> My Little Heartbreak: Creativi-Tea
>  by Jet_Black1980
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Paradise Lost
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter one

Paradise Lost

I lay on the couch looking at the flat screen monitor before me. I had just bought it. Something that I really had to force myself to do, seeing that the old clunky CRT monitor worked just fine. But it took up a good portion of the table, the screen was starting to go and well...the thing was massive. So a new monitor was what I got. It’s around five o’clock and a lazy spring day off from work.

My ears perk up as I hear the door open from downstairs. “Hello?” a tired and curious voice comes. I have already jumped up and slipped through the narrow gap between a box and a table just to greet her at the top of the stairs. “Hellllloooo?” I echo back to her while nearly falling down the stairs just to see her smiling face.

She stands there looking tired, exhaustion and frustration melts away from her face when I open my arms to greet her. She clasps my hand after it brushes against her cheek. I run my fingers through her red hair, my gaze transcends into her beautiful chestnut brown eyes and I wrap a hand around her back. Some might call my girl names ascribed to her weight. I would call her beautiful from the inside-out.

I then wrap my arms around her in a loving and passionate embrace, my body pressed against hers, and the two of us drink in a fiery kiss. When it finally breaks, I look at the goofy expression on her face. She’s happy for a moment. That makes it all worthwhile. “So how was your day my sweet?” I ask her.

She responds with a merfing-merwl. I have a terrible habit of spoiling the mood. Saying the wrong crazy thing at the wrong or maybe right moment that can totally and utterly take a moment out back and shoot it Old Yeller style. She walks to her bedroom and flops down on the bed. Seeing that I have showered, I flop next to her.

“That bad eh?” I ask sympathetically.

“You don’t want to know.” She replies turning her head and looking at me. For a moment there is nothing but drain and worry on her face. Then she sees that I am shirtless and her expression changes from that of exhaustion to a mischievous imp.

“Wha..?” I ask in a not-so-innocent-manner.

She quickly rolls over and pins my arms down. “I think you know what..” she whispers, her face drawing close to mine. I close my eyes and puckered my lips ready to enjoy a slice of paradise.

“FOR THE GOOD OF ALL EQUESTRIA, IT HAS BEEN DECREED THAT YOU, HEARTBREAK, ARE TO HAVE ALL YOUR MEMORIES REMOVED.”

My eyes snap open and instead of a face I love, I see a face I fear-Celestia’s. A scream rushes forth from my throat and I am still unable to move. Her eyes look like twin suns, her horn is glowing with magic that looks like a solar flare and her face is void of emotion.

Then a voice comes out from the distance..
“HB... HB...HB...HEARTBREAK.” It says in frustration. Looking to my left I see Twilight. “Wake UP.”



=======================================================================



My eyes jar open, morning light assaulting them and I gasp. I can feel cold sweat dripping off of my forehead. Ugh, a flood of emotions are ebbing at my senses and now there is a pounding in my head. I push myself up and rub my head.

“Owww.” My eyes narrow to stop the light from coming in.

“Good morning!” Twilight says cheerfully.

I look at her momentarily and then flop back down. Normally I would be pretty awake. I would be able to just push myself out of bed, be awake, and at least able to tolerate the morning. “Then again, I had a computer, the ability not to be confused every time I went to the bathroom and an energy drink almost always nearby. Add to the fact that Celestias’ face has been burned into my brain for the past week,” I think to myself with a hoof shielding my eyes. “and I am sure that is the formula for an unhappy...heartbreak.” . “Just...five...more...minutes Twilight?” I plead nuzzling my face under a pillow.

“Not today Heartbreak.” Twilight replies. “Today is an important day!”

“I thought I asked you to call me HB..” I say muffled under the pillow.

“I would but you aren’t getting out of bed. And as every good student knows. ‘Early to bed, early to rise, makes a pony healthy, wealthy and wise!” She replies pulling the pillow off of my face with her magic. I grimace at the pony version of that saying. A strange early morning thought passes through my head as a pony Ben Franklin says it.

“What would his name be?” I ponder in the mid-morning waking fog. Benjamin Flanklin? Geeze, what a horrible pun. Bad brain. You don’t get any reward for that. Twilight makes a face when I look at her.

“Gah! Geeeze, you look like you didn’t sleep at all last night.” She says as I flop back down on the bed.

“You mean past week Twilight.” I reply. “Seeing Celestia’s face every night in my dreams will pretty much do that.” Out of the corner of my eye I can see Twilight’s expression turn from serious to worried.

“You’re still having nightmares?” She asks.

I roll my eyes. “I was in the military for a year and four months, Twilight. After getting out I was still having nightmares about being there years after I got out. What happened with Celestia was a week ago.” I look at her sternly. “What do you think?”

“They have a military where you are from?” She asks looking a bit curious.

“Fuck,”  I think to myself. I can see where that is going. “Yes Twilight, they have a military.” A quiet forms on this moment. It grows pregnant and finally bursts with another question.

“Sooo...” Twilight begins. “Did you kill anypony?”

I twitch at both the nature of the question and the way it sounds in my head. I just can’t ever see anypony from the show asking that question. “No Twilight,” I reply. “I almost flunked out of boot camp on the first day, and never made it out of tech-school.”

“Boot camp? Tech-school?” Twilight asks.

I stomp my hooves on the bed. Too many unwelcome questions about subjects I don’t want to talk about. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore, Twilight.”

“But-”

“Not talking abooou-” I turn my body and misjudge how far I need to go to get out of bed. Which of course means that I fall with half my body still in the bed. “About it.” Grunting I pull the rest of myself out of the bed. Congratulations Twilight, this round goes to you seeing that you got me out of bed.

“Why not? Was it really that bad?” Twilight asks.

“What are we talking about here Twi’? The military or my world?” I ask walking tiredly towards the bathroom.

“Either one I guess.” she replies.

“Yeah, let me get back to you on that.” I say closing the door behind me.



=======================================================================


Twilight looked at the closed bathroom door sighing a bit. “It’s only been one week Twilight, you can’t expect her to come down from something like that and not act like that. Plus there is the pressure that she is facing.” She rolled her eyes. Heartbreak wasn’t the only pony here facing pressure.

The Princess had given Twilight and her friends the task of teaching the Elements of Harmony to this strange, confused and thus far, often snarky pony. While these could be easy lessons to teach, what wasn’t easy was going to be Heartbreak’s task from the Princess. She was to write her a letter once a month explaining what she had learned about the Elements of Harmony and something profound that she learned about herself.

“Profound life lessons don’t just fall from the sky.” Twilight thought as she heard the rushing of water come from the bathroom. “However, if we don’t start searching, we’ll never find anything.” Heartbreak came out of the bathroom with her hooves a bit wet.

“Ugh. I don’t think I will ever get used to that...” She comments.

“Get used to what?” Twilight asks.

Heartbreak blinks and makes a funny face. “Um.. Hooves. Washing them. Yeah.”

“What they don’t wash their hooves where you are from?” Twilight asks. Heartbreak’s stomach growls in response.

“They don’t have hooves where I come from.” She says curtly. “Now, how about breakfast? Then you can tell me what is so important about today.”
> My Kingdom for a Hand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Two

My Kingdom for a Hand

The two of us come out of the bedroom. If I were back home and I saw two ponies walking out of a bedroom, I would assume it to be the start of what sounds like a really bad fan fiction. The kind that has a horrible self-inserted character, a plot that makes little to no sense and inappropriate fan based shipping.

As it stands, maybe this is a really bad fan-fiction. I can imagine myself writing my exes as some sort of evil shadowy antagonistic figures and the rest of all this being a part of some rather messed up self-flagellating guilt fantasy.
However if that was the case, why didn’t I see it all coming?

Looking down I see another thing that I feel that I should have seen coming. The stairs that are almost right outside the door. There is a slight queasy feeling as I look down, I hesitate and almost stop suddenly.

“This again?” Twilight asks me.

“Hey! Stairs are...scary.” I tell her.

“You don’t seem to have any problems going up them...” Twilight replies looking at me expectantly.

“Going up them is one thing. Coming down them is another.” I turn around and start backpedaling down the stairs. I can hear Twilight sighing and see that she is looking at me with a slightly disappointed expression.

“HeartBreak. How are you supposed to adjust to being a pony if you can’t think like a pony?” She asks.

I look up at her. “I am thinking like a pony. A pony who still has a rather bad fear of high places and falling from those high places.” Hey, that actually sounded a bit rational and less snide than normal!

“Uhhhh Heartbreak?” I jump a little hearing a voice from behind me. It’s Spike. “You know you’re going about that the wrong way right?”

“No Spike.. Where I am from, every-p-p-Ugh!” I continue walking backwards finally getting to the bottom of the stairs. “They all walk backwards down stairs.”

Spike raises a claw and looks at Twilight. “Uuuuh..”

“Don’t ask Spike, she’s just having trouble sleeping,” she replies walking casually down the stairs. I sigh. In one breath I am envying the both of them. Twilight can go down stairs unimpeded and Spike has the closest thing to hands.

The kitchen never really appeared on the show, and yet here it is. It’s a small thing with a basic stove, refrigerator, cupboards and a table that’s big enough to seat the three of us.

Twilight starts pulling things out of the cupboards and refrigerator. Bowls, cups, three plates, apple juice, a few oranges, bread and a few eggs. Pots and pans go flying about and the stove turns on. Spike, meanwhile has taken out a bowl of small gems from the lower cupboards. He starts happily munching away on them. Flicking his thumb and popping them in his mouth.

That green streak of envy flits through me. I look down at my hooves and then back at Spike as he enjoys his crunchy treat. I always speculated that dragon teeth had to be made of diamonds to break down rocks like that. He then notices that I am watching him.

“What?” he asks in between a bite.

“Um. Nothing.” I reply.

“Let me guess.” He swallows. “They don’t eat gems where you’re from?”

I get the momentary impression that Spike isn’t exactly thrilled with me staying at the library. I can’t say that I am exactly thrilled with this either. But it isn’t like I have munch of a choice. Being booted from your reality leaves you limited on what resources you have. Which of course is none.

“Um. No Spike. Nothing on the world I am from does that. The closest thing we have are birds, but they only eat rocks for most likely the same reason that birds here eat rocks.” I explain.

Spike looks kinda bored with my explanation and continues to much his gems. Meanwhile, Twilight has her nose in a book on how to make basic breakfasts. Her nose in a book doesn’t surprise me. What is surprising me is that she is actually cooking.

“Um so...Twilight. I never thought you to be the cooking type...” I explain.

She looks over her shoulder and cracks a few eggs into a hot skillet while at the same time putting a couple of slices of bread into the toaster. “Well, when you have somepony who is pretty much depending on you for...almost everything...you learn that you have all sorts of special secret talents.” She pours the eggs onto a plate and plucks the freshly toast from the air. The oranges get sliced up and then she places something else that I can’t see on the plate. She then levitates the plate right in front of me. “And speaking of special talents...what is yours?”

I blink looking at what is on my plate. There is eggs, toast, a sliced up orange and...”Hay?” I ask.

She rolls her eyes while pouring the apple juice. “What about it?”

I cringe. “I’m not eating hay, Twilight.”

She gives me a stern look. “Ponies eat hay, Heartbreak.”

“I’ll eat the eggs, I’ll eat the toast and oranges, like I told you like two days ago. I’m not eating hay.” I reply.

“Ponies need hay, Heartbreak.” Twilight repeats.

“It doesn’t agree with me, Twilight.” I tell her, perhaps she’ll buy that lie.

“Have you ever eaten hay before, Heartbreak?” She asks me.

“Fuck,” I think to myself. “I’ve chewed on it before.” I explain twirling my hoof.

“Then you haven’t eaten it before,” She tells me.

I stare at the plate, everything else is growing cold just because I am arguing with Twilight about eating hay. My stomach on the other hand is starting to growl and gurgle even more.

“You could at least try a little and decide whether or not you like it,” She says. “If you don’t, then I won’t offer it to you again.”

“Fffffffffffffine.” I reply. Ugh. I lower my face to the plate and gingerly take a nibble on the hay that is presented to me. Chewing it, I half expect it to taste like something other than hay. It of course doesn’t. Twilight is smiling a bit as I chew.
“Bleh! Ugh! Napkin please!” The hay tastes like well, like hay. Dried, crunchy, grassy...grass. She sighs and a napkin floats to my face. I spit the hay out and smack my lips to get rid of the taste. Little splinters of hay still linger on my tongue.

“I almost think that was for show Heartbreak.” Twilight says.

“I assure you, that wasn’t a show. I didn’t eat hay where I am from alright?” I respond.

“What did you eat where you were from?” Spike asks dumping the remaining gems into his mouth.

“Um...Everything on this plate with the exception of hay.” I reply. I am leaving everything else vague cause I really don’t want to explain that humans will eat practically anything. Horses included in some countries. Twilight rolls her eyes and I look at the glass of apple juice. She was kind enough to put a straw in the glass. I start sucking up it through the straw. At least that tastes pretty damn good.

“Right. Back to your special talent, Heartbreak.” Twilight begins.

Spike looks over at my flank and scratches his head. “I can’t think of any job where breaking hearts is the best special talent to have.”

My eye twitches involuntarily. “It’s not a cutie mark.”

Twilight blinks. “It’s not?”

I bend down and start munching on the toast. “No. It’s a branding.”

Twilight looks a bit horrified. “A branding?” She asks.

I slurp up an egg. “Yes Twilight, you know, where a white hot piece of metal is used to sear the flesh of a being to denote ownership of that being?”

“I know what branding is, Heartbreak. I just didn’t think...they branded you?” She asks. I simply nod and eat an orange slice. She blinks. “That actually answers one of my questions. When I first saw you, I thought that you didn’t have a cutie mark, but in the confusion of that night, I wasn’t terribly sure...But that raises another question.”

“If that question is ‘How?’ Twilight,” I gobble a piece of toast. “Then the answer is I don’t know. Magic?” Twilight grimaces at that answer. “What?”

“It’s just...I’m not used to hearing magic being used in a way that would harm others. Most magic is used to help others,” Twilight explains.

I give her my ‘are you serious’ look. “Sure it is, Twilight. And I am sure the ‘want it-need it’ spell is just a harmless little spell that helps ponies realize that they want-slash-need something.”

Twilight gives me a rather unnerved look. “Um well...It’s not as bad as some magic out there.”

“Oh of course not, Twilight.” I finish up my eggs, toast and then finally the apple juice. “Some of the more darker spells involve ripping memories from other’s minds.”

“Soooo! What exactly is your special talent, Heartbreak?” Spike interjects.

Twilight sighs a bit looking at me sternly, I don’t like the fact that I am starting to argue with her, but damn it. I’m right about this. If there is an idea or an action I am sure there is a spell for it.

“Right, today is the day we find out what your special talent is, Heartbreak,” Twilight says. I kinda want to state that maybe my special talent is bickering or causing others to question themselves, but I have already had my early morning argument.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” Twilight asks me.

“Why bother? It would only sound snide and-” I roll my eyes. Even that sounds a bit sarcastic. I push the empty plate aside and frump down on the table. Twilight looks like she is trying to calm herself down.

“Look H.B. This is a learning experience for the both of us. I have never been a teacher before. A little criticism is something I should expect.” She looks at me. “With that said, if you could try to do as Rainbow Dash suggested and think about what you are about to say...”

I look at Twilight and a small smile creeps on my face. She blinks in a slightly confused manner. “But Twilight, if I did that, then I would be suffering from a terrible case of hoof-in-mouth disease.”

Twilight blinks and then giggles slightly. “Was that a joke?” She asks me.

“Yes. A terrible one at that. Hoof-in-mouth isn’t something to really be laughed at..I looked it up one time. Rather unpleasant.” I look thoughtful. “Special talent...Right, what I was going to say is that if the Cutie Mark Crusaders have taught me anything, is that you can’t really figure out your special talent overnight.” I roll my eyes. “Even if theirs were practically staring them in the faces.” Spike coughs a little on a gem bit and gives Twilight that look of “creeeepy”.

“Um...Yeah...that’s true, however there are things that you must be good at right?” Twilight asks me.

“Well yes...there were many things I was good at...but now I can’t do them anymore...” I can feel my ears drooping down.

“Um why not?” She asks.

“Because I have hooves Twilight, and that would interfere in anything that could be possibly called a special talent.” I say lifting my right hoof and placing it on the table.

“It doesn’t stop other ponies.” Spike says. “How would hooves stop you from doing the thing that makes you, you?”

“Yeah, How can hooves stop you from doing something that you love?” Twilight asks me.

I roll my eyes again. Geeze, if I rolled them anymore, they’d get away from me. “Because what I love to do is create.”
> Hoof and Mouth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Three.

Hoof and Mouth.

Twilight and Spike blinked at Heartbreak. She was one confusing pony. Either that or she could make a mountain out of a molehill. “Um Heartbreak, you know that there are plenty of ponies that can create things with or without hooves, Right?” Spike asks.

Heartbreak sighs. “Yes Spike, I know they can. And how they do it is with their mouths.”

“Um yes, Heartbreak,” Spike begins. “Ponies draw things with their mouths.” Heartbreak shoots Spike a nearly deathly glare.

“What Spike is trying to ask is, ‘how would hooves interfere with you creating?’” Twilight says trying to get Heartbreak’s attention.

“Because what I do is draw or write mostly.” She replies leaning on her left hoof and staring at her right, while twirling it around. “And you can’t do that with a hoof...”

“But you can do it with your mouth...” Spike quips, he blinks. “Or if you got the right kind of horseshoes.”

Heartbreak looks horrified “I’m not getting horseshoes, Spike. Ever.”

Spike sees that he’s going to be shot down in this train of thought. “Um, Seeing that you weren’t a pony before, what exactly did you have before hooves?”

Twilight smirks as an idea flashes through her head. “She’s not going to tell you that, Spike. After all, it will only lead to a vortex of dark insanity from which there is no escape.”

Heartbreak turns her unpleasant gaze upon Twilight. “Nooo...I can’t tell you because every time I try saying the word, it doesn’t come out right! Thank You Very Much Celestia!” She says nearly shouting at the open air.

“Um...what word is that?” Spike asks.

“Spike, do you think she would tell us if she could say it?” Twilight asks leaning on her hooves and smirking at Heartbreak.

Heartbreak’s left eye twitches. “Are you trying to upset me Twilight? Fine! The word is Haaaoaooof!” Her face scrunches up when she attempts the word. “It’s Haaphhhhhhhhh! It’s Hahahahaaaffffffffffpppp!! It’s Hoooooooooophhhhhhh!” She starts spitting when attempting the word.

“Whoa sister! Say it, don’t spray it!” Spike says flicking some dampness off his face.

Heartbreak zips over to Spike. “It’s this!” she says pointing at Spike’s claws.

“Um... Claws doesn’t even remotely sound like what you were trying to say.” Spike retorts.

“No!” She uses her hoof to draw over Spike’s hand. “This whole structure!”

Twilight looks at Heartbreak and blinks. “His hand?”

Heartbreak’s eye starts twitching and then she tears up. “That’s so not fair!” She cried. “The word exists, I just can’t say it?!”

Spike rolls his digits. “You can’t say ‘hand’?” Heartbreak almost snarls at Spike, who in turn backs away.

“Hey, hey! Calm down everypony.” Twilight says getting between Spike and Heartbreak. “Heartbreak, It was an innocent question.”

She sighs and looks down. “No Spike. I can’t say that word. Along with a bunch of other words that I used to be able to say. Everytime I do, my lips curl up and my tongue gets all rubbery. Instead of...” She points at Spikes digits.

“Hand?” Spike asks.

Heartbreak rubs her face and nods . “Hoof comes out. Or at least it tries to come out.”

“Weird,” Spike comments.

“More like annoying and a tiny bit oppressive.” Heartbreak says glowering at the table.

Twilight bit her lip on this point. Celestia must have altered Heartbreaks’ language for some reason. It could have dealt with what would have happened if she had actually gone through with erasing her memories, or it could have been something else. Something that she didn’t see at this time...“So you’re an artist, H.B.?” Twilight asked, changing the subject.

“When the mood strikes me. It’s not like you can just call a creative muse from nowhere and get inspired like that.” She said swinging hoof through the air. She looked at her hoof as if expecting something, only instead finding disappointment. She sighed and face planted on the table. “I mean you can’t get inspired just like that...” She repeated, only this time clopping her hoof on the table in a sharp manner.

Twilight smiles and her horn glows. From the door flies in parchment, ink and quills. “How about we get you started on the basics of learning how to draw again?” She asks.
“I know how to draw, Twilight,” Heartbreak responds, her face still on the table. “I just can’t draw with this.” She holds up her right hoof. As the supplies come to rest on the table, she looks up at the things supplied to her. She then sighs.

“What is it now?” Twilight asks.

“Um...It’s just...” She pauses to collect her thoughts.

Twilight gives her an annoyed look. “It’s just what?”

“Um nothing,” Heartbreak responds.

“Nothing-nothing or something-nothing?” Twilight asks pointedly.

“Nothing-nothing! It’s not something important really!” Heartbreak says, her ears folding back a little.

“If it’s something, even an unimportant something, then it’s not really nothing- nothing, now is it?” Twilight says, gritting her teeth slightly.

“Then it’s a something-nothing!” Heartbreak says, squeaking slightly and starting to hold her hoof up to shield her face.

“If it was a something-nothing, then why didn’t you say that it was a something-nothing in the first place, or say that it was something to begin with!?” Twilight says through her teeth as she starts to glower over Heartbreak.

“It’s not a big deal! Really! Here!” She attempts to pick up a quill with her mouth and dip it in the ink, however she only marginally is able to do this. “See! Draawing!” She says pulling up a scrap of parchment and trying to draw some kind of line.

Twilight doesn’t even take notice of this and brushes aside the supplies she just procured for Heartbreak before getting right up in her face. “No! If we are going to make any progress in teaching you how to be a pony or about the Elements of Harmony, you need to be honest with me about anything that is bothering you!”

“Um,Twilight?” Spike asks.

Heartbreak starts to look frightened. “Um...it’s jusf that...”

“Yes?!” Twilight growls.

“Hey Twilight?” Spike asks.

“Pleaf don’t burst into flaames Twilight...Buff I don’t uze quiffs and ink...I uze pencilz” Heartbreak says, the quill in her mouth dripping slightly due to a mixture of ink and saliva. “I juzz didn’t wont to upsetzz you...” She explains looking away.

“Why didn’t you say that?!” Twilight shouted.

“Twilight!” Spike repeats, urgently trying to get her attention.

“What is it, Spike? Can’t you see that I’m-” Twilight stops as Spike points at the black splotches on her neck.

“You’re getting ink on your coat..” He says.

Twilight looks at Heartbreak in a very irritated manner. Spike quickly dives in between the two and pushes Twilight away. “All right. Um Heartbreak, you stay here. I need to have a talk with a certain somepony in the Teacher’s Lounge...”



=======================================================================


Spike closed the door to the kitchen behind him and looked at Twilight as she wiped the ink from her coat with a washcloth. He glared at her tapping his foot. “Seriously?”

“What?” Twilight asked.

“Twilight, there was like a five minute gap between, ‘let’s calm down, mistakes are going to be made Heartbreak’, to, ‘Up in her face, nearly set aflame.’” Spike said.

Twilight grimaced and threw the washcloth into a clothes hamper. “Yeah, Heartbreak seems to know how to really push my buttons.”

Spike facepalmed. “Again, seriously Twilight? You think that she’s doing this on purpose?”

“If she isn’t, she is certainly good at hiding it.” She looked at Spike in a peeved manner while pacing. “Have you noticed that she hasn’t said ‘I’m sorry’ for anything? I let that mare use my favorite set of quills and ink, and what’s she do with them?”

Spike rubbed the side of his head. “Twilight...”

“She decides to redecorate my coat!” Twilight retorts, her voice starting to rise in volume.

“Twilight, You saw how she was walking down the stairs, how she is refusing to eat hay and other antisocial behaviors? Her fighting you is actually stemming from a much more deeply seeded problem that she most likely doesn’t want to admit to.” Spike said in an intelligent and concise way that even had Twilight taken back for moment.

“So, now you’re taking her side in this Spike?” Twilight asked angrily.

“Twilight. There are no sides here. The problem is that it's hard for her to adapt and she's probably still homesick.” Spike said raising his hand to the door.

“Spike I-” Twilight began.

Spike cracked the kitchen door open. He pointed out through the small slit. “What do you see there,Twilight?” He asked in a hushed tone. Twilight rolled her eyes and peered through the crack. Two or three rather damp looking quills had been placed on a sheet of parchment while Heartbreak sat at the table still attempting to use another in her mouth. Ink was getting on her coat and around her mouth. She was fighting to show determination, but one could tell that she was tearing up as she sniffed hard. She paused midway when she lifted her hoof to her nose. The mere sight of her hoof causing her ears to droop. She dropped her hoof down, sniffed hard and once again attempted at drawing.

“I see her crying. Again.” Twilight said trying to detach herself from the pitiful looking scene.

“Really? ‘Cause I see another pony I once knew. A pony that I think that would get what Heartbreak is going through right now. I see Past Twilight. Remember that first month after we moved from Canterlot to Ponyville? You were really down in the dumps. Really homesick. We all had to push you out of bed, push you to get up and moving.” Spike explained. “Her situation is very similar but without any sort of support structure. You had a job and ponies willing to be your friends here. Heartbreak barely has any of those things. She’s starting completely from scratch.” He closed the crack in the door.

Twilight blinked, sighed and then rolled her eyes. “I guess you’re right Spike...” She looked at him. “When did you become Doctor Philip?”

“Ever since I actually read through that book on psychology you gave me.” Spike said proudly.

Twilight raised her eyebrow. “You actually read a book I gave you? The whole thing?”

“Um Yeah. Well, most of it. There are a lot of hard words and concepts that I don’t quite understand. I know it’s weird but seeing that we have a pony that looks like she could suffer from a mental breakdown at any moment living with us for the time?” Spike replied scratching his head. “Seemed like something I could do to help. I mean, it’s not like she wants to open up about  herself anytime soon.”

“So, oh great pony therapist, what do you suggest we do?” Twilight asked.

“Well. With her, I don’t think that just buying the Canterlot Gezette is going to do the trick. The book suggested that we try to meet with a compromise.” Spike said looking thought. “Give her something that she’s familiar with, something that reminds her of home, while at the same time having her meet us halfway.”

Twilight thought about this. Why hadn’t she seen such a blindingly simple solution to this problem? “Meet  her halfway...” She mused looking at a saddle bag set on a small table near the outside door. “I think we can do that,” She replied.
> To Market, to Market
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Four

To Market, to Market

Spike took Twilight to the kitchen and closed the door leaving me alone with my thoughts.

“Well that just went peachy H.B.” I think to myself. A dozen different thoughts about how I could have handled that race through my head. A dozen more push their way through those thoughts and a dozen more lay on the peripheral of my thoughts.”I...I have so much to hate here. I hate that I am being forced into this situation. I hate that...I have to change to fit everyone else here.” I look at the soggy quill that is in my mouth. “I hate the fact that I can’t use these things without slobbering all over the place.” The slobbery ink doesn’t help in what I am attempting to do.

Drawing a straight line is something that most artists have difficulty doing anyway. I succeed a few times, but the fact that the quill tastes funny is causing me not to swallow. I’m sure Twilight wouldn’t give me a poisoned quill, but there’s no telling what could have been on this thing. The watered down ink bleeds around the paper, and I sigh.

I move a bit of parchment over from the side and place the spent quill there. No sense in leaving more ink stains on the table than I need to, right? Besides, these are Twilight’s quills, ink and parchment. None of it is mine. Then again, I don’t have Anything that’s mine. No clothes, no pens, no quills, no paper, this body isn’t even mine.

“Keep it together Heartbreak. Come on. Let’s go one day without sobbing, alright?” I cringe at the thought of that name. There’s another thing that isn’t mine. I pause and look into the distance for a moment trying not to chew on the quill in my mouth. “I can’t just curse them out, none of this is their fault or their doing. “ I roll my eyes and my teeth involuntarily chew on the feather quill. It crunches slightly. “Not that I even could curse at them.” I sigh. “Celestia going and changing your language. Why the fuck would she do that? She was only going to wipe my mind. If the mane six and Luna hadn’t interfered...” I look at the swirling mess of ink. Compared to anything that I once could draw it is...crap.

I spit the wrecked quill out again. “Sure, I’m not Pablo Picasso, but I have the basics down already! I know form, and shape, and perspective! Well mostly. Proportion is always tricky... “ I take another quill in my mouth. Twilight had given me six of these things and already I was through half of them. Sure she runs through quills and ink like they are water, but in my mind that’s no excuse. Twilight is using her resources, time, energy...sanity...and money on me. I sigh. That reminds me of almost everyone else in my life. Though there is someone in my life that currently stands out the most.

“Her.” I think to myself. I am only going to denote her as Her and not by her name. Her name is precious to me, a glittering gemstone in my memory banks. In a world where anything and everything can be taken merely by force of will by some...ass...with a horn, I dare not think Her name. Lest they take that from me as well. I grimace as I describe these ponies around me as asses. “Look at you H.B. What would She think if she saw you acting like this? When you were with her you didn’t act like this. She was the uncertain one with many doubts and moods that changed on a dime. You were the strong one that always greeted her with a smile when she asked, ‘do you think I’m dying?!’ “ Sadness overwhelms me once more. She doesn’t even remember me. For some reason it isn’t as harsh as the time I realized that my mother doesn’t even remember me...Perhaps it is like going through an already trampled garden. All the pretty things have been torn down already, and what is left are thorns and sharp memories. My ear swivels to my left and I hear the door to the kitchen crack open.

I can hear Spike whispering something and Twilight reply. 

“Ignore it. The conversation might be about you, but it isn’t important and thinking about it will only upset you further.” I sniff hard and raise my hoof to wipe my nose. I am greeted with the searing ‘constant reminder’. I have become numb to nearly all the other emotions brought up by seeing a hoof attached to my ankle. The only feeling now is that of disappointment. I drop my hoof and sniff harder. “Adapt, Grow, and Survive. Isn’t that what Hugh would say?”  I steel myself up. Funny how a Live Action Role Playing character from six years ago had more wisdom than I do right now.

The kitchen door opens all the way, Spike and Twilight come walking through. I look back at the rather blackened paper. It looks like an exercise in futility. I move the quill in my mouth and pretend to look thoughtful.

Twilight looks at me and gently levitates something on to the table. I blink and set the quill down gingerly with its sisters. Looking over, I am totally baffled by what I am looking at. I poke at it curiously with my hoof as a cat would paw at a pool of water.

“Um... What is this?” I ask, a little baffled by what it is and why it is being given to me. Asking the question, I almost automatically recognize what it is. Though I could be wrong about the off light tannish folded up looking cloth object.

“You know almost everything about ponies and you don’t know what a saddlebag is?” Twilight asks me.

“I know what a saddlebag is, but I’ve just haven’t seen one before,” I explain. It doesn’t show any signs of wear or tear and looks rather well made. A little too well made...Where normally something that represents the pony in question, is a white flap.. it seems a little out of place...It almost looks like a flat cylinder with that embroidered circle at the top. ”I was asking because, and please don’t take this the wrong way...I am just confused to why you are giving it to me.”

“Well, for one thing,” Twilight begins, Spike seems to be watching her closely for some reason. “You don’t have anything. Nor do you really have anywhere to put anything that is really something of your own. And personally, I don’t want you just leaving things of yours lying around in the library.” She picks up the saddlebag. “This is something that Rarity made for you as a...peace offering of sorts.” She explains.  “And the other thing is that we are going to be going out and getting you the supplies you need to do what you do best.” I blink.Suddenly, I realize what that decal really is. I stifle a snort while rolling my eyes. Twilight’s expression drops a bit. “You’re not going to argue with me about wearing this are you?”

“Um...No...” I say in a meek thoughtful manner.

“Is there something wrong?” She asks her voice altering slightly.

An alarm goes off in my brain. She’s becoming annoyed. Explain yourself quickly, damn it! “No, there is nothing wrong with it. In fact, I like it. It’s a good idea, practical and functional, I was about to comment on it being well made. However..” I tap at the white flap. “I think Rarity is getting a laugh at my expense.”

Twilight looks confused. “Huh? Why do you think that?”

“I finally recognized what the little flap is sposta be. It’s a marshmallow.” I reply.

Twilight looks at it, chuckles and makes a face. “Does that mean that you want me to take it back?”

“No. I’m going to wear it,” I reply sternly. “Rarity made it as a gift, and as such I intend on using it.”

I get up from my seat and walk over to Twilight. The both of them are looking a bit relieved at my acceptance of this gift. My first possession in a week. There is a small fluttery feeling that passes through me. I feel the need to stamp it out before it can get anywhere. This is of course easily done with the realization that I can’t put it on without any outside help.

“Um... A little assistance Twilight?” I ask kinda looking away..

“You want to go out now?” She asks me.

I blink in confusion. “Yeah, you said that we are going out. I kinda thought you meant now.”

“Well, This might be one of those small things, but you haven’t been out of the Library for the entire week. And while you have taken a shower when I have prodded you, your mane and tail are just a mess.” Twilight replies.

“Huh?” I look over at my reflection in a mirror. “Oh. Yeah. Um...is it wrong if I say ‘So’?” The two of them look at each other a little questioningly.

“Me personally H.B., I’m ok with you just going out like you are,” Spike replies.

“However, I would rather that we gave you a quick brushing,” Twilight responds.

“In other words, you’re worried about being seen with a messy pony,” I say half hearted. “Or how other ponies will see me.”

“Well, yes, after all, first impressions are lasting things. If other ponies see you looking like you crawled out of bed...” Twilight explains hovering a simple brush next to me.

“Right.” I sigh while moving away from said brush and rubbing my hoof against my face. “Because meeting other p-p-pon-pfffft! others expectations is what I should base my life around. I would expect that from Rarity, but not really from you Twilight.”

“I’m not expecting you to wear a fancy gown Heartbreak-” She begins.

“Good,” I interject darkly.

Twilight opens her eyes and gives me a strange look. “I am just saying a quick brush wouldn’t do you any harm.”
I look back in the mirror again. She is right, a quick brush wouldn’t do any harm. And it’s been awhile since I have had this much...hair on my head to brush it without feeling insecure about leaving hairs in the brush. I take a deep breath. 

“Alright, but nothing fancy.” I reply.

“That would be something that Rarity would do H.B., not me.” Twilight responds.

“Humph.” Spike says as Twilight starts to brush my mane. “Rarity could make your mane and tail not only look fantastic, but make a dress so fantastic that you wouldn’t even be worthy to wear it.”

I gruff and whinge as Twilight pulls out knots and tangles. “Then it is a good thing that I wouldn’t wear it in the first place, Spike,” I say flatly. Wait, crap, I already can see that I am kinda getting under the dragons scales. “Which is to mean that I wouldn’t wear a dress in the first place. Rarity makes great dresses,” I quickly correct myself. “It’s just that I don’t wear dresses. Ever.” Twilight brushes on my tail, this causes me to squeal and fidget. “Ouch! That hurts, Twilight!”

“Well...good.” He gives me a weird look. “I guess...Um why wouldn’t you wear a dress?” he asks.

“Shit. Need to come up with a good excuse.” I cover my unease at the question with more funny looks as Twilight tugs on my tail. “I-I’m just .. um.. Embracing my new pony nature?” Spike looks at me, his eyes half closed. Fuck, he isn’t buying it. “Can we just say that I don’t want to and leave it at that Spike?”

“Uh-hu...” He replies. He isn’t satisfied with my answer. I know it. Spike is never satisfied with an answer if he thinks that somebody is hiding something.

“I’m just not comfortable with it. On my world I didn’t wear dresses, Alright?” Make it sound believable. I really don’t want to get into any of this. Like ever.

“There! All done!” Twilight interrupts. Thank the gods. “Oh wait.” She pulled a clean wash rag from a hamper and wiped off my face. I hadn’t even thought about the ink that was all over my mouth and muzzle.

“So to the Market?” I ask Twilight.

“Aren’t you going to look in the mirror and see if I did it to your liking?” She asks me.

I look in the mirror. It does look a bit better. “It looks...good.” I reply.

“Just good?” Twilight asks me.

“Um Twilight. I’m not used to having my h-um mane or tail brushed. Particularly my tail.” I reply grinding my hoof into the ground. I’m really trying hard to not be cynical here. Really, really hard. “No more questions please?”

The two look at each other, shrug and nod. “Alright, H.B.” Twilight replies looking at the clock. “Anyhow, we should get going if we want to beat the lunch rush.”
> The Tell Tale Heart
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Five.

The Tell Tale Heart.

Twilight opened the door for Heartbreak. As she placed the saddlebag on her back,  Spike hopped on Twilight’s back and held onto her neck. “You think she’s hiding something, Twilight?” he whispered.

“How should I know?” Twilight said glaring at him a little as they walked away from the library. “However, it isn’t polite to talk about ponies behind their backs, especially when they are right in front of you.” She mumbled to Spike.

Spike still looked curiously at the mare in front of them. There was something more off about her than what he first thought. He might have to consult that book again.

Coming to the street, several ponies nodded their greetings to Twilight and took notice of Heartbreak. Some of them gave a friendly wave, but she acted like she didn't see them. The passing ponies gave Twilight a confused look. She giggled and shrugged at them. Twilight trotted up to Heartbreak who was looking down at the ground. Her eyes kept narrowing and she had an uncomfortable look on her face. “Um, I know I keep asking this H.B., but are you alright?”

“Um, fine thank you, Twilight.” She replied without looking up, her face showing a pained expression when she did.

“Are you sure about that?” Twilight asked. “Because you look a bit uncomfortable.”

“I said I was fine, Twilight.” She said gruffly.

Twilight gave Heartbreak an understanding look. “Is it being out in the open after being cooped up in the library for a week? Ponyville is pretty small, but it can seem pretty big if you’re not used to it.”

“It’s not that, Twilight. The fresh air is actually pretty nice,” She replied.

“Is it the crowds?” she asked. Heartbreak seemed like the type of pony that might not enjoy large crowds.

“Well...I’m not a fan of large crowds...it’s not that either,” she replied as they approached the market.

“Then why do you look so down all of the sudden?” Twilight asked. However, when Heartbreak slipped into a shaded area and lifted her head, a small hint came to Twilight.

“I’m not used to it being so...sunny. My last job was a night job and it required me to sleep during the day. The sun is kinda bright and it hurts my eyes a bit.” She grimaces. “I mean, I haven’t really been helping that situation...but I can’t just lift up a hoof to keep the sun out of my eyes. Not while I walk at least. Otherwise I am going to trip.” She explains.

Compared to all of the other explanations that Heartbreak had been giving, this one seemed to fall a bit flat. Every other question was met with “swirling vortex of insanity” or question dodging, or slightly veiled threats.

“Oh...” Twilight said. Spike on the other hoof shrugged, he had taken out a notepad and a quill and begun writing things down. “Um, While we’re here you want a hat or something for your eyes?” Heartbreak’s eye gave a nervous twitch.

“It’s nothing-” She stops herself. “I mean it is something, but I don’t want to go into the nothing-nothing, nothing-something topic again. It’s just that, well...I already wrecked your quills and got ink on your table. I mean a little bit. But really...it’s just that I am not comfortable with you spending money on me like this.”

Twilight and Spike look at each other. “H.B. You don’t have any money. And you have to start somewhere. Right now we are getting supplies so that You can get up an on your hooves. Think of these things as ‘paying-it-forward’,” She explained. “Once we get you your supplies, you can start drawing more, which is sure to help you recover your special talent. Then you can write that letter to the Princess about how you re-discovered your special talent. After that, you can find ways to adapt your talent to something here in Ponyville.”

“You’ve...really thought about this haven’t you, Twilight?” Heartbreak asked Twilight nodding in response. “Um, I hate to be critical here, but I don’t think I am going to relearn how to draw with my mouth before the month ends. I was drawing with...” she waves her right hoof up and looks at it wistfully. “Um yeah, practically all my life.” Twilight gave Heartbreak a slight scowl. “But! That doesn’t mean I can’t try! Um, where’s a booth that sells pencils?” She asked with fake enthusiasm. Twilight rolled her eyes.

Spike looked up at the sky and paused his writing. “Does it hurt to look at the bright side of life H.B.?” He asked.

Heartbreak blinked as Twilight lead them to the booth that she frequented at for her supplies. They sold a variety of different quills, inks, pencils and parchments. Behind the counter sat a mostly pale blue unicorn wearing cuffs and a ruffled collar. His mane was wavy and limp and he had a pencil thin mustache. Twilight knew him quite well and had commented at one point that he vaguely looked like the famous pony poet and writer Edgar Allen Poney. Since then, he decided to take that look a little too far...

“Hi Ghost Writer!” She said looking over the variety of different pencils.

Ghost greeted her while sipping on some tea. “Twilight Sparkle! How is my favorite and best customer?” He asked “Are you in the need for more quills already? You just bought a set nary a fortnight ago!”

“I am doing quite well, thank you Ghost Writer.” She replied looking over the pencil sharpeners. The hoof crank kind, the small single blade kind, even one that was magically operated so that a pony had to do was stick a pencil in, and the machine would do the rest. Twilight grimaced momentarily as she thought of the complaints she’d get from Heartbreak if she got anything but the magically operated one. After all, that one required the least amount of hoof work. At the same time, it would require her to use her mouth to stick the pencil in. She sighed a little, there was just no winning here.
“Actually, I just might need another quill set,” she said looking at Heartbreak. “However, I am here to look at your pencils.”

“Twilight Sparkle! Where are your manners? Aren’t you going to introduce me to the enchanting mare next to you?” Ghost Writer asked. Heartbreak walked backwards and began to look uncomfortable.

“‘Enchanting’ is one way of describing her, Student is more apt. However, Ghost Writer, this is Heartbreak. Heartbreak, this is Ghost Writer.” Twilight said, formally introducing them.

“Heartbreak,” Ghost Writer said smiling. “What a delightfully painful sounding name.” Heartbreak said nothing to this. 

“She’s a bit shy isn’t she, Twilight?”

Twilight looked at Heartbreak. “You don’t know the half of it...”

Heartbreak scowled and looked even more uncomfortable. “Did your parents really name you Ghost Writer?”

The pale blue pony sipped his tea and gave a thoughtful look. “Well actually, it was just Ghost at first, the writer came when then they noticed that I had a gift for taking up quill and ink.”

“Riiiiight. Ghost. I get it.” Heartbreak replied looking to her left. “So, um, Twilight, can we get to buying pencils? The sun is still hurting my eyes and I want to go back to drawing. Maybe even writing some.”

Ghost Writer stops drinking his tea mid-way. “If I would be so bold to inquire, what sort  of things do you draw and write, dear Heartbreak?”

Heartbreak looks even more at unease. “Nothing that would interest any...p-ponies. Just...um...boring normal stuff really. Unicorns, pegasi, dragons, and other things. Whatever catches my...interest. Abstract too.” She starts to look over at Twilight. “And stories and poems. Nothing interesting.”

“Oh pish-posh and poppycockle,” Ghost Writer replies. “Every artist has something interesting to show off, to express. And with a name such as Heartbreak, your stories are nary to leave a dry eye in the house.”

“Twilight...” Heartbreak mutters. “Pencils and then can we go?”

Twilight frowns. “Heartbreak, be nice. Ghost Writer is just curious. But I’ll take a dozen of those number two pencils, that crank pencil sharpener and that white eraser.”

Ghost nods. “That will be oh...With the artists’ discount, 15 bits?” He coos.

Twilight blinks. “Artists’ discount?”

Heartbreak’s expression sours. “I don’t want any special treatment.”

“I give all artists a special fifty percent discount...Granted,” He pauses and sips his tea. “That they come to my poetry and art exhibit night...” He smiles a thin lined smile at Heartbreak.

Heartbreak’s eye twitches even more. “I’m not sure I am comfortable-”

“She’d love to go.” Twilight interrupts.

“No. I. Wouldn’t. Twilight.” Heartbreak replies.

“Yes you would, Heartbreak.” Twilight says, placing the fifteen bits on the counter.

“No, I really wouldn’t Twilight...” Heartbreak replies.

Ghost Writer tsks. “Perchance I could persuade you with a free sketchbook?” He asks waving it in the air at Heartbreak. She looks even more reluctant at the offer. Twilight gives her a shooting glance.

Heartbreak rolls her eyes and sighs. “Fiiiiine. But I don’t want to find out that you are giving me some sort of ‘special treatment’ of some sorts. I would like both of you to know that I am very uncomfortable with all of this.”

“Perish the thought!” Ghost Writer says slipping a small card into the sketchbook and placing it alongside everything else. “I treat any artist with a discount, well any artist or my special customers.” He says blinking an eye at Twilight. “Oh, and my card is in there. It explains where and when I hold these get-togethers.”

Twilight smiles and then looks at Heartbreak’s saddle bag. “Eh-hem.” She coughs, nudging her to open it.

Heartbreak looks confused for a moment, and tries to reach back with her front hoof. This however doesn’t prove to be very fruitful. “Ugh! Uh! Almost...Almost...Al-” She stops as Twilight gives her a disapproving look. Sighing, she reaches back with her muzzle and flips it open with her snout before turning away. “I could have gotten it...” She mutters.
“I’m sure you could have, but then we’d be here all day.” She explains, neatly levitating everything into the saddlebags.

“Thank you, Twilight.” Heartbreak replies. “Back to the Library?” She asks hopefully.

“Well actually, I was kinda thinking that we’d take a tour of Ponyville before we go back.” Twilight replies. “I mean, it’s a beautiful day, and while we’re out...”

Heartbreak sighs. “Fine...”

“You lovely ladies come back anytime you like!” Ghost Writer says sipping his tea and slowly waving a hoof. “And I do mean, anytime you like...”
> Caffeine-Fueled Daydreams.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Six


Caffeine-Fueled Daydreams.


As we leave Ghost Writer’s booth, I can’t help but look over my shoulder and watch him wave at us. I know exactly where my uncomfortable feelings are stemming from. I know that he is most likely just an eccentric artistic type-that he is imitating his favorite poet for novelty, but there is this slimy feeling that runs through me that I just can’t shake. “What if he was...hitting on you?”  That’s a horrible thought that shouldn’t even cross my mind. Yet it keeps nagging at me in a way that makes a wrenching feeling bubble up from my core.  Yes, I did at one time date Doug, but that was different. Something about this situation made me feel...something that I would rather not describe. However, I am hoping that Spike and Twilight remain blissfully oblivious. “Not that I did much to hide my feelings here. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!”

Then there was the whole bit about a, ‘discount for artists’ and an invitation to a poetry reading and art exhibition. I seriously hope that wasn’t him showing me any form of special treatment. “Oh here’s a pony who is dark, shy, artistic and has a painfully delightful name! I’ll charm her up and if I’m lucky-” I stop myself in the middle of that thought. You have have no reason to believe that he was after that, H.B., none. He was just trying to be friendly. “But if you ask me, that was a little too friendly.”

My eye twitches, who am I kidding? If I was still male and on Ghost Writer’s side? Yes, that would be me trying to hit on someone else. There is no doubt of that in my mind now. I have a good feeling that Twilight is going to have to drag me to wherever these gallery showings are.

When we’ve walked a good distance from Ghost Writer’s booth, Twilight scowls at me. “Well that was pretty rude, Heartbreak.”

I blink. “What was?” I ask.

“The way that you were treating him. He was kindly offering you a discount and making friendly conversation, while you the whole time were avoiding him and accusing him of giving you special treatment.” Twilight said.

I roll my eyes. “Twilight, he was hitting on me.”

Twilight blinks. “What are you talking about? He made absolutely no physical contact.”

I sigh. “No. He was flirting with me, Twilight. “

“What?” Twilight asks confused. “No he wasn’t, that’s how Ghost Writer acts to all ponies.” She explains as we walk past a few more booths.

“So he treats you that way every time you come to his booth?” I ask her. “Have you gotten this, ‘artist’s discount’, before?”

“Well, no, but I’m not an artist, Heartbreak.” Twilight explains.

“But you are a writer and I am sure that you have done one or two things that could qualify  as poetry,” I retort. Damn, I knew that Twilight was sometimes oblivious to slight social behaviors, but seriously, could she not see what Ghost Writer was doing?!

“Not enough to qualify me as an artist or poet.” She replies. “And hence, not enough to get Ghost’s attention.”

“He was hitting on me Twilight, alright? And it made me very uncomfortable.” I reply.

“He was just-” Twilight begins.

“Twilight, he was hitting on her.” Spike says, finally looking away from his little notebook.

“Spike!” Twilight says looking a bit shocked.

“What? He was. I should know, I’ve used some of those same moves with Rarity before.” He looks up at the sky thoughtfully. “But I’m way smoother than that.” 

I snort a bit and roll my eyes.

“Sure you are, Casanova,” Twilight and I say simultaneously. Twilight looks at me and for a brief moment, I return that look. She chuckles but I instead stifle the laughter that threatens to leap out of my mouth. Twilight blinks at me.

“What?” I ask her.

“You remember that assignment I gave you when we were on the train?” She asks me.

I roll my eyes. “Yes...You told me to smile more, I think. However you aren’t believing me when I say that Ghost Writer was hitting on me.”

Twilight sighs. “Even if he was, that’s no reason to be rude, Heartbreak.”

“So my feeling uncomfortable in the situation doesn’t matter whatsoever?”  I ask, feeling a shot of anger spike through me.

“I didn’t say that Heartbreak,” Twilight replies. “I am just saying that you could have handled the situation a bit better and politely told him that, if he was flirting with you, that you weren’t interested. I, personally didn’t see any exchange of flirting take place.”

“Believe me, that was flirting. I should know. I have been in enough relationships to know what casual flirting looks like,” I reply. I desperately want to change the subject. “Though he did give me an idea of something that I want.”

Twilight rolls her eyes at me. Gods, I hope she doesn’t think that I am a slut or anything...”Alright, and what would that be?” She asks.

“Well...something like coffee, tea or possibly...” I pause and realize how tiring walking has become. I plop my butt right on the ground and think about what I am going to say next. “No...you wouldn’t have energy drinks here in Equestria. Soda, perhaps, but no energy drinks.”

“What’s an, ‘energy drink’?” Twilight asks me.

I momentarily ponder the question. “Well. You have coffee and you have tea. Think a really, really strong tea. Or better yet...” I think. “You have carbonated drinks, right? Fizzy sodas, yeah?”

Twilight looks at me questioningly. “Um, yeah.”

“Right, how best to explain this.” I say looking at the ground. “Okay, carbonated drinks have air trapped in them, carbon dioxide to be exact. Hence the name carbonated, but, not the point. Taking your average carbonated drink and freezing it causes the water and carbon dioxide to separate. If you were to have this in a bottle and open it, it would push anything that was suspended in the water before it was frozen, to the top of the bottle. Leaving behind in the case of most fizzy drinks, a concentrated syrup.” I look down at the ground. The sun is still so very very bright. “Drinking that straight alone is sure to give you a burst of energy, but nothing terribly long lasting. If the drink were like strong tea or coffee, the same level as something similar to...oh...espresso? You’d have an ‘energy drink’.” I look over at Twilight who is nodding and slightly astonished.

“Wow...Um, that was quite the explanation. And it sounds exceptionally unhealthy.” She says.

I roll my eyes. “Eeeeyeaaah. But it will keep you awake for a long period of time.”

“I would imagine that it would. Wait, isn’t the primary stimulant in coffee and tea caffeine?” She asks me.

“Um, yes?” I reply.

“Isn’t that Incredibly addictive?” She asks.

“Well, yes. It can be, but better wired than fired.” I explain.

She grimaces. “And how many of these would you drink?”

“I would try to limit myself to three a day. Anymore and I’d likely have a heart attack,” I say. Twilight’s expression is that of wide-eyed disbelief. “And that of course was over a twelve hour period. Drinking them all at once is likely to put you in the hospital to get your stomach pumped,” I say, uncomfortably rubbing my front leg.

Twilight just blinks hard trying to comprehend what I have just told her. “And they make these on the world you’re from?”

“Well...Yes...Though it’s more like there are companies that make them and then sell them in stores...” I reply. Great, I have gone from one uncomfortable topic, to a topic that has a different form of uncomfortable on it. Twilight shakes her head with the question on her mind nearly escaping her lips. “You’re wanting to know why? That is a complicated question. Um...I guess in a world without magic, where a good number of things are machine run, you need to stay awake. And energy drinks help.”

“I’m sure they do,” Twilight replies. “Help you get to an early grave! Eeesh! No offense Heartbreak, but that’s just insane! I can’t see how any species could subject itself to such a thing.”

I feel a bit offended by Twilight’s statement, but at the same time I can’t help but agree with her.”Then there is the fact that if I talk about them any more, it’ll lead off into uncomfortable territory.“ I think to myself. “Right. Enough about them. We’re not going to talk about them anymore,” I bluntly state. “This all started with Ghost Writer and his tea. Short of energy drinks, normally I drink coffee or tea.”

Twilight looks as if she doesn’t know what to say to this. “And you want coffee or tea?” She asks me.

“If that is all that is available to me...yeah. It could help perk me up before I draw. Get those creative juices flowing.” I reply.  I think about this for a moment. “I could really go for a nice chai tea about now. That is if you even have chai tea...I would even do rooibos...”

“Um...I’ve never heard of chai tea either,” Twilight responds, looking a bit worried. “It isn’t like an energy drink, is it?”

“What? No. It’s just like tea with spices in it.” I reply.

Twilight nods. “Well, good. Though-and this is completely off topic-I must say I was somewhat impressed.”

“Impressed?” I asked.

“Well, yes.” Twilight replies. “For how horrible these ‘energy drinks’ sound, you showed off that you have a good understanding of scientific knowledge,” Twilight quips.

Now I feel truly offended. At my core I am a geek, a nerd, a science lover. On the Earth that I am from, scientific knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts are very important. Despite what some people think, that is. But if you can’t grasp basic concepts like how the tides work, what a theory is, what evolution is or that the earth is over six thousand years old...You will be met only with ridicule. And the internet shows no quarter, leaves no silly belief untouched and unscathed. “Twilight, are you saying that I come off as having little or no understanding of the Scientific Method?” I ask in a low glower.

Spike’s eyes blink open and he hops off of Twilight’s back. He slowly turns his head to her, looking at her with an expression that I can only guess is meant to convey the message of, ‘Careful Twilight, that question is a minefield.’

Twilight seems to be getting the message, as a wide, unnerved grin and chuckle are her reply. “...No, it’s just that most artists in Equestria tend to be more...flighty, or scatterbrained and when it comes to matters of science...”

My face has twisted into a scowl. “So, because most artists here in Equestria tend to be one hit wonders in their drawings, poetry and art, they can’t understand the more well educated, organized and scientifically literate?”

“Heartbreak, I never said that, I was impressed with your explanation...” Twilight responds giving Spike a ‘help-me’ look.

“No. What you said was that you were, ‘Somewhat impressed’, Twilight,” I sigh. “I am making something out of nothing. This isn’t a big deal, but I am making it into one. Why? Because I find beauty and wonder in matters of science.” I roll my eyes. A quote comes to mind. “To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your h-ha-hoof.. And eternity in an hour.”

“Wow...that was rather beautiful,” Twilight says. “Um...What does it mean?”

“You know, I’m not terribly sure, but every time I hear somep-pony tell me that science can’t be artistic, it annoys me...” I reply. “And one word just totally wrecked a great poets most quoted poem...”

Twilight snorts and smirks at me. “Heartbreak, If you know me as well as you claim, then you’d know that I share this feeling when it comes to what I am assuming is discovery, exploration and the thrill of learning something new.”

A wave of emotion unexpectedly washes over me. Like always, I fight it off. “Yes, I do...it’s just with the way you said it it made it sound like you were questioning my intelligence. Like I have been presenting myself in a way that makes me look like a ditz.” I replied looking away.

“Heartbreak...” Twilight says. Spike on the other hand is rolling his eyes. I admit, the sap level in all of this is pretty high.

My eyes meet Twilight’s. “I mean, you don’t take me for a...bubble...head...do....you?” Something passed Twilight’s head and just over her shoulder. It flies down and vanishes behind the purple unicorn standing before me. Well actually, someone. Well, if we want to be technical, it’s really somepony. “I’ve found the easter egg..” I whisper.
> That One Grey Pegasus.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seven

That One Grey Pegasus

“Heartbreak, I don’t think that you are a...bubble head?”  Twilight begins to explain herself, only to be greeted with a gust of wind and the sound of uneven hoof beats. She looks over her shoulder. Heartbreak is on the run again.

“Spike!”

“What?” Spike replies.

“Why did she run off again?!” Twilight asks, confused.

“I-I don’t know!” He replies.

“Argh! Heartbreak! Wait!” Twilight shouts, running after her. Was this like back in Canterlot? “You shouldn’t jump to conclusions. This is only the second time she’s run off. You have no reason to think that this is a recurring theme with her, Twilight.”

Suddenly, Heartbreak stopped dead in her tracks. “Where...” She said looking around. Twilight came to a skidding stop.

“Heartbreak! Why in the name of Celestia did you run off like that?!” Twilight shouted.

“Huh?” Heartbreak said, distracted manner. “Um, I’m s- AhHA!” She exclaimed before charging off again.

“Great. She doesn’t want me to think she’s a bubblehead, but then she runs off at the drop of a hat without any explanation.” Twilight thinks to herself as she runs off.

“Hey! Hey! Hey you! Um! Derpy!” Heartbreak shouts at a pegasus who is about to fly off. “Or is it Ditzy Doo? Hey! Wait!”

“Heartbreak! That’s not very-”Twilight says catching up.

The grey pegasus stops mid-air and looks around, confused. Her wall eyed expression doesn’t help this matter. “Are you talking to me?” She says slowly.

“Um, yes! Could you come down here for a moment?” Heartbreak asks.

“Um...Ok. Oh hey, Twilight!” Derpy says as she lands. “Is this one of your new friends?”

“She’s more like a pony who I happen to be tutoring...for an extending period of time...” Twilight responded. Heartbreak was awkwardly trying to remove her saddlebags in the same way that some ponies would remove a shirt.

Derpy bends her head down and looks at the struggling pony before her, a pencil or two falls out from the saddle bag in her efforts. “Are you ok?”

“Um, yes, Sorry, there is just something in here that I want to...erf! Show you!” She says before giving up on removing the saddle bag. Sighing, Heartbreak reached back and nuzzled the flap containing the sketch book.

“Um, Twilight, you mind getting my sketchbook for me?” She asked.

Twilight gave her a stern look. This mare needed to learn to do more things on her own. “No.”

“N-no?” Heartbreak asked. “But I..”

“Heartbreak, you can get it yourself, and you know how you can do it.” Twilight said annoyed.

Heartbreak stomped her hoof on the ground sadly. “Fiii-”

“I can get it!” Derpy said, happily trotting over to Heartbreak’s side and pulling out the sketch book. She set it down in front of her. “So your name is Heartbreak?”

“Y-y-yeah.” Heartbreak replied in a horribly off-beat way. “Thank you.”

Twilight eyed Heartbreak, observing that her body and tone had totally changed right in front of this mare. Normally, when other ponies had seen Derpy, their first reactions were to hide anything fragile. Derpy had the reputation for being the Ponyville clutz, and while she could do jobs any other pegasus could do...her clumsiness had caused a bit of property damage once or twice.

“I’m glad that I could help! ”Derpy replied. “So, Heartbreak, what did you want to show me?”

Heartbreak looked kinda panicked for a moment, as if she had forgotten what she was doing. “Um, Yes. Show you. Um...I wanted to show you this brand new sketch book! Yeah! Look, it’s totally blank, and I’m going fill it up with lots of sketches and um, drawings, and...um stuff.”

“Nothing really, really sad I hope...” Derpy replied. “You stopped me just for that?”

“Yeah, I just really, really wanted to show you...my sketchbook.” Heartbreak explained. “Oh...no, not everything will be sad. I’m just going to put things I see...and feel...some writing too!” There was a bit of excitement in her voice.

“Um...Wow, that’s pretty neat.” Derpy said. “Well, I have to go...”

“Hey! Wait! Just two things before you go.” Heartbreak said. “First, can you sign my sketchbook? And second, and don’t take this the wrong way, but..could I draw you?”

Derpy blinked. She then looked a little excited. “Sure! I’m not sure if I have been drawn before.” She picked up a pencil in her mouth. “Noaw...where should I sign?”

Heartbreak just looked like she had found some kind of long lost friend for the first time. The rough, dower and jaded mask she was wearing was almost falling away. She even brushed her mane back and snickered a little at some unseen joke. Twilight couldn’t help but wonder why. Heartbreak attempted to push open the sketchbook to the first page but it opened somewhere near the middle almost on its own.

“Right here in this corner if you’d please...” Heartbreak said pointing at the lower left corner of the page.

“Shur thing, Heartbreak!” Derpy replied, signing the appointed corner. When she was done, she dropped the pencil into the saddlebag. “You have a nice day, Heartbreak!” Heartbreak said nothing and ran her hoof on the page. A small smile managed to creep on her face.



Derpy trotted past Twilight. “She’s pretty strange, Twilight. And I know you said that she was more like a pony you’re tutoring,” Her eye was pointed at the sky, “But she seems like a really nice pony. I hope she fills that sketchbook up with lots of happy things! A lot of happy thoughts!” She said before taking off again.

Twilight looked at Heartbreak, who was sitting at the ground and staring at the page Derpy had signed. “What just happened here?”

Spike casually walked up  holding a cup with a straw in it. “Um, sorry I didn’t rush after you there Twilight, but the Custard Creamery is having a fifty percent off on any choice of...” He noticed Heartbreak sitting and looking at her sketch book. There was an odd smile on her face. “Did I miss something?”

Heartbreak dropped to the ground and looked like she was attempting to hug the sketchbook.

“I...think we both missed something, Spike,” Twilight said.

A full smile broke on her face, followed by a, ‘squeeing’ noise. Heartbreak’s eyes opened wide. Like the sun on a cloudy day, the wide smile tragically vanished. Heartbreak pushed herself up and off the ground. “Twilight?” She asked sniffling a bit.

“Yes, H.B.?” Twilight said with a small catch of hope in her voice.

“If I ever make that horrible squeaking noise ever again, you have my permission to smack me hard upside the head.”  Heartbreak carefully closed the book without too much difficulty and then did something that neither of them expected. She lifted up the spine of the book using her mouth, and gingerly placed it back in the saddlebag. She then proceeded to do the same with the few pencils that had fallen out in her early attempts to remove the bag.

“Um...Sure...thing..” Twilight said in an astonished manner.

Heartbreak lifted up her hoof and sniffed hard, turning she looked at the two. “So, are you two going to continue gawking and whispering at me all day, or can we find the nearest tea shop, so I can get back to learning how to draw again?”



==========================================================



Inside of me, there is a fanboy or girl that is screaming in joy so loud right now that I can’t even hear my own thoughts. “You. Talked. To. Derpy!” It screams, It’s fighting really hard to break free of the restraints I have been placing on it. I think I failed when that fucking ‘squee’ escaped.

“Don’t ever slip like that again. For all you know, Celestia could be watching from her Ivory Tower, horn at the ready to stab your frontal lobes and leave you as a vegetable in some god-forsaken white padded cell. If they have such places in Equestria.” I think to myself. “But...I needed that. I really needed that.”

I remember when I first moved out of my parents house and in with my grandmother. She taught me a good number of things. One of them was how to actually smile. Something that was rather hard to do it seemed. Normally, people don’t need to be taught how to smile. Smiling is something that comes naturally to humans, that’s why even blind people can and do smile even if they have never seen an actual smile before. So unused were my facial muscles, that every time I attempted to smile for more than two or three minutes, the corners of my mouth would fight and twitch to come back down. However, my teen years were spent in a great deal of angst. Mom and dad had fallen into this horrible emotional chess game of sorts. Mom was a social butterfly, she had her own emotional baggage to contend with. While my dad, well step-dad, was the jealous type. In many ways we were polar opposites, he and I.

I loved nature and animals. He loved hunting. I loved math and science, he was happy to sit in front of the tube drinking a beer and watching the game. I was a messy collector of papers and oddities, he saw all my papers as a fire hazard. I loved cats and he didn’t trust them for a moment. After the divorce and a few other crunchy events, he told me exactly how he felt about me.

“You’re the reason I don’t get along with my own children,” he told me.

I didn’t know how to respond to that when he told me, but later I felt only rage. The man who was supposed to be the adult teaching me how to be a man, to be my own adult, was more of a child than I was at that age. So smiling? It was an emotional luxury that I felt I just couldn't afford.

“Ha. If he could see you know, I wonder if he would feel that he failed somewhere along the way.” It doesn’t even bother me that he wouldn’t remember me. However,I feel the need to shake off these memories. “That doesn’t matter right now. Right now what matters is that you have Derpy’s signature, and Twilight is taking you to the tea shop here.”

“So...” Twilight began. “Are you going to explain what that was all about, H.B.?”

“Nnnope.” I say.

“I am just to accept that you whispered something under your breath, randomly ran off, stop a random pony out of nowhere, ask for her autograph and suddenly everything is all sunshine and you’ll be alright?”

"Right, and if you saw Daring Doo just walking to get coffee, you wouldn't stop for her autograph either now would you?" I remarked sarcastically.

Just then, a blur of bright colours pops out of a tree we're passing. "Daring Doo!? Here? Where?!"

The three of us jumped back startled. "Gah! Rainbow Dash!" Twilight says catching her breath.

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash asks.

"What are you doing in that tree?" Twilight asks.

"Most likely what she always does in trees. Napping," I interject. "I  didn't say that Daring Doo was here, Rainbow Dash. I was asking Twilight what she would do if she saw Daring Doo walking down the sidewalk."

"Oh. So, no Daring Doo?" Dash asks, disappointed.

"Nope." I reply shrugging.

Twilight gives me a slightly annoyed look and rubs her temples. Rainbow Dash sighs and sinks back into the foliage. 

“You know, Heartbreak...that didn’t answer any of my questions and quite frankly...”

My attention wanders for a moment before I spot a rather large teacup shaped sign. “Is that the tea shop, Twilight?” I ask, quickening my pace to the door.

“Um, yes Heartbreak, that’s the tea shop, but I think that-” Knowing that Twilight is about to give me a lecture regarding something I did, I push shop door open. I am greeted with the ringing of a small bell and the warm, rich smells of fine tea. I inhale deeply “Mmmmmm...” I idly wonder if they give samples.
> Well, Lah-Tea-Dah.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Eight.



Well, Lah-Tea-Dah.







Twilight stomped her hooves on the ground. “Grrrrrr!”

Spike looked at Twilight. “Calm down, Twi’, It’s nothing big.”

Twilight took a deep breath. “Right. Nothing big,” she replies stepping through the teashop door.

The tea shop is a warm and inviting place. The walls are decorated with a fusion of Eastern pony and Canterlot artwork. Vine like plants cling to the walls and the sounds of falling water mingled with eastern pony pick instruments. The heady smell of tea and light incense wafts through the air.

Heartbreak was already on the far side of the room, front hooves leaning on the counter eyeing a wall of square drawers with small knobs on them. Xiǎomǎ style lanterns hung on either side of the counter. She seemed rather entranced with the wide selection of teas available.

“See anything that you like?” Twilight asked, looking at the small gold labels on the drawers.

Heartbreak chewed on her lower lip and eyed the different drawers. “Well, there are some names that I recognize...oolong, green tea, white tea, black tea, red tea...” She pauses. “Some of the names sound fancy but are more or less descriptions of what the tea goes through to get here.” She points at a few labels. “Golden Monkey, Temple Peaks Black, Cha Yen Thia?, Silver needles, Black Dragon Pearls-”

“They make tea out of black dragon pearls?” Spike asked.

“...No Spike, at least I don’t think they do here,” Heartbreak replies. “You see, there are different ways that tea is processed. When it is picked, how it is picked, the soil quality where the tea is grown and even the way that it is...well, rolled. For example, silver needle white tea should be made from young tea that has been rolled into slivers, while black dragon pearls, refers to the small balls that the tea has been rolled into.”

Twilight blinked. Once again, she was a little taken back by a sudden burst of knowledge that Heartbreak was showing about a topic. Granted it was a random topic that most likely suited her interests, but who was Twilight to judge about something like that? Didn’t she take her time to learn everything she possibly could about things like magic and obscure historical events? If the two of them shared so many common personality quirks, why then did she feel at odds with Heartbreak during the time she had known her?

“Could it be, that we are almost too much alike and I am seeing those things I don’t like about myself in her?” Twilight grimaced a bit. “Still, She could at least show some signs of being apologetic about her mistakes."

“So, Heartbreak, about how you were treating Rainbow Dash...”

Heartbreak didn’t look away from the wall of tea. “What do you mean?”

“Well...she was really disappointed...when you told her that-” Twilight began.

“Where are the owners of this place?” Heartbreak asked.

“They are most likely in back, Heartbreak.” Twilight said. “Now back to the issue you’re having...”

Spike was looking at the selection of teapots and other tea related paraphernalia. He picked up a small tea strainer and then a tea ball while slurping on the iced cream dream drink he had gotten. He eyed Twilight.

“What issue, Twilight?” Heartbreak asked looking back over the counter. “‘Cause, really, I don’t have issues. I have subscriptions.”

Twilight blinked. “Subscriptions?” She asked.

“Yes, Subscriptions to,‘The Heartbreak Times’, Twilight,” Heartbreak said in a quazi-sarcastic, dry-wit manner. “Where are they?” She looked around and then spied something on the counter.

Twilight finally got it. “Oh,” She chuckled. “You were telling another joke! That’s a sign of progress.Isn’t it, Spike?” She said looking over her shoulder.

“What? huh?” Spike asked. “...Yeah, it could be.”

“Right, maybe I should make a checklist of things that are signs of your progress,” Twilight said. “Spike remind me to make a checklist of things that are signs of Heartbreak’s progress towards Harmony.” The sounds of Spike sucking up the last dregs of his drink was the only response that Twilight got.

“Gee, Thanks, Twilight.” Heartbreak said flatly, looking at Twilight

Twilight looked confused. “I was joking, you know that right?”

“Yes Twilight,” Heartbreak replied. “And no offense. But it wasn’t a very good joke.”

Twilight was taken aback. “So, you’re allowed to make jokes about your problems, but I’m not allowed to?”

“They’re my problems, Twilight. I can make jokes about them,” Heartbreak said, sighing.

“Well, if that’s the case, then I won’t joke about it. You have a serious problem that I think should be addressed. I have been noticing that-” Twilight began.

“Ding-Ding! Ding-Ding!” Went the counter bell as Heartbreak’s hoof tapped on it. Twilight looked at Heartbreak, a disapproving look on her face.

“What? My hoof slipped,” She explained, attempting to look innocent.

“Sure it did,” Twilight said. “Now-”

Just then a maneless, pale yellow pony wearing a slick double breasted suit with a ruffled underskirt and matching ascot walked in from the back.

“Well hello, hello! And welcome to Lah-Tea-Dah!” he said, waving his hoof. “I am Earl Grey, owner of this fine establishment!”

=========================================================

I groan hearing the name of both of the shop owner and the shop’s name. “Seriously? Earl Grey and Lah-Tea-Dah.” I think to myself. “I knew that they were all about the ‘punny’ in Friendship is Magic, but really? Then again, I don’t ever remember a tea shop showing up on the show. Gawds. Who does this guy remind me of. Bald pony with gruff English sounding accent...geeeze, he looks like Picard. Oh, Ha-Ha. That’s just clever,” I think sarcastically to myself, mentally facepalming.

“So, I am terribly sorry but I was in the back taking inventory,” he explains walking up to the counter. I drop down from leaning over the counter. “We’ve had much success in many other places such as Manehatten, Baltimare, Trottingham, Fillydelphia and of course, Canterlot. And with so much success, we decided that it was high time to try setting up a shop here in Ponyville. It’s a touch quainter than our normal fare but still...we’ve had a steady stream of customers coming in!”

“Yay, shameless self advertisement.” I think to myself, rolling my eyes.

“That’s wonderful to hear, Mr. Grey,” Twilight says.

“Earl Grey,” He says, correcting her. “I’m an actual Earl, you know.”

Twilight laughs in a nervously. “Right, Earl Grey, we’re here to find something that will meet Heartbreak’s tastes.” Twilight leans next to the counter. “She seems to have quite a bit of knowledge of tea...”

I frown at Twilight. “Knock it off, Twilight. I know just enough to know good tea from bad tea.” I rub a hoof against my leg. “Otherwise, I just drink what is strong and tastes good with sugar...”

“Such a sad name for a modest pony!” Earl Grey replies. I have only heard this joke twice today and I am already sick of it. “I could actually hear a bit of the conversation you two were having from the back, and I say! Miss Heartbreak here knows a thing or two about teas!”

“Really?” Twilight says with a bit of perked interest.

“Oh yes. You see, I own and operate a plantation where the tea is grown, cultivated and harvested. And I can tell you, tea can be a very picky plant to grow. Why the slightest change can completely turn an exquisite tea into a horrid one!” He explains.

I sigh. If there is one thing I know about tea shop owners, or owners of any establishment that works with something that they consider refined or the like, it’s that, “I want something that will keep me awake,” is the wrong thing to say. Most likely, the owner will shoot you a snooty look. Then they will proceed to do a myriad of things. The two primary things I can think off of the top of my head right now are: They send you out of the shop, never wanting you to come back again. Or they smile sweetly, give you a tea that is of their poorest quality that is either too weak/ too strong, and charge you at a much inflated price.

“Well, I’m not sure what she likes, but I do know she wants something with lots of ca-” Twilight begins. Almost instantly my hoof juts up to her mouth and stops her before she can even finish.

“I think that I am perfectly capable of telling Earl Grey here what kind of tea I am looking for, thank-you-very-much, Twilight,” I say between my teeth. Twilight looks a bit shocked at my actions but nods. “Right then, I would like a fine tea that has a bold and strong taste but will keep me active and very much alert without making me shaky.” I look to the side and move my hoof away from Twilight’s mouth. “I’m going to be doing some writing, or drawing, or something...I am partial to Oolongs, Chai, and even Mate teas if you have them.”

“Ah yes, we definitely have a few teas of that nature.” He says sweetly.

“Good teas that will keep me coming back that are at a reasonable price, I hope. Um...this might be an odd question, but do you allow customers to sample your teas before they buy any teas?” I ask.

“That is not an odd question at all, m’dear!” Earl Grey answers. “It will however require that I call my fiance. While I, may have exceptional knowledge of teas, and tea based accessories, it is she that brings the true magic to our teas. She and her family have been growing teas for generations atop the Shangri La mountains just on the far east reaches of Equestria. Subtle Brew, my sweet cup! We have a customer who wishes to sample your wonderful blends!”
> Hay Gets Everywhere.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Nine.

Hay Gets Everywhere.

I sigh. Wow, there are so many non-canon elements to this place. I can’t help wonder if it was all made up by some lazy artist that thought he was being creative. I feel a twitch trying to make its way to my face, but manage to fight it off before it can reach my eye. No sense in looking spazzy in front of a tea shop owner.

“Oh, I is coming!” Says a small, cute, high and clearly Asian sounding voice. An off white unicorn walks through the doorway opposite of the doorway that Earl Grey came in, pushing a tea tray. Her mane is black and done up in a bun, with two chopsticks poking out. She is dressed in almost a quazi-kimono of sorts that doesn’t cover her flank, but does seem to cover her front hooves. She looks like any other pony I know from the show, save for her horn and tail. Her horn curves back slightly, while her tail looks more like a traditional unicorn’s tail, long and hairless except where it comes to a tuft of fur at the end.

The two of them walk up to each other and nuzzle muzzles happily. For some reason my eyes are now drawn to their cutie marks. Earl Grey’s is four tea bags, while Subtle Brew on the other hand has a stylized tea cup for hers. I feel rather embarrassed and slightly wrong knowing that I just looked at the flanks of two ponies just to know something about them.

Twilight looks at me. “Are you ok, Heartbreak?” she asks.

“I’m fine, Twilight,” I say sighing. “If you want to know what’s up, then you’ll have to ask later. I’m not comfortable talking about it in public.”

Subtle Brew looks up from her nuzzling, her expression turns very sad and she comes to the counter. “Awww! Heart-Break? Such sad name!” I glare at Twilight. I am getting really sick of the sadness joke. Then again, they may not mean it as a joke. Either way, I am growing tired of it. “Don’t warry! We find you tea that make you go happy-lucky-super-fun-time!” she tells me, her eyes closed and slightly squinting, her smile going from ear to ear. Apparently they have Asian accents here in Equestria. I’m not surprised, they have French accents. Why not Asian? “Noaw, what would Heartbreak like to sample?”

I sigh. “Nothing terribly fancy,” I reply just wanting to get out of the tea shop. This is tea, and yet I am feeling a bit oppressed and depressed over the whole situation. “One of your black teas, a chai tea, an oolong, and mate if you have it?” She gives me a funny look. “Like I said, I know enough about tea to know that I like what I like. I don’t know tea like you two know tea.”

“Is ok, is ok. We have tose teas. I pick one from each, ya?” She asks me.

I nod. “That sounds good. Thank you.”

Subtle Brew’s horn starts to glow and two toned tendrils of magic go to work opening different drawers and picking up an assortment of four different teas.

“Um, Twilight?” I ask in a hushed tone. “Is that normal?”

“Is what normal?” She asks me.

“For Eastern unicorns, is that kind of magic normal?” I ask.

“I...I don’t know, I don’t know enough about Eastern unicorns to answer that. They are very seclusive and seeing one outside of the Shangri La mountains is almost unheard of...” She whispers.

Subtle Brew has already taken out small cups on the tea tray and put mesh strainers on them. The dried tea is put in, and the hot water from the teapot is poured over it. There is a minute wait before the strainers are removed and the tea is done.

“Would you like sugar or milk with your tea, Mess Heart-Break?” She asks in a cute voice. It’s not Fluttershy cute, nothing can reach that as far as I am concerned. But it is pretty damn close.

“Just sugar in all of them. A spoonful if I can.” I reply.

Subtle Brew opens a sugar bowl and pours in a spoonful of sugar in each cup, stirring them all at the same time. She then walks the tea tray out from behind the counter and places it in front of Twilight and I.

“Enjoy!” She says smiling a wide smile and bowing slightly. Just then she spies Spike. “Eeeeeeek!” She says hiding behind the tea cart. “Is baby dragon! Where is mother?!”

Twilight looks at Spike. “Oh! I am terribly sorry...” Twilight eyes me for a second and then looks back at the frightened unicorn. “Spike is my assistant. You see, I hatched him when going through an entrance exam, and have been pretty much raising him ever since.”

“Den...You are his mother?” she asks Twilight meekly.

Twilight rolls her eyes and coughs. “Well, Mother is a strong word to be using here. More than often...I act like an older sister...or a good friend.”

From the corner of my eye I can see Spike’s spines sorta droop a bit.

“But I assure you, he’s perfectly safe and well mannered.” She looks over at Spike smiling a rather wide smile. “Isn’t that right Spike?”

Spike is looking in his cup for any last bits of whatever it was he was drinking. “Yup!” He says before lashing his long snake like dragon tongue around the inside of the cup.

Subtle Brew ducks slightly behind the tea tray, causing the tea cups to clatter a bit. Twilight laughs nervously and I just roll my eyes.

“Where I am from, mother dragons very protective of young. Never let any egg out of sight. If mother dragon sees anypony come near nest...” Subtle Brew shudders and then Earl comes over to comfort her.

“Shhhh, It’s alright my dear...” He eyes Spike. “You’re sure he’s safe?”

I can almost taste Spike’s discomfort and irritation in the air. For a moment I think, “At least someone here knows what it is like to be an outsider.” I push that thought away. It’s a horrid thought. No one should have to suffer through prejudice for being what they are.

I look at the both of them. “Spike is the safest dragon I know. He is faithful, kind, courteous, loyal and the best assistant that Twilight could ever ask for. I assure you, he is perfectly safe and would not cause any intentional harm to anyp-pony. I would go as far to say that under his scales beats the heart of a pony.” Almost instantly Spike’s spines perk up at my words. There is a confused look on his face. I’m sure the words of what he considers to be a total stranger might not mean as much as if they were coming from Twilight herself, but at least it is something I can say that doesn’t sound snarky.

Twilight looks at me momentarily and then shakes her head. “...Yes. Exactly.” Subtle Brew looks a little more at ease, but is still leaning close her fiancé.

“Right, Now that that bit of excitement is over, I am going to sample this tea before it grows cold, m’kay?” I state, leaning my head forward and sipping a bit of what I think is the oolong.

The still warm but not quite hot tea rolls over my tongue. A myriad of different flavors comes with it. There are several citrus tones with a few honey notes. Everything I expect from an Oolong except...I cringe.

“Is there something wrong, m’dear?” Earl asks me.

I smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth. “It’s a good tea, but there is something in there I am not liking.” I am about to move on to the next cup. When Subtle Brew places a small glass of water before me.

“To cleanse your pallet.” Earl Grey says, smiling.

I politely nod and take a sip. The water is high enough so that there isn’t any awkward lifting of the glass. I swish the water around in my mouth and then swallow before moving on to the Chai tea. The Chai is a warm and slightly invigorating sort of tea. There is the warmth of cinnamon, the licorice taste of star anise and the spice peppercorns and cloves all mingling in my mouth. I blink. “Overall, a good tea,” I think to myself. And then that...taste hits me again. This un-agreeable aftertaste that I just can’t shake. It’s a grassy finish that just isn’t leaving my tongue alone! “Wait, is that...” “Um, I don’t mean to be rude-the tea thus far has been wonderful-but there is this...taste I keep hitting in the background...I’m not sure how to describe it. It’s...grassy.”

“Oh, that would be the hay!” Earl Grey says proudly.

The twitch that was fighting to get to my face? It’s broken through whatever chains that were binding it up. I can feel my face completely droop and I try to form a coherent thought about this. But it is like I am trying to call my brain long distance and I’m just getting voice mail.

“The  number you have dialed is no longer in service, if you feel that you have reached this message in error or are trying to contact a different pony, please hang up and dial your number again.”

Finally the words find their route to my mouth. “Hay? In tea?” I ask.

Twilight gives me a concerned look. “They don’t put hay in the tea where you’re from?” She asks me.

“No...” I reply in a way that denotes a subtle, ‘What, are you crazy!?’    

“Really?” Earl asks me. “I personally can’t imagine it not being there. All our teas have the finest quality hay added to them.”

“All of them?” I ask. It can’t be true, why would you put hay in perfectly good tea?! I quickly take a mouthful of water and rinse my mouth out before taking a sampling of the next tea, straight up black tea. It’s strong and bitter, but there it is. Right at the end. Hay.

“You no like hay?” Subtle Brew asks me looking rather sad at my reaction to that last cup of tea.

I don’t want to be rude. I really don’t, but I can’t fight it. “No, I don’t like hay,” I say coughing. “Do you happen to have any teas that, well, don’t have any hay in them?”

“Well...there is our herbal blends. The mint tea is the only one that can really do what you are looking for in a tea, but all of our black teas contain a bit of hay in them to add to the body of the tea,” Earl replies.

I look at them both rather disappointingly and try to get that grassy feel out of my mouth. I try not to show my disgust in all of this, I don’t want to be rude and offend either one of these ponies, but that grass taste is just making me want to gag. “Fine,” I think to myself. “I’ll take five bits worth of that,” I reply disappointingly.

“Are you sure?” Earl Grey asks me.

“Yes. I’m sure, thank you,” I reply looking at Twilight. “I need some air, Twilight. The incense is starting to get to me. I’ll be outside.”

I turn around and walk towards the door. It’s only now that I realize that it is a pull handle door. I sigh and attempt to get my hoof to open the door with less than spectacular results.

“Allow me,” Spike says pulling the door open.

“Thanks, Spike.” I reply.

==========================================================

“I should have seen that coming...” Twilight thought to herself, watching Heartbreak walk out the door with Spike in tow.

Subtle Brew looks at Heartbreak sitting outside. “Excuse me, Miss Sparkle?”

“Yes?” Twilight asks.

“I know not how to say...but, Miss Heart-Break not from here?” Subtle Brew asks, her eyes fixed on the window.

Twilight looks over her shoulder, a small part of her wanted to explain things. But the truth of the matter was too unbelievable, too unreal. Besides, there was a nagging feeling that wouldn’t go away, one that told her that she shouldn’t go about explaining Heartbreak’s origin. ”Not that anypony would really believe me. There are only a small circle of ponies that know about it. No reason to go around spreading something like this around...”  “Yeah, she’s not from around here. I’m currently acting as her tutor and guide to the area. You could say that she’s a foreign exchange student of sorts. Really foreign.”

For whatever reason, Heartbreak was pushing herself up on her hind hooves with the aid of a tree, and in one quick turning motion she propped her back up against it. Whatever conversation Spike and her were having then continued.

“Yeah. Very foreign.” Twilight repeated.

“Ah...I see...” Subtle Brew said, her eyes quirking.

“What is it my sugar lump?” Earl Grey asked.

“It is...” Subtle made a face as if she was trying to describe something that she didn’t know. “Her chi is off. Every’ting about...her...is off.”

Twilight smiled nervously. “She’s just a new pony in a strange place, she hasn’t gotten used to a lot of things here.” Twilight placed five bits on the counter and took the small paper bag of mint tea, before quickly making her exit.

Subtle Brew shook her head after Twilight left.

“Is something troubling you Wéimiào de chá?” Earl Grey asked, using his fiance’s name in her native language.

“Is...is not’ing. Many ponies strange outside of Shangra La. All very different, so is not’ing.” She replied, watching as Heartbreak slipped and fell on her rump. "Zhè shì rúguǒ tā shènzhì dōu bùshì yīgè xiǎo mǎ. Huò nǚxìng wèi cǐ shì.”

Earl Grey looked taken back. “My dear, you know how well I understand your language. Which isn’t very well at all. But I do know, “Bùyòng dānxīn, wǒ ài nǐ.”  I am sure that Miss Sparkle is taking care of whatever seems to be the matter with Miss Heartbreak.” He gave her a nuzzling reassurance. “Now, come! There’s tea to be made!”

Subtle Brew smiled and nodded. Her worries about this were most likely nothing.
> Diet of Grass
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 10



Diet of Grass.


I take a deep breath of the air outside. Unlike the air back home, it hasn’t been tainted by the tang of burning fossil fuels or the constant pollution of noise. There isn’t the hustle and bustle of people finding new ways to avoid each other, I’m sure there isn’t a high crime rate, or dwindling resources or, at least from what I can tell, overtly stupid religious debates flooding pleasant conversations.

Sighing, I drop my butt on the ground outside of the tea shop window. “Seems like everything that could go wrong with today has gone wrong.”  I blink, that statement isn’t all together true. Among all of the uncomfortable things, there is still that shining moment where you actually got to meet Derpy Hooves. And better yet, get her to sign your brand new sketchbook! A sketchbook that was given to you by a rather creepy pony with an Edgar Allen Poe fetish.

“So,” Spike begins, looking up at me as I look down at the ground,“You really mean those things that you said back there?”

I take another deep breath. “Yes, Spike,” I fight the urge to roll my eyes. “Sometimes I do actually say what I mean and mean what I say.”

“Uh...right, I know how you are going to answer my next question, but I feel the need to ask it anyway,” he says.

I look up at the sky, my eyes rolling slightly. “If it is, ‘How do you know all these things?’, then you should know that the answer is going to be ‘swirling vortex of insanity from which there is no escape.’” I reply.

“Do you actually know that it will or is that something you’re just saying to avoid the truth of your situation?” Spike asks me.

“Why can’t it be both?” I ask, noticing the tree behind me. Sitting in the dirt like this is becoming un-agreeable.

Now it’s Spike’s turn to roll his eyes. “Right, fine, but like I told Twilight, I think you’re doing that just to avoid the main problems that you are having here.”

I turn around and rear up against the tree. I carefully place my back right hoof behind my left one, and in one swift motion, I about-face. At least I learned something useful from the military. I let my front hooves drop and tap them against the tree, before slowly leaning back. “Ahhh.” I sigh. This is something familiar, something a bit more comforting. Spike gives me an odd look.

“What?” I ask.

“You have an itchy back or something?” He asks me.

“No. I just feel like doing this, Spike, alright?” I reply. “It feels more natural, alright?” However, I am already getting the feeling that this position isn’t going to last for very long as my back twinges and I feel slight pains coming from my tail.

“Sure it is, Heartbreak,” Spike says with a deadpanned look on his face. “You keep telling yourself that, and eventually, I’m sure it’ll come true.”

“Hey, I defended you back there in the tea shop, you know,” I retort.

“So what, you were just trying to earn brownie points with me?” He asks, scooting to my side and giving me an evil eye.

“No! I really did mean what I said back there. It’s just that-” I begin to explain myself, but then Twilight comes out of the shop and gives me a disapproving look. No shocker there.

“Heartbreak, Would you please stop doing whatever it is that you’re doing? Ponies are giving you funny looks,” Twilight tells me curtly.

“I’m a grown adult, Twilight,” I reply. I give her a gruff look. “And besides, ponies do strange things all the time here.” I feel my ear being tugged on and pulled down causing me to lose my balance and fall down on my rear. “Ouch!”

Twilight gets right up in my face while I am rubbing my rump. “You might have been a grown adult where you were from, Heartbreak, but you are acting like a bratty filly. So unless you want to be treated like a filly, you better start acting like an adult.”

I push myself up off the ground. “How am I acting like a bratty filly?” I ask, backing up and turning away a bit. I start walking in the direction which I think the Library is in. Spike walks along with us, writing in his note pad.

“Well for one thing,” Twilight says getting right up next to me. “There was being impolite to Ghost Writer-”

“I thought we were over this, Twilight. He was hitting on me,” I explain. ”First thing that happens to me when I come out of the library. Somep-pony starts hitting on me. How annoyingly ‘mary-sue’. And how would you have felt if AppleJack started hitting on you the moment you came to Ponyville?” I ask, only thinking about the first pony that Twilight had met, and not the context of the question.

Twilight looks confused. “Heartbreak. Applejack is a mare.”

I frown. “I know that, Twilight. It doesn’t have to do with the situation at h-h-hooph, but alright, fine. What if Applejack was a stallion, you just came to Ponyville and he started hitting on you? How, would you feel?” I ask.

“I guess I would be really uncomfortable,” Twilight replies.”But that still doesn’t explain the way that you treated Rainbow Dash!” Spike goes “hmmmm” and writes some more.

I try leaning over to see what he is writing, but he quickly covers it up. “We’re on this again?” I ask, noticing that Twilight is hovering the paper bag of tea in the air. I jump up and attempt to nab it from the air. “Rainbow misheard something I said, popped out of nowhere and I clarified myself. What did I do there that was so awful?”

Twilight looks a little annoyed. “For one, you didn’t apologize after you clarified yourself.”

I frown. “Why would I need to apologize? I didn’t do anything to insult her or cause any physical harm. I mean she was disappointed, sure, but she’s Rainbow Dash,” I say.

Twilight looks at me. “She has feelings too you know, Heartbreak.” She lowers the bag to my face level.

I pause my walking to open the saddlebag. I still don’t like the fact that I have to open it with my face. Twilight looks at me expectantly, I sigh and nab the bag with my mouth before placing it in the saddlebag.

“And then there was what happened in the teashop,” Twilight starts.

“What about it?” I ask. This is becoming exactly what Twilight does best: A lecture.

“I’m sure you were doing your best to be polite, Heartbreak,” Twilight starts. “However, you might want to try to get used to hay. It kinda happens to be a large part of a pony’s diet.”

“I think Pinkie Pie would argue with you on that point,” I reply, rolling my eyes and grumbling. “And there are many non-hay based food things that ponies eat as well. Like apples. I can live off of apples, right?”

Once again, Spike scribbles something down. I frown, I shouldn’t feel this pang of jealousy again, but damnit! He has thumbs.

“That might very well be, but even she eats hay,” Twilight says. “And besides, if you can’t eat hay now, what are you going to do when you’re given grass?”

I grimace and nearly gag. “Grass!? Bleh! I’m not going to eat grass, Twilight.”

“Ponies eat grass, Heartbreak.” Twilight sighs, rolling her eyes, I can hear her quietly counting to ten. “I didn’t want to say anything, but Subtle Brew thought that you were acting strange.”

I look around. Apparently we aren’t going anywhere near the library. I swore it was down this path. “Lots of ponies act strange here, Twilight. I’m sure that I’ll fit right in.”

“She said your, ‘Chi’ was off. I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I think it means that you weren’t acting enough like a pony,” Twilight tells me.

I frown. “Ah, earth to Twilight?” I lower my voice. “Inside this body is something that isn’t a pony. Even Celestia knows that...”

“Princess Celestia,” Twilight corrects me.

“Fine. Princess Celestia,” I reply, sighing. “Geeze...All I wanted was some tea.”

“Well, sometimes we don’t always get what we want, Heartbreak,” Twilight says. “Which is why for lunch we’re going to eat grass.”

“I just told you, Twilight,” I say glaring at her. “I’m not eating grass.”

The clock tower strikes ten o'clock. “The clock up there says that you are going to be eating grass in two hours, Heartbreak.”

I stomp my hoof. “I’m not eating grass, Twilight,” I repeat angrily.

“Ponies eat grass, Heart. Break.” Twilight says, her composure breaking.

“I’m not eating Grass, Twilight.” I say glaring at her. “There are other things I could eat you know. Things like carrots, or peas, or leafy vegetables! You ever think about that?!”

“Ponies Eat Grass, Heartbreak.” Twilight repeats, starting to look heated. “And I would offer those things to you, but then you most likely would complain that there was hay in them!”

“Why would there be Hay in them, Twilight? The only reason I can think of would be if you had put it in there!” I retort.

“Guys!” Spike shouts.

“Spike, stay out of this!” Twilight and I say in unison.

Twilight quickly turns her head at me. “Don’t tell him what to do, he’s my assistant!”

I feel like I should be taken back by that statement. “If he’s your best assistant ever, maybe you shouldn’t yell at him for butting into something that’s clearly between the two of us!”

Twilight shoots daggers at me. “You know what? It is between the two of us! We’re not waiting until noon! We’re going to have brunch!” She looks at a tuft of grass growing near the sidewalk. Using her magic, she rips it up by the roots.”You’re going to eat the grass, Heartbreak!”

“What? Grass from off the sidewalk?! That’s even worse than just grass!” I state backing away from her. “You don’t know what’s walked on that grass!”

“Doesn’t matter! You’re going to eat it!” She says, pushing it in my face.

I stubbornly refuse and go tight lipped. “Nnn-uuh!”

“What was that? I couldn’t understand you, Heartbreak!” Twilight says in an attempt to try and get me to open my mouth by pushing the grass at my lips. This only makes me want to sneeze as grass tickles my nose. I snort it out and bat it away from my face.

“I’m not eating grass, Twilight. Especially grass that just came off the ground!” I say, running the best I can to the other side of the street. I think that I am safe for a moment but then I remember that I am dealing with a unicorn. Fucking unicorns. How do they work? It doesn’t take but a moment for her to teleport to the other side of the street and right in front of me. “Fuck, she must be pissed.”





“One, all grass is from the ground! And Two! You’re going to eat grass right now, Heartbreak!” Twilight says ripping another tuft up from nearby. “Or so help me!” She says pushing me back. As she moves back and hurls the grass into my face, the sun, unexpectedly gets in my eyes.

“Gah!” I shout putting a hoof in front of my face.

“What’s the matter, Heartbreak? Did you get some grass in your mouth?” Twilight says angrily.

“No! The sun is in my eyes and it hurts!” I cry out.

“Well, maybe you wouldn’t have that problem if you would just let me buy you a hat already!!” She shouts at me.

Just then, a random face leans out and above me, scaring me nearly shitless. “Did Somepony say, ‘Buy a hat?’”

I scream in panic over the sudden pony-in-the-box jutting out at me. To make matters worse, within seconds, I find myself with a mouthful of grass. Yuck!
> Mad at the Hatter
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 11

Mad at the Hatter.

Twilight smiled a smile of victory as the grass ball found its target: Heartbreak’s screaming mouth. There was a look of shocked horror on Heartbreak’s face when her mouth closes, which is followed by a disgusted expression and an involuntary twitch from her left eye. 
Twilight bends her head down and at Heartbreak. “You’re going to eat that grass, Heartbreak. Now. Chew it.”

Heartbreak looked down at the grass ball in her mouth. It was really more a clump of grass that retained some of its root system and even a bit of dirt. She looked frightened and angry. She quickly shook her head, “No.”

Twilight stomped her hooves. “Grrraaa!” She then got up in Heartbreak’s Face. “I am your teacher, Heartbreak and you, are my student. And you are going to learn to love grass whether you like it or not!”

Spike raced across the street. “Twilight! Stop this!” he shouted, getting between the two ponies. “This isn’t like you, Twi’. Come on! Snap out of it!” he eased Twilight away from Heartbreak. ”Remember what I said.”

“Are you still takin-” Twilight stopped at Spikes dead panned look. Heartbreak was sat upon the ground leaning against what had to be a hat booth, from the looks of both the massive hat shaped sign and the pegasus pony running it. In her mouth was the grass clump, still showing signs of being ripped fresh from the ground and a bit of Heartbreak’s saliva dripping off it. She sighed. “...Right. There aren’t any sides here.”

The magic holding the grass in Heartbreak’s mouth faded and she spat the grass out almost instantly. “Bleh! Ugh!” she started to rub her forearm against her tongue to remove the taste. “Ugh, now I can taste grass and dirt.” She commented, pushing herself off the ground.

Twilight sighed and offered to help Heartbreak up. “Heartbreak, I-”

“It’s. Fine.” Heartbreak said in a way that clearly said that it wasn’t fine.

“Do you have to be like that?” Twilight asked.

“Be like what, Twilight?” Heartbreak asked, avoiding the question while rubbing her tongue against her other forearm.

“That!” Twilight replied.

“I’m not sure what you are talking about, Twilight.” Heartbreak countered.

Twilight growled and stomped her hooves on the ground. Spike looked at her sympathetically, while placing a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. “Heartbreak!” she began.

“Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! Ladies!” came the voice from the hat booth. “I don’t know what is causing the ruckus between you two. But! I do know two very important things. One, I can’t have you two fighting in front of my shop, it’s just bad for business! And two, I know exactly what you three need to fix this situation.” The trio looked at him expectantly.

“And that would be...” Heartbreak asked bitterly.

“Why, brand new hats of course!” He said, waving his hoof at the selection of hats that he kept behind the counter. It wasn’t a fantastic selection, nor were they the fanciest of hats any of them had seen. “Why, I have hats of every sort and every stripe, that can turn any situation right!” he said his voice turning musical.

Heartbreak jutted up from where she was and got right up in the hat makers face. “And just who are you?” She asked staring at him eye to eye. She angrily blew a bit of her mane out of her face.

The sales pony pulled at his collar and swallowed hard. “Why I’m High Hat, Ma’am, and if I have been paying attention, you’d be the lovely Miss Heartbreak? I say, that I the perfect hat that that will bring a smile to your-”

Heartbreak crushed a twitch forming on her face with her hoof. “High. Hat? Really?” High Hat nodded with a big but nervous grin on his face. “Several things, High Hat. One, Don’t call me ‘lovely’ or ‘miss’. Two, jokes about the name, allusions to me being an unhappy p-pony or anything of the like? No. Don’t even make them! And finally!” She said rolling her eyes, while tossing her head. “I swear, if you start singing a song about all the hats you have and how my life would just be hunky-dory-day if I bought just one of them! I swear, I’ll take one of your hats and-”

“Heartbreak!” Twilight shouted, pulling her back from the counter. “You’ll have to forgive her...She’s had a rough week and not much sleep,” She said pulling her to the side. “This is what I am talking about.”

Spike blinked and wrote something down. “Huh...interesting.”

“Twilight! He’s...he’s, Ugh! Whatever...” Heartbreak said, brushing Twilight’s hoof away from her shoulder, she took a deep breath and rubbed the side of her head. “I’m sure you’re right, Twilight,” She said, her expression softening just a little.

“Wait, what? I am?” Twilight said, taken a bit back.

“I’m having difficulty adjusting, avoiding my problems, and taking it out on random ponies who most likely don’t deserve it,” Heartbreak said.

Twilight gave Spike a confused look “Hey, you’re the teacher here, Twilight,” Spike said shrugging his shoulders and giving her a nod to go ahead and handle the situation.

“It’s alright, H.B., I’ve been making my fair number of mistakes today,” Twilight began softly. “I am glad to see that you’re recognizing and admitting to them.” Heartbreak sighed and rolled her eyes a bit. “Which is why...” Twilight started putting her back in front of the counter. “You won’t have any trouble apologizing to Mr. High Hat here!”

“Uhm, right, apologize...” Heartbreak said looking at High Hat. She ran a hoof through her mane. “Right. Apologizing. Well, you see it’s like this, High Hat, I mean Mr. High Hat. Uhm...” She floundered a bit more. “I’ve...”

High Hat made a sympathetic face. “Let’ me guess. You’re the new mare in town...Don’t have too many friends, and due to your name, you’ve heard every single joke in the book dealing with hearts, breaking hearts and tears. I just happen to have been the final straw that was breaking the camel’s back as it were?”

“Well...Yeah, kinda, sorta,” Heartbreak said kinda quietly.

“Well, you need not worry about that. This old stallion has a much thicker hide than that to let something like that bother him!” He replied. “And ya know what? I think I will cut you in on a deal, seeing that you’re new to Ponyville!”

“You don’t have to do that. Really.” Heartbreak replied, backing away and showing a bit of concern.

“Heartbreak...” Twilight began, she then looked at High Hat. “What kind of deal?” She asked.

“Well...” High Hat began. “It’s more like a challenge of sorts.”

“Challenge?” Heartbreak asked her face sharing the same deadpanned look as Spike’s.

“Well...More like a bet!” High Hat said, a wide smile still brimming on his face.

“A. Bet?” Heartbreak said, a growl escaping her throat. Spike quirked his eye. He would have asked that very same question, had Heartbreak not beat him to it.

“Why yes!” High hat reached behind the counter and pulled out a jar that appeared to be nearly filled with an assortment of marbles.  “You see, most of my fine hats run around the price of twenty to thirty bits apiece! However, for you two,” He pauses as Heartbreak glowered at him. “You two special ponies, today only, if you can guess how many marbles are in the jar, I’ll give you a free hat!” He smiles and Heartbreak continued to glare at him.

“What’s the catch?” She asked.

Twilight looks at Heartbreak. “Seriously?”

“Well...There is a nominal fee, nothing big, just five bits to play is all!” High Hat says. “But it’s a small fee, and you get the chance to win a free hat!”

Heartbreak said nothing but continued to glare at him. He chuckled and pulled on his collar.

“Alright, you’ve got yourself a deal!” Twilight says, placing five bits on the counter.

“Twilight!” Heartbreak protests.

“I know you’re uncomfortable with ponies buying you things, Heartbreak,” she looks at the jar. “However, it’s five bits and there is the chance to get a free hat!” She said, her voice edging only a little toward angry. She then turned her attention back to the jar of marbles. “Let’s see, it’s roughly the size of a pickle jar, each marble appears to be half an inch in diameter and the jar is filled up about nine tenths of the way full.” Twilight looked like she was doing a bit of math in her head. “I would estimate that there should be at least 144 marbles in your jar, Mr. High Hat.” Twilight said, smiling.

High Hat had a rather wide grin. “Your final answer?”

Twilight nodded while Heartbreak angrily crossed her hooves.

“Well Miss Twilight Sparkle, those were some very nice calculations, and you did a very good job in guessing...” Twilight smiled a satisfied smile at Heartbreak, who only rolled her eyes. “But I’m afraid that you are wrong...”

“What?” Twilight’s face dropped and she looked at the pickle jar more closely again. “I should have been very close!”

“I’m afraid not my dear. You weren’t even in the ballpark.” He says, putting the pickle jar back behind the counter. “But if it is any consolation, I will knock off ten bits on any one of my finely made hats here!”

“Well...I guess that’s better than nothing,” Twilight said disappointingly as she reached for her bits.

Heartbreak’s hoof quickly went up and stopped her. “Twilight, don’t give that colt one bit. Not One.”

“Heartbreak, I know you don’t like me buying things but seriously this has-”

“Twilight, would you just listen to me for a second, please?” Heartbreak began.

Twilight paused. “Alright H.B., I’m listening.”

“Thank you,” Heartbreak cleared her throat. “That...stallion is a Con-Artist!” she said her hoof pointing at High Hat squarely in the face.

“Bwha?? Heartbreak!” Twilight said in a shocked and confused manner.

“What?!” High Hat shouted. “I Say! I am nothing but an honest sales pony and hatter! I would never stoop so low as to-”

Heartbreak got up in High Hats face and looked him square in the eye. “Don’t start that, ‘I’m just an honest sales pony’ bit with me, Mr. High Hat,” she says shaking her hoof at him. “I know your type. Smooth, swathe, and acting all buddy-buddy with everypony, you butter them up, try to make them feel better about themselves and when the moment is right, Bam! You spring some sort of cheap trick to earn extra bits off them.”

“Heartbreak!” Twilight once again protests.

However, Heartbreak seemed to be on a tirade about this. “Taking advantage of any kind of pony you can. Telling them the price of your hats, then offering them some super special deal, lure them in with this marble game of yours, and when they can’t guess the number, hit them with a ‘special discount!’” She points at all his hats. “What a wide selection of rather samy hats you have there, rather bland and boring the lot of them. In fact the only good hat I can see is clearly perched atop your head! Tell me Mr. High Hat. Did you make it yourself or did you buy it?!”

By now, High Hat is sweating and biting his lower lip. His worried eyes are quivering nervously and he almost looks a bit frantic. “I-I-I happened to make this one myself,” he says almost meekly. “I mean, I-I-I make all my hats..”

“Well Bravo!” she replied, clapping her hooves together slowly. ”One good hat and a dozen boring, dull, almost grey ones. What’s the matter? Run out of ideas?!” She shouts angrily.

Twilight pulls Heartbreak away from the counter. “Heartbreak!” Twilight screams looking at her square in the eye. “Enough of this!”

Heartbreak is about to open her mouth to say something, however Twilight quickly clamped it shut with her magic. “No,” Twilight says angrily. “Alright. I don’t know how things are where you are from. However, here, we don’t act like this. And by this, I mean accusing other ponies of swindling them. Or berating them about the quality of their hats.  Now are you going to apologize to Mr. High Hat or not?”

Heartbreak frowned and closed her eyes in frustration. She snorted a deep breath and shook her head. “No.”  Spike could tell that Twilight was getting frustrated and put his hand on her shoulder.

“Right, I just want you to know that I am disappointed in you then, Heartbreak.” she sighed. “But as you said, you’re a grown mare. You can make your own choices and suffer the consequences of those choices.” Twilight took a deep breath. “Perhaps today isn’t the best day to show you around Ponyville.” Heartbreak looked to the side and nodded a bit. Twilight let the magic dissipate from around Heartbreak’s mouth.

She was quiet for a few moments before speaking. “I...I guess we’ll have to try another day for that. I still have like two weeks to write to Celestia...um...Princess Celestia. When I’ve had more sleep, am not so caffeine deprived or at least tea deprived, and am just overall a better...pony,” She said, her voice nearly dropping to a whisper. Her voice then took on a fake sort of cheerfulness. ”In the meantime, I’ll just go back to the library and practice trying to draw. At least that way, the only pony I’ll hurt is myself,” She said rolling her eyes and grinding a hoof into the ground.

“Confound it. Why does she have to be so sad?” Twilight steeled herself and reminded herself of everything that happened in but a few short hours. “Right.” “That is probably a good idea. I have a few errands to run, I should be back in a few hours.”

Heartbreak turned and started walking towards the library. “Alright Twilight. I’ll see you then.”

Twilight’s expression soured. A number of conflicting feelings bubbled up about the whole situation. She could have been a little nicer about Heartbreak’s resistance to adapting to pony dietary needs, but she in turn could have just accepted her generosity about buying the simplest of things. “Not to mention being a little more trusting about other ponies intentions...”

“Uh, Twilight, should I go with her?” Spike asked.

Twilight watched Heartbreak walking away. With her head and tail hanging low, it was almost impossible to not feel some sort of sympathy pang for her. “Yes. While she says she knows Ponyville pretty well, I don’t want her getting lost,” Twilight replied. “And...she might open up more to you, Spike. I don’t know why, but I get the feeling she trusts you a little more than me.”

“Pffft, yeah right. Heartbreak doesn’t trust anypony here.” He watched her off in the distance. She sounded like she might be muttering to herself about something. “I mean, it seems like she really wants to, but she’s holding back. Besides, if she wants tea, she’ll need someone to help her boil some water and whathaveyou. I’m sure you don’t want to come back to a kitchen fire, right?”

“Well, no, that is a good point.” Twilight bit her lip. “I’m sure she wouldn’t burn the library down on purpose though.” “At least, I hope she wouldn’t. Last thing we need is an unstable pyromaniac pony on our hooves.”

“Right, I’ll see you when you get back Twi’,” Spike said, starting to turn. “And Twi?”

“Yeah, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“While you are, ‘running errands,’ try to think about something like maybe a lesson plan or something,” Spike said. “I mean you’re good at organization, right? So maybe organize your thoughts? I don’t know, I just wanted to sound all smart and stuff...”

Twilight snickered a bit. “That’s very good advice, Spike. I’ll take it into consideration.”

Spike nodded and waved to Twilight before running after Heartbreak. “Hey! Heartbreak! Wait up!” He called out as the tan pony tripped and stumbled a bit.

Twilight frowned. This almost felt like back in Canterlot when she was bringing her before Princess Celestia. She felt that she had done something wrong here and she wasn’t sure how to fix it.

“Maybe Spike is right,” Twilight thought walking back towards the Hat booth. “Maybe I just need a little time to organize my thoughts about all this. I might as well apologize to High Hat, seeing that Heartbreak won’t.” “Mr. High Hat? It’s me again, I just wanted to-”

But High Hat was nowhere to be seen over the counter.

“Um, Hello?” Twilight asked peering into the booth. Her ears picked up a faint and rather disconcerting sound. To somepony else it might be the sound of laughing, but it was more broken up. Looking down the mystery was soon solved.

There was High Hat, slumped down on the ground. It was apparent that he was crying with his face buried in one of the many bowler hats that was selling.

“Oh my, goodness!” Twilight gasped in shock. “Mr. High Hat, are you ok?!”

There was a pause in his sobs and then a hard sniff. He removed the hat from his face. “Oh, Hello, Miss Sparkle was it? Oh yes, I’m fine. Just f-fine.” He replied with a faked smile.

Twilight could tell that High Hat was far from fine. “Uh, are you sure about that?”

The brown pegasus sniffed hard again. “Oh yes...I-I-I..” High Hat just broke out in tears. “Oh Sweet Celestia! She’s Right! I am a con artist! And I haven’t a decent idea for a hat sinse Los Pegasus!”

Twilight was shocked for a moment, and then gave him a sympathetic look.. “Is it something you want to talk about?” She asked, totally disregarding the fact that he was openly admitting to being a con artist. High Hat was quiet for a moment. “Mr-”

“No, I would not like to talk about it,” He said in a stern and somewhat angry manner. He stood back up and placed five bits on the counter. Twilight looked as if she was about to say something but High Hat interrupted her. 

“I thank you for your concern Miss Sparkle, but I think I will be closing shop early today. Thank you for your time and good day.” He said slamming the shutters to his hat shop.

“Mr. High Hat?” Twilight asked.

“Take your bits and please, just go, Miss Sparkle.” Came the muffled voice.

Taking the bits on the counter, Twilight turned and started to walk. Heartbreak might have hurt him, but she was right about him being a con artist. “Now I really don’t know what to think...”
> Three Point Perspective.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 12

Three Point Perspective.

Twilight mulled all this over in her head. Heartbreak had said that her world was very similar to Equestria, save for the fact that it was run mostly by machines. The beings there drank what were called, “energy drinks”, magic was practically non-existent, and their dietary needs were entirely different.

“Whatever that means,” Twilight thought to herself. Twilight found herself unable to imagine a world without magic. Magic was her element, her passion, her very being and her sole purpose for existing! Her special talent! It was the reason she had her cutie mark! “How would anypony survive in a world without magic? If the Elements of Harmony are any indication, is Heartbreak’s world one without any Honesty? Or kindness? Where its people never laugh or smile, only think of themselves and where loyalty to friends has no meaning at all?” Twilight rolled her eyes at this thought. “That would be just ridiculous, Twilight Sparkle. No species would survive that long if they didn’t have some semblance of Harmony. Besides, she shows some of those things.” Twilight sighs. “Well, sometimes..”

She looked back at the now closed hat shop. It was weird that Heartbreak took an instant distrust to the pony there and even weirder that she was actually right in identifying him as a con artist. “But I don’t know too many con artists who are too resentful about swindling ponies out of their bits. More than often they’ll just run away and move on to the next town, right? I mean, that’s what Trixie and the Flim-Flam Brothers did anyhow. High Hat, on the other hoof, was crying and gave me a refund!”

Twilight sighed. This was a very different situation from when they first left the library. How did, ‘We’re going to help you find your special talent, Heartbreak,’ become, ‘Heartbreak demeans some pony, who then turns out to be a con artist?’

“Give her a break, Twilight. She said she has been having nightmares about Princess Celestia. Hay, I would have nightmares if Celestia threatened to erase my memories.” Twilight shook her head. Normally, she was so sure of herself! There were times that she did doubt herself and her abilities. But, everything did turn out for the best as long as she could turn to her friends. “But I really can’t do that right now. Applejack is busy with Zap Apple Harvest, Fluttershy is counting baby bunnies, Rarity is attending some fashion show in Fillydelphia to take a look at the latest in spring trends, I could ask Pinkie Pie for advice but she’s far from organized. That leaves Rainbow Dash. I doubt she could be any help in assessing the situation as it stands.”

Twilight paused and realized she wasn’t even sure what the situation was. Spike was right in her not having a lesson plan, but really, like she could express in one easy lesson what the element of Magic was. Let alone help Heartbreak discover something, anything profound about herself.

“How do you get a pony who thinks they know everything, to learn anything?” Twilight thought to herself. “I wouldn’t know-” Suddenly, Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted as she turned a corner and ran into somepony else. “Ugh!” She cried out falling to the ground. “Oh!” cried a familiar voice. Twilight shook her head and groaned. When she regained her senses, she was greeted by the friendly but concerned face of her zebra friend, Zecora.

“Zecora?” She asked. “I’m so sorry! I was so distracted that I didn’t see you there!”

“So sorry for making you fall. Your thoughts seem heavy, can I help at all?” Like always, Zecora spoke in verse. Twilight often wondered if all zebra spoke like that, or if it was something else entirely. 

“Only if you have something to fix fundamentally broken ponies...Otherwise a hoof up would be nice.” Twilight replied, reaching for Zecora.

Zecora quirked an eyebrow. “Helping you up will be no trouble, but tell me Twilight, what has sent your thoughts into a frothing bubble?” She replied, reaching for Twilight.

“Well,” Twilight gathered her thoughts. What she could and couldn’t tell anypony, even somezebra like Zecora. That nagging voice in the back of her head telling her, that even Zecora wasn’t to know the full truth about Heartbreak. “I have this friend, more of an acquaintance really, actually she’s a student that I am tutoring.” Twilight slumped as she explained her relationship to Heartbreak. “She’s what you would call a, ‘Foreign exchange student from a rather distant part of Equestria', and is having trouble coping with things. Her studies, the ponies here,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Particularly what she’ll eat. Where she’s from, they don’t apparently eat too much hay, or grass.”

Zecora nodded, her eyes slowly blinking. “And if you show her something that does not meet her approval, then you dear Twilight, are met with a harsh refusal?”

“You have no idea,” Twilight began. “She’s...difficult to explain. She was practically dumped on both me and my friends and pretty much left here in Ponyville with no way back to where she came from for a year. I try helping her but she shuts down claiming that she can do it on her own. Even when it’s apparent to everypony around her that, ‘no, she can’t do this on her own.’  She’s not quite  herself and unsure of where she fits in here.” Twilight sighed. “I mean she has only been here a week, but I’m on a timed schedule with her. She has a monthly report to turn in and it has to be turned in on time or else!” Twilight shouted, gasping and looking rather frantic. Her ears drooped as she turned at the slightly spooked Zebra before her. “I’m sorry to have talked your ears off with all this...”

Zecora smiled of understanding. “This mare’s demands never seem to relent and you poor Twilight, sounded like you needed to vent.” She put a comforting hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “You say that she has only been here but a week? Twilight, you are clever, I am sure you will have a solution, come next we speak.” Zecora started to head off. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have things to do! I am trading tea recipes with the Earl of Grey and his Subtle Brew.”

“Yeah, thanks Zecora...” She said, slightly feeling better after venting her frustrations. Suddenly a spark of inspiration came to her, like a light going off in her head. “Of course!”, “ Zecora! Wait!”

“Hmmm?” Zecora paused in her walking. “There is something more? Twilight, not to rush you, but I would like to get there before they close the store.”

“I know and I am sorry, but I really could use your help in something. I mean other than just venting out. You see, this pony, she and I were at the tea shop earlier, because she is used to drinking tea. Strong tea apparently. But she didn’t like any of what Earl Grey and Subtle Brew were offering her.” she grimaced. “She could apparently taste the hay they put in the tea.”

Zecora shook her head and nickered. “Even to this day, I will not understand why you ponies defile your tea with something like hay.”

“I guess I never thought about it really,” Twilight replied rubbing her head. “But, just now I remembered that you also make tea. I mean I don’t know how I could totally spaced out on that! And because you don’t put hay in your tea blends, she’ll approve!” Twilight beamed.

Zecora thought about this and looked at Twilight’s hopeful and positively glowing face. She couldn’t just walk away from a friend like this. There were still ponies in Ponyville that referred to her with odd names. Twilight was of those who didn’t and she valued her friendship above all others. “After I explain things to Earl of Grey and Subtle Brew, we can go back to my place, and see what I can do.”

Twilight was grinning from ear to ear. “Thanks Zecora. This could really get her going and out of bed in the morning. I mean if it isn’t too much trouble.” Twilight began following Zecora. “Where she’s from, they have this super strong sugary drink instead of tea. So she’s used to something with more of a ‘kick’ than normal. She says it, ‘helps get those creative juices going!’”

Zecora nodded and then halted for a moment, a sly grin spread across half her face. Twilight looked at her and blinked. “Is something wrong?” She asked.

“No, but it just occurred to me, I know of such a tea. It is the perfect blend, and when we get back to my home, I’ll make it for you, my friend!” Zecora said, trotting along.

“Oh? Where’s it from, and what’s it called?” Twilight said curiously.

“It is from far across the sea, a wonderful brew called, ‘Creativi-Tea’.” Zecora replied.

“Creativi-Tea. That sounds exactly like something that Heartbreak would like,” She replied. “And for an artistic pony, exactly what Heartbreak needs.”






=====================================================================


I walked slowly away from Twilight and Spike. This was more than frustrating, it was utterly depressing. Twilight had said that she was disappointed with me. And what’s more, I suspect that she doesn’t really have any errands to run, she just doesn’t want to see my face or hear my voice right now. Not that I blame her. In many ways, someone else being disappointed in you is worse than them being angry with you.

With others being angry with you, you can ask for forgiveness pretty easily. Plus there is the off chance that it wasn’t you that did something wrong, but the other party that might have misunderstood or might have been mistaken. But disappointment is harder to fix. Like breaking another’s trust or, their hearts. Those kind of wounds linger and stay. I glare at the broken heart on my flank. A wound of my own, it’s black shape seethes and writhes about as I walk. It feels slightly warm and almost alive. In my werewolf game, it would be the exact description I would use to describe a “fetish,” a spiritually imbued object of power. I wonder if actual cutie marks feel that way and ponies just ignore the sensation or get used to it.  

I snort thinking about what just happened at the hat shop. He was a con artist. I know he was. He had that hand-drawn look of a con artist. And to think, I almost, almost apologized to him. “I guess Kylie was right” my right hoof kinda wobbles.”Heartbreak is an apt name for me, after all, that’s all I seem to be spreading around right now. Seeing that I practically had the guy on the verge of tears. I think he was sweating bullets.” I blink, for some reason that sentence makes me twitch a little. I haven’t a clue why. I can still hear Spike and Twilight talking in the background. I hear something about Spike coming along with me so that I don’t get lost.

“I guess that is what I get for meta-gaming. See a sleazy character and jump to the conclusion that he’s going to con you out of something, deny him/her the chance to con you, Twilight decides to take that bullet for you and tries to act noble,” I think to myself, sniffing. “See if that’s the last time I try helping you with things like that Twilight! Better that you learn for yourself and write a fucking letter to the princess.” I find myself so distracted that my left hoof hits a random crack in the sidewalk and I nearly take a stumble.

“Hey! Heartbreak! Wait up!” Spike calls out as I catch myself. Ugh. I don’t know whether to be insulted or not. I want to kinda turn around and shout at Twilight that I know the way back to the library and that I can get there myself. Kind of. But something holds that little gremlin back. Spike is, after all, an innocent being factored into this equation. I roll my eyes. “Pfffffffffffffff, Innocent my ass.” I sigh as Spike catches up with me. “Yes Spike, what do you want?” I ask. I cringe at myself, that must have sounded like I was in the mood to kill, stuff and mount him. Afterwards put him up as a fireplace decoration.

Spike raises an eyebrow and then continues to walk with me. “Um, any chance you want to talk about what happened back there?”

I eye him. He has been writing in a notepad ever since we walked walked out the door this morning, I just know it’s something about me. All the little commentary that he’s been doing in the background, almost makes him sound like some Ponyville shrink trying to pick my brain. “Nope.”

Spike grimaces and rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell me that too would lead to a, ‘Spinning vortex of insanity from which there is no return,’” He says making quote marks in the air. Watching him do anything with his hands sends a twinge of that horrible jealousy through me.

“No Spike,” I sigh. “It won’t do that, at least I don’t think it will. It’s just that,” I glare at the ground trying to gather my thoughts, “I know Twilight was trying to be nice and buy me a hat. But the whole situation, causing her to nearly go...uhm” I try to think of a word that I can say in all this. Something pg, something that works well to describe it all. “Twi’Rage? Rage-light? Screwball? I don’t know, you know what I mean right?”

“Uhm, Yeah. I think so anyway.” He pulls out a quill behind his ‘ear’ and that notepad from his side.

“Confound it Spike!” I turn and look at him. “Put that thing away! You have been scribbling in it non-stop since this morning and it’s starting to get on my nerves! And secondly, where do you even keep the note pad?! I can understand the quill behind your...uhm, frill? But the notepad?”

Spike blinks. “In between my scales. See?” He lifted a few scales showing off a few choice things that slipped between some of them.

I blink and I can feel my face droop. “Oh. Well. That explains that.”

“Don’t they have something similar where you’re from?” He asks me.

“Yes. But we call them, ‘Pockets’.” I reply.

“You had pockets in your skin? What were you, a kangaroo?” He asks me.

I smack my face and really hope that we aren’t too far from the Library. “No Spike, I wasn’t a kangaroo. Stop with the questions that are designed to try and figure out what I was, because I am not going to tell you, alright?”

“Alright,” Spike replies. “I’m just trying to get to know you better is all.”

I roll my eyes. “And have you actually thought about the consequences of actually getting to know me better?”

“What do you mean by that?” Spike asks me. “How could anything bad happen by learning more about another pony?”

“Arrrgh, never mind Spike,” I say. “Returning to the subject of Twilight. There was the argument about eating hay and grass, which lead to the situation of her trying to force it down my throat. This, of course, led to the build of of unresolved emotions and me taking them out on ‘Mr. High Hat,’” I quip mockingly. “I recognized what I was doing and tried to stop myself. But then ‘Mr. High Hat’ had to go and play his little marble game! And like a sucker, Twilight played it!”

“Yeah...I know. Couldn’t she see that guy was trying to play her?” Spike asked.

I pause. “Did you really see it or are you just trying to agree with me so that I continue talking or something?”

“Oh, I saw...something.” Spike says rolling his wrist. “The guy was all friendly like for a few seconds, trying to be nice, watching you get all flustered in your attempts at an apology and just out of nowhere it’s, ‘play my marble game! Win a free hat!’” Spike says talking in an imitation of High Hat. “Really, what pony does that?”

Spike gets it. He sees what I did, there is a moment of connection here. A real bro-moment. “I guess my behavior didn’t quite help her see that.” I sigh. “I am really trying to not upset her, but it’s almost like it is too easy to do so. Granted, I am sure that none of this has been easy for any of the ponies, yourself included, but particular pressure is being placed on Twilight. She’s like the head teacher, while everyp-pony else is under her. And we both know how Twilight gets under pressure. Gawds, you’d think by now she would have learned how to calm down, take a step back and-”

“Hey, Heartbreak?” Spike stops me. “I hate to interrupt you,  but  we’re back home.”

I look up. There is the Library Tree. “Huh. So we are.” I sigh, my mouth forming a half smile. “Well, we’re back to the closest thing that I have to a, ‘home.’”

“Allow me.” Spike walks over to the door and opens it for me.

“Thanks Spike,” I reply walking into the library, Spike in tow. He closes the door behind us. Everything is as we left it. The papers still on the table, ink now dried and feather quills reminding me of what I was doing before this little excursion out into Ponyville. I feel myself about to slump into my quagmire of doubt and annoyance again, when suddenly I feel something poking and tickling at my side.

“Gah!” I shout, turning my head to see what is going on. Spike is there, his claws attempting to unbuckle the saddle bag’s buckle. “Spike!” I cry out, shocked.

Spike gives a nervous grin and moves his hands away from the buckle. “S-sorry H.B., I was just trying to remove the saddlebag is all.”

“Well...be more careful please.” I tell him.

“I didn’t scratch you, did I?” He asks me.

“Noo..” Great. If there is one thing I know about Spike, it’s that above all his personality traits, he has a pension for finding big shiny red buttons and then pushing them.

He lifts a clawed finger at my side. “Uhm I didn’t...tickle you, did I?”

I turn my head and shoot him a scathing glare. “Don’t. You. Dare. Spike.” He is covering a grin and trying to be sneaky about his intentions. I, however, am not finding this amusing at all. “I will kick you, Spike.” He looks at me and fights his urge at any further attempts.

“Alright...Eeeesh. Sorry.” He says undoing the buckle on my saddlebag.

I sigh. ”He’s trying to be nice and hit an unexpected button, H.B.,” I tell myself. “Just apologize and explain yourself. Then we can get on to doing what Twilight asked us to do originally...” I frump a bit, reminded of what happened at the Hat Booth. “It’s not your fault Spike, It’s just that I am not, -oof!- ready for that level of physical contact. Ok?”
Spike’s eyebrows raise and he nods sagely. “One step at a time then.” He proceeds to remove the brown paper bag with the mint tea in it. “The first step being, that I am going to make you this tea. The step after that being that you find a comfortable place and start drawing.” He says smiling and walking into the kitchen. “Mmm, Minty.”

I look around the room I am currently in, the library part of this library, and spy a couch that is near one of the windows. I begrudgingly pick up the saddlebag in my teeth, and drag it over there. I set down the bag on the couch, and pull myself up to lay down. Dumping the contents out of the bag, the sketch book falls open and to a particular page.

The one that Derpy signed. I look over the signature. I hadn’t really actually read it at the time, I was just too enamored by the fact that I actually got to talk to her and that she took the time to sign my book.
I blink. “Derpy Ditzy Doo Whooves?” I quirk an eyebrow. “Really?”
> Let's Get Creativi-Tea
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13

Let’s Get Creativi-Tea.

Twilight was nearly skipping as Zecora led her back to her hut in the EverFree Forest. “This will be perfect. Heartbreak gets some tea, relearns her special talent, writes a letter to the Princess, slowly works her way back to harmony, and I will show myself to be a good teacher!” Twilight blinked at her excitement in all this. For a moment she wondered if there was anything wrong with her. Maybe she was channeling Pinkie Pie in all this. Zecora set down her bags and started putting some of the things she had bought from earlier that day away.

“So, Zecora,” Twilight began, “I can’t begin to express how grateful I am with you doing this. I mean for you, it’s most likely no big deal, but Heartbreak’s situation is...complicated. And if I can just get her at least one thing that’ll remind her of home, something she can use to cope, hopefully that will ease her into dealing better.”

Zecora just smiled. “It is quite ok, I am just glad to be helping you and Heartbreak, start the day.” She started opening some cabinets. “And now the time has come, to gather a number of things. From teas to herbs, to papers and strings. And if, Twilight, you could tie the bags off at the end, I would be very grateful to you, my good friend.”

“You mean after you’ve mixed up the tea, of course,” Twilight said. “What all is in this tea you’re making?”

Zecora took out a mortar and pestle. “Creativi-tea is a complex blend. Nine ingredients are to be added, ten if you count the one added at the end.”

“Ten things in one tea? How can that be?” Twilight blinked, Zecora was rubbing off on her a little. “I mean, that sounds like a lot of things going on in one tea.”

“Many things to make one tea, but the results are wonderful, as you shall see!” She picked up a pouch and set to work. “First, tea as black as night,” small black curled up tea leaves fell into the stone mortar. “Then Rooibos, known to my people as Red Brush, to make it taste right.” She started to grind them with the stone mortar. “Orange juice and lemon zest, this will make the tea taste best!” She took an orange half and juiced it right there, pouring the liquid in with two freshly ground teas.

Twilight paused wondering how this kind of tea would keep with that much liquid added to it. “Uhm...”

Zecora took out a bright yellow lemon and sized it up. Her head ducked behind the counter and when she returned, there was a knife between her teeth. An almost delighted smile crossed her face as she took it to the surface of the lemon. As disturbing as it was to watch a zebra do that to a lemon, at least the room smelled rather nice. When she was done there was a half white and yellow lemon on the counter, along with the scent of freshly cut and sliced lemon peel.

“Oh...my,” Twilight said, more than a little disturbed.

“Next comes some green nettle! With all the acids in the tea, this will help Heartbreak’s stomach settle.” Zecora took down what appeared to be some rather dried herbs hanging from above. She proceeded to crunch them up on the counter under her hooves, “All these things, a pleasant taste they do carry. To truly please the pallet, we add a hint of blueberry.” She pulled out a few small dried berries from below the counter, they balanced on her nose for a few seconds, and into the green dust she pounded them in. “Twilight Sparkle, would you be so kind, putting this mixture in, I mean if you do not mind.”

“Not all, Zecora,” Twilight said lifting the powdery green remnants of the nettle and blue berries up and into the mortar.

“And now what gives this tea its true powers!” She once again reached up above the counter and pulled down what looked to be some more herbs. “Licorice, Hearts Desire and Vanilla flowers!” She held the stalks of the flowers in her mouth and added them each in appropriate amounts. Then she began to grind the concoction up once more stirring it thoroughly.

“Twilight please, could you continue to stir, till all the colours blur?” Zecora asked.

“Sure...” Twilight said “How long is that?”

“About after four and twenty times the pestle is turned, once that number is reached, maximum potency is earned.” Zecora said pulling out what appeared to be an animal skin from her closet.

Twilight almost stopped mixing the tea as she looked at the skin in shock. “Is that...?”

Zecora nodded. “Yes, it is an animal skin. Please don’t ask me how I got it. Telling you, I wouldn’t know where to begin.” She began to start shuffling on the fur rug. Twilight couldn’t imagine how Zecora could  keep such a thing in her closet, but who was she to judge another culture? Mentally, she counted the number of times the pastel went around. It was about four minutes before she reached the full four hundred and twenty turns.

“Alright, done Zecora! Now what?” She asked.

“See the papers to your side? Take the tea and in parts of five, divide.” Zecora said still rubbing her hooves on the furry rug below her.

Twilight obeyed and divided the somewhat sticky and grayish tea into five parts with her magic and then placed each little ‘blob’ onto a paper. She guessed the next part was twisting the papers around the tea, and then tying the string around the ends. “That’s easy enough, but what does this all have to do with dancing on a fur rug?” she thought to herself. “Done and done!” Twilight said, pleased with her work.

“This might be seen as a bit tragic, but bring me all five tea bags close to me, without using your magic.” Zecora said finally stopping.

Twilight blinked and then shrugged. She lifted the little bags of tea by their strings in her mouth before trotting back over to Zecora. “Zo, wat’s thiz lazt ingredeent you’re talking about Zecora, I counted all the ingedeents you oosed and dere was only nine, wat’z the tenth?”

Zecora lifted her head when Twilight was less than a foot away from her. Twilight’s eyes opened wide as the tea bags themselves floated up towards the zebra without any magical aid at all. “I am sorry to keep you in the dark, but the last ingredient for this tea...” There was a crackling from her snout and a slight hissing from the tea before a mighty snapping static pop arced between Zecora, the bags and then Twilight’s teeth!

“Augh!” Screamed Twilight as her jaw involuntarily clenched, her eyes went wide and then her mane and tail stood up and out from the static electrical charge Zecora just sent through the bags.

“Is the Creative Spark.” She finished nabbing a small rubber container. She quickly placed below the somewhat glittering teabags. “Now, I need you to unclench your jaw, open wide and say, Ah!”

Twilight’s muscles cried against her, and the adrenaline coursing through her system was hard to fight off, but eventually her jaw loosened its hold and the tea bags fell in. Zecora smiled and watched a rainbow coloured arc of static buzz over the bags with a quiet hissing noise. Twilight coughed. “Ouch, wow...” She shakes her head as the zebra’s eyes go wide and she smiles at her handy work. “That packed quite the punch.” Twilight said, her mane and tail unpuffing as she shook about.

“And now clever Twilight, a word of warning. For this tea, when you are storing.” Zecora said slamming on a rubber cover. “Keep in a dark cool place and out of direct light,” Zecora got close to Twilight. “And whatever you do, One bag per cup is what is right. Two is one too many and three is more than plenty.”

Twilight blinked. “What happens with three tea bags?” Twilight asked, shaking her head, that static bolt was leaving her just a little dazed.

“In your mind, ideas are always flowing, Creativi-tea redirects ideas already there to the surface, getting them out and going. With more than one bag, there is no ending to the idea lag. Ideas continue to come you see, and it isn’t long before the creative spark turns into Insani-tea.” Zecora warned. “However, to make sure this batch retains its full power, you must use it Twilight, within the hour.”

“So, I better get going then,” Twilight replied.

“Oh, one more thing that isn’t funny, do not add too much honey.” Zecora warned.

“Right, one teabag per cup of tea, use the first one with in this hour, and don’t add too much honey. Or it will lead to insanity.” Twilight nodded and took the rubber container from Zecora.

“Yes, now be on your way. Twilight Sparkle, you have a pleasant day!”

Twilight walked out of the door and put the creativi-tea into her saddle bag. “And Heartbreak said that you couldn’t just call upon a creative muse and get inspired out of nowhere! With a little magic, we’ll just see about that!” She began to trot her way back home.

=====================================================================

I look blankly at the paper before me. And in turn the paper looks blankly back at me. I have been chewing on the end of the pencil for a good full three to five minutes. “Damn it, think of something to draw, H.B., anything, sure you are terrible at drawing with your mouth but you need to start somewhere,” So, I attempt to draw a circle.

For any artist the basic shapes: circles, squares, cones and cylinders are where you work from. From there, it is learning the details. For a great number of people, that’s where the real problem lies. The details get in the way of the whole drawing. They’re seeing the forest and not realizing that forests are built one tree at a time. And really, sometimes that is a hard concept to figure out.

As I draw the circle with the pencil, or attempt to, the pencil pivots in my mouth. I murf in frustration. I push the pencil to the side of my teeth and clench down. It works. Sorta. I am now figuring out that equine skulls aren’t the same as human skulls. There is a gap between the front teeth and those grinding molars. But it’s working better than before and that’s all that matters. Sure, on the show they showed Applebloom moving the pencil effortlessly with her lips, but that filly had practice. Whereas, I do not.

From the kitchen, I can hear Spike clattering about with something other than the teapot. I would ask him what he was doing, but I don’t want to spit the pencil out of my mouth. The circle I just drew looks like someone flattened it. “I can erase after I try again.” I tell myself. Rotating my head around like this feels uncomfortable. I haven’t a clue how anypony from the show draws without the aid of some kind of magic. Being a unicorn in all this would make this a hell of a lot easier.

“Then again, it was wise of them to just make me an earth pony,” I think to myself. “If I was a pegasus, I would have some extra wonk. Cloud-walking, weather control, flyi-” I stop mid-thought. For most the thrill and freedom that the idea of flying without any aid of a machine is enough to make them take the wings. However, the mere thought of that reminds me of the fall from Cloudsdale. I have a hard enough time walking down the stairs, flying would send me into fits. I reel and shake my head of it. “Now I am not sure why they didn’t make me a pegasus, The torment of thinking that I am trying to adjust to flying should have been have been tempting enough.” I return to trying to draw some basic shapes here.

That’s when I can feel a cold trickle at the end of my lip. Saliva, my old foe, I see we meet again. I attempt to suck it up and keep it away from my paper. No sense in getting all this wet too.

“But had they made me a unicorn...” I blink and wonder. “I don’t think I would have reacted the same way that I did in front of the nine when they showed up again. True, I don’t think I would have any fucking idea how to use that magic, but I have seen enough of the show to know that magic requires willpower and focus. Those two things alone could have made me more dangerous. I could have done something, anything,” a snarl creeps on my face. “I could have made them pay for what they did.”

I stop drawing. That thought alone causes me to cringe at the very fact that I had even had it.. It was like that one time in the military, right after cruse week, the week where you are forced to serve others in the kitchen. I was on dish duty working at the steamy end of a dishwasher. The Sunday after it was all over, I just wanted to take a shower, relax and take five. However, a group of three black guys came into the shower. I have nothing against skin colour, I have nothing against race. Hell, race doesn’t even matter anymore. But they started joking and hazing me, I just wanted to take a shower, damn it. Eventually I said something that almost got me kicked out that day. Something that after I said it made me think, “Did that just come out of my mouth?!” Something so vile, that when they decided to make me polish the bullet head of the torpedo in front of the ‘ship’, I couldn’t stand to look at myself in that well polished surface.

I scowl at the drawing before me. These thoughts aren’t productive. Besides, back on that world, there is a good chance that nobody even remembers that event.

Knowing that still doesn’t make my own memories that I have of the event go away.

“Damn it, H.B.,” I tell myself. “Pull it together. Stop beating yourself up. What’s happened has happened and there isn’t anything to be doing about-” suddenly I feel a pair of eyes on me.

“Hey, that’s pretty good.” Spike’s voice says.

I jump in surprise and hear the crackling of the pencil in my mouth. I turn and look at him. As I open my mouth the pencil falls out and lands in front of me. “Spiiiike!”

Spike in turn, jumps back a bit. “What?” He replies.

Looking over him, my fear response kinda withers and dies. In one hand, he is holding a tea tray, upon which is a standard tea cup and a small plate of sandwiches. In the other is a tea kettle, from which I can smell the mint tea brewing. All these things are nice, but the thing that is getting me, is the apron that he is wearing. The pink frilled one with a heart on it. It looked funny when he went on his ‘dragon quest’ in the show. But seeing it now in person, it looks downright ridiculous. I just roll my eyes and stifle a snort. “You shouldn’t sneak up on p-p-ponies like that.”

“Sorry,” he replied, rolling his eyes. His brow is slightly furrowed. I hope he didn’t pick up on my amusement at his apron. “So,” he pauses, and scratches his head. “What is it? An orange? A rock? Some ponies’ head?”

I sigh. “It isn’t anything, Spike. I am trying to draw a circle.”

“Oh,” Spike said. “It’s a pretty crummy circle.”

“Thank you soooo much, Spike,” I reply, sighing. At least Spike is refreshingly honest. Twilight would give me an encouraging, but somewhat dishonest smile and tell me to keep practicing. Which is what I am going to continue doing anyhow, but still.

“Hey, it’s what I am here for.” Spike replies placing the small plate of sandwiches next to me.

“I thought you were here because Twilight doesn’t have any confidence in my ability to navigate my way back to the library,” I go to pick up the pencil again. “Those better not be grass-sandwiches.” I say frowning.

Spike frowns back at me. “Like I would serve you grass after what happened in front of the hat shop. Give me some credit. I am no big fan of eating just plain grass, let alone grass that’s just growing on the ground. But that whole thing...Yeah.”

I mull this over in my head and decide to take a chance. Spitting the pencil out, I gingerly bow my head down to take a nibble on the sandwich closest to me. I am met with something crunchy and a familiar taste rolls over my tongue.

“Cucumber?” I ask, tentatively.

“They have cucumbers were you are from?” He asks me.

“I think cucumbers are a universal constant that span the whole of all realities, Spike,” I reply taking another bite. “Like their vines somehow have the ability to grow through dimensional walls or something.” Spike looks at me blankly. I chew some more. “That means, that I think that cucumbers are everywhere, Spike. My world, your world, every world.”

“So, cucumbers are unencumbered?” Spike asks, scratching his head.

“Ha. Ha,” I reply, while taking another bite. “But yes, that is what I am saying cucumbers are unencumbered in their numbers.”

“So,” he says, pouring the mint tea, “I take it that you like cucumbers?”

“Actually, I do,” I reply, enjoying the texture of soft white bread and crisp green cucumber.

Spike takes a honey stirrer and dips it into a honey jar. He then lets a dollop of honey trickle down into the tea, before giving it a stirring. He then reaches over me and sets the tea down on the window sill.

“C-c-aaareful,” I say, nervously watching the tea moving dangerously over my sketchbook.

“I am.” Spike tells me, the tea cup still clattering as he moves his hands away.

I blow on the tea and eye Spike who seems to have a nervous smile on his face. Like he wants me to like said tea and at the same time is really wanting to say something. I take a long sip. Mint tea isn’t always my favorite kind of tea, but it is alright. If it is done right that is.

“Uhm...thanks for the tea, Spike,” I say. “It’s really good.”

Spike looks all proud of himself. I snort a little at the sight. That apron is meant to look cute, but really it does look a little over the top. I roll my eyes a bit.

“Something wrong, Heartbreak?” Spike asks me.

“No, nothing is wrong, Spike,” I reply.

“Then what was that look about?” He asks.

“There wasn’t a look,” I tell him, turning and looking at him. I blink. The combination of a serious looking Spike, and that damnably ‘cute’ apron is setting me on the verge of having a laughing fit. I bite my lower lip and stifle a snort.

“Alright, that was definitely a look,” Spike says, pointing his finger at me. “It’s like you want to laugh about something but you’re stopping yourself. Or is that just something that, ‘all the beings on your world do?’”

I stifle a few more snorts. “Yes Spike.” Ugh! I want to tell him to go change, or just do something else. “That’s what they all do on my world.”

He looks thoughtful. “I don’t think I believe you. What is it really?”

“It’s nothing, Spike,” I reply.

“The last time you said it was nothing, it was actually something,” Spike replied critically. “And we both know where that lead.”

“It isn’t anything that really matters, Spike,” I protest.

“Oh-ho! Now I know it’s something,” Spike says crossing his arms. “Out with it Heartbreak. Come on, I don’t want to have to pull a Twilight and say that I am the, ‘teacher’s aid.’ Tell me what it is.”

I grimace and then frump. “You’re not going to leave me alone about it until I tell you what it is, are you?”

“Nope!” He says, looking aloof.

“Fffffffffffffffine.” I reply. I take a long sip of the tea next to me in order to delay actually telling him what it is that he wants to know. “If you really must know, it’s the apron.”

“That’s it?” He asks me pointing at the apron. “You’re making a big fuss over this?”

I turn my head away. “Yes. I can’t look at you in it without wanting to just laugh, alright?”

He looks a bit confused and slightly conflicted. “I am not sure how to take that, on the one hand-” I snort at him with a slight glare. “Uh, I mean On the one hoof, there is the fact that you're laughing. And the book that Twilight gave me said that laughing is a good thing. Right?” Spike asks me.

“I don’t think I should be laughing, Spike,” I reply, turning away again. Damn it. Again the combination of Spike and the apron caused a chuckle.

“You want to know what I think there, H.B.?” He asks, leaning against the couch.

I sigh deeply. I can’t tell him that I don’t care about what he thinks. That would just be rude. Even if I did tell him that I didn’t care, he’d just tell me anyway. And then there is also the fact that I am sure that Twilight could think of some rather unpleasant punishment for making a baby dragon cry. Like writing on a chalkboard with my mouth. “What, Spike? What do you think?”

“That you seriously need to lighten up, if you think that laughing at this is bad now, you’re never going to get in harmony when it’s Pinkie Pie’s turn to teach you.” he tells me, alluding to the fact that I will have to face other teachers.

“And on the other h-hoof?” I ask trying to steer the conversation to a more comfortable area.

“On the other hoof, Rarity made this for me,” Spike replies.

In my mind I can hear dice rolling and the GM saying “You’ve failed in your uncomfortable conversation vs save roll. Want to make for another try?”, “Oh, I see.”

“What is it with you and her?” Spike asks me. “I mean, really what happened that night?”

“It’s nothing, Spike,” I reply and then cringe. By saying it is nothing, I have made into something. I bring my hoof to my forehead. “Ffffetlocks.” I sigh. “Right, by calling it nothing, I’ve made it into something.” I smack my head against the soft couch. I was hoping for a flat hard surface. But hope in one hand... “When I first crashed through the library window, I was trying to make sense of everything. My mind latched onto the first thing that sounded rational. I was dreaming. So, I was a bit confused and delirious at what was what. Alright?”

“So you called her a marshmallow?” He askes me.

Damn it. I have to think of something quick. “It was the first thing that came to mind. She kinda looks like a marshmallow, alright?”

“And the part where you attacked her?” He asked me, a small trail of smoke rolled its way out of his nostrils, while he gave me a deadpan glare.

“Crap, I should have known that he’d be pissed about that. It was only a matter of time before he would confront me about it, right? *sigh* Better now, than later.” I rub my front hooves together and look away. “Again. Delirious. The Counsel of Nine had just cut their ties with me, literally and figuratively speaking,” the thought of that night and that moment passes through my mind. I would say ‘as a bad memory’, but why repeat myself? It is a bad memory. “And then...Kylie...she...” I shake my head, I don’t want to think about it.

“Right, we won’t go there,” Spike replies, his expression softening.

“It still doesn’t mean that I acted appropriately,” I say, sniffing a bit. “It’s just that she stole my name and branded me, but not before renaming me. And then, she just kept repeating that name. She took the last thing I had that was really mine and then pushed my nose into it all by just repeating the thing she forced on me, again and again!”

“Whoa! Hey, I didn’t mean, I said that we didn’t have to-” Spike begins.

But I need to explain myself. “She was all like ‘I have to put toys away Heartbreak, goodbye Heartbreak, have a nice life, Heartbreak.’” I rub my forearm against my face sniffing hard. I can feel the depression almost instantly evaporate into seething rage. “Then Rarity comes in and she’s all like, ‘So, Heartbreak is it? Well now that we have a name, we’ll have no more of this fuss, Heartbreak!’.” I rub my hooves on my face. “Ugh! Just thinking about it!” I turn my face away from Spike. I don’t like that I am like this, right now. The sudden sharp changes in emotional states are disconcerting. I seriously hope that this doesn’t become the norm for me.

Spike puts a hand on my side in an effort to comfort me. “Hey, like I said, we don’t have to go there if it is that upsetting. I am just glad to know that you didn’t really mean to do what you did.”

“Yeah, If the situation was normal. If everything was different, I wouldn’t, I really couldn’t...I didn’t mean to-” Then Spike’s hand brushes up against me in a wrong way, a small bit of laughter manages to escape me before I can stop it.

“What’s so funny?” Spike asks. “You really didn’t mean to attack Rarity, Right?”

“I really didn’t mean to nearly attack Rarity, Spike, It’s just that-” I am interrupted once again as a tickle forces another laugh and then much to my unpleasant surprise a giggle out of my throat. “Spike!”

Spike pauses and then grins. “Oh, I see what’s going on here.” He reaches both hands up to my side and proceeds to start tickling me.

“Whoa, whoa! Spike, I told you not to do that!” I say, between broken laughter.

“I know what you told me,” Spike’s mischievous grin worries me a lot. “But, I don’t see you in much of a position to do anything about it...” He then searches about what I think is called my ‘barrel’, and damn it! I am rather ticklish if you find the right spot. And fuck, Spike seems to have found that spot on me.

“Come on, Spike!” I try shouting out through what can be called a young adult girl’s laugh. “Stop!”

“Ah-Ah-Ah!” Spike says, jeering a little and hopping up on the couch. “You have insulted Rarity’s dresses and aprons more than once today! And you haven’t completed Twilight’s assignment to smile more. As teacher’s aide, I decree this is a just punishment!” He keeps attacking the area that would have been my armpit. “And you didn’t say please!”

“P-p-p-please, Spike!” I force out through the laughter. “Stop!” As I shout out that last word, my leg juts up and knocks over the tea, which proceeds to spill right on to my sketchbook. I jump up and glare angrily at him. “SPIKE!” I shout.

“Uh...heh-heh..Sorry?” He replies.

Just then the door opens. “Spike, H.B., I’m back and I have a surprise for-” Her voice drops and out of the corner of my eye I can see her with the “Great, I leave them alone for a little white, and Heartbreak is going to hurt Spike.” look on her face.

“What great timing you have there, Twilight...” I think to myself my expression melting from anger to worried fear.
> Kaleidoscope Eyes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 14

Kaleidoscope Eyes.

Twilight felt great. It felt like nothing could spoil this moment. The black rubber container holding the Creativi-Tea floated merrily above her. She felt almost like singing a bit, but she hadn’t a clue what a song about something like giving Heartbreak tea would even sound like. She wasn’t the song maker of her friends. That was more of a Pinkie Pie thing. It was like there was a creature inside of Pinkie that could generate songs and music at the tip of a hat. Yes, Pinkie was definitely the song maker of Twilight's friends. Sure, anypony could come up with a song or two and get the others to sing along. But with Pinkie's zest for life, it seemed impossible for anypony not to sing along with her.

Twilight idly wondered if Heartbreak would sing along with any song that the ponies around her would come up with. A good part of some pony communication dealt with music and songs. Then again, this was a pony named Heartbreak. She grimaced a bit at the idea of what kind of songs Heartbreak could come up with. Then again, some ponies just weren't meant to sing outside of a group.

"Like Scootaloo, that poor filly," Twilight thought to herself. "Great with dance and acrobatics, horrible with music. But, now I have this tea from Zecora. Heartbreak is sure to get some ideas on how to adapt properly as a pony! There has to be one or two ideas that she isn't thinking about in that brain of hers on the subject. It's not like it can't be on her mind," Twilight thought as she passed a good number of basic Ponyville landmarks.

It was a shame about what happened at the Hat Shop. Twilight had a list of places she could have taken H.B. in her head before the whole grass bit. She rolled her eyes and thought about how it could have happened. "This is Carousel Boutique, Heartbreak!, 'I'm not wearing a dress Twilight. And Rarity, I am sure, doesn't want to see me.'" Twilight blinked as she could almost hear that reply right in Heartbreak's exact voice. "Here's Sweet Apple Acres, Heartbreak! 'Yes Twilight, home of the apple family, where they buck apples and work with anything remotely apple related. I don't do farm work, Twilight." Twilight frowned. "Over here is Sugar Cube Corner, Heartbreak. 'I don't want to talk to Pinkie Pie, Twilight. She's too happy!'" Twilight said mockingly to herself. "Alright, There's Fluttershy's Cottage!, 'That's too many happy animals, Twilight...'" Twilight's face twitched a bit. "Alright! Want to hop in my balloon, go up really high and visit Cloudsdale again?” The only reply to that was silence. There was a slight smirk of sadistic pleasure on Twilight's face.

She stopped and smacked her face. "Twilight Sparkle! Listen to yourself. That pony isn't even here and you're letting her upset you. Stop that this instant. For one, you don't know that those would be her automatic reactions. For all you know, she might like animals, would enjoy a cake or two, seeing what is on the apple farm, and I am sure I could warm her up to Rarity...if I could get the two of them to see that they both enjoyed drawing on some level.” she could see the library from here. It appeared that Heartbreak was laying on a couch, she looked very focused on drawing. She wasn’t sure but she could swear she could make out a tea cup being set to her side. “I seriously doubt I could ever get her in on the idea of going up to Cloudsdale again. Not with that fear of heights she has.” Twilight looked at the window. It appeared that Heartbreak was enjoying herself over something.

A smile went across Twilight’s face. “Maybe, just maybe, Spike did get her to open up about something. Alright Twilight, let’s go see!”

Twilight trotted over to the library door and opened it up. “Spike, H.B., I’m back and I have a surprise for-” Twilight’s voice was cut off as she saw a sight that shouldn’t surprise her.

Heartbreak was angrily hunched over Spike. Her eyes almost flared with rage about something, and the poor baby dragon had a fear-filled look on his face. “Right, I leave them alone for less than half an hour and Heartbreak is at Spike’s throat.”

Heartbreak’s expression changes from that of rage to a mixture of shame and fear in a matter of seconds as she sees Twilight out of the corner of her eye. “This...this looks a lot worse than it really is, Twilight.”

“Really? Because it looks like you are about to chew Spike’s head off over something,” Twilight replied. She walked up to Heartbreak. “Which, I certainly hope that isn’t the case.”

“Twilight, it really isn’t-” Spike began.

“Spike, I am sure that Heartbreak can speak for herself,” Twilight states. “And I am sure she can explain what is going on.” Spike went quiet and looked at Heartbreak.

Heartbreak looked stunned for a moment and then began tapping her right hoof against the other before looking off to the side, “Well, uhm, you see..this happened because I spilled my tea and I spilt my tea because...” Heartbreak then started to trail off into a mutter.

Twilight blinked. “You’re upset with Spike because you spilled your tea? How is that even fair?” She said scowling.

“What? No! It’s just that I spilt my tea because Spike was, well, uhm he was...” Once again Heartbreak went into a meandering mutter.

Twilight gave Heartbreak an irritated look. “He was...?”

Heartbreak ground her hoof on the couch, blinking she realized that there was tea spilt on it. “Oh, Shhhhhhhh-Strudel! I should really clean that up before it stains,” She spat out. “After all I was the one that spilled it, so I should be the one that cleans it up!”

Twilight gave her a look before levitating a wash rag to the couch and wiping up the spilt tea. “See? All clean now, now what happened that Spike did that caused you to spill your tea?”

Heartbreak looks a bit more frantic now that the tea is cleaned up. “Well, yeah, but I really should have cleaned it up, Twilight. I mean I was the one that spilled it, and...” She looks at her sketchbook. “Sketchbook! Right, I should dry off my sketchbook! I’ll go get another-” Heartbreak said, about to get off the couch.

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Heartbreak and pointed her horn at the sketchbook. A bolt of magical energy burst forth and it flipped completely dry.

Heartbreak slumped where she was sitting. “If it weren’t for the fact that you require focus and training for that, I would swear that magic was the cheaters way out,” Heartbreak said, rolling her eyes. Twilight gave her a scathing look.

“Why aren’t you telling me what happened?” Twilight asked.

“I am telling you...” Heartbreak replied, rolling her hoof around.

“No, you’re dancing around the subject and avoiding it,” Twilight responded.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Twi’-”

Twilight put her hoof up. “Come on Heartbreak, I saw you in the window just a few minutes before I came in. You looked like you were enjoying yourself a bit. What was so bad that you have to tap dance around it?”

Heartbreak bit her lower lip, rolled her eyes and rubbed her ankle with her hoof. “It wasn't anything bad, Twilight, I swear!”

“Then why are you avoiding it?!” Twilight said nearly raising her voice.

“Argh! Fine! You want to know?!” She took a deep breath. “SpikewasticklingmeanditmademelaughsohardthatIkickedoverthetea!” She turned her face away. “There! Are you happy now?!”

Twilight blinked in confusion as her brain tried to process the information coming at her. “Wha-, wait. This whole thing was because Spike figured out that you were ticklish?”

Heartbreak nodded and gave a faux smile. “Yes...” She replied. Twilight stared at her. Heartbreak tried to smile a bit more convincingly. When Twilight’s gaze didn’t break off, she tried to smile a bit harder. Twilight continued her near deathly gaze. Heartbreak finally couldn’t keep up the smiling charade. “Uhm, Squee?”

Twilight blinked and shook her head. Moments later, Heartbreak felt the sting of a rolled up newspaper smacking her hard upside the head.

“Ow! What was that-” She paused in the middle of her sentence. “For. Oh, oh yeah.”

“Two reasons, Heartbreak.” Twilight began. “One, that’s what this whole fuss was about? Spike tickled you and you knocked over your tea?!” She rubbed her face. “Seriously, if it had not been for me talking myself down before I got here H.B., “ Twilight takes a deep breath. “I might have blown up at you again and then stormed off up to my room! And secondly,” She bopped Heartbreak with the rolled up newspaper again. “You gave me permission to hit you upside the head hard, if I recall correctly.” Twilight looked at Heartbreak.  She looked a bit ashamed and a bit annoyed.

“Ouch. If I ever made that noise again. Yes, yes I did. But I didn’t give you permission to do it a second time.” She replied.

“Consider that your punishment for making me worry like that,” Twilight rolled her eyes.

Heartbreak’s head drooped and she rolled her eyes. “Duly noted, Teacher.”

“I'm glad you're taking notes, Heartbreak,” Twilight began. “Part of being a good student is the willingness to learn.” She put the rubber container down on the table. “Now, before I nearly flew off the handled, I was about to say that I have a surprise for you! Spike, would you mind getting us a fresh pot of hot water?”

“Sure thing, Twilight,” Spike replied.

“A surprise?” Heartbreak asked.

“Yup! See, Lah Tea Dah isn’t the only place in Ponyville that makes tea!” Twilight explained.

Heartbreak looked blank for a moment. “Then, you’re...I’m confused. We’re not going to have a long drawn out conversation about this situation and you're not going to explode at me?”

Twilight shook her head. “I think two of those is enough for one day.”

Heartbreak blinked and then something clicked in her mind. “Wait, doesn’t Zecora make your favorite kind of tea too?” She asked.

“That is correct,” Twilight said nodding. “I don’t know why I didn’t think about it before, but I ran into her after you went back to the Library.” Twilight walked over to the rubber container. “She said that was something called ‘Creativi-Tea’.” As Twilight opened the container, there was a slight hiss and pop.

“Creativity? That kinda sounds suspi-” Heartbreak began.

Twilight however put the container in her face. “Take a smell and tell me what you think..”

Heartbreak sighed and rolled her eyes a bit. “This kinda-” she took in a smell of the open rubber container, a small twinge crept upon her face and she paused.

“This kind of what?” Spike asked, returning with a fresh teapot and cup.

Heartbreak blinked rather hard. “This kinda smells like...is that licorice?” She took a few more smells. “Something citrus, vanilla and is that...blueberry?” Her face went from worried to a bit excited.  “And I’m assuming that there is actual, tea-tea in here?” She asked.

“If you mean black tea, then yes, there is also red tea, Zecora called it,” Twilight started.

“Rooibos?” Heartbreak finished. “Geeze, that is a lot of things for just one tea.” She took a few more sniffs. “There are a few things in here that I am smelling that I can’t place. But,” She took a long inhalation. “That smells like good tea!” Spike offered Heartbreak a tea cup. “Uhm, thanks Spike, but how am I sposta use this cup? Remember...”

Spike sighed. “Lift up your hoof.” He said. Heartbreak compiled by lifting up her right hoof. Spike carefully fit the large loop handle over Heartbreak’s hoof. She blinked.

“It’s like a cider stein,” She commented.

“A cider what?” Spike asked.

“Stein. Glass. Mug. Thing-you-drink-cider-from,” She explained, exploring how the handle fit over her hoof. “It does slip right off, right?”

Twilight blinked. “I don’t see why it wouldn’t. Now, hold the cup upright and still.” She lifted one of the tea bags out of the rubber container and placed it in the cup. “Spike, would you be so kind?”

“But of course,” Spike replied, pouring the hot water into Heartbreak’s cup. There was a slight fizzling sound and then the aroma of the tea began to rise in a cloud of steam.

Heartbreak took a deep sniff. “Yes, there is definitely some citrus notes in there. And you can really smell the licorice.” She blew on the tea’s surface and then cautiously, took her first sip. Twilight watched in anticipation.

Heartbreak blinked. Twilight swore she saw a bit of a spark of colours streak across the mare’s eyes. Heartbreak blinked again and took a longer sip this time before smacking her lips together. “Dang! That is really, really, really good tea! Though, it is kinda missing something.”

Spike walked over with the honey jar and pulled out a covered honey stirrer. He carefully tugged down on Heartbreak’s ankle to get her to lower the tea cup. From there it was just a matter of stirring the honey into the tea.

“Thank you, Spike,” Heartbreak said, returning the teacup back to her mouth. Another sip and she blinked. “Ooooooh,” Her eyes fluttered a bit. “That is exquisite!”

“So, I take it you like the tea?” Twilight asked.

“Like it? No...” Heartbreak’s eyes sparkled. “I am loving it!” Spike backed away a little bit. “There are a host of different flavors in my mouth right now, I can tell that there is black tea in there and everything else I described, but there are like three things I’m just not placing my h-hoof on. One of them is a green taste.”

“‘Green’ taste?” Twilight asked. “Green has a taste?”

“Yeah, it’s not grassy, but more like fresh green, but there is an almost earthiness to it. It’s rather hard to place. And then there is something that I can’t identify at all. It’s...more like a warming feeling on the tongue rather than an actual taste. Then again, that might be because the tea is warm to begin with.” She mused.

Twilight blinked. “That might be the nettle.” Twilight scowled a bit. “You don’t like the taste of grass, but you’re ok with this?”

“This is a different tasting green, Twilight,” Heartbreak replied taking another slow sip. A flash of something passed over her face. “It is something completely different, I mean I am sure you have copies of the same book, or what some p-ponies would call the same book, but it has a different cover, or it’s a slightly different version or the like right?”

“Well, yes..” Twilight replied.

“That’s the same thing. Grass tastes like grass. Where I am from, it isn’t meant to be eaten, it is something that is grown on a lawn, there to look nice and give colts and fillies something to earn money by cutting. In fact, the expression ‘to eat grass’ is a negative thing. Coming from the actions of bullies pushing those younger or smaller down into the grass.” She explains.

Twilight blinked and put the cover back on the rubber container that Zecora gave her. “Wow, that tea works pretty fast!” “That’s...” Twilight began.

“Horrible? Terrible? Awful? Not very nice?” Heartbreak asked. “All of the above? Yeah. However,” She paused. “I just had an idea. Twilight, you wouldn’t happen to have an easel by any chance would you?”

Twilight smiled. “I think I do up in the attic. I myself tried my hoof at drawing. Didn’t really do too well,”

“Really? But you have magic.” Heartbreak said blinking, while taking a methodical slow sip of her tea. “You can move the pencil, or pen in ways that, right now at least, I couldn’t even dream of.”

“Well, it’s just something I never really took the time for,” Twilight replied rolling her hoof. “But I still have the easel.” She said, making her way to the stairs. “I’m guessing this is so-”

“So that I don’t drool all over my papers,” Heartbreak replied, just noticing that she hadn’t completely finished her sandwiches. She turned carefully, as not to spill her tea, and munched on one. “I mean, it’s such a simple idea that I wonder why I didn’t even think about it before.” She said though a mouthful of bread and cucumber. She then took a small sip of her tea and mmm'd in delight.

Twilight smiled. “I’ll go see if I can find it, H.B.”
> Fluff-Tuft.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 15

Fluff-Tuft.

Best. Tea. Ever. Those are the very thoughts that are running through my head as I watch Twilight head upstairs to find that easel she said she still had. And while this is great tea, I can’t help wonder if there is something a little extra in it. I can identify all but maybe two of the ingredients here. All of them working in a strange, vibrant harmony. I wonder if they are working a little too well. I take a sip of tea again. Some teas you drink in gulps, some in long drawn out slurps, and some in sips. Little miniscule sips. This is that kind of sipping tea. The kind of tea where you drink it almost drop by drop. Any more and you lose the flavor. And interestingly enough, with this tea there seems to be a different flavor stepping forward with every sip.

“Yup. Best tea ever.”  I peer at the blank page of my open sketchbook. It kinda seems to be daring me to draw something on it. Anything.

“So, is it really good tea?” Spike asks me.

I quickly nod. “Very good tea. Best tea that I think I have had. And I have had quite a few teas in my time.”

He looks a bit disappointed. “Better than the tea I made you?”

I roll my eyes. “Spike, the mint tea was really good.” I take a bite out of another sandwich.

“But?” He asks, waiting for me to continue my thought.

“But what? Oh, yes. But, it was mint tea. It isn’t hard to make mint tea. It was good mint tea, but it wasn’t like you went out and picked the mint, dried the mint and then made tea out of that, with honey freshly collected from rather happy bees. I don’t mean to offend you or anything, but mint tea is one thing, this creativi-tea is quite another,” I explain. Spike frumps and kicks his foot a little. I stifle a snort as he is still wearing the apron.

“So you like this tea better than what I made you is what you are trying to say,” he says frowning a bit.

“Ugh. Been over this point and he’s still focusing on it,” “Spike, I would say that you put far more effort in making the sandwiches. And these are really good sandwiches.”

“Right, for just being cucumbers and white bread,” He replies, dropping to the floor and crossing his arms.

His angst is starting to annoy me. Seriously, I have enough angst for the both of us. However, something in that pose is making me want to draw him. Like right now. Or at least attempt to draw him. Maybe I should wait for Twilight. I walk over and awkwardly put a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. “And I can’t think of any better way to serve cucumbers on a sandwich. I mean, there are a few other things you can do with a cucumber and some things you should never do with a cucumber.”

Spike looks at me. “Huh?”

Removing my hoof, I blink and sip my tea again. “What I mean is that sliced cucumbers on plain white bread is the best way of making a sandwich with a cucumber. Adding anything would take away from the sandwich. I mean, how did you make the sandwich? How did you slice up the cucumbers?”

“With these babies!” Spike says holding up his razor sharp claws.

“You did wash before you made the sandwiches, right?” I ask.

“Well, Yes,” Spike replies. “As Twilight says, ‘Good hygiene is an important part of any pony’s well being!’”

“Right, but you took the time, effort and energy to think out what to make me for lunch and then slice up the cucumbers, lay them on the bread, and cut the sandwiches up,” I reply. “I appreciate that, Spike.” I try to make the situation a bit better by rubbing my hoof on his head in a mock noogie.

“Gah! Hey!” He smirks at me, shooting my hoof away. “If I can’t tickle you, you can’t noogie me.”

“Deal. And I am going to hold you to that, Spike,” I reply, smirking. Damnit, why can’t I be this way with Twilight? Is it because I know she’s expecting something of me?  Because she wants to know much more than Spike wants to know? Or is it something else? I look back at my sketchbook. The blank page still asking to be drawn on. But until Twilight comes back with that easel, I am going to be stuck with it laying flat. Then an idea strikes me. Slipping the teacup off of my hoof, I pick up the sketchbook with my teeth and get off the couch.

“You going somewhere there, H.B.?” Spike asks me.

“No. Well yes. Well technically,” I reply, dropping the sketchbook and picking up some pencils. I then lay down on the floor. “The floor is somewhere, right?” I ask. “Alright, you can do this. Maybe if I...” I attempt to set the sketchbook on its edge, however, I am floundering.

Spike watches with a bit of interest. “Do you need help with that?” Spike asks.

“No, I almost have...it,” I reply, nearly there. I quickly place one hoof around the book, almost like I am hugging it.. The idea I have is that I use my hooves as a makeshift easel. If I really wanted to, I could just set it against the wall, but then my field of vision would be obscured by the wall. And for what I want to do, I kinda need a clear line of vision. The sketchbook falls over my ankles and thwaps me on the snout. I sigh loudly.

Spike smiles and picks up the sketchbook. “Really, it’s no trouble H.B.” He stands the sketchbook up and opens it up.

I wrap my hooves around the book and tilt it a bit. “I know, Spike,” I sigh. “It’s just...” I pick up one of the pencils in my mouth and look at the page. I feel almost a need to just put pencil to paper right there and then.

“You’re used to doing a lot on your own, aren’t you?” Spike asks me.

I eye him. “You know, I think I like you better when you are acting like a baby dragon rather than Doctor Phil.” I look back at the paper and then back at him. “But yes, it’s something that I had to learn when I was growing up.”

“You mean, Doctor Phillip.” Spike corrects me.

I roll my eyes. Phillip. That was a name of an unpleasant roommate I had in the military. I push the thought of him out of my head. “Yes, of course, Dr. Phillip. Thank you, Spike. Now hold still please,”

He blinks and freezes in place. “Why?”

“Because I am going to attempt to draw you is why,” I say out of the corner of my mouth.

Spike blinks and looks thoughtful. “Oh, neat!” he looks a bit excited. “I get to be the first drawing in your sketchbook? Should I make some sort of dramatic pose?”

“Yes, you get to be the first drawing in my new sketchbook, Spike. That is if you stay still. And no, I’d rather you actually sit back down with your arms crossed, that is if you don’t mind.” I blink. “Though before I draw you, mind getting my tea from off the couch over there?”

“Sure thing, H.B.” He says, grabbing the tea and setting it next to me. He nearly zips back to the pose he was in before and I begin my work.

=====================================================================

Twilight came back down from the attic with the artist’s easel floating in front of her. “I found it!” She said a bit excitedly. She was greeted by a completely different sight from when she first came back to the library. Spike was sitting in front of Heartbreak, in a rigid pose. Heartbreak appeared to be holding her sketchbook in an upright and slightly awkward position, her head bobbing back and forth to look over at Spike. “Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise. What’s going on here now?”

Spike looked over at Twilight. “Heartbreak is drawing me!” He said.

“You’re drawing him?” Twilight asked.

“I’m trying to,” She peered over the book. “That is if he would hold still. And attempting to draw is more like it. This drawing compared to anything I have done is horrible. I have almost worn down two of the erasers you bought for me, Twilight...” She said forlornly.

Twilight blinked. “I guess we’ll have to see Ghost Writer again pretty soon.”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes. “Aren’t there any other shops selling art supplies?” She asked.

“Well, not here in Ponyville, Heartbreak.” Twilight said, frowning a bit. “I still say that you should give him another chance.”

“Another chance to do what?” Heartbreak asked, trying to glide the pencil on the paper. “Another chance to lecher 
at my flank as we walk away?” She doesn’t take her eyes off the paper. “Yeah, thanks but no thanks.”

Twilight blinked and shook her head. “W-what? What makes you think that he was doing that?”

“It’s just a feeling I got off him. Alright?” She sighed. “Then again, you might be right, I have been out of the library, like what? One time in my time in Equestria? I have met what, how many ponies?” She looks thoughtful and puts her hoof up. Looking at it she rolls her eyes. “Let’s see there’s you six, Celestia, Luna, two ponies on the train, Earl Grey, Subtle Brew, High Hat, and of course,” She sighs again, “Ghost Writer. That makes like fourteen ponies. Wait. Derpy. How could I forget Derpy?”

“With how happy you were to see her, I would have thought that she would have been first on your list, Heartbreak,” Twilight said. “But why do you think he was lechering your flank? For all you know he could have been just looking at your cutie mark.”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes. “Sure he was. It just came off that way. Like I said, I could be poisoning my own well about this. It’s not like I am used to just looking at a p-p-p-pony and knowing everything about them with a glance at their flank.” She grimaced when she said the word ‘flank’.

“Why does that bother you?” Twilight asked. Heartbreak looked up at her. “What? Am I wrong in guessing that is why you were a bit...would embarrassed be the right word here?” Heartbreak shrugged. “Well, that’s what I am going to use. Embarrassed at Lah Tea Dah. You found yourself looking at Earl Grey and Subtle Brew’s cutie marks? What’s so wrong about that?”

“Where I am from, we don’t have cutie marks. And looking at an other’s ‘flank’ means something else.” She takes a sip of her tea. “It means that you are...’interested’ in them. That you might want to be somep-pony special to them.” She eyes Twilight over the book. “I do hope you catch my drift, ‘cause I am very uncomfortable explaining anything more.”

Twilight blinked. All the times that other ponies had casually eyed their cutie marks, now had a different light to it. “I hadn’t thought about it like that...I guess I can see why that could make you uncomfortable.”

“Don’t think anything about it, Twilight.” She started drawing some more. “I know that I’ve stopped thinking about it for the moment being. After all, I really want to finish this drawing of Spike. I have like a dozen other drawings in my head I want to finish.”

Twilight walked over to Heartbreak with the easel floating away. “Can I see what you have done thus far?” She asked.

Heartbreak almost instantly pulled the sketchbook close to her. “No!” she says, through a pencil in her teeth. “Uhm, I mean, I’m not done yet, and it is really, really, really awful.”

Twilight blinked at her. “H.B., this is your first drawing, with your mouth. Which is how most all other ponies are used to drawing or writing with, but how you are not. I am sure it is going to be awful. However, I’ll have something that I can use as an accurate comparison when you do get better. After all, you are going to keep practicing, right?”

Heartbreak sighed a bit. “Darn you and your logic, Twilight. Fine. But you have been warned.” Heartbreak let go of the sketch book and let it fall flat to the floor.

Twilight lifted it up with her magic. “Well,” the collection of lines and shapes were very sketchy on the paper. Heartbreak had attempted to use shapes and guidelines, but not knowing how to use her mouth properly seemed to be more of a handicap than Twilight thought. Spike unfroze from his stance and looked at the drawing.

“That’s a bit better than that ‘circle’ you were drawing earlier, Heartbreak. Not much better but still. I can kinda make out-” He was about to continue his commentary, when Twilight put a hoof in front of his mouth.

“What he means to say is that-” Twilight started.

But Heartbreak in turn interrupted her. “Didn’t you say that it was going to be awful, Twilight? It’s alright, Rome wasn’t built in a day. But if Spike says that it looks better than what I was drawing before, then I’ll take it.” She took a deep breath and snorted through her nose. Her eyes were fixed on her hoof for a moment. Her stomach then growled at her.

“How about I buy you lunch, Heartbreak?” Twilight asked. “I still feel pretty terrible for trying to force you to eat grass earlier.”

“Huh? You don’t have to do that Twilight,” She paused. “And before you say, ‘but I want to,’ I want to say, ‘It’s fine, I have my sandwiches and tea.”

Twilight paused and looked a bit confused. “Are you sure?” She asked.

Heartbreak got up and plucked the sketchbook from the air. “Yeah.” She placed it on the easel. “But I am sure you and Spike are getting rather hungry. Why don’t you two go out and eat? I’ll most likely still be here when you get back.”

Twilight gave her a questioning look and then smiled. “Alright, are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“I’ll be fine, Twilight, I just have a creative itch that needs scratching.” She lifted the pencil up to a fresh sheet of paper in her sketchbook.

Twilight smiled. “Well, alright.” She opened the door and began to walk out. Leaving Heartbreak alone with her creative muse could do some wonders. “Come on, Spike!”

“Oh, and Twilight?” Heartbreak said looking at the two leaving.

“Yes?”

“Thanks. I mean, for everything. The easel, helping me out, and especially for the tea! This tea is awesome.” She said. She slipped her hoof back into the handle of the cup and took a sip before trying to draw again.

Twilight smiled and nodded. “You’re welcome, H.B.” she replied before walking out the door with Spike in tow.
> The Talented Mr. Murphy.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 16

The Talented Mr. Murphy.

Twilight and Spike have left me alone for the first time...ever. To me it is most likely the biggest step in the right direction that we can take. It is a sign that she trusts me. I sigh and roll my eyes. “The last people to trust me got hurt so badly that they felt the need to reject me out of reality." I frown. “Seriously, brain? Stop that. You need to stop focusing on that. Start focusing on other things. Important things. ‘Cause really? This isn’t just a day by day thing. We’re here for a long haul, we need to make long term plans," I reply out loud.

I toss my head to get some of my mane out of my face. Disappointment is what I am feeling when I look at the drawing in front of me. It’s just crap. It barely looks like Spike. I can see a vague collection of lines forming his head, his upper and lower body, and what-have-you, but it looks like an eight year old drew it.

“You might think this is improvement, Spike,” I say taking a sip of my tea. “But that isn’t saying much." This tea is fantastic. It almost tingles as it runs down my tongue. The flavors are concentrated and vibrant. There are a great number of citric flavors going around there. Red brush, orange, lemon zest and blueberries. I fucking love blueberries. The vanilla and liquorice pair off nicely together in this melody. But there's that nagging feeling of the two things I can’t quite identify.

I shake my head. “Right, more focus, more practice," I tell myself. I apply the pencil to the paper. Trying to draw something I notice something any artist worth their grain of salt would notice. “Fffff-” I stop myself knowing that I am only going to get frustrated at my inability to say a simple four lettered word. I grasp for something else to use.

“Fiddlesticks?” I chuckle. Awesome. ”Fiddlesticks, all my pencils are dull." I should have asked Twilight to sharpen my pencils before she left. But it is too late for that now. I look at the pencil sharpener that she got from Ghost Writers Pen & Quill shop. It’s a turn crank sharpener. Obviously made for creatures with either magic or hands. I sigh, remove my hoof from the tea cup and pick up the pencils in my mouth. Sticking the pencil into the hole is easy enough.

“Alright, H.B., push the pencil in with one hoof, turn the crank with the other. Easy!” I tell myself. The ‘yeah, right’ factor kicks in as I try to grasp the crank with my ‘ankle’. “Sorta...Got It..," I then push on the pencil end with my other hoof. Clumsy turning the crank, I attempt to sharpen the pencil. It doesn’t go well. When the crank turns, so does the pencil. I scowl at the pencil sharpener. “Fet. Locks." Alright, try something else. I bite down on the pencil in the sharpener and then awkwardly turn the crank. This goes a bit better, but the feeling of the pencil being ground is going through my teeth and setting me off edge.

After a few turns of the crank, I pull the pencil out. It’s sharpened but the lead was slightly askew. “Ffffffet. LOCKS." And I have five more pencils to work with here. “Darn it. I wouldn’t have this problem with a mechanical pencil.  The only thing I would have to worry about is putting the graphite in. After that, it would just be a matter of clicking the end to keep the lead going..," I sigh. “I doubt that they have mechanical pencils in equestria, let alone the graphite leads for such a device.”

After finishing sharpening the rest of the pencils like that, I return back to the easel and take another sip of my tea. I close my eyes as the tea plays over my tongue. They snap open and I get an idea of what I want to draw. “I think I’ll try to draw Twilight. I mean it’s something that I can try doing after she got me this tea.”

I attempt to draw a basic head shape. Just a simple circle. That’s all I need. Again it comes out looking almost like a circle, but not. There are several factors getting in the way of me making just a proper circle. I have covered the fact that my mouth just doesn’t operate the same way as a hand, despite it being the most dexterous thing on an equine body. But there is another thing bothering me. And it’s something that shouldn’t bother me. It’s something that one would think that shouldn’t bother them while drawing. But for some reason or another, it is.

Wider field of vision.

On the show they showed ponies with their eyes mostly in the front of their faces, but they also showed them from the side. And when it comes to it. Equines are a prey species. Prey animals tend to have their eyes set mostly on the sides of their heads for a greater field of vision. I wasn’t really noticing this until right now. If I focus, I can just look straight ahead, but other things are in my line of vision. It shouldn’t really matter, but it is a slight distraction.

“Heh. Maybe I should ask Rarity about those blinders." Then I roll my eyes. “But knowing my luck, she’d make new ones for me that look like marshmallows."  I continue drawing a line. I take a step back to see my progress in this piece, which isn’t much. The lines are still wobbly, the shapes are still squished looking and I am unhappy with the overall result.

“Darn. It!” I growl, stomping my right hoof down. “It’s just not right!” I look at my right hoof. When it was my hand,  It was always my dominant. For everything. So much so that my left hand barely got to do anything. It was there mostly for support and the like. Which is weird due to the way that computer keyboards are set up. All the popular letters and keys are on the left hand side, while the less popular keys are on the right hand side. Well, most of the popular keys were. But, how my creative muse would push itself into the world was really through my right hand. I shake my head looking at that hoof at the end of it.

“You’re still such a useless thing, you know that right?” I ask it, sighing and taking another sip of my tea. I notice that my cup is finally getting a bit low, just barely ducking below the halfway point of the tea cup. “Hmmm, I better fill you up. I’m sure the bag in there is still good, and that water in the teapot is still hot.." I start to turn in the direction of the teapot, but stop midway. I pick up a pencil and add a line to the ‘Twilight’ drawing. “There. Now to that teapot.”


==============================================================


Twilight walked merrily down the lane with Spike. “I knew getting her that tea was a good idea!”

“I’m just glad that you didn’t blow up right when you walked into the library. Knowing you Twilight, that could have been really ugly," Spike replied, as they started heading into Ponyville.

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I almost did. Had it not been for me talking myself down from a conversation with myself, I just might have.”

“You were having a conversation with yourself?” Spike asked.

Twilight glared at Spike. “I wasn’t having it out loud, if that is what you were implying.”

“Alright,” Spike replied. “I think the last thing I can do in this situation is write a letter to Celestia.”

“Seriously, Spike? That was one time," Twilight said, as they approached the Paladin Platter, a local Ponyville eatery.

“One time, Twilight? What about the time parasprites invaded Ponyville? Or how about when Celestia gave you only two tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala? Or when you tried to figure out Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense?” Spike replies counting with his fingers.

“Ok, Spike-” Twilight says.

“Or at the Gala itself?” Spike interrupts. “Or when Discord turned the world upside-down? And then there was that one time where you went back-”

“Alright Spike!” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I get it. Sometimes I freak out about little things. You don’t have to name them all in a list!” “Though if Heartbreak were here, she could most likely name them off all to. And she would comment that I would be the one making a list about the times I freaked out.”

“Just saying, I was surprised that you didn’t freak out back there,” Spike said, pointing out an empty table. “In fact, there’s lots of things that you’ve been doing that I haven’t expected you to do.”

“Such as?” Twilight asked, as the two of them sat down.

“Well, the first being that you gave her an entire week before you actually said anything,” Spike picked up his menu. “Normally, you would have demanded that start on getting into harmony right away.”

“With how much she had been through, I thought, well, it might be healthy for her to have a ‘little’ time to process what she could,” Twilight responded looking at her menu. There were a few things that looked good. Maybe a nice salad would do the trick. Then again, her stomach growled at her for more than just a salad. “I mean, I don’t think either of us knows what she has been through. She hasn’t told me anything, but the way she described her eviction from her world. I would say that was pretty traumatic.”

“I’d say so with the way she reacted when I got her to explain what was up with her and Rarity,” Spike said, focused on his menu.

“Oh? So..," Twilight started. “You actually got her to open up a little?”

“A little, I might have gotten a little further had you not interrupted at the time you did there Twi’,” Spike replies.

Twilight’s face drooped. “Oh,” she replied. “Well, what did you learn?”

“Nothing that we didn’t already know,” Spike looked at the waiter that stopped by.

“Are you ready to order?” he asked, a note pad floating in midair with a small stubby pencil at the ready.

“Yeah,” Spike paused. “I think I’ll have nachos.”

Twilight looked at Spike. “Nachos? Really?”

“Yeah really,” Spike replied. “And a tall glass of sparkling cider.”

Twilight shrugged her shoulders and put her menu down. “I, however, am going to have a simple Waldorf Salad and watercress sandwiches please, water to drink.”

The waiter nodded and took some other orders.

“Nothing like?” Twilight asked, fishing for more.

“Just the basics of what happened that night. She got banished from her reality, her name stolen, she was given a new name and then branded. She explained that the reason she nearly attacked Rarity was because she had just been branded and that somepony named Kylie, well I guess they wouldn’t be a pony now, but this Kylie character was using the name given to Heartbreak again and again.”

“Kylie. But that sounds like a fillies name. I was under the impression that this, ‘Council of Nine’ was made up of Heartbreak’s bitter ends," Twilight mulled this over. “Wait. She did say it was seven of her bitter ends and two who she thought were her friends. Never mind, continue.”

“Right, So the reason,” Spike started, as the waiter brought them both their drinks. “The reason she may have attacked Rarity, was because once Kylie was finished with her,” Spike took a long drink of his sparkling cider. “Aaah, Rarity came in using the name she had just been given.”

“Alright, was that it?” Twilight asked.

“Yup. I didn’t want to try to get any more or ask about her world. Seeing that it just further upsets her. There was one other thing though. She did seem like she was really sorry about the situation," Spike said, looking around to see if his food had come.

“Did she say she was sorry?” Twilight asked.

“Not directly. It was more of a roundabout way of ‘had the situation been different or normal I wouldn’t, I couldn’t,’ but about that time is when she giggled and I started tickling her." Twilight gave Spike a disapproving look. “What can I say? I thought it would loosen her up. That, and she kinda had insulted both Rarity’s dresses and the apron she made for me.”

“Right, so that gets us nowhere in the realm of anything we didn’t already know," Twilight sighed.

The waiter brought out their food on a platter and set it down. “Nachos for the young dragon. And for Miss Sparkle, Waldorf Salad and Watercress sandwiches. If there is anything else, please let me know.”

“Thank you," Twilight replied, politely. She waited until the waiter was gone to continue the conversation. “I wish we knew more about her world, Spike. It could help in addressing some of her problems. Emotionally and psychologically. I mean the only thing that we know for sure about her world is that she wasn’t a pony before she came here. I’m not sure what she was, it had hands and fingers, but there are lots of animals with those traits.”

“What about those things from that one dream?” Spike asked. “Do you think that has to do with what Heartbreak was?”

“That’s a possibility, Spike,” Twilight mused, beginning to eat her salad. “But, what’s the connection? I barely saw any vast armies of machines, just monkey like creatures. Then there is the fact that I barely remember anything from that dream," Twilight said through bites of her salad.

Spike munched happily on his nachos. “With the way that she was talking about those machines, you’d think that there was a machine for everything.”

“I had the very same thought.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Energy drinks and machines for everything. That sounds like a recipe for a species to drive itself to extinction. I still don’t get how they don’t have magic. Or at least magic that isn’t well known about.”

“With a machine for everything, who needs magic?” Spike asked.

Twilight blinked at him. She hadn’t thought about it like that. Magic pretty much ran most of the more advanced devices here. Was there some sort of way that Heartbreak’s people had figured out that didn’t require magic? Twilight sighed. “This talk isn’t leading us anywhere productive, and only going in circles.”

“Well, until she decides to open up some more, it’s all we got to go on right? Otherwise, there is the other thing that surprised me that you did," Spike says, licking some cheese off his snout.

“And what’s that?” Twilight asked.

“You left her alone at the library. I’m sure it’s ‘cause you wanted to see what I learned. But to her, that most likely means the world. She’s used to doing things on her own. She doesn’t like relying on others or others relying on her too much," Spike explains.

“That could very well explain why she is so reluctant to let me buy things for her,” Twilight replied. “I just hope she’ll be alright.”

“Twilight, she’s happily drawing her little heart out,” Spike said, shrugging. “What’s the worst that possibly could happen?”
> One Sip, Two Sips, Red Sips, Blue Sips.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 17

One Sip, Two Sips, Red Sips, Blue Sips.

I take a taste of the tea again. It isn’t as strong as it was before, nor as sweet. However, I can easily fix that. Sweetness that is. The honey jar was left right next to the couch behind me. Looking at it, I am sure I can lift this with my mouth without too much trouble.

I walk with my head hanging low and the top of the jar in my lips. I am fighting the urge just to lick the surface of the honey itself. That would be rather unsanitary really but there is the fact that I could start drooling into the honey. Good thing my tea cup isn’t terribly far away. Once I get there, I pick up the stirrer. A thin line of honey drips on the floor and I sigh. “I can’t be leaving a mess like that.”

After putting the stirrer into the teacup, I bend my head down and lick the honey off of the floor. There is a sort of shame running through me about this. Like I have become someone’s dog or something. But it isn’t like I can use a paper  towel, besides it’s a waste of good honey. A prickling feeling runs through my being and I go to stir up my tea again.

Taking a sip, I find that the tea is very sweet. Not as sweet as I like. but pretty sweet. “Could be sweeter,” I say out loud. “But then it would overpower the tea..," The drawing calls back to me. I tap my hoof on the ground. The drawing sort of looks like Twilight, but really, it still has its problems. I sip my tea and sigh looking at the cup. “Hey, what gives? You’re not as nice as when I started out. I mean I can taste everything, but I can’t really taste everything!” My hoof rap-a-tap-taps on the ground. “I wish I had another tea bag. I mean this tea is awesome and everything, but it’s getting kinda weak..," I eye the upstairs.


=====================================================================


“The worst?” Twilight asked finishing off her salad. “I could imagine many things to be the worst that could happen, Spike. For one, she could attempt to try to cook something on her own.”

“Yeah, that could end badly,” Spike replied downing the last of his nachos. “I mean that is the worst that could happen.”

“What would be even worse than that would be if she died in the fire,” Twilight said, looking thoughtful.

“Geeze, Twi’, Grim much? Death is the worst possible outcome of any situation. I was just going for a situation where she didn’t die," Spike said, frowning.

“Well, yes, but her death, according to the Princess, would result in chaotic energy being unleashed upon all of Equestria." Twilight rubbed her head. “I think that’s the real reason I have been walking on eggshells here, Spike. With how Heartbreak is right now, she’s like a ticking time bomb. And she’s barely even started her way to harmony!”

“Wow, so you want to make sure if she gets started, she gets started on the right path?” Spike asks.

“Yes, and it’s brought up so many conflicting emotions,” Twilight replied. “Mostly worry. I’m worried about the Princess, I’m worried about Equestria, and I’m worried about Heartbreak. She didn’t ask for any of this and yet it was just thrust upon her. I’m just glad I remembered that Zecora makes tea. Like you said. Get as many things that she can latch onto so that she can cope.”

“Yup! I’m just glad those nine decided to make her an earth pony and not a unicorn!” Spike said.

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight asked, nearly glaring at Spike.

“Don’t take offense to this, Twilight,” He finished his cider. “But if you’re any example, an unstable unicorn with normal magic can be dangerous. An unstable unicorn with unstable magic? Heartbreak doesn’t need any more unstable things running through her system at this point.”

“Ah, I see where you are coming from then Spike.” Twilight suddenly looked worried. “Oh Sweet Celestia! The Tea!”

“What about it?” Spike asked.

“Zecora gave me a warning that if anypony drinking it had too many tea bags or too much honey in it, it could cause the pony drinking it to become unstable!” Twilight said in a hushed shout.

Spike looked worried. “More unstable than she already is? That’s really bad. But she isn’t going to get hurt off one cup right?”

“Well, no, but still we left her alone back at the library, Spike,” Twilight explained.

“Alright, did you put it in a place where she is not likely to find it?” Spike asked.

“Well yes,” Twilight began. “I-”

“-Put it, where did you put it, Twilight Sparkle?” I look around the upstairs bedroom. “If I were a purple unicorn with an assistant dragon and a pet owl, where would I keep the tea?” I snicker at how much that doesn’t make sense. But I have always been a bit non-sequitur about things. At least, normally I was non-sequitur about things before I got jettisoned to Equestria. Before that, and before Friendship is Magic aired its final episode, I was much like a mixture of the mane six. Even Rarity and Applejack, though I wouldn’t admit to it. I liked that version of me. I miss that version of me. Where did that version of me go? “I’ll tell you where he went, Heartbreak, he ran off and joined the circus after you realized you hurt...her, that’s where he went. Now, knowing you, Twilight, you’d want to save that tea and not have it be squandered. But, I want a clean cup here. And to have a clean cup, I might have to switch chairs.”

That’s when I notice that the closet door is slightly ajar. I pull it open, everything looks normal at first. I mean it looks like your typical bedroom closet. There is a place for coats, boots, saddles and the like. I never could understand why ponies would wear saddles if there wasn’t any other species to ride them. “Then again, that could be something that colts or fillies would ride on and then due to ponies like Rarity, they became a trendy fashion item." I roll my eyes. “Focus, H.B., find the tea," my eyes travel up to the upper shelf. “It might be up there..," I back away because I can’t see what’s up there. When I get to the other side of the room, I can see something black-grey on the top shelf in the closet. “That’s pretty high. Well, high for my current height. What I need is a chair and stool. But really, Twilight?” I ask out loud. “Why did you put it-”

“-On the top shelf in the closet," Twilight explained. “I know it’s not that great of a hiding place, but I wasn’t thinking about hiding it at the time. Plus, with Heartbreak’s fear of heights? She would have to use a chair and a stool to get up to that shelf.”

“Alright, then everything is going to be ok, we’ve been gone for what, ten or twenty minutes? And she was still nursing that one cup rather well when we left," Spike replied.

“Yeah, but she still could get the container where the tea is,” Twilight explained.

“Right, and her tea cup would still be downstairs. She would have to go upstairs to get the container, then go back down the stairs with container in mouth,“ Spike replies. “Both prospects are most likely not something that Heartbreak would like to face. I mean come on they’re the-”

“-Stairs. My old foe," I say, looking from the top of the stairs. “How do I overcome this obstacle?” I look at the tea container next to me. This is a hurdle, but not one that I can’t overcome if I try. “If I walk backwards down the stairs with you in my mouth, I run the risk of falling like a slinky. And the last thing we need is a pony that goes down stairs like a slinky. I am not a wonderful toy." A thought occurs to me involving slinkies. I tap the container on its side and tip it down the stairs. It rolls and bounces down the stairs. “Now about me getting down there,”

I don’t like the prospect of walking backwards, that would take a while, and I am not sure when Twilight will get back. Eyeing the banister, an idea forms in my head. A risky, dangerous and potentially painful idea. But pain tends to be my friend. I begin to back peddle the stairs and then attempt a mounting on the banister. “Alright, I have seen this done a thousand times be-foooooor!” I begin sliding down before I am even ready. I feel the bottom of the banister hit my...hindquarters in a most unpleasant way. “Why...hello, Pain Hurtzalot! It’s like Canterlot all over again,” I squeak out, rolling off the banister and onto the floor. After I recover, I look for the canister. “Alright, is that canister-”

“-Still sealed when you left it where you did?” Spike asked.

“Yes...It should be, But-” Twilight said starting to panic a little.

“How is she going to get into the container? She doesn’t have these babies,” Spike said rolling his fingers. “And she doesn’t have magic. I suppose she could try removing it with her mouth, but you know how she is about that sort of thing. Plus this is a rubber container right? At least it looked rubber. That’s got to be pretty hard to get off.  And this is all assuming that she even made it that far.“ Spike said, trying to calm Twilight’s fears.

“I guess you’re right, Spike,” Twilight replied. “I guess I am just feeling a little-”

“-Pressure," I am sitting with the black rubber container between my knees and a hoof on either side of the container. “All I need to do is apply a bit of pressure and the top should pop off just enough for me to pull it off!” I say, excitedly. “Alright, on the count of three, a-one, a-two, a-three!” I push down hard on either side and see that the lid bulges up and nearly all the way off the container. I gingerly reached forward and grasp it with my lips, then I tug hard. It takes at least one or two grunts, but there is a satisfying pop! Followed by a hiss. I look into the black grey container and see my reward. Four glittering bags of tea.

I swear I can almost feel my eyes grow big and a wide smile bursts over my face. Then from my mouth a sound nearly erupts. “SQUEEEEEEE.” I blink, and the smile drops from my face. I smack myself with a hoof. “Get a hold of yourself, H.B., It’s tea." The aroma of the tea reaches my nostrils, and I inhale deeply. “The best flllllllluuuanking tea in all of Equestria!” I carefully pull the teacup towards me and turn the container upside down on the lid. The four remaining tea bags fall neatly on the lid. “Right, I shouldn’t use them all. Twilight will most likely be upset if I used all of them. But first,“ I reach down and take a long, long, long sip of the diluted tea in my cup. A chill of wonderment courses through my being. “This tea must be ‘bloody’?” I almost find myself squeeing. Again. Apparently I have found a glitch in the matrix. I can say bloody. “Bloody strong. One more tea bag and some hot water," I carefully pick up one of the bags by the string. I can almost feel a buzz of excitement channeling through me. The bag goes into the cup, and carefully, ever so carefully I tilt the teapot to pour the hot water over the tea. I walk away to let the tea brew.

But it isn’t long before I find myself back at the cup. I take a quick sip. I almost instantly feel a bit more lively. “You know. I really wonder if there is a way I could take this tea with me anywhere I go! I am kinda getting sick of just leaving it where it is sitting because I’m worried about spilling it or tripping while walking with it!” My attention drifts over to the kitchen. I think I saw something in there that might help me. “Maybe-”

“-You’re right Spike,” Twilight says, sighing. “I could be worrying all over nothing. But just in case, I think we should check back with her at the library. Just in case.”

Spike sighs. “Yeah, just in case. Though maybe we stop by Pen & Quill and talk to Ghost Writer? Kinda give him a forewarning that he should be careful with what he says around Heartbreak?”

“You’re still going on about that? Fffffine. If anything, it’ll give me a chance to pick up a few more erasers. If Heartbreak is going to go through them like this, then I might as well see if we can get a few more, right?” Twilight responds. “How many should we get? Two-”

“-or three? Hmmm two bags for now, well, technically that’s three bags in there. There is the first bag from when Twilight made it, the second bag I just added," I say, dropping another bag into the sipping cup I found in the kitchen. It has a stein handle and a screw on top. “And this bag I am dropping in the sipping cup! This was a lucky find, lucky find indeed! I wonder if it was Spike’s or Twilight’s?” That was a bitch to get off but if I hold the top in my mouth and turn the bottom around, I can screw and unscrew it. Carefully, with the precision of a lab tech, I pour my already made tea into the sipping cup. When I am finished, I take a taste.

I feel a rushing twitch come over me. I am not sure if that was the full flavors or what, but a rush of ideas floods my head about what to do next.”Oooooh yeaaah. That’s almost perfect. One more bag. One more bag." I drop another bag in there. Then I take a sip. “Oooooh, Yeaaaah! I think I can feel my teeth vibrating! I wonder if that is a bad sign. I mean that’s how shows like this start right? Something happens, and then something else happens and then well yeah, some pony gets in trouble! But then Twilight and her friends save the day!” I look at the tea in the sipping cup, I swear it sparkles and crackles slightly. Then again that just might be the fluid, I take another sip. “Mmmm, Nah. Good tea is goooood tea," I then screw the top sipping lid on.

The paper before me now looks like it has to be filled. It has be filled. “Right, getting started," I pick up the pencil with my mouth and attempt to draw some. I roll my eyes and see that it isn’t going anywhere. I quickly sketch on a different piece of paper. And then another one. And then another. And then another. I have never sketched this fast or this well. Well, as well as I can with my mouth. I wonder how well I can write...
“Alright, let’s try letters!” I put the pencil to the paper and attempt to write the sentence ‘Lucy in the sky with diamonds.” I sort of get it right, I glare at my hoof. It is still bothering me how much I can’t write with it. “If there was just some way...” I say absent mindedly.
> Playing Heartstrings.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 18

Playing Heartstrings.

“Alright, then it is settled,” Twilight said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “We’ll go over to the Pen & Quill and have a talk with Ghost Writer. I’m sure it’ll boil down to nothing but a big misunderstanding. Then we’ll ask for some more erasers and check in on Heartbreak.”

Spike rolled his eyes. He loved Twilight like a mother or an older sister, but sometimes she just seemed a little too naive about some things. If it wasn’t covered in one of her books, she just couldn’t wrap her head around it. She had gotten better with her time in Ponyville, but still. “Yeah, sure, big misunderstanding.” Spike tossed some bits on the table next to the bill as a tip to the waiter. “We’ll just see about that.”

Twilight shook her head. “Ghost Writer is a good pony, Spike. A bit strange, but he has a good heart.”
“It isn’t his heart I would worry about there, Twi’” Spike replied. “Even a lonely pony has to watch where he puts his-”


“Hooves. I needto knowmore about Hooves,” I say out loud. “Why didn’t thiscome tome before?!” I look over the books in front of me. Behind me there is a slight mess. Well, a bit of a mess. Alright, it’s a big mess. A necessary mess. A wonderful mess. A mess where I know where everything is, kind of mess. “I’m In’a library! Why wouldn’t theyhave books onthis subject! Equinephysiology! Equinephysiology! Where areyou!? AhHA! There youare. Right whereyou shouldbe! Right inthe ‘E’s!” Figures that Twilight would put it in the E’s and not in the medical section. Then again, maybe Spike did it. I wonder if there is a dragon physiology. Wait no, there isn’t. We covered that in Dragon Quest. There was little or no information on the subject of dragons at all. Right. I lift my hoof up and pull the book off the shelf. I don’t care that it falls on the ground, I just need a diagram. Something, anything, that will show me the inner workings of a horse’s hoof. The pages flip open and it is a section on the internal organs. “Nope!Not whatIwant!” I try to flip the pages with my hoof. It doesn’t work. Rolling my eyes, I sigh and use my lips to move the pages. It annoys me to no end, but it works. “And Ineed toseethe Index!” Hooves. Page 144. Ha, One hundred and forty-four. My favorite number. I shake my head. I flip to the page as quickly as possible. There I find what I seek. Nice clean diagrams of my current appendage. The ones I want are the internal views and the bottom view.

“Alrightthen...” I look at my own right hoof just to get an idea of where everything is. There are a lot of words and explanations about how important hooves are to your health and proper precautions to take to keep them in good shape. There are comparative diagrams too!

“Deviant alteration mental nomenclature! HB! Focus!” I locate the ‘frog’ of my hoof, a ‘v’ shaped structure, then I trace my left hoof around the edge of my right. I have to be very, very careful about all this in what I want. If I mess up, there isn’t any way of going back here. At least not without a trip to the hospital and several months of waiting. Hooves seem to grow at the same rate as fingernails. And I have damaged those before, took months to regrow right. Hooves are far thicker than that. “If I getthem todrill a channel throughthe wall,righthere, without hitting intothe waterline, righthere. Ican get the result I want withoutresorting to,” I shudder, “Horseshoes.”

I quickly make rather delicate marks on my hooves with a splotch of ink here and there. “I shoulddraw out somequick diagrams before I go.” I search out through the papers and clutter I have created in my musings. There are drawings, ideas, and even some poems, all scattered across the table, the floor and a few things upstairs. It’s amazing what I have done without any internet or others to distract me, and my attention completely focused on one singular task. Well, several tasks. But now, what I chiefly need is just some blank paper. “Ah, herewego. Now, something, something to show the driller, and then..” I quickly sketch out where I want this to go. “And then something to fill it with...” These ideas are going to be so awesome. Right now as it stands,  these ideas are nearly burning a hole in my brain.


============================================================


Other than Twilight and her friend, or rather, student stopping by to buy art supplies, it was a quiet day at the Pen & Quill. Ghost Writer sat sipping on his tea and going over a list of ponies he intended to invite to this month’s, “Equestria is a Stage” art showing and poetry reading. Most unicorns with an agenda like this, wouldn’t even bother with a small backwater place like Ponyville. But Ghost Writer felt that there was talent here. A rough, raw talent that he had watched since he was a foal. He had little else to do as the foal of a single father.

The last name on the list caused him to sigh wistfully. Heartbreak. For whatever reason in their brief encounter, the icy blue eyed earth pony had been occupying his thoughts. There was something enchanting about her, something odd really. He wasn’t sure what it was. Everything about her screamed, ‘ordinary earth pony,’ And while that seemed a bit racist, he was sure that she was anything but. Sure, she had a tan coat, and dark brown mane. But her body language and pose betrayed a complex and struggling pained artist that was just dying to come out. “And with a name like, ‘Heartbreak,’ and a mark like that, she has to have a story behind her.”

He sipped his now cold tea. The thought of that cutie mark passed through his head. He had caught what he tried to pass off as a casual glance at her flank as she walked away. His eyes darted to his flank, there a simple quill and parchment were emblazoned. But in his almost too long of a glance, he had explored the dark shape on Heartbreak’s flank. That blackened broken heart of darkness, as it were, was placed ever so neatly on her rather pleasant looking...flank. A blush passed over his cheeks, he coughed and nearly choked on his tea. Regaining his composure, a napkin floated to his mouth. “Calm yourself, Ghost Writer. It was just a cutie mark.”

Maybe that was what was really drawing him to thinking about her. She was a mystery. “What events could cause a pony to take a name such as, ‘Heartbreak?’ Surely, she should have known what jokes and jests she would have to endure. What events would even result in such a mark for that matter? “ His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the hoof beats of a familiar unicorn and the voice of her dragon assistant. He smiled.

“Hello, Ghost Writer,” Twilight said from over the counter.

“Twice in one day?” Ghost Writer asked, smiling a thin smile. “You’re not out of art supplies already, are you?”

“Actually, I need to pick up some more erasers,” Twilight replied. Spike elbowed her in the side looking at her with a disapproving glare. “And we need to talk.”

“Oh?” Ghost Writer replied. His face changed to a mix of confusion and fear. ‘We need to talk’ where words that his live in nurse, Jenny had used to break to him that his father had a tragic accident. “What about?”

“Heartbreak..” Twilight replied.

============================================================

I double check to make sure I have everything. “Yupyupyupyup! Igot everythingI need forthis. Pencils,diragrams,andofcourse...” I pick up the sippy cup with an almost unimpeded ease. “Youmy sweetsweet lovelything.” I am smiling so hard that it almost hurts my face. With another sip of tea, that pain ebbs away. My saddlebag sits atop me uncomfortably. With all the things I have figured out, you’d think by now I would have figured out how to put on the saddlebag. Oh well.

“Alright,Ihave beenupstairs again, dida selfportrate! Haveall thediagrams done, explainedPinkieSense! Andhave comeup withseveral newexplisives! Ithink itis timeto getmygreatest ideasout ofmyhead andintothereal world!” I walk to the door. Normally this thing would cause me quite the fuss, but for some reason, perhaps the tea, I figure it out quite easily. Funny thing is, as soon as the door is open, I just can’t quite remember how I opened it. Oh well.

Nearly skipping out of the door, I am once again greeted by the sun. “Ooooh,evildaystar, youshouldgo downfaster.” I am kicking myself over the thought of not letting Twilight buy me a hat. But really, it’s a matter of personal pride. I start walking into Ponyville with no clue as to where I am going. Well I almost have a clue, but I am not sure if this clue is fresh from the clue factory to you. Maybe I should get a clue bat from some other pony. Looking around, I haven’t a clue which pony would be the best pony to give me a smack with the cluebat. There were so many background characters that picking just one, let alone knowing all of their names off of the top of my head is almost impossible. Come to think about it, thinking is almost impossible with all of the thoughts coming into my head I wond- Oh! I have spotted a pair of ponies I know!

=============================================================

“Look Lyra, I’m just saying, it eats up a lot of your time and barely gives anything back.” Bon-Bon said, taking a sip of her drink. The two longtime friends were sitting the table of a local cafe.

“It so does give things back, Bon-Bon.” Lyra said rolling her eyes.

“Such as?” Bon-Bon asked.

“Such as a sense of community, of not being alone in my hobby and interests.” Lyra said defensively. “Some friendship.”

“Oh, how nice, I’m sure my friendship doesn’t mean anything then,” Bon-Bon said, rolling her eyes.

“Bon-Bon, don’t be like that.” Lyra put a hoof on Bon-Bon’s shoulder. “You are always going to be my number one special pony. You’re always there for me and I’m always there for you. It’s just that you have no interest in the H.L.C., and so I didn’t think to ask you to come.”

“Well, maybe I was just waiting for you to ask me,” Bon-Bon replied.

“Bon-Bon, it’s just a group of socially awkward ponies who have one particular interest in-” Lyra began, only to notice a strange pony nearly zipping up to their table.

“Hello!” she said in an almost too cheerful manner.

“Uhm, Hi,” Lyra replied. Bon-Bon nodded and gave a slight smile. There was a moment of extended silence as the pony smiled at the both of them in a rather too cheerful manner. “Not to be rude, but do you need something?”

The tan pony with the dark brown mane and sparkling blue eyes blinked as if she had to process the information. “Yes! Actually youcan, yousee, I’mnew to Ponyville, andI amin direneed of adentist! Youwouldn’t happentoknowwhere oneiswouldyou?” The mare’s face broke out in a rather over the top grin.

“You’re new to Ponyville?” Bon-Bon asked. “Wait, didn’t I see you earlier today? You were walking with Twilight Sparkle.”
Lyra looked over the strange mare. “Yeah, we waved at you and you didn’t wave back.”

“Ohright! I didn’tseeyou. Yousee, thesun iskinda hurtingmyeyes. Iworked nightsforthelongest time and..” She paused and looked at the two friends. She swallowed hard as if she was forcing something. “And. I. Am. Not. Used. To. The. Light.” She spat out.

“Oh, well that explains that.” Lyra offered her hoof in greeting. “My name is-”

“LyraHeartstrings!” The tan mare said quickly. “And you. Are. Bon-Bon.” The both of them blinked in confusion. “Oh,uhm, Twilighttoldme your. Names. After. Ifailed tosee you.”They blinked and nodded.

“Makes sense,” Bon-Bon replied. “I failed to catch your name, miss...?”

“Heartbreak! Andplease, don’tcall me,’miss’,” Heartbreak replied. “Just. Heart. Break.”

Bon-Bon chuckled a bit. Lyra looked at her friend. “Something funny?”

“Noooo, just Heartstrings and Heartbreak. You tug on strings and she breaks them.” Bon-Bon replied.

Lyra looked as if she was going to say something, but Heartbreak interruped. “Uhm,Excuse me, Bon-Bon, Butwhile Iamsure youfind muchamusement inheart relatedjokes, thoseofus whohave ‘heart’ inournames mightfind it,justatad old. Imean howmanytimes haveyou heardjokes involving candy?” Heartbreak asks, watching Bon-Bon’s expression. “Morethanenough Iam sure. Iamnot scoldingyou oranything, Ijust haveheard enough’sadheart’jokes or punsfor theday. Iamsureyouthought youwerebeingfunny, andIdon’twant tostartanything, Twilighthasbeen madenough at me asit is. Justafairword ofwarning.”

“I was just-” Bon-Bon begins.

“Iknow, tryingto be funny. But-” Heartbreak starts.

“Weren’t you looking for the dentist?” Lyra asked.

“Oooohyeah! Dentist, doyouknow where Ican findthem?” Heartbreak replied.

“Yeah, here. I’ll write down instructions on how to get there..” Lyra picked up a pencil off the paper with her magic and started to write on a piece of scrap paper.

“Thatwouldbe awesome! Thanks!” Heartbreak said beaming. “Ijust really...need...to get...to the dentist..” Suddenly, the pony’s mood just shifted and her eyes began to tear up.

Bon-Bon looked a bit concerned. “Are you alright? Do you really need to get there fast?” She bent forward. “You’re not in any pain are you?”

Lyra scrapped the scrap paper. If this pony was in real pain, it would be better that she gave her real instructions to the dentist instead of fake ‘getting-rid-of-you’ instructions. Bon-Bon looked over at Lyra and saw that she was writing down a different set of instructions.

Heartbreak’s eyes fluttered and she shook her head. She then reached back to her saddle back, and clumsily rooted around it in. When she was done she had a sipping cup. She slipped her hoof into it and took a couple of sips of whatever was in the cup. She opened her eyes and looked at the two of them. “Nope, Just thirsty!”

As her eyes opened, Lyra swore she saw a bright flash of colours twitch across the mare’s eyes. An arc of static electric rainbows. The mare looked down at the real instructions on how to get to the dentist’s office. She picked up the paper in her mouth and slipped it into her saddlebag. “Ooo! Thanks!Itwasnicemeeting youLyra!Bon-Bon! You bothhaveaniceday!” She said, putting the cup back into her saddlebag. She then proceeded to trot off towards the dentist’s office.

“Did you see that?” Lyra asked.

“Yeah, you almost gave a pony who might be in serious tooth pain false directions.” Bon-Bon grouched.

“No, that thing that happened with her eyes?” Lyra replied.

“I didn’t see that, just you trying to get rid of her.” Bon-Bon said frowning.

“Ugh, whatever, I’m sure it wasn’t anything important,” Lyra sipped some of her drink. “Still, what a weird pony.” Bon-Bon gave Lyra a funny look. “What?”

“Like you’re one to talk, Heartstrings.” Bon-Bon rolled her eyes.


============================================================


What a stroke of luck! Which is better than an actual stroke. Those are bad. But the tea is good. Tea is what will cure your ills, that’s for sure. I wonder why I almost lost my composure back there. I know I was worried over something, what was it? Oh yes, first impressions. I didn’t want them to think I was a mean pony or a pony version of Gilda, or something. I am not sure right now. All I know is that I need to find the dentist’s office. They can help me with what I need. I turn down the street that Lyra put down in her instructions. I am almost instantly greeted by rows of different offices that are meant to meet the different medical needs of ponies.

“Huh,you’dthinkthat theywouldjust beinthe hospital,” I pull my tea out of my saddlebag again and take a sip. “Butthenagain, Hospitalmustbefor Seriousmedical Emergencies.” Each office has a different brightly coloured sign signifying what they do. It doesn’t take me long to spot the giant white tooth. Smiling, I walk into the Dentists’ office.

Entering, I see the general front area, normally where there would be a receptionist a sign hangs reading ‘Out to Lunch’. I frown and look at the clock on the wall, it is about 12:47. “Oh,well,they’regoingto bebacksoon!” I slip out of my saddlebags. Without Twilight to help me tighten them they are a little loose. “Oh,lookat that! Tea Time!” I said retrieving my sipping cup. After a quick sip, I feel like myself again. I look down the hallway that leads to the back where patients get their teeth drilled. I look at my hoof and then back at the hallway. “I’msurethedentistwon’tmind ifIwaitforhimor herintheproperchair!”
> Hole In One.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 19

Hole In One.

Ghost Writer nodded. “I was just thinking about her. I hate prying but...there are some  questions weighing on my mind.”
Twilight took a deep breath. This conversation needed to be handled delicately. “I am sure you do, but there’s a lot I don’t know a whole lot about her myself. You see, she was just dropped into my lap by the Princess.”

“By the Princess?” Ghost Writer asked.

“Yes. She’s a foreign exchange student from a really far part of Equestia,” Twilight’s mind was racing to put this story all together. “She’s lived a rather sheltered life and isn’t really trusting of other ponies. Added to the fact that she didn’t have much back where she was from, and when coming here, she was robbed at knifepoint, she’s really unstable.“ Twilight thought that story over. She hated lying to Ghost Writer, but again. It sounded more reasonable than the ‘pony who isn’t a pony from an alternate universe’ explanation.

“That does explain her over all reactions,” Ghost Writer replied.

“I have been able to calm her down during the past week, but something like that just doesn’t go away overnight,” Twilight said. “It’s really gotten her just a touch paranoid about social situations. For example, she thought that you were flirting with her.”

Ghost Writer’s tea nearly dropped from the air and he coughed. “She...picked up on that?” he asked.

Twilight looked at Ghost Writer with a slumped expression. “You really were? ‘Cause honestly, I just thought that you were being you.”

The look of disapproval made Ghost fidget in his seat uncomfortably. “Well, I was flirting just in the smallest way, I didn’t think that she picked up on it.”

Spike gave a satisfied smile. “See? I told you so, Twi’.”

Twilight gave a light glare at Spike and rolled her eyes. “Right, I am just going to lay it out for you, Ghost Writer. She’s unstable, a bit touchy, and doesn’t need, as she put it, a lecher hitting on her.”

Ghost Writer looked horrified, his hoof covered his mouth and a peal of sweat rolled down his temple. “Lecher?” He squeaked out.

“Those were her words, not mine, Ghost Writer.” Twilight replied.

Spike facepalmed. “Twiiiiiiilight...”

“What now, Spike?” Twilight asked, a bit annoyed.

“She called me a ‘lecher’?” Ghost Writer coughed out again in disbelief. “I-I-I,” he took out a handkerchief to wipe his forehead.

“Are you alright G.W.?” Twilight asked.

“That’s horrible! That’s worse than being a ‘pervert’ or ‘creepy’ or some of the other names I have been branded with by some ponies. Lecher is such an obscure label...” he took a long gulp of his tea.

“Geeze, with the way that he is panicking, he just might be a match for Heartbreak.” Twilight mused. “No Twilight. You aren’t a matchmaker. Just calm him down.” “I think she was overreacting Ghost Writer. You knew nothing about her past and what she’s been through. She just needs a little time to calm down, relax, and get herself together.”

Ghost Writer shook his head. “I just feel terrible though, Twilight. I hate to think that I have offended somepony into thinking that horribly of me. I am almost unsure how to approach her next. Should I apologize to her?”

Twilight blinked and wondered where all of this melodrama was coming from today. “I would say ‘yes,’ but in a way that is professional. I wouldn’t try flirting with her, like I said, she’s pretty unstable right now and needs to find her hooves.”

Ghost Writer rubbed his temples. “I’m sorry if I seem a bit reactive to this all, Twilight. But ‘lecher.’” He took another long drink of his tea.

“It’s alright G.W.,” Twilight sighed. “Just be careful what you say around her. Last thing I need is her doing something drastic.”


==============================================================


I have been waiting in the dentist's’ chair for about fifteen minutes. In that time, I have coloured every single colouring book, did all the puzzles, read all ten of the Ponyville Times newspapers three times, re-organized the front desk, and moved the schedule around to fit optimum ordering.

I have fought the urge to take x-rays of my hoof, seeing that I don’t know how to operate the x-ray machine, and I have spun in this chair at least two-hundred and thirty-three times. I need a moment to relax. In my right hoof is my tea and I have been delaying the time between any more sips. I don’t want to waste any of it.

My ear flicks back. I don’t have any actual awareness of this action, just that it happens. A ringing enters my ears and there is a stallions voice talking to some pony. Hoofbeats clip-clop down the hallway and then they pause.

“Is there somepony in here?” He asks. “You know patients aren’t allowed back here without-”

I swivel the chair around to face him, the overhanging light strobes on. “Why,hellothere.” I begin. This is the doctor who can give me what I want. Well almost what I want. “Youmustbe the dentist. Doctor, ” I lean forward and read his name tag. “Bright-White I presume?” I ask, taking a sip of off my tea.

“Uhm, yes,” He looks a bit frightened. Tone it down, Heartbreak, chances are he hasn’t been asked to do what he is about to do. A credit to his name, this unicorn is a snowy white with blue eyes, and a wavy ‘Pin-Pop’ mane. “Do you have an appointment, Miss..?”

“Heartbreak, butplease H.B. Anddon’tcallme ‘miss’, and no,” I reply. He is about to tell me I need an appointment and shoo me out of the office I am sure. “However, Dr. Bright-White, I desperatelyneed somedrilling. Andit hasbeenforever sincemylast checkup.”

He blinks again. “Drilling? Have you had a check-up first?”

“Right,checkups comebefore drilling don’tthey? But reallydoc, Ihaveaserious achethatneeds tobeattenedto. Itstarted thismorningand hasn’tgoneaway.” Momentarily I wonder how I am going to get him to do what I want. Damn it. I might have to swallow my pride and act like Rarity. “It’s really really, really botheringme, ImeanI’m inthechairrightnow, doyouthink couldjustgive meaquicklook overandsee if youcanhelpwithmyproblem?” Gawd, I hope this works, just look cute and flutter your eyes, that’s what they do right? Inside, I can feel myself nearly throwing up in my skull.

“Well...Normally I wouldn’t do this,” He sighs and has the chair lean back. Totally not what I want him to do. I don’t like dentists to begin with, and don’t like others looking at my teeth. The light above me turns and nearly blinds me. “Alright, open up and say Ah! Let’s see if we can’t get to the source of that pain..”

“Whaaaah?” I say in sudden surprise, as Dr. Bright-White starts poking and prodding in my mouth.

“Hmmmm, Interesting. There aren’t any visible signs of decay, your teeth look rather good,” He picks a bit. “But could use a bit more care, you brush often? There is a slight plaque buildup on your right side. Though for a...what, twenty one year old?”

“Hirty-One” I correct him.

“Oh, no, that’s not possible. These are the teeth of a twenty-one year old.” He looks directly at me. “I might be swamped with work this past week, and am still trying to figure out how to work with patients, but I know how to read the age of teeth, Miss Heartbreak...” A mirror hovers in my mouth as he checks the backs. “I don’t see any inflammation, are you sure you need drilling?” he says pulling away.

“H.B." I remind him. "Well,Idoneed drilling,butnot with myteeth. Yousee..” I look at my hoof. “Idon’tneed aholeinmyhead, I needone inmy hoof.”

Dr. Bright-White looks at me horrified. “What?”

“Yes!Ican’ttellyou exactlywhy, but restassured itisfor a goodreason!” I tell him. Right now I must sound crazy, just out of my mind, but I need this. I blink and then take a sip of my tea. Suddenly, the idea sounds even better than it did before.

“Look, Miss Heartbreak, It is bad enough that I saw you without an appointment, but...A hole in your hoof?! Are you sure you don’t have a hole in your head already?” He looks shocked and worried. “Get out of my office before I contact a different type of doctor.” He rubs his temples as I get up and off the dentist chair. “Kids these days. I am tired enough as it is trying to figure out the best way to treat patients without mares like you  sneaking into my office and making strange demands!”

“Alright,noneedtogetupset Doctor,” I grump. How am I going to get that hole in my hoof now? I need a doctor that does both drilling and has medical knowledge.

“Ugh, I could seriously go for a cup of strong coffee right about now...” He says, just as I am about to walk through the doorway.

An idea goes through my head. “Coffeeormmm’perhaps tea?” I ask.

He gives me an annoyed look. I don’t expect him to be pleased seeing that I have asked a strange and rather disturbing request. “Well, yes, just something to give me a bit more energy. I have been taking more patients than I can handle, it seems.” He blinks. “Why am I even telling you this?”

I lift up my tea cup. “It’sa giftIhave...But,would you like a sip of mytea? It’s the Best Tea in all of Equestia. I swear.”
He raises his brow. “How much have you had?”

“Oh, notmuch, notmuch at all. Here takea smell...” I offer him the cup.

“Well...” He begins.

“Just asmell won’thurt. Ifyoudon’t like it, I’llleave andwon’t botheryou again, unlessIhave a real toothrealated problem.” I reply.

“Well, alright.” There is a white sparkling glow around my hoof and he takes the teacup off my hoof with his magic. White and sparkling. I shouldn’t be surprised. He then sniffs the sipping end of the cup and blinks. “Whoa, that smells...” He takes a few more sniffs. “That smells rather wonderful actually. May I take a taste?”

A smile creeps over my face. “Gorightahead.”

Gingerly, he takes a sip out of the cup. His lips smack together and then he rapidly blinks. For a moment I swear there is a bolt of static that darts across his eyes. He takes a second sip. “My goodness! That is good tea!” He shakes himself a bit and rolls his shoulders.

I walk over and take back my cup. I’m not going to get what I want but at least Bright-White doesn’t look like he is dragging his tail anymore. “BestteainEquestria.”

He grabs my hoof with his magic. “Yes, very much so. You know, this might be risky, and I have never actually drilled anything other than a tooth, but I think I have an idea on how we might be able to help you with that hole in your hoof.”

I blink, surprised. But why look a gift horse in the mouth? I think with a slight giggle. “Really?CauseIhave drawingsand Diagrams,andIeven mademarksupon which is the best placestodrill!” I take out all the drawings I have and point out the drilling points.

“Hmmm, yes, I see, I think I can actually do this, you know.” He blinks. “I will have to get the drill from the janitorial closet...There isn’t anyway a normal dental drill would do the job,” he looks at me. “Would you like laughing gas for this? If I drill incorrectly, it would be rather painful.”

I shake my head and sit back down in the dentist’s chair. “Nope!IthinkIshould be awareofeverything goingon here. However, Idobelievethat youaregoing to haveto strap me in!” Bright-White nods and moments later, an electrical drill and several straps float in from the janitorial closet.

“Ididn’tthink thatyou hadactualstraps, there Doc.” I comment, laying back and trying to relax.

“Oh, yes,” He replies as the straps in question latching me down to the chair. “Dealing with difficult patients sometimes is like, well, pulling teeth!”

I look thoughtful for a moment. “Icanimagine thatitwouldbelikethat.” The drill hovers over my hoof and angles itself precisely over the spots that I have marked out. It then whirs to life and touches my hoof. I grin. Fuck you, equine physiology. I am going to draw properly again.


==============================================================


Twilight looked at Spike and shook her head.

“What is it Twi’?” Spike asked.

“She was right again,” Twilight replied, frowning. “And it’s bothering me that she seems to just ‘know’ things.”

“Kinda like how Pinkie Pie just ‘knows’ when things are going to fall? Didn’t you already learn the lesson about trusting friends? Besides, even I could tell that Ghost Writer was flirting with her.” Spike replied, laying atop Twilight’s back.

“Well, yes. I suppose so, but she isn’t a friend. Well, not yet. She’s a strange being from an alternate universe who is pretending to be a pony, Spike,” Twilight said, gritting her teeth. “Her being in the ‘know’ about things, and then not explaining how she knows these things, irritates me.”

“Because?” Spike asked.

“Because, it reminds me of the being that Princess Celestia said that she could possibly become. He knew everything about us too, Spike.” Twilight replied.

“If it is who I think you are talking about Twi’, there are several differences.” Spike held up his fingers. “One, He’s locked away in stone. Two, He’s a He? Heartbreak’s a mare. And lastly, He had reality altering powers. Heartbreak does not.” Spike ruffled Twilight’s mane. “This was just H.B. noticing things about other ponies. There isn’t any reason to panic or to think that she’s going cause mass chaos in Ponyville and turn Equestria upside down.”

Twilight sighed as the two of them arrived back at the library. “I guess you’re right, Spike. I’m worrying over nothing again. I’m sure that Heartbreak is fine and exploring her talents. She’ll tell me about some lesson she’s learned about hard work, trusting friends, and that with a little magic, anything is possible.”

Spike smiled a sage smile and hopped off Twilight’s back. “Exactly,” he replied, opening the library door.

“Heartbreak! We’re back from lunch, how are-” Twilight’s eyes opened as she walked into the library. It was far from anything ordered, neat, let alone, organized. “-you doing?”

Papers littered the whole of the library and were spread all over the place. An assortment of drawings, sketches, doodles and what appeared to be little stories were arranged in what could only be described as an explosion of creativity. In the center of it all was the rubber canister that once held the tea that Zecora gave Twilight. And it had been opened. Twilight quickly rushed to the open canister. There was but one glittering bag left in it. Her face turned to that of fear and panic.

“Wow, uhm Twilight, forget everything I said...I think we should start worrying.” Spike fearfully said.

Twilight’s left eye started to twitch and a squeak escaped her throat.
> Sharing My Creativi-Tea.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 20

Sharing My Creativi-Tea.

Walking out of the office, I stare in wonder at my brand new hoof. It gleams and feels a just a wee bit lighter than before. Turns out that drills drilling into hooves make a great deal of heat, and that leads to a horrible burning smell. Thankfully, the good Doctor thought to have a stream of water pouring into the drilling hole. Lifting the hoof up, I can see clean through the hole.

He smiles and waves from the door. “Alright, you come back in a month for a real checkup, Mi-uhm Heartbreak! Make sure you are brushing and actually flossing! And make sure not to put too much pressure on that! It needs time to adjust!”

“Iwilldo Dr. Bright-White! Ifyousee Doctor Colgate, tell herIsaid Hi!” I reply.

“Uhm, Yes! I will do that!” I hear a ringing behind me that I can only assume is another patient coming into the dentist’s office.

“Alright,H.B., Nowthatyouhave takenthetime tohave ahole putinyour hoof,it’stimetofind someponytofillitwithsomething. Somethingspecial!” I look around. What I need is a speciality shop of sorts. Well, maybe not a speciality shop, but a shop that whirrs, ticks, tocks, and has the things I need to construct the thing I need. With the proper pony who knows how to construct the thing I need.

Walking down the street, I turn a corner and come across a place that has some strong memories attached to it, The hat shop. In front of the shop is a cart that is half filled with hats and other things that were in the shop. High Hat comes out of the shop with a forlorn look on his face. There are so many things buzzing through my mind about this con-pony. The fact that he tried to manipulate my emotions for his own personal gain in a way that was so terribly transparent. Then, he took advantage of Twilight when it became apparent that he failed with me. At least that’s how I see it. His reaction to being caught on his con was almost priceless, but I was cut off before I could fully lay into him. I am so tempted to just go and give him a piece of my mind before he leaves town.

I reach into my saddle bag and pull out my tea. A few sips and a burst of ideas involving hats, his shop and what I should say to him washes over me. And with Twilight not here. I think I should implement all of them.

I rush up right behind High Hat just as he is about to turn around. “Gaaah!” From his mouth drops a hammer and some nails. His frightened look changes with a mix of emotions. Surprise, angry and then sad again. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Yes,congratulations,you’vefoundme!” I reply. I know he won’t get the joke but I make it anyway. He gives me a sneer and rolls his eyes. “ButIsee thatyou aregoing off and packingup. Ontothenexttownandthenextset ofponies tocon?” He turns and glares at me.

“What else am I to do?” He asks, hitting a stack of hats in his cart with his wing. “I have been found out, my secrets tossed into the public square! Once word gets around this backwater podunk town, there isn’t any way that I could sell a hat. So why bother trying? It’s better to move on where they don’t know me and try my luck there.” He glares at me. “Why am I even telling you this? It isn’t like you care.”

“Oh,Icare,Icare becauseyoutried to playonmyemotions and then ‘surprise! nope! Idon’tcare! I justwant tosellyouthese hats!’, thenwhenIsawright throughyour littletrick, youallowed anotherpony togo and takemybate. Allowedanotherpony totriggerthetrapthat youset forme!” I reply, as I pace back and forth in front of him. “And thenyouhave thenerve! Thenerve totakeher moneyafter I calledyouout on your little scam!” I want to pull my hair in frustration, but alas, my kingdom for a hand right? I am instead resorting to rubbing my face. I then get up right and close to his face. “Andifthereis onething I can’tstand morethan otherponies buyingmethings whenIdidn’t earnthem, it’sotherp-ponies sufferingforthings thatIcouldhaveprevented!” I waggle my hoof at High Hat. “AndIcouldhavetotally prevented...This! Whatyoudid Sir, was wrong, wrong, wrong! Black and white. Clear. As. Day. Wrong! So! Whatdoyouhave tosayforyourself, Mr. High. Hat?” His face is that of pained panic, like an animal that has been cornered. He attempts to open his mouth, but all that comes out is a small squeak. I raise my eyebrow. “Wellll?”

“I-I-I...” He stammers. I take a sip of my tea out of the corner of my mouth. I have backed him against the wall. I want answers damn it. And I want them now. “I returned your friend’s money.” He gasped out.

Backing away, I blink and try to process this. A dumbfounded, “What?” is the only thing that topples out of my mouth.

High Hat looks sad and down at the ground. “You were right.” He points at all the hats. “All these hats I’m selling for a company that makes them, they aren’t fantastic hats but it’s enough to get by. So on the side, I tried to earn extra bits with the marble in a jar gag. I was ok with doing this and nopony has ever called me out on it. I’ve had to move from time to time, but then my first day here! You! Just out of nowhere.” He looks frustrated. “I wasn’t always like this...I used to make good hats...Great hats..” He frowns and looks at me while shaking his head. “Right. I don’t need to tell you any of this. I have to, as you said, get going to scam the next town.” He picks up his jar of marbles.

This isn’t the con-artist pony story I was seeking. It sounds too chopped up, too raw, too bleeding to be such. Con-Artists have polished up their stories so well that you could see yourself in them. Either he’s really bad at this, or he has a story that he wants to tell but he isn’t. I could let this go, but I am not going to. “Hoooooldup, holdyourhorses, wait,Wait,Wait,” I start, zipping to his other side. “Youjustcan’t leaveme inthedark about what happenedhere, ifyouat onetime actually madegoodhats, thenyouaregoing to havetoexplaintome whyyouaren’tdoing it now!”

He snorts. “I will do no such thing! Now get out of my way!” I frown and do something desprate. I grab the jar of marbles away from him. “Hey! Give those back!”

“What’sthematter, High Hat? Lostyourmarbels? HowaboutImake a dealwithyou, more of abargan really...But,it’sadealthatyouare surenot to loose...”

High Hat didn’t look amused but he sighed. “Right then, Miss Heartbreak was it?”

“Just Heartbreak,and H.B.ifyouwouldplease..”I reply.

“Right. H.B. What deal is this?” He asks me.

“Simple, I guesscorrectlythenumber ofmarbelsin the jar, youtellme what happened. If I getit incorrect, youleave, unmolested.” I reply. “Deal?”

He looks at me and scoffs. “You might as well just give me the jar and let me be on my way, Heartbreak.”
I snicker. “SosurethatIcan’t guess right? Unwillingtotakeachance? What’sthematter? Areyou...Scootaloo?” I mock.

“I don’t know what that means, but I get the feeling that I am being insulted somehow. Fine, I will go along with your deal. I can wait a few minutes more to leave Ponyville anyhow.” He replies.


============================================================


Twilight paces back and forth. “This, is very bad, Spike.” She says looking at the horrible mess of drawings, writings and loose paper. “Zecora said that one tea bag was enough, but four tea bags?! I can’t even comprehend what would happen! Why would she even use that many!?”

Spike tried to make himself look a bit smaller than normal, a wash of guilt and shame was running through his veins. After all, he told Twilight not to worry about Heartbreak. “I don’t know, Twilight. Though it looks like the tea made things super easy for her. Some of these drawings are a far improvement from that one drawing she drew of me.”

“Of course. Take a pony out of her world of easy answers and things that solve her problems, then dump her into a world where everything has to be done the hard way! But there is one thing that would make things super easy for her. Magic. Add magic tea, and everything becomes better. Add a little more and it’s sure to be even better!” Twilight says, with an angry sarcastic tone.

“That’s most likely what happened, Twilight,” Spike said, in a half aware tone. The web of papers, ideas, drawings and whatever else Heartbreak left behind was impressive. “But I think we need to ask the question of, ‘What do we do now?’”

Twilight smacked her head. “What we need to do. I need to go back to Zecora’s. If this mess of papers is any indication, this level of tea is hazardous. She’ll know what to do I’m sure.” Twilight pointed at Spike. “You need to find Heartbreak, Stat!”

“But she could be anywhere, Twilight!” Spike replied.

“She couldn’t have gotten far, We weren’t gone very long, and if she is suffering from creative overload, she shouldn’t be very hard to find. Just follow the trail of...chaos,” Twilight replied.

“But!” Spiked started.

“No time!” Twilight said before teleporting away.


==============================================================


High Hat looked at the mare before him. There were many things wrong with this picture. For one. It was apparent, at least to him, that whatever she was drinking, she had way too much of. She sounded like a hyperactive squirrel who had downed more than ten shots of espresso. Secondly, she had outed him on his little con act almost right when she spotted him, he thought that he could have at least gotten her to play his game before she had realized that. And now, in exchange to hear his sad sob story, she was going to attempt to guess the number of marbles in his jar.

Nopony had ever guessed it right. Not with all the little extras he had going in that jar of his. Not with the fake marbles, strange sized marbles, and ‘special’ marbles. And yet, she was attempting to do so. Right now she was sizing the jar up, shaking it slowly and looking at it in as many different lights as possible. Then she put her hoof into top of the jar.
“Hey! What are you doing?” High Hat asked, attempting to take the jar from her yet again.

She held up her other hoof. “Letmeguess, it’scheating. However...” She pushed her hoof up in the jar, revealing marbles that were once invisible. “Trickmarbles. Clever,veryclever,inacheating mean,Iwantyourbits-” She picked up her sipping cup and took a small sip of tea. The smallest sip of tea that High Hat had ever seen a pony take from a cup of tea. “-cheatercheater sort ofway...”

High Hat frowned. Nopony had thought of those marbles at the top, if she had figured that out there was a possibility that-

She pulled out her hoof. “Thereare Six hundred and ninemarbles inthisjar.” She said shaking off hoof dry.

High Hat had a mix of feelings in her assessment of the number of marbles. It was so close! So very close! “Heh, I think I will have to be on my way, because there are six hundred and ten marbles-”

“Sixhundredandnine.” She replied. “Icountedthemandthendoublecountedthem.”

“I assure you, there are six hundred and ten. I only tell you this because I am sure that I will never, ever see you again.” High Hat said snorting and stamping his hoof.

“Totalthere are sixhundredandten, yes. But,” she held up her hoof. ”Thereare sixhundredandnine in thejar,” High Hat was met with a rather morbid but curious thing. In her hoof, there was a neatly drilled hole.. and in that hole shone a cat’s eye marble. “Sixhundredandnine, nowaboutthatstory?”

High Hat looked baffled. She was right, she was getting him on a technicality. She was right, technically. He shook his head. “I-”

“Look, youhavewaited this longtoleavetown, Iamsurethat your storyisn’tgoingtotake a fortnight, what’s fivemoreminutes?” she asked. “Also,” she held up her hoof. “Couldyoupopthis marbleout? Ineedthatholeforsomethingelse.”

High Hat smriked and reached forward. He kissed the place where the hole exited her hoof and sucked the marble out.
“I meantpoke it outwithastick.” she said frowning.

High Hat spat the marble out back into its jar. “I see, but you want the reason I am resorting to conning ponies for their bits. Alright, here it goes.” He takes a deep sigh. “When I was a small colt my mother took me to Canterlot to see one of the grand fairs there-”

“Yayexposision, We’regoingtogointoyour colthood here?” She stomped her hole-less hoof. “Ihate tohurryyoubut-”

“You want to hear my story or not?” High Hat huffed. Heartbreak looked away and licked the tip of her sipping cup. “Alright then. Canterlot. I was a young colt and they were having a Grand Fair. My father took us to see the Wonderbolts, I suppose he wanted to inspire to me to become a great flier like he was. But my mother was more into fashion. After so many long hours of watching pegasi fly, my mother wanted to go shopping. And I wanted to go with her, much to my father’s disapproval. Somewhere in those shops, we found a hat shop. Being in a small cloud island far north of Cloudsdale, you don’t get to see too many hats. I dare say that I was rather excited. Which I know is strange for a Pegasus, but-”

“Butit’s yourthing, youlikehats.” Heartbreak interrupted fighting to stay still.

“Yes. I must say that after that visit to the hat shop and watching the hatter make his latest creation, I was inspired. My mother seeing my excitement, decided to buy me a simple hat.  When we got back home, I wanted to make a hat. But, living among the clouds you don’t have much in the way of building materials. And most things, unless they are enchanted, fall right through. All I had to work with was clouds, ice crystals, and a touch of liquid rainbow my mother gave me. Not exactly hat making materials. But I was determined to try and make one. I spent an entire week working on it, trying to shape the clouds, work in the ice crystals, and using at the most a drip of the rainbow. Most of my friends, even my father just told me to give up. I wasn’t successful until that last night when I had stayed awake all night to figure it out...And finally..”

“Youdidit, itwasawonderful creationIamsure...” Heartbreak interrupted again.

High Hat frowned at her. “Yes, yes it was. I rushed tiredly to show my mother my creation, but in my enthusiasm I tripped and the hat tumbled in front of my father. He wasn’t nary too happy to see what I had done. He picked up the hat I created. A lovely top hat that glistened with a rainbow ribbon around the brim. He was about to crush my creation right in front of me when my mother came into the room. She gave him such a deathly glare. There was a brief argument, and then she took the hat from him. She placed it atop her head and wore it proudly. Right there and then, I was just so happy! And right there and then I got this.” he lifted up the tail of his coat to show off his cutie mark. A snowy white hat with a rainbow ribbon. Heartbreak blinked a few times and was nearly chewing on the tip of her cup.

“Thatwasawonderfulstorytobe surethere, HighHat, but..Ifyoucreatedhats in a WillyWonka style, Whyaren’tyoudoing that now?” she asked.

High Hat frowned. “Because of what happened in Los Pegasus.” Heartbreak looked at him, waiting for him to explain. “Right, I spent my time, much to my fathers dissatisfaction creating and making hats. Hats for my friends, for my family, for anypony just for the fun of it. Eventually, my father warmed up to the idea of having a hatter for a son, but it took a long time. I eventually made my way to Los Pegasus to compete in hatter competition, turns out that hatters are rather...cutthroat when it comes to their creations. Being from a small ‘town’ as it were, I was rather naive. Most of the competitors were unicorns who would turn their noses up at me. ‘No Pegasus can be a hatter!’ they told me.”

“ButIamsurethat youshowedthemotherwise, right?”

“Oh did I ever. By then I had hats that were made of all sorts of clouds, wispy things, thundery things, rainbows, and ice crystals. They were impressed, and dare I say, a bit jealous. I had normal silken hats too, I had been, after all, working on the ground as well. All was going well! I was winning competitions! I was a rising star of the hat world!” High Hat said longingly.

“Whathappened?”

“She happened. I really don’t know who she was, but she waltzed into my life-” High Hat began.

“Andletmeguess...Sheearned yourtrust, shewouldtell you allthethings youwantedtohear, andthenwhen youweren’tlooking, shebetrayedyou.” Heartbreak interuppted again.

“Actually, yes,” He said, looking a bit confused.

“AndI’llbet I knowhow therestof this storygoes, shesellsyoursecrets tosomeother hatter.” Heartbreak begins.

“Hey! Aren’t I the one telling this story?” High Hat asked. Heartbreak rolled her eyes and rolled her hoof. “Yes. That is exactly what happened. Top Secret ideas, new ideas for my newest hats in fact.” He sighed. “So, as you can already guess, when I was shocked to see my hats being produced by other hatters, and because they had registered these hats before I had a chance...I couldn’t register my hats without looking like I was stealing ideas from another hatter! Dismayed, betrayed, and excuse the expression, heartbroken, I dropped out of the Hatters Competition and took to the road to just...sell hats.”

Heartbreak looked like she was processing this. “Thatisonehorriblestory. The WillyWonka of Hats. Coursehis solutionwas to hire oopaloompas...Thatstill doesn’texplain whyyouaren’t makinghats again. Youshouldbemaking hats!”

High Hat just looked at the ground sadly. “I just...hit a hatter’s block. I ran out of ideas.”

Heartbreak looked at High Hat and then at her sipping cup, and then at High Hat again. “Tellme Mr. High Hat. Doyoulike tea?” She asked.

“Well, not really...Sometimes, I guess.” High Hat asked disconnectedly.

“Ahatterthatdoesn’t like tea?! Nowonder youare atablock! Tellyouwhat, I’ll makeanother deal withyou. Rightnow, Ihave adozen ideas forhats. And youcanhave them all...”

“If...?” He asked in a slightly confused manner.

“If youcan takeasip ofthis tea and notagree that itisthe besttea in allofEquestria.” She replied.

High Hat thought about this. Even if it was the best tea that he ever drank, he could just lie through his teeth. “Free of charge, no strings attached, and you won’t come back saying that they were your ideas?”

“Mum’stheword. Iwillevenadvertize whenever Iseeone of the hatideas, saying “Yupyupyup! That’soneofHighHat’s  finecreations!” She replied.

“And, if by some strange chance I do say that I am unable to resist the urge to say that it is the best tea in all of Equestria?” High Hat had to cover his bases here. Being a con-pony did teach him that much. Always look for the catch.

“Ifbysome randomchance, youdoso happento say,” She took a deep break and closed her eyes. “This is the best tea in all of Equestria”. Then I will give you only five ideas and,” her hoof tapped his top hat. “Igetthe hat that is sat atopyourhead.” she replied excitedly. High Hat looked a bit baffled, after all these months of conning ponies out of ther bits, a deal where he won either way, seemed just too good to be true. “Comeon, onesip, andyougoaway withsomehatideas eitherway. Imean..." She smiled a smile that was all too giddy. "Whatdoyouhaveto lose?”
> Spinning Vortex of Insani-Tea.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 21

Spinning Vortex of Insani-Tea.

Zecora sat upon her furskin rug. The shaman that gave her this gift meant well enough, and while Zebra culture had no taboos about wearing or using the skins of other animals, the ponies around her were more squeamish. However, the heavy fur had a silken texture to it, almost like rabbit fur. Thankfully, this wasn’t a rabbit. Otherwise, she’d have ponies chasing her out of town. Well, out of the Everfree Forest. She chuckled at this thought. Most were too scared to come near her hut, let alone the Everfree Forest that she called home.

The smell of burning eastern incense filled the air, a gift from Subtle Brew. There was an interesting kinship that had formed between her and Zecora. Despite being accepted by the ponies in Ponyville, Zecora still felt like an outsider sometimes. A being to be approached with caution. An oddity among the four legged and hoofed. Watching the eastern unicorn with her magic and mannerisms somehow made her feel less out of place.

Zecora centered herself. She began to meditate on the plains of her homelands. A dry arid place where one had to live off of their wits and cunning. Large tribes of different animals roamed and would bide for resources. The nearby jungle was home to many dangers, large cats and strange beasts.

She refocused on the plains, the wide open spaces. The rolling thunder during the rainy season. The sound of hoofbeats on dirt. The smell of familiar places. The-

“ZECORA!” came a shouting from a nearby window. There was a brilliant flash of light from the window. And within the span seconds, Twilight Sparkle appeared just inches away from Zecora’s face, startling and sending the zebra tumbling over.

Zecora pushed herself up. “Twilight Sparkle! If you wanted to talk,” she pointed angrily at the door. “The reason for doors is so you can knock!”

Twilight looked dizzy for more than a just a moment. “Uggggh,” she rubbed her head, “That is the last time I do more than one teleporting spell...” she blinked.

Zecora stood up and frowned. This was meant to be her quiet time her relaxing time. “If it caused you so much pain, then maybe you should took the longer route and saved yourself the strain.” Zecora sighed, and tugged on her fur skin rug, signalling Twilight to get off. She picked the rug up and went back to the closet.

“There’s no time for that!” Twilight replied as Zecora tossed the rug in.

Zecora turned to face Twilight, opening her mouth to say something that try to calm her friend. She was used to Twilight’s little panic attacks, but whatever was stressing her right now was setting her to tears. Zecora gave her a nurturing look. “Twilight, please excuse my anger, and do not cry. You are here now, so explain why.”
Twilight paced her hooves up and down. “Zecora...Let's just say that...well...just a hypothetical situation were to happen where a pony were to have more than two bags of creativi-tea, you said it would lead to insanity," Twilight says, trying to fight hyperventilation. "and when you say insane, I hate to ask, but how insane?"

Zecora shook her head. “Well, you see, first of all, I said it would lead to Insani-” Zecora paused. “Tea.”

“Oooooh. That’s what it is called when there are more than three bags of tea,” Twilight needed to make this less awkward somehow. “Let’s start over, one bag of Creativi-tea gets thoughts flowing to the surface much faster, two really gets them flowing and three leads to ‘insani-tea’, the effects of which are?”

“The effects of creativi-tea tend to be very strange, from pony to pony they tend to change. However, the more that one tends to drink, the better any idea sounds and the harder it becomes to think.” Zecora looked thoughtful. “Passed this point, a pony’s thoughts are really flowing, and the pony in question may do things without them even knowing. A pony in this state is never to be left alone, but should be kept inside and not out to roam. Without inhibitions, their minds soon will not care, the real danger to insani-tea begins to shine when the drinker, with other ponies, begins to share.”

Twilight looked even more frightened. The problematic mess back at her library now seemed much smaller if the Insani-tea that Heartbreak had was spread about. “Say that such a pony did get out of confinement. Would there be anyway of recapturing them, or talking them into going home?”

Zecora shook her head. “You cannot cure insanity with such subtlety.  The pony in question will seek to spread with other ponies as far as they can see.” She shook her head. Twilight was still looking a bit panicked and even more so after this whole explanation! “I am just curious as to why to this you did inquire, tell me now, why does your mood seem so dire?”

“Well, one last question. Let’s say that a pony were to make tea using all five tea bags?” She asked.

Zecora’s expression was a mix of shock and fear. “I do not like where these questions are starting to lead, but if a pony were to drink a full cup of that, their brain would begin to bleed!”

“Well, five bags weren’t used.” Twilight replied. Her worried expression still not leaving her face. Zecora gave a sigh of relief. “Just four.”

Zecora’s look of shock and horror returned and her left eye began to twitch. “Twilight Sparkle, are you trying to make me mad?! Four tea bags may not be five, but that’s just as bad!” she shouted.

“How-” Twilight began.

Zecora was racing to her front door. “There is no time to stay and talk, Twilight, lead me to your Heartbreak, we must run and not just walk!”

Twilight ran after Zecora. She could try to teleport back to Ponyville, but with the number of jumps she had just made, her magic felt nearly exhausted. “I’m not even sure I can do short distance jumping!”

Twilight galloped along with Zecora as they tried to take the quickest route out of the Everfree Forest. “How bad are we talking Zecora?!”

Zecora didn’t look like she wanted to reply to that question. The mere fact that Heartbreak had a four bag tea was racing through her mind. How could Twilight have been so irresponsible?! Why would she even give her that much tea?

“Zecora?!” Twilight shouted.

Zecora looked back at Twilight. “The creative spark is racing inside your friend’s head. If the antidote is not given to her within at least two hours time of her drinking....” Zecora found herself unable to finish her sentence. She felt responsible in part for this. Why did she even think to give Twilight this tea?! What was going through her mind?!

Twilight could feel tears welling in her eyes. “She’ll soon be dead?” Twilight squeaked out.

Zecora didn’t answer. They needed to get to Ponyville and they needed to get there fast.


=========================================================


"What do you have to lose?" Of all the things that High Hat had learned while watching other con-artists, that those were the famous last words of any con-artist to his latest pigeon. But, he wasn't a con-artist. He didn't want to be a con-artist. He wanted to make hats. He needed to make hats. The warm memory of his mother wearing his first hat was now fresh and new again. He hadn't thought of that moment where he earned his mark in years. But all of this was too good to be true. She was offering him a deal that was just too sweet. And with a name like Heartbreak, something was nagging him about it not ending well.

"You'renota con-artist,HighHat. You'rean Artist. Andartistsneedtocreate. Iknowwhatitisliketohitthatwall, thedespratefeelingofnot beingableto comeupwithsomething, anything. ButIcouldn't. ThenIdiscoveredsomething wonderful, somethingmagical, somethinginspiring. Andthedrawings and thestories startedtoflowagain. Allyouneed is somethingtostartit up." She said. Despite all the slight twitches, pulses and glitches on her face, there was a sincerity in her voice.

"I...I don't know, I have been on the road so long that I'm not sure I even know-" High Hat started. The mare snorted and looked at him. She took a longer than normal sip of her tea. Her eyes blinked open, and for a second, High Hat swore he saw them pulse with a light. She walked up to him.

"Everyartistknowshowtocreate. Theyjustneedsomeremindingsometimes." She interrupted again. Just then, High Hat was aware of the sensation of something being slipped onto his hoof. He looking down, he saw the sipping cup that she had been drinking from.

"I-"

"Comeon Mr. High Hat!" She actually took a deep breath, and paused for more than a second before speaking again. "Hold your breath," she darted around him. "Make a wish," she then twirled around him. Her eye twitched about something, like she was fighting something, however there was still that wide smile over her face. Then, she did something that seemed totally out of character. Her voice turned...musical.
"Drink my tea, then

Come with me And you'll be
In a world of Pure imagination
Take a sip and you'll rip
out of any stagnation."

She pushed on his shoulder and turned him around to look at cart of bland blank and boring hats he had been selling low these many months.

"We'll begin With a spin
Traveling in a world of your creation
What you'll see....won't need any explanation."

Her hip bumped High Hat's cart and a hat toppled out, landing nicely on Heartbreak's head. She opened up her arms and raised them to the sky before spinning around. High Hat's mouth dropped open. This was not the mare that had just berated him and had forced him to face an event that happened several years back. He was feeling many mixed emotions all at once. Wonder was one of them, but fear and shock were the others. Something about this just wasn't right. Maybe if it were another pony, but not with a pony named Heartbreak!

"If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, just do it
Wanta change your world?
Well, there's nothing to it."

Ending on that note of this strange, whimsical and airy song, she somehow bent backwards and looked at him upside-down. Her hoof pushed the cup closer to his mouth. The smell of the tea carried within was reaching his nose. And it smelled actually delightful. She gracefully snapped forward and continued the song.

"There is no life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there, you'll be free
If, you truly wish to beeeeeeeee!"

Heartbreak ended on the last note sourly. So much so that High Hat could feel the reverberations from her voice vibrate the sipping cup that had been placed on his right hoof. The cup almost drew itself to his mouth without his will acting on it.

“Just..one or two sips..won’t hurt,” He said, dazed at what he had just witnessed.

“That’sright,” She watched the tip of the cup touch his lips and then the cup tilt back. Her mane seemed to twitch and expand with her excited breathing. There was a flash of coloured arc across High Hat’s eyes. “Justoneortwosips won’thurt.”


=============================================================


In a flash, Spike was left alone, wide-eyed and panicking in the library. The state of which was a flurry of drawings, stories, diagrams and the like. There was practically everything here. Drawings of all his friends, of him, of Ponyville, Equestria, and all of their adventures for the past four to five years maybe. There were other places too, places he didn’t recognize. He picked up a drawing of what looked like a bent spoon with a cherry on it and gave a confused look.

The mess was frantic, over stimulating and a jarring mess, that was all too much for one dragon to take in. He backed away towards the open door. Pictures of things seemed to taunt him. He finally made it outside and slammed the door shut.

“Wow. Just. Wow. That’s incredible but...there’s just too much! It’s almost like everything, how, it’s like she was there!” Spike’s mind was spinning. It hurt to think about it. Was this the spinning vortex of insanity Heartbreak kept talking about? He shook his head and continued to back away. He ran away from the library. He was on a mission from Twilight. “If it is, best not to think about it. And even if it isn’t, I have to find Heartbreak!” he said aloud before crashing into a table.

“Hey! Watch it!” yelled a voice.

Spike rubbed his head and gathered his bearings, “Huh?” looking up he saw an aquamarine unicorn with a white stripe in her mane looking down at him.

“Lyra! Calm down, he wasn’t looking where he was going and accidentally ran-” the cream coloured pony with a blue and pink mane stopped mid-sentence. “Wait. Did you say, Heartbreak? Tan pony? Dark brown mane? Sparkling blue eyes? Broken heart?” She asked in rapid fire before pointing at her rump.

“Yeah! Have you seen her?” Spike asked, in a near blind panic.

“Yeah,” Lyra backed down and calmed herself. “She just kinda came out of nowhere earlier, seemed really...high strung  I think the word for it would be. Talking really fast. Anyway, Me and Bon Bon here..”

“Bon Bon and I,” Bon Bon corrected.

Lyra rolled her eyes. “Bon Bon and I, were having a conversation, and then out’a nowhere she comes. Totally opposite of what she was this morning when we saw her. She apparently might have been in some tooth pain, ‘cause she was asking about a dentist. I gave her instructions on how to get to Dr. Colgate and Bright-White’s office.”

“But...but she didn’t have any tooth problems this morning!” Spike said, worriedly.

Lyra shrugged. “That’s where she wanted to go.”

Spike paused. “Was she by chance also drinking some tea?”

Bon Bon nodded. “Yeah, from one of those sippy cups made for foals. You know, the no-spill kind? And I think it was rather strong. I almost could smell it from here.”

Spike nodded and raised a claw as if to say something, but turned and started to run in a direction.

Lyra groaned “The office is the other way!”

Spike rushed around in the actual direction of the office. “Iknewthat! Thanks!”
> You're Just in Time.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 22

You’re Just In Time.

There is a burning in my cheeks and a flush of embarrassment coming over me. It feels like I blacked out for a moment. But at the same time, I was fully aware of everything that was happening, and I couldn’t stop it. I shake my head and the bowler hat topples off, settling in front of High Hat.

Ever have a sneeze that you know is coming and you try to hold it in, but eventually it forces its way out your nose, whether you want it to or not? Or maybe you wanted to say one word and yet another word came out instead?
It was like that. Inside I was nearly screaming to stop. I wanted to stop, but it didn’t. The whole time I was inside my own head, pounding on the door, screaming for help. Yelling that somepony or being or something out there hear me. Instead, they got a female Willy Wonka singing about drinking tea.

That settles it. There is something wrong with this tea. There has to be. Why else would I do that, why else would I burst into song? I mean I loved the songs from the show and I sang them anytime I could, but this was different. It was crazy. I think I am getting-

“I dare say that is the best tea in all of Equestria,” High Hat says, almost instantly his free hoof covers his mouth.

-a new hat. I am getting a new hat. I blink and wonder what I was thinking about a few seconds ago. All I can remember is that I made a deal with High Hat, and it was for his hat. Which now I can claim to be mine. Hearing his words, another squee manages to escape. That's the third one today.

“I-I just lost a bet, didn’t I?” his eyes have a long distance stare to them. They flutter and he looks at the hats in his cart. His hoof moves up and he takes another sip of tea. I slip the cup off his hoof and put it back into my saddle bag.

“Thatyouhave,” I smile, as his hoof fidgets. “Andnow, myend of thebargin. FlyingFedora, acoolingcap, abowler thatcan onlybe removed bytheowner and never comesoff inthewind, aCollapsingCordobés, anda Sombrero made ofsunshine.”
High Hat blinks and starts mulling the ideas in his head. “I dare say that while your suggestions are wonderfully interesting,” his hooves started to move to the neatly packed boxes, he started pulling out pins and needles, brushes and feathers, and everything else a hatter would need to make hats. “They might actually be unnecessary! It’s incredible! There are twenty different ideas for new hats in my head as we speak! I-”

“Needtokeep Yourend ofour bargin,” I interrupt.

He blinks and then smiling he takes the hat he is currently wearing off his head. “Oh, yes! Here!”

I look over the purple silk top-hat. “It’smissingsomething, something vital.”

“And what could that be?” High Hat asks, fidgeting a bit more.

“Wouldyou,won’tyou,wouldyou,won’tyou, thatisifyoudon’tmind, takeablank threebyfive stockcard andwrite,” I move my hoof in the air, mimicking what I want so that there isn’t any confusion. “Ten-sixths, andthen placeit inthe ribbonof thehat?”

High Hat already has quill and stock card out, he slips the card into the spot I requested it. “Like that?!” he asks.

“Ooooohyesyesyes! Exactlylikethat!” I reply.

“Hmmm,the card won’t stay unless I pin it down. Normally would charge for that, but seeing that I have hats to make...This time is free.” he leans over to me. “This. Time.” He puts a small pin with a black bobble at the end through the ribbon to keep the card in place. “There!” he presents it to me.

“Ifyoudon’tmind? Couldyouplaceitonmyhead? I’mafraidthatIam a bitofabutterhooves...” I say, sadly.

“Not at all! Not at all!” he puts it on my head and my ears flick out through the holes in the brim. Looking around, I find that the sun isn’t in my eyes as much as it was before. I am a very happy pony right now. But there is still one thing I need before everything is complete.

“Imustbeoffthen,Mr.HighHat!” I begin to start to trot away. There is a shop that just has caught my eye. A shop that will help me with the device I need.

“Yes, yes! Be off with you Mis-, Uhm I mean Heartbreak, I have hats to make!” He replies gleefully.

“OhandMr.HighHat?” I say pausing for a moment.

“Hmmmm?”

“It’sbetterto useyourmarbles ratherthanloose yourmarbles.” I quip. He starts laughing and reaches for the grey bowler hat in front of him. I on the other hoof have spotted a shop at the other end of the block that will help me. There is a sign that looks like the face of a clock and around the border of said face is the name ‘Just in Time.’ “That’sexactlywhatIneed.”


==============================================================


The sound of ticking clocks echoed through the room almost constantly. Most of them were broken, busted, or just didn’t work. Shelves carried clocks of all shapes and sizes, colours and makes. Coo-Coo Clocks, grandfather clocks and pocket watches of all shape and hue. Diagrams of clocks, blueprints of clocks, and everything that could even be remotely clock or watch related. There was a cabinet of drawers that contained many of the parts, both magical and mechanical, used to fix the clocks.

And in this mess was a work bench. At this workbench was a unicorn with peppered spots on his coat was sitting at this bench. He was wearing a simple vest with one of the only working watches in this entire clock shop.

Another pocket watch was in front of him. Several tools were in his mouth and another one hovered over the pocket watch. On his face was perched a pair of glasses that magnified the delicate parts that he needed to place. He wore a gold embossed name tag that read “Pepper Pocket.” To the right of him was a picture of his mare and two twin foals, Tick and Tock. His wife didn’t exactly like their names, but with Pepper so happy to be a father, she let him have this naming.

“This one time,” she told him.

Next to the picture was a stale sandwich and a cold cup of coffee. He struggled to put the gears in properly in this pocket watch. Then his stomach growled at him. A silvery glow surrounded the sandwich and he tried to bring it to his mouth while concentrating on his work. He bit into the sandwich that his loving mare had made for him. Like many of the watches and clocks here, Pepper Pocket was one tightly wound pony. What was worse: He was on a schedule.

Just then, a random crumb fell from his muzzle and into the fine watch-works. He looked around for it. “No! Come on! Where are you?!” He searched and searched but to no avail. “No! No! No!” His hoof banged down on the worktable, the jarring set the watch to life as it spewed out its springs, gears and other watch parts. “NO!” looking somberly at the picture, he felt the need to cry. “I’m sorry, Jewel Movement, but it appears I’ll be home late...again!”

The bell to the shop rang. Pepper Pocket’s eye twitched in time with the ticking clocks. “Not. More. Clocks. Please.” He leered back at the front desk and felt the need to hide. The silhouette of a mare in a top hat stood in the door frame. “Calm yourself, Pepper. If you’re really quiet, she just might go away.”

She walked into the shop. She was a tan earth pony, with bright blue eyes and a dark brown mane and tale. She was looking around with a great deal of exuberance. She darted about the front of the shop, then stopped and took something out of her saddlebags. “Yes,yes,yes,yes,ohgawdsyes,yes! ThisistheshopthatIneed!” she then darted somewhere out of sight.

Pepper Pocket lifted his head from the workbench. He cautiously walked over to the counter. She wasn’t anywhere to be seen. The only thing that had denoted that she had even entered the shop was the slightly swinging bell and the mess of papers on the floor. He peered at the papers. They almost seemed to be diagrams for something that he just couldn’t quite make out from where he stood. “She appears to be gone...I wonder where she went off to? Oh well, she’s gone now.” he picked up the papers using his magic and shuffled them. He then sat them on one of the only bare spots in the entire shop. He turned around and was met with the sight of his broken clocks on the shelves. He sighed. “So many timepieces, so little time,” he commented out loud wistfully. Just then he heard the rustling of papers, and a playful giggle. He then felt a cold sensation as a shadow slowly crept over him. He quickly turned around. There was the mare again.

“Hiiiiiiithere, uhm,” she looked at his name tag. “PeeeepperPocket!”

“Oh, hello...” Pepper replied, nervously. “Welcome to ‘Just in Time,’ here we fix clocks, watches and timepieces of all kinds.” he rolled his eyes. “And sometimes, if we have the time, we make them.”

The mare’s face twitched slightly. “Ifyouhavethetime? You’rea clockshopthat sellstimepieces, butyou don’thave thetime?”

Pepper Pocket grimaced. He prepared himself for the slew of time related jokes that were sure to follow. “Nope, we haven’t the time for time here. After all when you have this many clocks, time flies trying to fix them all, Miss...” “There, got those jokes out of the way, now maybe she’ll go away!”  The mare looked around almost as she was in a constant state of distraction. The purple silk top hat she was wearing had a card stuck in it reading 10/6. “What an oddball pony.”

“GoodthingIdon’thave thetimefortimepieces,” she replied. “Andplease, don’tcallme ‘Miss’, mynameis’what,’ mynameis’who’,” she slapped herself. “Excuseme, Mynameis Heartbreak. Or. HB. For. Short.”

Pepper Pocket blinked and looked over the counter, his eyes darted at the mare’s flank. There was a black broken heart cutie mark. When she saw that he was looking, she gave him a harsh, glowering glare. “Heh-heh, sorry, I just...” he began.

“Didn’tyourmothereverteachyou nottostare attheabyss?” she lifted herself up on the counter and looked at him with those icy blue eyes. “Ifyou’renotcareful, it’llstareback youknow.”

Pepper Pocket backed away. “Right, uhm terribly sorry, I didn’t mean to stare..”

She blinked and took a deep breath. “It’sallright, justoneofthethingsIhave togetusedto,” she rolled her eyes. “I’mamare,andIcanchange,ifIhaveto...Iguess.”

Pepper Pocket blinked and rubbed his temples. This pony wasn’t making too much sense. “Wait, you said that you didn’t have time for timepieces. Does that mean that you aren’t here for any clocks? Any watches? Any time pieces at all?”

She shook her head. “Nope,nope,andumNope!”

He frowned. “Are you just here to waste my time?”

She gasped. “Iwouldnever wasteanypony’s time. Wastingtimeisafterall almostasbadas killingtime, andbelieveyou,me, Ihaven’t anytimetokill, letalonewaste! Timeisagiftafterall!”

Pepper looked once again confused and baffled. “Well, if you aren’t here to pick up a timepiece or drop off a timepiece, then why are you here?!”

She turned her head and looked at her hoof coyly. “Well,” she stared out. “YouseeMr.PepperPocket, Iam amarewith amission, yousee, Ihave...a...need.”

“A need?” Pepper asked.

“Yes,aneed. Aburningdesire,” she walked to the side of the counter and walked around to the back.

“Uhm, you can’t come-” Pepper started, backing away towards the wall behind him.

“Iamamarewithmany...needs,” she continued. “Andlookingaroundthis clockshop, Ithinkthatyou arejustthe ponythatcan fillthoseneeds.” she said getting rather close to him. Pepper ducked out and slipped away from her. She of course only pursued him.

“I’m not sure what you are getting at miss, but please!” Pepper shouted, backing into his working station.
She grimaced and glared at him, but then took a deep breath. “Please,don’tcallmemiss!” she calmed herself. 

“Heartbreak or HB, ‘miss’isso formal,andIreallydon’t likeit. Nowback to myneeds.” Pepper found himself edging his way to the back of this room as the mare in front of him slowly encroached. “Ihaveanew...emptinessinme PepperPocket. Ahole thatneeds tobefilled.”

Pepper found himself backed up against a wall again. He attempted make an escape but Heartbreak slammed a hoof up next to the side of his neck. “Please! I’m a married stallion with a wife and two foals!”

Heartbreak blinked and looked confused. “Whatdoesthat havetodo withanything?! Theydon’thave toknowaboutthis!”

Pepper felt himself on the verge of tears again. He had so many clocks around him, constantly ticking, and now suddenly he found himself in the back of his clock shop with some strange mare making moves on him! “Please! Stop this! I’m not comfortable with what you want!”

“Butyoudon’tevenknow whatIwant!” She said, her head lowered down..

“Oh, I think I have a pretty good idea of what you want, and I want no part of it!” Pepper shouted.

Her head jutted back up. “ButMr.PepperPocket. Ihaveaholethat needsfilling, itneedsfilling soIcan expressmy...specialtalent withallofEquestria! Thisholeneeds tobefilled withsomething...longandstiff!” Pepper Pocket looked horrified. “AndIam amare thatwantssomething, andwhen I want something,Iintendongettingit.” her head lowered down.

Pepper Pocket didn’t know what to do. “I’m sorry Jewel Movement, please forgive-”

“AndIneed thathole thatImade inmyhoof tobe filledwiththis!” she said as a flurry of papers nearly thwapped Pepper Pocket in the face. Pepper blinked, sweat dripping off his brow. They were the papers he had picked up earlier. He lifted them up with his magic. “Afterall! IfIamgoingto gotoallthetrouble ofputtingaholeinmyhoof, Ibetterfill it withsomething!” she said, backing away. She lifted up her right hoof. There was a neatly drilled hole on the inside of the hoof that extended all the way through to the bottom.

Pepper’s left eye twitched, as did his mouth. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or horrified. “Wh-wh-why is there a hole in your hoof?” He finally asked.

“SoIcandraw!Duh!” Heartbreak replied. “Justlookatthediagrams!”
> Dragon's Teeth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 23 

Dragon’s Teeth.

Spike rushed forward as quickly as his dragon legs would take him. He was unaware that at the same time he was running, Twilight and Zecora were also running.

“Right, so she stopped by that table, got instructions on how to get to the dentist, and then raced off! But why the dentist?! That just doesn’t make any sense!”

Then again, with what he saw at the library, it was a surprise that she even had any sense to even ask to go anywhere, let alone the dentist. There might have been clues in the cluttered mess back at the library, but...Spike shuddered at the thought of facing that mess again.

Turning into a street he saw the dentist’s office. He smiled. “I really hope that she’s still there!” Dentists usually took a long time to get to their patients, so there was the off chance that she was still there. Spike walked into the office.

He was greeted by the sound of a bell ringing and then by the sounds of drilling. Loads of drilling. A symphony of drilling as it were. It almost sounded like there were three, maybe four ponies in for their teeth. A musical voice came from the back. “Juuuuust a minute!” a white unicorn with a wavy mane walked out of one of the rooms in back. He had a face-mask on and there was a bit of sweat dripping off his forehead. What was perturbing was all the drilling stopped at once. He looked over the front desk. “A dragon! Oh my stars and garters! As I live and breath! A dragon!”

“Are...are you Doctor Bright-White?” Spike asked. From the back he heard the moans and groans of several ponies.

“That I am, that I am! And who would you be young ...uhm, what do they call young male dragons?” He asked.

“I don’t know, but my friends call me Spike,” he said, momentarily forgetting why he was there.

The doctor looked at a schedule book. “Spike,Spike,Spike! Nope! No Spike! Tell me, would you like to set up an appointment? Please do tell me, I am rather busy at the moment.”

“Uhm, no actually, I was wondering if you had seen a friend come through here. She’s tan, has blue eyes and a brown mane goes by the name of-”

“Heartbreak! Oh yes! Yes! Yes! She came in here for some drilling work!” Bright-White said nodding.

“D-d-drilling?” Spike asked meekly. “Did she have some serious tooth problems?”

“No actually! It was the strangest drilling that I have ever done. I might be new, but I have had to learn some interesting things about the different types of teeth I would encounter in my field.” He said, fidgeting a bit. “But, hey, this was the first time I had to drill a hole clean through somepony’s hoof!”

Spike’s eye twitched. “Hole...through...her..hoof?”

“Oh yes! I still have the diagrams that she showed me! Here!” he floated them to Spike. They were done in Heartbreak’s style alright.

“Did she say why she was getting a hole in her hoof?!” Spike asked, panicking.

“Not really, just that she needed it. I was really reluctant to do so, mind you. But then I had a sip of that...Wooooooonderful tea she had!” he said, practically swooning.

Spike’s look of horror continued. “Tea?”

“Yes, please!” he blinked. “Oh wait, you don’t have any. Well, she left my office at least ten minutes ago.” Bright-White looked at Spike intently. “Saaaay, I have never seen dragon teeth up this close...”

The horror that Spike felt turned to unease. He flashed a rather large and nervous smile at the dentist. “You don’t know where she happened to go after she left do you?”

“Not precisely,” Bright-White replied, walking over to Spike. Spike defensively covered his mouth. “I did see her walking down the street with all the minor little shops, clothing shops, antique shops, that clock shop at the end of the block, and that one hat shop with the shady sales pony...”

Spike blinked. There was no telling what Heartbreak would do to High Hat in this tea addled state of hers. Last time she tore through him like tissue paper! This time...”Well, it has been fun, but I really have to go right now...”

“What? But why? When’s the last time you had a check-up young dragon?! Your teeth must be cracking and in need of repair with how many rocks dragons crunch down!”

“Oh no...you see, continually growing! Yeah!” Spike replied, clawing at the nearest explanation. “Besides, you sound rather busy at the moment!”

“Busy? Oh Pish-posh-and-poppycock! I only have three patients that I am attending to right now,” Bright-White replied, his face slightly twitching.

“At the same time?!” Spike asked. Bright-White nodded. “Dude, don’t you think you need to take things in moderation? You know, one step at a time?”

“What? But there isn’t any time! I need to get to know my patients, what they like, how to calm them and what problems they have with their teeth! I need to be the best dentist! The. Best!” Bright-White’s eye twitched. “And the Best Dentist is one that can even work on Dragon’s Teeth! Ha! I bet Colgate has never done that before!” he exclaimed.

The clock struck half past the hour. “Oh, Look at the time, it has been at least half an hour, maybe more since I saw Heartbreak! I should really find her!”

“Wait!” Bright-White said his magical glow grabbing Spike’s arm. “I need to do this! You’ll see! It’ll be-”

Just then the door chimed open. A mare and her daughter walked in. 

“But moooooooooooooom! I don’t want to see the dentist! He’s scary and weird!” the cream-pink coloured filly whined.

“Strawberry Sweets! Don’t take that tone of voice with me. You are overdue and with as many sugary treats that you gobble down...” the lavender mare replied, scolding her.

Bright-White’s magic faded from Spike’s arm. “Oh! You’re early for your two-twenty appointment! Strawberry Sweets! Right there in the book.”

Spike raced to the door. Strawberry looked at the funny green dragon. Just before he darted out, he gave her a funny, panicked look and mouthed ‘I’m really, really, really sorry.’

Strawberry looked confused until she saw the creepy smile on the dentist’s face. Her ears drooped. “Today, I know fear,” she thought to herself.



=======================================================================


Pepper Pocket looked over the diagrams. For being crudely drawn, they were inspired. He had never seen such a device before, it looked like it had been plucked from an out-of-this world comic book.

In appearance, it looked incredibly simple. A standard pencil. However, this pencil had an expanding barrel and a rounded top that was split into five sections that were buttons for other tools. There was the pencil, of course, but there was also an eraser, a pen, a ‘smudge’, and an empty slot for small specialized tools. While that was all interesting, it was the inner workings of this device that had Pepper mesmerized.

“All this in a single...what did you call it again?” He asked.

“MechanicalPencil,” Heartbreak replied.

“And the dial on the side controls how much the barrel of this ‘mechanical pencil’ expands and contracts?” he whistled. 

“That is one tall order. That is a lot of small working parts in a tight confined space...One second, how do you intend on keeping the pencil sharp?”

The mare infront of him blinked as if his question posed no problem. “That’ssimple. Youdon’t. Theleadofthepencil isathinline ofgraphitethat ispushedout asneededwhen youclickthepencilbutton. Well,whilethepencilbuttonis ‘active’.”

Pepper raised an eyebrow. “Good luck finding graphite that thin...” he shook his head. “Or even getting a pony to make this,” he saw the disappointment on Heartbreak’s face as he spoke those words. “I mean, it’s not that you can’t get it made, but what you’re asking me to do is rather, no offence, but I believe it is in the realm of impossible.”

“Believingimpossiblethings iseasy, PepperPocket,” she replied, tilting her head. “Why,Ibelievednineimpossiblethingsbeforebreakfasttoday.”

Pepper shook his head. He had a hard time understanding what Heartbreak was saying with the way she was talking. She sounded like a watch that had been wound too tightly and was ticking too quickly. “Be that as it may, I already have a large workload on me. Being one of the few clock repair shops in this area doesn’t allow me to work on frivolous projects.” He sighed and looked at a few oddball half finished pieces on a far away shelf. “As much as I would like to. Besides, I can see a vital flaw in your design.”

Heartbreak scoffed and looked insulted. “Flaw?Ihavechecked thesedesignsover twice!thrice!Evenfourtimes!Whatcouldbemissing?!”

“A power source? This kind of thing couldn’t work on mechanics alone. It would need a power crystal of some kind,” Pepper replied.

“Powercrystals,uhm,wouldthosebe redcrystals keptinthecabinets inthefourthdrawerfromthetop?” she asked.

“Yes...” Pepper blinked. “Well, normally they would be, but I have misplaced quite a few of them. And they aren’t the most inexpensive things. I have had to settle for green or yellow power crystals.”

Heartbreak looked around frantically, she then blinked. “Aretheythin hexagonalandabout fiveinchesorless long? Causethereis oneon thatshelf, oneunderthatclock, anotherunder yourworkingdesk, oneinthiscrack inthefloor, forsomereason asah-hahaafff!” she spat on her words. “Aspartofthatclockface in thatclock overthere, andfinally...” Pepper Pocket flinched a bit as she reached forward. She tapped on his vest pocket. “Thereisonerighthere.”

Pepper looked a bit shocked. “How did you-” he sighed. “I thank you, Heartbreak, but again, I just wouldn’t have time for this little project of yours. I have more clocks on my hooves than any one pony can, or should handle. Each one of them with a deadline to be met and each one with a different problem! I am lucky if I get two or three clocks fixed in a day. The project that you are asking me to do would take months...”

Heartbreak shook her head. “Months?!No,no,no,no! Iamonadeadlinemyself!” she rubbed her head. “Andnottosoundlikean AppleBloom, but’ahwantitnow!” she said, zipping up to Pepper, desperation in her eyes. “Well,need-it,want-itnow...”

“I am terribly sorry, Heartbreak,” he replied, almost adding a ‘miss’. “I just don’t have the time. Not by myself anyway.”

“Whydon’tyouhiresomeponyelse tohelpyouwithalltheseclocks?!” she asked.

“Can’t afford it,” he shook his head. “When my mentor was here, maybe, but ever since his...” Pepper grimaced, “Retirement. I have been stuck here, alone, barely having time for the projects I really want to do, or even my loved ones.” he put a hoof on the portrait of Jewel Movement. “I never thought I would ever get sick of clocks. But, I really am. I hate fixing them.” he sat down at his work station.

“Thenwhyareyouatyourjobifyouhatewhatyoudo? Don’tallponiesdosomething thatdealswiththeirspecialtalent? Somethingtheylovedoing?” Heartbreak dug around in her saddlebag for something.

“Well, yes, but really I don’t like fixing clocks. It isn’t my special talent,” Pepper replied. “My special talent is in making clocks. I love making something new, something original, something that no pony has ever seen. It’s ironic really. While other ponies are free, I am a prisoner to my job, a job that gives the other ponies what I don’t: Time.” he picked up the coffee cup and took a sip, his face twisted up. “I barely have any energy and to top it all off, I am stuck drinking cold coffee all day.” he glared at the cup. “I wish I could help you Heartbreak. However, I neither have the time or the energy, so, if you don’t mind, time is money. And I have wasted enough money talking to you.”

Heartbreak frowned at Pepper Pocket. She pulled out a sipping cup and took a sip of it. Her face twitched. “Mmmmstillwarm.”

Pepper looked over at her. “What’s still warm?” he inquired.

“Oh,mytea,” she replied.

“My word, is that what you are drinking that makes you sound like a hyperactive chipmunk? How much have you had?” Pepper asked.

“Oooooh, justoneortwosipshereandthere. It’sreallygooooodtea,” she replied.

“Really? What kind of tea is it?” Pepper asked, sniffing the air in hope he could get a whiff.

Suddenly there was a bright flash of a smile on her face. “Oh,itisjustthemostwonderoustea inallofEquestria, it’sateacalled ‘Creativi-Tea,’” She replied. “Anditisstillverymuchquitewarm.”

Pepper looked curious. “Creativity. I could use some of that right about now...Are you against sharing a bit of it with me?”

Heartbreak grinned from ear to ear. “WhyMr.PepperPocket. Ithoughtyou’dneverask.” she sweetly replied, offering him the cup.


=======================================================================


Spike ran down the street. His run in with Doctor Bright-White was painting a rather unsettling, unnerving, and really creepy picture of what a cup of Creativi-Tea made with four tea bags could do to a pony.

“And I don’t think he had much! If Heartbreak is sipping on it from who-knows-when to now....Oh man...” Spike shuddered at this thought. “Her mind must be racing! But...racing to what?” he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Even if creativi-tea wasn’t an energy drink, Twilight had complained to Heartbreak the dangers of having what she called a, ‘caffeine overload,’ and how it would lead to an early grave! His eyes widened as he realized the further desperation of his situation. “Finding. Heartbreak. Now!” He shouted. Just then he found himself running into what could only be described as a mountain of hats.

“Oh, me, Oh my! My hats!” said a familiar voice. “Oh, no, no, no! Look what you have done! Some of them are flying away before they are finished!”

Spike rubbed his head slightly. “What is it with me and running into things? And why can’t I just run into Heartbreak?”

A flurry of hats surrounded him, all of them diving and ducking around with little wings. Other hats crept about on the ground, there were hats that were collapsing and uncollapsing. Hats that were made of grass, roots, feathers, marbles, and various other materials. There were even hats that had what looked like small felt teeth in their mouths.

High Hat looked down proudly at Spike. “Do you like them!? I call it my ‘Random Hat Collection!” he said, in a loud, excited voice.

“Uhm...let me guess, you ran into Heartbreak again...didn’t you?” Spike asked nervously, looking at all the strange hats.

“Oh, yes! And what’s more, I found my muse! I tell you that mare can really look into a pony’s soul! His inner workings! It was like she saw this block in my head and bashed it to bits!” High Hat said.

“Yeah...” Spike rubbed his temples. “She gave you some tea, didn’t she?”

High Hat nodded vigorously. “Oh, and by golly it was the best tea in all of Equestria! I had but one or two sips! But oh, was it ever marvellous tea! Really got me thinking about things. I mean, why was I so hung up about Los Pegasus?! The past is the past, and the present is now! On to the future...The future of hats!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “Oh look! One of my hats seems to be taking a liking to you!” High Hat pointed at a small bowler hat that had felt teeth.

“Uhhhh,” Spike began, looking at said hat. The creation was almost crouched down and wiggling its brim away from him. Almost like a cat ready to pounce some sort of rodent. “That’s...really...nice...” he replied, looking really unnerved, he turned back to High Hat. “Did you happen to see where Heartbreak went after she left here?” That’s when the hat pounced the top of Spike’s head. “Aaah!”

“Awwww! It likes you!” High Hat said, before looking thoughtful. “Where. Did. Heartbreak. Go...Right, I think she was looking down the street and saying something about her needing something. She most likely spotted a shop or something. I’m not terribily sure...” High Hat’s hooves paced franticly about, before grabbing another blank bowler hat.

“Aaah! Get this thing off me!” Spike tugged and pulled at the hat. However, it refused to come off. What’s more he swore that the hat was almost growling at him.

“Oh right, that’s one of my, ‘Won’t come even in a stiff wind,’ hats. It only comes off if the wearer wants it to. However, I am still working on the ‘comes off’ part. The last batch is better than the first. They wouldn’t come off at all. This one... I think it will come off, but you have to give it some time.” High Hat replied.

Spike shook his head to try and get the thing off. However, it was far more persistent and stubborn than the little dragon had time for. “Whatever! She went down that way?”

High Hat momentarily looked up. “Oh No. She went down the other way. Not sure which shop though!”

Spike rolled his eyes. He would have to check every one of them. “Great. Thanks,” he said racing off.

High Hat smiled as the little dragon wore his creation. “Yes, yes, yes. A place for every hat and every hat in its place.... 
> A Clockwork Heartbreak
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 24

A Clockwork Heartbreak.

Heartbreak’s face was broken out in a wide, excited smile. Around her floated gears, cogs, pendulums, screws, wires, crystals, her pencils and a thousand other assorted clock related objects- All which glowed with a silvery light. Her hooves clopped together happily as she watched what seemed like pure chaos form into ordered shapes. And the pony orchestrating this all was standing atop his work desk.

“Amazing! Incredible! Fantastic! I have done more work in the last five minutes than I have done in the last five weeks!” he bolted together several clocks at once, several more were brought to new shelves, and in front of him a device was taking form. “And you were right, the graphites from these pencils will do just fine if I can rework the leads to be of a smaller size! The only problem I see with that is, that you will have to come to me if you run out of leads...”

“Howis thata problem, PepperPocket?” the mare asked. Her speech seemed to have calmed down from the time he had taken those scant three sips of her tea. It was almost like they were two different clocks and he was almost now running at the same speed she was. “Doesn’t thatmean yougetmore businessfromme?”

“I’m not sure I need more business, but after this...maybe I shall! However, I am going to be really busy filling out paperwork for once! There has been clocks backed up since last July, but now I have nearly half my work load gone! I keep this up, and I might actually might be able to not only start one of my own projects, but for once I will be able to get home in time for supper! Oh, Jewel Movement will be ever so delighted!” he replied, wires, springs and little fiddly mechanical bits floated together in front of him. The mechanical pencil was finally looking like the pencil in the crude diagrams.

Heartbreak approached the hovering device. She was almost squealing in delight. “Yessss, howsturty isthis going tobe? It’snot goingtobreak if Ijustdrop itisit?” She asked.

“Oh heavens no, it can take quite the pounding, but that’s not to say that you should purposely run it through the wash, pound it with a boulder, or use it in either a sword fight or as a baseball bat!” Pepper Pocket replied, as the parts screwed themselves together. “There...now for the final part.” A single ruby red crystal floated to the two of them. “Its heart. And no heart is complete, without a heartbeat.” he lowered his horn to the crystal and in a silvery flash of light, he imbued it with a bit of power. The crystal started to pulse and glow on its own accord.  Pepper took the pencil and pushed down on all five of the buttons at once. The top part blossomed open and the crystal slid into its new home. Pepper tapped the top again, closing the whole thing up.



“You’respeaking inpose. Zecora wouldbe pleased,” Heartbreak said, her eyes affixed to the new device in front of her.

“The real question is, are you pleased with this work, Heartbreak?” Pepper Pocket tugged at her right hoof. Heartbreak lifted it and watched the pencil slide in through the drilled hole ever so easily. “All you need to do to adjust the pressure, is tap this little dial on the side to the appropriate colour.” Pepper demonstrated for her tapping on orange. The barrel expanded a bit in her hoof, it still felt loose, so she tapped to yellow-green. It fit perfectly now. “I even added a bonus feature! Watch!” He tapped the middle of the dial, almost instantly numbers flashed on the face. They read 11:45 am. “Now, you will always have the time,” he tapped on the middle of the dial again, “for the time!”

Heartbreak looked so happy she could cry. In an uncomfortable instant she grabbed Pepper Pocket in an awkward hug. “OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh! Youhavemademethe Happiestmare inallofEquestria! Icouldkissyou rightnow, butIdon’t findyouattractive intheslightest!”

Pepper was momentarily distracted and the objects in the shop drooped but then jumped back up. “Uhm...thank you? I dare say that I am actually quite relieved to hear you say that, with how you were acting and talking earlier, I thought...”

Heartbreak pulled back and blinked. “Thoughtwhat? I toldyou, I hadaneed and itneeded tobe filled. Thankstoyou, thatneed hasbeen filled!” she replied, obviously.

“Well, it’s just that...” Pepper began.

Heartbreak looked rather confused and worried. “It’sjust What?”

Just then, Spike burst through the door. “Heartbreak! There you are!” he was panting. “I have been searching every shop on this block! I need you to come back to the library this instant!”


=======================================================================


The sight that Spike was met with was that he had only seen used by Master Magic Users back in Canterlot. Clock pieces were floating everywhere, a near maddening haze of gears, wires, springs and other things all floating in the air. Clocks were almost spontaneously forming from this soup of silvery grey magic and random jumble.

In the middle of it all there was Heartbreak doing something very unHeartbreak like: Hugging the shop owner.
Heartbreak turned to look at Spike, she lifted up her right hoof. From any angle, what he saw just looked wrong. There was a pencil of some kind that was embedded in her hoof. The top half was in the inner side of the hoof, while the end of the pencil came out of the bottom edge.

“Twilight isn’t going to approve of that at all!” he thought to himself, grimacing.

“Icannotthankyouenough, Mr.PepperPocket,” she turned her head and flipped open her saddle bag. She then tapped on the side of the pencil. The device churred with a mechanical whirring and she plucked it out with her mouth, before slipping it into her saddle bag. “Thismeanstheworldtome.”

Spike looked exceptionally concerned. Last he left Heartbreak, he could at least understand what she was saying, now her words were just slurring together. “You-you actually put a hole in your hoof...”

Heartbreak turned and smiled at Spike. Everything about her right now was unsettling. Her eyes were nearly glowing, almost twinkling. Her mane, along with her tail, seemed to frazzle a bit. Her face twitched here and there. Finally, she lifted up her hoof and Spike found himself morbidly grossed out. He could see light coming through the hole in her hoof. “Yupyupyup! Thegooddoctorwaseversokindinhelpingmewiththat!” She carefully set her hoof down. “HesaysthatIshouldn’tputtoomuchpressureonitandgiveittimetoadjust!”

Spike was at a loss of words for all of this. The pictures, the drawings, the drillings, the hat chewing on his head, the fact that there wasn’t a single breath in anything that Heartbreak said. He wanted just to panic and find a nice quiet cave to curl up in. But what would Twilight say?

“No Spike, be strong. We got to get her back to the Library, back home. Safe and Secure, so she can’t do any more damage to herself or others. Then we wait until Twilight gets back,” He thought to himself, he took a deep breath. “Right, so, uhm are you done with everything?”

Heartbreak thought about it for a moment, and then her head bobbled in a nod. “Oh,yes,yes,yes,yes,IthinkImade achecklist foritall!” she pulled out a scrap of paper. “Stepone. Finddentisttodrillhole. Check. Steptwo. QuestionmarkQuestionmarkQuestionmark? Huh.” she shook her head. “Stepthree getpenciltofillhole!” she looked over the paper. “Yupyupyup! Everythingonmychecklist ischecked, nowIamdone andcangobacktodrawing!”

“Which means we can go back to the library right? Go back home, yes?” Spike asked.

Heartbreak nodded and gleefully clipclopped up next to Spike. “Yes,yes,yes,yes! Homeagainhomeagain, marketisdone!” she looked back at Pepper Pocket. “IknowIkeepsayingthis, butIcan’tthankyou enough! NotonlydoIhaveawonderfulnew pencil, butIhavethetime!” she grinned from ear to ear. “Onlyifeveryponyhadthe time! Thenmaybeyou’dhavesome’me-time’!”

Spike tugged on Heartbreak, rolling his eyes. “Come on, Heartbreak...”

As the two of them left ‘Just in Time’ a thought ran through Pepper’s head. “I would have some me time if everypony had the time...” he looked at his clocks. “But they can’t always get to the time...” blinked. “If they can’t get to the time...Maybe the time can get to them! Brilliant!”

He set to work on the idea that was burning in his head.


=======================================================================


Spike is looking at me disapprovingly, “Oh, when Twilight gets back...You are going to be in so much trouble!”

I blink. “Trouble?WhywouldIbeinanytrouble?” I ask. Really, it doesn’t make any sense that I would be in trouble.

Spike turns around and stops me in my tracks. He then grabs my hole-y hoof. “Oh, you went out alright! And then you had some dentist drill a hole in your hoof! Not to mention that you were giving your tea to pretty much almost anypony out there!”

I pull my hoof away from him. Angry Spike isn’t a fun Spike. “ItseemedlikeagoodideaatthetimeSpike.” I rub my hoof against my leg. “Besides!ThoseotherponiesneededthatteamorethanIdid!” I blink at hearing what I just said. There is a slight lightheadedness that comes over me, but nothing that I can’t handle.

Spike frowns and motions me to keep walking with him. “Listen to yourself, Heartbreak! I can barely keep up with how fast you are talking!” he looks at me with concern. “Not only that, but you are starting to seem really out of it! We need to get you back to the library, that way we can wait for Twilight to get back.”

I blink. “Ithinkyoumightberight,Spike. BesidestherearestillmoredrawingsIneedtodo! Ponyvilleisnice andall, butitisn’t therightplace todoanydrawings! Leastnotrightnow, Ineedtopractice withmynew pencilandnewhoof!”

I can see Spike rolling his eyes over something. “You mean after we clean up that mess in the library. I have never seen the library in such a state of disarray. Papers everywhere! I know I’m not the most organized of dragons, but really, that was just like a creative explosion!”

Now it is my turn to roll my eyes. “Ihadalotofthings onmymind, Spike,itwasliketherewasa universe inmyhead. Andwell...Itwantedout. Itneededout. Whyareyousoupsetanyway?”

Spike looks at the sky. “Well...I don’t want to freak you out here, but Twilight said something about the tea that you have been drinking had too many tea bags or too much honey in it, it could cause the pony drinking it to become unstable.”

I pause. “Unstable?Hmm,wait,IthinkIremember,unstablelikeburstingintosong,unstable?”

“How is that unstable? Ponies burst into song all the time, it’s not only a common occurrence, but also an important part of Equestrian Communication.” Spike replied.

“It’snotpartofcommunicationwhereIamfrom, Spike. WhereIamfrom, it’snotnormal.” I reply. We turn a corner on the main street. It’s a quiet day in Ponyville it seems.

“Sounds like a pretty boring place, Heartbreak. Machines that control everything...energy drinks...giant spoons with-” he continues to talk, but I have lost interest. I know I should be paying attention but really, he’s getting boring. So boring that I have started paying attention to the cracks in the sidewalk. You’d think they would keep up with things like that in Equestria. Where there is a pony that fills in any crack he or she sees before it can get too big. Huh, maybe Spike is right. Normally I wouldn’t find cracks in the sidewalk this interesting. I-

“Oh! Hello!” says a familiar voice. “Fancy running into you, Miss Heartbreak!”

The words, ‘Miss’ and ‘Heartbreak’ together trigger something inside of me as it is. However, the voice that is speaking them has caused a whole slew of other uncomfortable reactions to happen inside of me, it is an icky feeling. Looking up, I see a pony I don’t want to see right now: Ghost Writer.

I need to make this icky feeling go away. Just then I feel the top of the sipping cup touch my lips and a few drops of tea trickle down my throat. The cup is on my hoof, but I don’t remember taking it out of my saddle-bag and putting it there. In the background I think I can hear Spike calling out to me to stop what I am doing.

However, I fear it is too late for that. Because everything is going white.
> Paging Dr. Seuss
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 25

Paging Dr. Seuss

“It’s just that Twilight is worried about you with all things considered. With what Celestia said, with where you’re from and how you got to Ponyville,” he said, not realizing that Heartbreak had stopped paying attention long ago. “She’s stressed and walking on eggshells, afraid that one slip-up will result in horrible things. Heh, you know that feeling, right Heartbreak?” Spike asked. His only answer was silence. “Heartbreak?”

Looking over his shoulder, he saw why there wasn’t any answer. There was Heartbreak, though her back was turned to Spike, from her expression and the way she was posturing, he knew something was really wrong. Her hoof was reaching back frantically into her saddle bag somehow, seeking something. He heard a voice that he knew rather well and it was a voice that he was sure Heartbreak didn’t want to hear right now: Ghost Writer.

“Not good!” Spike thought to himself, this was, of course, before he saw the sipping cup on her hoof. Any more tea, and he was sure that she would be suffering from overload. “HEARTBREAK! NO! STOP!” he shouted, racing back to where she was. She turned and looked at him absent-mindedly, as if she wasn’t even thinking about what she was doing. The cup met her lips and her hoof tilted back. There was a bolt of white light that streaked across the mare’s eyes and her mane and tail frazzled with sparks.

Ghost Writer looked a bit frightened. “Excuse me, Miss Heartbreak, but are you alright?”

As her head turned to face him, he swore he could hear the tendons in her neck. They sounded like construction cables that had been pulled too tight. Her expression wasn’t any better. Her eyes were contracted to the smallest of pupils, one of them was twitching at a regular pace. There was a wide beaming smile almost plastered on her face. Her hooves were nearly clattering against the ground.

“I’mGreat!JustGreatGhostWriter!Grrrrrrrrrreat!Imeanwhywouldn’tspellingBe?” she asked him in an almost frantic manner. “Ishouldbepurrrrfectlyfine!Delighted! Everythingshouldbeturningupgunsandroses!”

“I...beg your pardon?” Ghost Writer asked.

“GunsandrosesGreat!” she started to walk towards him. Her movements were quick and jerky. “RollingstonesGreat!Imean,Iemergelikeabulletwithbutterflywingsfromthelibrary, andwhat’sthefirstthingthathappens. The. First. Thing. That. Happens. IsthatIhavesome ponystaringatmyrump! Ishouldexpectthat, seeingthatiswhere thecutiemarkis right?!”

Ghost Writer backed away almost as quickly as Heartbreak encroached on him. “Well, uhm, one would assume so. Afterall, that is the purpose of a mark, to, uhm show the w-”

“Theworldisavampiremytalent! Yesyesyes,Iknow!” Heartbreak began.

Spike jumped between the two as quickly as he could. “Heartbreak! We need to get you back to the Library right now!” he said, jumping up and down to get her attention. Heartbreak, on the other hoof seemed focus at whatever it was that she was set on doing.

“NotNowSpike!” both of her hooves shot forward to catch the baby dragon in midair. Spike swore he felt a near electric pulse when she made contact, either that or it was how fast the mare’s hooves were vibrating. “I-Am-Talking-To-GhostWriter!”

“I think, perhaps, you should take your friend’s advice and-” Ghost Writer began, continuing to back away.

Spike was dropped unceremoniously to the ground. The feeling of the time he tried to bite an electric eel was coursing through his body. That dizzy, dazed and tingling feeling. “Oooooh...” he tried to shake his head of the feeling, but it just wouldn’t let him go.

Heartbreak’s attention snapped back to Ghost Writer. “You.Think?” She zipped right up to his face. “Wereyouthinkingwhenyouwere talkingaboutmynameimplyingthat everythingIdowouldn’t leave,’adryeyeinthehouse?’” Ghost Writer jumped back. “Orwereyouthinking whenyouwereflirtingwithme? Areyoueventhinkingrightnow!?”

“I-I-I am t-t-terribly sorry, Miss-” he stuttered out.

“Do. Not. Ever. Ever. Ever. EVER. Call. Me. Miss!” she backed away for but a moment. “Ever! Ihatethat!Idestestit!Idespiseit!CallmeHB,youwhitewhale!”

“White Whale? Uhm, ‘H.B.’ I dare say that I don’t think that you’re in your right mind,” Ghost Writer replied, attempting to reason with her.

“You’retheonenot thinkingandI’mtheonenot inmyrightmind? Ialmostagree! EversinceIcamehere Ihavebeenin thewrongmind! Butreally, rightmind, wrongmind, leftmind, Ileftthosebehind!” Her face twitched. “Saaaaay,whywasitfancy runningintomeanyhow? Wasitordinaryrunning intomebefore?”

Ghost Writer’s mind was screaming at him to run away from this mare. Every fiber in his being was scared out of its wits. Why wasn’t he running away? It was like the moment she looked at him with those eyes, those electric eyes, he couldn’t help but answer her questions. “I-I-I-I Just wanted to apologize to you for earlier! For making what could be misunder-s-s-stood as passes at you! You see, I h-h-h-have a problem with interacting with other p-p-p-ponies sometimes and-”

Heartbreak’s face twitter-twitched. “Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrpblem?!” a rather strange grin crept over her face. “Youhaveaproblem?! Whatisitwithponiesandtheirproblems today!? Ihavebeenrunninginto allsortsofproblems! Brightwhite doesn’tinteractwithhispacients right! HighHatcouldn’tmakeahat,evenifitwas foracat! AndPepperPocketwas stuckinhis work likeawatchwithabroken sprocket!” her grin grew unsettlingly wider, her eyes settled on the tea cup latched to her hoof. “But. Ifixedalltheirproblems. BecauseIhadthesolution. Right. Here.” Her hoof looked like it was about to jet out to Ghost Writer’s face. Just then Spike jumped on her back and covered her eyes.

“HEARTBREAK! No! Stop!” he shouted. But when it appeared that she wasn’t going to stop, he looked desperately at Ghost Writer. “Run! I don’t think I can hold her much longeeeeeeer!” he shouted as Heartbreak bucked him off her back and into a nearby tree.

Ghost Writer didn’t need too much of an invitation to start running away. With Heartbreak’s gaze broke, the unicorn took to a full gallop in whatever direction was away from Heartbreak.

Heartbreak raised her hoof. “GhostWriter,Wait!You’llsee! Tosolveyourproblem allyouneedisasipofthisfantastictea!” she said before racing after him.


=======================================================================


I groan and rub my head. The last thing I saw was a white flash. Sitting up, I find myself in what looks to be a control center of some kind. There is a large screen, a control panel with an assortment of buttons. The room flutters with colours and seems to change constantly around me. Then I hear crunching noises coming from my right. Looking over I see a tan pony with a brown mane and tail. They have their snout in a bucket of what appears to be movie style popcorn.

I shake my head and rub my face again. Then a realization hits me. I’m not rubbing my face with hooves. 

“I...have...hands!” my newly found hands cover my mouth. “I can say ‘hands!’” I shout. “Wait! That’s my voice!” And it is my voice. My real male voice!

The bucket drops off the pony’s face. “No you don’t, no you can’t.” she says looking at me. “And no it isn’t.” her sad blue eyes glare at me.

I pat myself down. “What are you talking about!? I’m Human again! I’m me again! Wait...If I’m me, then who are you?”

She licks her hooves. “I’m Yu.” she replies.

“You can’t be me, I’m me,” I reply looking myself over. I’m clothed. I am wearing the green sweater my grandmother gave me and the black jeans I love so much.

“That’s right. You’re Mi, and I’m Yu,” she draws something on a piece of paper. The mechanical pencil that I just got is in her hoof. When she lifts the paper up, the japanese hiragana for ‘Mi’ and ‘Yu’ are written. “You remember these from high school right?”

“Oh, Mi and Yu,” I reply.

“And Yu and Mi,” she replies. “I’m Yu, and you’re Mi. Now that we have that out of the way, you’re most likely wondering where we are. Course, you being Mi, you already know.”

I face palm. “We’re inside our own heads. Fuck.” I smile and laugh. “No wonder I can curse, talk normally and look normal.”

“Yes, yes and no,” she replies. “That isn’t normal, well not anymore. I’m the one that is what we look like normally.”

“I don’t agree with that,” I reply, glaring at her.

“Of course you don’t agree with that. You’re the illogical part,” Yu replies.

“Oh, I get it now, you’re the logical part. I’m the illogical part. Left brain,” I point to myself. “And Right brain.” I point to her. “The part of us that is fighting what happened, and the part of us that has just given the fuck up.”

“I haven’t given up, I have just come to accept what has happened to us,” she snorts, looking at the TV screen.

“Accepted it?! You’ve just accepted being a pony, just like that? Like after one week?” I ask.

“Why fight it? The council sent us here. They could have pulled us back, they didn’t, and now there isn’t anyway back.” Yu replies.

“Because if we just accept it, they win!” I say approaching her. I am stopped by a wall of sorts. I pound on it to make sure it’s there. Several ‘bumf! bumf!’ noises confirm this.

“We have been over this, Mi. They have already won. They sent us away. They left us without any hope of return.” Yu shakes her head sadly. “And yes, there is some sort of wall that separates us. Annoying really.”

“Because it prevents us from hugging?” I ask.

“No, because there are buttons that we have to push together over there.” Yu points at the control panel.

“Wait! They didn’t leave us with any hope!” while Yu the one that is looking sad, I am the one feeling something warm drip off my face. “Sabrina told us-”

“Pretty little lies. We’re not adapting to this world, we’ll never adapt to this world.” Yu interrupts, turning her back at me.

“That’s not true! We will adapt! We’ll Grow! You don’t know that we won’t for sure!” I shout.

Yu turns and looks at me. “Really?!” she points at the screen. “Does that look like adapting to you? Cause it doesn’t look like it to me!”

I am about to correct Yu on her grammar or make some funny remark, when I look at the screen.


=======================================================================


Ghost Writer had never been so frightened in his life. He didn’t know what happened to the nice, quiet, shy mare who claimed to be an artist of sorts this morning. However, he was sure regretting making anything that could be misconstrued as a pass at her. He turned his head. She wasn’t behind him. He slowed his pace and tried to breath. Just then, the tea addled mare’s face jutted out of a nearby bush.

“GhostWriter, youliketea! Wouldyoudrinkteawithme?” She asked.

Ghost Writer jumped back but tried to answer as calmly as he could. “Yes Heartbreak, I do like tea, but I have had quite enough today. And I think you also may-”

Heartbreak slid out of the bush. “Youcanneverhaveenoughtea,” she put up her hoof with the sipping cup on it.”Justtakeasipandthatyouwillsee!”

Ghost Writer backed away again. He looked around frantically.” No thank you, Heartbreak, I would not like any tea, Uhm Somepony please help me?”

She jumped to his left side to counter his movements. “Ohcomeon,wouldyoulikeithere,” she jumped to his right. “Orthere?”

Ghost Writer turned around. There was a door to a house! He quickly opened it and rushed in. He would have to explain himself to the owner of the house, but right now it would be far better than dealing with Heartbreak in her current state. “I would not like any more tea, I would neither like it here or there. I do believe I would not like the tea you're drinking anywhere! I would not like any tea. So please, Heartbreak, oh please, let me be?!” he cried out from one of the windows. But Heartbreak was nowhere to be seen. He turned around.

Just then she popped up from behind the couch. “Wouldyoudrinkitinthishouse? Would youdrinkitwiththismouse?” she produced a small, confused mouse on her hoof.

“No, thank you, Heartbreak, I would not drink it in this house and I would not drink it with that mouse! I don't think I would like what you're drinking here or there. I am sure I would not like it anywhere! I really don't want to drink your tea. So please, oh please, Heartbreak, could you let me be?” He replied running up the stairs. He looked down the end of the upstairs hallway. There she was standing in a box and holding something other than the tea.

“Wouldyoudrinkitinthisbox? Comeon! Sipsometeawiththisfox!” She said, showing him a stuffed toy fox.

Ghost Writer ran back down the stairs. “Not in a box! Not with a fox! Not in a house! Not with a mouse! I would not drink it here or there! I would not drink it anywhere! I would not drink your special tea!” he replied, racing outside and running down the street. He quickly turned a corner. “Somepony, (I don't believe I am saying this), Get this mare away from me!”

Heartbreak was leaning against a light post with a rather odd looking hat on her left hoof. “Wouldyou? Couldyou? Inafez?” she tossed the hat into the air. And shoved the sipping cup at him. “Drinkit! Drinkit! DrinkitGhostWriter! Hereitis!”

Ghost Writer made a U-turn and ran across the street. She was relentless! Why couldn’t he be this fortunate with other mares that he had made eyes at?! Well not like this, but still. The irony wasn’t lost here. “I would not, could not, in a fez!” he shouted, barely running into a young yellow mare with a pink mane. “Terribly Sorry Fluttershy! In a rush!”. Heartbreak zipped up to Fluttershy..

“Youmaylikeit! Youwillsee! Youmaylikeit! Inatree?” she shouted at him, while pointing at her.

Fluttershy looked horribly confused. “Heartbreak?” she squeaked out.

“Notrightnow, Fluttershy, busy!” she replied.

Ghost Writer blinked and paused his running for a second. “She’s just not listening! Running isn’t working. Reason isn’t working, we may have to try the direct approach.”  “First of all, that is not a tree! That happens to be a rather shy little pony! But, I would not, could not in a tree. Not in a Fez! Heartbreak, for the love of Celestia! You let me be!” he stomped his hooves. “ I do not like it in a box. I do not like it with a fox, I do not like it in a house, I do not like it with a mouse, I do not like it here or there. I do not like it anywhere. How many times must it take, before you believe what I say, Heartbreak!?”
> They Say That's the First Sign
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 26

They Say That’s  The First Sign

Zecora’s home wasn’t terribly far into the Everfree Forest, but being in such a hurry as they were, the run had nearly brought her to exhaustion.Twilight looked at the end of the path leading back to Ponyville. Ponyville was still there. Still in one piece. But the clock tower read 2:20! When did she leave Heartbreak alone in the library?! When did Heartbreak make her tea!?

Twilight looked at Zecora. Even the zebra was out of breath. “Everything seems alright..” Twilight said hopefully.

Zecora’s eye twitched. “Before a storm, it is always this quiet. So forgive me, if I do not buy it,” she replied as the two of them walked down the street. Lunch rush was about to begin, and there were ponies that were already seated at their favorite eateries.

“Oh no! After Lunch rush! If Heartbreak is out here, there’s no telling how many ponies she could infect!” Twilight shouted at Zecora. She frantically looked at the clock. It was 2:20. Had it taken that long to race through the forest? She tried to calm herself. “Right, Spike and I arrived back at the library at One O’Clock, I’m sure we left at-”

Zecora looked at Twilight frantically. “At this time, at this rate, there is no time to calculate! If you want to find your Heartbreak alive, we must give her the antidote before 2:45!”

Just then the tree next to the pair shook and out fell a dazed and confused Spike. “Ooooh.” he shook his head and gathered his bearings. “Heartbreak can sure buck pretty hard...” he looked up. “Twilight! Zecora! Heartbreak!” he started frantically waving his hands. “Tea! GHOST WRITER!”

Twilight’s ears drooped. With Heartbreak on insani-tea, there wasn’t any telling what she would do to Ghost Writer! “What did she do to him?!”

Spike shook his head again. “I got her out of the clock shop, Twi’, then we ran into Ghost Writer. She lifted up her hoof like she didn’t even know she was doing it and drank some more tea. Then she started talking in rhyme and insisted that Ghost Writer drink some of her tea to cure his problems! I tried to stop her, but she bucked me off her back and into this tree!”

The only thing that met Spike’s explanation was Twilight’s horrified expression. “Why was she even in the clock shop?!”

Zecora grabbed Twilight’s face. “Now is not the time for an explanation! Please, Twilight, focus on the situation! There can not be any waiting and not a single mistake! That is if you want to save your friend, Heartbreak! The task of capture is what you will have to endure, to La-Tea-Dah I go, for the antidote I must procure!” Zecora shouted, running towards the tea shop.
Twilight nodded and turned to Spike. “Did you see which way she went?”

Spike shook his head. “I was too busy being tossed into a tree.” he jumped up on Twilight’s back. “Oh, man, there isn’t any time to explain Twi’ but you aren’t going to be happy...”

Twilight’s ears perked up as she heard the panicked shouts of Ghost Writer. “How many times must it take, Before you believe what I say, Heartbreak!?”

“I’m not happy already, Spike.” pangs of guilt rushed through her as she ran. “Because of my careless judgement, there is a good chance that if we don’t find Heartbreak in time she could die!”

“Die!? Didn’t you say it would unleash something horrible if-” Spike began, before the two of them almost ran into Fluttershy.

“Eep! Oh, Twilight!” Fluttershy squeaked. “Oh thank goodness! I just saw Heartbreak! I think there might be something wrong with her...She was chasing after Ghost Writer and shouting at him!”

“And you would be definitely right!” Spike replied.

Twilight snorted at him. “We don’t have time to have a long conversation, Fluttershy. I need to know which way they went.”

“I think they raced off into the direction of the train station...” Fluttershy said, very concerned.

“Right, and Fluttershy,” Twilight grabbed the poor mare and looked at her in the eyes, “I know how you feel about hurting Heartbreak. But, if you see her, stop her, in anyway you can.”

“Twilight what’s-” Fluttershy began.

“Please, Fluttershy! If you see her!” Twilight shouted as she ran off.

Fluttershy was honestly worried now.


==============================================================


Mi just doesn’t get it. Right now, we are in the state of a mental breakdown, and he’s trying to look on the bright, colourful, cheer-filled sugar fluff side of things. Can’t he be serious for once? Can’t he just get it through his head about what is going on?

“Well...At least we’re rhyming better, right?” he asks, trying to bring a positive spin to things.

I snort. “Rhyming won’t stop Heartbreak from spreading whatever is wrong with our tea all around Ponyville. And while a little madness every now again is relished by the wisest m-m-mares-”

“Men.” Mi corrects.

“I can’t say that word out loud, so I shouldn’t say it here.” I reply. “I think we can at least agree that Heartbreak has gone overboard on the Creativi-Tea. I almost dare say that she has dove head first into Insani-tea.”

“Wait, let me get something straight.” he looks thoughtful at me. It is a face that I miss really. Mi’s face that is. He has the same curly-wavy hair going, but he has a goatee and is dressed in that sweater that our grandmother gave us. It was a practical green sweater. “I thought that I was Heartbreak.”

“No. That wouldn’t make any sense with the current situation, Mi,” I reply. “We are Heartbreak. But I’m Yu and you’re Mi. We’re two halves of the same whole. I mean look at my cutie mark-slash-branding.” I point at my flank. He grimaces.

“Do I really have to look at your ass? I mean, how narcissistic is that?” he asks.

“It’s only narcissistic if you actually like looking at a horse's flank, Mi.” I reply. “Now look.” He looks and sees what I am talking about. Our branding or cutie mark is broken apart. I have one half of it.

“Where’s the other half?” he asks.

“On your sleeve, of course,” I reply. He looks and sees that, yes indeed, that is where he is wearing his heart.
“The metaphysical manifestations of all this are, of course unimportant to the situation at hoof, Mi. We need to focus. I seriously think that there is something wrong here,” I explain.

“What do you mean? We’re on magic tea,” he asks.

“Magic being the key word here. Caffeine is bad enough on its own. Add magic to the mix and we might have something that is not only dangerous to over imbibe, but maybe even deadly,” I tell him.

“Deadly? Twilight wouldn’t let us drink anything that was deadly,” Mi replies. “She would have taken any precautions that Zecora would have given her!”

I roll my eyes. “Seriously, Mi? Twilight hasn’t been in her right mind from the moment she saw Princess Celestia lose it on us. Her world has been ripped apart and we’re the cause of it. She has been second guessing herself and jumping on whatever solution sounds good at the moment.”

“Ugh, Celestia,” he shudders and hugs himself. “You won’t say men, fuck, or anything else we could say here, but you’ll say her name?” I glare at him. “Right, ‘Princess Celestia’.” he puts the words in quotes. “Don’t tell me that you are going to pull a Twilight and begin the hero worship with her.”

“No Mi, I am not going to paint myself white, get my mane done up and wear that much makeup. But that is all beside the point-” I begin.

“Our feelings in the matter of that mare are beside the point!?” He points at the screen. “I think they are very relevant to the point! We wouldn’t be in this mess if we could just get her out of our brain and have a nice night’s sleep for once!” he points at the monitor. “You said it yourself! This isn’t coping!”

A small, angry spark goes through me. “And guess who’s fault that is?” I ask getting close to the barrier that separates us.

He blinks as if he is thinking. “What? You’re blaming me? Really! Yu are blaming Mi! Oh that’s rich!”

“Hey! I said that there was something wrong with the tea in the first place! I mean come on! Zecora? Creativi-tea? Didn’t think that there was something up with that?” I shout.

Mi rolls his eyes and looks enraged. “Then why did you let us drink it!? Oh! I know why! Cause it’s the only thing that pacifies Yu! Yu needs her tea and she needs it now!” Mi replies getting close the barrier and shaking his finger at me.

“When I have to contend with somepony like Mi? Yeah! It’s not like I have much a choice! You’re always bouncing around barely constrained going from emotional state to the next! Happy and giddy one moment, depressed and angry the next! What’s worse is the insane dribble that comes out of your mouth! Really! What is up with shouting, ‘monkey brains’ at random ponies on the internet!?” I glare at him. He’s a reflection of what I used to be and almost everything I’m not.

“It’s funny! It’s meant to be random, silly and doesn’t have any meaning! Geeeze! No wonder Dave hated us. We were too much alike for him to stand!” Mi grasps his head and runs his fingers through his hair.

“You’re impossible! Ugh!” I angrily sigh, and turn away. “Whatever, Spike said that Twilight went to Zecora for help right? Knowing Twilight, she’ll try to do her best to fix the problem. Hopefully she should be back with either Zecora or whatever we need.”

============================================================

“I really did try to bring her back to the library like you asked me to, Twilight,” Spike told Twilight, clinging to her neck. “But the moment that she saw Ghost Writer...”

“I’m sure I can guess what happened, Spike, and I don’t blame you. This is my doing, I shouldn’t have left her alone. I shouldn’t haven’t given her the tea in the first place. I shou-”

“Twilight, stop beating yourself up,” Spike sighed. “I told you that everything would be fine. I have a little blame here too!”

Twilight shook her head. There would be time for the blame game later.  Right now what was important was finding and containing Heartbreak. Locating her might be easy if Ghost Writer kept shouting, but getting to where he was, that was the hard part. She was tired and sweating from the race through the forest. “Heartbreak is racing on Insani-tea, Ghost Writer is being chased down by Heartbreak, and it’s what time?” Twilight couldn’t see the time from where she was. “Ugh! How could things get any worse!?” she thought to herself. Her mental question was to be answered with the sound of ticking. It was a soft ticking at first. A quiet sort of ticking like a clock at the end of a hall. As Twilight ran down the street towards where the train station was, it grew ever louder.

Spike looked around. “Hey Twilight, do you hear that? What’s that noise?”

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock! Was it a reminder that Twilight only had so much time? No, it was-

“Twilight! Pepper Pocket’s Clock Shop!” shouted Spike.  The doors to ‘Just in Time,’  burst open with an awful din of noise. Noise that ranged from ringing bells, shooting whistles, clangings, tickings, tockings and tiny voices shouting the time.
“THE TIME IS 2:29! THE TIME IS 2:29! THE TIME IS 2:29! THE TIME IS 2:29!” An army of walking, talking clocks repeated pouring out of the clock shop. As Twilight passed the shop dodging the little clanking things, the front store wall crumbled and crashed down. A huge, red mechanical clock being broke through.

“OH YEEEAH. THE TIME IS NOW 2:30!” it bellowed. Atop this monstrosity was Pepper Pocket. His eyes were almost flashing with colour and his mane and tale seemed to poof out a bit.

“Brilliant! Wonderful! Fan-tastic! Go my clockwork clanks! Give the time to everypony, that I may have some time for myself!” he cried out.

Twilight dared not look back, but already she could hear the screams of Ponyville residents as the sounds of mechanical voices were reminding them of the time. “How many ponies did she give Insani-tea to, Spike?!”

“Uhm, assuming you mean the tea she had with her? I know three ponies. Pepper Pocket was the last one!” he replied, swatting away a small clockwork looking bumble bee clock.

“The Time Is 2:31, Twilight-Sparkle!” it sang out.

“Who were the other two!?” Twilight shouted.

Almost as if on cue, she could see a black cloud forming down the street. As it grew, Twilight could tell that it wasn’t a cloud, but a massive swarm of something.From the epicenter she could see a rather familiar pony. High Hat.

“Hats... It’s all made of hats, Twilight!” Spike shouted.

And indeed it was. There were hats of all stripes and shapes, more hats than what Spike had seen before. Flying hats, rolling hats, crawling hats, red hats, blue hats, hats made of clouds, hats made of grass, there was even a hat made up of tiny hats. The hat that had been perched upon Spike’s head seemed to cling more tightly to his head upon this sight, as if to say “My head! All of you get your own!”

High Hat was laughing. “I have hats! More hats than ever! Now there can be a hat for everypony and everypony for a hat!”
> Capturing the Wild Heartbreak
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter  27

Capturing the Wild Heartbreak

Subtle Brew hummed a song that she learned as a filly. It was a good day, a quiet day. There had been many customers that had come into her lovely tea shop and sampled her teas. She dusted off some of the shelves and watered her lovely vines. All the ponies here were lovely...All but that one who had come in earlier.

“*I am so sad that we were not able to please that one mare’s tastes, but what is tea without the hay?*” she picked up a broom with her magic and swept any errant dirt off the floor. “*There was something very off about that mare. Very off. And then there was that name. Heartbreak. Funny how father’s last words to me were about leaving with Earl Grey involved heartbreak.*” she rolled her eyes and imagined her father speaking. “*Remember Subtle Brew, it is dangerous outside our home. Go with this stranger and I assure you, you will see everything end with heartbreak!*” she scoffed at this. Earl Grey had been nothing but loving, kind and caring to her. Not like many of the stallions of her mountain home. Yes, Earl Grey was protective like they were, but he was gentle about things. “*So understanding. Soon father, you will have grandchildren, for I will be the Earl’s Lady Grey! Oh, how exciting!*”

Subtle Brew felt so wonderful at this thought that she began to sing the love song she was humming. Earl grey peeked his head in to the front of the store and smiled. He loved hearing her sing. As her song ended, he coughed a little. Subtle Brew jumped.

“Oh! I is sorry! Was I disturbing juu?” she asked, bowing and looking apologetic.

“No...If that was disturbing me, my dear, then I would like to be disturbed more often.” He walked into the room and kissed the side of her forehead. Subtle Brew giggled and blushed.

“You know, it has been such a productive day, and we barely get any customers after 2:30... I was thinking...perhaps, we can close early today?” he came close to her and nuzzled her face.

Subtle Brew giggled and danced away. “Oh, future husband to be, juu are so naughty! Can juu not wait for me to be juur Lady Grey?” she flitted to the sunlit window sill. Her black mane caught the light and her beautiful eyes sparkled at him.

“You will have to forgive me, my Subtle Brew,” Earl replied walking over to her. “But your beauty and voice enchant me so. As they did when we first met..”

Subtle Brew smiled and ran a hoof along the side of his neck. “If I is remembering correctly, I was screaming as a dragon was chasing me, when first we met, Earl of Grey.” Earl chuckled. “I is knowing that juu trying to be romantic.”

Earl shook his head. “There are still times that you trip me up, Subtle Brew. The day that we met was a day that I know I certainly won’t forget...”

“And forget it, I will never either, my brave knight..” she replied, her eyes sparkling at an unseen memory. The two locked eyes and their lips began to approach.

“I still won’t forget the day I heard...” Earl Grey paused and turned his head. “That noise?”

Subtle brew blinked and looked confused. “Noise?” she listened and then turned her head. Outside the window was a sudden cacophony of noise!

The two shop owners looked out of their front store window in time to see a swarm of hats flying by. Several of which slammed against the window like oblivious birds. Then, before their eyes a large mechanized bipedal walking clock drudged by. “THE TIME IS 2:32! OOOOOH! YEAH!”

“Sweet Earl Grey...” Subtle Brew began.

“Y-y-yes, my sugar lump?” Earl asked, watching a horrible scene of chaos unfolding outside of his tea shop. He had always heard that Ponyville had some sort of excitement going on. He just assumed that it was either a rumor or an over exaggeration, at the least he thought that it meant that business would be decent.

“I sink juu are right about clo-sing early today...” Subtle Brew stated.

“I am glad you concur...” he replied, about to close the blinds.

As Earl Grey was about to close the blinds, a blur of black and white stripes bolted through the door.

“Zecora!” Earl shouted startled. “What are you doing here? What is going on?!”

Subtle Brew shrieked as a dragonfly like watch zipped into the shop.

Zecora slammed the door behind her. “Please, there is much need to worry, I can not talk, I am in a hurry! Subtle Brew! Earl Grey! I need you to make me a tea that is nothing but grass and hay!”

Earl was confounded by this. “I say! There is mass chaos in the streets and you are wanting tea?!”

“Earl Grey! Hear me out! It will save the day! I have committed a terrible mistake! And now it may cost a pony her life, a pony named Heartbreak!” Zecora caught the flying watch from out of the air. “For you see, if she does not get this cure, by 2:45, she’ll be one dead pony for sure!”

“The time is 2:34!” chimed the tiny watch.

“What are you babbling-” Earl began as a tea pot and several cups floated by his head.

“Here juu are lady Zecora! Juu go now! Pay later!” Subtle Brew said, smiling widely.
Zecora smiled back. “Thank you, Subtle Brew!” she said before nabbing the kettle  and cups from the air before rushing out the door.

Earl Grey looked utterly confused. “I-what-um-”

Subtle Brew closed the blinds and put a tendril of magic to her love’s muzzle. “I loves juu, but sometime, juu talk too much...”


======================================================================


A nearby whistle went off from the locomotive that was pulling out of the ponyville train station. "Atrain! Atrain! Atrain! Atrain! Couldyou, wouldyou, onatrain?" Heartbreak shouted at the fleeing Ghost Writer.

"Not on a train! Not in a tree! Not in a fez! Heartbreak! Let me be! I would not, could not, in a box. I could not, would not, with a fox. I will not drink it with a mouse. I not will drink it in a house. I will not drink it here nor there. I will not drink it anywhere. I do not want any of your tea! Please, oh please! Somepony help me!"  he replied, racing into the train station. "A place to hide, a place to hide! Where is a place to-" he spied the janitors closet, before darting in.  He sighed. Had he finally found peace?

Two glowing blue eyes told him that he had not. "Saaaaaaay! Inthedark? Hereinthedark! Wouldyou, couldyou, inthedark?"

Ghost Writer fought the urge to make a perverse comment. Even he wouldn't stoop so low as to take advantage of a mare that wasn't in her right mind. He however paused and shook his head. "I would not, could not, in the dark!" he burst through the door and raced outside. Oh, how he wished he had taken those magical training classes like his father had suggested to him! He felt something dripping on him, looking up he saw that storm clouds were being put in place by the pegasi. It wasn't much of a drizzle but he tried looking around for cover. Heartbreak appeared before him, almost as if she was walking between the falling droplets.

"Wouldyou, couldyou, intherain?"  she asked spinning around and looking up at him cutely.

Ghost Writers' mouth scrunched up. Everything she was saying kept sounding worse and worse by the second if taken out of context!

"I would not, could not, in the rain. Not in the dark. Not on a train. Not in a fez. Not in a tree. Because I believe that there is something very wrong with your tea! So! Not in a house. Not in a box. Not with a mouse. Not with a fox. I will not drink it here or there. I will not drink it anywhere!" he ran half way across a local bridge. There was a small boat floating along the river, he looked left and right and took a flying jump into the boat.  On the bridge was Heartbreak looking rather angry but slowly getting farther away. He almost relaxed. Until he saw that she was making a flying leap for the boat.



Heartbreak fell short of her intended target and splashed into the water right next to the boat. Ghost Writer cautiously looked over the side... He didn't want the mare to drown...But then she popped right up out of the water and onto the boat. The silk top hat still clinging to her head despite her mane and tail now drenched. "Youdonotlikefantastictea?! Thencouldyou, wouldyou, withagoat? Wouldyou,couldyou, onthisboat?!" she asked not skipping a beat.

The confused goat that Heartbreak grabbed bleated at Ghost writer. "I would not, could not, with a goat and most certainly not on a boat!" he spied a passing dock and made a leap for it, pushing himself a bit with his own magic.

He made a run for it again, only to find that his tail was being tugged on. He jumped, expecting Heartbreak. What he found was a walking talking mechanical  watch. "The Time Is 2:36!"

Heartbreak grabbed the strange timepiece. "Wouldyoudrinkitbythedock?! Wouldyoudrinkitwiththisclock!?"

Ghost Writer had enough. Enough of the pose, enough of the rhyming, enough of her chasing him all across Ponyville. His eye twitched and his face took on a serious expression. “See here now, little Miss Heartbreak. I will not drink it in the rain. I will not drink it on a train. Not in the dark! Not in a tree! Not in a fez! You let me be! I would not like it in a box. I would not like it with a fox. I will not drink it in a house, or with a mouse! Neither here nor there. I will not drink your tea you crazy mare!"

Ghost Writer realized his mistake of getting too close to Heartbreak all together too late, as she jumped on him and pinned him to the ground. Normally this would have been a dream come true. Mares throwing themselves at him, him on the ground nearly helpless and unable to move. But the crackling light across Heartbreak's eyes and mane, the way her muscles were twitching, and the way she was trying to force him to drink what ever was in that cup, was turning a fantasy into a downright nightmare.



"YOUHAVEAPROBLEM,GHOSTWRITERANDTHETEACANFIXIT! DRINKTHETEA!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, trying to force the cup to his lips.

============================================================

Twilight was now being constantly reminded of the time, and there wasn’t a moment to lose. “Darn it! Where is she?” Twilight thought, approaching the train station. The sounds of screaming ponies as clocks and hats attacked them was distracting enough, and time was the one thing she didn’t have in all this.

“The Time Is 2:36, Twilight Sparkle!” the flying insect watch chimed.

“Aaaaarugh! I know!” Twilight replied, running faster. The good news in all of this was that she felt her magic recharging a bit. “At least now, I can get to her quicker if I need to...”

Twilight’s panic button was about to grow hot when she spied pink and yellow out of the corner of her eye. “Fluttershy?”

“I will do what I can to help, Twilight,” she replied. “I just don’t want to see her get hurt again.”

“Well, in that case! See if you can see her from where you are! There’s just too much chaos on the ground!” Twilight shouted.

Fluttershy flew up and looked around nervously. “There! Over by the river near the bridge!” she blinked and eeked! “Twilight! You need to get over there right now! She’s doing something terrible to another pony!”

Twilight raced to the location that Fluttershy pointed out. And there indeed was something horrible going on. Heartbreak had Ghost Writer pinned down on the ground with one hoof and a sipping cup of what had to be the Insani-tea on her other.

"YOUHAVEAPROBLEM,GHOSTWRITERANDTHETEACANFIXIT! DRINKTHETEA!" came a shout from the top of Heartbreak’s lungs. From what Twilight could tell, the only thing saving this unicorns’ mind from what was in that cup, was the glow around Heartbreak’s hoof.

“That’s not going to last forever! He’s already sweating!” Twilight’s mind screamed at her.

Zecora rushed right next to Twilight as she beheld this rather awkward sight. “I must make haste, for there is no more time to waste!” She poured some of the tea out of the pot and into several cups. Then she gave what was left in the pot to Twilight. “We need to get the Insani-tea out of her sight! She must drink all of this to set her right!”

Twilight nodded. “Spike!”

Spike was already racing to grab the cup off of Heartbreak’s hoof. “I’m on it Twilight!” replied attempting to swipe the at cup.
“Spike!Whatareyoudoing!?Youdon’thaveaproblem!GhostWriterhastheproblem!Stopit!Stopit!Stopit!He’sgoingtogetawayagain!” Heartbreak shouted. Spike almost couldn’t recognize the mare who he had kinda bonded with this morning. Her eyes were nearly glowing, her mane and tail were puffed out and filled with static.

“Come on, Heartbreak! Give it here!” Spike shouted, he turned and looked at Ghost Writer. “Dude! Run!”

The frozen unicorn blinked. “Oh! Right!” he jumped up and moved to a safe distance.

“The Time is 2:38, Twilight Sparkle!” chimed the little buzzing watch above her.

“Arrrrgh! We’ll never make it in time!” Twilight said panicking.

“Make it in time for what?” Fluttershy asked.

“If we can’t get the cup away from Heartbreak and make her drink this in less than five minutes, she’s going to Die, Fluttershy!” Twilight explained.

“D-d-d-die?!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“YES! Die!” Twilight replied.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened and she could feel a hard wrenching emotion pull at her. It pulled her as she dove down and crashed into Heartbreak. The cup slipped off of her hoof and flew into the air, small droplets of the potent brew being flung out of the top. As they hit the ground, they made wide static arcs and fizzled out. The cup crashed open just a foot away from Ghost Writer’s hooves. It cracked open, the contents spilling out and erupting in a crackling, nearly thundering mess of tea and static discharge.

“MYTEA!” Heartbreak shouted, reaching forward.

Twilight saw another opening now. Reaching deep down she pulled at her magic and pushed herself through the fabric of reality. Going from across the way to right in front of Heartbreak. She shoved the spout of the teapot into her mouth.
“Heartbreak! Drink this! It can’t wait! Drink it now before it is too late! There’s a spark of Insanity in your head that will cause your brain to fry! Drink it now or you will Die!” Twilight shouted.

The flying watch bug zipped above Twilight. “The Time is 2:41, Twilight Sparkle!”
> Come Together, Over Mi and Yu
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 28

Come together, Over Mi and Yu.

Yu and Mi stared at each other with a panicked and frightened Ghost Writer on their monitor.

“I bet Yu are going to blame Mi for this then, right?” Mi shouted, pointing at the screen.

“I don’t see any other p-pony around here whose fault it could be!” Yu replied. “So, yeah! Impulsive Mi is the one to blame here!”

“First off, you’re the only pony I can see around here! And secondly, this has more to do with the tea that Yu just had to have! Yup! Yu just needed her tea!” he shouted back.

“Oh, We’re back to blaming Yu for the Tea! It’s all Yu and the Tea!” Yu screeched back. “Mi hates Yu! Big surprise! Mi has always hated Yu! What was that thing that Mi came up with when we were teens? Oh Yeah! Goth Bunny! Remember her? We acted like she was something outside of us that would tell us horrible things about ourselves so we would cry?! Remember that bit of mental masturbatory, guilt-tripping? An imaginary friend that tells us horrible things!”

“It wasn't like 'Goth Bunny' did any harm! But seriously?! Bringing that up, Yu? For real?!  No wonder we hate ourselves sometimes! And really! There is so much I am hating about Yu! Like your voice!” Mi retorted.

“Well, get used to it, Mr. Mi! If we get out of this, then it’ll be the voice we use to talk to other ponies!” Yu cried out.
The lights in the room flickered. Yu was knocked off of her hooves, while Mi was knocked to his feet. The console started to spark and flicker about like it was on the fritz, the picture cutting in and out.

“Well, Miss Yu, what was that about? What’s wrong with the console?!” Mi asked.

“Why should I know, Mr Mi? You’re the know-it-all here!” Yu replied.

“And you’re the rational one here! Rationalize!” Mi said.

“I’m not sure what that was...” Yu said quietly.

That’s when the arcs of electrical discharge started pulling themselves from the monitor. A being emerged from the screen. Its movements were sporadic. Looking at Mi and Yu, it threw back its head and laughed. “Oh...you two have been so much fun...”

Yu was fascinated but confused. “Mi....you’re not doing this, are you?” she asked, Mi could only shake his head. “Who...are...you?”

The sparking humanoid creature smirked and shrugged. “Oh, me? I’m just the Spark inside your head. Remember the tea you were so eager to drink up?”

“Yu! The thing that was wrong with the Tea! That’s this thing!” Mi shouted.

“Oh, the Irrational side recognizes me. Then again,” it clawed the console behind him. Mi and Yu felt weakened and wobbled over. “Irrational things know irrational things. Allow me to introduce myself. Heart’s Obsession and Spark of Insanity, HOSI if you like.”

“What a dumb name...” Mi said, getting up to try and get his bearings.

“Mi...maybe it isn’t best that we insult something called ‘Spark of Insanity’?” Yu said.

“Mr Mi, it is best that you listen to your better half here. After all...” Hosi made arcs of lightning roll over the console behind him. As he did this, the both of them collapsed to the floor, twitching. “I’m the one who is in charge right now.”

Mi pushed himself up. “What? No! I’m in charge here.”

Yu glared at Mi and rolled over. “Pfffft Yeah right, in charge? That’s laughable!”

Hosi giggled and danced. “And that’s what made this so easy. Look at the two of you, arguing to no end. From what I can see in your memories, the both of you always loved a good argument. So much that, even now, when you are in blinding danger, neither of you can agree on anything. That is what is going to make this next delightful expression of Creativity, or perhaps insanity so.. wonderful. After all, you two are something special... It’s not everyday I get to play with something like the both of you...”

“What is it talking about, Mi?” Yu asks.

“How should I know, Yu?” Mi replies.

“Because you’re the irrational one here. And this thing isn’t talking any sense.” Yu replied.

Hosi just smiled and caused another bolt to go through the board behind him. The two halves shuddered in pain.
The screen behind Hosi flickered back into view. Twilight’s face was on the screen and something was shoved into Heartbreak’s mouth. The audio was cutting in and out. “Drink it now be-...is too late! .....a spark of Insanity in .... head that will .... your brain to fry! Drink it ....or you will Die!”

Mi blinked. “Yu...you were right, it’s killing us,” he finally said.

“Finally figured it out! But you figured it out a little too late!” Hosi shouted. “Within a few minute, this brain will fry...”

“And utter chaos, and whatever is in us will be unleashed on all of Equestria,” Yu finished. “There’s no hope...” she started to cry.

Mi glared at Hosi and then looked at his other side. “No! No! Shhhh, don’t cry, Yu! I'm the overly emotional one, remember? Come on! There’s always hope! I have hope!”

Yu shook her head. “But hope is nothing without willpower.”

Hosi smiled and rubbed his hands together. It was almost time. “That’s right, and while one has the other, neither one of you has what the other has! Oh this is going to be the best creative expression of insanity ever! And best of all, the both of you will die!”

Mi put his hand to the barrier that separated the two of them. “Yu... Come on, I can hope for the both of us. I don’t want to die...  you don’t want to die either do you, Yu?”

Yu shook her head. “No, I don’t want to die either, Mi...I...don't want to die...” Yu looked at Mi. "Wait. Mi. Say that with me."

Mi blinked. “I don't want to die?” He looked at Yu.

Yu looked back at him. “Yes.” They looked at each other. "I don't want to die" they said quietly in unison. Their...no, My eyes met and we-I feel something.

“That’s It.” they said together. “I don’t want to die.”

Hosi was starting to bring his hands down. “Too bad. Almost time...”

“No. I don’t want to die.” they said in unison. The both of them pushed themselves up off the ground. “We-...” they looked at one another, again and smile. “I am not going to die. And there is only one thing between me and life. And that’s you.” I say, looking at Hosi.

“Awww, that’s cute. You’re pulling yourself together? I told you, it’s too late!” Hosi shouted, waving his hands at them-me. I feel myself almost taking a tumble.

“No!” I shout at him, both sides of myself running at him. “I am not going to die!” I feel Mi’s fist make contact with this being’s face. I can feel Yu’s back hoof in its gut. Hosi topples over and fumbles away from the computer screen. The being looks like it is about to say something more. “NO!” I shout at it. “I told you! I am not going to die! I refuse to give up!” Once again my fist and hoof make contact with this being, throwing it farther away from the console.

I glare at the Hosi. "NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER!"

He starts laughing. I don’t get what’s so funny until I see the room around me. It’s glitching and twitching. Fading and going fuzzy. Suddenly I am beside myself again. How anti-climatic. I just pulled myself together...

“This can’t be how it ends, Yu.” Mi says rubbing his head. “Not even before our adventure even begins!”

“I’m afraid so, Mi....” Yu sniffs hard and rubs her nose.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” HoSi dances with glee, as the world around Mi and Yu starts to crumble.

“Hey, Yu, seeing that we are going to die..” Mi begins. “Do you think our crazy brain has any last thoughts?”

“What? Seriously?” Yu’s face scrunches up. “The last time we asked that-”

A powerful noise seems to come out of the background of this crashing world. “Chuga-Chuga-Chuga-Chuga!”

“What...” Mi begins. “Is...” Yu answers back.

Looking to the source of the noise, the both of us are confused, horrified and at a loss. It’s a Brain, riding a train. A large, green, oddly shaped train. The Brain glows and screams a phrase that I can agree is one of the most stupid things I have ever heard. Or maybe the most brilliant seeing that the train plows into HoSi, sending it flying and twinkling off into a dark corner of our mind.

“I LIKE TURTLE TRAINS!”

Mi and Yu just look at each other. “F-Buck this. I need a drink. Now.” We-I race over to the console and start hitting the button as rapidly as we-I can. Every time I do, there is a gulping sound to accompany it.

“See yu on the other side,” Mi says, looking at the pony to his side.

“We should talk more often, just Mi and-” Yu begins. She doesn’t get to finish her sentence though. The world is fading to white...and then Twilight’s face comes into view.


======================================================


Fluttershy was crying on Heartbreak’s shoulder. “Dr-dr-drink it, Heartbreak! Drink it!” she stammered out.

“The Time Is 2:43, Twilight Sparkle!” the annoying little bug-watch chimed.

Twilight looked panicked and worried. If Heartbreak didn’t start drinking, it would mean her end. “And she’ll take us down with her...” A moment passed where Twilight thought that Heartbreak wouldn’t comply, where she thought that the poor pony was too far gone.

Then she saw her throat start to gulp down the tea. With every gulping, the glow in her eyes lessesned, the static in her mane and tail decreased, and her muscles started to relax. Heartbreak reached up with hooves and grasped the teapot in her mouth.

“That’s right, HB...Drink it down. Good...good...Drink it all down...come on, come back to us now...” Twilight choked out, not fighting against any tears. “Drink every last drop...” Twilight tilted the pot forward to ensure that Heartbreak was getting what she needed. Twilight removed the spout from Heartbreak’s mouth when the teapot was finally drained of its contents. She was coughing and gasping loudly, shaking and finally crying.

“Shhhh,” Fluttershy began. “It’s alright, we’re here for you...” Heartbreak didn’t say anything, her hoof just wrapped around Fluttershy’s shoulder the best it could.

Twilight sighed in relief, then she saw something terribly strange. As Heartbreak cried, colours started pouring from her eyes. First black, then red, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo violet and finally white. “Are you alright, HB?” Twilight asked softly.

“The time is-” began the little bug-watch. Twilight snorted and grabbed it with her magic. Moments later, the small bug-watch found itself embedded in a tree.

Heartbreak took a deep breath through her nose. “I-I-I’m here...and back in one piece...” she replied, coughing. “So...I think...so...”

Zecora trotted over and took a look at Heartbreak. This was the pony that had caused the chaos that was still going on around her. This was the pony that she had harmed with a bit of carelessness. This was...Zecora paused. Something about this pony was...off. She bent down and looked at her in the eye.

“What is this? Something is amiss,” Zecora started, her voice dropping to a whisper. She pressed her ear to Heartbreak’s chest. “Do you hear it? Do I sense a kindred spirit?”

Heartbreak looked wide eyed and frightened for a moment. She pulled away from the zebra. “No..just a normal pony who got in a little too far over her head, Miss Zecora,” she replied. She let go of Fluttershy. “I’m all-” she shook her head.

“Heartbreak?” Twilight asked, worriedly.

Heartbreak looked up. “Ugh,” she blinked. “Oh, hey, Twilight.” Her lips smacked together. “Oh..Hay!?” she glared at Twilight. “Twiliiiight...” then her eyes rolled back. “Oooh...hey...Twili-” and she passed out back against Fluttershy.
Twilight quickly bent over the passed out pony. “Zecora! Is she going to be ok?”

Zecora once again took a look at Heartbreak. Her breathing was normal and her pulse steady.“She will be alright, but for her sake and yours, it is best that you watch her overnight.” Zecora looked at the chaos around her.

“OH YEAAAAAH! THE TIME IS 2:48!” boomed Pepper Pocket’s monstrous creation. He was still sitting atop it as walked by.

Zecora sighed. “If you will excuse me, I still have to administer more Normali-Tea...” she took off after Pepper Pocket.

Twilight sighed. “Cleaning all of this up is going to be quite the job.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but I get the feeling that I’m forgetting something. Like something important...”

Twilight blinked. “Spike, why is there a hole in Heartbreak’s hoof?”

“Oh Yeah! Because she went to-” Spike began. He felt a tapping on his shoulder and he heard a voice that caused him to jump away. “Dr. Bright-White!”

“That’s me! Oh, I am terribly sorry about earlier! I was looking for Heartbreak! Ah, there she is!” Dr. Bright-White blinked. “Passed out. Well, that is quite the disappointment. I wanted to show her what she inspired me to do!” he motioned to five ponies who were looking rather nervous, their mouths firmly shut. “Come now! Don’t be shy! After all, I’m a doctor! Now you stand here, and you there. And Strawberry Sweets! Yes, right here!”

Spike looked over the five ponies. There didn’t seem to be anything that he could tell that was wrong with them. Other than the fact that they kept looking around nervously and keeping their mouths shut tightly. “Uhm... what’s wrong with all of you?”

“Alright, ponies! Big Smiles!” Bright-White shouted. “Come on! Let’s see those pearly whites!”

The five ponies swallowed hard and then flashed their new, brilliant smiles. Twilight and Spike were taken back at what they saw next. Projected from their smiles was a message in white lettering that hovered in the air.
“REMEMBER. TO. BRUSH. YOUR. TEETH!” it read.

Strawberry Sweets eyed her mother who was also smiling from ear to ear. “Go to the Dentist, you said! You need your teeth looked at, you said! He’s not a scary evil doctor, you said!” she groaned through her teeth.

“I. Get. It. Sweetie,” her mother replied.

“And best of all, all of you won’t have cavities for the next five years! Isn’t that wonderful!?” Bright-White chimed as Zecora slipped up.

“As wonderful as that will be, tell me good Doctor, would you like a drink of tea?” Zecora asked, offering him a cup.

“Don’t mind if I do!” he replied.

Twilight sighed again. “Fluttershy, would you mind helping me get Heartbreak back to the library? I have a feeling when she wakes up,” Twilight cringed as she heard somepony crash into something while being chased by a fluttering of clocks. “She is going to have one terrible hangover...”
> The Final Dregs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 29

The Final Dregs

There is a terrible pounding in my head when I finally come to. I hear faint voices in the background. They grow stronger and stronger as I become more aware of everything.

“Well, thank you for your concern and stopping by,” Twilight says. I would ask to whom she is talking to, but right now? I don’t care. A good number of things on my body hurt. My eyes, my ears, my stomach, there is even a faint whining pain from my right hoof... why is that- I look up at it. There is a hole clear through it.

“Oh yeah,” I whisper, in a grumbling voice. It comes back to me why I did that. So I could draw again. Or at the very least, use my hoof in a way that was comparable to a hand. I let it drop and find that it hits something soft at my side. I am laying down in a bed with a blanket covering me. Looking to the side of this small alcove cot are my saddle bags. They are dingy and dirty from the day’s adventure. All around me are a flurry of pictures and drawings. Some of them have been organized into nice stacks, others have been left alone. There is a self portrait that is tucked in the mirror. I haven’t been here but a week and this whole room is filled with potent memories already.

Looking over at the wall, I can see a clock. It’s reading 8:00. From the window it looks like it’s dark outside. I can’t tell if that means am or pm. Either way, I don’t care. All I know right now is a gnawing pain: a pain that isn’t helped as I hear hooves coming up the stairs and the glittering buzz of magic in the air.

“Oooooouch....” I quietly moan, a sudden wave of thirst hits me.

“Well, look who’s awake,” Twilight’s voice says softly.

I know what’s coming. Twilight is going to give me a lecture. A lecture about many things, about how I went off the deep end, how I over indulged and how I drastically altered myself for the sake of grabbing onto something that I can’t have anymore.

“Welcome back,” she says.

“Thanks...” I whisper. “Ack...Thirsty...really, really thirsty.”

No sooner had I said it, I can hear water being poured into a glass. “Can you sit up, HB?” Twilight asks. She called me HB. Isn’t she mad?

I push myself up. “Y-y-yeah... but...oof...I feel so weak.” I grimace at admitting to this. A cold feeling pauses over my lips when I feel the cup touch them. Opening my mouth, I feel a cool sensation of water trickle down my throat. After draining the glass, I gasp and cough. “Thank you, Twilight.”

“You’re welcome, H.B.,” She replies.

“How long have I been out?” I ask, waiting for her tone to change and the lecturing to begin.

“About five hours,” Twilight replies.

I sigh. “Is Ponyville still here?” I ask.

“Yup, we ponies a resilient bunch, most of the hats and watches have been tracked down-” Twilight begins.

“You mean, most of the mess that I helped create has been cleaned up,” I interrupt.

Twilight takes a deep breath. Not even a few minutes awake and I am already pushing her buttons it seems. “I’m not going to pretend that it wasn’t easy..” Here it comes, a lecture that I deserve. After all, I think I hurt quite a few ponies in my tea driven tirade over the whole of Ponyville. "But it isn’t entirely your fault, H.B.,” Twilight finishes.

I turn my head and look at her, confused. “I’m not sure I heard that right. How was what happened not my fault?”

“You weren’t fully in control of your actions, H.B. You were under the influence of something that I gave you. And because I was so sure that it would help and would just magically fix your problems, I didn’t stop and think about any repercussions to it all,” Twilight said, looking down.

“Twilight...you’re not the one who got a dentist to drill a hole in her hoof.” My mind wanders over the fuzzy memories. “Or ....” I blink in horror, and my left eye twitches.

Twilight looks at me. “Or?”

“Oh, Fetlocks! Ugh!” I exclaim.

Twilight blinks. “What?” she asks.

“I sang to High Hat,” I reply. "Oh shit, geeeze! Fuck! I was singing. And dancing!" I think to myself. Part of me now wants to be angry with Twilight for the tea, the other part of me just wants to cower under the blankets and wait for the world to go away.

“Well, I know you have expressed a few times that you don’t want to sing, but if you think that’s bad, just wait till you remember what you did to Pepper Pocket,” Twilight replies, smirking a bit.

I feel a blank in my memory being filled, my face blanches and I feel very ill. “Oh geeze... I-I-I remember what I said to him. Oh FffffEtlocks!” I fall back to the bed. This is not good. “It must have sounded like I wanted to rape him!” I feel my stomach turn. “Twilight! Bucket!” Twilight only reacts and quickly zips a bucket to my face. I must look green around the gills. It’s moments later that I loose the contents of my stomach. After everything clears, I flop back against the bed. “And then there was Ghost Writer.” I curl up. “Remembering all this is just getting better and better....He most likely doesn’t ever want to see me again.”

I feel something solid touch my shoulder. It’s Twilight’s hoof. Damn it! How can she be nice to me after all this?

“If it makes you feel any better HB, none of the ponies that you interacted with hate you. They are actually concerned about how you are doing and hoping that you are alright,” Twilight says. “And despite the massive amounts of chaos that happened, no pony really got hurt.”

I roll my eyes and look at Twilight. “Really? ‘Cause last I checked, minor brain damage was a serious thing, Twilight...”

Twilight takes a deep breath. “Heartbreak, there’s a great deal of blame that can go around for everypony here.” she eyes me. “So stop beating yourself up.”

“I...think I can’t help it, Twilight. Lots of things happened all within the short span of a day. And all because we wanted to get me back on the road to my ‘special talent.’” I turn back over. This talk just feels like one massive socially awkward penguin. “You know what’s worse? I don’t think I have any lessons I can write to the Princess about. I don’t think I learned anything...” I stare at the hole in my hoof. It’s almost like a metaphor for something that I can’t figure out. Maybe this situation?

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, H.B.,” Twilight says, her voice changing from sad to amused.

I turn over and blink at her. “Right, the only thing I can think of is something about how a little magic in the wrong h-hooves or in the wrong pony can be a bad thing. Other than that, I have nothing.”

Twilight smiles at me. “Well, maybe that’s because you misplaced the notes you left yourself, H.B.”

I stare blankly at Twilight. How can she  take this light hearted, humor filled tone is beyond me. “What? Did you find something in this horrible mess I left in your library, Twilight?”

“Actually, no. I decided to let you sort through all this,” she leans her head down. “It is. after all, your mess, and you are the one that made it. The ‘notes’ I’m talking about where things that you left with other ponies.”

I frown.  “I’m still confused, and am suffering from a pounding headache. Explain please?”

“Well, I left you here at the library with Fluttershy for a while. I thought I would go see how those three ponies you shared your ‘creativi-tea’ with were recovering.” Twilight began.

“More like Insani-tea,” I reply bitterly.

Twilight gives the look she gave me on our train ride back to Ponyville. “Can I continue?”

I look at her apologetically. “I-” I begin to try to push out a ‘I’m sorry’, but it doesn’t come out. It squeaks and frantically runs away from my mouth. It feels exactly like when I try to say ‘hand’, ‘people’, ‘person’ or a good number of other words. This momentarily frightens me. So instead I am left with a forlorn sounding “I...suppose.”

Twilight blinks at me with a concerned face. “Are you alright H.B.? Is there something wrong?”

“No. But tell me what lessons I supposedly left with other ponies today,” I reply. The look of concern doesn’t leave Twilight’s face. But she begins to tell me about what happened...

========================================================

The dentist’s office looked pretty well closed for the day. However, Dr. Bright-White was still in the back, cleaning up the mess he had created. When Dr. Colgate came back, she was in much shock at what he had done. Experimentation on others teeth was apparently something to be frowned upon.

He could have had his license revoked right there on the spot had it not been for Zecora explaining the situation. With her talking Colgate down, he would keep his license, but had to clean up the mess he made in the office and try to undo whatever it was he did to the patients’ teeth.

He sighed. “All I wanted to do was be a better dentist...” he looked at his cutie mark. A large happy smile. He was told more than once that the size of it and the way it covered his flank unnerved some of the patients. He sighed as he picked up restraints, cleaned up pastes, and tried to put tools back in their places.

The doorbell went off to the front. Bright-White groaned and went up front to greet whoever it was. “I’m terribly sorry if you set up an appointment today, however due to a recent....mishap, we are currently closed. If you would like I can reschedule for you,” he told a purple unicorn who had just walked in.

“Actually, I’m not here for an appointment. But I am here to see you, Dr. Bright-White, I presume?” she asked with a concerned look.

Bright-White shuddered. “You’ll have to excuse me, the last mare that asked me that wanted a hole drilled into her hoof.”

“Ah, yes...She’s part of the reason I’m here,” she began. “My name is Twilight Sparkle,”

“Twilight Sparkle...” he opened the ledger. “Oh, yes. You are actually scheduled for a checkup come next week.”

“Oh, yeah, fancy that,” Twilight looked the Doctor. “I’m here actually to see how you are doing-”

“Quite well, thank you,” Bright-White interrupted. “I mean, other than tired, nearly losing my ability to practice, and having helped a mare drastically alter her body. I am very well.”

Twilight blinked. The doctor was a bit chipper than what she expected. “I would expect that you aren’t wanting to see Heartbreak anytime in the near future, though?”

Bright-White blinked. “You know...I’m not terribly sure. I mean yes, she did drug me and get me to drill a hole where a hole should almost never be...But I’d rather look on the bright side of things.” he looked over his shoulder. “I’m not just Bright-White for the smiles you know.”

Twilight looked confused. “There’s a bright side to all this?” she asked.

“Yes of course there is!” he replied pulling down some x-rays. “As my Auntie Red always said, ‘B.W. there’s always a bright side to things! There’s always a lesson in some situation if you are willing to look for one!’”

Twilight’s head cocked to the side. “And what lesson do you think was learned today?” She asked.

“That little dragon Spike had it right. I should have taken my patients one at a time.” he sighed. “I really should have been taking things one step at a time. I’ve been trying to push myself to be like Colgate. Because let’s face it, everypony likes her more than I. But I was failing to realize that she took her time in getting to where she is as a dentist. If I take things one step at a time, I’m sure to get there someday.”

Twilight mulled this over. It wasn’t a big lesson, it didn’t seem that profound, but it was a lesson nevertheless.

============================================================

“Take things one at a time, and I’m sure to get there someday?” She has to be kidding me with this lesson. “No offense Twilight, but that doesn’t seem that profound of a lesson to me.”

Twilight rolls her eyes. “It might not be the most deep lesson in the world, but,” she looks at me. “Assuming that you know as much as I think you know about me, my friends, and the lessons we’ve learned over the years. Are the deepest and most profound lessons about ourselves really that complicated?”

I think about it. I think about how many different lessons that all of the ponies learned. Some of them were the blinding obvious, others were rather wordy, still others included a simple sentence. “No. But I am not sure how she...the Princess... is going to feel about ‘Dear Princess Celestia, today I got high on tea that Twilight gave me and caused chaos in ponyville. I learned that a little bit of magic can go a long way, and can be a dangerous thing in the wrong hooves. But if I take things one step at a time, I'll sure to make it there someday!’”

Twilight smirks. “I would leave out that first part and just maybe I’ll write an accompanying note explaining the whole situation and how it wasn’t really your fault. However, before you get out your pencils to write this letter, maybe you should let me finish my story about what else happened.”

I look down at the bed. “Okay,” I reply.
> Good to the Last Drop
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 30

Good to the Last Drop.

Twilight left the office with Bright-White waving at her and recommending that she get Heartbreak in for a monthly checkup.

No sooner had she walked down the street did she feel something land and clamp down on her head. It was a purple fedora with a white plume sticking out of it.

“What the hay?!” she tried to shake it off, but the hat stuck firmly to her head.

High Hat came rushing up to her. “Oh Blast! And that was the last one too! Well...I think it was the last one.” he looked at Twilight. “Oh! Hello! It’s you! Miss Sparkle!” he said tiredly. He looked over the hat and tried to give it a tug. “Oh dear. This one seems to have taken a liking to you. Yup. Won’t come off until you have accepted it as  your hat. And when that happens, well I can’t sell it to another pony. It’ll refuse to be worn by any pony but you now...”

Twilight blinked. “Really?”

“Yup...” his gaze followed something lurking behind Twilight, almost with cat like reflexes he jumped and pounced on something. “Ah-HA! Thought you could get away from me did you?” he announced, grasping a flattened top hat in his hooves. He stared at the hat. “So...tell me...Is Heartbreak doing well? I saw a yellow pegasus helping take her limp body back somewhere,” His eyes looked up at Twilight, there was a great deal of fear and worry.

“She’s alright, just passed out for a while. She had all of us worried. I thought for a moment we’d lost her.” Twilight blinked at him. “You really care about how she’s doing? Even after everything that happened?”

“Twilight Sparkle! I may have lived my life for a few years as a con-artist swindling ponies for their bits, but I am far from heartless!” he stuffed the flattened hat into a bag that he slung over his back. “Of course I care about how she is doing. It’s not everyday you meet a mare like that.”

“Careful what you say, she might think that  you’re flirting with her,” Twilight quipped.

“With the way she was acting...” High Hat rolled his eyes. “Thanks but no thanks. My mother didn’t raise me to approach strange mares like that.” He threw the sack in the back of his cart. It was fully packed and looked like it was ready to go somewhere.

“You’re leaving Ponyville? Not going back to your shady ways are you?” Twilight asked.

“Heavens no. No...Not with all the hats I have now. So many hats. It’s strange how just half an hour ago I had nothing but ideas for hats, and now...I’m just drained creatively. That’s alright! Back to Los Pegasus to see if I can try my hoof at things again. I have a few friends there that can help me figure out how to tame the beasts I’ve created,” he replied, patting the sack.

“You’re going back? Even after whatever happened there?” Twilight almost felt like fishing out the story, but she was met with a closed window the last time.

“Yes. Even after what happened there.” He put a hoof over his chest. “I do believe that your little Heartbreak taught me something. Something important.”

“Oh, what’s that?” Twilight asked.

“I have a past, and I have been letting it get the better of me. I have been letting it block me from doing what I love, and letting it stop me from doing what I need to do. Heartbreak taught me to face that past. She reminded me of who I am, and why I am who I am. It was painful to be sure, reliving those moments...But I am better for it. Stronger for it.” He looked at Twilight. “Does your Heartbreak have a past?”

Twilight looked to the side and thought about the question. Then she looked back. “Yes. I think she does,” Twilight said, nodding. She peered at the contents of the cart. There sat the emptied glass jar. “Oh dear..”

“What is it Miss Sparkle?” High Hat asked.

“It seems that you’ve lost all your marbles...” she said, pointing at the jar and trying not to giggle.

“Miss Sparkle. I didn’t lose my marbles,” he replied digging around in a bag. “I took your friend’s advice and used my marbles!” he pulled out a fine sturdy hat that was peppered with dozens of marbles.

=========================================================

I rub my temples. The corny nature of this story almost makes me want to gag. “I have a past, and I should face it instead of running away?”

Twilight smiles. “That’s a good lesson to write to the Princess, and it sounds pretty profound, don’t you think?”

“Perhaps. But I don’t think it fits what happened today.” Twilight gives me a serious glare. “I didn’t say it wasn’t a good lesson! Just one that doesn’t fit what happened today. If I am going to send letters...they might as well fit what happened...Call this a Rainy Day Lesson?”

Twilight looks thoughtful. “Deal. As long as you write to her about this lesson, someday.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. I do have a past. But I don’t want to talk about it, think about it, or relieve it. Not today anyway...

Twilight continues her story.

============================================================

Twilight walked towards the clock shop. Just in Time looked a mess, most of the front of the story was missing, there were little watches, clocks and other mechanical bits here and there. Twilight felt a sense of foreboding when turning her head into the busted out shop.

“H-hello? Anypony there?” she asked tentatively.

In the back there was Pepper Pocket. He tiredly looked up at Twilight and smiled. “Oh! Hello! I’m terribly sorry, but if you can’t tell...um we’re kind of... well closed for repairs,” he replied.

“Well, it’s a good thing that I am not here for any clocks. I’m actually here to see you.” Twilight replied. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

Pepper Pocket blinked. “Wait, I think I recognize you. You were the pony that forced the teapot into Heartbreak’s mouth.”

“I kind of had to do that. Or she would have-” Twilight started to explain.

“Died. Yes, a zebra gave me the antidote as well.” He looked up at Twilight, there were still rainbow coloured tear stains going down his cheeks. “After I asked her why she did that and berated her, telling her that I still had so much work to do, and the like, she told me that I might have had enough tea to send me into a coma. Which was far worse a fate than that which awaited Heartbreak.” He shook his head and looked over his shop.

“How are you doing?” Twilight asked.

“All things considered? Surprisingly well. I mean, the front of the shop is a wreck, I am going to have to get somepony to come out here and repair that. But I have my health, several months of back work done, some of those side projects that I wanted to get done, done.” he pointed at an orange and a small mechanical griffon in front of him. “Watch this!”

He pushed down on the top of the orange and it splayed out into twelve slices. Each slice with a number. The hands of the clock unfurled out and showed the time. He then tapped on the little griffon’s shoulder. “What do you want? The time is Five Thirty-One, Dweeb!”

Twilight blinked at the two unusual clocks. “Interesting.”

“Yes! This one I call ‘A Clockwork Orange!’, and this is my clockwork griffon. I haven’t a clue why I wanted to make this two clocks, but they have always been ideas just stuck in the back of my mind. Oh! And even better than that!” He picked up a book and some papers. “Some of my mentor’s old notes! Many of these tips and tricks will help me a great deal in the future. Did you know if there are several clocks with the same problem,  you can cast a spell that fixes them all at the same time?”

Twilight smirked. “That sounds like quite a time saver.”

Pepper rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Yes and that’s actually its name. Time Saver.” he sighed and leaned on his desk tiredly. “Then there is the paperwork. But after what happened? I do not feel like making anything for a while.” he laughed a bit. “If somepony comes in with a clock to fix, I might actually welcome it!”

“You’re doing a lot of this on  your own, think of actually hiring some help?” Twilight asked looking around.

“Funny you should mention that. Your friend H.B. said the same thing. At the time I didn’t think I could afford it. Now I think that I can’t afford not to. After getting all of the fixed clocks out and to their owners, I should have enough leftover to repair the shop.” Pepper sighed.

Twilight looked at him with concern. “You can do a lot of things on your own Pepper Pocket, but it never hurts to ask for help.”

Pepper pushed on the top of his clockwork orange again. The whole clock popped up back into its spherical shape. “You know, that’s why I think my mentor hired me on. When I first started here, the shop was a mess. He need an extra pair of hooves around.” he shook his head. “I think I miss him.”

“Well, why don’t you go visit him? Didn’t he retire or something?” Twilight asked.

“No, he didn’t retire. That’s just what I have been telling everypony. Telling myself really. No, he’s passed on, Miss Sparkle.” Pepper looked at a picture of him and an older stallion.

“I’m sorry...” Twilight said sympathetically.

“It’s alright, I just have never had the courage to face it myself.” Pepper looked off in the distance. “When they found him, he was at this very desk. Still working on some sort of clock. I had taken time out for my family. And he worked until his time ran out. I feel I have some blame for that.” Pepper sighed.

“You can’t blame yourself for something like that,” Twilight said.

“No, but I can take a lesson from it.” he chuckled sadly. “Like you said: I can still do many things on my own, but I should never stop asking for help.”

===========================================================

I stare at Twilight blankly.

“What? You don’t think that’s a profound or good lesson to send to the Princess?” She asks.

I sniff a little. “It’s a fine lesson, it’s that whole situation with Pepper Pocket. The way I sounded when I was talking to him, what I did, what I had him do, then..” I shake my head. “I just didn’t expect that.”

“Yeah, it’s hard to know what to say in a situation like that. You just have to show them that they’re not alone, and they have friends there to support them,” Twilight replies.

I am still at a loss for words. “It’s not only that, Twilight, but I had a friend who told me that exact lesson. ‘Don’t stop doing things on your own, but never stop asking for help when you need it.’” I shake my head. “It’s a good lesson, but I don’t think it applies to what happened today either.” Twilight is about to give me that look again. “Hey! I will write it when it applies! ‘Course, that seems to be everyp-pony that I shared my tea with. So, one out of three isn’t bad, right?”

“That’s not everypony.” she replies, the sound of magic hums in my ears and a book floats to me. “There was one last pony who just stopped by that wanted to see how you were doing. He left you this.”

I blink at the gift being presented to me. The cover reads, “My Diary”, and there is a small lock on it. I sigh. “Ghost Writer left this, didn’t he?” I frown. “Darn it! I told him-”

“No special treatment. It’s not any special treatment, Heartbreak. It’s his way of apologizing for what happened. He feels really sorry if he made you feel uncomfortable this morning, and he really wanted to make up for it.” Twilight looks thoughtful for a moment. “And while he was here, I think he shared something with me that was rather profound about you.”

I take a deep breath. Calm yourself, HB. He isn’t out to get you. “Alright, and that was?”

=============================================================

Twilight looked at Heartbreak. Bits of rainbow coloured streaks were still on her face. Fluttershy had done her best to make sure she was ok. She had said that she wanted to be there when she woke up, but had to take care of some other things. That was Fluttershy for you. She was always thinking about others.

Twilight looked over the mess that was her library. A dizzy array of papers, drawings, sketches, little blurbs of stories, poems and many things more. A few things she recognized, almost like snapshots from her life. She paused over a few papers. The first time she came to Ponyville, the castle in the Everfree Forest, time with her friends, her reading on a sunny day...There were drawings of other random things: A dog like creature laying atop its dog house, a warped and twisted building near a bridge, a bent spoon with a cherry on it. It was all a very confused and twisted mess. There was so much so that she felt slightly light headed from looking at it. She shook her head and then heard a light rapping came from downstairs.

Twilight opened the door. Standing outside was Ghost Writer. He looked as if he was caught in the middle of leaving. He stopped and turned. “Ah, Twilight, you’re here. I was afraid that I came too late or that I-” he started to stammer. He was looking over Twilight’s shoulder at the mess that lay behind her. A fluttering of papers caught his eye.

“Actually, I wanted to see you.” she looked at him in a concerned manner. “And make sure that you were doing alright.”

“With all things considered? Yes. I am well. A little flustered, a bit winded, and well, concerned.” he said, looking at the flittering pages on the ground. “For Heartbreak, that is...Is she doing better?”

Twilight smiled. “Yes, she’s going to make a full recovery from her little ‘tea-scapade.’ Right now, she is upstairs sleeping.” Twilight looked upstairs and then noticed that Ghost Writer had picked up a few of the papers that were lying on the floor. “Wait, I-” Twilight began.

“I don’t mean any harm, Twilight, I merely wish to see.” Ghost Writer explained.

“It’s just, I mean, I’m not sure how she would feel about you looking at them,” Twilight replied.

Ghost Writer peered into the library. “All of these were from her? She created all of...this?” He asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes. Apparently, all of these things were in her head. That is if I understood Zecora’s explanation of what creativi-tea does to a pony, correctly.”

Ghost Writer looked at the sketches that he had picked up and then at the papers, drawings and stories that plastered the walls. “By my Princess Luna,” he whispered. “It was like there was an entire world, neigh, a universe inside her mind, and it all wanted out at once. It’s...amazing.”

Twilight hadn’t thought of it that way. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

“Well, I wanted to stop by and give her this; as an apology. Not as any special treatment or anything, but as a way to say ‘I’m Sorry.’” He gave Twilight the diary. “Everypony needs a place to put their thoughts, feelings, and ideas.” He paused. “It seems...with a pony like Heartbreak, she’s sure to fill it. After all, it would seem above all things, she is a creative pony.” He shook his head at the dizzying sight of the inside of the library.

“That she is.” She looked around at the mess. “Well, thank you for your concern and stopping by,” Twilight replies.

“Fare thee well, Twilight Sparkle,” Ghost Writer said, bowing slightly.

Twilight sighed and looked at the diary. “Well, better her ideas be in here, rather scattered everywhere in the library!” Just then she heard some groaning from upstairs. “Better see how she’s doing,” Twilight thought to herself, walking up the stairs.

==========================================================

“And that’s when I came up here to see how you were doing, and you moaned in pain. To which I replied-”

“Whoa, Twilight! I was there for this part. Remember?” I put my hoof up. “Really, you aren’t Pinkie Pie. You should have just concluded with ‘and now you know the rest of the story.’” I sigh. “So what was the profound thing here, Twilight? Cause I think I am missing it.”

Twilight smirks. “That, above all things, you are a creative pony.”

I shake my head. “Because of all of this?” I reply, pointing out the papers. “That was the tea talking, Twilight.”

Twilight sighs at me. “Remember what I said to Ghost Writer? The tea brought what was already there to the surface. Everything here?” turns her head and takes the self-portrait off of the mirror and lays it on the bed next to me. “Things like this? All this was up here.” Twilight points to my head. “And everything that you did for those ponies? All that came from here.” she points to where my heart is. Back on earth, I would have told her that I don’t think or feel with my heart, but with my brain. But those words trigger something. A sudden wave of emotion hits me out of nowhere. I feel...touched. I attempt to shake it off. It isn’t working too well.

“If...if you say so, Twilight,” I reply quietly, looking at the picture on the bed. Deep down, there is a part of me that says that she is right. I just don’t want to accept it.

“I do say so, H.B. And I know so. You might be crass, moody, jaded-”

“Well, that killed that fluttery feeling,” I say, glowering at her.

“Sorry,” she says, looking at me with sad eyes. “You’re lacking in discipline, but you’re not a bad pony.” She rubs my shoulder with her hoof. “And one step at a time, eventually we’ll bring you back to Harmony.” she looks at me. “Okay?”

I sniff hard. “Right, one step at a time,” I reply, I blink hard and rub my eyes. “Okay! Letters don’t write themselves,” I bend my head down and pick up the saddle bag with my mouth. I hope that Twilight picks up on that. I then rummage through it, before plucking out the mechanical pencil. As I slip it into my hoof, I spy a look of disapproval from Twilight. She looks like she is about to speak. “Twi’, please, I don’t want to spoil everything that we just said with something horribly jaded.” I look at her pleadingly. “Just this one thing, I’m adapting to being a pony the best I can, but I need just this one thing.” I tap the pressure dial and it makes a soft *zzzt!* noise. “Please?”

Twilight looks at the pencil in my hoof. There is a wary, fearful look on her face. She takes a deep breath. “Alright, H.B., this one thing.”

I stifle a snicker. “Well, that and one other thing: A clean sheet of paper, please?”

Twilight giggles a bit. “I’ll see if I can find any in this mess.”

============================================================

Ghost Writer had been staring at the window outside of the library for a good ten minutes. He could see the silhouette of Heartbreak and Twilight talking. He had no clue what they were talking about, but he didn’t care much. Twilight left for something. Ghost Writer shook his head.

“This isn’t helping your image as a non-threatening pony, G.W.,” he commented to himself. “Standing outside of strange mare’s homes and looking through their windows is what creepy-stalker-lecher-ponies would do. You are not a creepy-stalker-lecher-pony. We need to stop doing this and just go home.”

He paused again looked at the window. Why was this ordinary earth pony holding so much fascination for him? What did he sense from her? What worlds were hatching from that mind?

He shook his head and snorted. He had said his peace in this matter. A parting gift as an apology. If he was lucky, she would use it. He took a deep breath through his nose.

“That is if I am luck-” he sniffed the air. There was a slight smell of something wafting to his nostrils. He tried to find the source of this smell. It was something almost sickly sweet. He quickly found where it was coming from. It was coming from his hoof. There was a small droplet of something sticky spattered there. He sniffed it. “What is that smell?” It smelled much like-

“The tea.” he looked at the dried tea in a bit of horror. It must have splattered on his hoof when that cup crashed to the ground! “I should go and wash this off immediate-” he stopped and looked at the window, then back at his hoof, and at the window again. “I,” he paused. “I shouldn’t.” He looked at his hoof. It was such a small droplet of tea, barely noticeable.

He looked at the window and closed his eyes. “I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity. During these fits of absolute unconsciousness, I drank - Celestia only knows how often or how much. As a matter of course, my enemies referred the insanity to the drink, rather than the drink to the insanity.” he quoted. He then licked the dried tea off his hoof. A burst of flavor rolled over his tongue. The imagery of the darkness before a sunrise rolled through his mind. The black night was being chased away by the red, orange and yellow. It was in a green, grassy meadow that was peppered with flowers of blue, indigo, violet and white. It was delightful.

He opened his eyes. Across them flickered the thinnest, most unnoticeable line of rainbow coloured static. A small spark.

“My word, my dear Heartbreak,” he began. “That was indeed the best tea in all of Equestria. Later, I think I shall have some grass and hay tea. But right now, I think I shall do some writing. I haven’t done that in a great while.” he turned and walked away from the library.

=============================================================

Twilight gives me some blank paper. “You found some clean sheets of paper? I’m shocked.”

“Actually, I had to ask a neighbor pony for this,” Twilight replied, sheepishly.

I look at the book and attempt to use my ankles to position it on my ‘lap’, or the closest thing I have to a lap right now. At first it looks like I am going to flip the damn thing all over the place, but then I get it to where I want it to be. I pick the paper up with my mouth and put it flat on the book.

“You’re going to use the diary that Ghost Writer just gave you as a writing surface?” she asks me.

“It is my -journal- and I will do with it as I like,” I reply. “Now, let’s begin this.” I click the ‘pencil’ button at the top. There is a mechanical sound that comes from the device and the end of a mechanical pencil juts out. I smile and attempt my hoof at writing. This is just a practice try, to see if I can actually draw like this.

Amazingly, it works. It feels natural. My hoof is a bit wobbly but it works!

“I’m doing it, Twilight!” I am almost squealing with excitement. Twilight still has an unsettled look on her face. “Right, letter to the Princess.” I take a deep breath and hold it. I can feel my hoof shaking. I’m scared. What if the Princess rejects my letter? What if my lessons don’t meet her approval? What if I’m not worthy?

Twilight puts a hoof on my shoulder. I look at her. “You can do this HB. Remember: everything one step at a time. But in order to do that, you need to take that first step.”

I close my eyes for a moment, and clear my mind. “Right, I can do this.”

Dear Princess Celestia,

This is my first letter to you, so I hope you can forgive any spelling mistakes, poor grammar or anything that sounds too sarcastic or snide. I really don’t mean to come off that way, it’s just something I do naturally.

Anyway, Twilight is going to be writing an accompanying letter explaining the situation and what happened today. She feels responsible for everything. You see, I had my first brush with magic today, and while it didn’t end badly for everypony, I still feel that I put everypony at risk. To me, Twilight might have opened the door, but I was the one that stepped on through. You can read Twilight’s report in all this and decide for yourself.

Something patters against the paper. Fuck, I’m crying. Stop it. You can do this. I look over at Twilight, she is silently reading as I write.

“Wow, that is actually rather legible, H.B.” she says, blinking. “Please continue.”

Today I learned about the element of Harmony known as Magic. It’s funny how it was the last element that Twilight learned about and the first one that I am learning about. Being from a world where magic seems to be nonexistent to those who don’t have it, it’s hard to know what to make of what is already an elusive element on this world. However, I have come to the following conclusions.
A little magic can go a long way to produce many wondrous things. But at the same time, a little too much magic can be a dangerous thing in wrong hooves or in the wrong pony. I must be careful with myself and watch what I do.
I learned many profound things about myself today. Only one of them really fits today’s situation however. And it was this: I am above all things, a creative pony.
That might not seem like the greatest, or most profound of things. But like with magic, a little creativity can go a long way.
I am going to be facing many problems, many trials and difficulties through this year. And if I am going to have any hope of overcoming them, I am going to have to remember that little lesson. However, luck is on my side, after all, somepony I called friend once, told me that I am an inkwell of creativity.

Sincerely signed,

A pony named Heartbreak

I pause over the letter. “I wonder if I should add ‘P.S. I’m writing this with my hoof! Take that equine physiology!’” Twilight snorts and gives me a look of disapproval. I look away and slide the letter to her. “Right, I didn’t think I should either.”

“I’ll get to work on my letter right away, H.B. It shouldn’t take me any more than ten minutes to write,” she tells me.

Those ten minutes were the longest ten minutes of my life. Finally she comes back with the hourglass in tow. “We shouldn’t have a long wait to see her reply,” she says, placing it on a table.

I don’t want to say anything. I am feeling conflicted, scared, and outright terrified. It was a good letter, right? I didn’t sound arrogant or snide or anything similar to it, right? I rub my hooves together nervously. If she likes my letter, a marble will fall white. If she doesn’t like it, a red one will fall. But what if my letter isn’t good enough? What if my words aren’t worthy? What if I’m not-

My thoughts are interrupted by the glittering sound of magic emanating from the hour glass. There is a marble falling...

My heart drops. It’s red. Only one thought is running through my head as it falls. “I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy, I’m not-” Before it touches the bottom of the hour glass, the red fizzles away like a firecracker. I gasp and cough. It hits the bottom of the hourglass a snowy white. I feel myself shaking and I am crying again. Twilight reaches over to me and gives me a pony hug.

“Shhhhh, everything is alright. You’ve made your first step, H.B.,” she tells me.

That doesn’t stop me from gasping and wetting her shoulder. My left arm reaches up and I hug her tightly. “I-I-I-I’m s-s-s-,” once again I try to say two simple words for an apology. But they refuse to come out. “I was so scared, Twilight.” I almost don’t want this hug to end, but Twilight breaks it off.

“You’ve had a rough day, H.B., You should get some more sleep. Tomorrow, we will tackle cleaning up this mess and talk about what else is going to happen.” she smiled tiredly. I nod and smile back. “Good night, H.B.”

“Good night, Twilight.” I reply.

She leaves the room without turning off the light. How ‘un-Twilight.” Normally, she wouldn’t have done that. She would have shut off the light. She must be as tired and exhausted as I am. I take my pencil from out of my hoof and slip it into my saddle bag. My arm brushes up against the self-portrait I drew of myself. It’s quite the likeness, but then I notice something in the corner. The Japanese hiragana for ‘Yu’.

“No way,” I whisper. I quickly turn over the paper, what greets me looks rather odd. The paper looks like it was blacked out and then something was erased into it. Like a negative image. I smirk and stare at the middle of this paper. Did I really come up with that clever of an idea? After about thirty seconds, I look away at a white section of wall. There’s a face. It’s a face I know, a human face.

“Oh hey, there’s somepony I used to know...” I look around and then stuff the paper into my journal. No sense in Twilight or any other pony seeing this. It’s my little secret. I smile and close my eyes. As I drift to sleep, Mi’s image fades away. But he’s still there somewhere inside of me. I smile a bit.


THE END