An Urge to Feel

A sky-blue bartender meticulously crafted my alcoholic beverage in a tall champagne glass. She looked down at the drink with her ears pointed back, forcing me to assume the pegasus was slightly troubled by something. As bitter as it may sound, I was glad I could relate to somepony that evening because I was also troubled.

There was news at my work that a brand new hangout had opened and was even suggested to me despite how I was not the type of pony to go out. What won me over to at least see what the hustle was about was how the place had smooth jazz musicians performing every evening. And for a Wednesday night, Good Ol’ Fashion was very busy.

Conversations talked over one another, silverware tinked on plates, and the saxophone player did an excellent job with enhancing the authentic atmosphere. But just like the bartender, I couldn’t shake the uncomfortable nerves in my system.

I sat alone at the far end of the bar with several seats empty to my left. Old pictures in brass bordered frames faced me, ranging from ponies dressed in suits wearing bowler hats to simple snapshots of buildings of the past. Every picture had that aged yellow on the glass and each photo was in grayscale.

They all kept me company, but none provided any conversations. I wanted to talk to the bartender and attempt to break the ice. But opening up to ponies I knew nothing about clammed me up, not to mention the pony making my drink was a mare. She was a cute pegasus. Her blonde mane blocked one eye, easily expressing the shy pony archetype.

But… What do I say to her?

When the bartender caught me staring at her, my ears fell back, and I looked back to the mute pictures. One image of a mare rose a brow at me, scolding my subconscious for being unable to communicate or ease the bartender with some idle talk.

In the corner of my eye, I saw the employee’s head turn away from me, and her expression quickly became filled with joy.

“S-Sunny!” the pegasus beamed. Her squeaky cry made my heart jump; I was not at all expecting the bartender to be so loud.

A much calmer but just as happy voice replied in turn, “Hey, Mellow.”

The stool beside me squeaked as a bright-yellow unicorn with a fiery yellow and orange mane sat down. I wanted to observe the pony who chose to sit beside somepony who was away from almost every pony in the bar. But I didn’t know Sunny. And I didn’t know what to say or do.

“How are you doing?” Mellow asked.

“I’m doing well. How goes the cutest little bartender?” My ear flicked. That was quite the comment, hearing Sunny say something very flirtatious. No. She and Mellow were most likely just friends who exchanged kind comments to one another.

“Sunny…” Mellow grumbled, “not in front of other ponies…”

I creased my brows, silently attempting to decipher the friendship of Sunny and Mellow. Perhaps Sunny was the pony in the friendship that gave a friendly tease here and there.

“Sorry. My bad. I forgot you like things a lot more alone and… intimate.”

“Sunny!”

“Mmhmm!” I laughed with my lips closed, unable to stop the comment from tickling my funny bone. Okay. Maybe they were more than friends. My reflection bounced off of one picture’s glass. It looked back at me with a furious blush stained on its face.

Little did I know, my simple reaction forced me into the mares’ conversation and their evening.

“Having a good listen?” I heard Sunny say. My spine stiffened. Was she talking to me? I wasn’t sure if she was but part of me hoped she did. Two ponies in a round picture frame I stared at looked past me, daring me to turn around. So I did.

I first looked at Mellow who was extremely flushed. Then I looked at the unicorn beside me who held fast a smile and stare that wanted to involve me in a discussion. Before I could get out a word, I saw the small details about Sunny. Several dark-yellow freckles spotted under her eyes. And a small, white flower was propped by her right ear. A thin, green shirt layered above her fur, adding a unique contrast to the unicorn.

“It’s a bit difficult to ignore what’s happening beside me,” I said. “Especially when I am more acquainted with the wall and pictures here who don’t talk back.”

Sunny giggled into her hoof, and her grin inflated. “It’s not every day you hear a mare flirt with another mare, now is it?” Mellow was a little aggressive with my drink as she pushed it toward me. She fled and went to tend to another customer down the bar.

“Maybe you went a little too far,” I said.

Sunny didn’t appear to have any remorse for what she did. “If you hadn’t noticed, Mellow is quite the shy mare. I still need to crack at her shell a few times before she can hatch herself. Otherwise, Mellow’s job will be a living nightmare.” Sunny rose a brow, “If I don’t help, imagine how she would behave if another pony starts flirting with her?”

I leaned forward a little to watch Mellow create another drink. The pegasus continued to stare down at it with the same flustered expression she bore when she made mine. “I can see what you mean. This is a very open environment after all.”

“Mmhmm!” Sunny nodded. The mare reached out a hoof to me and said, “I’m Sunny Day.”

I was not expecting Sunny to become acquainted with me so quickly. “I-I’m Copper C-Coin,” I stammered.

The same giggle as before echoed in my eardrums. “Are you related to Mellow? Because I can see very similar mannerisms between you to.”

Unlike her friend, I didn’t flee from Sunny. I took Sunny’s hoof to gave it a shake. “I’m nothing more than a stranger to her.”

Sunny pointed at my drink, “Well you better take a sip out of that drink of yours because I am gonna need you to help out my friend!”

My involvement with Mellow became apparent when the mare in question looked at Sunny with a furrowed brow. “But why me?” I asked. “I don’t know you or her.”

A curious Sunny Day hummed at me, her hazel eyes running over my everything. “You are oddly resistant. Is there a reason?”

Curious. Very curious, indeed. I never thought that my trip to Good Ol’ Fashion would involve me talking to anypony. And to top off my unique visit, a mare of all ponies chose me to help a friend of hers. I would have been content with exchanging a few words with a mare. But this far exceeded even my imagination.

I lifted my beverage and sipped at it a few times, its contents warming my breast. “I have a hard time opening up to ponies,” I admitted.

Sunny leaned toward me, her muzzle dangerously close to mine. “Well lucky for you, Copper, you came to the right place at the right time!” She looked at my drink again. “Why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself?”

As much as I didn’t mind talking to Sunny, there something I needed to ask. “Do you mind telling me what brought you here tonight first? I think I want to know you before I start talking about me.”

What was I saying? That’s not how a stallion reacts to a mare if she asks him about himself! My mind was about to fling an insult into my heart, but Sunny gave me no bitter looks and continued to smile. “I think that’s a fair exchange. But you better tell me something about yourself when I’m done explaining.”

Okay, good. She wasn’t upset with me. “Alright.”

Sunny returned her attention to Mellow. “I came tonight because I wanted to check up on Mellow. She’s the type of mare who easily caves under pressure even though Mellow is doing her best to get out of her comfort zone.”

“Does Mellow want to be a bartender?” I asked. “It doesn’t look like she is very comfortable here.”

“She doesn’t,” Sunny answered and her smile faltered. “Her special talent lies with cloud arrangement. Mellow recently moved here because things back in Cloudsdale were… complicated.” My investment in the story of Mellow Skies made me take a curious sip of alcohol. “I know a few pegasi myself, and they have told me how difficult signing up for the Canterlot Weather Patrol is. Thankfully, I met Mellow during a very amusing encounter that involved the sky falling.”

A joke conjured up in my mind, and I gave it a whirl. “Did Mellow drop in on you somehow?”

Sunny’s laughter confirmed that my humor was successful. “You can say that.”

Finished with tending to another customer, Mellow sheepishly approached Sunny and I. Her eyes glanced at my drink and then me. “H-how is your drink?”

I lifted the glass and sipped at it again, “It’s complimenting the story Sunny is telling me very nicely.”

“That’s good.” Mellow looked at something behind the counter while a smile grew on her. “What are… What are you two talking about?”

Sunny gasped dramatically and slapped a hoof on her chest. “Is the one and only Mellow Skies trying to open up to another pony other than myself?!”

“O-only because you are here…”

The held in air escaped Sunny as she sighed. “Mellow, you cannot rely on me all the time. You got to at least try to be just a tiny bit more open.” Sunny took her hoof and used it to point at me. “Just look at Copper here.” Sunny really liked involving me with her talks will Mellow. “He told me that he has a hard time opening up, but now look at him. Literally three sips into his drink and Copper is ready to talk with me.”

“I’m not that much of a lightweight,” I protested. “And it’s not the alcohol that is making me sit here and listen. I just… feel like talking to Sunny.” Even though you initiated the conversation.

“See?” Sunny leaned toward her friend. “Copper doesn’t need a pony to tell him to talk. He could have easily walked away when I spoke to him earlier. But here he is, being social.”

Both of Mellow’s ears fell back, and I couldn’t help but feel some pity for her. I thought I had a difficult time opening up to ponies. However, Mellow was on a much higher plane of shyness. She tried to add a few words, but a customer down the way called to Mellow, “Can I get a refill?”

“B-be right there!” Mellow hesitated, but her legs eventually took control and off she went.

I looked at Sunny, her muzzle aiming at the back of Mellow’s light-blue head. “You look very concerned for her,” I said. “And I can understand why.”

“I’m glad you do,” Sunny said. She spun around in her stool and returned to our talk. “I understand that some ponies have a difficult time getting out of her comfort zone, but I just feel helpless sometimes. I gave her everything to help, and yet, it doesn’t feel that I gave it my all.”

“What have you tried?”

“Let’s get back to the story about her and I,” Sunny said. “I can answer your question as I go along.”

Another trickle of alcohol ran down my throat. “Alright.”

“So… After Mellow dropped into my life, I learned about her circumstances after she finally managed to talk to me without saying ‘sorry’. She was living here in Canterlot for a week but was unable to get a position in the weather patrol because Mellow couldn’t stand in front of the interviewer before running out the door.”

“Ouch,” I muttered. My teeth nibbled down on my lower lip. “I’ve seen ponies do something similar at my job, but that usually involves a pony less experienced with standing in front of a group of ponies.” Back and forth Mellow went, frantically tending to the drinks she made. “She does work quickly from what I can see; she is very efficient.”

“I’ve told her that myself, but Mellow is too modest to believe that it will get her through an interview.” Sunny shook her head, “Anyways because she was running low on her savings, I helped her get this job.”

“How did she get through the interview process?” I asked.

“With my help.” Sunny’s regular smile returned. “Because I get around often, I know quite a bit of ponies and was able to be there for her. And to thank me, Mellow asked me on a date.”

“I would accommodate somepony if they helped me with something,” I said. “But I am curious about why you chose to get Mellow a job here.” I held up a hoof, “I don’t mean any offense, Sunny. It just seems that being a bartender isn’t the best for her.”

A sigh hissed from Sunny’s nostrils. “Hey, Mellow, can I get the usual?”

“Absolutely!” Mellow sang.

I was curious why Sunny was ordering a drink during our talk instead of earlier. Maybe she needed to loosen up her stresses. “ Sorry about that,” she said.

“It’s fine,” I nodded. “We all need an outlet sometimes.”

“And you are being quite the helpful pony,” Sunny winked. “Maybe I can, as you just said, ‘accommodate’ you later.”

My eyes widened and my heart fluttered by Sunny’s vague statement. And the convenient saxophone player on stage didn’t help. “A-aren’t you and Mellow dating?”

“Nope. We are very close friends now.” A giggle rumbled inside Sunny’s throat. “What are you suggesting? I could have just offered to pay for your drink.” Sunny watched me with amusement as I continued to search for words. While the mare studied me, I did the same to her. She was very back and forth with her behavior. Sunny would be flirty one moment, the next, she is bitterly concerned for her friend.

Despite our simple conversation, I couldn’t help but feel that I was playing a second game with Sunny; a mind game. And she was already delving deep into my head.

Mellow was quick to return to Sunny and I. The bartender kept glancing up at Sunny like she was her admired sister as Mellow quickly concocted the drink. “Would you like to have anything else tonight, Sunny?”

“Not right now.”

Mellow nodded and then looked to me. “Would you like an entree… Copper?”

The mention of my name made me smile. My ignored menu was leaned up against the wall. “I’ll need to look at what you got first.”

“Okay.” The pegasus flicked her tail when she hoofed Sunny her mug. “See! I can talk to others without help!”

“Aren’t you a big mare,” Sunny grinned. Mellow flushed as Sunny consumed half of her drink. A tongue ran across Sunny’s lips, a satisfying hum rumbled within her chest. “Just how I like it.”

“Hehe, thanks.” Mellow looked between us, searching for something to say. But work was more of a priority to her, and she was off again.

“I can see a good mare in her.” I took a much bigger mouthful of my beverage and swallowed it.

“She is.” Sunny placed down her finished mug. That was fast! The mare was quick to notice my admired stare. “You look surprised.”

“You just… finished that drink like it was nothing.”

“I feel like loosening up a little faster than usual.” Sunny gestured to the menu, “What do you feel like getting?”

“I’m not sure. Do you have a recommendation?”

A yellow veil swallowed the menu but it didn’t move. “May I show you?”

I moved myself to allow the laminated pamphlet room to fly. “You can.”

It fanned open and Sunny quickly found an item and pointed to it. “I got this the first time I came here. It may sound simple, but trust me, it goes great with a drink.”

At once, my mouth salivated when I caught sight of the photographed sandwich. I didn’t have to ask what it was. I knew exactly what the meal was. A thick cheese sandwich with avocado chunks and tomato slices was surrounded by a sea of potato wedges. “I think I know what I want.” I shook my head, “Pictures always make life choices so much easier.”

“I know, right?” Sunny said. “I just look and go, ‘Yeah, I’ll have that please!’ and that is that.” She closed the menu and placed it down.

“A picture speaks a thousand words,” I said. “That’s something I am reminded of at my job every single day.”

“What is it you do?” Sunny asked.

Before I answered her question, I remembered our previous talk and shook my head. “I’m a little left hanging from your story about Mellow Skies. Mind finishing that first and then I can tell you all about me?”

A yellow ear twitched and a half-smirk grew on Sunny. “I can see why you have a hard time opening up to ponies; you just ask questions without giving insight about yourself.”

The jab made me swing back at myself. “I know everything there is about me. Why else would I want to learn more about Sunny and her friend?”

Sunny’s smirk grew wider. “Does Copper know he is cute?”

Her question punched me in the heart. “I- I… Y-you… think I am?”

“Oh?” The yellow mare straightened herself. “I thought you said you knew everything about Copper Coin.” Sunny’s grin nearly touched her eyes. “Maybe there are some things you don’t know about yourself.”

I was still stuck on her cute comment. “Why do you think I am cute?”

An evil chuckle seeped through Sunny’s teeth. “I thought you wanted to hear my story about Mellow and I before we talked about yourself.”

“You-” I played right into her trap and had my ears consumed with Sunny’s laughter. I couldn’t help but join in with her. Still, it was an interesting thought. To think that there are things I don’t know about myself. Then again, Sunny complimented me with subjective opinion. Well… it may be true. I just didn’t feel cute. Or handsome.

Concluded with our exchange of laughter, Sunny continued to prod at me. “Since you are so invested in my relationship with Mellow, remind me where we last left off.”

I rolled my eyes as I pondered what was discussed before. “Let’s see… You got Mellow this job… She asked you on a date as a thank you… And-”

It wasn’t my intention to ruin the mood, but I did want to learn. And my yearning for backstory might affect Sunny’s evening and overall good attitude. “I was curious why you got Mellow this job even though she looks very uncomfortable here.”

Sunny swallowed something in her throat. She played with the empty mug, pushing it back and forth. “It was all I could do…” Sunny answered. “And I wish I could do more…”

I finished my glass, the alcohol burning my heart as it ran toward my stomach. “I didn’t mean to ruin the mood.”

“It’s fine,” Sunny said. She looked at Modest at the far end of the bar and I did in turn. “I sometimes don’t feel like I gave her enough. Even though she and I are great friends and the date we had was great, I still feel like I have not done everything yet. I feel helpless. And I don’t want to feel like this. I want to feel like… like I did the best I could.”

The salt from the rim of my glass caked my lips. The flavor was strong as I licked it off. What do I say? I noticed Sunny’s ears were as far back as they could bend. What can I do? The same helplessness she was probably feeling started to bleed its venom into my system. To combat it, I asked, “Have you asked Mellow if she feels that you have done all you could to help?”

“Yes.”

I plunged deeper into my mind, hoping I could find something to assist not just Sunny, but also Mellow. If Sunny felt like she hasn’t done all she could- No. There was still something that could be done. But that involved another pony. “Remember when you told me earlier you were going to use me to help your friend? Did you actually mean that?”

Sunny gasped and looked at me like I was a prized jewel. “I did say that, didn’t I?” Her mouth twitched. “You know, I forgot about me saying that. To be honest, I was hoping to get her to open up to somepony so she can acquire another friend.” She looked past me, her eyes scanning the pictures on the wall. “Heh… hehehe.” Sunny gave me a smile that warmed my mood. “I think you will do Mellow nicely.”

“Wh-What do you mean by that?” I heard Mellow say. Sunny and I turned our attention to the flushed and embarrassed mare who spectated us. “What do you mean ‘do me nicely?’”

When I caught onto what was on Mellow’s mind, I also blushed. However, Sunny used the opportunity to be suggestive, “I mean he can do nice things I couldn’t, so use your imagination.”