=BiE 24=

>Morning.
>Fuck morning.
>Fuck waking up.
>Fuck these ponies and their easily broken relationships.
>Fuck assholes like you who break them up.
>You sit in bed and rub your face.
>Today was gonna suck.
>You make your way to the door and glance at the battalion of models in your room, they looked angry, they always looked angry.
>Angry at you.
>You trudge out to the kitchen to start this crap day.
>To your surprise, Anon is already out and eating.
>"Not going for round whatever?" 
>He looks up from his bowl. "Not when we both have work."
>Right. You had work.
>Bread is enough for today.
>Anon looks over at you. "Rough night?"
>You could say that.
>"Didn't sleep. Kept thinking about this Lyra problem."
>Anon leans rises from his chair. "You gotta stop blaming yourself, dude. It wasn't your fault."
>It wouldn't have happened if you weren't there.
>It was your fault.
>"You just gotta stay positive." Anon said.
>He walked out the door with his bag over his shoulder.
>You sigh and make your way to the bathroom.
>You were dreading your shower.
>It was too warm in here, too comfortable.
>It gave you too much time to think.
>Two ponies who obviously cared about each other we-
>No.
>No, Anon is right.
>Just don't think about it.

>You're dressed, out the door, and walking with Derpy into town within ten minutes.
>You hoped her good cheer would help you out.
>"You look sad, Mous." 
>You turned to Derpy, she was wearing a frown that broke your heart.
>"Well, who can't be when you're giving them those puppy dog eyes?"
>She smiled at that, but her eyes still were drooping.
>Gotta get this conversation off you.
>"So, how was your Heart's and Hooves day, Derpy?"
>She perks up for a moment and stops before zipping over to you and wrapping her hooves around you.
>This is new.
>Kinda nice...
>She releases you from the hug and give you a big smile.
>An infectious one, it seems.
>"What was that for?"
>She's still smiling. "Remember when you talked to me about that nice colt at the clock store? Well, I caught him after that little incident at your house over estrus. I played it cool and he took me out for a nice picnic, he wants to go again soon." she beams.
>"Wow, that's great Derpy."
>It was nice that Derpy was able to have a good estrus.
>Just then, a thought entered your mind.
>"Derpy...he didn't ask you to travel with him, did he?"
>Derpy's look grows confused. "No. He said he used to travel a lot, but that he was taking a break for a while. Why?"
>You let out a relaxed sigh.
>"No reason, c'mon."
>You continue down the road with Derpy flying beside you.
>Good. He's staying put. 
>Having Derpy get turned into some sort of monster by a space alien would have been too much.

>The work day goes fairly routine.
>An early massage, followed by steam room duty, and eventually a hoofacure for the Mayor.
>You found yourself hoping to see Lyra come in, if only to find out what happened after you left.
>Aloe and Lotus were their usual selves.
>You tried to keep up appearances, but you feel like your mood was fucking you up a bit.
>It was close to 1pm. You usually took your lunch break around this time, the lunch rush being over by then.
>You were about to step out when Aloe stopped you. "Mous, wait."
>"What's up, Aloe?"
>Lotus came out of the office behind her. "We were planning to head to the cafe for lunch, would you care to join us?"
>You really didn't feel like being alone right now.
>"Sure, I'll tag along."
>Both Aloe and Lotus perk up as they come out from behind the counter and lock up the spa.
>The cafe was relatively close to the spa, you usually got some ponies coming in after a meal here.
>You were seated on the patio. 
>It was nice out, you looked up and spotted Rainbow flying around moving clouds.
>She gave you a wave, you waved back.

>Your food was brought out, Aloe and Lotus each got what looked like a dandelion sandwich. You got bread.
>"So. Mous."
>You look up from your bread at the sisters.
>"We wanted to thank you again for what you did for us during estrus, you really helped us out.
>This again?
>"I don't know what I did so well, I just locked you two in a room for four days against your will. That doesn't sound like something you give thinks for."
>Aloe shook her head. "It was the fact that you watched over us that we're giving thanks for."
>You raise an eyebrow.
>"It would have been so easy for you to simply throw us out in our state of mind, but you kept us around and stopped us from making another terrible mistake. That was very noble of you."
>Noble? You were just taking care of your friends. That's all you ever did.
>"Yeah, well, I'm sure you two would have done the same for me."
>Aloe giggles. "Mous on the estrus, wouldn't that be a sight?"
>That got a laugh out of you.
>"Celestia would declare a state of emergency and I would have to be banished to the moon."
>That got a laugh out of Aloe and Lotus.

>"Mous, I want to ask something." Lotus said.
>What was this? Twenty questions?
>Oh well, you were in a better mood.
>"Shoot."
>"You have heard of our lives in Stalliongrad, tell us what your life back on your home was like."
>Life back home...
>Damn.
>You haven't thought about it in months.
>Life here just sort of picked up and took you with it.
>What did your family think happened?
>What did the school?
>Didn't Celestia say she would find a fix?
>...was a fix worth it?
>You look back to see Aloe and Lotus eyeing you expectantly.
>Shit. Uh...keep it loose.
>"I have a pretty routine story. I grew up with my mom and dad, and I met Anon when I was young. I went to school and met a few people I liked, along with a few people I didn't. After school, Anon and I went to college together and eventually found ourselves here, the rest, you know."
>"What did you do at college?" she asked.
>What did you do at college?
>"I painted a lot."
>Fuck your teachers, tiny models counted.

>Aloe was next to speak. "You've known Anon for so long and don't have any stories to tell?"
>There were a few.
>"There are a few, most of them just us getting into trouble."
>Lotus laughs. "What kind of trouble."
>They asked for it.
>"Anon is a bit younger then I am, I met him because he was getting picked on a lot. After I chased everyone away, they would sometimes come back and try again. That kind of trouble." you say with a grin.
>"Have you always done that for Anon?" She asks.
>You lead back in your chair.
>"For as long as I can remember."
>Lotus smiles and cants her head.
>"It looks like your nobility streak runs back farther than we thought."
>There was that word again.
>You ponder the significance of that as the three of you finish your meal.

>The rest of the work day was rather uneventful.
>Still no Lyra...
>Even if she was all half the time, it was nice to have a recurring customer.
>Closing time eventually came and you helped Aloe and Lotus clean up.
>"Staying behind?" Aloe asked.
>"I work here, don't I? That means I help clean."
>She didn't say anything but gave you a warm smile.
>You were about to head out when Lotus stopped you.
>She looked concerned.
>"Anon stopped by and told me what happened, Mous. I know why you've been so down all day."
>Dammit, Anon.
>"I know you think you messed up, but you're not a bad person." she continues.
>"Good people don't stick their noses into other ponies business and wind up breaking them up.
>She got an annoyed looked. 
>"Good people don't stay after work to help clean, good people don't pay for their meal when their bosses offer to take them out, and the certainly don't charge a manticore and get mauled to protect their friend."
>"Well, I wasn't gonna let you two pay for my lunch."
>"That was the point, Mous. We wanted to pay you back." 
>"Yeah, well, you don't have to."
>You push past her outside.
>"Mous." you turn back to see Lotus standing in the doorway with a pleading look in her eye.
>"Don't be like this. I've barely known three months and you're already one of the most altruistic people I've ever met. I can't watch you beat yourself up like this over one small mistake."
>One small mistake, huh...
>You sigh.
>You needed to think.
>"Thanks the pep talk, Lotus."

>The walk home was uneventful, which was good.
>You needed some time to yourself.
>Was the mistake you made that big?
>It surely was to Lyra and Bon Bon, their whole lives could be ruined.
>And it would be your fault...
>You were so used to having to watch out for everything.
>Guard against everything so that Anon wouldn't have to worry.
>Nip problems in the butt before they blew up in your face.
>And above all, never slip up. Evading an issue entirely was better.
>Aloe and Lotus had called you "noble" and "altruistic", but did that mean what you thought it meant?
>Did that mean shouldering the blame for every problem you were remotely involved in so others wouldn't have to?
>For what it was doing? What would happen if something broke you one day and Anon was all alone?
>What then?
>Other people were usually just blips on your radar, but you tended to keep your friends really close.
>Had that been screwing you over all this time?

>You arrive at the house and find Rainbow and Anon on the couch.
>"Hey, man. How're you doing?" Anon asked.
>"Dude...would you say I'm...altruistic?"
>Anon's face contorts to a shape you haven't seen from him before.
>"Are you seriously asking me that? You've got three scars on you back to answer that question, dude."
>Were you being too self sacrificing? Could you afford to just let things happen once in a while?
>"Hey, I know what might cheer you up." Anon says.
>He nudges Rainbow. "Tell him."
>Rainbow smiles. "Yours truly scored two tickets to the Wonderbolts show this weekend in Canterlot. thing is, they booked us for a two bedroom place, you up for a little vacation?" 
>Canterlot was kinda far...
>Your sure there was someone else who wanted to go.
>But...on the other hand...
>You could think of plenty of laughs to have there...
>Fuck it. Time to see where letting things happen takes you.
>You crack one of your first smiles in the day.
>"Sure, Canterlot weekend it is."