I quickly packed my bags on Friday afternoon. Rainbow wasn’t back from classes yet, but I had more stuff to gather than she did anyway. The weather in Ponyville was supposed to be pretty nice this time of year, so I was able to save some space by leaving my heavy coat.
A week off school was just what I needed. Just a refreshing little vacation. Rainbow and I had been planning for a while, and this year’s Spring Break would be something to remember.
My things were almost ready to go when Rainbow showed up. She tossed down her books and picked up the small bag that had been packed already. As her mouth was currently occupied with the bag, she simply stared at me expectantly.
“I’m just about ready,” I assured her.
With a final zip, my suitcase was closed and the two of us left the room. My car was waiting in the parking lot, and Rainbow got in the driver’s seat. I had consented to let her drive whenever we were going somewhere together. She needed the practice if she ever wanted to upgrade her driving permit to an actual license.
She was smiling and in a good mood. Not even the finicky seatbelts and not-pony-compatible seats damped her attitude. I knew how Rainbow felt. I was excited to visit Ponyville.
You couldn’t drive there of course, and I needed to make a stop at home anyway. Since we’d need to be driving so much to get to a dimensional doorway terminal anyway, the two of us had decided to spend the night at my house and continue the next morning.
As the engine started, the radio came on. Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Do you have to listen to this stuff?”
“Better than your tastes." I laughed.
She gasped in mock offense. “Pardon me, but whose favorite band won a Grammy last year? I don’t hear about any of your choices getting invited to play at the Manehattan Music Mingle.”
I could have thought about several counter comments, but decided it was better to watch Rainbow’s driving. She was getting better, but still scared me just a little. While she wasn’t a bad driver, I really didn’t enjoy riding in the same car as a natural-born daredevil.
With navigation from me, the two of us arrived at my parent’s house in time to have dinner with them. My whole family had grown much friendlier to Rainbow since their first meeting.
Dinner conversation involved no controversial subjects or inflammatory remarks. For that I was thankful. Having experienced it before, I can say that cross-dimensional political discussion is the worst.
That night, I offered Rainbow my bed, but she declined. “I can sleep anywhere.”
“Really?”
“Your floors can’t be that hard. Heck, I’ve slept on hardwood when it was still part of a tree.”
I shrugged. “If you say so. You’ll have to show me that trick sometime.”
“Sure. Applejack has lots of trees.”
I had heard that name before, when Rainbow talked about her friends. "Am I going to be meeting her?"
"Sure, I don't see why not. Twilight might take up a lot of your time, though."
After first being introduced to the unicorn, we had talked several times. She was doing a lot of research and sometimes had questions that only a native Earthling could answer, so I had sort of become her go-to human.
"What's Twilight working on now?" I asked.
"Something about an ancient conspiracy. You know, the usual. I just hope she doesn't go dragging you off to some far corner of the universe when I'm trying to hang out with you."
I smiled. "We'll see about that when we get there tomorrow."
It was just then that I realized I had forgotten the nicotine patches that I had become addicted to in place of smoking. Better for my lungs, but still kind of an expensive habit.
"Uh, Rainbow, do you remember how you threatened to make me go cold turkey on the smoking? I think you might get the chance after all."
She laughed. "Well, I don't think it will be easy to find those things in Ponyville, so yeah, you might be in for a rough time."
I could hardly wait.
There's a group for everything, isn't there?
"Something about an ancient conspiracy." Someone make this happen.
Do my eyes deceive me?
What? Update? What kind of sorcery is this!
Son-of-a-bitch! This is easily your best story and here I was thinking you would continue it.
MOAR!!
Pleasant suprises all around!
This is a great example of the definition of spontaneous. I clearly remember yelling "What is this?!" about two minutes ago.
1877114
He is. I think. The story Core (which he's still writing), if I remember right, takes place after The Roommate.
If I was any good at writing I would spend the next half a year writing a follow up
Write it. I'll do your job/school work and take your tests live, I swear. Just make this happen.
More, your readers demand it
Please
This should definitely be continued, you have set it up fairly well and in under 1000 words to boot. It's just I would be scared to mess something like this up.
I love it when good stories are continued...
please continue even more...
this was a pleasant surprise indeed to see this story update. I would very much like to see it continued please.
Time to join another group! I'm looking forward to great things.
more of an awesome story. THANKS
this showed up in my favourite updates all like "SURPRISE MOTHABUCKA!"
I might write a high school Applejack version. Btw, I mean an English high school, so there'll probably be a servere lack of love and tolerance.
Well that was a neat little trip. I wish I had more time to develop my writing talent. I'd probably take this up if I did.
1917026 And that's different from any other high school how?
Oh god yes. This story is starting back up again? Our at least getting a bonus? Where are all my yes'? Because this deserves them all. I love your writing style, and the way you describe everything is phenomenal.
Please, MORE.
This is by far the best story on this website in my book.
2065787 Thank you very much. Care for a sequel?
I miss this story. Sorta ended abruptly doncha think?
2180140 You write a sequel, I'll link to it.
2169825 Hehe, guess so then
2180382
Um... really have no idea how I would do that. So, I really can't. If I come up with an idea, I might. But... yeah, not right now.
You just got into the featured area... from updating an old chapter...
I was wondering if this was going any further. Nice finish. ..?
Conversion Bureau references, perchance? I haven't read any of that. I might, once I
get boredrun out of stuff to read.2277991 Well sorry alright. Besides I was the one who suggested that Dash delivering pizza would be a good part time job while in college.
just sat down andd finished this whole story in one swell reading I REGRET NATHING!!!
Anyslut great story
2278057
You and me both, you and me both...
Wait, where's crowbar... CROWBAR, WHERE ARE Y-- oh, there you are, don't scare daddy like that again... What?! no, I did not abandon you for some story.. No, wait... CROWBAAAARRR!!!!!
There are a very small amount of novels that can make me stay up at night for hours, and keep reading them.
One of those novels is "The Passage," a fucking amazing book.
My friend, this story surpasses that novel in how addicting it is.
Bravo.
2278613 Dunno 'bout that. If you live in California, Arizona, or the like, then you might've heard of a place called Z-Pizza. That place makes the best Pesto sauce ever. Calzone with pesto, olives, mushrooms, extra cheese, and a small dose of pepperoni... Oh Sweet Celestia, it's gooood....~<3
Of course, I only ever get to eat it when we go down to Arizona, but I still fantasize about it every time we get pizza, because up here where I live, people apparently don't believe in making pesto, and most don't know what a calzone is! I'm sorry, I'm hungry. And tired. And sick of math. I need to get back to work.... It's 4 am, I've been working on these math assignments since 11 pm. Ugh.
2278616 I was thinking of folding a pizza over or taking two 6 in pizzas, turn one upside, throw some stuff in between the two, and BAM! Sandvich!
2278638
I know she used hooks on her hooves for a lot, but it probably should have been explained here since it had been so long for some people.
2278539 Because "Pasby" sounds fucking retarded.
2292614 No I don't! I don't care, nope! Not at all! I got over that bs. Now all I care about is Dashie being worshipped.
2294498
The Latter implies a casual relationship, has fewer syllables, and stresses alliteration.
2292853 Okay
"Like pony roommates? There’s a group for you."
Pony Roommates Anon?
To be honest, I was a bit sceptical about how this story was going to turn out when I first started it. I enjoyed how it played out and it's overall content. Well done with this story. I must say that I would be interested in an actual sequel to this story. I see many possibilities as to what can be done. I look forward to reading more from you in the future. Keep up the great writing!
“Pardon me, but whose favorite band won a Grammy last year?
Mumford & Sons?
Denise doesn't drive a Ford Prefect by any chance?
What.
Things like "Bielefeld doesn't exist", "Michael Jackson isn't dead", "Elvis Presley isn't dead, too" and "There is something up with the view counts on this story"?
Nice.
6018194
Or "Scotland is not a real country"