//------------------------------// // Chapter 20: A Memorable Evening in More Ways Than One... // Story: Do Ponies on Earth have Magic Dreams? // by TikiBat //------------------------------// Silver reared back and braced himself for the inevitable confrontation, speaking in a lower tone that he hoped would make him sound more confident and less nervous, “No, actually, I didn’t. Is that a problem at all?” Sine deepened her glare for a moment, making Silver’s fight or flight instincts start to flare up. Time seemed to stretch into eons before Sine dropped her angered expression and burst out into a loud cackling laugh, “Nope, I just wanted to scare you. I wasn’t for all that crap either; nopony out here was.” “Well, sounds like we’re in a good place then,” he let out a sigh of relief and relaxed his tense muscles. “I thought we were gonna get chased away for a sec,” he glanced over at Scarlet, who seemed just as on edge as Silver was, but her demeanor dropped before Sine could notice.  “Me too,” Scarlet agreed with a hint of hesitation carrying in her voice. “I was getting ready to leap into action, not gonna lie.” Sine nodded, “Nothing says fun like getting that kick of adrenaline.” “Right…” Silver replied back, hesitantly. He had no idea what to make of this pony. And now his heart was pumping from all the adrenaline, which only made him more uneasy around the unfamiliar mare. He had to admit, though, it did fill him with this almost instinctual feeling of suspense and glee, kind of like what he felt when riding a rollercoaster, which only made him more confused. “You scare all the new people you meet?” Scarlet asked, breaking the silence. “Sometimes,” Sine shrugged. “It sets the bar on whether we’ll all get along well or not. Day ponies don’t like it, and I don’t get along with them, so I rest my case.” “Uh-huh,…” Yep, this was probably a bad idea, or so Silver thought, “So this place? You said it’s probably going to be deserted?” “Probably. Unless there’s some other night owls or insomniacs up, it’s gonna be pretty quiet, but that’s better, trust me. All the day ponies are too friendly and loud; I like it more this way.” “You’ve been here before?” Scarlet asked. “Mhmm, I’m like Dean’s number one customer. There’s nothing else to do at night around here.” “Nothing else?” Scarlet asked with a bewildered inflection in her voice, “What about all the nightlife?” “Too many humans. They’re just as loud as the day ponies and even more annoying. Always wanting to give you head pats or pet you or always asking about what it’s like to be a pony.” Silver raised an eyebrow, “You’re not a huge human fan, are you?” She waved them down, “Nah, bats are better company anyways. At least when they don’t get so jumpy about stuff.” “You mean like how you made us?” “Nah, you two are chill; some of the other bats freak out and attack if you rile ‘em up enough,” she swooped over in the air and slowly began to descend toward the street. “Don’t you think that maybe you shouldn’t scare them then?” Silver asked as he followed.  “I could stop it,” she shrugged, “but where’s the fun in that? Nothing wrong with a good scuffle every now and again, right?” “Can’t say we’re on the same page there, but you do you,” Scarlet replied.  Sine touched down, going into a small trot toward one of the nearby buildings, “Right back at you. Vector pony’s the same way.” “Vector pony?” Silver asked in confusion.  “One of my friends, don’t worry about it, Blue.” Silver began to correct her, but quickly realized that nicknames were just her thing, and went along with it. The three trotted into the cozy, dimly lit restaurant, the sounds of hoofsteps on the wooden floor drawing the attention of the bartender, who almost looked entirely human except for his two mismatched eyes, some patches of orange fur along his arms, and a bright purple streak that ran through his dark brown hair.  “Heya Sine, catch a couple of newbies tonight?” “Sure did, Oddball,” she glanced over to another blue night pony sitting alone in a corner, who was working away on some tablet with a stylus strapped to his hoof. “Heya Star, back again?” “Yep. Neighbors were being loud, so I figured I’d get some work done here.” “I feel you, Vector. Whatcha got this time? Logo? Banner?..” “A few help wanted ads for some of the places that were barely scraping by,” he answered without looking up from the tablet. “They’re getting pretty desperate and want to pull in more of the ponies around here, you know, show what a nice and inclusive place they are and all that.” “Ha, good luck with that,” she laughed. “The day ponies are all dead set in that bogus vision still, I don’t think any amount of flashy advertising and promises of a promising pony career path is gonna pull them in.” He shrugged, “That’s their problem to deal with, not mine. Sure it’s a dumb job, but it’s easy money, and it’ll keep the lights on for another month.” “So, where’d you drag the couple in from?” Dean interrupted. “I thought you two were the only night regulars ‘round here.” Sine glanced back at the bartender and smirked, “Couple of visiting bats from out of town. Red’s from around here but moved away, dragged Blue along for some visit.” “I lived like 10 minutes away, had to stop down for a doctor visit,” she gestured back to her leg. “Kind of wild to be back here though, thought I’d never visit again.” “Well, welcome back then, it’s always fun to see some new faces ‘round here. Why don’t ya take a seat, see if anything sounds good to you.” He slid a large drink menu toward the pair, “Go ahead and relax wherever you want, just give a holler if you need anything.” With a nod in unison, the pair maneuvered through the cramped but cozy interior toward a comfy looking booth off to the side. Pillows and cushions littered the floor, but it made perfect sense, given the restaurant’s more equine clientele. Something about the hand-decorated feel of the place just made it seem so… inviting and welcoming, which only reinforced the idea that this was a popular pony hangout place.  The bartender took a glance at the trio and set his sights on their newly met acquaintance, “You want your usual, Sine?” “Mhmm, that’d be great.” “Gotcha, one mint dream coming right up.” Silver and Scarlet both took a look at the menu, taking in the long list of specially made drinks.  Scarlet looked up, “I guess I’ll have a sparkling rain; that’s just water, right?” “Water distilled by some of the local pegasi, but yeah.” “Awesome, how about you, Silver?” The night pony’s eyes fixated on one particular item on the drink list, something called The Moonlight Mango, which seemed to call out to some instinctual part of his mind, making his mouth water as he imagined the sweet flavor. “What’s the Moonlight Mango?” “Oh, that? It’s been popular with the night ponies lately. Traded a couple of drink recipes with some night pony visiting from Florida. I’d personally recommend it if you like some nice tropical drinks.” “Sign me up for one of those then,” Silver gleefully replied, his mouth watering as he imagined the delectable mango flavor.  The human nodded and went to work, mixing up the custom drinks.  “So you two were in for a doctor visit? Mind sharing what happened?” Sine questioned. “It’s a pretty dumb story,” Scarlet replied. “We went out on a camping trip, an accident happened, and I angrily kicked a tree like an idiot and almost broke my hoof.” “And apparently none of the doctors out here knew how to deal with that,” Silver added, earning an annoyed glare from Scarlet. “Thankfully, a specialist knew how to set it at least so it wouldn’t get any worse.” Silver smirked at her description and nodded, “We got lucky… though it kinda made a big dent in our emergency funds…” “Isn’t that great? Guess you guys lucked out; Dean’s got the good stuff for cheap.” “That’s a funny way to say it, Sine,” the bartender piped up, “I like to think it’s affordable rather than cheap.” He slid a few delicious looking drinks over, “It’s good business, good drinks for a good price and ponies eat it up.” “Cheap, affordable, same difference. Point is, you’re like the only place with decent grog and grub that caters to ponies.” He shrugged, “You got me there.” “So, you finally get that new late-night menu all figured out?” The mostly-human flipped the menu over and nodded, “Dean’s late-night bites, ready for you to enjoy.” Sine glanced back to the pair, “I’m gonna grab a bite to eat; you two want anything?” Silver looked over at Scarlet and paused, a loud grumbling seemingly answering the question before he could ask. He looked back to the menu and nodded, “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. What looks good to you, Scar?” She pulled the menu over and looked up to the bartender, “Just an FYI, I’m covering this one before he has a chance to go for the bill.” Silver looked back to Scarlet, “Hey, I got this.” “Nope.” She shook her head, “You paid for the doctor visits; I got this. I said I was going to treat you to a date tonight, and I’m not gonna take no for an answer.” He shrugged back, “You sure? What if you just grab the tip, and I grab the tab?” “Nuh-uh, I know for a fact that you spent most of your savings on the bills. Just sit back and let me take care of this.” He gave a short nod, “Gotcha.” Scarlet smiled and returned her attention to the menu, browsing it for a few moments before settling on something, “Mango flatbread and the fruit platter.” “Wow, you two are sure on a mango kick tonight, aren’t you?” Sine chuckled back. “What can I say? Stuff’s good,” Scarlet laughed.  “I’m just joking with you. I kind of figured you’d go for that; it’s like the best dish here. Right, Star?” The other night pony looked up from the tablet he was drawing on and gave a short nod, “Sure is; I’ve blown like four commissions on them.” “See? That stuff’s the best.” “Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” Sine looked back at Scarlet, “Trust me Red, you’re in for a real treat.” Silver’s mouth watered as Dean placed the flatbread in front of the two. The sweet aroma of mango and other assorted flavors made him realize how hungry he was and how much he was looking forward to this. He glanced over to Scarlet and smiled, “You picked well, hon.” “You think so? You haven’t even tried it yet.” “I figured you should get the first bite.” “Really? Because I think you should have the first bite, after everything you’ve done.” He shook his head, “Nah, you’ve earned it. I still owe you for the telescope, and you insisted on paying for this.” “I have an idea,” Sine chimed in, “What if you two just both take a bite at the same time and cut the cute banter.” “Lady and the Tramp style?” Silver asked. “Maybe not like that, unless you really want to get into the mushy romance date night stuff. Just a fair warning, though, I’ll probably ditch you and go chat with Vector pony over there,” she gestured over to the other night pony. Scarlet gave Silver a playful smirk, “Well, I think the idea’s kind of cute; it is date night after all.” She picked up a slice of the flatbread in her mouth and held it up in offering, giving Silver a wink.  The stallion’s face reddened as he slowly approached the offered food. He was hesitant on whether he really wanted to do something like this in front of a couple of random ponies and a human, but one whiff of the delicious-looking food pushed those thoughts to the back of his head.  He leaned forward and took a hesitant bite, immediately grinning as each of his taste buds was bombarded with the raw flavor. He took another bite and pulled back, blushing as he looked back to Scarlet. “Okay, we gotta come back here again.” She finished her half of the slice and smiled, “That good, eh?” Silver excitedly nodded his head, “Oh, you bet.” “Well, huh, I didn’t think you two would actually do it. I’m gonna go ahead and let you two have some privacy for a bit. I’d love to chat later, though,” Sine replied with a playful smile. “Just give me a holler when you’re done, or don’t; I was kind of the one that butted into your evening anyways.” Scarlet flashed an annoyed expression before shifting her face into a probably forced smile, “Thanks, Sine.” “Sure thing Red. Now you two don’t get too lovey-dovey here; it’s a family place.” “Got it, Sine, only PG hoof holding and maybe a few light kisses from us,” Silver joked.  She flashed a mocking grimace before sliding out of the low cushioned booth and making her way over toward the only other pony in the room. Finally, the pair were alone, and they could relax for a bit.  “Finally, a little privacy,” Scarlet muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Silver to hear, but not so loud that either of the other two ponies would. “What? Not your idea of date night?” Silver smugly replied.  “Oh no, believe me, I wasn’t planning on making a new friend tonight. She’s friendly enough, but…” “But you wanted to just spend some one on one time with your favorite pony in the whole wide world?” He offered.  “Bingo.” “Well, hey, think of this as just the date night pre-game. You wanted to show me that observatory across town, right?” “For sure, and maybe even some other stuff. There’s some nice hiking trails around here, and if we time it right, it’ll be extra special.” “See? We can just politely say our goodbyes after this and go do that kind of stuff. Plus, she realized we wanted to cuddle up on our own, so we have that going for us too now.” “Could be worse,” Scarlet agreed, “It’s not like she’s a bad pony or anything, just… different.” “Aren’t we all?” “Fair enough. Guess she’s kind of in the same boat we are.” “Just minus the being madly in love with the only other night pony around part,” Silver joked.  Scarlet glanced over at the other pair, letting out a small laugh at the other stallion who seemed more annoyed than he was interested in whatever conversation Sine was engaging him in.  “What, you don’t think those two are madly in love?” Silver peeked over and laughed, “Yeah…. no. Unless they’ve got some weird chemistry going on.” Scarlet took another bite of the flatbread, closing her eyes as she savored the flavor, prompting Silver to take another slice for himself. He had no idea that fruit like this could be so good, and he was definitely eager to try more creative ways of adding it to dishes like this.  She opened her eyes again and smiled at Silver, “What’s that look on your face for?” “Hm?” Silver’s attention was pulled front and center, “Just thinking about what I’m going to cook for you when we get back home.” “Oh? Got something in mind?” “Maybe,” he smirked.  “Anything you wanna share?” “Nope, it’s gonna be a surprise. But between you and me, it’s gonna have a lot of fruit in it.” “Can’t wait to see what you make, Chef Silver. If it’s anything like this, then I know it’s gonna be great.” “If it’s anything like this, then I’ll go start my own restaurant. You chose well, and I don’t think I’m gonna be able to top this.” “Hey, you won’t know unless you try,” she offered. “True, true. Guess we’ll have to have plenty more date nights like this… just maybe with the home-cooked food instead of going out to eat… for a while at least.” “Hey, any time with you is a perfect enough date night for me.” “I’m sure anything else would be more perfect than tonight; I don’t think starting it out with a doctor visit is my idea of perfect.” “It’s perfect enough for me,” she shrugged, “and it’s only gonna get better.” “That’s what you keep saying, and believe me, I’m excited.” “You should be. It’s not gonna be a big action-packed night, but spoiler alert, it’s going to be romantic.” “You mean more romantic than sharing a mango flatbread in a mostly empty restaurant?” “Oh yeah, way more romantic than that. We’re talking cuddling under the stars and watching the sunrise romantic.” “Hey, I hate to interrupt you two lovebirds,” Sine interrupted, “but you’re probably not gonna want a third wheel tonight anyways, so I’ll go leave you to your mushy date stuff. I’d love to chat later, though, if you guys are up for it, at least.” Scarlet nodded, letting out an annoyed sigh, “That sounds good, Sine. Thanks for giving us some space.” “Anytime Red, you two have fun now, just not too much fun.” “Thanks, Sine," Silver replied.  Silver snuggled up close to Scarlet and sighed a happy sigh as the morning sky grew closer to dawn. They had excused themselves from the restaurant after getting Sine’s information (or rather having it handed to them by the excited night pony), and had flown over to the library observatory that Scarlet was so eager to show him. Much to their disappointment, it was closed for the night, but they didn’t let that bother them much. Instead, they had chosen to simply cut right to the chase and spend the rest of their night cuddled up on one of the nearby hiking trails, excitedly waiting for the beautiful sunrise that Scarlet had promised to share.  “You ready, Silver?” He tightened his wing around her and nodded, “Yes, and no.” “No?” She looked up at him, “What do you mean, no?” “I’m excited to see it, but once it happens, that means our night’s over.” “You enjoyed it that much?” “Of course, I enjoy every night with you. Even the mundane ones.” “You know we’ll just pick this up with some big dream adventure after, right?” “Yeah, of course, but that’s not as good as the real thing. I don’t feel your warmth in the dream realm, or pick up your scent, or hear your breathing. I love cuddling up in a nice cozy dream, but I really love doing that out here more.” “Aww, that’s sweet,” she nuzzled up next to him, “I really love spending time with you too.” A big smile spread across Silver’s face as the sun’s golden rays started to slowly light up the valley below.  “It’s something, isn’t it?” “Believe me, it really is. You don’t know how hard it was to leave this place.” “Ever wish you could come back?” She shook her head, “Nah. Sure, there’s some nice perks, but it’s also noisy, and there’s too many cars around. I like our nice peaceful home better.” “Me too,” he closed his eyes and breathed in the cool morning air, “I had a perfect night tonight, unexpected doctor visit and all.” “Even randomly making a new friend?” “Even randomly making a new friend,” he confirmed. “You gotta admit though, it is kinda nice meeting other night ponies.” “Sure, guess I just wasn’t ready for another overly friendly pony. I kinda forgot what that was like.” “Forgot? Look at us. Barely knew each other before starting a deeply romantic relationship.” “Yeah, and we spent time together almost twenty-four seven, that makes getting to really know somepony a lot easier and faster.” “Sure does, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he looked skyward again and let out another gasp. “Why don’t we do this kind of stuff more often?” “Go out on romantic dates?” Scarlet inquired.  Silver shook his head, “Watch the sunrise.” “The trees.” “Hm?” He looked back over to the crimson mare, “What about em?” “They’re tall, you dork.” She laughed, “We can’t just cuddle up and watch the sunrise back home like this unless we’re flying. Plus, it doesn’t light up home like this.” Silver looked down across the sprawling desert valley and nodded, “Fair point. Guess I never put two and two together.” “Let me guess; now you’re gonna say we need to make more trips out here to do this, right?” His eyes opened in surprise for a moment, betraying the fact that Scarlet had practically read his mind.  A sly grin slowly spread across his face, “Only when we’re feeling extra romantic.” “So every day then is what you’re saying,” she joked.  “No, no, no. I mean, extra romantic. When we’re really head over hooves in love and just want to go do something fun together.” “That’s different from every other day?” “Yep!” he cheerfully replied, “You’ll know when it’s time for that.” “Oh, I’m sure I will,” she laughed.  Silver pulled her closer as the sun slowly began to show over the mountains in the distance, “I really can’t tell you how much you mean to me. So thanks for everything, Scar, it means the world to me.” “Ponies help ponies, even if it’s just giving a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen with. In our case, I guess it’s a lot more.” “You guess?” He smiled, “We really do make a great team, don’t you think?” “We sure do, Silver,” Scarlet responded, pulling him closer as she gazed up at the sun peaking over the mountains, letting out a happy sigh of her own.  The two sat in silence for a few brief moments before Silver spoke up again, “So… wanna spend another night here, or do you want to get back home and relax?”  “Doc said I should give my hoof a test from time to time, so resting is probably the best option. And as much as I’d love just to spend a whole lot of time doing romantic stuff with you… we’re kinda pressed for cash to do anything.” Silver slowly nodded, “Yeah… guess you’re right there,” he stopped for a moment as an idea came to his head, “Nothing says we can’t have more romantic nights at home.” “Nope, nothing at all. Maybe we’ll have to just take some more early morning flights.” “And I can turn our little retreat spot into an awesome hangout!” Silver excitedly interjected.  “For who? The only two nocturnal ponies there?” “Who else?” “Oh, I don’t know, Sine Wave, maybe?” Scarlet shot back with a glare.  He pulled her into a loving embrace, “Sine might be moving up there, but our retreat is our special place, and I wouldn’t even dream about bringing any other ponies there.” Scarlet’s grimace slowly melted away as the two leaned in for a kiss, the sun’s light enveloping them in its radiant warmth as their embrace grew more and more passionate.  The two lovers trotted along the street and up to the small one-story house that Scarlet had lived in for most of her life, exchanging a few laughs and even a few kisses along the way. The rest of the street seemed quiet and asleep, but the lights inside Scarlet’s parents’ house were on, cluing them in that at least someone was awake. A quick glance into the driveway showed that the car out front was gone, making it pretty evident that they at least wouldn’t be bombarded with as many questions this time around, which they were relieved at. Scarlet reached up to the door and gave a few hard knocks, waiting patiently next to Silver while her mother opened the door.  “My two favorite little ponies! How was your night?” Silver let out a long, involuntarily drawn-out yawn and then blushed at his unintentional rudeness, “Romantic and wonderful.” “Well, tell me more. What did you two lovebirds wind up doing all night?” she eagerly asked as the pair stepped into the cozy home.  “Had some good food, made a friend or two, and then just spent a lot of time making out together in the hiking trail above that one shopping plaza I used to work in,” Scarlet replied back candidly.  “That’s all? Did you two go anywhere fun?” “Scarlet was going to bring me to the library that had that observatory, but it was closed. Guess we showed up too late for the other night owls,” he let out another yawn. “That was fine though; we can make anything fun. Even if it’s boring.” “Well, Scarlet always had a knack for that.” “Yep!” she replied, letting out a yawn of her own. “Thanks for the heads up on that pony hangout. Was a nice place with some decent enough company.” “And we might even have a new recipe or two to try out,” Silver added.  “That sounds lovely. What kind of recipes?” “Mango flatbread and some fruit drinks,” Scarlet replied. “Stuff that’s not up your alley, but I wanted to try and make some desserts too.” The older woman’s eyes lit up in glee, “Oh my gosh, you can come back down and try out some new baking recipes with me then.” She looked over the pair again, “How long are you two staying here anyways? Just today, or is this going to be a little staycation?” “Just today, mom, we’re gonna crash and then bounce later tonight.” The woman began to frown, but before she had a chance to speak up, Scarlet continued, “But, I have a follow up that we need to schedule, so we’ll definitely be back.” “Did they not schedule one for you already?” “Nah, but don’t worry. We had a chat with the doc, and they said it was fine as long as I didn’t put too much weight on the hurt hoof. Gave me a number to call if it gets worse, then said call them back, and we’ll schedule everything in time.” “I see… well, at least you’re in good hands… or hooves?” “Good hands. I’m apparently the only pony patient out here.” “That’s right,” Silver cut in, “Scarlet’s extra special.” “Stop it, you,” she playfully shouted back.  “Well, I’m going to guess you two are pretty tired and probably want to rest your heads for a bit, right?” “That’d be lovely, Mrs. Delgado,” Silver politely replied.  She stood up and waved them toward the hallway and pointed toward an open doorway, “Scarlet’s old room is there. Bathroom is right across, and if you need anything feel free to help yourselves. I’ll be back around noon.” “Short shift at the diner?” She nodded at her daughter, “Yep. They’re splitting the shifts between everyone so we can all get some hours.” “Makes sense,” Scarlet nodded, letting out another yawn. “We’ll be sure to say our goodbyes before heading out.” “And you’ll stay for dinner too.” Scarlet shook her head, “Don't worry, you don’t need to do that for us, mom.” “I don’t need to, but I’m going to. The house has been so empty ever since your sister ran off to New York; it’ll be our treat.” “Thanks, mom,” Scarlet pulled her into a tight hug, “I’m so glad you and dad got to meet Silver.” “I’m glad you introduced us. Hopefully, you’ll come by and visit often?” “You know we will,” she cheered back.  Margaret smiled, “You two have a nice day. If you need anything, give me a call, and don’t be afraid to make yourselves right at home, okay?” “Definitely.” Silver smiled, “Thanks again for everything; I already feel like I fit right in here.” “I’m glad to hear that. Have a nice sleep.” She gave Scarlet one last hug and left the pair to their own devices. Scarlet was the first to trot into her old room, and immediately paused as a wave of nostalgia no doubt rushed through her. From what Silver understood, she hadn’t been gone for too long, but nothing beat the feeling of coming back home to a familiar place.  “Feels like I never even left,” she commented, waving Silver toward the cushy looking bed. “Need anything before we hit the hay?” Silver shook his head, “Just some warm cuddles before bed.” Scarlet carefully hopped up, patting the soft covers next to her, “Well, come in over and get them then, you big goofball.” The stallion excitedly trotted toward the bed and leapt onto it, working his way under the covers and snuggling up next to his lover.  “Love you, Scarlet, see you in the evening.” “Love you too, Silver.” The last thing Silver felt before drifting away to sleep was the tight loving embrace of the pony he loved.