Prey and a Lamb

by Lambs Prey

67.5- A Change of Pace

Randy knew he was a simple earth pony. And he also knew he was blessedly lucky. Sometimes he privately joked that was his special talent's secret talent.

It was a dumb joke though, so he didn't waste anypony else's time by telling it.

Randy remembered the first time he saw the pink mare sitting on a park bench. There was no such thing as love at first sight, but Randy thought 'interest at first sight' was certainly a thing.

But Randy knew she wouldn't be interested in him, not even enough for a passing conversation about the weather schedule. So he ducked his head and got on with his job, turning over the flowerbeds in Canterlot park. The pink unicorn mare looked upper class, and he was, well, a simple earth pony. They had nothing in common.

When he finished and stood up, brushing the rich earth off his Park Gardener's uniform, the unicorn mare had already left. A missed opportunity that he'd never been going to take.

So Randy picked up his spade and bucket, and moved on to the next flowerbed, humming a tune.

Quite by chance, Randy saw the same mare during his shift again, raking up fallen oak leaves this time. He blinked. There she was, sitting on the very same bench, once again by herself. 

Randy tilted his gardener's hat back to check the sun. Yep, it was about the same time of day too. He snuck a closer glance.

She really was rather striking, his eye couldn't help but be drawn to her smooth pink coat and tri-colour mane. She was reading a book, levitated in her silvery magic. Was she studying, perhaps attending a university here in Canterlot? If she was here in the park again by herself, maybe she wasn't upper class like he'd first thought.

'It doesn't matter, you'll just be a bother with your big mouth if you try to say hello-'

The mare glanced sideways, looking straight at him as if she'd felt the weight of his gaze. Randy froze. The mare's face was blank, utterly so. Randy felt like he was looking at an unmoving painting.

Hurriedly, Randy got back to raking up the leaves, quickly working his way around a tree to block her view.

'Yikes, that was scary.' He didn't know why, but for some reason, the mare's blank look unnerved him. He picked a cheerful tune out and started humming it loudly.

Randy got on with his job, covering a couple of overtime shifts, and earning some extra bits. Canterlot was an expensive place to live, but it was Canterlot and he was lucky to be here. Randy had only moved here only a few months ago, just before Princess Luna's return actually, however he already in love with this great city.

He enjoyed his new job as a Park Gardner, and knew he was lucky to have found employment within Canterlot that specifically called for his earth pony talents. It brought a big smile to his face, and then an embarrassed cough when the two mares he was passing on the street gave him an odd look.

He went out. He saw the museums. He wrote letters to his folks, and got some happy, a few melancholy, replies in return. He even made a new friend, a unicorn stallion the same age as him who was training to become a firefighter.

Randy got on with his life, but he still noticed that nearly every day, like clockwork, the same pink mare would be sitting alone on the same park bench.

Randy gathered up his courage, then gathered it up yet again when it ran away from him.

Randy had his lunchbox balanced on his back. The sun was shining. Ducks and geese were paddling in the park's sparkling pond. There was a mother giving her foals bread to throw to the eager water fowl. Randy tried to hum something brave, but he couldn't keep his focus and the tune petered out.

His focus was instead on the park bench, set back from the pond near the oak trees and out of the way. It was one of the less popular park benches, although Randy personally thought it was a lovely spot.

Maybe his opinion had something to do with the pink mare who frequented the same bench most days. Randy thought she must be lonely, sitting here by herself everyday.

'But maybe she likes it like that, and I'm just about to intrude.' Randy thought, losing all his courage again and turning tail.

'Today. Today for sure. Come on, I can do it. Just walk up and sit down. It's a public bench, anypony can sit. I don't even have to say anything. If she doesn't want to talk to me, that's fine.'

Randy sent a prayer up to Celestia, then he added one to Luna too. She was also a goddess afterall. If she heard, surely she'd be just as inclined to smile on him as Celestia was. He hoped.

'Here goes nothing.'

Somehow, Randy found his hooves carrying him across the distance. The mare looked up the moment Randy started walking towards her, somehow immediately noticing his approach.

By some minor miracle, he didn't falter. His heart still felt like it'd found new lodgings in his throat. He didn't have dirt or leaves in his mane, did he? Oh please no, he'd die of embarrassment if he looked exactly as stupid as he felt. The mares' mane itself looked amazing, perfectly straight and tossed to the side. It possessed the kind of look which said 'uncaringly practical'.

Randy swallowed. The mare had gone back to reading her book. He made himself sit down on the far end of the bench. He methodically unpacked his sandwiches, rigidly not looking over at her.

Peanut butter. His mouth was dry as he chewed. He still didn't dare peek even out of the corner of his eye. He tried to focus on the pleasant park scenery, but he worked tending the grounds here. He knew the whole park already. He gave it his best shot anyway.

The ducks quaked in the pond, sunlight sparkling off the water. Some more ponies were leisurely throwing them bread again today.

Randy started on his second sandwich. He still hadn't looked. He didn't feel hungry anymore. Was he chewing too loudly? He didn't know any fancy manners, only what his mother had taught him. Was he doing something stupid?

With how nervous he was, Randy wouldn't have been surprised to find out he was actually wearing a clown's nose, and just hadn't noticed. Oh Celestia, he was chewing too loudly like a great big country bumpkin, wasn't he?

He couldn't even hear the mare breathing on the end of the bench, she was so quiet and still, not even the rustle of a turning page. Once again, he was reminded of a still life painting.

He couldn't take it any longer. Randy glanced sideways.

She wasn't looking at him. She was calmly reading her book as if he wasn't even there. She looked so calm, her indigo eyes so empty, face so blank as if nothing of importance could ever happen that Randy instinctually startled.

Sensing the weight of his quick peek, one opaque indigo eye focused on him. Her ears didn't twitch, her face didn't change, she didn't so much as blink. Randy found he couldn't move either as she studied him for one long second.

Then she went back to her book. Randy breathed. Then realised his mouth was still full and swallowed. He noticed something he hadn't seen on any other unicorn in Canterlot. Her horn was unusually curved and pointed. In fact, it looked positively sharp.

He was intrigued, but far too embarrassed to be caught staring again, and nowhere near brave enough to actually ask her about it. He'd behaved like enough of a fool already, and all without having even said one word. He was such a doofus.

Picking up his lunch box, Randy hurried away, trying not to let his ears give him away while his face burned.

Randy ate a spiced potato wedge off the plate. He liked hot food. Firea always accused him of cheating by having an earth pony's stomach and claimed it wasn't fair. The Healthy Heffa' pub was starting to fill up with the evening crowd. There was going to be a musician playing tonight.

"Hey, uh, Firea?" Randy asked around his potato wedge.

Firea looked up from hungrily devouring his pasta bake, fork paused mid levitation, "Yeah Randy?" He asked brightly.

"What does a curved horn mean?"

"Eh?" Firea looked blank.

"Um, I saw this unicorn, she had a curved horn and it looked sharp. I'm new to Canterlot, but I haven't seen anypony with a horn like that before. Is it rare?"

"Oh," Firea put down his fork, looking shifty, "Well, it's not something nice to talk about. Unicorns with those kinds of horns as supposed to be bad sorts. That's what's supposed to happen to your horn if you cast-"

Firea leaned in close and whispered, "-Dark magic."

"What, really?"

"Uh hu. Well, to be fair, I don't think it's completely true, but still. The story has got to come from somewhere, get what I mean?"

"Um, not really?"

"Huh. I suppose you wouldn't really get it. Just watch yourself around anypony with a horn like that is what I'm saying. Hey, that musician guy is finally here. Sweet!"

Randy sat back, absently eating his spicy potato wedges as the unicorn musician, playing both a base and a banjo at the same time, started up. It was impressive, but he was thinking more about the pink unicorn mare and what Firea had said.

Rather than be warned off, he just felt sympathetic.

'Poor her. Imagine having to grow up with ponies constantly judging you just for having a different horn?' His grandpa kept chickens. He remembered there was this one albino chicken which was mercilessly pecked all the time by the others.

Randy briefly thought of the bat ponies as the first song came to an end. He hadn't seen a single one of them yet, despite his time in Canterlot. Apparently, they only came out at night.

'Yeah, but bat ponies have fangs and are scary. She wasn't scary. Okay, she was sorta', but she's probably sick of ponies avoiding her because of her horn. That's sad.'

Randy made up his mind. He was going to go back and sit by her again. He'd try to be friendly. That was the right thing to do for a fellow pony. Plus, she was pretty. The tips of his ears inadvertently heated up.

No, don't be chauvinistic, he told himself. He was just a simple Earth pony, not born within Canterlot. Just be friendly. Everypony needs a friend. Randy didn't think of himself as good friendship material, but after what Firea had said, he'd feel bad if he didn't at least give it a try.

Resolve was all well and good, but when the time came in the bright light of day, Randy still found his heart back in his throat again. He couldn't find any tune to hum for courage.

But somehow, he still managed to make his way across the park during his lunch break to seat himself on the bench.

After his conversation with Fiera, he couldn't help but sneak a glance at her horn again. Yep, still sharp and curved. But he couldn't see anything ominous or dark about that.

And once again, she didn't react to his presence, either with annoyance or surprise. Nothing, just completely blank as she read yet another book. But Randy was positive she knew he was here.

He quickly looked away and unpacked his lunch to eat again. Perhaps today she would say something? Could she want a friend?

'Nope', was apparently the answer a quarter of an hour later.

'Maybe she's just shy?' 

She didn't seem shy to Randy. She seemed utterly indifferent. It was off putting, and even a bit intimidating. Not even her ears twitched to signal if she was enjoying her book or not.

Randy tried to think of some excuse to start a conversation. His mind helpfully drew a blank.

He was still trying to think of something by the time he'd finished his sandwiches. He was sweating by the time he'd slowly put away his lunchbox, and still had nothing.

What should he say? Just shut up and go? Try again tomorrow? Run away and never come back?

No, he had to say something. He wasn't allowed to go until he'd said at least one thing to her.

"See you tomorrow." He finally blurted, and turned to go.

'Stupid mouth, why'd you say that? Stupid, simple brain, why didn't you have anything better!?' Randy thought as he hurried away in embarrassment.

"Perhaps." The one word answer came from behind him, utterly disinterested.

But unseen Randy beamed. Yes! He'd gotten a response. An actual conversation. And she hadn't immediately leapt up upon the bench to scream at him to stop harassing her for everypony in the whole park to hear. A double success.

Randy was humming as he finished emptying his net of the pond weed out into the wheelbarrow. It was finally lunch time, and he had an appointment with a bench to keep.

"A good day?" Jumbo Junior asked, raising his eyebrows as he passed Randy pushing his own wheelbarrow.

Randy just grinned back, a bit embarrassed, and kept briskly humming as he went to dump the pondweed and get his lunchbox.

His upbeat tune lasted all the way until he saw the pink mare sitting on the bench reading, and all his nerves from before came rushing back. It occurred to him that he didn't even know her name.

He swallowed, and trotted over to take his seat.

Just like every time before, she didn't even glance at him as he unpacked his lunch and ate.

He finished his sandwiches, jam today, with still nothing being said in a re-enactment of yesterday.

'She said we'd see each other again today. But she didn't say she'd be happy about it.' Randy's mind helpfully told him.

Randy sat there, feeling dumb and stupid, and wishing he'd thought this through better.

"Hey, can I ask your name?" Randy blinked. Oh sugar! His mouth had asked that without him meaning to.

"Yes." She said without looking away from her levitating book.

"...Um, what is it?"

A pause, "Lemon Pink."

"It's nice to meet you Miss Lemon Pink. I'm Randy, Randy Pickaxe."

"A pleasure." No change in her coldly calm demeanour to indicate it was actually a pleasure, and those pretty lilac eyes of hers never ceased roaming the lines of the book.

Nevertheless, Randy smiled, because there'd been no annoyance in her tone either. A win was a win. He sat back on the bench and enjoyed the sounds of the park and the sun until his lunch break ended.

He returned to the bench the next day, to find Lemon Pink sitting there once again. She came for an hour nearly everyday, arriving and leaving like clockwork.

It was probably her lunch time too, and she came to enjoy the nature of the park. Although he'd never actually seen her eating anything, just reading. She must be really dedicated to her job, or studying, or whatever it was she did.

Randy sat down on the bench and put down his lunch box, "Hello, Miss Lemon Pink."

"Hello. Just Lemon Pink."

That was all she said, reading yet another new book title today.

There was a ten minute silence as Randy ate his sandwiches. A warm breeze blew through the park and faintly rustled the oak tree.

"Can I ask what you're reading, Lemon Pink?"

"Spell formula construction affinity."

Randy craned backwards on the bench to catch a glimpse of the page Lemon Pink was on. He saw paragraphs and paragraphs of cramped text, interspersed with mathematical diagrams he didn't even have the faintest chance of understanding. Definitely not a good old fashioned picture book.

'Smart and good looking.' And way out of his league. Not that he even had a league. He was just simple Randy Pickaxe. He was happy to settle for some friendly company on a park bench. 

Randy was lucky, but he was also realistic. Possibly making a new friend was lucky enough for anypony.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?" Firea asked suspiciously, pausing in mid-trot.

"Nothing." Randy quickly said.

"Okay, sure. Hey, we're playing hoofball on Wednesday as part of a team building exercise, but we can invite anypony along too. Wanna' come?"

"Yes thanks, I'd love to." Randy sucked at hoofball, but it would be a good laugh.

Time continued on like that. The first week, a second, and a third. Randy would come to the bench each day he was at work to eat his lunch. Sometimes Lemon Pink wasn't there, and sometimes when there was a lot of work which needed doing when somepony else was off sick, it was him who wasn't there.

But Randy appreciated it when they were both there. He got to sit and eat in what was, to his mind, friendly silence. Although he did wish it wasn't quite so silent. But it was still nice.

Randy got on with his park job, had to change flats, which Firea and a couple of his firefighter-in-training mates helped him move into. He wrote back home, put up with his younger sister when she came to visit and had to sleep on the couch so she could have his bed, and generally enjoyed everyday Canterlot life. Some days were a pain in the flank, but most were great.

That was normal pony life.

Lemon Pink was still as detached and calmly unemotional as when he'd first plucked up the courage to sit down next to her, but Randy no longer found it off putting. That was just Lemon Pink, and since it was him she was tolerating, Randy would happily take it.

Lemon Pink usually sat in silence, but today, very unexpectedly, she asked a question.

"What do you think of the night?"

"Um, sorry? The night? Do you mean like the stars and stuff?"

"Yes. How do you like the night?" Lemon Pink's tone gave no indication one way or another how she might feel on the matter herself.

Randy shrugged, feeling a bit self conscious. Lemon Pink almost never initiated any conversation herself. "I guess I do like Princess Luna's nights, yes."

Lemon Pink slightly turned her head away from her book, "Princess Luna. What are your views on her?"

Randy was confused, "What do you mean? She's Princess Luna, she's a goddess."

"A goddess of the night. But how do you see her next to Princess Celestia?"

Randy was now more confused. Luna and Celestia were the Princesses. They just were, like water is wet and the sky is blue. "Uh, the same? They're both the Princesses, and they both protect and watch over us. Sure, Princess Luna has only come back recently, but two alicorns are better than one, right?"

Randy thought he might have seen the slightest downwards twitch of Lemon's mouth, but no, it was gone, "Yes. Princess Luna is Celestia's equal in all things. Day and night. Both are just as important."

Lemon Pink half lowered her book, surprising Randy. She was always reading. He'd bravely asked about that before, and Lemon had said she came to the park for a "Mandatory rest period", but that she read and studied anyways because; "There is never enough time", and that she; "Could not afford to fall behind".

Lemon spoke slowly, to no one in particular, "Before Princess Luna's return, I watched the night time heavens avidly. The mare in the moon especially. I waited. But then I found a new master and my goals changed."

"A 'new master'?" Randy asked. That sounded a bit iffy to him.

"A new boss. I'm working under them right now."

'Ah, that makes more sense.' Randy nodded, "Do you like your work? You're always very busy and studying, so you must like it, right?"

Lemon Pink looked at him blankly, "Enjoy? No, it is my job. I do not need to enjoy or hate it. It is simply my purpose."

Randy shuffled his hooves, "Uh, that sounds a bit too intense for me. I couldn't do something as full time as you do. I hope your new boss appreciates all the hard work you put in."

Lemon tilted her head to the side, just a bit too far if Randy was being completely honest, "He works just as hard as I do for the advancement of our projects."

'He. Darn it.' Part of Randy immediately thought.

Lemon's answer marked the end of the conversation for today, as she lifted her book back up and returned to casually reading about things that Randy knew would give him an immediate headache. School was not one of his fondest memories.

Randy wished her goodbye as his lunch break came to and end, and left to get on with digging guidance post holes for those new silver elm saplings.

"See you tomorrow, Lemon Pink."

"Perhaps."

"You are very quiet."

Randy started. He twisted on the bench to look at Lemon, who'd spoken, breaking the peaceable silence.

"I, uh, yeah." He replied intelligently. What did she mean? This is what they always did.

Lemon Pink seemed to have heard his thoughts; "I don't mean today. I meant overall. You are a quiet person."

That was another one of Lemon Pink's eccentricities. She said 'people', not 'ponies'.

"Ah, thanks. I think?"

Today, Lemon decided to expand on her statement. A rare treat. Usually, she would only say the bare minimum. She lowered her book to look at him sideways past a strand of silver mane; "Most ponies don't do well with silences. They are sociable, forward, and seek to engage everyone. What would merely be taken as reservedness among other species is anti-social among ponykind."

"You've gotten to travel and meet other species?" Randy asked, a bit surprised.

Lemon's expression didn't shift, but Randy got the definite impression she was giving him 'a look'. "One doesn't need to travel far to meet other species."

"Really?"

"Donkeys. Sheep. Cows. Goats. They don't have to be griffins, minotaurs, zebra, or diamond dogs."

Randy blinked. He'd never ever thought of it like that. Wow. But Lemon was right. A bit guiltily, he tried to remember if on any of the few rare occasions when he'd met goats, cows, donkeys, and sheep if he'd inadvertently been making them uncomfortable by being too, well, "ponyish".

"I hadn't thought of that."

"Then perhaps you should. But back to my original point, you are a quiet and patient pony, Randy Pickaxe."

Randy nearly blushed. That sounded like a compliment, but it was hard to tell with Lemon. Her expression and tone were always so closed and guarded.

"Is that...a good thing?"

Lemon looked him over critically, making him freeze, "To be frank, it is a welcome surprise. As I said, most ponies cannot keep quiet and simply 'be'. It is... appreciated."

Now Randy did blush, his face and ears heating up, "You're welcome."

He was so glad he'd kept his big mouth shut all those times he'd really wanted to start a conversation instead. But she'd said she appreciated it. His mouth started to stretch into a smile, "Heh, I'm just glad I wasn't boring you and you were just being too polite to tell me to eat lunch somewhere else."

"Don't worry. If your company was an annoyance, I would simply get you to leave."

"Ah." Randy faltered slightly. He somehow didn't doubt Lemon Pink could've done exactly what she'd said. She was a slight and rather beautiful mare, but not once had she ever given him the impression she wasn't in control. In control of what, he didn't know. Just in control generally, he guessed.

Lemon Pink returned to reading her book.

Randy bit his tongue, looking around at the greenery of the park around them, the oak tree rustling overhead. 

'Well now, how am I supposed to say anything after getting told that my best feature is staying quiet?' 

Lemon let out an almost imperceptible sigh, and lowered her book on 'A History of Unexplained Magical Phenomena Through the Ages' again:

"Ask."

"Bhwa? How did you-?"

"You're a very obvious and straight forward person. Ask your question."

Those were good qualities, right? Those also sounded like compliments, right? Randy shuffled his hooves, unable to help himself, "What's your job? You've never actually said."

Lemon didn't answer straight away. She looked at him. This wasn't 'a look' like before. For absolutely no reason that he could think of, Randy sensed he'd asked a dangerous question. Randy wasn't used to danger. The most dangerous thing he'd done recently was going in for a tackle in Hoofball. Randy swallowed. 'Why's she looking at me like that?'

Lemon shifted her gaze back to her history book, letting Randy breathe out. "My job is sensitive. I'm not supposed to discuss the details." 

"Oh, er, I didn't know..."

Lemon paused for a moment, "But as a general description, by job role involves research, both magical and normal, and also looking for some investment opportunities."

"Ohhh." That made all those books Lemon was always studying fit.

There was another silence. Randy fidgeted with his hooves.

"You have another question." Lemon stated flatly.

"Uh, yeah, sorry. It's not important though, please forget-"

"Just ask."

Randy took a breath, "Do you like hot chilli and spice?"

Lemon Pink paused, and then she lowered the book for a third time and blinked at him, "I did not expect that. You've managed to surprise me."

Randy got the feeling that was unusual. He hoped it was a good unusual, and not a bad unusual. "So, er, do you?"

Lemon considered, lilac eyes staring thoughtfully at nothing, "...I don't rightly know."

To Randy's secret delight, it turned out that Lemon Pink did like spicy food.

Lemon chewed the samosa without a twitch. Randy had stopped by on the way back to his apartment yesterday and picked these samosa up especially for today. They were made from a mix of mashed peppers, mixed with chilli and curry spices, wrapped in thin pastry and fried.  They were hot.

Randy had a greasy paper bag filled with them. He'd never found anypony who could eat one with a straight face before. And Lilly wasn't even an earth pony! Ha, take that Firea.

"That wasn't bad." Lemon said consideringly after swallowing.

Randy grinned, "Want another?" He challenged.

Lemon blinked at the bag, "Sure."

They ate the whole bag of samosa between them. Not even once did Lemon Pink hesitate. Hay, she didn't even have any water like he did. Randy was left slightly in awe.

'Pretty, smart, and with a stomach of iron. What's not to admire?' And still way beyond his league. Which he wasn't interested in anyways. No'sir'ee. Lemon Pink was nice friend.

"See you tomorrow?"

"Perhaps."

---

"No way." Firea protested.

"Yes way."

"No way."

"Way. Lemon ate the chillies just fine so it's you who's the weakling-"

"Randy's got a marefriend!" Firea interrupted in delight.

"What? No!" Randy squeaked, coughing on his apple juice.

But Firea wasn't deterred as he leaned eagerly across the pub table, "You've got a marefriend, you charmer."

"I, no, that's not how it is."

"Don't pretend you'd say no if she asked you on a date."

Randy spluttered, ears and face feeling like they were on fire, "That's, you, that has nothing to do-Lemon is not my marefriend. She's a mare, and she's my friend. That's it."

"Aww, poor Randy, it's far too late for you already. It's happening, you should just ask her out already. It's been what, three weeks? She obviously likes you."

"I'm not sure she likes anypony like that..."

Randy's protests were ignored.

"It'll be good for you to start dating properly Randy. A gentlestallion needs to treat a lady properly. Take her to see a show, heck, we can do a double date. I'll come with you and bring a mare along too to back you up. Trust me, it's going to be great. You said she's pretty?"

"I, I, I, I didn't-"

"So that's a yes. Very pretty. Good on you Randy, I didn't know you had it in you. Now, the important thing is to both have fun-"

"Firea stop. Will you just listen to me!"

Firea finally stopped to let Randy speak, although he was still grinning widely across the table. Firea was Randy's friend, but right now, he was really frustrated with the stallion.

"Lemon Pink is not like that. She's, she's quiet, and reserved."

"So she's shy?" Firea raised his eyebrows, but he wasn't being rowdy, he was listening now.

"Uh, no. I definitely can't say she's shy. I... well, I don't mean it like this, but she's kinda' cold."

"Huh?"

Randy took a drink of his apple juice so he could get a moment to think. And maybe quench his burning face. "She's not nasty, not at all. She's just... cold. Very reserved. Hard to read. Not like other ponies, I guess."

"Those don't sound like good traits." Firea suggested cautiously.

Randy chuckled, "Ha, she said something like that herself. Not like normal ponies.  Look, what I'm trying to say is, she's totally focused on her job, she likes quiet and being left alone, and definitely isn't the sort of pony to want a normal, boring, coltfriend."

"Got the mare of mystery trait going for her, does she?" Firea asked, only half joking.

Randy felt the need to defend Lemon, even though it was true, "She's not like that. She's a normal pony just like you or me. She's just a bit different on the outside, that's all."

Firea held up his hooves, mug levitating beside him, "Hey, I'm not arguing. You know her far better than I do, and I can't judge anypony I haven't met yet. But just so you know..."

Firea leaned forwards, and Randy did the same so her could hear as Firea lowered his voice, "I'm still totally calling it now. She's going to be your marefriend."

"Firea!"

"Ha ha ha!"

Firea wasn't laughing the next day though. Neither was Randy.

Everypony knew about the inferno down at the Oak Quarter Lumber Yard from last night. It was in all the newspapers. Randy had been very disappointed when reading them and learning how ineffective the new Night Guard had been on the scene.

He'd been even more disappointed though at lunch time when Lemon Pink hadn't been at the bench. Their bench as he was coming to think of it. Randy knew the chances of Lemon Pink having gotten caught up in anything to do with the fire were remote, but his mind was still worrying. He really hoped she was okay.

But his disappointment still paled next to Firea's. Randy was here for his friend tonight. Firea had bags under his eyes, and his mane was still a bit tussled up. He and the rest of the firefighters in training had been woken up and summoned out to help with the fire too.

Firea was so downcast because he hadn't been able to help. Once there, all the firefighters not officially qualified had been stuck on the side lines and told to keep out of the way.

Then, early this morning, the news had come that somepony had died on the scene. Or some griffin? The newspapers weren't exactly clear. Firea was taking it hard, despite it not being his fault or responsibility in any possible way. 

Randy patted his friend on the back. He felt for Firea, he really did. What kind of pony wouldn't care when their friend was in distress? Randy was paying for the drinks tonight, and they were actual drinks, not just cider and apple juice.

'I hope Lemon Pink's okay wherever she is.'

"Oh thank Celestia, you're back." Randy exclaimed without thinking when he came to the park bench and spotted Lemon already there under the oak.

Randy didn't notice the twitch in Lemon's face at his choosing to thank Celestia, "Of course I am. Did you have any reason to think I wouldn't be?" Lemon asked flatly.

"No no, it's just, you weren't here, and there was the big fire... I know it was silly, but I couldn't help but worry." Randy coughed awkwardly.

Lemon lowered her book in her magic. She'd been doing that more often recently to talk to him directly. Randy took it as a good sign, "Your concern is noted, and appreciated. But not warranted. I am fine as you can see, thank you."

Randy smiled and relaxed, that final niggling worry in the back of his head lifting away, "I can see. I'm glad."

Lemon tilted her head, just that little bit too far as he took his seat on the bench, "You were genuinely concerned after my wellbeing." Lemon observed.

"Well, yeah, I sorta' was I guess" Randy admitted, embarrassed.

Lemon Pink's face didn't chance. She just studied him for a long moment, "Hmm. Yes, I suppose you would be worried, even if only for a passing acquaintance."

"Of course. You're my friend, yeah, but I'd be worried about anypony getting hurt in that fire." Randy said. He didn't add that somepony had actually died already. If Lemon didn't know, he didn't want to possibly dampen her mood with gloomy talk.

'Actually, would she...care?' Randy asked himself worriedly.

"Ask your question."

Randy jumped guiltily, nearly dropping his lunchbox, "How did you-?"

"You really are a straightforward person. It's refreshing. Now, ask your question."

Randy gulped, but Lemon had asked. "I don't want to offend you, but... Would you be worried about a stranger? Were you worried about me?"

Again, Lemon's face did not change. She blinked her lilac eyes slowly at him, once, "Not really, no."

"Oh." Randy had already suspected that would be the answer. 'Then...'

He squared his shoulders, "Then, I hope one day I might be worth being worried over by you."

Lemon's ears rose half an inch in surprise, showing she truly was caught off guard by his words. "Perhaps."

No, 'You already are', or 'I hope so too'. That just wouldn't have been Lemon Pink. Still, Randy felt a jump in his heart. 'Perhaps' could so easily become 'yes'. 

Randy hid his silly smile by taking a bite of his sandwich. He sat, and enjoyed the companionable silence as the ducks qwacked and the trees swayed.

Lemon Pink was not his marefriend. Hay, he'd only ever had one marefriend before, but that only served to make him feel even less sure about Lemon Pink. His first and only marefriend had only been his marefriend for a grand total of one week.
'And let's be honest, that doesn't really count.'

Lemon wasn't his marefriend, and no way would she be interested.

Randy couldn't help but think about all of Firea's teasing, though. His heart always seemed to kick up a notch whenever he thought about Lemon though.

'This is silly. I need to get some more marefriends. No, wait, no no, not that. Mare friends, not marefriends.'

Randy slapped himself on the cheeks.

'Damn it Firea! I'm blaming you for this.'

Randy sat down on the bench. His hooves were shaking. He was sweating. There was a frog squatting in his throat. He was as nervous as a colt asking out a filly on a date for the first time. Which was rather accurate.

But it wasn't a date! It wasn't! It was just a meal, not a date, only a friendly meal, no date or calendar in sight. Definitely not a date.

Randy cleared his throat and spoke, facing forwards, "H-Hello Lemon."

"Hello, Randy Pickaxe."

Alright, good. He'd said hello. The required greetings were out of the way. Now he just had to ask Lemon on a not-date. All he had to do was ask nicely........ Any second now.

Randy ate his first sandwich to buy himself some time. Then he ate his second one.

'Any time now mouth would be great.' Randy's brain said. His heart and his mouth both told his brain to shut up.

"Ask your question."

Randy jumped yet again. How did she always know? Not even his mum could always call him out so accurately!

Lemon Pink was looking at him over the top of her levitating book, sharp horn gently glittering silver. Randy's brain abruptly chickened out and screamed it wasn't ready. His heart and mouth both smugly informed him; 'I told you so'.

Randy cast about frantically, and seized upon the first thing he saw to provide a distraction. A couple of unicorn colts across the pond, throwing a ball back and forth and laughing.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No. No siblings."

"Oh, and only child? Did your parents spoil you then? My sis is my mum and dads favourite. She was so cute when she was younger, she had everypony wrapped around her hoof. She got spoiled rotten and could get away with anything. Still can, actually. This one time, mum took us over to old grandpa Pickaxe's house, and she broke this antique zebra tribal mask he had on the wall, and then she made these big eyes, and wobbled her lip, and tucked in her ears, and you should've seen how fast grandpa folded-"

"No, I was not spoiled. I have no parents. I was raised in an orphanage." Lemon calmly interrupted.

Randy felt his stomach take a nose dive off a cliff. His jaw flapped uselessly a few times. Now he'd done it. How could he be so insensitive?!

'Stupid, stupid mouth! You were blathering, and even worse, you were blathering all that to an orphan.'

What should he do? What should he say? He'd had no idea. Suddenly, Lemon's behaviour and reservedness took on a much more tragic light in Randy's head. He should apologize, right?

"I'm so so sorry-"

Lemon's brows snapped together. Randy almost swallowed his tongue as he froze in fright. Lemon Pink was scowling at him. Randy had never seen her make anything but the mildest hint at an expression before. No frowns, no smiles, a raised eyebrow, nothing. She was always so calm. But now he'd actually managed to inadvertently say something offensive enough to get a reaction from her.

Randy had been hoping he could garner a proper reaction from Lemon Pink for a while now. But he'd been hoping for a smile directed at him. Not a scowl.

Randy had always thought Lemon Pink was a bit intimidating, but now she was actually scary, and all she'd done was frown at him!

"Don't insult me. Your apologies are offensive. I never knew my parents, and I have no attachment to them. I am not some poor, pitiable, homeless waif, and even were I, I would not thank you for so much as nodding to me on the street. I am a person, not some grief-cripple. I am what I've made myself into by myself."

Randy wilted on the bench, "I uh, uh, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Lemon asked sharply.

"I mean I'm sorry that I said sorry! Not sorry that you have no parents. I mean, not that either." Randy cringed.

Lemon Pink kept up the cold scowl for a long moment more, before letting it dissolve and her face smoothed back into impassive calm. Her ears hadn't even gone back in anger throughout the whole thing.

Randy breathed again. It was official. He, Randy, was a simple simpleton of simpleminded simpleness that loved to eat simple pie.

"Hmm. That was a bit of an overreaction on my part." Lemon mused, gazing at her book.

"No no, you were well within your rights to feel that way." Randy hastily reassured her.

"I know I was. I'm not second guessing myself," Lemon cut him off, "Only that my reaction was a bit strong. You didn't know any better and meant no harm. You're too honest and straight forwards for that."

"Um, thank you?" Randy said cautiously, not quite sure if he should relax just yet.

"That was a compliment. I find those characteristics rather hard to come by in a person."

Randy felt his stomach do a funny little flip. Did that mean... he didn't just look like a huge idiot to her? Could she possibly see him as a tiny wincy little bit endearing?

'It's now or never.' Randy's mouth seized his courage before his heart could work out what he was doing or his brain could stop him.

"I know you're very busy with work and all, and this is out of the blue, and I don't want to impose. B-but, could I invite you for a meal? Dinner, I mean. At some point. Not today. I mean it doesn't have to be today. But today would be fine too."

Randy suddenly regretted everything. But it was too late now, the words were already out. He held his breath.

Lemon seemed taken off guard. She turned and tilted her head at him, just that little bit too far to the left as she was wont to do. "I am busy. I am always busy. I have a job I must do, there isn't further time for more free time."

Randy was crushed. Lemon had no interest in anything more than a conversation partner at lunch, and now he'd ruined even that by being greedy.

It was official. He, Randy, was the biggest, dumbest, most stupid colt who ever did speak to a mare.

Lemon Pink stared into nothing, "I have a task, yes. I don't have the free time, yes. But-no, I have more important...But if I wanted-No, if he knew-But, no, yes. No. I should not..." Lemon's mumblings petered out:

"...We, I would not mind doing that actually, Randy."

Randy's crushed chest felt like it had miraculously been reinflated. Had he misheard? Did Lemon really just change her mind? Oh thank Celestia! Oh thank Luna, too!

"Do you mean it? Are you sure?" Randy asked, trying to bite down his excitement.

Lemon Pink certainly didn't look sure. She looked... indecisive. Another expression completely out of place with his experience of Lemon. "...I would not mind doing that." She finally repeated.

'Yes yes yes yes yes yes!'

"Brilliant." Randy beamed.

It was official. He, Randy, was the simplest colt in Canterlot. Simple, but also the luckiest.

Randy couldn't stop grinning to himself all through the rest of his day and on the way home. He didn't even complain when Jumbo Junior asked him to take on an extra turn trawling the parks canals of pondweed.

"You're Lemon Pink?" Firea exclaimed as they took their seats.

Lemon coolly examined Firea and his double date for the evening, a friendly beige mare by the name of Astra, who Randy had seen about a couple of times. "Yes, that would be me."

Firea's eyes flicked up to Lemon's brow, but her sharp and slightly curved horn was hidden under the large sunhat she wore. They were inside, but Lemon hadn't left her hat on the pubs hat rack. Randy didn't think it detracted from her looks at all. Something Firea didn't look like he could disagree with either.

"Uh, it's nice to meet you finally. I'm Firea, and this is Astra." Firea introduced themselves, offering his hoof.

"Pleasure." Lemon very briefly bumped hooves with the stallion, then Astra, who smiled happily at Lemon.

"Hi, I'm so glad you decided to come. Once again, I'm Astra, Astra Sample, and the pleasure's all mine."

"Pleasure." Lemon repeated smoothly.

"So who wants the Wednesday special?" Firea asked, getting straight down to business, "It's great. Roasted almond potatoes, cream, and asparagus. I always get it."

"Oooh yes, that sounds great. I'll have that too." Astra immediately agreed.

Randy sent Firea a smirk, which his friend quirked an eyebrow at. Randy felt his grin grow, "Oh, I'm going to have the extra hot chilli."

Lemon barely glanced at the menu, "I will have the same."

Firea and Astra both stared. 

"No way. You really weren't telling porkies!"

"So... Did you think tonight went alright?" Randy asked nervously as they exited the pub into the evening light of Canterlot.

'Even if she didn't enjoy it, I'm not going to act disappointed. She's gone out of her way to come tonight, I'm lucky to have even gotten this much.' Randy told himself.

Lemon was taking a long time to answer as they began trotting down the sidewalk. Randy could feel his ears correspondingly dropping with every second.

Finally Lemon answered, "I don't know."

"Huh? You don't know?"

"Exactly. I have not done...'this' before. I don't have anything to make a comparison against. I have not been asked to dinner. I have not gone out to dinner. It's never been important. As such, I don't know."

"Umm..."

Randy didn't know what to say to that, but it sounded kind of sad.

"...Do you want to do it again?"

Lemon thought for a time. Randy watched her face anxiously out of the corner of his eye as they walked, the pink fur of her slim neck and face tinted a lovely orange red, like copper, by the evening sun.

"Perhaps."

Randy could practically hear a tiny Firea cheering for him in the back of his head. He really was a very lucky stallion. 

"I enjoyed dinner very much Lemon. Thank you for coming. See you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yes."

No 'perhaps'. But yes.

One dinner became two, then two became three, and three finally became four. It didn't happen very often, Lemon Pink was very busy all the time with her work. As far as Randy could tell, she never got to actually clock off, but was on call twenty-four seven.

Randy didn't think that was very fair, but Lemon herself never complained. She seemed to live for her job, perhaps to an unhealthy extent, but hey, who was Randy to judge when someone was hardworking and motivated? He was a simple earth pony, with simple wants who knew how to be contented. He knew other ponies had greater drive than him, and he wished them all the luck in the world in achieving their goals.

But he, Randy, was currently happy with his simple lot in life.

The first sign Randy got that something was wrong was when Lemon Pink wasn't on the park bench at lunch. He pouted to himself, but occasionally now and then, Lemon was too busy to visit the park. It happened. So Randy ate his sandwiches and then went back to weeding the park flowerbeds.

But Lemon Pink wasn't there tomorrow either. Or the day after that. Or the next.

Or the one after that.

Or the next.

Or the next.

Or the next.

Or the next.

Or the next.

It was a full three further days after that before Lemon returned. During that time, Randy had gone from worrying, to ineffectual anger, and back to worry again.

And then Lemon just turned up on the park bench, sitting there reading her book, as if nothing had happened. Randy had done a double take, almost walking past before his mind caught up.

Randy dropped the rake he was carrying and galloped over, headless of the dirt and leaves still on his uniform. "Lemon! I-you, you're back. Where have you been?"

Randy skidded to a stop. Lemon Pink looked up. She seemed thinner, she wore a cloak now. She looked tired, and there was an unfeeling cold glint in her eyes.

Randy took half a step back. Lemon blinked, and the look was gone, replaced with mild surprise. The very corners of her lips twitched upwards, "Hello, Randy Pickaxe. Yes, I am back now."

"Yes, I-Where have you been? Have you been sick?" Surely not, she would've still told him if that were the case so he wouldn't worry at least, right?

Lemon glanced over his uniform, then all the way back across the grass to his dropped rake. Lemon missed nothing. "Your lunch break isn't quite yet. You still have a quarter of an hour. Go, finish. I will still be here for another half an hour of my own allotted break hour."

Randy wanted to protest. He'd been really worried, and now she was back, he didn't want to have to wait. But he dumbly nodded and turned around. That look. For the second time, Randy had been uncomfortably reminded that Lemon Pink could be a scary pony for reasons he couldn't quite put into words.

Had he imagined it? Where had she been? What had she been doing? Randy's mind whirled as the last quarter of an hour flew by, and before he knew it or could decide what he wanted to say first, Randy found himself back at the bench, now devoid of rake and gardener overalls, before Lemon Pink.

Lemon Pink lowered her book and patiently waited. Randy blinked, and then gave himself a mental kick, taking his accustomed seat on the bench beside her. It hadn't been that long since he'd sat here, but it felt plenty long enough to him.

"So... You're back." He started rather lamely.

Lemon waited. That hadn't been a question, and it would've been a stupid one if it was anyway. Obviously she was back. She was sitting here, wasn't she?

Randy didn't know what to say, so he decided to just go with the most obvious, "Where did you go? You just... disappeared."

"I was called away on unexpected travel as part of my job."

The answer came smoothly and quickly, but for the first time ever, Randy felt Lemon Pink was lying to him. Or at least, misleading him. Usually if he asked something and she didn't want to answer, she'd just bluntly tell him "no". It just didn't fit.

Randy swallowed, "Okay. Right, okay. Where'd you go, though? Was it really important?"

"It was outside of Equestrian borders. The journey was rather arduous. I needed to catch several overnight trains in a row to get there as fast as possible. The issue, which I am not to discuss, was of a time sensitive nature. It was a serious case of time-is-money, and money-is-time."

"Why though? I mean, you're working so hard all the time, can't your boss ever send somepony else? Or go himself? It's not fair it's always you who has to do it." Randy protested. Lemon looked drained and worn, that wasn't fair.

Lemon flipped a page in her book as she read. She wasn't looking directly at him, but Randy felt she was watching him intently all the same, "It was an emergency. My boss was dealing with it, but he needed help."

"Couldn't you just say no and get him to ask somepony else?" Randy insisted.

Lemon stiffened, "No. I cannot."

"But that's not fair! You could totally say no, there's workers and employment rights. He can't keep forcing you to work twenty-four seven, it's illegal."

Randy was upset. How dare somepony treat Lemon Pink like this? Maybe a tiny part of it was because he was angry that because of this selfish boss, he hadn't gotten to see Lemon Pink for all this time.

"No. I cannot say no, and I cannot say no in the future either. You do not understand the importance of my work. Or who I work for."

"Then explain it to me. Please. Help me understand. What's so important it seems to, to, to consume your whole life?"

Lemon didn't move for a moment. Then she snapped her book shut, and put it carefully down on the bench. Then she turned her full attention to Randy.

Randy was a bit astonished and taken aback. He had Lemon's full attention, something he didn't think he'd managed to achieve before. Not even on their meal-dates, where she was always watching everything. He'd wanted to gain it before, but now, Lemon's hard eyes were boring into him. Could she see his soul?

Lemon considered him, and Randy couldn't help but feel like he was found wanting. "I have said before you are not like most ponies, Randy Pickaxe. That is a good thing. You are straightforward, which is also good. But as a result, you often miss what goes unsaid. For your benefit, I will say it clearly."

She lifted a hoof, cloak spooling over her leg, and pointed at his chest, "I do not want to tell you where I went."

She paused, expression closed, "...And you would not want to know, either."

A cold thrill went through Randy's heart. He'd thought it before, but Lemon Pink could be a scary pony. Actually scary, not just scary like a bully or something. If her words were true, and he really wouldn't want to know, what could that mean? What could've happened?

Randy licked his dry lips. Another thought occurred to him. 'Is that why she insists she can't say no to her boss? Are the consequences if she says no?'

This was scaring him. Randy was a simple pony. He was just sitting on a park bench on his lunch break, he wasn't supposed to be dealing with all this. He didn't have the first idea of what to do, he was just Randy, simple and lucky.

Lemon Pink was his friend and he was hers. He didn't want any of this to happen to them. 'I can't deal with any of this, I'm just Randy Pickaxe!'

"This is all...I, I don't know-"

Lemon sighed softly through her nose, "You really are easy to read. So straight forward. You want to help, you see this as something you need to get involved in to help with. Stop. This isn't your problem."

"But-"

"It's not your problem. Stop trying to solve it. There is so much you don't know and are misunderstanding. So stop, step back, and leave it alone."

"I don't-"

"It's not your problem. Leave it alone."

"I'm just worried-"

"I'll say it one more time. Leave it alone. There is nothing you could do, anyway. You are missing all context to the situation."

"...You could tell me the context?" Randy dared to venture.

Lemon shook her head firmly, "No. And truthfully you would not want to know, either."

Randy believed her. He didn't know what it was, but it had to be something dangerous, bad and secret. His mind couldn't help but throw up some suggestions, 'Black mail? Espionage? Spies? Some kind of gang?'

Should he go to the Royal Guard? No, Randy rejected the idea almost as soon as he had it. No, this was Lemon Pink. She did not want his help, and if the Guard could help, surely Lemon would've gone to them already. Plus, she kept insisting he misunderstood the situation. Well, he was a simple pony, so she was probably right. He almost certainly was completely misunderstanding.

That thought brought him a measure of comfort. Lemon was much smarter than him. She must know what she was doing, or if she couldn't deal with it, then at the very least, she would do a much better job than he ever could.

Lemon must've seen the acceptance on his face, because she nodded, allowing herself to lean backwards, "Don't overthink this. It is nothing I can't handle. Don't worry, Randy Pickaxe, I know what I'm doing."

"Okay. Alright, okay. I'm sorry for making a fuss." Randy said, lowering his ears in contrition.

Lemon Pink tilted her head in that slightly strange manner of hers at him, "Hm. You really aren't like most other ponies if you can just accept that. Most wouldn't. They always have to stick their noses in."

Randy ducked his head, "Yeah, well..."

'...I'm just simple Randy."

"There is nothing wrong with being simple and straightforward."

Randy jumped in shock, "How-?"

Lemon shrugged blandly, "You really are easy to read. So honest. I like that."

Randy blushed. He didn't even quite know what was happening any more, he kept getting thrown for a loop. First he was worried about Lemon disappearing, then he thought he'd offended her, then he was getting worried again, and now Lemon was praising him?

"Um, thank you. But I don't even know what you mean."

"Simply put, I find your straightforward honesty an endearing characteristic. One I wish I saw more of. Ones which I wish I had more of myself." Lemon said, almost wistfully.

"No no, you're great Lemon. Take my word for it! You're so smart and you always know what you're doing."

Lemon Pink didn't seem to hear his words as she continued to steadily look at him, "Straightforward, honest. Oh it's so...quaint. A breath of fresh air. A reminder. But of what? Hmm, I don't know."

"Lemon?" Randy hesitantly asked.

Lemon refocused on him, "Yes, Randy Pickaxe?"

"You uh, you alright?"

"Yes. I'm well enough. My problems are not your problems. I will keep them that way too. I would not like to see your straightforward honesty fade. Perhaps... I don't know. You should stop coming here."

"What?!" Randy yelped.

Lemon shrugged, "You should stop coming here at lunch, stay away instead. No, actually, I will find somewhere else to go. It will almost certainly be for the best in the long run for all parties concerned."

"No, I don't want that!" He protested. How had the conversation transitioned so suddenly onto this?

"That is a relief. I don't have any experience with...'this'. But I don't want to end our meetings either. I am selfish, but I wish them to continue. Still, I felt the need to offer, even if only once."

"I, er, what?" Randy was thoroughly confused, and worried too. Lemon was a strange pony, but right now she was being really strange.

Lemon waved her hoof in a circle vaguely, "I don't have any personal interaction experience. I'm bad at it. I am not... my point is, think carefully. I have my job. I will not, and cannot put anything else first, nor will I explain things to you. Do you understand that?"

Randy blinked at her, "Uh, yeah. I think I do at any rate?"

"Good. Then nothing needs to change, for which I am glad. I like this park. It is peaceful. And, your quiet company is, agreeably pleasant."

Was that...was that another compliment? Within five minutes? Was Lemon Pink... was she slightly flustered? No, not Lemon Pink. He was imagining it. However what Randy was not imagining, was that Lemon Pink, despite all her warnings and hints of danger, was saying she wanted to keep meeting up with him.

'She cares that I care.' He felt the inexplicable need to sniff.

This was better than he could've hoped for. Lemon Pink was back, and although he didn't know what had drawn her away, nor would she tell him, things were shaping up to be a happy ending. Randy smiled hesitantly, "I-thanks. Your company is agreeable too."

"Thank you, Randy Pickaxe." Slowly, Lemon Pink levitated up her book back up in her pretty silvery magic and resumed reading. But her lilac eyes kept flitting back over to him. As if double checking he wasn't going to change his mind.

Randy was a simple pony. He didn't need to know any of Lemon's secrets. He was lucky. He had a friend. And maybe, possibly, one day conceivably, (he barely dared acknowledge the possibility as real), a marefriend.

If he were braver, or if this had been a romance storybook, or if he'd been more confident like Firea, he would've asked Lemon Pink out right here and now. This was the perfect moment everypony spoke about, right? After having a deep talk about feelings, right?

Randy's cheeks burned, 'Nope. Not today. I'm lucky, but not that lucky.'

Lemon Pink was there, waiting on the park bench at lunch time the next day. And the day after that.

And the next.

And the next.

Not the one, but the following day after that.

And the next day too.

Lemon came out to dinner with him again, although for the first time, it was her who suggested a meal and the place to eat. It was a nice open air diner in Lower Canterlot, predominantly catering to pegasi because of how it was raised off the ground, but its spicy broccoli bake was just fine by Randy. The rose bush planters were a nice touch too. He told himself not to read anything into the roses just because Lemon had chosen to eat there.

His gardening job in the park was also coming along fine. His probationary period of employment was finally finished, and he'd even gotten a slight pay rise, which was always nice. They were busy planting lots of bulbs at the moment, getting the park ready for spring even if it was a long ways off yet. 

The park was going to look spectacular in three or four months time. Randy told Lemon Pink about it during one of their joint lunch breaks, sitting on the bench under the oak trees.

Randy liked his job, he liked working outdoors with his hooves, and he took pride in his work, even if he was just a simple gardener. It may not have been related to his rather niche special talent, but that didn't mean he couldn't be good at it.

Perhaps one could've gotten the wrong impression about their meetings in the park. Most of the time they didn't actually speak or discuss anything. Often, they just sat in companionable silence in the fresh air and sunshine as Lemon studied her latest book, and Randy ate his lunch. It was nice though. Very... 'serene', Randy believed the term was. Probably. He should go check the dictionary, just to be sure.

In a reverse, Firea was always boisterous, enthusiastic, and a chatterbox every time Randy met up with him over apple juice and cider, or on occasion, something stronger. It really did bring home the contrast to Randy between the two unicorn's, and just how subtly different Lemon Pink was to the other ponies of Canterlot once you got to know her.

Also, she was a lot prettier than Firea.

He hadn't dared put anything like that down on paper in the letters he wrote back home bi-weekly. In fact, he hadn't even mentioned Lemon Pink once. He knew what his mother and sister could get like at the first whiff of budding romance in the air. They'd demand to know everything, all the details of every conversation, all the time, every time.

Randy definitely couldn't do that, Lemon Pink had made it clear she had her secrets, and he needed to honour her trust in him to be discreet.

And then, just when everything was back to going great, something had to happen once again.

At first, Randy didn't know it, because Lemon was still waiting on the bench, unlike last time. But she wasn't reading. There was no book in sight. She was wearing her cloak, and her sunhat today. In fact, Randy had somehow almost missed Lemon sitting on there at their bench.

Randy slowed as he trotted over, a niggling worry forming in the back of his head.

He didn't know why, put something about Lemon Pink was putting him on edge today.

"Afternoon, Lemon." He greeted, taking his seat.

"Hello, Randy Pickaxe."

Lemon didn't otherwise react to his presence. She looked tired, her angular face cast in shadow under the wide brim of the sunhat. Randy belatedly noticed she now sported a thin, silver choker necklace. 

He blinked. Randy didn't think he'd ever seen Lemon wearing any kind of jewellery or makeup. She really wasn't the sort. He privately admitted to himself though she looked good with it.

Except, she didn't look good today. She looked like something was wrong.

Dare he ask? Randy teetered, unsure if he should. Unexpectedly, it was Lemon who beat him to it.

"I will not be able to attend our lunch break meetings from now on. Nor dinner invites. Something has come up." Lemon informed him, not turning. She was watching the park around them.

Randy tried not to droop. At least Lemon was telling him this time, "How long will you be gone?" He asked.

"I don't know. I don't know when or if this problem will be resolved. But I will not get another chance to warn you."

"Well, thank you for taking the time to warn me, I really do appreciate it. Is your problem... bad? If you are allowed to tell me about it. I mean, if you can still come here, at least it can't be as bad as last time, right?" Randy attempted to cheer Lemon up.

Lemon still didn't glance at him, "Today, right now, it's just the calm before the storm. A false respite. Ready or not, it is still coming. The wolf only needs enough luck to find you once."

"Huh? What's that mean?"

"It means you will not be seeing me again for... I do not know how long. But do not look for me. In fact, it would be best for you to not mention me to others if at all possible."

Randy really didn't like the sound of that. He had a bad feeling.

"Is this problem... something dangerous?"

"No," Lemon swiftly denied, "You just don't know the context of what is happening again, that's all."

But she still didn't look at him. In fact, Randy suddenly realised, she was constantly watching their surroundings. Like she was on guard against a threat.

'She said no. But why then isn't she reading like normal, and instead is watching the park?'

Was she in danger right now?! Was somepony after her? Was he also in danger, is that why she didn't want to be seen with him? To protect him?

Randy felt his throat constrict tightly, and his heart began to pound in his chest. The open beauty of the park, his park, suddenly felt like it could be hiding anything or anypony.

Lemon sighed, "Stop panicking, Randy Pickaxe. I've said it before, my problems are not your problems, and I will keep it that way. You shouldn't have anything to worry about."

"But you-"

Lemon abruptly hopped off the bench, interrupting him. "Sorry, but I cannot stay any longer. This was already more than I should've risked. I need to go."

"Wait!" Randy half reached his hoof out after her before he caught himself.

Lemon Pink looked blankly at his hoof, and he snatched it back in embarrassment. Lemon made a small movement under the short travel cloak as he did. She paused, then stiffly reached out her hoof.

Randy froze as Lemon awkwardly, almost reluctantly, patted him twice on the shoulder. "I am not him. Yes. I am Lemon Pink. I can be different." She murmured.

Was that supposed to be at him? "I-I don't understand. I don't understand any of this."

Lemon patted his shoulder again, two awkward pats once again, "No, I don't imagine you do. It's for the best that it remains that way. I will see you when next I see you, and not before."

Randy had things he wanted to say, questions he desperately wanted to ask. But he knew Lemon wasn't going to answer any of them. He looked down at his hooves.

He was just simple Randy. How had it gone from wonderful to scarily complicated all within the space of a few minutes? He hadn't gotten any sort of warning or premonition when he woke up this morning. Surely that wasn't fair.

He glanced up, mouth opening, "L-"

Lemon Pink was gone. Randy blinked. Still gone. He twisted on the bench, looking around the park. Randy couldn't spot her anywhere he could see from here. The only other pony even in sight was just a completely ordinary yellow mare trotting off down the other path. Lemon was gone. He hadn't been looking down for more than ten or fifteen seconds.

Randy's shoulders hunched. He was unnerved. He didn't know what was happening with Lemon Pink. Her words had made him feel unsafe for the first time since coming to this marvellous city.

'Isn't this supposed to be Canterlot? This can't happen here.'

But it was, and it did, and Lemon wasn't there the next day.

Lemon Pink did not re-emerge either, even though he still looked each day despite her warnings. Randy even went to the park on his days off just to check.

Randy tried to focus on other things, telling himself there was no use worrying over Lemon. And there were things to claim his attention. His life was more than one pony. 

He wrote home, he met up with Fiera and the stallion's new marefriend. He cleared out the attic of his new apartment, painted the wall, cooked for himself most nights, ate out once or twice, got a nice secondhoof sofa for free, went to see an amateur magic stage display, did the newspaper crosswords at breakfast, but-

-But always in the back of his head, he would always return to worrying about what was happening to Lemon Pink.

He felt small whenever he thought about it. He was just a simple pony, living a simple life. Lemon said she liked that about him, but she was a much bigger and more complicated pony compared to him.

She here and then gone, she had secrets, she was confident. While he was just sort of...here. Left waiting hopefully for Lemon to come back.

'But I'll be patiently waiting' Randy decided.

'When she comes back, I'll be her friend again, for as long as she remains next time. I can be her simple, normal friend. I can't be anything else, so I won't be anything else. I'll just be simple, straightforward Randy, happy to see her whenever she's here.'

Still though, he couldn't help but worry. It was the worst for the first two days, where his mind was conjuring up all sorts of terrible possibilities, until he finally realised how unrealistic his imagined disaster scenarios were.

He still only just managed to stop himself from telling Firea when they met at the local pub, but he remembered Lemon Pink's trust in him and managed to keep his mouth shut.

Plus, Firea wouldn't understand. By Celestia and Luna, Randy didn't understand, so how could Firea?

However, he still couldn't help but remember Firea's first warning about unicorns with sharp horns. That they were dodgy, shadowy ponies. Lemon wasn't like that, but...something bad seemed to follow her around.

'That rumour's such rubbish. Harmony created all ponies equal.'

But he still thought about it, and hoped Lemon Pink was okay.

Completely out of the blue, Lemon Pink knocked on his door two days ago.

Randy had just been staring blankly into his ice-box, trying to decide if there was anything in there he wanted or if he should go down to the hayburger stand, and somepony knocked on the door.

*Ba-kang* *Ba-kang* *Ba-kang* 

'I really need to get a different door knocker. Who could it be at this time-?'

Randy pulled the door open, he hadn't locked it. Waiting on his apartment doorstep, there was a pink mare in a floppy sunhat...

'WaitwaitwaitHangOnASecond.' How had he not immediately recognised her!?

"Lemon P-Pink?" Randy gasped.

"Hello, Randy Pickaxe."

Randy became aware he was staring open mouthed. What was he doing again? Oh yeah, he was trying to decide what to eat. And now Lemon Pink was on his doorstep. 

What? How?

"You're back-Lemon you-how did you know where I-? You're okay! Wait, are you okay? You look okay."

He couldn't see anything obviously wrong with Lemon as he anxiously looked her over. Her familiar pink fur was as simplistically groomed as it always was, her thin posture straight and unbent, and when he peered at her smooth face, the blank, calm expression he'd come to expect was there.

But... There was something different. Lemon Pink was physically okay, but... Randy guessed something had gone wrong. But she was here, so she was okay at least.

"I wanted to see you," Lemon abruptly stated, "And to inform you I am back, and we can start meeting once again. The problem has been dealt with."

"That's great! Great news." Randy belatedly realised that he was keeping a lady waiting on the doorstep, "Oh, I'm sorry, come in. Please, feel free."

'I'm so glad I cleaned this place up today.'

Lemon didn't immediately take up his polite offer. She glanced around, cautiously looking both ways first. "I suppose it couldn't hurt."

As Randy led her into his small living room, he wondered again how she'd even known this was his house. 'I must've mentioned where I live sometime. Probably just can't remember when.'

He was just happy that she was back. His step felt like it was physically lighter. And she'd sought him out all of her own accord, too! How great was that?

Randy turned around in his living room, "It isn't much, but it's home sweet home."

Lemon's eyes flickered around assessing as she paused at the entrance, "Don't be so dismissive. There are many who have less."

Randy winced. Did Lemon mean she herself had less, or just that she'd seen ponies with less? He felt immediately guilty, and then ashamed. How could he be so quick to forget? Lemon had just returned from struggling with Celestia only knew what. He shouldn't have said anything like that. "I'm sorry. Are you really okay?"

"Yes, I am well enough. I could certainly be much worse if things had happened only slightly differently."

Randy sucked in his breath, "What things-? No, I forgot I shouldn't ask. But, um, you're back now, right?" He smiled as brightly as he could.

Lemon nodded, still looking around his house. She hadn't moved to take the sofa seat he'd proffered her. "The problem at my work has passed, and my boss is okay now. It... Nevermind, it isn't important. But yes, I am back and around in Canterlot now."

There was a long silence as each of them stood there.

"So, can I ask why're you here? You're more than welcome of course. I just, wasn't expecting..."

"I wanted to come see you." Lemon stated.

The tips of his ears were starting to burn. He coughed, and mumbled something unintelligible.

"Ah. It seems this is a bit sudden for you. I don't have any experience with having friends. Would you prefer I leave your home for now and we can meet as normal tomorrow?" Lemon enquired, very politely.

"You don't have any friends?" Randy asked before he could stop himself.

"You're mistaken, I do have friends."

"Oh good, when you said that I thought-"

"You are my friend."

Randy looked at Lemon Pink. He remembered getting to know her, remembered how reserved and cold she was. Sadly, he could all too easily imagine it. An orphan, with her crooked horn, self-dependant, confident, and having earned everything she wanted in life through her own hard work and dedication all by herself. Lemon Pink was really strong, but she also sounded like she was lonely.

'That's really so sad.' Randy thought, but Lemon didn't want his pity. He'd just be insulting her. Yeah, Lemon was so strong she didn't need pity. Randy straightened himself and put on a smile.

"Well I'm really glad you're back safely. I've missed getting to sit by you in the park. I really do appreciate you coming to let me know. I was worried but now I'm not, so thanks."

Lemon blinked at him.

Randy faltered only briefly, but he couldn't let his courage flee this time, "Lemon Pink, can I ask you out to a meal? Tonight? As a date?"

Lemon looked at him sharply, "A date, by which you mean, as a partner in a relationship?"

"Um, yes please?" Randy squeaked.

There was a long silence while Randy sweated. His mouth was dry. Lemon Pink didn't move. Presently, he realised she wasn't going to either. His heart sank into his hooves.

"If, if you don't want to, that's fine, I'm sorry for pressing you." He mumbled.

Lemon Pink finally stirred herself, "I... do not know. This is not, I have no experience with this. I don't know what the correct answer is."

"That's, that's okay. I understand, you're trying to let me down easy, I'm sorry I asked-"

"No you don't understand. You're misunderstanding my meaning. I mean I don't know if I want to answer yes or no."

Randy's heart jumped back up out of his hooves. Dared he hope...?

"So, does that mean...?"

"I don't yet know. I need to think on it more, my orders, no, this is my decision. Yes. I haven't decided. So, for now... Perhaps."

"Yes!"

"I said only perhaps," Lemon Pink interrupted his celebration, "Let's go to dinner, not as a couple, as friends. I will let you know either way once I've decided."

But Randy couldn't stop grinning. His face was hot and he knew he was blushing, but he was so relieved. He hadn't ruined everything after all, and even better, he had a chance! His tail was almost wagging.

After a meal of extra hot green chilli curry, Lemon Pink provisionally said, "Yes."

*Ba-kang* *Ba-kang*

"Oh!" Randy dropped his pencil on the table, jumping off his stool and hurrying for the door, dodging around the sofa on the way. He was already smiling in delight and anticipation.

He all but threw the door open, exclaiming, "Lemon Pink!"

And indeed, it was Lemon Pink waiting outside, just as it had been the day before yesterday. Although no sunhat this time. 

She lifted her chin slightly, so she could coolly examine him past a wispy strand of silver mane, "Hello, Randy Pickaxe."

Randy couldn't help it. He smiled when she said his name. Lemon did not return the smile.

Randy stepped aside to let her inside, mostly because he was being polite, but partly because... He didn't know why.

"I was hoping you'd come by again, Lemon. I didn't know if you would, and I didn't want to expect you, since I know how busy you are, so thanks again." Randy chuckled nervously as he lead the way into the living room.

He knew Lemon appreciated silence and disliked pointless chatter, but he didn't quite seem able to stop himself today.

Just like last time, Lemon stopped at the entrance to fully examine the room before entering, even though she'd already been in here once. Strange.

"Take any seat you want. Can I get you anything? I can put on the kettle."

"No, I am fine. You aren't expecting anyone else to visit this evening, are you?" Lemon asked, pausing to look at the letter he'd been writing on the table. He hadn't gotten much further than merely addressing it: 'Hi Mom and Sis and Grandpa Pickaxe if he's staying. Send Dad my...'

"Nope, Firea's got some night time firefighter exercise today, or tonight even, and, er, nopony really comes around anyway." Randy answered sheepishly. Lemon might not have any other friends at all, but he himself also had less than he'd like.

Lemon didn't quite look at him. She looked past him, not meeting his eyes. "I see. Thank you."

'Huh? Thank you? For what?'

Randy didn't get to ask. Lemon moved around the table, coming closer.

"So this is the one." An airy, childish voice spoke. Randy nearly jumped out of his skin. There, standing next to Lemon Pink was a white foal-NoWaitNotaFoal, a lamb.

"Bhuh?"

"Yes, Prey. This is him, Randy Pickaxe."

"Bhuh?" Randy repeated intelligently. Lemon had never said anything about her foalsitting before.

The young lamb was smiling cutely at him, the blue ribbon she wore nicely matching the sky blue of her eyes.

"An earth pony. That's something I guess."

Randy finally snapped back to reality, smiling at the foal and bending his head to address her, "Hello there. Why yes, my name is Randy. Has Miss Lemon Pink been talking about me? It's very nice to meet you. What's your name?"

'My word, she's as cute as my little sis was at her age.'

The lambs smile grew an inch, "Lemon already said. I'm Prey."

Randy did a double take between Lemon and the filly, 'What kind of a name is that?!'

"That's a...lovely name?" He proffered.

If the lamb was smiling before, she was positively beaming now, so wide that her eyes scrunched shut. "You were right Lemon. He does make an awful liar."

Randy blinked a few times. He peered closer, he couldn't help it. The fur beneath the little lamb's smiling eyes was off. Oddly raised. Scars.

Randy jerked his head back, "Wha?"

"Alright, that's enough. Stun him Lemon."

Randy gaped. Had he really just heard that? He couldn't have. Randy glanced to Lemon and with a thrill of fear, saw her sharp horn was glowing silver.

"Woah, wait wait!"

Prey was still smiling, "Do it. Why are you hesitating, Lemon?"

Randy stared into Lemon's face. It was closed, her lilac eyes glinted silver in reflection of her horn light.

"Wait, hang on a second here-!"

The lamb's smile vanished. She looked levelly at Lemon Pink, on hoof half raised. "Are you going to disobey?" Prey asked quietly.

Lemon jerked her head, and took a breath, "No, Prey. I obey."

"Stop don't-"

Silver. Blank. Nothingness. No thoughts. Peace.

Prey opened his eyes. He blinked, back to his own slightly blurry vision after watching past events through Randy Pickaxe's own eyesight.

With a shudder of disgust, Prey stopped touching the stunned earth pony's leg and wiped his cloven hoof on the floor. Randy was laid out across his own floorboards. On Randy's other side, Lemon opened her eyes as she too returned to the physical world. She had been in there, reviewing Randy's memories side by side with Prey.

Prey had been taking no chances. He was keeping Lemon alongside him and in view at all times. He didn't want to believe the worst, but he'd been wrong before.

Rather than look at Lemon, he glanced downwards instead. The unconscious chestnut stallion was about average size for an earth pony, meaning still bigger and stouter than Lemon, and much bigger than a runt lamb.

He could feel the weight of Lemon's eyes as she silently looked at him, waiting. Prey didn't let anything show on the mask of his face as he considered what he'd seen. He shouldn't be having to wear a mask around Lemon Pink. She was supposed to be his completely trustworthy tool. But that was the difference between a person and a tool.

She'd kept this from her reports, lying by omission.

No harm had come of her association with Randy, but that wasn't the point. No harm had come of it yet. What if Randy had mentioned any of Lemon's suspicious activities to someone? Lemon had not been as subtle as she could have, making allusions and inadvertently dropping hints that he himself would never have done in her place.

'In a way, that's yet another point that she's a someone.'

But that didn't excuse her actions. Even if Randy himself never caused any problems, what if Lemon was off visiting her smitten coltfriend when an emergency happened and Prey needed her? He'd created Lemon Pink for a reason. She was supposed be his tool, one he so desperately needed to survive. She wasn't the playmate to some despicable, soft, and racist pony.

What's more, Prey could tell Lemon didn't even care for Randy as a coltfriend. She didn't feel strong emotions for one, and for another, she just didn't have any experience. She didn't know what romantic love was. On the one hoof, Prey didn't either, however he knew for certain it was not what Lemon felt.

Interest. That was what she felt, and nothing more. Like one might feel for their pet dog.

Prey had created Lemon as best he could, blending a copy of his memories with the scraps left of Night Watcher, but even so, she was less than whole. So she was trying to fake it until she made it.

It was likely Lemon Pink would've responded this way to the first other person who showed interest in her, but it just happened to have been Randy. Prey could see right now that if Lemon had been allowed to continue to interact with Randy unnoticed, it wouldn't have ended well. For Randy.

Or maybe not for Lemon Pink either. She had acted outside of his expectations here, who was to say she couldn't do so again? That's what people did, they acted outside of your expectations. Tools didn't.

Lemon was still silently watching him. She was tense, but she would do whatever he said... Wouldn't she? Could he answer yes with a hundred percent certainty?

'She saved my life. She crossed the mountain range, she fought the thieves. But she also murdered all of her diamond dog guides to hatch her veropede...'

Just like Prey had murdered the people of Alfalfa Dale.

Prey thought of the diamond dogs. He thought of the alpha. He thought of their deaths, here in a strange land, far from home, orchestrated by the cruel plans of others. Helpless, betrayed, and alone in pony lands. A bitter tragedy. They'd been people, individuals with just as much right to live free as of the so called less races; donkeys, sheep, cows, or goats.

'That's what it comes down to in the end, isn't it? Is Lemon Pink not an individual too?'

Just for a moment, Prey felt his gaze drawn down to the golden bands sitting snugly around his forelegs.

Prey made his decision.

"This Randy Pickaxe seems to be harmless enough. He really is just an average, straightforward earth pony. Better than a unicorn, at least."

Prey's eyesight may not have been perfect, but he could still see some of the unconscious tension leave Lemon's shoulders. But he wasn't done.

"However you've let slip far too many unsubtle hints already, and furthermore, he serves no purpose other than a distraction. He is smitten with puppy love, and nothing more. Do you disagree?"

Prey observed Lemon. She could only shake her head, "No, Prey."

"I'm glad you agree. Your minor relationship with him serves no purpose. Thus, it ends tonight."

"Yes, Prey."

"And you're going to be the one to do it."

Lemon would know this was a test, it was transparently obvious. She had blundered, brought her loyalty and competince into doubt, so it was up to her to restore it. But trust, once lost, is a hard thing to regain.

Lemon's gaze lowered, "Yes, Prey."

Lemon's curved horn began to glow silver, mixed with red, and she lowered it towards Randy's gently breathing form.

"Stop. What are you doing?" Prey interrupted.

Lemon stopped. She flicked her eyes back up to Prey in confusion, "I am going to erase his memories of you and this meeting. Then I will plant a false memory of me knocking on his door to say I've changed my mind, and that I never want to see him again."

Prey sharply jerked his head in the negative, making his ears and ribbon swish, "A standard approach, but you're wrong this time. Memories are so easy for people like us to erase. Including false ones. What's to stop you returning here in the future behind my back to resume your relationship with Randy Pickaxe?"

Prey watched Lemon closely, waiting for her answer, whatever her answer.

But it seemed Lemon couldn't say anything to that. Any assurances she might give, while most likely true, weren't unquestionably true anymore. If she'd done this, why couldn't she do it again? Her words couldn't prove her sincerity. All she could do was give her word, but someone's word only means something up until they break it.

Prey could've gone into and read her mind to be sure, but he was asking for more than that. You could never fully trust a mind leeches mind anyway, even your own.

Prey wanted something more, he wanted tangible assurance.

Lemon looked around Randy's apartment, "What then, Prey? What would you have me do?"

Prey didn't show any hesitation, "The simplest solution of course. Kill him, and burn his apartment down. It'll seem as if he was caught in the fire. Maybe it'll even be his friend Firea who turns up to extinguish the flames."

Prey shrugged uncaringly, and pointed at one of the cushions on the sofa, "Use that. Smother him. That way, if there is somehow a body left, it'll look still like he died of smoke inhalation. It only takes one or two breaths, after all"

Lemon looked at the pillow, "Is this to be my test?" She asked.

"Yes. Kill him. That's an order. I'm giving an order. Are you going to listen to the order? Get rid of this distraction."

"Yes, Prey. I understand."

Lemon went over and picked up the cushion. She turned back around and took the three paces over to Randy. She didn't drag her hooves, and her face was blank. She used her hooves, not her magic.

Prey stopped tugging at the end of his ribbon and silently raised his eyebrow in challenge; 'Well? I'm waiting.'

Lemon looked away and pressed the cushion down over Randy's muzzle. She pressed down firmly with her weight. The stunned Randy Pickaxe never woke up.

......Ten seconds...... Twenty seconds......

Prey didn't blink. He stared, waiting until Lemon looked back up at him like he'd known she would. He met her lilac eyes, and let her see the merciless answer in his silence; 'Yes. You really are going to kill him. It wasn't a test or a bluff.'

Lemon took a deep breath, the one that Randy wasn't taking, and nodded quickly just once:

"Yes, Prey."

"Stop."

Lemon's head jerked back up to face Prey in surprise, "What?"

"Stop. You're going to kill him."

Lemon jerked the cushion away. The unconscious Randy's body breathed deeply, the slightly blue tinge of the skin under the fur of his face returning to normal.

"It really was a test?" Lemon asked quietly.

"Yes. This time." Prey felt like scum, but he had done far worse in the past before. Nearly killing someone? That was nothing. Literally nothing. What was nearly murder compared to actual murder?

Prey waved his hoof, taking in both Lemon and her stunned coltfriend, "This is on you now. You... you're a person. You can keep him as your coltfriend, or breakup, it's your choice. However, he's your responsibility. No more letting slip hints. Find a better excuse to use. You will have to review his memories periodically to make sure he's not going to pose an exposure risk. If I have to do it again myself, there won't be a third time."

"I, yes, Prey. Thank you."

Prey turned away, "Don't thank me. Not murdering someone isn't something you should be thanked for. You are my tool. It may as well have been my hoof holding the cushion. But if you're not my tool, then you're a person. And if you're a person, that murder would've been on you. So think long and hard, and make damned sure you like the answer you pick. Just..."

Lemon Pink was not compromised. She'd proved she would kill even Randy if he ordered it. Was that good or bad?

Prey sighed, "...Just erase his memory of this meeting. You can stay afterwards if you want. Have fun. I'm going."

"Yes, Prey."

Prey left the apartment and walked down the emptying street, ponies returning home for the day. He avoided all he saw, although they didn't even look at him. The runed sunhat sat on his head, despite it now being twilight. He needed to make another one of these, although something other than a hat this time would be best.

High above in the twilight, the north star was already out, and the first silver sparks of the other were starting to follow it's lead.

Prey didn't stop next to the stone drinking fountain at the street's end to look up at the stars suspended in the heavens. That was more Lemon Pink's thing. Along with Randy now, it seemed.

Randy Pickaxe, a name that Prey wouldn't have to add to The List with a line through it. The List wasn't just for those who had yet to die. At the bottom, it contained names of those who Prey had never meant to kill, but whose names were still crossed through. The most recent:

Seashores, the mare crushed under the collapse at the lumber yard. 

Barley, Happledap, Otto, and Parsley, four of the only names he knew from Alfalfa Dale. The rest of the villagers had blank spaces, ones which would never be filled.

But the names diamond dogs, which Prey knew all of, taken from the alpha's mind, weren't there at the bottom. Prey had meant to kill them.

Prey didn't know if he should be adding the names of the deer holt to the bottom of his list. No one knew what'd happened to them, so he was hoping for the best and leaving them off. But there were others there.

He knew so few of their names. He didn't know the number missing. He couldn't even make an educated guess, and he didn't want to either. But there would always be a large blank space at the bottom.

'My list never gets any shorter. But tonight, at least it won't grow any longer.'

Prey shook his head to himself, watching the paving stones passing beneath his hooves, 'Thanking me? What a ridiculous notion. You should never have to thank someone for not committing murder.'

But he hadn't committed murder. He hadn't killed anyone today. After fighting the thieves only two days ago, barely any time at all, he'd been expecting...

Well, it didn't matter, because it hadn't come to that. No one was dead. 

Prey stopped in the deep shadow of an unlit house. He looked around. He saw and sensed no one. His lips started to twitch, and he sat down, just for a moment.

No one had died. Prey's hoof rose and brushed down his ear in the dark, the opposite ear to the one which bore his ribbon.

Prey smiled, a real smile. Wobbly, unhinged, rusty, and bittersweet. But bittersweet tasted far better than just bitter. He smiled and laughed quietly to himself with no one to see or hear.

"Khe-khe-khe-khe."

'I didn't murder anyone today.'

Really, what a stupid thing to be happy about.

Prey returned to his flat that night and checked up on Crimson's recovery again. They talked of nothing, exchanged words, and just sat in silence. Prey cooked them both something, for a given definition of 'cooked', and they ate, before both retiring for the night.

Prey stayed up late into the night, laboriously building the base for more runic arrays once again. Time waits for no one, no not even the all powerful alicorn sisters up in their Palace, and this might well be the last opportunity Prey got for a while.

Tomorrow, at dusk, he would be going with Crimson to meet up with Gloom outside of the Palace to return to active Night Guard duty. It was still as of yet completely uncertain whether Scenic, let alone Lilly, would be joining the three of them too.

The long absence was over. Fall was here. The ISND awaited.