“Three days....”

“Rest assured, darling. I’m sure he wouldn’t just waltz out of town on such short notice, so there’s nothing to worry over just yet.” the glamorous mare assured as she levitated the teacup to her lips, though even Rarity herself wasn’t entirely sure her own words of comfort could be justified quite yet.

Through the midst of her teary eyed distress, the pink mare felt a light yellow hoof placed gently down on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Pinkie,” Fluttershy gave a soft smile, “He’s not going anywhere with his cutiemark and that scar showing.....and you know Crimson, he probably just needs his space if anything.”

Pinkie Pie couldn’t help but smile back from the words from her friend’s soft, angelic voice. The fact that all of her best friends spread around the library floors were giving it their all to comfort her in her time of need really managed to boost her spirits, if only a little. “Yeah.... you could be right. Maybe I am taking this a little too hard.”

“‘Course we’re right!” a certain overconfident cyan mare spoke up in a shameless, boastful tone, “The guy’s stupid, sure, but I know for a fact he’s no coward. I doubt he’d leave without at least saying a ‘goodbye’ first.” Or at least Rainbow Dash sure hoped. Though giving it some more thought, some points could add up to the outcome that the colt might actually be deliberately avoiding them. If that were the case, there wasn’t much telling what he could do if given the chance.

Twilight arched a brow at the apple farmer’s silent behavior. The mare hadn’t spoken a word since the topic at hoof began, not to mention the unnerved expression in her emerald eyes and grimace plastered across her face. It wasn’t like one of the most friendly ponies in all of Ponyville at all....

“Applejack,” the lavender mare turned to her friend quizzingly, “Are you feeling alright? You’ve been, well, quiet for a good long while now. Is something on your mind bothering you by any chance?” Why had she even bothered asking? It was obvious enough that the work-happy mare was suffering from the exact same stress as everypony in the confines of the giant, book-filled tree....

“Well.... Ah....” She wanted to reassure her friends that she was fine and dandy, but those words seemed to be stuck in her throat, absolutely refusing to budge. Those were the breaks of being the Element of ‘Honesty’ and all.

“....Applejack?”

“....Ah’ve gotta go.” Applejack jumped to her hooves, keeping her gaze low to the ground to avoid any eye contact possible. “Ah appreciate us gettin’ together like this an’ all, but Ah really should head off an’ check ta see how th’ farm is doin’ an’ all. Ah’ll.... see y’all later then.... ”

Picking up the pace of her trot without another word, the orange mare bashed her way through the library door in a hurry, though the reason didn’t strike one as having to do with work. Twilight wasn’t quite sure if her vision was playing tricks on her again, or if she actually saw tears running down Applejack’s cheeks as she quickened her pace towards Sweet Apple Acres...

“............Well,” Twilight raised her voice in order to break through the lengthy awkward silence, “It’s been.... fun... but we should really follow suit and go back to our daily responsibilities. I’ve got tons of books to sort out, so I’m going to be really busy myself. It’s been great talking to you gals again, hope you feel better soon, Pinkie!”

As they each said their parting farewells, the remaining mares cleared out of the library, leaving Twilight alone once again. Her dragon assistant had been spending lots of time going on “adventures” with the Cutie Mark Crusaders lately, meaning she had the house all to herself. She was glad Spike was starting to hang out with ponies closer to his age group, though she at least hoped they weren’t getting in over their heads....

Work had kicked the librarian into overdrive as of these past few days. And combined with the stress and worrying over Crimson’s well being, her friends, and where her and Storm could go with their relationship in the late future and how it would manage, she was, for a lack of better words, exhausted.

It also didn’t help that Twilight’s field of vision always seemed glued near those tickets that arrived only a few days ago. They were an invitation to a loud, loud, and incredibly loud rave party in Canterlot hosted by none other than DJ PON3 herself, a ticket specifically for her and a free pass up to six ponies to come with. The mare wasn’t all that thrilled over some big, flashy, and not to mention noisy party. However, if it meant even being a little closer to the stallion of her dreams, then so it must be done!

….Though there was still the problem of who she was going to take with her, or who would even want to attend with her....

********************************************************************************************************

“Hmm... Three days, huh? Well, who’s keeping track, right? Though I guess that’d be me, huh....”

Three days. It had been about three days since the colt had seen any those mares’ warm, friendly faces. But it all was for the better. Letting himself get too attached to those mares and vice versa would surely be his downfall. Though, even through the stubborn side of his brain that would rather have a full body acupuncture gone wrong(again) than admit it, he couldn’t help but at least miss them a little bit....

Ever since that incident with that ‘Black Widow’ mare three days prior, he couldn’t get it out of his thoughts. Pinkie Pie felt like a little sister since day one. You know, the one you feel you have to shield from all the bad things in life that could ruin the innocence she still had left. Applejack on the hoof was more of the down-to-earth sis that tried to take the role of a mother. They were the same two mares that had also come very close to death that day. He couldn’t risk it, not after the incident with his very first little sis....

Though from the looks of it, his “sisters” didn’t seem to view their “brother” in the same light.... ‘....I don’t get it,’ the colt thought as he rolled over onto his stomach for better comfort. ‘What could possibly be their fixation with me? There are millions of stallions in the sea for their choosing that would be a much better fit, and yet they insist that I’m the one they both picked? Not to mention that they’ve only known me for a little over a week....’

He had a feeling that even if they explained in full detail a thousand times over, the question would still float in his head for all eternity. He was well prepared to live out the rest of his probably short life alone, so for something like this.... it came as quite the shock. Sure AJ had given a few reasons, but none of them really felt....right. Or at least to the confused black colt anyway. Surely they were mistaken. One dangerous colt plus two lovestruck mares just didn’t add up. Or maybe he knew even less about mares than he had originally thought....

The colt merely brushed away the thought as he peeked down under the roof he was currently hiding to see the streets were surprisingly empty; only a few ponies here and there could be spotted, all looking as though they were in a hurry of some sort. The reason came when a shadow from above caused him to look up. The weather team was arranging the clouds in the sky. ‘Yup, they’re scheduling a rainstorm. Perfect....’

As the colt took in the scene above, his eyes began to grow heavier by the second. Sure he got a three hour nap sometime in between, but since the three days of isolation he hadn’t gotten anything else remotely close to sleep. He figured now is a better time than any, as his eyelids weighed down to a close almost as if on their own....

“....Crimson?”

‘Oh no.’

Crimson’s peeled his eyes back open and looked over the roof, finding a warm, friendly, and all too familiar face. “Oh. Hey, Rarity.... long time no see, huh?”

“Quite,” the pearly white unicorn gave a quick reply. She had a mix of what looked to be worry and relief in the expression on her face. The mare visibly cringed at what she took in; his mane was an absolutely unruly mess, the whites of his crimson eyes noticeably bloodshot, slight rings forming under his eyes, a matted charcoal coat, wings unpreened, and.... what smelled like rotting fish? “Darling, we’ve been worried sick about you. If you don’t mind me asking, where exactly have you been?”

“Well, I, um....” To the colt’s dismay his mind came to a blank. As the colt tried desperately to rack his brain for an excuse, Rarity’s brow was beginning to raise higher than the Golden Gate Bridge. “Eheh, you see, I-”

“You’re avoiding us, aren’t you?”

“Yes....” Well, so much for that idea. No doubt it sounded cliche, but, when the mare’s azure orbs began to bore through the colt’s, he even couldn’t bring himself to lie....

“Unfortunately I figured as much. Not to sound rude or anything, but have you dared to take in your appearance lately? To put it in layman’s terms, you’re an utter wreck. Please, tell me the problem and the girls and I would be more than happy to help you fix it.”

“Yeah. And not to sound rude myself, but that’s nopony’s business but my own.”

“Uh huh," Rarity deadpanned, “Crimson, are you sure you’ve been friends with us long enough? Because, in case you failed to notice, the six of us take our friendships very, very seriously.”

“Then sorry I don’t fit your quota,” the black colt glared right back, a hint of aggravation in his tone, “But in case you failed to notice, I haven’t exactly had a lot of friends. Besides, you probably wouldn’t understand if I told you....”

“Right, right....” At this point, the mare only gave a bored gaze as she began to examine every inch of her finely manicured hoof, looking as if she found more interest in it than their surely bound to grow dispute. “Now tell me, exactly how much longer are do you plan on using that tired excuse exactly?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Am I boring you?” Crimson asked in rising irritation, a dull glare drilling through the mare that didn’t seem to be paying him any mind. “Because if that reason isn’t to your fancy, I have an entire folder of several other reasons as to why I don’t exactly warm up to other ponies very well.”

“Yes, I recollect....”

“No. You can’t. You can’t say that in the slightest. And you wanna know exactly why?” With each passing emphasis, the volume of Crimson’s voice seemed to be raising in a stern anger. “Maybe it’s because you weren’t there. You’ve never even scratched the surface of how it’s been for me all these years.”

“Well, that is indeed true, but-”

“Exactly.” As pathetic as he knew it was, Crimson couldn’t help but feel a slight satisfaction at the sight of the dolled up mare now squirming a bit from his words. “You don’t even know twenty five percent of what I’ve seen throughout my life. And I’ve seen enough from ponies to know how they really are and what true equine nature really is to a fine tee.”

“Well it sure didn’t take long for you to ‘warm up’ to Pinkie Pie!” Rarity retaliated, her glare directed towards the black colt now leaving her infuriated, “The poor girl has put all of her time and dedication in trying to help you, can you truly say that deep down she’s the same as every other pony you claim to have witnessed in this “true” equine nature?! Hm, wait a minute now....” she tapped a hoof to her chin, “Did something happen between you and Pinkie by any chance? Out of most of us, she seemed to be taking this the hardest, as if she felt responsible for your avoidance....”

“....I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Pinkie’s just a clueless little foal.” the colt grumbled, rolling over to his side, eyes squeezed shut and back facing Rarity’s direction, “Now please, just leave me alone....”

“URGH, fine then!” Rarity turned away in a huff, “But just know this, Crimson, you can’t keep this charade up forever. Farewell.” And with that, the mare stomped off in frustration, leaving the black colt alone to wallow in his own shameless pride. Or at least for now anyway. The Boutique could take break. And hopefully, so could Twilight....

“Hmph, just watch me....” Crimson laid on his side, it must have been a while too, because his eyes almost refused to open themselves. In fact, let them stay shut he figured, he was exhausted and now was the perfect time for another nap-

Drip. Drip drip dripdripdripdripdrip....

The colt’s eyes jerked open as the small rain droplets started with his nose and worked it’s way over the rest of the colt’s now damp black coat. “Perfect....”

********************************************************************************************************

“Howdy, Spike! How’re y’all doin’?”

Spike looked up to see three fillies looking at him from a Scootaloo-powered wagon. “Oh, hey girls. Not bad, really. Twilight’s been a little uppity since she got those tickets from Storm, though.“

The three girls smiled broadly. “Oh, reeeaalllly?” They fluttered their eyelashes innocently.

“Yeah,” Spike said flatly. “Really. She’s been trying to figure out what to wear, how to act, and who to bring, ‘cause there’s two extra tickets. I personally can’t find the time to go with her, what with library business, along with daily naps and what not. I’m starting to hit my first natural growth spurt, and it puts me under with all the energy I lose. Still... I hope at least somepony will take her on her offer so I don’t have to worry about that stingy stick in the mud Storm.” The dragon couldn’t even say that last word without it leaving a bad taste in his mouth.... “Doesn’t help much that Twilight and the others have been wreaking themselves over that one Red guy’s short notice disappearance.”

“Look on the bright side, lizard dude!” Scootaloo gave a confident wink, playfully tapping the dragon’s shoulder. “More adventures for the four of us to go on! Come on, you know you want to~!”

“Yeah, what she said!” beamed the enthusiastic Sweetie Belle, as she moved her face in a little too close to Spike’s while batting the lashes over her sap-green gems. “Come on, Spikey-Wikey, we’d love for you to join us on our.... adventures.”

“Well, I, um...” This was getting weird. He could only wonder why the Cutie Mark Crusaders even felt any reason to hang out or go on adventures with somepon- er, someone who couldn’t even obtain a mark of any kind. They’ve never had this much interest towards him before.... “Hehe, I guess when you put it that way I-”

Spike’s words seemed to fail him when his sights landed on a glimps of the embodiment of beauty, grace, and elegance make her way through the front door of the tree library, the look on her face implying she was in a rather deep trance of thoughts.

“Hey, Rarity! Wait up, my sweet, I-”

“An’ where d’ya think yer goin’, mister dragon?” Unable to even take a single step forward, Spike looked back to meet the half mast eyes of Apple Bloom, a pale yellow arm wrapped tightly around his shoulder. If there was one thing the farm filly was starting to develope similar to that of her older sister, it was strength, much to the baby dragon’s dismay.

Meanwhile, the small white unicorn was tempted to curse under her breath, though it wouldn’t have been at all ladylike of her. Her big sister was definitely going to serve as a problem. “Come on, Spike. Maybe someplace less distracting will help you think over our offer.”

Heart pounding a mile a minute, Spike could feel himself being dragged across the ground, any resistance deemed useless by the yellow earth pony’s difference in strength over his own. As he took one last glimpse out of the corner of his eye, he could make out the sight of his beloved- or soon to be, he yearned- as well as a not-so-cheery lavender mare, a rather.... scary look settled onto her face.

Whoever Twilight was going with Rarity to meet, Spike couldn’t help but pray for them....

********************************************************************************************************

“Hmm.... I wonder if this counts for a shower at all....”

The colt was soaked as a sponge, but who the fuck was he to care? It felt nice and cool really, better than anything the stupid weather of the sun ever had to offer. Then again, good chance he was going to get really sick if he just laid on whoever’s roof this was under the frantic raindrops crash landing onto his charcoal tinted coat. Nopony could stay out in the cold rain forever, even despite the fact that his body temperature was a tad hotter than other ponies from what Glitch had told him once. But whatever, as long as the soothing white noise was the only sound humming through his eardrums, then he couldn’t give a shi-

“Oh dear... really, Crimson?”

The groggy colt simply shifted lazily to get a better view of the voice’s culprit and- ….why was he not surprised....

“I mean.... really?” the mare repeated, as though it were the only word she could fully grasp in her dazed state, “Just, tell me I’m seeing things, and not you laying helplessly in the rain without so much a care in the world....”

“Okay, Rarity. You’re seeing things.” With that, Crimson squeezed his eyelids together in attempt to drown out the mare’s “whining”, though a rather difficult task with the amount of concentration almost three days without sleep could muster.

Even past the restless drips of the rainfall the colt was able to hear her irritated groan. “How are you even able to stay out in this dreadful weather for so long, it’s freezing if I do say so myself.”

“Did you know stallions have a higher body temperature than mares? How do you know it’s not just you?” the colt responded with a hint of acid in his tone.

“Regardless, I will not be letting you just lay out here to wash away from the rain.”

“Yeah? And what are you going to do about that?”

His answer came in the form of a purple aura surrounding him. Rarity smirked. “Why, I called in a heavy lifter who can’t wait to give you a piece of her mind!”

Crimson just grunted, knowing that it’d be futile to try and escape from Twilight’s magical grip, especially in his current state. He really must have been out of it if he hadn’t seen this coming... “Fine, lay it on me. I don’t care. Try and make me feel guilty for taking a break from your crazy if you must!”

“Oh, don’t you worry about a thing.” the lavender mare had put up a devious smirk herself. “Sure, as much as I’d like to right here and now, the best thing about asking for help is that you don’t have to do anything alone. Maybe you should start taking notes once and awhile and maybe you’d learn something from us crazies....”

Crimson audibly gulped. ‘Perfect....’

This wouldn't end well.

********************************************************************************************************

“Alrighty, Spike! Now that yer a-okay an’ all set, how’s abouts we go on some adventurin’? With your firebreath, we could try for Manticore tamin’!”

“Wh-what?! Isn’t that a little... I dunno, crazy?!”

“Well, what d’you suggest then, oh great and wise baby dragon?”

“Uh...” Spike blinked, sudden inspiration hitting. “Hey, maybe we could try weather patrol? Or... cloud writing?”

Scootaloo buzzed her wings, clearly agitated. “Duh, can’t fly.”

“Sure we can,” Spike said with a smirk. “We got a balloon.”

********************************************************************************************************

“Thanks again fer the help. Granny Smith’s gettin’ older, so she ain’t too much help once she gets cranky before her daily naps an’ all.....”

The pink pony gave a nod, as she continued kneading at the dough with her hooves. “Are you kidding? There’s no way I’d just let you do this all by yourself, silly!”

“Thing is, Pinkie; Ah’ve been doin’ all o’ this by mahself lately,” the farm mare sighed. “Before Re-er, Crimson, we’ve been pretty off swamped with work as it was. Like Ah said, Granny Smith’s gettin’ old....er, so Ah’ve been more-or-less the one ta be cookin’ many nights, what wit’ some help from Apple Bloom ‘course. Even now, Ah’ve been a little.... distracted as of late. Ah’m prolly so back up on work that it ain't even funny.”

“Well.... Red has been helping you guys a lot around the farm this past week, right?” Pinkie Pie asked in attempt to offer her condolences.

“Sure has! But even still wit’ all this drama lately, Ah’ve been a tad, well, backed up wit mah work here on the farm. Big Mac’s been tryin’ his darndest ta help me catch back up, but.... Ah don’t wanna burden him like this. Bad enough Ah dragged Crimson into this....”

With that, a rosy blush overtook the mare’s usually orange freckled cheeks, though short lived when a noticeable change in expression overtook into one of sorrow. ‘Damn stallion.... where are you?’

“Hey.” Though it made her tense up at first, Applejack gladly accepted and returned the pink mare’s embrace with open arms. “Loosen up, AJ. He has a funny way of showing it, but he does care about us in his own little way. With everything he’s gone through, I doubt it’s easy for him to admit that he needs help to anypony. That’s why even if he never admits it, I’ll go through all of Equestria just to let him know that he has somepony on his side when he needs it!”

“....Yeah, yer right,” the eased Applejack nodded, finding the courage to show a small smile, “Ah reckon Ah’m overreactin’ a mite. Might as well give him his space, he’ll more than likely turn up sooner or late-”

SLAM

“Look out, everypony! Your colt of the hour has arrived!”

“Shh shh shhhh, Twilight, shut u- OW dammit!”

The two earth ponies looked to each other and blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice-

“What in tarnation is goin’ on out there?!”

The mares bolted out of the kitchen and towards the front door with all haste. Once there, two unicorn mares came clearly into view. “Twilight! Rarity! I’m so super duper glad to see you girls! You wouldn’t happen to know where that loud bang at the door came from would yo-”

The pink mare was cut short when a rosey magic aura engulfed her vision and forcefully turned her head in the direction of the lavender mare’s choosing with a blood curdling cracking noise that was more than likely going to be sore in the morning. When Pinkie Pie finally saw what she was supposed to be looking at, well.... let’s say both her and the farm mare had come to a rather silent conclusion.

“....Well, well, well. Look who’s finally showed up.” Applejack wrinkled her nose. “An’ it seems he could use a bath.”

“Not the only thing this colt could use, darling.” Rarity said through her teeth as she levitated the umbrella shaped hat off with her magic. “Quite frankly, a stern lecture would be putting it much too lightly.”

“Hey, what are you going on about?” Once again, all eyes bored into the black colt as he began shifting to his hooves. “I plead innocent here. All I was doing was minding my own business, when all of a sudden-”

Smack! While the blow definitely didn’t hurt the colt, it made Applejack and Twilight wince, and Rarity faint. “Pinkie..?”

“Dammit, Red! I was worried sick about you!” Pinkie glomped Crimson, and began bawling into his shoulder. After a minute, she sniffled, and raised her head to look at him. “You’re all stinky, Red.”

“Three days without a single bath does that to a pony.” the white unicorn deadpanned, seemingly conscious once again from her over dramatic little scene.

Disgruntled faces were shared all around. “....Crimson,” Twilight brought a hoof to her snout, “You wouldn’t mind explaining to all of us what it was that you were doing avoiding everypony in town for the past two days, eleven hours, and thirty five minutes, would you?”

Everypony looked at Twilight with a bit of unease. “That’s... That’s rather scarily exact, Twilight,” Rarity said.

“I’m not Celestia’s top student for nothing, Rarity.” the lavender mare took a second to pride herself. “Now hush. It’s Crimson’s turn to answer.”

“........No.”

“Well, if you don’t want to tell us then I guess I can’t force yo- wait, WHAT?”

“You heard me, Twilight. No.” the colt repeated, adding extra emphasis this time. “I have my reasons, and I don’t have to tell them to anypony.”

“Red,” Before he knew it, Crimson found the farm filly’s snout shoved too close for his liking, and a look that didn’t help matters either. “Out wit’ it. Why have y’all been avoiding us for close to three days now? An’ don’t pull any crap, Ah’ll be able to tell if yer lyin’.”

Crimson tried to look away, but the stubborn mare kept her face right in front of his no matter how he twisted or turned. Finally, he sighed in defeat. “Star Bright,” he said in a hollow tone.

“What d’you mean, Star Bright? What about her?”

“You were used against me, just like she was. I only barely saved you two from dying. I won’t let it happen again. I can’t.” He hung his head in shame. “I used to spill innocent blood without thought or care, but now... Now, I care too much. Star Bright, you six... No. No more.” Crimson stood up, trying to push past Twilight even as she held him with her magic. “I’m leaving. You wanted a goodbye? I’m sorry to disappoint, but most people I say ‘Goodbye’ to either end up dead, or trying to kill me.” He looked back at Pinkie and Applejack. “I could understand the latter, but I’d rather not get any more blood on my hooves than necessary.”

Applejack regarded Crimson, but she knew he was telling the truth. The pain hidden behind his eyes was great, and the torment he must have been squirreling away so it didn’t bother anypony else would have caused lesser stallions to go mad for blood. Applejack frowned. “Y’all’re tellin’ the truth, but not alla it. You ain’t leavin’ till you spill.”

“Well, I’m not spilling.”

Applejack smiled wickedly. “Then y’all ain’t leavin’. Pinkie!”

“Yeah, AJ?”

“Go start a bath, we got ourselves a very dirty colt.”

“Roger!” Pinkie gave a quick salute before she dashed off. Crimson gulped as the orange mare lowered herself into an attack position.

“Don’t make me get mah rope.”

~~~

Splash!

“Whee! Woo, this is the best bath ever! I didn’t know you had such a big bathtub, AJ!”

“That’s on account a how big Big Macintosh is. Y’all think he could fit in one a those dinky li’l things other ponies use?”

“While that’s interesting and all, why the fuck am I tied up?!?!” Pinkie giggled as she nuzzled Crimson, his blush only deepening further as her slick, soapy fur rubbed against him.

“Silly Reddy-Weddy, you kept struggling, and we can’t get you all cleaned up if you struggle!”

“......Pinkie,” Applejack struggled to keep up her poker face. “Ya did know that y’all didn’t have ta join him in the bath, right, Sugercube?”

“Well, duh~!”

“Y’know,” the immensely red in the muzzle stallion growled, “I can understand making me take a bath, sure. However, with the two of you giving me the said bath.... yeah, not so much.”

“Sucks, don’t it?” the farm mare retorted, using her sudsy hooves to wash off the days worth of crud from Red’s soggy mane. She knew that it must have been of the highest torture for the prudish colt, despite the fact this was probably more or less most other stallions’ wet dreams. Literally. But in a way, this also served usefully as the colt’s punishment.

And totally not an excuse for the two mares to run their hooves all over his very muscular, well toned body with soapy water. Nope.

“Okay....” Crimson couldn’t tell which his muzzle felt more scalding from, his embarrassment or his irritation. “Well, why the hell can’t I just bathe myself? I’m a full grown stallion, not some foal for the two of you to play with.”

“Hmph.... Well ya ain’t doin’ much to convince otherwise.”

“What was that?”

“So we can make sure you won’t get away this time, silly!” the pink one spoke up to throw off the colt’s suspicion. “And besides, I think it’s a lot more fun this way!”

“Fun. In what way possible do you see this as- EEP!”

Despite the ropes that secured him tight (Applejack could tie a damn good rope), Crimson nearly jumped out of the tub when he felt two smaller hooves place themselves on his midriff. His hooves were tied and bound, so nothing could really stop Pinkie Pie from letting her hooves explore, as they began slowly running and feeling their way down Red’s solid chest and a little ways above where Crimson desperately wanted to swat the mare’s hooves away from.

“Ooooooooooooooh, wow, Red,” Pinkie Pie coed just close enough for Crimson to feel her hot breath in his ear. “I had no idea you were this.... chiseled~.”

Crimson’s blush increased tenfold from the pink mare’s comment, limp jaw and massive stuttering in tow. “Wha.... I.... T-The hell are you-”

“Shucks, Red,” the orange mare said with a chuckle, using her hoof to keep her smile out of view from the colt. “Pinkie's jus' helpin' ya get clean.”

“Yeah! Brusha brusha brush, brushie brushie brush~ It's time to get you nice and clean~!” the pink mare squealed in a melodic voice.

“St-stop it, Pinkie... I don't like to be touched like th-that...”

“Oh? Sorry, but I gotta clean you allll over~”

“Hee hee, Pinkie, now y'all're jus' bein' mean.”

Crimson sighed in relief. At least Applejack was still being reasonable! “Yeah, seriously....”

“Yer hoggin' 'em all to yourself!”

“See, Pinkie? I-Wait, WHAT?!”

Applejack slipped her hooves down into the water, her face leaning uncomfortably close to Crimson's as she helped wash his stomach, before bringing her hooves up to wash his withers and forelegs. "Is that better, Sugarcube?"

"N-no, it is not. I-I can wash myself. I...I don't want this... To be t-treated like a toy... an animal... I... I can't..."

"Ya can't what? C'mon, Crimson. Jus' tell us why you were avoidin' us, and Ah'll untie you. Don't tell us, and you'll have to endure this until RARITY says you're clean."

Crimson was silent for a long moment, his only movement his small twitches and shudders every time Applejack or Pinkie's hooves grazed past his stomach or his cutie mark.

"C'mon, Red..." Applejack leaned her head in close, nuzzling him as she wrapped her forelegs over his withers. "Y'all can be as tough as nails an' stonier than a mountain, but even a mountain crumbles. We're your friends, and... we just don't wanna see that happen."

Applejack began tracing a hoof along the black colt's back, more importantly, along his scar. "You've had such a hard life... Such a bad life, that we just can't let you go on like that. We wanna be there fer you, an' make it all better. You're special to us, Crimson."

Crimson's mind flashed back to Star, and the way she'd hug him after eating dinner. 'Thank you, Red! You're the best brother ever!' His face went dark, and Applejack pushed away so she could look into his eyes.

"... You want to know the real reason, AJ?"

"Yeah, Ah certainly do at that."

Crimson let out a long sigh. "Fine. C'mere." Applejack leaned in. "No, closer. Closer... come on, real close now," he whispered breathily.

The infatuated mare leaned in as close as she could, a blush coating her muzzle from the colt’s tantalizing request. She leaned ever closer, and he leaned back. She leaned even closer, until-

SPLASH!

Applejack fell into the tub with a loud yelp. Meanwhile the pink mare was fighting her hardest to keep herself from bursting into giggles.

Spluttering, the farm mare glared at Crimson. "Galdang it, Red! Ya went and got mah hat all wet!"

“Actually, not too much my fault really. I am a bit tied up at the moment.” the colt stung back, absolutely no signs of humor evident on his completely stoic expression. “Maybe Ponyville’s “Best Athlete” is nothing but a clumsy lil’ country mare, hm?”

“.....Pardon?” This wouldn’t end well.

Pinkie could already feel the sweat rolling down her brow. “Applejack, c-calm down. Red was just kidding, weren’t you Re-”

“Then would y’all care ta repeat’ that again, Red?” the mare snarled, her glare strengthening by the millisecond, “Ah’m not sure Ah caught that the first time.”

“I didn’t think I stuttered, but, since you asked so “nicely”.... Flopplejack-”

Not a second was spared when Crimson felt Applejack’s hooves force onto his barrel and drag him down into the sudsy water. A squeal was barely audible from the pink mare, as it was drowned out -along with the colt, the constant SPLASH from the tub’s water far too vociferous to make out anything else. Even when tied up, Crimson absolutely refused to go down without a fight, though this mare’s strength was nothing to scoff at either.

“Hey -HACK- Get offa me!!! Are you trying to kill me here or something?!” Whether his words got through or not was a mystery, but Applejack sure wasn’t letting down any.

“Ya wanted ta do thing the hard way, so we’re doin’ it the hard way!” the orange mare cried out between dragging the colt down, “Y’all can fight it all ya want, but the fact of the matter is that yer gonna get cleaned, even iffin’ that means Ah have ta wrestle y’all ta do it!”

Unfortunately for the mare, trying to wrestle somepony not only when you’re wet fur is constantly sliding off of each other, but the feeling of her body pushing onto Crimson’s muscular frame was more than enough to leave Applejack feeling a red-hot blush creep up her neck. ‘Dag nabbit, girl! Out of all the times for y’all ta go an’ start thinkin’ like this, ya had ta pick now....’

More than half of the water from the tub had leaked onto the bathroom floor at this point, leaving one hell of a mess that would need to be cleaned up after this. Though it could have very well been a long shot, but he noticed in Applejack’s emerald orbs something in her head leaving her a tad distracted. It was the perfect, albeit dirty time to strike back. The colt took a deep breath and plunged the rest of his body into the water, leaving Applejack to awkwardly fumble and slide right off his back.

“Sorry, Jackie,” Crimson uttered just loud enough for the mare to hear, a smirk curling onto his lips as his muzzle found its way onto a small knob.

“Don’t. You. Dare-”

SpsstFSHssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh............

“Buuuut I prefer showers anyday....”

The three sat in silence, the two mares visibly shivering in their haunches as the ice cold drippets from the shower head sprayed them, Crimson included. If the black colt was feeling the intensity from the freezing water sprinkling onto his coat then he did a good job not showing it, instead, chuckling at the mares’ discomfort. “Look, untie me, and I’ll finish cleaning myself. Come on, with you two standing right there, how could I escape? There’s not even any windows.”

Applejack just groaned and hung her head as she was finally able to pull herself out of the tub. “F-f-f-fahne, C-c-Crims-son. Y-you win.”

Applejack bit the loose end of the soggy rope’s knot, the slip sliding through even though it was swollen from all the water it had absorbed. Crimson sighed in relief as he flexed his wings, sending droplets of water flying into the air above him, where they started to form together into a bubble of condensation. Sliding the lids of his eyes to a close, he began to focus all remaining mental power on the droplets of water running down his red and black striped bangs. They began melting into each other, shaping larger and larger until it was almost the size of Crimson’s head. With more concentration of his pegasus magic, the colt compressed the liquids until they resembled a calm, glossy, and clear orb, hovering just delicately before his muzzle. Only mere seconds later, the drops began to separate in two smaller orbs. Then four. Then eight. Then sixteen. Thirty-two.... Each time getting smaller and smaller until they blended back into the original shower-drops splattering back onto the tub surface.

When he finally opened his eyes, his crimson orbs landed on the two mares that were simply standing in the doorway, silent, a noticeable red on their cheeks that even Crimson was able to catch....”Oh, you’re still here.... what are you two staring at?”

“That’s a... mighty fine trick ya got there, Red.” the flustered orange mare spoke up, emerald eyes still gleaming with amazement.

“Just some pegasus magic really,” the colt shrugged as he started forming up another bubble. “A pegasus can manipulate the water in clouds to produce rain, this is no different really. Some pegasi are better at it than others, me when I’m in a calm state of mind I suppose. Now, my turn; why are the two of you blushing?”

Pinkie let out a squeal of nervousness. “Oh, you just look so... so... I don’t even know the word, I’d go cute, but you’re too rugged, too buff. No, cute isn't it, and handsome would work, but it’s not strong enough, so I guess I have to trot along in Fluttershy’s hoofprints because Reddy, you-” Pinkie lets out a breath, and takes a step forward. “Look-” she took another step forward, her voice dropping a few decibels. “Nice~.”

The bubble of water above Crimson burst as his concentration is battered down by fluttering eyelashes. He shivered as the torrent washed over him, but it wasn’t from the cold. It was from the very... unsettling... feeling that had shot through his heart like a rusted arrow.

“I....I....I don’t even......” With each word, Crimson’s face grew into his name, deeper and deeper, not to mention his eye contact was jumping all over the place. “L-Literally none of those words apply to me, Pinkie!”

“An’ ponies tell me that Ah can be thick sometimes....”

“Wh-What? The hell is that suppose to-”

“Listen, Crimson,” Applejack interjected, as she kept a rather surprisingly stern stare despite the warmth coating her snout. “Y’all need ta stop puttin’ yerself down all the time over everythin’. Modesty’s one thing, but this....”

“Well, just in case you forgot,” the black colt put up a scowl, motioning a hoof towards his scalp, or in this case, his brain. “My self esteem doesn’t exactly exist. And why would it? What’s so great about a murderer who’s contributed nothing to world other than blood, sweat, and tears? Not that it bothers me or anything....”

“Crimson!” the mare repeated with an even more forceful tone than Crimson thought possible, enough to make him jump even. “Y’all sell yerself short more than anypony Ah’ve seen in mah entire life! It ain’t healthy one bit! Yer kind, caring, fun, thoughtful, easy going, and.... well....”

For a moment, the apple farmer cut eye contact, shielding her scalding muzzle behind her soggy stetson. “....And handsome, that one goes without sayin’ Ah suppose... and whether or not y’all want to believe it, Crimson,” Applejack began, as she brought her gaze back to the colt’s, “Jus’ like Pinkie, or me, or anypony in Equestria, you have emotions! So quit tryin’ ta fight them an’ accept, no, embrace them! Jus’, please, let us help you.... Red....”

Red was silent, several thoughts swirling around his head not too different a fashion than that of a whirlpool. What in the hell had he done to make them accuse him of being anything like those foreign words.... What the hell did they know? Two mares he’s known for little over a week, believing they’ve got him down pegged? The colt had gone through years worth of mental training to keep his blasted emotions in check, and they wanted him to just throw all of that away at the tip of a hat? No matter what, these mares hadn’t come close the nightmares he had lived, how could they think that they could sympathize in the slightest....

“.....Hate to break it to you AJ, but I think I’d know myself a little more than you at this point. And I’m going to have to label all of what you said false.”

“Red, Ah-”

“Are you deaf, or just fucking stupid?! Nopony in this backwards town knows jack shit about who, or even what I really am! Just.... get that through your thick skulls already and just GIVE UP!!!”

Crimson had finally snapped. Warm air heavily flared from the colt’s nostrils. His breathing, the only sound audible from the deathly silence suffocating the room, had become dangerously rapid and violent. Most noticeably, what made the mares’ spines stiffen up the most was the demented look in the colt’s eyes. The iris of his eyes were just barely visible; the crimson orbs that once held a roguish charm were replaced with a sickening stare that resembled less of an equine’s and more of a.... a........

The fear in Applejack’s eyes were replaced with what looked to be a mix between three emotions; shock, sadness, and anger. While the mare still held a furious, yet faltering glare right back, beads of tears were clearly visible in the corner of her eyes, like a dam just seconds away from breaking....

“....Y’know what.... fine!” Applejack shouted, her voice quavering heavily, “There ain’t nothin’ Ah can do for ya if y’all won’t even try to accept my heart- that Ah’ve been pourin’ out to you!” The dam finally broke- no, shattered, much like the mare’s heart had at that moment. With the passing seconds, her tears went from beads to entire rivers running down the mare’s cheeks. “If ya don’t want my help, then Ah guess Ah.... Ah.... Ah.........”

Without uttering another word, Applejack bolted out the door, a painful sense of Déjà vu from earlier this morning clouding the mare’s thoughts, since the tears were already clouding her eyes. The black colt’s rage greatly dissipated, but unfortunately his pride kept a small source of anger still lingering in his head....

That is, until his eyes made contact with Pinkie Pie’s. The second his eyes spotted her cerulean ones, any anger still remaining dropped like an anvil. The pink mare’s ears folded back when she came to Crimson’s attention, her head ducked low as if she were an abused puppy about to receive her next “punishment”; a look in her eyes the hitcolt knew all too well.

Fear.

“.....Pinkie Pie, I-”

But the second he opened his mouth, the mare was already out the door.

Slackjawed, Crimson lifted his hoofs into vision to notice that they were shaking along with the rest of his body, as new questions began to swim inside his head... Why had he gotten so mad? Why did he let his emotions take over again.... What would he have done to them if they hadn’t left him out of sheer fear? All the questions were washed away by a wave of regret, Crimson lowering his head and letting out a shaky sigh, the only audible sound being the freezing cold water hitting his coat from the showerhead above....

“....It shows what they knew, but I bet they know now..... I’m a monster.....”

********************************************************************************************************

Spike grumbled as he hung, swinging from a branch near the CMC’s not-so-secret base of operations. “Well, that was a bust.”

Scootaloo groaned in disgust, her wings buzzing frantically as she tried to disentangle herself from the rope. “Ugh, come on, I was sure we had it that time! I mean, Skydiving from the exosphere would have totally gotten our cutie marks!”

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle added, “if the hot air balloon hadn’t popped from the cold in the top of the troposphere.” She was currently the only one present not hanging upside down, instead held upright in half of the broken balloon’s basket.

“Aw, c’mon, you guys, this ain’t so bad!” Apple Bloom was tied to Spike, their bodies pressed uncomfortably close for the young dragon. “Ah mean, we didn’t get covered in tree-” Crr-RISHK!

Everypony glared at Apple Bloom (Spike just jabbing her with an elbow since he couldn’t see her) as they all dropped a few inches. “Aww... Horseapp-” CrrhHSS-FftFftFft-THOOM.

“Ugh...” The three fillies and one dragon pulled themselves up off the ground, grunting and groaning all the while. Scootaloo looked at her body, and then that of her friends. “Hey, we still didn’t get covered in tree-” Suddenly, a beehive as big as a colt fell from the trees above, hitting the ground and splattering all four of them with the goopy mess inside. “... sap. This doesn’t count, dang it!”

“Ooohhh, Rarity’s gonna kill me if she sees that I got honey in my mane! Oh, what’re we gonna do?”

“Just eat it,” Spike said helpfully, licking some of the sweet-tasting goop off his arm. “Mmm, try it; it’s good!”

Apple Bloom looked over to her two friends slowly, a smile spreading across her face as she cocked an eyebrow. When Scootaloo understood, she returned the smile, her wings flaring with a small, somewhat syrupy fwumph. “Don’t mind if Ah do, Spike.” Apple Bloom and Scoots started advancing on the baby dragon, Sweetie Belle quickly catching on when she saw the predatorial grins her friends were sporting.

Spike only had time for one small shout before he found himself being invaded by three fillies taking his statement too literally. What was it he shouted? Well, it sounded a little like this: “Wait, no, don’t lick meeeeee~!”

********************************************************************************************************

“Applejack?! AAAAApleJAAAAACK?!”

The dripping wet colt wandered through the hallway of the Sweet Apple Acres barnhouse. He rubbed at his eyes, not quite sure if the fur matted below his sockets were from lack of sleep, or.... He had to get this out of his system, even if it still meant they’d hate him for as long as he roamed Equestria, and who knew how much longer that’d be....

A towel was draped around Crimson’s barrel, most importantly, his scar. He figured it was better to not disturb the Apple residence with his most noticeable trait, other than maybe his cutiemark. It still felt unsettling, that much was definitely apparent. If only he had something better to cover with.... ‘It really has been a while since I’ve seen that old thing. Where is it anyways...’

The colt stood outside of one of the hallways with pressure building in his stomach, and hesitantly....he knocked.

“Applejack? You in there? Listen, I’m sorry for, well.... going ballistic on you when you only wanted to help. It’s just.... ever since the two of you were almost killed, it’s been... hard to think straight, to say the least. But, please, even if you hate me, want me to leave town, or even turn me over to Celestia.... I’m sorry....”

The seconds gruesomely passed, Crimson noting that it was becoming rather hard to swallow. When a minute passed without an answer, the black colt raised a brow quizzingly, bringing his hoof to the door one for time for it to slide open almost on it’s own. He peered his head through the doorframe, taking in each corner of the farm mare’s room to find it disappointingly empty.

“Damn, no dice. That just means I used all of my will to apologize to.... a door.”

Just as he was about to turn tail on the mare’s room, something managed to catch the colt’s eye, and full curiosity. He debated whether to take a closer look or not. He knew better than anypony that privacy was meant to be respected, not to mention it wouldn’t make matters any better if he were caught in the act. But... curiosity killed the colt.

Crimson cautiously trotted closer to Applejack’s bed, noticing a small piece of a strangely familiar cloth just barely peeking from under the bed frame. It was only when he held it out in his hooves did it all managed to seep in....

“Oh ho ho, Applejack.... we need to talk.... NOW.”