Rum Raisin Brandy

Chapter 10

Midi held two chi gong balls over himself in his magic, making them slowly orbit each other like a tiny binary planet. He has his aura glow turned on in case anypony should walk in on him and see the metal spheres hovering without his teal-green light surrounding them.

Crescendo had been released the day before, just as he predicted, leaving the unicorn all alone in the hospital with only the occasional nurse checking on him to break the grating silence.

A knock on the door alerted him to a new visitor. The mayor of Ponyville was standing in the doorway.

"Good morning, Midi," the mayor said, "Do you think you're feeling up to a short chat?"

Midi rubbed the back of his head and smiled nervously. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What? No, silly!" The mayor laughed and came closer. "I just wanted to thank you on behalf of Ponyville for standing up to those monsters. We're going to be having a little reward ceremony for you and your friend, Crescendo, once you're well again."

Midi's smile faded. "But, we didn't even beat them. Twilight and Rainbow Dash finished them off."

The mare nodded. "That is true, but you held them off long enough for everypony to find cover. You saved dozens of lives last night."

Th unicorn tried to keep from blushing and failed. "Thanks, but honestly, I won't be able to attend anyway."

"Why not?" The mayor tilted her head, looking puzzled.

Midi took a deep breath and sighed. "Cres and I are kind of living in a tent right now. Don't have a single bit to our names. I need to find a job; I was hoping to open a stand in the market, but I'm not even sure how that works."

"Oh, is that all?" The mayor laughed. "Not a problem! I'll set you up with a stand, and I know a house that's up for rent. As thanks for saving the town, I'd like to pay your first month's rent."

"That's... a bit much, isn't it?" I don't remember them giving heroes houses in the show. In fact, the mayor always seemed kind of--

"Well, you could always just think of it as a loan and give me ten percent of your earnings until it's payed off."

--greedy... saw that coming. "That sounds fair. No, wait, what's the interest?"

"No interest," the mayor said, shaking her head, "although..." She moved even closer, half closing her eyes seductively, "...maybe you could buy me dinner sometime?"

Midi's eyes bugged out. He grabbed the nurse call button and began tapping it repeatedly, slowly increasing his tapping speed until he heard rushed hoofsteps coming up the hall.

"I'm coming! What do you need?" Nurse Redheart trotted in to see why the nurse call light had come on.

"Is there any chance of me getting released early?" Midi asked, doing well not to sound desperate.

Redheart shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Waffle, but Dr. Vital Sign says you won't be able to leave until at least tomorrow."

Midi groaned, releasing the chi gongs so they fell and rang on the ground.

Nurse Redheart scowled. "You were told no magic until you're recovered. I'll take these." She picked up the chi gongs and put them in her side bag.

The mayor chuckled softly and turned to leave. "Well, you just consider my proposal, alright." She stopped and winked over he shoulder at Midi.

The unicorn gritted his teeth, breaking into a cold sweat. He shifted uncomfortably, wishing he could pass through the wall and escape the mayor. The mayor is a cougar! Now, that I didn't see coming!

Redheart noticed Midi's sweat and put her hoof on his forehead. "Are you feeling alright, dear? You're soaked with sweat."

Crescendo hoisted Applejack's tack onto the wagon and huffed as he began to sort through it.

"Y'all ready fer the big day, tomorrow?" Applejack asked, tossing a saddle onto the wagon.

Crescendo sighed and jumped down, spreading his wings to slow his landing. "No, not really."

"What's got ya down, sugarcube?"

"Well," the pegasus looked towards town, "Midi gets out of the hospital tomorrow, and we're gonna be gone. Frankly, things haven't turned out the way he and I planned."

The farm mare put a hoof on his shoulder. "Don't you worry yerself to death over it, Cres. Nopony could have predicted Ponyville was gonna be attacked. And we're all plum proud of ya fer bein' so brave."

"Eeyup."

Crescendo bristled and blushed as Big Macintosh voiced his agreement and gave the pegasus a friendly mane scruffle. "Heheh. Thanks. Honestly, I'd feel more proud of myself if we won. But, we didn't, so I'd rather not milk it."

Applejack chuckled. "Ah can sure respect that." She looked over the contents of her cart. "Is that everything we need?"

"Eeyup."

"Wait, no!" Cres flared his wings. "I have to get my guitar! I'll be right back!" He did a running takeoff and flew back to the woods.

Crescendo was getting better at flying. His takeoff wasn't as clumsy as the first time, and he was adjusting to his new wings better.

As he scoured the woods below him, he found the tent and took a dive, unfurling his wings at the last second and landing roughly beside the fire pit. He pulled himself up and shook the dust off his body. "Maybe I should stop trying to be Rainbow Dash and fly carefully."

He unzipped the front door with his teeth and went into his room. The strap on his guitar had been modified for him to wear it and gallop, but he wasn't sure he could fly with it on, so instead he gave his legs a workout and ran back to the farm.

Applejack raised an eyebrow as she saw the pegasus galloping back towards them with a guitar on his back. "Ah never woulda pegged ya fer a guitar pony. Not many ponies play the strings, what with not havin' fingers an' such."

Crescendo shrugged. "I play other things, too. This is just easier for me to carry around." He unstrapped it and loaded it onto the wagon. "So, is it just us three, or are Applebloom and Granny Smith coming?"

"All of us," the farm mare replied, "We'll be leaving right as soon as Granny's ready."