Lessons In Happiness - Part Two
#3 of Lessons In Happiness
This definitely isn't one of my favorite chapters. To start, there is a substantial time gap of a few hours between the first and second chapter, so I'm sorry about that. That and a few other things kind of drag this chapter down.
So, if you don't like this part too much, I understand. But it's necessary to progress the story, so make sure you come back for the next few chapters and I promise you they'll be much much better.
Lessons In Happiness - Part Two
"See, you look just so handsome, even though you won't let me make you jacket.
But at least we got all that -ugh- blood out of your coat, right?"
"Yea, umm; thanks Rarity, I guess." I said, looking at my styled mane in her mirror. I felt my stomach rumble and apparently Rarity heard it as well.
"You know, if you're looking for a place to eat I'm sure Twilight will be able to point you to a great place. Since Spike is away at Canterlot again she probably doesn't have any plans."
"You know what, sure. Where is this Twilight pony?"
"She's at the library most likely. We passed it on our way here. It's the tall tree with the magical lighting rod on it."
"Thanks Rarity, I don't usually have somepony being too nice to me, it's a nice change." I said while heading for the door
As I headed towards the library, which was just a short walk away, I began to contemplate how I was treating all the other ponies. I mean, every single one of them was nice and polite to me without even knowing me for more than a few minutes, and Big Mac even saved my life, and to be honest I was acting like a jerk. Maybe I should at least try to be a bit nicer to them. I looked to my left and saw a pink pony standing around with her ears flopping, then eyes fluttering, then knees shaking.
"Hmm, that's odd. It's not too cold out or anything..." I continued staring at her and didn't realize how close I was to the library. I heard the click of a door opening but it was too late, it hit me right on the side of my head, sending me backwards.
"Ahh! My nose!" I yelled, bringing my hooves to my face. "Gahh, that stings!"
"Oh my, I'm very sorry. I didn't see you there. Can I help you up?" I looked up to see a smiling purple unicorn holding a hoof out to me. I took it and stood up, wiping a bit of blood from my nose.
"Ah, I think you broke it." I said, my nose sending spikes of pain when I touched it.
"Oh here, I just learned something for that before Spike left. Now hold still..." She closed her eyes and lowered her head, her horn emanating a strong glow. I stepped back as my face began tingling again, but in a strangely pleasant way. There was a sudden flash and the pain in my face was gone.
"Umm, what was-"
"A simple healing spell, good for simple cuts, scrapes, bruises, aches, you get
what I mean."
"Oh, well thanks."
"No problem, so what's your name? I don't recall meeting you before."
"I'm Zane, would you be Twilight by chance?"
"Why yes I am, Twilight Sparkle, at your service!"
"Well, Applejack told me that you would know a good place to eat, since I've never been here before."
"That's funny, I was just heading out for dinner, care to join me?"
"I guess so."
"So, Zain..." She said, heading towards the heart of Ponyville. "Where are you from?"
"And so, that's when Big Mac said he came a dragged me out of the water and carried me to the farm." I said, eating another few hay fries with ranch.
"Wow, that's really sad. I-I'm sorry if telling that made you uncomfortable..."
"No, it's ok. I can't change my past so I might as well embrace it."
"And you also said you were an alicorn. So, do you know any magic or-?"
"None. I was beaten for even thinking about using my wings or horn."
"Oh, that all sounds quite painful."
"Yea, but you get used to it after work becomes a daily 24 hour thing." I said, eating the rest of my food before leaning back in my chair. A noise caught my attention and I looked behind me to see what it was.
Approaching quickly was a young filly on a scooter with a wagon attached, two other fillies riding inside. It hit a large rock, and while the scooter was only jolted the wagon had a much more dramatic effect. One of the fillies flew out of the wagon and came tumbling right towards me, crashing into the legs of my chair and causing me to slam onto the ground. Luckily for the filly neither the chair nor me landed on her.
"Oops, sorry mister." She said as the Pegasus and the unicorn came up next to her. I stood up, brushing myself off when their eyes widened.
"Hey, you don't have your cutie mark! That's weird." The Pegasus exclaimed.
"Now now my little ponies, that isn't a very respectful thing to say to someone you've just now met." Twilight said.
"No, it's ok. In the tribe I am from it's looked down upon to do any soul searching or finding out more about what you are. They believe you're born to work, not to bake or to design or to be special in any way. Because of that you'd never really see a pony with a cutie mark."
"Well then, maybe you could come to our clubhouse, we're having a super secret meeting."
"A meeting? For what?" I asked. They looked at each other before screaming simultaneously.
"We're the cutie mark crusaders! We're on a quest to find our special talents!"
I folded my ears to my head as their call rang out like a sonic boom.
"So, will ya?" The Pegasus asked.
"Umm, I guess so."
"Alright!" They all yelled, louder this time. They hopped back onto their positions after getting the wagon back in place.
"There isn't room for you in the wagon, so you've just gotta keep up with us."
After a very, very fast run outside of Ponyville, we came across a tree house, where they stopped before the stairs, and the Pegasus started to introduce herself.
"I'm Scootaloo, this is Sweetie Bell," The unicorn jumped out of the wagon. "And that there is Applebloom." The pony leapt out next to the other two.
"Well, I'm Zain." I said, following them up the stairs.
"That's a pretty cool name." Sweetie Bell said.
"Thanks." I sat down across from them once we were inside.
"So, Zain, any idea how we could get a cutie mark?" Scootaloo asked.
"I don't have a clue, I don't really know anyone who has one, so I'm not the best pony to ask."
"Aww, that's not too helpful." Applebloom said.
"Sorry, it's just where I was raised." I heard a voice come from outside and turned my head to see who it was.
"Excuse me, girls, I was just- oh!" A Pegasus walked in and when she saw me she swept back and ducked her head, almost cowering in fear.
"Umm, hi there..." I said, unsure exactly what she was doing. She only whimpered back, as if I threatened her. "Did I- do something wrong?"
"Don't worry, she's just really really shy." Applebloom said, walking next to me. "It's ok Fluttershy, he's just a new pony in town and we asked him to help us find our cutie marks."
"Oh, I guess that's nice of you." Fluttershy said in a very quiet tone.
"So, what were you gonna ask us Fluttershy?" Sweetie Bell asked.
"Well, I was wondering if you girls would like to come look at the sunset this evening. It's very beautiful over the water, don't you think?"
"Personally, no. Not at all. I was grown off a cliff at sunset and nearly drowned. So no, I hate sunsets. They only remind me of death." She looked at me as if I was yelling at her and turned around, flying off a crying. I turned around and felt my heart sink.
"Was I... Being really mean or something?" I asked the three.
"I don't know, but Fluttershy is really sensitive, so I think you should go apologize." Said Sweetie Bell.
"I didn't mean to hurt her feelings or anything..."
"Like Sweetie Bell said, she's real sensitive." Scootaloo added.
I turned to run out the door to follow her, but I slammed into the support beam, which was already weak, and cracked it in two. The boards and roof started to break.
"Ohh, that can't be a good sound..."
The floor caved in and the whole place crashed down after it. I poked my head out from the rubble just as the other three did as well.
"What in tarnations, what happened!" Applejack said as she ran towards us. "I was on my way to check on you three when I saw the place crash down. Are you ok?"
"We are, but Zain over here made Fluttershy cry then took out our clubhouse!" Sweetie Bell said with a sad tone to her voice.
"Yea, not cool man." Scootaloo said, glaring at me.
"I-I didn't mean to, honest..." I said, hanging my head low and folding my ears to my head.
"Well, as long as you didn't mean to and that you all are ok, then I guess we've just gotta forgive and move on." Applejack said. "Come on girls, it'll be getting late soon and you should hurry on home."
I sat there in the remains of the clubhouse and the four of them walked away. I stomped on some of the wood, angry with myself for what I'd just done. Now not only did I feel bad for offending Fluttershy, I felt even worse for tearing down their house as well. The night soon came, leaving me in the dark.
"Looks like it's time to get to work," I said, standing up.
(Just a side note, Fluttershy is probably my favorite pony of them all, so don't be upset with me for making her cry, I feel bad about it already :'( But as I've said it's gotta happen for the next part, so don't stop reading the series just because of that. I iz sorrys Fluttershy!)