Purrs, Paws and Collars

The main streets were dense with foot traffic which in reality wasn't that much. So Sweetie Belle was able to make good time in travelling to her destination.

That particular destination was Limestone's Lime Soda Shack, and upon entering the store, she noticed that it was packed with customers sitting on the first and second floors.

Sweetie walked up to the counter and grabbed the attention of the vendor.

"Hi, Limestone. Can I get a pitcher of lime soda?"

Limestone grunted in reply, wearing her almost permanent scowl; she would look angry even when she was happy, the only time she would look any different was when Limestone was ecstatic, in which case she would adopt a cruel smile, the type of smile that said 'I'm going to watch you suffer and I'm going to savour every second of it.

"Yo, do you want it on the rocks or what."

"You know it, give me 'Holder's Boulder'"

Limestone grabbed a large ice egg, plopped it in the pitcher, walked over to the table that Sweetie Belle had stationed herself at, and unceremoniously plopped the pitcher on the table with a 'thunk'.

"How's Pinkie...have you been treating her well?"

Sweetie hit her head on the table before answering.

"Limey, every time I come here, you always ask the same question... she's doing fine, and we're doing fine too, happy?"

"I'm going to keep asking you every time you come here."

Limestone walked back to the counter and began serving other customers.

A chipper country drawl grabbed Sweetie's attention.

"Howdy, Sweetie, I see you got th' drinks already."

"Yeah, the owner is as happy as ever."

Apple Bloom poured herself a glass.

"Do you ever remember a time when Limestone smiled like actually smiling properly because she was genuinely happy?"

Sweetie racked her brain for a couple of seconds but ended up shaking her head.

"No, I can't say I have."

Apple Bloom finished her glass of fizzy lime goodness and broached her friend with some news.

"Hey, uh, Sweetie, I need to tell you something."

"Are you finally going to announce that you like Spike?"

Apple Bloom fell off her seat.

"You're in cahoots with ma sista, ain't ya."

Sweetie giggled into her glass, causing the drink to bubble.

"Careful AB, your yokel is showing"

Apple Bloom jumped up off the floor.

"Oh, shuddup, I've got one of dem edu-ma-cation doohickeys."

Sweetie Belle moved her seat closer to AB's.

"So...when are you going to tell him."

"Um, maybe during our next play date."

"Which is tomorrow."

"It is?"

Sweetie Belle fell off her seat.

"Of course it is. It's always on Tuesday and Thursday. How have you forgotten that already?"

Apple Bloom helped Sweetie off the floor and proceeded to the counter to pay for the drinks. Limestone looked particularly miserable, which only seemed to increase when she saw the two younger girls approaching.

"That will be six bits each."

Sweetie took a ten-bit note and laid it on the counter. In exchange, Limestone replaced it with four-bit coins.

"Bah, grumpy."

The sound of several breaking glass muffled limestones reply, Apple Bloom couldn't hear what she said, judging by her facial expression and the shapes her mouth made.

The words spoken were most defiantly some disgusting profanity not fit for young ears.

The two girls went on a walk, and urban life was not very anything.

The only arcade was undergoing refurbishment for what felt like the one-hundredth time, and due to the towns low population of teenagers, there were no suitable facilities that they could use to pass the time.

At some point, they had encountered Starlight Glimmer, who was assisting her great and powerful girlfriend with a stage magic performance. Afterwards, they gave personal performances in making audience members disappear along with their money. The performance was entertaining.

Still, there is only so much toleration that can be afforded to listen to someone referring to themselves in the third person and thus, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle called it a day and went their ways.