open Casual Baltimare RP

[qqq 217]

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Pondah whimpered as Bubble's hooves worked their way through his tail. "Well," ​Pondah replied in a whisper. "I've never brushed. I don't own a brush so I can't." Pondah blushed a little with the embarrassment of realising the poor state he must've looked in.

 

'You're filthy! Stay away from us! We don't want your diseases! You look like something that crawled from the gutters. Why don't you crawl back and meet all your friends?"

 

​More and more tears began to prick at Pondah's eyes and face as he sat paralysed by his memories.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,
 

"Hey! It's okay... see?" Bubble soothed the colt, not exactly certain exactly what she was telling him was okay. She finished thinning out the hair of his tail and flicked it around so that it lay on the ground in front of him. "Doesn't that feel more comfortable?"

 

There were a few bits of plant-life still stuck in Pondah's mane but after his reaction to what she had suggested last time...

 

'One step at a time Bubble.' She reminded herself as she simply sat and comforted her distraught friend.

[qqq 217]

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"It feels lighter," ​Pondah whispered. "I didn't particularly mind it before." ​Pondah continued to sit, focusing on nothing in particular. 

 

​'I thought I'd left this behind. I thought the days of hiding and cowering at the slightest touch were over. I'm still holding myself back. I'm scared of what ponies will think and say about me. Perhaps I just fear the unknown more than the average pony.'

 

​Pondah ran a hoof through his tail and then through his hair. When his hoof touched an un-groomable spot the sticky balls in it, he gulped as he realised what he needed to do. "Can... can you get them out?" ​he stuttered.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,
 

"Of course I can!" She said reassuringly. "Do you want me to?"

 

It seemed like the most obvious thing to ask: he didn't seem to be enjoying himself at all and she doubted that this was hurting him - there was something else bothering him about contact with others. She cast her mind back to that morning: finding him cowering telling her that somepony else had tried to touch his mane...

[Skycoaster 698]

@,

Skycoaster

"Wow...I've heard of them being short staffed, but 18 hour days...Yikes! I'm kind of glad that I'm in engineering though when it comes to things like that. Just a set forward 8-5 day. This may sound weird, but I...I kind of enjoy giving those pegasi orders up there. I know it's less pay, but if a weather team captain comes up around me....maybe even here...I might put in for it. I bet you think I'm crazy for thinking that, Right?

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@@Skycoaster,

 

"Well, being that my cousin Storm Rush worked since he was 4 years old, 18 hours is nothing for him.  But it would be crazy, to answer your question." Thunder Dash replied. "But yeah, my cousin Storm Rush, was known for flying though super-large scale storms. As a matter of fact, during his 7th year at flight camp, he flew through the largest storm in all of Equestria: The Great Eastern Storm. This was categorized as a Level 10 storm. So many pegasai, I mean like 50 pegasai have gone down trying to fly through that thing. Storm Rush however, was able to clear it. He did get struck by lightning, yet, it bounced right off of him. Kinda like the situation with me. But he doesn't wield electricity like I do." Thunder Dash explained. 

[Skycoaster 698]

@,

Skycoaster

"I think I just don't know how to break it to my father. He got me that job. Heck, if you don't include Canterlot, I'm 4 in command of Equestria's weather. He was just so happy when I told him I got hired as the head engineer, now I think it would break his heart. If only there was a way that I could still do my job, but be more hoofs on, everypony would be happy. Do you have any ideas?

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

@,

Skycoaster

"I think I just don't know how to break it to my father. He got me that job. Heck, if you don't include Canterlot, I'm 4 in command of Equestria's weather. He was just so happy when I told him I got hired as the head engineer, now I think it would break his heart. If only there was a way that I could still do my job, but be more hoofs on, everypony would be happy. Do you have any ideas?

Thunder Dash thought. He then remembered his twin brother, Electra Blitz. "Hey! My twin brother holds like two jobs at the factory. He's a secondary engineer and secondary commander of storm production. He might be able to help you out. Next time you go back up, look for a pony who looks just like me, tall, but, he's got black stripes and they're like a zebra pattern" Thunder Dash answered. 

[qqq 217]

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Pondah nodded his head slowly in response. "Yes," he whispered.  "I'd like you to do it. Just... be careful. I'm pretty shaken up if you hadn't guessed." ​

 

​Taking some deep breaths, Pondah began to steel himself for the impending future. For the first time in nine years, someone else was going to touch Pondah's mane. After a some moments of preparation, Pondah felt steady enough to continue. "Go for it." he said quietly and with slight determination. "I'm ready...ish."

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

 

Nodding gently, Bubble did her best to look supportive. Reaching out, she ran a hoof through the lower section that he could easily fix himself if he got too distressed.

 

"Are you okay Pondah?" She asked, taking care to correctly pronounce his name. Gradually thinning out the lower section, she started to groom the more difficult-to-reach sections that he probably couldn't see to work with.

 

"See? I'm not going to hurt you..." She said.

 

It was strange, being the one doing the comforting: of course, there were times occasionally that called for maturity and she was happy to rise to them but this... It wasn't unpleasant, just unusual to the excitable mare.

Edited September 5, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[qqq 217]

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Pondah squirmed and fidgeted with discomfort when Bubble touched his mane as a battle between wanting to run away with fear or stay and get cleaned up tore at his mind. ​ He was beginning to become more comfortable until Bubble's words rang through the ear.

 

"I'm not going to hurt you..."

 

​Giving a squeal and a yelp, Pondah began to squirm even more as his ears were invaded by Bubble's speech. His urge toflee had suddenly grown stronger but somehow it was being belly held back. Pondah's thoughts became so frazzled that only one phrase could escape his lips. "Th...that's just what they said!"

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

 

"Pondah, look at me!" Bubble said as she stopped grooming her friend and gently flicked his nose with the tip of her tail to focus his attention.

 

"I don't know who 'they' are, It's just me - Bubble.Theres nopony else here, see?"

 

She had no idea what she was doing any more - other than blindly trying to help her friend.

[qqq 217]

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A flick on the nose from Bubble restored some of Pondah's sanity as he sat trying to drown everything out. "I... I understand," ​Pondah whispered. "There's just so much happening that I can judge any of it. I know what's happening but I can't understand a anything I'm seeing or feeling. I guess I'm just scared... I just need a minute to calm down."

 

​Pondah did what he usually did when he needed to become completely calm. He covered his ears and shut his eyes so that nothing could disturb him unless it touched him. 'Just calm down. I know how you're feeling. Of course I do, I'm you. The softly approach isn't working. I'll put it straight. You need to stop convincing yourself that the world's against you and that everypony is just a different look of your parents. Nopony is making this hard but you. Bubble isn't your greatest enemy, society isn't your greatest enemy, heck, your parents aren't your greatest enemy. You are. So snap out of it!' 

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

 

If Bubble could have heard Pondah's internal monologue... she actually probably wouldn't have understood the situation much better al all. As it was though, she simply sat and watched the colt in silence throughout his mental struggle.

 

At least, she did her best. Silence was hard.

 

"Ponder?" She asked timidly. "I'm sorry I scared you..."

[qqq 217]

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Pondah's short period of isolation worked wonders for calming Pondah down and he was soon back to his slightly less frightened self. "I'm sorry that I'm wasting your time," ​Pondah said in a calm voice. "I'm ready to continue. Let's get this done with so I can stop inconveniencing you and you can get some food.   Despite the fact that Pondah was feeling much steadier, he still kept a frown on his face.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

Bubble almost giggled when he said it.

"Inconvenienced"

She shrugged and smiled at him.

"Theres no rush, I'm not really hungry - i just wanted to see this fancy hotel." She looked at him imploringly. "I kind of do still want to see you all cleaned up nice though... If you can manage it?"

Edited September 5, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[qqq 217]

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"I... I think I can manage it." ​Pondah replied. Truth be told, he wasn't sure if he could last at all. Once he becomes scared or frightened he normally doesn't get back to his normal self in days, possibly weeks.

 

​With Bubble dabbling in the mix, however, these were not normal times.

 

'Damn it! I think I can manage it. Listen to yourself! Stop being sorry for yourself and take life by the cojones! Don't livd life by hopes and wishes, live life making things happen!'

 

​This mental pep talk burrowed into Pondah's mind. He sat upright, put his hooves by his sides and with a sudden burst of determination said, "No. I don't think I can do it. I will do it. Bubble, continue whatever you're doing and don't stop till I drop. Or until you finish, whatever comes first."

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

 

"Okay, just remember its only me..." The normally-eccentric mare said as she moved around Pondah to access his half-groomed mane.

 

"Have you ever even had this trimmed?" She asked, more for the small talk to keep him calm than out of actually wanting to know the answer - hooves absentmindedly running repeatedly through the hair as she smoothed out the knots and tangles, watching as it fell into its natural place once freed. "Hey! I'm starting to see a pony under there somewhere!" She chided, scooting back around into his field of vision to grin at her own joke.

Edited September 5, 2013 by Cinderscribe

[qqq 217]

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Pondah fidgeted slightly as Bubble resumed her hair-repair but Pondah was otherwise in control of his urge to run. "I've never had it trimmed," ​he replied to Bubble's question. "I've cut it myself though. I like to keep it long and, as you know, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting somepony else cut it."

 

​As Bubble scooted back into Pondah's sight when she made her joke, he smirked. "Hey..." ​he said in defence. "It's not that bad."

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

@,

 

"Don't worry, I won't try to cut it." Bubble reassured him as she finished doing as much as she could she could with his mane - which was quite a lot considering she hadn't even got so much as a brush to work with. Working away absentmindedly while they talked had been exactly what she had needed to avoid messing up.

 

"Heh, go on, take a look." She said, motioning towards the overly expensive mirror. "We can always go throw you in the pond again if you don't like it..."

[sunne 659]

@, 

Sunny giggled at Candy's yawn and cuddled up to her as well. She felt exactly the same way.

"You know, it's cute when you do that," she mumbled, and smiled into Candy's soft blue mane. "Your yawn, with the little squeak.

It's adorable." She sighed again, and kissed the top of Candy's head before falling into a light, peaceful sleep.

 

(Naptiem...  (@others: we're about early afternoon so this is our own little timeskip to catch up to dinnertime))

[Fender 1,283]

 

 

"You know, it's cute when you do that," she mumbled, and smiled into Candy's soft blue mane. "Your yawn, with the little squeak. It's adorable." She sighed again, and kissed the top of Candy's head before falling into a light, peaceful sleep.

 

Candy grinned in satisfaction, and even pride at the compliment, and kissed the other mare before she, herself, would fall asleep.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

When Candy woke up, she awoke with a familiar blue mane in her mouth. She was chewing on Sunny's mane. Immediately she realized what was happening and she spat out the hairs. A small chew-spot was left in Sunny's mane, nothing that couldn't be washed away. Candy had a lazy, yet embarrassed smile on her face. She shook her lover awake, lightly, and whispered, "Good...afternoon, beautiful." She joined her words with a nuzzle to the other mare's nose.

[sunne 659]

@, 

Sunny woke to the sound of Candy's voice and her nose being nuzzled, and a blissful smile grew on her face. She opened her bright blue eyes, which were clouded over with drowsiness, to see Candy nuzzling her. She nuzzled back, sighing again.

"I could wake up to the sound of your voice for the rest of my life," she said, smiling lazily at the beautiful mare in front of her

[Fender 1,283]

@@Mint Drop, 

 

At Sunny's words, Candy blushed in a completely new shade of red. A hint of confidence coming among her now, and joining her words. "Well..." She smiled broadly,  "We might just have to make sure that happens." She kissed the mare, and fluttered her own eyes, in a seductive, yet joking manner. "I love you, so much." She sighed.

[sunne 659]

@, 

Sunny giggled as Candy fluttered her eyes, and kissed the mare back.

"I love you too," she murmured. It was wonderful and peaceful moments like these that she wished could last forever.

The bright yellow unicorn looked at the clock absentmindedly. it was almost suppertime, and her stomach gave a slight growl to confirm it. They'd skipped lunch.

"As much as I'd like to just stay like this forever," she smiled. "I think both of us should get some supper. We completely skipped lunch. Want me to make something, or go to a restataraunt? My treat if we decide on the latter."

Edited September 6, 2013 by Mint Drop