//------------------------------// // Meet the Sleeping Arrangements // Story: No Longer an Enigma // by enigmaMystere //------------------------------// “Cool place!” Broadway smiled, looking around. Enigma set his bags down, looking around the decently-sized house. Everything had a similar county style, which reminded him of home. There were a few cardboard boxes stacked in the otherwise-empty living room, and he assumed that his bed was in the bedroom. Chuckling softly, he pulled a small, white plush toy out, gently placing it on the kitchen counter before resuming his unpacking. He silently wondered where he could find good food in this town that wasn’t too small for the price. “What’s this?” Broadway called out to Enigma, picking up the doll. “IT’S SO FLUFFY!” He quickly turned around, his eyes wide in panic. “Please, put that down!” Broadway narrowed her eyes. “No.” He frowned, staring at his hooves. “...please...it’s very special to me...” The white pegasus stared at the doll. Everytime I try to forget, you guys always seem to come back... “Fine! Take your stupid doll!” She flung it at Enigma and fluttered into one of the many boxes in the room. The stallion carefully pulled his most treasured object off his face, where it landed, looking over to where the little filly ran. “...did I...upset her?” “NO! I’M JUST IN HERE CAUSE I’M SO HAPPY!” she screamed sarcastically.  He looked at his plush toy, frowning softly and whispering to himself. “...I’m sorry, grandpa...” He sighed, gently taking it in his teeth and walking over to the occupied box. He set it down, knocking on the box much like he did the dumpster earlier. “...I didn’t mean to upset you...it’s just...my grandsire...he...” He closed his eyes, clenching his teeth tightly. “...dang it...why is it so hard to say?” “No... I understand...” The filly whispered. “I lost my parents a few years ago... And that doll looked a little like my mom...” He blinked, staring at her in shock. “...I’m...sorry to hear that...” He sighed, carefully holding his plush toy close. “...he gave me this...from a concert we went to...at the time, I thought it was the cheesiest gift ever, even if it was an amazing replica...” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “...the next day...we found out he was ill...” He looked up at her, a small, sad smile on his face. “...ever since he passed away, I’ve always carried this...made sure it was never torn, never stolen...” Slowly, he extended his forelegs, shakily holding the doll out to her. “...y-you can hold her, if you’d like...” She slowly nodded, extending her hooves. “I promise I’ll be careful.” He sighed in relief, giving her a genuine smile. “Thank you.” He stood up, moving over to a sofa behind a few boxes, pulling it out and pushing it up against a wall. Taking the cushions off, he pulled the hidden bed out, setting it up. “You can have my bed. I’ll sleep here.” He poked his head into a box, shifting items around in his search for something. “It’s fine.” After a few minutes, the filly began to sing * “Flower gleam and glow, Let your power shine, Make the clock reverse, Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt Change the fate’s design, Save what has been lost, Bring back what once was mine, What once was mine....” He stopped his search, looking at the little filly in awe. “...wow...you have a nice singing voice...” “Thank you, some ponies say it sounds different from my talking voice.” she smiled. “Enigma?” He reemerged from the box once more, a quilt in his teeth. “Yesh?” “Thank you... For letting me stay here.” He chuckled, moving over to her, the quilt trailing behind him. He let go of it, playfully ruffling her mane. “Think nothing of it. I’d do it for anypony...” He thought for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “...though I suppose it was good that I did it for you.” He nudged the quilt, smiling softly. “I imagine that the bed in there lacks sheets. I’ll get to putting them on tomorrow, mkay?” “M’kay!” she chuckled. “Nopony’s ever been this nice to me... Not my foster parents, nopony in the hobo jungle, or anypony that’s ever invited me in. They say I’m a nuisance!  That’s cray-cray! Right? He blinked, momentarily confused. “...I want to answer honestly...but I have no idea what ‘cray-cray’ means...” He shook his head, putting his smile back on. “I can say this, though. You haven’t been a nuisance to me.” “Aww! thanks!” She was quiet for a moment. “I know who that doll is. Or who the doll is supposed to look like I mean.” He chuckled, looking at his precious white plush. “...I know, too...I saw her on stage...and, recently, in pony...” He tilted his head, looking at the 3-D glasses on the kitchen counter. “...apparently...she needs a little help...” “What?” He sighed, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s something a strange mare told me earlier today.” He pointed to the glasses, a small smile on his face. “Told me to wear those and his silly butler outfit when seeing her. Somepony called her the ‘Doctor’, but she never introduced herself to me...” “...I don’t follow...” Broadway said peeking out of the box. He chuckled once more, grabbing the quilt back up in his teeth. “I shupposhe it’sh too complicated. Hay, even I hardly undershtand.” He dragged it along to the bedroom, carefully laying it across the bed. Digging around the boxes in the bedroom, he located his specially-designed blanket, one with a marbled texture. He slowly started to pull it out. “Enigma?” she quietly called. He stopped tugging, looking over his shoulder. “Yesh, Broadway?” “I’m bored, and I’m not tired, and I’m HUN-GRY!” Shocked at the sudden shout, Enigma accidentally dropped the corner of the blanket he was holding. It fell, hitting the floor with a loud, heavy thud. “...there goes the down payment...” “What’s down payment?” She asked flying out of the box. He thought for a moment. “...I believe...it’s something one pays when renting a home or apartment...a little cash the owner holds onto as a promise that nothing will be broken.” He lifted the blanket up, noticing the cracks in the stone floor. “...yup...it’sh a goner...” “Hmmm...” she pondered as she looked through his fridge. “Do you have any Oateerios?” “I think it’sh in the cardboard boxh labelled ‘shereal’.” She raced over to the box and pulled out the cereal. “Tanks E!” she smiled with cheeks full of the breakfast food. He blinked, holding a hoof up to his chin. He couldn’t remember the last time someone called him that. Smiling softly, he dragged his blanket over to the fold-out bed, laying it on top of it. “No problem, Bebe.” He silently hoped she wouldn’t mind him calling her that. Soon, the filly was passed out on the rug, firmly grasping the cardboard box as she softly snored. Enigma carefully laid the quilt on top of the smaller pegasus, making sure she was comfortable. Yawning quietly, he moved to the sofa, squirming under his weighted blanket. Within minutes, he was fast asleep.