The faint clinking of bottles rang down the street as the milkmare completed her deliveries. Birds greeted the morning sun with a melody of song. On the eighth floor of a nearby building, an open window dared the world to look inside. The sun gradually crept across the room inch by inch. First over hardwood floors then to a thick red quilt that had been kicked away to land in a heap beside the bed. Traveling up the foot of the bed two out-stretched light yellow hooves could be seen poking out from beneath a pillow. They occasionally pawed weakly at the air as if trying to reach something. A few clumps of sweaty silvery-blue hair topped the fluffy pillow. A lone whine issued forth from Solitary Star as he woke pulling his muzzle away from his faithful partner and spitting out a few feathers. Waking up more quickly than anypony should at such an hour he rolled over, sat up, and prepared for another day.
Over a fancy breakfast of crepes and blueberries Solitary pondered if it was time to move on from Mare's Monthly. While a quite enjoyable place to work at first, that wasn't exactly exclusive territory for him and he hadn't had any more luck there than elsewhere. Like other places, he had worked it was starting to wear on him. He had met so many different ponies in his search that sometimes he wondered...
* * *
A beautiful crystal clear night fell, unmarred even by the light of the moon. High above Canterlot away from the bright city lights Solitary could see that the pegasi had done their job spectacularly well leaving not a single cloud in the sky for miles. Alone he prepared his observation log ready to chart what might be a new group of stars invisible to even the aided eye under normal circumstances. Misty Morning was supposed to be here with him. She was absent though having disappeared earlier in the day and not returned. No other pony ever joined him this late at night. Sighing he carefully gave the eyepiece of the telescope a quick polishing preparing to adjust the telescope. Horn glowing he manipulated the dials and levers until he was pointed to the correct coordinates, 09h 27m 35.2433s, −08° 39′ 30.969″. Excited, quill poised to take notes he looked to the heavens. In the morning, all that was left for Misty to find was a still open observation log filled with notes and a few smudges.
* * *
Sweet Delight was standing in a corner of the noise filled kitchen trying to stare down a full tray of pies. "How am I suppose to get all of you to the oven at the same time." Seeing a chance to help her and strike up a conversation at the same time Solitary Star started walking her way. Before he could reach her Burning Coal stepped up and tapped Delight on the shoulder, "Let me help you get that". Working together they hoisted the large tray and were able to carry all the pies to the oven in one go.
"Blazing ponyfeathers." Behind Solitary, Stern Gaze was cursing up a storm as he struggled to squeeze more filling out of an empty piping bag. Looking around Solitary spotted a bowl of vanilla filling on the counter and went to grab it. "Got it, got it.", Creme Brulee ran up to Stern Gaze waving a full bag to calm him down. Solitary stopped, setting the bowl down, as the two stallions meshed together like a well-oiled machine filling eclair after eclair.
Ears drooping Solitary Star glanced around the kitchen. Every other pony was busy preparing this or that with the company of somepony else. Nopony was left to assist him. Shuffling back to his station he resumed making pastry dough. Why didn't anypony ever want his help, he loved pies, eclairs, and every other dessert they made.
* * *
Faster and faster he ran trying to catch up to the fleeing herd of ponies. Just when Solitary Star was about to join them the group blew apart, each pony going a different direction. Spotting a lone purple mare he turned toward her determined for once to have a different ending to the routine. Just as he was about to reach her the rowdy Desert sisters High and Low barreled into him letting Grape Vine escape. The finale began with the entire group running around and around him in a great circle creating a short-lived twister stretching above his head. A cloud of dust filled the air as an excited crowd jumped to their hooves stamping the ground in appreciation of a show well done. From within the haze, Solitary Star was all alone hardly able to see the end of his own leg.
* * *
Shaking his head Solitary Star took one last delightful bite of his crepe and double checked the time. Perfect, plenty of time for a leisurely stroll to the park and back before he had to return for his 'Love' appointment. How he let his boss Sunset talk him into to this he wasn't sure. But by now he was willing to try just about anything once. Leaving his remaining crepes and blueberries for a post-walk snack he got up from the table. Without another thought, he hurried out the door determined to meet some ponies today and remove the need for his later meeting.
An hour later he trudged back up the seven flights of stairs, alone. Opening the door he froze. A completely pink pegasus mare was seated at the table her back to him while she polished off his breakfast leftovers making soft sounds of satisfaction. For a good minute, all he could do was stare until his stomach gave a lone grumble. Solitary politely cleared his throat to get her attention, "Hello, who ar-."
The mare held up one hoof without looking back, "Almost done, this is sooo good." And proceeded to clean the remaining blueberry sauce off the plate with one long lick. Jumping in the air she spun around and flew at him stopping just before they collided. "Hi my name is Lovey-Dovey and you must be Solitary Star, I saw your open window and I said to myself, 'Lovey, I just know I'm supposed to go in there', and when I did you had this amazing breakfast waiting for me, how did you know I missed breakfast, but that's not important unless you have strawberries, no, okay let's get a good look at you."
Solitary Star could only stare at Lovey, "What?"
Giving him a sweet and slightly blue smile Lovey stood at attention, serious face on. "My name is Lovey Dovey and I was told that a Solitary Star which should be you needed some ever so important love related help, so here I am, now hold still."
Lovey began to slowly circle Solitary fully opening herself to her talent, and gasped. It was incredible, like nothing she had ever seen. At first, Lovey couldn't make out anything but a bright glow seeming to ripple like water just inches away from his body. Practically sticking her face into his side to get a better look Solitary made some noise. "Ahem, what, whoa, hey!", distractedly shaking a hoof at him, 'Working!", Lovey continued trying to figure out what she was seeing. Ever so slowly the diffuse glow started to resolve into lines, love lines, hundreds of them, maybe thousands. The fine lines waved back and forth like a field of grain in a strong breeze. Every now and then a single line would take off like a sparrow and dart towards Solitary homing in on his line. Each time this happened a distinct much larger and strong line would swoop down like an eagle jealously defending its nest. So engrossed in what she was seeing Lovey didn't even realize how close she had gotten until her nose as pressed into his coat causing her to lose her balance.
Rubbing his side Solitary Star looked at her, "Have you ever heard of personal space?"
Spinning her head right side up she looked up at him, "Personal Space, Personal Space, nope, maybe you could introduce us sometime." Springing back to her feet Lovey grinned, "You certainly aren't like anypony I've seen before, buuut not to worry somewhere out there is someone for you."
"Uh, aren't you going to ask me what I like or am looking for?"
"Nopey, I've got everything I need from various sources to find a likely candidate, I'm going to go check the other end, toodles for now." With a great flap, Lovey propelled herself over the table and out the open window rapidly becoming a small pink dot in the distance.
Bewildered Solitary Star shrugged his shoulders and got cleaned up for work feeling cautiously optimistic. Maybe, just maybe this wacky bundle of pink joy would come through for him. Solitary rushed to freshen himself up before heading into Mare's Monthly, It wouldn't do to greet potential special someponies all day looking like something the timberwolf dragged in. A few minute later Solitary strolled from his apartment with a bounce in his step, coat shining, and mane impeccably styled. If today was the day he would be prepared.
Hours passed and Solitary took special pains to greet each pony who arrived on his floor with a smile on his face. The elevator doors softly swept open and a light brown stallion strode forward confidently as if he owned the place. Just looking at the pegasus caused Solitary's heart to yearn. "Welcome to Mares Monthly's main office my fine stallion, how can I help you today?"
The self-assured pegasus walked right up to him and placed both hooves on the desk gesturing invitingly to himself. "I'm looking for a very important pony to help me in my hour of need. Can you be that pony?"
Heart racing Solitary blushed faintly barely managing an excited, "I might just be that pony." Don't mess this up Solitary, he might be the one.
"Information, C. W. Step, and then you'll be mine", was all that Solitary could hear over the pounding in his ears. Unable to suppress a squeal of joy he quickly scribbled down an address and prepared to be swept off his hooves. Nothing happened. The rush of warmth he had felt cooled as the stallion headed back to the bank of elevators. Holding out a hoof straining to keep the last vestige of a smile on his face he tried one last time, "Wasn't there something else I could help you with?"
Not pausing for a moment the other stallion kept walking, taking with him the last piece of Solitary's heart.
"Oh."
It felt like his core had been replaced with a frozen star and as the elevator doors closed it shattered breaking apart. Weeping Solitary broke down, tears falling like shooting stars. It was too much, that mare had lied to him. Everypony had a special somepony, except him. His vision spun as cold blackness darkened his sight. It was in his name, Solitary. Solitary.
Ever so slowly color crept back, his eyes fluttering open as he thought back trying to remember what happened. All he could remember was a terrible pain which was growing harder to think about as he continued bouncing up and down. Pink, his whole world was shades of pink and the faint smell of strawberries. Pink. "You, I hate you, you made me believe somepony was out there."
With a last tremendous bounce, he was flying through the air. Bracing himself he prepared for a rather painful meeting with the ground. Instead, two soft pink hooves caught him.
"Silly, don't say mean things like that. I never said somepony, but don't worry I got you in time, Lovey Dovey always finds a match." Like a pink rocket, she was off leaving him feeling violated from a near bone-crushing hug, "Toodles!", and a ringing left ear.
Glancing around he saw he was in his favorite cocoa bar, Hot to Trot. If nothing else a chocolaty drink would make him feel a better. Spotting an empty seat at the end of the bar he signaled the server for a Double Pommelpeii and an extra large piece of chocolate mousse. Mumbling under his breath about lousy no good brown stallions he was surprised when the gryphon next to him started nodding. "Yeah, well how about this." Scooting closer Geralynn told her story. She had run a small restaurant in Canterlot and been doing alright for herself until one of her best customers caused her building to burn down. Wiped out she had come to Manehattan to stay with a cousin until she could get back on her feet.
When Solitary mentioned that he had been a pastry chef previously he and Geralynn got to talking about business ideas. Cheif among them was whether or not a gryphon focused eatery that catered to their specific tastes and had a dessert menu might take off. When the barkeep asked them if they were going to get anything else for the third time Geralynn asked Solitary if he would like to join her for dinner somewhere else to get to know one another he leaped on it.
Across town a certain pink mare pumped her hoof in satisfaction, another job well done.
Author's Note
Alphard (the solitary one) has no other bright star near it.
Inspired by the works of Crystal Wishes.
