Earl Grey Makes Everything Better
“Hello Dusk,” Caffeinated looked up towards the doors of his coffee shop to see just who had entered, and was pleased to see the young Prince crossing his threshold. The orange zebra was having quite a good Friday thus far following the big party at his ranch the day before, and he had been hoping he’d see the midnight blue pegasus at some point. “I'm happy to say that my family is not at all upset with the increase of leaf purchases. The profits do speak for themselves.”
“Hey Stripes!” Dusk called as he entered. When his mother had gone home to Canterlot, and following Wildfire’s, Airmail’s and Tempest’s departure for their house over on Stallion Island, he had spent some time talking with Thespian about the theatre. When that conversation had ran its course, he’d decided to go see a bit more of Manehatten, a little tour that culminated in his desire for an earl grey. And here he was, once more finding himself in Stripe’s Cup of Java. “Awesome party last night my friend.” He looked over to what had become his usual spot, which was thankfully empty. “Can I get my usual over here, please?”
“Check, one grey earl with white sauce, coming up.” The orange stallion rumbled in his deep voice, his emerald green eyes twinkling. “The group is still all giddy that your mom showed up.” By ‘giddy’, he meant of course the many, many texts from various herd members along the lines of, ‘sweet Luna, best party ever!’ and, ‘you had Luna, how will you top that?’
“Oooh…” Dusk grinned as he slid onto the bench seat at his table, “I get a side order of conversation and sarcasm?” He giggled slightly effeminately when he’d gotten comfy. “Well, she never misses a good party.”
“Sarcasm is free of charge.” Caffeinated indicated a little sign with his forehoof that actually said just that, and began prepping the Prince’s cup of tea. “Yeah,” he said over his shoulder, “Be nice to be a fly on the wall and see what she tells your mum about the party.”
“Indeed it would.” Dusk replied, “Mom insisted on bringing me back though, she said I needed the good time, plus she had that business with Wily to take care of.”
“Rough business that.” Caffeinated commented over the rattle of his machines, “Seems the mares have sorted it out.”
‘Rough business…’ Dusk thought to himself, memories of Amethyst Glory rushing unbidden to his mind at that point. “Yeah, I'm glad it worked out the way it did too. I know she's in safe hooves with the herd she's joined.”
“Well,” Caffeinated smiled as he brought over Dusk’s steaming hot cup of earl grey tea while waving away the Prince’s attempt to pay, “I've put my hoof in the wind and I think she will be part of the larger herd come our next vote. “Lavender likes her.” He finished, in the manner of ‘that’s that.’
“I thought she went over well with most of them yesterday.” Dusk commented as he breathed in the aroma of his drink.
“Yes, she did.” Caffeinated trotted around a few of the nearby tables, giving each a wipe down. “Still need a formal vote, though. Will Vocal Chord be joining us tonight for the Open Mic?” He asked as he worked.
“I hope so,” Dusk smiled, thoughts of his lovely sexy light grey unicorn stallion easily pushing out those of Amethyst. “I'll ring him in a sec, see how the gig went last night.”
“Good to get a career back up and running.”
“Yeah!” Dusk sipped his tea with a smile on his face. Earl grey did make everything better. “I'm stoked for him, I really am.”
“It will be good to hear you play your fiddle too.” The zebra smiled, more interested in seeing Dusk perform than Vocal, if he was honest.
“I hope mom brings my good one later.”
Seeing his shop was practically empty, as was normally the case at two in the afternoon, Caffeinated laughed and bought over a coffee to sit with the young stallion. “It will be your best one! She wants to look good with you looking good.”
“Oh, no pressure then?” Dusk sniggered, “be hard to follow Wily's poem in any case.”
“That will me my challenge since I will be reading a poem too.”
“I hope you're up for it, Stripes.” Dusk teased as he went for his tea again.
Caffeinated snickered, “After we each read a poem we can do a challenge round. If Wildfire is up to that.”
“I'm sure she is my friend,” Dusk replied, “Especially with her new family cheering her on.”
“I hope so.” The larger stallion rumbled with a grin, “I’m happy to take a back seat.”
Dusk glanced out of the coffee shop window at the ponies going about their business, mares shopping with their fillies, families sat on benches enjoying their everyday lives. Wholly unaware of him at all. It was so…refreshing. “I’m still find it hard getting my head around yesterday, it was certainly…eventful.”
A mischievous thought crossed the zebra’s mind then, and he couldn’t resist following it up. “Have you seen your mom and your mum preform?”
At first Dusk thought he meant musically, and was about to point out his mom couldn’t play anything, when he caught the glint in the green eyes. “Oh…oh yeah, couple of nights in the week, regular.” He giggled behind his hoof.
“She seen you perform?” Caffeinated asked next, his orange face alive with the teasing. “I will say her comments on the balcony last night were quite favourable.”
“Ah…yeah,” Dusk started, then felt a huge blush blossoming under his fur as he recalled the few times his parents had walked in on him and Vocal...‘having fun’. “They've seen a few performances, yes.” Dusk fidgeted like he was tied up in a tortoise shell, “So um…mom said good things then?”
“Very good things.” Caffeinated replied, thoroughly enjoying the Princes discomfort. “About yours and the group’s performance.” Now the zebra really was enjoying this. “I think comments like good technique, great stamina and ‘he learned kissing from Tavi’ were among our favourites.”
In response Dusk merely blushed and mumbled something about a refill, which the barista was only too happy to provide. “Thanks, mom.” Dusk finally said out loud, to many chuckles from his friend. “I gather she had her own fun while I was out like a light?”
“She did, it was seven on one in the Mare's Room.” Caffeinated snickered as he bought over a second cup of earl grey to the Prince. “Mapper said she was fun, so that says something.” Suddenly all serious, the zebra sat himself back down in front of the pegasus. “Then there was my performance. Your mom pushed my buttons.”
“Seven on one and mom didn’t pass out?” Dusk whistled his appreciation. “Gotta love alicorn staying power.” Blowing across his tea, Dusk thought about the scene he had witnessed with Caffeinated and his mom, how it had lingered in not only his mind but the others as well. “Your performance, it was...intense,”
“She was even Belled.” Caffeinated smiled as he sat back in the bright red bench seat. “She did make a fantasy come true. I can assure you I didn't let Thespian get any sleep later.”
“I bet.” Dusk giggled, recalling how Thespian was yawning when they were talking earlier at the ranch. “I have to say, it was one of the hottest things I have ever witnessed in my twenty four years.” Then a thought came to him, one that had been lingering in his mind since the Dungeon. “When you were working her over did you expect her to safe word out?”
“Not really,” Caffeinated shrugged as he finished off his coffee. “I do think I came close. I'm sure if I started talking about Nightmare Moon she would have.” His tone turned sombre, “I almost got it talking about her sister.”
“Yeah,” Dusk nodded quietly, “The Nightmare would have got her for sure.”
“She is thinks Nightmare Moon would have killed us all.” Caffeinated replied, “Some of us don't think that. We'll never know.”
“Only one pony knows for sure my friend.” Dusk commented with a glimmer of a smile. “I asked mom about it once, not too long ago. All she said was, coming back was far worse than being in the moon.”
Caffeinated patted the Prince’s foreleg. “She has no shortage of fans. I think she can gain the common pony support and move change right under her sister's nose.”
“Mom's going to push it, I know that much.” Dusk said firmly as he swallowed his earl grey tea. “Do you mind if I give my baby a ring?”
Caffeinated raised a hoof to his chest in mock shock. “Really! I never knew you were pregnant!”
Dusk reached for his cell phone and stuck his tongue out at the snickering zebra. “Ha, ha.” As he scrolled through his contacts list for Vocal Chord’s number and selected dial, he held up his empty cup in a wingtip to the zebra, asking silently for another refill.
“No problem, Dusk.” Caffeinated took the teacup in his teeth by the handle and trotted over the black and white chequerboard tiled floor to the tea and coffee machines over at the counter, taking his time in order to give the Prince privacy more than anything else.
However much he took his time and jangled the teacups, he still caught most of the conversation over by the window.
“Hey, hey babe!” The joy and happiness in Dusk’s voice was almost palpable to the zebra, even across the coffee shop. “I’m sorry I woke you up, sweetie, how was the show?” Caffeinated sincerely wished his machine was louder, about a million decibels louder. “It was a sold out performance?”
Thankfully, the tea machine was slightly louder when it boiled, the zebra just heard Dusk ask, “You have a tour deal? Fifty dates? Oh babe that’s awesome!” Figuring the phone call was going well, and that it was almost over, the large orange stallion placed Dusk’s cup on a tray and started to walk over when he heard…
“Yeah, I'm still in Manehatten. I'll see you when I ge...what!?” The very tone of Dusk’s voice made Caffeinated want to pause and turn around, but he was in the no-pony’s land between thee table and the counter with nowhere to go. So reluctantly he carried on. “You won’t be there, why?” Dusk demanded.
“You’re leaving tonight.” Caffeinated’s ears drooped with the Prince’s as he saw the pegasus visually deflate in front of his eyes. “Right I see. No, Vocal, no I understand.” There were tears brimming in Dusk’s pink eyes. “Y-Yeah...” he sniffled, “I…I love you too, yeah…”
In a bit of a daze, Dusk put his phone away as the zebra carefully laid his tea in front of him. “He…he isn’t coming tonight.”
“He’s going on tour right away?” Caffeinated asked gently.
“He signed a multi-million bit contract last night for him and the band.” Dusk uttered, staring deeply at the full teacup. “They’re leaving for Las Pegasus tonight and then on to Vanhoover.” Now Dusk’s voice almost broke as the tears in his eyes leaked down his cheeks. “He hopes I understand.”
“The world won't end if you want to skip a coffee shop mic night and go on tour.”
“Y-Yeah...no…” Dusk sniffled, letting the tears leave tracks on his fur, “He hopes I understand he's far too busy with this tour, record deal, autobiographies or whatever else to have a coltfriend.”
“Ah, so that's the rub then.” Caffeinated smiled sadly as he got it. “You've been traded for a star of glory. Sorry, I have nothing stronger here than my coffee.”
“Yeah...” Dusk wiped his hoof across his cheeks. “I'm happy for him, really.” He hitched up a wide fake smile. “See? I'm all happy.”
“Oh yeah,” Caffeinated patted his shoulder sympathetically, “You’re just oozing with happiness.” He smiled and gave him a friendly nuzzle. “Stop that before you're mistaken for an axe murderer.”
In spite of his mood, Dusk laughed out loud. “It’s what he's always wanted, to be successful.” He took a sip of his tea, lest it go cold. “And who am I to hold him back?”
“Crown Prince?” Caffeinated offered with a snigger. “Then you wouldn't play that card. Yesterday you were never the top. How was it with Vocal?”
Dusk took another sip and shrugged a little. “No, no I wouldn’t my friend, you know me. When Vocal Chord wasn’t indulging his kink he was way more dominant than me, I preferred being Sub to him.”
Caffeinated snickered as he sat back down on the bench seat opposite Dusk. “I'm a firm believer that it is an output device only. My wife doesn't believe in that. Anyways, Sonic and Trials will be here tonight. They work sound and lights for my show.”
“Will they?” Dusk’s ears perked up a little at the sound of their names. “It’d be nice to see them again. I don’t suppose it’s a surprise, Prince likes playing bottom.”
“You can play with your bottom and it would be an issue for me.” That coltish twinkle was back in the zebra’s eyes. “Just curious is all. It was a good performance right up till Omega horned you. The look on your face before you passed out was priceless.”
“Hmm…” Dusk grinned, “It felt priceless.”
“So, are you back to the pond to see who you can catch next?” Caffeinated asked with a smile, “I can send you to a seedy bar in Soho.”
“Nah it’s alright I guess.” Dusk shrugged, that pit of melancholy opening up in his gut again, “I am happy for him, and I hope he gets what he wants. It’s just, last week we were talking marriage and now...I dunno…”
“Just last week when I mentioned marriage you both freaked when I asked who would wear the dress.” The orange zebra teased, “Though I guess it doesn't seem so funny now.”
“No...” Dusk again stared at his teacup. “I would've worn a dress for him mate, I really would.”
Caffeinated nodded quietly. Dusk did have Sub written all over him, and the zebra wasn’t surprised to hear that Vocal had been more dominant most of the time. “You'd look cute in a Rarity Original. Life still moves on. Better a clean break and friends than a messy divorce.” He smiled then, deciding to change the subject. “I was going to read a poem to the mystery of the night. Since your mom will be here. Do you think she will drag Octavia too?”
“Yeah,” Dusk nodded, “I'm sure she will.”
“This is a regularly scheduled event where ordinary ponies that are brave enough to stand in front of other ponies perform.” Caffeinated explained, “Many of them will be giving the performance of a lifetime. For them that is really cool.”
“I can’t wait to watch. You never know, mom might even dress mum up for the event.”
“The bow tie is iconic,” Caffeinated agreed.
“She'll wear that, though mom might get her to wear something under her dress.” Dusk raised his eyebrows suggestively.
“I think that is for Luna and Octavia to decide.” Caffeinated replied diplomatically. “Maybe to show her off at some point.”
“Mom'll show her off alright.”
“I'll give Mapper a call to let her know some mares think they can dress better than her.” Caffeinated snickered as he made a mental note to get onto the pink unicorn to put on a show later.
“Then again, mom'll be wearing her own dress to cover her souvenirs.” Dusk joined the zebra in a giggle.
“I though alicorns had healing magic?”
“They do,” Dusk agreed with a nod as he finished off his third cup of tea. “She also likes to show off her war wounds. Actually you may have noticed mom likes to watch. If there's another Dom around she'll hand mum over and get very turned on watching the show.”
Caffeinated nodded, mulling that over in his head. “Luna did seem to enjoy the warm up of us together in the Dungeon.”
“Yeah, mom has a sub streak a mile wide.” Dusk explained with a grin, “When mom isn’t playing Mistress to mum she's a Sub to Aunt Tia.”
“If I can do anything it would be to encourage Luna to give Celestia a good spanking.”
“She does, on very rare occasions.” Dusk grinned as he saw Caffeinated’s reaction to that. “Actually, thinking about it, it's for the best Vocal broke up with me. It means I don't have to tell him about my new job.”
“Is that tea tester of Equestria?” Caffeinated asked curiously.
“Yup,” Dusk nodded sombrely, “And I'm good at it too. It’s just something mom wants me to do.”
“And I thought it was to help prevent kidney stones across Equestria. Drinking all that tea.”
“I don't drink that much tea!” Dusk smiled as he held out his empty cup. “Besides the tea I’ll be tasting has a coppery taste to it.”
“Right, and my stock options are not going up either.” Caffeinated chuckled as he took the cup to carry out the refill with added steamed milk. “Are you using 'tea' as a euphemism for something else?” He asked from his machine. “I'm using 'tea' for 'tea'.”
“I'll allow you to draw your own thoughts my friend.” Dusk replied. “Needless to say, I'll be tasting a lot of tea soon.”
“You should get your own superhero comic series.” Caffeinated chuckled as he bought the earl grey over to the table. “I can see it now, ‘The Heroic Adventures of Darkwing Dusk!"
Dusk laughed out loud. “I want in the Power Ponies mate, who knows?” He smiled as he blew his tea.
The zebra snickered, “You'd fit right in that bunch. Protecting Equestria from the evil Sunny-Butt!” Once Dusk had stopped laughing, and satisfied the Prince was suitably cheered up, he asked, “Any plans for the afternoon?”
“Well…once I’m done here I might go for a walk around North Park,” Dusk replied, taking a sip of his tea.
