The Recluse
Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Adjusting
Previous Chapter Next ChapterFluttershy looked at him for a moment. It was a look of slight confusion and shock. Mostly because she was trying to figure out who the 'demonspawn' that destroyed his house was, and also how it happened that fast. He had quite a bit of grey dust on him, which stained his coat, mane and cloak. He was also carrying a sort of bag, probably with belongings he gathered before the nearly unspecified disaster he had mentioned. Like his cloak, it was also stained with dust. The examinations continued. It was all very awkward... ...Okay... err... what do I do... ...Hmm, well, now that I look around... the gardens were extremely vast.
The grass was preserved with extreme care, it looked as green as new. There were all sorts of woodland creatures walking and hopping, depending on the animal. There were rabbits, ferrets, hedgehogs, lemurs, foxes, and more animals you'd expect to see in a Colt Disney film. There was a nice current of water with fishes swimming peacefully in it, and even the trees looked good as new, not to mention the birdhouses attached to them, filled with what looked like extremely happy birds. There were so many words he could use to describe it, but he decided to use one word so he didn't seem like he loved it too much.
"Err... nice garden..." Said Light. "Hm... you're not a hermit too, are ya?" Fluttershy blinks twice.
"Hm? Oh... no, I wouldn't.... call myself one..." She replied, "I sometimes go out... whether for g-get-togethers with my friends, or, um... to buy food for the animals."
"Uh huh. I don't do get-togethers anymore. I do go out for supplies though. Starving sucks."
"W-well then... do you... want to come in?" It was here that Light decided to wait for a moment before answering... He still felt uncomfortable with sharing a house with another pony. He considered asking if he could live in the garden. Maybe there's a shed... ...No, why would she need a shed? *Mental Facehoof* I better go in... Light nodded, and walked into the cottage. After getting some of the dust off of him and his bag, he took a moment to examine his surroundings... it was... overwhelming, to say the least.
"Wow..." He began, "Your house is really nice..." This got a smile from Fluttershy.
"T-thank you, Light. Um... by the way... who destroyed your house?"
"Hm? Oh, those Cutie Mark Crusaders. I don't really blame them, I just wish they'd be careful."
"Oh... well, they're good kids, a-and they mean well. I s-sometimes get asked to look after them." Light raises an eyebrow.
"Really? By who?"
"Mainly the sisters of either A-applebloom or Sweetie Belle... I-i'm friends with their sisters."
"Hm. Convinient." He walks over to one of the couches, and, after setting his bag there, sits on it. This is the most comfortable couch I've ever sat on. Why can't my life be as good as this?
"So... do I HAVE to do this getting-a-life thing right now?" Asked Light. Fluttershy seemed to be in a bit of deep thought on this question.
"Hmmm.... not today. You've only just m-moved house, I don't wanna, um... overwhelm you." Too late, house has already done that.
"Right then..." He sighed, "Tomorrow?"
"Actually, perhaps you should m-meet my friends first. It's better you get to know the citizens better. Besides... they can probably teach you more of s-socializing than I can..." He considered this for a moment. Ugh... meeting people. Why did I even agree to this? ...Well, it was my idea. I was probably not gonna go with it, until the demonspawns and their chicken friend destroyed my already decrepit house... I'm stuck in this situation... and I want out. But I've been indoors for too long... is this too soon, or can I really find more in my life? ...At least knowing the names might put me at ease.
"...Fine. I'd like to know the names first, though."
"O-oh, um... okay..." She began, "Well... first, there's Twilight Sparkle... she is into books..." Someone I have something common with. "...Applejack, who works at her, um, family's farm, Sweet Apple Acres..." Certainly sounded familiar. "Rarity, she's one of my closer friends... she runs the Carousel Boutique." Never heard of it. "Rainbow Dash, she's been a friend since school, she loves to, um, fly around... really fast." Yeah... I bet she's crashed a lot. "And Pinkie Pie, who-" TOO FAMILIAR.
"Waitwaitwaitwait, I know Pinkie. She threw me a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party when I first came here. I liked that party, but now I'm not so sure I want to attend another one. Plus... she's a bit... hyper." Fluttershy just nods.
"Yes, I guess she is... do you still want to meet everypony?"
"...
...
...
...
...Alright, fine. But only tomorrow, okay?" Fluttershy nods again. "Good..." He takes a moment to stretch. His bones crack a bit, although, when he stretches his wings, it sounds more unpleasant and painful... he's not stretched that in a long time. That's what he gets for not using them, though.
"OW."
Fluttershy gasps as this happens, looking rather shocked. "O-oh my! A-are you okay?"
"Yeah... I haven't used the wings in a long time so... ow..."
"Oh... well, um... maybe a bath might help," She suggests.
"Might." Light says rather uncertainly.
"Oh, well, if you're sure you're okay..."
Light thinks about it for a bit... "Ugh... might as well. I'll start it myself."
Fluttershy nods. "Okay."
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After stepping into the readied bath, which he carefully adjusted to stop himself from boiling/freezing, Light sighed relaxedly. This was actually alright... although, for some reason, he was getting a bit paranoid. He felt there was an animal watching him or something... Fluttershy wouldn't be watching surely. If he ever thought that, it'd surely be obvious paranoia. But he was just somewhat put off by the possibility that somewhere, somehow... a winged creature, maybe a duck, was watching him. When this thought came up to mind, he chuckled to himself. He couldn't possibly suffer from that fictional phobia that existed in a comic he used to read... what was it again... Anatidaephobia? Yeah. He smiled to himself, then looked up, then jumped slightly... there was... a rubber ducky... ...well, it seems a duck WAS watching him after all... Why is there a rubber ducky there anyway? ...Probably if the CMC Demonspawn were staying over and they were having a bath, against their will or not. ...It's rubber at least. Can't possibly harm him. ...Maybe his time spent alone has driven him mad, if he's becoming afraid of ducks, or the possibility of them watching him anyway. Just close your eyes, and think about other things. He was a bit tired anyway. He closed his eyes, and went to sleep.
In his small dreams, he usually dreams about slight delusions of grandeur. In reality, he is more of an eccentric colt. Right now, it's just overruled by how bitter he is. Should he be cheered up, he might start doing the unexpected. His weapon of choice in the playfights with his former friends was always a Mane-dryer. It took a while for him to get used to holding it with hooves at the time, but he managed. Right now, what he dreamt of was flying around some strange Equestria, there was no ground, until he hopped onto the Pie of Freedom. He'd hop from that pie to Pies of Lesser Freedom, until he found
his Mane-dryer of truth. He went to grab it, but as soon as he touched it, he was suddenly elsewhere, playing some sort of piano with the only audience being chairs with mouths, a floor with eyes, and some weird pony who balanced on his head as if nothing were wrong. After he finished playing his song (Which... he never really heard in the dream, he was really just playing a prop), he walked off. Only to fall down a trap-door and get eaten by a duck.
Almost immediately, he woke up. He blinked a bit. Still in the bath. He got out of the bath, and after putting it back on his hoof, he checked his watch... it's only been 15 minutes. He decided to give the duck the "I'm Watching You" motion, either because he really has gone mad, or just to boost his confidence. He dried himself with a green towel, then walked out. He wasn't wearing his shirt or his cloak, those were being washed. Fluttershy walked down from the staircase.
"Finished, Fluttershy," He said.
"O-okay. I'll go and have a shower, if that's fine..." She timidly replied.
"It's your house."
Fluttershy went to walk into the bathroom, then she stopped for a minute. She looked to Light's flank where his cutie mark was. He pretended not to notice, but was getting rather uncomfortable. Then he thought back a bit... Well, I did steal a look at her cutie mark. I probably deserved it. ...Stupid brain, that's not what I meant to think at all. In reality, she was looking at his cutie mark, as his cloak had hidden it before. His cutie mark was a notepad with a quill next to it.
"U-um... is your... talent in... writing?" She asks, followed up by... "...I-if you don't mind answering... anyway... I-it's okay if you don't want to." Someone takes an interest at least.
"As a matter of fact, yes it is. I might show you some of my works later." He replied.
"Yes, I'd definitly like to see them!" She notices her pick-up in enthusiasm, and blushes slightly. "U-um... I'll just... go in the shower now..."
"Okay then... See you in a moment, Fluttershy."
...Someone interested in my writing. Yay. He decided to take a stretch, which, this time, was only slightly painful. Then he went to the couch he was on before, and lied down on it. He was a bit tired, so decided he'd sleep to prepare for the day ahead. He wasn't ready for it, in his mind. He wanted to try though...
Hrm...Tomorrow's gonna suck...
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