Chapters The soft yet constant rumble of the train woke him up with a start. Other ponies around him were still performing their normal activities: talking with each other, foals running around the cars, playing with themselves, some taking naps like he was. After a few moments of taking in all of the sights to regain a sense of location, his cyan eyes slowly reverted to their normal, sullen state. his solid blue body once more relaxed, as a hoof went through the blue-cyan hair upon his head. He looked out the window to the passing countryside, and began thinking, as he normally did when traveling, keeping his thoughts and emotions within his own mind.
Hopefully this will be the place. I've gone to many cities, none really fitting me.
He sighed as the brakes of the train screeched with the aching noise of metal scraping together. Many ponies ignored it, but some covered their ears to the high-pitched noise. The train slowed down as passengers leaned forward naturally.
I've heard that this town is unlike all of the rest. I'll just have to see for myself.
The muffled noises of the station came into earshot as the train pulled up to the station slowly.
Finally here. Do I still have those papers – His hoof began digging through his saddlebags to locate the papers for his apartment he had paid for – yes, here they are. I should've tried to remember the address on here already. I guess it was either that, or taking a nap. I like the second option much better. A miniscule smile escaped his lips as small as his own joke.
The train doors opened as many ponies got up and started exiting. He rearranged his bags to make sure they were in order, then hopped off of his seat and walked down the isle.
Let's just go to the apartment first and make sure everything is in order before checking out places in town. It should be around time to get a late lunch, so that'll be what I look for first.
He joined up among the other ponies attempting to leave the train, and once more became nothing more than another pony among a crowd of many.
Here we go. A new start in another new town.
As ponies exited the train, they went to meet up with family and friends that they had in town. Among many of those waiting was an earth pony, her hair the color of cotton candy. Her coat was of a light pink, and her face had a bright, wide smile across it. Her head moved left and right, scanning the crowd from the train, looking for anypony who seemed to need a smile. Her eyes settled upon a single pegasus, his coat as blue as the deepest seas. She started trotting towards him, as he stopped a safe distance away from the exiting crowd to pull out his map from his saddlebags and scan it for where he was headed. As she approached, he put the map away and noticed her heading straight for him. His look was first of surprise, then to a dulled state, as if he didn't want her coming towards him. She knew he could take off if he wanted to, but he didn't.
"Hi there!" Her voice carried a sense of infectious joy across it.
"Hello," he responded, his tone monotonous.
"Are you headed somewhere? I could help you go there if you want."
"I guess. I'm going to the corner of –" He went into his bags and pulled out a paper with an address on it "– it says, 23rd and Candy Avenue."
"Oh, I know exactly where that is! I live in Sugarcube Corner, which is on Candy Avenue. 23rd is just down the street from there. Here, Follow me!" She began hopping towards the town, looking back to see if he was following. Sure enough he was, but he was walking at a slower pace than others did. She slowed down to come to the side of him, and began asking questions.
"So, where are you from? I've never seen someone with your colors anywhere around here."
He seemed to hesitate before speaking, but spoke anyway. "I'm from Cloudsdale. My colors are a bit unusual for someone such as myself."
"It doesn't seem strange to me. What makes you say that?"
"That no one from Cloudsdale has any colors similar to this. Most colors are less pronounced, usually lighter shades."
"I've never known. My friend Dashie has all the colors of the rainbow in her mane, and she's from Cloudsdale too."
"Hmm. Maybe we can meet sometime later. I've heard there was someone like that living here in Ponyville."
"Yeah, she's real famous for winning the Young Fliers Competition a couple years ago. She did one of the most spectacular, awesome, amazing, wondrous, super speedy things ever! The Sonic Rainboom!"
"I feel like you're overselling that fact a little much. I don't think it's that spectacular."
"But it is! She even saved the Wonderbolts and my friend while doing it!"
"So that's what I read in the newspaper that one day. I didn't think much of it, because I've never heard of the Wonderbolts getting themselves into any danger."
"Oh, turn left here."
The duo turned to the side as he gazed at the sign for Candy Avenue.
"So that's how far it is to the train station. Good to know."
"Why would that be good to know? You just got into town! You don't have a reason to leave just yet."
"If I don't fit in, I might just go and leave town. It's not like I haven't done the same thing before."
"Well, I guarantee you that you won't want to leave town right away. I'm throwing a party a week from now. You should come and have some fun!"
"Eh, parties aren't really my thing. Besides, aren't you a little old for those?"
She stopped. Her face went from a simple smile to a very serious expression. He stopped and stepped back a little, thinking he hit a nerve he shouldn't have touched. "You are NEVER too old for parties! I've planned so many amazing parties, I'm Ponyville's super-duper-party-planner! I'm in charge of throwing all of the parties around here, and I make sure everypony always has a good time. If you come, I Pinkie Promise that you will have one of the best times of your life!" She leaned in as she spoke, almost residing on top of him.
He cowered a little. "Okay, okay! I'll try to be there. Just make sure to give me the place and time."
She went back to her original, wide grin. "Okie-Dokie-Lokie! By the way, the name's Pinkie Pie. Nice to meet you...?"
"The name's Aero Azure. But I just go by Azure. Nice to meet you, too."
"Alright, so weren't we going to 23rd?"
"Right."
They walked along some more in silence. Pinkie bounced along, watching both the street and her guest. He looked forward consistently, somewhat distant, but still aware. The rest of the town was bustling, with many ponies heading towards a large, cupcake-looking building on the side of the street. When they approached, she spoke up.
"There's Sugarcube Corner. That's where I've been living. I help out the Cakes with baking treats and filling out orders."
"Oh, so it's a bakery?"
"Yes indeedily!"
They continued onwards, finally reaching the intersection of 23rd and Candy, only a few blocks from the Corner.
"Well, here we are! Don't forget to stop by the Corner sometime! I'll make my best cupcakes just for you!"
"Thank you for the offer. I'll keep that in my mind on my search for lunch."
He walked off towards the apartment building, leaving Pinkie to turn around towards the Corner. She didn't mind much. Besides, she had orders to fill, and a party to be preparing for.
"What a strange stallion. I never got around to asking why he didn't have his cutie mark."
He walked inside the apartment building to find the lobby was almost empty. Chairs and couches were scattered around the left side of the room, with a table residing in the center. to the right was a muted TV, playing the news for anypony who would be waiting. He walked across the room, his hoofsteps muffled by the comfortable red-yellow carpet beneath them. He approached the desk to find a mare sitting there, quite bored with the lack of anypony around.
"Hi. I asked for a room here over the phone a couple days ago?"
"Yes... Aero, was it?" Her voice carried as much boredom as her posture.
"Yes, but I go by Azure."
"Okay, well, here's your room key. Go right, fifth door on your left."
"Thank you. Have a nice day."
"You too."
He ventured down the hallway, checking out the numbers on each door. Strange enough, each door had a name written on it, and the profession of the current resident. There was a few weather ponies down the hall, and there was one that was left a line of question marks.
I wonder what his profession might be. Nopony just puts a line of question marks for nothing. What's that name there – He walked over to the plate next to the door – Doctor Whooves? That name sounds strange. I'm guessing he doesn't like to say.
He arrived at his door, 109. There was a plaque with his name on it, and underneath it where the profession was, his said, "Undiscovered." He put the key in the lock and heard a solid click . He pulled down the handle and pushed on the door to open up into his room. The same carpet was in the room, but with a different pattern of navy blue. It wasn't large, just a living room, a kitchen, and a bedroom with bathroom, big enough for two ponies to live together. He set his saddlebags down on the table in the living room, and sat down on the couch, relaxing in the comfort that was now his place. His stomach grumbled, reminding him what he was going to do. He went through his saddlebags, putting unneeded materials on the table to put away later. He put his bags back on, relishing the lightened load, then exited his room to hunt out lunch, remembering to take his key with him.
Now, what did Pinkie say? Something about going to Sugarcube Corner? I guess a baked treat could be good to settle me for a while, and then I can get directions on any good cafes nearby.
He walked down the hallway the way he came, passing by the names he'd seen before. He once again stared at the door of Dr. Whooves, still curious about the line of question marks compared to his own "Undiscovered" tag. There had to be some significance.
Pinkie exhaled deeply as she sat in one of the many chairs. She'd been working nonstop for almost an hour, baking goods as fast as she could. Now that the rush of ponies was gone, she could relax. Suddenly, the door opened up with its chime, revealing Azure coming in. She quickly got up on her hooves and went to greet him at the door.
"Hey there! I thought you'd swing by soon enough!"
"Hey, Pinkie. Just looking for somewhere to eat lunch. Do you know of any good cafes around here?"
"Oh, there's not any super close by. Most of them don't have great choices either."
"That's not what I wanted to hear. In that case, do you know of any good places to get some lunch?"
"Sure! Right here! I'll just get out the bread and make you a sandwich. Would you like anything to drink?"
"Just some water. I don't need anything spectacular."
"That's fine. I'll be right back!"
She led him to one of the many tables, urging him to sit down while she got the sandwich ready. She got out two plates and collected all of the ingredients necessary for the sandwiches. She came out, remembering to be hospitable to all customers.
"I forgot to ask, did you want any sauces on your sandwich?"
"Oh, just some ketchup please."
"Okie-Dokie-Lokie!" She went back to the kitchen, into the fridge. She normally didn't butt into the matters of the customers, but this one was more than a bit strange, so she couldn't help but wonder.
Why would anyone order ketchup on a daisy sandwich? Daisies don't taste really good with tomatoes. Maybe it's just his thing.
She finished both sandwiches and brought them out to the table where he sat. He was reading through his papers, perhaps about where things were around his apartment.
"Here you go! And one for me, too!"
He put his papers back in his bags and accepted the sandwich. "Thanks. Haven't you eaten already?"
She sat down across from him. "No. During the rush, there isn't time to eat. I'm just making batter and baking all the treats too fast to stop and eat anything. We're known as the best bakery in town for a reason!"
As he started eating his sandwich, she quickly remembered what she was going to ask. "Say, I've never seen anyone have ketchup on a daisy sandwich. Is that something that ponies in Cloudsdale do often?"
He stopped in-between bites to respond. "No, just my family that I know of. We just find the flavors come together well, similar to how a salad works."
"Oh. I never thought of it like that. Maybe I'll try it sometime."
"It's definitely worth a try. It is a good taste."
"Oh! I almost forgot! I noticed that you don't have a cutie mark. Is there a reason for that?"
He paused for a minute. His expression changed from interest to one of defense. He pondered on this for a bit, then answered. "I don't have one because I haven't figured out what I'm good at yet. I'm just waiting for inspiration to come in."
"I've had my cutie mark for a while. I bet you can't guess what it's supposed to be!"
"It's that you like throwing parties." His plain expression spoke bluntly.
"Well, it's no fun if you get it on the first try. But you didn't! You only got the obvious half. The other half is that I want to spread happiness and joy wherever I go!"
"That seems to be fairly obvious as well. But cutie marks aren't supposed to be complicated, so I'm not surprised."
They continued eating as the sound of ponies running around upstairs was heard. A few crashes happened as well, and they looked up towards each loud noise.
"What's even going on up there? I keep hearing loud crashes."
"It's the Cakes taking care of their baby twins. They were born only a couple years ago, and they still get into lots of trouble. I watch them whenever the rush isn't terrible so that the Cakes can keep working on what they do best."
"So what type of ponies are they all?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Cake are both earth ponies, and the twins are a unicorn and a pegasus."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"They have relatives that are a unicorn and a pegasus. It just got passed down."
"Well alright then."
They finished their sandwiches, and they both got up.
"So, where are you thinking of going after this?"
"Well, I was just gonna head back to my apartment."
"Hey, how about I show you around town? I know a lot of great places that I could take you to, and we've still got a while before the sun sets."
"I guess that would be okay."
They approached the door, and set out into the day.
Chapter 3: Meeting New Faces
The sun was high in the sky. Not a cloud was seen. A soft breeze blew through the streets, providing a refreshing coolness through Azure's darker coat. He gave off a large, pleasant sigh, happy to feel the wind's gift. He walked around town, accompanied by Pinkie. She hopped as they scoured through town, full of energy. Her joyous nature was infectious to all of those they passed, all of them giving her a wide smile and wave as she passed by.
I feel like there's something about this mare. She seems to spread laughter more than anyone else I've seen.
"Hey, you there?" She noticed very quickly that he was lost in thought. He blinked his eyes and returned to reality once more.
"Yeah, just thinking about things again."
"You like thinking a lot, don't you?" She looked at him inquisitively.
"I work a lot in my head."
"I know a friend who does almost the same thing! Almost. Do you like books?"
"I think just as much as the next pony."
"Good enough for me! Come on!"
She directed him towards another area of town, where the roads came into something similar to a plaza. On the edge of the road sat a large tree fit with windows and a door.
"Since when are trees used as buildings?" This fact was unusual to him, even as he'd seen things far stranger.
"Since the library was made!" He decided to take that fact as what it was. They entered, and Pinkie hollered at the top of her lungs.
"TWILIGHT? ARE YOU IN HERE!?"
"Pinkie, keep it down, please!"
From the upstairs came a young dragon, covered in purple scales. He carried a few books to some of the shelves around the room.
"Sorry, Twilight's not here at the moment. She's checking on Rarity. Something about a large stain. Knowing Rarity, it's probably just some juice in a small spot. Hey, who's your friend back there?"
"Oh, hello. My name's Aero Azure, but just call me Azure."
"He came into town earlier today. He's living in an apartment close to Sugarcube Corner."
He pointed a claw at him, a deadpan look upon his face. "Did she meet you at the train station?"
"How'd you guess?"
He shrugged. "After you know her as well as I do, you expect these things."
"Makes enough sense to me."
"No it doesn't. It never makes any sense. That's how Pinkie works." He lifted his arms over his head, almost in a way that looked like he gave up.
"If you say so."
Pinkie interrupted the conversation. "Hey, let's go meet Twilight and Rarity! Aren't they at the boutique?"
"Yeah, but you may want to hurry. Twilight's been there for half an hour, and things like this are usually solved by then."
Pinkie rushed outside, motioning for him to follow. Before he left, he turned his head back towards the dragon.
"Nice meeting you, as short as it was."
"Same back to you." He then turned away and went back to his sorting.
The boutique door flew open, whacking the bell above the door. Pinkie rushed in, followed shortly behind by Azure. Inside the boutique was not as Azure expected. Across the room lay many patterns of various fabrics, models of stallions and mares alike, and a large stage. Sitting next to it resided a unicorn with a coat as white as the snow of early winter. Her mane was in large curls, holding its shape as she shifted repeatedly to get a better view of the fabric she was working on. There was a large brown spot right in the center of it, appearing as it was dropped into a puddle of mud as it was brought. Next to her was another pony, using her horn to try and remove the stain magically. Her head was aimed at the fabric, focusing on the brown spot left on the rose fabric. The white pony turned at the sound of the door, greeting Pinkie, even after nearly breaking her door.
"Oh, hello Pinkie. Please be a dear and go get some cleaner from the back, would you? This mud is absolutely dreadful. I should've gone to get it myself, the delivery service always messes things up."
The other one lifted her head after finishing the spell, once more not affecting the stain in the slightest. Her eyes centered on the stallion standing near the doorway. "Oh! Pinkie wasn't alone. What's your name?"
Pinkie shouted from the back room. "His name's Aero Azure! He goes by Azure."
Her face turned to one of irritation, as if this happened earlier. "Pinkie, he has a voice too. Do we have to go over this again?"
"Sorry, but he's a little quiet."
The white pony spoke up. "Compared to you, everyone's quiet. I guess I should introduce myself. I am Rarity. I run this boutique. I've made a name for myself in fashion."
"I'm Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you."
He nodded and gave a small bow. "Pleased to meet you both. Pardon my asking, but, aren't you a princess?"
"Yep. I've only been one for a few years, but I've learned quite a bit over the past few years. It helps when Princess Celestia gives me a hoof."
Pinkie returned, carrying a large white bottle. It became surrounded in a blue hue, the same as Rarity's horn. "Thank you, dear. Now, on to that mud."
After a few short minutes, the stain was lifted by the powerful cleaner. The fabric was put next to the others, rolled up nice and organized. "Now I can get started on the dresses for Manehattan. They asked for one that they could recreate, and I already sent a copy of the design. I don't mean to be rude, but I do have work to do, so could I ask for all of you to go?"
"Of course," they all answered in unison. They left, and the door slammed shut behind them, a click engaging the lock.
"Twilight, could you show Azure around? I want to make sure the Cakes don't need my help filling any orders."
"Always glad to help a friend, whether old or new," She smiled.
Pinkie dashed off, heading back to Sugarcube Corner. Azure and Twilight began to walk off towards the town.
"Now, where should we begin?"
Chapter 4: Returning Home
They went to all sorts of places in town. The town hall, the various shops around town (they spent a bit of extra time at the quill shop, as Twilight bought a few more to add to her spares,), and finally finished at the library.
"Well, this is where I live. I've been here a while, keeping track of all the books that the town uses. Not many ponies read much, though." She coaxed him inside. He entered, and she followed right behind.
"Thank you for being so kind. It's been a long time since I've been shown around town. Usually I get a map and search around for anything."
"Most ponies in this town get shown around. Pinkie's a little outgoing, if you haven't noticed."
He gave a sarcastic snort. "You think?"
"Well, I have a guide of what's useful in town, if you want to use it."
"That'd be great."
She started scanning the shelves, following the tags among them. She focused in on the "G" section, and went down the line, finally pulling out a book using her levitation. He held out a hoof as the book regained its weight. The title was exactly what he thought it'd be, A Guide to Ponyville. It was modest in size, weighing around the same as a novel. He put it in his saddlebags, along with the rest of the supplies he carried.
"Just make sure to bring it back when you've read it, okay?"
"Will do." He gave a salute, and proceeded to head towards the door. She quickly jumped and glided towards the door, cutting him off.
"Where are you going off to? You just came in!"
"I was gonna head back to my apartment. I've had more than a bit of excitement for one day."
"Do you not like excitement? That's what happens in this town a lot."
"I do like it, but I've had a little too much for now. Mostly due to Pinkie."
"I wouldn't expect any less. Alright, but do remember to come over sometime. I have plenty of things I want to talk to you about."
"I'll keep that in mind." She made room as he passed by. He turned around outside the door and gave one last wave.
He entered the lobby once more. Night had fallen as he had walked home. There was someone on the couch to the side, a mare of a yellow shade. She was waiting for her friend at the desk to finish up. He went on towards his room, not concerned about the others' doings. He walked down the hallway once more, observing the many names across the rooms. He pulled out his keys and opened his room once more. He turned on the lamp near the door and placed his saddlebags on the table. He emptied his bags and organized the materials upon the desk. He turned on the TV to the news and let out a deep sigh of relief.
Finally back home. Today's been beyond strange, from being interrupted at the train station to meeting a princess. This isn't what I had expected from entering a small town. But it all came down to the one thing that started the strangeness. Pinkie Pie.
A loud bang came from the window over on his right. Out of the window could be seen a specific mare, as if thinking her name was the cue for her to show up.
"Hi, Azure! It took me three times to find your apartment!"
"Pinkie! What are you doing out there? It's late!"
"I wanted to say hi! I haven't seen you in a few hours!"
"That's no excuse to shove yourself into places you shouldn't be!"
"But that was the point! Otherwise, you were going to go into a long exposition of what you learned that you're gonna go into anyways!"
"That's ... Oddly correct. How would you know?"
"I just do. It's my Pinkie sense!" Her tail started twitching suddenly. "Uh oh. Watch your head for anything falling!"
"How would you know to watch my–" he was cut off by a flower pot cracking over his head. "–Ow. That came out of nowhere."
"You're telling me! Normally things don't show up randomly like that."
"Could you please just leave me alone while I go find some pain killer?"
"Sure!" She left the view of the window as he went off towards the kitchen. He checked the corner cabinet to find the medical kit. He gobbled down some of the pills to reduce the pain and returned the kit to its place in the cabinet. He sat back down on the couch and watched the news while waiting for the medicine to kick in.
What is with that pony? She makes everything stranger than it should be. Oh well, it doesn't matter anymore. I can just relax now that I'm alone.
He gave off a large sigh as he slowly relaxed more and more as time passed. He nearly fell asleep, if it weren't for his stomach waking him up. He got up, turned off the TV, and made himself a large sandwich, packing as much material as he could into it. He ate, and then headed off to bed. He cozied up in his bed, and gave one last thought before heading out into sleep.
Tomorrow should be less hectic than today was. It couldn't be that bad, right?
As he descended into the abyss of sleep, a sound from upstairs was heard. It was a soft voice, singing a lullaby. The voice was very soft and inviting, much like moonlight. He listened intently and slowly lost consciousness...
Chapter 5: The First Dawn
The first light of dawn shone through the window, rousing the stallion. He slowly got out of bed, still partially asleep. He had a dreamless sleep, something he hadn't had in a long time. After all, he dreamed of many worlds where he might fit in. But those were only dreams. They wouldn't ever happen.
He went to the kitchen and began to make breakfast. He watched out the window as the dawn's light faded into morning. An entire spectrum of colors glided over the sky throughout the dawn. He watched intently, gazing upon the beauty of the many colors. His mind began to drift into thoughts.
Last night's sleep was really peaceful. I know that there was something about it, but what was it?
He munched on his hay, questioning the one thing weighing on his mind.
It had to be something. All I remember was getting into bed after tuning off the TV and struggling to calm down my mind. Then...
He stopped chewing. He finally remembered.
It was the voice of the pony in the room above. Their voice was so soothing and comfortable, almost like moonlight. I need to check that out later today.
Breathing a heavy, content sigh, finally having the weight lifted from his mind, he quickly finished his breakfast and packed his saddlebags for a day around town. He wouldn't need much, only some bits and the guide he was borrowing. After all, he didn't have anything to do. However, that also meant no income.
I might go look around for some job around town. I probably could get one on the weather team.
He lifted his wings and fluttered them a little. He hadn't used his wings in a while, ever since moving on from the last town. He had flown to a train station out of place, and then took the train here. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. He folded his wings up once more and put his saddlebags on. Before he was able to exit the room, there was a knock at the door. He opened the door to a gray pegasus. She had a content smile, as if she truly had no cares in the world. Her blonde mane resided softly upon her neck. She seemed like any normal pegasus, except for her golden eyes. They weren't looking straight ahead. One was looking at him, the other towards the ceiling.
"Mail delivery!" Her voice was exceptionally cheery. He received his letters from the mare and gave a gracious "thank you." He turned to go inside when she quickly spoke up.
"Hey, aren't you the new guy who just came in? I heard there was a new person around here."
He turned his head over at the curious mare. "Yes, that's me. Why are you questioning?"
"I thought you would like to meet a few new friends! And if not, I could always help you find a job."
"Well, that's very kind of you. But, don't you have other mail to deliver now?"
"Nope. You were the last one. The mail system delivers to the new ponies in town last for the first week, then goes alphabetically."
"So I get my mail later for a week?"
"Pretty much. You'll be far up on the list later, having last name starting with A."
"Okay. Well, I'll just put my mail down on the table for now. I can read it later today. I was just going around town. I checked out a guide about the town, so I was going to see everything worthwhile. I guess you could try to help me find some of the places around town."
He set his mail on the coffee table and started locking up his apartment. The mare waited patiently in the hallway, checking down the hallway a couple of times.
What is she looking at? Maybe she knows someone in the apartments nearby.
With the click of the lock, the key took its place in the saddlebag. The two of them proceeded down the hallway towards the entrance.
The guide proved itself to be more than worth its weight. Everywhere the two went, the guide had at least a mention of. Everywhere in town has some quirk that put it above another in somepony's eyes. He definitely had his favorites, many being modest places not advertising much, but proving their worth in quality inside. He pulled out a pad and pen and marked off the names and locations of his favorites, then returned the pad to its position in the cream saddlebag. It wasn't easy using a pen in his mouth, but he had learned how to use it well, so it wasn't any problem. The two of them didn't carry any conversations, mostly due to the quietness of Azure. He didn't like carrying many conversations, especially with others he's just met.
Pinkie was one thing; she enjoying meeting everyone she could, so I wouldn't get in the way of that. But this mare next to me, she doesn't seem as energetic around others.
She spoke up so suddenly, he almost took a step back in shock. "Hey, are you okay over there? You're giving me a lot of odd looks."
"Oh, sorry. Just thinking to myself. I do it quite a bit because I can work out my thoughts better when I focus."
She gave him an understanding smile. "I know what you mean. I try to focus on a lot of things. It doesn't work out like I wanted, though."
He quickly became interested in the conversation. "What do you mean by that? Usually focus helps make things work out like you want."
'Not in my case. I try to focus, then my eyes go funny, and then I try to focus on that, but I forget to focus on what I was focusing on, and then things break."
"So you have a hard time focusing on anything without having your eyes go out of place."
Her face lit up with his understanding. "Yup! That's exactly the problem. The doctors say they can't correct it. They all say they don't know what causes them to go funny. If I focus hard enough, they can straighten out, but otherwise they make it hard to see."
He returned a smile of empathy. "I could see what that may feel like. At least you can do your job very well."
"Oh, weren't we going to look for a job for you?"
"Right. Now where is that place...?" his hoof retreated into his saddlebag for the guide. There was a section on all of the jobs available around town, and it listed which race would be optimal at each job. There were many jobs for pegasi, especially in the weather area. His eyes scanned hastily to find the location of the hiring offices, and then figured out where that'd be. It seemed a much better option to fly over there at a fair pace so as to not lose the bags upon his back. Since the plan was made, he put the guide back and fully secured the bags on him. "Hey, are you ready for a little flight?"
She seemed more than ready. "Of course!"
They each spread their wings, and with a big gust they were airborne.
He more than overestimated how strongly he should've taken off. The bags on his back nearly stayed on. He quickly slowed down as soon as the bags pressed strongly against his wings. Too big a flap could've sent the bags sliding off into the rooftops below, and retrieving them would've be an issue. The mare took notice shortly thereafter, as she was flying ahead of him. She doubled back to be at his side.
"Too fast?"
"If you consider nearly losing your bags to the wind, then yes."
"They have special straps specifically for holding saddlebags on, you know. They even aren't that expensive."
"I think it would be best to buy one of those." A thought came to his head. "Wouldn't I have to attach it myself?"
"I think so. Maybe Rarity could attach it for you?"
"Perhaps. Either way, let's just fly a little more casually."
They flew on in silence. Only the sounds of the public below and the steady flapping of the two's wings were heard. It was a nice day, like most days seemed to be, with a light breeze cooling down the pegasi from the heat of the sun. The balance was just perfect, save for at the peak of the day. Azure's head shifted over all of the things in his vision, all of it quite peaceful. He gave a deep, content sigh as his mind's voice chirped up once more.
It's been a long time since I could just see everything like this. No duties, no restrictions, just peace.
The silence continued as they approached the destination. They came to a soft landing, barely upsetting the ground with a soft pomf. In front of them stood the hiring office. It was a small white building, not much larger than the rest near it. As they walked inside, the bell on the door gave a soft ding. The lobby was covered in various blues and whites, seemingly made to remove any nerves ponies might have. The mare went over to the couch on the right, waiting for him to go to the desk. He approached it, where a kind mare looked up from her seat with a smile.
"Hello. Do you have an appointment, or is this a drop in?"
"Drop in."
"Okay. Here's your number, come up when it's called." He was handed a little slip with a 5 on it. He went and sat next to the mare, who had removed her mailbags and placed it at her side.
"So, do you think you're ready?"
"Ready? Ready for what?"
"Aren't you going for a job in weather control?"
"Yeah...your point being?"
"They have a small test to see if you can work efficiently enough."
"If that's all it is, then I'll be fine. I bet it's only a small drill."
"If you say so."
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Azure's head began to scan the room idly. There was one other pony in the room, a stallion of a brown coat. He was reading a newspaper intently, as if he was searching for something specific in the paper. His head looked towards the mare next to him.
Perhaps this mare knows him. She has a better chance than I do.
She noticed him starting at her, and she locked eyes. She had a curious look on her face, ready to answer whatever he was going to ask.
"Do you see that stallion over there?"
"Him? Yes, I see him. What about him?"
"Do you know him, by chance?"
"I do. His name is Doctor Whooves."
Azure's face lit up at the statement. So that's who lives in that room. I may have to chat him up later to figure out what those question marks mean.
"Hey, what's up? You just got really perky."
"Oh, sorry. Thinking to myself. He lives down the hall from me, and I wondered why his job plate is all question marks."
The mare's ears drooped, and her face showed signs of sadness. "He doesn't really like to say. It's not something that everyone should know."
"If you don't want to say, I won't pry."
"Okay, thank you. It's a little too secretive, and letting that secret out would be dangerous."
"Dangerous how?"
"Potentially destroying all existence dangerous."
The blue stallion leaned back in shock. "Say no more. If that's what it is, then I'll stop it there."
"Number Four."
The two looked out from their conversation. The stallion across the room put down his paper and walked over to the doors beyond the desk. The receptionist gave him a few words not heard from their distance, and he walked through the door. She sat back in her chair and relaxed once more. The room fell into a silence once more. In the room was just the two of them. A few minutes passed as the two sat in mute. A couple of ponies walked out of the back during the time, one with a slip and a gleeful smile, the other empty hooves and an upset look. One could guess what happened between each of them. Soon enough, the mare at the desk put a hoof to her ear, then spoke off.
"Number Five."
He got up, and headed to the desk. The mare there gave him an optimistic smile, and some direction.
"Head down the hall. Check each of the room tags for what you're looking for. Weather jobs are in the back."
Why did she need to point out where the weather jobs were? Aren't they labeled like everything else? He shook his head out of thought and went the door. It was a simple hallway, covered in white all over. On each side of the hall were numerous doors. Each had a plate next to it for what they were for. Cooking, Sewing, Sales, Marketing ... The options were exceptional. However, he knew what he came for. He proceeded down the hallway, the blue carpets muffling the sound of hooves. At the end of the hall were a set of double doors, large with smudged windows up high. He proceeded through them to what seemed to be the backlot of the building. It was a small grass field, with a hill just beyond it. A large stallion with coach gear was off to the left, ready for anyone coming in.
"So you're looking for a job on the weather team, kid?"
The name given was obviously for intimidation, but it was still unkind to the ears. Nevertheless, he kept walking and answered calmly. "Yes, sir."
"Well, do you have the resume you're supposed to bring?"
"Why wouldn't I?" The comment was a little snarky, so he was ready for some talk back. The instructor showed no change. The paper was exchanged, and a set of eyes began running through the data. Once he came to a point, his expression changed ever so slightly.
"So you're from Cloudsdale, huh?"
"Yeah. I don't like it there much, though. Too many inconsiderate ponies."
"I'll say. Well, you should remember this drill then. Clear, Fly, Fall, Complete."
There was a small change in the blue-coated stallion's expression. Of course he remembered this drill, his final test of flight school. He was more than prepared for this. He leaned down and shot off with a sharp gale. He shot around in crescent shapes, hitting clouds on the edge of the curve, and setting up exactly to the next. Within seconds, the clouds set were cleared, and he once more arced towards the hoops. With the slightest motions, he breezed through all of the hoops. One last arc sent him up towards the sky. He held altitude for a brief moment, then proceeded to free fall backwards. The wind in his ears started howling as the ground neared closer. He closed his eyes with serenity, and held steady. The wind sounded strongly, and he didn't budge. The seconds faded into each other, one, two, three... everything seemed to slow down into a blur. Slowly, a set of cyan eyes opened to the ever-approaching ground. His wings shot out, and with a subtle motion he pulled level. He came to a skidding stop on the ground and faced the instructor with a look a strength that faded to near instantly.
"How was that?"
A hanging jaw was the only response. It shut quickly as the buff stallion attempted to regain his collective. "Well, I haven't seen any pegasus do that so well. I'm surprised you even did a full loop, closed eyes no less!"
"Loops are easy for me. I just closed my eyes to feel the free fall better."
"If you say so. Here's your work slip, –" he signed a small slip and handed it to Azure "– And I'll see you at the field to the east of town at 8 tomorrow."
A questioning look came to the stallion's face. "Wait, you're the weather coordinator?"
A blank expression was hurled right back. "Yeah. It's a small town, so higher positions handle multiple jobs at once. I both hire and coordinate. Is that a problem?"
Azure shook his head with a small smile. "Not at all. See you at eight."
He walked back towards the building doors.
The mare sat on the couch, shifting every few seconds. He had been in there for much longer than she was expecting.
What could be keeping him? It shouldn't take this long. Something happened back there, and that usually isn't a good thing.
Her thoughts got interrupted by the sound of a door squeaking open. Out of it came Azure, and he looked quickly towards where she was. He looked around a little, and came out towards her with a steady walk. She slung her mailbag on, and readied for his response.
"So how'd it go? You took longer than I expected you to."
"It went much better than I expected. I'll tell you on the way to the apartment.
She hopped off the sofa, and walked beside him out the door.
Chapter 7: An Eventful Evening
"So the instructor's jaw dropped?"
"Yep. You should've seen it."
Time had passed faster than it should've. It was late afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set. The two were sitting at a cafe, one having a small salad, the other a simple baked good.
"So what did he say?"
"Something along the lines of he didn't expect me to fall backwards and make a loop out of it."
"I know I can't do loops very well. I always just start flying upside down."
A small chuckle escaped his lips. "That's the first time I've heard someone able to do that. If I tried that, I'd just curve down and right up."
"Oh. Then I guess it's just a skill I picked up somewhere. I thought I was just good at failing."
"You are. In the right way."
Her head cocked slightly at that statement. It made sense, but it sounded strange. Good at failing?
"So, where are you headed after this?"
She refocused on the conversation. "Oh, I'm headed back to my apartment. I live in the same building as you."
"Don't you have to return your mailbag?"
"No, I keep it with me. That way I don't forget it anywhere."
"Smart. So, I guess we're going to the same place, then?"
"Yep!"
"Alright then." He finished off his salad, and readied his saddlebags. "All set to go?"
She finished off her muffin with a big bite. "All set." She lifted herself off the cushion, and trotted after Azure, who already was a few feet ahead of her. "Hey, wait up! Same place, remember?"
"Yeah, I just want to go to that store that sells those straps. It's getting late, and I don't want it to get dark before I'm home."
"Okay, but we can run if you want."
"Let's just go with a quick trot. Don't want to drop these bags like I almost did before."
A loud sound came from the inside of the boutique. Azure looked towards the mare next to him with concern, and she returned it. They stood outside the door, then he approached and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the banging stopped, and the door creaked open just enough to reveal Rarity's snout. "Yes? Oh, you're that stallion Pinkie brought over yesterday. What can I help you with?"
He hesitated slightly. "Yes, um, could you, by chance, sew this strap on my bags?"
"Oh, why that's no problem at all, darling! Please, come in." She opened the door wide, and noticed the mare next to him. "Oh, and you brought a friend! Hello, Ditzy."
"Hi Rarity. It's been a while, hasn't it."
As the two entered, Rarity continued the conversation. "It has. Have you been keeping well with the mail business?"
"Just fine, thank you. How's the fashion industry treating you?"
"Same as always. The critics are just so fickle! So what have you been up to, Azure?"
"Oh, just looking around town and landing a job in weather."
"Well, that should be easy for you. Let me get my sewing machine out and we'll have this strap on in a few minutes."
She proceeded to poke her head around the corner to the back and bring out a machine. She placed it down and collected the materials. The machine began to whirr as the needle flicked in and out. Within seconds, the one side was sewn on tight. As she worked, Azure looked around for what that noise could have been from. Everything seemed to be in place.
"All done! Just make sure you buckle this, or you'll ruin it."
He was handed his bags, now with a strap on the underside. He put it on, finding it surprisingly simple. "Thanks, Rarity. I owe you one."
"Not at all, darling! We don't owe each other. Instead we give where we can."
"That does seem better. By the way, what was that banging I heard before I knocked?"
"Oh, I'm trying to make a new dress for one of my clients. I got distracted and dropped a gem beneath one of the tables. I put it back before I opened the door."
"Good to know. Well, I'll see you again sometime."
"See you! Make sure Ditzy here gets home safe."
"I will. We live in the same building."
"Oh, do you now? Well, have a nice night!"
"You too!"
Azure walked out of the boutique, with Ditzy following right beside him. The door closed behind them, and they set off for their building.
"Well, this is your stop." She pointed out his door. He pulled out his key and placed it in the door.
"Shouldn't I be walking you to your door? You know, out of consideration?"
She paused for a second. "It would make sense, wouldn't it? If you don't want to, I won't mind."
The key returned to the bags. "We're going to you door." His cool eyes locked with the mare.
"O-okay, it's this way." They proceeded towards the stairs down the hall. "So, why did you come with me if your key was already in the lock?"
"A stallion should be a gentlecolt to mares, right?"
She shrugged. "True." A silence fell as the two walked. Perhaps the conversation had nowhere to go. Soon enough, the mare's door was in front of them. "Alright, this is my place."
His eyes went to the tag to the left of the door. "Hey, why does the name on the door say Derpy?"
"That's what I go by. My real name is Ditzy Doo, but only a few people know."
"Oh. So, see you tomorrow morning?"
"Sorry, no. I won't see you tomorrow. I start at 8, but you need to be at work by then. Your mail will be under the door when you get off."
"Thanks. See you later then."
A gracious smile and a wave saw him off. "Bye!"
It was a good thing he went through his mail. In there was the newspaper, a job catalog, and even a greeting from the mayor. Other than that, there was the typical junk one would expect in the mail. Brochures, ads, and coupons. Piles began on the table, of junk and useful material. The junk went straight into the trash, and the useful was read thoroughly. Once the mail was all scanned through, Azure's stomach growled. He hadn't had lunch, so it was reasonable. He got up and went to the kitchen. Scanning through, he realized one big problem: He didn't have any groceries. The hay in the cupboard was a quick meal for the first morning, but it wouldn't last. He ate most of it already, and the rest was for tomorrow. He walked off towards the living room and went through his bags. He emptied most of it, save for a sack of bits.
I really don't like to have to go out when it's dark. I'll probably have to get over it, but I'll still try to stay out of the night.
He grabbed his key and headed for the door. With a click of the lock, he was off.
Chapter 8: Dinner and Two Musicians
The town was a lot different at night than during the day. Some lamps lit up the streets, but the shadows still covered much of the area. Some places were very well lit, and were inviting. Others were closed for the day, and seemed to absorb all the darkness. High in the sky was a blanket of stars, each giving off a soft glow. Azure scanned through the streets, searching every lit storefront. He settled on a simple diner, and headed on in. A stallion was at the front.
"Good night, sir. Would you like a table, or a seat at the bar?"
"The bar."
"I see. This way, please." He proceeded back, and Azure followed. He sat down at his seat, and started going through the menu. There were many things on the menu, from salads to burgers. As he went through, A pair of ponies entered through the door, rather loudly. He looked over his shoulder to the noise that started.
"See, I told you it would be fine. Table for two, sir."
"Right this way, ma'am." The voice came from a white unicorn, with a mane of blue. Behind her was a gray mare, her black mane styled to hold. The two took up a booth right behind him. The gray pony looked around nervously.
"Vinyl, are you sure about this?"
"Of course I'm sure, Octi. It's not like Manehattan. You know that."
"Yes, but we might be noticed. We are pretty popular."
"That doesn't mean we can't have a good time! I know this place is delicious."
"It better not be like that one restaurant you recommended. That was horrible."
"I'm telling you, they got a new guy in there! I remember it was so much better."
Their bickering was starting to turn the heads of other ponies. If they kept this up, they would get noticed. Azure decided he had to say something.
"Excuse me, you two."
The two of them stopped arguing and looked at the stallion. The gray mare quickly adjusted her bow and regained some composure.
"Yes, what is it?"
"The two of are starting to turn heads. You might want to keep it down."
"Oh, thank you for noticing. My partner over here has some... questionable ideas."
"Hey, it's not like I'm the only one with questionable ideas, Oct–"
A hoof met her mouth. "Not here, Vinyl!" Vinyl shoved the hoof away.
"Why not? I don't recognize anyone in here."
"Yes, but even still, you shouldn't use my full name. We are known, and if they hear my name, we may have problems."
"Relax. If it comes to that, I'll figure something out."
She sighed. "You never plan anything. If something goes wrong, you better have something good."
"Of course!" A wide grin appeared on her face, a sign of problems. Azure turned back to notice the bartender right in front of him.
"And what will you be drinking tonight?"
"Just some cider, please. No alcohol, I have work tomorrow morning."
"Coming right up!" He turned and went to the dispensers. Azure looked back to the menu, and waited for his drink.
"Here you are. Are you ready to order?"
"Sure am. One mondo-burger, please." The bartender went off to the kitchen, and Azure waited some more.
After he was all done, Azure got up to go. An argument started up just as he grabbed his bags.
"Vinyl, I thought you said you wouldn't be drinking tonight!"
"Hey, you were drinking too!"
"At least I held back. How many of those mugs did you have?"
"I lost count after four."
"And when was that?"
"I dunno. Maybe a half hour ago?"
"My word. Let's get you out of here."
Azure spoke up. "Hey, do you want some help with her?"
"That would be much appreciated."
Vinyl waved a hoof, obviously drunk. "No, I can take myself home. I don't need any help."
Her partner sighed. "You are just as stubborn as you always were. Come on, let's go."
Vinyl slowly came out of the booth, and started walking. The other came to her side, and assisted her. Azure went to her other side, and she put her hooves on the both of them for support.
"So, where are we off to?"
"The apartment complex on 23rd."
"Oh, that's where I am. That makes it easier."
The three of them started shuffling, and proceeded towards the complex.
"So, how long have you been in town?"
"The two of us have been around for a couple days. Vinyl was called for an upcoming party."
"Oh, are you two musicians?" Azure's head turned to look at the flanks of the two. Vinyl had a black eighth note on her, and the other a purple treble clef. They were both musical symbols, so it made sense.
"Yes. I am a cellist, and Vinyl here is a DJ."
"Those sound like two very different professions."
"Indeed. I play classical, and Vinyl plays modern music."
"You know I can hear you?" Vinyl had her head down, but she was still conscious.
"Yes, but you went and had too much to drink. Stop talking before you puke."
"So, why are you two together? It seems the two of you are direct opposites."
"We may seem different, but we have a lot in common."
"Huh. Well, that's good for you."
"Agreed."
They continued onwards, with a few stumbles. Eventually, they made it to the apartment complex.
"Well, we're here. I think we can manage from here."
"I've been here long enough, let me at least take you to your door."
"Alright. I won't stop you."
They proceeded down the hall on the right. They went and stopped at the fifth door on the right side of the hall.
"Well, here we are." Azure looked at the plate next to the door. On it was the name Vinyl Scratch.
"So this is Vinyl's place?"
"Yes. I moved in with her a while ago."
"Okay. Maybe I'll see you around?"
"Perhaps." Azure turned around and pulled out his key as the mare did the same.
"You live right there?"
"Yeah. I'm surprised as well."
"Well, then it's all the more likely we'll see each other again."
"Yep. You have a good night."
"Same to you."
They went into their own doors, and both of them shut with a resounding thunk. Azure put his bags down and went off to his bed.
This town seems to get more and more interesting the longer I stay. Maybe I actually found where I should be. I can't tell quite yet, though. I did say I would stay for that party, so I guess I have to stay for a week. After that... I'll make my decision. He sighed with relief, then slowly relaxed his body. A simple sound started up. He had heard this sound before, last night even. It was the pony above him, singing the same lullaby. There was no lyrics, only sounds. They were so warm, so inviting. He relaxed further, and once more lost consciousness.
Chapter 9: Beginning Work
The sound of the alarm woke him with a start. He smacked the alarm, and slowly got up out of bed. His dreams weren't pleasant, and the alarm didn't help. He proceeded to get some breakfast, when a bang came from the window. Outside was a group of birds. They flew off towards someone, whose voice he couldn't hear. He ignored it and went back to his food. As he finished, he got his bags all together. He looked out towards the sky. The sun was up already, and some ponies were walking around.
Seems like this town is up pretty early. Either that, or I'm around all the early birds. That's not a big – H was cut off by a loud beat from the hall. It got louder, and progressively harder to stand. The sound was strong, and it began to shift things. Azure ran all over, making sure nothing was falling. Once he knew everything was in place, he headed out of his apartment to find the source of the noise. The noise seemed to be coming from directly across the hallway, from Vinyl's room.
Makes sense it would be Vinyl. I thought she would have a hangover. He walked out of his apartment and knocked on his neighbor's door. As the door opened, the noise intensified some. At the door was her roommate, the gray earth pony.
"Yes, what is it?" She had a hoof over one ear, and a concerned look.
"Can you turn that down?"
"Give me one sec." She shut the door, and the sound was muffled slightly again. Seconds later, the sound stopped entirely. The door opened again, and the mare was there once more. "Sorry, Vinyl was mixing last night, and she can blare it when she falls on the volume dial."
His eyes went wide. "So what, is she asleep right now?"
"Yes. She will be insufferable when she gets up."
"Oh dear. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything."
"You are not. I was getting up myself, when Vinyl fell on the play button."
"Okay. Perhaps I'll see you again."
"Same to you."
"You know, I never got your name. You shoved a hoof in Vinyl's mouth the second before she said it."
"I apologize. My name is Octavia Melody. I just don't want too many to hear it in public."
"Alright then. I'll see you around."
He turned around and went back into his room. He picked up his bags, and left for the work field.
He arrived just in time. As he joined the crowd of pegasi, the coordinator started yelling, in the same voice Azure knew. "Alright, come in and listen up! We've got a lot of work to do for the coming storm. I'll divide you into groups, and go from there. Clear?" He then pointed ponies around into several groups. There was around ten groups, each having a few pegasi each. After they were all separated, he began giving directions to each group. Soon enough, he came to Azure's group. "So, you are in charge of checking the trees on this side of town. Make sure there isn't any branches that could go flying –" His eyes fixed on Azure's bags, "– and that any saplings will stay firmly planted. The rest of you head off, I need to talk to Aero here for a sec." The rest of Azure's group headed off towards the trees nearby.
"What's up?" He had a look of curiosity. The large stallion stared at him sternly.
"Why are you wearing saddlebags? You don't need them for this job, ever."
"I thought I might need some things."
"Well, you don't. I'll let it slide, since it is your first day. Just don't let it happen again."
"Alright. Will do."
"Now, get going! You have a team, and a job. Get to it!"
Azure headed off, and met his group.
"Let me guess, the coordinator got on you for wearing bags?" The one that spoke up had a light purple coat, and a smirk on her face. "He got after me and my friend here when we did the same thing. Either way, it's nice to have someone on our team. The name's Cloudchaser." She held out a hoof, and Azure met it with his own. "Well, shouldn't we get started? We've got a lot of trees to cover. You start on that side." He moved over, and checked the branches. His teammates began a conversation. "So, you're new in town?"
"Yeah. Got in two days ago."
"Well, I hope the town has been treating you well."
"Mm. It has."
"Good to hear. So many come in and out of town, and I hear they don't like it. They say it's too boring."
"They say this town is boring? I haven't seen anyone boring since I came in."
"Really? I have trouble finding anyone interesting. And I've lived here for a while. Maybe you just have some good luck."
"Maybe." They continued to work in silence, knocking down branches. Cloudchaser and her friend whispered to each other, giggling each time. The two seemed really close, closer than anyone he's seen. He sighed, and went to working. They looked over at him, and lost their smiles.
"What's wrong? You look upset."
"Nothing's wrong."
"Are you sure? I don't want to know I was the one that made you upset."
"It's not you."
"Alright. Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Not now."
"Well, how about after work? We can go get some drinks."
"Hmm, I guess that can work."
"Sure! I'll find you after work."
"Sounds good." He gave a small smile, and placed dirt around a sapling.
Chapter 10: Two Mares and Drinks
The rest of the shift was more or less the same. Scanning trees, removing branches, and reinforcing ground near saplings. There was plenty of trees around town, and many saplings. Throughout the day, Azure's mind drifted away towards other thoughts. All of it passed by as the day wore on, the sun cruising through the sky. Soon enough, all the trees were checked, and work was over for the day. Everyone gathered back where they first started the day. Many of them were talking among themselves, obviously well acquainted. The coordinator was in the center of it all, talking to a few of the pegasi. He then blew a whistle, and all of them quieted down.
"Alright, everypony. Good work today. I wanna see just as much good work tomorrow!"
And with that, the crowd chatter began again. Some flew away towards the clouds, others towards town. Azure was leaning against a tree, looking over at the crowd for the two mares. He saw Flitter in the air, and waved a wing at her. She took notice and poked her friend right next to her. The two came down from the sky, and Azure walked towards them.
"Hey, why are you over here? There's a bunch of pegasi making friends over here."
He shrugged. "I'm just not used to talking in crowds like that."
"But you still could make friends if you go on the edge of the crowd."
"Even that's a stretch for me. Besides, we had plans, and I wanted to make it as easy as possible."
Flitter gave a small frown. "Well, that's not an excuse! Get out of your comfort zone every once in a while."
"I guess I'll have to do that sometime."
She stared him down. "You know I meant now, right?"
He looked at her blankly, then gave a small smile. "I'm not gonna get out of this, am I?"
"Well, you need to make some friends. C'mon, let's go and meet our friends." She picked herself off the ground and motioned for him to follow. He did, and entered the multicolored cloud of chatter. There was all sorts of conversations going on, from talk about work to personal lives. Azure followed the mare, and met up with a smaller group. Flitter took the lead, joining back into the conversation like she was never gone. Azure just hovered there, watching and listening. After a short while, Flitter took notice and introduced him.
"Oh, guys. This is Azure, the new guy on our team. Say hi!"
The rest of the group responded with a big hello. One of the stallions came up and held out a hoof. Azure put his to it.
"Nice to meet ya, Azure. Glad to see you're making friends." Azure nodded, and the stallion went back to where he was. The conversation soon kicked back up, held mostly by the rest of the group. Azure piped in from time to time, but he didn't have too much to say. Soon enough, Cloudchaser spoke up.
"Alright, guys. We should be getting going. We planned to go out for some drinks, and I've got business later. So I guess we'll see you all tomorrow." She flew up and off towards the town, Flitter not far behind. Azure quickly gathered himself and caught up.
"Well, that was a bit abrupt."
"I guess. But they don't seem to mind, and I do have other things to do later."
Azure looked at her, his head lightly tilted. He was intrigued, but it wasn't really his room to ask. He left it alone, and followed the mares as they landed in town. The two mares started trotting down the street, knowing where to go. Azure tailed behind a little, unsure of where they were going. Soon enough, they stopped at the door of a small bar. Flitter held the door as the other two entered. The bar was very casual, the lighting dimmer than the break of sunset outside. The tables were set up around the room, each circular table holding 5 chairs. The floor and walls were covered in a white and black tiling, giving an antique look. The floors were clean, though lightly scratched up. In the center of the place was the bar, a simple wooden counter with stools across it. Cloudchaser kept walking, sitting down at one of the stools on the right side. Azure took a spot next to her, and Flitter took a spot on the other side. The bartender came up, polishing a glass.
"Evening, ladies and sir. What will you be having tonight?"
"Well, we know what we're having," was the response that Cloudchaser gave. "Do you know, Azure?"
He looked over the menu quickly, then shook his head. "Not really. I haven't had many drinks."
She gave a quick nod, then looked at the bartender. "Ok. Well, I'll have the Flutterbye, and she'll have the Cloud 7. And..." She leaned in and whispered something to him that Azure couldn't hear. His eyes jolted slightly at the sound of it, and he nodded and went to the back. He looked over to his companions, and they smiled at him. It almost worried him. Soon enough the bartender came back, holding a tray with three different drinks. He gave the two mares their drinks, both mostly yellow, one slightly darkened. The drink placed in front of him was strange, a deep shade of pink. The bartender smiled, then went back to his business. Flitter quickly took to her drink, downing half of it within seconds. Cloudchaser didn't touch her drink immediately, instead looking over at him.
"Um, what is this drink? It looks... weird." He eyed it strangely.
"It's a special drink that's only made here in Ponyville. We call it the 'Pinkie Special.'"
He looked over at her, a bit shocked. He knew of the unique pony, and a drink named after her likely was just as much. He eyed it more, then took a sip. It was very sweet, almost like cotton candy. He gladly took another sip, feeling slightly more awake. He took notice and slowed, wondering what happened. He looked over at Cloudchaser, who was casually drinking her own. "Uh, do you know what they put in this?"
She stopped and looked back over. "Actually, no. Not many people know what goes into these things. All I know is that it's supposed to make you be more active and ready to party. So I guess that helps figure it out a bit." She then went back to her drink, ready to finish it off.
He looked at it again, still unsure of what was in it. He shook his head a little, and went back to it. It was delicious, after all. It may be a bit over sweet, but it still was one of the best things he's had in a while. He finished the rest of it, and lightly pushed the glass back. He looked over at the two mares next to him, finishing theirs around the same time.
"So, how was it?" Flitter was eager, a smile spread across her face.
"It was pretty good. Very unique, that's for sure."
She giggled a little, her cheeks a light red. "Glad you liked it!"
He tilted his head, a bit perplexed. "Is she ok?"
"She's fine," Cloudchaser said. "She's just not much of a drinker, so she changes moods very quickly."
He nodded. The bartender came up and took their glasses. "Anything else for you three, ma'am?"
"Uh, no, I think that's all."
The stallion gave a slight nod, and walked back off. Flitter giggled again, slightly rocking in her seat. Her cheeks were clearly rosy, and her face was in a constant smile. She quickly looked over to Azure and leaned on the counter to him. "You know, you seem like a nice stallion. How's a guy like you travel around so much?"
"I keep taking jobs to keep my wallet fed. And, well, I don't exactly have a place that I fit in yet. I don't know where it may be, but I'm determined to find my place, wherever that is."
"Well, duh, silly! That was obvious when you showed up for work! I want to know why you don't have a pretty mare for yourself yet!"
He shifted in his seat, shifting back but trying to not fall off his stool. He looked at her, quite flabbergasted. "U-um..." He stammered at the question, still unsure of the answer.
Cloudchaser was the one to cut her off. "Alright, Flitter. That's more than enough. You shouldn't be asking things like that, especially when our guest is new."
"Sorry!" She giggled again, and put her head to the counter. The bartender came back, and he handed the bill to Cloudchaser. She took out some bits from her pouch under her wing, and handed them to him. He counted them, then walked off once more with a nod and a, "Have a safe night." She got up and nudged Flitter. The mare took her head off the counter and put a hoof over her friend's neck. The two slowly shuffled their way to the door. Azure got up and followed them out.
"So, where are you two off to?"
"We've gotta be going. I have things to do, remember?"
He nodded. "Right. So, I guess I'll see you at work tomorrow?"
"Yeah, we'll see you."
"Bye bye!" Flitter flashed a smile, giggling all the while. She turned back, trying to not fall over on her friend. Cloudchaser stumbled as she helped her along. Azure turned off, heading towards the plaza. He still needed some groceries, and a trip to the market was well in order.