Tristan yelled out, attempting to run away from the voice that came from the bushes, vaguely recalling that he had reason to fear strange voices. Before he could get away, however, a blue magical aura enveloped him and held him fast, despite his struggles. Daring a look over his shoulder, Tristan saw not a faceless malevolent entity, but an alicorn that looked much like Celestia. Instead of white she was a dark blue, though her mane flowed in the same manner as Celestia’s, and she was adorned in similar attire. Tristan didn’t know whether to fear her or be thankful that she wasn’t some monstrosity.
“Please, stop! I wish you no harm,” she said in a calm voice, unlike Celestia’s in that it betrayed some emotion. “I am Luna, Princess of the Night, and Warden of Dreams.”
Tristan stopped struggling and was released from the aura, regaining control over his limbs. “...Warden of dreams?” he mused. “That’s right, I’m in Equestria, not home...”
As he spoke the world slowly dissolved away around him, and he found himself standing with Luna in an endless white empty expanse. Lucidity suddenly hit him and his thoughts cleared from the haze he hadn’t known they were in, as the memories of his time in Equestria suddenly returned. “Wait, what?” he asked to no one in particular.
“My apologies if I startled you,” Luna said, slowly trotting over to where Tristan stood. “I was simply excited to meet you; I have wished to do so for some time now.”
Tristan jerked his head her way, remembering that she was there. “Luna! I know you! You’re the one Lore told me about, that almost killed the sun!” he exclaimed. “But now you’re ruling with Celestia and oh crap I forgot to bow.”
With that Tristan immediately descended into an awkward bow, hoping that she wouldn’t punish him for his lack of decorum. “Nay, rise! Please, feel at ease! I come here in friendship, nothing more,” Luna quickly said, at which Tristan slowly rose. “Please, do not fear me, I simply wish to speak with you.”
“Oh, err, sure, whatever you’d like,” Tristan said awkwardly. “Uhm, what about? And why are you...y’know...here?”
“My purpose here is threefold: to affirm your connection to the magical field, to learn of your land, and to introduce myself,” Luna began. “As ruler of the night the domain of dreams falls under my purview, and I often walk among my slumbering subjects to ensure their rest is calm. I have not been able to do such with you, for you were outside my influence with your disconnection from the field. Was there anything else you wished to ask of me?”
“You’re awfully casual,” Tristan blurted out, eliciting a small giggle from Luna. “Wait, ah, I don’t mean that’s bad! Just that you’re royal and-” he was cut off by Luna’s speech.
“I take no offense, Tristan. My sister may need to adhere to the formalities of old, icon as she has become, but I can allow myself some flexibility. It is rather liberating, in truth, to be lesser known in this time. I did have some difficulties abandoning the old ways, once, but I have long since adapted.”
“Good to know...” Tristan commented, becoming somewhat more relaxed around her. “So, just to confirm, this is a dream here, right?” Luna nodded. “Uh huh. Well, that’s...that’s pretty awesome, actually! So that means I can pretty much control reality, right? Though...you don’t, y’know, visit every dream, do you?...”
“If you fear for your privacy do not fret; I have seen it all many times before,” Luna responded.
“That sure makes me comfortable...” Tristan muttered dryly beneath his breath. “Right, well, you came here for a reason, so I had better shut up and let you get to it!” he sat down on a cushy armchair behind him, which he had expected to be there, and so it was.
“Excellent! I have wished to speak with you for some time now,” Luna exclaimed, sitting down on a lush pillow that similarly materialized from nothingness. “We had decided that it was best for you to only see one princess for a time, lest we overwhelm you too early.”
“Well I’m here now, so talk away!” Tristan said, now swirling a glass goblet of Mt. Dew in his hand, and noting that he really needed to get back to practicing lucid dreaming to do this more often.
“I have read all of Virgin Lore’s reports on you thus far, and have found them fascinating. Could you tell me more of your world? Or better yet, show me?” Luna asked excitedly, her eyes lighting up.
“Uh, sure? Like what?” Tristan responded. He wasn’t sure of if he wanted to show her wars and the like, but he supposed he’d have to if asked.
“May I see your home? The one you once lived in? I understand the technology your race has created far surpasses our own, at least non-magically,” Luna said, looking expectantly at Tristan.
Tristan gave a nod and closed his eyes, envisioning his home. When he opened them he saw his house in front of him, exactly as he remembered it. The walkway up to the front door was the same, the same plants lined the yard, and everything brought memories flooding back. He fought back the emotion, doing his best to remain stoic in the face of what he lost.
“Do you need a moment?” Luna asked understandingly. Tristan merely shook his head and motioned for her to follow him up the walkway and into the house. He opened the door, finding himself in the living room. It was always a bit of a mess, so it was no surprise to him that it still was, even in dream form. Luna practically bounced inside, scrutinizing every object.
Tristan walked around in a slight daze, running his fingers over his old furniture. He was amazed at how real it felt, a testament to how well his memories had captured his home. After a moment he became aware that Luna had asked him something, but he didn’t quite catch what. Emotions bubbled up inside him as he remembered Christmases in this very room, his family spending time together, the relief of coming home after an arduous day at school...
“Tristan? Are you sure you are well?” Luna queried, sympathy written across her face. Before Tristan could rebuff her again, she continued. “I understand what it’s like, you know. I was trapped for a millennia, during which time every pony I knew, save for Celestia, perished. I may have returned to Equestria, but it was not my Equestria.”
“At least you have one person left, though!” Tristan suddenly cried out, the emotions he was suppressing bursting forth. “I have nothing! All of my friends, all of my family, my house, my city, the degree I was working so hard for...gone!”
Tristan flopped down on the couch nearby, attempting to calm himself but failing. “And you know what? I think it’s worse not knowing if I’ll be able to get home! At least if I knew I was stuck in Equestria, I could just move on, get some closure, you know? But I can’t even get that!” he finished, cradling his face in his hands.
Luna let him calm down for a moment, looking on to him in pity. “If you wish for me to leave you now, I will,” she finally said. Tristan slowly wiped his hands down his face, composing himself as best he could.
“No, no...sorry,” he said, sniffing. “I don’t know what brought that on...”
“You are both close to the memories of your home now, and fully lucid to comprehend it. There is no shame in sorrow,” Luna advised.
“Just...just don’t tell Lore or anyone, alright? I can’t have them thinking I’m some kinda sap,” Tristan said, rising from the couch and clapping his hands together once. “Okay, moving on!” he exclaimed in a sudden change of demeanor. “I believe we had a tour to do, yes?”
“Let’s see...I can show you some of the rooms this way...” Tristan said, moving towards the hallway. As he walked by he passed a mirror that hung from the wall, and chanced a look at it. Inside it, he saw himself, yet twisted. His eyes were gone, replaced with the black holes of a skull on his gaunt face. His teeth were rotted and jagged, and his hair hung in ragged strands from his blistering scalp. The grotesque reflection mirrored his movements as though it was his true reflection, though the moment he stopped and comprehended it the image continued to move of its own accord. Immediately he screamed, falling backwards from the mirror.
“What is it?” Luna questioned, instinctively dropping down into a slightly defensive position.
“M-mirror, demon crap, wh-what the Hell was that?” Tristan asked shakily, attempting to calm himself, remembering he was in no danger, as it was only a dream.
“Oh, is that all?” Luna queried, sounding relieved. “You would be wise to avoid mirrors in the dreamscape. They can often show frightening things.”
“Damn, well I wish I knew that!” Tristan said, annoyed. “This crap is going to take some getting used to...”
With that the two of them toured through Tristan’s house, the uncomfortable business behind them for now, as he narrated to her about the various fixtures: from the television, to the dishwasher, to the computer. Though he didn’t know nearly enough about the precise workings of any of those Luna still seemed thrilled to hear about what he knew.
After a long nostalgic tour through his home, they wound up outside again. The whole ordeal had been somewhat painful for Tristan, though in an almost bittersweet sort of way. While he knew getting back to his home in reality was still an unknown, remembering parts of his life before his current troubles was somewhat comforting.
“Thank you for being such a gracious host, Tristan,” Luna said as Tristan sat down on a chair in front of his house. “Your life prior to Equestria was certainly fascinating; the things you could do with electricity are amazing indeed!”
“Yeah...” Tristan responded halfheartedly. “Hey, if you don’t mind, could I ask you a question?” he suddenly broached, looking at her with a serious expression on his face.
“Of course! It would be my pleasure,” Luna answered warmly.
“It’s about you and your sister. I never really had the chance to ask Celestia, and Lore never told me enough. The two of you seem nice, really nice for royalty. How was it that you just let so many rift spawn get slaughtered, even when there was no evidence that some of them were hostile? I certainly wasn’t hostile when I met that guard for the first time,” Tristan asked, the question having been on his mind for a while.
“That is...an uncomfortable subject...” Luna replied in a somber tone. “In truth, I was not initially for such a policy, yet my sister swayed me. During the initial quelling of the spawn I had great doubts and regrets about my decision, yet I trusted in my sister’s judgement on the matter.”
“Knowing what I know now, I believe the decision was the right one. Once mighty nations like Zebrica were brought to their knees when they failed to take adequate measures against the spawn, yet Equestria has largely been able to retain its way of life. The fate of the spawn is pitiable, yes, and it is terrible that things must be so, but...” she trailed off, faltering slightly under Tristan’s scrutinizing gaze.
“...But it had to be done, for the greater good?” Tristan finished her sentence. At Luna’s sorrowful look he continued. “Don’t worry, I get it. From an objective point of view, the logic was sound and the decision was correct. It takes some real strength to make choices like that. Usually, people can’t see how much stands to be lost by short term thinking.”
“That is true,” Luna replied. “Yet at the same time we must not harden our hearts to the point of forgetting the plight of those that suffer.”
“Yeah...alright, well, this is getting a little heavy,” Tristan said, standing back up. “I think that’s about enough of that for now.”
“Indeed. But before we move on, I feel I must ask...do you forgive us? While you are not without blame, we threw the first stone. Being one of the ones that was made to suffer, can you pardon what was done?” Luna asked, staring Tristan directly in the eyes.
“Oh, uh, of course!” Tristan said uncomfortably. “I just said I saw it from your point of view, didn’t I? My stance on the issue wouldn’t change just because I was involved in it.”
“Oh, joyous night!” Luna exclaimed, suddenly rushing up to Tristan and locking him in a hug. “We thank thee for thine forgiveness!” she said, before suddenly letting him go and backing up, looking embarrassed. “We - I mean, thank you, Tristan.”
Tristan steadied himself, immensely uncomfortable with the sudden physical contact. “Uh, you’re welcome?” he said uneasily. “That was really getting to you, wasn’t it?”
Luna nodded, blushing slightly. “It was the hardest decision I have made since my return, and has weighed heavily upon my thoughts for some time now. Your forgiveness brings great relief.”
“Well, glad I could help. Anyway, if I’m not possessed or anything anymore, I think I have a few things to talk about with Lore. How do I...y’know...leave?” Tristan asked, looking around as if for an exit.
“I believe I can assist with that,” Luna said. “Thank you for this meeting, Tristan. I look forward to our next.”
With that the world turned blindingly white, and Tristan woke with a start, finding himself still tied up in his room. Krik slumbered peacefully beside his bed, oblivious to his awakening.
Before he could wake Krik, the door opened, revealing Lore, who trotted up to Tristan. “I just got word that Luna was able to reach your dreams, so you should be alright!” he exclaimed, waiting for Tristan to speak before untying him.
“Yeah, I met her. Could you get these off me, please?” Tristan asked, at which Lore complied. Freed of his ropes, Tristan stood and massaged the areas where they had bound him, finding himself quite sore. “Damn, that feels nice...” he said airily.
“We need to talk,” Tristan beat Lore to speech, addressing him in a suddenly serious tone. “This,” he began, motioning over his body. “Has got to stop. No more adventures, no more stabbing, no more poison, no more crap. Alright?”
Lore looked at him, somewhat surprised. “So, you don’t want to work with me, or the princesses, again?” he said, sounding almost hurt.
“Not if it means going into forbidden forests, hostile refugee camps, dark jungles, outside...” Tristan said, counting off on his fingers. “If you want to chat with me, sure. If you want to run a noninvasive test or two, sure. But if you want me to do anything that requires me to put on armor, no go.”
“Ah, that’s all?” Lore said, looking relieved. “I was going to speak against any more of that stuff, myself! You’re not exactly lucky, after all.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?” Tristan responded in mock indignation. “Glad we’re on the same page, though.”
“What of me, then?” a voice suddenly rang out from behind them, as Krik unfurled his legs. “I refuse to give up my quest of returning to my queen.”
“No, no, we’re still working on that! We’ll just try to do it in a bit less dangerous way,” Lore hastily defended. “There are many things you could do here to help us further research on the rifts.”
“Very well then,” Krik replied, apparently satisfied. He then looked to Tristan, eying his unbound state. “It is good to see you have recovered so promptly, Tristan. I wish you well.” With that, he left the room swiftly.
“Uhh, thanks...” Tristan said, after Krik had already left. “Err, where were we?”
“You were telling me that you didn’t want to be hospitalized again,” Lore deadpanned.
“Oh, right! Yeah, no more of that crap. I just want to live a nice, peaceful life, without getting mauled to death by something,” Tristan deadpanned back.
“I suppose you’ll need to speak to the princess, then. It would be better for you to tell her. But for now, you should get back to bed. We’ll speak more in the morning,” Lore responded, letting a yawn escape. “I believe we could both use the rest.”
“Mmm...yeah, that does sound pretty nice,” Tristan said, seeing that it was still night outside and running his fingers over the soft bed sheets. “Alright, we’ll talk more tomorrow. ‘Night!”
With that he flopped backwards onto his bed, immediately throwing the sheets over himself. Lore gave a small smirk and a nod, bidding Tristan goodnight and leaving.
So that’s it, then...no more crazy adventures, no more creepy voice, no more counting tiles in the hospital. I wonder what I’ll do instead...
Tristan fell asleep easily, and slept dreamlessly.
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Tristan awoke slowly, enjoying the fact that he could now take things more easily. For some time he simply lay in bed, basking in the calm of the room and the softness of the sheets. His reverie was eventually interrupted by Lore, who casually trotted into the room.
“Are you awake?” Lore asked, noticing Tristan was completely entombed within his sheets. At a grunt from Tristan he continued. “I’ve managed to arrange an audience with the princess about your new arrangements. We should be going fairly soon, so please get yourself ready.”
Tristan gave a few more mumbles, having found himself close to sleep once more, and violently thrust his sheets off of himself. Rubbing his eyes blearily, he made his way to the restroom, not bothering to even glance at Lore. Once he was done he exited, a good deal more refreshed and energized, to find Lore waiting for him.
The two left, navigating their way through the winding passages to the throne room. Unlike previous audiences, it seemed Celestia did not feel the need to meet with him privately, so he was simply sent to the front of the line of ponies and zebras that were waiting their turns. It gained him a few glares, but he had a hard time feeling bad about not waiting.
Inside the throne room was as regal and magnificent as ever, with Celestia flanked by several guards. Despite the seriousness and pretence she smiled warmly, beckoning them to come.
“It is good to see you well, Tristan. I understand you wished to speak with me?” Celestia asked warmly.
“Yes, I did, your highness,” Tristan began, remembering his manners and giving a bow, by now comfortable with the idea of meeting with royalty. “I just wanted to say: I’ve had enough. Things have been too stressful, dangerous, and overall terrible. I’d just like to settle down, make a honest living somehow, and stay out of danger. You said I’d be free to leave if I wanted to after the first time I helped you, so after two times it shouldn’t be any sort of a problem, right?”
Celestia didn’t take much time to respond. “Yes, you are free to do as you will. Do not think that I have not noticed all of your sacrifices, Tristan. You have already done more for Equestria than most citizens ever will within their lifetimes, risking life and limb not once, but twice.”
Awesome! So that means I’m really off the hook, I’m free! And no strings attached, by the sounds of it. These princesses really aren’t bad.
“Furthermore,” Celestia continued. “As compensation for your extra troubles in Zebrica, and in the interest of your continued stay in Canterlot, I have an offer for you. I understand that you have great interest in alchemy, and you recently acquired a large sum of bits during your travels, correct?”
“Err, yes, that’s correct...” Tristan responded, uncertain of where she was going.
“Then I shall personally match any sum you spend on a residence or shop in Canterlot with my own private funds, as thanks. Do you find that agreeable?” Celestia said genially.
Tristan stood in silence for a moment as the information sunk into his brain. After a few seconds Lore gave him a nudge, spurring him to speech. “U-uh, yeah! Yeah, that sounds...that sounds good! Good! Thanks!” he sputtered.
Celestia gave a knowing smile and addressed Lore. “I trust that you will be able to help him with this?”
“Yes, your highness!” Lore responded, managing to keep his composure nearly perfectly.
“Very well then. Take this scroll as proof of what I said. It should be enough for the good ponies that handle the deeds to work with,” she said, levitating a scroll she had next to her over to Lore, who accepted it. Tristan thought it was odd that she had such a thing already prepared; she must have known about this. “If that is all, there are many things I must attend to today. Zebrica, citizens, you know.”
“Yes, we’ll be right off!” Lore said, immediately pushing the still dazed Tristan along.
“Thanks again, your highness!” Tristan managed to yell as they were leaving, before being shoved through the door by Lore. He immediately wanted to talk about what she said to Lore, but seeing the still hostile glares of those waiting in line, opted instead to wait until they were a bit away.
“Can you believe it? You said that money was a lot before, and now its doubled?” he said excitedly, almost giggling.
Lore gave him a serious look, before softening it. “Yes, it was very generous of her. You should be very thankful for all that she’s doing for you.”
“I am, I am, but I did have something like this coming, didn’t I? I mean, I almost died three times because of her,” Tristan responded, as Lore led them through the halls. Lore didn’t reply, and they eventually made their way to a relatively large office, where several mares fiddled with documents of all sorts. Upon their arrival the work stopped, as every one of them gawked at Tristan.
Lore cleared his throat loudly, at which they all went back to work, pretending nothing had happened, save for one mare who trotted over to greet them. “How may I help you...gentlecolts?” she said, scrutinizing Tristan.
“We’re interested in buying some property. Furthermore...” Lore said, levitating the scroll over to the mare. She read it, her eyes widening at the end, and then nodded her head vigorously.
“But of course! Did you have something in mind?” she asked.
Lore looked to Tristan, who realized he needed to say something. “Err, no, not really. We just came right here from our meeting with the princess, so I don’t know what I want yet.”
“Not a problem!” the mare said, trotting behind her desk to rummage around and bringing them back a scroll. “This map has pretty recent listings of everything that’s for sale across Canterlot. There’s not many spare houses, and I expect most of them to be sold when those zebras get worked out, so you had better get one quickly!”
Tristan unfurled the scroll, seeing a basic looking map with red crosses over several buildings dotted all over the city, with annotations of their price and zoning. “This looks perfect, thanks!” he said, giving the mare as thankful of a smile as he could muster.
“My pleasure. Was there anything else?” she asked. The two responded negatory, and she bid them farewell. With that they left the office and once more began navigating the halls.
“So, what will it be?” Lore asked, looking over to Tristan who was poring over the map.
“Hell if I know,” he answered, handing the map over to Lore. “I was thinking about setting up a shop for alchemy, but I need somewhere to live too. Know if any of those shops for sale have a place to live upstairs?”
Lore scrutinized the map as they walked, somehow still leading Tristan in what he hoped was the right direction. Before long they found themselves at the entrance of the castle, with the streets of Canterlot splayed out before them.
“There’s only one listing here that matches your price range and has both a shop and residence integrated, but there’s a few that are just shops that might work. You could always stay in your room at the castle, you know,” Lore said as they started off down the main road.
“I suppose that could work, but I’ve always wanted a place of my own. Let’s check out that one, and if it’s really terrible, perhaps we’ll look at the others,” Tristan said. Lore nodded and gave a cursory glance at the map before leading him further down the main street, to the primary market district.
Though he was getting much of the same reception as before, with ponies generally being either haughty or intimidated, Tristan didn’t really mind it much anymore. He wondered if it was just because he had been going through so much that such minor trivialities didn’t even register any more, or because he had simply stopped caring and come to accept it as normality. Eventually they got to the far outskirts of the market district, away from the primary hustle and bustle of the street, to an unassuming two story shop with a for sale sign on the front of it.
“This is it!” Lore announced, as they both analyzed the building. It had a large glass window on the front of it, which had become somewhat dirty without upkeep, walls of the same white stone that was so popular around Canterlot, and a single smaller window on the second story. Tristan could barely make out a place where a sign was once attached to the wall; but it was there no longer.
“Shall we take a look inside?” Lore asked, trotting up to the door.
“Don’t we need to get the key for it first? Or a real estate agent or something?” Tristan asked, not yet following Lore.
“Why would we need to do that? It shouldn’t be locked,” Lore said, bemused.
“Well that’s just asking for squatters and looters...” Tristan mumbled beneath his breath, though he followed Lore inside. The first thing that Tristan noticed were the rows of shelves that lined the walls. He didn’t know what they had been used for before, but they were spaced about a foot or so apart from each other vertically, which he thought was perfect for potions. Other than that there was a large counter, a door behind the counter leading into another room, and stairs leading to the second floor. As they proceeded Tristan noted that there was a thin layer of dust over everything, though it didn’t look like it would be too hard to clean off.
The second floor was large and open, with only one separate room. There was no furniture save for a stove and sink in the corner which was apparently meant to be the kitchen area, and the only light came from the small window, casting dark shadows over the corners of the room. The separate room turned out to be a small restroom, with a basic tub, sink, and toilet.
Damn, I miss normal toilets...I wonder how much they would cost to make custom? Don’t any of the other races sit normal?”
“So...what do you think?” Lore asked, coughing a bit from the dust.
“Not bad, I suppose. A bit musty, and kinda bland, but not bad. It would have been nice to get something a bit closer to the main marketplace, but I suppose this will be better for getting to sleep without the noise anyway. You said this was within my price range?” Tristan asked.
“Yes, and you should have enough to spare. It’s seven thousand bits, and you have roughly five thousand. If the princess is matching what you spend, that’ll be three and a half thousand for your half, and one and a half left over. More than enough to get this place furnished and purchase the necessities,” Lore replied.
“Well what’s the point in waiting, then? Let’s get it!” Tristan said, already excited.
“What? Don’t you want to look at the other places?” Lore asked.
“No,” Tristan responded, already making his way down the stairs.
“But you might...” Lore began before stopping himself. “Fine. I suppose it’s not too bad of a place.”
The two made their way directly back to the office they got their information from, as Tristan’s excitement steadily grew. The thought that he might have a place of his own, to do as he wished whenever he wished, was amazing to him. By the time they paid for the place and were given the deed and key he was practically giddy. That giddiness began to fail, however, when he realized that they were going to have to buy every bit of furniture he would need all at once. With Lore guiding him to the shops he’d need to buy from, they got to it.
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Hours later, all of the furniture was bought and either moved to his new home or scheduled to be shipped soon, and all of his things from the castle had been moved to his new home. He was even able to find some old alchemy equipment in a curio shop, and had ordered a much nicer set from a specialty company in Manehattan. Finally, he bought a variety of different basic ingredients that he knew he’d need for alchemy in relative bulk, and brought it all back to the store. Having seen to all of Tristan’s settling in, Lore was finally ready to bid him farewell.
“So you’ll be alright to stay here on your own tonight?” Lore asked, noting the slowly setting sun outside.
“I don’t see why not. I’ve got a bed, working plumbing, a crazy fridge that runs off magic...what more do I need?” Tristan responded, gazing upon his sparsely furnished new home.
“I suppose that’s the basics of it,” Lore answered with a shrug. "Very well then, I’ll be off. Stop by the castle any time you’d like, and I’ll be by from time to time to check up on you,” Lore finished, looking hesitant to leave.
As he turned to leave, Tristan spoke up. “Hey, Lore?” Tristan said, at which Lore looked up at him. “Thanks. I really do appreciate all of this help. You may be an ass at times, but you’re a pretty cool guy.”
Lore looked like he was about to answer, but the words died within his throat. “My pleasure...well, goodnight, then!” he finally responded, leaving immediately after.
Well, that’s it then. On my own. Nobody to tell me what to do, nobody to worry about but myself, complete and total freedom. But the question is...what am I going to do with it?
With that Tristan locked the door, went upstairs, and clambered into his new king size bed, which was more like an extra wide twin for him. The sounds of the city never truly died down outside, and after a bout from a screeching cat, he drifted off to sleep.
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The morning dawned noisily, to the sound of two stallions yelling at each other about something directly outside of his shop. With a luxurious yawn he hoisted himself up and began to walk, scratching himself and reaching for the knob to the restroom, but finding only wall. After rubbing the sleep from his eyes, confused, he realized he was no longer in his old room, but his new one. Thankful that none had seen his mistake, he made his way to the restroom and began the day.
His belly rumbling and pockets full of about half of his remaining five hundred bits, he decided to check out the city a bit for himself. As he left the store he breathed in deeply, intending to invigorate himself for the day. Instead, he got a whiff of a full garbage can from the shop neighboring him, and had to stifle a gag. Ponies nearby gave him odd looks, but he figured they were doing that before anyway, so it didn’t really matter. With that, he was off.
Without a map he aimlessly wandered, keeping to the more busy streets so that he wouldn’t get too lost. He had never been much for people watching, but found himself fascinated at the interactions of the ponies all around him. There was always something happening, regardless of where he went. Whether it was a particularly vocal merchant hawking their wares, a theater advertizing its next show, or a troupe of street performers.
Eventually he came across a shop that was displaying wares he knew very well - candy. He immediately rushed inside, to see mountains upon mountains of the stuff in every form imaginable displayed all over. Fighting the urge to gawk, and remembering his money wouldn’t last forever, he picked out a bag and filled it with all sorts of confections. To the shopkeeper's merit, he didn’t seem frightened of Tristan at all. Musing that he was having candy for breakfast, Tristan made his way back outside.
Well, I’m not going to get much done if I’m just wandering aimlessly...even if it did get me some sweets. It’s strange not having Lore here, guiding me and telling me what to do. Not that I became dependent on him, or anything...
Resolving to just ask a random pony about points of interest, he picked out one of the less pompous looking stallions nearby and attempted to strike up a conversation in the only way he knew how.
“Hey there...nice weather we’re having?” he asked, at which the pony just gawked at him. “Ehehehe...hi?” Tristan ventured awkwardly, rapidly regretting approaching a stranger.
“H-hello,” the pony said uncertainly, scanning the crowd as if searching for an escape route.
“Hey, I’m not going to hurt you or anything!” Tristan exclaimed, catching on to the pony’s discomfort. “I’m just looking around, seeing the sights a bit, but I don’t know where I should go. Do you have any suggestions?”
The pony seemed at a loss of what to say, just staring at Tristan for a moment as if he was wishing he would go away. Tristan noticed some ponies were looking their way, and a few other stallions had stopped themselves and were intently watching how things turned out. After some time the stallion worked up the courage to speak.
“You could try...the statue garden, maybe?” he said, sounding downright hopeful with the questioning tone in his voice. Tristan merely sighed, growing annoyed with the situation.
“Sure. That sounds great. Want to point me the way?” Tristan asked, trying to keep a polite tone of voice.
“It’s right by the castle, you can’t miss it,” the pony ventured.
“Alright, well I know my way there. Thanks for the info,” Tristan said, trying to put on a nice looking smile for the pony. When the stallion failed to respond, he merely sighed a second time and walked off in the direction of the castle, not even bothering to look back at what became of the pony.
I didn’t do a damn thing to scare him, and there were ponies all around us! I dunno...maybe he was just a coward. That shopkeep didn’t seem to mind me. Still, if enough ponies are like that, there’s no way I’ll be able to keep a shop of my own running. I’d have to move back into the castle! It’d be just like having to move back in with my parents after leaving...how humiliating.
Before long he arrived at the castle, seeing the entrance to the statue garden along the side opposite where he had his room. None of the guards paid him any notice, neither hindering nor helping him, and he just walked right in.
Inside were statues of all imaginable shapes and sizes, most with polished plaques describing who or what they commemorated. Every single one was in pristine condition. Impressed, but not necessarily entertained, Tristan slowly strolled through the garden. Several times he read something interesting, or thought up what he thought was a particularly witty joke, and almost commented before realizing he was alone. Soon, the quiet that was relaxing was getting a bit lonesome, and he made his way back out.
Nice place, I guess, but it’s getting boring by myself. I’m going to run out of things to do real soon if I don’t make some friends or start up a hobby of some sort. It's kind of funny, now that I think about it. I get thrown into another world, filled with adventure and mystery, and here I am, trying to open up a shop instead of exploring. Yet, I have the feeling I wouldn't last much longer if I kept that stuff up. My luck can't hold forever, and I've had enough close calls...but eh, what's done is done; for now I’m just going to keep on relaxing.
Now somewhat melancholy, Tristan made his way back down the busy streets, the aversion of the ponies around him now getting to him a little bit. He felt like an outsider, and while he knew he was, he wished it wasn’t so.
“Tristan? Tristan!” a familiar feminine voice rang out, coming from a nearby outdoor cafe. Spurred out of his musings, Tristan looked over to see Nightingale, sans her nurse hat, sitting at a table with two other mares, waving at him. “Over here!” she cried, beckoning him forward.
Not wishing to be rude, Tristan complied, walking over to where she and the other two mares sat at a table. “Girls, this is Tristan!” Nightingale said, motioning to Tristan.
“Yes, I do believe I caught that one, he’s not hard to miss. Name’s Thunder Muffin, nice to meet you,” one of the mares, who had a light brown coat and yellow mane, said amicably. Tristan noticed her cutie mark seemed to be of a muffin, but with lightning bolts coming out of it for some reason.
“Thunder Muffin?” Tristan asked in nigh-disbelief. At a look from Nightingale he immediately backtracked. “Oh, yes, Thunder Muffin! Lovely name! Nice to meet you!” he said. She didn’t seem to mind his original greeting, and gave him a smile.
“Yes, Nightingale has told us all sorts of things about you” Muffin said, giving Tristan a look that he couldn’t place.
“Well don’t be shy, dearie, come sit with us!” Nightingale said, motioning to a free seat at their table. “Oh, and this is Ruby Shine,” she motioned over to the other mare, this one with a deep red coat and light red mane. Her cutie mark was of a gold ring covered in shining rubies.
“Charmed,” Ruby said in the somewhat posh accent that was so prevalent in Canterlot, looking at Tristan with still judging, yet not hostile, eyes.
“Err, likewise,” Tristan said, awkwardly sitting down among the trio. “It’s nice to see you again, Nightingale,” he commented, happy to see a face that wasn’t just neutral, but friendly.
“The pleasure is all mine! I sure didn’t expect to see you out of the castle though, I must admit. What are you doing all the way out here by yourself?” Nightingale asked.
“I guess you haven’t been talking with Lore, have you?” Tristan questioned, which she confirmed. “Well, it just so happens I moved out of the castle! I just got my own place yesterday, and I’m going to be setting up a shop!”
“That’s wonderful! What will you be selling?” Nightingale asked enthusiastically.
“Oh, an entrepreneurial stallion, how robust,” Muffin added in, still looking at Tristan in a strange way.
“Oh, uh...it’s alchemy stuff. I figured it’s something I’m good at, I find it interesting, and it seems like it should be easy enough to produce things to sell, so it seemed perfect,” Tristan responded.
“I don’t recall having ever heard of someone setting up an alchemy store before. That is the craft dealing with the creation of potions and elixirs, correct?” Ruby asked.
“Right. It lets me mimic the effects of a lot of spells, in an easy to carry and apply liquid form,” Tristan answered, feeling a bit like a salesman already.
“We use potions and salves made from alchemy all the time in medicine,” Nightingale said to her friend. “Though, we got most of our supplies from Zebrica. I don’t know what will happen now...”
“I’m sure some ponies will fill that void in the market, so long as there’s money to be made,” Tristan said. “But I hope I’ll be established before that.”
“Well I’ll be sure to stop by and check out some of your wares. I’d love to see what sort of magic you could cook up,” Muffin added.
“Well I’m sure I could use all the business I could get, Thunder Muffin. Thanks,” Tristan said, giving the semi-forced smile that he was getting better at everyday to her.
“Please, you can just call me...Muffin,” she said, putting a strange amount of emphasis on the name.
“Alright...” Tristan responded uncomfortably. “Anyways, I’ll leave you three to your lunch, I don’t want to intrude.”
“Nonsense, nonsense! You simply must stay! Ruby here was treating us to lunch, I don’t think she’ll mind one more, will you dear?” Muffin said, looking over to Ruby.
“It would be my pleasure,” Ruby said, to which Tristan immediately began to protest. “No, no, I insist. I understand you have some stories to tell, though, so count that as your contribution!” she said firmly.
“Alright, well thanks, I appreciate it,” Tristan relented. “You know, you two are pretty nice; some ponies are still terrified of me...”
“Don’t you worry yourself about them, dearie!” Nightingale said. “When the word spread that you were going to be walking about Canterlot a lot of ponies were worried, since they’d heard so much about nasty rift spawn. But Celestia vouched for you personally!”
“That was all it took for me to assure me of your integrity,” Ruby said, while Muffin nodded in assent. “I will admit that it did not hurt that Nightingale has told us so much about you already, though.”
“Celestia vouched for me? Really?” Tristan asked, somewhat warmed by the idea. “Well, that was nice of her...I’ll have to remember to thank her sometime.”
Before long a waiter came by and took all of their orders. Tristan realized that this was his first time in a pony restaurant and he had no idea of what to get, so he decided to play it safe and just order a pasta. The four chatted amicably during their meal, as Tristan and Nightingale spoke of old topics from the castle, and he filled the other two in on a bit about his history and his recent adventures. They were all interested but none seemed more enraptured than Muffin, who wouldn’t stop staring at him the entire time, hardly taking the time to blink.
“...So we were running out of the gate at full speed, or at least everyone else was since I couldn’t move, and the most terrifying, grotesque thing came straight at...” Tristan said, to be interrupted by the waiter’s return. The stallion gave Ruby the check, who immediately paid for it with a large bag of bits and then looked to a clock on the wall.
“Oh my, is it two o’clock already? Muffin, our appointment at the spa!” Ruby exclaimed.
Muffin’s eyes bulged wide open as realization struck her. “We’re going to be late! Sorry you two, but we’ve got to be off!” she said, rapidly gathering her things as Ruby said her farewells as well. They were quickly off, leaving Tristan and Nightingale sitting alone at the table.
Tristan scratched his fork along the bottom of his now empty bowl, swirling some sauce around absently. “Nice friends you’ve got there, Nightingale. That Muffin seems a bit odd, though...” he remarked.
Nightingale giggled slightly, prompting a questioning look from Tristan. “Oh, you really couldn’t tell, dearie?” she said, eying Tristan in a peculiar way.
“Nooooo...” Tristan said slowly, urging her to continue.
“She likes you, of course! She’s always been into the adventurous and exotic types, so I thought she might fancy you,” Nightingale said cheerily.
“Wait. Wait. What do you mean? ‘Likes me’? Like, ‘Likes me likes me’?” Tristan asked uncertainly, to which Nightingale just nodded. He took a moment to process the information, before stifling a retch. “That’s disgusting!” he exclaimed.
Nightingale suddenly got serious, all of the mirth draining away at once from her face and voice. “Well that’s not very nice! Muffin is a nice mare!” she said, almost angrily.
“Sure, sure, I don’t doubt that! But she’s a mare!” Tristan exclaimed.
“...Ohhhhhh!” Nightingale said after processing for a moment, apparently catching on. “I didn’t peg you for the type, but I suppose cultures must differ between dimensions, after all. Well, I do have this stallion friend who-” she was cut off by Tristan.
“Nonononono, no! Not like that! Damn, not like that!” Tristan interjected, rapidly becoming sick with the subject matter. “It’s not just mares, it’s ponies! I’m not into ponies! Why the Hell would I be?”
“Oh, that was my second guess,” Nightingale said sheepishly, becoming somewhat uncomfortable herself.
“I get that you have more than one species here, but is it really just that, that...normal? Like, minotaurs and ponies will regularly?...” Tristan said queasily.
Nightingale took a moment, then caught on. “Oh. Oh! Well, yes! It’s not that strange, really, if they love each other.”
“Alright, alright, I get it,” Tristan said, motioning her to stop and facepalming a little. “While you ponies may act a lot like humans, you don’t look like them. When I see you I still see...well, an animal. And I know you’re not! But that’s just not even anywhere near on the table, okay?”
“I didn’t know you felt so strongly about this, dearie,” Nightingale said, slightly embarrassed now. “I’m sorry that I brought it up, and I’ll go have a talk with Muffin for you. Does that sound alright?”
“Yeah, that’d be fine. Thanks. It’s just...” Tristan gave a slight shudder. “Just no. Just...just no.”
The two sat there in awkward silence for a moment before Tristan dared to speak. “Aaaanywaaays...” he broached uncomfortably. “I suppose I’d better head off, then. Nice talking with you and all.”
“And the same to you, dearie. I’ll have to stop by that shop of yours when I get the chance. Where did you say it was again?” Nightingale responded, getting up off her chair.
“On the edge of the market district, south side. I’d better get a sign for it, now that I think about it...anyway, if all goes well I’ll give it a shot tomorrow,” Tristan answered.
“I’ll make sure to stop by when I have the chance. Until then!” Nightingale said, trotting over to Tristan and starting to go in for a hug, before stopping herself.
“It’s not like I’m repulsed by ponies, you know,” Tristan said, going in for the hug himself. “Just...not like that.”
Nightingale merely smiled in response. They parted ways, waving each other off.
Well, I’ve been stabbed, gored, sliced, crushed, and all sorts of other crazy stuff since I got here, but that had to be the most unpleasant of the lot...eh, I suppose it could have gone worse, though. Figures the first female that’s attracted to me since junior high is a pony. Come to think of it...will I ever date? Unless I manage to get back home, I’m just going to be a virgin for life...great. Oh well, at least I get to be a wizard when I turn thirty. Then maybe Lore can show me some real magic!
Tristan chuckled to himself a bit, continuing to walk down the street. He figured he ought to get a sign if he was going to open up tomorrow, but he was certainly in no rush to get one. As such he found himself wandering for nearly an hour through different parts of the market district, perusing windows and the like, before finally coming across a woodworking store. Several minutes and bits later he was out, with a large sign that read “The Golden Elixir” and had an engraving of a bubbling flask, along with everything he’d need to nail it up. Before leaving he realized he’d need a sign that read “Open” as well, so he got that too. Despite the fact that very few of his potions were golden he thought the name sounded catchy, so he ran with it.
After buying a sandwich he thought would preserve well for dinner, Tristan made his way back to his new home. Humming to himself, he nailed the new sign in the most prominent place he could find over his shop and made his way inside. Feeling particularly industrious and noting that the sun was still up, he spent some time cleaning up the small room downstairs and turning it into an alchemy lab. Pride surged through him as he surveyed all that he now owned, and all of the things he had going for him.
He got started concocting all manner of different potions, making sure to prepare quite a few doses of what he expected to be the more popular ones. Figuring that he ought to label them as well, he scribbled the names of the potions on paper labels, attaching them to their respective potions. Finally, Tristan was done for the day. After scarfing down his sandwich from earlier he went to bed feeling accomplished, and not even screeching cats kept him from sleep.
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Tristan awoke suddenly to a pounding at the door downstairs. Cautiously he rose and dressed, half-expecting some crazy pony outside. A peek through his upstairs window assuaged his fears, however, as he saw Lore standing impatiently at the door, tapping his hoof.
He rushed down the stairs and unlatched the lock, welcoming Lore in. “Lore! It’s good to see you and all, but could you at least have waited until like, noon, before stopping by?” Tristan said, rubbing some of the crust from his eyes.
“Aren’t you going to be keeping a shop here? I’m afraid starting your day at noon would be a terrible idea if you are,” Lore said, trotting inside and eying a few of the potions Tristan had arrayed on the shelves. “I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Huh? I might be able to help out...but it depends on the favor. What’s up?” Tristan asked cautiously, not eager to get himself hurt again.
“It’s Shauku, that zebra foal. Apparently he hasn’t been getting on well at the refugee camp they set up, and since we brought him in, I was approached about it. Seems he’s been asking for you,” Lore elaborated.
Shit! I forgot all about Shauku and that stuff! Damn...I’ve been out here having some fun and he just lost everyone, as far as I know.
“Why has he been asking for me? Like, specifically?” Tristan asked.
“No idea, but I think you should talk to him. The vast majority of the zebra population worldwide died in that city, his whole family along with them. He needs someone to talk to, and apparently he chose you,” Lore answered. “I’m not going to force you to, but I do believe it would be the right thing to do.”
“Right, yeah, it would be. He must be going through a whole lot right now. Do you think you could bring him over here? I’d rather not go to a refugee camp filled with zebras that just had their homes taken away by rift spawns, again,” Tristan said, keenly remembering the poison dart from earlier.
“I could do that, yes. I suppose I’ll be off to see to it, then...” Lore began, before taking a closer look at some of the potions on the shelves. “You wrote on them? You do know that will only work for ponies within the radius of a translation enchantment, don’t you?”
A moment passed, and then it hit him. “Oh, dammit! That’s right! But I can’t write whatever the Hell kind of language you all use.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure something out,” Lore said dryly. “Anyway, I must be off! I’ll be back in a short while with Shauku.”
Tristan bade him goodbye and shut the door behind him. He figured he could just tell ponies what potions were for, but he knew he’d have to learn how to write their language eventually, or at least get a translator that could write for him. Sighing, he occupied himself by double checking the colors and consistencies of the potions he made with the descriptions from his books.
About an hour later, as judged by the new clock on his wall, Lore returned with Shauku in tow. “Alright Shauku, here he is!” Lore said, opening the door for Shauku.
“Tristan!” the zebra colt shouted, running towards him and hugging onto his leg.
“I’ll just leave you two to it, then,” Lore said with an amused grin, leaving and abandoning Tristan to his fate.
“Uh, hey Shauku,” Tristan said uncomfortably, not sure of what he should do with the small colt wrapped around his leg. “How have you been?” Shauku immediately unlatched himself from Tristan, looking upset. “That bad, huh?”
Shauku just nodded sadly, and Tristan kneeled down to his level. “Well, if you want to talk about it, I’m right here. I won’t force you, of course, but it’ll do you some good.”
Shauku stood there for a moment and looked like he was about to speak, before the potions on the shelves caught his eye. Though some of them were too high for him to reach he rushed to the ones he could see, his eyes filling with tears as he looked upon them.
“They’re just like Grandpa used to make...you even put the labels on there,” he said quietly, picking up one and swirling it around.
“Ah, yeah, I’m going to be opening up shop pretty soon. I’ve just had enough adventures, and I want to stay away from all of that stuff,” Tristan said, walking over to where Shauku was. “I don’t think I’ll get to be quite as good as your grandfather, but I should be able to make a living.”
After a few moments of silence while Shauku examined the potions Tristan felt the need to speak up. “Sooo...” he began slowly. “Lore said you wanted to talk with me a bit. What about?”
Shauku looked towards Tristan, then quickly away again. “You’re...you’re my only friend left,” he finally said, barely audible over the sounds from outside. “I don’t know what to do! No one cares about me in the camp!” he suddenly burst out, frustration overcoming his sadness.
Tristan was taken aback, feeling very much that he wasn’t anywhere near qualified to deal with issues like this. Nevertheless, he knew he had to try. “I’m sure they do, Shauku. They’re just going through a lot of stuff themselves,” he offered.
Shauku didn’t look consoled in the slightest, so Tristan sighed and brought himself down to Shauku’s level again. “I don’t know how much help it’ll be, but I can at least lend you an ear. Just talk to me a bit and you’ll feel better, I promise.”
Shauku took a moment, before his voice finally burst forth as a flood. He lamented about the loss of his family, home, and friends, the apathy of the refugees, and the loss of his people as a whole. The entire time he kept getting less and less coherent but Tristan let him speak, knowing that him listening was more important than him understanding. Eventually, Shauku seemed spent and plopped down on the floor, sniffling.
“I just don’t know what to do...” he said between sniffs. Tristan looked upon him in pity, not really knowing what to say. Much to his dismay, Shauku looked up to him pleadingly, as if looking for an answer.
“Well, I don’t know...” Tristan said, unwilling to commit to anything. “If you could choose what you would do, what would it be? Would you leave the camp? Stay with the others and rebuild?” he asked, hoping to start a bit of dialogue.
“Well...” Shauku began, eyes drifting lazily upwards in thought. “I guess...I guess I’d want to become an alchemist! Like what you’re doing!” he declared, sounding as if he just discovered all the answers to life’s mysteries.
“You are pretty good at alchemy, I’ll give you that,” Tristan said, pondering on how he could help the colt. “I suppose you could stop by and help me out here from time to time, if you wanted.”
“You mean it?” Shauku asked excitedly, his eyes suddenly lighting up.
“Well, I suppose...yeah, why not?” Tristan answered, unsure of if he was breaking any rules. “Would that be going against child labor laws or something, though?”
“Child labor laws? What are those?” Shauku asked, confused.
“There aren’t any-” Tristan began, before stopping himself. “Alright, good, I guess. I’m not here to advocate social reform, or anything...”
Shauku just looked confused, so Tristan decided to keep to keep the conversation going. “Tell you what. You help me in the shop today, and I’ll pay you some bits for the work. Sound good?”
“I’m getting paid?” Shauku practically shouted in excitement, his sorrow forgotten.
“Yeah, why not? You’re not my kid so it’s not like you’d be expected to help out, and if you’re doing good work then you ought to get something for it,” Tristan said, unable to suppress a smile at Shauku’s jubilations.
“I’ll work hard! I helped Grandpa out a lot in his shop, so I know how things work!” Shauku said happily, now trotting around the shop and looking at things.
“Well then you might be better than me at this. Frankly, I’ve got no idea where to start! I figured I’d just let ponies in and see if they liked anything,” Tristan said, contemplating how ill-prepared he really was.
“Do you know how much you’re going to be selling these for?” Shauku asked, to which Tristan shook his head negatory. “Well, Grandpa always said to sell things at three times what the material cost. Then you can have specials and still make money!”
“Right, I remember most of what went into what, so that shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. Anything else?” Tristan said gratefully.
“Uhh, I wanted to ask, why are they all written in Zebrican? Shouldn’t they be written in Equestrian? You do know how to speak Equestrian, right?” Shauku asked, examining the bottles.
“They’re not actually written in Zebrican,” Tristan said, at which Shauku just looked puzzled. “It’s just the translation spell that’s on this pendant I wear,” he showed Shauku the pendant that still hung around his neck. “It’s kinda complicated, but it pretty much means if you understand one language the best, when you’re around me everything sounds like, and reads in, that language.”
“That’s so cool!” Shauku exclaimed, getting a closer look at the pendant. “So you can’t write Equestrian, then?” Tristan shook his head. “Well I can, they taught us in school! So if you want, I can write stuff for you!”
“That...that would be perfect, actually! You’re earning your bits already!” Tristan said happily. “Tell you what, you do that, and I’ll double check the material costs. Once we get them all labelled, we can open up for the day. Sound good to you?”
Shauku vigorously nodded, searching around until he found Tristan’s quill and ink that he was using and vigorously scratching away at the labels. Tristan smiled at his enthusiasm and made his way to the back room, verifying how much he paid for things from memory and how much of each went into each potion. After a while he returned to the main room and told Shauku how much each was, which was added to the labels. Grinning at all the progress, Tristan flipped the sign to open and waited for his first customer.
They continued to wait.
And wait.
And wait some more.
Hours of increasingly depressing boredom passed as the morale was sucked straight out of them, leaving them talking idly behind the counter. Unexpectedly the door opened and Tristan hastily scrambled to his feet, rushing to greet the customer. The pony looked to be exceptionally important, with a styled blue mane and mustache, white coat, fancy suit and monocle. His mark was of three crowns, so Tristan knew he must be rich.
“Welcome to The Golden Elixir, how may I help you?” Tristan said, recalling the generic line of every NPC shopkeeper ever.
“I say, so you really are a rift spawn running a shop right here in Canterlot!” the pony said in a posh accent. Tristan’s enthusiasm sunk for a moment, as he realized he might have just been visited to be gawked at. “Oh my, where are my manners? My name is Fancy Pants, and yours is?...”
“Oh, um, It’s Tristan. Tristan Davis. Nice to meet you,” Tristan said, unsure of whether or not he’d actually be making a sale. He saw Shauku peeking his head from behind the counter, but keeping his distance.
“Tristan Davis? What an exotic name! You’re not at all what many ponies have been making you out to be. But I digress; you are running an establishment here,” Fancy said, eying some of the potions on the walls. “What manner of elixirs is it that you sell, exactly?”
“All sorts!” Tristan said, rushing over to the shelves to show his wares. “These potions are essentially spells in a bottle, with all sorts of effects! Would you like to sample one?”
“I don’t see why not,” Fancy said, apparently quite trusting of Tristan. “Let’s see here...” he continued, browsing through the wares. “‘Draught of Vitality’? What does this one do?”
“That one will make you feel energized and awake nearly instantly with just a small sip,” Tristan said, recalling that he made several of those, as he expected them to be popular. “Please, allow me,” he took the flask off the wall and uncorked it, presenting it to Fancy.
Fancy sniffed it, though it had no aroma, and levitated it over to his mouth for a small sip. He stood there for a moment, apparently contemplating it, before his eyes widened slightly and he shook himself vigorously. “I say! That really did work!” he exclaimed, trotting around a bit. “I feel as though I just awoke from a short nap!”
Success! For a moment there I thought it might poison him or something...but no, no, I got these potions right. I checked them!”
“I’ll take a selection of your recommended potions, and I will most certainly be telling my friends!” Fancy said, at which Tristan’s heart skipped a beat.
“H-how many potions would you like?” Tristan said, daring to hope.
“I’ll take one of each, and three of those draughts that I sampled!” Fancy said, glancing over to the shelves.
“One of-” Tristan began, surprised. “Oh, yes! Of course! One of each, coming right up!”
He took the necessary potions from the shelves and stacked them all in one of the sacks he bought along with his ingredients, tallying up the expenses. Some of the potions were fairly expensive to make, and so were even more expensive to sell. “Your total will be...one hundred and seventy four bits,” he figured, adding them all up in his head.
“That’s all? Why, that’s practically a steal!” Fancy said, levitating a coin purse out of his suit and extracting two hundred bits. “Keep the change, my boy, for the most excellent service!” he said amicably, levitating up the sack. “I do believe I have quite the story to tell now, meeting a rift spawn such as yourself and discovering such delightful novelties.”
Tristan was working hard to keep his composure after the purchase and tip, and managed to make his way to the door to open it. “My pleasure, sir! Thank you very much!” he said, putting on a large genuine smile.
“The pleasure is all mine! Thank you, sir!” Fancy said as he walked out of the store. Tristan closed the door slowly before exploding.
“Two hundred bits! Two hundred bits from one customer!” he yelled over to Shauku, who seemed just as happy about it as he did. The two celebrated for a moment before getting back behind the counter to await the next customer with renewed morale.
No new customers did come, however, and the day ended with Lore stopping by to pick up Shauku. “I see that some potions are missing; I take it that your first day went well? Or perhaps you were robbed?” Lore said, noting the smile on Tristan’s face.
“Har har. But really, it went great! Well, kinda. We only made one sale, but it was one Hell of a sale!” Tristan said, flipping his open sign to closed for the day. “Shauku here was a great help. We talked a bit, and I figured he could help me out here.”
“I don’t see why not,” Lore said. “Though you’ll have to pick him up every day, or he’ll have to come here himself. I won’t have time to ferry him back and forth.”
“Aww,” Shauku pouted, looking at the two. “I don’t want to go back to the camp!” he exclaimed, putting on his best puppy dog eyes. Lore didn’t seem to be affected, but Tristan thought it was adorable. “Can’t I just stay here with Tristan?”
“Wait, I can’t adopt you or anything!” Tristan said quickly, fearing his intentions were misunderstood. “You’re a good friend, but I don’t want to be tied down like that.”
“What if I was just a, umm, what are they called...” Shauku pondered, desperately searching for the correct word. “A zebra that rents out a bed!”
“You mean a tenant?” Lore chimed in, at which Shauku vigorously nodded. “Well, I don’t see why not, if Tristan is alright with it.”
“I, I don’t know...” Tristan said, unsure of if he wanted to have to watch out for Shauku all the time. As if he predicted his thoughts, Shauku spoke up.
“I won’t be a burden, I promise! I can look after myself, and help in the shop, and cook my own meals, and everything!” he said, the hope overflowing in his voice.
“You really don’t like it at that camp, do you?” Tristan asked, to which he shook his head. “Tell you what, then. We’ll try it. I’m not saying it’ll work out, but we’ll give it a shot. Alright?” Tristan said, hoping he wouldn’t regret it.
“Sure, yeah, that sounds great!”, Shauku said, bursting with excitement. “I won’t be a burden, I promise!”
Lore smiled slightly, apparently amused with the whole situation. “I suppose I don’t need to take him back, then. I’ll tell the refugees where he went, so they’ll know he didn’t get lost. They were pretty crowded over there anyway, so I doubt they’ll mind.”
“Alright, works for me, I suppose. I guess it’s worked out, then!” Tristan said.
Lore just nodded, turning to leave. Before he left he took one more glance over at the two and a small smile escaped his lips, then he was gone.
What did I just agree to?...
“Thank you thank you thank you!” Shauku shouted, causing Tristan to cringe from the noise.
“Yeah, you’re welcome, but keep it down a bit, please! I generally like my silence,” Tristan said.
Shauku said nothing, instead just motioning his hoof over his lips as if zipping them. “Well, it’s been a long day, so I think I’ll get to bed. Let’s see what we can work out for you up there until we get you a real bed,” Tristan said, making his way up the stairs.
Seeing no other alternative for the night, Tristan ended up giving Shauku his pillow to sleep on, while he went without. Thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to process both his first day of operating his shop and the things that happened with Shauku, but eventually the thoughts died down as drowsiness overtook him. With a last look at Shauku, who was already fast asleep in the corner, he closed his eyes and slept.