> My Little Heartbreak: More With a Kind Word and a Hard Hoof
>  by Jet_Black1980
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Beware the White Hare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter One

Beware the White Hare.


“Ah’ll see ya around there, Miss H.B.!” Cream Puff shouted, as she waved from the library.

“Yeah, see you around!” Heartbreak smiled uncomfortably, and waved back to the little cream coloured filly, before turning and continuing down the road that would lead her back to her house near the Everfree Forest. The colts and fillies at the library had totally drained her after an hour or two of reading, and the thoughts of laying in bed while munching on kelp crisps was sounding rather appealing.

“Cream Puff has certainly taken a shine to you, H.B.,” Fluttershy said, looking around at the trees. There wasn’t a chirp, a tweet, or a song from the branches above. The nature-loving pegasus gave a soft sigh. Heartbreak wasn’t too mean of a pony, but whatever magics that were bound into her kept most, if not all, of the animals away.

“She just likes the fact that I’m reading to her, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak replied, swatting at the whine of a mosquito. “Fetting blood suckers...” she muttered. “They all like me reading to them.”

“The colts and fillies are vamponies?” Pinkie asked tilting her head in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense, H.B. I mean how would they get to the library during the day?”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes and gave her an incredulous look. “No, Pinkie, the mosquitoes. There seem to be quite a few of them for a place where ponies can actually control the weather.”

“Stop being so silly, H.B.!” Pinkie exclaimed while snortling. “Mosquitoes don’t want to listen to you read, they vant to driiink your bloood!” 

Heartbreak almost gave an amused expression as she watched the pink powder puff pony make a vampire impersonation. “Pinkiiiiie, stop that...”

Almost got her to laugh! Pinkie thought to herself while quickly tapping her hooves on the ground to make disappointed click-clack noise. Close, but no cigar. “It’s just that there are more of them due to the substitution weather team not being as super awesome as Rainbow Dash!”

“Wait, Dash isn’t on the weather team any more?” Heartbreak asked, frowning as she swatted at a few more bugs.

“Oh, she's on the weather team all right! She's the best flier, the best cloud-bucker, and the best weather controller in Ponyville's history!" Pinkie cried, before gasping for air.

“Then why is there a substitution team?” asked Heartbreak.

“Because Dashie’s living the dream, and doing more training at the Wonderbolts Reserves! It’s like Wonderbolts Camp, but less campy!” Pinkie explained, before her mood suddenly dampened. “It might only be for a month, but I miss her sooo much!”

“Oh,” Heartbreak replied, mulling over what she had just heard. There was a small pause in chatter in the group, before Fluttershy broke the spell.

“Well, I think that Creampuff might have formed a bond with you, H.B.,” Fluttershy chirped, continuing the prior conversation. “She doesn’t offer to make eclairs for just anypony!”

“She did make them sound pretty good. Though the way that they were described, I thought they were profiteroles; either way, I could go for something that has chocolate on it.” She shook her head. “However, even if she did offer to make them for me, that doesn’t mean there’s a ‘bond’ between us, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak replied, rubbing her ear. “Creampuff is just being nice, that’s all.”

“Well, maybe you’re right,” Fluttershy replied submissively. “I really don’t know much about her.”

“Oh, please!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she bounded up in front of the two ponies. “When you arrived at the library, that sad poor little orphan’s eyes were just begging for you and you alone to read to her-”

“Which I did,” Heartbreak replied, cringing at the moment that Pinkie dropped the word ‘orphan.’ “Just like the rest of the colts and fillies there.”

Pinkie looked up with glistening eyes while holding her hooves to her chest. “And pleading with you to let her snuggle next to your side!”

“You’ll remember that she had to sneak up on me for that to happen...” Heartbreak replied, a ripple of irritation rolling across the surface of her voice. “But I didn’t automatically push her away, and I did let her be at my side, so long as she kept away from my mark.”

“Which was very nice of you, H.B.,” Fluttershy said smiling and tilting her head.

“And when it was time to leave, she was silently screaming at you!” Pinkie fell to her knees and threw her hooves in the air. “Please! Take me with-” Heartbreak’s face twitched as her hoof almost involuntarily jumped into the pink mare’s mouth. 

“Pinkamena Diane Pie, enough!” Heartbreak’s mane twisted and curled as she looked into Pinkie’s eyes. “I don’t know why you’re even bringing this idea up, but never repeat what you are about to say or suggest it ever again! Because, in case you've forgotten, Princess Celestia might still mind-wipe me before the year is out! Even if I wanted to, and even if I did, what exactly do you think would happen to Creampuff if the Princess decides I haven't earned enough marbles!? It’s a bad idea and should not happen, have I made myself clear?” she explained through clenched teeth.


Pinkie looked surprised before nodding and giving a muffled ‘Yes, H.B.’ from around the hoof.

Fluttershy looked at Heartbreak in quiet disapproval. Then again, Pinkie can be really... uhm... Passionate? Intense? Yes, intense about things. Still, H.B. could have asked in a nicer tone… couldn’t she?    


Heartbreak’s eyes flickered over at Fluttershy, and she took a deep sigh before removing her hoof from the pink pony’s mouth. “Thank you, Pinkie. I didn’t mean to get upset, it’s just... that would be a terrible idea. On top of what I just told you, there’s the fact that I don’t know the first thing about taking care of p-ponies.” She sighed, and her voice went low. “And I don’t want another ‘mark’ incident. Right now, I’m O.K. with the deal that the Crusaders set me up with: they visit me every two weeks, and I go out to the library on Tuesdays to read to the colts and fillies.”

“And you’ve been doing a wonderful job of keeping to your promises, H.B.,” Fluttershy interjected, before Pinkie could get a word in edgewise, and continue what would have been a horribly awkward conversation topic. “The Summer Readers rarely ever have one full time reader that they really like. Especially since Twilight’s gone to Canterlot for an advanced magical studies course.”


Heartbreak paused, and looked at Fluttershy questioningly. “Wait. I thought I came up with this ‘summer reading program’ idea. Twilight said that they hadn’t had one before.”

“Actually, there used to be a reading program,” Fluttershy said, nosing underneath a shrub. “But then the reader, Page Turner, left for Manehatten...” She paused while Heartbreak and Pinkie looked at her attentively. Not used to having others focused on her, she pulled away and stared at the ground. “That’s what I heard when I was a filly, at least. Summer reading programs haven’t been very... successful since then...” she said, scuffing a hoof over the path in thought.

“Yeah! Normally, any readers that come along quit after doing it once or twice,” Pinkie blinked and tapped her chin. “Something about the colts and fillies purposefully picking books ‘not age appropriate,’ whatever that means. Face it H.B., you have the Ponyville Summer Readers’ sticker of approval!” She picked herself up off the ground and bounded back after the two ponies, before placing a golden star sticker on Heartbreak’s cheek. 

“I guess having their approval is better than nothing...” Heartbreak rolled her eyes while attempting to rub the sticker off her face, only to find that it stuck to her hoof. Pausing in her walking, she tried to get it off with her left hoof, only to have it switch hooves. Frustrated, she raised her hoof and took it off in her teeth - and, to her surprise, a sweet taste hit her tongue. She blinked and continued to chew the ‘sticker.’ Huh, candy stickers. Clever Pinkie... very clever.

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah! Those colts and fillies have been nothing but super excited to see you for the past few weeks!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she bounced in time with a song bubbling and brewing in her head. “Even Mars has taken a liking to hearing you read. He says that you do the Danger Mare voice perfectly!”

“I wasn’t talking about the reading part,” Heartbreak replied, looking down at the ground. “Or the Readers’ approval.”

“Oh? You weren’t? I’m sorry, I thought you were.” Fluttershy looked over at Heartbreak who was grumbling while she kicked her hoof on the ground. 

“It’s O.K., Fluttershy. I was talking about when their parents came to pick them up. Did you see some of the looks they were giving me?” Heartbreak took a deep breath. “I swear they were judging me under their breath. Especially Mars’ mother. What was her name again?”

“Marmalade!” Applebloom shouted, as she and the Crusaders galumphed up to the three mares. 

“Eeek!” Heartbreak jumped as the three little fillies managed to catch up. The mare caught her breath and calmed herself from the sudden surprise. She tapped her chin and gave a small giggle. “Marmalade. I really hope her husband’s name isn’t ‘Toast.’”

“Why would her husband’s name be Toast?” Pinkie asked, before realizing the joke and snickering. A pun! That’s a good sign! “Ooooh! I get it! Marmalade and Toast! Haaa! Good one, H.B.!”

“Actually, his name is Blood Orange,” Fluttershy interjected.

Heartbreak blinked, and was taken aback. “Really?”

“Oh, yes. I don’t know much about them, but I had to treat their little puppy dog, Peal!” Fluttershy smiled widely as she explained. “He had a terribly upset tummy from eating something he shouldn’t have, and needed some special medication. But he’s all better now!” she recounted, smiling.

“Wait,” Heartbreak blinked and rubbed her forehead. “Their dog’s name is ‘Peal’?” 

“Yeah,” Applebloom interjected as she trotted up next to the three mares. “Him and Winona got inta barking match one time when ah was taking her fer a walk! He was being really mean ta her.”

“I’m sure he was just defending his territory.” Fluttershy smiled, and looked over at Applebloom . “Animals, especially canines, are very protective of their homes and the ponies who they view as their families.”

“But he was jumpin’ an bitin’!” Applebloom started to protest, and shuddered at the memory. “It really scared me...”

“He’s a really sweet puppy, once you get to know him.” Fluttershy explained. “A perfect pet, suited perfectly to the pony that he loves. He just needs a little time to learn that not every dog that passes his yard is a threat.”

“Aaaaand maybe if you introduced Winona to Peal in the dog park they could become friends!” Pinkie exclaimed. Suddenly, she jumped up, her legs stiffening in excitement. “Oh! Oh! We could have a dog party in Doggoneit park! With cakes and bones and chew toys!”

“Doggoneit?” Heartbreak blinked and smirked. “Heh. I should add that to the list.”

Pinkie nodded and pranced in enthusiasm. “Yeah! It’s this awesome little dog park on the west side of Ponyville!”

Fluttershy smiled, nodding to Pinkie. “Ooh, that’s right! There’s lots of open space for the dogs to run around,” she gushed. “Plenty of trees, water bowls, and a small stand that ponies can buy treats from… and lots of new friends!” 

Applebloom smiled and gave a small chuckle. “That might be fun.”

“That could totally be fun!” Scootaloo interjected.

“And we could help with the decorations!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

“An’ as a crusader, or CMCHM… Ya’ll could totally assist us too!” Applebloom suggested as she looked over at Heartbreak.

Heartbreak’s eyes went wide, and she looked at Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie for a moment before her head dropped. She laughed nervously. “Yeah... I don’t know about that one girls.”

Scootaloo looked at Applebloom questioningly. “CMCHM?”

Applebloom nodded. “Cutie Mark Crusader Honorary Member!”

“It could be really fun!” Sweetie Belle gave Heartbreak a slightly cute expression. “We’re not saying that you have to, just give it a little thought...”

Heartbreak blinked and looked up at the sky for a moment. “Yeah, thought about it. You’re going to have to forgive me here, girls,” she replied as her face suddenly took on a terrified expression, “but it’s one party that I will have to opt out of. On account of-” she paused, and looked down wistfully. “-things.” The CMC looked concerned at the sudden somber tone that now clouded their new friends’ face. 

“What sort’a ‘things’?” Applebloom asked, tilting her head.

“Nothing you girls should worry about.” Heartbreak replied, with a small unsettled laugh.

“Hey! As a HCM- uhm- mc?” Scootaloo asked, looking to Applebloom in confusion.

“CMCHM,” Applebloom corrected, rolling her eyes.

“I thought it was ‘CMCHMCM’,” Sweetie Belle interjected.

“Gaaah!” Scootaloo groaned. “Whatever! As an honorary member, you shouldn’t feel like you need to hide anything from us!”

“What makes you think think that I’m hiding anything from you? I’m not hiding anything! Oh Hey! Here we are at-” Heartbreak swallowed hard as she realized that they had arrived at the small cottage just outside of the Everfree Forest. “The Flutterhut...” She said in a meek attempt at a joke.

Applebloom looked up at Heartbreak. “Flutterhut?”

“Yes! A Flutterhut! That’s a great nickname for Fluttershy’s cottage!” Pinkie squealed as she began to dance and sing in place. “♫ A Flutterhut! A Flutterhut! Coltucky fledged Scootaloo and a Flutterhut! ♫” She sang out before nabbing Scootaloo and holding the little filly in the air.

Scootaloo glared down at Pinkie Pie. “Please put me down.”

Heartbreak raised an eyebrow at Pinkie questioningly. “Pinkie, sometimes the things that come out of your mouth disturb me.”

“That’s Pinkie just bein’ Pinkie, H.B. Ya get used ta it.” Applebloom paused, and confusion was painted on her face as she started to look around at the homely and normally peaceful cottage. “Huh, that’s strange.”

“What’s that?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Don’t ya hear it?” Applebloom asked, her ears twitching left and right.

Scootaloo raised a hoof to her ear. “What do you mean? I don’t hear anything.”

“Exactly! Normally Fluttershy’s cottage is all abuzz with all sorts of critter noises!” She held her hooves close to her chest fearfully. “But it’s gone all... quiet like.”

“Maybe there’s something wrong with the animals!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. “Fluttershy, do you think there’s something wrong?”

“Uhm... Well-” Fluttershy’s eyes darted to Heartbreak for a moment before returning back at the three little inquisitive fillies. “You see-”

“Oh hey!” Scootaloo pointed over Applebloom’s shoulder. “There’s Angel!”

The ponies looked over to see the little white rabbit glaring out of the cottage window. His face twisted in a very displeased frown. As the little lapine glanced at Heartbreak, his ears turned back and he scowled darkly.

“Wow, I’ve never seen Angel look that angry,” Scootaloo said, backing away on her scooter. Angel was a small rabbit, but even as a small rabbit, he could be quite intimidating. “What did you do to get him that mad?”

“Yeah! Even when we were taking care of him that one time, he never looked that upset!” Sweetie Belle replied, nodding.

Fluttershy moved her mane away from her eyes, and smiled at the three little fillies. “Oh, I’m sure that he’s just a little grouchy because I’m late for his-” 

Suddenly, a loud thumping sound reverberated through the ground. The ponies turned and saw that Angel was standing in the slightly opened door. His little arms were crossed, foot hammering the ground as he stared at Fluttershy.

“-afternoon snack. All the animals get a little hungry and unhappy when-” 

Angel suddenly let out a mighty ‘ehem!’ Or at least as mighty as it would sound coming out of a rabbit of his stature. 

“Oh...” Fluttershy looked down sadly and walked to the door, before she turned around and waved. “Right, well... It was very nice to see you again, H.B. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and-”

The mare gave a startled ‘eep!’ as she felt her tail being tugged on. Looking back, she saw that Angel was growing ever more impatient, and his expression, while not tainted with anger, was anything but pleasant.

“Ihopetoseeyoureallysoonbye!” Fluttershy quickly squeaked, before she was practically dragged back into her cottage.

Heartbreak waved at the pegasus for as long as she could, before dropping her hoof dismally as the door slammed shut. Then, she bit down on her lip and began to walk homeward.

Scootaloo zipped up to Heartbreak’s side. “What the fet was that about?”

“Scootaloo, please don’t use that word...” Heartbreak groaned, a bitter tang tainting her voice.

“Hey, I was just asking. No need to get all Polly Polite on me,” Scootaloo replied, raising her eyebrow. “Besides, you use it all the time!”

“That might be, but I just don’t want you to get in trouble,” Heartbreak replied, her eyes fixated on the ground in a distant solemn gaze. “Alright?”

“Ah think ah know what that was about...” Applebloom said trotting up next to the mare. “They don’t like ya, do they?”

“Who doesn’t like her?” Sweetie Belle asked, tilting her head.

“The animals!” Applebloom exclaimed, before covering her mouth in realization of how loud she was.

“Oh...” Sweetie Belle sighed.

Scootaloo looked up at Heartbreak, whose expression only seemed to worsen as Applebloom had gone about stating what should have been obvious. “Is it because of... you know?”

Heartbreak frowned and glared off into the distance. If she were a pegasus, dark clouds with small charges of lightning would be forming under her hooves. “What do you think, Scoots?”

“She doesn’t know, H.B.! She’s not the Professor of the X-Ponies!” Pinkie interjected while making a silly face and rubbing her hooves on her temples. “She doesn’t have incredible mind reading powers! That’s why she asked, silly!”

Heartbreak looked behind her, her mouth open and ready to respond, when she spied a small group of animals peeking out from the greenery of Fluttershy’s cottage. Spotted; most of them ducked for cover, while a few hissed and chittered angrily. The tan mare glared for a moment, snorted, and sighed sadly before she continued to chew on her lower lip in an attempt to cover up a lamenting whisper desperately trying to escape her lips.

Pinkie, meanwhile, looked back at the animals and then frowned, before whimpering sadly as Heartbreak passed her by. The pony’s mane and tail had gone from curly to droopy almost instantly. And though they were covered by the green cap that High Hat had sent her, it was more than obvious that no pony’s ears should have been hanging that low. 

That's all I can stands and I can't stands no more! Pinkie shook her head and pulled up on her forelegs like they were sleeves, before snorting. Pinkie Perk-up Program activated! Target acquired! Initiate aggressively-super niceness! She zipped up to the emergency depression face in front of her. Starting with a serious expression, she burst into a goofy grin and booped Heartbreak’s nose. The pony only responded with a flinch before moving so that the party pony was out of her way before continuing back down the path to her place of safety.

Pinkie looked at her hoof and then back at Heartbreak, her mane wilting. But.. my Pinkie Perk-up Program never fails! Better try another tactic! She zipped back up to her target, and attempted to make the pony smile by demonstrating what it was to smile. This just might work!

However, it did not work, as Heartbreak merely rolled her eyes and grumbled.

Pinkie’s mane fully wilted before springing back to poof. That’s a serious grump! And a serious grump requires seriously serious somethings! I didn’t want to do this H.B.! But it looks like we’re going to have to get seriously serious! SERIOUSLY!

Pinkie dipped and dived in front of Heartbreak again before blowing a horn and tossing some confetti in her face.

“Hey!” Heartbreak shouted, pushing the coloured paper away. “Pinkie! Stop that!”

Pinkie sighed. “I’m just trying to remind you that you shouldn’t be such a grumpy McSad-sass all the time... would it hurt you to smile? Just a little?”

Heartbreak squirmed and muttered, still biting down on her lip before turning and looking at Fluttershy’s cottage. A small cluster of angry yellow eyes peered at her through the window. She sighed and looked away. “There’s nothing to smile about, Pinkie...” she lamented, despair saturating her voice.

Pinkie let out a dramatic gasp and jumped to Heartbreak’s right side. “Well! That’s no way to look at things!”

Scootaloo quickly zipped up to the mare. “So what if those animals didn’t like you?” the filly asked gruffly.

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle interjected, racing up to Heartbreak’s left side. “You’ve got us, right?”

“An’ a whole bushel of other ponies that care about ya, H.B.” Applebloom added, trotting up to meet her friends.

“See?” Pinkie Pie wrapped a foreleg around the distraught pony’s neck, a smile exuding nothing but optimism adorning her face. Suddenly, she started to bounce a little, and her voice turned musical.





“♫ There’s always something to smile about! It’s true! Because there’s always somepony around that cares about you! ♫”

Heartbreak’s face twitched involuntarily. “Pinkie, please don’t-”

“♫When the world feels a bit confining! ♫” Sweetie Belle sang curling up into a ball in the middle of the path.

“Fet...” Heartbreak facehooved. She opened her mouth to tell the little filly to get off the ground and out of the pathway, only to be interrupted by Scootaloo jumping up in the air and pointing at the sky.

“♫ Remember that every cloud has its silver lining! ♫” 

“♫Every heart, young and old, has it's gold!♫” Applebloom sang, holding up a hoof-drawn heart over Heartbreak’s mark. However, she suddenly jumped back as the paper burst into flames. 

Heartbreak’s face went from depressed to horribly pained. She turned to ask the three little fillies to stop singing, only to find them huddled together for a chorus. 

♫We will search for our place to belong ♫

♫We will work hard all of the year long ♫

♫We won’t give up till its done! ♫

♫Until our purpose is wo-on! ♫

Heartbreak fought the urge to cover her ears and shut out the overly cheerful singing. Ugh! Can’t they see this is the last thing I need right now!?

Pinkie pulled her foreleg away from Heartbreak and spun around, holding her hooves close to her chest. She threw her hooves up into the air, and a shower of assorted candies came falling down as she continued on with the song.

♫So just remember: life is sweet, not sour! ♫

♫And don’t be troubled by your silly dour-- ♫

Pinkie suddenly found herself unable to sing, as something hard landed on her mouth. Looking down, she found that once again, Heartbreak’s hoof had found its way there. Only this time it was attached to a very upset pony.

Before, Heartbreak had been fighting every urge to let her feelings show. Now, she couldn’t help it. She was looking away, her eyes tightly shut, tears creeping out and falling to the ground. She shook her head several times. Pinkie’s mane drooped as the hoof pulled away from her mouth.

“I... I know you’re trying to help, Pinkie. I know you’re all trying to help...” Heartbreak whispered. “But... not right now... Please. I’m really tired. I just want to go home, flop in my bed and not think about... this... I’m... I’m s-” She stopped mid sentence and coughed before sniffing and wiping her face. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.” She continued down the path back to her house, her head hung low.

Pickle buckets... One day, Pinkie Pie thought to herself sighing. One day I will see her really smile. One day, I will hear her really laugh. 

She heard a knocking coming from inside her head. Pinkie! That’s not the issue! She’s sad because the animals don’t like her! What if Gummy started to dislike you for no apparent reason!? You’d be super sad too!

 I know all that! But there’s nothing I can do! Not until she lets us into what’s going on! Turning, she looked at the now morose Crusaders. In the meantime, there’s no sense in these three being sad! She trotted over to Applebloom, who sat on her haunches looking down at the small pile of ashes that was once a drawing. “Wow! That’s the worst case of heartburn I’ve ever seen!”

“Ah don’t understand it,” Applebloom looked up at Pinke. “Yer songs can cheer up even the saddest of ponies. Why didn’t it work this time?” 

“I don’t know...” Pinkie replied sadly, before turning and looking at Heartbreak. I bet it’s because she’s from another world, Pinkie. She rolled her eyes at herself. I know that, and you know that, Pinkie. But it’s not like I can tell these little fillies that! They’ve already been exposed to her strangeness enough as it is. However, better play this cool and try to come up with a different reason. Evasive maneuvers! As Heartbreak walked away, she lifted a hoof to her mouth and coughed into it. 

“She’s most likely just exhausted from the ongoing construction work and reading for all of the little orphan foals and-and-and-Oh! Brain-Blast!” She looked at the three little fillies while tapping her temples. “I just had a great idea! Aaand I lost it - Wait! There it is! Maybe we could all get together and plan her a really big super secret ‘Thank You For Being Such An Awesome Summer Reading Reader Party!’ to show how much all of you have appreciated her reading to her!” Pinkie paused, putting on The Serious Face. “I can see it now...” she said, wrapping a hoof around Scootaloo’s shoulder. “Butterflies and lights in the sky...” she waved her hoof over the sky. “‘Thank you, H.B.! Signed... Uhm... Everypony!”

Scootaloo jumped a little, then tapped her chin. “That actually sounds like an awesome idea...”

“An’ showin’ our appreciation fer all her hard work in readin’ ta us could boost her self esteem...” Applebloom continued.

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “We could do it with magic and fireworks!”

Pinkie Pie smiled. All according to plan. “Yupperinies! We should get planning that really soon! Summer is nearly halfway over!” She said bouncing back in the direction of Ponyville.

“You had to remind me...” Scootaloo rolled her eyes and let out a long groan, before the Crusaders followed Pinkie Pie, who was whistling a happy little tune.
> Growing Concerns...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Two



Growing Concerns...


“And then what happened?” Rarity asked, slowly slipping into the prepared luxury spa bubble bath. She smiled at Aloe and Lotus who had just paused at the door to check on their favorite customer. “Thank you; we shall call you if you are needed.”

The two ponies were so used to listening in on most of their customers’ conversations that it came as a surprise when their most valued customer had asked for some privacy. But, as they left, they noted that there were other rooms to attend to, with other ponies in them. 

“What?” Pinkie adjusted the towel wrapped around her head. “Oh, then me and the girls went back to Sugar Cube Corner for some treats and more brainstorming! There was a few light drizzles and a couple of thunderstorms, after which the clouds parted and it was sunny skies. But the forecast is calling for more summer storms, depending on how the weather team performs!”

Rarity blinked before disregarding most of Pinkie’s weather report nonsense. “After which, I presume, the girls went home?”

“Yup-yup-yup!” Pinkie replied, as she continuing to adjust her towel. “I thought I would give H.B. a little R’n’R. After all, the doctors say that too much sugar is bad for you, and I’ve been told that I’m made of the stuff. But I say that you can never have too much Pinkie Pie!”

“I’m sure that H.B. would disagree with you about that.” Rarity concurred, tilting her head back and relaxing. “What have you been up to since then, Fluttershy?”

“Huh? Oh, well,” Fluttershy sat at the edge of the bubble bath, only daring to dip a hoof in. The water looked very nice, but if she washed herself too thoroughly, the animals would give her some strange looks. “I’ve been really busy taking care of my little friends. In the past few days they’ve been really keeping me on my hooves. Especially Angel; he’s been ever so demanding as of late...”

“Oh? Is he being picky about his food again?” Rarity asked, stretching in the water and allowing its warmth to seep into the stiff parts of her body. Ever since the spa ponies had been taking to using recipes from Zecora, the baths had gone from a mere indulgence to a divinity.

“Yes, though now that I think about it,” Fluttershy tapped her chin. “He’s been picky about a lot of things as of late. His bedding doesn’t have enough fluff, his water doesn’t taste right, and he’s constantly letting me know about any little problem he has with the other animals.” she looked up at her friends. “Especially some of the newer arrivals.”

“Oh?” Rarity asked, biting her tongue about whether or not this newest batch of animals were ‘problem pets.’ The last time I asked, it made her horribly uncomfortable. I’m just glad that I can mind my manners, unlike some ponies. “Who are these most recent additions to your menagerie, and what problems have they been posing to your dear sweet Angel?” 

Fluttershy waded her front hooves in the water. “Well, there’s a full poodle whose owner is visiting from Canterlot.”

Rarity perked up. “A poodle from Canterlot? He must be of some fine breeding.”

“His name is Nigel, and he’s an awfully sweet baby, but Angel insists that he keeps muttering about chasing him!” Fluttershy replied with a genuinely concerned expression. “I did have a talk with him, and he claims to be innocent. So... I let him off with a fair warning and told him to behave himself.”

Pinkie popped out of the bubble bath gnashing her teeth and growling before returning back to her sunny self. “Ooo! If Nigel’s owner would let him, he could totally come to the party we’re having in the dog park!”

“Maybe...” Fluttershy replied, calming herself after Pinkie’s shark display. “High Class might not be ok with that. Which is really sad; Nigel looks like he could use a few more doggy friends to play with. And a good deal of exercise! Poodles have been bred for water sport activities, and the pond would be a great place to get some swimming.”

Pinkie’s towel drooped over her eyes, and she groaned before readjusting it. “There aren’t any new puppies for him to sniff?”

“Well, there is a fox that was dropped off,” Fluttershy grimaced. “His name is Foxiekins and his ...former owner was complaining a great deal about him. He apparently has a behavioral problem of sorts, but for the life of me, I don’t seem to see what it is... The only thing that I can think of is that he tends to insist on sitting on the curples of couple of visiting mares! Even mine.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “You don’t suppose that he is a lecherous fox?”

“I don’t think so,” Fluttershy replied. “I think it’s an insecurity from just being left by his former owner. He’s seeking comfort and security: after all he likes to pull pony tails over him like a little blanket.”

“Angel must be very jealous if he’s doing that with you, Fluttershy darling,” Rarity replied, sighing. “That is, after all, usually his favorite perch.”

“I have had to gently push them apart more than once,” Fluttershy replied, nodding. “Then there’s a burrowing owl. He has a sprained wing and doesn’t really like to stay in my cottage. He’s taken refuge in one of the nearby abandoned gopher burrows, but tends to keep to himself and doesn’t bother anypony too much.”

Rarity frowned while looking up at the ceiling. “Does Angel have a problem with him?”

“No...” Fluttershy replied meekly. “Well... maybe a little one, but it’s only a teeny, tiny, miniscule problem that was brought up just once. And that was that when the owl was first entering his new home, he was very disappointed to find that it was abandoned and that there weren’t any juicy gophers in there for him to eat.”

Rarity’s relaxed expression turned to that of one of abject horror. “F-for him to eat?”

Fluttershy nodded while smiling. “Oh yes, you see, burrowing owls in the wild hunt by finding a burrow of a gopher or some other burrowing animal, and eating the occupants before turning the burrow into their own nest.” the pegasus opened her eyes. “Angel didn’t like overhearing our conversation, but I assured him that the owl would only eat what I provided. Once his wing is mended, he’s going to return to the wilds with his family.”

Rarity blinked, the horrified expression on her face refusing to leave. “Do you have any safe arrivals?”

Fluttershy whimpered as she realized that she was making her friend uncomfortable. “Well, there was a lovely black and white tuxedo cat! He’s very playful and arrived sometime in April. The poor dear was very confused about where he was and what was happening. He kept meowing about some strange room with blinking lights, and monster sized cats that were poor at hunting. He was so confused! But once we called him down with some milk and a warm blanket, he settled right in.”

“From what I have heard, tuxedo cats characters regarding temperament are a bit... questionable, but I do think that their black and white coats are ever so adorable!” Rarity quipped approvingly.

“He’s such a sweet cat; it’s a shame that he hasn’t been adopted yet. I’m not terribly sure why Angel is upset with him or if he is, though he has taken up to spending time with a raccoon-”

“Oh! That reminds me!” Pinkie interjected suddenly. “H.B. told Applejack’s cousin that she had a pet raccoon named Fingers!”

Rarity blinked and shook her head. “That’s a particularly odd name for a creature.”

“Well, raccoons are a species with fingers,” Fluttershy said, she paused and looked thoughtful. “You don’t think that H.B. was...”

“H.B.?” Pinkie Pie snorked and laughed. “Don’t be silly, Fluttershy! If that were the case, then we couldn’t give her sugarcubes!”

Pinkie’s two friends looked utterly lost at what, if any reference she seemed to be making.

“Pinkie, darling...” Rarity started. “Are you alright? You seem to be extra... How shall we say...”

“Pinkie...” Fluttershy supplied.

“I am?” As Pinkie tilted her head in confusion, her spa towel finally toppled off. She sighed and put it back on. “Maybe I am,” she said in a moment of clarity. “But I’m just preparing for my turn with H.B. She must be a tough nut, because she didn’t even crack a smile at my song! But one day I’ll get to her! One day she’ll know that there are ponies out there that care about her! Even if I have to drill it into her head.”

“Oh!” Fluttershy jumped. “Speaking of drilling, a very handsome looking pileated woodpecker is going to be with us for the summer. He has a bright red crest and beautiful plumage. But... he can be quite loud when he’s looking for his dinners.”

Rarity nodded. “Just as long as he doesn’t start pecking on ponies’ houses. Woodpeckers can be quite the nuisance. Why, when I was a little filly one kept making such a racket near my home that I couldn’t sleep for a week!”

“He’s only looking for the best tasting grubs,” Fluttershy said softly. “And at least he’s not as bad as the small group of hummingbirds!”

Rarity looked over at Fluttershy in confusion. “Those wonderful gems that flicker and flutter about through the air? Why, whatever could be wrong with hummingbirds?”

“Pfffft! Hummingbirds are easy to keep up with! Now hedgehogs? That’s a different animal altogether!” Pinkie exclaimed, splashing the water. “Besides, don’t you love all animals?”

“Of course I love all animals,” Fluttershy looked down, ashamed that she had spoken so harshly. “It’s just that these hummingbirds have been rather... aggressive about getting food. I do try really hard to keep up with them, but they’re so fast! And with the way a hummingbird drinks nectar? It would be ok if there were just one of them... But three is quite the hoof-full to take care of. Thankfully, now that the larger trumpeting flowers are starting to bloom, they’ll have more nectar and might calm down...”

“Angel doesn’t seem to have too many problems with them?” Rarity asked, adjusting herself in the tub and trying to relax once again.

“Not really... the animal that Angel has been really having problems with is this adorable little rat-”

“Rat?!” Rarity asked, nearly jumping out of the tub with a dreaded look on her face. Once she realized that Fluttershy was only talking about a rat, she slowly sunk back into the tub. “Not a wild one I hope.”

“Well, he was living on the streets of Canterlot for a while,” Fluttershy said, swirling the water in the bath. “But he’s a pet rat! He’s a lovely brown colour with striking yellow eyes.”

“Yellow eyes?” Rarity whimpered, remembering her rat-scare at Heartbreak’s house the month before. “I hope he’s had all his shots...”

“Rarity, you know that I give all the animals I care for their proper vaccinations,” Fluttershy replied sternly, tilting her head and looking at her friend. “It’s really hard to look at their faces when they see the needles, but I give them a comforting hoof and make sure that they know that I’ll be there for them when it’s all over.”

“Right...” Rarity went back to relaxing. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. Please continue.”

“Oh, right,” Fluttershy paused and thought about where she was going with her part of the conversation. “The two of them haven’t been getting along too well. And they seem to antagonize each other if I leave them alone. I tried to have a sit down and talk out their differences, but... it hasn’t gone terribly well...”

Pinkie suddenly jumped up. “Oh! I almost forgot, J.C.’s birthday is coming up next week!” Turning to Fluttershy, she gave a bright eyed wide smile. “There don’t happen to be any new bugs in your zoo crew?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “J.C.?”

“Jeepers Creepers!” Pinkie exclaimed. “That little colt that really likes collecting bugs!”

Fluttershy backed away while giving a slightly unnerved smile. “Well, no... No new bugs,” Pinkie’s expression drooped as her hopes were dashed. “But we do have a new arachnid! A lovely rose tarantula!”

Rarity once again started to look uncomfortable. “T-tarantula? Like a spider?”

Pinkie softly poked Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Heeeeey! I thought you said you didn’t have any new bugs!”

Fluttershy rolled her hooves over each other. “I did. Spiders and tarantulas aren’t bugs, they’re arachnids.” she replied. “And this is a rose tarantula, a species that is more at home in the Everfree Forest than anywhere near Ponyville! You see, it camouflages itself to look like a rose bush. So much so that its fangs look like butterflies! Right now, she’s in a molting stage and needed to find a place that was relatively safe.”

Fluttershy’s friends once again found themselves at a loss for words. Sometimes the pegasus’ knowledge of animals and their behavioral habits was not only a little too detailed, but downright disturbing.

“Oh, uhm, so...” Fluttershy broke the silence she created by attempting to change the subject. “Do either of you know what H.B has been up to?”

“Can’t say that I do,” Pinkie replied frowning. “Like I said, I was giving her a bit of R’n’R and some R’f’P. I think I overheard somepony saying that she was actually in town, but I’m not sure when that was...”

“It couldn’t have been terribly long ago, darling. After all...” Rarity paused for a moment. The whole ‘frienemies’ between Heartbreak and her hadn’t been fully explained to the other ponies and she wasn’t sure how they would take it. “I hesitate to say this, due to the fact that we have been giving her a little bit of space,”

“Buuuut?” Pinkie Pie asked eyeing Rarity in a manner all too closely.

“Well, in the past month she has taken to walking past my beautique, mostly on her way to the library, but sometimes on a lunch outing. And the two of us have been taking part in a series of light hearted jabs - as part of our newly established ‘frienemiship’. She’s been doing rather well with our little verbal jousts - “ Rarity looked away, a bit of shame crossing her face. “-But when she stopped by two days ago on her way to the library, she seemed... how shall we say, less than up to par?

“Two days ago? But that was Wednesday and the girls agreed to meet with her only once every two weeks,” Fluttershy blinked in confusion. “Why was she going to the library?”

“I believe she said that she had to check out a few books,” Rarity replied. “I didn’t get a chance to ask about what - I was hard pressed to get several new dresses done before a client arrived - but along with the less than stellar banter I couldn’t help but notice that she had a bit of a cough.”


=====================================================================


Fluttershy pulled on the strap on the saddlebags. Spending time with the girls and talking about the little things in their lives was for the most part always a good way to relax.

Though it seemed like I was the one doing most of the talking! Fluttershy thought to herself. Normally it’s Rarity who does most of the talking on our spa trips. Though to be fair Pinkie-

“Fluttershy! Hey! Wait!”

Fluttershy eeped and quickly turned to see Pinkie coming out of the spa. “Yes, Pinkie?”

“I was wondering if you could do me a super-duper quick favor,” Pinkie started as she tussled about with her saddle bags.

“Anything for a friend,” Fluttershy replied smiling gently. “Just as long as it isn’t anything too big, Angel and the others are expecting me to come home soon. What would you like me to do?”

“Well, it shouldn’t be anything too big, in fact it’s based on a tiny detail that Rarity left out of her story!” Pinkie exclaimed. “And seeing that Rarity wants to have another hour of spa time and I have to get things ready for J.C.’s party, I was wondering if you could stop by the library and see what books H.B. was checking out!”

Fluttershy looked confused. “What books she was checking out?”

“Yeah...” Pinkie waggled her hoof and started to walk down the path heading back into Ponyville. “I don’t know what it is, but some of Rarity’s story has me a wee bit worried. Just a wee bit.”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked following her friend.

“Well, it just seems odd for H.B. not to be in the mood to snark with Rarity, or for her snarking to be less than snarky.” Pinkie tapped her chin. “That, and when she was walking back to her house the last time I saw her, she was coughing a little bit! It might be a small thing, but you know what they say: Discord’s in the details!” Suddenly, the normally bouncy mare covered her mouth and meeped at Fluttershy. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s alright, Pinkie.” Fluttershy sighed, remorsefully. “You don’t have to apologize.”

“Are you sure? Because-”

Fluttershy sniffed a little before nodding. “It’s just better that I don’t think about it.”

“Will you still go see what books H.B. was checking out?” Pinkie asked, fluttering her eyes. “And maybe even peek in on H.B.? Just in case?”

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Of course I will.”


=====================================================================


Ghost Writer tapped a pen against his chin and looked over the things he had written that strange day back in April.

The spelling is terrible, grammar half hazard, and this rhyming scheme?! What was I thinking! Then again, I was under the influence of that tea at the time of writing this... He sighed and set the pen down before picking a cup of tea up. He shook his head before the warmth from within touched his lips and he went on a critical outlook of the strange string of poems.

“And in the valley in which I stood
surrounded all around by The Weeping Willow Wood,
T’was a single hill, atop which bore
Three things that stood out in this gently sloping moar.”

Ghost Writer frowned. Moar? What did I mean by that?

“There sat upon a single throne, an aged crone,
And behind her, a single large stone,
This stone t’was a marvel, a sight to see!
For grew out of it: a single towering tree.”

The imagery struck the normally verbose stallion as a bit stiff and stilted. Here was a scene of an old wizened mare sitting on a throne that was in the middle of a strange valley. Behind which was a sight that was meant to cause awe and wonder, but it seemed to be... lacking something. He took out the red quill and marked it as ‘rehash this later’.

“And the Crone did rise and look around,
Pointing at figures in the distance, their shadows polluting the ground.
And behold!
A horrifying sight -”

“This poem is a horrifying sight...” Ghost Writer muttered to himself taking another swig of tea. “Ugh, I used ‘sight’ twice. Hmm... Vision, perhaps?”

“I beheld three great giants, hoving Lan-gal-eers.
Their very presence pushed forward hidden fears
I was but an ant in their looming graces
Quaking but did not knowing the true meaning of terror nor horror till I beheld their faces.
The Olde Three, did I see.
Their names were: The Ch'tilg, The ‘_____’, And The Void -”





“Excuse me?” A young unicorn asked, an annoyed expression at being ignored for a few moments.

“Oh!” Ghost Writer peered over the counter. “I am most terribly sorry. I didn’t see you there. You see, I was a bit wrapped up-”

“Yeah, yeah...” The filly frowned, her hoof tapping on the ground. “I need some new quills and I am in a bit of a hurry. My mom says if I don’t do my summer school homework tonight, there’s going to be no gaming tomorrow.”

Ghost Writer took a deep breath and covered up his displeasure. Foals these days, he griped to himself turning and plucking a few quills off a shelf, before placing them gently on the counter. No sense of respect! Why when I was her age, my grandpony would have taken a swatch to my flank! I ought to- The stallion caught himself before taking that thought any further. Jenny would be gravely disappointed in you for even thinking such things, Ghost. After all, you were the one lollygagging about in your poems! If anypony deserves the swatch, I’m sad to say it is you... “That shall be three and a half bits, please.”

“Here you go,” He watched the filly place the three and a half bits on the counter before taking the quills.

“Have a most pleasant day,” He said as the filly began to turn away.

“Yeah, sure... Pleasant.” She replied, rolling her eyes and muttering to herself. 

As Ghost Writer began to shake his head, he heard the filly yelp out an irritated ‘Hey! Watch where you’re going!’ Concerned, he set down his poetry to see what the commotion was about.

“Oh my goodness, I’m terribly sorry,” Began a beautiful soft spoken voice. “I didn’t see you there when I turned the corner.” The filly looked up at what was none other than Fluttershy. “Are you alright?” She asked bending her head down.

“Yeah... But you should really watch where you’re going,” The filly’s sour expression softened and she turned her head away not daring to give the kind, if not the kindest of ponies in Ponyville any sort of grief.

“I’m sorry about that,” Fluttershy’s ears dropped and she looked a bit upset. “And normally I would have been paying attention to my surroundings more carefully, but I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“You? In a hurry?” The filly looked confused.

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy said, her hooves dancing a bit. “I’m afraid that a friend of mine might be coming down with something, but I’m not terribly sure so I’m going to go check on them after a quick stop to the library.”

“Oh...” For a moment the filly stood dumbfounded. “Well, you have a... pleasant day.”

Fluttershy smiled and tilted her head. “You do the same.” she replied before turning back on her way. Ghost Writer quickly ducked back into his booth before the delicate mare came walking near his shop.

“Good afternoon, Fluttershy,” Ghost Writer said, smiling and trying to make it look as he was still attending to his poetry.

Fluttershy looked up and then returned the smile. “Oh. Hello Ghost Writer. How are you doing today?”

“Fairly well, fairly well,” He replied, awkwardly. Whether she knew it or not, Fluttershy was something of a rare beauty in Ponyville. With a long flowing mane and tail that were of soft pastel yellow and pink, delicate sparkling moderate cyan eyes. Whatever stallion to be lost in such eyes, I dare say, would suffer from a case of in-cyan-ity! But-

“Is there something I can help you with?” Fluttershy asked, breaking the pale stallion out of his thoughts.

“Oh!” Ghost Writer found himself so startled that he bumped over a small inkwell. “Nothing really, I was merely saying,” He coughed a little. “Hello.”

“Oh, hello then,” Fluttershy replied pulling back. “I’m terribly sorry, but I need to get to the library... Pinkie Pie asked me to-”

“Find out what books a friend of yours was checking out,” Ghost Writer interrupted finishing Fluttershy’s sentence. Almost instantly, the stallion bit his lip. “Do forgive my intrusion, I couldn’t help but overhear part of a conversation that you were having...”

“Oh,” Fluttershy replied with a wide if not uncomfortable smile. “It’s alright. I really must get going, there might be somepony that could be sick, and I might need to check in on them.”

Ghost Writer coughed and realized how unnerved the mare was becoming with their minor conversation, when something suddenly struck him. “This pony wouldn’t happen to be Heartbre- I mean, H.B., now would it?”

“Actually, it would,” Fluttershy found herself caught off guard by the question. “Why do you ask?”

“Concern for a-” Ghost Writer tapped his hooves together. What was Heartbreak to him? “-an acquaintance. You see, I saw her about two days ago. She stopped by here in need of some new erasers. After some casual conversation, mostly involving reaffirming of personal boundaries, she asked if I had a tissue that she could use.”

“A tissue?” Fluttershy asked walking more towards the stand.

“Yes,” Ghost Writer replied. “I would not have thought anything of this, but due to her hoof condition? She had me hold it for her as she blew her nose.” He cringed at the memory of all this. “It was quite the mess, when I attempted to ask if she was feeling well, but she insisted that she was fine and told me that it was merely dust from the road before heading off to the library.” He tilted his head at the mare. 

“Oh dear!” Fluttershy began to look a bit more nervous.

“Has anypony been to check on her in the past few days?” Ghost Writer asked as he gave a genuinely concerned head tilt.

“I don’t know but,” Fluttershy began to dance a little as her concerns began to rise. “I’m sorry but I have to go!”

“And with that... the lovely mare took off to the library.“ Ghost Writer sighed as he watched the pegasus scamper away. He looked at the time. “Perhaps a luncheon is what I need to get back into my creative flow...”
> Paging Nurse Fluttershy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Three



Paging Nurse Fluttershy


Now Fluttershy, the yellow mare thought to herself, pushing her forelock out of her face. There’s no real reason to be concerned. H.B. said she was fine. But then again, Pinkie Pie said she was having a cough! She pressed her hoof on the door to the Golden Oaks Library door.

“There’s no reason to worry about it, Fluttershy,” she said out loud. We’ll just do this one favor for Pinkie Pie and then go back home to make sure the animals have had their snacks. And if you’re a little late, Angel won’t mind helping you. She nodded and felt her shoulders relax before letting out a deep sighing breath at these thoughts as she opened the door to the library. Inside she found Spike standing at a podium, quill at hand, and assisting two ponies.

“Let’s see... Daring Do and the Sky Blues, Native Equestrian Plants and Their Uses, and finally, The Happy Little Jenny, all checked out to one Mint Julep,” Spike said, dragging his claw down a list. “Alright, the books are two weeks overdue.” He tapped his chin. “So, the fees come to, uhm...” He turned back to his paper. “Twelve bits even!”

“You are going to have to do some serious chores around the house when we get home, Minty C. Creme!” Julep said, glaring at the light green filly standing next to her. “I can’t believe you let your late fees go this far. This is the last time I let you check any books out under my card!”

“But moooom! I couldn’t find mine!” the little filly whined.

“Well, maybe if you cleaned that room of yours, you’d be able to find it!” Julep chided, placing the bits into Spike’s waiting hand.

Fluttershy whimpered as she watched the mother and daughter argue. It was always awkward seeing such things. After all, parents and their foals should always get along, shouldn’t they? However, it wasn’t her place to judge or make comments; if she did, she ran the risk of the parents turning on her, commenting on how she just wouldn’t understand because she didn’t have any foals herself.

Minty turned and smiled at Fluttershy before doing a double take at realizing who she was smiling at. “Oh hey, Fluttershy!” she excitedly bounded over, only to trip and tumble into the pegasi hooves.. 

Julep rolled her eyes and frowned at the filly disapprovingly. “Say you’re sorry, young lady!”
‘
“I was just about to, mom,” Minty Creme retorted, rubbing her head. “Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Uhm, hello Minty! It’s alright,” Fluttershy replied nervously. “Everypony has accidents from time to time.”

“That’s for sure,” Minty Creme replied, rolling her eyes. “Oh, hey! Can I ask you something?”

“Come on, Minty Creme...” Julep said impatiently.

“Would you give me a second, mom? I have a question I need to ask Fluttershy!”

Julep sighed. “Alright, make it quick.”

Fluttershy tilted her head at the little filly. “What is it you wanted to ask me?”

“Is Heartbreak doing alright?” Minty said, tilting her head.

Another pony asking if H.B. is alright? Fluttershy thought to herself. Oh dear, that’s not a good sign! “I don’t know, I’ve just recently been hearing some worrisome things from other ponies.”

“Well, you might want to check in on her,” Minty replied, her face turning from worried to slightly grossed out. “I was here the other day with some friends while they were checking out books and she came to the library. She looked like she was about to say hello to me, when she started coughing up a storm!”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “Coughing?”

“Yeah, when we asked, she said that it was just a bit of phlegm that she gets every once in a while,” Minty replied, her expression dubious. “But I’m not so sure about that...”

“Minty...” Julep said sternly as she walked halfway out the library door. “If we don’t hurry, we’re going to be late.”

“Ugh! Fine, mom,” Minty retorted. “Fluttershy, are you going to go check in on her?”

“Yes, I already planned on doing that,” Fluttershy replied, forcing a smile to cover up her growing concern. “You have a wonderful day.”

“Minty!” Julep shouted from outside the library.

“You too!” Minty exclaimed. “Coming, mom.”

As the little filly exited the library, Fluttershy could have sworn she heard Julep grumble something about Heartbreak. A small part of her wanted to know what she was saying, but this urge was easily overshadowed by her own concerns, which had been growing more and more troubling with every pony she’d talked to since that first conversation with Ghost Writer.

Fluttershy walked over and tapped the young dragon on the shoulder. “Spike?” she asked.

“Huh? Just one second, Fluttershy. I have to double check to make sure that they gave me the right amount. Like Twilight told me: You can never be too careful!” Spike said, carefully counting the bits before dropping them in the collection box. “Two, four, six, eight, ten and tweleve!” He dusted off his hands and turned to his friend. “Alright, sorry about that. Being left in charge of the library while Twilight is in Canterlot has been really hard work!” He thrust his chest forward and his shoulders back. “But! Twilight trusted me with this responsibility, and she can always count on me! So, what can I do you for?”

“Well...” Fluttershy hesitated, taking a few moments to compose herself. Most likely you’re worrying over nothing. Yes, Ghost Writer said that she needed a tissue. And yes, Minty Creme said that she was coughing, but that’s no real cause for concern. I just need to—

“Well?” Spike asked, tilting his head.

“I’m sorry.” Fluttershy took a deep breath. “I’m not sure how to ask this, but—” She paused, and the little dragon in front of her drummed his claws on the collection box. “Could you tell me what books H.B. checked out on Wednesday?”

Spike frowned sternly, and took a deep breath. “It is strictly against library policy to allow a third party to be informed about what materials have been obtained by another party, as it is a violation of that party’s privacy.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy whimpered. The young dragon could be scary when he spoke in such an authoritarian manner.

“Unless!” Spike said, holding up a single claw. “Said third party is the parent or guardian of the first party.” He peeked over at Fluttershy and scratched the back of his head. “Sorry, I have to repeat that sort of thing any time anypony asks me.”

Fluttershy gave him an understanding smile. “It’s alright. Twilight entrusted you with a big responsibility, and you’re just doing your job.”

“Now, about those books,” Spike said going over to a small stack of papers. “Let’s see... H.B., H.B., where are you? Ah!” He turned and looked over his shoulder. “ For some reason, we had a pretty busy day yesterday. I’ve barely had any time for anything.”

“Oh, dear,” Fluttershy said. “Could you use some help? I might not have much time, but—”

“Nah,” Spike waved his hand dismissively. “This is Spike you’re talking to! I might not have time for anything while things are happening, but I can easily catch up.” He paused and tapped his chin. “By the way, I couldn’t help but overhear that conversation just now...” He turned and looked to Fluttershy, concern etched in one eyebrow. “Is H.B. alright?”

“Uhm, well...” Fluttershy was ashamed of herself. She could have taken just a little time away from looking after the animals to peek her head in and see what was happening! “I... don’t know,” she finally admitted. “I’m going to go check on her, right after I do this favor for Pinkie Pie.” She forced a smile that quickly wilted in the face of her concern. “Why do you ask? Did something happen when she was here?”

“Oh yeah, something happened,” Spike rolled his eyes before his muzzle scrunched a little. “I—” He paused and looked around. “I’m not sure I should be sharing this with anypony, but...”

“...but?”

“She had to use our bathroom,” Spike replied, looking a little bit wary about mentioning these fact. “Now normally I wouldn’t say anything. Because, you know...” He tapped the tips of his claws together. “But the noises she was making? They didn’t sound right. There was a lot of moaning, groaning and even whimpering.”

Fluttershy steeled herself. After all what a pony did in the bathroom was their business, and their business alone. “Well—” she started.

“And then there was the smell afterwards!” Spike unconsciously waved his hand in front of his nose. “Peeee yew! She told me she had eaten something that disagreed with her, and I left it at that, but really? She wasn’t looking so good.".

“Oh...dear,” Fluttershy replied. Well, if she hasn’t been eating right, that might explain everything else.

Spike nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but back to what you needed. Let’s see… it looks like she checked out ‘Pony Anatomy 101’, ‘Common Pony Illnesses,’ and ‘Daring Do and the Griffin’s Goblet.’”

The little dragon turned around, and found that he was talking to himself. “Fluttershy?”


=====================================================================


As Granny Smith hobbled along the streets of Ponyville, she couldn’t help but smile at the feel of her new hip replacement. It felt, well, brand new!

Ha! Ah feel like a new mare! she thought to herself. Ah’d just like to see one of them young’ns get by me now! Just then, a pink-and-yellow blur rushed passed the wizened old mare. After gathering her bearings, she shook her hoof up in the air.

“Ya young wippersnapper! Slow down and watch where yer going!” she cried out.

Fluttershy slowed herself just enough to see that she had almost run into another pony. “Sorry! I... well... I— eep! Sorry!” She fumbled before returning to a full run and pressing forward, while trying to avoid any other ponies that she could possibly hit or who might stop her to chat.

Common pony illnesses?! Oh, what if she is really sick?! The thought flickered through the mare’s mind. So sick that she couldn’t leave the house? So sick that she couldn’t send a letter from her fireplace? Oh, Fluttershy! Why couldn’t you have just made a little time to go over and say hello?!

As she finally cleared the streets of Ponyville, she caught sight of her little cottage out of the corner of her eye. There in the window was Angel; looking predictably excited at his owners return. This expression was shattered as she dashed straight past the window.

I’m sorry, Angel, Fluttershy thought. She bit down on her lip and fought back a tear. I have the feeling that H.B. needs me more!

As the poor pastel mare arrived at Heartbreak’s address, she couldn’t help but take in some of the scenery. Six tall aspen trees stood next to a mailbox that looked brand new. The imposing two-story house still looked like a mess, and the vines that had come from the Everfree Forest still clung to its architecture.

Cautiously walking down the rock path, she noticed that the grass could use a great deal of trimming – it was desperately trying to reach past her fetlocks. The other thing that was noticeable was the silence.

No birds played and chirped; no animals made a noise. Even the Everfree Forest, with its odd assortment of jungle-like sounds, was strangely quiet.

“Maybe she’s fine...” Fluttershy stammered to herself as the adrenaline in her veins turned to apprehension. “Maybe there’s nothing to worry about, and—”

Fluttershy jumped as two wide-mouthed snapdragons suddenly lunged straight at her! But on seeing what they were, Fluttershy was easily able to calm herself.

“Snapdragons! What are you doing this far away from Froggy Bottom Bog?” She asked, as she looked inquisitively at the plants. After all, she had only read about them in books and actually finding them in the bog was tricky.  “Aww, aren’t you two the cutest?” she cooed. “And your berries are coming in quite nicely!”

Instantly, the animated flora’s expression of hostility turned to that of confusion, then submission. For them, the large thermal blob of a pony read in patterns that were not even remotely in the areas of yellow fear or the bright red glow of aggression, but instead seemed more in the range of comforting and indigo hues they associated with compassion.

The smaller plant stretched its neck out and cautiously started to sniff at the pony. This pony smelled like animals, morning dew, and of course the general pheromones that came with any pony. Not at all like the one that had claimed the house as its territory. That one smelled... strange. 

Fluttershy smiled and responded by gently reaching up and tickling the leafy, fluffy tuft on the underside of both of the snapdragon’s ‘faces’. In response, the two plants quickly folded back their defensive foliage and emitted a low relaxing cooing noise. 

“Isn’t that better?” the pegasus said in a soothing tone. “Now, you know I didn’t mean any harm. You two are just protecting—” Suddenly, a wheezing sound from within the house reminded her of the reason that she came here, and why it was so urgent! Oh Fluttershy! Nature can be so fascinating sometimes, but you need to focus!

“I would love to play with you some more, but...” Fluttershy paused. Snapdragons weren’t the brightest of creatures, but they did have a rudimentary nervous system and she knew from experience that Everfree creatures were often smarter than they had any right to be. “Do either of you know if she has left the house in the past few days?”

The snapdragons didn’t understand the pony’s words, but her thermal patterns and posture were now matching that of a concerned mother snapdragon tending to her brood. If this pony was concerned for the one that was in the house... The two plants retreated back under the porch, making whimpering noises.

“Oh...” Fluttershy whimpered as she raised her hoof. “I-I didn’t think so... Never mind, then...” she knocked on the door. “H.B.? Are you there?”

Fluttershy waited for a moment, with no answer she looked pensively at the door. “M-maybe she’s alright, just swallowed a bit of liquid wrong,” She reasoned. The yellow pegasus started to dance nervously on the porch, feeling frozen by her dilemma. To knock again, or not to? If she didn’t, and Heartbreak really was feeling under the weather— 

Her ears flicked as they were met with a fit of raucous coughing, followed by a pained moan. Fluttershy swallowed hard and closed her eyes before knocking on the door once again. “H.B.?” she called out, stammering.

“Gaaaaah...” came the reply, interrupted by several coughs and a wheezing sound. “Uuuuugh, I’m coming!

Fluttershy whimpered. She is sick! Oh dear! I hope it isn’t really bad! You’re a terrible teacher, Fluttershy! You should have noticed she wasn’t feeling well when you—

The hook-shaped door handle rattled, before opening up to reveal exactly what Fluttershy feared she would find: a very sick Heartbreak.

“Oh... hey Fluttershy,” Heartbreak said weakly. She sniffed hard, and rubbed her nose.

“Oh no! You are sick!" Fluttershy blurted out, not sure how to react to the pony as she leaned on the door frame for support. 

“Uhm... yup,” Heartbreak replied, lagging behind Fluttershy’s reaction to her state for a moment. “But-” she cleared her throat before snorting hard. “-but... I’m ok.” 





“Y-you look terrible!” Fluttershy stammered out as she reeled from the sight of the poor pony before her.

“Nonsense!” She pushed herself away from the door frame and stood shakily. “I am perfectly fine,” Heartbreak asserted, before going into another coughing fit.

“Ooooh!” Fluttershy whimpered, her voice going from soft to panicked in mere moments. “How can you say that you’re fine? Just look at you! Your mane and tail are drooping, you look like you haven’t slept in days, and you can barely stand! I think we need to get you to the hospital right away!” 

Heartbreak waved a hoof at her before turning to go back inside.“Your concern is... appreciated, but there’s no need to do that,” she said, fighting a cough. “The books I got from the library say that I’m going through the last dregs of what I have...”

Fluttershy walked in after Heartbreak, ignoring the cluttered state of the front room to focus on the sick pony. “So, you know what you have?”

“Mostly.” She covered her mouth, coughed and then painfully sneezed. “Gah! Oww... According to these books, I have almost every non-lethal foalhood illness known to p-pony kind, including pony pox, frog and tongue disease and...” Heartbreak shuddered and rolled her eyes. “The trots. That was pretty much yesterday, but don’t worry, I followed the books’ advice and kept hydrated! Though that meant more trips to the bathroom.”

Fluttershy’s mouth dropped in horror. Even the sickest of her animals had never been this ill. “How did you get so sick?” Heartbreak took a deep breath and focused on trying to gather her thoughts. 

“Right, I have a theory about –” she started to hack and cough before clearing her throat and continuing “– about that. See, there are many universal constants. Cucumbers are one of them, but the other deals with colts and fillies.”

“Colts and fillies?” Fluttershy asked, surprised at how coherent Heartbreak seemed to be.

“Yes, but-but let me finish...” Heartbreak stuttered. “See, it is a universal must!” She paused, and her eyes drooped. “A must that all things young are automatic germ factories.” She walked away from the books and towards the kitchen door. “And I happen to have a brand new body. Apparently, one without any natural immunities to what they have!”

“N-no natural immunities?” Fluttershy asked before quickly rushing to the swerving pony’s side. “Then we should really get you to a doctor!”

“It’ll be all over soon enough, Flutters.” Heartbreak rolled her eyes. “The books say—”

Oh! I don’t want to do this! Fluttershy thought as she steeled herself. But it looks like I have no choice! The normally diminutive mare looked Heartbreak squarely in the eyes and took a deep breath. Prepare for the stare!

“H.B.! Listen to me,” she said in a voice she hoped would be compelling. “You’re sick! And dangerously so! It is part of my job to make sure that you adapt to your life here as a pony, and part of doing that is making sure that you are making sure to keep yourself healthy. And right now, you are clearly not healthy, so I’m going to take you to a doctor and we are going to get you the care that you obviously need.” Fluttershy leaned forward, extended her wings and narrowed her eyes at Heartbreak. “Do. I. Make. My. Self. Clear?”

Heartbreak blinked a few times before she raised a hoof to cover her mouth. At first it seemed like she was trying to cover up a cough, but the longer she held up her hoof, the more apparent it became that just wasn’t the case.

“Flutters?” She asked, wheezing and snickering. “You’re not using the ‘stare’, are you?” 

“I, uhm, well—” Fluttershy began.

“If the stare won’t work on Discord, what makes you think that it would work on me?” Heartbreak asked, resting her head against a wall.

“It’s just...” Fluttershy stammered, fidgeting. “I don’t want you to, well—” 

“I know you care, Flutters – but really, I’m fine.” Heartbreak waved a hoof dismissively, before covering a cough and heading towards the kitchen. “The books say that I have passed through the worst of it. I just need a day or two, and I’ll be right as rain! You’ll see... I’ll... be… just...”

“H.B.?” Fluttershy asked, tilting her head. Heartbreak’s gait faltered, then she fell to the floor, unconscious. 

“H.B.!” She screamed, rushing forward.
> Ponyville General Hospital
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Four



Ponyville General Hospital



I... I can not begin to describe the amount of gawd-awful pain that I have been in for the past few days.

I was one of those individuals who it was rare for them to catch any of the seasonal ‘icks’ that were being passed around like trading cards or the latest internet meme. I’m not terribly sure if this was because I tended to stay secluded from people, or because I had a naturally robust immune system. Either way, when I did come down with something, it was always horrible and seemed to last way longer than it actually needed to.

Everyone knows what it’s like: first it starts out as a tiny thing, a small cough or sneeze or little fever. That’s kind of the reason why I think that the trope ‘evil is cute’ has some validity to it. The symptoms start out all tiny and harmless, so your body thinks that the newly acquired virus or bacteria that just invaded your cells is a little puppy or kitten that it just has to have right here and now. You try to tell your body ‘Now, hold up, they might look cute now, but once that thing starts to incubate and multiply? Who’s going to have to clean up after it? That’s right: Me!’

And clean up after it you do. That slight cough and tickle in the back of the throat will be followed by some wheezing and a soreness that starts to work its way into the joints and muscles. Then comes the mucus, oh sweet fetting lady Luna, the mucus.

As I was laying on the couch, or was it lying? I’m not sure which, but I was reminded of the annual sight of my computer desk decorated with bouquets of curled up encrusted tissue flowers, with varying hues of cream white, off-yellow, or sickly green during the flu season. That’s not to mention those unsightly dirty spots on the monitor. You know,  the ones that come about from the ever so unpleasant sneezing fit that you try fighting off. And you’re only fighting it off because you know that sneeze is going to be painful. 

And if I had to go outside? I wouldn’t bother with a tissue. Disgusting habit, I know, but when your sinuses are crying out for some sort of relief valve to be turned and there’s no tissues in sight, what can you do?

What was less common was anything that caused me to hurl the contents of my stomach. There are but a few times I can recall it happening, most often because of food poisoning. Ugh, there are a few unpleasant memories being brought up. Last time, it was this tiny out-of-the-way joint which I think was called ‘Diamond Point,’ an all-you-can-eat chicken joint that my roommate, Telegrand, would take me to. I swear, either the chicken had been sitting too long, or the potatoes, or... something! My time spent in the bathroom bowing both ends to the porcelain god after that event put me off that place for the rest of the time I lived with him.

Like I said before, usually these things hit me quick and they hit me hard. That’s exactly what it was like the day after my last reading to the Summer Readers. That whole day was going just fine, up till we had to get them all ready to go home. It was about that time I was starting to feel a little... phlegmy. 

At the time, however, I wasn’t really thinking about that. I was mulling over the judgemental expressions being given to me by those colts' and fillies' parents. This was just further compounded by all those death glares I was getting from the animals at Fluttershy’s cottage.

Those were much more... hurtful. As much as whatever the fet crawled its way out Tartarus to grab ahold of my immune system hurts, it doesn’t compare with the feelings invoked by the animals not liking me. That there's something about me which is just off enough for any non-pony species here to start giving me the evil eye... I don’t know why Spike isn’t freaked out about me and right now, I don’t want to think about it. Me can no brain about that right now... and it wasn’t helping that the Crusaders and Pinkie were just trying to make me brush it off. Couldn’t they see that it was something that was causing me actual pain?

Oy. Speaking of pain: there seems to be a sharp stabbing in my throat. Coughing, I’m welcomed by the familiar sensation of being pulled out of the dark, inky, muddled soup that could be called my thoughts -- and I become increasingly aware of my surroundings.

Blinking and pushing myself to look around, I feel my senses reeling at what the environment is throwing at me. Unfamiliar sounds are causing my ears to involuntarily jutt sharply back. A whiteness permeates everything, making me cringe and whimper as it stabs my optic nerves. There’s even a terrible light metallic taste in my mouth and a dry astringent smell assaulting my nose. 

“H.B.?” Instantly, I recognize Fluttershy’s soft voice echoing through all the static. “Are you alright?” A hoof touches my shoulder, and despite the fact that I know whose it is, I can’t help but cringe at the sensation.

“Fluttershy...?” I narrow my eyes to block out most of the light around me.

“Oh! I didn’t hurt you, did I? I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy’s voice weaves past the noise that I can finally tell isn’t just random chatter -- or my ears ringing. The more I listen, the more it sounds like the cacophonous sounds of voices calling out for doctors, nurses and the ringing of a bell that might be a phone. Do they have phones in Equestria?

“It’s ok,” I assert, attempting to pull myself together. “I’m fin-” Before I can finish my sentence, a hard wheezing cough attempts to eject another ball of mucus and phlegm out of my throat, before it can attempt to try to find a home in my lungs. Beside me, I can hear Fluttershy whimper at my predicament. “Like I was saying... I’m fine... Where are we?” 


==============================================================


“Please don’t be mad,” Fluttershy whimpered, as she looked at Heartbreak with large expressive eyes. “But, after you passed out, I took you to Ponyville General Hospital as quickly as I could...”

“Fluttershy...” Heartbreak groaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I don’t need to be here... I’m fine.” she said, obviously fighting a cough that wanted to wheeze its way into the conversation.

She’s still insisting that she doesn’t need to see a doctor! Maybe I should just take her ho-  The pony steeled herself. No, Fluttershy! She needs more treatment than you can provide for her!

“Well-” Fluttershy bit her lip and fought to push herself forward. “I did what I thought was best for you... at the time... I’m sorry.” She quickly squeaked out. 

“It’s fine...” Heartbreak grumbled, before clearing her throat again. “How did we even get here? No offense, but you aren’t the strongest pony...”   

“I-” Fluttershy, once again, uneasily bit her lip. “-borrowed your bicycle,” she confessed. “Rarity said that you wanted to get it painted first but I really needed to get you to the hospital! I really hope you aren’t mad with me, oh please don’t be mad at me...”

Heartbreak groaned and rolled her eyes before flopping her head atop her hooves. “I can’t be mad at you, Fluttershy...” She moaned. “I’m too sick to be mad at you.”  She sniffed and then shook her head. “Ugh! What the fet is up with this sharp pain in my nose?”

“While you were out, a doctor came by and I explained what happened,” Fluttershy explained, rubbing her hooves together with concern. “He gently took a quick swab of your nose and a small blood sample-” 

“He what?” Heartbreak asked, sniffing as hard as she could to keep her nose from running.	

“It was just a small needle prick to your ear…” Fluttershy explained, trying to be careful with her words. “and said that he would be right back after a few tests.”

“What?!” Heartbreak exclaimed before rubbing her ear.

“He-” Fluttershy began.

“I heard what you said,” Heartbreak interrupted gruffly, while looking at her hoof. “But he took samples while I was still out of it?”  She swallowed and then cleared her throat. “That doesn’t seem too professional...” She sniffed and rubbed her nose. “I don’t think he was gentle enough...” Blinking, a moment of clarity struck her. “Not that I’m complaining, but why am I not in a hospital bed?”

“That would be be due to an accident occurring with the local Ponyville bleachers breaking down,” a foreign mare’s voice interjected into the conversation. A clipboard was suddenly shoved in Heartbreak’s face. “There were a great number of injuries and accidents to be attended to, and we’re horribly overcrowded.”  

Straining to her left, Heartbreak’s eyes groggily met with the almost amber-yellow eyes of a light gray mare with a messy black-blue mane. As she held the clipboard with an awkward hoof grasp, she gave it a shake and a wide, passive-aggressive, impatient smile.

“Nurse...” Heartbreak narrowed her glare at the pony’s name tag. “Goodfilly?” She shook her head and blinked a few times to clear her vision. “Yes, Nurse Goodfilly, do you really expect me-eee-” Suddenly, a catch in her throat caused her words to be cut off mid-question.

“Excuse me, Nurse Goodfilly?” Fluttershy cautiously raised a hoof. “I can take care of that... If you don’t mind.’

“Oh, Fluttershy! I hardly noticed you, what with how quiet you were! Marshmallow didn’t say that it was you that brought our newest patient in!” The nurse let loose a more genuine smile, and passed a hoof through her mane in an attempt to adjust it before passing the clipboard off to the pastel pony. “Why, not at all!” She turned to Heartbreak. “And while she’s filling out that paperwork, the doctor is ready to see miss...?

“... Heartbreak,” The sickened mare muttered, after realizing that there was a prompt for her name. “No ‘miss’, please. Just ‘Heartbreak,’ or H-” 

“Heartbreak!” Nurse Goodfilly interrupted with a bit more cheerfully than she had to. “Right, can’t keep the doctor waiting, so come along!”

“I’m sure he won’t extend the same kindness...” Heartbreak grumbled and pushed herself off the comfortable waiting bench.

“Now, now,” Nurse Goodfilly cooed, leading the ill pony to the doctors room. “Turn that frown upside-down! Studies show that having a positive attitude can help speed up your recovery!”

“Oh... goodie-goodie-gumdrops,” she muttered sarcastically. “Why do I have this suspicion that you’re only saying that because you’re going to stick me with needles...”

“You have nothing to worry about,” the nurse chuckled, turning back to Heartbreak with a rather wicked glint sparkling in her eye. “Our needles are the most gentle thing since the cauterizing iron...”

Heartbreak whimpered and felt a quiver of fear flutter through her groggy state. She didn’t know if this was hospital humor or if the nurse was serious. However, in an attempt to conserve energy and mental strain, she assumed the former and continued to follow Nurse Goodfilly.


=====================================================================


I feel unnerved leaving the comfort of Fluttershy’s side so quickly. Or as quickly as I can force these stupid legs of mine to move.

Every muscle cries out in the same tired voice that I have been using to express my disdain for being brought to this place. I’m not upset with Fluttershy for bringing me here, but the doctors and nurses have, thus far are leaving a poor first impression. I mean seriously! Poking up my nose when I am barely responsive? Taking a blood sample? Not to mention this ‘Nurse Goodfilly’ character. Making jokes about cauterizing irons?!

Calm down, H.B., I tell myself. She doesn’t know about your... special case. And besides, with as much energy as you have right now? You don’t have it in you to work yourself up over horrible bedside manners.

Groggily, I check my surroundings as Nurse ‘Goodfilly’ walks me into the medical examination room. It’s your standard medical clean room, equipped with small jars of cotton swabs, tongue depressors, posters describing pony anatomical structures, cupboards containing who-knows-what, an empty looking sickbed and - of course - an uncomfortable looking examination table with the crinkly white paper that looks like it would be more at home in a butcher's’ shop, rather than a doctor’s waiting room.

Goodfilly pats the examination table and gives me an all-too-warm smile. “Please take a seat.” I sigh and grumble as I push myself up onto the table as requested. “Thank you, now excuse me, the doctor will be with you shortly!”

Now comes the waiting game, I mutter to myself while rubbing my face. As I do so, the paper beneath me crinkles. Ugh, I hate how this paper does that with just the slightest provocation.

I attempt to find a position that is more comfortable in my current state. I don’t like the ‘pillow cat’ pose. The one that has my forelegs and back legs tucked under me just feels too... vulnerable. ‘Resting cat’ with my forelegs crossed and resting over the ledge of the table and my back legs resting over each other is nice, but takes up so much space!

Come on, H.B. Ally-oop! I push myself to a position where I have my back legs dangling over the table’s ledge. When all else fails, do the Lyra pose. Just then, my ear catches the sound of a rapping on the door frame.   

“Knock-knock!” A white faced, blue-eyed unicorn stallions’ face leans through the doorway. Uh-oh, his muzzle is covered with one of those white face masks. Great, I must be in the ‘contagious’ stage of my illness. Either that or he’s just being cautious. “Miss Heartbreak, I presume?”

“H.B.,” As I correct him, he looks up momentarily, his eyes still lingering on the charts and documents. “I like to be called ‘H.B.’ and no ‘miss’ please.” Fetting fet, is this such a stupid request? It’s like the moment these ponies hear my name, nothing else sticks unless I pound it into their thick skulls! What do I have to do, carry a business card?!

“Alright... H.B.,” He replies awkwardly, passing his hoof through a stripe of white going through his brown mane. Minus the glasses that somehow balance on the bridge of his muzzle, he would remind me of an older Reed Richards from the Fantastic Four. “I’m glad to see that you are back in the land of the living!” 

“I guess you could call it that...” I muster out clearing my throat, only to have to raise my hoof in order to cover my mouth as a coughing fit hits me. 

“That cough of yours is sounding pretty good!” Great, I get the socially inept doctor that is sure to make bad jokes.  He turns to his left and nods before entering the room. Hearing the squeaking of metal wheels I see that Nurse Goodfilly is in tow with a portable metal table. Upon which are several specialized and rather sharp looking instruments that I’m not quite making out due to a bit of momentarily blurred vision.

“I’ve been told that she’s been working on it all night!” Goodfilly interjects. Oh, ha-ha. You’re quite the comical act, you... you... Fet, words are escaping me right now. The doctor laughs at the nurse and turns to me, most likely expecting that I’ll just laugh along. Seeing that I am far from amused, he swallows and taps on the clipboard.

“Right, perhaps I should introduce myself. I’m Doctor Marshmallow Triage, and well, I’m going to be your, well, Doctor.” He stammers out adjusting the red tie that I just noticed he was wearing. Nurse Goodfilly facehoofs and nudges him to the clipboard. “Oh yes! So, I have some good news, some interesting news and some strange news. But before I get to all that, I would like to give you a light check over.” He says picking up one of those ear examining tools that all doctors seem to have. “Could you please turn your head to the side?”

“Fine...” The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can go home and hide under a blanket. A nice, warm, snuggly blanket. Then again, maybe I should take the lighter blanket. It is July and the warm weather is about to hit harder.

The odd cold sensation of that little black tip entering my ear is accompanied by the icy bite of... fet, what’s it called? Uhm... Doctor’s instruments... Doctor Mario, lost the hat, got a lab coat- Stethoscope! Yeah, that thing. Can’t they ever be warm? Can’t they be preheated to standard body-

“Alright, deep breath... And now the other one, please turn your head to the left...” He says switching out tips. Turning my head, I can feel him tug on my ear. “Mind swiveling your ear?”

“I can’t control them. It’s genetic...” I wheeze out.

“Hmph... Is that so?” He asks gruffly as my mane gets in my face. Fetting fet, I didn’t leave the house with a hat. Then again, my green hat is starting to take a faint smell to it. I should ask Rarity about the proper way to wash a hat. “Where abouts are you from?”

“Mineighsota,” Great, he wants to make ‘doctor small talk.’

“Oh? I’ve only heard about that place from a few patients of mine,” Great, my made up place that was made real has made it into the local word talky- uhm...vernacular. “What’s it like up there?”

“Cold. Very cold...” I state shuddering at the metal part touching the middle of my back. Fet, you’d think that even a thin layer of fur would be enough to ins...insulate! Fetting fet, fet. My clarity and... cohesion are starting to escape me. And this doctor asking me questions? Not helping.

“So!” He pats around my back with that stupid metal thing. “I think that you’re living in the old’ Miller residence! It’s about time that place got bought! I knew the last resident that lived there. Old Stud Stonehoof. Deep breath please.”

... Right, some of the translations from human-to-equestrian just don’t work. I can’t say nag cause it’s a bad word, but ‘stud’ is the equivalent of ‘man’?

“What happened to him?” I ask, fighting off another coughing fit.

“Oh... He’s-” Marshmallow rolls his hoof. “-long since past. He had a son, but he kinda set out into the world and never came back.”

“So that’s why the house was full of stuff...” I blink and a thought occurs to me. Why the hell is him checking my heart and breathing taking so long. “No offense, but what the fet does this conversation have to do with anything?”

“Not, a thing actually,” Doctor Marshmallow replies. “The point of it was more or less to distract you from the shot!”

“Wait... What?” Suddenly, there is a sharp, cold, gripping sensation originating from my posterior. I quickly turn to react to whomever it is that is stabbing my butt, only to find the needle retracting and the all too warm smile of Nurse Goodfilly.

“All done!” I feel a hoof smack the injection site. In turn, my head makes a sharp turn to look at the owner of said hoof. Nurse Goodfilly gives an unnerved smile and a giggle, but pulls away and backs towards the door. “Right then, if you need me for anything more? I’ll be at the front desk.” Obviously she can see me glaring daggers at her face. 

“Hmm? Oh right, yes, I’ll call you if I need you,” Marshmallow starts looking over more of the paperwork that he has hidden away on that clipboard of his. 

I take a deep sigh. “So, can this be the part where you tell me that all I need is hot soup and more bedrest, preferably in my own bed?”

“Well...” Uh-oh... There’s a pregnant pause in that. I don’t like pregnated pauses. Those are the worst pauses. Those pauses give birth to the worst kind of litters.

“Well?” I ask wearly.

“There is one thing that is worrying me about these preliminary results from the samples we took while you were out, Miss Heartbreak,” he begins.

“H.B.” I correct him, frowning and trying to regain focus.

“I beg your pardon?” He asks, peering over his clipboard.

“I don’t like being called ‘miss’ or ‘Heartbreak’,” I explain, covering my mouth in an attempt to keep a cough from escaping. “Please call me ‘H.B.’”

I don’t know why I just don’t tell them that every time I meet a new stupidly named magical talking equine. I bet it’s because of the name thing. I can’t shake the stupid thing. Maybe I should... Wait... Didn’t I just have this thought? Ugh, I’m just feeling so out of it.

“Oh, right. Sorry,” he says, quirking an eyebrow and returning to the papers on his clipboard. “Alrighty, then, among all the infections you are currently suffering from, there is an odd anomaly.”

“It wouldn’t be the hole in my hoof would it?” Ffffet, I just want to go back to my house!

“Actually... No. Out of all the things that you do have that are making you sick. That’s the one that is surprisingly not infected!” He replies. “This odd little anomaly isn’t making you sick per se, but it does give me a bit of cause for concern...”

“And this thing would be...?”

“Well...” He pauses and stares intensely at the clipboard. Gawds, it’s like he wants to make out with the stupid thing. Like one of those horribly over-dramatic hospital dramas. Every stupid thing has to be heightened to the pinnacle of being the worst thing ever. “It would appear that your hormones are a bit out of sync for a mare of your age. Your levels of testosterone are slightly elevated.”

A cold rush goes through my mind as I try to process what he just said.

“I need to ask you a rather... intimate question. Have you copulated recently?”
> Spiders in my Parlor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Five



Spider in my Parlor




Heartbreak rubbed her ears in disbelief and looked at Doctor Marshmallow, her face twisting up. “What?”

The stallion cleared his throat. “Copulation, it’s the medical term for having-”

“I know what copulation is!” Heartbreak retorted, her voice wavering in and out. “The question I have is ‘why are you asking me about this?’!”

“Well, as a doctor,” he floated a pen out of his pocket and checked a few things on the form before him. “I need to rule out the possibility of odd hormonal changes being caused by engaging in certain activities such as-”

“No!” Heartbreak shouted abruptly cutting off Doctor Marshmallow’s question, before snorting and turning away. “I have not had any sex.” She replied putting a hoof over her mouth in attempt to push away a wave of nausea attempting to overtake her. 

“There’s no need to become defensive, Mis- er, H.B.” The doctor pulled his clipboard back, then smiled nervously. “After all, we’re both full grown adults.”

He paused and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his muzzle. “With needs and desires...” He continued with a knowing look in his eye.

“I don’t.” Heartbreak responded sharply.

“You don’t what?” He blinked, his pen scrolling down the side of his clipboard. 

Heartbreak frowned and looked away, her angry expression now accompanied by a harsh blush.

“Come now, there isn’t any need to be embarrassed. Would you prefer a doctor of your own gender? Should I call Nurse Goodfilly back, perhaps?”

“Ye... No! No, that’s ok. It’s just that... Well, I don’t have those feelings or sensations,” Heartbreak quietly admitted, turning away before folding her front hooves over each other. “At all.”

“Interesting...” He quickly made a few checks on the clipboard. “So you are experiencing numbness in your more... private areas?”

Heartbreak grimaced and rolled her eyes. “I guess that’s one way of putting it...”

“And how long has this numbness persisted?”

“All of my life,” Heartbreak continued to squirm and frown at these questions. “Seriously, what does this have to do with my-” She began to cough and hack till she felt something loosen in the back of her throat. “-my current situation...”

“Nothing at all. However...” The stallion tapped the pen against his lips. “Odd hormone levels could be a sign of something more serious... When was your last physical?” The embarrassed rose in Heartbreak’s cheeks quickly drained and was replaced with pasty green.

“Ph-ph-physical?” She asked, her legs involuntarily tucking together more tightly.

“Hmmm, that’s what I was afraid of,” Doctor Marshmallow replied, clicking his tongue. “I would like to fit you in as soon as possible...” He smiled an overly cheerful smile. “How’s right now sound?”

Heartbreak rubbed her head, before blinking and coughing. “How about... No? Ugh.” She turned from where she was sitting, taking a moment to rest on her forehooves. “Seriously, I’m just fine. I don’t even know why Fluttershy took me here...” She muttered.

Doctor Marshmallow raised a hoof to Heartbreak’s forehead before absentmindedly looking at the clipboard again. “Your temperature is above normal. I would say that you aren’t fine. I was however, just joking about the physical: the paperwork alone would be a pain to fill out.” 

“Besides,” He paused, resting on the medical table. “I could only do an observational-” His words were cut off as he realized that the medical table was a lot more squishy than he expected it to be. “...examination.” He turned and realized the reason behind this new sensation. 

Heartbreak’s senses snapped to attention as she suddenly felt a cold hoof touch her stomach.

Marshmallow suddenly felt the giddy feeling of an ill timed laugh being replaced with an acute sensation in the back of his head that he was being stared down by some fierce predator. Looking up, he could have swore that was exactly what he was seeing. 

A harsh snarl curled over Heartbreak’s face and her eyes seemed to warp the light into sharp points. Her mane seemed to almost be alive as it twisted and writhed like live snakes.

“No. Meansss. NO!” She bellowed before a solid blow cracked the doctor across the face, sending him hurtling into a wall, landing into a medical bed.


==============================================================


As Fluttershy waited nervously in the sitting lounge, she pondered if she had done the right thing by bringing Heartbreak to the hospital.

Of course you did, Fluttershy! We’ve been over this. H.B. is terribly sick and needs serious medical attention. And I’m sure that Doctor Marshmallow isn’t a bad doctor! The soft-spoken pony felt herself calming down. Yes, H.B. will see that the doctor isn’t something to be afraid of! He’s only here to help!

“No. Meansss. NO!” Heartbreak’s voice came bellowing out of the examination room.

Fluttershy quickly darted under the waiting bench as the cacophonous sounds of metal bowls and what was unmistakably the sound of a pony crashing against a wall clamored out of the adjoining room. As the door to the doctor’s office creaked open, she slowly peered out from her hiding spot, just in time to see Doctor Marshmallow peel off the hospital wall and into a medical bed.

Heartbreak slid off the examining table groggily and began muttering to herself as she walked out of the room. Fluttershy covered her mouth in fright at the sight.

“H.B.? What happened?” she asked, finally bolstering a bit of courage. “Why is the doctor in a medical bed? You didn’t hurt him, did you?”

Heartbreak turned and looked at Fluttershy, who jumped back from the pointed glare. “I need a doll...”

“A doll?” Fluttershy asked as she cautiously moved forward, a look of confusion painted on her face. “Why do you-”

“To show where he ...touched!” Heartbreak exclaimed half-heartedly before crawling back onto the waiting room bench. “Ugh, forget it... Too tired. Short story? He touched me.”

“For an examination?” Fluttershy asked, her wings flitting back and her hooves trembling. “But that’s what doctors are meant to-”

“For a physical!” Heartbreak weakly stomped her hoof and snorted. “And I told him no. And he touched me!” she whimpered, pausing briefly to consider the dark, safe-looking underside of the waiting bench before going to sit on top of it instead. 

Nurse Goodfilly’s head popped around the corner and peered at the spectacle as she sat down at the front desk. “Oh, did Marshmallow’s hooves go somewhere they weren’t meant? Ugh, I told the head staff that taking him out of the foal’s wing and into the adults’ section was a bad idea. He knows how to police himself around the colts and fillies, but the adults? Just doesn’t know which jokes to make and which to keep to himself. Somepony needs to beat him over the head with traffic signs.”

“He’ll get beaten over the head with... uhm, something alright...” Heartbreak grumbled. “Ugh... Wanna go home now...”

Nurse Goodfilly cringed before giving an oddly delighted smirk as she looked at the doctor’s impression left on the wall. “Ooo! Nice shot, right in the bed. I’d give that one ten points. And extra points for actually finding an empty medical bed! I mean, if anypony’s counting.” She said twirling a pencil on her hoof as she sat down and returned to her newspaper.

“I’m terribly sorry for what’s happened here, Nurse Goodfilly.” Fluttershy said. “This is hardly the first time it’s happened. Applejack said that Big Macintosh was complaining about a ringing in his ears for a few days and-” The nurse only smiled and waved a hoof in return while sighing.

“Fluttershy, there’s no need to apologize or make amends, for when you came to Ponyville, you and I became friends!” She caught herself and giggled. “Oh! Looks like I’ve been doing more of the ‘Daily Rhyme-Time’ and not enough of my actual job.” She put the newspaper aside and pulled a bag with a small prescription label stuck to the side before setting it on the counter. “This is something highly unorthodox, but if your friend - Heartbreak, was it?”

Fluttershy nodded. “She prefers to be called ‘H.B.’”

“Right, right. H.B.,” the nurse replied, waving her hoof. “If H.B. feels more at ease in her own home, rather than the hospital, then I think I can fill out the proper paperwork for you.”

“You would?” Fluttershy asked with a smile. The nurse nodded and pulled out a few papers. “Oh, thank you so much! H.B. has had a really hard time adjusting to life in Equestria. From what I understand, Minneighsota is very different.”

“I can imagine it is,” Nurse Goodfilly replied. “There are several bags of tinctures in there. Just pour each into hot water and make sure she drinks every last drop of it when she wakes up tomorrow morning. Before you know it, H.B. will be on the road to recovery!”

Fluttershy lifted a hoof and examined the bag. “Oh, is this grass? She really doesn’t care for the taste of grass.”

Nurse Goodfilly smiled as she tapped her hoof on the bag, pointing out the label. “Good thing that it’s lemon grass, then. Just add a dollop of honey and she’ll think that she’s drinking hot lemonade, or you could pass it off as medical herbal tea.” Fluttershy giggled and made note of the sneaky trick. Then again, sometimes to get animals to take their medications, you had to be sneaky. Otters, weasels, ferrets and rats were especially keen to any tricks!

“Thank you ever so much again, Nurse Goodfilly.” Fluttershy repeated while picking up the medication and putting it into her saddlebags.

“Fluttershy... Why so formal? We’ve known each other for over two years... I really wish you would call me Robyn, ” Nurse Goodfilly said, looking over her glasses with a grin and wink.

“Oh, well... If that’s what you really want. Thank you once again, Nur- uh.. I mean, Robyn,” she replied, gently prodding the groggy Heartbreak from her comfortable sitting bench. “H.B.? It’s time to go...”

Heartbreak groaned and whimpered, glaring at Nurse Goodfilly. “That mean nurse stuck a needle in my ...hindquarters. Why there? Is it really that hard to do the shoulder? The pain... Hurts... A lot,” she muttered, limping. 

“I know. I’ll try my best to make it feel better, alright?”

Heartbreak coughed hoarsely, then smiled, wearily looking up at Fluttershy. “You’re best p-pony... Fluttershy...”

“I’m just making sure that you start to feel well again.” The pegasus blushed and only momentarily wondered if Heartbreak was being sincere. She was, after all, not in her right mind. “But that is a very nice thing for you to say.”

Nurse Goodfilly smiled and popped a piece of bubble gum in her mouth as the two ponies left the hospital. She knew that Heartbreak was going to be in good hooves with Fluttershy tending to her. The same couldn’t be said for Doctor Marshmallow Triage, who was starting to regain consciousness.

“Nurse... Did you get the plate of that carriage that hit me?” He weakly asked in confusion.

Nurse Goodfilly merely rolled her eyes and chewed on her bubblegum. “What a foal this doctor be...” she muttered to herself before pulling down some paperwork and blowing a bubble. 


==============================================================


I had no idea that Nurse Goodfilly thought of me as a friend! We’ve only said hello on the street from time to time, Fluttershy mused with a smile as the two ponies exited the hospital. Though there was that one time that she didn’t have enough bits in the line at the store and I covered for her. Well, it’s nice that she thinks of me as a friend.

Suddenly, a poof of pink and smiles came into her line of vision and interrupted her thoughts.

“Hiya, Fluttershy! I got your letter!” Pinkie exclaimed. She quickly covered her mouth as she saw Heartbreak whimper and her ears turn back.

“Uhg... Pinkie... Loud...” the sick pony murmured, before turning her head and coughing into her foreleg. “Needs volume control... knob, yeah, knob...”

“Oops!” Pinkie whispered loudly. “Sorry, H.B.!” The tan mare only responded by weakly waving her hoof back before spitting something foul out of her mouth.

“Thank you so ever so much for coming, Pinkie,” Fluttershy softly said, nudging the pink pony away from Heartbreak. “Did you bring it?”

“Uh-huh...” Pinkie found it difficult to tear herself from looking at the state Heartbreak was in. She finally shook her head and pulled out what could only be described as an odd looking bicycle sidecar. “Wow, it was a good thing that I did ask you to check in on her, I knew that one of my twitch-a-twitches was right! How in Equestria did she get so sick?!”

“Uhm, H.B. thinks it’s because she doesn’t have any natural immunities!” Fluttershy explained. Just then, Heartbreak moaned as she leaned against a nearby tree.

“Pinkieshy- Flutterpie... Not too- ugh...” Heartbreak looked up with a forced smile on her face. “Back to couch, please?”

“Oh! Sorry!” The two ponies replied in stereo.

“Do you need any help taking her back home?” Pinkie asked, after latching the sidecar to the bike.

“Up you go,” Fluttershy said with a motherly smile as she assisted Heartbreak into the sidecar, before mounting the bicycle. “I should be alright...”

“Okie-dokie-lokie! Get well soon!” Pinkie yelled quietly while the two ponies rode off into the direction of the soon-to-be-setting sun.


==============================================================


The setting sun’s twilit amber hues glistened upon Ponyville as the two ponies finally arrived back to Heartbreak’s house. Fluttershy let out a long sigh of exhaustion, before she dismounted and parked the the bike in the front yard.

“H.B...” she whispered, while nuzzling at the semi-conscious pony’s neck. “You’re home...” Fluttershy cooed.

“Huh?” Heartbreak drowsily shook her head and took a few wobbly steps out of the sidecar. “Oh. So we are.” Before turning to look at Fluttershy, she quickly retrieved a line of snot back into her nose. “Ewww...”

“Do you need a tissue?” Fluttershy asked, ready to rummage through her saddle bags. 

“No, I’m fine,” she once again insisted as she waved a hoof. She coughed a bit before pushing herself to walking down the rock path. “Ugh...” Fluttershy turned her head in the direction of her cottage, before biting her lip and trotting up to Heartbreak’s side.

“Gah! Just. Open!” Heartbreak exclaimed, frustratingly hoofing at the door handle. 

“Do you-”

“No... I’m f-” Just then, a yellow hoof reached up and pushed the door open. Heartbreak looked over at a smiling, yet worn-out-looking Fluttershy, “... fine.”

The two ponies barely said anything as they walked into the house. Heartbreak merely made the smallest of squeaking sounds as she pushed herself onto the battered and worn-looking green couch, in what she had dubbed to be her ‘parlor’ room.

“Oooh...” she softly sighed, pulling down a blanket that had been draped over the couch. “Yes...” She yawned and turned as Fluttershy closed the window curtains. “So much better...”

“Do you need me to sing you a lullaby?” she asked.

Heartbreak snickered and gave a small smirk before sniffing hard. “No, I’m fine,” she repeated once more, before coughing quietly a few times. “Thank you for offering, though,” she answered raspily. 

Fluttershy set the medicine down next to a lamp, only to hear the soft snores coming from the couch. 

Out already? Fluttershy walked back over to tuck Heartbreak in. Pleased with her work, she took a moment to take in the whole of what happened within the span of one evening. With how peaceful she looks, all snug and cosy, it’s really easy to forget all the terrible things she’s been through! Or even some of those unpleasant things she’s said. I can understand that she doesn’t like doctors poking and prodding at her, but- 

“Eeep!” Suddenly, Fluttershy jumped as she found her hoof abruptly grabbed and pulled on! She tried to fight against the snare, but then looked towards its source to find that it was a trap made of Heartbreak’s forelegs wrapped around her hoof.

“Fluttershy...” the tan mare muttered in a half-wake quagmire. “Fluttershy, stay...”

Fluttershy whimpered before biting her lip. Her animal friends were waiting for her back at her cottage, and they really were looking forward to being fed! But Heartbreak was still so terribly sick! What if she needed her in the middle of the night, what if something terrible happened? How could she contact her animal friends and tell them about what was happening?! No animals would come-

Just then, she heard a tapping up on the ceiling. Well, it was more like the small tapping of tiny legs skittering delicately against wooden beams, a sound that was distinctive to one group of creatures that her keen ear had learned to hear. 

Looking around, she saw the telltale sign of their presence: a fresh, silvery thread that had been anchored to the couch. With her free hoof, she leaned forward and gently tapped it. 

“Hello?” she asked, looking up intently hopeful that her summons would be answered. “Mister, or Miss Spider? Are you up there?” Fluttershy’s calls out to the darkness were met with the shine of eight eyes, two of them pea sized and the other six nothing but glints. She tapped the thread once more. “Oh, there you are! Could you please come down? I need some help...”

After a few moments pause, out from the shadows, a few spindly legs wiggled forward, and dangling after them on a single thread was a blue coated spider that had to be the size of a small mouse. A spider of that size was no doubt female, but Fluttershy found herself amazed by what species that was now dangling down into Heartbreak’s parlor.

“Oh my, a Veneighzuelan sad-faced spider!” she quietly exclaimed.

The spider dropped down on its silken thread for a better look at who or what had been plucking its threads. Tapping back on the threads gave the spider a clearer image. Pony and ponies were too big to be food. There were lots of ponies out there but the vibrations of this particular pony had been passed through the webs before. This was kindness pony.

“Eh- excuse me, Miss Sad-Faced Spider...” Fluttershy cleared her throat and the spider turned to face her. “I’m sorry to trouble you, but could you help me?”

Talking with spiders was something of a sticky situation, and not just because of the webbing. Spiders communicated through pheromones and vibrations instead of vocalization, and it was hard sometimes to make out the nuances.

The spider dangled its legs down further and swung itself to the wall. If the pony was attempting communication, the Queen spider would want to know. Maybe it would even raise her in rank among the colony! That would be something! Perhaps she would be by her side in the winter months, rather than what happened to the rest of the colony...





“Yes, pony?” The spider tapped out.

“Thank you for coming down.” Making sure to keep a hoof on the spiders’ threads, Fluttershy leaned forward. “There aren’t too many animals living in this house.”

“It is because of strange pony,” the spider replied, bluntly and without hesitation.

Fluttershy blinked. “You can tell that she’s... different?”

“Yes...” came the reply after a short pause. “Strange pony, fearsome pony... maybe not pony? We don’t know.”

Fluttershy whimpered and was glad that Heartbreak wasn’t awake to hear this awkward conversation. Not that she could understand spider. At least she hoped that she didn’t understand spider: if H.B. was anything, it was a mare full of surprises.

“If she’s so dangerous, why does your colony stay?” Fluttershy asked. 

“We like it here,” the sad-faced spider stated.

“You mean you’re not bothered by her?” Fluttershy asked, tilting her head.

“Why would we?” The spider clacked back. “Much food here. Few predators. Strange pony, yes. Threat to us? No.” 

Fluttershy blinked at this and then shook her head: the conversation was getting off topic. “I’m sorry for calling down out of your webs, but I really could use your help...” The spider tilted its body to the left and clattered its pedipalps. “You see-” she started, gently tugging on her hoof again. “I’m in a bit of a bind...”

“Strange pony has kind pony bound? Is saving her for later snack?” the spider asked. “We shouldn’t tamper with others’ food...”

“What? Oh no, no, no. She’s... not well,” Fluttershy explained. “And she doesn’t want me to leave. And I have other animals that are expecting to be back home!” The spider gave a confused look at all the information being thrown at her.

“Does pony want spider to wake strange pony up by crawling... biting?” she asked.

“Oh! No! She needs her sleep,” Fluttershy replied, trying to hide her fright. “I was wondering if you would be ever so helpful and deliver a message to my animal friends back at my cottage so that Angel knows what to do...”

“Leave house?” The spider clacked her mandibles together worriedly. “We are ...third tier spider. Must ask Spider Queen...”

“Please tell her that it is very important that H.B. gets well soon!” They have spider queens? Oh, I am learning so much!

The spider began to dance out a message upon its silken webs in a series of wiggles, shakes and leg-taps. It paused for a moment before it rapidly repeated the elaborate form of dancing communication before finally waggling its front legs at Fluttershy.

“Did she say yes?” Fluttershy asked, her hoof taps full of hope.

“Well,” the spider’s reply started. “The Queen, while not hostile to one of the colony performing this task for kind pony,” the spider paused momentarily before continuing. “Wishes to know why she should risk a third tier spider.”

“Well,” Fluttershy bit her lip again. 

That was another difficult thing about working with spiders. Merely asking them to do things wasn’t the same as asking her animal friends to do things. With animals, all you needed was a soothing voice and soft eyes- with the possibility of a reward of some kind for added incentive- to get them to agree to any sort of favor! That didn’t always work for spiders (and insects in general).

“Well-” Fluttershy took a deep breath as she thought about this. “Please tell your Queen that it is very important for H.B. to recover and get well. If she doesn’t and something happens to her, then she might have to go somewhere else for a long time. Leaving the colony open to attacks from predators that would have normally kept away.”

Fluttershy whimpered a little as she realized how matter of fact she sounded with that statement. It was true, but it wasn’t very nice. It sounded more like a threat than anything. “Also, please tell her that if she is willing to do this favor for me, then in return, sometime in the future, I will do a favor for her.”

The poor little sad-faced spider continued to dance and waggle before finally falling to a resting position. After a few moments, it pushed itself back up to tap out the Queen’s reply.

“Our queen sees your point of view, kindness pony,” the spider tapped out. “She shall send a second tier spider to kindness pony’s place of dwelling.”

“She will?” Fluttershy smiled brightly. “Oh, thank you so much!”

“Yes. Tired now. Finding place for rest,” the spider replied, barely tapping its leg on the line as it crawled back into a darkened knot hole in the ceiling.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said meekly. “I’ll let you rest, thank you once again for your help,” She turned back to the softly snoring pony that was still clasping her hoof. “H.B.? H.B.?” She softly crooned before tugging her leg back. “Can I have my leg back?”

She was only met with a half muttered, muddled response and a loud snort, followed by a slightly tighter grip around her hoof.

“Well,” Fluttershy’s ears drooped and she laid down on the floor. “I guess this is ok too...” Reaching forward, she lightly nuzzled Heartbreak before resting her head down. “Good night, H.B.”
> Class Menagerie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Six



Class Menagerie




Crickets chirped around Fluttershy’s cottage as the last few warm rays of the sun faded from the sky. Inside the humble abode, animals were uneasily chattering and while a small furry belly gurgled in hunger before a little clawed paw scratched it. 

“Starving...” chittered the raccoon as he lay on a plush green pillow, his stomach grumbling at him. “When is Feedmepony going to be back?”

“Her name isn’t ‘Feedmepony’.” The bunny rabbit thumped his foot on the window sill as he glared at the lazy critter. Normally, he would be more upset at such a display, but as he looked back out the window, concern for a different matter was painted on his face.

A black and white tuxedo-patterned cat looked up at Angel from where it had been cleaning its paws and face with his tongue. “Is it ‘Mypony’? Cat’s face rubbed on her, after all.”

“No,” Angel grumbled, the pace of his thumping foot growing faster.

“Is it ‘Prettypony’?” Foxiekins inquired, peering over the rabbit’s shoulder. “Because she is a very pretty pony.” The fox smiled as he imagined the beautiful pony that had recently taken him in. “Long pretty mane, pretty eyes, even longer silky tail and just the perfect curples for si—”

“No!” Angel shouted, turning around and shooting the most deadly of glares at the fox. “Her name is Fluttershy!”

“Does AngelBunny have any idea when Fluttershy will be back?” the poodle asked, whimpering as he pawed at the empty food bowl. On the side of the bowl, the name ‘Nigel’ was printed in gold lettering. 

“No.” Angel’s gaze returned to look out the window in the direction of... its house.

“We have a special diet that must be prepared properly, otherwise we simply can’t eat it!” Nigel whined. “And if that happens, we will start to suffer from the shakes—or worse, go hungry and starve!”

“And that would be tragic,” the rat interjected, from his lofty nest. “Just tragic.” He peered into the shiny surface of a bit, and picked at his teeth.

Nigel shot the rodent an irritated glare and turned up his nose. “Hmph! We would not expect a rat to understand how delicate our stomach happens to be!”

“Not as delicate as Nigel’s owner, that’s for sure.” The rat snickered and nibbled something off his claws.

“What was that, rat?!” Nigel barked.

“Nothing,” the rodent chimed, nonchalantly looking over his tiny paws. 

“Well! At least Nigel has a name, not to mention an owner!” The poodle barked, putting a paw to his chest with pride. “Rat doesn’t have that—after all, even the lowest vagrant pony would not adopt vermin!”

“Hey! This rat happens to be a fancy rat and has just as much breeding as Nigel and his special Canterlot Kennel does!” the rat angrily chittered, throwing bits of hay from his nest at the dog below.

“Will-all-the-noise-out-there-please-stop?!” The argument was abruptly broken by three shrill, pleading voices in unison. The three glittering little heads which owned these voices popped out of their small house. “Humming-birds-trying-to-sleep!”

“Rat, you heard the flittering birds,” Angel said, jumping down from his post and glaring upward while crossing his little arms. “Stop antagonizing Nigel.”

“Nigel started it!” the rat protested.

“No, Nigel did not,” Angel scolded, waggling a little claw at the rodent. “And even if Nigel did start it, Angel is finishing it.” The poodle turned his head before immaturely sticking his tongue out. 

Foxiekins snickered. “Is it always this noisy when Prettypo—er, Fluttershy is—” The fox suddenly yelped in fright and jumped away from the window to the safety of a stack of pillows.

“What is it now?” Angel asked, looking at the cowering fox.

“Monster!” Foxiekins shrieked, his ears pinned down and his tail bushed out in terror. “Outside! Monster!”

The chatter died down as the reddish glow of eight little eyes peered through the window. The animals inside froze in place, horrified at the prospect of dealing with some horrible monster from the Everfree Forest without Fluttershy there to protect them.

The silence was broken by a sharp sound on the glass.

Tap-tap-tap!

Nigel yelped, fell to the ground and crossed his paws over his eyes. “What was that?!”

Angel climbed back up to the window to get a better look at the interloper. “Calm down,” he told the other animals, his tone softened in an attempt to sound reassuring. “it’s just a big, dumb, hairy spider. Nothing to be afraid of.”

Without warning, the spider jumped at the window, fangs glistening! Angel jumped back a few feet in a streak of white, before his hind foot thumped a loud threatening sound on the floor.





“‘Nothing to be afraid of’?” Rat snickered.

Angel shook his head, trying to clear it of his sudden rush of energy and terror. “Hmph! Easy for Rat to say when he is lying in a safe place, like always!” he retorted, still trembling.

“Is the bunny implying that rats are cowardly?” The little rodent’s whiskers twitched angrily. “That is nothing but a rumor used to drag rat kind’s good name through the mud!”

“Like how rats are bringers of illness, disease, and death?” Raccoon asked. This question was only met with a piercing, yellow-eyed glare from the rat. “Raccoon only wanted to be part of the conversation...”

“Well, Raccoon shouldn't be sticking his claws into a conversation where he's not welcome!” Rat shouted, his right eye twitching, before he crossed his little arms and turned his nose up at the ceiling.

Another series of taps coming from the window interrupted the argument. The animals turned their attention once more to the creepy looking, blue-furred spider, waving few of its appendages at the group to see if it could get their attention again. 

“Isn't AngelBunny going to go and get that?” Rat asked snidely from his perch.

Don’t even know why Fluttershy allowed this stupid rodent into our home! If Fluttershy was not so kind; AngelBunny would— A strange thought interrupted Angel’s mental rant, and he turned to the rat. “Being the BraveNoble rodent of good breeding he is, why doesn’t Rat do it?”

“What? Rat do it?” the rat asked, looking perturbed at the shiny red eyes which peered in through the window’s corner. 

Angel recrossed his little arms and smirked.“Is Rat afraid?” 

“Rat is not afraid!” he shouted, jumping up in protest.

“Maybe Rat should prove it then,” Angel said, turning his head and giving the rodent a smug smile.

“Fine!” Rat exclaimed. “Rat will! And Rat will do better job than AngelBunny!” Quickly scurrying down from his nest to the bottom of the support beam, he looked at the crimson little eyes of the cottage’s newest visitor and swallowed past the lump in his throat. He turned and looked at the others, squeaking, “Though, if any other animals want to, Rat would not stop them...”

The little squeaks from the rat were only met with noncommittal hums from one half of the group, accompanied by one or two seething glares of expectancy from the other half.

Rat pulled up his little belly and took a deep breath before grumbling, “Fine, Rat will do what Rat’s got to do.” With that he stomped his tiny feet over to the window. When Rat finally came up to the darkened window, though, it looked strangely empty.

“Hello?” he asked, pressing his face against the glass and peering into the darkness. “Huh, maybe big spider—”

Suddenly, the window was attacked with a flurry of fangs, legs, and bright red eyes!

Rat found himself jumping back few feet into the air before falling unceremoniously back to the floor. He glared up at the spider who seemed to be laughing at the little rodent’s antics as her fangs moved up and down. Quickly, he picked himself up before attempting to give the spider an intimidating look.

“W-what does ugly fang-face want!?” he shrieked as he scurried up to the window, huffing and puffing all the way. There is no way Rat will do what Angel did! 

The spider cowered back, looking a little confused and hurt by the insult before she began to speak in a hissing slithery sort of manner. 

“Yeah, uhuh...” Rat affirmed, nodding his head and scratching his chin; listening closely to the bizarre collection of sounds. “Alright, got it,” he said, rolling his eyes and tilting his head.

“Well? What does Spider want?” The black and white tux cat asked, his tail twitching back and forth as he intently watched the fat little rat at the window.

“Rat doesn’t have a clue ‘cause Rat doesn’t speak strange spider hisses!” A collective groan came from the other animals. “Buuut, Rat thinks there is something familiar about this spider.” He tapped his fuzzy little chin.

“Rat knows this spider?” Angel asked.

“No, not knows. Has seen,” Rat corrected irritatedly as he continued to rub his chin and scratch his whisker pads. “But where did Rat see—” Suddenly, he stopped and snapped his little fingers. “Oh! Rat remembers! It was at that one big house on the other side of the forest out that way!”

“Out which way?” Angel asked, hopping over to the window and looking in the pointed direction.

“Where little funny break in trees is,” Rat replied. “Rat was exploring the house when he got chased out by a purple-maned screaming pony, but before that, he ran into a smaller one of these!”

“Of course!” Angel smacked his head before thumping his foot to the ground, nearly stomping on Rat’s long, wormy tail.

Rat grabbed his tail and clutched it close to him. “Hey big foot! Watch where you slam those!”

“‘Of course’ what?” Nigel asked, tilting his head to the side.

“Of course Fluttershy would send message by spider,” Angel groaned, dragging his little furry white paw over his face. “Raccoon, get Rose Spider,” he commanded, pointing towards the back of the cottage that was laced with foreboding silky white strands.

The banded-tailed critter shuddered when he looked back to where Rose Spider had made her nest. “Does Raccoon have to get spider?” Raccoon protested. “Raccoon doesn't want to go back there: Rose Spider is... creepy.” Just then, his stomach growled at him.

“If Raccoon wants to get fed tonight, then Raccoon is going to do his part and get Rose Spider!” Angel shouted in irritation while thumping his foot and poking a little claw into the furry belly of the raccoon.

“Fiiiine...” Raccoon surrendered. He cautiously walked back to the small funnel before calling out, “Rose Spider? ...Rose Spider?” He quietly waited for a moment before turning around. “Whelp! Raccoon tried! Rose Spider must be—ee!”

The raccoon jumped in surprise as a large clawed leg snagged his tail. Quickly, he lept back around and pulled his fluffy appendage close to him in a terrified embrace.

From the darkness of the funnel webbing, a fluttering butterfly shape came. The peaceful, almost serene shape was quickly offset by three more long, thorny legs jutting out of the darkness.

“What is it with spiders scaring us tonight?!” the raccoon shrieked, as he glared at the rose tarantulas face. 

“Iz fun watching mammalz jump,” she replied, pulling the rest of her body out. “And Roze doez not like to be moved when moltz. Iz hard to move.”

Raccoon looked at the tarantula in her current state of molt and shuddered. The camouflage which the spider used to hide herself amongst rose bushes and tangled vines of the Everfree forest was looking rather pitiful. Her legs were browned and the thorns looked blackened. The pink of her eyes seemed to have been glazed over. Even the butterfly shape that adorned her face looked like it had been attacked by birds on several occasions. 

“Does Raccoon have to pick Rose Spider up?” he asked, whimpering at how sharp the thorns looked. 

“Just do it!” Angel shouted, before pointing at the window. “Fluttershy is not here and I, Angel, want to know what the blue spider has to say!”

“Ew! Ew! Ew!” Raccoon looked away as he cautiously wrapped his arms around the tarantula.

“Rozze Sspider doezz not enjoy Raccoon’zz touch either,” she said, curling her legs under her body.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!” Raccoon waddled his way over to the window, carrying the large, thorny spider to the window. After setting the arachnid down, he began to furiously nibble and lick his poor little hands. “Bleh! Bleh! Tiny hairs are in Raccoon’s tongue now!”

The two spiders looked at each other in a small, quiet stand-off before the rose tarantula began to slowly tap at the window and speak with several hissing sounds. After a few moments of processing, the sad-faced spider replied with a few tappings and hissings of its own.

“Well?” Angel asked, his little white foot rapping rapidly against the ground. The rose tarantula slowly turned and glared at him. “What?!”

“Bunny foot makez it hard to hear,” she replied. Angel frowned, before huffing and stomping away. The two spiders returned to their attempts at communication now that it was free of loud mammal interference. After a few more hisses and window tappings, the tarantula raised a leg and spoke.

“Ssad Sspider ssayz ‘Kindnezz Pony’ iz sstaying at sstrange...” The spider paused and took several deep breaths. “Creature’z nesst for night. They are ssick.”

“Pretty Fluttershy pony is sick?” Foxiekins worriedly asked, popping out from his pillow fort.

“No, sstrange creature iz ssick,” she replied, slowly turning around and attempting to make her way back to the safety of her funnel home. “Tired now.”

“Fluttershy is in the creature's’ house?!” Nigel yelped dramatically. “Now who will feed us?!”

“Where will we get our food?!” the raccoon chittered frantically.

“This cat knows where he can get his next meal,” the cat said, his tail twitching back and forth, eyes now locked suggestively on Rat.

“Cat wouldn’t dare—” Rat’s words were cut off as he watched the feline lower his body into a crouching position, his eyes widening and his hips wiggling ever so slightly. “Gah!”

The Cat quickly attempted to pounce on the rat, only to crash into a wooden beam as his intended prey squeaked and quickly scampered back up to his high nest.

Sensing that chaos was about to erupt from the motley crew of animals, Angel put his little claws between his teeth and let out a high pitched whistle, then sighed. While Fluttershy’s intent was not explicit in the spider’s message, he knew his pony well enough to know what she wanted him to do. “All of you be quiet. Angel will feed you.”

“Why didn’t Angel say that he could do that in the first place?” Rat huffed angrily. 

“Yeah!” the Raccoon protested. “Raccoon has been starving for a really long time!”

“Because it will take me longer to get your foods, and,” Angel’s little paw hit his face. “Because... I wanted to know that Fluttershy was okay and not dying somewhere near or in big scary forest! Okay?!” he shouted, exasperatedly pointing out towards the Everfree forest.

“AngelBunny could have sent one of us out to—” Nigel began.

“Do you all want to be fed or not!?” Angel asked, venom dripping from his voice. He was met with the sounds of stomachs rumbling and remorseful glances from the animals as they nodded their heads. 

“Good,” the bunny rabbit said, hopping over to the high cupboards. 

Ducking behind the cupboard, he went down a small tunnel specially made for such emergencies. Moments later the cupboard doors opened with the little rabbit holding sacks of food.

After the last of the other animals had been fed and they were all asleep in their beds, Angel went back to staring out the window. In the far distance, moonlight just barely illuminated the decrepit horror-house where his Fluttershy was spending the night.

Angel really hopes that Fluttershy comes back. Even as he pawed through his bag of vegetables in search of a clean, delicious carrot, Angel’s little bunny eyes were transfixed by the sight. Fluttershy has no idea what nightmarish horror she is tending to!
> 'Little' Talks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Seven


‘Little’ Talks



Motes of dust were dancing around in the shafts of morning sunlight that besieged the heavy purple and green curtains of Heartbreak’s home.

Fluttershy suddenly found herself not-so-gently awoken by what could only be described as the snarling of some provoked beast from the Everfree Forest.

“Oh! Where am—” she began; looking around, momentarily disoriented. Seeing the still-sleeping (and now gently-snoring) tan pony next to her, she quickly covered her mouth. 

Oh, that’s right! I’m still at Heartbreak’s house! Eek! What time is it? Her wings spread open in surprise as she looked up at the grandfather clock. 

Already noon? Oh, I hope my animal friends are ok. How could you have slept for so long, Fluttershy?

The pegasus attempted to stand, only to find that her left hoof was still stuck in Heartbreak’s embrace... not to mention damp from the pony drooling in her sleep.

“Uhm, H.B.?” Fluttershy whispered, gingerly poking the mare with her free hoof. “H.B.?” Heartbreak grimaced in her sleep and let out another snort before turning over. 

“Not now, sweetie... on E. Q... Day...murelectronzz...” she muttered before Fluttershy suddenly felt her hoof slip from its entrapment. 

Glad that she only slightly stirred Heartbreak from her much-needed rest, Fluttershy let out a soft sigh of relief and began to move forward towards the direction of the kitchen. This relief was, however, short lived, as the pony let out a quiet yelp and loudly tumbled forward due to her front leg being asleep from being held all night long.

“Huh!?” Heartbreak gasped, rising up on the couch, her momentary awareness quickly turning back into a quagmire of post-waking grogginess. “Oh... Fluttershy.” She yawned, rubbing her eyes, then frowned in confusion. “You’re still here?”

“Well,” Fluttershy looked up at her charge from the floor. “You asked me to stay for the night and that’s what I did.”

“I did?” Heartbreak shook her head in an attempt to clear the fog of dreams that lay over her. “I must have been really out of it, because I don’t quite remember that,” she said, between long yawns.

“Oh...” Fluttershy replied, nervously hovering and tapping her hoof over the floor in an attempt to push past the pins and pickles.

“Well, then...” Heartbreak’s eyes shut tightly before she went into a full out stretching yawn. Turning her head, she moved the curly-wavy brown mess that was her mane out of her face and looked at Fluttershy, smiling tiredly. “Thank you for staying.”





Wow, her eyes are really pretty... Fluttershy felt almost transfixed by the way they sparkled in the dim light. She turned her head and looked away. Oh, I hope I didn’t just make her feel uncomfortable. It isn’t polite to stare. “I just wanted to make sure that you were all right for the night.” She looked towards the window and paused. “I hope Angel got my message and was able to feed the rest of the animals...”

“Oh, right,” Heartbreak’s smile faded like the morning dew as she was reminded that Fluttershy staying the night meant time spent away from her animal friends. “I... guess I wasn’t thinking about that at the time, I’m—” She paused and passed a hoof over the other, before rubbing her face. “I mean, I didn’t mean to keep you for so long.”

“It’s alright. You weren’t quite yourself at the time,” Fluttershy replied, her forelock covering her face. “I’m just lucky that you have a colony of Veneighzuelan sad-faced spiders living in your attic!”

Heartbreak’s eyes went wide momentarily, as any form of sleep induced miasma was cleared away. “A colony of what kind of sad-faced spiders?” 

“Veneighzuelan sad-faced spiders,” Fluttershy repeated.

Heartbreak paused with an uncertain expression on her face. “I don’t know why, but that name kinda sounds awfully familiar...”

“It does?” Fluttershy asked, surprised.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure from where,” she replied, tapping her hooves together nervously. “Ssssso!” Heartbreak exclaimed with a fear-tainted hissing sound. “A colony you say?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy nodded, before looking down sadly. “That isn’t a problem is it? I know that lots of ponies don’t like spiders—”

“No, it isn’t! Actually,” Heartbreak cleared her throat. “I happen to love spiders, for the most part. It’s just,when you say ‘colony’... images of my backyard draped in spider-silk and my trees completely encased in a white cocoon peppered with little spiders go dancing through my head.” She stopped and realized that perhaps that run-on sentence she just spoke might not do anything to dissuade the idea that she was afraid. “Uhm... I apologize, it’s just—I mean—”

“It’s alright. When you put it like that, a colony of spiders that big could be a terrifying thing,” Fluttershy replied, disappointment lingering in her voice. Maybe if I told her about the spiders, she would be less afraid. But the time! What about Angel? He and the others are still waiting for me! And I—

“But one of them sent a text to Angel for you?” Heartbreak asked, interrupting Fluttershy’s thoughts. “So they’re ‘fffriendly’ spiders?”

“Well, not super friendly,” Fluttershy replied, looking thoughtful. “I did have to promise their queen that I would do something nice for her in exchange for her help.” She tilted her head with a questioning look. “A text?”

“Message!” Heartbreak jumped in surprise and then let out a mighty coughing fit. “I meant a message.” She replied after some of the coughing died down. “You know, just woke up. Not quite all there.” She gasped.

“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked, her face showing instant concern once more.

“Yup!” came the wheezing reply. “No need for a trip to the hospital!” Heartbreak exclaimed, waving one hoof at the tense pegasus while using the other to cover her mouth.

Fluttershy’s ears drooped, and she looked to her side. “That might be for the best, with what happened last night.”

“Uhm.” Heartbreak pushed through a few more wheezing coughs before aggressively clearing her throat. “I only vaguely remember last night,” slumping forward, she groaned, in an attempt to fight any more coughs fighting their way out. “I kicked a doctor in the face, didn’t I?”

“Uhm, yes,” Fluttershy admitted after a few moments of silence. “I’m really sorry that I forced you to go to the hospital,” she said quietly.

Heartbreak sighed, clearing her throat. “It’s alright, Fluttershy. I was out of it, and you did what you thought was the best. Though really, I kinda suspected that I was coming down with something a few days before Wednesday.” She sniffed hard, her face twisting up. After a few moments of struggling with the urge, she finally let out a mighty, painful sounding sneeze. “Gah! Oooouch...”

“Oh dear, are you alright?”

“Just,” Heartbreak snorted, after which she let loose a few small coughs. “Peachy. But yeah, I should have seen this coming the day before Summer Readers.” Swallowing hard, she made a pained expression. “I was having the worst time trying to get to sleep for a few days.” 

“If you knew you were coming down with something, why—” Fluttershy meeped, and paused in her sentence. This is the longest conversation I have had with anypony before.

“Didn’t I tell somep-pony?” Heartbreak asked, clearing her throat for the umpteenth time. “It’s simple, Fluttershy. I don’t like doctors.”

“But—” Then again, Heartbreak isn’t really a pony, but a strange animal trapped in a pony’s body. I really wish I knew—

“Why?” Heartbreak interrupted, her hooves hanging over the couch as she stared at the floor, her ears folded tightly back. “I have my reasons.”

“Well—” Fluttershy bit her lip and eyed the door. I’m sure that Angel is ok with looking after all the other animals, but I really should be getting back! And besides, H.B. doesn’t sound like she wants to talk about why—

Heartbreak looked over at her guest and rubbed her hooves together before sighing. “Alright, fine,” she said, rubbing her temples and taking a deep breath through her nose, trying to compose her thoughts. “Why don’t I like doctors...” she asked openly to the air. “Like I said, I have my reasons.” She pressed her hoof against her throat as she tried to clear it once more.

“Oh, well, okay,” Fluttershy responded hastily, a little afraid of going into a conversation. “But if you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to, I can understand that going to the doctor can be a scary situation and—”

“It’s not just that.” Heartbreak interrupted, putting her hoof up in the air. “I know that they’re there to help me if I have health issues, but it’s a lot more complicated than that.”

“Is it because of the needles?” Fluttershy asked, tilting her head as she carefully probed.

“Not... really?” Heartbreak replied, rubbing her foreleg and sounding unsure. “Needles are—” she paused and coughed a bit, “—cuse me. Needles aren’t the biggest issue in the world. I’ve dealt with needles before; fet, I’ve given blood before.”

Fluttershy began to speak but stopped as Heartbreak began to cough once more. That cough just sounds terrible. She spied the small bag of the tincture that Nurse Goodfilly had prescribed and a cup that had been left on the table in front of the couch the night prior. I might as well make sure she gets her tea before I have to leave. With how sick she still is, it would be just horrible of me to leave her to try and make it all by herself!

“Uhm,” She started, unsure how to leave the conversation. “You wouldn’t mind if I made you the tea that Nurse Goodfilly gave us last night, would you?”

“No.” Heartbreak tilted her head, as if she herself was unsure why Fluttershy was asking. “I mean, if you want to, that would be really nice of you.” She said looking away awkwardly. “I mean, uhm, thank you. That would be awesome.”

Fluttershy blinked and thought that she saw a slight blush flush Heartbreak’s cheeks, though it might have just been the light. “I’ll be right back,” she said smiling before she walked into the kitchen. “You just rest a little bit.”

It didn’t take long for her to return with a tea kettle full of hot water. Walking back into the parlor, she set the black iron kettle on the table in front of Heartbreak.

“So, If you aren’t afraid of needles, then—” Fluttershy began, as she hoofed a cork coaster on the table.

“—what is the issue?” Heartbreak finished, waggling her front hooves over the side of the couch. “The issue is the attitude.”

“Attitude?” Fluttershy asked, carefully pouring the hot water into a cup.

“Yes, attitude.” Heartbreak sniffed at the air as Fluttershy stirred the contents of the medicine into the hot water. “Huh, smells lemony. Maybe I’m just imagining things, but anytime I think about going to a doctor, I get this sense that they’re looking or talking down to me.”

“Well, doctors and nurses have gone to school for their jobs,” Fluttershy explained, setting the tea down on the table in front of Heartbreak. “It really isn’t their fault if they use some words that most ponies don’t understand.”

“But that’s the problem,” she grumbled. “I do understand them.” Heartbreak sighed as Fluttershy took the honey stick and stirred a gooey dollop in. “Or, at least, most of them...” She paused again before holding up her hooves. “It’s like this: there was this one time when I was in the military— 

“The military?” Fluttershy asked, her wings splayed out in shock. “But you don’t—”

“Seem like the type?” Heartbreak asked, a bemused expression on her face. “Yeah, that’s what all my fffriends and everyp-p-pony around me said too. But I wasn’t in for long, like a year and four months.” She stopped in her story’s tracks and silence overtook her. Fluttershy raised a hoof, her mouth opening to ask a question. “I don’t like talking about it. But anyway, when the military doctor looked at my eyes, he said there was a blasphemous in the right one.”

It’s best not to push that issue. After all, ponies in the Equestrian military go through a lot of hard training and are expected to do some really dangerous things! Fluttershy paused her stirring, confused. “Blasphemous doesn’t sound like any eye condition I know about...” Heartbreak tilted her head and raised her eyebrow questioningly. “I have a little medical training,” she quietly added.

“That’s what I remember him calling it,” Heartbreak replied, sitting up so that her back hooves hung over the couch. “What it actually is, I don’t know, but the way that he put it was that ‘while I was still in my mommy’s womb, one of my eyes didn’t quite attach to my retina properly.’”

“I’m confused,” Fluttershy responded, putting the honey stirrer on a small plate.

“It was the whole ‘while you were in your mommy’s womb’ thing.” Heartbreak reached forward and carefully slipped the hook-shaped handle into her hoof-hole. “It was like he was talking down to me about this. At the time, I just wanted to know if it was something I had to be worried about later in life or something.” Slowly, she lifted the cup to her mouth and blew on the surface of the liquid before taking a sip and licking her lips. “Yeah, definitely lemony. And before you say anything, I know that not all doctors are like that.”

“Oh?” Fluttershy asked, glancing out the window. In the distance, a small flock of birds dove towards the location of her cottage.

“I know they’re there to help me, that they don’t want to freak me out and that they have a job to do, but I still don’t like them. Just don’t get me started on—” Heartbreak paused, drinking down the last of the liquid in her cup.

“On?” Fluttershy asked, her attention returning to Heartbreak. 

“Psychologists,” Heartbreak coughed, trying to lick the last bit of sticky fluid that had settled to the bottom of her cup.

“Psychologists?” Fluttershy blinked and suddenly felt a bit lost at the abrupt shift. 

“Yeah.” Heartbreak set the cup on the table and stretched with an errrrph. “Psychologists... the doctors that I am sure that most of the ponies around here think that I should be seeing in the first place.” She sighed as her hoof slipped the handle out of its hole, before hermit-crabbing her way into a comfortable position on the couch. “That tea was really good, could I have more?”

“I’m sorry, H.B.” Fluttershy gave a sympathetic smile and shook her head before looking at the back of the bag that the tinctures came in. “But this is medical tea, and the instructions which Nurse Goodfilly wrote down say that you can only have one cup every six hours. Besides—” she paused, looking back at Heartbreak with sad, worried eyes. “—we wouldn’t want what happened last time to happen again...”

Heartbreak found herself struck mute as the memories of Fluttershy diving to save her crashed on the shores of her mind. “No, I suppose we don’t want another tea incident,” she whispered. “I never did thank you for that, Fluttershy...”

Fluttershy felt mixed about bringing up the event. With how she presents herself, I didn’t think that she was that sensitive about what happened! “There’s no need to thank me, I just did what any other pony would have done for another pony.”

“I still feel the need to thank you, Fluttershy.” Two blue eyes peeked out from under the makeshift hoodie-blanket. “So, thank you.” 

Fluttershy blushed and turned her head, smiling sheepishly. “You’re welcome.”

“Anyway, the problem I have with psychologists is that, while a normal medical doctor doesn’t automatically assume that there’s something wrong with you—fet, they might even dismiss you thinking you’re a hypochondriac of some kind...” Heartbreak clutched the light blanket around her. “It seems that a psychologist assumes that there is something wrong with you. That you are already crazy. Otherwise, why would you be there to begin with?” 

Fluttershy was at a loss for words. 

“Well?” Heartbreak asked.

“Uhm—” Fluttershy squeaked a bit at being pushed for an answer. Oh dear, what would Twilight or the others say to this? “I’m not sure I would be the best pony to ask. I haven’t had the chance to interact with that sort of doctor before.”

“Let me tell you a story then,” Heartbreak said, clearing out her throat.

“Well, alright,” Fluttershy said, sitting down. “If you really think you’re up to it.”

“Bleh, right, first off, before I begin...” Heartbreak paused and looked thoughtful as she saw Fluttershy leaning forward. “I just want to make it clear that nothing that we talk about here is to be talked about with the others. Okay?”

“A-alright...” Fluttershy blinked and looked a bit confused. “Any reason why?”

“I...” Heartbreak was silent for a few moments. “It’s just that this stuff is really... intimate.”

Fluttershy felt a blush pass over her cheeks and her wings puff. “Well, I’m not sure that I’m the pony to be talking about that sort of thing.”

Heartbreak coughed and suddenly became acutely aware of how uncomfortable she was making her guest. “What? Oh, no, no, no. That’s not what I mean. It has nothing to do with... intimate-intimate things.”

“Sorry,” Fluttershy apologized. “I didn’t mean to assume that it was something like that, but—”

“It’s alright, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak interrupted awkwardly. “And I don’t mean to be rude, but I’d rather try to explain this while I’m partially coherent, not coughing my lungs out and questioning whether or not I even should share this stuff with you.”

“Well, if you don’t want to you don’t have to,” Fluttershy repeated quietly, before looking down. Oh, Fluttershy, you were so close to her opening up to you, but now she’s gone back to hiding in her shell...

Heartbreak eyed Fluttershy and looked down before she took a deep breath and bit her lip. “No, you asked a question. It’s just... really complicated stuff. Like I said before, don't share this with any of the others, and please, don't ask too many more questions. ‘Kay?"

“Okay...” Fluttershy replied tentatively. After all, if Heartbreak felt like she could share something, then despite her animal friends needing her, as one of her teachers, she should be there for her, right?

“I’m... not sure where to start, so you’ll have to excuse me if any of this sounds...” Heartbreak rested her chin on her ankle while her hoof rocked back and forth restlessly. “...stilted, or needlessly long-winded. M’kay?”

“Alright.”

“When I was young, my mother didn’t really know how to ‘deal’ with me. She was a young mother and uhm, I was... different. I guess.” She grumbled bitterly. “I had a hard time in school. I was pretty smart, or at least I thought I was, and as a result I would kinda get bored with some subjects.

“This led to me also becoming easily frustrated with some things... and it didn’t help that I had difficulties actually expressing those frustrations. So, my mother, in her infinite wisdom, decided that I belonged in ‘special classes.’ I was told at first it was because I had ‘special talents’ and that sometimes meant being put in classes away from the others.”

“That almost sounds like Twilight’s stories about when she went to—” Fluttershy stopped short of finishing her sentence as she saw a soured expression return to Heartbreak’s muzzle. “Uhm...”

“It was nothing like Twilight’s experience with Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns,” Heartbreak muttered through her hoof.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s alright, Fluttershy.” Heartbreak cleared her throat before coughing a bit.

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked, her wings rustling.

“Yes, it’s just... there were a lot of differences between what I went through and Twilight’s schooling,” Heartbreak replied, pausing once again in an attempt to evict any gunk still lingering in her throat. “For one, her schooling was there because she was, and still is, very talented. She was encouraged to develop her abilities and allowed to work at her own pace.

“I was not,” Heartbreak raspily squeaked out. “These special classes felt like a means to isolate those students who were not ‘like the others’. Students who had difficulties. Mental, physical, emotional or social disabilities. You had any of those? That’s where you were put. Not to mention the ever present threat of the school counselor.”

“But aren’t school counselors meant to help you?”

Heartbreak paused and became strangely quiet for a few moments. “Maybe... But it sure didn’t seem like it. However, I’m just describing the root of where my mistrust of doctors comes from.” She sniffed hard and a look of uncomfortable disgust crossed her face. “Fluttershy? Could I have a tissue?”

“Oh! Of course,” Fluttershy replied, plucking one from a small box situated next to the couch. “Here you go,” She said, offering it to Heartbreak.

Heartbreak looked at the tissue being offered to her and sighed. “Hooves, remember?”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” Fluttershy responded, draping the tissue over her hoof before holding the tissue to Heartbreak’s nose while she blew. She felt a bit grossed out at the now damped thing in her hoof. Just part of tending to a sick animal, she told herself, quickly tossing it in a refuse bin next to the couch.

“It’s alright,” Heartbreak replied, her face scrunching up. “I swear, even with a drastic alteration, these things are so fetting useless.” She slumped as Fluttershy took the soiled tissue away. “Kinda like the rest of me...”

“That’s not true,” Fluttershy demurred. “You certainly aren’t useless to the Summer Readers! Why, without you, I don’t think there would even be a summer reading program this year. And then all those sweet little colts and fillies would have nothing to do.” 

“I’m sure they could have found something else to do, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak replied, rolling her eyes. “But it’s nice of you to say that...” She quietly admitted. “So anyway, back to the story. A few years after I graduated from high school and living with my grandma, that’s when I decided to join the military.” 

“However, the important part didn’t come until I met with the military’s—” Heartbreak cleared her throat once again and raised her hooves in air quotes “—‘psychologist.’ I had to talk to her to see if I could be discharged for medical reasons. After all, that was considered an ‘honorable’ discharge, while anything else would be ‘dishonorable,’ and like fet was I was going to leave with a dishonorable. Not even a fast food restaurant will hire you after a dishonorable discharge.” 

“That’s—”

“Unfair?” Heartbreak asked. “Yes. Yes it is. However, I was able to get an honorable discharge under the tagline of a ‘character’ disorder.”

“Character disorder?” Fluttershy’s head tilted in confusion at the use of this odd terminology.

“Schizoid character disorder.” Heartbreak looked like she was chafing under the simple question. “Which is really nothing more than the big rubber stamp that they use to discharge you from the military under ‘medical conditions.’”

“That’s nothing serious is it?” Fluttershy asked, looking at the pony under her care with concern. Heartbreak only responded by pulling the blanket tighter around her, a disgruntled snear being the only response. Oh dear! Did I say something wrong? The thought of having triggering some horrible and traumatic memory in the already broken pony caused the shy pegasi to tear up. “I-I didn’t mean to sound like I was—I mean I—”

“It’s alright, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak interrupted, her voice holding back a flare of irritation. “It’s not your fault or doing. It’s a perfectly... simple... question,” she said, pausing on a few choice words. “The short answer is, no. No, it isn’t anything serious. It just means that I’m more introverted than ‘normal’ p-ponies. That I have problems with authority figures and am better off with my own devices. And that I have a… richer internal fantasy world than others.”

“And that’s...” Fluttershy found herself blinking in confusion. “Bad?”

“Only if you want to join the military,” Heartbreak replied, her voice starting to sound exasperated. “I’m sure that even the Equestrian Military doesn’t want ‘artsy-fartsy’ soldiers that question orders and have their heads in the clouds all day.”

“I... guess not.”

“Anyway, I really didn’t think anything about being classified as a ‘schizoid’ for the longest time when I got out of the military.” Heartbreak tapped her hoof on the table nervously, before pausing and looking up. “You’re going to have to forgive me, Fluttershy, it’s been ages since I last thought about this stuff and I’m sure you have places to be.” She coughed and sniffed hard. “Things to do, ponies to talk to—”

“—Animals to feed,” Fluttershy quietly interjected. Suddenly her eyes went wide upon realizing how rude that must have seemed. After all, Heartbreak was still telling a story!

“I-I’m sorry!” Fluttershy began, faltering as she raised her hoof. “I didn’t mean—”

“It’s okay, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak said, cutting off her awkward apology. “There’s no need. I’m keeping you from what you need to be doing, and I’m sure Angel and crew are very hungry, so...” She sighed and cleared her throat again. “I’ll wrap this up with what happened next.”

"Still, I didn't mean to—"

"I said that it's okay, Flutters." Heartbreak gave Fluttershy an understanding, but firm look. "I can call you ' Flutters', right?"

"Uhm, I guess so?" Fluttershy replied.

"Right, so anyway, where I was going with this story," Heartbreak said, retracing back to where she had been. "I didn't think too much of this 'diagnosis' until I found myself temporarily living in a homeless shelter."

"The lady that was in charge had been out of town when I first arrived, so it was no surprise that she wanted to interview me when she got back. But upon reviewing my case, she didn't see any reason why I was there. 

"Scared that I might be thrown out on the streets, I told her why it was that I had been discharged from the military. And her response?

“‘Are you taking medication for that?’”

Fluttershy swallowed hard, and realized that this might explain the reaction she witnessed earlier. She bit her lip and contemplated asking, but decided against it to avoid further awkwardness.

"Even after I explained that being schizoid and being schizophrenic are two entirely different things...” Heartbreak paused, and put her hoof on her own shoulder in a small hug. “I could still feel the judgmental stares coming from her. Whatever image she had of me before our meeting was shattered, and all because one stupid medical condition sounded like another one. As you can imagine, after that, I didn't like talking about my time in the military.”

Heartbreak reached forward and moved her hoof over the surface of the table, poking and prodding at various objects in a moment of silence as if to collect her final thoughts. "Doctors and medicine might work differently here in Equestria, but that feeling of fear - of being trapped with a label that might not even apply to you, and worse, the possible judgement by others that comes with said label? That's not something that goes away overnight. You know what I mean?"

Fluttershy took a deep breath and looked down, remembering all the times she had to face such anxious moments. "Yes, I do."

“Thanks for listening, Flutters.” Heartbreak smiled a little, before looking at the grandfather clock as it chimed half past the hour. "I guess it's time for you to get going back home..."

“Yes, Angel and the others are most likely very worried about me.” Fluttershy lightly tapped her hoof on the floor. A tenuous feeling flittered through her: after all, it felt as if Heartbreak had exposed a really vulnerable part of herself. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine. All I really need is some rest. If you really feel it’s necessary, you can come back to check in on me. But right now... I’m sure your animal fffriends need you more."

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked pensively. “I could make you something to eat before I leave, or I—”

“You’ve been very kind to me just by taking the time to listen to my little rant, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak interrupted, closing her eyes. “You just have a good day and remember to close the door on your way out." She paused. “And if you feel the need to come back, after you’ve taken care of those things, you’re more than welcome to.” She repeated.

“Are you positive that you’ll be alright?” Fluttershy asked, crossing her hooves and looking up at Heartbreak with a doey, unsure expression.

“Yesss,” As Heartbreak sighed and rolled her eyes, a small smile crept up on her face. “Now get back to them before they attempt to cannibalize some random p-pony.”
> Tea and Cream Puffs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Eight: Tea and Cream Puffs



Son of a bi—... Biscuit.

I don’t know what was in that tea (other than lemon grass), but it’s been a full two hours and twenty minutes from when Fluttershy left. 

I am still feeling a little bit achy and sore. My nose has been periodically dripping and, since the last time I checked, my mind isn’t showing any signs that we’ve bought any return tickets to slumberland. All that, however, isn’t as bad as the other thing I am experiencing.

That long held bane of all sentient life. The true monster that can either dull the wit or lead to the most interesting if not pointless works of art ever. Just what is this jabberwock's name, I would imagine some imaginary audience member asking, (along with a ‘get on with it already!’)

Boredom.

And just why am I bored? The same reason that I get bored easily, because back on Earth we had comp—

“Shut it, brain,” I comment out loud, shoving my head under a pillow. “I know why we’re bored. You know why we’re bored. We all know why I’m bored: A lifetime, or several decades at least, of distractions and mental junk food. Of Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter feeds. Of gorging on Youtube videos and top ten lists and those fetting ‘clicker adventure’ games.” 

Rolling over, I momentarily stare up at the ceiling. “So, how about instead of wasting all of our mental energy agonizing over why the fet we’re bored — for the umpteenth time — to the point of exhaustion, we actually do something about our boredom? You know, other than just putting off doing something about it?”

I push myself out from under the security of my comfy blanket and walk over to the nightstand next to the couch.

“Well, Dr. Heartbreak, seeing that you are such a professional at self diagnosis, what the fet do you prescribe?” I ask myself, raising a hoof to my chest and acting all... I don’t know. In character? Is the snarky patient a character? Pffft, whatever. Like I said before, boredom is a strange beast that can lead to creativity or stupidity, or in my case, both.

Coughing and giving a ‘uhrufferuhm!’ that you’d expect to come out of someone with a doctorate, I turn back to where I had been standing a few seconds ago. “Zhe cure to your boredom, H.B.?” I ask myself while rubbing my nose clean, before nudging a loose leaf notebook from its hiding spot among the other books. “Vhy, your boredom book, of course!”

Okay, it’s more like a sketchbook or notebook, really. Just a place to keep my doodles, little poems and ideas that aren’t too dangerous for Equestria. Chuckling at this description, I am half tempted to draw the outline of my hoof, or at the very least a gold imprint of my right hoof, hole and all, on the cover.

“Creative? Maybe,” I mutter, rolling my eyes at this idea and set it on the parlor table. “But hardly original. Alright, let’s see, I—” Suddenly, the cup that Fluttershy used for lemongrass tea catches my eye and my mouth feels cottony. “—I’m thirsty.” Alright, time to make my way to the kitchen... I guess.

Looking around, I brace myself to shun the stack of dishes I have left in the sink. It’s just a few bowls and plates, but it’s still a habit that refuses to die. After all, back when I was living alone? Dishes tended to be the thing I avoided due to how mom was always having me do them and—

“Ugh!” I groan, applying a hoof to my forehead. “Fetting fet fet, brain! We know, I hate doing dishes and I’ll do them later, Okay!?” I promise myself before looking around. “Now, enough with the inner monologue. How about getting something to drink so I can get back to that boredom book so you can just sit back and relax for the day already!?” My mind finally hushes itself. “Thank you. Now, where’s that oolong I bought...”


============================================================= 


Heartbreak finally sat down after the tedious chore of making tea. Due to the lack of functioning hooves, every aspect about the activity, from gathering the tea bags to filling the kettle and setting it to simmer, to even bringing out the sugarcubes and small plates was a labor unto itself.

Oh sure, she thought, carefully craning her neck forward so that the tea kettle’s handle was within reach. I could just ‘pony up’ and a particular unicorn, who is currently elsewhere— She frowned in irritation. —would be cheering me on for doing those... things... with my mouth. But... She paused and poured the steaming hot liquid into the cup. It still doesn’t feel right. At least I was able to get that potter to make a collection of cups with hooks for my hoof!

“And why don’t you get a kettle with a hook?” Heartbreak asked out loud after setting the tea kettle back down the table. “You got everything else with a hook!” She turned and looked at the trail of water that had been spilled when she attempted to carry it with her mouth. Her attention turned back to the kettle with an annoyed gaze. “‘Cause you’re too heavy and I don’t want to break my stupid hoof picking you up.”

Momentarily, she contemplated whether or not she should thread the tea bags through her hoof-hole before just rolling her eyes at herself once more.

“Any more eye-rolling, H.B., and you’ll be able to open what’s sure to be Ponyville’s first casino!” Her overly cheerful smile quickly turned to a frown as she proceeded to plop the tea bags into the steaming hot water with her mouth. “Yeah, maybe that joke should have stayed in my head where it sounded a lot funnier.”

After a few minutes of steeping, the bags were given a few more dunks before pulling them from the cup. Heartbreak felt her neck stiffening and growing sore from all the head bobbing. “Doing it for the tea, doing it for the tea, doing it for the tea,” she whimpered in an attempt to cheer herself on before setting the spent bags down on a saucer. “Least the last part is a little sweeter!” She smiled looking at a small plate of sugarcubes.

Heartbreak snagged five or six of the sweet treats from off the platter and delighted in the plopping sound that all but one made as they hit the surface of the bitter black liquid before sucking down on that final cube. She gave a smile at the sensation of grainy sugar dissolving on her tongue.

“Like eating sweet sand,” she mused out loud before putting the teacup’s hook-handle into her hoof-hole and lifting the hot brew to her lips. She gave the hot liquid a gentle blow to cool it down and took a sip. As the bittersweet, hot liquid traveled down her throat, she could feel her sinuses sighing in relief as they drained, if only a bit.

She took a deep breath through her nose and smiled before coughing and clearing her throat. “Alrighty then,” she said, swallowing and carefully setting the tea cup back down on the table. “Time to get some drawing, writing, or just plain creating something in, today!” 

But as she reached forward towards her saddle bags to retrieve her mechanical pencil, a loud knocking came from her front door. 

Heartbreak glowered at the door. “Of course, just as I was getting comfortable.” But who could that be? Fluttershy wouldn’t be back this soon, would she? She paused and took a deep breath, hoping that whoever it was, they didn’t hear her having a conversation with herself. Maybe if I ignore it, they’ll just go away... Another series of raps at the front door sent cracks through the foundations of that hope coming to pass.

“Missus H.B.!! Are ya home?!” the familiar southern twang called out. “It’s me! Cream Puff! Ah got treats fer ya!”

“Treats...” With the mention of that word, the desire to remain sat upon the couch started to ebb away. She bit on her lip contemplating whether or not she should still answer. A few more desperate growing knocks to her door made her sigh and push herself off the couch. “Erph! Hold on! I’m coming!” 


=============================================================


The wide eyed little filly looked up, eagerly standing at attention on the front steps of the massive house before her. As the hoof steps from within grew closer and closer to the door; a warm, fuzzy excitement made her smile grow more and more.

She is gonna be so surprised ta see what ah made! Just then, the front door swung inward, revealing the face of her favorite storyteller with an expression that was none too pleased to see the little filly at her stoop.

“Hiya Miss H.B.!” Cream Puff exclaimed from the other side of the screen door. 

“Cream Puff—” Heartbreak covered her mouth and coughed a bit before clearing her throat. “—what did I say about calling me ‘miss’?” 

“Oh, right,” The little golden filly replied, rubbing her neck before smiling and looking at her favorite storyteller. “Sorry...” 

Heartbreak waved her hoof dismissively. “It’s not the worst thing that’s happened—” She sniffed hard and attempted to recompose herself. “—today. Still, what are you doing here?”

“Well, ah heard ya were sick, so ah thought that ah would make ya somethin what’s ta help ya feel better!” She paused and crossed her front hooves before looking up sheepishly. “That is if ya be wantin' it... Ah don't want ta be no trouble or anythin', Miss— ah mean, H.B...”

Heartbreak paused, a bit of apprehensive concern showing on her face. “How did you know where I lived?”

“Scootaloo an’ Applebloom told me!” the little bubbly filly replied.

Heartbreak took a deep breath and rolled her eyes before applying her hoof to her face. “How... nice of them,” she muttered. 

“It sure was!” Cream Puff replied, her smile going so wide it made Heartbreak cringe a bit. “An I got all sorts of—” The lifting of one tan hoof put the filly on pause.

“But you walked out here, all by yourself? Alone?” Cream Puff only continued to smile and nod at the line of questioning being presented to her. “A little filly like you, passing near the Everfree Forest?”

“Hey! Ah might not have ma cutie mark and all, but ah’m still a big filly!” she retorted, puffing up while gave a frown that was meant to express how upset she was, however this display only came off as adorably cute. “An’ besides, it’s not like ah went right through the forest.”

“Maybe not,” Heartbreak replied, rubbing her nose, sniffing and looking at the basket again. “But there’s dangerous stuff lurking outside the forest or just at the edge. Like the snapdragons living under my porch.”

Cream Puff eyed the flora that was slowly edging out from under the stairs. She blinked and looked back at Heartbreak with confusion. “What, those things? Dangerous?”

“You mean they don’t eat ponies?”

“What?” Cream Puff gawked in disbelief. “Where’d ya get a hairbrained idea like that?”

“It’s what Rarity said when we were first looking at the house,” Heartbreak replied, sheepishly.

“Pfffft!” Cream Puff waved a hoof dismissively at the two floral faces that had inched out from their hiding spots. “These things look scary an’ all, but they don’t eat ponies! They eat bugs. Like flies and maybe like those fluffy winged thingers...”

“Parasprites?”

“Yeah! Ah think that’s what they’re called!”

Heartbreak frowned in disappointment at the two snapdragons. “You don’t eat meat?!” The two plants pulled away from the imposing figure that now glowed with a mingling of reds and yellows while their eye-like fronds drooped in response to the questioning. “There go my plans for stallions like Narrow Beam...” The flora emanated whimper-like noises while rattling their draconic leaves as they slipped back under the porch steps.

Suddenly, Heartbreak became acutely aware of the the big grinning face just a little too close to hers.

“So!” Cream Puff exclaimed.

“So...” Heartbreak replied, awkwardly.

The little filly stood on her forehooves and fixed Heartbreak with a look of hope so bright and adorable it could probably send some ponies into diabetic shock. “Aren’t ya gonna invite me in?”

“Oh,” Heartbreak’s ears turned down and her expression soured. “You... wanted to come in.”

“Well, yeah,” Cream Puff replied, her voice softening. 

Heartbreak rubbed the back of her head and coughed a bit. “Well, I was just hoping to get some drawing done, maybe a nap,” she glanced at Cream Puff awkwardly. “Ya know... without any distractions.” The large-eyed expression on the fillies face shifted from that of great joy to that of heart-cracking disappointment.

“Ah understand. Not too many other ponies want an orphan like me around...” Cream Puff replied, her voice barely covering her feelings. “Ah’ll just leave this basket with ya, an head back ta the home, then.”

Heartbreak sighed and groaned, her hoof tapping on the door frame, before rolling her eyes eyes. “I... ugh... I guess you could stay for a little while.”

“Really?!” Cream Puff exclaimed, her eyes going wide and sparkling.

Heartbreak recoiled from the eye-shimmer and nodded. “Yeah, but not for too long. I still could be infectious and I don’t want to give you anything I’ve got.”

“Yay!” Cream Puff cheered, darting quickly through the door. “An’ ya don’t have ta worry about me, Missus H.B. They make sure that we get our shots at the home! An’ ah brought all sorts of things besides treats, ah got some puzzles, an’ games, an’ a couple of books fer readin’ too!”

“That’s...” Heartbreak sighed, she had a feeling that this evening would be anything but relaxing. “Great.” She looked around, her brow furrowing before she closed the door. “Just great.”


=============================================================


Alright, I know, I shouldn’t be acting this freaked out or awkward about a simple visitor. However, the word ‘but’ keeps jumping into my head. 

‘But’ she was the first one that I know of to be affected by ‘the mark’. ‘But’ she is a little filly and has an ‘ever-so-adorable face that makes it hard for me to say no to her asking for things.’ ‘But’ she is also an orphan and I have this weird sneaking feeling that she’s attempting an ‘Orphan Annie’ on me.

There are a lot of ‘buts’ here and it isn’t helping that I am still feeling the dregs of a cold. Though, calling all of what I just experienced ‘a cold’ is sorely under—

“Mis— Ah mean, H.B., are ya feelin alright?”

“Huh?!” Cream Puff’s question rips me out of the thought quagmire that I was rolling around in and back to reality. “Yeah,” Fet, there’s still some drippage going on here. I sniff hard to bring it under control. “Why do you ask?”

Cream Puff tilts her head, her eyes showing concern. “Cause ya went all quiet-like an’ yer eyes were dartin’ about like ya had caught a bird in yer mouth.”

“Well,” My brow furrows and I am sure that I look really baffled. Maybe. What the— Bird in the mouth!? Gah, whatever. “I’ve never put it that way.” Quickly, I push out a fake cough. Hey, I’m sick and while I am, I might as well use it as an excuse right? “I did mention that I’m still getting over quite the cold, right?”

“Uh-huh...” However, my acting is all for naught due to the fact that, that like all little minds, Cream Puff seems to be already distracted by the pictures on the walls and random bobbles on my shelves. “Who’s that?” 

“Uhm,” On the wall is one of the random pictures of a mare in a side pose... laying on some silken sheet... looking up at the viewer in a relaxed, apt suggestive pose. “Uhm,” I bite my lip and have to wonder if such a pose is permissible for a little filly like Cream Puff to be looking at, after all, what if she goes back to her orphanage and tells other ponies what she’s seen due to the fact that I haven’t bothered taking inventory of this house’s contents? What if—

“Oh! Hey!” Cream Puff exclaims poking at a kitschy-looking lamp made of seashells, driftwood and bits of water-tumbled glass on a small table in the hallway. “Who made this?”

Calm down, H.B. Not everything has to be a fetting emergency. She’s just curious, and thankfully for me, easily distracted. “Honestly, I don’t know,”

As we move into the living room where my big comfy couch is still calling my name, the little filly flinches as her gaze turns upward. “W-what is that?”

“Uhm,” Blinking, I find myself at a loss of words as she points up to one of the rather odd glass statues that are sat around the house. Feline inspired, it has stripes of swirling glass and two cat-eyed marbles for the orbs that it uses to peer down from its perch at the top of my living room bookshelf. I smirk a little as it reminds me of some weird cross between Bungle, the glass cat from the Oz books and Cheshire from Alice. “I guess the last owner of the house really had a thing for glass cats?”





“A-ah guess.” Poor Cream Puff looks rather unnerved as she raises an eyebrow at the admittedly peculiar creation. She looks over at the table in front of the couch and trots over to my— Oh fet! The boredom book! I left the stupid thing just lying open on the table! I—

No, calm down, boredom book is safe. It’s not a horrible thing. It’s stupid and fine and— “What’s this?”

“Nothing really important, just a sketchbook that I put unfinished ideas into,” I reply as casually as I can. Why does this feel so... awkward? She’s just a visitor. An overly cute, terribly happy, little filly visitor. I bet it’s because there aren’t any other pon— any others here to watch over me here. I’m here, by myself. No Pinkie, no Fluttershy, no... Twilight... and... if I do any more internalization, she’s going to wonder if there’s something wrong with me. Take some advice for once: ‘Go with the flow.’

Even with that small bit of self-assurance, something about all this is still putting me on edge. Like at any second something could go horribly wrong and no— uhm, none would be around to help me out of this, like the two of us are sitting on a cliff’s ledge and the random thought of ‘I could totally push them right off and no—’

Just then, the clock chimes that it is three past the hour and while the smell of treats keeps wafting past my nose and attempting to calm and reassure me that everything will be fine? There’s a part of my mind is thinking that this would be the perfect time for Fluttershy to come back and diffuse these really awkward feelings I am going through right now. And just in case anything else crops up.

She pauses, a hoof on the cover ready to open the book before turning at looking at me. “Is it ok if ah look at it?”

“Sure,” I finally decide, taking a seat on the couch. “Just don’t be surprised if you’re disappointed at the quality of the work.” I adjust myself to get comfortable, before Cream Puff hops up and carefully avoiding my mark, joins me. “I mean it’s a sketch book. It’s not like there’s anything in there worth writing back to the home about.”
> Limerick Somnia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Nine: Limerick Somnia






“Come on, Angel Bunny!” Rat demanded, crossing his little arms.

“Yeah, Angel did it last night,” Raccoon whimpered, rubbing his grumbling belly. “What is different about now?”

Nigel held his bowl sadly in his mouth. “Please Sir Angel, we could just have a little more? Something to tide us over until Fluttershy returns?”

“Yeah, carrots,” Foxiekins interjected as he peered up at the small angry looking rabbit sat atop the counter. “Just look at Nigel’s face... just a little snack to tide us all until Flutter-pony returns?”

“No!” Angel shouted, thumping his foot down. “That was the emergency food, and now it is not an emergency!”

“Nigel begs to differ!” the Poodle barked, his bowl falling and rolling about until it settled on the ground. “This food bowl must be filled thrice a day, lest Nigel’s coat loses the soft fluff!”

“But...But...” Raccoon began, as he threw his little arms forward in exasperation. “Starving!” He rolled his hands against each other and looked at Angel with a bargaining grin. “What can we do to get a little more food? Animals here can do... something for Angel Bunny, right?” 

A blur of black and white lept right next to Angel. “Maybe Angel Bunny needs motivation. Where this cat is from?” the tux cat started to lick his lips. “The tall furless cats know how to be motivated.” he continued, his green eyes staring the lagomorph down.

Angel tumbled backwards before glaring up at the cat. “Well, where I, Angel, am from? Bunnies are not pushovers!” And with that, the black and white feline found himself getting a hard double-smack to the face with a rabbit's foot before the white fluff darted off the counter.

Just at that moment, Angel’s ears swiveled backward and he stood alert as the cottage door opened but a crack.

“C-could somepony please help open the door?” A quiet, gentle but strained voice pleaded. “I’m so sorry for being late, but I had to make a stop at the market for more food.” 

Angel felt the ground below him seem to shake and rattle. Turning to see the source of the commotion, he found himself nearly trampled over by the hodgepodge herd of other animals frantically being driven by hunger to be the first to the door!

“Raccoon calls dibs!” The masked bandit cried out, leaping over cat, dog and even red fox. He let out a sudden and sharp high yelp as he felt his tail tugged on, and his momentum suddenly shift.

“Not if this fox gets there first!” Foxiekins yipped, leapfrogging over the raccoon, spitting out little threads of fur that got stuck in his teeth.

“The Foxie’s fluff is already fluffy enough as it is!” Nigel exclaimed, nabbing his bowl and causing Foxiekins to squeak in surprise as the poodle nearly smooshed him in an attempt to bound over the vulpine. “Nigel’s fluff is everything!” Just then, a blur of black and white flew into the air and practically springboarded off the poodle’s nose!

“Ha! Even in this place, cats are still better than d-!” The Tux Cat crowed, shortly before finding himself buried in a six-animal pile-up.

In an instant, what seemed like a near playful (if not ‘spirited’) chase to get to the door, ended in growling, yowling, yipping, chittering mess of blame and shouts to get whose butt out of their faces.

While the group squabbled to get over each other, Angel smirked and spotted his opportunity. With nothing more than a hop-skip-and-jump, he bounded over the struggling mass before casually opening the door for his pony. 

All the animals quickly untangled from the mess and sat upright, the sun pouring a warm halo around the gentle, doe-eyed mare that stood in the doorway. Soon, the soft smell of yellow and pink that they all relied on rushed to greet their noses. The squeals, yips and cheers of joy greeted her as she raised her wings to reveal the wondrous bags that surely contained many tasty foodstuffs within.


==========================================================


Fluttershy found herself only taking a few steps into the safety and comfort of her cottage, before carefully pulling the straps on her saddlebags and letting them drop slowly to the floor.

“My... Goodness!” An exasperated, whispery voice exclaimed. “It’s certainly warm outside.” As the crew bounded around her, she put up a hoof. “Just a moment, please, everypony...” She took a deep breath before turning towards a water dish that had been set at head level near the door.

Yes, it was meant for any of the animals, but if the water wasn’t clean enough for her then it wasn’t clean enough for them!  

Letting out a satisfied gasp after partaking in a refreshing drink, she smiled and looked down at her guests as they stood at attention; bowls at the ready and waiting to be filled.

“Whoooo’s hungry?” She cooed, picking up a bag labeled ‘Blue Pegasus: For Carnivores!’ in fancy rainbow-striped font. Behind which was a happy looking ferret gleefully tossing different shades and shapes of brown kibble pieces into the air. Shaking the bag to further whet the animal’s appetites, she proceeded to tear open the top and pour the contents in the respective bowls.

While Foxiekins, Raccoon and Tux Cat made little or no fuss in chowing down on the food presented to them, Nigel looked up with a whimpery air, as if to ask ‘did I do something wrong?’

“I know it’s not what you’re used to,” Fluttershy told the poodle with a gentle but firm expression. “But it tastes just as good and even might have some things that your old brand might not have!”

Nigel let out one more tiny, begrudging whine before sniffing the meal presented to him, giving it a reluctant taste and eating what had to be a second class brand.

Fluttershy smiled as the picky poodle kept munching in approval.  She then proceeded to pull out a bottle of red fluid out of her bag and walk over to the humming bird feeder hanging in her window to refill it.

“There,” She said, looking over the cheery and bright landscape. There wasn’t a flitter nor flutter of wing beats in ear range. “I really hope the hummingbirds were able to find more trumpeting flowers...”

Just then, she felt a tugging on her mane and looking down, her gaze met the yellow-eyed little rat who was pointing at his mouth and making ‘feed me’ squeaks.

“No, I didn’t forget about you, Mr. Rat,” she replied, smiling and giving him a small bag of little yogurt covered treats. 

Chittering and chuffing in delight, bag in mouth, he happily scampered back up to his high hiding nest before tearing the top open to get at the tasty treasures within.

Fluttershy took a deep breath and went over the list of animals in her mind. “Let’s see, Rose won’t need to eat until she’s fully molted, which should be sometime tomorrow. Our burrowing owl has already been fed and--” she turned around and gave a tender smile to the little lagomorph who seemed to be fighting the urge of jumping around to garner the pony’s attention.

“Angel!” Fluttershy squeaked, bending down and nuzzling her dear pet. “No... I didn’t forget about you either... I’m just really tired, last night was a lot of excitement.” She explained apologetically, before carefully unpacking an assortment of veggies into his dish. Her pet looked them over and then back at his pony, his nose twitching in concern. 

“Is everything alright?” She tilted her head and looked concerned. “I tried to make sure that was the freshest greens I could find..” The small rabbit shrugged and then tentatively took a nibble on a few of them, just to verify their freshness, before he began to wolf down on his meal.

Fluttershy smiled at seeing Angel enjoying his mixture of leafy veggies, tomatoes and celery sticks.

“And that’s everypony,” she yawned before walking in the direction of her couch. “I think I’ll take a quick nap before going to make sure that Heartbreak is doing well,” she quietly muttered aloud.

Fluttershy’s advancement to the big, comfy looking couch came to an abrupt halt, however, as a celery stick beamed her on the back of the head. She reluctantly turned around to see a very unpleasant scowl painted on Angel’s face.

She gave her bunny a concerned, sad, if not weary look. “Is there something wrong, Angel?”

Angel crossed his little arms and thumped his foot on the floor before giving a muttering series of squeaks and grumbles that left a look of shock on Fluttershy’s face.

“Now Angel,” She softly began, once the bewilderment of the rabbit’s actions had worn off. “We’ve talked about this before... I know she’s... different.” A little bunny nose stubbornly stuck itself in the air while turning its head slightly away from the pony, all the while making more disgruntled grunts in protest.

Fluttershy sighed, thinking that her nap might have to wait for a bit. Calming down her dear pet could be such a chore sometimes.

“Angel, please,” Fluttershy started, turning her hoof on the ground sheepishly. “She was terribly sick, and I needed to help her,” the mellow-yellow mare continued to explain. However, it would seem that Angel was having none of it, as his scowling only seemed to deepen into a pointed furrowed glare. “Oh, please don’t give me that look... She really isn’t a bad pony...”

The rabbit’s annoyed expression continued, only his mouth opened ajar as she described that... thing as being a pony.

“Well,” Fluttershy covered her mouth, thoughtfully looking at the ground. “I guess you’re right about her not being a real pony,”

Saddened cyan eyes darted up as Angel replied with some growling utterances and nodding smarmily, causing the diminutive mare to think over what she had just said.

“B-but she isn’t a monster!” She added in protest.


==========================================================


Cold, steely and, most importantly, hungry eyes took in every detail of its newly acquired prey.

There it was. Sitting on a ledge, it sparkled in the sunlight. They smelled like cranberries to the famished beast that watched from on high. The small, dark, brown, sugar-coated delight had no idea of the fate that was about to befall it.

Suddenly and without warning, the salivating maw saw an opportunity! A dark shadow descended upon the innocent and pearly white jaws sliced cleanly down on the prey, ripping away at its being!

But this prey would not be so easily dispatched! They would not go quietly into the night! Too many like them had fallen to these monsters! With a final spiteful act, they would attempt to make this beast choke on their remains!


==========================================================


Heartbreak hit her chest as a few stray crumbs and raw sugar crystals attempted to make their way down the wrong pipe.

Cream Puff quickly looked up from the sketch book. “Are you alright? No choking now, ya hear!”

“I’m not choking!” Heartbreak gasped, leaning forward and drinking a cup of apple juice that had been provided by her visiting guest. “I just need a little liquid for the muffin...” she explained before taking a satisfying gulp to wash her food down.

“Ma muffins aren’t too dry are they?” the little filly asked worriedly. “Ah knew ah should’a used some applesauce instead of that there flour...” 

“They’re very tasty,” Heartbreak explained while shaking her head. “I just think I took too big of a first bite,” she added before leaning forward in order to take another one.

A suspicious look lingered on Cream Puff’s face. “Alright...” Her eyes darted back and forth between Heartbreak and the ‘boredom book’. “Are ya sure they’re alright?”

Heartbreak smiled in between a mouthful of muffin. “Yes,” she swallowed and licked the sugar off her lips. “Although, where I’m from? Oranges are usually paired with cranberries in muffins.”

“Ah would’a done that, but the Apple family tends ta out sell any of the families that grow oranges around these parts,” Cream Puff smirked, while pausing over a random picture of a grey mare with a spiky yellow mane that was spouting out what looked like a mix of magic and scientific mumbo-jumbo. She lifted the book and turned it with a confounded look on her face. “Who’s this?”





“Uuuhm,” Heartbreak began, pausing in a mid-bite to look at the sketchy drawing. “Haven’t a clue. I think I drew her cause I wanted a nerdy science pony in the book...”

Cream Puff tilted her head. “That would explain the glasses and funny white coat she’s wearin’... But not wings an’ horn...”

She chewed thoughtfully and took another drink. “She’s the princess of science?” Heartbreak suggested sheepishly while swallowing her food. “Keep going, I think there’s one or two surprises a few pages forward.”

Cream Puff hooved her way through a strange array of pages that ran the gambit of sketchy doodles to drawings, to little thoughts that were peppered between long blocks of numbers that seemed to have no meaning, before finding herself silently reading a few of the poems that were placed neatly in the middle of the paper.

“Most of them aren’t really finished...” Heartbreak nervously muttered, watching as the little filly narrowed her eyes and inspected the various strings of letters and words that were strewn together in some semblance of rhyme and verse. “Just random stories that popped into my head, poems that were buried in the deep corners of my brain, along with some weird riddles...”

“Huh?” Cream Puff shook her head as her concentration was broken. “Sorry, Ah was readin’.”

A wry grin crept its way upon Heartbreak’s face. “It’s alright.”

Furrows of confusion formed as Cream Puff’s eyes darted up and down the length of what looked to be a poem. “ Ah don’t get this one...”

“Which one was that?” Heartbreak peered over her shoulder before tapping her hoof on the page. “Oh, this one?”

“Yeah...” Cream Puff replied, her voice sounding distant, while Heartbreak could practically hear the gears grinding in her head in an attempt to decipher the oddity. “Ah just can’t wrap ma head around it...”


Heartbreak gave a small smile and chuckle. “Maybe if I read it outloud, it would help?” she suggested.

“Alright!”

With a clearing of her throat and a narrowing of her eyes, Heartbreak began to read from the page.



“In the Valley of the Green Glass Doors; there are no windows but there are wooden floors.

There are no dogs or cats but there are oodles of puppies and kittens.

You can’t wear gloves but that’s ok, because you’ll still have mittens

There are no cupcakes or treats but instead, a buffet of muffins and sweets.

Can you name what else may pass, through these green doors of glass?”




“That... That still feels like it needs work,” Heartbreak mulled, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. “Though to be honest, I’m just glad that you can read my chicken scratch.”

Cream Puff looked tight lipped for a moment before smiling. “Ah’ve seen worse... But,” she paused, and once again mouthed the words as she reread the poem, her ears going lopsided in a display of her continuing confusion. “What’s all it mean?”

The smirk on Heartbreak’s face quickly evolved into an outright impish grin.

“Well,” She began, tapping her chin thoughtfully, before turning to the little filly. “I can’t just tell you. It’s a riddle-game of sorts. You have to figure out what other things could pass through the green glass doors.” she explained with an uncharacteristic chirp to her voice.

“Uhm...” Cream Puff began rubbing her head.

“For example,” Heartbreak looked around her room. “There are books, but no pages.”

“But...how can ya have a book with no pages?”

“The same way that it can be sunny with no sun,” Heartbreak responded, her puckish smirk starting to melt away as she detected a bit more annoyance on the ever confounded filly. 

Cream Puff held up a hoof and dropped it before tilting her head in bewilderment. “Huh?”

Heartbreak coughed in embarrassment and looked at the next page in sudden desperation. “Uuuuhm, that one might be a bit more advanced for you. How about this?”



A dozen, a gross, and a score,
plus three times the square root of four,
divided by seven, 
plus five times eleven, 
is nine squared and not a bit more.



Cream Puff leaned forward and silently read the words for herself. Then much to Heartbreak’s dismay, she reread them once again, showing that this little thing in her boredom book was, also, a bit over the filly’s head.

“All them numbers are makin’ ma’ head all spinny...” came her final verdict.

Heartbreak’s ears folded down even further. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t come up with that one by myself, fet, I had to really rack my brain just to remember it,” she confessed,  “I apologize for that Cream Puff... I didn’t mean to, it’s just...”

“It’s alright! The limerick was kinda pretty, but it just was so--” she rolled a little golden hoof in an attempt to find the proper word. “--complicated.”

“Yeah. Still, I feel the need to apologize, it’s just that I don’t know too many riddles that would be—” She paused mid sentence, then tapped her hoof against her lips thoughtfully before giving a small grin at the little filly.

Cream Puff tilted her head curiously. “What is it?”

“Wait, Maybe I do know one. Alright, I got a joke for you.”

Ah had no idea that Misses H.B. was such a... longmane. All these numbers an’ fancy sounding words. But she’s really trying so hard ta show off! As momma always said ‘Third time’s the charm. Cream Puff steeled herself. “Alright, let’s hear it!”

“Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. After all, it is a pretty old joke.”

“Alright.”

Heartbreak took a deep breath. “Why is six afraid of seven?”

The little filly stared up at Heartbreak in bewilderment. After all, the previous two things were pretty heady. “Why...” She paused and looked up at the rafters in uffish thought. “Why is six afraid of seven?” She tapped her head and frowned a bit before finally looking at Heartbreak. “Hot potatoes and creamed corn, H.B., you’re really good at these cause this one’s got me all stumped too. Why is six afraid of seven?”

Heartbreak’s face lit up in hopeful enthusiasm as she delivered the punchline. “Because seven ate nine!”

“Because seven, eight, nine?” Cream Puff mouthed the answer a few times before her eyes lit up and she was sent into a fit of giggling. “Ah get it! Seven ate nine!”

Heartbreak laughed a little bit. All the work that had been put into playing with this little filly was starting to really take it out of her. “Yeah, I’m actually surprised that you’ve never heard that joke before. It’s really old.”

“At the home, ah don’t hear a lot of jokes with numbers in them,” Cream Puff replied, scanning the margins of the page where little squiggles resembling thorny vines had been drawn. “Where’d ya learn all these things anyway? Is it cause ya were living with Missus Twilight fer so long?”

“No,” Heartbreak replied. “I can see how you’d think that, though. Twilight is quite the book-numbers-and-science pony, isn’t she?”

“Yeah. Though, Ah haven’t seen her fer a while...” She turned and looked up at Heartbreak. “Most of the colts and fillies have been wonderin’ where she’s at, on account that she never goes anywhere without Spike!”

“Oh, yeah.” Heartbreak’s smile drooped and she turned her attention back to the book in front of her. “Right now she’s in Canterlot for advanced studies.”

Cream Puff tilted her head and watched the mare’s ears droop down low. “Somethin’ the matter, H.B.?”

“It’s nothing,” Heartbreak replied, her eyes darting at the cute-eyed, inquisitive little filly.

“Are ya sure?” Cream Puff asked, leaning in close and widening her eyes. “Cause if ya need ta talk ta somepony about that’s what’s troublin’ ya, Ah’ve always got an ear ya can chew on.”

Heartbreak’s eyes widened and she looked more than a little perturbed. “That’s a really odd way of putting that, Cream Puff.”

“That’s what ma momma always said when somethin’ was troublin’ me.”

“Oh,” Heartbreak replied awkwardly. “Well...” She took a deep breath. “It’s just, you’re really young, and I don’t want to be, just, dumping my troubles on you.” She rolled her eyes and grimaced. “ I already did that with Fluttershy this morning... Besides, it’s kinda complicated.”

“Ah’m a big filly!” Cream Puff protested, putting her little hooves over Heartbreak’s crosswise and looking up at her again. “Ah’m sure ah could understand it with all what Ah’ve been through.”

Heartbreak bit her lower lip and stared uneasily at her house guest. The strained and tensed pose she had been holding finally wilted under the glistening and pleading eyes.

“Alright!” Heartbreak slumped and turned away. “Though I’m sure you’re going to think H.B. is a big stupid head--” she paused and rubbed her foreleg.”--at least, I think that I’m being stupid for this...”

“Ah’m sure that Ah won’t think of ya like that,” Cream Puff replied sympathetically.

“Fine.” Heartbreak rolled her eyes. “It’s about Twilight and how we get along.”

“Ya two have problems gettin along?” Cream Puff inquired a little shocked. “But ya two are like—” She frowned as she fumbled for an expression. “---uhm, two words on the same page!”

Heartbreak found her hard-tack emotional barrier crumble a bit as she chuckled at the desperate analogy. “Seems like that sometimes,” she sighed, wistfully. “Other times? Not so much.”

“Well,” Cream Puff raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Why don’t ya write a letter to her?”

Heartbreak blinked and looked away timidly, as if she hadn’t even considered the idea. “Uhm, well--,” She fumbled on her words nervously and rubbed the back of her head. “--it’s just, I don’t want to be a bother. She is doing advanced studies after all.”

“Yeah...” Cream Puff bit her lip and lightly wiggled her hooves over the edge of the couch. “But that don’t mean ya couldn’t send her a little letter, right? Ah bet she doesn’t even know that yer sick!” 

“Hey, I’ll have you know that I’m feeling much beee-”. Her words morphed into a struggling bleating sound before a sudden and harsh cough overtook her breathing.

Cream Puff gave her a startled and concerned glance before Heartbreak waved her hoof to dismiss it.

“I’m fine,” she croaked out. “Just a little phlegm.” Her assurance of her well being was met with narrowed-eyed skepticism. “And yes, I’m sure of it.” She cleared her throat once more before glancing over at the still worried youngster. 

“Are ya sure? That sounded like an awfully strange cough,” Cream Puff’s face lit up. “Maybe we could go fer a walk ta the hospital an’ I could take ya ta the doctors!” Heartbreak jumped at both the mention of the hospital and at Cream Puff’s sudden leap of logic. 

“No!” Once again, she waved her hoof dismissively. “I’m fine, really. There’s no reason to go see the doctors--” her brow furrowed at the thought of going back there a second time. “--again.”

“But why ya don’t wanna ta go to the doctors?” Cream Puff asked, her head tilting. “After all, they just wanna see ya get better.” Heartbreak’s eyes darted about looking for a quick way out to the ever probing questions. 

Cream Puff’s saddlebags suddenly caught Heartbreak’s attention. “Hey! You still want me to read books you brought?” 

The worry and concern melted away from the little filly’s face like ice cream in the summer sun at the potential of hearing stories from her favorite reader.

“Yeah, ah’d like that!” came the bright and cheery response as Cream Puff quickly pulled out a book titled ‘Heartshine’s New Friend.’ “Ah mean, if yer up to it that is...”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes a bit, but smiled nevertheless. “I’ll be fine,” she responded, clearing her throat and staring at the book before her. “Just as long as you can turn the pages for me, that is.”
> Promises and Secrets
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Ten: Promises and Secrets







Fluttershy took a deep breath, as Angel stubbornly stood his ground, then she let it out and bit her lip.  It seemed that just assuring him that Heartbreak posed no threat to her wasn’t enough: calming him would require another approach.

“Okay, Angel, maybe you’re right,” she said.

The little bunny’s ears swiveled back.

“Maybe she is dangerous,” Fluttershy admitted as she walked towards her pet. “And maybe, just maybe, I might get hurt trying to help her.”

Angel nodded and tilted his head, but didn’t look at his pony just yet.

“But...” The yellow mare stopped just a few hoofsteps shy of standing over the white rabbit, who turned and looked up at her with his whiskers twitching at the solitary word.

“Manny the manticore looked scary, but when I took care of the thorn in his paw he became a big sweetie pie.” Fluttershy lowered her head to eye level with Angel. “And Harry the bear seemed dangerous at first, but it turned out that he had been sleeping wrong, and needed his back taken care of.”

Angel’s eyes darted to the side and he bit his little lip, grumbling,

“I’ve helped a lot of ‘dangerous’ creatures, Angel,” Fluttershy continued. “Some of which I’ve faced on journeys with my friends outside of Ponyville.”

Angel’s ears drooped and he turned away. Shame leaching into his little furry cheeks as realized that he might not have taken Fluttershy’s ability with showing compassion to strange, and oftentimes, unsafe creatures into account.

Fluttershy smiled as her bunny grunted his concession; she had, indeed, faced many a peril. She bent forward more and nuzzled him in comfort.

“And if I go out, I can also pick up some extra carrots,” she suggested in a soft whisper.

Angel’s ears perked up before he turned and looked up with a wide-eyed expression with the promise of what were essentially rabbit candy bars.

“I’ll do that, but first--” She pulled her head back and raised a hoof to cover a rather large, but cute sounding yawn. “--I need a short nap...” she looked back down at Angel. “Okay?”

Angel sighed and rubbed his little face. He was still feeling very wary about the strange creature that moved into their midst by the way that he felt his foot was still lightly rapping on the floor.

But...

If Fluttershy had set her mind out to help somepony, or in this case, something, there was very little he could do to stop her. Plus, extra carrots!

He finally let out a few small grunts of understanding, but not of approval.

“Thank you, Angel.” She bent down and kissed her Angel on the forehead before walking over to the couch.

Fluffing her wings before gently settling down on the soft comfortable cushions, Fluttershy let out a deep sigh of not only satisfaction but exhaustion.

Yes, a nap is just what I need to to recover from these tiring activities, Fluttershy thought to herself before letting out another yawn. Just... one... little nap...


==========================================================


Angel quietly grumbled under his breath as Fluttershy settled down on the couch.

Sometimes, sometimes it was useful to have a pony that understood the myriad of sounds that the other denizens of Equestria made to communicate.

Other times? Not so much.

Despite that little promise, he was still fighting the urge to rapidly thump his foot against the ground at the thought of his pony going to visit that thing again.

Yes, he had just agreed that she had faced many dangers. Yes, those dangers had been more vicious animals, monsters and El-ahrairah knows what else on her adventures with the other five ponies.

Still, the yellow one is going to try to go to it no matter what I do. He thought as images of Fluttershy once again going to the den of that... thing entered his mind. He pulled down his little ears in frustration and, once again, his foot starting to twitch nervously against the ground. If there was only some way to delay her leaving! Surely then, she would put the needs of me, Angel, (and the rest of them) over that thi-

“Angel, sweetie,” Fluttershy murmured in a soft, weary voice. “It’s really hard to get any rest when you’re doing that.”

Suddenly, a small idea struck him.

Quickly, he hippity-hopped to the kitchen and in several quick trips, procured a saucer, cup, tea bag, two sugar cubes and finally (in a hilarious waddle), a full tea kettle.

As Angel began assembling the various things he gathered, Rat lazily patted his full belly, peering down from his perch.

“What is Angel Bunny doing?” He squeaked out.

Angel only replied with a dour glare in the rodent’s direction that conveyed the message of ‘mind your own business!’.

“Fine!” Rat put his tiny hands up in the air in defense and rolled his little yellow eyes. “Whatever, Rat is good!” He huffed, letting out a tiny burp.

Angel lightly tapped the pony’s shoulder before sheepishly offering her up a hastily prepared cup of tea.

“Oh?” Fluttershy turned over to see what her cherished, loving pet had done before sniffing the air. “Chamomile?” She smiled and took several long, quiet sips.

The rabbit set the cup down when his pony was finished and then hopped up onto the couch to pull on the window chain.

“Oh, thank you for-” Fluttershy smiled before she covered her mouth as yet another squeaking yawn came out. “-the tea, Angel.”

She smiled as the little ball of white fluff drew the curtains, darkening the room for her. “Just don’t let me sleep--”

He then hopped back over and fluffed her pillow the best he could with his little bunny arms. ”--for too long...” She murmured, falling into a much deserved rest.


=============================================================


Dust motes playfully danced in the narrow beams of multicoloured light that found their way through the stained glass windows of the Canterlot library.

There was a quiet ambiance built upon the smell of ancient forgotten tomes, the feel of parchment, the sounds of pages quietly turning, and of students whispered conversations mixed with the soft clip-clop of hooves as they made their way from place to place seeking out old volumes, scrolls, and the daily minutiae of their lives.

Despite there still being daylight, off in a darkened and sequestered corner of this perhaps all too cozy of a place a purple unicorn was struggling not only to find the answers she so desperately sought, but to also stay awake.

She was failing on both accounts.

As Twilight rested her head upon her hooves, staring at the contents of a book her eyes began to glaze over and suddenly, she found herself tumbling forward!

Just as she was going to plant her nose nicely betwixt the pages in a most painful manner, a voice that sounded a great deal like Heartbreak’s shouted Hey! Twilight! Wake! Up! and she caught herself by slamming her hooves against the table.

She attempted to reinvigorate her senses by taking a deep breath through her nose before rubbing her eyes, only to hear a librarian pony make a harsh ‘shhh!’ from behind one of the shelves.

“Sorry!” She whispered before turning her attention to the stacks of books before her.

On her right was everything that she had searched through. Books and scrolls that were obviously about cutie marks and their history. While they were great as reference material for as long as the nation of Equestria existed, they were less than stellar in their explanations of how ponies first acquired said marks.

Muttering, she glanced over to her left which contained several stacks that she still had yet to go through. Books and tomes that she had read in the past, to be sure, but where about more abstract concepts and methods by which some ponies had earned their marks.

Reaching forward to the top one of the left hoofed stacks, her foreleg involuntarily twitched suddenly and her elbow spasmed into a stack of loose scrolls she had gathered, sending many of them bouncing around the table and few others falling to the floor.

As she let out a lamenting sigh at the newly created mess, the librarian pony quickly popped out from behind a bookshelf and once again shh’ed her, before ducking back to her shelving duties.

Twilight covered her mouth to conceal a small, surprised ‘eeping’ noise. Making a smaller, more stealthy sigh, she rubbed her temples and quietly mulled over the information that was currently available to her.

Alright Twilight, what do you know? She asked herself, as she opened a small stylized purple notepad whose pages were starting to look worse for wear.

Well, I know that when it comes to everything I’ve read in the Library of Canterlot regarding cutie marks and their origins, thus far, there’s nothing about: evil marks, replacement marks, marks that change, or even living marks! She eyed a foal’s book of old mares’ tales. Well, nothing save for the one story of the filly without a mark and that- 

Just then, her stomach interjected it’s own thoughts with a quick and sharp gurling reminder that it needed to be filled.

Grimacing, she floated the box of donuts that she had gotten from Pony Joe’s. Upon biting down on one she realized that it had gone a bit stale. Popping the top of her closed-top cup coffee for dunking, she found herself greeted with a cold, black gloop rather than a morning pick-me-up.

“Ugh,” she groaned while swirling the cup about in a desperate attempt to impart some semblance of life to the liquid inside.

“There has to be something I’m missing from all this,” she moaned, casting her gaze back to the mound of books that she had gone combed through in the past weeks she had been here.

“‘The Mark and the Mare’,” Twilight quietly read aloud as she floated several titles from both left and right sides to her reading level. “‘Historical Cutie Marks Through the Ages’, ‘Your Cutie Mark and You’, ‘So You Want Your Cutie Mark’--” She took a double take at one of the books she had picked up. “--‘Seek Starswirl: The Cutie Mark Edition’? How did that get in there?”

She shook her head at the colourful looking ‘find-the-thing’ book meant for colts and fillies before almost floating the book back to a shelf behind her for the librarian to reshelf. A momentary flicker of how much fun she had with such books as a young filly came to mind and stopped her from doing so. “Maybe I’ll save you for later...” she said, smiling as she set it aside.

Looking away from the fond fillyhood memory, Twilight rolled a quill on its tip against a piece of parchment.

Normally she would be devouring book after book, making notes about particular items of interest, bullet points involving cutie marks of historical significance. But, something about all this seemed more…. draining than it should have been and the notes that she had made were more akin to chicken scratch on random scrolls.

“Alright, Twilight,” Her personal pep talk began, once again. “Everything you got seems to point to first contact with...” she let out a heavy, irritated, yet quiet sigh, before her eyes momentarily darted in the direction of the Canterlot gardens. “...Discord in Equestria, and then things get sketchy.” she pulled the scrolls that contained various notes and scribbles. “I mean, ponies still have cutie marks, but, there’s still no pinpointing exactly where or how they first acquired them!”

Twilight blinked and tapped her chin worriedly. “Wait, did that make any sense or am I just repeating myself?” She shook her head and took a slug of the remaining bitter-sludge-in-a-cup before pulling down a heavy looking book. “Maybe ‘Equestria’s Field Guild to Cutie Marks and Their Meanings’ will shed a bit of light on the subject...”

As she opened the mammoth tome to do some hardcore studying, she spied something black and slick looking sticking out between some pages further ahead.

“That’s not right...” She said before giving the black corner a tug to see if it was attached to what she was currently reading.

What slipped out was a magazine with two mares enthusiastically playing with a beachball in a sparkling pool of water on a hot, sunny summer day.

“Cutie Marked! Learn about these cutie marks and their origins in Equestria!” Read the title of the magazine.

Twilight gave it a puzzled look before turning it over. “Huh, there’s no library barcode.”

After spending only a few more moments worth of mental energy on it, she shrugged and placed it next to ‘Seek Out Starswirl!’

It’s worth a shot. Must have gotten misplaced before they could register it in the system. She reasoned, before reopening the tome before her and quietly reading to herself.

‘Chapter One: What’s in a Mark?

‘Cutie marks are a physical representation of a pony’s special talent manifesting themselves once the pony finds out what that special talent is. Usually this talent is discovered when the pony is young; however, there is no set time in a pony’s life where they can acquire their mark. 

While these things are taught to ponies at a young age, powerful unicorn scholars think that there might be more to cutie marks than merely a pretty picture to adorn one’s flanks. Though research is limited, some have come to believe that the cutie marks themselves are concentrated magical spells that harken back to times of old.

Researchers of this line of thought also tend to come to the conclusion that these spells are not only created by tapping into the innate primal magic of Equestria but by combining the experiences of ponies who possessed similar marks in the past with ponies living in the present, thus creating something completely new.’

Twilight felt as if she already knew most of this, but decided to reread that section of the page over a few times, mulling over its possible meanings in regards to the current situation.

“If Heartbreak isn’t a pony... is she even con--” Just then, a tap on her shoulder accompanied with a curt sounding ‘ehem!’ created yet another interruption that tore the tracks from under her mind’s train of thought

“I’M STUDY--” She loudly stammered in a moment of shock, before turning to see a light grey mare with a brown bun and thick black glasses jumping back in shock. “--ing...”

Quickly, a librarian’s muzzle and hoof ducked out from behind a bookshelf to, once again, let out a long, irritated ‘shh!’ to Twilight’s sudden outburst.

“Sorry!” Twilight whispered back before putting a hoof on her chest in order to calm her heart down. “Oh, Raven. It’s just you.”

“Yes... It’s me, Raven.” She replied, matter-of-factly before adjusting her glasses. “Uhm, you asked me to come and poke you around five forty-five?” She asked, taking out her clipboard from her elegant royal blue saddlebags. “Yes, says here, five forty-five.” She confirmed looking back up at Twilight. “Well, I’m here to-” Just then, a flabbergasted expression fell on her face as her gaze fell upon the mounds of books and scrolls behind the unicorn.

Twilight bit her lip and tapped her hooves together. “It’s all for research, I swear. I know it’s a bit much, even for me but-”

“Even this?” Raven chided, plucking the magazine off the table with a further flustered look coming over her face.

“Oh, that?” Twilight blinked, confused by the abrupt shift in the normally calm and poised pony’s tone. “Uhm, I found that between the pages of ‘Equestria’s Field Guild to Cutie Marks and Their Meanings’. It didn’t have a barcode so I just assumed that it just got mis-.”

“Confound that Zus!” Raven cursed under her breath as she cut off Twilight’s words.

“Is there something wrong?” Twilight innocently inquired as she pointed at the cover. “It says ‘See the Origins of These Cutie Marks from all Over Equestria!’”

Raven pushed up her glasses before looking around anxiously. “It’s some little colt’s dirty plot mag,” She explained in a hushed tone through her teeth, her eyes darting about to assure herself that no students were within earshot.

It took a moment to register, but Twilight felt the naïveté about what was most likely contained within the covers of the magazine leave her. She bit her lip and her eyes darted away from Raven before she swallowed hard and went flush in embarrassment.

“Oh... I’m sorry, I didn’t-” Twilight began, pushing the magazine away with the tip of her hoof.

Raven shook her head. “It isn’t your fault, Miss Sparkle. We’ve had a rash of these as of late. I believe they are related to our-” she looked around before tucking the magazine away into her saddlebag. “-current situation...”

“Current situation?” Twilight inquired, tilting her head to the side.

“With Princess Celestia-” Raven began as she ran a hoof over the spines of the leaning tower of books that had been gathered. She bit her lip as she lingered upon one title in particular. She glanced back Twilight before finishing her thought. “-and the new, diplomat?”

Twilight blinked slowly. “You are going to have to forgive me, Raven, but--” she paused, realizing that perhaps she would have to watch how she phrased her words. “--I wouldn’t think that the Diplomat would be affecting things happening in Canterlot, seeing that she’s currently-”

“-Elsewhere!” Raven quickly squeaked out, pulling her hoof away from the stack of books. “Yes, that may be the case, however-” the mare coughed and peered behind a bookshelf. “-her sudden appearance made a bit of an impression on the citizens of our fair capital and stirred up quite a few questions.”

“Questions?”

“Oh Yes,” she replied. “General things such as ‘Who is she?’, ‘Where is she from?’, ‘Why did she steal my bike?’” Raven picked an errant scroll off the ground and tucked it into her saddlebags before covering her mouth and speaking in a low whisper. “‘Why did I get flashes of depression when she bumped into me?’, ‘Why was she taken to Celestia, bound and bridled?’” she continued, her hoof returning to the book that she had spied in the stack. “These and many other questions have been percolating for the last four months.”

Twilight blinked and stared at the large tome in front of her with a lost, dazed expression. Had it been that long? March, April, May, June... four months. Jeez, has it really been only four months? It seems more like almost four years ago since that night she came crashing through my window...

“I suppose that the whole situation would seem rather... suspect for an outside observer.” She conceded, her gaze still a thousand yards away.

“That it would, indeed,” Raven nodded. “What is even more suspect, at least to the general populace who isn’t in the know, is that these questions have been met with few, if any, answers.That silence has only caused rumors to propagate. A few citizens who were already prone to acting in rebellion have been going around and pulling a series of generally harmless, but irritating ‘pranks’ designed to test the boundaries of Canterlot’s hard set rules and regulations. Most of which amount to nothing but rule breaking.”

Twilight covered her mouth as she failed to fight back a tired yawn. “What sort of rule breaking?”

“‘Cross the street at crosswalks’, ‘Show the Canterlot guards their due respect.’” Raven grumbled, quickly pulling a book out from the stack next to Twilight. “‘Don’t bring unregulated reading material into the library...’” she cleared her throat before tucking it into her saddlebags.

Twilight blushed and gave an uncomfortable chuckle. I must really be out of it to not have seen two pieces of... that sort of material among the things I gathered...

“As you can imagine--” Raven paused and adjusted her mane (which had become slightly frazzled and curled from the various subject matters covered with Twilight in such a short period of time), “--one of those has caused a great deal of irritation with many of the guards. As such they have been eager to hear any news regarding your... shall we say ‘progress’ with the diplomat.”

Twilight paused and found herself wide-eyed at where the conversation had turned. Perhaps it was the long hours in the library, or the last slug of day-old coffee, or just the lack of any decent sleep; but, the whole of this conversation just seemed completely out of the blue.

“Oh!” she quietly gasped at realizing that she ought to respond to the question she was just asked. “Our ‘diplomat’ is doing fine and progressing along quite well. Learning the, uhm, rules of our land and how to achieve ‘harmony’ with its citizens.”

“That is most wonderful to hear,” Raven replied, a calmed smile appearing on her face. “I mean, I should have assumed as such, seeing that you are here in Canterlot.”

“If this is all for a report to the Princess,” Twilight began, clearing her throat. “Then I should let you know that our Diplomat is actually the reason that I am here and that I am studying on a particular subject that I hope will further assist her in finding harmony here in Equestria.”

“Oh, yes... I’ll be sure to include that,” Raven replied nodding and slowly backing away. “Well then, don’t let me keep you from all of this, then...” She paused at the end of a bookshelf and turned back to Twilight. “Also, I am sure that I don’t need to remind you that, in a half an hour, the library is going to be closing for the night.”

“Already? But I haven’t covered--”

Raven tapped on the frame of the bookshelf with a hoof, “Normally the librarian would advise you to gather up any books you wanted to check out at this time; but--” As she pushed up her glasses, the light glinted off them. “--I’ll inform them of the importance of your research and convince them that that you can let yourself out. I do apologize for taking up so much of your time with our little conversation.”

“Don’t think anything of it.” Twilight replied, letting out a sigh of tired relief. “Just, thank you so much for your understanding.” she said before letting out a large yawn and returning to her book.

“Not a problem, good luck in finding what you’re looking for,” Raven paused before turning the corner. “Oh, Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight turned her head, exhaustion clearly still chipping away at the unicorn as she replied with a ‘hmm?’

“Thank you for assisting the library in finding ‘reading material’ that most of its patrons aren’t ready for just yet.”

Twilight only responded by biting her lower lip and squeaking out a ‘You’re welcome!’ before sharply turning her attention back to her book.


==========================================================


Before wishing them a goodnight before leaving the library. Raven thanked the library pony at the front desk after explaining the importance of Twilight’s research. As the library doors closed behind her, she took out her clipboard and eyed her saddlebags one last time.

“Nope,” She curtly stated out loud. “Neither you or any of us are ready for this sort of ‘reading material’ just yet...”

She then proceeded to tuck Starswirl The Bearded’s Book of Unfinished Spells, (and the scroll that she had pinched from under Twilight’s nose), further out of sight before looking at the clipboard in order to see if she had any further duties to do before the day had ended. “Not ready at all.”




> Of Bunnies and Fillies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Eleven: Of Bunnies and Fillies


“The secretary pony then walked down the hall, but not before giving little Heartshine a smile and wishing her a wonderful time with her mother on ‘Take-Your-Filly-To-Work-Day’.”

It’s been over four hours. Four fricking-fracking-fetting hours of reading this superfluously sugary slop to this little cream-coloured filly that has only been broken by bathroom breaks, tea, and muffins.

And while these four hours haven’t been the worst, for some reason, they’ve been the longest.

Maybe it’s the medicine in the tea that whatshername -- Robin? Yeah, Robin Goodfilly -- gave me to drink. Perhaps it’s the fact that Cream Puff has practically stayed glued to the couch and is all too close to my side. Or maybe it's the fact that I have been listening to the sound of my own voice for the past four -- wait, quick peek at the clock -- 6:28? Geez, four hours and twenty-eight minutes.

Gah! Monologuing again, H.B.? Get to your point already!

Fine! Something about reading this long feels... weird. Feels... wrong. Is it the reading? Or is it Cream Puff? Looking over at her as I clear my throat of some phlegm and continuing to read ‘Heartshine Goes to Work’, she gives me this all-too-sparkling smile.

Fet. I really hope I’m not projecting any negative feelings. She is, after all, just a little filly; and, at her age, or at least the age that I think she would be if she were... a child... she’s likely highly impressionable.

Reminding myself of this fact doesn’t dispel that uneasy feeling. What exactly was is it about C.P., other than you just know that the little fetter is trying to get me to adopt her, that’s making me so uncomfortable and at the same time... So...- fet, what’s a good word for being unable to say ‘No’ to them, that isn’t ‘irresistibly cute’?

Damnit, nothing’s coming to me.

When Cream Puff turns the page, I notice that this chapter is coming to a close; and with it, this book. Seriously, this feeling isn’t like with the others, ‘The Summer Readers’ that is. So, what is it that’s bothering me about letting Cream spend time with me like this?

Is it that, when it's the group of them, their squabbling distracts them from focusing so much on me? Or is it the fact that this is one-on-one time and that could lead to feelings of jealousy in the others? Could it be the overly cute face that has begged and pleaded for-

“Just one more story, please?” Cream Puff’s cloyingly sweet southern drawl begs. Ugh. She’s already prepped and ready with yet another book from out of her bag before I’ve even had a chance to utter the words ‘the end’.

“Please?”

“Well,” I bite my lip and rub my eyes. Gotta keep them closed so that I don’t see that disappointment on her face. Those stupid little cute eyes will suck you in and force you to read another book, H.B.! You know it! Resist! Resist! Resist! “I really hate to ask this, but-”

“But?” She quietly asks, her little hoof touching my foreleg.

Damnit, just dive into asking the stupid question already, H.B. If you don’t? She’ll be here all night! It’ll be like ‘if you give a mouse a cookie’ only with fillies! The longer you draw this out, the worse it’s going to get. I take a deep breath and turn to look at her.

“Shouldn’t you be getting t-” My words are halted when I turn to see her face beginning to crumple as I almost finish with ‘to the orphanage’. “-back home, soon? I’m sure that they’d be worried if you didn’t show up for dinner.”

If the pinning back of Cream Puff’s ears didn’t alert me to the fact that, no, my sudden change of words did not indeed have the desired effect, then the way that her forelegs are drooping defeatedly over the side of the couch while she stares sadly at the ground has.

“Miss Hayneighan would say that it’s just one less mouth ta feed.” She pouts, a small tang of irritation tainting her voice.

Well, there’s something I didn’t expect her to say. I’m at a total loss at what I should reply with. I mean, I could say something. Inquire further about what that small comment meant. But that would give her the false idea that I care more than I-

She nudges me with a hoof. Fet. I must have spent too much time in the land of Monolog and she’s thinking my silence means something it doesn’t.

“Ah’d understand if ya didn’t want me around-”

“What? No!” Fuck, I hate being right about things like this. Seriously, is there no way to win here? “It’s not that, Cream Puff-” come on H.B., think of something that doesn’t sound like you just want to get rid of her! “It’s just that-”

Just then, I’m interrupted by the ‘tickle-the-back-of-your-throat-fairy’... Should it be a fairy or a breezie? Fet! A wheezing cough and a hacking of some phlegm forces me to ponder that stupid question for later. Gah, here I thought I was getting better. Nope. Still sick.

Wait. I’m still sick!

“-Beeecause of my cold,” I start out, trying to regain some level of composure. “I haven’t been able to get out and do any shopping. So I wouldn’t be able to give you a proper meal is all...”

“Oh...” Comes Cream’s quiet reply.

“Yeah...” Fet. Where’s that tea. Pffft, right in front of you, H.B. Reaching forward, I slip the hook into my hoof hole and take a long drawn slurpee-sip.

Cream Puff’s face twisted into an expression of unsettlement. I’m not sure if it’s the ‘sticking things in my hoof’ or the slurping. Either way, it seems that I’m going to be forced to repeat myself.

“So... When do you have to be back?” Keep the cup over your mouth and avoid eye contact. Yes, she’s been nice to you. But, she keeps this up any longer and you might be forced to let her spend the night here. And we all know what happened the last time we let fillies spend the night here.

“Well... dinner’s not ‘till seven thirty and the home ain’t too far from here--” She glances at me and her overly cute eyes make contact with mine. Fet! I told you to look away! Look awa-- “So, just a few chapters?”

Damn it. I take a deep breath through my nose and let out a defeated sigh.

“All right, just a few chapters of-” she squeals in delight and places the book across my foreleg. “‘Heartshine and the Big Soccer Game.”

Huh. So ponies call it soccer and not ‘hoofball’. Ha. Pony soccer... Kylie and me used to play... a game... like that...

Just then, it hits me: Why I’m feeling so uncomfortable about Cream Puff spending this much time with me; Why she’s making me so uncomfortable.

Kylie. She’s reminding me of Kylie.

All right; she isn’t a perfect facsimile of my girlfriend’s daughter, but the thought of little ponies playing soccer is triggering memories of the times where we’d bring out our plastic ponies and kick a little ball between them.

Dave was such a neglectful father when I arrived into their lives. He was always on the computer, wrapped up in his own little worlds. I might not have been any better but at least I tried to be there for her! What happened that caused her to turn on- NO! Fettity-Fuck! You’ve already did this when the CMC were here! We don’t need to go over it yet again!

I attempt to stop my mind from going any further into that blackened, burnt and broken little place, but it’s already too late. I can already feel myself tearing up and some heavy sniffling happens.

Ah, come on! Not here! Not now!

“Miss H.B.- Ah mean, H.B. Are ya’ll right?” Cream Puff asks, a hoof touching my shoulder.

“Yeah!” I reply. Well, it’s more of a squeaking response which is having a hard time pushing through some coughing and phlegm. “Just a sudden nasal drip!” She’s sure to buy that it’s just me being sick, and not suddenly having a near pass with yet another emotional breakdown.

Fet. If I don’t do something, snot is going to get everywhere.

I waggle my hoof in the general direction of where I swear I put the tissues. “Would you mind?”

“Not at all!” She exclaims, quickly fetching the box, all too happy to help her favorite reader, I’m sure.

“Just set them--” I motion to that crack made by my foreleg bending. “--right here...” She gives me a confused look. Great, time to reinforce the lie. “Shakey hoof, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” She replies, placing the pillowy soft looking bits of paper down. With one hurried motion, I crane my neck down and proceed to blow my nose into them.

“Ugh... S-so,” I begin trying to pull myself back together as Cream Puff excitedly opens the book before me. “‘Heartshine and the Big Game’, Chapter one...”


=============================================================


As the clock chimed seven, Heartbreak finished with chapter three. Looking up at the sound, she gave a little nudge to Cream Puff and attempted to give her a serious look.

“So, I guess it would be about that time for you to be getting back for dinner, eh?” She inquired, head tilting in the direction of the grand old timepiece..

“Yeah..” the little filly replied, frowning and getting up. “Ah guess it would be that time...”

Heartbreak, smiled a satisfied smile. There wasn’t any arguing, fighting or disagreements. Wow! That was a lot easier than I expe-

“It would be,” Cream Puff began before suddenly flashing the mare a playful, almost impish smile. “If ya could catch me, that is!” she exclaimed, quickly hopping off the couch.

Heartbreak’s look of satisfaction quickly dropped and she grimaced before rolling her eyes.

“Cream Puff-” She started before taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “What -”

Suddenly, the little filly interrupted the question by popping up from behind the couch, greeting the all too serious face with a very silly one!

“What--” But the moment that Heartbreak attempted to question Cream Puff, the filly dropped down and scampered under the couch before it could be asked!

“Ya can’t catch me!” Came the muffled cry that was mixed with fits of giggling.

Heartbreak stood her ground and refused to get off the couch. Instead she opted to lean over the couch and attempt to ask her question once more. “What--”

However, she was once again interrupted by the playful antics being thrown her way! This time, instead of a goofy face, it was an outright light touch to the nose!

“Boop! Yer it, H.B.!” Cream Puff crowed, quickly slipping out from under her hiding place and racing off towards the hallway.

“What are you doing Cream Puff!?” Heartbreak nearly shouted, her face still scrunched at what just happened.

Cream Puff’s wild flurry of play came to a sudden halt and she turned around, looking away.  “Ah was just playin’, H.B... Ah-ah’m sorry... ah didn’t mean ta...” She whimpered sheepishly while kicking the floor lightly with her hoof.

“Fet...locks...” Heartbreak swore under her breath, before rubbing her nose. “Cream Puff, look... I didn’t mean to yell... it’s just-” She took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling before letting it out before turning her attention back to the cowering little filly. “-we made a deal. A few more chapters and you’d go home.”

“That’s not what’cha said!” Cream Puff protested. “Ya just said a few more chapters!”

Heartbreak’s shoulders dropped at the little southern rules lawyering that Cream Puff was performing.

Ah, shucks... She thought, slowly walking back to the couch.  Ah must of really messed up, her mane and tail are getting all sorts of curly! Cream Puff bit her lip and attempted to turn on the little filly charm with some big eyes.

“Ah’m sorry, H.B.” Cream Puff said, noticing the irritation that was rippling through Heartbreak’s body. “It’s just, ah really like spending time withs ya, an’ the home tain’t all that far away... an ya looked like ya could’a used some cheerin’ up, on account of ya lookin’ really sad for a bit...”

Heartbreak looked down and sighed a little more while pushing the book off her foreleg and towards the confectionary themed saddlebags.

“Cream Puff, would you come here?” Heartbreak asked, looking distantly at the coffee table.

Oh boy, now yer in fer it, Cream. Sheepishly, Cream Puff obeyed.. “Yes, Miss-uhm Yes, H.B.?” the little filly suddenly felt something lightly touch her nose.

“Boop, You’re it.”



=============================================================



In Fluttershy’s cottage, amber rays of dusk were sneaking their way through the blinds. As they crept up the wall, one of them happened to reflect off a small mirror (meant for birds to entertain themselves with) and onto the back of the snoozing pegasus.

The small beam of light warmed her shoulder and gently roused her from slumber. Eyes still dusted with the sands of sleep, she slowly lifted her head and began to stretch out on the couch.

“Oh, what a lovely nap!” she murmured, before yawning widely. “I feel so much better,” she rolled off the couch and continued to stretch. “And it’s only-”

Suddenly, the shock of the clock hit her as she read the time. “Seven-twenty?!”

Awoken from their own naps, the wildlife inhabiting the cottage began to chitter and squeak in surprise as the yellow pegasus started to pace frantically about in an attempt to locate her saddlebags.

“Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear!” She gasped, struggling to put them on and skitter to the door. “Oh Fluttershy, how could you have slept for so long??”

Still struggling with the bags, she huffed and let them fall to the ground.

“Pony-” She began before taking a deep breath and calming herself. “-Feathers!.” She glared at the bags as they lay on the floor. She took another deep breath and closed her eyes. “It doesn’t matter, Fluttershy. You don’t need them. H.B. is sure to understand. Why, with how tired she was? She most likely slept the whole day too.”

Just then she felt a light tugging on her leg. Turning her head, she saw the little white cotton ball looking back up. “Yes, Angel, what is it?” He, of course, responded by rubbing his belly and pointing at his mouth. “Oh, you’re hungry...”

She looked at the clock once more. This, however only heightened her anxieties, causing her wings to flutter about nervously. She closed her eyes and attempted to process the time everything would take.

“I’m sorry, Angel,” Fluttershy apologized, sadly turning to her beloved pet. “but I don’t have time to check on H.B. and the market. Besides, most shops open this late won’t have anything fresh as it is...” She braced herself, for what she had to tell the rabbit was just simply horrible. “I’m afraid that tonight, you’ll have to settle for-” She bit her lip and shook her head. “-Dry food...”

Angel’s little ears fell and he began to grunt and wave his arms in protest.

“I’m so sorry,” she repeated. “But if I hadn’t slept for so long, I could have gotten everypony something fresher.”

Angel continued his grumbling only to be met with a brief, loving peck on the top of his little bunny head.

“I’m really, really, really sorry, Angel,” Fluttershy professed, once more. “But I have to go. I will be back soon. I promise.” She said, slipping out the door.



=============================================================


Angel stood at the swinging door, his little face hung in shock. He was so sure that his pony would have put his needs (or at the very least, the needs of the animals) before that... thing!

He thumped his foot in frustration.

What went wrong? I, Angel, wasn’t too demanding! She should have at the very least stayed here!

Just then, his thoughts were interrupted by a terrible crunching sound.

“Things not go according to Angel Bunny’s plans?” Rat wuffled in amusement, before another handful of treats were stuffed into his face.

Angel glowered as he watched his yellow pony drift further and further away, while the darkening night started to creep over the sky.

“Shut up, Rat.” He growled and slammed the door shut.


=============================================================


As Fluttershy approached Heartbreak’s front door, she found herself greeted by the waggling, semi-bioluminescent fronds of the snapdragons that lived under the front stoop. The plants sniffed at the air and, determining that there wasn’t any threat, began to nuzzle and comb over her.

“Oh!” She squeaked at the sudden attention. “You remember me! Hello to you too!” She scritched the chin of one of the flowers. “Are you checking me over for any ticks that might have gotten into my coat?” She cooed sweetly.

Just then, a loud, high-pitched shriek emanated from within the house and made the pegasus jump in fright.This would have normally caused Fluttershy a great deal of concern had it not been followed up by what could only be fits of giggling.

Cautiously, she knocked at the door.

“H.B? Hello? Is that you?” Fluttershy called out, her voice tinged more with disbelief rather than fear. After a moment, she heard little hoofbeats drawing closer. The door slowly creaked open revealing a little cream-colored filly.

“Cream Puff? What are you doing here?” she asked.

The little filly giggled. “Me an’ H.B. is playin’ tag an’-” Cream Puff’s words were stopped as a single perforated hoof quickly touched her shoulder.

“There! Got you!” Heartbreak gasped, looking as if at any second she would collapse to the floor.

“Ah!” Cream Puff cried out. “Ah! No fair! Ah was talkin’ ta-”

“Fluttershy...?” Heartbreak interrupted, a look of confusion painting her face as she quickly pulled her hoof away from Cream Puff’s shoulder. “What are you doing here?”

“Don’t you remember? I said I was going to check in on you?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh. Oh yeah,” Heartbreak recalled, turning towards the living room. “I thought you meant, like, later-later; like, tomorrow or something.” She explained through several long breaths before laying down on the floor. “Great. Thanks for that and now? nap time.”

“H.B.? Are ya okay?” Cream Puff incredulously asked, her head tilted to the side, “Cause that’s the floor..”

“Oh, I know,” Heartbreak stated as she starting curling up. “I also know that it’s way past time for you to go home.”

Cream Puff’s ears drooped. “Awww... But-”

“A deal’s a deal,” Heartbreak interrupted, hoof waving in the air. “And if I didn’t say it before, thanks for checking in on me, Fluttershy...” She added, the appendage falling beside her as she slowly trailed off into some soft snoring.

“Ah, shucks.” Cream Puff turned and looked up at Fluttershy defeatedly. “Ah think ma plan backfired, Miss Fluttershy, Ah’m all wound up and H.B. needs ta be put ta bed.”

“That she does,” Fluttershy found herself unable to fight the urge to giggle at the situation Heartbreak must have put herself in.

Cream Puff sulked and kicked her hoof on the floor. “Ah was hopin’ that she’d let me stay the night like she did with Scootaloo, Applebloom, an’ Sweetie Belle.”



“Maybe you can ask her later, when she’s feeling better?” Fluttershy suggested. “In the meantime, could you help me get her to her bed? Then, if you’d like, I can walk you back home.”

Cream Puff sighed. “Ah guess..”

Fluttershy gently nudging the mare’s shoulder with her nose. “H.B.? Do you think you could wait a little longer before falling asleep?”

“Huh?” Heartbreak asked, pushing her eyes open. “But-” She yawned and turned. “-the floor is so comfortable...”

“But,” she began, trying to push Heartbreak to stand. “It isn’t any place for a sick pony.”

“Yeah!” Cream Puff exclaimed, suddenly shying away when she realized how loud she was. “Sorry, Ah mean, yeah, isn’t a bed a much, uhm, softer place ta lay yer head?”

Heartbreak grumbled and frowned whiles pushing herself up. “But the bed is too far away. Couch is better...” She muttered as she unsteadily tried to stand, only to almost stumble and crash back to the ground.

Cream Puff quickly caught her favorite reader by the shoulder and helped her steady herself. “But the couch doesn’t have pilla’!” she rebutted.

“Yes there is,” Heartbreak replied, pushing her way tiredly towards the couch. “It’s under the blanket, so--” She yawned before clearing her throat with a hacking cough. “--couch has a nice blanket and pillow, and we don’t have to walk up the stairs...”

“But wouldn’t you-” Fluttershy began in quiet protest, only to find herself interrupted almost immediately.

“I-I know you’re just looking out for me, Flutters,” Heartbreak said, willfully pushing herself more towards the couch despite the efforts otherwise. “But, I want the couch, so... just please?”

Fluttershy sighed. “Alright, if that’s what you want...”

“Thank you,” Heartbreak replied, as the two of them assisted her to the living room.


=============================================================


“Good night, H.B.!” Cream Puff called out quietly as she walked out the front door. Though she only heard a muffled ‘you too’, it still made her giddy to have had spent this much time with the crotchety old mare and listening to the stories that had been read to her. Thems at the home are gonna be so jealous!

Fluttershy tenderly closed the door behind her, making sure that any sounds of their departure were muffled, so as not to disturb her sleeping charge.

Once the two ponies were cleared of Heartbreak’s yard and walking down the Old Miller Drive, she looked down at Cream Puff.

The little filly cowered a bit. “Uhm... Ah didn’t do anythin’ wrong did ah, Miss Fluttershy?”

“No, I don’t think you did. Well, maybe you might have stayed a little too long. H.B. is sick after all.” Fluttershy pulled away and tilted her head. “Why do you ask?”

“Miss Hayneighan gives me that look when ah’ve done somethin’ she doesn’t approve of...” Cream Puff replied as she sheepishly looked away. “Ah’m sorry fer stayin’ so long, Miss Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy smiled. “It’s alright, it’s just that she should really be focusing on getting better is all.”

“Ah know, ah know...” Cream Puff kicked a small rock in her path. “Ah was just havin’ so much fun!”

“And I’m sure you can have even more fun when she fully recovers.”

“Yeah...” The little filly sighed and looked up in the direction of the Ponyville Orphanage. “Missus Hayneighan ain’t gonna be too happy about me bein’ out this late.”

Fluttershy cringed at the thought of the little filly getting scolded. “Oh, uhm, don’t worry about that,” She replied. “I’ll just explain to her that you were assisting me in taking care of Heartbreak. She’s sure to understand.”

Cream Puff raised an eyebrow, still skeptical as the two ponies continued their way down the road. “If ya say so, Miss Fluttershy...”
> Shadows Over the Sun
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Twelve: Shadows Over the Sun





In the darkest corner of the library, forelegs spread limply upon the table before her, head resting atop a pillow of books, a small pool of drool shining in the moonlight, we find that Twilight Sparkle has fallen in the battle that she was diligently fighting in.

Yes. All the coffee, donuts, and other sweets in the whole of Equestria can not stand against the tide of the persistent foe known as sleep. It was only a matter of time before late nights of combing through tomes would finally demand payment for their toll.

The soft snoring that echoed through the library was broken with a gasp that shook the young unicorn awake.

“Anything it takes!” She shouted, slamming her hooves down on the table. Her eyes flung open and she began to look around startled by the sudden shift in scenery.

Twilight rubbed her forehead before passing a hoof through her mane as she attempted to recall where she was exactly.

“Oh, right,” She remembered, yawning widely. “The library.” She shook her head and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes.

“What--” She paused and let out a wide yawn whiles stretching her forelegs up above her head.. “--a strange dream.” she continued, pondering the phantom memories. There had been... a kitten? A talking kitten, who called himself Mephistopheles, the King of Cats? Somepony named Linda, and a Telegrand Lion-taur-thing?” She once again shook her head. Whatever that was. Bizarre.

“And what was up with that stallion's voice in the background?” She wondered out loud to nopony in particular. The voice sounded so familiar, yet she couldn’t place it. Grimacing, she wiped her drool off the cover of the book she had been resting on.

Rubbing her face once again, she grumbled as other details from the dream fought to escape her. There was a place... with oddly identical houses on broken, roughly repaired streets and two massive flashlights that were as tall as buildings, lit up only at night. .

As those things evaporated away, the particulars of her environment made themselves more pronounced and something seemed off about the library that she couldn’t quite put her hoof on.

Just what was it that was wrong?

The answer quickly struck her as she realized that it wasn’t just her corner of the library that was darkened.

With a yelp of panic hitting her, she turned to look at the library’s clock, only to find that it was not brightly lit up by yellow sunbeams but by the cool, blue-white moonlight.

“10:30 pm?!”

Twilight skimmed through her list of research material. Most of the titles were scratched out. She grumbled to herself realizing the rest had already been checked out. Her horn lit up as she haphazardly gathered her notes, scrolls, and quills and stuffed them into her saddlebags.

“Fet!” She yelped, tugging her saddlebag straps far too tightly.

Due to force of habit, Twilight covered her mouth, only to realize moments later, that despite all her commotion and even the sudden, loud H.B.-ism, there wouldn't be any library ponies shushing her at this hour. “Right, it’s after hours.”

Just then, as if in defiance of her assessment, her ear flicked back and caught a faint noise with low undertones. It almost sounded like...

“Music?” Twilight asked out loud before re-adjusting her saddlebags to be less painful. She closed her eyes and let her ears focus on the sound. Yes, that was music! Kinda muffled and accompanied by some humming. Making her way to the source; which so happened to be, very conveniently, the front desk, she cautiously looked around.
“Hello?” She inquired, hooves on the front desk. Reaching her head over the front counter to see if there was anypony back there, something caught her eye.

The library’s checkout catalog! And it was left wide open!

Twilight bit her lip. Maybe it was the grogginess of sleep still lurking about or the fact that she had spent almost a month combing through books and scrolls only to come up empty hooved, but the gnawing temptation to break standard library rules and take a peek at the list of signatures and marks crept into her mind.

But could she do it?

I could, after all, just wait for them to be done with the book; they can only have it for two weeks max. But then again...

Twilight made one more pass around and quickly turned the ledger around, scanning the list of books that had been recently checked out.

“Advanced, advanced, advanced, advance-,” She muttered quietly under her breath, her eyes scanning the list before stopping at the full title she sought. “Advanced Theoretical Magical Concepts and Arcane Enchantments!”

Ah-ha! She thought, still a little paranoid about being caught. S.L.G.? Who’s that? Oh, confound it! She didn’t put down her cutie mark... Twilight was about to inspect the log further, when suddenly a magenta hoof came down in the middle of the page, and a glaring set of eyes that belonged to said hoof looked down at her.

A young unicorn mare with orange mane done up in a ponytail, wearing headphones looked seethingly down at Twilight. “Who are you, and what are you still doing here?”

Pulling back from the desk, Twilight gave a panicked response. “I’m Twilight Sparkle. Uhm, I was going to ask you the same thing, didn’t Raven tell you that I would be here late?”

“My name is, uhm, Summer Reader, ” she replied with a slight west Coltifornian accent as she leaned over the checkout desk to look at a small yellow stick-it note. “Oh, yeah, right. She totally did. Look, I have been swamped with so many things that I completely forgot. Good thing I have Everfree Terrace to keep me company.“ She tapped her hoof on her headphones. “Cause like, Dewy, totally forgot to tell me that this job would be so difficult.”

“This job can be quite the challenge,” Twilight agreed with a nervous laugh. “I happen to live in the Golden Oaks Library in Ponyville. I mean, it’s nowhere near as big as this library, but still...”

“Heh, they have you stuck in some dinky library in ponydunk, Ponyville?” Summer asked, shelving a few books up behind her. “That must totally suck.”

“Actually,” Twilight frowned as this green page was essentially belittling not only her precious library but her chosen adopted home! “It’s quite nice and I’ve come to know the ponies of Ponyville to be some of my best friends.” she replied curtly.

“That doesn’t answer the question of what you were doing, like hovering over the ledger.” Summer replied, turning her head and grimacing at Twilight. “I might not remember some of what Mr. Decimal said, but I do happen to remember him telling me that it was against the rules for other ponies to look at it. Something about ponies going all stalking after other ponies who checked out books they wanted or something like that?”

Twilight frowned back at the mare who looked to be barely a filly showing such an abrupt hostility towards her. “I was just,” She started. “Well, you see,” She waffled, then she suddenly remembered the headphones Summer was sporting. “I’m sorry, it’s just late and I happened to have fallen asleep while doing some incredibly important research-”

“Still doesn’t explain why you were playing pegas and hovering over the ledger.” Summer chided, while rolling her eyes. “Just admit that you were caught breaking the rules already.”

Twilight gave Summer an irritated glare. “Kind of like how you’re breaking the rule of ‘no headphones in the library’?”

“Uhm...” Summer held up a hoof and then suddenly shrunk back. “Yeah, look, I really need this job,” She began, while pulling the ledger away. “How about you forget about my pretty colt band and in turn,” She closed the ledger and pulled it away from Twilight’s reach. “I forget that you might have been attempting to ‘break’ the rule about violating ponies’ privacy, deal?”

“I-” Twilight was about to scold the miscreant librarian, when suddenly, her ear twitched and she heard a familiar voice passing outside the library door.

“Thank you for joining me, Lieutenant Brightheart. Do you have your report?” The kind, wise voice asked as it grew distant down the hall.

“Deal?” Summer asked, attempting to snap Twilight’s attention back.

“Huh? Yeah! Sure!” Twilight exclaimed, excitement growing in her veins. Was that? It had to be! “I’m sor-excuse me-I have to-” With that she made a mad dash out the door.

“Wait! You didn’t-” Summer called out, trying to stop her. “Check those out..” She rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. “What-ever. Did my job, now on to more important things...” she said, putting her headphones back on and disappearing into the back.


=============================================================


Twilight raced down the hallway as quickly as she could, all the while struggling to make herself more presentable.

“That had to be-” she muttered out loud, while frantically looking down both corridors that were at the end of the hall “But which way--” Just then in the distance she could hear the muffled sounds of a conversation.

Smoothing out her mane and tail and re-stuffing her saddlebags, she practically galloped towards where she had heard the voices. The balcony, she has to be there! Twilight thought as she stopped and peered around the corner to find none other than-

“Princess Celestia...” She murmured.





There, in the soft moonlight, the regal looking alicorn stood. Her ethereal mane and tail of many-coloured splendor, flowing with the gentle night breeze. Her majesty’s wings folded but flickered ever so slightly as she talked with two royal guards. In that moment, Twilight found herself awash with feelings of awe, respect and hope. However, there was an emotion that felt completely out of place:

Fear.

Twilight bit her lip. I guess that’s to be expected now, She thought. After all, the last time I saw her was -that- night. A pang of guilt made its way into her mind. And the last time I even sent her a letter was when I nearly poisoned H.B. with the tea Zecora gave me.

A part of her wanted to turn around and run back home, well, her parents’ house, and hide under the covers of her bed, while her mother comforted her with honey blade cookies.

However, the side of her that desperately sought answers and a chance to have at the very least, a private chat, was far stronger, and so she turned the corner to seek them out.

“Are you sure that is what you saw, General Tatterwing?” Celestia asked the crimson-eyed thestral night guard.

“Yes, Princess, I’m quite sure of it,” Tatterwing replied, her expression showing a small bit of concern. “The trio entered the room and the pegasi approached-”

Celestia paused before she glanced behind her to see what had caused the trusted guard to stop in her report. She pulled a hoof upward in surprise while a joyful but highly reserved smile leaked its way on her face.

“I am sure that all further details will be covered in both of your reports,” The Princess concluded.

“Yes, of course,” Brightheart replied, nodding. Twilight didn’t recognize the tan mare with the green eyes, however she was well aware of the Crystal Kingdom armour she was sporting.

“Then you are both free to take your leave,” Princess Celestia replied.

After the two guards had departed, a looming silence permeated the space between the two ponies.

“Princess-” Twilight began.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia interrupted, pausing only take a short breath. “What are you still doing here?”

“Well--” Twilight felt her ears fold down and she looked away. Still doing here? What does she mean by that? She took a deep breath and attempted to push past the fear. “--I sorta fell asleep while doing some intense research in the library.”

Celestia smiled while nodding as she continued looking distantly out over the balcony. “Always the determined student.” She finally replied. “Please forgive me if I sounded too blunt; however, it has been a long day. What I mean to say is that you have been in Canterlot for over a month and have yet to show any signs of returning to Ponyville and the task that you and your Friends have been assigned.”

“Oh,” Twilight replied, biting her lip and looking away shamefully. “I didn’t realize that you knew that I was here.” She scuffed a hoof on the floor.

“As a ruling Princess, you should know that it is my part of my duties to be aware of as many things as I can,” Celestia replied, looking back at the young unicorn from the corner of her eye. “Including if one of my students has arrived in Canterlot.”

“Oh, right,” Twilight quietly said, biting her lip and turning her head in shame. “Well,” she began. “I’m still here because, uhm,” she paused and frustratedly stared at the floor for a moment, her words losing themselves upon her tongue. “It’s just that the situation with Heartbreak is, well-” she frowned and rolled her eyes. “-difficult.”

“You aren’t having second thoughts about helping her?” Celestia pointedly asked.

Twilight jumped at the blunt question. “What? No! What I mean to say is this is more... challenging than I expected,” she admitted while looking to her former teacher. “In fact, Heartbreak- er, H.B., as she is wanting to be called is the reason I’m here at all.”

“Oh?”  Celestia asked as she made her way past Twilight and started down the hall.

Twilight trotted forward in an attempt to catch up. “Yes,” she said hurriedly. “I was doing some research on a subject relating to the subject of cutie marks, due to the... unusual circumstances that Heartbreak happened to acquire hers. At first, I thought I would look through what the Golden Oaks Library had to offer, but with it being as small as it is, results were limited--” she explained.

The Princess nodded while covering her mouth to hide a yawn.

“--So,” Twilight tilted her head and looked down while rubbing her foreleg.”I figured ‘why not take a short break and see what I could find in the Canterlot Archives?”

Celestia paused abruptly and peered back at the pursuing unicorn. “And what have you found?”

“Not... much of anything,” Twilight shamefully admitted. “I was hoping that if I could understand these things then I could come up with a possible solution. But I kept coming up against a wall whenever I tried to find anything beyond the time of Dis-” She stopped herself before actually saying his name. “I mean, before he was first mentioned.”

“That is understandable,”  Celestia replied turning her gaze towards the large hedge maze just outside the window. “Equestria was still trying to find its place in the world at that time and unlike the Crystal Empire, there wasn’t a proper record keeper.”

“Oh,” Twilight responded. “Maybe I... should have started there instead.” She proceeded to roll her eyes and flipped her hoof. “I don’t know why I didn’t start there first, it only makes sense that I should have--”

“Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia began, widely yawning once more. “As much as I want to continue this conversation, I cannot. I said before, it has been a long day and I need my rest. So, if you don’t mind--” She hinted, beginning to walk down the hallway.

Twilight paused. She hated feeling so unsure, so indecisive, especially with the princess who mentored her all her life! As the royal hoof steps grew more and more distant, she felt a surge of panic sweep her and force a plea from her throat.

“Princess!” Twilight cried out, reaching forward, only to automatically pull back when met with an irritated and exhausted expression.

“Yes, Twilight?”

“I-I know that this isn’t exactly the ‘proper’ way of contacting you and that with everything that’s happened, I should have written you a letter requesting an audience, but, please,” she whispered meekly, her ears drooping down, “I-I need your help.”

The Princess closed her eyes and took a deep inhalation of the night air. “With? Thus far, you and your friends seem to be handling the situation just fine on your own.”

Taken aback, Twilight looked up. “Y-you really think so?” She asked, the small praise practically causing her to prance in place.

“Yes, thus far.” Celestia replied pointedly.

“Oh,” Twilight swallowed, her excitement quashed by the implications those two words, “Thus far,” she repeated chewing on the words momentarily before turning to a question that she had been holding back.

“Do you have any advice or suggestion that could further assist us with helping her achieve harmony?”

“No,” Celestia replied, once more her eyes lowering. “And even if I did know,” she stopped on her words, a bitter expression painted on her face as she looked towards Cloudsdale. “I would not tell you.”

Twilight shook her head in confusion. “M-may I ask why?” she stammered.

Celestia eyed Twilight and, realizing the weight of what she had just said, turned and walked over to her. “Once again, I feel that I must apologize and explain myself to you, Twilight.” she began looking softly into the befuddled eyes of her student. “Please, do not think what I have said was some sort of means to make things more difficult than they need to be, nor because of feelings I am harboring towards Heartbreak,” Once more, she took a deep breath. “Do you remember the hourglass that I gave Heartbreak that night?”

“Y-yes?” Twilight replied, confused by what seemed to be a total non sequitur of a question.

“That hourglass is not merely a timepiece, Twilight.” She began. “When I created it, I didn’t simply use wood, glass, and blood. I used magical intention. For, you see, the Hourglass itself, is the physical representation of a magically binding contract.  A contract between myself, my sister, Heartbreak, and, most importantly, you and your friends. A contract whose contents we have already been over.”

“That she has a year and a day to come back into harmony, my friends and I are the ones to assist her in doing so, and that she must write you a letter about something she’s learned about the elements of harmony...” Twilight replied, sighing at the fact that she felt like she was repeating stuff for the sake of repeating it.

“Or something profound about her new self, yes.” Celestia corrected, a frown emerging.

Twilight looked up at the Princess nervously. “But,” She paused, a small fear about the state of the Hourglass’ whereabouts dismissed from her mind. “I take it that there’s more?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Celestia replied, a shadow being cast over the ruler as a cloud obscured the moon. “What I may have failed to mention is that, while I have bound myself from erasing Heartbreak’s memories, something that I would like to remind you, would spare Equestria from the possibility of her becoming the next Discord, I have also prohibited myself from directly helping her as well. As a result, I am also unable to directly help with your efforts. If I assisted you in the way that you have requested; it would violate the contract. And then result in a debilitating magical backlash against myself, and to a lesser extent, those parties involved.”

“I suppose that was one way to deal with the situation that night...” Twilight quietly replied looking away from the Princess.

“Excuse me,” Celestia shot a glare in her direction, the feathers in her wings starting to ruffle. ”Twilight Sparkle?”

“I-I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was questioning your authority, Princess.” Twilight jumped, realizing that she had said that out loud. “But... Why do that?”

Celestia paused and, once again, looked out towards the balcony. “That is a complicated question, Twilight. Do you recall what I told you that night -- That a creature like Heartbreak was twisted and warped from being sent into our universe in the manner she was?”

“Y-yes.”

“When such creatures are created; there is no one immediate set solution to fix them,save for the one that I had that night. With the possibility of Heartbreak being as unstable as she was-” Celestia paused and recomposed herself. “I am the Princess of this Realm. Whether I like it or not, I must be willing to do whatever it takes to protect Equestria. However; due to my sister’s interference in the matter, I chose to place this contract upon myself so that you may have the time you need.”

“Oh,” Twilight stood blankly as the wave of implications washed upon the shore of her mind; and with it, a small crest of panic hit her. “That doesn’t mean that Princess Luna assisting in helping her get a house--”

Celestia shook her head at her pupil. “No. That did not violate the contract.” She paused, taking a moment to look up at the night sky, seemingly admiring the clouds that had been covering the moon passing by. “My sister is exempt from direct interference. Perhaps I wasn’t clear, the Contract only binds myself from harming or helping Heartbreak, however, out of respect for one another, she is begrudgingly willing to limit her interference.”

Twilight sighed in relief. A relief that was short-lived due to the large shadow cast over her. Looking up, she saw the darkened, menacing face of the Princess.

“You still do remember what happens if your end of the Contract is not kept? Believe me, Twilight,” she began, looking down at the small pony. Her words carried a threatening weight to them, “If such a violation were to occur; you would be one of the first to know. ”

“Y-yes! Of course I remember!” Twilight yelped. She could almost feel herself shrinking as the Princess practically loomed over her. “I-I suppose that I would be.” She replied, swallowing hard. “The first to know, that is...”

Celestia’s face crumpled a bit as she watched her student cowering away in her presence. She took a deep breath and stepped back.

“Please forgive me, Twilight,” she said turning her head away. “As I said before, it has been a long day, not to mention, far past my usual bedtime. So if you don’t have any further questions in this regard...”

As the princess began to, once again, walk down the corridor, Twilight could almost see the weight of everything on her back.

The normally bright, aetherial colours of her flowing mane and tail seemed more muted, more subdued, and less lustrous. Her shoulders slumped as she looked at the floor, eyes weary in lachrymose contemplation.

Even her frame looks thinner, she thought, as Celestia began to turn a corner.

Suddenly, Twilight was hit with a longing brought on by the genuine concern for not just her princess, or simply her mentor, but her friend.

“Princess?” She called out, before the corner of the hall could eclipse the solar cutie mark.

Though she had called out to her in the meekest way possible, Twilight could still see a visible shudder of mild irritation ripple through her body.

“Yes, Twilight?” She asked, the tang of a tired dirge echoing not only down the hall but in her voice.

“I’m sorry, but..” She paused and took a deep breath. “I do have one more question for you. And I promise, it has nothing to do with Heart--” Twilight shook her head, “--I mean, H.B.--she likes to be called ‘H.B.’. But, I promise, it has nothing to do with her.”

Celestia sighed. “Ask your question then.”

Twilight braced herself for any answer that would result from this most simple of queries. “How are you doing?”

And indeed, the question seemed to catch the Princess off guard as she proceeded to stare blankly into an unseen void for several moments before finally replying.

“All things considered,” she began, “I could be doing much better. With what has been happening, I haven’t had much time for myself.” She looked at Twilight, a small tired smirk and light chuckle making their way to her lips. “In fact, it’s been so long since my last outing, that some of my guard have taken to calling me ‘Princess Sequestria.’”

“The guards have always had a terrible sense of humor.” Twilight said as she awkwardly chuckled before weakly smiling back.

“Yes, that they have,” She said looking up at her pupil. “Thank you for asking, Twilight.”

“You’re welcome, Princess.” Twilight replied. “I hope things take a turn for the better.”

“There is always that,” Celestia said distantly. “Hope.” She took a deep breath and stepped forward towards the corner of the hall yet again. “I’ve missed you, Twilight.”

“I’ve missed you too, Princess,” she replied.

Celestia’s smiled widened a crack more. “Good night and good luck in your mission, my most faithful student.”



=============================================================



As Twilight sat on the train station bench, ticket in hoof, she contemplated her conversation with the Princess.

Did I do something wrong? Should I have asked more questions? There were so many more questions I wanted to ask! She looked dismayed as she fiddled with the ticket and leaned forward, frumping. Come on Twilight, even if you did have a flank load of questions, you could tell that she wasn’t in the mood for a conversation.

She turned her head towards Canterlot Castle and gazed up at the tallest tower. The light was still on, and if she squinted, she could barely make out Celestia’s recognizable silhouette before the lights in the tower turned off.

I always thought about coming back here, talking to her. Twilight sighed, frustratedly looking towards the tracks in hopes that the midnight train would be coming just a bit sooner. It’s just: I didn’t know what to say, if I should have pleaded for her to spare H.B., or at the very least for more time. Asked something more about what she meant by what she had said that night! Maybe it could have led to a better outcome!” She rationalized to herself.  Fetlocks... I feel so stupid with how the whole conversation went. I should have-

A train whistle blew off in the distance, interrupting her thoughts. She sighed and shook her head.

Maybe...  Considering everything I've learned: about the hourglass and now some kind of magical contract -- but nothing about cutie marks! She paused as the train tracks began squealing -- another signal of the approaching train. Maybe this was the best outcome. Maybe I had built this whole ‘seeing the Princess while in Canterlot’ thing up in my mind too much. She rolled her eyes at herself while biting her lip.

“Then again, you could have actually written her a letter requesting an audience with her to talk about all this,” she muttered to herself as she got up off the bench. The midnight train came to a rolling stop.

As the hissing steam poured out, the doors that would lead Twilight away from this place of sad confusion opened, revealing the conductor pony who was working that night.

“All aboard?” A familiar-looking stallion called out questioningly upon seeing Twilight approaching.

Twilight looked around. “I guess I’m the only one?” She asked.

“It would appear that way,” he replied, a baffled expression still perched on his face. “I’m sorry if I seem a bit surprised, it’s just that we don’t get too many at this hour.”

“Well it’s your lucky night. Though, I did expect somepony else. Aren’t you-” Twilight began, attempting to recall where she had seen this stallion.

“Thomas, Thomas Tinkertrain,” the tan-greyish stallion with a black mane and curly goatee replied, taking the ticket and punching it before returning it back to Twilight. “Are you... Oh, don’t tell me, I know I’m getting on in age, but I should remember this...” He turned his head with a smirk upon remembering the name. “Twilight? Twilight Sparkle?”

“Uhm, yes...” She frowned and then shook her head. “Sorry, it’s just, you’re not the regular conductor.”

“Oh, right. The normal conductor.” Thomas brushed a hoof on his chest. “Well, I’m afraid that he’s out sick and I’m the only one that was left to cover his shift.”

Twilight tapped her chin once more. “I swear I’ve seen you before.”

“I would be more surprised if you haven’t seen me around,” he replied, moving to the side so that Twilight could board. ”Been on this line since March.” He chuckled and looked around once more before ducking in and closing the door behind him. “Seeing that there hasn’t been much chaos in my scheduling, they must really like me on this line.”

“That’s...” Twilight rolled her eyes a bit before practically falling into one of the nearby green train benches before letting out a long labored lamenting sigh. “...Nice?”

The old stallion tilted his head, a wizened concern painted on his face. “Usually this isn’t something that is any of my business and I hate to pry, after all, I have to make sure the newbies are staying awake, but is everything alright?”

“Yes, no, maybe... I don’t know.” Twilight shook her head. “I just spent a long night in the Canterlot library studying. And it feels like it was all for nothing. I couldn’t find any of the information that I wanted to find and even the P-” She paused. Watch what you say Twilight... “-pony, a friend who I normally rely on for help couldn’t even help me.”

Thomas looked down at her, his hoof thoughtfully stroking his blackened goatee. He blinked and chuckled a little when he realized that the young unicorn was done talking. “Sorry, I thought there was more.” He knocked comically on the side of his head. “This old noggin of mine isn’t what it used to be when it comes to connecting the dots.”

Twilight chuckled a bit at the antics of the old conductor. “It’s all right. I just thought-” she paused once more before looking out the window. “Never mind, it isn’t important.”

“I would say that it’s important to you, Twilight Sparkle.” Thomas said sympathetically. “I’ve been around long enough to know how that story goes. You thought you could get help from somepony and it turned out that they were too busy or just unwilling to help. It’s quite frustrating.”

“Yeah... And that’s not even the half of it,” Twilight muttered.

“Well, would you like this old curmudgeons’ advice?”

Twilight shook her head and shrugged. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.”

“Well, if this ‘friend’ of yours is unable, or unwilling to help,” He began. “Then maybe it’s time to go see some friends who are.”

Twilight paused and smiled at him. “Maybe, you’re right, Thomas. Maybe what happened tonight was a reminder that I should head back to Ponyville and see how my friends are doing. And maybe get their input on things before following another lead. Thank you.”

“Oh,” he waved a hoof dismissively. “Anytime. Now, excuse me. I’m sure that I need to pick up some coffee from the snack tray. And while I’m there, I’ll inform the dessert cart filly that we’ve picked up a passenger. She’s sure to have something that’ll sweeten up your night.”

“That would be really nice. Thanks.” Twilight replied.

“Think nothing of it!” Thomas said as he left the young unicorn alone with her thoughts.

Twilight looked out the window and watched the shining city of Canterlot grow more and more distant.  Despite the fact that that was exactly what I was going to do, talking to somepony else and getting... something out felt good. Maybe the real problem was... I miss my friends being around to actually talk to.”

With these thoughts, she let the gentle sounds of the train rock her into some semblance of relaxed slumber.
> Spider Trust
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Thirteen: Spider Trust




“No it wasn’t, Pearly!”

These are the words which tumble from my mouth as I wake with a start. A gasp pulls air harshly in through my nose before letting it out slowly through my mouth.

“Ugh,” I groan, covering my face with my foreleg to protect my eyes from any invasive stray light beams that are sure to be around. “What a dream...”

The images of last night's nocturnal exploration cling to my senses, momentarily befuddling me as to my current whereabouts. My free leg flops about aimlessly in an attempt to feed me information.

“Let’s see... where are we today?” Yeah, I could just make it easy on myself and open my eyes and see; thereby subjecting myself to the sharp, stabbing morning rays... But what fun would that be? “Cushions... Wall... Pillow... Blanket?” Raising that free hoof into the air, the sensation of a phantom finger so desperately fighting to point upward as I proclaim my deduction as to my current placement. “H.B., in the living room on the couch, with the pillow and blanket! Aaand the kitchen is—” I spin my hoof around and point it over my head. “— thataway!”

After lifting my all-too-fuzzy forelimb away from my face, I see, much to nopo— nobody’s surprise, that I was correct. At least, I was correct about being in the living room. Because of the light that’s sneaking through the door in the hallway, I was completely turned around as to where the kitchen was.

Taking another deep breath before righting myself in my head, I ask the inevitable question in a funny voice, “Gee, H.B., how long are you going to lay here, today?” Smirking, I adjust my blanket and give my pillow a few good, hard smacks.

“The same amount of time as always, H.B.” came my reply in a second silly voice.

“And how long is that going to be for?”

Rolling about on the couch and recovering my eyes once more, I answer in mid-yawn, “Until the bliss of laying down is overcome by the need to pee.”

While that friendly bit of banter was amusing and all, said urge reared its ugly little head; poking and prodding at me to get up and perform the morning ritual.

Yes, try as I might -- fight all I want -- I cannot escape the buildup of pressure. Pretty soon, neither toss nor turn could hold me back from flinging off my blanket in frustration and proclaiming dissatisfaction with my bodily functions.

“Fiiiiine!” I cry out, wincing at the sound of my own voice in the small, mostly empty room before rolling off the couch, hooves annoyingly clattering as they hit floor. All the while, I’m glaring at my backside.

Turning into the hallway, I see the door to the first floor bathroom, and just as I am about to turn that way, it strikes me that I forgot to stock up on toilet paper. Which, because I’ve been pretty much trapped in the living room for all of last week, the only bathroom in this house that has what I need is upstairs.

“Fiiiiine!” I mutter under my breath, facehoofing before making my way up the stairs.

Looking at the door, I see the yellow post-it note that I left for myself reminding me to ‘Take off your overwear, H.B.!’ I glower at it and once more make an exaggerated face.

“Yeah, OK!” I snort at the innocent, little scrap of paper. “Fiiiiiiiiiiine!” I rasp exasperatedly before entering the bathroom to do my business.


=============================================================


After finishing up and washing my hooves, I walk back towards the infernal staircase. A part of me wanted to, once again, face off with the demon of going forwards -- the proper way -- down the... dizzying... Downward rows of madness!

“Gah! Nope!” I squeak out as my backside makes a sharp, swishing turn such that I was facing the stairs backward. “You’re just getting over a cold, H.B. No sense in exploring the joys of vertigo!” Well, it wasn’t real vertigo, but it was still something akin to it. I don’t know why I haven't talked to some individual from Hammer and Nail about making that dumbwaiter into a pony-elevator yet.

Finally, downstairs and in the living room, I roll back into the mildly warm, soft, safety of my couch-and-blanket wrap.

“Aaaah,” I contentedly coo. “Much better. Now, where was I?” Half jokingly, I tap my chin. “Oh yeah!” I exclaim. “Somewhere between ‘A’ and ‘Z’, emphasis on the ‘Z’.”

“Yup, back to sleep!” I just need to adjust my position a little. “‘Cause you have to focus on—” I let out a forced yawn, “— getting better.” Just then, I hear something that interferes with my attempt to get back to sleep.

Tick! Tick! Tick!

Great. I can actually hear that. Must be getting over this... cold. 

Granted, there have always been little noises that bothered me -- from the various honks, whistles, beeps or alarms of work, to the high pitched whine of an old, bulky CRT TV monitor or even the—

Tick!

“Or even you unevenly spaced clock ticks...” I mutter, curling my pillow over my ears in a desperate attempt to muffle the noise as it bounces around the room.

And, for a little while there is relief. However, despite my best efforts to shut off my brain, relax and just go back to sleep...

...Sleep just isn’t coming.

“Son of a glitch,” Is glitch better than ‘itch’? Either one sounds like a pathetic excuse for the real deal and -- Ugh! Coughing! Need to cough! Most likely due to all the tossing and turning about! To the side, H.B.! Turn to the side!

After some deep, throaty coughs that seem to last for an eternity, I’m finally greeted with a disgusting reward clinging to the back of my throat. Lucky for me, there’s still a mess of tissues on the table. “Yes, thank you very much body for reminding me of my current state of health,” I comment, disposing of the foulness before laying back down.

“Right. That was fun, is there anything else that is physically exhausting that you want to do today?” And just like that, my brain kicks into super smart-arse mode and starts to produce a list of things that I could be doing instead of just laying here. “Like taking out the garbage! Or maybe trying to do the dishes! Or exploring the garden and tilling it like you said you might try to, or actually washing your overwear—”

Rolling my eyes and covering my mouth, I stop the stream of consciousness from pouring out any further in that irritatingly, annoying, dopy voice that I swear my mother used to use on me.

“Yeah, I could do all of those things,” I finally admit, staring down at my hooves, “but then I would find myself completely failing because of you hunks of useless keratinattached to my arms!”

“Fetting fet-fet!” I whisper, wincing in pain and covering my ears as I suddenly remember, ‘Oh yeah, this room has an echo to it.’

“H.B., you’ve got to get something to dampen that sound. Maybe, like, some more blankets to hang or... I don’t know...”

Skitter!

“Hold up,” I open my eyes and look to my left, “that doesn’t sound like a ticking clock.” I pause, unsure of what I heard or if I did-

Skitter-skitter!

There it is again! Stupid ears! They keep moving of their own accord and seem to be heightening my irritation with small noises. Peeking out from behind my arm, I attempt to deduce the source of this new sound. I’m pretty sure that it came from the right and above me, but I’m not sure exactly where-

Skitter-skitter-skitter!

I see something in the quazi-ornate blue wallpaper pattern move.

Wait. Did it move? I’m not sure. My eyes haven’t always been the greatest and I needed glasses when I was in my teens, but if there was one thing that I was always good at, it was picking out those little details that just didn’t belong.

Narrowing my gaze on that little area, the thing on my wall comes into a bit of a sharper focus. What is that? It’s fluffy, so maybe a dust bunny? A bit of cotton? Part of a blanket?

Don’t be stupid, H.B. All those things don’t make skittering noises. Oh, shit! It has little red eyes! Our pale blue spot on the wall visibly shudders and I chuckle as I suddenly recognize what it is (or what it could be at least).

“Well,” I begin, leaning forward and gently blowing upward, “hello there, little spider.”

The fuzzy, blue critter turns and looks at me. It braces itself against the subtle breeze that suddenly comes its way and its cartoonish body language seems to evoke a feeling of shock that I was actually able to see it amongst the modeled pattern in the wall.

Yeah, most ponies... people... Most people would be freaking out over the random spider in their house. But not me. I like spiders.

Rolling over on my back, I scoot into a much more comfortable position before reaching up with a hoof towards the tiny arachnid.

“Heh, have you come to keep me company?” I inquire with a goofy smirk on my face.

The little spider raises its body up and then back down as if to ask, 'Are you talking to me?' All the while those furry, little front mandibles it has twitch back and forth.

“I don’t see any other spiders here. So yeah, I’m talkin’ to you,” I reach further forwards in its direction before tapping my hoof gently on the wall. The eight-eyed ball of fluff reacts as I expect it to; quickly jumping back and making several more twitchy turns.

“What’s the matter there, itsy-bitsy? You scared of the big bad Heartbreak?” I ask teasingly before correcting myself, “I mean, ‘the big bad H.BEEEE!’”

A girly shriek escapes me! The little spider zooms towards the tip of my hoof like a blue blur.“Oh,” I squeak out with a nervous laugh. “What do you think you’re doooooOOING?!” A second shriek as the little fluff-ball leaps onto my hoof.

“Whoa...” I gasp, seeing it up close it doesn’t seem so little. Slowly, I move my hoof away from the wall and -- like the idiot I am -- closer to my face, “you... you are much bigger than most jumping spiders I’ve seen before.”

The bold jumping spiders back home in Minnesota were about the size of a pea; but, this sad-faced spider -- is that what Fluttershy called them? I’m having trouble remembering that whole conversation, now -- has got to be at least the size of a marble.

I turn my hoof in detached fascination with the creature, while it continues walking around to keep me constantly in its visual range. Strange. It’s staying on my hoof... Guess that’s because I’m not trying to hold it on the bottom or whatever.

“You are even more adorable up close,” I compliment. The spider makes a little bowing gesture as if it were embarrassed to be complimented. “C-can you understand me?” I ask, tilting my head. Fuck, H.B. don’t act so surprised if it can! Most creatures here in Equestria possess a great deal closer to human intelligence than their ‘real world’ counterparts! Then again, given how some people acted back home, that was a low standard.

The spider jumps in place and wriggles at me.

“Uhm, kay, how about this...” I want to make absolutely sure here. “Wave two of your front legs in the air if you understand what I am saying...”

And much to my surprise, the spider does exactly what I request of it.

“Whoa.” I slowly shift my body so that I’m laying on my stomach. I make a small bridge between my hooves by tapping them together. All the while, the spider is easily adapting to my new positioning.

“So, ummm,” Fet, what would you say to a sapient spider? I mean, other than, ‘Please don’t trick me into your webs for later consumption’? “Uhm, wanna hear about a dream I had last night?”


=============================================================


Fluttershy walked out of her cottage to be greeted by the wonders of the mid-summer morning: the smell of the dew as it evaporated off the grass, the dazzling spectacle of the hummingbirds vying for position against bejeweled butterflies at the trumpets of fragrant honeysuckles, and the sweet melodious sounds of Grellop’s Lark as he warbled a song which seemed to usher in the beginnings of all things bright and new.

“What a beautiful day,” Fluttershy murmured taking a deep breath of the sweetened, dewy summer air.

No sooner had she said that then, down the dirt path and a little past the birdhouse tree, she spotted something that could be a dark cloud on the horizon.

Her mailbox.

Or more aptly: the junk mail that had the box stuffed to bursting.

“My goodness,” she said covering her mouth and looking away from the shameful sight, “with how busy I’ve been I must have forgotten to check it.” She sighed before quickly ducking back into the cottage to grab her saddle bags.

The coupons for deals on pet food and other products are sometimes useful, but all that paper! So many trees that could have been or were perfectly good homes for countless animals! She thought, beginning the arduous task of cleaning up the utter mess that yesterday’s mail pony had made.

The sound of a snapping twig from behind the diminutive mare caused her to jump with a yelp. In turn; the letters in her mouth flew up, into the air, and fluttered down. Her fright was quickly replaced by confusion as the cloud of letters was caught up in a glowing, light-raspberry aura.

“That looks like quite the clutter to sort through,” somepony remarked.

“Oh!” Fluttershy gasped at the sudden interjection, only to realize that she recognized the voice. Looking to her left, she was overcome with joy. “Twilight!” she shouted, unable to contain herself, as she’d seen neither hide nor hair of this pony in a while.

The purple unicorn smiled from where she stood on the path. Though her face was weary and bags hung beneath her eyes; her delight from meeting up with one of her friends was evident.

“Hey Fluttershy, sorry I startled you,” She said, holding her hoof to her mouth to cover a rather large yawn. Twilight could see concern growing on Fluttershy’s face and leaned over to check her reflection in the gurgling creek. She was a sight. Her mane was standing up where she had been leaning against the train window. She laughed at herself and attempted to reassure her friend, “I just got back from Canterlot and slept on the train. Still kind of waking up.”

“It’s ok,” Fluttershy sheepishly smiled while looking at the levitating papers surrounding her. “Uh, thanks for helping me with... This. ”

“Don’t mention it,” the frazzled, purple-maned unicorn replied. She quickly sorted the mail and neatly slid it into the pockets of Fluttershy’s saddlebags. Twilight smiled at her handywork. “With all the research I did this past month;  it feels good to organize something that isn’t a book or scroll.”

Fluttershy blinked, “Has it been a whole month already?”

“Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself,” Twilight replied, rolling her eyes.

After a short silence, Fluttershy asked, “did you find anything?”

Twilight hung her head in defeat. “Turns out that not even the great Canterlot Library has anything regarding cursed marks or even the exact origins of cutie marks themselves. Unfortunately, any book about cursed symbols will naturally contain those symbols and is, itself, cursed. The confounded things usually have a half-life of a few years before catching fire, exploding, or spontaneously changing into things that can't be read! Nothing in the surviving books. Nothing in the open catalogue. Nothing in the royal archive -- at least the parts that I'm allowed access to... Lots of conjecture, but nothing solid.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy replied, her ears falling low. Seeing Twilight struggling after putting so much effort into something was causing her sympathy pains.  “So, you didn’t learn anything at all?” she asked, hoping that showing interest would raise her friend’s spirits.

“Oh, I learned a few things alright,” Twilight replied, taking a deep breath, “just not the things I was expecting to.”


=============================================================


A small blue spider sat upon a bridge made from two clasped hooves. Seven legs touching the pony-like creature and one placed firmly on a long, imperceptible strand of silken web.

The spider had been sat there for some time, trapped in a one-sided conversation with the creature. Its eight eyes -- two big, two small, and four which could hardly be seen at all -- darted around the room, restlessly observing the intricate network of webs that fed information into the attic. How it longed to be back there! Instead, it was stuck upon those tiresome hooves, waiting for its chance to escape.

“...And that’s when that fetting filly named Pearly White dumped the responsibility of looking after the class hamster on me!  Seriously, for being a recurring figment of my imagination, I would sure like to...”

Eugh! It had been like this for hours.

Throughout the deluge of tedious exposition; the spider had, for the most part, remained stationary. However, in an instant, the leg that was desperately clinging to the communication thread -- a life-line of silk if you will -- began to jostle and vibrate with a terrible, frantic vigor.

Not that Heartbreak had noticed. Such frenetic movements might be overwhelming to a sad-faced spider, but to all other creatures the jarring of the webs may as well be nothing. Indeed, no pony could know that the vibration of these lines carry a such vast plethora of information!

But, if by chance, one were to be able to understand the various twitches, jerks, jostles, and vibrations of these strands, then perhaps the conversation, between Queen and drone, might sound a little something like this:

“My Queen! My Queen! My Queeeeen!”

“Yes, Lesser One?”

“My Queen, yes, this Lesser One wishes to know the reason it is continuing to transmit the Webless One’s nocturnal reminiscing.”

“To understand the Webless One better.”

“Why, My Queen?”

“For the same reason that our cousins learn about the amphibious creatures they keep in their burrows. The Webless One keeps the Colony safe.”

“Oh.”

“...And then what happens?” Heartbreak continued, “She blames me for the little bugger’s over-feeding! I wasn’t the one who left the box of hamster nibbles near the cage! But did that fetting teacher listen to me? Nooooo! Just because H.B. can’t ‘speak up’, then that must mean that they don’t have anything important to say! I swear...”

“My Queen! My Queen! My Queeeeen!”

“Yes, Lesser One?”

“This Lesser One wishes to know how much longer it must listen to the Webless One? This Lesser One wishes to forage with the Colony. And the strange hole within the Webless One’s forelimb is making this Lesser One very uneasy!” It paused, and for a moment stared into that gaping abyss before shuddering and forcing itself to look away. “Very uneasy indeed!”





“For as long as the Webless One continues to speak. Each conversation, each interaction, each expression, brings us new insights into what they are, how they came to be, and why they continue on, despite being Webless.”

“...I wonder what, if anything, these dreams mean, ya know? I mean, they’re recurring dreams. Well, recurring characters, at least, so maybe they mean something. I ought to think that they do. Is Pearly some sort of repressed memory of a bully that I’ve long forgotten? Or are they symbolic? It’s strange, I swear that I have had dreams, or at the very least, used to have dreams where the things in my dreams actually happened in the real world. And then I would be like ‘Whoa, didn’t I just dream about that?’ But then I would be like ‘Naaaah, that was just a dream!’ Besides, I’ve never had a dream where I was changed into, well, this!...”

“My Queen! My Qu-”

“Yes?! What. Is. It? Lesser. One? Your Queen still has to direct the Colony!”

“If it would please My Queen, this Lesser One wishes to sacrifice itself to you before the sacrifice of The Great Winter Slumber, that you, My Queen may spare this Lesser One any more-”

Just then, the Webless One stopped speaking and their face began to grow closer and closer. Soon they were so close, the Lesser One could feel their breath flow over its body follicles. With their strange, almost-hollow eyes, they intensely looked down at the small spider.

“You sure are a good listener, you know? And awfully cute to boot!” They intoned. “I ought to give you a name. And I think I know the perfect one. Fet, what was the name of that...” They looked thoughtful as they trailed off for a moment. Or as thoughtful as a spider could recognize. “Lucas! That’s what it was. Lucas. I’m going to call you Lucas. So anyway, Lucas...”

“While the offer that you have proposed is... tempting; did my strands just pick up the words ‘name’ and ‘Lucas’?”

“Y-yes, my Queen?”

“Well, it would appear then that the Webless One has named you. From your Queen’s experience in the Art of Luring, ponies and creatures pretending to be ponies, do not like it if the things they have an attachment to either go missing or die. Permission to sacrifice yourself denied. Continue gathering information for your Queen, Lucas.”

If the little spider, recently named Lucas, could scream (much like their Queen could); in that moment, that’s exactly what it would do.


=============================================================


“I’m sorry to dump that on you, Fluttershy,” Twilight said, turning away, “it’s just been a really long month with very little progress.”

“It’s alright, Twilight. It sounds like you were carrying a lot, especially with what happened with the Princess.” Fluttershy gave her friend a soft smile and tilted her head cutely. She offered as a concession, “at least you’re back here with your friends.”

“Yeah, about that...” Twilight lightly chuckled before scratching the side of her face nervously, “...I’m afraid that I had only planned on staying in Ponyville long enough to catch up with you girls and see how H.B. is progressing. Speaking of which, has she chosen a teacher for this month?”

“I don’t think so,” Fluttershy replied, watching a pair of swallows swoop by. “she’s been rather busy herself.”

“Busy?” Twilight asked, “doing what?”

“Oh,” Fluttershy began apprehensively. “Being sick?” she squeaked out.

“Sick?” Twilight asked, a tinge of concern tainting her voice.

“Y-yes,” Fluttershy replied quietly, “according to the doctors at the hospital, she might have picked something-” she paused, “-well, lots of somethings up while spending time with the Summer Readers.”

“She had to go to the hospital!?” Twilight yelled, her exasperation mounting.

“But!” Fluttershy interrupted, attempting to calm her clearly already-stressed-out friend, “she’s doing much better after she got all her shots from Robin--”

“--Robin?” Twilight asked, drawing a blank as she attempted to recall any of the hospital staff that she knew off the top of her head.

Fluttershy let out a small giggle and waved her hoof. “Sorry, Nurse Goodfilly. She wanted me to call her Robin. Anyway, after that and a few days worth of rest she’s doing much better.”

“That’s good to hear,” Twilight replied, letting out her distress with a drawn-out sigh, “with hospitals and doctors involved, I would have expected kicking and screaming the whole way there.”

“Well, she wasn’t too happy with me taking her to the hospital,” Fluttershy explained, “but with the state that she was in...” She paused for a moment, clearly struggling to find her words.

“...You had to make an an executive decision?”

“Well,” Fluttershy began softly, “I wouldn't call it that.” She took a deep breath and quietly let it out before continuing, “But yes. Even if she was very vocal about how much she doesn’t like doctors.”

“Of course she doesn’t,” Twilight sputtered. She gave a melodramatic eye-roll, not at all surprised that Heartbreak would be against those whose very profession it was to help her. “No chance she was willing to give an explanation as to why that was?” she asked sarcastically.

“Actually,” Fluttershy tapped her chin, “The morning after she got her shots, she explained exactly why.”

“Really?” Twilight asked bemused.

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, really.”

Twilight found herself caught off guard by the very idea of Heartbreak willingly sharing any information about herself, let alone the reasons behind her actions. “Wait, really?”

“Yes, really,” Fluttershy repeated, not missing a beat, “it turns out that it has to do with the doctors that she had while growing up mislabeling her with various mental problems,” She hoofed at the ground. “not to mention the psychologists she had while in the military.”

Twilight looked at her friend bewildered. “And she just... told you all this? Willingly?”

“Well, she was sick... and I had stayed at her house all night when she asked me to,” Fluttershy rubbed her foreleg, recalling how Heartbreak ensnared her that night. “Well, it was more that she insisted I stay.”

“Hmm,” Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully, “Fluttershy...”

“Uhm, yes?”

“...You don’t suppose that you could take on the ‘teacher’ role for this month while I’m at the Crystal Library?” Twilight asked, “I mean, seeing that you are still helping her recover?”

“Well, uh...” Fluttershy hesitated. The thought of how looking after Heartbreak for just the past few days had impacted her normal caretaking duties crept into her mind, but then she saw Twilight’s expectant expression and bit her lip. “...As long as it doesn’t interfere with tending to the animals, I suppose I could do that.”

“Great! Thank you so much!” Twilight beamed while taking out a scroll and quill to check something off a list. “Ahh,” she cooed, “it feels so nice to get at least one thing done... So-” She began putting the two things back into her saddlebags. “Has there been anything else that I’ve missed while I was--”

Twilight found her words cut short as she felt something slam into her side.

“Twilight!!” a sobbing blur of green and purple joyfully exclaimed, “there you are!”

“Oh, hey Spike!” Twilight happily replied once she regained her wits.

“I’ve been looking all over for you!” Spike said hugging tighter, “I was going to meet you at the train station earlier, but I overslept!” He looked up at her with large, tearful dragon eyes. “Can you ever forgive me?”

“Of course I can,” Twilight replied with a chuckle, smirking at her little assistant’s over dramatization, “I did send that scroll at, like -- what? --three-fourteen this morning?”

“Uh, yeah. Somewhere around that time,” Spike replied scratching his head, trying to recall when it was. “Anyway, I could really use your help with something at the library!” His face hardened as he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “Apparently, a couple of the books that were ordered can only be handled by the pony of the library.” His indignation was interrupted by a quiet cough coming from behind Twilight. “Oh! Hey, Fluttershy!”

“Hi, Spike,” she quietly replied, smiling at the little dragon.

“Oh, geez, were you two having a conversation?” he asked, his frills going down embarrassedly. “I’m sorry, it can wait, I mean-”

Fluttershy was happy to see that she wasn’t the only one who had missed Twilight. “It’s alright, Spike.”

Twilight looked over at the Ponyville clock. “We’ve got plenty of time to finish up this conversation later, right?” she asked the nervous-looking pegasus.

“Oh, uhm yes,” Fluttershy replied, “that is if you have the time to.”

“I’m sure that I will,” Twilight said, adjusting her saddlebags and starting towards the road to Ponyville, “thanks again for agreeing to teach H.B. this month. Just remember, If things get difficult, feel free to ask for advice.” She let out a chuckle. Spike began to waddle towards town ahead of Twilight.

“Oh, uhm, You’re welcome,“ Fluttershy replied before heading back to her cottage with the mail.

“Not that you’ll need it, but good luck!” Twilight called.

“Uh, thank you?” Fluttershy whispered quizzically under her breath. She gave a final wave and retreated inside.

Twilight returned her friend’s wave before trotting to catch up with Spike. “Now, what was this ‘pony only’ book about?”
> An Ill Breeze
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter Fourteen: An Ill Breeze





Fluttershy paused as she watched the two leave. She pondered what, if anything, Twilight meant by ‘ask for advice’ and ‘good luck!’

I’m sure that she’s only trying to be helpful, Fluttershy told herself.

Yet there was still a small grain of doubt that niggled in the back of her mind. After all, it seemed like Twilight had just arrived, said ‘Hi’, picked her to be the teacher and then up and left.

“Oh, Fluttershy,” she began, her ears drooping. “I really hope you haven’t taken on more responsibilities than you can handle. After all, it’s not just-”

“Waaaait!” cried a panicked voice from above.

“Wha-” Fluttershy suddenly found that she had no time to react to the blur of grey, yellow and brown that was spiraling towards her general direction, only to veer course towards the bushes at the last possible second!

Fluttershy squeaked, the near involuntarily reaction of her wing being the only thing shielding her from any flying debris once the very terrible crash landing came to its conclusion.

Peeking over when she was sure the commotion had fully passed, she spied the dark grey hind legs of a pony with seven bubbles for their cutie mark, a yellow tail, in what appeared to be a brown mailmare uniform, sticking out from a bush.

“A-are you ok?” Fluttershy asked, cautiously approaching the pony as they emancipated themselves from the tangled undergrowth.

“Yefpt!” the grey mare said, a twig in her mouth and leaves behind her ears. Spitting everything out and shaking her head to regain her wits, she stuck a hoof back into the greenery to retrieve her hat.

“You’re a mailmare now, Der- I mean, Bubbles?” Fluttershy asked, unsure of which name she ought to use. After all, she had heard so many names used over the years.

“Or Muffin, I’m ok with any of those,” she replied, adjusting her hat. “And yeah! They’re having me doing a trial run!”

“Well, that’s great to hear.” Fluttershy eyed her mailbox. “You didn’t happen to be working yesterday, did you?”

“Uhm, no, why do you ask?” the mare of many names asked, brushing off leaves from her uniform in an attempt to appear more presentable.

Fluttershy pushed her forelock out of her face and looked up. “Well, it’s just that my mailbox was rather... uhm, full today.”

Derpy shrugged. “Well, that wasn’t me, but I would be happy to make sure that the mailponies know about it.”

“Well,” Fluttershy paused, putting a hoof over her mouth. She didn’t want anypony to get into trouble over her mail! But at the same time, if there was a problem... “Thank you. Did you have something for me?”

“Oh yeah!” she replied, tapping the side of her head and in the process, knocking her hat off once again. “That’s what I’m here for, right?” she asked, pulling out a letter from her mailbags.

“T-Thank you,” Fluttershy said, taking the letter awkwardly.

Derpy’s wall eyed gaze fell upon the yellow mare before her, and she tilted her head to a worried, sympathetic angle. “Is there anything wrong?”

Fluttershy nervously shook her head. “What would make you think that?”

“You’re sort of dancing in place...” Derpy replied, pointing to the slowly pacing yellow hooves.

“Oh.” She stopped herself and blushed in embarrassment. “It’s nothing, really.” Fluttershy insisted, looking up into the walleyed mare’s doofy, yet concerned expression. Ears pulling back, she buckled under the pressure. “Well—”

“Yeah?” Derpy asked, once again replacing her hat back atop her head.

“Well, Twilight, just asked if I could, uhm,” she paused, the realization that she didn’t know how much she could and couldn’t share about Heartbreak’s situation hitting her. “Do a favor for her and, well, look after H.B. this month.”

“That’s all?” Derpy asked, tilting her head.

“Well, it’s more than that. H.B. can be... difficult sometimes.” Fluttershy worriedly explained. “And I still have all my animal friends to take care of.”

Just then a strange “EERrwoooSHHhEERr” sound echoed across the glade!

“EEEP!” Fluttershy yelped, ducking behind a bush. “W-what was that?!” she asked, barely peeking out from the underbrush.

“Oh, that’s me,” Derpy replied, rolling her eyes and taking a glowing red crystal from her saddlebags. “Sorry, it lets me know when I have a new package to deliver. I sorta changed the alarm to this sound that I thought was really neat at the time, and I kinda don’t know how to change it back.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy replied, practically forcing her wings down in an attempt to calm herself. “It’s very... loud.”

“Yeaaah. Well, sorry Fluttershy, but ya know, packages don’t deliver themselves! “ Derpy lightly touched the top facet of the crystal before stuffing it back into the mailbag. “Or... do they?” She paused with a bit of momentary concern. “I sure hope they don’t, otherwise I would be out of a job!”

Just then, the alarm started to go off again, the mailmare this time quickly tapping it into silence. 

“I’m sure you’ll be able to handle whatever task that Twilight has saddled you with. After all, you’re one of the most kind, patient and reliable ponies I know!” she said, adjusting her hat and mailbag before awkwardly taking back to the skies.





And before she could even give a small ‘thanks’ or ‘bye’, just like that, once again, Fluttershy was alone.

Wow, it’s been a really busy morning! Fluttershy thought, a summer caress wafting through her mane as she started back down the path to her cottage. Muffin might not be the most...uhm...graceful, yes, graceful of ponies, but her heart is in the right place. And she’s right: Twilight wouldn’t have thought that I could handle this on my own if she didn’t think I was reliable enough.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, smiled and looked at the beautiful sunny summer day.

A day still full of wonder and possibilities. A day that—

Oh! My letter! she thought as she was midway up the walk. “I wonder who it’s from...” However, once she read the name on the return address, Fluttershy’s entire mood soured.


=============================================================


Hey there Sis! It’s me! Your favorite Brother, coming at you from none other than the great city of Seaddle!

How are you doing? Me? I’m doing great! (other than a few hiccups, but more on that later.)

Anyway! The weather out here is fantastic. I mean, if you don’t mind all the rain that is! Really, what is up with that?

But I’m just moved out here with a fantastic new roomie!

She’s an amazingly attractive mare named ‘Feenix Fire’. Boy, she can live up to that name sometimes, if you know what I mean. Geez, it’s like, sometimes, she just can’t take a joke!. She also has a pet badger named ‘Simon’! I thought I would tell you cause I know how much you love animals!

(That is still your thing, right?)

Anyway, she’s really great, letting me stay here while I get set up and strike it out here on my own!

She even gave me two months rent free!

Though, (and feel free to say no, just floating an idea out there), with that said, your little brother really could use some extra bits to cover a few expenses, like food or utilities, but if you can’t, that’s OK. You got to look out for you too, sis!

Well, thought I would drop you a letter telling you how your favorite little brother is doing!

With much love, Zephyr Breeze

P.S. Don’t go and tell Rainbow about my new roomie! You know how jealous that mare can get when it comes to her Z.B.!


=============================================================


Angel chewed his pellets nervously. His pony was practically scowling as she half-heartedly stuffed a letter into her saddlebags. She then began to joylessly attending to the task of doling out the various food stuffs to the other animals.

Whatever was in that letter, it could not be good for her health.

Ears pinned back, she paced to and fro after she filled up the hummingbird feeder. As she sharply turned, the little bunny could almost hear her tail making a whip-cracking sound.

“It was almost as if he wasn’t-” Fluttershy began before trailing off as she filled Nigel’s food dish.

“I mean, he is trying to move out and get away from mom and dad...But... What if he gets into trouble?” She paused and bit her lip while raising a hoof at the passing thought. “I’d be there for him... right?”

With her feathers ruffling, she went to the refrigerated cupboard and searched on a high shelf for where she swore she had left the food for the burrowing owl.

“Just what did he think he was doing?” Fluttershy asked out loud. Frowning almost uncharacteristically, a harsh, spiny, cutting thought passed through her mind.

Maybe something should happen, maybe then he’d learn-

“Oh, Fluttershy! You can’t think like that...” She whimpered. “He’s your brother! And of course you would be there for him if things did take a turn for the worse... It’s just-” 

She took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. “Calm down,” Fluttershy told herself. “You have many more things to do today. You don’t want H.B. to worry about you when you go to visit her again, do you?” The pony asked herself. 

“Of course not,” She replied. “She has enough to worry about as it is and-”

Just then, she felt a tugging on her foreleg.

By this time, Fluttershy almost didn’t have to guess who it was. After all, she had said the ‘H’ word out loud, hadn’t she?

“Yes, Angel?” She asked, attempting to push away any oncoming feelings of frustration that were growing with her dear pet.

The little rabbit once more looked up at his pony with a disapproving glare, his little arms crossed and his foot threatening to thump the ground.

“I’m sorry, but I have to, Angel. I need to make sure that she’s taken her medicine today.” Fluttershy took a deep breath before letting out a soft, if not irritated, sigh. “And tell her that Twilight wants me to be her teacher for this month.” She quietly added.

Upon hearing this, Angel threw his little paws into the air, and once more, like before, showed more of his disapproval with a series of angry grunts.

Fluttershy, just like before, took another deep breath and sighed. “Please,” she began in her most pleading of voices. “Not today, Angel.” And before he could even start to protest, the little rabbit felt the gentle feather of his pony’s wing touch his nose and saw those big, beautiful kind eyes staring into his. “Momma just needs to go for a little walk to take care of this one thing. And the sooner she can do it, the sooner she can be back to take care of everypony’s needs. Alright?”

Still like that first day in the meadow, when I, Angel, found her, the bunny thought, waxing nostalgic over those much simpler times. These pleasant thoughts were however short lived as the hyper excited clattering of claws and the jingling of a very expensive leash zipped by.

“Oh!” Fluttershy exclaimed, once she saw that the poodle was sitting pretty, his puffball tail wagging at the ready.

“I’m sorry, Nigel, I was really hoping to do this alone. Maybe when I get back-”

But before she could finish her sentence, Nigel let out a pathetic whimper and looked up at Fluttershy beggingly.

“Oh... I suppose you can come with me. After all, I do need to make up for missing yesterday’s walk, don’t I?”


=============================================================


“So, I sent Dib a letter after that night, but I have yet to hear back from him,” the Webless pony agonized to little Lucas. “I mean, I could just write another letter, just in case the first one went to the wrong individual... Just like I could send one to Twilight, but-”

“Lesser One, Lucas-”

“It is a dark yawning Abyss that beckons Lucas to go down the hole and see what is on the other side!”

“Stop shaking incoherently, you will be free from the conversation with the Webless One soon enough.”

“Lucas will? Lesser One Lucas thanks their Queen!”

“There is one task that your Queen asks of you.”

“Anything, my Queen!”

“The Kindness Pony approaches, alert the Webless One to their arrival by pointing to the door.”

“And then Lucas may partake in foraging with the Colony?”

“Affirmative. Then Lesser One Lucas may proceed in foraging with the Colony.”

Just after the little spider felt the message that these vibrations carried, they began to wave four of their eight legs and jump in place to garner the Webless One's attention.


=============================================================


“Seriously, sometimes? I would just like to remove myself from... uhm, myself and smack myself upside the head while asking why I just don’t- eh?” Heartbreak stopped in her line of thought as the little sad-faced spider that had been sitting upon her hooves began to almost dance and point.

“Oh?” she asked, bemused at the antics. “What is it, Lucas? Did Timmy fall down the well? You pushed him, didn’t you?”

The spider shook its body in a vaguely negative manner before pointing in the direction of the front door.

Heartbreak tilted her head. “What, is there somep-pony at the door?” she asked, still somewhat in a state of disbelief that she was asking a spider of all creatures such a question.

Just then, there came a light rapping, a small tapping from her front door.

“Oh,” Heartbreak deadpanned. “There is somep-pony at the front door.” She looked at Lucas. “Uhm, mind getting off so that I can answer that?”

Quicker than one could even see, Lucas made a swift hop, skip and a jump to the armrest of the couch.

“Thanks,” Heartbreak smirked, pushing herself up and off the couch. Keeping eye contact with her new spider pal, she backed her way towards the hallway entrance. “You stay right there, I’ll be right back after I see who’s at the door. Then, we can finish up our little conversation,” she said before turning the corner.

Just as she was halfway down the hallway, she heard another light rapping on her front door.

“Cooming!” She called out. Another few light raps caused her to mutter. “Yeah, yeah... hold your horses, I’m coming...” Slowly opening the door, Heartbreak was greeted with a most pleasant pink and yellow surprise. 

“Oh!” She pushed the door open wider. “Hey, Fluttershy.”

“Good-” The pegasus smiled at the rather affectionate snapdragons before gently pushing them down. “Good morning, H.B.”

A small awkward pause grew pregnant between the ponies, each one of them turning their heads opposite to the other before they both quickly turned their heads and in unison asked a simple question.

“Soo- How are you doing?”

Fluttershy’s hoof went to her mouth embarrassedly. “I’m sorry!”

Heartbreak blinked and then chuckled a little. “It’s alright, I just didn’t expect you to... well. Yeah. It was just a funny ... thing. Don’t think anything of it. You go first. How are you doing? Just out and about?”

“Oh, uhm, well, I was taking Nigel for a walk, but then I met the girls-”

“Girls?” Heartbreak interrupted. “No offense, Flutters, but there are a lot of girls. You mean the C.M.C. by chance?”

“The-” Fluttershy began, a small note of confusion at the string of abbreviated letters.

“Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle? Cutie Mark Crusaders?”

“Oh! Oh, right...” Fluttershy replied quietly. “I’m sorry, I’ve had a lot of things on my mind this morning.”

“Uhm, it’s alright.” Heartbreak rubbed the side of her head and leaned against the door. “Didn’t mean to interrupt, you were saying something about Nigel’s walk?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy replied, her wings fluffing slightly. “They asked me about you, and I realized that I ought to see how you were doing, but I couldn’t do that if I was walking Nigel so-”

Heartbreak held up a hoof. “Let me guess, they offered to walk him the rest of the way?”

“Yes...”

Once again, the quiet started to form between the ponies. However, with a deep breath, Heartbreak decided to break it before it once again grew awkward. “So! Come to check in on me again? You’ll be happy to know that I’m dooing be-e-”

Suddenly, Heartbreak’s voice cracked with an interruption of coughs, followed by a sharp wheeze and finally a harsh clearing of her throat. Such was the harshness of the cough that even the snapdragons turned, giving the tan mare a wide-eyed set of questioning looks.

“Better! I’m fine! Really...” she insisted. “Just the final dregs of a cough that refuses to just die.”

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked, her wings nervously flitting about.

Heartbreak nodded. “Yeah, colds are always like this for me. They tend to hit hard and then they do--” she let out a muffled lingering cough. “Eh-Hem! Yeah! That!” she squeaked out.

“You are sure about that? I mean, you weren’t just sick with one cold,” Fluttershy asked, meekly.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Heartbreak replied, clearing her throat again while rolling her eyes.

“Have you had your tea yet?” Fluttershy asked. “Warm fluids could help in breaking up all that nasty phlegm...”

“Nooo...” Heartbreak bit her lip. “I haven’t... I really should have but I kinda got... distracted. Talking.”

“Talking?” Fluttershy asked, her head tilting to the side.

“Yeah!” Heartbreak exclaimed in a sudden moment of almost uncharacteristic excitement while clearing her throat. She opened the screen door and motioned with her hoof for the pegasus to come in. “Oh! You’re going to love this!”

Slowly, Fluttershy followed. Maybe she is feeling better, but then again, I’ve never seen her this excited over anything! she thought, walking down the hall.

“All right,” Heartbreak said, pausing before the door frame to the living room. “Let me introduce you to Lu-” She stopped, her hoof extended, but her face drooped in confusion. She looked around the living room and the armrest of her couch, before sighing. “Aww... They’re not here anymore.” she lamented, her ears drooping in disappointment.

Fluttershy cautiously entered the shaded and, now that she thought about it, all too dusty room. “Who’s not here anymore?”

Heartbreak looked around a final time before frumping back down on the couch in dismay. “One of those sad-faced spiders you told me about came down and paid me a visit.”

“They did?” Fluttershy asked, starting to peer around the room more closely.

“Yeah,” Heartbreak sighed. “I told them about a dream I had, along with a bunch of other things.” She grinned a little. “I even named them Lucas.”

“Ooooh, that sounds really cute,” Fluttershy cooed.

Heartbreak paused, her face slightly twisting up.

Fluttershy backed away a little, taken aback by the sudden change in expression. “I-is there something wrong?”

“You’re going to have to excuse me, but I’m not cute,” she muttered, turning away.

“Oh! No... I’m sorry, I meant... Lucas sounded really cute...” Fluttershy explained, slowly trailing off.

“Oh- ha, right,” Heartbreak awkwardly replied. “You meant Lucas and... not me.” She took a deep breath through her nose and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I totally knew that. I mean, I apologize, it just sounded-”

“It’s ok...” Fluttershy replied, confusion over this small, and perhaps pointless, exchange painted on her face.

“So!” Heartbreak exclaimed after a few more moments of awkward silence, followed by a small sigh which ended in a few more coughs. “Was there anything else you came here to talk about, I mean other than the tea?”

“Oh! Actually, yes.” Fluttershy replied taking a deep breath and steeling herself. Alright Fluttershy, you’ve got this! “Well, uhm, Twilight came back today and-”

“‘Scuse me!” Heartbreak squeaked out, holding up a hoof and once again letting out a stream of harsh, desperate-sounding wheezing coughs before finally ending in a harsh evacuation of whatever nasty thing was stubbornly clinging to the back of her throat. “Gah, right, once again stupid cough-”

Fluttershy bit her lip. “Maybe I should make you your tea first...” she said, letting her saddle bags fall to the ground and moving back towards the kitchen.

“Please and tha-ank yooou!” Heartbreak squeaked out. “Otherwise, I’d be here all morning.”


=============================================================


Gawds, I feel so stupid in all this. Imagine, Fluttershy thinking that I am ‘cute’. Ponies themselves most likely have no idea that they were designed to have all the tropes that come along with the ideal of what is cute.

Large shining eyes that practically take up most of their faces, small mouths that- wait... have I had this conversation with myself before? I try to think about it, but then come to the conclusion that I should just cut to the chase here. 

I am not comfortable with the idea of thinking of myself as cute.

“Geez,” I mutter to myself. “Why is this even an issue? This is Fluttershy, she thinks that animals are cute, not ponies.”

“Did you say something?” Fluttershy asks, her head popping in around the corner to momentarily startle me. “Oh, sorry...”

“It’s all right,” I reply, clearing my throat. “You’re not having any trouble finding anything, are you?”

“Oh no,” she replies, smiling warmly. “Although, I think you might be out of sugar.”

“Figures... That’s what I get for not being able to get to the market or store for a few days, eh?” I croak out. “Although, I bought some honeyblade a few weeks back. That could work in lieu, right?” She nods, tapping her chin and looking up thoughtfully.

“I suppose it could and surprisingly, it’s much healthier too.”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Sugar substitute that’s healthier? Pffft, that’s what they all say. Then again, this is Equestria, so who the fet knows. “It’s up in that... uhm, pantry closet thing on your left?” Good fetting Gaia, it’s so difficult to describe directions without the use of the word ‘hand.’ “You know where I’m talking about?”

She nods. “Yes, don't you worry about it, just rest here and I'll be back with your medicine.”

I blink and tilt my head. I’m not sure if Fluttershy has ever been this chatty before. I-- Just then, I notice that there appears to be an envelope that fell out of her saddlebags.

“I really should leave that alone,” I comment to myself. “Buuuut, with everything that she’s done for me..”

Pushing myself up and off the couch I pick the letter up with my mouth. And just as I’m about to put it on the table, Fluttershy reenters the room, the warm smell of herbal tea with the alluring aroma of honey accompanying her.

“Uhm, I found this on the floor,” Fet, letter’s still in my mouth. Spitting it out on the table in front of me, I hear it land with a bit of a wet sound. “Stupid lips,” Best give her an apologetic glance, there H.B. “I really hope that wasn’t anything terribly important.”

“Oh, that?” She pauses from setting the tea set down and... grimaces? “Nooo, that’s nothing.” Her wings fluff and her eyes narrow as she goes back to the task before her. “Just a letter from... Zephyr.”

“Oh,” Hoooooly fet-buckets, her body language! That sudden shift has caught me off guard and now a new question is flying around in my head like a little brown bat trapped in the hallway of an apartment complex. “Uhm, who?”

She tilts her head at me in a state of what I can only describe as shock or confusion?

“Zephyr Breeze?”

I give a momentary pause, running through fan names for background ponies to see if anything comes up.

“Nope, not ringing any bells,” I reply, shaking my head. “Though, from the way you’re, uhm, expressing yourself, I would have to take a guess and that he was somep-pony close to you? Fffriend from when you were young or... a crush?” Hey, it could happen.

Her eyes go wide and a twinge of something goes across her face. Not sure what that-

“Brother.” She quietly states while she fiddles with her forelock. 

Disgust. That was disgust, H.B.

“Well, that was much more of an awkward answer than I expected,” Great, now she must think I’m an absolute idio- ”Wait, you have a brother?”
> Feathers for the Fluttershy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter Fifteen: Feathers for the Fluttershy





“You don’t know about Zephyr?” Fluttershy asked with such surprise that it caused the tea set to shift slightly and clink about.

“Noooope,” Heartbreak replied, rubbing the side of her face. “Can’t say that I have. Though..” she paused thoughtfully. “Isn’t a ‘zephyr’ a type of breeze? So wouldn’t his name mean ‘Breeze-Breeze’ or ‘Wind-Wind’?”

Fluttershy let out the smallest of chuckles, causing the tea set to, once again, clatter about on her back.

Heartbreak held up a hoof, concern painting her face. “Not that I think that it could happen, but maybe you should place that on the table, so that it doesn’t fall.”

“Oh,” she replied, gently sliding it off her back. “Okay.”

“So...” Heartbreak paused as she enviously watched Fluttershy preparing the tea with ease. “Older or younger brother?”

“Younger,” she replied, finishing the preparation off with a few sprinklings of crushed honey blade grass. “Although, that isn’t really the reason I came here...”

“Eh?” Heartbreak queried, slipping the hook handle of the cup into her hoof hole.

“No..” Fluttershy replied, pausing to mull over the best way of how to approach the topic. She took a deep breath. “Well, Twilight came by to visit me this morning, and she decided that I should be your teacher this month.”

“Ah, so that’s what you were trying to tell me before I derailed the conversation with my coughing and speaking of spiders.” Heartbreak replied, scratching the side of her head. “I mean, yeah, I guess I’m ok with that. You are taking care of me while I recover, might as well make the most of the time and make sure that... Princess Celestia gets her letter, right?” She stopped and blinked. “Wait, Twilight’s back?” Interest lit her voice as the steam coming off her tea curled up and around her nose.

“Yes, but only for a little while, then she’s going to the Crystal Empire for more-” Fluttershy caught herself, realizing that she would have to obfuscate the real reason Twilight had been gone for so long. “-tests.”

“Jeez,” Heartbreak replied, blowing on her tea and rolling her eyes. “More tests?” she asked between a long sip of her tea. “What? Do unicorns have to register their horns every so many years?”

Fluttershy blinked at the question presented to her. “I-I don’t know...? I’m sorry...”

“I-It’s okay. I guess...“ Heartbreak replied staring at the inside of her teacup. “I’m just a little bitter over how this, uhm,” she sighed swirling the liquid a bit before taking another sip. “I hesitate using the word, ‘relationship’, but you know, student-teacher relationship has been going as of late.”

“Oh, well-”

“I mean, I guess I could’ve written her a letter to see how she’s doing,” Heartbreak interrupted. “By that same token, she could’ve written me a letter telling me what she was up to or at the very least if she was ok or whatever...” she muttered before slurping down what was the last of her medicine.

“Well,” Fluttershy began after a small pause. “Maybe she’ll have some time to visit you before she has to go up north.”

“Yeah,” Heartbreak reluctantly agreed, setting the cup back on the tray and slipping the hook out of her hoof-hole. “Anyway, what does Twilight being back have to do with a letter from your brother?”

“It doesn’t, not really,” Fluttershy replied, picking the tray up and returning it to her back. “Muffins just delivered it right after Twilight left to help Spike with something at the library.”

“‘Muffins?’” Heartbreak asked, her head tilting slightly before her eyes lit with recognition. “Oh, you mean Derpy?”

“Well...” Fluttershy sighed a bit and looked down uncomfortably. “That’s what some ponies call her. Even though it’s not very nice.”

“Oh. Huh,” Heartbreak replied, her ears falling down as she got up off the couch to follow Fluttershy back to the kitchen. “Another thing I did not know.”

“It’s always good to be aware of others’ feelings.” That’s something a teacher would say, right? She thought before turning her attention to the crowded-looking sink and the particular puzzle of where to place the newly-soiled dishes.

As she moved a bowl about with a feather tip, the curling of a most putrid smell hit her nose.

“Oh-” Fluttershy gasped and jumped back, her face twisting up before she covered her nose to further investigate the situation emanating from within the pile of neglect. “-my...”

“Yeeeeah...” Heartbreak shied away, rubbing the side of her head and looked away in embarrassment. “I’ve been meaning to get to those. It’s just,” she clicked her tongue and waggled her front hoof. “Well, ya know, I was sick.”

“It’s alright,” Fluttershy replied understandingly as she hoofed around through the mess of plates, cups and the occasional bit of silverware in search for the sink stopper. “I can take care if it if you like...”

“Uhm,” Heartbreak uttered nervously. “You don’t have to do them... I mean. If you don’t want to that is...”

“I-I don’t mind,” Fluttershy answered, listening for the gurgling sound the sinks would make once they had fully drained. “And besides, it’s something that needs to be done.”

“Gah!” Heartbreak gasped, recoiling back once she caught a whiff of the ‘kitchen stink’. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She conceded, covering her nose with her hoof and backing into the kitchen door frame. “Sooo... You and Zephyr... I take it that you don’t like him very much, do you?” 

“Well,” Fluttershy’s wing folded back in an awkward shame. “I do like him... Sometimes it’s just that, well, sometimes he doesn’t always... uhm, follow through with some of the things he says he’s going to do and that can be a little bit, somewhat, maybe just a little-”

“Disappointing?” Heartbreak interjected.

Fluttershy looked down at the ground and sheepishly nodded. “Yes, disappointing. Or at the very least, he can sometimes, but not always, but often enough for me to notice, he tends to-”

“Let you down?”

“Yes...” Fluttershy replied meekly, shuffling the assortment of cups, plates and bowls in the sink so that there would be some actual room to wash them.

“Ah, so he’s one of those kind of brothers.”

“Oh no, he’s not always like that,” She paused. “Well except for that one time.”

“That one time?” Heartbreak, bit her lip. “I’m not prying or anything, am I? You’d let me know if that was the case, right?”

“Of course I would,“ Fluttershy replied, looking around the kitchen for any more errant dishes. “Well, you do know about the day I found my love for animals and earned my cutie mark?” 

Heartbreak replied by nodding. “Yeah... Fell from the clouds, found yourself in a meadow, sonic rainboom, new animal fffriends and all that jazz.” 

“Uhm, yes.” Fluttershy replied, spying a couple of cups near the refrigerator. “Well, a year after that my parents decided that flight school just wasn’t for me.”

“Oh?” Heartbreak asked, clearly sniffling and struggling with a bit of mucus that had been loosened by the power of warm, sweet medical tea. 

“Uhm, yes.” And without thinking, Fluttershy pulled a paper towel from the dowel it was on and brought it up to Heartbreak’s suffering nose. “Blow please...” She requested softly.

Heartbreak was taken aback, but instead of protesting, obeyed while holding a hoof around Fluttershy’s to keep the makeshift tissue steady.

“Ugh,” She said, getting a glimpse of the contents of the tissue before Fluttershy crumpled the mess up and disposed of it in the kitchen trash. “T-thank you.”

“It’s alright,” Fluttershy replied, seemingly unphased by the amount of snot that one pony’s nose could hold. “Anyway, both my parents agreed that veterinary classes on the ground would be much better suited to my special talents and after a few years of those classes, I was ready to offer my services to any animal or pony with a pet in need.”

“That makes sense,” Heartbreak said, sniffing once more and clearing her throat a little.

“My parents-” she plucked the cups that had caught her attention earlier from their resting place and put them in the sink to join the rest of the dishes. “-surprised me with a bit of a large nest egg that they had been saving up, so that I could buy a place of my own.”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes while leaning against the kitchen door frame. “Pffft, wish my parents had been that kind.” She turned her head in slight embarrassment as Fluttershy gave her a questioning look. “Right, I didn’t mean to interrupt again, please continue.”

Fluttershy turned on the faucet. “Well, I looked around and found a place that was maybe just a little better than my cottage.” Heartbreak shook her head, blinking a little. “Is something wrong?”

“You’re going to have to forgive me,” she replied. “It’s just that I have a hard time imagining any place nicer than your cottage.”

“It’s true,” Fluttershy replied, picking up a bottle of dish soap and adding a squirt to the sink of steadily rising hot water. “It was much bigger, had many more rooms, and even a full meadow in the backyard!”

Heartbreak lifted a hoof and pointed it at the living room. “Should I gather any bowls or cu-” She almost asked before a tickle in the back of her throat silenced her with a few coughs.

“Only if you feel like you can,” Fluttershy replied, turning the faucet to the other sink to fill it with rinse water.

Heartbreak hmm’ed. “Nah, I guess they can be saved for later,” she replied before leaning on the other side of the door frame. “Sooo, I take it that Zephyr’s the reason you have your current cottage and not that place.”

Fluttershy shut the faucet before she reared up against the counter and began to scrub a dish with her hooves before slipping it into the the rinse water with her wing.

“In a way-” she paused and attempted to think of a nice way to say it. But there just wasn't any. “Yes.”

Heartbreak blinked as the pegasus effortlessly repeated the process of washing another dish. “And... how’d that happen?”

“Well,” Fluttershy pulled a cup from the water before using her feathers to clean the inside. “On the day that I was meant to meet with the realtor, my parents stopped by and asked if I could watch him.”

“And being the good sister you are, you decided to say yes to that.”

Fluttershy nodded, putting the cup into the rinse water. “They were going to Nieghara Falls and it had been a really long time since they had been able to spend any time together alone.”

“Ah,” Heartbreak cleared her throat a bit.

“Anyway, I took Zephyr with me,” She slipped the cup in before pulling a hook handled mug out. “On the way there, we saw that a carnival was setting up nearby.” Fluttershy looked up and began to stare out the window, caught up in the memory.

“He wanted to go, but I explained that the realtor wouldn’t wait and that maybe we could go after meeting with her,” she said, scrubbing the mug. “He was very dissapointed, but I thought that he understood. So, I didn’t think anything of it when I asked him to watch my saddlebags once we got there so I could...water the meadow.” 

Heartbreak snorted and shook her head in confusion. “Uh, huh?”

Fluttershy’s wings folded against her in embarrassment. “Use the bathroom...” She replied really quietly.

“Oh,” Heartbreak bit her lip. “I was confused because you said this place also had a meadow.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy replied, quietly fumbling about with the mug. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Though you could have said ‘picking posies’ and I’d probably have thought the same thing,” Heartbreak took a small breath and gave a little sigh before rolling her eyes and shaking her head. “Anyway! What happened after you used the bathroom? Cause I got a feeling on where this is going...”

Fluttershy resumed washing the mug. “Well,” she began, staring at the soapy water. “By the time I had gotten back? He was gone.” She turned the oddly shaped drinkware, checking for any missed spots. “And by the time I found him at the carnival, he had already spent quite a bit of the money on tickets, rides and games...”

The pegasus glared at some imperceivable minor spot that had to be at the bottom of the mug.

“And.” She took a deep breath, her voice taking on a much harsher, more resentful tone. “By the time that we got back to the house?” she asked, her wings fluffing up in irritation. “The realtor had sold it to another pony.” She scrubbed harder at the stubborn spot, “Not that it would have mattered, seeing that we didn’t have enough money to afford it anymore.” 

Heartbreak’s eyes went wide as she watched the not-so-subtle transformation taking place before her. “Uhm, Fluttershy-” 

“In fact,” Fluttershy continued, the irritation in her voice nearly turning it into more of a growling sound rather than a sweet whisper. “I had to almost beg the realtor for my current cottage.” She explained, the sink starting to froth a bit due to her increased vigor in attempting to removed the cursed spot from that same mug.

“F-Fluttershy-” Heartbreak meekly said, holding up a concerned hoof.

“In. Fact.” Fluttershy’s eyebrows narrowed and her teeth started to grit and nearly grind. “Had it not been for the fact that I offered to take care of the realtor’s daughter’s pet iguana, I wouldn’t even-”

“Fluttershy!” Heartbreak raised a hoof and lightly tapped the pony on the shoulder. 

“Eeep!” The pegasus turned abruptly, the mug nearly slipping out of her hooves. She fumbled it a little bit.

“I think that mug is clean,” Heartbreak slowly said as she pulled her hoof away.

“Oh,” Fluttershy turned back to the sink, away from the obviously concerned and perhaps even a bit terrified Heartbreak. “I’m sorry...” She whimpered, slipping it into the rinse water before pulling out some more dishes from the sink.

“It’s ok,” Heartbreak replied, pushing her mane back and breathing a small sigh of relief. “If it is something that you’re still that sore about, maybe I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s all right,” Fluttershy replied, taking the dishes out of the rinse before putting them into the drying rack. “You didn’t even know that I had a brother this morning.”

“Maybe, but-”

Just then, the grandfather clock began to chime half past the hour. 

“Oh!” Fluttershy gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. “What time is it?”

Heartbreak turned around and leaned out the door to glance at the time. “Uh, Eleven-thirty-ish?”

“Already?” she asked, pulling the plugs from the sinks and flicking her feathers dry. “I really should be getting back home, I don’t want Angel to worry about me.” With that, she went to the living room and gathered her saddlebags.

“Yeah, can’t have him doing that...” Heartbreak said, a crack in her voice forming as Fluttershy made her way down the hall and out the front door. “I guess that’s why you were chosen to be the Element of Kindness.”

“Oh?” She asked, turning around, her wings preparing themselves for the small flight back. 

“Right, I was continuing from the middle of a thought.” Heartbreak looked away while biting her lip a little. “It’s just that you’re always putting the needs of others before your own,” she replied, an awkward laugh mingled in with what was meant to be something meaningful.

Fluttershy smiled while tilting her head. “That’s really what kindness is all about.”

Heartbreak chuckled, giving her a little smirk. “Is that the lesson that you’re trying to teach me?”

Fluttershy gave Heartbreak a sheepish look, the tip of her hoof digging slightly into the ground. “Do you think, that is if it were the lesson, that would be a good lesson to write?”

Heartbreak’s face tensed up and her ears fell backwards. “Well...uhm...”

Fluttershy bit her lip and whimpered. “That is, unless, you don’t think it’s a good lesson...”

“Huh?” Heartbreak’s eyes darted away from eye contact with Fluttershy before rubbing a hoof on her foreleg. “Oh, uhm, no, it’s a great lesson!” she exclaimed. 

“Then what’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, slowly blinking and, once more, tilting her head to the side.

Heartbreak scratched at the back of her head with her forehoof. “Well--” She started, awkwardly. “--It’s just that--” she sighed a bit before looking up at the diminutive mare. “--it seems like the most... what’s the word I’m looking for?” she asked, fumbling and tapping her chin. “Overused? Obvious? Sorta... Incomplete?”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy recoiled, her wings folding and unfolding as a feeling of anxiety took over her.  

“Well--” Heartbreak opened her mouth and then closed it before starting again. “It’s like...” She closed her mouth, paused and looked as if she was chewing on her thoughts a bit more. “Well, these letters are meant to be, like, you know... profound. Right?”

Fluttershy thought about what was said on that dreadful night. “Princess Celestia did say something like that...” She replied softly.

“Right!” Heartbreak quickly exclaimed. “And while ‘putting others needs before your own’ is a good core lesson in kindness, it really isn’t all that... profound...”

“I guess not...” Fluttershy quietly muttered.

“I-I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Heartbreak asked, rubbing her shoulder and looking up pleadingly before letting out a little cough. “I mean, if that’s all right with you...” 

Fluttershy smiled softly and nodded. “Yes, I will see you tomorrow.” She replied, softly flapping her wings and taking off into the clear blue sky.



=============================================================



As Fluttershy ascends higher and higher, her vistage growing smaller and smaller, I can’t help but feel a mingling of guilt, longing and maybe even a bit of disgust at myself.

After all, wasn’t this what I had been constantly trying to avoid? Letting these ponies take care of my problems, thereby letting them become too involved in whatever is left of what you could even define as my ‘so-called-life’, and detracting away from their lives? What if I mucked up things that they need to do?

These are the moments where I finally understood the anxiety and depression issues my girlfriend would talk about. She would always freeze in place, her words becoming garbled, her actions limited, and--

“Fetting, fet-fet, H.B.,” I comment out loud while cringing and squeezing my eyes closed. “You’re doing it again. Stop inner monologuing and actually deal with the situation. Maybe Fluttershy is right. Maybe this could be a good enough lesson to write to Pretty-Pretty-Princess-Cake-Eater. Maybe you should write it down now and--”

Just then, before I could finish that thought, something lightly touches the bridge of my... muzzle.

Opening my eyes, my forward vision is momentarily obscured by a creamy yellow object that gracefully flickers lightly in the breeze. It’s a feather.

One of Fluttershy’s feathers.

A warm feeling wafts through me when I think about these past few days and all the little things she’s done for me during my time in Equestria. The past two days it was ‘dragging my stubborn ass to the doctor’ along with ‘make sure you take your medicine’. Along with ‘I’ll do your dishes cause you physically can’t’.

Then there was the day of Creativi-tea; she apparently held me down so that Twilight could administer the antidote in time. Not to mention when the six of them shanghaied me off to Canterlot when I first arrived.

It was Fluttershy who was upset with Twilight when I got hurt during their plan to recapture me. In fact, she was so upset that she left, but then she came back for the big show-down and-

Just then the wind threatens to push the feather off my nose.





“Ope!” I counter and fight to keep it there. Pausing, I quickly look around to see that there aren’t any surprise guests coming to show up unexpectedly. No ponies? Good. “I-I’m sure she won’t miss this...” I whisper under my breath. 

Slowly, I walk back through my doorway so as not to disturb this newly acquired item. I have been practicing balancing a few things on my face like I’ve seen ponies do. This exercise thankfully has gone better than placing things on my hooves. Which is still, not surprisingly, failing.

After a short distance into the living room, I spy a vase that’s on a small table next to the door that leads into the garden. It looks like at one point in time it may have contained flowers or the like, but right now? I think it should make do for something else.

I carefully, cautiously and with all precision and effort that I can muster, tilt my head to the left and watch the feather make a new home in my chosen vessel. I adjust and push the feather around until I’m satisfied with its position. 

Despite it not being at center stage, I momentarily muse about how the new presentation of the sunny yellow plume among the otherwise dark and oddly-coloured collection of trinkets of owners past actually livens up the room, .

“I just hope there’s nothing creepy about collecting pony feathers...” I comment out loud. “I mean, they are just feathers.” I say with a slight nervous chuckle.
> Sewing Advice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter 16 : Sewing Advice





The sounds of a sewing machine performing several intermittent mechanizations was accompanied by thoughtful, sympathetic ‘hmms’ as Rarity mulled over the particulars of the story that Fluttershy had just told her.

“That sounds like it was quite the morning for you,” She finally said, several needles held between her lips.

“It was a bit...” Fluttershy paused, attempting to search for the proper word to describe it all.

“Hectic?” Rarity interjected, comparing two swaths of nearly identical cloth against each other. Another pony would surely say that they were the exact same shade of purple-ish red, but they didn’t have a discerning artist’s eyes for these sort of things. “Hmmm, yes. Wine is better.”

“Well...” Fluttershy began, taking a deep breath, “Yes...” she finally admitted.

“We all have days like those, darling,” Rarity assured, tilting her head back before tossing a wrinkling forelock out of her face. “How long has it been since you last saw your brother?”

“Oh, it’s been quite some time,” Fluttershy replied, her hooves pulling away as a ball of rainbow coloured yarn rolled past, a vicious Opalescence in hot pursuit. “Years even.”

“And he now has the audacity to ask for money,” Rarity humphed, pinning fabric in place.

“It was only for a few small things, really,” Fluttershy replied, continuing to watch Opal’s feline antics getting her entangled in a yarny mess. “He is trying to start his life and that’s never an easy thing to do.”

Rarity blinked at what seemed like a sudden tone shift in regards to the pony in question. “That is quite true. Forgive me, but it sounded as if you were most furious with him earlier.”

“I did?” Fluttershy glanced to her right, before sighing a little. “I suppose I did,” she admitted shamefully. “I’m sorry...”

Rarity gave her friend a sympathetic smile. “It’s more than understandable, how you’ve described his foalish antics.” She pulled a bolt of sunny yellow from the shelves. “And believe me darling, if there’s anything I know, it’s how foalish antics of a younger sibling can affect one’s mood.” she rolled her eyes. “Of course, such behaviors aren’t just limited to one’s own siblings.”

“Oh?” Fluttershy cautiously asked.

Rarity shook her head. “I’m sorry, darling. It’s just that I caught myself being reminded of my time with Heart-” She stopped herself. “I mean, H.B. went.” She placed the fabric over the odd creation that she was constructing. “I fear that I might be a touch...Oh, what’s the word?”

“Bitter?” She said after a long pause. “Yes, as much as I hate to say it. Bitter.” She shook her head and began to cut some trim to hem the dress. “I mean, with how everything unfolded, it made me really question things. Particularly in how good of a teacher of generosity I am.”

“B-but she did learn a lesson, didn’t she?”

“Oh, yes she did.” Rarity rolled her eyes once more. “However, it felt as if Sweetie Belle and her friends did more to teach her about what is meant to be my element than I did!” She huffed and lifted the dress in the air. She grimaced at the contrast of yellow,purple,and brown. “Oh whatever was I thinking...And if that wasn’t enough, she apparently learned a lesson from Derp- pardon me -Muffins of all ponies!” she bemoaned. “You’re most fortunate, Fluttershy. From the sounds of it, your element should be far easier to teach than mine.”

Fluttershy found herself taken aback at the statement. “What do you mean?”

“Well, how should I put this..” Rarity began. “The lesson is halfway there. Then again...” She paused and looked down. “Perhaps my time with H.B. last month made me practically question what I really know about my ‘Element of Harmony’.” With a sad contemplative face, the unicorn paused. “I mean, what really makes something ‘generous’? Is it the act of giving or the intent behind said act?” she asked disjointedly.

Fluttershy contemplatively bit her lip. “Uhm, I don’t know?” she finally replied.

Rarity gave a light chuckle, while sniffing a little, before waving her hoof dismissively. “Rhetorical question, Fluttershy.”

“Oh, I’m sorry...”

“It’s not your fault, darling,” Rarity replied, her magic aura plucking a tissue from a nearby box and blowing her nose, before lightly rubbing her eyes as if something had gotten into them.

“Do you have any?” Fluttershy sheepishly asked as the ball of yarn and cat yowled its way to a pair of white hooves.

“Any what?” Rarity asked, her mood clearly lifted at the tangle that her Opal had gotten herself into.

“Uhm, advice,” Fluttershy meekly began as she looked up at her dear friend with pleading eyes. “On maybe, how to make my lesson more complete?”

Rarity blinked, an apologetic look spreading across her face. “Oh, Fluttershy,” she sympathetically began as she levitated the mess of rainbows and white fluff to eye level so that she could assess the level of entanglement her pet had put herself in. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize that you were... uhm,” she poked at thread. “Struggling with this.”

Opal yowled uncomfortably as her owner tugged on the thread in an attempted to liberate her from the mess.

Fluttershy winced at the poor animal’s cry. “Oh no,” She said walking up to the floating yarn cloud. She gave a gentle pull to another thread, which only elicited a small ‘mew’ before the whole snarl came slipping off. “Well, maybe a little. I’ve never had to teach anything about kindness before.”

“If it helps any,” Rarity said righting Opal up in the air. “None of us have had to.” Just then, she paused as her pet gave her a look of indignation before placing a paw on her nose. “The ‘Elements of Harmony’ has always been more of Twilight’s department.” She said, scratching behind her pretty kitty’s ears. “We were just told that’s what we were and accepted those roles.”

There was a small silence between the two friends at the odd truth that had presented itself. A silence that was quickly broken by Opal squirming away from Rarity’s grasp and landing on the floor. And no sooner had she landed with a delicate thumping sound her attention once again was drawn back to her nemesis: The yarn of many hues!

"Advice in teaching..." Rarity sighed, before a small flash of inspiration took her. “Perhaps I do! Oh, how should I put this?” She tapped her chin. "Right, I may not be an expert in your element, darling, but maybe I could explain what kindness has meant to me, and maybe even something that could show her, in order to explain what you mean?” She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “After all, if you’re too vague, H.B. might count that as ‘emotional manipulation.’”

“Well, ok, that sounds like a good idea,” Fluttershy replied. She was curious about what exactly happened between the two, but deciding that it was better to leave well enough alone.

“In one word,” Rarity began, adjusting her glasses and taking a deep breath. “Patience.”

“Patience?”

“Well, yes,” Rarity replied, reclining back against her sewing table. “You are, after all, by far, the most patient out of the six of us, darling.”

Fluttershy’s wings fluttered and she pulled away slightly. “You have to be patient when you’re working with animals.”

“Well, it’s something that I’ve always admired about you.” Rarity said, levitating a teacup to her lips before taking a long luxurious sip of jasmine.

“Oh, T-thank you,” Fluttershy replied blushing.

“Which is why-” Rarity wirled her tea. “-If you want my advice on how to make your lesson more complete, might I suggest something a little, how shall I put this, unconventional?”

“O-ok?”

“Perhaps you could introduce her to some of the animals in your care?”

Almost instantly the moment that Rarity suggested it, she saw Fluttershy’s wings clap back and her ears fall to the sides of her head.

“I-I’m not sure that’s a good idea...” Fluttershy replied, her voice practically falling to a whimper. “I did tell you that they don’t like her very much, right?”

Rarity nodded and bit her lip. “Yes. However, if I recall correctly, you did say that there were some animals that tolerate her?”

“Yes, some of them do,” Fluttershy pensively replied. “But they know that she isn’t, uhm...” She paused, her brain scrambling for the right words.

“From Equestria?”

“Well-” Fluttershy looked away. “-yes.”

Rarity tapped a pencil to her chin thoughtfully. “Be that as it may,” She began, swiveling towards her friend. “And do remember, this is just my advice. Perhaps with your assistance, your help, maybe they could see her as less of a threat.”

“Y-you really think that could happen?” Fluttershy asked hopefully.

“Anything is possible,” Rarity replied smiling and pulling up a few drawings from. “And by chance, if one of your animal friends takes a fancy to her, they may even want to become her pet! Or at the very least, a companion.”

Fluttershy’s wings flickered in excitement at the prospect of what Rarity was suggesting. “Oh! That would be wonderful!” She exclaimed.

“And it would also take care of her other problem she has, “ Rarity commented inspecting the diagrams more closely.

“Other problem?”

Rarity blinked and put what she was working on down. “Why, Fluttershy,” she began. “Darling, she’s incredibly lonely!”

“You really think so?”

“With everything you've described? Yes..” She leaned down to give Opal a very affectionate head scratching. “That house of hers is so...big and empty...” a smile lit her face as the cat leaned into the attention. “Why, I don’t know what I would do without my precious Opal-wopal!” She cooed, levitating a small meow treat before sending through the air, with the feline giving chase.

“I wouldn’t say that she’s completely alone. After all, there’s Fighty and Bitey. And then there was Little Lucas. Oh Rarity, I’ve never seen her that excited before! Who knew she liked spiders so much?”

Rarity attempted to hide the mixture of horror and repulsion that were attempting to fight their way to her face. “W-well,” she stammered, the thought of spiders crawling on the tan mare causing her own coat to crawl. “Fluttershy,” she began, regaining her composure. “I don’t mean to insult any of those three, but I was just thinking of something a little more...warm blooded and less likely to terrify anypony that happens to be visiting...”

“Oh,” Fluttershy began a small pearl of irritation rolling through her voice. “I suppose you’re right, but--”

Just then, the musical chiming of the carousel’s front door being opened and a distinctive voice calling out interrupted what could have been ill-fated conversation.

“Hellooo! Are juu o-pen?”

Saved by the bell, Rarity thought, placing anything else she had down before making her way out to the front of the shop.

“Yes! Cooooming, darling!” She musically call while momentarily pausing to fix her mane. “Only be a moment!” Satisfied, she went to greet her latest customer.

“Oh! Hello Subtle Brew!” Rarity admiring the eastern-style, or better known as ‘Kirin’ unicorn’s current attire: a light, snowy white kimono with long sleeves, a sun umbrella that was decorated with tea leaves and being held up by multi-coloured tendrils of magic. “What brings you to my humble shop?”

Subtle Brew’s face crinkled in confusion. “I am here for my fi-ting appoint-ment? Don’t juu remember, Miss Rarity?”

“Oh!” Rarity gasped, a hoof going up to hide a nervous flush going awash over her face. “That was today?” she chewed lightly on her hoof and glanced at the clock. “Oh dear, I was talking with Fluttershy here and lost track of the time...” she whimpered apologetically.

“I’m so sorry, Rarity. If I knew you had an appointment with somepony, I wouldn’t have told you all those things dealing with-” Fluttershy caught herself. “Uhm, her.”

“Ooooh, juu are hazing ze problems with a friend?” Subtle Brew asked, folding her umbrella before storing it away at the door. “Iz ok if juu lost time talking of such tings! As my Grandmare Sweet Cup would say, ‘Problems are leaves and de-bree in ze stream of life, iz best to get it out zo tings may flow freely’.”

Fluttershy found herself in quiet awe at something so simple and poetic. “That is very good advice.” She admitted.

“Yes, she say many wise tings and I miss her.” Subtle Brew replied, wistfully. “Zo! We can still do my fi-ting, today? I need to know how much fabrics to ask my cousin for before ze winters come. Iz true dat Poni-ville get much-” she paused, with the clear expression of confusion at the loss of a word. “Uhm, how juu say ‘winter white stuff?’

“Do you mean ‘snow’?” Rarity asked, a little bemused.

“Ah, yes. Before te snows come. Oterwise, many tings close.” She said, her ears folding back as she shook her head with concern.

“Oh yes, of course, darling. After all, I would do anything to not only contribute to your wedding, but for the opportunity to work with genuine Kirin silk!” She gushed before whispering aside to Fluttershy. “They say that with the right magic? It can flow with every colour of the rainbow!”

“Oh my, that sounds very pretty.”

“Ah yes,” Subtle brew said nodding her expression turning pensive. “I do not meaning to be rude, Miss Fluttershy, but...”

“Oh, yes?”

“I was,” She raised her sleeve to cover her mouth, a black cloven hoof just barely poking out of the end. “Ho-ping to do dis fi-ting with Miss Rarity...Alone?” she finally finished.

“Oh...” Fluttershy replied slightly dejected. “I-I’m sorry.”

Subtle Brew waved her sleeves apologetically. “Iz no-ting against juu, Miss Fluttershy! Iz just very...” She paused, a large flush of rosy blush spreading across her face. “How juu say ‘personal’.”

“Ooh!” Fluttershy replied, a sudden wave of understanding hitting her. “I’m so sorry...I-I’ll be going.” She sputtered, gathering her saddlebags and walking towards the door.

“Iz ok,” Subtle Brew replied, softly smiling.

“Fluttershy, darling?” Rarity called out as her friend was about to make her exit.

“Y-yes?”

“If you have any more questions about what we discussed, feel free to come back and ask, alright?” Rarity asked, giving a sincere ‘I’m sorry, but I have to take this’ look.

Fluttershy smiled and nodded. “Alright, I will.”

“Oh!” Rarity exclaimed, causing the pegasus to pop her head back in. “And you’ll think about my advice on the matter too, right?”

“Of course,” She told Rarity, before nodding to Subtle Brew. “You have a nice day and, uhm, enjoy your fitting?”

“Oh! Tank juuuu!” Subtle Brew chimed. With the door finally closed, the ebony maned mare quickly went to the window and peeked out before pulling the drapes closed.

“Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable? Lock the door, perhaps?” Rarity asked, her curiosity perked over how nervously her client was acting for something as simple as a fitting.

“Oh no...” Subtle Brew replied, cautiously, peering behind her. “But...maybe yes?” she asked, a pleading smile going across her face.

“Anything to make this as enjoyable of an experience as I can, my dear.” Rarity replied, locking her front door with a flick of her horn. “Now, please step up here on the pedestal and disrobe so that we may begin.”

“Thank juu, miss Rarity,” Subtle Brew replied. “As rong as juu tell no-poni of what juu see...” she said stepping onto the softly lit pedestal.

“Of course I won’t,” Rarity promised comfortingly as she gathered up her cloth tape measure and other items that she would use. “Along with the proper accessories to match, customer privacy is of the utmost importance.”

Subtle Brew bowed her head and smiled once before pulling the ribbon that kept her kimono in place. “Once more, many tanks to juu, Miss Rarity.”

“Oh, Darling,” Rarity began, a light chuckle in her voice. “It is I should be thanking you!” She said as Subtle Brew let her kimoni fall to her side. “After all it’s not every day I get to work on something like-”

Rarity found herself stunned into a moment of silence at the sight of the unclothed kirin unicorn. It wasn’t the shaggy, yet delicate looking fetlocks, nor was it her shiny black cloven hooves that she kept tucking away in the folds of her many kimonos. It wasn’t even her lion-like tail, whose fur only covered that last four inches.

No, what was grabbing the fashionista's attention was the strange sparkling golden iridescence that was coming off Subtle Brew’s back. Upon closer inspection, Rarity almost swore that it was being caused by-

“S-scales?” 




=============================================================
    
Here again, I’m on my own. And something tells me that I’m missing out on something far more interesting that is happening somewhere other than my home. Either that, or I’m about to have another round of coughing. Better clear my throat to be sure.

“Ehem. EHEM!” Oh wow, nope, currently we are not congested. 

Maybe, just maybe, I could actually do something today. “Not that you were doing much before all this.” The clock suddenly chimes out the hour. Three o’clock.

“Market is only going to be open for another, what, three hours? You could do that later, H.B.” Just then, my stomach makes an odd gurgling noise, and the sensation of not-quite-hunger ebbs at the shores of my awareness. “Strike that, you have to do that today, H.B. Otherwise, it’s going to be shriveled carrots, celery, and whatever else is growing in the fridge.”

Rolling off the couch, I stretch and mentally check off the things I’ll need for this outing before, well, gathering them.

“Coin pouch? Check,” I say, plicking it off the lampstand near the couch and chucking it into my--”Saddle bags, check.” And finally my, “Hat, check.”

“Alright, H.B. do you want to try the hat flip trick today?” That was meant to sound like a pep talk, however, staring at the green military style hat that I had so casually dropped on the floor last Tuesday, it feels all too critical. Like I’m pressuring myself into trying to do something that I clearly know that I can’t do. 

“Well, not without almost putting out an eye...” I mutter. So with that imagery in mind, I go the safe route and plant my head into the cap before picking it up in a swift motion. “A little adjustment and I’m ready to go!”

As I get to the front door, a small niggling voice nips at the back of my mind and I do a look around at the hallway.

Hoof on the door handle, I hesitate, looking up towards the attic door. Looking down, I bite my lip.

“Fet it,” I grumbled to myself. “Hey! If there are any spiii-ders that happen to be listening! I’m going out to...uhm...The market! I’ll be back later!”

There is, of course, no answer. Not that I expected one. I think that conversation with Lucas spoiled me or some-

“You’re rambling again, H.B. You keep rambling to yourself and you’ll be here all day before the market closes.” My stomach gurgles in agreement and I pull the door open with my mouth.

Pushing the screen door, I am greeted with a rush of hot and mildly humid air. A not so subtle reminder of the season.

“Ugh...” Boy, if I thought that this morning’s little light rays where irritating when I was getting up, the full-on glory of Equestria’s day star is screaming agony.

“Bleh.” I never liked humidity. Wonder how my house is remaining as comfortable as it is. Just then, the sounds of cold running water splattering the ground catches my attention. Turning to the source, I see that the snapdragons have the hose and appear to be watering their young. 

“Oye!” I call out to the lot of them. “Don’t overwater yourselves. I don’t want to come back to a swamp in my yard!” They give me an odd ‘look’ or the best as I can tell is a look before flimsily wagging the hose at me!

“Gah! Hey! I’m just saying!” I squeak out, stepping up my pace down the pathway to the dirt road.

Walking down ‘The Old Miller’ Drive, I can’t help but wonder if I should stop by the Library and see if they have any books regarding my acquired housemates.

That and it might be nice to see Spike again...

“It’s been what, one, two, three, four, five...six? Has it been six days?” I stop and tap my chin. “Nearly a full week? Fet, where does the time go-”

Just then, something sparkly in the road catches my eye. Something red and sparkly...

Hoofing at this curiosity in my path, I find that it is not only red and sparkly, but also translucent! 

“Oooooo,” My voice trills. “That looks like a Geeeem!”

Right, little amusing ‘Diamond Dog’ impersonation aside. A bigger question comes to mind. “Can my hunger wait?” I prod a bit at the glittery rock. It doesn’t seem too deep and even wiggles a bit when I roll my hoof over it!

Tilting my head, I finally nod. “Yeah...Yeah...It can wait a little. Now seeing that my hooves are useless, how best to excavate my find...” To my left I spot exactly the tool I need. A simple stick.

Grabbing the dead and pretty sturdy piece of wood between my teeth, I set to work. “Right, thiss won’t take long at all!”


=============================================================

As Fluttershy walked down the path from Carousel Boutique, she mulled over the idea and, by extension, the advice that Rarity had just given her.

“Could it work?” She asked aloud to nopony in particular. “Could one of my animal friends possibly, just maybe...” she began, trailing off, almost afraid to finish the sentence, least it raise her hopes in the matter. “Want to be H.B.’s... pet?”

The thought of the oh-so-sad creature turned pony frolickling, playing with, and just over all doing generally wonderful pet-related things with a currently-as of yet-named animal friend set the pegasus’ heart aflutter with excitement.

“Not that she couldn’t do those things with Fighty, Bitey, or even Lucas,” Fluttershy’s ears then drooped as she recalled some facts about H.B.’s current roommates. Facts that, yes would only come to play when the seasons turned, but they were still saddening nevertheless. “Maybe Rarity was right. After all, H.B. would be even more lonely and sad when Winter comes...”

With these sobering thoughts in her mind, she found herself at a fork in the path that she was on. One way would return her back to her warm and cosy cottage, while the other, the hustle and bustle of the marketplace.

Fluttershy paused and tapped her forhoof against her chin thoughtfully while considering this seemingly mundane choice.

“I suppose that I could check on Angel, to make sure that he knows that I’m alright,” Just as she was about to go down the path to her left, her hoof hesitated. “Although,” she began, “I did promise him a treat. I wouldn’t want to make him think that I was lying to him, And besides, I can pick up more food for the others while I’m there.”

With those thoughts in mind, she turned and made her way down the path to the right.
> Strawberry Feuds Forever
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 17


Strawberry Feuds Forever



Upon arriving at the market, Fluttershy found herself feeling the all-too-familiar rush of anxiety spread throughout her entire body.

It didn’t matter how many times she had been here, or that she was a regular at the stalls that specialized in pet supplies, or even that everypony in town knew her kind, soft, gentle demeanor and that she was the go-to pony if their ‘little precious’ had come down with a case of the sniffles.

Those things didn’t matter to that scared little mesohippus side of her brain. No, what mattered was that she would have to interact with other ponies.

Animals were easy. Animals didn’t want terribly complex things: food, water, shelter, or a warm touch. Even if you only had something similar to what they wanted, they would most likely be satisfied with that.

‘Mostly,’ she thought, recalling Angel’s more picky moments.

Yes, ponies wanted all those things too, but sometimes they wanted other things. Things that required interaction. And then, if you didn’t have those things they wanted, the questioning full of judgements would begin...

‘Why don’t you have it?’, ‘You should have it.’, ‘You must not be very good at your job if you can’t-’

‘Just, Stop!’ Fluttershy mentally commanded herself. ‘Take a deep breath,’ she began. ‘Let it out…’ she slowly exhaled. ‘And remember who you’re doing this for.’

It was those happy little faces, with their twitching whiskers and noses as they joyfully bounded to her, eyes bright with the knowledge that their hungry bellies would soon be filled. This bright imagery gave the shy pegasus the strength to push her hooves forward.

Looking around and past several colourful faces, sandwiched between a couple of other stands, she spotted the carrot-themed sign that signaled her that it was sure to have the perfect treats for her Angel.

‘This won’t take long at all,’ she thought, making her way to the booth.

When she was nearly there, suddenly she was greeted with an unexpected and startling green surprize entering her field of vision!

“Burpless?” Exclaimed an enthusiastic voice.

Fluttershy found herself jumping back with a stammering 'eep', followed by a confused, sputtering ‘W-what?’ escaping her mouth.

“Burpless!” the voice once again exclaimed. Fluttershy finally looking up to see a green stallion, with a darker green mane and yellowish eyes attached to the hoof that was practically bestowing her with a vegetable that she was just now recognizing as a cucumber.

“Uhm, well...” Fluttershy began hesitantly.

“Or I got diva!” The sales pony said enthusiastically, before producing another example of his produce.

“That’s very nice but-”

“If that’s not your tastes,” the stallion began to rummage through his saddlebags. “I have telegraph!” he excitedly said bringing forth a long thin looking cucumber.

“Oh, w-well actually-”

“Not what you’re looking for?” He asked scratching the side of his head with the vegetable.

“No, what I’m really looking for is-”

“Never fear my dear! Here at Dill’s 'Pickles and Cucumbers Emporium', we have every variety!” he said, rushing over to his stand and pulling open a curtain to display his long emerald wares. “I’ve got munchers, straight eights, lemon, marketmore, cherkin, and new this season, the exotic suyo long!”

Finding herself starting to become overwhelmed by the overeagerness of this vendor, Fluttershy’s protests could only come out as small whimpers.

“I-I just really want-”

“I’m sorry miss, I didn’t mean to rush you! Take your time!” he said, zipping behind the counter of his stand and rap-a-tapping his hooves excitedly. “Just remember that I can’t have these cucs out all day and at these prices won’t last forever!”

“Dill Pickle!” The green stallion cowered at the near thundering voice from the next stand over.

Fluttershy turned to see who it was, and much to her relief, it was Golden Harvest. A set of green, angry-looking eyes almost covered by an orangish mane were glaring directly at the stallion.

“I’m just trying to give the filly what she obviously wanted...” Dill responded with a wide toothy grin.

“Actually,” Fluttershy began, an apologetic look in her eyes. “I am here to get carrots...” She gave him a soft conciliary smile to the quickly wilting vender. “I’m sorry.”

“Ah... right,” Dill replied, flushed with embarrassment while sulking to the safety that was under his counter. “Sorry to be a bother...”

“Oh,” Fluttershy repllied hesitant to say anything more, least this purveyor of pre-pickle produce proceed to prostolitize more of his product. “I-it’s alright, Maybe if I run across a Kappa or an animal that really likes cucumbers, I’ll be back...”

“Kappas, sure... like that will ever happen...” Dill muttered while slumping on his stand.

“Don’t mind him,” Golden Harvest said rolling her eyes before ducking behind the counter of her stall in order to have her freshest out for her best customer. “He makes one really good sale this late in the day and suddenly he’s the crunch in the carrot.”

“Cucumber!” Dill shouted from his stand. “Crunch in the cucumber!”

“Nooo...” Golden Harvest began, taking a deep breath in order to hide her irritation. “The saying goes ‘cool as a cucumber’.”

Dill humphed. “There’s nothing that says that it can’t be both. And that wasn’t just one really good sale!” he said holding his hooves up to make air quotes. “She bought two of everything I have! She might even make me her go-to pony for cucumbers if her pickles come out right!”

“Your usual dozen?” Golden Harvest asked a nodding Fluttershy. “I think she just said that because you were creeping her out.”

Dill frowned at his competition. “You’re just jealous because Heartbreak chose my cucumbers over your carrots!”

The mare beneath the carrot top themed sign sighed before dragging her hoof over her face in frustration.

“If you had been paying the slightest bit of attention,” Golden Harvest stated, picking up a bustle of lovely orange carrots by their leafy stems before putting them into a brown paper bag. “You would have heard her say that: A), she wasn’t in the mood for carrots, and that B), she prefers to be called-”

“H.B.?” Fluttershy quietly interjected before giving a signature ‘eeping’ at the thought that she could have interrupted the conversation.”Uhm, sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude...”

“It’s ok.” Golden Harvest replied, raising an eyebrow as she hoofed the sack to Fluttershy. “You know H.B.?”

Fluttershy nodded taking the sack and putting it into her saddlebags. “Yes, I’m taking care of her.” Just as she spoke those words, her wings stiffened and she realized what that could mean. “Wait,” she nervously gasped before quickly looking around. “Does that mean that she’s here?

“Well, seeing that she tasted my cucumber..” Dill said smiling. ”I would have to say that the answer is ‘yes.’”

Golden Harvest rolled her eyes and glared at Dill. “And you were wondering why I get more customers.” She practically growled taking the bits and turning her attention back to Fluttershy. “Taking care of her? Oh right, now that I think of it, she did mention about getting over a cold or something.”

“Oh..I-I suppose that you’re right.. “Fluttershy replied, deciding not to read into what Dill had just said, before turning her attention to her friend. “She is just getting over a really bad-” She paused, wondering if there was a better word she could use for what H.B. had been through. “-cold. But! There's still that last little bit that's clinging on. At least, that’s what she says. I just didn’t realize that she felt well enough to come outside, let alone go to the market.”

“Well, if you are worried about her,” Golden Harvest said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “I think she said something about rooting through the fruit stands, I’m not really sure. A mom and her crying foal came by. Hard to hear over that noise.”

"Oh, thank you so very much!" Fluttershy replied smiling and turning towards the fruit stands. 

Golden Harvest smirked at the sad looking Pickle. "And that is how you get return customers." She quipped. 

"Pffft, whatever. I had more flare!" he snarked.

"I'm just trying to give you some friendly advice,” she retorted. 

"Well I-"

Just then, a crotchety-looking old mare with large glasses and a tight bun in her mane nearly jumped out from behind her counter. 

"Would you two foals keep it down?!" She shrieked. "Not only are you scaring away customers, but yer interrupting my stories!!"

"Y-yes, Mrs. Brussels," the two ponies stammered in unison.


=============================================================


Fluttershy bit her lip upon entering the area designated to fruits in the 'fruits and vegetables' section of the market. 

‘It feels a bit wrong leaving the two of them arguing like that,’ she thought as she stretched her neck to get a better view over the crowd of ponies just going about their daily shopping. ‘But I have to make sure that H.B. isn't pushing herself like she was when she first got sick!’

Just then, these concerned thoughts were interrupted with a familiar
exasperated groaning.

Turning to the exaggerated dissatisfied bemoaning, Fluttershy was able to catch glimpses of the back of a clearly flustered tan mare wearing a green military cap sat upon the ground in front of what looked to be two young vendors.

As she drew closer, the fragrant aroma of strawberries wafted to her nose, while the sound of argumentation reached her ears.

"I should be able to sell to her!" A filly's voice cried out. "I saw her first!"





"No! I saw her first!" The other filly exclaimed angrily. "Besides, she doesn't want any of your tiny sour berries!"

"It's called tartness!" The pink filly with freckled and an almost leafy looking mop of a mane retorted. "And my berries might be small, but they're full of flavor!" She decried, pointing out the advertising sign on her booth. "Unlike your big red water bags pretending to be berries!"

"Water bags!? Excuse me? My berries are juicy!" the reddish filly with a light pink fluffy mane countered, pointing at her own advertisement. "And they are loads sweeter than your so-called berries!"

Fluttershy found herself taken aback at the heated squabbling taking place.

Heartbreak's fore hooves covered her ears before exasperatedly dragging down the sides of her face. "I just wanted to buy some fetting strawberries..." she muttered. 

"What happened?" Fluttershy asked Heartbreak, only to get a startled response from the mare. "Oh! I'm sorry...I didn't mean to scare you." She said apologetically.

Heartbreak momentarily held a hoof over her chest, her eyes wide before squinting and blinking a little as if she needed a moment to recognize who had just started talking to her.

"Fluttershy...I-It's alright." She squeaked out, blinking and calming herself down. "I just didn't expect to see you so-" she paused and winced at the high pitched shrieks coming from the strawberry booths. "-soon."

Fluttershy found herself also cowering back from the ruckus being produced. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Heartbreak gave her caretaker a confused look as her ears pinned themselves back in an attempt to block out the cacophonous bedlam before them. "What?"

Fluttershy gave the two fillies an uncomfortable glance before clearing her throat and attempting to project herself over the noise. Just like Rainbow Dash taught you.

 "I said-"

"Hey! Let go!"

Fluttershy turned to the two ponies. "Uhm...excuse me..."

"No! You let go!"

"Uhm...girls?" But still no response. The pegasus steeled herself, she didn't want to do this, but-

"Girls!!" Fluttershy shouted, her wings unfurling as she practically stared down the two little fillies, who, with almost no hesitation, ceased their feud and slowly went back to their respective booths.

Heartbreak peered over Fluttershy's shoulder. "Oooo, Flutterstare." She quietly commented.

"Why are you fighting?" Fluttershy asked, watching the files cross their hooves and turn their backs to one another.

"Shakes started it!" The filly with the green mane proclaimed.

"Stop lying, Sweets! We all know that you're the one that started it!" Shakes countered.

"Well, you're the one getting in the way of my sale!" Sweets rebuffed.

"Your sale?!" Shakes exclaimed, indignity in her expression. "She's going to buy from me!"

"Oooor-" Heartbreak started after loudly clearing her throat. "I could buy from neither of you."

The two fillies faces dropped in unison.

"That's not fair!" They exclaimed. 

Heartbreak shrugged. "Life's not fair." Fluttershy turned to the tan mare, giving her such a look. "What? I'm just saying..."

Fluttershy took a small sigh before looking up at the two. "Have you always been fighting?"

Sweets turned her head slightly, the adolescent filly biting on her hoof. "Nooo..." she finally admitted. "We used to do this thing together."

"What happened?"

"Well..." Shakes began before sighing. "Our moms said that cause we've turned fourteen that 'we're young mares now' and 'we ought to learn to be more independent.'" She said while rolling her eyes and making air quotes with her hooves. 

Sweets rolled her eyes and quietly shook her head. "Doesn't help that our moms gave us 'Flowering Fields: A Filly's Guide' to read..."

"Oooh..." Fluttershy said, a flush of embarrassment going over her face. Obviously there could be more going on in these young fillies lives than just a mere squabble over who could still berries to whom. Just then, as if whispered into her ear, a rather wonderful idea came to her. "You girls don't like fighting all the time, do you?" She asked, the two of them shook their heads. "And you want to work together like when you were younger, right?"

"Of course I do!" Shakes nearly shouted throwing her hooves out exasperatedly. "I mean..." she paused and scratched her head, the gears turning to find the right word. "Of course I don't want to fight with my cousin and of course I want things to be like they were when we were younger."

Sweets turned and looked at her cousin with wide tear-laden eyes. "I want that too!" She exclaimed before the small smile on her youthful face was whisked away by an intruding thought. "But what about our moms?"

"Uhm, I have an idea," Fluttershy sheepishly interjected. "That is, if you want my advice..."

"If it means that we get to work together again, I'm willing to listen!" Shakes replied excitedly. 

"Me too!" Sweets chimed. 

"Well," Fluttershy began, tapping her chin. "If I were where you two were, maybe instead of competitors, you could become business partners?"

The two fillies looked at each other blankly, giving Fluttershy a moment's panic, which melted away once their eyes went wide and they smiled in delight. 

"That's actually a great idea!" Sweets piped. "When our moms said that we had to be more independent, we both got pretty small stands, but if we became business partners-"

"-then we could combine our stands and share resources!" Sweets finished. "We could even share duties!"

Shakes tapped her chin. "I think I read something about this in the market guidebook..." she said before pulling it out of her saddlebags and flipping through it. "Something about... needing to... needing to-" she trailed off before slamming a hoof down to a seemingly important paragraph. "Yeah! Right here! 'Any new stand must have a name, this applies if two or more strands combine to make a new stand!'"

"You actually read that thing?" Sweets incredulously asked, her little nose wrinkling at the thought of reading so many words. 

"I was bored..." Shakes replied shrugging. "But anyway, partner-" she playfully nudged Sweets. "-If we're going to be doing this, what should our new name be?"

"Don't look at me!" Sweets said pulling away, a look of concern on her face. "I'm terrible at that! I named my pet duck, 'Ducky McDuckface!'"

"Oh yeah..." Shakes reported, their attention turning to the two mares, that despite all reason, were still standing in front of the stands. "What do you think we should call it?"

"Oh," Upon being put on the spot, Fluttershy shrank away. "I-I don't know..." she stammered, her eyes darting frantically about. Just then. She remembered the creative pony standing next to her. "Uhm, H.B., what do you think?"

"Huh?" Heartbreak asked, her attention snapping back to the conversation that had unfolded before her. "W-what do I think of what, now?"

"What they should name their new stand?" Fluttershy replied.

Heartbreak looked taken aback. "Wait, they're no longer fighting?"

"Not anymore!" Sweets practically shouted. "Fluttershy reminded us of how much we loved working together and suggested that we become business partners!"

Shakes pounded a hoof on the counter of her stand. "So! You got any ideas?"

Heartbreak jumped back at the sudden noise, while her eyes darted back and forth. "Uhm..." She scratched the side of her head, before looking up at the signs that currently adorned the stands. "Well... Strawberry Sweets Strawberry Shack? Strawberry Shakes Sweet Shack?" She raised an eyebrow. "I don't know... with names like those, why not call it 'The Strawberry Sweet Shake Shack'?"

"Humph," Shakes muttered. "Not very original, kinda sounds like it was made up on the spot."

"Well, I like it! It's like us: cute and kinda catchy!" Sweets mused. 

Heartbreak gave a halfhearted uncomfortable laugh. "That's because it was kinda made up on the spot." She muttered. 

"What?" Shakes asked. 

"Nothing," Heartbreak replied, sheepishly. "To be honest, I was distracted by Tropical Breeze’s fruit stand," she peered past the fillies. "It looks like she got a crate of mangoes..." she said, wiping her chin.

"Maaaangoes?!" Both Sweets and Shakes decried.

"Mangoes have huge a seed and barely any fruit! Strawberry seeds are tiny and crunchy! Plus the whole berry is fruit!" Sweets said looking up at her potential consumer.

"Why would you want one of those oversized red and green bird fruits?" Shakes asked frowning in disgust.

Heartbreak's expression soured. "You know, if you keep insulting my mangoes, well," she took a deep breath and sighed. "I still don't have to buy your strawberries..."

Sweets jumped up, gently pushing her cousin back and giving an apologetic smile. "You're going to have to excuse my partner here. It's been a long day..."

"You don't say..." Heartbreak replied exasperatedly.

"Tell you what... how about I give you a twenty-five percent discount for the soon to be grand opening of The Strawberry Sweet Shake Shack?" Sweets asked smiling while making her eyebrows bounce up and down. 

"Ugh, deals, I don't know about-" Heartbreak started rubbing her fore leg. 

Shakes nudged her way past her cousin's restraining hoof. "A hard sell, eh? How about another twenty-five percent?" She looked around and held her hoof up to the side of her face. "Along with a promise not to tell any pony about this whole mess..."

"Oh, believe me, I won't be needing to be telling any p-pony about this." Heartbreak could only roll her eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh as the two fillies stared up at her expectantly. "I mean, how could I say no to an offer like that and, uhm, miss out on being the very first consumer of The Strawberry Sweet Shake Shack..." she said with only the barest wafting of enthusiasm to her voice.

"Great!" Sweets beamed before, once again, pushing Shakes back. "How many would you like, and would you like small and flavorful or big -and- juicy?"

Upon hearing another extended sigh leave Heartbreak's lips, Fluttershy could sense the intense desire that her charge had just left to leave the situation.

"Why not both?" She interjected, looking at Heartbreak with sympathetic eyes and a light touch to her shoulder. 

Heartbreak glanced up and blinked, a small bemused smirk made its way to her face. "Why not both?" She repeated before nodding and turning back to the strawberry stand. "Yeah, why not both? Mix them together in one container... please."


=============================================================


Walking back from the market, I could feel the awkwardness of what happened hanging in the air. Well, at least what I think was going. 

'Fet. Locks. I keep doing this. Just wish I knew what to say in these situations!' I glare up at the trees and then down at my fucking hooves.’It doesn't help that the only ambient sound is coming from these useless things!’

Mentally, I take a breath. I know what to do, like physically, it's just a matter of actually doing it. 

‘Well, you could start by-’

"Ehm," clearing the throat. It's both the classic way of starting a conversation and checking for phlegm build up!

Fluttershy jumps out of whatever contained her with a classic Fluttereep. I wonder if there's a counter for such things...

"Sooo, uhm," here we go.

"Yes?"

"Yeah", crap, that sounded irritated, was that irritated? No! Don't overthink it! Just keep going! "Thanks for helping me shop around and for carrying some of my groceries. They aren't too heavy are they?" Come on H.B., it's just-

"Oh no," she replies, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "It's just some bread." She pauses. "I'm sorry that Tropical Breezes was out of mangos."

"Eh," I reply, blowing a curly forelock that didn’t quite make it under my hat out of my face. "Neither of us could've predicted that the whole cart was a pre-order. Truth be told, I can't imagine what any p-pony would do with that many mangos....unless there's a bat pony hanging around that I'm unaware of."

"Thestral."

"Oh...well, thestral, yeah." Fetlocks, you're such a klutz. Whelp, better to learn that here and now with Fluttershy than later and somewhere important with a real thestral, right? "Anyway, if you couldn't tell, I'm terrible when it comes to situations like the marketplace."

I pause and adjust my hat. The heat and humidity are causing my mane, or at least that stupid little part in front to curl up more than usual.

"Just too many voices, too much noise, all at once, and all of it is trying to tell you something while changing the prices on you." Ugh! Got. To. Push. It. Under. The. Hat! There! Mane-slash-hair situation contained!

"Oh, I do know what that's like," she says, stopping beside me as I finish tapping my green military hat back into place. 

"Oh yeah, cause there was like that one time-" Wait! Try to word this like you don't know exactly what happened! Also, all that movement must loosened something because fetting stupid saddlebag feels like it needs adjusting. "With the cherry and Rarity giving you some... interesting advice."

"It wasn't bad advice..." She says, her ears turning down and her eyes looking away from me.

Fet, turn down the snark, H.B. can't be bad mouthing Rarity in front of Fluttershy!

"I wasn’t saying that it was bad advice, just...interesting." Oh, yeah. Nice save. That needs a slow clap as a reward. "Well, uhm," gotta start this over. "What I was meaning to say was, if I haven't said it before was, thanks for showing up when you did and dealing with the situation. Back in the marketplace that is."

"Oh." She glances back at me before, once again looking at the trees with what might be a thoughtful expression. "It's alright, the two of them just needed a little reminder-"

"- that a little kindness goes a long way?" Her feathers are ruffling, fet, really rolling those natural twenties in charisma today, aren't we, H.B.? "I-I was paying attention," yup, sputter that out. "I just got distracted by those mangoes is all." Fetting fet, H.B., you've been wearing these stupid saddlebags for like what? Four-ish months? You’d think that you’d realize that you can’t adjust it like you could with a standard backpack! Rocking your... backside isn’t going to do anything!

She gives me a small smile. "It's ok." Then, as if she's sensing my discomfort with my saddlebags, she lifts a hoof and adjusts them a little. 

"Uhm, thanks."

"You're welcome," she softly replies as we continue down the path. "I'm surprised that you felt up to going to the market at all, what with you still recovering."

"I guess that tea that what's her name-"

"Robin."

"Right. Robin gave me is working wonders." Aaaand cue a small pain in the back of my throat, followed by a hash clearing and the concerned Flutter glance! "I'm fine!" I manage to squeak out. "I'm fine." I really hope she buys that. "Truth be told, I'm surprised that I got out of the house too, seeing that Fighty and Bitey were practically flooding the front yard."

"Oh?" She asks with a small chuckle of bemusement. "They were?"

"Yeah, they almost sprayed me with the hose too!" I can feel a smirk practically claw its way out. But then a thought about something small that happened comes to mind that slams a metal cage around that little expression. "I guess I was also going a little stir crazy in that big, empty, lonely house," I chuckle. "So much so that I called out that I was leaving and said goodbye to the open air. Just in case the spiders were listening. "

"Really?" Fluttershy asks, a small quiver in her voice.

“Yeah,” I huff, after a small pause. “I mean, I might as well make them feel sorta welcome in my house if they’re going to be living there, right?” I roll my eyes at the awkwardness and slice-of-life-ness that this conversation has to it. “Course, I got no answer back. Not that I was expecting anything really... I’m guessing that they aren’t going to be coming out too often to chat. Which is a shame cause like I said, the house is pretty big, empty, and, well, lonely.” Great, you’re on repeat, H.B. “Plus, maybe they could, like, assist me with little things around the house... when you’re not there.”

Fluttershy puts a hoof over her mouth and she seems to be staring at the ground intently. I’m not sure how to interpret that. Did I say something wrong? Did I-

Fet, I’m just going to ask.

“I-I mean, I’m not trying to replace your kindness or anything, it’s just that I know that you have other things to do and well... yaknow...”

“Oh, I wasn’t thinking anything like that,” She nervously replies. Fet, ‘nervous’, is there any other setting on the spectrum of Flutter-emotes?

“Uuuh, you weren’t?” I ask, giving her a glance that I hope conveys the hint that I want her to tell me what the fet is going on in that yellow mellon of hers. “Then, what were you thinking about?”

"Well, I was thinking that maybe-" she looks away.

"Maybe what?"

She takes a deep breath and turns back, her eyes wide and pleading. "Maybe we could stop by my cottage and introduce you to some of my animal friends!"


=============================================================


Heartbreak stopped dead in her tracks, a bewildered expression practically splattered on her face. 

"Uhm," she began once her senses returned. "Fluttershy," she took a deep breath. "I don't have to point out w-why that is clearly a bad idea, do I?"

Fluttershy pensively dug the tip of her hoof into the ground. "Well...it's not a really bad idea..."

"Fluttershy..." Heartbreak once again, began through a harsh drawing of breath that once exhaled, came out as a lamentive sigh. "The animals hate me...they all hate me..." she quietly said her head drooping down. 

"I wouldn't say that they hate you," Fluttershy said, craning her neck down in an attempt to regain her eye contact.

"Just that they really, really, really, really, really, really, really don't like me?" Heartbreak asked in a mock attempt to imitate Private Pansy.

"W-well, that's not entirely true. Some of them are more tolerant of you..." Fluttershy replied, trailing off towards the end. 

"Great. They tolerate me." Heartbreak almost hissed, sarcasm nearly dripping off every word. 

Fluttershy suddenly found herself at a conflicting crossroads.

Before her was what felt less like a pony and more like a wounded creature forced to wear a pony's skin. 

‘Really, that is what she is...’ She thought moving to lift a comforting hoof to the tan mare's shoulder, only to jump back as they took a deep breath and muttered something under their breath. 

Be honest with yourself, H.B. Isn't that what A.J. taught you? Heartbreak looked at Fluttershy out of the corner of her eye before looking down and shaking her head. "I apologize, Fluttershy. It's just...I guess...I'm scared." She finally admitted.

"Of the animals?" That much is obvious, maybe a little reassurance will help. Fluttershy thought to herself. "You don't have to be. As long as I'm there, they'll be on their best behavior."

"I-it's not just the animals." Heartbreak replied, shaking her head. She then snorted and rolled her eyes. "I've had interactions with animals before- Owlowiscous, Winona, even Angel-and... it's not the way that they brandished their talons or bared their teeth, a-and believe me," she said, shaking her hoof and staring at the ground. "Those are very strong deterrents."

"Then what is it?"

"I-It's the look in their eyes" Heartbreak finally said after a pregnant pause. "The way that-" she huffed. "I mean, we've been over this. They know I'm not from... here." Looking down, she kicked a small pebble near her front hoof. "It's that glare of rejection and this might sound melodramatic, but..." her eyes closed tightly, and a pained expression flickered over her face. "I don't believe in myself enough to think that I could face that again and again."

Sympathy pangs caused Fluttershy's feathers to twitch as she heard Heartbreak speak so earnestly.

After all, how many times had she been so unsure of herself? How many times had she been afraid to take any steps towards something? How often had she lacked the self confidence to overcome her fears?

‘But then, I had my friends to give me that gentle push of confidence that I needed…’ she thought holding a hoof over her mouth. 

Heartbreak let out a small chuckle. "Hearing it said out loud? It sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn't it?"

"I-I believe in you..." Fluttershy said, the words exiting her mouth before she even had a chance to stop them. 'And by that blank expression, maybe I should have!' "I'm sorry!" She began, tumbling over herself as she entered apology mode. "Was it wrong of me to say that?"

"N-No!" Heartbreak replied after shaking herself out of what seemed like a momentary trance. "Not at all. I just wasn't expecting it is all."

"Are you sure that it wasn't bad?"

"No-I mean, yeah!" Heartbreak exclaimed. "It's just like I said, I wasn't expecting it." She paused and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, I don't think any of you six have said that before. Least, not that I can recall."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked, her voice tainted with disbelief. "Given the situation, I would have thought that they would be more encouraging."

"W-Well, they have been encouraging in their own ways, " Heartbreak replied shrugging. "Twilight was like, 'Let's do this!' While Applejack pretty much told me the answer from the start. And Rarity?" She rubbed the back of her neck. "The less said about her way of teaching, the better."

"Oh? What happened? It wasn't bad was it?"

"N-No," Heartbreak replied nervously, realizing that she just stepped in a conversational pitfall she had been trying to avoid. "She was just trying to bond with me over subjects I had no interest in."

"Oh." Fluttershy sadly replied.

Heartbreak flinched at the shift in tone. "That's not to say that they were terrible teachers or didn't have any insight. I mean, I learned a lesson from each of them. So they have had to be doing something right." she said, looking away. "If I had anything to complain about, it would be that they were a bit pushy."

"Pushy?" Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "Uhm, I'm not being pushy, am I?"

Heartbreak's eyebrow raised as she looked at Fluttershy, clearly perplexed at the question. "What?" She nervously chuckled. "No, of course not."

"Because we can always do this tomorrow, it is getting late after all!" She exclaimed anxiously. 

"Fluttershy, it's fine! Really! You're not pushy at all!”

“A-are you sure?” She asked, anxious twitches causing her flight feathers to flicker about.

"Yeah." Heartbreak paused and looked down at the two paths. A fly buzzed around her head before getting swatted away by an involuntary ear twitch. "You know what? Fet it. Ok."

"F-fet it?" Fluttershy repeated questioningly.

"Right, you’re going to have to excuse me, I was starting in the middle of a thought,” Heartbreak replied, dragging a hoof across the side of her face. "It’s a bad habit I got from my grandpa. What I meant was, 'Ok, let's do that thing you were suggesting.’ Let's go to your cottage and you can introduce me to your animal fffriends.”

Fluttershy's eyes widened and she practically pranced in place. "Really?"

Heartbreak gave the pegasus an uneasy chuckle and rolled her eyes. "Sure why not? I mean, you said that you believe in me and as long as you're by my side, the animals will be on their best behavior, right?"

Fluttershy nodded excitedly. "Oh yes, of course!"

"Then, ok," Heartbreak replied gesturing towards the cottage path. "Lead the way before I regain my sanity and change my mind."
> Animal House
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter 18







Animal House





"What is this feeling?

"This emotional surge that I'm under? Will it lead to something fantastic oooooor just another blunder?

"Why is it sung inside of my brain? With where we are going, have I gone insaaane, in-saaaane?

"OOOOO-NO!!

We do not sing!

I don't care if it's up in our heads or if it's a parody of Fluttershy's ‘So Full of Wonder’ song!

Don't you remember the time that Plastic Man from D.C. Comics got frozen,shattered,and then spread across the ocean floor, existing as a disembodied consciousness that got -what was it- boys of summer? Stuck in his head?

What does that obscure reference have to do with anything? I don't know, it was just the first thing that-

"A-are you o.k., H.B.?" Fluttershy's soft delicate voice asks as it neatly cuts through the trainwreck of thoughts that could easily pile up in my head.

"Yeah!" I reply, forcing myself to break off the staring contest that I have going on with the ground. "Just fine, why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's just that, uhm," she pauses and glances quickly behind us. "your tail is twitching more than usual..."

"Haaa- it is?" Fet, is that something that I should be worrying about? She's still looking at you! "Uhm, I wouldn't really know about that. Cause like with my ears, I can't really control it." 

She tilts her head and gives me a look of disbelief. Fet. Locks. Gotta look away. The cute factor that normally comes with the little ones is kicking in.

"Really?"

"Y-yeah," I reply rolling my eyes while sighing a bit. "Hence the hat."

"Oh..." she looks away momentarily. "Maybe that could be part of the reason that the animals don't trust you."

"Uhh..." Yup, stare blankly at her. That's sure to get the point across that I'm lost.

"Well, animals communicate with each other a lot more with non-verbal cues," she says looking away and tapping at the ground with the tip of her hoof. Ah, now I think I know where she's going with this. "Those that come to me for care or even adoption are used to being able to read somepony's full body language-"

"Aaand you think that if I were to ditch the hat, that would make them think of me as less of a threat?" Whoa! Tone down the sarcastic tone there H.B.! She's trying to help you!

"I-I mean, if that's alright with you, it's only a suggestion, I-I mean- I'm sorry..."

"No... it's fine," I reply, taking a deep breath through my nose before slowly exhaling. "I should be the one apologizing to you. It's just..." I'm grappling for words here. "I guess I've been avoiding the animals for so long that I'm getting a bit apprehensive the closer we get."

"That's understandable," she replies. "But the fact that you're willing to even come this far says that you're willing to give them a chance and do this-" she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before looking up at me all wide eyed and softly smiling."Then maybe they'll give you a chance."

Fetting. Fet. Locks. I guess that Fluttershy has two Flutterstares.

One that fills you with fear and one that fills you with hope.

"Yeah," I finally reply, trying to regain my composure after that blast of radioshy? Flutterrads? I'll come up with something later to describe this feeling. "I-I suppose you're right." I tilt my head towards hers. "I know there's not a lot of space, but you wouldn't mind stuffing this into my saddlebags?" I ask tapping the brim of my hat. "Please?"

"Not at all."


=============================================================


The heat of the summer day was just starting to loosen its grasp at Fluttershy's cottage.

Thankfully for the animals that called this place even a temporary home, there were plenty of shady spots under its bows and more importantly, lots of refreshing pools of refilling water near the long grassy areas to play in.

All that really was missing from this picturesque scene wasn't the rapid chirps of crickets, nor was it the all too loud buzzing of the cicadas. By Celestia's beard, it was most certainly not that.

No, what was sadly absent, especially for one particularly pointy eared white bunny rabbit, was the soft splash of serendipitous pink and yellow that was his pony, Fluttershy. 

Meanwhile, the tuxedo cat stalked something that was twitching amongst the tall greenery,the rat fastidiously tongue bathed himself.

While the burrowing owl quietly hooted in his den, and Nigel the fancy poodle laid near the stoop of the front door, sleeping and dreaming of his master's eventual return, evidenced by his random kicks and soft almost joy filled whimpers.

And as  all the other animals did whatever it was that they did, Angel, his whiskers at the ready, his ears perked to their highest, and his little pink nose a twitch, per usual as of late, stood vigilantly watching the path that led to the market for signs of his mare’s return.

He did not know how much time had passed between when she had promised him treats and now, but the sun was drawing steadily closer and closer to the horizon.

"Does Angel-Bunny know when Fluttershy-Pony will be back?" Was the question that broke the cotton balls' studious gaze game and caused him to jump a few inches off the ground in fright.

"Well?" The Rat asked, still continuing to groom himself, now moving onto the fluff of his little chest.

"No." Angel rolled his eyes at the rodent. "I, Angel-Bunny do not know when Fluttershy-Pony will return." He grumbled sitting up and crossing his arms.

"Fluttershy-Pony has been gone a really long time..." The Rat said between fluffs of fur between his teeth.

"I, Angel-Bunny, know this." he started, his brow furrowing.

"Gone most of the day, Fluttershy-Pony has been," The Rat almost mused, his little yellow eyes shifting ever so slightly in the bunny-rabbit's direction.

"I, Angel-Bunny know this," Angel retorted, his foot started to thump on the ground.

"Day is almost gone..." The Rat said, combing behind his ears. "Fluttershy-Pony could be spending time with 'not-a-pony-thing' animals keep going on abo-"

"I, Angel-Bunny, know this!" He shouted, throwing his paws in the air as he dangerously towered over the Rat.

Stumbling back, the Rat fought the instinct to bare his teeth. "Hey! No need for attack! Rat is just saying!"

Just as Angel was about to further grill the Rat, there came a clearly cainid yelping cry followed by the screaming yowling of a cat from the tall grass behind the cottage.

"Sounds like the cat has the fox by the tail," the Rat said, choosing to reach forward and sniff in the direction of the catastrophe rather than continue with his grooming regiment.

"I, Angel-Bunny, can hear that." He growled, staunchly returning his eyesight back to the path that his pony soon to come trotting down. His ears dropped down as the sounds of angry hisses and sharp pained foxy yapping continued.

"Angel-Bunny should look into that.." The Rat said, moving in the direction of what could be something very entertaining. "Unless, he likes the idea of Fluttershy-Pony coming back to animals at each other's throats. She would not be happy about that, would she?"

Angel glared down the trail.

As much as he wanted to be there for the moment that the yellow one returned, he really, really, really hated to admit that the Rat could be right about something.

"Fine!" He shouted, grumbling obscenities in his native lapine tongue as he stomped off to see what trouble the two predator pets had gotten up to.


=============================================================


Foxiekins held his tail close to his little fuzzy chest defensively. The offending feline had arched his back, his tail puffed up and teeth bared as they hissed angrily.

Both of them glared at the other with narrowed eyes. Their instincts started to take over, and a question then soon formed on their minds of 'who was going to make the first strike'? It looked it was going to soon have a definitive answer as the black and white cat, eyes wide, began to prime themselves for a targeted attacking pounce!

Foxiekins snarled and yipped in kind; eyes darting about for an escape route or perhaps an exploitable weakness.

With the cat's haunches starting to wiggle, the vulpine knew his decision had to be fast!!

Just as he was about to strike, that's when the cat’s ear caught the dreaded thumping sound and glaring black little eyes of Angel, causing him to reconsider this course of action.

He slunk back with fluid feline grace, before resheathing his claws and licking a paw in an attempt to appear as if he was merely washing his face. This ruse, however, was failing to dissuade any further stern looks from the clearly dominant pet.

"What is going on here?" Angel asked, his arms in their usual angry-frustrated pose. "Why are you two fighting?"

"Fighting? I, Tux-Cat have no idea what Angel-Bunny speaks of." He meowed in reply, running his dampened paw over his face before once again licking it for another pass.

"Hey!" Angel shouted, pointing a single claw on his little paw towards the white-tipped muzzle. "You, Tux-Cat don't get to speak like that until a pony gives you a name!"

At this reinforcing of what seemed like such trivial rules for such a fragile peace between the species, The Cat’s ears folded down and his black tail swished irritatedly.

"Tux-Cat was given a name by the large hairless cats! It was, uhm," he paused, blinking and staring at the ground for a moment. "Meow-Stop-Leaves?"

"Who cares what crazy cat thinks he was named?! How will I, Foxiekins, woo mares if my lovely fluffy tail has been matted and wrecked with cat slobber!?" He lamented while holding onto his poor battered red and white tipped flag tighter than before.

"It is not Tux-Cat's fault if Foxiekin’s tail can be easily mistaken for a plump, juicy field mouse..." he said, glancing up mid paw lick,a predatory glint in his eyes.

Angel snorted as furiously as any rabbit of his size and stature could. "I, Angel-Bunny don't care about either of your problems!" He turned to the whimpering vulpine. "When Fluttershy-Pony returns, she will brush Foxiekins tail. " He then turned his head back to the cat. "And she will make sure the Tux-Cat gets fed."

The two animals stopped and thought about the prospect of their respective fantasies coming true.

"But!" Angel’s shrill, almost streaking voice came cutting through the respective ruminations. "Fluttershy-Pony will not do that if either of you two are squabbling and especially if Tux-Cat is hunting around the cottage!"

Just as the pair were about to concede to these harsh-sounding rabbit-revelations, they heard the sound of Nigels' silver dog tag jingle against his collar and the excited gasp of his mouth going ajar.

All of which could mean just one thing! Quick as lightning he bounded to the trio.

"Oh! Ooh! Ooh! She's returned! She's returned! Angel’s Fluttershy-Pony has returned!!" Suddenly he stopped, ears perked high and his head cocked slightly to the side. "And there's another pony accompanying her! They smell of... mint cream?" The poodle began to bounce in place. "Oh! Oh! Oh! That is the same smell that Nigel’s owner, Haut Monde uses to scent himself! Does Angel-Bunny think that my owner has at last come to take Nigel away from this place?!" He asked before racing away.

Foxiekins turned his nose to the air. "Unless Nigel’s 'Haut Monde' has been through strange one horn magic, Foxiekins thinks that he's going to be one sad puppy cause this fox smells a new mare!"

"So? Why is that so exciting?" Tux-Cat asked, casually sliding around to the fox’s other side.

"Why is that so exciting!?" Foxiekins exclaimed, paws raised and one ear droop in confusion at the question. "A new mare means new curples!"

The black and white cat glared at the vulpine, unimpressed with his explanation.

Foxiekins groaned as he ran a paw over his muzzle. He took a deep breath. "A new mare means that they could be looking for a pet. If the mare is looking for a pet, that means one of us gets adopted. If one of us gets adopted, that means that they don't have to share food, space..." he looked at his eyes glazing over for a moment. "... curples... now does Tux-Cat understand-" he began to ask, only to find the monochrome kitty had already taken off in the same direction as Nigel. "Hey!"

"Foxiekins talks too much! That name and warm bed belongs to Meow-Stop-Leaves, the tuxedo cat!"

"Wait! Come back here!" Angel cried out. "I, Angel-Bunny am not done with you two!"

Quick like, well, a bunny, Angel raced after the two felons and nearly caught up with them when something happened that made him stop and stare.

Nigel, whose endless excitement to have even the slightest possibility in seeing his beloved Haut Monde abruptly stopped at the edge of the path where it turned into a grove of trees.

As Fluttershy walked out, the poodle sniffed at the pony that had yet to present themselves.

Suddenly, his entire body language changed.

Cowering away, his ears dropped his tail tucked itself under his legs. With his eyes wide, Angel could hear Nigel's terrified whimpers and whines.

Fluttershy attempted to calm him down with something soft sounding, only to have the canine to yelp before turning tail and bolt back in the direction of the cottage.

"Not Haut Monde! Not Haut Monde!" He muttered, as he tried to scramble past Angel.

"Hey!" Angel shouted, reaching out for a grey fuzzy near the shivering poodle's paws. "What happened?!"

"Not-" Nigel began almost snapping whatever was attempting to come at him. He then pulled back, looking as if he had seen the rabbit for the first time. He then once more whimpered, his eyes darting back Fluttershy before turning back to the cottage. "N-not Nigel’s Haut Monde..." he stammered scuttling forward to safety.


=============================================================


As 'Nigel' turns tail and runs, that sense of dread hits me yet again. Not just the dread that this won't end well, but a different sort of dread.

A feeling whose analogy can be described as similar to the first time reentering a church after several years of denouncing the practice.

One part of you knows perfectly well and good that it's illogical to be afraid. It's just a building; brick, mortar, wood, wiring, carpet, and whatever else it happens to be constructed of.

The other part, the emotional part, doesn’t care about all that stuff. That part remembers the things that happened inside buildings one these it's heard about things that have happened to others inside other buildings like these. It worries, irrationally mind you, that if you'll burst into flames because of your turn to heathenism.

But then the other side, that rational little Yu living in my brain reminds us that Fluttershy is here and she promised that as long as she was there, she'd keep me safe.

That part of me that's still Mi however, is still going on about how maybe this is a bad idea and like those many years, despite entering the church being for a home brew live action roleplay lycanthrope game, that we shouldn't be here.

"Oh," Fluttershy disappointingly gasps, once more breaking me out of what could be one of my many existential quagmires. "I'm sorry about Nigel, he's just been really looking forward to being reunited with his owner, Haut Monde."

"Uhm," Wow, Flutters interpretation of that poignant, apt brief, reaction was far different than mine! “I-It's okay, I-I guess we can cross dogs off the list of animals that tolerate me-eeee!"

Suddenly, that last syllable is forced out into a terrified 'whiny' sound as the sensation of something landing square on what I can only describe as the small of my back. Well, that is what it would be if I was still human.

"Oh! Foxiekins! What did we say about jumping on others curples?" Fluttershy softly exclaims in a stern-yet at the same time not so stern voice that only Flutters can pull off. Wait, my what?

"Uh... I'm afraid to ask, but what are 'curples'?"

"You don't know what curples are?"

"Uhm, no..." I reply suddenly learning the hard way that foxes have claws.

"They're your haunches..." she replies, a little blush spreading on her cheeks. "Your hindquarters?"

"Oh." I replied in a voice that's a little more than angry sounding in tone. Turning my head till I'm almost looking directly at my 'curples' and at the little red-orange fox that's sat upon them.

He then turns his head and he finds himself face-to-face with me.

"Pleassse kindly remove yoursss-"

I don't even get my last word out before the little red blur makes a terrified yipping followed by a confused scampering off my backside. But not before leaving some painful scratches!

"EEEP!" Fluttershy squeaks as she watches my face twist and curl into what I'm sure are some downright amusing forms. "Oh! I'm sorry! Are you alright?!"

"Yeah!" I reply, come on, push through the pain H.B.! You've been through worse! You've been magically branded, both sides! Remember?! "I'm fiiine." I hiss out, the quick pains already starting to fade.

"Are you sure? You're not bleeding are you? Oh let me see!" She says, moving to examine... my... backside...

"Yes! I'm sure!"

She pulls away, biting her lip before looking up at me with those soft, sad cyan eyes of hers. I can make out the smallest of whimpers before she goes to ask me a question.

"Are you sure you're okay with doing this today? After all, we can still wait till tomorrow..."

Good fetting Gaia. Right now I'm reminded of why, when asked, my last girlfriend, the knee that I keep nameless, except in a small box tucked away in a hidden corner of my mind, always said that she was a 'Futter-Pie' when it comes to personality.

So anxious, so unsure, always questioning little things. But that could be expected, what with her father and growing up in such a restrictive chur-

Hey! H.B.! You're doing it again! There'ss no time to go into this complexx and very traumatic backsstory involving her!

Fet, for once that stupid inner voice is right. 

Fluttershy asked us a question and you need to answer! Just do what you will with her when she would lose the ability to believe in herself. She did say that she believed in you. Can't lose that bit of self confidence so soon, right?

"Yeah, I'm still sure," take a deep breath, H.B., with Fluttershy at your side things will be alright. "And yes, I'm sure that I'm sure." I add, already seeing the words form in her lips as she raised a hoof.

"Oh," she replies, that same hoof dipping before raising it once more. This time however her wings follow suit and her ears fold with classic 'shy-concern'. "Are you-"

"-Yes," I interrupt, already knowing where this line of questions is going. "I'm sure that I'm sure." She meeps a little, a nervous apt apologetic expression on her face. "I'm sure." I add for good measure.

She giggles involuntarily before covering her mouth and sheepishly looking away.

"I'm sorry..." she quietly apologizes.

Again. Flutters is reminding me of her.

"I-it's alright, like I've told you before, you don't have any reason to apologize. Now-" Alright, step forward out of the quiet, safe shade of this small grove of maple trees and into that harsh, open, bright light of the... I don't know... out of my comfort zone?

The sun, while not close to setting, is just starting to cast longer than normal shadows. And it's quiet.

Which is something that I've come to expect by now, but it'd be nice if there were other sounds to fill this unnatural void. Well, other than the clip-clop of hooves and the whispering of a warm summer breeze through the maple leaves.

Wait. No, I was wrong. There is another sound. A rustling in the grass and a frightened wordless gasping that's coming from somewhere... close?

"Where the fet... oh..."

Looking down, not five feet from where I'm standing, is a little white powder puff with an expression of pure, open mouth, wide-eyed, ear-drooping fear.

"Uhm, o-oh. H-Hi Angel." Oof. All that confidence talk? Yeah, that's starting to melt away. And all it took was over a small rabbit.

"Angel?" Fluttershy gasps as she sees her beloved pet who looks as if he should be dropping chocolate jelly beans any time soon. "I-I didn't expect you to... uhm be greeting me here. I thought you would still be at the cottage..."

Wow, that was really awkward, and this is Fluttershy we're talking about!

"Fluttershy," speaking of all things awkward. "He's still staring."

"Don't worry, just let me have a talk with him to let him know that everything will be alright and that you're perfectly safe." She assures me going up to the fossilized lagomorph.

"Angel, I know you're scared, but it's going to be alright. I just wanted her to meet all of the other animals and see if any of them are willing to give her a chance. Don't you think she deserves a chance?"

Gawd, hearing Fluttershy talking like that and like... I knew it was coming, and it's really corny sounding, but I just didn't expect it to make me feel this... uhm, hopeful? I guess that's the emotion that's attempting to push a grin from my face.

"Y-yeah... Angel," I stammer, letting that grin spread over my face. Gawds, if it weren’t for the fact that I am in a land of talking and thinking animals, saying what I’m about to say to a rabbit would be really stupid. "All I'm asking for is a chance."

Fet. He’s not breaking out of it. His face is still frozen in the expression of what every horror-writer dreams of invoking in their audience. Which, of course, means that he’s still staring. Half of me wonders what nightmarish abomination he is seeing right now, if any that is. The other half says that somethings are better left unknown. Though... maybe if I asked nicely it would help?

"Uhm, please?"


=============================================================


Angel had hopped over to the edge of the grove, hoping that Fluttershy had not brought whom he feared she had brought.

'She wouldn't. I, Angel-Bunny am still much more important to her than that... thing!' He told himself.

'She cares about me... and the rest of them.' He had assured himself in every bound.

And yet, with each movement forward, there was a creeping fear that was growing stronger and stronger.

At first it was difficult to pinpoint the exact sensation that was triggering this apprehension. But with as many times as that creature had passed within range of their safe abode it quickly became clear that there was a deafening silence, a lack of song birds that would normally accompany Fluttershy's return.

Upon drawing closer, that wasn't the only unnerving thing.

The wind on the trees carried with it an odor of old decay. Was it rotting wood and leaves? The smell of sick, mangled, festering flesh? Of food long forgotten and left to spoil and ferment?

Or was it the harsh musk of an unknown predator lurking in the shadows? The repulsive smell of its saliva dripping on the ground, its heavy, fetid breath polluting the air as it lay in wait, anticipating an obvious prey.

Just as Angel was a few more large hops to his pony, that, that was the moment in which a loud crashing noise came from the bushes causing him to freeze in place.

Foxiekins came bolting out from the tangled undergrowth, his fluffy tail at least tripled in size in terror!

Angel's head slowly turned to the entryway in the trees, the only bright spot being Fluttershy as she gasped at an unknown darkness, a blotting in his vision. As if a swath of the darkest of shadows had somehow stolen the light present within the trees.

Time felt like slow moving syrup that was holding the bunny in place, before whatever had stayed behind Fluttershy, most likely using her as a camouflage, a shield, stepped forward, the menacing sounds of dry sticks cracking more like bones under the weight of the thing’s hooves...

'Oh! Hhhiii Angel...' This mockery of was meant to be a pony wheezed from a mouth that was filled with far too many razor sharp teeth.

Fluttershy walked up to him, her voice attempting to convey a calming presence to this situation, but instead it arrived to his ears as a slow, twisted, warped muffled mess.

A calm sounding muffled mess, but a mess nevertheless.

'How can she be so calm?!' His mind boggled beholding the many details that had only been blurs from the cottage window.

Things like how the shadowy protrusions came out of its hooves seeped into the soil and spread pitch black cracks that seemed to taint and warp everything around it...

Or the way that its mane and tail writhed about as if it were made of an entire nest of black and brown snakes!

Then there were those eyes...

White voids encircled by thin black pinpoints causing them to take on the appearance of horrifying gaping maws.

"She deserves a chance," Fluttershy said, her voice fighting to overcome the eerie clinking of iridescent chains that wrapped around its various body parts.

"Yeeeaahsss, Angel," the thing blurbled, a second face appearing just at barrel level. "All We Are AssKing for isss a chaaanccce!"




> Anything but 20/20
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter 19:







Anything but 20/20






“Sssooo... How about it, Angel?” Heartbreak asked with all the self-assurance of a newbie used-cart sales pony that had yet to be corrupted by shady business practices. She then proceeded to lift a hoof and stretched it out to less than a two hoof pace towards the terrifiedly transfixed little rabbit. “T-truce?”

Up until that moment, Angel had stood, frozen, his mouth agape, the smallest of trembling whimpers fighting their way out of his throat. However, after what to Heartbreak seemed like an olive branch being extended, did Angel come back to his senses and a loud squealing sound came emanating out of him.

As he turned in an attempt to flee from the invading appendage. However, the very ground and his own feet were conspiring against him in a bid to force him to say and bare witness to this ever darkening messenger of death!

But he would not go quietly. No!

He was Angel-Bunny! El-ahrairah Be Praised! And a few solid kicks showed the ground as he burst forward towards the safety of his burrow in the cottage! Everything would be fine!

But wait, it wasn’t, a voice in the back of his mind said.

What about the Yellow One?? What about his pony?! What about his Fluttershy!? He could not leave her with stuck a horrid ghast!

With a sharp turn and lightning fast reflexes, Angel made a u-turn and sped up behind Fluttershy’s tail, so fast, that she barely had time to even react with a startled eep! 

“A-Angel?” She stammered, her light frame being pushed a full nine centimeters forward.

Heartbreak’s ears fell down and her eyes went wide and sad. “I-I’m not that scary am I?” She asked, her bottom lip looking as if it was fighting the urge to quiver.

Angel’s head slowly turned and he looked directly at Heartbreak, his eyes widening ever further, his limbs trembling and his ears limply draped on either side of his head. Stumbling once more, he could only reply with a high pitched scream before panicky scampering back towards the cottage. This time without any hesitation in his gait.

“I guess that would be rabbit speak for ‘yes’.” Heartbreak grumbled, defeat painted on her face as she slumped down.

“Ooooh,” Fluttershy began, her wings flickering anxiously. “That’s not good..”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes and silently sighed to herself. “Why would you ever say that, Fluttershy?” She asked, only putting the barest effort in covering up any sardonic overtones.

“Bunnies usually don’t scream like that,” Fluttershy replied, her hoof nervously hovering in the air as she seemed completely oblivious to Heartbreak’s use of sarcasm. “Well, not unless something has seriously hurt or terrified them.”

“And that something being me...” Heartbreak said, voice barely audible over the sound of her crumbling self-worth.

“What?”

Heartbreak’s face jolted and she forced a smile. “N-nothing,” She replied giving a small chuckle. “Nothing.”

Fluttershy covered her mouth with the bottom of her hoof and her eyes darted between her student and the cottage where her beloved Angel was. Most likely hiding beneath a table, no, a chair? No... Her bed! That would be the safest-

“I have to go and check on him!” She exclaimed, her feathers twitching and flickering about. “To make sure that he’s ok!” she started to walk forward only to stop mid-pace and turn back to look at Heartbreak. “B-but I don’t want to make you feel like you’re being abandoned...”

Heartbreak responded oddly with a small genuine smirk on her face. “It’s fine, Fluttershy. I-I don’t feel abandoned... by you, that is...” She added.

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked concernedly.

“Yeah, I mean, Angel is your pet and you love him and if he needs your comfort, then he needs your comfort...” Heartbreak replied before a confused look came over her face. “But...”

“But what?”

“Uhm, it’s just...” She paused, frustration forming as she searched for words. “S-should I go back to my house or-?”

“Uhm, well.. Only if you want to...” Fluttershy replied, her voice cracking with sadness.

Heartbreak looked at the ground contemplatively before taking a deep breath through her nose and letting it out through her mouth.

“Are you sure that there are animals here that can tolerate something like me?” She asked, fighting the tight lump of lachrymose that was trying its hardest to come out.


“Yes... I’m sure there are...” Fluttershy finally replied after a moment's contemplation of some very difficult emotions.

“Then... I’ll be fine waiting right here for when you’re done making sure that Angel is alright. And then you can introduce me to the rest of the Zoobilee-Zoo Crew...” Heartbreak replied, once more forcing out a smile.

“Uhm..”

Heartbreak shook her head when she saw Fluttershy’s baffled look. “Don’t worry about it, just an obscure reference from where I’m from. I... do that sometimes.”

“Oh... Okay...”

Heartbreak coughed awkwardly, “You should go check on Angel so we can do this thing...”

“Right!” Fluttershy replied, quickly trotting to her home. ‘If she’s willing to make small jokes, then there’s still hope. At least that’s what Pinkie would say, right?’



	=========


Oh. My. Sweet Indigo Princess on a pogo stick! What the fet was I even thinking saying something like that?!

Zoobilee-Zoo-Crew!? Great. Gonna have that song stuck in my head for who knows how long...

But seriously, how was that even the slightest bit appropriate to the given situation?! I mean, did you see the look in that rabbit’s eyes?!

Sure, Nigel and Foxiekins were plenty spooked. But Angel?!

If that squeal wasn’t bad enough, the unexpected blood curdling, little foal-baby! Baby scream was downright terrifying...

Right now, the MI side of my brain is winning points in an argument with YU about whether or not I really should go or stay waiting for Fluttershy.

“No...” I muttered out loud, shutting my eyes tightly and taking another deep breath before slowly letting it out. “There’s no need to press the panic button just yet H.B.! She said that she believed in me and you wouldn’t want to disappoint her by not being here, right?”

“Right,” I replied to myself after taking yet another long drawn breath. “So... we’ll just wait right her-”

Suddenly, there’s a rustling of something up in the trees that causes me to flinch and my heart to quicken a beat.

‘Is it the wind? A breeze? Oh, how I long for the days in which I grew excited to see any sort of fauna of any sort, beast or animal of any kind in a tree!’ Says an irrational voice in my head.

“C-calm down, Heartbr-H-H.B.” I stumble both in my words and in steps.” T-There’s no reason to worry. After all, F-Fluttershy said that as long as she was here-”

Just then, there’s a crackling of the underbrush that makes me jump at least five feet away, causing my side to tumble into a nearby tree! “Gah!”

Pulling away to stabilize myself, I hear a hollow thudding sound on the ground. My eyes darted to the source of this new disturbance.

“Twas merely something falling from my saddleb-bags, only this and nothing more...” I assure myself; after all, I did buy a lot of cucumbers and Fluttershy did stuff my hat in there and-

“Hoooot-Hoooooo...”

“Ooo-Kay! That did not sound like it was coming from the trees!” Great assessment, Heartb-H.B.! H.B.! “Where did it come from...” Come on, H.B., be empirical, look around!

“Cause these stupid ears aren’t telling me anything!” I mutter to myself, starting to drift back towards the wooded area from which I came. “Cause, ya know, that seems like such a safe place...”

It did, at least until the moment that I turn around and see the glowing reflection of two yellow eyes peering right back at me. This is then followed by the sound of angry chittering and the glint of sharp teeth-no-fangs in the ever darkening wooded area!

“N-Nooope! I-I’ve seen more than enough ponies to know where this could go!” I hiss under my breath.

Just then, something brushes against my leg before jumping and letting out a loud spitting noise!

“F-Flutter-Shiiiy!!” I cry out, panic gripping at my chest, forcing out a series of horse-related sounds before causing me to involuntarily rear up!

My hooves come crashing down and there’s an unexpected sensation of... something... elastic? Organic? Under my foot-hoof-Whatever!

I heard a yowling scream, see a blur of black and white, and then there was a set of sharp, cold, needle-like stabbings right in the spot above my left front fetlock.



	==========


Fluttershy looked back at Heartbreak one last time before entering her cottage.

‘She said she would be fine,’ She assured herself, gently dismissing the urge to turn around and peer out the window of her door.

Making her way to her bedroom, Fluttershy couldn’t help but notice how quiet it was. Normally, there would be some chittering, chirping, meowing, squeaking, or squawking to greet her. But this time, there was not even a peep.

‘I’ll make sure that Nigel and Foxiekins are safe after this too.’ She thought, approaching her bed. “A-Angel?” She asked, leaning her head down just far enough to peek under the sheet covering the gap between where she lay her head at night and the floor.

“Are you there?”

For a moment all that could be heard was the still quiet that was permeating the cottage.

“M-maybe he’s somewhere else?” Fluttershy asked herself. “Oh... I hope he didn’t runawa-”

Just as she was going to finish her terrifying thought, that’s when the almost inaudible sounds of small paws hopped out from under the bed, connected to which of course, there was the rest of her little white rabbit.

“Oh! There you are, Angel!” She said, her voice trembling over the thought of what harm, though unintentional, she had caused him.

Angel didn’t automatically respond, instead opting to stand high, his arms at the ready to bolt just in case she had had a lapse in judgement and brought it into the safety of their home.

Satisfied after a few sniffs of the air, and of course to make doubly sure, the bunny relaxed enough to hop over to his pony’s front leg and after a moment’s pause, embraced it, all the while making a series of worried grunts, squeaks and chuffing noises.

Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m sorry.” She finally said after attempting to search her brain for the right words. “I-I knew you were afraid of her, but I didn’t know that it was that bad!” She hugged her pet tightly, all the while he continued his wulflings.

She paused and tilted her head.

“What do you mean ‘How did I get away?’”

Angel let go of Fluttershy, and peered behind her out the bedroom door. From this vantage point he could just make out a sliver of golden hued light coming through the window, but not any sign of that horrid monstrosity.

“No, Angel,” Fluttershy calmly said, replying to the trembling voice. “She didn’t let me go.”

Angel hopped past the yellow pegasus and into the living room area. Rearing up, and once more sniffing at the air, whiskers a twitch, ears perked and alert, he began to draw closer to the door, muttering all the while.

“Yes. She is still out there, Angel...” Fluttershy replied, in a firm, yet nervous tone as she made her way to place herself between the bunny and the door. “I promised her that she could meet some of the other animals that are...” She paused and took a small breath in while once again, she found herself failing to find the right words for this whole situation. ”less afraid of her.”

Angel grumbled at the implications that he was in anyway afraid! Even of some unearthly spawn like that!

With a decoration of bravery, he set out to prove himself by hopping onto a chair set near the window and peering out to face the beastie... from a distance..

“Angel! You really don’t have to-”

But it was far too late, for from this vantage point, the lapine’s eyes were once more transfixed on the nightmarish ghoul outside!

“Please, Angel! Come back here!” Fluttershy pleaded, not wanting to witness yet another screaming attack.

And though Angel wanted desperately to turn and hide from the slithering mess near the edge of the grove, a part of him spied a change in the behaviors of this thing that urged him to continue watching...

The chains that wrapped themselves around it were flashing yellow, its vile head was twitching about as if some unseen foe was in the trees.

It was afraid. But what could possibly terrify such a monster?

Just then, a low hooting came from the burrowing owl’s den. It sharply turned as if to make is way back to the darkness of the woods from which it came. Only then to be confronted by something else that had it quickly turning and tumbling, its side slamming into a tree! 

Something green and long falling from its side!

Is that a- cucumber? Angel thought as he watched what transpired in but a few seconds.

The tux-cat then slunk out from the underbrush and then proceeded to rub past its leg, causing the Thing to rear up!

The unfortunate feline then was not spooked by the squirming black tendrils of the monsters’ leg, but by the fallen cucumber, causing him to hiss and jump back!

The cucumber might have been averted, however the falling black ‘hoof’ thing had not!


“Come here Angel!” Fluttershy exclaimed, scooping him up before he could witness what was to come. “I know you’re scared of me spending time with H.B., but just know I’ll never let you go!” She cried holding him in a way, that but for a moment made him forget about the demon outside.

But then, there was a distressed yowling followed up with a pain filled scream from outside that caused Angel’s world to go into a state of freefall. For as this happened, Fluttershy had literally let him go.

“That sounded like Mr. Tux-Cat and H.B.!” She exclaimed, racing outside, leaving the loud shutting of the door and the sound of his bunny rump hitting the floor to be the only things comforting poor Angel-Bunny.

Once the shock wore off, he rose to his little feet, a bitter sadness in the back of his throat over the returning feelings of abandonment by his pony watching over him.

Hopping back on the chair to look out the window, he beheld his ever gentle mare comforting the beast as it lay on the ground, what looked like a pained expression on its face as it held its hoof.

Concentrating, Angel could make out snippets of the conversation. Words of concern from Fluttershy, heavy denial of pain from the thing. This was then followed by the word ‘hospital’ uttered by his pony.

More denial from the monster as it struggled to stand up, only to make was what had to be an exaggerated tumble down to the ground. This was then followed by a strained moment between beauty and the beast. A moment that ended with it conceding to Fluttershy and allowing them to assist them in getting up.

As they began walking in the direction of the pony hospital, Angel swore he could see the twisted, barn-owl heart shaped face on the creatures’ flank wink and give a most satisfied grin before wrapping a long translucent tendril around his Fluttershy...

It was within that very moment he realized that it wasn’t just his pony’s compassion that was forcing her to help this ‘thing’, but a strange magic that this vile being extruded. Something that apparently none of the ponies were even aware of!

Angel-Bunny decided- right there and then - that he would do whatever it took to show the true nature of this thing to Fluttershy. To get her to see what he was seeing.

“No matter what...” he grunted.


	=========


By the time the two ponies got to the hospital, the sun had finally completed its journey to the horizon and was showering Equestria in a golden twilight hue.

“Are you sure the hospital is open this late, Fluttershy?” Heartbreak asked, her voice noticeably squeaking as she stepped forward.

“Oh yes,” Fluttershy replied reassuringly. “Or it should be, after all it’s only seven-thirty.”

“How can you tell?” Heartbreak asked, hurpling forward.

“Around this time is when the fruit bats migrate from Applejack’s orchard,” she replied. And as if on cue, when she pointed towards Sweet Apple Acres, a swath of brightly coloured bats took to the skies, thankfully, Heartbreak noted, not coming towards them.

“That’s strange,” Fluttershy said.

“What is?” Heartbreak replied, grunting a little and bemoaning the presence of the hospital stairs before her.

“I’m pretty sure that there should be more bats!” Fluttershy replied, concern in her voice. “Why, there’s a whole blue-indigo hue missing.” She lifted her hoof to her mouth. “I hope nothing terrible happened to them..”

“Yeah!” Heartbreak repled, stifling another pained squeak as she forced herself up the stairs. “That would really be terrible!” She added through clenched teeth.

Fluttershy with the bats disappearing to wherever it was that they hunted, finally caught wind of her charges’ Sysfoalus like struggle.

“Oh! I’m sorry, H.B.!” She exclaimed, rushing to Heartbreak’s side. “It was just that-”

Heartbreak held up a hoof to stop her. “It’s fine, Flutters.” She said smirking. “I understand, after all, ‘nature is fascinating’.”

Fluttershy gasped a little at what felt like a familiar phrase, but then noticed that the part of Heartbreak’s leg where her canon bones would be was looking off.

“Oh dear! H.B., your leg is looking-”

“A little swollen?” Heartbreak asked, making the final step up. “Yeah, but it’s fine.” She grimaced walking to the hospital door. “It’s not like something like this hasn’t happened to me before, and besides-” She paused, the entryway making a familiar ‘ding!’ before sliding open with a ‘whoosh!’. “I’ve been on my... hooves... for most of the day. What I really need is just some time to sit down.”

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked, staying close to the clearly hobbling pony.

“Yes,” Heartbreak stubbornly replied. As they made their way to the front desk, a sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she spied the waiting seats. However, this relief was short lived as the chair at the front desk quickly turned around to reveal who other than Heartbreak’s most favorite of staff!

“Oh, it’s you," Heartbreak grumbled.

“Yes! It is I! Nurse Robin Goodfilly! Here for the graveyard shift!” The light gray mare with amber-yellow eyes exclaimed. This time her ebony black mane looked to be neatly tied up. Which would be an improvement in her appearance, or at least Heartbreak recalled would be an improvement if it weren’t for the vagueness of the memories from the first visit.

“Goodie, goodie, gumdrops... what, they run out of needles for you to play with?” Heartbreak sardonically replied.

“H.B....” Fluttershy gently nudged. “Be nice...” The tan mare shot back with a small apt irritated half glance causing the pegasus to cower back. “Oh! Sorry...”

Heartbreak took a deep sigh. “No, I should be the one apologizing. It’s just been a really long day...”

“It’s ok...” Fluttershy said with an empathetic smile.

That’s when there was a cough that realined the ponies attention back to the front desk.

“Right,” Nurse Goodfilly began. “I don’t mean to break up this... awkwardly touching moment, buuuut, there is a reason for your visit, yeah?”

“Oh! Yes,” Fluttershy replied, nodding her head. “I’m really sorry for coming back so soon, especially with what happened last time... But-”

“Hey! It wasn’t my fault that Dr. Bad-touch couldn’t keep his hooves to himself!” Heartbreak protested. “If you were to ask me, a light concussion and a kick to the face are a small price-”

Nurse Goodfilly raised a hoof in Heartbreak’s face to silence her momentarily. “M’haps allow your friend to finish before you go on a rant about how you assaulted the staff?”

Heartbreak could only reply with a stunned, nervous silence. “Oh... yeah... I-I guess that is what kinda also happened...”

"If we're being honest, he did deserve it, but try to explain that to the higher ups..." Nurse Goodfilly said before resting her head atop her hooves while looking up at Fluttershy. “Now my dear filly, what were you going to say?”

“I-it's ok, Robin,” Fluttershy replied. "She just felt the need to say something about what happened..."

Nurse Goodfilly scoffed a little."Hmm, that's still no reason to be rude. But, moving on, like I asked before, what exactly happened?"

“Well, there was an accident at my cottage and H.B. was bitten rather hard by the cutest little tux-cat.” Fluttershy said. 

“With the sharpest little teeth...” Heartbreak interjected holding up a rather inflamed looking hoof.

“Right, I see...” Nurse GoodFilly replied making sympathetic pulls of air through her teeth before tapping sharply on the front desk. “We can definitely fit you in, even this late. There is however the matter of some paperwork.” She said, pulling out a clipboard that had at least ten or so sheets of documentation and setting it down in front of the grumpy looking mare.

“Of course there is...” Heartbreak bemoaned.

“It’s what happens when you kick a doctor in the face." Nurse Goodfilly replied, rolling her eyes and wagging her hooves in the air. "Even though, as I said, he's totally deserving of it. Now, why don’t you two read over all that, and I’ll see what doctors are still available, m’kay?”

“Yeah, ok, sure...” Heartbreak replied watching the nurse walk through a set of double doors before turning her attention to the paperwork before her. 

Glaring at the documents, she blinked, cocked her head before rubbing her eyes. She squinted, before blinking rapidly and rubbing her eyes. She did this several times before finally craning her neck back and forth.

Fluttershy cautiously peered over at all the fuss that Heartbreak was putting into just reading what was before her. “Uhm, H.B.?” She began, sheepishly.

“Yes?” Heartbreak replied, a hint of irritation rumbling through her voice as she narrowed one eye and then the other.

Swallowing, Fluttershy gave her pupil a concerned look. “Are you alright?”

There was a moment or two before Heartbreak replied. “Yeah, fine. Peachy. Great. The print is just... too small.”

Fluttershy looked over the words written down on the paper and didn’t think that they were that small. Then again... She watched as Heartbreak once more repeated her actions of eye-rubbing, adjusting her neck and squinting. And just then something in her mind clicked and she realized what could be wrong.

“H.B...” She bit her lip, not knowing if she should chance facing more irritated glares in asking the new question that was now bubbling in her mind based on this behavior. “Are you sure that you’re alright?”

Heartbreak sighed and rolled her eyes before giving an exaggerated neck drop sighing all the while. “Yes, Fluttershy. I’m sure I’m alright. I just guess that reading to colts and fillies has spoiled my eyesight, because, like I’ve said before, they made this print too... small.”

What do I do? Oh! If I say something about it, she’s sure to get upset! And today has been stressful enough already! But if you don’t say anything about it, she’s just going to keep suffering! She’s such a stubborn pony... But it’s understandable given her situation; she’s been hurt so many tim-

No! No more holding back your words, Fluttershy! Just be strong and ask what you need to ask!

Fluttershy swallowed,took a deep and quiet breath through her nostrils,and steeled herself for the answer to her question. “H.B.?”

“Yeaaah?” Heartbreak asked, her eyes still focused on the document.

“Do you need glasses?!” Fluttershy asked as if she was ripping off a bandage.

“No!” Heartbreak exclaimed, jumping at the suddenness of the inquiry. She bit her lip, sighed before looking at the words typed up in legaleze, squinted yet again, sighed, yet again, and shrugged. “Maaaybe,” She replied, rubbing her eyes for what felt like the eighth or ninth time. “I don’t know, what I do know is that I’m quickly running out of steam and don’t want to deal with the hassle that comes with said glasses tonight.”

Fluttershy felt some relief wash over her. ‘That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be!’

“What if... I read this to you, and afterwards we can look at the glasses they have, and maybe even try some of them on?” She asked in the softest voice she usually reserved for little colts, fillies and small animals.

Heartbreak sighed. “Yeeah, I guess that’d be okay.” She replied gruffly.

Fluttershy smiled and let out a small ‘Yay.’




> Emergency Drama
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter 20: Emergency Drama






“How are these even staying on my face?” I ask, peering into the mirror. 

Fluttershy is looking pleased as pie in the reflection behind me. “Uhm, aren’t there little clips on the back of the frames?” She asks, her head tilting as she raises a hoof.

“Ssso there are...” Dang, I was kinda hoping for a more magical explanation, but then again, this is Fluttershy we’re talking about and not Twilight. Tapping the frames down, I can feel the clamps gently squeeze on either side of my, ugh, muzzle. “I don’t know... it feels like they could still just fall off at any moment...”

“If you’re really feeling anxious about it,” she walks over to the wall that was full of glass frames. “They also have the option of a croakie.”

“A wha-” I see that she’s pointing out several pairs that have chains attached to what would be the ear horns. “... Is that what it’s called?”

“That’s what Fuzzy Hooves, my veterinary teacher called them,” Fluttershy giggles and nods. “Oh!” She points out a pair of green frames that have that ‘belongs-on-a-crazy-old-cat-lady’ style about them. Attached to these frames is a ‘croakie’ of small heart-shaped beads. “How about these?”

Something of Rarity must be rubbing off on me because I can feel myself physically cringe at the thought of those ‘adorning’ my face.

“Uhm, not really my style..” It’s weird having Fluttershy suggesting what sort of glasses to wear, I mean, the day started out with- uhm - talking to her about why I don’t like doctors. Geez, that feels so far away. Must be whatever’s leftover of that cold fucking with my sense of time.

Speaking of which... Here comes a glob of yuck in the back of my throat!

“Yeep! Are you alright?” Fluttershy predictively asks after I push the less-than-savory-textured mass from its resting place.

“Yeah!” Just clear that thing out, H.B. It’ll give some semblance of normalcy after Angel screamed like you were draining away his little rabbit soul. “Just post nel-nasal drip.”

“Oh... Okay.” Fluttershy looks like she is reluctantly accepting of that answer, She is slowly turning back to the frames and their ‘croakies’. “How about this pair?”

Her hoof had settled on a pair of thin round purple glasses with a chain of very light amber spherical beads that have just noticeable enough rainbow iridescence on them.

“Hmm, I’m okay with the frames as long as they also come in black.” I’m only even considering purple because... well.. It’s her favorite colour... “What the fet is up with the rainbowness on the croakie?” Yup. That word still sounds stupid.

“That-” Comes a voice right at my left side! “Would be because they magically turn invisible when you put them on!”

Taking a deep breath through my nose, I turn to glare at the pony whose voice more than irritates me.

“Nurse Goodfilly.” I curtly hiss through my teeth as I attempt to push away the addriline that was just pumped into my system.





“That’s me! Nurse Goodfilly, here for the graveyard shift!” she replies in a nearly saccharinely sweet voice. She then shifts the saddlebags on her back. There’s a book peeking out of one of the pockets. Can’t quite make out the title. ‘More with a-’? I’m more than a little tired, so looking at her is churning up more than a few unpleasant feelings.

“So you made it abundantly clear when we first came in...”

“I did? Oh, right. I did!” she exclaims giggling. Ugh, even her laugh is irritating me. Somewhere between Eris from ‘The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy’ and Q from Star Trek. She gives me a pouting face. “Why so serious? Did I do something wrong?”

Just then, I remember a few more events from last night and the reason for that dull ache near my flank.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Tone down the snark, tone down the snark, tone down the- “Could it be that you snuck up on us, ooor that I’m still sore from when you stabbed me in the flank last night? I don’t know!”

“H.B....” Fluttershy interjects.

“Ho-Oooh,” She chuckles, grinning an impish smile.”You do remember that.”

“What? You don’t?” Seriously, is she playing with me?!

Suddenly, her eyes go wide and that playful, smug, almost flirty expression is traded in for one of shock, surprise, and that fretful gaze that only comes with needing to get away.

“W-what? Of course I dooo!” She coos. “It’s just that I-”

“There you are!!” Bellows an angry mare from the other side of the double doors that lead back to the waiting room.

“Oope! I’m afraid that I have to go!” Nurse Goodfilly sing-songs as she zips out the doors opposite to the ones that a frantic looking Nurse Redheart practically barrels through.

Hooooh, boy...I don't know what hospital shenanigans are happening, but whatever they are Robin Goodfilly mustn't have been a very ‘good filly’ to make the normally calm and gentle looking Redheart look like I do when I just rolled out of bed and realized that I have a job and hurriedly rushed out the door only taken a moment to adjust the bun in my mane and tail.

“Ugh! Where did they go?!” She shouts, stomping her hooves.

“Are you looking for Goodfilly, Nurse Redheart?” I tentatively ask, Fluttershy cowering behind me a little.

“What?!” She exclaims, looking momentarily befuddled while glancing at her hooves for a second. “Oh, right, uhm, yes.” She says, adjusting her bun. “She, uhm, ‘borrowed’ a very important book from me and I’m trying to get it back.”

“Oh no,” Fluttershy gasps. “I didn’t think that Robin would do something like that!”

Redheart snorts and her mane curls a bit, a sure sign of her current frustration. “Oh, she can be quite the prankster when she wants to be... Did either of you two happen to see-”

“Which way she went?” I nod and point a hoof in the direction that the book-nabbing, flank-stabbing assailant pony fled.

“Thank you,” She says, a satisfied smirk on her face.

“Uhm, wait!” Fluttershy calls out nervously.

The nurse sharply turns. “Yes?”

“Nurse Goodfilly isn’t going to be in trouble is she?” She pauses, a great deal of concern on her face. “S-she said that she was going to find H.B. a doctor...”

“Oh! Right! A doctor, yes. Well, if the both of you go back to the waiting room,” Nurse Redheart pauses and turns. “A doctor can be with you, however there is another patient already waiting to be seen last I checked.” She explains walking through the doors.


	=========


“Geez, talk about unprofessionalism,” Heartbreak remarked rolling her eyes and clearing her throat a little before pointing to the glasses still stuck to her muzzle. “Mind putting these back, please?”

“Oh, of course not,” Fluttershy replied, tapping on the frames and removing them from Heartbreak’s face. She fiddled with them a little before putting them back on the display rack. “You don’t think that Robyn is going to get in a lot of trouble for that book, do you? After all, she did only borrow it...”

Heartbreak sighed, and once again, rolled her eyes. “I don’t know Flutters. I’d rather not get involved in hospital drama/politics.’ She paused when she saw the pony’s ears droop. “But I suppose that she’ll be alright. I mean, we can hope.” 

"I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said.

“It’s fine. After all, it’s a part of who you are, it’s what you do, care about others that is,” Heartbreak replied, slowly walking towards the waiting room doors. “I’m just really tired from today’s events and I’d like to get this done and over with so I can get those cucumbers and-Fet.” She looked at her saddlebags as a face of mild panic was attempting to build itself on her face. “The strawberries! Where-”

“Oh, those are in my saddlebags,” Fluttershy said, quickly dousing the easily recognizable flames of anxiety. “Remember?” She asked, pushing open the door for Heartbreak.

“Ooooh, yeah,” Heartbreak said walking through. “I hope they’re doing alright in there, strawberries aren’t known for their resistance to being jostled about.”

Just then, a familiar voice cleared her throat and the two ponies were treated with a disapproving face attached to an orange pony with a yellow mane. 

"A.J...." Heartbreak sheepishly said, a nervous smile creeping over her face. "Long time no see.."

"Oh, hi Applejack," Fluttershy said, sensing an uneasy tension between the two. "What are you doing here?"

"Applebloom an' her friends decided ta test their luck an' ta earn their cutie marks in 'bat wranglin''" Applejack replied, huffing and rolling her eyes, her forelegs crossed over each other. "Only thing she managed ta do was scare a swath of them varmints off an get herself swarmed."

"So that's what happened to the fruit bats..." Fluttershy murmured.  "I hope that they're alright."

"Eh, them varmints are fine," Applejack said, a cold indifference in her voice. "Ah'm sure that Applebloom's fine too, but there's no tellin' what them bats could be carryin'. So ah'm havin' the doctor give her a look over."

"That's a good idea." Heartbreak piped, making a point to sit a chair away from the apple pony. 

"An just what are ya two doin' here at this hour?"

"There was a little kerfuffle at Fluttershy's cottage," Heartbreak said, holding up a swollen hoof. "And to make a long story short? I got bitten by a cat."

"Oh." Applejack said, her face twisting in a sympathetic pained expression.

"It was an accident," Fluttershy meekly protested. "I'm sure that Mr. Tux-Cat didn't mean to bite you that hard." She said, sitting down between the two ponies. "He was just scared and confused."

Heartbreak waggled her front hooves back and forth. "I'm sure that he didn't... still hurt..." she muttered as she stared ahead of her, lost momentarily in the memory that was still fresh in her mind. Silence fell over the trio as they waited for Applebloom's return.

A silence that was broken by the clicking of Applejack's tongue and a question. "So, what was with all that talk about strawberries when ya two first came in?"

"Haaa-haa," Heartbreak groaned, avoiding Applejack's accusatorial narrow-eyed glares. "Fet-locksss..."

"What?" Applejack asked. "Ya'll thought ya could get that past little ol' A.J.?"

"I was kinda hoping I could..." Heartbreak grumbled under her breath, going to rub the side of her head, only to be reminded midway of the soreness of her hoof.  "Tssst! Ffffet!"

"What happened?" Applejack asked gruffly as Fluttershy sat uncomfortably in the middle. 

"I told you, a cat bit me an-"

"That's not what Ah was talkin' about!" Applejack said, her irritation starting to grow more present. 

"Then," Heartbreak rolled her eyes before letting out a series of short coughs. "What are you talking about, A.J? Cause if you can't tell, sick or not, I'm not a fetting mind reader-"

“What ah mean is-” She began, snorting at the ‘mind reading’ comment. “Why in tarnation did ya go off ta that there market when ya coulda come over ta Sweet Apple Acres?”

“She has been sick...” Fluttershy interjected, an anxious look in her eyes. “And hasn’t had the energy to get out...”

“Ah’m sure she can speak fer herself, Fluttershy,” Applejack huffed. “An that’s even more a reason ta have come over! Ah don’t know if it holds true where yer from, but here we have a sayin’:”

“Please don’t-”

“An apple a day, keeps-”

“-The doctor away,” Heartbreak interrupted, irritation rumbling in her voice.

“So ya have heard it!” Applejack said, her expression softening but still a blending disappointment and confusion. “So... why didn’t ya come over?”

“Uhm...”

“Apples are far better fer ya than any fancy breed of newfangled strawberries. An’ they keep better too!”

Just as Heartbreak was going to make more uncomfortable hooing and humming, the doors to the medical rooms opened and out bounded a cheery looking Applebloom, lollypop tucked in her cheek.

“All done, A.J! Doc ‘Oofer gave a clean bill of health!” she said before suddenly feeling the awkward chill in the air. She looked baffled until she spotted a familiar face in the room. “Oh! Hey-ya there, H.B.! Yer the next patient?”

“Hey, A.B.,” Heartbreak replied sheepishly. “Eeyup,” she said in her best imitation of Big Mac.

“What happened?” She asked, her voice lit with genuine concern for a fellow crusader, albeit an honorary one.

Heartbreak rolled her eyes and waggled her drilled hoof. “Just got bitten by a cat. It’s no biggie.”

“It was an accident...” Fluttershy repeated, now shifting in her seat uneasily.

“Yeah...” Heartbreak awkwardly said.

“Oh,” Applebloom said, tilting her head. “Is that why ya weren’t home earlier?”

“Uhm, sorta?” Heartbreak said with a measure of uncertainty. “It was more like I went to the market because I was low on food-”

“An Ah still think ya oughta have come ta the farm fer that...” Applejack muttered.

“Applejack,” Fluttershy uncharacteristically piped, her voice sounding so strained that her friend uncrossed her hoofs and leaned forward.

“Somethin’ the matter there, Flutters?” Applejack asked, just realizing that she might be coming off as a touch insensitive.

“No...” Fluttershy, replied tapping her hooves together. “I just remembered that I needed to talk to you about something.”

“It ain’t about mah problems with the market? Cause Ah-”

“Oh no,” Fluttershy paused and momentarily glanced in Heartbreak’s direction. “No, it’s about Winona and-”

“What about Winona?” Applebloom shouted, whimpering as a worried expression jumped to her face at the mention that something could ever be wrong with the beloved family pet.

“Uhm, well-” Fluttershy stammered, only now realizing the trouble that she could get in.

“It’s about time fer her next check up!” Applejack exclaimed, coming to her friend’s rescue. “Right?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Y-yes, that’s right..” She said matter factly.

“Oh really?” Heartbreak asked somewhat incredulously.

“Ya wanna take this ta the other room?” Applejack asked.

“Yes,” Fluttershy replied after a moment's pause. She then turned to Heartbreak. “You’ll be alright on your own if the nurse calls you before I return, won’t you?” She asked.

Heartbreak bit her lip and looked up at Fluttershy’s pleading expression. “Y-yeah.” She replied as blankly as she could. “A.B. here can keep me company while I wait.”


	==========


Fet. Locks.

That's the only thing I can really think of as I watch the two of them go into the other room to 'talk'.

"What's up with them?" Applebloom asks near the moment that the door closes and we're alone. 

It's really a question that I don't want to answer. Because if my assumptions are right, it would paint this little filly's first in quite the unfavorable light.

"Well," Great, start it off with a weird crack in your voice H.B.! That'll convince her to not make any further inquiries for sure! "It's... complicated..."

"They're talkin' about you..." Damn it. The apple that has yet to bloom is the smartest one on the tree. "Ain't they?"

"Doctors really like to keep you waiting, don't they?" I ask after sighing and giving her what's sure to be an awkward smile. She only raises an eyebrow and gives me a 'don't you dare lie to me, H.B.' glare. "They gotta make themselves feel important, right?" One last feeble attempt to dissuade the filly from asking anymore questions.

Like that ever works.

"What makes you think that?" I ask after the fraction of a second it takes for my resolve to crumble under the weight of overly cute filly eyes.

"Aw, come on, H.B." she says rolling her eyes and crossing her front hooves. Huh, must run in the family. "A.J.'s ma sister! Ah might still need ta earn ma cutie mark, ah'll be a shaved primate before ah know when she's not fibbin'."

"Shaved primate?" What the fuuu-

"Uhm, it's somethin' ah heard ma cousin Crab Apple say," she replies as she scratches the side of her face with her fore hoof.

"Yeeeah... that sounds like something Dib would say..." I remark thinking about what was it, May?

"Dib?"

"Oooh right, you weren't there when he came over to visit..." Gawds, I hate thinking about what could be taking that doctor so long, but I really don't want to go into the events of those few days with Applebloom. Just in case. "It's a nickname I came up with for him. We're sort of pen pals now. I mean, I think we are. I wrote to him, but haven't heard back..."

"We were havin' a sleepover at Scootaloo's house, her aunts made us hotdogs!"

... Scootaloo has aunts?

"Did ya put a... awe shucks, what's it called?" She asked, her large red bow shaking as she taps the side of her head. "Return address!"

"Return address?"

"Yeah! Ya know, the place where ya now live? Ya tell them there away that there post office where abouts you livin', right?"

"I-I know what a 'return address' is," I reply, fighting off that usual urge to snark that comes with somep-someone else pointing out what should be obvious. "It just doesn't occur to me that I needed to go to the post office to get that done... Plus, I've been sick for the past week."

Three cheers for the exposition fairy!

"Oh... that wasn't our fault, was it?" she asks after a moment of silence, her eyes going wide with worry.

"What? No! No..." Well, it sorta is with colts and fillies being germ factories. "It's more my own fault for not getting vaccinated when I first got here."

"That's where they stick ya up with them needles, yeah?"

"Eeeeeeyup," I reply, being reminded of the sharp pain from when the 'good' nurse Goodfilly stabbed my backside. Only to be reminded -if- the painful reason why we're here as my hoof throbs causing me to whimper, wince, and whinny!

Appleboom jumps at the jumble of sounds emanating from my throat, before peering at my hoof and then up at me with eyes that are just the epitome of concern.

Or that's what I think they are, after all some faces are hard to read.

"I'm fine." I assure her waggling my other hoof. "Cat bite, remember?"

"Then it wan't cause of the..." she looks over her shoulder and then leans forward to peer past me. "... Mark?" Fet, I can feel her eyes darting at the offending symbol.

A panicked sensation jumps up on me like some overexcited dog seeing their master.

"No-o-o, nooo, nope," I managed to squeak out. "Like I told you before, I was bitten by a cat while I was at Fluttershy's."

"Oh..." she says, a hint of confusion in her voice. Her eyes then widen. "Whatya doin' there? Ah thought the animals din't like ya..."

"Where did you hear that?" I ask, racking my brain trying to recall if I had divulged this tidbit of information to the three of them.

"Ya told us last week when we parted by her cottage," she looks at me with even more concern. "Remember?"

"Oh yeaaaaah..." there's that memory. "That's when Pinkie and the three of you burst into song..." I sigh irritatedly.

"Huh..." she awkwardly chuckles. Shit. Great bit of snark got out... "Sorry about that..."

"It's fine, A.B." come on H.B., pull yourself together here. "I must have forgotten cause that's the day I got... sick.. up and hit me. Most of what happened in that week it's kind of a blur..."

"But yer better now, right?"

"Yeah, I'm-" Gah! Throat tickle! Of course right now is when it chooses to strike! "Hem! Hem!" After clearing my throat a few times- "Better... Mostly..."

"Heart-Break?" Calls out a mare's voice, accompanied with the fast squeaking of the waiting room doors. 

"That's me..." I replied, my enthusiasm level turned down to a negative one. "and please, call me H.B."

She raises an eyebrow and looks at me with an incredulous glance before flipping the page up. "But you are the patient, Heartbreak, right?"

"Yesss..." Come on, H.B., she's most likely tired and wanting to go home. "That's-ugh-me!" I push myself up and off my most comfy of chairs.

"Hey, H.B.!" Appleboom calls out as I'm nearly about to pass through the door. 

"Yeah?"

"Ya work on gettin' better, ya hear? We've still got a lot of crusadin' yet ta do!"

Damnit, I can't help but let out a bemused chuckle at that bright little face of hers. Or maybe it's the serious time she's taken on paired with that comically oversized bow.

Whatever it is, it's both funny and comforting to know that the girls have yet to give up on me. Not that I needed it right now, but it's-

"Uhm, miss?" The nurse interjects.

"Oh! Right," I hobble forward. "I'm just an honorary member, Applebloom." Ugh, I don't feel like ending the conversation like that. "But, I'll let the three of you know when we can get back to crusadin'." I pause before going through the door. "And if I don't see you when I get back; good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!"

"You too,  H.B.!"

"Good grief, Whinnysotains..." the nurse mutters under her breath.



	=========


"An' that's everythin' that's happened?" Applejack asked, her eyes wide as Fluttershy nodded. "Well. Ah'm feelin' like the rotten apple... If ah had known she done an' got herself that sick... ah wouldn't have come down so hard on her in the waitin' room there."

"It's not your fault, Applejack," Fluttershy assured her. "It was more like a series of unfortunate events."

Applejack shook her head.  "Maybe, still..." she sighed. "Ah guess ah was a bit more riled up over Appleboom an' her friends shenanigans with them there fruit bats. The whole thing reminds me of..."

The orange pony trailed off before becoming quiet. Fluttershy could see the gaze in her friend's green eyes grow distant and teary over a deep seeded inner pain.

Part of Fluttershy wanted to reach out and console her friend, to tell her that things would be alright. But another part held her back, after all, A.J. was a strong pony and this pain wasn't hers to talk about. 

Applejack raised a hoof and rubbed her nose while sniffing hard. "Sorry about that there, Fluttershy..." she said, recomposing herself. "It's just gettin' ta be that time of year an' like ah said said, Appleboom an' her friends gettin' outta all sorts of dangerous stunts..."

"I-it's ok..." Fluttershy awkwardly replied.

"So!" Applejack exclaimed before one more sharp inhalation. "Why in the Samhill did Rarity think that introducin' H.B. ta the animals was a good idea again?"

"Oh..." Fluttershy's ears fell in shame. "Well she told me that what kindness meant to her was patience."

"Patience?" Applejack asked incredulously.

"Yes," Fluttershy nodded. "The way she put it, if there were some animals that tolerated H.B.'s presence, then maybe I could help them see her as less of a threat- maybe even find one that would want to be her companion!" She said, her wings fluttering excitedly before once more drooping to her sides. "But, with what happened, I'm not sure that will happen, after all, even if H.B. insists that it was an accident, I can't help but feel that it was my f-"

Applejack held up a hoof. "Now stop right there, sugarcube," she gave her friend a stern, yet sympathetic look. "Nun of this was yer fault."

"B-but I-I took her to my cottage without telling any of my animal friends!" Fluttershy protested. "If I had just waited..."

"Hey now, " Applejack said, lowering her head to meet Fluttershy's eye level. "Ya didn't know that they would react that way, and really, nopony would fault ya fer bein' excited like that."

"I'm just not sure what to do now..." Fluttershy whimpered. 

"Are ya askin' fer ma advice here?"

"Y-yes, please?" Fluttershy asked sheepishly. "B-but only if you're ok with giving it!" She added. 

Applejack tsked and shook her head grinning somberly back. "Now why in the Sam hill wouldn't ah be?" She took a deep breath tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Alright, ta get the obvious outa the way, yer havin' a time tryin' ta H.B. about yer element."

"Yes..." Fluttershy said.

"Ah can relate to that, " Applejack replied, grimacing and tapping on her chin. "She gave me a bit of a time when Twilight brought her ta me fer learnin'. Granted, Ah gave her the answer ta the lesson ta begin with. It just took her a while ta get to it."

“What was the lesson that she learned?” Fluttershy asked. “Uhm, that is if you don’t mind telling me.”

Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “That ta be honest with others ya gotta be honest with yerself.”

Fluttershy tilted her head. “Was that all?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Applejack said. “Ah know it seems like a pretty simple lesson- maybe a little too simple fer H.B.’ She scratched the side of her head and frowned a little bit. “Somethin’ that both she an’ Twilight share in common...”

“What do you mean?”

“Well...” Applejack rolled her eyes and sighed. “Ah dun wanna say anythin’ too... critical about Twi’s teachin’ methods, seein’ that we’re all new at this,” she stared at the floor and her eyebrows furrowed a bit more. “But that first month that Twi’ was with H.B.- well, it was the only month she’s been with her if we want ta get down ta brass tacks here, it seemed like her way of teachin’ was ta just ‘fix things with magic’ rather than ta actually get inta the earth and get down and dirty in teachin’ her.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy replied quietly, not sure how to respond to such a critical look at how another friend tackled their lesson.

“Uh, what ah’m saying is that sometimes, Twilight is too smart fer her own good,” Applejack said, attempting to clarify herself while reducing the harsh tone she had taken when airing her gripes. “An’ that ah think holds true fer H.B. sometimes. Ya ever notice that she’ll go inta these long winded stories when ya ask her about somethin’ really simple?”

“I think so,” Fluttershy said, looking thoughtful. “But I’ve only been with her for a few days...”

“A few days is all it takes,” Applejack laughed a little. “Ah asked her about where she was from an how two whole universes could be side by side an’ not notice anything about each other and she went inta this long explanation about how universes were like apples on the same tree.” She shook her head and waved a hoof. “But none of that has anythin’ ta do with what ya came ta me about, an it’s gettin’ late.”

“It was interesting,” Fluttershy said. “But I suppose you’re right...

"Right, now, ta me, Ah always thought that kindness is more about what ya do fer others rather than how long yer willin' ta do somethin' fer." Applejack said, scratching her head, her words having a vague air to them. "Ya get what Ah mean?"

"I-I think so?" Fluttershy asked, the look on her face becoming more and more lost. "I'm... not sure..."

Applejack sighed a little before her face lit up. "How about this, tamarrow, bright an' early, ya being H.B. ta the farm an' Ah show what ah mean, be like a... what ya call 'em...  teacher's aid!"

The ebbs of confusion that had been plaguing Fluttershy's face, neigh her body refused to relinquish its hold, after all-

"That's not against the rules is it?"

Applejack snorted and waved her hoof. "Ah wouldn't think so, after all, ah had Crab- Ah mean Dib, sorta help me an Rarity had Sweetie Belle an' her friends. An' from what Ah heard from Twilight, practically the whole of Ponyville was helpin' out with her lesson."

A flickering of a memory flashed in Fluttershy's mind about the day that H.B. had almost died and instead cried rainbows.

"Hey," Applejack put a hoof on the pegasus' shoulder, causing her to jump slightly. "What ah'm sayin' is that the Princess said that we're the ones who are ta teach her. She didn't say that we had to go it alone."

Fluttershy relaxed and smiled at her friend. "That's actually really good advice..."

Applejack let out a much harder laugh. "Ya think so? Sure as sugar wish Ah had thought about it when Rarity was askin'!"


	==========


Yet again, I’m finding myself in an examination room, for a problem that will most likely resolve itself come morning.

Fluttershy is just being cautious. I mutter in my head. And you don’t know if cat bites affect ponies the same way they do with humans. Fet... for all you know, that tux cat is a jellicle cat. They are black and white after all, right?

Trying to get comfortable on the examination table, that stupid crinkling paper that I am sat upon is giving me vague flashes of déjà vu of that first time I was here. Ugh, pushing that memory away only serves to allow a new anxious thought to take its place.

That being what Applebloom and I were just talking about.

The fact that Fluttershy felt the need to excuse herself so that she and Applejack could have a ‘talk’, most likely, fet most definitely, about me, ramps up that anxiety level from one to nine really fast.

But it shouldn’t, should it?

This is Fluttershy we’re talking about here and not like... like...


That one time in high school, when you maintained a ‘C’ average for a semester and the counselor felt the need to call your mom so that the three of you could talk about whether or not you still belonged in special education classes? You remember that, Heartbr-

“Yesss..” Yes, yes, brain, or Goth Bunny, or whatever nagging voice in the back of my head attempting to dig up unpleasant memories in order to tear me down by dissecting each and every one in excruciating detail! I. Remember. That!

And yes, maybe that experience among many others, I’m certain you’ll excavate sometime in the future has a root in explaining my distrust of authority figures ‘going and having a talk’ about me...

But. Like. I. Said. This. Is. Flutter. Shy!

Oh? And what difference does that make, hmmm? Is it because your life's on the line? Is that why it feels like you’ve really fett- fucked up here? Like she might not want to continue helping you? Why does it feel like the walls of this situation that you are in, the meta-narrative of your life, are closing around you? Tightening around you? Tightening around your leg- Arm, arm! Why does it feel like-

Suddenly, the sound of a sharp hiss snaps me out of my self induced trance and I’m greeted with a fresh-baby-faced...  colt? I’m still terrible with pony ages, and the fact that there isn’t a ‘teen’ descriptor for the equine ages just doesn’t help me.

“A-are you alright?” The barely light blue colt with a curly orangeish mane asks. He’s wearing a comically oversized Doctor’s coat and has a stethoscope that almost reaches the floor.

“Yeah..” I reply, uncertainty clinging to my voice. Seriously, what the hell? “Why?”

“Well,” He starts in an all too serious tone of voice that only a kid who’s trying to take on an adult role can muster. “Because your blood pressure spiked, while you were, uhm, just sitting there.”

“Oh...” I reply, lightly chuckling at what has to be some sort of sitcom joke in front of me. Taking a deep breath through my nostrils, I prepare to ask the all too obvious question. “Who are you?”

He double blinks before his face droops into an exasperated expression. “I’m the doctor that was assigned to you.”

“Really?” I’m not sure if it’s the way he said that, the, like I said, comically oversized doctor’s gear he has on, or the fact that he has to practically stand on his hind legs in order to even operate whatever they call the thing they use to check your blood pressure. Fetor the fact that it's pretty late and I’m getting pretty tired at this point. But I just want to laugh at that assertion.

“Did Nurse Goodfilly put you up to this? Are you like her nephew or something?” That’s gotta be it. Even in Equestria there’s no way that-

“Nooo..” He says, chuckling while moving a fold on his coat to reveal his name tag. “I’m Doctor Hoofer, Dr. Doogie Hoofer.”

I can feel my face droop as the ever-so-smug expression on this colt’s face appears. Seriously, this universe is just out to prove me wrong or humiliate me at every turn!

“Right.. Of course,” Great, I got nowhere to go with this. This situation is like... a joke without a punchline. Although... ”So  why were you taking my blood pressure when I’m here for my hoof?”

“Wait, you are?” That wiped the smug look off his little face, only to replace it with confusion with a touch of panic as he flips through some medical papers on a clipboard. “Oh, so you are.” He chuckles uneasily. “I’m sorry, it’s just usually when I see mares your age, it’s for other health related matters.”

If I had been any other mare- Individual! In-di-vid-ual! Individual, I’d be offended by that remark and assumption of my age. With that said, I can’t help but feel a pang of anger hit me and an awkward chuckle clammer out of my throat as I stare intently at this so-called ‘doctor’. Again, seriously? Do all the medical staff here have the bedside manner of a soiled sponge bath sponge?

“Ha. My age. Ha. I hope I’m not coming down with a case of regretting to sign that paperwork that says I won't physically harm the medical staff here...”

Ho-Oh! Good jorb, H.B! That will totally show this most likely inexperienced M.D. that you are tooootally not bothered by his age comment. Gah! The only real regret you should be having is not having Fluttershy go with you to keep you in check!

“”Oh...” He says, his eyes going wide in worry as he checks his clipboard once more. “O-oh! You’re that Heartbreak..” He stammers, his eyes darting back and forth between me and the board.

“Yeah, that’s me. The one that kicked a doctor in the face and sent him flying into a hospital bed.” Fetting crimmany, how many times do I have to tell myself to tone it down some? It sounds like you want to murder him. “But like I said, I signed some paperwork so I won’t be physically harming any of the staff.”

“Right!” He squeaks out, his voice cracking as the clipboard he’s holding begins to tremble.”So! You’re here about your hoof!” He says clearing his throat and quickly putting the board down. “I would assume it's the one with the gaping hole in it?” He asks, reaching towards said perforated appendage.

“No,” Whoa! Rien that snarl back in! Do I have to start thinking in Fluttershy’s voice just to keep you calm!? “It’s this one.” I lift my left front hoof and it pulses achingly.

“Oh dear..” He looks it over and tenses up, sympathy pangs making his face twitch. “Ooof, yeah, that looks ... bad, but I’ve seen worse. There’s four small punctures near the fetlocks. Uhm...”

Great, the pony whom I’m assuming is a ‘prodigy’ wants me to fill in the blanks for him.

“Cat bite...”

“Right! I was just going to say that!” he exclaims, his eyes darting back to my right front hoof. “I’m sorry, but I have to know. How in the wide world of Equestria did you manage to do that to your other hoof?”

“I had it drilled in April while high on magic tea,” Really getting tired of explaining this to the multi-coloured talking magical equines. Have I promised myself that I’m going to talk to Pepper Pocket so that he can make that plug yet?

“Back in April? So you’ve been walking around with this perforation for almost four months?! I’m surprised you haven’t cracked or chipped it yet...”

“Yes...” Kay, irritation is growing again. “But what about my left hoof, Doc? Fluttershy wanted to make sure that there wasn’t any nerve damage.”

“Oh, Right!” He clears his throat and goes to look at the hoof with the actual problem. “May I take a closer inspection?”

“Yeah, sure,” I reply, just wanting to get this the fffuck over with.


	=========


Fluttershy waved Applejack and her sister off as the two ponies started back on their way home.

I would have liked to talk more about what kind of ideas she had so that I could be better prepared... She thought as she held a hoof at her chin pensively. But I suppose that they have to get up earlier in the morning.

She bit her lip and sighed.

“And you should really get back home too, Fluttershy! After all, Angel and your animal friends must be worried sick about me and-” Just then, an uncomfortable clunking sound interrupted her dialog causing her wings to reflexively startle.

Turning to the source of the new, yet oddly familiar sound, she saw Heartbreak, her left front hoof bound in a pony crutch.

“Oh dear!” She gasped, her near parental instincts kicking in the moment she saw the broken hearted pony struggling to work out how to walk. Again. “Are you alright?, You’re not hurt too badly are you?”

Heartbreak’s face tensed as she sharply breathed through her nostrils before exhaling out slowly. “I’m fine, Fluttershy,” she said, making her way down the steps. “Just. Fine.” She grunted with a final step down to the ground. “Whew! That’s going to get some getting used to.”

“What did the doctor say?” Fluttershy asked after she was sure that her charge had gained her bearings.

“He said that I was lucky that there wasn’t any nerve damage that he could detect.” She said between hobbling steps forward. “But I should keep weight off of it as much as I can.”

“That’s good,” Fluttershy said, her head low but her voice relieved. “Who was  your doctor? Doctor Hoofer?” She asked, trotting to catch up with Heartbreak.

“That’s right,” Heartbreak replied, sounding as if she had something in her mouth.

After a bit of silence and watching to make sure that Heartbreak was adapting to the crutch, Fluttershy cleared her throat to ask a question.

“So... how did your experience with him go?”

“I told you, it went fine,” Heartbreak replied, a crackling sound coming from her mouth. “I mean, he didn’t end up in a hospital bed, if that’s what’s you’re asking.’

“Does that mean you-” Fluttershy swallowed, pausing as he adjusted the saddlebags on her back. “-liked him?”

“Uuuuhm, uhh,” came the reply. “I didn’t not dislike him?” She openly asked.”Like I said, he didn’t end up in a bed, so he’s better than Dr. Marshmallow. So there’s that. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, because,” Fluttershy began. “If you ever need to go to the hospital again, it’s a good idea to have a doctor to go to that you can trust...”

Heartbreak took a deep breath and sighed. “Well, if that’s the case, then Doctor Hoofer is a hard pass. Not because he isn’t any good at his job, but because he’s super inexperienced. Plus, I feel really weird taking medical advice from a colt who looks like they could be a grade above Scootaloo...”

“He’s really that young?” Fluttershy asked, bewildered.

“Uh, yeah. And truth be told, I think I was the one scaring him.” Heartbreak said as they approached the road that would soon lead them back to Old Miller Dr. “Oh, he did say that there was one thing wrong with me.”

Fluttershy squeaked worriedly. “O-oh? What was that?”

“That I was shaky, to which I told him that it was most likely due to me just getting over an illness...” She adjusted a small white stick that was between her lips. “And that I haven't eaten much all day. Samples from various venders at the market hardly count as a meal. Hence the lollipop. It’s sour apple, one of my favorites.”

Fluttershy nodded and shifted the saddlebags on her back once more.

“You want me to take my saddlebags, Flutters?” Heartbreak asked before starting to crunch on the sour candy.

“Oh no,” Fluttershy said, shifting a little. “It’s fine, you have to keep weight off your hoof, remember?” She paused for a moment. “H.B.?”

“Yeah?”

“I was wondering if you‘re ok with it, and if you’re feeling well enough, if maybe you’d like to go to Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow?”

Heartbreak paused and glanced at Fluttershy, a gleam of confusion in her eye. “Why for?” she asked, the lollipop stick banishing into her mouth.

“Oh, well,” Fluttershy looked away and pushed her forelock out of her face. “It’s just that when I was talking with Applejack, I might have mentioned part of the reason that you went to the market was because you were running low on food...”

Heartbreak coughed a little and continued walking. “I thought that I told her that when she was scolding me for going in the first place. But frankly, I’m getting too tired to try and think about it. So, continue...”

“Well, we thought that you would like to see what her farm has to offer.” Fluttershy said, partly relieved by her students’ lack of questions.

Heartbreak looked thoughtful for a moment. “With the way that A.J. was chewing me out, I was thinking that she was going to hold a grudge against me forever.” she chuckled as she chewed on the paper that was once a lollipop stick. “Think I could get her to forgive me?” she asked half jokingly.

“I believe that you could,” Fluttershy replied. “After all, you didn’t mean to upset her.”

“That wasn’t a serious question there, Flutters,” Heartbreak said as the two ponies turned onto Old Miller Dr. “But ok, yeah, if I’m feeling up to it and this-” she waggled her crutched hoof. “Is less swollen, which I’m sure it will be. Then I’ll be up for a trip to the farm. Might even convince A.J. to give me a discount on apples, right?”

“It wouldn’t hurt to ask...” Fluttershy said, surprised by how little resistance H.B. put up towards the idea.

“What time in the morning are we talking?” Heartbreak asked, trying her best to avoid the long grass and rocks on the unpaved road. “Cause I still want to do that eye exam we talked about tomorrow.”

“Well, she said bright and earl-” Just then, Fluttershy eeped in shock as her hoof made a wet squelching sound the moment she stepped into Heartbreak’s front yard. “O-oh my goodness!”

“What- Oh.” Heartbreak said, groaning and looking at the newly created swamp that was her lawn. “Right, I left Fighty and Bitey in charge of their own watering.” she sighed and started hobbling down the mostly dry stone path that led to her front door. “Last time I make that mistake, right Flutters?”

“I-I suppose so...” Fluttershy said in tow.

Arriving at the steps, Heartbreak looked over and saw that her snapdragons appeared more than a little water drunk.

“Humph, hope you two learned a lesson,” She muttered before making her way up the stairs. “And I expect that you’ll be using all this water before I water you again...”

The woozy plants burbled and whimpered at the light chastising.

“She’s not really upset with you,” Fluttershy whispered, cooing at the flora. “She’s just had a really, really, really, really long day...”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes before stopping as she noticed a basket whose contents were hidden under a striped tea-towel.

“Oh, what’s this?” She leaned forward and took a sniff. “Smells like... muffins?”

“Oh, there’s a note with it...” Fluttershy said picking up and opening the letter.

“Who’s it from?” Heartbreak asked after spitting out a paperwad and almost reluctantly picking up the basket handle with her teeth. “You mind getting the door?”

“Not at all,” Fluttershy said opening the doors and allowing Heartbreak by.

“Fankz,” Heartbreak said, hobbling her way into her home.

“The letter is from Cream Puff,” Fluttershy said, slipping off the saddlebags when she entered the kitchen.

“Yeah, that’s what I was guessing..” Heartbreak said, setting her muffin basket on the living room table.

“She says that she was going to visit you today as she had leftover muffins, but apparently she didn’t know that you’d be going out.” Fluttershy said removing the groceries from the saddlebags. Thankfully, both strawberries and cucumbers had weathered the trauma of the day. The bread, however, had gotten some squishing..

“To be fair, neither did I,” Heartbreak said before flopping on her couch. She leaned over to wrestle a muffin from its not so secret hiding spot.

“She says that she’s going to leave the muffins and that Pinkie Pie is taking her back to the orphanage.” Fluttershy said walking into the living room once she had put everything away.

“That’s good to know,” Heartbreak replied, eyeing her muffin. “Hey Fluttershy?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know if I’ve said this enough,” Heartbreak began, a small crack in her voice. “But thanks. For ya know, everything.’

“You're welcome,” Fluttershy replied, her voice happy, if not sounding a touch confused. “So... Uhm, do you need anything else?”

“Not that I can think of right now,” Heartbreak said, sizing up her tasty treat. She took a sniff of its sugar crusted top. “Ooo, smells like blueberries. My fave.” She trilled opening her mouth and taking a bite.

Fluttershy smiled and yawned tiredly. Just as she was about to turn and see herself out the door, Heartbreak coughed and looked as if she might be- “Choking!? You’re not-”

Heartbreak raised a hoof and cleared her throat a few times. “I’m fine, I’m fine...” She wheezed before clearing her throat a few more times. “I guess that there is one thing that you could get me before you go...”

“What’s that?” Fluttershy asked nervously.

“A glass of water?” Heartbreak asked, chewing before clearing her throat once more. “If you’d be so kind that is... Methinks these muffins are a bit dry...”


Fluttershy sighed a little before smiling. “Of course I wouldn’t mind...”


	==========


Once she left Heartreak’s house, and felt the cool air pass through her feathers, heard the melodious, if not distant croaks and chirps of frogs and crickets, and tasted the moisture in the July night air.

Only then did Fluttershy allow herself the luxury of relaxing.

This moment of tranquility was, however, short lived as she suddenly heard a snapping of a branch and the rustling of leaves in the tree behind the old vine riddled house.

“H-hello? Is anypony there?” She asked peering around the corner to the backyard.

Then, an unexpected utterance of the pegasi’s name caused her to eep and nearly tumble into a puddle!

“Fluttershy...” The strangely familiar voice repeated.

“Who’s there?!” She nearly shreaked.

“The window, Fluttershy,” Came the answer.

“The window, who?!” She asked, starting to panic.

The voice chuckled. “I guess I was asking for that response. Fluttershy, look in the window next to you. It’s me, H.B.”

“What?” Fluttershy asked looking to her right. In the open screened window, Heartbreak waggled a hoof. “O-oh...” She said sheepishly.

“Fluttershy, go home.” Heartbreak said, not even mentioning how silly this whole incident made the pony outside her window look.

“I-I will, but I thought I heard something in the trees and-”

“Go home, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak sighed.

“But I-”

“Fluttershy,” Heartbreak began cutting her off. “I know that you were just making sure that there wasn’t any danger back there. But I’m sure that it was just the wind... Nothing out there is brave enough to want to approach me. Except maybe the spiders... but they’re all in here, so ya know...”

“I-I’m sorry,” Fluttershy replied.

:”It’s... fine, Fluttershy,” Heartbreak said. “It’s just that we both need to get some rest. After all it’s been a long day- for both of us- and if there’s one of us who’s more deserving of a good night’s sleep, it’s you, I’ll be fine, OK?”

“Uhm... OK...” Fluttershy said meekly before turning around to walk towards the dirt road.

“Goodnight, Fluttershy.” Heartbreak called out.

“You- you too!” Uhm, I mean, goodnight!” Fluttershy awkwardly replied.

As she walked down the Old Miller road and back to her cozy little cottage, a passing thought about the seemingly innocuous exchange took place in her mind.

Maybe H.B. knows a little more about kindness than she’s letting on. After all, she was thinking about my wellbeing too...

Looking up at the clear night sky, an indigo shooting star streaked by, in its wake, a glittering trail of rainbow-y sparkles.

Seeing the odd occurrence gave Fluttershy a strange feeling of hope.

Maybe with Applejack’s help tomorrow, H.B. will figure out what lesson in kindness she’s meant to learn.





> Marmalade Brigade
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter 21: Marmalade Brigade




"Number one... Or number two?" The stallion with the thick, coke-bottle glasses says as the word "APPLE" flickers between two states of blurry and slightly less-than-blurry. "Better... or worse?"

"The second is better..." I reply, forcing myself not to yawn at the tedium of having my vision checked.

I'm not sure which is worse: doing this or when mom and dad would give me a haircut at home, all the while arguing and fidgeting over whether or not my sideburns were even.

"Alright," Doctor 'Rodsncones' hmms, before flicking another lense lever, causing the words' edges to crisp up and come into sharp relief. "How about now?"

"Better. Much better."

"Good... Good..." he says, with all the empathy of a scientist checking in lab mice to see what kind of cancer they're developing. "Just... one more lense, I promise. Then we can write your prescription and you can pick up your glasses at the front counter with Iris."

"Great," I reply, attempting to hide my disdain for the other glances he keeps shooting my way... Wait, is he shooting glances at me? With those massive googly eyes it's really hard to tell. "Tell me again, why couldn't this be done with magic?"

"Well," Fluttershy's calming voice interjects itself. "From what I understand, eyes are very delicate and could be very easily damaged. Right, Doctor Rodsncones?"

"Huh? O-oh, hem, yes, yes," he says, his head bobbing just out of the corner of my eye. "That's the short of it. That and we can't have our patient’s orbs suddenly getting turned into frogs or seeing nightmarish horrors from beyond!"

"Ah..." Yeah, and thus far just 'magicking' the situation hasn't really solved anything, now has it, H.B.? Or have you forgotten Creativi-tea?

"Last thing we'd want to do is cause harm to such beautiful sparkling globes like yours, Miss Heartbreak..." he says with all the charm of a slug.

"H.B..." I practically feel the snarl in my voice working its way out to my face before I see Fluttershy's meek, yet disapproving glance. Guess it's time to repeat what has become my mantra when dealing with any new pony... or other being. "My name's Heartbreak, but I like to be called H.B... please." I add for good measure.

"O-oh," he stammers, adjusting his glasses. "Sorry, I didn't know."

"It's ok." Comes the near involuntary irritated response. Is it so much to ask that any interaction with a stallion in their profession have some level of... professionalism?

Alright, that's hardly fair; Goodfilly isn't a stallion. At least I don't think they are.

"So!" He taps on the 'viewing portal' on whatever this optometrist device is called. "Last test? I have to make sure that I get your prescription right!"

"Yeah," I reply as neutrally as I can. "Let's get it over with."


=========


"It was only a compliment, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, H.B." Fluttershy said as the two ponies exited the examination room and into The Focal Point's waiting area.

"It was an unwanted complement, Fluttershy, " Heartbreak grumbled. "I mean, yeah, I get that his job is to look at ponies’ eyes, but there wasn't any reason for a comment like that... it was just a bit too much."

"O-oh, I-I suppose that you're right..." Fluttershy meekly replied. "I'm sorry."

Heartbreak sighed before stopping at a small office-like area. "You shouldn't be the one apologizing here..." she said turning her head awkwardly and attempting to pull a piece of paper from her saddlebags.

Fluttershy pulled back a little, tucking her wings to her sides after they ruffled a bit. "I-I'm not? Sorry..."

"It's fine, Fluttershy, " Heartbreak said, spitting the barely legible prescription onto the counter for the mare to sit there and look at. "Don't worry about it.'' she looked back at the receptionist and narrowed her eyes at the name tag. "Iris, I presume?"

The goldenrod coloured unicorn with a highly stylized crimson red mane looked up and over her inverted triangle glasses. 

"Yeah, sweetheart?" She asked in a rough Manehatten accent, pausing from the task of filing her hooves.

"Heartbreak," the tan pony said, flinching at the strange mix of gravelly and nasally. "My name is Heartbreak, but please call me H.B., if you'd please."

Iris raised an eyebrow before taking the prescription, her long, isosceles gold triangle earrings swaying as she tossed her mane a little. "I calls everypony sweetheart. You knows what frames yous wantin', sweet-"

"H.B.," Heartbreak interjected, holding up a hoof to halt the completion of the word. "Please," she added.

"If you insist," Iris said, shrugging her shoulders while blowing a bubble out of the gum she had been chewing. "Still, you knows what frames yous wantin', H.B.?"

"Thank you," Heartbreak said. "Uhm, yes. The black found pair with the croakie that turns invisible and a round purple pair whose croakie does the same thing..."

"Alrighty then!" Iris said, a pen lowering in the air, writing the requested frames alongside the prescription. "Our tech, Doctor Mirror Finish should have your glasses done in about forty minutes if yous two wanna either stays a while or pop over ta one of them shops for a quick bite."

"Do you want to do that?" Fluttershy asked, looking at Heartbreak. "Have a quick bite to eat that is."

Heartbreak shook her head. "Nah, I'm still plenty full from the breakfast you made me, Flutters. Which, did I thank you for that? Cause it was pretty good."

"Y-yes, you did," Fluttershy said, a noticeable rose tint adorning her normally yellow cheeks.

"Well, I'm going to say it again," Heartbreak said, matter of factly. "Thank you for a really nice breakfast."

"Ooooh..." Iris cooed.

Heartbreak suddenly became uncomfortably aware of Iris’ prying eyes as she leaned forward, looking at the two mares expectantly. Another pink bubble popped to break the silence.

“Don’t mind me...” She said, a teasing grin on her face.

“Only forty minutes?” Heartbreak asked. Iris nodded before zapping the paper away.”That’s not too long of a wait... and it’s not like we have anywhere urgent to be, right?”

Fluttershy gave a pensive glance to the clock on the hallway wall. It read eight-forty. “Well, Applejack did say ‘bright and early.’”

“But... did she give an exact time?” Heartbreak asked, giving a motion with her nose that said she wanted to continue walking.

“I suppose not...” Fluttershy replied (particular emotion here) before following Heartbreak as she approached the corner.

“Then we’ll get there when we get there.” Heartbreak reasoned. “And if we are ‘running late’, we can send A.J. a message... uhm... Somehow.” She said, pausing and grimacing over a stray thought. “But really, Sweet Apple Acres isn’t all that far away. This wait will be a breeze.”

No sooner had Heartbreak finished speaking and turned the corner, ear pinned back and her face twisted at a near sonic sounding scream of two colts squabbling!

“Tick! Tock! Settle down! Don’t make me send a scroll to your mother about your behavior!” Scolded a familiar sounding voice.

“Pepper Pocket?” Heartbreak asked, once she had taken a moment to process who the bespeckled, black maned stallion with the silvery eyes sat between two colts; one who looked to be a bit tall was brass with a brown mane and a short one was brown with a brass mane..

“Miss-Er-I mean-Heart-Uhm-H.B.! Tick! Please sit down!” He stammered between attempts to get the two rambunctious colts to settle.

Fluttershy, seeing that Pepper Pocket had quite the hoof full with his boys, walked past Heartbreak and bent her head down to look the two in the eyes. And in her sweetest voice asked “Would the both of you mind sitting down quietly? H.B. and I are going to be waiting for her glasses and we’d really appreciate it...”

Tick and Tock’s faces transitioned to startled shock and confusion to sheepish and blushing as they looked away muttering “Yes, Miss Fluttershy.” in unison before settling down on either side of their father.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said, before sitting on the far left side of the waiting room bench, but just as she was getting comfortable, a sensation that caused her face to twist came over her. “Oh dear...”

“Something wrong there, Flutters?” Heartbreak asked, a touch concerned at the sudden shift in demeanor. 

“Oh, well...” Fluttershy shifted in her seat. “It’s just... I think I might need to, uhm...” Her eyes glanced back and forth between Heartbreak and a sign just down the way that denoted the public restrooms.

“Oh, right then. Ok.” Heartbreak replied after she got what Fluttershy was hinting at.

“I’ll be right back...” Fluttershy said quietly before trotting a little briskly to the place where relief could be found. “I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine!” Heartbreak called out, slipping off her saddlebags under the bench before sitting down on its far right side. “And no rush! Take your time!” After the squeaking of the door could be heard down that hallway and around a corner she gave the trio sitting next to her an uncomfortable smile and a small laugh, before giving Pepper an uneasy glance.

Pepper Pocket chuckled. “Sorry about all the hullabaloo here, these two are all wound up because their mother, Jewel Movement, let them have their favorite sugar blasted cereal- ‘Golden Hayflakes’- this morning. Right before their annual eye exams too! But you know, foals will be foals!”

Heartbreak once again replied with another uncomfortable half chuckle. “Y-yeah. I suppose so...”

“Well, I suppose that it’s been some time since last we saw each other, hasn’t it?” Pepper asked, rubbing the side of his head.

Heartbreak gave yet another awkward chuckle. “Yeah. I suppose it has been... a while, that is.”

“Uhm, So! How have you been, since that day, that is?” The spotty stallion asked, leaning forward. “And how is the device I made you functioning?”

“I’ve been alright...” Heartbreak replied, looking down at her back hooves that were hanging over the edge of the waiting room bench. “Lots of things have happened...” She kicked them back and forth a little. “The ‘device’ is awesome, although it buzzes a bit when I slip it in.”

“Slip it in?” Pepper asked, a bewilderment on his face until Heartbreak held up her right hoof. “Oh! Yes! Your...”

“Hole.” Heartbreak interrupted a placid expression on her face. “Speaking of which, it’s a lucky coincidence running into you!”

“Oh?” He asked, adjusting his glasses.

“Yeah, see, I was hoping that I could commission you into designing a... plug of sorts.” She said, rolling her hoof and looking away. “Ya know, for when I’m not using the ‘device’? And to, ya know, keep stuff out?”

“That actually sound like a really good ide-”

“Hi! My name is Tick!” Interrupted the brass colt with the chestnut brown mane right next to her. “How do you know our daddy?” he asked, leaning uncomfortably close, his dark blue eyes wide and sparkly with inquisitiveness.

Heartbreak pulled back and gave a small awkward chorkle before looking away while rubbing the side of her head. “Hi...uhm... Heh, that’s a complicated question.”





“Tock...” Pepper said in a parental tone. “We had this talk about introducing yourself as your brother...”

‘Tock’ jolted in his seat as his father spoiled the ‘prank’ that he was attempting. “Awww...”

“Way to ruin the fun, dad.” The brown colt with the brass mane and green eyes grumbled.

“You must be ‘Tick’ then?” Heartbreak asked.

“Yup!” He beamed, just then, the smile left his face and his head tilted in confusion with mild recognition. “Have I seen you before?” Tick asked.

“I don’t think so?” Heartbreak said.

Tick’s eyes lit up. “April Foals Day!” he exclaimed, to which he was met only with baffled looks. He leaned over his father to talk to his brother. “Remember months ago when those two ponies rushed into our house, singing something, one of them picked up my pet mouse, Hickory!”

“Oh yeah... Dock was acting really strange now that you mention it...” Tock said tapping his chin.

“So!” Heartbreak interrupted. “You two are... twins?” She asked, looking at Pepper in a hard pleading desperation to change the subject. “I heard somewhere that they were twins...”

“Fraternal twins,” Pepper said, his face lit with some minor confusion. “But yes. As I said before, they can be a hoof full.” He laughed. “So much so, that Jewel asked if I could watch them while she unwinds at the spa.” He chuckled awkwardly. “Which I don’t mind doing seeing that I love my boys!”

“Yeaaah,” Heartbreak eyed Pepper questioningly. “You sound... stressed. You're not overworking yourself again, are you? ‘Cause my plug request can wait...”

Pepper waved a hoof dismissively. “No more than usual, I mean-”

“Dad works a lot.” Tick toned, staring at the floor.

“Tick, is isn’t polite to interrupt-”

“It’s true,” Tock interjected. “You do work a lot.”

“Well,” Pepper began, wrapping his forehooves around the two sullen boys. “There’s no need for you two to be at Seven-Twenty, because when the assistant from Appleoosa arrives- oh, cogs and gear wheels- what was their name again?”

“Sprocket-” Tick said.

“Watchclock!” Tock finished.

“Right, when Sprocket Watchclock arrives, I’ll have a great deal more time on my hooves to spend on the both of you, and your mother.” Pepper said, pulling the two colts into an awkward parental hug.

“You promise?” They asked in stereo.

“I promise,” Pepper replied, tightening his embrace.

“Glad to hear that...” Heartbreak said with a throaty cough.

“Oh,” Pepper let go of Tick and tock. “Sorry, it just feels like an eternity is all.”

“You don’t need to explain anything to me, Pepper. I was here, remember?” Heartbreak asked peering down the hall toward the restrooms before looking back at the time pony. “I’m just glad that you’re, ya know, taking steps to take care of yourself. Caaause, Twilight told me about the aftermath of ‘April Foals Day’.” She said turning her head to the side and rolling her eyes before covering her mouth in a longer cough.

“Oh... Oh!” Pepper said, recalling the events of utter clockwork chaos, destruction, and the sad cold truth of his former mentor he was forced to face that fateful day.

A worried flittering passed Pepper Pocket’s face as Heartbreak gave a deep extended cough into the crook of her foreleg. “Speaking of taking care of one’s self,” he began pulling Tock away. “You have made time to see a doctor about that cough, yes?”

Heartbreak paused and sputtered a little before nodding. “Already taken care of. This is just the last dregs of something I was fighting in last week.”

Just then, the soft sound of hooves echoed down the hall as Fluttershy returned.

“Something that Fluttershy has been helping me get through,” Heartbreak said clearing her throat before mentioning to the befuddled pegasi as she flicked her forehoof momentarily.

“Oh?” She asked tenuously looking around. “W-what have I been doing? Did I miss something?”

“I was just catching up with Pepper here and telling him about how you’re making sure that I’ve been getting better is all,” Heartbreak explained. “Nothing terrible, embarrassing, or beyond a G-rating...” she said, trailing off as she tapped her hooves together uneasily.

“Oh... Okay.” Fluttershy said, the confusion still sieging her face.

“So-uh-about that plug!” Heartbreak exclaimed, sharply turning back to Pepper Pocket.

Ding-Ding! Interrupted the reception bell.

“Miss Heartbreak?” Iris read from a small floating piece of paper. Upon getting a near death glare from the tan mare, she gave a nervous giggle while covering her mouth. “Right, sorry. H.B.” she corrected herself.

“It’s fine,” Heartbreak said, taking a deep breath and attempting to put on a cheery face before looking back up. “Yes?”

“They’re done early!” Iris said, holding up a pair of glasses cases. She peered over the counter. “Oh, Mr. Pepper Pocket. Tick and Tock here for their Nine-Eighteen? Dr. Rodsncones can see you now.”

“Past nine o’clock already?” Pepper asked, pulling a gilded silver pocket watch from his front barrel pocket. “Oh! So it is! Time certainly flies doesn’t it?”

“IIIII guess.” Heartbreak replied, watching as Pepper Pocket and his colts got off the bench. “Wait, what about the plug?”

Peppers’ eyes widened and he nodded as he took a clipboard from Iris. “Ah, yes, I suppose that if you stop by the shop when you have the time, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Awesome,” Heartbreak said, as a brown paper bag containing her new spectacles came floating up to her face. “Oh, yeah, thanks.”

“If I was being honest,” Pepper hummed, tapping the pen he was using to fill out the form. “I would have thought that you would have gone to a farrier for your hoof incident.”
 
“Oh... Yeah... You’d think that..” Heartbreak said, motioning to the bag before her. “Uhm, Fluttershy, would you mind? I- may also need an assist with putting them on my face, I mean, if you don’t-”

“Oh! Of course not!” Fluttershy said, plucking the bag from the air and nosing the contents within. “Uhm, black or purple?”

“Black,” Heartbreak answered with only a moment's thought.

“Then again, if there was anything, well, else you taught me that day, it was that I am capable of creating things outside of my usual clocks and cogs!” Pepper Pocket interjected, not yet realizing whether or not the conversation was over.

Heartbreak looked confused up to the moment where the black round framed glasses were slid onto the bridge of her muzzle and squeezed themselves into place.

“Oh... you mean with the device,” she said, blinking and moving her head back and forth a few times. “You’re welcome?”

“Yes,” Pepper said, floating the clipboard back to Iris. “Like I said: Whenever you have the time, just pop in and I’ll-”

“Daaaaad!” Tick interrupted, rolling his eyes. “Come. On. Already!”

“Yeah! While we’re still young, already?” Tock griped.” You can talk with your new adult friend later!”

“Yeah! I wanna go home and get back to the scroller!” Tick complained.

“Me too! I can’t believe that Noblecolt9’oclock said that Canterlot clocks are better than anything our shop could make,” Tock fumed heading towards the double doors.

“As if! We’ve got clanks in our basement more advanced!” Tick exclaimed, beaming with a bit of pride as he followed his brother on through.

Pepper Pocket brushed his vest and gave the two mares an embarrassed smile and an uneasy chuckle. “Colts, am I right?” he asked, shrugging.

This was then followed by the doors swinging open and Tick and Tock’s impatient glares at the spotted pony.

“Dad! We said ‘Come On’!” They shouted in unison before letting the doors swing closed.

“Uhm, right, I ought to be going,” Pepper said pointing in the direction that his sons went. “So, just drop me a scroll sometime, right?”

"A-alright," Heartbreak replied, a slight bemused look of schadenfreude on her face.

Pepper turned to the doors. "Boys! How many times have I said 'inside voices'? And what's more, stay out of the baseme-"

Heartbreak let out a heavy sigh of relief as Pepper's words were cut off. "Well, that was... something ." She said, once more moving her head back and forth. "Though... it is prompting me to ask a question... One that I'm... a little embarrassed to ask..."

"What's that?" Fluttershy asked, lifting the croakie over and behind Heartbreak's head. "Is it about the glasses? Because they look very good on you. You look very smart."

Heartbreak blinked and looked taken aback, a slight blush rising to her cheeks. "W-what? No-no, thanks, but no."

Fluttershy tilted her head and tapped on the frames to make sure that they were straight. "Then what is it?"

"Right, I don't know if any of you told me this before..." she paused as to check that Iris had left the room. "But, what the fet is a ‘farrier’?"


==========


One small explanation and a few more adjustments to my glasses later, and Flutters and I are back on the streets of Ponyville.

"So... they're like a hoof specialist?" I ask as the two of us are blasted with the hot, and worst of all: humid, July weather. "Bleh..." Gawds, I can practically feel my mane and, ugh, tail take on five pounds in water weight. "That might be something to look into, seeing that I don't want to go to the spa."

"They do have other services at the spa," Fluttershy says, quickly trotting to my side. No, wait, that's the glasses talking. "Like a curry combing, or helping to brush and manage your mane and tail."

"My mane and... tail are fine, Fluttershy." Suddenly, a blob of curling brown obstructs my vision and I narrowly miss colliding with a lamp pole!

We must be passing one of the many outdoor restaurants that dot Ponyville, because my ears swivel and pick up a collection of sounds: the clinking of ice in glasses, the giggling of middle aged mares, and a loud snooty voice calling out "Keep telling yourself that, Sweetie!"

Out of the corner of my vision, I spot the owner of this all together obnoxious call.

She's orange. Not like the artificial orange of orange gummy candies. Speaking of which, under a pale yellow sun hat with a light blue ribbon is an organized mess of a mane that's red-orange. It looks as if it were made of thin peels of, and this should come as no shocker, an orange. 

She pulls down her large darkened sunglasses to reveal her orangey eyes, giving me a glare, or a smarmy look, or maybe a stare that I know all too well.

A look that I could spot from some of my coworkers, crew mates from my time in the military, and of course, all of my school life.

A look that takes a little time to learn, for an individual like me that is, but once learned? There's always no mistaking it.

The glare of a bully.

I avert my glance and push away any sign that I had even made the slightest bit of eye contact.

'Nope, I don't need any of that in my life,' I tell myself as I keep moving forward, Sweet Apple Acres off in the distance, and Fluttershy at your side believing in you? That's all you need. 'That's right.' I glance at my feathered caretaker. She too has wilted because of the random off-the-cuff comment. 'As long as Fluttershy is with you? Nop-Nobody would mess with you, right? Right! Right! Why are we even thinking about this?! That was just some rude rando! It's not like you know then or have inter-'

Just then, my ears fold down at a near high pitched sound emanating from behind me. 

A sound, wait... No... a call that I would have hoped didn't exist here in the great land of magical talking ponies.

That call being that of the dreaded Karen.

"Ex-cuse me!" the shrill voice shouts piercing my poor eardrums. Oh, how I wish I could tune out sounds! "Hey! Ex-Cuuse Me!"

"Just ignore them." I repeat to myself, huffs of air escaping from between my teeth.

I see something out of the corner of my eye that terrifies me more than the screeching banshee behind me.

Fluttershy pausing, lifting her hoof, and her body making an ever-so-slight change in direction as her head turns a few degrees as if she's going to address whomever is yowling at us.

I lift my hoof up and shake my head in a subtle way. I really hope she picks up that I have no interest in talking to this individual...

"H.B.," she begins, her voice not quite a whimper. "It isn't very nice to just ignore other ponies..."

"That's absolutely right!" The orange pony practically shouts at me while stopping a hoof on the sidewalk. "Or are you going to pretend that you can't hear me now?" She chides snidely. Again, I'm not sure if that's the right word. Wait, wasn’t it snide? Whatever, I’ll look up both later.

Either way, a snort and the way her ears are pinned back tells me somehow, someway, that I have offended this mare.

Taking a deep breath, I straighten my neck and turn to look at this mystery pony, momentarily peeking at her cutie mark so that I have some clue as to what I'm about to deal with.

An upright canning jar filled with a golden-orange substance with darker orange bits floating within. The whole thing is accented with a curl of... big surprise, a curl of an orange peel. Not my most creative description, but...

Just then, she clears her throat, her eyebrows furrow behind those ridiculous sunglasses of hers.

"Yes, can I help you?" I ask, putting on what I assume is a 'customer service' face. Though I'm sure I am not even remotely close to sticking the right tone.

"Are you Heartbreak?" She asks, pulling her glasses down revealing that her questioning eyes are more of a marigold-yellow.

"I like to be called 'H.B.'," don't add, don't add, don't- "but yes, my name is Heartbreak..." Gawd, damn it!

"I thought so, " Her voice barely covered the singing that was present in her critique of my mane. "I am so glad that I ran into you."

"Oh really?" I ask, trying to cover up any incredulous time. "Uhm, and who are you?" Ugh, there. Question asked. Maybe now Fluttershy and I can get our flanks moving to Apple-

"Ah-" she gives what sounds like a really fake laugh, before waving her left front hoof dismissively. "I thought you would have remembered me." She gives me this funny expression as she smiles and flutters her eyes at me expectantly. 

Her sunny disposition sours as it becomes apparent that I'm just not getting whatever message she's attempting to convey. 

"I'm Mars Orange's mother...?" Well, that explains all the orange themes going on here. She gives an irritated groan. "Marmalade?"

"She was at the Summer Readers last week, remember?" Fluttershy gently nudges. "It's been a long week for her, she's been sick for most of it..."

"Oh that's just terrible to hear..." she almost coos. "I do hope that you're feeling better, especially with the favor I want to ask of you..."


=========


Heartbreak took a deep breath. "A favor?" She squeaked out. "Begging your pardon, but I hardly know you..."

"Well, maybe so, but it's just a teeny, tiny thing," Marmalade began, lifting her hoof in the air. "You see it's about my son, Mars?"

"What... about.. him?" Heartbreak asked in a tone that was steadfastly steadily growing ever irritated. 

"Well, it's just that, " Marmalade clicked her tongue, her gaze briefly falling on Fluttershy before she tapped her chin, as if she was about to carefully craft her words. "My dear, sweet, precocious little Mars has been telling me how much better your voices are compared to mine everytime I try to read him a bedtime story!"

"Uh... kay... That's... nice to hear... I guess." Heartbreak replied, beginning to pull away. 

Marmalade cleared her throat with a sharp 'Eh-Hem!'

"My... apologizes..." Heartbreak said through gritted teeth before she turned back. "Was there more? Because Fluttershy and I have things that we really need to be taking care of..."

"No need to be rude..." Marmalade quaffed. "But yes, you see, seeing that you have such a wonderful way with colts and fillies, and word around town being that you love to read to them anyway... I was wondering if it would be too much trouble to come over to my place and read my darling little Mars to sleep."

Heartbreak's face turned from one irritation to exasperated disbelief. She took another deep breath through her nose before rubbing the bridge of her muzzle and pushing her glasses up, her eyes shut tightly in frustration.

"Are you asking if I would stop by your house, just to read your son's bedtime stories?" She asked, her voice dripping with the merest taint of infuriation.

"That is just what I said, so, yes! I can pay you if you would like. Though from what I hear, you don't much need the bits..." Marmalade said, grinning a knowing grin. "So, is that a yes? If so, my adorable little Mars has a prompt bedtime of Eight-Thirty."

Heartbreak's face twitched and she coughed out a scoffing laugh. A laugh that lasted a few too many 'ha's' for the orange themed pony's tastes. 

"Now see here!" She decried stomping her hoof. "I did not ask you this favor just to be laughed at! Will you or won't you read to my little Mars?!"

"O-oh, you were serious," Heartbreak said, pushing her glasses up and chuckling. Fluttershy's looks of disapproval stemmed any further laughter. "I'm going to have to say 'no' to that 'favor'." She said, turning once more towards her goal of restarting the walk down the street.

"No? No?!" Marmalade asked first with disbelief and then impunity. "No?! Well, why not!? You're reading to that dirty little orphan filly when she comes to that home of yours!"

Heartbreak stopped in her tracks, her head turned slightly before she let out a loud, angry equine snort through her nostrils. "Excussse me?" She hissed, her mane and tail starting to twist and curl.

"What?" Marmalade asked coyly. "I just want to know why you're reading to her outside the scheduled Summer Reader times and not to anypony else's colts and fillies. It hardly seems fair that you're giving her special treatment."

Heartbreak could feel bile twisting inside her gut over this mare's confusing and manipulative sounding tone, and just as she was about to turn to face this... this mare and deliver a well deserved piece of her mind, she felt the strongest of touches on her shoulder and an 'oh!' trickle into her ears that delayed any such retribution in Cream Puff's name.

Looking up, she saw Fluttershy giving her a wide eyed expression of concern that, for a few seconds, was mingled with fear. This then settled into one that silently told the tan mare that she would try to step in and resolve the matter before them.

"Uhm, Marmalade?" Fluttershy asked, placing herself between the two ponies.

"Hmmm, yes, Fluttershy?"

"I'm sure that while it might seem like H.B. is giving Cream Puff special treatment, that's just not the case at all."

"Oh, really? Then why won't she read to my precious little Mars?" Marmalade repeated, this time adding an over-dramatic whimper to her words. "Hmmm?"

"Well, it's just that she's been really, really, really sick for the past week." Fluttershy explained, a little slower than usual.

"Yes, yes, so you said. I don't see what that has to do with anything. Besides, she seems fine now. " Marmalade huffed, scowling a little before Heartbreak cleared her throat.

"She might seem like she's recovered, but she was so sick that I had to take her to the hospital!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Isn't that right, H.B.?"

"Y-yeah," Heartbreak creaked out, clearing the phlegm from her throat a second time. "Wouldn't want Mars catching anything that might still be hanging around, right? Besides-" she let out another mighty hacking and hmmmm! to really drive her illness home. "I barely know who you are. We're practically strangers, remember?"

"You wouldn't want a stranger coming into your home and getting anypony sick, like Mars or even Blood Orange, would you?" Fluttershy asked, her head tilted in some genuine concern over the point H.B. had just raised.

Marmalade's demeanor shifted as she pulled back, her smug expression falling to one of worried concern. "Well... no. But-" she paused, blinking as she began attempting to wrack her brain on how to respond. "Y-you see, it's just-" she finally conceded as she looked at the ground. "No, I don't want that..."

"Also, and I'm not sure this is worth pointing out, but Cream Puff came to that house of mine because she wanted to," Heartbreak sternly said. "Now, excuse us, we need to be on our way."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Heartbreak shuddered a bit and took a deep breath. "Yes it is," she replied, still walking.

"Well, I..." Marmalade began irritatedly, only for her expression to suddenly change into that of a bright and cheery smile. "I suppose until we meet again!" She musically chimed.

Heartbreak dithered and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, So looking forward to that." She said in a grumbling tone. 

Marmalade huffed and turned but not before attempting to get in the final word in the conversation. "Hopefully by then, you'll think about brushing and maybe styling that mane and tail of yours. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the other mothers are talking."

Heartbreak only replied with another angry side glance, her eyes beginning to warp the light reflected in them into points as her mane and tail curled and spiraled even tighter.

"Uhm, well, my drink must be getting cold- I mean warm! The ice in it is melting and I should get back to that!" Marmalade steamed, pointing back to the restaurant table that she had abandoned for all of this.

"Yesss, you ssshould do that, Karen..." Heartbreak hissed almost under her breath.

"It's Marmalade!" The orange mare corrected 

"Yess, Marmalade. I'll remember that for next time." Heartbreak continued walking forward, only relaxing the moment she heard the indigent 'humphs' and strained, sharp hoof steps of the mare who had served to waste more of her time getting to Applejack's farm faded out of hearing range.

After a few blocks of walking in silence, Fluttershy cleared her throat to speak.

"H.B.?"

Heartbreak sighed. "Yes, I know I could have... delegated? Navigated? That situation a lot better."

"Well..." Fluttershy fought the need to bite her tongue. "Y-yes..." she finally conceded.

"Thought so..." Heartbreak muttered. "But really? Who does that? Just randomly sstops you in the middle of walking and asskss you if you'll read bedtime sstoriess to their fffoalss!" She fumed, her mane and tail curling and raising as if they were coming to life!

"Uhm, H.B.?" Fluttershy looked around, the streets didn't have many, if any, ponies on them- for now at least.

"And there wasss her trying to guilt me into coming to her houssse? The sssheer fetting entitlement! I really hope that a bird got into her drink!"

Just then, a partially tightly twisted lock in Heartbreak's tail snapped and whip-cracked at a nearby group of potted flowers, causing the petals of said flowers to fly off!

"Heart- H.B.?!" Fluttershy nervously stammered before quickly covering her mouth as she realized what she had nearly done. "I'm sorry!" She whimpered.

"Any reason you were about to call me by my full name?" Heartbreak asked after the wide-eyed shock passed her face. "I know that the bird doing something to her drink might have been a step too far, but I didn't think that it warranted using my name..."

"I-I'm sorry..." Fluttershy repeated. "I just needed to get your attention..."

Heartbreak blinked, there was a snide comment bubbling below the surface, fighting its way to get out. The demure pegasus could see it in the way that her charge's mane and tail continued to tighten their coils even further.

"You could have tapped me on the sshoulder or ssomething," Heartbreak suggested with a wry smile and a small chuckle before she pushed her glasses up.

"I was afraid to," Fluttershy said, only slightly transfixed on me from the corner of her eye.

"Afraid?" Heartbreak asked, snorting in disbelief. "Why would you be afraid? You didn't do anything wrong. Not like Marmalade back there... or Rodssnconess..." she hissed, her tail curling up a little more.

"Oh, uhm-"

"Or Narrow Beam..." Heartbreak scowled, her tail slithering on the ground behind her, curls relaxing and coiling back up.

"H-H.B.?"

"Or worssse, Manifessst Dessstiny!" Heartbreak seethed.

And with that emphasized singular name, the tip of Heartbreak's agitated tail whip-cracked once more, this time against the glass of a front store window of the nearby flower shop-producing a sound much akin to small rocks striking it three times!

"That's why..."

Heartbreak jumped back, startled by the sudden noise. "What was that ssound, and what'ss why?"

Fluttershy said nothing, but pointed at the window's reflective surface.

"What? What iss-" Heartbreak stopped mid-sentence as she sped the message being reflected back at her. 

A wild tangle of writhing snake-like curls were their mane and tail. This pony's eyes were not any better as the sparkly blue had been dulled out and the light reflected in them warped into unnaturally pointed white shapes...

"What the fffet?!" She yelped, backing away from the distorted image before rubbing her eyes in disbelief. Looking back, her mane and tail quickly drooped and lost their life like a foal that had been caught with a hoof stuck in the cookie jar. She shook her head in disbelief. "What the fet was that?!"

Fluttershy found herself at a loss of words, but clearly there was pain, confusion, and distress in Heartbreak's voice. 

However, before she could even get a word, the ringing of the flower shop's door bell aggressively interrupted the scene as a pale magenta mare with a lime green mane and even darker green eyes stormed out.

"Did either of you two see who threw rocks at my shop window?!" She fumed before snorting and stomping her front hooves.

"Uhm, n-noo," Heartbreak said.

"Fluttershy?" She asked suspectly.

"Uhm, " she glanced at Heartbreak who was giving an uncomfortable grimace. "N-no, I didn't see anypony throwing rocks, Flower Wishes."

“Flower Wishes? I swear their name was, uhm... Daisy!” Heartbreak asked, her face scrunching up to recall the pony’s name.

“Either or is fine with me,” Daisy replied looking around. “I bet it was that Mars Orange, always a trouble maker- saaaay aren’t you Heartbreak?”

Heartbreak groaned a little. “Yes, that’s me, but please, please call me ‘H.B.’”

“Oh.. Well, you know that your mane and tail are just a terrible mess, right?”

Heartbreak looked at the flower pony in a deadpan manner. “Yesss...”

“It could really use a brushing... or a pretty flower to adorn it!” Daisy said, smiling widely. “Maybe a rose or a violet? Oh, wait! I just so happen to have the perfect heart shaped flooo-AAAAH!!!” The mare shrieked upon turning around to see that particular red heart shaped flower, cleaved in twain. “My tropical anthurium!!! Who would do such a thing?!”

“Oh, uhm- we’re-” Fluttershy began, shame in her voice.

“I will make sure that they pay dearly for this!!” Daisy uncharacteristically erupted, stomping her hoof and shouting dramatically at the sky before crumpling next to her poor assaulted flower.

“Not sure about what happened there. It was like that when we were walking by,” Heartbreak quickly interjected, cutting fluttershy off who gave her a very uncomfortable glance. “You wouldn’t happen to have a bathroom we could use in your shop? To take care of my mane situation?”

Daisy sniffed and looked at her broken anthurium. “Y-yes, j-just-just ask Rose Luck for the key at the front counter!” She said through sobs.

“Uhm.. We could go to the spa instead, H.B...” Fluttershy suggested.

“I don’t do spas, Fluttershy...” Heartbreak said, clearing fighting a small bit of irritation attempting to come out in her voice. “Besides, I’d much rather you be the one there in case this starts to act up again...” She said through clenched teeth while pointing up at her mane.

“Oh... I-I suppose you’re right...” Fluttershy replied.

“Now..” Heartbreak said, scooting past the mourning Daisy. “Ope! Excuuuuse us!”

“I-I’m really sorry about your loss...” Fluttershy consoled the weeping floral pony as she passed by.

“Fluttershy, come on...” Heartbreak muttered.

“Eeep! Sorry!” She repeated, looking at Daisy apologetically before going into the shop, only for her head to pop out once more to give another quick ‘I’m really sorry...’

“Fluttershy!” Heartbreak called out.

“Oh! Sorry!” Fluttershy called out only to give another ‘Sorry!’ to Daisy before ducking back in.

Daisy sniffed and wiped her tears. “What pony would break such a beautiful flower that is only meant for kindness?"


=========


I find myself glaring at the mare in the mirror once more.

Last time it was because I was reminded of my mother, ponified, and now... What the fucking fet was that? No response from either end. No writhing mane, no whipping tail. I swear, if Fluttershy wasn’t there to point it out? I’d either be blissfully ignorant or think that I was going insane.

... Well, more so than normal.

Fluttershy is surprisingly calm for what just happened or maybe she’s secretly hiding her freak out. She pulls out what appears to be a pink standard looking brush from out of her saddlebags followed by a couple of teal hair scrunchies. She says nothing but places the scrunchies next to the sink and, with a brush in mouth, goes forward to untangling the mess sat atop my head.

I can’t help but brace myself. After all, neither mom nor dad ever brushed or combed my hair... I think... but I’m still at a loss at what to expect.

However, as the brush moves through my mane, I’m made aware of two things that I hadn't been before. These being that one, ponies manes aren’t all over their heads. There’s a ... uhm.. Ridge? Crest? Bah, I don’t know what it’s called. I’ll look that up on my next trip to the library.

Five months here and I still don’t know all ‘the parts of the pony.’

The second thing is that apparently, brushing doesn’t have to feel all that ... awful...

I dare say... that... it... kinda... sorta.....uhm... doesn’t feel all that ... unpleasant? Maybe... even... nice?

“So...” Uhoh, she wants to talk. That’s something I did expect. I knew it was coming. It’s part of the reason that I asked to use this bathroom and why I checked the stalls! Still that doesn’t seem to stop the spike of anxiety that shoots through my being.

“I don’t know what was going on there.” Yup! Cut to the chase! “Or what’s the trigger.”

“Oh...”

“You seem less-than surprised about whatever just happened...”

She pauses in her brushing. “Rarity had said something similar happened before...” She says so very quietly. “A-and I know you don’t like it when we talk about you...”

“‘Something like this?’ I tilt my head readying for more brushing. “I’m afraid I don’t recall being dropped into a Jinji Ito manga...”

“Uhm...” She looks utterly lost at my reference. 

“Right, right, uhm, they’re a form of graphic novel,” I explain. “Don’t worry about it. Point is that I don’t recall my mane or tail coming to life or whatever this new problem happens to be.”

Fluttershy continues her gentle strokes. “Rarity said that it happened when some construction workers made some... very inappropriate comments to you...”

“Oh. Yeah. That.” I grimace as I recall the name of that one stallion who introduced me to Equestria’s version of ‘bitch’. Gah! Didn’t I just say it while we were outside?! Oh, right, it was- “Narrow Beam... That fffetting jerkwad...”

Just then, a sharp pain emanates from that mane ridge and I let out a harsh whinny and snort as the brush snags!

“Oh! I’m sorry! Y-your mane! I-it just almost grabbed the brush!”

Looking in the mirror, I am once again greeted with that horrifying face! The tightening curls of hair, the weird points of twisted, pointed black and white in my eyes. Even the features of my face have an almost hard-shadowed, angularness to them.

However, as gawd awful as all that is, nothing is worse than the wide-eyed terror nearly plastered on Fluttershy’s face. I need to calm the fet down! Come on! Calm blue oceans!

"U-Uhm!" Fluttershy squeaks out, cowering and trying not to tug on the brush. "I... uhm.. maybe... you could-"

Oh please don't say it, please don't-

"Re-re-relax?" She whimpers. 

Any other pony, and I'm sure I'd have exploded. I'm still struggling to find my center here, but I'm far from relaxed, and Fluttershy knows this.

"I'm... trying... to..."

"Oh!" Her eyes light up and she looks like she's momentarily forgotten what horrible monstrosity she's working with. "Twilight learned a breathing exercise from Princess Cadance to help her relax. Maybe... you... could..."

"I don't recall thossse working all too-" she whimpers lightly and fet there go my objections. "But I sssuppossse I can try..."

Taking a deep breath, I lift a hoof and let out a hissing noise from between my teeth, allowing the appendage to slowly fall as I run out of air. Looking back to the mirror, it seems everything has returned to 'normal'. No more curls, no more weird eyes, and no more sharp shadows.

Just an almost ponified version of what I’d imagine my mother to look like.

“I... Think we found your trigger...” Fluttershy quietly whimpers.

“Ya think?” Ah, jeeze, that reply was too harsh, H.B.! “I apologize. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that... it’s just... with what happened with... Karen...”

“Marmalade...” She gently corrects going back to the task of brushing my mane.

“I know her name... It’s just the way she was acting along with that interaction with Rodsncones... it must have set off some anxious parts of my brain...” I blow that stupid forelock out of my face. “And bumping into Pepper Pocket didn’t help matter either, I suppose...”

“Really?” She asks, pausing and lifting a hoof to her mouth in shock. “But Pepper was so nice!”

Hooooboy...

“He was,” Please don’t ask, please don’t ask, please don-

“Then what was wrong?”

Ugh. Fet. Locks.

“It kinda involves what happened on April Foals Day and the Creativi-Tea, and-” Come on H.B., you can get this out! “The really... awkward way that I asked him to make my mechanical pencil..”

“Oh...?” Damn it!

“Yeah... Yeah... It was... really awkward and uhm... really... adult.”

“Uhm... I am an adult.”

“N-no, I mean adult-adult.”

“Despite what Pinkie Pie says, I am an adult.” She turns her head a little and huffs. “I’m a year older than her...” She insists.

“What I mean is-...ugh... Yeah, you know what? Fet it. You are an adult, so I’ll treat you like one...” Geez , who woulda thought that Fluttershy was still so bitter about that age thing? “After I had drilled my hoof... I went to About Time, his clockshop, right? And when I asked him if he could make my pencil, he said that he just didn’t have the time for such a project...”

“That doesn’t-”

I hold up a hoof. “I’m not done yet.”

“Oh, sorry...”

“It’s ok, Fluttershy,” Those three words feel like they’re going to be my catchphrase for this month. “Anyway, in my tea-addled state, that was just unexceptable.” I feel a tug and a small bit of pain from the brushing. “Ow...” I say reflexively.

“S-sorry...” She repeats, pulling through a larger tangle.

“It’s fine... really, just don’t pull out too much,” I reply with a small chuckle.” So... I said...” Deep breath here. “To Pepper that I was a... mare... with... needs... And that I had a ...” Another deep breath H.B.! “ A hole... that needed filling...”

Glancing in the mirror, I can see the instance where Flutters gets the double entra... Aaaand there goes the wide eyes and Flutterblush!

“Oh... My...”

“Yeah. And it wasn’t made any better by the fact that I had him...” Ugh! Hide your face, Heartbreak! “Pinned against the wall, with my neck ... reaching down...” I thought that saying this through gritted teeth would make it less awkward and horrible and what have you, but really? It doesn’t. It really doesn’t...

There’s a clatter of the brush falling to the floof and hitting the bathroom tile below.

“O-Oh. My. Goodness!!”

“Don’t be too loud there, Flutters,” I say as my hoof runs down my face. “I know the stalls here are empty, but I don’t want any errant ears hearing any of this.”

“Oh... Right..” She says, notes of what I think are shame in her voice as she goes to pick up the brush and begins to brush out my... tail. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Flutters. It’s-” I squeak at the tugging at said appendage. I can already see her going to apologize. “That’s fine too… but like I was saying, seeing Pepper was awkward, and maybe not being able to properly apologize due to his two colts being there maybe made things a touch worse.”

Fluttershy looks like she’s mulling over what she’s going to say next. “I suppose that’s for the best. I know that I couldn’t say anything in front of Zephyr without him telling my parents.” She says with a note of irritation in her voice as she reaches back up to my mane. “He would-”

She pauses as the brush snags on something back there! OH, geez! This doesn’t feel like it’s going... to... Come! Out! Easy!!

“Gah!” The force of the tug has me falling forward and nearly planting my face on the cool, hard bathroom tile! 

“Eeep! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m Sorry!”

“It’ss... fine, Fluttershy...” Fet! Shake off the adrenaline! “I’m fine! Nothing’s bro-”

Just then, out of the corner of my eye I spy something white moving in the space under the stalls. Ugh, even in Equestria it seems that full privacy isn’t really a thing...

“Are you sure, I’m really-”

“Shhhh!” Fet! I checked the stalls didn’t I? Slowly, I push my glasses up and turn my head, desperately hoping against hope that no... pony has been sitting in here the entire... time...

Tissue paper.

“Just a messy little scrap of tissue paper,” I say, breathing a sigh of relief before pushing myself back up. “I thought that somep-p-pony might have come in here when I wasn’t paying attention for a second is all..”

“S-should I go back to brushing?” She asks sheepishly.

“Yeah, it’s fine, Fluttershy.” Fet, I can already hear her asking the question. “And yes, I’m sure. I mean as long as you don’t make me look pretty. Like Rarity did that one time..”


=========


Heartbreak squirmed a little while eyeing Fluttershy who was humming a little tune as she continued to brush away.”Are you almost done? I really can’t stand... standing in one place for long periods of time...”

“Y-yes, sorry...” Fluttershy said, running the brush a few more times through Heartbreak’s now thick, fluffy, and puffy locks before exchanging it for the teal scrunchies.

“It’s fine,” Heartbreak replied distantly. “I’m surprised at how many m-m-mane and tail care products you have at the ready.”

Fluttershy smiled before gathering up the dark brown cloud-like organized mess and binding it up with the teal-green scrunchie. “Sometimes, taking care of animals means that I have to give them baths... and that’s so much easier if I put my mane and tail up...”

“Oh. That makes sense...” Heartbreak replied, before going wide-eyed at a sudden realization. “Wait, does that mean that you use that brush to...”

Fluttershy blinked in confusion before realizing the conclusion that H.B. must have come to. “Oh!” she giggled a little and shook her head. “No, you have nothing to worry about,” she said with a reassuring smile. “I boil it after every brushing!”

“Well.. Better than not, I suppose...” Heartbreak replied with uncomfortable relief.

“Oh, yes,” Fluttershy said, nodding. “You never know what could be hiding in the brush afterwards... I do always give them a chance and ask them to leave nicely, but...” She shook her head sadly. “Some of them are very stubborn. So... very stubborn...” she repeated in a distant, dark, and worrisome tone.

“So!” Heartbreak exclaimed, desperately hoping to steer away from the subject matter. “Let’s see what you did to me!” She said turning to the mirror, only to have an expression of shocked bewilderment scale its way to her face. “Well...”

“Is everything alright?” Fluttershy asked, tapping her hooves together anxiously.

“Dead mom mane...” Heartbreak said ominously. 

“I-I’m sorry?” Fluttershy asked.

“Dead mom mane. It’s another trope in those comics I was telling you about earlier? Like, every mom that has this mane and tail tyle is slated to die in those stories,” Heartbreak explained.





“Uhm, do you want me to change it?”

Just then, out in the Flower Shop proper, the musical notes of the clock chimed fifteen till.

“Aw geez, what time is it?” Heartbreak asked, going to her saddlebags to search out her mechanical pencil. Once found, she tapped on the devices’ face three times so that it would display the information she wanted. “Fet! Nine-fifty-four? Daisy’s clock must be slow...Uhm, what time were we meant to be at Applejack’s?”

“I think about, uhm, thirty minutes ago...” Fluttershy said.

“Really? Fet. I guess you took your time with these two?” Heartbreak asked jokingly pointing at her mane and tail.

“I’m sorry..” Fluttershy replied. “There were a lot of tangles...”

“Yeeeeah... that’s true..”

“And they were both really soft...” She quietly added. “Almost like a chinchilla...”

Heartbreak’s face dropped a bit in shock. “Well, uhm, I-y-you know what? This is fine? The mane and tail are fine. No need to do any further brushing. Definitely no need for any further brushing!”

“It wouldn’t be any trouble...”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Heartbreak stammered. “It’s fine, we’ve spent enough time on this. Applejack’s most likely wondering where we are...”

“A-are you sure?”

“Yuuup, it’s just a m-mane style,” Heartbreak replied, rolling her eyes at how clunky that felt to say. “I’m sure that A.J.’s not gonna care,” she said, slipping her saddlebags back on. “Now come on. Let’s get going.”
> A Case of Mistaken Identity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------




Chapter 22: A Case of Mistaken Identity





A bead of condensation formed on the smooth glass surface of a bottle of clear amber colored liquid. This bead, like so many around it, gathered up, no, gobbled up smaller droplets around it. Growing in diameter and mass, it soon began its journey down the side of the bottle.

As it did so, it would encounter other such beads of water, and they too would combine with that bead, ever hastening its travels down the curves of the sealed glass container, until it came to the bottom, where upon which, by some luck, or perhaps fate, or even just pure design of everything, it found itself just so positioned above a gaping abyss, between two wooden planks that made up the bottom of the crate that house eight more of the bottle’s siblings.

There, just like with the start of its journey from the top of the bottle, it would develop with moisture. Bulging, drooping, and practically quivering in a barely detectable breeze before the inescapable variables that made up its reality brought it to its undeniable fate.

Falling, falling, falling, like so many droplets that came before. It now joined its siblings in a puddle below that cart before being absorbed into the soil. Lost.

A similar bead of lather formed on the orange brow of Applejack as she stared anxiously off in the distance.

Wiping the sweat away and flicking it off her hoof, she removed her hat before using it to fan herself.

‘Sure is swelterin’ taday,’ She thought to herself, before fanning herself a few more times and placing the stetson back atop her head. “Gosh darnit, where are they? Shoulda’ been here...” She squinted to look at the Ponyville town clock. “Now that can’t be right? Thirty-minutes ago? Fluttershy shoulda’ sent one of her animal friends ta tell me if they was runnin’ late!”

She paused and let out an exhausted sigh.

‘Then again, H.B. is insistent that the animals hate her. An’ they just very well may be with how Fluttershy described what happened the other day...’

Applejack’s gaze shifted from the long stretch of dusty dirt road that led into town and to that crate of icy cold bottles of freshly squeezed tangy apple juice...

“Ah’m sure H.B. wouldn’t mind. Ah mean, she hasn’t bought it yet...” She reassured herself before licking her dry lips. ‘An’ it’s not like Ah can’t just go an’ get another.’ she thought, her hoof edging closer and closer to a bottle cap. ‘Besides, they’d understand, after all, Ah’m thirsty an’ been workin’ hard an-’

“Applejack?” came a deep, slow, and concerned sounding voice from seemingly nowhere.

“Gah!” The designated mare yelped, her hoof striking the crate, causing the glass bottles to clatter loudly against one another. "Ah wan’t doin’ anythin’ wrong!” She stammered while quickly holding the crate in place so that the bottles would cease their clatter-chatter. “O-oh, Big Mac, it’s just you.”

“Eeeeyup,” Big Mac chuckled.

“Ah suppose ya came out here ta check up on me?”

“Eeeyup.”

Applejack stared off into the distance once more and there was a quiet that grew between the siblings. A quiet that sprouted out of a mutual understanding, a bond born from a deeply seeded grief.

“Ah-ah’m not out here ‘cause of ... that,” Applejack said to this... wordless conversation. “Ya know that, right?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said after a plaintive sigh.

“It’s just...” Applejack tapped her left front hoof into the ground eight or nine times blithely. “Ah asked Fluttershy ta bring H.B. here fer, uhm, ta sell her this here apple juice, an it just so happens ta have fallen on... taday...” She said, swallowing for both her parchedness and the lump that was forming in the back of her throat. “They just outta have been here by now is all...”

Big Mac sighed, “A.J... You don’t need ta expla-”


As Applejack looked over at her brother, his words seemed to fade and sounded muffled; distant. She rubbed her ears before another voice, almost clear as a bell trickled into her hearing...

“They just oughta have been here by now,” the young voice echoed, concern dripping like condensation off a bottle in every word.

Turning her head, there in the shimmer of the head, she saw a little orange filly with a corn silk yellow mane, her freckled cheeks were getting dewy from the tears that were falling from her large, sad, wide green eyes.

“That’s... that’s me?” Applejack asked herself disorientedly.

“They said they’d be here!” The little Applejack cried. “Why ain’t they here yet?!” She stomped the ground fretfully.

“Ah...” But before Applejack could gather her bearings about things the same little voice asked another question.

“What’cha mean that’s all ya found?!” The younger version of Applejack asked an unseen pony.

“Oh no...” Applejack whispered. After all, she remembered what was coming.

“No!” The little filly erupted. “Yer lyin’! Be quiet! NO! Ah-AH HATE YOU! AH HATE YOU!” they shouted them before turning and running away in the opposite direction- fading from existence, unraveling square by square, like the picture in one of Granny Smith’s cross stitches when a small but important thread had been pulled out by mistake.





“Everythin’s comin’ undone...” She muttered to herself as a dim, distant voice seemed to be calling her name.

“A.J... A.J.? Applejack!” Big Macintosh shouted.

“Huh?!”

“Were ya even listening ta anythin’ ah had said?!” He snorted angrily.

  “Uh-heh, well-ee ya-” She faltered, before seeing her brothers’ concerned scowl staring right through her soul. “Ah-ah mean... nope...” Applejack finally admitted.

Big Mac Looked over his younger sister. “Ah was pour’ ma heart out ta ya, an’ you’re off Luna knows where cause ya didn’t think ta-” He stopped mid sentence , his words being replaced with an angry huffing sound before he walked to his sister’s side.

“Hey, Ah’m sorry, Ah know Ah shoulda brought-”

Just then, Big Mac nosed right under Applejack’s mid-section, and in one quick, powerful motion, he lifted her up and onto his back crosswise!

“Hey now! What in tarnation do ya think yer doin’?!” Applejack shouted once she got her bearing about her. Big Mac said nothing and turned back to trot down the road upon which he had come.

“Now hold up! Ya think ya can just pick me up an’ carry me back ta the farmhouse, just cause Ah had one spell on a count that ah most likely just need ta sit an have a drink!?” Applejack protested while attempting to squirm her way to freedom.

“Eee-” Big Mack started, bucking a little, causing his sister to once more straddle across his back, thwarting her escape. “-Yup!”

“An ya just expect me ta leave those crates of apple juice just sittin’ in that there wagon, out in the open, just fer anypony ta pick up?” She huffed.

Big Mac Paused momentarily and eyed the glistening bottles that were now, well, off in the distance. He shook his head and then continued forward. “Eeeyup.”

Applejack tried, feebly, once more to fight the position her brother had placed her in, only to feel the exhaustion of the day’s head and the chores of the morning really starting to hit her. “Ah suppose that yer just lookin’ out fer ma well bein’ an that there them bottles will be fine seein’ as they’re in an icewood crate...” she said defeatedly.

“Eeeeyup.”

“Sorry ta have worried ya,” Applejack said. “The two of us are both a pair of stubborn cusses, ain’t we?”

“Eeeyup.”

Applejack stared off into the distance at the apple orchard. “Guess we got that from them, eh?”

Big Mac paused once more.

He woulda thought that every year would have been different.That, somehow, in some way, time would have softened the blow.

But every year, despite knowing that this day was coming, with it came that old familiar ache.

And that, despite her promises of not waiting out here, that he’d feel his big heart break once he did find her out in that very spot: watching and waiting, while he was left commiserating.

“Eeee-yup...” He croaked out before continuing to walk.

“Oh,” Applejack, said after a while. “Don’t ya ever dare do this again. Ah’m not some little filly ya can toss around any more. Ah’m a full grown mare now, ya hear?”

Somehow, hearing that little fact caused the big red stallion’s heart to crumble just that much more.

After all, despite there being only a few years difference between them, it reminded Big Mac of how old he was getting and how much time had passed since that fateful day.

“Ee-eeyup...” He managed to get out before the two of them had reached the farmhouse once more.


=========


The old green mare with the frazzled white mane glared in frustration at the pipes beneath the sink in her increasingly humid kitchen.

“Of all the gosh dern, frickle-frackle things..” She muttered narrowing, her light brilliant orange old eyes at the leaking patchwork repair job. Just then, the sink burbled and gurgled sickly at her. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I heard ya the first. Ma hearin’ ain’t gone yet, so simmer down, why don’t ya?” She huffed and pulled back in disgust as the drain bubbled up once more, spewing forth old sink water along with the odor of fruit rot. “Ugh, that t’ain’t right..” she muttered, turning around and heading to the cupboards. She tapped her thick glasses down for a moment to make sure that she was getting the right ingredients this time. “Thankfully fer you, Ol’ Granny’s got somethin’ that’ll fix yer pipes...” She reached for a jug of pale amber liquid followed by an orange box. “It’ll fix them somethin’ fierce!”

She then proceeded to pour the white powder from the box into the sink before mixing in some fancy liquid soap. She followed this up with a gentle pouring of water from the facet to make sure most of the concoction got into the drain.

"An' finally, the thing that cures any and all ills..." she popped the stopper off the jug before pouring several healthy glugs of the sour smelling liquid directly into the circular void and quickly jamming her hoof over the cover to trap the near instantaneous fizzing reaction.

She tightly shut her eyes and strained to keep that hoof of hers tightly down. Once she was sure that the fireworks were over, she cautiously opened one eye and slowly pulled her light green hoof away.

There was a burble, then a gurgle, and then a slow sputtery draining that sounded like Uncle Smokehouse sucking in air after taking a bite of a pacific rose apple.

"Humph! Of all the gosh dern hassen-frassen..." she cursed under her breath.

Just then, the front screen door creaked open, and the heavy hoof steps of her grand colt, Big Macintosh, came in.

"Oh! Yer back!" Granny Smith piped, her wizened dour expression switching to relief. "Did ya find yer sister?"

"Eeeyup." He replied with a bit of an exasperated sigh before turning to his right so that said pony was almost face to face with her grandmare.

Granny Smith narrowed her eyes to bring whom it was into sharper focus. "Applejack, what are ya doin' up there? Get off yer brother, we don't need the neigh-bors givin' ya two funny looks now..."

"Grannny..." Applejack bemoaned sliding off her brother's back and landing wobbly to the nice, cool floor. "Whew, Ah mention that it's a scorcher out taday? Ah need sumthin' ta drink."

Granny Smith frowned at her granddaughter. She had always been a stubborn one. It was both her greatest strength and biggest weakness. "What were doin out there fer so long without a whistle wetter anyway?"

The ice box's door closed and with it the clinking of glass bottles. Big Mac cleared his throat and eyed the calendar hanging on the front of the wood decorated chiller as he undid the cap for his sister.

"Huh?" Granny Smith asked, squinting at the letters and dates. Then her face crumpled as she saw the red circle on one of the squares. A red circle well known amongst the trio gathered that there wasn’t a need for words to know the meaning of its occasion.

"Thanks mightily there, Big Mac," Applejack said, taking the thirst quenching golden beverage offered to her before taking several long, satisfying swings.

“Has it already been another...” Granny Smith paused not wanting to say the word. “Ah mean, it’s that time already?”

“Ah, fer fet’s sake,” Applejack swore in her post refreshment gasp.

“Eeeeeyup...” Big Mac said somberly.

“Like ah told him,” Applejack protested, coughing a little to clear her throat. “Ah wan’t out there waitin’ on them. Ah was waitin’ on Fluttershy an’ H.B.!”

“H.B.?” Granny Smith asked, her eye turning back to the sink as it made a defiant gurgling spatter!

“Her name’s Heartbreak, but she insist on bein’ called ‘H.B.” Applejack explained holding the bottle of cold, dry cider to her forehead. “She was here a couple months back? Remember?”

“Uhm...” The Elder green mare rubbed her chin trying to clear the cobwebs from the attic. “Heartbreak... Heartbreak... Heartbreak...” She muttered. “Nope. Can’t say AH recall that...” Then something clicked in her noggin. “Though, Ah do recall hearing yer Auntie Orange told me in a letter when them side of the family was off visiting The Wealthy Apples- your great-second cousins twice removed in Whinneapolis last moon somethin’ about somepony causin’ a scene at another pony’s high falutin’ get together or what have ya...”

Just then, the sink started to chorgle and wheeze desperately.

"Huhmph," Granny Smith grumbled. "Big Mac, can ya do yer granny a favor an' go fetch the toolbox from that there shed out back, the one with the Old Buck? Looks like we're gonna need ta take these pipes apart..."

"Eeeyup." Big Mac replied trotting off.

"That sounds like an event that Rarity took H.B.  ta last month, an from what Ah heard, " Applejack paused to take the final few swigs of her cider. "H.B. did cause quite the ruckus. Put somepony named... um... Mani- Mani-..."

"Manifest Destiny?" Granny Smith asked opening the cupboard under the sink.

"Yeah! Manifest Destiny! That's the one," she looked up at the bottle and held it up over head before lolling her tongue out to get that list deep of apple cider goodness. "How'd ya know him?" Applejack asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Ah met his father, Granite Carver, when up there ta hammer out some details with Wealthy before he pas-" she stopped and bit her tongue. "Let's just say Ah met his father an’ leave it at that." Granny Smith said, poking a hoof at what she thought was the problem pipe.

"Oh..." Applejack said internally rolling her eyes and carefully placing the empty bottle into the sink. "Welp! That was a mighty fine bottle of cider! Dun me plenty good!" She said while pulling on the brim of her hat. "If ya don't mind... Ah'll just.."

And just as she stood up to walk out the door, there was a slight stumble in her gait that nearly had her tumbling to the floor.

Thankfully, as all of this was occurring, Big Mac returned from the shed, brick red toolbox handle in his mouth and with  surprising reflexes, caught his sister before she could completely crumple to the hardwood floor below.

Applejack responded by shaking her head and feebly pushing him away. 

"Ah said that ah was fine!" She insisted.

"Nope." Big Mac curtly replied snorting at the stubbornness that his sibling was famous for displaying.

Granny Smith placed her cheek on her grandfilly's forehead. "Humph."

"Ah just stood up too quickly, is all," Applejack glowered, almost pushing her granddam away, but changing her mind after a seconds thought.

"Hmmm, yer a bit warmer than ya oughta be there, little filly," Granny Smith assessed. "Ah'd say that yer comin' in on the first stages of sun stress. Can ya fetch her a dilly from the cellar?" She asked Big Mac.

He responded with a "Eeeyup." Before resigning himself to the endless number of fetch quests that was his life.

"Sit back down, Applejack," Granny Smith said in her soothing old grey mare voice. "Now tell Ol' Anne if yer not goin' out there ta..." she hesitated in her words.

"Ta go out there an' be waitin' fer them? Again?" Applejack finished, her voice hardly betraying the feelings she held in this matter. "It's cause Big Mac's gone an' left that wagon of cider out in the open!"

"Really? Is that all?" Granny Smith asked incredulously. The only response she got was a stern 'Don't treat me like a little filly' stare back. "Yer gonna have ta forgive me fer not takin' yer word there, A.J., after all, ya were out there last year... an' the year before that... an the year before that... an-"

"Alright!" Applejack snapped, turning away. "Ah get it-" she said, a lump forming in her throat. "Ya don't need ta say anythin' more."

Granny Smith gave Applejack a sudden but comforting hug. "Ah'm sorry, A.J., ah didn't mean ta hassle ya like that, it's just after that one time..."

"Ah know... Ah know," Applejack replied, returning the embrace. "An' Ah'm sorry too. Ah don't know what it is, but this year has been feelin'... a bit harder than usual. "

"Well," Granny pulled away and looked the freckled orange ponyin the eyes. "Just remember that we Apples look out fer one another. Have ta be strong, especially fer yer sister, ya hear?"

Applejack felt a strange mingle of guilt and -if she was being honest with herself- jealousy, for her little sister, Applebloom. After all, there were nights that she'd wished with all her heart that the little filly had known her parents the way she had, and yet in her ignorance of those figures in her life, she also lacked the heartbreak of missing them.

"Yer right, Granny, " Applejack lamented sighingly. "Ah'm sorry fer puttin' ya through the process like that..."

Granny Smith smiled and pecked Applejack on the cheek. "It's alright ma little apple turnover monster. Now! Why don't ya have a bit of a sit right here-" she said patting her on the withers to make her drop her flank to the floor.

"Wha-"

"Have a dilly, an' get yerself cooled down,” Granny Smith said, plucking a pickle from the jar Big Mac was carrying as he returned from his adventure in the basement. "Ah'll take care of that there wagon that ya'll left behind." She then proceeded to stick it in Applejack's mouth before she had the chance to protest.

"What if ya run inta Fluttershy an' H.B.?" Applejack asked after she removed the puckery, salty, dill flavored treat from her mouth.

"Then Ah'll just send them yer way or they can walk back with me," Granny Smith replied, getting her walker and making her way to the door. "Then ya can do whatever it is ya wanna with yer little friends. Just remember that Ah'm  gonna need ya later taday ta take care of them varmints out near the west irrigation ditch."

"But Granny, Ah was hopin-"

"Now see here A.J.," Granny Smith began in a stern but gentle tone. "Them there fire ants are angry critters, an' Ah need yer wits about ya an' not actin' like ya got inta the month old mash from heat stroke. Ya hear?"

"Ah-" Applejack wanted to explain more about why all was so important, but with the sensitive nature of it all, she couldn't.  "Alright..." she conceded, munching on the pickle. "Ah will..."

Triumphant, Granny Smith headed out the door. "Big Mac, ya mind loosenin' that there pipe fer when Ah get back? Ah know ya can do it on account of them strong muscles there."

"Eeeyup..." Big Mac replied with a mix of pride and embarrassment.

"All right, that's what Ah wanna hear," Granny Smith said as the front door screen door opened. "It takes all the Apples ta make a good pie!"

"Great words of wisdom," Applejack said under her breath after she was sure that the old mare was out of earshot. Part of her flinched in anticipation at the matriarch of the household to come barging back in. After all, Granny Smith was prone to bouts of sudden acute selective hearing.

Thankfully, though, that moment never came.

"Sorry, her advice is sometimes just a little..." Applejack sighed while nibbling on her 'dilly'.

"Eeeyup..." Big Mac replied sympathetically as he picked up a large wrench and bent down under the sink.

"At least these pickles are good, " she said, taking a crunchy bite.

"Eeeeyup," Big Mac replied, snagging his own dilly before going to work on the pipes.


=========


Little white paws were racing through the underbrush, trying their hardest not to make a sound. Their owner suddenly came to a halt, reared up, and looked around.

He then bent down and pressed his long ears to the ground to listen for the gentle hoof beats of his darling partner pony and whatever slithery horrid noise the thing would make when it violated the earth with its malformed mockeries that it dared call a hoof.

This, however, was made rather difficult by his little bunny heart still pounding in his ears.

‘How did it know that I, Angel Bunny, was even there?!’ He asked himself while closing his eyes tightly to focus on the desired sounds.

‘Was it not for the soft white paper, I, Angel Bunny, would have surely been spotted!’

Angel took a deep breath and thought of the first time he had moved in with Fluttershy when the cottage was practically just the two of them

‘Such simple times. No horrid monsters, pony visitors, and all the carrots that I, Angel Bunny, could-’

Just then, waxing nostalgic memories were interrupted by a harsh scraping noise coming from the earth below. Confused, the rabbit removed his ear from the ground and with his mighty hind leg, thumped on the dirt several times before returning said ear back to the earth for listening.

However, it was only moments later did the scraping and clawing grow louder and from a mound of displaced dirt popped the little furry face of a mole!

“Hey!” The Mole exclaimed using his oversized paws to brush the dirt off his head. “What’s the big idea?! Don’t you surface animals know that we burrowing animals are living down here?!”

Angel crossed his little arms and glared at the velvety little critter who was half way out of the ground. “I, Angel Bunny, happen to be a burrower, thank you very much.”

The mole rubbed the areas that passed for eyes; blinked and coughed into a much weaker sounding tone.

“Oh,” The Mole said, tapping the tips of his finger-like appendages together. “It’s you, Angel Bunny. Uhm, Mr. Mole is sorry about that outburst. Mr. Mole and his family have been a bit on edge, lots of dangerous sorts have been about the surface and even the dirt! Why Mrs. Mold said that she almost dug into a fire ant’s nest down in that apple pony’s grove-”

Mr. Mole stopped his chatter as he felt the vibrations from Angel’s foot, no doubt because the lagomorph’s foot was fighting the urge to start full out thumping.

Angel’s nose flared a bit as he took a deep breath and began to lean his little head forward to continue his listening.

However, when his long bunny ear was pressed against the ground once more, all he could hear was the anxious sounds of Mr. Mole scratching at the earth below his feet.

The rabbit’s eyes snapped open and he glared irritatedly at Mr. Mole.

“Does Mr. Mole mind? I, Angel Bunny, can not hear any creature coming with him making all that noise down below!”

“O-Oh!” Mr. Mole said, hopping out of his hole. He sniffed around and attempted to get a good look around at the bright surface world, but alas, he was but a mole, and his diminutive eyes did him little if any good up here.

“Uhm...” Mr. Mole was about to say something, but felt cut short as an unnatural quiet fell over the wooded area where the two humble animals were... “W-what, if it is not too much trouble to tell, Mr. Mole, is Angle Bunny listening for?” He finally managed to push out of his mouth.

“Angel Bunny’s sweet, kind Fluttershy Pony,” The rabbit replied, grimacing as he pushed his head harder into the ground.

“Oh.. Is that all? With the way Angel Bunny was talking-”

“And that thing,” Angel darkly interrupted.

“The Thing! The Thing!!” Screeched Mrs. Hawk high above. “Hide! Hiiiiiide! It comes! It cooooomes!” She screeched as she zipped on by.

“The Thing?” Mr. Mole repeated, his hand like paws quivering near his face.

Angel looked up from his listening. “Yes. The Thing.” He said standing and putting his front paws behind his back. He then began to walk around Mr. Mole. “Surely, Mr. Mole, knowing the ground as well as he does, has sensed something walking on the surface that is... unnatural?” he whispered in his ear.

“Well... Nothing...” Mr. Mole trembled. “Well, nothing... uhm.. Recently..”

“Recently?” Angel asked, raising an eyebrow and rubbing his furry little chin.

“Y-yeah,” Mr. Mole said, scratching the back of his head. “See, back at the end of the damp Earth Moon, something strange was happenin’ with the worms by the apple orchards, the one where that domestic wolf lives?”

Angel glared at the mole, his nose wrinkling at the word ‘domesticated’. “Dog. They’re a dog. And their name is Winona.”

“Ooo-oh! Pardon, Mr. Mole knows all animals benefit from havin’ the ponies around- some more so than others-” He paused to see that Angel was clearly not interested in animal politics and if he was reading him right in the bright shade, might be even a touch offended.”Err- rightieo...”

“Anyway... The worms...”

“Yes! The worms!” Mr. Mole explained, throwing his paws into the air. “The worms- the worms are usually quite fat and stout from eating all those rotten apples...” he scratched the side of his face. “But this year...? The worms were mostly lean and thin and...” he tapped his chin. “They tasted... like... sadness, like misery, and they were gummy...”

“That..” Angel began, pushing the repulsive image of eating worms out of his head. “Is most unfortunate...”

“You, Angel-Bunny are telling Mr. Mole! Why, the mole family had to burrow to the orange orchard when we found out! And that was quite the trek! And while the worms were better there, they weren’t as good as the appl-”

Just then, the sound of hoof steps could be heard drawing near...

“The reassson I don’t want to tell Twilight about thisss, isss becaussse ssshe’ll want to exxxperiment again...” came Its warped slithery voice.

“Again?” Fluttershy’s contrasting devine voice asked. “There was a first time?”

“Yesss, when ssshe wanted to test my hooovvvesss. You can agree that it isss hardly ethhhical to tessst on an unwilling participant, right?”

“Oh yes, “ Fluttershy said, her voice growing closer. “Especially if they’re animals. Even animals from other worlds.”

“...Well...Uuuhm...” It drew out an irritated groan. “Anyway, until I learn how to control... thisss... the bessst bet isss to keep me out of clossse quartersss with any ssstallionsss...”

“W-we will tell Twilight though... Right?” Fluttershy asked nervously.

“Uuuugh... Yesss... Eventually we will tell Twilight... Jussst not today...”

Angel pulled his little head back as the two passed by and continued on their way to Sweet Apple Acres. He tapped his foot and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, the gears turning in his little lapine head.

“Brrr!” Mr. Mole shuddered. “Angel-Bunny was not joking! Mr Mole couldn’t see that thing, but he could feel it in the earth, he could! Like ice freezing the ground with needles it was! Oh... Mr. Mole does not want to be involved with that thing. Gonna get the family outta this place, find somewhere else with better worms and grubs.”

“But... what if that thing goes there?” Angel asked, raising a single digit on his paw. “What will Mr. Mole do then?”

“Well, uhm, Mr. Mole, uhm...” The talpidae flustered anxiously. “The Mole family will have to burrow elsewhere?”

“And what if that thing followed?”

Mr. Mole squeaked fretfully at that thought. At the thought of all the worms drying up, at that thing tormenting him-his family! What would he do!? Where would he go?! He was just one little mole!

“Angel-Bunny has an idea that could help take care of that thing. Though he’d need Mr. Mole’s help...”

“Me- Mr. Mole? What coulda lowly mole do?”

“If Mr. Mole comes to the apple farm... Angel-Bunny will explain...” The rabbit replied, his ears almost curling like devilish horns...

As the two burrowing animals dove down Mr. Mole’s burrow hole, they failed to notice the two pairs of eyes watching them. One pair in the bush and the other scurrying about in the trees...


=========


There. Hopefully that little talk will get Fluttershy off my case about talking to Twilight about this bad mane day. She seems to get that the subject is causing me quite a bit of anxiety. Though I wonder if that little comment about animals from other worlds should be cause for alarm.

Probably not.

“Gaaaah, why does it have to be so hot?” It doesn’t help that I have a big shaggy thing on my head.

“I think it’s because it’s the primary growing season and the farm ponies need the sun for their crops.” Fluttershy softly answers.

“Sort of a rhetorical question, Flutters.” Gawds, the sweat is coming off so many parts of my body. It’s making my normally tan coat a touch darker in those spots. ”Still, what I’d do for a rain cloud or a stiff breeze...”

“I can’t bring you a cloud, they're all being used, but I could fan you with one of my wings...”

Something about the way she suggests that triggers an uneasy feeling in my heat addled brain. “Nah, it’s fine, Fluttershy.” Just then I see a little red wagon with what appears to be two cases of something in them “We’re here anyway.”

“Uhm... Yes we are...” Fluttershy’s anxious glancing around and lifted hoof cues me into something being up. I’m sure that means somethings’ up. Maybe it’s just the heat getting to me...

“I’m guessing that Applejack is meant to be here too?” Poking at one of the bottles in the wagon with the frog of my hoof, I can feel the refreshing sensation of what I’m gonna assume is cold apple juice or cider tingle up my...fore...leg. “Well, these are still cold, so... I’m guessing that she had something come up. Can’t be too far away, right? Maybe she’s off somewhere with Winona waiting for you?”

“Oh! Right! Winona... T-that’s part of the reason we’re here...” Just as I thought, eyes wider, pupils going all small, ears drooping before being shot to the ‘at attention’ pose? The two of them are up to something. Ponies are really bad at hiding this sort of stuff. “Uhm, maaaybe I should go and, uhm, find her... And, uhm..”

Gawds, have I mentioned how much Fluttershy reminds me of her?

“Aaand I’ll stay here, just in case she comes back looking for you?” Damn it, normally I would be a lot more upset at the ponies lying to me. Is it because it’s Fluttershy?

“Yes. That’s a good idea,” she replies, still looking around nervously. She glances back at me before her wings start preparing themselves for flight. “Are you sure you’ll be ok. Waiting here all by yourself?”

Seriously Universe, stop using Fluttershy to remind me of my last and final girlfriend...

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” That’s right, reassure her. I mean, yeah, she’s up to something, but this is Fluttershy. Not Twilight or Rarity or Rainbow Dash or maybe Pinkie Pie. Whatever it is? I’m sure it’s well intentioned. “I shouldn’t cause too much trouble between now and then, right?”

There it is, a reassured smile. Something I, despite all my own inner turmoil and self loathing, would always aim to see on her face whenever she would seek reassurance. A little bit of light that would piece my own darkness and bring the both of us some joy.

“Right,” She affirms, her wings fluttering before full on flapping to thrust her up into the sky. “I’ll be right back.” She says in a soft comforting voice.

“I'll be here!” I reply, holding a hoof up to block the sun from my eyes. “Eeyup, I’ll be here...”


=========


Granny Smith could hear the screen door hinges creak and groan as she closed the door behind her.

“Humph, gotta get the youngins on that too,” She thought as she slowly made her way down the yellow dirt path that would ultimately bring her to the front gate. “Wait...” She stopped and wiggled her front hoof. It ground and creaked, before popping sharply. “Might as well have them look at it anyway,” she conceded. After all, on a farm this old? There was always something that needed fixing.

In the vague cobwebbed corners of her mind, she could still remember when her family had been gifted this land. Yes, despite them being replaced every so often, she could remember each and every board, plank, post of the farmhouse, and barn. Things might have changed, but the memories? The memories would remain.

How many years had she’d made her way down this dirt path? More than enough for the way to be practically worn into the ground, that’s for sure.

Oh, those paths. Her grand foals might talk about how dim she was in her twilight years behind her back... but a part of her still remembered every twist and turn, every fork and wiggle of every path that Sweet Apple Acres had to offer.

“Over down that path leads to that there them zap apple trees!”

She smiled as the howls of the timber wolves rang in her ears, the feel of the journey of her family to this tiny little valley and how Ponyville practically popped up around her Pa’s humble little farm.

“Heh, an’ that one there? That leads ta the ol’ waterin’ hole where tha youngin’s would swim. An ah would sneak out with the cousins an others in summers hotter than this one, Ah’ll tell ya what...” She reminisced, smirking.

She could almost hear the splashing of water, the laughter of her Johnathan as he jumped off the tire swing and performed a spectacular cannon ball.

The memory caused her to involuntarily flinch and defensively raise a hoof. She, of course was dry as a bone, but that didn’t stop a cold shiver from traveling down her spine, and a wry smirk being thrown at the phantasm image of her future husband as he blew a water spout before giving her a goofy smile.

“Come on in, the water’s great!” he would exclaim between chattering teeth.

Granny Smith only chuckled and kept walking.

“An’ then there’s-” She stopped in her tracks. A faded, broken sign that was only one plank nailed into a tree and covered in vines grimmly greeted her. “Not... you.” She whimpered, a lump forming in her throat. Of all days, why did she even acknowledge this path?!

Sure, the grass was growing taller in places from neglect and the birds didn’t sing as sweetly as they once did, but there was no mistaking it for any other path.

Granny Smith could practically see the silhouettes of two ponies, hear their song of longing for one another, just about smell the scent of pea-

“N-no!” She quietly cried out, turning her head away from that thorn ridden place where they would meet. “Not taday! Especially not taday!”

Just then, she heard a voice.

“Granny Smith?” A deep country stallion asked.

“Y-yes?” A matured mare’s voice asked.

Granny Smith turned to see the source of these two new ponies, only to be confronted with a painful, long buried, but tragically familiar memory playing out...The dark tan stallion had a black mane and tail with soulfully sad eyes. However, his name was escaping her, but that wasn’t what mattered.

What mattered was what he said next.

“I’m afraid I don’t have anything but grim news...” He said, holding out a hat. “And... I hate to be the one havin’ to tell you this but...”

Just then a bright, excited hopeful voice broke into the somber scene.

“That’s their hat! Did ya find them Mr. Officer? Did ya?!”

“No... Go back inside there, Applejack...” Granny smith whispered along with this memory doppelganger.

“But Ah wanna know!”

“Just do whatcha were told!” the younger Granny snapped.

“Come on, Annie, don’t be so hard on her! Officer Kristo is about to-”

“This is all we found I’m afraid...” Kristo said as delicately as he possibly could.

“Whatcha mean that’s all ya found?” Little Applejack whimpered.

“And well, it’s been over...” Kristo sighed, cursing under his breath. “Well, it’s been a long time, and the Mayor is callin’ the search off. She doesn’t think...”

“No!” The little filly cried out, tears welling in her eyes.

“Ah’m sorry but we’ve searched every-”

“Yer lyin’!” She shouted, the tears falling over angry red cheeks.

“Please, I’m just here to-”

“Be quiet!” She shouted.

“Now, Applejack, that’s no way ta talk ta Officer Kristo, we didn’t raise ya ta be like that. Now get in the house an-”

“No!” She screamed, her eyes tightly shut before snapping open. “Ah Hate YOU! AH HATE YOU! AH HAT-”

“That’s enough!” Old Granny Smith snapped at the echoes of the past. She sniffed hard and wiped her old eyes and nose. “That’s enough. How dare ya make an old mare cry like that!” She spat at the path. “Ya think that this old Apple didn’t stubbornly hold out hope fer as long as she could?!” She stomped on the ground, snorted at the barely legible sign, and started storming forward.

“Ya think ah dun’t care? That ah didn’t wait just as long with that poor filly an her brother?” Granny Smith huffed. “Ah Did! Ah was there bein’ strong fer them! But there comes a time when hopin’ get in the way of livin’ an ya gotta accept that sometimes the ones ya love?” She asked openly to the air. “They never-”

Just then, off in the distance, a tan blurry, pony-shaped blur with a brownish orangy mane and tail tied up in a familiar set of teal scrunchies came into view as Granny Smith narrowed her eyes.

“C-come back...?” She finished covering her mouth. “N-no, can’t be, tain’t her, has ta be a trick of the light...” She continued rubbing her eyes in disbelief. “But...”

The unnamed mare turned, her eyes a shade of blue that from this distance sparkled with turquoise highlights. She lifted her hoof to whip her pole, casually pushing her ponytail away from her face to reveal-

“F-freckles?” Granny Smith whispered breathlessly, tossing a side her walker, her legs already working through the years of rust, age, and regret. Her heart was now pumping, racing, as a cautious canter was pushed into a full out trot!

“Hey! Hey!” She cried out, before clenching her teeth, tears waiting, just waiting to confirm that this was indeed who she thought it was!

Granny Smith felt her teeth and bones rattle as she skidded to a full stop as not to crash into them.

“Oh... H-Hi, Granny Smith,” she said startled as she coughed a bit from the dust. The old grey and green mare, narrowed her eyes once more, her ear perking the best they could. “Ah-heh... Hi... It’s me-”

“Buttercup?” Came the questioning creak of Granny Smith’s voice. “I-is it really you???”

“Me...” The mare stopped in confusion. “Buttercup?” She asked in disbelief.

“Oh! Butter on hot apple tarts! It is you!!! Ya’ve come back ta us!” Granny Smith joyfully cried, throwing her front hooves open and tightly embracing the pony. “Y-y-ya ‘ve come back ta us! Ya’ve come back...” She whispered tearfully.
> Down the Fire Ant Hole
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 23: Down the Fire Ant Hole



Everything in my body has seized up and I’m at a loss on how to react.

I’m feeling a lot of emotions right now, and maybe only one of them might be good and even I’m not sure if ‘hugged by little old grandma pony’ counts as good, let alone an emotion.

I do know that I want it to stop!

But how?! And why is this even happening? And why did she look at me like she knew me or something... Ugh! Why can’t I ask these questions and how do I stop her hugging me?!

“Oh lands alive, ah thought after what happened in the Everfree we lost ya!” Her eyes suddenly snap wide open and she pushes me away, starting to look around frantically, front hooves to her chest and hope sparkling in her expression. “Where is he?!”

“Uh-I-”

She walks around me looking every which way, the hope gleaming in her eyes starting to be replaced with a bit of anxious twitching before she uncomfortably chuckles.

“Now don’t go tellin’ me that ya’ve come back from Trotter’s field an’ didn’t bring him along with ya?! Come on! Where in tarnation is he?”

“Uhm, w-who?” Wait, did she say ‘Trotters’ or ‘Potters’? And why do I feel I know that as a term or expression...?

“Who...?” She asks incredulously, “The one ya fell head over hooves in love with! Ma boy, Bright Macintosh!” She turns back around. “Bright! Where are ya?! Come out already!”

Oh...oh... nooo...

Trotters field-Potters field... I remember now- Over the Garden Wall. And if she’s looking for her son... that means she thinks that I’m...Oooo-fffet...locks... The ‘dead mom mane’. Ffffet! No! I can’t let this go on!

“Bright Mac! Bright Mac!”

“Granny Smith?” Fet, how am I going to do this? Then I spot the glasses atop her head. I take a deep breath, really not wanting to do this..

“Come on! Stop playing tricks on this old dame! Get out here! Ah wanna-”

“Granny Smith!” Louder this time, if I remember right, she had hearing problems.

“What is it, Pear- I mean Cupcake?” She asks, getting up and close. Fet, that’s too close and her face is starting to crumple. “It’s about Bright, ain’t it? He couldn’t make it back cause he was protectin’ ya, wadn’t he?” She sniffs hard. “That’s ma boy, always putting’-”

“No! That’s not at all what it is!” Calm down, H.B.! It’s just an old lady who misses their son!

“No?” She gives me a stink eye and puts a hoof on my ..’chest’ pointedly. “What? Ya think ah can’t handle the truth? Hmm? Ah haven run this here farm with just them three youngin’s that ya left with me with an-”

“Granny. Smith!” I can’t stand this anymore. There’s nary a Fluttershy or Applejack in sight! “That’s not it at all!” I’m going for it. I don’t know if it’ll work but I... I just can’t allow this to keep going. Quickly, I tap the glasses that are resting on her head and they fall onto the bridge of her nose to hopefully end this tragic train wreck I am witnessing. “Just look at me!”

“What is...” And with that, I can see the look of excited joy twist into confusion.

“Wait..” There it is... I can see the exact moment when the spell is broken and her heartbr-... when it cracks. “Yer not Pear-” She shakes her head. “Ah mean, Buttercup...”

“I’m... afraid not...” I bite my life and pull back a short distance. Don’t want to be too close just in case she goes off on me. “My name is...” Ugh... “Heartbreak, but I like to be called ‘H.B.’.”

“Oh...” She replies, the disappointment from that one word alone paining her entire body. I swear, I wouldn’t think it possible, but she looks like she’s gained at least another thirty-six years with this single realization. Fffucking fet... should I say anything?

“Look,” Alright, let’s do this right. No need to set off any bombs in the Apple family. “I didn’t mean to confuse you or anything, it’s just-”

“Feh, I’m ok. Tain’t yer fault,” She waves a hoof at me before using it to wipe her nose. She sniffs hard. “Just these old dam eyes playin’ me fer a foal an makin’ me see things that t’ain’t there is all.”

“A-are you sure you’re okay?” Gah! What kind of question is that, H.B.?! Of course she’s not okay!!

“Ah’m fine,” Her crotchety old voice replies. “Ah just need a good long sit.” She sniffs again and smacks her lips before turning around. “...An’ maybe some special apple brown Betty...”

“Uhm... Well... Uhm...” Fuck of all the things that I didn’t plan for for today, why was ‘breaking Granny Smith’s heart’ even on it?

“Yeah. Said yer name was ‘Heartbreak’?” she asks in a bitter-sour croon.

“Y-yeah... b-but please call me ‘H.B.’.” I swear, I have that phrase on repeat today.

“Oh, hmm,” Great, that sounded more upset than it should have... “Ah’ll go let Applejack know that yer here. Reckon that she wants ta sell ya that there cider or somethin’...” she turns her head and starts walking in the direction of what I think is her stroller? I don’t know. All I know is that every step she takes is angrier sounding than the last.

“T-thank you...” I call out as apologetically as I can.

Ugh, she might say that what happened isn’t my fault, but I’m still feeling awful about it.


	=========




Applejack was just about done munching on her dilly when there was an ever-so soft know that came rapping at the front door.

“Now, who in tarnation could that be” She asked aloud while crunching on that final end of her pickle. “Ah’m’a comin’!” She said after another series of knocks came.

Big Mac began to pull his head from under the sink to stop his sister, only to lightly conk his head.

“Ah’m fine,” She insisted as her brother gave her a concerned look while he rubbed his head. “Ah’ve had ma juice an’ ma pickle. There’s no reason ta raise a fuss!”

Upon opening the door she was greeted with the gentle if not worried smile of the pony she had expected to arrive at least forty-five minutes ago.

“Howdy there, Fluttershy!” Applejack greeted with a wide smile. “Ah’m sure as sunshine glad ta see ya made it. Was gettin’ mighty worried ya wouldn’t show.”

Fluttershy’s wings tucked and her ears drooped as she sheepishly looked away. “Sorry... Something came up...” She quietly apologized.

“Well, that’s alright,” Applejack replied, seeing the mare before her grow diminutive. “The important thing is that yer here now.” She peered around behind the pony before her. “Ya did bring H.B. with ya, right?”

“Oh, yes,” Fluttershy replied, perking up and nodding. “She stayed by a wagon in case you came back outside.” She eyed Big Mac whose rump protruded out from the sink. “Uhm, should we go into another room to-”

“Huh?” Applejack looked at her brother before smiling and waving a hoof. “Nah, once he gets himself busy like that, he usually don’t hear a thing.”

Just then, there was an indigent snort that came from under the sink.

“Usually..” She muttered under her breath.

“Oh... Alright... So... H.B.’s lesson... “Fluttershy began timidly. “W-what did you have in mind?”

“Huuhm, well,” Applejack began, scratching the side of her head with her forehoof. “Ah was thinkin’ that Ah’d offer a cold drink when ya two arrived an’ then show her what crops we had.” She tilted her head uncomfortably. “An’ maybe after some zap apple jam.. Cupcakes... but she didn’t arrive... time... fer it... Just... act real nice like an’ hope she picks somethin’ up from it?” she said trailing off and shrugging.

“Oh...” Fluttershy replied, trying her hardest to cover up any disappointment she was feeling.

However, Fluttershy being Fluttershy, this was nigh impossible.

“Ah’m sorry there, Flutters,” Applejack said shaking her head. “Last night Ah was all sorts of frazzled, what with Applebloom an’ the fruit bats, an’ when ah was tellin’ ya'll that it sounded like a good idea at the time...”

“It’s alright...” Fluttershy said after a small pause. “You were listening and being a good friend.”

“Yeah, Ah guess.” Applejack sighed. “It’s just... well,” Once more she sighed.”Taday being... well... taday...”

“We don’t have to do it today,” Fluttershy said sympathetically. “We could do it tomorrow or when you’re feeling better... or whenever is best for you...”

“No!” Applejack said, stomping her hoof down before sniffing really hard to pull herself together. “Ah mean... Ah’m fine.”

“A-are you sure?” Fluttershy asked after recovering from the sudden jolt of sound.

“Ah promised that Ah’d help ya with this an’ Ah intend ta keep that there promise,” Applejack said after taking a sharp breath through her nostrils. “Besides, it’ll get ma mind off things.” She said, turning towards the door.

However, because she hadn’t been looking in the direction she was going, Applejack found herself colliding with a very solid red furry obstacle.

“Big Mac!” She exclaimed, spitting as his fur grazed her lips. “What’cha think yer doin’ blockin’ mah way out? Is this still about me not gettin’ enough fluids earlier?!” she asked as she attempted to get by her brother.

“Eeyup,” he replied, lifting a hoof and putting it to the pole of her head.

“Ah, come on now! Ah had some juice, a pickle, an’ even some rest!” She protested pulling away while waving a hoof at him irritatedly. “Crisp Ruritan Apple Pie! What more ya want?”

And just as her brother was about to open his mouth to reply, that’s when the trio of ponies heard the loud cries of Granny Smith calling out from outside.

“What in the sam hill...” Applejack asked, pushing past her brother. From this distance she could make out the tan broken hearted pony looking rather uncomfortable, while her granny frantically was searching about. Then, a familiar name floating on the wind brushed by her ears.

“Is something wrong?” Fluttershy asked, trying to peer past the all too imposing Big Mac.

Applejack looked back at her brother questioningly. “Is it ma ears or is she callin’ out fer..”

Heartbreak’s voice then irritatedly rang out at the old green mare, who after a moment of looking at the tan pony, appeared as if she was going to faint!

“Granny!” Applejack gasped, rushing out the door.

“Now hold on one second!” Big Mac called out causing his sister to come to a momentary halt. “Ah don’t know if yer ok-”

Applejack turned and snorted at her brother. “Are ya gonna be pullin’ this on me when she could be out there havin’ a spell of her own?” she asked, nearly staring him down.

“Uhm,” He looked away and gulped hard. “N-nope..”

“Then come on already!” Applejack exclaimed, rushing down the dirt road. “Granny Smith! Granny Smith!” She called out, expecting to find her on the ground, only to see that she was nearly back at her walker. “Granny are ya-”

“Ah’m fine! Ah’m fine!” She sniped, waving off her granddaughter before getting back into her walker.

“Ah’m sorry, Granny, it just looked like ya’s was gonna faint an-”

“Well, ya can see that Ah’m fine!” she grumbled cantankerously.

“Well-what happened then?” Applejack asked, confused by the sudden shift in mood.

“What happened? What happened?” Granny Smith repeated almost glaring back behind her, only to have her angry grimace dissolve into a bitter forlorn sigh. “Nothin’ ‘cept for these old dam eyes playin’ tricks on me...”

“What’cha mean by-”

“It’s fine, it’s fine” She said. “Ah just need ta go have a sit, maybe make some ‘special apple brown Betty’...”

As Fluttershy and Big Mac caught up, Applejack, who now wore a concerned expression, turned to Heartbreak.

“What the hay did ya do ta ma Granny Smith?!” She asked accusingly.

“N-nothing!” Heartbreak stammered, jumping as sudden hostility was being shot her way.

“Nothin’!? Nothin’!?” Applejack exasperatedly asked before rubbing the side of her head. “Ya know what makes ‘special apple brown Betty’ so ‘special’?”

“I-it’s made with love?” Heartbreak sheepishly answered.

“It’s-it’s made with- No! It’s made with hooch!” Applejack exclaimed.

“One...” Heartbreak began, attempting to assert herself. “How the fet would I know that? And two...” Her eyebrow raised in disbelief. “You know what ‘hooch’ is?”

“Course Ah know what hooch is! What cha think the ‘Jack’ in ‘Applejack’ means!?” She shouted at the sky while throwing her forehoof up.

“Jack-oline?” Heartbreak eeked out, backing away while rubbing on her front leg shrugging.

“Jack-Jackoline?!” Applejack growled. “Is this some kinda joke ta ya?!”

“A.J....” Fluttershy began, finally pushed into intervening. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it like that... Please calm down?” she asked beggingly.

Applejack took a deep breath. “Fine, but what happened? Why was Granny Smith so upset?"

The apple pony found herself met with a sudden awkward silence before Heartbreak continued to rub her leg and give an uneasy groan.

“Well!? What did ya do?!”

Heartbreak, once again pulled back. “I didn’t do anything...” She insisted, her hoof starting to reach up towards her ear.

“Don’t give me that! Ah saw ya sayin’ somethin’ ta her that made it look like she was about ready ta have a faintin’ spell! So what did ya say?!”

“I-I... well...”

"Out with it already!”

“Fetting fet, A.J.! Stop pushing me!” Heartbreak finally snapped. “I’m trying to gather my thoughts here cause Ah’m not sure how ta put it!”

Applejack was about to, once again express her frustration with the pony in front of her, when Fluttershy gave her a look.

“Alright... Alright... Sorry, sorry...” She said standing down. Even she knew better than to challenge Fluttershy when she even hinted at a Flutterstare...

Fluttershy walked over to Heartbreak and looked up at her like a dog would look at their owner to make sure that they were feeling alright.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” She asked in her kindest most understanding of voices.

“Uuuugh...” Heartbreak grimaced, her hoof now rubbing on her ear....

“It’s alright,” Fluttershy said, trying to sooth the clearly troubled soul. “I believe you when you say that you didn’t do anything...”

Heartbreak took a deep breath through her nose. “Thank you, Fluttershy... Cause really. I didn’t do anything....”

“Then why-” Applejack started, only to have a stern Flutterhoof go up cutting her off.

“What happened?” Fluttershy ask, not skipping a beat.

“What happened was that Granny Smith mistook me for somep-pony else,” Heartbreak said, her right hoof nervously twitching on the ground.

Once again, Applejack looked like she was going to interrupt, only to yet again be taken out by a sideways Flutterglance.

“Who did she mistake you for?”

Heartbreak out her nose and turned away in an attempt to muffle her voice. “You remember the trope with the mane and mothers?” she asked, making as subtle as possible pointing motions at Applejack.

Fluttershy’s head tilted in confusion before jerking upright while her eyes widened in revelation. “Ooh,” She turned and looked back at her friends. “Oh Nonono!” she gasped.

“What?!” Applejack interjected, finally deciding she couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer.”Who was it and why ya being so gosh dern cagy about it!?” She shouted.

Heartbreak took a sharp breath, once again, through her nostrils, her eyes showing flickering of the light warping within them. “You really want to know there, Applejack?” She hissed through clenched teeth.

Fluttershy almost instantly backed up to put herself between the Apple siblings and the broken pony. “H.B., You can’t...”

“Ssshe’sss going to find out sssooner or later, Flutterssshy. Essspecially if ssshe keepsss yelling at-”

“Just out with it already! Consarnit!” Applejack angrily demanded.

Heartbreak snorted and narrowed her eyes at Applejack, still contemplating whether or not she should share. “Doesss the name Buttercup hold any meaning to you?”

Applejack flinched at the name spoken. “What the hay does ma-” she stopped, her brain sputtering as it finally had all the pieces to put together. “Ma...” She looked up at her brother, who, due to his wide-eyed, ear-pinned, stiff-shocked expression seemed to have figured out where all this was heading for a while now.

“E-eee-y-yup...” Big Mac confirmed.

Applejack stepped forward, her eyes narrowing to inspect the mare before her. Then, they went wide as a faint fragmented memory of a loving figure overlaid itself upon Heartbreak.

“M-ma?” the scared little filly asked.

Just then, as Heartbreak was going to say something, the ground literally crumbled under Big Mac and Fluttershy.

“What the hay?!” Applejack exclaimed, peering down the hole to see her brother and the pink maned pegasus awkwardly barrel to barrel. “Are ya two alright down there?” She asked, reaching for her trusty lasso.

“Ee-Y-Yup!” Big Mac replied, attempting to move, only to find that his head was resting on Fluttershy’s mane.

“That’s good ta hear,” she said, trying to figure out the best way to pull the two of them out.

Heartbreak bit her lip and tapped her hoof. “A.J.” She finally said. “Look, I’m really so-”

Suddenly, the ground Heartbreak was standing on shifted and fell away below her and she let out a terrified scream!

In an instance, Applejack dropped what she was doing and sped to the newly created hole, but all she could hear was that frightened cry growing more and more distant.

“No... No.. No! Not again!” Applejack cried out.


	=========


This has to be one of the worst days of my life.

Not only has my mane and tail somehow come to life and caused undue property damage, there was that awkward scene with Pepper and whatever Rosnc-

‘Actually, it's not all that bad, all things considered’

Then I get a clod of dirt smacking me in the face and I’m reminded that ‘Oh yeah, I’m falling down a literal hole. A hole in the ground no less.’

Though, before I have the time to even process the hows and why’s this is even possible, I’m ported out into the light of day somewhere that I’m sure is far away from A.J. and company in a tumbling roll before flat on my face.

“Bleh! Ptoo! Ptoo,” Ugh. Dirt in the mouth! Gah! Spit it out! Double ugh! It’s in my man-hair! ... and tail...

Shaking it out, I look around to see where exactly I am.

“Oh good, glasses stayed on my face...” There are concrete walls at least five or maybe six feet tall on either side of me. Ground seems to be concrete too? Lucky I didn’t break anything. I tense up walking forward. There’s a twisting pain in my foreleg. Maybe a small sprain? Adjusting my specs, I peer up.

The hole I came out of seems to be a small on a small hill of sorts. I swear I hear some chittering or wuffing noise coming out of it. Should I be concerned?

“I must still be on the apple farm though, seeing that there are still some trees bearing the farm’s name sake above what has to be... an irrigation ditch?” I say out loud. You know what would be a better idea than just assessing your surroundings, H.B.?

Calling out for help.

Part of me doesn’t want to, but that part is stupid cause being lost in a ditch is not preferable to being mistaken for somepony- anyone’s dead mom.

“Applejack?! Big Mac?! Fluttershy!?” I call out after a deep breath. Wait, didn’t Big Mac and Fluttershy also fall down holes?

“APPLE-JACK!!!” I bellow out. “Right, she’s got to have heard that.” I mutter, rubbing my throat. The leaves rustle dryly as I attempt to listen for a response back. “APPLE-”

Wait, why do the leaves on that one tree up there look so... dry? Sniffing the air, I notice an arid tang of a campfire smell, and is it me, or did it just get like four or five degrees hotter?

That’s when I spy from the corner of my little eye, the end of this irrigation ditch, and it appears that the whole end wall has a massive hole in it.

“What the hay?” I ask, doing the smart thing and of course, approaching it cautiously.

That’s when I notice that the hole doesn’t look... natural. It looks carved out. Not like it was carved out, but more like it was...

“Melted out?” My voice echoes down this opening and I’m getting a very apprehensive feeling in my gut. I can’t recall if there was anything like this on the show....

Then, I hear a most unsettling sound.

It’s like... a mixture of something scraping on metal and the sound that horror sci-fi movie makers use as the effect for... creatures... insectoid creatures... Generally large ones.

Back away, H.B... Back away and do it slowly. Very, very, very slowly.

Suddenly, there’s a crumbling from behind me, the hole that I was ejected from? I dare not look as the carved cavernous tunnel before me holds a lot more of a threat than falling dirt.

Well... falling dirt is a threat. There’s rocks and it could get in my eyes and-

The dirt I was fearing of falling does just that out of the corner of my eye. A large clod hitting the ground with such force I can feel it vibrate through the bottoms of my hooves.

The alien and yet oddly familiar monster critter sound coming from this unknown black void before me seems to have noticed that clod falling too...

Ope. That black void? It’s not so black any more, as the glow of a pair of red eyes blink on from the darkness.

Freeze. Everyone always talks about there being a ‘flight or fight’ response but they always- Not. The. Time. H.B.

Just... Be. Quiet. And. Hope. It. Doesn’t. See. You. Move. Very. And. This. Is. Important. That. Back. Leg. Of. Yours. Slowly. Down. Need. To. Stay. Bala-

CRA-A-A-A-ACRU-U-UNCH!!

“Fet!” I whisper. What did I just step on?! Look back really quick. Sticks? Just sticks, which are better than bones I suppose but wait... Why are those sticks all charred up?

There’s a sudden spike of head and a flash of light that jolts my  attention back to the hole that had the glowing red eyes...

Aaaand, Yup, just like I feared, there are even more pairs of red clowning eyes and bursts of fire- wait..?

And bursts of fire?!

The coughs of flame that are now happening are illuminating the shiny insectoid faces of what look like rather large ants...

Run I hear a voice in the back of my- Run - it repeats, as if it does not realize that my legs feel froz- RUN!

“SCREEEEE!!!” Rings out the herculean sized at that looks to be hammered out of raw iron ore.

“Ffffffet! Fffet!! FET!” I scream out as my useless legs finally realize that they indeed have a purpose, and that purpose of course, is to- Ssshut up! Run! - Yes, that. Run.

Run away from the terrifying, clattering and clanging of uhm- chihuahua or maybe cat or dog sized- Run -Ants, oope, it was a mistake looking back cause I think nine or ten of them just swarmed out of that hole and a few of them were bletching a foul smelling fire.

Yesss, fire. Keep. Running.

“APPLE-” Keep Running! “-JAAAAACK!!”

Fetting, fet, fet, FET!

This is why I don’t leave the house-

Turn right...

-and go exploring on my own like I would in- wait, where did grandma live-

Lessss Reminisssing More Running!

“APPLEJACK!!!” Spirit Lake! In Idaho! Gawd, damn it! I couldn't have fallen that far! Where could she-

Turn Left! They are ssstil hot on your tail!

Then I see what I’ve feared the most in all this. A dead end.

Maybe you’ve out ran them, H.B.! You were running pretty fast- a trot even! And with a saddlebag on no less! I mean-

And then there’s the sound of open flame roaring into the air that turns all my hopes, not to mention confidence in my athleticism into ash.

Quickly, I turn around and see four and five is nine- yes, nine metallic ants with slight dragonic features pinning me against this cracked, agin, cement irrigation trench wall!

“APPLEJAAAACK!!” One last time won’t hurt, right? Then I hear hissing coming from the ants, like a gas stove is being ready to be lit. Peeking, front hooves held high, I see the mouth parts are frothing with an orange glow and their mandibles are bright with a reddish colour.

‘Don’t worry Heart-Break... I’m not going to feel a thing...’

NOT NOW BRAIN. NOW IS THE WORST TIME FOR FLASHBACKS INVOLVING KYLIE.

Suddenly, I realize that I’m hearing a scream. Could it be Fluttershy? Sounds high enough to be her.

Wait. No. It’s me. I’m pretty sure it’s me ‘cause of the pain in my throat and, well, my ears.

“AAAAAAPPLE-JAAACK!!!” I force the high pitched girl scream to say. Then I hear the sound of trotting and hooves skidding down a dirt path.

“AH’M COMIN’ AH’M COMIN’!!!” She shouts from somewhere above me.

There’s a splash of water that hits at least half the ants, causing their flames to sputter and the red light in their eyes to blacken- which, while kinda sad, is good.

The half that didn’t get splashed? Well their eyes seem to have burst into fiery fury filled orbs, and their mouths are fuming with blue flames. Now, while pretty, that’s also bad.

“Applejack! They still have fire! We need more water!”

“There ain’t no more water!” Crap, but just then I see the twirling line of a lasso in the air. That’s good! “But don’t worry none there, Ma, A.J.’s got ya!”

“Uhm...” But before I have time to even think about this, the fire ants are shooting flames, there’s the sensation of rope tightening around my midsection and me being flung into the air, coming out of what has to be a magnificent fireball and into the waiting arms of Applejack.





“Ah Gotcha ma! Ah gotcha, Ma!" She sobs. Fet. I’m  somewhere safe and that’s bad.
> Hearths' Warming In July
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 24: Hearth's Warming In July


“Ah gotcha ma...”

Applejack felt a warmth flowing through her at this moment. Warmth from the hot tears streaming down her face, warmth from her breath getting trapped as her nose was buried in the fluffy, curly, mess of a mane. Finally, the warmth from the joy that could only be felt when a long lost loved one was returned and finally back in your arms.

There was another warmth in this mess however...

This warmth felt likened to nearly brushing ones’ hoof over the edge of a blistering hot old iron stove. One so hot that if water were to be flicked upon it, it would dance around in screaming beads that would quickly evaporate away.

That blistering heat was now replacing the comforting maternal warmth, like those steaming water beads, it too was coming with an angry, harsh hissing sound of its own.

“A.J...” it fumed in her ear.

Applejack ignored that unpleasant hissing voice and opted instead to continue embracing the warm body that was clasped so tightly in her front hooves.

“A.J...” it hissed once more, this time louder and starting to lack any of her mother’s sweet melodic tones.

“Y-yeah, Ma?” she asked, only further tightening her embrace, as if she had somehow found a magical burning coal, and the only way to keep it alive was by pushing it into her very being.

“Applejack! Let go of me!” the voice flared, forcing the still crying pony away.

“B-but ma-!”

“Look at Me, Applejack!” Their angry, desperate, and irritated voice cried out, finally overpowering the memory of her mother.

Applejack didn’t want to open her eyes. It would be too painful to see that truth standing before her, but open they did, and with that, the image of love and family dissipated like those little water droplets trapped in the leidenfoalst.

“H-Hache-B...” she stammered in disappointed but unsurprized mournful recognition, her forehooves still holding on, desperately hoping that this was the illusion.

“T-thank you for rescuing me, Applejack...” Heartbreak said as quietly, cautiously, and softly as she could muster, her voice still sounding very shaky. “But could you please let me go before your hoof touches my mark?”

“Uhm, well.. It’s not gonna-”

“Please let go now!?” Heartbreak repeated in a desperately stern tone of voice that indeed made Applejack unbind the mare and back away a little.

“A-A-Ah’m sorry there, H.B. It’s just-” Applejack began, only to find herself cut off by a more than toasty looking left front hoof.

“It’s fine, A.J.” Heartbreak said curtly.

“Uhm, H.B.-”

“I said it was fine,” Heartbreak said once more, cutting them off before pushing up her glasses.

“It’s not that, it’s...”

“It’s what, Applejack?” Heartbreak asked, growing exasperated.

Just as Applejack was going to point out the charred streak going up the tan mare’s leg, black iron feelers followed by the glowing red mandibles of the young, filly sized fire ant popped up over the irrigation ditch wall before letting out a reverberating metallic screeching!

“Fetlocks!” Applejack swore as within mere seconds, she pushed Heartbreak away from the ditch before grabbing the water bucket! She then bashed the insectoid’s face, stopping it from letting off another incendiary breath! “They’re climbin’ up the walls!”

“Applejack! What are you doing?!”

“What’s it look like?!” she shouted bucking another ant in the face and sending it flying back from whence it came. “Ah’m gonna fight them off so ya can get ta safety or get help!”

“That’s incredibly stupid, Applejack!” Heartbreak shouted, shakily pushing herself up.

“Well!” The Apple pony shouted. “If ya got a better idea, Ah’d be glad ta hear it!” She exclaimed while kicking a couple more back down. She then proceeded to attempt to lasso them together, only to have her rope turn to black ash midair as intense flames came ushering upwards.

“Well, definitely not that!” Heartbreak exclaimed, jutting back from the intest heat.

“Ah’m tryin’ ma hardest, Ma!” Applejack shouted, her eyes tightly closed. The sound of three more ants came clattering up the while as they chittered with an almost cicada like hissing.

Heartbreak’s brow furrowed and as she was about to shout for Applejack to get her tail out of there, when suddenly the ants ceased their assault. Antenna now excitedly waggling in the air, they proceeded to turn back into the irrigation ditch!

Heartbreak hobbled forward towards Applejack and peered over the edge.

“What the fet is going on?” she asked uneasily.

“Ah... Ah don’t know,” Applejack replied, baffled. She narrowed her eyes and spotted something charging through the maze like trenches, all the while the sound of shattering glass could be intermediately heard alternating left and right, growing closer and closer!

“Uhm... What is that?” Heartbreak asked, bracing herself for yet another threat.

Applejack was about to say that she was also clueless. However, a sweet, automatically recognizable scent wafted through the air and the gears in her head began to fit the pieces together. “The cider!”

Heartbreak blinked blankly for a moment before she caught on. “That’s... Big Mac...”

“Eeeeyup!”

“And... he’s using the cider to attract the ants...”

“Whoa nelly! That there is one smart cookie!”

“Uhm... Then... Why does it look like he’s coming this way?” Heartbreak asked, concerned.

“Say what now?” Applejack asked.

Indeed, there in the irrigation ditch like a massive brick red fire truck, was Big Mac, tossing bottles of cider left and right, careening towards the dead end just below the two wide-eyed mares.

In the moments before the stallion looked as if he was going to crash into the cement wall, he made a sharp veer to the left and with all his might, made a flying leap towards the ledge above him, just making it, his lower half scrambling to push him the rest of the way up.

“What in tarnation are ya doin’ bringin’ them here?!” Applejack asked grabbing her spare lasso and roping her brother in an attempt to pull him onto solid ground

“No-nope!” Big Mac grunted, struggling, the rope binding him and causing more pain than actually helping.

“Please tell me you have a plan!” Heartbreak shouted peering over Applejack’s shoulder, wondering she ought to hel-

“Is that there mouth open ta attract horse flies or are ya gonna help me?!” Applejack hollered before gritting her teeth and pulling harder.

“No need to yell!” Heartbreak barked back grabbing the rope in her teeth.

“Now pull!” Applejack commanded. “Pull!!”

“Stop telling me to pull!! I’m terrible at pulling things!”

As Heartbreak said that, a few things happened all at once.

Firstly, despite proclaiming that she lacked any reasonable strength to the effect of the pulling things, her added leverage was just enough to send Big Mac up and over the ledge a meter into the air.

Second, a wheel on the red wagon that had been trailing Big Mac hit a rock and this sent the poor thing, along with the few remaining bottles of cider and the icewood crates that they were in, careening towards another wall. A wall upon which everything exploded in a mix of breaking glass, splattering cider, and splintering wood.

The final thing to happen in this instant, was Heartbreak being unable to fully evacuate the space in which Big Mac found himself landing.

So, within a few mere seconds, Heartbreak felt the entirety of her back pop and crack while realigning, before feeling the weight of the stallion bounce off of her and to the side.

“Fetting criminy!! Son of a fetting bisket!” Heartbreak squeaked out after regaining her breath.

Big Mac quickly scrambled up and scooped the mare up into his forehooves. “Ah’m sorry! Ah’m sorry! Ah didn’t mean ta hurt ya m-”

“Oh! For! Fet’s! Sake! You too?!” Heartbreak shouted attempting to push the face that was all too close to hers away. “Big. Mac! Look at me! I. Am. Not. Your. Mother!”

With that suddenly jarringly cold reaction, there was the sound of wood splintering, cracking and a frigid blast of cold air rushing out of the irrigation ditch.

“Oh... uhm... uh...” Big Mac stammered, the wool pulled from his eyes. “Oh...”

Heartbreak groaned irritatedly. “Will you put me down now, please...” she said in a voice that was barely restraining a seething anger.

“Oh! Y-yes, ma’am!” Big Mac replied, letting the mare slip out of his grasp before skittering back in embarrassment.

“H.B.” Heartbreak hissed indignantly before shivering at the sudden arctic chill.

“Now, H.B. There’s no need ta be so crass!” Applejack said once she had regathered her bearings. “He did just save our skins!” She looked at her brother. “That’s what yer were meanin’ ta do, right?”

Peering over the edge and into the ditch, the trio was greeted with a most wondrous of sights.

Covering the walls and floor of the ditch and running back to the fire ant’s nest was a path of frost and snow. Sparkling in the sweltering heat, had it not been for the events that had just taken place, this variable winter wonderland would be most out of place.

“Eeeeyup.” Big Mac said, staring at the now frozen fire ants.

“Are they...” Heartbreak began, stopping as one of the ants' red eyes flared red only to dim with a sharp hissing sound.

“Still alive? Ah’d say that there’s still somethin’ kickin’ around in there...” Applejack said, scratching the side of her head and frowning.

Heartbreak frowned and pushed her glasses up. “I was going to ask if they were ok like that...”

“Ya do realize that they were tryin’ ta turn ya inta a cosmic crisp!” Applejack yelped, jumping back in shock.

“Cosmic crisp? What is that? Some sort of potato-”

“Ah knew it!” Applejack whinnied, pointing at the flame shaped, furless patch of lightly blustery skin on Heartbreak’s left front shoulder. “Ya did get burned!”

“What?!” Heartbreak exclaimed before looking at the spot. Her face went pale and her eyes grew small in shock before the expression of sudden pain hit her. “What the fffet?! Why am I just now feeling it?!”

“Ah criminy! That can’t ain’t be good!” Applejack flustered, her grammar tripping on itself.

Heartbreak took a deep breath through her nostrils and fought the urge to give A.J. a glare. “Ya think?” she managed.

“Nnnope!” Big Mac interjected, the same fear and concern from his sister infecting his face and causing the gears in his mind to begin to grind.

“Don’t just stand there! Go get Ma her burn ointment and some wrappin’s from the medicine cabinet!”

Big Mac nearly tripped over his hooves to obey his sisters’ commands. Eeeyupping all the way.

Heartbreak, through the searing pain, somehow gave Applejack an incredulous glare while she bit down on the inside of her cheek. “Whose ointment?”

Applejack felt a fluster of embarrassment and a little frustration hit her cheeks. “It was just a slip of the tongue! Ah’m sorry fer making sure ya don’t have any more burnin’ scars!”

Heartbreak took a sharp inhalation through her nostrils for the umpteenth time. She was about to snipe back, when Fluttershy’s soft but panicking voice entered the scene.

“Oh no, no, no! Oh dear!” She gasped, looking at the irrigation ditch. “What happened to all these poor fire ants?!”

“Big Mac froze them!” Applejack said, a small spark of pride in her brothers’ quick thinking.

“A-are they alright?” Fluttershy asked, peering closer.

“That’s exactly what I asked,” Heartbreak muttered, as she lifted her hoof to rub her leg almost on reflex, only to stop upon remembering ‘oh yeah-’

“One of them burned ya, remember that?” Applejack asked, huffing and shaking her head. “Ya think ya woulda remembered that the first time they came here...”

“First time?” Heartbreak asked, shaking her head. “What are ya talking about?! This is the first time!”

Fluttershy got between the two ponies before Applejack could further escalate. “Oh dear! You did get burned!” she said examining Heartbreak’s leg.

“Uh, yeah...” Heartbreak replied, wincing. “But seriously, what did you mean by that, Applejack? Is it because of my mane-”

Fluttershy looked up at Heartbreak with big pleading eyes. “H.B...”

“Fffine...” Heartbreak whimpered before once again wincing. “But I swear if I hear one more p-pony calling’ me-”

“Ah got the cream and bandages, Ma!” Big Mac proclaimed as he triupmantly trotted back on to the scene.

Applejack facehooved the moment she heard those ill fated words tumble from her brother’s mouth. Frowning, she turned in anticipation for the utterance of a scream of frustration and angst to usher forth from Heartbreak’s mouth.

However, no such outcry came.

Instead, there was a muttery whimpering followed by a strange sound that could only be described as the sputtery defeated squeaking of air escaping the mouth of a balloon as its neck was pulled tight.

“Fluttershy...” Heartbreak horsley whispered, her eyes tightly shut before she drew a long sharp breath through her mouth.

“Y-yes, H.B.?” Fluttershy asked breathlessly, her body tense, unsure of what they were going to say.

“I think... we ought to leave..” Heartbreak said as calmly as she could muster.

“L-Leave?” Fluttershy repeated worriedly.

“L-Leave?” Applejack echoed, her scowl turning to frantic fear. ”B-but ya just got back- ah mean, got here!”

“Well, it is obviously clear that it is not a good day for the Apple clan,” Heartbreak assessed looking up at the two ponies. “Had I known that I might have not come, seeing that my accidental appearance is only serving to exacerbate things!”

Applejack let out an uncomfortable whimpery moan. “But we haven’t even gotten ta showin’ ya all the stuff we have growin’-”

“Applejack,” Heartbreak interrupted, a bewildered-pained expression on her face. “I know you two had something planned for today and that’s just gr-peachy, but, I’m pretty sure that whatever it was gets superseded over the fact that I just got burned.”

“Can we at least get yer leg done up and bandaged??” Applejack asked, a small whimper being fought off in her voice.

Heartbreak grimaced and almost looked as if she were about to protest.

“It would be a good idea, H.B.,” Fluttershy began. “After all we wouldn’t want it to get infec-”

“Fine,” Heartbreak gruffly interrupted, closing her eyes and putting her burnt leg out. After a few moments of silence, she peaked to find the others frozen and looking at each other. “Well?” she asked, expectantly. “Who’s gonna do this?”

“Ah’ll do it!” Applejack said as she almost gleefully swiped the bandages and jar of ointment from Big Macintosh, who upon finding himself empty hooved, gave a whimpering lip-quiver.

“B-but a-ah wanted ta-” He began, extending a hoof out, reaching for-

“Ah’m better at mendin’, remember?” Applejack curtly said before gingerly picking up Heartbreak’s foreleg to assess the damage. “Why don’t ya go an’ check on Granny Smith, make sure she’s not addin’ anythin’ ta the brown betty, will ya?”

Big Mac stood quiet for a moment, his gaze glancing back and forth between the farm house and the mare who ever so resembled his moth-

“Ya ain’t growing taters’ in them ears of yers?” Applejack snipped at her brother.

“Uh.. N-Nope, but ah-”

“Well, then, ya ought best get goin’ then!” Applejack said, eyeing the burn as she grappled with twisting the ointment jar open. “Ya did hear what ah said?” she asked as her brother was still showing hesitation to leave.

“Ah eeyup,” he grumbled, snorting irritatedly, about facing to the farmhouse, his shoulders slumping when he reached the halfway point.

“Last thing we need is Granny blubbering when Apple Bloom gets back from wherever she’s run off ta...”

“Little harsh there, don’tcha think?” Heartbreak asked as she watched Big Mac sulking to the place he called home.

Applejack gave a sad smirk as she plucked a small cotton swatch from the jar. “Ah, he’s grown ta be a big stallion that can handle his feelin’s-'' She paused from her swirling of the swath in the ointment. “But ya’ know that, there, H.B.!” she said.

“Uh-huh...” Heartbreak replied. “Forget I asked and let’s just get this over with...” she said, attempting to keep her leg still.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Fluttershy asked, sensing an ever growing tension from Heartbreak from the situation that, by all right she had, (apt accidentally) put her into. ‘I’m sure she doesn’t blame you for giving her that mane style, Fluttershy! But still...’

“Uhm, yeah, mind holdin’ her leg steady? This here salve has somethin’ in it that stings somethin’ fierce!” Applejack said, making sure to get a good dollop on the cotton swath.

“O-oh. Okay,” she replied, holding Heartbreak’s leg as firmly as she possibly could, though Fluttershy being who she was, was most likely far more gentle than it should have been.

“Alrighty, brace yerself now, this is gonna sting.”

“Yeah, okay, I heard you the first time Aaaap-” Heartbreak preemptively tensed up while closing her eyes, only to peek when she initially wasn’t feeling the expected- “Aa-Aaah! EEEee-sssst!! Fet! There it is!” she hissed.

“Heh, yeah. Ah did warn ya that this here salve packs quite a wallu-” Applejack’s words were abruptly cut off the moment she pulled the swath away to look at the burn.

There, in the newly red flesh and charred fur, in the veiny exposed skin, was a strange pattern. A pattern similar to interlocking chains that seemed to glow with the faintest of colorful light.

“What the hay-” Applejack asked looking up at Heartbreak. “-is that?!”

Heartbreak bit her lip and shrugged. “I-I don’t know,” she replied, anxiously. “Could we just get this done and over with?”

Applejack started to unwind the bandages, only for her eyes to be drawn once again to the odd, shifting pattern in Heartbreak’s burnt flesh. “Ya don’t have any tattoos we don’t know about?” she asked abruptly.

“No...” Heartbreak said uneasily. “Wait, ponies have tattoos? How the fffet does that work?”

“Ah dun’t know, but Ah’ve seen them on a few ponies before...”

“Then why did you bring it up?” Heartbreak asked, as a twitch of pain fought its way into her voice.

“Well, it’s just that there looks like some sort of magic if Ah ever saw it,” Applejack replied, inspecting it a bit closer.”It might even be the reason yer not howlin’ like a timber-” she paused as Heartbreak let out a stressed hiss of air was drawn in and blown out so hard that it pushed the brim of her hat down. “-wolf...” As the tan mare looked down at her, she chuckled sheepishly.

“Oooh... I am in a fair amount of pain- hurtzalot - it’s just that I’m really good at minimizing things...”  Heartbreak said through clenched teeth, her eyes wide, pupils small and her tongue obviously being held upon exactly how much pain she really was in. “Seriously, could we- and no pun intended- wrap this up?” she repeated.

“Oh! Yeah!” Applejack awkwardly flustered setting to work wrapping up the wound. Once more however, she paused.

“What is it now?” Heartbreak asked, her eye rolling as a peel of sweat ran down the side of her cheek, only to be caught in a spiral of a lock of random mane before dripping to the parched ground below.

Applejack involuntarily flinched and cowed like a little filly whose ill begotten misadventures finally were bearing consequence laden fruit.

“Well,” she began once the feeling had passed. “Ah was just thinkin’” she made a few passes around the leg. “Seein’ that this here looks magical an’ all, maybe we might wanna go an’ talk ta Twilight may-”

“NO!”

Applejack nearly dropped the roll of cotton bandage at the sudden panicked outburst. “N-now sugarcube...” She began, her voice ajar.” Twilight is  the one we usually go ta when we’ve got a magical problem on our hooves...”

“I know that...'' Heartbreak said, hesitation aching in her voice, while she fought the urge to wipe her brow, only to be pleasantly surprised when a Flutterhoof came to the rescue with a handkerchief. “Oh, thanks...”

Fluttershy smiled warily before flicking the sweat dripping cloth. “You’re welcome,” she said softly.

“Then why-”

“It’s just that I’ve had enough weirdness for today, A.J.” Heartbreak interrupted. “And besides, isn’t Twilight studying for her unicorn exams or something like that? I don’t wanna be a bother.”

“Oh...” Applejack said, glancing at Fluttershy. “Right... With everythin’ that’s been goin’ on Ah musta plumb forgot... but still..”

“Please, A.J.” Heartbreak said, practically muttering the last part under her breath as she looked Applejack in the eye pleadingly. “If it becomes a problem then we’ll talk to Twilight, alright... Sugarcube?”

Applejack bit her lip and pretended to wipe the sweat off her brow before sniffing hard. “A-Alright mmm...” She then proceeded to continue wrapping Heartbreak’s shoulder and leg.

Fluttershy frowned a little. Was there something in H.B’s tone that felt wrong? ‘It almost sounded like she was trying to sound like Applejack. She wouldn’t be doing that on purpose, right? Nopony, or being would be that cruel?’ She thought.

“If you don’t want to go talk to Twilight, we could always go to the hospital,” Fluttershy suggested.

“Already?” Heartbreak asked, wincing as Applejack finished up. “I mean, do you really think it’s bad enough to warrant a trip?”

“Ya did just get burned there, H.B.” Applejack said, a pang of guilt causing her shoulder to twitch involuntarily up. “An’ while the ointment can fight off some pretty nasty infections, it don’t have the gumpshin ta fight off anythin’ magical.”

Heartbreak rolled her eyes and sighed after looking at the two mares pleadingly concerned expressions. “Fffine... If you two think that’s what’s best then I’ll-”

“We’ll!” Applejack abruptly interjected. “Ah mean, ah can come too, can’t Ah?” She asked in a little filly-like manner.

“Y-yea, I suppose...” Heartbreak replied, a thick uncomfortable lit in her voice.

“Yeee-Haw! Going ta the hospital!” Applejack exclaimed, her cheer blinding her to any discomfort Heartbreak was giving off.

“Yeah... Yeee-haw...” Heartbreak echoed dowerly. “Going to the hospital... yet again...” She muttered, eyeing Fluttershy, who only gave a small sheepish smile that quickly faded once the broken-hearted pony moved past.


	=========


Applejack didn’t take long getting her things together for this little trek to the hospital. Fetting saddlebags look a bit on the stuffed side though.

I don’t know how to feel about this situation.

I’ve already told her the hard facts, that this ... mane style was just accidental, that we didn’t mean to put it up like this and that her little slip-ups of calling me ‘ma’ are horribly awkward. Or at least I think I’ve made that abundantly clear, right? I hope I have.

Then why am I still feeling agitated?!

‘Must be nerves. Adrenaline is still pumping in your veins. You did just get out of a life or death situation that came out of nowhere, had little if any foreshadowing, and now feels like it isn’t resolved. At least, not resolved properly. How the fet is this meant to feel resolved?! This is why I haven’t been leaving the house. Do ponies have to deal with life or death every time they go out!? What the fet keeps places like Ponyville a stable living place for any period of ti-

“So!” Ah, crudmuffins. Applejack said something. “How ya doin’?”

Don’t be snide, don’t be snide, don’t be side-

“Ah mean, other than what just happened...” She must have been either reading my mind or-... fet, my hat. Forgot my hat. Should have worn my hat. She’s reading my ears to see what I’m feeling. I fetting hate these stupid things. “Ah mean, it’s been over a good full two months since last we spoke?”

“Y-yeah, something like that,” I try to recall the last time any real interaction with Applejack happened. Last month with Rarity was so... all consuming, and I’ve been working on- Fet, I should be saying these things out loud. “I’ve been busy. With the house that I moved into, and-” Gah, nother throat clearing! “Being sick.”

She nods. “Ah heard about that, The Ol’Miller place near the Everfree?”

“Yeah, but I... want to change the name to ‘Addams Family Manner.” Gawds, have I ever mentioned that I am terrible at small talk? Just randomly bringing up that I want to change the name of the house? Really? Why the fet would she be interested in that?!

“Ah haven’t seen that place have anypony livin’ in since, uhm...” She pauses and taps her chin thoughtfully looking up at the sky before shaking her head and continuing walking with us. “Well, since ah was a really little filly! ‘Bout the time ah got back from Uncle and Aunt Orange’s place!”

“Out in Manehattan, right?” Took me a moment to remember that. Almost said Fillydelfia...

“Eeyup!” She says nodding. “Granny always told us ta not go too close to it, seein’ that it’s that close ta the Everfree an’ all, but ah always got the feelin’ that she was hintin’ at somethin’ else or another bein’ the reason cause of the ponies that lived there. Always throwin’ some sort of shindig late at night or the like. All the rich folk would go there.”

“Uh...hu...” Seriously. I really, really, really hope that my house wasn’t like the equivalent of the town brothel... Cause, with that little weirdness A.J. just dropped along with that one oldly posed mare painting near the door... Naaaah... Princess Luna would definitely not put me up in a pony ... uhm, ... pony brothel. We’re gonna call it that. Yeah.

“From what Ah remember seeing it once, when ah had to take that dirt road up north, it sure as shooting looked like it needed a great deal of repair! Has become a real eyesore from what it was like in its heyday!”

Gawds, A.J. has turned into a chatterbox.

“I-it was when Rarity and I first saw it,” I reply, actually almost eager to arrive at the hospital. A place that not only has doctors for this now... itching? Yeah, fet, this thing is starting to feel itchy under those wrappings,  but because there’s actual air conditioning. Not to mention that maybe there might be less small talk due to the fact that there’s sure to be some paperwork needing to be filed...

“Was?” She asks, a worry in her eyes and a bit of confusion in her voice.

“Yeah. Rarity called up a place called ‘Hammer and Nail’ who did repairs practically the next day. Really good work.” I roll my eyes and remember the fetter on their team... What was his name? Oh yeah...” I mean, with the exception of some stallion named ‘Narrow Beam’...” Suddenly I hear a small whimper and turn to see a rather sad looking Applejack.

“Ya... Ya didn’t think ta call me up ta help?” She mewls.

Fet. Yeah, I didn’t think to do that, did I? Double fet! I could have gotten some of those house repairs for free! Then again...

“I.... Well,” Gotta put this gently, alright? A.J. is a proud pony and even more so when it comes to her skills at repair and construction. “There’s electrical, and gas, and there were also batteries in the basement that were leaking acid...”

“Ya coulda’ asked... Don’t that place have some sort of fancy emergency fireplace or somethin’?”

“Yes...” I reply, sighing. “I’ve actually used it a few times to send some pen pal letters to your cousin. But I think there’s something wrong with it, as I haven’t gotten anything back.”

“See, there’s a reason that ya shoulda called me!” She asserts, boldly I might add. “Maybe ah could come over after this here visit ta the hospital...”

“Do you know anythin’ about ‘magical emergency fireplaces’?” Why is this a conversation? What is she playing at?! ... Wait, no, stop. This is Applejack, she wouldn’t be playing at anything! She’s the element of honesty! She’s-

“Aaah, can’t say that Ah know much,” she openly admits with a look of uncertainty that quickly evaporates away to one of suggestive pleading. Or at least I think that’s what it is. “Buuut, Ah wouldn’t be against stayin’ a night or two ta help figure it out, ma-ma H.B.!”

UGH. This Stupid mane and tail! There’s still some stupid conflaction going on here! Fet! Enough is enough! Twisting, curling, lashing mane and tail be damned! This has got to stop! Out cursed scrunchy, out! Fetlocks! How am I sposta... reach these things?! Stupid hooves! For once, just once can you grasp... GAH! “Fluttershy, can you please, get these out of my mane and tail?” 

“But what about-”

“We’ll deal with it, if it becomes an issue!” Get into ma mouth! Come on! I’ve seen the others do this! Ponytail into mouth now!

“O-ok, just hold still,” Fluttershy’s soft and rather reluctant voice says before attempting to pull on the teal scrunchy. But I can tell something’s wrong. Even before the all too predictable-“O-oh dear...” Yup, there it is.

"What is it now?" Ugh. Today started out with such promise, and then I just had to go out and leave my safe little hobble for the wilds of Ponyville where it seems that there is something at every corner to kill or at the very least irritate me.

"They... they seem to be stuck..." she sounds fretful over this predicament.

"Are they all tangled up there?" Applejack asks, leaning over. "Ah could lend a hoof if ya need it..." she offers. "Ah happen ta know a thing or two about untangling a mane 'n tail. Fet, ah could braid it up real nice after like ya ta-" she stops mid sentence. "Like Ah was taught. Ye-yeah, like ah was taught."

"No. No thanks." Well, that sounded very irritated, but I can't help it anymore! This whole gag? Trope? Ordeal? Whatever it is with Applejack mistaking me or conflating me with her own mother, outstayed its welcome like, what? Eighteen pages ago?

‘I shouldn't be so... harsh with her. It's just that it's bad enough having Cream Puff attempting to get them to let them call me ‘mom' I don't need another ‘filly’ doing this to me!’

"HACH-BEE! AAACH-BEEE!!" Calls out that saccharinely sweet sounding southern accent from down the road that we are walking. 

"Speak of the devil..." I mutter under my breath. Or was it? Fet, I hope that wasn't too loud!
> Cottontail Cartel
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 25: Cottontail Cartel




"Speak of the what now?" Applejack asks.

"Nothing..." I hmm at her as Cream Puff happily bounds towards the three of us.

“Heya there, Mis-Ah, mean, H.B.!” She beams with bright eyes and an all too sunny smile. Then the delightful smell of muffins wafts into my nose. Fetting fet fet, big eyes and tasty muffins. She knows how to find the cracks in my defences...

“Hey Cream Puff,” I reply after hushing that tiny bit of hostility still bubbling from A.J.’s... whatever you want to call it. “What are you doing here?” Pffft, as if you don’t already know.

“Well, Ah went over ta yer house, cause ah wanted ta see how ya were doin’ taday,” she’s crossing her front hooves and giving me ‘cute eyes’.”Cause Ah baked ya some more muffins aaaan’ cause Ah was wonderin’ if ya had changed yer mind about lettin’ me stay over fer a night...”

Eeeeyup, there it is.

“I’m afraid that I’m-” I clear my throat and much to my surprise, there’s a hidden phlegm ball waiting in secret back there. “Eh-emmmah! Yeah, still not feeling all too well.”

“Awww,” she replies, her ears drooping. The curls in her mane and tail seem to go limp and uncurl a bit. Here I thought that was just a Pinkie Pie thing. Crap, this is also going to be an awkward moment, isn’t it?

Fluttershy raises a hoof to my forehead. “You don’t feel feverish...”

“Yeah, I know, thank you, Fluttershy. I-”

“Heavens ta Besty!” Cream Puff’s suddenly exclaims, pointing up at my bandaged leg. “What in the name of Celestia’s wild rainbow mane happened there, Mi- H.B.?!”

“O-oh, yeah,” I murmur. Fet, ointment must be doing something for me to nearly forget about it. “I got burned by fire ants at Applejack’s farm. No biggie though.”

That’s right, H.B. Play it off like it was nothing. LIke you weren’t just screaming like a terrified little school fil-girl crying out for rescue. Don’t need Cream Puff wo-

“Luna alive! Fire ants!?” Her voice pipes. “How did ya manage that? How did ya get away? An’ why ain’t ya a crispy critter right now?!” she asks in rapid fire. “Fire ants ain’t nothin’ ta whip yer tail at! Especially their fire! Did ya know that some have fancy magic fire?!”

“Uhm...” Did not expect that to come from the little filly that would be more at home on a cooking show. I shake my head before I start on an internal monolog. “A series of accidental events. Applejack saved my skin, aaand lucky, I guess?” Glasses need pushing up yet again. “You sure know a lot about fire ants.”

“It’s just.... uhm...Jeepers...” She looks embarrassed by this flash of intelligence. 

I shoulda said nothing. You were young once. You know how young kids can be humiliated by showing that they know about things.

“No need to be embarrassed, I just didn’t expect that you knew that much about bugs...”

“Ah nah,” She says, sassily waving a front hoof while shaking her head with a silly grin. “Jeepers Creepers! He’s a colt at the orphanage that knows all about them there creepy-crawlies. Especially the dangerous ones! Sad-faced spiders, orange greed-goblin-basement dwellers, and them there fire ants.”

“Speakin’ of which,” Applejack begins, a bit of an uncomfortable, yet polite smile dawning on her face. “Ah think we outta contin-ya hoofin’ it ta the hospital just in case?”

“Oh! Can Ah come with ya’ll?” Gah! Big Filly eyes alert! Big-

“IiiiiI don’t see why that would be an issue...” What the fet?! Did that come tumbling out of my mouth? Curse you filly eyes! CURSE YOU!! Wait... “Jeepers... Creepers?” A small bell is going off in my head and not just because my brain is begging to finish the lyrics to that song... Hey! Hey! Stop! Brain! Stop! Come on! Stop! “Uhm, why do I feel like I know that name?”

“Pinkie Pie mentioned that she was helping with his birthday party on the day you started showing signs of being sick...” Fluttershy quietly interjects.

“Oh, yeah... That sounds about right...” Geez, how much did I miss during that time? Trying to recall anything from that day or week feels like attempting to pull Artax from the Swamps of Sadness... Alright, knock off the melodrama. It isn’t that bad, just hazy and-

“Ah really like your spectacles there, H.B.!” Cream Puff’s voice shatters my inner monologue like it was sugar glass. All bubbly and sweet as she merrilly skips along beside me.

Say something! That’s what you should do right?!

‘I like tur-’

NO. Anything but that!

“O-oh, uhm, thanks... I guess.” You guess?!

“They remind me of ma Ma’s bifocals!” Her cheerful skipping slows and there’s a slight drooping of her ears. “Course, she’d only take ‘em out when she was readin’ ta me...” Suddenly, they perk back up and she looks at me with a pleading look? Maybe pleading, grin. “Maybe when yer feelin’ better, ya can read this new book Ah found!”

“O-Only if I’m feeling better later, which-” Alright, let her down gently, H.B. “Will most likely not be today... or tonight...” That was good right? Maybe?

“O-oh, right...” she says, every expression in her wee little body touched with disappointment. “Like Miss Hayneighan says ‘Better safe now or ya’ll be sorreh’ later...”

Part of me wants to correct this Miss Hayneighan about the wording of that phrase. The other part is getting an uneasy vibe about how Cream Puff said that. Like it’s hinting at something a bit darker.

“So!” Applejack’s twang hits my ears causing me to jump. “Ya here read ta this li’l filly?” She’s asking the question with a note of sourness that, if my senses were not being run through pony hardware, I am sure would have totally flown past me.

“Uh Huh!” Cream Puff excitedly says. “Ah came over the other day, an she had one of ma muffins! Then she read ‘Heartshine an Her Mom go ta the Zoo!’”

“Oh. Really, now?” Applejack asks bluntly. In fact, far more bluntly than any pony- any of them, usually would use with a filly Cream Puff’s age. “Ya never read a story ta me...” I swear I hear huffed under her breath.

“What was that A.J.?”

“Nuthin’- Ah mean- Muffin! Why’d ya bring her, uhm... muffins?”

“Ah made them usin’ ma Ma’s recipe an’ H.B. liked them so much, ah though Ah’d bring her some more!”

“Aw, well ain’t that sweet... Ah made her a s’more once... She must’a really like it cause she ate the whole thing. Itdn’t that right, m- H.B.?”

Did she just almost call me-

Cream Puff’s sweet expression droops and her brow furrows. “Well,” She says so tartly that I swear I feel a pucker in my lips. “Ah bet she like ma muffins more on account she ate more than just one. Itdn’t that right, H.B.?”

“Uhm...”

“Maybe she did,” Applejack chuckles. “Buuuut, ah bet ya din’t think ta make her a full on home cooked meal now?”

“Ah would if she’d let me staaay the niiiight!” Cream Puff practically suggestively sings at me.

“Heh. Well, not unless she lets me stay first!” Applejack counter chimes, practically leaning over Cream Puff to give me a kind of creepy smile and a few pleading flutterings of her eyelashes. “Ya did want that Ah come over an help with that there magical emergency fireplace of yers, yeah? Along with that, ah could make ya a couple of dishes that were a favorite of mine when ah was little! If ya thought that grannies spread was sumthin’ when ya stayed at our house back in May, wait till ya taste some of ma mom’s old dishes, they pack a wallop an will fill ya up!”

Cream Puff pops back over the all too close Applejack, smiling a smile that I swear she smiled any harder would almost crack her face. “That’s all well an’ good, but if she’s tasted yer family’s dishes she really outta have a taste of ma Ma’s dishes, her pecan pie an green beans are just the best!“

“Well, green beans an pecan pie are all well an’ fine, but ma mom’s mashed potatoes’n’gravy an apple fritters are even better!”

“Boy! You two really love your mom's recipes!” Gawds, I need this awkward moment of the Apples VS the Puffs to stop! How do I make this stop!? What do I do to make it stop!? Who can I turn to to- Oh right! Duh! “Fluttershy! What do you think that their made their mom’s recipes so great??” Yeah, pffft, if any of the multi-coloured magical equines could diffuse this situation it would be her!

“Eeep! Moms!? I-I don’t know...” Fluttershy stammers abruptly pulled out of whatever was occupying her mind at that particular moment. “W-what was your mother like, H.B.?”

"..." Well, fet... she misheard me. However, there are questions that I have been asked out of the blue that for whatever reason rubbed me the wrong way, and because of Fluttershy’s abrupt question, it’s gotten my brain trying to make connections. Or maybe I’m just trying to find something else to think about rather than face Applejack and Cream Puff vying for my attention like they were my long lost daughters trying to make up for time.

Which is silly because you only have two daughters! Goth Bunny and Pain Hurtzalot!

Shut it, John Delancy sounding voice in my head. Fluttershy asked you a question, and it’s a way to steer away from whatever competition that’s happening between the other two. Though... I’m not really sure how to answer this question. Just then there’s a small pang in my heart as what the pegasi asked me hits. What it would entail to explain what my mother is... was like... Does it count as a ‘was’ if they are still alive in an alternate universe? Do we mourn Schrödinger's cat?  Bah, this question is hitting me harder than any question I’ve ever been asked, don’t think there’s ever been a question asked... 

No, wait, there's one question that's standing out to me right now that I think about it. What’s more, it does deal with what my mother was like.

It happened when she was still forcing us to go to that fetting- that fucking Seventh-Day Adventist church while they were doing their bible study.

I would spend most of that time drawing in the margins of my notebook that they would have us write tomes upon tomes of scripture and prophecy that they believed was going 'come to pass'.

Whether I realized it or not, those centimeters wide white strips were a comfort to me. I would get lost in recreating M. C. Escher-esque columns and impossible iconography of triangles and endless staircases to escape the pastor droning on about the connection between Dainel chapter whatever and verse who cares. However, all the margins in the world couldn’t protect me from that event...

 It was nothing special. The bible study was like any other. As always, a retread of the same verses, so it was just mind numbingly banal and then it ended. 

One of the people who did special music; his specialty was magnificently singing in front of the congregation, came up to me, shook my hand, and asked a single simple question.

"How's the world treating you?"

I don't know what it was about that question in particular; the way it was delivered, how firm his grasp was in a moment of actual human contact, his soulful, perhaps sad gaze greeting mine, or maybe it was the subconscious knowledge that maybe, just maybe, the world really wasn't treating me all that well at the time...

Whatever it was... something inside me just began to ache. An ache that was then followed by a break, that in turn gave way to a strange mental breakdown- well, more like a downpour of just... sad emotions. Emotions that were ripping at my heart for seemingly no reason, no purpose, and what did I do?

I gathered myself up the best I could, pushed all those emotions up behind a stilted wall, replied with a meek 'Fine, thank you', before excusing myself to the church's sanctuary before I began to just... cry.

After a few minutes of seemingly unprovoked sobbing, my mother showed up, having realized that I had vanished from sight.

“Hey, it's time to go..." was the only thing I can remember her saying once she found her son kneeling next to the podium of the church sanctuary.

Maybe she didn't see me crying, maybe I was already done and managed to pull myself together before she saw me, or maybe she did see and just didn't care. She did say that it was time to go aft-

"Ya okay there, Sugarcube?"

Snap back to reality and suddenly I'm aware of the three of them staring at me with very concerned expressions.

"U-uhm, y-yeah..." Uh-oh, I nearly choked on that line. Pull it together! That memory wasn't that bad, right?! "W-why ya askin'?"

"Well..." Fluttershy begins. "Uhm-"

"Yer mane an tail went limper than a weepin' willow in July, an yer eyes were wetter than a mud puddle in April!" Cream Puff Sandy Squirrels at me. Lifting a hoof to the normally curly locks, it would appear that, yes they have gone as limp as described.

"Oh! Maybe now we can remove the scrunchies..." Fluttershy suggests, her face attempting to brighten up.

"Ah can do that fer ya!" Cream Puff exclaims.

"Now hol-" Applejack looks like she's about to reach for me, only to stop as Cream Puff quickly removes the mane- hair ties.

As the locks of my mane and tail fall, so does the bright eyed, longing, and... youthful? Yeah, youthful expression on Applejack’s face. I really hope that whatever ‘magic’ or ‘curse’ that’s causing this mixup with me and her lost maternal figure is broken. I mean, I hate putting it that way, but I also hate being at the center of this weirdness.

Fluttershy turns her attention to her quickly wilting friend. "Are you alright?"

Applejack takes more than an uncomfortable second to answer that question before sniffing and wiping her nose. "Y-yeah, Ah'm fine, just fine."

Should I say something? Should I do something? Really, it isn't my fault that any of this is happening, is it? What should I do!?

"Ya don't sound fine..." Thank you, Cream Puff!

"Uhm, y-yeah," Fet, stupid mane. Now it's getting in my face. Gotta push it away... "You know, you don't have ta come with us..."

Applejack shoots me a wide-eyed look of panic that's tinged with a touch of sadness. "Ah said that Ah'm fine!"

"Really, you-"

"Ah'm a big pony, now! An' ya' said that Ah could come with ya, Ma-'' she stops mid-word, before taking a deep breath. "Ah mean, Ah am just loookin' out ta see that ya get ta the hospital safe ‘n sound, seein' ya got hurt on ma farm an all."

I want to tell her that that is sort of a sweet gesture, but it was tainted with that childish sounding mewling.

Sigh.

It would seem that even without the dead mother mane, A.J. is conflating me with a maternal figure... Maybe I should inquire with Cream Puff about pictures of her mother, later of course, much much later, just so that I can avoid any future kerfluffles.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Applejack?” Fluttershy’s doting voice asks. “Didn’t you say that you almost passed out from the heat?”

Wait. The flushed cheeks, the overly sweaty brow, signs of confusion... I swear when I worked at the plastics place and they had their safety meetings, those were things to look for when ascertaining whether or not someone was suffering from- “You had a heat stroke?”


	=========


Applejack winced and felt exactly like the time that her Ma caught her climbing a pine that she had been told not to.

‘How in tarnation was ah sposta know there was an aronry hive of yeller jackets up there?!’

“N-noooo,” She replied, sheepishly tapping her hoof against the ground. ‘Ah din’t get it!’ Applejack thought ‘she wouldn’t even win a blue ribbon in a look-a-like contest with ma Ma if even that! Why am Ah feelin’ so gosh dern skittish like this?!’

“Applejack...” Heartbreak said with an almost uncharacteristic touch of parental worry.

“It was nothin’,'' Applejack huffed, rolling her eyes, only to jump and look away the moment that her gaze met with Heartbreak’s wide, sparkly-blue stare. “A-ah just mighta had ta have a sit an’ a drink, an’ a dilly ‘cause Ah might’ave seen a mirage or two...”

‘Ah really hope that didn’t sound none too-’

However, that little thought was swiftly put down by the ever growing concern reaching its wide mouth peak on the tan mare’s face before she raised a hoof to her face and rubbed her face.

“Is that yer way of sayin’ that you were hallucinating, A.J.?” Heartbreak asked panickedly, her hoof dropping and turning over so that the frog was turned skyward, pleading for a better explanation than what was just given. Howeven, when met with silence, it turned back over and dropped to the ground. “Ah really think you ought head back home an’ get some rest.”

“Now hold up! Ah wouldn’t go that far now-”

“A.J.!” Heartbreak exclaimed. There was a moment’s hesitation, an internal conflict that brewed within the creature turned pony that bubbled and brewed in her tightly closed eyes and pursed lips that let out a small squeak as air was forced between them in frustration. “I- look, I get that you’re lookin’ out fer me, but-'' The tan mare shook her messy, sweat-dampened mane from out of her face before pushing up her glasses and walking to the pony that they were addressing, a small pained limp from the burn she had sustained. “-who’s lookin’ out fer you when yer too gosh darn headstrong ta be lookin’ out fer yerself?” She asked, clumsily placing her perforated hoof on Applejack’s shoulder while looking her directly in the eyes.

Applejack shyly looked away before flinching, shaking her head disbelievingly and giving Heartbreak a soured expression. “Says the pony that waited how long before Flutters had ta come an take ya ta the hospital?”

Heartbreak pulled her hoof back and proceeded to rub the side of her leg in startled embarrassment. “Alright, maybe I’m not the one to talk, but that doesn’t mean that you should be followin’ my example!”

Applejack’s ears drooped under her hat. “Ah’m just-... It’s just...- Ah wanted to talk about..-”

“Ah know...” Heartbreak drawled before clearing her throat. “I know.” She took a deep, almost labored breath. “But, please, Applejack, for both our sakes. Go home. Rest in a cool place, and fer fet’s sake, hydrate!”

“But Ah-”

“Please, Applejack, we’ll talk about...” Heartbreak repeated. She paused and her hoof was drawn to her temple which she proceeded to rub. “Everything that happened here.. Ya know... when there’s less corn around?”

“Less... Corn?” Applejack mouthed as Heartbreak made shifting eyes in Cream Puff’s direction. The less than subtle realization dawned on her. “A-alright...” She said, conceding that ‘yes, maybe she ought to get to a cooler place, especially seeing that there was more sweat threatening to fall off her brow.’ “Ya promise we’ll talk later?”

“Yes, I promise,” Heartbreak said, her caring persona almost slipping. “Now, please, go back home.”

Applejack’s ears fell and if one was looking, they would swear that there was a quiver in her lip. “A-alright...” She said bitterly before turning around to head back to the farm.

Heartbreak gave a quiet sigh, and dug her hoof into the ground pensively before turning to look at the soberly sauntering apple pony. “Uhm... Applejack?”

“Hmmm?”Applejack’s ears perked as she looked in the direction of her name.

“Uhm... Thanks... once again. For the save back there. You know, with the fire ants and everything...” Heartbreak fumbled while momentarily rubbing her unburned leg and then proceeding to push her glasses up.

“Oh... Heh, yer welcome.” Applejack replied, smiling a little bit more.

“We’ll see ya sometime soon, m’kay?” Heartbreak asked, turning to rejoin Fluttershy and Cream Puff.

“M’kay then, Ah’ll see ya soon...” Applejack said, a part of her still reluctant to leave, not wanting to say goodbye, hesitant to- “Ah love ya, ma...”

With those five little words there was a cold silence that sliced through the sweltering summer heat.

Applejack quickly took off the stetson hat off the top her head. She hadn’t meant to say that! It just slipped out! A flush of hot, embarrassment coursed through her cheeks, maybe they didn't hear her.

‘Maybe Ah oughta repeat maself,’ came a momentary intrusive thought. ‘What!? Have ya dun gone an’ been hittin’ the hard cider?! Course ya shouldn’t repeat-”

“Did you say something?” Heartbreak asked, a look of bewilderment lingering on her face.

“Uh- No. No. No! Ah didn’t say nothin’!” she blurted out, quickly slamming her hat back on her head. “Ah gotta make it back home now! Ah’ll see ya’ll later then!”

With that, Applejack picked up her pace down the dirt road that led back home.





“What in the sam hill was that about?” Cream Puff asked innocently.

“N-nothing...” Heartbreak muttered glancing at Fluttershy with unease in her eyes. “Nothin’ important.”

“Huh...” Cream Puff said, her normally sweet face sporting a furrowed brow.

“Is there something wrong?” Fluttershy asked, anxious concern fluttering in her wingtips.

“Oh! No! No... Everythang’s alright!” Cream Puff said, the expression on her face giving way to a beaming, almost forced smile.

Heartbreak could only sigh and roll her eyes at the whole ordeal. “Come on, let’s get to the hospital and get this all over with, already...”


=========




As the two parties morosely parted ways, the patch of earth that they departed from mounded up. When the last of the vibrations of clip-clopping pony hooves were distant enough, that’s when Mr. Mole’s head popped out.

“Well...” he began, hopping out and shaking the dirt off his head with his large hand-like paws. “That didn’t go according to Mr. Angel Bunny’s plan, now did it?” He asked, only to be met with a cold, angry stare as the rabbit bounced out of the pit, landing right in front of the diminutive mole.

“M-Mr. Mole didn’t mean anything by that, Angel-Bunny, Sir!” Mr. Mole stammered, pulling away, his reaction more to the angry thumps rather than the way that Angel intimidatingly towered over him.

“Hmph...” Angel grunted, shaking the charred smelling earth off himself. “Mr. Mole did as I, Angel-Bunny, instructed. It was not his fault that there were unexpected variables that interrupted the plan...” he begrudgingly admitted before crossing his little arms and staring at the ground in frustration.

“Variables?” Mr. Mole asked, scratching the side of his head with a single finger. “Does Angel-Bunny mean the sudden cold hard ground in the middle of the hot season of Anaitat?” He shook his head and chucked his tongue. “Not even all mighty Roo-Part Har-Vee could’ve seen that coming’... And he was the greatest mole with the greatest sight, he was!”

Angel grimaced at the strange names used. He almost found himself about to ask ‘who’, but mentally stopped himself. The various intricacies of the beliefs of moles were hardly important at this moment.

“All those poor fat grubs and wriggly worms!” Mr. Mole began to lament, his tiny eyes sparkling with a single tear. “Flash frozen before us moles even had a chance to tuck into them!” he sniffled. “Now instead, when they come to thaw, they’ll be all limp and goopy, maybe even come to rot!”

“Yeaah, such a shame...” Angel replied, having to push down the repulsive image that had been described to him with a far more important detail. “I, Angel-bunny, was referring more to the way the apple pony was reacting to that... thing...”

“Oh.. Yeah. That.” Mr. Mole said, snapping out of his lamentation for all those arthropods and annelida lives lost. Before his family and he had a chance to sup upon them, of course. “Mr. Mole has to say that it was mighty strange that the apple pony sped off after that thing, it was. Last time Mr. Mole saw any creature dart off after something like that, t’was Mrs Mole finding out that one of them nasty foxes was after our eldest. He might be old enough ta burrow on his own, but Mr. Mole’s wife will always see ‘im as one of our pups...”

Angel continued to frown before tapping his chin thoughtfully. The mole chattered too much, but had interverently brought up a good point. “The apple pony did refer to that ... thing as ‘Ma’ several times...”

Mr. Mole’s eyes widened as far as they could. “Angel-Bunny doesn’t think that that thing is the long lost mother of them apple ponies??”

Angel smacked his little bunny beans against his face. “Highly unlikely, Mr. Mole.” he stroked his chin. “That thing must be able to alter the perceptions of others. The Apple Pony only thinks that the thing is mother.”

“That is down right rather horrid of it, if Mr. Mole says so...” He replied, his brow furrowing. “Such a... monstrosity should be dragged into the light and destroyed for such a crime!”

“And just what would Fluttershy-pony say to such plottings?” A familiar, sly voice asked as two yellow eyes reflected predatorily from the underbrush before a blur of orange and white practically lept right in front of the two conspiring critters!

Angel felt an involuntary surge of instinct fighting to force a scream from his throat and several brutal kicks to the face of this sure to be vicious predator- this feeling, however upon seeing whom it was, quickly evaporated.

“Foxiekins...” The rabbit grumbled, picking himself up and once more dusting off any efferent dirt or dust. “What are you doing here?”

 “Fox?!” Mr. Mole squeaked, frantically looking about. “Where?! Where? O-Oh, Mr. Mole has had enough excitement for today, that he has! He an’ his family both, what with the fire ants an’ living cracks! Mr. Angel-Bunny, Mr. Mole wishes this had been a pleasure, but we’re afraid that the mole clave must be off to looser soil! Good day!”

With that, Mr. Mole dove towards his recently dug out hole- or what he thought was the dug out hole, but instead of finding the safety of rich, dark, damp, loamy soil between his fingers, he found a face full of ... fluffy apt irritatingly itchy fur with a slight musky tang to it. Accompanied with the foul, hot, moist breath of what was most certainly a predator. 

“O-oh... Mr. Fox... How, uh.. Fantastic to see you out and about.” Mr. Mole gulped before proceeding to blindly dig down, leaving Foxiekins with a beard of dirt.

“Well...” Purred a voice from the treetops as Foxiekins shook the dirt beard from his face. “Mr. Mole did not seem suspicious in the least...”

“And Tux-cat...” Angel nearly growled. Well, growled the best that any rabbit of his stature could. “Just what are the both of you doing here?”

“I, Foxiekins, could ask the same of Angel-Bunny, because to these big fluffy foxy ears, Mr. Mole seemed to be calling for some creature's demise... Which is frowned upon by the rules of the Ovid...”

“Yeeeah...” Tux-Cat said, slinking past despite there being a hitch in his backgate. The feline made sure that the white tip of his tail tickled the bunny rabbit’s nose. He then proceeded to pause and looked at Foxiekins, his ears flicking back in confusion. “Wait, really?”

Foxiekins frowned, looking back at the black and white feline before applying a black paw of his own to his face. “Right, I, Foxiekins, forgot. Meow-stop-leaves are from a land of giant hairless cats that walk on their hinds.”

Before Tux-Cat could respond, Angel irritatedly cleared his throat to interrupt the beginning of such a truly fascinating conversation.

“I, Angel-Bunny, repeat: what are the two of you doing here?”

“Well...’ Foxiekins reflexively came to sit at attention. Angel might have been a bunny, but he was still a bunny who held sway over the pony that was currently sheltering him. His stomach grumbled as if to remind him, that said pony also fed him. “Tux-cat and I, Foxiekins, were curious to see where Fluttershy-pony was and how soon she would return for the next meal.”

“Oh, are you now?” Angel asked, attempting to cover any fear that he could be subconsciously displaying...

“Oh, yes,” Foxiekins replied, sniffing the air, his orange-slitted eyes narrowing in on Angel... “Though, seeing that Tux-cat and I, Foxiekins, just missed Fluttershy-pony passing this way, perhaps the both of us should return to the cottage before she returns... Right, Tux-cat?” He hinted at his feline companion.

Tux-cat took a moment before what the fox said to sink in. “Oh! Right! We should get back to the cottage... Before Fluttershy-pony returns... So...” He paused looking questioningly at his vulpine comrad. “We can... tell her very interesting things... about Angel-Bunny?” He gaffed.

Foxiekins smacked his face with a paw and let out a growl that called Tux-cat an idiot. “Never mind! Fluttershy-Pony went that way!” 

Foxiekins and Tux-Cat turned to bolt in the direction they could smell Fluttershy’s scent. However, just as quickly as they had started their mad dash, they found themselves coming to a full stop. For as if by magic, Angel appeared in front of them.

The rabbit had his little arms crossed, his head smugly tilted ever so slightly, and a slow thump in his large back foot.

“So what if Angel-Bunny is faster! Tux-cat and Foxiekins can still tell Fluttershy-pony about what happened!” Foxiekins said walking past.

Angel’s cool demeanor cracked for a moment before he gave a small chuckle. ”Seeing that Foxiekins is so hungry, maybe he might visit Belindia in the hen house... again...”

The fox stopped in his tracks and turned sharply, a worried and mildly shocked expression could be read in the folding of his ears.

“Foxiekins has no idea about what Angel-Bunny is talking about.” He balked, trying to pull himself out of being intimidated by a bunny, a bunny of all animals!

“Then, I, Angel-Bunny, did not see a fox coming out of the henhouse some time last week muzzle dripping with egg?” Angel asked accusingly.

“That... That could have been any fox!” Foxiekins protested, turning his face in a defensive half-snarl.

“Then Foxiekins is covering for a random fox pilfering from Fluttershy-Pony’s hen house?” Angel coyly asked while extending a front paw to nonchalantly examine his claws.

“Why is Foxiekins letting Angel-Bunny threaten him like this?” Tux-cat asked as the fox began to cower. “Where Meow-stop-leaves is from, the tall hairless cats would sooner eat them than listen to empty bluster!” he said, attempting to slink by.

“Angel-Bunny sees that Tux-cat is keeping up the state of being ‘unadoptable’.” The rabbit sneered, crossing his arms once more while slowly thumping his hindfoot.

“Unadoptable?” Tux-cat repeated snidely. “What is Angel-Bunny babbling about?” he asked, hesitantly keeping one paw in the air.

“Well, it’s just...” Angel started, hopping over to the feline, looking him up and down, stretching up on his back legs and peering into his left ear.

“It’s just what?!” Tux-cat spat.

“It’s just that if ‘Meow-stop-leaves’ keeps going on talking about a land of giant hairless cats, ponies might see him as..” Angel paused and tapped a small finger on his chin. “How to put this? ‘Special needs?” He condescendingly asked, making quotation marks in the air.

Tux-Cat’s ears folded and his tail hung low at this thought, before he chuffed and bawled. “Maybe Angel-Bunny is the one who is ‘special needs’! The ponies can not even understand common ovid!”

“Angel’s Fluttershy can,” The rabbit quipped. “And even if a pony adopts Tux-Cat, they can learn to understand him.”

Tux-cat’s tail puffed in fear. It hadn’t occurred to him that the ponies could learn to understand him.

“Of course, they may not know what Tux-cat is talking about for some time, but who knows where they would be at that time?” Angel asked, a malfacent furrow in his brow. “Maybe not Ponyville where Angel-Bunny’s sweet Fluttershy-pony can take him back in...”

“Then Tux-cat simply won't get adopted by a pony!” He hissed defensively. “‘Meow-Stop-Leaves is a felide! We are the purrfect hunters!” He asserted, putting a paw to his chest fluff in pride, before turning to walk away. “We will survive in the wilds, if we have to!”

“Purrfect hunter...” Angel said, rolling his eyes.He was about to gesture to Foxiekins in a way that might call into question who the better of two hunters was, when he noticed something about the ‘felidia's’ gate that looked off... Something that caused a most sinister grin to form on the rabbit’s face.

Quick as lightning, Angel swiftly lept to where the Tux-cat was and with one solid motion placed a stick he had snatched in front of their hind leg, causing the cat to stumble and fall in a most undignified way.

“How dare-” The black and white cat spat, turning with claws extended only to find himself face to face with the piercing black bunny eyes staring him down.

“Purrfect hunter, Tux-cat says?” Angel grunted. “I, Angel-Bunny, am very sure that other cats are. However, they most certainly do not have wobbly back legs.”

Tux-cat’s pupils widened. “Meow-stop-”

“A condition that would not only be a hindrance in ‘the wilds’ but completely lethal...” Angel assured, narrowing his gaze upon the poor cat even further. “Any other animal could see Tux-cat’s weakness. A bear, a hawk, a snake, a large owl, or a wolf could come along and then... snap!” he cried, breaking the stick in half before tossing it aside. “No more Mr. Meow-Stop-Leaves.”

Tux-Cat’s eyes widened, his pupils dilating to their fullest as his ears pinned back.

“I, Angel-Bunny, am just trying to protect both Tux-Cat and Foxiekins and look out for their best interests,” he said, condescendingly patting the feline on the cheek.

The quick white paws righted themselves to the ground as the body they were attached to fretfully slunk back over to their black-footed fox friend

Angel crossed his arms, yet again. “Maybe the fantastic Mr. Foxiekins and magical Mr. Meow-stop-leaves can stay out of trouble back at the cottage, then, both Fluttershy-pony and I, Angel-Bunny, can keep looking out for them. Keeping them both in a warm, safe, dry place with plenty of food,” he said, punctuating his vaguest of threats with a stomping of his hind foot, crushing the twig on the ground into smaller fragments.

Foxiekins and Tux-cat said nothing, but turned back and quietly went back tracking down the path that would lead to the cottage.

Once the two were out of sight, then and only then did Angel drop his stern, stiff façade and let out an exasperated sigh.

‘That takes care of that,” he thought. However, just as he was about to relax, there came a snapping in the branches above him! Ears swiveling, he could make out the sound of tiny claws scraping on the tree bark.

He quickly acted against this interloper by doing what always worked, a few dozen rapid, sharp thumps, this time squarely and precisely aimed at just the right spot on the offending tree’s trunk!

“Whoa! Whoa! Hey! Knock it off!” squeaked out a panicked voice before another series of kicks forced the intruder from their spying spot, and to Angel’s lack of surprise it was none other than-

“Rat.”

The brown rodent with a scruffy mop of curly fur atop his head rubbed the side of his ratty hanches before shrinking himself of the dizziness that came with his tumble.

“Heeeey, Angel-” Rat began, one of his yellow eyes winking at the white lagomorph. “-Bunny!” He finished, clicking his tongue and using his tiny paws to make ‘finger guns’.

Angel stared at the rodent annoyed that he’d once again have to repeat his question. “What is Rat doing here?”

Rat huffed and returned the glare. “Rat was bored, so I- uh, he followed those two maze-heads- to make sure they did not get into any trouble they could not get themselves out of.”

Angel’s eyes narrowed incredulously “Really now?”





“Hey, hey, hey!” Rat protested, throwing his claws into the air. “Rat did not see anything in regards to Angel-Bunny’s scheming- that is to say if Angel-Bunny was scheming at all! Rat only heard what Angel-Bunny used to send Foxiekins and Tux-cat scampering back to the cottage...”

“What I, Angel-Bunny, ?”

“Rat is a rat,” He coyly said. “Even if Rat is a fancy canterlot rat, he still knows a scheme when he smells one.”

Angel held his little arms a bow to his sides and looked narrowly at the rodent, quizzically analyzing every whisker twitch, every tail flinch, every little twittering of those little teeth, every clawed-finger wiggle... 

“...Uhm...” Rat hesitantly squeaked out.

“Alright, I, Angel-Bunny, believe Rat.”

“Wait, Angel-Bunny does?” Rat asked, whiskers a twitch.

“Yes, after all, ‘Rat is rat’. Even if I, Angel-Bunny, were scheming something, and he’s most certainly not, Rat would have little or nothing to gain by telling others,” Angel put his paws on rats little furry shoulders almost menacingly. “Would not want to rock the boat or upset the status quo...”

Rat jumped away, his teeth almost beared in instinct at this minor threat before he calmed himself. ‘Angel-Bunny might be acting all brave and in charge out here, but he would still cow to Fluttershy-pony’ he told himself.

“Right, Rat would never do that, he likes his life just fine for the time being...”

“That’s what I, Angel-Bunny like hearing.” The rabbit said, dusting himself off and turning back towards the burrowing hole that Mr. Mole had left behind, an air of smugness on his face. “Now, if Rat does not mind. I, Angel-Bunny have matters to attend to elsewhere.” He said, before diving down the hole.

Angel stood still in the slightly damp dirt tunnel that was a pony’s arm length under Rat. Even though he was this far down underground, with his superior hearing, he could just make out the rattled chiffering wuffles.

‘Good, he is scared. Animals talk when they’re scared,’ Angel thought as he honed in on that little ratty voice.

“Yes, Rat is rat, and Rat would not do anything that would upset the status quo... No matter what creature it hurts... though... Tippetarius might have... Especially if it hurt some... pony... Too bad ‘Rat is rat,’” he squeaked sadly, his small paw prints now scurrying away.

Angel narrowed his eyes and mulled over all this.

He hated the fact that the tiny brown lump was right about him needing to be more... rat-like in his machinations to rid his sweet, precious, pure Fluttershy of that thing that had intruded in on their lives.

What he hated more was that unlike Foxiekins or Tux-cat he didn’t have anything he could definitely use on him.

‘Well, not yet anyway...’ he thought, bounding down the tunnel.
> Vending Machine Pralines
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 26: Vending Machine Pralines



Cream Puff was a super happy little filly at the moment as she practically skipped by the side of her favorite reading mare.

Yes, the mighty summer sun beamed brightly, the sky was fairly clear, save for a few oddly dark clouds in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres and everything was looking up, up, up!

‘Especially with that there Applejack tryin’ ta hone in on Ma Hear-er H.B. gone back home,’ she thought with a bitter tone. ‘Who does she think she is anyhow, huh?! Well over the age ta be adopted, that’s fer sure! An’ besides, she’s not even a real orphan!’ Just then she noticed the lather falling from Heartbreak’s pollock. “Ya want sumthin’ ta drink there, Mi-er, H.B.?” ‘Ugh! Why do Ah keep almost messin’ that up!?’

Heartbreak took a deep breath, and with her unbandaged leg she wiped the sweat off her brow. “I suppose I’d be somethin’ of a hypocrite if I didn’t take a drink of something offered to me after practically chewing Applejack out like that... Not to mention the fact that being nearly roasted alive by fire ants surprisingly worked up a thirst...”

“Din’t Miss Applejack offer ya anythin’ ta drink?” Cream Puff asked, though worry and concern were presented on her face. Internally, the little filly was smirking. After all, now she could be the one to help with all of that!

“She did have some apple cider ready for my visit... Apparently...” Heartbreak said, grumbly before smacking her parched lips. “But that was used to... secure? Contain? Protect?” She mused, snickering at some unseen joke.

“Big Mac used it to freeze the fire ants...” Fluttershy quietly interjected while looking back at the farm fretfully. “Oh, I really hope that the poor creatures are alright!”

Cream Puff could only stare at the two mares in bewilderment as she hoofed around in her saddlebags for the refreshments she had purchased from the ponyville market with what few bits she had. ‘Then again, maybe they’re sufferin’ from- Ah shoot, what little White Eyes call it again? Shock? Adult ponies sure do get all strange when sum’thin’ bad happens... Hold a tic...’ “How in tarnation did he go about and freeze them there fire ants?!”

“Well, he used the apple cider that Applejack was going to offer us to drench them,” Heartbreak said, smacking her lips as a juice box with a conveniently placed straw in the top was put before her. She proceeded to sniff at said straw, as to gain some insight as to the contents. “And then, there was the icewood crate that exploded... and caused everything to freeze them all? It happened really fast.”

“Ah guess that makes sense.” Cream Puff said, watching a bit of confusion, and sweat trickle over Heartbreak’s face. “It’s Strawberry Lemonade!” She beamed. “Ah got it from the new place that just popped up the other day!” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Ah think it’s called the ‘Strawberry-Sweets Shake Shack!’ Ma Momma would say it is quite the mouthful, but they do have the best lemonade. Ah mean, other than ma’s...” She trailed off for a moment before a gentle gust in her curly little mane reminded her that it wasn’t just her and Heartbreak.

“Ah’m sorr’eh there, Miss Fluttershy,” She said. “Would ya like one too?”

“Oh...” Fluttershy said looking thoughtful for a moment. “Uhm, yes, please. If you don’t mind, and if there’s enough for all of us...”

“Of course there is!” Cream Puff said offering up another juice box that if she was being honest with herself, she really wanted to leave in Heartbreak’s fridge. Just in case she was thirsty later... or if somepony happened to drop by for a visit. But... “As ma momma always said, ‘If ya are hafin’ the chosin’ ta give, then best ya be chosin’ ta give!”

“Your mom said that?” Heartbreak asked. She let out a satisfied gasp before attempting to suck down what remained in her juice box.

“Eeeeyup!” Cream Puff relied, taking a drink from her juice.

“Oooh,” Heartbreak practically crooned. “That’s really nice and cold...”

“Oh! Don’t drink it so fast” Fluttershy warned. “Otherwise you’ll get-”

Heartbreak’s face suddenly scrunched up painfully as her right hoof practically dove to her temple and a sharp hiss escaped from between her teeth.

“Too late...” Cream Puff whimpered. “Head chills...”

“If you mean ‘brainfreeze’, then yes..” Heartbreak said, visibly pushing through the pain. “Wow, did not expect it to be that cold!”

“Ah got special saddlebags!” Cream Puff piped. “They ain’t anythin’ fancy like an ice wood crate, but they do the job. Cause momma always said, ‘Ya gotta keep the hot thing’s hot an’ the cold things cold!” She looked at Heartbreak, who she was sure to be impressed by such a quick witted idea of hers, only to see that the pony was still in pain. “Uhm... Just be glad ya didn’t get the-”

“Hic!” Heartbreak interrupted.

“Hiccups...” She finished.

“Yeah... hic! Thank you, Cream Puff...” Heartbreak said, her face still twisted and hoof still rubbing her temple. “Thank hic! You so much for hic! Pointing that hic! ...out.”

“Ah’m sorr’eh there H.B...” Cream Puff whimpered. “Ah shoulda’-”

“It’s fine, Cream Puff,” Heartbreak said, adjusting her glasses. She then took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds only to be shook by another hiccuping noise.

“Are ya sure? Yer not mad are ya?” Cream Puff asked, her little eyes welling up.

Heartbreak let out a gasp. “Put those away,” she said with an uncomfortable light chuckle and then a surprise hiccup. She rolled her eyes. “It’s fine.”

“Are ya sure?” Cream Puff repeated, swearing that she could still detect the barest irritation in Heartbreak’s voice.

Heartbreak sighed and before Cream Puff could say a word, she craned her head down so that she was face to face with the little filly. She then crossed her eyes and let out a goofy sounding hic!

Cream Puff was so caught off guard by this, that she couldn’t help but let out an unexpected giggling fit!





“Yes, I’m sure, Cream Puff,” Heartbreak said, lifting her head back up and blinking. “It’s my own fff-...uhm.. Fault! Hic! My own fault for drinking it so fast.” Her face then crinkled and squirmed before she glared at her leg, a hoof seemingly involuntarily attempting to go to the bandaged spot.

“We should get to the hospital if it’s still hurting...” Fluttershy said, a soft anxious tone to her voice.

“It’s more... Itchy than hurty if anything, but yeaaah... we really oughta get to the hospital,” Heartbreak said. “Uhm, thanks for the drinks, Cream Puff.”

“Yer welcome, H.B!” Cream Puff replied, sniffing a little bit afterwards before picking up the now emptied juice boxes and placing them in her saddlebags for later disposal. “Goin’ ta the hospital! Goin’ ta the hospital! Gon’ ta the hospital!” she sang as she began to skip forward.

“Heeeh... Ha... Yeeyup,” Heartbreak said gruffly under her breath with a fretful Fluttershy in tow.


=========


After a semi-awkward silence between Fluttershy and myself, a silence that was mostly maintained via Cream Puff’s near incessant need to hop-skip-jump and sing. We’re finally at the hospital, again.

A part of me, albeit a small part, almost wanted to join in the ridiculous little song of hers.

It was nothing special, just a little ditty about going to the hospital that felt like it had the tune of ‘Peaches’
or was that song just called ‘Going to the Country, Gonna Eat Me Some Peaches’?

‘Pffft, whatever, you’ll never know for sure, seeing that you lack an internet connection.’

Shut it, Goth Bunny.

Like I was telling nop- noone in particular, there was a small part that wanted to join in that song. I, however, did not.

Between those nervous glances from Fluttershy, the heavy sick feeling from what happened with Applejack and her family, coupled with the ever stinging sensation practically plaguing my... leg... it really should be my arm, but honestly it looks like a leg... that tiny part of me that wanted to join in what is such a pony banality of life that i’m sure some random mare who knows how many years in the future is singing about looking out for her fffr-

“H.B.?” Comes Cream Puff’s sacrinely sweet southern sounding drawl.

“Huh?” A mix of startled confusion tumbles from my mouth as my eyes refocus on just where I am.

The hospital is a bustle with activity more so than it was yesterday, methinks. Random ponies, many whose coats, manes, and marks I recognize, but whose names are escaping me at the moment are here.

“Ya okay, there, H.B.?” She asks, her voice having no problem to be heard over all of the chattering.

“Y-yeah,” Fe- Fuck! Fuck. That sounded really distant! “I... I’m not really good with large crowds sometimes..” Just then, Fluttershy’s ears seem to flick forward and swivel in my direction before her eyes widen ever so much. “Uhm... Somethin’ wrong?” Fet, I mean Fuck! Gah! That question had a lot more country sound than I wanted it to! “I have mentioned I’m not all that great with crowds before, right?” Clumsy questions are clumsy.

“Oh.. y-yes...” She says in a classic Flutterpated... Should ‘Flutterpated’ be the proper pony pun here? Pfffft! What. Ever. Stop mulling on this. It’s classic Fluttershy. “I-it’s just...” she trails off in a small high whimper.

“I-it’s just what?” Great. First, I was Appleja-... sounding like A.J. Now  I’m ‘Fluttershying’.

“It’s...” She leans over, her mouth really close to my ear. “I kind of need to use the..” She looks up, this time subtly pointing at a sign in the hall indicating the direction of the-

“Bathroom...” I murmur. “Right, okay- ohana tsunemi...” She and Cream Puff tilt their heads at me as I was speaking another language. Which, I actually am. “Uhm... it means ‘I’m going to pick flowers’ in another language. I told you that before, didn’t I, Fluttershy?”

“Maybe?” She replies in an antsy sounding voice. Is she seriously silently asking me permission to use the bathroom?!

“If you need to go... Go... I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” she asks hesitantly. “Didn’t you say that you’re not good with large crowds?”

Wow, didn’t expect that to bite me in the backside so soon...

“I’ll be fine as long as you don’t take too long.” I reply, kicking my hooves over the edge of the bench that we were able to procure. “After all, Cream Puff is here.”

“Yeah!” Cream Puff exclaims, standing up on her hind legs, her forelegs abow, while breaking her silence. (not sure about that sentence) “Thar’s no need ta worry, Missus Fluttershy, because...” She pauses, maybe for dramatic effect, but more than likely because she’s about to lose her balance. “Ah am here!”

With that little outburst, she starts to take a tumble as she fully loses her balance.

A tumble that my brain slows down and calculates the trajectory, and then simulates the situation, which would then give me the results. The result was that it seems that this poor, unfortunate little filly will once again make contact with that fetting branding of mine.

As this slow motion event begins to unfold in front of me, I swear I can see the literal moment where the white cracks in that back broken heart split open to form a crude cruel wicked looking smile.

‘Can’t move out of the way in time!’ I feel a lump in my throat as I lift my hind legs up and turn ninety degrees. ‘Gonna have to bite the bullet on this if we don’t want a repeat of what happened in the library! Brace for impact!’


=========


Cream Puff felt her head fall into something soft, squishy, and maybe a bit... familiar?

It felt like how her momma would hold her in her lap while reading just before bedtime.

‘All that’s missin’ is a hot coco an whatever fancy smellin’ cologne papa would be wearin’ She thought happily smiling.

“Cream Puff?” A voice like a chill came. “Cream Puff?” It repeated. “Cream. Puff.” It sliced like a cold wind.

“Huh?!” the little filly gasped, her eyes snapping open to be greeted with Heartbreaks’ rather stressed rather... embarrassed? Bespeckled upside-down face. “Oh.. Heh, Uhm... Hi, Mi-Uhm, H.B.”

“Hi.” She said, curtly. “Are you alright?”

“Oh... Uh-hu!” Cream Puff said.

Heartbreak took a deep breath and pushed her glasses up. “Good to hear. Now, can you please get off of my lap?” she asked.

“Oh... uhm... Sorreh...” She meekly said before struggling to push herself up, head pressed up against Heartbreak’s stomach. “Heh, yer pretty soft and squishy there, M- H.B.!”

“Uhm.. Thanks?” Heartbreak said questioningly before looking at her stomach and in a moment of insecurity repositioning herself, once the filly had righted herself, into a more pony-like posture, with her belly not so exposed to the waiting room.

“Aww.. Ah din’t mean anythin’ by it, H.B.!” Cream Puff said sheepishly crawling towards Heartbreak until her front hooves tentatively, were perpendicular, almost daring to crosshatch with the much larger tan for legs.

Heartbreak took a deep breath through her nose and fought the urge to roll her eyes as she became acutely aware that some of the other ponies had begun to gawk at the spectacle that had just unfolded before them. “It’s fine, Cream Puff. Everything is fine,” she said, slightly tilting her head to the side. “Don’t you need to use the restroom?” she asked Fluttershy, noticing that she was still standing nearby and not already rushed to take care of her needs.

“Oh! Yes!” She said, fluttering up a couple of feet into the air before slowly and a bit shamefully landing back down due to the pony at the front desk stern glare and pointing out of a ‘Please refrain from flying inside the hospital.’ sign. “Oh.. S-sorry.” Fluttershy said, turning towards the bathrooms. “Ohana tsumene?”

“Uh... yeah. That sounds about right,” Heartbreak replied, scratching her head, pleasantly taken aback at Fluttershy’s quick possible adoption of this phrase. “See you when you get back- And please don’t take too long.”

“Oh.. Hopefully I won’t!” Fluttershy said, now hurriedly making her way down the hall and around the corner.


=========



Turning the corner at a quick, but not too quick trot, Fluttershy made her way down the hallway in the general direction of the public restrooms.

She slowed past the two doors with their pictograms denoting which was for stallions and which was for mares, only to shamefully drop her head a little, whilst (meekly) whimpering a little apology to the pair, who if they were a real couple, would sure to being judgemental about her being this deceptive in her actions.

“I’m sorry! I don’t want to be misleading to her, it’s just with everything that’s happened, I don’t want her to worry or fret anymore than she already is..” Fluttershy quietly said in the surprisingly vacant corridor before moving closer to her true destination. She paused to momentarily side glance at the black silhouette of the filly. “Uhm, maybe after I get back, sorry! Again!”

Frantically she attempted to peer into the room in search of the flash of color that she swore she had seen being carted in a wheelchair down that bland corridor.

“What if I didn’t see her?” Fluttershy questioned herself. “What if these ponies think that I’m trying to intrude on them? What if it was some other pony with a slightly similar rainbow ma-”

“Hey! Come on! I told you that I could do this part myself!” Protested the almost husky, self-assured, apt irritated, unmistakeable, tomcolt voice that rescued Fluttershy from the anxiety ridden quagmire of her own thoughts.

Darting towards the voice, Fluttershy was greeted with a somewhat distressing though familiar sight when peering into the room marked one-four-four.

“Miss Dash! Please hold still!” A blue-eyed, dark caramel coated nurse pony with a frazzled messy mane exclaimed. “This is your final day of recuperation and it wouldn’t hurt to-”

Just then Fluttershy made her presence known with the small clearing of her throat and the barest whisper of “Excuse me?”

Rainbow Dash’s wine coloured eyes lit up at the sight of her friend before a trickle of worry entered her expression. Before she could speak however, a white fluffy hospital towel covered her mane and face. “Hey! I told you that I could do that myself!” she shouted as one of her wings swatted at the nurse, muzzle peeking out from under the cloudy mass.

“Fine,” the nurse said curtly before picking up a clipboard, almost fumbling it, no doubt due to the stress put on her by her patient. “I-I’ll just check your stats, just to see if you’re actually ready to be discharged.” she said, picking up a pencil in her mouth.

“Finally, yeah...” Rainbow Dash replied gruffly. “So, hey, Fluttershy. What brings you here?”

“Well-”

“Oh! Fluttershy!” Interrupted a familiar almost melodious voice from the hallway.

Fluttershy eeped in surprise, almost jumping up before she recognized the voice. “Oh, h-hello, Robin. How are you doing?”

“Oh, you know...” Nurse Robin Goodfilly began, almost nervously looking around. “Same old, same old all while trying to avoid the higher ups...”

“You’re trying to avoid Nurse Redheart?” Fluttershy asked. “She isn’t still upset with you for not returning that book you borrowed yesterday, is she?”

“Well.. Heh..” Robin guffawed.

Just then, the three ponies jumped a little as an angry splintery snap of a pencil wood loudly cracked through the room.

“Nurse Robin Goodfilly...” The nurse that had been attending to Rainbow Dash said with a sweetness that masked some hostility of unknown origin. “You still have... that book?” She asked before spitting out the eraser side of the pencil that had been in her mouth.

“Oh! Nuuuurse... Hot Biscotti!” Robin exclaimed after a moment of searching her memory vault for the name. “I didn’t see you there! And no...” she said with a giggle. “I’ve returned it...”

“Then what’s that in your saddlebag?” Biscotti asked in an accusatory tone.

“This?” Robin asked, feigning innocence. “Oh... this is a different book!”

“Really?” Hot Biscotti asked coyly, approaching the light gray mare with amber eyes and black mane. “Then you wouldn’t mind if I took a look and even return it to her if it is-”

“Oh, would you look at the time!” Nurse Goodfilly said anxiously. “I’m afraid I forgot about a patient that needs tending to!”

“Oh, and who would that be?” Hot Biscotti asked, her eyes narrowing like a cat who had cornered their prey as she tried ever so delicately to slide past Fluttershy.

“Oh, you wouldn’t know them.. Or if you did, you wouldn’t remember them...” Goodfilly replied playfully waving a hoof and placing fluttershy between herself and the encroaching mare a bit better. “Little Precious in room one-zero-three? Dealt with a concussion due to running into another pony and a cut on their front leg from glass! Have to give them their pill! TTFN!”

With that, Nurse Robin Goodfilly darted down the hall, giggling as she went.

“Why, you!” Nurse Hot Biscotti exclaimed, attempting to awkwardly reach over Fluttershy. “Uhm... Could you excuse me, please?” She frazzelledly asked, her mane was set acurl. 

“Oh! Yes... sorry...” Fluttershy apologetically squeaked, scooching out of the way to let the nurse pass by.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash hollered out, causing the already stressed nurse to halt midway through preparation in giving chase. “What about me?”

“W-what about you?” Hot Biscotti asked, pushing a hoof up the bridge of her muzzle and bobbing her head back and forth to peer down the hall.

“Ugh! Am I good to go tomorrow or not?” Rainbow Dash asked grippingly.

“Oh.. Oh yeah! You’re fine!” Hot Biscotti answered, shaking her head as if she just remembered something. “I’ll make sure that Doctor... uhm...Doctor... Doctor Stable! Yeah, Doctor Stable knows that you’re ready for discharge tomorrow.” She said, hoof clip-clopping on the floor in frustration. “Now. Excuse me!” And with that, she proceeded to give chase down the hall after Nurse Goodfilly.

“What do you think that was about?” Rainbow Dash asked after the dust had settled.

“I-I don’t know,” Fluttershy said. “I think that the nurses might be trying to get a book back from Robin. She borrowed it from Nurse Redheart...” She said, kicking her front hoof against the ground as she came into the room. “At least, that’s what I think is going on..”

“Huh...” Rainbow Dash proceeded to ball up the dampened towel and hoof it into a laundry basket opposite the end of her bed. “Score!” She gleefully cheered to herself as it went into its intended goal. “Must be a really good book if they are trying that hard to get it back.”

“I-I don’t know...” Fluttershy replied, her voice starting to go a bit quiet.

“So, what’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking at her friend. “What’s going on in Ponyville? What’s happening?”

“Well…” Fluttershy said, disconnectedly as her large forelock was starting to cover her face while she began looking more towards the cold, tiled, hospital floor. “I, uhm... well...” She began, her words dwindling into worried murmurings...

Rainbow Dash sighed, having been friends for so long, she knew a ‘flutterproblem’ when she saw one. “Alright. Spill it. What’s wrong?”

“O-oh! Nothing!” Fluttershy insisted, snapping to attention the moment the question was asked of her.

“Nothing?” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously, crossing her front hooves.

“Nothing important... well-” Fluttershy stopped herself mid sentence. “No, I mean, it’s not so important that it can’t wait until tomorrow when I’m visiting again.”

“When you’re visiting again?” Rainbow Dash asked the concern in her voice on the rise now. “Wait, you’re not here because something’s going on with you, are you?”

“Oh no, no. I’m not the one here to be treated,” Fluttershy said with an almost immediate pang of regret of what she had just said, causing her to flinch visibly.

“Fluttershy...” Rainbow Dash started fighting an irritated gruffness in her voice. ‘Come on, your friend needs you!’ “We’ve known each other since Junior Speedsters Flight Camp? If something’s wrong, you can tell me!” she rubbed the back of her head. “Plus, I’ve kinda run out of reading material and kinda want to know what’s going on out there...”

“A-alright..” Fluttershy said, raising her head and smiling. ‘Rainbow Dash isn’t the best listener, but she is a good friend.’ She thought, taking a rather deep breath. “It all started almost two weeks ago when I found out that H.B. had gotten really, really, really sick-”


==========


There’s a spike of anxiety and worry threatening the back of my psyche as I watch Fluttershy trot down the hall and turn the corner.

“When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.” I tell myself in an attempt to ease those frayed nerves. Unsurprisingly, it does very little to act as a balm for my troubled mind. Then again, why should I be troubled at all? I mean, it's not like you found out that your mane and tail do weird symbiote like things when you get all cheezed off, where mistaken for Applejack’s long dead mother, and then you were attacked by fet-Fucking literal fire ants all in the same afternoon! Nooo, that didn’t hap-

“H.B.?”

“Huh?” I ask, a sudden sharp inhalation accompanies Cream Puff giving me the gentlest of nudges to my side.

“Sorreh!” She exclaims, pulling back a little.

“I-it’s ok, Cream Puff.” Calm that voice of yours, try to sound as reassuring as you can, H.B... “I just think that the shock of everything that’s happened today is finally wearing thin and catching up with me...” To illustrate this, I hold out my un-coltucky fried front leg. There’s a visible trembling going on.

“That ain’t cause of that there ‘shakey hoof’ syyn-dome yer where tellin’ us about, is it?” Cream Puff asks inquizably.

“Nooo,” I chuckle. Can’t blame her for thinking that. After all, there is nothing that Equestria likes more than a good literal horse pun! “That condition makes it so that I can’t hold things with my hooves.”

“Oh, yeeeeah..” she replies, nodding.

“Like I said, this is most likely ‘cause the shock is wearing off, the stress of everything-” Suddenly, the little filly carefully glomps onto my shoulder! “Eeep! Cream Puff!”

“Ah’m bein’ careful!” she protests. “Ah remember yer scars... Those still hurt?” she asks, peeking back at my flank.

“Yeah...There was, uhm, some ... nerve damage when that happened...” Yeah that sounds plausible. Note to self: Write these things down to keep track of them. I look over at the hall. How long has Fluttershy been gone? It feels like forever.. Looking up at the clock, I realize it’s only been a few minutes... Still, I feel like I could really use somep..pony...or something to distract Cream Puff or at the very least stop her from asking any more quest-

Just then my stomach interrupts with a massive growl of discomfort.

Cream Puff eyes my stomach before giving me a questioning look. “Ya have eaten taday, haven’t ya?” She asks in an almost practiced way, as if she’s had to ask this question of somep-one else many times before.

“Heh, yes. Fluttershy made me breakfast...” She gives me an incredulous worried stare. Fet, what time is it again? Clock on the wall says... fifteen minutes to three?! ”Buuut... I suppose that was a while ago...”

“Good thang Ah still got the muffins Ah brought fer ya!” She exclaims.

“Y-yeah,” Fet, am I even in the mood for a muffin? I mean, Cream Puffs’... bakery goods are on point. But after all the running, panicking, screaming and overall stress, I could go for something comfortingly.. Salty.. Oily... savory? And I dare say, though I wouldn’t want her to hear this... unwholesome? Too bad I haven’t seen any-

*Ker-clunk! Whirrrrrrrr!*

I crane my neck past those seated on this hospital bench because I swear, that sounded like the inner machinations of a-

“Vending machine!” Cut to the high pitched voice of a little fil-no wait, not a filly. Her muzzle doesn’t look right, her coat is a shade of gray that I have not seen on ponies before, and there is a touch of fur around her eyes that is too... light... the tips of her all too long ears have a dabble of darker gray on them, the tips of her hooves are more the color of slate. Though what really stands out is her tail; long and furless save for the tip that has a small floof like a paintbrush. That’s a donkey! So... jenny, that’s a jenny, and nesk to her is a much taller, more mature jack. Can’t be much older than her though... so... brother? Cousin? Uncle? Whatever. What really matters is that they are both standing at the exact machine that I had just been pining for!

“Yeah? So?” the jack asks.

“So! You are getting the most expensive stuff! Auntie Matty said that we have to shaaare, so come on Jimsy! Let me get something too!” She protests, stomping a little hoof, causing those... to be frank... staggeringly long ears to flip up before coming back down, their tips just resting on the floor.

“Come on, Flipsy... Pecan pralines aren’t that expensive...” Comes the reply from the somewhat fluffy, blue-eyed ‘Jimsy’.

“H.B.!”

“Gah!” Turning to the source of this (seemingly) sudden intrusion, I see the large golden-sad doe-eyed expression of Cream Puff as she’s almost cautiously offering up a rather tasty, apt, crumpled looking black seed dotted muffin.

“Ya do want a muffin , don’t ya?”

“W-well...” Ffffe-FUCK! Fuuuuuuck! Super sad filly face! Super sad filly face!

Just then, Jimsy and I presume ‘Flipsy’ trot on by with their ill begotten? No, that’s not the word, though it sounds right for some reason... their vending machine treasures. (Yeah, that’s it.) Vending machine treasures, dangling out of their mouths by the tip of the packaging.

As Flipsy passes, she pauses when she sees me, before smiling, and giving an altogether too cute wave with her little hoof.

There’s a really odd sense of ... familiarity when she does this... Almost like I’ve seen her somewhere before... But I can’t recall where... Hesitantly, I give a little wave back.

“Flipsy! Stop pestering the ponies and come on! We can’t keep Aunt Matty waiting!” Jimsy calls out.

“Oh! I’m coming, Jimsy!” The little jenny rings back, her ears dragging on the floor as she struggles to catch up.

“Do... ya know her?” Cream Puff asks once the two of them are out of sight.

“I...” It’s weird, I’m getting the feeling that I may have met her somewhere.. But... “Don’t know... Maybe she’s seen me somewhere before...”

“Well,” Cream Puff begins, a small huff in her voice. “Do ya want the muffin or not?” she once again asks, almost shoving the mound of merrygold-coloured muffin matter at me.

“I-” FFFFFuck! We're back to this! I really want some pralines if there are any left! But how am I going to do that without crushing Cream Puff’s feelings?!

Jussst be honessst with her... AppleJack’s voice hisses out of the void.

‘I really need to start applying some of those lessons if I ever want to give the others, well... the six of them, the impression that I’m actually taking these things to heart...’

“I-it’s not that I don’t want your muffin...” Ugh... There’s a terrible itch on the back of my neck... Feels like a small cold sensation, a quick scratch and it’s gone... Wait, what are those round things- oh wait, those are the croaky beads on my glasses. Right, invisible. Fe-Uck, her face is starting to crumple. “It’s just that... uhm... well, maybe I can save it for later and see what’s in the vending machine over there...”

Her face goes from crinkling with sadness to wrinkling with disbelief and maybe a bit of repulsion.

“Vending machine grub?” She asks with a harshness so sharp, I swear that the muffins in her hooves should have split in twain.

“Well, I overheard that donkey... I think their name was ... Jimsy.. Saying that there were pecan pralines in there..”

“Pecan pralines?” She shakes her head in disbelief. “Bless yer heart, H.B., but from a vending machine? Everypony knows that pralines are best fresh an’ hot! Fet! Ah could make ya better than anythin’ comin’ outta a machine!”

Son of a birt-Bitch How am I going to- wait, I have an idea...

“I bet you could.. But...” Careful, Heart-H.B.! H.B.! Be careful with your words here!

“But?” She asks, insecurtly splashing in her adorably chubby-ish little face.

“But what if we bought some of the vending machine pralines to compare yours to? To prove that yours are the best of the best?” Alright, appealing to her ego based on that one argument with A.J. might be a touch underhoo-handed, underhanded or devious? Whatever, I can see the little gears in her mind going at the thought to prove herself to me. Fet, she’s slumping a little. Maybe I outta sweeten the deal. “And you could, like, maybe get something else that you really want from there too, maybe some candies or the like?”

Cream Puff seems to crumple even further as her ears droop down. “Bu-but Ah don’t have any money fer that there gomsocking machine! Ah spent all ma allowance on the strawberry lemonade!”

“That’s alright..” Give her a soft smile, wait do I- a quick hitch of my saddlebags and the jingle-jangle of coinage gives the go ahead I need to implement my ‘guilt free’ plan. “I’ll take care of that. I’ve got the bits.”

“Really?” She asks hesitantly.

“Yeah, really.” Farking crimmy, all this work for junk food! Bah, whatever, this revelation that she’s potentially going to get candy, free candy, well, candy on somepo- somepo- another’s dime is enough to get her to hop off the bench and rush off in the direction of the promised land of convenient sugary snack foods stuff.


=========


Two muzzles, one yellow and one sky blue, peeked cautiously around the corner into the hospital waiting room, trying their hardest to stay out of sight.

“Soooo,” Rainbow Dash said, just above Fluttershy. “There she is. Huh, she really did get glasses.”

“Yes, I told you that her vision was giving her problems,” Fluttershy replied, her eyes falling upon a few bags of what had to be vending machine food. “Oh dear. You would think that the hospital would offer much healthier options in their vending machines.”

“Eh, they’re new, and besides,” Rainbow Dash began, grimacing at the awkward position that Heartbreak had sat herself into. “Just what kind of creature sits like that?” She asked quietly aloud, her own spine protesting at the sight. “Weren’t we sposta figure that out for Twilight?”

Fluttershy blinked and looked up at her friend blankly. “Figure out what?” she asked. There was more than just a hint of worry in her voice over the thought of having forgotten something, let alone that something being a request from Twilight!

“What... H.B. was before coming here...” Rainbow said through practically clenched teeth.

“Oh…Right. With everything that has happened I almost forgot about that...” She replied distantly.

Just then, three ponies came into the hospital waiting room.

Fluttershy recognized one of them as little Pipsqueak, a skewbald little colt that, if she recalled correctly, was friends with Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. He was being followed by a white mare with a brimmed boater hat covering her well coiffed lilac mane who was wearing a rather stuffy looking black dress and orange and white scarf. Next to which was a rather scruffy, soot spattered light goldenrod yellow stallion in a black cap from which dark tufts peaked out. As he looked about for a place to be sat, his hoof mussed about a red neck scarf. Though both ponies seemed to hail from different classes, something about them felt distinctly ‘Trottingham’.

“Pardon us,” The white mare said, a small grimace wrinkling her face as she was greeted with a rather slovenly looking tan mare who was posed in a position that showed little or no regard for their vertebrae, or her health in general if the crisps and sweets placed upon her belly were any indication. “But has anypony laid claim to these seats?”

The unkempt mare gave a strained wide eyed glance before covering her muzzle with her foreleg and roughly coughing into it.

“Hey! Don’t ya go chokin’ there, H.B.!” A little cream colored filly sat to her left exclaimed as tiny crumbs fell from her mouth.

“I’m fine, Cream Puff,” ‘H.B.’ Wheezed back, shaking her head in the negative. “Excuse me, I swallowed the wrong way. Those two seats there are free, but the one right next to me is... uhm reserved for somep-pony who’s with us but is currently in the uhm... lavatory...”

“Oh...” She replied, an indignant expression on her face as Heartbreak swept more crumbs off her stomach, jiggling slightly as it did so. ``No doubt due to unhealthy eating habits.” The white mare thought. “Well, that is quite alright, we have an appointment at 3:14 P.M. sharp, so we shan’t tarry here long.”

The tan mare's eyes widened behind her purple rimmed glasses before she covered her muzzle with hooves that, to be frank, needed their fetlocks brushed and a good painting, all in a vain attempt to stifle a rather odd giggle.

"Pi time," she finally said, as it explained the mysterious amusement. "Pi? Three point one four one five... nine two six... five three... five..." she coughed a little in embarrassment.

"Oh! Pi the number," came the white mare’s only slightly bemused reply. "Yes, I suppose that is the time for pi. As I was saying, however, we shan't be long."

“An’ besides...” The coal dusted stallion piped up. “Pipsqueak has plenty of room on the ‘loor, itn’d that right?” He asked the foal, his coltney accent rather thick.

Pipsqueak, whose attention had and position now had immigrated to Cream Puff and her little bag of carmely, roasty, toasty pralines, momentarily nodded before turning back to the cream coloured filly. “What are those?” He asked, sniffing curiously.

“Pralines.”

“Are they any good?” The little Pipsqueak inquired, licking his lips a little.

“Eh..” Cream Puff’s reply came. “They’re alright... but they can hold a candle ta the ones that ma momma would make.”

“May I try some?” He asked, his eyes growing wide and pleading.

“Cream Puff looked hesitant for a moment. ‘Geez, he’s given’ me that gosh awful cute face that all them lil foals use ta get what they want...’ “Alright...” She said, caving while Heartbreak gave a small giggle. “Ah guess ah could share a few...”


==========


I... think that Cream Puff is experiencing that same uncomfortable feeling that I get when she uses those little peepers of hers on me!

I really shouldn't... giggle.. over that.

Partly because that near involuntary sound is unsettling... and because it isn't very nice to take delight in Cream Puff’s suffering. Mostly because of that.

'It is funny though...'' Comes an intrusive thought.

'Maybe, but she's just a little fil-... a little filly...' I want to say 'little girl', but... should I think filly? Is it a bad thing to think about it? The others say it all the time.

"Here ya go," Cream Puff says,  holding some of the pralines out balanced atop the bottom of her small hoof.

"Golly! Thanks!" Pipsqueak says, gingerly nibbling up the treats offered. Meanwhile, I'm just trying to hold back any feelings of envy that are percolating over the very fact that Cream Puff can do this without even trying...

"Well... yer quite welcome!" She says, dusting her hoof off and turning to look at me with a smirk, a smirk that kinda fades. Shit. Did she see the flicker of green in my eyes?!

"That was rather generous of her," the white mare with the funny flower hat says.  "Seems that you've raised her quite properly!" 

A horrible dread-filled flush transverses through my being.

Is she implying that I am... Don't freak out. Just explain what's going on. Cream Puff is just a little filly that- Say it already!!

"Oh, nooo. Cream Puff just, uhm... well... Follows me around..." I make out a sharp droop in Cream's face from the corner of my eye.

"Don't they all?" This totally assuming stranger asks with an amused lit that sounds like an upper English accent. What would that be? Trottingham? I wonder if there are suburbs in that city... "They always have a habit of keeping one on the tip of their hooves, busy with work, chores about one's house, soon one finds that they don't have the time for..." She glances at my side... Or I think she is, what the fet is up with that smirk she's giving me now?! "Proper eating habits and exercise regiment?"

Wait... She can't be implying anything about me, can she? 

Finally the words force themselves out of my mouth. "And just who are you?" 

"How terribly rude of me, I do apologize for not introducing myself," she says, placing one hoof on her 'chest' and extending the other in what looks to be a fffriendly 'hoofshake'. "I'm Practically Perfect."

"Uhm..." why is that name pinging a bell in the back of my head?

"Oy, sorreh there Missus Heartbreak-" the sooty point cuts in.

"No Missus or Miss. My name is Heartbreak,  please call me H.B." I recite almost automatically. Seriously, why do these two look so familiar?!

"My apologies,  din't mean to makin' any assumptions, " he says, taking his cap off and placing it over his chest. "Me name's Chim Chima-"

"Roo?" Fet, no way... is that what these two are 'referencing'? A quick glance of their marks... One's a... carpetbag with a lamp sticking out of it and the other is a red brick chimney with a black old fashioned doing brim for said chimney crossing it.

"Oy! You've heard of me before, have you?" He asks, a blackened smile showing across his face.

"Oh.. no... just a lucky guess..." I mull over that memory in my mind, Mary Poppins wasn't my most favorite movie. That would be something like 'Mirrormask', ''The Matrix', 'Cube', 'Pan's Labyrinth', or-

"So-" Practically Perfect's voice interrupts. "If I am not to assume that she is one of yours... Then are you looking after her? Perchance, are you also a nanny?"

"Nooo..." Gawds,  I am really bad at these 'adult' conversations. I really wish that Flutters would be the knight in meek armor and return! Let her deal with-

"I'm terribly sorry, I don’t mean to pry, I simply don't know your circumstances-"

"Hey! Ah said ya could have some of 'em!" Cream Puff cries, plucking her bag of pralines from Pipsqueak.

"I couldn't help myself!" The little colt said between crunchy mouthfuls. "They're just so good!"

"I only ask because I myself am of the nanny profession and-"

"Sea-saw, up and down! Which is the way to Trottingham!?" A much more hyper-sounding Pipsqueak interjected, much to Practically Perfect’s chagrin. She gives him a bit of a glance.

"As I was saying, I am a nanny by profession, along with domestic help and-"

"Sea-saw! Up and down! Which is the way to Trottingham!?" Pipsqueak once again sing-repeats, this time however  he pops up between 'Chimaroo' and 'Mary Poppins' pony.

"Pipsqueak... please behave yourself." Practically Perfect says, not quite 'practically' under her breath.

To this, the diminutive spotted pony gives an unhappy grimace. I can't help but roll my eyes a little and let out an accidental giggle. This in turn causes Pipsqueak to smile and hop out from between his, what I am now assuming to be his caretakers, to the floor. 

Thankfully, he lands 'practically perfect'.

Unfortunately, it appears that he's taking my slight bemusement as a signal to continue shenanigans.

"Sea-saw! Up and down! Which is the way to Trottingham!?" He yet again, repeats songs, this time however, he tears upright, forelegs spread wide open while spinning?... Pirouetting? Whatever, he twirls around to a show of this. He then looks at us expectantly.

"Master Pipsqueakum! Can you please control yourself! We are in a public place!" Practically Perfect sternly reprimands, pretty much in my fet- Fucking ear!

The results of this are near instantaneous. 

"S-s-sorry, mum..." Pipsqueak whimpers, as he falls to all fours, his left forefoot kicking the tiled hospital floor.

Geez, for being a Mary Poppins pony, she sure is very unpoppins like!

Seeing that pudgy little face of his starting to tear up is triggering something in me... I'm not sure what exactly, but...

'Fine, Equestria or whatever... You know I can't stand to see a face that young that sad... Plus I'm pretty sure that I know the rest of the words to this song... I think." I paw at Practically Perfect. "Do you mind?"

"Oh! I... I'm terribly sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." Time to push up my glasses. "But-"

"But what?"

I glance at Pipsqueak, he seems to shy away, most likely fearing more harsh adult words.

"Oh, uhm, by all means," Practically Perfect replies. That... smarmy? Haughty? I'm not sure of the emotion, but I don't think I like it. 

"Hey..." I uncharacteristically say, trying to get eye contact. It's like trying to approach a small white rabbit... which is what I would say, if it were not for... yesterday?

"Come now, don't be rude," Chimaroo quips.

"Y-yes, Miss Heartbreak?" he sheepishly asks.

"First off, my name is Heartbreak, please call me H.B." Plays like a broken record. "Secondly, you ought to ask before taking more of anything."

"I-I'm sorry, H.B."

"I'm not done..." Ugh! That voice! "Finally..." Deep breath here, H.B.. This is silly and stupid, and why am I doing this? Maybe it's because of everything else that's happened today and how about you shut up and do it already!? I let out that breath and look at him again. "One hoof up and one hoof down, this is the way to Trottingham?"

I'm not singing it, or at least I'm not trying to. It sounds rather monotone. 

Despite this, an audible groan and muttered ‘Mustn’t you have encouraged him?’ comes from Practically Perfect.

Pipsqueak seems down right ecstatic however. “I told you! I told you! Somepony did know the words!” he crows bounding about.

I don’t really know why I did what I just did. For fun? To get under Practically Perfect’s skin? The shock of the events of today? The same reason I made a face at Cream Puff? Because I can?

Cream Puff lets out a loud humph that grabs my attention causing me to make the mistake of eye contact with her.

“H-how come yer singin’ with him an’ not me?!” she asks in an accusatory tone.






==========


Dash could practically feel herself reeling from the second hoof shame being telegraphed from Heartbreak’s body language as the little filly in front of her grew confrontational. “Well… that escalated quickly...”

“Y-yes...” Fluttershy replied, pangs of guilt from her lack of interference flittering in her voice. Still, she had to know- “so... What do you think I should do?”

“What should you do?” Dash asked, confused for a moment. “Oh right! My totally awesome advice!” Fluttershy nodded. “My advice...”

She mulled over what had unfolded before her and then, something that that one pompous pony .. Practically Perfect said struck a chord.

“Exercise routine!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as quietly as she could.

“Exercise routine?” Fluttershy repeated.

“Yeah, what better way--”

Just then, before Rainbow Dash could explain any further, there was a gust of wind that pushed past the two ponies accompanied by shouts of “Get back here, you so called ‘Goodfilly’!” and the slamming of hospital doors.

“What was–”

But before Rainbow Dash could finish her question, the two double doors to the doctor’s offices swung back open, revealing a very frazzled looking chocolate brown mare with a caramel coloured mane and furious blue eyes.

“Nurse Biscotti!” Rainbow Dash yelped.

“And just what are you doing out of bed?!” questioned Nurse Biscotti, shouting.
> The Pudding Pop Show
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 27: The Pudding Pop Show




"Uhm, Nurse Feather Aid said that I was good to go!" Whinnies a familiar, flighty, almost ...squeaky? Who am I kidding, and who am I trying to describe this for? It's Rainbow Dash.

The nurse pony that is causing a sudden ruckus is addressing Rainbow Dash, because, of course she is.

No wonder I haven't seen her in a while if she's been here... Spotting the nurse, she doesn't seem to be anyp- I don't recognize her. Dark caramel? Coat, chocolate unkempt mane and tail, dark blue eyes. Fet, if it weren't for the cutie mark, some might say that we're sis- Siblings! 'Sibling'... Yes, siblings.

Speaking of that mark... How odd, it seems really out of place for a nurse, let alone a hospital worker.

It's what I can only describe as a ... starbucks white cup and a... cookie... wait, nooo... what did mom serve as her time as a 'birstia'?... Biscotti. Yeah, that's it. Wait, didn't Rainbow Dash just call her that?

"Nurse Feather Aid?" She asks pointedly. "Nurse Feather Aid was not put in charge of that wing of the hospital, I was!"

"Come on, Nurse Biscotti!" Rainbow rolls her wine coloured eyes and gestures both front hooves behind her, where there happens to be a hidden, tucked away flash of yellow and pink that I swear lets out a tiny eep! "I'm only trying to hel-"

"Tut, tut, tut!" Biscotti chides, wagging a hoof up in the perturbed pegasus's ... puckered face. "Don't 'come on' me, Miss Dash! Your papers say that your discharge is tomorrow and I am not going to risk you staying here any longer, not while I'm on my tour of service!"

I quickly cover my muz- mouth! My mouth! My face, to stifle a large snort that's just itching its way to escape!

"Is somethin' wrong there, H.B.?" Cream Puff asks in that all too innocent drawl of hers.

"No! No! I'm good! I'm good!" I manage to wheeze out. She is waaay too young for that 'joke'. Jeebus crimany, there's always been a few questionable line reads and jokes. 'Scary, but fun' and 'the punch has been spiked!' come to mind, but how did something like that get past the censors?

'Hey now, stop that. There are no 'censors'. This is the actual lives of these ponies/creatures.' Fine, yeah, sure, still funny though. As if to punish me for this thought, the recent burn on my leg gives me a painful, twinging, stinging sensation to remind me that it still exists.

As I let out a whimpering hissing noise, I can see Dash's ears followed by a wide eyed expression turn towards my direction.

Okay, she knows that I know that she's there. So why the shocked face- wait. Of course. That flicker-flash of yellow and pink has to be Fluttershy! Which means... sigh.

"Back to your room!" Biscotti's voice chides as she practically nips at Dash's tail. "Don't make me strap you to a wheelchair!"

"Hey! Hey! I'm going! I'm going!" Rainbow snorts and whickers, "We'll talk more about, uhm, you-know-what tomorrow..." she says, obviously to Fluttershy who's remaining off screen.

"Yes, tomorrow..." Fluttershy's meek barely audible voice replies.

"Yeah! OK! Tomorrow! Tomorrow! It's only a day away!" Geez, this 'Biscotti' pony is making the interaction with 'Practically Perfect' seem practically like a stroll through the park! ... On a windy day... Where we're all flying kites...

No! Stop it, Brain! I get it! Mary Poppins ponies! Ha. Ha. Ha! Okay! Moving on!

Just then, I can feel the still burning stare of a pair of eyes- oh, right...

"Well?!" Cream Puff asks me in a small whimpery accusatory tone.

"I..." Ffffet-fuck... She asked me a question that I'm not sure how to answer.

"You're not mad at her for knowing my song, are you?" Woot! Little Pip... squeak to the rescue? I think?

"Well, uhm no..." Cream Puff answers, a hint of ... shame? Embarrassment? Curse not being able to read emotions!

"I didn't mean to upset you..." Pipsqueak says, looking up at Cream Puff with big sad eyes. "I'm sorry..."

"I-it's all right," Cream Puff replies.

I really ought to say something ya know... about this? Come on mouth! Do the talk thing! Do. The. THING!

"Me also... I mean, I also didn't mean to upset you." Oh yeah, H.B.! Good jorb! That sounded sooo sincere! Totally convincing! 'Ssshut up!'. "I... just didn't know what song you were singing, is all... P-plus, Minneighsota ponies don't sing a lot. It's kinda... exhausting..." Yup, gotta push the lie! That'll work!

"Really?" Cream Puff asks. There's a mixture of sadness and confusion on her face as her head tilts and one of her ears half falls. "Cause Ah thought Ah heard Apple Bloom and them say that ya sung with them..."

Crum- Crap, I had nearly forgotten that they managed to coax a tune out of me last month.

"Well... uhm," Great, now I have to perform damage control over being tricked one time.

"I thought I heard about you singing at that one odd stallion that sells the pens and ink while chasing him around Ponyville!" Aaaand Pipsqueak has gone from hero to villain in one long sentence. Great, now I have two examples of me singing to attempt to explain.

"We," Deep breath, think this out and remember the little 'lie' so we can keep it straight, H.B. Oh, also adjust your glasses. "Minneighsota ponies don't sing often. So spontaneous bouts of song are not something that I am used to. That and because I'm not practiced in singing so much, it's pretty exhausting."

"Ooooh..." The two of them said in unison.

"Plus... I just suck at singing." What? It's true! Even when I was a 'guy', I never liked my voice when recorded, it always sounded ... wrong. Too nasally, and drained, buzzy and what have you. I think one time I was compared to Mysterious Mr. Enter.

"Oh! Oh!” Pipsqueak suddenly exclaims. “Maybe you could write a book!" 

"Pipsqueakum, in door voice, if you would!" Practically Perfect finally interjects.

"A ... Book?" I ask this as I feel my ears swivel to buffer that voice of his. Sweet Princess Luna! How can a... pony so small be so loud?!

"Y-yeah! To help you with your songs and singing!" He says, his voice volume going down a few ticks as he sheepishly looks at Practically Perfect. "It's what my mummy did to help with my singing! I could even give you some of the ones she gave me!"

"Ah could give ya some of the ones that my Ma sang ta me!" Cream Puff adds, most likely in an attempt not to be outdone. "Ah mean, if ya want them, that is..."

"W-well..." Fffffu-

"Pipsqueakum? Practically Perfect? Chim Chimaroo?" Comes a mare's- uhm, a female nurse... pony's voice from the hall. "3:14 appointment for Pipsqu-"

"Oy! That's me!" Pipsqueak exclaims, bounding in the direction of the disembodied voice.

"Oy! No running in the halls!" Chimaroo chides, picking up his sooty looking saddlebags. "Best be after him before he goes getting popping then."

"Hopefully the nurse assigned to us has more bedside manner than that 'Hot Biscotti!" Practically Perfect remarks.

She's talking to you

"Oh! Uhm yeah," Thanks inner voice. I would have never figured that out, I mean, it's not like she's not looking right at me. "Ha... That's one nurse who could definitely benefit from the old adage 'A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down' or something like that." I remark while twirling my left front hoof.

"I suppose so!" She giggles before turning her head only to produce a small business card. "I would like to offer you this, H.B."

Crossing my eyes at the little card that's practically right in front of my snoot, I see the following in gold embossing:

'Practically Perfect's practically perfect nanny and home tidying up services! Give us a call and I'll be there, spit-spot!'

Next to which is the small black silhouette of a pony, dressed in 'Mary Poppin garb', of course, holding an umbrella in her teeth and a carpetbag at her side.

"Oh... Thanks?" I begrudgingly take the business card with  my... sigh, teeth. Fet. Can practically smell whatever floral perfume she's wearing with how close she is to me. I can taste it too. 'Just be polite, put it in your saddlebag, and maybe forget about it, H.B.' I tell myself as I do just that.

"To call upon me and my services, merely tear the card into several pieces and dispose of it in your fireplace, then I'll be there spit-spot!"

"Wait, what?" That felt like a reference...

"The finer the pieces, the quicker I'll arrive to perform whatever duties you require of me," She says in a practiced manner. "Whether that be home chores or even perhaps a ... respite from the duties of motherhood so that you may socialize with friends or maybe even go for a constitutional."

"Uhm… but, I'm not-"

"Oy!" Chim-Chimaroo's face pops back around the corner. "P.P.! Stop advertising yerself an' come on! We 'aven't all day!" He wipes his muzzle with the ankle of his foreleg, maybe in an attempt to remove some of the soot, this however only services to give him a 'Charlie Chaplan' ash-stash. "Can't keep Dr. Stable waiting!"

"Right," P.P. sighs. "If you forget what I have told you, there are instructions on the reverse of the card."

"That's great but I-"

"P.P.!"

"Ta-ta for now!" She says with a practical gust moving past me with her departure.

Grumbling, I apply my hoof to my face and sigh, before feeling some thing -bump up against my shoulder..

It's Cream Puff, and she's looking up at me with a... smarmy grin before giving me a light hug.


==========


"Tomorrow..." Fluttershy hesitantly called out, her voice trailing as Nurse Hot Biscotti pushed Dash back to her room.

"Yeah-oof! Tomorrow! Hey!" Dash called back between near shoves. "Tomorrow! It's gonna be great!" She promised her head peeking one more time around the corner before a caramel hoof swiped to pull her back. "Yeah, yeah. I'm coming!"

Fluttershy now finding herself alone in that small hallway, began fidgeting nervously. After all, other than updating Rainbow Dash as to the goings on with Heartbreak, from tip to tail, from sickness to spiders, she hadn't accomplished what she set out to do... 'I didn't even use the bathroom! What am I going to-'

"Excuse me, Miss!" The littlest of colts named Pipsqueak said as he ducked underhoof.

"Oh!"

"Begging yer pardon, Miss," Not but a moment later, a soot speckled stallion said, tipping his hat at Fluttershy. "Oy! P.P.! Stop advertising yerself an' come on! We 'aven't all day! Can’t leave Dr. Stable waiting!" He wiped his face. "Oh, sorry about that, didn't mean ta be that loud." He apologized, noticing the mare's ears pinning.

"I-it's alright," Fluttershy replied sheepishly.

"Just have ta make sure me better 'alf doesn't get into a speal over her business." Chimaroo explained, his neck craned around the corner. "Ah, Blimey! She's starting on how the cards work! P.P.!"

Practically Perfect came trotting around the corner shortly after.  "There's no reason to raise a fuss! I had a good feeling about that one!"

"Aw, P.P., you say that about every mare you encounter. Besides, I don't think that she was that filly's mum." Chimaroo said following Pipsqueak through a pair of doors.

"Well, you don't know that! They do both have a similar curl to their manes!" Practically Perfect protested proceeding past.

With the squeaking and settling of the doors behind her, Fluttershy once again found herself alone. She peeked around the corner.

Heartbreak sat on the bench, her ears flicking back and forth in a state of barely contained agitation. This state of being didn't seem to be helped by Cream Puff hopping right next to her side.

'Oh, dear,' Fluttershy thought, a hoof raising to her mouth. 'I'm not really sure what happened while I was gone, but what Cream Puff is doing doesn't seem to be soothing! But what should I do? I can't just ask her to leave! That would be really mean! And what if H.B. is really upset with me for taking so long! What if-"

Fluttershy felt a small gust in her mane as her wings began to flit about with the onset of these anxious, practically paranoid thoughts intruded into her mind.

'Calm down, Fluttershy,' She told herself, starting to take a deep breath. 'H.B. won't be upset with you... And if you ask Cream Puff if she thinks that it might be time for her to go home, she would understand,' She once more peeked around the corner, the little filly was now looking up at her favorite reader. "Maybe..."

She felt her hooves starting to almost dance with the need to prance fretfully in place. "Come on, Fluttershy!" She started, attempting to cheer herself forward. "Just put one hoof in front of the other and..."

"Fluttershy!" Heartbreak's voice almost exclaimed with a mix of relief, anxiety, and hard fought irritation. "Tadaima!" She said, tilting her head and giving a welcoming, apt weary smile.

"Uhm..." Fluttershy blinked, though she hadn't totally prepared herself for what was to happen when she came back, but of all the things to come back to that random almost... a chaotic sounding mix of vowels and constants wasn't one of them.

"O-oh, right, my bad, apologies," Heartbreak said once she saw the confusion and perhaps apprehension painted on Fluttershy's face. "Uhm, it's a phrase I learned in another language. It means... 'I'm back'." she paused and tapped her chin with her perforated hoof. "I think it does at least... It's been a long time... though I guess you would be the one to say it..."

"Oh! uhm...Tadaima?" Fluttershy asked questioningly.

"Okaerinasai!" Heartbreak replied. "And that means 'you're back!' ... At least I think it does... So! Welcome back! We were beginning to think that maybe you fell in..."

Cream Puff looked up at Heartbreak eyes amaze. "Ya sure are smart! Ya know any other fancy language, an' could ya teach me?"

Heartbreak gave an awkward chuckle and the back of her head. "Hmmnoh, no.. Not really? Like I said, it's been forever, fet, I barely remember anything of that one."

"Oh..." Cream Puff said, her ears dipping down a little. "Well, uhm, what's the name of the language?" she asked.

"I don't remember that either." Heartbreak squeaked as her eyes went wide and she gave a nervous laugh. "Fluttershy! So glad you're back! Are you alright?"

"Oh!" Fluttershy's wings jumped at the sudden and pointed attention shifted sharply her way. "Y-yes, why do you ask?"

"Ya were in there fer an awfully long time," Cream Puff piped in. "Ya didn't go an' eat some raw dough an' clog up yer pipes did ya?"

"N-no..." Fluttershy said, realizing what the two were implying. "No," she repeated. "I'm fine." she said, nodding asurradly, but with the smallest flit of embarrassment.

"That there was somethin' that happened ta lil' Sweet Pea, this one time when Ah was makin' biscuits! Boy, Ah tell ya wot, Missus Hayneighan was not happy with that colt..." She clicked her tongue and waggled her forehooves over the edge of the bench they sat upon, all the while shaking her head. "Nope... Not happy at all..." she remarked distantly.

"Ooo-kay..." Heartbreak replied uneasily.

Just then, there was a loud din of noise coming from the doors that lead to the front office. Shouts, banging, the sounds of wheels screeching on tile, and metal grinding that was then followed by said doors bursting open.

"Get back here and tell me where your parents are and what room you are meant to be in!" Were the words practically thrown at a young cobalt blue colt with a black mane and wide green eyes.

Quickly, he pivoted in his pony-styled wheelchair, (two wheels attached to his hind legs and locked in place by a strap that encircled his midsection) to stare directly at the nurse pony pursuing him.

"I... told... you...! I'm... not... a... patient... here!" He said between labored breaths. "I'm... here... for... Cream... Puff!" He pointed a forehoof at said filly.

Cream Puff only glowered at the sight of the colt. "Hi, Jeepers Creepers..." She grumbled, her ears pinning far back.

"Cream... Puff... Mrs-" Jeepers began, only to be interrupted by the nurse.

"You're a visitor?! Then why didn't you sign in at the front desk?" she inquisioned.

"I... would.. have... if... you... had... let... me!" Jeepers retorted, his gasping breathy words growing addjitated.

The nurse grumbled indignantly. "Well, a colt your age shouldn't be coming in alone, where are your parents?" she interrogated, looking about "I would like to have a word with them!"

"They're... Dead..." Jeepers hissed at her, the fluorescent lights glaring off his thick, oversized glasses.

"They're what?" The nurse asked, horrifyingly dumbfounded.

"Ah fer fet's- Sweet potato egg tarts!" Cream Puff bristled. "He's like me! He's an orphan!"

The color seemed to drain from this random nurse pony's face as her eyes went wide before they darted about in awkward silence.

"O-o-oh," Was the only utterance that dared escape her lips along with a muffled "I'm.. sorry."

"Awk-ward..." Heartbreak said, barely under her breath. 

Just then, Nurse Redheart walked into the room.

"What's the meaning of all this shouting?" She curtly asked before turning to the other nurse. "Nurse Nutmeg what did I tell you about this sort of behavior?"

"But I-" Nurse Nutmeg stammered.

Nurse Redheart held up a hoof to cut her off. "My Office. Now." her tone turned very icy cold.

"Y-yes, ma'am," Nutmeg squeaked out, head lowered as she shamefully walked in the direction of the nurse's office.

"I'm very sorry about that," Nurse Redheart said, scowling. "I'll make sure that she's given a talking to right away."

"It's... alright..." Jeepers Creepers replied. "I'm... here... for... Cream... Puff!"

"Oh, alright, then there's no need to sign in. However, as a common courtesy I would appreciate it if you did," Nurse Redheart said sweetly.

"Under... stood..." The colt said, nodding his head, his antenni like polelocks bobbing.

"Alright then. If nopony minds, I must be off." Redheart said, picking up a clipboard and trotting away.

Cream Puff looked at Jeepers, her dower expression refusing to be evicted from her face. "Wha'cha want, Creepers?"

"I'm... sorry... but... Miss... Hayneighan ... told... me... to... get... you... because... it's... your... turn... to... help... make... supper... and... Miss Hayneighan... isn't... going... to... accept... you... being... late!" Jeepers finally said, taking a deep breath.

"What?! That's tanight?! Ah thought it was Ragga Muffin's turn!" Cream Puff exclaimed.

Jeepers could only shrug. "Hey... don't... shoot.. me... I'm... just... the-"

"Messenger? But Ah was hoping ta- uhm, help, ta help H.B. back home!" She protested turning to look at Heartbreak with large pleading eyes. "Ya want me ta help ya get home, wouldn't ya?" She asked in her most desperate of voices.


==========


FFFF-e-e-e-Fuck! I have to fight every nerve cell in my body attempting to force me to flee from this situation! The best I can manage in locking those instincts is a visible flinching as she asks her question with those big little filly eyes.

"Well?" She whimpers.

No doubt she's still trying to find a way of letting me let her stay the night at my house, I'm sure, and I don't need to be reminded as to why that's a bad idea.

The memory of what happened last time any little filly spent the night at my house crawls into my mind. This in turn causes an odd burning? No, not quite... More of a painful tingling sensation running through the brandings on my flanks... 

Gah! No time to think about what that means! Address the question!

"I..." Come on, H.B... "I wouldn't mind it..." Great, now her ears are perking and I swear her 'eyeshines' are growing bigger... "But..." Aaand, there goes the ear drooping, along with those disappointed eyebrows!

"B-buut?"

"Buuuut..." My forehoof trails up the back of my head-gah! I'm caught on somethi- oh, right, invisible crockie.. "I don't know how long this will take... And..." Be gentle... "I really don't have any authority here, so, if Miss Hayneighan heard about it and was upset with you? She might get upset with me too, and we don't want that... right?"

"Ah... Ah guess not..." She finally concedes.

"And there's also how long it could take for you to get back..." Fluttershy interjects peering over my shoulder at the... two? The pair? Jeez, finding an equivalent for 'kids' is really hard!

"That... is... true..." Jeepers says, each breath sounding like a Hercilaran labor. I must be really uncomfortable with all this because I'm finding my eyes being drawn to the small sticker decals on what ponies call a 'wheelchair'. Little bugs, butterflies, spiders, and other creepy-crawlies that adorn the cold and silver pipes.

"Ah... guess yer right..." Cream Puff deflates at this realization, her little curls in her mane doing a Pinkie pie and are sagging a bit. I could say something...

"Cream Puff, I'm-"

"Will ya at least take ma muffin?!" She exclaims, practically popping up in my face with said muffin in ... hoof.

"Y-yeah, of course I will," I am fairly certain that I'm having a hard time covering my concern for this little filly offering me a muffin, that while still looking good, is showing the wear and tear of its journey here as a small bit crumbles off the top.

I'm sure there's a metaphor here...

"Thank ya, H.B." She says, sniffing and placing the muffin next to me, before sadly hopping off the bench.

"Cream Puff?" I call her as she's halfway to the exit door.

"Yeah?!" Oof, that voice has waay too much hopefulness to it! Not to mention how sharply she just turned her head.

"I'll see you sometime tomorrow. Okay?" She smiles a little bit, a hoof wiping her nose. Clearly this wasn't the outcome she wanted. "Maybe I'll cook something for you when that happens."

This seems to have done the intended effect of not being left on such a sad note as she perks back up.

Beaming like the sun obscured partly by clouds just found a crack to escape through, she eagerly nods. "Yeah! Ah'd like that!" 

"Can... we... go... now?" Jeepers huffs, or at least that's what I think he's doing. The way he's talking reminds me of a character from Malcolm in the Middle, fet, What was his name? ... She would know.

"Yeah, yeah, don't get yer cookie inta a crumble," Cream Puff retorts while holding the door open for the pitiable insect themed colt, possible friend? Of hers.

"All.. the... better... for... my... ant... farm..." He replies walking out the door.

"Ah'll see ya tamarrow there, H.B.!" Cream Puff beams almost four-fifths out the sterile white hospital door.

"Y-yeah! See you tomorrow!" I feel like I'm fumbling over my words and forcing myself to not mirror her accent. It's something of a habit from... childhood that I have. Mimicking others that is. It was... kinda, sorta helpful when dealing with classmates, but here? I'm sure that it would start making that little filly view me in a maternal light.

Well, more of a maternal light than she already does, and we can't have that.

Just then, I feel a sharp chill in the air and I involuntarily use my hooves to rub my side. However, this cold sensation persists.

'Seeing what hooves are made from, what did you expect?'

"Are you okay, H.B.?" Fluttershy asks, looking at me in the same way I'm sure she looks at animals she's tending to. Head tilted to the left slightly, eyebrows concerned, and wings fluttering.

"Yeah, I'm fi-'' Gah! Time for a phlegm ball to punctuate the fact that I might be as well as I profess to be! "Fine. I'm fine. Just a little chilly."

Fluttershy lifts her left forehoof up to my forehead. "You don't feel like you have a fever.." she says after a moment of assessment.

"It must be from waiting in this room for so long," my ears are picking up the sounds of quickly shuddering paper. A quick glance up and I see the source of both this sound and cold. "Ah, that explains it." I direct her attention above us. "We're sitting right below the A.C."

"Oh..." She replies. There is a fretful uneasiness in her tone. "That... does... explain... that." she says, her words trailing off into an ever quieting path.

"So!" Great, how do I approach this? Obviously something is bothering her. “I'm guessing that you found Rainbow Dash's room after you... took care of business?"

Her surprised squeak is something that I expected and somehow, still catches me off guard. "O-oh, uhm.. I..."

"It's fine, Fluttershy." I think I'm saying that as much for her benefit as I am mine. I really don't know if I'm being confrontational or not, but the whole 'sneaking to talk to others' is starting to rub me wrong. Like from what I know about Fluttershy, I can see her doing something like this, but there's a difference between watching things happen and being the thick of it all... apparently.

"A-are you sure?" She stammers, her wings rustling about like aspen leaves.

"Yes, I'm sure and I'm sure that I'm sure." Whoooo! Assuring her that I'm sure! Because who doesn't like a call back from... almost a week? Back from when this all started? As always, it feels longer. "So! Was I right?"

"W-well, n-no.." She fidgets her front hooves about while looking away, her long forelock covering half her face.

Ugh, it's been such a long day, so many things have happened, and I don't want another long, drawn out awkward conversation in this cold waiting room.

"Right, however it happened, doesn't matter. What's... happening tomorrow?" I ask, carefully policing my words. Last thing we need is a Flutter-panic attack.

"Oh, uhm... well..." She's still sounding hesitant. Afraid of something. "Uhm," Oooh, boy... She has a case of the 'uhms'. "Well, I talked to Rainbow Dash.. and... well... she.. had the idea of... maybe... possibly... having... tomorrow's lesson... outside. If that's okay with you!"

"Oookay..." I want to snark and say that thus far, all attempts at a less have been 'outside' but with as stop and go she was with just getting that out, better not.

"To get some fresh air!" She almost shouts. Or, ya know, as close to a shout as Fluttershy can get. "F-for your health and maybe... to get a... little... exercise... at a park?"

"Oh..." Why is she being so cagey about this!? Maybe it's about how utterly disastrous not but two hours ago was. Though.. she seemed to put more emphasis on.. exercise... is she hinting at something? ... Nah.. "Ok."

"Oh.. Really?" her eyes widened as she looked... hopeful.

"Yeah.. Sure, why not?" Just then, a tingling burning in… the place you'd expect it to currently be reminds me of maybe 'why not'...

"Oh, I almost forgot about your leg!" Fluttershy exclaimed.

"Eh.. it's fine. Funnily enough, it doesn't seem to be burning like it was any more." Just at that moment the thing decides to twing some more causing me to sharply hiss, this in turn causes my fluttering caretaker to flitter-flutter, as a mote of defeated hopelessness attempting to take over her face. "I'm sure I'll be fine come tomorrow, get it checked out, and there's loads of different... activities that don't require me to be on all four... hooves."

"Like?" Ooof. That tone is on the verge of despair... 

Has being with me been that bad? Have I been... No. Stop that. No spinning vortex from which there is no return. Something that doesn't require me-

"Bicycle?"

"Bicycle?" Fluttershy repeats.

"Yeah, I could ride my bicycle- I could ride my bike." Ha. Ha, H.B. Fluttershy doesn't get that reference and now the first part of that song will be stuck in your head for who knows how long. "Though, I've been wanting to get it repainted. Maybe black, or red, blue... green? Just anything but-" clear my throat... "-but pink."

"Oh…There's a bicycle shop that I know of that's right across the street from the ferrier!" That's the bright happy voice that sounds more like a non-stressed Fluttershy. "The bicycle repair pony has a cockatiel who's the sweetest bird! And the two ferriers have puppies named 'Horseshoe' and ‘Clipper’!."

"All of which I hope they keep at home..." I commented under my breath.

"Oh..." She sadly smiles. "Oh yes, they do."

"Ferrier... That's that hoof specialist you told me about... right?" Gawds, I hate having these things at the ends of my appendages, but I might as well look into taking care of them.

After all, if that cream-colored line under those fetlocks is any indication... Hooves are gonna grow no matter what I do or in this case don’t do.

Just then, the nightmarish videos of overgrown and neglected horse hooves that live rent free in the back of my mind pay me a visit and I fight the urge to visibly  shudder. Fluttershy is paying more than enough attention to all my little behaviors, right? Can’t have her fretting about any more than she was just now.

"Yes..." She replies matter-of-factly. "Oh! Maybe we can go to the bicycle repair pony and then to the ferrier!"

"Before the park?" She nods and smiles. "Yeah, that sounds doable. See what the doctor says and we'll see how I feel tomorrow. O-okay?"

"Okay." She says soft and sweetly.

Just then, a pink nurse pony with a white and dark pink striped mane and tail done up in a bun comes into the waiting room, her blue eyes scanning about before she speaks.

"Heart-Break? Appointment for..." She looks down at the clipboard she's holding. There's a mote of judgment in her expression. "Heart-Break?"

"That's us, I guess," sighing and pushing myself off the bench. I make my way over there with Fluttershy in tow.


==========


Yet again, Heartbreak found herself in a doctor's waiting room, and yet again, she was sat atop one of those uncomfortable tables with the crinkly white translucent paper.

She sighed a little as her forehooves waggled over the table's edge. "Back to the 'hurry up and wait' game." Heartbreak commented under her breath with a wry chuckle.

"I'm sure that Doctor Puddin' Pop will be with us shortly... That's what Nurse Sweet Heart said..." Fluttershy replied, looking around the room. She peered at the straggly, twisty plant nearby. ‘Poor thing, if they were outdoors they could grow big and strong... So many animals could make their homes there...”

"Oh yeah, I know..." Heartbreak said, a tint of Whinniapolian making its way through her 'o's. She glared up at the clock just above the plant Fluttershy had been pondering, her ears twitching slightly with the ticking of every second.

Fluttershy glanced at Heartbreak from the corner of her eye. Though it was but the briefest of looks, the tan mare's body language was speaking volumes.

'I'm very tired.' It said,

'And how couldn't she be? After all, she's been in the hospital three times within the past week! First for being deathly ill, then when tux cat bit her, and now for this burn-Oh, Fluttershy, what if something goes wrong tomorrow?!'

"You alright there, Flutters?" Heartbreak asked, peeking over questioningly.

Fluttershy fought back a squeak. "O-oh yes." she said, taking a deep breath before slowly letting it out.

"Are you sure?" Heartbreak asked, a shiver in her voice as her hooves crossed over each other before proceeding to rub her shoulders.

"Y-yes, b-but.. Are you okay?"

Heartbreak looked puzzled for a moment before realizing what she was doing. "Oh," she said. "I guess the AC must be on the fritz, cause it feels even colder in here..."

Fluttershy looked confused for a moment and just as she was about to say something, there was a knock at the door and the doctor entered the room.

"Well! Hey-Hey-Hey! How are we today?" asked the chocolate stallion with a darker brown splat of short curly mane and tail.

"Doctor... Puddin' Pop... I presume..." Heartbreak asked, her face crumpling and ears pinning back as she spied what looked like a fudgesicle with a bandaid over the stick.

"Whoa-nelly! That's quite the greeting! I didn't do anything wrong did I?" He asked in a gravelly voice.

'Oh... not again...' Fluttershy thought, recalling the difficulty Heartbreak had displayed with the last two doctors. "H.B., we talked about this; doctors are only here to help..." she said, her voice mayhaps a bit strained.

"I know that, Fluttershy..." Heartbreak replied with a somewhat incredulous chuckle.

"Oh! So you must be 'Heartbreak'!" Puddin' Pop said, his words ending with some hemming and hawing. "What... seems to be the issue that you're suffering from today? Not a cat bite, I hope!"

"Noo...." Heartbreak said, her ears pinning back to the point where Fluttershy winced in pain.

"Uhm... Doctor Puddin' Pop?" She inquired, a hoof reaching out.

"You don't need a booster for our last shots, do ya?" Doctor Puddin' Pop asked. "Cause we do have a distraction ready if you need a needling!"

Heartbreak's eyes narrowed and Fluttershy could see the light threatening to twist and warp into fine points within. "No..." came to the curt and a clearly irritated response.

"Hey-hey, calm down! There's no need to be that defensive! After all there's only so many doctors that can be put into the hospital beds!" Puddin' Pop said in a jokingly ribbing manner.

"Oh... There's always a way to find room... for one more..." Heartbreak darkly said, just barely under her breath, her tail beginning to curl, twitch and snap.

"Doctor Puddin' Pop?" Fluttershy almost exclaimed quickly craning her neck forward as to place herself between the unwitting doctor and a clearly seething Heartbreak.

"Uhm, yes? Oh, aren't you Fluttershy?" He asked

"Yes, and her name is Heartbreak, but she prefers to be called 'H.B.'." Fluttershy explained as the titular pony in her care tapped a hoof on the paper of the table irritatedly.

"And we did come here for a reason..." Heartbreak grumbled. Though, if one were to be honest, it came out more like a growl. "Fet, why is it so cold in here?"

"Well, I hope you did, because I was about to sign you up for our hospital's rewards card!" Doctor Puddin' Pop said with a chuckle that started out strong but quickly fizzled before ending in an uncomfortable cough. "Well!" he repeated, this time with fewer comidical overtones. "What can I do you for?"

Heartbreak only replied with a deepening scowl.

"W-what I mean to say- to ask is, what seems to be today's problem?" Doctor Puddin' Pop spat out, tugging nervously at his shirt collar.

"Other than fixing the A.C. so that it's not so freezing in here?" Heartbreak asked, looking as if she was struggling to keep down something more venomous. "I got burned by fire ants. I was told that there could be magic in the fire?"

"Oh, huh, well ya see... magical afflictions aren't my specialty..." Doctor Puddin' Pop explained. "Buuut if we can remove these bandages and take a look..." he said, gently starting to unravel the tenderly applied wrappings.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Doctor Puddin' Pop?' Fluttershy asked, fretfully about to bite on the tip of her forehoof while watching Heartbreak see and tense in anticipation of the thought of the burned flesh being exposed to open air.

"Huh, well I think it would be," Puddin' Pop said once the bandages had fallen to the floor. "When did you say that this happened? Cause this looks like it has to be a few months old!"

Both mares looked at the site of the once red and charred flesh, and indeed it now looked as if flames had hardly lapped the skin, only a bare bit of peach fur and slight distortion being the landmark that any such a thing had been present in the first place.

"That can't be right," Heartbreak murmured a hesitant hoof raised to poke at the spot. "That burn happened like what was almost three-four hours ago?" She quizzeled at Fluttershy.

"Are you sure about that?" Doctor Puddin' Pop asked, chuckling incredulously.

"Oh yes," Fluttershy replied, nodding.

"Really?" he asked, looking over his muzzle at the two ponies before him.

"Yes... Really." Heartbreak responded curtly, her ears starting to swivel back in disapproval.

"I'm not saying that I don't believe you..." Puddin Pop started, his front hoof waving defensively. "But, ya see here, if this was a fresh burn like ya are sayin' it is...I'd expect it to be more... burned-like ya see..."

"And I'm telling you that just a few hours ago, I had an incident involving fire ants at Sweet Apple Acres, where if it hadn't been for Applejack pulling me away, I woulda been rushed here a lot sooner..." Heartbreak snarled at Puddin Pop. "Right, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy whimpered and looked as if she was going to chew on the tip of her forehoof. "Well... uhm... a lot of things were happening really fast all at once..." she said uneasily.

"And ya musta wrapped it prematurely!" Doctor Puddin' Pop said, chuckling almost condescendingly.

Heartbreak glared at the doctor before her. "Ex-cuse me? For one, I wasn't the one who bandaged this! Applejack was!"

"Explains the pretty rustic way it was wrapped-"

"-Two, I was indeed burned, and I swear it looked far worse than this and finally-"

"Just what are you still doing here?!" rang in an accusatory voice that didn't belong to any of the three ponies present.

Heartbreak's expression only further soured at hearing a voice that was growing all too familiar. "Nurse... Goodfilly..." She hissed her tail whipping about at the tip. "I'll have you know that I have indeed been home between the time I last saw you, and shouldn't you be being chased by Nurse Biscotti or Redheart for stealing books?" she snapped pointedly, the light in her eyes now warping sharply.

Robin recoiled back uneasily at whatever twisting madness that was bubbling just under this pony's skin. "Well..." she began, cautiously entering the room. "That's no way to speak to your favorite nurse, now is it?" she asked as sweetly as she could muster, fluttering her eyelashes all the while.

"Favorite?" Heartbreak asked, looking as if the very word itself tasted of burnt popcorn and orange pith in her mouth.

"Well, of course! Otherwise, why would you be here?" Nurse Goodfilly replied with a wide coy smile. "But I have to inform you that while I'm your favorite,whether you see me as a villain or helper in your story, I wasn't speaking to you, my little Heartbreak."

"You ... aren't?" Heartbreak asked, the confusion causing her mane and tail to discontinue their feline-like swishing before going limp in quasi-disappointment. "Then-"

Nurse Goodfilly whipped around so fast that you could hear her tail crack the air. "You!" she snarled accusatively at Doctor Puddin' Pop.

"Wha-? Uh-who me?" the stallion asked suddenly meekly recoiling back.

"Yes, you!" Robin snorted, striding up to place herself between Heartbreak and the doctor. "What are you still doing here?" she inquisioned. "Your final day at this hospital ended at three pm, sharp!'

"Well, you see here," Doctor Puddin' Pop started once more pulling on his collar. "They were short staffed, and I figured that you all wouldn't mind if ol' Puddin' Pops had a go he-"

"Sent off into the sunset, never to be seen or heard from again?" Nurse Goodfilly hissed. "That was not what the board agreed on! Leave now and you'll be lucky that I don't report you to the Headnurse!"

"W-well, I mean, you can't do that! I'm in the middle of- you see- taking care of- of a patient!" Puddin' Pop stammered.

"By belittling them and making them question their trauma?" Robin asked, staring him down practically with just one eye. "Yes, I overheard everything..."

"Uh- uhm- well..."

"Get out, before I use a summoning scroll to call for security..." Robin commanded, her hoof inching towards a rather suspect looking scroll tacked to the wall.

"Alright, alright! I'm going!" Doctor Puddin' Pop exclaimed, ears pinning down, tail tucked as he hastily backed towards the room's door. "But you're still gonna need a real doctor to look at that burn!"

Nurse Goodfilly only responded with a seething, almost protective glare and a waggling of her hoof near the summoning scroll.

Puddin' Pop huffed and walked out the door, though not before stumbling and slamming face first into a pole.

Heartbreak giggled once the off putting stallion was out of sight.

"Now then!" Nurse Goodfilly began, her expression flipping as quickly as Puddin' Pop had made his exit. "I heard that you had a nasty run in with some fire ants?"

"Uhm... yes..." Heartbreak replied, struggling slightly as Nurse Goodfilly looked over the spot where she had been burned.

"I-I don't mean to be rude," Fluttershy said, looking rather concerned. "And while he was kind of mean.... shouldn't you call for another doctor?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Normally, yes. However, it would seem that Heartbr-"

"H.B." Heartbreak grumbled, attempting to pull her leg away.

"H.B." Robin corrected. "Wasn't the only case of fire ant immolation... this week... I assume you tended to this right away?"

"Uhm, yes?" Heartbreak answered. "Well, Applejack did the tending to, but then I was told that there could be...magic in their fire?"

"Yes...and no." Nurse Goodfilly said, almost hesitantly. "There might have been if it hadn't been tended to right away."

"That's good to know...I suppose." Heartbreak said strangely, but not surprisingly disheartened fizzling about her face.

"Is something wrong, H.B.?" Robin asked, tapping her chin.

"Eh.. Guess I was expecting... more? That this would be somehow...worse?" Heartbreak said muddly.

"Well, we could always take some tests! Get some needles and draw some blood! Get you a bed and make a night out of it!" Nurse Goodfilly said in an altogether too cheery manner as a toothy grin appeared on her face. "Ooor, we could send you home and Fluttersy would tend to you in homecare!"

"Yeaaaah...I would still like to keep doing the latter..." Heartbreak said looking down while rubbing back of her head.

"Splendid! Now, we'll just re-wrap that leg of yours and I'll take care of any paperwork so that you can go home and rest O' Meu pequeno desamor!" Robin Goodfilly chimed, picking up a clipboard starting to fill things out. "Oh, and make sure to stay hydrated, get plenty of rest when you get home, and eat your greens!"

Heartbreak could only stare in confusion. "Wha- you know what? Fine. Great. Will do. Thanks, Mom." She said getting up and attempting to get off the table.

"Anytime, Sweetie!" Goodfilly said, her strange, wide-beaming smile seemed to spread even further across her face.

"Thank you for all your help..." Fluttershy said as she assisted Heartbreak any difficulties getting down. "Sorry if we've caused any trouble..."

"Anything for you, Fluttershy!" Nurse Goodfilly said, writing something down on the clipboard. "And don't worry, you two are no trouble at all. No trouble at all..."

"Hey, Fluttershy? Can we go?" Heartbreak asked already at the door, her face forcing a smile. "Please?"

Fluttershy gave Robin another sweet smile before turning to Heartbreak. “Y-yes, I suppose we can... I mean, as long as it’s really okay with Nurse Goodfilly. "

Robin flashed that impish smile the yellow pegasus' way while nodding. She then started shooing the two ponies away with the clipboard. “Yes, yes, you two go have fun blowing bubbles or whatever you’ll be doing tomorrow. I have all this chaos under control.”

Fluttershy nodded and walked up to Heartbreak. “Alright, have a good night, Robin...”

Heartbreak only could roll her eyes and stifle any feelings of anxious impatience. “Yes. Have a good night.” She repeated, rolling her eyes and walking out the door. 




> A Hard Clip-Clop Life
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 28: A Hard Clip-Clop Life



I don't know what you're playing at, but that was one joke too far, Equestria.

'Seriously, a pony based on Cosby of all doctors?! I barely remember -that- show! Well, maybe that one episode where the guys all got pregnant and gave birth.’ The uneven clip-clop of my hooves on the Ponyville cobblestone was irritating me. Seems while this Heartbreak flambé magically healed within a Disney Afternoon, the pain still remains. 'And your favorite OC, Robin Goodfilly, her coming in to save the day, while welcome, is far from suspicious, very far from sup-'

"Uhm, H.B.?" Fluttershy's voice cuts through my /irritated thoughts like a hot knife through room temperature butter.

'Ha. Flutterbutter, Mutterbutter flutter. Flutter mutter butter-' Shut. Up. Brain. Now is not the time for your random nonsense. Gathering myself up. I attempt to clear any hostility from my voice by taking a deep breath through my nose, holding it, and slowly letting it out. "Yes, Fluttershy?"

"Uhm..." Comes the hesitant tremble. "Are you alright?" the question finally comes out in a hushed tone.

"Why...? Is my mane and tail doing the 'thing' again?" I peer over my side, a shiver going down my spine. This whole outing has been just a series of weird events one after another. Much to my relief or maybe chagrin... really at this point I don't know anymore- my tail isn't animating. 'I guess that's good. Can't be the predecessor to the Maneia-wait, no. Can't think about -that- just yet!'

"Oh... no..." Fluttershy replies, her words coming out as an almost sad croak. "I-I just wanted to know if you were alright..." she stammers...

Poor Fluttershy... Why is she even doing all this? 'To help you learn a lesson about kindness. Elements of Harmony, remember?' Yes, brain. I remember all that.

It just feels like... I don't know... Maybe she was right with that first 'lesson' after she helped me with the dishes... Oh, and getting to the hospital the first time. And she led me back to the couch, my ass still sore from where Robin 'Goodfilly' stabbed it...

'That Robin Goodfilly... I can't put a hoo-Finger! Finger. I can't place it, but there's something about her that's niggling at me.'

Is it that all too toothy grin? The overly helpful expression? The way she seemed to arrive at just the right moment just now? The-

Crap. Fluttershy is still looking at me, eyes darting back and forth, head pointed down, expectantly waiting for an answer no matter how small.

"I'm fine," Yeah, sure. 'Fine'. What was that acrogram again? Fe-Fucked, uhm... Insecure... nauseated? no... Neurotic? And... What was 'E'? E... E... Emotional. Right. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Oh... Okay..." Comes the reply among the stead clip-clop of her hooves and the odd pattern of mine. I am really unsure how used to that sound I am.

A question starts to pester me in the back of my mind, one that seems to shove its way forward past the crowd of thoughts, ideas, notions, and yes, even other questions that are currently living rent free in my head.

"Fluttershy…" I have to begin this slowly. After all, the two of them are 'fffriends'. Then again.. she's made acquaintances with stranger things...

"Mmm, yes?"

"How... well... do you, like, know Robin?" Hoooo-boy. That sounded like a teen girl trying to get the latest dirt on some... one  named... Heather.. or some other bitchy sounding name.

"Uhm... Well enough?" she says with an air of uncertainty.


==================================


"Well enough?" Came Heartbreak's almost needling inquiry.

"Well, she has been in Ponyville for two years..." Fluttershy said, looking thoughtfully at the ground, tapping her chin and glancing skyward. "I think she's doing her round of tour here as a nurse."

"Round of tour?"

"Mmhm," Fluttershy said, nodding. "Every native born pony has to have at least a couple years or more of service, whether that be as a uhm... soldier or the medical field as a nurse!"

"Oh..." Heartbreak said, her face blanching and eyes growing wide in alarm. "That's only for native born p-ponies... Right?"

"Uhm... Right." Fluttershy replied, almost picking up on Heartbreak's unease. "That's not surprising though. After all, she did tell you that she served. You should say something to assure her.' "And I'm sure that you wouldn't have to worry about that, seeing that they aren't ... even... uhm... well..."

"From Equestria?" Heartbreak asked, her tone stiffening and practically taking on a harsh growl causing the demure pegasus to flinch a little.

Heartbreak sighed, stopped and rubbed her forehead. "I apologize, Fluttershy. I didn't mean for that to sound like... that. I guess that's what happened... Robyn and especially 'Doctor' Puddin' Pop got under my skin more than I realized. Really futzed with my emotions."

"It's... ok..." Fluttershy replied. "Robyn does have your best interests at heart. I think it's that she's not really a nurse pony..."

"I was kind of figuring that out cause of the whole 'tour of survice' thing." Heartbreak said. "So..." She began hesitantly. "Whaat sort of p-pony is she?"

"Oh, well, didn't you see her cutie mark?" Fluttershy asked, a bit surprised that H.B. didn't know everything about Robyn right off the bat.

Heartbreak paused and blinked a few times before tapping her chin. "Actually, I don't think I have..." she said, proceeding to walk forward, the gray cobblestone path from the hospital now giving way to the purplish stone that made up Ponyville's streets. "I guess I was too busy getting poked, pestered, and... per... snickered? To take notice..."

"Well, she's actually a theater pony!" Fluttershy explained.

"That explains her... eccentric... mannerisms..." Heartbreak said, looking as if she had to chew on her words before speaking them.

"Uhm, yes..." Fluttershy said, a bit confused at where such a comment even came from. "Then again, she must be having a great deal of anxieties and worries over everything she's been through... She and I were in a play together."

"You were?" Heartbreak asked incredulously, her eyebrow lifting before she sniffed at the air.

"Oh yes!" Fluttershy said, nodding before looking worried. "Is there something wrong?"

"Uuuh, i-it's just, I never thought you would be in a play is all..." Heartbreak said, her attention being drawn to one of the many food venders that lined the street they were on.

Fluttershy blushed. "It was more of a favor for Robyn; one of the extras came down with a cold, so they were short of a tree in 'A Summer Sun's Celebration's Midnight Nocturne'."

"That's quite the mouthful," Heartbreak replied, once more sniffing at the ever enticing aromas. "Saaay, speaking of a mouthful... How about we stop somewhere for dinner and you tell me all about that play? My treat."

"Really? I mean, only if you're feeling like it..." Fluttershy said.

Heartbreak made a slight pained face as her stomach pleaded at her with a sharp gurgling noise. "Yeah... I would definitely say that some part of me is feeling up for it."


==================================


The path away from the hospital to the Ponyville Orphanage was a windy, twisty one that curved back behind the schoolhouse and lead down through a valley, around an ominous tuff that hid a grove of gnarled old oak trees, that, despite having foliage, seemed incapable or perhaps unwilling to produce any acorns.

Cream Puff turned her face away in shame from those geriatric oaks, whose bark seemed to curl into soured, judging, almost disapproving faces. Of course, this only brought her line of sight to a tangle of thickets below the trees. A thicket that at one point could have been called rose bushes.

Now, be it because of the apathy of a groundskeeper or the outright lack of one, the delicate shrubberies were now more a dome shape filled wicked thorns rather than 'ruby red roses'.

Passing through the creaky, rusty, ornate rod-iron gate with a family crest that neither Cream Puff, nor Jeepers Creepers knew, nor really cared to learn about, was a yard that belied, much to the dismay of the oaks and roses (who were clearly embroidered in a competition to see who could resemble something that came from the Everfree Forest first) a mostly well trimmed grass lawn.

One could say mostly, after all there were places where the green stuff was left to grow long, where invasive species of feather crab grass grew, threatening to tickle or pinch the noses of those who dared wander too close respectively. There was also that one dead patch where all things refused to grow, on account of an infestation of poison joke needing to be cleared a few summers ago.

All of this was no surprise to the little filly and her prodding travel companion. Especially the well groomed parts of the lawn, it was, after all, their primary food source for most of the year.

Sprawled in the middle of this entanglement stood a dark, somewhat, forlorn building.

This place could have been at one time called a home, maybe to a rich eccentric and his wife, who in the early days of both Ponyville and their marriage, would have been the hopeful place for the two ponies to set down roots, have three foals, and out of kindness of their hearts, take in a few colts and fillies to fill the many rooms of the estate with love and laughter.

These, however, were just a few flights of fantasy that little Cream Puff would have at night to put her to sleep on the barely comfortable cots that the Equestrian State had provided the orphanage.

Otherwise the best way to describe the place was drab.

The building as a whole was painted in an unpleasant gray. The windows of which were black framed and iron barred. Iron bars that despite tears in the cheap coat of paint which showed pocks and rust, tattling on their true age, still had some holding power.

The roof was decorated with small, garish, cement, gremlin-like gargoyles: nine to be exact. Three in the front, three in back, two above the walls of west and east wings, and one perched right above the front patio that glared at foals as they passed the heavy black doors.

Under that scowling sour faced stone gorgon, leaning await in the stark ebony door frame, one hoof crossed over her other foreleg was the scowling sour faced Miss Hayneighan.

Atop her head was a short red mess of tangle that looked to be barely curled today. Her red mottled dress had a v-cut that dipped just to where the front of their barrel divided. Around her neck was a string of red coral beads that Cream Puff was still convinced was from ill-begotten gains from one of the card games she hosted in the sub-subbasement.

Then, there was her makeup.

Cream Puff didn't know what mixture of pale yellow stone and pollen Miss Hayneighan used or why that much eye-shadow was applied, but it was in word: excessive.

Finally there was her cherry red (of course) lipstick. Right now it was drawn up in a tight expression of ear pinning disapproval. Though, this was normal or at the very least, it was when she was not 'entertaining'.

'Momma had a word fer fillies that looked like that!' She caught herself. 'But best not ta be thinkin' it, otherwise it could get on ma face an' she'll make me worsh the dishes too!'

That was wishful thinking. Of course she was going to make the little filly part of the dish cleaning crew.

"Thank you Jeepers, you can go... Your ant farm is back in your room again..." Miss Hayneighan turned to Cream Puff, practically looking down her muzzle at her. "Little filly, where have you been?" she asked, her hoof trailing up to roll her necklace as she staggered slightly against the door frame. "You're late for dinner prep and I had to get Rag A. Muffin to start in place of you due to your absence.

"Ah was out deliverin' muffins ta a sick pony," Cream Puff started, with twang as neutral sadness as she could drip in without sounding super sorrowful.

"Oh, don't give me that sob story," Miss Hayneighan scolded, her hoof reaching around the corner for a glass tumbler filled with an amber liquid that clink-clanked almost musically due to the ice cubes it contained. "You were galivanting about with that one mare in hopes she'd take more of a shine to you again... Weren't you?" she asked, swirling the glass about.

Cream Puff hesitated in answering. "Ah-"

"What was her name again? Heart Attack? Heart A. Corn? Heartfelt? Heartburn?" She slurrily asked, before lifting the glass and draining it of half the contents. "Pffeh, did you at least remember to bring the paperwork in case she actually wants to take you in?"





"No, Miss Hayneighan..." Cream Puff slumped, she couldn't begin to count how many times she had this conversation. "An' her name is Heartbreak!" her head drooped as she looked away. "But she likes ta be called 'H.B.'" she said, almost reciting her favorite pony word for word.

"Oh yeah," Miss Hayneighan said, scoffing as she downed the rest of her drink, leaving only the tinkle of the ice cubes as she set the glass down. "Maybe remember that for next time and you won't have to come back here..." She mocked, setting the glass down before leaning on the door frame. "Now, seeing that you're finally done playing in Ponyville, you can get your shiny clean flanks in here and set about doing something useful by making supper for all your fellow stablemates!"

"Yes, Miss Hayneighan..." The little filly replied, walking up the stairs and through the door.

"Oh stop acting so sorry for yourself!" The scarlet dress wearing-pony guffawed. "Otherwise, I'll have to treat you like-" her words were interrupted by a lift of a hoof to cover her mouth for an expulsion of gas. "-like an actual pony or better yet, I'll give you something to be sorry about!" She turned and looked down at the filly. "And do we want that?" she asked with a curling smug smile.

"N-no, Ma'am, Miss Hayneighan, Ma'am..." Cream Puff answered, her ears trying their hardest to unpin and look perked, as she tried not to trudge back though those three black beams that made up the door frame and into the almost opulent foray waiting room of the orphanage.

"Good to hear. But I would be more convinced if you smiled more." Miss Hayneighan curtly said, her speech slightly slurred and her gate shaky as she once more picked up the glass. "If anything, it'll be good practice when the inspector shows up to make sure that I'm still mucking your stalls..."

"It would be a lot easier if the air didn't smell like gone off cider burps..." Cream Puff said, just under her breath.

Miss Hayneighan's ear snapped back before her head followed suit. "What did you say you little blank flank?" she hissed.

"Uhm-uh..." Cream Puff panicked a little. "Biscuits! Cheddar biscuits! Ah could make some ta go with supper."

Miss Hayneighan's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed in a soured expression, her hoof pushing aside some books on a bookshelf, the hidden treasure behind which gave a distinctive glass clink. "Hmmph, only if you haven't used up what flour we have wooing your newest claim as a 'forever home.'"

Cream Puff let out an uneasy chuckle. "Ah'm sure ah saw a bag or two still in the pantry..."

The mare's judgmental eagle eyes stayed on her trembling quarry before relaxing and turning away, her hoof pawing to the back of the bookshelf. "Good, now get to the kitchen..."

"Y-yes, Miss Hayneighan, Ma'am." Cream Puff said, relief in her voice as she turned down the hall to the kitchen.

"And one more thing, Cream Puff," Miss Hayneighan musically chimed, pulling out a bottle whose contents were a familiar amber color.

"Y-yes, Miss Hayneighan, Ma'am?" Cream Puff asked, flinching dread tainting her body language.

"Those biscuits better be better than those rubbery pucks you made last Tuesday," She said, pouring more of that harsh, burning, sour smelling liquid into the parched tumbler. "Or else. Understand?" She asked, glaring as she once again looked over her nose at the filly, this time taking a rather loud slurping sip from her glass.

"Y-yes, Miss Hayneighan..." Cream Puff replied, before continuing her way down the hall, only relaxing once she was sure that she was out of earshot of the cantankerous ... mare. "Mama's cheddar bay biscuits are not rubbery..." She muttered with the squeaking of the opening kitchen doors.


==================================


Walking out of The Onigiri, I cannot say that I have not felt more satisfied food wise since I got here in the land of magical talking ponies who, if they get hungry, will just nibble readily on their neighbor’s lawns.

The restaurant as its namesake suggested was surviving a wide variety of what I would label as 'asian-themed' vegetarian dishes.

Everything from twisted-fried tofu skins on a stick with a sweet teriyaki glaze, to fried rice with simple vegetables, and rice balls wrapped in seaweed!

Fluttershy, being who she is, kept it simple, only a small plate of seaweed salad with decorative flowers, a gelatin-like dessert (agar-agar, I think?) and a cup of pale green tea.

I, however, was starving and requested so many things that maybe I shouldn't have.

Something that I'm sure of is the MLP knock-off of California rolls, without any meat.

Wait... Did California rolls have meat in them? Ugh... Food fog is clouding my brain a little. Whatever... The small portion of fried rice was good and the tofu skin thing was too.

But the two things that stole the show?

The washed flour dish that had the taste and more importantly, texture of actual cooked chicken and the ice cream mochi balls.

Fluttershy was curious about that last one so I shared one- strawberry- she wasn't much of a fan of the stretchy-chewy feel of the mochi, but seemed really delighted by the honest-to-goodness real strawberry ice cream with chunks of real fruit inside.

I washed all this down with several cups of a nice refreshing Darjeeling tea- that thankfully lacked any grassy or hay notes.

When I asked about it, I was told that they sourced the tea, along with much of the inspiration of many of the dishes from the owners of Lah-Tea-Dah.

With how many 'Eastern' influences Subtle Brew has...

Fet, if feels wrong of me to think of her as a 'walking human-Asian stereotype'.

'It's just a form of convergent societal evolution, H.B.’ I tell myself as the two of us walk down the street, my stomach feeling a bit distended. 'It's -not- anything more. It's just how things developed here, and it's merely a coincidence.'

The sun is starting to get tantalizingly close to the horizon, a promise of a few cool breezes.

Almost as if on cue, a sharp cold zephyr goes through my mane.

"Ooooh," Comes out a contented sight. That hit the spot..."

"I'm glad-" Fluttershy starts, but then stops, her wings flickering about. She momentarily looks anxious, but then takes a deep breath and lets it out and looks at me with a rather... sweet? Soft? I would say kind, but that feels redundant. This is Fluttershy we're talking about here. She might as well be that personification of that ponified Owl City song.

"That you enjoyed the food..." she finally says

"It was really good food," I answered, holding back a small belch. "Wasn't expecting something like that to be in Ponyville though." The foggy satisfaction is reminding me that a food induced coma is most likely going to be in my future and that maybe I ought to find a nice place to lay my head down before it happens.

Turning the corner, I notice the golden hued signs are reading some familiar directions. One of which leads to a once again, familiar destination.

"Oh, look!" Fluttershy gasps, kind of peeking over my shoulder. "It's the library..."

"Yes, yes it is," Hooh boy, was it just me or did that sound kind of... leading?

"Did you know that Twilight is back from Canterlot?"

"Uhm, I might have? I don't know..." Shit. Did any of them tell me that? I feel like I need to take notes on my own life just to-

"Maybe we should check in on her and see how she's doing?" Ooooh... She's definitely asking that in a leading tone.  A Flutter tone that she used on the CMC in that one episode- oh what was it- 'Stare Master'? Right, that was the name, when she tried to pull 'Let's play the quiet game' on the three of them. "I mean, only if its okay with you..." 

Gah! She's using the pleasing Flutter gaze!

"Uuuugh," Oh she's not going to let up here is she? "I guess it wouldn't hurt to see how she's doing- but not for long, right? Cause I am pretty full, and tired, and, ya know, kinda getting over... well... everything?" I clear my throat of a little phlegm.

"Of course, just to catch up and see that she's doing okay.' She says this with a rather ... mirthful? I don't know, maybe it's trying to be a reassuring smile.

"Well," Hard to argue with that, I guess. "As long as it's a short visit." Ugh, let's just get this over with...


==================================


Looking up at the warm light emanating from the Great Oaks Library, Heartbreak felt a pang of nostalgia.

'It was only last month that I was rooming with Twilight and company, yet, like with everything, it feels so much longer,' she thought, a chilled sense of ennui settling through her.

A part of her really did want to pop in on Twilight, see how she and Spike were doing, show off her new glasses! And-

Just then the cooling dusk air was pierced by an unsettling, hollow, ghostly screeching hooting sound.

"Oh, Look!" Fluttershy gasp, her eyes turned skyward in wonder as she pointed out a winged black silhouette took flight from the highest branch of the library, soundlessly darting into the dark before letting out another warning cry. "Owlowiscious is on his nightly patrol! Looks like he's decided to perch in that tree!" She practically narrated in a sweet enamored voice. "Nature is so fascinating..." she quietly murmured.

"Y-yeah.. fascinating..." Heartbreak echoed, finding herself walking backward, practically cowing behind Fluttershy, as memories of the last encounter with Twilight's fine feather friend flooded forth... "You know, maaaybe we should come back another time?" she asked, peeking at the pair of golden luminous eyes that threatened to pierce her if she even dared to take another step towards the library.

"Bu-" Fluttershy began, her big doe eyes about to glance at the terrified mare almost cowering more than she could muster on her worst of days, only to be interrupted by Owlowicious' loud hissing formidably by a splayed feather display that made the normally smallish owl appear at least three times his size! "Oh... Oh... my..." She said with a great deal of dismay, her ears drooping.

"I don't speak... owl, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't the answer to how many licks to the center of a tootsie pop, and instead someth-thing not so very nice?" Heartbreak asked, the smallest of uneasy chuckles in her voice. A chuckle, that, though small, was somehow cut short by another intimidating hissing. "Right?"

"Oh... Well... I mean," Fluttershy wanted to try and soften the meanings behind these clearly threatening postures, however, with one more wide-eyed hissing, wing flapping, and loud hooting, it was all too obvious that H.B. I wouldn't buy it. "N-no... no it wasn't," she finally conceded, her wings twitching, and her ears folded sadly.

"Oh... Well..." Heartbreak said, her eyes locked on the offending owl.  "Maybe another time. I mean, I've got food to digest. Besides..." She began to back away from the Great Oaks Library. "I wouldn't wanna be a bother, we can come back another time..." she uneasily repeated.

"A-are you su-'' Fluttershy began, only to be once more, interrupted by a low, growling screech hoot in the trees. "Uhm... Of course, you're right. I have to make sure that my... uhm... animal friends are fed...'' she said, following heartbreak's lead down a road that was definitely away from the angry bird.

"Walk me back to my place before going home?" Heartbreak asked, her head turning and eyes pleadingly seeing assurance.

Fluttershy only smiled a wary yet understanding smile. "Of course I will," she replied while following alongside the trembling Heartbreak.
> Little Friends in my Walls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 29: Little Friends in my Walls


There was an uncomfortably squishy, wet noise as Cream Puff walked up the stairs that lead to the floor- the third floor to be precise, where the barely comfortable comfort that was her bed sat.

"Stupid Sweet Tooth Urchin... Stupid Ragga Muffin.." She muttered under her breath. "Makin' me do all the dishes after not doin' them for three whole days," she grumbled. "Be a whole good while before ma hooves stiffen up! Gonna be pruney all night!" She hissed.

Just then, the little filly's thoughts/grumblings were interrupted by a voice that was both terrifying and shrill.

"Little Filly!" Miss Hayneighan squawked from down below. "You best not be getting my stairs all damp!"

Cream Puff glanced down anxiously, gulping. There was the faintest of hoof-shaped water marks leading down the stairs in pairs. "N-no, M-miss Hayneighan!" she called back. 'Please dun't look at the stairs! Please dun't look at the stairs!' she thought fretfully.

"You better not be lying to me, little filly..." Miss Hayneighan said, her scolding taking a pause as the sound of a liquid being swallowed. "Or so help me, Ma'am Willow will be--"

That's the moment when the near glorious duel chiming off the front door made it to Cream Puff's ears.

"Humph! Those two are early..." Miss Hayneighan muttered. She momentarily turned to the direction of the door before letting out a hiccup and retracing her steps to the bottom of the stairs. "Get to mopping up any mess you've made, little filly!"

"B-but Miss Hayneighan!" Cream Puff called out in her cutest pleading voice.

"Oh, what is it?" Came the snapback.

"If ah mop the stairs now, water could drip through the cracks an' get on yer guests! An' it'd have an awfully long way ta go ta get there, so ya know it'd be really dirty!" Cream Puff held her breath for a moment. "An' besides, don't the rules say that Ah ough'ta be in bed by now?"

"Listen here you little-" the disgruntled sounding Hayneighan started, only to be once again interrupted by the door bell. "Fine. Alright, this time you were saved by the bell. But! First thing in the morning? I want those stairs mopped and shining so well I can see my reflection in them!"

"Ya dun't need ta do any moppin' fer that..." Cream Puff muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Miss Hayneighan shrilly asked.

"Ah'll be sure ta do that! Good night, Miss Hayneighan!" Cream Puff called out as sweetly as she could muster.

"Hol-" Yet again, the doorbell rang, this time sounding more than a touch impatient. "Goodnight, Cream Puff!" Miss Hayneighan sang through clenched teeth before turning her attention to the front door. "Cooooming!"

Cream Puff didn't waste any time in using that as a cue to dart as quickly up the remaining stairs as she could.

"Caaard Counter! Smooth Talker! Sooo glad to see you-" Miss Hayneighan's ever saccharine sweetening voice echoed cheerfully to her 'guests'.

Cream Puff sighed and felt a great deal of relief when she came to the door on the left and at the end of the hall marked '304'.

"Home sweet home..." she sadly remarked, her hoof reaching up and turning the door knob.

"Hel... lo…" came the exasperated breath of her room mate. "Cream... Puff..."

Cream Puff sighed and fell face first on her rather old, ratty, mattress that in protest to her conforming to the laws of gravity, squeaked, creaked, and whined. "Hey, Jeepers..." She sighed, more than a hint of bitterness to her tone.

"You're... not... still... mad... at... me?" Jeepers asked, his labored breath condensation on the class case of his busy ant farm.

Cream Puff huffed and turned away. "Nah..." she finally said after a little while. "Tain't all that fair ta ya. Raggy an Sweet Tooth gone an' tricked me inta doin' the dishes, again..."

"That... really... sucks..." Jeepers replied, carefully putting small cookie crumbs into the habitat upon which the ants happily began munching.

"Maybe you wouldn't get forced to do the dishes if you weren't such a pony pleasing pushover..." a voice interjected before the sharp sound of an apple being crunched into mush emanated from the door.

Cream Puff turned to the possessor of said voice and scowled. "Nopony asked fer yer opinion there, Olivine," she retorted to the tabby-cat orange filly with a curly jade green mane being held under an Eponaian-style cap.

Olivine looked over her nose at the angry yet deflated looking filly as she once more bit into her apple. "Just sayin' yer soft," her Manehatten accent retorted between loud mouthfuls of the fruit.

"Well, ya can be 'just sayin' back in yer own bunk, just saying!'" Cream Puff huffed, propping herself up on her little forehooves.

Olivine Twirl's eyes widened and she backed out of the door frame and turned down the hall. "Eeesh, just being honest. Maybe this is why that 'Heartthrob' pony won't adopt you..." she said, musingly finishing her apple to the core before tossing it half-heartedly into the room's waste basket.

Cream Puff's nostrils flared and she snorted angrily before quickly grabbing the very corner of the dingy pillow upon her bed and proceeded to send it spinning in the direction of Olivine's head!

"Hey!" Olivine whinnied, barely dodging the dirty pillow projectile. "I said that I was just being honest!" They exclaimed before darting down the hall as Cream Puff clambered out of her bed, face seething, eyes red.

"Ya can go be honest in yer own room!" she called out after the fleeing pony. "An' her name is Heartbreak!"

Upon Olivine dashing into said room, the door closing noisily behind them, all the anger and rage that Cream Puff had been feeling in the moment sublimated at the thought of all the commotion she had just stirred up.

"You little delights better be in beeed!" As if on cue called the sweetly caustic voice of Miss Hayneighan from a battered brass horn situated in a high corner of the room.

Jeepers pulled himself away from tending to his ants and wheeled over to a worn shiny brass button near the door frame. He looked over at Cream Puff, who despite staring despairingly forward, gave a small nod.

The wheelchair bound colt depressed the well worn button, and after an audible click both he and his roommate spoke into a black, tiny, shallow throated horn installed right next to its companion.

"Yes, Miss Hayneighan..." they said in resigned unison.

Jeepers slowly let go of that oppressive button while Cream Puff closed the door.

Every fiber in the small filly's being was screaming to slam the aged red door with the force of a raging hail storm. However, the only effort she could muster was likened to the breath coming off an only mildly disagreeable soft summer breeze.

This resulted in Cream Puff turn her back to the door, leaning against it, and slowly sliding down until her cruples came to rest on the floor, her hooves put out in front of her

There was a long moment of silence as the final dregs of twilight ground away and the room grew steadily darker.

"You... shouldn't... listen... to... Olivine..." Jeepers said, finally breaking the silence.

Cream Puff whipped her face and sniffed a little. "Ah know..." she whimpered, her left forehoof raised and looked as if it was going to collide with the door behind her, only to fall to her side at the last second. "Ah know..."

Once more, the quiet over took the room, and Jeepers was going to go back to tending his ants for the final time that night. Pondering on maybe giving them some more cookie crumbs from this night's meager two cookie dessert, that's when Cream Puff chose to speak again.

"Ah haven't even asked her about takin' me in ever since ah... gone an'... fetted up when Ah first met her..."

"Well..." Jeepers started, his breath in an extended sigh. "You... did... come... off... just... a... little...-"

"Strong?" Cream Puff interrupted.

Jeepers nodded and let out what air he had gathered in his lungs before pushing back any irritation he felt. 'After. All. You. Are. Kind. Of. Annoying. To. Be. Around.' "Maybe... just... a... little... bit..."

"Ah coudn't help maself!" Cream Puff started. "When she was there, readin' ta us all... With the sun shinin' in, her big blue eyes all sparklin'? It... I-it was l-like ma M-Ma... n-never..."

Jeepers put a hoof on his friend's shoulder and gave her a knowing look. "Sssh..." he managed to hush out. "It's... okay..." He said, attempting to quell any tears. "Didn't... H...B... say... that... she... wanted... to..."

"See me again tamarrow?" Cream Puff interjected, sheepishly looking away as an incredulous somewhat irritated look managed to slip past the thick glasses of the pony attempting to comfort her. "Sorreh..."

"It's... fine..." Jeepers said, trying not to roll his eyes, instead, opting to push his glasses up just a few centimeters. "For... cooking... right?"

Cream Puff could feel most of the sadness abating away with what images of what tomorrow could bring.

"H.B. an' me could bake cookies…" she said, sniffing.

"Yep..." Jeepers replied, offering a hoof to help Cream Puff away from the door.

"Or maybe muffins!" she exclaimed, not really pulling on the offered hoof, but instead taking it as a polite courtesy. "An' we’ll raid her pantry."

"That's... right..." Jeepers smiled, his friend standing up. She often had quite the stories in her head about things.

"Find them chocolate chips, see how old her brown sugar is!" Cream Puff giggled. "Betcha she dun't even have a properly stocked pantry! Ah bet Ah could help her come up with a list! Help her with the market too!"

Jeepers smiled as he led Cream Puff to her bed. She could be so generous with her time. 'That. Is. When. She's. Not. Trying. To. Get. The. Next. Mare. Or. Stallion. She. Sees. To. Be. Her. New. Mom. Or. Dad." he thought.

"An' then we might find a bag of flour up high, an' H.B. might an try ta get it down, but cause it's too high an' she's too stubborn, it'll topple down an' flour will spill everywhere!" Cream Puff said very runoff-ish. "An then we'll laugh just like that one time she an' Pinkie Pie were moving flour."

'Only. Down. Side. To. Bunking. With. Her. Some. Times. She. Can. Chat. Up. A. Storm.' Jeepers thought. 'Then. Again. She. Can. Sneak. In. The Best. Food.'

All things considered however, Jeepers Creepers was more than a little jealous with how much Cream Puff could actually talk.

"The, she'll have ta give me a bath." Cream Puff said, yawning as she began to get comfortable. "Then cause it's gotten late, maybe she'll finally let me stay the night!"

Jeepers could only click his tongue. He had to admire her determination in regard to this matter. "Cream... Puff..." he began to speak... only for something silvery on the filly's mane caught his eye.

"Ah know, Ah know," she replied, waggling her forehooves in the air and shimmying under her thinnish blanket. "Just cause Ah get ta agree fer me ta stay the night dun't mean-"

"It's. Not. That!" He said, approaching the bed, his eyes transfixed on a glimmer- a line of light that seemed to move back and forth on a single vector.

"T-then what is it?" Cream Puff asked uneasily.

"There's. Some. Thing. In. Your. Mane." Jeepers answered, tilting his head back and forth.

"It's not one of yer bugs, is it!?" Cream Puff nearly shrieked. "Cause Ah warned you-"

"No. It's. Not. A. Bug. But. I. Need. You. To. Hold. Still." Jeepers said, excitement in his usually labored voice, his hoof shaky, but steady as it was encroaching near the little filly's golden cream colored curls.

"Ooooh! Can't ya just tell me what it is already?!" Cream Puff whimpered, holding her forehooves tight to her chest and her eyes closed just as tight. "The suspense is worse than when ma Ma was making a soufflé in a hail storm!"

"Better. Just. To. Show. You..." Jeepers said, barely containing his excitement as both of his forehooves reached forward to delicately cluck the single foreign strand away and bridging it between his hooves. "There!" He gasped, pulling it taught a few times.

Cream Puff fretfully opened one eye to see what all the hullabaloo was about, only for a single shimmer to catch the moon light. Confusion now trickled onto her face. "Wha-... What in the buttermilk bisquick flapjacks is that?"

Jeepers' already wide eyes seem to grow even wider and sparkled in delight. "Spider... Silk!" he exclaimed, closely examining his find.

Cream Puff's face drooped and her left eye twitched as she found herself near death glaring at her roommate. "What. The..." She desperately sought out a word that encompassed the red rage that was passing over her eyes at that very moment. Only one word came to mind. "Fet!"

"Uhm...  What? "Jeepers asked, eyes still transfixed on that one lone fiber as he pulled and moved it about.

"Ya nearly had me making ma bed in ta a froggy bottom swamp over sumtan' that comes otta a  siders' butt!?" Cream Puff squeaked, throwing her hooves into the air.

"Spin. Er. Etts.." Jeepers corrected, frowning, and attempting to turn his wheelchair over to the direction of his desk.

"Whatever they're called, ya had me up in a tizzy over that?" Cream Puff once more angrily asked, as Jeepers lifted the silk strand to his tongue. "It's just webbing."

"No..." He replied, pressing it down onto his tongue. This caused a small indentation to appear  on the appendage. " Ith... Dither... ent!"

Cream Puff took several deep breaths to calm herself down and her heart from going all fluttery. "Different? How? There's loads of spider silk all over the place  here..."

"I've... Tasted... All... The... Silk... Here..." Jeepers said, getting to his desk and pressing the button that unleashed the fireflies in his little lamp. "This... Is... Different... Where... Do... You... Think... You... Picked... It... Up?"

"Ah dun't know..." Cream Puff replied, looking more than a little disturbed at Jeepers... unconventional means of gathering information. "Ah coulda' picked it up anywhere... H.B.'s house, the road near Sweet-'' She scratched her head before she covered her mouth as a yawn crept out. "-Sweet Apple Acres.. The path that goes through that park on the way ta the hospital... At the hospital..." she listed, rolling her eyes at the mention of the last place on her list before she snuggled her way back under her blanket. "Coulda' been anywhere." she repeated.

"Hmmm... Didn't... Heart... Bre-"

"H.B." Cream Puff corrected, a miffed tone in her voice as she momentarily turned over to glance at what Jeepers was doing. "She likes to be called 'H.B.'"

"Right..." Jeepers replied, taking out a special book from his desk. It looked like most any other book, except the pages were separated by flat wooden sticks that came from popsicles. "Didn't... She... Have... A... Rule... About... Not... Killing... spiders?"

"Yeah... What about it?" She asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"Nothing..." Jeepers replied sensing a bit of hesitancy. "Just... wondering... if... I... could... come... over... there... some... time..."

Cream Puff once again turned her head to glance at the colt. "Uhm, Ah dun't know... H.B. 's awfully particular 'bout the ponies that come over..." As she spoke this sorta-truth, she pulled an ornately needlepoint stitched pillow she kept on the corner of her bed close up to her barrel.

"It... would... only...  be... to... look... for... spiders... " Jeepers said, carefully taping the lone strand of special silk into his collection book.

"Just ta look at spiders?" Cream Puff inquired the best she could as the sleep pulled on her eyelids and beckoned her to the dreamlands. The way that Jeepers stalked seemed to only hasten that journey.

"Yes... Just... to...  look... at... spiders... " He replied, gingerly adjusting his handiwork.

"Well..." Cream Puff yawned and took a deep breath, her body warmth activated a scent pouch within her special pillow, a sleepy mix of lavender, chamomile, and winter heather. "Ah suppose Ah could ask about it come t-" She yawned once more. "Tamorrow..." she murmured, her eyelids finally falling closed.

"Thank... You..." Jeepers said, looking over, he realized that his friend had now surrendered to Luna's realm.

Smiling, and as stealthily as  he could, he wheeled over to his bookshelf and with a hoof scanned the shelf till he came across one of his more well worn titles.

'An Equestrian Guide to Spiders and Arachnids: Our Creepy Crawly Friends.'

Opening to the books' index, he searched out several properties of the webbing that he had made mental notes of, things that Cream Puff wouldn't have the slightest understanding about.

'She. Knows. Her. Butter. Cream. From. Her Prench. But. She. Would. Be. Bored. With. Tensile.  Strength. Shades. Of. Color. Or. What. Pitch. It. Vibrates. At. When. Plucked.'

As his mind thought of each property, his hoof went to highlight them.

'There. Are. Several. Species. And. Sub. Species. Some. Pretty. Safe.' Jeepers thought flipping through the pages and stopping at jumping spiders and orb weavers. 'Some. Not. So. Safe.' He paused at vagrant spiders and wolf spiders... 'But. All. Of. Them. I. Have. In. My. Collection.' He stopped and flipped to an article that was barely two pages long. "All.. Of... Them... But..."

He stared at the illustration of the large spindly spider with a velvety blue coat, eight red glowing eyes, and a pattern adoring its back that resembled a jaggid sad face. The one pictured differed from the rest of 'her' colony by the white silken dress that decorated her abdomen. Jeepers hoof lingered over the picture.

"Wouldn't... That... Be... Ironic...?" He asked, his sleeping companion who quietly snored. "Veneighsian... Sad... Faced... Spider..."


==================================


/Click-Clack-click/

The sounds of spider legs as they crawled upon the eves of the house's front porch.

/tick-tickety-tick/

There were many red eyes perched on the 'mailbox' for signs of the return of any ponies and the creature that the spider Queen had been calling 'The Webless One' among other labels.

"Growing dark," one spider commented,  their mandibles twitching before they made a flying jump to the edge of the mailbox.

"Protector thing-thing has been gone all day." shook another spider, who resembled an or weaver from its large web in the mostly dead tree.

"The air coming from the direction fruit flies breed feels of hibernation time," vibrated another from a juniper tree in front of the house.

"Cannot be time for hibernating. Still very hot!" Twitched a spider in the grass who was setting up funnel blankets. "Much prey! Ants! Hoppers in the grass! Loud noise makers!"

"For now, but how long without Protector Thing?" Tapped out a rather flattened blue spider attempting to camouflage around a tree limb.

"Without the Protector Thing, things from nearby Deep Forest could come!" plucked another spider as it began to pace back and forth on a leaf.

"Might be deterred by Thing's scent!" suggested another.

"How long does the scent last?? Could Be gone by now..."

"Lasts long! Protector Thing Stank! Remember they said... said.. to stand in house rain?"

"What if it doesn't last long??"

"What if Protector was harmed??"

"What if Protector turned more sick?! What if ... gained... the fungus?"

The Colony of spiders collectively shuttered in all their webs.

"What if-” Began several dozen spiders all at once, only for a single, clear, concise, and powerful vibration to travel through all the webs simultaneously!

"SILENCE!" Commanded The Queen. "You are all not only cluttering your webs with pointless conjecture, you are wasting energy doing so! More energy requires more resources!"

"But what if-" came the tiniest of vibrations.

"I. COMMAND. IT." Came the series of powerful pulses that seemed to override every one of the members of the colony's thoughts.

"OUR. QUEEN. COMMANDS. IT." The Colony entombed reply came to her from all webs and strands.

"Good. Now. If it would serve the Colony, I will attempt to see if any of the Long Range Webs have anything to tell us about the position of the Webless One," the Queen tapped out before taking a wrapped noise-maker insect and puncturing it to drain it of its delicious liquified body fluids.

There was a murmuring of approval to this idea along with the feelings of some of the hungrier members also satisfying their appetites.

"Very well," the Queen replied, stretching herself out in her centralized web, she reached out to the old webs that the colony had used to travel to this place, the ones that line the road. The ones that just barely breached the pony-hive, the place the ponies called 'Ponyville'. 

That was easy. Filtering out the noise was the hard part.

Random leaves, feathers, prey, horrible birds, even a passing breeze caused more than a bit of static, but her species was practically built for this. Or, at the very least, Queens like her were built for it.

'Hmmm, narrow split hoof near primal forest... not pony... Another split hoof traveling with them. Smaller, makes repetitive noise... still not the Webless One...' she thought. 'Longer this takes, the more restless the Colony grows... Not as if we could just go out among the pon-'

Just then eight hooves caused the deep far webs to vibrate. One was soft and light- barely whispering a vibration in the webs. The other...

The way the ground sounded under those odd hooves, as if there was ice cracking or twigs snapping under each step. There was no mistaking it.

"The Kindness pony and the Webless One are returning," the Queen announced through the webs.

Almost instantly the return vibrations were that of relief and muted celebration.

"How far?"

"Growing closer?"

"Is it unharmed?"

"Still having difficulty with respiration?"

The Queen made several tappings on the strands that if translated would come out as a 'sush'.

"Nearing the junipers. So yes. growing closer." She paused and counted the steps and felt the pattern of the Webless one... it felt... out of sync. Then again, The Webless One always seemed to walk oddly. Like a spiderling still not quite sure on how to cast an anchor point. Or a spider who had lost two of their legs and they had forgotten that they hadn't grown back before a soon molt.

"Walking may or may not be impaired and-" The harsh sound that the Webless One had been making for the past week traveled through the webs, causing her to pull her leg back in disgust. "Yes, also still having difficulty with respiration."

"I feel them!" Shook an orb weaver in the junipers.

"Same! Can feel it! Now on rocky path!"

"Near the entrance!"

"Good! Good!" The Queen said, reeling because with her deep web sense still active, it felt as if her spiderlings were tapping right next to at full volume! "Make scarce! Hide! Now! You!" she shook a newly spun set of strings. "Spider now named Lucas!"

"Y-yes, my Queen?" Lucas' shaky reply came reverberating back.

"I want you positioned near the door near the Webless One. Stay out of view."

"My Queen?"

"...Yes...Lucas?"

"This one wishes to know... why?"

"The Webless one has been gone longer than usual. After the Kindness pony leaves...if they leave, if you approach the Webless One may be willing to explain." The Queen tapped out.

There was a delay in Lucas' movements and reply.

"Lucas..."

"Yes, My Queen. This one understands, My Queen. However, this One-"

“Lucas."

"...This one, Lucas, wishes to know if they can maybe be at a greater distance this time? And not make touching contact?"

"Only if they are not speaking first," the Queen responded. "Now go. The vine beasts are interacting with them."

"Yes, My Queen," Lucas replied, little legs leaving the web they occupied.

Leaping through the spaces between the walls of the house, the little jumping spider bounded and flew.

Sensing the low muffled vocalizations emanating from outside, Lucas made an anchor point and slowly dangled down through this dark narrow space that was only lit by a small knot hole opening at a ledge.

Along the many pairs of tiny red eyes of their siblings.

As they reached that illuminated perch, they could sense the vibrations and murmuring conversations the Kindness pony and the Webless One were having.

"Touched the Protector...Saw the hole-mutilation...Lost their spinners, we felt them shaking irrationally... named them! Not even her Queens have...vocal names! ...More flying prey from the slight right of the great shining spinner...Big thing! Had to be big! Big as a pony crashing in nearby many trees!"

It did not sit well with so much twitching about them, so the small snippets that did not focus on them caused fewer twitching in their mandibles.

Filling their book lungs, they crawled out of the knothole and into the moonlit frame above the inside of the door that led outside.'

Just then, Lucas braced themselves as the front door shook and rattled upon its opening.

"Whelp..." the Webless One began. "I guess this is my stop..." They said with an uneasy repetitive sound.

"Oh.. Oh, right... I'm sorry," the Kindness pony said. "It's just that your snapdragons are so friendly... Oh... Oh yes you are!"

"Heh... Yeah... Like a couple of... bug eating puppies they are..." The Webless One replied.

'Why does our Queen call this creature 'Webless'?' Lucas pondered, crawling just over the edge. 'Or why is the bird pony labeled as 'kindness pony', or why was the white horned pony labeled as... labeled as...' The spider tried to search their memory for what the Queen had called that one.

A spider such as themselves had never needed to retain information for so long, let alone recall it!

"Sooo!" The Webless One abruptly exclaimed.

"So!" the Kindness pony repeated.

"IIIIII guess I'll be seeing you again, come tomorrow. Well, you and Rainbow Dash..." the Webless One said, tap-tapping on the doorframe distorting their voice. "For.. the lesson in kindness you two will be.. giving me."

'Giving.' That was the label. The giving pony. 'Still why are there so many labels? Maybe the Queen sees things that a spiderling such as this one does not.'

"Oh yes!" The kindness pony replied, practically chirping, wings fluttering.

Lucas felt themselves needing to fight the urge to bungy away at the sound of a feathered wing entering the web. Usually such sounds were the harbingers of many deaths.

"Yeah, uhm... so... any idea when that'll be? Morning, afternoon? Or just whenever you two get there?" the Webless One asked, rubbing its front hoof against its leg.

"Oh, well, I suppose that it'll depend on when the hospital discharges Rainbow Dash," the Kindness pony replied, her words seemingly creating less dissonance to the webs than the creature she was speaking to.

"IIII guess we'll just have to wait and see and play things by ear when that time comes, eh?" the Webless One asked, hoof dragging irritatingly across the grain of the wooden door frame.

"I suppose so..." the Kindness Pony paused. "I know this is not the most important question, we have had a long day after all but..."

"But..." the Webless One repeated back.

'My Queen?' Lucas tapped as quietly as they could.

'Yes, Lucas?'

'Are all communications important?' the little blue spider asked with some disbelief that they were even asking such a question.

'... Yes. All details are important," came the reply.

"But are you going to sleep in your bed tonight or" The Kindness Pony became hesitant. "Are-are you going to sleep on your couch again?"

The Webless One once more made a crackling repetitive noise. "Probs gonna sleep on the couch. Cause, there's just something comforting about sleeping on a couch, for me... guess that's why they call it a 'comforter', right?"

"Uhm... I don't know..." came the awkward response.

"Oh.."

"I-it's not because today was too hard on you, is it? Because if you need help getting to your room-"

"No, no, it's fine, Fluttershy. Like I said before, the couch is just fine and besides, you need to get back to your animal fffriends?"

"I do, it's just... I really want you to get a good night's sleep. I-I worry..."

"Well, if it'll make you feel any better... I'll... just make believe that Equestria's kindest pony has tucked me in before I fall asleep?" the Webless One asked, their voice almost harmonizing with the strands that Lucas had sat upon.

"Uhm... W-what?" the Kindness Pony asked, her hooves clattering slightly on the ground.

"Nothing... Don't think about it..." the Weblesss One replied, opening their mouth for an inhalation, one hoof being raised in front of it. "I'm tired and don't quite know what I'm saying."

"Oh... Ok then..." the Kindness Pony replied, her wings making another terrifying gust of wind pass the strands. "Are you sure that you don't-"

"I'm sure, Fluttershy. Now..." the Webless One backed into the door and entered the dwelling. "Maybe you should take your own advice and get some sleep? I'll be-" Suddenly, there was a harsh, loud, distressed wet sound and the creature once again covered its mouth. "Fine!" they squeaked out.

"Are you sure?" the Kindness pony asked in a firm, but gentle manner.

"Yeah, just swallowed some saliva the wrong way is all," they explained. "Now, as I was saying, you also need your sleep."

"Are you sure, I could make you your tea and--"

"I've already had my tea this morning, remember?"

"Oh... Right... Maybe-"

"I'll be fine, Fluttershy. If I need anything, I'll send you a message via my fireplace. M'kay?"

"Are you-"

The Webless One raised their hoof over the Kindness Pony's mouth. "Yes. I'm sure. Now, goodnight, Fluttershy..."

"I'm sorry..."

"It's fine. Go home, you need to sleep," the Webless One repeated.

"Alright... If  you insist, goodnight, H.B," they said, trotting away before leaving the range of the webs to most likely take to the skies.

"Yep. Goodnight, Fluttershy..." they said, before pulling the door closed.

The Webless One let out an exasperated sigh before turning around and walking down the hall towards the living room.

“Lucas, make your presence known," the Queen commanded.

Lucas found themselves jolted back to activity. “Yes, My Queen." 

The little spider catapulted themselves across the ceiling beams and past hanging portraits before making an anchor point right above the hallway before making an anchor point right above the desk lamp and dangling down just in time for the Webless One to turn in on with a loud 'click!'

"Ope!" They yelped, before focusing on the space in front of their muzzle. "Oh, hey, is that you, Lucas?" the Creature asked.

'Respond to the affirmative.' The Queen told Lucas.

Lucas turned to face them before waving their forelegs at them. They in return lifted their forehoof- their perforated forehoof- the one with the dizzying spiraled hole drilled through it.

"Awww," The Webless One lamented as Lucas dove back up their line. "No touching, that's fine... I guess... Hope you don't mind me just talking away then... Good fetting Gaia, so much happened today and I just wanna get it off my chest... back... barrel? Whatever...I just need to talk, methinks..." They said looking up as they walked into the living room. "Especially about what happened with Twilight's fetting owl..."




> Added Vanilla, Twilight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 30: Added Vanilla,Twilight


Spike looked out the window with an expression that was equally parts terrified and concerned as he spotted Owlowlious' two reflective eyes piercing the darkness before the bird let out a scale chattering shriek.

'Geez,' The little dragon thought, placing a tea bag into a cup before pouring hot water from a purple kettle that was decorated with a magical star. "I haven't seen him that riled up ever since H.B. moved out."

The sweet herbal smell of chamomile, lavender, and heather entered his nostrils as it rose with the steam coming off the freshly made cup.

"Ahh," He sighed, smiling a little drowsily. He watched the contents of the cup change color then, carefully, he plucked the bags from their watery resting place. Then, just as Twilight had taught him when he was little, well, little-er he then gave them a gentle squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.

"I really hope she likes this..." He said to himself, putting the cup on a saucer. "Sugar..." He picked up the sugar tongs and clicked them together before taking the lid off the sugar cube bowl and picking up a few of the precisely shaped hexahedrons. "One-two-three... aaaand-" He took a pinch of sugar from the bottom of the bowl. "Seven-Twenty-seconds-ish!" he proudly exclaimed, dusting the scant pinch into the cup before giving a stir. "Oh! And just a little drop of added vanilla to finish it off! Almost forgot that..."

As he held up the dropper from the bottle marked with a picture of a vanilla bean and flowers over the teacup, he felt a small tremor ache in his claws. He set the dropper down and shook it off before picking it back up and setting back to his task. 

Closing one eye, he carefully dropped a few drops into the steamy warm mug.

"There," he sighed in relief. “Now to get this to Twilight.”

Just then came the loud thumping of something falling on the floor above that caused him to nearly fumble the delicate glass eyedropper to the floor.

"What the fet?!" Spike asked, nearly whispering that last word while covering his mouth. Cautiously he looked around before wiping the sweat from his brow ridges when he realized that all was clear. 'Twilight wouldn't want to hear me swearing... Especially if it was one of H.B.'s,' he thought, covering the tea cup to prevent any loose dust from falling in.

"Now to get this to Twilight!" He repeated out loud.

Once nearing the final steps to the upper loft of the library, Spike braced himself for what he might be greeted with.

'After all, once she got back from Canterlot, she practically locked herself up in there!' he thought at the final step and near the door. 'I haven't seen her this dedicated since...' He paused and held his chin thoughtfully. "Ya know, I can't remember the last time I saw her this dedicated... weird," he said, scratching his head. "Maybe all that library work is getting to you, Spike..."

His open hand reached out for the door knob, only to be stopped when the shouts of exhausted frustration exuded from the other side.

"Uhm... Maybe... I should-" he was about to say 'come back later', however, the cup clattered against its saucer as if to retort with 'I'm not going to stay at this temperature forever, and reheated tea just isn't as good as fresh!' He sighed and lifted his hand again. "I should knock first." He said, lightly tapping on the door. 

"Heeey, Twilight... It's me... Spike... Here with tea you like..." The little purple and green dragon said cautiously, opening the door before peeking in.

Despite bracing his dragon self for what could be behind said door, he found that he was woefully unprepared.

Scattered about the floor was a cacophonous din of books, scrolls, and parchments all stacked and splayed out in some strange arcane chaotic order. Upon the walls were notecards tethered together with bits of string and twine.  Along with pictograms of rather simple everyday objects and in the middle of it was his purple unicorn pony Twilight Sparkle sipping out of a familiar looking cup...

"Oh, hi Spike!" She said once she levitated the clearly sipping cup looking vessel down.

"Hi, Twilight..." Spike replied with a slight worry in his tone. "Uhm... is that my sippy cup?"

"Oh...? This?" Twilight asked, lifting the cup giving Spike an uneasy grind behind a frazzled mane.

"The same sippy cup that you made H.B.'s Creativi-tea in?" Spike asked, slowly approaching.

"Well, uhm..." Twilight flubbed a bit, putting the cup back down.





"The same creativi-tea that H.B. turned into Insani-tea after finding the tea that you hid in the closet where you said she wouldn't find them?"

"Well, that's hardly fair," Twilight huffed, rolling her eyes. "I thought that with her fear of heights... I mean, how was I meant to know that she would overcome that fear, get to the tea bags, make Insani-tea, and then go on a tea-fueled chaos bender?!" she asked, indignantly.

"Right..." Spike replied, one of his eyes crests raised incredulously. "But you aren't... you know..."

Twilight frantically looked back and forth between the baby dragon and the cup of sipping.

Spike's eyes narrowed while he continued his look of concern. "Trying to get..." he looked up, his little dragon mind trying to figure out how to word this while he tapped his chin. "Get creative?"

"What?! No!" Twilight stammered, holding the floating cup a little more closely.

Spike only reacted by setting the tea he made down on the nearby windowsill. He then proceeded to cross his arms and tap his foot.

"Really! I mean, any magically inducing creative effects were discharged back when the cup fell to the ground." Twilight explained.

"Oh yeah..." Spike replied, looking away while reminiscing over what happened on that frantic tea-fueled April first for a few moments. His shoulder ached briefly at the memories of H.B. practically throwing him into a tree before racing after Ghost Writer.

"Besides,-" Twilight started as she lifted the spout to her lips and took a perhaps too long of a sip from the liquid from within. "-the water I poured into this only sorta tastes like licorice and vanilla."

"Twiiiilight..." Spike groaned, facepalming before picking up the tea he just made. Walking over to his friend, he pushed an apple that Twilight had been nibbling on over a skootch to set the cup down. He then proceeded to hold out his hand in a gesture of confiscation, while giving a look that he only needed to use back when she was still doing Canterlot all nighters.

"I mean, really Spike, you don't think-" Twilight began, slowly pulling the cup away, only to be greeted with the flexing claws of 'give it here' as if she was some pet dog. "Fiiine." she conceded, floating the sipping cup down.

"The last thing we need is a-" He looked out the window, there was still a faint illumination of the setting sun. "-Twilight or maybe night of Creativi-tea?"

Twilight frowned and couldn't think of any witty response to Spike's little quip so she opted to change the subject. "All this research and I've yet to find anything regarding living cutie marks, though there's  been a few mentions of animated marks though. So apparently those exist..."

Spike set the sipping cup down and picked up the he that he had prepared, which had cooled considerably during this conversation. "But I thought that H.B. 's marks were more like brandings!" he said, offering it to Twilight. "Like.. with red... hot... metal...?" He remarked, his face twisting up.

"In a way they are," Twilight said, taking the offered tea before also taking a sip. "But if Heart- uhm, H.B. is to be believed, there was something extra added to all this." She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "But I've yet to find anything about evil marks, marks that radically change and not just move, or even living marks!"

"Uhm...Didn't you just say that?" Spike asked, scratching his chin before looking at Twilight even more worriedly.

"Did I?" Twilight asked in return, shaking her head before rubbing her clearly sleep deprived eyes.

Spike's fingers fretted about his dragon belly before he looked down and away slightly. 'If she has gotten into one of her study spirals... sigh Looks like it's up to you to save the day, or in this case the night, Spike... Yet again...' "Have you thought about giving it a rest and maybe getting some sleep? I mean... haven't you been through all this before?" He asked, picking a book with the title of ‘Seven Things You Didn’t Know About Cutie Marks!”

"Yes..." Twilight replied, rubbing the bridge of her muzzle. "I just thought that maybe there were some that I missed..." She said her words trailing off.

"Uhm... Twilight?" Spike asked, waving his little hand in front of the unicorns' groggy every vacant growing eyes.

"Huh?!" she jolted looking back at her assistant who by this time had his arm crossed, brow furrowed expectantly, and a foot that was practically tapping in disbelief. "What?" she asked, mustering up as much innocence as she could fake.

"Don't give me that!" Spike replied, waggling a finger. "You need sleep!"

"Oh don't be-" Twilight found herself being interrupted by a wide yawn, followed by a stretching of her forehooves high above her head. "-ridiculous." she finished, a few solid pops emanating from her spine. "What?" she asked upon Spike's further glare. "I'm fine." she insisted.

"Riiiight..." Spike said, turning around. "Look, I'm going to go back to the kitchen to wash this-" he said, snatching up the sippy cup. "-and when I get back, I'm going to bed, and hopefully you will have too." he finished, walking out of the room.

"But Spike- '' Twilight started in protest, only to be rebuffed by the wagging of the little dragon's finger through the door.


==================================


The wooden cottage door barely creaked open, an exhausted sigh emanating from its barely cracked entrance.

Angel hopped over to the, from his perspective, massive wooden door and gave it a gentle pull. Much to his, honestly, lack of surprise, he almost stumbled a clearly drained Fluttershy.

Not even making a full five hoof steps in, the poor ragged looking pegasus collapsed to the floor.

Angel looked at his pony, genuine worry on his little bunny face. Hopping over, the rabbit lifted her forelock from out of her face. As expected she looked worse for wear.

Pushing himself up on her foreleg, he reached forward, his twitching nose sniffing the air before giving Fluttershy several small kisses on her fuzzy cheek.

"Oh..." She murmured in surprise, half opening her eyes. She looked at her little puff of white as adoringly as she could muster. "Thank you, Angel... that was really nice." she said, smiling weakly.

Angel pushed his small body under Fluttershy's chest and attempted to push her to stand with all the strength his form could handle.

"I'm sorry, Angel..." Fluttershy said, softly giggling at her pet's slightly succeeding efforts. "Today was... really.. " She grunted as her words halted while she pushed herself the rest of the way up, wings flickering as she searched for different words to ascribe to the day's events. Any word but the one lingering in her mind. "...Frantic... Momma's really tired, were you a good boy and made sure that all our animal guests got fed and watered?" she asked, looking around at the unusually quiet room.

Angel nodded, looking up at Fluttershy with large concerned eyes, hopping aside, allowing her to walk in the general direction of her bedroom.

"Thank you so much, Angel..." She smiled and stopped to gently touch noses with him. "It's so appreciated..." She lifted a hoof and covered a yawn. "Especially with how chaotic-"

She flinched at that single word that had managed to slip out, despite her efforts earlier.

That word. That one word.

So small and simple, yet containing so much energy and power.

It clung to her heart, pulled it down, made it feel so heavy.

'In so many ways, she's a lot like him!' Fluttershy thought. 'She's a bit sarcastic, irritable, and when her emotions get the better of her, strange and sometimes destructive things happen around her!'

She bit her lip realizing that she was only listing bad things about H.B.

'But... she's also talented,' the interactions between Heartbreak and Cream Puff, or any young, innocent colt or filly for that matter, passed through her mind.

‘Another thing the two of them have-’ She looked into her room, on her nightstand there was a framed picture, that despite being placed face down, still brought a stir of sharp echoing memories. "Had in common? She has a good heart... She just needs a little help seeing that for herself.' Fluttershy told herself.

Just then, Angel tugged on her leg and pointed to the comforting allure of her bedroom door.

Fluttershy sighed.

The call of her warm, snuggly bed was strong; but not strong enough to overcome the drained feeling in her body, legs, wings, and yes, even the tips of her feathers that all cried out to just fall to the ground where she stood.

She shook her head trying to shake some semblance of awareness back into her extremities.

“Come on Fluttershy,” she said out loud. “It’s only just a few more steps... You can do this!” she commanded herself, bringing a forehoof down on the couch next to her in defiance.

However, the pony stopped and looked at the couch.

‘Or... I... Suppose I could sleep here...' Maybe H.B. did have a point about couches. It did look ever so comfortable, what with its green velvety cushions, rich curly wooden frame, and even those thick, well balanced, sturdy looking legs.

“I could sleep here...” She repeated, her weight starting to be placed in her forehoof in preparation to pull the rest of her body forward, only for her to suddenly pull it back. “But...”

“But what?” A warm voice from the furthest recesses of her mind asked.

“B-but... This... is where you sat... The first time we... became...” she hesitated, whimpering at yet another word she felt the need to avoid. However, the longer she held off on saying such words, the more it pained her. “... friends... Where you would sleep when coming over to visit...” she said, biting her lip and holding back tears. “What if-”

It was highly unlikely, after all, following... the event, the couch had been given a thorough cleaning...

“But what if-'' she repeated, her eyes now heavy from lack of sleep and the tears that were welling up from within. “I found...”

“A memento? Perhaps a feather?  A shed whisker? A scale? Claw sheath? Or maybe the smell of chocolate milk and nitroglycerin?” The disembodied voice queried her, in a way that one would speak to a beloved pet.

“I-I...” She began, only to feel a faint tug once again on her leg pulling her out of these thoughts. Looking down, there, yet again, was Angel. This time his face looked even more frantically worried, almost scared, his ears drooping. “Oh, I’m sorry Angel... I’m just...”

“Shhh, you need your sleep.”

Fluttershy looked back and forth between her bedroom and the couch a few times before taking a deep breath, holding it, and stomping her hoof. “Oh, Fffet it!” She exclaimed in a high barely audible, save for the most sensitive of hearing creatures, voice.

Putting both hooves on the couch, she began to crawl up onto those soft, velvety green cushions. She heard Angel grunting in protest and pointing exasperatedly to her bedroom.

“I’m sorry, Angel,” Fluttershy repeated, pulling the rest of herself upon the couch. “Like I said...” She let out a wide yawn. “Momma’s really tired and...” she adjusted herself to get comfortable, laying her head down on one of the many throw pillows. “She’s going to sleep here tonight...”

Angel slapped his face, paw dragging down his muzzle. He was going to protest, however before he could open his mouth or thump a foot, the soft sound of Flutter-dozing entered his ears.

Defeated in getting his pony to her bed, he hopped over to the linen closet and pulled out a light blanket. He then returned and with one swift leap, bounded over Fluttershy neatly dropping the white rectangle over the pony below.

“Oh... Thank.. You.. .Angel...” Fluttershy murmured in her sleep.


==================================


‘I can still do this. I, Angel Bunny, can still do this.’ He told himself after dusting himself off from the ‘over the pony’ leap.

Just then, he heard a chuckling-wuffle from up in the cottage rafters.

Angel grumbled and looked in the direction of the bemused chuffing. “Does Rat have something to say? Does Rat find something amusing?” he asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head.

“Whaaat?” Rat peered his little face from his hiding place. “Nothing. Rat has nothing to say. Especially nothing that he finds funny...”

Angel narrowed his eyes incredulously.

“Though, if Rat had something to say on something that he found amusing... It would be about how Angel Bunny bounces from doting pet to conniving bunny.”

The lagomorph frowned. “As I, Angel Bunny told you, Rat, I, Angel Bunny have no idea what you, Rat are talking about.”

“Of course not... Of course not.” The rodent replied, licking his little hands and washing his face. “Course Rat could keep not knowing anything if let’s say... Angel Bunny tossed him an extra treat next snack time...”

Angel fought the urge to attempt to leap up to the rafters and somehow pull the twitching whiskers out of the little rodent's face. Swallowing his anger and quelling a foot that wanted to thump-a-thump hard, he spoke.

“I, Angel Bunny cannot make any promises, but, I, Angel Bunny will see what can be done.”

Rat squeaked in surprise. “Uhm... Really?”

Angel narrowed his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, sure, in fact...” he paused. “I, Angel, could go out and get Rat a special treat from his secret stash in a hidden burrow outside...”

Rat scratched the side of his furry head. “Why is Angel Bunny being so nicey-nice all of a sudden?”

“Does Rat want a treat or not?” Angel asked, tapping his foot.

Rat’s eyes woggled and his ears waggled in excitement over the sound of the word ‘treat’. “Uhm, yeah! Sure!”

“Then, Rat, can wait here in his nest up there, and I, Angel Bunny will go and get it.”

After Rat heard that, he ducked back into his little nest.

‘Now that that has been taken care of...” Angel thought before proceeding to hop over to the cottage window and push one of the loose panes of glass aside before slipping into the summer night before closing the exit behind him. Once the little bunny landed safely on the ground, he looked around.

Acting all nicey-nice to that... Rat gave him a sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach.

‘Going to have to keep playing that part, if the information from the Burrow is who I, Angel Bunny, think it is...’ He thought with a shudder.

He hopped away from the homely cottage and looked around. The warm air was abuzz with the sounds of creaking and croaking frogs and off in the distance the bleating of a goat or sheep.

'All good over,’ he told himself, still peering for... something.

Looking to a clear patch near the horizon, a near full moon rising, he spotted a recognizable black silhouette: a pair of rabbit ears, contrasting against the white of the celestial body.

“Most likely her.” He muttered before eyeing the tree behind him and giving it several hard sharp, loud thumps.

In return, the rabbit ears moved, first the right ear fully fell, then was raised back up, only to then slightly fall, before laying at a right angle.

“Yup... That’s her alright...” Angel readied himself as the ears vanished from the moon and a large fluffy creamy gray and white doe came speeding in his direction.

“Angel Bun-ny!” She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the white powder ball. “Eet has been so long since you called upon Maw! Elena Lupine!”

“Y-y-yeah... I, Angel Bunny cannot-Erg!” Ge grunted attempting to push the sudden thick, plush dewlap that threatened to suffocate him from being shoved into his face. “-imagine why that is!” he grunted, finally escaping the constricting grasp. “Did The Warren find anything about a rat named Tippetarius in Canterlot?”

“Tch!” Elena chuffed. “What? No ‘Hello’? No kiss on zee cheek? No... Anytzing?!” She asked, a thick Prench accent permeating even her rabbit tongue. “All work and none of the play! Humph! Mr. Angel Bun-ny is that way about et? Then where is Elena Lapine’s payment? Hmm?” she asked, crossing her arms under her dewlap.

Angel smacked the tree behind him unveiling a small door that upon opening tumbled a multi-colored pile of carrots. “Fourteen carrots as agreed upon...”

“Oh... Why, Mr. Angel Bun-ny, you spoil Elena! Wee... Zee Warren did find zomething about this..." she rolled her little paw. "How do you say, Tippetarius? However,“ Her face turned from bright and cheerful to fretful and morose. “be warned, Mr. Angel Bun-ny.. What was found... Iz a tale most mad, bad, and very sad...”

“Oh... Do tell...” Angel said, smiling a wide wicked grin as he offered a ruby red carrot.

Elena hesitated in taking the carrot. Angel's cruel expression and ears taking on an almost horn-like appearance unsettled her. 'Tis no wonder zey refers to 'im as zee Demon Bun-ny of Pon-nyville!'

"All right, well, I, Elena will start at zee beginning-" She said, taking the carrot and stepping half a hop away from Angel's still ever widening smile...


==================================


“And that was everything that happened today...”

Laying on my back staring up at the ceiling, Lucas has been dangling above me for who knows how long. As long as I have been talking, and talking I have been! Gawds, now my throat is kinda sore. Maybe even... a little horse? Ha. Ha. Shut up brain. 

“So... uhm... whatcha think?” Pfffft, right, as if asking a spider what they think about creepy eye-glass ponies, animated tails, dead mothers, fire breathing ants, trips to the hospital,(again), and horrible doctors who are based on ... I wanna say eighties sitcoms? I don’t remember. I think it was the eighties... Pffft, whatever doesn’t matter.

Little Lucas only stares back at me with those glowing red eyes, his two front legs slowly waving up and down, and of course, saying nothing.

I really thought that just some... thing? Some creature... Well anything with an ear to listen to me... wait... spiders don’t have ears... Well, not in the sense that we think of ears... right?

‘Guess I’ll just have to look that up later. At least that is something I can send out a search for and get some information back about...’ Have I mentioned that not having an internet sucks?

“Whelp, you’re not the greatest conversationalist there, Lucas, but at least you’re a good listener. Just kinda wish I had some advice for what to do when tomorrow comes. I mean, I know what I ought to do, play things by ear and for the love of fffet, try to at the very least act like I’m learning-” I stop and take several breaths, I feel like I’m having run off sentences here. “No, not just try, actually act like I’m learning whatever it is that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash have to teach me tomorrow. That way I can learn a lesson, write a letter, and then do... whatever for the rest of the month... Probably write all this down in my dia-Journal. Yeah, journal.”

I let out a long sigh and then took a deep breath before pushing up my glasses.
“Just... so... I can do the same exact fetting thing all over next month... Gawds, I knew that this whole ordeal would be long but I didn’t expect there to be some tedium to it all, I mean I did but I-”

That’s the moment that there is a whimpering growl as a pang of hunger hits me and my stomach rumbles in protest of my talking.

“Gah! Really?!” I ask, glaring over my hooves at that belly of mine. “Hungry, hungry, hungry! Always hungry. If we didn’t use the restroom like, what... ten minutes after I got back, I’d be wondering where it all went...”

Sighing once more at one of the very aspects of staying alive, I turn to my left and sorta flip onto my hooves off the couch.

“Many apologies, Lucas, much to my dismay, but it would appear that my gut thinks that I should keep tending to those bodily functions that keep perpetuating my existence in this and other realities... I’ll probably talk more to you after eating something and-” A yawn comes over me and I don’t hold back lifting an... ankle to cover it, after which I adjust those glasses.  “-and probably some sleep. So, ya know, I’ll spin.... Wait... weave, yeah, weave my own cocoon after consuming something and talk to you in the morning. M’kay?”

The blue spider’s red eyes seem to actually blink before he once again waggles his two legs, and pulls himself back up that silken line to somewhere in the rafters of the living room ceiling.

“Y-yeah... good night to you too, little spiderling.” I mutter while walking to the kitchen.

Just as I’m entering the hallway, I noticed a slight glow coming from the narrow crack under the door that leads to the storage room.

“Wait... What the fet? Did I leave a light on in there?” A chilly panic strikes as I remember that the lights in this house, along with practically everything electrical, are powered by the batteries in the basement, instead of, you know, a power grid, and that the wind has been less than gusty today. “Ah, Fet! Who knows how much power that’s eaten up... Maybe I can get Dash or Fluttershy to come over later after the lesson and flap in front of the windmill..."

That last bit was an attempt to calm myself down, which only partly worked. Deep sigh, H.B. is there anything that can be done about it now?

"No..." Comes my muttery answer. "Oh, well..." I push up my glasses before rolling my eyes. "better go and turn that off before it consumes any more power... Then I’ll eat, and sleep...” I say out loud before walking towards the storage room door.
> A Shallow Inkwell
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 31: A Shallow Inkwell


I feel myself roused from sleep once more. There’s a mix of odd feelings: some of them negative, while some of them are hopeful as they are tickling at the edges of my slowly waking mind.

"Ugh, why do I feel so...existential?" Is that a feeling? Surely it has to be if there's a word describing it. “Stupid brain. Yes, that is a feeling. Why don’t you show me why you’re making me feel that feeling, huh?” I try to grasp at any images that my nighty treks through the lands of sleep and sand brought me.

A big mess of nothing seems to come to me.

"Really? No dreams at all? Not even a little night-" Just then, flashes of something metallic with large spirally red eyes flashes in my subconscious and a cold shudder travels through my spine. "Or maybe I shouldn't try to remember last night's dream..." I hug myself to stem any trembling.

Turning to look at the living room window I am hit with a wave of disorientation as I realize the window isn't where it should be.

"Actually..." I mutter looking around the room to regain my bearings and quell that little, cold, anxious feeling in the back of my skull. "Everything's wrong..."

The room is too dark, the normal slivers of light aren't where they should be, the familiar comfortable couch doesn't feel like a couch. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I swear it was...

I paw... or hoof around with my forehooves. "My bed..." I say disconcertedly out loud. "How did I..." I shake my head. "How the fet do you think you got here, H.B.?" I scoff. "Obviously you pushed yourself up the stairs and climbed into bed." I say out loud, shaking my head.

"I swear, what an illogic-" Just then, I noticed something in a crack in the wood of my ceiling. “-cal?”

It's like a glowing set of red marbles peeking through the crack. I realize what they are after a moment, though I don't think that the ponies would or if they did that they would like it.

"Oh, hi Lucas!" there's a cheerfulness in my voice that feels almost... alien to me. 'Whatever, you can't be happy to see a familiar set of eyes?' "Heeeey there! Was it you that inspired my sleep-addled brain to come up with something from the movie ‘Aracnaphobia’ to frighten me?"

Then again... those eyes look kind of different.. Almost... larger? It's hard to tell at this angle.

"My, what big eyes you have, Lucas..." I turn to my left and stare at the wall. "All the better to see you with, my dear, H.B.!" I say to an imagined audience in a high, tiny, girly little voice. "Isn't that right, Lu-'' I turn my head back to the ceiling, only to see that the eyes in the darkness are gone. "-cas.."

Well, that's a mood killer, or at least it spoiled that smiley, happy feeling of there being some... one... some being... just another living creature in the house near me, who tolerates me, maybe even... likes me...

My stomach grumbles and reminds me to do my due diligence and feed it.

"Yeah-yeah..." I lift all four hooves up into the air and twist to roll myself out of the bed. "I wouldn't want to spend too long in the same room with a-" I search for a better word than 'monster', but nothing better comes to mind. "-thing like me either..." I grumble this as my hooves land with a clitter-clatter-clop on the floor and I walk out of the...well... my bedroom...


==================================


Fluttershy stretched her wings out several more times as she practically dragged herself down the dusty road to Heartbre-

"H.B." The pegasus said aloud almost as she was trying to correct an unseen narrator.

It felt as if she was pulling herself to H.B.'s house. While she had slept through the night, it was a restless sleep on unfamiliar bedding. Her muscles felt stiff and her wings needed stretching.

"Maybe Angel was right and I should have walked just a few feet to my bed and slept there instead of the couch... '' She said to herself once more, flapping her wings and stretching them out.

Now, once again at the stone path of the 'Olde Miller House', Fluttershy found herself a touch hesitant in going down that rocky pathway leading to that darkened door.

The large decorative heart window with the old growth vine sprawling down the middle seemed less like an interesting oddity of house that Heartbr-

"H-H-H.B." Fluttershy said, a bit fretfully attempting to take a hesitant first step into the yard.

“H.B.”, it was less of an interesting feature of the house and a little more of a symbol of something. Was it the number of times she had tried to start a lesson, only for the whole thing to get interrupted and fail somehow? Had that cursed branding she talked about somehow leeched off her and seeped into the cracks-

"Oh, hey Fluttershy!" Croaked a sleepy sounding Heartbreak voice.

"Eeep!" Fluttershy squeaked, rearing up and looking around, only to see the tan, blue eyed mare standing on her front porch, a cup hoof in her hoof-hole as she appeared to be just as startled as the yellow pegasus.

"A-are you alright?" Heartbreak asked, her cup clattering in her hoof, threatening to spill a brown liquid within or even cause the cup to jump from its hole and shatter on the cement below.

"Oh… I'm fine!" Fluttershy reassured, walking over to H.B. once she gathered herself. "I'm sorry if I startled you by being startled, it's just-" She stopped herself, she couldn't tell H.B. the reason she had become startled was that she was lost in a fear bubble that originated from her thoughts about her! 'That would be super rude and mean and-'

"You didn't sleep all that well?" Heartbreak asked, her wide eyes glancing over the rim of whatever tea smelling liquid that was in her cup.

"Uhm, well...not really..." Fluttershy finally admitted, watching the large snapdragons slither out from their hiding spot from under the porch stairs. "I...I slept on my couch instead of my bed..."

Heartbreak let out a small huff of a laugh. "That's a little funny..." She said, trying not to inhale tea as she expressed her amusement.

"Oh?" Fluttershy asked, her voice trying to sound as neutral as possible.

"Uhm, because, apparently I managed to drag my branded backside up the stairs and into my bed," Heartbreak replied, chuckling a little. “Somehow.”

"O-Oh..." Fluttershy said, somewhat confused.

"Ssso!" Heartbreak stammered, seeing that Fluttershy found the swapping of places less amusing than she did. "Uhm... where’s Rainbow Dash...?"

Fluttershy tilted her head at Heartbreak. "Don't you remember? She's going to meet us at the park.."

"Oh, right, right," Heartbreak said, taking a long sip of what really was bitter tea. "And we're going to the... ferrier... but not before the bicycle store to get my bike looked at and painted?"

"I thought you just wanted it painted..." Fluttershy said, a small relief in her voice as Heartbreak did indeed recall the events from last night.

"Well, I mean, if we're going to get it painted, we might as well get it looked at," Heartbreak said, glancing at the contents of her cup and then at Fluttershy before looking back at the cup and tilting her head back to drain the rest of the tea. "Rarity did buy it at an auction, but the front tire is starting to feel...wobbly.” She sighed and grimaced. “I've had one too many bikes die on me in my lifetime."

"Uhm, I suppose that is a good idea," Fluttershy agreed, the ‘Fighty’ snapdragon, she was sure it was Fighty, due to the larger speckling of white spots on their ‘muzzle’, starting to nuzzle at her foreleg.

Heartbreak finished tea with a loud gasp. "I.. apologize if I seem all over the place this morning, Fluttershy," she said, eyeing the tea leaves and absentmindedly taking note of the abstract shapes they took. “Huh, looks like a bent leg... I'm still trying to clear out the cobwebs from sleep... Oh! Speaking of cobwebs, guess what I spied in a crack in the ceiling?"

"Cobwebs?" Fluttershy guessed, becoming more at ease as the two snapdragons practically cuddled her front legs all the while making soft cooing noises.

"Well... close... " Heartbreak said, gesticulating with the still be-cupped hoof. She frowned at herself and placed the cup on a shelf near the door, making a mental note and promising that she would remember to rinse said cup out later. "More like the... Creature? I feel wrong calling them a thing... but the creature that makes the cobwebs up in a crack in the ceiling... So, I really should say ‘who’ I spied in the crack."

"Lucas was there watching you as you woke up?" Fluttershy asked, a bit of hope in her voice. 'Afterall, if the spiders take a liking to H.B., then maybe they could help her, and I wouldn't have to- no, wait, is that a bad thought? Am I a bad pony for thinking that!?'

"IIIII thought that too, but when I looked closer, their eyes were much... bigger..." Heartbreak took a deep breath and tried to recall any other details of that ever so brief encounter, but none came. "Much, much bigger, that's for sure..."

"Oh! Maybe you were able to see a rare glimpse of the Vaneighsain Sad Faced Spider Queen!" Fluttershy exclaimed, her wings fluttering and her ears perking up. "Or at the very least, maybe one of the spiders that's directly under her in the colony!"

Heartbreak blinked a bit as if she was reaching for an ellusive thought. "Right, excuse me, I'm just trying to recall whether or not you had told me that these spiders lived in colonies."

"I ... might have.. but I'm not sure..." Fluttershy replied, worriedly tapping her chin against her hoof as she too tried to recall. "That isn't a problem is it?"

"Oooh... nooo.." Heartbreak said, her voice dipping like a power outage. "It's just... I've seen pictures and videos of colony themed spiders.... and they're interesting to say the least.. with their habit of taking down larger prey by working together..."

Fluttershy could hear the palpable worry in Heartbreak's voice. "While that is true in most species in the wild, the Vaneighian sad faced spiders are an information gathering species and wouldn't jeopardize their home! They also like you a lot!" she said, unable to hold back the delight in her voice.

"Ha... Any reason for that?" Heartbreak asked fishing for some sort of verification that maybe, just maybe, something in Equestria's bestiary didn't see her as some sort of tainted eldritch thing from beyond the stars.

"Oh, it seems that you're keeping away all the other creatures and predators that would otherwise destroy many members of the colony!" Fluttershy explained gleefully.

"Oh.." Heartbreak said, her ears falling to the sides of her head.

Fluttershy's eyes widened and her ears pinned in concern... "I didn't do anything wrong, did I? If I did, I'm sorry..."

"No... No.. No, it's fine," Heartbreak said, stowing away any disappointment she was feeling.

"Are you sure-"

Heartbreak took a deep breath while nodding as she exhaled. "Yes! I'm fine. After all you said today is going to be a fun day. So! Let's get my bike to the shop, my hooves to the ferrier, and then our ffff-fetting flanks to the park in time to meet Rainbow Dash!" The tan mare said gritting her teeth a little while donning her saddle backs before closing and locking her door.

"Are you sure everything's alright?"

"Right. As. Rain!" Heartbreak said, awkwardly pushing her bike. "Now come on! I don't want too many eyes seeing me with this thing! Though maybe we should stop somewhere for a quick bite to eat. Something light."


==================================


Walking next to my bike, I'm not only pushing it, but some very weirdly strong emotions down.

'They're spiders. Why should I care if a bunch of spiders happen to be using me as a means of protection?'

Yeah... At least your lazy good-for-nothing branded backside is good for something.

'Shut. Up. Goth. Bunny.'

Good thing you’ve got your bike to stand, because you still don’t know how the fuck to walk like a pony. You know that right? Even when you’re walking like you are now? Your legs don’t feel right. All the ponies know that there’s something wrong with-

'I said Shut Up. I don't need my inner insecurities, my inner fears, and inner doubts flaring up.'

Oh, but why not? It wouldn’t be a day if I didn’t say something. It’s not like you’ve let me say anything before bed like you used to. Also, how do you think you’re going to fuck up this little lesson today? Say something insensitive? Get so mad your tail or mane does a Jinji Ito and make you look like a freak? I mean, even more so with that hole in your hoof like a fucking change-

'Shut. Up. Today will be fun.' I think to myself. 'Fluttershy said that she believes that I can do this, so do this I will.' Though as the two of us are leaving my little homestead, I can't help but feel like I'm being watched...

Looking up, I realize that I'm not wrong..

Little red dots that are clustered together are lining the branches of the trees, around and in the rocks, and many other things in my yard that I might have overlooked are in fact eyes. Millions of them.

I then see an orb weaving spider scuttle to the corner of its web in a hidy nest as I pass by as if it were a scared parent staying out of a child's sight when hiding Christmas presents or Easter eggs. The spider... resembles Lucas... but... bigger... I push up my glasses a little and notice that there’s not just one spider in that little nest, but several spiders all peeking out from that very same corner.

"Fluttershy?" I can hear the concern in my voice and my ears dropping down. "Are... are all these spiders... sad faced spiders?"

Fluttershy looks around with such a... casual expression at the... innumerable gathering.... "Oh, yes..."

"They're all the same species?" My voice wavers a bit while I start making a more concerted effort in my hoof steps so as not to... accidently crush a single member of this... what is a gathering of spiders called? 'Whatever...' Now that I’ve been made aware of these new... roommates... I can see so many of them... There are jumping spiders, and grass dwellers, and even one that has flattened itself around the branch of a tree. "They all look so... different from one another..."

"That's because the Queen has different spiders for different information gathering tasks!"

"Huh..." I'm not sure what to do with that information, so I decided to just keep walking while minding the grass... 'It's best not to kill any member of a swarm of spiders... even if it's by accident’.

Once in Ponyville proper, I start to become... self conscious... and why would that happen? Well, hypothetical voice asking these questions, it's because I'm pushing along a very pink bike with these large heart decals in the wheels! That's why!

"Good morning, H.B.!" A familiar, light, ‘English-ish’ sounding voice jumps into my ears. Turning to the source, I see Ghost Writer waving at me from his stall.

Suddenly, and without warning, the pink bike just accidentally finds itself flying away from my hooves and into a nearby alleyway! The pale stallion gives a bit of a shocked look at me.

"Uh... Hey... G.H." I say with a nervous laugh and as much enthusiasm as a wet sheet of vellum. Fluttershy seems to notice the tone of my voice. Or something, she’s giving me a look and I’m not sure what she’s thinking, but she's not saying anything. Either she knows my feelings about this pony or maybe Ghost has a reputation... or she's confused at the fact that I just chucked my bike into an alley...

"Are you... feeling better? Last I heard, you were suffering from something downright awful, though I must confess that it feels as if it were a decade ago!" Ghost Writer says far too cheerful for this hour of the day ...

"It's only been about two weeks..." Fluttershy interjects, her wings fluttering as she looks around.

"Uhm, hmmm, yes..." Ghost Writer grins awkwardly and taps his front hooves together. "What I mean to say is that I was worried for my most frequent customer! What with Twilight out of town..."


==================================


"Oh, Twilight's back," Heartbreak interrupted, idly checking on her bike in the alleyway..

Ghost Writer perked up at hearing that. "Oh frabjous news!" he exclaimed, adjusting his black neck scarf and primping his mane. "When ever did this happen?"

"About a week ago..." Fluttershy said looking at the distant park, scanning for any signs that Dash could be waiting on them... She couldn't spot any colorful flashes from this distance.

"A week ago?" Ghost Writer balked. "Why haven't I seen her?" He asked, his mustachioed face tilting ever so slightly. “I would have thought that she would like to see the shipment of the newest quills! Or some of my novelty inks, or what shape the more recent inkwells are taking coming out of Canterlot...”

"Something to do with unicorn horn registration or something like that, right Fluttershy?" Heartbreak asked, turning to the mare for confirmation.

"Oh... Oh, yes!" Fluttershy responded, remembering that that was the reason she had given. "Very important unicorn horn registration business..."

"Unicorn horn registration? Why, I haven't heard of such a thing..." Ghost Writer said, rubbing his chin.

"It's for unicorns with very powerful magic," Fluttershy said, attempting to sound like she knew what she was talking about.

"Oh..." Ghost Writer said, tapping his hooves together, his ears drooping down. "Then I suppose that it isn't any wonder why I have not heard of it... Considering that my lineage has... weakened magical abilities..."

Heartbreak blinked. "Huh... I did not know about that..." At that moment Fluttershy tapped her shoulder.

"I-I don't mean to be rude, but Rainbow-" Fluttershy began.

"Oh, right," Heartbreak turned back to Ghost Writer. "My apologies there, Ghost, but we have errands to run today."

"Well then... We will have to finish the conversation another time. " A quizzled thought passed through the pale pony's mind. "Before you leave, did you say what you were sick with?"

Heartbreak made the briefest of pauses. "Oh, no, I didn't.” She snickered, eyeing the poetic pony’s genuinely curious inquiry. “It was a case of everything all at once."

Ghost Writer scooted as far as he could in the small space of his stall and snorted incredulously. "Everything?"

Heartbreak felt a tickle in her throat and cleared it with a thick, wet sounding hacking. "Well, every foalhood illness. I didn't get vaccinated when I came to Equestria." She explained, a bit of a wide smile on her face as she noted that Ghost Writer had levitated both a white cleaning cloth and filled spray bottle. She then saw Fluttershy growing ever more anxious, and started to walk with her. "Right, I'll tell you about it later," she called out to the pony, grabbing her bike from the alley and turning the corner alongside Fluttershy.





Ghost Writer turned a shade paler as he imagined every foalhood illness all at once. He then picked up his calendar book and checked some dates while wiping down the counter. "Methinks it might be wise to schedule my own round of shots..." he muttered to himself, the lingering image of what an incredibly sick H.B. looked like in his head causing him to spray the inkwells, before gently wiping them off..


==================================


That was by far the... I wouldn't say best... but the most... normal sounding conversation I've had with Ghost Writer. I think he's actually mellowed out.

Granted, his reaction when hearing Twilight's name was concerning. A little too eager if you were to ask me, but then again, I might be reading too much into it. Though... I might have taken a little too much delight when describing how sick I got...

'What, is some... guy taking an interest in Twilight like that bothersome to you? Is that why you never approved of Flas-'

I cut my thoughts short.

'One, it's fine if some... guy takes an interest. It's just, two, it's just gotta make sense, and three, quiet you. That is something that hasn't happened yet!' I mentally shout at... myself.

"H.B." Fluttershy's gentle voice might as well be a branch breaking instead of a twig snapping with the way it pulls me out of my thoughts!

"Wha-?" I ask, momentarily losing balance on the bike.

"Eeep!" Fluttershy steadies my bike, her face suddenly getting a little too close to mine in the process. "Sorry..." she says once everything has resettled. "I just wanted to say that we're.. uhm, here."

Looking up, I see the red bicycle shaped sign that reads ‘Tire Spoke’s Pumped Up Bikes!’ above my head.

"Oh, huh, so we are," I say, Fluttershy almost cautiously opens the door. With the way she jumps at the bike bell ring as we walk in, you'd think this was setting up to a series of unfortunate ev- 'Can it, Heartbreak that kind of thinking can lead to it actually happening.'

The bike shop is exactly as I would expect a bike shop from Equestria. Bikes of all sorts lined up to be looked at: mountain, casual, tricycle, quad cycle, thick tire, thin tire, 'girly' bike, 'boy' bike, and everything in between.

The walls are fitted with bike racks that fold and unfold to allow for, you guessed it, more bikes. Though the back wall's bikes seem to be more decorative, historical collector bikes, with the 'penny-farthing', the chainless, and the... Fet, I can’t read that too well, squinting isn’t helping, maybe if I adjust my glasses... Ah, yes the ‘Banana Pie Seat’?

All of which are, of course, adapted for the pony form.

On the wall to my right there’s helmets, knee pads, water bottles, and tire pumps. I can’t help but tap some of the wares with a curious poking hoof.

"Hello?" Fluttershy quietly calls out once we have noticed a serious lack of staff.

At the front counter I see an ever so lovely shining desk bell. Never having been able to ring one of these when I was little out of fear of punishment from my parents, mostly my mother, or retaliation from an angry shop owner, I dare to chance an opportunity to indulge the urge.

Once the bell sound rings through the stop, I am not met with a feeling of satisfaction but of regret as the sharp metallic sound causes my ears to pinback. Quickly, I make an attempt to silence the metal thing, only to cause it to clatter in protest as if it were still calling out to who the fet runs this shop and I was trying to cover it with a pillow.

Alas, it is too late, as it has summoned an eccentric looking stallion from somewhere behind the depths of that front counter.

I say eccentric, due to the fact that at the moment of his arrival, the poor pony had not only had both of his forehooves ensnared by the front wheel of a bicycle tire, but somehow, beyond all logic of Euclidean geometry, his head had joined its compatriots in wheel-based bondage!

"Oh! Happy day! A customer!" The cornflower blue stallion with thick rimmed glasses, windswept dark blue and yellow striped mane and tail, a tool belt-saddle belt, and a thick... Swedish? German? Scandinavian? Or would that be Scandineighvian? "Unt you have brought your own bicycle! Have you brought it in for maintenance, repair, or other?"

"Uhm..." I blank with how... straightforward he's being. Meanwhile, poor Fluttershy has ducked behind me at what must be quite the sight.

"Oh, so sorry. Where is being my manners?" He unyokes himself of the tire around his head. "There! I am Tire Spoke, Ze Bicycle repair pony, here at your service. Now, are you here for maintenance, repair, or other? Might I suggest maintenance because of the small wobble in your front tire?" he pauses and then reinspects my bike. “Unt it also seems to be appearing that your poor fahrrad was thrown into maybe an alleyway?”

"Uhm... Nooo... Of course not..." I shake my head from the spectacle of him pulling his head out of the bike wheel and being called out on my actions. "Right. My name is Heartbreak, please call me H.B.." If I had a phone that had something like voicemail, that's what it would be, along with leaving a message after the scream. "I was here for.. other, I suppose. I want the decorative hearts removed, and the bike repainted, but if you think it needs maintenance... I guess that's fine."

"Oh jah! It iz always the utmost importance to keep jour bicycle in tippy-toppy shape!" Tire Spoke says walking from behind the counter. I see that he has, surprise, surprise, a bicycle for a cutie mark. Maybe there’s something in there indicating that he repairs the bikes, like a broken chain, but I’m not going to look that hard at his backside. It still feels weird knowing so much just by looking at a little picture on a pony’s butt as it is. He plucks at the spokes of my bike like they were harp strings. "Dah, dis is my specialty!"

I smirk at the word 'specialty.' My brain keeps trying to autocorrect it to special-tea. "Heh, special-tea." I accidently say aloud.

"Dah! Dat is what I said! Is my specialty!" Tire Spoke repeats, looking just a little offended. "Do you doubt me?" he asks pointedly.

"Oh no!" I reply, I can feel my ears droop and I scramble to explain myself. "I was just making a joke to myself, because I like tea... the drink, and 'specialty' sounds an awful like 'special... tea..' like tea that's... uh... well.. special...” The light blue stallion stares intensifies at me for a bit of an uncomfortable while.

"Oh! Now I be getting it! Special... tea as in tea, that is special! Ho-Ho-Ho! Dat is very funny!" His face goes from bemused to suddenly serious in less than a second. "Now, vhat color are you wanting zis bike to be painted? We have many options from periwinkle to chartreuse to vermillion to-"

"Black." I interrupt him because I get the feeling if I let him, he'll go on and on and Fluttershy is already looking uneasy.

"Black?" Tire Spoke asks.

"Black?" Fluttershy repeats surprised.

"Yes. Black." I affirm.

"Not anysing more...colorful or pretty or-"

"I said ‘black’," I assert. Fet- fuck. Fuck. I can feel my tail twitching.

"Alright, alright. If it is what foäulein Heartbreak wants.."

"H.B." I correct him. Fluttershy’s uneasy hoof is drawing near my shoulder. I must be practically radiating that negative energy or something.

"If H.B. wants it painted black, then who is I, Tire Spoke to judge?" He asks, shrugging his shoulders.

"Uhm, any chance you could get it all done before maybe eleven or noon?" I ask pleadingly.

"Dat would cost extra..." ... I really have to wonder if the whole 'money makes you crazy' thing has some validity to it, because for the smallest of moments, the thought of 'it always costs extra' popped into my head.

'Just say what you usually say.' "It's fine, money isn't an 'issue here'." Was that said too casually? "By which, I mean it's fine." Wait, did that come out how I meant it?! "By which I mean-"

"H.B. won't have any trouble paying what will be agreed to." Fluttershy interjects, the comforting hoof finally touching my shoulder giving it a small rubbing motion. She must really want to make it to the park on time.

"Right!"

"Vell zen," Tire Spoke pulls out a manual number crunching machine, "With calculating standard costs, unt extra labor, unt magic, unt time for ze expensive black paint- wait a moment..." he gets out a document. "Could you be please signing here stating that you are not nor have you ever been associated with ze so called ‘artist’, Cloud Gate.”

“I feel like that’s a reference that I’m missing out on...” I mutter... It can’t really say that right? Oh. Huh. Look at that. That's really what it says. I take out my mechanical pencil, stick it in my hoof hole, sign the paper and put it away. ‘I've gotten pretty good at that.’

"Oh, he is a horrid pony!” Tire Spoke scowls. “Pony scientists discover this form of ink that is blacker than any other black ink known to pferde unt what does this eles do?! Make it so that no pony can ever use it with a bunch of anwaltwieselwörter!” 

I vaguely recognize something in there, but the rather... I’m going with German; yup definitely German- sounding words are confusing me. The way he’s saying them though makes them sound unpleasantly uncomfortable... “Oh... Right... anyway.. Here you go.” I push the paper back to him.

He looks at my signature and the little black broken heart that I’ve added. “Ah! Wunderbar!" Tire Spoke gasps in the moments after. He then shakes his head. "Anyway. Your total cost with Equestrian tax comes to three--hundred unt seventy-seven bits. Will that be cash, check or credit?"
> What Grinds my Hooves
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 32: What Grinds my Hooves


Cream Puff had finally got out from under the hoof of Miss Hayneighan and away from the orphanage with her 'ill begotten wares', as the crotchety old canker nag would likely put it.

"Ill begotten ma left hoof!" Cream Puff swore. "Ah do more than ma fair share of work an' she goes about spendin' what we get on bottles, the new desk of hers, an' that creepy black orb she keeps under a dishcloth!" The little filly huffed.

The little filly's hooves clip-clopped down the barely paved road that went near the school house. Once again, Hayneighan's half-stupor of a nagging voice entered her ears.

'Why bother with furthering your education? You're an earth pony. You'll be adopted by some podunk earth pony family that grows things or bakes things. By the time you're my age you'll be as big as a barn and be surrounded by foals! IIIII'm just helping you get adjusted to-'

“Oh shut yer cornhole!" Cream Puff exclaimed aloud, kicking rocks out of her path angrily! "Ya dun't know what yer talkin' about!!"

The little filly sniffled. Yes, it was true that pegasus and unicorns spent so little time in the stables that the linens hardly had to warm, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't get adopted!

"Let alone by a pegasus or unicorn…" she grumbled "An' at least ah'm gon' out ta Ponyville an' trying ta make some friends!" Cream Puff's words started to quiet themselves as she walked into the cobblestone streets of the town.

She looked at the school house where Miss Cheerilee taught, so bright and... well 'Cheery'. It was a place where ponies with families would learn. A place where little colts and fillies would gather and play and make friends. Miss Hayneighan would scoff.

Cream Puff once again pushed that thought aside. Hayneighan's voice was a stubborn critter to get out of her head! “Just keep movin’ along there, Cream. She’ll see, one day yer gonna rise ta the top!”

“What could we be bakin’? Ah dun’t think H.B. said... Maybe cupcakes, or muffins, or pancakes? She seems like the type ta do real simple-like things that don’t need a lot of work... Fritters maybe?” The little filly giggled now that she was nearing the Olde Miller road. “Fritter sounds an' awful lot like 'fetter'.” She bemused, before looking around, just to make sure her favorite pony wasn't within earshot.

"Ah dun't know why she's so against me usin' that word. Dun't it mean sumang else?" She asked out loud, looking at the tall grass. "Ah swore ah saw that-Oh!" The little filly yelped as she stumbled on a hole in the dirt road.

A hole, that if one were to judge the cavity left behind with its geometric and almost perfectly flat surfaces, once was home to a gem of significant size.

"Well ain't that there lucky fer them. Though the least they coulda' done was refill the hole after they found their good fortune." She grumbled, steadying herself after the almost tumble.

Getting to Heartbreak's home, she was greeted with a strangely quiet scene, or as quiet as a house that was inhabited by snapdragon vines and only a croissants’ throw away from the Everfree Forest could be.

Cream Puff watched and giggled at their antics as the animate foliage flooded and splashed about in the front yard.

"H.B's gonna be awfully sore at ya'll fer wastin' her water like that." The little filly said getting to the front door. "H.Beeeee!" she called out knocking on the front door. "Ah got stuff fer makin'... lots of things! Mostly muffins or breakfast fixin’s!"

However, much to her dismay, there wasn't any answer.

'Momma always said that's impolite ta com inta' a house uninvited like...' Cream Puff thought growing anxious as the seconds outstretched their arms. 'But H.B.'s expectin' me! So it's ok!' she justified to herself, turning the doorknob and walking inside.


==================================


Heartbreak and Fluttershy stood in front of the shop with a wooden sign in the shape of an extended hoof, over which was a stylized set of clippers and an oversized file.

"Rush and Surge's Ferring and Hoof Care.." Heartbreak said looking at the window apprehensively before sighing. "So... Yeah... this is the place... to take care of my... hooves..."

"Everypony has hooves..." Fluttershy said, reassuringly.

"I know..." Heartbreak replied with a somewhat dower sentiment.

"And everypony has to take care of their hooves." Fluttershy said, supportively.

"Yeah, I know..." Heartbreak said, her tone growing ever irritated.

Fluttershy's wings flitted and her ears drooped. "Y-you're not mad at me, are you?" she stammered.

"Wh-" Heartbreak sighed, pushed up her glasses, and shook her head. "I can see how you might interpret it that way, but no. I am not mad at you, Fluttershy. I'm more upset at the fact-" She stopped herself. "You know what? Doesn't matter. Let's just get this over with. After all, we have more important things to do today..."

Upon entering the ferrier shop, the pair were greeted with the welcoming of the jingling of an overhead doorbell.

"This place seems pretty... dead." Heartbreak said, looking around before she poked a hoof at a padded 'y' shaped thing that was positioned in front of, what looked to the tan mare at least, an awkward looking cushioned chair, or maybe a bench, maybe? Couch? She couldn't decide.

"That's what happens when a spa comes to town and becomes your family business' competition," A blue stallion with a yellow mane and tail said, scrambling from behind the counter to greet potential customers. "Hi! I'm Thor Rush! Can I be your ferrier today?" He asked, his purple eyes sparkled with excitement.

Heartbreak looked at Fluttershy as if to say 'What do I do next?’ with only a bit of a confused smile and a hoof over the demure mare's mouth, H.B. grew anxious. "Only if you accept walkins?" she asked, adjusting her glasses.

Thor Rush looked around at the empty ferriering stations. "Uhm, yes... I'm fairly sure that we accept walkins."

"Uhm, great then..." Heartbreak said, uneasily. "So! How do we go about doing this?" She asked, her hoof tapping the floor.

"Well,- uhm, I didn't catch your name..."

"My name is Heartbreak, please call me 'H.B.'" the tan mare said with a sigh.

"Right, so... H.B., if you wouldn't mind coming over to the ferrier station, I can assess your hooves and see what needs to be taken care of." Thor Rush explained flipping his mane and leading pair of mares to the padded metal 'y's.

"Uhm... Uhm... I-" Heartbreak paused as if she was thinking about just how she was going to get her body to the contraption before her. Tentatively, she moved her right forehoof forward, stopping and switching to her left hoof. "I... well..."

"Do you need help?" Fluttershy asked, her wings flitting as she reached forward.

"That's... That's kind of you, Flutter... but I got this..." Heartbreak said grumbling, rearing up and finally figuring out how best to position her mass comfortably on the couch. "See? I got it!" She realized that her left 'forehoof' was still under her barrel. "Well... sort of..."

Fluttershy smiled before assisting the dislodging of said hoof. "There we go." she said smiling. "You did a good job." she said reassuringly.

"Yeah... Thanks..." Heartbreak replied, a gruffness in her voice as she glared at the hoof.

"So!" Thor Rush exclaimed, causing the two mares to jump. "Which hoof would you like me to start with?" he asked, holding up what looked to be a curved paring knife...

Heartbreak's eyes widened in a panic. "Left! No, right! I mean, whichever one you think is the best!" She exclaimed, her body clearly tensed and showing signs that she just wanted to bolt from all this before it had even begun.

Yet again, Fluttershy put a hoof on Heartbreak's shoulder and gave her a comforting look. "I know it might look scary, but I've had my hooves ferried before and you won't feel a thing. I promise, right. Mr. Rush?" she asked looking at the pony in question.

"I mean, it's been a while since I've had an actual client in here," Thor Rush admitted, twirling the knife about before he noticed the not at all assured faces of his current clientele. "But! I keep my ferriering skills sharp by trimming my sisters' hooves and she does the same for me... plus we make house calls for ponies who can't get to the spa! Though most of that doesn't pay the bills.. we do that by selling specialty hoof files!"

Heartbreak continued to wear a look of concern upon her face.

"I mean, well..."

Fluttershy once more came to the rescue. "He is a trained ferrier, H.B.," she said, pointing at the twin diplomas on the wall. "He's just saying that it's been a while, right?" She asked Thor Rush.

"Right! That's... That’s what I meant.." Thor Rush said, his wings ruffling.

Heartbreak took a deep breath through her nose before letting it out her mouth in an attempt to calm herself. "Alright. Fine I guess I'll be putting the health of my hooves in your... uhm... hooves……” she said, stumbling on the wording of the phrase.

"Alright then! Now seeing that the lift is already set up for the left rear hoof, why don't we start with that one?"

"Alright..." Heartbreak said, gingerly lifting her left rear hoof into the 'lift'.

Thor Rush began to look at the hoof presented to him and started to check it over for any signs of wear, tear, cracks, or impactions that could be hiding in the horn. "Huh... uhm... when was the last time you had your hooves attended to?" he asked, carefully scraping along the outer wall and looking baffled when he looked back at his knife.

"Uhm..." Heartbreak's eyes widened and she cringed at the feel of the scraping before she bit her lip nervously. "Last March?" she said, eyeing Fluttershy, who gave a look of slight disapproval, only to be met with a look that said 'That's technically true', to which the yellow pegasus could only sigh and conceded.

"Well, you could have fooled me... The amount of growth and wear with these hooves is more like at least two- maybe three weeks! Not four or five months!" He exclaimed.

Heartbreak could only roll her eyes and chuckle a response to what the stallion had told her.

"Then there's something else..." Thor Rush said, tapping the knife against her hoof, producing a sharp metallic clanking. "Uhm, I'm going to try and pare away some of the excess horn on your hoof... tell me if it's uncomfortable..."

"Uhm... okie, dokie, lokie, artichokie," Heartbreak said, bracing herself for what could come next.

Thor Rush started to try and scrape the hoof again, only to find that his knife wasn't cutting. "Huh... sorry... I think this blade might be dull... Let me try this one..." The pegasus pulled another knife and then another... and then another and after nine knives, he looked frustratedly baffled. "That's very strange..." He said, testing the knife to his own hoof.

"What is it now?" Heartbreak asked, more than a little exasperation in her voice at how long all this was taking.

"It's like your hooves are too hard to cut..." He said, looking at the small bit of freshly shaved keratin from his own hoof.

"Excuse me?" Heartbreak asked incredulously. "Too hard to cut?" She turned her neck to face him and held up her right forehoof. "Then how the fet did I manage to get Doctor Bright White to drill a hole clean through my hoof?"

Thor Rush turned pale as his eyes widened and the knife tumbled from his grasp, clattering to the floor with a noisy metallic rattle. "Sweet Princess Celestia! You-you that g-goes clean th-through..." He stammered. "I... I thought that was just a pock mark!"

"Nope." Heartbreak replied, matter of factly. "Goes straight through..." she said in a nonchalant tone as if it were the most normal thing in all of Equestria. There was a hint of enjoyment in her subtle grin as the stallion squirmed and edged away. “All the way to the other side.”

"H-How?!" Thor Rush managed to stammer out holding on his own hoof and rubbing the spot on himself where he saw the perforation on H.B.'s.

"It's a funny story involving magic tea and a trip to the dentist!" Heartbreak said bemused as she looked at him, with her neck nearly craned all the way back, the top of her head nearly making contact with her back... "You remember that day, right Flut-"

Her words were cut short with Fluttershy's disapproving glare.

Heartbreak's grin wilted and she righted her head, before readjusted her glasses. "Well, it's less funny 'ha-ha' and more funny 'why do these things keep happening to me'," she said tapping her forehooves together, which to the experienced ferrier's ear made a subtle, unnatural hollow sound. 

"But... why do that?" Thor Rush whimpered with every clack of the hooves. He peered at the pierced pony's appendage and instantly regretted it as a wave of nausea hit him while he nursed his own hoof against his barrel.

"Oh, uhm...'' Heartbreak took a deep breath preparing herself for the explanation. "I suffer from a condition called 'shakey hoof' in which I am unable to pick things up with my hooves like normal ponies. Combined with the effects of that magic tea, I thought that drilling a hole through my hoof was a very good idea at the time!"

Thor Rush waggled his hoof as if it had fallen asleep and he was dancing on pins and needles. "D-don't you think that's a bit... extreme?" he asked, his wing fluffing up a bit.

"Magic tea." Heartbreak repeated as if it was the one phrase to explain everything and end the conversation. "And it's not like I have an animal helper... uhm... anymore. On account I wasn't able to take Fingers the Raccoon with me... Add to that it seems like every animal I encounter automatically hates me..." She mumbled with her ears falling and her tone turning sullen.

"Uhm... well.." Thor Rush started continually looking more and more uneasy at the literal hole with the literal subtle grooves at its point of entry denoting its origi- "I'm sorry but I need to lay down!"

"But... you're the only ferrier in Ponyville... and I really don't want to go to the spa..." Heartbreak whimpered panickedly. "I-"

"It's fine! My sister will attend to you!" Thor Rush said his face was still rather pale. "Hey! Val! You've got a customer!" he shouted towards the back of the store as he hurried made his way to the bathroom.

Just as the door closed, a white mare with the same yellow mane and tail and purple eyes poked from around the corner out curiously. "Really?"

Heartbreak looked the mare over and then nodded. "Yes really," she said, sighing. "Hi, my name is Heartbreak, please call me H.B..” she found herself paroting once more. “I don't mean to be a 'Marmalade' about this, but can you look at my hooves? Fluttershy and I have things that we were planning to do..."

"Well, yeah, sorry about my brother, he can get a bit- '' Val winced as the uncomfortable sounds of Thor Rush losing his lunch terminated the restroom door. "Queasy, especially when seeing things like cankers, or sores, or-"

"Perforations?" Heartbreak asked, once more holding her hoof up for viewing.

"Yes, or perfor-" Val stopped herself mid sentence. "That's..."

Heartbreak sighed. "Drilled straight through. Incident involving magic tea, and I want to keep it."

The white pegasus blinked, but then shook her head from the shock of it all. "Right, my job isn't to tell ponies, or any critter for that matter what to do with their bodies. Just to help with general hoof care, so we'll leave that one for last. Hi, my name is Valkyrie Surge, you can call me Val by the way." she said, picking up the tool that her brother had dropped in his hasty retreat.

"Hey Val," Heartbreak replied, adjusting her glasses and squirming on the ferriering couch a bit. "Your brother said something about not being able to trim my hooves ‘cause they are too hard or something like that."

"Oh, did he now?" Val asked, looking over the propped up back hoof assessing what needed to be done. "We'll just see about that now, alright?"


==================================


Angel Bunny watched as the little cream colored filly waked dejectedly from its dwelling...

‘Why the pony younglings are lured to that creature remains a confounding mystery!’ Angel thought hidden in the brambles just outside the ‘house’. ‘Perhaps that it’s true means by which to hunt? Gain the trust of the younglings so that the adults let down their guards? But if that were the case, why then has this clearly parentless near foal taken to it?!’

The passing thought of this filly being foolish enough to have imprinted on the creature did pass through his mind as she passed by him, sorrowfully kicking a rock in her path, but surely any would eventually see the monster and danger it posed after enough exposure, right?!

Angel’s ears perked up and he could see the morouse meandering little filly almost at the end of the road back to Ponyville. Quickly, but quietly he scampered through the thickets so as not to lose his target.

Afterall, wherever this one filly in particular went, that thing would soon rear its hideous face, and Angel Bunny was more than certain that his Fluttershy was with that monster.

Upon entering Ponyville, Angel could hear the mutterings and barely contained whimpering that Cream Puff was making.

“Ah thought she was gonna be there, we was gonna make somethin’... pancakes, or waffles, or even french toast! Though she didn’t have any eggs... That’ll teach ya ta get yer hopes up, Cream Puff...” She bitterly bemoaned. Leaning against an unlit light pole.

Angel felt his cold little bunny heart crack at the clearly disappointed sound in Cream Puff’s voice. It reminded him too much of the time when his own Fluttershy was still very young and her own brother had betrayed her trust. 

‘Even after she confronted that chew-stick, he did not admit to doing anything wrong. Though they were not close warren mates after that, and then he went away...’

Just then a thought formed in Angel’s devious little bunny brain. One that would perhaps put an end to his Fluttershy spending any more time with that creature.

‘If I, Angel Bunny can get the cream colored abandoned little pony to confront the beast and show both her and Fluttershy what a selfish, inconsiderate, and distrustworthy thing it is, it may cause a rift, which will lead to the both of them abandoning the monster!’

Angel perked up his long rabbit ears and listened. He knew that Fluttershy had said that she would be somewhere in town... but where had she sa- Just then he picked up the unmistakable ‘Oh!’ of his pony.

Now with location, he hopped out of his place of hiding and darted under the filly’s legs.

“Angel Bunny?” Just as he had hoped, the action had called her attention to him. All he had to do now was get her to follow the white rabbit. “Is that you?”

Angel paused and stood upright in a pose that he had perfected with Fluttershy that said ‘follow me’. Little paws held in front, eyes bright but showing just the right amount of concern, ears standing at attention, and a body that looked like that at any moment he could just scurry away... She just needed to take the bait...

“Angel, do ya know where Fluttershy an’ H.B. are?” Cream Puff asked, taking a tentative step forward.

That was his cue.

“Ah went ta H.B.’s house an-” Angel bolted towards the sound of Fluttershy’s voice. A voice that itself sounded more than a little distressed. “Hey! Hold on a muffin-toppin’ second! Get back here! Ah was askin’ ya a question!!”

Just as the bunny had hoped, the filly was now in hot pursuit of him, though he was facing a bit of a conundrum; the longer he listened for Fluttershy, the more apparent something was causing her to let out pained cries, but he could not just go charging off leaving the filly in the dust with her short legs restricting her from keeping up!

‘One member of the lagomorph family was humiliated by not taking the more patient path and I, Angel Bunny, though it pains us to do so, refuse to suffer the same fate!’

“Oh! H.B., are you alright?” Fluttershy asked once the rabbit and filly were within earshot of the ferriers shop.

“Yesss, jussst fine Fluttershy.” Rasped the dissonant ‘voice’ of the abominable pony-mimic. “Sssee... your brother wasss right...”

“Let me try one more thing!” Exclaimed the very exhausted but determined voice of another mare.

“H.B.!” Cream Puff shouted, zooming past Angel and into the shop that was catering to the dangerous thing.

“Cream Puff!” Hissed the shadowy tendrilled thing. “What are you doing here?”

“Humph! Ah could ask ya the very same thing!” Twanged the hurt sounding little filly. “Ah thought we was gonna make whatever it was ya was gonna make, an Ah finished ma chores lickity split just ta get over ta yer house with all ma cookin’ supplies, only ta find it emptier than a clam bed when the carpenter is at the beach! Ah’ here ya is goin’ an gettin’ yer hooves all gussied up!”

“Cream Puff, I-” Their excuse ridden apology was interrupted by the ferrier mare taking a power sander to its hoof, this only resulted in the device sparking and dying...

Angel lowered his ears and peered just through the edge of the glass window. There was no way he was going to miss the ensuing drama...

 “Ah know the ferrier ain’t the same as going an getting all done up by the spa ponies...”

The ferrier mare lifted the hood of her safety mask. “Hey!”

“Uhm, beggin’ yer pardon miss-”

“Valkyrie, but you can call me Val.”

“Uhm, sorry Miss Val... but compared ta the near worn out hoof files at the orphanage..”

Suddenly, there was a look of recognition on Val’s face and she removed a pair of earplugs. “By Sleipnir’s mane, you’re from the local orphanage?”

Cream Puff looked away shyly, her hooves crossing. “Yes, um Miss Val...” she affirmed, shame tinting her voice.

“Ugh, I had friends in that place before they grew out of the system and moved away. That nag Hayneighan still running the place?” Val asked frowning before pulling out a very fancy looking hoof file that looked to be made of pure crystal.

"Yus, ma'am..." Cream Puff muttered before her mouth dropped at the sight of such a fancy looking file. “What in the whole of Equestria is that? Ah ain’t never seen a file like that!”

“Oh, this?” Val hefted the purple sparkling file up, and adjusted it at the proper angle for Nightmare’s waiting hoof. “This!” She pushed the file against the hoof and brought it down. The smallest curls of a fine tan dust drifted to the floor below. “This is a crystal file, usually reserved only for, well... crystal ponies.” Angel watched as Val had another go at dragging the clearly expensive and quite frankly beautiful file over the malformed and disturbing appendage, more fine tan particulates fell to the floor.

“Good Golly Miss Molly an’ sweet sassy frass...” Cream Puff marveled. “Ah could never hope ta dream ta even imagine havin’ such a thang... or havin’ the bits fer it... or even meeting a crystal pony!” The little filly kept rolling her forehooves over each other... As she did so, the strange, black and white ‘flower’ eyes of the thing seemed to... narrow in some strange emotion that Angel could just not put a bunny paw on.

“Cream Puff, when’sss the lassst time you had your hoovesss looked at? Even by a ferrier?” It asked looking down at the defenseless filly as if she was a mouthful of a morsel just waiting to be gobbled up into the yawning chasm of this predator’s maw.

Angel found himself almost ducking back down to hide from what he was sure to come.

“Well... like ah said, Miss Hayneighan only has these old worn out hoof files that barely do the job... “ The little filly’s face looked away, she tried to cover her hooves embarrassedly. “An a bottle of hoof lacquer whenever Mr. Beencounter comes ta do his inspections...”

The monster reeled away and its shadowy eyes looked... offended by this information...

“How... How would you like to have your hoovesss done up properly?” Slithered out the slimy words.

Cream Puff looked up with hesitantly hopeful eyes. “Oh would Ah ever!” her ears fell. “But ah dun have the bits fer that...”

“Don’t worry about it, it’sss on me.” The creatures’ brow furrowed, its strange eyes looking down. “In fact, if any of your fffriendsss at the orphanage wants to come in to have their hoovesss done too... They're welcome to do ssso...”

“Oh... Well... Okay...” Cream Puff said looking a touch disappointed, a disappointment that melted away as she took the ferriering station next to the swirling mass of black tendrils. “That’s... awfully... kind of ya there, H.B.!”





Fluttershy nodded and much to Angel’s horror placed her bare hoof on the things ‘shoulder’ “That is very kind of you...”

“Or...” The Creature leaned more towards Fluttershy, its appendage covering up its many fanged mouth, tendrils curling around the mare’s ear... “Or I’m jussst compensssating for forgetting about cooking with Cream Puff and the guilt that comesss with it...” It whispered in a way that sent shivers down Angel’s spine.

“What was that?” The titular filly inquired as Thor Rush weakly wobbled his way back into the room, only to be distressed by the hoof presented to him.

“Sweet Princess Luna! Little Filly when was the last time-” The stallion’s inquiry was cut short by his sister’s hoof jutting to his lips and the stares of three very disapproving mares who were shaking their heads. “Oh... I mean... Well, I do love a challenge... Don’t worry, we’ll fix these up so well that you’ll swear that you’re trotting on clouds!”

“This... might take a little longer if you’re covering the filly. Are you sure you want to do that?” Val asked the squirmy black mass.

“It’sss fine...” It intoned looking at Fluttershy. “Though, if that’sss the cassse, maybe we ssshould inform Tire Ssspoke and Rainbow Dasssh about the change in plansss?” It asked.
> A Dragon Dreaming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 33


A Dragon Dreaming 



"Say what?!" The rainbow maned blue mare exasperated, throwing her forehooves forward while her wings flapped fretfully to keep her aloft. "What do you mean 'She's going to be a while'? I have to meet up with Lt. Fast n’ Fit for Wonderbolts Reserves training!"

Fluttershy pulled back from Rainbow Dash. "Well," she began, her front left hoof started dragging in small circles on some loose soil while avoiding direct eye contact. "It turns out that H.B. has super hard hooves... so hard in fact that the farrier had to get the file meant for crystal ponies," She gave her a hesitant glance, the once circling hoof now lightly tamping the ground. "And even that was barely doing anything..."

Rainbow Dash scowled and rubbed her face. "So... how long are we talking here? Cause... this-" She made a sweeping motion to a variable of obstacle course-like activities strewn in a somewhat haphazard manner throughout the park. "-this took me all morning to set up!"

"Oh..." Fluttershy covered her mouth pensively, taking in all that her friend had done in such a large period of invested time. "That is quite a ... lot of activities..."

"IIIII might have gone a little overboard... '' Dash admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "But! If we're looking out for Heartbr-"

"H.B.'s" Fluttershy corrected.

"What?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Her name is Heartbreak, but she likes to be called H.B." Fluttershy explained, her voice carrying an undercurrent of both exhaustion and irritation. She then flapped her wings, not only to get rid of a small bit of nervous energy but to also create a small breeze to fight the persistent heat.

"Alright, alright," Dash said, throwing her forehooves up in defense. "If we're looking out for H.B.'s health, we need to instill a good, solid exercise regiment! At least that's what the Wonderbolts’ Reserves’ Commander Lt. Fast n’ Fit says!"

"Well, I mean..." Fluttershy started.

"You want to show H.B. that you care about her, specifically her health, right?" Dash asked, dipping next to her friends’ side while still remaining aloft.

"Well... to be fair... I helped her recover when she was sick..." Fluttershy said, a touch of snip in her voice.

Rainbow crossed her forehooves before wiping a bit of sweat from her brow. "Yeah and that's great! I'm not saying that that's not something, but you want her to stay healthy, right?"

"Well, of course I do..."

"Then we need to get her on the right track! After all there's loads of health problems that an inactive pony can face: strangles, EPHV, colic, heaves, and even laminitis!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Fluttershy looked horrified at the mention of each affliction, but especially at the mention of the last one. "Oh... oh dear... That would be just awful! H.B. already has trouble with walking as it is!"

"Right!" Rainbow stopped mid-thought. "Wait, really?" she asked, incredulously.

"Oh yes," Fluttershy answered.

"Huh, I would have thought she would have gotten used to that by now..." The wide-eyed pegasus landed and tapped her chin in bemusement. "Good thing she's an earth pony and not a pegasus, otherwise we'd never be able to get her off the ground!" Dash joked.

"Rainbow Dash! How can you say something like that?! You know that H.B. is absolutely terrified of heights!" Fluttershy scowled before she shied back. “Sorry... it’s just... there’s been... well... I mean... sorry...”

“It’s fine... I... kinda forgot about how she got here... it feels like forever... But-” Shame crossed Rainbow's face and she rubbed the back of her head while her ears fell. "Ha... yeah, I guess that falling from-"

Fluttershy put a hoof over her mouth and made a quiet 'ssshing' sound as two ponies- a Mother and son- that she recognized as Orange Marmalade and Mars Orange came into view.

"-From a tree that tall and into a glass plane would give any pony a fear of heights!" Dash said uncomfortably as the citrusy ponies passed by.

Marmalade stopped, pulled her sunglasses down, and looked at the pale yellow pegasus. "Fluttershy!" She exclaimed with a sickeningly saccharine voice. "How have you been?" She covered her mouth fiending concern before that hoof entered far too close to the pegasus’ marginal and secondary coverts on her left wing. "Oh dear,” her tongue clicked and she smoothed her hoof over the appendage in an attempt to seem motherly. “I thought that spring molt was over for pegasi!"

Fluttershy ruffled her feathers and pulled away from the rather loud curly maned mare who smelled a little too strongly of burgamount and cloves. "Yes... it is..." she muttered, flapping her wings self consciously, a few loose feathers falling.

"Then you must be terribly stressed," Marmalade tsked, picking one of the said feathers up with her hoof, twirling it about, before discarding it to the stiflingly warm and humid, though barely felt summer breeze. "You should get yourself to the spa! Maybe that one handsome stallion is in and he can give you a full massage and a preenin'.." She grinned suggestively. "I know if I had the wing span I would most certainly let him preen-"

"Ahem!" Rainbow Dash interrupted, zipping to make eye contact with the interloper as she saw her friend growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Marmalade stopped in a way that suggested that the record of her brain had skipped and needed to be reset. "Oh, yes..." her hoof twirled in the air, grasping for something. "Rainbow... Th-rash... was it?" she asked, adjusting her large lemony yellow sun hat.

"Dash. Rainbow Dash," The pony snorted, her wings flicking and her ears pinning with hostility.

"Riiight..." Marmalade began, trying to keep her voice as syrupy as she could with such body language. "Rainbow Dash..."

"Yeah, do you need something? Because me and my friend-"

"My friend and I," Fluttershy quietly corrected. "Sorry..." she squeaked when Dash gave her a small glance.

"My friend and I..." Dash continued, her wing reflexively splaying out to highlight the obstacle course’s challenges. "Are kinda in the middle of something important. So, is there something you actually wanted or needed?" she asked, her nostrils momentarily flaring out.

"Oh, right." Marmalade put on her best face and smiled through the dander the tomcolt feather duster was blowing her direction. "Fluttershy, I was hoping to ask if you by chance have seen Heartbreak, and if you have, if you could ask her when she would be open to looking after my darling little Mars..."

"Uhm... well," Fluttershy began, fretfully as she was put on the spot. "I don't- I mean, I can't speak for H.B., but it might be a while before she can do anything like that, on account of her having been so sick recently..."

Marmalade's face crinkled. "Still? Surely if she's under your care she should be well enough to no longer be contagious anymore..."

"I mean... Everypony recovers at a different rate... but she might be able to... but she still seems to have a cough... and uhm... well... I..." Fluttershy waffled until Rainbow Dash came to the rescue.

"Look, if she sees H.B., she'll pass on your 'message'. In the meantime, we were having something of an important conversation going on here. Alright?"

Marmalade stifled a haughty harrumph and pulled out a drink that was sweating condensation from her saddlebags. She took a long noisy slurp from the straw in said drink before going back to address the ponies. "Alright, I suppose that would be much appreciated, Fluttershy..." she said, turning so sharply that her tail nearly whipped at Dash. "Mars, Sweetie, come along...I don't want you getting influenced by the feather collectors..." she muttered the last part not so subtly under her breath.

Rainbow Dash looked as if she was about to fly off the handle as Marmalade trotted away, her canter taking on an undeserved smugness. The only reason she didn't zip up to the intruding pony was that Fluttershy lifted a hoof and shook her head.

Just then, Mars trundled after his mother past the two mares, a container of bubble solution strapped to his saddlebags and a heart shaped bubble wand in between his teeth. Awkwardly, he spun around, cheerfully oblivious to anything the adults were talking about as he populated the area with bright iridescent soap bubbles.

"Hello, Mars," Fluttershy said in her kind hearted way. "How are you doing today?" she asked, as if she hadn't just had a rather distasteful interaction with his mother.

"Oh! Miss Fluttershy!" The tickled pink orange colt said, pausing from his activity. "I'm doing alright..." He swirled the wand in the bubble solution.

Fluttershy noticed a small bracelet with beads of blue, pink, and white was adorning his left forehoof. "That's a very nice bracelet you have there!" she said sweetly while giving him a small soft smile.

Mars stopped in his tracks, a bit of a blush touching his cheeks. "Uhm.. thanks... A... filly! A filly I know gave it to me..."

"That was awfully nice of her." Fluttershy replied.

"Mars! Get over here!!" Shouted Marmalade who had sat herself down between two mares, one apricot and one grape in hue.

"Ugh..." the colt grumbled, attempting some defiance by pretending not to hear his matriarch. "Is H.B. going to read for us again? I heard she got really sick..." he inquired, his voice giving pangs of genuine worry.

"She is getting better every day, but we'll see how she's feeling this Tuesday..." Fluttershy replied reassuringly.

"Oh, well, okay, cause I got the newest Danger Mare book, and though mom has read it, I really want H.B.-"

"Mars Bergamot Orange!" Marmalade shouted, pulling down her black sunglasses. "What did I just say?!"

"But mooooom!" Mars protested. "I was just-"

"Now little Mr!" His mother coldly countered, her friends giving disapproving stares.

Mars put the wand into the bubble solution before screwing the tubs' cap back on and stowing it in his blue saddlebags. "You have a nice day, Miss Fluttershy..." he sighed.

"You too, Mars," Fluttershy replied, sympathetically waving a hoof.

"Mars!"

"Coming, Mo-ther!" He trotted back grumbling something unintelligible under his breath.

Rainbow Dash shook herself from the transfixing spectacle she had bore witness to. "Wow. Fluttershy, I have no idea how you do that. Especially with what's been going on..."

"Do what?" Fluttershy cluelessly asked.

"Just be... that... nice. Even to her son." Rainbow Dash said, her wings ruffling. “Especially after she called us ‘feather collectors’ under her breath...”

"It's not his fault that his mother is..." Fluttershy paused as if to find the proper words, but when none came to her... "That way. Besides, maybe my small kind action will lead him down a better path. A little kindness usually goes a long way!"

Rainbow Dash looked around the park at the obstacle course she had set up for a certain currently absent broken hearted pony. "Yeah... usually."

"U-usually..." Fluttershy repeated, growing contemplative over the time spent with the tan mare.

"So! What do you think H.B. well say when she sees the awesome setup I laid out for her?" Rainbow Dash asked quickly to change gears as she saw her friend's mood beginning to spiral.

"Wha?" Fluttershy asked, turning away from those thoughts. "Well..."

Dash puffed herself up. "Cause there's no way that any pony could turn this down! She'll start by trotting six laps around the park, as many push-ups as she can by the swings, a short swim through three of the ponds, climb up the wall, swing off that rope, before sliding on this gravel right back in front of us all the while being timed!" She gave Fluttershy an expectant grin. "Well?! Honest opinion here."

"H-honestly?" Fluttershy stammered.

"Yeah! Honestly!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed puffed up with pride, as she polished her right hoof against her chest.

"It's a nice... obstacle course..." Fluttershy hesitantly began. "But..."

"But!?" Dash exclaimed, her puff deflating. "But what?"

"But H.B. was really hoping to just ride her bicycle..."

"Bicycle!?!"

Fluttershy nodded. "Bicycle."

"She wants to ride her bicycle?" Dash asked with a mix of disappointment and incredulousness.

"She wants to ride her bike," Fluttershy echoed, nodding.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her temples and then sighed a bit before throwing her forehooves forward, letting out a groan of frustration. "Do you think you could maybe change her mind?" She asked a Fluttershy that started out with a meek nod but soon turned to a sullen shaking of her head to a 'no'.

"H.B. really doesn't seem to like sudden changes," she said, ruminating over everything that happened. "She can be really..." Fluttershy paused, trying to think of the nicest way of putting it.

"Stubborn?" Rainbow Dash mad libbed.

"D-determined.." Fluttershy said with a reluctant smile.

Dash closed her eyes and sighed before stemming her forehooves and taking a deep breath, waiting a few seconds and letting go. "You know what? This can still work."

"You really think so?" Fluttershy asked hopefully. "You'll have time to meet up with Lt. Fast n Fit?"

"Yeah! Totally! I just need to make a few adjustments! Just leave it to me!" She said, ascending before zipping around the park.


==========


Twilight snorted herself awake, the embers of a dream scattering from her mind like silver fish that had been caught munching on priceless Canterlot tomes.

Quick and elusive and once caught, the effort only resulted in a mess that made it near impossible to form any coherent idea of what had just been scurrying about.

A piece of paper clung to the unicorn's face as she felt the maw of post slumber dehydration chewing at her head.

‘How many days have I been at this?’ She thought blowing at the errant loose leaf in an attempt to dislodge it.

As the text scrolled paper finally stopped clinging to her face, it gracefully fell and passed the books she had read. An advanced book that had information about Cutie Marks, Houy H. Nieghhnm’ Curious Cutie Mark Collection, and for some reason a copy of Stardust Gailmane's 'Everwhen' that was placed on top of the stack.

Twilight groggily hovered the graphic novel over to her while at the same time rubbing the sand from her eyes.

"I wonder what Heart- H.B." she corrected herself. "Come on, Twilight... It isn't that difficult to remember what your student likes to be called, right?"

As she asked herself that question, she felt a sort of... nostalgia about it... A strange emotion that felt familiar and yet out of place.

‘After all, didn't Princess Celestia once tell me that 'friendship was something that you couldn't learn from books'? Yet here my friends and I are, acting like teachers to a pony named Heartbreak...’ she thought to herself.

She frowned, the grog of sleep must still have been futzing with her feelings because after thinking that one thought she was met with a bitter taste over the whole situation.

Just then, the book in her grasp momentarily super l dipped down as she lost focus. Regaining that concentration, she hovered the rather unassuming looking title in front of her eyes.

"You know what?" she asked herself in a hushed tone looking over to see Spike restlessly turning in his sleep. "I'll have Spike deliver it to H.B. to let her know that I'm thinking of her..." She paused and considered her phrasing. "In a positive way..."

She grimaced at those other thoughts she had about the branded tan mare. They were crunchy, vexing, difficult thoughts that made her ears pin.

‘It would be so easy to maybe... use the Elements of Harmony and force the magic to bring her into, you know... harmony?,' suggested a whispering and intrusive thought.

Twilight bit her lower lip and shook her head. "Easier, maybe, but you don't know the unintended side effects that could have!" she told the thought in hopes of dispelling it.

Just then, Spike roused and turned on his little bed.

"Flutt.. wait... Twilli... where... Luna... don't go..." he whimpered and whined, his back leg kicking from what seemed to be the beginning of a panicked dream.





Twilight walked softly over to the dragon dreaming and lifted his blanket to retuck him in. "Spike... remember the Canterlot Gem Gardens?" she whispered in his ear frill.

Almost instantly, the baby dragon's frown turned upside-down.

"Mmmm... yeah..." he said in his sleep, a bit of drool dribbling on his chin. The sparkling many faceted and hued memories of the place seeped into his dreams. He licked his lips before pulling the blanket to a more comfortable position over himself and turning over. "Mmm... Come back my... sapphires... amethyst... oh... milky quartz! Garnetzzz," he muttered before going back into a deeper sleep.

Twilight could only giggle at the almost precious moment. These were the things she missed...

Just then she spotted her alarm clock next to her bed and an alarming realization plucked her out of the moment: because she had fallen asleep at her table, she had forgotten to set her alarm! It was 9:45 am and the train to the Crystal Empire was due to leave in fifteen minutes!

Grabbing a quill and a scrap of parchment, Twilight scribbled a haphazard message regarding 'Everwhen' book before teleporting downstairs to grab everything she needed.

"Uhm, let's see, notes? Check, supplemental reading? Check. A scarf?..." she paused and nodded. "It might be summer, but The Frozen North is called ‘The Frozen North’ for a reason, so check!" she cheerfully said, putting every object she had checked into her saddlebags.

She put the bags on and was just about to walk past the kitchen but had a sudden urge to stop.

"Do I really need anything from here?" she asked, tapping her chin. "There's sure to be snacks and drinks on the train, what could I possibly need from-"

Just then, from the sink that had possibly one too many dishes piled in it, which was something that Twilight would definitely be addressing with Spike at a later date, glistened the little dragon's sippy cup...

"The same sipping cup that he said he was going to wash," Twilight said, disapproving in her voice as she walked into the kitchen. "The same sipping cup that I was drinking from the night prior..."

She looked over the messy collection of dishes, silverware, plates, tumblers, and yes, that ever shining, almost gleaming sipping cup...

"Fetting sipping cup..." the purple unicorn practically growled.

Where did this anger come from? Was it the fact that Spike had failed to do what he said he would do or hadn't even the mind to soak it? The fact that her student almost died because of her small negligence on that one fateful April 1st?

Or was this frustration at herself and how honestly tempted she was with a particular, apt kinda gross, thought that kept fluttering around her brain, like a moth to a glowing lamp.

Twilight hovered the cup and shook it ever so slightly. The sound of liquid contained within sloshed adding to the forbidden desire that kept poking at the poor purple pony...

The magical aura was almost, like gravity, pulling the three holed spout to her trembling lips... but at the last moment, she lifted a hoof and blocked it from touching her mouth.

"Twilight Sparkle!" she chided herself in a voice none too dissimilar from her mother's. "Get a hold of yourself!! That-" she addressed the cup. “It has been out all night! Well, not all night, maybe three or four hours... but still!" she said putting it back in the sink.

Suddenly, the clock chimed that it was five minutes to the hour.

"Besides that, you don't have any time to debate yourself over something so mundane..." Twilight quietly adjusted her saddlebags and rushed out the library door.

All was quiet for half a minute after she had left... only for it to be broken by the kitchen window opening followed by a magical reddish colored aura nabbing the sipping cup, pulling it up and out said window before it partially closed.


===========


Heartbreak looked at Cream Puff. The filly looked as if she was going to serve her head braised along with potatoes and innings on a silver plate when she found her in the farriers, however, now she happily skipped and pranced beside her, overjoyed.

"Butter ma biscuits an call me gravy! That there Thor Rush really did ma hooves right!" she said, ponking into the air before skipping around Heartbreak.

Heartbreak seemed to be stifling a smile and a giggle over the filly's antics. "Well, " she began, acutely aware of her walking cycle as an expected crack almost caused her to trip. "I'm glad one of us is pleased with the results..."

"How come ya didn't know yet hooves were that hard?" Cream Puff asked, tilting her head at Heartbreak.

"Well, uhm, I... just never did..." she said, eyes wide at the stabbing question.

"Are all ponies from... uhm... Min... Minn... Minn-"

"Minneighsota," Heartbreak finished.

"Min-neigh-soder!" Cream Puff whickered. "Are all ponies from Min-neigh-soder hard hooved?" she asked.

"Uhm.. well, I don't know, up till now, I didn't have to ever think about my hooves all that much..." Heartbreak replied, her face scrunching at such pointed questions.

"Ah bet ya didn't hav' ta think about it an no other Min-neigh-soder pony had ta think about it, them y'all must hav' ta be all hard hooved an' Ah bet Ah know why that is!" Cream Puff exclaimed, momentarily admiring the shine on her hooves.

"Oh?" Heartbreak asked, watching the little filly as she sped to catch up with her.

"Ah bet it's cause of all the ice an’ snow an’ cold!" Cream Puff concluded. "It's done an’ stunted yer hoof growth!" The little filly was now practically dancing around the tan mare as the two of them kept making their way to the park.

"Huh, you might just have a good point there, Cream Puff..." Heartbreak said with a smirk and a side eye.

"Yeah! Though Ah'm all surprised that ya weren't more... uhm... fluffah when Ah first saw ya! Did ya do a big shed when ya first got ta Equestria or sumthan?"

"Uuuh... yeah, I sure did a sheddin' of somethin..." Heartbreak ruminated while tapping her chin.

"Say what?" Cream Puff asked, practically practically stopping in midair before gravity took over and gave her a tumble.

"Ope! Are you okay there?" Heartbreak asked, now concerned on whether or not she should help the little filly back up to her hooves, a deliberation that lasted only half a second was she offered Cream Puff a helping hoof.

"Ah, yeah, thanks!" Cream Puff beamed, pushing herself up on the perforated hoof.

Heartbreak made a face and looked at the spot where the filly had made contact with her. It appeared to be wet with sweat. "You must be doing quite the workout..." she commented, shaking the perspiration off.

"Heh... yeah... that ‘n it feels like it's gonna be a real scorcher taday!" Cream Puff wiped some lather off of her pole. "Feels like them there pegasus that are in charge of the weather have gone an set it ta 450 degrees an’ are trying ta bake our buns, huh?" she asked looking up at Heartbreak.

Heartbreak only blinked and shook her head. "Actually, it feels rather nice... so if they did, I wouldn't have noticed," she said, adjusting her saddlebags.

"Hmmmm," Cream Puff reared up and put her fetlock on Heartbreak's pole, before pulling her head down and placing her muzzle against the mare's forehead.

“Uhm, Cream... What’cha doin’?” Heartbreak asked bewilderedly.

“Checkin’ yer temperature of course!” Cream Puff said looking thoughtful. “Like ma momma always said: ‘A pony’s mouth is the most sensitive part!’”

“Huh...” Heartbreak said feeling more than a little awkward.

“An’ besides, Ah ain’t gonna go an’ checkin’ the other way!”

Heartbreak gave a distressed look at the little filly. “Uhm, yeah. Thank you for not doing that.”

“Hmmm, yer not feelin’ like ya have a fever...” She rubbed her hoof over Heartbreak’s head again. “If anythin’ ya feel a little... clammy? Lil’ cold?”

“We were in with the farrier for a while,” Heartbreak reasoned, before pulling away from the awkwardness. “Or I could be a little dehydrated, I didn’t have much of anything for breakfast other than tea...”

Just then, a pair of shutters opened up in front of Heartbreak and Cream Puff, from which popped out a familiar strawberry-colored filly.

“Did I hear somepony make mention of breakfast?” The bright eyed freckled pony asked, practically sticking her head out the window to the point where she almost lost balance. “Whoa! Oh! Mi-I mean, H.B.!”

“Oh! Hi... Strawberry Shakes?” Heartbreak asked nervously trying to place the face.

“Nah, I’m Sweets, Shakes is in the back setting up our first stock for our soon to be customers for the grand opening oooof!-” She pulled on a cord and unfurled an ornate strawberry themed sign. “The Strawberry Sweets’ Shake Shack!”

Heartbreak looked up at the sign. “Huh, you two actually did it,” she said, pushing up her glasses.

“That we did! We did like you suggested! We pooled our resources-” said Strawberry Sweets.

“Along with something from a mysterious donor...” Strawberry Shakes interjected, popping out from the back.

“Hush about that!” Strawberry Sweets said, giving a nervous cheeky little grin. “We were able to get our dream up and off the ground because you encouraged us to break away from our moms and do our own thing!”

“I just made a suggestion...” Heartbreak muttered, a flush splashing her cheeks as she rubbed the side of her neck with her forehoof.

“Being modest, are you?” Strawberry Sweets asked, winking and making a motion with her elbow. “You think that’ll get you a discount or free stuff?!”

“What?! No! No! I would nev-”

“Cause that would never work! What does get you free stuff is being our very first customer!” Strawberry Shakes shouted, throwing pink and white confetti shaped like strawberries, malted shakes, and little wrapped candies into the air.

Heartbreak snorted and whinnied involuntarily as the rain of little paper particulates paradied down on her face. “Oh... gee... Thanks...” she said, waggling her hooves across her muzzle before blowing some of it out of her mane.

Shakes giggled apologetically. “Sorry, got a little carried away there...”

Heartbreak recomposed herself. “It’s fine... it’s fine...” she said, dusting more pink and white off her sides and even her bike seat.

“And if you’re our first customer, you get your photograph on our ‘Strawberry Fields Forever Customer!’” Sweets announced, pulling another cord and revealing a large wall with square placeholders, each awaiting a potential face.

“This is all really... something girls...” Heartbreak admitted, spitting out a tiny paper strawberry. “But-”

The two little fillies face drooped in unison. “But...?”

“Uhm... you really don’t need to have all this to get me to buy something. We’re both already right here and we’re both pretty hungry,” Heartbreak turned her head. “Right, Cream Puff?”

Cream Puff jumped at the attention being brought back to her after having witnessed such a spectacle “Oh... yeah! Right!”

Sweets leaned on her shop’s counter. “So... What’ll ya have?” she asked.

Heartbreak pushed her glasses up and narrowed her eyes at the menu the two fillies had put together. “Uhm... What’cha got?” she asked.
> One Bad Rat
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 34



One Bad Rat


Angel had followed his Fluttershy to one of the local parks that were spread around Ponyville. The local scenery was picturesque, what with the fresh, dewy green grass, lovely bright fragrant wildflowers, and a cool, crisp, gemstone-like pond that was smack dab in the middle of it all.

Despite all that, despite the grass, the lovely weeping willow trees gently swaying, the delicate delectable daffodils, or the refreshing cool pond that he had just quenched himself from: Angel’s little bunny nerves refused to relax. After all; all his plans thus far had failed.

Watching from a distance, he could see his yellow pony talking with the loud, light blue pony with the many colored mane.

LIke always, that pony was wildly whizzing about the park, though currently she was attending to various paths and structures much like a doe would prepare her den for her on-coming, soon-to-be-expected litter of kits.

Frantic and more anxious than she usually was, Angel decided to hop closer to investigate what exactly it was that the flying rainbow was doing...

That’s when his fluffy white ears picked up a familiar chitter-wuffle from high in the trees... Looking up he spotted the beady little eyes of his least favorite rodent...

The Rat noticed that Angel had seen him and acted in accordance by clutching his little tail and woggling bemusedly.

“What rodenty thing is Angel Bunny up to now?” the Rat asked, a smug air of amusement from the safety of his tree branch hideaway. “Something that Fluttershy Pony might find of interest maybe?”

Angel’s face soured at the narrow faced vermin. “This is none of Rat’s business. I, Angel Bunny, am protecting my pony from a threat that, for some reason, she can not see.”

Rat scoffed. “Rat has seen Angel’s ‘monster’. They talked with a unicorn stallion with feathers and strange smelling staining liquids. Other than a mouse hole in the pony’s hoof and changing butt picture? She is not the threat that Angel Bunny makes her out to be and not a creature that the ponies need protection from.”

Angel momentarily gave the rodent a cockeyed glance. Normally this sort of talk would get to him, but this time, the little white bunny only crossed his little arms, smirked, and let his long ears sway in the hot summer breeze. “I, Angel Bunny, think that Rat would know nothing about protecting their pony from danger...”

Rat jumped up from his perch and grasped the branch while scowling at the rabbit. “Angel Bunny should not assume what I, Rat, knows or doesn’t know! For all Angel Bunny knows, Rat could be a most excellent caretaker! We rats are very empathic creatures despite what any species says!”

“Well, Rat is going to have to excuse, Me, Angel Bunny, for making such an assumption. Especially after a story involving a Rat and a small filly has entered his ears...” Angel paused for dramatic effect, and to judge the quivering of the rodent’s whiskers. “A filly named... Ruby Slippers.”

Rat’s whiskers stopped twitching and he jolted up.

“Ruby Slippers and her pet rat, Tippetarius...” Angel said, pretending to look at his claws while still actually judging the most minute of Rat’s movements...

Rat’s whiskers froze. “T-Tip-petarius?” He asked, his tiny rat fingers digging into the branch he was on. “N-never heard of them. Sounds like a pretentious rich pony’s pet.”

Angel turned smirking. “From what I, Angel Bunny, heard, little Ruby Slippers was pretentious...”

Rat recoiled and bit the bark of his branch. “Little ponies are not that way by themselves. Parents have influence...” he reasoned with Angel.

Angel continued. “What I, Angel Bunny, think Rat means is ‘spoil’, and Ruby Slippers was said to be very spoiled indeed!”

“S-spoiled?!” Rat’s expression soured and his little brow frowned, while his teeth chattered. “She wasn- could not be that spoiled! Rat thinks Angel Bunny is making things up!” he growled, whipping his tail.

“Oh, but it is true,” Angel said with mocking assertiveness. “For you, Rat see, when Ruby Slippers asked for a pet rat, despite her parents being so adverse to such a disgusting rodent in their nice clean home, they caved and purchased a rat for their daughter.”

Angel could now see the tooth grooves carved into the branch that the brown furred yellow eyed rodent was precariously sitting upon was making...

“Rats are none of those things! We are clean and intelligent animals!” Rat chuffed, bits of wood and bark falling from his perch.

“And cowardly...”

Rat stared shocked and frowned at the white rabbit down below. “We are not cowardly! We just know when the odds are not in our favor!” he contested.

“Well, that would explain why Tippetarius ran away when his filly Ruby Slippers fell ill to a burning red fever...” Angel coyly said, tapping a finger on his chin.

Rat pulled away his eyes wide and shifting. “I- Rat doesn’t understand w-what Angel B-Bunny m-mea-”

Just then, with a mighty thwump of the mighty rabbit hind foot, Rat lost his balance and came tumbling down from his perch with Angel towering over him.

“What Rat does not seem to get was that Tippetarius was the vector for this plague that his filly, Ruby Slippers, contracted...” Angel said, slightly bowing to be more at eye level. “Though, even if he was not... Ruby Slippers’ parents were still looking for a reason to rid their home of the pest... So, does Rat know what... Tippetarius did?”

Rat sat in silence for more than a few moments, his mouth open in fear, before he rapidly shook his head to break himself from the spell Angel seemingly had cast over him. “Of course not! Why would I, Rat, know that!?”

“Tippetarius ran away and abandoned his little Ruby Slippers...” Angel sneered, his black eyes narrowing and staring down into the rodent’s very soul.

“S-so w-wh-at!?” Rat stammered in a failed attempt to feign indifference.

Angel chuffed and rolled his eyes. “Is Rat defending Tip’s behavior of running away and leaving his filly all alone?”

Rat fought the urge to rear up, bear his teeth, and slash at the clearly larger creature before him. ‘That is what a wild rat would do, and I, Rat, cannot fall for whatever game this kniving long ear is playing at.’

“Of course not! One bad rat doesn’t mean all rats are like that!” came Rat’s fairly weak protest.

Angel smirked. “If Rat thinks that he can be better than that ‘one bad rat’...” He began before patronizingly patting him on the head. “Then good...” the bunny said, starting to hop away.

“Good!?” Rat squeaked in confusion, his ears folding as he stood up with an expression of absolute confusion aching through his body.

“Yes. Good. Rat would not want Fluttershy or worse, a potential pony would want Rat as a potential pet to be like that shameful Tippetarius Rat...” Angel looked back with the most innocently 'quizzical eyes. “Would he?” he asked with a sardonic grin.

“N-n-no...” Rat chitted, stammering back, the seeds of what Angel was hinting at quickly coming to bloom in his mind.

“Good. Now, Rat, I Angel Bunny must be hopping off in order to ensure that My pony is protected,” he said, before bounding away.

Rat sat there in silence for a few moments, shame and guilt must’ve been his last meal for they now sat heavy in the pit of his stomach.

Rat shook his head and frowned.

“Whatever Angel Bunny is up to, I Rat will find out...” he grumbled. Then he saw the white shape stand up and gaze in his direction... “From a safe distance...”


==========


Cream Puff happily skips next to me, her stomach full and her smile fuller. She’s once again humming some cheery jingle that sounds familiar but I can’t place it.

‘And even if you did, Heart- H.B.,. H.B. -who knows if it would be a direct ponification of said song?’ I feel the mass of the food, that despite being given to us in ‘test samples’, is sloshing in my stomach. “Maybe we shouldn’t have had so much before going to the park...” I say aloud, a small burp punctuating between my words.

Cream Puff... bless her, I’m thinking that I, because I have no other descriptor, am demonstrating her youthful ability to burn sugar and fat like a living conflagration. “Why’s that there, H.B.?” she asks exuberantly, licking crumbs from her little snoot and letting out a few of her own belches.

“Because...” I start, forcing air into my stomach and returning fire. “Rainbow-burp-Dash urp and Fluttershy -raap- are waiting for me burp! At the park, and I think lots of physical activity will be involved-” I finish by letting out a rather noxious, window rattling, strawberries and cream scented expulsion. “And my stomach is rather full.”

“Like yer pregnant?” Cream Puff asks, giggling.

I feel a cold chill in the pit of my stomach at the seemingly innocent, what I am sure was meant to be a joke, is accompanied with this is an uneasy wave of deja-vu. I decide to push those mashed feelings aside and opt to play what she just asked as a joke for me.

“I wouldn’t know, seeing that it’s never happened to me...” ‘and never will...’ I mentally add.

“It could happen one day!” she says this in a way too cheerful of a smile. She must be reading my body language because she quickly adds. “Ah mean when yer ready that is...”

‘Ugh... That is something I would not like to think about...’ My eyes dart around for a sharp change in subject as we enter- I look up at the sign- ‘Weeping Willow Woods Park and Recreation’. That’s when I spy with my clarified eyes something- someone... somepony orange...

A little orange colt blowing bubbles next to... ugh... Marmalade.

“Oh hey, isn’t that your gooood fffriend, Mars Orange?” There is a dash of sweetness and sarcasm tossed into my voice.

“Hmph... Ah wouldn’t call Mars an’ me ‘Friends’.” Cream Puff says, making air quotes with her hooves as she momentarily rears up.

I can’t believe the next words that want to come out of my mouth.

“He can’t be all bad...” Oooh, boy, the look she’s giving me could sour cream!

“You have met his mother, Marmalade, right?” Her little filly face screws up and her voice drips with incredulity.

“Aha- yeah, I’ve had the misfortune of-”

“There you are!” Interrupts a panicked sporty familiar voice! It’s one that’s accompanied with a streak of a quickly fading spectrum of colors and a breeze that I swear feels almost too warm for a few seconds.

When the rush of air passes and returns ;to a reasonable temperature, Rainbow Dash has landed right in front of me. Her eyes are wide and her normally smooth mane and tail seem a bit... frazzled.

“Yeah...” I reply, adjusting my glasses and steading myself on my bike from the whirlwind that Dash just sent our way. “Here we are...”

“Where were you?!”

“We were getting something to eat.” I keep my voice as calm as possible. One of my old defensive behaviors seems to want to assert itself today, it seems. “Why? Do you have somewhere to be?”

“We were at the grand openin’ of ‘The Strawberry Sweets Shakes Shack’!” Cream Puff interjects. “H.B. went an’ ate a lot of things!”

Rainbow Dash gives me this... quizzled? Glance before looking up and down at my side in a way that makes me feel... uncomfortable... like she’s judging me.

“How... often have you been eating sugary stuff?” Her hoof is moving towards my midsection.

“Excuse me?” As if on instinct, I flinch and jump back! After all, one wrong slip up, one wrong move and Dash could be the third pony whose hoof has met a terrible fate with the brands on my backside and will be given a case of ‘supernaturally induced sadness’... “Not too often. I’ve been having a... time keeping anything down for the past two weeks on account of being so sick.” Not that she was aware of any of that until yesterday... buuut I’m not going to say that out loud. “Why are you asking?”

“No reason...” she replies mealy mouthed. “Though it does look like you’re putting on a winter coat a bit early...” She says this in a mutter under her breath in a way that I’d imagine teenagers would use if they were making a sort of joke-not joke with their ‘friends’.

“What’s that s’posta 'mean?” I peer at her over the frames of my glasses before pushing them up. Rainbow almost goes to cover her mouth as if she was some little filly who had been saying a swear word or some shit.

“Nothing! I just think getting into a good exercise routine would be a good idea!”

“Ah think she just called ya fat, there, H.B.” Cream Puff says with her ear pinned back and that same milk curdling expression on her little face.


==========


Heartbreak’s eyes narrowed and she gave an angry snort as the gears in her head were grinding and sparking against something.

All the face twisting, ear pinning and unpinning, tail curling and near smoke emanating from her hind in tight little spirals ended in Heartbreak taking a deep breath before letting it out in an anti climatic, exasperated sigh.

“Ok...” Heartbreak said in a low tone of voice that was cloyingly sweet, yet passive aggressive.

Rainbow Dash gave an irritated glance to Cream Puff, but quickly looked away when she heard Heartbreak make an angry snort.

“I’m not saying that you are!” Dash began, trying her hardest to backpedal her words. “I’m just saying that you could... uhm... use some exercise! And I set up the perfect setup to whip you into shape!” she exclaimed, once more waving a hoof towards the series of obstacles scattered about the park.

Heartbreak looked past Rainbow Dash, her ears refusing to be unpinned, and now they were joined by a rather unpleasant scowl. “Fluttershy did tell you that I just wanted to ride my bicycle around, right?”

Rainbow felt disappointment and her ears drooped slightly, she gave a soft chuckle before attempting to regain her self assured composure. “Yeah, yeah, you want to ride your bicycle, but look at this! Doesn’t it look like an awesome challenge? Which would you rather do, beat my challenge for you or ride your bicycle?”

“I want to ride my bike...” Heartbreak said with an unimpressed stare.

“Really?” Dash asked, her face slumping even further. “I did just got done changing it after Fluttershy told me about the bike thing!”

“Yeah! Really! Why is that so hard to believe? I’ve just gotten over a-” Heartbreak felt the slime in the back of her throat trying to slither its way down into her lungs and she put her muzzle into the crook of her arm to cover up a few well placed forced coughs to keep the miscreant glob of mucus from setting up shop. “-a really bad set of illnesses... series of illnesses? Whatever! It was something really terrible, and I’m still trying to get back on my... hooves...” she said irritatedly once she recovered from the eviction of the unpleasant guest in her breathing.

“Oh, come on! I worked really hard on this!” Dash protested.

“I’m trying not to push it! I just want to do a little bike riding, get a bit of fresh air, maybe see where I’m at ‘health wise’ and then afterwards make something like pancakes or muffins with Cream Puff, like I promised!” Heartbreak exclaimed.

“Yeah... I’m sure you’d like to make more food...” Rainbow muttered.

“What was that?” Heartbreak asked, the irritation growing further present as the locks in her mane and tail curled making their return.

“Nothing! I mean, I’m your teacher too, right? I should have a say in what happens in these lessons too!” Rainbow spat out.

Heartbreak scoffed. “You have the nerve when you haven’t even- I mean I can’t believe- I,-” she threw her right hoof in the air and twirled it in exasperation. “Ugh! You know what You might be one of my teachers or caretakers-” Her eyes darted at Cream Puff and then back to Rainbow Dash. “Because I’m like an ambassador for Minneighsota and what have you, but I don’t have to take this sort of... attitude. I think I’ve experienced plenty of things that I could summarize and condense into a perfectly valid lesson!”

Rainbow Dash looked momentarily confused at all the information being thrown at her before snorting and rubbing her hoof across her face at the utter ridiculousness of how it sounded out loud. “Alright, whatever! You’ve been here for like what? Five months? And from what I’ve heard you’ve been outside for how long?! There’s so much to do! So much to see!”

“I’m not taking the backstreets...” Heartbreak referenced, rubbing her hoof against her temple and rolling her eyes.

“Say what?” Rainbow asked, her face going from frustration to befuddlement in ten seconds flat.

“Nothing, don’t worry about it. I just can’t believe that this has to be my first interaction with you in months...” Heartbreak groaned, rolling her eyes.

“Well, excuse me. It seems like you’re allergic to awesomeness and fun...” Dash scoffed.

“H.B. is a great reader an’ the stories she reads us colts an’ fillies at the library are more than awesome!” Cream Puff interjected, puffing herself up at the pegasus while trying to sound indigent at Rainbow’s accusation. “She’s tons of fun!”


Rainbow Dash looked Heartbreak up and down before appearing as she was going to say something, only for the tan mare’s face to scrunch up and her left hoof to shoot up in the air.

“Don’t. I don’t... Whatever. I’m not even the in mood to ride my bike anymore. Guess that cooking time with you is going to come a lot sooner, Cream Puff.” Heartbreak said, turning her bike around and starting back to the entrance of the Weeping Willow Wood park.

“Oh! What’s happening?!” Fluttershy asked, having finally trotted over to address the situation. “H.B., why are you leaving?”

Heartbreak frowned. “I’m leaving because, Rainbow Dash,-” she looked over her shoulder and gritted her teeth. “-thinks that I’m... fat... Which is unimportant by the way! That I can’t even do her little obstacle course and that I’m incapable of having fun!”

“I-I believe you can have fun...” Fluttershy said in a desperate bid to salvage the lesson that Rainbow had put so much effort in setting up.

Heartbreak's body froze and a subtle, yet visible twitch made its way from the top of her pole to the end of her tail. "You seriously think I can do this, Fluttershy?" She asked, her tone flat and her eyes expressionless. "And have fun while doing it?"

Fluttershy flinched and her wings flickered at the sudden change in tone coming from her student. "Of course I do..." she began.

Heartbreak stared into space, seemingly miles away before turning back with a forced smile. She took a deep breath and pedaled her bike back to the park. "Alright," she chimed. "If you believe I can have fun doing it, then I'll do it, but I better not hear another word from Dash about any ‘winter coats’..."


===========


Angel watched as the rainbow pony dived at the abomination, nearly colliding with it. 

Part of him hoped she would, then he would be rid of this demonic being. If any of the ponies could do it, it would be Rainbow Dash.

Yes, Fluttery was able to stare down one dragon and talk it down before convincing it to nest somewhere else, but Tank's pony actually physically kicked the dragon square in the jaw, or so he had heard- and any good bunny worth their carrots could respect a good sharp kick like the one he had heard described.

"That is, once Tank Tortoise had actually finally finished describing the event..." Angel muttered to himself, rising up to look around. "Where is he? If he knew the danger his pony is facing, he would maybe put in some effort to be here as quickly as he could!"

A chuckle almost escaped from his throat.

"The only reason that tortoise even had any speed was because of pony magic... Angel Bunny could easily ta-"

"Angel Bunny!" came the high pitched and loud, ferrety chittering of, well, a ferret that seemed to come out of nowhere, sending the little white bunny into a fitful tumble!

"Whoa!" The brown footed ferret hopped back. "I, Festivities Ferret, did not mean to startle! He swears! He has a full belly because of his pony, Joyful Jubilee!! Angel Bunny's pony Fluttershy did great job finding pony for Festivities Ferret!! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Angel righted himself up to look at the mustelidae and gave him a sniffing twitch, the familiar scent identifying him among the countless other ferrets his pony had homed. "Oh yes. Festivities Ferret. I, Angel Bunny, remember you." His heart rate and breathing calmed down as he was, for the moment, not focused on the creature. "Why is Festivities Ferret here? He's not hunting in the park?" the white fluff ball inquired.

"Oh by Rikki-tikki-tavi, no! Festivities Ferret maybe indeed a terrifying hunter, but as he said, his Joyful pony keeps his belly quite full! No, smelled Angel Bunny's scent in the wind, Festivities Ferret did, and sought him out to tell him fantastic news!!" they said, bounding about, his body twisting in near impossible ways.

Angel turned his attention away from the eye burning contortions of the ferret to check on his actual target... that horrid sharp toothed thing... They were seemingly walking away from the rainbow pony and his Fluttershy.

Confound the weasley distractor! He had clearly missed something unfolding!

"Can Angel Bunny guess what news Festivities Ferret has?!" he asked, trying to draw the rabbit's attention from whatever was obviously far less important than what he was going to say!

"... I, Angel Bunny, am uhm..." he admitted, his eyes narrowing as the thing paused and seemed to... spasm? Before turning around and getting on the bicycle it had dragged along with it. 'Is trying to impress the ponies around it? Or is it toying with them like a cat with a mouse!?'

Festivities Ferret waved a paw in front of the entranced Angel eyes. "Helloooo!?"

Angel shook his head and fought the urge to stomp and screech at the all too bright and bouncy ferret. "I, Angel Bunny, said that we did not know!"

Festivities tilted his head. "Not out loud, Angel Bunny did not... No matter! The news! Festivities Ferret's pony, Joyful Jubilee and their litter mate, Puzzle Box, are opening a place here! In Angel Bunny's ville of ponies!" he squeaked and chittered as he leapt and danced about!

Angel's eyes darted back and forth between the ridiculous antics of the ferret and the equally ridiculous antics of the monster attempting to ride on its bicycle. 'The little pony is offering it a helping hoof!! Such foolery!' he thought as he saw the wheels of the bike go round and round...

That's when the wheels in his own little bunny brain also went round and round and an idea formed... but how to implement this sinister scheme without being caught? After all, Festivities was right there and showed no signs of leaving anytime soon... He looked at the ferret and it struck him.

"Oh yes, that is fantastic news!" Angel shouted, clapping his little paws together and putting on an excited smile!

"I, Festivities Ferret know, right!? Joyful has promised that he shall wear his most fun suit! The one with the little hat, and the vest, and the green, and the shinies! Oh! The shinies!!"

"Why, this is such wonderful news, that I, Angel Bunny, think that the two of us should celibate with a game!" He quickly darted into the underbrush.

"A game?" Festivities Ferret asked, dooking curiously, his little clawed paws curled to his chest. "What kind of game?"

"A stick throwing game!" Angel exclaimed, returning with more than five nice looking solid sticks!

"A stick throwing game?" Festivities Ferret repeated, his head tilting even farther the other way.

"Yes! Yes!" Angel said with more excitement than he should have had. "See the gray square stones? Whoever can throw their stick the farthest part wins!"

Festivities blinked and looked confused. It wasn't like Angel to actively seek out play with other animals... 'Then again, Festivities Ferret has been gone many, many, many, many days...’ "Alright! I, Festivities Ferret accept! But Angel Bunny better watch out! We are stick throwing champions!"

Angel responded by rubbing his paws together and making a quiet chuffing chuckle...





> Watch Out For That Fluttershy!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 35


Watch out for that Fluttershy!


“Cream Puff, would you mind looking after my saddlebags?” I ask this with reluctance, because, well... She’s just a little filly and just like every backpack I’ve ever owned, from elementary school to high school and every job that I had after were, well... heavy.

Heavy with books both big and small. Pockets and pouches stuffed full of art supplies, brushes, paper, coloured pencils, pencil sharpeners, black ink pens, the works. Then there was the random... things I would find. Feathers, oddly shaped twigs, bits and bobs of metal, items that others have dropped and as always: rocks.

Like, so many rocks... Big, small, pebble, tiny. If there was a gravely place? I was sure to be bending down looking for that magic little translucent glow amongst the often gray and dull rabble.

‘Ugh, more rocks?’ her voice randomly giggles.

A flickering of a memory of Earth... of my home and... then she enters my head. We both loved the little rocks that I would always find, but she would give frustrated laughs at just how many I could easily find and where they would end up. In my pants pockets, in my desk, in my-

“Of course, H.B.!” Cream Puff says. She pulls me out of that memory and back to her standing next to me as the tan saddlebags slide off my back and onto hers. She lets out a bit of an ‘oof!’ before smiling brightly while her legs wobble about.

“You good?” Gotta make sure that she’s alright. She adjusts herself and nods, strained. “You know you don’t have to-”

“Nah! Ah got it! Ah’m good!” She’s puffing out her little chest and side eyeing Rainbow Dash.

I hate the word 'mount' when it comes to getting on a bicycle, but for the life of me I can't think of a better word to describe what I'm doing at the moment.

One leg over the midrail and push my... self up and onto the seat.

There's a familiar sense of uneasiness, something that switches to surprised anxiousness at the feeling of something grabbing at the bike's back end. Looking back there I see that it's Cream Puff giving a generous helping hoof to steady my balance.

“You don't have to do that, Cream Puff..." Don't go 'aww'! Don't go 'aww'! Fucking hell, it's really nice of her, but don't go 'aww-

Fet! Eyes forward H.B.! Eyes forward and on the sidewalk! I feel like I'm going to lose my balance!

Thankfully, the little filly lets out an 'Ope!' before she readjusts where she’s holding my bike while I push the pedals forward!!

"B-but... I'm glad you are..." I start easing into moving my back legs on this black beauty of a bike!

"Well, some pony has ta!" Cream Puff exclaims behind me. 

Right back leg up.

'What are you doing?' starts my inner monologue.

Left back leg down.

'You've got nothing to prove to Dash!'

Right back leg down...

'So what if she was implying you look... fat... that shouldn't bother you. Right?!'

Left back leg up!

'Is it because Fluttershy said that she believes that you can do this?'

Right back leg up!!

'Really, what does any of this have to do with learning about kindness!? Because Dash is 'kind' about worrying about your health?!'

Left back leg up! Stand a little! Put those front hooves in the oddly shaped handlebars!

'It doesn’t even make any sense. We’re teaching you kindness, so please run my super complicated obstacle course! All because she’s on this weird health nut kick?! At least that’s how it feels! I bet there’s some pony named ‘Cliff Bar’ involved or whatever! Seriously! You’re just getting over all the sicknesses! Don’t push yourself!'

Push those legs! Build up speed! Look behind me! Cream Puff is practically prancing in place over my swift movements!

Meanwhile, Fluttershy seems to be having a serious talk with Rainbow Dash. Over what? For some reason I can't really make out. They seem to be taking on loud whispering- Fet! 

Tire Spoke did a good job on my bike!

The chain feels freshly greased, the wheels are moving so freely! Even the seat feels more comfortable!

I ride down the pathway before me, but then I spot Mars Orange in the distance doing... something...

Colorful orbs are floating around him as he sticks some sort of... wait is that a...?

That's when a very uncommon thing pops into my head.

A bubbly little happy thought!

Why did it appear? I haven't a clue.

'Maybe it's because you're just tired of being sour, or maybe it's because of Fluttershy's unexpected support, or like Zandra from Zebragirl said ‘humans are precocious’, or you want to show up Rainbow Dash and her whole comment about being ‘allergic to fun’...' I look back at the two ponies, they're still having their talk and are completely clueless to how far I've gone in such a short span of time.

Only Cream Puff seems to notice, and is attempting to gallop the best she can with the combined weight of our saddlebags... she's not having an easy time of it.

'You really shouldn't be taking advantage of her like that, just like how you shouldn't be taking advantage of any of them like you are... especially Fluttershy. The lesson she gave you at the start of this was perfectly good enough, but then you had to go and make it all complicated! Heart-break it all up! So really, what are you doing!?'

"What am I doing?" I mutter. God, I let Goth Bunny talk way more than I usually do or even should. "Mars!" I need to get his attention if I want to pull off what this little Happy Thought is whispering in my ear. "Soap my hoof up!"

The little orange colt with green eyes and a reddish-orange mane sharply turns to see me careening towards him. His eyes widened with confusion and his ears dropped down as if I was coming to shatter his entire world.

I pull on my bike's brakes and, I'm not sure why I'm surprised, but Tire Spoke worked his magic on these too. I slow down without fully stopping, maintaining enough forward momentum to make gentle sharp circles around the colt.

I wave my perforated hoof at him so the hole is visible. He cringes before confusion returns to his face.

"Soap... me... up!" I repeat, pausing on each word as I encircle him, like, three times. To give him more of a clue, I point at the tub of soapy water next to him.

He blinks, and it takes a moment for the gears to start turning but then something clicks to what I'm asking of him.

"Oh!" He exclaims, lifting up the soap solution above his head, a bracelet with pink, blue, and white beads falling down his 'arm' from what I would call a 'wrist'. “Ok!”

This is a delicate act I'm trying to pull off here: dunking my hoof in sudsy water like some... one... pony... whatever, does to a cookie in milk, all the while, I'm attempting to maintain my balance like a wobbly top...

It's a creative endeavor.

It feels like quite the out of character moment and all for... who should we call this metaphysical, metaphorical, psychi-aform? Happy Thought, doing all of this because of one 'Happy Thought'.

I really hope she appreciates all the effort that I'm putting into it...

Lifting my hoof up out of the liquid, I raise it into the air and whip around Mars to recapture my speed!

At first, it feels like nothing is happening...

However, as I gain velocity, I can feel the cold breeze going through the drilled tube structure of my hoof. It's almost icy and feels like it'll nearly chill me to the core, but... I can feel it pushing the soap-water solution into a thin membrane and-

Pop! Pop! Pop!!

Spinning around, I, yet again, feel a far more out of character sensation leaning my throat upon the sight of these multi-colored iridescent floating spheres exiting my hoof. I am so taken aback by it, I hardly believe it's coming from me...

Laughter... or giggling? Whatever.

'Yeah, seems like you're exploring every Element of Harmony- But the one that you're meant to be learning about!’

Zipping past Cream Puff, I see her jumping at the bubbles as if she was trying to snatch them from the air with her mouth like a dog. A 'Cream Pup' if you will.

"Rainbow! Flutters! Look at what I'm doing!" I shout like some school filly trying to get their parents' attention. It would seem, like many parents, especially my own mother... I got a lukewarm reception.

"Oh wow, that's neat, H.B.!" Fluttershy shouts, well, the best I'd imagine her to shout.

"Yeah... that's awesome!" Rainbow chimes in, giving me a 'thumbs up' with her right wing. "But you know what would be more awesome?" She flaps her wings and 'hovers' while cupping her hooves near her mouth. "If you followed the obstacle course I made for you!!"

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy chides, her face crumpling up in exhausted irritation before she starts saying something that I can't make out due to the fact that I'm zipping away back towards the other end of the park, rainbow bubbles cheerfully decorating the drooping weeping willow trees.

'You see that!? Fluttershy nearly snapped at Dash! That is your doing!! You've stretched this whole lesson thing far too long!' Goth Bunny scolds.

Ignore. That's what I say to that as I whizz past an admiring Cream Puff and dunk my hoof into the soap solution that Mars has practically waiting for me.

'You can't keep this up forever! Fluttershy is going to have enough of it and break at you sooner or later! What are you going to do then?! Huh? What are you doing now!?’ Goth Bunny irritatingly repeats her question. At least one of those questions I have an answer to now.

"What am I doing?!" I mutter pulling my hoof out of the tub and raising it once again. "What am I doing?!" I repeat, closing my eyes, enjoying the sensation of the wind in my... mane. The wind in my mane.


"I'M HAVING FUN AND NOP-PONY CAN STOP ME!!!"






Just then, in that moment, I hear the sickening sound of the tight metallic twang of the spokes in my front tire getting hit by... something, followed by a sharp, jarring lurch as I'm sent flying over my handlebars. A more in character scream leaps out of my throat and one thought enters my brain. 

‘I like turtles!’

NO! What?! Come on! Seriously!?

'You just had to open your fetting mouth...'

Yeah... That’s better...


==========


Rat watched as Angel Bunny interacted with the weasel? No... Ferret. 

From the looks of things, the two seemed to share some kind of bond, but how or why... Rat had to confess that he did not understand.

The ferret spoke about his owner with such delight...

"Tip-" Rat stopped himself and gnawed down on the tree branch he had hid himself on. "No. Rat is Rat." He told himself. "Now where is the monster creature Angel Bunny keeps chittering about?"

Rat scanned the park that was populated by weeping willow trees. The summer sun was beaming down so hard that his body ached to abandon his perch and dive into the cool shaded deep blue pins that the trees drink from.

He shook his head and took out a refreshing berry from a knothole in the trunk of the tree. The squirrel that called this tree home would not mind if he borrowed something- granted that he replaced it in the near future.

Once quenched, he returned to playing the game of 'where's the monster?'

However, no matter how many times he searched in the direction that Angel Bunny's beady little black terror filled eyes were forced on... he just could not see what the rabbit was seeing! There was no monster. Only ponies. 

Then he saw her. The pony that he saw at the place with the staining inks and feathers.

In the bright sunlight, he could make out more details of this mare. 

Her coat reminded him of clay pottery used for plants. Their mane and tail was dark brown like loamy soil and it would make for the best of nests! When she turned her head, he caught a glimmering of soft blue eyes...

"How... just how could Angel Bunny think this pony was a monster?" He asked himself. "This can't possibly be the thing pretending to be a pony that that rabbit keeps muttering in his sleep about!"

"..." Rat paused, there was one thing that did seem off about her... "Yes, this is the same mare as Rat saw before... something is... different... but... what?"

The butt picture.

It was still a black broken heart... but Rat swore those cracks tilted more to the left...

Ponies always had butt pictures, but for the most part they were always of happy things or significant things or shiny things or at the very least fun things.

Rarely were they ever like what he was beholden to. Rarely like what adorned this pony's hind...

A heart blacker than any mousehole in the wall, with a white crack in the middle that was more jagged than any he had laid eyes upon.

Something about that mark was unsettling to be sure, but it was a far cry from anything Angel Bunny had been chattering his teeth about this past week.

The mare was leaning on a two wheeled bicycle while speaking to a cream colored pup of a pony that followed her. Both looked as if they had recently enjoyed a meal, and from the pungent aroma wafting on the summer breeze... flavors that were hinted at were strawberries, cream, caramel, chocolate, bread, and sugar galore!

Just as they entered the park, a blue blur dropped out of the sky and landed in front of them!

Rat could not make out the words being said, but the intensity and body language was more than enough to convey that the pony was unhappy with the pottery colored pony.

The two of them argued and the one with glasses turned on her bike, ears folded and her tail dragging on the ground...

Rat scampered in place on his branch. "Pony looks so sad..." he said, his teeth chittering. "Just as sad as..." Once again he shook himself from that memory that was desperately trying to surface.

Just then, Fluttershy arrived.

"If any pony can help make the broken heart feel better, it's the Fluttershy pony!" Rat assured himself. "... not that Rat would care." He reared up... his little paws held in front of him and his whiskers twitching. The yellow pony seemed to be pleading for something... However, the tan pony seemed to just be wanting to leave the park. "How much pain has the pony been through if not even Fluttershy pony's words cannot get through?" he asked, his whiskers drooping.

Suddenly and seemingly without warning, the tan pony asked something and Fluttershy responded with an affirmative. 

Just like that, it seemed a switch was turned in the sad pony, because she practically leapt onto her bike and began riding around!

"Oh, what fun!" Rat chirped, a part of him wondering what it would be like to be nestled in that messy brown mane with the small white streak in it. “Fluttershy pony can always can help!”

He looked over at Fluttershy and his ears slumped... Her expression and body language were so hostile to the blue pony that he could not believe that they were coming from the yellow mare!

The tan pony must have seen this also, for she was zooming around them like a pup needling his mother for attention!

The tan pony quicker than Rat could comprehend flew over to the other side of the park, encircling a small orange pony pup and dipping her hoof in... something?

Wonder the Rat did not have to for long, as a stream of... bubbles!? Bubbles began to flow from the pony's hoof after she had raised it high in the air!

Rat clasped his head with his paws with bewilderment and wonder!

"How?! How is that pony doing that!?"

As the tan pony sped around the park, that memory that Rat has been holding back for so long finally broke the surface!

Another time, another place, a little filly upon her own basketed bicycle racing about. She too had a tan-ish coat, perhaps a shade darker than this mare, with a mane that was perhaps not as dark or messy.

Rat watched as the pony before him, a pony that not too long ago seemed to spill sadness and pain was... laughing and giggling in perhaps a... less than natural way... but laughing and giggling as bubbles flew out of their hoof nevertheless!

"I'm havin' fun and nop-pony's gonna stop me!" she squealed after making another pass at the orange colt with the bubble tub. 

That's when he heard a clitter clatter sound of wooden sticks tittering against a flat stone surface...

Looking in the direction of the sound he saw exactly that: a wooden stick being flung so that it would hit the concrete sidewalk before it bounced and landed in the grass near a collection of five or six more such sticks...

He turned to the source of this miscreant stick throwing and much to his shock there was Angel Bunny and the ferret!

Before Rat could even address his anger at the both of them, Angel with all too much gleeful fever egged the ferret to throw another stick by shouting at the top of his little lapine lungs.

"THROW IT NOW!!!"

Rat's head quickly turned to see the broken heart pony barreling at top speed in the path of the flying stick...

He could not even react before the stick sailed to meet the front wheel and everything seemed to flow as if it were made of cold honey...

"RUBY!" Came the ushered shriek from the Rat's throat... "Look out!"

A cry and warning that came far too late. 


=========


I’m saaaaailing over my handlebars... Fuck! Not the time for jokes, Brain!

... Especially ones that end with me getting a song stuck in my head...

All jokes aside, I am finding myself suddenly and without warning, like the song said, flying over my handlebars!

I attempt to hold on to the bike, but alas, my cursed hooves cannot grip onto it!

Like slipping the earthly bounds or Equis bonds, I’m tumbling through the air as if I did not have a care. Everything around me is moving as if it were stuck or made of near freezing molasses...

Details that, not even I might have noticed are coming to me in sharp view...

Cream Puff’s dancing continues for half a second before her ears fall and her little trot turns to a full on gallop, somewhere in all that she sheds our saddlebags. It takes me a moment to realize that she’s shouting to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

Mars Orange’s bubble tub falls from his hooves and clatters to the ground, ushering forth a frothy spray, he too seems to be hastening in my direction.

In a tree not too far from this spot there’s a little brown rat with golden yellow eyes overlooking this whole mess unfolding. His mouth is open and shrieking in fear...

Most likely over the sight of me... Even while I’m careening towards Luna knows what, I’m not free of those faery curses... I mean, the fact that I couldn’t even ‘grasp’ onto my bike should’ve been enough to clue me in on that one.

Just then, I see the end of the path of my trajectory... The largest, and only oak tree growing in this park.

An... Oak... Tree... Like the Great Oaks Library...

Suddenly, the day light flashes to night and the summer air takes on a spring chill. A few feet off the ground turns into miles in the air and I’m reliving the night of my entry into Equestria!

The tree! The sound of branches and leaves breaking and swatting me in the face!

The glass! The shattering of glass playing in my ears!

The blood! Flashes of red dripping down my foreleg as the panic of discovering my newly behooved form!

It’s not real! Get a hold of your-

The tree! CRUNCH-SNAP! The glass! CLATTER-SHATTER! The blood! SCREAMING-DRIPPING!!

Calm down! It’s not-

THE TREE! THE GLASS!! THE BLOOD!! THE PAIN!!!

There’s a sound that’s coming from somewhere that I recognize but for the life of me I can’t figure- Oh wait...

It’s me. That noise is me. It’s me screaming. I know I was screaming, but now it’s an even more high pitched, piercing, terrified scream. Yeah... Yeah, that’s a more ‘Heartbreak’ noise rather than the giggling and laughter that-

Oh fuck, that tree is getting closer and my arms... Well all of my legs are frantically trying to flail about to figure out what would be the best way to brace myself for the inevitable impact.

Just them, the air is nearly knocked out of me as I feel two things... wait, two light blue hooves grab me by my mid section! A flash of red, orange, yellow, blue, and purple enters my vision in the form of ... horse hair? It’s a mane. I’m looking at a mane!

It’s Rainbow Dash to the rescue! She’s caught me just in time! I’m saved! I’m sa-



*CrAcK!!!*


It would seem that she wasn’t quick enough to prevent my left hoof from crumpling against the bark of that very solid oak tree! From that shooting sensation going up my left arm-slash-left foreleg, it would seem that my... favorite metaphorical/metaphysical/psyform p-OH-ny P-AAiNNNGH! Hurtzalot- AkA!!! The PAiN PoN-EEE! Is shAAking Meee bY tHe ‘wRiSt’?!
It sEEEms thAAAt shEEE’s gloOOMMmp-EEEIng onto thAAAt leg for AAA full on hug...
> Running into a Brick Wall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 36



Running into a Brick Wall


The ear piercing scream emanating from Heartbreak’s mouth shattered every soap bubble in the bright and sunny park like the many Hearth’s Warming baubles on the tree when an all too curious cat or little foal had become far too enamored by the sparkly display and just had to touch the shiny!

Heartbreak was being held awkwardly aloft by a struggling Rainbow Dash who could only protect her delicate hearing from the bansheep-like cries of agony by pinning her ears back. “Geez! You’re heavier than you look!” she said, grunting and keeping her head turned away from the pain emitting noise hole.

Heartbreak snorted and gritted her teeth. “Put me the fet down!” she growled, her mane and tail writhing about.

“Alright! Geez! No need to get your tail in a...” Dash paused, due to the fact that Heartbreak’s tail was trying to coil around her back leg! “Twist! Hey! Knock that off!”

Heartbreak found herself suddenly being dropped to the ground before letting out a sharp yelping sound as the only thing keeping her from greeting earth was her tail latching on to Rainbow Dash!

“Hey!” Dash cried out. “Let go!”

“What are you talking about?!” Heartbreak’s pain tainted voice shouted back.

“Oh! Oh! Let me help!” Fluttershy exclaimed, wickering and prancing in place before hovering a few feet off the ground to take a hold of her student.

Just as if on cue, Heartbreak’s tail uncoiled, sending the tan mare careening into a startled, not quite pillow of pink and yellow.

Heartbreak let out a cry that was not too dissimilar to a yelping dog and a pained horse, after which came a stream of obscenities.

“Mother fetting fettity fet fet fet! WHINNNY!!! Of all the fetting!! Fettity son of a fetting bisket! *Angry horse noises!*”

Cream Puff now having just trotted over covered her mouth in shock. “Ya... ok there H.B.?” She asked, her ears drooping as she approached with caution.

“Fiiine... I’m. Just. Fine!” She cried out, right before Fluttershy set her down as gently on the ground as she could. However, once all four hooves were touching green, it was quite clear to every pony present that H.B. was very much not ‘just fine’.

The moment her left forehoof met with the grass below, a terrible shutter, an awful tremor coursed its way up the appendage and traveled through her body from tip to tail.

Out of some sort of instinct, the hoof jumped into the air! This however only served to exacerbate the pain even further!

Heartbreak once more found a torrent of angry horse sounds flowing from her mouth as her eyes shut tightly, and her hind legs seemed to be fighting the urge to kick upwards!

Marmalade, who had trotted over to see the commotion, covered her son’s ears as the two other mares that were with her joined her in expressions of shock over the primal obscenities being thrown into the sky.

The grapey mare clutched the cluster of purple pearls around her neck. “My goodness! Can’t you see that there are foals present” she chided.

“Such language in a public space! Very unladylike!” scolded the apricot mare.

“Now, girls, Fox Grape, Floragold,” Marmalade began, her hooves being pushed away by a frowning Mars. “I’m sure that Miss Heartbreak has a reason for polluting our air with such...” she paused. “Vulgar profanity...”

“Yes!” Heartbreak snapped, her body fighting the urge to convulse. “I’m in Excruciating PAIN!”

The three mares glanced at the quivering hoof that Heartbreak held aloft skeptically.

“Well, nothing is poking the skin, so it can’t be that serious...” Fox said dismissively.

“Surely there would be a sharp bend somewhere if something was actually broken...” Floragold said dubiously.

“From where we were sitting, you barely came into contact with that tree before...” Marmalade looked over her sunglasses. “Rainbow Dash came to your rescue! Are you sure you aren’t just being dramatic?”

“I hate to agree with them, but how hard did you hit that tree?” Dash asked Heartbreak with a clear side eye.

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy exclaimed, shocked at her friend.

“Ex-cuse me Dash?!” Heartbreak snorted before wincing and taking a sharp breath in. “You did hear the CrAcK, right?! You were right there!”

“That could have been a branch snapping!” Rainbow retorted defensively.

Just as Heartbreak looked as if she was going to go off on Dash, Pinkie Pie flashed onto the scene accompanied by two new faces!

“Fluttershy! Dashie! H.B.!? What’s going on?! My tail was twitch-a-twitching, followed by a horrible forehoof shake-a-shake, and some really violent ear twisting, which usually means that some pony has suffered a fracture in their leg!” she exclaimed. “And that is just noooo good!”

Heartbreak’s ears pinned back at the sudden intrusion of the loud, bombastic pink party pony’s prattle. “Grrreat to know, Pinkie!” she said through gritted teeth while still holding her hoof up, before testing it on the ground only for it to jump again sending the tan mare into whimpering fits.

“Festivities?!” called out the near magenta, pink-ish, mare dressed up in a dress that was decorated in a myriad of dice, dominoes, and card suits. Adorning her ears, purply-pink mane, and neck was odd game piece themed jewelry. She clasped her hooves over her mouth, her cerulean blue eyes full of fright. “Fest-Tiv-Ities! Momma Joyful has nom-noms!”

Heartbreak once more winched and fought the urge to cover her ears as that would only bring more pain...

“Oh... I’m sorry. Was I being too loud?” My name is Joyful Jubilation!” She offered a friendly hoof to shake. “You haven’t happened to see a ferret scampering about have you?” She was greeted with a less than enthusiastic glare from the tan mare.

“Joyful, can you not see that she’s not in the best of spirits?” An even toned dirty green stallion asked, pushing the only stripe of white in his jet black mane out of his face. “I need a trim, Joyful, remind me of that when we get to Ponyville.” He looked back at Heartbreak. “Based on her posture and angusted expression, one can easily deduce that this is the pony who has suffered the traumatic event that Pinkie Pie was speaking of...”

“And just who might you be?” asked the apricot jam colored mare in an almost accusatory tone.

“I’m Puzzle Box. Co-owner of P.B. and J.J.’s Puzzles and Games Emporium and riddler of minor mysteries...” he said flatly.

“Then you’re obviously not a doctor,” Marmalade scoffed.

“No, I am not,” Puzzle Box replied just as flat as before, only this time his head was lowered to the level that Heartbreak was holding her hoof to. He glanced up at her with orange-gold eyes. ”May I look?” he asked with an odd mix of indifference and mild fascination.

Heartbreak gave a troubled glare and a harsh snort.

“You’ll have to forgive her...” Fluttershy said, trying to place herself between Heartbreak and the three aggressive mares. “She’s not very trusting of new ponies...”

“Especially sstallionsss...” Heartbreak muttered under her breath, all while doing her best to hold her balance.

Puzzle Box’s expression blanked for a moment as if he was attempting to quizzel out a riddle. “Oh...” He finally said. “Rest assured, I have no interest in any part of you other than what’s going on here.” he said very neutrally. “I also promise to be as gentle as I possibly can.”

Marmalade giggled. “That’s what they all say, isn’t it girls?” her two friends joined with a light chortle. However, they all only received glares from the eight others gathered. “Humph, tough crowd...” she muttered. “I don’t see what the big deal is she’s obviously-”

“Suffering from a fracture of some kind,” Puzzle Box interrupted like a skilled surgeon with a scalpel.

Cream Puff tilted her head. “Really? Beggin’ yer pardon, but how can ya tell?”

Puzzle Box eyed Heartbreak’s forehooves. “There’s a... three degree aberration in the line of this leg compared to the other one...” He tapped his chin.

“I am so glad we've figured out that I'm- and I don't know why this is even a thing- not faking an injury! Now can we please, for the love of Luna, stop chewing the bit and actually do something about the pain I'm in!?" Heartbreak whinged, being past the verge of tears.

"I would suggest immediate medical assistance?" Puzzle Box said.

Joyful stopped her ferret friend fetch quest and applied a hoof to her face. “Puz, there's some medical supplies in the wagon?”

"Yes. There are." Puzzle replied.

"You should go get them, " Joyful said, nudging him.

"Oh, yes. I will go get them," he said, turning and trotting back to the carriage.

Heartbreak winced and whimpered, all the while, Marmalade and her friends gave questioning looks. Fox Grape was giggling while whispering something.

It didn’t take long for Puzzle Box to return with a medical kit, some sticks, and a few long puzzle pieces that looked like they would make a good splint in a pinch.

"Can you please straighten your leg?” Puzzle Box asked.

“Y-yeah! S-s-sure!” Heartbreak said through clenched teeth, pushing her foreleg out straight with much difficulty.

With Fluttershy’s assistance, Puzzle Box placed the various sticks and game pieces parallel to Heartbreaks’ leg and began the process of wrapping it up before finishing it up with some decorative duct tape to hold everything in place.

“There. That should be good for... a little while.” He looked up at Heartbreak. “You should get to the hospital... really fast.”

"I got this!" Rainbow said, hovering above Heartbreak and looking as if she was about to pluck her up off the ground.

Heartbreak ducked and pulled away from the pegasus. "And just what do you think you're doing?"

"What did it look like?" Dash asked, confused. "I'm gonna fly you there! After all, I am Equestria's fastest flier!" she puffed her chest and pridefully proclaimed.

The color suddenly drained from Heartbreak's face and the sparkle fled her eyes as her pupils constricted.

"Nope," she asserted, slinking further away.

"What? Are you going to try riding your bike?" Rainbow asked, motioning her forehooves to the distorted front wheel. "Cause that might be-" She tried for a surprise mid sentence to once again, liberate Heartbreak from her earthy bounds.

"NNNOPE!" Heartbreak shouted out, falling to her right side, all four hooves in the air. 

"Oh! Come on! Stop being a little filly and just let me-" Dash tried swooping down!

Heartbreak quickly tottered over and pronged back to all fours out of Dash's reach. This of course caused a shock of pain through her body and across her face! "NO! DaSheee! No MoRe fffly-eeing today!" she panted out.

Cream Puff and Fluttershy almost instantly came to the panicking pony's side, the one without the makeshift splint, to offer a comforting hoof and a possible way to pull H.B. from the edge of the whirling panic attack that threatened to make this situation at least twenty percent worse.

"It’s all right H.B.," Fluttershy began in the most soothing voice she could conjure. "You don't have to fly if you don't want..."

"Y-yeah... no... no more flying... d-don't-dont wanna fly..." Heartbreak stammered, shaking her head while looking at the ground with a thousand trot stare. “No... no fly...”

As Cream Puff lightly hugged her favorite mare's front right leg, she couldn't help but feel so helpless. That's when she spied what looked like a dartboard peeking between drooping branches of the weeping willow trees.

"Missus Jubilee-jubilation?"

"Yes, little filly?"

"Y’all said that ya got yerselves a wagon?"

"Well, yes, we're moving our games and puzzles to our new location! It’s a perfect little local too! Right across the way from this delightful looking little tea shop!" Joyful suddenly caught onto what the cream colored filly might be asking her next. "But we hardly have room for ourselves, let alone another pony..."

"We might be able to squeeze her in under the box games, where Submarenia and Apologies are, between the O'n'O core books and Oligopony. That space is vaguely pony shaped," Puzzle Box mused tapping his chin while looking at the sky.

"Puz, we're not cramming-" Joyful stopped and blinked, looking lost for a moment. "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name..."

"I haven't given it to you yet," the agonizing mare said, trying to control her breathing. "My name is Heartbreak, please call me H.B." she managed to say more than a little exasperated at this point.

"Oh.. Heartbreak... I mean, H.B..." Joyful awkwardly corrected herself. "She must be the one that Pinkie Pie was talking about!" She exclaimed, turning to the chalky mint green stallion.

"Hmm, yes..." Puzzle Box replied, looking Heartbreak up and down. "She does indeed match what Pinkie Pie illustrated in both appearance and temperament..."

Heartbreak gave a confused, inquiring side eye to pinkdinious pieacus promoidois who could only awkwardly giggle and squee in an attempt to quell any notions that she had said anything damaging.

"Anyway, " Joyful rewound her train of thought. "We're not going to crane H.B. into a vaguely pony shaped hole surrounded by a mess. If only we had more room..."

"Well, I-" Marmalade began, only to be abruptly interrupted by a bright pink blur!

"Oh! Oh! I have an idea!" Pinkie exclaimed before raising Rainbow Dash's front hoof. "Dashie and I could take some of your games and puzzles to your shop! That way, you could have space for H.B. and she also gets to make up for all the terrible things that have happened, resulting in H.B. crashing into that tree!"

"Hey! It wasn't my fault that happened!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.


=========


"And then what happened?" asked a massive maroon mare as she pushed her brick red mane out of her captivated cement gray eyes.

"Well, Brick House..." Heartbreak sighed. "I think Fluttershy 'asked' Rainbow if she could do it for her because as she put it 'it would mean so much to me if she would 'do this Dash'" 

"Uh..." Brick House scratched the mop of a mane atop her head. "I don't know, I'm not always good with... knowing stuff, but Fluttershy sounded... well, stressed? Upset?"

Heartbreak looked down. "Yeah, I guess you're right, B.H." she chewed on her lower lip before staring at the makeshift splint cobbled from sticks, long pieces of a wooden puzzle, and rather colorful duct tape that was adorned with the emblems of playing cards: hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, and blue moons- with all the little red hearts having jagged cracks drawn into them.

“Uhm... how did you get that?” Brick House asked, sensing the negativity coming off her friend. “And why are all the hearts... wait... uhm...” she pointed at every spot the shape appeared. “Broken... broken... broken... broken! Yup! All broken... They didn’t come like that, did they?”

“Oh, no. I got bored on the way here, so to occupy myself, I took out a white gem pen and drew them in, as a way to occupy myself from all the pain,” Heartbreak explained. “As to how I got this, Puzzle and Joyful put it together from their med kit and what they had on h-h-oof.”

“Oooh...” Brick House nodded, shifting her massive frame on the less than adequate hospital waiting benches. “Oh! Was f-fes-fest-” She snorted and shook her head. “J.J.'s pet ok?”

 “Ha... If you mean ‘did she find him’? Then yes.” Heartbreak replied. “As far as ‘ok’? Well, I’m not a ferret expert but he looked rather... I wanna say... haunted? Fretful?” She shook her head and proceeded pretending that her left foreleg was made of the wood that, for the moment, was holding it in place. “Then again, that might be because he caught sight of me...”

“Why would any animal be scared of you?” Brick House asked, her head tilting to her left.

Heartbreak bit her lower lip. “Oh... cauuuse... I’m a stranger! Yeah... You know how animals are around strangers. Little Festivities was even doing that thing that ferrets do with their owner when they want to lead them somewhere, gently nipping Joyful’s ear and trying to tug her along to places that a pony can’t obviously fit!”

Brick House’s whole back end slipped off the waiting bench and ungracefully hit the floor! “I... wouldn’t know no nothing about things like that...” she said, her low voice sounding embittered.

“Eee... ffa...hah...” Heartbreak awkwardly garbled out. “My bad, B.H. I wasn’t thinking about your... uhm... size when I said that and didn’t mean to-”

Brick House waved her hoof almost dismissively. “Pffff! It’s ok, H.B.! I’m not bothered... cause...” she lifted up the mop of a forelock from her eyes that now sparkled with mischief. “I’ve got a secret... a secret way to be small!” she said in a hushed tone through an impish grin.

“O-oh?” Heartbreak raised an eyebrow as she fought a chorkle in her voice. “You got a secret spell or something?”

“Nooo,” Brick House said, shaking her head, before tapping her chin. “Well... maybe?” she suddenly bowed in excitement like an oversized dog all too ready for playtime. “Do you wanna see? Do you wanna see?!”

Heartbreak pulled back a little, trying to keep her hoof steady. “Eep!” she squeaked.

“Oh! I’m sorry, H.B...” Brick House apologized, trying to steady the bench.

“It’s okay, B.H.” Heartbreak said through a tense but soft voice. Once she felt she was stable, she pushed up her glasses. “Yes. I would like to see.”

Brick House let out a high, or at least for a pony her size, excited squeal before turning and nosing open her sandalwood colored saddleback. From the cement, sawdust, and various detritus covered depths she pulled out a sketchbook!

Heartbreak did a double take. “I... didn’t know that you drew there, B.H...” she said.

“Oh.. no... I’m no good at that...” Brick House said with a lamenting chuckle. “Nooo, but there are ponies at the...” She looked around and lifted a hoof near her mouth as if to cover a supersecret secret. “Hu-mare con...” she said in a hushed tone. “That did, an’ I gave them bits to draw my char-char-ca-... my ‘sona’!”

“Oh?” Heartbreak looked at the cover of the sketchbook as it was offered to her. She grimaced and sighed.

“Something wrong? You don’t wanna-”

“I do!” Heartbreak insisted. “It’s just... I have a hoof condition that keeps me from picking things up with said hooves, and now with this one in a splint...”

“Oh... OH! Let me! Let me!” Brick House said, reaching over and opening the book to several colorful pages filled with drawings of a single character. “Here she is! Little Seer!”

Heartbreak blinked at the very small, short, almost spiky red haired ‘hu’sona’ presented to her with a bit of recognition in her eyes. “Oh, wow. Uhm... These are really good. I like the splashes of color in her ‘mane’ and hey! Rounded ears!”

“Uuuuhm! At the con when you were talking about that, I de-side-ed that I wanted to see them on her!” Brick House exclaimed, with an air of pride. “You no-no-not-”

“Notice anything?” Heartbreak finished for Brick who was now sheepishly nodding. “Uhm... She’s really... small?”


=========


Once again, I think Equestria is fucking with me. Though it could just be pure coincidence that Brick House’s ‘Hu’sona’ looks like my former...

No...

I don’t wanna call them that... The partner who I was so callously ripped away from?

Sure, she was Dave’s ‘wife’ at the time, but she wanted out of the abusive relationship and... fet. Locks, this is like the second time this day within the hour!- That I’ve been reminded of that night and everything I’ve-

“H.B.?” Brick House’s voice shatters the window of my mind like... well... a brick.

“Huh?! Small!” My voice leaps out of my throat and my ‘arm’ once again sends me shooting pains!

“You... .you alright, H.B.?” the gentle giant of a mare asks me. “Cause you kind of... looked... uhm...”

“Lost?” Fuck. Now’s not the time to have a panic attack Heartb- H.B. Apologize to Brick and try to be in this moment! “I... I guess nearly crashing into that tree shook me up more than I realized. Anyway! Yeah! Seer looks very small, or at least that’s the impression I’m getting from the oversized clothes... The massive tea cup and the pencil that she can barely hold really sell that idea!”

Brick smiles and nods. “Eeyup!” she gives a wistful sigh. “Just like when I was that small!”

“Baah?” I have to do a mental check to make sure that I heard this red hulk of a pony right. “I-wait... you’re saying that you were-” I point to the drawing on the page. “This small?”

Brick taps her chin, the gears in her head pushing to turn. “Well...” she lifts her forehooves and places them maybe a kittens’ length apart. Her tongue sticks out a while she’s figuring this out in her head. “Maaaybe this big? Daddy said that I could fit on the frog of his hoof, an’ momma said that she barely had to give me a push! She also said that ‘if it weren’t for her cra-cra-cravings! She might had not known she was expectin’!”

The mental image of all that hits me like a ton of bricks, pun very much intended. A ton of micro-brick foals.

“Uhm... well... hmmm.” That’s the best you can come up with?!

“Gooo on...” Brick House cranes her neck down to meet my gaze. “Say it...” she has this bemused-expectant look in her eyes.

“Say... what?”

“It’s ok to ask...” She blows her forelock out of her eyes. “How...”

It takes me a solid second to get where she’s going here.

“How... did you get so... big?” I almost cower in asking this. I might be wrong but there’s a... something that you’d think I, of all pon- beings. Beings would recognize more.

Brick House waggles her forehooves over the edge of the bench. “Well, it’s mostly the reason I’m here... to get a checkup with Dr. Stable and a fill up on my med-med-” She grumbles. “My pills.”

“We’re in a hospital, I don’t think you need to be ashamed about needing meds...” She snorts a little at me. “Uhm... continue your story!”

“Well, it all started when I was a li’ Brick...” She gives a smile while looking up distantly. “Little enough that I was able to play in my daddy’s tool box!”





“That sounds awfully dangerous...” She’s describing this with the same joy and nostalgia one would use for a jungle gym or playground, but for some reason all I can imagine is all the sharp edged rulers, super pointy nails and screws, and heavy headed hammers; all of which are practically begging to turn a tiny brick red pony into a mangled, maimed, blood red splatter...

“Oh... there wasn’t anything too danger... ous...” She waves her hoof dismissively, before stopping and tapping her chin. “Or so we thought. My daddy, Mason Bricklayer kept all sorts of things in there... tools, pretty sparkle rocks, papers, and pictures of family... Well, one day he had enough of me playing in there and put it far out of my reach.”

I glance around, not so obvious that it looks like I’m disinterested... Crumbs. She noticed.

“Something the matter?” she asks, concerned.

“Uhm, nothing, just checking if Fluttershy and them have returned from dropping my bike off... please... continue...”

Brick House nods. “So... uhm...”

“Your dad put the toolbox out of reach.” Being able to help others remember where they had stopped their stories and refresh them... Just another little skill that I picked up with my... with my last girlfriend... her... Focus, H.B. Pay attention to Brick House!

“Yeah! So, then, I started to grow! Momma and daddy were really happy at first. They thought I was gonna be Lil' Brick forever! ... But then...” She looks away, her tail whipping a little. “I just kept growing... and growing... and growing! By the time it was time for me to start school? I could almost see eye to eye with the teacher!”

“That’s... pretty big...” Gee, H.B., you don’t sound enthused. Here Brick House is telling you her personal backstory and all you can say is ‘That’s pretty big?’

“Heh... Yeah...” She once more dangles her forehooves over the waiting bench. Though ‘dangle’ is barely the best word one should use to describe it. After all, the tips of her hooves are just scraping the black and white checkerboard linoleum floor that I have grown far too accustomed to seeing for the past week. “I kept growing though... my cla- the other colts and fillies... espe-ally the fillies... started callin’ me names and teasing me...” Her ears are drooping and her entire body grows sullen...

“That sucks there, B.H....” I can feel that pain being who I am... the memories from my childhood and being seen as an ‘easy target’ because you’re different push their way up to the surface. “P-ponies can be so cruel sometimes...” Fetlocks… I mean... fuck, fuck, my voice cracked.

“Yeeaah, I don’t like thinking about it... what with the teasing and not fitting in a desk... or through the door… and havin’ to stick my head through a round window during the winter...”

“What?!” A frosty shiver goes down my back as my brain forces me to imagine what that would be like. “That’s just... I mean...” The words are escaping me as I practically... no, not practically, definitely feel... offended? Upset? Just pissed off on Brick’s behalf. “That’s so unfair!” I finally spit out. “Your teacher should have done more!”

“Well... I did have a pillow to sit on... and a blanket to cover my butt!” Brick’s words sound like apologetics for a system that wasn’t made for a pony built like her. “A colt and filly from school gave them to me...”

“That’s still pretty messed up!” I tense up as the urge to keep my hoof still has lost again, waiting to gesticulate with my forehooves. Curse you, Italian blood! Diluted as you may be, you’re still giving me the desire to talk with my nonexistent hands!

“Well... yeah, if you say so, H.B.” Brick awkwardly mutters. Geeeze, she wasn’t anything like this when dealing with what’s his nam- Narrow Beam. “But! I didn’t have to deal with it for long, cause as soon as I got my cutie mark?” She motions to the nearly invisible red brick on her flank... Seriously, the only thing that makes the magical butt picture stand out is the texturing and outline. “My momma and daddy told me that I was gonna work with them! Like my daddy said ‘You might be nine years old, but you’re a big pony now and you can do big pony things!’”

“Huh...” I don’t think I want to bring up the topic of childhood, or in this case ‘foalhood’... or yearlinghood? Whatever. Foalhood slavery with Brick House, wait, did she imply that she was fully grown at nine?! “Uh... just how old are you?”

“Fourteen...” She says with a sheepish guffaw. “I hope that does mean you’ll think little of me...” she kicks her hoof and bites her lip.

I’m pretty sure she meant ‘don’t think less of me’, but I’m going to ignore my writer's voice for... her sake.

“I can’t think less of you, B.H.” Literally, I literally can’t think less or little of a pony, who the last time we interacted, literally lifted me off the land and realigned my lumbar. “You’re a really strong... mare.”

Brick seems to like that as she widely grins and nods. “Yes I am! I was so strong, my daddy had me doin’ things that would us-usal-usally! Take two, sometimes three of his best must-tangs to do!” she gives a dopey giggle. “Boy, those stallions were sure embar-bar-ress-ed when their boss’ ‘little’ filly could do their jobs!”

“I can imagine!” A giggle manages to slip out with my words. This turn in her story? Imagining those guys being out done by this mountain of a mare? It gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling for some reason.

I can’t for the life of me figure out exactly why seeing that I myself was once a guy, granted a guy that would most likely be cheering B.H. on... but still a guy... but. I’m not going to think about where these feelings are coming from! I’ve got enough on my plate...

“Well... yeah... until... it happened...” Brick’s ears droop once more and her tail whips.

There’s a pause in this little story that’s happening and the quiet is only filled by the hospital’s music and chatter of the other ponies as they go about the reasons that they’re here. I’m terrified of asking what ‘it’ was, but finally the words win their battle.

“What... happened?” Geez, asking that was like walking on broken glass. Hey! No brain! Not the time for music!

“It was... a fall day... durin’ the Running of the Leaves... There was colors everywhere an’ daddy wanted me to take this big stack of bricks up a st-steep hill...” She looks down at her hooves. “I had nearly hooved that stack up the hill when... when... I was feeling all wobbly-like... like I had no breath... like I had spun around but I was standing still... then everything went really dark...

“When I woke up... I was still on the hill, but there was a doctor pony, a unicorn standing over me and all sorts of wires and... tubes with bags on them hooked up to me! His name was Dr. Stable and boy howdy was I ever lucky that he was traveling on that road or the only stone I’d be carrying would be ‘grave’!”

“Haaa...” Come the almost muted disjointed half laugh. “Y-yeah... really lucky.”

“He was talking a lot of hard words that my daddy made soft for me. That it was as if my body an’ heart was in a race, my body grew too fast and my heart just couldn’t keep up... I was going to need to get my heart strong again and take special pills for the rest of my life...” she, once again, gives me this goofy grin.

I smile and nod all the while biting my lower lip. Suddenly there’s a slight chill that goes through my neck. This reminds me that the shooting pain is still there, but only if my leg/arm turns ever so slightly and only if I’m thinking about it. Despite B.H’s story being so long and sad... it’s really helped keep me distracted!

“Sounds like Dr. Stable was really set on keeping you stable!” That’s right H.B., grit through any pain and laugh it away! Take that Pain Hurtzalot!

Crap... now I have the mental image of a little broken misshapen pony-thing that looks all sad cause I’m not paying her any attention.

“Yu-hu! He ever was!” Brick smiles widely while nodding her head. “Not only that, he wanted to know why I grew up so fast!” She turns a little pensive. “Buuut to do that, I’d have to go to the hospital... and my momma and daddy were really worried about how much that would cost...”

“Ugh...” I roll my eyes. “Even in Equestria where ponys' exact talents are tailored to ‘healing others’ and magical cures are far from snake oil, the ever looming unfair monster that is ‘health care costs’ is a thing...”

“Well... Ma and pa didn’t come from a family with lots of money, shoot! Brickworks is a really small place... there are uhm... one... two... three... uhm... four... uhm... five! Five families there! They didn’t have much money.” I can hear the all too relatable shame in her voice. “Which is why they were really happy when Dr. Stable said he’d do it all for free! As long as he could ‘figure me out’, and once he did... heh... it turns out that it was all my fault...”

“Uhhh, how?” Comes my involuntary practically slack jawed response.

“Well, you know how I said I was playing in my daddy’s tool box?” Geez, yeah, that’s where her yarn of a tale started. “Well, that crystal dust in there was all magical and got it into me, and then up into my pat-patu-uhm...”

“Pituitary gland?” Ask that as gently as you can. Try not to sound irritated.

“Yeah! Heeee, sounds like you’re spitting! Pi-tu-a-terry gland!” She giggles... or chuckles or whatever. “Anyway, crystal dust got all up in there an’ was doing things to me... Dr. Stable was able to remove it... though...” Brick lifts her forelock... Oh, fet, there’s a tiny scar just near her temple... She then waggles her other hoof in front of her face. “It... did things to me... I get... tingles... and numbness...”

“Oh... geez...” Brain damage or something neurological. “It... could have been worse... you got lucky I suppose...” Ugh... I kinda wish my brain wouldn’t simulate that numbness.

“Yup! But why I was really lucky is that I got to meet Lyra Heartstrings while I was in the hospital! She was in ‘cause she got herself trapped in this funny looking mask with glue? I think... But she kept me company and I learned about...” she brings her voice down again. “The humans... she even helped me come up with Seer!”

“Oh... that was... nice of her.” And we’ve come full circle...

“Yeah... I really like my little Seer...” Brick sniffs and wipes her nose. “They remind me of when I was little and... the world was so... big... And promises meant everything... When life was just so...wonderful.”

“Wow...” Fuck... those feelings she’s throwing off are hitting me really hard.

“I’m starting to worry about Lyra... She hasn’t been to too many H.L.C meetings in uhm... one... two... months!” She taps her chin and pulls out a tissue before blowing her nose.

“That seems... odd... Also... There are H.L.C. meetings?” I know asking that is a dangerous thing, but it... could be interesting... be something to do outside of reading, crusaders, and of course, learning lessons with the girls...

“Yup! It’s uhm... on saturday... But not the next and then one Saturday but not the next!” She smiles widely and then leans over like she’s sharing some super secure secrety secret or something. “It happens when the hands are up and right...”

“When the...” It takes me a moment to realize she’s saying ‘three o’clock’. It just sounds like something too clever for her to say! There go my internal biases. “Oooh... I get you...”

Brick giggles. “You wanna come?”

“I...” I know I said it could be fun as something to do, but then again! It’s putting myself at risk! There will be ponies there! Ponies with a weird obsession with humans! What would I even-

The whining of the hospital waiting room doors along with a dark brown nurse pony whose name tag reads ‘Hot Biscotti’ enters my ears and jars me from what feels like a high school drama line of questioning.

“Brick House?” she announces while looking at her clipboard. She then bothers to look up and see the monument stack of a... filly? Mare? Learning her actual age is troubling me on that point. “Oh good. Dr. Stable is ready to see you now.”

"That's me!" She pushes herself off the bench and looks back at me. "I'll talk to you later, H.B.... If you want to know more... You'll... uhm..."

"Send you a letter using the fireplace?" She nods vigorously. "Uhm," Come on H.B.... "Y-yeah... Maybe I'll drop you a letter."

Yeah... Maybe.
> Elements of Hominy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 37


Elements of Hominy


Fluttershy pushed the black framed bike along a wobbly path back to Ponyville.

To her right was the little cream colored filly who wore a none too pleased scowl on her face, was it the combined weights of two saddlebags or what had just happened that had put her in such a mood? Maybe it was both... and to the pegasus’ right...

To her left was the ever bouncing, ever optimistic, ever cheerful ponking party pony Pinkie Pie.

Happily hopping hurriedly unhindered by the horrors hewn an hour prior hence... only hobbled by boxes of puzzles and games upon her back clattered that Rainbow Dash said that she just couldn’t carry.

‘Or didn’t want to carry... Just because she had to go and meet Lieutenant Fast’n’Fit... and abandon-’ Came an intrusive cuckoo bird thought into the nest of Fluttershy’s mind. ‘That’s hardly fair! Cuckoos are living breathing beings too! Just because their parenting strategy involves slipping into other birds’ nests and laying their eggs, thus ensuring that the birds of that nest raise the cuckoo chick, who once hatched, pushes the actual eggs and chicks out of the nest, it doesn’t mean that-’

“Hey! Fluttershy!” Pinkie exclaimed.

Fluttershy in response jumped up into the air, squeaking and clinging to the branch of an ash tree, leaving Heartbreak’s bike to wobble precariously.

Pinkie hopped to the abandoned black bicycle’s rescue, stabilizing it before any tragedy could befall the nearby burdened Cream Puff. She looked up at her friend.

“You ok, Fluttershy?” she asked, toning down her overall pinkatude by, like, seventeen-point-one percent.

“Oh... y-yes... Everything is fiiine...” Fluttershy replied with a tremor in her voice. “Why do you ask?”

“Uhm... well...” Pinkie began.

“Yer up in a tree like a cat that’s been chased by the family dog an’ lookin’ more stressed than Ma momma when daddy cracked the oven door open when she was makin’ chocolate souffle.” Cream Puff interjected, stepping into the refreshing shade of the tree to both be heard and to escape the heat.

Fluttershy quivered causing the leaves of the ash to rustle and tremble belying efforts to conceal any fretful feelings.

Pinkie hip bumped the stack of games on her back and they all landed neatly atop her pomphy mane. “Why don’t you come down out of that tree, and Good Old Auntie Pinkie Pie will doll out her advice!”

Fluttershy grimaced a little, after all, she was a year older than her... At the same time, maybe- just maybe, the mad mare might pull through with the advice she needed. “Oh... alright...” she said, gently waffling back down to the ground.

Cream Puff looked at Fluttershy, questions written in the tilting of her head and mismatching of her ear positions. “Missus Fluttershy, ah’m a sugar plum bit confused, ah know H.B.’s been in the hospital... like... a lot, an’ that can be real stressful-like an’ all, but was what happened back there in Weepin’ Willia’ Wood park all that important?”

“Uhm...” Fluttershy’s wings stiffened as her mind tried to scramble for an answer to everything that had happened to H.B. had happened without spilling the secrets as to why it needed to happen!

“Is it ever!” Pinkie exclaimed, practically zipping up to the little filly. As she did so the games and puzzles went, much like Fluttershy, flying into the air. “H.B. has been tasked with writing a letter to Princess Celestia once a month about the Elements of Harmony!”

Both Cream Puff and Fluttershy’s eyes widened at what Pinkfullofus Piexpositionus just blurted out!

“She has ta write a litter ta the Princess? An’ it has ta be about... The Elements of Harmony?” Cream Puff’s face widened even more. “H.B. knows the Princess!?” she exclaimed as Pinkie lifted her forehooves up to expertly catch the board games.

“Well... Yes...” Fluttershy said, her voice trembling as she gave Pinkie a serious look. “It’s because... she’s... well...-”

“A diplomat from Minneighsota!” Pinkie finished once she caught on to the silent screams her friend was making.

“Ah knew she was from Min-neigh-sorter an’ all, but Ah didn’t know she was all that there so important! Why’s she gotta write that there letter about the... Elements of Hominy?”

“Harmony...” Fluttershy gently corrected.

Cream Puff looked thoughtful. “Elements of Harmony... Ah think Ah remember ma Pa talkin’ about those from one of ma bedtime stories, wasn’t them what was used ta defeat Nightmare Moon?” she asked.

“That’s right!” Fluttershy replied, nodding a moment of relief causing her wings to flap. At least that was a question she could answer. ‘And best of all it’s not about H.B.!’

“Why’s it gotta be about them?” Cream Puff asked.

“Oo! Oo! Pick me! Pick me!” Pinkie Pinkie’ied still holding the games aloft on her hoof.

Cream Puff looked baffled, but then hesitantly pointed at the beaming pink pony. “Uhm, yes’um, Pinkie?”

“To show that she’s adapting as a pony here in Equestria!” Pinkie replied as if she was the over achieving top student in the class.

Fluttershy could almost feel herself mentally facehoof with what Pinkie just said.

“Uh...” Came the little filly’s anticlimactic response. “What... what happens if she don’t learn anything’ or don’t send a letter?”

Both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie’s face blanched at the utterance of the question with the games that had been balanced on the pink pony of the pie hoof taking a tenacious tumble to the ground.

Cream Puff’s jaw dropped. “It ain’t somethin’ good, is it?”

The two mares glanced at each other, now really unsure of what to say. Cream Puff started to pick up the game pieces to a game called ‘Submareia’.

“Nopony would ever go reactin’ like that if it was anythin’ good...” The little orphan filly lamented plucking up two small pony figures, a tiny beaker, a little crow, and a mouse up before putting them all into their respective boxes and offering them up to Pinkie. “It’s OK! Ah can handle whatever it is! Ah’m a big filly!” she insisted. “She ain’t gonna be sent back there ta old cold crummy Min-neigh-er-soter, is she?!”

Fluttershy bit her lip, obviously she wasn’t going to emburden the already saddlebag-burdened-filly with the truth. “Oh... no...” she began. “She just won’t be able to stay here in Ponyville until the end of the year.”

“Which is in March!” Pinkie quickly added, lowering herself down that Cream Puff could reposition the various games on her back. “You got all the pieces?”

“Ah think so...” Cream Puff said, looking around. “She can’t stay in Ponyville after March if she dun’t send a letter about a lesson she’s learned?” she asked, a concerned whimpery whine in her voice. “That’s hardly fair!”

“That’s what was agreed on...” Fluttershy replied, a resigned remorse lingering in her words.

“We gotta tell some pony ab-” Cream Puff started.

“N-no!” FLuttershy cried out, much to the little filly’s surprise.

“No?”

“Uhm, no...” Fluttershy panicky glanced at Pinkie Pie. “We can’t do that because-” She tapped the pink pony when it seemed like she had spaced out for a moment.

“Because of... how much pressure she would be under!” Pinkie ad libbed.

“Pressure?”

“Uh-huh! She’s under pressure right now! Pressure that can break a pony in two or put families on the street!” Pinkie exclaimed, nearly dropping the games again.

“She could lose her house?!” Cream Puff panicked.

“No silly! I mean, uhm, that if other ponies knew about what’s happening, then they’re going to want to remind H.B. of what she needs to do and then she’ll feel like if she doesn’t do it then she’ll be failing them, failing the princesses, failing Equestria!” Pinkie exclaimed loud enough for a pair of passing ponies to look over, only to turn their heads back and trot away just all that faster. “Or even worse than that!”

“Worse than all that?!” Cream Puff fretted. “Burn sweet patata pies! What could be worse than all that!?”

“She could be failing herself!” Pinkie said, turning and looking directly to her left.

Fluttershy, who had been sharing in every moment of Cream Puff’s ever growing uneasy panic looking in the direction that her friend stared in. “P-Pinkie, why are you staring at that wall?”

Pinkie shook her head and rubbed her eyes. “I am? That’s the fourth one this week!”

Fluttershy blinked, her fears abated as they were momentarily replaced with confusion. Pinkie had a knack for that. “Uhm, maybe now you could give me that advice you were talking about earlier?” she asked pleadingly.

“Yeah, I could do that! After all it’s been...” She began pointing in the air and counting. “One... two... three, four, five... six and a half pages! We got to get the plot of this story moving along!”

Cream Puff blinked, her ears half cocked and her expression scrambled like eggs. “Uhm... Missus Fluttershy... What-”

“Oh... That’s just Pinkie being Pinkie...” Fluttershy replied, her wings puffing and deflating. This action was partly due to her having just just smiling, quickly nodding, and learning to love the Pomb. The other half was her feeling the spirit of what had been said just wanting to, the pink on prosefully put it ‘move the plot of this story along’. “W-what advice would you give me? W-what do you think I should do, Pinkie?” she practically pleaded.

“Well... Uhm, what advice did everypony else give you?” Pinkie asked, picking up a game piece that had been missed and matching it to its appropriate game with the flick of her tail.

Fluttershy stared at the ground for a moment seemingly lost in the repeating lyrical nature of the week’s events as they played out. The common theme feeling like somepony repeating the phrase ‘second verse! Same as the first! A little bit faster and a little bit worse!’

“Well, the first advice was from Subtle Brew who told me to ‘go with the flow’,” she said, tapping her chin. “But that really hasn’t worked with all the other unfortunate things that have happened...”

“Other things?” Cream Puff asked.

”Yes, Rarity suggested that I introduce her to my animal friends to see if one of them-” Fluttershy stopped herself and chewed on the next words she was going to say. “Wanted to be her pet!”

Cream Puff frowned and raised an eyebrow. “How is that sposta teach any pony about the ‘Elements of Hominy’?”

“Harmony,” Fluttershy once again, gently corrected.

“Harmony? Really?” She chuffed and kicked her little hoof. “Here Ah’ve been sayin’ it wrong the whole time. Though Ah always did wonder how Princess Celestia went about defeatin’ Nightmare Moon with the power of corn of all things!”

Fluttershy and Pinkie could only giggle at the innocent filly’s misunderstanding.

“Then what are the Elements of Harmony, an how is H.B. gettin’ herself a critter gonna teach her about them?” Cream Puff asked, starting to feel like a broken record.

“Oh! I know!” Pinkie exclaimed, her mane and tail reshaping themselves to be a pink-fied version of Twilights. “The Elements of Harmony are the magical manifestation of those qualities that exist within all ponies that bring about friendship and harmony between all ponies. They are as follows: Laughter, Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Loyalty! Alone these things are wonderful, but united together they are the spark that is Magic!” she recited in a near perfect imitation. Now done, her mane and tail repoofed back to their regularly scheduled pumphy ponkiness. “Wow! Channeling Twilight like that is harder than it looks! I have no idea how she does it!”

Cream Puff stared at the explanation in wonder and bewilderment. “Wow, really? Ah mean, other than corn, Ah just thought that they was an over puffed up meringue, ya know: fancy, a bit sweet, but a lot of work fer somethin’ that’s mostly air!” She tapped her chin and tilted her head. “An’ them elements are in everypony?”

Pinkie Pie puffed parts of her rudder. “Ya-huh!” she exclaimed quickly, nudging the games back into a neat stack on her back. “My element is laughter!”

“On an account yer always jokin’, an’ smilin’ an’ making’ others laugh?” Cream Puff asked, all the while Pinkie was nodding. “Huh yeah, that butters biscuits.”

“Sure as sugar does!” Pinkie exclaimed, her head still nodding away as if it were attached to her body on a spring. Fluttershy raised a hoof and placed it on the pink pony’s poomph, permanently pausing the periodic perturbations. “He he, thanks. See? Fluttershy’s element is Kindness... on account of how super duper kind she is!”


“Oh... Okay... So how was gettin’ H.B. a pet gonna teach her about kindness?” Cream Puff asked, yet again.

“Well, I don’t quite remember how Rarity explained it, but, if one of the animals showed H.B. kindness by accepting her and wanting to be her pet and in turn she could show them kindness by giving a lonely, sad, and hopefully sweet little animal a new, warm, loving home to go to!” Fluttershy said, her wings flittering about as she reared up ever so slightly thinking about all her animal friends that she had helped over the years.

“Then... What happened?” Came the terribly tragic question that swiftly brought her back to the ground.

“Oh... well,” Fluttershy began, her ears drooping and her right forehoof raising in a pensive pose. “Things looked like they might have been going well. Foxiekins even hopped up on her back! Though he did run away once he saw her face...”

Pinkie uncharacteristically scrunched her face. “That Foxiekins should have definitely ran!”

“Pinkie... he’s not like that... he’s just... affectionate...” Fluttershy tried to explain.

“Affectionate my left cruple!” Pinkie huffed, stomping her hoof. “I told that fox that I‘m a one pet pony and he still did what he did!”

“What he do?” Cream Puff asked with big, curious, innocent concerned eyes.

“Oh! He-” Suddenly her face skidded to a halt and wilted as she became aware of Cream Puff’s age. “I-I-I’m not allowed to say without breaking the rating!” She snorted before turning her head and somehow crossing her hooves.

Cream Puff frowned at the response, she hated when the adults thought her too innocent. ‘Then again, like daddy always said ‘sometimes it ain’t worth the effort of pokin’ the beehive just a taste of their honey when y got the pot at home’ or however that went...’ “Aaaanyway, after that was when she went ta Missua Applejack’s farm an’ was roasted up by them there fire ants, watn’it?”

“Fire ants!?” Pinkie gasped, her eyes going wide. “You mean the ants that are the size of an older filly, look like they’re made of metal, and breathe actual fire?!”

“Uhm, yes...” Fluttershy said.

“Really!? Why isn’t she... more...” Pinkie frowned and looked to her left as if scolding an unseen figure.

“Roasted an’ toasted up like a marshmeller?” Cream Puff asked, looking over at Fluttershy.

“O-Oh... uhm... Because Applejack tended to her burn right after she saved H.B. from the fire ants...” Fluttershy looked to her right. “Then Big Mac came and used cider and an ice wood crate to freeze the poor dears...” she frowned and her ears drooped. “I really hope Applejack will set them free in their natural environment.”

“Was she able to throw the capsule in time?” Pikie asked as she made the motions of tossing some unseen object at an equally unseen invisible imaginary beastie. She then proceeded to make a ‘doopki-doopki!’ sound, before finishing with a ‘pong-click!’ “Dun-dun-dunnanananana!” chimed holding up nothing in her hoof in a pose of celebration!

This act only left Fluttershy and Cream Puff looking befuddled and confused.

Pinkie squeaked and covered her mouth. “Oh! Sorry girls! It’s just been so long since I had any screen time that I’m-” Once more, she was only met with looks of further confusion. “I’ll tone down the Pinkie Power...” She giggled and wretched her tail counter clockwise.

“Yeah...” Cream Puff said, giving Pinkie a side eye before wiping a little sweat off her brow. “Aaaaneigh way... Ah remember what happened after that... but...” She scratched her head. “Why was H.B. goin’ ta Missus Applejack’s farm in the first place? How was she gonna learn a lesson about kindness there?” the inquisitive little filly asked.

“Oh... Well, Applejack wanted to help H.B. and improve her diet by showing her what foods she could get at her farm!” Fluttershy mulled over how what happened could have led to a lesson. “I think she was trying to be kind in showing her what she had on the farm and give her more variety to her diet? I think that’s what Applejack said...”

“An’ what- an’ excuse ma Prench, Missus Fluttershy, in the same hickory roasted nuts was Missus Dash tryin’ ta teach with that there over mixed roll’ar coaster ride of an obstacle course?!” Cream Puff huffed. “Ah’m sorr’eh ta the both of ya’s, Ah guess Ah’m still awfully sore about Missus Dash goin’ an’ callin’ H.B. fat!”

Pinkie Pie gasped. “Dashie did what?!”

“I’ve already had a talk with her about that...” Fluttershy said, obviously holding back some rather difficult emotion. “I don’t really want to talk about that anymore...“ She shook her head frustratedly. “I think what Rainbow Dash was trying to show was that she cared that- I mean, cared about H.B. getting enough exercise so that she could stay healthy...” she stomped her hoof. “I think...”

Cream Puff rubbed her little head. ‘Sometimes, ah have no idea why Ah wanna grow up if it means that Ah’m gonna be like this!’ “Diet? Exercise? Are ya sure that Missus Applejack an’ Missus Dash ain’t in cahoots with each other in this? Cause thems sounds like awfully similar lessons...”

“Pffft!” Pinkie raspberried while waving a hoof. “RainbowJack isn’t a thing... yet...”

Cream Puff once more gave Pinkie a very confused glare. “Ah... Ah, what-Ah?!” The little filly closed her eyes and steam seemed to come from ears as her brain attempted to process the words coming from Pinkie’s mouth before she just collapsed near the verge of tears.

“Oh! Cream Puff!” Fluttershy gasped coming to her side. “Are you alright? Do you need water?” she asked her wings flapping over the cream colored filly in an attempt to cool her down.

“That’d be awfully kind of ya, Missus Fluttershy, but Ah was just...” She started to sniffle. “Ahm all confused at everyin’ ya’ve all said, an’ Ah’m feeling bad fer everythin’ that’s gon an’ happened ta H.B. An’-” Cream Puff’s eyes started to tear up. “Ah was just really lookin’ for ta cookin’ with her taday an’ Ah’m sure as molasses that ain’t gonna happen on account of her bein’ in the hospital... again!”

“Wait! That’s it!” Pinkie exclaimed excitedly in the middle of this calamity.

“What now?!” Cream Puff looked up at the pink pony before taking a deep breath and then letting it out. “Ah’m sorry Missus Pie, what is it?” she asked hoping, practically praying for something that was a semblance of a coherent thought coming from the pony before her.

“You can still cook something for H.B.!” Pinkie started, looking as if she was forcing her thoughts to organize themselves. Quickly she turned to Fluttershy. “And you can help her!” she massaged her temples as if she was receiving this information from some outerly worldly instructor attempting to narrate her actions!

Cream Puff tilted her head. “But wh-”

Pinkie gently put a hoof that smelled of cake frosting and earth on the little snoot. “For the lesson! For my advice!”

“Ah...” she frowned. “How’s Fluttershy an’ me cooki’ somethin’ gonna go about teachin’ H.B. anythin’ about kindness?”

“Beeecause, it would be a kind thing for Fluttershy to help H.B. keep her promise to yoooou...” Pinkie continued, twirling her forehooves. “And I'll do a kind thing by talking to the Cakes at Sugar Cube Corner and convince them to let you use their kitchen!”

Like that, the tears in Cream Puff’s eyes dried and were replaced by bright sparkles!

“Ah could do something real bakin’ at... at the Sugar Cube Corner?” Cream Puff asked, practically jumping up despite the heft of the saddlebags weighing her down. “In a real kitchen, with good measurin’ spoons, an’ real sugar, an’ unadulterated flour, an’ eggs that ain’t weeks old?!”

“Yuh-huh!” Pinkie replied bobbing her head only to stop it with her hooves.

“Hold up though... How is this gonna teach H.B. about Kindess?” Cream Puff asked. “Ah’m only askin’ cause, well, in Ma humble opinion, ya’ll didn’t seem ta have much of a lesson in mind...” She looked up at Fluttershy. “No offense there Missus Fluttershy.”

“Uhm... none taken...” Fluttershy meekly replied.

“It’ll teach her about kindness because Fluttershy’s kind act of keeping H.B. 's promise to you, which inspired me to take her bike to the repair shop, drop off all the games at the game store, and then go to the hospital to check up on H.B. while making sure she knows what’s happening. Your kind deeds will inspire my kind deeds! And then you’ll tell her the story about all this!”

“So... One kind deed can inspire another?” Cream Puff asked. “That does sound like a good lesson...”

Fluttershy blinked. “That does sound like a good lesson...” She repeated. The more she thought about this very basic, very simple lesson, the more she liked it. “Why Pinkie, this might be the exact lesson that we need! It’s perfect!” she exclaimed as she began to almost practically prance in place!

“Well... chaa! With a lesson as simple as that, what could possibly go wrong? Now come on! I bet if I asked before the lunch rush, the Cakes would be even more willing to let you use their kitchen!” Pinkie promised, taking out a white belt, before strapping the games to her back. She then began leading the two ponies to the gingerbread inspired confectionary down the road.




> Pinkie Prescribed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 38


Pinkie Prescribed



Whelp, it’s official.

I can’t be alone.

I don’t know if it’s all the fucking stuff that’s happened to me seemingly ever day of this week, or the cold uneasy feeling of being in the hospital waiting room, or what...

What I do know is that my emotions are all over the place and I don’t know whether I want to cry, scream, or kick everything around me. I’m pretty sure if it weren’t for the shooting pain in my... leg... I’d be doing all three. Oh, the irony...

Brick House’s unprovoked backstory is most likely what’s jamming a stick in the ‘I wanna cry’ button.

Yeah, sure, it was... interesting, but damn it! Who treats a pony like that?! Just leaving them out in the cold... Making fun of them for developmental issues beyond their control?

‘She was probably softening her story too. Back when I was little, I had emotional outbursts far more often than I do now...’ I take a deep breath and look around. I really hope none of the ponies- or creatures- are judging me- but why would they be doing that?

‘I don’t know... maybe because you’ve been in the hospital over almost every little thing that’s happened for the past week...’

Oh goodie... when I said that I couldn’t be alone or didn’t want to be alone, I didn’t mean that I wanted the bright pink opinion of your fetting fluffy tail!

“Yeah! The only pink fluffy tailed opinion she needs is mine!” Suddenly and without warning, it’s like a mass of pink just appeared to my left.

This causes me to yelp twice, first in surprise and then, of course, because the fetting for-fet-fettity-getter of a mother fetting fet fet fetting leg just got jostled again!

“AAArrrgh Fffffffet!” Fight through the pain! Push through it, mind over matter! There is no pain! There is no pain! There! Is! No! Pain! Mmmmm There! Now that sharp throbbing has subsided.

Now who- oh... right, of course. “PiNkiE PiE! It’s you!”

Unclench your teeth, H.B. you’re going to break a tooth, and the last thing you need in all this is tooth pain along with a trip to the dentist!... I wonder how Dr. Bright White is doing...

“Yupperunies! It’s me!” she says flashing that all too familiar, all too cheery, all too bubbly smile at me as she actually carefully positions her posterior onto the waiting bench to me. “How are you doing?”

“Oooh, you know...” Don’t say ‘how the fet you think I’m doing!? Just say- “Pretty much the same as when you and Dash loaded me into Joyful and Puzzle’s game carriage to take me to the hospital...”

“Sooo... Better?” She asks, eyeing my leg.

A chrockle with sarcastic undertones escapes me. “Oooh, I’m just fantastic, Pinkie.”

“That wasn’t a very fantastic sounding laugh...” She replies incredulously crossing her forelegs. “It didn’t even sound like it was spelled right...”

“Yeeeah, you caught me, ha ha ha...” Deep breath, try to relax. “I am in a great deal of pain and have been for...” I turn my head back over my shoulder. “At least almost an hour and possibly fifteen minutes, ope, strike that, add another fifteen or twenty minutes cause of the ride here!”

With my head craned the way it is, I notice a small detail that I hope others aren’t paying any mind to.

The branding.

I know it’s a black broken heart. I know the cracks are constantly changing due to the fact that I have eyes, and because of last month with the CMC and their little drawings as they couldn’t decide on which crack was the correct one, resulting in the events that lead to Scootaloo’s hoof coming into contact with it and practically getting consecrated... Wait, is that the right word? Can things be ‘blessed’ by evil, living, faery brandings? Fet! I’m getting off topic! Right. The branding’s cracks are practically changing before my eyes. At least they are at this distance. Tiny white cracks are opening and closing off the large primary middle crack and--

‘Hey! Dingbat! Run-on sentences much?’ Goth Bunny shouts from my mental vaults. ‘And Cream Puff believes you could write-’
Suddenly there’s an irritated snort on my neck. Turning Pinkie’s face is practically ‘filly-meters’ away from mine. She has one eye staring daggers into where my ear was.

“Uhm... Yes... Pinkie? Is there something wrong?” I carefully pushed my glasses up with the wrist on my right foreleg, Sweet Princess Luna on a pogostick, it was so much easier when I didn’t feel confused about calling it my arm! There were arms and legs and they were different and I didn’t need to expend more brain power calling them otherwise!

Pinkie backs away but still keeps that one eye open and doing that almost cartoonish... Thing! The thing where it seems to move back and forth pointedly! Gah, I have no words to word about this!

“Cha! Yeeeah! Didn't I just say that I didn’t come all this way here to have you being talked down to by some other pink themed negative voice!” her hooves clamp on the top of my head and underside of my chin. “Hey! You! Listen up little missy! That’s enough of that for today!”

“Hey! Let go, Pinkie!” Fuck! Can Pinkie hear Goth Bunny?! Quickly set out a diversion! “Not that I don’t appreciate the company, but what are you doing here?!” I ask while pulling myself from the pink vice grip. “I thought Fluttershy was going to meet me here after she dropped my bike off at the shop! And Cream Puff was going to be here too...” I feel bad about tacking Cream Puff on in the last sentence. “You’re not sick are you?”

‘Shows how much you real-’ Suddenly, Pinkie’s hoof juts up and boops my nose!

She slowly moves her other hoof down past her face, turning it from a smiley face to a frowning one before booping me a few more times while going ‘shhhh’. She then slowly raises that same hoof up, as it passes her face returns to bright and smiling.

“Nope! I’m not sick!” She taps on her chin and looks up to her left. “Or at least I don’t think so... I got this years’ shots and most importantly this year's lollipop! Mango-strawberry-creamsicle-delight! Mmm! It was soooo goood, so I should be good! No, I’m here because- uhm...” she takes out a slip of paper. “Oh yeah! Because Fluttershy saw how bad Cream Puff felt for missing cooking with you, so she took it upon herself to take your place, after I pleaded my case with the Cakes to use their kitchen!” she said, gesticulating and bobbing her head back and forth, a hoof on her chest.

“Oh...” Well, that’s setting up a slightly conflicted set of feelings. Should I be happy that Fluttershy thought to do this, that Cream Puff is getting a chance to cook/bake in an actual kitchen, or sad and a little maybe sorta kinda perhaps just the teeny tiniest littlest jealous that I’m not the one there helping her do this?

‘You know what I-’ Pinkie interrupts Gothy with another boop!

“Uhm, that’s really nice of her to do that and, uhm, help me keep my promise to Cream Puff...” Hey, Goth Bunny, G.Bun, Bunny O’ Mine... Maybe tone it down until Pinkie’s not here? I don’t know how many boops my snoot can handle here.

“Yeah! It was a really-” She looks at that paper again. “Kind thing to do! And because she took little Puff to Sugar Cube Corner, I took it upon myself not only to take the puzzles and games to the puzzles and games stores, but take your saddlebags from Cream Puff and take your bike to the bike shop!” she plops my saddlebags down next to the bench.

I chuckle and blow a sigh out of my mouth. “Fet... Locks. Tire Spoke musta thought he wouldn’t be seeing my bike again so soon...”

“No, he wasn’t!” Pinkie exclaims. Just then Nurse Hot Biscotti pops her head over the front desk and raises her hoof up in a shushing motion. “Oh! Sorry!” Pinkamus Pieacus turns back to me and in a much more, almost fluttershy-esk voice says. “Boy, he was really upset to see your bike!”

Sigh...

“Yeah... After all the work that he had put into that bike, me just going and twisting it up like that would be upsetting, I’d imagine...” This is the part where I would kick a forehoof and Goth Bunny would say something sarcastically self-deprecating but I can’t do that because A) the pain and B) that pink frosting and cake batter smelling hoof of Little Miss Pie...

“Actually, he didn’t seem upset at you at all and was yelling ‘Wer hat Stöcke geworfen?! Dies war ein Akt böswilliger Sabotage durch winzige Waldbewohner!’” She whisper-shouts. Seeing Pinkie Pie of all ponies speaking in such an angry sounding language like German... Germane? Whatever... is more than enough to send a shiver down my spine... Brrr! Why is it so gosh darn cold?!

“I don’t know what any of that means...” I confess pushing up my glasses and rubbing my shoulder to push past any chill. ‘They must be running the AC extra hard.’

“I think it means ‘The forest creatures are on the attack by means of giving stick the wings!’” She taps her chin. “I’m not totally sure as my Germane is rusty!” She’s now flashing me a rather... big smile. A Pinkie Pie smile. The only smile that this pink party pony perpetually produces...

“Oh...” I try leaning back from said almost sardonic grin, but Pain Hurtzalot reminds me the reason why I’m here by practically keeping my hoof down with invisible nails! For fet’s sake, I wish Pinkie would turn down the... grin to maybe like... five? Four even! Because ye gods, I know this is a leap in logic, but I can’t help but think of Smile.mov! With everything that’s happened to me! It’s not totally out of the realm of possibility!

As if sensing my discomfort, Pinkie gets a bit sad tint and scoots back...

“Aaaaany way, Fluttershy’s kind deed made me want to perform my own kind deed, and then I came here to make sure you knew what was happening!”

Sweet Princess Luna on a pogo- wait... I used that already, didn’t I? Uhm... Sweet ... Princess Luna in socks? What...ever... Why is she emphasizing good deeds all of a sudden? She sounds like the puffy pink protagonist of some after school special or what would happen at the end of every episode of Friendship is Magic when everyp-everyone would learn a less-

Oh.

“I see what’s going on here now...” Play it cool H.B., there’s no need to get upset, why even get upset? This is what they’re meant to be doing! Teaching lessons and learning to be a pony!

She giggles and kicks her hind legs over the ledge of the hospital bench. “Yeeeah! That’s because I just told you! Fluttershy felt bad that you-”

This time it’s my turn to boop Pinkie Pie! Though it’s not without a painful cost!

“It’S Not tHAT!” My words come out through an equine yelple. “Ooooooof-ta...” Breathing out like that calms the pain. “It’s the lesson you’re pushing about ‘one kind deed or Act cAn inSSSpIre anOther...”

She looks taken aback and opens her mouth agape while placing her forehooves into her fluffy... chest fluff. I wonder if she’s always been that... fluffy or am I so dense that I’m just now noticing...

‘So dense tha- ’

Pinkie e-hems while booping me, then switches back to looking eversoshocked. “Wwwwhat? Me try to talk about the kind things that one pony did that inspired another pony to do more kind things that just so happens to relate to the lesson Fluttershy is trying to teach you this month? What a coinkydink!”

Her overly bright smile coupled with that ‘squee’, that the more I think about it sounds like a dog chew toy, isn’t enough to save her from my incredulous eye! 

“OoooKay... You caught me pink hooved!” she confesses, throwing said hooves up into the air before letting them fall to the bench. “You’re really good at sussing out the truth that’s out there!!”

“Uhm...” I feel my left eye twitch at that fourth wall breaking statement. I push it to the side and choose to laugh at it instead. After all, this is Pinkie Pie, she’s bound to make statements like that! “Oh, Pinkie, you’re so funny...”

I try to cock my head to the side and give her a grin of my own to find some sanity in all of this pink-inanity.

I, however, found something else. What is that something else, dear readers that Pinkconafirous Pienous was speaking of?

Pain. It was pain.

“Ffffet! Locks! What’s taking the doctors!? I hate to be a Marmalade about all this, but I’ve been waiting for over an hour!”

“Ooo! Ooo! That’s another kind thing I did!” Pinkie chimes.

“Huh?” I get why splints are meant as temporary solutions! All the jostling and tiny movements are causing the yarn, tape, sticks, and game parts to come just loose enough to be more aware of the state of my leg!

“Fluttershy made mention of you having trouble finding a good doctor!” She’s tapping her chin... again... and looking up. “So I took it upon myself to find one for you instead of them being procedurally generated for you! He’s perfect!” she does that head bobble and hoof on her fluffy chest again.

I take a sharp inhalation through my nose both to attempt to calm the pain and as a response to the idea of just what sort of doctor Pinkie Pie of all ponies would think would be ‘perfect’ for me.

... All I’m coming up with is ponified Robin Williams playing Patch Adams... Having trouble coming up with a good name... All that’s coming up to me is Patchie... Patch Up? Maybe... Whatever... Pinkie is starting to stare!

“Should I be ConCerNed?” Why am I even asking this?!

“Of course not! With Auntie Pinkie around, you’re in good hooves! I have a knack for these sorts of things and you have nothing to worry about!” She smiles and waggles her forehoof. “I picked out a doctor that’s well known, always smiling, can easily assure you that he knows what he ‘s doing, and most important he’s-”

“Competent, professional, experienced, uhm can make the sharp pain stop?”

“Funny!” Pinkie exclaims, throwing her hooves out. “And yeah, I’m sure he’s all those things too! I’m Pinkie Pie! You can trust me! Nothing can possibly go wrong!”

“Ha-a-a...” I feel like I should be ducking or seeking cover or something... I feel something on my shoulder, it’s Pinkie’s hoof and she is giving me those big puppy dog eyes.

“Can you at least give him a chance?” she asks all whimpery. “Cause how bad could he be?”

“Alright...” Son of a... biscuit... I forgot that she knows my weakness. “I’ll give him a chance... Because like you said ‘How bad could he be?’” Equestria hasn’t punished me... yet for all these questions. “I mean, one of these ponies has to be a good doctor, right?”

That’s when the sound of a hoof hitting the back of the double hospital doors reaches my ear, the pony that most likely Pinkie was talking up about trots through, and oh yeah... all my hopes in ever seeing a competent medical professional flatline with the squeaking of door hinges.

“Hiii, Everypony!” Is the call of a... Simpson's yellow stallion who has a black-green-blue mane and tail who reminds me of Dr. Nick from the very show that that hue of yellow is copyrighted to. On his chin is a goatee, and upper lip comes with those little lines that are meant to be a mustache. He stares at me wide, almost dead-I’m-trying-to-scam-you eyes and an equally over enthusiastic smile.

“Hi, Doctor Nickers!” Pinkie echoes as if she was an extra in the crowd...


=========


‘Alright, Pinkie! You for sure picked the right doctor for H.B.! He’s funny, he’s confident, he’s smart sounding! I’ve seen him on the T.- Hey, what’s that really negative feeling? Oh, my leg is crampy, left eye twitchy, and tail... tucky? That combo means ‘Disapproving mare!’’ Pinkie felt a snort of air, not particularly warm air, hit the side of her neck. ‘Oh! That’s where it’s coming from!’ her ears drooped. ‘Oh that’s where it’s coming from...’ the inner Pinkie repeated disheartenedly.

“Piiiinkie...” Heartbreak growled, her ears pinning back.

‘High levels of displeasure detected, Nurse Pie! What do we do, Doctor Pie?! Deploy tactical maneuvers and increase levels of enthusiasm!’

“What? He has a cheery smile and an infectious personality!”

“Oh, are you the pony known as Heartbreak?” Dr. Nickers asked. “I’ve heard many... things about you! Mostly about how well you can kick! I’m so sorry that this week has been so heartbreaking for you!”

The tan mare looked less than thrilled with the remark.

“Ha... Oh...” Dr. Nickers rubbed the back of his head before looking at his clipboard. “Oh! It says here that you might have a fractured foreleg! Hey, at least it’s not a heart attack!”

Heartbreak’s left eye visibly twitched.

“Uhm...” Dr. Nickers began to fumble on his words. “Oh! I guess that you’re going into the theater! Be-because you broke a leg... ha...ha...ha?”

Heartbreak frowned. “Excuse me, ‘Doctor’, I need to have a word with... one of my caregivers...”

“Oh... Uhm... Okie Dokie!” Dr. Nickers replied, backing away to the front desk. Nurse Biscotti didn’t seem to give him any warmer of a welcome.

“Piiinkie...” Heartbreak began.

“Yes, H.Beeees?” Pinkie replied, holding out hope.

“No,” Heartbreak hissed outside-eyeing Dr. Nickers.

Pinkie’s mane drooped and her lip quivered. “You said you’d give him a chance!”

Heartbreak rubbed her temple with her good hoof before pushing her glasses up once more. “Pinkamena Diane Pie...” she began in a hushed, growing tone. “He has a rubber duck wearing a thing that doctors wear...”

“A stethoscope?” Pinkie asked, looking at Dr. Nicker’s flank and then back at Heartbreakous Gripeous Major.

“Yes, but no...” she replied.

“A doctor’s white coat?”

“Yes, but no! The thing on their heads!”

“It’s called a head mirror!” Dr. Nickers interjected. “I think...” He looked at Nurse Biscotti and tapped on the table about something. Hot, who was unhappy at being interrupted from the book she was reading, rolled her eyes and nodded. “Alright! I was actually right this time! Yay for me!”

Heartbreak looked taken aback. “Look the point is, and maybe I shouldn’t judge seeing that the concept of translating what a cutie mark means is still very new to me, but! The important thing is that he has a Dr. Ducky cutie mark! You know what that means right?!”

“Dr. Ducky is what the Dean called me at Bovine University!” Dr. Nickers said without a mote of irony in his voice.

Heartbreak pushed her glasses up and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I swear, If we were anywhere but Equestria...”

“It meeeans... He knows how to quack you up!” Pinkie replied, a massive hopeful grin on her face as she swung her forehooves in right angles.

“Nooo... What it means is that he’s a quack!” Heartbreak lambasted.

Dr. Nickers looked saddened but tried to smile through it all. “That’s not true! I also sell snake oil!”

Heartbreak continued to look unimpressed.

“Hey! Nopony likes an unoiled snake! You can ask my many satisfied customers like Trot McColt!” Dr. Nickers beamed.

Heartbreak took a massive breath through her nose and looked over at Pinkie Pie again, her eyes narrowing.

Pinkie’s lip quivered. “You said you’d give him a chance!” she repeated, trying her hardest to keep smiling. “Besides you don’t know how good-”

“Or bad...” Heartbreak muttered.

“... or bad... he might be!” Pinkie crossed her hooves. “Who knows? He just might be your new favorite doctor to make you feel just... ducky!” she said, throwing up her hooves.

Heartbreak groaned at the pun. “My favorite new doctor? Did you also pick out my favorite nurse, Robin Goodfilly with a large hypodermic needle?!” she asked with all the sarcasm she could muster.

“H.B. I’m shocked!” Pinkie pie’ed at the tan mare. “How’d you guess!?”

“Wait, what?” Heartbreak asked, before a ‘poink!’ sound entered her ears, followed by a sharp sensation in her near hind.

“Love you too, My Little Heartbreak!” giggled that all too familiar impish voice in her ear.

Heartbreak’s head snapped to the right, spotting the offending nurse as she pulled a needle out, covering her mouth as she snickered.

“Gooodfilly!” Heartbreak snarled. Just then, her head pounded and the room felt off kilter, she spun back around, the room seemingly coming along for the ride! “Whaaaaat wasss thaaa-” she sloshed, glaring at the still grinning Dr. Nickers.

“Oh. Ha-ha, don’t worry. That was just a pain killer that is also a sedative!” He explained, scritching his chin. “Ceazetawlam! Whose side effects may include, uhm,” he picked the packaging from the nearby waste bin. “Sweating, nausea, diarrhea, itching burning, pony galliagar syndrome, and in super ultra extremely rare cases: moderate to severe hallucinations!


=========


After the sharp pricking of my hind, something wicked this way ... I find?

What that doesn’t make sense!

‘Dr.’, and I use that term in the absolute loosest way possible..., Nicker! Dr. Nicker! Starts sounding... long.

“Aaaaannnnd In...suuuperrr, uuuultrrraaa verrrryyy ExxxTrEEEmelLly RaRe Caaaasessss, ModaaaraAte Toooooo SeVere HaaaaluuuciiinaAAatioooonssss!”

Ugh! Not only is his face melting, but he was talking for so long that I did not understand that, I got bored!

Oh great, now the walls are melting, and the floor tiles are multiplying to the point that I can’t count them with my eyes. Wait, the walls are melting?! What’s Happening?!

“You, my little Heartbreak... are tripping balls!” Begins... a voice that is on the cusp of sounding familiar, it has a dance... No! That’s not the word, a cad... dance? NO! A Cadence! Yes, that’s ringing a bell in my... watchtower? No! Mind! It sounds like... valley girl meets mad mare with a twist of... of... uhm...

“The Golden apples of Hoofperides!?” Turning, turning, turning, sweet fetting Gaia! Why am I still turning to see... Nurse Goodfilly? Though she looks... different... her black mane is flowing with white, her body stretching as she moves and I swear there’s some jaundice in her sclera... sclera... such a silly word!

"O! O! O! What's happening to my little ☟︎♏︎♋︎❒︎⧫︎♌︎❒︎♏︎♋︎🙵 now?!" Wingdings... Pinkie? But not Pinkie as her ears have gone floppy, her tongue is hanging from her mouth, and her eyes are white and as large as teacups! Wait, that's normal... her tail is wagging about, wait that's normal... something is off!

"Test subject 2748 is experiencing hallucinations." Dr. Nickers face morphs... into a human one... his mane and tail grow darker and curly the duck on his flank tosses off the head mirror, puts on a crown and uses a wing to toss a golden following coif of hair. 

She's staring at me with intense intimidating silvery eyes...

"Steady thine hand, and abade thy desire for morbid curiosities regarding thine experimentation, Warp." She... Yes, the cutie mark duck sounds like a she... says, plucking out yellow feathers and then sticking them behind not-Pinkie's ear and a Dr. Nickers who's looking more and more... like... my exe Doug?

I stumble as I feel my forehooves slipping... my left hoof pulses and under the cover I see my fingers are trapped, but my right hoof stretches and pulls out into... an old fountain pen?! I push it up on one of the black tiles, only for it to turn out to be an inkwell! I have to tug my pen... my leg out before it sinks in! There! Oh... weird... a puddle of rainbow ink flows out in the shape of a broken heart...

The warped white maned, snaggle-toothed, that are short- long... No! Short hoof... hand!! For this character creature feature is sinister, slips behind me her twisted twisting hooves on my shoulders, Ugh! So many tiny hooves!!! She blows at the feathers, duck queen... queen duck? Is plucking out.

"Careful with those!" she shrieks, her words jumbling together like a car crash... "They can kill, you know!" Her hoof noodles then relaxed and she let out a garish chuckle. "Oh silly me, those are yellow duck feathers, not yellow chicken feathers!" She grabs my face. "I should have known, that's no swan of the sun!"

"Not real... it's... not real..." It's not, right? I shouldn't be hall Jordan- hallucinating this fast off something given to me by a doctor just injected me with! I need to break from this! "Not real?"

"Not real?" Dr. Doug asks in a steely cold tone, his doctor's coat turning black with green trim. "Not real like the love you had for me?"

"Or meeeee?" Not Pinkie's voice sounds like... Kylie's... her hooves look more like paws, she looks like what you'd get if ya crossed a Pinkie Pie with a diamond dog. She holds up a paw with a mini... me? No wait, I'm in the paw and they're towering over me! Long strings attached to my limbs and body parts!

"Just an experiment..." Dr. Doug's voice booms, rattling me out of the paw and falling back to the floor! There's a new needle with a glowing neon green liquid held on his hoof, the top dripping... "Maybe I should experiment on you by tearing off your face so that you'll be forced to watch as I rip out your heart and break it over and over!"

"Ssstay a-away!" The words come out like little pink rabbits and cower in a corner. I hate them. They don't sound like me anymore. They sound like scared little girls.

"That's because that's what they are! What they always have been!" Doug jeers, the needle no longer dripping, but now morphing. "A shame too. If you were still a strong, handsome, hung stallion, there would be so much we could do together! But as it stands, you're only good for dissection!"

Kylie Pie's paw morphs into one of those pans used to hold starfish, clams, or frogs in a high school biology lab, her claws turning into pins to hold me down, that needle melts into a... scalpel.. no, the scalpel... the very same blade that was used to sever my connection, my tires to my home!

"Let's continue this experiment by cutting the test subject open and seeing what makes them tick..." Doug's big greasy smiling head says...

"Yaaaaaaaay!" Pinkylie cheers!

The knife is coming towards my chest and I'm trying to close my eyes and embrace myself for what's to come...

When suddenly and without warning there's a flash of highlighter bright pink and black in front of my face.

One of those aforementioned bright pink bunnies has hopped in front of the mercurial blade and is holding it at bay!

"You... stupid... FUckER!" She growls, growing in stature... clothes painting themselves on her frame as she anthropomorphizes. "Even in your stupid hallucinations you're just willing to go and give up?! You forget about what happened with Mi and Yu!?"





Suddenly, I’m just beside myself... I’m a two headed pony thing Mi is looking at Yu and Yu is looking at Mi! Then Goth Bunny slaps us back together!

She rips Kylie's hand off me and tosses me out of the pan and onto the floor. The blade tries to come back down, but she smacks it away and turns to me, a mad march hare glare in her eyes, she throws a clawed finger up at Doug.

"You stupid fucking nag, even I don't talk this way to you! He's one of the reasons you're in this mess!" she screams.

I turn away from her, she too isn't real, just... some... thing... I created to punish myself...

"I hurt them... I deserve this..." The words taste bitter and are like metal on my teeth.

She frowns and slaps her face, the claws dragging down leaving scars that turn yellow and quickly heal. She then slaps both of her hands on either side of my face.

"Listen here, you idiot sandwich! I am more than happy to say that you deserve to feel bad, but that fucker... that mother fetter should not have reacted in the way that he did!" She points back at the fake big headed Doug on a pony body that's attempting to bring that knife back down.

Meanwhile, Kylie Pie has pulled an animatronic Pinkie out of a box and is giggling while wagging it at me. Eris Goodfilly is off in a corner, there's a long dagger like yellow feather in her back, her body is turning gray like stone. Celestia in a a picture stares down at me, red marbles taunting me, her tears are falling... why is she crying and are those the binding rings of a sketchbook and the edges of paper?!

There's too much going on! I can't keep up!

Goth Bunny shakes my attention back to her. "You might have ghosted him, which was wrong and a suck thing to do, but he ejected you from the universe! Cosmic banishment is not a love language! And another thi-"

Suddenly, her words are cut off and I see why: she's doing an impression of lucario with a massive metal spike going through her chest.

Fake Doug just... grins at me holding the scalpel that’s now dripping fearful yellow blood, while Goth Bunny gapes and squeezes her eyes in disbelief. She breaks apart into billions of smaller bright pink rabbits that spill all over me...

"G.B.!" That's when the anger hits me. Yes, she's just an imaginary voice in my head, but she's my imaginary voice in my head!

Hurt me all you want, but don't you dare hurt others because of me!

I rush at that imitation Doug and start screaming!

"I'M GONNA GELD YOU!"

That's when the words and everything goes long again...

"Tiiiiime foooorrr aaaaa booooossster!"
> Cooking with Kindness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 39


Cooking with Kindness


"I-I'm goooing toooo geeeeld yooou!" Heartbreak slurred.

"Oh dear! That should have knocked you clean out by now!" Dr. Nickers admitted while crossing his back legs instinctively. "You don't have any Eponain in you?"

Heartbreak glowered at the stallion, and instead of answering, attempted to push herself up and lunge forward, all the while making an inequine noise!

"Ope! Nurse Goodfilly! Time for a booster!" Dr. Nickers panicked as he jumped back, his wide almost empty eyes turning to terror as his wide grin faltered!

"On it!" Nurse Goodfilly exclaimed, leaping over the bench, pulling another prepped Newfield out of her mane and administering the contents to the snorting tan shoulder of the manic mare as she attempted her charge again!

Heartbreak stumbled and returned to her sitting position on the bench. "Sommma a birrrrch treeeeee..."

Pinkie, positively perplexed by the events that just unfolded in front of her, looked at both Dr. Nickers and Nurse Goodfilly. "Was... was that necessary?" she asked. "Is H.B. going to be alright?!"

"Oh, totally for sure!" Dr. Nickers said, picking up Heartbreak's right forehoof, checking somethin, and then placed an ear on her barrel. "Oh, good! Her heart is still beating and she's still breathing!"

Pinkie's face blanched and she started to question her judgment in doctors and nurses. "Hey! What's the big idea!? This isn't my fault! It's all that Jetbl-" suddenly she stopped mid-sentence and looked at Nurse Goodfilly, her eyes narrowing...

Nurse Goodfilly gave a sheepish frown, a small guffah, and disposed of the needle she was holding, though for some reason Pinkie only furthered in narrowing her gaze at the golden eyed mare. "Is something wrong? Do I have something in my teeth?" she asked fretfully.

Pinkie gave her a bit of stare down while tapping her chin. "Yooou look awfully familiar... have we met before?" she asked, puzzled.

"I'm pretty sure we have not..." Nurse Goodfilly replied assuredly.

"I'm sure I've seen you somewhere..." Pinkie said looking over the nurse's messy mane and tail, inspecting her teeth, and peering into her eyes...

"Fluutttershiiii... treeeee pla..." came the half muffled words from Heartbreak's muzzle as her face was half in the bench.

"Ah! Yes! ‘A Summer Sun's Celebration's Midnight Nocturne'!" Nurse Goodfilly exclaimed. "Fluttershy played the part of a tree, and I was an imp!"

Pinkie continued to look suspect for a few more moments before Dr. Nickers came between the two.

"Ladies! Ladies! I am sure however you two met can wait!" Dr. Nickers chuckled uneasily. "Right now, how about we get Miss Heartbreak-"

"H.B.!" came the near demonic mutterings of said pony.

"Yes!" Dr. Nickers shrieked. "How about we get H.B. to x-rays before the sedative wears off?! So I can avoid unnecessary surgery!" he begged. "For myself..."

"De... bay... table..." Heartbreak managed to push out alongside unearthly cracking sounds...

Pinkie glared a half second more before her face switched back to happy and cheerful. "Okie dokie lokie!" she beamed while cheerfully assisting the spaghetti noodle limp Heartbreak onto a gurney.


=========


Cream Puff looked up at the amazing variety of ingredients contained in the many glittering, pristine jars. Each one placed cutely on the clean and stable looking shelves.

"Golly! Ya've got all sorts of peels!" The little filly exclaimed. "Lemon peel, orange peel, lime peel, an' each 'em has their own brand new labels too!" She gasped and zipped over to a section of kitchen implements. "An actual honest-to-goodness zester!? Why, there ain't a speck of rust on it, an them teeth are still sharp!" she gasped.

Mrs. Cake could only smile sweetly at the unadulterated enthusiasm of the filly as she marveled at things that she had long considered mundane. "Well, we do pride ourselves on a well organized, maintained, and stocked kitchen, dontcha know."

"Five types of sugar!?" Cream Puff said, astonished. "Ya got eight kinds of flour?! An-an-an!" The little filly looked dizzy at the wide array of containers in this one kitchen alone! "We got nothin' like this back at the orphanage!"

Fluttershy walked up to Mrs. Cake after setting down their saddlebags safely behind the counter. "Thank you so much for agreeing to this..."

"Well, it's a slow day and it was really hard to say no to a face like that..." Mrs. Cake waffled.

Cream Puff approached a rather modern looking door and cautiously opened it.she was met with a refreshing cold burst of air. When she peered inside, she could not hold in her delight. "An' actual, upta date, workin' Friesian 2000 refrigerator?! Good Golly sweet Molly! Ya got that there fancy Prench butter!"

Mrs. Cake laughed a little. "Yes we do, but please don't hold the door open for too long!"

"Sorr' there, Mirssus Cake, Ma'am." Cream Puff replied a bit of fear infusing her voice as she quickly closed the refrigerator door. "It's just... Ah'm haven't seen so much finery..." She paused and looked down. "Well, not for a long time, that is..."

"Oh... uhm..." Mrs. Cake tried to cover up her discomfort. "Oh! So, what are you wanting to make again?" she asked, attempting to steer the conversation to a much more positive place.

"We was just thinkin' somethin' simple..." Cream Puff trailed off. "Oh, the things Ah could make with this setup!" She turned away and crossed her forehooves. "Not that Ah'd go and make anythin' without yer permission Missus Cake, Ma'am... after all, Ah ain't S.T. Urchin, as ma daddy would say, he's greedier than a bear in a rabbit's honey pot he is... so... maybe... muffins? Yeah, muffins."

"You can totally make those and you said that you were making these for Heartbreak?" Mrs. Cake asked, giving as bright a lemony as she could.

Cream Puff nodded her little golden eyes already having moved on to wandering the inventory for what she would need. "Uh-huh... though, an' Ah don't mean ta be rude or nothin', but she much prefers ta be called H.B.! Missus Cake, Ma'am."

Mrs. Cake clicked her tongue, and gently tapped her hoof against the side of her head. “Right, I’m sorry.” She waggled said hoof and her ears fell in embarrassment. “It’s been months since I’ve seen... H.B., that I sugah plumb forgot! So what kind of muffins were you hoping to make?”

“Uuuuhm... Oh! Can Ah make lemon-blueberry oatmeal muffins!?” she asked, giving the barest bit of pleading.

“Oatmeal? That’s something we rarely use around here. Something that you’re more likely to find at the Apple family farm...” Mrs. Cake mused much to Cream Puff’s dismay. “But we do have it. It’s on the second to top shelf, just below the seeds- poppy, pumpkin, chia, cardamom, and sunflower. Maybe if you’re trying to make this a-” she paused. “-healthy treat, you could add one of those!” she suggested.

“Oh, no-no-no!” Fluttershy interjected, her ears folding, wing fluffing, and hooves tip-tapping on the floor.

Cup Cake went wide-eyed and pulled back. “I’m sorry it was just a suggestion...”

“No... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell like that...” Fluttershy awkwardly apologized. “It’s just... H.B. has an allergy to sunflower seeds...”

“Oh... Oh... heavens! I didn’t know!” Mrs. Cake said, covering her mouth. “Well, thanks for telling me. As I said it’s been... ages last I even talked with H.B.. That poor dear is quite the homebody, especially seeing that rumor has it she fell into a large sum of dough.”

“What’s that gotta do with any of this?” Cream Puff asked once she realized Mrs. Cake didn’t mean bread dough.

Mrs. Cake waved a hoof. “Nothing, nothing, I just know that if I didn’t have to knead dough if my dough met my needs, I might not be apt to do all that much either...”

Cream Puff frowned, what was with ponies, getting on the case of her favorite reader?!

Sensing the tension in the air, Mrs. Cake felt the need for a hasty escape.

“Well, any who, the twins are being awfully too quiet for my liking, so I’m going to go check in on them...” she said, practically clip-clopping to the stairs that lead to the second floor. “If ya need anything, just give a hollar...

“We will...” Fluttershy said, watching as Cream Puff, as if on instinct, starting to pull out the kitchen implements for her creation. “Is everything alright, Cream Puff?” she asked once Mrs. Cake was out of view.

Cream Puff paused for a moment, a hoof in several mixing bowls. “Yeah... everythin’s fine... Ah... Ah just didn’t think that Missus Cake had any sort of vinegar with H.B. is all...” She opened a cupboard. “Ah, fetlocks. Ah shoulda asked her where the she keeps the bakin’ powder while she was down here...”

Fluttershy peered around the corner towards the stairs. “Well... she hasn’t gone upstairs yet, would you like me to ask her?”

“That’d be awfully kind of ya there Missus Fluttershy,” she tapped at a muffin tin under several cookie sheets. “An’ maybe ya can know some of the air outta dough about H.B....” Cream Puff said bitterly as she started greasing the muffin tin.

Fluttershy popped around the corner and saw that Mrs Cake was testing bottles and stowing fresh diapers in her mothers' saddlebags. “Uhm, Mrs. Cake? Excuse me?”

“Oh! Fluttershy! You right startled me...” Mrs. Cake gasped, jumping before turning around. “You already need something?”

“Oh... Sorry... No... Well, yes... I need to ask you something...” Fluttershy took a deep breath, her wing stiffening. “You don’t have anything against H.B.... or Cream Puff, do you?”

“What? Oh Celestia no! It’s just...” she peered into the kitchen before continuing. “Sorry, little ears hear the darndest things. Back in May, Pinkie brought Hear- H.B. here to do a little work and she said her little ‘fet’ word one time around Pumpkin and Pound and I haven’t heard the last of it. Anyway, it’s just... I knew Cream Puff’s parents. They were business rivals with Sugar Cube at one point...”

Fluttershy looked surprised. “Really?” she asked.

“Oh, yes, Just Desserts was pumping out puff pastries, eclairs, and donuts of all kinds and nearly cornered the market on bismarck. Then about three years after little Cream Puff came along, something happened between Puff Pastry and Creamy Eclair. Never knew what, but one night before they were set out to travel to Vanhoover, meeting with some ponies named...” She rubbed her chin and tried to recall before clipping her hoof on the floor. “Otis and Liberty. Otis ran an orchard and Liberty had her lake, but the night they were set to go, they had a bit of a squabble over honey of all things! They set out through the Everfree and well...” She looked in the kitchen again. “You can guess the rest...”

Fluttershy’s ears drooped the tragic story presented to her. “Oh...”

“If I come off a bit... sour as a cumquat when it comes to... H.B. it’s nothing against her... not really anyway. It’s just I see that sparkle in that little filly’s eyes and know what she’s looking for...” She shook her head with a pucker on her face as if she bit down on a lemon. “I just don’t want to see her heart get broken, and I hate to say this, but with a pony named ‘Heartbreak’ involved, it doesn’t seem like a matter of ‘if’ it’ll happen, but ‘when’.”

“I-” Fluttershy began wanting to protest, but just then, stereo crying of two foals penetrated the walls and made it to Mrs. Cakes’ ears.

“Ope! Sorry, Fluttershy, but duty calls!” Mrs Cake gave a crinkled smile, placing two bottles in her mommy nursing saddlebags. “Like I said, if you need me for anything, just give me a... quiet call. Though if little Cream Puff is anything like her mother Puff Pastry? That’ll hardly be an issue.” she commented on going up the stairs. “Coming, my sweet cakes!”


=========


Angel watched from his hiding spot as his Fluttershy finished speaking with the matriarch of the Cake family spoke about her concerns involving the ‘pony’ thing that was named ‘Heartbreak’.

Oh yes, the creature preferred to be called a small cute nickname, but that was just a ploy to make them appear less menacing, less threatening, and more equine.

Oh, how a mother’s instincts on what was a dire threat were so close to the unseen truth!

He frowned at thinking about his past attempts at ridding the very land of this abomination of this blight known as Heartbreak. Each one was more embarrassed, more extravagant, more desperate than the last.

This time, for his poor sweet Fluttershy’s sake, this time had to be different! This time he had to be more subtle, more cunning. By Frith and his blessed bum, this time he would be different!

Yes, he would have to be quick, yes, he would have to be covert, and yes his timing would have to be just right.

Lucky for him, he was all these things, and more importantly, he was now armed with vital information about his enemy’s weakness!

“Now how about to deliver the seeds of my enemy’s demise?’ Angel asked himself, hiding in a patch of spilled white flour in the corner of the sugar saturated sweet shop. ‘I, Angel Bunny also need to know in what measure! Too few and the beast won’t have eaten its poison! Too many and not only will it refuse to eat, but both cream colored filly and my Fluttershy will know something is amiss!’


=========


“By... golly, this here fancy ee-lec-tronic mixer is gonna make makin’ this a breeze!” the little filly said to Fluttershy. “We ain't got nothin’ like this at the orphanage. Well, we useta, but then S.T. Urchin tried going an makin’ crepes in it, an’ made the whole thing too thin, an’ batter got everywhere! Includin’ the motor! An’ cause Missus Hayneighan ain’t too keen about buyin’ anythin’ new, seriously the mixer was donated ta begin with, we’ve had ta mix everythin’ by hoof! Or with yer mouth, whichever yer take, but sweet spiced gumdrops on a stick! This is gonna save me from a sore hoof an’ a sore neck!”

Fluttershy could only smile sweetly as she watched Cream Puff’s enthusiasm and vocabulary grow. Unbridled and unrestrained by the chains of her current living conditions, the little filly’s happiness brightened the kitchen, despite her favorite reading pony not being there.

“That’s wonderful to hear,” she said, looking over the ingredients in a well used cookbook. “So, uhm, what do we need first?”

“Pffft! Beggin’ yer pardon an’ no offense, Missus Fluttershy,” Cream Puff said with a foalish giggle. “But Ah ain’t gonna follower anythin’ from that there cookbook, not when Ah got Ma Ma’s recipes right up here!” She tapped her little head. “An’ in here...” She placed her hoof over her heart.

Fluttershy could only give an emotional smile and teared up. She took a deep breath to get a hold of herself. “Alright then, what do we do first?” she asked.


=========


Angel quickly darted past little crumbs and candy bits that sprinkled on the floor from the day’s baking.

A piece of peppermint, a sticky bet of caramel, some errant jimmies, puddles of pudding, a half eaten cinnamon bun, bubblegum, and slices of dried banana all conspired against him in creating a viscus, sticky, slimy, spicy, and crumbly confectionary minefield.

However, with just a hop, skip, and a jump, he was able to avoid all of them and make it to the other side of the kitchen, undetected. All that was needed now was to transverse up the selves to the waiting prize on the top shelf: the bag of sunflower kernels.

Thankfully, there was a nearby stack of bags of toffee candies and boxes of hazel and walnuts that could make this feat all too possible.

What seemed just a little daunting was the matter of opening that bag.

Sure, he could just open the bag and take it from the top... but then he could get sunflower seed oil on his paws, and if his Fluttershy was anything it was observant. She would be able to smell anything foreign on him.

He could nibble a small hole in the side to let the gray-brown kernels spill into the mixer along with the ingredients... but if the bag was inspected, Fluttershy would be sure to know it was him! He had chewed one too many curtains, couches, and errant plushes when he was a fluff for her not to know his teeth marks.

A metallic glint caught his attention from behind a large cupboard.

Wedging his small white fluffy body through the crevice between the cupboard and wall he managed to reach for the object.

Much to his delight, it was exactly the thing he needed.

In his paws, a long forgotten treasure, was an adjustable box cutting knife.

With this blade, he could make exact cuts in the bag with minimal effort. He could then toss it in the same forgotten place and because it was something that came from this candy coated confectionery the cuts in the bag could potentially be spun as a clumsy mistake from one of the Cake ponies...

He slid the blade in the unusable position and grabbed a bit of ribbon from the gift box-box. Wrapping it around his shoulder and waist, he slid the stowed weapon of his enemy’s soon to be healthy breakfast food onto his back and began hopping up the summit of bags, boxes, and finally shelf.

Once at the top shelf, he saw his oh, so innocent looking target: a burlap sack that was plump and fat with the dreaded death seeds.

 With a satisfied grin, Angel Bunny drew the box cutter knife and slowly crept towards the sack that was nearly aching to be decorated with tiny slices.

Just as he was halfway to his target, wallpaper to his right began to chitter and shake, small particles of colorful wood fell and a mousehole, no, a Rat hole sized chunk was removed from the inside!

Out from the dark hole skittered Rat.

“Whatever Ang-” Rat began, only to have Angel Bunny quickly silence his words with a chew brown glob of sticky toffee!


=========



Fluttershy looked around and put her hoof to her mouth.

“Sumthin’ wrong, Missus Fluttershy?” Cream Puff asked, loading the mixer with a cup of flour.

“I... I thought I heard a squeak...” Fluttershy said, scanning the room.

“Was it a rat ya saw?” Cream Puff asked, adding another cup of flour.

Fluttershy peered under the mixing table. “No... I don’t think so...” she said, almost looking upward.

“Well then, could ya come an’ help me crack these here eggs? It’s been forever an’ Ah could really use your help!”

“Yes, of course!” Fluttershy replied.


=========


Rat struggled to remove the toffee from his mouth.

Angel could only smugly smirk as his adversary, hopefully ignorant of his plans, pulled and chewed at the sticky, brown, delicious mass. He used this opportunity to bound his way past, box cutter in paw raised at the ready to stab!

Rat chewed up the toffee the best he could and raced back past Angel, determined to stop whatever nefarious lapine larceny that he was so dedicated to commit!

He did not know what it was, just that it involved the back with the large sunny flower on it!

Quickly, before the blade could come down, Rat pushed the handle from Angel’s grasp!

In the process, however, he fell back onto the sunflower seed bag, his tiny rat claws raked across the burlap and pulled the open top down just far enough for a sizable number of them to escape and fall into the mixer below...

Angel grabbed the knife and held it close to his body, staring with contempt down at the rebellious rodent. 





In that moment, there was a click and cacophonous whirl of the stand mixer erupting into the air! Sunflower seeds becoming lost in the churning flour, eggs, milk, baking soda, blueberries, candied lemon peel, salt, sugar, and other muffin ingredients!

Angel could only giggle and back away to stow the box cutter behind his back. “Thanks a lot. Rat. I, Angel Bunny could not have done this without you. Now, if Rat will excuse him, I, Angel Bunny am going to the pony vet hospital to finish the job! Rat better leave this place before he’s found out by the Cake ponies, or worse: Angel Bunny’s Fluttershy!” 

With that, Angel dove down the rathole to make his escape, leaving Rat baffled at what had just occurred.

He trembled when he realized where it was that he had tunneled into. A bakery, or any place with food or a possible cat was the last place that he wanted to be! He hated to admit it, but Angel was right!

Quickly, he scurried back into the hole in the wall that he had created, hoping that he could try and catch up with Angel Bunny and thwart whatever nefarious misguided deed that the pet rabbit concocted!
> Allergic to Kindness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 40


Allergic to Kindness


Groaning can be heard among a muffled set of voices...

The groaning is mine.

As the darkness in my eyes parts, I see who those voices belong to, or rather I see blurry outlines that soon come into focus... and along with them... a slow thumping of a hangover pounding in my skull.

"Fffffffet...locks... where..." booting up Heartbreak.exe... systems check... loading... loading... computer lingo here... technology sounds! Technology sounds! Those are the sounds of technology!

"You're in the hospital! Quick! How many hoovies am I holding up?" Pinkie's voice blares into my ears.

"Five?" Fuck! I said that out of habit!

"Haaa! You're so funny H.B.!" Gaaaaaaaaah my ears! It makes everything too bright!!

"You'll be happy to know that the operation was a complete success! Congratulations! It's a girl!" A voice comes that my brain finally registers as Dr. Nickers.... wait... What?!

"Wait?! What?!" I shriek and try to move but something is hindering me from getting up and... out... and? I'm in a hospital bed?!

"Oh... ha... ha... so sorry, did I mean operation?"

'Dr.', and I'm going to use that term in the loosest way possible from now on, Nickers nervously snickers. "I meant that we successfully x-rayed and put a cast on your foreleg!" He rubs the back of his head while shrugging. "I get those two mixed up more than you would think! But good news! I did it right on the first try this time!"

He sounded way too proud of that.

"Woooow... That’s ammmmmazimg... isn't that ammmmmaaazing, Pinkie? It totally reassures me that I'm in good h-hooves..." I'm not sure if this is crabtastic cause the pink one assured me that this time the doctor would be different! They weren't different at all were they Pinkie?!

"Reaaally?" Pinkie asks with a big wide filly eyes.

I don't even have to say anything, Pinkie's reaction to my face said it all. I swear, I'm just this close to screaming.

"Oh..." Pinkie's features droop... fetlocks...

"I... guess you did your best and everything turned out fine." I don't know what else to say. Pinkie's perk perks a little and a small smile returns to her face.

"That's all great!" Dr. Nickers interjects "now all we have to do is wait for the cast to fully dry and if you want to see the x-rays, you can! We took those while you were muttering something about... pink bunnies or evil Celestia... Ha, I don't know, it was really funny!"

I feel a colder chill go down my spine...

"Did I say anything else while I was out?" Please nothing about getting turned into a pony... or a mare... please, please, please!

"Oh no, after that you were pretty much out of it, which was great for me!" He gives me a worrisome smile. He must have caught my glare cause he's waving his hooves at me. "Oh no, no, no, what I mean was that it was really easy to wrap your leg! I hope you like lilacs... the color was Pinkie's suggestion!"

Pinkie glances over at me, yet again, a hopeful glimmer in her eye. 

My anger is fizzling, between Fluttershy's quiet softness, Cream Puff’s cute charm, and Pinkie Pie’s everlasting joy, it's really hard to stay mad at the ponies!

"You're lucky that I happen to like lilacs, both the flowers and the colors." It's true... they grow everywhere in Spokane. Ope, that's some memories triggered about when i moved from Washington to Minnesota almost on a whim... fuck, Nickers is still here...

"Great! Now I have a friend- I mean patient to meet up with!" Dr. Nickers stops just short of exiting. "It's Trot McColt! The famous movie star! You might remember him from such classics as 'Gladius the Groovy Mule' and "Radioactive Mustang'!"

God... dammit, Equestria... just...stop...

"No? Ha... oh well, he's in the hospital due to an accident involving mermare!"

... Please make it stop...

"Well, okie dokie! I have to go now!" He trots out the door.

“Ugh...” Finally, with things going on and on as they are, the last thing I need is a Simpsons reference pony. Really, how many other doctor based-

Pinkie boops me! Gah! “You can do an inner monologue later! I wanna know about your love of lilacs!”

I can feel my ears fall down. I really need to get that hat that High Hat sent me cleaned...

“Hey! Lilacs!” Pinkie clip-claps her hooves at me.

“What? Oh, right. Yeah. I like lilacs. I grew up around them, they smell nice and look... pretty?” I don’t know what to say. Pinkie is so random that I don’t know where she’s going with this, and my leg is still... in pain but not? It’s a weird sensation.

"Really?! That's awesome! Oh! I know a pony named Lilac Blaze! You two might get along really well! She's all about art and nature and-"

My hoof goes up to Pinkie's uuuuhm... pink-a-riffic? Yes, Pink-a-riffoc snoot to boop. 

Hey, if she can do that to me to quiet Goth Bunny, I can do it to Pinkie Pie to interrupt whatever she’s gonna go on about. If it’s important, she’ll tell me later.

Wait... Goth Bunny... she... she... Oh fetting hell... Goth Bunny, you up there? Gothy? Hello?


=========


As Heartbreak held her hoof to the honker belonging to Pinkie Pie, her face completely changed in an instant.

Her face drained of color as her eyes went wide and her ears drooped down.

"Something the matter, H.B.?" Pinkie asked, her voice sounding goose-like due to the perforated hoof placed on it.

"Uhm..." came Heartbreak's uneasy panicked reply. "Nothing... I just remembered some details from that... hallucination."

"Which is in no way my or the hospital’s fault!" Dr. Nickers interjected, his head popping back into the room.

Pinkie's head tilted and then put an ear to Heartbreak's head as if she was listening at a door.

"What are you-"

"Shhhh!" Pinkie hushed, before after which a few moments later, she gently booped the dower right off H.B.'s face. "Everything's okie dokie lokie, Heart-a-pokie!" she beamed.

"That means that everything is A-OK, right?" Dr. Nickers asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"It's kinda cold in this room, " Heartbreak said, the color returning to her face at Pinkie's reassurance. 

“Well, you are sitting under the AC,” Dr. Nickers waved a hoof to his left, and give a giggle. “Or it could be the wind coming off your shoulder!”

Heartbreak gave an icy glare and said nothing.

“Oh! Ha, ha! I see what you mean about it being cold!  I think I should be going now!”” Dr. Nickers pulled the collar on his coat. “Here I go! For reals this time!" he saidfinally leaving the room.


=========


Cream Puff cheerfully adjusted the almost iridescent muffins in the box that Mrs. Cake had generously given her.

The whole kitchen had taken on a rich creamy, buttery aroma with hints of bright lemons and playful blueberries tumbling in the air with caramelized notes of raw sugar.

She looked over the fruits of her and Fluttershy's labor and felt a swell of mixed emotions. On one hoof, she felt pride in recreating one of her Ma's recipes, on the other hoof, sadness that it wasn't H.B. who was the one to help, and still on the other other hoof, grateful that she even got the opportunity to cook anything in an actual kitchen!

But of the nine muffins that had been produced, she had saved four on a plate with a small note written expressing as much thanks as she could in what space a three by three sticky note folded in half could.

"Would you like my help carrying the box?" Fluttershy asked, her mane dusted with flour bits of dried batter.

"Nah, Ah got it, Missus Fluttershy!" Cream Puff replied, closing, taping, and then carefully edged the box onto her back.

"Maybe the Cakes could spare a ribbon, to help secure the box in place? After all, we wouldn't want anything to happen to the muffins on the way to the hospital..." Fluttershy fretted feathers fitfully, flickering to and fro.

"Aw, yer worrin' too much, Missus Fluttershy," Cream Puff began only to see the mare's clearly frazzled, fearful, frightful state. "Although, it never hurts ta goin’ an’ takin’ extra care in a special delivery! So if yer willin’ ta bow me up with a ribbon, Ah’d gladly take yer kindness!”

Fluttershy visibly relaxed and fetched a pink ribbon that was clearly meant for Hearts and Hooves day as it was adorned with red and white hearts. Gently wrapping it around Cream Puff’s barrel, she secured the box with a cute bunny eared bow.

“Is that good?” Fluttershy asked. 

Cream Puff moved a bit and made a sharp spin to test the bow. “Yup! Yer pretty good at tyin’ knots there, Missus Fluttershy!”

“Please, you can just call me ‘Fluttershy’... uhm, if that’s alright with you...”

“Oh, okay then!” Cream Puff flexed a bit. “Yeah, yer still really good at tying them knots an’ bows Mis... uhm...” She stopped, catching herself. “Fluttershy.”

“I’ve had practice and watched Applejack and Rainbow Dash quite a bit,” Fluttershy said, picking up her things and going towards the door.

“Huh, Ah guess workin’ on the farm, Missus Applejack would need ta know her way around a rope. What with all them critters she’s got.” Cream Puff concluded following after. “But why’s Missus Dash involved?”

Fluttershy blinked and the tiniest of blushes pasted her cheeks as they were about to walk out of Sugar Cube Corner. “Well, uhm I-”

“Mind Stowing’ that thought for a hot minute?” Cream Puff asked, turning her head back. “Missus Cake! We cleaned up the best we could an’ are gonna head out now!”

Just then, Mr. Cake quickly rounded the corner, his frantic frazzled face looking at the departing ponies pleadingly.

“Ssssssh!” he hushed with desperation in his eyes. “Sorry, but Mrs. Cake just got the twins to sleep, and I need to take a tally of the pistachio nuts!”

“Oh! Sorry!” Fluttershy squeaked, her ears drooping. “We just... uhm, needed to make sure that you or that somepony knew that we were leaving now...”

“Oh... Alright... thanks!” Mr. Cake said, looking over a list and trying to check something.

“Mr. Cake, Sir? We left ya’all somethin’ on the kitchen counter as a thanks on accountin’ ya’all allowed us ta go an’ use yer kitchen an’ all...” Cream Puff shyly said, fighting to keep her voice down. “Ya really would like it, seein’ that ya look like ya need a break.”

“Huh? Oh! Thank you, Cream Puff!” Mr. Cake said, looking up from the paperwork.

“Nah’, Ah’ should be thankin’ ya’all! Ya’all be havin’ a sweet day, Mr. Cake!” Cream Puff said, walking out the door and turning back to Fluttershy. “Now,... uhm... oh yeah, why’s Missus Dash helpin’ Missus Applejack with her ropes?”

“Oh, well-” Fluttershy began, the door closing behind her.

Mr. Cake sighed and after a bit, processed what the cream colored blob had said. “You know what? I do deserve a break!” he said, folding up the paperwork and stuffing it in his tail pocket.

Coming into the kitchen, he nearly passed the plate of delicious looking muffins, but their warm, luscious, buttery, lemony, blueberry delicious aroma practically stopped him in by his nostrils and pulled him back.

“Mmmmmm!” He exclaimed, taking a good long sniff of the gift left behind.

After going to the fridge for a pat of butter, he proceeded to slice one open and was greeted with the wafting of light flavorful steam.

“Ooooh, yeeeah...” He grinned, buttering the opened and after which he took a generous bite, his eyes rolling back as the dazzling flavors danced on his tongue. Suddenly, he felt a gentle brush of a hoof on his shoulder that gave him a bit of a jump!

“Oh, what’s going on here now?” Mrs. Cake asked, giving a playful side eye to her husband. “Been a while since I’ve seen that look in your eye... Should I be jealous? Leave you two alone to... finish?” she teased playfully.

Mr. Cake's eyes went wide in surprise at the sudden appearance. He then pushed to swallow hard and poured a cup of strong coffee before gulping it down to get the muffin matter to pass. “Oh geez...”

“Are you okay? I didn’t mean to startle you, I was just giving you some crust!” Mrs. Cake cried with a bit of panic in her voice.

“Y-yeah, I’m good, whew!” Mr. Cake gasped after regaining his composure. “Just having one of these fantastic muffins Cream Puff left for us! Want a bite?” he asked, offering some up.

“Tempting, but I had a large lunch and I’m just burnt out from getting Pumpkin and Pound down... but maybe later.” she replied, yawning. “Are they as good as your face is making them out to be?” she hesitantly asked.

Mr. Cake finished his treat and then drank the rest of his coffee. “I would say almost as good as Puff Pastery’s...” he replied. A small quiet grew between the married couple. “You know, we could maybe give her an apprenticeship...” came the suggestion that broke the silence.

“Oh, I don’t know, we can’t just kick Pinkie out!” she waffled.

“We don’t have to do that, she could maybe stay with your friend from the FillyDelphia cooking school... Bitter Sweets?” he suggested.

Mrs. Cake looked hesitantly at the floor. “Maybe but I...” she bit her lip and swallowed really hard.

“Heeeey,” Mr. Cake put his hoof under his wife’s chin. “None of what happened with Puff Pastry or the B. Hive incident was your fault.”

Mrs. Cake turned teary eyed. “But I was the one that introduced them all to ea-”

Mr. Cake kissed his wife’s pole and she just closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, melting like so much butter on the muffins. He then looked his love deeply in the eyes. “You can’t keep blaming yourself for the mess in somepony elses’ kitchen, Cupcake. They made their choices and the consequences were a bunch of burnt bakery goods. All of that was completely out of your hooves, what is within our power is a chance for that little filly to maybe get a shot at a life and away from that awful orphanage.”

Mrs. Cake sighed. “I suppose you’re right.” She quickly pecked him on the lips and tousled his chest fluff. “I can talk to Bitters about it tomorrow and see what she thinks. Until then...” She snagged the paperwork from his tail. “I’ll take care of this if you make sure that the twins stay napping...”


=========


Rat ran through the three labyrinthine maze of tunnels and twists, hurrying as far as his little legs would allow him to scurry.

He had to get to that pony vet place! Get there before Angel Bunny! Stop that rabbit before he could do something worse!

How could a little rat get all the way to a place like Sugar Cube Corner that was near the center of town to the Ponyville hospital that was more near the outer edge?

Magic. 

Now, dear readers, it's not like the magic of the ponies or the other myriad of higher species that call the land of Equestria home. 

It's not the spell craft that unicorns boast about, or the weather warping of pegasus, or even the Eponain plant growth of the earth ponies.

It might not be any of those things, but as long as any creature lived, ate, slept, and breathed in the land of Equestria while calling it home?

There would always be a spark of some kind of magic within them.

It is different among every member of the Ovid: Rabbits were swifter than the wind, dogs could always find their pack and knew when a pony was bad, cats knew the secrets that others did not, owls had the wisdom others could not, reptiles knew the things that others were meant not to know. 

Rats have many of those things, but they have something more. Rats have the knowledge of all tunnels and mouse holes in the area of living and with that power, they could Warp the very fabric of storage and arrive somewhere without breaking a sweat.

Jump up, another jump up! Drop down, further down! Go left! Go right, left, right, tunnel B, tunnel A, down out this mouse house and he was at the pony vet!

"But where is the Heartbreak pony?" Rat asked himself, scampering up into the white cork board tiles of the ceiling so he could have a better scope and stay out of the view of any of the ponies...

He was after all... a rat...

"I, Rat, could hear Angel Bunny now, wuffling about how he is a filthy, sickness spreading, disgu-"

"H.B.!" Came the joyous cries of a familiar sounding little filly. "Yer OK!" she giggled happily, rearing and kicking about. "Oooh, ya got yerself there an awfully purty cast!"

"Please settle down, " a nurse pony with golden eyes, a black mane, and sandy tan coat requested. "We have patients that are resting."

"Sorrah, Ma'am, thank you ma'am." The Cream Puff filly apologized.
‘

=========


"You got that book back to...” She looked confused for a moment. ”Nurse... Biscotti? Nurse Redheart?" The tan mare asked the nurse pony, her eyes narrowing at the cover. "More with a kind-"

Nurse Goodfilly promptly lowered the book so the cover couldn't be read. "There's no need to act so rudely, dear Heartbreak."

"H.B., please." Heartbreak snorted, staggering as she realized she couldn't stomp her hoof.

"Fine, H.B.," Goodfilly retorted. "I would have shared what I was reading, but you took that tone with me and Nurse Redheart will get the book back when I'm done with it. I swear, just when I think I'm about to put it down, the author adds five more chapters with unprompted backstories, a load of the main character complaining, unnecessary exposition, and fourth wall breaks. Good thing she's a somewhat competent writer with an excellent editorial staff, else I would have stopped reading ages ago!"

The Heartbreak pony only rolled her eyes. "I just thought you could have asked Cream Puff to be quieter in a nicer tone... I didn't ask for an info dump..."

"I'm merely doing my job..." Robyn muttered to herself. "Oh, and the main character is a bit compelling and ever so cute!"

"Can I sign yer cast, H.B.? An' why is it that purpley color?" Cream Puff asked, still in an excitable mood.

"Maybe when we're back at my house and I'm not feeling like my head is going to explode. Fetting Dr. Nickers gave me something that was strong, and I just want to lay on my couch and pretend like I don't exist for a while..." Heartbreak ended bitterly. “And Pinkie chose the color.”

Cream Puff looked a bit upset by H.B words. "But if ya didn't exist, then Ah couldn't give ya the muffins that flyers an' Ah baked up!" she said tearfully.

"Yeah! And if you didn't exist, then this world wouldn't exist! We wouldn't exist! This story taking place around you wouldn't exist!" Pinkie Pie proclaimed practically prancing in place before grabbing Heartbreak's face and squeezing her cheeks while starting into her eyes frantically!

Heartbreak jolted for a moment and then tried to swat the pink pair of hooves away, only to find herself almost toppling. "Pinkie, I'm not sure we've had this talk before, but my space is important to me. Let go. Wish, everything would still exist whether or not I was here."

"But what if it didn't?!" Pinkie pinktificated anxiously.

"Then that would be solipsism, and the last thing I need is to be a solip-sue, ‘cause A: it would literally be the worst thing in the world, and B: the most terrifying thing ever, and C: and this is important, something I don't want to talk about anymore because it's pointless." Heartbreak replied, pushing up her glasses pointedly.

"But-" Pinkie protested.

"Pinkie..." Fluttershy put a gentle hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Maybe now isn't the best time..." she said with clear exhaustion in her voice.

"Alright..." Pinkie finally conceded.

Heartbreak sighed in relief before noticing Cream Puff’s bright eyes and wide grin looking up at her expectantly. "Uhm... yes, Cream Puff?"

Cream Puff looked a little disappointed before rebounding and rocking back and forth on her hoof tips. "Ain't ya gonna ask about the muffins Fluttershy an' I made?"

"Aaaaat Sugar Cube Corner!" Pinkie added.

"Yeah!" Cream Puff nearly fell over because of how high she was on her hoof tips! "Whoa! It was so great, H.B.! There were so many bakin' things, an' cookin' things, an', an'! Just wowie!"

Heartbreak couldn’t help but grin at her unrestrained joy. “Sounds like you all had a really good time.”

Cream Puff snuggled up to Heartbreak’s unbroken leg and looked up at her with an eager knowing grin. “Buttered cinnamon biscuits, did I ever have the time of mah life! An’ it was really kind of Pinkie Pie ta get Missus Cake ta let me use their kitchen!”

“Yeah... it was, I suppose,” Heartbreak replied, as gently as she could muster.

“An’ it was really kind of Fluttershy ta help me in the kitchen makin’ the muffins!” Cream Puff then leaned up against the eepable fluttering pony who, as one might expect, proceeded to eep and flutter as the attention was drawn to her.

Heartbreak blinked and forced a smile. “Yeah... I suppose it was...” she said, sorta repeating herself.

“An it was reeeally kind of Pinkie Pie ta come an’ check in on ya at the hospital! An’ kind of her ta’ bring yer saddlebags! An’ awfully kind of her ta drop yer bike off at the shop! An-”

Cream Puff found herself being cut off by Heartbreak’s hoof quickly but gently covering the young filly’s mouth.

“Yeah...” She turned her head and looked directly at the ponies who were supposed to be her teachers. “I suppose it was really kind of them to do all that so much that I can’t wait to have a talk with them about how kind it was...” Heartbreak said through almost gritted teeth before she pointedly pushed up her glasses...


=========


Rat watched as both the pink and yellow ponies gave each other uneasy glances as the Heartbreak... the H.B. pony glared them down over something...

“Rat is not sure where the sudden hostility came from, but maybe...” He shook his head, his little ears wiggling about. “No! Focus! Angel Bunny will be arriving with his blade! Rat must be vigilant!”

With keen bright rodenty eyes he surveyed the room from above. Rabbits may not have had the maze running ability that ratking had, but the magic in their legs and to some extent ears meant he could arrive at any moment!

“Yer not mad at them are ya?” the little filly asked, in distress in her voice.

“Why would I have a reason to be mad at them?” The H.B. pony asked, her eyes narrowing at the two.

“Cause they... uhm... they sorta told me that...” She looked around, the odd nurse pony seemed distracted by a book... “They gone n’ told me that yer needing’ ta write a letter ta the Princess..” she said in a hushed voice.

“Oooh... did they...” H.B. pony replied, a disapproval gleam behind her glasses.

“They didn’t mean anythin’ bad by it!” The cream filly protested.

H.B. pony took a deep breath and let it out her nostrils. “Maybe not... “ she said, the prickly posture of her body language relaxing a little. “We’re just going to have a little chat later... Right now... I just want to get home, recover, and do some writing...” she looked at Fluttershy. “Involving, you know what...”

Fluttershy’s face brightened up. “Really?” she asked, her eyes virtually glimmering with joy at the prospect.

H.B. pony sighed. “Yes, really. I think there's enough here to cobble something together for a good letter.

Both the Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy jumped in place and pranced about before the nurse pony hushed at them to settle down!

Fluttershy pony giggled. “Sorry... I’m just really excited to help H.B. write this letter.”

“With the way you’re acting, I would think that you’ve been waiting over a decade!” the nurse snarkily said, putting a hoof under her chin and grinning a snaggle toothed grin.

H.B. pony sighed. “Can we please just get me back home so I can start my seemingly endless recovery?”

“Oh, right, of course... I’m sorry, H.B.” Fluttershy pony said, starting to head to the door in preparation to open it.

“Oo! Oo! Oo! If you want to, you can ride on my back, H.B.!” the Pinkie Pie pony exclaimed, jumping up before crouching down to the ground.

“Don’tcha think that’s a little strange, Pinkie?” the H.B. pony asked, her face turning askew.

“What? Not at all! What’s wrong with a pony riding another p-” The H.B. pony’s free hoof shot up to the Pinkie Pie pony’s mouth, cutting off the question before it had a chance to enter small ears.

“Nothing, Pinkie. Nothing. Forget I asked or said anything.” the H.B. pony said with a bright blush on her cheeks and a mortified look on the rest of her face.

“Okie-dokie-lokie!” The Pinkie Pie pony said, grabbing one of her ears and pulling down. Rat swore he heard the terrifying wet flush of the monster kept in some homes known as... the toilet... “

“Great...” The H.B. pony muttered, starting to hobble more to the door.

“Wait!” the cream filly exclaimed, opening the box on her back and pulling out a simply scrum-diddly-umptious looking muffin. “Don’tcha still want a muffin before we go?” She offered it to her favorite mare. “Fer the road!”

The H.B. pony looked thoughtful, then her stomach growled at her. “It has been a while since breakfast at the Strawberry Sweets Shake Shack... I mean, we are going to walk back.” Her stomach expressed its yearning once more, this time even louder. “Ah, fet it. What's the harm? I could have a few bites now and a few bites later.” she opened her maw to take a bite.

Rat shook his head and continued his frantic find the hare game. By the mad rat god! Where was that white fluffball?!

The H.B. pony stopped. “There’s no sunflower seeds in this, right?”

“Nope! We made sure of that!” the cream filly jubilantly assured.

“That’s right.” the Fluttershy pony said, once the H.B. pony had taken a bite and started chewing. “After all, I remembered that you have a sunflower seed allergy.”

Rat stopped searching and his little body ran cold.

The H.B. pony chewed happily, taking the flavors before stopping midway after the third bite.

“Fluttershy...” she started, the look on her face growing grim. “Are you sure that there aren’t any...” she chewed again, this time her tongue emerging from her mouth. “Sunflower seeds?”

“I-I’m sure!” the Fluttershy pony stammered her confidence starting to waver. “W-why do you ask?”

The H.B. pony moved things around in her mouth, her lips pursuing and unpursing before she stuck out her tongue to reveal at least nine sunflower kernels.

“O-o-oh n-n-no!!!” The Fluttershy pony shrieked her wings splaying, feathers flying about!

“Ah swear we did put any in-Ah mean we didn’t put any in, H.B.!” a panicking cream filly exclaimed, tripping on her own words! “Them there sunflower seeds were high on a shelf! They had an’ ah know fer a fact we didn’t put any in!” she wailed, tears welling in her eyes!

“Spit it out! Spit it out! Spit it out!” The Pinkie Pie pony punctuation after procuring a waste basket from behind the nurse’s desk and placing it over the H.B.’s face!

“Pft! Pt! Pt! Please, every p-pony! Calm down! It’s only ah-ah-ah-wachuuu!” the H.B. pony sneezed. “A-ah-ah-mInor-ah-errg-gee-chuu!”

The four ponies present watched in horror as the H.B. pony became a violently sneezing, gasping for air, a mess of shaking and thin blood streaked mucus that ran down her arm from her nose.

“Nurse! Nurse! Nurse Goodfilly! We need your help!” The Fluttershy pony whinnied terrified.

“I’m on it. I-”

Rat ran from the scene unfolding before him. He dove through the hole in the wall and dashed through the mazes. He couldn’t watch. Memories of the day that Ruby fell ill thrust themselves into his whiskers.

The sneezing. It started with the sneezing. Then the blood. Then the fever! He ran when the fever came, that’s when the parents threatened him!

Breathing heavily, scurrying frantically, the bright summer sun burned his little yellow eyes as he exited another rathole outside the hospital.

Suddenly and without warning, there was a blur of white and a thump on the ground.

Rat’s head turned to the direction of the sound, little arms raised, mouth agape, and there now stood a most terrifying sight.

Arms crossed over his fluffy chest, ears up straight and pointy, eyes black and sparkling, Angel Bunny loomed over Rat, his nose twitched before a twisted cruel rabbit-toothed wide grin swept over her face.

“Well done, Tip Rat...” Angel Bunny said, his grin growing even wider... The sound of a mare’s voice pleading for it to ‘please stop!’ between painful pony sneezes heard from the window above. “Angel Bunny could not have done this without your help...”





Rat could only raise his little paws to his mouth and squeak in horror over what Angel Bunny had pulled him into before bolting back down the rathole to flee it all...