The Loft
By Tray Hunter
Edited by DoctorBrony
"That's amazing!" Lyra literally yelled into the empty apartment, getting an echo off of the high clean walls. It was just what she imagined. A large living space, wide windows, and it was right in the center of Manehatten. And still high enough to blend out the noise of the streets below.
But there was one essential detail the mintgreen unicorn forgot about: The rent was too damn high!
"Please, I'll have the first rent in a week! Can you please wait one week before you give it away? Please!" she plead the owner of the loft.
The owner just shrugged and said "Well, since you are the only one interested in it in the first place, I sure can wait a bit..."
Lyra's eyes widened. She tackle-hugged him and swung the earthpony around in joy.
"...but..."
Suddenly she stopped and looked at him in surprise. What did he mean with ‘but?’ Was there another pony? Was he going to sell it to somepony else?
"...I can't guarantee for anything. If you're not ready to move in by 11 AM next Thursday, the loft is gone for you!"
She thought for a second. Could she really get the money in time? And how would she accomplish to pay the monthly rent? She had no real income, just the few bits she earned when she played in that passage in front of the motel she lived in. Suddenly her train of thoughts rolled through Courageville, and it was taking all passengers. She made it thus far without looking back and she would go even further!
"Gentlecolt, you got yourself a deal! I'll get the bits and move in before you can say 'yackedy-yack-yack'! You'll see!" with that she galloped out of the door leaving an unamused colt behind.
"Yackedy-yack-yack.”
"Alright, Lyra! You’ve got a goal! Get the money and move in!" she thought while she cantered out of the building and right onto the sidewalk.
The city was quite busy that day. The only thing to be seen were taxi-chariots and occasional wagons. From time to time a pony with bow tie and briefcase would dash beside her, but she was determined!
*****
"What do you mean, you don't take amateurs? I studied at the royal Canterlot Institute of Music! I, sir, am no amateur! You are the amateur!" she yelled at the owner of the theatre. It was the tenth theatre that had rejected her and her lyre in four days. The other five didn't even let her try.
"Urgh, those fancy Trotway theatres don't see talent when it slaps them in the faces!" she murmured as she cantered back home. Nopony would give her a chance to earn money with the only thing she was really good at.
As she arrived in her dusty motel room, she picked up a tattered newspaper and crossed the last theatre off her list. The mare had to think of something. She barely had enough bits to stay in her current room and there were only a few days left. But the musician was still focused on her target! Once she had the loft, everything else would just fall into place!
After all, nopony wants to hire a musician whose lyre smells like the old and dusty apartment it originated from.
That’s right. She found it, resting on a table when she moved in a little more than a year ago. It felt like destiny back then. She, the only lyrist she knew, finds a lyre just laying around in the middle of a cheap motel room.
But now it seemed as if said destiny tried to bind her to her apartment. The thought of being stuck in here forever was even more unpleasant than the thought of living on the streets. And let me tell you, she’s had experience with being stuck in places she didn't wanted to be in in the first place.
She slammed a hoof on the ground and yelled "No! I won't give up! I'll get this loft and become famous!" She opened the window (which was the only source of light in this less than mediocre apartment would ever have) and shouted at the noise of the big city "You won't get me down! I will have this loft and you'll not stop me!"
A single passer by in front of the motel answered "I ain't gonna stop ya, Ma'am." and cantered on. She shot him a confused look as the pony moved around the next corner and started to make plans on what job would get her the desired loft.
The next day Lyra paid a visit to the pizza restaurant on her street to see if they had a job for a musician down on their luck. Luckily, they were indeed looking for a delivery mare. She signed in, got her uniform, and started her first tour of duty in the large city.
"It's gotta be around here somewhere!" she thought out loud as she cantered along giant manors in the high society part of Manehatten "Why would somepony with that much money order a pizza from a restaurant at the other side of the city? They better give an adequate tip!"
She arrived at the designated building. It so big, it could host a draconian bachelor party. "I guess this is it." As she made her way through the garden she noticed some Neighxican gardeners, cutting the bushes and trees. Although she had none to low skills in gardening, she envied them for having at least a source of regular income. She arrived at the front door and looked back. The way from the entrance was so long, she couldn't even see the street anymore. Or maybe it were just the high walls and artificial bushes that blocked her sight. One or the other.
She rang the doorbell and a pony opened the grandiose front door.
"Yes?"
"Speedy Pizza. Your delivery." Lyra looked up from the order and looked in the face of the mare. She knew her way too well, for she was her fierce rival since her first day in Canterlot.
"Well, if that isn't little Heartstrings. How are you holding up my dear? Do you still play that miniature harp?"
Heartstrings! That was the name they were calling her when they didn't remember her REAL name. They couldn’t even remember the proper name of her favorite instrument! Well, either that or they wanted to mock her for having the smallest instrument in the whole institute. Most times she didn't care about that but when they drew a poor sketch of her, making out with a lyre on the front page of the institute’s newspaper, it was enough to make her cry for days. Not that she was a pony to tear up easily. Not at all! She was tough. She was brave. But some things were simply too much for her to just lay aside.
She looked into the mare's eyes and tried to play it cool. She would just ignore the insults.
"Octavia, just pay and I'll be gone! 20 Bits in all."
The earthpony just giggled with one hoof over her mouth, her eyes sparkling in joy about Lyra's demise.
"Oh, look at that. What a sweet little uniform you got! They even gave you a matching baseball cap, Heartstrings. How does it feel to finally be dressed proper?"
Back then at the institutes prom night she was the only pony without a fancy dress. She just couldn't afford one. They’ve been mocking her ever since.
"Just pay already! I have better things to do than talk to the most annoying pony in all of Equestria! So..." she looked right into her eyes and grinned "...why don't you go and strangle your over-sized violin a bit more, huh?"
Confused by the sudden counter of the unicorn she backed up a bit and hoofed her some bits "There! Keep the change" she said in a mocking tone "You'll need every bit of it!" And with that she took the pizzas and slammed the door shut. Lyra went through the payment and smiled. That up-tight jerk just gave her 50 Bits! In her thoughts she already decorated the loft.
*****
"You are fired!" her supervisor said as she entered the restaurant.
"What? But I delivered just in time and-" she stuttered.
"Your first customer just called in and complained about being insulted and threatened by you! We at Speedy Pizza can't tolerate such rude behaviour!" He cantered over to her and shot her a disgusted look "Get out of that uniform! You are a shame tor us all!"
"B-but...I-I...need the b-bi-" she tried to counter but suddenly it felt as if her heart just broke into pieces. Why would a mare do something like that? Octavia had just smashed her chances to get that loft AND her reputation at her favourite restaurant.
She galloped home, tears in her eyes blocking her sight. It was a miracle that she didn't run into the traffic. Not that she would've cared. She was done with everything! The loft, the restaurant, everything!
Short before the motel, she ran into something. As she got up again, she saw a big blue box in front of her. A door opened from within and a brown colt looked out of it. "Uhm, sorry Ma'am. You don't happen to know which tim- I mean place this is?"
She sobbed and waved a hoof behind her and sobbed "That’s Manehatten! City of broken dreams!" A few tears dropped from her face. He looked at her and put on a concerned face. "Is something wrong? Did you hurt your head on the Tardis? If that’s the case, I'm very sorry for that! Here, maybe this will help you." he reached behind him and pulled an old book out. He blew some dust of it and gave it to her "Maybe you can make some sense of the scribbles of that bearded old pony. Anyway, sorry and good day!"
She looked up and yelled "Wait! Who are you?"
"Just a Doctor." he smiled and closed the door behind him as the booth disappeared.
Not believing her eyes, Lyra got up and looked for any trick mirrors or fake bottoms. After about five minutes she decided to get home and have some sleep. Maybe it was just her overworked brain playing tricks on her.
*****
The next day she woke up and cantered over to her window and sighed "Another day, another broken dream!"
She turned around and saw the book that the strange pony gave her, resting beside her lyre. She took a closer look at it. The cover read 'The Memoirs of Starswirl' in big red letters. As she opened the book, she found a note on the first page.
Thank thee for all that inspiration my friend
Alons-y, my friend
S. the B.
"How in the hay is that supposed to help me with my money problem? It's just the diary of an old pony!" as she went through the pages a few of them fell out of the book. When the unicorn looked at them her eyes widened and a bright grin covered her face.
One of the pages was labeled 'Spell for one-way exchange of thoughts'. As she read it she realized the complexity of the spell, but felt relief when she found out how simple it would be to cast it. All she had to do was concentrate on the melody explained on the page and she could hear the thoughts of other ponies. Although she wasn't sure how this would help her to get the loft, it was a start.
With new hope in her heart and a new tune in her head she left for the door, determined to get things done!
It didn't take her long to find a chance to try her new spell, as everypony was up and busy this morning. The first test subject was a stressed looking business pony with a briefcase for a cutiemark. Although she didn't understand anything of stock market affairs, she could hear everything he seemed to think. The next one was a big stallion in a black business suit and a pair of sunglasses.
'I once had two bunnies. Now I have twelve! Must have invited their friends.'
She chuckled a bit at this, still astonished at how well the spell was working. As she made her way towards the center of the city she heard all sorts of funny or interesting thoughts in her head.
'If you take two muffins and smash them together, does that make them a supermuffin?'
'Gotta hurry! Houses to sell! Sell or be sold! I'm not obsessed with work! Sell house! Seeeeell!'
'Maybe if I go to college I can conquer the world and become a god just like the princess! And then I will decide when I have to go to bed! That would be totally awesome!'
'I sure do love this song -I'm a twenty first century digital mare! I don't know how to read but do I look like I care?-
She made a mental note to listen to this song when she had some free time on her hooves. Suddenly a voice yelled from the other side of the street. It was one of those gambler ponies who tried to fool others with some cheap card tricks. That was her chance to put her new ability to the test. She cantered over to him and asked if she could try.
"Oh, sure, Miss. You just shuffle the deck and then I will guess the card you draw. One game is just ten bits, but if you win you can double them. So what do you have to lose?" he asked with a sly smile on his face. She took the the deck and shuffled it with her magic, scanning his brain while doing so.
'It's so easy! Nopony ever notices the traffic mirror behind him. These foals!'
Lyra grinned and placed the shuffled deck on the small table he had placed on the walkway. Without even looking she took a card and placed it topside down beside the deck "Alright! Now you guess!"
He broke out in sweat and started to look over to the mirror as he used to. What should he do? After a few seconds he gulped and said, "3 of Hearts?"
The mare gave a short laugh and turned the card "Ace of Spades! I guess you owe me 10 bits, huh?"
He looked at her, a frightened look on his face. He hadn't had the money and so he decided to do what every caught trickster would do: Run like the wind!
As he galloped away Lyra yelled after him "Hey, best out of three?" Then he disappeared behind a corner "Guess that’s a no." she laughed. She looked on the table and took the card with her as a souvenir. "That’s the only card I need!" the mare thought happily as she cantered on.
She tricked another two gamblers and made about 40 Bits before noon. Then she decided to get something to eat. Luckily, Manehatten was full of restaurants.
"Welcome to Hays'n'Hays. What will you have?" the pony behind the counter asked. She decided to get some haycookies and sat down on a bench in the corner. Of course, soon ponies would start to whisper about her strange sitting style, but she was used to that. Lyra's eyes went through the restaurant as she spotted a giant jar full of bubblegum. She cantered over to it and noticed a sign saying 'Guess the number of gum balls and win 10,000 Bits!'
Her eyes widened. With that money she could buy the loft! Well almost. At least she could stay in there for at least one year and would still have enough money to decorate her new apartment properly.
She began to count but as it was a jar, there are always the ones one can not see. The unicorn decided to stick to plan b and check if anypony in the restaurant had a clue.
'1,2,3,4,7,...Damn it, now I can start all over again!'
'I wonder if I get the gum if I guess right.'
Then her concentration fell on one of the employees, cleaning one of the tables.
'If one more pony asks me if I know how many gums there are in, somepony gets hurt! Where did the old coot get them in the first place?'
She cantered over to the pony and asked "Old coot?"
The employee turned around and said "What do you mean, Ma'am? I know some old coots around here but you'll have to be a bit more precisely."
'Oh my, I'm sure she means the old Wingkings! Was I thinking loud? Did she hear me?'
The unicorn smiled "I'm looking for Wingkings. Is he around?"
He looked at her an unbelieving expression on his face "Wingkings? He's not here today. Not sure where he could be, Ma'am."
'That old geezer is probably in the park feeding my payment to that damn ducks!'
Lyra grinned widely and dashed out of the door straight towards the park in the center of the city. Or as some ponies would say, the central park.
*****
If you’ve never been there, you couldn't possibly imagine how much old ponies could fit into the central park. Especially on a Wednesday afternoon. She searched everywhere, scanned everypony’s brain and interrogated every duck that looked satiated in the slightest! Unfortunately, these ducks were neither talkative nor cooperative.
As the sun began to set behind the skyscrapers, she sat on a park bench feeling ready to give up.
"I will never find that Wingkings!" she thought, a small tear forming in her eye "And I will never get the loft! I will die old and desperate in my tiny motel room!" she cried "Those stupid gum balls! Stupid Octavia! *sob* Stupid city!"
Suddenly a voice made her look up "Oh little Miss, are you alright?" she shook her head and buried her face in her hooves. The pony sat next to her (the way that everypony except Lyra would do) and laid a hoof on her shoulder "Do you want to talk about it?"
She took a deep breath and looked at him "I need to find a pony to get to know the exact number of the gum balls so I can win the prize and move into that loft I always wanted!" she sobbed. "And I only have until tomorrow!"
"Do you know the name of that pony?" he asked as calm and quiet as possible. His voice really helped to pace the mare. She sobbed one more time and answered, "Yes, I heard his name is Wingkings. I was told he was in the park, feeding ducks."
The other pony chuckled a bit at this "The Old Wingkings? From Hays'n'Hays?" Lyra looked at him in surprise as the stranger continued "I don't think you will find him in THIS park."
Her eyes cracked wide open "What do you mean? Where can I find him? Quick! My future loft depends on it!"
He giggled "He's probably in his personal amusement park in Bel Mare, feeding his pet ducks." he shot her a concerned look "I'm sorry, but I don't think you will make it there in time." Every hope she had about winning the money and moving into her beloved loft shattered before her inner eye. She would never get out of that dingy motel room! She would never become famous! She would never be happy again!
Suddenly the stranger got up and offered her a hoof "I could use a drink and judging by the hay your going through, you should probably join me."
She hesitated but then she got up and they left the park "Just a little warning: Don't try any funny stuff or anything, dude!" she stated "My barn door doesn't swing that way!"
After a night of excessive alcohol abuse and a minor coma (including a major blackout) she awoke in her room. As she looked around she noticed a black briefcase with something shiny laying on top of it. As she got up and took a closer look at it, she noticed that the object was in fact a golden medal. On it were large blue letters reading '1st Prize at the 28th annual Speed-Drinking-Contest of Manehatten.'
She chuckled at this "Looks like at least my second special talent got me somewhere." She opened the briefcase and her jaw hit the table. Inside of it were hundreds of 100 Bitbills and a few photos of her drinking in a dark, smokey bar with hundreds of ponies cheering at her. She went through the money and started to count. After five checks she was sure (and mindblown). Lyra, the small musician from Canterlot, had just won 50,000 Bits within one single night! And she couldn't even remember how she did it! Suddenly she smiled widely "It's time to move out!" The mare took her lyre, the book she had from that stranger, and (of course) the briefcase and galloped out of the door towards the city.
*****
When she arrived at the apartment building, she rang at the bell of the owner and dashed upstairs.
"Uh, Miss Lyra?" he stuttered as the mare stood in front of his door. She laid the briefcase before him and opened it.
"There! That should be enough for the first year!" she smiled. He sighed and countered "I wanted to contact you about the loft. I know I said I would wait but..." suddenly the door of the loft opened and a gray mare stepped out of it
"Oh, little Heartstrings! How is your job at the pizza restaurant going? Oh, right! You got fired! Haha."
Lyra stared at her for a moment before Octavia stated, "If you would please excuse me, I have an apartment to decorate." With that the earthpony shut the door behind her and went back to work. Lyra on the other hoof glared at the owner.
"You said you would wait! We had a deal!" He backed up a bit and stuttered.
"B-but her friends are in the city council! S-he said if I don't sell the loft to her, she would make sure me and my whole family would never get a job in this city ever again!"
The unicorn mare sighed and said in a calm tone "It's alright. You had no choice." she took the briefcase and left for the stairs. The stallion asked her what she would do now. She turned her head around and looked at him.
"Back in the Institute of Music, somepony told me about a small village near Canterlot." she smiled "I guess that place is as good to start over as every place else."