//------------------------------//
// A couple of surprises 
// Story: Just smile! 
// by Slick Dash 
//------------------------------//

My night was restless. Though I slept, my mind found no rest as it constantly ran through the past few weeks again and again. Apple Cider is never far from my thoughts. It's like she's there with me, only just ahead of my closed lids. Dancing out of sight. Taunting me.

I wake in a cold sweat, panting. As my eyes adjust to the gloom of the barely furbished motel room, I see several loose objects fall from the air with a devastating crash. With a sinking feeling I realise I have been 'dream casting.' (Picking up objects with my mind without consciously realising it! I can still hear the crashe echoing around the room, I pray that the landlord beneath me was a deap sleeper, or I was in for a rough night!

I try to fall asleep again.

After half an hour of uncomfortable writhing beneath the covers, I decide it's obvious I'm not going to fall under again.

I glance at the clock and see it's reaching midnight. Wow! My first day and all I've done is sit in this darn motel room! I need to get out! What was the point of moving here if not to wander the streets and discover a side to myself I never knew I had?

I hop out of bed, with a quick glance I look to the opened suitcase on the table in the centre of the room. Ehh, I could always unpack later! So with that, I swipe up my keys and leave the dark and dreary room.

You can always tell what a town or city is like through it's nightlife. In the city there were clubs, block parties and endless streams of bars. But in this town it becomes clear all too quickly that this is a quiet and peaceful place.

With my spirits quickly fading, I walk down a hopeful highstreet. To my luck, I see a sign "Open" So without hesitation I go in to investigate.

It's a bar. Not a very large bar, but still a bar, serving alcohol! I glance around and see a few sould drowning whatever problems they had in the bottom of a glass. As I expected there aren't very many. My hoofsteps echo slightly against the cold tile floor. A single bar stallion is behind the counter. He glances up. "Well hey there stranger! What'll it be?" I spy a bottle of cider on the shelf behind him. I silently gesture to it and he obliges me with a smile as I take a seat. 

I take a moody sip from the lip of the bottle as I glance around at the other patrons. There are only a few. A stallion next to me is the most noticeable, with a vibrant yellow coat and a strikingly blue mane. His cutiemark is of a shooting star, or a comet, or something like that. 
I stop being nosey and resume drinking. The stallion behind the bar begins to speak. "So what's your name buddy? Haven't seen you around here before."
"Sombre..." I mumble, not even looking up from the mesmerising bottle in my hoof. I begin to mess with it, pushing from hoof to hoof not caring how childish I look, or the small amount of liquid that spills over my forelegs as I do so.
"Sombre huh? Bit of a funny name that if you ask me." The stallion comments as he picks up a glass and scrubs it clean with a wash cloth.

I glance up and smile half heartedly. "You're the second pony to say that to me today." I chuckle dryly. 
"No kidding huh? Who else said it? You know 'em?" I shake my head silently before taking a swig from my fast emptying bottle. "They give yah a name at all?" He pursues happily. 
"Yeah... Blinkie... Or was it Dinkie?" I frown, then address the barkeep questioningly. "Happy. Pink, a little nutty?" The stallion across the table lets out a knowing "Ohhh." Then explains as he cleans the glass.
"That's Pinkie Pie. Well there's nopony else you'd want to welcome you to town I suppose!" I acknowledge the guy's words with a half smile and a raise of my bottle. I then proceed to empty the last few dregs into my waiting mouth. 

"So..." The bar stallion begins, trying to continue the convocation. I'm not sure if I want to though. Not that I'm antisocial, it's just the gloomy mood is fast approaching due to the drink. "You know... You've got the look of a pony who's lost." The odd comment makes me look up at the barkeep in surprise. "You're eyes, they're far off. Thinking 'bout something too painful. I'm guessing that's why you came here?"

I can't help but let out a sarcastic chuckle. "What is it with bar ponies that makes them able to read minds?" The stallion laughs as well. 
"Comes with the job buddy. Well if you don't wanna talk about it you don't have to."
"Good!" I exclaim, maybe a little too fiercely. I recoil for a moment and grimace before letting out a week "Thanks."

I get up. Drinking suddenly doesn't seem like too great an idea right now. After all myself annoyance with staying in my motel room, I suddenly yearn to go back. The dark cloud of my own self loathing has now come back to full power, and is bringing my mood to an all time low! I stand, toss a few bits onto the counter and make my way to the door. 

"Hey, listen..." The bartender cries. At a glance back, he smiles at me. "You're obviously a bit down on yourself right now, and well, if you're planning on staying in Ponyville you're gonna need some money. So if you're looking, I wouldn't mind helping a stallion down on his luck. You up for working here?" 

I stand there, a little shocked at how suddenly and out of the blue this act of generosity had appeared. "Umm... Well I wasn't LOOKING for a job, but I guess I kinda need one." I give it a second of though, figuring if I want to work here. It was quiet, so I'd have a lot of time to think through what I wanted to do with myself here, or if I was going to move on to another town. Plus the bartender was a nice guy, and the first real person to show me kindness in what seemed like a lifetime. "Yes. Thanks." I give a faint grateful smile, the stallion nods, returning to his work. 
"Ok then, start after the weekend!" He flashes me one last kind smile before I leave, somewhat happier then when I arrived. 

The cold of the outside air is refreshing. At night, this little town looks beautiful, each soft glowing light behind a window signifies a portal into another's life. A single town with thousands of stories to tell!

The walk back to 'The Sleepy Mare' isn't too long. Anyway, the cool night is more than familiar to me, in my younger years I would run out to the surrounding fields around Manehatton and gaze up at the starry skies. I glance up. My mood darkness almost immediately as I see the moon. 

Only a few days ago I had waited for her, prepared to surprise her with a moon lit dinner. The silver Orb twinkles back at me. Mocking me, and soon the happy nostalgic feeling of only moments ago, was replaced once again with bone chilling misery and regret. I hadn't cried, not once since before that night, and even now, when filled with all the memories, every heart breaking image as vivid as the day I saw it, not a single tear comes to my eyes. 

I begin to move again. Just get back to the room darn it!

When I reach the room, I enter without even turning on the light. As I enter the darkness and begin to nudge the door shut, I catch a glint of white on the floor, I go over and inspect the sight. I find it to be a small square card of paper. 

I pick it up and read it.

"HEY ZOMBIE! YOU RAN OFF SO QUICK THAT I"- The writing is so large and flamboyant that already with that very small message, there is no more space on the sheet. No sooner do I finish reading, I spot another card only a few feet away. Already knowing who these were from by the use of the name "Zombie" I sigh and go to the next message. 

It resumes from the last card. 

"COULDN'T EVEN WELCOME YOU TO PONYVILLE!" I give a half hearted smile and make for the door to shut it finally. When yet another card catches my eye, illuminated by the outside moonlight.

Amazingly, for the first time it what seems years, I'm laughing. The very fact that the yammering pink pony I had met was rambling even in writing, entertained me hugely. 

It feels good to laugh for a change.

"SO WELCOME!" It says, I can see it from here. It's placed just before the door to the  bedroom, as I lean down to pick it up. I notice a glimmer of light between door and floor. Did I leave the light on? I open the door.

For a second time I let out a short happy breath of laughter. Before me lies my bed, atop it: a mass of cakes, muffins, taffy, lollipops and all other kinds of treats. The bright colours hurt my eyes slightly and I need to squint slightly in the highlighting light. 

It seemed this town's residents were a lot kinder, and warmer than the city I had once called home. Maybe, this was a sign, things... could they possibly be getting better?