Title:           Just Like You - Chapter 2
Author:          TechyConversant
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/Pnm0DYsg
First Edit:      Friday 15th of June 2012 04:12:08 AM CDT
Last Edit:       Friday 15th of June 2012 04:12:08 AM CDT

>*bbbbbrrrrrriiiiinnnnnngggg*
>Off goes the lunch bell.
>All the colts and fillies get up from their seats.
>They grab their lunches from the cubbies, and rush outside.
>The picnic tables fill up quickly.
>At this point, Cadenza would happily trot over to you.
>'Anon, come sit with me!' She would say.
>That is of course, if you attended school today.
>But you didn't, so you'd have to imagine this is what's going on.
>Walking through the royal gardens is much more peaceful.
>You grip your apple and take a large bite.
>Always delicious.
>You have plenty more, too, so you feel free to enjoy them.
>You had to bring enough for two, again.
>Not one to go back on promises, it's time to make good on what you said to Chrissy.
"I'll see you tomorrow, and every day after that..."
>You softly recollect.
>Maybe she'll ease up after the first 10-20 days.
 
>The entrance of the Labyrinth appears in front of you once again.
>You may as well install a ramp leading here from your bedroom.
>As you have before, and are sure to do many more times, you enter.
>Left, right, right, left, straight, left...
>Like clockwork.
>The visage of the Princesses comes into view, in it's stone glory.
>As does the stone bench you love so much.
>Well, most of it.
>This time it happens to feature a small black ball with green mane.
>Upon closer inspection, it's Chrissy, fast asleep.
>Not the most comfortable place to sleep, you'd imagine.
>Well, it's not like you haven't slept there before.
>Who're you to judge?
>Careful not to wake her, you take a seat on the other end of the slab.
>Pulling another apple out of your pocket, you take a bite.
>The crunch was a bit louder than you expected.
>Evident by the stirring changeling to your right.
 
>"Mmnnhh..."
>It lives.
>She rolls onto her back and stretches out her holey hooves.
>"Not yet...5 more minutes..."
>Heh.
"Alright then, more apples for me."
>That wakes her up.
>She shoots upright, happily standing on the slab.
>"Anon!"
>If she was a dog, you could swear she'd be wagging her tail.
>She almost is.
>"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!?"
>Stamping her hoof on the bench, you turn to her unamused.
"I'm here pretty early, you know. Usually you have to wait until school lets out."
>"Oh, scho~ol, I'm sure."
>She giggles lightly.
>"Anything for me?"
>Rolling your eyes, you grab her prize.
>The shiniest, reddest, most delicious apple of the bunch.
>At least that's what she thinks.
>She sits down and opens her mouth.
>"Ahhhhn~"
>Really?
>You bring your near trademark deadpan stare.
>After a few seconds, she notices the distinct lack of apple in front of her.
 
>"Come on, gimme!"
"Get it yourself."
>You hold the apple up, and she outright refuses.
>"No!"
"Then you don't get an apple."
>"Nnnnnn...."
>She makes this noise that's a cross between a whiny pout and dying of hunger.
>She's really gonna make you do this?
>With a sigh, you hold the apple in front of her face.
>*CHOMP*
>And just like that, it's gone.
>Now she's happily munching away.
>"Delicious!"
>Mouth still full, a piece of apple flies onto your cheek.
>Ew.
>You wipe it off and flick it away, taking a bite of your own apple.
>The sun's high in the sky, a beautiful day, as usual.
>It almost never rains in Cantorlot.
>Like Celestia would ever want such blemishes on her city.
>That sucks, though.
>You like rain.
 
>Chrissy swallows her morsel of deliciousness.
>"You know, you should show up sooner next time."
>Well now.
"Excuse me?"
>"You heard me! You promised to see me!"
"I never said WHEN, I just said tomorrow."
>"And every day after that!"
>She ain't letting this go.
"Yeah yeah, but I didn't say it'd be early."
>"I wish I knew that before..."
>She WAS sleeping just a second ago.
>She might have been waiting here a while.
>A long while.
>Now you just feel like a jerk.
"Well, I'm sorry."
>"...accepted."
>She turns her head towards you once more.
>"Ahhhhn~"
>Ugh.
 
>A few apples later, and you're all out.
>"Ahhhhn~"
"Sorry, Chrissy, ya ate 'em all."
>"WHAT?!?"
>The disbelief in her voice makes it seem she thought the apples were eternal.
>"But I'm still hungry..."
"How can you still be hungry? You ate like 4 apples! Is there a hole in your..."
>...
>"..."
"...pffffttHAHAHAHAHA~"
>The first good laugh you've had in a long while.
>And at her expense!
>It's a good day.
>The red rising on her cheeks doesn't seems to agree.
>With a holed hoof, you're shoved off the bench.
>"JERK!"
>You even drop your apple on the ground.
>However, you're still in a fit of laughter, so you could care less.
>Once the giggles subside, you sit up.
>"Well now we need more apple, don't we?"
>Guess so.
 
>"Go get some!"
>Pretty demanding.
"Why do I have to do it?"
>"No one can see me, stupid."
>Oh, right.
>"Not to mention..."
>Queue the most heart wrenching puppy eyes you've ever seen.
>"You hurt my feelings..."
>...girls are dumb.
"Whatever."
>Unfazed by the look, you brush yourself off and start walking towards the exit.
>"Hey, you'll be back right?"
>Worried, eh?
>You turn back.
>"I promise."
>Satisfied with your answer, she lays down on the bench.
>And off you go.
 
>Right, straight, right, left, right, right, left...
>Like clockwork.
>As the gardens reappear, you casually stroll towards the-
>*whomp*
>And now you're flat on your back.
>"Found you!"
>Blaring pink p0ny with purple eyes pressed on your chest.
"Cadenza."
>She smiles.
>"Didn't see you at school today."
>Poison in those words.
"You must have missed me."
>You go to push her off, but she simply presses down harder.
>"No, I didn't. YOU skipped!"
>Guilty as charged.
"So what?"
>"Soooo, Aunt Cel's not going to be happy when she hears this!"
>Stupid watch dog.
"You're gonna rat me out?"
>The devilish grin appears in a flash.
>"Not if you listen!"
>Oh boy.
 
>"If you don't want your mommy finding out about this..."
>She's not your mom.
>"...then you'll do what I say."
>You don't have time for this.
"Fine, just get off me."
>She obliges, moving as you stand up.
>At the first moment of freedom, you start walking away.
>"HEY!"
>She runs after you, stopping in front of you.
>"Stop right now or I'm gonna tell!"
"You wouldn't."
>Calling the watch dog on her bluff.
>The next moment, you see she wasn't bluffing.
>A deep breath is followed by an ear piercing shout.
>"AUNTIE CELE-"
>You stop her with your hand halfway.
"Okay, okay, okay, just stop!"
>You pull your hand away, and she smirks in victory.
>"Come on, follow me!"
>She trots away from the gardens.
>You have no choice but to follow, and you feel like you won't be back for a while.
>Sorry, Chrissy...
 
>He's been gone for a long time now.
>A really long time.
>You're still hungry...those apples weren't enough.
>But more importantly, you're bored!
>He's supposed to be back by now.
>With apples!
>And entertainment!
>...but more importantly...
>...you're lonely.
>Cheer up!
>He'll be back soon, he promised!
>He doesn't break promises.
>Look around...still...not here.
>The sun's almost down...
>Where could he be?
 
>You really hate tea.
>You really hate parties.
>Whoever invented tea parties needs to be kicked in the rear.
>"Alright, Anon, would you like more tea?"
>You groan audibly.
>This is torture.
"Yes..."
>As Cadenza holds up the kettle full of imaginary tea, your gaze shifts to the window.
>The sun is going down.
>THE SUN!!!
>You quickly stand up, knocking the kettle out of her hand.
>"HEY, wha-"
"The sun's going down, I gotta go!"
>With that, you rush out of Cadenza's room, and out of her house.
>The streets of Cantorlot are nearly empty as the night approaches.
>This makes it easier to bolt to your destination.
>Snagging a red treat from a nearby shopping cart, you drop a few bits on the ground in it's place.
>You aren't one to steal.
 
>A few minutes later, you arrive at the entrance of the infamous Labyrinth.
>Left, right, right, left, straight, left...
>You almost feel like plowing right through to the center.
>As you arrive, the stone statue glistens in the dark, radiating the moon's light.
>That light, however, reveals an empty stone bench.
>She's gone.
>You slump, the ache and exhaustion from your run catching up to you.
>One final look around reveals...
>...that you really are alone.
>Taking the tasty fruit from your jacket, you solemnly take a bite.
>Stupid Chrissy.
>You said you'd be back...
>...you just didn't say WHEN...
 
>Meanwhile...
 
>Chrysalis returns to her family's cave.
>At the time, she felt...odd.
>Not hungry, for sure...she had enough apples.
>She felt...like something was missing.
>She makes her way to the thrones, where her mother and father sat.
>Her mother more excited than usual.
>"Chrysalis, my dear daughter!"
>Her mother steps out of her throne and bends down to give her daughter a hug.
>However, the fervor of her welcome quickly dissipates.
>"...Nothing."
>She gets up, collecting herself, and returns to the throne.
>"What a shame...I feel so empty..."
>That was it.
>Chrissy now knew how to describe her feelings...
>Empty.