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Ceily's Day Out

By Castafae
Created: 2024-06-03 19:15:04
Updated: 2024-07-23 07:31:26
Expiry: Never
ocfloor boredsatyr/pie/

  1. >"Anon? Are you... *really* sure that was a good idea?"
  2. >There was a hint of nervousness in her voice, which you sympathize with.
  3. >You were a little too, if you're being honest.
  4. >You turn from the TV and look over at the fidgety love of your life leaning onto you.
  5. >She wore a fuzzy purple sweater that you're pretty sure used to be Ceiling's before she outgrew it.
  6. >And by 'outgrew', you mean she probably started to fill it out and immediately switched to something more in her comfort zone.
  7. >You're not entirely sure what her thought process was, but Ceiling seems pretty happy with all those oversized sweaters she's been picking out.
  8. >They certainly fit her mother.
  9. >...It was kinda like Floor was wearing a sweater dress.
  10. >It was pretty cute.
  11. >You gently lay a hand on her head, resulting in her snuggling up beside you with a quiet huff.
  12. >She's real tense.
  13. "Floor..."
  14. >She looks up at you, her raven mane pouring down her chest and pooling in her lap.
  15. >You're still in awe at how much mane was held up by her old scrunchie...
  16. "What did you mean by that?"
  17. >She scoots a little closer, an indication that she clearly wants to be held, which you oblige readily.
  18. >With her now safely held in your arms, she lets out a soft sigh.
  19. >"I mean... What if something happens between here and the convenience store? She could trip and fall or... something?"
  20. "I'm pretty sure the sidewalk was just recently redone."
  21. >She wriggles a bit, her agitation clearly on display.
  22. >"Well whuh- what if they missed a spot? What t-then?"
  23. >You squeeze her ever so slightly as Floorb continues with a little sniffle.
  24. >"She could hurt herself a-and- and... Th- That would be bad!"
  25. >With a quiet sigh, you turn to a rightfully worried Floor with a weary smile.
  26. "Ceily... Ceily will be fine. She's no klutz, Floor. And the store is only a block away! I can see the sign from the sidewalk. It’s- It’s a big sign, you know?"
  27. >Floor's tension wanes slightly.
  28. >"Sure, but... She's never done anything like this by herself before!" Floor fumbles idly with her forehooves. "And- And it's just so... scary, you know? Seeing her... walk away."
  29. "I... I know. It's terrifying, actually. But I don't think... we'll need to worry too much."
  30. >"Why’s that?"
  31. "She's literally you."
  32. >Floor scrunches her face a bit, but her expression softens quickly and she butts her head into your chest with a soft sigh.
  33. >"I was way worse, if I'm being honest..."
  34. "Well, that's because you were doing it all alone. Ceily's got us, you hear?"
  35. >Another firm squeeze.
  36. "She's got a great mom and a debatably okayish dad to help her along the way. I think she'll be just fine..."
  37.  
  38. >Floor lets out a nervous chuckle.
  39. >"A g-great mom? I-I don't know about that, but... I uhm- I think y-you're a bit more than 'okayish', Anon."
  40. "Uh-huh?"
  41. >Floor gives you a little peck on the cheek.
  42. >"You're pretty swell in my book..."
  43. >You smile at her rather modest display.
  44. "My god Floor, how depraved can you get? What's next, hoof holding?"
  45. >She grins sheepishly. "We could t-totally do that if you wanna..."
  46. >Even if Ceily mellowed her out considerably, she was still the same ol' Floor.
  47. “Well… I’m not sure my parents would approve of me holding a mare’s hoof before marriage…”
  48. >She prods you lightly in the stomach. “Ha ha, very funny…”
  49. >Floor rummages through the collar of her sweater and pulls out a thin chain with a gold ring dangling off it, an almost smug look on her face.
  50. >”I’m preeetty sure you can’t use that as an excuse, hubby.”
  51. >You idly feel the ring on your finger as you stifle a laugh.
  52. “You really gonna hit me with a ‘hubby’ after all these years? How’d you like it if I started calling you ‘wifey’, hm?”
  53. >Floor’s expression sours slightly. “Bleh, point taken.”
  54. “Hey… seeing that Ceily’s out and about, maybe we could give those stretches a shot!”
  55. >She blinks. “Those…”
  56. >...And then groans. “Celestia’s teeeats why do you remember that?!”
  57. >You shrug.
  58. “Your doc seemed convinced you need a little reminder on the whole ‘stretching’ thing.”
  59. >”I don’t *need* to stretch! I’m a perfectly healthy mare in her prime!”
  60. “You were literally complaining about your joints aching five minutes before Ceily told us she wanted to go to the store.”
  61. >Floor huffs. “Yeah, well… I was just on a walk!”
  62. “Around the house. To earn play coins for your 3DS.”
  63. >”Sh-shuddup! Those count! I went around the living room table DOZENS of times!”
  64. “You know… I could just put a saddle on you and ride you around the block. That might appease the ol’ doctor.”
  65. >Floor’s face flushes. “T-that…”
  66. >She shakes her head, quickly regaining her composure and frowning at you.
  67. >”That'd be pretty hot if it wasn’t for the fact that I know you well enough to know you’re one-hundred percent serious and that it would be one-hundred percent unsexy…”
  68. “I’d get you sweating, though. Can’t deny that!”
  69. >”I honestly think i’d prefer the stretches…”
  70. >You ruffle Floor’s mane.
  71. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”
  72. >”I’ll… I’ll do them tomorrow though. I wanna finish this marathon first.”
  73. >You turn your attention to the TV, which was currently displaying a subbed anime you didn’t catch the name of when she started.
  74. “How many of these are there, anyway?”
  75. >”I wanna say… eighty? Give or take?”
  76. “I… What are we on right now?”
  77. >”Thirty-one. They’re getting close to the second world soul.”
  78. >The almost instant answer doesn’t surprise you.
  79.  
  80. “Right, right… Is this the same one you were watching with Ceily earlier?”
  81. >She shakes her head. “Nah, we were watching some old Ultraman clips. I would have totally shown her a whole episode if I could find my tapes…”
  82. “I’m sure you’ll find em’ eventually, Floor.”
  83. >”I better! I’d rather not poke Taku if I can avoid it...”
  84. “When was the last time you uh- you talked to Takuyaki, anyhow?”
  85. >”Hey! No giving nicknames to the enemy!”
  86. >You chuckle lightly as she snuggles up a little more forcefully, grumbling.
  87. “Still on that, huh? You know you’re both mature, hard working adults now, right? Petty grudges aren’t worth keeping…”
  88. >”...I’m a stay at home mom.”
  89. “You do other stuff. Aren’t you writing a novel?”
  90. >”It’s smut.”
  91. >The bluntness in her voice gets you to smile a little.
  92. “Good smut?”
  93. >”Peep certainly seems to like it… Who knew I could have been writing down my fantasies and getting paid for it this entire time?”
  94. >She takes a moment to listlessly adjust her undies. “Still haven’t got my cutiemark, though… Pfft, I bet Taku got *hers*...
  95. “What’d I just say about petty grudges? Hm?”
  96. >Floor huffs and pulls her sweater collar up to her nose, avoiding your gaze.
  97. >”It- It’s *not* petty! Besides, she’s the one with the grudge! Taku stopped talking to *me* when I had Ceily!”
  98. “To be fair… You were kind of rubbing it in her face.”
  99. >”I…”
  100. “For the entire pregnancy.”
  101. >”B-but I…”
  102. >Floor turns away, an ashamed blush on her face. “Okay so maybe I was kind of an ass… I- I really do feel bad about it…”
  103. “There’s nothing stopping you from making up.”
  104. >”Besides not having a proper conversation with her since Ceily was… uh…”
  105. “Three?”
  106. >Floor winces. “Luna’s tiny rump…”
  107. “Yeah… It’s been a bit.”
  108. >Floor fidgets a bit with her forehooves. “Have you… kept up with her?”
  109. “I throw her a text here or there, yeah. I certainly know more than you, that’s for sure.”
  110. >”Like what?”
  111. “Well for starters… She’s running an anime blog… thing? It’s neat I guess. …Oh, and she’s got a kiddo around Ceily’s age.”
  112. >You smile as the revelation makes Floor jolt upright. “W-WHAT?!”
  113. >You then watch her sink into the couch, dumbfounded.
  114. >”Ceily’s age… She had a foal this whole time? She didn’t even tell me…”
  115. “I think you and Taku might wanna catch up some time…”
  116. >Floor rolls to face you, a curious expression on her face.
  117. >”Do we have any days free for company?”
  118. >She’s taking the initiative! You’re proud of her.
  119. “Depends if company wants to come.”
  120. >”Ohoho… I know *exactly* how to make company come! *Especially* Taku!”
  121. “Floor… whatever you decide to do, remember that Ceily can’t handle spicy food.”
  122. >”Don’t worry, I’ve got alternatives for our lanky bundle of nerves!”
  123. “...Joy.”
  124. >”That too!”
  125. >Speaking of Ceily...
  126. >You wonder how she's fairing?
  127.  
  128. ~ ~ ~
  129. >It was a cool autumn afternoon. The sky is cloudy and the scent of caramel apples and cinnamon lingers in the air…
  130. >Gosh, you love this time of year.
  131. >You slow to a stop and take a break at the base of a familiar large sycamore tree.
  132. >And what a lovely sycamore she was! Her leaves were a dazzling amber and her bark almost looked like someone took a torch to it, leaving a small scar-like white patch near the middle of the trunk…
  133. >You give the tree a little pat and smile to yourself.
  134. “It’s quite the day for errands, right Ms. More? It’s so nice and quiet…”
  135. >You shuffle a little in place as the subtle rustling of leaves fill your ears.
  136. “And uhm… It’s just me this time! Dad said if I ever wanted to go to the store, I could go all by myself since I’m old enough now!”
  137. >You had an idea swimming in your head… One that required a few things from your local corner store!
  138. >You glance around a moment and then lean towards the tree and whisper.
  139. “I’m making dinner tonight! It’s a surprise…”
  140. >You stifle a nasally laugh and nod to yourself.
  141. “I know I know… You’re probably thinking to yourself, ‘Gee Lucille, that sounds pretty stressful!’ But I uhm- I assure you it’s not! I’m a really good cook!”
  142. >It’s mostly just boxed stuff but uhm…
  143. >You cross your arms with a huff.
  144. “I’m- I’m more than capable, Ms. More! This will be easy as… uhm…”
  145. >Your arms fall unceremoniously back to your sides and your eyes dart to the ground.
  146. “Pie isn’t *that* easy, right? Why is *that* the phrase?”
  147. >Mom’s burnt plenty of pies, so it’s obviously a pretty hard thing to make!
  148. >You’re a little worried now…
  149. >You shake the anxieties from your head and look up at the tree again, feeling a little flush.
  150. “It’s- It’s a dumb phrase anyway… I’ve got this, Ms More! Don't you worry!”
  151. >You briefly run your hand over the bark of the tree and then with another deep breath, you start down the street once more, just about mentally prepared to make it the rest of the way.
  152. >You walk at a brisk enough pace to get to the store in a timely manner, but not enough that you can’t take in the scenery, of course.
  153. >Like the cute straw-filled scarecrow that sits in one of your neighbor’s front yard, for example!
  154. >He kind of looks like the scarecrow from that show that your dad watched with you the other day.
  155. >The tape was so old that the colors were really off and it started somewhere near the middle, but it didn’t take long for the two of you to figure out who was who.
  156. >It helped that dad already knew a bit about the characters and filled you in.
  157. >You mumble out a quiet ‘I hope you find yourself a mind soon, Mr. Scarecrow…’ as you pass by with a vague pep in your step.
  158. >No wasting time, you’ve got a meal to make!
  159.  
  160.  
  161. >A few minutes or so later… you’re finally there.
  162. >The corner store.
  163. >You linger at the edge of the sidewalk for a while, staring up at the colorful wooden sign just above the entrance.
  164. >’Apple Jamboree’s Corner’
  165. >The pony mascot next to the store’s name looked eerily similar to the element of honesty, but somehow… legally distinct? It’s hard to describe…
  166. >Kind of like a bootleg movie character, but in real life!
  167. >Or as uhm- as real as a character on a sign can be, of course.
  168. >Can they get in trouble for that? Let's… not think about it too hard, Lucille.
  169. >Dubious theming aside… It was a pretty nice place.
  170. >The little blurb near the bottom stated that they specialized in jams, jellies, and various apple based confections, but besides that, they were more or less a normal convenience store, if a little uhm… gimmicky.
  171. >It’s a tasty gimmick at least.
  172. >Your head lowers and you find yourself staring at what little of your hooves you see sticking out from your long skirt.
  173. >You grip at the pleated fabric with yet another deep breath.
  174. >The butterflies in your stomach are getting hard to ignore, but…
  175. “I’ll… I’ll be fine.”
  176. >It’s not a very convincing statement, even to your own ears, but it gives you just enough courage to stuff your hands into your skirt pockets, bow your head, and push yourself forward.
  177. >Just remember what mom said…
  178. >’It tastes better if you put a slice of cheese in while it’s still-’
  179. >N-no no! Wrong mom wisdom!
  180. >’The cashier is more scared of you than you are of the cashier!’
  181. >...
  182. >...That doesn’t sound right.
  183. >Maybe you’re misremembering?
  184. >You think mom was really sleepy when she told you th-
  185. *bonk*
  186. “A-ah!”
  187. >Your head bumps lightly into the glass double doors of the shop and you let out a panicky little noise.
  188. “ow…”
  189. >You stagger back a bit and rub the top of your head with the palms of your hands.
  190. “I t-thought these things were auto- auto… Muh- matic…?”
  191. >As you finally lift your head, your voice trails off into stutters as you make eye contact with the glasses-clad older mare who was on the other side of the glass.
  192. >Much to your dismay, you recognize her almost immediately.
  193. >It’s your old school teacher, Miss Melon.
  194. >She held a few bags of veggies in her mouth and toted what you can only assume is a sympathetic expression.
  195.  
  196. “Whuh- whuh-”
  197. >What do you do what do you do what do you-
  198. >DOOR! Get- Get the door!
  199. >You bring your shaky hands to the handle and give it a pull.
  200. >...Only for it to *not* budge.
  201. >Your grip on the handle tightens a bit and you glance up at the sign on the glass.
  202. >’Push’
  203. >This was the entrance.
  204. >The other… is the exit.
  205. >...And neither are automatic.
  206. >H-has it been dad holding the door the entire time?
  207. >Well, you’ve only ever come here with him, so…
  208. >Oh jeez.
  209. >Now you feel bad that you didn’t notice… You should have thanked him a lot more.
  210. >Your face on fire and your tail between your legs, you slowly let go of the door and unceremoniously give the other handle a tug.
  211. >And of course… It works as intended.
  212. >You shuffle to the side and open the door fully for Miss Melon, trying your best to hide behind the glass as you do, which… doesn’t work.
  213. >It’s seethrough after all.
  214. >As you stare at the ground, you shrink a little as you see the bags of groceries gently set themselves on the floor.
  215. >“Ceily?”
  216. “...i’m n-not here miss melon…”
  217. >A soft laugh rings out.
  218. >”It’s alright dearie, I didn’t mean to frighten you…”
  219. >You hesitantly look up and once more make eye contact with her, still fruitlessly hiding behind the glass.
  220. >You really don’t like how you have to look down at ponies all the time…
  221. >Why couldn’t you have been shorter?
  222. >Or a pony…
  223. >You grip the handle a little tighter and just… breathe.
  224. >Sufficiently calmed down, you quietly close the door before the store could get drafty and turn back to the mare who was patiently waiting for you, a warm smile on her face.
  225. >Despite your small bout of panic, seeing her was a comfort.
  226. “It’s uhm… nice to see you again, Miss Melon.”
  227. >”Likewise, Fan.”
  228. >What do you do now?
  229. >Uhm… H-how about some small talk? Normal ponies like small talk…
  230. “...H-how’s class?”
  231. >She waves a hoof dismissively.
  232. >”Same old curriculum I’m afraid. I think it’d be nice to shake things up soon… Maybe more hooves-on experiments? I’ve had an idea involving dry ice pop into my mind recently…”
  233. >You manage a little smile.
  234. “Th- that sounds neat! I liked the uhm… pachyderm pillar thing you did last year…”
  235. >She tilts her head a little.
  236. >”The… ah, the elephant toothpaste! Yes, that was quite the thrill. Maybe I should pester Silly String for another demonstration…”
  237. >Miss Melon stifles a yawn behind her hoof and gestures towards you. “But enough about me… How is your first year of high school treating you so far, Ceily? I hope skipping a grade hasn’t made things too difficult…”
  238. >You blink.
  239. >M-melty popsicles you didn’t think she’d ask about that…
  240. “Uhm… It’s… o-okay?”
  241. >”Really now?”
  242. “...Yes.”
  243. >Thankfully, she seems satisfied with that answer.
  244. >”I see! Have you made any new acquaintances?“
  245. >The question makes you feel… not great.
  246.  
  247. “A-acquaintances…? You mean… friends?”
  248. >She shakes her head. “No no, I just mean ponies you find agreeable!”
  249. >A part of you feels like she might be lowering the bar a little…
  250. “Agreeable? Uhm… I like… the lunchmare? She seems nice.”
  251. >She even says hello to you unprompted.
  252. >...But she does that to everypony, huh?
  253. >”How about your peers?”
  254. >You rub the back of your neck with your hand as you try to mentally sift through your meager array of thoughts on your classmates.
  255. “I guess… sometimes I get partnered up with this pegasus mare during math class? She always floats at eye level when she talks to me so that’s nice…
  256. >It’s one of the few times you aren’t looking down at somepony, so it’s a welcome reprieve.
  257. >Despite being one of the few ponies to talk to you frequently, you’re not sure you can even call her an acquaintance…
  258. >Outside of occasionally getting paired up and doing your assignments together, the closest thing to a friendly reaction she had towards you was that one time you complimented her freshly cut mane.
  259. >You idly run a hand through a bit of your hair.
  260. >She- She even said she liked your mane too! But… maybe she was just being nice?
  261. >Yours is really… Plain.
  262. >And messy.
  263. >No matter what you do it just keeps sticking out…
  264. >”Ceily?”
  265. “Whuh- Oh! Uhm… Sorry. I got distracted…”
  266. >”No worries dearie! I feel like I could apologize a bit myself… I didn’t mean to pry.”
  267. >You shake your head.
  268. “No no, it’s okay! It’s uhm… It’s nice being able to talk. Even if I can’t really think of much to say, h-hah… ”
  269. >”I know exactly what you mean, Ceily.”
  270. >Miss Melon adjusts her glasses and squints at the watch on her hoof. “I daresay I've taken up quite enough of your time! I should really be getting home.”
  271. >She waves a hoof at her bags. “Salads don’t make themselves, you know?”
  272. >You give her as best a smile as you can as you idly fidget with your hands.
  273. “I’m glad I got to talk to you, Miss Melon. You’re uhm… you’re still my favorite teacher.”
  274. >Her chest puffs out a little.
  275. >”Why thank ye kindly! Gosh, I best get going before my head fills with hot air!”
  276. >Miss Melon goes to grab her bags, but pauses and turns back to you. “Oh, but before I do…”
  277. >You attempt to back away a little as she approaches, but wind up pressing your back against the wall behind you.
  278. >”Would you mind?”
  279. “Mind… what?”
  280. >”If I hugged you, silly!”
  281. “H-huh-hug…? Uhm… uh…”
  282. >She takes a step back.
  283. >”I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
  284. >You shake your head quickly.
  285. “I’m n-not uncomfortable! I just whu- wasn’t expecting it and- and…”
  286. >Your gaze lowers to your hooves once more as you clear your throat.
  287. “I… I’d like a hug.”
  288. >There’s a stillness in the air, as if the world around you was holding its breath...
  289. >And then a pleasant warmth surrounds you.
  290.  
  291. >You don’t notice her rearing up due to your floor staring, but the sensation of her wrapping her fuzzy forelegs around you quickly snaps you back to reality.
  292. >You shakily bring your arms around her in a similar manner you’ve done so many times with your mother.
  293. >Hugging was a lot easier when you were little, but…
  294. >This is pretty good too.
  295. >Even if you just had a hug this morning… For some reason you felt like you really needed this one in particular.
  296. >To you, the embrace feels so very brief… but you’re sure that’s just you being rather used to really long hugs.
  297. >You let out a soft sigh as the two of you disengage.
  298. >You tug at the bottom of your sweater a moment, moreso as a way to occupy your hands more than anything else.
  299. “T-thanks for that and uhm… have a nice afternoon.”
  300. >”You too, Ceily.”
  301. >She cranes her neck to look at the entrance of the store.
  302. >“That was very nice of you, holding the door like that.”
  303. “It was just c-common courtesy… A-anypony would have done it… Probably better than me, th- that’s for certain.”
  304. >”But it was you, not somepony else.”
  305. “I suppose so…”
  306. >She lifts a hoof and gently lays in on one of your limp hands at your side.
  307. >”You’re a very kind filly, Ceily. I’m sure you will grow up to be a fine mare! Just take it one day at a time and I think you will come into your own soon enough.”
  308. >Despite the churning pit of doubt welling up in your stomach, a sheepish smile forms on your undoubtedly blushing face as you nod in affirmation.
  309. “I’ll t-try my best, Miss Melon… I promise.”
  310. >”I’ll hold you to it.”
  311. >She turns around just enough to make you think she’s leaving, but then she lifts a hoof in a sort of ‘stop’ gesture and turns back to you with a little grin. “Oh, and just one more thing…”
  312. >She winks. “You’ll always be my favorite student, Ceily.”
  313. >Miss Melon stifles a laugh. “It’s hard to find somepony who’s so attentive! You were like my unofficial teacher’s aide and I’m very grateful for your help for the time you were in my class.”
  314. >The praise immediately goes to your head and you feel like your face is once more burning up.
  315. “T-t-thank you Muh- Miss Melon… I uh- I enjoyed my time in your class a-and I liked helping a lot and uhm… y-yeah…”
  316. >She strolls over to her groceries and looks back at you with a wave. “You’re very welcome! I’ll get out of your mane now, dearie. You have yourself a wonderful day, Ceily.”
  317. “Y-you too!”
  318. >You give her a wave of your own as she departs.
  319. >...And you continue to wave until she’s out of sight.
  320.  
  321. >As your tired hand flops back to your side, you let out a sigh and slump onto the wall behind you.
  322. >It’s only been a couple of seasons, but… You’re really glad you ran into her.
  323. >Even if you completely embarrassed yourself in front of her…
  324. >Mom has some sort of phrase she reserves for these sorts of situations, but you really can’t remember what it was right now…
  325. >Something to do with… slippery pasta? Bleh, your brain isn’t cooperating…
  326. >You catch a glimpse of your hooves as you push yourself off the wall.
  327. >Were you trembling that entire time?
  328. >You stuff your hands into your pockets once more with a huff.
  329. >Even with somepony as nice as her, you’re still an utter mess!
  330. >Hopefully you can manage in front of the cashier… You'd rather not make your first impression with a stranger something as pathetic as ‘was scared stiff the entire time’.
  331. >You take a few steps away from the safety of the wall, feeling vaguely energetic despite it all.
  332. >You could dwell on a lot of things right now…
  333. >Like how you smacked into a glass door.
  334. >Or how you embarrassed yourself in front of your favorite teacher ever....
  335. >Not to mention how much of a weirdo you probably looked like to all the ponies walking by the entire time…
  336. >B-but you can stuff your face in a pillow and ruminate later! You need to focus on the task at hand!
  337. “O-okay Lucille… This is it.”
  338. >Just ignore everypony around you and just… walk inside.
  339. >Get what you need, pay for it, and then finally… go run on home!
  340. >Sounds simple, right?
  341. “I… I got this.”
  342. >...
  343. >...Do you really?
  344. >You shake your head and let out a frustrated little noise.
  345. >N-no second guessing yourself, dummy! Mom, Dad, and Miss Melon believe in you!
  346. >No chickening out!
  347. >A-and certainly no crying!
  348. >You’re a brave girl!
  349. >You idly fidget with your hands for a brief moment, the subtle shake to them much more apparent when you’re standing still.
  350. >...B-brave enough, anyway…
  351. >You’re starting to understand why Dad thought you’d like that scaredy cat of a lion in the cartoon he showed you…
  352. >You wanna be courageous too!
  353. >...Or at least not so jumpy. That’d be nice.
  354. >With one last bout of breathing exercises, you prepare yourself for the coming ordeal.
  355. >You wait long enough for the old couple who just came out of the door to be long gone, and then, using all that extra courage you got from your encounter with your old teacher and the pep talk your dad gave you before you left…
  356. >You make your way inside the store with your head held high.
  357. >...Or as high as the pony-built doorway can allow, anyway.
  358.  
  359. >As you enter the shop, you find yourself struck with an overwhelming sense of wonder.
  360. >You remember there being a display at the entrance before, but it’s… grown.
  361. >Considerably.
  362. >You ‘ooo’ quietly as you take a few small steps towards the miniature village that was home to a variety of homemade apple products.
  363. >And a little train.
  364. >Oh how you adore the little train.
  365. >You excitedly get closer and lean in with a wobbly smile, watching the tin metal locomotive chug along its track.
  366. >You squint at the conductor inside the front engine.
  367. >Is he still there…?
  368. >Y-yes! Yes he is!
  369. >You lift a hand and wiggle your fingers at the figurine in a sort of half-wave.
  370. “H-hi Mr Petrichor!”
  371. >The dreary blue pegasus in his coveralls and conductor’s hat always seemed to smile back at you…
  372. >It’s wonderful.
  373. >...
  374. >...What were you doing again?
  375. >You blink.
  376. >...And then take a hesitant glance away from the autumn themed village.
  377. >The bigness of the convenience store snaps you out of your stupor and you straighten up your stance and stuff your hands into your skirt pockets.
  378. >You’re so used to getting lost in the miniature world while your dad was shopping that it's kind of embarrassing…
  379. >You might have got a little…. sidetracked.
  380. >By trains.
  381. >Hehe…
  382. >Get it?
  383. >Be- because they’re on tracks?
  384. >...
  385. >Y-you should stop thinking now…
  386. >No more thoughts!
  387. >Just pull out your list and pretend you’re with your dad or something…
  388. >That always calms you right down.
  389. >Sometimes, anyways.
  390. >You pull out your list from your pocket and take a deep breath.
  391. >It’s a little crumpled due to some idle fidgeting from earlier, but it’s still legible.
  392. >You take a deep breath and smile to yourself.
  393. >Everything will be just fi-
  394. “E-eep!”
  395. >You let out a squeak as something way bigger than a pony bumps into your shoulder, making you almost lose your balance.
  396. >”...Sho I shed to hem… Grabel! Don’ make ah mountim outta ah molehill! Graharhar!”
  397. >You stare wide-eyed at the man beside you, not having registered him until that very moment.
  398. >You shrink away, putting some space between you and the large stranger.
  399. >You now find yourself with your back against a cold drinks display near the entrance of the store, unconsciously trying to make yourself seem as small as possible as a guffaw arises from the clearly inebriated… construction worker?
  400. >You knew he was a construction worker due to his uniform, which seemed extra dusty.
  401. >”Vugh… My friggin’ shoulder ish killin’ me…”
  402. >Apparently he didn’t even notice that he bumped into you…
  403. >Frankly, you’d much prefer to be ignored if you’re being honest.
  404. >It’s safer that way or… something.
  405. >Stranger danger and all that.
  406. >He’s uh… He’s still yammering at the clerk from the train display.
  407. >A part of you wonders what he’s trying to accomplish.
  408. >Maybe he’s just… lonely? Why else would he be searching for conversation in a convenience store of all places?
  409. >This is all so confusing.
  410.  
  411. >Your eyes fall to your hooves once more and you thumb nervously at the bottom of your sweater.
  412. >Just… ignore him.
  413. >Relax, breathe, and pretend you're shopping with dad.
  414. >You take a deep breath.
  415. >...Only for your nose to wrinkle upon catching a whiff of the stranger.
  416. >He’s certainly… pungent.
  417. >Do all humans smell like that?
  418. >Dad doesn’t, so… you’re not sure.
  419. >You think Mister Works A Lot might have had a long day and could use a uhm… a shower.
  420. >A very uh- very thorough one.
  421. >You shut your eyes tight and pat the sides of your face.
  422. >You guess pretending is out of the cards, huh?
  423. >Your best bet might be to just…
  424. >Uhm…
  425. >W-walk away?
  426. >Yeah, you can do that.
  427. >Just walk further into the store and don’t look back.
  428. >This is only a mishap! You can handle this.
  429. >W-what did mom say to you once? It was during Nightmare Night and she said it because you were hesitant to go trick-or-treating with dad…
  430. >’Ganbare, Lucille!’
  431. >’Hehe… that means ‘keep it up’ in Neighponese~!’
  432. >’...Probably?’
  433. >Y-yeah! Keep it up!
  434. >No backing out, remember?
  435. >You- you got this.
  436. >With your eyes glued to the floor and your hands balled up in your pockets, you quietly skirt around the commotion up front and shuffle wordlessly to a less populated part of the store.
  437.  
  438. >Now secluded in the cool, dimly lit dairy section, you let out a sigh.
  439. >There’s a few ponies here, but at least it’s just a couple of older mares muttering secretively about milk prices.
  440. >You can handle that. Old mares are nice.
  441. >Usually.
  442. >Taking another deep breath to calm your nerves, you lift your gaze to peer into the small display freezer in front of you.
  443. “Ice cream…?”
  444. >The cruel cookies n’ cream flavored temptress beckons to you, but you are strong.
  445. >...And already used some of your allowance on ice cream earlier that week.
  446. “Another time, I suppose…”
  447. >You unnecessarily dust off the front of your sweater and glance down at your list.
  448. >’Macaroniandchee’
  449. >You… ran out of room on your sticky note.
  450. >It’s- It’s a very small sticky note.
  451. >A-anyways… now with your first item locked in, all you have to do now is find it!
  452. “If I was macaroni and cheese… where would I be?”
  453. >You lean a little to look into an aisle just to your left.
  454. >It’s the candy aisle, of course.
  455. “Not there…”
  456. >You guess… It’s time to start moving again.
  457. >You gently place a hand against your chest.
  458. >The quick badumpathump of your heart isn’t surprising, but it’s actually slower than you expected…
  459. “So far so good…”
  460. >The little victory gives you a trickle of confidence as you begin to briskly trot down the row of aisles, trying to pinpoint your noodly bounty.
  461. >Bread, perishables, medicine…
  462. >Aha!
  463. >You stand triumphantly at the entrance of an aisle filled to the brim with noodles of all sorts.
  464. >From rice-a-roni to ramen… it’s all here.
  465. >Mom would be practically drooling!
  466.  
  467. >Taking a look around, the aisle seems deserted.
  468. >Seeing that you’re by yourself here…
  469. >There’s nothing stopping your advance!
  470. >You put one hoof in front of the other, humming some vaguely christmassy tune as you beeline for the iconic blue and yellow packages of macaroni next to the smiley noodle cups.
  471. >With your quarry now within your grasp, you rest your hands on your hips, beaming.
  472. “Couldn’t hide from Lucille, no sir!”
  473. >You snatch up a pair of noodle boxes and settle them in the crux of an arm.
  474. “Okie dokie… What’s next on the agenda?”
  475. >’Vegetable.’
  476. >That’s… not very descriptive.
  477. >Did you have anything in mind when you wrote that?
  478. “M-maybe… something with broccoli?”
  479. >Yeah… You like broccoli. And- and dad and mom like it too!
  480. >That’ll be perfect!
  481. >You clutch the boxes tightly as you dart out the aisle and towards the frozen section once more.
  482. >It looks like the old mares are gone now, leaving you to your own devices.
  483. >You survey the various bags of frozen vegetables, looking for any decent bargains.
  484. >You briefly get excited over a ‘50% OFF’ sticker, but upon realizing it’s ‘with rewards card only’, your shoulders sag.
  485. >You’re pretty sure dad has a whole stack of membership cards for a boatload of stores.
  486. >You really should have asked him if you could borrow the one for here before you left…
  487. “I guess… normal prices are okay.”
  488. >You pick out a ‘green medley’ bag, consisting of broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, and cute little carrot chips.
  489. >The pony in you seems to like what it sees, as you unconsciously swish your tail a little.
  490. >Not too cheap, not too expensive, and it’s steam in-bag to boot!
  491. “Hehe... Good job, me!”
  492. >With your groceries snug in your arms, you poke your head out of the aisle and look at the check-out counter.
  493. >That weird guy is still here…
  494. >He stuck out like a sore thumb among the ponies currently paying for their stuff.
  495. >Partially due to his swaying stance, but also due to him being so big compared to everypony else.
  496. >You shuffle in place a bit, quite aware of the fact that you too were rather out of place.
  497. “...Sorry.”
  498. >You feel a little ashamed as you say that to no one in particular.
  499. >Dad said that you shouldn’t judge someone by how they look. …Or how they smell.
  500. >...Mom interjected with the smell part.
  501. >No clue why, but… they’re right.
  502. >You have no right to judge and you’re sure he’s an okay person deep down.
  503. >Probably.
  504. >You shake your head.
  505. >Y-you're getting distracted! You’re almost done, so let's give that list one last look!
  506. >Glancing down at your little sticky note, you narrow your eyes.
  507. >Apparently you were rather conflicted as to what to get next.
  508. >Under a variety of scratched off potato products is a resounding ‘Tots!!’ at the edge of the note.
  509. “I… Really should have made this after school instead of right before it.”
  510. >You can tell you were rushing.
  511. >A lot.
  512. >Anyways… Tater tots it is then.
  513.  
  514. >Seeing that you’re still in the frozen section, all you had to do to find your tots of choice was walk a few feet.
  515. >You open the freezer door and watch your hooves get enveloped in wispy puffs of cool air.
  516. >This place sure is convenient!
  517. >Smaller, quieter, and way less stressful than Malt-O-Mart…
  518. >It’s quite nice.
  519. >You uhm… you don’t like going to Malt-O-Mart.
  520. >There’s always so many people and the fluorescent lights are too loud a-and it always feels like someone is staring…
  521. >It’s… kind of a lot.
  522. >You blink, wondering why it's so drafty.
  523. >...Oh right, the door!
  524. “S-silly me…”
  525. >You pick out a bag of taters and gently close the freezer door.
  526. >You trot in place a bit, trying to warm up your hooves as you read the label.
  527. >’Spuddies Tot-tastic Taters!’
  528. >Your favorite, which just so happened to be fairly priced!
  529. >They don’t taste particularly special, but you always found the name funny when you were little.
  530. >You were real easy to please back then.
  531. >That’s… not changed much, huh?
  532. >Considering how easily you get distracted by an errant choo-choo…
  533. “I suppose that’s… everything?”
  534. >You turn your attention to your list and…
  535. >It’s done.
  536. >You- you did it.
  537. >You went into a store all by yourself and got what you wanted without a hitch.
  538. >Sure, it was a pretty short list and most of what you wanted was near each other, but…
  539. >It’s a start, right? Maybe one day the grocery store won’t seem so scary…
  540. >The giddy feeling in your chest gets the better of you and you let out a soft, barely stifled giggle.
  541. >Any other time, you’d be afraid of someone hearing you.
  542. >But for once… You didn’t care.
  543. >Taking a moment to calm yourself, you let out a content sigh.
  544. “All th-that’s left to do is uhm… pay.”
  545. >And then you can go home!
  546. >The thought gives you quite the boost, as you find yourself slowly weaving through aisles without much fanfare until you’re right at the edge of the train village once more.
  547. >Giving the open area a quick once over, you realize that there isn’t anypony at the register.
  548. >Or waiting in line.
  549. >The occasional honk from the little train was a comfort, but the emptiness of the store was starting to weird you out.
  550. >Maybe… they’re in the back?
  551. “E-excuse me?”
  552. >...Nothing.
  553. >You shuffle in place.
  554. ”Do I uhm… Is there a bell I can ding or-”
  555. >You stagger back and hug your groceries as a dark green blur pops up from behind the counter.
  556. >It’s… an employee.
  557. >She’s a grayish mare with a messy mane done up in a loose bun.
  558. >And she looks terribly tired.
  559. >”I’m here! Mostly, anyways….”
  560. >You watch her get up on her hooves and dust her apron off with a huff.
  561. >”Hearts Alive, that did *not* feel like fifteen minutes…”
  562. >She picks up a pair of glasses from the counter and leisurely puts them on.
  563. >”Okay… From the top.”
  564. >She adjusts her glasses with a small, sleepy smile.
  565. >“Welcome to AJ’s! Hope you found everything to your liking…”
  566.  
  567. >Your eyes dart down and you clear your throat.
  568. “I f-found everything in a uh, a timely manner, yes…”
  569. >”Hm? Couldn’t quite catch that.”
  570. >You glance up from your hooves.
  571. >...Only now do you realize that you’re currently staring at her from across the store.
  572. >Your face is warming up considerably.
  573. “...Sorry.”
  574. >You awkwardly shuffle up to the register and do your best to give the mare a smile of your own.
  575. >It’s… a little more toothy than you intended.
  576. “G-good uhm- good evening, miss… uhm…”
  577. >Your gaze trails down to her apron, which has a name tag that reads ‘Mossy’.
  578. >You clutch your groceries close to your chest as you give her an awfully formal bow.
  579. “Good evening miss Mossy! I- I’d like to… pay please.”
  580. >”Sure thing doodle. I… kinda need you to set down your stuff first, though.”
  581. >You lift your head and let out a nervous murmur.
  582. “H-hah… Yeah.”
  583. >You gingerly put everything on the counter and start to rummage around in your pockets.
  584. >It doesn’t take long for you to pull out Sir Stoat, your gallant little coin purse.
  585. >He was, as his name implies, the stylized head of a stoat that you keep money in.
  586. >You got him from the book fair at school!
  587. >He holds coins good.
  588. >...But can hold other stuff too!
  589. >Like- Like paper money.
  590. >And smooth little pebbles.
  591. >”...You there?”
  592. >You blink and refocus on Mossy, who had rung you up while you were spacing out.
  593. >You rub your arm a little, your face redder than before.
  594. “I… I got lost in thought, sorry.”
  595. >She shrugs. “Happens to the best of us, sister.”
  596. >Mossy prods at her cash register and it opens up with a squeak.
  597. >”Your total will be… 9.43.”
  598. >Oh thank goodness… You really didn’t want to go over ten bucks.
  599. >You take out a neatly folded ten and slide it over to Mossy.
  600. >In ten seconds flat, Mossy bags up your groceries and you find yourself holding a smattering of change and a receipt in your outstretched palm.
  601. >You quietly put away your change and stuff your coin purse back into your skirt pocket.
  602. “Alrighty then… This uhm, this means we’re done, right?”
  603. >Mossy nods. “Yes indeedy, speedy!”
  604. >You tilt your head.
  605. “I'm… speedy?”
  606. >What did she mean by that?
  607. >You’re kind of floundering in PE so it’s certainly not that…
  608. >She… said something about fifteen minutes and how it didn’t feel like…
  609. >W-wait-
  610. >You prop up on the counter, making the mare blink a bit.
  611. “Wait… Waitwaitwait were you still on your b-break?! I really didn’t mean to rush yo-”
  612. >Mossy raises a hoof.
  613. >”Heeey, it’s alright! It’s just an expression and really, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
  614. “I… d-didn’t?”
  615. >She nods. “Yeah, I uh- I kiiinda dozed off…”
  616. >Mossy chuckles to herself.
  617. > “If it weren’t for you kiddo, I would have totally gotten yelled at! Your timing was impeccable, I’d say.”
  618. “...Y-you’re welcome?”
  619.  
  620. >Your hand starts trailing up to nervously fidget with your mane, but you grab it with your other hand and gently tug it back down to your side before it can reach its destination.
  621. >Maybe… it’s time to make an exit.
  622. >You murmur a goodbye and give her another awkward bow, but before you can grab your groceries and slink away, Mossy squints at you, making you freeze in place.
  623. >She eyes you up and down.
  624. >“Hey… Do you mind if I ask a question?”
  625. >You’re… not getting out of having a conversation, are you?
  626. >You *could* say no… but that’d be rude, right?
  627. >J-just a little longer, Lucille. It's almost over.
  628. >Clearing your throat, you give her a nod.
  629. “I- I wouldn’t mind, no…”
  630. >”You… go to Dillydale, right? The middle school?”
  631. >You shake your head.
  632. “H-high school, actually… You know, Bucksby? Our mascot is a bugbear named Boris…”
  633. >...Why did you say that last bit? It’s irrelevant!
  634. >She blinks.
  635. >”Seriously? Man, humans grow up quick…”
  636. “I- I skipped a year! So uhm… T-technically I’d be in eighth if it wasn’t for that…”
  637. >”Ah, you’re a smart cookie then? One of those mathlete chess club types? I can dig it.”
  638. >You don’t feel all that smart…
  639. >Nor are you in a chess club.
  640. >Or- Or any club…
  641. >”Anyways… the reason I ask is because my little sister keeps bugging me about humans and stuff. She uh- she said she saw one with a tail at her school last year? Didn’t know what to say back then but uh… Since you kinda fit the bill, having a tail and all, I thought I'd ask if it’s like… real?”
  642. “T-tail?”
  643. >Why would she-
  644. >You crane your neck to look behind you and realize rather quickly that your tail was swishing around nervously.
  645. >Y-y-you’re not supposed to move around all the time!
  646. >You swiftly grab your unkempt tail as it brushes past a hand.
  647. >Immediately, it goes limp again.
  648. >Because of course it does.
  649. “S-stay that way! …please.”
  650. >You turn to Mossy, feeling extra self-conscious.
  651. “I-it’s real… I uhm- I have hooves too. I’m part pony and I uhm…”
  652. >You trail off as you idly wring your hands, still focusing anywhere besides her face.
  653. “I’m… not sure what I am, sorry…”
  654. >You flinch a little as Mossy leans over the counter, no doubt confirming what you said.
  655. >You’re rather uncomfortable having your legs acknowledged, but at least she doesn’t linger long…
  656. >”Woah, you’re kinda like… a faun. That’s… pretty freaking cool.”
  657. “Fawn? I- I’m not a deer.”
  658. >She shakes her head. “Nah, I meant ‘faun’ as in those fellas from roman mythology with the goat bottom halves. But instead of that, you’re like, a pony faun!”
  659. >Mossy taps her chin a little. “Or maybe I’m thinkin’ of satyrs… They’re uh- they’re pretty similar.”
  660. >You tilt your head, trying to process the information.
  661. “I… don’t really get it, but it sounds neat…”
  662. >You rub the back of your neck a bit.
  663. “Th-thanks for uhm… categorizing me?”
  664. >”Anytime!”
  665.  
  666. >A very distinct ‘dingaling’ rings out, resulting in your eyes darting to the double door entrance of the store.
  667. >You see a disheveled stallion in formalwear trot in with an excited little colt in tow.
  668. >As they stop to admire the train village, you lock back onto Mossy.
  669. “It- It was nice talking to you! I- I’ll keep what you said in mind and uhm… I’m- I’m gonna… go home now.”
  670. >You pull your grocery bag from off the counter with a little huff.
  671. >It’s not heavy, but you kind of have… noodle arms.
  672. >Y-you’re sure the trip home will be a cinch...
  673. >Probably.
  674. >”Thanks for stopping by, kiddo!” She leans over the counter slightly and points a little at the double doors with a hoof. “...And don’t uh- don’t push yourself too hard, you hear?”
  675. >What would she…
  676. >Your face reddens at the mere thought of her possibly seeing what happened with Miss Melon.
  677. >You squeeze the handle of the bag.
  678. >She- She probably didn’t, d-don’t be silly…
  679. >You give her a meek little nod.
  680. ”I won’t… thank you.”
  681. >You shift your weight from side to side.
  682. ”H-have a nice afternoon…”
  683. >Your intent to bolt out the door is made clear as you attempt to take a step away from the counter, but you pause upon fixating on an odd stack of rectangles sitting near the lighters by Mossy.
  684. >They’re… bookmarks.
  685. >Your eyes widen upon realizing something.
  686. >They- they have art of Mr. Petrichor on them!
  687. >He’s holding a jar of cinnamon apple jam in his hoof and leaning out of his train with a caption that trails the side of the matte paper which reads: ’An apple a day keeps the clouds at bay!’
  688. >That’s…
  689. >R-really neat!
  690. >You lift your free hand and point at the little papers.
  691. “Are those… uhm…”
  692. >Mossy glances down. “Hm? Oh, these are just bookmarks. No clue why Holiday thought ponies would want em’... they’re kinda la-”
  693. “C-can I have one?”
  694. >She seems briefly surprised, but quickly recovers with her usual sleepy smile.
  695. >”Sure thing! Not like anypony is clamoring to snag one... Pretty sure we have like, a whole pack in back.”
  696. “...”
  697. >”...Go on, I don’t bite!”
  698. “R-right! Th- thank you… again…”
  699. >You reach a trembling hand over the counter and gently grab a bookmark.
  700. >Bookmark obtained, you give yourself a once over, trying to figure out where to store it without it getting all crumpled.
  701. “...ah.”
  702. >You stuff a hand into your lesser used skirt pocket and pull out a small notebook.
  703. >If you put it in here, it’ll be safe until you get home, right?
  704. >You open the notebook and slide in the bookmark, trying to ignore the poorly drawn portrait of your dad that fills up one of the lined pages.
  705. >Maybe one day you’ll muster up the courage to show him your dumb doodles…
  706. >You’re not particularly keen on the possibility of him plastering it on the fridge for the whole world to see.
  707. >A-again…
  708. >...Now confident in Mr. Petrichor’s safety, you slip the worrisome notebook into your pocket once more and give it a little pat.
  709. “Alrighty...”
  710. >Taking a deep breath, you give Mossy one last awkward smile.
  711. “B-bye now!”
  712. >She smiles back, as warm as ever. “See you round like a donut, k-”
  713. “C-Ceiling! My- My name is uhm… Ceiling.”
  714. >You clear your throat a bit, having just realized how unnecessary telling her your name was.
  715. “I… don’t get to introduce myself often, sorry…”
  716. >”S’alright. Take care, Ceiling.”
  717. “Y-you too, Miss Mossy!”
  718. >With goodbyes exchanged, you finally start for the door in earnest.
  719. >Your ears prickle at the sound of a cheery ‘come again!’ as you push your way through the entrance.
  720. >You’re sure you will!
  721. >It's... nice.
  722.  
  723. >A brisk trot brings you all the way to the sidewalk once more, but you find yourself lingering briefly.
  724. >You take a moment to turn and look at the corner store one last time.
  725. >Business seems to be ramping up again, as you notice several cars in the parking lot that weren’t there previously.
  726. “Good thing I got out of there when I did… If I stayed any longer, it might have gotten packed l-like a sardine can!”
  727. >The thought elicits a shudder, but at least that’s not what happened, right?
  728. >It’s over now and all that’s left is the walk home.
  729. >You lift and lower your grocery bag a bit, testing its weight.
  730. “It’s… still pretty light, but it’s probably best we don’t dawdle!”
  731. >Daylight was fading rapidly and the pleasant afternoon you previously enjoyed was now getting rather chilly.
  732. >You can even see your breath a little.
  733. >And your legs are getting cold…
  734. “At least I don’t have to worry about my stuff thawing…”
  735. >Taking a deep breath, you begin your journey homeward.
  736. >Each step was a teensy bit shaky due to the excitement bubbling inside your chest.
  737. >Without anything to distract or spook you, your mind was racing a mile a minute as you trek forward.
  738. “What to do, what to do…”
  739. >You run down a list of dinner musings for a while, but ultimately settle on keeping things simple.
  740. >There’s no need to complicate things, right?
  741. >The last thing you need is to mess up just because you tried to be ‘fancy’.
  742. >You’re reminded of that one time mom tried making a casserole.
  743. >You vividly remember coming home from school and finding her staring glumly at an indecipherable mess and muttering to herself about how it ‘was just a single sprig of parsley’.
  744. >She… kind of threw in the towel that night and ordered takeout, but the next one she made was actually quite edible!
  745. >If a little too sweet.
  746. “Are uhm… casseroles supposed to be sweet?”
  747. >Your question goes unanswered as you continue down the sidewalk.
  748. >Your legs a little heavy, you take a moment to rest up under your familiar friend Ms. More… once more.
  749. >Hehe…
  750. >You lean against her with a sigh.
  751. “That was exhausting, but I… I liked it a lot.”
  752. >Getting to see Mr. Petrichor’s train and talking to others…
  753. >Today was a good day, no matter the hiccups.
  754. “Maybe… I can try the library next? It’s usually pretty quiet…”
  755. >Quiet, but paradoxically busy.
  756. >Let's… put a pin in that for now.
  757. “That aside…”
  758. >You look up at the sycamore with a grin and you lift your bag to show her the fruits of your labor.
  759. “W-we’re at the final stretch, Ms. More! All that’s left is preparations!”
  760. >You’re sure she’s quite proud of you~.
  761. >After giving her a pat on the bark, you push off the tree with a huff.
  762. “Seeya later! I’ve got macaroni to cheese!”
  763. >And taters to tot!
  764. >And veggies to… uh…
  765. >Veg?
  766. >Yeah… that.
  767. >A-anyways…
  768. >Let’s bounce!
  769. >Home’s just a hop, skip, and a jump away!
  770.  
  771.  
  772. >The sights and smells of today have brought out quite a few feelings in you.
  773. >And the reddish-orange sunset washing over the fallen leaf filled path before you makes some of those feelings even stronger.
  774. >Despite being quite the scaredy cat, you’ve always had a fondness for autumn and its holidays.
  775. >Many of your favorite movies revolve around this time, after all!
  776. >Summer is simply too warm and makes it hard for you to wear what you want, Spring makes you sneeze and sniffle all the time, and *winter*?
  777. >Winter is alright, you suppose…
  778. “Maybe I just like the cold…”
  779. >Within reason, of course.
  780. >Snow days are all fun and games until there’s so much of the stuff that you can’t even leave your house…
  781. >You shudder.
  782. “That was a dreadful Christmas…”
  783. >But Autumn? Autumn doesn’t have any real pitfalls!
  784. >Not that you can think of at the moment, anyways.
  785. >Clearly, it’s the perfect season!
  786. “A-and nopony is around to say otherwise! Hehe…”
  787. >As you continue to trot home, you find yourself humming the melody of a song you found yourself listening to a lot recently.
  788. >A part of you wonders if you know the lyrics by heart yet…
  789. “put up my- no- put… down? Yeah, yeah put down…”
  790. >You murmur the opening few lines to yourself, not really sure if you’re remembering things right.
  791. >It’s just not clicking…
  792. >Maybe it would feel better if you… sang it?
  793. >You gently sway your groceries back and forth as you mull about the thought.
  794. “What… what if somepony hears me?”
  795. >A moment of clarity makes your cheeks redden.
  796. >You’re… already talking to yourself, Lucille.
  797. >A lot.
  798. >What’s the difference between that and saying stuff a little more melodiously?
  799. >Not like there’s anypony around to hear, so… it’s probably okay, right?
  800. “It- It’s almost like you t-think someone’s gonna arrest you for s-singing! That’s absurd…”
  801. >Almost as absurd as some weirdo mumbling to herself in the middle of a public walkway, right?
  802. >You shake your head.
  803. >Beating yourself up for no good reason isn’t productive! Mom gave you a whole talk about this kind of thing!
  804. >If you wanna sing, by gosh, sing!
  805. >You tug at the hem of your skirt with a free hand and take a deep breath.
  806. >Your voice has little confidence at first, as it barely rises up in your throat with a tremble.
  807. >But once you start to focus on the words and nothing more…
  808. >https://youtu.be/q5Ky8xWn5_E
  809. >It all comes naturally.
  810. >Little stutters and stumbles are dotted throughout, but as you walk along, staring at your hooves and running your free hand along the short, smooth brick wall of one of your neighbor’s fences…
  811. >You can’t help but bob along with the backing track in your head as you continue to croon quietly to yourself.
  812.  
  813. >...After you finish up your little ditty, it doesn’t take long for home to come into view, and with it, a funny plastic skeleton wearing a tophat.
  814. >Jogging the last stretch of sidewalk, you walk up the creaky porch stairs and give him a salute.
  815. “I’m home, Mr. Bones!”
  816. >The sensor near the ribcage of the rocking chair-bound skeleton blinks and his eyes light up.
  817. >He rattles around and gives you a resounding ‘Wahaha!’
  818. >As you put down your groceries, you awkwardly mimic his laugh.
  819. >It’s soft and stilted in comparison, but your inflection is pretty spot on!
  820. >Mumbling yet another practice ‘wahaha’ under your breath, you pull out your Snoopy keychain from a skirt pocket.
  821. >...But before you even put key to lock, the door opens.
  822. >Standing in the doorway was mom, her mane now done up in a loose side ponytail.
  823. >She’s… still wearing one of your old sweaters for some reason.
  824. >”Hey hey, Ceily! You’re on my team now!”
  825. “H-huh?”
  826. >Well that’s…
  827. >Not entirely unexpected.
  828. “I… okay then.”
  829. >Picking up your bag and hiding it behind your back, you follow mom into the house.
  830. >As you gently close the front door behind you, she begins to ramble.
  831. >”So we’re trying to decide on what to wear for Nightmareween, right? Well your father had the gall to say-”
  832. “Nightmareween…?”
  833. >Mom waves a hoof dismissively. “Oh you know what I mean! Anyways, I’d love it if you told him how *wrong* he is about Trigun!”
  834. “I- I don’t… uhm- Mom? What’s a Trigun?”
  835. >Mom stares at you with a concerningly blank expression.
  836. >”Wait… You really don’t know?”
  837. >You shake your head.
  838. >You fidget a little as she lets out a rather dramatic sigh and lulls her head.
  839. >“She doesn’t even know what Trigun is, Anon! I’ve failed as a mother…”
  840. >As if on cue, your dad walks in scratching his beard. “Oh stop teasing Ceily, Floor. And for the last time, I didn’t say anything about it being bad! I just don’t want to do an anime cosplay for Halloween two years in a row!”
  841. >Mom stamps a hoof, pouting. “But it’d be perfect! I’d be Meryl, you’d be Vash, and Ceily could be Milly! It’d be awesome and totally blow those normies next door outta the water!”
  842. >Dad chuckles. “It’s almost like you’re implying we’re *not* normies.”
  843. >Mom gasps. “Of course we’re not! You take that back right this instant!”
  844. >”Make me.”
  845. >You watch your parents playfully go back and forth a while, utterly befuddled.
  846. >Seeing no other option to get a word in, you raise your free hand in the air.
  847. “E-excuse me?”
  848. >Your dad turns to you, holding mom’s attempt at a headbutt back with a hand.
  849. >”Oh uh- sorry Lulu… How’d the store go?”
  850. >You give him a little smile.
  851. “It- It was a little rocky at first, but everything turned up aces! I uhm… I have a surprise for you and mom but I need you both to trust me!”
  852. >They exchange glances with each other and then nod in unison.
  853. “Alrighty! Just leave it to Ceily…”
  854.  
  855. ~ ~ ~
  856. >”She’s… really making dinner?”
  857. “Uh-huh.”
  858. >Floor takes a few sniffs of the air. “It smells good, whatever it is…”
  859. >In front of you on a slightly scratched dining room table is a technicolor paper plate, some silverware, and a couple of napkins that, if the pattern stamped on them are to be believed, are from McMares.
  860. >The same arrangement is repeated in front of a curious Floor, who was currently craning her neck to try and get a glimpse into the kitchen, which was currently filled with quiet humming and frequent hoofsteps.
  861. >”I can’t… see anything... Hmph!”
  862. “I guess the bead curtain is doing its job, huh?”
  863. >Floor turns to you and pouts. “Why’d you even get that dumb thing anyways?”
  864. >You waggle a finger in a teasing manner. “Well you see, some little mare was getting self conscious about her cooking and-”
  865. >”I- I remember now!”
  866. >A flushed Floor fidgets in her seat, avoiding eye contact by paying close attention to her empty plate. “I… I kinda forgot about that…”
  867. >She clears her throat. “B-but that doesn’t mean you have to rub it in! J-jerk...”
  868. >Were you rubbing it in?
  869. “Aw c’mon Floor, I don’t think you’re bad at cooking! That lasagna you made the other day was-”
  870. >She sniffs. ”It came from a box… I lied.”
  871. “...Ah.”
  872. >You chuckle a little.
  873. “Well, you followed those instructions to the tee, hon.”
  874. >”I- I did?”
  875. "Mmhm."
  876. >You watch her lean in a little with a wobbly smile. “And…?”
  877. “And it turned out pretty good.”
  878. >”For a frozen lasagna?”
  879. “For a frozen lasagna.”
  880. >”H-hehe…”
  881. >Considering the way she wiggles about in her chair, you guess she’s pretty content with the trickle of praise she fished out of that exchange.
  882. >”You should know, I uhm- I added a little extra parmesan pizazz! And by extra I mean I kind of... went overboard.”
  883. “I’d say there’s no such thing as too much cheese.”
  884. >”Ain’t that the truth! Remember that time when you made that pizza from scratch and I-”
  885. >The both of you jump as a loud metal clattering rings out from the kitchen.
  886. >Almost immediately, Floor scrambles out of her seat and whipped around to stare wide eyed in the direction of the curtain.
  887. >"..."
  888. >Seeing that she’s still as a deer in headlights... you decide to be the one to call out.
  889. “Everything alright in there, Ceily?”
  890. >More clattering can be heard before a red-faced Ceily finally poked her head out of the beads.
  891. >Is that cheese dust on her face?
  892. >”E-everything’s a-okay! I just uhm- I just had a little accident! I’ll clean it up and- and… y-yeah...”
  893. >As she ducks back into the kitchen once more, you turn to Floor.
  894. >Her stance is as stiff as ever.
  895. “Hey… I think Ceily’s fine, Floor. How about you sit back down?”
  896. >”Whuh- S-sure! Sure…”
  897. >Floor awkwardly climbs back into her chair and leans back.
  898. >She nudges her spoon a bit. “I… froze up.”
  899. “I could see that.”
  900. >”Sorry…”
  901. “It’s alright Floor.”
  902.  
  903. >Skirting past Floor’s little burst of motherly instinct, you fold your hands on the table and yawn.
  904. “So… How’d the call go?”
  905. >She straightens her back, resulting in a few quiet pops. “Uuh… Call?”
  906. “With Taku. You… Called her, right? Like you said?”
  907. >”Ah…” Floor lowers her gaze. “That.”
  908. “That bad?”
  909. >”No! No, it’s just… Uhm… I kind of messed up the plan...”
  910. >She doesn’t look upset, but she certainly looks… uncertain.
  911. “How so?”
  912. >”Well…” She adjusts her spoon yet again as she mulls over her words. “I guess we figured it’d be better if we met in person. Like old times, right?”
  913. “Wasn’t that always the plan?”
  914. >”Y-yeah but I caved and now I have to visit *her* and not the other way around!”
  915. >Floor huffs. “I wanted to do it on my own terms but now I gotta be a house guest a-and... Uuu...”
  916. >You scoot your chair closer.
  917. “I mean… you *are* the one who made this a problem to begin with. It’s only fair that you get off your little rump and talk to her like a big mare.”
  918. >She crosses her forelegs.
  919. >”I coulda been a big mare in my own home, thank you very much!”
  920. “Floor, I… I think you need this.”
  921. >”Need what?”
  922. >You throw up your hands.
  923. “To start putting yourself out there again! To go out in the world and… I dunno, rekindle your friendships? I’m not… I won’t force you, but I just think you’d feel a lot less isolated if you let others into your life again.”
  924. >Her eyes widen.
  925. “Goldie, Dot, Cipher… I’m sure all of them are wondering how their pal Floorb is doing after all these years."
  926. >Floor’s head lulls as she squirms in her chair, clearly affected by your words.
  927. >”I…”
  928. >She brushes her mane out of her face. “Can we just focus on Taku for now?”
  929. >You reach over and put a hand on her hoof, a reassuring smile on your face.
  930. “Course, hon. Just… Keep it in mind, okay?”
  931. >You give her hoof a squeeze.
  932. “One day at a time. We don’t need to rush.”
  933. >She looks up at you with a rather wobbly smile. “I… I got this. Thank you.”
  934. >You let go, but make sure to give her a little scritch under the chin before you lean back in your chair.
  935. >Her awkward giggle tells you that she’s feeling a bit better about the whole thing.
  936. >”Mmn… Oh! I still talk to Peep, remember? That’s gotta count for something, right?”
  937. “Ah… I guess I forgot.”
  938. >”S’alright, All we do is swap ideas and stuff for our books.”
  939. “Oh, what’s she writing?”
  940. >”It’s uh… Buckball related.”
  941. “Uh-huh.”
  942. >”And there’s a lot of bucking. Of balls and… other stuff.”
  943. “I think I get it, Floor.”
  944. >”You do?”
  945. “Yeah.”
  946. >”Great! I uh- I don’t wanna think about it anymore. It’s… kind of a lot.”
  947. “You’re telling me you, Floor Bored, thinks it’s too much?”
  948. >”Look man, my tastes are pretty set in stone these days!”
  949. “Really now? What’s your taste then?”
  950. >She nuzzles into your arm with a demure little grin.
  951. >”You.”
  952.  
  953. >You can’t help but share in her grin as you brush a hand through her soft, unkempt mane.
  954. >Floor slides off her chair, quietly snaking her way up your arm until her head is resting on your shoulder and you have a face full of mare.
  955. >Her breath is warm on your neck.
  956. >”Hey... You know I love you, right?”
  957. “I sure hope you do, or else this next part will be a little awkward.”
  958. >”Whu- Mmh!”
  959. >Without hesitation, you lean down and plant a kiss directly on her lips.
  960. >You can feel her feebly paw at your chest as you gently pull her closer.
  961. >With her so close, it’s hard to ignore the unmistakable scent lingering on her…
  962. >You slowly pull away, still holding her.
  963. “...Is that my conditioner?”
  964. >Dazed from the kiss, Floor doesn’t form a response right away, simply breathing manually. “I uh… uhm…” Slightly composed, she wipes a bit of saliva from her mouth and chuckles nervously. “I kinda ran out of my own stuff…”
  965. >You boop her nose, making her scrunch.
  966. “You smell like a tomcolt.”
  967. >”A pretty tomcolt?”
  968. >Floor blinks a bit as you hoist her up and settle her on your lap.
  969. >It takes a little more effort than it used to, but it’s worth it to see her happy.
  970. “The prettiest.”
  971. >With how deep her blush is, all this button pressing must be starting to get to her.
  972. >”H-hah… Geez…”
  973. >Floor takes a deep breath in an attempt to settle herself down. “Ookay… Let’s just… cool it.”
  974. >For a mare who wants to ‘cool it’, she’s certainly squirming a lot.
  975. >Pressing warm areas against other warm areas…
  976. “You’re not doing yourself any favors, hon.”
  977. >Seemingly only now realizing what she’s doing, Floor glances in the direction of the kitchen.
  978. >”o-oh gosh…”
  979. “Ceily’s been fiddling with the radio while she waits for her stuff to cook, I can hear it. No need to fret.”
  980. >”Thank Clestia…”
  981. >Floor locks eyes with you again.
  982. >She places a hoof on your chest, a sheepish glint in her eyes.
  983. >”A-Anon I…”
  984. >You brush a finger over her lips.
  985. “Once she’s asleep, Floor. Promise”
  986. >Her reddened ears perk slightly.
  987. >”O-okay! I’m gonna… get off now.”
  988. >Floor shimmies her way down and then takes another purposeful breath. “Woo boy…”
  989. >”How long until she’s done you think?”
  990. “It’ll probably be a bit.”
  991. >”A bit huh? I uh…” She clears her throat. “I think I’m gonna take a quick shower then!”
  992. >She shuffles in place a bit. “A cold one.”
  993. ”Is that all you’re gonna do?”
  994. >The way her tail flicks is rather telling.
  995. >”Sh- shuddup…”
  996. >You give her a knowing smile.
  997. “Take your time, Floor.”
  998. >”I- I will, trust me.”
  999. >With that, she turns around and trots away with her tail between her legs.
  1000. >For obvious reasons.

Testament

by Castafae

Letters for Gray Garden

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Novel Pursuits with Radio Star

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Fae Green Archive

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Fae's Party Adventure

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