_____*two minutes later, Stalliongrad streets.*_____

Storm wandered around the streets, looking over his shoulder the entire time, apparently looking for something, eventually though, he walked onto a nearby street and sighed in relief.

As he walked across the street, he looked around and his eyes locked on a specific home, Storm approached the house and looked around one last time, he knocked on the door and he heard sounds coming from the other side, he felt the vibrations of footsteps getting closer and he waited for the door to open.

The door opened a few moments later to reveal Applefritter with an annoyed expression, but she seemed to relax after seeing that it is was only Storm at the door. "How's it going Storm?" She asked.

Storm shrugged. "Not much." He replied casually.

Applefritter then sighed and let Storm inside. "So, what's this about Storm?....I know you don't make social visits." She asked.

Storm looked at Applefritter and chuckled. "You know me too well Fritter, i need you're help." He then motioned his head to his back and wings.

Applefritter shook her head and walked over, and upon examining Storm's back and wings she immediately noticed some cuts and bruises on his left wingbone and near his spine. "What happened this time buddy?" She asked as she went over to a small cabinet.

Storm blinked and sat down. "Bad luck at work, nothing big." He replied.

Applefritter returned with a small box and set it down. "Let me guess, the real reason is classified?" She asked as she pulled out some bandages.

Storm chuckled and a small grin formed as Applefritter started to bandage him. "Yea, can't tell you." He replied quietly as Applefritter worked.

Applefritter smirked and began bandaging the wing. "Oh really? well, i won't pry, but it's concerning that you show up like this." She said calmly.

Storm simply closed his eyes and let Applefritter work, and after she was done bandaging his wing, he then felt a familiar sensation on his spine, he opened his eyes and looked back and saw Applefritter applying a salve to his back. "I have a question for you." He said.

Applefritter raised an eyebrow and began applying the salve to Storm's wing. "What is it?" She asked.

Storm looked away from his back and closed his eyes again. "This might be a strange question for you, but have you seen Rainbow Dash recently?" He asked.

Applefritter actually paused, but she continued and took a breath. "Yea, I have." She replied calmly.

Storm looked back at Applefritter curiously. "So how did you handle it?.....seeing your ex?" He wondered.

Applefritter grumbled. "And I decided to let you know that why?...and yes, I handled it great." She replied.

Storm rolled his eyes. "You told me because we both know her." He replied easily.

Applefritter sighed sadly and stood up. "You didn't tell anyone about that did you?" She asked.

Storm shook his head as he got up slowly. "It stays between us......and I think the salve is starting to work." He replied as he slowly moved to the couch and sat down.

Applefritter walked over and sat down in the chair across from Storm. "Well you can't go home in your condition, stay here for the night and you can go in the morning." She said.

Storm grumbled. "The only downside to that salve, it has amazing healing powers, but knocks you on your ass." He replied as he shut his eyes and fell unconscious.

Applefritter sighed and walked to the front door, she then made sure the door was locked and then barred the door with a large plank of wood.

After securing the plank, Applefritter walked to the stairs and went upstairs for the night, but memories of the past came back up, giving her a strange sense of relief as she entered her room.

_____*flashback.*_____

A cold wind blew through the streets of Stalliongrad, but even the frozen wind paled in comparison to the sorrows of this particular night, as young earth pony mare named Applefritter walked through the streets and towards an infamous building, The Deathly Ale tavern.

Applefritter approached the tavern and sighed as she soon entered, becoming quickly aware of her surroundings, knowing the taverns reputation for hosting pickpockets, mercenaries, disgruntled soldiers and more, the mercenaries and soldiers were actively avoided unless you had business with them or were one of them, but the most dangerous of the taverns patrons were the Dark Knives, retired assassins from the mysterious branch of the military, no one messed with them or went near them, the only one who spoke with them was the bartender, who seemed to be on speaking terms with them.

Applefritter walked to the bar and navigated the crowd, after a while, she eventually reached the bar and sat down, she sighed and glanced to her right as the bartender walked over. "Can I get you drink miss?" He asked.

Applefritter looked at the bartender. "Yea, dragon breath cocktail." She answered as she looked down at the counter.

The bartender nodded and continued his duties, leaving Applefritter alone.

Soon enough, Applefritter noticed someone sit down next to her, she glanced over and saw a young Pegasus colt who looked practically dead, he was torn and beaten up, and he looked like he had no life remaining in him, but Applefritter was in so much pain, she simply growled. "Go away." She said harshly.

Almost immediately after she spoke, a reply from a broken voice came. "No." Said the colt.

Applefritter however, was in no way about to take shit from a kid, but just before she could lift her head, she heard the telltale sound of a large mug landing on the counter in front of her. "One dragon breath cocktail, be careful." The bartender warned.

Applefritter grabbed the mug and took a chug of the powerful drink, she then put the mug down and glanced over at the colt, who just ordered a drink.

The colt glanced at Applefritter. "You know, dragon breath cocktails are obvious signs of sorrow." He said.

Applefritter huffed. "That's none of your concern." She replied with pure hostility.

The colt chuckled and looked at her. "Considering I ordered one?....it somewhat is." He replied calmly.

Applefritter glanced at the colt after a minute and sighed. "Whatever, I'm not getting into a conversation." She said.

The colt grinned and looked at Applefritter. "Well then, you don't have to, I am perfectly capable of talking to myself." He replied.

After that, the two sat in silence, patrons came and went, until eventually, after a few hours or so, there was only them, the bartender, a few soldiers and some Dark Knives.

Applefritter looked over at the colt in confusion but the alcohol in her system made her say something stupid. "So why are you drowning your sorrows at this age?.....doesn't seem like you'd have much to worry about." She blurted out.

The colt frowned and looked at Applefritter. "Well, that's a tough one, but I'm just going to sum it up and say that i literally lost everything, and that most of my remaining money will be going to the bartender to pay for my drinks." He replied coldly.

Applefritter sighed. "Why are you worrying, you have your entire life ahead of you, I'm sure there will be something to fill up that void." She said bluntly.

The colt chuckled. "Yea, oh uh.....my name is Storm." He said, introducing himself.

Applefritter rolled her eyes. "Applefritter." She said.

Storm blinked and noticed the bartender walk over. "We're shutting down for the night, time to pay up and go home." He said.

Applefritter pulled out a bag of coins and put them on the counter. "Memorized it, the price for the drinks and the tip." She told him.

Storm pulled a similar bag out and grunted. "Basically what she said." He added.

The bartender sighed and emptied the bags and began to count the money, after making sure he wasn't ripped off, Applefritter and Storm left.

____*outside the tavern.*____

Applefritter noticed Storm immediately walk in the direction of the cemetery. "You going to be alright kid?" She asked curiously. 'Why did I ask that?' She wondered silently.

Storm stopped and glanced back for a moment before chuckling. "Applefritter, you know, In another life, we would've been great friends, but as it stands.....I ain't making it through the night." He then continued walking. "Never give up Fritter, that's probably terrible advice, but it helped me stand up a while longer" he added as he walked.

Applefritter blinked and did nothing as she watched Storm silently walk off into the night, she then sighed and went on her own way. "Good luck kid." She said quietly.

_____*end of flashback*_____

Applefritter sighed as she laid back in her bed, knowing fully well what happened afterwards, but not willing to remember it at the moment, she closed her eyes and smiled, knowing that she helped a friend to stay alive a while longer.

And downstairs, as he slept, Storm unknowingly smiled, remembering the exact same night as his friend was.

Author's Note

One night Two people meet in a bar, they start with hostility, followed by neutrality, and ending in an odd friendship in the present.

Another rewritten chapter and the story is now somewhat harder to follow, but it's obviously better, and entirely different, but that's another story.