Autumn Shorts


                                            A couple of small Autumn greens I've done in the NEET thread. I'll try to update it whenever something new pops up.


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                                            Little Talks 01


                                            >"Hey."

                                            >You feel a warm snoot bump into your shoulder.

                                            >"Heeey."

                                            "What's the motion of the ocean, Autumn?"

                                            >Autumn, now with your full attention, lifts her head to about the height of your face with a barely contained smile.

                                            >"Whaddya call an archer's favorite bird?"

                                            "I... What *do* you call an archer's favorite bird?"

                                            >The murky-eyed mare leans in with a grin.

                                            >"A Spare-arrow."

                                            >You exhale.

                                            "That was awful, Autumn."

                                            >"Betcha still smiled, you awful pun lover you."

                                            >You wrap your arm around Autumn, who stifles a giggle as you ruffle her mane.

                                            "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't... You'll never know."

                                            >"I can totally tell! Your happy aura just went off the charts, man. To the moon and back, even!"

                                            "Can't fool me, mare. I know you don't got special powers."

                                            >"Okay okay... So the aura thing isn't real."

                                            "Uh-huh."

                                            >"But I can *definitely* sense the happy with my ears!"

                                            >You gently tug at Autumn's ear, eliciting a half-hearted protest as she unceremoniously flops onto the floor, her unkempt wings ruffling.

                                            >"Guh... Can't even be a comedian in my own home..."

                                            "Yeah, keep it up and I'll open a pickle jar in the apartment again, I mean it!"

                                            >The very thought gets her nose to scrunch.

                                            >"Woah man... You're pickin' on a blind mare? That's messed up..."

                                            "I'm not the one who started it!"

                                            >"Mmn... Okay, how about a truce?"

                                            "What's your terms?"

                                            >Autumn rolls onto her back with her wings spread out as she stretches a bit, unbothered by your presence.

                                            >"Hmm... How about we go grab a bite to eat?"

                                            "And who pray tell, is buying?"

                                            >Her ears swivel in your voice's direction as she wriggles a bit on the carpet.

                                            >"Uhhh... I guess I could do it this time. You said I'm all topped up, right?"

                                            "Yeah, you are. Do you want to check?"

                                            >She shakes her head. "Nah, Nonzo. I trust ya."

                                            >Autumn sits up and blows a bit of her floofy mane out of her face.

                                            >"Can you take me to the place that has the nice jazz music? The sandwich shop?"

                                            "Flower Power?"

                                            >"Yeah... Their stuff is cheap and the atmosphere is killer."

                                            >It's kind of a dump. But like... a homely kind of dump.

                                            >You give her a pat on the head.

                                            "Sounds like a plan, kiddo."

                                            >"Dude, I'm like..."

                                            >Autumn's face screws up.

                                            >"...Guess you win this time."

                                            "Uh-huh. No booze for you."

                                            >Autumn scoffs as she gets up and shakes herself off, a few stray feathers falling off of her.

                                            >"Like I'd ever drink... That stuff is gross."

                                            "I just don't think you've had anything good yet."

                                            >"What's good?"

                                            "I'll treat you when you're older."

                                            >She huffs.

                                            >"Gonna make it a surprise? Better not be like, pickle juice in cider or whatever... I'd *never* forgive you!"

                                            >Autumn gropes at the couch with a wing until she find a sweater you put out for her earlier.

                                            "What's with you and pickles, anyways?"

                                            >She answers as she begins to pull off her old sweater.

                                            >"Dad's big on two things... Cider, and pickles."

                                            >Even if it's brief, it's kinda funny seeing her without a sweater.

                                            >She's all lanky and stuff.

                                            "Sounds like a weird guy."

                                            >"You don't know the half of it..."

                                            ~ ~ ~


                                            ~ ~ ~

                                            Little Talks 02


                                            "...What about a theme park? Ever been to one of those?"

                                            >Autumn's wings ruffle a little. "Yeah... My dad brought me to one on my birthday one year. They had killer pretzels but it was kind of... a lot."

                                            "Define a lot."

                                            >"Well, it was loud for starters... Way too much shouting and talking and weird noises... Gosh, I thought I was gonna have a panic attack! ...I mean, I did, but like... for unrelated reasons? Roller-coaster reasons."

                                            "I suppose thrill rides aren't your cup of tea then?"

                                            >"Am I a fan of getting strapped into a hunk of smelly metal and getting hurtled into a indeterminate direction? No, not really."

                                            "Alright, so that's a no on circuses and theme parks... How about a fair?"

                                            >"Anon, I know you mean well but uh- I'm pretty sure I'm going to be a stick in the mud no matter what you suggest..."

                                            "Aw, don't say that! I'm sure we'll think of something."

                                            >She wriggles on the bench as she mulls over your words. "You... really don't gotta go through all the trouble, Nonzo. I'm more than happy with our night walks..."

                                            >Autumn chuckles quietly. "Besides, all that stuff sounds like it requires vision to have fun..."

                                            "Maybe we can find something that isn't so reliant on the visual spectrum?"

                                            >"Like what?"

                                            "We could... go to a concert? Been scoping one out for a bit that you might like."

                                            >Her ears perk. "A... concert?"

                                            "Yeah! It's being held at the amphitheater not that far from here. It's featuring a band of music students from the college on uh- on College."

                                            >You lean down to whisper in her attentive, listening ears.

                                            "I heard it's jazzy and pretty experimental... There's even one of those funky marble machines."

                                            >There's breathy excitement in her voice as she turns in your direction.

                                            "R-really? That... that sounds awesome!"

                                            >Despite her mirth, her smile begins to fade as she starts to fidget with her hooves.

                                            >"Hey, Anon?"

                                            "Hm?"

                                            >"Do I... look like I'm concert goer material?"

                                            "Whaddya mean?"

                                            >"I mean, concerts are supposed to be fancy, right? I'm..." She gestures vaguely to herself, bringing attention to her well-worn maple leaf sweater, self-perceived homeliness, and scruffy wings. "Not that."

                                            "You look fine, Autumn. Why, I'm sure you'd fit right in with a college crowd! You've got that 'mid exam week' look down pat."

                                            >She huffs. "Whatever *that* means..."

                                            "You know, If you're so worried about your appearance, we can always give those wings of yours a good brush-"

                                            >"N-not my wings!"

                                            >The little outburst is punctuated by her accidentally flaring said wings, bapping you gently in the side and making a few stray feathers fall to the ground.

                                            >Autumn scooches away from you soon after, embarrassment clear on her face as her wings fold back to her side.

                                            "So... that a 'no' on the wing brushing?"

                                            >Autumn murmurs softly. "I told you already, I don't like my wings touched..."

                                            "That's because you don't preen, mare! Have you ever even tried to? At least once?"

                                            >Autumn turn to you with a bewildered tilt of the head.

                                            >"What's a... preen?"

                                            "I... Oh, Autumn..."

                                            ~ ~ ~


                                            ~ ~ ~

                                            Bookclub Blabbing (Autumn, Vee, and Brook crossover) (Not sure where else to add it, so it's going in here)


                                            >"So anyways... Yeah, he like, foalnapped me and stuff."

                                            >The powder blue earth mare to the right of Vee tilts her head. "Foal... napped? I mean... You *are* kind of little, but I would have never guessed you still needed to be put to sleep."

                                            "That's not... nevermind."

                                            >Vee looks taken aback. "Little?! I- I ain't little! I'm-"

                                            >"Compact?" Gently teases the murky-eyed pegasus to your left, a lazy smile aimed in Vee's general direction.

                                            >Vee shifts her weight, her face reddening slightly. "I-I uh..."

                                            >You give her a playful nudge in the side.

                                            "A fancy mare like yourself is more along the lines of 'petite', wouldn't you agree?"

                                            >Vee glances in your direction and then clears her throat. "Y...yeah! I'm PETITE! Not..." She waggles a hoof a bit. "That."

                                            >She then points that same hoof at the pegasus in an almost accusatory manner. "You're tall."

                                            >You're... not entirely sure what she meant by that.

                                            >The pegasus doesn't react to Vee's awkward gesture for... obvious reasons. "Yeah... Everypony says I am but I don't really *feel* it, you know?"

                                            >"You're taller than me, Autumn." Quietly interjects the earth mare.

                                            >Autumn shrugs. "By like what, a hoof or two? It ain't that big of a deal."

                                            >The blue mare turns to Vee with her ears drooped slightly. "I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to upset you..."

                                            >Vee waves a hoof dismissively. "No harm done, uh..."

                                            >"B-Brook!" The mare blurts out. "B-Babbling Brook..."

                                            >Brook fidgets nervously with her forehooves. "T-thank you for coming to our book club again, Ms. Vee..." She then turns to you and nods. "And Mr. Mousse."

                                            >Autumn pipes up. "I honestly didn't think we'd ever get somepony to give us a shot."

                                            >Brook gives her a wobbly smile. "I- Isn't it exciting? We can finally start a proper book discussion!"

                                            >Autumn's wings ruffle slightly. "Lemme guess... Waterfowl Weekly?"

                                            >Brook stifles a awkward little laugh. "N-no no... It's even better!"

                                            >As Brook begins to rummage around in her flair riddled saddlebag, Vee not so casually leans on you.

                                            >"You sure about these two?" She murmurs. "What if they-"

                                            "We're dorks among dorks, Vee... It'll be just fine."

                                            >Vee takes a deep breath. "Yeah... Yeah you're right. Sorry for freakin' out."

                                            "No worries. Just try to sit back and relax. You wanna get to know your potential new friends, right?"

                                            >"New... friends? I'd... I'd like that."

                                            >You wrap an arm around her and squeeze.

                                            "That's the spirit."

                                            >Vee sits up with a soft sigh. "...Thanks dude."

                                            >"I- I found it!"

                                            >Brook pulls out a hefty novel with a beaten up binding and shows it off with a giddy smile. "Duck and Cover!"

                                            >She brings the book close to her chest, still beaming. "It's absolutely amazing! Pale Feather's descriptions of Mallard mannerisms and rituals are second to none! There's even this one part where Agent Swanson- O-oh wait! That's a spoiler..."

                                            >Autumn chuckles quietly. "I should have known you'd pick that one..."

                                            >"I'm... kind of predictable that way. H-haha..."

                                            >Vee turns to you. "I think she might like ducks."

                                            "Yeah."

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