Gears of Romance

by Phoenix999

Rating: teen
Tags: Sex, Bon-Bon, Berry Punch, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance
Length: 20956

A jaded stallion catches the attention of two mares when he moves to Ponyville. Brought together by their shared connection in drinking alcohol, it is both the glue that binds them and the knife that separates them.

A jaded stallion catches the attention of two mares when he moves to Ponyville. Brought together by their shared connection in drinking alcohol, it is both the glue that binds them and the knife that separates them.

Editor: Daetrin
Proofreader: PegasusMesa

Art Commissioned from: ImJustAnotherBrony

Published 2013-08-16 13:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-01-09 22:57:14 UTC

Chapter 3

Widget spent the morning unpacking the few personal items that he had, getting the mundane out of the way so that he could spend the remainder of his time up on his clock commissions. He had just finished one of his signature hanging wall clocks, the kind that chimed a special tune every twelve hours, when a ringing bell alerted him of a visitor. Stepping out to greet the visitor, Widget smiled as he recognized the mare who looked around his shop. “Good afternoon, Bon Bon.”

Bon Bon jumped and turned to face Widget’s cocky grin. “Oh, Widget! You came out of nowhere!”

Widget chuckled. “Sorry about that. I’ll be sure to come from ‘somewhere’ next time.”

Bon Bon giggled; her laugh was a pleasant sort of girlish glee that brought a smile to Widget’s face. “So what do I owe the honor to, Miss Bon Bon? Here for business? Or did you walk all this way just to see me?”

Bon Bon’s cheeks flushed red. “Actually I came here because you invited me.”

Widget blinked for a moment, staring at Bon Bon’s face. “I did?”

Bon Bon’s expression grew slightly confused. “Yes, don’t you remember? Last night at the bar you said to come by around lunch time.”

“I’m sorry, Bon Bon. You’ll have to forgive me, I don’t remember much from last night. The last thing I remember is drinking that concoction Berry made me, then everything went black.” Widget said as he looked into Bon Bon’s eyes and gave a warm apologetic smile. Bon Bon looked crestfallen, as if her hopes and dreams had been crushed in that very instance, almost to the point of tears. Widget hurriedly followed up with waiving his hooves frantically and said, “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to get to know you better! How about we go out to lunch? I haven’t eaten yet and I’m starving!”

Bon Bon perked up at that, giving Widget enough reason to release a sigh of relief. Crisis averted.

She smiled and said, “Sure, that sounds wonderful. Where are we going?”

“Um... would it be too much to ask for you to pick? I don’t exactly know what’s available here, I did only get here yesterday...”

Bon Bon giggled at that. “Oh it’s fine. Here, follow me. I know just the place to go.”

Bon Bon led him to a quaint diner called ‘Daffodil’s’. They both were led to an outside table by the waitress. The seats were made of hay bales, which were actually quite comfortable by Widget’s standards. Bon Bon perused the menu, Widget carefully examining his own. “Bon Bon, what do you suggest? I’m a bit torn between the daffodil sandwich and the pea soup.”

“Daffodil sandwich hooves down. I was actually gonna order that as well. They make the best daffodil sandwich in town. They didn’t call it ‘Daffodil’s’ for nothing,” she replied.

The waitress came back and took their orders. “So, I might have asked everything I’m about to ask last night... but where do you work?”

Bon Bon giggled. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve never seen anypony down a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ special all at once like that. It doesn’t surprise me that you can’t remember most of what happened. And to answer your question, I actually own my own candy store a couple streets down from your shop.”

“Well, thank you for the understanding. I hope I didn’t do anything too embarrassing when I was blacked out...” He thought back to the explanation that Berry had given him, but found no indication of anything that would degrade his image in her story.

“Only if you count dancing with ponies to no music embarrassing,” she replied.

Widget’s hoof promptly met his face, causing a soft reverberation in his skull. “Ugh... I knew there had to be something.”

“Oh no, don’t worry. It was cute, and I quite enjoyed it when you dipped me. It was a lot of fun,” she replied, giving Widget a wink.

The waitress returned with their food, and interrupted the conversation before Widget could make a quick remark. He instead turned to his sandwich and bit into it, eager to try the dish that the diner was famous for. Widget swallowed a mouthful, his eyes widened at the burst of amazing flavor that assaulted his taste-buds. He wondered how the sandwich could have such a rich and full flavor. He tore through the sandwich voraciously, like a rabid animal, leaving only a few crumbs left on the plate. A single daffodil flower hanged vicariously from the corner of his lips.

Bon Bon took one look at him before bursting into laughter, while Widget wiped his mouth with a hoof. He gave her a sheepish smile. “I had no idea that I could get a sandwich this good without going to a five star restaurant. You really do have some good food out here in Ponyville, don’t you? I mean, even the apples I bought yesterday were better than the ones from Canterlot.”

Bon Bon regained control of herself once again, holding a hoof to her chest as it heaved with calming breaths. “You’re funny, you know that?”

Widget just shrugged and took a sip of his water. She continued. “Ponyville mostly uses the local farms for their food ingredients, so that might be what got you all excited, but I’ve still never seen anyone devour a sandwich like that. It was priceless!”

He couldn’t help but smile, for some reason when this mare giggled and smiled, she affected everypony nearby. Her feelings were infectious. “Yeah, that would make a lot of sense. We don’t usually get fresh ingredients in Canterlot. Most of the stuff we get has been through a lot of travel, and has been specially packaged to last the trip.”

Widget looked at his watch and noted that it had been about a half hour since he left his shop. “Bon Bon, how much time do you have?”

She tilted her head and raised one eyebrow. “Um... well, I shouldn’t stay out too long, but I don’t have any strict time schedules or anything. I am my own boss, you know.”

“Well, I was wondering if you could show me around Ponyville a bit before you head back to work. I have a few things back at the shop that I could be getting into, but I need to know where to get supplies, and where to go for when I need something.” And I’m actually enjoying your company. Wait, no! I left Canterlot to get away from all of that! I will not get caught in my old habits again!

Bon Bon’s ears swiveled forward as she straightened her head to meet Widget’s gaze. “Sure! It shouldn’t take too long at all. Ponyville is a pretty small town, but I’ll show you around and give you the VIP tour!”

As Bon Bon showed him around Ponyville, Widget’s mind kept nagging at him. I still have no idea what happened last night. I mean, Berry gave me a quick run-down and said I didn’t do anything too bad, but I still need to know. Widget sighed as he looked over to Bon Bon. “Hey Bon Bon, can I ask you a stupid question?”

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow in reply. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Well, I can’t remember anything from last night. And I was wondering if you could fill me in?”

“Oh.” Bon Bon looked away as her cheeks flushed lightly. “What would you like to know?”

“Um…” Widget hesitated. “Well, Berry said that I got really ‘sociable’ and I was wondering as to how much.”

“Well,” Bon Bon said as she used a hoof to scratch her muzzle. “You started getting really friendly all of a sudden. Not that you weren’t friendly before, but after you finished the drink you seemed really relaxed. And then we had a dance sometime through the night after a few more drinks.”

Widget groaned loudly, using a hoof to rub his fore-head. “Please tell me I didn’t try to do anything else.”

Bon Bon held a hoof to her mouth, attempting to suppress a giggle. “No, you were fine. You kept complimenting us both though. You would put on a stupid grin and wink at us when we just laughed at some of your silly behavior. It was really funny.”

“Good. Then I wasn’t a complete jerk to you guys then?” Widget asked.

“No. You were pretty nice the whole time, even when I started getting a bit tipsy too.” Bon Bon replied. Her brow furrowed though as she looked over at Widget. “Wait… you talked to Berry today?”

Widget blinked. Oh no, this can’t end well. How do I tell her without her getting the wrong idea? “Um, yeah. You see she just wanted to make sure I got home alright last night and ended up walking me home. I woke up this morning and found her on my couch.”

Berry’s gaze softened as her lips started to quiver. “Oh, I see… Did you.. did you two do anything?”

“Oh! No! I swear!” Widget exclaimed as he waived his hooves. You idiot! You made it worse! “She said all I did was give her a pillow and a blanket and then I left for my room. I was asleep before anything else could happen.”

“Hmm…” Bon Bon’s eyes narrowed as she studied him. Closing her eyes, she nodded silently to herself. “Yup. That sounds like Berry. I believe you.”

Good. Widget let out a breath. “So how about the rest of that tour?”

“Oh right! So here we are at Sugarcube Corner…”

They eventually made their way to a candy shop, not too far from Widget’s own shop. Bon Bon turned to Widget and shuffled nervously. “Well, this is the last stop: my candy shop. I had a lot of fun today.”

Widget smiled. “I had a lot of fun as well, Bon Bon. I’ll be sure to drop by sometime.”

Bon Bon’s shuffling ceased the instant he finished. “Great! Feel free to stop by anytime. I’ll see you soon!”

She turned and walked with a slight skip in her step into the candy store. Widget made his way into his own shop. Taking a few sips from his mug of cola and whiskey, he sat down at his workbench and sighed. This is going to get interesting really quickly.

Chapter 4

The Sun lowered towards the horizon. The myriad of clocks adorning the storefront chimed in different melodies to signal that closing time, six o’clock, had arrived. Widget stretched, getting up from his workbench and putting his tools away. A few ponies had stopped by the shop and greeted him, but for the most part the time after he got back from lunch was spent in the back room finishing various clock commissions. Looking down at his now empty mug, Widget sighed. Well, I could go and visit the bar again. With any luck, I’ll remember what happens this time. Nodding to himself, Widget closed his shop for the day and made his way to Berry’s Delights.

Entering the bar, Widget noticed a few ponies gathered around a table to the side, up against a wall. They all had grim expressions as they eyed the playing cards in front of them. Berry stood behind the bar as Bon Bon finished off a swig of her drink. Berry had noticed his entry and waved him over with a smile. Bon Bon looked at Widget and sighed, passing Berry a few bits. Widget raised an eyebrow as Berry smirked at Bon Bon’s scowling face. “I told you he’d come.”

“Making bets on me already?” Widget said, chuckling. “I’m glad I made such a good first impression on you two.”

Bon Bon’s cheeks reddened. “Well, I didn’t think you’d come back so early.”

“I told you, he’s the type that you just can’t keep away. Besides, I’m pretty sure we left our own impressions on him that won’t be going away anytime soon.” Berry laughed and slapped Bon Bon affectionately on the shoulder. Berry winked at him. “So, what can I get you this time?”

“Surprise me.” Thinking better of his choice of words, he added, “As long as it doesn’t have liquid dragon’s fire in it, that is. I’d like to remember tonight, thank you very much.”

Berry hummed to herself, tapping a hoof on her chin as Widget took a seat next to Bon Bon at the bar. Berry turned around and started mixing various alcohols together, stirring it and adding a splash of cola. She topped it off with a lemon slice and passed it to him. Widget smiled, taking a sip of the tall glass of brownish mixture. “Long Island Iced Tea, always a good choice.”

Widget placed a few bits on the bar. Berry leaned on the wooden surface and directed her attention on him. “So, how was your first full day in Ponyville?”

Widget shrugged. “Eh, it was alright. After you left I finished unpacking, then Bon Bon showed up and we had lunch. Then it was just finishing my clocks, not many people come into my shop needing repairs normally.”

Berry and Bon Bon shared a glance, each with a calculating gaze. Did I say too much? Before Widget could follow that train of thought, Bon Bon and Berry both gave each other toothy smiles and turned their gazes to him.

“So what was the favorite part of your day?” Bon Bon asked.

Widget paused and raised an eyebrow. I’m not that foolish you know. “Breathing.”

Bon Bon’s muzzle scrunched up as she stared off into the distance. Berry took one look at Bon Bon and snickered. Berry punched Widget on his shoulder. “Oh c'mon, be serious. What was the favorite part of your day?”

“Honestly?” Widget scratched his chin for dramatic effect as both mare’s attentions firmly placed back on him. “Right now. Talking and drinking with the two of you.”

Bon Bon seemed to perk up a bit at that as Berry shook her head in mock defeat. Widget raised his glass for a toast. “To new adventures.”

Bon Bon and Berry smiled and grabbed their drinks. The three ponies clinked glasses and took a long pull from their drinks. Placing his drink down, Widget gave a satisfied sigh. “That’s a great Long Island. Berry, you’re my personal bartender from now on.”

Berry laughed and gave Widget a wink. “I’m also the only bartender in Ponyville. But I’ll let you think that you’re making me feel better.”

Widget just smiled back at her and took another sip of his drink. “Regardless, you blend these flawlessly. Just take the compliment, will ya? I’ve been to my fair share of nightclubs and bars in Canterlot, so I know a good bartender when I see one.”

Berry blushed a bit, coughing into her hoof to regain her composure. Bon Bon took her chance to get a word in. “So, how does Ponyville compare to Canterlot?”

Widget scratched his chin as he thought of how to best answer her question. “Well, for one, Ponyville is much smaller. I know that sounds obvious but if you’ve ever been to Canterlot, even the atmosphere makes it feel big and impressive. In Canterlot there’s a lot of aristocrats and nobles, but they pretty much keep to the day time. The nightlife is something else entirely, it’s almost as if the night in Canterlot is completely opposite. It’s the time where all of the working class ponies come out to party, and there’s a lot of dance and techno clubs, as well as tons of different bars that are always packed. The night in Canterlot keeps going non-stop, and doesn’t end until about five in the morning, when everyone goes home to catch a few hours of sleep before their work shifts. Here it’s much more of a small-community feel, where somepony can feel welcomed easily. It feels cozy in comparison to the busy, spacious feeling of Canterlot.”

The mares are also only after money, power, and influence, he almost added. Thinking better of it, he decided to let it slide. Widget could tell that both mares were giving him their full attention, and he replied to the inevitable question before it could be asked. “But all in all, I like it here. Canterlot is nice, and I won’t say I won’t miss a few things about it. But the ponies here all seem much more friendly and genuine, and the fact that I’ve felt welcome since the moment I stepped hoof in Ponyville definitely helps. Despite the fact that I blacked out,” he said. Widget gave Berry a playful glare, garnering a bit of mirthful laughter from all three of them. He finished off his drink. “Berry, let’s get a white russian this time.”

Berry raised an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted to remember tonight?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll remember everything so long as it’s not liquid dragon’s fire. I don’t know what it is about that alcohol, but it gets me every time.” Widget replied. Berry just shrugged and made the drink and passed it over the counter. “So how long have you two known each other?”

Bon Bon said, “We’ve known each other ever since we were foals. We grew up in Ponyville and went to the same school as everypony else here.”

“Oh? Were you two close?” Widget asked.

“Not all the time. There were a few times during our school days that we would fight, but eventually we made up. It was usually a silly fight over something inconsequential, like who got to use the bucket in the sandbox,” Bon Bon said.

“Or the shovel,” Berry added, causing both mares to giggle.

Widget smiled as he basked in their moment of shared memories. Something out of the corner of his eye, caught his attention. Turning to view it properly, he realized it was a karaoke machine on a small stage at the far end of the bar. How did I not see that before? A smirk grew on his face as he devised a plan. “Berry, does that thing work?”

“Huh?” Berry looked over to where his hoof pointed. “Oh. Yeah, it hasn’t been used in a while though.”

“Perfect.” Widget’s smirk grew into a wicked smile as he turned back to the mares, his voice taking on an almost sinister quality to it. “Let’s play a game.”

Bon Bon tilted her head to the side as Berry raised an eyebrow. “What kind of game?”

“Simple. Each pony will make three statements about themself. One of those statements must be a lie. It doesn’t have to be anything big; it could be as simple as saying that your favorite color is green when it’s actually red. Both other ponies will have a chance of guessing which statement is the lie.” Widget paused, making sure that both mares understood him. A spark of interest showed in Bon Bon and Berry’s expressions.

“Since you both have known each other for so long, I’ll guess first regardless of who is speaking. This will give everypony a level playing field.” Both mares nodded in silent agreement.

“Now, if one of the two ponies guesses which statement is a lie, the pony who guessed it gets to choose what song the speaker sings. If both ponies guess it right, they can make an additional condition, such as ‘you must sing the song while doing the chicken dance’.” Both mares’ eyes gleamed at this development. Widget’s wicked smile grew larger. “However, If neither pony can guess the statement that is a lie, the speaker gets to choose a song that the other two ponies sing as a duet.”

Bon Bon smiled widely, clapping her hooves together. “That sounds like fun! Let’s play!”

“Oh, I’m going to have fun with this,” Berry replied in a teasing tone.

Widget’s evil grin came back. “Good! I’ll start and then we’ll work clockwise from there.”

The other two nodded. “Ok. My favorite color is green, I have a younger brother, and I love to take walks in the woods.”

Bon Bon tapped a hoof against her chin, her face scrunched up and her eyes narrowed as she looked off into the distance. “Umm... this is hard!”

Widget laughed. “That’s the point. Every statement should sound like it’s true.”

“Hmmm.” Bon Bon stared at Widget with increasing intensity, eventually removing her hoof and pointing at him accusingly. “You don’t love to take walks in the woods!”

Widget had trouble keeping a straight face, Oh Celestia, that’s just too precious. He turned to Berry. “And your guess?”

Berry evaluated him carefully. Something caught her eye, causing her eyes to widen. A predatory smile grew on her face. “Your favorite color isn’t green, it’s blue.”

Widget looked stunned for a moment. Oh, right. The watch, I forgot about that. Widget laughed and shook his head. “Didn’t think you’d notice that, but yes, you’re correct. My favorite color is not green, it is blue.”

Bon Bon looked more shocked than Widget had. He raised his left forehoof to show her his watch, showing it’s deep blue faceplate with intricate silver lacing in the shape of his cutie mark. “This was a gift from my grandfather from before he passed away. He gave it to me as a present when I finally got my cutie mark.”

Widget looked at his watch lovingly while Bon Bon smiled. Snapping out of his daze, Widget turned to Berry. “So, you won. What do you want me to sing?”

Berry smiled. “Oh let’s see...”

She pulled the songlist book out from a cupboard. “Hmm. How about this one. Just go up to the machine. I’ll set it up.”

Widget laughed. “Oh I get it. I don’t even get to mentally prepare; you are ruthless.”

She returned the laugh and responded in a playful tone, “Yes, yes I am. And don’t you forget it. Now get your flank up there!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Widget gave Berry a mock salute and made his way up to the stage. He took hold of the microphone and the small screen in front of him light up. The words ‘Fillies Just Wanna Have Fun’ appeared as the music started. Widget face-hoofed and groaned. Berry was giggling insatiably, a hoof covering her mouth in a failed attempt to muffle her laughter. I’m so gonna get you for this...

The lyrics appeared on the screen. Widget inhaled and prepared himself as he sang the first line. “I come home, in the morning light...”

Widget’s voice was an octave too low for the song, which made it even more ridiculous. Bon Bon had caught on to Berry’s antics and could be seen joining Berry in her giggle fit. The ponies at the side of the bar looked up from their game, some with amused grins on their faces, and a few covering their ears with their hooves. Widget had given up on trying to harmonize his voice to the song’s tune and just sang it in his normal singing voice, which wasn’t all that terrible. After the song had finished, he heard a mix of hooves clopping and laughing from the card playing ponies. Widget took a comical bow and made his way over to the bar and sat down next to the two mares who were still laughing from the display.

Berry used a hoof to wipe a tear from her eye. “Oh, Celestia... that was priceless!”

Bon Bon nodded in agreement, still giggling as she said, “Oh, and the part when you squeaked out the chorus... that was hilarious!”

Both mares succumbed to another giggle fit. Widget patiently waited for the mares to settle down. “Need I remind you that revenge is imminent?”

Berry managed to calm herself down and snorted her reply. “Only if you manage to guess correctly.”

Widget smiled. “Indeed. In the meantime, it’s your turn Bon Bon.”

After several moments of attempting to compose herself, Bon Bon finally replied, “Ok... just... give me a minute...”

Taking the opportunity to return to his drink, Widget watched the two mares as they recovered from the after effects of the comical display. Berry left for a moment and tended to the ponies at the table. She brought them a few drinks and took the empty mugs to the sink behind the bar. Berry returned with a smirk on her face. “They congratulate you on your bravery, Widget. They said not many stallions would be willing to emasculate themselves in front of an entire bar full of ponies.”

Widget rolled his eyes, which caused Bon Bon to go into another fit of laughter. After a few minutes, Bon Bon took a deep breath and exhaled, leaving a calm exterior. “Ok, I’m ready. I like to fly kites, I love candy, and my favorite food is pizza.”

Widget set his drink down, scratching his chin in thought. After several moments, he lowered his hoof. “You don’t like to fly kites.”

Berry looked at Widget for a moment, deep in thought. She then turned her head to Bon Bon. “You hate candy.”

Bon Bon looked aghast. “Berry! You know I don’t like pizza!”

Berry scratched the back of her head and looked off into the distance, a guilty look on her face. “I guess I forgot…”

Bon Bon glared at Berry, not buying into the ploy. Interesting, Widget thought.

Releasing her glare, Bon Bon sighed in resignation. “Well I guess that means you two get to do a duet together. As for the song, how about number fifty five.”

Bon Bon pointed to a track on the open tracklist book, the title read ‘YMCA by The Village Ponies’. Berry scowled while Bon Bon held a triumphant smirk on her face. “Didn’t think I’d let you off that easy, did you?”

Pressing a few buttons behind the counter, Berry left and went to the stage with Widget. The group of ponies at the table glanced over as they took the stage. Berry turned to him. “You ready for this?”

“This is nothing compared to what you made me sing.”

“True enough,” Berry said as she giggled into her hoof.

The music started to play as the screen light up. Both ponies leaned in close to their microphone. “Young mare, there's no need to feel down…”

Berry and Widget sang the song together, and soon they were able to harmonize fairly well. Widget soon found himself rubbing his side against Berry’s as they sang into the microphone together. They both had smiles on their muzzles as they gave each other fleeting glances while keeping their voices in sync. At the end of the song, Bon Bon sat in her stool clapping her hooves together and whistling. The card playing ponies had once again suspended their game, applauding the pair. One mare shouted, “Woo! Go, Berry!”

Several of the stallions joined in, and soon enough the group was chanting, “Encore!”

Berry sighed and turned to them. “You’ll have to wait until we finish our next round. Now calm down or I’ll cut you off!”

A resounding sigh and groans of disappointment emitted from the crowd, who subsequently returned to their card game. Berry and Widget returned to Bon Bon at the bar. He snorted in amusement. “Well, that was actually pretty fun. Good choice, Bon Bon.”

Berry nodded. “Agreed. I actually didn’t think that would be that fun.”

“Well, I’m not evil you know,” Bon Bon replied with a smirk on her muzzle.

Berry blushed a bit. “Ok, so my turn. I have a little sister, I love the starry night sky, and I hate coconut.”

“Too easy. You don’t hate coconut,” Widget said.

Berry cringed as Bon Bon laughed. “He’s right. You don’t hate coconut. It’s in half of your favorite drinks.”

“Bon Bon, why don’t you pick the song? I’ll pick the condition she has to fulfill while she sings.” Widget glanced sinisterly at Berry’s pale form.

“Ok! How about ‘Love Shack’?” Bon Bon excitedly said; Berry breathed a sigh of relief.

“Sounds great, Bon Bon. For the condition… I think Berry will sound great up there while she pretends to run away from timberwolves.” Widget’s toothy smile was met with a scowl from Berry.

“Oh, you are so going to pay for this.” Berry set herself up on the small stage, the music starting as she got into position. With a terrified expression, Berry looked behind her and started jogging in place, singing into the microphone, “If you see a faded sign at the side of the road that says…”

Widget and Bon Bon held onto each other to keep from falling off their seats in laughter. The ponies playing cards looked at the sight with mixed expressions of confusion and amusement. Berry ran in place, looking behind herself periodically with a terrified face while she sang ‘Love Shack’. As the song ended, Widget walked up to Berry and patted her on the back. “Oh that was great! I can’t... I can’t stop laughing. It’s too much.”

Berry rolled her eyes as she aimed a defiant glare at Widget. He smiled playfully. “That was payback for making me sing ‘Fillies Just Wanna Have Fun’.”

Bon Bon jumped over and grabbed the two in a friendly embrace. “That was a lot of fun! We should do that again sometime!”

Widget laughed. “Yes, yes we should.”

Berry walked over to the ponies at the table and exchanged a few chuckles and jabs with them. The ponies cleared the cards and left, settling their tabs with Berry. Berry took the empty mugs back to be cleaned and rejoined Bon Bon and Widget at the bar. The clock on the wall chimed, and Widget checked his own watch out of habit. Midnight! Is it really that late? Widget turned back to Bon Bon and Berry. “Well, ladies, I’m going to have to get going sooner or later. I have to wake up in the morning to finish some orders.”

Bon Bon expressed a need to leave as well and said her goodbyes to Berry as she gave Berry a hug. Bon Bon walked over to the door and Widget scooted closer to Berry. “Berry, I had a good time tonight. I’d love to see you when you’re not working though. Are you available at all this week?”

Berry tilted her head to the side. “Oh?”

Widget shrugged. “I’d just like to have a little time between just us. You know, without the hangover.”

Berry smiled. “I work nights, obviously, but I’m free during the day most of the time. Just come by my house on the corner of Pine and Cherry street.”

Widget nodded. “Pine and Cherry, got it. I might drop by tomorrow at lunch then.”

Berry winked at him. “I’ll be expecting you then.”

Widget smiled and exited the bar with Bon Bon, who said. “So What did you talk to Berry about?”

“Oh, nothing really. I just thanked her for not giving me any dragon’s fire,” Widget replied. I’d really like to avoid another treehouse incident. Besides, Bon Bon doesn’t need to know about my plans with Berry. Bon Bon looked down at her hooves, staring intently. “Um, Bon Bon, do you want me to walk you home? I know Ponyville’s a lot safer than Canterlot, but it’s kinda dark outside.”

Bon Bon looked up hopefully. “Are you sure? It’s kinda out of your way.”

Widget gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure.”

Bon Bon perked up and trotted alongside him. The walk to her house passed by in relative silence, both ponies content to bask in the other’s company. They stopped in front of a house and Bon Bon turned to Widget. “This is my house. Thank you for walking me home.”

“It’s no problem at all.”

Bon Bon closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking into Widget’s eyes with conviction. “Widget, would you like to come with me on a picnic on Saturday?”

Widget smiled. “Sure, that sounds like fun. If it’s a nice day we could even find a nice clearing in the forest to have it. I always love a picnic in the forest.”

Bon Bon had an elated look on her face, her voice brimmed with happiness. “Oh that sounds great! Well, I should get going. I’ll see you on Saturday!”

“See you Saturday,” Widget replied. He waved goodbye to Bon Bon and made his way to his own home.

Chapter 5

Widget stood outside of a house. Its window shutters were closed, the lawn slightly overgrown. He took a look at his watch. Eleven o’clock. Am I too early? It doesn’t look like anypony’s awake in there. The house was eerily devoid of signs of life. Widget glanced at the side of the mailbox. Berry Punch… Yup, this is the right place. Walking up to the door, he stopped for a moment and listened for signs of life inside of the house.

Eventually, he took in a deep breath and knocked on the door. Widget waited for a few minutes and raised his hoof to knock again. His hoof came down heavily to knock on the door as it swung inwards. Taken by surprise, Widget whacked Berry’s nose, missing the door.

“Umpf!”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, Berry!” Widget examined Berry’s face. The damage seemed to be minimal. She wasn’t bleeding, and the only evidence of physical trauma was a patch of ruffled fur on her muzzle. His hoof slid gently across the affected area, revealing that no bruising had occurred. Satisfied, he realized he only inches away from her face. Heat rising to his cheeks, Widget pulled back and coughed into his hoof in a failed attempt to dissipate the awkward mood.

Berry stood with wide eyes, mane disheveled more than usual and a distinct hint of red on her cheeks. A moment passed in awkward silence as the two ponies stood in Berry’s doorway, both of them staring into each others eyes, their minds blank. They were lost in a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and a palpable tension that Widget couldn’t quite describe, it was a feeling of dread and a feeling of soaring spirits simultaneously. After Widget’s mind started to work once again, he rubbed his mane and slowly regained his composure. “So… sorry if I woke you up, I didn’t have much on my work list today so I figured I could take an early lunch.”

“Oh…” Berry’s eyes had returned to normal, her cheeks still showing a slight blush. “Well, why don’t you come in, then? I still have to get ready, but you're welcome to take a seat. It shouldn’t take too long.”

“Sure.” Widget followed Berry inside and took a seat on a nearby couch. He couldn’t help but glance at her flank as she walked upstairs. The sway in her hips and a tail flick bringing Widgets heart to pound just a hair faster, his eyes tracing the lines of her curvy form. Damn...

Once she was out of sight, Widget took a deep breath as he steadied himself with a hoof on his chest. I can’t believe I… Ugh… I knew she’d be trouble. The sound of running water reached his ears as he looked around the room. The living room was furnished with the couch, a rug, coffee table, and a fireplace. A grin crossed Widget’s face as he recognized the same scent of wild-berries that permeated Berry’s bar wafted in the air. The warm colors of the red brick gave him an inviting feeling of warmth and coziness. Upon careful inspection, a spot on the wall above the fireplace was slightly discolored indicating that there used to be a picture hanging there. Despite the way it looks, this house feels like a home.

Hoofsteps interrupted any further contemplation. Berry stood at the foot of the steps. Her coat had a sheen to it and her mane was combed more than usual. Widget smiled. “You sure cleaned up pretty good! Ready to go?”

Berry smirked. “At least one of us should look presentable.”

Widget chuckled, looking down at his own slightly matted coat. “True enough.”

“So where are we going?”

A playful glint shone in Widget’s eyes. “Oh, you’ll see. Just follow me.”

He opened the door and gave an over-exaggerated bow. “After you, madame.”

“How am I supposed to follow you if I’m leaving first?" Berry grinned widely, receiving a frustrated sigh from Widget. Satisfied, she nudged his shoulder and walked out the door. Widget followed, closing the door behind him.

Widget strode up next to Berry, and led her down a series of turns. Berry smirked as they reached their destination, a simple storefront with a sign that said ‘Carino’s’. They entered and a yellow mare addressed them from behind a podium. “Welcome to Carino’s, how may I serve you?”

Widget smiled. “I’d like a table for two please.”

“Of course, right this way,” the yellow mare replied.

Widget and Berry followed the mare to a table seated for two, outside on the patio. Widget and Berry took their seats and were given menus. “My name is Sunny, and I’ll be your waitress today. May I start you off with something to drink?”

Widget scratched his chin. “I’ll have a lemon-lime soda.”

Berry said, “I’ll take the cherry soda.”

“I’ll be back with your drinks in just a moment.” Sunny left the table to go get the drinks.

They both browsed the menu and looked through the various dishes available. Berry put her own menu down. “Have you decided what you want?”

“No, I haven’t actually been here before. But I liked the way the place looked, so I figured I’d give it a shot,” he said. “Any suggestions?”

Berry laughed. “Well this is a good choice of venue. I’d suggest either the alfredo pasta or the spaghetti. They’re both pretty popular.”

“Hmmm… I guess I’ll go with the alfredo pasta then,” Widget replied, placing his menu down onto the table.

Sunny returned, placing their drinks in front of them. “Have you decided on your order?”

“Yes, I’ll take the spaghetti and he’ll take the alfredo pasta.” Berry replied without hesitation. Widget eyed Berry curiously. A bit of the dominant type I see.

“Certainly, I’ll have your orders out as soon as they’re ready.” Sunny collected the menus and left Widget and Berry.

“So, Berry,” Widget said, “why run a bar? Don’t get me wrong, I’m eternally grateful that you have the only bar in town, but I can’t help but notice your cutie mark is a strawberry and grapes.”

“Checking out my flank, huh?” Berry winked, laughing. “I love operating the bar. But you’re right, my special talent isn’t exactly bartending. My special talent deals more with the berries that the alcohol is made out of. I actually want to own my own winery someday, and the bar is a step in that direction. Opening a bar costs a lot less money, time, and energy than opening a winery.”

“Oh, that makes sense. With a winery I would suppose that you would have to buy the land and equipment. Then you’d have to hire ponies to work the fields and you wouldn’t even see your finished product for at least a few years.” Widget nodded in understanding. I hope she doesn’t bring up her flank again. No need to fuel the fire. “How close are you to your goal?”

“Not close at all.” Berry sighed, lowering her face. A grin grew on her muzzle and she looked up at Widget again. “But it’s going to work out eventually!”

Widget laughed. “Yeah, I can’t see Ponyville being the best place to get rich quick with a bar.”

“Yeah, but there’s more demand for it than you think.” Berry snickered. “Like certain ponies who wander into town and decide to open their own shops here.”

Before he could make his own witty retort he was interrupted by Sunny, who came back to the table. Placing their orders in front of each of them, Sunny bowed. “Please enjoy your meal.”

Sunny then left, leaving a steaming pile of pasta covered with a creamy white sauce in front of Widget. The scent wafted into his nostrils, causing his mouth to water instantly. He didn’t waste any time and set to work on the plate of heaven-sent goodness. Berry watched with a bemused expression. “Slow down there, big guy. Don’t want to choke, do ya?”

Widget stopped mid-shovel, a tinge of red barely visible on his cheeks as he lowered his fork and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Sorry, but this is way better than I expected it to be. Then again, I was used to processed food a lot when I was living in Canterlot. I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that real food would taste so good after all of that.”

“Well, the food here is good. So I can’t really blame you for that, I guess.” Berry chuckled, taking a bite of her spaghetti. “So what about you? What drove you to open your own clock making shop?”

“Well, I—” Widget cut himself off as he noticed a white unicorn mare with pink hair walking his way. No way… it can’t be. There’s no way she’d be here, it must be someone else. Attempting to shake off his worries, Widget turned back to the conversation with Berry. “I apprenticed with my Grandfather and got a lot of commissions from doing it. Some things happened and I wanted to branch out and make my own shop.”

“And you just had to go to the smallest backwater town in all of Equestria didn’t you?” A voice said in a rather annoyed tone.

Widget closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his right hoof in a vain attempt to make the aberration go away. Berry blinked and looked over at the new pony, who had stopped just outside of the patio fence. “And you are…?”

Damnit, Berry acknowledged her. That means she’s actually here. Widget groaned, dragging his hoof down his muzzle and lowering it below the table. His ears splayed backwards and his face dropped in a defeated expression. “What in Tartarus do you want with me, Twinkleshine?”

The white unicorn harumphed as she lifted her nose to the air, as if she was talking to some disgusting creature. Looking down at Widget, she said, “Please, I don’t want anything to do with you. You should be glad that you're even graced with my very presence!”

Widget rolled his eyes and turned to face Twinkleshine. “Then why are you here? And more importantly, why are you interrupting my lunch?”

“Is this the kind of company you keep nowadays? Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I would have thought that you would be dating a higher class pony, at the very least.” Twinkleshine sneered.

“Hey!” Berry scowled as she lifted herself off of her seat. Widget stopped Berry with a hoof on hers. He shook his head. Berry eased her body back into her seat.

“That still doesn’t answer my question, Twinkleshine. Just spew it and get on your way—neither of us wants to drag this out any further.” Widget kept his hoof on Berry’s and looked over to Twinkleshine.

“Oh that’s right, Widget, control your mare." Twinkleshine snickered. Berry was about to get up again, but Widget pulled her back down. Twinkleshine smirked at Berry and turned to Widget with a smug grin. “You’re a hard pony to find, Widget. Why are you in Ponyville? Did you run away?”

Widget sighed. This is going nowhere fast. “Just tell me what you want, already.”

“You’ve gotten boring, Widget, you used to be so easy to tease.” Twinkleshine gave Widget an irritated snort, a bored look gracing her features. “Father was looking for you. He has a commission he just had to get you to work on. Price is of no consequence.”

Twinkleshine threw a sealed envelope at Widget, who caught it in his hooves. “I’ll look it over later. I assume your address is the same as before?”

Twinkleshine rolled her eyes dramatically. “Obviously.”

“Then I’ll send him the estimates by mail,” Widget said, placing the envelope on the table. “Is there anything else? Or can we go back to our meal?”

Twinkleshine snorted. “No, nothing else. Have fun with your newest marefriend, Widget, let’s hope this one lasts more than a week.”

Twinkleshine turned and trotted off into the distance with her nose held high. Berry’s glare, that could make a cockatrice shudder, remained fixed on the retreating mare, while Widget breathed deeply and sighed, releasing Berry’s hoof. Widget slumped back in his seat. Berry faced him with an annoyed expression on her face. “What in Tartarus was that all about?”

Widget exhaled; he knew Berry wasn’t angry with him but her tone was clearly annoyed. He looked at Berry with a weak smile and his ears splayed back. “I’m sorry, Berry, I never meant for that to happen. It kind of killed the mood, didn’t it?”

Berry’s expression changed, her creased eyebrows lifting and her face relaxing. She giggled half-heartedly. “Yeah, I guess it did.”

“Well, I’m not much for sticking around when ponies are obviously watching everything I do and trying to eavesdrop. Are you ok with leaving?” Widget nodded his head in the direction of a gathering crowd of ponies who had been whispering amongst themselves and staring in their direction. Berry looked in the direction Widget had indicated and the crowd turned around, attempting to make it seem as if they were not just listening in just moments earlier.

Berry sighed. “Yeah, let’s get out of here. We can talk at my place. Ponyville has a pretty active rumor-mill, and if it’s not something you want everypony in town to know about, then it’s probably best to talk there.”

Widget nodded and placed some bits on the table. He picked up the envelope from earlier and left with Berry in tow. They made their way through Berry’s door, the ponies having dispersed as they left the market. Both Berry and Widget had been silent during their journey, however, as a precaution for any ponies who may have overheard on their way.

Berry closed the door and shutters, turning to Widget, who had taken a seat on her couch. She strolled over and took a seat next to him, placing a comforting hoof on his shoulder. “Ok, now that we’re in the clear, mind telling me what happened back there?”

Widget smiled as he looked back at Berry. I guess she knows how to read a situation better than I thought. “Well, that was Twinkleshine, my ex-marefriend. But you probably figured that much out on your own.”

Berry nodded in confirmation. Her demeanor had changed drastically from the ever-playful Berry that Widget had known to an empathic Berry. A soft smile graced her lips as she patiently sat next to him.

“Her father was, and apparently still is, a high-profile client of mine.” Which tells me that he either really doesn’t care about my former relationship to his daughter, or he finds my work to be of the caliber that it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s actually kind of flattering, but it would be nice if the past could stay in the past. “He would come in with commissions for me from time to time, and one day Twinkleshine came with him.”

Widget trailed off for a moment, distracted by his memories that were attempting to flood his mind. “One thing led to another, and in the end Twinkleshine and I didn’t exactly end on good terms with each other. Her father stayed a customer of mine until I left. He was the only customer that I didn’t tell where I was due to the situation with his daughter, which apparently didn’t stop him in the least from tracking me down.”

Widget laughed, a small grin spreading on his face. “He always was more fond of me than Twinkle.”

Berry nodded. “So you two had a falling out?”

“Yeah, you could say that,” Widget said.

Berry cocked her head to the side, a raised eyebrow posing the unvoiced question to Widget. He sighed, giving into her query. “She left me for another stallion. One from a wealthier and more influential background. She didn’t even have the decency to tell me about it before-hoof. She just let me figure it out on my own.”

Her eyes widened. “So then…”

“Yes, she left me because I wasn’t ‘good enough’ for her,” Widget said, his golden yellow orbs deadset on Berry’s light purple eyes. “In Canterlot, ponies are in a constant competition for wealth, fame, influence, and power. And relationships are made and broken based on these things, or lack thereof.”

“That’s horrible!” Berry’s jaw had dropped, a look of obvious disbelief on her face. Remembering Twinkleshine’s last comment, Berry lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “So, what about when she said the thing about ‘lasting more than a week’?”

“I had hoped you’d forget about that one...” Widget face-hooved. Damn. Of all the things that Twinkleshine could have mentioned, I had really hoped Berry wouldn’t say anything about that. Lowering his hoof, he sighed and reluctantly looked back at Berry. “After Twinkle left me, I kind of... lost it. I just went from mare to mare indiscriminately. She had broken my heart, and my trust in ponies. I just ended up going from bed to bed.”

Widget shrugged helplessly, apologizing to Berry with a regretful look in his eyes. Trying to convey his emotions through his gestures. “I’m sorry, Berry. I’ve been a bother to you, I’ll just go now.”

Widget lifted himself to get off the couch but was stopped by a hoof that wrapped itself around his fore-leg, pulling him back into place. Confused, he turned back to Berry who had a small smile on her face. “Stay.”

Dumbfounded, Widget relaxed back into the couch where he was. Staring at Berry, his mind was blank. Huh?! I don’t get it. I usually just leave at this point. Actually… I’ve never gotten to this point before. But leaving is what I’ve always done; what is this!?

Berry just smiled at him. “Stay right here, I’ll go get us something to drink.”

Berry got up and left the room, leaving Widget to sit there perplexed. What the heck just happened? Don’t mares hate the kind of stallion that runs around with mares aimlessly? Berry returned with two mugs of hot tea, passing one to Widget, who accepted it with open hooves. Berry took a sip of her tea, letting him get comfortable. After a few moments, Widget had finally relaxed and Berry caught his attention with a warm smile. “Widget, I’m not somepony who cares about those kinds of things. You left Canterlot to get away from all of that, didn’t you?”

Widget coughed, wiping his muzzle with the back of his hoof. He gave Berry an incredulous look. “How much do you really know anyways?”

Berry raised a hoof to her mouth to stifle a giggle. “Who knows?”

She was teasing him. She’s a lot sharper than I originally gave her credit for... A loud chiming sounded, prompting Widget to check his watch in response. He sighed, noting that the watch indicated that it was time for him to get back to work. And I finally got comfort— gah! what am I thinking?! He smiled nervously at Berry as he berated himself. “I’m terribly sorry, Berry. I finally feel like I’ve gotten more comfortable with you, but I have to get back to my shop. I have work I need to get started on if I’m ever going to complete this order.”

Widget motioned to the envelope that he had in his hoof. Berry laughed, the playfulness in her eyes resurfacing. “Well, I wouldn’t want to keep you too long. Be sure to stop by the bar later on, okay?”

Widget nodded. “You bet.”

Widget contemplated what had just occurred as he walked home. That was.. different. Her playfulness had returned, but there seemed to be a softer side hiding just behind that. A side that he had just had a brief glimpse of. Widget didn’t what to make of it, even though he felt a strange comforting warmth that coiled itself around inside of his body, like being wrapped up in a blanket on a cold day. Widget wanted to revel in the feeling, but trepidation pulled at his heart, throwing his emotions into a brawl for supremacy. Widget shook his head, walking through the door to his shop. It doesn’t matter, I came here to change my lifestyle. Not get sucked back into my old habits. Widget sighed as he eyed the envelope containing the commission from Twinkleshine’s father. Back to work.

Chapter 6

Widget stirred restlessly as the light coming in from the window attempted to penetrate his eyelids. The sound of birds chirping outside reached his ears, causing him to groan and throw a pillow in an attempt to silence them. It failed utterly and hit the wall with an unceremoniously soft thud. It’s too early for this. Widget rubbed his temples, easing the throbbing pain that was building up. Slowly getting to his hooves, he lazily made his way to the kitchen, where a steaming hot pot of coffee was waiting for him. Grabbing a mug of the bitter brew and adding a shot of whiskey, he sat down in the living room and sipped the sweet nectar of the gods that would make the pain go away.

Empty bottles and glasses were strewn about, invading the normally organized living space. The throbbing in Widget’s head slowly receded. Ugh… why did I drink that much again? He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Oh, that’s right...

Widget sat at the bar, absent-mindedly drinking from his glass of whiskey. Bon Bon and Berry were chatting about the weather for the next week. However, Widget couldn’t focus on anything; he was feeling pain in his heart that he had thought forgotten. His mind ran around in circles, trying desperately to figure out why he was feeling the way he was and coming up with nothing at every possible turn. Widget grunted and took a large swig of his drink, staring at the empty glass in his hoof.

“Widget!”

The ice cubes in the glass shook as a hoof pounded the counter. Widget blinked and looked up at the hoof, covered in a light purple coat. Tracing the hoof back to it’s owner, he stared blankly at Berry’s stern face which was creased with focus, her eyes scanning his with concern.

“I said, ‘are you ok’?” Berry bit her bottom lip and stared into Widget’s eyes.

Widget blinked a few times, looking over at Bon Bon, who was rubbing her hooves together nervously and looking at him as if he were going to fall over any minute. Widget took a deep breath and sighed, nudging his empty glass with a hoof. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just need to go.”

“Are you sure?” Berry had a concerned and disbelieving gaze.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I just need some rest. I’ve been a bit busy lately so work’s been getting to me,” Widget lied, removing himself from the barstool and leaving a few bits for Berry.

“Do you want somepony to walk you home? I could… if you want,” Bon Bon said as she traced circles on the floor with her hoof.

Widget shook his head and gave both mares a weak smile. “I’ll be fine. I should probably just get right to bed anyways. I’ll see you two later.”

Widget heard hoofsteps following him as he walked out the door. “Hey, Widget!” Bon Bon called out. Widget stopped in his tracks. Bon Bon shuffled her fore-hooves as she looked at him. She bit her lip as her ears splayed back.. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then. I’ll be over to pick you up at ten o’clock. Sound good?”

“Oh yeah, that’s fine. Just ring the doorbell when you get to my place. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Widget gave Bon Bon a short nod as the mare returned to the inside of the bar.

Widget stumbled into his house and fumbled around for the lightswitch. The clock chimed ‘eleven o’clock’ as he managed to find the light switch. Well, I’m not getting any sleep like this. Widget walked over to his cabinets and took out a bottle of whiskey. He unscrewed the cap and drank straight from the bottle as he plopped down onto his chair. Picking up a picture album from a nearby open box, he opened it and flipped through it’s contents. He stopped on a page that held a picture of a teenage light blue colt and a teenage white unicorn mare standing closely together with smiles on their faces. When will I learn? I can’t let that happen again; it was just too painful the first time. Widget sighed, tipping his bottle up and drinking the contents freely.

Widget rubbed his forehead as he woke up in his chair. He stared blankly at the open picture album on the coffee table which was surrounded by the empty liquor bottles. Holy hay, how much did I drink? Widget picked up the bottles and deposited them into the trash as he stumbled around the room. He cursed as he tripped over a stray bottle on the floor. A bottle of liquor and six beers... I should really be in the hospital right now. At least it’s not like the treehouse incident though. Waking up in the hospital is not a pleasant experience. Widget shook his head in disbelief and walked to the bathroom to get ready for the day and clear his head from the hangover.

Several hours later, the doorbell’s chime caught Widget’s attention as he finished cleaning up the mess from the previous night. Throwing the last bottle into the trash, he walked down the stairs and opened the front door, revealing a light-yellow cream colored mare with a picnic basket. Widget smiled and waved at her. “Good morning, Bon Bon.”

Bon Bon smiled, fiddling with her hooves. “Good morning. Are you ready to go?”

“Go? Go where?” Widget raised an eyebrow, mentally smirking. Today should be fun.

Bon Bon’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped. “You know, the place you agreed to go to today. I reminded you about it last night, and you told me to stop by?”

Widget scratched his chin, looking up at the sky in contemplation. “Hmmm… I don’t know…”

Bon Bon’s lips quivered slightly and water was pooling in her eyes. “But, but…!”

Widget smirked and giving her a playful nudge with his hoof. “Oh c’mon, do you think I’m that terrible of a pony? I wouldn’t forget a promise like that.”

Bon Bon scrunched up her face as she gave him an intimidating glare—or at least that’s what it seemed like she was trying to do. “You’re mean.”

Widget chuckled at her behavior, unable to contain himself, provoking a red tint growing on the mare’s cheeks. “Yes I am.”

“You shouldn’t play around like that. I thought you forgot like the first time we hung out together.” Bon Bon’s posture had dropped as she sat down on the ground in front of him, her ears pulled back and her eyes downcast.

Widget’s expression sobered up at that, a sad smile gracing his features. “Yeah, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to do that. I explained about the dragon’s fire right?”

Bon Bon nodded weakly, which he took as his signal to continue. “Well, I haven’t had any dragon’s fire since then, right? So there wouldn’t be any excuse as to why I would actually forget a promise, would there?”

She bit her bottom lip and glared at him for a moment. Widget could feel her piercing gaze in that moment, sending a cold shiver down his spine. Bon Bon released her gaze with a drawn out sigh, a look of resignation on her features as she looked into his eyes. “Just don’t do it again, ok?”

Widget nodded, his ears splaying back as he realized how badly he had hit her with his jest. “Ok, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry.”

“Apology accepted.” Bon Bon nodded, her ears perking up as her lips curled upwards into a wide smile. “Now c’mon, let’s go, Mr. Slowpoke!”

She stuck out her tongue at Widget, who laughed and followed her to the park in silence. The park had an open field of grass on which quite a few ponies enjoyed the warm sunny day, some with their families and friends, and others content to spend the time alone under a tree. Looking around, Widget spotted the small forest to the right. “Why don’t we go for a little walk first? The park seems to be a bit… crowded, today.”

Bon Bon glanced at the park, filled with ponies, and nodded her consent. Widget took the lead and wove through the forest path as he looked about the scenery with awe. Bon Bon caught sight of his foalish fascination with the forest. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

Widget grinned sheepishly, turning his attention back to Bon Bon. “Sorry, didn’t mean to space out there. I’ve always enjoyed nature in its element and it’s usually places like these where I feel the most comfortable.”

“Oh, really?” Bon Bon replied. “Did you take a lot of trips into the woods when you were a foal?”

“Yeah, my grandpa would take me out camping at least once a year, sometimes more. It was so peaceful. I have a lot of good memories from the woods.” Turning his gaze upwards, he exhaled softly as fond memories of camping with his grandpa passed through his mind. A flicker of light from the edge of his vision catching his attention, Widget turned to look at the source. Bon Bon strode next to him, her pink and blue mane bouncing lightly as she basked in the scattered sunlight. Her white-cream coat glistened as her hips swayed from side to side, their roundness sparking a white-hot feeling in Widget’s body. No! What are you doing?! Get your head out of the gutter! Shaking his head to clear his mind from thoughts of questionable origin, he turned his attention back to the path.

“What about you? Did you do anything special with your family when you were a foal?”

“Hmm. Well, I remember cooking a lot with my mom. We would make all kinds of things.” Bon Bon held a hoof to her muzzle as she giggled. “Actually, this one day my mom decided to show me how to make some hard candy. She had been keeping the recipe a secret until then, and I had begged her to let me help someday. So we made the hard candy, and I was in total bliss. And when it finished, we shared it with the rest of my family to try it. When I saw their approving smiles, I was so excited that I didn’t even notice I earned my cutie mark!”

Widget chuckled, glancing over at Bon Bon. He replied in a teasing tone, “Somehow, I don’t doubt that in the slightest.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bon Bon pouted, her cheeks puffed out in indignation.

Widget only laughed harder at her cute display. He winked at her as he replied in a playful tone. “Only that I can imagine a very cute, happy little filly version of a certain pony I know who looked like she just won first prize in the Canterlot Games.”

Bon Bon’s pout quickly turned into a sheepish smile, faint traces of a blush on her face as she looked away. “Oh. Ok, then.”

Bon Bon’s tone had softened as she focused on the path ahead while sneaking a few glances over at Widget when she thought he wasn’t looking. He just smirked and turned his gaze forward. What do you think you’re doing? Widget paused, looking up into the sky as his thoughts drifted. Painful memories mixed with happy ones, a mix of emotions fighting for dominance. Closing his eyes, Widget took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, quieting his mind. Two forces stood out from the rest: the need to protect himself, and the growing desire to feel a deeper connection with another pony.

A sound broke him from his light meditative state as he opened his eyes and found Bon Bon looking back at him. Blinking, he noticed the blank stare she gave him. “Um, sorry. Did you say something?”

“I asked if you were ok.” Bon Bon’s mouth curved into a small frown, her brow wrinkling slightly.

“Oh. Yeah, I’m ok. Sorry about that, lost myself in thought.” Widget trotted up beside Bon Bon and continued the walk along the path.

The treeline opened up to a circular clearing with a small creek to the far left. Widget let out a deep breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding. Widget gave Bon Bon a small smile. “We’re here. How about we get lunch set up?”

Bon Bon’s brow was creased, her eyes scanning his features. She nodded and placed the blanket from the basket she was carrying in a partially shaded area of the clearing. Sitting down, Bon Bon passed Widget a wrapped sandwich and some fruit, and poured him a cup of tea from a thermis. “Here you are, I hope sandwiches are ok with you.”

“Thanks, Bon Bon, it looks delicious.” A hopeful look adorned Bon Bon’s face as she bit her bottom lip lightly in anticipation. Mentally chuckling to himself, Widget took a bite of the sandwich. It was a tulip sandwich, which always had a smooth and mellow flavor, but there was something different. The mellow flavor had a kick to it that Widget couldn’t place. It was a nice compliment of spices and oils that were mixed together in a blend. “That’s pretty good! What kind of condiment did you put on these?”

Her face lit up with excitement, her hooves happily clapping away. “Oh, good! I was hoping you’d like it. I made it myself from a couple of different spices and herbs with some salad oil as the base.”

“Mmmm. Well, it’s great so whatever you did, keep doing that!” Widget soon found that his hooves were empty. His ears perked up when he heard Bon Bon giggling. “What is it?”

Covering her muzzle with a hoof to stifle her laughter, she pointed to Widget’s face. Confused, he looked behind him but couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “What is it? There’s nothing behind me, is there? No ponies are making funny looks at me behind my back, are they?”

Bon Bon stifled her laughter; grabbing a napkin she leaned over and wiped his muzzle. “There.”

She smiled as she removed her hoof to make sure she had taken care of the mess. Widget coughed into a hoof and gave her an awkward smile. “Thanks…”

Bon Bon blushed and retreated to her seat as she twiddled her hooves. “Sorry about that, I just…”

“No, don’t be sorry! I’m the dummy who couldn’t figure out what you were trying to say earlier.” Widget smiled at her and took a sip from the tea that had been placed before him. Seriously, what the hay? Normally I’m more alert than this! Widget ate the apple in silence, while Bon Bon she ate her sandwich. As he ate, he contemplated the reason why he let his guard down. This wasn’t the first time this week he had dropped his guard, and it was starting to bother him. Widget’s eyes widened mid-bite as he came to a strange realization. Trust. Its been so long since I could openly trust mares. Or rather, its been a long time since I chose to trust them. But why now? Was it the move the Ponyville? A false sense of security? Widget was pulled out of his internal reflection before he could get to any real answers.

“So, I heard that somepony came and made a scene earlier this week when you were at Carino’s with Berry. I asked her about it, but she said it wasn’t her place to say anything…” Bon Bon said as she looked at Widget questioningly. Widget sighed, cracking his neck as he prepared for the inevitable.

“And I’m guessing you’d like to know what happened?” He asked. She simply nodded in response. Widget took a deep breath, paying attention to his heart rate as he prepared his explanation. “My ex-marefriend came to deliver a commision from her father. Things got a little heated, she left, then Berry and I left.”

Bon Bon nodded, her ears splaying back half-way. “Why did she come to deliver the commission? Couldn’t he have just mailed it to you?”

“The thing is, I didn’t exactly give him my new address. So he apparently sent his daughter to look for me.” Widget snorted. “Flattering really; I didn’t think that my work was in that high of demand, but he was always a pony who valued his standing business relationships. Didn’t even bring up my relationship with his daughter after we had broken up. He just came in and acted like nothing had changed.”

“So, why did things get ‘heated’?” she asked.

“Well, we kind of had a bit of a history…” He continued to explain to Bon Bon his past with Twinkleshine, glazing over the one-night stands.

After he had finished his story, Bon Bon scratched her chin as she processed the information. She looked up with a determined gaze as she finished. “So… is Berry your new marefriend?”

“Huh!?” Widget’s eyes grew wide, his jaw dropping stupidly.

Bon Bon looked down at her hooves as a blush bloomed in her cheeks. “Well, the rumors said that Twinkleshine asked about your new marefriend. And since Berry was the only one with you at the time…”

“Wha!?” Widget blinked. So that’s what this is all about then? Chuckling, he found an unamused mare glaring at him. “No, she isn’t my marefriend. We were out on a friendly lunch, just like you and me right now. Twinkleshine jumped to assumptions and tried to provoke me.”

Bon Bon winced slightly, her ears splayed back. It only lasted a moment until her posture visibly relaxed. Her shoulders rolled back; her mouth curled upwards slightly as her ears shifted back to their normal position. The question that was bothering her had been released, expelling the pent-up tension. Widget couldn’t help but feel a bit of respect for the mare. It took some guts to ask something like that.

Bon Bon caught Widget’s attention and said. “So, who is your marefriend then?”

“Um…” Widget blinked, his eyes widening. “I don’t… have one.”

“Oh.” Bon Bon looked down at her hooves. “Are you interested in anypony in particular?”

Widget clenched his teeth, his heart-rate rising as he looked around for a way out of answering the question. Normally, a well thought out answer was necessary in these situations. Unfortunately for him, his mouth seemed to open before his brain could stop it. “I might be… Why?”

Where in Tartarus did that come from!? Widget mentally face-hoofed. And who am I interested in!?

“Who?” Bon Bon had ignored the question in his statement, her eager eyes begging him to continue.

“Um…” Use your brain, c’mon! Widget rubbed the back of his head with a hoof. “I can’t say for sure. My thoughts are all over the place right now. I’ve been focused on getting my shop up and running, so I haven’t been able to look into it too deeply yet.”

Obvious stall. Widget just focused on breathing. He held a hoof to his chest as his heart beat faster with each breath. His mind was in a swirling vortex of emotions and thoughts that consumed him, sweat dripping down his face. Why did I say that?! Do I like somepony? And when did this happen!?

Bon Bon gave him a concerned look. “It’s ok, if you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”

Widget didn’t hear her, his mind spiraling in on itself. It was all happening again. First Twinkleshine, and now… now this. It was too much; his past was coming back to haunt him in ways he never wanted to imagine. The mares were the same as before, just as he was the same gullible stallion. He never really changed, even after the move. He’d have to move again, change his name this time to get it right. Everything that he worked for, gone—Just like that.

Widget’s eyes focused on the mare in front of him. Her expression had grown worried and her mouth was moving. Widget couldn’t concentrate on the words, but the sound of her voice was comforting as his thoughts spiraled out of control. It sounded like she was speaking incoherently to him; nonsensical combinations of soothing sounds reaching his ears.

Breathing proved to be difficult as his breaths became short and ragged. A light film of sweat coated his body. Widget gasped as he came to a realization. I do like them.

Them. It was Widget’s only thought as he came crashing back into reality, his focus shifting to the cream-colored mare before him. She reached out her hoof, which was quickly repelled by his hoof. An apprehensive look appeared on his muzzle as he looked at the offending hoof. She simply continued to talk, her voice finally becoming audible as his heartbeat and breathing began to slow, returning to a healthy rhythm.

“It’s ok…” Bon Bon said.

Widget could only stare at Bon Bon as her words repeated themselves over and over, spoken in a soothing and calm voice that tugged at his heartstrings. I like them.

Widget closed his eyes and inhaled deeply while holding it for the briefest of moments. He collected all of his emotions into this one breath. As he let it out, he felt a heavy weight being lifted from his body. Opening his eyes slowly, he could only give a small smile in appreciation for the mare who had done her best to calm him down.

Both ponies sat there in silence, allowing the moment to pass. “Thanks, Bon Bon, I appreciate that.” He chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly with a hoof. “I guess I was kinda lame there for a minute. Sorry about that.”

“It’s not a problem at all!” Bon Bon exclaimed, smiling warmly at him. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not right now, but…” Widget sighed as he looked at her. “I promise to talk to you about it as soon as I can.”

“It’s fine.” Bon Bon gave him a reassuring nod. After several moments of silence, she spoke. “So, what’s your favorite kind of food?”

Widget burst out laughing, holding his chest with both hooves as he fell backwards. “That’s the most ‘left-field pitch’ I’ve ever heard! I’m impressed!”

Bon Bon puffed her cheeks, a blush forming as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, you do it then!”

Glad to see I didn’t put too much of a damper on things. Widget recovered from his bout of laughter and pulled himself back up. “Alright, how about you tell me more about your time at school?”

Bon Bon’s eyes sparkled at the new subject, all too eager to move past the awkward experience they had just gone through. Together, they swapped stories from their childhood. The time seemed to go on without notice. Soon, the sun was dipping down past the tree line. “...and then Berry and I were grounded for a whole month! Definitely worth it though.”

Widget laughed as Bon Bon’s happy expression was written all over her face. “You two seem like you were quite the mischievous little fillies back in your day.”

Bon Bon smirked. “I suppose we were, although I don’t think that Berry ever grew out of it…”

“Yeah, I figured that much already.” Widget chuckled. He looked over at the descending sun and frowned, checking his watch to confirm his suspicions. “Wow, we’ve been at it for a while now! We should probably head back to Ponyville. I don’t want to get caught in the woods at night even if it is safe enough.”

Bon Bon nodded and the two of them gathered the remains of the picnic and left the forest. The pair walked through the empty streets in a comfortable silence. Widget glanced over at Bon Bon as they reached her house. “I had a great time today. I’m glad you invited me out.”

“I did too,” she replied. “See you soon.”

“Yeah, see you soon.” Widget waved as he made his way back to his home, not bothering to look back as he left her fence.

Widget trotted at a decent pace through the streets of Ponyville. He reached his home and walked inside. Locking the door behind him, he sprinted up the stairs to his living area and slumped down against a wall. His worries and thoughts had returned full-force, making his mind and heart a battleground. He sat there on the floor and stared off into space. “What the hay am I gonna do?”

The question hung in the empty air and permeated the silence of his home.

Chapter 7

“It’s been a week and I still don’t have any answers.”

Widget stood at the edge of the lake and stared into its reflective surface as he sipped from a flask. The panic attack in the woods when he was with Bon Bon didn’t bother him as much as it should have, even though the girls were both very worried for him. Berry had even stopped in his shop to check up on him. His alcohol intake did increase incidentally, even as he spent the time completing orders. His business had flourished since his first week as ponies took notice of his store. It was a good source of bits, and more importantly, a good distraction from his problems.

“Why can’t these things ever be easy?” Widget groaned, plopping himself down next to the lake. Looking down at his watch, Widget sighed. “What would you say about all this, Grandpa?”

The sun shined down through the modest cloud cover, causing a glare on the watch covering. Widget turned it slightly and removed the glare to reveal it’s midnight blue face with the silver interconnected gears. Widget always wore the watch as it was the last gift that Widget’s grandfather had given him.

“I really like them, Grandpa, I just don’t know what to do.” A small smile graced his muzzle as images of his deceased Grandfather passed through his mind. Widget chuckled and examined the master craftsmanship of the watch. “And no, I don’t just want to get them into bed, either. I told you that I’d leave that behind in Canterlot, remember?”

A light blue foal sat in his grandfather’s lap next to the fire, listening to the elder tell stories of his youth. The foal laughed at a particularly funny story in which his grandpa got caught pulling a prank on his teacher. The old stallion looked at his grandson with soft caring eyes as the young colt calmed down.

“Widget, whenever you decide to like a filly…” Widget had started to protest, but his grandpa merely shushed him. “Now, I’m not saying it has to be today or tomorrow. But when you do like a filly, and you really like them and it’s not a fling, then you have to take life by the reins and tell that filly. Otherwise, she’ll get away and you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

The foal looked up with large eyes, the seriousness of his grandfather’s tone resonating deep within him. “But Grandpa, how will I know when I like a filly and it’s not a fling? Wait… what’s a fling?”

“Nevermind what a fling is, I’ll tell you when you're older. But, you’ll know that you really like her because you won’t want to just get into her bedroom the first second you see her.” Widget just looked at his grandpa and cocked his head to the side. His grandpa chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with a free hoof. “I guess you're a bit too young for that, huh? Well, regardless. The point is that you’ll know when you like her because you’ll want to just be around her. It won’t be about what she can do for you or what kinds of benefits you might get from her. It’ll feel… different.”

The foal just scrunched his muzzle up and furrowed his brow as he crossed his eyes. Letting out a breath, he sighed. “I still don’t get it.”

Widget’s grandfather chuckled and ruffled the foal’s mane. “Don’t worry, you’ll get it when you’re older. Now, how about another story, huh?”

“Yay! Story time!” The foal clapped his hooves together in anticipation.

“Alright, alright. Let’s see… how about the time when…”

Widget smiled at the watch as his memory came to a close. “Easy for you to say, Grandpa. There’s two of ‘em, ya know? If it was only one it wouldn’t be this hard.”

Widget took a long pull from his flask, capping it off and putting it away for later. He turned his gaze upwards and watched the pegasi as they cleared the last of the clouds for the afternoon. Sighing, he got up and walked towards Ponyville. The sound of hoof steps heading towards him reached Widget’s ears. Widget stopped momentarily to look over in the direction of the approaching pony.

“Hey, Widget!” Bon Bon smiled as she trotted up next to him. “What have you been up to lately? I haven’t seen you around much.”

Widget nodded, offering Bon Bon a half-hearted chuckle. “Yeah, I’ve been kinda busy with my orders and everything. Business has picked up a lot over the past week.”

Bon Bon squinted her eyes. “Right… well, I was actually looking for you. Had to ask around to find out where you went. Your shop was closed and the sign didn’t say when you’d be back.”

“Oh? What's up?” Widget cocked his head to the side as he pushed his own feelings down for the moment.

“Um.. well…” Bon Bon had taken an interest in her hooves as she scraped at the dirt as a small blush became visible on her cream colored coat. “I was wondering if I could ask you something.”

“Ok… ask away.” Widget did not like where this was going. And it had to be now. Widget tried desperately to suppress the growing sense of dread inside of him.

“Well…” Bon Bon looked up at him, fluttering her eyes. “I was wondering if you would, maybe, like to go out to dinner with me later?”

“Sure, why not?” Widget answered, his trepidation lessening as a smile graced his muzzle. I guess she wasn’t going to ask, after all.

“Oh, but...” Bon Bon looked into his eyes with determination. “I was wondering if you’d like to maybe... consider this a date?”

Widget’s jaw dropped. A fake-out? Really? I got caught in that trap? I’m really out of practice if I fell for that.

“Unless you don’t want to. I’ll understand...” Bon Bon shuffled her hooves as she turned her gaze to the ground. Her determination faltered as she aimlessly scraped at the grass.

Great, now I feel like a terrible pony. Whatever you do, just don’t say ‘yes’; it’ll only complicate things. Widget inwardly sighed and steeled himself for his response. “Sure, one date never hurt anypony, right?”

“Great! Come by my place at six tonight. See you then!” Bon Bon said as her eyes light up, a broad grin etched onto her features. Bon Bon rushed off, a skip in her step as she disappeared into the town.

Widget dropped his head down into his hooves, mentally groaning. Horseapples! What did I just do!? Well, I don’t have much of a choice now. I made a promise and I can’t really back out of this one. Hopefully, this will help solve my indecision.

Several hours later, Widget, with a small bouquet of flowers in hoof, appeared at Bon Bon’s door. Using his hoof to straighten out his mane, Widget took a deep breath and braced himself as he knocked on the door.

“Coming! I’ll be right there!” Bon Bon’s voice called from behind the door.

Widget took a step back and sat down on the grass. He took several calming breaths. It’ll be fine. We’ll go out, have a good time and call it a night. If it goes well, then I can figure out what to do then. I still haven’t made any concrete decisions yet; it’s too early to count my chickens. Widget felt uncharacteristically nervous, having been so out of practice with dating a mare outside of his normal flings. His recent past gave him plenty of dating experience, but his relationships would never last more than a month at the most before he moved on.

Bon Bon’s door swung open, revealing the stunning cream colored mare. Her coat glistened softly against the sunlight. Her hair styled in her normal curves had more volume to it than normal. Widget snapped out of his trance and smiled at the beautiful mare in front of him.

“You look beautiful,” he said.

Bon Bon blushed, looking down and scratching at the floor with her hoof. “Thanks… you look pretty good yourself.”

Widget smirked and held out the bouquet of flowers. “These are for you.”

Bon Bon’s eyes lit up as she took them from his grasp, picking a daisy and chewing on it. Smiling, she placed the rest of the bouquet inside, out of sight. “I’ll save those for later, thank you.”

“No problem,” he replied, mentally sighing. Good, now we just have to get through the actual date.

“So, shall we?” she asked in a playful tone.

“Sure, where are we going?” he asked.

“Oh, I have someplace in mind. Don’t you worry.” Bon Bon giggled and started towards their destination, Widget quickly matching her pace and taking his place beside her.

After they had been seated at the restaurant and given their food orders, Bon Bon began her story of her latest candy creation. “... and that’s when I figured out that I was using salt instead of sugar!”

Widget put both hooves to his muzzle in a vain attempt to muffle his laughter. Bon Bon had a hard time keeping a straight face herself, her eyes glinting happily at his enjoyment. Widget finally calmed down enough to make coherent sentences as the waiter came by with their food. Widget smiled and nodded to the waiter in thanks. He turned his attention to the plate of food before him. Taking a few bites, he looked up to see that Bon Bon’s eyes were wide and staring off into a corner of the restaurant. Tracing her line of sight, Widget didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. “Bon Bon, what’s wrong?”

Bon Bon shook her head and smiled, her eyes returning to his. “Nothing, everything’s fine. How’s your salad?”

“Good, yours?” As Bon Bon’s left hoof twitched slightly at regular intervals, Widget looked over with concern. Ok…

“Really good.” Bon Bon said as she took a bite of her own salad and closed her eyes as she tasted her food. Bon Bon looked up at the corner of the restaurant again with a panicked look. Turning to Widget, she gave him a disarming smile. “Do you mind if I try a bit of yours? It looks delicious.”

Widget raised an eyebrow at her erratic behaviour but decided against mentioning it again. “Sure.”

“Great!” Bon Bon seemed to relax slightly as she scooted her chair closer to his and took a bite of his salad. “Mmmm... That’s spicy! You should try a bit of mine, its got a sweet tang to it.”

Widget scooted himself a bit closer to Bon Bon, following her lead. He reached over and grabbed a bite of her salad for himself. Mmm, that is good! “You're right, there’s a nice contrast between all of the mixings as well. They work well together.”

“So this is where you’ve been, huh? I guess I was wrong, you can find somepony else who’ll take you out.” A mint-green unicorn mare strutted up to Widget and Bon Bon’s table. Her nose was tilted upwards, her gaze directed downwards at them with a condescending glare. Widget had lived in Canterlot long enough to recognize the attitude and fake accent she used. “And who is this, hm? Your stallion in shining armor?” The unicorn mare snickered, looking over at Widget and scrutinizing him more closely. “No, that’d be too perfect. He’ll probably rut you and leave in the morning. That seems to fit him much better.”

A spark of anger brewed inside of Widget as he furrowed his brow. How dare she!? Memories of his past of one-night stands flashed in his consciousness, fueling his growing rage. A hint of doubt entered his mind. Would I do that again? No, I wouldn’t do that to Bon Bon. Things are different now. Besides, I wasn’t planning on rutting anypony tonight! What the heck!?

Bon Bon grabbed his forehoof and drew him closer to her before he could act on his anger. “This is Widget, my date. And for your information, he’s a very nice stallion, Lyra.”

Bon Bon’s voice dripped with venom as she spoke the mare’s name. Widget dropped his jaw and looked over at Bon Bon in awe. He had never seen her speak with so much anger and force behind her words. When the pieces started to click into place in his mind, he decided to take a spectator's seat in the altercation.

“Oh? Well that remains to be seen, doesn’t it? How long have you been dating?” Lyra asked, a smug look on her face.

Bon Bon grimaced, swallowing a lump in her throat. “This is our first date.”

“Ha! I knew it!” Lyra beamed, reveling in her small victory.

“But we’ve known eachother for a couple of weeks now! He’s not the type to do that, I’m sure of it!” Bon Bon retorted.

Lyra’s eye twitched as she laughed hysterically. Calming down, she gave Bon Bon a strained smile. “Oh, let’s just be honest, Bon Bon. You found out that I was coming back to town today and decided to try and make me jealous by taking him on a date in an attempt to win me back. If you want me back, baby, all you have to do is ask nicely.”

Lyra grinned and winked at Bon Bon. Bon Bon’s cheeks reddened, and she narrowed her eyes at the mint green mare. “I’m not going to beg for you—I made that abundantly clear when you left.”

“Oh I remember, don’t you worry.” Looking over her shoulder Lyra waived at a yellow pegasus mare at a table across from the restaurant. The pegasus made her way over to the group. “Well, I guess that’s my cue. Take care and have fun with your date, Bonny.”

Lyra sauntered away and escorted the pegasus mare out of the restaurant, leaving a furious Bon Bon behind. Widget just watched Bon Bon in silence as his mind tried to catch up to the present, his thoughts jumping from thread to thread in an attempt to piece everything together. Bon Bon sighed, leaning into Widget as the two mares drifted out of sight. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“It’s fine,” Widget murmured, still caught in his thoughts. Eventually, he took notice of her close proximity and snapped back to reality. “How about we finish our dinner?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” Bon Bon agreed, not showing any intention of moving away from Widget.

The two of them sat there for a moment before finishing their dinner in silence. Widget attempted to initiate conversation a few times with mixed results. However, if there was anything Widget was proud of learning over the years it was taking a bad mood and turning it around. Soon enough, the two of them were laughing and swapping stories as they walked the streets of Ponyville on their way to Bon Bon’s house. Widget still had questions, but he decided they could wait for later. However, he couldn’t help but notice a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that something wasn’t right.

As the two rounded a corner, they bumped into Berry Punch. When Berry noticed the two, she smiled. That was, until she noticed how closely Bon Bon was to Widget. She narrowed her eyes at Bon Bon and leaned in close to her. Berry spoke to Bon Bon in a low voice, just above a whisper. “Bon Bon, you didn’t…”

Bon Bon nervously swallowed and rubbed her left hoof with her right. “Berry, let me explain—”

“You promised!” Berry yelled, glaring at Bon Bon. Berry nearly knocked Bon Bon over as she ran past the pair in a hurry.

As she disappeared around a corner, Widget raised an eyebrow at the scene. “Am I missing something here?”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Bon Bon replied hesitantly. “C’mon, lets get going. It’s getting dark outside.”

Letting the issue slide, Widget followed Bon Bon to her house. It seems to be just one thing after another; after this is over I’ll have to do some research. They stopped at her door and a sheepish smile spread across Bon Bon’s muzzle as she turned to face Widget. “Umm, thanks for everything. I really enjoyed myself tonight.”

Widget smirked, despite the nagging fear in the back of his mind. “Me too.”

“I guess I’ll see you soon?” Bon Bon asked, a tad too excitedly.

“We’ll figure something out, don’t worry.” Widget gave her a wide smile, deciding to go with the ambiguous approach. I need answers before I make any decisions.

Bon Bon looked up nervously for a moment in contemplation. Her face grew determined as she nodded to herself. She then leaned forward and gave Widget a quick peck on the cheek and disappeared into the house, closing the door behind her. Widget blinked, a slight blush growing on his muzzle as he touched the spot she kissed. Taking a moment to look at the door absently, he finally left and headed over to Berry’s house. Time to get some answers, Widget thought with determination.

Knocking on her door, Widget called out, “Berry! It’s Widget!”

Widget heard clanging from the second floor travelling downwards through the building. He stood back a bit from the door as he heard the locks disengage. Berry peeked out from the crack in the door. Her mane was more disheveled than normal. Berry sniffled and, with streaks of tears still visible on her cheeks, raised her irritated eyes to look at him. “What do you want?”

Widget smiled softly, splaying his ears back. “Listen, can I come in? I’ll keep it short, I promise.”

Berry’s eyes, peering through her unruly mane, darted back and forth between him and the ground. Sniffling, she turned and walked inside without closing the door. I guess that’s as good as any invitation. Widget sighed and entered the bar, closing the door behind him.

Widget walked over and sat next to Berry on her couch. “Listen, Berry, I—”

Berry cut him off with a raised hoof, her intent gaze leaving him speechless. “First, I need to know. How long have you been dating?”

Deciding that only the blunt truth would satisfy her, Widget didn’t hold back. “This was our first date. She kissed me on the cheek when I dropped her off and then she disappeared into her house.”

Lowering her hoof, Berry just looked down. “I see.”

“Berry, I…”

“No.”

“Huh?!” Widget just looked over at Berry, his head cocked to the side. “No what?”

Berry looked up at him, her eyes still wet from recent tears. “You’re not allowed to say you’re sorry.”

“Umm…” Widget blinked, tilting his head to the other side. Dumbfounded, he shook his head to clear it. “I wasn’t going to apologize for anything.”

“Oh.” Berry looked down again, her lip quivering as her breathing became erratic. Tears threatened to fall as her eyes began to water.

“Whoah, whoah, whoah!” Widget waved his forelegs frantically, attempting to stop the waterworks before they started. Berry looked up at him as she sniffled and bit her lip. “It was only one date! I haven’t even made plans for a second one!”

Berry took a moment to process this information, and promptly tilted her head to the side. “Huh!?”

“Umm… now I’m confused.” Widget looked at Berry’s expression, trying to figure out why she had such a reaction. “Did you think I agreed to be Bon Bon’s coltfriend?”

Berry nodded silently, causing Widget to face-hoof and groan. I should have known. This is a small town; things are different here. Sighing, Widget removed the hoof from his face and looked into Berry’s bright-purple eyes. “Berry, believe me when I say that I am not Bon Bon’s coltfriend. Nor have I ever been. It was a single date, and I haven't even made the decision on whether or not I want a second one with her yet.”

“Umm… you might want to tell Bon Bon that,” Berry said. “I mean, Bon Bon probably thought that you agreed to be her coltfriend when you agreed to the date.”

Widget groaned, resisting the urge to facehoof again. “I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow, then.”

Berry chuckled, wiping her eyes and removing the remaining tears. “You know, most ponies don’t assume they're in a relationship on the first date, but Bon Bon’s been that way for so long I thought you knew. If it were anypony else, I wouldn’t have jumped to that assumption. Kind of funny in retrospect.”

“Well, I’m glad you find the fact that Bon Bon now considers me to be her coltfriend amusing. I do have something to ask you, though,” said Widget, a smirk splayed across his muzzle.

“What might that be?”

“How long have Bon Bon and Lyra been apart?” Widget asked, in a neutral tone, his smirk disappearing.

Berry’s smile vanished; a frown took its place. “How do you know about Lyra?”

Widget furrowed his brow, locking his eyes with Berry’s. “We crossed paths on our date. Please, Berry, I need to know.”

Berry’s frown grew more pronounced. “About a month.”

“A month?” Widget asked hesitantly. “Were they together for long, then?”

“Yeah, they were together ever since grade-school until then. Then they ran into a rough patch and a lot of things happened. If you want any more than that then you’ll have to ask her yourself,” Berry replied.

“Since grade-school!?” Widget gasped. He went over the scenario in his mind, re-analyzing every interaction he’d ever had with Bon Bon. He paid particular attention to the confrontation earlier that day during their date. One detail stood out from all of the others, sending a mind-numbing chill throughout his body.

Lyra’s eye twitched as she laughed hysterically. Calming down, she gave Bon Bon a strained smile. “Oh, let’s just be honest, Bon Bon. You found out that I was coming back to town today and decided to try and make me jealous by taking him on a date in an attempt to win me back. If you want me back, baby, all you have to do is ask nicely.”

Lyra grinned and winked at Bon Bon. Bon Bon’s cheeks reddened, and she narrowed her eyes at the mint green mare. “I’m not going to beg for you—I made that abundantly clear when you left.”

She never denied it, Widget realized.

Widget’s eyes widened as his jaw dropped as he stared off into space while his mind replayed the conversation. Several moments passed; Berry’s attempts to get his attention passed in vain. Widget was oblivious to the outside world as the pieces finally took shape in his mind, painting a picture that he was 95% confident in.

“Buck!” Widget shouted, slamming his hoof down on the cushion. “I knew it! How could I have been so stupid!?”

“What? What’s going on?!” Berry asked frantically.

Biting his bottom lip, Widget seethed in frustration. Noticing Berry’s expression, he sighed. I said that out loud, didn’t I? Widget took a deep breath and held it for several seconds, clearing his mind and grounding himself. When he came out of his self-induced trance, he shook his head. “Berry, I should go. I really need a drink right now, and I don’t want to impose on you any more than I have already.”

“You do realize I run a bar, right?” Berry chuckled, but eyed him with concern. “Besides, I don’t think you’re in any condition to go anywhere just yet. Give me a minute and I’ll be right back.”

Without waiting for an answer, she left Widget and passed through a doorway, out of sight. A few moments passed before Berry came back into the room as she carried two glasses on her back. Handing one off to Widget, she took her place beside him on the couch.

“So, how are you stupid again?” Berry asked, nudging Widget’s shoulder.

Widget snorted, taking a sip from the glass. Nice. Whiskey and coke. Berry knows me too well. Smirking, he rolled his eyes. “Oh, you know, I’ve just been too optimistic about this whole thing. Good things don’t happen to me. I should have known this by now.”

Berry eyed him carefully. “And how do good things not happen to you, again?”

“Well, that may have been a poor choice of words. What I meant was that I can’t seem to do any good in all this relationship business. Maybe I should just give up. Every time I try to actually date anypony with any serious intent it always seems to backfire.” Widget sighed, slumping back into the couch.

Berry looked over at the blue stallion sitting next to her. Frowning, she shook her head. “I don’t think you should give up. You might have a run of bad luck, but since when is giving up the answer? You can’t run away forever.”

Widget looked down at his now empty glass absently as he pondered Berry’s words. Placing the glass down on the coffee table, he gave her a weak smile. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Standing up, he cracked his neck. “I should be going. Thank you for everything, Berry.”

Berry walked him to the door, stopping him just as he was about to leave. “Listen, I’m not going to get in between you and Bon Bon. But no matter what happens, I’ll be here for you. Ok?”

Widget met Berry’s eyes, and for a moment he was speechless. Why in the world would this mare care for me so much? Putting the question aside for the moment, he grabbed her into a warm embrace. “Thank you for everything, Berry.”

Letting her go, Widget left the house, leaving an open mouthed and wide eyed Berry Punch staring at his retreating form.

Chapter 1

A light blue earth pony stallion placed his right hoof onto the window pane of the train as he watched the details of the town become clearer with each passing second. The bright colors of the buildings became more distinguishable as the outlines gave way to the details of each building. He was captivated by the approaching town. After a few minutes a small yet functional train station, that paled in comparison to Canterlot’s own, came into view. The words ‘Ponyville Station’ became visible across a large sign positioned so that it could be seen from inside the train as it came to a slow stop.

Widget got up from his seat and walked onto the platform. A few ponies got on the train as it left, leaving him the sole occupant at the station. The brochure did say it was a small town, but I didn’t expect it to be this empty...

He made his way into Ponyville, a few ponies moving through the streets as he passed. Pulling out make-shift directions, he turned a few times and found himself in the market district with quite a few ponies moving about, in and out of shops going about their business. A cart filled with boxes and furniture sat just outside a two story store-home hybrid building across the street, where a few ponies were moving the items into the building. Widget crossed the street and looked up at the sign expertly hung over the entrance ‘Widget’s Clocks & Mechanical Repair’.

Letting a few of the movers take a large bed frame inside, a smile spread across his face as he lowered his gaze and walked into the building. The store-front room was already set up with various clocks ranging from great-grandfather clocks to the small, ornate wall clocks that often adorned the homes of many ponies. The door hiding the staircase to the living area upstairs stood open as the working ponies moved the furniture.

A gruff pegasus walked over to Widget, eyeing the three grey interconnected gears that made up the blue stallions’ cutie mark, and grunted when he was within earshot of the earth pony. Once Widget turned to address him, the pegasus said, “You Widget? I’ve got some paperwork for you to sign. Your place should be done in about an hour.”

Widget nodded and followed him. The pegasus returned to his work after the paperwork was completed, leaving Widget to wander about the market square. He purchased a bag of apples from an orange mare with a cowboy hat during his stroll. He couldn’t help but smile at the stark contrast from what he was used to in Canterlot, where large market centers sold packaged food. Taking his impromptu lunch, he sat down on a nearby bench and took a bite of an apple. Widget savored the fresh taste of the local produce as he watched the ponies move about the market. Yeah, I could get used to eating local food; this is great!

Finishing what was left of his apple, Widget savored even the smallest bits, and made his way back to his new home. The cart and movers were gone. Widget made his way inside and upstairs to his living space. Widget deposited the apples in a cupboard and made his way down the hall to his room at the end of the hall. Opening the door, Widget sighed in relief as he realized that the movers had set up the room in an organized manner, boxes stacked against the walls.

Widget checked his watch, the only thing that he regularly wore on his body. It was sterling silver analog timepiece with a dark blue back plate decorated with a silver-inlaid representation of his cutie mark, which read five thirty in the afternoon. Turning to the boxes in disdain, Widget scrunched up his nose at the notion of unpacking so early. Deciding that unpacking could wait, Widget went back outside and paused for a moment in contemplation. What to do, what to do... wait a second, I haven’t had a drink in ten hours! When was the last time this happened? Ugh, I can already feel the withdrawal starting to seep in. True to his suspicions, a pressure in his forehead edged its way into his consciousness. That’s right, they confiscated my flask at the station in Canterlot... I need to find a bar. By Celestia’s mane, they better have a bar here.

Rubbing a hoof against his head, Widget caught a glimpse of somepony walking by. Managing to force his attention on the task at hoof, Widget greeted the pony and got directions to the only bar in Ponyville after the necessary pleasantries. Widget made his way over to the bar, arriving at a building on the outskirts of the market. A wooden sign hung above the door that read ‘Berry’s Delights’. Hoping that he wasn’t inadvertently walking into a pleasurehouse, Widget steeled himself and walked through the door.

Fragrant smells of wild-berries assaulted Widget’s nostrils, the cozy atmosphere of the small, accommodating bar welcoming him by its sheer design. It was different than what he was used to; the concrete floors of the night clubs with the flashing lights and loud music were absent, replaced by wood floors and a leisurely atmosphere. The pub was fairly empty save for the two mares at the bar. The first mare, her mane and coat different shades of light purple, was behind the bar cleaning a glass while she chatted idly with the other. The other mare, her coat a creamy yellow color with a blue and pink mane, sat on a barstool as the two continued their friendly banter. Normally, Widget would have evaluated the situation and the attractiveness of the mares before him, but the pressure building in his head forced him to simply focus on the mission at hoof.

Widget approached the bar and smiled charmingly as he reached the two ponies, turning his attention to the mare behind the bar. “I’m sorry to interrupt, ladies, but could I bother you for a glass of whiskey on the rocks? House whiskey is fine.”

The light-purple mare nodded, completing his order mechanically. She kept her eyes on the light-blue stallion as she worked, placing the glass of whiskey on the counter. “That’ll be ten bits.”

Widget simply placed the bits on the counter, taking the glass of whiskey and drinking generously of it before placing it back down. The warm sensation of the liquid going down his throat soothed his senses and the pressure in his head receded gradually. Widget sighed in relief as his senses returned to normal. The two mares shared quick glances toward each other, but kept their attention on Widget. The yellow-cream colored one spoke first. “So you’re new around here I take it? Most ponies around Ponyville don’t start coming by until at least eight o’clock.”

Widget calmly raised an eyebrow. “Yes I’m new here, but if most ponies here don’t come to the bar until eight then what are you doing here. Miss...?”

The verbal cue was not lost on the yellow cream mare; her face glowed with recognition and a tinge of embarrassment. “Oh! Well, I’m good friends with Berry Punch, here. The name’s, Sweetie Drops by the way, but everyone calls me Bon Bon.”

“Well it’s nice to meet you. My name’s Widget.” Widget smiled at the two mares, then scrunched his face in concentration for a moment. “So... do you prefer Sweetie Drops or Bon Bon, then?”

Bon Bon laughed. “It doesn’t really matter to me, but I suppose Bon Bon is fine. Only my family and a select few really ever call me Sweetie Drops anymore.”

“Bon Bon it is, then.” Widget gave her a goofy grin. Turning his attention to the bartending mare, he shifted his muzzle into a warm smile. “So I guess that makes you Berry Punch, then. It’s a pleasure to meet you. And might I say that you have a pretty cozy establishment here; I like the atmosphere it has. But I must ask, how do you get the wild-berry scent to be so strong? Don’t get me wrong I like it. I’ve just never encountered it before.”

“Trade secret.” Berry wore a mischievous grin. “And you can also just call me Berry; makes things short and simple. So, Widget, what brings you to Ponyville?”

“Well, I moved here from Canterlot. I guess I just wanted a...” Widget hesitated, taking a long sip of his whiskey as he collected his thoughts. He didn’t want to make a bad first impression on these mares, but he didn’t want to lie, either. Lying could lead to trouble later on. Widget decided it was better to be vague and hope that they wouldn’t push him too much further. “I just wanted a change of scenery. I don’t really fit in with the nobles or the high society class, and they’re in abundance in Canterlot. So I figured that I’d try to relocate and hope for the best.”

Berry and Bon Bon caught the pause, acknowledging it with a curious mixture of body language. Berry simply raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘is that all?’. Bon Bon rubbed her chin with a hoof, narrowing her eyes as she stared intently at Widget, almost as if she were trying to look through him into his very soul. Outwardly calm, Widget simply lifted the glass of whiskey up again to take another sip. Inwardly, Widget was a mess of emotions, his mind reeling a mile a second as he prepared for the coming conversation by developing a plan to divert the topic subtly.

Berry took note of Bon Bon’s intense glare and heaved an audible sigh, breaking the tension by asking, “So what about your career Widget? Did you find a new job in Ponyville?”

“Oh! Um... no! I mean... yes? I got a space for my own shop in the market. I build clocks of all sorts and mechanical repair when it’s needed. I get most of my business from commissioned work so changing locations doesn’t take too much of a toll on my work; I can just ship a completed clock to wherever the commissioner wants it.” Widget relaxed, releasing a breath that he didn’t even know he was holding.

Bon Bon snapped out of her mood and immediately perked up. “Oh! I remember seeing a building in the market being renovated with a sign and everything! I didn’t see anypony around and nopony around town knew who had ordered the construction, but I guess the mystery is solved now!”

As Bon Bon smiled, Widget looked at her with an eyebrow raised. What in the... weren’t you giving me the death glare just a few seconds ago? I’ve gotta watch out for this one, seems that she has some serious mood swings... Bon Bon exchanged a glance with Berry a moment later, the cream mares’ grin growing wider in an almost sadistic manner. “Oh Berry, how could we be so rude? He’s new to town and he hasn’t even had a proper drink yet. We should give him the ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ special.”

Berry’s eyes grew wide in recognition as she returned Bon Bon’s evil grin. “Oh I think you’re right, Bon Bon. How could I forget!? Don’t worry Widget, this one is on the house.”

Berry turned around and poured several different kinds of liquor into a mixer, as well as some liquids that Widget didn’t recognize, and mixed them together. Widget finished his whiskey as he watched Berry work, her deft movements agile and precise. When her concoction was complete, she laid down a tall glass of glowing blue-green liquid in front of Widget, as she smiled at him warmly. “Here you go, one ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ special on the house!”

Widget’s curiosity getting the better of him, he sniffed the concoction. Attempting to evaluate it, he took a quick sip. That’s odd, I can tell this is definitely alcohol, but I can’t seem to pick out the parts. It tastes kinda funky... like licorice mixed with wild berries mixed with sour apples… Raising an eyebrow, he turned his attention back to Berry. “So... I’ve gotta ask, what’s in this thing? I have to say I’ve never had anything quite like it...”

“Oh, that doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s a specialty that I came up with one day, and I’m afraid it’s a trade secret,” Berry replied.

Widget nodded. “Well, that explains a few things. It’s a bit... strange, but I think it’s pretty tasty.”

To accent his statement, Widget took the glass and downed it in a matter of seconds. The liquid gave his throat a pleasant warmth as the alcohol ran down his esophagus, his taste buds awarded him with a delightful sense of the different flavors that flowed across his tongue. Bon Bon and Berry simply stared with wide, open eyes at Widget, shock evident on their faces as if they had seen somepony do something either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Widget tilted his head in confusion at this as he placed his glass back on the table. “What’s wrong? Why are you...”

Widget never got to finish his sentence, his consciousness decided to take a holiday and he blacked out.

Chapter 2

The sound of screeching jarred Widget’s fragile mind into semi-consciousness. Widget writhed in agony as he futilely tried to block out the sounds that assaulted his ears. A chill ran down his spine as he felt a breeze ruffle his mane. Widget scowled at the interruption in his attempt to return to sleep. Resigning himself to his fate, he slowly opened his eyes. As his eyes came into focus, light invaded his vision which caused pain to pulse through his body. After several moments, Widget managed to adjust to his surroundings and regain his awareness. He sprawled out on his bed, the covers in a pile at the foot of the bed. The chirping of birds reached Widget’s ears. That explains the rude awakening.

Forcing himself up, Widget stumbled into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He was a mess. The silence that permeated the room caused Widget’s splitting headache to surface. Groaning, he dragged himself to the kitchen. “Coffee...”

Acquiring the sweet nectar and mixing in his customary morning bourbon, Widget sat down on his favorite cushioned arm-chair. His headache dulled to a tolerable ache as the morning brew took effect. Wait, what’s that? Widget’s ears swiveled as new sounds entered his awareness. That’s the sound of breathing. But, it’s not my breathing...

Looking around, Widget found the source of the sound. A familiar light-purple coated mare lay bundled up into a blanket on Widget’s couch. The steady rising and falling of her chest indicated that she was still sleeping soundly. Widget basked in the moment as he watched the sunlight dance across her features. She sure is cute when she sleeps.

As reality sunk in, his mind followed the next logical thought. Why is Berry sleeping on my couch? After several moments of reflection on the previous nights events, the reason eluded him. What’s the last thing I remember? Oh right, that weird drink that Berry made me. That was good. Then… then everything went black. Ok. Well, if she’s on the couch then that means... He sighed. Good, I promised myself I wouldn’t do that anymore.

Berry stirred, slowly making her own way back to consciousness. Widget smiled. “Sleep well?”

“Meh?” Berry looked up with unfocused eyes, her mane tousled from her sleep.

“Oh right, I have just the thing for that. Just wait here.” Widget went to his kitchen where he poured a second cup of coffee while topping off his own. Returning to the living room, he offered the second mug to Berry, who stared off into space as the mug was placed in her hooves. Back in the comfort of his favorite chair, he sipped his coffee and waited for Berry to recover.

After several moments of silence, both ponies drinking their coffee, Berry looked over to him and met his gaze. “How much do you remember from last night?”

The question was simple, but Widget could detect a hidden motivation behind her masked query. What is it? Nervousness? Anxiety? Anger? Widget couldn’t tell at this point, deciding to reply honestly, “I don’t remember anything after drinking that strange concoction you made for me. My memory’s completely blank after that.”

Keeping her eyes locked with his, Berry’s gaze did not falter. “Nothing? Not even a little bit?”

Why is she so serious about this? Did something happen last night? Oh Celestia. Did I do something to offend her? Please say ‘no’, please say ‘no’. I really can’t have this happen again, I just left Canterlot for Celestia’s sake! How can I get into that much trouble in one single day!? Taking a deep breath, Widget forced his twitching muscles into submission. “Nothing. Which is a bit surprising, to be honest. The only time I ever black out completely is when I drink liquid dragon’s fire.”

Berry’s eyes widened for a moment; lowering her gaze towards her mug she sheepishly replied. “Oh...”

“Oh?” Widget raised an eyebrow, his leg twitching again. The mare before him suddenly found her coffee mug more and more interesting as she ran her hoof along it’s rim.

“There may have been... a little bit of liquid dragon’s fire in that drink you had last night...” Her voice trailing off at the end as if she had been caught doing something very naughty.

“A little bit? And how much, pray tell, is a little bit?” Widget asked, keeping his voice level and calm, despite his nervous ticks. His curiosity was fueled by a growing and dreadful fear of what it may imply. Sweet Celestia, please don’t let it be like the tree house incident...

Berry lowered her face, her mane covering her eyes. “Six ounces,” she admitted.

“Six ounces!?” A hint of shocked horror permeating his tone. Berry winced at his reaction. Widget’s eyes widened, his hoof quickly finding his forehead to massage it. Ok, so this could have been worse than I thought... or not. I need to know what happened; hopefully I can get off with an apology to everypony involved. Maybe I don’t even have to apologize to any authorities this time! That would be great! Or even any celebrities! That would be even better! One less thing on the list of shame! Composing himself, Widget removed his hoof from his forehead and looked at Berry, connecting his gaze with hers. “Berry... I need you to tell me what happened after I drank that... thing... you gave me last night.”

Berry blinked; Widget’s expression had changed dramatically in a matter of seconds from a state of shocked horror to a state of resignation. Stunned, Berry replied. “Um... well, you were very... sociable... with both Bon Bon and myself after that. Bon Bon started to get a bit... reciprocative to your ‘sociable nature’. I eventually convinced her to go home and rest since she had been drinking a bit as well. I brought you home and you got me a blanket and a pillow and asked if I needed anything. When I told you ‘No, but why would I need a pillow?’ you looked shocked and muttered to yourself. You pointed to the couch and told me that I needed to get some rest since I had shared a few drinks with you. You refused to believe that I was ‘in any condition to be walking home alone in the dark’, if I recall correctly. After that you went to your room and passed out.”

Widget took in the information, picking out the meaning behind the carefully chosen words Berry spoke. Reeling his mind back into reality, Widget spoke to Berry in an apologetic tone. “I apologize if I was a bit... forward last night. I may have insisted out of habit that you sleep here. In Canterlot there’s a lot of crime that happens in the dark and I’ve known a few ponies to fall prey to muggings and the sort. It doesn’t excuse my behavior, though, and for that I’m sorry.”

Widget bowed his head as he awaited the inevitable tongue lashing he was about to receive. His mind replayed the scenario that happened in the past many times. When no tongue lashing delivered itself after several seconds, he cautiously raised his head in curiousity. Berry was barely suppressing a giggle with a hoof. Her playful smirk accented the intensity in her eyes.

“Oh there’s nothing to apologize for, Widget, your sense of chivalry was actually kinda cute.” A grin crossed her features as she looked off into the distance just past Widget’s head. “Although I was a bit disappointed with the fact that you immediately gave me the couch without considering... alternative accommodations...”

Widget’s jaw dropped. His brain was ill-equipped to handle this new development. This was not the first time a mare had expressed interest in him; But for a mare to be so... forward about it... this is new. Luckily for Widget, the situation seemed to play itself out regardless of his inability to mentally process it. Berry gave Widget a sad smile and said, “Widget, it’s been lovely and thank you for your hospitality, but I must be going now. I have a full day of errands to run and I desperately need to shower.”

Widget shook off his stupor long enough to properly reply, “Of course! Let me accompany you out.”

The pair made their way to the door, Widget giving a final goodbye to Berry. Just as he was about to turn back inside, Berry caught his attention, “Oh, and Widget? I expect to see more of you at my bar, I look forward to seeing you.”

With a sly smile Berry turned around and trotted off into the distance. Widget was stunned silent yet again, his brain unable to keep up with the mare’s pace. She’s going to be trouble. The thought sounded true throughout his entire being as he retreated into his home to finish his morning ritual.