//------------------------------//
// Sightless Sarcasm 
// Story: Love is not Blind! Not even close 
// by Sense of Humor 
//------------------------------//

"Sweetie Belle, Darling, Are you sure we can't just wait until later?"

"What?! No! The line might be longer by then!"

Rarity groaned, rolling her eyes and dramatically falling on her face. "But it's just face painting! It's not even being done by a celebrity, for Celestia's sake! Surely you don't think the line would grow just because we're leaving it for an itty bitty while?!"

Sweetie Belle gave her a particularly impassive expression, one Rarity would have been proud of under different circumstances. "Really; begging like this? Honestly, Rarity. You should act more like your age!"

The overly dramatic unicorn mare narrowed her eyes up at the sassy filly. "Hmmph. Says the one who was dying to get her face painted like a tiger. I thought you said you grew up from this sort of thing! From filly stuff!"

"Details, Details. Just because I've given up some of my childhood antics doesn't mean I can't keep others." She responded with a wave of her hoof. "In any case, if you'll look behind you, you'll see why we can't leave."

A train of ponies long enough to cut through half of ponyville was behind her, all with an expression eerily similar to her own. Some, like the one directly behind her, were chatting amongst themselves.  Clearly this line was far too long to attempt leave, and may hope of it going down with time vanished. Rarity slumped snout first into the ground and was content to stay that way until the line moved again. Or until somepony started poking her hind leg with a stick.

"Excuse me, could you not do that?" The unicorn grumbled aloud, only to sigh when the poking came again. "Ahem! I asked you not to do that!"

"And I poked you again." It was a male voice, dripping with sarcasm. "I guess that means something, huh?"

"Yes. It means you're rude." Rarity dragged her head up from the ground to glare at him. He seemed average, around her age with a brick red mane and a burnt orange coat. Thick, circular red glasses sat on his snout and obscured his eyes. "If you'll take a good look around sir, you'll notice that I am in a very long line! I don't have the patience or temperament to deal with the likes of you today."

"If you'll take a good look at this cane," He used his horn's aura to hold up a red and white cane of sorts. "And my glasses, you'll see why I haven't noticed."

Rarity blinked at the cane as if this stallion were absolutely stupid...before it suddenly dawned on her. She sheepishly laughed and rubbed her foreleg. "Oh. You're...oh. My apologies."

"None accepted. Now, I was using this to help me navigate and not run into any pony. I'm trying to pass through," He pointed past her, probably guessing where her head was. "If I had known the line was here then I would have gone around to avoid this unhappy talk. As it is, I'd like to go through now."

Rarity's ears folded back against her head, and she probably shrank a few inches. "Um, Yes of course." She muttered apologetically and moved aside to let him pass. When he still stood there, she coughed. "Um, I moved."

The stallion moved as well, forward that is. Rarity watched him go, her mind pondering over this stallion. She'd never seen any pony like him before, or at least not here in ponyville. She normally kept her curiosity to herself but said curiosity mixed with apologetic feelings equaled an urge to learn more about him. 

The Fashionista started away from the line. "Sweetie Belle, I'll be right back."

After hearing some noncommittal noise, the mare trotted after the stallion, who was using his cane to make sure he wouldn't be running into anything. She hadn't noticed before, but he had a heavy saddlebag hanging from his shoulder.  She carefully spoke, not wanting to startle him. "Um, excuse me?"

He flinched, but nothing else happened. He turned in her direction with a raised eyebrow and a groan. "You again? I was too far away to have poked you again, Lady."

The mare winced. "I really am sorry for giving you trouble. I had no idea at the time and..." She shrugged but realized he couldn't see it. "Um, are you...new to Ponyville?"

"Yes," He grimaced. "And I'm not looking for any tour guides, so don't start."

"Well, I wasn't really--"

"Good."

Rarity narrowed her eyes at him. Even if she had been a little unkind, she didn't deserve this kind of talk. She opened her mouth to say this when he suddenly stopped. "Is this Northwood street?"

"What?" She asked, taken aback by the random question.

The stallion groaned dramatically and spoke extra slow, as if she were a particularly dumb mare. "Is. This. North.Wood.Street?"

Offended, she snorted at him. "No, it's straight from your right." She followed him as he started in that direction, still glaring. "You know, with that kind of attitude, you won't make very many friends here. I suggest being a little nicer to ponies."

"I suggest you go easy on the perfume next time. I'm getting a headache just smelling it."

Rarity blinked in disbelief--at first because of how fast he whipped at her with that comment. Then she shook in place, bristled and turned her snout upwards. "Ugh! I have had it with you! I hope you don't run into any pony else from here, for THEIR sake! Not yours!"

The stallion snorted, probably the closest thing to a laugh from him. "Hope you get a cramp standing in line. Chao!" 

"Rrrrr!" She growled in an unladylike fashion and stomped back into line with Sweetie Belle, who turned and winced at her appearance. When she opened her mouth to speak, the mare snorted. "Don't even ask! I don't want to talk about that awful stallion!"

Sweetie Belle wrinkled her snout. "Uh...I was gonna ask why your cutie mark is glowing."