//------------------------------// // Simple Design // Story: Pyrophobia // by Valorousspectre //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Simple Design. Gray left his motel room early in the morning. He was going to Rarity’s boutique again to get his mane re-styled. It’d been mussed when he’d slept and if there was one thing he hated it was ruined hair. Rarity was just opening the boutique when Gray arrived. She smiled, pleasantly surprised. “Gray? Back already?” He smiled sheepishly and showed her his hair. She frowned. “Already?” He shrugged. “I woke up and it was like this.” Rarity sighed. “Must have been a rock hard bed... Or the ground.” She looked at him pointedly. “You WERE’NT sleeping on the ground were you?” Gray found himself laughing. “No miss Rarity... I’m in a motel.” Rarity gasped. “That’s almost as bad!” Gray shrugged. “It works and I can afford it.” ~*~ Rarity was combing Gray’s tail, talking as she did so. “I really do love your hair Gray. It’s so easy to style! So soft as well, Oh I envy your beautiful hair.” Gray shrugged, happy at the praise. She was braiding his tail again now, but it was tight. Very tight. “This is a style I invented for nice, wavy hair Gray. It’ll take a full day before you can take it out however, so be patient.” Gray nodded in understanding. “Thank you Miss Rarity. For both the styling and the praise.” Rarity smiled. “Anytime Gray. But I can’t let you pay this time.” Gray shook his head. “It’s going to happen. It doesn’t matter what you say.” Rarity sighed in frustration. He just didn’t get it did he? Trying to get it through to him seemed impossible now, so she dropped the subject. They kept each other company in silence for a while, Rarity styling and Gray more sort of standing awkwardly. The shop door tinkled as it opened and a baby purple and green dragon walked into the boutique, a bouquet of nicely arranged flowers in his claws. He stopped and looked at Rarity in adoration. Gray suppressed a smile. Rarity smiled at the lovestruck dragon. “Oh hello Spike! Are those for me?” Spike nodded eagerly. “Yes! I picked them just for you Rarity!” “Thank you dear!” The flowers glowed as she picked them up telekinetically and deposited them in a nearby vase. A purple unicorn walked into the shop, shaking her head. “Spike? What are you doing here? You promised to help me with my study today!” The dragon sighed, oblivious to the unicorn behind him. Gray couldn’t help himself. He burst out laughing at the spectacle. The two newcomers noticed him for the first time. Rarity looked at Gray in amusement. “Oh hush you.” She turned back to the newcomers. “Twilight, Spike was just giving me some flowers. So nice of him don’t you think?” Twilight nodded reluctantly. She looked over at Gray. “So who’s the new stallion? He wouldn’t be the one Fluttershy was talking about would he?” Rarity rolled her eyes theatrically. “Fluttershy would say something wouldn’t she? This is Gray. He’s my newest client and I really should get back to his hair before the building falls down from old age.” “There’s no rush miss Rarity. It’s still early.” Gray had walked down behind Rarity. She hadn’t even realised he’d moved. Gray offered Twilight his hoof. “My name is Gray. I arrived yesterday.” Twilight smiled and shook his hoof. “Twilight Sparkle. Resident librarian and organizer.” She gestured to the still amorous Spike. “And that’s Spike. Don’t mind him, he’s always like this around Rarity.” Gray chuckled softly at the dragon. “He’s kinda cute though.” Spike looked at Gray with that remark and stuck his forked tongue out. Twilight shook her head. “Spike!” Spike flinched and walked out, tossing a dirty look over his shoulder at Gray who found himself laughing harder. Twilight apologised to the hysterical stallion profusely, all of which was waved off as she exited the boutique. Gray stopped laughing and composed himself before looking at a very curious Rarity. He shrugged. “I haven’t seen somepony with a crush that big in a long time.” Rarity rolled her eyes. “I know. What’s funnier? He thinks it’s a big secret.” Gray nodded. “They usually do.” ~*~ Gray looked over his blueprints for the theatre. It was a fairly large building, so he had to check for flaws in the structure. As far as he could see, there were none... although he was no architect. He was also running out of money, so he had to hurry and get this thing built. He needed another place to stay free of charge or a job. But since he already had his theatre on his way, he didn’t want another job. The removable grandstands allowed quite a few ponies to sit down and watch the shows. The storage out the back was big enough from the grandstands and a smaller shed to one side was big enough for change rooms and props and costumes. The stage was rather large and there were skylights above the stage for the Summer Sun Celebration. It was being built over the pavilion originally used for the celebration. He hadn’t shown Rarity or the mayor yet, it wasn’t finished. “Ugh... this is ridiculous. I’m no architect, why am I looking over these plans?” He sighed and put the plans aside. He needed to rest. There wasn’t any point in trying to read them when he was this frustrated or tired. He jumped into his bed, and fell asleep almost before his tired head hit the pillow.