Echo (Slice of Life) (One-Shots)

1---

>"Why~ am I sitting in the middle of no-where, standin' here with nothin' to do~!"
>You hear erratic hoofsteps coming from the kitchen as well as the sound of your fridge being rummaged through.
>Rolling your eyes, you sigh and get up from your living room couch, marking your page before putting your book down.
>"Wonderin' if I really love you! Oh-oh! I guess that I do~!"
>Bracing yourself for the sight to come, you take in a deep breath and walk into your kitchen.
>Your fridge's door is wide open and the perpetrator's round flank is sticking out.
>Her navy blue tail is swishing back and forth while she does a shimmy-kind of dance on her hind hooves, singing a catchy tune.
>"Oooh I do. I know we have a chemistry--Oh hi, Anon," Echo says nonchalantly at your cross-armed figure, holding a plate of cake as she retreats from the fridge.
>Stacked on the table behind her is a pile of your fridge's wares, which mostly consists of various fruits, vegetables and tofu.
>You hated tofu, but god damn it's better than grass or hay.
>You give her a glare which she dismisses, kicking the fridge door shut and turning to her prize.
"Do you seriously have to take everything out from my fridge?"
>No point in even asking how she got into your house at this point in your life.
>She ignores you, picking through a batch of leeks and grabbing the bag of lychee underneath.
>"Hey, where'd you get these? I didn't think they had 'em this far into the mainland," she asks, her amber eyes locked on the spiky red fruits.
"The market, where else?"
>You sigh, walking to the table and grabbing a pile of stuff to put back into the fridge.
>It seems she doesn't understand the concept of a fridge, for some reason.
>Using two of her hooves, she raises one of the small fruits to her mouth and begins to peel away at the skin with her fangs.
>It's kind of adorable.
"So, you're just gonna eat it? You know, the lychee that I bought. With my money."
>"Mhmm," she responds, eating the peeled fruit whole.
>You sigh.
>She does pay you back, at least.
>And you like her company.

>She might be a little... eccentric, but she makes the boring Canterlot life a little bearable.
>You finish storing the last of your food back into your fridge, taking a seat in front of Echo while she eats the last of your lychee.
"So, what brings you to the hoo-man's house?"
>She giggles, no doubt remembering her first time meeting you and calling you that.
>"Actually, I was gonna ask you if you wanted to go to a new restaurant with me."
>Always with the food.
"A new restaurant? Now?"
>She nods.
"You just ate all of my lychee," you point out.
>"Mere appetizer," she shoots back, grinning.
"Alright then. Where is it?"
>She looks up and answers thoughtfully, "You know where that ice cream parlour was in Middle Canterlot District? That closed down?"
>You shrug. Shops open and close all the time in the big city.
>"Well, yeah, there. Not too far from here."
"Okay. What kind of restaurant?"
>Echo flashes a grin before taking a disinterested look on her face
>"Sushi."
>Your heart skips a beat.
"...Sushi?"
>"Mhmm."
"What kind of sushi?"
>"Japonies sushi."
"Yes--but, like... fish?"
>"Yup."
"Fish? They have fish sushi? Like salmon sushi?"
>"Uh-huh."
"Wait, really?"
>"Ponies can eat fish. In small amounts, at least. They're still kinda iffy on that but hey, it's progress."
"Is it... is this all-you-can-eat?"
>"Eeyus. Oh and, personally, I can eat a lot of this stuff. There was one sushi bar back at--"
>She screeches as you grab her with one arm and practically bolt out the door.
>Sushi is love.
>Sushi is life.

2---

>Be Anon.
>And right now, you're bored out of your mind.
>One customer is browsing the shelves near the back of the small shop while you lazily lean against the cashier counter.
>To your side is one particular bat pony, lazing on a sofa by a coffee table with her belly upwards, a book in her face.
"Echo, this is a book store, not a library."
>"Nnn," she mumbles, not doing much more than acknowledging your presence.
>You sigh.
"Seriously, put the book back. Knowing you, you're going to ruin it."
>"Nnnnnnn..." she whines, dropping the book to her side and squirming in annoyance.
"Alright, alright. Fine, just... don't ruin the book."
>You're pretty sure she just fell asleep, but oh well.
>You're interrupted from your dilemma with the ringing of your front door opening.
>Hereshecomes.jpg
>Sure enough, another bat pony stares at you from above the 'Welcome" mat.
>"Oh, hey Anon, Echo. Just came by to pick something up," Mosina says, adjusting her spectacles.
>"Mmm." Echo acknowledges from her lazy haze.
"Hey Mosina," you say, monotonously. "Anything in particular? Not that I can help."
>She rolls her eyes.
>"You run the only bookstore in Canterlot and yet you know nothing about books."
>You shrug.
>You didn't ask for a monopoly.
"Cry me a river."
>Ignoring your remark, Mosina walks up to the counter and glances over to Echo curiously before looking at you.
>"So, what is your opinion on H.P. Hoofcraft?"
>You shrug.
"He's an author."
>"Yes," Mosina says, letting out a sigh. "But what of his work? Do you think the recent Sea Rich's stuff can live up?"
"Eh."
>"...Nothing?" she says, perhaps expecting your empty hands.
>She begins to walk off to browse the shelves of books.
>"What about his 'Song of Depths?' I heard it was decent."
>You don't think she learns.
"It's a book."
>"What about you, Echo?"
>"Mmbrbgh."
>You grab a piece of paper, rip off a small corner, ball it up and throw it at Echo's exposed tummy.
>"No," she mumbles.

>A few minutes pass before Mosina returns from the labyrinth of books with one tucked under her right wing.
>She walks up to the couch Echo is on and plops herself down beside Echo's comatose figure.
>"The 'Fire Mirror', by Sea Rich. I heard this one was good, too," she says, taking out her book and opening the cover to begin reading.
>Sometimes, you don't think she ever listens to you.
"Mosina."
>"Yes?" she answers, not looking up from her novel.
"Remember. Bookstore, not library."
>"Mhmm," she humms, ignoring you.
>Half an hour passes with relative silence, barring the turning of her pages, Echo's soft snoring and the occasional customer coming in to purchase something.
>She's still reading her novel, seemingly with no intention to stop.
>Jokes on her, though, you've been preparing.
>Picking up one tiny ball of paper from dozens you've created, you throw it at the back of Mosina's head.
>Unfortunately, it got stuck in her ponytail, and she didn't seem to notice.
>You throw three more at the same time.
>That got her attention.
>"Huh? Oh! I seemed to have drifted--AAH!"
>You surprise her with a face full of paper confetti, causing her to scream and screech.
>"Anon! What the hell!"
>Echo is up now beside her, snickering to herself.
>"Hehehe--you got balls to the face," Echo laughs.
>Mosina tries to shake the paper out of her mane but you bombard her with more.
>One positive thing about working in a book store is the abundance of paper.

>"Alright! I'll pay! I always do, please stop!"
>You chuck another small handful, Echo giggling all the way.
"I aint seeing any money, dorkbat!"
>"Okay, sheesh! Here you go!" she whines, flinging some bits onto your counter through your relentless assault.
>Finally, you stop, paper balls all over Mosina and the floor.
>Muttering to herself, she grabs her book and marches out of the store.
>She'll be back.
>You look to Echo, who is now eying all the mess.
"I aint paying you to laze around, Echo."
>"You're not paying me anything."
"Clean this up and I'll buy you extra fruit."
>At this, she brightens up and rushes to the back of your store to fetch a broom.