private Hearts and Hooves Day House Party RP

[Dawn Stripes 301]

(OOC: I know, I know. He's a good character. Really he is. I'm just havin' a laugh at all our forwardness.)

 

@@Windy Scamper, 

 

Shooting Star felt a beat of elation, slowly congealing in her arteriies into a crushing fear. Now she wanted to be his friend--badly. But everything she did just led him on further, didn't it?

 

I don't want this feeling of finally understanding myself....I don't want all that to go away.

 

Everything Slide said always made so much sense. Must have had something to do with being an earth pony. 

 

But he wasn't the one. Was he?

Shooting Star had felt like she understood somepony tonight. It had happened when a brown pegasus was dumping food on other ponies and making her laugh and cry on the inside, It had happened on a rain-slicked hill while somepony she cared about collapsed at her fetlocks.

All the stuff you've done for me, musical stallion? ...Yes....but you aren't the one who chased after me into the rain. You weren't the one who came when I ran away.

 

That song was beautiful, but there was only one voice. A moaning trumpet painting an empty street corner. No orchestra, no duet. Shoot's heart listened intently, but it hadn't sung back. And she couldn't force it.

It was too much. She couldn't do it. She couldn't open any further twice, she knew things were going to break and shatter and she'd broken enough things already....

Shooting Star sucked in a breath. She was about to hurt another pony. On purpose.

This was not on her list of ways to make a good party.

Luna, this did not feel good. Was this how soldiers felt right before they cut down an enemy, after they saw the other pony was just like them?

The streamer secure in her mane, her horn went dark, and Shoots turned to face Slide's big blue eyes. There was no hurt yet--he doesn't have any idea what's coming.

 

The air fated for rejection escaped in a gasp, before she could capture any but a trace of it. "You're a great colt, Slide."

 

Ugh, that was not what her brain told her to say! But she didn't regret saying it. "You're such a nice friend, even though I really don't quite deserve it, and you're just a good pony. I..." she squirmed. "But I can't be your special somepony. I already said yes to someone  else."

 

She leaned away again, but not to show off her legs or chest this time--to weather the storm of disappointment that she didn't run from, because she decided she had to suffer through and feel each last drop of it. Whatever tears, or shouts, or even worse, quiet came, it was her responsibility to sit there and take it. Something in her was sure of that.

But oh, it was scary.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Dawn Stripes

[Windy Scamper 403]

"It's not my fault I didn't come running. I would have run a mareathon if I had to. I was all tied up, and Windy had already left. I knew you didn't need me, but I just had to see you. And then he got all fancy with you because he thought he was all that. If that's all love is too you...is somepony impressing you not out of pure love, but as some kind of contest..." He closed his eyes shut, not wanting to spill liquid pride.

 

It's not the frie dzone that hurts. It's the fact that all she cares about is some dumb colt who did nothing but save her life...to keep her away from me.

 

"If all love is to you is some contest, to see who'll run out and save you, and be your Shining Armor, then....forget this. Forget me, and you, this whole friendship. If all love is to you is some pegasus trying to impress you instead of loving you, then I don't want to know what your definition of friendship is."

 

"Goodbye, Shoots. I hope you enjoyed hearing the beauty of music. Enjoy watching soccer. I'm sure that's just a beatiful art." He murmured.

 

He hung his head down, not wanting to look at anypony. He grabbed some drink off of his snack table.and drunk it all down in a gulp.

 

She seemed so perfect...but she was just playing Windy's game as well. And that's all she'll ever do. Then fine. He can have her. The two.of them wouldn't know love even if they were put under a love potion.

 

Anger. Emotion.

 

It needed to all come out.

 

He crept up to the spare bedroom, picked up his trombone, and began to play.

 

(I have no idea what he's playing, but now would be a great time to hear a trombone and follow the sound.)

[Descant 1,898]

 

 

Ocean took a deep breath until she noticed Cascade's distracted look. "What do you mean...who's here ?" She asked, looking up into the sky. A part of her felt sad that she couldn't have told Cascade about...her problem. But at the same time she was relieved...she didn't have to say anything now...but she still did sorta want to...

 

 

"North," Cascade simply said, looking around, trying to follow the path of the waving lights in the sky as they faded away. "The cartographer." The fact that he once saved her life, and of their faux-sibling relationship were unnecessary to share, as it would show once he found her here...

 

 

@@Windy Scamper,@@Umbreon, @, @@Dawn Stripes,  

 

Meanwhile, at the front door...

 

North was a very patient pony, but he opted to knock again, just in case the host had not heard his first one. The knock seemed to punctuate the start of a wistful trombone solo. North looked around for the source, unsure if he was imagining things until he noticed the sound coming from an open window nearby. 

 

He didn't know Slide Grease well, but he knew enough about the host of the party that, once he started playing, he was unlikely to stop, so he decided to let himself in. The room immediately inside the house was adorned with garishly pink, heart-spangled wallpapers. What horrible taste, North thought. 

The room seemed deserted at first glance, but moments after entering, North noticed a colt and mare trotting in from where appeared to be a pool and a DJ stand. The music was pretty loud. 

 

He stood, somewhat awkwardly, in the doorway, as if uncertain what to do with himself.

 

((Good opportunity to talk.))

[Dawn Stripes 301]

@@Windy Scamper, 

@@Glaceon, 

 

 "I don't want to know what your definition of friendship is."

 

Shoots closed her eyes then. She held her ground, but didn't look at the space in front of her again until Slide Grease had finished. And was gone. For good, presumably.

 

She tried not to lose a friend, but obviously she didn't know how. Shooting Star wiped away a couple tears, and trotted to the side of an empty pool and stared at her chlorine-drenched reflection for a while.

The questions that refused to take on words swam in the heated water for a little while, until the pool lights flickered and died for some reason. Shooting Star huffed out another stray strand of mane.

 

Then, the questions started to take notes. Shoot's ears swiveled traitorously towards the source of the pain. A trombone .Somewhere inside the house.

 

Shooting Star began to wander the aimless walk of foals who kick stones down the road, wandering un-noticed through a social matrix of ponies, passing through that quarks, untouched by the matter that was usually so thick to her.

When she found herself stopping, she was up against some siding away from all the decorations, by the air conditioning unit. There was a window directly above her, and she could still hear the music.

 

The one voice was back with a vengeance, singing without any heed to whether a single strand of the universe vibrated in response to its plaintive challenges. The trombone rippled through a series of morphing chords--tri-tones to minors, diminished back to a tri-tone held just long enough to bear listening to before reeling back. When Shoots caught the sound of a major seventh, she held her breath for the thought that there might be some balm in the composition, but it was quickly swallowed by an angry vibrating series of sounds, shimmering alone like fallen stars smoldering their last.

 

I hate you, said the music. I don't hate you, but I think I love you, and that's why I hate you. 

 

Shoots had no voice with which to reply. She wasn't much of a singer, as sufficient karaoke at work had already confirmed. The solo continued to ramble onwards into a paragraph of epithets, and folded inwards to reflection more distant but no less painful. It...

It was best he didn't know she ever heard this anyway. She'd done enough.

 

Shoots had come to a point where she didn't really feel like being around lots of other ponies. This wasn't much of a party at this point--for her. 

There was a fence in the way, so Shoots was forced to make her way through the back yard and back across the living room. She passed a pegasus with a coat of robin's egg blue on her beeline for the front door. She was just past him, on the steps, when she broke. 

 

Shoots sat, holding back tears from falling, barely able to breath without making sounds that would drive her closer to crying. As if she deserved to cry right now. She forced herself straight--back down. The sobbing was driven back inside her, but a couple tears refused to obey.

[Miss Light Diamond 2,803]

@@Umbreon,

 

Flame chuckled. "First we need to find the TV...which, if I remember correctly, Should be in here." He said, pulling open a small sliding door that opened up to a colt cave (Heh heh...see what I did there)

He took Rockshire by the hoof and led her down a few steps. "I have only been here once...a while ago. I was visiting Slide when I had some time off and we spent the whole weekend playing video games." He chuckled.

 

 

@@Glaceon,

 

((Since we have another colt I don't think there is any need for da fillies to be foolin'. I think...we have enough of both gender's...right ? If not, I can just edit this to something more boring))

 

Ocean raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me...but who is North ? A friend or whaaaa-" She glanced back into the house and watched as a handsome colt walked through the door...she stared at him, oblivious to the fact that everypony could probably see her.

[Descant 1,898]

 

 

There was a fence in the way, so Shoots was forced to make her way through the back yard and back across the living room. She passed a pegasus with a coat of robin's egg blue on her beeline for the front door. She was just past him, on the steps, when she broke.    Shoots sat, holding back tears from falling, barely able to breath without making sounds that would drive her closer to crying. As if she deserved to cry right now. She forced herself straight--back down. The sobbing was driven back inside her, but a couple tears refused to obey.

 

North blinked as a smaller passed right by him, glancing curiously at the mare, but not really sparing her much thought. She didn't seem in the mood to talk anyway.

 

Well, his suspicions were proven when he heard the faint pitter-patter of a few tears falling on the sidewalk. He turned to see the self-same mare, quite still just past him. He had to say something, but what, he didn't know. Either way, he found himself trotting to this mare's side; she was quite obviously upset, although she refused to let it show. He merely sat beside her, quiet, for a few moments. Then in his slow and deeply reassuring voice, he said, in short, "Come now, what's wrong?" He allowed himself to take on a familiar, kindly tone that one would usually use to comfort a friend.

 

 

 

((Since we have another colt I don't think there is any need for da fillies to be foolin'. I think...we have enough of both gender's...right ? If not, I can just edit this to something more boring))   Ocean raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me...but who is North ? A friend or whaaaa-" She glanced back into the house and watched as a handsome colt walked through the door...she stared at him, oblivious to the fact that everypony could probably see her.

 

 

((You could take that course, if you like. I wasn't intending on Cascade taking that course either, if she could help it; she's not really into the fillyfooling...))

 

"That's him," Cascade said, rather unnecessarily, gesturing at the pony that she noticed Ocean was already staring at. "He's... a close friend." Well, that was one way to put it.

[Windy Scamper 403]

Slide finished, his song of anger, sljght regret, and complete disappointment over. He sat in the bedroom, as he felt some of the anger gone. He huffed as he packed away his trombone. "She wouldn't know love if it smacked her in the face. All Mr. Soccer Cleats did for her was show off and be over-dramatic. I bet he doesn't even know about her past...er, recent past, I supposse" He sat there, his anger out, wanting to go back down but not see Shoots. He hated her; all she was was a pretender, a filly trying to get the greatest colt possible.

 

He almost hated filles like her as much as he hated colts like Windy.

 

He decided he should probably go back downstairs. After all, it was his party.

 

He walked down , and saw two fillies, who he believed were the two from earlier. "Hello, again," he said. "I think I've forgotten your names, but...I forget a lot of things." For example, never trust a filly who just is too easy to like and seems impossible to hate.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Windy Scamper

[Miss Light Diamond 2,803]

@@Windy Scamper,

((I am assuming you are talking about Cascade and Ocean))

@@Glaceon,

 

 

Ocean heard Cascade say something about North being a close friend...she quickly looked away and blushed ever so slightly. "Uh...s-sorry." She said, looking at the empty pool. "He's uh...he's cu-" She stopped speaking as Slide trotted over. "Hello Slide. Ocean and Cascade." She reminded him, gesturing to herself then Cascade.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Jolteon

[Dawn Stripes 301]

@@Glaceon, 

@North

 

And now there were ponies taking pity on her. Oh, for Celestia's sake. She looked up and ran a foreleg across her face again. "Oh--hi, Mister."

She looked up into a mane that reminded her startling of weather, and a deep voice, obviously trying to give her comfort. "What's love anyway?" She wondered aloud before her big mouth could stop herself. Then she made herself smile to reassure everypony she was okay. "You shouldn't be worried about me. Like, worry about Slide Grease. Other than that...heh. You totally don't want to get tangled up in my evening. But thanks for the gesture."

Edited April 13, 2013 by Dawn Stripes

[Windy Scamper 403]

"What's love anyway?"

(WHAT IS LOVE? BABY DON'T HURT ME! DON'T HURT ME! NO MORE! Man, that's what Slide should have been playing.)

 

(Meanwhile, back at the plot.)

 

"Oh, right. Cascade, and Ocean." He said, making a mental note. "Well, what have you two been doing?" He then whispered under his breath, "Have you two at least been having fun tonight, or is my party just breaking everypony's heart....and other body parts, apparently."

[Descant 1,898]

@@Windy Scamper,

((I am assuming you are talking about Cascade and Ocean))

@@Glaceon,

 

 

Ocean heard Cascade say something about North being a close friend...she quickly looked away and blushed ever so slightly. "Uh...s-sorry." She said, looking at the empty pool. "He's uh...he's cu-" She stopped speaking as Slide trotted over. "Hello Slide. Ocean and Cascade." She reminded him, gesturing to herself then Cascade.

"Oh, we've not gotten up to much," Cascade said, honestly. She was slightly annoyed at the host for interrupting, but she brushed that aside. Afer all, he was cu- as well. 

 

@@Glaceon, 

@North

 

And now there were ponies taking pity on her. Oh, for Celestia's sake. She looked up and ran a foreleg across her face again. "Oh--hi, Mister."

She looked up into a mane that reminded her startling of weather, and a deep voice, obviously trying to give her comfort. "What's love anyway?" She wondered aloud before her big mouth could stop herself. Then she made herself smile to reassure everypony she was okay. "You shouldn't be worried about me. Like, worry about Slide Grease. Other than that...heh. You totally don't want to get tangled up in my evening. But thanks for the gesture."

North sighed. "Well, I don't suppose you'll talk if you're not ready to." He flicked his silvery tail at her, which sparkled slightly with the movement, and emitted a few small snowflakes that disappeared upon touching the ground. "I'm North Arrow, by the way. I'll see you around, maybe." He turned to go back inside, and immediately noticed Slide Grease, the host. He had emerged, evidently. 

[Windy Scamper 403]

"Well, at least somepony is enjoying themselves. Between a run to the hospital and a lack of ponies showing up, this has all been really stressful for me. Not to mention that I'm no where close to finding a special somepony by the end od tonight. I might be left alone on Hearts and Hooves Day for the third year straight!"

 

"Sorry. My life...feels like a pile of manure right now."

[Dawn Stripes 301]

(OOC: Little rushed, sorry. Last one for tonight.)

 

@,

 

Shooting Star moved on. The partying streets guided her home; but before going there, she stopped. Windy was still stuck in the hospital; she ought to get him something to help him feel better.

 

A few minutes later, a quiet Stallion named Morning Dew finished tying up a boquet of flowers. Before he handed it off to a delivery mare, Shoots grabbed the base on her mouth. "Sorry," she muttered around it. "I need to add a liffle somefing."

 

She scrounged a pencil: 

Dear Windy Runner,

My Dear Windy,

First, I want to thank you for showing me a great night. Um, I haven't ever written a special-somepony kind of letter and this is my first time. and I'm writing this kind of fast because there's this grey pegasus with wall-eyes and looks like she's getting impatient. Or maybe hungry.

And  of course, I want to wish you a get-well-soon. I'll be waiting for you when you come out, Windy. There's so much I don't know about you, and so much I want to learn.

I made you make the promise I did because I'm still afraid that when tomorrow comes, you won't be the pegasus I met. I always want to have the stallion I knew today with me--flaws and all, and I know you have a lot of flaws and that's okay. Because I didn't really decide to feel this way, and I don't think you did either.

 

Affectionately,

Shooting Star

 

P.S. Don't eat the buttercups. Morning Dew says they're bad for pegasi.

 

Then she handed off her boquet to make a quick trip to the hospital.

 

Shoots started worrying about what would happen when she got home, depending on who was awake in there--but before making it through the front door, she tripped over a certain box with a certain letter on it.

 

Minutes later she burst through the front door of a cottage covered in soccer paphernalia, levitating the box behind her. The first thing she shouted was: "I promise never to leave you abandoned in the dark without a star to guide your way! Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my fly."

She spotted Windy Runner lying on a couch--she probably woke him up. "Or however the rhyme goes."

She opened the cover of the box and levitated Windy's feathers out, holding them to the edges of his wings as if to confirm they belonged to him. "What did you do?" she shouted. "You idiot, what did you do this time?"

Edited April 13, 2013 by Dawn Stripes

[Adente 1,000]

@@Dawn Stripes,

 

"'This is a great picnic Shoots, I'm glad we thought of this! Out here, the countryside is so peaceful. So gorgeous. I guess you could say the countryside is copying you Shoots!' Shoots giggled and said "What did you do?" 'Well that was kind of loud Shoots, could you please bring the volume down a few notches?' She replied, "You idiot, what did you do this time?" Wait a minute, that wasn't the Shoots in my dream, which can only mean... She's in my house!"

 

"GAHHHHH!!!" Windy yelled in a panic, shooting upright on the couch. He wildly looked around for a moment, before figuring out he wasn't in any immediate danger. Physically, at least. However, his special somepony looked about ready to break something... Or somepony... Maybe leaving such a dopey, heavy-handed box full of junk and body parts wasn't the best way into her heart... Oh well, time to face the music. Preferably with a goofy, Windy-certified grin on his face.

 

"Hey Shoots, so I suppose you, er, got my package? I sure am glad I hand delivered it instead of relying on Derpy, because...... I'm going to stop motor-mouthing now, and shut up." A moment's tense silence passed, before Windy said cautiously, "Before I explain myself, I just have to know: Are you mad at me Shoots? If so, I'm so, so sorry. Again."

Edited April 13, 2013 by Windy Runner

[Descant 1,898]

"Well, at least somepony is enjoying themselves. Between a run to the hospital and a lack of ponies showing up, this has all been really stressful for me. Not to mention that I'm no where close to finding a special somepony by the end od tonight. I might be left alone on Hearts and Hooves Day for the third year straight!"

 

"Sorry. My life...feels like a pile of manure right now."

Cascade reached out a compassionate hoof, and patted the depressed host of the party on the back. "Don't worry, I'm sure there's somepony somewhere that would like you. Maybe even they're here." 

 

Hm. He might interpret that... Well, she'd be fine with that interpretation of her kindness, actually. She smiled at him. 

Edited April 13, 2013 by Glaceon

[Miss Light Diamond 2,803]

@@Glaceon,

 

Ocean started zoning out as Slide and Cascade chatted to each other...she gazed over at North and seemed to have fallen into a trance.
He was just so...ruggedly handsome.
Ocean sighed and looked away. She hadn't even talked to him...and he hadn't even noticed her. She slowly came back to reality as she looked at Cascade and Slide...who seemed pretty interested in each other...

[Windy Scamper 403]

Cascade reached out a compassionate hoof, and patted the depressed host of the party on the back. "Don't worry, I'm sure there's somepony somewhere that would like you. Maybe even they're here." 

 

Hm. He might interpret that... Well, she'd be fine with that interpretation of her kindness, actually. She smiled at him.

 

"Yeah, I thought there was somepony special here...bu she was interested in some jock because he looked cooler than I did. She didn't care much for personality. I guess you could say this party is going all wrong for me...I'll gladly rip down the decorations tomorrow. Actually, I was already going to do that, but whatever."

 

He looked up, and saw Cascade's face fully for the first time. She had beatiful, sea green eyes, and a sand-colored coat to match. She looks like a beach...only not one for partying. A quiet, relaxing beach, to escape from troubles.

 

If that's the case, I could really use that escape right now.

[Descant 1,898]

"Yeah, I thought there was somepony special here...bu she was interested in some jock because he looked cooler than I did. She didn't care much for personality. I guess you could say this party is going all wrong for me...I'll gladly rip down the decorations tomorrow. Actually, I was already going to do that, but whatever."

 

He looked up, and saw Cascade's face fully for the first time. She had beatiful, sea green eyes, and a sand-colored coat to match. She looks like a beach...only not one for partying. A quiet, relaxing beach, to escape from troubles.

 

If that's the case, I could really use that escape right now.

Cascade blinked. "Well... That's no good. I'm sorry it didn't work out," she said, sounding sincere about it.  Her oceany orbs that were eyes were obscured for the slightest moment as she closed them, smiling inwardly, before returning back to the world around her. She giggled. "Thank Celestia those decorations aren't going to stay. I was afraid that your house usually looked like that."

 

@@Glaceon,

 

Ocean started zoning out as Slide and Cascade chatted to each other...she gazed over at North and seemed to have fallen into a trance.

He was just so...ruggedly handsome.

Ocean sighed and looked away. She hadn't even talked to him...and he hadn't even noticed her. She slowly came back to reality as she looked at Cascade and Slide...who seemed pretty interested in each other...

North noticed a mare near the host peeking his way, and decided it wouldn't hurt to go say hi... Either way, he should really greet the host. He took his time in trotting out to the group of ponies, and waited to be addressed when he got there. 

 

((He hasn't seen Cascsade yet.))

[Windy Scamper 403]

He chuckled a bit alongside her. "Yeah. They're pretty tacky, but I felt bad leaving my house as is for the party. I hate it just as much as everypony else, trust me." He looked around outside, and noticed that his party had gone down to roughly four ponies, either due to not showing up or hospital injuries.

 

Some party I've hosted....

[Descant 1,898]

He chuckled a bit alongside her. "Yeah. They're pretty tacky, but I felt bad leaving my house as is for the party. I hate it just as much as everypony else, trust me." He looked around outside, and noticed that his party had gone down to roughly four ponies, either due to not showing up or hospital injuries.

 

Some party I've hosted....

((It's a shame. How many were we supposed to have, that didn't show?))

 

Cascade grinned, and sat up in her chair to look around at the fella. Then, with a squeal, she realized that North was standing right behind him, and turned back around, trying to be invisible. It wasn't working.

 

North gaped at the face he had just seen. Cascade? Here? What were the odds? He hadn't seen Cascade in weeks. Not since she'd taken that trip to the Carribayen Sea...  Well, he had the tact to not say anything, at least not yet. "Hey there," he said in his deep raspy voice, although he was directing it more to Slide and/or the other mare that was there, trying to spare Cascade embarrassment.

[Dawn Stripes 301]

@,

 

"I don't think I could be mad at you. I'm concerned." Shooting Star swept the box's original contents back inside, careful not to lose anything. "I thought you were still at the hospital, and now you're here. You didn't get out early, you just...left."

 

She peered suspiciously. Windy had what looked like stitched running from the patch of his side that she could see from where he lay. He didn't look like he was in a lot of pain, but he didn't look particularly chipper, either. Especially now that his wings were a few inches unnaturally short.

 

Without warning a wave of melancholy brass notes crashed across her frontal lobes.

 

"What did you think you were doing, anyway?" Shoots started to pace about the little room. "You were getting BETTER, and instead of getting well like I JUST wrote a letter asking you to do, you decide to see what you can do to bust yourself up a little more?" She started holding up the contents of the box at random in a small swirl of orange magic. "Why are you just throwing away the stallion I like? And...these!" The feathers again. "Is this some sort of macho thing? Is it supposed to impress me? Do you think I enjoyed watching you get hurt? Instead of thinking 'Oh, Shooting Star probably likes my wings, I should try not to rip them up so often', you think what? 'I bet she'd just get a bang out of me hurting myself a little more, since she kissed me the first time I did it!' "

 

Shooting Star caught her breath. Was she yelling? Oh, ponyfeathers, she was yelling, wasn't she? She looked at Windy. The last thing she had to do was hurt him more, right? She tapped a forehoof against his shoulder and left it there a second. It was as if a current passed between them. Negetive flowing the positive, leaving a state of balance. Equlibrium. Shoots grounded herself in him.

 

"Okay, maybe just a little," she admitted. 

She took a deep breath, quavered. "I made a big choice, Windy. I need to know I made the right choice."

If she could just get that song out of her head, maybe she'd think a little straighter. "Do you have anything that plays music in here? Could you put something on? I don't care what."

Edited April 14, 2013 by Dawn Stripes

[Adente 1,000]

@@Dawn Stripes, ((Important post, but also painfully long. Curse my good typing skills, otherwise I wouldn't feel enabled to make these long posts!"

 

Taking a deep breath out, Windy marveled at how quickly Shoots had calmed down. He had been expecting the worst, and at first it had seemed his fears were confirmed. "I knew the feathers were too much... I just wanted to show you how much I cared, but you thought I was trying to show off; on the contrary! I wanted deflate my image and be more humble! Ok you nitwit, saying it in your head is good and all, but say it to the mare standing in front of you, who, for some inexplicable reason, has calmed down! Seize this opportunity and explain yourself to her! Go on!"

 

"Shoots, I... How do I put this into words? I was certain that 'the stallion you met', as you put it, was not desirable to you. I was sure you were put off by my arrogance, my obsession with soccer, my Ursa Major sized ego, whatever. All that junk. Basically, all the stuff in the box, I was sure you had looked past that stuff to the sincere, kind, honest stallion underneath. At least, that was what I gathered when I talked to a new friend of mine outside after my little wing stunt in the party. That's why I bound my wings that first time, out of shame. I thought you couldn't stand the 'jock' side of me, so I tried to distance myself from it. I was sleep deprived and a little delusional, and so my scumbag brain gave me the idea to 'give up' that side of me, to allow me to be the stallion you deserved and wanted. Obviously now that I have thought about it clipping my wings was a dunderhead move, but I certainly didn't do it to try and score brownie points with you! I guess I somehow thought that in the weeks waiting for these to grow back I'd have a better opportunity to get to know you on a more intimate emotional level. I thought with my wings I'd have my head too in the clouds, both metaphorically and literally, to see the perfect mare I'd left behind on the ground. I was trying to humble myself to be worthy of you. *Sigh*, kinda backfired though..."

 

Taking a pause for air, Windy peeked up from his position facing the floor meekly to chance a glance at Shoot's face. It was neutral at the moment, so he took that as a sign to move on to the other worries of Shoots before he began running his mouth too much and ruining the sincerity of his apology.

 

"Now that I've explained the wings, let me explain the rest of the story, about running away from the hospital and opting to give myself first-aid here at my home instead of staying and letting Redheart handle it. Shoots, I can't sugar-coat it, I ran because I was afraid I was going to lose you, and I couldn't just sit there passively. I had to be on the move, running, feeling like I was doing something to save the beautiful thing I found in you. So, blinded by fear, I rationalized leaving the hospital, just like I rationalized my wing clipping. I told myself that I could do perfectly sound treatment of my wound, since I had been on the Manehatten Search and Rescue team back when I was younger, so I knew how to treat laceration wounds. Redheart couldn't have applied this butterfly stitch better herself, but, er, don't tell her I said that, in case I ever need her again... However, much stronger in my mind than my medical ability was that fear. I just couldn't lose you, especially to Slide, since I was sure he would be better for you than a stupid musclehead like me. And when he left the hospital with you, I got terrified. My stomach seized up, my muscles spasm-ed, my heart beat so fast, I was in agony, Shoots, uncontrollable agony. True, emotional pain. I guess what they say is true, love hurts." 

 

Upon finishing that last sentence, Windy had a sharp intake of breath, as though surprised. And boy, was he...

 

"Where did THAT come from Windy?? You said the dreaded L-word, and you've known her for HOW LONG exactly?? Why'd you do that? Because I know its true, that's why. How? Remember what Fondue said? This is just some mare! Oh c'mon, don't kid yourself brain, she's not just some mare. She's THE mare. Whatever, Windy, we'll have this argument later when you're not in the middle of the single most important discussion of your entire existence. Ah, so she IS important, eh? Who's just some mare now? Ok fine, now stop talking to me so you can keep her from walking out forever! But what do I do? How should I know?! Do, don't think!"

 

So saying, er, thinking, Windy reached over and gently wrapped his hooves ever so tenderly around Shoot's neck and upper back and gently pulled her in for a quick, light kiss. He then let her go, and said quietly, 

 

"I think I can do something about the music."

Edited April 14, 2013 by Windy Runner

[Miss Light Diamond 2,803]

@@Glaceon,

 

Ocean gave North a small shy smile. "Hi." She said.
She barely noticed Cascade's reaction...and when she did, her smile faded, being replaced with a slight look of concern. "Hey Cascade...you okay ?" She asked, watching Cascade's rather feeble attempts to hide herself.

[Dawn Stripes 301]

@,

 

Shooting Star felt Windy's hooves wrap around the small of her back as he pulled her close her. She could have let him just kiss her. Goddesses, it was tempting. It would have been so easy. But there were a couple reasons why---not just yet.

 

She extended a foreleg to keep him at minimum distance from her face. "Nurse Redheart may have gotten me to promise not to kiss you again until you were released from the hospital again," she said as neutrally as she could. Then her eyes narrowed. "As far as I'm concerned, that hasn't happened yet."

 

Then she grabbed a seat on the nearest furniture to her while she waited for some music to come on and cleanse her senses. He'd used that word again. 'Love'. She'd been going to get irked about that too. She'd been going to say she didn't want him saying that so fast, that she didn't want to hear that until he was sure he meant it. 

But it seemed like he really did. She hadn't ended her letter that way. Why hadn't she? Didn't she care as much as he did?

Or are you just not sure because you tossed Love out the window in somepony's face half an hour ago?

Or...he was right?

 

NO.  Shoots gave her head a little shake. She knew why she was here, and nowhere else. In just a minute she'd be able to explain that.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Dawn Stripes

[Adente 1,000]

@@Dawn Stripes,

 

"Darn it Redheart! Oh well, kissing can wait. First, music. And for that, I'll need Fondue."

 

"Shoots, I'll be right back, I'm just going across the street."

 

Getting up gingerly, Windy walked the short distance to his best friend's house across the way, and began pounding on the door. Fairly quickly, a groggy blue earth pony opened the door. When he saw who it was, his eyes widened

 

"Windy! Dude, what the heck are you doing out of the hospital and at my door at this hour? Bro, you should be healing right now, not waking up stallions who need their sleep!"

 

"Look, Fon, this isn't the time for that. Remember that mare I told you about?" Fondue nodded, so Windy continued, "Well, she's in my house right now, and she's really upset, and she needs music to calm her down. I'm talentless, so I need your help dude. If you help me with this, I promise I'll buy you a nice big tub of surfboard wax. Ok?"

 

Fondue narrowed his eyes at Windy, held his glare for a moment, but finally his features softened. "Fine dude, one quick smooth and easy rock lullaby love song for my pal, then its back to bed for this amigo. Capeech?"

 

Windy nodded eagerly, and Fondue went back into his ramshackle house, grabbed his guitar and a small amp, and walked over with Windy to Windy's house. Entering, Fondue quickly introduced himself politely to Shoots, and set up his guitar.

 

Windy walked over and sat down on the couch so that he was next to Shoots on her chair, and then nodded at Fondue to begin.

 

Windy had no musical talent, and only a rudimentary appreciation for music at all. But even to his uncouth ear,  what Fondue had started playing was beautiful. A guitar solo that managed to say what his rambling words simply couldn't, a guitar solo that excited him and relaxed him simultaneously. The song was resonating in his soul on the deepest possible level, and making his heart swell with happiness.  The incredible riffs of the guitar made Windy's eyes almost spill true liquid pride. It was a ballad of his love. Unfortunately, it was over all too soon, and that was Windy's only complaint. 

 

Fondue, not wanting to stay on and intrude, quickly nodded good-bye to Windy and left quickly through the door. Windy then turned hesitantly to Shoots, who he hadn't looked at through the whole song, being too lost in the music as he had been, and said cautiously,

 

"Well Shoots, did that help?"

Edited April 14, 2013 by Windy Runner