Home is where your heart is, and there's really no place like it.
Low Res didn't know what it meant to be special, until she met Lilac Meadows.
Evergreen has a big choice to make. Apple Split has all the faith in the world he'll make the right one.
After Velvet Light's accident, Rocky Storm and Star Hunter are worried about her.
With help from Apple Bumpkin, Ballad gets ready to show who she really is to one of her oldest friends.
And finally, a troubled Autumn Leaf explores what it really means to fight for something.
This story is completed and will be updated daily, totaling at five parts.
Each chapter of this story was written for a Quills and Sofas Pride Month contest: part one won first place in the Lesbians contest, part two won third in the Gay contest, and part three placed third in the Bi contest. Part four was written for the Trans contest and part five was written for the 24 Hour Contest.
This story is an entry for Pride and Positivity (Bigots, you know where that downvote button is!)
Cover art by Mushroom, who also preread this story.
Just leave just leave just leave just leave just leave
Low Res took a deep breath and tried to maintain her smile. She shifted uneasily on her rear legs, rocking back and forth as she tapped her front hooves against the counter.
The two pegasi occupying the shop floor were wandering up and down the aisles aimlessly, occasionally pausing to poke at an item.
Just leave just leave just leave! Leave already!
The first pegasus sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily. “Come on, Rocky,” he muttered. “We gotta get back to Velvet.”
“Fine,” muttered the second. The two turned in unison and headed for the door.
“H-Have a nice day!” Low Res called after them. She didn’t move when the door swung shut and the bell rang: instead she held her breath and counted to ten. When she was certain the customer was gone, she dropped back to all fours and swung around to glance at her pale purple flank.
An oversaturated and slightly fuzzy-rainbow stared back at her.
Low Res squinted carefully, first at her left then her right before spotting something which confirmed her fears: on her right flank a corner of the rainbow was peeling upwards.
She sighed, hanging her head in disappointment, before heading for the backroom. “Just great,” she muttered. Low Res gave a pull to the corner and the entire rainbow peeled off, wincing slightly as it took a few of her coat hairs with it. It quickly folded up onto itself, the adhesive making the ends stick together. With a grunt, Low Res crumpled up the sticker into a ball and tossed it away.
Underneath the sticker was of course nothing: just like how there was nothing every single day of Low Res’ life.
“Still no cutie mark,” she muttered, head hanging in shame as she sulked over to her workbench. She opened a cardboard box, filled with dozens of sticker sheets.
Inside, dozens of identical, fuzzy rainbow stickers stared back at her.
In a practiced movement, she tore a sticker from the sheet and applied it to her flank, running a hoof over it to flatten it once it was set.
She sighed, checking in the mirror to make sure it looked somewhat natural. Obviously it was far from perfect: any pony with an eye for detail could detect that something was off with it, but Low Res was determined to never hang around someone long enough for them to find out.
The rolling of thunder cracked from outside, only adding to Low Res’ gloom as she folded her ears and felt her cheeks burning with humiliation.
As she turned in the mirror, she decided to reapply her right flank’s sticker as well. But as she reached for the sheet there was the ringing of a bell and hoofsteps from the shop floor.
Low Res’ breath hitched in her throat as she ran back for the counter. As she reentered the room, a mare with a pale orange coat turned to look at her.
“Hi!” Low Res blurted. “Welcome to my store! We sell stickers and stationary items! I’m Resolution, can I help you?”
The mare giggled. “Hiya! I’m Lilac Meadows, I run the flower store down the street!”
Low Res blinked. “Oh, right! I don’t think I’ve ever gone, though.”
Lilac hummed, tapping her chin. “Don’t think so. Anyways, I pass your store a lot and I’m looking for a new supplier for labels. I had a deal with Clear Tape at the Stall Depot but he’s decided to retire.”
“I see,” Low Res said, nodding mechanically.
Lilac smiled brightly. “But I take it your specialty is stickers?”
Specialty? My specialty is nothing.
“Y-yes,” Low Res replied, rubbing the back of her head. “But I can make labels as well!”
“Oh, stickers could definitely help spice up my bouquets,” Lilac replied, trotting up to the counter. “May I see your inventory?”
Low Res brightened. “Sure!”
She scampered to the backroom, quickly grabbing boxes and sheets. It wasn’t often that someone wanted to see her work… even if Low Res didn’t think it was very good.
Her pace slowed at that. There was probably already a pony in the city whose special talent was in sticker making. Who was she to take away their business when she wasn’t talented at anything?
Low Res shook her head violently to clear the thoughts. She had a customer, and it was rude to keep her waiting.
“Here we go!” she said, spreading out the boxes and sheets over the counter. “I can do mostly anything, and in any style you need.”
“Ooh!” Lilac began shuffling through the sheets, eyes gleaming in amazement. “These look great! Do you do the art yourself?”
“Er, sometimes,” Low Res answered as she shuffled on her hooves nervously. “If you have an artist with some designs I could definitely do a custom order.” Her eyes lit up with realization. “Oh, here!” as she reached for one of the sheets her hoof brushed against Lilac’s, and for a second she froze.
But Low Res quickly shook the feeling off, flipping over to a sheet filled with flower stickers. “These might be suited for what you need.”
“These are lovely!” Lilac looked up, eyes brimming with energy and eagerness. “I’d love to have these for my store, would you accept a monthly or bimonthly order?”
Low Res paled at that. “Wow, of course! I don’t think I’ve ever had a repeat customer like that before!”
Lilac laughed, clapping her hooves together. “Then Equestria doesn’t know what they’re missing out on!”
That got a smile out of Low Res.
“Oh, what about these? You seem to have a lot of them,” Lilac said, pointing to a sticker sheet.
Low Res followed her hoof and realized she had accidentally included the sheet of her “cutie mark.”
“Isn’t that your cutie mark?” Lilac asked.
Low Res sucked in a breath at that. “Y-yeah! I just like to, y’know, include them in orders for free. Gotta promote myself, y’know?” she offered a weak chuckle.
Luckily, Lilac seemed to accept this. “That’s amazing! You’re really good at brand-building, huh?”
“Um… thanks?” Low Res felt her cheeks flush at the compliment. “I can bring around some demos to your store tomorrow. It’s the one two blocks down, right?”
Lilac nodded. “Sounds good! I’ll be looking forward to it! I’d love to chat with you more but I really need to get back to the store. See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah!” Low Res answered. “I’ll see you then!”
With that, Lilac turned and trotted to the door. The ringing of the bell finally snapped Low Res out of her haze. The entire store seemed darker and gloomier now that Lilac was gone.
Low Res sighed, almost in disbelief at what had just happened. “Wow… nobody’s ever that nice to me.” A smile crept onto her face, but as she began to gather the sticker sheets she felt a cool breeze against her left flank.
The smile vanished as she glanced back and realized that her other sticker, the one she hadn’t replaced, had peeled off nearly halfway.
Low Res gasped, going stock still. Did… did Lilac notice?
She considered this. Lilac hadn’t said anything, and her expressions felt so warm and genuine…
She couldn’t have noticed. Right?
Low Res groaned, slumping onto the counter and burying her head in her hooves.
“Why does life have to suck so much?”
For once, life didn’t suck so much for Low Res. The difference was that Lilac Meadows was now in it. After several deliveries and conversations, Lilac began stopping by more and more, even helping Low Res close up the store.
“Yeah, these are great! I think they’ll love them!”
Low Res beamed as Lilac poured over a set of stickers. The stickers each bore the colors of a particular pride group: brilliant shades of blue and white, purple and blue, and several others covered the entire sheet: in bold defiance of whoever dared oppose them.
Lilac smiled as she put them in her bag, putting some bits on the counter. “Thanks a ton!”
“Yeah, no problem. I give some of these out to customers, too. Tell them to put them wherever they want,” Low Res continued.
“Ooh, good idea. I wonder how far from the cities these get… Do you ever travel, Low Res?”
Low Res tapped her chin. “Uh… not really? I mean I guess it’d be cool to visit Canterlot.”
“Not big on travelling?” Lilac nodded, her mane bobbing up and down. “That’s fine! I've always wanted to go to Manehattan myself. The city sounds so beautiful and exciting!”
“Manehattan’s cool,” offered Low Res as she hefted a box onto the shelf.
Her companion was quiet for a second. “So, Res,” Lilac said after clearing her throat. “I’ve been doing some thinking.”
Low Res perked up. “Oh yeah?”
Lilac was quiet for a few seconds, fiddling with a page in the sticker book laying on the countertop. “Well… in a couple of days a local musician is holding a rooftop concert where I live. It’s gonna be a pretty big deal! My friend Star Hunter is organizing it and he’s pulling out all the stops. He hired me to make these flower arrangements and everything. Do you… do you wanna go with me?”
Low Res froze, eyes going wide. A… concert? With other ponies? “Uhh…”
Lilac eagerly awaited a reply, gazing at her with a placid smile. It made Low Res sweat as her mind began to race. I couldn’t possibly go there! What if someone finds out? But as she opened her mouth to reply she caught Lilac’s gaze again and her mind grounded to a halt. “Uhh…. sure? Sounds… fun?”
Lilac gasped. “Oh, fantastic! It’ll be so much fun! I just know you’ll like my neighbors, everybody there is super nice!”
Low Res barely heard any of it, the panic of what she had just said finally hitting her.
I’m going to a party… with other ponies. Who will be looking at me.
“I really hope it goes well,” Lilac said, leaning against the counter. “Apple Split hired me to do the decorations. Plus, I… I really want to show you the gardens there. They’re so pretty.”
“Um. Yeah.”
Lilac glanced at the clock mounted on the wall and sighed. “Well, I have to get going. See you there?”
“See you there,” Low Res said automatically. She didn’t breathe until the ringing of the bell shook her from her trance.
What did I just get myself into?
“Of course it’s raining.”
Low Res paced the floor of her shop nervously as rain continued to pound the streets outside. A cart filled with stickers was behind her, packed, covered, and ready to go.
The only thing that wasn’t yet ready was Low Res. That was because Low Res hated the rain.
Rain didn’t mix well with adhesive; perhaps there was a magical solution, but Low Res wasn’t a unicorn and as such had no answer to rain mixing with her sticker. Even a raincoat and umbrella offered minimal protection, especially when the wind was behaving as erratically as it was now.
“I knew I should have had one custom made,” she cursed, fiddling with the zipper of her poncho. She sighed, squeezing her eyes shut.
She had to do this. She had made a commitment and she was going to follow through on it. She couldn’t let Lilac down.
With a deep breath for confidence, Low Res pushed out into the storm.
The city was bathed in water. It streamed down from the sky and fell from awnings, creating virtual oceans and lakes in the streets and alleys.
The wind instantly smashed into her, sending droplets of water into her face. Low Res growled, quickly checking that the tarp over her small wagon was secure, before heading off into the storm.
Water lapped around her boots as she trotted, with the wind constantly harassing her. Every now and then Low Res spared a glance back at the cart, but for the most part she kept her head low.
By the time she reached the flower store she was certain that she was more water than pony.
The door was unlocked, and Low Res practically collapsed into the room, wearily relishing the warmth.
“You made it!”
She looked up to see Lilac trotting over to her, herself wearing a raincoat. “I was going to head over to take it myself but it looks like you beat me to it!”
“Yeah, it was no problem,” Low Res panted. She glanced at her flanks and was relieved to see that the adhesives had held so far.
Lilac moved the wagon over to a corner of the room. “Oh geez, you’re soaked!” She rushed over to Low and put a hoof over hers. “And you’re freezing!”
In truth, Low Res hadn’t noticed how cold she was until Lilac pulled her hoof away. Her body missed its warmth almost immediately.
“I have an idea,” Lilac said. “Why don’t you come home with me, I’ll treat you to some tea!”
“Oh, that’s… that’s really not necessary,” Low Res stammered.
“Nonsense, it’s the least I could do,” Lilac insisted. “C’mon! Besides, I want to get to know you better!”
Low Res considered this. On one hoof, going with Lilac would mean returning out into the storm. But on the other hoof…
“Okay,” she finally said with a smile. “I didn’t have any plans for tonight anyways.”
“Great!” Lilac exclaimed, clapping her hooves. “C’mon! Let’s go!”
And with that, the two left the store again. Lilac extended her umbrella, allowing Low Res to hide beneath it.
“Gee,” Lilac said, raising her voice over the storm. “I hope this rain stops soon, we still need to set things up for the concert tomorrow.”
“I’m sure it will,” Low Res offered.
Lilac nodded. “Well, we’ll make do no matter what happens. Have you ever been to Galley Alley?”
Low Res tapped her chin. “I’ve heard of it, but no, I’ve never been,” she admitted.
“It’s really neat! Most of it is an apartment complex, but the alley in between is filled with all sorts of cool stuff, like pop-up stores and cafes.” She sighed wistfully. “The community there is fantastic too, I’ve never felt so welcome.”
They fell into a comfortable silence, allowing Low Res to take in the city. Somehow, despite the gloom of the city and the sky, she felt safe beneath Lilac’s umbrella. Like nothing could hurt her.
And she smiled a bit wider.
“Oops, here, let’s make sure this thing fully covers you,” Lilac muttered, moving closer to Low Res. Instantly she felt Lilac’s warmth as it almost radiated onto her body. The heat rose to her cheeks and she looked away in embarrassment.
“Gosh,” sighed Lilac. “I just love the rain. The smell of earth and ozone, the way the clouds look as the wind shapes them… it’s just so pretty!”
Low Res nodded. “I… never thought of it that way. I usually just hide inside when it rains.”
Lilac laughed and it was beautiful. “Why, we’ll have to get you to go out more, silly!”
As they rounded the corner, they paused in front of a light pole that was covered with familiar stickers. “Huh,” Low Res remarked, trotting up to it.
“Well, you did tell ponies to use them ‘wherever,’” Lilac laughed.
“Guess so.” Low Res faintly heard the clopping of hooves against the cobblestone. She began to turn, but only caught the passing taxi cart in her peripheral vision before the cart plowed straight through a puddle.
Her vision was blurred with water as the splash drenched them both.
“Hey!” Lilac shouted as the cab faded away. “Geez! The nerve of some ponies.”
Low Res shook her head violently to get some of the water out of her mane, much to Lilac’s amusement. “That’s one way to do it, I guess! Don’t worry, I’ll get you a warm towel once we get home.”
“Thanks,” Low Res muttered, tilting her head and jumping to get water out of her ear.
The two continued before Lilac pointed out two large buildings ahead of them. “There it is: Galley Alley.”
The buildings were made of brick and ivy, with cozy windows tucked into its nooks. In between them was an alley which twisted and snaked out of view, guarded by a rusted iron fence.
“Come on, let’s--”
“Mommy!”
The two turned to see a foal and their mother across the street, pointing at them. “Mommy, how come that pony doesn’t have a cutie mark?”
Low Res’ blood turned to ice as she whipped her head around to look at her flank. To her horror, the sticker was gone.
Ohnoohnoohnohnoohnohno
Her mind sputtered to a halt, with her eyes growing wide.
“Low Res?”
She tried to form a reply but her mouth just flopped open and closed uselessly. Lilac was looking at her, but her panicked mind couldn’t identify the expression. Her cheeks burned with humiliation as her entire form began to tremble nervously. “I--”
Lilac moved, cutting her off. She put a foreleg around her neck and pressed their bodies together, using her own body to hide Low Res’ naked side. “Shhh,” she whispered. “Come on, let’s get you someplace warm.”
Her body continued to move, but Low Res barely recognized it. Her mind desperately tried to restart itself, vaguely registering the stimuli from the lobby, staircase, and hallway. By the time it finally began processing again, Lilac was unlocking an apartment door and ushering her inside.
“Wait here,” she instructed gently before dashing off into the house.
Low Res looked around the room. It was small but cozy, and the scent of candles and flowers met her nose.
She would have enjoyed it more were she not still completely mortified.
Lilac reappeared again, a towel in her hoof. “Here,” she offered.
Low Res accepted the towel and began to dry herself off. She paused when she noticed her other sticker, now soaked and peeling, but decided not to do anything about it: the jig was already up.
Now she’d have to deal with whatever Lilac thought of her.
“C’mere,” Lilac said again, guiding Low Res over to a couch. They sat down as another crack of thunder sounded from outside.
Low Res was quiet, studying the carpet beneath her hooves. She sniffled, squeezing her eyes shut as tears began to well in them. “I… I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“What for?” asked Lilac.
“For lying to you! I… I don’t have a cutie mark,” Low Res blurted, burying her head in her hooves. “I’m a fraud! I don’t have a special talent in anything, I’m just a useless--”
She was cut off when she felt a foreleg around her. Lilac had pulled her into a hug and began nuzzling her gently. “Shhh, don’t talk like that, honey,” she whispered.
Low Res turned to look at her, wiping tears from her eyes. “W-what?”
Lilac smiled. “You don’t need a cutiemark to be special, you know.”
“But how?” Low Res asked.
“Well, let me put it this way. Every pony in Equestria is unique, right? We all lead our own lives, sing our own songs. But… you can’t live your life to the fullest if you’re trying to sing someone else’s song. You’ve got to sing your song!” Lilac scrunched her nose. “...If that makes any sense. Look, what I’m saying is it’s fine to be you! You don’t have to be ashamed!”
“But I’m 21 and I don’t have a cutie mark yet,” Low Res sulked. “How… How can I not feel like I’m useless? Like I’m nothing at all?”
“Because,” Lilac answered. “You’re my friend, and that makes you something!”
Low Res turned to look at her. “I… I am?”
“Of course you are!” Lilac exclaimed. “I meant it in your store, your stickers are so, so good! Who cares if you don’t have a cutie mark in it?”
“I… I guess,” Low Res muttered.
Lilac sighed. She leaned over and enveloped Low Res’ body in a hug, letting her warmth wash over her. “Hey,” she whispered. “Tell you what. I’ll help you find your special talent, ‘kay?”
“You… you’d do that?” sniffed Low Res, fresh tears in her eyes. “But… Why?”
“Because friends have each others’ backs,” Lilac answered, ruffling her mane and sending small specks of rainwater flying. “And, um… welltobehonestIthinkyou’reprettycute,” she blurted, a bit of red stinging her cheeks.
Low Res blushed as well but leaned into the hug. “I… Thank you. Nobody’s ever been this nice to me. Everyone just looks at me funny and I… I hate it so much,” she muttered, bitterness tingling her voice.
Lilac sighed. “Well, here’s what I say: screw them! They’re a bunch of jerks anyways. You don’t deserve them, so who cares what they think?”
“I… I guess you’re right.” Low Res hesitantly hugged her back. When Lilac didn’t pull away, Low Res buried her face into her new friend’s chest, sobbing deeply and letting her cheers fall into her coat.
Behind her and unnoticed by either of them, Low Res’ sticker slowly fell off her coat and drifted to the floor.
Every morning, Apple Split awoke to the sound of a whirring lawn mower outside of his window.
When he had first moved to Galley Alley it had been annoying; he couldn’t fathom why anyone would need to mow grass with that level of frequency, or why anyone would start that early in the morning.
But in the end he had gotten used to it, like the rest of Galley Alley’s residents.
Apple Split sighed, rolling out of his bed with a yawn as the familiar buzz sounded outside of his window. He trotted over to the balcony, which was slightly crowded with potted plants and tree saplings.
Leaning over the railing, Apple Split glanced down at the wide alley which ran in between the apartment complexes. Two paths ran alongside the buildings, and in the middle was a small garden mixed with flowers, trees, and other botanical life. On one of the lawns, a green pegasus was pushing a lawnmower along the grass.
Apple Split chuckled, watching him work. He grabbed a sheet of newspaper and crumpled it up before taking aim at the pegasus and tossing it down.
The crumpled paper bounced off of the pegasus’ hat. He turned around to glance up at the balcony before locating Split. He took off his ear protection and waved. “Good morning, Split.”
“All good, Greeny?”
Evergreen shrugged, leaning against his lawnmower. “The usual, I guess.”
“Always is with you, isn’t it.”
“How’re the saplings?” Evergreen shouted back.
Apple Split feigned shock, holding a hoof over his heart. “You don’t even ask how I am?! Do you care more about my plants than me?”
“Do you want me to answer that honestly?”
Apple Split laughed. “Come up here and I’ll show you.”
Evergreen spread his wings and in a few quick beats flew up to the balcony while Apple Split ducked back inside to fetch a watering can. When he returned, Evergreen was crouched by one of the plants, holding a hoof to its leaves.
“They’re healthy,” Evergreen said without looking up. “Are you going to take them back to the nursery?”
“Tomorrow, yeah,” Apple Split replied as he tilted the watering can over a pot. “Got a fresh batch to lug back here. Hopefully I can get back in time to handle the stage setup for the concert!”
Evergreen paused at that. “I see.” He stood up, moving to the other saplings. “Can you handle that by yourself?”
Apple Split glanced at him, confusion wrought across his face. “Probably? Why? Are you going to be busy?”
“I might be,” Evergreen replied.
He offered nothing in addition, so Apple Split continued watering the plants in silence. Once he was done, he returned the can inside and fetched two glasses of water.
“Here,” Apple Split said, offering one to his friend.
Evergreen accepted it, sipping from the glass without meeting Apple Split’s eyes.
Apple Split leaned against the railing, stirring his cup gently as a few thoughts crossed his mind. “So,” he finally said. “What’re you doing tomorrow?”
Evergreen scuffed a hoof against the balcony’s floor and didn’t reply.
“You seein’ a hot stallion?”
“No!” Evergreen blurted, eyes going wide. “I’d never do that to you!”
Apple Split held his hooves up. “I know, I know, just teasing you,” he chuckled. “But I can only really guess if you don’t tell me.”
That got a sigh from him. Evergreen fidgeted with his protective goggles for a few seconds before he spoke. “The park’s looking for a new groundskeeper.”
Apple Split cocked his head in confusion.
“I have to go interview for it,” Evergreen clarified. “Tomorrow morning.”
“Oh. Oh!” Apple Split perked up. “That’s amazing, dude!”
Evergreen slumped over, ears folding. “It’s not! I’d have to live on-site and move out of here.”
Apple Split blinked. “Oh… Oh, I see. Well, that’s what you wanted, isn’t it? To be a full time groundskeeper?”
“It… it was,” Evergreen confessed. “But that’d mean moving away from… you.”
The silence returned as Apple Split considered this. A few birds flew past the balcony, chirping and whistling their signature fall songs. Around them the other residents of Galley Alley slowly began to stir awake, and within the apartment Apple Split could hear the creaking of hoofsteps on wood, groaning of pipes, and muffled voices behind doors.
“Greeny, you probably won’t get another chance like that if you say no,” Apple Split finally said.
“I dunno. Maybe. Groundskeeping isn’t very competitive,” Evergreen muttered half-heartedly.
Apple Split reached out and put a hoof on his shoulder. “Well, sure, but nobody knows what tomorrow’s gonna bring.”
Evergreen leaned back and closed his eyes. “Split?”
“Yeah?”
“If I go, are you gonna miss me?”
A small smile fell upon Apple Split’s lips. “I miss you whenever you’re not here, silly.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Well of course I’ll miss you, but us Apples always find ways to make do. Besides, it’s not like we’ll never see each other again. You know where to find me and I’ll know where to find you.”
Evergreen squeezed his hoof and nodded. “Yeah. I guess that makes sense. Thanks, Split.”
The two stood and Apple Split pulled the pegasus into a hug.
Evergreen hugged back, nestling his head into Apple Split’s shoulder.
Their ears twitched as they heard a faint giggling. Across the way, a trio of pegasi were watching them from their own balcony.
Evergreen blushed a little, but Apple Split just laughed. He leaned in and kissed Evergreen on the lips, drawing some ‘d’awws’ from the pegasi.
They held the kiss until Evergreen pulled away. “I should finish up, it’s going to rain later today.”
“Yeah,” Apple Split answered. “I’ve got to get to the nursery too, then I’ve got a million things to do for the concert. Hey, good luck with that interview if I don’t see you tonight.”
“Thanks,” Evergreen answered with a smile. “And get some rest! You look exhausted.”
With that, he hopped off the balcony and glided back to the ground. Apple Split watched him for a few seconds with a smile before he turned to re-enter his apartment.
Evergreen woke up early the next day. Granted, he always woke up early, but the anxiety and stress had kept him up. With nothing else to do, Evergreen decided to leave the apartment.
The gardens of Galley Alley were sleepy, but the flowers and plant life welcomed him happily nonetheless. Evergreen considered getting a headstart on the grass before deciding that it was far too early for mowing. Besides, it would probably wake up Apple Split, and Celestia knew he needed his rest.
Evergreen frowned, chewing on that thought as he walked out of the gardens. Apple Split had been working himself to near death lately, practically slaving over the concert’s logistics.
As Evergreen turned out from the Galley Alley buildings onto the city streets he glanced up at the cherry-colored sky. He thought of Apple Split and the times they shared together: the warm dinners at the corner cafe, taking walks through the city, browsing the selection at Lilac’s flower store…
A smile formed on his face as he stepped through some puddles. Apple Split made him happy. Apple Split kept him warm. Apple Split loved him.
And he loved Apple Split.
Evergreen paused on the corner, noticing a lightpost erected on the corner. Its surface had been covered in a series of stickers, with some of the colorations feeling familiar to him. As he trotted towards it, his hoof stepped onto a piece of paper.
Picking it up, he realized it was an advertisement for the rooftop concert that Apple Split had organized. Evergreen ran a hoof over its surface, thinking of how Apple Split had stayed up late for nights on end working out the details, fueled by coffee, sheer determination, and Evergreen’s love.
A smile tugged on the corners of his lips. He trotted over to the post to reattach the flyer with tape from his utility belt. But not wanting to cover any of the stickers, he ended up sticking it low to the ground, close to the base.
The obscurity of it made him laugh.
Apple Split loved him, and he loved Apple Split.
Evergreen spread his wings and began to fly home, his mind made up.
The next morning, Apple Split awoke to silence. He sighed, listening to the pitter-patter of rain against the roof. A couple minutes passed before he extracted himself from the warm blankets and stumbled to his kitchen.
As he fumbled with his box of teabags, he blinked blearily when his ear detected an unexpected noise.
Apple Split opened the balcony door and stepped out, the rain not fazing him. Squinted, he observed a figure in a poncho down on the lawn: pushing a lawnmower back and forth.
Evergreen turned and looked up at the balcony. He waved at Apple Split before turning off the lawnmower.
“Interview done already?” asked Apple Split.
“I didn’t go,” Evergreen replied.
Apple Split blinked. “Really?”
“I’m happy here,” Evergreen replied, gesturing to the buildings. “With you.”
Apple Split blushed hesitantly. “Wow… but are you like, sure sure? I mean, I want you to do what makes you happy.”
“Yeah, well you’re what makes me happy,” Evergreen replied. “Just… you put so much care into everything. I see how much you care about things like the concert and what you do for this place. And it makes me happy. It makes me want to give as much as you do.”
Apple Split blinked then laughed. “Aw… I love ya, you big lug.”
Evergreen replied with a salute.
“C’mon up here when you’re done,” Apple Split replied as the sun began to peek out from behind the clouds. “I’ll make us hot chocolate.”
The sky was blue today, and Velvet Light wanted to fly in it.
“Velvet, come on! Stop acting like a foal!”
Velvet dug her head deeper into her pillow, pulling the covers up above her head.
A foreleg jabbed her chest through the sheets. “Velvet! You have to take your medication or your wing isn’t getting any better!”
“Just leave me alone, Rocky,” Velvet muttered.
“Ugh!” Rocky Storm poked her shoulder. “You’re literally being a drama queen right now!”
Velvet scowled but felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. She groaned, resisting the urge to flip over onto her bandaged wing.
“Star!” Rocky shouted. “Velvet is being silly!”
Velvet poked her head above the blankets to glare at Rocky. “Shut up!”
“What’s going on?” asked Star Hunter as he poked his head into the bedroom. He narrowed his eyes at Rocky. “Rocky, Velvet needs her rest. Leave her alone.”
“She’s not taking her medicine,” Rocky whined, crossing her forelegs and tossing her mane dramatically. “Tell her to stop complaining and eat it!”
Star Hunter gave the two an exasperated look, before slamming a hoof to his face. “Rocky, just leave her alone. Velvet, if you don't take your medicine, then how do you expect your wing to heal?”
“Maybe I don’t want it to heal,” muttered Velvet as she burrowed back into her fortress of safety.
Star trotted over and Velvet felt a weight on the edge of the bed. “...do you want to talk about what happened?” he asked gently.
His voice brought with it a crashing wave of humiliation and anxiety. Velvet bit her lip, blinking rapidly to dispel the tears in her eyes. “...no.”
Star sighed, and his disappointment wrought more shame onto Velvet. “Okay. I won’t push you then. Come on, Rocky, I’ll start dinner.”
“But it’s my turn to cook,” Rocky pouted as Star stood up.
“And you still need supervision so you don’t burn our house down,” Star chuckled. “I’ll help you, ‘kay?”
“Fine,” muttered Rocky, secretly relieved that she wouldn’t have to be alone with the kitchen appliances again.
Two sets of hooves trotted out of the room before the door gently shut. Velvet counted to thirty in her head, and when she was certain neither was coming back, she poked her head out from the blankets with a groan.
She sank her head into the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. “I’m so stupid,” she muttered, the shame giving way to guilt. Velvet squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her hooves to her forehead with a growl. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
As she shifted in bed pain shot through her right wing. With a defeated sigh, Velvet sat up and reached for the medication Rocky had left on the bedside table.
The sky was slightly gray today, and Velvet wanted to fly in it.
“I said, did you get the flowers from Lilac yet?”
“What?!”
Velvet rolled her eyes, ears folding down as the grating noise of a lawnmower drowned out Rocky’s words.
Rocky grunted, glaring at the pegasus in a safety vest that was pushing a lawnmower up and down the lawn. “Did! You! Get! The! Flowers!”
“Oh! The flowers!” Star nodded with a grin. “Yeah, I got them! Lilac gave me these really cute stickers too, I’ve got to ask where she got them!”
Velvet glanced up at the sky and closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply, letting the smell of freshly cut grass fill her lungs. The wind flew through her mane, chilling her body while the warmth of her companions on either side fought it back.
When she opened her eyes again the lawnmower had stopped. Velvet glanced back to see that the pegasus gardener was having a conversation with an earth pony on a balcony above. After the two exchanged some words, the pegasus flew up to meet him.
Velvet watched him fly enviously, the urge to spread her own wings surging through her body.
“Velvet? You alright?”
“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine,” Velvet muttered as both Rocky and Star glanced at her nervously.
“You wanna like… run around or something?” Rocky suggested. “It’s supposed to rain tomorrow and I don’t want to drag you out in that for exercise.”
“I’m fine,” Velvet repeated with a roll of her eyes.
“Yeah? You don’t look fine,” Rocky murmured.
Velvet turned to face her. “Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?”
Rocky stuck out her tongue at Velvet.
“Ladies, please,” Star said, stepping in between them. “Velvet, Rocky means well, we’re just worried about you.”
“Well… don’t be!” Velvet replied, trying to hide her blush.
“What?! How can we not!” shouted Rocky from behind Star. “You broke your wing! I think that’s a pretty good reason to be concerned!”
“Please, do you want to tell us what happened?” asked Star, reaching for her hoof.
Velvet’s eyes flitted back and forth, looking for an escape route as a deep red blush filled her cheeks. Not finding any, she buried her head in her forelegs. “Fine! I wanted to impress you with a flight trick, okay?! Are you happy?!”
There was a beat of silence. “What? Why?” asked Rocky, genuine confusion in her voice.
“Ugh! Because the two of you are so talented and good at so many things, and I just feel like I’m dead weight,” Velvet replied, sinking deeper to the ground. “I… I saw this one trick the Wonderbolts do where you fly really high then fall, before you pull up at the last second and I thought it’d look really cool and…” her voice wavered and fell to a whisper. “...impress you.”
She felt a hoof on her shoulder and looked up to see Star smiling at her. “Velvet, you don’t ever have to impress us. We already love you for who you are!”
“Yeah, we really care about you, y’know,” Rocky added. “And it sucks when you keep pushing us away like you’ve been doing.”
“I was embarrassed,” moaned Velvet. “I mean, I did that trick because I wanted to prove I wasn’t dead weight but here I am, needing you guys to care for me…”
Rocky laughed, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek. “You’re really silly, Velvet. You’d do the same for us. That’s what love is!”
“I guess,” muttered Velvet.
Star kissed her other cheek before gently lifting her to her hooves. “C’mon, let’s get back home and get some soup in you.”
Velvet nodded and the two began walking back towards their apartment. “I almost had it too,” muttered Velvet. “Just crashed into that stupid tree.”
“Velvet? Please never do that again,” Rocky replied. “You scared the piss out of me when you crashed.”
“You really did,” Star observed. “I’ve never heard her scream that high before.”
“Hey! Don’t act like you didn’t scream either, tough guy,” Rocky shot back, hitting him in the back of the head with a wing.
Velvet laughed as her two lovers bickered with each other. She was glad that she wasn’t the only silly one.
The sky outside was gray, and Velvet was glad she wasn’t flying in it.
“Could you bring me another cup of cocoa?” she called to the kitchen.
“I think you’re getting a bit too used to this service,” came Rocky’s reply.
Velvet snorted. “As if you weren’t going to bring one!”
“...you got me there.”
Velvet looked out the window as rain poured down onto the balcony window and onto the gardens below. She leaned into Star’s side, pulling the knitted blanket up higher against her body.
Soon Rocky appeared with some fresh cups of hot chocolate and joined the two on the couch. “Geez, is Evergreen really still out there?” she asked as the faint hum of a lawnmower echoed from below.
“Think so,” Star answered. “I wonder if he’s applying for that groundskeeping job?”
Across their apartment the balcony door slid open and a confused earth pony poked his head out. The gardener pegasus flew up and the two exchanged words before hugging one another.
“Awww!” Velvet giggled, and soon Rocky and Star did as well. The earth pony caught their eye and grinned before pulling his companion into a kiss.
“They’re adorable,” Velvet said.
“You’re adorable,” said Star, messing with her mane.
Velvet blushed and lightly slapped his foreleg. “Yeah, well you two are silly!”
“Well, you’re the silliest,” Rocky replied, nuzzling her side.
“Kids in love are very silly,” Star replied, hugging the both of them.
“Kids?! We’re all the same age, tough guy! Don’t act like you’re older than us!”
“Hmm, I am more mature though.”
“No you’re not!”
“Guys, please… let’s just enjoy the storm,” Velvet decided, sipping from her drink.
A second of silence passed before Rocky spoke again. “I can’t lie though… Evergreen’s kinda hot, huh?”
Two slaps echoed through the apartment followed by a chorus of laughter.
Ballad blinked, the world coming back into view around her. “Huh?” She winced at the sound of her own voice as it dipped an octave before clearing her throat and trying again. “What’s up, AB?”
Apple Bumpkin glanced at her, a roll of cable in their hoof. “You were kinda zonin’ out on me.”
“Oh.” Ballad looked down into the coffee cup between her hooves, swirling the liquid gently. “Sorry. I guess I’m not awake yet.”
“S’fine,” Apple Bumpkin answered, turning back to their cables.
Ballad set her cup aside and looked around the rooftop.
Decorations had been erected as soon as the rain had stopped, with volunteers still scurrying about to rearrange items and nitpick over details. She felt a pang in her heart as she noticed the intricate flower bouquets, wrapped with colorful ribbons. It was familiar. Too familiar.
Ballad winced and tried to focus. She sipped her coffee and looked down at her notepad, where she’d scrawled out a series of lines and lyrics. Something something, Galley Alley rooftop… hm. Maybe a city name? Something something, this Fillydelphia sunrise--
She bit down hard on her lip as a memory shot through her mind. Nope. Not Fillydelphia. With a grunt, Ballad scanned the rooftop in search of inspiration. She saw Lilac Meadows arranging some flowers, an unfamiliar green-maned mare standing next to her and grinning as Lilac pattered on about something or the other.
Above them, below the remnants of the prior night’s storm clouds, a flock of geese flew past, honking loudly amongst themselves.
It reminded her of hazy apartment hallways, with muted voices drifting in between the walls. Back when she wasn’t happy. When she wasn’t herself. When she was someone else.
With a sigh, Ballad trotted over to the roof’s edge, glancing down at the homely gardens below. It was still early, with the sun having just risen over the horizon scant minutes ago. She watched as a green pegasus in a safety vest trotted along the paths, inspecting some of the plants and making a note on his clipboard occasionally.
The sight put a small smile onto her lips. Looking across the roof to the neighboring building, she could almost pinpoint the exact apartment where she had once lived months ago.
It was strange. Even after all that time, Galley Alley still felt like home.
Her smile wavered as the wind blew against her face, and she began chewing her lip nervously. Things had changed since then. She had changed since then. But time had brought them back together.
She wanted to do this. She had told Apple Bumpkin that much. But even if she was excited, a part of her was scared. Scared that the home she once loved wouldn’t love her back.
The fear had kept her up last night, to the point where she had barely slept and opted for pacing back and forth in her rented hotel room instead… much to the chagrin of her companion.
“Mind givin’ me a hoof here?” Apple Bumpkin called.
Before Ballad could reply, a different voice called out: “I gotcha, AB.”
“Thanks, Split.”
Ballad shuddered, freezing at the roof’s edge.
Slowly, she glanced backwards at the makeshift stage. A blue-coated, red-maned pony had joined Apple Bumpkin by the speakers. A pony that seemingly hadn’t noticed her yet.
“You all set to go?” Apple Split asked, stifling a yawn.
Apple Bumpkin nodded with a toss of their mane. “Reckon so! All the tech looks good to go. It’s a mite early to do the soundcheck, so y’all can probably take a break soon.”
“Celestia knows we need one,” Apple Split answered with a yawn. “I’m just glad everything worked out, especially with the rain.”
Apple Bumpkin chuckled.
The two were quiet for a second, causing Ballad to look back over again.
“So, uh… you talk with Auntie?” Apple Split asked quietly.
Apple Bumpkin was quiet for a second. “Yeah. Said she… don’t exactly get it.”
Apple Split hung his head in disappointment. “Oh. I’m… I’m sorry, AB.”
“Well, ain’t exactly that bad,” Apple Bumpkin quickly clarified. “Said she don’t quite understand it, because when she grew up they always said you were either a colt or a filly. Ain’t never heard of someone fallin’ in between. But they said they understood, and they’d stop callin’ me ‘Apple Dazzle’ from now on. Said if that was who I was, they weren’t gonna question it.”
“Oh!” Apple Split perked up. “Well now, that’s a relief to hear.”
The conversation caused Ballad’s heart to quicken a bit. Hearing Split’s words caused something to stir inside of her. Something that felt like… hope.
“Say, where’s Refrain?”
And just like that, her hope became fear, and Ballad whipped her head around to stare over the rooftop.
She didn’t hear Apple Bumpkin reply, but she heard hooves against the concrete behind her. “Oh, there he is! Hey, Refrain! Super happy you decided to come back!”
Ballad squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled deeply.
Here goes nothing.
She turned around, smiled, and waited.
Apple Split’s eyes widened, and fear struck into Ballad’s heart again. But by the stage, she saw Apple Bumpkin give her an encouraging smile, so she inhaled again and spoke. “H-hey, Split. Been awhile.”
“It sure has,” Apple Split answered. “You look… different, Refrain! I like the new look! Has it really been that long?”
“Uh.” Ballad scuffed a hoof on the ground, studying the cracked floor beneath her carefully. “I actually, um… I go by Ballad now.”
When Apple Split didn’t respond right away, Ballad sucked in a breath and prepared for the worst.
She wasn’t expecting the crushing hug that sucked the air from her lungs.
“Oh! Wow! That’s great! Congratulations!”
“Uh. Thanks,” Ballad replied, taken aback. “So… you don’t think it’s weird or anything?”
“What? Why would I?” asked Apple Split as he pulled away.
Ballad coughed into the back of her hoof. “Some of my, uh, other friends thought it was.”
Apple Split made a face. “That’s… that’s insane. I always forget that some ponies actually think like that. Your identity is your choice, who gives a buck if others think it’s weird?” He narrowed his eyes before continuing. “...do I have to go beat someone up? Evergreen can probably hide a body, y’know.”
Ballad gasped. “N-No!”
That got a laugh from Apple Split. “Alright, alright, if you say so. But seriously, that’s great news! I’m so happy for you. But… why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Ballad blushed. “I was… scared you wouldn’t, uh… approve.”
“Awww. I’m always gonna support you,” Apple Split replied, hugging her again. “Hope you know that. All of us here are always gonna have your back. That’s the way we do things in Galley Alley.”
“Yeah.” Ballad sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I really missed it here. The love, the support… you don’t get that anywhere else.”
Apple Split nodded. “I’m… guessing the band didn’t work out then?”
Ballad made a face. “Turns out they’re not too keen on the whole ‘transgender’ concept,” she muttered. “I dumped them back in Fillydelphia.”
“Dang…” Apple Split hugged her again. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Glad you came back, though. We’re always gonna be family to you.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Split,” Ballad replied, hugging him back. “That… I think that means more to me than I could ever say.”
“We do our best,” Apple Split replied with a yawn. “Hey, I’d love to catch up with you later, but I’m wiped. Might take a nap before the concert.”
Ballad nodded, patting him on the back. “You should! You put a ton of work into this thing.”
“Yeah, but it’s all going to be worth it,” Apple Split replied sleepily. “You’re going to knock them off their hooves, bro… I mean, sis.”
Ballad grinned widely, feeling a satisfied flutter in her heart. “Thanks, bro. I’ll see you around.”
The two exchanged another hug, and Apple Split headed for the stairs. Ballad sighed, a feeling of warmth washing over her.
“Told you it was gonna go fine,” Apple Bumpkin teased as they trotted over.
“Yeah… glad it did though,” Ballad muttered. “I dunno if I can handle another disaster… especially not here.”
Apple Bumpkin slung a hoof around her shoulder. “Hey now. Even if everythin’s goin’ wrong, you gotta tell yourself that it’ll get better soon. That’s the only way we keep ourselves goin’.”
“Guess so,” Ballad replied, relishing the lightness in her heart. “Wanna warm up right now?”
“Sure,” Bumpkin answered, as the two trotted over to the stage while the sun continued to rise above them.
His friends often joked that it was hard to tell what came first, the season or him. And he’d roll his eyes and laugh along every single time, even when the joke got too old to be funny.
Even when he found out what his “friends” really were.
Nowadays he didn’t like that joke anymore.
Autumn frowned, staring at the bottom of his plastic red cup. He stirred in a small circle, watching as the dyed liquid inside swirled about in response. With a sigh he set it on the brick half-wall he sat on, rolling his neck in a small circle.
From his perch on the rooftop he could see the city as it sprawled out below him. The streets weaved and dodged in between the buildings, like trenches in the battlefields he had studied in school. Carriages and pedestrians moved about as tiny blobs below, scattering about the city in an organized yet uncoordinated mess.
Autumn turned away from the view below to scan the rooftop. Ponies were crowded onto it, milling about and chatting happily with one another. The sun was just setting over the roof’s edge, and an easy wind kept the air cool. On the far side of the roof was an empty stage, with a couple of stools and a microphone waiting to be used.
The awnings and gardens had been decorated with a plethora of flowers and paper decorations: their laminated surfaces glittering in the fading evening sun. The smell of food filled the air, making him lick his lips in anticipation.
“I can see why you like it here so much,” Autumn said, glancing to his right.
Evergreen didn’t reply, leaning against the concrete half-wall with a cup in his wing.
“It’s comfy. Cozy, even.”
“Yeah,” Evergreen replied. “Apple Split worked really hard on this.”
Autumn nodded, scanning the crowd and quickly finding the blue stallion. Apple Split was busy playing host, interacting with the crowd and striking up colorful conversations while swapping stories with the assembled guests.
But if Autumn squinted he could see the bags under his eyes, and how he would sometimes drift off when someone else was speaking: staring off into space with an empty expression. “He doing alright? I heard this took a lot out of him.”
Evergreen pursed his lips. “He’s really tired. It took a lot to pull this off, but he was determined. He said he owed Refrain… Well, Ballad that much.”
Autumn grunted. “Yeah, I think I heard about that. So, let me get this straight then. Ballad had a show lined up in the city when they decided to pull the rug on her?”
“The owner is a firm believer that the gender you are born as is the one you get,” Evergreen replied monotonously. “He wasn’t too happy to find out that Ballad was a mare.”
“Celestia’s sake,” Autumn spat in disgust.
“Ballad was devastated. Told Apple Split and he organized this entire thing,” Evergreen continued.
Autumn tapped his chin. “But… he didn’t know she was trans until she showed up?”
“Yeah. Ballad only told him that she had gotten cancelled and that was enough for Split,” Evergreen nodded. “She was still Refrain back when she lived here and never told anyone about her transition. Was afraid we wouldn’t approve.”
“I’m glad it all ended up working,” Autumn replied, draining the last of the liquid from his cup.
“For the most part,” Evergreen replied, gazing off at Apple Split.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just worried. Split worked hard on this but it’s not the last thing he’s got to do. The Apple Family Reunion is next week and he’s hosting,” Evergreen said, playing with his own empty cup.
Autumn blinked at that. “...Wow. And he still did all this just for a friend?”
“Friends stick together,” Evergreen answered.
“In theory they should,” Autumn muttered in reply. “But yeah, I get your worry. I’m sure you’ll take care of him though, keep him from working himself to death.”
Evergreen shrugged. “I try. But for him it’s not over yet.”
Autumn looked up at the sky. “Yeah. It’s not over for a lot of us, I guess.” He hopped off the barrier. “I’m going to get some more punch.”
“I’ll be here,” Evergreen acknowledged.
With that, Autumn began to weave through the crowd. The sounds of their laughter and conversation fell upon his ears like rainwater, forming a smile upon his face. Strings of Hearth’s Warming lights had been hung throughout the rafters, casting a warm and welcoming glow upon the scene like fireflies in the summer.
It was homely, but… Autumn’s own reservations kept the atmosphere from enveloping him fully.
The smile slid away when he reached the concession’s table. He absently took a paper plate and began loading it with chocolate chip muffins, chips, and pieces of fruit when someone bumped into him, nearly sending his food crashing to the floor.
“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” cried a bubbly voice. “Oh hey, Autumn! You came!”
Autumn turned to see a bright, orange face beaming at him. “Oh, hey Lilac. What’s up?”
“The sky, silly! What’s up with you?” replied the mare without missing a beat.
“Not much,” Autumn replied. “Studying, school, you know. Evergreen told me about this so I figured it’d be a fun way to spend the night.”
Lilac nodded eagerly. “It’s going to be so much fun! Did you like the flower arrangements?”
“Oh, you did those, huh? Thought I recognized that style,” Autumn answered.
Lilac just giggled, and it was only then that Autumn noticed the mare shuffling awkwardly next to her.
Autumn waved, and the mare gave a half-hearted wave back.
“Hey, have you met Low Res yet? Low Res, this is Autumn Leaf! He’s studying at college!”
Autumn rolled his eyes. “It’s not that impressive. But nice to meet you!”
“Nice to meet you too,” Low Res muttered, almost hidden behind her curly green mane.
Lilac threw a hoof around her. “She’s a bit shy, don’t mind her!”
“Heh, I get that. Don’t worry about it,” Autumn replied as Low Res blushed.
“It really has been forever since we talked,” Lilac continued as she pulled Low Res closer. “Last time we spoke was probably… the ice cream parlor on pride night?”
Autumn winced as memories of that flushed through his head. “...yeah. I think so. Celestia, I… Lilac I’m really sorry about that.”
Lilac put a hoof on his shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not?” he asked, rubbing his forehead. “I… what they said about you and everyone else who was there was just terrible. I can’t believe I called them my friends for so long.”
Low Res blinked curiously, glancing at Lilac.
“Oh, I went with some of my own friends to meet with him during pride night,” Lilac explained to her. “We were all wearing these jackets with pride flags sewed onto them! But, uh… turns out that some of Autumn’s friends didn’t like that.”
Autumn sighed, rubbing his forehead with a hoof. “I… I haven’t talked to them since. I just… it baffles me. We’re supposed to be a country of friendship, aren’t we? How are we ever supposed to progress if we can’t let go of old, outdated ideals?”
Lilac was uncharacteristically quiet at that. “Well… that’s the million bit question, I guess.”
“Yeah… I keep hoping someday that we’ll find an answer, but with everything that’s happening in Canterlot and in the news… It's so hard to have hope.” He looked up to meet Lilac’s eyes. “You all are incredibly brave, you know. But you shouldn’t have to be. You shouldn’t have to fight to express who you are and what you want. And I’m tired of being so angry all the time. I can’t even imagine what you all have to go through.”
Lilac chuckled softly. “Oh, Autumn. You’re learning, and that’s great! Because you’re right, a lot of ponies out there have their heads up their butts. But we’ve learned that we can’t listen to them. Who are they to tell us who we can or can’t be? It’s a fight of course, and for the longest time it’s been uphill. But things are changing. We have ponies like you now: ponies who are learning what the last generation told us is wrong. Nopony ever complained about having too many allies!”
Autumn kicked at the ground. “I don’t know. I… I feel like I’ve been ignorant to this stuff for so long because nobody talked about it where I grew up. And to think that I associated with people who hate you guys…”
“That’s the trick,” Lilac said. “Before, nobody was talking about this stuff. But now, we are, and we don’t intend to shut up about it anytime soon. And every voice counts, even yours, Autumn.”
Autumn sighed, chewing his lip. “I just don’t know. I don’t feel like I know enough to speak out. Identity is so important to you all. I can’t afford to make a mistake. It’s why I’ve been so focused on listening and learning.”
“But even if you do, we need your voice,” Lilac returned. “You can learn from your mistakes but only if you make them first.”
Autumn looked up, catching Low Res’ eye for a second. The mare was still half-hidden behind Lilac, but slowly she had crept out from behind her, gazing at him curiously.
“No… no, you’re right,” Autumn said. “You all have courage to fight. I need to find it myself if I want to help.”
Lilac smiled and hugged Autumn. “That’s the spirit! And thank you, really. I’m happy we’re friends.”
“Me too,” Autumn replied, patting her on the back.
As the two broke their embrace there was a short burst of feedback from the stage. Apple Split stood in front of the microphone, tapping it a few times with a hoof. “Good afternoon everyone! I want to thank you so much for coming out today, and if you’ll take your seats, our exclusive concert will start shortly!”
“Let’s get some seats,” Lilac cheered, pulling Low Res close and nuzzling her. “It’ll be fun!”
“Yeah,” Low Res echoed, the blush returning to her face. “Fun.”
The three joined the rest of the crowd, moving to form a semicircle around the stage. As Autumn looked around, he couldn’t help but smile as ponies from all walks of life came together, to do nothing more and enjoy the night together.
Lilac led the way, dragging Low Res along as she pranced over to some cushions. The two plopped down onto them, Lilac giggling the entire time. Her infectious energy put a smile on Low Res’ face as she nestled into the cushions. For a second she glanced back at her flank, but Lilac quickly recaptured her attention by leaning into her shoulder.
“Are you excited?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Low Res answered genuinely. “Yeah. I am.”
Next to them three pegasi climbed on top of each other, jostling one another for seats.
“Ow! Cut it out, you’re going to hurt my wing,” Velvet whined, shoving Rocky Storm away from her.
Rocky rolled her eyes. “You’ll be fine. C’mon, let’s get closer!”
“I dunno, I think it's fine,” Star Hunter replied, rubbing his chin. “It’s not like it’ll make a difference anyways.”
Velvet stared at him incredulously. “Not make a difference?!”
“Star doesn’t go out, remember,” Rocky pointed out.
“Oh come on, you can’t possibly tell me you’re going to complain about where we sit,” Star cried, throwing his hooves in the air.
As the three continued to bicker, two ponies trotted onto the stage to join Apple Split.
“Ready?” Apple Bumpkin asked Ballad.
Ballad took a deep breath, shutting her eyes as Apple Split’s voice continued to bounce about the rooftop.
“...welcome one of our very own, a resident who happens to be a dear friend of mine,” Split was saying.
“Yeah. ready,” Ballad declared. Apple Bumpkin leaned over and the two exchanged hoof-bumps.
“So please welcome Ballad!”
The declaration was met with a chorus of cheers as they sat down on the stools, Apple Bumpkin slinging an acoustic guitar over her shoulder.
“Hi!” Ballad said, smiling as she seized the microphone in her hooves. “Thank you all for the warm welcome back, it’s wonderful to see so many faces. It definitely has been a long time since I’ve lived here… it almost feels like I’ve become a different pony since then. And I guess in a way I have. But even after everything, all this change and all this growth… I’m still me. And I couldn’t be happier.”
That statement was met with a chorus of applause and cheers. Ballad smiled wider, glancing up as the stars began to peek out, basking all of Galley Alley in a warm and comforting starlight.
“So this song’s for you. For all of you who changed my life.” She nodded, and Apple Bumpkin began strumming a simple melody.
As the song began, Apple Split silently retreated off the stage to join the audience. As he sat down, Evergreen joined him, offering him a cup of water. “Thanks, Greeny,” he muttered, draining the cup almost instantly.
“You did good,” Evergreen replied, patting him on the shoulder.
Apple Split gave a tired smile. “Thanks. I’m just glad the building didn’t collapse!”
They both laughed, and Apple Split leaned into Evergreen. He yawned, rubbing his eyes as he tried to focus on the stage.
Evergreen rubbed his back and nuzzled him. “You gotta take care of yourself, Split.”
“I’ll try.”
“Hey, whatever you need, I’ll be there.”
Apple Split smiled and pecked him on the cheek. “Thanks, bud. I’m lucky to have you.”
“And I’m lucky to have you.”
With that, all of Galley Alley began to sway in time with Apple Bumpkin’s notes, and Ballad’s voice began to lift them from the ground to the sky, before falling to the ground like raindrops in the night.
