Renovation of the Heart

A lazy yawn escaped Moondancer’s maw as she relaxed on an outdoor plaza bench. She wiped away the tears that formed in the corner of her eyes and smacked her lips. Garbed in a sweater and scarf she bore the elements as best she could. Her only comfort in that moment lied with the cup of coffee that she bought from one of the neighboring cafes. Anytime she felt exhaustion set in she took a small sip of the roiling liquid, filling her belly with a pleasant warmth.

Princess Celestia, in all her glory, had blessed the city of Canterlot with another sunny sky without a single cloud marring that wide blue canvas. In that late morning, creatures of all sorts were already milling around for one reason or another. Whether that entailed couples going out on a date, shopping, a family outing or even procrastinators catching up on errands; the city was bustling with life.

This was the second day in a row that she awoke under such tentative circumstances, and try as she might, Moondancer was a night owl through and through. Already she cursed herself for waking this early-- relative to her at least. But it was better this way. She didn’t want to impede on Minuette’s day any more than necessary.

Quickly growing bored, she took to people watching as she waited for her company to arrive. Moondancer felt that sometimes it was nice to turn off her brain and meld into the picture instead of acting as an interloper.

Shops of all types eagerly displayed their wares to any passerby and occasionally some would stop to peruse their goods. Children whizzed about in excitement of anything that sparked their interests but never orbiting farther than their parent’s gravitational pull. She glanced about until a family in particular had caught her eye.

A filly-- no older than perhaps seven or eight-- was wailing as she clutched her scuffed knee. A stallion, most likely the father, patted the child’s head brushing the mane from her eyes while what was probably the mother took a look at the limb. Even from where she was sitting, Moondancer could tell that it wasn’t that bad all things considered, but to the child it was probably agony.

The mother gently wiped the wound with a cloth and applied a Band-Aid she procured from her bags. She said something-- that was inaudible to Moondancer— which brought a smile to the foal and then kissed the bandage. Just like magic the child sprung back up with a renewed vigor in their step as they pranced about. The mother encompassed the child in a hug, the father chuckled and then the three of them went off to wherever it was they willed. Moondancer looked on as they turned a corner and that was the end of her glimpse into their lives.

She didn’t know why exactly, but when she thought on about the family, Moondancer felt a tightness in her chest. But, before she could dwell too much on this matter, a voice dispelled her from her thoughts.

“Keep up, slowpoke!”

Moondancer turned towards the disturbance. Trotting at a breakneck speed towards her with a stallion straggling in tow, was her friend Minuette. The stallion wheezing for air like a fish out of water was her coltfriend, Abacus.

“M-M-Minuette,” he panted after her. “Please, slow down!”

Abacus was a unicorn stallion with an earthy green coat and a neatly trimmed black mane. A wiry and thin thing even amongst unicorns. Moondancer mused he had a few blessings at least. Although he lacked the musculature that many others had, he was easily a head taller than most other ponies. A pair of glasses adorned his face, and you could just barely make out the cutie mark of his namesake, covered up by his sweater.

Minuette slowed with a controlled ease to a stop in front of Moondancer. Taking a look at her, Moondancer noted that not a trace of exhaustion marred her face nor did a bead of sweat pour from her brow. Although she was dressed in a heavy sweater, Minuette looked quite comfortable after her little bout of exercise. Abacus, on the other hand, was huffing and puffing from fatigue, inhaling lungs full of air as he caught up to the two mares.

“See, that wasn’t so bad!” Minuette said as she pranced around the stallion. “Nothing like a little exercise in the morning to get the blood flowing.”

“Easy… for you… to say,” Abacus gasped.

Minuette rubbed his back with a grin. “There, there, none of that sore loser talk. You refuse to go jogging with me, lazybones, and now it’s biting you in the flank. We really need to work on your cardio.”

“Well if I ever need to get in shape for a race I’ll implore you for some training.”

“Well, for that, and for… ” The mare leaned in close to the stallion’s ear and whispered something that made his eyes shrink while his face exploded with a red blush.

“M-m-minie!”

“That’s my price!” Minuette wrapped a foreleg around Abacus’s neck and nuzzled into him. She giggled and snorted as she riled up her stallion.

I’m right here, you know? Moondancer thought. By how Abacus was acting she didn’t want to press for what exactly that ‘price’ was. She could probably garner a guess, but better to let sleeping dogs lie.

With a hoof in front of her mouth she cleared her throat to catch their attention. Their ears both perked up and they seemed to finally register her presence. “Good morning to you, both.”

Abacus sifted on unsteady hooves. “Hey… Moondancer. Good to see you,” he choked out.

Minuette seemed rather nonplussed and returned the gesture. “Hiya, Moonie! Sorry about being late. We slept through the alarm on accident. You didn’t wait long, did ya?”

“No, not at all,” Moondancer said. “I just appreciate you taking time out of your day for me. I know that Sunday’s are when you like to spend time with each other.”

Before Minuette pulled away from Abacus she ruffled the stallion’s mane with a chortle. “Oh, don’t worry about it, you’re not butting in on us. Besides, we’ve been meaning to go to shop around for house stuff anyways.”

Abacus stuck his tongue out in concentration as he tried and failed to style his mane back. “It’s no problem, Moondancer. In fact I’ve wanted to replace the tile in the bathroom forever. I absolutely abhor that tacky pattern.”

“It’s so cute though!” Minuette responded, looking to Moondancer with wide, pleading eyes. “You’ve seen it, Moondancer. How could anypony hate ducks in rain boots?”

“Minie, nopony hates the ducks,” Abacus replied. “I just want to be able to use the restroom in peace without the feeling of those beady black eyes trained on me; it’s unnerving”

Moondancer could empathize with him. Their bathroom was lavish compared to her own shabby facilities, but the walls had eyes. And when you stared long enough into the abyss…

“Honestly, it’s a little garish,” Moondancer said as she hopped off the bench. “Shaking it up would a nice change of pace, I think.”

“Guh, don’t be such a spoilsport, Moondancer,” Minuette crossed her forelegs in front of her and pouted.

“See!” Abacus said. “I’m not the only one who thinks so. Oh, we can look at all those designs that I showed you from the Chic Modern Home magazine. Doesn’t that sound exciting?” His hooves trotted in place.

“I take it back,” Minuette droned. “You’re both no fun!”

The mare sulked and turned her nose up at the two of them. Abacus chuckled as he nudged his marefriend, her mock anger only egging him on to prod and poke at her sides. He cooed her name whenever Minuette cracked open an eye in his direction but she quickly turned away in a huff. It was all for naught as Moondancer could see the mare’s cheeks threatening to split into a grin.

“Don’t be so glum,” Moondancer said. “Just think, you can use all the animal motifs that you want when you have a child. Really just go to town on that foal’s room, you know?”

Abacus ceased his teasing and fidgeted in place. “F-f-foals?! Well, m-maybe one day.” He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s way off in the future though. We’re too young for that type of stuff, r-right, Minie?”

Minuette didn’t comment, instead opting to look on warmly at her sputtering coltfriend, a smile radiating on her face. She leaned in close to Abacus who looked as though he would jerk back from the sudden invasion of his personal space. But, before he could muster a word, the mare gave him a small peck on the cheek. Minuette giggled and pranced away from the dumbstruck stallion as he held a hoof on the spot where her lips had dwelled.

“C’mon, daylights burning,” Minuette exclaimed. “Let’s check out all the decoration stuff!” She then strode over to the store across the plaza with some pep in her step.

Abacus dumbly nodded his head, lost in a stupor. Moondancer rolled her eyes and went the stallion’s side, bumping him with her hip. “C’mon, lover colt. You heard the mare, daylights burning.”

“Uh, yes. Right, right,” Abacus said. “Hey! Wait up, Minuette.” Like a puppy, he chased after the mare leaving Moondancer to play catch up. But she didn’t mind.

Their encounters always devolved like this. Minuette had loved to tease Abacus ever since they were teenagers. She wore her emotions on her sleeve and constantly showered him with affection. Moondancer would have thought Abacus would ask for her to tone it down as they got older, but he never did. No matter how embarrassed the mare made the stallion feel, he bore it with a smile.

Moondancer downed the remnants of her coffee, the heat filling her chest as it slid down her gullet. The cup was then tossed into the garbage can across from the bench with magic. The two had quickly disappeared into the shop so she decided it best to follow their lead.

She waltzed over to the door and pushed it open. The pungent scent of freshly cut wood was thick in the air. The building housed many different aisles that stretched on for quite some ways. Housewares of all sorts were on display, neatly lined up to entice customers. Paint and carpet samples were organized in thick catalogue binders. A vast array of tools were hanging on the walls for sale. Wood, metal, pipes, nuts and washers. The store had it all.

For the most part, customers meandered around. There were a few couples debating their house décor options with one another. However, there were just as many creatures that looked at a loss as they fervently searched the aisles. Moondancer wasn’t there to window shop and had little desire to dilly dally. She was going to try and acquire a fridge and just be done with it.

Let’s get this over with, Moondancer thought. She could see that her friends were already talking with one of the employees and walked over to them.

Near one of the displays, Minuette and Abacus were conversing with a unicorn pony garbed in a yellow employee vest. Abacus seemed to be trying to make small talk with relatively small success as the mare looked on with disinterest. What held Moondancer’s attention though was the mare’s small resemblance to herself.

A red mane with stripes of purple interwoven together, melding and styled in a loose ponytail. Her coat was even a soft cream color, but that’s where the similarities seemed to end.

Underneath the cloth vest it was apparent that the mare was quite fit. Her build was sleek and toned from apparent exercise compared to Moondancer’s own pudgy form. A sharp face. Striking emerald green eyes that seemed to pierce through you. Barbell piercings on her ears. And lastly, her cutie mark was of an aurora borealis. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror.

“So, we were looking for bathroom tiles,” Ababcus said. “Something modern and sleek. Perhaps in a smoky gray or manila. Bold and daring if you will.” He rubbed his chin with a hoof. “We could even go for some cross patterns if you have them. Do you have anything like that?”

“Something bright and cheerful,” Minuette added. “Nothing too gaudy though, please.”

The employee pointed her hoof to a nearby binder resting upon a table. ”Stuffs in the book. Go crazy,” she said, her voice dead and flat.

“Uh… great,” Abacus weakly chuckled. “Great.” He looked to Minuette who raised an eyebrow.

“So, like, was there anything else you needed?” the employee asked.

“Well, can you tell us what the popular options at your store are? Try and see if we like what’s tried and true.”

“Wouldn’t know,” she shrugged, taking that as her cue to leave.

Abacus stopped her, then squinted as he read the print on her nametag aloud. “Aurora, is it?”

The mare sighed and rolled her eyes. “Far as I know.” It seemed to Moondancer that the mare wanted to be anywhere else in that moment.

Wait, it couldn’t be. Moondancer thought. There’s no way right? I mean… what would be the odds? She stood at Minuette’s side as she tried to ponder the matter further.

The two certainly sounded similar but that could be chalked up to as a trick of the ear. It didn’t help matters that the one in the stall was busy emptying their guts out when Moondancer heard her voice. Most likely just a coincidence.

Undeterred by the mare’s bluntness, Abacus continued. “Any… recommendations?”

“Nope. All the tiles we have are listed in the book… sir.” Aurora raised a hoof to inspect the watch strapped to her foreleg. “Well golly, look at that. I’ve run all out of time for questions.”

“B-but, I…” Before Abacus was able to continue the mare walked right past the three of them. She didn’t even bother sparring a glance to Moondancer.

Minuette starred after the mare as she disappeared further into the building. Her nostrils flared, the fur on her chest bloomed her sweater outward, and her hooves trotted anxiously in place. “Wow, what a jerk!”

Abacus offered a small consolation, patting her shoulder. “There, there, it’s okay Minie.”

“Relax, don’t want to pop a blood vessel do you?” Moondancer asked. Minuette frowned at her friend’s remark and clicked her tongue. “Besides, it’s no reason to let it ruin your day.”

Abacus nodded in agreement. “Can’t go hating every single pony that has an attitude. No reason to get upset; odds are you’ll never see that pony again for the rest of your life.”

“Abacus, you’re just too nice to ponies,” Minuette said, shaking her head. “Sometimes, you gotta put your hoof down or else they’ll just walk all over you.”

“I know, but it’s no use getting all riled up. Maybe I’m so forgiving because at the end of the day, I get to come back home to the prettiest mare there is,” Abacus said, nuzzling into her neck. “I remember that, and all my worries seem to just melt away.”

A blush crept over Minuette as she returned his gesture. Her tail rapidly swished back and forth behind her as she playfully kicked at the floor.

Wow, that was easy. Moondancer thought. Gotta give him some credit, at least. She may wear the pants but he knows how to handle her.

“B-but really, who talks to ponies like that?” Minuette asked. “That, that…”

“Fucking bitch?” Moondancer said with a small grin on her face.

“Yeah!” Minuette exclaimed.

After a moment to think, Abacus tilted his head. “I’m unfamiliar with the phrase.”

“The words are used to describe someone who’s ‘rude or downright insufferable,’ ” Moondacer replied. “Picked it up from, Greg.”

“Well I like it! That hooman has all sorts of colorful phrases,” Minuette said.

“It’s by no means meant to be used when you’re with proper company,” Moondancer said, moving to close the binder shut. “But I don’t think he cares about stuff like that to be honest. He seemed much too irreverent.”

“Really? Greg is always really nice when I talk to him. Well… when I get him to talk at all that is.” Abacus shrugged. “Curt, in a sort of way.”

“You’re not entirely wrong, I suppose.”

After their time together it was hard to imagine Greg acting in any way polite. The human was very vocal and adamant about poking fun at her when it was just the two of them in that alleyway. Thinking back to when Greg had first arrived at their table, his demeanor was quite different.

The man was polite, but it was a rigid and practiced sort. As though every word he used was picked with a deliberate effort to be distant, yet courteous. Moondancer had picked up on this but dismissed it as a sort of work place professionalism. Greg was, supposedly, on break and was helping escort mares back home when he let his thought run free.

Whatever the case, the man was entitled to his privacy. She didn’t want to intrude on him anymore than she had after her questions had put him in a sullen mood.

“So… you and Greg, huh?” Abacus asked.

Moondancer shook her head. “Ugh, you sound just like Lemon Hearts.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Abacus laughed. “Just couldn’t help myself.”

“What bugs me the most,” Minuette said, “is how much she looked like Moondancer.”

“Right?!” Abacus said. “It was so weird hearing a different voice from what I was expecting.”

“Moondancer, you should style your mane back into a tail. You could definitely pull off the look pretty well.”

“I suppose we did look a tad alike,” Moondancer slowly stated. “However, the similarities were merely superficial. Her build was much more athletic and lacked the… opulence that my body seems to have.”

“Guys like ‘em thick, Moondancer,” Minuette said, patting her friends’ sides. “Just ask Abacus.” The stallion averted his eyes and cleared out his throat with a cough.

“Perhaps.” Moondancer shrugged off the mares hoof. “In any case, I need to check out the refrigerators. I’ll just look around for a bit so you two can have some time to peruse those tiles. We can meet up again in, say, an hour or so. That sound good?”

“Are you sure about that?” Minuette asked. “We don’t mind giving you a hoof for a bit.”

Moondancer gave a dismissive wave. “I’m certain. Twinkleshine helped me narrow down the choices already so I’ll mostly just be looking at a few of them really. If I need any help or have any questions I can always just track you guys down later.”

“Well… alright,” Minuette said, a small frown on her face. “Just give a holler if you need us then.”

“I will.” Moondancer gave a nod to the two of them and wandered further into the store.

Moondancer could see Minuette staring after her from the corner of her eye as before she changed aisles. I guess she still feels a twinge of guilt still. Nothing can be done about that. Guess she can assuage her fears with my lunch then.

Moondancer wandered the linoleum floors in search of what she desired. A glance at the hanging signs let her know that what she sought was a few aisles away. She waded past the employees and creatures that occupied the lanes until she arrived in of the more spacious areas she had seen so far.

The open area was lined up with different appliances that were otherwise too bulky for normal display purposes. Refrigerators of various colors and design stood in unison like many columns while washers and dryers followed suit in their own respective lines. There were a few people inspecting the wares but it was relatively empty. These machines weren’t cheap so that was to be expected. Already, Moondancer could feel her wallet lighten up.

“Outrageous!” a voice cried out. “Truly outrageous.”

Moondancer’s ears perked up in the direction of the noise. It was so familiar, yet Moondancer couldn’t remember where she had heard it before. The disturbance seemed to be coming from the aisle parallel to her. She strode to see what the commotion was about only to be left speechless.

The human, Greg, stood--with his back to Moondancer-- next to a blue earth pony with a frown on his face. The employee seemed befuddled as he tried to calm this giant which laughably towered over him.

Greg wore the same coat that she had seen him use before, with a white shirt poking out underneath, and accompanied by a pair of gray slacks. He seemed much the same despite his change of attire. Perhaps more relaxed? Less stiff in his movements in any case. It was hard to say with him.

“I’m being robbed. Robbed, I say!” Greg declared.

“Sir,” the stallion droned, “please, calm down. This is not a swap meet. You can’t barter for a lower price or get the item separate; it comes as a set.”

“I don’t need seven rolls of plumbers tape though. I just want the one. Look, I’ll give you three quarters of the sales price and not a single bit more.”

The stallion didn’t budge and his resolve was clear. Moondancer held her distance, completely in shock to see the man again so soon.

“Oh, an opportunist I see,” Greg said. “Alright, alright, you drive a hard bargain.” Leaning close to the pony with a hand covering his mouth- and in a horrible attempt at a whisper- he continued. “I see how it is. You wanted something for your trouble. How’s about we go back to half price and I give you a little coin; your finder’s fee of course.”

“Buck off, weirdo.” The stallion huffed and strode off down the aisle.

“C’mon now, it was very reasonable!” Greg said, twirling around to chase after the stallion before he disappeared. “Please, reconsider. I admit I lowballed you!”

What an idiot. Moondancer thought. Does he have no shame?

She couldn’t fathom why he would he was so adamant on making a scene either after being rebuked. The man was already a spectacle wherever he went so maybe the point was moot. Still, despite his little show, she wanted to ask for his help.

But, perhaps now was not a good time. Moondancer felt she would be more comfortable ironing out the deal without onlookers gawking at the two of them. That and that she was still a little peeved at the man for trash talking her home. She felt that she should stew for a few more days on the matter before letting him off the hook so easy.

With that decided, Moondancer ambled over to the closest refrigerator, to gage the wares. Before she could even look of her own accord however, she made a fatal mistake. She made eye contact with the employee supervising the area. The vested mare quickly noticed Moondancer’s presence and hopped over to her.

“Hello, there miss!” she exclaimed. “My name is Beam Balance and is there anything I can help you with today?”

“Just looking for now, thanks,” Moondancer said, shaking her head.

Despite Moondancer’s words, the mare continued. “Just to let you know we have an incredible offer going on this month for any club members.” Moondancer made no inquiries about what that was but still the mare went on. “A seven percent discount when you purchase any home appliances over five hundred bits. Now that’s some serious savings, right?”

Moondancer sighed. “That sounds… nice. But, no thank you.” This mare cannot take a hint.

“Saving bits is more than nice; it’s smart. And you look like quite an intelligent mare, miss,” Beam Balance said, standing on her hind legs and leaning on one of the fridges with a hoof. “Let me ask you a question. If you saw some money on the ground, would you pick it up? “

“I-,” Moondancer began.

“We’re basically giving our club members the same chance! We give back to you, the customers, with every purchase, but you must act quickly. It’s an opportunity that’s only available for a few more days, so take advantage of this incredible offer while you can.”

“Really, I’m not interested,” Moondancer said flatly. “I am however interested in purchasing one of these refrigerators.”

“That’s great! Do you have any brand in mind? Or were you looking to browse a tad? I’d be happy to help you with any and all questions regarding the great deals we have here.”

“Well, a friend of mine recently bought one here not too long ago as well.”

“That’s great! And might I say, what great taste they have.”

“Right…” Moondancer said, pulling some pieces of paper from her bag. She levitated the sheets in front of the mare who deftly plucked them from the air. “Anyways, like I said, my friend recently made a purchase with you guys and I was looking to get the same deal.”

“You really did your homework, I see. Great initiative for smart buyers. Deals and low costs are what we pride ourselves on after all, but why not sweeten the pot with an additional seven percent off your purchase? It would only take a minute to sign up with our club member service.”

“No… I’m fine. Thank you.”

Beam Balance shrugged and took a glance at the paperwork. As her eyes glossed over the text, her painted smile slowly dipped into a tight line.

“So, what can you do for me then?” Moondancer asked.

“…Just for curiosities sake, what was your friend’s name?”

“Oh, it was Twinkleshine.”

“Unicorn mare?” Beam Balance tersely asked. “White coat, pink mane and a cutie mark of three stars?”

“Uh… Yes?” Moondancer slowly said.

“Tch, that friggin mare.” She tossed the packet of papers atop a nearby washing machine and sneered.

“What? I—,”

“These deals are all wrong you see. Your friend may have given you some misleading information and I hate that I can’t help you with your purchase miss. Darn, that sure is a bluster on our part.”

“I was assured that this was valid for a few more weeks,” Moondancer said, pointing to a highlighted passage. “Look, it says right here that these two sales can be combined since restrictions were not placed. The-”

“Well, your friend was wrong,” she interrupted.

Moondancer was warned that something like this might happen. The mare was obviously stonewalling her and was not going to budge. The store had carried over their holiday sales, but also price matched with competitors. Nowhere in their store policy did it say that the starting price had to initially come from their own store before discounts were applied. Twinkleshine immediately took advantage of this loophole of course to suit her needs, but it seemed that she had to fight extensively for it.

Would a confrontation really be inevitable? No, it would be better to just wait and find some store manager later, she decided. Perhaps she could find one that wasn’t so… manic. Besides, it wasn’t like she had settled on which appliance she was going to purchase yet. There was still time to browse around.

“Thank you for your time. I think I’ll take a moment to peruse your wares some more before I make any financial decisions.”

“Great, sorry that it ended up this way! Would you perhaps now be interested in saving—,”

“I’m sure,” Moondancer interrupted, pocketing the forms of paper back into her bags.

“Well, if you’re sure that you don’t want to help your wallet out,” the mare trailed off. Gone was the helpful, saccharine employee it seemed. “Was there anything that I could help you out with then?”

“No,” Moondancer rolled her eyes.

“I’ll be out and about if you need me then,” she said with a lack of pep. “Just give a shout-- or whatever.” With her sales pitch concluded the mare went back to looking around. In no time at all she spotted a couple, and like a lion, stalked towards her new prey.

Moondancer didn’t even have it in her to be mad at the mare. It was annoying, yes, but she was only doing her job. The mare’s act was preferable to what she had encountered earlier with Aurora at the very least. Until the end there, anyways.

And so, finally a moment to herself, Moondancer could look in peace.

After much deliberation, Moondancer was able to narrow her choices down to just two. Both refrigerators were modern and sleek, with all the bells and whistles that one could expect with such. Made of stainless steel, with the capabilities of dispensing water and creating ice, while a tad bigger than her old one to boot. As far as she could tell the only difference between them lied with their external design and how they opened. One had side by side doors, while the other was over and under.

Each appliance looked quite fetching.

Does it really matter? It really didn’t if Moondancer was being honest with herself. This was a utilitarian purchase and was supposed to be guided as such within those parameters. She was hardly concerned with aesthetics in the first place, and that hadn’t changed, but she felt that she should be. To take an interest in something beyond its described practicality; to care.

Moondancer looked back and forth between the two blocks of metal until finally settling on one. She intently eyed her own form in the shiny metal surface.

The bags under her eyes were noticeable despite the imperfect reflection; the result of many sleepless nights dwelling on her research. Her mane was shaggy, the overgrown bangs pulled up out of her eyes with the aid of a scrunchie. The black sweater was ragged with age as strings poked out here and there. She felt like a mess.

Moondancer had secluded herself in the past, and reconciled with her friends and loved ones for it. But she had forgotten herself and had fallen back to old habits. This time though, she couldn’t lay the fault at anyone else but herself. She felt like she had climbed out of a hole only to jump headfirst back into it. Her stomach sank.

Moondancer ripped her gaze away and plucked a watch from her bag. A quick look let her know that she still had another five minutes left. A little early, but Moondancer didn’t want to be left alone with these thoughts. Not when she could help it. After pocketing her watch she began the trek back to where she had last left her companions.

It was simple enough as Moondancer traced her way back through the store. At the last divider she rounded the corner of the aisle and there her friends were, exactly as she had left them.

Minuette, Moondancer could see, was sifting through one of the binders. Abacus, standing a good height above Minuette, nestled his chin atop her head as the two of them eagerly discussed the selections of tiles. Moondancer strode over to them from a distance, but could still make out the tail end of their conversation.

“What about this one?” Abacus pointed at one of the pictures. “A nice smoky gray looks good right?”

“Eh, it’s okay; not very vibrant though,” Minuette answered. “How about something with more color?”

Abacus flipped to the next page of the sample binder. “Like this one?”

“No way.” She adjusted her stance to give it closer scrutiny. “I didn’t even think that they made bathroom tiles in that shade of yellow. It’s like some kind of murky, urine color.”

“Eww, gross!” Abacus teased. “Maybe your pee looks like that.”

“You sure about that? The toilet rim tells quite a different story, buddy.”

“Hey, I’m a good colt; I eat healthy. I drink my water and eat my veggies, thank you very much.”

“We eat the same stuff, doofus, you can’t lie. This is an asparagus household so be proud of your stinky, yellow pee. Assert your dominance!” Minuette giggled and tilted her head back, mindful of her horn, to nuzzle into him. Abacus gave the top of her head a quick kiss before returning the gesture.

Again, Moondancer felt that twinge. All too quickly she lost her eagerness and her pace crawled to a halt. They couldn’t see her from their angle as she lingered back. Moondancer raised a hoof and opened her mouth, but not a sound was uttered. She let the limb fall before she slunk back and retreated towards the way she came, her friends none the wiser.

They seem so happy, Moondancer thought. Minuette and Abacus were not shy in displaying their affection as the two draped over one another in an intimacy that only lovers could share.

Lemon Hearts had a point that Moondancer was loath to admit. Moondancer hated it. She hated this feeling of animosity towards her friend. She was jealous of Minuette. More and more Moondancer could feel that emptiness bubble up.

She figured that it would be better to try and clear her head despite her distaste to being alone. In an illogical sense, it wouldn’t be fair to burden them. Surely, it was preposterous to even conceive that notion, but all the same, Moondancer couldn’t help thinking it.

She didn’t know where she was going, she just needed to go. To keep herself occupied until she had calmed down and could collect herself. Moondancer looked at any wares she passed but nothing really kept her attention. Her path was aimless.

Colors that were once vibrant had become dull in her eyes. The saturation had been leeched away without her noticing; becoming lifeless. The cacophony of noise-- that had at once been impossible to ignore-- ranging from passing conversations, to the clattering of goods, and even the pattering from hooves to paws and to claws, felt muted.

She was all alone in the aisle like a ship lost at sea desperately in search of harbor. Like a raging storm ready to swallow her whole, sending her spiraling into the abyss. Emotions unbeknownst to Moondancer swelled within and threatened to consume her.

When she was younger it was easier to dismiss these feelings as simple flights of fancy; the urges of a blossoming youth into maturity. Contained and left forgotten, it festered like an untreated wound.

Perhaps taking time off of work was a mistake. It gave Moondancer too much time for introspection that she was, admittedly, afraid to face. It was easy to put off this line of thinking when she could use the excuse of being “busy” or that it could be done tomorrow. But this was dangerous.

The girls were all there for Moondancer when she needed them most. But, it was hard to admit that something was amiss. Shedding that calloused exterior and baring one’s soul before others in hopes of understanding, and perhaps, mending. But, she didn’t have any real problems to vent. None that she thought of as anyways.

Moondancer had a loving family and supportive friends, a job that she enjoys, and her home- while in need of repairs- was nice and cozy. She had basically everything that one could desire. Now, seeing Minuette with her coltfriend Abacus, it was slowly coming together.

She was alone. Alone, despite being surrounded by friends. A complete oxymoron. Even when Moondancer was with the people that she cared for the most she felt an isolation of sorts that she couldn’t shake off. Tendrils that threatened to suffocate her.

Freedom at the cost of having little to tether her down.

Her heart was thundering in her chest and she shuddered with her every breath; a cold sweat running down her body. Quiet as the night, a dull ringing had slowly transformed into a roar that overtook her. Moondancer clutched her chest with a hoof as she tried and failed to catch her breath.

She halted and leaned against a shelf. Her cheek smooshed against the cool aluminum while her glasses became askew upon her face. The world was closing in around Moondancer. She couldn’t breathe. She labored for a breath with short, rapid intakes of air that did nothing to fill her lungs. Moondancer’s vision was quickly tunneling to black.

Moondancer’s mind was running blank as she rounded the next aisle with a few shaky steps—and to her surprise- straight into Greg. While the human seemed to barely register the impact, Moondancer tumbled to the ground landing right onto her plot, the force knocking the spectacles off her face.

“Woah, sorry about that,” Greg said, followed by a weak chuckle. “Here, let me… Oh it’s you, Moondancer! You gave me a scare there. Guess I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going, huh? Didn’t expect to see you again so soon, though.”

She blinked, broken from her trance as she stared at the floor. A bead of sweat cascaded from her brow, splashing down onto the linoleum. She took a deep breath and exhaled, repeating the action again and again until she could control her heartbeat once more.

Moondancer shakily retrieved her glasses off the floor and placed them back onto their proper place upon her face.

“You need a hand there, chief?” Greg asked, stretching his arm out toward Moondancer.

“I… um,” Moondancer whimpered. She averted her eyes from the human’s like a child being scolded before a parent.

“I know, I know. Hoof. Hand. Same difference.”

She chewed her bottom lip and held steady in her silence.

“Hmm? Why so quiet on me?” Greg asked. “You were quick with the sass last I saw you.”

Today was a mistake, Moondacer thought. I should have come here on my own. Nopony needs to see me like this. Why did I even bother to…?

“Hey now,” Greg said, mirth in his voice, “you’re not stalking me, are you?”

Moondancer’s eyes widened as she jumped back up to her hooves. “What?! No!”

“Now, now, you don’t have to deny it. I am quite the catch if I do say so myself.”

Moondancer scoffed. “I have done nothing of the sort you, you--” Before she could finish her thought, Greg continued.

“You handsome devil? Yes, I have been known as such. Ah, from just a single chance meeting, I have stolen yet another maiden’s innocent heart it seems.”

Moondancer growled and pushed past the human, distancing herself from his taunting, but the man quickly followed her; his boasts growing ever louder as he dogged at her heels.

“Love at first sight--but alas-- I cannot return your feelings, my lady. For it would be cruel to the others if I were to become spoken for.” Greg raced ahead of Moondancer and gave a twirl followed by a small bow for dramatic flourish.

Passerby’s gave the man funny looks after his tirade but he seemed uncaring of their dispositions. Moondancer didn’t say much of anything and just grunted in response.

He popped one eye open to peek at her, perhaps expecting a smirk or a smile, but was instead greeted by the sight of a downcast mare. Greg took a look at Moondancer- truly looked- and frowned. “Geeze, Moondancer, you look terrible. Are you doing okay?”

“Oh gee, thanks,” Moondancer growled, a tad bitterer than she had intended. “Who even asked, you prat?”

Greg held his hands out in front of his person in a placating manner. “I didn’t mean anything by my remarks. It was all in good fun.”

Moondancer scowled at him. “I’m not in the mood for what you would consider fun at the moment. Take your buffoonery up with someone else if you wish to play at being a clown.”

“Easy there, friend. I just wanted to say my hellos and such. No need for the hostilities.”

Moondancer slowly exhaled through her nose, counting down in her head to regain her composure; what little she could muster anyways.

“Okay, sourpuss what are you doing here then?” Greg asked. “If you’re not stalking me that is?”

The human meant it to no offense of course. It was just the way he was from what Moondancer could gather. Playfully prodding at others in a verbal bout to get a rise out of them. Perhaps in different circumstances it would be endearing. Now, however, it was grating on her nerves.

“I have a life that revolves perfectly well without thoughts fixating on the likes of you, thank you very much,” Moondancer said. “It just so happened that a home appliance of mine has unfortunately ceased functioning. If I had known that I would be pestered so much today I wouldn’t have bothered coming in at all.”

For a split second the man’s grin dipped before returning to normal. “C’mon you’re not still mad about the other day are you?” he asked. “Remember, you said that you forgave me. No take backs.”

“Ah, yes. I had forgotten the playground set of rules that govern your person. Makes it easy to forget because of your size. Yet still, you carry on with that child-like naiveté that one would presume could be indicative of your mental capacity. Vacuous and dull-witted.”

“Geeze, you’re gonna make me blush with all these compliments.”

Moondancer stomped a hoof to the floor. “They weren’t compliments!”

Greg patted the mare atop her head and chuckled as she clenched her eyes shut, suffering the indignity in silence. “I can garner a guess what some of those words probably meant.”

Moondancer batted the man’s arm away. “Ah, he finally understands. How very perceptive of you. I just wanted to complete my shopping relatively unmolested. That is until you came along and accosted me with your presence.”

Celestia, why am I like this? Moondancer thought. Where is this spite welling from? He was just checking if I was alright.

The human made no suggestion that he took offense at her remark. On the contrary, he looked thoughtful as though he was carefully mulling over his next words. Internally, Moondancer screamed at herself. Why was she like this? She didn’t want to be mean. She didn’t want to push others away. She didn’t want to be alone. Please. Please. Plea--

They stood there in silence until Greg finally crouched down in front of Moondancer, holding out his hand in front of her face, index finger outstretched. Moondancer raised an eyebrow but chose to hold steady. Then, with a surprisingly gentle tenderness, the man planted his digit right at the tip of her nose. “Boop.”

Moondancer’s face scrunched up and she went cross eyed to look upon the invasive appendage. He held it there for a time with that cocky grin of his as she squirmed in place. Moondancer frowned and recoiled away with a huff.

“Guh, that’s disgusting,” Moondancer said, wiping her face with her sleeve. “I don’t know where those hands have been!”

Greg nodded his head along. “Perhaps, but the face your kind makes is absolutely adorable when I do it.”

Moondancer’s face bloomed with crimson at his remark. “I-I-I am not adorable!”

“You ponies can deny it all you want, but you can’t change my mind.”

“What are you, a foal?”

“No, I’m a human, remember?” Greg shrugged and shook his head. “Honestly, I feel like we’ve been over this already.”

“You know what I meant!” Moondancer barked, a scowl on her face. Her nose twitched from where the human had touched her and she just barely resisted the urge to sneeze.

“Yeah, I know what you meant. Don’t get all bent out of shape from my lack of using your pony words.”

Moondancer darkly muttered.

Greg waved dismissively before stretching back to his full height. “To be fair, you were looking mighty boopable. It was quite soft, yet retained its firmness in all the right places for me to get a nice hold of you. The temptation was just too strong for me to resist.”

Moondancer frowned as she continued to paw at her snout. “You know, out of context that phrasing is sure to lead to all sorts of misunderstandings if others had heard.”

“My, oh, my. Now what is it that you think I could have possibly implied, Ms. Moondancer?”

Moondancer rolled her eyes. “Sexual innuendos are the lowest form of wordplay, Greg.”

“But also the most fun,” he said. “And how quickly your mind worked to fill in the blanks then to assume that’s what I could have possibly meant.”

Moondancer gave a swish of her tail in annoyance. “Am I wrong?”

“Not at all!” he said cheerfully. “So what are we shopping for?”

“We?”

“Well, the way I figured, we’ve engaged in enough verbal foreplay to comfortably take part in each other’s company, don’t you think?”

“That’s certainly one way to put it,” Moondancer said, the venom crumbling away from her voice. “Your presence isn’t as unbearable as it once was, I suppose.”

It was the truth. For whatever reason, she didn’t feel that sheer panic that had threatened to overwhelm her; it had inexplicitly disappeared.

She hadn’t sweat as much as she had initially believed either, but it seeped into her sweater and felt uncomfortable. Moondancer’s skin felt clammy under her fur and a tremor ran through her. A reminder that she had almost lost herself. But that was superficial and limited to her physical sensations.

Beyond the tangible, it was better to say that she couldn’t feel much of anything at that moment. An odd sense of peace resided within her; though that could most likely be chalked up as apathy. But perhaps that was just a false sense of ease; the eye of the storm as it were.

“Yes, yes. I’m the greatest human in all the land,” Greg said, waggling his eyebrows.

“You’re quite literally the only one, so the data pool might be a little skewed with bias. You’re certainly not without some charms I suppose- miniscule though they are.”

Greg grinned but it soon faded away as his tone turned somber. “Seriously though, I can take off if you want me to. I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or anything. Just say the word and I’ll leave you alone.”

His offer was tempting; very tempting. But, despite the bluster she put on about wanting to be left with her own company, the last thing she needed at that moment was to be left alone. Just the idea of such was enough to make her feel the onset of that anxiety again.

If there was one thing that Moondancer hated, it was being seen as weak. After the birthday fiasco her friends and family treated their interactions with great delicacy. Like they were walking on ice to reach her. Threatening to have her whole world collapse beneath her if they even made one misstep atop that frail surface.

She didn’t want to be viewed by her friends in that state. Least of all by Minuette. The mare would worry and fret over her friends like a mother would her own child. Greg wasn’t a friend—nor an acquaintance—and that was exactly what she needed at the moment. Someone that wouldn’t fuss over her, and whose judgment wouldn’t sting. It was the best she could hope for in any case.

Moondancer sighed and began her trek back to the fridge section of the store. She gave a quick glance over her shoulder and motioned for him to follow. Greg easily caught up with his longer legs and the two walked side by side in a comfortable rhythm.

“So, this appliance then…” Greg asked.

Without looking to the man she retorted, “I’m going to purchase a new refrigerator. The old one has, unfortunately, been made inoperable and is beyond salvageable. The last employee I spoke with was giving me the run around but enough time has passed that she should be gone or on her break at least. It gives me the opportunity to strike a bargain to talk with another.”

“Really, that hunk of junk? No way. What was wrong with it?”

“Yeah, yeah. The door was ripped clean off the thing. Can’t really use it the way it is now can I?”

“Wow, I didn’t realize you were such a small bundle of rage. Remind me to never get on your bad side.”

“Ha, ha. I’ll have you know that it was of no fault of mine. Minuette didn’t know that the door has been jamming as of late and yanked a tad too hard to open it.”

“I guess you can say she couldn’t keep her cool, huh?”

Moondancer kept her gaze forward, ignoring the man’s comment.

“Get it? Because of the fridge you see. It being cold and her cool acting as metaphor for her--,”

“Oh no, I got it. But when a pet is misbehaving, it’s best not to reward that behavior with attention and validation.”

“Bah, you’re no fun. At least do the polite thing and give a pity laugh.”

“Well, I do pity you. I can say that I did at least half of those things, which should suffice.”

“Only fifty percent?” Greg chided with a wag of his finger. “That’s already a failing grade. For shame Ms. Moondancer. I thought that you of all people to go above and beyond the mere requisite. An academic such as yourself should see that I deserve at least an applause.”

“An academic? Yes. But I suppose you can say that decorum is a subject that I have yet to master. My weakest subject you could say. My attitude toward others is reprehensible and here I am in plain view of all creatures, yet my appearance was immediately rebuked despite all my efforts to become presentable.”

“Really digging the new look by the way,” Greg chuckled. “Disgruntled cat lady look is in season right now I’ve heard.”

“Come now, I know I’m not at my best here but I can’t possibly be that bad.”

“It must be a skill to try so hard to dress up and yet still look so thoroughly unkempt.”

“Hmph,” Moondancer huffed. “I bet you never gave Twilight this much lip over how she presented herself. We pretty much have the same style and yet she never told me you were so quick to critique something so mundane.”

Suddenly, the man whirled to his side and stomped his feet causing Moondancer to jump back in surprise. “You do look like her! Oh my god, that was driving me crazy. I wanted to say something earlier but never had a chance.”

“So all unicorns look alike is what you’re saying? Or perhaps it’s all ponies in general, hmm?”

Greg shrugged. “I didn’t mean it like that, but if you want to be all huffy about it, you’re more than welcome to do so.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “Now that I had a chance to see you without your glasses on, I knew that you looked totally familiar from somewhere. That bookworm may be a princess but she certainly doesn’t truss herself up as one.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Twilight is a nerd, through and through. Her style is quite utilitarian and lacking. Really, that girl has zero fashion sense.”

“Gee, you know just the words to make a mare feel special, huh?”

“Ah, but you see, that was all a part of her charm. She didn’t feel the need to dress up and be presented as your better. Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna, gave off a vibe of propriety and modesty. Warm, but distant. Twilight was more… humble? Approachable would be a better word I suppose. Well, she is the Princess of friendship so I guess that’s understandable. Does that make sense?”

Moondancer, though, didn’t know what to make of his comment.

She had never been called charming before, and while the unfashionable remark –as well as the nerd comment—should garner her ire, Moondancer instead felt amusement. Greg had so passionately and earnestly meant what he said that it was almost laughable that she actually agreed with him to an extent.

Moondancer smirked and shook her head. “Your lack of tact is something else, but yes, I understand. In fact you’re quite astute in your observation. Twilight and I grew up together and I suppose our styles subconsciously influenced one another’s.”

“Ah, yes, the dork next door. Truly a classic.”

“And what’s wrong with being a dork, buster?” Moondancer jabbed her hoof at the human.

“Nothing at all. That little spaz was the first friend I made in this new land. Quite cute in fact. Adorkable, if you will.”

“Since you claim that Twilight and I share so many characteristics with one another, are you thus insinuating that, I too, am also cute and adorkable?”

“Well, if you’re really fishing for compliments I suppose that you could twist my words that way. Really, I would have thought you would have more tact than that.”

“Conversations usually work better when both parties are active participants. I was simply continuing the flow of such.”

“I think you need to remind Lemon Hearts of that. That girl just loves to go on and on about this and that.”

“…Well, normal people, anyways.”

Soon enough, the area opened up as meticulously lined rows of refrigerators came into view. Moondancer quickly surveyed her surroundings, but thankfully, couldn’t find any trace of Beam Balance. But if she was gone then who was running the show here?

As Moondancer scanned for any workers about, her eyes landed on the one pony that she was hoping to avoid. Leaning against a display table, Aurora was watching any passerby’s with a relative disinterest as she sipped at some coffee.

“Tartarus, not that mare,” Moondancer whined under her breath.

“Oh hey, I know that chick,” Greg said, pointing to the mare.

“Really?” Moondancer incredulously asked.

“Oh yeah. I see her all the time at the gym.”

“One of your meathead buddies then?”

Greg waved dismissively. “Nah, we’re more so acquaintances if anything. But it’s always odd to see a pony there.”

“Why would that be weird?”

“Well, its main clientele is mostly composed of bipeds and such like diamond dogs and minotaurs. A pony sticks out like a sore thumb. She’s always tagging along with some minotaur buddies though.”

A giant red flag was raised.

“It’s not too busy right now so let’s give her a holler then,” Greg said.

“I’d rather avoid that sourpuss if possible,” Moondancer said.

“C’mon, she’s… nice.”

“Are we talking about the same pony?”

“Well, she’s nice to me anyways.”

“Gee, I wonder why.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“One can only wonder why a mare would possibly be overtly friendly with a fit stallion. In a gym no less. Really, it boggles the mind.”

“Ha! You’re not far off the mark,” Greg said, flexing his bicep and patting the muscle with his other hand. “Can you blame the girl? Wherever I go all the ladies seem to swoon in my wake.”

“Only air headed fillies swoon,” Moondancer chided. “Mares are much more reserved than that.”

“It’s okay, really. I know that you’re repressing those desires deep down and externalizing them into misplaced malice. Really, it’s a tale as old as time.”

“The only thing I’m going to externalize is my hoof to your shin.”

“Vicious as always, I see. Well, let’s go talk to her and see what’s up.” Greg went off on his own before she could protest.

Moondancer sighed as she followed the man. The movement seemed to catch Aurora’s attention as her head lazily turned toward them. At the sight of the human Aurora seemed to perk up but that mood seemed to dip significantly when she noticed Moondancer by his side.

“Hiya, Aurora,” Greg greeted as they stood in front of her. “How’s it going?”

“Luna’s teats, it’s good to see you, Greg,” she replied. “I’m ready to fall asleep over here I swear. How you doing big guy?”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Greg said. “Same old, same old, you know?”

She took another sip of her coffee and hummed. “Yeah, I hear ya on that. Just another day. So what happened the other night, you lug? You didn’t even say hi to me at The Black Cauldron, you jerk,” she said, playfully batting at his side.

Oh buck, me. Moondancer thought. That seals it. There’s just way too many coincidences. It has to be her.

“Sorry about that,” Greg said. “Friday crowds are always wild and my attention was a tad tied up. You can find it in your cold dead heart to forgive me, right?”

“Hmm, so you came to see me and beg my forgiveness? Wanted to give me some company perhaps before I bash my head in from boredom?”

“Nothing as dramatic as that I assure you. Needed some stuff for work, but my acquaintance here,” he pushed Moondancer forward, her hooves barely catching her balance, “would love a word with you.”

“Uh…” Moondancer said before clearing her throat. “Hello there. My name is Moondancer.”

Aurora’s ears flicked back and forth when she heard her voice. The mare then looked her up and down in a slow, calculated manner, tracing every inch of her body. If Moondancer didn’t know any better she would assume that she was being sized up. After a moment of leaving her introduction up in the airs, Aurora smirked, a glint of smugness in her eye.

“I’m Aurora,” she said, conceit oozing from her words. “And any friend of Greg’s, is a friend of mine.”

Puffed up and cloyingly sweet, Aurora seemed unimpressed with Moondancer. She didn’t miss the way Aurora emphasized her words, either. Did the mare believe that Moondancer was competition for her simply because Greg was tagging along?

Friend. Clarification for herself but more importantly a declaration to Moondancer. That she should know her place. If the mare was going to insult her so underhandedly then two could play at that game.

“Yes,” Moondancer began, “Greg seems to know a lot of ponies it seems. I suppose it’s nice to have so many friends, but I don’t envy him. Where I in his place, I worry that I could never hope to keep track of them all. Names and faces would just blend together after a while. Promises would be so easy to break with those I found just beneath my notice, you know?”

Aurora narrowed her eyes and snorted. “…Yeah. That sure would be inconvenient.”

Ah, so she’s not so boneheaded to miss the meaning in my words, Moondancer thought.

Greg nudged her shoulder. Moondancer gave a glance at the man and could see that he would have words for her later. Why should she be the one that felt abashment for the way she was acting? She was just standing up for herself. But, perhaps it wasn’t the time or place for it. Best to move on from this petty cat fight before it escalated any further.

“Anyways, that’s just me.” Moondancer once again pulled out the paperwork and offered them to the mare. Aurora grabbed them from her hoof with her magic and read over the text.

“What’s all this then?” Aurora asked.

“I would like to purchase a new refrigerator. The papers you’re sifting through are supplements to help illustrate the way of which your stores previous sale can be combined with other deals that are currently in effect.”

“Hmm, so you’re the mare that I was told about earlier. Yeah… no can do. We won’t be able to honor the deal it seems. Ooh, tough luck, bud.”

Moondancer sighed. It was about as much as she expected and her antagonizing didn’t help matters. Her tongue just sometimes ran faster than her brain could keep up with.

Today was just not going the way that she thought. Her bargaining skills were less than something to be desired to be sure, but the outing had showed a problem was beginning to manifest itself. Moondancer’s episode wasn’t the first time she had such intense feelings overwhelm her, but it was the first time that she had experienced them in public.

The curtains had been ripped open by Minuette on the day of her visit. What she had once been able to keep hidden away was making itself known as it strained against the doors.

She felt exhausted, wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed and let her mind go blank, forgetting all about the work that needed to be done. She just didn’t have the energy to deal with the day any longer. It was easier to resign herself to just taking the stupid appliance and being done with the matter, but before she could start, Greg stepped in.

“Ah, c’mon, Aurora,” he said. “Don’t be such a hard ass and let it slide this time.”

“Sorry, Greg, it’s out of my hooves,” Aurora shrugged.

“I’m sure the district manager can pull a few strings for a few friends. It’s not like it’ll be the end of the world. Just one sale won’t affect your guy’s bottom line and you could even say that you were strong armed by a real bitchy customer.”

“It’s just store policy,” she said all the while smirking at Moondancer. “You understand right, big guy? I can’t just let any shmuck walk all over me. It sends the wrong message, ya know?”

“Greg, its fine,” Moondancer said. “I can just take my business elsewhere if it was really an issue. Sure, I lose out on a few bits, but I’m not too bothered by that inconvenience.”

The man kicked at the floor, his shoes squeaking against the tile before pulling Moondancer into a huddle. In this position the man encompassed her entire frame while he draped an arm over her neck. “She’s just giving you a hard time, Moondancer,” he whispered. “Don’t let that meathead walk all over you!”

“Personal space much?” she said in a normal volume, completely forgoing his attempt at discretion. “It’s honestly not that big of an issue. Besides, like you’re one to talk, meathead.”

“Listen, you gotta look her in the eyes and tell her off. Channel that dictionary you got stored in your noggin and pull of some mental jiu-jitsu. Make her feel completely smeckledorfed.”

“…What?”

“You know. Make her feel a fool. It’s the principle of the matter that counts.”

“I don’t really know what that would accomplish. Like I said, I don’t really care. I’d rather just be about my business and conclude this outing already.”

“Well, yeah, you can,” Greg said. “But isn’t it more fun to just play along?”

“So it’s all just a game then?”

“Take it from this dummy, it’s better to not be so self-conscious about every single little thing that comes out of your mouth. If you stress about looking like an idiot all the time, or making a fuss, you’ll never have any fun. You wouldn’t want to turn into a hermit or anything, right?”

“I guess not, then,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips.

“Wait a second,” Aurora said. “Wait a second, I knew I recognized that voice!”

“I beg your pardon?” Moondancer said.

“You’re the mare from the pub! The one that ran into my friends at the can.” Aurora began to cackle, banging a hoof onto the display table with an audible thud.

Moondancer shifted back and forth on her hooves. “Uh, you must be mistaken,” she said, her voice shifting up an octave.

Aurora wiped a tear from her eye and eventually caught her breath. “Nah, it’s definitely you. I totally see how they could confuse you for me. With how blasted they were, they probably couldn’t tell the difference. A little pudgy sure, and the glasses aren’t my style, but pretty close.”

“…Not that pudgy,” Moondancer said under her breath.

“Puked my guts back there, but when I heard that those two idiots got called cows, that just totally made my night. Oh Celestia, that was the best.”

“…Okay? I was expecting this conversation to go in a completely different direction to be honest.”

“They’re not bad people, but sometimes they get on my nerves. I just wish I coulda saw their faces when you said it. That took some serious teats.”

“Thanks?”

“Look, just because you gave me a good laugh, how’s I about I give you the discount?”

“Wait, really?” Greg said. “You’ll give it to her just like that?”

“Sure, why not.” Aurora picked up the paperwork once more and dusted it off. “That put me in a good mood.”

“Not that I don’t appreciate what you’re doing for me here, but won’t that other mare be angry with you?” Moondancer asked.

“Eh whatever,” Aurora said. “Beam Balance can suck my dick if she wants to be all bitchy about it. So which one of these you want?”

“Er, uh, the one that my friend got was nice. The Snowstorm I believe it was called.”

“Alright, I’ll be back in a sec with the paperwork and we can get this puppy out for you.”

“Right...”

Greg ignored her comment and looked back and forth between the two of them as Aurora went off to finalize the paperwork. “You know, the two of you do kind of look-“

“I know!” Moondancer said. “Don’t start with me on this.”

“…This world is weird sometimes,” Greg said, shrugging his shoulders. “That, or someone’s parents were really frisky in their day.”

“If you think I’m bad you should meet my father. How that stallion ever worked up the courage to ask my mother out, I’ll never know. And my mother is way too uptight for me to consider her, of all ponies, a swinger.”

“Well, what’s one similarity? Stranger things have happened, I suppose.”

Moondancer rested her head on the surface of the display table, wishing it was a pillow. Greg followed her lead, crossing his arms and leaned his back against a fridge next to her. It was the only thing nearby big enough to accomplish such a feat, and even then, only just barely.

“That went remarkably better than I imagined it would go,” Moondancer finally said, exhaustion in her voice.

“Well, it might have been a little easier if you weren’t so quick with the snark,” Greg replied.

“Stand up for myself. Stop being snarky. Which is it, Greg?”

“There ain’t nothing wrong with standing up for yourself. All I’m saying is that you should only dish out that sass if you’ve exhausted all other options first. It’s hard to make a friend after spitting in their eye.”

“I was perhaps a bit… overeager. My mind has to play catch up with my mouth sometimes when I’ve been riled up as I’m sure you’re aware. But, thank you for your help earlier. I appreciate you interjecting earlier on my behalf when I floundered.”

“Oh, I was just lending a helping hand to someone that desperately needed to fix up their drab home.”

“Mmm,” she grumbled.

“I’m kidding. But it’s cool that that you’re changing it up. Any plans for the rest of the stuff in the kitchen?”

“It has come to my attention,” Moondancer said, “that my home is not in the best of shape.”

“I would have never guessed,” he said. “This is a total shock to me.”

“In any case! Renovating my house is the current project that I have on my plate. The problem is that I don’t really know where to begin. The fridge was just a convenient starting point, but from here onwards I’ll be blind.”

“That’s gonna be some project then. That whole place looked like it’s on its last legs. Are you sure that you don’t want to just move out and save yourself the trouble?”

“Yes, the thought had occurred to me. But the answer is no. It’s my home and I will not give up on it. I just won’t.”

“Well if you’re going to be stubborn about it, then you’ll definitely need some help.”

“Indeed.”

The two waited for the other to say what was on both their minds, but it never came.

Silence. An old friend of sorts.

Moondancer refused to be the one ask the obvious. He would never let it down if she did, she just knew it. Greg’s help would be extremely beneficial since she didn’t have any idea what she was doing, or what needed to be done, or how. But, she wouldn’t blink first. That would mean he won the game.

Perhaps sensing that she would remain steadfast to let this contest of wills go on forever, he cracked.

“Alright, alright, twist my arm why don’t you?” Greg said, scratching his head. “I’ll lend you a hand you little goblin.”

“What a gentlecolt,” Moondancer said with a cheeky grin.

“It won’t be easy from what little I saw, but I’ll certainly give it a shot.”

Moondancer beamed at the man. A different change of pace was what she needed. To go to new places, try new things, meet new people. That’s what any other person would had done. In order to better one’s self, a certain amount of change was expected.

Different looking furniture wasn’t anything drastic, and yet thinking on the notion of redecorating got her feeling a sense of anticipation? She felt something at least. Not even her previous research into the Crystal Empire garnered much of a reaction within her anymore.

The twisted, clutched feeling in her chest was somewhat alleviated by his words. She was finally making progress towards something that could garner some excitement at last. She could change. Then, her stomach growled, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She had completely forgotten about the promise she made to meet up again from earlier but it seemed that her friends did not. To the man’s side, just one row over, she could see Minuette and Abacus snickering as they gave Moondancer knowing looks at the company she kept.

“Can’t wait to have that conversation,” she mumbled.