Ups and Downs

I awoke to the sound of a cat purring. When I opened my eyes, I found Opal pawing at my hand. I still felt very groggy, my hand stroking her fluffy head. The Persian cat bounded up onto the blanket where my belly was located and curled up on me. "Great minds think alike." I muttered. Still feeling tired, I turned my head to the right and went back to sleep.

Another hour or so passed before I awoke again. This time, to the sound of singing. I instantly recognized the voice as Rarity's. Too curious to go back to sleep, I sat up and got dressed.

When I peeked out into the main room of Carousel Boutique, I found Rarity hard at work with numerous work materials floating about. I could also clearly hear her singing. "Piece by piece, snip by snip. Croup, dock haunch, shoulders, hip. Thread by thread, primed and pressed. Yard by yard, never stressed. And that's the art of the dreeeeess!"

I applauded as I approached my landlord, "Lovely tune, Rarity."

The unicorn turned to face me with a blush, "Oh, I didn't mean for you to hear that. I tend to tune out everything around me when I'm in the zone, as it were. Did I wake you up too soon, dear?"

The various floating objects were gently set down as I watched. "Nah. I slept long enough. But that was by far the best alarm clock I've ever woken up to." Rarity giggled at my compliment.

"Oh, James… And to think I came up with that song on the spot!" Rarity then glanced around and pointed to one of her grid-shaped shelves, "Now that you're here, could you bring me that clutch of thread over there?"

I looked in the direction she was pointing and saw what she was looking for. "Sure thing." I walked over to the shelves and pulled it out. But I nearly dropped it as I found that it was far heavier than it looked. It seemed to be gold-colored as it shimmered in the light, but no fabric could possibly be this heavy. A thought then crossed my mind as I held it in both hands. I turned to Rarity and asked, "Rarity… This thread… Is this made of REAL gold?!"

My landlord giggled at my bewilderment. "But of course! I told you, didn't I? I settle for nothing less than the highest quality in my work!"

I knew that Rarity's designs were of the highest caliber in both form and material, but I never expected that she used precious metals in some of them. "Rarity, are you certain that you don't want anything in return for that robe? Nothing at all?" I asked, suspecting that she was planning on using some of the gold threads in my robe.

Rarity shook her head, "All I ask is that you wear this robe proudly when you attend the Grand Galloping Gala. Nothing more."

All I could do was sigh at Rarity's seemingly limitless generosity. "I…understand, Rarity… Thank you…"

It seemed that Rarity could sense my guilt as she approached me with a concerned expression. "James, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with what I am doing? Did you change your mind about what you would like me to make?"

I set the bundle of gold thread by her sewing machine and took a seat. "It's just… How do I say this…" I sighed, "You've been giving me so much since I arrived here in Equestria. And I actually feel really awful that you do not want anything from me in return. I truly appreciate your generosity, but… I just feel so guilty…"

The unicorn sighed as she walked over to me, "James… Darling, I want you to understand something. I'm not being generous to you so you can pay me back in full later. I'm doing all this for you because I simply WANT to. Is that really so wrong?" All I could do was bow my head. But she surprised me with a kiss on the cheek. "Still, you're very sweet to be so concerned about me. I'm just grateful you're not taking advantage of me. There are too many ponies in this world who would do just that if given the opportunity, so I'm grateful that you have such great restraint."

I touched my cheek, finding it hard to believe that a pony would kiss me. Understanding Rarity's appreciation of me, I felt somewhat better. But I could still feel some guilt for not being able to repay her for providing me with so much in so little time. "Thanks, Rarity… I think I understand now…"

"I'm glad to hear that, dear. If there is anything else you need, feel free to ask me." Rarity said with a lovely smile. She then nuzzled me gently, prompting a smile from me.

I glanced over at a clock and saw that the time was around 10:30 AM. "Oh, right. I need to be over at Sugarcube Corner at 11. I better get going." I stood up and made my way to the front door. "We'll talk later, Rarity. See you later." I waved goodbye, but the unicorn 'tossed' me what seemed to be a polished yellow gemstone. I caught it, believing it to be plastic or glass.

"For Spike. Just in case." Rarity said to me. I shrugged and placed the gemstone in my pocket before heading on my way.

As I headed into town, I noticed some of the ponies whispering to each other. They would often glance over at me from time to time. I was curious of what they were saying, but felt it rude to pry into others' business. However, I soon noticed Applejack pulling a cart of apples to the market. As I still had time before work, I decided to say hello. I approached the farm pony and smiled, "Morning, AJ."

Applejack turned my way and laughed, "Hey there, lover boy. Y'all on yer way to pick up some flowers?"

I raised an eyebrow at her question. "Wait… What? Lover boy? What makes you say that?"

The farm pony chuckled, "I heard it straight from the source. Y'all got the hots fer Rarity, huh?"

I can remember feeling a surge of heat as I began to sweat. "What?! But…how…when… She was asleep when that happened! And it was just a reflex action! How'd she know?!"

Applejack burst into laughter at my spazzing, "She was just testing ya, pardner. But don't you worry none. It's not like she's planning on jumping yer bones t'night." After laughing some more, she asked, "Come to think of it, what do ya think of Rarity anyhow?"

It was a question I was not expecting. I crossed my arms and thought over my response for a moment. "Well… She's very sweet. She has an amazing sense of fashion, yet is not conceited or snooty. She's very beautiful. And she's impossibly generous."

Applejack and I continued to converse about Rarity for a minute or more before I remembered where I was supposed to be. "Oh, right. I really need to get to Sugarcube Corner. I'm needed at 11."

The farm pony chuckled, "Oh, sorry then. Didn't mean to distract. Y'all say hi to Pinkie Pie fer me!" We said our goodbyes and went on our ways.

Along the way, I passed by the library. I glanced around for a clock of any sort to check the time. When I could not find one, I estimated that no more than fifteen minutes had passed since leaving the Carousel Boutique. "I guess I can afford to pay a visit." Feeling it was tedious to go back and forth to read a book at the library, I decided it would be more practical to simply borrow the encyclopedia I had been reading from time to time.

As I approached the door to the library, I noticed Pinkie Pie out of the corner of my eye. "Uh oh… Is her Pinkie Sense gonna act up?" I remember muttering under my breath. She suddenly stopped as her ears flopped. Her eyes fluttered next, followed by her forelegs trembling. "That means…opening door!" I jumped back from the library door, expecting it to open forcefully.

The sound I heard next was a distant door opening loudly. I looked around and saw a pony emerge from a house nearby. "Oh… Wrong door." I breathed a sigh of relief. But as I reached for the library's doorknob, I was bashed in the face as the door opened forcefully, slamming me into the side of the building…tree…whatever you want to call it.

"What…the crap…" I groaned as the door slowly swung shut. I fell to my knees, dazed by the force of the impact. "Note to self… Stay away from doors until Pinkie Sense stops detecting."

Just like the previous time, Spike stepped out the door with a stack of books in his hands. The little dragon peeked behind the door to check who he had hit this time. "Huh? You again?" I nodded while adjusting my glasses, expecting an apology. However, Spike glared at me, "Heh, serves you right for making a move on Rarity."

Spike's hostile tone took me by surprise, as I had never done anything to make him angry with me. "Wait… Rarity? What about her?"

The baby dragon growled, "Look, let me make something clear with you since you're new around here. Rarity's MY girl. No one lays a hand on her but me. Got it?"

Suspecting that this was what Rarity had given me that gemstone for earlier, I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. "Um… This is for you, Spike."

I watched in surprise as the baby dragon's expression brightened immediately. "For me?! Awesome! Thanks!" He dropped his books and snatched the gem from my hand. I looked on in bewilderment as he chomped down on it like a piece of candy, the sound of the crunching coming from his mouth being rather loud.

"Spike… Does that…hurt?" I asked, amazed that none of his teeth were being broken.

The dragon licked his fingers as he grinned, "Nope! Gemstones are a dragon's favorite food! And thanks again for that one! You're an OK guy, James! Now I need to get back to work." He picked up the pile of books again and wandered off, having forgotten everything he was angry about.

I was still awestruck as I watched Spike walk away. "Dragons…can eat…and digest…gemstones…" I shook my head, "Well, I guess that explains the legends of dragons hoarding gems and other precious minerals." I shuffled to the library's front door, still dazed from being slammed into the tree structure. However, I noticed Pinkie Pie glancing around in a panic again as her knees were twitching. "……Crud." I remember muttering a second before the door opened and slammed me into the side of the library AGAIN.

"Spike? Are you out here?" I heard the voice of Twilight Sparkle speak up from behind the door.

"No, but I'm here." I replied, now fairly sore from the two impacts I had received.

I saw Twilight peek around the door and gasp at the sight of me. "Oh no, I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" She asked, an expression of guilt on her face.

Feeling somewhat bitter, I grumbled, "How would you feel if you were slammed into a tree twice in two minutes?"

Twilight took a step back, "Twice? I'm sorry! Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

I replied, "Yeah… I'd like to borrow that encyclopedia I was reading yesterday."

Twilight nodded and ran back inside. She returned a moment later with the encyclopedia in her mouth. When she gave it to me, she asked, "Is there anything else I can do? Anything at all?"

As I pondered her question, I noticed that Twilight seemed like she was on the verge of crying. Her lips were quivering slightly, a sure sign that she was trying to restrain her emotions. Feeling somewhat guilty that I almost made a girl cry, I stroked her mane, "Hey, sorry if I snapped. I just got a little grumpy, that's all. I'm not mad at you, Twilight. Really."

My words seemed to reassure the unicorn as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "OK… I was just afraid I hurt you. I don't like upsetting my friends. So…I felt bad when I thought I might've hurt you. Do you forgive me?"

Trying to throw a little humor into the moment, I adjusted my glasses. "Let's see… No broken bones. No cuts or scrapes. And my glasses are still intact. Yup, I forgive you." I was especially grateful that my glasses were still fine as they were the only pair I had in Equestria and it would likely be costly to replace them.

My attempt at humor seemed to work as Twilight Sparkle let out a giggle. "You're sweet, James. You go ahead and keep that book as long as you want. I won't mind. And I'm sorry again for smashing you against my house." I nodded with a smile as I stroked her mane. But I became puzzled as I noticed what seemed like a blush on her face.

Not wanting to ponder Twilight's blush too deeply, I discarded the thought. "Not to be rude, but I need to hurry on over to Sugarcube Corner. I'm needed there at 11."

Twilight smiled, "Oh, OK! Say hi to Pinkie Pie for me!" I waved goodbye and went on my way.

I managed to catch up to Pinkie Pie as she trotted through town. "Morning, Pinkie. What's happening?"

The pink pony giggled, "I was just making an order for Mr. and Mrs. Cake. We have to get our baking supplies from somewhere, you know! You on your way into work?"

I nodded, "Yeah. I'm not late, am I?" Pinkie Pie shook her head and pointed ahead. Sugarcube Corner was right before us. "OK. No way I'll be late now."

Pinkie Pie led me inside the confectionary, where I found a stallion pony minding the front counter. His coat was a brilliant shade of yellow while his mane and tail were a vibrant orange. His eyes were green and he wore an orange and white striped bowtie at the base of his neck. He also wore a hat with the same color scheme, the round shape bringing to mind a cookie tin. His cutie mark consisted of three square slices of cake topped with white icing. I also noticed that his lower jaw seemed to jut forward slightly, the first stallion I had seen with such a jaw structure. He spoke up, "Ah, so you're our new hired hand? Pinkie Pie's been telling us good things about you."

I looked away out of nervousness, not used to such praise. Pinkie Pie giggled, "Yes he is, Mr. Cake! And he's already come up with a new recipe! Who knew chocolate chips go so well with vanilla cupcakes?"

My employer smiled, "That does sound tasty. Mr. James, if I may ask a favor, could you provide us with any recipes you know?"

I nodded, "Sure thing. I know of a few recipes you may like."

Mr. Cake smiled, "Good to hear, James. Now then, you'll be Pinkie Pie's assistant for today. If you have any questions, feel free to ask." I then followed Pinkie Pie into the kitchen.

"OK then, James! We need to make some more of those cupcakes from yesterday! Can you get the sugar and the eggs?" Pinkie Pie asked as she checked the cabinets.

"Will do." I replied as I checked the refrigerator.

As I helped mix the ingredients together a few minutes later, Pinkie Pie asked, "So, James? Any other recipes you wanna share?"

I thought the question over in my head while adding a pinch of salt to the batter. "Well… Do you know how to make blueberry muffins?"

The pink pony grinned, "Yup! Nopony I know doesn't like those!"

I then asked, "Well, I know of a twist on that recipe. Instead of muffins, put all the batter into a pound cake tin. Then you'll have a blueberry pound cake. Also, try sprinkling a little sugar on top right after you take it out of the oven."

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Pound cakes?! Why didn't I think of that?! I gotta write this down." I looked on as she opened a notebook and jotted something down in it.

"OK, that little reminder's been taken care of. Any other recipes you know that we don't?" Pinkie Pie asked as I turned on the oven.

I tried thinking my answer over in my head. "Um… Well, you ever hear of chocolate drops?"

The mention of chocolate instantly excited the pink pony. "Chocolate drops?! Is it like gumdrops, but with chocolate?!" She began hopping up and down repeatedly, almost as if she had springs in her legs.

"Um… No. It's not a candy. It's a pastry. You take dough and drop it on a baking sheet. That's drop, not set. The impact causes it to flatten out a bit. When done baking, you have a flat plain cake. Then you spread chocolate on it. But it doesn't have to be only chocolate. You can use icing, coconut, caramel, whatever. It's a pretty versatile treat." I explained, having enjoyed the treat many times in my life.

To my surprise, I found that Pinkie Pie was already gathering the ingredients needed to make chocolate drops. "All we need is dough, right?!" I nodded with a chuckle, finding her enthusiasm amusing.

As I watched Pinkie Pie prepare the dough for baking, she asked, "Did Rarity like the pie you gave her yesterday?"

I nodded, "Yup. It seemed to be to her liking." I then paused as I thought about the gossip I had been told by Applejack and Spike. "Um… Was Rarity in today?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Ooh, I know what you're getting at. Rarity told me all about it!" I blushed, understanding that Rarity had told her as well.

"Well… Did she say why she tested me like that?" I had become very curious about my landlord's intentions, but felt it would be a bad idea to ask her personally.

Pinkie Pie grinned, "Oh, don't worry too much! She just said it was to see how sweet you could be. But she did say the kiss was unexpected. You really surprised her!"

I bowed my head as I blushed, "I'm not sure why I kissed her… I think it was just a reflex of some sort."

The pink pony approached me and gave me a playful nudge. "You planning on asking her out sometime? I know a great place for a date!"

Although I am a romantic and do find romance and the like beautiful, I was hesitant to ask a pony out on a date. "I don't know if that's a good idea… She's a pony. I'm a human. Would that kind of relationship really work out? And besides, I don't think I have the kind of social stature to woo her anyway."

Pinkie Pie surprised me with a laugh, "Oh, I'm sure you have a pretty good chance with her! Rarity's not nearly as shallow as she seems! She's very sweet and generous. I'm pretty sure even the poorest pony could win her heart if their character was good enough! And just between you and me, she really does want to get married someday."

I was surprised to find that Rarity was more into substance than style. "Is that so? Well, I hope I get invited to the wedding."

After a couple of hours, Pinkie Pie and I had baked a few dozen cupcakes, twenty blueberry pound cakes, and around three-dozen 'drops'. One dozen was topped with chocolate, another dozen was topped with vanilla icing, and the other dozen was topped with a combination of chocolate and……hot sauce. Please do not ask. I honestly was afraid to know why. Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "Those turned out awesome!"

I remember muttering, "Awesome… Right… As long as your tongue is lined with asbestos." Pinkie Pie took one of the spicy pastries and took a bite. I winced, finding it hard to believe anyone would like hot sauce on anything sweet.

"Wow! This is great!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she gulped down her first chocolate…hot sauce…drop… I really have no idea what to call that one. But before she started on another, Pinkie Pie glanced towards the wall. "Wow. Past noon already? Guess we better get some lunch then."

I asked, "Lunch? Are we allowed to do that?"

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Don't worry! Mr. and Mrs. Cake are taking their lunch breaks right now! They always stay here during business hours, so we can go out to get some food! But we have to be back in one hour. Do you know a good place for some good munchies?"

The first place that came to mind was the outdoor café I had visited the previous day. "How about that restaurant with the outdoor seating? It's pretty close to Sugarcube Corner, right?"

The pink pony hopped, "Perfect! You go on ahead. I'll let our bosses know we'll be right back!" She trotted out of the room to look for Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Knowing I would not need my glasses to eat, I took them off and set them on the counter before heading out through the back door.

I knew where the café was, so I made a beeline for it without stopping in order to conserve time. I did not get far before Pinkie Pie caught up to me. "You know what you're gonna get?" She asked while hopping alongside me.

"I'm sure I'll get a salad, but I also think I'll try something new." I replied, curious of what else was on the menu.

When we arrived, we found that the outdoor seating had only a few customers. "Looks like our orders shouldn't take too long with this many customers." I said as we took a seat at a table. Once again, I found the table to be uncomfortably low. Not wanting to be uncomfortable by the time my order arrived, I went and borrowed a small stool that was nearby.

Pinkie Pie was unusually quiet as she looked through the menu. I suppose even someone as hyper as her needs to focus when reading. As I looked through my menu, I found an item that raised my spirits. "Pasta… Awesome."

As I read over the list of pasta dishes on the menu, the sound of hooves came from near the table I was seated at. It was fairly loud, likely a pegasus setting down from a great height. A voice then asked, "Hey there, James. Pinkie Pie. What's happening?" The two of us looked towards the source of the voice and found Rainbow Dash standing at the table.

"Hi, Rainbow Dash! Wanna join us for lunch?" Pinkie Pie asked with a joyful smile. The rainbow-maned pegasus grinned as she took a seat on a pile of hay below the table.

"So, any luck with that job hunting?" Rainbow Dash asked me, a hoof holding her head up with her elbow on the table.

I replied with a nod, "Yup. Got a job at Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie and I are currently on our lunch break." Rainbow Dash congratulated me and bumped 'fists' with me. She then grabbed a menu from an unused table nearby and started looking through it.

"Anything you recommend?" She asked, looking over at me out of the corner of her eye.

"I really must recommend the grilled carrots. You won't be disappointed." I replied while grinning.

While the three of us chatted, the same waiter from my previous visit approached us. "Have you made your decision?"

Pinkie Pie ordered a sandwich, Rainbow Dash ordered the grilled carrots, and I ordered a house salad and an order of fettuccine with broccoli and alfredo sauce. We decided to chat to pass the time while waiting for our orders.

A few minutes later, the waiter brought out my salad. I felt it was rude to start eating before my friends had received their orders, so I asked, "Should I wait for the rest to arrive?"

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie looked at each other, whispered something, giggled, then smiled, "Sure! Go right ahead."

I thanked my friends before taking a fork in hand. But Rainbow Dash then stood up, "I just remembered I've got something to do. I'll be back in a few minutes." The pegasus trotted away, leaving me and Pinkie Pie alone.

For some reason, Pinkie Pie was giggling nonstop. Knowing her, she could be off in her own little world. But right as I was about to take a bite of my salad, I saw Rainbow Dash rocketing towards our table. "What the?! Hey!" I yelped as she blazed past us at great speed, creating a powerful gust that sent my salad and bowl flying into my face.

"Bwahahahaha! That was awesome!" Rainbow Dash laughed as she returned to the table. Pinkie Pie was laughing just as hard, having likely discussed the prank. I took the bowl off my face, the dressing smeared all over me. Having never felt so offended since I first arrived in Ponyville, I trembled in a fusion of anger and pain.

Pinkie Pie giggled, "Pulling pranks is the best! It never gets old!" Rainbow Dash had fallen on her back while laughing. I was tempted to kick her, but at the same time I did not want to hurt someone I cared about. Settling for a less painful type of revenge, I gathered up what I could of my salad and placed it in the bowl.

I approached Rainbow Dash and stood above her. "That was real funny, Rainbow. But how about this?" I slammed the bowl down onto her head, returning the favor as the salad was pushed into her face. "I never took you for the town bully. Jerk." I placed my hands in my pockets as I walked away, not paying any heed to the ponies' calls.

Having lost my appetite, I went straight back to Sugarcube Corner. I wiped the salad dressing off my face with a towel once I was back in the kitchen. Just as I was about to get back to work, I heard a knock at the back door. I opened it without a second thought and found Pinkie Pie waiting for me.

"Um… James? Sorry we pra-" I interrupted her by slamming the door in her face. In hindsight, it was a very rude action. But at the moment, I was too upset to care. As I retrieved my glasses from the counter, I heard the door creak open. I did not even look in its direction as I read over the next list of goods that still needed to be baked.

"James….. I'm sorry. I didn't know you don't like to be pranked." Pinkie spoke uncharacteristically softly as she apologized. She sounded more like Fluttershy at the time.

"Is that your attempt at a Fluttershy impersonation?" I asked while fetching some eggs from the refrigerator.

I heard Pinkie Pie sigh, "No… I'm really sorry… I didn't know."

Annoyed, I asked, "Did you ever bother to ask? Did you ever ask me if I don't mind being pranked like that?" Pinkie Pie did not offer a reply. I cracked some eggs and mixed them with sugar and flour, "I don't mind being joked with or being the victim of harmless pranks. But pranks that have results like the one you and Rainbow pulled on me really do not sit well with me. Keep that in mind next time you want to tick me off."

There was a moment of silence as I awaited a reply. After a moment, she sighed, "You're right… I didn't ask. I should've checked with you to learn what your level of tolerance is." She then approached me, "I'm sorry… I'll never play another prank on you again. I hate upsetting my friends. Can you ever forgive me?"

I could tell just by looking at her that Pinkie Pie was showing true remorse for her actions. With a sigh, I nodded, "OK. Apology accepted. But I'm still feeling pretty bitter right now. So I'd appreciate it if you give me some time to recover."

Pinkie Pie hopped once before smiling calmly, "Oki doki loki. If there's anything I can do to help make it up to you, let me know." I nodded silently in response. She then asked, "You know, you still have a while before your lunch break ends. You wanna head back out for some grub?"

I sighed, "No thanks… I lost my appetite from that little 'prank' you pulled on me. What about you? Didn't finish your sandwich?"

The pink pony shook her head, "No… I felt too bad afterwards to eat anything… I wrapped it up to go for later."

The two of us did not speak much for the next hour. Pretty much the only time we did communicate verbally was when exchanging baking instructions. Just after I had placed another batch of cupcakes into the oven for baking, Pinkie Pie asked, "James, would it be OK if I let you leave work early? You know, as part of my apology? I'll make sure you get a full day's pay."

I looked over at the clock on the wall. The time was a little past 2 PM. "Are you sure that's OK? Closing time is almost four hours away."

Pinkie Pie nodded, "It's OK, James. Go ahead. Take the rest of the evening off. It's the least I can do for making you feel so bad." With some reluctance, I decided to take her up on the offer. I said my goodbyes and headed out the back door.

Even with hours of free time to myself, I was still feeling very rotten. As I tried to think of what to do to help lift my bad mood, the thought of feeding the fish at the local park came to mind. As feeding fish in general is usually a relaxing activity, I made my way south without paying any mind to the ponies around me.

I was pleased to find that the park had few visitors at the time I reached it. Even more so when I found the pond deserted. The sack of fish food pellets had been restocked as I found it to be filled to the brim. I took a seat by it, opened the sack, and scattered some pellets over the pond. Like before, a few fish leapt out of the water to catch some of them. As I watched the fish jump, I could feel a slight smile creep across my face.

A few minutes passed before I heard the sound of wings flapping. I immediately thought it was Fluttershy arriving to feed the fish like before. The sound of the flapping steadily grew louder before being replaced by the sound of hooves clopping. I was still feeling bitter, so I did not offer a greeting. What happened next surprised me. The pegasus behind me walked up beside me and set a large paper bag down that was emitting a delectable aroma. I looked down at the bag before looking up at whoever had brought it to me. To my disappointment, I found Rainbow Dash looking at me with a somber expression on her face.

"It's your lunch. I handled the payment for you. We're still cool, right?" Rainbow Dash asked, clearly trying to repay me for the unwanted prank she had pulled earlier.

Although the offer was sincere, I was feeling especially bitter towards Rainbow Dash, as it was she who carried out the prank directly. I looked away from her and spoke, "I don't want to see you right now. Leave me alone."

I heard Rainbow Dash groan, "Man, this sucks! This is the second time in a week that I hurt you! Am I really such a klutz?!"

I replied bluntly, "Maybe you should ask next time you plan on pulling a prank on someone. Most people don't take kindly to the more aggressive types of pranks."

The pegasus sighed, "…..You're right. I should've checked if you don't mind being pranked. You're like a combo of Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. You're really smart and logical, but you're also pretty sensitive."

At the mention of being sensitive, I scowled, "You got a problem with me not being as tough as you?"

Rainbow Dash replied, "Whoa, easy there. I didn't mean it like that. Sensitive ponies are cool. They're pretty nice to have around…" She then cleared her throat and walked next to me. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… I like you, James. And I feel bad that I really struck a nerve with you. I'm sorry. Really. I won't ever prank you again. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

I looked at the pegasus out of the corner of my eye. Her eyes were pleading so intently, I almost felt sorry for her. After a moment of thought, I nodded silently to express my acceptance of her apology. Rainbow Dash then surprised me by embracing me tightly around my upper body. "I was afraid you were gonna sock me one. But really, I'll never do something like that again. I promise.'

I gently placed my hand on Rainbow Dash's hoof, "I wouldn't do that… The thought of hurting my friends is unpleasant to me. Even if they have hurt me before."

Rainbow Dash sighed, "Man… You really are just like Fluttershy. You're a total softy. But I mean that in a good way." The rowdy pegasus nuzzled me gently, prompting a calm smile from me.

"I'm gonna let you enjoy your food in peace, OK?" Rainbow Dash asked as she backed away. I nodded and waved goodbye. "See ya around, James!" I watched as my friend flew away, my faith in her restored.

Not wanting to wait too long, I opened the bag that contained my lunch. Inside were two covered plastic bowls. One contained a house salad with French dressing and the other contained shell-shaped pasta in a white cream sauce with broccoli. "Thanks, Rainbow…" I muttered as I removed my meal from the bag.

After no more than twenty minutes, I had finished my lunch. The pasta was every bit as tasty as I had hoped. As I ate, I would occasionally toss more pellets to the fish in the pond. I placed my empty containers inside the bag that held them earlier. Still feeling slightly sore, I decided to remain at the pond a while longer to relieve more of my stress.

I soon heard the sound of wings flapping and suspected that it was Rainbow Dash returning. The pegasus landed behind me before walking up alongside me. I turned my head to look at her, but instead of Rainbow Dash, I found Fluttershy looking at me. "You really like this place, don't you?" She asked me with her calming quiet voice.

I responded sincerely, "I do. It's a great place to relax and let go of the bad things on your mind." I tossed a few more pellets, watching the fish feed on them.

Fluttershy took a seat beside me, "Bad things? Did something happen?" Her face showed genuine concern.

"It's not important. I'm almost all better now anyway. A good meal helped with that." I explained, not wanting to make her feel angry towards Rainbow Dash.

The mention of food seemed to interest Fluttershy as she asked, "You had lunch? That reminds me. Applejack told me that humans eat all sorts of things. What do you like to eat?"

I looked over at her, "She told you that, huh? Well, she's right. As for what I like… I enjoy pasta dishes, certain veggies, but I dislike spicy foods. I also love seafood, especially sushi."

Fluttershy asked, "You eat fish? Well…I can't say we ponies eat much meat. We're strictly herbivores. But some ponies sell fish at the market. Though they're usually for certain pets. You could probably buy some if you want to cook it."

The knowledge that there was some form of meat I could eat in Equestria lifted my spirits. "Awesome. I'll make a mental note of that. But what do ponies do with fish anyway?"

"Well… We don't actually eat fish. We just use it to feed animals that do eat it." Fluttershy explained.

We continued to chat for a while, my hand stroking Fluttershy's mane. "I like it when you do that…" She cooed softly.

"I'll keep doing it as long as you want." I replied, my fingers reaching her scalp.

After a moment more, I asked, "Are you feeling drowsy?"

Fluttershy replied, "Yes… It's so soothing…" I soon heard faint snoring, the pegasus once again having fallen asleep while leaning against me.

"Fluttershy… You're too cute for words." I can recall muttering. Hoping to sleep off the rest of my bad mood, I closed my eyes while leaning against her.


I suspect two hours had passed by the time I awoke. A tender familiar voice whispered, "Wake up now, sleepyhead." I slowly opened my eyes and found Fluttershy looking down at me with a tender grin.

"What a pleasant sight to wake up to. Did you have a good nap?" I said with a chuckle. Fluttershy's only response was a faint giggle while appearing to blush slightly.

"Um… I hope I didn't keep you for too long. Is there somewhere you have to be?" Fluttershy asked.

I shrugged, "Not really. I don't think I have to be anywhere right now. Though I am curious. Do you still want me to show up tomorrow in the afternoon?"

The pegasus nodded, "Oh, yes. It's not easy gathering up all those baby bunnies by myself. Please remember to stop by."

I nodded as I stood up to stretch my legs. I then decided to take a walk around the pond. Fluttershy joined me by trotting alongside me. "So, how have things been with you and Rarity lately?" She asked quietly.

"She's been hard at work making something for me to wear to the Grand Galloping Gala. I think she should be done with it by the time I return home." I replied, still very curious of what the end result would look like.

"You were invited to the Gala?! Why…that's wonderful! I'm looking forward to seeing you there!" Even when she was excited or raised her voice, Fluttershy somehow made it sound like a loud whisper when she spoke.

"Not fond of raising your voice, huh?" I asked. Fluttershy looked away with an embarrassed expression. "Me neither. I don't shout unless I really need to. I guess Rainbow Dash was right. You and I are pretty similar."

Fluttershy smiled, "I'm glad to see I'm not the only quiet pony in Ponyville… Well, you're not a pony, but… You understand, right?" I nodded with a smile.

Once we finished circling the pond, I looked down at Fluttershy. "I should probably head back to Rarity's place now. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, OK?"

"OK then. Take care on your way back." Fluttershy waved at me as I gathered up my trash and headed back towards Ponyville.

I dropped my garbage into the first trash bin I saw in the park. But before I could leave, I heard what sounded like a small motor buzzing like one on a motorized scooter. "Equestria have automobiles?" I muttered aloud as I glanced around.

"Whoa, heads up, Mr. James!" I glanced around just in time to see a familiar pegasus filly coming my way while riding a small scooter. I yelped in surprise as I jumped out of the way. She went a short distance before performing a quick 360 spin before riding back over to me and coming to a screeching halt right in front of me. She gazed up at me with an elbow on the handlebars. She was wearing a safety helmet that was purple with two bold white vertical stripes in the middle of it. The filly grinned, "So, what's up? I haven't seen you in two days!"

The pegasus filly's voice sounded familiar to me. I looked her over carefully while thinking back to what happened to me two days earlier. "A scooter… Wait… Scootaloo?"

She grinned, "Yup! I'm glad you remembered me! So, what's been happening these last two days?"

I smirked, "Well, I just have one thing to say. You've got some mad skills on that scooter, girl."

Scootaloo laughed, "That's a new one! I've never heard anyone compliment me in such a rad way before!"

As we laughed, a thought occurred to me. "Hey, Scootaloo. Shouldn't you be at school right now? Or are you playing hooky?"

The filly chuckled, "School's usually out at this hour. And besides that, it's Saturday!" I groaned in embarrassment as I facepalmed. Wait, is that even a real word? Facepalm? In any case, Scootaloo merely laughed at my forgetfulness.

"Well, if this is the weekend, where are your fellow crusaders? Out crusading somewhere?" I asked, curious of what Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were up to at the time.

Scootaloo grinned, "Oh, we're supposed to meet up at our clubhouse! I was just out here practicing on my scooter before heading on over."

I nodded, but then looked down at her scooter. Even though it sounded like it was motorized, I could see no motor anywhere on it. Scootaloo seemed to notice me examining her ride as she asked, "What's wrong? Is something on my scooter?"

In response, I asked, "Are scooters in Equestria always that noisy? It sounded like your scooter had a motor running when you got here, but I don't see one."

To my surprise, Scootaloo laughed, "I don't need a motor to make this baby go! Just watch!" I jumped back as she began to flutter her wings extremely rapidly. The sheer speed of the flapping was giving off the sound of a small motor. She leaned back, pulling the scooter up on its rear wheels. After only a second, she took off at max speed. I could only watch as she zoomed all over the park. She then made her way towards a board that reached up to a bench, forming a ramp. I held my breath as Scootaloo went airborne. I think my heart skipped a beat as I watched her perform a kick flip, a stunt that is especially difficult to successfully pull off with a scooter due to the handlebars extending up from the board. She landed safely, then came to a screeching halt right in front of me again.

"Did ya see that?" Scootaloo asked, not the slightest bit frazzled by the danger involved with the kick flip stunt.

I could only mutter, "Girl… Either you know some sick tricks on that scooter…or you have a death wish. I've never seen a stunt like that with a scooter before." The two of us laughed together.

All of a sudden, Scootaloo glanced over to her left. "What's wrong? Thought you saw something?" I asked, curious of her wary glare.

"Uh… Yeah, I think I saw someone looking at us from behind that fountain. But maybe it's just me." Scootaloo shrugged. I nodded, but I suspected there really was someone spying on us. I looked down at Scootaloo and held a finger to my lips. She nodded with a smile, understanding that I wanted her to stay quiet. I then quietly approached the fountain. As I drew closer, I could barely make out what seemed to be the top of a tiara sticking above it.

"Is that…" I muttered to myself. I then looked behind the fountain, finding a familiar earth pony filly gazing up at me in surprise. "Diamond Tiara. What do you want?"

The schoolyard bully growled, "I told you, didn't I?! I'm gonna kill you unless you give my cutie mark back!"

I crossed my arms as Scootaloo rode her scooter over to us. "Just a second, kid. I need to know if you've improved first." I then looked down at Scootaloo, "How was she in school yesterday? Any less of a bully than before?"

The pegasus filly frowned, "Not even close. She kept acting all high and mighty, saying that we 'blank flanks' aren't special. But it didn't help that everypony laughed at her every time she said that stuff since she's a blank flank too."  

I glared down at Diamond Tiara, "Well then, it looks like I can't give it back yet. You're gonna have to stop being such a witch if you want to see your flanks not blank again."

This did nothing to coerce the bully into cooperating as she yelled, "I'M NOT MAKING ANY BARGAINS INVOLVING THOSE LOSERS! NOW GIVE IT BACK!!!"

She tried to kick my exposed legs, but I snatched her up by the mane as she flailed defiantly. "I'll kill you! Just you wait, blank flank! I swear I will!"

I could feel my already great disgust with Diamond Tiara become even greater as I listened to her yell. "You're the most unpleasant child I have ever known, Diamond Tiara. Your name should've been Muddy Pebble." Scootaloo laughed at my suggestion. I then held her over the fountain and dropped her in.

"Gah! You jerk! I'll get you for that!" Diamond Tiara shouted as she climbed out, soaked to the skin. As she shook herself off, she glared a Scootaloo. "If I can't kill you, I'll kill those losers!"

Despite having been threatened, Scootaloo laughed at the hopeless bully. "Yeah right. I'd like to see you try!" Diamond Tiara then charged her with an angry yell. But the filly gave her a hard head butt made even harder by the helmet she was wearing.

I watched as Diamond Tiara held her head in pain, ready to step in if things got anymore intense. The bully looked at us both, appearing slightly intimidated. "This isn't over… I'll get my cutie mark back…or else!" She then ran off, leaving Scootaloo and I shaking our heads in pity.

"Why do some ponies never learn?" I asked, finding it hard to believe a child could be so impossibly stubborn.

Scootaloo sighed, "Beats me. I'd say she's a totally lost cause. But it's cool. She won't be able to call us blank flanks once we get our cutie marks. It's gonna happen someday. Just you wait."

She took off her helmet and looked it over, apparently checking if the head butt had damaged it. Taking advantage of the moment, I reached down and scratched her ear with one finger. She giggled, "Mr. James, that tickles."

I smiled as I scratched her, "You don't have to call me that. Just James is good enough. We're friends now, right?"

Scootaloo grinned, "You bet! It was really cool the way you handled Diamond Tiara. It's awesome to have someone like you around. Almost like a big brother."

I blushed at the mention of being like a big brother to Scootaloo. "That's a…pretty big role to live up to… I feel honored." I stroked her mane for a moment before letting her put her helmet back on. "If anyone gives you or the other crusaders trouble, you just let me know. OK?"

Scootaloo nodded, "You'll be the first to know! I'll let Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom know you said hi. See ya later…James!" I waved goodbye just before the filly took off on her scooter towards the northwest, leading me to suspect that the CMC's clubhouse was located somewhere in Sweet Apple Acres. I watched until Scootaloo was out of sight before turning to leave the park. I can remember smiling brightly as I recalled Scootaloo comparing me to a big brother.

Once I was back in Ponyville, I went straight home to the Carousel Boutique. Upon entering, I found Rarity speaking to Applejack. "Yeah, it could use a lil' TLC after last time. Don't wanna go back to the gala with tears and rips all over it." The farm pony explained, apparently discussing her attire for the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Oh, it wouldn't do for your dress to be in that condition! I'll get started on it first thing on Monday." Rarity said with a smile.

Applejack turned to leave and saw me standing at the front door. "Howdy, James! Whatcha been up to?"

I was expecting her to bring up the fact that I had kissed Rarity last night, but she never once mentioned it in front of the fashion designer. "Well, I started my new job at Sugarcube Corner. Went pretty well."

Rarity spoke up, "Good to hear! I'm glad you've started to find your calling, darling!" I smiled and nodded at her while trying to not give the impression that I knew she had spread the word about last night.

"Well, I'm not so sure about it being my calling, but at least now I have a means to earn some bits. And I don't have to work myself to the bone." I chuckled, prompting a laugh from Applejack.

"Like I said, yer more than welcome to help out at Sweet Apple Acres if ya ever feel up to it again. But anyway, I gotta get back to work. I'd like to get one more haul of apples into town before sundown. See y'all later!" Applejack waved as she headed out the door.

I waved goodbye as the farm pony left. But when I turned around, Rarity motioned for me to approach her with an excited gaze. "Now that it's just us, I have something to show you. It took me quite a bit of work and a few redoes here and there, but I finally completed your attire for the Grand Galloping Gala! Now, don't hold back! Tell me how it is!"

I watched as Rarity used her magic to levitate a robe over to us. As I expected, it was truly a work of art. However, I was blown away by the sheer quality of it. The robe had long sleeves and the body of it reached down to my knees. The coloration strongly resembled the night sky with a greenish blue nebula taking up most of the middle and lower sections of it. The rest was a dark blue or purple with numerous white dots representing stars. The collar, cuffs, and very bottom of the robe were composed of the same gold thread I had seen earlier and had been styled into bars with spiral patterns. What was more; the precious gold thread had been sewn into the robe all over, literally making the robe shimmer with thin lines of gold.

Rarity waited patiently for my input. She was giving me a toothy grin, probably feeling very proud of her work. However, I was anything but happy. Quite the contrary. I felt absolutely awful. Once again, Rarity had given me something without asking for anything in return. And this robe, with threads of pure gold woven into it, was by far the most extravagant and expensive gift I had ever received from anyone in my life. It had no flaws I could see from a glance. It was truly magnificent. And now, my guilt was stronger than ever. I could not allow her to give me something like this without receiving something in return. I had to do something to return the favor.

"James, you've been quiet for a while. Is it to your liking or not?" Rarity asked. I looked at her and tried to find the right words, but I kept fumbling them before I could speak them. "Darling… Did I make a mistake? I thought the vast deep visage of the night sky suited your calm demeanor well…"

After a moment more, I finally managed to speak. "No, it's fine. Honestly, Rarity. This robe is more than I ever expected. To be honest…I feel guilty for accepting it. It's just that amazing."

The unicorn giggled, "Nonsense, James. You needed something to wear to the gala and I was happy to provide you with it! Oh, I can't wait to see how stunning you'll look in it!"

I admired the robe for a moment more before I muttered, "Excuse me, Rarity. I remembered that I have something to do… I'll be back in a while." I waved goodbye and headed out the front door.

The guilt was gnawing at me more than ever. I had to give Rarity something for her hospitality. Something much more than just a chocolate pie. But what could I give her? What did she adore most? The first thing that came to mind was jewelry. Every woman loves gemstones, especially someone of Rarity's standards. However, there must be a type of gemstone and precious metal that she prefers. And I knew just who to ask.

I headed straight for the library, knowing that Twilight Sparkle was a very knowledgeable pony. And being a fellow unicorn, she probably knew more about Rarity than her other friends. But when I drew near, I made sure to peek through the window to make sure no one would slam the front door into me a third time that day. From what I could see, there was not a soul on the first floor. I rushed to the front door and opened it gently. When I closed it behind me, I called out, "Twilight? Are you home?"

"Who?" A voice to my right asked. I looked down and found a tawny owl perched upon a podium that seemed to be made out of a tree stump.

"Well, aren't you a cutie? You don't bite, do you?" I asked as I reached out to pet the owl. He did not seem to mind at all as I caressed his feathers. Just then, I heard the clopping of hooves coming from the staircase that led to the second floor. A second later, I saw Twilight come into view.

"Oh, hey there, James! What brings you back here today?" The unicorn asked with a cheerful smile. But before I could answer, she looked at the owl, "Oh, I see you've met Owlowiscious. Did he say hi?"

"Owlow…iscious? That's a mouthful. And no, he didn't say hi. He said 'who' when I walked in." I replied, not surprised to find the owl's vocabulary to be rather limited. "In any case, I came here to ask you for advice. It's about Rarity."

The unicorn smiled, "I know quite a bit about her, so you came to the right place. What can I help you with?"

I took a seat on a wooden stool nearby before continuing. "Well, I'm thinking of getting her a gift. I was thinking jewelry, but I'm not sure what she likes. Do you know if she has any preferences?"

Twilight replied, "Oh, when it comes to Rarity, she isn't picky about jewelry. Although I think for her, the more extravagant and complex, the better the item. But she loves all forms of jewelry, so you'll have a hard time disappointing her."

I nodded with a smile, surprised that my landlord was so easy to please. "Any kind of jewelry will do, huh? That's good enough for me. Thanks, Twilight." We said our goodbyes and I headed on my way.

Although I had been living in Ponyville for a few days now, I had never once noticed anything that looked like a jewelry store. I tried asking around, the various ponies more than willing to point me in the right direction. The local jewelry shop did not look like much from the outside. But when I stepped inside, I found that it was just as elegant and orderly as any jewelry emporium on Earth. The clerk standing at the counter seemed to be a very refined mare who was wearing a pair of tiny glasses on her muzzle. However, her coloration was eerily similar to that of Diamond Tiara. Her coat was a bolder shade of pink while her mane and tail were the same shade of faded purple, but without any white on them. Her eyes were azure while her cutie mark seemed to be a gold ring with a ruby on top. Suspecting her to be Diamond Tiara's mother, I was very careful to not bring up the local bully in her presence.

As I approached the counter, the clerk looked up from what she was doing and smiled at me. "Hello, sir. Is there anything I can help you with?" Her polite manners were a stark contrast to the stuck-up attitude of Diamond Tiara. I immediately suspected she knew nothing of the filly's actions at school.

"Um…I'm looking to purchase a gift for someone. Perhaps a….bracelet to go around her hoof? As for materials, the more exotic, the better." I explained, hoping it would give the clerk an idea of what Rarity would like."

"Hmmm… Oh! I have just the thing!" She reached under the counter and pulled out a bracelet that seemed to be the right size. "This is one of our limited stock items. Does it fit your tastes?"

I closely examined the bracelet. To my shock, it was much more intricate than expected. The bracelet itself was composed of tightly woven gold and silver wires. And embedded into it were opals, pearls, and jade. Knowing that jade was seldom seen, I knew that Rarity would be delighted to have it. "Perfect. I'll take it."

The clerk smiled as she set the bracelet in a small box filled with cotton. "Wonderful. Now, will that be cash or credit?"

I was about to say cash, but the mention of credit surprised me. "Wait… You accept credit cards?"

"Yes, we do. You want to use credit?" The clerk replied with a nod.

I could not believe my luck. Some businesses in Equestria actually accept credit cards. I reached in my pocket, finding that my debit card was still there. The bracelet was probably very costly and would likely result in my account being overdrawn. But if I had no way to return to Earth, and that the people of Earth could not reach Equestria, then I had no reason to fear debt collectors coming after me. "Yes. I want to use credit."

I handed my debit card to the clerk, but she then asked, "Wait. Are you sure about this? That bracelet is one of our more expensive products."

I nodded, "It's OK. Go ahead. But please don't tell me the price." However, I suddenly became worried that the card would not work here, as Equestria has no access to Earth's banking companies.

Much to my amazement, the clerk handed my card back without showing any sign that something had gone wrong. "Do you want your receipt… Oh yes, you don't want to know the price. I can't say I blame you though." The clerk chuckled with a smile.

"Yeah… I'd like to keep my sanity, please." I joked, being very afraid to know what the cost was. Regardless, I finally had a means to pay Rarity back for her generosity. I said my goodbyes and headed back to Carousel Boutique with a bit of a spring in my step.


I waited until nightfall before making my move. Once I had bathed for the night, I took the bracelet and snuck into Rarity's bedroom. The moonlight provided just enough light for me to clearly make her out. The unicorn was sound asleep, her forelegs resting over her covers.

"OK…" I muttered softly as I carefully approached her. I had undone the clip that held the bracelet together beforehand, allowing it to open wide. Being extremely careful to not wake her, I closed the bracelet over her right foreleg just above the hoof. When it clicked upon locking the two halves together, I held my breath, as I was afraid Rarity would wake up. Fortunately, she remained fast asleep. With a sigh of relief, I tiptoed out of her bedroom. But before I closed the door, I looked back inside and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Rarity."

As I write this, I am resting on the sofa downstairs with a blanket over me. Now that I have given Rarity something valuable, all of my guilt has vanished. I feel as if a heavy burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I can only imagine how Rarity will react to her new gift when she wakes up in the morning. It will be an interesting way to start my fifth day in Equestria. But for now, I must sleep.