Background Pony

II - Lunatic's Dream

Just then, there was a cheerful voice echoing over the crackling, burning pyre before him. "Caramel! Hey there, dude! What's happening?!"

Caramel looked up with a start, then breathed easier. He bore a practiced grin, as sweet as his name and yet just as flimsy. "Hey there, Thunderlane... Blossomforth. What are you two up to?"

The pegasus couple shuffled up to the bonfire where Caramel was seated. "We were about to ask you the same thing, dude!" Thunderlane exclaimed. "The gang's all hanging out beside the town hall building."

"Rumor has it that the mayor's godchild-a Wonderbolt-is visiting from Cloudsdale!" Blossomforth added with a grin, her freckles illuminated by the nearby tongues of flame. "Supposedly he's gonna do some air tricks for all of us before the fireworks start at moonrise!"

"Hmmm... Sounds pretty sweet," Caramel said with a grin, albeit a grin that was already crumbling. "But, face it, guys. Your little clique of pegasi is awesome, but I always feel like a dead weight when I'm around you."

"Nonsense!" Blossomforth's face grew long. "How could you say that, Caramel? We love it when you hang around."

"Yeah, besides..." Thunderlane wagged his eyebrows. "Wind Whistler's gonna be there-"

"Shhh!" Blossomforth lightly slapped Thunderlane's chest with one of her milk-white wings. "Thunder! What did we talk about earlier...?"

"Jeez! Sorry! I was only trying to-!"

Caramel cleared his throat. He stared at the two and said, "You're both Souls of Solstice tonight, aren't you?"

The two pegasi glanced back at him, then smiled bashfully. Their cheeks turned matching shades of red as they dug at the ground with errant hooves.

"Yes, well..."

"So what if it's our second time in a row being Souls of Solstice?"

"There's just no other choice, really..."

"I know all of the ponies have been talking about us since Hearts and Hooves Day, but..."

"Egads... heeheehee... Is it really such a big deal?"

Caramel smiled softly at them, a very genuine thing. "I'm glad for you two. I'm sure every other pony is as well. I hope your Summer Sun Celebration is fantastic and memorable. As for myself... I really just want to sit here and relax. A lot of stuff has happened over the past year, and this has been my first opportunity to... to just think... y'know?"

"But it doesn't mean that you have to think alone, does it?" Blossomforth asked with a look of sympathy bathing her features. "This is a special night, Caramel. You have friends. In fact, Windy was just talking the other day about how she-oh... erm..." She bit her lip guiltily and glanced up at Thunderlane.

Thunderlane smiled, nuzzled her, and glanced one last time Caramel's way. "You sure you won't change your mind, bro?"

"Go on, Souls of Solstice," Caramel spoke in a detached voice. He closed his eyes and once more relaxed to the musical chords that were softly serenading his lonesome ears into the crest of night. "Embrace the sunrise together. Don't worry about me."

The two pegasi slowly, sadly left his side. Their hooves were distant shuffles amidst the bonfire's crackling embers. Once his friends were nothing but a memory, Caramel sighed. He opened his eyes and dug twin circles in the dirt between him and the flames, as if mapping out a solemn eternity for himself.

It was precisely then that the music died. "It's a lot like dreaming, isn't it?"

Caramel blinked awkwardly. He raised his head, glancing all around, until his gaze finally fell upon me. "Uhm... What's like dreaming?" he asked.