A Strange Love

Chapter 4: Meeting An Old Friend

The next morning i woke up a few minutes before Eris did and went downstairs. I walked into the much larger kitchen with a yawn and got some supplies out of a cabinet and started on breakfast. I made eggs, waffles and mixed vegetable and fruit soup. I got two plates and two bowls of the food and set them down on the dining room table in the room next to the kitchen just as Eris flew down.

"Mmm, something smells good." She said as she took a seat where her food was.

"I made it special this morning. Eggs, waffles and soup." I said as she took a bite of the waffles.

"Mmm, these are great!" She said as we ate.

"Thanks. Im glad you like it." I told her and continued eating. We sat and ate all of our food after about ten minutes or so and i went to wash dishes off. After i rinsed them i set them in the sink to soak and trotted into the living room as Eris curled up on the couch. "So, what do you want to do while we go through the day? Its five past ten now so we have plenty of time." I said and looked at her.

"Well, we could take a walk around town for a little while. I would be in disguise though." She said and shrugged.

"But why? They dont know who you are." I said.

"I know, but i could use the exercise." She said.

"Hmm, thats fine. Come on, lets go." I said and got up as she did and changed into a pony. "You know, i'll never understand how you do that." I said as we trotted.

"Do what?" She asked me.

"Well, magic." I said.

"What kind of magic?" She asked again.

"Well, just..... Magic in general." I said.

"Well, unicorns have their horns that give them their magic." She said.

"Yeah, i know that much. But how do YOU do magic?" I asked her.

"Oh, well..... Hmm, you know, i've never really thought about it. I guess im just born that way. I am the goddess of chaos after all." She said.

"Goddess of beauty if you ask me." I said and she blushed and laughed.

"Stop it! Your embaressing me!" She joked.

"Its true. If anyone here were to ask me who you were thats what i would tell them." I said.

"Well thank you. It means a lot to me." She said.

"Its my pleasure. It means a lot to me that you even like me at all." I said.

"Why's that?" She asked.

"Well, as a kid i was never really liked, at all, by anyone but my family. I had no friends or anything. Ponies just tried to ignore or avoid me. But then the day after i get caught, by lord Solaris himself no less, robbing a jewelry store EVERYONE wants to get to know me. Its like bad karma gives you popularity or something." I said.

"Well, Im goddess of chaos and im well known everywhere but here and Nightterror was the harbinger of eternal darkness and he was known everywhere. I suppose being bad isn't all bad in itself." She said and shrugged.

"I suppose not." I said and smiled as we walked down the road.

"So, any idea where were going?" She asked me.

"Not at all." I said and kept a straight face. I looked at her and she looked back at me with an eyebrow raised. "What? We were just walking around to kill time, remember?" I asked her.

"Oh, right. I forgot." She said and laughed. "So, are there any places around here we could go to?" She asked.

"Well, i haven't been here since i was at least eight years old or less. Much has changed in the time i've been gone, thats why i brought supplies to the house i've got and renovated it a bit. But, if my memory serves me well and time hasn't changed it, there should be a place right up the road from where we are now." I said and looked around for the place in description as we walked.

"What does it look like?" Eris asked me.

"It was a two story building with red paint for the front and back, blue paint for the sides and the roof was covered with black shingles. Last time i saw it there was a big sign above the door that read something like 'Arthur's Bakery' on it. I hope its still here, that place was awesome....." I said as we walked.

"Thunder, is that it?" Eris asked and i looked to our right. The place was the exact same as i remembered it. Not a thing had changed.

"Wow..... It hasn't changed a bit." I said as we approached it. I pushed open the door and a bell rang as i did. We walked inside and we didn't see anyone so we sat down.

"Just a minute!" Someone called from the back room. We sat and waited for the stallion in question to come up to the front. "How may i help you two today?" He asked us.

"Arthur? Is that you?" I asked and stepped to the counter.

"Do i know you son?" The elderly stallion asked.

"Arthur, its me. Thunder Bolt?" I said and his eyes widened.

"Thunder?! Sweet Solaris its been too long kiddo! Haha!" He said and shook hooves with me. "How've you been since you left?" He asked me.

"I've been alright. Ever since that day i've missed this place more than anything. But i couldn't come back, for more reasons than one. I was a criminal and i had a job out there....." I said and sighed.

"Hey, cheer up son. Thats all in the past now. What've i always told you?" He asked me.

"What's in the past should stay in the past. Because if we always look to the past we are certain to miss the future." I said and he nodded.

"Your memory serves ya well kid. Its good to see you again. So who is this?" He asked me and looked at Eris.

"Oh, this is my marefriend, Eris. Eris, this is one of my oldest friends, Arthur Smith." I said and he nodded.

"A pleasure meet'n ya Eris." He said and held out a hoof.

"A pleasure meeting you two Arthur." She said and shook it.

"So Thunder, what brings ya by here?" He asked me.

"I was coming to see if this place was still here. So much else has changed since i've been gone i was hoping to see a familiar face." I said and he sighed.

"Well, i was actually thinkin' of sellin' the place." He said.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Business ain't the way it used to be son. Ponies today ain't into the bland lookin' places that used to be here and i don't have the money to make it better for 'em. A stallion offered me sixty thousand for it just last week. I can't turn that down." He said.

"What if i helped you out?" I asked him.

"Whaddya mean?" He asked.

"What if i gave you the money to make this place look more modern for the ponies out here?" I asked him clearly.

"Well, i'd love it! I mean, this is my home. I was born here and i've grown up here. I can't let this place go. Its family to me." He said.

"Then thats what i'll do. I'll come back later tonight and drop off some money so we can start renovations tomorrow. I'll come by and help too." I said and he smiled.

"Thanks kid. I knew i could count on somepony for help eventually." He said.

"Its no problem Arthur. This place is like family to me too. I'll see you around man." I said and turned around.

"Wait, i've got somethin' for you." He said and i turned back around as he walked into the back. "Here, have this." He said and walked back into the room with a bag of muffins.

"Thanks Arthur. Your a real friend." I said.

"You are too son, the best kind around." He said and waved us off.