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- >The afternoon passed by as expected.
- >The work gets done, you make serious headway on the table and chairs.
- >Some detailing and it'll be done.
- >The ponies who came to get their orders from yesterday expressed some interest in it.
- >You'd have relished the compliments any other day than this, however.
- >Being caught between two ponies in a romantic dilemma...
- >What would Mom say?
- >Probably tell you how your cousin was going to med school back on Earth...
- >Seriously, fuck Earth.
- >You glance at the clock. It was almost 8pm by now.
- >You head to the workbench to grab a cigarette.
- >The table really did look good. Despite your mood, it looked great.
- >Some of the designs needed some polish, but this was going to turn out well.
- >This was a good place to stop. You had somewhere you needed to be, anyway.
- >You needed a stiff drink and someone you could count on for advice.
- >Unfortunately, all you had was Barley at this hour. It'll do.
- >Bits, smokes, passport. Checks all around.
- >Exiting the shop, you are met with another of Equestria's cooling summer breezes.
- >It felt amazing. Even helping wash some of the stress from today's events.
- >You make your trek back to the city circle.
- >The tavern comes into view soon enough.
- >You open the door to the tavern, noticing the usual crowd and your favorite bartender.
- >”Hey! Good to see you stud! Come on in!”
- >You trundle to the bar and sit in the stool, plopping your cigarettes on the counter.
- >”So, how'd the concert go.”
- “Cider first, please.”
- >Barley's face goes straight.
- >”Sure thing, kid.”
- >He leaves to get your mug ready as you light another cigarette on the lamp.
- >”So how bad did you screw it up?”
- “Pretty bad, I think.”
- >Barley grows concerned in a hurry, placing a hoof on the counter in front of you.
- >”Anon. Tell me you didn't do something stupid with the princess last night.”
- “Not with Luna. Lyra.”
- >Barley pauses for a second, then throwing the bar rag over his shoulders.
- >”Lyra? That mare that used to play here back in the day? The one who played the concert?"
- “Yeah. Seems she's got a thing for me.”
- >Barley looks at you straight.
- >”Alright kid. Give me the whole story.”
- >You take a moment to explain the situation. Lyra coming to see you the other night, the date with Luna, Lyra running off, the whole nine yards.
- >Barley listens closely the entire time, switching between nodding and wincing when appropriate.
- >2 mugs of hard cider and 4 cigarettes later, your yarn is finished.
- >Barley takes a deep breathe before a smile comes across his face.
- >”I'm proud of you, kid.”
- >You snort into your mug.
- “Excuse me?”
- >”Well, you've been here a while now and I was starting to get worried about you. Always burying yourself in work and all that. That's usually not a good sign, especially for someone who came here out of the flippin' blue.”
- >You swirl your mug.
- >”I mean, it's just nice to see you have a little heart, too.”
- “Thanks, Barley. I'm just not sure what to do at this point.”
- >Barley heads down the counter, coming back with 2 fresh mugs.
- “Dude, I'm not really trying to get hammered tonight.”
- >”This one's for me, kid. Drink up.”
- >You smile heartily. This fucking guy...
- >”Kid. you know why me and Hops fight so much?”
- “Cause you can't remember to leave the seat down?”
- >Barley let's out a mighty laugh, raising his mug, inviting you for a toast.
- >”Cause she's worth it.”
- >You're about to take a swill before you pause.
- >”Between her mother, her nagging, asking me to lose weight, and hiding my personal stock of booze, it's all worth it.”
- >You proceed with your swill.
- >”I aint gonna tell you what to do at this point, kid. Ponies like to pretend they know everything these days.”
- >He downs the mug in one go. Color yourself impressed.
- >”... All I'll say is, think of the one that you wouldn't mind leaving the seat up for.”
- >He gives you a wink.
- >Seems you haven't given him enough credit. Fucking guy knows what he's talking about.
- >You pause, letting your cigarette reduce itself to ash.
- >Between the two...
- >The way you saw it, Lyra was fun, but Luna...
- >You polish off the mug with a rejuvenated spirit.
- “Thanks Barley. You'd be a man among men back on Earth.”
- >He responds to your compliment with a wide grin.
- >”Anytime, Anon.”
- >You figure that by now, you have a better idea of what needs to happen.
- >You check the clock. Close to midnight by now. Perfect.
- >Reaching into your pocket, you take out a fistful of bits, dropping them onto the counter.
- >Barley looks at you shocked.
- >Anon... 100 bits is a little much for some cider.
- “You got any more of that Chateaus Warmblood?”
- >Barley picks up the hint and motions for the bottle, placing it on the counter in front of you with a sly grin.
- >”You're 50 bits short.”
- “Bill me.”
- >You grab the bottle and your smokes.
- >”You got it, kid.”
- >Making for the door, you give Barley a wave.
- >Mental note. New stools for Barley for Hearth's Warming Eve.
- >You open the door. The cool night breeze seems a little more comfortable than when you started.
- >It only serves to feed your drive for what you plan to do.
- >First things first. You need that stone.
- >You walk back to the shop.
- >Not in joy or depression.
- >It's pure motivation. There was something that you needed to do tonight and you planned on getting it done.
- >You enter the shop and grab the stone from the cabinet, as well as a bag you typically used for groceries.
- >Placing the wine in the bag along with two wine glasses, you make for the door.
- >Anxiety is washing over you like a torrent. You were excited, but the knowledge that there was no going back still permeated you.
- >As you enter the city streets, you ponder the last week.
- >It was a serious deviation from the plan...
- >You were supposed to just work. Make some friends. See this fucking insane world. Grow old and die.
- >Funny how shit can change.
- >You walk the streets. That same blue glow begins to emit from the castle walls as you get closer, as if to invite you in.
- >There really was no going back.
- >Before long, you find yourself in familiar territory. The castle gardens.
- >You case the location, finding a bench close by and walking to it.
- >You place the bag of goodies behind you, doing your best to keep it from obvious sight.
- >Then, taking the stone in hand, you bring it to your mouth.
- “Luna. You there?”
- >Wait a minute...
- >There's the glow.
- >”Anonymous? Is that you?”
- “No, it's your conscience. You free?”
- >Another minute passes before the glow returns.
- >”Give me a moment.”
- >You pocket the stone and turn your attention to the balcony.
- >Luna eventually appears, taking notice of you and making her signature dive.
- >She flutters to your side, deft as ever.
- >Game time.
- >”It's good to see you, Anon. However, I didn't expect to see you so soon.”
- “I wanted to talk to you. You have a minute?”
- >She looks at you with a puzzled look before taking a seat on the bench next to you.
- >”I do. What did you want to discuss?”
- >You take a deep breathe before proceeding.
- >”It's about Lyra.”
- >Luna's expression shows a little more surprise.
- >”Oh?”
- “Yeah. I found out why she ran off like that.”
- >”And?”
- “Well... It seems she was upset that I took you on a date to her concert last night.”
- >She pulls back, widening her eyes and bringing a hoof to her mouth.
- >”Anon... I had no idea!”
- >You notice that a look of genuine concern is growing on her face.
- “Honestly. Neither did I. Remember that first song?”
- >She nods nervously.
- “Apparently she wrote it for me...”
- >You notice a sad expression from behind her hoof.
- >You're heart is racing like a fucking rabbit right now.
- >There is a pause. Your quick wit is unusually absent right now.
- >You turn your attention to Luna who catches your gaze.
- >She turns away, noticeably distraught.
- >”I understand, Anonymous. I wish you the best of luck...”
- >She jumps from the bench motioning to return to the balcony.
- >The fact that you were about to screw this up snaps you to action, reaching for the nearest hoof.
- >You snag her rear leg just as she begins liftoff.
- “Wait, Luna! I want to leave the seat up for you.”
- >...
- >God damnit...
- >Words. You try to remember your words.
- >She falls back to the ground, landing on her hooves.
- >She looks back at you with a look somewhere between”What the fuck” and...
- >It's actually all “what the fuck” right now.
- “I mean I want to leave your seat up!”
- >Son of a bitch.
- >A second passes by as you try and gain some composure and a little dignity.
- “J-just hear me out for a minute.”
- >You feel the tension leave Luna's leg, letting go and bringing yourself back to the bench.
- >Luna stares at you, her blue eyes glassy from tears yet to be shed.
- >You take a second to make sure the next bit doesn't sound so... idiotic.
- “What I'm trying to say is I want to keep seeing you.”
- >Luna's eyes widen sharply.
- “Lyra is a great friend, and she's important to me. She makes me laugh every time I see her.”
- >Luna remains stunned.
- “But you make me happy.”
- >She begins to walk over to you.
- “What I'm trying to say is...”
- >Out of nowhere, Luna lunges at you, wrapping her fore legs around your neck, pressing her lips firmly against yours.
- >The action leaves you stunned.
- >It's only from reflexes that you manage to keep yourself on the bench, laying back as she presses into the kiss.
- >Eventually, you drape your arms over Luna's back and head, your mind fogged in joyous ecstasy.
- >This was a hell of a turn of events.
- >You enjoy the feeling for a moment as Luna pulls back, staring at you.
- >Her large blue eyes draped in happy anxiety.
- >You take the hand from her head and fish around the bench for your bag.
- >Picking it up, the rustling of glass catches your ear.
- >It seems in all the commotion, you knocked the bag over, causing the glasses to shatter.
- >You grab the bottle alone and bring it up for Luna to view.
- “We need some glasses.”
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