a Cold Night at The Store
a Cold Night at The Store
The night air was cold.
If you stood still, you'd hear the sounds of the woods and animals within it.
If you didn't have a fur coat, then you'd feel the chill of Princess Luna's night.
Near the edge of Manehattan, on the side of the long road out of town, laid a small gas station & store.
Sunstain was at front desk of the store. Working here was...
...at best, alright. at worst, frightening.
He was fairly small for an Earth Pony. His Cutie Mark was a scroll and a pen.
He'd been working here, for quit a long time.
It wasn't the worst job in the world. but, it wasn't the greatest.
Most customers, that been there was gone, now.
Sometimes the weirdest customers would show up. But, for the most part, Sun could takee care of them.
To his luck, he got to meet The Main 6, once. Something he will never forget.
He was in the middle of counting the money, when a big, tall, dark Unicorn wearing a cloak trotted in.
Sun was only half of this guy's size, the dark Unicorn had bags under his eyes as if, he hadn't had any sleep in a while. His mane was black, while his coat was a slighty lighter shade of black.
Sun was slightly creeped out by this fellow's appearance. But, his mama taught him, not to judge a book by its cover. So, Sun continued to look down, while counting the money.
Out of the corner of his eyes, Sun saw the Stranger turn his head to look at him and slowly trotted towards him.
On the outside Sun looked calm. But, on the inside, he was fairly uncomfortable with the slience from this fellow.
The sound of his hoofsteps, alone was creepy as they were slow and heavy.
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...step
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Sun gulped internally as the sound of the Stranger's steps stopped.
He looked up to see the Stranger staring down at him with dead-looking eyes and an blank & tired expression.
...
...
"...Uhhh... Wha-" *coughs into hoof* "...What can i do for you, sir?" Sun asked the Stranger.
"..........mmm..." the Stranger put a Cola Bottle down on the desk and said in a deep monotone voice with a rumble, "How much?"
"Uhhh... $5. S-sir."
"Alright."
the Stranger goes to check his money, while eating some small bit of candy.
...
...
"So... Nice Weather, Huh?"
the Stranger looks up with an annoyed expression, "How's it nice to you, exactly?"
"Oh... Uhh... Sorry.. Just passing time."
...
...
"Will there be anything, else?"
"Don't know. Will there?"
...
"......I-is something wrong..?"
"With what?"
"With anything?"
And with a slight smile, "Oh, so that's what you're asking me. Is that there something wrong with anything?"
"Uhh... Well.. Uh... ...Will there be anything, else, Si--
"You already asked me that."
...
"Uhh... I should start closing."
"Oh, sure. What time does this place close, exactly?"
"Right now."
""Now" is not a time. What time do you close?"
"Around Dark."
"......"
the Stranger look up to the ceiling, toke a deep breath... Then, looked down, again. The smile was gone.
"You have no idea, what you're talking about. Do you?"
"Wha-"
"You're a little bit deaf, aren't you? I Said, you have no idea, what you're talking about."
Taked aback by this, Sun was too scared to say anything.
...
...
"What time to you go to bed?"
...
"...Uhh..."
"You want me to repat myself?"
Scared out of his mind, Sun figured it would be best to answer the Stranger's questions. "Normally around something like... Uhh... 00:30..?"
"I could always come back, then."
"Why?"
The smile came back. "You live in the house, out in the forest?"
"Yeah.."
"How'd you get it?"
"Well... I got a coltfriend a while back and just married her. Her mom died long ago and her dad died of cancer shortly after the wedding."
The smile disappeared...
"you married into it?"
"Well... It belonged to her dad, first."
"you married into it?"
"Well, if that's the way you wanna put it, sir."
"there isn't a way to put it. That's the way. it. is."
Because of the unnerving silence, Sun had his soul scared out of him, When there was a strike of thunder outside and it started raining. Yet the Stranger didn't react to it.
"Never been a part of a coin toss?"
No expecting the question, Sun answered, "Well... no."
the Stranger toke one of his coins with his magic and held it up in font of Sun, "Well..."
He tossed the coin and before, Sun could see what it landed on, the Stranger put his hoof on the coin.
"Call it."
"What? Why?"
"Just call it."
Sun was staring to sweat, "Well, we need to know what, we're counting it for here."
"You need to call it. I can't call it for you. That wouldn't be fair."
"B-but, i-i didn't put anything up-
"Yes. You did..." the Stranger interrupted, "...you've been putting it up your hold life, you just didn't know it."
"W-well..."
"Do you know what date is on this coin?"
"No."
"1988. It's been traveling 22 years to get here and Now, it's here and it's either heads or tails and you need to say, "Call it.""
"Look. I need to know, what i stand to win from this."
"Everything."
"......why?"
"Because, You win everything, CALL IT."
...
...
...
"Alright. Tails."
...
...
...
"Well done."
Sun was about to mix the coin together with the other coins, when...
"Don't mix it with the others. It's your Lucky Coin."
"Where do you want me to put it?"
"Anything. Just NOT with the other coins or it'll be mixed in and become just another coin."
...
...
"Which it is."
After that, the Stranger left the store and Sun was left alone, once again.
Sun was left to wonder, what the hell to do now that, the Stranger was finally gone.
...
...
...
...
After a little while, Sun finally knew what he wanted to do now...
...
...
"I am so quitting this job."
