shaking hoof. Geeze, I've got to stop thinking so much. It's a well, not a crime scene. Hoisting the worn bucket down the hole, he listened for the distant slash, and pulled upwards.

After a long drink, he noticed a strange light in the distance. An involuntary wave of fear crashed over him as he stared out across the fields. Lighting. And a lot of it. Traveling as much as he had over the years, he had seen more than his fair share of lightning. But, whenever he caught sight of it, he had always been prepared for it, as the pegasi were always informing ponies of impending storms.

But, Cheese's whole perspective on storms had changed after the incident in the Everfree. The lighting there was different. It was a wild, unfeeling, unchanging force of nature bent on striking whatever and whoever got in its way. And this storm's going to be just like it. The very memory of it sent chills up his spine, and he shook his head, trying to blot it out.

The streaks of light and flashes intensified as he watched. It was still too far away for the thunder to reach, but it was coming closer. His knees knocked together as a massive fork of the stuff lit up the entire horizon. It was much worse than the Everfree storm. Celestia help us.

A soft something brushed against his leg, and he jumped skyward. Wheeling around, he stared, wide eyed at the source of it. "Pinkie? What…what are you doing here?"

The mare smiled softly under her nest of curly bed hair. "Outhouse. You?"

"Water." Cheese's attention turned back to the impending storm, now keenly aware of the damp heaviness of the air around them. Try as he may to control it, his voice still shook like a leaf. "They always this bad?"

"No, mostly they're smaller. But, sometimes they're worse." Pinkie pressed her side to his, feeling his racing heartbeat, and quivering sides. "It'll be okay, Cheesie."

"I guess I'm just a little scared." He turned to her, eyes shaking as much as his legs. "I can't help it. Pathetic, huh?"

"No it's not." She kissed him on the cheek, tears streaming down her muzzle. "I'm scared too." The moonlight danced off of the scar, making it stand out even more than normal. "I can't stop thinking about that night."

Cheese was startled to feel the mare's heat beating as fast as his own. Sighing, he nuzzled her softly on the cheek. "It's okay, it'll all be okay." A loud crescendo of thunder split the stillness, and both ponies flinched. In the distance, the lighting had strengthened, and a sheet of rain was now visible. "Let's go back, I'll walk you there."

"Kay, but what about you?"

"I'll go back to the barn." Cheese gulped, trying not to imagine trying to sleep through the storm in the empty barn.

"Nope. You'll be too scared to sleep." Pinkie dragged him closer to the front door. "Dad and Mom won't mind if you sleep in the living room tonight. Come on."

Another clap of thunder, much closer than the first sounded, sending a ripple through the dry earth. "Okay, but just for one night."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Rain was not uncommon on the Pie farm, but torrents of the stuff every hour was highly unusual. Igneous glowered out the window as yet another sheet stuck the pane with spectacular force. Curse it all, the fields are going to be underwater if this keeps up. He traced the bristling lines of his sideburns, attempting to think of something useful they could do during the storm. If there was one thing Igneous hated, it was idleness. Settling on a long put off cabinet project, he turned to inform the family. "Listen up, I've got today's agenda."

To his dismay, half the family appeared to be missing. His amber eyes darted from his wife knitting on the rocking chair and the pair of party ponies lounging on the floor. "What the? Where's Marble and Limestone?"

"Silly, they're working on their projects in the barn." Pinkie giggled as she continued coloring her drawing.

Seizing what little control he had of the situation, Igneous strode over to his daughter. "And why aren't you helping Marble like you promised, Pinkamena?"

It was Cheese's turn to chuckle uncontrollably. "Pinkie, with a rock pick and power tools. I can't imagine what could go wrong."

"Cheesie. I'm great at that kind of stuff." The mare staunched an onset of giggles with her hoof, and stared up at her father. "Actually, I went out to help her, but-" She felt her ears droop, and she started to fidget with the crayons. "-She said she didn't want my help and to get out."

"Really?" He clapped a hoof to his forehead. Celestia give me strength. "You'll go and help her tomorrow. You can't lollygag around with Cheese when your sisters are hard at work."

"But Dad, we're not lollygagging. We're planning." She held up a childish drawing of the family smiling and playing some sort of ball game.

Cheese rolled his eyes. Pinkie was great with ideas, but lousy at drawing. Sighing, he held up his detailed summary of the game with carefully written out instructions. "This is what we're planning."

"Oh. Well, it looks like you've got things figured out. So-" He gestured grandly to the pair. "-up and at em you two."

"Yes sir." Dejectedly, Cheese stood up, pulling Pinkie along with him.

"Since Marble seems to think she's fine without help, you'll be doing housework with your mother."

"Okey dokey." Pinkie hopped excitedly at the prospect of house work. Anything's better than rocks.

Igneous turned to the stallion. "And you're going to be working on a project with me."

"A project?" What now? Another chance to get crushed?

"Yup. We're building a cabinet." Pushing Cheese out the door, he winked knowingly at Cloudy. Today's going to be interesting.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"It's done!" Pinkie danced triumphantly around the dining room that evening. They had just finished dinner, and now Pinkie seemed to think it was time for the show. Cheese cheerfully clapped along to the beat humming some random tune.

Marble and Limestone shared a nervous look, and gulped. One was bad enough, but two marginally insane ponies was a little much. Taking a deep breath, Limestone spoke up. "What's done?"

Pinkie did not respond, but turned to her stallion. "You ready for the big reveal, Cheesie?"

"Yup." He stood up, going into the pantry and drawing out a covered dish.

"What?" Marble gaped, dreading whatever manner of food her big sister had come up with.

"It's dessert!" Pinkie gave a fantastic twirl in midair, landing smoothly next to Cheese. "But this just isn't any dessert. It's Mom's super-duper secret recipe peach cobbler. I helped make it."

A smile stretched across Cloudy's lined face, as she leaned softly against her husband's side. It had been her idea to bake together. She knew how much the mare loved sweets, and it had been so refreshing to watch her laugh and talk like nothing could possibly wrong with the world. "Well, show them, Pinkamena."

"Kay!" With a dramatic flourish, she whipped the cover off to reveal the piece of art that was the Pie family cobbler. It looked like it belonged in a magazine, and the younger sisters oohed and awed at the golden crust and artistic sprinkling of powdered sugar on top.

"Yum." Cheese beamed at Pinkie. "It looks really tasty, Pinkie. Way better than any other cobbler I've seen."

"Thanks. But-" She dragged him away from the table and towards the living room. "-we've got one more job."

"Do we?"

"Duh, silly." Trotting over to the corner of the room, she pulled out an old fiddle and harmonica. "We're going to serenade the family."

"Oooh, great idea." Cheese picked up the harmonica, and began to tap out a lively beat on the wooden floor. The entire family became transfixed at the natural harmonization between the pair. Every note, every word blended together as though they had been rehearsing for weeks.

Igneous stared knowingly at the two party ponies. He knew, just knew he had a new family member. Smirking, he found himself imagining the wedding and the foals. Well, there are worse ponies to have in the family.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The streets of Ponyville reverberated from the hundreds of hooves pounding the earth and the earsplitting racket of dozens of separate conversations occurring at once. And yet, the dusty interior of the Golden Oaks library was as quiet as if it were midnight. Twilight lay nestled among a stack of spell books, humming a cheery tune. For the first time in weeks, she was free. Free from royal duties, free from disasters and untimely incidents, and free at last to read in peace. Inwardly, she blessed the silencing spell she had cast on the library and absorbed herself in the pages.

A kind of shock hit the heavy oak door, but was left unnoticed by the bewitched alicorn. It was not until it flung open and an older pony charged in did she look up. Why me? Standing up, she turned to face the perpetrator of the disturbance. Mayor Mare stood, glasses askew and face beet red. What now? Clearing her throat, she mediated the frustration in her voice as best she could. "Can I help?"

The mayor attempted to round up the stray strands of mane that had escaped her bun, but to no avail. "Princess, there's an issue that needs your attention."

"Issue?" Great, what kind of magical force of destruction is hitting Ponyville today?

"It's Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich."

"Huh?"

Shuffling her hooves uncomfortably, the mayor gestured to the street outside. "The fall festival's coming up."

"Oh, is that all?" Twilight let out a huge sigh, and smiled kindly at the mayor. "I'm certain two premier party ponies can handle setting up one festival. They're more than capable."

"That's not the issue, Princess Twilight."

"Not the issue? Then what is?"

Tread lightly, these are her friends we're talking about. "How long will Pinkie and Cheese be gone? We need them back."

Twilight raised a hoof to her chin, contemplating. "Well, in the letter Cheese left, they said they'd be gone until Igneous' leg heals." An embarrassed smile stretched across her face. "Guess I really don't know when they'll be back."

The mayor's breathing increased, and she pressed a handkerchief to her sweat streaked face. "This isn't good. The festival is in two weeks! What am I going to do without anypony to run it?"

"Oh-" Twilight felt her teeth clench uncomfortably together. She looked around the room, trying to remember any books that might help in this situation. Her eyes focused on the baby dragon placidly reading his comic book near the stairs. "Spike! I need you."

"Yeah, yeah." Tossing the comic with an obvious air of annoyance, the dragon trundled over. "What?"

"Did Pinkie or Cheese say when exactly they're going to be back?"

"No, be just got that letter from Cheese. Maybe-" His eyes sparkled playfully, and he elbowed Twilight knowingly in the hocks. "-Maybe they're not even at the rock farm. Maybe they eloped."

Mayor Mare actually gasped, clasping her soiled handkerchief to her face. "You don't think-"

"-No." Twilight glowered at the baby dragon. "That is the last time I let you read light romance. They are not eloping! If Cheese says they're going to the rock farm, then they're going to the rock farm. He's honest like that."

"Well, what are we to do, Princess? Should I try to find another party planner?" The mayor paced nervously across the wooden floor, trying to steady her racing heart. "This is terrible!"

"Relax, mayor. I'll figure this out." Twilight turned to Spike, voice decisive. "Let's get the others."

"What? We really going to go all the way out there?"

"That's the plan." Levitating the book back onto the shelf, she strode out the door with Mayor Mare. "I'll try to sort this out. If I can't convince them to come back, maybe I can get a basic outline of the festival to go on."

"Thanks, Princess. And good luck."

"Yeah." Somehow, the thought of going out to the farm was disturbing her. Why? It's no big deal, we came out there after the Maud incident. Why's it such a big deal now? Shaking her short mane, she struggled to wrap her head around the storm of emotions she was feeling. Get a grip, Twilight. It'll work out.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Work on the rock farm was more than slowed by the rivers of mud flowing freely across the fields. Though the muck appeared benign, it proved to be immensely dangerous. Igneous knew they'd have to wait at least a day for the slurry to harden, but he simply could not stop the innate determination to give it one good try. "You ready, Cheese?"

"Isn't it a little early to be swimming in the mud?" Cheese took yet another gigantic leap to suction himself free from the earth. It was early dawn, and the entirety of the farm was bathed in the now familiar, if mildly disturbing orange haze that passed for a sunrise.
Igneous snorted, adjusting his hat as he nearly toppled head first into the mud. "Ooof. It's never too early to get started, Cheese. Besides, we've got lots of work."

"I thought we're waiting for a day, and working on the cabinet." Yesterday's project had proved to be vastly entertaining, and he hoped to gain more carpentry tips from Igneous.

"Well, if this doesn't work, then we'll go back to plan B. But, I've got a theory that'll help us get started at least." Igneous walked into a darkened corner of the barn, fidgeting with something under a tarp. "Still intact. Perfect. Come on over and get harnessed up."

What now? Reluctantly, he slipped on the uncomfortable collar and turned to Igneous. "Where are we moving the rocks today?"

The stallion chuckled, and shook his head at the collar. "Take that one off." Hobbling over to the other end of the barn where the carpentry tools resided, he returned with another, smaller collar. It was carefully sanded and shaped to a different pattern than Igneous'. He winked at the stallion, and placed it over his neck. "How is it?"

"What?" The wood of the collar fit smoothly over his muscles, and rested comfortably in just the right place. "It's perfect. When did you have time to...did you make it?"

"Yup, every Pie stallion gets his own collar." He pointed to the far wall where a set of collars hung neatly on hooks. "My Dad, Uncles, and Grandad all had one."

Cheese felt his face burning, and he looked away, pawing at the ground. Me? Part of the family? "Thanks, Igneous. It means a lot."

"Sure thing, now for the big reveal."

"What? Another wagon?"

"Nope, this is a something special. Truth be told, I don't use it very often. It's a touch heavy." With a wink, he threw off the moldering tarp to reveal a dusty, strange looking plow. At least it looked like a plow, but instead of a large blade, there was a long, thin vertical rod.The entire contraption was built with heavy wood and strange metal plating. What was most unusual about the thing was a pale yellow light emanating from the rod itself.

"Magic?" Cheese snorted in disbelief, leaning down to examine the now distinct aura of magic. "How'd you end up with something like this?"

"I won it from an old chap of mine in a bar. You like it?" To Igneous' surprise, the stallion's expression darkened, and he turned away. "What? You got a thing against magic?"

"Not against magic, but-" Guess it won't hurt to explain. The bitterness in his next words struck hard on Igneous' nerves. "My Dad, he liked to use his magic to punish me."

His Dad's a unicorn? I never would have guessed. "You don't like him then?"

"Yeah. You could say that." Cheese stamped hard against the dirt, ears pinned and teeth clenched. "He's not the kind of pony to take things in stride. Whatever I did wrong, no matter how small, was a good enough excuse. The pain is what he enjoyed." A heavy sigh escaped him, "I suppose I should just forgive and move on, but it's never as easy as that."

"You don't have to force it." It felt like he had lost some kind of battle with the younger pony, and it worried him immensely. Just what kind of father hurts his own colt? By Celestia, what is the world coming to?

"I know, I know." Swallowing, Cheese turned his attention to the device. "How do we use it? What does it do?"

"It's supposed to detect deposits of magic in the earth. The rod's bewitched to go through the ground easily. But, it conducts best with mud."

"Why do we need to find magic deposits?"

"Because, those are what give the rocks their special properties. Unicorns will pay top bit for a good magic conducting rock. But, we'd better hope for a miracle. The thing doesn't always work like it's supposed to." Igneous winked slyly, "My buddy's not the most reliable pony out there. Bit of an eccentric."

Cheese's ears perked up at that. "Sounds fun, let's give it a shot."

"All right, but I warned you."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie was having a lot of fun. An emotion not shared by her two youngest siblings. Marble glowered at her big sister as yet another chunk of rock dislodged from the block. "Pinkie! You can't chip so much off. I just want you to get a little so I can start the detail work."

"Ooopsies, sorry." Her hips swung happily to an imaginary tune as she took up the chisel and started chipping away once more. They were in the barn, and Pinkie was finally getting to help her little sisters out. She especially loved to help with the projects. Marble specialized in statues and anything large and impressive. It fit her pillar cutie mark perfectly, and Pinkie could not help but smile. "Say, Marble did I ever tell you how neat your cutie mark is?"

"Yes, Pinkie. Several times." Marble adjusted her apron and continued to work on the marble headstone she had been commissioned to build.

"How's the mayor like the pillars?"

"He loves them!" Limestone chirped up from behind her magnification spectacles. Her knack for turning relatively cheap stones into gorgeous accessories had brought her a lot of business. "Guess what, Pinkie?"

"What, Limestone?"

"The mayor's son asked her out."

"No way!" Pinkie dropped the heavy pick on her hooves and she jumped backwards. "You got asked out?"

"Yeah she did, but she turned him down."

"WHY?" She gasped, "Was he ugly?"

Marble rolled her eyes at her sister and tried to ignore the large chunk missing from the valuable rock. Breathe, just breathe, she's trying to help. A loud clunk sounded as Pinkie hacked another piece off. I can't take this anymore! I'm telling Mom, I'm going to do it. "Pinkie, stop chiseling. You're butchering the stone."

"Ooops, sorry Marble." Pinkie stared innocently at her. "But, why'd you turn him down?"

"I don't need to answer your stupid question."

"Oooh, touchy." Limestone giggled, and pointed to a bucket of tiny rocks. "Say, since Marble doesn't need your help, can you look through that and find some emerald ones?"

"Okey dokey then."

The childlike enthusiasm Pinkie had for every little task amazed Marble. But the most frustrating thing about Pinkie was not her innocence or zest for life, it was her lack of motivation. Pinkie relished spontaneity, but also seemed to cling to what was familiar. After settling in Ponyville, she never once thought of what came next. She was seemingly content staying in stasis. But now, now, she's got a chance. Will she take it? "Pinkie, do you and Cheese have any goals for the future? I mean, with Cheese?"

Pinkie snorted, giggling loudly and sending a shower of stones into the air. "Well, not really. We're taking it slow for now. But-" Her azure eyes sparkled with excitement, "-I've got a really cool goal I've been working on."

"You?" Limestone nearly cut the delicate gold leafing she was placing over the broach. "What?"

Pinkie's chest expanded twice its normal size. "I'm starting a business."

"You?" Marble snorted into her work. "You've got to be kidding. What, is it a competing cupcake business? Or are you selling gag gifts with your stallion?"

"No! It's an event hall."

"Event hall?"

"Yeah, a place where we can host parties without having to rent space. I'm going to charge per party, and offer a catering and planning service. What do you think?"

Marble's mouth opened and close several times before she could speak. "It's great, a really solid idea, Pinkie. Good luck."

"Thanks. I can't wait to get started."

What Can We Do?

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Mud had never bothered Cheese, at least never enough to matter. Now, as he plowed through yet another patch of it, he cursed his luck. The strange device he had affectionately dubbed "the wedge" was heavy and awkward, but somehow managed to stay above the earth. Progress was slow in the thick, nasty variety of mud common on the farm, but at least there was progress. Each meter of ground he covered with the device filled his heart with satisfaction. He was helping the family, even if it was the dullest work he had done in years.

A high pitched whine broke the stillness, and Cheese diverted his attention to the rod. Sure enough, it was vibrating and whining violently. Another one, huh? That makes three. With a flourish, he drew out a crinkled map and marker from his saddlebags, scratching a large x on the location. Good enough. Humming a favorite tune, he trudged on, only to feel an uncomfortable lurch in the small of his back. Turning behind him, he noticed the wedge sinking slowly into the mud. Crap.

Thinking quickly, he braced his haunches and made a gigantic leap to pull the sled out. Unfortunately, instead of steady earth, he felt a familiar wet, sticky sensation as he sunk into a deep pit of mud. Before he had time to blink, he was nearly up to his withers in the putrid sludge. The only saving grace was that his hooves had hit solid rock, and he was no longer sinking.

Glancing around, he noticed the sled in equally dire straits. Struggling as hard as he could, he tried to free himself, only to have the mud suction even tighter. He sighed, and would have slapped a hoof to his forehead if it wasn't sunk. Now what?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie, that's incredible." Limestone stared wide eyed at Pinkie's craftsmanship.

"Yeah, it's really good quality." Marble's smooth grey hoof held up a large necklace of shimmering rocks. The only thing was that they were not true rocks, but rock candy. And there were quite two full barrels of the stuff. "They'll sell for a good price at the fair."

"You bet, and they keep for weeks." The lilac in Limestone's eyes sparkled with pride at the product. After Pinkie nearly scattered every tiny gem she owned, Limestone decided to give her a job she knew her big sister would enjoy. And it had worked brilliantly. "You can make candy way faster than we can.

"That's 'cause I make candy every day for my job. Plus, I practiced a bunch before Maud visited Ponyville." The crestfallen expression on Marble's face worried Pinkie. Marble was incredibly close to Maud, and practically idolized the older mare. Why'd I have to bring it up? Coughing, she changed the subject. "I'll have to make some for you two when you come to Ponyville."

Marble threw the necklace into the bucket once more. "Yeah, provided you aren't busy."

"Busy? I'm never too busy for family."

"Really? You've been plenty busy before; saving Equestria, running around with your friends, and working."

"But I always write. And, I haven't been busy with Equestria stuff in months."

"Yeah, but it won't be long until you're plenty busy with your own family."

"My own family?" A blank expression swept over Pinkie's face. But Marble and Limestone are my family. "What do you mean?"

Marble gaped at her. She can't possibly be that dumb.

A snort caused the pair to turn to Limestone. "Sorry, just-" She broke out into a fit of giggles. "-you really are dense, Pinkie. She means when you and Cheese have foals."

"WHAT?"

"Don't act so surprised." Marble rolled her eyes, turning back to her own work. "When two ponies like each other as much as you do, marriage and foals can't be all that far away."

"Yeah, so you'd better invite us to the wedding."

Pinkie opened her mouth to protest, when the door swung upon and Cloudy walked in. "My, I see you've been busy." She stared at the barrels of candy, "So that's what you were doing with the sugar."

"Yup. You like it mom?"

"I love it. But, I think we need to have dinner before we get to the dessert." She winked at Pinkie, and gestured to the fields. "Why don't you get Cheese? Dinner's just about ready, and he'll be hungry."

"Okey dokey, Mom." Without further encouragement, Pinkie galloped out of the barn. Her heart was thumping annoyingly fast. Marriage so soon? What do they know? So what if we're moving a little faster than normal, that doesn't mean anything. Does it?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Rainbow Dash grimaced at the farmyard just in front of them. Sure it was not a bad farm per se, just boring. After being dragged out by Twilight, traveling for hours in a stupid train, and flying over the ugliest patch of earth in Equestria, she was hoping to be greeted by more than just boring. "Urgh! No fair, no fair."

"What in tarnation are you going on about now, Rainbow?" Applejack rolled her eyes, swatting a hoof full of mud in the pegasus' direction. "You've been ta Pinkie's place before. What's the big deal?"

"Duh-" Rainbow gesticulated grandly from the grey sky to the mud infested farmyard. "-it's like all the color's been sucked out. It's boring, like you're farm."

"My farm ain't boring!"

A heavy sigh brought the mares' attention to the alicorn flying a few feet ahead. "Girls! I think we've got more important things to worry about right now."

"Right, sorry 'bout that Twi." Applejack fidgeted with her hat, and pointed to the house. "You think she'll want ta come back?"

"We won't know if we don't ask." Inwardly, Twilight felt now was not the time to be bothering their friend, but she let it go. Ponyville needed a party pony. Which one, if any would come was another matter entirely.

The silence of the Pie farm a far cry from Ponyville's bustling streets, and each hoofbeat echoed oddly off of the grey buildings. Twilight gulped as they neared the barn. Please let this be easy. She had never met Pinkie's parents, and only visited the farm once. From Pinkie's excited reminiscing, they were kind, but strict. "Hello?"

A new set of hoof beats broke the silence as a smoky grey mare poked her head around the corner of the open barn. Her long, silky mane was tied in a ponytail and she wore an expression of mild interest. "Hello. You're Pinkie's friends aren't you?"

"An yer Marble?"

Marble nodded slowly, eyes darting to the alicorn and back "That's right."

"It's a right pleasure to meet ya. I'm Applejack." Applejack puffed out her chest, extending a filthy hoof. When Marble took it, she beamed even brighter. "Me, Rainbow, an Twilight came out ta talk to her. She around?"

"She's not." Marble strode out into full view, her dusty coat covered in a large apron and a weary expression on her face. Try as she may, she could not help but stare at the alicorn pawing nervously at the ground. She really is friends with a princess. "Seems a bit strange."

"What?" Rainbow had landed on the driest patch of earth she could find, staring appraisingly at Marble. Looks like Maud. Great, now we get to hear about rocks for hours.

"Just, why would a princess take the time to come out to the middle of nowhere to talk to one pony?"

Twilight made to respond, but was quickly interrupted by the thunder of hooves and a powder blue blur shooting out of the barn. "Because they're best friends!" Limestone skidded to a halt just in front of the alicorn, amber eyes sparkling with a hungry sort of anticipation. "Isn't that right, Princess?"

"Yes." Twilight raised a hoof, watching the younger pony take it eagerly. Why's she so excited? "Limestone. Right?"

"Yes!" She pranced just as excitedly as Pinkie, spinning around a few times for good measure. "This is amazing timing!"

"It is?"

"Well yeah. Isn't it, Marble?" Limestone nudged her sister pointedly in the ribs, hoping she would take the hint.

"Uh…yes." Thinking quickly, Marble faked a loud cough, hissing under her breath to her sister. "Why?" Instead of a response, Limestone only winked. What's she planning?

A well-practiced diplomatic smile stretched across Twilight's face. "I'm sure it is."

A loud huff sounded from Rainbow, and she glowered suspiciously at the pair. "Where's Pinkie? We don't have all day you know!"

"She's-"

"-Not here."

Everypony's eyes jerked towards the house where a stony faced stallion with a leg cast hobbled over. "She's gone to get Cheese." Igneous champed harder on the stalk, assessing the ludicrously unnatural situation before him. An alicorn, pegasus, and earth pony walk into a bar eh? "What business do you have with my daughter?"

Twilight strode forward, beaming brightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you. We're Pinkie's friends. I'm Twilight Sparkle, and they're Rainbow Dash and Applejack."

"I gathered as much."

Seeing Igneous' less than enthused expression, she coughed and continued. "We came to speak to Pinkie."

"Speak to her, eh?" He slammed a hoof into the mud, sending flecks into the air. "Get lost."

"Why you!" Rainbow lunged forward, only to have her long tail held fast by an equally angry Applejack.

"We're not going until we speak to her." The carefully neutral tone Twilight was using began to slip. "I don't mean to be rude, but it's important. We're Pinkie's friends, we've got a right to."

"A right to what? Speak to her? Of course you do, and I wouldn't stop you if that was your only intention. But-" He leaned in, jaw set in determination. "-we both know that's not the case."

Twilight felt her face turn warm, as she pulled away from the stallion's gaze. "Sorry, but the situation in Ponyville-"

"-I don't care about the situation in Ponyville. Get off my property!"

"Dad!" Limestone and Marble stared incredulously at their father. He was a serious stallion, but rarely was driven to anger, especially in front of ponies of authority. Marble placed a hoof on his shoulder. "They just want to help."

Igneous huffed, turning his gaze from his daughters to the ground. He could feel his limbs shaking with anger, and his stomach lurched with realization. Guess I am a little upset. Inhaling deeply, he steadied the torrent of curses threatening to break loose. Why don't they understand? Slowly, he raised his head, addressing Twilight. "I need my daughter here, not in Ponyville."

"I understand completely. That's why-" She pointed to the two ponies beside her. "-I've brought help. With all of us working together, we can get the farm in order in no time. Applejack's a farmer too, and said she'd be happy to-"

"-why?" The voice was small and quiet, as though a colt was speaking in his place. His amber eyes had lost all trace of anger, and started to mist over. "-why must everypony to come across my daughters assume the same thing?"

"Huh?" Rainbow stopped pulling, landing next to Applejack and staring open mouthed at the stallion. "Assuming what?"

"You think I only want them-" He pointed to the Marble and Limestone, "-to stay because they're useful on the farm? That they are only around to work? That I never consider their happiness?"

"No, I-"

"-No, you assumed you understood." Igneous' eyes sparked to life and his short tail swished irritably. "Don't pretend to understand! Nopony does." He sighed, lowering his head once more. "You know, I hear from Pinkamena a least once a month. She loves to write, especially about her adventures in Ponyville. She's constantly busy, we're lucky to see her once a year."

Igneous gritted his teeth until the pressure was nearly unbearable. "It's hard to let go, especially for a family as close as we are. Having Pinkamena here these past few days, it's helped. And now-" The irritation broke through once more. "-now you have the nerve to come here and demand that she go back. Why can't you give me one month of my daughter's company?"

Twilight felt her stomach churn until she felt sick. In all the years of knowing Pinkie, she never once thought of how her family felt about their adventures. Now, for the first time, she was feeling selfish. Selfish for asking her friend to come home. It was irrational and stupid, but she could not staunch the sick sensation of guilt flooding her senses.

Sensing trouble, Applejack stepped forward, chest out and eyes confident. "Seems you've got a good argument, but it is Pinkie's decision. And we're going to speak with her."

"All right. Do what you will. Celestia knows I can't keep that filly from doing what she wants." He gestured towards the East fields, "She's gone to find Cheese for dinner. Wait a bit and you can talk to her after she gets back." His gaze drifted to the alicorn. I suppose I'd better show some common curtesy. "Why don't you wait inside? Marble, Limestone, you too."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie's heart felt light as a feather as she trotted through the rivers of mud. Though the filth was occasionally up to her knees, it did nothing to dampen her spirits. The day had been filled plenty of laughs, despite the strange conversation with her sisters. There was nothing Pinkie loved more than laughter. Well, maybe one something. More like somepony. Giggling to herself, she tried to focus on the task at hand. Wait a minute. Pinkie's small hoof stopped midair as her eyes darted across the current patch of mud. I should've seen him by now. He gave me a Cheesie promise he'd be here, but he's not.

An icy dread swept over her body, sending a violent shudder to her legs. She knew, just knew something was dreadfully wrong with Cheese. A pounding started up in her chest, causing the floodgate of panic she had been holding in to break free. What if he's hurt? Or sick? Or caught in a battle of wits with a maniac? Well, maybe not that, but still, it could be super bad. Lurching forward, she set off at a dead gallop across the slippery earth. I've got to find him!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Cheese rested his head against the packed mud, desperate to ease the searing pain shooting up his neck. A distant bird drew his attention, and he turned to watch it until it soared above the grey blanket. Even through the perpetual cover, he knew it must be close to dusk. How long has it been? Of all the things to go wrong, this was the worst. Not only was he constrained in a miserably tight space, but he was all alone. As time inched by, the pain of constraint grew until he felt like fainting. Or is that the heat?

An attempt to swing his head behind him brought a wave of new pain and a strange pressure at his shoulder. For a few seconds, Cheese could not understand why, then he remembered the collar pressing tight against his skin and the wedge holding him down. How'd I forget that? A chill swept over him as realization sunk in. I'm losing my mind. I need to get out.

Struggling, he tried to lift a hoof, only to feel an impossibly strong force holding it back. Of course he had tried the exact movement hundreds of times already, but he had to do something. If he gave up, he would never forgive himself. Pinkie would never forgive me. Bracing once more, he gave a final burst of energy to leap free, which admittedly, was not much.

The force of his failed attempt took his breath away, causing his lungs to seize and his heart to ache. Once more, he set his head on the mud, moaning in frustration. Why can't it ever be easy? Earlier, he had lightened the mood with a series of cheery songs and jokes, but now they seemed pointless. Singing took energy and a non-parched throat of which he was in short supply. Slowly, his eye lids closed as he gave into the exhaustion.

"Cheesie? Cheesie is that you?"

Huh? Blearily, Cheese opened an eye to see a pink speck in the distance. Sure enough, he could hear Pinkie's hoofbeats against the mud. He wanted to call to her, but his mouth felt glued together. Instead, he managed to lift his head a little and smile weakly as she pulled up next to him.

Panic spread across the mare's face when she saw the situation. "Oh my gosh. Cheesie? What happened?" One trot around the pit told her enough, and she leaned down next to Cheese, careful not to sink into the mud as well. "You're pretty well sunk."

"Yeah." His voice sounded so rough that he scared himself.

"How long?"

"Since morning."

The mare's eyes grew wide. Now that she was close, she could see the sweat dripping off of his coat and the panicked look in his eyes. He's got to be scared. I know I'd be. "It'll be all right, Cheesie. I'll get you out. Don't push yourself."

"Don't think I could if I wanted to."

Her heart began to race as the severity of the situation sunk in. Mud was dangerous, her father always had said that growing up. Now, for the first time, she could see why. If somepony as strong as Cheese could not get loose, how would a filly or colt fair? "I'm going to get something to dig you out."

"Kay." Cheese watched as Pinkie cantered off to a nearby tree, tugging at the branch. An unsettling cloudy sensation wafted over his mind. He could see her work, understand that he needed to get out, but somehow it did not matter anymore. Nothing really did. Nothing but rest.

"I've got an idea, but I'll need you to-" Pinkie stopped short, seeing the sleeping stallion. It was obvious he was tired and dehydrated, but she needed him to help. "Cheesie!" Shaking him violently, she managed to awaken him. "I'm going to dig a channel for you, and then lay this down like a ramp." She gestured to the long strip of wood she had removed. I'll undo the harness. Make sense?"

Cheese gave a feeble nod, and tried to stay conscious as Pinkie worked. The speed at which she dug was impressive, and he found he could stay awake if he focused on her. Soon the pressure on his neck ebbed until it did not hurt to breathe.

In a matter of minutes, Pinkie stood muzzle to muzzle with him, and cut the lines connecting him to the wedge. A broad grin stretched across the mare's face. "There you are Cheesie. Ready to leave?"

"You bet." Muscles aching with every step, he followed her up the makeshift ramp to relatively solid ground once more. He pressed his muzzle to hers, taking in Pinkie's sweet smell. "Thanks."

Her giggle echoed across the empty field, "You don't have to thank me, silly."

"It's nice to anyway." The muscle aches intensified once more, and he fell to his knees. Trying to stand made his other legs shake, giving out under the weight. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Let's get home." A small hoof extended to pull him up, but to her surprise, Cheese did not take it. Instead, the stallion turned away, staring bleary eyed at the ground. Accepting defeat, she lay down in the mud beside him, snuggling close. "Guess we can rest a while."

"You'll get dirty."

"Don't care!" She stuck out her tongue for emphasis, but he was already drifting in and out of consciousness. His familiar, earthy scent was masked by the mud caking his sides, but it was there. Despite the stallion's protests, she pressed closer, sighing in contentment and gazing up at the sky. "Say, Cheesie?"

A nagging sensation filled her thoughts, and she felt an uncontrollable surge of emotion coming out. The thoughts were eating away at her for weeks, and now the floodgates were opening. She had to speak or she would explode. That was just how she was. "This farm never changes, even with all this stupid mud, it’s the same. Mom and Dad, they never change too. It's like time stands still." Resting her head beside him, she continued in a small voice, "But time doesn't. Does it?"

A soft smile creased the stallion's filthy face. "If it did, we'd all be in trouble."

"We're not-" She gulped, staring at the scar marring her side. "-not the same ponies we were a few months ago. It's like…like I've been caught in some kind of twister I can't get out of."

Cheese's expression darkened, and he turned, eyes filled with concern. "Was it all that bad?"

"It's not bad. Just-" The correct words seemed to escape her. "-fast." That was lame.

He nuzzled her softly on the cheek. "I guess so. But why does fast worry you so much?"

"Because nothing changes fast to me."

"Nothing?" Snorting, he gestured to her cutie mark. "You've had plenty of things happen fast. You got your cutie mark in a blink of an eye, helped save Equestria who knows how many times in the matter of hours, and made lifelong friends in a matter of days. Who says nothing ever happens to you fast? You're whole adult life's been nothing but fast."

Pinkie felt her face turn red. Pouting, she looked away. Stupid Cheesie! Still, he's right. "Fine, you win. But I wanted this-" She gestured grandly to themselves. "-to go slow. To go a normal pace."

"Normal?" Another chuckle left Cheese, and he ruffled her mane affectionately. "Silly, we've never been normal. Besides, why do our lives have to run on the same train tracks as everypony else? That's just boring, and you know it. Is that what you wanted?"

"I-" Pinkie's face fell. I don't know what I want.

"If it makes you more comfortable, we can take a step back." A wry grin stretched across his face. "But that means no more hugging or kissing, and I suppose we'll have to act like slightly clueless acquaintances."

"No! I don't want that."

"I sure don't either." Seeing her troubled expression, he continued, "Why does it scare you?"

"Because-" Oh, how do I explain! "-What if we move so far away from where we were that nopony recognizes us? What if we get so busy living our lives that we drift apart from our friends?" Her face grew hot as she prepared for the next part, "What if we decide to get married, have a family? How can I have adventures with my friends if we're raising foals?"

Cheese stared dumbstruck at Pinkie. Where in Equestria did this come from? Marriage? Foals? Good Celestia, she's really worried about this. "Pinkie, dear, you need to calm down." He looked into her eyes, lifting her chin with his hoof. "You keep thinking change is something you need to avoid. But you've seen time and again how good it can be. So what if we get married? It's not like your friends are instantly going to avoid you. And-" He gulped flushing a violent shade of red. "-if we have foals, it's not like I can't watch them while you go on adventures or find a foalsitter."

Pinkie shook her head, tears streaming down. "But you'll have to give up big parties and you won't be able to travel anymore, and it'll all be because of me."

Cheese snorted, "What sacrifice?" Leaning in, he pressed his dry muzzle to her velveteen one. "There's nothing I want more out of life then to stay by your side forever. I mean it."

"I love you too." They lay in silence, watching the light fading from behind the clouds, wondering. For some reason, Pinkie no longer felt like talking, and it was frustrating. She was more confused than when she started, but somehow, she felt like a weight was lifted off her chest. So what if we don't know where we're going or when? As long as he's by my side, it'll all be okay.

Cheer Up

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Twilight seemed to be having a staring contest. It never intended to be that way, but somehow that's how it turned out. The same stony expression had been plastered onto Igneous' face ever since they had entered the house and continued as she sat across from him. Of course, most rock farmers were not used to seeing an alicorn in their living room so Twilight forgave him. Though, it was awkward.

Coughing, she turned her attention to the Pie sisters who were sitting on either side of their father like mismatched bookends. "So, this is nice. Isn't it, Applejack?"

"Huh?" Applejack was scouting the room for any potential Pinkie surprises. Thankfully, everything was clear. "Yeah, real nice."

Rainbow grumbled, pushing against the arm of the old sofa they sat on. "When's Pinkie coming?"

"Soon." Limestone's eyes sparkled hungrily at the three ponies. "Say, Princess?"

"You can call me Twilight."

A tiny giggle of glee escaped Limestone, "Twilight. Would you, could you-" Another fit of giggles burst out. Seeing Marble's chiding stare, she cleared her throat. "Could you tell us more about your adventures?"

Twilight looked taken aback. "Doesn't Pinkie talk about them in her letters?"

"Well, yes. But it's so much better to hear them directly. Isn't that right, Marble?"

Marble eyed her sister, who looked like a foal in a candy store. No use huh? She smiled sincerely at Twilight. "Yes. It's be lovely to hear it from you three."

Soon, the little cottage was full of wild tales of the adventures and misadventures of the Elements of Harmony. Rainbow particularly relished reenacting her parts, much to the amusement of Cloudy. The mare nearly fell out of her rocker when she described hiding her love of Daring Doo books at the hospital. Limestone gasped quite a lot when Applejack described nearly losing her farm in the Flim Flam Cider Squeezy competition. They were so enraptured with the stories that it was past dark before they realized the party ponies had not returned.

Igneous was the first to take note, "Cloudy, it's getting late."

"Oh my." She stared nervously at the door. "Do you think they're all right, Igneous?"

Instead of responding, the stallion stood and hobbled to the door. The rest of the party followed, and soon they were all outside the house. Igneous sighed, staring off into the fields, "Guess there's nothing to it. We've got to look for them."

"Look for who?"

Everypony's eyes shot ahead to see two figures moving slowly towards them. One of them shot forward like a bullet, and in the light filtering from the house, Pinkie made herself visible. "Heya. Sorry we're late." She paused then, gasping in her over dramatic way. "OH MY GOSH! Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow! What in Equestria are you doing here?"

Before they knew what hit them, they were wrapped in on of Pinkie's gigantic hugs. Twilight grimaced as a strong, nasty smell greeted her. "Pinkie, you, um-"

"-You stink!" Rainbow crumpled her nose, and made a gagging motion.

A warm feeling flooded Pinkie's face, and she released her friends. Glancing down at her coat, it was obvious where the smell came from. Her sides and hooves were splattered with dried, stinking mud. "Ooopsies. I forgot. I've kinda been digging, and-"

"-It's my fault." Materializing beside Pinkie was a very exhausted Cheese Sandwich. Pinkie was spotless compared to the lank stallion. His entire body was so plastered with filth, that he looked black. The smell coming from his coat was none to pleasant, and Limestone actually jumped away from him. "I got stuck."

Igneous frowned, moving from the collar around Cheese's shoulders to the nonexistent device. "Where's the wedge?"

"Stuck in the mud. Like I was."

Twilight opened her mouth to chide Igneous about being more concerned about farm equipment than Cheese. Just as she did, she noticed the expression of panic spreading across Igneous' face."How long?"

Cheese shuffled uncomfortably, bracing for the scolding. "About eight hours."

"Eight hours!" Rainbow stared open mouthed at Cheese. There was no way in Equestria she could have handled being stuck in mud for eight hours.

As fast as his bad leg would carry him, Igneous moved next to Cheese. Clucking disapprovingly, he went to work, carefully dragging his hoof over Cheese, feeling for injuries. He kept growling to himself, "Eight hours."

"Sorry." He felt like crawling back into the hole. I promised him I could handle it, and I blew it.

"Sorry? What in Equestria do you have to be sorry for? It's my fault for forcing you to cart that blasted thing around without help." He hugged Cheese tight, "I'm just glad you're safe. By Celestia, I'm a lousy father, aren't I?" Releasing the now red stallion, he turned to Pinkie. "You go inside with your Mother. Get some dinner and clean up. Come on Cheese, we'll hose you off."

Cheese followed Igneous slowly around to the back of the barn where the "wash rack" was. It resembled the Apple family's outdoor shower, but was even more basic with just a brick base, drain, and long water pipe with holes drilled in it to spray water. Still, Cheese was more than ready to get the filth off. Sliding out of the collar, he started the long process of cleaning up.

Igneous took the collar, and began to clean it. "Sorry about this, son. Didn't mean to turn out so bad for you."

"Oh, it's okay. I got out." As the cold water struck his neck, the aching pain returned with a vengeance. He decided to focus on conversing with the older pony. "So, did Twilight say why they came out?"

"Something about a situation in Ponyville."

Cheese laughed heartily, "Isn't there always a situation in Ponyville?"

"True enough." Igneous frowned as he watched the younger stallion. "You hurt your neck."

"Yeah, I think I strained it."

"I'll get you some liniment after. That'll help." The stallion slowly became absorbed in scrubbing off the collar. A job helped him think on what was important and forget his troubles. It had always been that way with him, and he supposed it always would be.

Pinkie's words kept racing in Cheese's head as he finished up. Somehow, he felt more confused than ever. For the first time since meeting Pinkie, he was fantasizing about something more. The longer his mind raced, the harder it was to push back the visions of Pinkie in a wedding dress. Is it possible? Would she even want to marry some ex-drifter like myself? That small voice in the back of his head screamed he was being stupid. Of course she would. She loves me after all

As he drifted into his thoughts, a shock of cold water went up his nostril and he reared in shock. This set off a set off a kind of quickly stifled giggle from Igneous. Sighing, he attempted to focus on scraping the filth from his coat. The job proved too monotonous, and his mind drifted to his conversation with Pinkie. She had been so worried about the speed of their relationship, it seemed almost selfish to dream about marriage. But, we love each other. We enjoy every minute together, so why is it such a bad thing to want to spend the rest of our lives together? Isn't that all marriage is? Urgh! How do I know when we're ready? Surrendering at last, he turned to Igneous. "How do you know when's the right time?"

"Right time for what?"

"Well…" What do I say? I just met you a few days ago, and I'd like to marry your daughter. Oh yeah, I just happen to be an ex-hobo with no assets. Not a problem is it? Shooing away the panic, he continued lamely. "-everything."

Igneous snorted and laughed, "What in Equestria are you onto now? I swear, your mind bounces off the tracks even more than Pinkamena."

"I mean, in a relationship. Like, when's the right time to take it slow, take it fast, move forward. If we do move forward, how much is too much?" His emerald eyes reflected serious concern.

In his usual manner, Igneous champed on his straw, contemplating. "Well, the way I see it is this. Our lives can't stand still; they're a wheel in constant motion. You can either roll along with it, or lose yourself trying to fight it. How fast you go isn't generally up to you."

Cheese grimaced, turning away. "So, you think it'll come natural? With me and Pinkie?"

"Well now, that's up to you two. You're a team after all."

"Team? Pinkie said something like that too." The lights dancing from the house drew his thoughts to the mare inside. "Doesn't make much sense to me."

"It's like this-" Igneous smiled, holding up the collar, "-Loving somepony and choosing to be in a relationship is a big commitment. In a sense, when you marry, you're hitching yourselves to the same cart. Of course, it's easier pulling the weight, but you'll still be facing the same challenges."

He coughed, staring into the sky and the few stars poking through the canopy. "There'll be times you disagree on the pace, the direction, or the paths you take and it'll hurt. But you've got to talk it out, and get through it together." Shuffling uncomfortably, he turned to Cheese. "That help?"

"Yeah, I guess." Cheese shook himself dry and joined in Igneous' star gazing. "But, what if we can't agree?"

"Then you compromise." Igneous smiled, placing a hoof on the stallion's shoulder. "But I'll tell you what. Despite all the heartaches, trials, and challenges, marriage has been the best thing that's ever happened to me. I wouldn't be the stallion I am today without her backing me up every step of the way." Winking, he started towards the house. "You'll know when you're ready. Don't rush it."

"Yes sir."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Dinner was an interesting affair to be sure. The presence of their guests brought up the excitement exponentially, and soon they were all laughing and joking, even Igneous. After the meal however, Pinkie stepped outside to talk about the situation with the girls while Cheese helped clean up. A few minutes later, Pinkie bounced inside, followed closely by the others. She hopped over to her mother, "Mom, they need us back in Ponyville. So, I said we'd head back." Her bright face darkened a shade. "I know we said we'd stay a month, but it's important."

"That's all right, dear." The older pony's lined face creased ever so slightly, and she returned to wiping the table off. "We'll be sad to see you go so soon."

Cheese had been watching her intently, trying to register the situation. He had got the gist of it from Marble, but still remained much in the dark. A loud clink brought his attention to Igneous who had been stacking the clean dishes in the cabinet. The stallion's face was contorted with anger. What the? Looking between him and Pinkie, it was obvious that he did not approve of the decision. I need the whole story. "Pinkie, we need to talk."

"Okay." In a flash, she stood by him, beaming brightly. "What?"

"Not here." He gestured to the door.

An exasperated expression stretched across her face. "Cheesie." Seeing he was not in the mood to compromise, she followed him out, smiling a goodbye to her friends. She started getting irritated when Cheese kept walking until they were nearly at the barn. Finally, he stopped, turning to her. The overly serious expression reflected in his emerald eyes confused her.

"What's wrong, Cheesie?"

"What's going on?" A sharp jerk of his chin to the house implied the situation with their friends.

"Oh, is that all?" Pinkie let out an audible sigh of relief. "Well, the ponies back home and Mayor Mare are in a tizzy because we're not there to spread the cheer like normal. Also, the fall festival's coming up and they want us there to plan."

"Oh, I forgot about that."

Pinkie cuffed him playfully on the shoulder. "Yeah, I kinda did too. Strange isn't it? Two party ponies forgetting a big shindig like that."

"We've been worried about other stuff I guess. Still, we've had fun."

"Fun? Cheesie, you nearly died in a rock tumbler, passed out from exhaustion, and got stuck in mud for eight hours. How is that fun?"

The quiet around them broke as he laughed loudly. "Oh, that didn't bother me. I've had a lot of fun lately. Honest. Plus, I learned a hundred ways not to get out of a mud pit."

Pinkie joined in the laughter then. "Yeah, I did have a good time with everypony."

"You've got a good family." He realized that he was being sucked in by Pinkie's mystical ability to dodge any issue. Shaking his head, he returned the stony expression to his face once more. "Pinkie, you're not answering the question."

"What? I told you what was going on."

"Pinkie." His eyes looked like they were going to pierce the mare clean through. "You know what I mean. You're Dad and you don't seem to be getting along."

"Oh that." Pinkie rolled her eyes, "Mom said earlier that he wanted me to stay the whole month. But, they really need us in Ponyville, so I said we'd go back."

Cheese rubbed his forehead, "Pinkie, I don't think Igneous would have asked you to stay if he didn't really want you to."

"But Dad's always saying that when I visit. It's no big deal."

"No big deal!" The loud tone of his voice startled even himself, and he swallowed, trying to control himself. "The stallion gets a letter from you a month, but is lucky to see you once a year. You tease him with the prospect of actually getting to have his daughter home for more than a day, then snatch it away just like that."

"I didn't snatch it on purpose!" Pinkie felt her face begin to heat. What's wrong with him? I didn't do anything wrong.

"Would it kill you to spend a few extra days with them? By Celestia, you're selfish."

"Selfish? I'm not selfish mister!" The heat was reaching fever pitch, and for the first time in her life she felt like punching Cheese. Stupid stallion! "I'm thinking about all the ponies counting on me in Ponyville."

"In Ponyville? What about here? What about your own family? Don't they matter anymore?" Cheese was screaming at her now, mane and tail bristling and eyes flashing. "You sound like my parents." Cheese knew the instance the words left his mouth, he'd said the worst possible thing.

Pinkie's anger shattered like glass, replaced with an empty sort of sadness. Her mane and tail drooped, and straightened, a darker shade replacing her coat's light one. "I'm like them?"

"No. I-" He reached for her, heart aching, "-I didn't mean that. You're not, Pinkie, you're not."

Tears streamed down her cheeks and onto the mud. "I'm not a good pony?"

"Yes you are. If anything, I'm the bad pony here." He held her close, allowing her to sob into his coat. He stroked her mane, apologizing over and over again.

Slowly, she recovered enough to look up at him. "I just did what I've always done. Was it wrong, Cheesie?"

"It's not a right and wrong kind of choice, Pinkie. You probably made the logical choice. It's not good or bad, it just is. But-" He sighed, looking into her eyes, moist with tears. "-if I were you, I'd stay."

"Why?"

Cheese's heart tightened in his chest, and he turned away from her. "My parents never liked me. Not once did they say they wanted me around." He tried to fight back the salty tears from his own eyes now. "You don't know what it's like, and I hope you never will. It's the worst feeling in all the world, and it hurts for years and years, Pinkie. I don't want that for you. I don't."

"Cheesie," Pinkie held him close, pressing her side to his until their breathing matched. "My family's never going to be that way, and neither am I. You win, I'll stay." She giggled a little, then stopped when realization sunk in. "Who'll take care of Ponyville?"

Cheese snorted, rolling his eyes. "You think a party pony of my caliber can't handle one fall festival by himself? Have a little faith."

"Kay, but I'll miss you like crazy."

"It won't be for long. And you know I'll be thinking of you." Cheese held her tight for a while longer, then released her. "We'd better get back, they'll get worried we've fallen into another hole."

Pinkie nodded agreement, and they walked slowly back inside. As they walked, her mind turned to the past few days. Cheesie's been so serious lately. It's not like him. Inwardly, she vowed to confront him about that, but not now. Now, she just wanted to enjoy this quiet moment together.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Applejack was more than surprised when Cloudy came into the living room to wake them well before the sun had risen. Of course, she rose early back home, but she never got up quiet this early unless there was a special occasion. "Howdy, Mrs. Pie. You're up a might early."

"Well, yes. But we don't want you missing the morning train." A loud clink from the kitchen let everypony know she was making breakfast. "Can you go out to the barn and wake up Cheese? He'll be too tired to get himself up."

"Right." Grinning slyly at her still sleeping friends, she blew into each of their ears. Both shot up like rockets, Rainbow looking practically murderous. Laughing, Applejack pointed to Cloudy. "Go an help get breakfast ready. We've got ta leave soon."

Mumbling incoherently, Rainbow and Twilight flew over to help with the oatmeal. Satisfied she had done her job, Applejack trotted out the door and towards the barn. An involuntary shiver coursed through her body as the frigid morning air struck her coat. She swung open the door to wake up the stallion, only to find him lying perfectly awake on a bed of straw. "Well, you're up early."

"I couldn't sleep." In truth, he had spent all night thinking of his argument with Pinkie, their future, and, for some reason, his parents. Never in all his life had he dealt with such a sea of emotions. He ached all over from trying to make sense of it all. Seeing Applejack's confused stare, he gave a halfhearted smile. "Had a lot on my mind."

"Yeah." What's gotten into him? "Cheese, what's wrong? I've never seen you like this. I'm half expectin' yer mane ta go flat like Pinkie's."

Cheese gave a soft chuckle. "My mane doesn't to that. It's always hopelessly poufy. I…" Guess I am kinda distracted. "I've had a lot on my mind. I'm not sad, Applejack, just confused."

"'Bout what?"

"A little of everything." He smiled for real, "I'll work it out. Don't you worry."

"All right." Applejack followed him out the door and back into the house.

Everypony was already seated at the table when they arrived. Pinkie cantered over to Cheese, giving him a big hug. "Good morning, morning glory."

He raised an ear. Never heard that one before. "Morning." Her gentle touch set sparks running up his sides. As if by some unknown force, he felt instantly relaxed. He leaned in, giving her a long kiss on the muzzle.

Pinkie kissed back, and turned back to the table. "You'd better eat. The train's leaving soon."

"Don't remind me." He put on a big smile and settled down beside Pinkie.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A silence filled the compartment, broken only by the rattling of the train wheels. Ironically, the situation was unsettling to Twilight. When they had settled in, Twilight has supposed Cheese would break out his usual comedy routine. Instead, he settled himself by the window, staring blankly at the scenes flying by. Rainbow and Applejack were playing a game of cards, deep in concentration. As she was sitting beside the stallion, she decided to strike up a conversation. "You'll see her soon. Don't think about it so much."

Cheese mumbled, "I'm not."

Twilight realized her mouth was ajar, and slammed it shut. The collar resting comfortably around Cheese's neck drew her attention. She had to admit, he looked like ridiculous in his traveling poncho, wide brimmed hat, and collar. "You really like that don't you?"

"Yeah. Igneous made it for me." An irritated flick of his short tail told her the conversation was over.

Twilight snorted in exasperation, prepared for a snide comeback, but her better judgment told her it would be unwise. Grimacing, the memory of Cheese pinning her down in the library flooded her mind. He's not somepony I want to get angry. And geeze is he grouchy today.

For several dreadfully long minutes, they sat in silence, until Cheese turned to her. Twilight tried to hide her frustration. "Yes?"

The stallion stared, expression unreadable. "I've got some business in Manehattan. I'll be going there after the festival."

"Business?" Why in Equestria would you want to go there? You hate that place! She felt her heart beat uncontrollably in her chest. What if he does something reckless? Pinkie couldn't handle that.

"Twilight?" Cheese was staring at Twilight's unreadable expression with concern. "It won't take long, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I understand." No, no I don't understand! What in the hay is wrong with you? She proceeded, carefully neutral. "Family business is it?"

Cheese's teeth clenched tightly, "Yeah."

"I hope it works out." Twilight smiled sweetly, inwardly cringing. Should I stop him now? No, that wouldn't be right. But I will tell Pinkie, I have to.

A soft smile broke across Cheese's face. "I hope so too."

Interlude in the Rain

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Rain rattled the windows like a hail of bullets. With each sheet crashing against the pane, Starlight winced a little inside. It was a typical Manehattan rain, but her mood was anything but typical. Her slender body reclined on her elegant chaise lounge, head hung low. Generally, she would have found some measure of comfort in the expensive furnishings of the powder room, but not today. Today they felt more like the trappings of a gilded cage. Curse this weather!

Sighing dramatically, she turned her attention to the newspaper lying on the ruby carpet just below her hoof. Reluctantly, she levitated it, reading the fashion headline. "Rarity Steals the Show: Renown Ponyville stylist makes history with her killer fall lineup, competitors at a loss." Slamming the newspaper against the window, she sat up straight. "Upstart! At a loss am I? Humph!"

The competition had been over for weeks, and she had yet to stop hearing about "fabulous Rarity" and her fashions. "Just where does such a common looking mare get away with that kind of popularity?" She turned to the jewel encrusted mirror taking up half the opposite wall, examining her reflection with pride.

"Certainly I'm not young, but I'm still beautiful." She raised a hoof to stroke her immaculately groomed mane. It was as soft and fine as silk, just as it always had been. The liquid amber of her eyes shone with triumph as she examined the smooth quality of her face. "No pony could compete with this."

Then, a voice came, small and quiet like a passing breeze. Yes they could Starlight.

Whipping her head around, she looked around the room, but it was devoid of anypony but herself. "Must be the rain." Her long, white tail twitched irritably from side to side, matching the tics of the powder table clock. "I'm the head model in Manehattan. They'll be crawling back to me in a few months, mark my words."

Unless they've grown tired of your attitude.

"Shut up! What do you know?" Snarling a challenge, Starlight turned to face her nonexistent accuser. "Ever since my birth, I've been chosen to stand above others. So what if I have to snap a few egos in the process? It's all for the greater good."

A laugh reverberated around the room, bouncing off of the window panes and into her ear. Greater good? You know that's not true.

"Shut up." Starlight's eyes flashed a warning, and she shot upright. "I won't warn you again."

Another laugh set the hairs on Starlight's neck upright. Shut up? That would be difficult, I don't exist remember. I'm just a figment of your imagination. Besides, you need me to understand.

Humoring the voice, she reclined back against the cushions. "Understand what exactly? That I am destined for greatness? I've know that for years."

Have you now? I seem to recall a young filly with quite a different perspective on life.

"Do you?" Starlight's thoughts drifted to the pounding rain once more. The sound was strangely nostalgic, and the longer she listened, the more her mind slipped. "It was always raining then too, at least that's how it felt." Closing her eyes, she allowed the memories to overwhelm her once more.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Starlight! Get up, we've got to go to class."

"Urgh! Shut up." A young palomino filly poked her head out of the bottom bunk, frowning at the peach pegasi in front of her. The room was filled to the brim with rows of bunk beds and a swarm of fillies getting ready for their day. With a wide scowl on her face, she stood up and joined her bunkmate on the cold floorboards. "Why can't the matron turn up the heat?"

"Because, of-" The plump pegasus leaned in, eyes mock serious. "-the budget." This brought a loud onset of giggles between the pair as they shuffled to make their beds. As they went to join the throng gathering by the door, the filly stopped. "Say, Star?"

Starlight paused mid stride, "Yeah, Spice?"

Spice's cheeks turned a violent shade of red. "Do you think a colt's going to ask you to the dance?"

"Well duh." Starlight rolled her eyes for emphasis. The expression on her friend's face told her she said the wrong thing. "But don't worry about it, Spice. You'll get asked out."

"Sure." The pair set off down the narrow stone hallway, listening to the familiar echoing of hundreds of hooves striking the stones.

Manehattan Academy was not known for its cheery interior, and the ponies' warm breaths soon sent up clouds of mist into the cold morning air. Starlight hummed a tune as she tried to circle the wayward clouds with her magic. The morning light danced off of her shimmering white mane, and Spice could not help but smile. She's gorgeous. If anypony could do it, she could. Taking a deep breath, she nudged her friend in the ribs. "Say, Star?"

"What?" Starlight's concentration broke, and the magic dissipated like the clouds of steam. She put on her best mock annoyed face. "Geeze, you're needy today."

"Sorry, sorry. But-" She hopped excitedly beside her friend. "-did your mom buy you a dress yet?"

"No, she can't afford one." Starlight stamped her hoof against the stones, drawing the attention of a few colts just ahead of them. A sharp glare shooed them on their way, and she turned back to Spice. "I'm on scholarship. You know that. So what gives?"

"Well-" The words came out in a rush before she could stop herself. "-I've got this really great dress design, and I want you to model it."

"Wow? Really?" A broad smile stretched across Starlight's face and she danced in a circle. "Yes, yes, YES! You're the best, Spice. The best!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A loud crash shook Starlight's heart, and she leapt upright to see the now darkened interior of the powder room. Fell asleep. Massaging her temples, she turned to the window where a serious storm was now raging. The room was as quiet, save for the fury of the elements pounding the window. Judging from the clock she had only been asleep for around twenty minutes. "Blast."

A loud knock sounded just outside the door. "Yes? What do you want?"

With a creak, the door opened to reveal Storm Scribe, an expression of casual indifference plastered on his black face. "There you are."

Starlight gave a jerk of her chin by way of a greeting. A particularly massive boom of thunder rattled the windowpane, making her jump.

"Still afraid of thunder I see. You never change." He strode into the room, eyes focusing on the piles of rubbish and paper strewn across the opulent carpet. His voice was laced with acid, "Do you ever clean?"

Starlight harrumphed, levitating the piles into a state of semi order on the coffee table. "Satisfied?"

The stony expression in Storm's eyes reflected that he was not. Letting it pass, he stared out the window at the storm, then back at Starlight. "Storm or not, you need to be ready. Unless-" His lip curled in disgust at the state of his wife's unkempt coat and chipping hooves. "-you intend to go to the event dressed like that."

Leave me be, Storm. I'm in no mood to humor your temper. Swishing her tail irritably, she returned to watching the storm outside. "I don't believe I'll go."

"Really?"

The soft, even quality of Storm's voice did not fool Starlight for a second. So we'll be throwing a fit now? Sure enough, he strode forward, ears pinned back. He pressed a hoof against her side, leaning in until the smell of stale cologne filled her nostrils. Curling her nostrils, she glowered at her husband. "What?"

The stallion's green eyes flashed coldly, teeth breaking into a wolfish snarl. "We have an agreement, unless you've forgotten."

"Don't think I'm so stupid, Storm." She tried to push the heavy stallion off of her, but he pressed harder with his hoof. "I've been the perfect trophy wife, attended all your trivial corporate gatherings, and-" She hesitated, then continued, "-even given you a foal."

Storm snorted, "Some foal. He's a worthless, good for nothing earth pony." He leaned in, savoring the panic swimming in the mare's amber eyes. Smirking triumphantly, he whispered into her ear. "You're lucky I haven't thrown you out with the trash."

Starlight snarled, "You wouldn't dare." In an instant, the panic of her eyes was replaced by triumph. "I know enough to see you ruined, Storm. There are more than a few skeletons in your closet."

A momentary flash of surprise swept across Storm's face before being replaced with a calculating admiration. "And there you have it. We've reached an impasse." Sighing, he removed his hoof from the mare, "Best to keep up the charade, my dear." Without another word, he strode across the room and out the door.

"Good riddance." A sense of cold realization began to fill her chest. The rest of her life was bound to be just like this, just as it always was. What use is there in fighting it? It's the life I wanted.

Once again, the tiny voice echoed in the back of her mind. No it's not, and you know it.

Starlight scarcely batted an eye at the voice now. At least there's company. "I have everything I've ever dreamed of. Why would I not be happy? What do you know?" The storm continued to batter the window, and the thunder rolled on. For minutes she waited, then spoke again. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" There was no answer but the continued pounding of the rain.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Maud stared, mouth ajar at what had to be the most ludicrous thing she'd ever seen on the farm. There, nearly submerged in dried mud was her father's magic tracking device. The first thought to run through her mind was that something was dreadfully wrong with him. He'd never take it through this area of the farm, it always has thick mud. Is he losing his mind? The thumping of her heart surprised her, and she held her chest, an expression of mild interest on her face. It was the first time in months she had felt such a sensation, and it needed to be remedied.

She galloped the rest of the way to the house, trying to calm the inward panic now threatening to break loose. Please, please be okay, Dad. If only her stupid research had finished a little earlier. I should've just left early. Cloudy had written to her, informing her of what happened to Igneous' leg some time ago. However, an honors Rockterate student doing field research did not have the luxury of leaving whenever she felt like it. Of course, she left as soon as possible, assuming it to be nothing urgent. Now, after seeing that machine, she could not staunch the overwhelming sense of guilt flooding her senses.

Skidding to a halt in front of the door, she knocked and swung it open. "Dad? Mom? Are you okay?"

The entire family was sitting placidly in a circle, and turned to stare at Maud. Just as fast as the door opened, the three siblings rushed forward to greet their big sister. Pinkie actually screamed with excitement, "OH MY GOSH! Maud?"

Limstone grinned, "I didn't know you were coming home."

Marble stood aside until the others had their hugs, then stepped forward. She fought back the stinging sensation in her eyes, as she hugged her big sister shyly. "Good…good to see you."

The softest of smiles creased Maud's face, quickly vanishing before the rest of the family could see. "You too, Marble. You been good?"

She sniffed, trying to gain composure. "Yeah."

Maud walked into the room, straight up to Igneous in his armchair who had been watching the scene with some interest. "You okay, Dad?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"I saw your machine in the mud, so I got worried."

"Huh?" Igneous laughed, setting Maud back a step in surprise. "Oh, Cheese ran it into the mud. He's okay, but we decided to leave it there for now."

"Cheese?" Maud closed her eyes, trying to imagine a giant cheese wheel pulling the device, and shaking the thought away just as quickly. "Who's Cheese?"

Cloudy gestured to Pinkie who was settling back down on the couch besides Marble and Limestone. "He's Pinkie's coltfriend."

"Pinkie's…coltfriend?" Her mouth hung open stupidly, as she turned to her younger sister. However, she continued in her usual monotone. "I don't understand the joke."

"No joke, silly." Pinkie giggled, playing with her long mane. "We're dating. I would've told you, but I didn't know how."

"That's okay." Inwardly, Maud's panic was reaching a high water mark. My baby sister dating? What kind of stallion would ask her out? I hope he's not crazy. Shaking the thoughts loose like spiders, she turned to Cloudy. "I came for Grandma Pie Day."

A broad grin stretched across the older mare's face. "That's lovely, dear. I didn't expect you to come this year."

Maud stared, expression perfectly neutral as always. "I come every year."

"Yes, but with your Rockterate, I thought you'd be busy with research. My, this is something special." She gestured to their family, "This is the first Grandma Pie Day in years to have all of us here to celebrate it."

"Yeah, and it'll be the best yet!" Limestone jabbed Pinkie in the ribs, "Pinkie and Cheese got it all planned out. Between the two of them, it'll be something to remember."

"Cheese? Why's he so helpful?" Maud stared, mild confusion appearing in her eyes.

Pinkie snorted a laugh, "Because he's a party pony just like me."

"You're dating another party pony? But, the only other party pony you've met is that fellow that stole your party last year." Then, realization struck. It was so obvious, why hadn't she picked up on it sooner? She could have slapped herself. "He's the one you're dating? Cheese Sandwich?"

"Yeah."

"Oh-" Her expression conveyed no further surprise, and she squeezed in next to Marble on the couch. "So, how's everypony?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A grimace stretched across Milo Coltfax's face as he read through the disappointingly thin stack of letters on his worn desk. Junk, the lot of it. Who do these ponies think they're writing to anyway? I may be washed up, but not that much. Cat burglary, landlord disputes, do I look that desperate? Sighing, he whirled around in his ancient office chair to stare out the grimy window and the bleak fall day beyond. The sound of hoof beats drew his attention, and he spun back, eliciting a groan of protest from the rusty chair. Unfortunately, it was just his secretary doing her rounds as always. "Quill? Bring me some coffee!"

The head of a finely featured older mare in enormous glasses poked her head around the door. She snorted with disgust at the state of the office. "No. What do I look like? Your maid." The expression of irritation on the middle aged unicorn's face made her grin. There was nothing quite as fun as teasing her employer. "Get it yourself. Not like you have any cases anyway."

"I do too." He levitated the stack of letters for emphasis. "Overdue rent doesn't pay itself you know."

Snorting, Quill turned back to the hallway. "You wouldn't take those cases if they were shoved down your face, Milo, and you know it."

Accepting that he never would not get to taste Quill's lukewarm coffee, he turned back to the letters. From his paper thin wallet and the stack of unpaid bills, he would have to choose one soon. Gritting his teeth, he levitated the top one, trying to imagine some way of making it interesting. When had he become so pathetic?

A ray of sunlight escaped the clouds and reflected off of the peeling letters of his nametag. Halfheartedly, he levitated it with his yellow magic, letting the letters catch the sun until they formed a kaleidoscope: "Milo Coltfax: Prosecuting Attorney." It had a nice ring to it, Milo had to admit. But what good was it when nopony remembered your name? I could have been swimming in high profile clients if it wasn't for him. You've messed everything up once again, my old enemy. Just as you always have.

Milo was awakened from his thoughts by the pounding of hooves against the linoleum, and the arrival of a harried looking stallion in his office. The pegasus had a lean, hungry look in his eyes as he approached Milo. From the stench emanating off his coat and shabby cloths, luck had not been kind to him. As casually as he could, Milo leaned ever so slightly away from him. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, yes you can." He held out a grimy hoof, Milo taking it reluctantly. "Name's Willow Wind. Former head of sales for Einkorn Pharmaceuticals."

Milo raised an eyebrow, "Former?"

"That's right, former." The ragged green stallion stood as straight as he could. "I'd like you to prosecute the backstabbing son of a mule that that ruined my life."

Milo struggled to hide the hope filling his chest. Could this be my lucky break? Will ace prosecutor Milo Coltfax rise from the ashes once more? He held a blue hoof to his face, covering the smirk of triumph stretching across the stubble. "So, who's this pony?"

"Who else?" Willow snorted, striking the linoleum with his hoof. He spat the words like a curse, "Storm Scribe."

A weight fell across Milo's chest like a stone, instantly dissolving the euphoria. There was no way he could take the case. He sighed, voice sad, "I can't, Willow."

"Why not? Of all the prosecutors in Manehattan, I thought you would jump at the chance to take him down. You of all ponies what kind of criminal scum he is."

"Yes, but what can we-" He paused, biting his lip, "-what can anypony do against him?"

Willow shot a venomous look at Milo, gesturing fiercely to the wall of the office. The entire surface was plastered with case reports, news clippings, maps of Manehattan, and charts, all relating to the stallion's sordid business affairs. "A lot, according to you. Did you forget how close you came to taking him down once and for all?"

"It wasn't enough."

A manic glint filled Willow's eyes. "Wasn't enough? You had all the evidence, all the witnesses, even a sympathetic jury. You should have won!"

"Should have, Willow." Milo winced, feeling the pain of that day even after nearly eight years. "But, what was I to do? All my key witnesses bailed, he bought off the jury, and I was made to be the laughing stock of prosecutors."

A thud sounded as Willow placed a hoof on the desk, eyes still filled with hope. "Yes, but this time will be different. I've got five ponies to testify, two with entirely separate charges."

Milo scoffed, "What good is it? Most of Manehattan could come up with some sort of charge against the scum. But when the time comes, and the roll is called, I guarantee not one of them will testify."

"How do you know?"

"I've seen it. Seen it time and again."

Willow leaned in, "But they will, I know it."

"Blackmail, extortion, physical intimidation, death threats. You can't expect anypony to fight that. It isn't fair, Willow." Milo felt his heart ache at the desperation stretching across the pegasi's face. He had been there himself, seen exactly what a stallion like Storm Scribe was capable of. Perhaps, he could help him before it was too late. "Listen, I thought like you once. Believed that truth and justice would win out over self-preservation and cruelty, and I suffered for it. I was a happily married man with a successful office before I started this ghost hunt. Now look at me, alone and living by the skin of my neck."

"But-" He paused, expression shattering like a thousand pieces of glass. "-We could take it to the Princesses?"

"And then what? They wouldn't believe one desperate unemployed stallion over somepony like him. He's a generous donor to charities, community warrior, the press loves him. Who do you think they're more likely to believe?"

Silence, the nasty sort of silence Milo hated most. It was sorrow, defeat, and anguish all rolled into one. Walking around the desk, he placed a comforting hoof on the pegasi's shoulder. "There now, go and start over while you've got a family to start over with." He received a slow nod of acknowledgement, and the pony left the office.

Rage like he had not felt in years coursed through his veins. Screaming, he thrust a pen straight through the scum's photo. "Curse you! I'll see you taken down, if it's the last thing I do in this life, I'll see you ruined!" The war was on once more, and his fire would not be extinguished, not this time. A triumphant smirk stretched across his face. You can't break me this time. I've got nothing left for you to take.

Manehattan Blues

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Fall leaves drifted lazily on the breeze as nearly all of Ponyville joined in the festivities. Cheese leaned against a tree, poncho donned and absentmindedly twirling his wide brimmed hat. The festival was going off without a hitch, just as always, but he did not have the heart to join in. Pinkie would have dragged him over to the party if she had been there. Despite her constant insistence to enjoy every party until the end, he still retained the belief that it was better to slip out quietly before it died out. The end of parties was far too close to funerals for his taste.

Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash walked over to join him. Twilight eyed him over suspiciously, "Cheese? You weren't thinking of slipping out without saying goodbye?"

He grinned sheepishly, "Yeah, well, it's kinda what I do best."

The alicorn smiled warmly, "Well, I'm glad we caught you then. When are you leaving?"

"I'm taking the night train. I should probably get going." He made to move, but was stopped by Fluttershy of all ponies. "Yes?"

"Good…good luck." The quiet mare flushed bright pink, shuffling uncomfortably in the dirt. "Please be careful."

"I'll try. But-" He grimaced, imagining the massive task ahead of him. "-no guarantees."

That confused the group more, and they anxiously turned to Twilight. She cleared her throat, "Cheese, maybe some of us should go with you."

"No, no." The stares of his friends were more than intimidating, and he decided to cut their chat short. "See you later!" Without another word edgewise, he took off at a dead gallop towards the station.

Only after he was settled into the compartment did his heart stop pounding. There was nothing quite as wonderful as having friends, but he knew better. Knew that the moment they agreed to come, he would back out. Either they would convince him, or his nerves would simply break him apart. No, I've got to do this myself. I've got to.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

It was pouring rain in Manehattan when the train pulled in. The hour marked the start of the early morning commute, and everypony appeared to be in a rush. Ponies galloped across the streets, huddled under umbrellas and awnings as they attempted to keep their business casuals clean. It was a comical contrast from the rock farm. He did not hesitate a second, and strode right into the downpour. Walking is what he needed right now.

The rain soaked through his poncho and into his coat, but he could have cared less. A cart splashed him with wave of icy water; he walked on. Reverberating sounds filled his ears, setting them ringing before long. Was it always so loud? How'd I ever sleep? Shaking it off, he continued down the familiar streets, hooves moving mechanically along the familiar streets.

In the half hour it took to walk to Scribe Limited's headquarters, the rain had all but dissipated, leaving behind a thick mist. Cheese stared up at the skyscraper, towering high above most every building around. The entrance was made from a highly polished marble, glistening gaudily in the sunlight peeking between the clouds. He inhaled deeply, carefully striding inside.

The well-lit entryway was so massive, it could easily have fit two of Rarity's boutiques snugly inside its walls. His hooves sounded uncomfortably loud, echoing and magnifying against the marble floor. Sliding to a halt in front of the desk, he smiled at the unicorn behind it. "Hello."

Without looking up, she gestured to her right. "Contractor's entrance is over there. Don't let the higher ups catch you here."

Contractor? He glanced down at his filthy poncho and drenched coat, which was forming a pool on the marble. Taking off the traveling clothes, he tried again. "My name's Cheese Sandwich. I'd like to speak to Mr. Scribe."

The scratching of her quill stopped as she adjusted the thin glasses perched on her muzzle. "Mine's none of your business, and I'd like an audience with Celestia." Snorting at her own joke, she continued writing furiously.

Cheese sighed. Why's she being so difficult? Guess there's no use hiding it. Clearing his throat, he continued, careful to emphasize the important bits. "Sorry. My given name is Rory Scribe, Storm Scribe's son. I need to speak to my father. Where is he?"

The unicorn dropped the quill, staring mouth ajar at the stallion. Is he mental? "You do know Mr. Scribe is a unicorn, so's his wife."

"Of course I do!" How could I forget? "But, I'm their son. Don't they ever talk about me?" Cheese knew the answer. There was no way his parents would talk about their disgrace of a son to anypony. As far as he knew, they raised him in relative obscurity, never mentioning they had a child.

"No, they don't." Celestia, he's a lunatic. What do I do? Heart pounding, the young mare turned to the bell on her desk. If I ring security for nothing, I might get fired. But if I let him stroll on through, I'll be fired for sure. Biting her lip, she made to speak, "I-"

"-I'll just be on my way." The mare's panic had been apparent, and he was the last pony to try and cause trouble for her. Winking, he made his way to the rear of the entryway. "Can I take the back exit?"

Relief washed over her petite features. "Sure. Thanks for understanding."

"Yup." He walked on until he was just out of sight. Then, he paused, searching for the secondary stairway. Finding it, he slowly opened the metal door and slipped inside. Pinkie would have been furious with him at lying to the secretary. But what was he to do? Slowly and as quietly as possible, he climbed upwards.

Storm Scribe's executive suite was on the top floor, so it took a long time to reach it. Finally, he made it to the top floor, and started back when he stepped out into a poorly lit, narrow hallway. The luxurious emerald green carpet was just up his father's alley all right. It seemed to stretch indefinitely forward, until it finally ended in a pair of massive oak doors. They were polished so vigorously, he could see his reflection in them. Typical father. Inhaling deeply, he pushed them back and entered the office.

Another secretary was busy at work, writing furiously and frowning at a stack of envelopes on the desk. The elderly mare looked up, frowning, "Sir, you don't have an appointment. I'll have to ask you to leave."

Cheese rolled his eyes, "Sorry, but this is important. I need to speak with my father." As boldly as he dared, he strode past the unicorn and towards a second set of doors. Mortified, the secretary leapt up, hoof held vainly in the air. For a blessed instant, he paused outside the doors. If he turned back now, nopony would fault him. But no, not this time. This time he would act.

Storm Scribe was seated behind a massive oak desk, levitating a piece of parchment and lost in thought. At the sound of the door, he looked up, an irritated snarl starting at the corners of his smooth shaven face. "Just who do you think you are barging into my office? What are you doing here?"

"Come to have a chat with you."

"Chat?" The snarl stretched wider, "Just what makes you think I want to have a chat with you? Who are you anyway?"

A cold, sharp laugh broke the stillness. Inwardly, Cheese cringed at the realization that it was his own voice. "You don't remember me? I'll grant that it might be difficult, you never did spend much time with me."

For an instant, Storm wanted nothing more than to shake down the stranger until he divulged his identity. Then, just as suddenly, realization dawned. "Rory?" His eyes darted over his son, taking in the improbability of the situation. As he adjusted, his teeth clenched tight, hooves shaking. "Leave."

Cheese shrugged in a would-be casual gesture. "What if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll make you." The office chair clattered to the ground as he stood.

A heavy sigh escaped Cheese, "Your temper is as short as always. I didn't come to pick a fight."

Storm glowered appraisingly at Cheese. He's taller than I thought he'd be, and stronger. The cheese sandwich plastered on his rump amused him greatly. I knew he'd be worthless, but this? What kind of sorry excuse for a job does he have? "Do you cook, Rory?"

"Huh?" That was random. Then he remembered his cutie mark. Father showing an interest? Now that's suspicious. "I'm a party planner. Didn't Mother tell you?"

"Party Planner? Oh, yes, she did mention something like that." Storm did not want to imagine the horrendous parties his son planned. Tacky, no doubt. From Starlight's story, Cheese had been less than thrilled to see her. Stood up to her then came crawling to me. Interesting. "If you want me to intercede, I won't."

"No, I wouldn't give you that honor." He took a long look at his father and nearly started at all the changes. His onyx coat was flecked with grey, and his short mane was the color of silver. Though lean and long legged, Storm stood at least half a hand shorter than him. A smirk creased his face. Why was I afraid? What can he do?

"If you came to make me grovel at your hooves for forgiveness, you're wasting your time."

"That would be ideal, but I'm not holding my breath." Casually, he strode around the sparsely decorated office, surprised anypony could work in such a boring environment. "I've got a marefriend now."

Storm snorted, "So what? She's an earth pony, Starlight told me." He stood straighter, lifting his head to emphasize his over long horn. "Even if she was a unicorn, I would not welcome her."

Cheese plowed on ahead as though Storm was not there. "She's the kindest, most forgiving mare you'd ever meet. Guess it comes from having a great family."

The train of the conversation began to frustrate Storm. "So what? You going to regale me with the woes of your colthood, how we didn't love you?"

"No." A spinning model of Equestria peaked his interest, and he fidgeted absentmindedly with it. "I spent some time on her family's farm. Her Dad had broken his leg, and they needed help. So, I went, and we worked together for days. You know, he never took a break. He loved that rock farm, and gave one hundred percent each and every day."

Storm's emerald eyes rolled sarcastically, "An earth pony playing in the dirt, how unusual. Do tell more."

"Pinkie's the same way, she never slows down, not for a second. Every minute of every day is spend helping somepony. It's all I can do to get her to take a break." He continued his circuit around the room, pausing at the window. "Thanks to my friends, I've learned to work just as hard to reach my own goals. Still, I can't help thinking there's more I can do."

A swish of irritation started in Storm's tail. "So, you're a good citizen. What of it?"

Cheese walked over to his father, until they were close enough to touch. "I've seen the way you treat us."

"Us?"

"Earth ponies and pegasi. All my life I've watched you degrade any measure of success they have." Taking a deep breath, he stood as straight as possible, "I want you to admit. Admit that though they live their lives differently than you, they deserve every ounce of respect and curtsey as unicorns do."

Storm let out a familiar harsh laugh, "You must be joking, Rory. Earth ponies, pegasi, my equal? Why do you suppose the leaders of this great country are beings of intense magical prowess?"

"They understand the balance between the races."

His emerald eyes stared piercingly into Cheese's. "What balance, Rory? There never was a balance, and never will be. Earth ponies are simpletons whose world consists only of what they feel in their grubby hooves. Give your kind power and they waste it."

Cheese sighed, lowering his head, "You just don't understand. Do you?"

"Understand what? That you'll always be useless?" He sniffed, "I knew that from your birth."

"You think there is only one measure of success. But you're wrong."

"Wrong am I? The world tends to agree with my definition, Rory." Storm glowered triumphantly, gesturing to his office.

"Then, maybe the world needs some readjusting." Cheese strode forward towards the door. Before he opened it, he turned around. "Whatever happens, remember I gave you a chance."

Storm pinned his ears, "'Whatever happens?' Don't make me laugh! What can you do against me?"

A soft smile spread across Cheese's face. "Nothing. I'm just a useless earth pony. Remember?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Oatmeal, detestable stuff. If I could get my hooves on the dimwit who invented it, I'd… A loud crash diverted Starlight's attention from the breakfast table. In the corner of the studio, a frantic looking red mare was attempting to lick together two pieces of a display piece together. Giving up that attempt, the thick set pony tried to magic them together, which caused an untimely explosion of plaster dust. Rolling her eyes, Starlight called out to her. "Prius, come here."

The mare trundled cheerily towards her, round face red from the exertion. "Yes, Starlight?"

Starlight chose to avoid the unicorn's comedy routine for now. Instead, she gestured pointedly at her breakfast, and the bowl of oatmeal seated in the center. "Do you know what this is?"

"Oatmeal, ma'am." Her face lit up, making her look even more like the tomato she so resembled. "I made it with my mom's secret recipe. It's great for calming nerves. I thought, with the shoot coming, you'd like some."

Starlight glowered at the bowl, then up at the mare. In the past month, she had gone through five assistants. All had been venomous, double-crossing upstarts, ready to fight tooth and nail for a chance to model. Nothing tickled her quite like the wars that broke out amongst them when she dropped hints of a model opening. But, recently, she began to tire of it all. So, she searched out a completely different type of pony. Seeing Prius' concerned expression made her feel strangely warm inside. "I don't eat oatmeal, Prius."

"Oh my goodness." She clasped a hoof to her mouth, "I'm so sorry, Starlight."

"It's quite all right. Truth be told, I used to eat oatmeal all the time when I was a filly, so I'm sick of it." Why did I tell her that? Changing the subject, she gestured to a small, pink slip on the table in front of her lounge. "Quick Note's given me quite the tidbit of information."

Prius eyed it curiously. "Quick Note?"

"My husband's secretary. She's a fossil, but always keeps me up to date." Starlight put on her best imitation of a sweet smile, "You may read it if you like. There's not much there."

"Thank you, ma'am." Levitating the note, Prius read rapidly. "You're son's in town? And he went to see Storm Scribe?"

"I told you it was interesting." Starlight looked around at the chaotic mess of the studio as the ponies prepared. "And?"

"And, well, she says he's threatened Storm with something, but I don't see why." Prius's green eyes looked concerned, "You said he was a washed up party pony. Why would he threaten Mr. Scribe, and with what?"

A hungry snarl stretched across her face. "What indeed." From the bustle around them, the shoot would be happening soon. She had to act quickly or she would miss her chance. "I want to know exactly how he intends to punish Storm. You will go and investigate for me. The studio is providing assistants for the day, so you won't be missed."

"Investigate? Ma'am, I'm no detective."

Starlight let out a filly like giggle, "Oh, don't you worry. You'll catch on."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The streets of Manehattan were flooded with water, typical for the fall season, and Cheese was walking straight through the deepest part. Then again, the south side was always flooding. Guess that's why they call it a flood plain. The worst part was, that the narrow streets had no sidewalks, and anypony wishing to walk by had to go on the cart road. A cold shock rocketed up his body as he fell up to his knees in a massive pothole. The icy water seemed to seek out every dry spot he had left, and soon his whole underside was drenched.

Climbing out of it, he looked up into the grey sky, willing the rain to stop but he knew better. For some unfathomable reason, the weather ponies always scheduled a solid week of rain during the fall. This was supposed to be compensation for all the sunny days they gave during tourist season. He just wished somepony had thought of a drainage system before setting the practice in place. Ah well, might as well make the most of it. Whinnying with delight, he leapt into as many puddles as he could find, splashing water back into the heavens.

As he moved down the street, the neighborhoods became less and less savory. Building after building was covered in graffiti, abandoned, or just downright neglected. Inwardly he shuddered, remembering the news stories he had heard as a colt. Still, he had to keep going. By the time he found the grubby brick building, his mane was nearly completely flat from the weight of the rain water. He looked up at the peeling signage, "Milo Coltfax: Prosecuting Attorney." Guess business has been slow. Taking one deep breath, he opened the small door and entered the office.

The smell of moldering paper greeted his nostrils, and it was immediately apparent as to why. Piles and piles of files were stacked in towering columns around the cramped office. Buried in-between the two largest stacks, was a secretary hard at work. Starting at the disturbance, she looked up, "Oh my, can I help you?"

"I was hoping to talk to Mr.Coltfax. Is he taking cases?"

"He is." Not. I can't get him to take so much as a stolen property case these days. She smiled sweetly at the young stallion, "But, you can't go looking like that."

An embarrassed smile flitted across his face. "Oh, sorry. Should I come back later?"

"No, no. I just thought you'd have a better chance of-" She bit her tongue. "-getting him to take your case." In fact, there was nothing that would have peaked Milo's interest quite like a rain drenched stallion asking for help. Recently however, he had locked himself in that office, pouring over old case files, dead to the world. Quill wanted to slap him. Watch, he'll finally get an interesting case, only to get sidetracked chasing ghosts. Typical Milo. Seeing the stallion's questioning gaze, she continued, "Come on, I've got some towels in the back."

"Thanks." The narrow hallway snaked through a few more mountains of files until they reached a dimly lit closet where Quill pulled out a pile of fluffy towels. Winking, she pointed back towards the front, and Cheese led on. After a dry off, and a cup of lukewarm coffee, Cheese felt ready to approach Coltfax.

Quill looked almost nervous as she led Cheese to the office. Raising a magenta hoof, she knocked pointedly, and opened the door a crack. "Milo, there's a Mr. Sandwich to see you."

A husky voice sounded from inside the room, "Sandwich? I didn't order any sandwiches!"

She rolled her eyes, "No, not sandwiches, Mr. Sandwich. He's a potential client."

"I’m not taking any. Go away!"

Quill swished her silver tail irritably, "If you don't crawl out of your hole right now, so help me I'll-"

"–Maybe I should try someplace else. He doesn't seem too happy." Cheese started to walk down the hall, but was stopped by Quill's hoof.

"Milo's the best prosecuting attorney in Equestria. Please, stay, I know I can talk him out of this. He's just been in a slump." Desperation was written all over the mare's lined face, "Please, give him a chance."

How could I say no to that face? Nodding, he turned back to the door, and opened it. The inside of the office was worse than he pictured it. Every square inch of the place was littered in papers and files. Adding to the chaos were piles of newspaper clippings, pencils, quills, and the odd paperclip. The dingy window on the back wall reminded Cheese of criminal dramas he had seen in the theaters. In the center of it all, sitting atop a mound of paperwork was a power blue unicorn, wearing the grimiest suit Cheese had ever seen. He scowled at Cheese, "What do you want?"

"I've got a case I think you'll like." Walking gingerly on the papered floor, he made his way towards Milo. "My father needs to be taken down, and I understand you're old enemies."

"Old enemies? With who?" A ridiculous image of a newspaper headline flashed in his mind, "'Mr. Sandwich senior taken down hard: to serve a life sentence in the tomato factories.'" Shaking his head, he pointed at the stallion's cheese sandwich cutie mark. "No offense, kid, but I'm not interested in prosecuting the case of pilfered lettuce. Last time I checked, I didn't know anypony by the surname Sandwich. Why would I be enemies with a pony I've never met?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." He had completely forgotten Quill's introduction as Cheese Sandwich. Of course nopony would get the connection between him and his father. Standing straighter, he continued, "Sorry about the mix up. Cheese Sandwich is a nickname. My given name is Rory Scribe. I believe you've had a few run ins with my father, Storm Scribe."

The knowing smirk stretching across his stubbled face vanished in an instant. It can't be. Can it? Jumping to his feet, he stared intently at the stranger, and felt his stomach churn. The resemblance was not glaring, but it was there. Icy daggers of rage seethed inside him as the stallion's green eyes watched him. The same eyes that had sentenced him to a life of obscurity and ruin. But no, that was not right. This pony, whoever he was, was not his father. Gritting his teeth, he composed himself. "What do you want?"

"I want you to bring him to trial."

Hope sparked in Milo's eyes once more. Certainly, the stallion could be bringing up false charges to steal Scribe's company or something. On the other hoof, he could be genuinely interested in seeing justice done. Please be the latter. "On what charges, Mr. Scribe?"

Cheese started at being addressed with his father's name. It made him want to vomit, but he held his tongue. Let's not lower our chances, Cheese. "On the charges of child abuse and neglect."

That got Milo's attention. The hope was almost uncontainable now. "Was it ongoing, or an incident?"

Cheese gritted his own teeth now. "Ongoing, until I finally ran off."

A wide grin made its way across Milo's lined face. They had it in the bag now. "Perfect."

Cheese swished his tail irritably, pinning his ears. "You call being abused your whole colthood perfect?"

Milo's heart lurched. You idiot Milo! Why'd you go and say something like that? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be insensitive. But, from a legal perspective it's a good thing."

"From a legal perspective?" This is what I get for dropping out of school early. What's he on about?

"Yes, all child abuse and neglect cases go straight to the princesses. That means, he can't buy off the judges like last time. And, you'll have the jury's sympathy with the runaway aspect. It's a perfect legal storm."

"I suppose, but father's done a lot to other ponies too. Their cases need to be heard."

Milo laughed loudly, pointing around at the papers. "They will be. These are all the cases I have relating to Storm Scribe, and they'll be more to come. When ponies start realizing we have a chance to take him down, they'll be flocking in with their own stories."

Worry creased Cheese's face. "What about the evidence?"

Milo shrugged, unconcerned, "It'll flood in. Combined with yours, it'll knock the defense on their rumps."

"But-" He gulped, shuffling uncomfortably, "-I don't have any evidence."

"WHAT?" Milo felt his heart skip a beat. "You mean you wanted to pursue criminal charges without a shred of evidence? What were you thinking?"

"I thought Celestia would take my word."

"Even if she did, she couldn't do anything to Scribe. Royal law demands evidence. The princesses can't defy that mandate because they have a suspicion." Milo noted the disheartened expression on Cheese's face. He felt every bit as lousy. It was like somepony had dangled everything he ever wanted right in front of him, then wrenched it away at the last second. "Listen, is there anypony who was a witness to the incidents, who could testify to their truth? Psychical proof? Anything?"

"No, I don't think-" His heart stopped. It was so simple, so brilliant that he had not thought of it before. "Mother. She, she saw almost all of it."

Milo let out a wolfish grin. "Perfect. You have her testify, and we'll be set."

"It's not so simple. She hates me and everything I stand for. Why would she agree to something like that?"

"Don't give up yet. We'll think of some way to convince her. I'm sure she'll come around. In the meantime-" Milo pointed around at the office. "-let's get this mess sorted out, and you can tell me about your father."

"All right." If the piles of paperwork were any indication, Milo had more than a few questions for him. He smiled at the unicorn's determination. I'm not working alone anymore. With him helping, we'll have a solid case. But, that still leaves mother. How can he be so sure she'll testify? I hope for everypony's sake he's right.

Stroke of a Pen

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Where am I? It's dark. Why is it always dark? Cheese attempted to move, but found a strange pressure stopping him. What the? Despite focusing his eyes as much as he could, there was no penetrating the shadows that surrounded him. A weak push of his hooves resulted in a loud thud that made his ears ring. He did the same all around him, only to discover that he was completely surrounded by walls, forming a kind of box. Slowly, his mind pieced together what had happened. That's right. I made father mad again.

As he lay there, he felt his muscles ache and burn from the strange position he was forced to take. What he would not give to be able to sit up, stretch his hooves. But it was no use, here he would stay. But for how long? He tried to call out, beg for forgiveness, but he could not even open his mouth. Thirsty, so thirsty. Staring in the darkness, he wondered if anypony would come for him. His heart began to race until its beating echoed in his ears. I'm going to die here, nopony's going to find me. He started to beat the box with the little strength he had left, tears stinging his eyes. Help! Mother, somepony, anypony.

"Arghh!" Cheese jerked awake, eyes wide with panic and heart pounding. Slowly, the panic ebbed as he realized he was certainly not trapped in a box. Just a nightmare, Cheese. No need to get worked up. Suddenly a familiar stinging pain filled his chest, causing him to curl into a tight ball on the couch. Not now. Sure enough, the loud accordion tune played from his cutie mark, sending another spasm of pain. "Gah! Stop!"

"Cheese? You okay?" A door creaked open and he was greeted by the sound of hurried hoof steps. Milo's concerned face came into focus, "Cheese?" He shook the younger stallion gently, "Another nightmare?"

Cheese gritted his teeth, green eyes flashing from the pain, "Yeah, and my cutie mark's going haywire." The accordion noise was gone, but the searing pain remained. He looked away from Milo, trying to hide the tears staining his face.

He cocked his head, "Strange. I thought that accordion noise was a good thing."

"It's supposed to be." Slowly, the pain began to ebb, allowing Cheese to focus. The room was dark by Manehattan standards, only casting a moderately brilliant glow behind Milo. Still, it was enough to obscure the unicorn's features. I woke him up again. "Sorry, Milo."

"Don't be sorry Cheese. But, you know you ought to see somepony about that pain."

Cheese snorted, rolling his eyes. "I know what's causing it, Milo. I'm a party pony. If I'm not on the road planning parties or in Ponyville, my Cheesie sense goes on the fritz."

Milo raised an eyebrow, "Why does it stop when you're in Ponyville?"

"Well..." Cheese felt his face grow warm and he grabbed the pitcher of water from the coffee table. Taking a long swig, he looked up at the pajama clad attorney. The sight of the gruff stallion wearing such a sissy outfit was comical. Under any normal circumstance, he would have burst out laughing, but not this time.

"Well what?" The rhymic tapping of Milo's hooves was a dead giveaway to his impatience.

Swallowing, he smiled up at Milo, "Pinkie's in Ponyville, and whenever I'm around her well-" He paused, eyes growing as wide as saucers. Milo was right. Why did his sense stop working when he was around her? It never did that before. He had been so blissfully distracted since they started dating, that his sense scarcely crossed his mind. Still, it was always there when he needed to find a party or two for their weekend trips, but it did not bother him like it used to. Why?

"Pinkie?" Geeze he's a weird cookie. What's he so shocked about? "Who's she?"

"My marefriend. She's a party pony too." Cheese stared blankly at the far wall of the small apartment. His mind was going a million places at once, and he wanted to cry out in frustration. What's wrong with me? Another shot of pain radiated through Cheese's body, and he cried out. "Argh! Stupid Cheesie sense."

"Hmmm. I've never seen anything like that before." Milo's horn lit up with pale blue magic, stepping towards Cheese, "Let me take a closer look at that mark of yours."

"Like hell you will!" Cheese jerked up so quickly that he knocked Milo over. The stallion's mane and tail bristled like an angry cat. "I'm not your test subject."

The cold, cruel expression flashing in the Cheese's eyes was sickeningly familiar. Milo's stomach churned. Milo was fast learning that Cheese was a kind, honest fellow. But, he had been hurt, and that made him as unpredictable as his father. "Cheese, calm down. I wasn't trying to hurt you." He dissipated the light on his horn, "I thought it might help with the pain."

"Oh." Cheese visibly relaxed, hairs returning to their default position. An uncontrollable shaking started in his legs upon realizing what he had done. His head sunk low, "Sorry, sorry, sorry…"

Milo sighed, resting a hoof on Cheese's back, "It's okay, kid. You're scared and confused, it's not something to be sorry about." The piles of case files strewn across the dingy apartment drew his gave. "We've been working for two weeks straight on this. Something had to give."

Cheese looked away, shuffling his hoof, "I'm fine with it."

"Fine? That's not what I see, kid." He slapped a hoof against the coffee table, "How many hours of sleep have you gotten in the past week? Five? Six? It's not healthy. Those spasms you get aren't helping either. You think any jury's going to take you seriously in your condition?"

"What jury?" A helpless expression stretched across Cheese's face. "We don't have the key evidence, Milo. We've got nothing!"

"Don't you quit on me now." Milo wanted to scream himself. Apart from their case file research, he had tried and failed to gather evidence to bolster Cheese's claims. All his career he had searched for some way to take Storm Scribe down. Now, one simple snag might ruin the best chance he would ever get. No, he would not allow it. "What about Starlight?"

Cheese shuffled and turned away, staring out the window.

Milo sighed, "You still haven't found a way to convince her."

"It's not that easy. I've thought of every conceivable way to, but it's just not possible."

Milo's eyes grew harsh, "Not possible or not comfortable? It's about time you choose, kid."

"I-" He gulped, "-I don't know how. I'm-"

"Listen to me! You hired me for a reason didn't you? Why would you be digging up old bones if you didn't?" Milo stood glowering at Cheese. "Well?"

Closing his eyes, Cheese tried to piece together why. It seemed like forever since he decided to come. Just as he was about to give in, Pinkie's warm smile appeared in front of him. He looked up, eyes flashing with determination, "I want to move on with my life. To feel safe knowing he's locked up for good."

A wolfish smile revealed Milo's yellowing teeth. "There you have it. We're going to lock that scum up and throw away the key. All you need is a push to get you started."

"It's gonna have to be a pretty big push. You offering?"

Milo shook his head, gesturing to the chaotic state of the room. "I'm an attorney, Cheese not a friend." A pen and paper levitated into Milo's awaiting hoof. "Here, take this and write to that marefriend of yours. She's the one you need to talk to."

"What? I can't she'll worry." Cheese knew he was being stupid, but a part of him so desperately wanted to leave her out of it.

Milo snorted, "Worry? Cheese, you up and leave Ponyville out of the blue, with no other information than you're going back to Manehattan." He sighed, rubbing his forehead, "If you told her anything about your parents, she'll know why you came back. She's probably already worried out of her mind. Worried and frustrated that you're too big of an idiot to ask for help when you need it!"

He's right. What was I thinking? Raising a hoof, he took the paper and pen. "I'll write to her, ask for help. Heaven knows I need it."

"That's the spirit. Speaking of-" Quick as a whip, Milo trotted over to the kitchen and returned with two glasses and a long, dark bottle. Milo's horn proved to be a first rate bottle opener, "There." With a flourish, he poured a glass and set on the table in front of Cheese. "Drink up, kid."

Cheese took a whiff and nearly gagged, "Smells like paint thinner. What is it?"

Milo put on an expression of mock insult, "Paint thinner my hoof! This here's the finest whiskey this side of Manehattan. It'll help you sleep."

"Somehow I doubt that." Under any normal circumstance, he would have refused to drink. But, this hardly counted as a normal situation. After a long swig, he gasped for air. It was the strongest stuff he had ever tasted, stinging his throat and making his insides burn. He coughed loudly, "Good stuff."

"Sure is." Milo joined Cheese on the couch, taking a swig for himself. "Another?"

"Why not?" With another shot of the foul stuff, he started to feel the confidence he had lost come back to him. Lifting the pen, he started to scrawl out a note to Pinkie. The words flowed naturally as he poured out his worries and frustrations onto the paper. The only frustration was the constant shaking of the pen as he wrote. Guess I've got the jitters. He giggled to himself. Jitters, that's a funny word.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mrs. Cake sighed in relief. After a long struggle involving numerous bedtime stories, countless lullabies, and more than a little luck, the twins were fast asleep. She pulled up a wooden chair and sat, resting her head on the dining room table.

Her husband walked over, a big grin on his face, "Another toughie, huh sugar bear."

The sweet talk made her giggle, "Sugar bear? Dear, you'll have to think of a better one than that."

"Sorry." He sat beside her, staring at his wife with admiration. "You're amazing, you know that."

"You are too." She moved to kiss him, then jerked up from her chair. "Oh no! I haven't checked the mail."

Mr. Cake cocked his head, "So?"

"We're expecting that letter from Mrs. Plumgardener any day now." She looked more than a little nervous.

"Plumgardener? Who's-"

"-the baking contest judge from Canterlot." The plump mare started towards the front door. "She sent us a big order and said she'd let us know when she wanted it. Remember?"

"Oh yeah." Mr. Cake walked over to his wife. "I'll check, you sit down."

Mrs. Cake started to calculate the number of hours she would need to bake as many cupcakes as the pony had ordered. The sound of the side door swinging open caused her to jump in the air. Wheeling around, she stared in disbelief, "Pinkie. Oh my, you startled me. I thought you weren't coming back till tomorrow."

"Heya, Mrs. Cake!" Then, remembering the twins, she continued in a more subdued voice. "Sorry. I wanted to get back lickety split, and Mom and Dad said the night train was running so here I am." She set down her saddlebags and gave the mare a big hug. "I missed you so much."

"You too, Pinkie dear." She gestured to the kitchen. "I've been lost without my best helper. You must be tired, why don't you-"

"-It's not in yet. But you won't believe what I've got here. It's the darndest thing." The yellow stallion paused, freckled face stretching into a grin. "Pinkie, what a surprise. You came back early."

"Yup a doodles." Pinkie eyed the letter Mr. Cake was holding. "What's so funny?"

"See for yourself." He handed over the simple white envelope.

Pinkie's eyes grew wide as saucers, "It's from Cheesie. Geeze, that's super sloppy mouthwriting for him." A trickling sense of dread started to fill her chest as she stared at the Manehattan address. Twilight had written to her about Cheese going back home, but she had not heard anything from him since he left the rock farm. Still, she had hoped for the best, and assumed everything was going well. But this letter did not sit right. Cheesie always writes neat letters, always. Something's wrong, really wrong. She found her hooves shaking uncontrollably. "I'm going to go upstairs."

Mrs. Cake rested a hoof on her shoulder, "Of course, you're tired. Get some rest, dear."

Pinkie jerked a nod, swiped up her saddlebags and trotted up the stairs. Safe inside her room, she locked the door and leapt onto the bed. She ripped open the letter unceremoniously. To her surprise, it smelled unfamiliar. Not the normal earthy scent she was expecting, but the stale, nasty smell of alcohol. Her heart began to race at the thought of Cheese drinking. The stallion was always telling her how much he hated the stuff and how it messed with him. Something serious had to have happened. Calm down, Pinkie. Just read what he has to say. She looked down at the sloppiest note he had ever written to her.

"Pinkie,

I didn't want to write to you, didn't want you to worry. Milo says I'm an idiot, and I should've told you ages ago. He's always grouchy like that. Guess that comes with being an attorney. I'm staying at his place right now.

You might have guessed already, but I came back to close some things out with my parents. Father needs to be taken down. I've hired Milo to help. It's not going so well. He goes on and on about evidence like Twilight and rules.

We've been looking over cases for two weeks now." The next part was scrawled so illegibly, Pinkie could not read it. From the context, she assumed it was something to do with the legal business. She squinted at the next readable portion, and continued.

"This city is so lonely. I think I'm losing myself here. It's like I'm becoming trapped in the past. I can't sleep, the nightmares are getting worse. My Cheesie sense is going haywire, maybe it's telling me I need to lighten up. I miss you. Miss you so much it hurts. But I can't come home till I finish this.

Milo says we need Mother to testify. She's the only pony who can. I know it's wrong, but I can't help it. I hate her, Pinkie. I want to see her locked in that box just like I was. Does that make me a bad pony? Sometimes I think I might be as bad as him, and it scares me. I don't want to be like him. But the more I stay here, the more it feels like I should be the one locked up. Silly huh?

As much as I want you to, please don't come. Ponyville needs its party pony. It'd be kinda depressing having two sad party ponies. For now, remember I love you. We're partners in this life, and no amount of trouble can change that.

-Cheese"

Pinkie fell onto her pillow, taking in deep breaths. Don't panic, don't panic. He's okay. The pounding of her heart began to ebb, and she sat up bleary eyed. A part of her wanted to dash out the door and to Manehatten that very second. But no, Cheese was right. She had to stay, she had been gone too long already.

A new determination took hold as she grabbed a stray crayon and a sheet of paper. It was obvious what she had to do, and it happened to be something she was good at. Her smile broadened with each word she wrote.

"Cheesie,

Don't be so silly! There's no way in Equestria you'll turn into your dad. Didn't I say that like a hundred times already? You just lose your temper sometimes. It's okay, just learn from it next time, kay?

Don't ever say you're a bad pony, Cheesie. It's just not true and it makes me mad. You're sweet, funny, hardworking, and honest. There's nopony else in the world I want as my special somepony. Your mom's a meanie. But, every meanie has a reason for being a meanie. Maybe, all you need to do is find out why.

Anywho, it sounds like you've been working waaaay too hard! You're such a Goober. Of course you'll start to go all loopy if you shut yourself in. You're Cheesie sense is right. Go out, plan some parties, and take your mind off of things. That's what you do best after all.

As for the nightmares, what did I tell you about turning things around? You've got me, our friends, and all of Ponyville behind you after all. We've made lots of happy memories together. I know of plenty between just us two. When you're scared, just remember that first kiss we had or that night staring up at the stars or all the hours we spent party planning. That's what I do when I can't sleep. Gah! I guess that's kinda embarrassing, huh? Still, you get the idea.

I love you so much, Cheesie. And you're right about that partners thing. I'll be thinking of you every chance I get. When you do get back, they'll be so much cheer and laughter that you can't even believe it. That's a Pinkie promise.

-Pinkie

P.S. Don't EVER let me catch you drinking again! I can't stand a stallion that smells like a bar."

Pinkie smiled at the letter. It was a lot longer than normal, but somehow just long enough. Sealing it, she quickly scrawled down the address, placing it on the nightstand. The sight of a manila envelope caught her eye. "Huh? Why's this here?"

Ripping it open, she spilled out the contents and gasped. "Oh my gosh! I completely forgot." There in front of her was her business proposition and a scrawled note in Rarity's writing.

"Pinkie Dear,

I do hope this terrible business with your father's illness resolves soon. You happened to leave this at the Boutique the other day. The plan looks absolutely fabulous. I will be quite disappointed if you let it sit collecting dust. Mayor Mare says you can speak to her anytime about it, and I've assured her you will. So, don't let me down.

-Rarity."

"Oh." A squirming feeling filled her stomach as she stared at the letter. The business proposition had been pushed by the wayside for so long, it no longer seemed a possibility. Now, a nasty guilt was creeping in. Of course she wanted to start up on her own, but it was so hard. She started to pace the floorboards, back and forth. The movement sent Cheese's letter fluttering off the bed. Staring at it made her feel somehow stupid. "I'm being a Goober too, aren't I, Cheesie?"

Scoping the paper up, she held it close to her chest, wishing that in some small way, he would feel her beside him. It was stupid and she knew it, but it was comforting. Still, paper was paper. It's not going to get anything done. The only thing we've got left is action. She smirked at the blueprints. And I know just where to start.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The door slammed shut so hard it shook the walls of the apartment. Starlight sighed, levitating her glass before it shuddered off the table. "Storm, do try not to break the door."

An irritated grumble was all she got in reply. The onyx stallion strode into the living room, ears pinned and slick mane sticking up at odd angles. He stood accusingly at his wife, reclining comfortably on her chaise lounge. "What have you been up to?"

"Working." She raised the wine glass, taking a delicate sip. "I had two shoots today and spent some time working on some new designs."

He rolled his eyes sarcastically, "Oh, quite demanding." Switching his tail irritably, he continued, "Coltfax has been sticking his muzzle where it doesn't belong again."

Starlight snorted, "Coltfax? What can he do? You took him down years ago."

Storm raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Interesting you should be so confident."

"And why shouldn't I be? That good for nothing couldn't find his own horn." Avoiding her husband's gaze, she stared out the window at the bustling city.

"Unless, he's gotten some help from him." Storm waited for the reaction. A quick flicker of concern swept across her eyes. I've got you now. A triumphant smirk split across his face. "You've had him watched."

Starlight gritted her teeth. "And if I have?"

"I know you, Starlight." The stallion leaned forward, voice at its most venomous. "You want to help him. You would see me, your own husband taken down."

The racing of her own heart was nauseating. Keep calm, or it'll all be over. "Me work with that earth pony? Come now Storm, I haven't sunk that low. I just wanted to make sure his meddling was managed."

Storm looked less than convinced. Still, he stood straight. "I've got my men on the job. If he even thinks about it, I'll bend his leg a little." He strode across the room, turning back. The emerald of his eyes flashed menacingly. "And, dear, if I hear one more hint of you sniffing around, it will be your reputation at stake not mine."

"Yes, dear." Her liquid amber eyes stared unblinkingly back at him. I'm not afraid of you. After he shut the door, she turned back to her relative state of peace. Casually, she flipped through the magazine lying on the coffee table and found it. A small letter was taped to the inside of one of the pages, just as promised. Good work, Prius. Smiling at her own ingenuity, she opened it.

"Starlight,

I've been watching Cheese for some time now, and there's nothing new to report. They're working on case files again. Though it seems like the guy's really stressed. I don’t suppose party ponies are good at book work. I managed to sneak into the building, pretending to be a house cleaner.

I caught an interesting snippet, though I don't understand most of it. Apparently they can't move on with prosecuting unless they get some kind of evidence of abuse. It's a terrible thing to do, accusing you of abusing your own colt. Still, they say the only way to prove it is through your testimony which your son doesn't seem to think you'll give.

That's all I have,

-Prius."

Starlight let out a silent laugh, clutching her face with her hooves. She's an idiot! I couldn't have chosen a better simpleton if I wanted to. Still, this changes things. They need me to enact this little plan of theirs. A wide smirk stretched across her face. Well, Storm, look who's in charge now.

What Time Can't Erase

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Milo read and reread the note, half expecting the words to change. But, the longer he stared, the more it was looking like the real deal. The small slip of stationary had been deposited with the rest of his mail, like some stray puppy. From the smooth, neat strokes, he assumed it must be a mare who wrote it. Of course he had his suspicions, but none seemed at all likely. Sighing, he stowed the note in his suit pocket and made his way up the stairs and to the apartment.

"Cheese, you've got a letter. It smells really-" He paused, and nearly backed out of the room in shock. The entire place was so organized and clean, he barely recognized it. "Cheese!"

"Yup?" Cheese looked up from the sofa, a case file in his hooves and a pair of reading glasses on his muzzle.

The glasses drew Milo's gaze for a second. I'm not even going to ask where he found those. He strode over to the now spotless coffee table and the neatly organized box of files beside it. "You cleaned."

"Sure did!" Cheese went back to reading the file, tapping his hooves to some unknown melody.

Milo sighed, sitting next to him and resting the stack of envelopes on the table. "Thanks I guess. You do remember where you put everything?"

"Of course, silly. I clean up parties all the time, remember? Some party pony I'd be if I let all my supplies get jumbled."

He's got a point. "So, like I was saying. You've got a letter."

"Really?" Cheese put the file down, a small grin forming. "I didn't think I'd get any mail here."

"I think it's from your marefriend." He held the letter up with his magic, a look of disgust on his face. "It smells like candy. That normal?"

"Sure is." Cheese glanced between the letter and Milo and back again. "I wonder why she sent one?"

Milo sighed, rubbing his forehead with a grimy hoof, "You do remember writing to her, don't you?"

A grimace stretched across his face, "Kinda."

Milo snorted, "Really, you can't hold your alcohol, can you? It was four glasses, not the whole bottle."

"That stuff was strong."

His husky laugh filled the apartment, "You were out like a light for fourteen hours."

"Well, I was tired." The warmth in his face had reached fever pitch, "Just give me the letter."

"Woah there. One more thing." Milo drew out the slip of parchment from his pocket. "Check this out. It was hiding in the mail."

Cheese glanced down, reading the note out loud,

"'Milo,

I've heard you want to take Storm Scribe down. I want in. I believe I have just the evidence you're looking for. Meet me in the alley behind 12th street theatre at 10 o'clock tonight, and come alone.'"

"Strange isn't it?" A hungry look started to stretch across Milo's face, "Could be just the break we need."

"Or a trap." Cheese looked up, eyes flashing with concern, "You sure it's smart to go alone?"

"Well, smart or no, we need a lead." Milo levitated Pinkie's letter onto the coffee table, and started towards his room. "I'm going to relax a bit, then head out. Call the cops if I'm not back by midnight. They'll find me." If there's anything left to find.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The slick grime on the cobbles did little to accentuate the income of the street. Every street and alley was just as familiar to Milo as the back of his own hoof. This particular stretch of real-estate was the site of well over half of his prosecution cases these days. As he walked by, he noted the once grandiose store fronts, boarded up and covered in graffiti. Pity, it could have been something spectacular.

After what felt like an eternity, Milo finally arrived at the back of the old theatre. The smell from the overflowing trash cans made him want to gag. Just why would any pony pick this place to meet up? Milo of course knew why, but was not liable to admit it. A soft, sickeningly familiar voice behind him made him jump.

"Milo Coltfax. Still hunting for truth and justice I see."

Milo gritted his teeth, whirling around and squinting into the shadows. "I don't have time for your games, Starlight."

"Funny, neither do I." As smooth as silk, the unicorn strode into the dimly lit alley from behind the nearest dumpster. The contrast of her radiant coat against the filth covered street was comical to say the least. But, as he stared, that familiar spell of her beauty began to ensnare him once more. She tossed her silver tresses, and smiled mischievously. The pounding in his heart was nearly earsplitting as she walked towards him, delicate hooves striking the stones. "I see I still leave you speechless Milo."

"I-"

Her liquid amber eyes grew soft as she leaned closer, noxiously sweet breath mixing with his, "-and, you still leave me in wonder." She stroked his cheek with a hoof, noting the lines and grey hairs. "Oh but time's been cruel to you. You should have given up when Storm took you down."

"You're a fool if you think I'd quit so easily." A part of him wanted to reach out and grab her, hold her close. What are you thinking Milo? Get a grip! She' poison. Gritting his teeth until it hurt, he continued, "What do you want, Starlight? Come to rub your success in my face some more?"

"Success? Oh, everypony already knows how successful I am, Milo." She gave a bell like laugh that sent a shock through Milo's spine. "And no, I didn't come to start up an old flame. Though, you were quite the charmer years ago, ever the valiant chevalier."

"You were kind then, with a love for life and pride in the work of your own hooves. What happened to you is the better question." As he stared, the longing to punch her started to push away the desire.

"Oh, I grew up from that fantasy. You see, Milo-" She stood straight, horn glistening in the city lights, "-You don't need love to be happy. The world doesn't care if we do the 'right thing.' Success favors those who are cutthroat enough to take down anypony who gets in their way. Storm taught me that."

Milo's eyes shone like daggers, "Did he? What else did he teach you? How to abuse your own flesh and blood?"

Starlight sighed dramatically, "Oh, you've been talking to Rory. How quaint." The lights flickered and danced across her silken coat as she circled Milo. "Now to business. I've heard you're trying to take down my husband."

"You heard correct." What's she getting at?

Her teeth flashed hungrily, "I want in."

Milo felt his stomach drop, "In? You want to help take down Storm?"

Starlight feigned an innocent expression, "Oh, I wouldn't say that exactly. More like, I'd like to have him out of my way."

The stallion raised an eyebrow, "You're planning on taking over the company."

"And why not?" She stopped her pacing, eyes flashing menacingly. "There's every opportunity to. Listen up, because I will only say this once, Milo. I'm prepared to offer you more than sufficient evidence to take down my husband. Blackmail, extortion, death threats-" A sneer formed on her face, "-missing person's cases. All perfectly condemning, I can assure you."

Milo's heart began to race once more, "And how do I know Storm's not going to threaten everypony into silence the moment we bring up charges?"

Starlight leaned in closer to him, "Storm may be threatening, but I have my own methods of persuasion. I have willing supporters scattered throughout the company and community, ready to turn on Storm like a pack of wolves at my signal." A snarl revealed her set of perfectly white teeth, "As for the judge and jury, they'll be easy enough to convince."

It was too good to be true, a chance to take him down once and for all. But, no, there had to be something else. Starlight would never do anything that was out of her own self-interest. "What's the catch?"

A bell like laugh echoed across the alley, "It's simple really." The mare's eyes softened seductively once more. "You simply drop the abuse charges."

Milo pinned his ears, snarling back at her. "What? No way in hell!"

She raised a hoof, clucking disapprovingly, "Temper, Milo, temper. Consider for a moment, what you have to gain with me. With the evidence in my possession, why, we could lock up Storm for at least twenty years. That's a good stint, and should be enough to satisfy most everypony."

"You need to pay, he needs to pay for what you did to that colt." Milo felt his hooves shaking in anger, "Twenty years isn't going to cut it, Starlight."

She huffed indigently, "Oh, well then, I suppose you prefer no time at all. Because that's what you'll get without me, Milo. I know the only evidence you have for abuse is Rory's own word." Her sneer returned, "You'd have me testify and condemn myself. I'm no idiot Milo Coltfax, and neither are you. We both have something to gain with deal, and it's about time you choose wisely." Starlight sighed at the dumbstruck stallion and turned to leave. "I'll give you twenty four hours, Milo. Make your choice by then, or you've got nothing against him."

For what felt like hours, Milo watched the unicorn slip away into the shadows once more. The knot in his stomach tightened exponentially as he stared at the now empty alley. A rage filled him like he had never known before. Tears streamed down his muzzle and he screamed at the top of his lungs. He knew what he had to do, and loathed himself for it.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie sat in the brightly lit office, tapping her hooves in a nervous tattoo. The Mayor sat across from her behind a massive oak desk reading intently. Slowly, she looked up from behind her glasses, a smile crossing her lined face. "This is very well done, Pinkie Pie. And yes, the city would be willing to sell the property to you."

She wanted to jump into the air and scream with delight, but she reined herself in. Instead she nodded, "Okay. How will the payments work?"

"I'll bill you each month with the balance. As long as you keep regular on the payments, you'll own it in four years." The mayor shuffled in a drawer, pulling out a stack of papers. "Now for the paperwork."

"Urgh." Pinkie readied her pen, and tried her best to focus on what the mayor was telling her. The talk lasted much longer than she had anticipated. By the time they finished, her head was spinning with all the legal jargon. She nearly jumped when Mayor Mare jingled a set of keys in front of her. "Oh, are these mine?"

"They sure are. Take good care of them."

"I will." Pinkie took the keys and started to walk out the door. Her hooves felt numb as she stumbled along. Slowly, realization started to sink in. I have my own place. Eeeee! She skipped the whole way out the door and into the bright sun. A bright cheery song drifted to her thoughts, and she gave in, singing loudly.

Ponies eyed Pinkie with curiosity, wondering if there was some kind of party going on. In no time at all, they were all singing along. A wake of smiles followed the mare as she weaved through the town. Expertly, Pinkie ducked into a side street, watching the merry making with a huge grin on her face. Hopping as fast as her hooves would go, she strode up to the building, her new home.

The place had been owned by the town for years, and was showing some signs of neglect. It was nearly as old as Ponyville itself, and was in dire need of a paint job. Pinkie giggled, running a hoof over the door frame and slipping the key into the lock. She opened the door, and let out a loud gasp. It was everything she had hoped for.

In its prime, the building had been the hub of dancing and merrymaking in Ponyville but had been left abandoned after city hall was built. The expansive hall in front of her was worn smooth with decades of barn dances and parties. Sliding across the dusty floor left a streak of clear wood in her wake. Laughing loudly, she rolled in the inch thick dust, making a dirt angel. "Wow! This is perfect!"

She jumped to her hooves, glancing around at the empty room. On one side was a massive stone fireplace, on the other a little stage where bands could gather. There was even a few small rooms branching off the hall for extra space.

After the initial exuberance wore off, she started to critically examine all the work ahead of her. The lighting was not electric, but gas lantern. Great for barn dances, but not so good for everyday use. There was an all pervasive stale smell. Going to have to air it out, huh? The decades old windows needed replaced, and there was some small water damage in places.

Still, the hall was built amazingly well, using high quality timber and some of the best carpentry work she had ever seen. It had been the pride of Ponyville for a long time, and it showed. Her hooves caressed the minute detail carved into the door frames and the amazingly sturdy floors. "Wow, somepony must have really cared about this place."

Standing straight, she looked for the staircase. Sure enough, if she opened what looked to be a closet, a staircase appeared. It too was well worn, though of a simple design. Her hooves made a pleasant clip clop as she climbed. What was at the top made her squeal with delight.

The living quarters had once housed the mayor's family before traditions changed and majors bought their own houses. As such, it had been as carefully and lovingly constructed as the rest of the building. The boards creaked as she stared at the quaint living room. A little exploring revealed an adorable kitchen, a large dining room, two bedrooms, and a bathroom with a claw foot tub. She giggled at the antique faucet and plumbing. "Wow, that's just silly."

Striding into the largest bedroom, she looked out the window and beamed from ear to ear. The view of Ponyville was breathtaking, and there was even a little balcony to step out on. It was perfect, and it was all hers. She opened her mouth to sing a happy song when a loud shout sounded from downstairs.

Quick as a whip, she made her way out of the apartment and down the stairs. Sure enough, two ponies stood in the center of the hall looking highly confused. Applejack grinned at Pinkie, "Well there you are. What in tarnation are ya doing here?"

"Exploring."

"Exploring?" Rainbow Dash opened and closed her mouth. "It's like a museum in here. What's there to explore?"

"She's got a point there, Pinkie." Applejack kicked up a cloud of dust and immediately regretted her decision. After a fit of coughing she looked up at the party pony, "We've been lookin' all over for ya."

"Yeah. If Mayor Mare hadn't told us you were here, we would still be searching." Rainbow Dash flew around the room, and made a violent twist in the air, "Gah! It's cobweb city up here."

Applejack turned to look at her, concern filling her eyes, "Why are you here, Pinkie? This aint another of yer surprise parties is it?"

"Nope." Watching Rainbow Dash flailing from the cobwebs made her giggle loudly, "This is my new home."

"WHAT? You can't be serious, Sugarcube. This place is real old. Ma great Grandparents helped build it." Applejack rested a hoof on Pinkie's forehead, checking for fever, "You sure yer feeling allright? You aint gone crazy from missin' Cheese?"

"I'm fine, Applejack. Just peachy keen!" Pinkie twirled around, sending up a dust storm. "I got this place because it's amazing."

Rainbow landed smoothly beside them, "It's amazing all right. Amazingly filthy."

"She's got a point, Sugarcube. It's gonna be a right challenge ta fix up. You up for the job?"

Pinkie stamped a hoof against the wood, "I know that. But, it's worth it. Besides, when Cheese gets back, I'm sure he'll be happy to help me out."

Rainbow plucked a rather large cobweb from her wing, "You're going to need more than a little help."

"I know, I know." Pinkie gasped, staring at them as though they just arrived. "Oh my goodness. You were trying to find me for something important, and I'm wasting your time."

"Naw, you're good." A wide grin stretched across Rainbow's face, "We're all going over to Twilight's to plan our costumes for nightmare night."

"Nightmare night? Oooh! That sounds super fun. Let's go!" Pinkie shoved her friends along, ushering them out of the house. Before they left, she took one last long look. It would be a challenge, but it would be well worth it.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Milo walked blearily up the steps. Ever since he left the alley, it was like he was walking in a haze. Stumbling up the last step, he moved to the door. Inside the apartment was dark. Cheese lay curled up on the couch. Not too concerned for me, was he?

A part of him wanted to let the younger stallion sleep, but no, they had to talk now before his pride got the better of him. He strode over, nudging him hard in the ribs, "Cheese. Wake up. It's important."

Cheese blinked the sleep from his eyes, "You made it back."

"Yeah, way to watch out for me, kid."

"Sorry, I was super tired." Now that he was upright, he was a little confused as to why Milo woke him up to begin with. The apartment was still dark, it had be early in the morning. "What time is it?"

"About two in the morning." Milo sat next to him, illuminating his horn and staring into Cheese's eyes. "You look better."

"I feel better." He patted the pink paper beside him, "Pinkie's letter helped a lot."

"Glad to hear it." What am I doing? Get to the point, Milo. He took a long, deep breath, "Cheese, I just got done speaking with your mother."

Cheese felt his heart skip a beat, "What? She sent the letter?"

"Yes. And, she's given me a proposition. I feel obligated to tell it to you, this is your case after all." He took a few seconds to gather some courage then plowed ahead. As he spoke, the expression on Cheese's face grew darker and darker. By the time he was done, the stallion seemed lost in his own world. "So, there you have it. We can either make this deal or see Storm Scribe walk. We can still try to pursue the abuse charges, but there's not much hope of it going beyond preliminary hearings. The Princesses require evidence after all."

The chipping paint of Milo's walls somehow became fascinating to Cheese. A sea of emotions spilled over him, and he did not know if he felt like laughing or screaming. But, he knew, just knew what had to be done. He mumbled, "Take it."

"What?"

"I said, take the deal." A knot formed in his stomach, "This isn't just about us any more Milo. All the ponies he's harmed, they deserve some justice too. I won't let him walk away scott free because of me."

Relief washed over Milo's face, "All right. I'll send off our reply in the morning. Get some rest, we'll start the process tomorrow morning."

"Kay, night." Cheese watched Milo slip away, and stared out the window. The lights of Manehattan flickered and danced like some fantastic kaleidoscope. As he lay there, he hoped everything would turn out for the better.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Starlight?"

"Oh, Prius. I didn't hear you come in." Starlight looked up at the mare from her position on the lounge. A small slip of paper was held suspended in the air by her amber magic. Dropping it to the table, she motioned the unicorn to take a seat across from her.

The pudgy mare trundled into the dressing room and took a seat. Her rotund face wore a worried expression. "Did I do something wrong, Starlight?"

"Oh no, dear. You did everything right." She tapped the letter with a hoof. "Milo's accepted my little offer."

"That's good." Then, pausing, "What offer?"

"I offered him evidence to put Storm away for good." She swirled her mane absent mindedly. "He's accepted."

Prius looked politely confused, "Why would you make an offer like that?"

"Normally I wouldn't. However, he's agreed to drop the abuse charges and Rory's given his word not to bring up the abuse." Starlight levitated a hoof mirror, examining her snow white mane with interest.

"But, those were just trumped up charges to begin with. You didn't have to offer him anything."

The sight of the innocent little mare before her started a strange urge inside Starlight. It would be oh so fun to mess with her naive assumptions of the world. "Oh, those weren't trumped up charges, dear."

Her eyes grew as big as saucers, "What? You're lying! You would never do something like that."

A wolfish grin stretched across her face, "You underestimate me, Prius. I didn't take an interest in his suffering like Storm did, but I will admit, I did help on occasions."

It can't be true. It can't be. Prius opened and closed her mouth, trying to stop her heart from racing. "Why?"

Starlight actually laughed, "Why? Does it matter?" The sight of Prius' stunned expression somehow irritated her, and she stopped. Her eyes narrowed, "But it matters to you. Doesn't it?"

Prius could only nod. Every part of her was screaming to run right out of the room, but her muscles would not let her. Instead, she sat rooted to the spot, staring at her employer.

"You are a good pony, Prius. I suppose I'll tell you the truth. You'll forgive an old mare her ramblings, won't you?"

Clearing her throat, she continued, "I came from a poor family, Prius. Throughout my youth, I worked as hard as I could, using whatever means I possessed to rise to the top. At the time, I was working as a free-lance model, taking whatever low end jobs I could find. I had friends who supported me and was dating my high school sweetheart. So, I thought myself well off."

Prius tapped her hooves nervously against the tiles, "Why are you telling me this?"

"So you will understand." After a sip of water, Starlight started up again, "But, ever so slowly, I found myself wanting more out of life. Then, I met Storm. He was harsh, arrogant, and manipulative, but he was rich. I dumped my coltfriend and turned my efforts to him. Sure enough, he fell for my charms, just as everypony before him had, and we were soon married."

The soft lines of Starlight's face taunt, "I had the money and fame I had always longed for, but had lost the love. So, when I had Rory, I thought I should be well off." Her eyes grew uncharacteristically soft, "He looked just like my father with that same uncontrollable mane. A beautiful earth pony with eyes just like Storm's. I was so excited to show him to his father. Surely he would love me after giving him something so wonderful."

Starlight paused, and her expression darkened. After a long drink of water, she pointed to Prius, "You know what Storm's first words were to me after I showed him our son?"

"No?" Prius squirmed in her seat, wondering what the mare was getting at.

"'Drown it.'" An icy laugh echoed around the dressing room. Starlight looked practically manic now, "For months and months I struggled to keep his own father from killing him. 'I don't need an earth pony as a son' was all he would say when I caught him in the act. Do you even know what that's like?"

Prius wanted to crawl under the chair and hide. "You're scaring me, Starlight."

The manic laughter intensified, "What was I to do? I soon learned I would never have another foal, so I turned my attention to the one I had. Certainly Storm would see reason, wouldn't he? But no, with each passing day it became clearer and clearer that he would never care for the child."

Starlight leapt to the ground and began to pace. "I started to see that colt as a stumbling block, the very proof of my failure. The sight of him began to annoy me, and I wanted nothing more than to see him vanish. So, when Storm took a fancy to beating him, it was easy enough to turn a blind eye."

"You let him beat your colt?" The pounding in her chest had reached an unbearable level. What kind of mare does that?

Starlight leaned in close, eye to eye with Prius. "I did, and what of it? After his punishments, he was quiet and obedient, just the way I wanted him."

"He was scared." I'm scared. Get me out of here! "You should've comforted him."

"And would good would that have done? It wouldn't have made Storm stop." Starlight snorted, and turned away from her. "There, I've told you enough. You may leave my presence."

"You're a horrid pony, Starlight. You don't deserve that stallion as your son." Scrambling to her hooves, the mare galloped across the room, flung open the door, and vanished from sight.

Starlight watched her for a brief moment, then turned to the lounge once more. Don't deserve him do I? What does that ugly mare know anyway? I couldn't have stopped Storm if I wanted to. If it wasn't Rory, it would have been me. Somepony had to be the scapegoat.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Storm Scribe looked over the financial report for the third time that day. The profit margins were going down, and it disgusted him. He had gone through three heads of department so far, to no success. Perhaps I need to go down there and knock a few heads. Levitating a notepad, he began to scrawl. A loud knock brought his attention to the door. "Come in."

A burly, scar covered unicorn strode in and hastened into a bow. "They've made their move Mr. Scribe."

"Have they?" A smug expression crossed his face, "Do tell, Razak."

"They plan on pursuing just about every charge in the book but the abuse." He shrugged, "Seems you were wrong about that one, sir."

A nasty snarl stretched across his features, "Wrong was I?"

Razak felt his stomach churn. "No, sir. I just meant-"

A raised hoof silenced the pony. "It is fine, Razak. So, what evidence do they claim to possess?"

The unicorn grimaced, "From what I've gathered, they've got an informant and some pretty condemning stuff."

"Do they now?" Storm's mind raced through a list of potential suspects, all of whom he would deal with in due course. Sighing, he opened a drawer, levitating a bag full of bits towards the pony. "Make those two think twice about proceeding. You understand?"

Razak's grimy face stretched to reveal a set of uneven teeth, "Perfectly sir."

Up in Smoke

View Online

"We've done it." Milo strode into the office like a triumphant general, levitating a piece of parchment in front of him. "The date is set. Now we can-" He stopped short, staring at the pair of ponies lying prone on the floor.

They both were singing a cheery tune, tapping their hooves to the beat. Quill was absent mindedly flipping through a pile of papers with her magenta magic while Cheese was balancing a stack on his tail. Cheese was singing the loudest, and leading the ridiculous song. "A stack here, a stack there, but we don't seem to be getting anywhere."

Quill was the first to notice Milo's presence, ceasing the song, "You're back."

"Yes. What are you two doing?" Milo watched Quill's grey cheeks turn pink, and let out a hearty chuckle. "Not that I object to singing. But it's a little unusual for you."

"He he. Sorry, Milo." Cheese grinned sheepishly, "I kind of started it. Singing really helps me focus."

From the looks of it, the two had been doing some serious focusing. Boxes were lined up to the ceiling, all filled with Starlight's "condemning" evidence and assorted documents lay strewn about the floor. He raised an eyebrow, "Made any progress?"

"Some." She rubbed her temple, "It would be easier if you didn't go wandering around looking for witnesses all day. Send the kid next time."

Cheese looked up expectantly, "Oooh, that sounds interesting."

Milo massaged his temple, "No offense, but I don't think sending Scribe's son looking for ponies who hate him is a good idea."

Cheese looked back down at his work. He's got a point. "Guess that'd be pretty stupid."

"Uh huh." Amateurs, I'm surrounded by amateurs. "I had to cash in all my favors just to get the few ponies we have. They're scared, and have every right to be."

"What's that?" Quill pointed to the piece of paper Milo had been levitating the whole time.

"If you were listening, you would know!" Mediating his temper, he slapped the paper in front of her.

Quill adjusted her huge glasses and read the paper, nodding approval as she went. "Three days from now. You did well, sir."

Cheese dropped the pen he was holding, "What's three days from now?"

"The hearing."

"WHAT? But, we haven't figured all the details out yet!" Panic swept across his face, and he turned to Quill for back up.

Milo snorted, "Relax, kid. It's a hearing, not a trial. It's just to display some key evidence, and convince them it's a worthy cause to pursue." Geeze, doesn't he know anything about the legal system?

"Oh, that makes sense. So, you want me to keep helping Quill with this stuff?" Though progress was being made, he was not looking forward to shifting through the mountain of evidence in the office.

"You got it, kid. But-" He groaned, "-I'll help. You wouldn't know what key evidence looks like if it jumped out and slapped you in the face."

Cheese raised an eyebrow, "Thanks, I guess."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Manetattan afternoons were far from pleasant, but anything was better than being stuck in the stuffy office all day. So, despite the oppressive stench of hundreds of sweaty ponies, Cheese was glad to be out and about. Milo insisted that they work from the office from now on, not going back to the apartment until the hearing was over.

Poor Quill looked close to tears when Milo ordered her to go home. The stubborn mare loved the "thrill of the chase" as she called it and took to the papers like a dog after a bone. But, she was older, and needed the rest. Cheese was starting to think Milo needed it more. With each passing hour, the middle aged unicorn grew crankier and crankier.

Though it had been years since he wandered the streets, Cheese managed to find the way to the market just fine. Milo was fairly stingy with their "ration budget" but he at least was able to get some basics. Turning the corner nearest the office, he nearly ran into an unsuspecting mare. "Ooops sorry."

"Cheese Sandwich?" The tomato red mare's face lit up as though she had just discovered the lost treasure of Eldorido. "It is you! I'm so glad I found you."

"Do I know you?"

"No, but I know you." Advancing towards him, she pushed the startled stallion against the bricks of the nearest building. "I've been waiting for ages!"

Cheese felt his heart racing, "I'm sorry, but I already have a marefriend."

She paused, and took a step back, "Ooops, sorry. I got a tiny bit excited. I didn't mean to-" An uncomfortable warmth started in her cheeks, "-make advances. That's not why I'm here."

Carefully, he set down the package and stared at the unicorn. "Well?"

"My name's Prius. I need to talk to you about Starlight."

Anger flashed momentarily in his eyes, then softened just as quickly, "Mother? What about her?"

The cobbles under their hooves suddenly became highly intriguing to Prius. "I…I uh worked for her. She had me following you and that attorney Milo."

"WHAT?" A snarl stretched across the stallion's face as his hoof struck the stones, sending a few flying.

She could not help focusing on Cheese's substantial muscles, imagining how easy it would be for him to flatten her. "It's not what you think. She had be believing that you were making all the abuse charges up."

Blood pounded in his head, and he felt his whole body shake. "Making them up am I? Do I look like the kind of pony who would lie about that?"

"No, that's why I was confused. Then-" She gulped, looking down at the ground, "-she told me the truth. About the abuse, about everything. I didn't want to think anypony could be so cruel." Biting back the urge to cry, she continued, "So I ran out of there and haven't been back since. I wanted to find you, to apologize, and to offer my help."

He felt a tinge of guilt for snapping at her. "Help?"

"Yes, since she confessed the whole thing to me, I thought we might use it to put her up on the abuse charges."

It sounded too good to be true, and it was. Cheese sighed, rubbing his forehead, "It's not that simple, Prius. Milo says we either need physical, concrete proof or Mother's own word. Your word and mine mean nothing in court."

"But, they'll see what a horrible pony she is and-"

"-no, you can't count on that, Prius. Plus, they don't lock ponies up for simply being horrible." The thought of another missed opportunity made his stomach ache. Not again.

Prius closed her eyes in thought, then remembered. "Hang on, there's one more way this might work out."

He snorted, "How?"

"Well, when Starlight confessed, she wasn't right."

"Wasn't right how?"

"She was starting to slip up, to act almost manic." Her blue eyes beamed with confidence, "I don't think she's in her right mind. I think if you work it right, you might be able to get her to confess herself."

Cheese raised an eyebrow, "Mother wouldn't do that. She's too proud."

"That's how she was before, but now I'm not so sure. I noticed it ever since I started working for her. This case, your abuse, Storm's takedown, it's getting to her." Prius rested a hoof on Cheese's shoulder. "Her line between past and present is blurring. If you use that to your advantage, why, I think it just might work."

It's a crazy idea, but it's worth a shot. "All right, but how do I know what to say?"

"That's easy. We'll dig up some dirt on her past, and then make her realize how far she's slipped."

He grimaced, "Easy you say? I don't know about that. But I'm willing to give it a shot if you're willing to help."

"Right." Prius beamed at him, and took his hoof. "I've got a feeling it'll all work out."

"Let's hope so."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well? What are we waiting for?"

Razak rolled his eyes at the pegasus standing next to him. Slick as he was unaffectionatly nicknamed was the last pony he wanted to be standing in an alley with. However, Storm Scribe had insisted on his inclusion in the plan. He snarled back, "For you to grow some common sense."

"Oooh touchy." As the nickname implied, the stallion's voice had an unnatural smoothness to it. Slick rubbed his hooves together, pointing across the street at the office, "We could wait until he comes out, than take him down."

Razak raised an eyebrow, "You mean I'll take him down."

"Naturally." Slick rested a hoof, the exact shade of pond scum on Razak's back. Razak's immediate reaction of revulsion amused him. "My skills are of a softer variety."

Softer variety my hoof. You'd sell out on your own mother for the right price. The little pegaus was notorious for finding the weakness of any pony and selling it to the highest bidder. Holding back the urge to punch him, he growled, "Are you an idiot?"

The stallion's yellow eyes flickered surprise, "No."

"Well you're proving yourself wrong." Grabbing the pegasus by the wing, he dragged him over to where the office was more clearly visible. "What could go wrong if we rough up the colt?"

Slick cringed away from the burly stallion, "You seem pretty strong to me."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty good in a hoof fight. But, even I'm not stupid enough to pick a fight with him."

Slick eyed Razak's hooves nervously, "Why? He's a scrawny wimp. He's special talent is planning parties for Celestia's sake."

"Yeah, he's also an earth pony. A young earth pony." Razak released Slick, watching him ooze into the shadows once more.

"So? You're not that old."

Amateur. "I'm a unicorn, Slick. No matter what I do, how much I train, I'll never be as strong as an earth pony. And-" He struck a hoof against the stones, causing them to tremor. "-if you had the brain cells to look, you'd have noticed that that scrawny stallion is all muscle."

"Oh, you've got a point there." Slick rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "So, how do we stop him?"

"For a spy you really are thick skulled aren't you?" Razak started to pace, calculating, "Our orders were to make them think twice about proceeding. Now then, isn't it possible to do that without getting our hooves dirty?"

A hungry smirk stretched across his pointed muzzle, "Fight smarter, not harder. I like it. But how?"

Razak stared into the window of the office, "How do you imagine a case with no evidence would fare, Slick?"

Slick's smirk grew wider, "It wouldn't."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Hey, you finally made it." Prius beamed at the lank stallion from her table, a cup of coffee held by her blue magic. "I was starting to get worried."

Cheese shrugged, and took a seat across from her. "Yeah, well Milo had me looking over this financial report for the fifth time." He made a gagging motion, "You're a life saver, Prius."

"I don't know about that." She felt her face grow warm, "I'm just you're average nopony with an ax to grind."

"He he, aren't we all?" Cheese turned his attention to the little coffee shop they were seated outside. It would have been a fine autumn day, if not for the constant hum of city noise blocking out any chance of peace and quiet. "This is a nice place."

"Yeah, it's my favorite. Say, how's Milo taking our little endevor?"

He shrugged, "Meh, I haven't really told him. I don't want to get his hopes up. I did tell him that I was looking into another possible avenue though."

"Well then, let's get started with our little 'avenue,' shall we?" A notebook and pen levitated from her saddlebags and onto the table. "All righty then, I've found out a lot, but I need to ask you some questions."

"Right."

"First, I was wondering what your Grandma on her side was like." She placed the pen to the paper and started to write furiously. "I know that she wasn't the richest pony in the world, but apart from that and her death records, I've got nothing."

"Huh, well-" He closed his eyes, remembering the smiling face of his Grandma, "-She was super nice! Way nicer than Mother. I loved visiting her, and I guess Mother did too, because she dropped me off there almost every day when I wasn't in school."

Prius looked up, "Really? Did she say much to her when she came?"

"Naw, she just sort of pushed me in the door and told Grandma when she'd be back. But I didn't mind." His entire face lit up with glee, "We'd make cookies together, she'd teach me how to play the accordion and would always read me fun stories. I loved every minute with her."

"What about your Grandpa?"

"Uh, he died before I was born. All I know is he was super funny and looked kinda like me." He shrugged, "Guess I never really bothered to find out."

Prius' expression fell like a ton of bricks. "Now I'm lost."

"Lost? Why?"

Prius sighed dramatically, taking a deep sip of coffee before continuing, "Well, how could such a horrid mare come from two nice ponies? From her school records and old friends I managed to talk to, she used to be nice herself. So, what changed?"

Cheese wanted to laugh. Is she serious? "Prius, let me tell you something about my mother. The only thing she's ever wanted is fame, fortune, and praise. And she'll do anything to get it." For a moment, he stared at his reflection in the glass table top. "Marrying father, dumping her friends, it was all to get ahead. Nothing she ever did was out of love for anypony but herself."

"Oh." Prius was starting to think their little quest was hopeless. Then, she remembered Starlight's rant. "Hold on. You say she never had any love for anypony but herself, but that's not true."

He raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

"When she was-" Going a touch insane. "-going on about her past, she mentioned having you and being proud. At that moment, I thought that some small part of her must love you. No mare talks about their foal like that if she hates them."

The thought of his mother actually loving him seemed comical. His cold laugh sent shivers up Prius' spine, "Mother love me? Now that's a joke. She's told me over and over again how much she hates me."

"Because it's easier to hate than to love, Cheese." She rubbed a hoof through her mane, "If she acknowledges her love for you that would mean she was in the wrong for years and years. It would break her, and she knows it."

"So, you want me to 'break her,' is that it?" Somehow the thought of "breaking" anypony, let alone his own mother was tough to swallow.

"Well, in a sense. But you aren't so much breaking her as you are breaking down her delusion." Prius looked into his eyes pleadingly, "What is crueler, Cheese? Letting her go on living in denial or making her face the truth."

"You've got a point. But, it won't be easy for either of us."

"It never is with this sort of thing. But-" She stood, packing her saddlebags, and turning to leave, "-it's always worth it."

"Right." He waved halfheartedly as she walked away, hoping it would be as easy as she made it out to be.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Why is it so hard? Pinkie stamped her hooves against the floorboards, shaking up another cloud of dust. After a good coughing fit, she looked around at the long hall. Progress was being made, but it was extremely slow going. I thought it'd be easier. Something her father always said drifted into her mind, "'Words are one thing, actions are another.' Guess you were right about that one."

A loud knock echoed across the empty room and three of her friends strode in. Twilight looked like a foal in a candy store, "Wow, this is amazing, like a living museum."

Rarity's eyes darted around the room, "It's bare bones, but I can certainly see the potential. You really did make a fabulous choice, Pinkie."

"Yeah, it's nice." Fluttershy squeaked, cringing away from the sea of cobwebs dangling from the ceiling.

"Thanks, girls." Pinkie hopped over to them, embracing them in a bone crushing hug. "What are you doing here?"

Twilight gasped for air, "Well, we thought it'd be fun to see your place for ourselves."

"Oh, well here it is." Pinkie released them, gesturing grandly around the room as though presenting some priceless jewel.

Rarity took a step back, as though seeing pinkie for the first time. "Pinkie, you did your mane up."

"Of course I did, silly. You can't expect me to work with my mane down." Truth be told, she had not put her mane up since Cheese had left. She had done it on a whim. "Does it look bad?"

Rarity waved a hoof in denial, "Not at all! I think it becomes you." It does show off that nasty scar. But, that can't be helped.

Fluttershy looked around at the sundry cleaning supplies scattered throughout the hall. "My, you've been oh so busy."

Pinkie hopped around the room, stirring up some more dust. "Yup. But better to be busy than bored. At least that's what Cheesie's always saying."

"I agree. There's nothing I love better than having a job. Speaking of-" A piece of paper levitated towards out of Twilight's saddlebags and into Pinkie's hooves. "-I've got a list for you."

"A list of what?" The sheet was completely filled with townsponies' names. "What's this for?"

A broad smile stretched across Twilight's face. "It's a list of all the ponies that want to help you clean up this place so you can get started renovating it. Fluttershy came up with the idea."

"Wahhh! Really?" Before Fluttershy could react, Pinkie had her locked in another one of her hugs. "You're the bestest! How'd you ever think up something like this?"

"When Rarity told me you were buying old town hall, I just thought, it would take you oh so long to clean on your own."

Rarity nodded approval. "Of course I thought it was a marvelous idea and so did the townsponies."

"We're all coming out tomorrow to help, so-" Twilight tugged at Pinkie's hooves, "-today you can join us for a pre-work day picnic. Applejack and Rainbow Dash have got it all set up."

"Really? Oh my gosh! I can't wait, let's go!" Without further ado, she cantered out of the building and into the sunlit street.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I think we've got it, kid." Milo looked over the semi-ordered boxes with pride. The past few days had been a frenzied rush to meet the three day deadline. But, they had done it. All the evidence cataloged, ordered by priority, and ready to present. "Tomorrow all this will be in the safe keeping of the police department."

"Yeah it's-" Cheese let out a huge yawn, "-it's great, Milo. Now can we go back to the apartment for some rest?" Sleeping on the office floor for days on end was hardly an ideal situation.

"Naw, best to stay here. It's one o'clock now. We need to leave for the hearing in five hours anyway. No point going back now. Besides-" Milo levitated a binder chock full of papers, "-I've still got to review my bit. Want to make it just right you know."

Cheese grimaced, "Okay, I'll be in your office then."

Milo looked mildly offended. "What? Again? Isn't the front good enough?"

"There isn't enough floor space." Cheese walked slowly away from the stallion, grateful to be able to get some rest. Plus, I don't have to listen to you gripe about the case all night.

Milo's office was filled with the smell of mold, but as tired as he was, he would not have cared if it smelled like a garbage dump. Giving one last, long yawn, he curled up in his favorite spot by the desk and drifted off.

It was a bright summer day in the meadows of Ponyville, the perfect day for a gallop. Cheese ran full speed beside a laughing Pinkie Pie. "Can't catch me!"

"We'll see about that." With a burst of speed, the mare sped past him.

Laughing loudly, he lengthened his own stride until he caught up with her. To his surprise, she had stopped, panting loudly. "Giving up already?"

Instead of responding, she pointed to the tree line where a massive black cloud was rising up. She turned to him, eyes alight with worry, "Wake up, Cheesie! You need to get up! You're in danger!"

A tight, twisting feeling filled his stomach, and the scene turned black. The feeling became an aching pressure, not in his stomach, but in his lungs. A whooshing roaring sound blotted soon filled his ears, making his head ache. Stop it, stop it!

Opening his eyes, Cheese thought he was still dreaming. The room was unnaturally hazy, and he could hardly make out the furniture. It took a few seconds to realize that it was not haze, but smoke. Smoke? Where's it coming from?

He struggled to stand, and fell back down. The pressure in his lungs was being replaced by a stinging pain. No matter how much he coughed, the pain remained. Looking to the hallway, he noticed a flickering light. His stomach dropped out from under him. Fire. From the look of the flames, it was coming from the front office. Milo!

It took all the strength he had to stand, inhaling a lungful of the noxious smoke. Pressing a hoof to his muzzle, he walked through the darkened hallway to the light. As he neared the room, a new more disturbing sensation came to him. Heat. Not the kind of heat you get from sitting next to a campfire or by a fireplace. No, this was a wild, uncontrollable heat that hurt the closer and closer he got to it.

When he made it to the entrance, he nearly fell back from the shock. Flames licked the walls, floor and ceiling, fueled by the mountain of paperwork. The light from it was blinding. Cheese lept back as a burst of it shot towards him. A panic like he had never felt before swept over him. Where's Milo?

There was an earsplitting crack, and crash as a few flaming beams fell to the ground and landed. And there under the timbers was Milo, lying still as stone. Without hesitation, Cheese jumped into the room and immediately regretted it. The moment his hooves touched the flames, he could feel a searing pain rocket through him.

The sound of his screaming was drowned out by the earsplitting roar of the blaze. Heat like he had never experienced before rocketed through his legs. It was nearly unbearable. Squinting in the smoke, he saw Milo and the wall of fire blocking his path. Another burst of flames shot up next to him. It was now or never.

Leaping into the fray, he tumbled and landed next to Milo. The flames on the timbers nearly obscured the unicorn. I've got to get him out. Moving the timbers was extraordinarily difficult, and painful. They were heavy, and it took all his strength to lift one of the flaming timbers. He grabbed board after board, even as the flames crept up his hooves. The ever present roar of the blaze spurred him to work faster. Finally, he dislodged the last one, freeing Milo.

A loud crash and whooshing sound hailed the arrival of another jet of flame. Time to go! Somehow, he managed to sling the unconscious stallion onto his back. Knees nearly buckling from the exertion, he squinted in the brilliant light, trying to find the exit. There behind the flames was the outline of the door.

Cheese did not miss a beat. He moved as quickly as he could to the door. Gathering up his strength, he jumped headlong into it. The wood splintered and broke with a crash. Before he knew what was going on, both he and Milo toppled down the stone steps and rolled violently onto the cobblestones.

The heat from the fire was unbelievable. Cheese stared in wonder as the entire building was engulfed in the blaze. The effort needed to raise his head proved too much, and he collapsed on his side, coughing violently. Just a few feet away lay Milo, as still as ever. The unicorn's back was bleeding and his skin was a brilliant red. "Milo," The soft, raspy quality of his voice scared him, "Milo, wake up."

If he had heard Cheese, he made no response. Moaning, Cheese tried to move, but found his hooves would not respond. He nearly gagged when he looked down at them. They were red and raw, bleeding onto the cobbles. The longer he stared, the more he began to tremble. Despite the intense heat, he felt the shaking grow exponentially worse. Slowly, his vision clouded over, and faded to black.

Let it Go

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Cheese had never imagined what it would feel like to be burned. If he had to take a guess, he probably would have said it might sting a little, maybe hurt to touch things, but not as bad as say, breaking a bone. How he wished that were true now. Despite being kept unconscious for four days, having his legs treated by two doctors, and being put on the strongest pain medicine available, he still was in agony.

It was not the kind of dull, aching pain the muscle tear had given him. No, this was a searing, radiating, constant sort of pain that made him want to thrash and scream. Even as he lay on the hospital bed, he wondered if it would not be kinder to end his suffering. There was nothing in the sparse room to take his mind off of it. So he lay there, remembering all the stupid decisions that led to this, and kicking himself for not seeing the obvious.

A loud knock sounded, and he hoped it would be the nurse to give him some more medication. He was surprised to see a familiar set of glasses. "Quill? What are you doing here?"

"Came to check on you. The doctors said you were up." She strode over to his bedside, taking in the bandages wrapped tightly around his legs. "You look pretty beat up."

His eyes rolled sarcastically, "Thanks, I love you too."

The small chair by the wall levitated to the bedside, and Quill took a seat. "How bad?"

"The doctors say my front hooves are the worst off." He grimaced, "They had to graft some skin onto them. I'm lucky though, they say I'll be able to walk with almost no pain once it heals. My hind legs aren't so bad." Cheese put on an unconvincing smile.

The greying mare snorted, "Come on, you're not going to fool this old fox that easily. You're in agony I can see that. And-" Her eyes stuck on Cheese's mane which was now cropped short enough to lay straight, "-they cut your mane just like your dad's."

Like Father's? "Huh?"

Quill rolled her eyes, and levitated a hoof mirror towards him. "See? It's all short."

He had to admit, she was right. The resemblance surprised even himself. "Great. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse."

Quill's strangely high pitched giggle echoed around the room. "Why'd they cut it in the first place?"

"I think they said it was singed. I didn't realize they cropped it so short, and my tail too." He sighed dramatically, "Guess I'm just going to have to start my own company now. Sandwich incorporated, it's what's for dinner."

The giggle turned into a full on laugh. Clutching her sides, she wiped the tears away and composed herself. "I can see why you're a party pony now. I'll admit, I was starting to doubt that."

Cheese shrugged, and winced. The pain seared worse than ever, and he curled into a tight ball. "Sorry, guess I'm not myself today."

She rested a hoof on his back. "You okay? I can get a doctor."

"I'm fine. I'll-" How could I forget? "-Quill, have you seen Milo? How is he?"

The color faded from her cheeks, "He's…he's not good, Cheese." A flood of images she would rather forget flashed across her memory. The smoke from the fire, galloping down the street to find the fire department and ambulance already there. Milo's still form on the stretcher, covered in burns. The pool of blood being absorbed by the ashes.

"Quill?" It was Cheese's turn to be concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yes, Cheese, I'm okay. Milo-" She bit her lip, "-Milo's not. The firefighters and doctors said it was a miracle you two even survived that blaze. They suspect arson."

His green eyes grew wide, "Arson? You mean somepony tried to kill us?"

"Not exactly. They think whoever started it had no idea you two were in there. I'm not so sure, but there's no way to prove it now." She pushed him gently back against the covers, "I got there shortly after the firefighters and ambulance. I wasn't allowed to see either of you, but I came to the hospital anyway."

She must've been pretty scared. "You care a lot about Milo, huh?"

"Yeah. He's not family, but he's as close to me as any brother." Quill levitated a glass of water from the bedside, took a deep gulp, and continued, "They were most concerned about Milo. As best as they could piece together, some burning rubble must have fallen on him."

"It was some ceiling timbers." He raised his front hooves. "That's why I hurt my hooves so bad. I had to pick them up one at a time to get him out."

Quill's eyes grew wide, and she stared at him with admiration. "You lifted burning timbers off of him? It must have been awfully painful."

"I had to get him out somehow, and I knew Milo would do the same for me."

Quill nodded acknowledgement. "He's a hopeless goody two hooves. That's what gets him into so much trouble you know. Anyway-" Her expression darkened, "-when they brought him in, they weren't even sure if he would make it. His burns were serious, nearly to the bone in places."

The thought of even worse burns than his own made him sick. If I'm in pain, how much is Milo in? His voice was small, "Were they able to fix it?"

"Yes and no. They had him through several surgeries, skin grafts in all kinds of places, and Celestia knows what else. I only just saw him today."

"They woke him up?"

"No, no. That would be cruel. The doctors have put him into a coma. They won't try waking him up for another month at least." Quill looked close to tears. "The doctors seem hopeful he'll heal, though he'll always be in a little pain."

Cheese could not speak. No words seemed adequate for the situation. The guilt sweeping over him was suffocating. "It's all my-"

"-don't even say it!" Quill gave him an icy glare, "-Milo has been digging his own grave for years, Cheese. He chose to chase Storm, and he knew he might get hurt in the process. Your case was just the straw that broke the camel's back."

"Right." A sense of frustration like he had never known before overwhelmed him. "I can't believe he won."

Quill nodded sadly, "There's no evidence, you two are in the hospital, and Storm's scott free. Guess that counts as a loss. But-" She placed a hoof on Cheese's shoulder once more, "-you need to let it go."

"But, I can't just leave things unfinished."

Quill shook her head, "No, you need to quit. You're young Cheese. I don't want to see you turning into Milo, chasing ghosts your whole life." She turned to her saddlebags, levitating a letter onto his pillow. "I received this yesterday. It's from your friends in Ponyville. They're worried about you, they want you to come home." Her eyes turned deadly serious. "Let it go, Cheese. Go home while you still have a home to go to."

He wanted to scream, to kick the stand over in frustration. But it would be wrong. Quill was right, he had been away too long already. "Okay. The doctors said I might be able to go home tomorrow. I'll take the first train I can get out of this hell hole."

Quill leaned forward, kissing him motherly on the cheek. "It's the right thing to do."

Before Cheese could even process what just happened, the unicorn had strode out of the room. Goodbye, Quill. I'll miss you.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Starlight read over the short article for the fifteenth time that morning, hoping that somehow the reality would start to sink in.

"Arson at Coltfax's

Firefighters responded to a fire at the office of renowned prosecuting attorney Milo Coltfax Sunday morning. The blaze, a suspected arson overtook the building in a matter of minutes. Miraculously, two ponies were found outside the building, one suspected to be Coltfax himself. No statements have been released on their condition. Police are continuing to investigate."

The article had been presented to her in an unmarked letter days after it had been published. Now, as she stared at the words, she tried to fathom how she could have possibly missed the signs. Surely Storm was planning something. But this, this was entirely unexpected.

Now her only chance to see her husband ruined had literally gone up in smoke. Anger coursed through her, and she slammed a hoof against the dressing room mirror, shattering the glass. A thousand shards danced across the room, a few slicing open her hooves. Her reflection in what remained of the glass scared her.

The long strands of her long mane were twisted and knotted, her coat needed a brush, and her once calm, calculating expression was replaced by a manic glint. Snorting, she smashed the mirror again, turning to stare around the room. The dressing room had degraded into chaos after Prius quit. Nopony had yet to come looking to replace her, and so Starlight was left to her own devices.

A loud knock jerked her attention back to reality. "What?"

The gruff voice of the studio's photographer sounded across the door, "Starlight, there's somepony here to see you. I assume you're still not taking visitors?"

She contemplated telling him to get the hell away, but stopped herself. Taking down the ego of some poor defenseless sod was just the release she needed. "Send them in."

The stallion's voice sounded taken aback, "Uh…yes, Starlight."

Starlight huffed in satisfaction as the door swung open. When she saw who it was, her heart stopped. Walking slowly in was none other than her son. Her immediate thought was to scream at him to get out. But as she stared, she felt that desire slip away. The stallion's legs were covered in thick bandages, and he limped terribly with each step. She remembered the article and froze. "You were in that fire too?"

"Yeah." Cheese's eyes darted over his mother. Never in his life had she looked so frayed. He noted the shards of glass and general state of disorder in the room. "Your image is crumbling, Mother."

She snorted, "Was it ever whole to begin with?"

"Not really." What's gotten into her? Standing on the burns sent shockwaves of pain through his body. Wincing, he continued, "I needed to talk to you, though I don't think you'll listen."

"Go ahead." She was beyond fighting it now. "Tell me how you want me to testify, to condemn myself so that Storm gets his comeuppance."

He sighed, "Guess you've got me all figured out." The words he had rehearsed slipped away from him. A familiar ache returned in his chest. How he longed to say something clever, something to shock her into reality. But, the words did not come.

Starlight stared expectantly at him, noticing the stallion's cropped mane and tail. The resemblance to her husband made her nauseous. "I'd forgotten how much you look like him."

Cheese cringed, staring hard at the tiles now and watching his legs shake. "I can't help that. It's not like I asked to look like him."

"No. But, when it was long it looked like my father's. It suited you better."

Grandfather? It was the first time Cheese could remember his mother mention the stallion. Getting sentimental, Mother? Another shot of pain rocketed through him, and it was all he could do to keep from crying out. Better hurry. "Prius seemed to think that if you ever cared for me, you'd accept that you were in the wrong and testify. But, I'm not so sure. You've only ever cared for yourself. Why should you change now?"

"Correct. I don't see the point in trying to deny it. So why did you-" She paused, staring at her son. His emerald eyes were filled with pain, and he sunk to his knees with a thud. Before she could convince herself to stop, she trotted over to his side.

Cheese turned away from her, trying to stand, and falling completely to the ground in the process. "Don't touch me!"

Starlight stepped back, heart skipping a beat.

Cheese managed to stand, hooves shaking violently. "I think I've overstayed my welcome."

"Where will you go?"

"Home to Ponyville. Pinkie's waiting for me." He turned, limping out of the room. "I hope you change your mind, but I'm not holding my breath."

Starlight watched him until he vanished out of sight. A rage like she had never known swept over her, not at her son, but at his father. Storm. Why did he seek to torment her? Her colt had done nothing wrong, he never had. But it was always he who suffered. All because she was too scared to stand up for him.

Rory's right, I only think about myself. Well, not this time. She strode over to her dresser, drawing out a long sheet of parchment. This time I'll be the one taking the fall.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Pinkie lay sprawled on her bed, reading through yet another book. Reading was never her favorite activity, but it was a necessary divergence. Her skills with home improvement left much to be desired. She flipped through yet another page on how to fix leaky pipes. Apparently bubblegum was not the preferred method. Yawning, she turned to her clock and started. It was already one o'clock in the morning. Better get to sleep. Just as she reached for the light, she heard a soft thudding noise.

Perking her ears, she discovered it was coming from the downstairs. As quickly as she could in her groggy state, she made her way down the stairs and to the back door. Who visits at one in the morning? Maybe it was Twilight, about some super important quest. Welp, let's hope not. I'm way too sleepy for that. She swung the door open and gasped. "Cheesie? What are you doing here?"

Sure enough, the lank stallion was standing outside the door. He gave a sheepish grin from under his traveling hat. "I'm back."

"Wahh! You didn't say you were coming back." She reached out to hug him but stopped short. Her excitement at seeing him morphed into fear as she took in his appearance. Not only were all four of his hooves wrapped tightly in bandages, but his mane and tail were short and straight and his entire body was quivering. His eyes, normally so cheery were flickering with pain. "Cheesie! What happened to you? What about the case? You can't be done with it already."

"The case has been dropped. I-" He winced as a strong shot of pain coursed through him, "-I was caught in a fire with Milo." The thought of going over everything again seemed too much to bear. All he wanted now was to be by her side. "I wanted to see you."

"Me too." Pinkie gave him a gentle hug and ushered him inside. Her eyes darted nervously over his hooves, "You were in a fire? Does it hurt?"

"Yeah. But, I'll be okay." Truth be told, he was far from okay. Between walking to the train station in Manehattan and walking through Ponyville, he was in agony. He gave her another hug, savoring the familiar sweet scent. "It's lonely without you."

Pinkie nuzzled him softly, then pulled away. His tough act was not fooling her for a second. The stallion's legs continued to shake like a leaf. She gestured up the stairs, "Come on. The Cakes are asleep, so be quiet."

He followed her up the steps, wincing each times he brought his hooves down. They reached the hallway, and Pinkie ushered him into her room. It was just the same as he remembered it. Hopeless pink and fun, though with a little more clutter than last time.

Pinkie shut the door and walked over to Cheese. Before he could protest, she slipped off his hat, saddlebags, and poncho, resting them on the dresser. She pointed to the bed, "Lay down, you're exhausted."

He would have protested, but he was too tired. Slowly, he crawled onto the pink covers. The bed was unlawfully soft, and he was glad to curl up on it.

Pinkie turned off the light and jumped up beside him. A hundred different questions raced through her mind, and she longed to bombard him for answers. But, something told her that was not what he needed just then. So she pressed her side to his, feeling his rapid heart rate. "What's wrong, Cheesie?"

"I've messed up." He closed his eyes, and rested his head on her back. All the frustration, guilt, and shame he had felt over the past few weeks crashed over him like a flood. Pinkie's quiet presence was all the tonic he needed. Why did I ever leave?

Pinkie grew nervous at his uncontrollable shaking. "It'll be okay, it'll be okay." For a few minutes, he just quivered, holding her close. Eventually he calmed down enough to lie still. Pinkie watched his sleeping form, glad to have him home but worried none the less. Closing her own eyes, she drifted off herself.

Never Again

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Early morning light spilled into the cheerfully decorated room through the large window. Pinkie blinked away the sting and looked around. Her room was just like it always was, with one exception. Lying beside her fast asleep was a tan stallion. Morning, Cheesie. Yawning, she looked at the foot of her bed where a tiny alligator was eyeing Cheese with suspicion. Yeah, I know he's not supposed to be here. Geeze, you're not my Mom.

As quietly as she could, she climbed off the bed and scooped up the gator before he decided to taste test Cheese. Placing him on the floor, she bent to his level, whispering, "He's sick, so be nice."

Gummy merely blinked, a good enough sign for Pinkie that he acknowledged the request. Satisfied he wasn't going to bother Cheese, she turned her attention to something productive. Might as well read a bit. The chapter on piping did little to hold her interest. Every few lines, she would look over to check on Cheese. Each time she did, her stomach would twist in a nasty knot.

Cheese did not look like himself. Now that he was in the light, she could see the extent of his injuries. All of his legs were wrapped tight in layers of bandages. As long as she had known him, he always kept up his appearance. Now, his caramel coat was flecked with dirt and marred with smaller cuts and burns. Even his long chocolate mane was cropped unusually short. As he slept, his breaths came unnaturally short and labored. What happened to you, Cheesie?

She tried to divert her attention back to something that was not threatening to spiral her into panic. "Be certain to drain the pipes before attempting a repair." The words began to blur together. Gosh, why'd they have to make it so boring!

"Pinkie?"

The shock of hearing Cheese's voice made her jump into the air. "Cheesie, you're awake."

"Yeah." He smiled sweetly at her, "Sorry, were you doing something important?"

"He, he. Nope." In an instant, she made her way to him. "You feeling okay?"

"Fine." Though he tried to hide it, his eyes were flashing with pain. "Could you get my medicine?"

"Sure." Pinkie made her way to the dresser and pulled down the saddlebags. One of the pockets was entirely filled with medicine bottles. Her heart beat uncomfortably fast. "That's a lot of medicine, Cheesie."

"Yeah, they put me on a few painkillers and some other stuff." Cheese took the bag, and started opening the bottles, pouring out the correct number of pills. Pinkie filled a glass and watched him take the medicine with a worried air. Cheese grinned back at her, "Don't look so scared, it's normal for them to give this much for burns."

"Right." She chuckled unconvincingly, and joined him on the bed. "But, it's not normal for you to come home like this."

His stomach lurched, "Pinkie I-"

"-I don't care, Cheesie." Pinkie looked him straight in the eye, "-I don't care about why you left. If it was some whim, something you had to prove, or something else entirely. The point is, I never should have let you go alone." Her muzzle pressed onto his, "I'm not going to let it happen again."

He gave a playful smirk, "So, I'm stuck with you, is that it?"

She giggled, licking his ear affectionately, "Yup. Forever and always."

"Sounds good." He gave her a return kiss, "I really did miss you."

"Mmm hmm." Pinkie pressed her side to his, "But, I need you to tell me what happened. I want to know everything."

"All right. But it might take a while."

Cheese's story was more than a little difficult to swallow. From the sound of it, he was into some serious business even before the fire started. After he told her about the fire, she wished to Celestia he had not. The thought of Cheese nearly being incinerated was more than she could be stomach. Finally, he finished up with the events leading to his return to Ponyville. When he was done, he looked up and smiled weakly. "That's the story as best as I know it."

Pinkie gave Cheese a tight hug. "Sorry for making you go over that again." She sighed, pawing at the covers and wondering if anything she could say would make the hurt go away.

The worry in her eyes made his heart ache. "Pinkie, I'll be all right. Give it time." He searched for a new subject, settling on the pile of home improvement books on the bedside table. "Been looking for a new career?"

"Huh?" Pinkie looked where he was pointing and giggled. "Oh no, silly. It's way more fun than that. I'm starting a business."

"Really?" Cheese looked dumbstruck. Of all the things he pictured Pinkie doing, starting a business was not one of them. "When did you-"

"-oh I've been planning it for months, ever since the fashion trip to Manehattan. Rarity's been helping me. But, I only just bought the place a few weeks ago." Her eyes sparkled with unbound excitement.

His mouth hung open, "You've already bought it?"

"Well, the building, but I'm a few months out from actually starting it up." Pinkie hopped up and down, "It's so awesome!"

"Sure, but what are you selling?" Cheese's mind flashed to a joke shop or party goods store. But that would not make sense, since she already planned most every party in Ponyville.

She bit her lip, contemplating, "It's not stuff I'm selling, more like a service."

"A service?" Now he was lost. "I don't follow."

"I'm starting an event hall. A place where all the townsponies can come for their parties or events." Her expression turned cautious, "Is it stupid?"

"No." Cheese was grinning broadly now. "It's a great idea. Really it is. And just up your alley too."

Pinkie kissed him on the muzzle. "Hang on, I've got pictures."

In a matter of seconds, she hopped off the bed, grabbed a hoof full of pictures from the desk, and jumped back up again. "Her we are!"
Cheese looked down at the pictures, smiling broadly. "Wow, it's really historic, isn't it?"

"Yup, and dirty." She giggled, showing him a group of photos, "A lot of the townsponies came over to help clean. Here's Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash getting stuck in the cobwebs. And here's the Cakes trying to dust. Mayor Mare was really good with the windows..."

Cheese listened as Pinkie went on a tangent, describing all the mundane tasks they did as though they had been discovering some lost treasure. It was comforting to hear her talk so freely, as though everything was right in the universe.

A knock echoed across the room and Mrs. Cake poked her head in, "Pinkie, don't go sleeping the day away, you've got chores to-" She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Cheese.

Both party ponies looked at each other. With everything that had been happening, the Cakes had completely slipped Pinkie's mind. "Uh, hi Mrs. Cake."

Mrs. Cake's eyes were focused on the stallion. "Cheese, what are you doing here?" She noted the bandages and his appearance, "What happened to you?" Rounding on Pinkie, "Pinkamena Diane Pie, you had better have an explanation for this or I will have to write to your parents."

"Sorry, Mrs. Cake. I came back to Ponyville early this morning. I wanted to see Pinkie, so I came here first. We didn't want to wake you up." It was not a lie, but not entirely the truth either.

Mrs. Cake looked taken aback, "Oh, well, you shouldn't go visiting at off hours. Ponies will talk you know."

Cheese gave an apologetic grin, "Right. Sorry."

The plump mare turned to Pinkie again, "Pinkie, we need you down in the kitchen. Why don't you say goodbye, he's more than welcome to come by again later."

Pinkie made to protest, but Cheese rested a hoof on hers. He smiled weakly, and slid off the bed. Immediately he regretted it as a searing pain shot through his hooves. Gasping in pain, he sunk to his knees.

Mrs. Cake ran over to him. "Cheese, dear, what's wrong?" The bandages on his hooves did not make any sense to her. Was he in a fight?

Pinkie was by him in an instant, helping him to his hooves. "There."

He shook unsteadily, leaning heavily on Pinkie. "Sorry, Mrs. Cake. I was caught in a fire in Manehattan. Burned my hooves pretty bad."

"A fire?" She looked nervously at the stallion, afraid he would fall again. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, a little."

The mare pursed her lips, "You've been staying with Brahm, right?"

"Uh huh. Though, I haven't really talked to him in a while." He felt like an idiot for not writing so much as a letter to the stallion all this time. "He around?"

Mrs. Cake frowned, "Well, not anymore."

"Huh?"

"He just up and left the other day. Said something about seeing the world. Didn't Pinkie tell you?"

"No." He turned to Pinkie who was looking just as shocked as Cheese. "Did you know?"

Pinkie shook her head adamantly, "Nope. I though he was just leaving for a few days."

Now what? Cheese had just assumed he would have a place to stay when he got back to Ponyville. He moaned, sinking to the floor. Guess it's back to square one.

Mrs. Cake's eyes glanced over Cheese's bandages, "Cheese dear, you can stay until you find a place. There's a spare bed in the twins' room. You're in no condition to be wandering around." She focused her attention on Pinkie, "Pinkie, why don't you ask Twilight if she knows sompony he can stay with?"

Pinkie saluted her, "Roger that. I'll be back to help in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

Mrs. Cake chuckled, "All right then. Cheese, come with me, I'll get you settled."

"Thanks." Cheese struggled to his hooves with Pinkie's help. Slowly, he limped after Mrs. Cake, grateful she was not throwing him out after all.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Twilight skimmed through another spell book, humming merrily to herself. In the corner, Spike sat on a pile of tomes, enjoying his latest comic. A cool, crisp autumn breeze snuck though the window, teasing the alicorn's mane and ruffling the pages. It was a perfect day.

"Twilight!"

What now? She looked up to see Pinkie skidding into the library, nearly toppling over a stack of innocent books. "Pinkie Pie, what's gotten into you?"

"Nothing." She gave Twilight a big hug, and pointed to Ponyville. "It's a nice day today. Why are you inside?"

"Because, it's a nice day inside too." Spike chuckled, flipping a page of his comic book.

"Guess that's right." Pinkie started to bounce up and down, "Cheesie came back this morning."

"Did he? Was it our letter? Or did he finish the case?"

"Sort of." Her exuberance deflated like a balloon. "They had to drop the case."

"What?" Twilight looked thunderstruck. "Why?"

"Mostly cause all the evidence incinerated." Pinkie shuffled uncomfortably. "Cheesie got caught in the fire too, and hurt his legs bad."

"Oh my. I'm sorry, Pinkie." Twilight gave Pinkie a big hug, stroking her mane. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Cheesie's not." She looked close to panic, "He keeps saying he's fine, but he's in a lot of pain. I've never seen him hurt so bad."

"Oh, Pinkie."

"Cheese is hurt?" Spike trundled over, looking just as worried as Twilight.

Pinkie nodded, and pulled away. "Sorry about that, Twilight. Just had to get that off of my chest." Her loud gasp made Twilight and Spike jump, "How could I forget? I came to ask you something and got all sidetracked. Since Brahm left, Cheesie needs a place to stay. Do you know of anypony in town that wouldn't mind an extra roommate?"

Twilight racked her brain for a moment. "None that I can-" She paused, remembering something Fluttershy had said to her. "-I'll check back later on that. I think Fluttershy might know of somepony."

"Thanks. You're a lifesaver!" Pinkie darted out of the library as quick as she came.

Twilight sighed, levitating her saddlebags. "Guess I'm off too, Spike." So much for a relaxing day at home.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Sleepy? Why sleepy?"

Cheese blinked awake, staring into a pair of brown eyes. "Pound Cake? What are you doing?"

"Nap time." He rolled on the bedcovers. "But not sleepy."

"I see." The thought of the twins speaking was highly offsetting. Though, they were growing up, it was to be expected. "You fly out of your bed?"

Sure enough, the pegaus' railed bed was empty. His sister lay fast asleep on her own bed. Cheese yawned, sitting up on the covers. Though it was midday, the room was darkened by the curtains.

Pound Cake flew up on the bed beside Cheese. "Play?"

"Not now. You need to take a nap." Cheese gestured pointedly to the colt's bed.

He puffed out his chest defiantly, "No."

"I said nap."

"No."

Obviously their conversation was going nowhere. Instead, he searched around the room for a distraction. There was a shelf of books lined against the wall. "You want me to read you a book?"

"Book?" His eyes sparkled in anticipation. "Yay! Book time!"

"That's right. Why don't you pick one out?" He had absolutely no idea if the kid understood him, but sure enough, the pegasus flew over to the books and pulled one out. Quick as a whip, he returned, depositing it in front of Cheese. The title intrigued him, "'The Pokey Puppy.' You like this one?"

He jerked a nod, "Yup."

Before Cheese could protest, Pound Cake had snuggled up next to him on the covers. The little colt's boldness amused him. "Okay, okay. Here we go." He opened the book, showing the page to him. "'There once was a pokey puppy.'" Boy this is going to be a real page turner. "'The puppy had many siblings, but none like him. They wanted to run and play, but he wanted to sleep-'" As he continued reading, the colt's eyes drooped lower and lower. By the fourth page, he was already asleep. Goober. Staring at the Pound Cake made him feel exhausted, and before long, he too fell asleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie dear, would you top off the display case for me?"

"Okey dokey." Pinkie hopped over to the baking counter, and hoisted a pan of cupcakes into her mouth. She placed them expertly into the case, careful not to squish them or smear the icing. Her focus caused her to miss the two ponies walking into the store.

"Hello, Pinkie Pie!" A young, loud voice echoed across the room.

Pinkie looked up to see Applebloom and Applejack standing in front of the counter. "Hey girls. What are you doing here?"

Applejack looked at her like she was a touch off in the head, "Uh, you mean you don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Big Mac's birthday party." Applebloom danced excitedly around, "You said we were gonna plan it with you today."

"I did?" Realization crashed over her like a flood, "Oh my gosh! I did. Sorry girls, I completely forgot."

Forgot? That don't sound like the Pinkie I know. Applejack leaned over, placing a hoof on Pinkie's forehead, "You okay, Sugarcube?"

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be, silly?"

"Just, you never forget ta plan a party. Never. It ain't like you." Her eyes darted nervously over her friend, looking for some sign of illness.

Pinkie rolled her eyes, "I'm fine. Just, Cheesie came back this morning."

Applebloom's eyes sparkled, "Really? Yes! Now Big Mac's party will be amazin'."

Instead of laughing or smiling like normal, Pinkie's face fell, "Applebloom, Cheesie's not going to be planning parties for a while."

The color left Applejack's face, "What's wrong?"

"He's-" Pinkie eyed Applebloom, "-he's hurt. Got into an accident in Manehattan."

"Hurt?" Applebloom looked nervous, her eyes darting between her sister and Pinkie. "He's not hurt hurt, is he?"

"Huh?" Pinkie could not figure out where Applebloom was going with this. "He's okay."

"Yer lyin' I know you are!" The filly's voice was strangely high pitched, "Just like Granny said before they…before they left."

"Sugarcube, this ain't the same as then." Applejack looked close to panic, looking to Pinkie for backup.

Then, Pinkie understood. Applebloom was remembering when her parents had passed. In an instant, she was across the counter and hugging Applebloom. "It's okay, Applebloom. Cheesie's going to be just fine."

"Yer just sayin' that ta make me feel better."

"Nope. In fact-" Pinkie stood up straight, smiling brightly. "I'll prove it to you. Come on, you can talk to him for a bit and see for yourself."

Applebloom considered for a moment and nodded. "Okay."

Applejack pulled Pinkie aside, eyes serious. Leaning in, she hissed in her ear, "He aint real bad, is he?"

"No." Pinkie kept her voice low, "he got burned in a fire. His hooves are all wrapped up, and he's in pain. But he's not going to die."

Applejack gave an audible sigh of relief. "All right, you can let her see him. Just so she don't go tellin' everypony he's on his deathbed. Got it?"

"Got it."

Together the mares climbed the stairs into the living room. Mr. Cake looked up from playing with the twins, smiling brightly, "Oh well now, this is a surprise. Come for a visit?"

Applejack smiled back, "Yeah. Thought we'd say hi ta Cheese."

Mr. Cake nodded and returned to playing with his children. The mares slipped into the twin's room. A pleasant breeze drifted in from the open window. Cheese lay fast asleep on the bed, curled up in a ball. Pinkie hopped over to him, shaking him gently awake. "Heya Cheesie."

"Pinkie?" He gave a cough, staring blearily up at her, "What time is it?"

"Around three." She leaned in close so only he could hear her. "I was talking to Applebloom, and I mentioned you were back but sick. She's really worried. Could you maybe pretend to be okey dokey for her?"

He nodded, "I'll do my best." Speaking so the Apple girls could hear, "Hey, Applebloom. Pinkie said you wanted to see me?"

Applebloom raced over, looking at him as though expecting him to explode. Her eyes grew wide at the bandages, "Pinkie says yer okay, but I don't believe her."

"No? Well, I'm just jim dandy." He ruffled her mane affectionately, "I walked too much, and they had to bandage my hooves, that's all."

"Oh. But why'd you cut your mane then?"

He shrugged, "I was curious to see if I could make it lie flat. How's it look?"

She stuck out her tongue, "Terrible. You look worse than Big Mac when he got into some bubblegum."

Cheese laughed loudly, "Ouch. That's rough. Guess I'll have to grow it out again, huh?"

Applebloom nodded, then glanced over at her sister and Pinkie who were whispering something. "Pinkie says you can't help with Big Mac's party. But, if you get 'round to feelin' better, I think he'd like you to come."

"I'll try." A shot of pain rocketed through him again, nearly causing him to cry out. "Why don't you go help Pinkie. She's good at parties, but not so good with apple farming. You could give her some pointers to make Big Mac's bash super awesome."

"Right. Thanks." She gave him a quick hug and cantered over to the mares. Applejack ushered her out of the room.

Pinkie trotted over to him, watching the stallion cringe and gasp in pain. "Thanks, Cheesie. I didn't mean to bother you."

"You weren't bothering me. I don't want Applebloom to worry either. Speaking of-" He glanced to the door, pondering, "Why was she so worried? I didn't think she was that close to me."

"She's not. Just that-" Pinkie sighed, looking at the floor, "-she lost her parents when she was little. So, she got a little scared when I said you were sick. She thought I might be lying to her to spare her feelings."

"Oh." Poor kid. Guess I don't blame her. "But, she's got a loving family. That counts for something, eh?"

"Yeah." Pinkie's eyes looked into his, "You need some more medicine?"

"Yes please."

After handing the pills over, she turned to leave. "Thanks, Cheesie."

"No problem."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie sat at the dinner table entertaining the twins while their parents cleaned up. The day had been eventful to say the least. Still, she was glad to have Cheesie back, even if he was not exactly back in one piece.

A knock at the side door set her on edge. Twilight's smiling face greeting her was a pleasant surprise. "Twilight? What are you doing here?"

Twilight strode into the dining room. "Well, you wanted me to look for a place Cheesie could stay at, didn't you?"

"Yup. But you can't have found one so soon."

Twilight gave an expression of mock indignation, "Don't underestimate a Princess' power, Pinkie."

"Wow, do you have a super secret house finding power, Twilight?"

Twilight burst out laughing, "Not hardly. I talked to Fluttershy, and she knew somepony right off the bat."

Pinkie cocked her head, "Who?"

"Bulk Biceps."

"What? But he's a pegasus. And-" Pinkie paused, "-why would Fluttershy know if Bulk Biceps needed a roommate?"

"They're friends. Fluttershy has been practicing flying with him since they're both about the same level."

"Practicing with him? And she never bothered to tell one of her bestest friends?"

What's her deal? She's the last pony who should be complaining about a friend hanging out with a stallion. "Guess she didn't think it was relevant. You know Fluttershy. Anyway, are you going to let me finish?"

Pinkie nodded. Twilight cleared her throat, continuing, "He's a pegasus, but he's living in Ponyville right now. Fluttershy says he has an extra room he'd like to rent out. So, she talked to him today and he's more than willing to let Cheese stay with him."

Pinkie gave her a big hug, "That's great, Twilight. Cheesie will be so happy."

"Yup. Speaking of-" A quick glance around the dining room showed no sign of the other party pony. "-where is he?"

"Sleeping again." The smile vanished from her face. "He hasn't felt like doing much else all day."

"I see. Let me know if you need anything else." With a last wave to the twins, Twilight strode out of the dining room.

Pinkie put on her best happy face and turned back to the twins. "Who wants to play with auntie Pinkie?"

The twins squealed with delight, and started a fit of giggles. As Pinkie played with them, her worries began to ebb. The next few weeks would be tough, but they would pull through. After all, there would always be something to smile about.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Home for Now

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"Cheesie, come on. Wake up!"

"What?" Cheese blinked awake, staring into his mare's rather irritated face. "What?"

Pinkie rolled her eyes, "I've been trying to wake you up for five minutes already!"

"Oh, sorry." He yawned, looking around at the room. The theme apparently was baby blue. Just about everything, from the curtains to the rocking chair cushions to the wall was the same shade of it. To compound the situation, morning light was spilling in through the open window, making the whole place shimmer. "Urgh, turn off the light."

"Nope." Pinkie pulled on his ear, "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

Is he serious? "I'm taking you to Bulk's. Don't you remember?"

"Uh." He closed his eyes in concentration, then opened them, shaking his head. "Nope."

She gave a rare pout, stamping her hooves in frustration. "Urgh! I told you last night when I helped put the twins to bed."

"Oh." The memory finally came rushing back to him. "Yeah, now I remember."

"Good. Come on." Though her face still reflected irritation, she held out a hoof for him to grab.

"Thanks." Cautiously, he stepped onto the floor. There was a lot of pain, but it was more bearable than yesterday. "You know, I think that rest did me some good."

"Uh huh." Pinkie's eyes followed his movement as they left the bedroom. Cheese headed for the stairs, but Pinkie pushed him towards the bathroom.

"What?"

"I'm cleaning you up." Pinkie gestured grandly to all of him.

Cheese looked perplexed, "Am I that dirty?"

Seriously? Slapping a hoof to her forehead, she shoved the reluctant stallion into the bathroom and closed the door. "Yes, yes you are."

The frilly pink bathroom had changed little since he last was in it. Though, the number of bath toys seemed to have multiplied exponentially. It was oppressively warm, but at least the tile was nice and cool. Cheese glanced nervously at his marefriend, who seemed on quite the mission. He watched her pull down some towels, a sponge, a scrub brush, and a bucket. "What are you-"

"-You're not supposed to get the burns wet, right?" Pinkie hummed, trotting around Cheese with the bucket.

He watched as she filled it with water and soap and set it down in front of him. Before he could react, she soaked his back in icy water from the sponge. "Yikes! Pinkie!"

"Sorry. I didn't want to use warm water with the burns." She stuck out her tongue, "And it's not that cold, silly."

"Yeah, yeah." He flattened his ears, letting pinkie scrub off the layers of filth matting his coat. Though it was embarrassing, it felt nice to have her body pressed so close to his. She did smell much nicer than he did.

"Geeze, Cheesie. You need to take better care of your coat." She sighed longingly, holding the scrub brush to her chest, "And it used to be so soft and clean."

His laughter echoed around the bathroom, "It wasn't that clean."

The pout returned, "It was too."

Cheese rolled his eyes. Then he picked up the sponge, splashing Pinkie with water. "Here. You can be clean too."

She giggled, pushing him on his back and kissing him on the muzzle. "Yup. Now we match."

He nickered softly, kissing her back. Then, reluctantly, he pushed her gently off of him. "Better finish up."

Pinkie nodded, and picked up the scrub brush again. After his coat, she turned to his mane. It looks awful. "Cheesie, why'd they cut it so short?"

He shrugged, "Dunno. I didn't think I singed it that bad."

"It makes you look like some uptight city pony." An attempt to poof it up again just resulted in it lying closer to his neck. "It doesn't even curl when it's this short."

"Nope. It's different from yours." He picked up a mouthful of Pinkie's mane for emphasis.

Pinkie squealed in protest. "Cheesie, my mane's not for eating."

"He, he. Well it tastes pretty good." He grinned with the strands still in his mouth, "Kinda like cotton candy."

"Cheesie!"

A fit of laughter caused Cheese to drop her mane. "Sorry. I couldn't resist. You're just too cute."

Pinkie's cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's, "No fair."

Guess I should stop teasing her. He reached down, kissing her on the forehead. "Love you."

Her face grow warm, "You too."

"So, now that I'm clean, can we leave?"

"Nope." Pinkie stood up, throwing a towel over him. "Dry off and I'll help you change your bandages."

"Right." He winced at the thought of it. It needed to be done, but it was awfully painful.

Pinkie trotted over to the door, "Are they in your saddlebags?"

"Yeah." He watched her leave, then turned to his legs. Slowly, he unwrapped the bandage on his right front. "Argh! Why's it hurt so much?"

"Hey, Cheesie. I got it." Pinkie trotted into the bathroom, closing the door. The sight of his leg nearly made her gag. "Cheesie!"

"That was quick." He smiled weakly, lifting his hoof so it would not touch the tiles.

Pinkie's eyes sparkled with worry. Every inch of his hoof was a raw, red color. There was no hair left on it, only burnt skin. Her heart pounded uncomfortably fast. "It's really bad."

"Yeah, but it's just the front hooves. The back one's are a lot better." He glanced to the fresh bandages Pinkie had brought. "Could I have those?"

"Huh? Right." She watched him wrap the leg up, trying to hide the panic she felt. "Cheesie, it'll get better, right?"

"Yeah. It'll scar up kinda bad, but most of the hair should grow back." An unconvincing smile flickered across his face. "Hey, at least we'll match."

"That's not funny, Cheesie." It's not fair. Why'd he have to get hurt too? Fighting the urge to cry, she burrowed her face into his chest. "Messed up."

"Huh?" Cheese finished wrapping the last bit of the bandage and staring the mare. "Pinkie, what's messed up?"

"Everything." The tears came for real this time, stinging her eyes and dripping into Cheese's coat. "You, this whole mess with your parents." She pounded her hooves against his sides, "It's not supposed to be this way! It's not. Why should you have to pretend to be all right when you're not!"

"Pinkie, calm down." Cheese held her close, rubbing her mane gently. "I'm not trying to pretend. If I only focused on the bad, how would I cheer anypony up?"

"But, you need to talk about it sometime."

He kissed her on the forehead, "Well, I've got you, don't I?"

Pinkie pulled away, eyes serious. "It wouldn't hurt you to show it to the others."

"Why?"

"Because, acting like everything's all right, when it's not is just fake, Cheesie." Her hooves shook a little as she picked up his left front, removing the bandages. "You've got friends who care about you. Don't cheapen that relationship because you want to spare their feelings. That's selfish."

"Right." Beat me again, dear. You always do. It was a little humiliating to have her bandage his hooves, but he was not about to stop her. The amount of determination in the mare's eyes told him to let it go. So he sat there in silence, watching Pinkie bandage up the burns, and hoping she was not mad at him.

"There. All done." She smiled weakly, ruffling what was left of his forelock. "Come on, we'll get you over to Bulk's."

"Kay."

"Be right back." Quick as a flash, Pinkie darted off towards the bedroom. When she returned, the large traveling hat was perched comfortably on her head and his saddlebags draped over her back.

He chuckled, "Changing your wardrobe?"

"Yup. I think it suits me." With a flourish, she set the saddlebags on his back. She stood in front of him posing like Rarity, "I simply can't find anything suitable to wear."

He tilted the hat until it covered her eyes. "It suits you."

They made their way out of the house and into the sunny day beyond. Cheese marveled at the change Ponyville had undergone. Every corner of the place was decorated in fall colors, pumpkins, corn stalks, and whatever else the townsponies could think of. The street was packed with ponies, all chatting animatedly with each other. It was a thousand times better than the cold streets of Manehattan.

Why's he just standing there? Pinkie nudged him gently, "Come on, Cheesie, this way."

"Huh? Oh, right. Coming!" The chattering ponies grew silent as they passed. A tangible tension filled the air, and whispers spread like wildfire. Cheese lowered his head, trying to avoid the unwanted attention as he limped along. "Pinkie?"

Pinkie glanced nervously at him. "Yes?" Instead of a reply, she felt the hat being taken off of her head. "Hey, I could carry that."

"Uh huh. But-" Cheese gave a meaningful glance towards the ponies, "-your job's calling."

She snorted, "They'll be fine."

"Nope." His voice was scarcely more than a whisper, "They're nervous. One of Ponyville's two party ponies just came back covered in bandages and limping. That can't be good for morale." He gave her a gently push in the ribs. "Go. I'll be fine. It's not like I can get lost here."

Her chest puffed out defiantly.

He rolled his eyes, "I'm not running off to Manehattan. I'm staying, so you're stuck with me. Got it?"

"Kay." She pawed the ground uncertainty, "Promise?"

Cheese's soft kiss on her muzzle was all the answer she needed. "Cross my heart."

Pinkie nodded, turning to leave, "Take it easy, kay?"

"Yup." For a split second, he thought about calling her back. But, no, with the amount of pain he was in, his usual routine was off the table. So, if only for today, he would let it pass. Slipping on his hat, he drifted onto one of the side streets and out of sight.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Fluttershy tapped her hooves as fast as Angel Bunny's feet. Though she had waited for over forty minutes, Bulk was nowhere in sight. "Oh my, where could he be? I hope he's not hurt." Her eyes darted across the clearing as if expecting the hulking stallion to materialize by the nearest tree. "Should I get the girls?"

Just on cue, a white figure appeared in the sky, and landed clumsily beside her. He folded his miniscule wings, panting heavily, "Sorry I'm late."

"That's okay, Bulk." It only took a few seconds to see that he was anxious about something, "Did something bad happen? You've never been late to our practices."

"No! Yes! Uh-" Flustered, he started to stare down the grass blades, "-I dunno…"

"You don't know what's wrong?" Fluttershy eyed him nervously, pressing a hoof to his forehead. It doesn't feel hot.

Bulk's heart thumped like a hammer in his chest. "Fine! Yeah! Just fine."

"You're not fine. Anypony can see that. You can tell me, we're friends after all."

Bulk let out a huge sigh, "Cheese."

"So that's why you were late." Fluttershy's face broke into a broad smile, "How is he?"

"Uh-" He dug one of his small yellow hooves into the dirt, "-Not good."

Fluttershy felt her heart skip a beat. Yesterday, when Twilight had asked about a place for Cheese to stay, she thought something was off. If Cheese had wanted a place to stay, he would have gone out and looked for one himself. "What's wrong with him, Bulk?"

He glanced up at her, "Bandages."

"Huh?"

"He's all covered in bandages. And, he can hardly walk." Bulk gave an involuntary shudder. "He said he got burned in a fire, and had to stay in a hospital." The thought of anypony he knew going to a hospital always sent his mind racing. It's just like sissy. "Hospitals are no good."

Fluttershy rested a hoof on his shoulder. "Oh, it's okay, Bulk. I'm sure he's fine. Pinkie wouldn't have let him out of her sight if he wasn't."

"Kay." Bulk's red eyes flashed concern, "What should I do?"

Fluttershy's laugh tinkled like wind chimes, "You don't have to do anything. Just, be your wonderful self." She gave him a friendly squeeze on the hoof, "Thanks for caring so much."

"Yeah!" He raised a hoof in his typical motivational fashion. "Now let's practice!"

"Uh huh-" Then, in her best shout which was scarcely more than conversation tone, "-yeah."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cheese awoke to the sound of wind chimes ringing above him. Blearily, he opened his eyes and took in the unfamiliar, tidy room. Its matching bed set was probably an antique by now, but it was so lovingly maintained that it was hard to tell. The whole place reminded him of a little old mare's house, from the lacy curtains down to the flowery quilt he was laying on. But, that was far from a deterrent for him. This place was his home for now, so he might as well enjoy it.

Most ponies would have at least been taken aback by waking up in an unfamiliar place. Pinkie often suffered from the "where am I" sensation whenever she woke up somewhere different. But, after years and years of traveling, Cheese could care less where he was as long as it was not the apartment he grew up in. No, if he had a list of all the places he wanted to wake up, this would be pretty high up there. Then again, waking up next to Pinkie was on another scale entirely.

Sighing, he rolled over on the small bed, enjoying the peace and quiet. I wonder what time it is? A quick glance out the window showed that it was close to sunset. Great, I slept the whole day away. Shaking off the sleep, he got to his hooves and went to investigate the room. It contained the bed, a matching dresser, an endtable, and a roll top desk. Neeto.

From the look of the desk, it had been there nearly as long as the house. The rollers were fun to play with, and opened up to reveal a neat stack of paper, a quill, and some ink. Though sorely tempted to write a letter to Quill, he shut the top. Maybe later.

A new thought occurred to him as he looked around at the empty room. None of his belongings were there. In fact, he had absolutely no idea where any of his things were. To compound the issue, he realized he had left Boneless 2 in Milo's apartment. Then, an extremely nasty, icy feeling crept over him. How am I supposed to work? The condition his hooves were in, it would be weeks before he could lift anything substantial, and months before he was back to full strength. A lousy situation for a carpenter. "Now what?"

The thought of asking Pinkie to for money was degrading. No, he would think of something, he always did. "Stupid hooves!"

A soft knock at the door caught him off guard. Bulk's voice came through in the usual loud manner, "You okay?"

"Yeah, just rambling to myself. You can come in." Cheese watched Bulk squeeze his huge body through the doorframe.

The pegasus was covered in sweat and just a touch less enthusiastic than normal. "Say, uh you settling in okay?"

Cheese nodded emphatically, "I love it here. Thanks for letting me move in on such short notice." Searching for conversation, he gestured to Bulk's sweaty form, "Been lifting?"

Bulk's red eyes bulged enthusiastically, "Yeah!" Then, quieter, "But first I practiced flying with Fluttershy."

A stabbing pain shot up Cheese's legs again, nearly doubling him over. As casually as he could, he leaned against the bedpost and grinned, "Oh, how'd that go?"

"Great!" Truth be told, between the two of them, they had barely managed to perform the basic tests in the flight school manual. But, Bulk was always one to stay on the positive side. "You hungry?"

"Yup." Because of everything going on, he had not eaten since he left Manehattan. He followed Bulk out of the door and into the other room. The house was not large, and the space was dedicated to a simple kitchen, a small square table, and a makeshift work out space. But, despite all that was going on in the room, it still retained some open space and the same comforting feeling as the bedroom. "You need me to make it?"

"Naw." The constant shaking in Cheese's legs was more than a little offsetting. He okay? "You can sit, I'll make it."

"Thanks." Cheese happily took a seat and watched the pegasus pull out some bread, cheese, and a frying pan. He raised an eyebrow, "Grilled cheese?"

"Yeah! You like it?"

Cheese glanced down at his cutie mark. Really? You have to ask. "Yup, it's my favorite."

"That's good." He flew to the ceiling, pulling down one of the many herbs hanging there, "But, you've never had my grilled Cheese before."

As he watched his new roommate make dinner, he realized he hardly knew anything about him. He likes to work out, and practice with Fluttershy. Guess that's a start. "Say, Bulk, why are you and Fluttershy practicing?"

Bulk was glad Cheese could not see him blushing, "After the qualifiers for the games, we wanted to get better at flying."

"That's a great idea. You know, it's always better to practice with another pony." Cheese sat in silence for a while, wondering what to say. It was nothing like talking with Pinkie. He jumped a little when Bulk set a plate of sandwiches in front of him.

"They're done." Bulk across from Cheese, grinning at his handiwork. The sandwiches were grilled to perfection, and filled with a mixture of cheese and herbs that he had perfected over the years. "Let's dig in. Yeah!"

"Yeah." To his surprise, the sandwiches were amazingly tasty. All the herbs blended together in a flawless mixture of cheesy goodness. "These are amazing!"

Bulk nodded, swallowing a large chunk of sandwich. "Mom taught me how. She loves to cook."

"Nice." Cheese wolfed down his portion and watched Bulk finish up. Once again, he felt extremely awkward. Should I say something else?

"How's your family?"

"What?"

"Well-" He took a sandwich, bouncing it on his muscles, "-Fluttershy said you went to Manehattan to visit them. Bet they were worried sick when you got hurt though."

His emerald eyes flashed with anger, and his voice was icy, "No, they weren't."

Bulk's sandwich toppled to the ground, "Huh?"

He sighed, "They aren't the nicest ponies in Equestria. I really didn't go there to spend time with them."

"Oh, business?"

"Yeah." His legs were hurting worse than ever now. Slowly, he got to his hooves, "I'm going to lay back down."

Bulk smiled, "Kay, see you."

Cheese fell on the bed with a thud. His whole body felt hot and painful. So much for getting better. Urgh! For a brief moment, he thought about writing the letter to Quill. But, the desk was so far away, and he was so very tired.

Nopony is an Island

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A soft roaring sound, like a thousand waves crashing on the shore came from every direction. In the sparkling, dim light, thousands of multi-colored ribbons could be seen splashing and surging like a writhing blanket. Luna stood atop of them, smiling to herself. Each and every strand represented a single dream. This evening, the ribbon was especially beautiful, full of vibrant hues that tickled her hooves gently.

As she walked across them, sparks leapt into the dark expanse above, settling to resemble her stars. Luna laughed, galloping down her makeshift road, and scattering up a wave of lights. Beautiful! There was nothing she loved more than the dreamscape. For it was here that all the hopes and dreams of all ponies gathered and mingled in a harmony to rival her sister's Elements. It was here she could make a difference.

Her romp opened up another road, and she took it, tossing her mane playfully. It was by far the most beautiful the scape had looked in months. The ribbons went out to meet her, sparkling brilliantly. Only the most pleasant dreams brought forth such colors. Eventually, she slowed, savoring the ribbons in detail. Then, she saw it and her heart sank.

Expertly, she separated the ribbons with a pass of her hoof. There, writhing like a snake under her hooves was a jet black ribbon. A nightmare to be sure, and a bad one. Luna started at the thickness of the strand, gritting her teeth. It was no colt or filly's dream.

The dreamscape was a wonderful place, but Luna knew better than to trust it completely. Dreams were tricky, and not to be entered lightly. For, if she lost herself, it would be impossible to return again. The dreams of the young were abstract, and malleable. But adults, adults were a different story. Their dreams were real, and stubborn. It would be easy to forget herself there. Still, judging from the deep black of the ribbon, this pony needed her help.

Taking a deep breath, she pressed her horn to the ribbon, feeling the familiar lurching sensation. Her body spun round and round, and an uncomfortable pressure squeezed the breath from her lungs. But she had learned long ago not to fight it, so she allowed the sensation to pass through her. Soon enough, she gained control of her body once more.

To her surprise, the dream had not opened up in some flashy horror novel scene. Instead, it looked almost boring. She was standing in a moonlit room. It was the cleanest bedroom she had ever seen. The stark white walls, ordinary furniture, and lack of any decorations made it feel more like a hotel room. Walking around , she searched for any sign of the dreamer.

The only unusual object she found as a long black box under the window sill. It really was quite strange, with small holes drilled in the sides. Luna was about to turn around, when a loud thump made her leap into the air. The thumping grew louder and louder, and Luna realized that it was coming from inside the box. Strange.

She perked her ears, listening to the sound. An animal? What pony keeps their pet in a box like this? From the rapid pounding, it was either scared or angry.

"Let me out! I'll be good, I promise! I won't talk anymore. Please!"

Luna actually sat on her haunches in shock. A pony? Her heart raced, "Hello?"

The young voice grew soft and pleading. "Let me out. I don't want to stay here anymore."

The alicorn looked for a latch, and found a heavy metallic lock. She tried blasting it with her magic, but it would not budge. Her eyes darted across the room for a tool, "Do not fear, I shall release you."

Instead of a response, there was the sound of heavy breathing.

Luna strode to the bedroom door, but found that her hooves simply passed right though. Inwardly, she cursed her luck. The dreamer was subconsciously blocking her. She doubted he could even hear her speak.

The door swung open and an opulently dressed unicorn mare strode in. Her long mane shimmered in the moonlight as she strode to the box. A look of complete loathing stretched across her dainty features, "Storm, how long has Rory been in here?"

The harsh male voice from another room was as grating as sandpaper, "Not long enough."

She mare snorted, and started to walk away. Forgetting her position, Luna stood in front of her, ears pinned. "Why do you leave him there? Release him!"

Of course, the pony gave no response. Instead, she paused halfway across the room, considering. Her amber eyes rolled dramatically, and she turned back to the box. A light shone around her horn as she opened the lock. Her voice was low and highly irritated, "You will be quiet, Rory."

Luna cantered over to the box and stared in. What she gave her stomach a sickening lurch. There, lying inside the box was a filthy little, underweight colt. The interior of the box was so marred with scratches that no paint was left. Dried blood caked the walls, and the little colt's hooves. His green eyes shone with terror as the unicorn lifted him up with her magic and laid him on the carpet.

The poor colt looked too weak to stand, and only stared up at the mare. "Mother, I-"

"-I do not care, Rory." She closed the box with her magic, locking it again. "You have obviously irritated him again. I do not pity your stupidity." The mare glanced at the colt's shaking sides. She levitated a pitcher of water from the bedstand. "Drink."

The colt drained the entire pitcher in a few gulps. He smiled weakly at his mother, attempting to give her leg a hug.

She recoiled, a look of utter disgust distorting her features. "Do not touch me Rory." The unicorn's tail swished irritably as she pointed to the bed. "You will go to bed, you will not make a sound, and you will not leave this room. Is that understood?"

"Yes."

Her eyebrow raised, "Yes?"

The pony looked down submissively, "Yes, Mother."

Luna stared open mouthed as the mare simply walked away from her colt. She cantered over to him, and attempted to shake him, "Wake up! This is but a dream! You are in control here." The pony did not look up. Very well, I will force you to see the light. Closing her eyes in concentration, Luna lit her horn. Releasing the magic all around her, the dream shattered like a thousand pieces of glass.

The colt morphed into a lanky stallion with an equally bushy mane. He stared in shock, as though he were seeing Luna for the first time. His heart skipped a beat. The alicorn was every bit as beautiful as she had been described. "Princess Luna?"

Luna sighed in relief and nodded. All around them was a sea of black, a good sign. But, just as she opened her mouth to speak, the scene began to distort. Not yet! Try as she may, her magic could not fight the dream. She watched hopelessly as the stallion faded from view, "Don't go! Fight it!"

But, it was too late. Once more she felt herself dragged down, until she stood in an entirely new scene. This time, it was a darkened office. A strange haze hung over the place. It was smoke, and the room was full of it. Drifting through the door, she passed into a hallway. A flickering light at the end identified the source of the blaze.

The horrifying sight before her was what she would expect in a nightmare, but different. It was too solid, too vivid. Just as the previous scene, this was not a pure nightmare, it was a memory. Flames engulfed the room from all sides, licking the ceiling and dancing off of the walls. There in the center of the room was the dreamer, and another pony.

A unicorn lay buried under a pile of flaming timbers as the dreamer attempted to free him. Luna rushed over, once again attempting to shake him. But, just as before, her hooves passed right through him. He noticed me before, there is a chance. "Wake up. This is but a dream, it cannot hurt you. You must fight it!"

The pony continued, just as before without looking up. Luna gulped as the rushing sound from the fire intensified and flames shot towards them. The memory was escalating into a nightmare. This is bad. Luna gathered her magic once more, ready to break the illusion up. But this time, the nightmare fought back. Flames leaped into the air, nullifying the magic around her horn. She turned towards the dreamer, "Fight it. Don't let your fears control you."

Her words fell on deaf ears however, and soon the flames obscured the ponies. Then, a blood curdling scream echoed around the room. It was the most heart wrenching sound she had ever heard, chilling her to the bone. She tried desperately to reach him, but it was no use. So she stood there, listening to the awful noise growing louder and louder as flames engulfed him.

The flames now encircled her, morphing into twisted shadows. They began to wrench her away with the familiar sensation. Try as she may to resist, it was no use. The dream had thrown her out. She landed in the dreamscape with a thud. Below her, the ribbons continued to churn and dance as before.
The black ribbon began to fade, then vanish entirely. Luna stamped a hoof in frustration. He woke up. Getting to her hooves, she glanced around at the dreamscape, as beautiful as she had left it. And yet, she could not find the same joy in it.

The scream played over and over again in her mind. A sickening feeling washed over her like a flood. Up until the very end, the entire mess had been a memory not a nightmare. The ponies in the beginning, they were no figment of his imagination. Luna gritted her teeth, disgusted that anypony could be so cruel. I will find them, and they will pay.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cheese awoke, drenched in sweat and shaking like a leaf. The nightmare had felt so real, so uncontrollable. Now that he was back in Ponyville, he thought they would have stopped. Apparently, he was wrong. He took a deep swig from the water pitcher and wondered about the time.

It was dark outside, and quiet. At least that was a good sign. His hooves seared with pain, and he curled up tighter on the quilt. The dream replayed itself over and over again. They had been familiar memories, but something was off. He could not shake the feeling that there was something important he should be remembering. Then, it hit him. Luna. Why would he dream about her? And what was she trying to tell him anyway?

A crazy thought played in his mind. Could Luna enter ponies' dreams? Surely the princess of the night had better things to worry about than trying to fix his messed up mind. Yawning, he turned over. Maybe he would double check with Twilight in the morning just to be sure.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

All of the Elements of Harmony were gathered on the floor of the library for a meeting of utmost importance. Well, that was how they saw it. Scattered all over the floor were piles of fabric, diagrams scribbled on scraps, and sundry household objects.

Rarity cleared her throat, "Ladies, let's get started, shall we?"

"Wooohooo!" Pinkie leapt in the air, scattering confetti she acquired from Equestria knows where.

A smirk stretched across Rainbow's face, "Operation cool costume is a go."

Applejack started shuffling through the nearest pile of fabric, "What in the hay are ya ramblin' 'bout now, Rainbow?"

"Urgh!" Rainbow held her hooves out in the air in exasperation. "Applejack! I was trying to make this cool, and you ruined it."

"Oh-" Applejack felt her face heat up, "-sorry 'bout that. Er-" She paused, trying to find the right words,"-let's get this here operation goin' then."

Rainbow moaned loudly, flopping to the floor, "I give up."

Fluttershy giggled, drawing out one of the sheets of paper and examining it. "Wow, Twilight. I love your costume. Who are you going to be?"

Twilight's hooves clapped together like a foal in the candy store. "A ghost librarian."

"Wow, that’s a good idea." Fluttershy flew over to Rarity, "Do you have your costume yet?"

"Oh I've got a few ideas." Rarity withdrew a stack of papers, all full of drawings, "But I simply can't decide which one to choose."

Soon they were all looking through Rarity's designs, laughing at and joking as they went. They were so preoccupied, that they did not notice the lank stallion walking into the library.

"Wow, there a party I don't know about?"

Pinkie whipped her head around, and screamed with delight, "Cheesie!"

Cheese held out a bandaged hoof to stop the inevitable bone crushing hug. "Hey, dear."

Pinkie skidded to a halt a few centimeters from his muzzle. "Hey." She pressed her soft muzzle to his, and proceeded to kiss him a few more times.
Rainbow made a gagging motion to the girls. Then, she stopped at seeing Cheese's strange appearance. Her eyes grew wide as saucers, and she nudged Applejack in the ribs, "Hey, what happened to him?"

Applejack snorted, "Like I know."

Taking hold of the situation, Twilight gave a pointed cough. "Um, here for a visit, Cheese?"

"Huh?" Cheese pushed Pinkie gently away from his now red face, "Sorry. I wanted to talk to you actually."

"Me?"

"Yeah, I had some questions." Cheese limped over to them, Pinkie beside him. Taking an open space, he lay down next to the girls. His eyes darted over the scene of organized chaos, "What in Equestria are you doing?"

"We're making costumes for Nightmare Night, silly." Pinkie nudged him playfully in the ribs.

"What's Nightmare Night?"

Pinkie gasped loudly, falling to the floor with a thud. "WHAT?"

Rainbow burst out into a fit of laughter, "You’re a party pony and you don't know?"

"No." He glanced at his marefriend who was still in a state of shock. "What is it, Pinkie?"

Pinkie sat up, clearing her throat, "Only the bestest fall holiday ever! Everypony goes out at night, dresses up in costumes, gets candy, plays games, and gets super scared."

"Huh?" Sometimes Pinkie's tangents were even too much for him to follow. "Dear, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Applejack sighed, "Let me explain it. It's a local holiday here in Ponyville. Everypony dresses up in costumes, kinda like them masquerade balls. The youngin's go 'round knocking on doors and the adults give them candy. We've got games an other stuff for the adults ta do. And-"

"-And" Rainbow interjected, face alight with excitement, "-we all have fun scaring each other."

It was the most ridiculous sounding holiday he had ever heard of. But, it did sound fun. Except for one thing. His voice came out harsh, "There's nothing fun about being scared, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow huffed, "Yeah there is. Just ask Pinkie. She has a lot of fun being scared."

Cheese turned to Pinkie, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "You can't be serious."

"Well, yeah. Sometimes it's fun to be scared." Pinkie avoided looking into Cheese's eyes, "But it's not the same kind of scared. It's more for fun."

"Fun?" Now he had heard enough. There was absolutely nothing relatively entertaining about being scared. The whole first half of his life had been nothing but fear. And to make a holiday where you would purposely get scared. It made no sense. He shot up, short tail bristling like a cat and green eyes flashing menacingly, "You may think it's fun to be scared, but I sure as hell don't!"

The library grew as silent as the grave. The five friends looked nervously between each other, but Pinkie stood up. Instead of screaming at him or forcing him down, she just gave him a gentle hug, "Let it go, Cheesie."

"I, I can't." His voice shook, "It keeps coming back over and over, Pinkie. I can't stop thinking about it."

Pinkie stroked his mane, speaking softly in his ear "Cheesie, nopony is an island. Let us help."

Cheese nodded, and lay back down beside Pinkie. He looked up at the others, and their confused expressions. "I didn't mean to snap. Just, I haven't had the best experience with being scared. You feel like hearing me out?"

All five of the girls nodded in agreement. Twilight smiled weakly at Cheese, "You can tell us. We're good listeners."

"Right." He took a long, deep breath, rubbing his bandages. "I don't know if all of you know this, but I didn't exactly have the easiest time growing up. My parents, they-" A knot settled in his throat, "-they abused me pretty bad. They're unicorns, and they think less of anypony who isn't one. So, when I was born, Father and Mother were disgusted. They never wanted an earth pony colt, but they were stuck with me."

Unicorns? Twilight remembered Cheese's irrational hatred of magic, and it all started to make sense.

Cheese continued, "At first they just ignored me. It was lonely, but all right. Then, after Mother found out she wouldn't have any more foals, things got worse." His body started to shake, and Pinkie placed a hoof on his shoulder. "I should have known things would get worse. Father took a fancy to beating me. Of course he always used his magic. Why would he bother to get his hooves dirty?"

Rainbow Dash gaped at him, "You're dad beat you with his magic?" The thought of anypony's dad beating them seemed ludicrous to her. After all, her own father always loved and encouraged her. "Why?"

Cheese's emerald eyes flashed coldly, "He didn't need a reason. That's just the kind of pony he is."

Pinkie sighed, nodding in conformation. "It seems like everypony in Manehattan's scared of him."

"Yeah." He pawed the floor nervously, "Every day I would go home terrified, wondering if Father would be angry again. It did not matter what I did, something would always set him off. Then it was either his magic, or-" His voice grew quiet, "-the box."

"The box?" Applejack tried to imagine what so terrifying about a box.

Cheese nodded, now staring hard at the floorboards. "It was just a small black box with a few tiny holes in it for air. They would lock me in it with their magic for hours on end." The stallion's hooves shook violently, "-you can't imagine what it was like. Being trapped in that darkness, sometimes for days on end. Never knowing when or if you would be let out. I wouldn't wish that on anypony."

Fluttershy gave a small squeak, hiding her face in her wings.

Applejack felt her stomach lurch. "So that's why you're claustrophobic?"

Cheese gritted his teeth, "Yeah." A sense of guilt washed over him as he stared at Pinkie's scar. "If I weren't I would have been able to help Pinkie better."

Pinkie rested her head on his chest. "You couldn't help it, Cheesie."

He merely sighed, looking back up at the girls. "So, as soon as I could, I ran away and didn't think about returning. I came back to Manehattan to see that my parents were taken down for what they did. But, it didn't work out."

Pinkie grimaced, staring hard at Cheese's legs.

"I worked with an attorney, Milo Colfax to try and prosecute them. We didn't have the evidence, so we had to make a deal." A look of utter revulsion stretched across his face, "I agreed not to prosecute Mother in return for taking Father down for his other crimes. It wasn't ideal, but what were we to do?"

The next bit made him sick to his stomach. "I was an idiot to think Father wouldn't try something. The night before the trial he made his move." Cheese shuddered, rubbing his hooves, "While we were asleep in the office, it was set on fire. I was in the back, but Milo…Milo was caught in the middle of it. When I found him, he was buried under a pile of burning timbers." He raised a hoof, "It was all I could do to free him. But, in the process, I burned my hooves down bad and Milo nearly died. He's still in a coma." Tears dripped down his muzzle, "It's all my fault! I nearly got him killed."

"Cheesie-"

"-it's not your fault." Twilight strode over to Cheese, lifting his chin. "You did your best, there's nothing else to do."

Rainbow pumped a hoof in the air, "Yeah! It was that no good rotten dad of yours."

In a matter of seconds, he was in the center of a group hug. Applejack threw her hat on him, "See, you've got all of us behind ya."

Fluttershy nodded, "And if you're scared, you can come and talk to me. I'm a good listener."

Rainbow ruffled his mane, "And if you're angry, we can kick off some steam."

"You're not alone, Cheese." Rarity stamped her hoof, "Why, I'll do my utmost to protest that awful mother of yours. I've got some influence in the fashion world you know."

Twilight looked around her library, "I'll do some research for you. There's got to be some way to prosecute them."

An indescribable warmth filled his chest. The tears fell freely now, "Thanks girls…thanks."

They broke up, standing around him. Pinkie held out a hoof, "Silly stallion, we've got your back."

"Yeah. You're right." He stood weakly, smiling at them. "Sorry for worrying you." His attention turned to the mess around them. "So, you're making these costumes huh? You need some help?"

"You bet! Come and check them out, Cheesie." Pinkie trotted over to the papers, chattering away about all their ideas.

Twilight stopped Cheese with her hoof. She lowered her voice to a whisper, "You wanted to ask me something?"

Cheese nodded, "Yeah, I had a pretty weird dream last night. I think I saw Luna in it. Does she have some kind of freaky dream walking powers or something?"

"Well-" Come to think of it, she did not know much about Luna's abilities. She had been Celestia's student after all. "-Maybe? Sorry, I don't know much about it myself."

"That's fine, I just thought I'd ask." He pointed to the others who were now gathered around the designs, "-shall we?"

Twilight smiled back, "Let's."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Tia! I must speak with you." Luna skidded into her sister's chambers, breathing heavily.

Celestia looked up from the bed, staring bleary eyed at her sister. "Is it time to raise the sun already?"

"No sister." Luna cantered over to her sister, shaking her pointedly, "There is an issue that must be addressed."

"Right now?" Though she loved her sister dearly, the younger mare had a tendency to overreact to every little dilemma. But, it was always best to humor her. She sat up straight, "What troubles you?"

Sighing in relief, Luna took a step back. "I have just been in the dreamscape. There I met with a most troubled pony."

"That is what you do there, no?"

"You do not understand me, Tia." Luna leaned in close, "This was no colt whose dream I entered. He was troubled, not by fabricated nightmares, but by memories." Her expression grew troubled, "Tia, these memories, they were worse than most pony's nightmares."

Celestia rested a hoof on her sister's shoulders, "Lulu, I understand your frustration, but the past is in the past. We can do nothing to change that."

"Sister! Listen to me."

Celestia felt an uncomfortable lurch in her stomach. Once again, she was about to ignore Luna when she needed her most. Never again. "Yes?"

"This pony. He was abused as a colt. Badly abused, Tia." Luna's voice quavered, "I could not stand to watch the child suffer, but I could do nothing."

"Oh, Lulu." Celestia gave Luna a tight hug. Children had always held a dear place in her sister's heart. "There is nothing you could have done."

Luna stamped her hooves, "I thought you had eliminated such practices, Tia."

Her eyes filled with sorrow, "One can never eliminate them entirely. That is the trouble with evil, it renews itself with each generation."

The chamber resounded with Luna's voice, "I can't accept that! I shan't stand idly by, Tia."

"And neither shall I." Celestia started towards the door, "Together we will see justice done. We may not be able to change the world, but we can make a difference for this pony."

Relief washed over Luna's face, "Thank you, sister."

Push Through It

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Luna stood in the dreamscape, watching the sea of ribbons below her churn and writhe like some giant snake. Tonight the colors were dim and faded, like clothes after too many washes. It was mildly depressing, but to be expected. Most dreams were neutral, neither good nor bad. Expecting them to leap and dance as they had on that night was a foolish idea, she knew. And yet, she could not help wishing to see it again.

As she walked, a few sparks leapt into the expanse, flickering for an instant before fading. She noticed a few darker strands, perhaps precursors to nightmares, but she did not stop. Tonight she was on a hunt. And, if all went well, she would have more than one criminal to present to her fellow princesses.

Lighting her horn, she focused her energy on remembering that dream. It was not a specific spell like Princess Twilight would have used, but that was to be expected. Magic was fickle in the dreamscape, following a seemingly chaotic set of rules. Spells did not work here, but willpower was a potent force. So, she set every spare thought in her head towards remembering the two ponies from the dream. The mare with the cruel eyes and the harsh voiced stallion.

Sure enough, a thin ribbon zoomed towards her. It coiled itself around her hooves like a python. Luna examined it with interest. Though at first glance it appeared black, this one was a deep navy blue. Lowering her horn, she felt an irrational trepidation overwhelm her. This pony, whoever he or she was, was dangerous. Dangerous and potentially unstable. And yet, she would see justice done. With a deep breath, she pressed her horn to the ribbon and dove into the dream.

The surroundings were far from what she expected. She was standing in a long office with a massive window at the far end. There was little else in the green carpeted room except a large mahogany desk, and a finely carved wooden chair. Curious, she strode over to the window. There in front of her was a beautiful bird's eye view of Manehattan. But, something was wrong.

As she stared at the scene in front of her, she noticed that the city simply looked wrong. Billboards, store fronts, and statues of unicorns were everywhere. On the street unicorns were going about their business as usual, but there was a piece missing. Where are the pegasi? The earth ponies?

"Enjoying the view your majesty?" She wheeled around to see a tall, onyx unicorn leaning casually against the desk. His handsome face broke into an over exaggerated smile.

Luna took a step backward, eyeing him suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"Me?" He put on an expression of mock indignation, "You don't know me? I'm not surprised. I have little business in Canterlot." The stallion took a theatrical bow, "My name is Storm Scribe. Though you may know me better as the eyes and ears of Manehattan."

"Eyes and ears?" Luna could not follow the stallion's strange logic. Judging from his voice, he was the stallion she was looking for. What is his game?

"Oh yes." His long horn illuminated itself with a green light, picking up a letter opener off of the desk. "You see, princess. Nothing happens in Manehattan that I am not aware of. Nothing."

"Tell me, why does your dream portray this reality?" She raised a hoof, gesturing to the street below. "Where are the pegasi? The earth ponies?"

Storm Scribe gave a cold, harsh laugh that set Luna's hairs on end. "Oh they're still alive. They work for us, you see. Though, I don't let them wander the streets. Can't have the riff raff detracting from the view now can we?"

Luna felt an increasing sense of dread as she stared at the stranger. "I…I do not understand. Surely they are needed as well as the unicorns."

"Of course they are needed. However-" The stallion's emerald eyes flashed with a manic glint. "-who says that they must be our equals? We are far superior to them." He stamped his hoof, sending an echo all around the room. "Without us, there would be no civilization. The pegasi are too free spirited, and the earth ponies, why they have no intelligence of their own."

Luna's blood was up. What right did he have to say such things? "They are every bit as intelligent and capable as earth ponies."

"Don't make me laugh! Magic is the most powerful force in this universe. Why are you, our rulers beings of immeasurable magic to begin with?"

"We must maintain the balance." Luna pinned her ears, glowering at him. "Magic, is but one part of the balance. It is only a fraction of the whole."

Storm Scribe sighed dramatically, "A pity. I would have thought you would understand." He strode over to the window, "You may leave my presence."

Luna's voice echoed around the room, magnified several times its normal volume, "Who are you to tell the princess of the night to leave!"

"Who am I?" Storm Scribe chuckled softly, "The one in control my dear." Then, just as casually as if he were swatting flies, he levitated the alicorn in his magic, tossing her like a ragdoll into the marble wall. "You see, this is my dream, princess. And in my dream, I am in control, not you."

Luna's eyes shot daggers at him, "I will find you and you will pay for your crimes."

"Undoubtedly you will. But, if you do-" He gave a predatory snarl, "-I think you will find there is insufficient evidence. Good evening, princess. I do hope to see you again soon." With that, he opened a portal, and thrust the alicorn through it. The stallion sniggered, then burst into manic laughter. "Who is the one in control now your majesty?"

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Walking down the empty side street was no easy task with four burned hooves, but Cheese was determined, and that at least accounted for something. Then again, determination could only go so far, and it was not long before he had to rest. He lay down in the grass, grateful for the cool breeze blowing in from the north. Closing his eyes, he listened to the quiet hum that always filled Ponyville. A rather lopsided rolling sound joined in with the voices. Huh?

Opening his eyes, he stared incredulously at Harvey tugging a party cannon along. Well, that's something you don't see every day. He lay there watching until Harvey pulled up to him, panting heavily. His gruff voice sounded a little more irritated than usual, "You're a difficult stallion to find."

Cheese shrugged, "I guess." He smiled brightly at the familiar cannon. "You found it!"

Harvey grumbled something incoherently, and glowered at the younger stallion. "You would have known I've been keeping it for you if you ever bothered to write."

"Ooops." With everything going on, the common courtesy of writing to his employer had slipped his mind. "Sorry."

"Sorry? SORRY?" Harvey clapped Cheese so hard on the head that his own hooves rang with the shock. "What kind of no good, lousy, unreliable scum says he'll work for somepony then just ups and leaves town?"

Cheese winced, clutching his head. "I-"

"-No excuses." Harvey's hoof impacted the ground, forming a rather large crater. "-You're supposed to be my apprentice, remember? You're supposed to be working for me and making my job a little easier. Instead, I've have nothing but trouble from you!"

Harvey's face grew red, "Do you have any idea how backed up I've been on orders? I expected you'd come back to work after you got back from Nickerlite." He gave a loud snort, "You come back to Ponyville for less than a week before you take off again. I've got no idea where you went, or for how long. The only reason I had any idea, the only reason was because I overheard the princess talking to one of her friends."

"Harvey, I'm really-"

"-I'm not done with you yet!" He leaned in closer to Cheese, "My boy starts ranting about seeing the world and next thing I know, I've lost him too. Then you come back too injured to work. Now how do you expect me to get anything done?"

The frustration in his voice was replaced with disappointment, "Celestia above, Cheese, I expected better from you. I trusted you to be reliable. Didn't your parents teach you better?"

Cheese stood weakly, eyes boring into Harvey's. "No, no they didn't." His tail bristled, "What do you know about me anyway? I didn't go to Manehattan for a picnic, Harvey." He stamped his hooves so hard they began to bleed through the bandages. "I suppose you think I'm lying about my injuries too?"

"I wouldn't put it past you." Harvey braced, ready for a fight. "For all I know, you beat the snot out of some ponies in Manehattan and that's how you got hurt."

Is that what he thinks of me? Cheese wanted to be angry, but he could not. It was his fault for not communicating to Harvey in the first place. Now he had lost the stallion's respect. Somehow it hurt worse than the burns. He started to remove the wrappings on his left front hoof. "I didn't go to Manehattan to beat up anypony. I went to pursue charges against my father."

Harvey's stance grew slightly more relaxed. "Your father?"

"Yes. You see, he's not nice, not nice at all. In fact-" Cheese kept unwrapping the bandage, looking up occasionally at Harvey. "-apart from beating me as a colt, he's guilty of a laundry list of crimes from blackmail to missing persons cases. After a few weeks, we thought we had enough evidence to prosecute, but the night before the trial-" Cheese released the final layer of bandages, revealing the raw burnt skin underneath. "-he hired a few ponies to set the office we were in on fire. We nearly burned to death." Cheese looked Harvey square in the eyes, "I didn't want you getting the wrong impression."

Harvey tried to speak but no words came out. The stallion's bloody leg looked like something from a horror novel. It made him want to vomit. He had been so sure that he was in the right. But now he felt so wrong. "Sorry, kid. I uh…guess I misjudged you a bit. I didn't mean to snap."

Cheese sighed, gingerly placing his hoof on the grass and wincing as the blades scraped against his skin. "It's not your fault, Harvey. You have a right to be angry." His legs began to shake uncontrollably. "I won't bother you anymore. Thanks for bringing my cannon back."

"Right." Harvey started to turn away, then paused. "I hope you feel better soon."

"Thanks." Cheese watched until the stallion faded from sight. Then he sunk to the ground, moaning in pain. Smooth going, Cheese. You had a perfectly good relationship and you threw it out the door chasing ghosts. Guess you were right after all, Quill.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Huh, that's not right. Maybe this way. Ooopsies. Maybe not. Pinkie turned the pipe upside down and sideways, trying to figure out just how it would fit in the sink. But, no matter what she did, it would not connect. "I give up!"

She flopped on her back, staring at the ceiling. A soft morning breeze snuck in through the open window, tantalizing her to go out and play. But, she had to focus. This was her day off, a chance to catch up on all the renovation work. Unfortunately, that meant staying inside away from all the fun.

The kitchen was now relatively clean, though her mother would have called it in dire need of a scrub. Sorry Mom, I'll fix it later. Hopping up, she shuffled around, looking for the wayward home improvement manual. "There you are!" The heavy book was being used as a makeshift doorstop. Pinkie giggled, scooping up the book. "Sorry, but you were super heavy."

"Hey, Pinkie. Are you there?"

Pinkie trotted over to the stairs, "Yupadoodles."

"Great, 'cause we need yer help."

Pinkie cantered down the stairs, "What is it? Is Timmy stuck in the well?" Sliding to the floor, she nearly collided with a confused looking Applejack.

"What in tarnation are you going on 'bout now?" Sighing, she started to walk back to the door. "Come on, I need you."

Pinkie stopped, "For what?"

"You'll see." She lowered her head, pushing the bewildered party pony out the door and into the daylight. The side street was quiet as ever, but as they neared the main drag, the happy hum of the townsponies could be heard.

To Pinkie's surprise, they turned towards Rarity's boutique. "Say, Applejack? We finished the costumes, so what are we doing at Rarity's?"

Applejack looked casually away, "We've got a situation that needs yer uh, special approval."

"Huh?"

Now at the boutique, Applejack shoved Pinkie unceremoniously through the door. "See?"

"Oh, hiya girls." Pinkie started in surprise at the scene she walked in on. There, gathered around the boutique were Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and an unusually subdued Rainbow Dash. "Wow, the gang's all here."

Rarity coughed, "Yes, quite. Do sit down, Pinkie. We've got something important to tell you."

"Something important?" Pinkie cocked her head in curiosity, but strode over to the girls none the less. "What's up?"

"Well, you see…" Twilight looked around for backup, only to discover they were all expecting her to speak. "We've all had a talk, and we're all in agreement that we should inform the Princesses about Cheese's situation."

"WHAT? And you didn't ask me first!" Pinkie snorted, pinning her ears. "It's his decision, not yours, Twilight."

Why's she being so stubborn? I thought she'd be happy. "I know, but-"

Rainbow's eyes flashed passionately, "-we can't let that no good crook get away Scott free!"

Cheese's terrible injuries came to the forefront of Pinkie's mind. He was not just in pain, he was terrified. Terrified at what his Father could do. Pinkie sighed, dropping her head. "You don’t understand. If we try to stop him, somepony's going to get hurt. They already have."

Twlight rested a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder, "Nopony's going to hurt us. We're the Elements of Harmony after all. It's not like anypony would touch us here in Ponyville."

Pinkie nodded, "Guess you're right. But, I need to talk to Cheesie before we do anything. Kay?"

After a quick confirmation check, Twilight nodded approval. "Okay. Let us know soon, okay?"

"Can do." Seeing that their little powwow was wrapping up, she turned to leave. "I'll see you girls later, I've got to work on the house."

They all waved her out the door. When she was gone, Twilight gave a sigh of relief. "That went well."

Applejack gave an incredulous stare, "Well? Twilight, I don't think she was very pleased 'bout us butting into his life."

Twilight shrugged, "They'll come around. With the princesses on our side, I'm sure we'll get a fair trial."

Applejack sighed, rubbing her forelock, "I hope yer right, for both of their sakes."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie trotted down the street, head swimming with all the possible repercussions of what the girls had said. If Cheese agreed to it, and Pinkie was not so sure he would, that would mean another few weeks of digging up bones. The last thing he needed now was to be constantly reminded of the past. For a moment, she was sorely tempted to not tell him anything, and simply lie to the girls. But that wasn't right either.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she actually ran straight into Sugarcube Corner's front door. "Ouch. Oopsies." Flushing a little, she opened the door and trotted inside. The wonderful, all pervasive smell of baked delicacies wafted to her nose. That was her favorite part of working there. Well, apart from getting to see the townsponies and chatter away to Mrs. Cake.

The mare looked up from the counter, a broad smile on her face. "Hello Pinkie Pie. You're back early."

"Yupadoodles. But, only for a bit." She flounced over to Mrs. Cake's side of the counter. "I have to get some more of my books."

Her smile faded a little. "Pinkie, do you have a moment to talk to us?"

"Sure!" Pinkie watched the mare lead her quietly into the dining room. What's got into her? She's normally so chipper.

They settled down at the dining room table, and Mrs. Cake called to her husband. He joined them at the table, finishing off their little circle.

Pinkie's heart skipped a beat. Judging from Mr. Cake's serious expression, it must be something really important. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, but-" The orange stallion rubbed his forelock in frustration. "Pinkie, something's come up and we're going to have to ask you to move out early."

"Oh, I thought you said I could stay until I get the repairs done." She glanced between the two ponies who looked more than a little awkward. Her heart was pounding like a hammer now. "Did I do something bad?"

Mrs. Cake shook her head, "Oh no dear, nothing like that. It's our fault."

Her husband chuckled, "Well, you see. My parents are building a new house. But, since they sold their old one, they need a place to stay. I completely forgot that you would still be here, and I said they could come stay."

"Oh, is that all." Pinkie's heart stopped pounding, and she put on her best smile. "That sounds super exciting for you. I don't mind moving out early." Something about the couple's reaction was just a little off. "Was there something else?"

"Well…" Mrs. Cake suddenly became rather fascinated with the table.

Mr. Cake cleared his throat, "Pinkie, I know you live your own life, and that's fine. But, I don't think you ought to be inviting Cheese into your room at night. You aren't married yet. Think about your reputation."

Blood pounded in Pinkie's ears. They can't be serious. "It was one night! And we didn't do anything I promise." Her voice began to quaver, "-I'm a good mare and Cheesie's a good stallion. We wouldn't do something like that." She felt the anger coming now. Why would they think that? They know us, they know we wouldn't do anything. "I'm a good mare! And I don't make a habit of bringing stallions into my room! Cheesie was hurt, what was I supposed to do, kick him out?"

Mr. Cake frowned, "You should have woken us up, Pinkie. Trying to hide it was wrong." She stroked Pinkie's face motherly, "You need to consider the consequences of your actions. We're worried about you doing something you'll regret."

Pinkie stammered, trying to regain control of her shaking voice, "I wouldn't…I'm a good mare. I'm a good mare." She lowered her head, mane deflating like a balloon until it rested flat on her neck. "Okay, I'll try to be better." Head hung low, she walked slowly towards the stairs. "I'll get my stuff."

Mr. Cake stopped her with a hoof, "I'll bring it over myself later with some help. No need for you to move everything."

"Kay." Her eyes flashed back towards the Cakes, then around the empty room. Then, turning, she headed out the door. Can this day get any worse?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Not even close. Cheese ticked off yet another posting from the paper with a large x. He was going over the Ponyville classifieds for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. Though there were several help wanted ads, none were even remotely feasible for somepony who could barely walk. With a heavy sigh, he rolled in the long grass outside of Bulk's house, pondering.

It had been a few days since he had spoken with Harvey. A few days of nothing but restlessness and searching for work. He hated doing nothing, it made him feel incredibly useless. Bulk was busy doing whatever it was he did, leaving before Cheese got up and coming back late in the afternoon. Cheese had yet to figure out what the pegasus' occupation was. Something to do with lifting. At least that was what he got out of Bulk's one line answers. Ah well, it did not really bother him.

Glancing back down at the paper, he realized that he had crossed out every single help wanted add. "Argh! Why is it so difficult?" A soft giggle behind him made him wheel around. "Pinkie?"

The mare was leaning casually on the white fence marking the edges of the lawn. Her long mane was straight and her eyes were red, but her smile was genuine. "Heya, Cheesie."

He felt a sickening lurch in his stomach. Pinkie never had her mane flat unless she was really upset about something. Without considering the consequences, he lurched to his hooves and trotted over to her, eyes filled with concern, "What's wrong?"

Pinkie's eyes filled with panic. "Cheesie. You shouldn't do that, you're legs."

"I'll be fine." He wiped her forelock gently out of her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I uh…I uh…" Why's it so hard? Spit it out. She lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. "I got kicked out of the Cake's house."

Cheese stared unbelievingly at her, "What? Why?"

She felt her face heat up. "Mr. Cake's parents need the room since they'll be staying a while."

It was obvious to Cheese she was hiding something. "And?"

"And, they-" She pawed the ground nervously, "-they ur…they weren't happy about me letting you stay the night. They seemed to think that-" Her heart started to beat fast again, "-that we were doing something inappropriate."

"WHAT? They can't be serious! We would never-"

"-I know, and I think they know. But, they seemed to think I needed a good warning." Pinkie burrowed her face into his chest. "Sorry, I guess I should've though things through better. Now the Cakes think I'm a bad mare."

"It's not your fault and they don't think you're a bad mare." Geeze, why are you the one apologizing? Cheese held her close enough to feel her heart racing. "Sshhh, it's okay, Pinkie. You didn't do anything wrong. It was my fault. I'll go over and apologize to them later. Don't be sad."

Pinkie closed her eyes, savoring the familiar warmth of his body pressed to hers. It always calmed her down. "Guess I was over reacting again." Her eyes drifted to his shaking limbs. "Lay down before you fall down, dear."

Sighing, he turned back to his spot, lying in the cool grass. Pinkie snuggled up close beside him, staring curiously at the paper. "Wow, that's a lot of x's."

"Yeah, unfortunately I'm still unemployed." Of course he had told her about Harvey and she had adamantly assured him he would eventually find more work. But that did little to alleviate his frustration at the current situation. "Argh! Why can't my legs heal faster?"

"Healing has its own pace. That's what Granny always said." Though, the thought of Cheesie limping around for another few months was enough to drive her crazy. Pinkie pawed at the grass, watching the blades bend and twist as she brushed over them. "Guess we're both out of luck huh?"

"Yup. Looks that way." He stared up at the clouds, watching the formations overhead. It was such a beautiful day. Too beautiful for everything to fall to pieces. "Say, who's moving you in?"

"Mr. Cake and his friends insist on doing it all." Pinkie moaned, burrowing her face between her legs. "They're treating me like some little filly."

"Well, at least you don't have to lug boxes around all day." Cheese chuckled, nudging her playfully in the ribs. "You've got Big Mac's party tomorrow and Nightmare Night next week. There's something to look forward to. Plus, living in your own place, you'll be able to be as loud as you want and stay up as late as you want. That's pretty cool."

Pinkie nodded, "Yeah, there is that." Then, she remembered the books she forgot. She looked towards Cheese, examining his physical state. He doesn’t look too tired today. Maybe he's up for it. "Yeah, about that. I kinda have a problem."

He raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"

She gave a sheepish smile, "Well, you see I've been trying to fix the pipes for ages now. I've got most of the stuff in, but I can't figure out how to fit it together to actually turn on."

Celestia help me now. "Please don't tell me you used gum or something?"

"Nope, but, I think I might have stuck a few of the pieces together backwards."

Cheese groaned, placing a hoof to his forehead. "Come on, I'll get you set up. You should at least have running water."

"Thanks!" Pinkie hopped up and proudly led the way. At least she would have company for today's renovations.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cheese was rather good with repairs. Years of odd jobs and party planning had prepared him for just about anything. Unfortunately, there was little that could prepare him for Pinkie's brand of home repair. He was sprawled on his back, looking at the strangest piping job he had ever seen. It more closely resembled a game of mouse trap than actual piping. "Pinkie, dear. What made you think this went there?"

"I dunno. I tried to follow the book. Is it that bad?"

Cheese gave her an "are you serious look" before turning back to the pipes. A story Harvey had told him months ago stuck in his head. During the setup for Rainbow's Birthaversery Bash, she had decided to try other professions apart from party planning. Much to Harvey's displeasure, she attempted to help with a construction project. Apparently she learned the hard way that balloons are not a structurally viable replacement for timber.

Pinkie cocked her head to the side, "So, can you fix it?"

"Yup. Hand me that wrench and I'll see what I can do." Cheese worked quickly and efficiently, glad to have a job that did not require walking. In a matter of minutes, he had completely disassembled the apparatus.

Pinkie watched him start to piece it together with interest. How does he know where everything goes? He's fast too. Feeling a little useless, she trotted around the kitchen, mentally going through all the repairs left to do. "So, how do you like it?"

Cheese's voice was muffled, "What?"

"This place. I know it's kinda falling apart, but I can see the potential." Pinkie sighed, staring out the window at the street below. Everything seemed in order down there, ponies going on about their day as normal without a care in the world. "It's so much work. I just want everything fixed now."

Cheese laughed loudly, dropping the wrench with a clatter. "Are you sure you're talking about the house, dear?"

Pinkie raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I've noticed that you get stuck on the way things should be." He picked up the wrench, speaking around it, "Like everypony ought to be happy all the time, or everything should work out just the way we plan it, or nopony should ever be sad. But life's not like that, dear."

Pinkie huffed, "Why can't it be?"

"Cause, our lives are kinda like this house. We've got a lot of potential, but a lot of problems too." He dropped the wrench, sliding out from under the cabinet. "We're not going to get anywhere unless we put some effort into it, and even then it might not turn out the way we want it to."

Pinkie lay down next to him, thinking it over. "Guess we can mess up repairs too?"

"You bet. I wasn't exactly properly repaired before we met." He took a long swig from the water pitcher. "I thought I'd just hide my past from everypony and somehow things would work out. But, you helped me face reality."

She rolled her eyes dramatically, "Yeah, some help I was. I made all the hurt come back."

"Oh, Pinkie." He rested his head on her shoulders, inhaling the familiar sweet scent. "I had to break the illusion before I could start to heal." His hooves knocked over the pile of pipes, making a loud clatter. "Ooops." Seeing her worried expression, he continued, "You know something? I couldn't have repaired the sink if I left that repair job of yours in."

"Sorry. Guess I messed up, huh?" Cheese's wet tongue on her ears made her giggle loudly. "Cheesie! What are you doing?"

He gave a mock innocent expression. "Nothing."

Pinkie glowered at him, "What was that for?"

"You didn't let me finish my story." He cleared his throat, "I was like that sink when you found me you know. Sure I tried to repair it myself, but I didn't get anywhere. So you came along and tore it all out so we could fix it the right way." His soft nicker made her heart beat fast. "You saved me, Pinkie. I don't want you to be guilty for the bit of hurt you caused. It was necessary."

"M'kay." Without any hesitation, she pressed her muzzle to his. After what felt like forever, she broke the kiss. Their bodies were so close enough that she could feel his heart beating every bit as fast as her own. It was the best feeling in the world, and one she didn't want to let go of. But, she had to at some point. "Cheesie, there's something I kinda forgot to ask you. Going back to what you said about repairs."

"Yeah?" What she going to tell me she repaired the electrical work too?

"Uh, the girls all agreed on something, but they wanted me to ask you first." Her voice was a little shakier than normal, "They want to write a letter to the princesses. Twilight thinks she can arrange a fair trial for your parents."

Cheese gave a blank stare. "But, there's no evidence."

"Yes, well, I think trying to burn you and Milo to death counts for something." Pinkie leaned against him, looking into his eyes. "I wanted to know if you were okay with that. 'Cause if you aren't, we won't send it off. I don't want you to feel like you have to."

His laugh was a little less than convincing. "No, no. It's a good idea, and I'm all for it."

Pinkie sighed and nodded, "Okay. But, you let me know if you decide not to. M'kay?"

"Okay." Cheese nudged her gently off of him, "I'd better get back to work. Maybe you can clean your room?"

"Why?"

Cheese shrugged, picking up the wrench in his mouth. "Well, they're moving all the furniture in today. Don't you think you ought to get it really clean first?"

"Ooops. You're right." Pinkie leapt to her hooves, trotting towards the bedroom. Then, pausing, "Thanks for everything, Cheesie."

He smiled around the wrench. "Yup. No problem."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Luna glowered down at the piece of parchment, wishing beyond hope that its contents would change. She had found the stallion, but, his crowing seemed to be legitimate. There was nothing remotely incriminating about millionaire philanthropist Storm Scribe. Even her best guards had been unable to dig up a single successful case against the stallion. To compound the issue, the only attorney who had dared to prosecute him was currently comatose in a Manehattan hospital.

Though she had searched for days, she had yet to find either Storm Scribe or his wife. The mare's dreams were either elusive or she simply did not dream. In any case, it was looking as though it would be impossible to convict either of them for so much as pickpocketing.

A loud knock on her chamber door awoke her from her reverie. "Enter." To her surprise, it was not her guards who entered, but her sister. "Tia, what brings you to my chambers? I should have thought you would be conducting business."

"I was. However-" Celestia levitated a small letter onto Luna's desk. "-I received a most interesting letter this morning."

Luna looked skeptical, but began to read. As she did, her eyes grew wide. By the end, she was beaming brighter than she had in days. "This is wonderful news, Tia!"

Celestia grinned back. "Yes, I imagine even Storm Scribe will be unable to wriggle his way out of this one. Shall we act now, Lulu?"

"Yes, sister!" Luna leapt to her hooves, sliding into her royal garb. "We must arrange for his arrest."

"Just a moment. First we should validate this mare's claim." Celestia placed a hoof on Luna's shoulder, "Would you recognize her if you were to meet?"

"I would." Luna smiled, trying to hide the nervous tattoo her hooves were making on the ground. They were on the hunt now, and she would not waste a minute.

"Very well. We will go and speak with her. If what she claims is true, we will arrest the stallion."

Though she was quite tired, Luna kept pace with Celestia as they strode out of the castle. Determination like she had not felt in months coursed through her. She would dispense justice, and no force of Tartarus could stop her now.

Give it All You've Got

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Evenings in Ponyville had a way of relaxing Cheese. There was something about the cool, calm nights and empty streets that made him want to dance for joy. Of course, with his legs in the state they were, he would not be dancing for some time. So he ambled along the street, taking in the small shops and houses. Inside, ponies were resting after a long day of work. He wished he could say the same about himself.

Being able to help Pinkie was just the kind of boost he had needed. However, she had insisted he go back to rest after the sink was repaired. Naturally he objected, but it was not easy arguing with Pinkie when she had her mind set. So, he was forced to spend the entire afternoon lazing about his room thinking of all the helpful things he could be doing.

He had nearly forgotten his promise to Pinkie to chat with the Cakes. Now that he remembered, it seemed silly to put it off until the morning. Sugarcube Corner's lights were off in the front, and he instinctively went to the side door. Sure enough, the dining room lights were on. Taking a deep breath, he knocked loudly.

"Yes?" The door creaked open to reveal Mr. Cake's startled face. "Cheese? Can I help you?"

"Yeah" He had to bite his lip to stopper the urge to smack the stallion. "I wanted a word with you."

"Sure, come on in."

The interior of the dining room held the same warm atmosphere as always. Mrs. Cake was sitting at the table, a mug of hot coco between her hooves. He outwardly refused to take a seat, prolonging the un-pleasantries was dangerous with his temper. Make it quick, Cheese. To the point. "I'll only say this once, so listen up."

Mr. Cake nodded, staring Cheese in the eyes. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

Though he wanted to start screaming some choice words at them, he fought back. It would more than likely give off the wrong impression. The Cakes were not bad ponies at heart, but they did need to be taught a lesson. "I don't appreciate you implying that my mare sleeps around before she's married!"

Mrs. Cake's hot cocoa spilled all over the table. Her husband's mouth hung open. "We weren't-"

"-don't even try to play that card with me!" His blood was up and he knew it. Rubbing his forehead to calm down, he continued in a more conversational tone, "I honestly can't fathom where you got that stupid idea from. I'd expect this from Brahm, but not you two. How many times have Pinkie and I helped with the shop? Watched the twins? Don't you think we can be responsible adults for a few hours?"

Mrs. Cake walked over to them. Her voice was soft and reasoning, "Cheese, dear. You can't blame us for worrying."

"About what, Mrs. Cake?" Though he had done his best to control it, his temper was reaching breaking point. "Do you think I make a habit of seducing mares? Is that it?"

"No, Cheese."

"Don't you think Pinkie was worried too?" Cheese sighed, looking at the floor. "You should have seen her when she saw my burns. She knew I couldn't walk anywhere else in my condition. All she did was let me rest on her bed for a few hours. That's it, end of story. Forgive me if I fail to understand what was so wrong about either of our actions."

Before Mr. and Mrs. Cake could respond, Cheese was moving towards the door. Just before he left, he paused and turned to them. His icy stare sent the couple cringing. "If you ever talk to Pinkie like that again, you'll have more than a guilty conscious to deal with." He turned around, slamming the door with enough force to send the walls shaking.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

There was little that surprised Pinkie these days. After all, she was a party pony, an Element of Harmony, a friend of a Princess, among other things. But, she had to admit that she was more than a little taken aback by the scene outside her door. There in the early morning light were two mares pulling a stallion sized wagon. Pinkie's jaw dropped at the unusual combo. "Applejack? Cheerilee? What are you doing here?"

"Well, you see-" Applejack shrugged around the large wooden collar she was sporting. "-today's Big Mac's birthday so we thought we'd help him out."

Cheerilee nodded, looking more than a little embarrassed sporting a collar of her own. "He had a load of timber for Harvey from the old apple trees."

Applejack rolled her eyes, "He right near insisted on deliverin' it today."

"-I came out early to help with the party set up. Applejack told me the problem and we came up with a great solution."

Applejack jerked a nod to the empty wagon. "We agreed ta pulling Big Mac's wagon over ta town so we'd have an excuse for gettin' the party supplies."

"Wow! That's a great idea." Pinkie hopped in happy little circles. "I've got all the stuff in the hall. I'll get it!" In a matter of seconds, she had loaded a few boxes of supplies into the back of the wagon. "That ought to do it. I added some secret confetti too."

"Secret confetti?" Applejack's mind jumped to an image of Granny Smith cutting a cake only to be blasted with a face full of the stuff. "It ain't dangerous, is it?"

Pinkie waved a hoof dismissively, "Naw. Just super fun! Speaking of which, I'd better double check." A quick mental inventory came up short. After a shuffle through the boxes, she realized what she was missing. "Oh my goodness! I forgot the pump."

Applejack raised an eyebrow, "The pump?" What in tarnation is that?

"Yup, to fill up the balloons and stuff." She made to fetch it from the house but paused, "Awe cupcakes! Mine's broken."

Cheerilee glanced at the wagon, "Can't we just blow them up ourselves?"

"Yeah, but the pump's special. It's got a party pony spell that makes the balloons float-" She made an over-exaggerated waving with her hooves. "-without flying away like helium balloons."

"Well guess we can do without." Applejack made to pull the wagon away, but was stopped by Pinkie. "What?"

"I just remembered." Her face broke into a typical wide smile, "Cheesie's got one we can borrow. We can stop by there on the way."

Applejack considered. The state of balloons did not much matter to her, but it seemed to be a big deal for Pinkie. "Okay, I guess. If he ain't going to be bothered by us stoppin' by."

"Naw, he won't care. He loves company." Just like that, Pinkie led the way to Bulk's house. They looked a little ridiculous going through town, but everypony just chuckled and waved back as though it were an everyday occurrence.

When they arrived at Bulk's place, they spotted Cheese lying on the grass. The stallion looked up from his book, a wide grin stretching across his face at the comedic sight. "Well I'll be, what are you ladies up to?"

"Setting up a party, silly." Pinkie bounded over to him, trapping him in a tight hug. "We kinda need to borrow your air pump."

"Okay. It's in the cannon." He motioned to the house, "You know how to get it out, right?"

Pinkie nodded emphatically, racing into the house. Cheese watched her, impressed as usual with her speed. He shook his head, chuckling softly. "She's something else." His attention turned to the two mares standing in front of him. Cheerilee was a surprise to say the least. "Change of career, Cheerilee?"

"Just for today." Though she attempted to remain casually indifferent to Cheese's injuries, her eyes kept darting back to the bandages. The cropped mane he was sporting did not suit him in the least. "You cut your mane."

"Oh, yeah. It got singed, so the docs cut it." It was a little awkward to have her staring at him so much. Clearing his throat, he continued, "So, how are things with Big Mac, Cheerilee?" From the flush forming on her cheeks, he had found an appropriate distraction.

"Oh, they're fine, Cheese. We've had some frustrating periods, but all in all, really well." Seeing an opportunity for payback, she leaned in a little closer to the young stallion, "So, when is it?"

"When's what?"

Cheerilee giggled like a school filly. "The wedding of course. I expect an invitation you know."

Applejack gaped at the teacher as though she had gone off the crazy train. "Pinkie an Cheese are a might young ta be thinkin' about marriage."

"Oh, I don't know." Cheerilee ruffled Cheese's forelock as though he were one of her students. "When two ponies love each other as much as they do, why, I don't see why they have to wait."

Cheese's face had gone scarlet, and he pawed the grass nervously. "I uh...I guess that makes sense." He could feel his heart pounding uncontrollably fast. However, Pinkie's arrival saved him from answering any more of Cheerilee's questions. "Pinkie, did you find it?"

"Yup!" She waved the small pump triumphantly.

Applejack nodded to Cheerilee and they returned to the wagon. Pinkie started to join them, but paused. "Coming, Cheesie? It's going to be super fun."

Cheese grimaced, glancing down at his legs. "Can't walk out there. Sorry."

"Oh, you can ride in the wagon." She extended a hoof, "Come on, it'll be fun."

Cheese hated riding in wagons. Not because they were not fun, but because he always felt that he should be the one pulling. He liked the feel of the weight pressing against the color and the wheels as they rolled along. Still, he was not about to throw away the chance for a little distraction. "Okay, if the girls don't mind."

"Great! Let's go." Pinkie practically dragged him to the wagon, and joined him on the back. Though she wanted to have fun with him, it also provided an opportunity. An opportunity for Cheese to start to return to normal. Her heart ached at how solemn he had become. He was a party pony, and party ponies were made to smile. Whatever it took, she would bring him back from the darkness that was surrounding him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Big Mac's party was turning out to be one of Pinkie's best. Not in the flashy, over the top way Rainbow Dash's bash had been, but in that every little detail screamed Big Mac. From the somewhat subdued decorations to the farm based games, Pinkie had managed to keep their friend grinning all day.

Cheese had joined in with Pinkie for singing some of Big Mac's favorite tunes. At least that did not require the use of legs. Afterwards, he wandered around visiting with the other townsponies. Being as sick as he was, he had not had the chance to share so much as a word with any of them since his return. Try as he may to enjoy himself and keep smiling like Pinkie, his legs inevitably began to ache.

Accepting defeat, he had limped over to the nearest apple tree and curled up by the trunk. It was just in the perfect spot, high enough so that he could enjoy the party without being so close he would be bothered. After a huge yawn, he decided he might as well take a nap.

"Cheese?"

He jerked his head up, staring at three fillies in front of him. "Hey there little fillies. What's shaking?"

Scootaloo's eyes darted back to the scene below, "Not much."

"We already played all the games and gave Big Mac his present." Sweetie bell lay in the grass beside Cheese, her friends following suit. "It's all adults talking now."

Scootaloo made a gagging motion. "Applejack said we should try to socialize. Urgh! Boring!"

"Yeah, there aint any fillies or colts our age here." Applebloom's cheeks puffed up in a big pout.

"So, we thought we'd come talk to you." Scootaloo's eyes met his expectantly, "You're one of the coolest ponies I know of, well apart from Rainbow Dash that is."

Cheese looked taken aback, "Well, I…uh, thanks Scoots."

Realization dawned on Sweetie Belle. Cheese was up here all alone. "Why aren't you with Pinkie?"

"Oh, well-" He gave an involuntary glance down at his legs, "-I kinda needed to rest."

Scootalloo's eyes grew wide. "Boy, you must have walked forever in Manehattan!"

Walked? Oh that's what I told Applebloom. "Yeah, city streets are awfully hard."

Applebloom gasped, "Oh my gosh! I gotta warn Babs Seed!"

Cheese slapped a hoof to his forehead. Great, now they're paranoid. "Girls, it's okay. I'm sure Babs is fine."

They breathed a collective sigh of relief. Applebloom looked up at Cheese, then back down again. Her uncomfortable shuffling made him wonder. "What's wrong, Applebloom?"

"Nothin' just-"

Scootaloo interjected, "-she's worried about Big Mac."

The unicorn nudged her friend in the ribs, "Yeah, we told her not to, but she won't shut up about it."

"I wasn't!"

Cheese placed a hoof between the fillies before they broke out into a scrap. "Girls, what's the problem?"

"Well…it's just Big Mac's gotten all weird lately." Applebloom sighed, speaking in barely more than a whisper, "He don't come ta visit as much. An' he can't shut up 'bout Cheerilee. I'm worried he might…might stop carin' for us."

"Why would he do that?" He ruffled her mane, "He loves you a bunch! I know that for sure."

Applebloom mumbled, shuffling the grass as she spoke, "But, but when he gets a family of his own, he'll forget all 'bout us."

"Who told you something like that?"

Sweetie Belle sighed theatrically, "Diamond Tiarra."

"Not just her! Granny said somethin' like that before too." Applebloom moaned, burrowing her face in her hooves. "I don't know what ta do." Then, she let out a gasp, staring at Cheese as though just seeing him for the first time. "Hang on a minute. You know a whole bunch 'bout that kind of stuff. Do you forget family 'cause yer datin' Pinkie?"

"Huh?" A familiar icy sensation filled his chest at the thought of his family. His voice came out a little harsher than he wanted it to. "No, I can't forget them."

"Whew, that's a relief. Glad he's not goin' ta forget me." Apparently Applebloom had not caught on to Cheese's tone of voice.

"Well glad that's over with." Scootaloo pushed Applebloom aside, "Say, we were wondering if you could tell us about Manehattan cutie marks."

He did not follow. "Why would you want to know that?"

Sweetie Belle pointed to Cheese's cutie mark. "Because, we want to get our cutie marks. And maybe we're destined for the big city."

"Uh huh." Somehow he doubted that was going to happen anytime soon. "So, what do you want to know?"

"Well, how 'bout yer parent's marks?" Trying to imagine Cheese's parents always conjured up images of circus tents and balloons for Applebloom. They had to be just as cool and funny as he was.

"Uh-" The subject of his parents was the last one he wanted to bring up at the moment. However, the girls did not know that. They were honestly curious, and deserved an honest answer. "Well, Father's is a profit graph going up."

Scootaloo leaned in closer to Cheese, staring him down. "Are you serious? That sounds boring!"

At least they agreed on something. Cheese laughed loudly, "Yup. He's chief executive of a large business firm in Manehattan. I think he's in love with paperwork, 'cause he's always doing it."

"Yuck! I don't want my cutie mark in that." The thought of sitting at a desk doing paperwork all day was a nightmare come true for Sweetie Belle.

Applejack looked up expectantly, "How 'bout yer Mom?"

"Uh…an amber flower with a blue gem in it." A sudden, nasty flashback of his mother scolding him came back. Cringing, he looked away before the kids noticed.

Scootaloo placed her hooves on his back, eager to hear more. "So, what's her job?"

"She's a famous fashion model."

Sweetie Belle's eyes shone with excitement. "Wow, maybe she could model for Rarity. That'd be so cool!"

"No." His voice came out so harsh and cold that the fillies cringed away from him. "Sorry, sorry. Just, she's a real grouch. I don't even like talking to her."

"Oh." The girls sat in silence for a bit, pondering. Scootaloo had never looked so confused. "So, how'd you become a party pony with parents like that?"

"Well-" He jerked his head over to the party, "-Pinkie Pie."

Applebloom raised a skeptical eyebrow, "You mean ta say that you would've been a stick in the mud if it weren't for her?"

"Uh…yeah I guess." Staring at the party, he watched Pinkie doing some crazy dance to the amusement of the guests. If it had not been for her, what would he have ended up like? Some hobo wandering the rails? Or would he have gone back to Manehattan? He spoke quietly, more to himself than the fillies, "I'm the way I am today because of her."

"Eeee!" Sweetie Belle's girlish scream jolted Cheese from his daydream. "That means you two are like soulmates. How romantic!"

"Bleh, pass!" Scottaloo grabbed Sweetie Belle by the tail, tugging her back to the party. "Come on girls, let's get some cake."

"Right!" Applebloom raised a hoof to follow, but paused. "Thanks, Cheese. I hope you feel better."

"Thanks little filly." He watched the three friends parading down towards the party, pondering. Though he never really focused on the fact, it was true. Every good thing he had now, his cutie mark, his friends, and his life here were all thanks to her. She was more than his source of inspiration, she had become the single most important turning point in his life.

A new, crazy thought drifted across his mind. What if he lost her? Life took unexpected turns after all. They could not stop that. Suddenly, the time they spent together felt all too brief. Realization sunk in like a flood. He wanted to make the most of whatever time they were given, and he was not. Being by her side a few hours a day was not enough. To see her, feel her beside him day and night sharing the small moments as well as the big ones; that was what he wanted. His blood ran cold at the realization. I want to marry her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

If Spike could write down the number of times Twilight warned him not to eat sweets, he would have a feature length novel. Today he might just be adding an additional chapter. Big Mac's party was awash with just about every apple flavored dessert known to pony kind. It would be a crying shame to pass up such an opportunity. So, as stealthily as a baby dragon could, he loaded up a plate and snuck off behind the barn to eat.

After plowing through an apple fritter, he picked up his prized catch, an icing smothered apple spice cupcake. Drool spilled down on the icing as he prepared for a gigantic bite. Unfortunately for him, his magic chose that very moment to give him a rude awakening.

A familiar uncomfortable gagging sensation was followed by a jet of green fire. Spike watched helplessly as his cupcake toppled to the dirt and was replaced by a thin scroll. A letter from Celestia? Being the dutiful assistant he was, he made to open it. To his frustration, the seal would not break. Since when does she seal scrolls with magic? It either was something important or something Celestia wanted kept secret. Whichever it was, Twilight needed to know.

Casting one last, longing look at the sweets, he walked quickly back to the party. There dancing away without a care in the world was Twilight. Inwardly Spike cringed at Twilight's skills. She really was the worst dancer in Equestria. Sighing, he strode cautiously towards her. "Twilight, there's a letter for you."

Twilight ceased her attempt at a jig and walked over to meet him. Seeing the royal seal on the scroll, Twilight stood up straight. Finally, I thought she'd never respond. "All right, read it to me, Spike."

"Can't."

"What? Why not?" She placed a hoof on Spike's forehead. "You sick?"

"What? No." Spike crossed his arms, glowering at her. "It's sealed with magic."

With magic? Twilight's mind went racing a mile a minute. Never in all the time she had known the Princess did she send letters with a magical seal. This is serious. She levitated the letter out of Spike's grasp, and cantered over to the tree line to read it in peace.

'Dear Princess Twilight,

This letter of yours disturbs me greatly, but comes as no surprise. My sister has indeed spoken with your friend Cheese in the dreamscape. It was there she learned of his parents' abuse. We agreed to pursue Storm Scribe for his crimes.

I fear I must ask for your assistance in a most unpleasant royal duty. By law, all child abuse cases must be heard by the full royal council. Together we shall try this pony, and see if his heart is as black as it appears. Preparations must be made before we can begin. Please come to Canterlot immediately, and come alone.

-Princess Celestia'

"Well?" Spike leaned in closer to Twilight, "What does it say?"

Twilight quickly used her magic to incinerate the scroll. "I've got to go to Canterlot."

"What? Now?" Spike started to follow Twilight, but the alicorn held him back. "What?"

"You're not coming this time." She kissed him on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, okay? You're in charge of the library until I get back."

For a moment, Spike considered protesting, but thought better of it. He frowned, kicking up some dust. "Fine. See you later."

"Yup." In a matter of seconds, Twilight was flying higher and higher into the sky. Her heart raced at the repercussions of Celestia's letter. Storm Scribe would be tried, and Cheese's mom was testifying. The stallion's fate would be decided in part by herself. It was a heavy responsibility for somepony as young as she was, but one she would take with pride.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Canterlot Enquirer was as much of a rag as any newspaper could be. As far as Quill was concerned, any information published in it was false unless proven true. Milo on the other hoof, would always attest to its merit as a "public opinion thermometer." So, despite her doubts, a daily check of the Enquirer had become part of her daily routine. This morning however, the gossip might have gone a touch overboard.

Quill spat out a mouthful of coffee as she read the headline. After a good spell of coughing, she re-read it just to be sure. Sighing, she levitated the magazine so the pony in the bed could see. "Would you believe this, Milo?" Of course Milo did not respond, he could not.

The only sound to answer her was the loud hubbub of the daily commute going on several stories below them. Though the unicorn tried to hide it, her voice shook ever so slightly, "It's getting boring without your snide remarks, Milo." She looked around the small, stark hospital room for anything more interesting to discuss.

Milo lay on the aging hospital bed, eyes shut, breathing tube in his mouth, and IV's extending like snakes from his limbs. The sight of it made Quill sick. Though he had been treated by the best burn doctors, and put into a medically induced coma, his prognosis was still a "wait and see." Waiting had always been Quill's strong point, but this was putting even her to the test.

Ever since the fire, she had spent every day all day at the hospital. First to keep Cheese from panicking when he woke up, and later for Milo's sake. The nurses and doctors all knew her by name and did not even bother asking her to sign in. She had become just another medical accessory in the room.

To most ponies, the idea of chatting with a comatose patient would seem ridiculous, but Quill wasn't easily dissuaded. Somehow, a small part of her still believed he could hear her, and hopefully make him want to return soon. Quill shifted in the uncomfortable wooden chair and continued as though they were having a conversation over tea. "You've got to hear what they've been saying Milo. They've really gone off the deep end this time."

She cleared her throat, reading the headline at last. "'Princess Celestia and Princess Luna Spotted Touring Central Park.' Do you believe this, Milo? Heavens above, they're getting desperate." Her soft laugh bounced off of the walls, "I'll read you some choice bits. 'Mrs. Meriwether, a local florist insists that she spotted the two alicorns walking through the park and enjoying the local scenery. Another informant, Ronald Prescott swears that the alicorns asked for directions to the train station…Could this be a sign of trouble to come? What would our fair princesses be doing in Manehattan? The Enquirer set out to investigate.'"

Quill rolled off the chair, clutching her sides. "Would you believe the garbage they're posting, Milo?" Sitting upright on the aged linoleum, she checked Milo's reaction. But no, the unicorn lay as still as ever. Sighing, she slowly got to her hooves, immediately regretting her lapse of judgment. Arthritis and hard floors did not mix.

For the next few minutes, she sat in the chair and forced herself to finish the paper. After a quick scan of the last page, she made to deposit the paper into the trash. However, out of the corner of her eye she caught a familiar name. Storm Scribe? The newspaper levitated closer to her massive spectacles.
Her mouth hung open at what she read. After stammering a few times, she managed to form a coherent sentence. "You're not going to believe this, Milo. Storm Scribe's gone missing!"

As if the unicorn had scoffed in disbelief, she waved the paper violently in her magic. "It's true. I'll read it to you. "'Renowned millionaire and community warrior, Storm Scribe-'" She snorted a laugh. "Sure he is." Clearing her throat, she continued, "'-has allegedly gone missing. Scribe has not appeared in public since Saturday. We have it from a reliable source that control of the company has been handed over to his executive Whip Willow for an indeterminate length of time. Willow stated in a press release that Scribe will be returning soon and is taking time off for family. Our reporters will continue to follow the case.'"

Quill could not help but be stunned at the little article. All the years they had spent chasing Scribe, he never had missed a single day of work. As far as Quill knew, he had not even taken off when his son was born. But, considering the type of father he turned out to be, that was not surprising. For him to go missing out of the blue without word or warning did not sit well.

"What do you think, Milo? I doubt he's taking 'family time.' The only business that stallion has with family is how he can use them. He's got to be planning something." She stared sadly at Milo, "I wish you'd wake up. No doubt you have a litany of possibilities to rant to me about."

The stallion's eyes twitched ever so slightly. Quill patted his leg, taking it as a sign of acknowledgement. "Once you wake up, I'll make you some of my coffee and shoot down my stupid theories just like old times. I'll be waiting."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cheese had always thought himself a rational pony, even if his Cheesie sense dragged him all around the country, seemingly at random. But now, now he was realizing how utterly stupid his decisions were. He had overtaxed his legs ever since he came back to Ponyville and he was facing the consequences.

Somehow, despite resting for three days straight, his legs felt worse than ever. Pain like he had not felt since he woke up in the hospital spiraled up his legs. Every little movement was agony. Though he had taken more medication than he should, it still hurt worse than ever. The sting had escalated to the point of nearly sending him into unconsciousness.

It only took a few minutes of the agony before he decided to act. Standing weakly, he limped outside. His attempt to get help was short lived however, as he had collapsed on the lawn outside the house.

He did not know how long he had been there, it really did not matter. What did matter was the quickly mounting agony threatening to drive him mad. Closing his eyes and lying on his side, he attempted to fall asleep until the worst subsided. But he was having little success.

"Equestria to Cheese!"

His eyes flickered open, and he stared up at a perplexed Rainbow Dash. The little mare was standing on the grass, eyeing him as though expecting him to explode. "I'm gonna start the rain soon. Didn't you hear me?"

He spoke around his clenched teeth, "No."

Rainbow stood, looking unusually patient. "Oh, well, do you want to move? We're behind schedule."

"Can't." He could hardly lift his head, let alone his legs.

"Cheese? You okay?" Rainbow dash reached out a hoof, stroking his legs gently. His earsplitting squeal of pain sent her flying backwards. "You're definitely not okay. Hang on, I'll get Pinkie."

Cheese moaned, breathing heavily. He listened to Rainbow Dash's wings beating away from him. For a long while he lay there, trying to figure out what was wrong. His legs should be feeling better, not worse. It made no sense. Trying to stand up turned out to be a joke. His front hooves being the worst off, could not get any traction on the slick grass.

"Cheesie? Come on, wake up!"

Pinkie's worried face swam into Cheese's vision. He tried to lift his head, but it hurt too much. To add to the unpleasant situation, he was now feeling uncontrollably dizzy and hot. Try as he may to focus on her, her face kept swimming in and out of view. "Pinkie?"

"Yup, it's me." Pinkie's hoof stroked his lathered sides. "You're all sweaty. How much medicine did you take?"

"Dunno. A lot?" Why's everything so fuzzy?

"A lot a lot?"

Why's she asking that? He closed his eyes, trying to think back. "I guess. Maybe, ten pills."

The panic sweeping over her became more evident. "That's way too much! Why'd you do that?"

"It hurts. The pain wouldn't stop." It took a great deal of effort, but he managed to lift his head up and see Pinkie a little clearer. She was rubbing his sides with a towel now. Why's she doing that? "Pinkie, what's wrong? Where am I?"

"You're at home. Don't you remember?" He's acting really weird. "Rainbow's gone for the ambulance."

His head fell back to the earth with a thud. "Oh, I don't like those."

Pinkie rolled her eyes. Now was not the time to be complaining about ambulances. "Well, you're going to get really well acquainted with one soon."

"Kay." The overwhelming nausea grew worse and worse. For a brief moment, he wanted to throw up, but he could not. Instead, he lay there on the grass listening to Pinkie trying to tell him something. But the words made no sense, nothing did anymore.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cheese awoke with an uncomfortably familiar feeling. He did not have to see to know that he was lying in a hospital bed. The sickeningly clean smell and hard bed was proof enough for him. Blessedly, the pain had ebbed to a dull ache. He opened his eyes to see the darkened room around him. Pinkie was next to the bed, engrossed in a book. "Hey, Pinkie. How long was I out?"

Pinkie started, nearly jumping into the air. A wide smile stretched across her face, "Cheesie. You're up. You've only been asleep for a few hours."
"What happened?"

The exasperated expression on Pinkie's face said it all. "You took too much pain medicine, silly. They had to pump your stomach with charcoal. Why'd you do that anyway?"

He sighed, matching Pinkie's expression now. "It hurt, really really bad."

Before Cheese could protest, she sat next to him on the bed. "Well, you want to know why?"

What's she getting at? "I got burned. That's why."

"Well yeah, but-" Her face grew stern, "-you had a bad infection in both of your front hooves because you weren't keeping them clean."

"Ooops."

Pinkie glowered at him. "Ooops? Cheesie, you could have died!" Her eyes sparkled with tears and she pressed close to him. "I can't lose you, Cheesie. I can't."

He sighed, patting her back gently. "I know, dear. I know."

She broke away, sniffling loudly. "It'd be so much easier if I could keep a watch on you all the time."

"Huh? What, am I a prisoner now?"

"Yup and you're serving a life sentence." Pinkie shuffled a little on the bed, eyes focused on the medical equipment. Her voice came far softer than normal, "You wouldn't mind that, would you?"

"Nope. I think you'd keep me on the straight and narrow, dear." Cheese eyed her with confusion. It was not like her to be so shy around him. Maybe she's still mad.

Pinkie stuck out her tongue playfully. "Good, cause I'll expect an official sentencing eventually you know." Then, humming to herself she walked towards the door. "Night, Cheesie. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you." As he lay there in the darkened room, he felt his mind racing a mile a minute. Something about Pinkie's conversation seemed odd. Life sentence? Official sentencing? What in Equestria is she on about now?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie stared at the letter in her hooves with a mixture of astonishment and dread. On her way to the hospital, she had been stopped by the local mailstallion. Apparently, she had a letter from Twilight. Expecting an explanation for Twilight's sudden absence four days prior, she tore open the envelope. What she read made her heart lurch.

'Pinkie Pie,

You need to come to Canterlot as soon as possible, and bring Cheese. We're going to try his parents tomorrow. You can bring the others if you want, but this isn't going to be pretty. Absolutely under no circumstances are you to bring Spike. He's too young for this.

-Twilight.'

She read and reread the note, expecting the words to change. When they did not, her heart began to race. Of course she wanted to see justice done to those scum, but not now. Not when Cheese was so weak and scared. But, she supposed they could not argue with the princesses. So, come hell or high water, they would be going to Canterlot. She only hoped they would come back in one piece.

The Trial

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It was one of those days. A day so hot that the Manehattan asphalt bore resemblance to the lava pits of Tarterus than a pleasant thoroughfare. Even the cab drivers with hooves as hard as rocks were developing a jaunty prance known to locals as "heat flash." Stylish, showy to be sure but never a good sign. This coupled with the unrelenting sunlight and lack of breeze had sent any normal pony for shelter indoors. But Milo Coltfax was far from normal.

The dashing young stallion hummed merrily to himself, trotting across the road and into central park. Avoiding the rows of empty benches with grace, he made his way to a small decorative fountain. Sure enough, he caught sight of two mares reclined under the shade of a nearby tree. "There they are." Puffing out his chest to emphasize his new suit, he strode forward. "Morning, ladies!"

Starlight's worried expression vanished the instant she saw the stallion. "Milo, dear. How'd it go?"

"See for yourself." He levitated a slip of paper from his briefcase in front of the pair.

The peach pegasus actually gasped. "Wow! That looks official."

Starlight rolled her amber eyes, ruffling Spice's pale blue forelock affectionately. "Of course it's official, Spice. You're looking at the newest prosecuting attorney in Manehattan."

"Yup. And you can bet your bottom bit I'll be the best!" The stallion settled beside Starlight. A series of soft kisses on her muzzle followed this declaration. "But, I'm nothing without you, dear."

Starlight nickered, licking his ears affectionately. "Darn right, mister."

The puppy talk was starting to make Spice's head spin. Get a room already. Clearing her throat, she nudged Starlight in the ribs. "Star, the paper, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." Starlight's face went the color of ripe tomatoes. "Dear, we've got a little dilemma."

"Dilemma?" Milo's eyes followed Starlight's to the newspaper resting between the mares' hooves. The article in question was taking up a good half of the page. "'Renowned Business Tycoon Storm Scribe Announces New Modeling Contest.'" Milo could not help but snort at that one. From the article's picture, the onyx stallion looked about as cheerful as a cat in a rainstorm. "What in Equestria is he doing hosting modeling contest? Wife shopping?"

Starlight sighed dramatically, "Hardly. It's a charity event, dear. And-" She glanced pointedly at Spice, "-we're thinking of entering."

"Really? But you've already got a great job with the agency." Milo gesticulated grandiosely, a wide smile across his face. "They even said you'd get your own feature in the next catalog."

Spice burst into a fit of giggles, and Starlight looked closed to mutiny. The unicorn cleared her throat, "Milo, if you can dream big, why can't I? I'm never going to move up the ladder modeling school uniforms for some backwards old firm."

"Yeah, it's pretty crummy. But, my job's not much better." The thought of spending the rest of her days sewing together other ponies' designs was maddening. Spice knew she had more talent than that. "So, we're trying for something really big this time."

Milo raised a skeptical eyebrow, "They'll let novices enter?"

"They'd better or I'm going to make them." Starlight's eyes flashed with the special kind of passion she saved for her big goals. "I'm going to become the top model in this city!"

"And I'm going to be the top designer! They can't stop us. Right, Star?" To Spice's disappointment, Starlight was no longer paying attention to her. Somehow, seeing her best friend laughing with Milo made her skin crawl. The way he smiled at her jokes, caressed her mane, and whispered sweet nothings into her ears, eyes full of longing. A sinking pit in her stomach formed as she watched him. Why can't he look at me like that? Shaking the thought away like a fly, she stood up.

Starlight gave a worried frown, "Going already, Spice?"

Spice's unconvincing laugh startled even herself. "Yeah, I've got to work on that dress of yours. It's going to be great, just wait and see."

"All right. And Spice-" Starlight flashed a genuine toothy smile, "-thanks for everything! Really, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Spice felt her cheeks heat up. "Thanks, Star." As she turned to go, she smiled at the stallion, "Congratulations, Milo. You deserve it."

Milo nodded, returning the smile. "Yup, and just you wait. Your turn's coming soon."

"Yeah." Though she wanted so badly for it to be true, Spice could not shake the sinking feeling in her gut. Her eyes drifted back to Starlight. The mare was beautiful, funny, charming, and popular. The only times Spice had ever been successful was with Starlight by her side. Sighing, Spice wandered back down the path. Someday soon she would prove her worth to everypony. And when that day came, Milo would be fawning over her.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Cheesie, you aren't going to believe this!" Pinkie slid into the hospital room, waving a letter wildly in front of her.

Instead of sliding next to Cheese, she stopped inches from a rather irritable Nurse Redheart. The mare snorted disapprovingly. "Pinkie Pie, this is a hospital, not a racetrack."

"Sorry. I just got kinda excited." Pinkie glanced to the curtained off bed, "So, Cheesie asleep?"

"Well he was." Her unimpressed expression said it all. "If you want him to heal, you need to let him rest."

"Yeah, but this is super important." She placed her hooves on the nurse's shoulder, eyes pleading. "I'll be super quick, promise."

Redheart rolled her eyes dramatically, "All right, but make it quick." Accepting defeat, she strode out of the room. It would take more than she was capable of to separate those two.

Pinkie trotted over to Cheese's bed and pulled back the curtains. Sure enough, the stallion was curled fast asleep on the covers. The IV's poking into his legs made him look like a science experiment. It did not suit him at all. As gently as she could, she shook Cheese awake. "Cheesie, come on. I've got something important to tell you."

Cheese blinked, trying to focus. "Pinkie? Geeze, you're up early."

Pinkie's hoof brushed his forelock back, "Nope. It's already nine, silly."

"Really?" His throat felt incredibly dry. After a long swig of water, his eyes caught the note resting by Pinkie's hooves. "What's that?"

"Here." Pinkie presented the slip of parchment to him.

Cheese's expression tightened. After reading and rereading the note, he looked up in disbelief. Of course he was glad that his father would be tried, but the circumstances were strange to say the least. "How? Mother's not going to testify."

"I don't know." Pinkie looked every bit as frustrated as Cheese. "All I do know is that we have to go to Canterlot." Her eyes caught his heavily bandaged limbs. "You going to be okay?"

"It's not a matter of okay or not." Cheese sat up slowly. "I'm not going to miss this for the world."

"Kay, that's what I thought." Pinkie stood, and glanced back at the door. "I'll talk to the doctors. There's an evening train to Canterlot we can take." The thought of dragging Cheese out of the hospital early did not sit well. But, under the circumstances, it could not be helped. "Can I ask the others to come?"

"Yeah." If this trial went south, he wanted their support too. But, it was a nasty business. "Only if they want to, Pinkie. Kay?"

"Kay." Pinkie leaned close, kissing him on the muzzle. "It'll work out. It's got to."

"Right." Every part of him wanted to believe Pinkie. But some part of him dreaded how his father would worm his way out of this one. Please, for once in your life, Father. Don't have a backup plan.

.……………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Storm Scribe leaned against the wall of the cell, contemplating. There was something comforting about the even pressure of the stones pressed against his side. Judging from the lack of light and condensation, his cell was underground. The darkness seemed all too fitting for the situation.

His long sigh echoed around the chamber. It really was terribly dull. Tapping his hooves against the stones elicited a hollow knocking sound. He liked that. Again and again he struck them with as much force as he could muster. Sure enough, the sound of hoof beats and clanking armor came from behind the heavy wooden door.

"Cut it out!"

Storm Scribe snorted sarcastically. My, what an original response. "I'm not tapping to hear the dulcet tones of my hooves you buffoon. When do you plan on releasing me? I've a company to run."

The guard went silent for a while. Then his gruff voice answered, "Trial's tomorrow, Scribe."

So soon? Trials took weeks to begin in Manehattan. For some reason, the princesses must have pushed it ahead. Certainly they might rush if they had excellent evidence, but that was hardly likely. What was more likely was that his men were pushing on their end, threatening to blow this into a media scandal. His face broke into a wolfish snarl. Just like I taught them. His harsh laughed bounced off of the walls. "Perfect! I'll be ready."

The guard's hoof beats faded as he returned to his post. Though he had not been prepared for a trial so soon, Storm Scribe knew it would work out. Starlight might think she had the upper hoof, but he knew where she stood. It was easy to break her if you knew where to apply the pressure. He would slip out of this just as he did hundreds of times before.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"We're here! Wooopie!" Pinkie Pie hopped up and down on the platform, beaming back at her friends. They did not reciprocate her enthusiasm. Applejack and Rarity shared a nervous chuckle. Cheese attempted a smile, but it ended up as more of a grimace. Pinkie felt her stomach lurch at the sight. "Sorry."

Applejack smiled, patting Pinkie on the back. "It's all right, Sugarcube."

Rainbow flew over, "Urgh! Can we get going already? It's like three in the morning. Nopony's even up yet." Sure enough, the darkened station showed no sign of life other than their group. It appeared that all of Canterlot was still asleep.

"Guess they aren't early birds." Cheese limped gingerly ahead. "I assume we're going to the giant castle?"

"Yup a doodles Cheesie." Pinkie hopped along beside him, careful to monitor the stallion's legs. The doctors had reluctantly agreed to release him early, on the condition that she was to watch him closely. Judging from his jerky movement, the medication was wearing off.

The others followed suit, and they started out of the station onto the main road. Normally the fabulous store fronts would have had Rarity pausing to admire them, but not this time. They had a mission, and she was bound to see it through to the end.

"Hey girls, wait up!"

They turned around to see Shining Armor cantering towards them. The chinking of his armor echoed across the quiet street. "Glad I caught up with you. I wanted to meet you at the station, but I was a little late."

Fluttershy and Pinkie shared a confused glance. Cheese felt completely lost. "Just who are you?"

"Oh, sorry." He held out a hoof, "Name's Shining Armor. I'm captain of the guard and a friend of the girls."

"You're more than that." Rarity nudged the stallion in the ribs. "He's Princess Cadence's husband and Twilight's brother."

"Oh." Now he was starting to see the resemblance. If Pinkie's stories were anything to go by, he was a kind hearted, honest stallion. As his hooves were so sore, he settled for a jerk of the head. "Nice to meet you. I'm Cheese Sandwich. Or," He grimaced, "if we're being legal, Rory Scribe."

"Nice to meet you, Cheese." Shining Armor glanced at the thin framed stallion in front of him. For some reason, he had been expecting him to be his father all over again. Thankfully, that did not appear to be the case. But the state of his hooves were a bit off. From his days with the guards, he was rather adept at sensing pain. This stallion was in agony. It was a small wonder he could even stand. "Why don't we take you in the carriage?"

Fluttershy beamed at him. Though she had not said anything to the others, she was downright exhausted. "Oh that would be lovely."

"Great, come along."

They followed Shining Armor back towards the station. Pinkie hung back with Cheese. A broad grin stretched across his face. "He's really nice."

"Yup. He's Twilight's brother after all." Pinkie pressed closer to him. "You ready for this, Cheesie?"

"I guess." He shrugged, "I'm not sure I know what to be ready for."

"Can't help you there." Pinkie stuck out her tongue playfully and nudged him in the ribs. "I'm a party pony, not a lawyer."

"Yeah, and that's A okay with me. I don't want another Milo." He laughed a little, then lowered his head. "But, I'd still like you to meet him when this is all over."

Pinkie smiled, trying to picture the grouchy stallion Cheese had described. "Yeah, that'd be nice. We can do some of our party tricks and cheer him up."

"He'll need a lot of it." We'll need a lot of it. Whatever was coming tomorrow was bound to sting, but he would rather have it done and over with. He glanced over to Pinkie, admiring the way her coat shimmered in the lamp light. The sooner things get back to normal, the sooner we can move on.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Superstition held that the dungeons of Canterlot castle were full of dark secrets from Equestria's past. As she stepped down the small stone steps, Starlight was starting to believe the rumors. The creeping sensation of dread filling her chest was proof enough of that. Still, it was not as though she were being locked up here. In fact, she was going down of her own choosing.

A gruff voice came from behind, "Ma'm are you sure you want to see him?"

Starlight selected a tone of mock indignation, "Why of course? What kind of wife would I be if I didn't at least speak to my husband before his trial?"

The guard gave an unconvincing chuckle. "Right."

Starlight bemoaned the excess baggage the Princess insisted on carting along. Ever since she had been "escorted" to the castle, her freedom became moot. At least she was permitted a small room above ground rather than a cold cell. Her few days here had not been entirely pleasant, but certainly more bearable than she had envisioned. And, after a little sweet talking, she managed to convince the higher ups to let her speak with Storm.

Finally, after what must have been at least ten minutes of walking down the stairs, they arrived. Starlight observed the guard explaining the situation to his counterpart. After a mildly confused conversation, they agreed to let her into the hallway by the cell. The cell guard was quite adamant against allowing her in the same room. For her "safety" of course.

The heavy oak door swung open, and they allowed her to walk inside. Torch light flickered across the damp stone walls, painting an even more dismal picture of the place. There was only one door at the far end of the short hallway. With the air of royalty dismissing her caretakers away, she waved a hoof at the guards. "You may wait outside."

The cell guard looked mortified. "But—"

Starlight gave a high pitched giggle, "You can't imagine I'm going to release him after I took all the trouble of getting him here."

"I suppose not." He glanced at his fellow, calculating the risk. "All right. Call us if you need anything."

"Of course." Starlight's false smile broke the instant the door closed behind them. She gave an imperious jerk of the head before walking back to the cell door.

A smooth, drawling voice came from behind the wood, "Do you intend on taking me out of here, scum or standing there all day?"

Starlight's high pitched laugh echoed across the stones. "Scum? Now, is that any way to speak to your wife?"

His voice changed to its most dangerous, icy tone, "What do you want?"

"A chat, dear. A chat." Her sides pressed against the wood. "I thought I'd speak to you one last time before your sentencing."

"You seem cocky." The clap of Storm's hooves against the floor indicated that he was standing just beyond the door. "You'll need more than your testimony to put me up, dear."

"Oh, I've got my fair share of evidence. Even without the bit you incinerated."

"Do you now?" He snorted indignantly. "I'd like to see this 'evidence' of yours."

"You will. And it will be quite condemning, I assure you."

Storm clapped his hooves so hard that the echo sent her ears ringing. "I'll end you once I get out. You hear me? You'll be finished!"

"Another threat?" The flickering light dancing against her perfectly manicured hooves drew her attention. "Come now, Storm. You can do better than that."

His voice was venomous, "What makes you so confident? You've got nothing on me! Nothing. You try to get ponies to talk and they'll scatter like rats."

Starlight snorted, rolling her amber eyes. "Playing that old card again? Even if you get out of the abuse charge, I've got other plans."

"Other plans?"

"Yes. I've been quite busy." She began to pace the hallway, admiring her own cunning. "I've been married to you for years, Storm. In all this time, don't you think I'd do my homework?"

"What are you getting at?"

"A pony as cutthroat as you doesn't get that way overnight. I've dug up some interesting tidbits over the years." The pacing stopped, and she leaned against the door once more. "For instance, the death of that brother of yours."

Storm's perfectly confident voice faltered, "It was an accident."

"Oh that's what I thought too. Until I dug a little deeper. Tempest was a rebel rousing drunkard, but he wasn’t stupid. From all accounts, he knew where his limits were." She paused, letting the words sink in. "Everypony at that party said that he had only a few beers. So tell me, Storm, how did a relatively sober pony fall from a balcony he never should have been on in the first place?"

Storm's breaths came in short and fast. Starlight knew she had hit her mark. It was time to drive in the stake. "Everypony knew you wanted your older brother's position in the company. You hated your father for favoring Tempest and placing him in charge of you. So you offed him."

Starlight gave a cold, harsh laugh to rival Storm's. "And here's the best part. After you stole your brother's position, you had to find a way to usurp your father. But, you couldn't off him too, it would raise too much suspicion."

Storm's voice was icy, "You're making assumptions."

"Am I?" She pressed closer to the wood, savoring the panicked breathing of the stallion. "Funny that your father is declared clinically insane months after your company stops research on a drug that caused permanent psychosis. And don't even get me started on all your competitors that turned up missing."
Silence, glorious silence followed those words. Starlight listened to the breathing turn nearly into hyperventilation. "Face it, Storm. I've outfoxed you."

"You traitor." The words came out quiet, almost subdued.

Another harsh laugh bounced off of the walls of the hallway. "Traitor am I? That would require being loyal in the first place."

"You wouldn't have dared."

"Wouldn't I? You know, Milo's much better in bed than you are." She giggled, a wide smirk stretching across her face. "You should have seen how quick he was to have an affair. Like a starved dog."

A thud sounded as Storm fell to the stone. "Why?"

"I wanted to toy with him, and," She contemplated lying, but there really was no point in hiding it. "he was the only stallion I ever really loved. You just had more money."

"How long?"

"A few months. Then, just like before I dropped him. The next day, I let our little excursion slip to his wife." A wolfish snarl spread from ear to ear. "You should have seen the look on Spices' face. Priceless. She ran out and left him in the middle of the night. The guilt nearly drove Milo mad."

Starlight paused, listening to the silence once more. "So you see, Storm, there's really very little you've ever had control of." She turned, walking back down the hallway. "I'll see you in a few hours!"

Letting the door slam behind her, she came face to face with the guards. They looked overly anxious. Her personal shadow glanced nervously over her, "You all right Ma'am?"

"Just fine." She started towards the stairs. "I need some rest before the trial."

"Yes Ma'am."

As they climbed, Starlight contemplated their conversation. Why she was ever intimidated by Storm was a mystery. He was easier to read than a picture book. Whatever comes today, I've won. Remember that, Storm.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Pinkie, dear. Do you want anything from the kitchen? Fluttershy and Applejack are downstairs already."

Pinkie looked blearily up from the bed, focusing on the white unicorn leaning over her. "Turn off the lights."

"It's sunlight, darling. You'll have to take that up with Celestia." Rarity's eyes darted around the opulent bedroom that served as their home base. After their early arrival, they had all returned to bed. Now that it was a reasonable hour of the day, she expected a little more enthusiasm. Her eyes met Rainbow's, "Rainbow dear, do you want anything?"

She waved a hoof from her position on the couch. "Naw, I'm trying to get some Z's."

Rarity turned back to Pinkie. The mare was curled up next to Cheese, tail intertwined with his and heads resting next to each other. It really was precious, and she felt rather guilty for disturbing them. "Pinkie, you didn't answer."

"Urgh." Once again she raised her head and regarded Rarity. "I'm good."

"You sure? The trial's in a few hours."

Her azure eyes grew wide with shock. "What?"

"Yes, Shining Armor told us earlier. Remember?" She raised a hoof to Pinkie's forehead, checking the temperature. Satisfied, she made to speak but was distracted by Cheese twitching in his sleep. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah. I gave him his medicine when we got back. It makes him sleepy." Pinkie yawned, lowering her head to the covers again. "Makes me sleepy watching him being so sleepy."

"Uh-huh." Rarity sighed, "Will he be functional for the trial?"

"Uh . . ." Pinkie had not considered that little detail. Cheese had been so out of it from pain, that she went ahead and gave him the full dose the doctors told her to. Maybe she should have toned it down a bit. She gave a sheepish grin. "I think?"

"All right." Rarity winked slyly. "We'll figure out something later if need be. I'll bring you back something from the kitchen."

"But . . ." There was no point in arguing with Rarity. So she settled back down next to Cheese. His breaths were still raspy, and it worried her. They should not have forced him to go so soon. She nuzzled his cheek, whispering softly, "It'll be okay, Cheesie. It'll be over soon."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The long hallways of Canterlot Castle brought back plenty of happy memories for the Elements of Harmony. It was in these stain glass halls they had helped saved Equestria after all. But Cheese could not feel the same way. He had never been inside a castle before, let alone the Princess' castle. For the life of him, he could not understand why all his friends were so comfortable.

They were making their way to an obscure chamber that was rarely used. It was there the trial would take place. Pinkie marked step with Cheese, careful to provide support when his legs bothered him too much. She caught on to his frequent glances around the hall. "Nervous, Cheesie?"

"Well yeah." He grimaced, "Why'd it have to be in a castle?"

"Are you scared of castles?" Fluttershy flew over, looking him over as though expecting him to start screaming.

"No! Of course not!" Rolling his eyes, he snorted indigently. "It just makes me uncomfortable. Like I'm not supposed to be here. Doesn't it bother you?"

"Nope, Cheesie. We've been here loads of times!" Pinkie gesticulated grandly, spinning on her haunches. "We're buddies with the Princesses. Right, girls?"

"Yeah!" Rainbow pounded the air with a hoof.

Cheese gave a quiet chuckle. "I guess you're right."

They turned onto a side hallway, and another. It took a while, but they finally arrived at a pair of massive wooden doors. The doors were so highly polished that they reflected the sunlight like a mirror. Cheese turned to his friends, all smiling encouragingly. It was now or never. Whatever lay behind those doors, they would face it together.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Twilight tapped her hooves nervously on the wooden chair. Beside her Celestia sat as stoic as her castle guards. Luna and Cadence shared a look of fierce determination. It appeared that every princess was ready for this trial but her. She glanced around at the empty courtroom seats, and back to Celestia, "Are there any ponies coming to watch, Princess?"

Celestia looked down at her former student giving an encouraging smile. "This is a closed trial, Princess Twilight. I've permitted your friends to come in support of Cheese, but I do not wish to have the public involved."

"Yes, tis a nasty affair and the subjects at hand may be too much for the public to take." Luna glanced towards the side chamber and watched as a slender unicorn mare was walked in, flanked by two castle guards. They stood her in front of the princesses. The normally placid expression on Luna's face was replaced by one of loathing. "Starlight. So good of you to come."

"Princess Luna." Starlight made a low bow, staring up at the elevated platform the four alicorns were seated on. A turn of her head revealed no other ponies in the room. "Where is the jury?"

"There is no jury in a royal trial, Starlight." Celestia waved to the guards to stand Starlight to one side of the courtroom. The princess regarded the mare. For somepony about to confess her sins to the rulers of Equestria, she was exceptionally calm. A loud creak at the far end of the room drew her attention. She watched as a lanky orange stallion limped down the hall, flanked by the Elements of Harmony themselves. "Girls, it has been a while."

"Heya, Princess!" Pinkie hopped up and down, until a sharp "try to be serious" look from Applejack brought her back to reality. "Ooopsies. Sorry your majesty."

Celestia chuckled softly, "Of course. Why don't you come up front?" Her hooves gestured to a row of seats where a jury would normally sit.

As they walked over, Cheese locked eyes with Starlight for the first time. "So you're here, Mother. I never thought you would testify."

"Looks can be deceiving, Rory." Starlight huffed, turning her head away from the stallion though her eyes still tracked his pained strides. It was surprising to see that he was still so badly injured. Surely he should have recovered by now.

The princesses were every bit as surprised by Cheese's condition as Starlight. Twilight looked extremely worried. Forgetting herself for a moment, she blurted out, "Cheese! What happened to your legs? I thought they were getting better."

"Oh." He glanced down at the bandages. "They got infected. I had to go to the hospital." The sight of all four rulers of the country staring back at him brought back all of his childhood shyness. Lowering his head submissively, he followed Pinkie to the bench.

For a while they waited in silence, then the loud clanging of armor announced the arrival of the prison guards. The side door once again swung open and Storm was led in by none other than Shining Armor himself and four castle guards. Chains encircled Storm's legs and a strange blue cord of magic surrounding his horn indicated it had been neutralized. Shining nearly dragged the onyx unicorn to the foot of the platform. "I've brought him, your majesties."

"Excellent." Luna gave an uncharacteristic smirk of triumph. Then, seeing the chiding look on her sister's face, she mediated her reaction. "Storm Scribe, we meet at last."

The unicorn shot a venomous look at the alicorns, causing Twilight and Cadence to cringe a little. "Your majesty." Instead of a bow, he gave a decided jerk of the head before allowing himself to be led to the opposite side of the floor as his wife.

Celestia sighed, staring down at all of the ponies gathered before them. This was bound to be unpleasant. But, they had to get started. "As most senior member of the Royal Council, I shall begin this trial to address the abuse of Rory Scribe by his parents Storm and Starlight Scribe. Witness, take the stand."

The reality of her decision washed over Starlight then. If she confessed, it was all over, there was no turning back. Seeing the expectant looks of the princesses reminded her of that. But the die was cast, she must accept whatever came now. Slowly and gracefully, she strode into the witness stand.

"State your name for the Council."

"Starlight Scribe, your majesty."

"You have come to us to accuse your husband of child abuse, and to confess your own part in it, have you not?" Celestia's eyes locked onto Starlight's, expecting some resistance to the second bit.

Starlight took a deep breath and nodded. "I have, your majesty."

"Very well, you may start from the beginning." She turned to the guards and the group of friends. "Will you bear witness to these confessions?"

A universal nod of approval followed this. Satisfied, Celestia turned back to Starlight. "You may proceed."

They were all prepared for the unicorn to speak in such a matter as to make herself appear blameless. What they heard was anything but that. Starlight spoke in a perfect, quiet monotone. "You ask me to start at the beginning. That is difficult, as I do not know when the beginning was. I married Storm," She jerked her head to the stallion shooting daggers at her, "to get ahead in life. There was no love. I cared as little for him as I imagine he cared for me."

Those words stung Cadence like a slap to the face. "You married somepony you held no affection for? Why?"

Starlight shrugged, "He had money. As I was saying, I agreed to be his trophy wife so that he could gain public support. It was a descent deal. A career of successful modeling for showing up to his functions and pretending to care for him. If that were all he asked, I thought I should be well off indeed."

Her amber eyes flickered to her son before returning to the princesses. "One day he decided that he wanted a foal. I never did, and told him as much. I am not the mothering type. But," Inwardly, she cringed at the memory, "what Storm wants he gets, and I had no say in the matter."

Cadence gasped, clutching her mouth with a hoof. Shining Armor looked close to strangling Storm.

The scene did little to stir up Starlight's emotion. "I had complications after giving birth, and so Rory was taken away before I ever saw him. When I came around, I learned that Storm had not bothered to come and see either of us. That was fine by me."

"He didn't bother to see his own son?" Cadence looked thunderstruck, "Was there any reason for it?

"Oh, he had a company to run. Isn't that right, Storm?" Starlight glowered at her husband. Clearing her throat, she continued, "But, I finally got to see Rory. I thought he would look like his father, but I was mistaken."

Cheese cringed, knowing what was coming next. It was always that way with mother. Pinkie stroked his back gently with a hoof, calming his nerves in an instant.

"Unfortunately, he took after my father. An earth pony colt. Knowing my husband, I was afraid. But I hoped that once he saw the child he would see reason." There was a long pause where Starlight merely stared at the floorboards. Taking a deep breath, she continued in a subdued tone. "When he finally did come to see us, he was quite angry at me for being so sick. I showed him Rory, expecting him to show at least some emotion. Do you know what his first words to me were?"

Starlight's harsh, cold laugh echoed in the court room. "'Drown it!'" Her eyes flashed with anger, and she stamped a hoof against the floor. "I gave him exactly what he wanted, and this was how he thanked me."

"Don't lie to them, Starlight. I never wanted a damned earth pony for a son." Storm snorted indigently, "Why should I thank you for that?"

"Silence!" Luna stood, navy magic swirling around her now. "You are not permitted to speak."

Shining Armor knocked him unceremoniously to the ground, pressing a hoof into the stallion's chest. Satisfied the scene was over, Celestia waved a hoof at Starlight to continue.

"Storm made his intentions clear. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to do just that."

"How dare you!" It was Cadence's turn to stand. "What kind of mother would want to kill their own foal?"

Starlight gave another of her cold laughs. Her eyes locked onto Cadence's. "You are young and naïve, Princess. Why do you cling to the assumption that the instant any mare births a foal, she has an undying, unfaltering love for it?"

The pink alicorn lowered her head, fidgeting with her hooves. "It's natural."

"Natural! Ha! Don't make me laugh. I never wanted that child in the first place. What is more natural? Loving some creature I was now burdened with or wanting it out of my life?"

Cheese gulped, fighting back the tears. It hurt, though he knew his mother had always felt that way. He wanted to shout at her like the others, but could not. Instead, he burrowed his head in Pinkie's chest. Pinkie stroked his mane gently, whispering encouragement.

Celestia sighed, looking sadly at the mare. "Why did you let him live then?"

"Guilt. It is as simple as that. I knew from the moment he was born he I could never love him, and Storm made it clear that he would never stoop so low as to care for him." The unfeeling monotone returned, "So, I took it upon myself not to let him die at the very least. I took him home, and hoped that in time, I would at least be able to tolerate his presence."

"The first few months were tricky. Storm seemed to think it a game to try and kill Rory behind my back. I could never leave Rory alone with him." Starlight glanced at Storm, with an unimpressed expression. "There was one time, he got sick with colic. I was directed to give him some medication for it. But, as days went by, he only grew worse. One night, he nearly stopped breathing. I took him to the doctor, and, after examining the medicine, they learned it had been replaced with household cleaner. It was Storm's doing of course."

Luna gaped in wonder at the stallion now standing reluctantly between the guards. Never had she met a pony who would try and hurt a little foal. She turned back to Starlight. "What else?"

"I often caught him attempting to suffocate Rory. Every time I would demand an explanation, he would walk away as though nothing happened." Starlight sighed, "After some months, he seemed to accept the fact that I was keeping him. For a few years after that, he was satisfied to simply ignore the child. Four years later, we learned I would never have another foal, and that's when it started."

"Rory was far too energetic, and that irritated Storm. He was always saying that children should be seen, not heard. I attempted to reprimand the colt, but he was hopeless. That's when Storm decided to punish Rory himself." The mare levitated an envelope to the princesses. "I took some pictures back then."

Twilight leaned in, staring at the pictures. They were anything but pleasant. Bruises, cuts, and black eyes marred the face of the tiny colt in the majority of the photos.

Celestia's voice shook ever so slightly, "How did you hide this?"

"I kept him home from school. When his teachers would ask, I would tell them he roughhoused with his friends. But," Her eyes flickered to Storm and back again, "it soon got out of hoof. So, I convinced Storm of an easier way."

"An easier way?" Cadence followed Starlight's gaze to a small crate in the corner of the courtroom. The guards retrieved the crate, dropping it down in front of the platform. "Open it."

Nodding, they kicked open the crate to reveal a long, black box. Cheese sat bolt upright, shaking as he stared at it. Pinkie tried to get him to snap out of it, but it was hopeless.

Starlight strode from the witness stand to the box. "You see, princesses, there is more than one way to punish a child." Her horn touched the heavy lock, and a loud clink echoed around the chamber as it snapped open. The lid raised, revealing the marred interior of the box. "It was simple really. Lock Rory in here when he misbehaved. It worked quite well."

Luna stood, striding down the stairs to look inside. It was indeed the same box from the dream. To her horror, it was still crusted with blood and there were even more marks than before. Her voice was not nearly as calm as her sister's, "How long?"

Starlight glanced at her child, intrigued by his reaction. It was the exact same reaction he gave as a colt. "Generally I put him there overnight. But, if he had done something to irritate Storm, I would keep in in the whole day. It locks with magic, so there was no chance of him escaping."

"The whole day?" Celestia strode down the stairs, followed by Cadence and Twilight. For a while, all she could do was stare. Finding her voice, she turned to Cheese. "Cheese, is this true?"

"Yes." His eyes darted over the box as though it were some poisonous reptile. "Longer sometimes."

"Longer?" Cadence rounded on the unicorn. "How much longer?"

"It was not of my choosing. But," She gave a sidelong glance at Storm who was watching with a calculating expression. "there were a few times when I left for business, I had to leave Rory with Storm. One particular time, I returned to find that Rory was in the box. After removing him, it was apparent he had no water for quite some time. You will have to ask Storm how long that was, but my guess was three days."

"Three days?" Twilight gave a weak shudder, staring at the wooden box then at the onyx unicorn with the unfeeling eyes. "He could have died."

"Naturally." Starlight shrugged, walking back to the witness stand. "I presume you wish me to continue, your majesties?"

"Yes." Celestia waved her on, returning to the platform once more.

"Well, the box did the trick, especially in the first year or so. But, as time went on, it became apparent that he was getting stronger. Rory is an earth pony after all. If I let him continue as he was, he would have tried to fight back against Storm." Starlight began to twirl her mane absent mindedly. "Storm would not have held back in retaliation, and could have easily killed him. That would be a messy affair to sort out, and my reputation would have been ruined. So, I decided to starve him."

Cadence's eyes swam with anger. "You starved him so your reputation wouldn't be ruined?"

"Yes I did. It only took a few weeks to figure out how much I could get away with. I gave just enough to keep suspicion away while keeping him weak." Starlight glanced at Cheese who was shooting daggers at her. "Unfortunately, it had some unintended consequences. Of course he became even more submissive, but he also grew dull in the head. That was difficult to explain."

After a long pause, she continued, "It worked for a time, but I could never control Storm. There were days I thought it would be better if I simply lost him. When he was young, I would 'forget' to pick him up from day care or take him to the park and walk away. But somepony always caught on." She stamped her hoof against the floorboards again. "When he grew older, I could no longer do that. After he ran off, it was like a dream come true. I did not even so much as call the police. I was free, and Rory undoubtedly was better off."

"That's it then?" Luna stood glowering at the mare like some distasteful piece of trash. "Your child went missing and he did not even care to search for him? You wanted him gone?"

"Yes. I do not know how I could make it any clearer your majesty. I never wanted Rory, and I never loved him." Starlight turned, walking out of the witness stand and to the guards. "You asked me to testify, and there it is. I shall speak no more."

Celestia gave a long sad look before turning to Shining Armor. "Bring Storm here."

"Yes Ma'am." Shining Armor dragged the stallion unceremoniously to the witness stand. After locking the chains to a ring on the floor, he stepped back.

A deathly serious expression stretched across Celestia's face. "You will speak and give your explanation for this. Though I doubt any explanation will ever be sufficient."

"Very well. As my wife," He spat the word like a curse. "was saying, I have never cared for the child. The reason is simple. An earth pony has no place living amongst unicorns." Storm's silken voice was nauseating to the alicorns. "I had every right to put that creature," He jerked a nod to Cheese, "in his rightful place. You of all ponies should know this."

"What are you implying?" Luna's tone was so dangerous that even Celestia felt nervous.

"I thought you would remember from our conversation, princess." Storm let out a cold laugh, eyes sparkling with a manic glint. "We unicorns are the dominant species here! The other races should bow before us. So tell me, why should I stoop so low as to care for a lowly earth pony? Ludicrous! He deserved to die! I was simply helping nature along."

The alicorns sat in stunned silence. Celestia had never heard such bigotry in centuries. She stood so quickly that the guards bolted to even tighter attention. "Am I to understand that you hold no remorse for your actions? That all these accusations of Starlights are true."

"Of course they're true! Why should I deny it? And then that scum," His eyes flickered to his son, "had the nerve to stand against me as an equal. Well, I would have none of that!" The mania began to spread across his face and he gave another high pitched laugh. "I thought that fire my men set would have burned him alive, but I had no such luck."

Silence filled the courtroom at this. There was no kindness in this pony's heart, no forgiveness. Celestia turned to Cheese, "Do you have anything else to add before we move to the sentencing?"

"No, Princess." His eyes glanced between his parents, "I believe you've got a good picture of them."

Celestia nodded, and turned to her fellows, "Come, we will discuss the sentence."

They watched as the Princesses left the courtroom. Everypony grew silent. There was nothing left to discuss.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

As soon as the door slammed closed, Luna gave a frustrated shout. "He must pay! I will have him drawn and quartered for this!"

"Sister, calm yourself." Celestia looked around the small chamber, motioning the others to sit. "We must discuss this logically, not on emotion."

Luna stared incredulously at Celestia. "Not on emotion? Sister, do you not see what kind of pony he is?"

"I know, Luna, but we must remain calm. Cadence, what are your thoughts?"

Cadence was shaking like a leaf. After hearing the testimony, she felt dirty. "They must be punished."

"And they will, Cadence." Celestia looked to Twilight who appeared to be in the most control. "What is your suggestion?"

Twilight closed her eyes, pondering. Everything about this situation just felt wrong. Why would anypony want to hurt Cheese? To think that one pony could cause so much grief for him was nauseating. There was no punishment that seemed fitting enough. Then it came to her. "We can drain his magic. I've read some books on Tirek's magic before. It was said that he could drain magic with his own. Couldn't we mimic that?"

Celestia and Cadence shared a look of astonishment. It was a brilliant idea. Celestia nodded. "That might be possible. However," She noted Luna's disappointed expression, "there is an easier method."

Luna looked up expectantly. Would Celestia allow it? "Sister?"

"Yes, Luna." Celestia placed a wing on Luna's back. "I believe this one time, we will use the old punishment."

"The old punishment?" Cadence glanced at Twilight who looked every bit as confused. "What do you mean?"

Celestia stared out the small window of the chamber, watching the ponies below. "Unicorns are able to use magic because of our conduit. Do you have any idea what that conduit is?"

Twilight hopped up and down like a school yard filly. "It's our horns, right?"

"Correct." Celestia turned back to them, eyes filled with determination. "Now tell me what would happen if we were to remove that conduit."

Twilight's face fell in an instant, and she slunk into a submissive pose. "You don't mean—"

"It is necessary, Princess Twilight." Her gaze turned back to her sister, "Luna, will you do the honors?"

"With pleasure sister."

"Wait a minute." Cadence raised a hoof, glancing at her fellow royals. "I don't think a simple horn removal is going to stop a maniac like Storm Scribe. He needs more punishment than that!"

"Of course, and he will receive it. A quick death would be no punishment at all." Celestia began to pace, thinking to all the conceivable ways to accomplish their goal. "Perhaps Storm needs a taste of his own medicine."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The princesses strode into the silent courtroom, determination plastered on their faces. Shining Armor saluted them, dragging Storm forward. Celestia stood, glowering down at him. "Storm Scribe, for the charge of abuse, the Counsil finds you guilty on all accounts. Your bigotry is a disgrace to Equestria, and will not be tolerated. There is no punishment worthy of your crimes, but we shall try."

Cheese glanced nervously at Pinkie. They had been seated in silence for the short time the princesses had been gone. The alicorns looked furious, and he wondered just what kind of punishment they would find sufficient for his crimes.

Celestia sighed, shaking her head sadly. "We cannot tolerate any unicorn with such notions of supremacy. All the races are equal. That is the very essence of the harmony our country is founded upon. In light of your failure to see the value of earth ponies, the council has decided to remove your horn."

Storm began to flail madly. Shining Armor gripped him tighter, wincing a little at the thought anypony getting their horn knocked off.

Celestia continued as though nothing had happened. "The dungeons of this castle are deep. Down in the old vaults, there is a dark chamber cut from the earth. It is so small that one cannot stand or turn around in it and no light pierces it. It is there you will live out the rest of your days. We can only hope you learn to find remorse, but I do not believe that possible." She nodded to the guards, "You may take him."

Storm flailed, fighting as the guards went with him. "No! No! You can't do this to me! We are the dominant race! How dare you!"

"How dare I?" Celestia's expression grew dangerous. "How dare you treat your own child so shamelessly! May Tartarus take you Storm Scribe." She waved her hoof at the guards. "Get him out of my sight!

"Yes Ma'am." Shining Armor personally dragged the panicking unicorn out of the room. After the door had slammed shut, an eerie calm fell over them. Celestia turned her attention to the now quivering unicorn before her. "Starlight, your crimes are severe, but in a different way than your husband. The council has agreed to allow you to be tried separately in Manehattan."

"Thank you." Starlight bowed low.

Celestia waved her hoof again, and the guards escorted Starlight from the chambers. Luna stood, following them out. Satisfied, Celestia stepped down from the platform and over to Cheese. "I fear I have little justice to offer you."

Cheese shook his head. "No, I'm just happy they can't hurt anypony ever again." He sunk into a low bow despite the searing pain in his legs. "Thank you for listening, your majesty."

Celestia nodded sadly, and strode out of the room, flanked by Cadence. As soon as she was gone, Twilight dashed over to them and threw her hooves around Cheese. "You okay?"

"I guess." He felt his face heat up at the sudden display of affection. Pinkie's eyes were boring into him like daggers. As tactfully as he could, he pried the mare off of him. "Uh, thanks for worrying."

"That was downright despicable if you ask me." Applejack stamped a hoof against the ground. "I'm just glad it's all over."

Rainbow's eyes flashed fiercely. "Yeah that jerk got what he deserved."

"I agree." Rarity began leading the way out of the chamber. "Let's get something to eat, shall we?"

"Uh huh!" Pinkie jumped into the air. "I brought cupcakes!"

Cheese smiled admiringly at Pinkie. "That's my girl. Lemon?"

"Of course, silly. And raspberry for Rarity, and poppyseed for Fluttershy . . ." She went on a several minute rant about all the cupcakes she thought to back and why.

They all laughed together at that. Typical Pinkie, sweeping away the tension like a cloud of dust. In that brief moment, all the fears and worries Cheese had felt that day melted away. That was Pinkie's magic, and Cheese would not have traded it for all the gold in Canterlot.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Luna waved the ax in the air, testing its point in the torch light. It was plenty sharp enough. Ever since she had returned from her banishment, she had to accustom herself to the new laws. In the past, it had always been her duty to see punishments through. And now, for the first time in centuries, she would be able to do that duty once more.

Looking around the dimly lit chamber, she noted the guards tightening the straps on the device. They glanced back at her on occasion with obvious "are you sure about this" expressions. Luna strode forward to double check the wooden contraption. It was designed to hold a pony so fast they they could not move even a fraction of an inch. The flat board in front allowed only a unicorn's horn through, pressing their head against the back of it. A perfect position for dismemberment.

Luna smirked in triumph at Storm's panicked expression. "Seems I have won after all, Storm. Are you ready?"

Storm attempted to struggle, but the guards had done their job well and he could not so much as twitch in the constraints. Shining Armor stood beside Luna, "Are you sure about this, majesty?"

"Oh yes, Captain. Quite sure." Luna started to walk slowly backwards, and position herself in front of the prisoner. "Have your men stand back. Head wounds do tend to bleed profusely."

"Right." Gritting his teeth, Shining Armor motioned his guards to back off. He stood to the side, watching Luna with apprehension.

With a practiced precision to rial any guard in Equestria, Luna brought down the ax with her magic. A blood curdling scream resonated around the chamber, causing the guards to cover their ears. Shining Armor stared in horror at the prisoner's head. Where his horn had been, there was a bloody hole. "Princess? Should we take him to be treated?"

"No." Luna's voice was icy and firm. She tossed the severed horn to the corner like a piece of trash. "Take him to the dungeon. He is to suffer for his crimes."

Shining Armor backed slowly away, nodding. "Of course, Princess."

.................................................................................................................

Starlight lay on the opulent bed, contemplating. Tomorrow she would be carted off to some dingy Manehattan cell where she undoubtedly would be convicted on all accounts. At least, that how everypony envisioned it to play out. But she would not allow it to end that way.

No, she would make her own fate as she had done her whole life. Sighing, she opened the end table drawer, and drew out a small black bag. In it was the key to her freedom. Lighting her horn with her amber magic, she opened it and drew out the glass bottle. The small vial was filled with clear liquid. Carefully, she drew out the syringe and filled it with the liquid. Just two shots. Two shots and she would be set free forever.

Gritting her teeth, she injected the first syringe, then the second. It filled her with a pleasant sort of warmth. It was fitting that her last free action be this. Whatever came next was of her own design. What a blessed feeling that was.

Picking up the Pieces

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Moonlight streamed through the stained glass windows of the royal hall. A late autumn chill had settled in the long hall, causing Cheese's breath to come out as vapor. But that did not bother him. The cold coming from the glass was welcome. It helped him think. Thinking was what he needed to do now. He curled up tighter, trying to decide whether to cry or scream.

A soft sound of hoof beats drew his attention. At first, he thought Pinkie had come to get him. That was the last thing he wanted. But these steps were unfamiliar. He did not care to look, hoping they would pass by.

A gentle voice spoke in his ears. "Cheese Sandwich? What are you doing up so late?"

Cheese looked up to see none other than Princess Luna. "Princess? I uh . . ." For some reason, he could not find the words.

"Enjoying my night?" She lay down next to him, smiling sweetly.

"Yes." Cheese looked down at the marble, embarrassed to be found cowering in the corner.

Luna looked up at the stained glass, admiring the picture. "They are quite beautiful, are they not?"

"Yeah! Really nice." Cheese chuckled weakly, jerking his head to the glass depicting the second defeat of Discord by the Elements. "But it's kinda weird to see my marefriend depicted in the architecture."

Luna's soft laugh was like hundreds of bells ringing together. "True enough." She watched him look back down at the marble once. "What troubles you?"

"Nothing . . ."

Luna lifted his chin, causing the young stallion to blush furiously. "That is not the truth. Is it your parent's trial?"

"Not the trial per say." Cheese would rather be anyplace else. He looked away from the alicorn. "The punishment, it feels harsh."

"Harsh?" Luna's eyes grew wide with surprise. If anything, she expected the stallion to chide her for going easy on them.

"I know it's stupid, and they deserve what they get. But I can't stand it! I never asked for this!" He pulled away her, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I shouldn’t care for them, but I do." A loud thud echoed down the hallway as he slammed a hoof to the floor. "What's wrong with me?"

Luna gave him a quick hug, "Nothing is wrong with you, Cheese. Your concern for them only shows your kindness."

"But they hate me! They wanted to kill me the day I was born!" The remembrance of his mother's words made him sick to his stomach. From the conversation with Prius, he thought mother might have loved him for a short time. But he had never been so wrong and it hurt worse than any kick to the gut. He curled up tighter, trying to fight away the memory. "I never should have been born."

The stallion's words wrenched Luna's heart. She had known, known since the time she met him in the dreamscape that he would be broken. Still, it was painful to see. "Do not say such things. You have an important place in this world."

Cheese rolled his eyes sarcastically, "Yeah right."

"You are every bit as important to Equestria as Pinkie and her friends."

"Huh?" The thought of him being on par with an Element of Harmony was comical. "How could I be?"

Luna gave another laugh, sending an echo down the long hall. "You are living proof that one does not have to let their past define them." Her eyes stared into his. "It would have been easy to grow bitter and cruel like your parents. Instead you turned your focus to all the good left in the world. That is not an easy feat to do."

It took a while to realize that Luna was not just talking about him. He chuckled a little, fidgeting with his bandages. "Pinkie said the same sort of thing."

"Pinkie knows you well." She stood gracefully. "Perhaps it is her you should be talking to."

"Yeah." Cheese cringed a little, embarrassment sweeping over him. The princess was right, and he knew it.

Luna began to walk away, pausing by a nearby pillar. "I believe it is your turn."

Soft hoof beats preceded a sheepish looking Pinkie Pie. Her hooves shuffled against the marble. "How'd you know?"

"Years of practice." Luna winked at her before walking down the hallway. Before she had gone too far, she called out, "Do not dwell on the past, Cheese! You have friends that need you in the present."

"Right." Cheese watched her leave, then turned to Pinkie. It was easy to tell that she was furious. "So, I guess you heard everything?"

"Yup." Pinkie huffed indigently, cuffing Cheese's head with a hoof. "Why are you so stupid?" A few tears trickled down her face and she fell to the floor beside him. "You know you can talk to me about anything, Cheese."

Cheese? It was the first time she had called him that. It sounded so strange. "Cheese? What's that about?"

"What? I can't call you by your name?" Pinkie nudged him with her muzzle, snuggling close. "Since you picked this freezing place to talk, it's only fair."

"Hey." He chuckled, placing a hoof on her back. The sweet smell of her coat was intoxicating. "Comfortable?"

"Yup. Now I'm going to make you tell me what's wrong. And don't leave anything out." Pinkie glowered up at him for emphasis.

Cheese raised an eyebrow, "Or what?"

"Or I'll . . ." Pinkie paused, trying to think of something suitably horrible. "I'll start calling you Rory."

"Seriously?" Cheese stuck out his tongue. "Yuck, pass."

"Then talk mister."

"Okay, okay. You win." Cheese laughed a little before he started. Luna was right, it was much easier speaking with Pinkie. Every little thing about her set him at ease. It was clear that his feelings would not be resolved in a single night. But, he would always have somepony to listen to him.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"You sure you don't need us to come?" Twilight glanced nervously at Pinkie and Cheese. "We don't mind."

Cheese waved a hoof dismissively, "Naw. That's okay. You've got to get back to Ponyville."

"Yup. We'll be just fine." Pinkie pressed a little closer to Cheese. "Starlight's trial shouldn't take too long, and we'll be back in a jiffy."

"That's good." Twilight looked around the sunlit chamber, double checking that they had everything. Without Spike's help, it was more than likely she had. "Did we triple check, girls?"

"Urgh!" Rainbow slapped a hoof to her forehead. "For the millionth time, yes!"

"Oh yes, I made extra certain." Fluttershy patted her saddlebags for emphasis.

Cheese rolled his eyes, winking at Pinkie. "This might take a while."

"Cheesie." Pinkie giggled into a hoof. It was true.

There was a loud clanging of armor, and the door was unceremoniously flung open. In strode two guards and Princess Celestia. The alicorn turned her attention to Cheese. "There's been an incident. I need you to come with me at once."

"Uh . . ." Cheese tried not to let his knees knock together from the shock. "Okay."

The others started to follow, but Celestia stopped them. "Just Cheese for now, girls. You'll be informed shortly."

"Uh, okay." Pinkie looked close to panic, but backed away.

Seeing the concerned expression of Cheese's face, Celestia sighed. "Very well. Pinkie, you may come as well."

"Okay." Pinkie hopped over to Cheese, grateful for the Princess' lenience. From Cheese's conversation last night, she did not want to leave him to face whatever it was alone.

Their little walk was more like a death march. Cheese was quite keen to keep up despite the pain. Celestia looked almost frustrated about something. She turned her head to Cheese. "Your father owns a Pharmaceutical company, does he not?"

"Several. He was always going on about how profitable they were." What's pharmaceuticals got to do with anything?

Celestia turned back around, still speaking to Cheese. "I assume they test a lot of dangerous substances that do not make the marketplace?"

"Yeah. They're constantly stopping research on products." Cheese grimaced at the memory. "Always drove Father to fits when they did."

"Where do they keep the drugs that are stopped?" They were nearing another hallway, and Celestia's pace slowed a little.

"Well, they keep them in the company vaults just in case they need them again." Cheese could not fathom why Celestia was so interested in something like that.

Celestia paused at the entrance to a narrow hallway. She looked Cheese square in the eyes. "Would your mother have access to those vaults?"

"Well, she's not supposed to. But it's not like anypony would tell Mother no. They'd be too scared of Father coming after them." The confusion began to ebb, replaced instead by panic. "Why do you want to know?"

Celestia sighed, placing a hoof on his shoulders. "I fear that we've underestimated Starlight." She led the way down the narrow hallway. Shining Armor was standing guard by the door. Celestia nodded to him. "Any change?"

"None, Princess." He eyed Cheese nervously. "Have you told him?"

"I thought it best for him to see. Is that the vial?" Celestia glanced at a small box beside the door.

Cheese watched as Shining Armor opened it. Inside was a small medicine vial and syringe. The company label was familiar. "This is one of father's companies."

"As I suspected." Celestia turned to Cheese. "When the guards found her, she had injected this into her system. Do you know what it is?"

"I can take a look." Cheese carefully picked up the vial and read the complete label. "It's a discontinued drug. That's strange." He squinted, reading the bit again to double check. "No way. . ." His stomach lurched, and he nearly dropped the vial.

"It's what, Cheesie?" Pinkie glanced at Cheese, then back at the bottle. "Does it turn you orange or something?"

"No. It says it causes," He gulped, trying to level out his voice, "permanent psychosis." Cheese's emerald eyes were awash with panic. "How much did she take?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. I'd say it had to be a lot though." Shining Armor glanced to his guards who nodded in agreement.

Cheese voice faltered, "Why?"

"That is a question we may never know the answer to." Celestia looked at the door, then back at Cheese. "I fear trying her in this state is out of the question. We will transport her to Manehatten none the less, but she will need an attorney-in-fact. Somepony to take responsibility for her care."

"Wait a minute!" Pinkie stepped forward, puffing her chest out. "There's no way that he would–"

"Pinkie!" Cheese stamped a hoof, pinning his ears at her. "Don't jump to conclusions." He turned to Celestia. "May I see her first?"

Celestia gritted her teeth. "It is not pleasant. But, I would not stop you." She opened the door a crack, allowing Cheese inside.

The small room was completely strewn with bits of bedding, splintered furniture, and remnants of curtains. There, rocking herself in a corner was Starlight. She looked up at him, amber eyes flashing with an unsettling mania. Cheese carefully stepped towards her. "Hello, Mother. I see you've cut your mane."

Starlight's mane, once like spun silk was not matted and cut at jagged angles. Judging from the broken lamp beside her, that was what she used to do it. She cringed as he got closer, baring her teeth like some rabid dog.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Cheese reached out a hoof for her. "See? It's me, Rory." He ground his teeth together. "You don't like me much."

Starlight gave a strange barking laugh that set Cheese staggering backwards. "Rory? That's a stupid name!"

"Well, you came up with it, not me." The mare's jerky movements made his skin crawl. Again and again, she brought her head to the floor and back up again. "Why did you do this to yourself? You would've had a fair trial."

The head bobbing continued as though she had not heard him. Cheese found his confidence failing him as he watched. It scared him more than he wanted to admit. Slowly he backed out of the room and into the hallway again.

For a while, he simply stared at the floor, too shocked to speak. He looked up at Pinkie, then at Celestia. "Sorry, but I had to see." He bit his lip, knowing that he might live to regret his next decision. "I'll take responsibility for her. Nopony else will."

"Cheesie! Why? WHY?" Pinkie looked ready to slap him.

Chees's eyes met Pinkie's, "Because she's my mother. Because it's the right thing to do."

Pinkie's head sunk down in defeat. There was no arguing with him. "Okay."

"Do I need to fill out paperwork or something?" He had no idea what proceedings there were for this sort of thing.

"Yes, come with me." Celestia noted Pinkie's troubled expression. "Why don't you explain the situation to your friends, Pinkie? Cheese will be along shortly."

Pinkie could only nod as she watched them leave. It felt so wrong. Their conversation from last night kept replaying in her mind. Though she would rather see Cheese never speak to her again, she knew. Knew that, despite her qualms, it really was what he needed right now. So why did it hurt so much?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"They did it, Milo!" Quill trotted into the hospital room, a newspaper obscuring her face. She took her usual seat beside the comatose unicorn, laying out the paper on his blankets. The lines of Quill's face were stretched taunt in a broad grin. "That crazy kid really did it."

Quill patted Milo's forelock affectionately. "You'd better wake up soon so you can congratulate the kid. In the meantime," She flattened out the paper, "I'm going to read you today's headline story."

"'STORM SCRIBE CHILD ABUSER: THE SHOCKING TRUTH

Investigations into business tycoon Storm Scribe's disappearance have turned up a startling revelation. Our reporters have uncovered the horrifying truth. Storm Scribe was not taking a 'leave of absence,' but was in fact undergoing a Royal trial for child abuse! In a press conference yesterday afternoon, Princess Celestia announced that Storm Scribe was indeed tried and convicted on all accounts.' "

Quill paused, looking back at Milo. "Would you believe it, Milo? We couldn't have hoped for better if we had planned it ourselves." She cleared her throat, and adjusted her glasses. "Now where was I? Oh yes . . .

'The pony to testify against him was none other than his wife, renowned model Starlight Scribe. The Princess also revealed that Starlight had actively participated in the abuse alongside Storm. When asked, what the abuse entailed, the Princess gave a short list, but would not go into detail. Physical trauma, attempted murder, poisoning, neglect, starvation, and psychological damage were amongst them. Needless to say, our reporters were stunned.' "

The hospital room grew silent for a moment. Quill sighed, staring out the window at the brilliant morning beyond. "Why were they shocked, Milo? Anypony could have seen that Scribe was up to no good all they had to do was listen to you. Why did it take this long before somepony noticed?"

She swiped her forelock back and continued to read, "'The punishment given by the full Royal Council was lifetime imprisonment in the Canterlot dungeons and removal of Storm Scribe's horn. The Princes assured our reporters that this horrific punishment is reserved only for the most severe crimes.'"

Once again, Quill paused. The thought of that scum getting his horn removed was music to her ears. "Serves him right. Eh, Milo? I hope they found a particularly dark hole to shove him into. Anyway, where was I?

'As for Starlight, it was announced that she had a trial date in Manehattan. However, there was an unexpected development. During the night after the trial, she managed to inject a psychosis inducing drug into her system. As far as any of the doctors can confirm, the effects are permanent. Princess Celestia announced that she would be placed into an undisclosed psychiatric institution.'"

A small twitch of Milo's hoof drew Quill's attention. Though he had been doing it for days, the doctors were unsure if it meant anything. Quill kept up the hope that it did. She tried for a laugh, which sounded a little pained. "Funny isn't it, Milo? Who would have thought that she'd sink so low as to make herself crazy. It's poetic at the very least."

The article went on into revealing some of Storm Scribe's crimes that were now making the spotlight. Quotes upon quotes, stories, evidence, the whole nine yards. It was all old news to her. "The rest is what we already know, Milo. I don't want to depress you."

Quill began to fill out the crosswords as she did every morning. The routine had so engrossed her that she did not notice the stallion's eyes flicker open. An alarm from the breathing apparatus jerked her back to reality. Panicked, she turned to Milo only to see him pulling out the tube. "MILO!"

An expression of purest annoyance was plastered on the middle aged unicorn's face. "How am I supposed to gauge public opinion when you won't read it to me, Quill?"

Quill looked highly taken aback. "Huh? Oh, you mean the article?"

"Yes the article confound it!" Milo went into a coughing fit, wincing at the sudden sharp pain of it all.

Quill rushed to him, stroking his sides with a hoof. "Don't talk, idiot! Your lungs are really damaged. That tube's in there for a reason."

"Yeah, yeah." Milo looked over his friend with concern. The mare looked as though she had aged ten years since he had last seen her. "How long, Quill?"

"Not even a month." Quill's eyes were watering over now. Hastily, she wiped her face on a sleeve. "You heard me?"

"Hard not to with you rambling in my ear at all hours of the day." Milo glowered at her. "Seriously? Why do I want to know about your stupid cat?"

Quill giggled like a school yard filly. "I guess that was a little stupid. I wanted to make sure you didn't get lonely." Her hoof patted his forelock affectionately. "How'd I do?"

He looked away, face growing red. "Good, I guess."

"That's great. I'll just get the nurse." When she made to stand, his hoof reached out to stop her.

The memory of the fire began to crash over him like a flood. All he could remember was waking up to a room full of flames and smoke. Then, the timbers fell on him. If it had not been for that goofy kid, he would have died of that he was certain. His voice was quavering, "How's the kid? He's not hurt too bad is he? I couldn't live with myself if he was."

Quill sighed, "Milo, it's not your fault. Cheese wanted to help you and was willing to take the risk."

"Just tell me I didn't send him home to his mare wrapped in bandages." He noted Quill's avoiding stare. "Oh, Celestia I did." After another coughing fit, he spoke weakly, "How bad, Quill?"

"All four of his legs had serious burns. His front hooves were awful. They did their best, but he was in a lot of pain when he left." The expression of guilt washing over Milo was sickening. It was the stallion's greatest fault, and one not easily fixed. "Milo Coltfax! Don't you go wallowing in self-pity. You've got enough on your plate about without worrying about the kid." She stomped towards the door. "I'm getting the doctors! Don't die on me, you got it?"

Geeze, touchy today isn't she?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Spice glanced down at the newspaper, and spat out a mouthfull of coffee. "I don't believe it!"

A nervous looking pegasus standing by the maniquins took to the air. "Yikes! What, Miss Spice?" The mare did a sweep of the cluttered office as though expecting a thug to jump out from behind the walls of fabric.

Spice felt her peach face grow crimson. "Sorry, sorry, Lilly. This article surprised me a little." Her hoof jabbed the paper as she gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Didn't mean to scream. How's it going on your end?"

"This fabric's really hard to bunch up like the design says." Lilly scrunched up her muzzle, trying to figure out how best to pin the thing.

"Do your best, Lilly. That's all I can ask." Spice glanced outside at the busy streets of Fillydelphia, wondering. Sighing, she turned back to the paper. Her expression darkened with each sentence. You really can pick them, can't you Starlight? I knew you were scum, but this. This is just sick. Torturing your own foal? Who does that?

A pit formed in her stomach as she read the summary of her crimes. Undoubtedly this was going on when Milo had been unfaithful. Had he known then what kind of mother she was? What kind of mother sleeps around with married stallions when their child was being abused? It was sick. And, after everything comes out in the open she ran away just like always. Then again, insanity was always Starlight's specialty.

She made to toss the paper into the bin when a single name caught her attention. Drawing the paper to her muzzle, she read in stunned disbelief. "'During the trial, Storm Scribe admitted to attempted murder of his own son and ace prosecuting attorney Milo Coltfax. Both stallions were severely burned in the incident. Colfax is undergoing treatment at Manehattan General. He has been in a medically induced coma since the fire. No word has been released on his condition.'"

Spice stood so suddenly that she knocked her chair over. Her heart pounded uncontrollably fast in her chest. Milo was in trouble. Knowing the stubborn old goat, he probably had nopony to look out for him. Suddenly, it did not matter what the stallion had done. She had to go to him, and there was nothing that would stop her. "I'm leaving, Lilly. You're in charge."

"Leaving?" Lilly dropped the fabric on the floor, hooves shaking. "Leaving where, Miss Spice?"

Spice was already at the door. "Manehattan. Milo needs me!"

Lilly watched as Spice took off at a gallop. She snorted, returning to work. "Geeze louise. It's about time she came to her senses."

...................................................................................................................

Pinkie leaned against the outside of the brick building, humming a merry tune. It was an unusually warm day for late autumn, and would have been perfect if the setting had been better. Manehattan was far from the open fields of Ponyville. Today was the Running of the Leaves, and for the first time since living in Ponyville, she would miss it. It did not make her sad, but it did leave some kind of hole in her heart. Maybe she would ask Cheese to show her the local park so she could knock some leaves down Applejack style.

Just on cue, the stallion emerged from the small glass door marking the entrance of the institution. He beamed at her. "All done."

"Already? But it's only been like an hour." Pinkie's eyes darted back towards the massive brick building surrounded by an ageing stone and barbwire fence. "She's all set?"

"Yup. Not much to do with her now." Cheese started limping down the sidewalk, Pinkie following suit. "I'm just glad I won't have to see her for a long time."

"That's good." She gave one last glance at the scary looking structure before setting her attention onto Cheese again. Though she hoped Starlight would have a less than pleasant experience, she knew Cheese would not. "They're going to treat her okay there, aren't they?"

Cheese's emerald eyes flickered with surprise. It did not take a mind reader to tell that Pinkie despised his mother. Still, the fact that she would worry for his sake made him feel warm all over. "Yeah. They showed me around a bit. She'll be in good hooves."

She took a sudden interest in a nearby store front. "Oh, that's good."

"Pinkie." Cheese rolled his eyes, "You don't have to pretend. I know you don't like her."

"I know, I know. It's just . . ." She tried to think of the right words. "It's good for you is all I meant. You won't worry that way."

He pressed his muzzle to hers, sending a vivid blush up her cheeks. "Thanks." Even with Pinkie's support, he still felt terrible. "I know you think I'm crazy for still caring about her."

"Don't say that!" Pinkie stared at him in horror, as though he had just said a litany of choice swear words.

"Say what?" Cheese shrugged, still walking forward. "It's the truth after all."

"No it's not! You are the last pony in Equestria who's crazy, Cheesie." Despite her small frame, her voice carried across the sparsely populated street. "I'm sick and tired of ponies calling you and me crazy! I'm sick of it."

There was a defined look of dread in Cheese's eyes. Pinkie was blowing the whole thing out of proportion. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal? Don't you see?" A sad, almost pleading look came over her face. "You don't understand. Crazy. Crazy. I hate that word, and you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because, ponies throw it around like candy without understanding a thing about it. Crazy isn't you and me." The next words came out in a crescendo. "It's trying to kill an innocent foal after he's born. It's leaving a scared colt to fend for himself in the park. It's calling their son stupid when he's so hungry he can barely stand! It's throwing your child in a dark box for days on end when you're mad! It's trying to burn two ponies to death so you don't have to face punishment! It's injecting yourself with psycho medicine so you don't have to admit you were wrong!"

Pinkie's hooves struck the ground so hard that sparks shot into the air. "Real crazy is your parents, Cheesie, not you! So don't you dare call yourself crazy again!"

Cheese stood in stunned silence, mouth hung open. Around them ponies shuffled past, muttering under their breaths. For a long while, he stood frozen in place. Then, he gave a slow nod. "Okay. I won't . . . I won't say that ever again. Sorry."

"Don't apologize, Cheesie." Pinkie gave him a long hug. "You've got nothing to be ashamed over. And no, for the hundredth time, you're not messed up for wanting to care for her." She nudged him gently in the sides, starting to walk down the road again. "I admire that about you, Cheesie, I just couldn't do it myself."

Cheese beamed back at her. In a matter of seconds she had staunched the fear that had been nagging him since the trial. A new, uncomfortable thought crossed his mind. "Do you think I'll ever forgive her?"

"Maybe. I dunno. My family's not the forgiving type." Seeing the stormy expression on his face, she tried for a more optimistic explanation. "Dad always says that forgiveness is the hardest thing a pony can do 'cause you can never forget the past no matter how hard you try." Her eyes darted back to the institution. "He'd say true forgiveness is loving them even when they don't deserve it and knowing full well they might turn around and hurt you again."

Cheese nodded agreement. "Grandma said that you can never really heal until you forgive."

"I guess. But you shouldn't rush it, Cheesie." Pinkie placed a comforting hoof on his back. "It'll come with time."

"You're right." Cheese sighed, "Guess I've got nothing more to worry about then." He turned on a side street, Pinkie following suit.

They continued down several more alleys and streets until Pinkie's head began to spin. "Hey, Cheesie?"

"Yes, dear?"

"This isn't the way to the hospital, is it?" Making Cheese walk more than necessary was the last thing she wanted.

"It's the long way." He chuckled at the stern expression on her face. "Don't worry. This detour is waaaay worth it."

"Okay." Curiosity got the better of her, and soon she was bouncing up and down in anticipation. Apparently Cheese knew where he was going. There was nothing she loved better than his surprises. They generally involved something so random and fun that she never would have thought of on her own.

"Here we are." Cheese stopped underneath a massive wrought iron gateway.

Pinkie looked up at the letters and beamed like a filly in a candy shop. "Central Park? This is that super big park you were telling me about, right?"

"You got it. Come on, I'll show you around." Cheese led the way inside, humming a cheery tune. Though it held a lot of unpleasant memories, he still felt excited. It was still a beautiful place, and one he knew Pinkie would enjoy. "I thought we'd come here for lunch since we're missing the Running of the Leaves and all."

Pinkie stared at him in amazement. "But I didn't tell you about the Running of the Leaves. How'd you know, Cheesie?"

Cheese stopped, staring at her as though she lost her marbles. "Pinkie, I'm one of the best party planners in Equestria and Ponyville's my home now in case you've forgotten. I've had all the local festivals and dates memorized for ages now."

"Wow! That's great, Cheesie." Pinkie watched him walk over to a stand and buy some food, though the brown sac gave little hint as to what it was. "What's that?"

Cheese spoke around the bag, "Guess."

"Uh, apple fritters? Popcorn? Cotton candy? Ooooh oooh, maybe some kinda cupcake." For a while, they walked down the sidewalk. She followed him into a nice grassy patch surrounded by trees. Laying down beside him, it was clear to see he was not going to tell. "Oh come on, Cheesie. What is it?"

"It's kind of a Manehattan fall tradition." Cheese opened the bag and drew out a large circular container and two long objects wrapped in paper. He gave an inviting wave of his hoof. "Open it."

With an enthusiastic flourish, she lifted the lid and stared in curiosity at the contents. "What is it?"

"You mean you don't know?" Cheese gave a mock disappointed expression. "And here I thought you knew just about everything there was to know about treats."

"This is a dessert?" The thought of the strange, creamy orange stuff being a treat never crossed her mind. "Cheese, it looks like the mush we feed to the twins."

Cheese started laughing, rolling on the grass and clutching his sides. After gasping for air, he flipped over and grinned back at Pinkie. "It's pumpkin spread."

Now she was curious. "Pumpkin spread? What do you spread it on?"

"All kinds of stuff. Crackers, bread, waffles, cupcakes, pretty much anything you want really." Cheese unwrapped the longer objects, revealing an assortment of just such objects. "I'd recommend the pumpkin bread." He clutched his sides with a dreamy expression. "It's so pumpkiny."

"Oooh! This sounds yummy." For the next half an hour or more, they took turns spreading the pumpkin paste on all the assorted culinary bases. It was a lot of fun, but extremely messy. By the time they were done, their mouths were covered in the stuff.

Cheese laughed loudly when he saw Pinkie's entire cheek coated in the spread. "It's kinda messy." He leaned in and licked her cheek. "That's better."

"Cheesie!" Pinkie giggled a bit, doing the same to him. His soft laugh sent a happy shiver up her spine. It had been weeks since she heard Cheese laugh like that. The sudden sensation of his weight pressing her to the ground surprised her. "Cheese, you're heavy."

"There you go again." Cheese gave a low nicker, pressing his muzzle to hers. "Why'd you call me that?"

"Cause . . ." She flushed crimson, looking into his eyes with hers. The words came out in a rush. "Cause that's your name silly. Can't I at least call you that when we're . . ."

Cheese gave a sly grin, "Getting closer?"

Her voice was almost as quiet as Fluttershy's, "Yeah."

"Then I get to do it too," He nicked softer than he ever had before, nuzzling her cheek. "Pinkamena."

"Awwwe. No fair." Pinkie was about to nuzzle him back, when she remembered where they were. Ooops. She pushed him unceremoniously off of her. "Not here, Cheese."

"Oh, right." His face now matched her shade of red. It was getting harder and harder to control himself around her. "Sorry, sorry. I got a bit carried away."

"It's fine, dear. Just don't want ponies to get the wrong idea." Pinkie stood, brushing the leaves off her coat. She gave a nervous chuckle, "Welp, we'd better get going if we want to see Milo before the train leaves."

"Right." He looked to the direction of the hospital, just barely visible between the nearest skyscrapers. The building looked as dreary as ever. Hopefully their visit would be a little less so.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Quill was tapping her hooves to her own nervous tempo again. Once more she found herself wondering how anypony got away being as cantankerous as Milo. The stallion was glaring at a cup full of pills as though they were about to bite him. Quill snorted in frustration. "Just take the medicine, Milo."

"Shut up." Milo swallowed the pills quickly, glowering at her, "There, happy?"

"Quite." She beamed at Milo, patting his forelock like a little colt. "Good boy."

Milo looked mutinous, but sighed, rolling on his side. His whole body ached despite the incredible amount of medicine they had him on. To compound the searing agony of the burns, he had a constant cough. Unfortunately, the doctors said he would have to live with it the rest of his life. "It's ironic."

"What?" The mare resumed her seat beside him, paging through another paper.

"Everpony used to tell me not to mess with Scribe. That one day I'd be burned. Well," He gestured to his bandages, "they were right."

Quill snorted, flipping the page with her magic. "I could have told you that."

"You did." The midday sun sent tantalizing rays of warmth into the hospital room. Milo wished he could stretch his legs, but that was impossible for the moment. There was nothing he hated quite as much as having nothing to do. His focus turned on the stack of envelopes under Quill's chair. "Angry letters?"

"What?" Quill chuckled when she saw what he was looking at. "Not hardly. Take a look." The basket levitated to Milo's bed.

Milo tore open one and then another. His eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Clients? CLIENTS? How in Equestria did we manage that, Quill?"

"After that article this morning, ponies finally caught on to the fact that you were right all along. You're turning into quite the hero, Milo." Quill sighed theatrically. "A pity, really. You'll just be your usual self and they'll hit the door running."

"Shut up. I can be nice. I AM nice. I just don't go flouncing around like the kid." Milo's heart sank a little when he thought of Cheese. Despite Quill's determined assurances that it was not his fault, he could not help but feel responsible. And then there was Starlight. A shiver ran down his spine at the very thought of her. Why could he never escape her? And to think that she would rather go insane than accept her punishment.

"Milo, MILO!"

Milo jerked away from his daydream. "Sorry, Quill. I was," He had a long coughing fit that made his sides ache. "lost in thought."

"Aren't you always?" Quill snorted, turning back to her paper. "Well, don't let me stop you."

A few minutes past with Milo sorting through the requests and Quill reading away. Though neither of them would admit it, the routine was oddly comforting. They never needed words to communicate. It had been that way as long as either of them could remember, and would likely remain that way for years to come.

They were so engrossed that they did not notice the nurse walk through the door. "Hello, sorry to bother you, but Milo has some visitors. Is this a good time?"

Quill gave her a questioning glance through her glasses. "We weren’t expecting anypony. Milo?"

Milo could not fathom who would want to see him. An improbable thought crossed his mind. "Is there a mare? Goes by the name of Spice."

"No."

His heart sunk like a ton of bricks. Of course it was a long shot. She swore to never speak with him again. Still, he would have traded all the gold in Equestria to see her again. His gravelly voice was irritated, "Well, who is it?"

The plump mare pulled out a clipboard, squinting to read the names. "A Mr. Sandwich and Miss Pie. The stallion says he's a friend of yours."

"The kid!" Milo looked as though Heartswarming Eve had come early. His exuberance sent him into another coughing fit.

Quill shook her head disapprovingly at Milo. She turned back to the nurse. "He wants to see them."

"All right. I'll send them in." With a nod to Milo, the nurse backed out of the room.

In a few minutes, the door swung open and two ponies strode in. The pink mare literally bounced over to Quill. "Heya! I'm so super duper excited to meet you."

"I uh . . ." Quill tried not to be intimidated by the mare's face nearly pressing into hers.

Cheese rolled his eyes, sighing in exasperation. "Pinkie, personal space."

"Ooopsies. Sorry." Pinkie backed off a few inches and took a good long look at the mare. "Wow, you're really pretty."

Quill felt her face grow red. It had been years since anypony complemented her looks. "Thanks." Her eyes were drawn to the large, ugly scar on the mare's side. Thankfully, she was distracted by Cheese's limp. "What happened, Cheese? Your legs shouldn't be hurting that much, should they?"

"They shouldn't. But he didn't clean them well enough and they got infected." Pinkie giggled at Cheese, patting him on the back. "But he's loads better now. Right, Cheesie?"

"Right." Milo's coughing drew Cheese's attention to the bed. "Hey, Milo. They said you just woke up this morning. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been dropped down an elevator shaft." Milo took in the young stallion's appearance. The sight of all four of Cheese's hooves being bandaged made him nauseous. "That's got to hurt. Glad my burns weren't on the legs."

"Yeah. It's pretty awful. I can't work, I can't run, and I can't play the accordion. But," He grinned at Pinkie. "I'm doing all right." His voice lowered an octave, eyes fixing on Milo's bandages. "How bad is it?"

"Well, I'm not going to be running any races. Lungs are shot." Milo's rasping cough echoed around the room. "But the burns are going to heal up." For the first time since they came in, he took a good long look at Pinkie. She really was a pretty little mare and it was amusing to see the resemblance. "And who's this little beauty you've brought along?"

Pinkie flushed crimson, pressing a little closer to Cheese. Cheese chuckled, "Oh yeah. I forgot to introduce you. Milo, Quill, this is Pinkie Pie my marefriend."

Quill smiled brightly. "A pleasure to meet you, Pinkie."

Milo gave a curt nod. Then, he turned back to Cheese. "I need to know what happened, and don't skimp on the details kid."

"Right." He gave a nervous chuckle, and lay down on the floor. "Guess I'll get started then."

For the next hour, he told the pair all that had transpired since the fire. Pinkie had to take over on the retelling of the trial, but they managed to give them an honest account. When they finished, Milo and Quill's expressions had turned dark. Quill gave Cheese a horrified look. "You mean you volunteered to take responsibility for Starlight?"

"Yeah." Cheese pawed nervously at the linoleum. He looked into Milo's eyes. "Milo, why'd she do it?"

Milo gritted his teeth, looking out the window. "Your mother's always been that way, Cheese. Ever since we were kids in school together. She'll do anything to stay on top, and she never takes responsibility for her actions." After another coughing fit, he continued, "When she's backed into a corner and made to face what she did, she falls to pieces." The thought of what happened made him sick. "In her messed up mind, that was the only way to escape. There's no way she'd kill herself, she's too arrogant for that. So she chose an easy out. Simple as that really."

Cheese nodded in agreement. It was the truth, however much it hurt to admit. There really was nothing for it. "So, what are you two going to do now?"

"Me?" Milo gave a wicked grin. "What I do best. There's no prosecuting attorney in Manehattan that can match my skills." He gestured to the basket of letters. "I've got ponies begging me to take their cases."

Quill snorted, rolling her eyes. "I guess I'm stuck with him. Who knows what kind of trouble he'll find himself in next."

"Right." Cheese made to speak again, but noticed the clock on the wall. "Yikes! Is that the right time?"

Quill nodded, "Yes, I set it myself."

Pinkie sighed, "Sorry, but we've kinda got a train to catch."

"We understand." Quill smiled sweetly at Pinkie. "I hope we can chat some more soon. I'd love to hear more about you and your friends."

Pinkie giggled, giving Quill a big hug. "You too. You've probably got a million cool stories to tell."

Quill felt her face grow warm. "Well now, maybe not a million."

Cheese walked over to Milo. "Well, I guess this is goodbye for now."

"Yeah." Milo ruffled Cheese's forelock affectionately. "Grow it out, it looks terrible."

"I'm trying." Cheese made to leave, but Milo held out a hoof. "Yeah?"

The older stallion pulled Cheese to him, hissing in his ear. "Be true to her, Cheese. I mean it. Because, once you've slipped up, there's no going back to the way things were."

"Right. I'll remember that." Cheese stared at Milo for a few seconds more, then strode out of the room beside Pinkie.

Quill watched them until they left. "Well now, that was a surprise. Eh, Milo?"

"What surprise?" He shrugged casually. "I knew he'd come."

A loud snort from Quill indicated her frustration. "Admit it, Milo. You were shocked." Quill sat back down on her chair, levitating the paper once more. "You'd better be ready."

"For what?"

Her eyes darted across the paper as she spoke, "The wedding. He'll expect us to show up you know."

"Yeah, yeah. Quit your griping. I'll go." Milo rolled over on his side. For once in his life, he was glad to be bothered. Whatever came now, at least he had ponies who cared. This was a new beginning for him, and he was not going to blow it. Not this time.

What Changes May Come

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A blanket of snow had fallen over Ponyville. It was hard to believe that a few weeks ago it had been dressed in spectacular autumn colors. Though the scene was beautiful, the best part for Cheese were the ponies. The entire town seemed to be out enjoying the freshly fallen snow. Everywhere he looked, ponies were in high spirits. It was the perfect morning for a walk.

After a long month of rest, he was finally able to walk relatively pain free. Though he was still forced to bandage his legs. The cold morning air stuck in his lungs, sending up a fit of coughing. He had been dealing with an occasional cough ever since the fire. It drove Pinkie to worried fits every time he did. She's so protective. Geeze, it's not like I'm not on medicine for it.

A loud crash across the street drew his attention to a group of construction workers hoisting a large timber beam. The house frame they were working on was taking shape alarmingly fast. Harvey's got them working their tails off. The thought of good, honest labor made him long to join in. But that would not be possible.

Sighing, he glanced back at city hall. Mayor Mare had hired him to sort paperwork for hours a day. It was all right, but terribly dull for a former wanderer like himself. The work was all too similar to pouring over the case files with Milo. Though he knew he should not even bother to, he walked past the construction site for old times' sake.

Up close, it was apparent that the house was not taking form the way it needed to. The angles were all wrong, and there was a decisive slant to the corner timbers. Harvey was scolding a few of his workers, gesturing grandly to the mess of a frame. Chuckling a little, Cheese started to walk off.

"Hey, Cheese!"

He turned behind him to see Harvey galloping to him. The older stallion stopped abruptly, looking over Cheese. "I haven't seen you walking around for ages. You feeling better?"

"Yeah. Loads better." At that moment, his body chose an inopportune time to go into a coughing fit. After it stopped, he smiled weakly at him. "Sorry. The doctors say my lungs are damaged. It'll take a while for that to stop."

"Oh. I, uh . . ." Harvey stared hard at the snow, trying to find the right words. "I wanted to apologize for earlier. Yelling at you for getting hurt and firing you like that. It wasn't right." He rubbed the stubble permanently attached to his chin. "I guess you saw our little mess here."

"It's hard to miss." Cheese grimaced as one of the workers knocked over a pile of timber. "They're kinda disorganized."

"Yeah. It's been a nightmare for months now." He gave a heavy sigh. "Brahm got em going, and you kept to the plan." He raised his eyebrow cautiously, "Could really use some of that now."

Cheese felt his heart skip a beat. "You mean you'll take me back?"

"Yeah, kid. I need you. I was just too stubborn to admit it earlier." Harvey looked highly unsure of himself. "So, can you forgive me?"

"Of course I can." A grin stretched all the way across Cheese's face. "I'd really, really like to come back to work for you!"

"All right then." Harvey grinned back just as brightly. "Glad I can finally get some help that knows what he's doing. I'll see you at eight on Monday." He made to go back to the site, then paused, turning back to Cheese. "Oh, and just so we don't worry that mare of yours I'll start you off slow. No lifting or grunt work. You'll be my right hand stallion on this project, so I'll expect some quality organization and planning from you. Got it?"

"Uh, right." Cheese watched Harvey leave, then turned back to the road. The thought of having a real job again was enough to send him into a giddy dance. He laughed loudly, a free, honest laugh he had not been able to give in months. It felt good.

As he made his way down the street, he practiced some of his party pony tricks. He was obviously a little rusty, but that did not matter to him or the townsponies. They laughed along with him and happily joined along with his antics. By the time he reached Sugarcube Corner, he had left a wake of cheerful ponies. He sung the door open and skipped inside. "Heya."

"Cheesie." Pinkie hopped over to him in a few strides. "What are you doing here? Don't you have work with the mayor?"

"Finished early. But," He mimicked Pinkie's excited hopping. "I won't have to work there anymore."

"Why's that?" Pinkie stopped, staring expectantly at Cheese.

Cheese puffed out his chest a little. "Harvey's hired me back."

"WHAT? That's great!" Pinkie did a little lap around the empty store. Then her heart fell at the realization. "Nope. You can't, Cheese."

I can't? What's she on about? "Pinkie, it's great. Next to party planning, it's my favorite thing to do."

"I know. I know. Just," She turned away, biting her lip. "you're not supposed to do that sort of stuff with your hooves. Remember?"

"Oh is that it?" Cheese waved the thought away. "That's no problem. Harvey's not having me do anything physical right now. He needs a planner. Since I'm a party planner, I didn't see the problem in branching out a little."

"Whew." Relief washed over her face. "That's good." She sighed, glancing around at the shop. "Wish things would work out on my end."

Cheese place a hoof on her back. "What? The Cakes giving you a hard time again?"

"No, no. Nothing like that." Pinkie flushed a little, turning back to the counter. To avoid Cheese's stare, she focused on arranging some cupcakes. "Just thought it'd be nice to get the venue up and running. I'm working on it, but it's going to take forever!"

"What?" Cheese leaned casually against the glass, eying the store appraisingly. "You're place has a lot more class than this."

Pinkie raised her head from the counter. "Yeah, leaky pipes are oh so classy."

"Give it time, dear. It'll all work out. Shoot, not that I'm feeling better I can come and help out for a few hours after work . . ." He stopped short. A few hours here and there. That seemed to be all the more time he got to spend with Pinkie lately. The mare was bound and determined to work herself to death. "Say, Pinkie?"

"Yeah?"

His voice was extremely subdued, "Would you like it if we could spend some more time together?"

"Well, duh!" Pinkie leaned over the counter, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I always want to spend more time with you, Cheesie. We've just been so busy lately."

You've been so busy lately, dear. Sighing, Cheese started towards the door. "Well, I'll leave you to it, miss busy body."

"Cheese! Don't go yet!" Pinkie cantered over to him. She puffed her cheeks out in a big pout. "You just got here."

Cheese felt a warm tingle at those words. He turned back, giving her a long kiss on the muzzle. His voice was soft as silk, "Sorry, Pinkamena. I've got a train to catch." He gestured to his cutie mark.

"I thought you weren't going to do that anymore!" Pinkie's eyes flashed angrily and she stamped a hoof against the floor. "Not without me that is."

"It's a short trip, Pinkie. I'll be back tomorrow night." He could tell from her sour expression that it did not sit well. But, in a few days she would understand. "I Cheesie promise to be back tomorrow night. Will that do?"

"Yeah, I guess." Pinkie glanced nervously out the window at the snow. "But you can't go camping with that cough of yours, Cheesie. You'll catch your death."

"Don't worry. I was kinda planning on visiting Nickerlite on the way home." Cheese shrugged in a would-be-casual way. "Thought I'd catch up with Igneous."

Pinkie's eyes sparkled with excitement. "That'd be super fun! I'm sure Mom, Dad, Marble, and Limestone would love to chat. They always need somepony to make them smile. Hang on a sec."

Cheese watched Pinkie race over to the counter, draw out a piece of paper and scribble a note. In a few seconds, she was back with it in her mouth. He took it, chuckling a little. "I suppose you want this delivered?"

Pinkie nodded. "You've got it." She giggled, flushing embarrassment. "I kinda forgot to write them a letter last month."

"Understandable." Cheese carefully folded the letter. "I'll give it to them. See you tomorrow!"

"Bye! Safe trip, Cheesie."

As soon as he was out of the Corner, Cheese let out a huge sigh of relief. That was way too close. Truth be told, he could have cared less about the birthday party in Appaloosa. It just happened to be conveniently located on the same train line as Nickerlite. Cheese took a last look at the shop, a nervous smile on his face. Just a few more hours, Pinkie. A few more hours until he made the biggest leap of faith in his life. He could only hope for a smooth landing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A brilliant sunset had started, casting a warm glow on the frozen ground. Cheese could help but stare out the window, contemplating. The party in Appaloosa went well. Perhaps not as exuberant as his other parties, but ponies had fun none the less. Still, he could not help but wonder about Pinkie. It seemed that she consumed his thoughts of late. That did not bother him, but of course it made him wonder. When did I become so reliant on her?

He turned away from the window and opened up his saddlebags, drawing out a letter. It had been delivered two weeks ago, but was still absorbing the implications. Out of habit, he re-read the familiar lines.

'Mr. Scribe,

This is Quick Word, an attorney that's been placed in charge of sorting out business affairs with your parents. As you might be aware, your father's company has been broken up and sold to its respective stockholders and investors. However, that still leaves the matter of their personal assets not tied to the company. The assets have been liquidated, and a large sum of bits has been collected. As the closest living relative, and to cover medical costs, we have awarded you the amount of 121,000 bits in full. Currently it is being stored in trust for you. If you should like to withdraw any amount, do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,

Quick Word'

Sighing, he folded it carefully back into the bags. The thought of his parent's money had never once crossed his mind. It seemed shallow to bother with something as trivial as money. He hated the thought of having so much of it. Money always made his skin crawl. Especially since his father had earned most of that through the most corrupt means imaginable. At least he was able to pay off the hospital for both his and Milo's medical expenses. And, with it, he would be able to provide for Pinkie if need be. That at least was a comfort.

As the train drew closer to Nickerlite, the scenery changed to sparse, rocky ground for miles on end. It was a little gloomy, but he knew Pinkie's family was anything but gloomy. Serious, but not gloomy. The screeching of the wheels coming to a halt informed him they had arrived. After stepping out onto the platform, he headed for the farm.

Nickerlite was freezing, but there was no snow to be seen. The long walk to the farm felt even longer with his occasional cough and somewhat weak legs. As usual, a thick layer of clouds began to gather and turned into a blanket before the farm. Despite having no weather ponies for miles, it was spitting snow and a cold breeze blew in from the North.

Sunlight had almost gone completely by the time he actually saw the farmhouse. Sure enough, Igneous was busy piling rocks into a heavily laden wagon. Cheese trotted over to him, "Igneous!"

The stallion looked up and dropped the rock to the frozen ground, still managing to create a crater where it fell. "Well, this is a surprise. What brings you here?" Another thought occurred to him as he looked around. "Where's Pinkamena?"

"In Ponyville. I had a day trip to Appaloosa, and was on the way home myself." Cheese chuckled self-consciously. "Thought I'd stop by and say hi."

"Well, it's a nice surprise." Igneous did his best to smile, but he was out of practice lately. Then, he noticed the bandages around the young stallion's legs. "Cheese! What in Equestria happened to you?"

"Huh? Oh, that." He had completely forgotten about the state of his legs. "I was in a fire two months ago. Burned my hooves really bad." The frigid air sent him into another coughing fit. "Hurt my lungs a bit too."

"You were in a fire?" Igneous moved to him, eyes flashing with panic. It was bad enough he worried constantly about Pinkamena, but now he had to worry about Cheese too. "Celestia kid, why didn't you tell us?"

Cheese was frozen in shock. He had expected a gruff, indifferent snort or something. It never occurred to him that Igneous cared about him as anything more than just Pinkie's stallion. But, maybe that was what he was worried about. "Pinkie's fine, Igneous. It happened when I was in Manehattan."

Igneous shook his head, "It's not her I'm worried about. It's you. By Celestia, you need to be more careful. You could have died." He pinned his ears at Cheese, "It wouldn't have killed you to let us know! Now I've got two ponies that don't bother to tell me what's going on in their lives."

"Sorry. Guess I'm not used to having anypony to write to." Cheese looked highly embarrassed, lowering his head.

"It's fine, Cheese. Just write to me more okay?" Igneous turned away, flushing crimson. "You're like a son to me."

Cheese stared in dumbfound amazement. It was probably normal for fathers to worry about their sons, but Cheese would not know it. For some stallion to treat him like a son when his own father barely acknowledged his existence was beyond belief. He had to fight the urge to cry. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do." Igneous started when Cheese gave him a big hug. "What's that for?"

"Thank you." The tears came despite his best efforts. "It means a lot." He turned away, trying to compose himself. "Sorry I'm such a wreck. There's been a lot going on."

Igneous rubbed Cheese's forelock affectionately, "You want to talk about it?"

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Pinkie curled into a tight ball under the covers, trying in vain to warm her hooves. The bedroom felt more like an ice chest than a place to sleep. In the corner, Gummy was curled up under his little heat lamp. Lucky dog.

Sighing, Pinkie kicked out of the covers and trotted over to the dying heater. The antique stove heater in the center of the room looked like it had been rescued from an old school house. In fact it probably was. Pinkie giggled at the thought of one of the mayors lugging it up here. "We could open a museum, huh, Gummy?"

Silence. Just like always. It made her stomach churn. It had been like that for weeks now. She would talk and joke just like normal, but there was never anypony to answer. All her life there had been somepony there, be it the Cakes or her family. Now, she was well and truly alone, though she was not sure if that made her lonely. What she felt was more like an emptiness inside, as though her puzzle was missing a piece. There was no good reason to think that way, but it would creep up on her at night.

A breeze blew in from the ancient window, sending a shiver down her spine. Hastily she shoveled some coal into the heater and rushed back into bed. Once more, she became lost in her thoughts. Whenever she got scared, she would always "giggle at the ghosties." But there were no "ghosties" here. There was nothing, and that was the problem. A familiar, ridiculous thought crossed her mind. If Cheese were here, I wouldn't be scared. There's no way I'd be lonely with him around.

A small voice in the back of her head seemed to shout at her. Pinkie! Don't go fantasizing! He hasn't even mentioned getting married.

Married? She giggled at the thought of Cheese proposing. It was too good to be true. Sighing, she curled up tighter under the covers. Was it really so much of a stretch to imagine getting married? They were young, a bit too young for marriage by most ponies' standards. But with all they had been through together, would a little thing like age matter? They loved each other more than anything else in the world. So why not now?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Igneous was exhausted. He had spent hours talking with the young stallion about life, love, and family. Still, it did not take a genius to tell Cheese needed to have the conversation. From what he said, he never had a father figure to talk to before now. As quietly as he could, he walked into the bedroom.
He started at Cloudy lying perfectly awake and reading a book. "Dear, why are you up?"

"I wanted to see you." She patted the bed beside her. Once Igneous settled in, she placed the book on the end table. "Even I could tell that Cheese needed to talk. He seemed so quiet at dinner. So, how's he doing?"

"All right." Igneous cringed at what Cheese had told him. "He's been through an awful lot lately. His father and mother were tried and convicted of child abuse last month."

"What?" Cloudy looked thunderstruck. "You mean he was abused?" The thought of anypony wanting to hurt Cheese was ludicrous. "But he's such a sweetheart."

"From what he said, he was beaten, neglected, and tortured by both of his parents. And, despite all that, he's got to be one of the most polite, caring young stallions I've ever met. Don't ask me how he managed that." Igneous rolled on his side, fighting the urge to break something. "Why, Cloudy? Why would anypony want to hurt their own child?"

"I don't know, Igneous." Cloudy stroked his back, "I suppose because they don't appreciate what they have."

For a while, Igneous lay there in silence. Then, he spoke quietly, "Do you think he can be trusted with her?"

"With Pinkamena? Of course, why would you say that?" Cloudy looked sternly at Igneous. "He's a good, honest, pony. And he loves Pinkie unconditionally. Why in Equestria would he hurt her?"

Igneous patted Cloudy's forelock. "Easy, Cloudy. I feel the same way. I just wanted to make sure before—"

"Before what?" Her eyes looked expectantly into his.

"Before I give him my blessing."

"What? Isn't it a bit too early to be worried about that?" The thought of her Pinkamena getting married seemed a bit of a stretch. "They're still so young."

"We were the same age when we got married, dear." Igneous sighed, looking into Cloudy's eyes. "He didn't just talk to me for the heck of it. He wanted to be completely open with me so I'd understand where he was coming from." Igneous chuckled a little. "I can't help but respect that about him."

"So he asked you?"

"Not yet. But, I'll bet you anything he will tomorrow." Igneous kissed Cloudy's forehead. "I'm going to say yes you know."

"I know." Cloudy turned back over, staring at her needlework in the corner. "I'd better finish her quilt then."

"Probably." Igneous yawned loudly, closing his eyes. "I don't expect they'll wait long."

Cloudy giggled, "Waiting's not Pinkamena's style."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Pie family farm was a far cry from Manehattan or Ponyville, but Cheese welcomed the change of pace. He woke up early out of habit. It was nearly impossible for him to sleep in when he was feeling well. That helped a lot when he was traveling, but was a pain when he needed the rest. Yawning, he got up from the warm bed.

Igneous and Cloudy had been nice enough to let him stay in Maud and Pinkie's room since neither of the mares were there. It was easy to see that it was pretty much Maud's room as every free inch was given over to housing a kaleidoscope of strange rocks. At least it was warm. He took his saddlebags and went downstairs.

Nopony else was up yet. It was probably his fault for chatting with Igneous for hours last night. Cheese settled down on the sofa and started to unwrap one of his legs. The skin underneath was still raw and painful, but appeared to be healing fairly well. Some hair had actually started to grow back which did something for his appearance. Mechanically, he rubbed the ointment on and started to re-wrap it.

"Ouch."

He spun his head around to see Limestone leaning casually on the back of the sofa. "Morning."

"Morning." Limestone eyed Cheese's legs with interest. "I know you said you were in a fire, but geeze. That's a bad burn!"

"You should have seen it two months ago." Cheese finished wrapping the leg and moved to the other one. "I was in the hospital a pretty long time for it. It's getting better, but I'm not allowed to do a lot of work until it heals."

"I'll bet." Limestone tapped her hoof against the floor boards. Her eyes darted around the room, and she seemed distracted by something. "Say, Cheese?"

"Yeah?"

Limestone walked around the sofa and sat in front of Cheese, staring him in the eyes. "You're going to marry, Pinkie, aren't you?"

"What?" Cheese dropped the bandage, and scrambled to pick it up. When he brought his head back, his entire face was red. "I was planning on it. That is, if your parents approve and she'll take me."

"Oh, she'll take you." Limestone giggled, remembering how excited Pinkie had been to introduce them to Cheese. "She loves you to pieces." The mare's eyes focused on the floor again. "I'm glad. You're good for her."

"Thanks." He did not understand much about Limestone, but she seemed to be a genuine, kind pony. "So I guess you're okay with it?"

"Of course I am!" Limestone gave a sincere smile. "I just wanted to give you my support. Marble too. That's all."

"All right. Thanks." He watched her leave, glad that Pinkie's sisters approved. It felt comforting.

"Hey, Cheese. Let's make breakfast."

"All right." Cheese walked over, joining Limestone in the kitchen.

The rest of the morning after breakfast consisted of helping Igneous in the barn. The stallion was determined to inventory and organize crates of tools and rock farming equipment. Cheese enjoyed the organization bit and was happy to design a good system for Igneous. They worked quietly and efficiently. After a few hours, Igneous stopped him for a break.

Grateful to stop sifting through a box of dusty bolts, Cheese leaned on a nearby straw bale. "There's a lot of stuff here."

"Oh you have no idea." Igneous chuckled, "I never had time to organize when the girls were fillies. So, I ended up stacking tools willy nilly."

"Yeah, they are a bit chaotic." Cheese stared hard at the dirt. The words he needed to say seemed stuck in his throat. But, he had to do it. This was the best opportunity he would have. "Say, Igneous? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Igneous looked expectantly at Cheese.

"After what I told you last night, I'd understand if you don't trust me. But, I have to ask you." Cheese wanted so badly to turn away, but resisted the urge. "Would you grant me the honor of marrying your daughter?"

Igneous stared at Cheese a long while, watching the younger stallion hold his gaze. "Will you do your very best to provide for her whatever it takes?"

Cheese jerked a nod. "Of course I will!"

Igneous sighed, speaking a little slower, "Will you give me your assurance that you will never treat any children you have with my daughter the same as your own parents? No matter what they may do or how they turn out?"

"Of course I'd love them. Love them like life itself." Cheese's hoof struck the dirt, sending up a cloud of dust. "I know what it's like to be hated, to be abused. I'd kill myself before I let that happen to my own children."

For a long while, Igneous stared appraisingly at Cheese. The young stallion was obviously sincere about this. Ever so slowly, Igneous' lined face broke into a smile. "You've got my blessing, Cheese. There's no stallion I'd trust more with my daughter."

Cheese felt as though a massive weight had been lifted off his chest. "Thank you."

"Sure. But now," Igneous gestured to the state of chaos in the barn, "we've got work to do."

"Right." Cheese dug into the work, glad to have something to occupy his mind. He felt a sea of emotions crashing over him. Though he was glad to have permission, he was worried. Worried, perhaps irrationally, that Pinkie would say no. Time would tell. All that was left now was to wait.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Snow was lazily drifting from the clouds above Ponyville. Though it was only seven o'clock , the streets were as dark as midnight. Occasionally, Cheese would pass a few ponies on their way home or out for a stroll, but they never stopped to chat. That was fine by him. There was nothing he wanted more than to see Pinkie again.

He turned down the now familiar side streets until he arrived at Pinkie's place. It really did look creepy, mostly due to the peeling paint and stray loose boards. Cheese knocked at the door a few times then opened it up. The long hall was freezing and completely empty save for a few tools in the corner. "Pinkie? Hello. It's Cheese. Thought I'd say hi."

The thunder of hooves on the stairs preceded an overly excited Pinkie Pie. "Cheesie! I'm so glad you're back."

Cheese watched Pinkie slide over to him. The mare's excited breathing was sending clouds of vapor into the frigid air. "I missed you so much!"

"You too, dear." He held her in a tight hug, savoring her familiar smell. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Sure, as long as it's not too long." Pinkie followed Cheese out into the street. "Geeze, it's super cold tonight."

"You want your coat?"

She pressed her side to his, "Nope, I'm good."

"All right then." Cheese started to walk down the side street.

As they walked, Pinkie admired the reflection of the street lights in the snow. "How do you like it, Cheesie? Rainbow made sure to schedule plenty of snow 'cause we're sledding with the girls tomorrow."

"Did she? Geeze, talk about abusing your authority." He chuckled none the less. "Pretty clever though. And it makes for a pretty picture."

"You said it." Pinkie was growing curious as Cheese kept leading them farther from town. "Where are we going?"

Cheese gave a would-be-casual shrug. "Oh, I thought it'd be fun to get out of town. You don't mind, do you?"

"Nope." Pinkie eyed him suspiciously, but kept walking beside him. They passed over the bridge and started down the road a little ways. It was really strange for him to take her out so far. "Seriously, Cheesie. Where are we going?"

"Away." Cheese stopped by a large oak tree, beaming back at her. "I guess this is far enough."

Pinkie stared at the tree, at the road, and back towards Ponyville. "I really don't get it. Why'd you take me out here?"

"I just didn't want to get interrupted." Cheese sighed, dropping his saddlebags onto the ground. His eyes stared lovingly into hers. You can do this, Cheese. "Pinkie, I know we've been through some challenges lately. I know I'm a wreck, and I'd understand if you wanted me gone. But, I have to tell you."

His heart pounded uncomfortably fast in his chest. "I need you, Pinkie. I want you in my life, not just a few hours a day, but the entire day. I want to give you every part of me, all my love, all my devotion." Cheese bent down on one in front of her. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Pinkie stared at him, heart racing so fast she thought it would burst. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks. Then, before Cheese could react, she had tackled him to the snow. "Yes, yes, YES!" Her muzzle pressed to his over and over again. "I thought you'd never ask."

Cheese nickered softly, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "So you were waiting?"

"For ages!" Pinkie giggled, brushing back a strand of her forelock. "When?"

"When what?"

Pinkie rolled her eyes. "When can we get married?"

"Uh, as soon as I get the paperwork together. We'll have to plan some sort of wedding." He felt his heart race at the thought of their wedding. "Maybe in the spring?"

"The spring?" She stuck her tongue out in mock disgust. "How's a week from today sound?"

"A WEEK? Pinkie, I can't get everything ready that fast."

"Well then, two weeks." Pinkie nuzzled him affectionately, savoring the familiar earthy scent. "I don't want to wait any longer than I have to."

"All right. You win." Cheese chuckled, reorienting himself on the snow. "But, it's not going to be fancy."

"That's good. I hate fancy stuff." She stared back at Ponyville, thinking. "Geeze, it's so weird."

"What is?" Cheese stood next to her, following her gaze. "Ponyville?"

"No, silly." Pinkie pawed at the snow, watching it bunch up tightly under her hoof. "We've been dating for only a few months and now we're getting married. I never thought this much change could come so fast."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, just strange." Pinkie's azure eyes stared into Cheese's emerald ones. "I used to be so scared of change. I thought if things in my life changed, the world would cave in or something. But ever since I fell in love with you, I can't be scared of it." She gave him a long kiss on the muzzle. "You're change, Cheese. But you're the best kind of change in the world. And, as long as I'm by your side, I'll welcome whatever changes come next."

"And I'll be right there to welcome them with you." Cheese nickered softly, returning the kiss. "I'd love to kiss you all night, dear. But," He scooped up his saddlebags, grinning at Pinkie. "we'd better get going before you get sick."

"Me? What about you?" Pinkie pressed her side to his once more, feeling his breaths against her own. As they walked, she could not staunch the excitement welling up inside of her. For now and forever, she would have him by her side. To Pinkie, that single thought was stronger than any magic in all of Equestria.

Author's Notes:

Well, it's been a very long road, but we've finally reached the end. I can't imagine that I'd ever get this far when I started writing the story in March. My intention was to make an 80 or 90k word fic and keep it simple. It's incredible to see how much I've done with just this one story. I never imagined it would become as complicated as it did.

Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed the journey. It's been wonderful to see all the positive feedback. It makes me happy to know that people are enjoying the story I've put so much effort into. Thanks for sticking with me!

If you were wondering, I am going to write a "sequel." Mostly it will be in the form of short stories continuing to look at Pinkie and Cheese's life together. In my upcoming Applejack x Flim fic, An Honest Life, I will be continuing from the point I left off in What Changes May Come. CheesePie will be an element, but not the focus of the story. I encourage you to check out my other shorts. All of them occur in the same universe, and often meld different aspects together.