Manehattan

I arrived at the "OV" and unlocked the doors for another business day. I walked into the bar and saw the wonderful waxed floors and bar. The neon lights were off and hanging all around the OV's walls that read certain drinks like, "Apple Cider", "Red Hoof", "Fillers Delight", and etc. The stage for Vinyl was shining from the reflection of the sun, which added a dark orange mood to the whole bar, making it seem like the bar was swimming in a pool of orange juice, which sounded good about now.

I trotted behind the bar and grabbed a clean glass and filled it with the orange liquid. It was quite a nice morning to be here at the bar; it was quiet, very relaxing, no drunks coming in here and saying shit, just me, a glass of OJ, and my mind. The things on my mind went on for what seemed like centuries: the crime, the risks, the business, my dad, my mom...

My mom, dad, and crime came together in that order and reminded me of the one time he came home drunk of the millions he came back.

The fight that changed everything...

One night I was sitting in the living room just playing with some blocks and other various toys, just being myself and using my imagination to create the city of Manehattan. The other kids at school were always fascinated by my creativity in class, saying how I can create this and that perfectly, which always made me want to create something great for Octavia. I remember on Hearts and Hooves day I created a heart for her that had "Buck + Octi" on it, my mom said she would love it and my dad was thinking I was crazy to be making something like that, but who cares what my dad said.

I was walking towards the school and all of the sudden these thugs, or better yet, Tony's thugs surrounded me and beat me up. They called me a faggot, a fucking loser, and what not after they took my heart and gave it to Tony, who gave it to Octavia after putting "Tony + Octi" on it. I hate him... Fuck him... One day I'm going to buck his plot. Right in front of her like he did to me. I want to hear him cry for his daddy as the blood covers his entire body and as he suffers from my hoof crushing his tiny lungs. I'll be saying "I'M YOU'RE DADDY NOW BITCH!!!" I want to crush all of his fucking bones to make him paralyzed forever.

Oh Celestia... I better get control of myself...

Anyways, back to the living room and my amazing imagination. While I was playing with my blocks, Mom was in her crafting room making a project for a class she teaches. She teaches other ponies how to create certain things in her crafting class and she's really good at it. Our house is mostly decorated with her creations, ones you would usually see in a photo album. It had Mom, Dad, and Me in the picture doing things like going to the park, having picnics, going to family reunions, and of course the biggie...

Opening the "OV".

Mom came out of her room and looked at the clock. She sighed, "Looks like your father will be missing dinner again. It's a shame he never comes home on time to spend time with us, only to come home and be drunk as a bat."

I place a pony figure on top of a building. "Why does Daddy always come home all weird?" I said.

"Because he drinks too much cider, which can make him very funny." Mom responded, "He comes in like he's really dizzy and says stuff he doesn't mean, does stuff he doesn't mean to do, but I'm getting really tired of his shit."

"Mommy," I start, "Do you still love daddy?"

She walks over to me, "Of course I do sweetie, it's just that your father can be really annoying sometimes. I wish he would spend more time with you, more than that bar of his. Oh well, might as well get dinner started."

After we ate it was about 11:45 at night and the city was filled with police sirens, guns going off in the distance, and dance music not too far off. We eat so late because Mom always waits the last minute to cook because she thinks Dad will come in at the right time to eat with us, but he never does. Asshole. I wanted to kick his ass really hard and tell him to stop being such a douche towards Mom, stop being such an asshole.

But there's a time and place for everything...

It was about 2:00 am and I heard some knocking at the front door and door opened fast. I was in bed at the time. I heard some stumbling hooves enter the establishment and a crash onto the floor. My mother started to yell at him and he yelled back. She was yelling at him for another night being drunk and he was yelling at her for being such a bitch.

Oh fuck no...

I got up from my bed and opened my door slowly into the hallway and crept towards the stairs. I looked down and saw my dad struggling to stay on his hooves while my mom was flailing her hooves in the air yelling. "Why the fuck do you do this to us?! Why?! You're never there for your son! You're never there for me! Dammit Lucky, you're only there for yourself!"

"Get off my back!" Dad slurred, "You don't know *hic* how hard it is to run a bar and you've got *hic* a bunch of drunk ponies in there wanting *hic* to fight! You bitch!"

Mom gasped, "How dare you come in here and just treat me like shit! You worthless fuckhead! You and your fucking bar!"

With one full swing, my dad struck my mother in the face hard and sent her flying towards the wall. She began to cry softly and the rage in me rose up. I felt every limb in my body just try to jump forward, but something held me back and I hated it for holding me. My dad approached my mom and slapped her again.

"DO NOT EVER DISRESPECT MY BAR LIKE THAT YOU CUNT!" He yelled. "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS TO RUN THAT FUCKER! IT'S HARD AS HELL YOU SELFISH BITCH! YOU AND YOUR FUCKING ART CLASS!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" I yelled from the stairs. I run down the stairs and get in between my mom and dad. "STOP!"

My mom reaches for me, "Honey... Go back to bed... Please..."

"No Mom! I'm not letting him hurt you!"

"Oh!" Dad exclaimed, "NOW he's a fighter!? Protecting his mom now. Why wouldn't you fight for yourself from that Tony kid? Huh?"

"Shut up Dad! He has nothing to do with this!" Tears began forming in my eyes.

"Trying to impress that Octavia... Psh.. Son you never had a fucking chance with that slut." He said with a smirk.

I get in my fighting stance, my tears flowing down my cheeks, my hooves ready to hit him. "Fuck... You..." I take a step towards him.

"What?!" He yelled, "What was that?!"

"Maybe... You didn't hear me correctly..." I approached his ear and spoke very softly, "I said this you ungrateful fuck..." Hoof to his chest, "FUCK YOU!!!" Hoof to his face and just as soon as I was about to buck him in the head, he caught my legs and threw me into Mom after hitting me in the face repeatedly. I landed on her and she held me tightly, covering my head.

"He wants to fucking tango!" My dad yelled, "LET HIM FIGHT! IT'S GREAT BONDING!"

He started to approach us and my mom pulled in tightly, but before he could strike, the door was busted down and there were a few police ponies that entered and tackled my father to the ground and took him away. Soon after that, maybe days later I think, we found out he was cheating and we left him...

Good riddance.

I finished the glass and set it down. I looked over at the stage set for Vinyl, the thought of her being on that stage reminded me of Octa...

I shook my head and slapped myself. The though of her seemed like it wouldn't go away, like she was going to haunt me forever in my memories, dreams, and everything. It didn't sicken me to think of her, it just made me all... Oh sweet Celestia, it made me feel all.. Lovey dovey, smoochy, heart racing, adrenaline pumping... I felt like I was in love... With a mare that didn't even know I existed...

I need a drink...

I grabbed a tall glass, topped it off with some apple cider, and chugged it. As I began to refill, I felt the cold soothing cider travel down my throat, draining into my system, draining the pain of my father, draining the pain of the love I feel, melting my depression away... Soothing my every weak spot. The every thought about her was fading away into a deep dark blue abyss after each drop went down and disappeared, her lovely face was now shattering, piece by piece, drop by drop, the pain fading away...

I refilled my glass for the third ime and took a sip, but as I did the bell rang in front of the entrance doors and a cool breeze came from the outside world. I looked over at the figure at the door, "Sorry, but we're still clo...".

It was then that I realized who had entered my bar. She was wearing a white dress, furry in fact, with her mane tied up in a bun leaving some of her bangs cover the corners of her eyes and wearing white heels. The sun was lit up behind her, giving her figure a bright orange glow and casted her shadow towards me. She looked like an angel just standing there... My head started spinning, everything became blurry, and I was losing my balance. I tried to maintain my position, but I failed to to do so and dropped my glass as I fainted right next to it.

BOOM! CRASH!

The glass shattered next to my face and the cider splashed all over the floor... I couldn't see... Everything was black... I heard steps running towards me and stopped...

"Oh my!" She exclaimed, "Are you alright?!"

I couldn't respond... My body was stiff and my hooves and legs were locked up... My brain befuddled...

"Oh no..." She said softly, "I didn't mean to startle you sir... I better get you fixed up, come with me now." She grabbed me and dragged me away from the shattered remains of my depression and I became fully unconscious.

Silence came to greet me... All of my fears and troubles came to a halt... I was in her arms and her care...

I became conscious after what seemed like hours only lasted about 15 minutes. I woke up sitting at a booth; a shot glass with a couple of aspirin inside fizzing was in front of me and an ice pack was on my head firmly. Everything was still blurry, but I could still pinpoint a few things out like the reflection of the sun from Vinyl's stage was hitting my eyes, the glass, the clean table, but all that didn't matter until my eyes focused perfectly on the most beautiful thing in the world...

Octavia.

She was looking at me with concern as I awoke, "Are you alright?" she asked.

All I could get out of me was, "Ehh..." as I nodded my head. She smiled and giggled a little, which sent my heart and mind on a race, but that made my head hurt more, so I adjusted the ice pack on the pain. She looked down for a moment and then cleared her throat.

"Yes quite. I was hoping to ask you something for quite some time now and it's been really bothering me to get around to it, due to my schedule of course."

My heart stopped...

"It's been bothering me for some time, " she continued, "and it's been eating my heart away. The others would kill me if I didn't ask you right away sir."

I tried to find the strength to talk and found a little, "Wh-Wha... What is it you want to ask?" I said weakly.

"I... I..." She struggled.

I smiled and took her hoof, "Ms. Octavia," I started, "you don't have to be so scared to say it, I know what you want and the answer is yes."

"Really?!" She beamed.

"Yes."

"What time?!"

"Anytime my dear."

She blushed and giggled, "If only I knew it was easier to ask you for a reservation for my private party here at your bar, oh silly me!"

My heart died...

"I want the party to be at 7 pm sharp on December 17th." She demanded nicely. "Sir."

"Of... Uh..." I spoke, "Of course Octavia. I will reserve the place for your party at 7 pm."

She smiled big, "Oh thank you ever so much sir! Or... What is your name?"

The world was spinning again... She hates me... I bet you she remembers everything that happened in Kindergarten and still hates me for it, which if I tell her who I really am, she will regret she ever talked to me and leave... To never return... My name is a death wish waiting to happen if I use it towards the love of my life.

I have to come up with a name.

"Sir?" She asked.

"Golden Shield." I responded.

"Golden Shield." She repeated, "Well Mr. Shield, it was a pleasure doing business with you and I'm happy that you and I were on the same page about the reservation."

"Always a pleasure Octi and you're welcome." I said.

After she blushed even more she got up from the booth and proceeded to the entrance doors, but before she left she said a one last thank you... I'll never forget it either... "Thanks again. Goldie." She giggled, then she went out the doors and disappeared from the "OV"

Instead of having a weird day...

I got a wonderful day...

Octavia...

Well great... I just screwed myself over because now I have three identities and it sucks. If I wanna get closer to Octavia, I have to keep my new identity. I do however feel horrible for lying to her, but it's my desperate chance to be with her...

What a morning.