Life's Left Hook

Some time later, you finally finish mopping up the mess.

You sneak out of the club after Trixie's spell wore off, clean up the doctor, and make your way back into the streets.

They're mostly empty; everyone is inside the clubs, bars, casinos, and whatnot, going about their business.

Spare some of the greymanes playing hold 'em at a table outside, hardly anyone notices you.

Not that you can complain.

You don't want any attention at the moment, personally.

Trixie walks alongside you, and you have the unconscious unicorn slung over your shoulder.

Poor girl.

After some walking, you make your way out of the strip and back into downtown Detrot.

You find a nearby grocery store, and fucklessly step inside.

Sure, you're a beacon for attention, but it's late, and you're used to it.

The cashier says something in some weird Saddle Arabian language or something, but you ignore it.

V-shoes or something.

Shrugging it off, you find a box of animal crackers and walk over to the counter.

"Not sure. I'll have to ask."

The cashier looks up at you with wide eyes as you place the box on the counter.

Upon further inspection, he isn't Arabian, it looks like.

He's Brandian.

You don't know which is worse.

"It's you!"

"Me?"

"Yah! You! I see you in paper now and again! You are with orchestra, yah?"

"You could... Say that, I guess."

"You are going to New Deli on tour, jes?"

You shrug.

"I'm certain you are! Every five years! I used to come! Always!"

"Oh. Huh. Well, we just got done performing here. Headed up to the skies tomorrow afternoon, so-"

"You. You are good person, jes?"

Fuck.

"I'd... Like to think so?"

"You. You can help me?"

You let out a low sigh.

"Depends on what 'helping' is. Keep in mind, I need to get going."

"Jes, jes, I know. Not keep Princess Cadance waiting. But, I need help."

Trixie butts in from behind you.

"Please, make it quick. We don't have much time on our hooves."

He stutters a bit upon hearing Trixie. "...Uh, y-yah, I'll be quick. But mister."

He turns to you.

"It has been long time since I go home to see family. In Sutrat, city on west coast. Travel is not easy."

Oh boy, here we go...

"When are you going? How long I have to save up? I need to know."

"Uh, I don't know the schedule too we-"

"We leave Manebourne, Hosstralia in about a month's time. Our next stop after that is New Deli, if I remember correctly. Don't quote me on that, however."

"Manebourne?"

"Wait, no. We go from Manebourne to Vaporia. Sorry-we're headed for new Deli in six weeks.

"Six weeks?"

"At least."

"Plane tickets expensive, but I can save up. I have enough time, I think."

His voice was wavering with uncertainty, but he nodded.

"Thank you, mister."

"Hold on."

You look down at Trixie.

"How much are plane tickets?"

"To?"

"New Deli."

"There are no flights that go straight to New Deli from anywhere in Equestria. You have to go through the Taprius Republic, Boardor, or Vaporia. The Central Leyline gets in the way."

"The what?"

"Long story. Bad juju, old gods, just a giant rift. I'll tell you later."

The fu-

"Fine, then. What's the easiest way to get there?"

"Probably through Copei Town in the TR."

"Got an estimation on the price for two plane tickets?"

"Probably around 400 bits."

Ouch.

"How solid are you on that information."

Immediately, she gives you a condescending look.

"Really?"

"What?"

"You think I don't know these things?"

"You seem a little overconfident."

"I only went on a world tour every year for a decade, Anonymous."

"Right."

You look to the cashier.

"You can make 400 bits with six weeks, right?"

"Uh, I-"

"Pfft. He's not even going to come close, Anonymous. Sorry, but working as a cashier is going to get you two hundred. Max. With tips."

You see the poor stallion's heart shatter.

"Oh, okay."

He hangs his head, and with a beep, punches in the price for the animal crackers.

"Is this all for you, sir?"

"Yeah, I guess."

You sigh a little.

You wish you could see your own family again.

"Tree bits, sir."

You reach in your coin pouch a bit begrudgingly, and take out three bits.

All while keeping the doctor balanced on your shoulder.

You place them on the counter, sighing.

"Here you go."

"Thank you, come again."

With that, he hands you your animal crackers.

And, you pause for a moment, pretending to occupy yourself by packing the animal crackers in a bag.

Should you help this poor sap?

Sure, you know his pain, and you have a pretty good feeling that his words are truth.

But 400 bits wasn't something easy to get in Equestria.

Especially in a place like...

This.

You look at the Squishee machine as the head rotates, and you try to decide.

What do you do?

You can't just leave him like this.

Then again, treating him special won't look good.

Neither will just handing it to him.

After some consideration, you guess it's time to be a 'leader'.

You look at him

"How much do you typically make in 6 weeks?"

"As lady said, about two hundred bits. But I can work hard."

You let out a hum of thought.

"Well, then, I suppose you can make due. I'm going to make a small donation."

"Donation?" the cashier, asks, some joy showing on his face.

"Donation?!" Trixie yells, glaring at you quizzically.

You reach into your coin pouch and start sifting through it, dragging out 10 and 20 bit coins.

After some careful counting, you wind up with 200 total.

The cashier stares at the shining coins, wide-eyed and astonished. "Here. Take these. This plus your next paycheck should get you by. Work hard, and it will come."

"Wh-"

Words can't come out of his mouth as he stares at the coins.

"Vishnu... I make sure city of Sutrat hear of this! I make sure people know of bandara ādamī generosity!"

Whatever that means.

He hands you the box of animal crackers, smiling widely.

"Have a safe trip. And good luck."

You make your way out the door.

Trixie follows, jaw low.

"Anonymous! How could you-"

"-Because. He needs it more than I do."

"W-Well, yeah, but, you can't just go around handing it out like-"

"Trixie!"

"What?!"

"Don't you remember, in the alleyway not that long ago?"

"W-Well, that's different, I-"

"No it's not. He deserves it much more than you did. He works hard, and he has a family."

Trixie pauses, biting her lip.

"I know how it feels, having to leave your family behind. Concerning I'm never going to see them again is worse. I'm not letting that happen again."

Trixie sighs, looking down at the ground.

And, after a long, bitter pause, you hear her mutter something.

"At least you actually had a family to begin with..."

Your heart skips a beat, and your chest grows cold in an instant.

What did she just say?

You're having a rather hard time really comprehending what she just said.

You stop in your tracks, your gaze slowly moving down to Trixie.

"...You... What?"

Trixie sighs, shaking her head. "...N-nothing, Anonymous. Just keep walking."

Yikes.

You oblige, shut up, and keep walking.

The doctor lets out a low grumble as you walk.

Sounds like the poor mare is coming to.

She hurt her head pretty hard; hopefully she's not too awake.

Cause that's gonna be a world of pain.

Thankfully, after about 15 minutes of walking, you aren't far from where you're staying.

The doctor's still out cold as you find the way to your hotel room.

You find the door, and give it a hard knock.

You hear the two chat with each other as they make their way to the door.

"Just a minute!" Cadance calls.

They have a hushed conversation as Cadance makes her way to the door.

You can still hear every word.

"Can't you at least put the snacks away? They'll think we're slobs!"

"No. I'm hungry, and ten bits says Anonymous forgot my crackers."

"He'd never do that."

"Well, let's see."

With that, you hear Cadance start trotting over.

Before she answers the door, you speak up.

"It's the Tremendous Trio. We need to come in. The doctor bashed her own head in."

The door swings open, revealing...

Ground zero of hurricane Arthur.

The room is trashed, and bedsheets are all over the place.

Snacks are all over the counters and on the couch.

And that smell...

You know that smell.

Candy looks at the doctor with arched eyebrows.

"What the hay happened to her?"

"She slipped and knocked her head on a bench. Passed out."

Cadance blinks, looking at the doctor's second horn on her head.

"Ouch. Well, come on. Put her on the bed. She'll know what to do when she wakes up."

"Good point."

You walk inside, Trixie right behind you with her head low.

You set the doctor down on the bed and tuck her in.

She sheets are a little damp in some spots.

Fuck, your dong is angry at you right now.

"So, Anonymous, Trixie," Cadance says, "how did your little... Meeting, go?"

Trixie sighs, and takes a seat on the couch next to Octavia.

Immediately, the two embrace eachother in a loving hug, and they talk to eachother in hushed voices.

You can tell the tone of their conversation is somber, so you try not to pay much mind.

Even though you were curious about what Trixie said earler.

After that short train of thought, you turn back to Cadance.

"It was... All right."

"What was it about?"

"Trixie and I. Just cleared up a couple of things."

"...Like?"

You gesture to the two on the couch, cuddling.

"Oh."

"Oh, these are for you, by the way. Catch"

You toss her the box.

"Waitwha-"

*SMACK*

The box hits her square in the face.

"Ow!"

You recoil a bit.

"Ugh, sorry, Candy. I thought you'd-"

"Thanks for poking my eye out, you je-Ohmygodanimalcrackers"

Immediately, her worries are lost into the void.

She scrambles and grabs the box of crackers, wasting no time to open it up.

You blink in shock at how much glee is coursing through her as she opens the plastic bag in the box

"I thought you were joking when you told me to get these."

She stuffs her face with 3 or 6 crackers and glares up at you.

"...Fuff no, I fasn'k! I luff dese fings!"

Her munching intensifies as you shake your head and turn back to the unconscious doctor.

You give her a quick lookover.

Nasty lump next to her horn is the first thing you notice, along with a little dried up blood.

And, out of curiosity, you decide to check out the rest of her.

The first thing you notice is that, much like everyone in your 'group', she has teeth that are well taken care of.

You know this because her mouth is hinged open wide.

Tempting thoughts... Tempting thoughts indeed.

You look down.

She's a lot smaller than the others, you notice.

Of course, Octy's an earth pony, and Candy is an alicorn, but still.

She's small even in terms of unicorns.

Not skinny, not short

Just... Smaller.

That, and unlike the other three, she's less proportionate.

Her ass really isn't all that big, and her legs are a bit thinner in comparisons than how you'd think they'd be.

But...

Her coat

It's so shiny.

It looks so plush, too.

Even moreso than the others.

Her tail and mane share these properties, as well.

And they smell really nice.

Whatever soap she uses smells like flowers in the morning.

Thankfully, it isn't too strong.

But it's still noticeable, even at a bit of a distance.

You let out a hum as you walk around the bed.

You plan on taking a nap after lugging this unicorn around.

Sure, she was actually pretty light, but still.

any excuse to get in bed is a good enough excuse.

With a fwomp, you plop down on the other side of the bed.

Aperta is to your left, her head on its side facing you.

After you get all wrapped up, you rest your head on a pillow and relax.

Aaaaaah.

It had been a while since you've just been able to kick back and sleep.

Well, actually, just earlier today.

But it still felt like ages.