My fic. Unnamed.

My name is Quill, and I am an earth pony. But of course you should know that. My best friend in the world, the entire world, is Pinkie Pie. She is also an earth pony. Recently, we became a little more than friends. A lot more, in fact. Though, before I get too ahead of myself, allow me to tell you exactly how We came to be.

         Sunny skies, thanks to the pegasi. Too bright, thanks to Celestia. An apple, delicious, crunchy, sweet as can be, thanks to the Apple's farm. This is the best thing I've noticed here in Ponyville, these wonderful apples, but then again, I've only been here a day. The natural sugar from the fruit melts on my tongue, dragging me into near bliss as I sigh the words "So damn sweet." Not but a millisecond after I utter the phrase, is the giddiest pink pony in the world upon my nose with her own.

         "Hi! Ooh! Is that an apple? It must be really, REALLY sweet! You know what else is sweet? CANDY! I love candy! Oh! Do you like candy? I have some in my bag!" says the pink pony in the sweetest of voices. One who obsesses over sweets, is so sweet herself. What happens next occurs in but a split moment, and I am shocked into laughter as balloons, somehow packed and inflated so perfectly in her little case, fly around and spit their songs all around my ears. "Hee hee! Oopsies! That was my party pack! Silly Pinkie!" Pinkie is her name. "This is my candy bag!" She emerges once again from her saddle with a much smaller bag, how she mistook the two I'll never know, and places a piece of hard candy in my mouth. What is it? Tastes like a strawberry at first, but then it intensely changes to grape, then lemon! Such a sour lemon!

         I can feel my face twisting at the flavor, I was about to spit it out, but then it mellows down to a taste of pure sugar. My face straitens out, and I know I must have been a sight, because Pinkie is giggling in delight. "Do you like it? It takes forever to make these!" She locks eyes with me and says in what I imagine to be her dramatic voice, "Wait for it!"

         Oh. My. Celestia.

         The flavors explode! I mean that literally! I can taste grape on the right side of my tongue, strawberry on the left, and lemon stings everywhere in spontaneous little bursts. This is insane! Finally, sadly, it mellows again and dissolves it's final sugary section away, leaving my mouth feeling like it is now missing something very important. I drag in a long breath of air, and even the air seems to taste of the wonderful candy I was given. "Pinkie! That was amazing!"

         "I know! I call it the 'Combo Candy Cracker', like a firecracker!"

         "It is a firecracker! I'm quite shocked!"

         "Hee hee! Welcome to Ponyville!" she giggles gleefully and hops away. I don't know what to think! This was so random, so amazing! But as that pink pony bounces into the distance, I feel something like nothing ever before. Like this pony is suddenly my life. Like... Like... Apples. Oh yeah! I'm supposed to help Applejack tonight. I almost forgot about my first job here in Ponyville. You need bits to live you know!

                             *************

         The Apple Family is so nice, The very first pony I met when I arrived was Applejack. Orange coat with yellow mane and tail. The moment I saw her, too, I knew she was a very trustworthy pony. One who isn't likely to lie to you. I asked her name, about a job, and a place to live, and I was lucky to have met her first.

         "I'm Applejack. Yes! Of course, Sugarcube! We could always use some help harvesting the apples here on the orchard! An' don't you worry 'bout a place to stay. I'm sure Twi will know a good one."

         I didn't know, and I didn't ask, who 'Twi' is. I just nodded in agreement, and thanked her for the opportunity at a job. Soon after, I met Pinkie.

         Back to the present, I just arrived at the orchard. I see Applejack and a younger pony kicking the apples off a nearby tree. Applejack notices me out of the corner of her eye and turns to face me. "Hey there, Sugarcube."

         "Hello. I'm here to work for my first pay."

         Applejack wants to reply but the younger pony cuts her off. "Who is this, sis?" she says.

         "This is..." Applejack pauses. "I'm sorry, I never learned your name!"

         "My name is Quill. Nice to meet you, Applejack." She seems to blush a little at this, because I asked her name, and she had not.

         "Quill! What a fine name. This here is my little sister, Applebloom."

         "Hi!" Applebloom jumps on her sister's back and continues, "Are you a writer?"

         I notice she is glancing at my cutie mark, a black quill, and I reply "Oh. Yes. I wrote a few novels."

         "Can I read one?" Applebloom asks.

         "Uh, I'm not sure that you'd be interested in my type of writing."

Applebloom puts forth a retort but Applejack cuts her off too quickly. "OK! So, Quill, you ready to buck some apples here in Sweet Apple Acres?"

         I'm glad she changed the subject. "Yes! Where do I start?" Applebloom pouts and walks off. I suppose she doesn't like being ignored.

                                       ***********

         I already cleaned off at least a hundred trees by the time the sun is half tucked behind the horizon. I wipe a bead of sweat off my head and see Applejack is talking to a purple pony by the barn. The purple pony looks over to me smiling and begins to walk over. I buck one more tree and pick up the apples to put them in the bucket.

         "Hello, Quill?" the purple pony says behind me.

         "Yes, that's me. What is your name?"

         "My name is Twilight Sparkle. I understand you need a place to say?"

         "Twi? Well, that's what Applejack called you, I think. But anyways, yes. I just got to Ponyville and I need a place to stay."

         "No problem!" she says, smiling wide. "There is a-"

         "Sorry to interrupt Twi, but uh," Applejack walks up and gives me a bag of coins. "Two hundred bits. Just to get you started here in Ponyville!"

         Two hundred! That's a lot more than I worked for today. I swear the ponies in this town are amazing. "Thank you so much! Really, all of you!" I say in an attempt to voice my thoughts.

         "No problem!" says Applejack.

         "Now," Twilight rejoins the conversation. "The house that is available is right next to Sugarcube Corner, so you might get a few... surprise visits."

         "From who?" I ask, though somehow I feel as though I already know the answer.

         "Pinkie Pie." Yep. "She's about twenty sugar rushes packed into one pony."

         "I met her." I say. "She gave me this amazing piece of candy that changed flavors."

         Twilight's eyes widen and she smiles even more, if it's possible. "Oh!" something about the way she said that 'Oh' makes me wonder what that candy is about. I wonder even more when she exchanges a glance with Applejack. "Well then I think you'll be really happy to live there." she finishes, "See you later, AJ!"

         Everything's purple. Now I'm in a house. Teleported here. "This is where you'll be staying." says Twi from my side.

         The very first thing I notice is a beautifully made cupcake, placed on a platter on my bed. The bed looks comfortable, black blanket laying flat on top. Next to the bed is a night stand, a bottle of ink and a quill waiting for me to write, and a desk on the far wall waiting to be written on.

         "Ooooh! Pinkie!" Twi says beside me, and I assume she's talking about the cupcake. "She's really at it this time."

         "At what?" I ask. Twilight's eyes go into a bit of shock but calm down quickly into a smile.

         "Oh nothing!" she giggles a bit, "It's just Pinkie being Pinkie I'm sure, she always does so much to welcome new ponies."

         She gets a look on her face that makes me have the same feeling I had about the candy. What is this emotion?

         "Well," Twilight says, interrupting my thoughts, "I'm going to leave you to get settled, see you later! If you need me, I'm in the library."

         She walks off, leaving me to myself. I still think Pinkie, and that candy, and the cupcake...! I still need to eat it. I wonder what it will taste like. Will it be like the candy somehow? Bursting with a million flavors at once? Maybe so... I pick up the cupcake and study it. Molded perfectly, topped with pink icing the same colour as Pinkie herself. It looks delicious.

         First bite. Not quite what I expected. Not explosive, not ever-changing, but still sweet as sugar itself. It was really the best pastry I've ever had. I open my eyes, just now realizing I had even closed them, and who else do I see but that same pink pony as before.

         "Hi! Good cupcake, right? I made this one special for you!"

         I was subconsciously expecting this, because I wasn't surprised at all. "It's delicious." I say.

         Pinkie giggles. That laugh, it just makes me smile. I can't help it. "You’re really cute-" I say aloud. I didn't mean to say that! What is she going to think now? She stops giggling and looks at me with a tiny grin and... Is she blushing a little? I don't have enough time to tell before she hugs me.

         "Thank you," she says in a calmed voice. "I'm glad you think so."

         Now I'm blushing, and I don't even try to hide it as she lets go and trots away. Left officially alone now. Night time has arrived because when Pinkie opens the door to leave it's pitch black out. I'd worry for her if her house weren't right next door. I decide to try and get some rest, so I lay down on my new bed and close my eyes. Yet... all I can see, all I can think about now is Pinkie. That cute pink pony who is glad to know I think she's cute. I'm glad to know that.

         ***************

         Waking up the next day was weird, to say the very least. First thing that I remembered was I had moved to Ponyville. Second is that I'm in my new home by Sugarcube corner. Third is Pinkie.

         Third.

         Irony strikes again. Pinkie came in third place, just like I did. Back when I was a little colt, I entered a race at my school in Canterlot. The only reason I had done so was to impress Vibrant Glow. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful filly in all of Canterlot itself. Light blue coat, two shades of violet in her mane, she was amazing, and even through that beauty, she was a runner. Always getting sweaty after school, running miles around Canterlot to get faster. My plan was to do the same, get faster and faster until I could win the race held at the fair at the end of the year. I got so much practice in, too.

         Come the day of the race, I was lined up and ready and I notice her out of the corner of my eye. Beautiful Vibrant Glow, running the race with me. That was it. I had to win.

         The starting horn wails and I take off, staying in the lead only for a few seconds as Glow rushes by me with no effort. Then, of course, there was Larry. Ugliest brown coat and dirt mane. I never learned his last name, and didn't care to. But I tell you he pissed me off more than anything. He runs by me too, and right up beside Glow. I force myself to try to keep up, but it's really no use. Even I am way past the rest of the contestants, but Larry and Glow--- I hate putting their names together--- they were way ahead of even me.

         Stupid Larry. He got second place. Glow got first. I got third. Glow was all over Larry. Gave him sweaty hugs and congratulations. Those were supposed to be MY sweaty hugs.

         Then it happened. A cruel twist of fate, of all things, Glow collapsed. Fell to the ground and refused to wake up. And even now, Damn Larry wouldn't let me near her. I had all right and plenty guts to spill his, but instead I ran. Ran away, back home. Got out of school, it was my last year anyways. Never heard a word of what happened to Glow, and honestly, I don't-- well, I do care. But the thing is, I knew Larry loved her too, and I hoped she was dead, just to spite him. I still regret thinking that, but it does help me to feel less hurt now.

         Ugh. Ok. Enough reminiscing. Time to get up. I set my hooves down on the floor and start my day as normal. Hygiene out of the way, time to start the day. I walk over to my door and hesitate. But why? Maybe Pinkie has me a little paranoid? No. It's that I just don't know what to do today. Eat first, of course, but then what?

         I open the door and step outside right into Pinkie. I was right to suspect paranoia. Not that she's scary, but just unpredictably predictable.

         "HI! I know you just got here yesterday and you must not know much about Ponyville. So, I'm here to give you a tour!" she says. I guess I know what I'm doing today.

         "Sure Pinkie! I'd love to see the town."

         She smiles and hops away, "Come on! Comeoncomeoncomeon!" Twenty sugar rushes, I recall. 

         "Coming Pinkie. I think we should go eat first, what do you say?"

         "Sure thing, Quill! Let's go this way!"

         I follow her as she bounces around, never seeming to get tired. Somehow this makes me think of Glow again, but I quickly dismiss the thought. Sad thoughts are not welcome. Not when I'm around Pinkie Pie, who just stopped bouncing in front of a restaurant. She immediately sits in front of a table. I sit down across from her and she smiles at me. But this isn't a normal smile. It's not a gleeful smile. It doesn't really make me want to smile either. It makes me feel warm. Content. I lean in to her, soaking up that smile wishing it would stay there forever.

         "How may I help you today?" Huh? Oh, the waiter. He really fits. Yellow coat and red mane. Like mustard and ketchup.

         "Two special sandwiches, please!" Pinkie says.

         "Will do, Miss Pie." He says and walks off. Miss. Something about that sets me off center. Miss? It really doesn't match her personality I think.

         Pinkie smiles at me again, but it's just a normal smile. Regardless I lean in again. She is beautiful, even without that warming smile. She looks at my with a small smile now and leans in herself. I immediately get dry lips. I hate that feeling. I try to ignore it and stare back into her eyes. Just now noticing the shade of blue. Lighter than my own, but she has a lighter personality to match. I realized now that our noses are touching. Reminds me of that candy.

         The sandwiches arrive. We back off each other and allow the waiter to set the platter on the table. First bite of sandwich was disappointing. After remembering the candy though, it only makes sense.          

         I'm fairly surprised that we ate with no words. Just staring into each other's eyes and smiling. Chewing. I wonder what she's thinking about. Could be anything. Somewhere in the back of my own mind, I hope that it's about me. More specifically, about, well, kissing me. Because that's what I want to do. Since that warming smile, that's just about the only thing I could manage to think about.

         I just realized my sandwich is gone. Ate all of it without even noticing. Pinkie is eating her last bite too. Soon we'll be off somewhere else. I'll be learning new things about Ponyville. Learning about Pinkie, too. I wonder where she'll take me.

         Right after swallowing the last bit of her sandwich, she sighs, satisfied. For a moment, we are quiet, and not even looking at each other. Doesn’t last long though, because the waiter appears with the check.

         “Here you are, miss.” He says as he hands Pinkie the slip of paper. She won’t let me see it, even though I have plenty of money, and pays the waiter ten bits. Five for each sandwich, not bad. I still wish she would let me pay for it, but that’s far from my mind as soon as she says, “Let’s go to Rarity’s house!”

         Another new pony. This is beginning to become overwhelming! I do follow Pinkie, though. She continues hopping along right up to this building that reminds me of Canterlot. Of home. Suddenly I feel sick.

         “Come on! I want to see what Rarity will think of you!” Pinkie says. Think of me? Judge me even? It’s probably this sudden illness, but I don’t feel very comfortable meeting Rarity. It’s not just the feeling that irks me, though, when I see her, it hits me. Really, really, hard.

         Rarity looks amazing. She really does. And that’s a problem. Vibrant Glow was also beautiful. They don’t really look the same, her and Rarity, but it doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t really have any problems with Rarity, except for her house. It wasn’t very different from Glow’s.

         I felt horrible. I was in shock. I looked at Pinkie, who looked worried. Before I cried, I ran back to my house, leaving Pinkie, and Glow’s house, behind me.

         *********

         Pinkie doesn’t bother me at all. I was kind of sad about that, but I’m sure she was sad about me leaving so suddenly. I can’t blame her now. Can’t blame her that my pillow is soaked. Can’t blame Rarity either. I just end up throwing all the blame on my own shoulders. For running from Glow. For running from Rarity. For running from my problems. That’s all I ever do is run. Wait. That’s not all I do. I also write. I write to vent my emotions. That’s what I’ll do.

         Quill steady, paper ready. Write.

Ponyville is great, it really is. But recently I have gotten so many memories from my past that it just hurts to think. Today I met a pony named Rarity. Except I didn’t actually meet her, I ran away from her, crying. But the day before, I met Pinkie Pie. I’m certain I love her at this point. Though I question her a little. So spontaneous and unpredictable. All those times it seems like she loves me could just have been her normal random self. Anyways, I do love her, regardless, and to be near her is just about my only care right no-

         Door opens and I flip the paper over. I don’t want Pinkie to know I love her. I don’t even know why I don’t. As if it weren’t already obvious that I do.

         “Oh, um, excuse me…” That’s not Pinkie Pie. This voice is soothing. Much unlike Pinkie’s. I quickly wipe the tears off my face as a strait pink mane appears around the corner. 

         “I’m so sorry to intrude. May I talk to you?” the pony says. It’s dark out. This house has no windows so I can’t tell unless the door is open. Have I been crying all day?

         “Yes, come in.” I reply.

         “Oh, ok. My name is Fluttershy. Pinkie told me that you looked upset. I can see that you have been crying…” I sniff. “Oh, here.” Fluttershy hands me a tissue from her saddle pack. I hate blowing my nose around others, so I simply wipe away the crust from around my nose. She continues, “I don’t know what’s wrong at all. I know that you ran from Rarity-“

         “I did not run from her!!” I retort defensively. Fluttershy gives a squeak that makes me feel even worse. “I’m sorry.” I say, calmer. “I didn’t run from her, I ran from her house.”

         “Her house?” she asks.

         I give her the description of the race, and how Rarity’s house is similar to Glow’s, leaving out my wish for Glow’s death,  and Fluttershy get a sort of pitiful look in her eyes.

         “I’m terribly sorry, Quill.” She says. Something in her voice has really calmed me down considerably since her arrival. “That sounds really bad…”

         “It’s no big deal, really,” I say. “It just caught me by surprise. I haven’t seen or heard anything about Glow in years, and that house just threw me out a bit.”

         Fluttershy nods gracefully and asks, “Are you sure you’re OK? Would you like me to help you with anything?”

         “I’m fine, really.” I say. Then suddenly, she has embraced me and is rubbing my back. I feel a lot better.

         “I’m glad.” She says at my side. I’m reminded of Pinkie and how she must feel. She even got Fluttershy to come talk to me, instead of herself.

         “Where is Pinkie Pie?” I ask.

         Fluttershy lets go and says, “She is back at her home. She thought you might ask, so she wanted to make sure you could find her.”

         Make sure I could find her. She really does care about me that much. “Ok,” I say. “Let me go see her.”

         Right next door, Sugarcube Corner, and I’ve never been inside. As soon as I walk in, there is an older pony waiting there. She puts on a smile and mouths the words, “She’s upstairs.” I don’t know if she can’t talk, or if she wants me to try and be quiet. I assume the latter and sneak up the stairs, not making a sound even as I open the door. Right behind the door is Pinkie, in the middle of the room, back to me, and messing with something at her hooves. I turn to shut the door as quietly as possible and walk up behind her. I see what she’s been playing with, and it’s a bag of candies. Jelly beans of all colours. She used them to make me. Made me out of candy. I noticed too, that out of the bag were pink candies. I assume she was going to put herself in the picture also.

         I sit next to her and she jumps a little and stops moving the candies.

         “I’m sorry, am I not supposed to see this?”

         She doesn’t reply for a few seconds, then says, “It’s ok. I was going to show it to you tomorrow.” Her voice didn’t sound as sad as I thought it would. “You talked to Fluttershy?”

         “Yeah. She is extremely nice. She really helped me get back in good spirits.”

         Pinkie smiles, though she still hasn’t looked up from the candies. “That’s great!” she looks up at me, finally, and says, “I hope you’re OK with parties.” A party?

         “A party?” I echo my thoughts.

         “Of course! A ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party just for you! I haven’t thrown one for you yet, and it’s way overdue.”

         She smiles at me now and I feel much, much better. But even so, I ask, “Are you not mad at me for running?”

         “Of course not silly!” She says, “It’s not your fault that you got a bit spooked.”

         I smile back at her as she shuffles the candy back into the bag. “You’re not going to eat those?” I ask.

         “Oh, they aren’t actually candy. I use them to make things like I just did.”

         “Oh that’s cool.” I say. Nothing short of a good response, I think to myself.

         Pinkie stands up and says, “Well I best be getting to bed now! You should do the same, Mister Quill!”

         That actually matches me. I stand up and look at Pinkie. “Sure thing!” I smile at her. “This has been quite a day. I’m tired!”

         She looks at me with that warm smile again. Dry lips, again. Oh great.

         “Quill,” she says. “I love you.” There we go. Those words that I was waiting for. The words that confirmed her love. My smile literally hurts. I am so excited! I throw my arms around Pinkie and hug her tight. This is great! She hugs me back and says “I kinda did since I met you.”

         That’s when it all made sense. The candy, and why it made Twi and AJ so happy. The cupcake on my bed that Twi made into a normal pastry, letting me figure it out on my own. Those were tokens of love. What have I given her? I gave her a crying pony to take care of. That’s it.

         So, I do it. I kiss Pinkie. I become submerged in her being. Nothing else but us exists. Soon she kisses back. Any and all worries of her taking the kiss oddly have been vanquished. We stay there, with each other, with nothing else in mind for what I think was five minutes, but even time slipped out of my grasp in that kiss.

         Pinkie finally backs off and stands in front of me. I guess she wants me to talk first. After a long pause I say, “You taste like cotton candy.”

         ************

         The next day I woke up perfectly, not tired at all. I slept soundly and without any problems. I felt great. Not even recalling the fact that I cried all day yesterday could bring me down, because I had Pinkie now. I know she loves me, and we’ll be so happy.

         I get up and start this new day with a glorious vivacity. Everything seems to be perfect. With all of my morning chores completed, I set out to try again. I am determined to meet Rarity today, and NOT run away crying.

         First thing is first, however. I go right next door to Sugarcube Corner. I anticipate seeing Pinkie again. I know that seeing her exuberant expression will turn what has already been a great morning into one of the best days of my life. As I walk in to the bakery, First thing I notice is that the pony from last night isn’t behind the counter. I look at my watch, maybe I woke up earlier than I though?

         Twelve thirty.

         This is not right. The store should be open. I dismiss it as being because today is a Sunday. No time to waste worrying about that. I walk upstairs and go to Pinkie’s door. I notice now that her room is completely quiet behind that door. I would expect something coming from that party pony’s room. As I walk in, the room is empty. No Pinkie to be found. Her bed was perfectly made, it didn’t even seem out of place from last night. I don’t think she even went to bed.

         There’s panic. Maybe too soon, maybe completely uncalled for, but it comes. I turn quick and run downstairs, outside, and to the library. The library because it’s the first place that comes to mind. I’m sure Twilight would know where Pinkie Pie went. Honestly I’d rather see Fluttershy so she can calm me down, but I don’t know where she lives. I add that to the list of things I need to learn in the back of my mind.

         The library is pretty big. Located inside a tree, which I find amazing. Filled with books, which I find ironic, because trees are made into books. I walk inside and see an owl. But that’s it. No Twilight. Not even upstairs, where her bed is. I figure maybe I’ll ask the owl. It might be able to point me in her direction. Downstairs again, I ask, “Hello, do you know where Twilight is?”

         “Who?” it replies.

         In a moment of brilliance I repeat, “Twilight. Purple pony?”

         “Who.” It replies again. This time I get it.

         “Oh OK. Can you show me where she is, maybe?” I ask. The owl closes its eyes and slowly turns its head away from me. “I’ll take that as a no.”

         I leave the library now, still no leads on anypony. I could try Sweet Apple Acres, but I don’t think the whole town would be bucking apples. I walk toward me house. Despite my perfect night of sleep, I think I could manage to sleep off this nightmare if I tried hard enough. 

         Wait a minute, I’m going the wrong way. My house is in the other direction. I look up to confirm my thoughts and see a huge, dark, forest. Logic would say, “Stay away from there!” but my mind says, “Look at it! It’s awesome! I need to see what it’s about!”

Impulse over logic, I go into the forest. It really is pretty. Odd, yet beautiful, blue flowers litter the floor everywhere, and I just want to sniff them. Impulse over logic, I sniff them. They have no obvious scent to me, but I do feel kind of odd after sniffing them. I just keep walking, though. I’ve gotten worse feelings in my life, so it doesn’t bother me.

Walking and walking, soaking up the surroundings. The forest is really pretty. Exotic plants can be found everywhere. Soon, I come upon a hut. A hut in the middle of the woods seems unlikely, odd, and dangerous.

         Impulse over logic, I go in the hut.

         “Who is this pony that enters on their own? A new pony, I see, has come alone!”

         Well, I’m scared. Not enough to go running again. I already said I wouldn’t run, and dammit I’m staying put. I reply with as steady a voice as I can manage, “My name is Quill. I was just walking through the woods and saw this odd hut. I didn’t think anypony actually lived here.”

         “I am not a pony, as you address me- I am a zebra, look and see!”

         Hoovesteps to my right, so I turn and see a zebra. Yep, definitely a zebra. Striped black and white, and such an odd, but cool, mane.

         “What have you seen so far, in the forest where you are?” she asks. I have to appreciate her rhyming ability.

         “Uh… Well I saw a lot of colorful and exotic plants. I didn’t eat any, of course, but I did sniff these odd blue ones.”

         “Poison Joke, is its name. Its effects on you are all the same. Since you touched the flower blue, it has left it’s ‘curse’ on you. A remedy for the poison you will soon need, but with the remedy I have, I warn, sickness will soon proceed. For the remedy I own, is an oddity lone.” She pauses to pull up a picture of an odd plant that I haven’t seen yet, even in this forest. “For a more stable medicine, I must find the plant ‘Purslane’.”

         Like I said, I really love her ability to rhyme. “What is this curse, and where can you get purslane?”

         “The curse will bring a physical change, the plant I must buy at an Herb Exchange.”

         Well I assume that this exchange won’t be happening for a while, by the way she said it. And I’m not very confident in getting a physical change. I say, “OK, I’ll take the medicine you have now.” How sick could it really make me?

         “Wait here while I make the remedy, a few minutes is all I’ll be.”

         So I sit here. I watch as she throws all sorts of herbs into a clay bowl, they all look like they’d be poisonous to me. That’s when I think; Why am I trusting her? She is trying to poison me! I won’t just feel a little sick! I’ll end up dying!

         I try not to let the realization come to voice, as I excuse myself. “Pardon me, but uh, I want to walk around a bit.”

         “No need little pony, the remedy is almost ready.”

         Yeah, I thought so. I don’t want to try and run, because I’m sure she has some sort of mechanism to trap me at the slightest struggle.

         “I am done! Open up, pony one.” And suddenly I hate the fact that she can rhyme. She gets a spoonful of the stuff and tries to feed it to me. When it gets close enough to me, I can smell it. It reeks so bad, I gag. There is no doubt now that it is poisonous. I figure since I’m already going to be forced to eat it, I’ll try and run.

         I hate myself now. I ran away again. Though, this is different right? It’s life or death? But Glow’s account was life or death. I could have stayed. I could have helped. Oh well. That’s in my past, and so is that Zebra. I’m already a ways away from her hut as she yells another rhyme about helping me. Yeah, sure.

         I burst back through the forest entrance, run past the library, and strait back to my house. I’m just going to go to bed. I realize that I haven’t found Pinkie or anypony else yet, but I’m sure they’ll be here tomorrow, or maybe they’re even looking for me now. Either way, I jump in bed, close my eyes, and fall asleep.

         ***** *******

         Whispering. It’s hard to tell who it is, because a whisper doesn’t have much of a voice besides air, but I assume it’s Pinkie Pie, talking to…

         Twilight. Definitely Twi. I know this now, because she just threw me on the ground and is in my face yelling, “Who are you?! Where is Quill?!”

         OK, it’s a joke. “It’s me!, Quill!” Wait a minute. That wasn’t my voice.

         “Yeah right! Did you sneak in here earlier this morning? What did you do to Quill? Where is he?”

         Something definitely isn’t right. I don’t want to get hurt though, especially not by a unicorn. “Yeah,” I decide to play the part. “I guess Quill was already gone. When I got here, the house was empty.” Not entirely a lie. “I was just passing by and really needed a place to sleep for a few hours. I’m sorry if I caused any trouble.”

         Twilight’s expression lightens a bit and she backs out of my face. There’s Pinkie, and she looks terribly sad. I want to hug her, but I’m not quite myself right now.

         “Ok,” Twilight says. “but that isn’t very nice, it’s trespassing you know.”

         Am I going to be fined for entering my own home?  “Yes ma’am.” I take on a more formal tone hoping it helps my case. “I’m sorry, I did get enough sleep, tough, I think. I’ll just be on my way…” I say as I try to leave.

         “Wait a minute!” Pinkie says this time. “If you’re THAT desperate for sleep then you must be hungry, too!” Her sad expression from earlier is gone now.

         “Yeah.” I am kind of hungry really, but I need to play the part too. “I haven’t eaten in two days. I am on a long hike to Canterlot from my home town. A bear ate all my food two nights ago.” I’m such a great liar.

         “Oh poor you!” Pinkie says. “What is your name?”

         A name, for this random pony who is not me. I don’t even know what I look like. I think I have a fluffy orange mane, from what I see out of the corner of my eye. I need to see my cutie mark. I turn back and make some odd noise as I pretend to scratch my back. It’s a bird. It looks like a blue hummingbird, it’s wings spread high, holding a twig in its mouth. The rest of my body is a light yellow. Yellow, orange, hummingbird and twig. I need to answer quick. I stop scratching and say, “Sorry, really bad itch, my name is,” Dangit what do I say? “Birdy.” Dammit, well that’s a great name. “At least that’s what my friends call me.” Good save.

         “Okay, Birdy!” Pinkie smiles. I miss her really bad, even though she’s right here. “Let’s go get you something to eat!”

         Pinkie leaves first, then Twi, and Birdy follows last. Crap. What now? After I eat, they’re just going to send me on my way. I said I was going to Canterlot, so I might have to leave. I wonder if I’ll be Birdy for the rest of my life. I think about that Zebra now. Poison Joke is what she called it, she said it would bring on a physical change. Is that what happened? Was she really trying to help me with that horrid potion? I need to get back to her, I decide, but after I eat.

         We soon come up on that same restaurant that Pinkie and I were at. This is going to be so fun, I think. Sitting here, eating a sandwich trying NOT to make eye contact with the pony I love. The torture on my emotions is horrible. I can hardly stand to be here like this. Then again, running is what got me here in the first place. I on this conclusion I have to sit there. I scarf down the sandwich so I can get out of there as soon as possible, however. I figure that eating really fast would be appropriate for a pony who hasn’t eaten in two days anyway. 

         When I’m done I excuse myself and turn away to try to leave.

         “Going so soon?” Pinkie asks.

         “Yeah. I’m already off schedule. I appreciate the meal, but I need to go.”

         “Okay! If you need to, I’ll see you later!”

         “Good luck.” Twilight adds.

         “Thank you.” I say. I really am going to need it. I still don’t fully trust that zebra, but I figure chancing it out with her is better than being like this with Pinkie, who now has a sad look on her face as I walk away. I can see her turn to Twilight and ask, “Where’s Quill?”

*********

         Back to the zebra, in the hut, in the woods, with the crazy herbs that reek intensely. I come up to that hut and gulp down a knot in my throat. I take a deep breath and open the door again. As soon as my hoof steps inside her hut, same as before, she is waiting for someone.

         “Have you returned, Quill? Have you yet to become ill?”

         I never told her my name. How did she- “I know of your name, because I played a little game. You changed overnight, and now you look a sight. When the ‘Birdy’ one left, Pinkie said the name with little heft.”

         “She was so sad,” I say, “that I, Quill that is, had gone missing. I didn’t think that a flower could lead to all this. I’m sorry I mistrusted you.”

         “Mistakes are no big deal, I know exactly how you feel. It does not matter anymore, so take my herbs and feel them restore.”

         So I do. I eat that disgusting mixture and swallow it down, however hard it was, and I immediately feel myself returning to myself. I take note of how immediate the effects were and prepare for the sickness that I knew was to come.

         But it didn’t.

         “I see you are confused, and probably amused! I got the plant that makes it clean, so now you will not feel sickening!”

         That’s great! “Where did you get it, wouldn’t the herb exchange not be for a while?”

         “I had some in the back, on a hidden rack. I forgot it was there, I even tend to forget to style my hair…”

         “That’s okay!” I say. What an odd rhyme, I think. “Thanks for the meds! I am very greatful! So, um. See you around?” I say as I turn to leave.

         “See you soon!” She said as I left. The door closed behind me as she finished her rhyme. I think she said something about a moon.

         *******

         I need to go see Pinkie Pie. That is all that matters right now. The only thing I care about. After seeing her worry and being so close to her, yet so unable to help, I have to make things right.

         

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