SAAiE: Day Twenty Two: Obligations

DAY TWENTY-TWO: OBLIGATIONS

 

        As I lay in my undersized bed, thoughts begin to wonder through my mind. “I haven't done anything productive with my time in Equestria. All I really do is lounge around other ponies' homes. The most I’ve done is help Fluttershy with the animals, but I'm still pretty useless. If I’m going to stay in Ponyville, I should do something meaningful with my time.” First things first though, I need to wake up.

        I hop out of bed and begin the morning routine: Do a bit of stretching, say hello to Veronica, restroom, bath (waterfalling myself with the bucket), and change to my casual wear. I'm ready to face the day. I head down the stairs and turn the corner into the kitchen to get something to eat. As always Fluttershy's filling the bowls for the animals.

Myself: Hey Fluttershy. How's it goin'?

Fluttershy: Oh you know. Just feeding the mice.

M: You want some help or something?

FS: That's okay, just enjoy your breakfast.

I look to the table, there's a bowl of beats that a mouse is actually nibbling on and a side of strawberries. I almost forgot how unappealing breakfast can get, but Fluttershy doesn’t understand that I actually have preferences. (Still never told her.)

FS: No, no, no Limberg, I already told you that was for Anonymous.

M: Actually, I'm…not that hungry. Don't have much of an appetite after that party yesterday.

FS: Oh.

M: I'll just help out.

FS: Well…if you really want to.

        Over the next fifteen minutes, I give food to the gophers, I help Fluttershy get worms for the bird, we take a moment to mourn the lives lost this day, and I crack some nuts for the baby squirrels. (I don't really like the squirrels that much, they tend to throw acorns at me when I pass the trees.)

        After finishing with those pesky squirrels, I find Fluttershy, who's with the raccoons.

Myself:         Fluttershy, I'm done. Anything else left?

Fluttershy: Well, I do have a few more things to do, but I don’t want to drag you into it.

M: I wanna help.

FS: That’s okay.

M: Come ooon.

FS: Well…

M: Come oooooon.

FS: Are you sure?

M: Totally. I’ve got nothing better to do.

FS: Um…

M: Come oooooooooooooooooooooooo-

FS: Okay.

M: Cool.

        Flash forward a few minutes. Fluttershy’s going into Ponyville to restock on seeds, pellets, treats and an assortment of fruits and vegetables. I’ve taken the responsibility of pulling her wooden wagon and carrying her sack holding hundreds of bits for shopping. (How does she even get money like this?)

Fluttershy: You really don’t need to do this.

Myself: But I want to. I had some time to think when I was being taken to Ponyville, and I don’t want to be a useless cottage dweller like last time. I want to be as useful as possible with what time I have left. I want ponies to see me and think, “oh that human, was pretty useful”, or something. I just…want to be respected.

FS: That’s pretty admirable.

        We make it into the farmers market. Curious looks come from those who see me, as they wonder why I’m pulling Fluttershy’s wagon.

Fluttershy: We could use some more cucumbers.

Myself: Right behind ya.

Fluttershy strolls over to the carrot stand, and I follow accordingly.

FS: [To the Cucumber Stallholder] Hello, I would like to purchase thirty cucumbers.

Cucumber Stallholder: That’ll be 75 bits.

FS:…I’m sorry, but shouldn’t it be 60 bits?

CS: What do ya mean?

FS: Well, each cucumber is two bits, so if I have thirty cucumbers, that should be sixty bits…right?

CS: Sorry lady, but it was changed last week. Each cucumber’s two and a HALF bits now.

FS: Oh. Okay. Anon, could you hand me seventy-five bits?

M: Not a problem.

I walk into the view of the salesman to give Fluttershy her money. I also get a good look at the stallholder: a greenish earth pony wish a wavy blue mane that comes down his face.

CS: [startled] Uh-O-on, second, thought, [He calms down and puts on a fake smile] you come here all the time, I’ll discount it to sixty.

FS: Oh…Thank you! That’s so nice of you.

CS: Not a problem. But uh, don’t mention it to anypony else.

FS: Sure thing.

We give him his sixty bits and take the cucumbers.

FS: Come on Anon. Let’s get some radishes.

M: Right away.

        Fluttershy doesn’t understand why, but stand after stand, she’s getting discounts left and right or something additional added to her request. We’re not even completely done before the wagon begins to run out of room. As we walk to the next stand to get some brocolli, I notice one the background pony ‘Lily’ who actually has a flower cart that she’s trying desperately to hide from us. She pushes the cart backward, but still focuses her attention on us. When she notices I noticed her, she rockets backwards and the thing hits a wall causing it’s right wheel to fall off, and for a few lilies to fall to the ground as well…Idiot.

        Lily expeditiously tries to pop her wheel back on, but this is the kind of thing that takes more than one person…life form, to perform. And it’s all the more difficult since she has hooves instead of fingers.

Myself: Scuse’ me Fluttershy. I’ll be right back.

Fluttershy: Okay.

I walk over to Lily, with a completely blank expression. Lily slowly backs away inch by inch, with the intention to run upon sudden movement.

Lily:…I-I’m going to close shop now. So I can’t give you any flowers.

I continue walking. And she continues to back away.

L: Fluttershy? Do you have any idea what he’s going to do!?

FS: Um…Not really.

I walk over and grip at the cart.

L: STOP! You can’t have my flowers!

I get the cart up a few inches. And I notice that Lily’s crouching, while grinding a hoof in the dirt. I’ve seen enough horse fights on YouTube to know where she’s going with this. Pretty ballzy, considering she fainted at the sight of a bunny stampede.

Lily: Don’t make me hurt you…I’m a black belt in martial arts you know.

Myself: What kind?

L:…All of them?

M: Sure you are. Hey, do you mind popping that wheel in for me, I’m kinda busy holding this thing up.

She hesitates before answering.

L: I…guess so.

        Lily slowly lowers her guard and moves to the wheel. Once to it, she takes the wheel’s spoke with her teeth, and shoves it into the rod with her fore-hooves. I then find the cart’s lug nut, and twist it back on with my hands. As I’m doing this, Lily and Fluttershy get the flowers that fell back onto the cart.

Myself: Well, the wheels secured, but you might need to tighten the lug nut with a wrench or something. You should be able to get it home just fine though.

Lily stands, silently staring me in the eyes.

M: [To Fluttershy] We should probably get back to shopping.

I begin to walk off, before Lily finally musters up words to say to me.

Lily: Why did you help me?

I turn my head to her.

M: Excuse me?

L: Why did you help? Aren’t you supposed to be evil or something? Aren’t you going to take my flowers!?

I take a deep breath before answering.

M: You needed my help, so I helped. It’s as simple as that.

Silence.

M: [To Fluttershy] Sorry for the hold up.

FS: No problem ‘Anon’.

M: Come on. Let’s get you some broccoli.

As we walk off, I can hear Lily speaking to herself trying to remember my name.

(L:…“Anon.”)

        Though it takes a while, we eventually finish shopping, and head back home to restock the place. As we do so, a knock comes to the door.

Fluttershy: I’ll get it.

Fluttershy heads to the door, I listen from the kitchen as I continue storing groceries. Once she opens the door, I immediately recognize Rainbow Dash, who is speaking to her.

Dash: Hey Fluttershy.

Myself [still in the kitchen]: Hey Dash.

RD: Hey Anon. It’s about time you guys got back, I already came over here TWICE.

FS: What brings you here?

RD: It’s about Anon.

M: Huh?

I walk over to see what Dash is talking about. I notice that she has satchels on her back.

RD: Check THIS out.

Dash sticks her face into a bag and pulls out a slightly stylized poster featuring her on one side, and myself on the other. It’s covered with Equestrian text. Fluttershy observes the text, but I of course can’t read the jumbled up gibberish.

M: What’s this?

Fluttershy gasps in shock.

FS: It’s a promotional image for your rematch.

RD: Yeah! Next Friday [Nine Days]. Seven in the evening. I’m going to make a hundred copies of these, fly over Ponyville, and drop em from the sky. By the time I’m done, EVERYPONY will know about this! Pretty cool huh?

M: That really isn’t necessary. Can’t it just be something private between the two of us?

RD: Ha! Yeah right! Me verses the world’s ONLY human? This kind of match-up HAS to be seen. IT’LL BE SO TOTALLY AWESOME!

M: But I don’t know if-

RD: Well, I better get this poster copied. I’ll see you two later.

Dash flies off excitedly.

M: DASH, WAIT!...*sigh* [To Fluttershy] I’m going to take a walk.

I exit the door.

FS: Anon?

M: Please don’t follow me.

        As I walk about the open fields of Ponyville, I begin to contemplate my situation: “What will the ponies think if they see this?” “Should I even fight at all? I didn’t expect her to go through with this.” “Maybe I can find a way to weasel out of this.” I continue walking until I actually make my way into what I think is Ponyville's park. I find a bench, and lie in it for the next few minutes, still thinking. Eventually though, a certain hyperactive pink pony interrupts my thoughts.

Pinkie: Anon? What are you doing alone in the park?

I turn my head to see Pinkie, who’s standing beside me.

Myself: What are YOU doing alone in the park?

PP: I’m not alone, I’m walking Gummy.

She turns slightly, revealing Gummy, who’s clamped down on her tail.

PP: Sooo, what’s on your mind?

M: I’m supposed to have a fight with Dash next Friday.

PP: Oh.

M: And she’s going to advertise the whole event over Ponyville.

PP: Hmm…Friends shouldn’t fight though.

M: I don’t want to fight, but I promised her I’d do it.

PP: Hmm…you should never break a promise…but you shouldn’t fight either.

Pinkie ponders a bit over what’s worse, until she finally formulates a response.

PP: Bruises heel, but broken promises last forever. You’re going to need to fight Dash like you promised.

I let out a frustrated groan.

M: But I don’t want to.

PP: A promise is a promise.

I let out an even louder groan.

M: I’ll need to train or something.

PP: Ooh. Ooh! I SHOULD TRAIN YOU!

M: Seriously?

PP: Yeah, I could get a whistle, and a cap, and a moustache and everything! It’ll be JUST like a “Lightning Hook” film. Whaddya say?

M:…Sure.

PP: Oh goody! I need to finish my walk with Gummy, but you bet your rump we’re going to train tomorrow. See ya later Anon!

M: Later Pinkie.

Pinkie trots off joyfully.

        I may have just indirectly made my situation worse.