A Love Story from Equinox
/* Author’s note: I own nothing, the Equinox ponies owned by their creator */
A Love Story from Equinox
by neobrony7
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Stone, a fitting name for the stone gray unicorn mare and an accurate description of the surrounding garden the mare was walking through. Stone’s serpent tail dragged along the ground as she walked, while the snakes that made up her mane hissed and squirmed. Her three serpent eyes darting from stone figure to figure. She was taking inventory of her garden of stone creatures, mostly ponies that got either on her bad side or just unlucky enough to see her gaze. Stone had the power to turn all who looked into her eyes to stone, all thanks to the mutagenic smog that filled the land of Equinox.
I used to take joy in my garden, Stone sighed to herself as she passed a now petrified pony, stuck in a form of pure horror. But, now I find no joy in it, what has changed? Stone asked the heavens above, as she closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. As she open her eyes, she came face to face with the latest addition to her garden. Stone smiled, a sad smile, one of recognition and one of revelation. “Now, I remember. I remember you and your promise, Dimmed Star.”
Inside the local library, which was now the rotted remains of a once mighty massive oak tree, two mares were in the middle of a conversation.
“Are you sure, Dimmed Star?” Stone asked, her eyes behind a piece of cloth, that she wears to protect others from her gaze when she is out in public.
“I am certain, well, ninety-five percent.” Dimmed Star, a grayish purple unicorn mare with solid purple mane and tail with black eyes which each had three tiny gray dots that made up the irises, stated.
“Isn’t that what you said with Spiderlock.” Stone dryly stated more than asked.
“That wasn’t my fault.” Dimmed snapped. “I am certain that I can make myself impervious to your petrifying gaze. Plus, I am running late on this research for Queen Blackhole.”
“Really? That’s all this is for? Don’t you ever, I don’t know stop and take a break. I mean seriously, we all may be monsters but we still try to live somewhat social lives. I mean would the Queen be mad, if you went out and tried to find a pony to date, even for one date?” Stone huffed.
“Hum….Nope… Too much work to do.” Dimmed stated.
“How about this then. You either find some pony to go out on a date with or I don’t help you with this research.” Stone devilishly grinned.
“That is cruel Stone!” Dimmed hissed and sighed. “But I suppose you are correct. But between you and me, I have tried before but for whatever reason no pony wants to date me. They either run in fear that the Queen might kill them or that I might use them in one of my experiments.”
“I will admit some of those fears are not without their bases, I just can’t imagine such a brilliant and beautiful mare such as yourself can’t find a date.” Stone stated, but then realized what she just said. Damn, did I just say that? Oh, I hope Dimmed didn’t catch onto it.
“D-Did you say I was brilliant and beautiful?” Dimmed stuttered in complete shock.
Crap!!! Stone cursed in her head. “Y-Yes.” Stone stuttered not sure what do next.
Dimmed Star slowly grew a wicked grin on her face and said: “You did say I should get out more, didn’t you?”
“Y-yes I did.” Stone gulped involuntarily.
“And you said I should find somepony to go on a date with, am I correct?” Dimmed coolly asked.
“T-that I did. Why do you ask?” Stone stuttered even though she couldn’t see Dimmed very well through her cloth, she could swear Dimmed had a smile on her face, the kind of smile a psychopath has when they know their prey can’t get away.
“How about lunch next week on Friday?” Dimmed calmly asked
“S-sure… That would be lovely.” Stone stated,How bad could it be? Stone thought to herself.
The week passed as it normally did in Equinox, with the inhabitants going through what could be considered their normal routines. Friday came and outside the rundown remains of what used to be a clothing shop stood Stone and Dimmed.
“Ready to go?” asked Dimmed.
“I can’t believe I agreed to this, but I should have seen this coming.” Stone muttered.
“Well, you did say I needed to get out more.” Dimmed chuckled.
“Yeah, but I didn’t mean with me.” Stone groaned.
“It’s your fault for not specifying beforehoof.” Dimmed bluntly stated but with a grin.
“Too true.” Stone conceded before asking: “Where are we going anyway?”
“A little restaurant I know of in town.” Dimmed stated matter of factly, as she began to walk into the town.
Stone huffed and followed after Dimmed. A few moments later the two come to a restaurant that on the outside seemed to be run down.
“Don’t let the outside fool you, this place is actually quite good.” Dimmed said to Stone as they sat down at one of the toadstool tables which were for the outside dining at the restaurant. A few moments later a waiter came out, he was one of the many “undead” ponies that inhabited Equinox, his fur was pale and his mane and tail a pale blue, body parts looked like they had been sown on.
“Hello madams, how may I serve you today?” The stallion asked, with a slit gurgle in his voice.
“I will have the spider web pasta with spider meat balls.” Dimmed Star said to the stallion.
“Hum… Do you have blood soup?” Stone asked.
“Yes, we do.” The waiter gurgled.
“Then I will have that with a side of mold bread.” Stone smiled.
The stallion merry nodded and smiled at the two mares and then went back inside the restaurant. A few moments of awkward silence befell the two, until Stone asked: “Was he one of your experiments Dimmed?”
“Not that I can remember, I lost track after I brought Rotten Bunch back to life.” Dimmed stated nonchalantly.
“Right, right. She still comes to town once in awhile you know.” Stone said.
“That I do.” Dimmed sighed.
There was a few seconds of silence between the two till Stone asked: “So, why the sudden change? You said you didn’t have time for dating.”
“I will be honest, I don’t rightly know. Originally it was for getting back at you for earlier, but now I am not so sure.” Dimmed shrugged.
Stone just sat there, mouth a gap, clearly not knowing what to make of the situation.
“What? You should have known I get you back for threatening my research endeavors, but I will be honest this date isn't as bad as thought as it would be, it is actually very relaxing to be out of the lab.” Dimmed shrugged once again.
Stone for the most part was still in shock, so much so she never noticed the waiter coming back with their food. Why that evil mare, I, I,....Ugh! I can’t think of anything to get back at her, all I was trying to do was help her. But she does have a point I did threaten her endeavors and for her that is a big deal. Stone sighed to herself, as she finally noticed her meal and started eating.
Halfway through the meal, Dimmed asked: “Hey Stone, I know earlier you said even though we are monsters we still try to keep social lives, what I want to know is how have you been doing in that regard.”
With an audible sigh Stone said: “I will be honest, not well. Somehow every time I meet somepony, they wind up turning into a statue which I then put in my garden.”
“Wow, that sucks.” Dimmed bluntly stated.
“Indeed, I guess that’s why I tried to push you to dating, I saw a bit of my own unhappiness and just wanted you to have a chance at love. Something I can’t have.” Stone sighed, while behind her cloth vale she was holding back a tear.
“Well, if my research is a success, you won’t have to worry about it anymore.” Dimmed muttered in a low voice.
“What was that?” Stone asked, having not heard what Dimmed said.
“Nothing… So… What do you really think of me?” Dimmed cautiously asked.
Crap! I knew she would ask this again. Well better get it over with, Stone thought before saying: “Oh… about the comment I made earlier. I will be honest Dimmed, you are brilliant and beautiful, anypony would be lucky to be your special somepony.”
In a rare show of extreme emotion, for Dimmed Star, Dimmed could only sniff and pull back a tear in her eye. “Thank you, that actually means a lot to me.” Dimmed said.
“Think nothing of it. I must confess though I did have low expectations for this date, but I too am happy with how it’s turned out.” Stone smiled.
“Maybe, we could do this again sometime?” Dimmed muttered in a low voice, a slight blush barely visible on her dark fur.
“I am sorry Dimmed, I didn't catch that. Did you say you wanted to do this again?” Stone asked playfully.
“Yes.” Dimmed stated.
“I am free next weekend.” Stone smiled.
The two mares finished their meal, and began to walk back to the rundown boutique that served as Stone’s home. The two walked in utter silence, each not sure what to say to the other, for five minutes till they reached the door of the boutique.
“Well, this is my stop.” Stone softly spoke, “Thank y-” Stone was stopped mid sentence by a kiss on the cheek from Dimmed.
“No, thank you Stone, for a wonderful day.” Dimmed smirked a bit.
“I, I. Wh-” Stone started but was stopped by Dimmed softly placing her hoof over Stone’s mouth.
“Keep that question for next time.” Dimmed smiled. “Till then Stone, that was my gift to you.” With that Dimmed left for her home.
Stone just stood there a blank look on her face, till she shook her head. That mare, I can’t quite figure her out. Stone thought with a smile, as she headed inside.
-Back in the present-
“That first date was magical. Who knew we would go on so many more.” Stone said to the statue of her friend. “The other dates were just as wonderful. That time we went up to the hill to watch the stars that can be seen through the smog, that was just magnificent.” And when you tried to steal a kiss that night and wound up rolling down the hill was just hilarious. Stone giggled at that particular memory.
Stone let out a heavy sigh, and looked at the statue one last time. “But fate it would seem had other plans for us, it must have known the day I took you to see my statue garden, it your first and last visit there.”
Stone turned and walked away, muttering to herself: “You got what you deserved. Making me believe you could fix my sight, make me normal. Ha! Dimmed you foal! You can’t fix cold heartless Stone.” Though you did give me something I never had before, a chance at love, and for that thank you, Dimmed Star. Stone huffed, and walked out of her garden one last time.
