10th Hat

[busy_fists]

[There is a forlorn looking man holding a cake sitting on the curb just outside 1490 Kramden Road.  Approach?]

Comments

[party_hard]

[Hey, it's one of your neighbors! And she looks quite concerned to see a sad face on her street! Who could be so sad when they have a cake? Pinkie has a new mission now--to get a smile out of this guy.]

Hi, there!

[strawberryredgrave]

(Damn right he's gonna approach!

But seeing this guy like this...something happened. Dante doesn't know what, but he knows something happened.)

Hey.

[acuity]

[ walking by... wait a minute. ]

Mr. Egbert?

[busy_fists]

[Huh, talking pony. This is actually his first encounter with one, but Dad's seen weirder, and she seems friendly enough.]

Oh, hello.

[busy_fists]

[Dad glances up, nodding.]

Dante.

[busy_fists]

Oh, Platina.

[He plasters on a smile.]

How have you been?

[party_hard]

[Pinkie sits down next to him.]

Why the long face? You seem kind of down!

[acuity]

I'm doing fine. It's always nice to see you again!

But... could I ask what the cake is for?

[busy_fists]

Well... it's my son, actually. It looks like he's been droned for good.

[busy_fists]

It's nice to see you too.

[Dad looks at the cake, frowning a bit.]

You can have it if you'd like.

[party_hard]

Oh, that's AWFUL! I'm so sorry to hear that!

[Pinkie thinks for a moment.]

Somepony told me that when that happens to you, you get to go home. Do you think that's true?

[busy_fists]

I'm not sure if I believe that or not, but even if it's true, John doesn't have much of a home to go back to in the first place.

[acuity]

[ instinctively backing away a little when Dad looks down at the cake, but the frown makes her hesitate. ]

Really?... Are you sure?

[party_hard]

Oh, poor thing...why isn't it much of a home? Everypony else seems to think that anywhere is better than here!

[Not necessarily Pinkie; she's loved meeting so many new people here and hasn't seemed too bothered by Mayfield's weirdness.]

[busy_fists]

There's no one here to share it with.

[busy_fists]

It's... a little more complicated than that.

[acuity]

... Did something happen?

[busy_fists]

...My son John is gone.

[acuity]

I'm so sorry, Mr. Egbert.

[busy_fists]

[He's not going to cry, because Dad Egbert is a more stoic sort of sad, but he does heave a deep sigh as his shoulders fall.]

...Thanks, Platina.

[party_hard]

How's it more complicated than that?

[acuity]

[ nnnot really sure what to say because AW DUDE 8( ]

At... at least he's back home now, in a safer place than Mayfield.

[busy_fists]

Most of the world we lived on isn't exactly there anymore.

[busy_fists]

...Right.

[acuity]

... Will you be okay?