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- >Day Coffee Shop in Equestria.
- >This is bullshit.
- >You shouldn’t have to do this.
- >A man deserves to have clean coffee in the morning.
- >Not this muddy water with chunks still in it.
- >You carefully pour the contents of the sauce pan into your mug.
- >Though you tried your best, a few coffee grounds made their way into the cup.
- >You take a spoon and drop cold water into the mix.
- >The coffee grounds slowly descend to the bottom.
- >You need to start using a filter.
- >Maybe you can invent one?
- >It wouldn’t be hard, just some metal with small holes in it.
- >Or you could try that thing that is used to dust cakes with powdered sugar.
- >That’s pretty close to what you need.
- >Oh well.
- >You put your mug aside to allow it to cool for a moment.
- >You used to go to a coffee shop.
- >Well, it was the only one in town.
- >More of a coffee hut really.
- >Behind the counter was the always happy pony, Morning Glory.
- >Though times were always tough for her she always put on a smile.
- >The problem was that business was always poor for her.
- >Ponies aren’t very fond of the bitter flavor of coffee.
- >She tried in vain to cover it with sugar and cream, but still there were few takers.
- >You take a slow sip from your mug.
- >Ugh.
- >You burned the grounds again.
- >Still, you need your coffee to make it through the day, so you drink it anyway.
- >Morning wouldn’t have burned it.
- >She would have made it smooth, with just a dash of cream.
- >It was a shame when you walked up to the burned down shack.
- >You expected it to be back up after a week or two, but that never happened.
- >Apparently all her money went into that shop.
- >The coffee beans from Saddle Arabia aren’t cheap.
- >Maybe when it burned down she just gave up.
- >She could have taken it as a sign to close permanently.
- >That was two months ago.
- >Ever since you’ve been forced into making your own drinks.
- >You put your cup on top of the mountain of plates in your sink.
- >One day you’ll get around to washing them.
- >A quick look around reveals clothes scattered around.
- >Papers discarded on the floor.
- >Wrappers cover your counter space.
- >Fuck it.
- >You’ll clean later today.
- >Once a week whether it needs it or not.
- >First you have to buy some groceries.
- >You bend over and pick up the weather flier off the floor.
- >Thunderstorms are scheduled from noon to tomorrow morning.
- >It has sprinkled the last two days, so you are happy that after tonight’s rain it will be over.
- >The pegasi usually schedule several days of weather.
- >Maybe it helps with the crops?
- >You put on a light jacket.
- >
- >It’s a short walk to the market.
- >You fill your canvas bag with necessities, and even a few treats for yourself.
- >You’re going to make chili for yourself.
- >With the right combination of spices you can make it almost taste like it has meat.
- >You sling the canvas bag over your shoulder just as it begins to rain.
- >The ground is already soaked from yesterday.
- >You decide to walk through the park on your way home.
- >Your hood keeps water off of you, so you don’t mind the weather.
- >In the distance you see a cardboard box just off of the main path.
- >It looks water logged and it is struggling to stay up.
- >Ponies are pretty clean.
- >Why would someone just leave a box out?
- >Maybe it fell off of a cart.
- >You walk closer to get a good look at it.
- >When you approach you notice that there is a sad and dirty pony sulking inside.
- >She notices you and beams, “Hey, Anon. The usual?”
- >After a moment her eyes open wide in shock, and slinks back into the box.
- >A hoof tries to close what passes for the door.
- >The soaked cardboard melts at her touch and slinks on the ground.
- >It has writing on it.
- >The sign reads, “5 bits hoofjob, 10 bits fulltime, 20 bits anything.”
- “How did you know my name?”
- >You crouch down to get a good look at the pony but she tries to hide herself.
- >Inside is a dirty chestnut mare.
- >Mud is caked on her matted coat.
- >Her mane covers her face and water drips off of her snout.
- >”You misheard me.”
- >She tries to look away.
- >You’ve seen this pony somewhere before.
- ”Do I know you?”
- >”No, go away.”
- >Her eyes dart toward you and then back away.
- >It couldn’t be…
- “Morning?”
- >Her ears perk up, but she doesn’t look back.
- “Morning Glory? Is that you?”
- >She looks up at you, trying to choke away tears.
- >”Uh… hi, Anon.”
- >Your legs are getting tired from crouching, so you put a down a knee to help you balance.
- >You don’t care about the mud.
- “What are you doing here?”
- >She ignores your question.
- >”Go away, Anon. I don’t want you to see me like this.”
- >She looks thinner than you remember.
- “We’re expecting thunderstorms tonight.”
- >”I don’t care.”
- >You take a deep breath.
- “Do you… do you need help?”
- >”I don’t need anything, Anon! Go away!” She snaps at you.
- >Morning Glory bares her teeth at you like a wild animal.
- >Lightning flashes and you can make out a small bag that she is trying to hide.
- >That must be all she has left.
- >You look again at the sign.
- >Times are tough, and she had to resort to selling herself.
- >But she never was a good business pony.
- >Clearly she is no better off than before.
- ”What will you do for 20 bits?”
- >She drops her anger and looks down.
- >”You can read can’t you?”
- >She says in a sad tone.
- >You want to ask her how is business, but from her thin frame you can tell it isn’t going well.
- “I haven’t had any decent coffee since…”
- >No, don’t mention that.
- “How much for the usual?”
- >She gives you a confused look, before a hoof shows you her box.
- >”I don’t sell coffee anymore, Anon.”
- >How are you going to say this?
- “I tried making some myself, but it isn’t the same. I always burn the beans.”
- >She glares at you.
- >”Don’t make fun of me, Anon.”
- “I’m serious. I have some stuff at home. How much for a cup of coffee?”
- >She opens her mouth, but quickly chomps the words away.
- >After a moment she offers, “Twenty bits.”
- >That’s highway robbery.
- >A cup should cost two, maybe three bits max.
- >The rain begins to fall down in sheets.
- >You decide not to argue with her.
- >A hand moves on its own and you count out your bits.
- >”I only have eleven.”
- >She frowns at your offer.
- >Suddenly you remember something.
- >You pull out a punch card, and hand it to her.
- “I know I only have nine stamps, instead off ten to get a free cup, but maybe you could give me a discount this time?
- >Her hoof shakes as she looks at the card.
- >It was a promotion from her old coffee shop.
- >”I didn’t think I’d see this again,” her voice wavers.
- >She looks up at you with teary eyes.
- >”Eleven is fine.”
- >You watch as she places a few things in her small bag.
- >When she steps out you can see her more clearly.
- >Her coat looked bad earlier, but in the light she looks terrible.
- >Morning looks tired, like she hasn’t been sleeping well.
- >Her mane is unkempt and her coat neglected.
- >She looks at her soaked box, almost like she is deciding if it is worth saving.
- “Forget about it,” you reassure her.
- >She just makes a jerky nod and you motion for her to follow you.
- “I live this way.”
- >She follows behind you to hide a slight limp.
- >What happened to her?
- >She used to be such a friendly pony.
- >Seeing her in this state…
- >It’s unthinkable really.
- >Doesn’t she have friends to help her?
- >You both walk in silence.
- >In a few minutes you arrive at your house.
- “It’s not much, but it’s home,” you say as you open the front door.
- >You remove your muddy shoes as you enter, and she brushes her hooves on the door mat.
- “Uh… I forgot to mention… I wasn’t expecting company, so I haven’t cleaned up yet…”
- >She looks around at the piles haphazardly discarded on the floor.
- >Her stop when she looks at the dishes.
- “I was just about to wash those…”
- >“That’s alright,” she says finally. “I don’t mind.”
- >You push aside the wrappers on your counter and start unloading your groceries.
- >Morning’s eyes follow the apples.
- >A hoof reaches over to grab one before she retracts it quickly.
- ”You can have one…”
- >Without further ceremony she snatches one and devours it in three chomps.
- >You watch as she rides the way of bliss.
- >How long has it been since she has had a decent meal?
- “Help yourself.”
- >You place two more apples in front of her and she quickly eats both.
- >She looks at you with the slightest glimmer of a smile.
- >Like she finally has some hope.
- “My restroom is over there,” you point at a door. “If you want, you can take a shower while I do the dishes.”
- >”Why- why are you doing this? Being so nice to me?”
- >You give her a confused look.
- >A few months ago she was a cheery pony.
- >To be sure, the fact that she is the only pony in town who makes coffee is a weak connection at best.
- >You can’t blame her for being skeptical.
- “Friends help each other out… That reminds me…” You walk past her toward the linen closet.
- >You pull out a fresh towel and some girly soap.
- >The bottle is yellow and has a smiling mare.
- “I bought this by accident when I got here.”
- >She takes it with one hoof.
- >“You thought the one with flowers was for stallions?”
- “They all looked the same to me.”
- >She takes the towel next, clearly unconvinced.
- >”I’ll… go clean up…”
- >You just give her a nod as she enters the restroom.
- >While she showers you do your dishes.
- >Luckily you were smart enough to rinse them after you ate, so they were easy to clean.
- >Then you tackle the wrappers.
- >You walk around with a bag and collect the trash.
- >Again, it was only surface deep so it doesn’t take long.
- >Finally you grab your clothes and pile them in your room.
- >You can wash them later.
- >As you are dropping off the last pile, the door to the bathroom opens.
- >Steam escapes and you are assaulted by the smell of lilacs.
- >Morning stops immediately when she sees you.
- >She probably thinks you were trying to hear her clean up.
- >Like some kind of sicko.
- >Her mane and coat still glisten with residual water.
- >She is starting to look like the pony you remember.
- “I was just cleaning up…”
- >She looks at the pile of clothes, and smiles.
- >”That’s good. Thanks for the shower. I feel a lot better now.”
- “You’re welcome.”
- >”Do you have a brush?” She asks while touching her mane.
- “No. I keep my hair short.”
- >She makes a little frown.
- >”That’s alright.”
- >She walks past you to the kitchen.
- >”Wow. You did clean up.”
- >She did take thirty minutes in the shower.
- >”So what do I have to work with?”
- >You move next to her to show your tools.
- “I’ve been boiling the grounds in this sauce pan, and then I pour it out into a cup.”
- >She gives you a look like you are crazy.
- >”You boil the coffee? No wonder it comes out burned. You’re not supposed to let it get that hot.”
- ”How am I supposed to know? We have machines back home that make it for us.”
- >”You could use a Prench Press.”
- >You just offer her a shrug.
- >You would probably have to order that from a specialty catalog.
- >She shakes her head.
- >”Alright, let me work my magic.”
- >She ushers you out to protect her trade secrets.
- >In the meantime you clean off your coffee table and lounge on the couch.
- >”You don’t mind if I have a cup too, right?” She yells from the other room.
- “No. Go ahead, and just a little cream and sugar.”
- >”You usually take yours black.”
- “Yeah, but I’m in the mood for something different today.”
- >”Alright.”
- >You glance over some advertisements.
- >They never have anything good on sale.
- >”Careful, it’s hot.”
- >Morning Glory trots over holding two mugs in one hoof.
- >She places yours in front of you on the table, and she sits on the loveseat.
- >Davenport recommended that you get pony sized furniture as well as larger specialty ones.
- >Your table has two human sized chairs, and three fit for ponies.
- >Likewise your couch is human sized, but the loveseat is built for speed.
- >You don’t have guests often, but when you do it helps to have things for them to be comfortable.
- >You reach over and grab the mug.
- “It smells great.”
- >”Careful, it’s hot.”
- >You blow on it gently to cool it down.
- >You watch as Morning Glory takes in the scent.
- >She visibly shudders as she inhales.
- >”It’s been too long since I’ve had a cup,” she explains.
- >She takes a tentative sip, and she slinks into the sofa.
- >Morning closes her eyes and you see her relax for the first time today.
- >”I needed this so bad.”
- >You just chuckle at her.
- “Me too. This is a lot better than I can make.”
- >She takes another sip.
- >”Not just the coffee… the shower, somewhere warm… everything. It feels good to feel like a pony again.”
- >You want to enjoy this moment, but your curiosity gets the better of you.
- >You put the mug down.
- “What happened, Morning?
- >She looks up at you and fakes a smile.
- >”What do you mean?”
- >You shake your head.
- “Com’n you can tell me the truth. We’ve known each other for… a year?”
- >She looks into her cup like it has the answer.
- >You both sit in silence for a while.
- >Morning takes a sip of her drink, and you pretend to look at advertisements.
- >Just as you’re about to give up, she breaks the silence.
- >”I thought I turned off the stove. Heh, but there must have still been an ember in there.”
- >Her hooves play with her now empty mug.
- >”When I woke up the place was on fire. It was too far gone. I was lucky to get out.”
- >She puts the cup aside.
- >”I should have double checked.”
- “But you can’t be sure it was your fault.”
- >She looks at you with sad eyes.
- >”Everything I owned was in there. I had to stay with friends for a while. They were nice at first, but I could tell I was overstaying my welcome.”
- >Morning takes a deep breath to calm herself.
- >”I wanted to open a coffee shop again, but they all thought it was a bad idea. Just like Dad.”
- “Why didn’t you go to your parent’s place?”
- >”I told them that everything was going great. That I was making something of myself, but you saw the place. Some days you were my only customer. I couldn’t go back.”
- >She looks away from you, but her wavering voice tells you all you need to know.
- >“I was on the streets for a few weeks before…”
- >Her voice cracks.
- >”You know…”
- “Morning… I-“
- >”Are you done with your coffee? I’m done with mine.” She snatches your mug before you can react and excuses herself to the kitchen.
- >Part of you wants to follow her.
- >To reassure her.
- >But, the sobbing from the other room stops you.
- >She needs to be alone for a little bit.
- >You shouldn’t have pushed her.
- >She would have told you eventually, right?
- >After a while you hear the faucet turn on, and walk over to investigate.
- >Morning is rewashing your dishes, even though they are already clean.
- >Well, clean by your standards.
- >You watch her clean a few, then she puts them aside to dry.
- ”Morning?”
- >”These were still dirty,” she says without looking back.
- >She is probably trying to keep busy so she can ignore her real problems.
- >”There, all finished,” she says more for herself than you.
- >Morning turns to face you with a determined look.
- >Her eyes are still red from crying.
- >”Thank you again, Anon, but I need to get back to work.”
- “It’s going to rain all night.”
- >A flash of lightning and the following thunder emphases your point.
- >”Don’t worry about me. I’ll figure something out.”
- >She walks past you and takes her bag of bits.
- >You dart in front of her, but she moves around you.
- >”Wait. You’ll get sick if you go out there. Why don’t you stay here?”
- >”I don’t want any charity, Anon.”
- >”Who said anything about charity?”
- >She places her bag down.
- >”You know I can’t pay you.”
- >”Friends don’t charge eachother for things like this.”
- >”I don’t have any friends.”
- >”What about me?”
- >She opens her mouth, but her eyes tell you all you need to know.
- >Morning has to stay strong to deal with her issues.
- >It doesn’t matter how many people she pushes away.
- >”Just stay tonight. If you feel the same way tomorrow, I won’t stop you. You don’t even have to say goodbye.”
- >Her resolve wavers at your offer.
- ”I have a spare guestroom. Well, it’s more of an office with a futon…”
- >”And you don’t want anything in return?”
- ”I wouldn’t mind some coffee with breakfast,” you say half-joking.
- >She presses her lips together as she considers.
- >You turn away as if she had already agreed.
- ”Let me show you.”
- >You walk slowly, and breathe in relief when you hear her hooves follow.
- >You turn on the light to the relatively clean room.
- >It doesn’t get much use, as you prefer spending time in the living room.
- ”What do you think?”
- >She looks around and touches the futon with a single hoof.
- >You can't tell what she is thinking.
- >Part of you is ready to accept her walking out.
- >She turns to you and asks,
- >”What do you want for breakfast?”
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