Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know I'm looking for someone to come up with some cover art for my story, doesn't have to be anything special and I will give you credit in the story description. PM me if you're interested. Cheers!
Dear Friend
My many apologize that you haven't heard from me in awhile, but many things occupy my thoughts these days. The story picks up right where I left off...
"Ember I love you but if there's ever a next time, for the love of Celestia please pick a smaller dress," I muttered as I laboriously hoofed my way up the stairs of the Inn. When I finally reached my room I flung the dress bag on the floor and sprawled out on my bed. I wanted so badly to just close my eyes and drift off, but my stomach had other plans. Begrudgingly, I stood and headed into the bathroom to wash up. As I splashed cold water on to my face I stared at my reflection in the steamed up mirror. All I saw looking back at me was an average looking light brown earth pony with a blonde mop of a mane, nothing special or out of the ordinary. Except for one small thing. On my flank where most ponies had one cutie mark, I had two. Now I know what you're thinking, how in Equestria does a pony have two cutie marks? At least that's what most ponies would ask, assuming you are a pony. Well it was pretty simple really, when I was younger I had a bad case of the cutie-pox. Dang thing came out of no where and within a few days of contracting the first symptoms I was on my death-bed. And what made it worse was the doctor said I had just gotten my cutie mark the night I contracted the disease! Just my luck right? By the third day I didn't even realize what was going on, I'm going to spare you the details but my parents describe it as me trying to act out every one of my cutie marks at the same time, not a pretty picture. In a last ditch attempt to save me, my parents sent a letter to Princess Celestia begging for her help and surprisingly, she answered. She flew all the way from Canterlot, for me! Did I feel special? Heck yes I did! HA! Just kidding. I couldn't feel anything by that point. I just remembered this intesnse heat and tingling spread throughout my body and by the time it reached my head I woke up see the princess pressing her horn, which was emitting a bright golden light, against my chest. After that I passed out again but when I awoke the second time I was completely alone. Moonlight shone through the windows of my cramped bedroom casting soft shadows along the walls. The throbbing in my head had subsided to a dull roar and my vision was once again back to normal but something felt different, I couldn't put my hoof on it. Without warning a bright light lit up the night sky and I raced to the near by window hoping to catch a glimpse of what it was. I was awestruck as I watched Princess Celelstia's carriage race across the deep azure sky. Quickly I undid the latches of my window and ripped it open.
"Thank you Princess!" I yelled hoping my voice could reach her. She must have heard me because I still swear to this day that she turned her head and smiled at me. It was as bright as the sun, which made sense considering that was her thing or whatever. It reminded me of Rarity's smile, Rarity... Right, I'm getting off track, you probably want to know what happened after I washed up. I know I'm a pretty boring pony. So where did I leave off?
After washing my mane thoroughly and scrubbing the dirt from my behind my ears, I put on a clean vest and headed out for this "Sugar Cube Corner". The setting rays of the sun cast a beautiful orange glow over the town and the mountains that could be seen in the distance. Making my way down the street I began to see ponies staring and pointing their hooves at me. They tried being sneaky but I was so used too it, I could tell what was going on. I just bowed my head and tried to keep a low profile. Wouldn't have been the first time this had happened. You'd think most ponies would have the common decency to ask about my marks instead of pointing at me like I was a freak. Maybe they were scared of me. Regardless I pressed on down the street. I spotted what looked like a gigantic house sized cake and trotted over too it. A hanging sign that swung in the light breeze read "Sugar Cube Corner, The Sweetest Place in Equestria." I paused before entering, hoping that it would only be Rarity and maybe one or two of her friends, cause as you could tell, I didn't like crowds much. Just as I was about to push open the door a rainbow-colored blur whizzed past, blowing me off the front steps and into a nearby shrub. Mumbling under my breath I untangled myself and followed in after whatever that thing was.
"Hey look it's the pony that I knocked over on the way in here!" A voice snorted.
Looking around in confusion I saw Rarity sitting at a table that was crowded with 5 other mares. They looked like a downright rag-tag bunch. The one that was laughing at me was a blue pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane.
"You should've seen the look on your face!" she exclaimed.
"Now w'cha do that for RD? He's actually kinda cute," chuckled an orange pony. She had a blonde mane and was wearing a cowpony hat.
I stood rooted to the spot unsure of what do.
"HI THERE!" A voice shouted in my ear. As you would expect I jumped and came crashing down on to a nearby table. Unfortunately it was covered in desserts and everything on it including me fell to the floor. A pink pony with an even pinker curly mane hovered inches above my face.
"Did I scare you? I must have scared you. Here have some cake!" The pink pony buzzed.
I started to speak "Uh thank you but Ah'm...".
"Pinkie get off of him," A purple unicorn pony pulled the pink ball of energy off of me. "I'm very sorry Sir, sometimes she just get's excited around new ponies."
I wiped blue frosting from my eyes. "No it's quite I alright, Miss" I began again but was cut off.
"Here let me get that for you!" The purple mare urged as she pointed her horn at me.
I could feel an invisible force begin to lift me off the ground.
"Oops, wrong spell," She smiled sheepishly.
"What'a you mean wrong sp-" I said before being violently thrown through the swinging doors that lead to the cafe's kitchen. I slid across the white tile floor crashing into cupboards and various other baking tools before smashing into a pile of flour bags.
"Ladies please do control yourselves!" I could hear Rarity yelling in the other room. Woozily I got to my hooves and entered back into the café.
"Wait a minute where'd the brown pony go?" The pink one asked.
"That is the brown pony genius," The blue pegasus scoffed. "He's just covered in flour."
"I am so terribly sorry Mr. Blaze," Rarity apologized as she dusted me off, "Please forgive my, friends' inappropriate behavior,"
"You know this guy?" The pony called RD asked.
"Why yes I do, in fact I invited him here to join us for dinner," Rarity explained, "Which obviously was not the best idea,"
"Shoot we're sorry Rare, why don't you introduce us to your new friend?" the orange pony suggested.
"Very well, girls this is Mr. Blaze..." She looked at me to continue.
"Heart," I coughed up a cloud of flour.
"Yes, and he made the journey all the way from Appaloosa to pick up an very expensive dress for his sister's wedding, so I thought the least I could do was treat him to a nice dinner." Rarity huffed. RD, which I later would find out stood for Rainbow Dash, raced to my side.
"Oh come on Rarity, he knows all that was just for fun," Rainbow Dash prodded me in the ribs, "Right?"
I looked over at Rarity and flashed her a quick smile. "Course Ah do."
"Good," She smiled back at me. "Now let me introduce you to my friends,"
There was Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Fluttershy, who I hadn't seen yet. Their names were pretty self-explanatory for obvious reasons. Twilight was the unicorn who'd thrown me into the kitchen, while AppleJack was the mare who wore the cowpony hat and unsurprisingly the pink pony's name was Pinkie Pie. After the introductions were finished I took the empty seat across from Rarity and began to eat the various sweets laid out in front of me. As I stuffed my face I idly listened to the conversation between the mares, only laughing and nodding my head when the occasion called for it. I kept sneaking glances over at Rarity to see if she was looking at me. The odd time I caught her staring back at me, but as soon as our eyes would lock she would return back to the conversation. Mixed messages much?
Other than that everything was going fine until the question I always dreaded came out.
"So what do you do for a living Blaze?" Twilight asked. I guessed they hadn't seen my "abnormality" yet because of the layer of flour covering me.
"Ah'm an apple bucker, well at least durin' harvest," I said quickly.
"So your cutie mark must be something to do with apples then," Applejack chimed in.
"Yeah it's a bucket full of apples," I answered quietly. I know, I lied about having only one cutie mark, but I didn't dare mention the other one. Luckily Rarity didn't see it earlier today.
"You might have to come out to the farm and show me some of your moves," AJ winked at me.
"Too bad Ah'm leavin' tomorrow," I grinned. "Or else Ah for sure would," It was nice to see somepony being playful.
"P-lease Applejack, that's hardly appropriate," Rarity chided.
After we had all finished eating I leaned back and let out a huge yawn.
"Looks like someone's tired, is it past your bedtime?" Rainbow snickered. She sure was liberal with her jokes.
"Well Ponyville is 4 hours ahead of Appaloosa," I pointed out.
"Touché," Rainbow smiled. "I'd be tried too now that I think about it, I need my beauty sleep,"
"Speaking of beauty sleep, I must be going, I have a very large order to fill tomorrow," Rarity said as she stood to leave. "Goodnight everypony,"
Seeing my opportunity to spend some alone time with Rarity I stood as well.
"You mind if Ah walk you home?" I blurted out. I could tell I caught Rarity off guard, but her confused expression quickly turned into smile.
"Why of course not, that's very kind of you," Rarity said. So with that we said our goodbyes and set off for Rarity's house. We cut through the park in silence the only sound that could be heard was a small babbling brook that ran underneath a small hoof bridge in the distance. I didn't mind that though, just being able to be alone with her was worth it.
"That flour suits you well, it accents your mane quite nicely," Rarity giggled.
I checked myself over, flour still covered most of my body.
"Ah could wash it off," I suggested.
"And where would you do that?" she asked.
"That stream looks nice and refreshin'," I pointed over to the bridge.
"In there?!" Rarity was appalled.
"You afraid of gettin' wet Miss Rarity?" I teased. Rarity turned her nose up at me and kept walking.
"Of course not, I just do not believe in bathing like an animal," she huffed.
"Ah hate to break it too yah," I laughed, "But we're all just animals,"
Rarity spun around to face me. "How dare you compare me to an animal,"
"Whoa, Ah didn't mean it in a bad way, Ah jus' mean that sometimes ya'll need to let your hair down," I defended myself.
"A pony of elegance does not 'just let one's hair down'," Rarity claimed. By now we had reached the bridge that crossed the creek.
"It'll be fun, see look!" I hollered before hopping down into the stream. Water flew everywhere and soaked Rarity ruining her perfectly kept mane.
"What have you done!" she shrieked. Unbelievable she wouldn't last a day on a farm, I thought.
"Ah apologize," I said shaking the water from my coat. "But on the bright side, we're both clean now,"
"Clean?" Rarity exclaimed. "Hardly, It's going to take my hours to get this mud out of my hair, and don't even get me started on the-" she stopped dead.
Rarity was looking at me with an intense gaze.
"Somethin' wrong?" I asked, worried that I had really upset her.
"Blaze, there's something worn with your cutie mark," Rarity pointed to my flank.
My heart stopped, this is it, this is where she says that she has something to do and runs off scared for her life. I could feel it coming, the stiff pain of rejection I knew all too well.
"Ah'm a freak, Ah know," I turned away so I could't see her look of disgust.
I felt a hoof on my shoulder. Looking up I saw Rarity gazing at me with her wide cerulean eyes.
"A freak is somepony who has a third eye or two horns," She stated. "Clearly you don't have either of those, therefore you are not, a freak,"
"But the way ponies look at me, it's like they're all scared, like they'll catch some disease if they come close or somethin'," I said.
"You should be thankful for what you have,' Rarity said.
"Why?" I asked. "Hasn't done anythin' good for me,"
"You should be thankful because, you aren't defined by just one thing like most other ponies are," She answered.
"But at least then I'd know who Ah am,' I trailed off.
"You will," Rarity reassured. "Someday,"
"Thanks Rare, Ah appreciate it," I smiled.
"Rare?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I mean uh-" I stammered.
"Only my best friends call me that," She said.
"What Ah meant to say-" I said, scrambling to regain my ground.
"And I'm sure we will become very good friends," She smiled. I was taken by surprise.
"You mean it?" I asked.
"Of course," She giggled. "And can I let you in on a little secret?"
I leaned in close and she whispered in my ear. "I do like to get dirty sometimes,"
"Ah'll believe it when I see it," I whispered back. I hadn't realized it but we were standing on Rarity's porch mere inches away from each other's faces. I was completely lost in her eyes and the truth was I didn't want to be found again.
"I best be going," Rarity broke the silence.
"Oh well, Ah'll see you tomorrow?" I asked.
"I was under the impression that you were leaving," She replied.
"Ah could stay for an extra day, Ah'm sure my sister wouldn't mind if Ah sent the dress through a courier," I said.
"But that will ruin the dress!" She cried out.
"If that's the case then Ah should probably go with it," I replied.
"NO!" Rarity screamed.
I was at a loss for words.
"I mean, It will be fine darling, please stay," She smiled.
"It's settled then, Ah'll send it off first thing tomorrow," I said
After that Rarity said goodnight and I once again found myself alone in front of her store, back where I started. With a spring in my step I galloped back to the inn unable to contain my excitement for the next day.
Hopefully nothing will hinder my ability to write to you in the future.
Yours truly.
B.