Chapter 2: The Meet Up

Dusk has been expecting the arrival of Fluttershy and her friends for about an hour now. Before, while walking in the Everfree Forest, he was excited about the prospect of meeting the locals of Ponyville. Dusk had always been one, to try and make friends with any new pony that he would meet. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t really have any friends to call his own.

During his short stint as a delivery pony for the Manehatten Postal Services, he was always ignored, a background pony. In the eyes of everyone else, he seemed like just another co-worker. Whenever Dusk tried to start up a conversation with another worker, they would always think of an excuse to stop the conversation. Some of the most used were:

“I need to go deliver this package.”

“I have to go to the meeting.”

“I’m too busy to talk right now.”

He honestly hated his job. The only reason why he continued to work there as long as he did, is because he needed the job. The only person in Manehatten who he could consider a friend was Sunset Flora.

His life in Cloudsdale wasn’t much better, but he decided to keep those, unpleasant memories suppressed.

He couldn’t dwell on his past for any longer though. Despite the bad memories, he was still quite excited about the prospect of possibly of making new friends.

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About ten minutes later, Fluttershy and a lavender mare entered the area where he was staying.

Dusk was the first to speak up, “Hello Fluttershy, I presume that she is your friend.”

“Oh yes, she is one of very best friends that I could ask for.” responds the quiet pegasus.

“That’s nice, so would your friend like to introduce herself?”

“Certainly Dusk, my name is Twilight Sparkle...”

The lavender unicorn has a straightened dark purple mane, complemented by a pink and purple stripe on the right side of her mane and tail. Her cutie mark consists of a purple, 6 pointed star which was surrounded by five smaller white stars. It doesn’t really show what her special talent is.

“...I run the Ponyville Library downtown. I was sent by Princess Celestia to learn abou-”

“The Princess sent you here herself?!” interrupted a shocked Dusk.

“Yes she did. She told me to stay here so I could study about friendship. I am actually her student”

Dusk felt a slight *boom* inside his head. All he could do is stare at her in amazement.

“W-w-wow.”

“It isn’t really that big a deal.”

Dusk just kept on staring at Twilight.

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When Twilight and Fluttershy finally broke Dusk’s hypnotized stare, they started socialising.

“...and that’s when Fluttershy used the “Stare” on the cockatrice, while she was turning into stone.”

“Remind me to never get on Shy’s bad side.” says the surprised Dusk.

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So after another 20 minutes, both Twilight and Fluttershy had to leave the hospital. Twilight had to go back to her library and Fluttershy had to feed her animals.

“So Fluttershy, do you mind if you could come back to the hospital tomorrow, I need to know how to get to places` in Ponyville.”

“That will be fine Dusk. See-ya later.”

“Bye.”

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A couple of hours later, two mares walked into the area where Dusk was staying and greeted him.

One of these mares was a farmer earth pony. She has an orange coat and and a blond mane and tail, which are both tied of at the end. She has three apples as her cutie mark, which probably means that her talent involves all things apple-related. She speaks with a southern accent. She gave Dusk a vigorous hoofshake on his uninjured hoof, she was very strong.

“Howdy, Dusk. Mah name is Applejack.”

“H-h-h-e-ello-o-o A-a-appl-le-e-e-ja-a-ck.” Dusk’s stutter was caused by the hoofshake.

“Now Applejack, that’s no way to treat an injured patient.” the other mare said in a haughty tone.

“No, no, its perfectly fine.” reassures Dusk. (Who couldn’t move his left forehoof)

The other guest, was an alabaster unicorn with a styled, purple mane and tail. Her mane was curled at the end in such a way, that it makes her look like a member of the upper-class. Her tail, curls all the way from start to finish, it appears that she likes to always look her very best. Her cutie mark consists of three diamonds, which most likely means that she is skilled with the use of rare jewellery. In fact, she was the polar opposite of Applejack.

“Alright, if you insist. Anyway, my name is Rarity.”

“Pleased to meet you Rarity. My name is Dusk.”

“You see Applejack, you don’t need to be rough when you greet new ponies.” Says the prideful unicorn.

“Well, excuse me, little miss perfect. Just ‘cause you act frou-frou all of tha’ time, doesn’t mean ah have to.” debates the farm pony.

“Well you don’t need to act like a brute whenever you meet someone.”

“Uhh... Girls-”

“Ah’ can welcome someone, any way ah’ want, thank you very much.” Says an annoyed Applejack.

“If by welcoming, you mean injuring.”

It was apparent that a heated argument, about how to greet a new pony, has started, and that Dusk was in the middle of it.

‘Why does this have to happen to me’

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Five minutes later, peace broke out. Rarity left the hospital in a huff, and left Applejack in the room with Dusk.

“I’m mighty sorry about what happened with Rarity. Sometimes she can just be as stubborn as a mule.”

‘Thank Celestia, that Rarity didn’t hear Applejack compare her to a mule. Horrible things would of happened.’

“That’s OK. I thought that your greeting was just fine, even though I couldn’t feel my foreleg for a minute.” complained Dusk.

“Well, sorry about that. We both came 'ere because of Fluttershy. She told us what happened and we just wanted ta' see how you were holding up. Ah’ need ta’ go back to the Sweet Apple Acres now. We are in the middle of Applebuck Season, and ah’ shouldn’t waste any more time.”

“Good bye then Applejack.”

“See-ya later Dusk.”

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Around 3 hours later, a cyan pegasus walked into the area where he was staying.

“Hey, Dusk. Fluttershy told me about what happened and asked if I could give you something.”

The mare gave him a small pouch of 30 bits. ‘Why would she just give me free bits?’

The pegasus that Dusk was talking to had a mane/tail with all of the colors of the rainbow, which was something that Dusk had never seen before. Her body was toned, as if it was meant for agility. Her cutie mark was a rainbow lightning bolt coming out of a cloud and it was obvious that her special talent was speed.

“Shy said that these bits can be used, in case you need them in Ponyville.” She sticks her hoof out, “I’m Rainbow Dash.”

He brohoofs her, “Name’s Dusk.”

She points at his cast, “How long are you grounded for?”

“Three weeks.”

“Three we-eks?!” (Hah, voice crack)

“At least I can take this cumbersome cast of in two weeks.” Says a hopeful Dusk.

“At the very least. When the manticore attacked you, why didn’t you try to fly away?” Asks a curious Dash.

“I did try. As I was about to take off, the manticore hit my wing, which injured it?”

“Ouch. I need to go now since I give you the package, bye.”

“Bye.”

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As Dusk began to relax after meeting Rainbow, he saw a pink streak enter the room. Upon further examination, he actually saw a hyperactive, pink pony.

“HELLO DUSKY. My name is Pinkie Pie and noticed that you are the new pony in Ponyville, even if you arrived in town injured and carried by Fluttershy, *loud gasp* which reminds me. You know what we need a PARTY! But not just a normal party, we need a ‘Welcome-to-Ponyville-even-if-you-arrived-injured party!’ We will need things such as cake and pinatas and punch and...”

This pink pony, which he identified as Pinkie Pie, was speaking rather quickly for most ponies to comprehend. Her mane and tail actually looked like cotton candy, because they were a darker shade of pink and immensely frizzy. Her cutie mark consists of three balloons, seems about right. Dusk basically ignored most of what Pinkie was saying.

“...and muffins and the Party Cannon. Don’t you think it will be great Dusky?”

As soon as the onslaught of words finished, some confetti appeared out of nowhere.

“Huh what? I guess that will be fine.”

“GREAT, I’ll start organising the party now.”

Pinkie then ran out of the hospital to get started.

“She is certainly... something” says an exasperated Dusk to himself.

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~The Next Day~

The time where Dusk gets to leave the hospital was approching. Fluttershy, kept her promise and came to the hospital as he was going to leave.

“Um... If you don’t mind me asking, do you need a place to stay once you leave the hospital.”

“Not really, with the bits that you gave me, I’ll be able to rent a hotel while I’m in Ponyville. Thanks for the bits by the way.” says a thankful Dusk.

“But, they will only be enough for one or two days. You will have to leave the hotel and stay on the street. We can’t have that.”

“...I didn't think of that.”

“But if you need to, you could stay in my house, if you don’t mind.” offers Fluttershy with a faint blush.

“No. I have already intruded into your life for long enough. I can’t stay in your house.”

“But-but Dusk, where would you go then?”

“That... is a good point.” Next Chapter: Chapter 3: The Weather Team Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 18 Minutes