Life Finds a Way

Tuesday, October 28th, 908 AB (4 days later)

With the school day done, Cure follows the other foals out into the cool late afternoon, early evening air. Winter is still setting in, so the temperature is plenty tolerable with the thicker winter coat everypony is putting on.

After waving a quick goodbye to his friends he started turning to head to Lemon’s shop, but didn’t take more than a step before he heard Dawn calling out to him. With a quick glance over his withers he finds her rushing his way, Delta Coast and Rising Pitch trailing right behind her.

“What’s up Sunrise? Followin me to work again?”

“No, Rising and Coast were asking if you wanted to come along for a snack before you went. There’s a really good bakery over by Town Hall and we were headed over there.”

“Umm… I won’t be able to hang out long. I have my first appointment in about half an hour, but I should be able to if you all don’t mind me maybe having to leave pretty soon after we eat.”

“That’s fine, Cure,” Coast assures him, “We may just come to Lemon’s with you when you go. I wouldn’t mind tagging along and seeing what you do, at least.”

“Sure,” Rising agrees, “I got nothin else to do tonight. I told my dam we were going out after school, so I’m in.”

“Cool. Mind if we move quick so I don’t have to run as soon as we’re done eating?” he asks.

“I think we can run a couple blocks, Cure,” Dawn says as she starts moving off at a quick canter. “Come on!”

“How the hay did you two get here so fast?” Coast asks. “We ran straight here from school.”

“Yeah… like, maybe more of a jog than a sprint,” Rising argues. “Still, your school’s in Baltimare, isn’t it?”

Rolling her eyes, Drift simply points a hoof over her back and spreads a wing. “Duh?”

Glacial pokes her in the side with a wingtip and gives her a scowl before turning to the group. “We were let out of class a couple minutes early ‘cause of some teacher conference thing going on. We saw you headed this way and figured we’d see what’s going on.”

“Yeah, what are you four up to anyhow?”

Dawn steps forward to explain, “Us three were going to the bakery over there,” she motions down the street with a hoof, “and asked if Cure wanted to come before his appointments.”

“Yeah, I have two scheduled tonight. The first is in about twenty five minutes, so I need to hurry. If you two wanna tag along that’s fine. Business is booming, so order whatever you all want. Just consider it my thanks for inviting me.”

With the offer of free food the two pegasi eagerly follow along. “So,” he asks, “is the school you two go to in the cloud district or do you go to a ground level school?”

“We go to the cloud one,” Glacial explains, “that way we can take stuff just for pegasi.”

“Flying, weather, stuff like that?” he asks to clarify.

“Yep,” Drift answers, “they also give the older students lessons on the jobs we’re best at like couriers and some of the military jobs. It’s way better than your schools,” she adds, snout in the air.

“It sounds like it is,” Cure agrees. “Shame they don’t have schools for earth ponies and unicorns like that.”

“They have magic universities for us,” Dawn says, pulling the bakery door open with her levitation.

“True, but it sounds like they do that for all pegasi at a regular school,” Coast points out. “You have to apply and get admitted to those, don’t you?”

“Yeah… that is a good point,” Dawn agrees. “I wonder why they don’t have schools specifically for us to learn magic earlier.”

Conversation pauses so the group can order. Cure gets a big caramel brownie and a glass of milk. Once everypony’s order is ready they all settle into a bench. Dawn sits on one end with Cure and Drift to her left. Glacial sits across from Drift with Rising and then Coast on hers.

After the first blissful bite of his brownie, Cure takes a sip of his milk. “So, Drift, anything new with your sister? She hasn’t been coming around at all aside from our runs.”

“She’s got a coltfriend,” Glacial answers, “so she’s with him all the time. I think he’s only paying attention to her because she got her mark.”

“Why would that matter?” With a hoof waving in Cure’s direction Rising asks “Is she starting to work like he is?”

“No, she’s going to keep going to school,” Drift explains. “Dam says it’s a maturity thing. Only a few other fillies in her class have their marks, so her having it makes her seem more like a mare than a filly.”

That rings a bell with Cure. “My parents said something like that too,” he tells them. “They said that even though I’m still only eight, adults will be more likely to trust me with more responsibility.” With a shrug he adds, “If you consider how much trust is required to let somepony who can do what I can touch you then I have to say she’s right.”

Dawn knows full well what Cure can do, but the other four all give him questioning looks. He motions to Coast, then Drift and explains, “I just changed your colors a bit in your mane and tail and your feathers. Dawn trusted me with her eyes,” he brushes her with a shoulder, “and you all know me. Think about somepony just walkin in that doesn’t and is hoofing over hundreds of bits.”

“Hundreds of bits?” Drift asks with an arched brow.

“I charge four hundred for a feather style like yours,” he explains, causing her to cough and choke on her muffin.

“Why so much?” Coast asks, “It only took you a few seconds.”

“Because I went down all the way to her follicles. She’ll never need it done again the rest of her life. Or, she wouldn’t if she was fully grown… I may need to touch it up as she gets older and grows some. Also, there’s unicorns that do temporary styling kind of like that. What do you think would happen if I charged half as much for a better result?”

Rising and Glacial answer at the same time. “You would get all their business.” “Everypony would swarm you again.”

With a nod to both he agrees, “Yep, and I don’t have the time or the magic, nor do I want to drive anypony out of business by stealing all their customers. I have one tonight that, based on what Lemon told me, may be something nopony else can do. I expect it to be a pretty big deal, but I’ll probably be with the mare for like… half an hour because of all the magic it’s gonna take outta me.”

All five look on curiously as he eats his brownie with a smug smile. After a few bites with no clarification Dawn pokes him with a hoof and demands an explanation.

“Nope. Not gonna tell ya. If you wanna know you’ll hafta come to Lemon’s and see. I could be wrong about what she wants, but I don’t think I am. You can’t be there for the treatment this time, but you’ll be able to tell the difference for sure if you watch the mare coming and going.”

“We can do our homework on a table and have some treats while we wait,” Rising offers. Curiosity getting the better of them, the rest quickly agree. The promise of more free sweets at Lemon’s shop certainly doesn’t dissuade them.

Before leaving for his appointment Cure orders two slices of lemon meringue pie to go.

The six foals all trot in the store just as Lemon finishes with her customer. Looking over the group she spots the paper bag on Cure’s back. “What’s that in the bag, Cure?”

Trotting through the employee door, he looks at her with a big smile, “Hey Lemon, I got a treat for you for once. Me ‘n the fillies went to a bakery for a quick snack and, before I left, I asked for the two of the loveliest desserts they had.” He sits on his haunches, grabs the bag, reaches in, and passes one of the carry-out boxes to the mare with a fork. “One’s for mom when she gets here,” he explains.

She opens the box and starts giggling when she sees what’s inside. “HA! You’re even worse than your sire, colt. Lemon meringue… my favorite. How’d ya guess?”

“Dunno, musta been a flash of insight. If the girls want anything just have ‘em put it on my tab. I think that first one you scheduled is gonna be big, so I’ll make sure mom pays ya back when I’m done.”

Rolling her eyes she waves the issue away saying, “Son, I told ya your money’s no good here. Tell ‘em they can get whatever they want, it’s on the house.”

“Well they can’t come upstairs for the first appointment, so they’ll probably pick out a few things and do their homework outside. I’ll be upstairs putting up lights and stuff, okay?”

“Alright, Cure, I’ll send your mom up when she gets here. Thanks for the pie, honey,” she yells as he turns to run up the stairs.

Quickly pulling his horn cube out of his bag, he reshapes it and slaps it on, then puts all the lights in place and tidies up the room. Once ready he puts the horn away and waits for his mom to show up, forcing his body to up magic production as much as possible while he waits. With how small his capacity is it only takes him about half an hour to fully recharge, so he’s topped well before Title shows up.

“Hey ma,” he says, walking over to give her a nuzzle, “I brought a treat for you, but you may want to wait until we’re done,” he explains, motioning to the paper bag off to the side.

“Hey Cure, baby. This is Mrs. Violet Jewel,” she says, turning to introduce the unicorn mare behind her. Violet is the oldest client Cure’s had for his business so far, and the inquiry she made with Lemon got his attention. Her colors were, when she was younger, a near match for Starlight Glimmer, though she lacks the light blue stripe in the future redeemed villain’s mane and tail.

Cure estimates the unicorn is in her early seventies with clearly visible signs of aging showing all over. She’s not quite at Granny Smith levels, but she probably will be in another decade if she gets there. Her coat has streaks of white and gray hairs on her face, shoulders, and trailing down her chest and back. Her mane is as much white as it is the darker purple color. Her back has started drooping some and there is loose skin on her face, neck, and legs.

As Title steps to the side, Cure approaches the elderly mare and greets her like all his other female customers with an extended hoof. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Jewel. Lemon said you came in with a special request,” he says. Seeing her serious demeanor, he gives her a professional hoof bump instead of the normal flirtatious kiss. “She didn’t have the full details, so I’m curious what all you’re interested in having done today.”

“Son, I don’t know if I got five years or twenty years left in me, but when I saw some of the work you’ve already done on them pegasi I could only come to one conclusion, especially when I found out the colors went clear down to the follicles. I retired from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns before I moved to the coast, so I know the work of a biomanipulator when I see it.

I told that candy mare I wanted a full makeover and, quite frankly, I don’t particularly care how much you’re askin. I want to be able to enjoy what time I’ve got left, not wince every time I stand up. You tell me a price and do what you can to at least make me feel younger again and you can have whatever you want.”

Though this would have sent him in a panic a month ago, there’s not really any reason to deny the accusation now. Plus, she still came to him knowing full well what he’s capable of. At least, in theory. After a moment’s pause he responds, “Uhh… well, I’m certainly not tryin to rip anypony off, ma’am.” Glancing at Title he asks, “Mom? Any ideas?”

“Not really. I mean… if you added up all the things you did, ‘cause it seems like you’re going to basically do them all, then that’s normally like three grand, but-”

“Deal,” the mare immediately cuts in. “Stars, son, if you can help with the arthritis alone I’d pay you that easily.”

“I dunno… that sounds more like a healing thing to me,” he explains, wrinkling his snout. “I don’t typically charge for that.”

The mare reaches in her bag and pulls out three one thousand bit coins and levitates them over to Title. “I got enough in the bank. My money will outlast me, son. Don’t worry about all that, just do your thing.”

“Well, okay, I guess. We just need to fill the paperwork out.” Motioning to a mat he adds, “Why don’t you come over here and get comfortable. We’re going to be here for a minute. Now you realize I can’t actually make anypony younger, right?”

The work on Violet not only fully drained Cure, but over the next forty minutes he dumped another full charge plus a third into the mare too. Finally, Title snuck close enough to lay a hoof on his haunch to help out. The once-elderly mare is still technically as old as she was, but nopony would think she’s any older than her late twenties to early thirties by looking at her.

No longer did she have sagging skin, wrinkles, or the osteoporosis, arthritis, bladder, liver, and kidney problems, or, Cure expects but didn’t verify, the chronic constipation that she mentioned while he was healing her.

The actual tightening of skin and re-coloring of her coat only took a fraction of one charge; the remainder of the magic he poured into her was with the simple “fix everything” command he uses when he doesn’t know where to start.

“Now remember, ma’am-” he starts.

Walking around it while looking at the Illusion of her as-is, she interrupts before he can finish. “Right, I know,” she answers in a now-youthful voice, “this is the first time you’ve tried this, the arthritis could come back, etcetera, etcetera. I don’t mind. I’ll just have to come see you again when that happens.”

She turns to face him, then lays on her barrel before wrapping a foreleg around him and pulling him against her chest in a tight hug. “I can’t thank you enough, son. I haven’t felt this good in forty years.” With a quick kiss between the ears she lets him go, stands up, and starts walking to the stairs. “I’ll be in touch. Take care, Cure, miss,” she nods to the pair as she disappears down the stairs.

After a minute to ensure she is gone Cure looks at his mom. “How much magic did you give me?”

“Like… half-ish?” she answers.

Wincing at the implications he explains, “I… uhh. I’m not sure if that was purely cosmetic.”

“What?”

“Yeah… I think we may have actually made her younger. Not, like… mid-twenties younger, but I’m pretty sure I dumped enough healing magic in her that we may have actually de-aged her a few decades at least.”

Eyes-wide Title hisses out, “Cure… you can’t go around doing that!”

“I know!” he shouts. Thinking for a moment he suggests, “For now, we’ll just list de-aging as an option and I’ll limit it to only the arthritis, coat, skin, and vision. I should be able to do all that on a full charge.”

“Why offer it at all?”

“So that if she sends anypony our way we have something to offer. It’ll deflect attention away from her, too… ‘cause you know she’s going to definitely send somepony when her friends ask why she looks a third her age.”

“True… how much should we charge?”

With a shrug he looks at her and says, “You tell me. I guess maybe… half?”

“Fifteen hundred bits? I guess that’s worth it. I could see older ponies goin for that.”

“Yeah. I would assume most would have the money in the bank to afford it, so that seems fair. Plus, like you said initially, that’s less than the sum of doing everything separately would be.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Title pauses as she hears the sounds of several hooves coming up the stairs. The pair turn just in time for Drift and Glacial to shoot past everypony and land in the middle of the room, then the other three to arrive at the top.

“Cure, what the f…” Drift pauses to glance at Title before continuing, “freaking heck did you do to that mare? Was that even the same one?”

“She had the same cutie mark,” Glacial points out, “and her colors were the same… just, you know, a lot brighter. Did you make her younger?!” she asks, almost yelling.

“I made her look younger, but no. She’s still just as old as she was.” Which is technically true, even if she may have the body of a thirty year old. “She told Lemon she wanted a comprehensive makeover. Well,” he shrugs, “she got one. We’re going to add that to the list of services I offer from now on.”

“How much did you charge her?” Rising asks.

“What we talked about doing,” he explains, “is making that makeover a comprehensive package that’s a bit less than what I would normally charge to do everything separately. It’ll be fifteen hundred bits from now on. She gave me a little more because she was pretty happy with the results.”

“More than fifteen hundred freakin bits?” Drift asks, eyebrows almost going up into her mane.

“Do you know anypony else that can do that?” he asks, waving at the stairs. “Would your great grandparents not pay that to look a third their age? It’s supply and demand, Drift. Like I said earlier, I can’t charge like three hundred bits for that or I would get swarmed. I’m not sure if fifteen hundred is even low enough. I may have to increase the price at some point if it isn’t.”

“Cure…” Coast hesitantly says, “just how much are you making doing this?”

“A lot. I have a price list downstairs in the appointment book that Lemon keeps for me. It’s not like it’s a secret what I charge or anything. I mean, how could it be? Ponies have to know about how much I’m going to charge for what they ask, though a few have added things on and paid with a check instead ‘cause they didn’t bring enough.”

“Cure,” Title calls, “your other appointment should be here any minute. Are you recovered enough to do it?”

“Yeah, that’s just a quick style job. It should be no problem.” Turning back to his friends he says, “So, how about once I’m done we go find something to do? Why don’t you all go downstairs and figure it out and I’ll be down in a minute.”