No Regretsby RustyshellChaptersPrologueJust Another DayChance EncountersProloguePrologue The key to engaging an audience in any form of entertainment is suspension of disbelief. You have to invest your viewers enough that they allow themselves to believe in something surreal despite a seeming lack of realism. If the patrons turn too much of a critical eye towards your work, it's most likely because you've failed to give them a vested interest in it. This was a lesson Jackpot had learned time and again since becoming a stage magician. For every successful act he had one that had been a complete disaster. Some had been so bad that he had almost given up on his profession out of sheer embarrassment. But he hadn't. Instead, he had focused on how to improve his acts so that such an incident would either never happen again or would at least be an extremely rare occurrence. Practice might not bring about perfection but it can sure as hell stave off calamity. Unless a bunch of elderly ponies and a member of the Wonderbolts ruin your biggest magic act and cause you to go back to the drawing board. Ever since he and Big Buck's Splashtastic Escape had been exposed, Jackpot had been working day and night on a new act that would regain them the love and adoration of the Equestrian public. The two of them went over dozens of ideas before finally settling upon the one that would be their salvation. They had rounded up all of their old stagehands and convinced the media moguls of Las Pegasus to give them another shot. Weeks of practice soon followed as all of them worked together in order to ensure their ascent back into the spotlight. Advertisements had been sent out detailing their return and hyping up their latest act. “Come One! Come All! Experience the latest and greatest magical show from Las Pegasus’s most iconic magician duo, Jackpot and Big Bucks! Witness a pony experience the wonders of flight without the aid of magic, wings, or balloons!” their flyers had said. Every member of the group had crossed their hooves and prayed that the advertising would be a success. And a success it was, as all of Equestria was abuzz about their comeback and how in Celestia's name they were going to pull of such a stunt. Their first shows had sold out like hot cakes and all that was left for the pair of them to do was to ensure the show was a stunning display. It was with this pressure that Jackpot found himself backstage, listening to the packed crowd behind the curtain. It was almost time for their first show and he was running through the various routines they planned to perform before the show capper. Sure, the main event was what the audience would be talking about after the show, but everything leading up to that was just as vital. If they couldn't engage the audience with the opening bits of their act, they probably wouldn't be able to invest them into their climax. A magician had to do a proper crescendo to his final bit if he wanted to have the masses eating out of his hoof. "You ready for this," a familiar voice said, pulling him out of his train of thought. "As ready as I usually am, Big Bucks," Jackpot said. The larger pony let out a chuckle and gave his friend a large smile. "Well then, I guess we have nothing to worry about. I've never met a pony more paranoid about his performances than you. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Your paranoia always makes sure our shows are without flaw and for that, I am grateful. Even if it also causes me to miss out on some shuteye with how much you make us practice." Jackpot blushed in embarrassment and his friend laughed at his expense. "You're also the pony that's the easiest to tease," Big Bucks said. He snickered a little bit more and then transitioned to his stage persona. "Now, what do you say we go and give these folks a show that they'll be talking about for years." In response, Jackpot straightened his stance, adopted his personality, and said "Yeah! Let's show them why we're the greatest magicians in all of Equestria!" He and Big Bucks bumped hooves and took their places as the curtains raised. Smoke suddenly began to fill the stage and his partner's booming voice could be heard over the speakers. "Ladies and gentlecolts, this is the moment you've all been waiting for. The comeback of the century. The return of the greatest magical duo in all of the known world. Please give your applause and adoration to the two only Jackpot and Big Bucks!" The crowd let out a large chant of "Welcome Back!" as the two of them strutted out onto the stage and began their show. First, they started with simple tricks. They pulled rabbits out of their show hats and performed the old "Is this your card?" routine to get their audience engaged with feats they were familiar with. The show then transitioned into more complex stunts, as they chose a member of their patrons to come to the stage. The volunteer was an earth pony mare in her 20s with a slender physique and a wavy green mane. Jackpot couldn't make out her cutie mark due to the dress she was wearing. After bringing her on stage, they locked her into a vertical box and covered it with a sheet. When they removed the sheet, they revealed the new state of the box. It had been compacted down to a fourth of the mare's height. The crowd let out cries of despair but Big Bucks interrupted their dismay and said "Fear not! For we would not harm a mare as fair our lovely volunteer. If you do not believe of us, look to entrance!" The audience turned their heads and let out gasps of shock as the mare stood right in front of the door to the theater. "As you can see, the mare is unharmed!", Jackpot said. The spectators let out a raucous applause and the two of them gave a bow. "And just think, that's not even the greatest sight you'll see tonight folks!" The show continued with the crowd eating out of their hooves as they transitioned from trick to trick. Their onlookers became more invested with each passing stage of the show until it was time for the main event. Jackpot let out a nervous breath, this was the moment they would reclaim the adoration they had lost. Big Bucks quieted the crowd and began to speak. "And now for the closing act of the evening. This is the reason all of you have graciously given us a second chance and we do not intend to disappoint you. So, without further ado, we bring you " The Levitating Pony!". The two of them moved to the center of the stage and told the crowd to begin counting down to ten. "Ten", their adoring fans said in unison, "Nine...Eight...Seven...Six...Five...Four...Three...Two...One!" They looked at at Equestria's greatest magical duo with great expectation as they all said one and were left in stunned silence. Not because the two magicians had begun to float into the air. But rather, because nothing had happened at all. Their confusion began to turn into disappointment as they began to let out a chorus of boos. The performers took this in stride and let out smirks to the audience. "Sorry folks," Jackpot said. "We were just messing with you a little," Big Bucks said. "Fear not, because the main event truly begins...NOW!" The two of them suddenly began to go up into the air and a wave of silence and amazement came across the audience. They continued to be levitated up into the air without a glow from their horns or around their bodies. They had no wings or balloons to aid them in their flight. They simply floated of their own accord, at least in the eyes of the audience. Soon, silence was replaced with joy and adoration and their former hecklers turned back into fans and showered them with praise. They were back in business. 12 hours later Big Bucks and Jackpot waved to their last audience of the night and thanked them for their attendance. They brought out their stagehands and gave one last bow before the curtains closed. Once they were completely shut, the two of them let their exhaustion overtake them and slumped down into the chairs the helpers had brought. The duo stretched and let their aching muscles breathe. They accepted water from their friends and guzzled it down. Now refreshed, the tandem sat up and addressed all of the ponies around them. "Excellent job, everypony," Big Bucks said. "Because of all of your hard work our show is now the biggest in all of Equestria. Take pride in that, you earned it." "But don't get to prideful now," Jackpot said, "Because tomorrow's show is going to be even better. And before all of you ask how this could possibly be after a show as spectacular as tonight's, look around at one another and ask yourselves a question. Is that all I've got? Is that the best show we could possibly pull off? If your answer is yes, than you should probably get out of this industry. Not because tonight's show was bad. On the contrary, that was one of the greatest performances I've ever delivered and it was because of all of you! But don't stop there. Never stop there. The goal of our profession is to always top our prior show. That's certainly what I plan to do and with all of you, I have no doubt tomorrow will make today look like utter trite by comparison. So enjoy that pat on the back, you've all earned it. But never settle. Always strive to make your show the greatest it could possibly be." He finished speaking and looked around at everyone but was nervous about what he saw. The room had gone silent during Jackpot's speech and he was a little worried he had screwed up. "Couldn't have said it better myself," Big Bucks said. Suddenly, everypony else nodded their head in agreement and gave their patron a round of applause for his address. "And now that we've all gotten that out of the way, lets clean up real fast so we can all go home and crash on our beds." Everyone let out a shout of agreement and soon they were all packing up the show supplies and setting up the props for the first shows in the morning. Once all that was finished, they all exited the theater and parted ways with the two magicians walking together towards their apartments on the other side of Las Pegasus. "I've gotta say," said Jackpot, "I wasn't always sure if that new trick of ours was going to work. If we had failed during any other part of the show, they wouldn't have been so willing to truly believe that we were levitating of our own accord. It all could have fallen apart from one simple mistake and that might have been it for us on the big stage for a while." "Your always such a downer, Jackpot," Big Bucks replied. "Like I said earlier today, with you as my paranoid partner in crime nothing is going to go wrong. You're always so meticulous about every part of the act and while I will admit that does get a tad tedious at times, it's also the main reason we are as big as were are now. Don't try and deny it, Jackpot," Big Bucks said just as Jackpot had been about to reply. "I know you're going to say it's not the main reason. You're also going to say it's because of me and the stagehands more than you that the show is a glowing gem. I know you well enough to be able to see that you'll try to deny how great you are. Not because of any self-doubt or humility, you are a stage magician after all. But because you always analyze every facet of yourself and look to improve. That speech tonight was a good example of that. Can't ever enjoy life for too long before your eyes turn to even greater heights. Now that's a fine way to live my friend, don't get me wrong, but could you at least try and enjoy how truly wonderful our show was tonight. We've both earned that." Big Bucks finished talking and looked at his friend expectantly. "Yeah, I suppose you're right," Jackpot said. "Tonight was pretty damn great, if I don't say so myself." "Hey, don't get to cocky now," his fellow magician replied. "I also did a pretty good job on my own." "Sure, sure," Jackpot stated, "but we both know who everyone is going to be talking about more tonight." "We sure do," Big Bucks answered back. "They'll be talking about the amazing earth pony who managed to fly without wings or a horn. Why, I do believe they'll be writing stories about me the same way they do for Starswirl the Bearded. Big Bucks the Levitator, they'll call me. All of our descendants will be taught in school about my amazing accomplishment. Don't worry though, I'm sure they'll include you in the footnotes." Jackpot rolled his eyes and responded back "Keep living in your delusions. They'll really all be talking about the unicorn who managed to not only levitate himself into the air without the magic from his horn, but also his portly assistant." "Hey," his cohort retorted, "I'm not your assistant. And I'm sure they'll instead be talking about I how graced a unicorn with flight who was below average in the spell department. Hell, I practically made you an alicorn sans the wings...hey, you think... " "No," Jackpot cut him off bluntly, "We aren't adding wings to the act." "Can't blame a guy for trying," Big Bucks said before he started to chuckle to himself. Jackpot pretended to roll his eyes at him and then joined him in laughing. They continued to banter back and forth before reaching the fork in the road and splitting up. They wished one another goodnight and headed to their apartments. 1 hour later Jackpot slumped down onto his tuxedo sofa and let out a sigh of exhaustion and satisfaction. Today had been a long and enervating occasion. They had done ten different shows, going the same acts they had done in their first show of the day. Ten different times they had played their audience like a fiddle and ten different times they had ended the show with some of the loudest applause they had ever heard. The adoration had filled the duo with a great sense of pride and accomplishment. The work that had gone into acquiring it had been exhausting, however. It had all been worth it, though. They were once again the hottest magic show in all of Las Pegasus. Their reputation had been repaired in just one day after having been sullied by their failed water tank trick from several weeks back. Jackpot stretched and let out a content yawn. It was great to be back. And to think, all it had taken to restore their status as Las Pegasus’s number one magical duo were some wires. Wires that had been magically induced with invisibility and were designed to begin hoisting him and Big Bucks up as they reached a certain part of their show. It had taken weeks of practice for it to feel natural to just hang up in the air by a sole wire but now it was as familiar to him as using his horn to levitate his tea to him. Speaking of which… Jackpot sat up and lit up his horn. He poured tea from a jug into one of his cups and brought it over to himself. He took a long sip, savoring the sweet taste, and then set it down on his coffee table. He propped up his hooves onto the table and crossed them. He let both of his upper legs rest behind his head and reflected on a job well done. A short time later he stood up from his sofa and set about getting ready for bed. He finished off his tea and put his now empty cup into the sink before setting the jug he had used back into his refrigerator. He debated about washing his dishes before deciding that he could let them pile up a little more and moving on to checking his props for the next days show. His deck of playing cards would possibly need to be replaced and his top hat could use some repair but neither matter was of immediate concern so he packed his bags and retreated to his bathroom. He took a good look at himself in the mirror and was not surprised to see himself a tad disheveled. He decided to remedy this and turned the faucet on in his tub. One shower later and Jackpot was ready to turn in for the night, he had another long day of performances tomorrow and needed some shut eye. He stepped out of his bathroom and plopped down snout first onto his bed, taking in the comfort of its cushions and letting his tired muscles rest. He truly was living the life he had always wanted to, even if it had taken him a while to figure out that this is what he had actually wanted all along. This was his life and he was proud of it. He wouldn’t trade it for anything else in all of Equestria. He felt a smile appear on his face as he turned over and looked at his ceiling, content as a pony could be. And then, slowly but surely, that smile began to fade as old memories began to come to his mind. Memories of seasons spent searching for his purpose in life. Memories of friends he could barely remember and whom he hadn’t spoken to in decades. And, most importantly, memories of her. Author's Note This chapter has been heavily edited. I hope you enjoy the improvements. Just Another Day26 Years Earlier The streets of Little Buck were empty, save for one pony. One pony, who was all alone in a vacant city without another soul in sight. One pony, who stood in solitude among the cold skyscrapers of the city. One pony...who was absolutely delighted by the barren landscape he found himself in. Jackpot walked about the streets of Little Buck with a gigantic smile on his face. There wasn't anyone in sight and that reality filled him with so much joy. Here he was, in complete isolation, able to walk the roads of this city without a single pony getting in his way. The street corners were devoid of sign wavers, who so often got in Jackpot's way as they flaunted around their cardboard and obstructed his path. There were no obnoxious couples devouring one another's faces at the crosswalks that often trapped him with them for far, far too long. No pony bumped into him without a glance back, despite the fact that he had been deliberately attempting to avoid them. And best of all, there were no annoying children running around him and screeching. The silence that filled the city of Little Buck now was music to his ears. The sweet melody did not last, unfortunately, and Jackpot finally woke up. He groggily came to his senses and took stock of his surroundings. Sunlight annoyingly poured through his blinds and found its way directly to his face. He let out a groan and turned himself over, trying to return to the nirvana he had so suddenly been ejected from. It was not be, however, as the houses around his came to life and soon the sounds of carriages and pedestrians bore there way into his room. He sighed and finally surrendered to the arrival of day. He got up from his bed and stretched his legs. His front, right leg was a little stiff and he walked on it to loosen it up a bit. After completing that task, he let out a yawn and found his way to his bathroom. Forty five minutes of grooming later and he walked out in his work attire, prepared for the long day ahead. He had on a generic, lime green, button up, dress shirt which he had ironed the wrinkles out of the night before. He looked back to his bathroom mirror and couldn't help but admire how clean and pressed he looked...even it his shirt was a bit of an eye sore, especially with the words "Front Cover's Bookstore" sewn onto the collar in golden letters. Still, Jackpot thought he appeared rather good looking today. "Great," he thought, "now I can look good while trapped in a bookstore all day." He turned away from his mirror and headed to his living room, where he grabbed his keys and some bits to pick up some food on the way back. He turned around the area and checked his belongings one more time to make sure he had everything...he didn't. He scurried back to his room and grabbed his name tag off of his dresser, sticking it into his shirt a few inches below the collar. It also had gold lettering and said "Jackpot" on it. With his identity now secured, he trotted back to his door and double checked everything one more time. He wasn't missing anything. Satisfied, he turned around and opened his door using the magic from his horn. A few seconds later and the door shut behind him. He turned his key in the lock until he heard a click and then brought it back to him. He then headed out into his daily commute. The streets of Little Buck were usually busy during the morning hours but Jackpot had been working at the book store long enough to know when and where to go in order to avoid a majority of the traffic. He exited the street where his house resided and began walking to the north, despite the fact that his work was to the east. There was no way he was going east down Buckingham Drive, that was one of the busiest streets at this hour. No, instead he would take a detour north for a good little bit down Saddle Road before he would finally go east. He continued northward for a good bit, using the buildings to his east to block the sun from getting into his eyes. He examined the path ahead of him and was glad to see that all foot traffic was on the other side of the road from him. No one would really be walking down this side at this time of day, as none of the shops opened until around noon, well past the time that Jackpot would be gone. He took a breathe and enjoyed the scents of flowers that made up a good length of the walkway. There were tulips and roses in droves and Jackpot decided to pick one of each using his magic and put them away. He would give them to his boss, Front Cover, as she loved to fill the front of her store with flowers. He continued his way along Saddle Road and began to prepare to head east, down Baltimare Avenue, named in honor of Little Buck's sister city. "It should be here any minute," he thought. And sure enough, he came across a sign that said "Baltimare Avenue" and began his journey eastwards. This was one his favorite roadways in the entire area, as it was mostly filled with the homes of elderly ponies who wouldn't be heading out anytime soon. He thanked father time as this meant he would likely have the entire street to himself, which elated him. He wouldn't be able to stay this way forever, though, as he would need to head south eventually. Still, Jackpot made sure to enjoy his walk of solitude as there wasn't even anypony on the other side of the street. He was truly alone. Memories of his dream from earlier that morning came back to him and he began to wish every day could be like this. No one to bump into on the street or obstruct his path. No one delaying him from an important event or trying to chat him up. Just him and an empty road. He smiled to himself and paused for a few minutes, taking in the silence of the area and enjoying it. He knew this couldn't last forever, though, and reluctantly continued his route to Harmony Boulevard, one of the busiest areas in the entire city. He slowed his pace a tad so that he could enjoy the last stretch of Baltimare Avenue before he finally came to a sign that said "Harmony Boulevard". With a sigh, he turned southward and bid a due to the peace and quiet he was leaving. He advanced to the south and was surprised to find it rather empty for a time, as there were only a few ponies walking around. He did his best to avoid them and they did the same to him, luckily. He began to feel his hopes rise as he pondered if this would be a good end to his commute. He found himself disappointed by reality, however, as he eventually ran into large amounts of foot traffic after cresting a hill. Jackpot let out a sigh and continued down the last leg of his journey. Mares, stallions, and fillies crowded the walkways as he did his best to weave his way past them. He made his way for a time, dodging everyone, until he saw a large group of school children up ahead. They seemed to be part of a field trip and were clogging the path ahead of him. Fortunately for him, there were currently no carriages around and he crossed to the other side of the street and continued onward. He dodged tourists taking pictures and grandmares who were wanting to talk his ears off. He avoided street vendors who were trying to sell him stuff straight from Canterlot and he sidestepped overly indulgent couples. Finally, after making his way through the sea of ponies he found himself at the front of his workplace. He looked into the window and adjusted his work clothes, making sure he looked good. He stepped inside and let a loud greeting. "I'm here, Front Cover!" Jackpot said. "Why Jackpot, I was beginning to wonder if you would every show up." "But I'm ten minutes early." "Ten minutes early for you is like 2 hours late for other ponies, Jackpot. Your usually here a good 45 minutes to an hour early." "Traffic was a bit worse than I thought it was going to be...and I may have slowed down to enjoy my walk here from time to time." Front Cover let out a laugh and said "Didn't take you for the stop and smell the roses type, son. Whenever I see you trotting around you always look like your trying to get home as quickly as possible." He blushed a little at her laugh and response and replied "Well, I just thought I could take some enjoyment today for once. Oh, and speaking of roses..." He got the tulip and rose he had gathered earlier and levitated them to Front Cover who took them in her hooves. The earth pony examined them so he took a moment to observe her. She was wearing her typical rounded spectacles which clung to her wrinkled face. She was an aged mare in her later years of life, as one could tell by her grayed out mane that hung up in a bun on top of her head. She had a dark blue vest that she wore over her light blue, button up blouse which also had golden letter on its collar. Her light green eyes continued to scan the flowers for a time before she looked back up at him. "These are lovely, Jackpot," she said with a smile that could warm a glacier. She placed them in a nearby vase and then said "Thank you." "I'm glad you like them," he said. "They were part of the reason I was almost on-time for once." "They were certainly worth the detour. If you find anymore like them, I would love them." "I'll keep that in mind." He turned and walked to begin his typical work routine. "Jackpot," Front Cover said, "You know...it wouldn't hurt to get some of these for a potential somepony tomorrow." "I'll keep that in mind," he said in order end the topic. He grabbed a book and said "Now, shall I get to work? A full work day later Jackpot stretched in front of the store as Front Cover closed it up for the day. "I can't remember the last time we had that many customers," he said. "Well, it is the day before Hearts and Hooves day. Most of our customers probably waited until the last minute and thought their special somepony might like a book." She turned to Jackpot. "Don't let yourself get caught up in their dilemma once you do get around to dating." "I'll keep that in mind," he said once more in order to end the topic but it didn't seem to work this time. "I'm serious, Jackpot. You're a nice, young stallion, you could probably find a good mare to spend your days with." "I appreciate your concern, Front Cover, I really do, but I'm just not looking for anybody right now." "It's just," she said "I don't really see you talking about any of your friends and you always seem to head straight home after this. I'm worried about you." "I'm alright. I know I don't really talk to anypony else when I don't need to but it works for me. You don't have to worry about me Cover, I really am fine." "If you say so," Front Cover said in a unconvinced tone. "Just make sure you don't keep your options limited, you hear me?" "I hear you. Thank you for caring about me." Jackpot gave her a big smile to alleviate her concerns and she smiled back at him. "Alright, I'll stop butting my nose into your business. But if you ever change your mind, I know some good locales to go with friends too." "I'll keep that in mind," Jackpot said, officially ending the conversation. They said their farewells and he made his way westward, towards home. He really wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. Author's Note A new chapter! Chance EncountersJackpot walked into his favorite restaurant in all of Little Buck, Fauna Emporium, which should be rather vacant at this time of day. He usually preferred to prepare his own food in order to avoid having to go to potentially crowded areas but Fauna Emporium was an exception. Their fruits and vegetables were the best he had ever tasted. He was incredibly glad for the employee that they had stationed out on the sidewalk, who had practically forced him to try a free sample, which he had eaten to get out of the situation. He had expected something generic but what he got was a rapturous taste that had made him a loyal customer. He usually came to the building in weekly intervals but he came in a day early today because of Hearts and Hooves day tomorrow and he wasn't going to just wait an extra day for one of Fauna's meals. He'd decided he'd worry about fixing his schedule later. He just wanted a good dinner now and hoped there wouldn't be much of a delay. Unfortunately for him, the Pegasus in front of him decided otherwise. He was a rather tall fellow, a good head higher than Jackpot. His coat was begonia in color and he had a bronze colored mane that weaved down his neck like a serpent. He was wearing a ridiculously expensive tuxedo that obstructed his cutie mark, keeping it a mystery. He was truly an interesting site...for the first five seconds anyway. After that, he became an annoyance to Jackpot as he delayed him from getting his meal. The Pegasus had ordered a truly extravagant meal and the restaurant staff was working overtime to finish it. He had ordered everything the store had, from Zap Apples to a gallon of cider to...eels. Jackpot didn't even know that Fauna Emporium had those and he almost wanted to ask what they were for, if not for his own reluctance to begin a conversation and his fellow customer's inability to end one. He was chatting away at the workers, who were paying him no mind. "Oh my girl is just going to love this," he said. "I'm going to spend the entire night cooking quite a feast with all of this. She tells me she's been working up an appetite and has been dieting just so she can eat as much of my home cooked meals as she's able. I don't know what's she's going to like more. The Zap Apple Jam!??? The Pecan Pie!???? The Pear Cider!??? Oh, who am I kidding? She's going to love all of it! It's going to be the best Hearts and Hooves date ever! Don't you agree!????" He said this last sentence while turning to Jackpot, who had started to zone him out and was caught off guard. "...uhhh....sure..." he said. The Pegasus continued to look at him, as if expecting him to say more. "Ummm...." he said, trying to think of something to say, "you must have quite the girl." The pony's face lite up at this statement. "Oh I do, let me tell you..." the fellow began as he went into vigorous detail describing the girl and how wonderful she was. Jackpot zoned him out for a while, until he snapped back into the conversation after being startled with a loud stomp from the other pony. He worried that his fellow customer had noticed he wasn't paying attention anymore and had stomped to get his attention, but it appeared he had just done it while emphasizing how great his girl was. Jackpot listened back into the conversation, hoping it would almost be over. "She's just the light of my world I tell you. She brightens my day whenever I think about her." "She must really be important to you, huh?" one of the ponies behind the counter said while bagging the Pegasus's order. "Oh, that she is. I can't tell ya'll how happy I am that I get to date someone as wonderful as her. That's why I want this first date to go so perfectly." That last statement caught Jackpot by surprise and he couldn't help but respond. "Wait...this is only your first date?" The fellow nodded in response with a big smile on his face but it turned to a frown upon seeing Jackpot's expression. "What?", he asked. "Oh nothing...its just...doesn't this seem like a bit much for a first date. I mean, you don't even know how well you two click on a romantic level, so to spend all of this money..." "Oh don't worry about that fellow, this might be our first date but Cosmic Twirl and I have known each other for a long time. We've been working at the same mail service office for the last five years." "And how long have you been trying to get her to go on a date with you?" "About five years." "So since you first me her?" "Yeah," the Pegasus said with a reminiscent smile on his face. "I knew she was my soul mate since the first day I saw her." "She didn't see it the same way at first, I take it?" "Oh yeah, she kept turning me down no matter how many times I asked...not that I was pushy about it or anything," he added with a hint of embarrassment. "I didn't ever try and force myself onto her or anything. I just really wanted her to give me a chance and she never really gave me an indication that she wasn't completely interested." "What do you mean?" Jackpot asked. "Well, she always told me that she just wasn't in the mood for a relationship right now or that she just wanted us to be friend for the mean time. She always typically said that maybe we could go a date but the timing just wasn't right. I always thought it was a little odd that she would say that though, considering she would often date our other coworkers but I just took that as sign that she didn't want to try us right now. I was expecting a similar response when I asked her this time but she finally said yes." "What made her change her mind this time?" "I'm not sure, I didn't really ask her in a different way than usual. In fact, she looked like she was going to give me the usual response until I mentioned how much I wanted to show her my home cooking. After I mentioned that, she brightened up and asked for a sample. I gave her some of my lunch and she said it was one of the most delicious things she's ever had. She asked if I would make more of this for her if we dated and I promised to make her an entire feast if she went out with me on Hearts and Hooves Day. After that, she finally accepted." After finishing his last sentence, the Pegasus proceeded to have a rather triumphant smile on his face. It again turned into a frown whenever Jackpot didn't give a positive response. "What?" he asked. "Well..." Jackpot said, not knowing how to proceed without hurting the stallion's feelings. "The way you tell the story, it kinda just sounds like she's using you for your food. I mean, she doesn't really give a definitive answer for five years and then suddenly she's interested when you bring up your cooking. I can't think of any other reason she would finally say yes." Silence followed this statement and he risked looking up at the other pony's face. He was rather surprised to see a neutral expression. Oddly, that face scared him more than an angry one would have. He tried to backtrack. "Sorry...I didn't mean to say something offensive. What do I know, it's not like I've been on a date before." Jackpot hoped this would get a response from his conversation partner, but silence filled the void instead. He was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as it dragged out for a few minutes until the Pegasus finally ended it. "You really think that's what is?" he asked in a genuine and slightly heart broken voice. Jackpot risked looking up at his face again and found tears strolling down the stallion's face. He immediately regretted opening his big mouth and tried to fix the situation. "Hey, don't take my word for it. Like I said, I've never been on a date so what would a loser like me no. Hahaha....." his laughter slowly died as anger came to the other pony's face and he responded. "Don't sell yourself short like that. You were concerned enough about a random stranger like me to give your opinion. You can't be that bad a guy. I'm sure you just haven't found the right mare yet." These words surprised Jackpot and he looked up at the fellow once more, who now had an encouraging smile that bore it's way through him. "Thanks," was all he could say. "I'm the one who should be thanking you, actually." "What?!!!", he blurted out in surprise, "Why!!!???" "Because you made me realize that Cosmic Twirl may have just been stringing me a long all this time...though I'm not entirely sure. I'll make sure to ask her if she actually likes me or my food tomorrow and hope she chooses me. If she doesn't, I'll know you were right. Regardless of the outcome, I'm grateful for your input." This time it was Jackpot who left the conversation dead until he finally said "You're welcome, I guess." The stallion merely gave him a smile in response and turned to retrieve his now finished order. He gave him a parting farewell that Jackpot returned rather meekly. The pony went through the doors and disappeared from his view. Jackpot stood there, staring at where he had been until the restaurant ponies finally caught his attention and he turned around in embarrassment, finally ready to make his order Author's Note Hope you're enjoying the story!
ProloguePrologue The key to engaging an audience in any form of entertainment is suspension of disbelief. You have to invest your viewers enough that they allow themselves to believe in something surreal despite a seeming lack of realism. If the patrons turn too much of a critical eye towards your work, it's most likely because you've failed to give them a vested interest in it. This was a lesson Jackpot had learned time and again since becoming a stage magician. For every successful act he had one that had been a complete disaster. Some had been so bad that he had almost given up on his profession out of sheer embarrassment. But he hadn't. Instead, he had focused on how to improve his acts so that such an incident would either never happen again or would at least be an extremely rare occurrence. Practice might not bring about perfection but it can sure as hell stave off calamity. Unless a bunch of elderly ponies and a member of the Wonderbolts ruin your biggest magic act and cause you to go back to the drawing board. Ever since he and Big Buck's Splashtastic Escape had been exposed, Jackpot had been working day and night on a new act that would regain them the love and adoration of the Equestrian public. The two of them went over dozens of ideas before finally settling upon the one that would be their salvation. They had rounded up all of their old stagehands and convinced the media moguls of Las Pegasus to give them another shot. Weeks of practice soon followed as all of them worked together in order to ensure their ascent back into the spotlight. Advertisements had been sent out detailing their return and hyping up their latest act. “Come One! Come All! Experience the latest and greatest magical show from Las Pegasus’s most iconic magician duo, Jackpot and Big Bucks! Witness a pony experience the wonders of flight without the aid of magic, wings, or balloons!” their flyers had said. Every member of the group had crossed their hooves and prayed that the advertising would be a success. And a success it was, as all of Equestria was abuzz about their comeback and how in Celestia's name they were going to pull of such a stunt. Their first shows had sold out like hot cakes and all that was left for the pair of them to do was to ensure the show was a stunning display. It was with this pressure that Jackpot found himself backstage, listening to the packed crowd behind the curtain. It was almost time for their first show and he was running through the various routines they planned to perform before the show capper. Sure, the main event was what the audience would be talking about after the show, but everything leading up to that was just as vital. If they couldn't engage the audience with the opening bits of their act, they probably wouldn't be able to invest them into their climax. A magician had to do a proper crescendo to his final bit if he wanted to have the masses eating out of his hoof. "You ready for this," a familiar voice said, pulling him out of his train of thought. "As ready as I usually am, Big Bucks," Jackpot said. The larger pony let out a chuckle and gave his friend a large smile. "Well then, I guess we have nothing to worry about. I've never met a pony more paranoid about his performances than you. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. Your paranoia always makes sure our shows are without flaw and for that, I am grateful. Even if it also causes me to miss out on some shuteye with how much you make us practice." Jackpot blushed in embarrassment and his friend laughed at his expense. "You're also the pony that's the easiest to tease," Big Bucks said. He snickered a little bit more and then transitioned to his stage persona. "Now, what do you say we go and give these folks a show that they'll be talking about for years." In response, Jackpot straightened his stance, adopted his personality, and said "Yeah! Let's show them why we're the greatest magicians in all of Equestria!" He and Big Bucks bumped hooves and took their places as the curtains raised. Smoke suddenly began to fill the stage and his partner's booming voice could be heard over the speakers. "Ladies and gentlecolts, this is the moment you've all been waiting for. The comeback of the century. The return of the greatest magical duo in all of the known world. Please give your applause and adoration to the two only Jackpot and Big Bucks!" The crowd let out a large chant of "Welcome Back!" as the two of them strutted out onto the stage and began their show. First, they started with simple tricks. They pulled rabbits out of their show hats and performed the old "Is this your card?" routine to get their audience engaged with feats they were familiar with. The show then transitioned into more complex stunts, as they chose a member of their patrons to come to the stage. The volunteer was an earth pony mare in her 20s with a slender physique and a wavy green mane. Jackpot couldn't make out her cutie mark due to the dress she was wearing. After bringing her on stage, they locked her into a vertical box and covered it with a sheet. When they removed the sheet, they revealed the new state of the box. It had been compacted down to a fourth of the mare's height. The crowd let out cries of despair but Big Bucks interrupted their dismay and said "Fear not! For we would not harm a mare as fair our lovely volunteer. If you do not believe of us, look to entrance!" The audience turned their heads and let out gasps of shock as the mare stood right in front of the door to the theater. "As you can see, the mare is unharmed!", Jackpot said. The spectators let out a raucous applause and the two of them gave a bow. "And just think, that's not even the greatest sight you'll see tonight folks!" The show continued with the crowd eating out of their hooves as they transitioned from trick to trick. Their onlookers became more invested with each passing stage of the show until it was time for the main event. Jackpot let out a nervous breath, this was the moment they would reclaim the adoration they had lost. Big Bucks quieted the crowd and began to speak. "And now for the closing act of the evening. This is the reason all of you have graciously given us a second chance and we do not intend to disappoint you. So, without further ado, we bring you " The Levitating Pony!". The two of them moved to the center of the stage and told the crowd to begin counting down to ten. "Ten", their adoring fans said in unison, "Nine...Eight...Seven...Six...Five...Four...Three...Two...One!" They looked at at Equestria's greatest magical duo with great expectation as they all said one and were left in stunned silence. Not because the two magicians had begun to float into the air. But rather, because nothing had happened at all. Their confusion began to turn into disappointment as they began to let out a chorus of boos. The performers took this in stride and let out smirks to the audience. "Sorry folks," Jackpot said. "We were just messing with you a little," Big Bucks said. "Fear not, because the main event truly begins...NOW!" The two of them suddenly began to go up into the air and a wave of silence and amazement came across the audience. They continued to be levitated up into the air without a glow from their horns or around their bodies. They had no wings or balloons to aid them in their flight. They simply floated of their own accord, at least in the eyes of the audience. Soon, silence was replaced with joy and adoration and their former hecklers turned back into fans and showered them with praise. They were back in business. 12 hours later Big Bucks and Jackpot waved to their last audience of the night and thanked them for their attendance. They brought out their stagehands and gave one last bow before the curtains closed. Once they were completely shut, the two of them let their exhaustion overtake them and slumped down into the chairs the helpers had brought. The duo stretched and let their aching muscles breathe. They accepted water from their friends and guzzled it down. Now refreshed, the tandem sat up and addressed all of the ponies around them. "Excellent job, everypony," Big Bucks said. "Because of all of your hard work our show is now the biggest in all of Equestria. Take pride in that, you earned it." "But don't get to prideful now," Jackpot said, "Because tomorrow's show is going to be even better. And before all of you ask how this could possibly be after a show as spectacular as tonight's, look around at one another and ask yourselves a question. Is that all I've got? Is that the best show we could possibly pull off? If your answer is yes, than you should probably get out of this industry. Not because tonight's show was bad. On the contrary, that was one of the greatest performances I've ever delivered and it was because of all of you! But don't stop there. Never stop there. The goal of our profession is to always top our prior show. That's certainly what I plan to do and with all of you, I have no doubt tomorrow will make today look like utter trite by comparison. So enjoy that pat on the back, you've all earned it. But never settle. Always strive to make your show the greatest it could possibly be." He finished speaking and looked around at everyone but was nervous about what he saw. The room had gone silent during Jackpot's speech and he was a little worried he had screwed up. "Couldn't have said it better myself," Big Bucks said. Suddenly, everypony else nodded their head in agreement and gave their patron a round of applause for his address. "And now that we've all gotten that out of the way, lets clean up real fast so we can all go home and crash on our beds." Everyone let out a shout of agreement and soon they were all packing up the show supplies and setting up the props for the first shows in the morning. Once all that was finished, they all exited the theater and parted ways with the two magicians walking together towards their apartments on the other side of Las Pegasus. "I've gotta say," said Jackpot, "I wasn't always sure if that new trick of ours was going to work. If we had failed during any other part of the show, they wouldn't have been so willing to truly believe that we were levitating of our own accord. It all could have fallen apart from one simple mistake and that might have been it for us on the big stage for a while." "Your always such a downer, Jackpot," Big Bucks replied. "Like I said earlier today, with you as my paranoid partner in crime nothing is going to go wrong. You're always so meticulous about every part of the act and while I will admit that does get a tad tedious at times, it's also the main reason we are as big as were are now. Don't try and deny it, Jackpot," Big Bucks said just as Jackpot had been about to reply. "I know you're going to say it's not the main reason. You're also going to say it's because of me and the stagehands more than you that the show is a glowing gem. I know you well enough to be able to see that you'll try to deny how great you are. Not because of any self-doubt or humility, you are a stage magician after all. But because you always analyze every facet of yourself and look to improve. That speech tonight was a good example of that. Can't ever enjoy life for too long before your eyes turn to even greater heights. Now that's a fine way to live my friend, don't get me wrong, but could you at least try and enjoy how truly wonderful our show was tonight. We've both earned that." Big Bucks finished talking and looked at his friend expectantly. "Yeah, I suppose you're right," Jackpot said. "Tonight was pretty damn great, if I don't say so myself." "Hey, don't get to cocky now," his fellow magician replied. "I also did a pretty good job on my own." "Sure, sure," Jackpot stated, "but we both know who everyone is going to be talking about more tonight." "We sure do," Big Bucks answered back. "They'll be talking about the amazing earth pony who managed to fly without wings or a horn. Why, I do believe they'll be writing stories about me the same way they do for Starswirl the Bearded. Big Bucks the Levitator, they'll call me. All of our descendants will be taught in school about my amazing accomplishment. Don't worry though, I'm sure they'll include you in the footnotes." Jackpot rolled his eyes and responded back "Keep living in your delusions. They'll really all be talking about the unicorn who managed to not only levitate himself into the air without the magic from his horn, but also his portly assistant." "Hey," his cohort retorted, "I'm not your assistant. And I'm sure they'll instead be talking about I how graced a unicorn with flight who was below average in the spell department. Hell, I practically made you an alicorn sans the wings...hey, you think... " "No," Jackpot cut him off bluntly, "We aren't adding wings to the act." "Can't blame a guy for trying," Big Bucks said before he started to chuckle to himself. Jackpot pretended to roll his eyes at him and then joined him in laughing. They continued to banter back and forth before reaching the fork in the road and splitting up. They wished one another goodnight and headed to their apartments. 1 hour later Jackpot slumped down onto his tuxedo sofa and let out a sigh of exhaustion and satisfaction. Today had been a long and enervating occasion. They had done ten different shows, going the same acts they had done in their first show of the day. Ten different times they had played their audience like a fiddle and ten different times they had ended the show with some of the loudest applause they had ever heard. The adoration had filled the duo with a great sense of pride and accomplishment. The work that had gone into acquiring it had been exhausting, however. It had all been worth it, though. They were once again the hottest magic show in all of Las Pegasus. Their reputation had been repaired in just one day after having been sullied by their failed water tank trick from several weeks back. Jackpot stretched and let out a content yawn. It was great to be back. And to think, all it had taken to restore their status as Las Pegasus’s number one magical duo were some wires. Wires that had been magically induced with invisibility and were designed to begin hoisting him and Big Bucks up as they reached a certain part of their show. It had taken weeks of practice for it to feel natural to just hang up in the air by a sole wire but now it was as familiar to him as using his horn to levitate his tea to him. Speaking of which… Jackpot sat up and lit up his horn. He poured tea from a jug into one of his cups and brought it over to himself. He took a long sip, savoring the sweet taste, and then set it down on his coffee table. He propped up his hooves onto the table and crossed them. He let both of his upper legs rest behind his head and reflected on a job well done. A short time later he stood up from his sofa and set about getting ready for bed. He finished off his tea and put his now empty cup into the sink before setting the jug he had used back into his refrigerator. He debated about washing his dishes before deciding that he could let them pile up a little more and moving on to checking his props for the next days show. His deck of playing cards would possibly need to be replaced and his top hat could use some repair but neither matter was of immediate concern so he packed his bags and retreated to his bathroom. He took a good look at himself in the mirror and was not surprised to see himself a tad disheveled. He decided to remedy this and turned the faucet on in his tub. One shower later and Jackpot was ready to turn in for the night, he had another long day of performances tomorrow and needed some shut eye. He stepped out of his bathroom and plopped down snout first onto his bed, taking in the comfort of its cushions and letting his tired muscles rest. He truly was living the life he had always wanted to, even if it had taken him a while to figure out that this is what he had actually wanted all along. This was his life and he was proud of it. He wouldn’t trade it for anything else in all of Equestria. He felt a smile appear on his face as he turned over and looked at his ceiling, content as a pony could be. And then, slowly but surely, that smile began to fade as old memories began to come to his mind. Memories of seasons spent searching for his purpose in life. Memories of friends he could barely remember and whom he hadn’t spoken to in decades. And, most importantly, memories of her. Author's Note This chapter has been heavily edited. I hope you enjoy the improvements.
Just Another Day26 Years Earlier The streets of Little Buck were empty, save for one pony. One pony, who was all alone in a vacant city without another soul in sight. One pony, who stood in solitude among the cold skyscrapers of the city. One pony...who was absolutely delighted by the barren landscape he found himself in. Jackpot walked about the streets of Little Buck with a gigantic smile on his face. There wasn't anyone in sight and that reality filled him with so much joy. Here he was, in complete isolation, able to walk the roads of this city without a single pony getting in his way. The street corners were devoid of sign wavers, who so often got in Jackpot's way as they flaunted around their cardboard and obstructed his path. There were no obnoxious couples devouring one another's faces at the crosswalks that often trapped him with them for far, far too long. No pony bumped into him without a glance back, despite the fact that he had been deliberately attempting to avoid them. And best of all, there were no annoying children running around him and screeching. The silence that filled the city of Little Buck now was music to his ears. The sweet melody did not last, unfortunately, and Jackpot finally woke up. He groggily came to his senses and took stock of his surroundings. Sunlight annoyingly poured through his blinds and found its way directly to his face. He let out a groan and turned himself over, trying to return to the nirvana he had so suddenly been ejected from. It was not be, however, as the houses around his came to life and soon the sounds of carriages and pedestrians bore there way into his room. He sighed and finally surrendered to the arrival of day. He got up from his bed and stretched his legs. His front, right leg was a little stiff and he walked on it to loosen it up a bit. After completing that task, he let out a yawn and found his way to his bathroom. Forty five minutes of grooming later and he walked out in his work attire, prepared for the long day ahead. He had on a generic, lime green, button up, dress shirt which he had ironed the wrinkles out of the night before. He looked back to his bathroom mirror and couldn't help but admire how clean and pressed he looked...even it his shirt was a bit of an eye sore, especially with the words "Front Cover's Bookstore" sewn onto the collar in golden letters. Still, Jackpot thought he appeared rather good looking today. "Great," he thought, "now I can look good while trapped in a bookstore all day." He turned away from his mirror and headed to his living room, where he grabbed his keys and some bits to pick up some food on the way back. He turned around the area and checked his belongings one more time to make sure he had everything...he didn't. He scurried back to his room and grabbed his name tag off of his dresser, sticking it into his shirt a few inches below the collar. It also had gold lettering and said "Jackpot" on it. With his identity now secured, he trotted back to his door and double checked everything one more time. He wasn't missing anything. Satisfied, he turned around and opened his door using the magic from his horn. A few seconds later and the door shut behind him. He turned his key in the lock until he heard a click and then brought it back to him. He then headed out into his daily commute. The streets of Little Buck were usually busy during the morning hours but Jackpot had been working at the book store long enough to know when and where to go in order to avoid a majority of the traffic. He exited the street where his house resided and began walking to the north, despite the fact that his work was to the east. There was no way he was going east down Buckingham Drive, that was one of the busiest streets at this hour. No, instead he would take a detour north for a good little bit down Saddle Road before he would finally go east. He continued northward for a good bit, using the buildings to his east to block the sun from getting into his eyes. He examined the path ahead of him and was glad to see that all foot traffic was on the other side of the road from him. No one would really be walking down this side at this time of day, as none of the shops opened until around noon, well past the time that Jackpot would be gone. He took a breathe and enjoyed the scents of flowers that made up a good length of the walkway. There were tulips and roses in droves and Jackpot decided to pick one of each using his magic and put them away. He would give them to his boss, Front Cover, as she loved to fill the front of her store with flowers. He continued his way along Saddle Road and began to prepare to head east, down Baltimare Avenue, named in honor of Little Buck's sister city. "It should be here any minute," he thought. And sure enough, he came across a sign that said "Baltimare Avenue" and began his journey eastwards. This was one his favorite roadways in the entire area, as it was mostly filled with the homes of elderly ponies who wouldn't be heading out anytime soon. He thanked father time as this meant he would likely have the entire street to himself, which elated him. He wouldn't be able to stay this way forever, though, as he would need to head south eventually. Still, Jackpot made sure to enjoy his walk of solitude as there wasn't even anypony on the other side of the street. He was truly alone. Memories of his dream from earlier that morning came back to him and he began to wish every day could be like this. No one to bump into on the street or obstruct his path. No one delaying him from an important event or trying to chat him up. Just him and an empty road. He smiled to himself and paused for a few minutes, taking in the silence of the area and enjoying it. He knew this couldn't last forever, though, and reluctantly continued his route to Harmony Boulevard, one of the busiest areas in the entire city. He slowed his pace a tad so that he could enjoy the last stretch of Baltimare Avenue before he finally came to a sign that said "Harmony Boulevard". With a sigh, he turned southward and bid a due to the peace and quiet he was leaving. He advanced to the south and was surprised to find it rather empty for a time, as there were only a few ponies walking around. He did his best to avoid them and they did the same to him, luckily. He began to feel his hopes rise as he pondered if this would be a good end to his commute. He found himself disappointed by reality, however, as he eventually ran into large amounts of foot traffic after cresting a hill. Jackpot let out a sigh and continued down the last leg of his journey. Mares, stallions, and fillies crowded the walkways as he did his best to weave his way past them. He made his way for a time, dodging everyone, until he saw a large group of school children up ahead. They seemed to be part of a field trip and were clogging the path ahead of him. Fortunately for him, there were currently no carriages around and he crossed to the other side of the street and continued onward. He dodged tourists taking pictures and grandmares who were wanting to talk his ears off. He avoided street vendors who were trying to sell him stuff straight from Canterlot and he sidestepped overly indulgent couples. Finally, after making his way through the sea of ponies he found himself at the front of his workplace. He looked into the window and adjusted his work clothes, making sure he looked good. He stepped inside and let a loud greeting. "I'm here, Front Cover!" Jackpot said. "Why Jackpot, I was beginning to wonder if you would every show up." "But I'm ten minutes early." "Ten minutes early for you is like 2 hours late for other ponies, Jackpot. Your usually here a good 45 minutes to an hour early." "Traffic was a bit worse than I thought it was going to be...and I may have slowed down to enjoy my walk here from time to time." Front Cover let out a laugh and said "Didn't take you for the stop and smell the roses type, son. Whenever I see you trotting around you always look like your trying to get home as quickly as possible." He blushed a little at her laugh and response and replied "Well, I just thought I could take some enjoyment today for once. Oh, and speaking of roses..." He got the tulip and rose he had gathered earlier and levitated them to Front Cover who took them in her hooves. The earth pony examined them so he took a moment to observe her. She was wearing her typical rounded spectacles which clung to her wrinkled face. She was an aged mare in her later years of life, as one could tell by her grayed out mane that hung up in a bun on top of her head. She had a dark blue vest that she wore over her light blue, button up blouse which also had golden letter on its collar. Her light green eyes continued to scan the flowers for a time before she looked back up at him. "These are lovely, Jackpot," she said with a smile that could warm a glacier. She placed them in a nearby vase and then said "Thank you." "I'm glad you like them," he said. "They were part of the reason I was almost on-time for once." "They were certainly worth the detour. If you find anymore like them, I would love them." "I'll keep that in mind." He turned and walked to begin his typical work routine. "Jackpot," Front Cover said, "You know...it wouldn't hurt to get some of these for a potential somepony tomorrow." "I'll keep that in mind," he said in order end the topic. He grabbed a book and said "Now, shall I get to work? A full work day later Jackpot stretched in front of the store as Front Cover closed it up for the day. "I can't remember the last time we had that many customers," he said. "Well, it is the day before Hearts and Hooves day. Most of our customers probably waited until the last minute and thought their special somepony might like a book." She turned to Jackpot. "Don't let yourself get caught up in their dilemma once you do get around to dating." "I'll keep that in mind," he said once more in order to end the topic but it didn't seem to work this time. "I'm serious, Jackpot. You're a nice, young stallion, you could probably find a good mare to spend your days with." "I appreciate your concern, Front Cover, I really do, but I'm just not looking for anybody right now." "It's just," she said "I don't really see you talking about any of your friends and you always seem to head straight home after this. I'm worried about you." "I'm alright. I know I don't really talk to anypony else when I don't need to but it works for me. You don't have to worry about me Cover, I really am fine." "If you say so," Front Cover said in a unconvinced tone. "Just make sure you don't keep your options limited, you hear me?" "I hear you. Thank you for caring about me." Jackpot gave her a big smile to alleviate her concerns and she smiled back at him. "Alright, I'll stop butting my nose into your business. But if you ever change your mind, I know some good locales to go with friends too." "I'll keep that in mind," Jackpot said, officially ending the conversation. They said their farewells and he made his way westward, towards home. He really wasn't looking forward to tomorrow. Author's Note A new chapter!
Chance EncountersJackpot walked into his favorite restaurant in all of Little Buck, Fauna Emporium, which should be rather vacant at this time of day. He usually preferred to prepare his own food in order to avoid having to go to potentially crowded areas but Fauna Emporium was an exception. Their fruits and vegetables were the best he had ever tasted. He was incredibly glad for the employee that they had stationed out on the sidewalk, who had practically forced him to try a free sample, which he had eaten to get out of the situation. He had expected something generic but what he got was a rapturous taste that had made him a loyal customer. He usually came to the building in weekly intervals but he came in a day early today because of Hearts and Hooves day tomorrow and he wasn't going to just wait an extra day for one of Fauna's meals. He'd decided he'd worry about fixing his schedule later. He just wanted a good dinner now and hoped there wouldn't be much of a delay. Unfortunately for him, the Pegasus in front of him decided otherwise. He was a rather tall fellow, a good head higher than Jackpot. His coat was begonia in color and he had a bronze colored mane that weaved down his neck like a serpent. He was wearing a ridiculously expensive tuxedo that obstructed his cutie mark, keeping it a mystery. He was truly an interesting site...for the first five seconds anyway. After that, he became an annoyance to Jackpot as he delayed him from getting his meal. The Pegasus had ordered a truly extravagant meal and the restaurant staff was working overtime to finish it. He had ordered everything the store had, from Zap Apples to a gallon of cider to...eels. Jackpot didn't even know that Fauna Emporium had those and he almost wanted to ask what they were for, if not for his own reluctance to begin a conversation and his fellow customer's inability to end one. He was chatting away at the workers, who were paying him no mind. "Oh my girl is just going to love this," he said. "I'm going to spend the entire night cooking quite a feast with all of this. She tells me she's been working up an appetite and has been dieting just so she can eat as much of my home cooked meals as she's able. I don't know what's she's going to like more. The Zap Apple Jam!??? The Pecan Pie!???? The Pear Cider!??? Oh, who am I kidding? She's going to love all of it! It's going to be the best Hearts and Hooves date ever! Don't you agree!????" He said this last sentence while turning to Jackpot, who had started to zone him out and was caught off guard. "...uhhh....sure..." he said. The Pegasus continued to look at him, as if expecting him to say more. "Ummm...." he said, trying to think of something to say, "you must have quite the girl." The pony's face lite up at this statement. "Oh I do, let me tell you..." the fellow began as he went into vigorous detail describing the girl and how wonderful she was. Jackpot zoned him out for a while, until he snapped back into the conversation after being startled with a loud stomp from the other pony. He worried that his fellow customer had noticed he wasn't paying attention anymore and had stomped to get his attention, but it appeared he had just done it while emphasizing how great his girl was. Jackpot listened back into the conversation, hoping it would almost be over. "She's just the light of my world I tell you. She brightens my day whenever I think about her." "She must really be important to you, huh?" one of the ponies behind the counter said while bagging the Pegasus's order. "Oh, that she is. I can't tell ya'll how happy I am that I get to date someone as wonderful as her. That's why I want this first date to go so perfectly." That last statement caught Jackpot by surprise and he couldn't help but respond. "Wait...this is only your first date?" The fellow nodded in response with a big smile on his face but it turned to a frown upon seeing Jackpot's expression. "What?", he asked. "Oh nothing...its just...doesn't this seem like a bit much for a first date. I mean, you don't even know how well you two click on a romantic level, so to spend all of this money..." "Oh don't worry about that fellow, this might be our first date but Cosmic Twirl and I have known each other for a long time. We've been working at the same mail service office for the last five years." "And how long have you been trying to get her to go on a date with you?" "About five years." "So since you first me her?" "Yeah," the Pegasus said with a reminiscent smile on his face. "I knew she was my soul mate since the first day I saw her." "She didn't see it the same way at first, I take it?" "Oh yeah, she kept turning me down no matter how many times I asked...not that I was pushy about it or anything," he added with a hint of embarrassment. "I didn't ever try and force myself onto her or anything. I just really wanted her to give me a chance and she never really gave me an indication that she wasn't completely interested." "What do you mean?" Jackpot asked. "Well, she always told me that she just wasn't in the mood for a relationship right now or that she just wanted us to be friend for the mean time. She always typically said that maybe we could go a date but the timing just wasn't right. I always thought it was a little odd that she would say that though, considering she would often date our other coworkers but I just took that as sign that she didn't want to try us right now. I was expecting a similar response when I asked her this time but she finally said yes." "What made her change her mind this time?" "I'm not sure, I didn't really ask her in a different way than usual. In fact, she looked like she was going to give me the usual response until I mentioned how much I wanted to show her my home cooking. After I mentioned that, she brightened up and asked for a sample. I gave her some of my lunch and she said it was one of the most delicious things she's ever had. She asked if I would make more of this for her if we dated and I promised to make her an entire feast if she went out with me on Hearts and Hooves Day. After that, she finally accepted." After finishing his last sentence, the Pegasus proceeded to have a rather triumphant smile on his face. It again turned into a frown whenever Jackpot didn't give a positive response. "What?" he asked. "Well..." Jackpot said, not knowing how to proceed without hurting the stallion's feelings. "The way you tell the story, it kinda just sounds like she's using you for your food. I mean, she doesn't really give a definitive answer for five years and then suddenly she's interested when you bring up your cooking. I can't think of any other reason she would finally say yes." Silence followed this statement and he risked looking up at the other pony's face. He was rather surprised to see a neutral expression. Oddly, that face scared him more than an angry one would have. He tried to backtrack. "Sorry...I didn't mean to say something offensive. What do I know, it's not like I've been on a date before." Jackpot hoped this would get a response from his conversation partner, but silence filled the void instead. He was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as it dragged out for a few minutes until the Pegasus finally ended it. "You really think that's what is?" he asked in a genuine and slightly heart broken voice. Jackpot risked looking up at his face again and found tears strolling down the stallion's face. He immediately regretted opening his big mouth and tried to fix the situation. "Hey, don't take my word for it. Like I said, I've never been on a date so what would a loser like me no. Hahaha....." his laughter slowly died as anger came to the other pony's face and he responded. "Don't sell yourself short like that. You were concerned enough about a random stranger like me to give your opinion. You can't be that bad a guy. I'm sure you just haven't found the right mare yet." These words surprised Jackpot and he looked up at the fellow once more, who now had an encouraging smile that bore it's way through him. "Thanks," was all he could say. "I'm the one who should be thanking you, actually." "What?!!!", he blurted out in surprise, "Why!!!???" "Because you made me realize that Cosmic Twirl may have just been stringing me a long all this time...though I'm not entirely sure. I'll make sure to ask her if she actually likes me or my food tomorrow and hope she chooses me. If she doesn't, I'll know you were right. Regardless of the outcome, I'm grateful for your input." This time it was Jackpot who left the conversation dead until he finally said "You're welcome, I guess." The stallion merely gave him a smile in response and turned to retrieve his now finished order. He gave him a parting farewell that Jackpot returned rather meekly. The pony went through the doors and disappeared from his view. Jackpot stood there, staring at where he had been until the restaurant ponies finally caught his attention and he turned around in embarrassment, finally ready to make his order Author's Note Hope you're enjoying the story!
