//------------------------------// // 10. Ultimate Confusion // Story: Home of the Ponies and Awesome Bronies // by Lady Spider //------------------------------// Ryku The blue mare was staring with a look of intensity that honestly made me nervous as hell. Her eyes shone with curiosity and a bit of fear... although of what I wasn’t sure just yet. I got to my hooves and stared at her. “Why’s my name important? It looks you’ve heard it before...” The mare blinked her giant violet eyes. “Oh. Um. Well...” Instantly her expression changed to one of friendliness laced with faint confusion. “It just sounded like the name of a friend I used to know... It’s no matter.” I stared at her. She wasn’t telling me everything, but I wasn’t sure how I knew. Well, I guess I could start with introductions. “Well, like I said, I’m Ryku... I think. And you are?” “I’m Elise.” She said. Well... that went nowhere... “So... um... Where are we exactly?” I said with a sheepish grin. “Whitetail Wood.” Again, a ridiculously short answer. I was about to say something, when I realized the reason I’d been getting these short answers. I looked at her, and I could tell her mind was on something completely different. “Whatcha thinkin’ about?” She looked at me with surprise for a moment before smiling, in a rather distracted way. “Oh um. Nothing. Just, you know, found a random,” She paused a moment and whispered something under her breath before continuing. “Stallion in an empty field who has no idea what his past is.” “Um... okay. So... you gonna show me the way outta here?” I said, trying to hold a poker face. Elise stammered. “Oh... Right.. Yeah... Um...” She glanced down the path. “The nearest town from here is Ponyville. Which is... Like... This way....” The blue mare began walking away. “Um...” I stared after her for a moment. Who is this mare, and why does it seem like we’ve met before... I shrugged and ran after her. After all, what did I have to lose? (~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~) Elise Oh my gosh. I can’t believe this. What happened to you, Ryan? My mind was exploding as I led him back into Ponyville. If you really are Ryan... What did I do to you?! Maybe if I take him back to where it happened... We walked in silence me; Deep in thought with my brain exploding. Him probably wondering what the buck was wrong with me. “So, what the buck is wrong with you? Why are you so quiet?” He said in a serious tone. My mind went instantly to the first thing I could think of. “Thinking of where to take you first. I was thinking the local club would be a good idea. There are a ton of ponies who go there. Somepony might recognize you.” “Let me get this straight. I wake up in a field one minute, and then a mare decides to take me to a bar. I’m liking this already.” He said with a smirk. “Don’t expect me to take you home with me.” I snapped quickly, my bitchy nature kicking in. Even though that was EXACTLY what I was going to do...Since it was OUR home in the first place... He gave a sarcastic sigh. “Aw... Well, lead the way. At least I know where we’re going now.” I quickened the pace after his comment about taking him home; my cheeks were stained red. In almost no time. “Maybe this is too weird an idea,” I mumbled to myself. “He is so gonna enjoy this too much...” “I’m sorry? All I caught was ‘He’ and “Enjoy’. We havin’ fun?” He grinned. I was starting to believe this really WAS Ryan. “Bucking stallions.” I grumbled as we reached the entrance to Club PON-3. Evening had begun to fall and the line to get in was already long. Good thing we don’t have to wait. I smirked. I flashed the card that Vinyl had given me and the tough-looking stallions let me in ahead of the line, allowing me to pull Ryku in after me. There were already quite a few ponies in the club. Groups of pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies stood around tables or sat at the bar counter. The different colored lights lit the floor in hypnotizing flashing patterns. I glanced over at the soundboard and speaker system. Vinyl’s glasses glinted at me through her mane of blue. Ryku must have noticed what I was looking at. “You know her? I don’t really like the music, but she sure is good at what she does.” The fiery-maned stallion said. “Yeah. She is.” I was practically yelling over the loud thumping of the strange electronica music that Vinyl was playing. A small smile somehow made it to my lips as I watched her bounce to the beat. I broke my gaze around the room and headed over to two stools at the bar counter. He smiled. “Over there, huh? Alright. I uh... I’d rather not have you pay, but...” I plopped my flank down onto a stool and gestured to the other one. “Oh. Just order something and shut up.” My gaze shifted to the bottles behind the rose-colored stallion, looking over the various bottles of alcohol and trying to figure out which Ryku would choose. “Heh you asked for it.” He looked at the list and seemed lost for a moment before shaking his head and smiling. “I’ll take an Apple Jack Daniels, with a shot of vodka.” Once the order was jotted down he turned to me next. “The usual, Straw.” His facial expressed the obvious annoyance at my adoption of Vinyl’s nickname for him. “Thanks, Strawberry Daiquiri.” I amended, after all pissing off the bartender is not a good idea. He returned in a few moments, set drinks in front of the two of us, and left again. I sighed happily at the sight of my scotch on the rocks. The day was being absolutely ridiculous and I really, Really, REALLY needed this. “Scotch, eh? Didn’t take you for a strong drinker.” Ryku smirked. “So, what’s the real reason you brought me here? It’s obvious this isn’t just because you found me stranded. You know me. Question is, how?” Oh shit. “Let me get drunk first.” I said with a sheepish sigh. The orange stallion threw back a shot of AJD and grinned. “No complaints here, Elise!” I looked away and downed another scotch. It was going to be a long night. (~~~) ~Ryku (A bottle of AJDs and twelve scotches later...)~ At this point, I barely had basic control over my body and I was slurring every other word, but that was nothing compared to my companion. “Ya... Ya all right there, Elish?” I slurred. The smaller pony turned to me and I think she put her horn on sideways. Her violet eyes were large and out of focus. “Yesh... ah tinks so...” She said with a sloppy grin. I struggled to remember what I needed to ask. “Um... I had shomething I wash going to ashk you... um... AH! Would you marry me, mishhus... what wash your name again?” She hiccupped and frowned. “Elish... but... ya alreaaady ashk me tat. an’ i alreaaady says yesh...” I stood dumbfounded and very much more sober than I was a few mere moments ago. Although she still seemed drunk as ever. “Wait... WHAT?!” I yelled towards the drunken pony. “Wait... why did you bring me here?!” Brain status: ABORT MISSION! ABORT! "Caush dis ish where ya proposhed da week bafore ya vanished.” Elise slurred. At this point, my brain was on full freak-out mode. “What the hay are you talkin’ about, ya crazy mare?! I’ve never been married or engaged, and I have no intentions to!” AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘VANISHED’?!” I yelled, losing my temper easily, as I was still somewhat drunk. The bartender was strangely disinterested in the argument, but I had no time to yell at him for his indifference. The blue unicorn flounced a little in her stool. “Liah liah flank on fire. Ya jush can’ remembeh.” She snipped back sticking her tongue out at me. “Ya got sucked up into mah portal painting an’ got sent back where we came from.” Her voice was beginning to raise to match mine and other ponies were eyeing us. “I’ve had enough of this craziness! I’m outta here!” I jumped up, ran for the door, bucked it off it’s hinges, and galloped away as fast as I could. “Stay away from me!” I ran. I ran as far and as fast as I could. I didn’t want to be anywhere near that crazy mare. Before I knew it, I’d reached the other side of town and kept going. I finally collapsed just outside of a large apple orchard with the sun going down over my head. Before I knew it, I’d passed out. (~~~) When I opened my eyes, the smell of apple pies was in the air. I was in a bed, and on either side of said bed sat a pony. One was orange with a blond mane, green eyes and a stetson on her head. The other was a heavy-built crimson stallion with a brown-orange mane, green eyes and a yoke around his neck. They both sat, staring intently at me. “Uh...hey? Who are you? Where am I?” I asked for the second time in two days. “And, nice hat, by the way!” “Uh, yeah. Ah’m Applejack, and this here’s mah brother, Big Macintosh. Big Mac’, fer short. Yer at Sweet Apple Acres, the best apple orchard around! Now, ah got a question fer YOU. Why did we find ya curled up in a ditch just outside th’ orchard?” The orange mare said with a heavy southern twang. I blushed, embarrassed that I’d been found in a ditch. “Um... I was running from a crazy, drunk unicorn mare that thought we were engaged... My brain didn’t really let me know I could stop until I was exhausted... at the edge of your apple orchard... heh...” “Drunk unicorn, eh? Blue? Red ‘n’ black mane?” Applejack asked with a grin that matched her brother’s. Confused wasn’t the word for how I felt after she said that. “Uh... yeah... but, how did you know that?” She smirked. “‘Cause that’s Elise. A human-turned-pony. She came here a little while ago with ‘er colt friend Ryan, who plum disappeared about a week ago. She’s been in a bar for the better part of everyday after ‘er work since then. Musta thought ya were Ryan in disguise, what with how close yer name is ta his. Don’t worry about it none, Sugarcube. She’ll probably apologize when ya see ‘er when she’s sober.” But... she wasn’t drunk when I met her... or was she? I guess it’s possible. One thing’s for sure. I need to stay away from that particular mare... “Okay. Thanks for the heads up. Um... do you have any idea where I could find some work? I think I’ll be stayin’ here in this town for a while, considerin’ I don’t know where I’m at...” Then the mare and stallion both grinned at each other before returning their gazes to me. “Well, me and mah brother were actually thinkin’ ‘bout hirin’ a new worker for th’ Farm. It’d be a might helpful if ya could work fer us... our last worker... had ta leave unexpectedly.” Applejack offered. I blinked once in surprise, though about the offer or the missing worker, I wasn’t sure. “That’d be great! What happened to the last guy?” “Well, I guess I can’t lie ta ya, Sugarcube. The last worker that was here... was Ryan.” The farmpony said. Oh isn’t that great... more connections to that guy... well... I DO need the job... “Alright.” I said. “When do I start?” (~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~) Elise “I’ve had enough of this craziness! I’m outta here!” Ryku jumped up, ran for the door, bucked it off it’s hinges, and galloped away. “Stay away from me!” I slammed my thirteenth glass down on the counter and pouted at the swirling bottles on the shelves in front of me. “How MA-TUR-E of him...leaving’ in da middal of our COON-VER-SA-T-ON!” Straw simply eyed my empty glasses and locked the cabinet as somepony appeared next to me. “Now what did I tell you the last time you got drunk off your flank over the opposite gender?” “Um....” My drunk brain didn’t want to cooperate. I glanced over at the more than slightly blurry Vinyl. The Dj sighed. “Drowning yourself isn’t gonna get you anywhere.” “Oh. Yeah.” Now I remembered. She glared at me under her large purple shades. “Say it.” “Dwownin’ ya-self ain’ gonn get ya nowhere.” I swear she facehoofed as the words slurred from my mouth. Next thing I knew, the unicorn was pulling me toward her personal VIP room. Vinyl was grumbling something about doubling as a counselor as she flung me into the room and locked the door. “Why must you always be going and getting into trouble with males?” I blinked at her. “It’sh da same male. That’sh Ryan. Rykru wash a shtallion he fash-ion-ed aftah himshelf. That’sh Ryan.” Unfortunately, Vinyl had flung some irritated soberness into my drunk self and my thoughts were a little clearer than I would have liked them to be. The white unicorn lifted her shades onto her head and looked at me with annoyed red-violet eyes. “What if it’s not Ryan.” She shook her head at me as I collapsed onto a couch. “Let’s say it’s not Ryan. It’s this Ryku that he created. What do you remember about Ryku?” I knocked my head against the arm of the couch. It didn’t help the headache I was beginning to get. “Earth pony...” I banged my head off the arm again. “...short tempered...” Bang. “...anti-social at times...” Bang. “...likes food, apples in particular...” I lifted my head again and went to hit the arm of the couch when Vinyl grabbed my head with her magic. “That’s enough of that.” She waited a moment, then released me. “Now. I can’t let you walk home like this.” Her red-violet eyes stared me down. “You can’t even lay down without hurting yourself. If I let you walk home you’ll die or get abducted by aliens.” I opened my mouth to object then closed it, realizing she was probably right. She pointed her hoof into my chest. “Now you’re going to lay there and not hit your head off the side of my couch. You’re going to sleep all this alcohol off and in the morning you are going to tell your hangover to buck off while you go find your ... Friend.” I nodded and closed my eyes obediently, knowing what would happen if I didn’t. Last time, Vinyl had made sure that I went to sleep. Using methods never meant to be known to pony. Bass cannons and nasty anti-hangover drinks ... yucky yucky... I think I cried myself to sleep that night. The last thing I remembered was me sobbing to myself: He didn’t remember me. (~~~~~~~) The next morning, the hangover decided it didn’t want to bother with me. That, or I was so focused on my new goal that I refused to feel it. Vinyl was out cold on a couch on the other side of the room, so I just let myself out of the club. I ran through the already awake town and to my... OUR ... house. I ran through the twelve plus room building, rummaging through drawers until I found a pair of binoculars and a voice recorder. The front door closed behind me as I stepped onto my front step. “What’s that for?” A familiar voice sounded behind me. I turned to face a sleepy looking Vinyl rubbing her eyes at me. “I’m going to do a little spying on Ryku-Ryan.” I waved the binoculars in front of her for proof. “If I have to spend an hour, all day, all night, all week... I WILL find out who this stallion really is. I have to.” Vinyl shrugged drowsily and staggered down my steps in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. I watched her leave, and then headed off into the depths of Ponyville. Where I was going, I hadn’t a clue. The best thing to do, was start walking.