It was another uneventful evening. No costumers, no window shoppers, no one. "Maybe I should get a second job." a young stallion said aloud, sighing deeply with content. The shop which he was the owner, and only employee, once again went without any business. it was a small shop but was strewn with numerous magical artifacts and colorful potions. One could see the magic inside it churning if one looked closely enough. The artifacts on the shelves hummed with an ominous glow as if partially alive. Books scattered on the tables and workbench depicted odd rituals and words in unknown languages. This was a shop of curses. *clang* The owners ears perked up. He did not however look away from his book. He simply rested his head on his hand and spoke. "Welcome to Curses and Curiosities where the best curse is the weight of your purse." His tone was blase as the steps grew closer. A soothing voice rang out.
"Um, hello, this is the shop that deals in curses correct?" The shop keep looked up from his book to the owner of the voice. A purple unicorn with a cyan streak in her hair. He raised his eyebrow at her.
"If its not then I ate somepony else's lunch." He closed his book. "We deal in placing and removing curses as well as one free consultation per customer." He was being brash but he knew this girl didn't belong in here. She didn't look the type to dabble in dark magics. No one who came in to his store did. Why he ever thought it a good idea to set up shop in Ponyville was beyond him.
"Have you actually removed a curse before?" She inquired.
"I'm certified with the royal seal of Equestrian Dark Arts signed by Princess Luna herself. If you would tell me the nature of said curse I would be able to give you my expert advice if you hire me." The mare looked behind her and shouted at the door.
"Its alright come in." A smaller girl no more than 10 walked into the shop. The first thing he noticed was that her clothes were sopping wet. The second thing he noticed was the tiny rain cloud pouring rain floating above her head. "If I hire you do you think you could get rid of that?" He waled over to the small girl who was shivering by the door.
"Easily." He said staring at the cloud. "Would you kindly wait outside dear?" The small girl lowered her head and returned outside. He reached for something by the coat rack before returning to the young woman. "Ill be with you two in a moment. Tell me does she have any allergies?"
"Allergies? What does that have to do with any thing?" He put a towel into her hands and walked to the back.
" I'm making some soup for her and I don't want her to have a reaction."
Some time later the shop owner stepped out on to the porch with a tray of soup and coco. Two of each. He set the tray down over by the older mare just out of the range of the clouds water. "Here." He said giving the her a fresh warm towel. "Could you tell me how you got this curse?" He asked pulling a chair up next to her. The rain was covering his legs but he didn't seem to mind. The little girl looked at her companion and was given a nod.
"I was walking in the woods and a fairy cursed me." She said not meeting his gaze. His eyes squinted. "Its true I swear!" She spoke up as she noted the skeptic look on his face.
"Are you sure that's all that happened? Seems pretty petty of some 'fairy' to curse a child for exploring the wilderness." She looked down again and fiddled with her hands. "I need to know for your curse." She sighed.
"I may have been throwing rocks at an old tree." She admitted. "I didn't know it was her home though. I knocked some branches off her tree and then she started shouting and then this cloud appeared."
"Shes had it for almost a week now." The older mare said.
"I'm sorry are you her mother? Sister perhaps?" He inquired as she shook her head.
"No I just saw her outside the forest this morning. She says she doesn't have any family." It might have been the rain but he could have sworn he saw a tear on her face. "My name is Starlight." She said holding out a hoof.
"I'm Polaris." He said shaking her hoof. "And whats your name pup?" He asked the small girl.
"Autumn Spice."
"Well Autumn Spice, it sounds like you had a run in with a Kelpie. Nasty little pixies. Extremely territorial." He pondered the situation for a moment. "Tell me. Where are you from?"
"I don't know." She said weakly.
"Do you remember any of your family?"
"I don't know." She said again.
"Where were you living prior to your wonder in the woods."
"I don't know." He was beginning to see a pattern. He noticed they style of clothing she was wearing. A uniform of some sort. The emblem on the shirt told him where she was from.
"Your not from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns then?"
"N-n-no." She stammered.
"Oh. Then I guess you don't know Winter Tide then? That's for the best. She was like the worst teacher I have ever seen. She stole kids puddings, didn't care if they slept or ate. Honestly she was just there for the check I think." He leaned back in his chair and waited for the Autumn to tale the bait. And take the bait she did.
"No she wasn't!" The small child stood up from her chair. "She always tucks us in and makes us eat our vegetables and she always sings to us when were sad!-" She covered her mouth realizing what her sudden outburst had caused. A smiling Polaris sat quietly.
"The pudding thing was actually true." He said. "Nabbed my pudding when I wasn't looking." He shook his head. "But at least we know where you belong now."
"I don't belong there!" She yelled. "The other foals there are mean and they think I'm weird! And I hate it there."
"That's why you ran away right? Couldn't fit in?" She hung her head in shame.
"Its not... You don't understand. I could just feel that I didn't belong there." He patted the top of her head.
"I get it squirt." He got close to the child, not caring about the rain falling on him. "You couldn't shake the feeling of setting off on your own. I get that. But you shouldn't have done it alone. No one is an island." He patted her head again. "Lets talk about that later. For now, we have to deal with that gloomy cloud. Your ruining my porch." He said with a smile. A weak giggle was heard from her. As his hoof left her head he plucked a strand of hair.
"Ow! What was that for?!" She yelled over the rain.
"Hopefully, I can use this to get rid of that cloud."
"And if you cant?" Starlight asked.
"Then she'll have a great carrier as a flower waterer. Relax this will work. You two stay here." As he trotted back inside they heard a clanging of glass containers followed by a loud *POOF* followed by bellowing smoke. Minuets passed as Polaris came out coughing holding a tea kettle. "Uh stand over here kid." He said pointing to the road in front of his shop. The child obeyed. Drenched and standing the middle of the street. The brown unicorn stood over her examining the cloud before he started pouring whatever concoction was in the kettle. As he finished pouring, the small cloud above the fillies head turned from a dark grey to white and then dissipated completely.
"You did it!" She cried, tackling him with a soaping wet hug. He patted her head again trying to get any more wet than he already had.
"Any time kid, now go get that towel by the chair and finish up your soup while its still warm. Starlight? Was it? I brought a towel for you as well, but you might want to get her out of those wet clothes. She might catch a cold." The child sprinted back to the shop and began to dry her hair. Starlight did the same.
"Wow you really know your stuff." She said patting herself dry. "So how much do we owe you?" Polaris watched as the small child stood in the sun taking in its warmth. He couldn't help but smile himself.
"Well since we didn't agree with a price before we started, I guess this ones gonna be on the house." He sighed still smiling. "Wouldn't want you thinking i'm trying to over charge or anything." She handed him the towel.
"Well that's just poor business sense, how about I treat you to dinner as thanks?"
"Uh, like a fancy dinner because I only own this hoodie." He looked a little panicked. To which Starlight stiffed a laugh.
"Then how about dinner at my place? Tomorrow night?" Hi tired eyes lit up at this offer.
"Yeah that sounds great. What time?" Autumn walked over still smiling.
"How about 6?" She asked. Playing with her bangs.
"Sounds good to me." they were starring into each others eyes like they were looking for something. Autumn retched at the sight.
"Gross." She said flatly, "Can you guys flirt somewhere else or what?" A blush formed on Starlight's face.
"Why don't ya go stand in the sun or something your still soaked." Autumn stuck a tongue out at him and he copied her. A hardy laugh came from the pair as there teasing came to an end.
"You know you guys look like brother and sister." Starlight noted. Polaris and Autumn looked at her, then at each other, then back at her and in harmony both stated.
"Nah." To which Starlight rolled her eyes at.
"Well lets get you a change of clothes Autumn." Autumn followed Starlight." Don't forget about tomorrow!" She shouted back at Polaris.
"Right. Dinner. At 6. Tomorrow." He waved and walked back into his shop. "OH wait! Where at!?" He yelled after her.
"The big building next to Sugarcube Corner!" She yelled back. "Cant miss it!"
"Big building next to Sugarcube Corner. Got it." He paused for a moment. "YOU MEAN TWILIGHT'S CASTLE!?" He put a hoof to his forehead rubbing his temples. "Yeah. Sure. Why not? Dinner At the princess's castle. Should be fun."