Chapter Text
It wasn’t like he had a choice. Either he resigned or he was going to be fired. So Sprout chose to resign. He had until the end of the week to finish up last minute paperwork and clear out his desk. He was gone not even ten minutes later. The humiliation burned too deeply. He dropped his badge in the nearest wastebasket. He left unfinished paperwork littered all over the desk, pizza stains seeping out from his half eaten lunch contaminating them. After his wonderful little talk with Sheriff Hitch Maretime Bay Hero Extraordinaire, he felt no obligation to clean up. He packed up his greatest possessions– a customer of the month award from Cheesy Pepperoni’s Pizzeria and his completed rubix cube– and he left.
Hitch has said nothing the whole while. He simply sat at his desk and tended to his precious paperwork. He stamped approval after approval. He didn’t even look up once. Not even after the loud clang from Sprout chucking his badge. Not after the sniffling and choked whimpers. Not after the slamming of the building's doors. His perfect face remained perfectly calm and collected. Not a trace of emotion to be had.
Sprout checked.
Who would have pity on a power hungry dictator though? Sprout knew he had messed up… He had gone overboard on the whole protecting Maretime Bay thing. He had only wanted his moment to step up into the hero he knew he could be! His mother had once been supportive of that dream. Somewhere along the line though things went wrong.
Soon enough this would blow over. Ponies would forgive. Ponies would forget. Maybe. At least, that’s what his mom had told him.
It had been almost two months since his resignation. He still hadn’t found a new job. The cushy life living rent free at his mother’s house was in danger. After moping around for a month, she had come up with an ultimatum: he found a new job or he would have to move out. Of course, she offered him an entry job at her company as a lowly labor intensive production line worker. He refused. She retorted back that he wasn’t qualified for a high level position. Besides, she was an honest businessmare and would never play favorites. She was too professional for that. And then to throw salt in the wound, she informed him if a janitorial job had been open she would have gladly offered him that. He declared he didn’t need any help and went storming into town for a job application at every business.
Sprout and his mom hardly ever got into fights. Sprout grew up a spoiled and very very loved only child. Her punishments seldom lasted. He had never been grounded for longer than a few hours. Anything he ever wanted he got. He could get away with anything even murder! (Hyperbolically... of course.) At least, he had thought that.
She had gotten a lot more strict since that fateful day he destroyed Sunny’s house. At first, she avoided him, barely acknowledging the disaster that followed his ego trip. But after the joy of the return of magic wore off, the town held a meeting. His mother couldn’t ignore his role in the mess any longer. Being an important figure in town, she had to take action. For the first time in his life, there were consequences to his actions.
The Town Council decided he was to be removed from his position as deputy. No surprise they were behind that. He was not allowed to hold any political position in town really. Not that he was interested in participating in politics again anyways…
They also ordered him to do a hundred hours of community service. Every Tuesday he went around the park picking up litter. It was great because the young foals made a game of throwing as much garbage at Sprout as possible. And everytime he came home crying to his mommy, she gave him a pat on the back and said he just had to ignore them. She wouldn't allow him to quit.
Then there was the whole apology letter. He was supposed to write a letter to Sunny, ya know, for destroying her house. He had his mom to thank for that. Or maybe, he had to thank his lack of skill and knowledge in construction. No pony trusted him to build a sound foundation. No pony trusted him to write a good apology either. But it was clear which one had the better chance of turning out less disastrous.
Needless to say, Sprout had been busy lately. Unfortunately, it was the sort of busy that felt fruitless. He was always doing something, but it never seemed to get him anywhere.
Over the past month, Sprout had applied to like a billion different jobs. Not a single call back. Too many ponies were still wary of him. But he couldn’t just sit at home waiting all day for a response. He didn’t know how it worked, but his mother had some sort of “mom senses” that let her know when he sat at home doing nothing all day. So, he was forced to wander around town, putting on his most friendly face.
He’d go into each business, asking about his applications status, if he would get a call back soon. He was lucky when he was spared with a tight, polite yes. More often, he was curtly told no, or the person he was speaking to would pretend he hadn’t even applied for a job there and that there weren't any jobs available.
Last Tuesday, he had gone into Sweet's Bakery and the mare at the counter stood there picking at her hoofs. No eye contact. No greeting. No "what would you like to order?" It took him sounding like a mucous ridden rhino for her to acknowledge him! He didn’t even know he could cough that loud! She then had the gall to tell him they weren't hiring as she stood right next to their help wanted sign!
Oh, that sign with it's bubbly, pink text! With it's cutesy smiley faces and hearts decorating it. He had never felt more mocked and humiliated as he had right then, and that was saying something.
Needless to say, being nice to other ponies did not come easy. Everywhere he went they avoided his gaze. Some whispered back and forth in between not so sneaky glances. When he went into stores, employees spoke in clipped tones. Even his favorite restaurant, Cheesy Pepperoni’s no longer felt welcoming.
Cheesy’s had been the first place in mind when he stormed out last month. Usually when he was upset, carbs felt like the first step to everything being alright again. The pizzeria was like a second home to him.
He would walk through the door, setting off the greeting bell and Mr.Pepperoni would come rushing out of the kitchen to greet him. He always gave a jovial singsong hello. Then the burly stallion would pull out a chair at the counter for Sprout, slapping the bar stool and urging him to take a seat. Often, his usual was already ready for him.
Sprout used to have Cheesy’s twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays. If he missed a day at Cheesy’s, the next time he came in Mr.Pepperoni would tease him and ask if he was okay. But he hadn't stepped hoof in there since that day he asked for a job.
What was supposed to be a cheesy, greasy break from his problems was a looming reminder of his wrongdoings. It was honestly too embarrassing to recall what happened that horrible, no good day. Sprout would rather bury that memory deep, deep into his subconscious.
If Sprout really thought about it, his entire world had been turned upside down the day magic returned from Equestria. His mother’s company didn’t sell anti-pegasus and anti-unicorn products anymore. Earth ponies weren’t the only ponies in Maretime Bay anymore. All the history he learned in school wasn’t fact anymore. Everything and everypony was changing. He was supposed to change, too. He just wasn’t sure how.
His mother had amazing public relation skills. Even after her involvement in the whole mob ordeal she was still able to remain loved by the community. How did she do it? Of course, he wasn’t going to ask her for advice after their big fight. All he could do was try to piece together any tips his mom had tried to bestow upon him throughout the years. He had never really paid attention to her business talk though. He racked his brain for anything his mother had ever said about winning ponies over and came up with nothing.
He needed to get a job. But to get a job he needed to change ponies’ perception of him. He didn’t know what that would entail. Why couldn’t other ponies like him? Nopony had liked him much before he became temporary Sheriff. But now, ponies really didn’t like him. The whole situation seemed hopeless.
After another day of no luck, no job, and no friends, Sprout found himself standing on the pier. He had walked around town with no destination in mind, avoiding home, and his legs had taken him here.
It was getting late. The sun was setting in the sky, bathing the entire town in rose gold. He could hear the seagulls cawing above him. They reminded him of Hitch, who hadn’t once talked to Sprout after firing him.
He wished they were still friends. But they hadn’t been friends in a long time. Real friends, at least.
When Hitch got his cutie mark before he did, it became apparent who was going to grow up to be the cooler, more important stallion. It was like suddenly, Sprout found himself in Hitch’s shadow. And although Hitch didn’t seem to mean to treat Sprout differently, he did. Hitch just had that leaderly personality. He started to take charge, carrying himself confidently and charismatically. With a personality that bright, it was hard to not step back.
Sprout felt something akin to a thick heavy glob of emotions make its way up from his heart to his throat. He tried to clear his throat a few times to no avail. He thought to himself that the only way to get it out was with a song. So he sang:
Excuse me if I come across kinda cross
But I’m just so lost
When did the world change?
What is still true, what is still the same?
Am I really the only one who holds blame?
I’ve spent my whole life believing I’d grow up to be a hero
My destiny was going to be shiny
I was going to be somepony you’d envy
Or so I thought
Or so I thought
But I guess not
I’m just Sprout
I’m still a Sprout
Ready for something special inside to come out
Ready for a second chance
Ready to grow
To become somepony
You’d like to get to know
Won’t somepony give me a chance to grow?
Here I am grown up
But I don’t feel very grown up
I don’t think I want to own up
To the pony I’ve turned out to be
Filled with greed and reeking of tyranny
At least that’s what I’m getting
From the way they all look at me
I’m just Sprout
The one nopony wants around
At best the local fool, an unfunny clown!
At worst the villainous leader, a conspiring manipulator
I’ve spent my whole life hoping I’d get to be the hero
My destiny was going to be shiny
I was going to be somepony you’d envy
Or so I thought
Or so I thought
But I guess not
I got lost in the pressure of earning their respect
There’s too much I’ve done I wish I could forget
All lies hold a shred of truth
As my paranoia grew so did my lies too
I only went off of what I knew
They were the enemy as far as I could see
But my fear blinded me
I know I know I know
My youth is no excuse
I’m just Sprout
I’m still a Sprout
Ready for something special inside to come out
Ready for a second chance
Ready to grow
To become somepony
You’d like to get to know
Won’t somepony give me a chance to grow?
Here I am grown up
But I don’t feel very grown up
I don’t think I want to own up
To the pony I’ve turned out to be
Filled with greed and reeking of tyranny
At least that’s what I’m getting
From the way they all look at me
I’m just Sprout
I’m still a Sprout
Ready for something special inside to come out
Ready for a second chance
Ready to grow
To become somepony
You’d like to get to know
Won’t somepony give me a chance to grow?
I’m just Sprout
I’m still a Sprout
Maybe’s there’s nothing special inside of me waiting to come out?
Sprout was ready to accept defeat and face his mother when something came sailing out of nowhere and hit him square on the back of his head.
“Ow!” He howled. He cried out in agony not because it was truly painful but because his natural instinct was to shout when startled. He looked down at his assailant. It was a sparkly, heart dotted beach ball.
“Oh my glitter! I’m sooo sorry! Extra sorry! Are you okay?” He heard someone galloping up behind him. There was a flash of purple fur and a wave of blue curls. Suddenly he was face to face with that purple unicorn. The one he tried to smush with a robot. The one who helped return magic to Equestria. Her name was Lilly or something?
Upon meeting eye to eye the unicorn’s concerned expression stilled. She had been up in his face with worry, but the second she seemed to recognize him she had stepped back. “ Oh. Um sorry that we are meeting again like this. But are you okay?”
When he looked into those concerned magenta eyes, he found himself flushed, stomach doing funny little flips.
He didn’t like it one bit.
"No," he quipped even though the pain was already gone. He rubbed his head and growled.
"I'm so sorry! Pony feathers, I wish we wouldn't keep getting on the wrong hoof… is there anything I can do--"
"Ha! No thanks. As if I'd ever trust a unicorn."
"You got it all wrong," she insisted. "This is all a big misunderstanding. If you give me a chance to explain I'm sure you and me will be fast friends!"
"Not a chance."
"How about a meal? We could sit down and eat, and I could help clear up those misconceptions about unicorns!" He scoffed and rolled his eyes.
He turned away from the unicorn and began to stomp home.
"O-okay! Rain check then!"