Names

February twenty fifth

My feet met the floor. The cold wood a jarring change from being wrapped up in a warm blanket. I decided not to forgo coverings and pulled the blanket along, wrapped like a towel around my waist. A grown man with a pink embroidered blanket, the only thing keeping him from being completely nude. I let a smile grow on my face, "Man...if this were LA I'd say I really screwed up," I mused. The last thing you want to do on your own was to lose your clothes, and I had lost my clothes, almost lost my backpack, and a large chunk of my pride to this stupid blanket.

The floor beneath me groaning as I stepped. It felt strange, such a simple noise but if felt some homely, something you don't get with the unwavering concrete. It also just struck me that I had been standing still this whole time, just shifting my weight side to side to make the floor groan.

I should find my clothes.

I leaned onto the door frame and stretched out my neck and shoulders, they started popping as I did, "M-an," I gave my head a few quick jerks to the side, "ow...why do I do dumb things?" The last jerk had done something bad, a lingering pressure sat heavy in the middle of my neck. I kept my neck pulled to the side as I walked out into the hall.

A warm voice cut me off mid step. "Morning"  The mare from last night walked over to me.

"Uh...morning." I said as she strolled up to me.

"So, how did you sleep?" She asked smiling. It was a warm smile, eyes shut, head cocked slightly to the side, no teeth, a simple, warm smile.

"Good....really good, too good." I rolled my neck. She cringed as she could hear my joints pop, "Guess I'm still used to the ground," I chuckled.

"That's not funny, it's actually kind of sad." She deadpanned, "Anyways, you ready for more work?"

"Sure, once I get my clothes back that is." I said, laughing slightly, "No really though, I do need my clothes."

She looked out a nearby window, "Well they're still drying, you can go check if you want. Personally I don't get why you wear them in the first place," I pulled the blanket tighter around my waist, "So you gonna take that blanket with you or..." She asked with a laugh.

"I...pants....or something..." I hastily chattered looking out the window.

"..." She stuck her hoof out, "Blanket."

"Bu-"

"Blanket." She stated dryly, "You're not dragging it all over the house."

"Come on I'm a grow-"

"Blanket."

I could feel my face scrunch up. I quickly ripped the blanket off my body and tossed it over her, "Fine...but I don't like this."

She fumbled with the blanket, eventually folding it on her back, "And I don't like my blankets smelling like a stallion. Go on down stairs, I'll be down in a minute." She trotted lightly past me, her flank brushing past my thigh.

"Fine I'll just..." She ignored me and went into the room she let me stay in, "Alright then." I scratched my arm, realizing that it was still bandaged up from last night. I decided it would be best to either take them off or change them and headed into the bathroom.

I sat across from the mirror on the edge of the tub and slowly peeled the plasters off. Something struck me as odd as I worked, I don't think I've heard a voice like her's in a long, long time.

It was warm, with a certain intimacy that would make a lecture about dirt absolutely riveting, and she spoke with neither excessive bass nor treble, instead a medium that could shame a lyricist. No hint of a rasp or any form of impediment, completely clear and concise. Her voice also struck me as more mature than the rest of her, while not in volume or texture, it had a certain learned quality. Perhaps the only flaw was her immediately apparent tendency to slip into a condescending or annoyed tone. While not grating, it was certainly much less soothing than her natural speaking voice. The voice of a wife. I suppose that would be the best way to think of it, kind and warm.

I finished with the bandages and looked over my arms. Most of the cuts had scabbed over or healed already so I decided to leave them be and just let them heal on their own. Not long after I finished the realization struck me. I had just spent maybe fifteen minutes thinking about a stranger's voice. It felt odd, not wrong, but not right only unsettling. I could see it in my own face, confusion. Not concern for the fact I'm thinking about a stranger, nor enjoyment that I was thinking about such a lovely sound, but confusion. Even worse was the fact that I felt it was the proper reaction to be having. I pushed the thought away and peeked into the hall, "I need my clothes."

I stepped out into her back yard; everything was still slightly damp down to the trim on her door. I looked around and found my clothes hanging heavily from a nearby line. All I needed were pants, that's all. I quickly reached them and grabbed a pant leg, still wet, not damp, wet. "Man, I mean," I went to my boxers, they too were wet. "Crap baskets..."

I turned back and started to head back inside, the mare met me at the door, "I told you they would still be wet."

"No you didn't. You said they were still drying...." I drolled.

She got flustered for a moment, "What do you think that means!? If somethings drying," She reached out and bopped my shin with a hoof, "Then it's currently wet."

"Sure. Look it's still kinda cold out, can you move?" I took a step forward, landing my foot on the first step of the porch.

"Hmmm, ask nice and maybe I can move." She said leaning against the doorway.

"You're kidding right?" She just rolled her eyes upward, "Can you move please,"

"See, was that so hard," She giggled. She stepped to the side and let me in, she tracked me as I stepped inside, "Hey, what's your name anyways, I kept forgetting to ask you."

I stopped quickly, my feet slapping against the hardwood of the storeroom floor. A quick turn met our eyes, "Vincent, or Vince, or even Mr. Arroyo if you're feeling formal."

"Hmm, Vincent...what a weird name," She said it so cleanly yet with such a smirk that I couldn't actually tell if she was being sarcastic, "Roseluck, or Rose for short, but I think I told you that before,"

I just shifted my feet, "Maybe...I don't have to greatest memory of names,"

She nodded a few times, "So you ready?"

"For what?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Work! You get to play fetch today," She said with a laugh.

"Fetch?"

"When ponies come in to buy, you go and get if for them. Really simple,"

"....without clothes?"

"Without clothes."

I made a few low grumbles, "No."

"Then leave. I said you could work not freeload,"

"Then I need pants or something."

She gave a long sigh, "...look, if I promise to take you to go get some pants will you promise to get to work?"

"Uh- fine, you know what, okay," I said holding my arms out in surrender, "It's honestly not the worst thing I've been through." She gave a quick nod and started towards the front of the shop. She quickly flipped a sign in the front window and move to the counter.

Rose gestured for me to move next to her. "Find a chair, it usually takes a while but when the customers start coming in, they start coming in."

I turned away from her doing my best to not laugh, "Didn't even realize what she said."

"Thanks come again!" Roseluck shouted over the sound of coins being slid into a drawer. She turned to me, "See, I told you it'd be fine!" She said through her smile.

"Still giving me weird looks." I said crossing my legs.

"Well it's not because your naked." She joked, "It's because you're different!" She said with an unusually happy smile.

"Your smile worries me."

"Huh oh sorry...just bringing in a lot more business than normal." Just as she finished another mare slammed through the door, "Hi how can-"

"I heard he's naked!" The new customer yelled, searching the room, "Where!?"

I quickly pulled my chair behind a wall, "I'm sorry?" Roseluck asked with an angry tone.

"Humans, they're here, someone said you had a naked one!" it sounded like she knocked over a few pots.

"Hey! Leave!"

"No,"

"Yes,"

"No, I wanna see it!"

"It!? He's a person you dolt!"

"So he is here, show me!" It sounded like something heavy slammed against the counter, "Please!?"

"...Lyra....leave..."

It sounded like she started sobbing, "I just wanna see what they look like, they always wear clothes!"

"Lyra....just go...." There was some quick sobs and moans before things got really quiet. Once it sounded like she left I went to move my chair back into the storefront, Rose stopped me as my head was peeking around the corner, "Wait...she's still in the window." I felt my face contort in disgust and confusion, "Lyra stop! He's not coming out!"

There was a very loud, very quick moan before something slammed the window, "What the hell?" I asked anyone willing to answer.

"Yeah I know, I think she's gone now," I peeked around the corner out of the storeroom and looked around, "It's safe. You know, maybe you're right about this whole no clothes thing," Rose said as I set my chair down next to her.

"Uh yeah, so I'm gonna go check if they're dry." I quickly moved through the storeroom and out the back door. The grass was no longer damp, more just cold.

There was a loud gasp, "Wow..." I looked around, the mare from before was hanging her forelegs over the top of Roseluck's fence.

"I can see you!" I yelled bolting behind the shed, "What the hell are you doing!?"

"Nothing...." The mint green mare drawled out.

"Leave!"

"But..." It sounded like she was pulling on the wooden fence, "Come on- stupid fence,"

"Go away!" I looked around. I quickly planned my strategy and bolted over, grabbed my pants, and ducking behind a bush. I sat on the ground and pulled my legs through the slightly damp denim. With them secure I stood up, top half above the bush and spread my arm, "What now?!"

The mare's ear went flat, "...I just wanted to see...."

"Go away." I said pulling the rest of my clothes off the line, "Seriously....go away....get! Shoo!" I found my shoes and tossed one at her. She pulled back and flung off the fence, "Weirdo."

"Thank you come again!" Roseluck shouted as a heavily burdened mare strolled out of the building, "This is insane! I've had more sales today than the rest of the month!"

"Too bad that weirdo from before didn't have any cash....then again, I might feel kind of used if she did."

"Hey don't complain you're good for business, we should get dinner or something!" She chirped counting coins on the counter.

"Uh....remember your promise....I work, you help me out."

She looked at me flatly, "Rent?" She asked holding her hoof out to me.

"I...you said..."

She cracked a wide grin, "I'm kidding at least for now, besides you more than earned another night!" She said, smiling ear to ear, bouncing a large bag of coins in her hoof, "This is great!"

"...sure...we done for the day?" I asked putting the stool back in the storeroom. Dust still settling from the recently vacated bags.

"I think so. You know, it's kind of like you're my human." It felt strange to hear her say that, wrong, "Hmmm come on, I've got an idea," She trotted over to the back door and locked it, "Hurry and clean up, we're going to go have a personal day,"

I dusted myself off and followed her out the front door, "Personal day?"

"Yeah, your mane needs to be cleaned up, your....things...hand things...." She pointed to my fingers, "They need a trim."

"Fingernails?"

"If that's what you call them I'm not going to judge." We walked out the front door. With the both of us outside she locked the door and started off down the street, "Just promise you'll keep bringing in good business,"

"I don't know how I can promise that." A said walking next to her, the sun at our backs giving a pleasant feeling as well as a nice ambient light.

"Well then promise to keep trying, trying works. Or get a job....remember...you're not freeloading you're working for it,"

"Sure. They should really fix these roads." I said kicking a piece of gravel along the path.

"What do you mean?"

"Dirt roads are kinda rural no?"

"Well...we're not exactly Manehatten." She jeered rolling her eyes.

"Anyways...where we going?"

"Don't you worry....you'll enjoy it, I promise!" She gave a reassuring smile.

The rest of the walk was a nice warm afternoon stroll. Sun slowly falling behind us, the air still warm from the day. The best summary for my entire time here, warm. It seemed foreign, wrong, not unwelcome, but odd. A month ago I was living under a bridge now within three days I was pseudo renting a room, had a small job, and apparently had a friend.

Things were moving fast, I'm not really sure if I like it or not, but given the fact that I spent the last night in an actual bed I'm not about to complain. Part of me wishes things would slow down for a bit, at least to let me know this is real, not some fever dream or hallucination. Well at least for now I'm in good company, heading to get cleaned up a little more.

A rich voice broke my thoughts, "Oh Roesluck good afternoon," We walked into a rather flashy building.

"Good afternoon Rarity, still open?" Rose asked trotting happily to the counter.

"Of course darling...who is this?" The apparent Rarity asked, sounding almost disgusted as she said it.

"A friend, we need a manecut, can you fit him in?"

"Hmm, I suppose. I've seen them around, I could clean him up...can they speak?"

"Yeah, we can talk...." I said trying to be non confrontational.

"Oh...my apologies, follow me," Rarity lead us deeper into the building, a slight smell of perfume becoming stronger as we walked. The white walls oddly frilly compared to the rest of the town, "Here, take a seat," She said levitating a stool over.

"Uh...how'd you....what was that?" I asked as the aura dissipated from the chair.

"This?" She levitated the chair off the ground again.

Rose stepped in between us, facing Rarity, "Sorry, he's only been here a day or so I'll explain it later."

I shrugged and stepped forward, "Alright...so, should I sit?" Rarity gave a curt nod. I quickly took the seat and before I could say anything a curtain wrapped around my neck and covered my torso.

"Hmm...so, what do you want it to look like?" Rarity asked pacing around me.

"Uh....short?" I guessed.

"...that...doesn't tell me much dear," She said staring at my head. Roseluck snickering off to the side.

"...just...just make it look good," I said tapping my fingers on the armrest.

"Well...If you don't mind..." She levitated a pair of scissors over, "And you're sure you trust me?"

"Not really...but she does so I see no reason not to," I said pointing to Roseluck. Rarity gave a grateful smile and walked behind me. I felt something tug on my hair and the trademark sound of hair being cut sounded through the room.

"Aaaannnd, done!" She said with a twirl, throwing the scissors across the room, "Whoops."

I ran my fingers through my hair, my once shaggy and unkempt hair was now cut to length and tidy. A quick brush sent hundreds of bristles sailing through the air, "Huh....nice," The once matted feel of it was gone, leaving a slightly soft, bouncy even, feel to the ivy league cut, "Wow....this is really nice," I looked over to Rarity, "Thanks,"

She had went and grabbed the scissors, "My pleasure darling,"

Roseluck had walked over and was circling me like a shark, surveying every inch of my head "So...how much?"

"Hmm...given that I've never done this before....and for such an appealing stallion," I felt myself clench at being called a stallion, "Would you both care for dinner?"

"Huh?" Roseluck asked apparently sharing my confusion.

"I consider this practice, but I would thoroughly enjoy a chance to discuss new cultures. I'd consider it a learning experience in exchange for this," She said flipping her mane and gesturing to my hair.

"...strange folk in this place...." I mused, "Real strange..."

"...you want to talk...with him?" Roseluck said pointing between me and Rarity.

"Given the amount of his people I've been seeing, I feel he could give me insight as to how I could fit their needs." She said, trotting over to me, "So long as you wouldn't mind paying for yourself,"

"Well I don-" My excuse was cut short.

"Sure! You know how to get back home right?" Rose asked dumping a small bag of coins into my lap.

"Uh..."

"Good, see you back home," She hurried out the door.

"Uh...I..." She closed the door, leaving me at the mercy of Rarity, "...rude..."

"Slightly," She said with a laugh, "Do you have any preferences?"

"For food....not really...I mean I've only been around the town once, no idea whats around here." I said standing and shoving the bag into my pocket.

"I know a charming little place, quiet, perfect for what we will be discussing," Rarity trotted happily past, "Come along," I looked around and weighed my options. I decided to suffer through this and see where it lead.

The restaurant was quiet, an ambient string of violin noodling filled the air. Rarity broke the soft background noise, "So, Mr..."

"Vincent," I said shifting in my seat, this place seemed like a bad fit for me, "My name's Vincent..." A proper looking stallion walked over and took our orders. Another round of fruit for me and some convoluted salad for the mare, "So" I said, swallowing the lump in my throat, "Your name is?" I already knew but we had never actually had our introductions.

"Rarity darling, Rarity. Now, lets get straight to business," She leaned over the table, "Tell me about your people's fascination of clothes,"

"Well," I crossed my legs, "I wouldn't call it a fascination. We wear clothes out of necessity,"

"Elaborate,"

"Well...if you couldn't tell we don't have fur, I think originally we wore clothes for warmth, now it's more about modesty. Our privates are always exposed, I know stallions go back inside themselves when they aren't excited, but we....we don't." I said sipping my water when I was done, "So...it's more modesty now...*cough*"

Her face was scrunched up in though, "So...you wear clothes all the time?"

"Well....normally..." I said shifting my legs again. "Things have been kinda weird lately."

"Hmm, how long have you been here?"

"...three days?" Another guess, it could have been three or two I'm not actually sure.

"Hmm, would you, if you lived here longer, buy new clothes?"

"I'd buy new clothes right now if I could...kinda broke though...getting better though!" I said adding a laugh and smile.

"You would....hmmm, would you mind helping me," A few waiters passed by, plates clanking against the trays as they walk.

"With?"

"Modeling, sizing, practice, anything really."

"Will I be getting paid?"

"Well...depending on how this goes....let's just say that I've been doing well selling to ponies...and clothes are a rather luxurious item for us," She said just as the waiter set our meals down, "Ah thank you,"

"Huh....wait...that's true....I haven't seen a single import shop since I got here. You could monopolize this to an insane degree!" Her eyebrow popped upward, as I spoke, "I told you I was homeless....not dumb."

"...indeed....given the large number of human travels I have seen in these three days....about how much do you think we could make?" She asked gently levitating a fork to the plate.

"Okay...a shirt like this...how much would you sell it for?" I asked pulling at my tee shirt.

"Hmm....maybe around fifteen bits."

"Figure you would sell maybe ten in one day, you could sell more stylized shirt or jackets for much more! Depending on how much a bit is worth...you could make a mint!" I said growing rather excited, I curbed my enthusiasm with an apple, "I'm going to assume most people that would purchase from you would also be tourists....jack up the price for one time customers and you could really throttle the price...or keep it low and sell a higher volume, all in all designer clothes back home were ridiculous....rich tourist are also rather gullible."

She seemed caught off guard by my sudden outburst. "....and you...if I made a few...for practice, would you wear them around," She set her fork down, "Tell anypony you meet about them..."

"Well...I met one guy, If I see him sure."

She gave a wide grin, "Would you mind letting me borrow your shirt?"

"...uh...maybe when we leave...I'm not about to rip my shirt off like a stripper."

"A what?"

"Nothing. I'll try and find the guy I met, he'd have more clothes for you to look at. Anyone else really...I'll uh....see if I can borrow some..."

She shot me a worried glance, "You're not planning anything illicit are you?"

I stopped mid-bite into an apple, "...well...not anymore." She furrowed her brow, "I'm kidding, I'll make it work,"

"Hmm, we should speak again soon, but for now we have a delicious meal to eat," She forked a tiny piece of lettuces into her mouth, "Delicious,"

“Alright I’ll see you soon,” I shouted as Rarity vanished into the slowly darkening night. She shouted something in return, too far for it to be audible, “Sure!” I yelled back, not know if she heard or not.

I stepped towards the shop, a faint silhouette waiting in the door frame, “Finally, really took your time didn’t you?” Roseluck said with a chastising tone, “So how’d it go?”

I walked over to the door, Roseluck blocking my entry, “I think it went well...I might have a modeling job...eugh, sounds fruity when I say it out loud,” I stepped onto the porch, “So...can I go inside?”

She looked me over, her eyes burning a hole in my forehead, “Sure...just remember, you're under my roof.”

“Sure,” She gave me one last glare, “Really, I’m not about to forget.”

“...good…” She stepped to the side, “Just making sure.” I walked in and up the stairs, Roseluck nipping at my heels the entire way.

“Okay? Is something wrong?” I asked setting my hand on the guest room door.

“No, nothing, just, didn’t expect you to be gone so long...”

I felt my eye twitch, “Are you-”

“No, go to bed,” She turned, flicking me with her tail.

I felt my hand shoot to the spot she hit, “...weird…” I stepped into the room and quickly pulled my clothes off. The room was made up exactly like the previous night. I sat back on the bed, a warm feeling flooded over me. I felt myself drifting away splayed sideways on the short bed.