The different Painter, Chapter four
Applejack was in the Sweet Apple Acres' barn watching Rainbow Dash, whom had passed out from too much cider.
"You can tell her..." Aj muttered to herself, constantly glancing at Rainbow. "Rainbow Dash... Ah love you! Nahh... That's stupid... Ughh... I'm so pathetic..." She continued to continued to glance at Rainbow. "Ah know we've been friends fer some time now.. But ah... Ah think ah.. Ah can't do it..."
"W- what can't you do, Aj?" Rainbow tiredly said, waking up and surprising Aj.
"Nothing! Ah... It's nothin'..." Aj yelled, then went softer; this left Rainbow worried.
"Aj... My head hurts... I think I'm gonna-" Rainbow then held her hooves over her mouth, and signaled Aj to find a bucket.
"Oh, sweet apples on a dunebug!" She screamed, grabbing the nearest bucket.
Speedpaint was next to the river, with Rarity still trying to get information out of him.
"Why is it so dangerous for me to know?" Speedpaint didn't want a repeat of earlier, and tried to stay calm.
"You really wanna bucking know why I can't tell you? Why you can't know the truth?!"
"Well, duhh! What do you think I'm trying to say?" Speedpaint looked like he was ready to give a speech.
"Years ago, there was this mare; beautiful, kind, generous... She was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I brought her into my life, and I was so happy! But one day, we went for a walk; nothing too bad... So we thought." He sighed deeply, as Rarity interrupted.
"Is this story going anywhere? What happened next?" He breathed out loudly, and waited for her to listen.
"Something from my past had came up, and something happened that I had been hoping to avoid; making me witness my own fiancée's murder! THAT'S WHY I CAN'T LET ANYONE GET INVOLVED! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?!" He yelled with tears in his eyes pouring down his cheeks.
"Oh my... I'm so sorry..." Rarity felt like an absolute A-hole now.
"Just... Just forget it..." He turned away from her, looking away in anger.
"Sorry... I- I... I didn't know..." Speedpaint then made an even longer sigh.
"You're right... You didn't know..." He then lightly sighed. "Sorry for yelling like that... I hate my temper..." He then sat down on the grass, staring down sadly; he covered his face with his hooves.
Rarity then decided to sit next to him, hoping to cheer him up.
"Speedpaint, Dear, I understand you've had hard times in your life, but I'm sure things will be alright." Speedpaint just gave up trying to explain to her, so he just went with her nonsense.
"How can I be so sure? The killer is still out there! He's almost unstoppable! Only if I didn't have to guard that stupid chest... Oh shi- ignore that last bit!"
"It's alright. I won't ask about the chest. Changing the subject, are you seeing anypony at the moment? I'd just say that you're pretty good looking, if I do say myself..." Rarity was getting closer to him, but he moved back faster.
"What the heck are you doing? I'm not trying to sound mean, I don't get seduced by a 50 bit manestyle, false eyelashes, and slopped on makeup." He spoke with slight frustration.
"Well, I'd never! That was awfully rude of you! Speaking to a lady... W- with such... Crudeness! What kind of Gentlecolt would do that?"
"So, a Gentlecolt is someone who only cares about looks, and goes out with some random mare that they've pretty much just met? Don't get me wrong, but that seems pretty low." He saw her shocked face, and decided to walk away seeing as she wasn't leaving him alone. Rarity then suddenly realised how much of an inappropriate thing it was to say at that time.
"Why did I say that? Me and my big mouth... He's obviously not gotten over his fiancée's death... That was just an idiotic thing to do! I shall not bother him anymore." She sighed, walking off back to Ponyville.
Speedpaint had been walking along the stream for around ten minutes, and decided to sit down; staring his reflection in the water.
"Somedays... I just wish I could live a normal life... No pain... No torture... And not have to constantly turn everyone down... Why is the right thing to do... Always the hardest?" Speedpaint continued to stare at his reflection in the river; a great swarm of depression then filled through him. "It's not fair... What have I done to deserve this pain? If only I was able to end it... Just... So I can't hurt anymore people..."
"I'm really sorry Aj... I'm just hoping I didn't hurt anyone..." Rainbow apologised, realising what her situation was.
"Don't worry Rainbow. You haven't hurt nopony. Well, you tried to fight a random stallion, but luckily he ain't a violent pony."
"As long as no one got hurt..." She looked down, still with a massive headache.
"Rainbow... There's somethin' ah need ta tell ya..." Aj gulped, and Rainbow spoke up.
"What is it, Aj? Something on your mind?" Rainbow asked, paying most of her attention to Aj.
"It's just... Ah'm-" She was then cut off when the barn doors opened; revealing Big Mac in the large doorway.
"Oh, howdy Aj! What're ya'two doin' in the barn?" Big Mac asked, curiously.
"Rainbow got drunk again, an' ah brought her here where she can't break anything." Aj explained with a glimpse of truth in her expression.
"Alrighty then. You really gotta lay off the cider there, Rainbow. It ain't healthy." Big Mac commented, huffing lightly.
"Hey, it's not my fault cider tastes so good!" Rainbow defended, but then realised she just added to his point.
"Exactly. Just be careful, ya'hear?" Rainbow rolled her eyes.
"Whatever... I rarely ever get cider anyways. Not my fault I go overboard when it's offered to me." Big Mac then sighed.
"Ah'm just tryna look out fer you. Ah'll be off now... This isn't going anywhere..." He then left, leaving Aj and Rainbow alone again.
"Anyways... What were you going to say? You know... Before Big Mac interrupted?" Aj then stared at the ground, away from Rainbow. "Aj? Is everything alright? You know you can tell me anything..." Aj remained silent, and just huffed lightly.
Aj continued to stay silent, not knowing what to say. This made Rainbow begin to worry even more.
"Aj, if you're not going to tell me anything, then why did you even bring it up?!"
"Becu- it don't even matter no more... Just forget ah said anythin'..."
"How can I? Something's obviously up!"
"It don't matter..." She persisted, trying to look away.
"This is hopeless... I guess you'll end up telling me later, anyway..." She stared at Aj, wanting to help, but she wouldn't let her. "If you're not going to let me help, then I'm leaving!" Aj remained silent even longer. Rainbow then gave up, and flew off.
"Wait... Ah need you..." She spoke silently, barely being able to make a sound, with tears down her face. She then whispered again, lightly pulling her hoof out. "Don't go..." But it was too late; Rainbow was off, and Aj was left all alone. "Why am ah such a coward?"
Over at Sugar Cube Corner, the Cakes noticed strange noises coming from Pinkie's room; Mr Cake decided to go take a look.
When he reached Pinkie's door, he listened carefully, but heard nothing out of order now. He then knocked.
"Hello? Pinkie, are you alright in there? You're normally up by now, and already baking. Is everything alright?" Mr Cake asked, as he heard a strange sounding cough.
"Y- yes, I'm fine! I'll be down shortly!" A voice then came up; not as energetic as Pinkie's normal voice, but the tone was right.
"Alrighty then! Don't be too long. I'll have to cut your pay if you do!" He said uneasily, having an odd feeling in his gut.
"Yes, yes... I won't be too long!" 'Pinkie' spoke, putting on a forced energetic tone.
As Mr Cake walked back downstairs, he had a worried look on his face. Mrs Cake took notice.
"Is everything alright, Honey? Is Pinkie okay?" Mrs Cake asked, seeing her husband's expression.
"I don't know, Honey buns. Something seems off about her... She's not as... Well, 'Pinkie' as she usually is." There was then hoofsteps down the stairs, as a pink, puffy maned Earth pony came down.
"Pinkie! Is everything alright?" Mrs cake asked, hoping nothing was the matter.
"Of course! I'm just fine. Now, show me to the cookery establishment so I can make these 'cupcakes' I always make..." Both Mr and Mrs Cake looked at each other, rather confused.
"Pinkie, you know where the kitchen is, and I've never heard you call it that before..." Mr Cake mentioned, and Pinkie shook her head vigorously.
"I mean... Who's ready for some cupcakes?!" She yelled more energetically, making the Cakes lose most of their suspicion.
Fluttershy was feeding her animals when she heard a knock at her door. When she opened the door, she was pleasantly surprised.
"I'm back..." A blue pegasus greeted.
"Speedpaint, you're back!" She then greeted him with a hug, but he then looked away sadly. "I- is everything okay?"
"I'm fine... Don't you worry about me..." He stated, slowly moving in, and sitting on her sofa.
"How can I not worry if something's obviously bothering you?" Fluttershy said, getting more worried as his silence grew.
His face was embedded on his left foreleg, as it pressed against the armrest, making Fluttershy see that he was upset about something.
She slowly sat next to him, and kept staring at his state, she didn't know how to act to this.
"Speedpaint... Please tell me..." Fluttershy caringly spoke with the softest, and most gentle voice ever. "Please..." He obviously gave in from her voice. (Let's be honest; who wouldn't?)
"It's... It's just the memories keep coming back... About everyone I ever loved... And how the same heartless monster kept taking everyone away from me..." Fluttershy was just sitting there, not knowing how to respond, or give any advice.
"I- is there anything I c- can do to help?" Speedpaint sadly sighed, looking back at Fluttershy with his worn out, tired, and sadened eyes.
"I really wish there was... I've tried so much... Gone through so much unimaginable pain... So many sacrifices... Every single ounce of happiness had been taken from me... I'm so lonely... I don't know what to do..." Fluttershy looked at Speedpaint, full of sorrow. She wasn't entirely sure on what to do, but she tried her best.
"D- do you want to talk about it? I- if that's alright with you..." Speedpaint continued to stare at the floor, silently staying stationary; like a statue, and not a single muscle was moving. Fluttershy was growing evermore anxious at his continued silence. "I just want to help... I can't help you if you won't talk about it..." She then placed her right hoof on his right shoulder.
"I really wish I could tell you... But the risk is too high for you to know..." He then gently pushed Fluttershy's hoof off him, sadly looking away. Fluttershy then sighed in defeat; hoping to try again later.
"A- alright... But I'm here if you need somepony to talk to... It won't be a bother... Really..."
"Okay... Just... Just be careful." He warned, but Fluttershy wasn't too sure.
"Okay..." Fluttershy really wanted things to be happy again, but she was too scared to say anything in fear of sounding insensitive. She just sighed silently, catching Speedpaint's attention.
"So, umm... Is there anything that we could do to take our minds off of all this?" Speedpaint asked, noticing how bored Fluttershy started to look.
"I could show you around Ponyville if you'd like. You know... Get used to the surroundings.
"Yeah, that shouldn't be too bad..."
Rainbow Dash had landed in a field, and had calmed down from the talk with Applejack; confused on what her behaviour was all about.
"What's up with Applejack lately? She's hiding something from me, but won't tell me what." She then shook her head. "I don't have time for this... I've got problems of my own I need to sort out. I clearly can't have a conversation with Aj anymore; Pinkie's a blabbermouth, and Rarity will just ask me loads of useless things about Fluttershy; I can't exactly tell Fluttershy... I guess Twilight is my best shot so far." She then looked over to a large crystal tree-castle.
Over in the new and improved tree house, Twilight was reading a book about rare, but dangerous creatures.
"It says that although Changelings are to be feared, there are a much more dangerous species that are even rarer; 'Dream Changelings™' are much bigger, and can morph their entire bodies into a fog and enter a pony's mind, and control their dreams, or even take over their entire body!" Twilight read out loud to Spike, who was listening.
"That sound awesome!" Twilight then raised an eyebrow towards him. "I mean... That sounds horrible!" She then rolled her eyes, and continued reading.
"It says they don't have a concept of mercy or forgiveness, so they are a deadly foe; only seeking destruction and pain of others. Once they see a prey, they'll not stop until they have completely broken down to a point of insanity until every last strand of the pony's mind has been overtaken by misery, sadness and so much pain that they- wow, that's graphic!"
"What is it, Twilight?" Spike asked curiously.
"Trust me. You do NOT want to know." She commented, skipping that section. "This terrifying creature is not restricted by age, or tiredness; making this the most feared creature, as it is almost 'god-like' in a sense that it will never stop tracking you down, no matter how much you try to escape. As scary as it sounds, they can be killed; although it's not an easy task. It's not very well known that their one weakness is-" she was then interrupted by a knock at her door. "I wonder who that could be..."