//------------------------------//
// Last Call 
// Story: Dearest Beloved 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter One: Last Call
~BlackRoseRaven

It wasn't that the world was any more different today than it had been yesterday; it wasn't that this wasn't a land of hopes, and dreams, and opportunities for all. For everyone who cared enough to look for them, who was tenacious enough to hold on. It was just that some fences were higher, some doors were shut tighter, some ladders were longer for the ponies trying to reach that fabled 'happiness.' And for better or worse, sometimes those barriers were greater than a pony's strength to persevere.
And sometimes, when you thought you'd reached the end of the journey, there was a landslide, an avalanche, a catastrophe, and you found yourself at the foot of the mountain again, with a whole new set of obstacles to push through.
Some ponies just couldn't catch a break, reflected Last Call. He sighed a bit, the chair creaking under his weight as he sat back and rubbed slowly at his forehead, tired eyes barely able to make out the page in front of him. Some ponies just can't finish the song.
He tapped his hoof against the incomplete sheet, and then he simply pushed himself away with a grimace, stumbling a little on his hooves, still half-drunk from the cheap bottle of beer someone had bought him down at the bar. But he could never get more than half-drunk on the cheap piss they sold as beer around here.
How the hell had he ended up here? He asked himself that question all the time, but the answer was never really any different, was it? He'd been too humble, too quiet, too easily pushed aside, and the talent you had didn't matter as much as the talent you said you had when you were hobnobbing with the upper class.
He'd been there. Tasted it! But in the end he hadn't made the cut. And that had been okay, back then, when he'd been young and love had been strong, and...
Before things got hard.
Last Call shook his head as he dragged himself down the hall, scowling to himself. How many dreams had he put on hold? How many things had he never done? How much-
“You have that look on your face again.”
Last Call turned a dry look towards the mare who had spoken: a small mare with a kind smile and eyes warm with a spark that the world just couldn't beat out of her. Then again, coming to this little village had been her idea in the first place: to get away from the hubbub, she'd said. So he could work and collect himself, she said. It had nothing to do with the nature reserve nearby, where she had a good job and made more money than he had ever managed even when he'd been in that medicore-
She smiled at him, and he hated himself for being so bitter, dropping his head slightly before he mumbled: “Long night.”
“They wouldn't be so long if you'd go to bed.” answered the mare, and he smiled a little.
“I don't know about that. Sometimes that makes it longer.” he said, and he wasn't sure if that was innuendo or a confession.
But she knew him well enough to just smile in that way she did, walking over to him and reaching up to gently touch his face. He closed his eyes as he tilted his cheek against her, studying her silently, wanting to apologize for always being such an asshole, but her eyes told him not to, and that little smile reminded him that it was okay. 
They looked at each other for a few moments, and then he shifted a little before he finally pulled away, glancing awkwardly away as he said finally: “So what did you want to do today?”
The mare only shrugged as she turned and headed over to pick up a mug of coffee from the counter. She was so graceful as she turned towards him, somehow always managing to balance the cup on one hoof while moving smoothly with the other three; her grace and pale coat reminded him of an angel, a ghost. “Didn't you have that meeting today?”
“It's not a meeting.” mumbled Last Call as he looked awkwardly away. He hated calling it that. It made it sound so formal, like it was ever going to actually lead to something...
But she just smiled at him as she stood in front of him with that mug of coffee half-extended towards him, and he looked at her for a moment before he finally took it between his hooves. He looked down at it for a few seconds, then he smiled briefly before he sipped at it and muttered: “You always know what I need.”
As he sobered and woke up a little, it became easier to focus, but his eyes still wandered away from her, couldn't stay on that beautiful mare as he half-mumbled: “But... you know, if you need to do anything, just... I can move things around for you.”
“I know.” she said with a smile, before she turned away to head back to the sink. His eyes slipped towards her as he sipped at his coffee, watching her back, studying her before she glanced back at him, and he only caught a flick of her blue eyes before he hurriedly looked away, staring off into the corner as he sipped lamely at his coffee.
He felt her smile before she turned her eyes back to what she was doing, and he hesitated for a moment before he looked down and sang under his breath: “Never thought I'd live my life with you, or that you'd make a liar like me tell the truth...”
“Never thought I'd sing this song, admit that I might have been wrong... but I'll do it all for you, for you, for you...” sang the mare in return, her voice soft, beautiful, gentle: a voice that couldn't lie. A voice that had enthralled him the first time he'd heard it. And while so much else had become faded or wrinkled in time, her voice remained pristine.
Last Call gave a quiet laugh as he glanced away, and then he closed his eyes before he murmured: “The only song I ever wrote for you.”
“I only ever needed one, Call.” she said softly, not looking back at him, but only working, diligent, calm, gentle, and with that everlasting smile on her face as she washed the dishes in the sink; all these little things, she always did without being asked, without any complaint, without any help from him.
He cleared his throat and rubbed at the side of his head before he turned away, and he grimaced a little as he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Bags under his eyes, mane all a mess, and he smelled  of more than just booze...
“The heater's warm, if you want to take a shower.” the mare said, and he smiled at her back before quickly looking away when she glanced over her shoulder at him. But they caught each other for the briefest moment all the same, the stallion shuffling in the spot and looking abashed before he mumbled and nodded, turning away to hurry towards the bathroom.
He turned on the water and let it run for a few minutes while he just sat there on the smooth floor tiles: he was amazed how she even kept this part of the house so clean. No dirt in the corners, no buildup on the sinks or anywhere else, for that matter. Everything was always so neat.
He hated it.
He smiled briefly, then finally slipped under the spray, grimacing at the heat: but it was better to burn a little than to try and fiddle with the taps and get pelted by freezing water. Getting burned was a luxury: ninety percent of the time, all they had out here was cold water, thanks to the crappy water heater they depended on.
And she always tried to make sure he got to have his hot showers when he needed them. Which was less often than he should take them, but...
Well, she said she liked him smelling like a 'stallion's stallion.' She said she liked the cold water. She said she liked to cook, and clean, and her job...
He stood there under the spray, head bowed, hot water beginning to chill as it flowed down his face like tears. He stood there until the water became lukewarm, and then he finally roughly shoved his hooves through his mane and squeezed out his tail a few times before he stepped out and grabbed a towel to bury his face in it, scrubbing violently at his features until they were clean, and there weren't any traces of his not-tears left.
After a few minutes, he emerged from the bathroom, dry enough, he figured, even as he left wet hoofprints behind him as he wandered the house like a ghost. The mare was gone: probably to do one of a hundred other chores she had taken on for him.
God he felt so helpless sometimes.
He shook himself out briefly, then glanced up at the door as he heard a knock. He crossed the creaky hall and opened the door to find a unicorn standing outside: with his dun coat and his dark mane, he could have been almost been his twin; the only real differences were their eyes and their cutie marks. Last Call's was a coda; the unicorn's was a lighthouse.
“Hey, Call. You're running late.” he said, and Last Call grimaced and nodded before he turned, shoving the towel around his shoulders back up over his head to uselessly try and dry the rest of his wild mane. “Do you need a second to primp your mane?”
“Shut up, short stack.” Call said absently, and the unicorn huffed a little at him as Last Call headed down the hall, hesitating and chewing on his lip before he shook his head quickly, tossing the towel haphazardly over a chair as he asked: “Hey, Furor, do I need anything?”
“Doubt it. Happenstance said that he wanted to talk to you about a jingle or something you're supposed to be writing for him.” answered Furor, and Last Call sighed a little: he knew that Furor knew that he hated it when he called it that... even though that's exactly what Happenstance wants. Just like I know...
“I wish you wouldn't work so hard to try and piss people off.” Last Call said dryly, and Furor gave a dry smile in response.
“I never really have to work to piss you off, Last Call. You're always angry.” Furor hesitated for a moment, and then he asked awkwardly: “You okay?”
Last Call looked at Furor for a moment: his one sort-of-friend in this whole little village, likely only because they were both asshole outcasts who no one else really wanted to take in. But then he only shrugged before he said finally: “Yeah. Always. Let's go.”
The unicorn only shrugged, but he didn't question the earth pony as he joined him, the two heading down the short stone walk together to the dusty, dirty road that led into the village. As always, Last Call couldn't help but glance almost warily at the other homes they passed, squaring his shoulders and pointedly averting his eyes from any stares he received from people he still thought of as the 'locals.'
He would never be a local here, he thought. Even if the mare had fit right in...
“So uh... how's the wife?”  Furor asked after a moment, and Last Call scowled a little. He hated it when people called her that. True or not. He hated being a husband. He hated thinking of her as his 'wife.' Like they were duties, or jobs, or responsibilities.
“She's fine. We're fine, Furor.” grumbled Last Call, before he changed the subject, muttering: “Do you ever stop and really look at this place? I mean, the architecture, everything is so old. Some of it doesn't even look Equestrian.” 
“Never knew you were so into architecture.” Furor remarked, and Last Call only rolled his eyes with a sign before the unicorn asked almost abruptly: “How did a guy like you ever get to know a guy like Happenstance, anyway?”
Last Call couldn't help but give a wry smile at this, shaking his head before he said finally: “Past lives, I guess. That's all.”
“Helpful.” Furor remarked, and Last Call only shrugged, not feeling like getting into it at the moment. He didn't really know Furor that well, and they were mostly friends because they were both misfits and jackasses who no one else really wanted to put up with: not a great platform for trust.
Then again, Last Call supposed he didn't really do 'trust' that well, anyway. Not even with that mare. The one who lived in his house, did everything for him, who he...
He shook his head quickly, then scowled as Furor asked: “How's that song going?”
“Do you practice being a jackass or does it just come naturally?” Last Call asked bad-temperedly, and Furor looked at him innocently in spite of the fact- “I'll say it for the thousandth time, then. I don't talk about my past.”
“Asking you about a song. Not your past.” Furor answered, and Last Call sighed, but then the unicorn simply shrugged before he asked instead: “What about your wife, then? I haven't seen her for a while. How's she doing?”
“Good.” Last Call answered stiffly, wondering – not for the first time – if Furor did this on purpose: chose all the worst subjects to ask about, then continued to needle him about it in his roundabout way.
He glanced over at Furor, then asked almost abruptly: “What about you? Can't imagine a life-of-the-party pony like yourself doesn't have a mare of his own.”
“I've never been much of one for pets. Particularly pets I need to clothe, feed, and board.” Furor responded in his dry way, and Last Call smiled wryly, half-amused and half-irritated. 
“You're a real poet, Furor.” Last Call said as they passed through the village market, heading towards the few businesses that managed to keep up here: a mom-and-pop store, a bar, and the hotel where Happenstance would no doubt be waiting for them, likely in the restaurant.
And just as they expected, the moment they entered the restaurant side of the hotel, Happenstance waved at them cheerfully from the corner he was occupying just about all by himself, calling: “Hello, hello there! Oh, good to see you, come join me for breakfast, will you?”
Last Call smiled a creaky smile as Furor sighed and shook his head, then he winced slightly when Last Call muttered out of the side of his mouth: “Abandon me with him and I'll tell him where you live.”
“And you wonder why ponies like you.” Furor said ironically, before he sighed and nodded grudgingly as they approached the table and sat down with the jolly stallion.
Happenstance smiled warmly at them, clapping his hooves together in front of the bib he was wearing, an eclectic and enormous meal laid out in front of the pony. Last Call forced himself to smile and not to look at the pile of food as the chubby pony said cheerfully: “Last Call! I was so pleased with the first half of that little melody you wrote for me and my company. I know it's all very unprofessional of me, but I was hoping that you could have the rest of it by the end of next week. Is that possible?”
“Uh... yes, no problem.” Last Call said awkwardly: he knew if he wanted to, he could probably churn out the rest of the stupid jingle in a single night, let alone a week... I just don't know if I can make myself care enough to. “Is that-”
“Oh, come now, boys, you have time, and I have the bits to pay for anything you like.” Happenstance said kindly, and Last Call grimaced inwardly before the chubby pony beckoned quickly. “Excuse me, miss, waitress? Would you please bring the coffee with you when you come to take my friends' orders? But no rush, dear! I know you must be busy.”
Last Call and Furor awkwardly looked back over the restaurant: apart from them, there was only a stallion jotting notes in a book on the other side of the restaurant, looking even more hungover than Last Call had been when he'd gotten up. 
The waitress lounging at the bar heaved a sigh as she clambered to her hooves and made her way around to the back of the restaurant. Happenstance only smiled as he turned his eyes back to the stallions, clapping his front hooves together as he asked: “How's your wife, Last Call? Doing well, I presume? I know you were very proud of how well she was doing at work!”
Last Call smiled awkwardly: he only ever talked about her work because that was the only part of their lives he wanted ponies like Happenstance to know about. “Yeah... she uh... recently she was put in charge of the day walk expansion... you know, guided tours through some of the old ritual sites that belonged to the original Equestrians.”
Furor cocked an eyebrow at this as Happenstance's eyes gleamed, asking with interest: “Really now? That's quite a lot for one pony to handle! It sounds like she must be doing very well for herself!”
“She is.” Last Call almost mumbled, and thankfully he was spared any further conversation on the topic when the waitress approached their table and put a mug in front of him before pouring him a full cup of coffee.
Furor declined by awkwardly pushing his cup back and not so much as looking at the waitress, which made her glower before she threw down the menus and stalked away. Last Call couldn't help but smile sourly despite himself at the sight before he said wryly: “Furor, you really have to work on your social skills.”
“My social skills are fine. It's everyone else who needs work.” Furor replied dryly, and then he picked up his menu, glancing through it before he let it fall back with a sigh. “I miss the city. At least you could get something decent to eat there.”
Happenstance only smiled, however, far from put off by Furor's complaining or deriding as he said cheerfully: “Not to worry, my friend! I know you're not big on breakfast, but you'll have to join me for lunch at this quaint little place-”
“I'm really not interested.” Furor said bluntly, but even that didn't stop Happenstance or wipe the smile off his face: Last Call reflected that it seemed like the chubby stallion was the only pony he had ever met too good-natured to be effected by Furor's lack of tact.
“Well, think about it! You know what they say, haste makes waste in all things. That's why I like it when we can take our time here, friends.” Happenstance said easily, before he smiled as the waitress came back, saying before anyone could react: “Two lumberjack specials for my friends, please! And I'd also appreciate it if you could bring out a pot of tea for me, dear. Thank you very much.”
“Uh. Thanks, Mr. Happenstance.” Last Call said awkwardly, as he grabbed his and Furor's menus to pass them back to the waitress. She glanced at them quizzically for a moment, then simply shrugged and walked away, floating the menus beside her.
“Coffee, too!” Furor shouted the moment the waitress reached the doors, and Last Call sighed at the way the mare stiffened and glared over her shoulder.
“Yes, coffee would be a wonderful idea, I could use a refill myself. But in your own time, dear.” Happenstance added kindly, smiling as he said cheerfully: “Sorry, that's all my fault! I should have asked, Furor, please excuse my negligence.”
Furor looked nonplussed for a few moments, then he awkwardly shrugged. Happenstance, meanwhile, tented his hooves over his half-eaten plate of food as he pickd up, as if they had never been interrupted: “I know, friends, we're not always on the best of terms and that we don't always see eye-to-eye. And that's fine! I do hope that all the same you'll be willing to lend me just a little bit more of your time, but I understand if you have to go.”
Furor began to get up, and then he winced when Last Call grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back down into his seat, saying pointedly: “It would be rude to leave before we had our meals, at least.”
Happenstance only smiled in his benign way, and then he asked: “So would it be at all possible through your wife's connections to rent the trail after hours? You see, I've gotten all mixed up in one of the local festivals... they call it the Alignment. It's an annual tradition around here, sort of like Nightmare Night, but apparently this year is special for some reason. I thought it would be just marvellous if I could convince the park to do a tour of those old ceremonial sites in the woods. I'm sure that-”
“The Alignment is not a festival and it's not a joke.”  growled a voice, and Last Call looked up in surprise as the reek of alcohol and soil hit his nose. He leaned back slightly as he saw the pony who had been on the other side of the room was now standing right beside them. His teeth were grit, his bloodshot eyes bulging, a vein throbbing in his neck, and Furor shivered a little as Last Call leaned uncomfortably away. 
Happenstance, however, quickly rose his hooves as he apologized: “Sir, I certainly didn't mean to come across like I wasn't taking it seriously. I know that it's a matter of, uh, religion, so to speak, to some of the local-”
“The Alignment is not a joke. It's not a celebration and it's not part of any 'religion.' It's when reality grows thin enough for Kzkttrrrkt to stretch into our reality, and this year the stars will aid-”
“Lectern, you either go and sit over there in your corner, or you get out of here.” the waitress said firmly as she came quickly over to them, and the ragged stallion turned towards her with a snarl of disgust.
Last Call winced: not just at Lectern's aggressiveness, but at the sight of the side of his face. It was pockmarked and sunken, like he'd had an infection that had never healed and rotten away the flesh beneath.
Lectern suddenly looked back at them, then he said in a calmer voice that all the same had a clear undercurrent of malice: “Don't play with things you don't understand.”
With that, he turned and stormed off towards his corner of the restaurant, and the waitress grimaced before she said quickly: “Sorry, Lectern is a little crazy but he really doesn't mean any harm. He just gets worked up around this time of year.”
“Yeah. I can see that.” Last Call said dryly, before he shook his head quickly, then glanced over at Furor: but the unicorn was visibly settling himself, clearly relieved that Lectern had moved a good distance away. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Fine. Thanks.” Furor said, and then he hesitated before asking almost apprehensively: “What is that thing he was talking about?”
“Oh, that's the proper name for the Kiz, I do believe.” Happenstance said quickly, nodding with a smile: he seemed strangely undisturbed the whole turn of events, sounding rather pleased with himself as he explained: “The Kiz is... like an elemental force, although of course I could very well be wrong describing it as such. The natives local to this region believed in it and... I wouldn't say worshipped it as much as they paid it tribute, in hopes that it would leave them alone. All pish-posh of course: some of these legends are all wrapped up with other bits of nonsense. Don't forget how Nightmare Moon was supposed to be 'aided by the stars in her escape,' as I believe the tale goes.”
Happenstance smiled, looking cheerful, almost exuberant: if there was one thing the pony loved, after all, it was an excuse to show off how much he knew about old pony's tales. Last Call didn't exactly care himself, but he was surprised when Furor asked: “I thought Nightmare Moon wasn't actually a legend, though.”
“Oh, well, I suppose I did misspeak, on technicality: the Mare in the Moon is the legend, while we all know that Nightmare Moon was Princess Luna.” Happenstance said almost apologetically. “What I mean to say is that over the years, many other pieces and foibles from other legends and myths have coalesced here into the tale of the Kiz. The Kiz is supposed to be responsible for all sorts of things: bad luck, freak accidents, things that go against the natural order set forth by the princesses... you know, your usual bundle of tales and superstitions used by more primitive peoples to describe why things are the way they are in the world.”
Furor scowled ever-so-slightly, but to Last Call's surprise, for once he didn't open his mouth. And Happenstance blithely continued on, as he smiled over at Last Call: “But it's all very important to the townsponies, and I really want to make the most of it for them. As you know, the village's finances have been in a bit of a pickle and they almost couldn't make the festival happen this year... I felt that after how good these people have been to me, picking up the tab is the least I can do for them.”
Happenstance smiled, then he looked up with a chuckle as the waitress came back towards their table: Last Call hadn't even realized she had left. He wasn't exactly interested in Happenstance, either, but instead trying to resist the urge to look back over his shoulder at that old hobo, Lectern: he could feel the stallion's eyes burning holes in them even from across the restaurant.
“So, Call.” Last Call winced a bit as his attention was brought back to Happenstance, even as plates were set down in front of him and Furor. “I hate to press the matter, but will you talk to your wife about it? It would mean the world to me if we could work something out for tomorrow night.”
“I...” Last Call chewed on his lip, before he said finally: “She's at work right now. I guess that if it's that important-”
“Yes, yes! That would be excellent, if you could go and talk to her about it right after breakfast, then!” Happenstance said happily, oblivious to the way Last Call's eye twitched. “I mean, if it's no trouble, of course, but-”
“But yes. I... guess I can do that.” Last Call finally said grudgingly, nodding to Happenstance even as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The last thing he wanted was yet another reason to be indebted to that mare...
Furor glanced at him oddly, but Last Call decided to avoid further conversation by picking up his fork and helping himself to the pancakes in front of him. He ate slowly, pointedly keeping his head down, but Happenstance was undeterred as he said warmly: “That's excellent, then, Last Call! I would be truly indebted to you, truly! While I have a few pressing engagements, I'll be in the market this late afternoon... perhaps you could  find me there then?  I'll be there until nightfall, don't worry. Perhaps I could even treat you to dinner! And you too of course, Furor, if-”
“I think I'll pass. I'm about ready to go, Call, whenever you are.” Furor said as he pushed the full plate away. Last Call looked awkwardly at the unicorn for a moment, then he looked over at Happenstance, but Happenstance was still smiling, still as pleasant and jovial as ever as he winked, reaching out to take Furor's plate and pour it into the pile of food in front of him.
“Well, you won't mind if I help myself, then! Gosh, they just make the most delicious pancakes here, really.” Happenstance said cheerfully, and then he added: “And don't feel you have to stay yourself if you'd like to go, Last Call. Not that I want you to rush off or anything, just that I know you must have had your own plans for today and I've gone and put a wrench in that, I realize.”
“Yeah, I... don't worry about it, I mean, I didn't have anything huge planned for today.” Last Call said after a moment, giving an awkward quarter-smile to Happenstance. It was true, he hadn't had anything planned for today... but that didn't take away from how frustrating it was to feel like somebody's messenger boy. 
Happenstance chuckled, then looked over at Furor; but before he could even ask, the unicorn said dryly: “Think I'll be pretty busy for the next few days.”
“Well, that's fine, that's fine. Don't worry, though, Furor. I'll save a spot for you, just in case you're interested. I know what a people person you are.” Happenstance said kindly, and Furor scowled horribly in response.
Last Call moodily picked a bit at some of his food, and then he finally pushed himself up from the table, excusing himself with: “Thanks, Mr. Happenstance, but uh. I should get going for now.”
“Of course, of course. I know you have more things to do than my silly business!” Happenstance said pleasantly, and Last Call gave an awkward smile before the chubby stallion added cheerfully: “Just come find me tonight, Last Call! Whether or not you're successful in this endeavour, I still want to compensate you for your time!”
Last Call smiled awkwardly, and then he muttered some excuse as he stepped away from the table, Furor hurriedly following after him as they crossed the restaurant towards the exit, neither looking back.
As they passed Lectern, Last Call couldn't help but glance towards him, and he nearly stumbled into the wall when he saw that Lectern was glaring at him openly. The two looked at each other as Furor shifted nervously in the background, before Lectern said quietly: “Don't meddle in things you don't understand, boy. Whether you think it's fairy tales or not. Fairies bite.”
Last Call swallowed a bit, even as he gritted his teeth, tried to be aggressive, tried to come up with some snappy one-liner. But it was only a moment before he turned and nearly bolted through the doors, Furor following as Lectern glared after them ruthlessly before he turned his cold, angry eyes towards Happenstance, who only smiled and waved politely from the table piled high with food in front of him, seemingly oblivious to the anger of the scarred stallion.