Jinxed attachments

[Hijinks]

Afternoon, January 3rd

The harmony foundation, a busy place filled with starving families and desperate ponies. Tida, who was working at the counter that evening, encountered one such desperate mare who begged him to search for her lost trinket: a wedding band which is her last reminder of her husband. Tida began his search around the alleyways that litter the Eastern residential district.

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Hijinks looked at the small gold band that twirled around her hoof. The engraving of "Eternal love" carved into it was fairly noticeable against the otherwise simple ring. Such a pretty thing but selling it was not her intention. She wanted to lure out her favourite Kitten, and there was no better way to confront him than like this.

Hijinks sat on top of a random barrel in an alleyway that she suspected Tida to pass through in his search. This was pretty much the same area where she stole the band so he should be coming this way... She didn't really want to sit here for hours. Hijinks decided to whistle to pass the time.

[Tida]

Setting off to where the mare said her band was stolen, Tida started to look for the band.  I wonder if I can even find it... knowing this area, there are a lot of ponies that are pretty shady like that pony Loser, or that beggar pony.  It even might be long gone at this point... I hope that I can find it quickly, if I can find it at all.  Wouldn't want to be out near sundown.  Looking through random trashcans and on the sidewalk, Tida made sure to look carefully as he didn't want to accidentally miss it.  Focused on his task, he failed to notice a familiar filly sitting on a barrel nearby.

[Hijinks]

Hijinks spotted the brown stallion as he searched for the band. He was not doing a very good job if he failed to notice her...

As amusing as it was, Hijinks decided to speak up. "Hey Kitten! Fancy seeing you here!" She twirled the band around her hoof as she flashed her signature smile.

[Tida]

Hearing Hijinks, Tida looked up at her.  "Hello Mimi" Tida said, though he felt there was something strange with the whole situation at the moment.  There was the band that the mare had described with Hijinks sitting on a barrel with it... it seemed like she was expecting him to pass by this way looking for the band.  "Out of curiosity, where did you find that?" Tida asked, pointing to the band that she was twirling around her hoof.

[Hijinks]

Hijinks grinned. "I think you know. I am a thief after all; don't you remember when we first met?"

Hijinks stopped twirling the ring to look at it. "Pretty isn't it?"

[Tida]

"Well, it's slightly hard to remember details when so much is going on, as I have been busy for a while now... I'm still busy actually" Tida said.  Hearing what Hijinks said, he nodded in agreement "It is pretty.  Though, may I have that?  Someone was looking for it, and I would like to return it to them" he calmly said.

[Hijinks]

Hijinks continued to stare at the ring. "mmm... Do you know the story behind this ring? Apparently the owner of this ring had a husband who fought and died in the war and now this is the last reminder of him..."

Hijinks looked over at Tida. "I should throw it into a lake."

[Tida]

Tida was curious as to why Hijinks would want to do that.  He thought for a moment I wonder if it's because she feels that she is helping her or something like that?  If I remember correctly, she doesn't like that the war happened, though... Argh... I probably burst into flames before I can figure her out.  Shrugging, Tida asked "So why would you want to throw it into a lake instead of returning it, or selling it?  You probably could get a decent amount of bits if you sold it".

[Hijinks]

"I'd be doing her a favour." Hijinks replied simply.

"But the real reason I stole the ring was to bring you here. You need to stop helping Serene. She's nothing but an old bat, so attached to fairy tales and dreams." A hint of a frown appeared on Hijinks' face but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "Trust me Kitten, the Harmony Foundation won't help anypony."

[Tida]

She stole the ring to bring me here...?  How sweet.  Thinking for a while on what Hijinks said, Tida sighed "Maybe the Harmony Foundation doesn't help anypony in the long run as things like that are inherently flawed... but what isn't flawed?  If all we look at is the reality of every situation and its flaws, then it would seem that it isn't worth trying to change it.  I do like that everything can be something that you can learn from, good or bad, but sometimes it's good to take a break from that."

"I do agree that Miss Serene seems to be very attached to the notion of peace and harmony, maybe too much so, but can you blame her for that?  We all try to do what is right.  Besides... I'm helping the foundation as a form of punishment for me."

[Hijinks]

Hijinks giggled. "You're punishing yourself? You really are an odd pony, Kitten."

"But what you said is one hundred percent wrong." Hijinks cleared her throat, preparing to go into educating mode. "It's a mindset like yours that annoys me. You can't hide from reality and pretend it's not there. If we are not exposed to it on a daily basis, we cannot survive when it comes for us.

Changing the situation might seem like a good idea, but what are we going to change it to? Ponies are so attached to the past, they will always want to change it back to when it was all sunshine and rainbows. But you know what? That's never going to happen. What they should change is themselves. They should adapt to this situation and change their perspective.

For some, the world may suck and they can go kill themselves. But for me, the world is basically a playground. The whole world is built upon YOUR perspective! It could be bad, and it might be worse than before, but for me it's simply how it is and do I look sad to you? And do I look like those over foals who cower behind their parents and who have been taught to fear everything from griffons to foal-safety SCISSORS?!" Hijinks took a moment to breathe and calm down. After a moment, she continued in a slightly solemn tone. "She tried to hide everything from me... She taught me how to fear... How to be sad... But she also taught me how pathetic it all is..."

Hijinks looked back up at Tida with her usual smile and without any trace of her previous outburst. "I have taken an interest in you because you were a pony in the middle, like me, and you do not trouble yourself with things like anger or 'revenge'. But you are constantly binding yourself because you think you should change the situation to your 'ideal world'. I get that you want to help... I do get it. But what you are doing is only making it worse. Serene is basically throwing out crumbs to pigeons. Those birds will never learn how to survive on their own and they will remained bound to that place due to them thinking they need to stay there, thinking it will get better.

You want to help ponies? You start with the foals. You teach them how to kill, how to steal and how to manipulate. Show them the beauty and horrors of the world but don't tell them which is which. You teach them how to survive, but not how to live."

[Tida]

Tida listened to Hijinks tell him about her perspective about the world, and about other things.  While she did have extremely valid points, it still was impossible to make something like that happen.  Though, by her saying that the world is a playground, isn't she's building the world based on her perspective?  Her reality?  Does she believe that her reality is the true reality?  It's all very confusing, though, it probably doesn't matter to Hijinks anyway... Though... Looking at the sky and seeing that he had time before he needed to go inside before curfew, Tida decided to continue with the conversation.  He backed up against a building and sat down to make himself comfortable, as he had a feeling this would be interesting.

"I don't think that ponies purposefully hide from reality, as they honestly believe ideas that others may think is ignorant is a reality.  For example, you may think that everyone is just out for themselves to survive, while others believe that everyone helps each other because it's the right thing to do.  How can anyone say that the reality they're perceiving is the true reality?  It's all a matter of perspective."

"Changing the situation back to a time when it was sunshine and rainbows will never happen, you're right about that.  It won't change exactly back to how it was, nor will it happen immediately, but If the situation were to change little by little, it might end up with something close to that time.  Besides, everyone changes their situation in the end, even if they change their thinking and adapt to their situation."

Clearing his throat, Tida continued "Serene honestly believes that it's worth giving out food, as sometimes, ponies need a little help to get back on their feet.  Sure, there are some that will take advantage of any situation, but there will always be ponies who do that, me included, though I'm fairly certain that Serene would be aware of that.  Being kind is advantageous as helping others would help the city.  The pony who was helped might turn around and help the others, which could end up everyone helping everyone."

"This also applies to a individual ponies.  If they were to help others by being nice and kind to them, they will remember that and may help you in the future, which is securing help.  Since the future holds infinite possibilities, you won't ever know when you might need their help.  If they were to be mean to others, they will remember that, and wouldn't even think about helping them, since, 'Why should I help them when they didn't help me?' would be what they would be thinking.  It's about giving and receiving help, not only receiving it."

"You can't completely discredit the other ponies though.  Sure, a city or country starts with its foals, but that doesn't mean the older ponies doesn't have anything to contribute.  Old ponies have their wisdom to contribute.  Giving the foals wisdom is giving tools for their survival.  They know what's good and bad for survival, since they've experienced it already, and wouldn't want the same thing to happen to their foals.  Besides, It's not like what they say is being forced upon the foals, since they can choose to heed what their parents say or ignore it and find out for themselves."

[Hijinks]

"That's so stupid." Hijinks replied. "Foals don't choose if what their parents say is wrong or right, it just is. They'll believe everything you tell them to, they'll excuse your faults, they'll follow any right or wrong you set for them. And if the 'wisdom' that is being passed down to them is out-dated by a decade, they'll end up face first in a ditch in the middle of nowhere! I almost died because my mother was a flankin flankhole who forced me to stay inside all day where I was 'safe'!" Hijinks realised that she had raised her voice again and took a moment to breathe and calm down.

"You remember my stories, don't ya? I was born in this world. I have experienced it more than even the oldest pony alive. I've been all across Equestria and built my perspective upon everything I have experienced and witnessed. You don't need to be an old pony to have 'wisdom', despite what most ponies would think. In fact, I haven't come across any pony that I would consider 'wise'. They are so wrapped up in what they think is right and they flat out ignore me and treat me like a new-born foal because I'm young and they're all a bunch of dumb-dumbs!"

"Like Serene... Serene is an idiot who thinks that ponies and griffons can just... drop all of their hatred and 'get along'. They were fighting for years and there were deaths on both sides. You can't just get rid of that hate. Ponies will keep pushing against the griffons, trying to restore their world to the way it used to be and the griffons will be pushing to change the ponies' world to what they are used to. For them to get along, it would take years, if not decades of forgetting and eventually one side must crumble under the other. It may not look like it... But there's still a war going on... And whether you like it or not, you're fighting in it."

[Tida]

Tida shrugged.  "While I don't doubt that you have traveled all over Equestria and experienced more things that other foals or ponies would in their entire lives, Equestria is just a part of the whole world at large.  As you know, I've come from somewhere far away from Equestria and they have things, perspectives that are very different from here.  There are many more places that are different from Equestria, and each place has something, some kind of perspective that is only in that place.  Besides..." Tida gave a light chuckle "I'm not ignoring what you're saying, or treating you like a newborn foal, as evident with this conversation we're having."

Tida continued.  "I'm pretty sure that Miss Serene knows that the hatred will never go away, and that nothing can just happen overnight...  Realizing something, he stopped for a moment and thought before continuing "Actually, maybe you could answer something.  You said that Miss Serene as well as the other ponies are too attached to the past, and they should just change their perspective since the world is simply how it is.  However, it seems as if you're angry at your mother for being stupid.  Why would you be mad at something that happened in the past?  It seems that it's not something good to be attached to, since that was then, and this is now" Tida asked curiously.

[Hijinks]

Hijinks shifted around uncomfortably on her seat and shifted her gaze to the floor. "It's not... It's different, okay? I'm not trying to change things back to the way before my mother died, and I'm not out to seek 'vengeance' against the griffons for killing her. I hate my mother because... what she did disgusts me. She taught me how pathetic all of 'this' is. I'm simply reminding myself of what ponies are, and what I don't want to become."

Hijinks looked back up at Tida. "It's my turn to ask a question. Why didn't you stay back in your homeland? You made it sound lovely before that war happened. And you did say things can come close to returning to what they used to be, so why didn't you stay and help rebuild?"

[Tida]

Tida smiled sadly.  "It was a lovely place before the war.  Everpony knew everypony, everything was calm and peaceful, the scenery was breathtaking...  Even after the war, everypony helped to rebuild the place that was devastated by it... even the army that attacked helped, and we survived because of it."

Thinking for a moment, Tida continued.  "I guess one of the reasons why I decided to move away from my home country is because my entire culture, as well as what happened over there probably would have been completely forgotten if I had stayed, as it would have been impossible to try and spread it if I had stayed.  Sure, it would have gotten better for me if I stayed, but then I would have eventually forgotten all about me, and the history behind it.  I know that it's extremely stupid to not want to live is a peaceful place that you remember from before, but I wanted to experience the rest of the world, since Neighpon is pretty isolated.  As my grandfather always used to tell me: 'くろがあって人生の深さが分かる (kuro ga atte jinsei no fukasa ga wakaru)', which means 'understanding the deep meaning of life comes from hardship', so I guess I'm trying to understand life as well."

[Hijinks]

Hijinks huffed, slightly annoyed. "If that was true, why are you settled down on a farm now? You've bound yourself to one location already! The only hardship you will find there is petty squabbles with griffons and merchants... Plus the hard work but that's not really something you learn from."

Hijinks frowned slightly. "I'd be doing you a favor by burning your little farm down..."

[Tida]

And this is why we can never have anything nice...  Though, i wonder where she heard that I have a farm? Tida thought.  "Is the reason why you would want to burn down my farm the same reason why you would want to toss the bracelet into a lake?  What kind of favor would you be doing me if you were to do that?  Is it because you would be freeing me from some sort of attachment?"  Tida really didn't understand her train of thought sometimes, and just wanted to clear the confusion.

[Hijinks]

Hijinks thought for a bit before shaking her head. "Nah. I just kinda don't like how you want to waste your life on a farm; farming is for boring ponies. You though... are also boring..." Hijinks sighed. "I just feel as though your story is kinda similar to mine. You were a pony in the middle in some sort of war. You don't care about revenge, and to top it off, you left to experience more. I just want to... I don't know what I want!" Hijinks, in the middle of a fit, threw the closest thing at Tida which turned out to be the wedding band.

Upon noticing her mistake, Hijinks huffed again. "Take it and do what you want with it. Just be aware that thing will be stolen again within a week."

[Tida]

Tida saw Hijinks throw the band in his direction, which hit him in the shoulder.  Clattering to the ground, he picked it up and examined it to see if there were any damages to the band.  There were only minor dents, nothing major.  "It's alright if you don't know what you want.  Things such as that take time to know, as were always searching for that something we want.  Also, I think that there needs to be boring ponies like myself in the world."

Looking at the sky, Tida noticed that it was very close to the time when the curfew would be in effect, so he needed to get going now if he was going to make it to the foundation in time.  Tida put the band in his bag, and stood up.  "Thank you Mimi" Tida said as he gave a slight bow to her "Though, that doesn't sound good... in any case, I guess I'll be seeing you around later" he said as he started to make his way back with the wedding band in tow.

[Hijinks]

Hijinks huffed. "The only pony I don't want to be boring is you... and maybe TayTay but he has his moments."

Hopping off the barrel, she gave Tida a quick salute. "Remember, Kitten, throw the ring away!" She didn't really expect Tida to follow that advice but she retreated further into the alleyway with a smile anyway.

[Tida]

Stopping for a moment, Tida gave a slight chuckle.  She always manages to surprise me.  I wonder how it will be the next time we meet?  Shaking those thoughts from his head, he started to gallop towards the foundation.

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Characters: Hijinks, Tida

Summary: Tida goes to look for a wedding band that was stolen for a mare that came to the Harmony Foundation, asking for assistance to find it.  Tida finds that Hijinks stole the band , and the two go into a discussion about why Tida shouldn't help the foundation.  The discussion ends with Hijinks throwing the band at Tida, and Tida returning to the foundation to return it.

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