Galvanized Emotion

by Uictoriam Ducere

Charlie has been called many things in his life. A criminal, a thug, and now a deadman. Awakening in a world filled with headache inducing magic ponies who drive him crazy was the last thing he expected. He must now learn to keep his temper in check to stay on their good side as they are the only ones who can bring him home. Being murdered though, makes that kinda difficult… AU

5. Act 1: Beauty has Standards

Chapter 5: Beauty Has Standards

"The greatest remedy for anger is delay."

-Thomas Paine

"You are simply not allowed in my shop until you take a bath and throw that tarp in the garbage!" Rarity admonishes.

"Then I guess I'm just gonna stand out here then because I fucking need this tarp!" I scream as I tug on the quilt. To add to my comment, I sit on the cold ground by the street and wrap the quilt tighter around me to get ready for the long haul. The cold is already kicking my ass but who gives a shit.

"You're being ridiculous! How can you walk around all day looking like-" She juts a hoof at me."-that! Or even just brushing your mane once in a while! It's not hard you know!"

Spike walks over between us. "Maybe we can compromise?"

I turn and I give them both the stink eye. "Here's a compromise for you: You can do all that to my body when I'm dead! Which won't be long if I continue to sit out here so go fuck yourselves with a stick and get away from me so you can have your chance!"

Rarity looks at me incredulously but simply hurumpfs and walks into her shop a bell ringing as she enters and slams the door. I see the open sign flip to closed soon after. Pfftt Fucking cunt. I don't know what spike sees in her anyways. Posh cunt had me woken up an hour earlier than usual so she can get started sooner or some shit. Get started on what exactly I don't know.

Spike groans. "Your being impossible! If your nice she migh-"

I turn to Spike and snarl. "You just want me to be nice to your 'Marefriend' so you'll get a chance to explore her tight emerald mine you little shit." He blushes and scrams into the shop too leaving me alone with lieutenant piss stain.

He coughs into a hoof to clear the awkward air. "You really are gonna make this as hard as possible, aren't you?"

Shivering I turn to answer. "You know me so fuckin' well. I'm touched really…" I spit like acid. "Don't you have some fresh recruits to go sodomize or something?"

He looks confused. "Sodomize...?"

"Molest! Don't you have new ponies to molest!" I scream. I'm tired of these shits not understanding human lingo. A family of ponies happened to be walking by as I said this. The parents put their hooves on their kids' ears and scowled at me. I laughed when I heard one of the foals ask what 'molest' meant.

He looks at me strangely one more time and just shakes his head. "Don't die out here, please, I really don't want to do the paperwork…" He turns to leave me alone on the road.

Thank fuck…

I let loose a sigh of relief. Finally some fuckin' peace and quiet. I shiver some more for a while and finally just lay back into the snow and let some snowflakes land on me. I wasn't joking about dying out here neither. It's somehow even colder than yesterday and the quilt isn't really doing fuckin' anything to keep me warm anymore. Fuck my life. At least I slept well last night. No weird masochist dream but I did dream about Wally again… I don't know what's worse if I'm being honest.

This fuckin' punishment shit is getting stupid. six days a week. Pfft What a joke… I'm on the beginning of day two and I'm already about to call it quits. At least I didn't really deal with Pinkie yesterday but that doesn't mean it didn't suck. I frown thinking of Pinkie not because of her but because of the pony I did deal with. Fucking Rainbow…

"As long as your in my town, my home, your under my jurisdiction, buster."

"Oh I'm gonna have so much fun with this! See you tomorrow, loser!"

Oh Christ… I'm probably gonna see her today if she's that intent on making me suffer. I look at the mark again and realize how fucked I am…

I don't know what her problem with me is. I get I'm rude, standoffish, hates pretty much everything, and have a colorful vocabulary that I sprinkle on anyone who happens by so what's there to hate?! If I'm being honest I completely understand her hatred of me but what I don't understand is why she's the only one not pretending. Since we first met she never put up with my shit the same way the others did. I'd commend her for it if she didn't consume dick sandwiches every time I've ever spoken to her.

She's brash, full of herself like you wouldn't believe, and worse she's clumsier than a fucking blind man. I've seen her land on some others multiple times myself fucking included. It's how we first met. She used my body to cushion her fall one day making me land in mud ruining my only outfit. I chewed her out for like 20 minutes in front of a crowd and that was that. Her hate boner for me was born that very evening. She would do things to annoy me on purpose after that like following me with a lone rain cloud, purposely swooping low in the middle of her tricks to fuckin' steam me over, and of course her stupid rainbow tornado in a cow field full of cow patties… I shudder but not from the cold.

Actually, scratch that, the cold is getting to me now but I just lay there and he chattering of my own teeth is all I hear. Looking upside down at the stupid fuckin' carousel themed building I curse its very foundation. The Carousel Boutique… What a joke. Rarity likes to think of herself as some kinda fashionista of sorts, I guess. Which is really funny to me as almost 98 percent of these fuckin' ponies are naked all the time. She can't be getting that much business to keep it open…

About an hour later the same ringing bell from earlier knocks me out of my thoughts. "Darling… I can't sit here and watch you freeze to death to make a point, even if it is you making it." Rarity pleads. "How about we come to a deal."

Without looking at her I just huff. "Oh yeah? And what might that be, Retardity."

She blanches at the name but answers my question. "You take a bath in my personal bathroom and let me wash your clothes I'll let you in without a fuss." She insists. She can't be serious.

I tilt my head over to her. "Why on God's green Earth would you think that's a good deal for you? You're getting almost nothing out of it!"

She smirks. "On the contrary, I'm helping Twilight not you. She and my Spikey-Wikey can simply no longer stand the smell. Some laundry is a small price to pay for my friends needs." She's fuckin' serious…

I look back up at the sky and watch snow float down on me, the cold trying it's hardest to make my decision for me. I sigh. "Throw in a pair of mittens and I'll do it."

"Deal!" She gleams. "Now get inside before I change my mind." I sigh once more lifting myself out of the snow and enter the shop for the first time in a while. Its no fuckin' wonder I don't come in here often the color scheme alone makes me want to shrivel and die.

SO. MUCH. PINK.

Everything is fucking pink and or a shade of it. Given its name, it is of course Carousel themed through and through. A set of three mirrors sit to the side so one may gaze at a new outfit and appreciate every angle. Near the mirrors are a pair of fancy carved saloon doors which I assume is a changing room for the many outfits to choose from. Rows upon rows of rolling hanger racks adorn the floor with enough different themes of clothing to make my head spin. All along the perimeter of the ceiling eccentric pink curtains hang but as it's the same fucking color as everything else you hardly notice it to be honest. The walls have spaced checkered pillars with matching shades to the rest of the décor. Laying haphazardly around are dummies of ponies wearing different unfinished outfits, no doubt for her works but they give me the heebie jeebies… They're totally not waiting for me to blink so they can disappear.

Spike is sitting on a small stool by a table near the mirrors giving Rarity 'hump me' eyes. I roll my own eyes at this but before I could even make a snide comment against him the warmth slaps me with a hot embrace making me sigh in relief involuntarily and almost collapse. I pull my cold cracked hands out from under the quilt, and they burn in a way that I almost welcome.

The white mare coughs in her hoof to get my attention. "Right this way and don't touch anything with those disgusting germ factories you call hooves." She walks deeper into her shop expecting me to follow. I sigh again like a bad habit pulling off the quilt as I follow.

I stop at the drake and cross my arms lifting an eyebrow. "So, I stink do I..?" I accuse.

"Uhh I never said that hehe…" He chuckles nervously. "I did tell her that you really would've froze out there though if she didn't let you in. All this over getting clean… I've never seen anypony be so miserable to take a bath…" He gives literal heart eyes to Rarity's ass as she struts by. "Especially when given by-HEY WHO TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS!" I threw the quilt on his dumb head, blinding him and he falls over getting tangled in the blanket. I laugh darkly and continue leaving him to his new prison.

Rarity barely noticed his ordeal or didn't care to as she walked up the stairs to a part of the building I've never been before. I pause staring upwards to the second floor and look behind me one final time to see Spike rolling around knocking things over. I shake my head at his plight and follow her up entering a short hallway with two doors on either side. She pauses at the door on the right grimacing upon seeing me and enters. I swiftly follow her further into this new room.

My eyebrows furrow as I enter realizing it's her personal bedroom. A large master bed encompasses most of the space and it just screams fancy and expensive as it has a canopy of drapes like a ye olde English colonial house. I thank whatever God listening that the sheets are at least a hard dark ruby red making it pop compared to the rest of the room. Speaking of, aside from an obvious dresser there lies some more of those dummies from downstairs. The stupid things are resting by an oval window adorned with, guess what, more drapes. This fucking pony really loves drapes. On the far side is an obvious workbench for her works as there are enough needles, pin cushions, and pieces of cloth scattered around. The most impressive thing I can say about it is that there's an honest to God sewing machine smack dab in the middle. The thing was fuckin' huge!

She stops by a door next to the desk and stares at me expectantly. "Strip." she demands.

Da fuck? My eyebrows shoot through the ceiling. "What the fuck did you say?" I snap.

She rolls her eyes. "You need to strip those rags before you can bathe."

I shake my head. "Okay, well, just let me get in there and I'll-" I feel her magic tug on my filthy flannel and it shoots upwards knocking my ball cap off in the process. The same tugging can be felt on my pants. Uh oh. "Rarity wai-" Too late. My pants fall to the ground with my boxers.

She sports an impatient look. "Darling, I simply don't… have…" She looks down at my junk just blowing in the breeze and her face switches to one of shock and embarrassment. "…Sheathe…" She blushes like you wouldn't believe. "Y-you d-don't h-have a s-sheathe!" She stutters still gazing at my manhood.

Oh man, I'm gonna have fun with this.

I dramatically stretch making a hip gyration in the process. "You could've bought me dinner first." She's beet red now and spins around almost knocking into the desk. I continue. "Or just of asked nicely… once you get to know me I'm very giving person!"

She's still in shock and barely sputters some more words. "S-shut up!" She gazes back and gasps when I'm in the middle of doing some small jumping jacks. Her head snaps back to the wall like a jet breaking the sound barrier.

I'm fuckin' dying, dude! My next remark has to be said in between a fit of giggles. "If you hehe want I can Haha introduce you two! Charlie Junior? Meet Rarity! Bwahahahha." If you can imagine Woody laughing at Buzz that's exactly what I'm doing.

I feel my pants that was hanging around my ankles zip back up to where they belong and the fashionista coughs in her hoof trying to get some composure. Key word: Tries. "I-I see w-why you w-wear c-clothes all t-the time n-now..." She grimaces still redder than a chapped ass.

I lift an eyebrow like a certain stone. "Are you sure? I think going naked is the new look as I've heard! Might be my new thing!"

She gasps. "Just-" She sighs closing her eyes and facehooving. "Just get in the bathroom and leave your clothes by the door please!"

I strut by her opening the door to the bathroom but not before having one more word to say. "Sure, sure but just so you know, I know that you know now Hahahah." She blushes again as I enter the bathroom.

The bathroom was just as extravagant as the rest of the shop. A huge 3 faced mirror overlooked a vanity counter with many different perfumes, brushes, blow dryers, face scrubs, and towels. A grandiose bathtub lay near a small oval shaped window covered in snow. Around the tub was a magenta shower curtain encircling it entirely. There was one of those old school toilets with the hanging chain you pull on. You know, like the one from the Godfather. Anyways that seems to be the standard around here, but I do notice the handle on the chain is some kind of crystal or glass. The floor was checkered tiled. Overall, it was a really nice bathroom, a hell of a lot better than the library's that's for sure.

"Ahem your clothes please?" I hear her impatiently through the crack.

"Yeah yeah keep your pants on, Miss Priss…" I empty all the pockets to my jeans setting any of the contents on the counter and remove the rest of my clothes tossing them through the crack. I think my boxers landed on Rarity as I could hear her gag. Whatever. With that I shut the door and lock it so no nosy dragon can peep on me. Fuckin' freak.

As I walked to the tub my reflection catches my attention and I stop softly gasping. Christ on a stick, I look fucking terrible. I walk closer to the mirror and stare at the pathetic mess that is 'Charlie'. My thick, wavy, knotted, unkempt bark colored hair was the longest I'd ever seen it. Sitting almost at my shoulders, I could make a fuckin' grease factory with how oily it was. Dirt and grime seemed to have permanently attached itself to the strands never letting go. My auburn beard wasn't in any better of shape either. It was frayed, curled to sin, and uneven from lack of maintenance. The fact I have one at all makes me very uncomfortable as it makes me look like someone I'd rather not think of. My once burly body had lost some of its cushion more than likely from the absence of meat from my diet but there's really not a lot I can do for that as eating meat is a big fuckin' no no around here… I look skinny but at least not concentration camp skinny. As for my johnson, hair has gotten to Austin Powers levels of growth but it's not like that it really matters.

None of this matters.

I frown. The thought's true. This is first time I've given a good look at myself since getting here and nothing's changed. I may look like bigfoot, but that terrible piece of dogshit is still there underneath all that grime. The fuckin' scum that got me into this mess to begin with.

I narrow my eyes at my reflection. "You know what you are…" I give a sad laugh. "What you've done… This is what you deserve! You fuckin' double digit IQ having, inbred, Irish shit." I stare at my reflection like it was gonna respond. "You're not foolin' anyone… Not even me." My hand starts buzzing and decide to stop before I look like that guy from the dry sponge scene in the Green Mile.

Finally, I open the curtains and look at the tub itself. There's no fuckin' shower head so really, I have no choice but to take a bath. Fuckin' bullshit. While plugging the drain, I turn on the controls for hot and let the steaming water gush into the tub. As it pours in, I spot some liquid soap and dump a little in to get it bubbling. After about 5 minutes of waiting, I deem it full enough to turn off the stream and slowly sink into the tub. I see brown leak off my body the moment I connect with the water.

Fucking Gross.

Before anymore negative thoughts hit me the euphoric feeling of the heat causes me to moan, and I sink in further. Oh my god this is fuckin' phenomenal. I could stay here all day… But I decide against it and start the tedious task of cleaning. I start with my hands, meticulously getting in between the digits, and work my way up my arms. A cheerful song starts to emit itself from my mouth seemingly by itself. Fuck yeah, man. Charlie's happy song! When I'm in a good mood I like to sing some of the songs me and the fellas used to enjoy during happy hour at Casper's.

Don't look at me like that, like you don't do weird shit when no one's looking…

Each appendage slowly becomes clean and the water gets worse and worse. Christ it looked like a pit of despair. It was so bad in fact that I ended up pulling the drain plug and let some new water in. The worst by far was cleaning my hair and beard. It was so fucking tangled that I couldn't do anything other than drowning in shampoo and letting it soak to loosen it up. Once my whole body felt good, I just laid there for a while thinking about some shit.

Like Rarity for instance. The Unicorn had been one of the nicer ponies around here but that didn't really mean much comparatively speaking. I remember meeting her the first time almost four months ago in this very shop. Twilight dragged me here I think the fifth day… I was getting antsy in the library waiting for Queen Dildo to arrive and I needed to spread my hypothetical wings. Twilight was very hesitant as this is me we're talking about and thought we should wait for the Princess before we went gallivanting.

Fuuuuuuck yoooooou. You wait for the Princess, Asshat.

Anyways long story short, Twilight eventually conceded letting me walk around town. I almost wish I hadn't as I was gawked at and questioned by every pony between here and the fucking moon. A group of townsfolk started hassling us so we ducked inside of a building to dodge them that happened to be the Carousel Boutique. Rarity almost devoured me the moment she saw me and quickly roasted me about what I was wearing. 'Gutter rags' I think is what she called them. Rarity then basically kidnapped me from Twilight and threw on outfit after outfit on me before I exploded and tore a sailor uniform apart like paper. She tried to apologize, and I shut her down so fucking fast I may as well be speedster Spongebob racing to a boulder.

I think I called her something along the lines of…

"You're a fuckin' pack mule and the sparkling aura of your smelly cunt hairs doesn't cover it!"

She looked really hurt when I said that. So hurt if fact that she started crying, kicked us out, and locked the door closing the shop for the day. Twilight was baffled by my outburst but its not like I really cared. Rarity refused me service for the rest of my time here in town but to her credit she would try to start conversations with me despite that. Definitely more so than the others that's for fuckin' sure. I groan at the thought of Rainbow again.

The, almost angelic, warmth of the water starts turning lukewarm and gives me a sign that it's time to get out. Grabbing a nearby towel I dry myself to the best of my abilities and look at myself once more in the mirror. Ah So much fuckin' better. I actually look human and not a caveman. Instinctively, I grab a brush to fix my hair but end up just shrugging, tossing it in the grody ass water. I'll let Rarity clean it later. Looking to the counter with my things, I grab them and walk out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around me. I give a good breadth of the room looking for my clothes or Rarity but I don't see anybody. Fuck.

"Hello? Rarity? Spike?" No one returns my call. Unbelievable. I sigh and walk out of the room and down the hallway to find out where my clothes are. As I descend the staircase, I can hear a conversation between Spike and the Mare herself which wouldn't of really bothered me but I heard the tail end of a sentence that made me pause.

"-ngerous, Spike! It took almost the whole town to stop him!" I hear Rarity yell. It seems they haven't noticed me so I wait to listen in some more.

"I know, Rarity! It's just-" He pauses as if he's trying to say the right thing. "What else are you going to do? You cant just ignore him not as long as the Princess wants you hanging out with him."

"Its not just me I have to worry about! As long as my sister is living with me I cant trust him, Spike! What if he explodes again and there's no princess to stop him? What if he does something to Sweetie Belle? I'd never forgive myself." Rarity sounds hysterical. I peak my head around the corner and see them talking by the table. Spike has wrapped my quilt around himself like a cocoon.

Spike huffs and runs a hand through his fins. "Think of the long term. Maybe… maybe this will be good for him. You know, being forced to talk to you all. Your all the greatest ponies I know! If anyone can crack him, it'll be you mares!"

I can tell Rarity doesn't believe him. "That's not good enough, Spike… not to mention he doesn't care about anything! How can I help somepony who doesn't care! He's a brute who's only out for himself."

Spike smiles a little. "That's not true at all." Rarity and I looks at him like he's got 4 heads. "When you're with him long enough like I have you begin to notice things that you'd otherwise not see at first but its there. Charlie has this look he gives sometimes. It isn't a look of anger or annoyance, but it almost looks like sadness. He never talks about home and has said a lot of times that he doesn't have anypony there, but I know he's lying. When he's sleeping, he calls out to them not wanting them to leave over and over and over again. He's lonely Rare! He misses home and he's stuck here for what seems like forever!"

Damn. I really didn't need to hear that. Like, at fuckin' all.

Rarity shakes her head. "Lonely or not it doesn't mean he can do whatever he pleases and expect generosity."

Spike looks down solemnly. "I know… It's just-"

I've heard enough and barge down the stairs like I wasn't listening to them at all. "There you are! Where the fuck are my clothes?" I yell my mood soured indefinitely for the rest of the day. When I get to the pair, I snatch my quilt which makes spike spin like a top on the stool making him disoriented.

Rarity gives me a scowl and points by the changing room. "A 'thank you' would have sufficed…"

Seeing my now clean clothes neatly folded I roll my eyes. "Yeah, I'll thank you when I'm dead which will hopefully happen real fuckin' soon…" I walk towards the clothes letting the towel drop not really caring who sees my family jewels. "I don't know how much longer I can stand this."

"D-darling! There's a c-changing room right there!" I hear Rarity stammer but I just ignore her and slowly get dressed.

The old outfit has definitely seen some wear and tear through the weeks, but they smell unbelievably fresh despite the rips and faded coloring. They were still 'out of the dryer' warm as well making me sigh contently as they are donned. Satisfied I turn and stare at the pair who couldn't believe that I just disregarded the privacy of the adjacent room.

I narrow my eyes. "Well!" I throw my hands up in the air impatiently just wanting to not think about my night talking. "Are we gonna shake each other's dicks all day or we gonna do something? Or was there absolutely no fuckin' point in me waking up at the ass crack of dawn and I just wasted a perfectly good morning to sleep?" Spike and Rarity look puzzled by my outburst.

Rarity eventually sighs. "Let's just get this over with, shall we? This way" She turns toward the back desks harshly whispering to herself about my language.

Following, I leave spike in the dust who looks like he did something wrong to warrant my behavior, but I ignore him. At the pair of desks is pieces of cloth of all varying sizes, spools of never ending colored string, and so many different pairs of scissors you could cut your way through a paper factory and then some. Rarity floats out a piece of paper with some of that gibberish and a neatly drawn pictures of what looks like vests with some other marks I don't recognize.

After handing me the paper Rarity speaks. "I'm behind this year on orders due to some recent unfortunate-" Her eyes narrow at me. "-events and this includes the hefty order for this season Winter Wrap Up team garments. You will be assisting me in completing this order and hopefully, ifyouhaveabrain, we'll be back on schedule by next month." The brain comment was said in between a breath making me scowl but she continues. "The vests are just two pieces of cloth stitched together so even you can do it. But just to be on the safe side you'll be just cutting the fabric and I'll put them together, don't want shoddy craftsmanship after all. You should start with the most used size in town, that being a medium.

Taking another look at the paper which is incomprehensible I shake my head. "Rarity I can't fucking read this garbage. How the hell am I gonna know what the correct dimensions are?"

She pauses and gives a surprised look. "You can't read Equestrian?" she droops. "Figures a brute such as yourself cannot read… Hmmm." She starts thinking and she before seems to have her 'eureka' moment and grabs what looks like a yard stick, but the numbers and measurements look stupid. "Can you at least memorize a number if I give it to you? If you can then all I need to do is show you the proper numbers and you can start."

I pause to think and just shrug. "Maybe…" I look at the desk and see a blank ledger open with a pen next to it and grab them. "Just show me the numbers on the stick thingy and I'll see if I can't remember."

She points to a squiggly line with a dash at the top. "This is 42 hoonches width." I sigh at the term but write it down with English with the correlating symbol. "And 52 Hoonches in length. All the vests are tapered so the height on the back end is 36 Hoonches height." I do the same for the next sets of numbers and write some more instructions in cursive in case I forget.

Rarity looks mesmerized by the words as they sprawl themselves across the paper. "Darling, what is this language you are writing in? It looks exquisite!" She compliments.

I shrug. "We call it fuckin' English and you shits seem to speak it just fine so I don't know why you can't right it either." I say writing the same sentence again and showing her.

Rarity hums her curiosity getting the better of her. "So interesting! It looks so refined! So much better than this gutter equestrian I'm used to. This is so much more pleasing on the eyes!"

I give a devilish smile as an idea comes to mind. I write a very, very, very, naughty sentence again in cursive on a separate page and rip it out and hand it to her. "Here it says 'Stay calm and carry on'…" It did not say that. "Keep it if you want to look at it more."

She gleams at the vulgar sentence completely unaware of what is actually written. "You know, I think I will! I cant believe I'm going to say this but thank you, Charles."

My smile quickly disintegrates, and I scowl. "It's Charlie to you, toots." I push past her laying the ledger on the table, moving some things around, and sit down to get comfortable for a long day. My mood sours even further upon hearing my actual name. "Just get the fuck away from me so I can get started on these shits…" I can tell Rarity wanted to say something as she stood there in silence for a few seconds but eventually sighs and returns to Spike who was nibbling on a treat of some sort.

Finally! Alone at last!

My hand starts buzzing as some thoughts hit me regarding Spike's observation of me from earlier but quickly start working to quiet the troublesome head noise. There were three types of colors of a cotton like cloth in front of me separated into neat piles one for each. One blue, one tan, and another green. I start with green for the old country, but it didn't really matter. I grab two sheets and mark them with the right measurements one mirroring another and carefully cut them out. To say it was tedious work would be an understatement. It kept me busy at least. I even hear myself humming a song as I go along to keep it somewhat entertaining.

Throughout the day ponies come in and browse at the selection. Most being winter attire but hey a customer is a customer, I guess. Most went without noticing me, but a few did however and quickly run away much to Rarity's chagrin. The ones who stayed definitely didn't let their guard down that's for sure. Fuck em'.

Fuck em' all.

About four hours into my work, I hear the door open once more with that stupid fuckin' bell which wouldn't have garnered my attention but the conversation between Rarity and made me peak over.

"Hey, Sweetie! How was school?" I see Rarity nuzzling a smaller white unicorn filly with a mulberry-colored mane.

The filly starts bouncing up and down. "Oh, it was so much fun, Rare! After the lessons Mrs. Cheerilee let us play outside in the snow! You should have see-" She looked over and saw me hunched desk listening in and steps back in fear.

Rarity follows her eyesight and upon seeing me sighs. "Sweetie Belle, it's okay he's only here for the day. He won't hurt you, not as long as I'm here." She smiles down at her and grabs her scarf and hat placing them on a hanger nearby. "Now run along and get clean, dinner will be in a little bit, I'll make your favorite~!" Sweetie Belle, as I now know her as, looks at me unsure but does eventually walk further into the shop. She stops by the stairs staring at me and her eyes narrow in determination before sprinting up the steps.

Da fuck was that about? Whatever. I'm sure it was nothing.

I wish I could say the rest of the day went by smoothly, but the absolute worst happened as daylight began waning. Rarity went into the kitchen to prepare the meal she promised to the filly leaving Spike and I alone. Spike kept to himself really content in napping in a pile of fabrics the lazy shit. I'm over here working my fingers to the bone and he gets to just laze about? I just about finished the green pieces when the bell sounds once again. I ignore it obviously but then I hear it.

"Oh! Hey Rainbow, what's up?" Spike greets. I freeze.

"Hey, Spike! Your friend here?" A raspy cunt of a pony asks.

Fuck.

"Yeah of course he is!" Spike gleams. Fuckin' Narc. "He's in the back." Spike barely speaks as his mouth is full. Where the fuck is he getting all this food from and why haven't I been given any? He seemed to quickly realize who he was talking too, and I hear him sputter. "R-Rainbow, wait I don't thin-" The trotting of hooves block out Spike as they approach, and I can tell she's fuckin' smirking. I'm ignoring her the best I can and continue working but it's hard.

"Told you I'd be back today, Monkey!" She spouts. I ignore her and continue cutting the fabric. "C'mon you can at least say hello, Buddy!" She sarcastically remarks. Again, I pretend the shit doesn't exist. "Fine, be that way! But before I go…"

Oh, great here we go I wonder wha- My hair gets pulled back hard and I here a cutting sound. Before I could scream, she lets go and I swing around to see her holding a large strand of hair in her hooves and a pair of scissors in her mouth. Feeling the back of my head I feel a fucking bald spot the size of a baseball obviously from where she snipped it. She starts cackling.

I shoot up out of my chair like a fuckin' rocket. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRO-RAHHHHHHHHG" It's too late. The fuckin' mark has its hold on me and won't let go. I spasm backwards into the desk knocking all my hard work onto the floor but I can't help it. I grip the chair waiting for the pain to to end but it seldom does just like before. Hearing her laugh makes the fits get worse and I end up convulsing on the floor. I feel something grab my arm but quickly let's go. Oh, sweet land of liberty just fucking kill me. It does eventually stop leaving me listlessly breathing on the ground. My wheezing coughs are all I hear.

No that's a lie… "Oh gosh! It gets better every time hahaha" She bellows in laughter. "Same time tomorrow?" She jests and cracks up some more before leaving the store.

Once my vision somewhat returns, I see Rarity helping Spike off the floor. The fuck man! What about me? But then I notice he looks like he got his lunch money stolen by a George Foreman grill. He's smoking somewhat, on his side, and holding his arm like it's broken.

"Are you okay, Spike! I saw you get sent across the room like a volleyball!" She worries.

To his credit he shrugs off his 'Marefriend' and points at me with his good arm. "I'm fine just go check, Charlie! He doesn't look good."

Rarity kinda pauses still wanting to help her scaled admirer but eventually trots over to me to see the damage. I see her eyes widen in horror. "Oh my! Your bleeding, darling!"

I raise a weak hand to touch my nose and I feel the hot liquid. I see one of my cut pieces of vest fly via magic and is gently placed to prevent blood from dripping down. Not liking being babied I just grab the cloth out of her magical clutches and hold it myself slowly sitting up as I do so.

I shake my head. "Fuck… That… Mare…" I spit blood on the floor much to Rarity's displeasure and I see spike hobble over still holding his arm.

"What the hay was that all about!?" Spike questions eyeing me in a worried manner.

I blow my nose into the vest and look over at spike. "Just Rainshit doing what she's best at, Spike. Being a turd sandwich." I shake my head again as a headache starts manifesting.

Rarity huffs. "Even though you did have it coming I really wish she hadn't of done that while you were in the shop…"

I wish I could scowl more efficiently. "Gee thanks…" I look at the blood on the vest and look over at the drake still holding his arm holding onto it tentatively like it was sore. "Da fuck happen to you, boots?"

Spike jumps at my question taking his attention off his hand. "When you were squirming on the ground from all that red lightning, I tried to help you up but…" He droops a little. "The moment I touched you it sent me across the room flying! It kinda felt like that time I put a fork in an outlet back at Canterlot one time. I think bumped my head too… ow" He says while rubbing his neck.

"Aw my poor Spikey-Wikey." Rarity Smooches his head and the drake lights up like a Christmas tree. "How about you stay for dinner your in no condition to walk back to the library just yet." She coos at the lovesick dragon like I didn't even exist. Fuck this.

"Aw poor fuckin', Spikey-Wikey." I say mimicking the white cunt and scowl. "Lets forget about the schmuck that was wreathing in pain for like an hour because poor, Spikey-Wikey, hurt his head… Unbelievable, get the fuck out of my way." I stand pushing the two aside and start to shamble towards the door out of the shop. I see the quilt folded haphazardly across the table and grab it without stopping.

Spike looks incredulous. "Wha- Charlie! Where ya going?"

"I'm going fuckin' home! Fuck you and fuck the shit in your asshole!" I scream back kicking the door open and walking out into the cold.

The lonely streets starts to grow dark as cold winds pick up swirling snow about like a musical number but I trudge forward donning the quilt and wrapping it around me. I shiver and almost immediately miss the warmth but fuck staying in that shop another goddamn minute. I worked my fuckin' ass off like a Chinese sweatshop worker and this is the thanks I get? Getting punished when I'm already suffering enough as it is? Fuuuuuuck yoooooouuuuu. As I turn a corner I see Flash walking from the other direction heading to the shop to get me obviously.

He stops when he sees me as I get closer. "Charlie? Hey why aren't y-"

"Your sisters cunt!" I scream as I barrel past him my hand buzzing all the while. He tried to say something, but I wasn't listening and thankfully he didn't follow.

Eventually by the grace of God I see the goddamn library and almost start sprinting. I barrel through the front entrance slamming the door and walk forward deeper into the library without wiping my feet. My destination ain't my bed as you might've thought but rather the living room on the main floor. My feet glide across the passages and I burst through the door.

OoOoO

You'd think I would have been surprised by the door slamming open and watching an angry Charlie walk through but I heard him cursing up a storm before I could even see him. Completely ignoring me he went to a rocking chair by the bay view window Spike dubbed comically 'The Pouting Chair' as he likes to brood there every once in a while. I could only grimace as I see tracks of snow leave behind him but eventually, he gets to the chair sitting down in a sigh and crossing his arms without so much of a word.

I could really only lift an eyebrow as I set the book I was invested into the side. "Well, good evening to you too I guess…" I look to the door expecting Spike to be right on his heels but he never came. "Hey! Where's Sp-" A scroll appeared interrupting me as soon as I was about to mention the baby dragon and I unravel it.

To Twilight,

Hey! The weather turned sour fast so I'm probably gonna stay the night at Rarity's since she offered.

Be careful with Charlie… Rainbow got him again… I'll see you tomorrow!

-Spike

I frown reading the Rainbow part and look over to the malding clothed mass scowling off into the distance. Even though leaving him alone would be for the best I decide against it and head towards the other chair positioned next to his and sit down. He eyes me a moment but stares back at nothing.

"Rough day?" I ask and he looks at me again. If looks could kill I'd need a funeral. I gulp and chuckle nervously. "Yeah… stupid question hehe." I clear my throat. "Well at least it's over with and your home."

He simply grunts but doesn't say anything else.

I was gonna say something else but stop when I notice something. He's clean! Sure, his mane is still in tatters, but he looks great! The grime is gone! His beard didn't have bugs crawling around! I couldn't believe it! I subconsciously lean in a little to smell and to my ever-growing delight he smells like Rarity, who mind you is quite known for her good smelling perfumes.

I feel a hand on my snout and a small push knocking me out of my thoughts. "Get the fuck away from me, Twilight." He says sternly.

I feel my cheeks burn. "R-right sorry! It's just you actually smell good for once!" His nostrils flare but I don't take it this time. "You can't even be mad at me for that one, you smelled like the insides of a Manticore." I admonish.

He grunts again. "You can thank your dildo of a friend, Rarity, for that. Fucking cunt wouldn't let me in unless I took one."

I sigh. "You're making that out like its a bad thing. Look me dead in the eyes and tell me it didn't feel good." His eyes shift to me for a second but didn't say anything. "See! I for one love warm baths in the winter. Makes me feel so refreshed!" I beam at the thought of taking one later.

He sighs. "Okay yeah it felt good but that's not the point. Being ferried around like I'm a vegetable is getting annoying. Everyone's treating me like I'm worse than polio and I don't even remember why!"

I frown unsure what 'polio' is but given his vocabulary it must not be good. "It's gonna take time, Charlie. You spent the last four months making everypony miserable and then you hid away in the library for the rest of It not socializing. I don't know what you expected especially after the trial."

To his credit his scowl softened some and he relaxed some more putting his head in his hands. "I know but this fuckin' mark is killin' me, Twilight. I cant function like this! Anger is in my very nature! How the fuck am I supposed to suppress my-" Red arcs of electricity shoot up is arm and he jolts in pain before slumping. "…Nature… ugh" he leans back in the chair and looks off tiredly. "How the fuck am I gonna be as nice as all of you want me to be when I'm-" He gestures to his body. "-me?"

I raise an eyebrow and smile. "It all starts with a kind act. Speaking of…" I summon my magic to float over a box poorly wrapped in brown paper handing it to him. "An act that anypony can do…"

He looked perplexed at the box and then at me. "Da fuck is this?" Preemptively I had the letter prepared before he even asked.

"To the weird ape thing that lives in the Library,"I read. Charlie pouts at his name making me giggle.

"I'd like to thank you for helping me finish my delivery route yesterday!

Without you I wouldn't have been able to finish in time and I would have had to play catch up all week! Anyways I just wanted to thank you is all. I know you didn't have to help but I'm glad you did.

It's nice knowing that kindness comes in many forms.

Enjoy!

From Ditsy Doo."

His facial features change to a look I can't decipher and looks at the package before slowly opening it. I see an eyebrow raise to the ceiling and as he pulls out one of the most pristine and mouthwatering bran muffin you ever saw lifting it up to inspect it.

She shakes his head incredulously. "Pfft like a fuckin' muffin is gonna change anything…"

I smile handing him the letter. "Its not hard to make enemies but making friends is easier." he doesn't say anything and eyes the muffin again. "Goodnight, Charlie, I'll see you in the morning."

Using my magic, I take the empty box and turn to walk out of the room but before I do I turn to the troublesome stallion one more time. He looks between the muffin and the letter not really knowing what to make of it but finally takes a bite studying the letter intently as he chews. It was hard to make out but ever so slightly, as if they hadn't moved at all, I see his lips curl upwards in a grateful way and stare out the window taking a second bite.

"Ditsy Doo…" He says quietly to himself.

I smile and turn in for the night.