Lore Seeker was an average unicorn. Not a scholar or a noble, and not a farmer. He was, on the whole quite ordinary. He loved musicals, had a friend or two in Manehattan and Baltimare, and lived quietly in Ponyville. Whilst everything interesting seemed to happen to everyone else, he was quite content to remain buried in his books and take a sip of tea in the café which was inside his little shop. It wasn’t nearly as popular as the once famous Golden Oak library, but it was quaint and simple, and it was named the Hundred Acre Book.
His morning routine consisted of several things, brushing his teeth, about twenty seven, if not twenty five times, but certainly no more than thirty seconds. He would comb his mane into a simple style, wipe the toothpaste from his lips, and always spray four times a lavender based cologne called Millionaire. It didn’t make him feel like a million bucks to be sure, but he liked the smell, and that was good enough for him.
His best acquaintance, was one Star Breeze, another male pony, but a Pegasi by birth. He also wasn’t elegant or proud, but simple minded like himself. Star Breeze knew where every book in the library was located…not that there were many books, at least compared to the Golden Oak, but that wasn’t to say that it wasn’t an impressive feat. Star Breeze had a photographic memory but he had a bad habit of always butting into conversations which weren’t of his concern. Usually this meant interrupting a precious conversation Lore Seeker was having with one of their few customers to announce that they didn’t have the book that particular customer was looking for. How has the Hundred Acre Book survived this long as a bookstore? Unfortunately it involved every year going to the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange and trading slightly over half of their books for bare necessities. Although, on one occasion, Lore Seeker did get a quaint little pendant which he rather liked, but he sold it for five hundred bits when he got back because he needed to pay the bills.
On his way to work, after his morning routing, he arrived at his shop and the bell overhead rang. Star Breeze flapped over and said “Hello Lore, going to the cricket match this afternoon?”
“Oh what’s the point?” Lore said “not really into cricket, and we’re not really going to go. You’re just going to pull it up on the telly anyway.”
“Well,” Star Breeze said quickly switching off the TV and hiding the remote behind his wings “I didn’t think you would mind…”
“Go on,” Lore Seeker sighed “It’s alright. You can watch it.”
Smiling Star Breeze turned on the remote that was still hidden behind his back. After a few minutes, Lore Seeker was bored, and stretched. Yawning he said “You going to actually dust off the books today?”
“Did that three times before you came in,” Star Breeze said not taking his eyes from the TV “anyway, are we going to arrange them?”
“Well,” he said ungluing his eyes from the screen “it would make a nice change to the place.”
“They’re the same books Star,” Lore said sighing “besides it’s not like any pony’ll ever come into the place and actually buy a book anyhow.”
“Cheer up,” Star said flapping over and landing near Lore’s desk looking concerned “someone’s bound to turn up.”
“I hope so,” Lore said “would you like a cup of coffee? I need to stretch my legs.”
“Half one or a full?” Star asked eagerly.
“Oh what the hay,” Lore said “how about a full one with cream?”
“We’ve never splurged that much before,” Star said gleefully “are we really going to?”
“Oh why not,” Lore said “we need a break from this daily grind anyway.”
On his way out he went to the coffee shop and, while he was looking around at the activities going on in Ponyville that day, he bumped into someone. The bump broke his concentration and he dropped the coffee splashing it onto his shirt. The other pony, a white unicorn he now noticed, looked concerned “Oh dear,” she said, in the most poise manner “I’m so sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said dusting himself off and longingly looking at the darkened stains on his shirt which represented ten bits “I’m sorry I ran into you.”
“What on earth do you mean?” She gasped “it was entirely my fault, I wasn’t looking because I was in such a hurry to get this shipment of fabric from the train to my shop down the street.”
“Oh,” he said “well, how about I help you carry them?”
“Well,” she said batting her long black eye lashes “if you wouldn’t mind kind sir.”
“Certainly,” he said lifting three of them. Rarity looked at him quizzically and he looked back at her saying “umm, I did say help?”
“Oh right,” she said and picked up the other three holding her head high. Lore sighed as he saw her close her eyes in haughtiness, he botched it again, and here he was walking around town in a stained shirt, now no pony would think of stopping by the shop once they saw him like this. Not that they saw him like anything else, so first impression? He kept his head up and as the silence presumed, kept pace with the unicorn.
Rarity took a sideways glance at the shabby unicorn next to her. He was her height with a slight stoop in his shoulders and a rather slow gate. He wasn’t as clumsy as a mule, but in her opinion, he rather looked like one. However, she mused I suppose I better talk with him since was kind to help me with my things. So she fired a ranging shot “May I ask what your name is?”
“Lore,” he said attempting to shake her hoof while still walking, she daintily refused and after he looked slightly dejected she said to sooth him “it’s so that there’s not another mess up.”
“Oh,” he said “and yours?”
“Rarity,” she said expecting a reaction. In this she was sadly disappointed. Lore didn’t get out much and rarely left the shop which he lived above. She pouted slightly, but not enough for him to notice.
“What do you do around here?”
“I’m a fashion designer,” she said smiling “it’s what I do best.”
“I suppose you’ve done a lot then?”
“Well,” she said starting to warm up to him slightly “one could say. And you?”
“I own a bookshop,” he said “none too proudly. It’s not much of a business, but it’s quaint and I like it. I guess one could say that it’s my little pocket of the universe.”
“Ah,” she said but what she really thought was Oh, he’s one of those types.
“I see,” she said out loud “you remind me of my friend Twilight Sparkle.”
“Who?”
Rarity paused “You mean you’ve never heard of Princess Twilight Sparkle?”
“Can’t say I have,” Lore said shrugging.
“Don’t get out much do you?”
“Not really,” he said smiling “someone’s got to hold down the fort.”
What on earth was he saying? Rarity thought but added “I see. I guess with my career I tend to get out often. Have you been anywhere except Ponyville?”
“Well,” Lore said “I’ve been to Manehattan a few times.”
“Really?” Rarity said stopping and looking at him “I simply LOVE Manehattan.”
Lore ventured a question “Have you seen Hinny of the Hills?”
“Have I?” Rarity exclaimed excitedly, and then after looking at each other Lore began to sing “Do you remember dear that first enchanted night…”
Then together they sang in perfect harmony “but I guess there isn’t much to believe in. Seeing isn’t really truth! I never felt the way, I felt before you!”
Giggling together they smiled and then first Rarity and then Lore began laughing. Rarity hadn’t laughed so hard in ages, tears were streaming down her face. Gasping for air she waved a hoof “Oh,” she said “that was fun, you have a remarkable voice.”
“Thank you,” Lore said chuckling “as do you. Though most of my performances are in the shower instead of an audience.”
“I myself haven’t had time to develop that particular talent,” she said pruning herself. Timidly Lore walked up and said “Um, may I?”
“What?” Rarity said.
“You have mascara streaks down your face,” he said “may I wipe them off for you?”
“Well,” she said “seeing as though you’re already doing it.”
“Apologies,” he said “I just didn’t want it to ruin your pretty face.”
“Thank you darling,” she said He’s turning out to be quite the charmer, she thought.
“Anyway, what were we going?” Lore said picking
"We're here," she said opening the door to the Carousel Boutique.
"Ah," he said awkwardly "sorry, I didn't realize."
"Thanks for your help dear," Rarity said batting her eye lashes. The sight of them made Lore's stomach turn uneasy but in a slightly good way. Was this what the butterflies were?
After standing there for another moments, Rarity turned and looked at him. She had been putting away the various articles which she had brought with her that were in the bags and sorting them out in the various shelves in the boutique. Lore coughed as she turned "Yes?"
"Would it be alright if I got your number?"
"You're right next door dear," she said smiling completely aware of her affect on stallions.
"I see," Lore said "then...can I see you again?"
"As I said darling," she retorted "you are next door."
"Well," he said beginning to sweat "I mean..."
Not wanting to make the situation more awkward than it already was, she walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek and said "Yes."
Blushing profusely, Lore smiled wider. He couldn't help himself, on his way out, he went to the door and pulled. He pulled again, but the door wouldn't budge. Looking at Rarity embarrassed he asked "You wouldn't mind?"
With a quick spell the door swing open "It's a push door dear," Rarity said a little condescendingly, but Lore didn't notice. He also didn't notice that he forgot his coffee on her sewing table as he hurriedly left the shop.