A little Antique shop.
Truth becomes stories and songs. Stories become legend. Legend turns into myth. Once a very long time ago their lived a tyrant king called
Discord. Once our god empress had a sister. Once there was a place called the Crystal Empire. Once the Kingdom of the Griffons wasn't a god's awful shit hole. Doesn't matter if those are myths or history to most folks. Don't matter anymore to them.
I run a small antique shop in Ponyvile. Not one of the big landmarks. Most folk never visit me except to sell off garbage or buy a trinket for a white elephant or when some visitor from out of town comes by.
"Good morning . It's a lovely day isn't it?" A mare said, talking elegantly. Ah, Rarity. She was one of the more frequent customers.
"Told you Rarity, call me Rusty. That's what everyone else calls me." I replied.
"Oh of course Mr-err Rusty." Rarity said and began to look around. She had keen eyes that one. Able to tell the good finds from the unremarkable ones.
"What keeps bringing you here Rarity? A pretty little mare like you among such dusty old junk? Don't you have better things to do." I asked. Rarity was always a sight for sore eyes. The mare had a body like out of a dream.
" Why you mustn't be so modest. These artifacts are quite beautiful. As for what brings me here besides an appreciation for the gorgeousness of the past...well work of course. If I can't find anything to use in my pieces I can always find inspiration among them." She said. Her eyes lit up when talking about her passion. I remember having passion. It died a long time ago. As did everything else except my libido, appetite, and pulse.
" It's Rusty. You always seem to be working. I see you trotting around town to and fro like you have an engine on your rump. Shouldn't you find a nice colt or...mare to spend some quality time with?" I said. Everybody knew about those sorts of ponies. The ones with a taste for the same gender. Used to be that it was more of a hidden thing, now it was coming out into the open more and more. I never had any beef against them, long as nopony was hurting anyone and everyone was happy ponies could do whatever in Hades they wanted. And that Bon-bon and Lyra seemed nice but...it was an adjustment seeing it all around in the open like that. Talking about it openly and all.
"Oh, I would love to have a special somepony. However between work and lack of availability...unless you are asking me for another reason?" Rarity said, looking into my eyes and fluttering those eyelashes of hers. Celestia Damn it. She had caught me staring at her plot it seems.
"You shouldn't tease an old colt. I may very well die on the spot of a heart attack." I said.
"Your not that old . In fact, you have quite the suave handsomeness about you. I admit while you may not exactly be my cup of tea, I am sure there are plenty of Mares or Colts, who would fall head over hooves for a chance to date you." Rarity said. She was good.
"Please call me Rusty. I am flattered Rarity but I don't think so. Besides I am occupied with work myself." I said.
"Why that borders on hypocrisy! To say that I should get a mare or coltfriend and slow down while you-" Rarity began. I had to stop this before she got too out of hand. I didn't think she would go full blown tantrum...but the teasing was enough for me for the day.
"Rarity. I had my great love. It came and it passed. That's it. It's over for me." I said. The color drained out of her face. Maybe I had gotten a little too hasty doling out clues about my past. But honestly, I couldn't deal with this. Occasional trips to Los Pegasus for working mares and clopping sessions aside, I was done interacting with the opposite gender in that way.
"I...I am so sorry Mr-..Rusty. Is there anything I could do for you?" Rarity asked. I wanted to say, "Mares have done enough for me. Thanks but no thanks." however as curmudgeonly as I could sometimes be...that didn't feel right to say.
"No. It's all fine Rarity really. More to life than romance. I had mine. Lot of great memories. I've moved on. You intend to buy?" I said, as kindly as possible. She still flinched with the last comment.
"Y-yes." She said and moved a few items and gave the appropriate amount of bits. No haggling either. Which was strange from Rarity. She left in a dejected mood.
Felt bad...but my romantic life was history. As was, for the most part, my sex life. For good reason. Mares meddling around with my personal life could not possibly lead to anything good.
It was a few months later. All that business with Nightmare Moon had just settled down and now it seemed we had another Princess to pray to and guide us again. This one had less of a taste for sex and mind games and more of a taste for...well actual games imported from all over.
Or at least rumor had it, and some of Celestia's guard had come down to grab some items from the Reign of the Two Sisters period as well as a couple board games so...I expected this was the truth.
Then a cute lavender colored mare came trotting in.
"Hello, or..you prefer Rusty don't you? Anyway, I am here because my friend Rarity said that you might have some interesting magical artifacts I could examine as well as some old books. So I wanted to take a look." The mare said with a smile.
"Hold on, hold on. In Celestia's name, you need to slow down. Now a friend of Rarity's is a friend of mine but I am going to need a name and some sort of list. Or you can search yourself if you want, but I will need a name in any case." I said. She looked familiar.
"Oh..sorry. I've been rude. My name is Twilight, Twilight Sparkle. I am the new owner of Golden Oaks Library." She said with a smile.
"Twilight. I know that name. Your one of the mares that helped save us all from Nightmare Moon. Along with Ponyvile's finest. I would like to thank you. As exciting as it would be to live in such a...period of transition. I frankly would prefer to have sunshine. And a non-tyrant." I said.
"Thanks. I kinda know what you mean. I have sort of been playing around with the idea of writing some short fiction about what it would be like under Nightmare Moon. Truly a horrible thing to consider but also quite fascinating. But I shouldn't take up too much of your time. I will just browse." Twilight said and began poking ahead around.
I took secretive glances towards the unicorn. She was definitely cute alright. Her plot wasn't quite as big as Rarity's but it was just as perky. And her tail was just...
I snapped myself out of my fantasies. Unlike Rarity she didn't seem to notice my lecherous gaze, which only made me feel more guilty. With her knowing glances back and teasing, the fashion pony had all but given her permission for me to look. This one was in a whole nother category. So I went back to reading my paper. Then a thought occurred.
"Hey, Twilight." I said.
"Yes, Mr. Rusty?" She responded. Great. Now it was .
"Heard you had a real-life dragon as an assistant. Where is he now?" I asked.
"Oh him? He has been working hard for me recently so I figured he deserved a day off. He isn't even fully matured yet after all. " She replied casually. I got the feeling she had been asked this question before.
"What exactly does a dragon do on a day off?" I asked. She laughed a bit.
"Probably the same as a lot of people. Going for a walk. Getting a bite to eat. Reading comics. Oggling Rarity." Twilight said. She was being nonchalant but something about how she said that last part sent off flags. Like she was jealous that he was the one doing it.
"Can't blame him. Don't know how dragons really work in that sense but I remember how it was to be just coming into things. And a mare like Rarity. She is a beauty. Anyone interested in mares would like her." I said.
"Yeah. I suppose so. It's just kind of weird for me to have my apprentice/younger brother/friend/child to be head over claws with one of my best friends. Honestly, it feels weird to have friends. I'm not exactly used to it." Twilight said.
Well, either she didn't have a crush on Rarity or she was completely blind to it. Hard to say which at this point. It would probably be a good thing for both me and Rarity if these two hooked up. She would be happy and would be so wrapped up in her bubble she would have no desire to bother me about getting a date. That unicorn was uncomfortably generous at times.
Question was, would both of them be into it? I had to make sure somehow.
"Here." Twilight said cheerfully.
"Huh?" I sputtered.
"My books and some possible magical items. You know...the stuff I intend to buy?" She said. That's why I should never start thinking about my client's personal life. The thought of the two of them embracing was...too hot to consider in front of company.
"Ah. I see. That will be 400 bits." I said and she happily laid down the cash.
"See ya ." She said and happily trotted away.
"See ya ." I sighed. Then went back to my paper. If Rarity kept bothering me, I would have to figure out how to set her up with someone. Preferably this Twilight Sparkle mare.