Reborn in a Dating Sim: Life as a Mob is hard in an Equestria Girl’s Dating Game!

Reborn in a Dating Sim:

Life as a Mob is hard in an Equestria Girl’s Dating Game!

Chapter Thirty-six

The café was a decent enough size. Copper looked it over for a few moments. Processor Fancy Pants had been kind enough to get him one of the larger classrooms to use as their café. Six tables adorned the room, and he could see both Diamond Tiara and Applebloom in maid uniforms. Beside them was Artemis, and her uniform was similar, although it rode a little higher on her, and the cut of it was a little deeper on the chest. Both decisions she’d made when designing the uniforms themselves.

He heard some grunts and looked toward the sound. His friend Pipsqueak was currently trying to hold onto a side of table that was too big for him. Near him was Button Mash who was trying to carry his own side of the table, “Copper, seriously? You’re not going to help out at all?”

He looked at them, “Pip, Button, my friends I’m helping in the preparation. I plan on us having a decent little café, attracting a few individuals, and possibly breaking even,” he said as he looked at the table as it was placed. He then went and grabbed the table clothes. Unlike the basic ones that could have been used from the Academy’s cafeteria he had opted to purchase some really nice silk ones.

Each one was worth at least a single platinum coin. It was certainly more than they needed, and of course that didn’t even account for the tea set he was using. He’ purchased one of the fancier ones that was similar to the same one that Professor Fancy Pants used. The set itself was designed to ensure the perfect temperature, taste, and purity of the tea being served. In other words there were a few small enchantments on it, but nothing that would actually alter the skill being used. It simply brought out the best possible serving of tea that the individual could make.

A few moments later the door opened, and another girl in a maid uniform stepped in, “Ugh, I’m not sure why I’m doing this,” Sunset Shimmer said as she looked around, “Although, I’ve to admit that I make this look good,” she said, “And Di, you’re rocking that look. So, I guess that those summers you trained at the palace are coming into play, right?”

She nodded, “They are,” she admitted, “And you’re doing fairly well as well. I suppose that your etiquette classes are paying off?”

Applebloom stepped between them, “Girls, we’re here ta help Copper, not start a fight, right?”

The two of them seemed to consider it for a moment, “You’re right,” Sunset said as she smiled, "Sorry, I didn’t mean to try and prick at your ego. You’ve just got a hellva figure, and you’re close to Copper in age. I mean, he’s kind of a knight in shining armor right now.”

Artemis looked at them, and grinned. She didn’t interject, and Copper was glad that she hadn’t. The truth was that she had already staked her claim, and there was no getting around that. She had said that she wanted to find him another wife, one to share with, but with King Consort Baked Bean making her into a knight that might not even be necessary. He held that thought, and looked toward his two friends that was watching in amazement, “Copper, you suck you know that?” Button Mash said, “I mean it, you suck so much right now.”

Pipsqueak just shook his head, “Naw, he don’t,” he replied, “He can’t help it that he somehow became friends with three amazing girls, has a servant, and somehow managed to climb in the rankings enough to be able to bag a girl without much trouble. Oh, wait, yes, yes he does suck. He does suck out loud! Dude, how could you do this to us?”

He looked at them both, “I’m not doing anything,” he replied as he looked at them, “I mean it. I’m just myself, and somehow this all works out. I don’t know how, and honestly I’m not sure that I want to figure it out.”

They both made a few sounds of irritation, and then the two of them got back to work, “Well with any luck we’ll be able to meet someone that’s not terrible, get an engagement, and then get married at the end of this.. Of course that’s going to be more of a challenge now than before. I swear man, it’s like you’re either some kind of weird luck maginet. Things just seem to happen around you. With King Consort Baked Bean liking you suddenly it makes us look better by comparison. At the same time you caused so many of the noble girls to go into debt they had to sell their servants.”

“Yeah,” Button said, “That’s it exactly. It’s like they don’t know if they should want to come near us or not.”

Copper looked at them and shrugged, “Yeah,” he said as he stood there, “I can’t specifically say if that’s a good thing or not. I mean for the most part it seems to me that it’s a little sad to think that you’d be fine with someone looking solely at your status when it comes to making the decision to want to get engaged… Okay, okay, I can’t even get through that with a straight face,” he said as he smiled, “Yeah, we all three know what it’s actually like with most of them.”

Button looked at him, “Speaking of which, hey, you know that some of those girls were trapped by that thing, and one of them was a girl that was actually kind of a friend to me. Do you know if Sweetie Belle has come back to the Academy?”

He shook his head, “I haven’t heard, but there’s a chance that she has.”

“If you’re interested you could go check with the administration staff,” Artemis replied, “I’m sure that they would be able to inform you.”

He seemed to consider it, “I mean they might, but then again they don’t have to,” he said as he looked at her, “I’m not her betrothed, and we're not much more than friends. I was wondering because after the class she became like all of the other girls, and she didn’t remember some key things about the two of us. Knowing that she was a copy made it easier, but at the same time I wanted to apologize to her. Because I should have known, you know?”

Copper moved toward him, “Button, buddy, no one could have known,” he said as he looked at him, “Sure, the entire changing thing was off, but since it was happening so much that group of girls it just seemed like the kind of thing that was just bound to happen. If you really want to find out if she’s here we’ll help you look into it, after the festival,” he said before he looked around them, “Because the next three days are going to be busy, and we know that.”

He then looked at both Pipsqueak and Button Mash, “So, for the next three days I’m going to need the two of you to help step up. We’re going to break our backs making this into the kind of café that folks will enjoy, and we’re going to give a little back to the students. Plus I’m going to enjoy the fact that I’ve managed to win so much of their money in that stupid duel that they’re never going to want to back the wrong horse again,” he said with a laugh before he looked at Sunset, Applebloom, Diamond, and Artemis, “Girls please take plenty of breaks and enjoy the festival.”

“Wait dude, that’s not cool,” Pipsqueak said as he stood there, “I mean we’re going to be breaking our backs, and you want them to just have a good time?”

Copper looked at him, “Pip, buddy, I want you to remember that these girls are delicate. They’re softer, and they’re not meant for strenuous physical labor. It would be unkind of us to demand that they do so,” he said as he looked at him, “Besides, it’s our place to do this, and you know it. That’s the entire reason we’re at this Academy. To prove our worth by being able to master every aspect of our education.”

Button nodded, “Yeah, it makes sense,” he said with shrug, “I mean it really does, although I’ve got to wonder exactly where does that leave us once the time to graduate comes around. If we’ve proven ourselves again, and again, to everyone but are still alone does that mean that we’re destined to just remain alone?”

Pipsqueak shrugged, “I mean maybe not?” he replied as he looked around, “King Consort Baked Bean seems to be okay with the idea of allowing demi-humans the chance to gain the same rights as any other citizen, and there are some of those girls that are kinda cute.”

Button rolled his eyes, “Sure, yeah, but at the same time there’s going to be a lot of higher nobles that aren’t going to like that,” he said as he stood there, “And while I respect King Consort Baked Bean let’s be honest for a moment. Those same nobles aren’t going to take what he did lying down. They’re going to figure out a way to try to get things back to the way they were. I don’t like it, but there’s a good chance that they’re going to attempt to assassinate him.”

“You have a point,” Artemis interjected, “But at the same time his majesty is well guarded by very loyal knights, protected by barriers that are both respectable and aesthetically pleasing, and seems to have a decent head on his shoulders. He is one of the few individuals that I’ve found here of which I truly respect. I feel that his rule of this kingdom is well deserved.”

Copper smiled at that. He’d heard her talk about razing the kingdom a few times, and setting him in charge, but to hear her actually talk about how much she respected someone else other than him was a breath of fresh air. She’d told him before that she didn’t actively lie, and he believed her. That meant that she honestly did respect King Consort Baked Bean. He was glad to hear that. He also hoped that it meant that she would help protect him when needed.

“He really is a revolutionary ruler,” Sunset Shimmer admitted as she stepped closer, “I mean his ideas are very progressive, and I can see them doing well for the kingdom. But he,” she said pointing to Button Mash, “Does have a point. There are several members of the nobility that won’t stand for demi-humans to have the same rights as humans. And the idea that any of them can swoop in and marry an eligible bachelor flies against everything they’ve worked for. Most will see it as undo and unneeded competition.”

She looked at Artemis, “I do acknowledge all that you’ve done, and I think that you’re deserving of the title of Knight. Hell,” she said as she stood there, “I accept you as a rival for Copper. You’re strong, brave, and loyal. Plus you’re not like the servants a lot of the other girls have. The ones that are just there to have some fun with a noble girl, but instead you really seem to care for him. Actually, you seem to love him. But there are plenty of noble girls out there that are going to see you as little more than a pest.”

Diamond Tiara nodded, “She has a point, and I frankly don’t like it either,” she admitted as she stepped closer, “Those girls will all have the same idea that you shouldn’t be allowed to even consider yourself capable of being anything to Copper other than a servant. Even then I suppose they would want to ensure your quick dismissal if they managed to marry him. That is horrible, honestly,” she admitted as she stood there, “because I’ve found you to be a good friend. In truth, I feel that we’ve all grown closer, and I do hope that this continues.”

Artemis seemed to smile, and Copper grinned at that, “And I feel the same,” she admitted, “In truth, I feel that all of you are individuals I feel are worth protecting along with my Captain. That said, those other noble girls can all take a very long walk off of a short cliff. It is not their business who my Captain loves, who he decides to marry, or who he wishes to spend his life with. I honestly would not mind if it were any of you.”

The words were a surprise to him, and again it was because of what Artemis had told him. It meant that she really did think that any of them would be suitable partners for him. Of course they likely already understood that being with him also meant being with her. There was very little doubt in his mind that she was going to be the alpha wife. The term was something he remembered from his previous life. It had to do with stories that he liked, especially one with a single guy that had several different girls that liked him.

Try as he might he couldn’t remember all of it, but he could remember one of the girls had spikey teal colored hair. She could fly, and she was a little rough around the edges. Still, even with all of that she was incredibly loyal to the man she loved. She treated him with respect, and that respect was returned. It was even shared among those that she considered her sister wives. Remembering the story, the moving story, made him think of Artemis. She was much the same as the girl he’d seen from his previous life.

She wasn’t as rough around the edges, but she was just as blunt about things. She didn’t mince words. She spoke her mind, and she seemed to understand that there was a place for everything. In so many ways she was someone that he didn’t just lean on, but she was someone that he found to be completely irreplaceable in his heart. She might have put her claim on him, but he also claimed her. He claimed her as his own. It had taken so long to come around to that.

The idea of having another person in their relationship was odd, but it wasn’t the end all odd. There was a part of him that questioned if it was right to even consider. That part of him was a mixture of the life he’d lived here, and of course of his previous life. There was something else that he’d realized since he had been here. He was practically grown at this point. In truth, by the laws of this kingdom adulthood was at seventeen. His time at the academy would last until he was twenty years old.

Still, his view was skewed because of the mixture of two different lives. The life he’d had before, and the one that he was living now. He had decided a long time ago to focus on his life here. He would use the memories he had of his old life to help himself, but he would focus on the life he had in front of him. That decision had led him to Artemis, it had helped him develop the friendships he had with Sunset Shimmer, Diamond Tiara Rich, and Applebloom. It had also allowed him to find friends in Pipsqueak and Button Mash.

Still, at the end of the day there was no denying that the past he had was exactly that. It was a past. It was a life that no longer existed, and a world that was completely separate from this one. Where there was some overlap on many of the natural laws there were others that were just completely different. He looked at those with him, gave a friendly smile, and shook himself, “Well, I’m going to finish up on the snacks, and of course the tea. Button, could you make sure that the seats are all arranged, and Pipsqueak do you mind to check and make sure that the table cloths all are set perfectly?”

Both of them nodded, and he began to move. The sound outside was one that made him pay attention. There was movement, and it was the class next to the one they were using. He moved toward the door to see Posh Proppers, Spear Point, Mithril Shield, Platinum Reserve and Satin outside of the room. The boys were moving a long table inside of it. He stood there for a moment, “Wait, what’s this?” he asked as he looked at her, “Why are you setting up a café this close to our own?”

She smiled, “Oh, no reason,” she said, her voice remaining as cutesy as it was before, “I mean I’m just setting up a little host café. I thought that the girls at the school would love to be served tea by my friends here.”

A moment later he saw Prince Apollo Bean move toward them, “Posh, thank you for calling and requesting my help, it was the perfect excuse to come and bask in the glory of Satin again,” he said before he looked at Copper, “Viscount Bit, it is a pleasure to see you, and congratulations on your advancement. I know that we got off on the wrong foot, and I do apologize for that. My father was quick to point out that it was your actions which likely kept my beloved Satin from being taken and replaced by one of those creatures. I cannot thank you enough for that. If ever you need my assistance you need but ask. I shall do all that I can to repay you this kindness.”

“What are you doing?” Satin asked as she stepped in front of him, “Did you forget that he is the reason you can’t ummm… see me anymore?”

He smiled at her, “Not at all,” he replied, “But I realize that it is also because his actions, and the actions of his servant, that you are still the wonderful person you were before. You weren’t taken from us, and that is to be celebrated,” he stated before he took her hand, “I do miss you terribly though. I miss the nights together, the loving embraces, and of course that little thing you taught me. The thing with the ice cube and then the warm sauce. I crave that feeling again.”

Copper stood there and shook his head, “Nope, I don’t need to hear this,” he said as he shook his head, “Still, that seems wrong. The fact that you’re taking advantage of the girls here to turn a quick buck.”

She growled at him, “Look,” she said, her voice sounding more genuine, “Maybe I wouldn’t have to do something like this if you didn’t get all of them disinherited! They’re all cut off, and that means the only money we have coming in is adventuring money! Ugh, and I have to keep going and getting permission slips so that we can dive into the only labyrinth in the capital work diving into. I cannot forgive you for that! I was supposed to have a life of ease, a life of pure bliss, and you stole it from me!”

He looked at her, “No, you stole it from yourself,” he said, his voice hard, “Not that it matters, just stay out of our way, and we’ll return the favor, fair?”

She laughed, “ha, no I think that we’re going to use your café as our break room,” she said as she made a disinterested gesture, “So get our tea ready, boy.”

She walked away, and he wanted to punch her. She reminded him so much of his little sister. She acted just as spoiled and entitled. He shook his head, it didn’t matter, and besides he had a decent plan to ensure that they were safely in the black. It all resided around the third day of the festival.