//------------------------------//
// A Prolouge: Black Lotus-Alpha 
// Story: Bringing up Gummy 
// by ThunderChaserCreate 
//------------------------------//

	I sat quietly at my desk at 'Cards-a-lot.' I owned the store, one of a string under the direction of Cloud Shaker, Equestria's Card Shark millionaire.
I was staring at a particular card, one that I'd never seen before, and wondering what it might belong to. You see, it had been sold to me by a foal who had glued it to another card. There was no way to look at the back of it without destroying it.
"Spring?" I called. A young mare poked her head out of the back room. Her olive green mane flowed from her right shoulder, echoing her deep green eyes. Her coat was a gleaming silver, much like mine, but seeming brighter, in a way. Her name was Spring Darling, and I was marrying her tomorrow.
"Yes, Boulder?" her lilting voice was a comfort to me. 
I have to say I was a tiny bit tongue-tied, "I, um, I think that this one must be a Pocket Monster."
"Nonsense. You checked the catalog for Pocket Monsters yesterday."
"Oh, that's right, I did," I sighed, wondering what else it could possibly be.
A mailmare knocked at the door, jostling me from my thoughts. It was Ditzy Doo, better known as 'Derpy,' the infamously clumsy mail carrier.
I ran to the door, seeing as she was holding a perishable-looking manila envelope.
"Yes? Is that for me?" I asked hurriedly.
"Duhm, yeah, I think so. Are you Mr. Silver Boulder?"
"Mm-hm, that's me!" I nodded, trying to grab the package.
"You've gotta sign first," Derpy said firmly, shoving a clipboard at me.
I grabbed a pen off the desk with my magic, signing with a flourish, "There!" I snatched the package away from her before any damage could be done.
"You have a nice day, sir," she muttered, though I barely heard her.
I read the address label, quickly growing excited, "Spring!" I called again.
"Yeah, what?" she yelled to me.
"It's the Black Lotus-Alpha!" I ripped the top off, drawing out a card I had been looking for practically my entire life. Or at least it felt like it.
"Really?" She ran out to take a look.
"Oh, Spring, just think of it! The last card we need to finish 'Pony: The Gathering!' The very last card!" In my joy, I squeezed Spring in a tight hug.
"Silver!" she yelled disapprovingly.
"What?" my hoof dropped from her shoulders, "We're getting married! I'm not even allowed to hug you?"
"We're in business right now!" She hissed, though nopony else was in the shop at the moment. She was a wonderful gal, but she could be pretty uptight about some things. Well, a lot of things.
"Now listen," Spring's tone told me that she was about to order me around, "You have an appointment at 12 o'clock today to play golf with  Mr. Green."
"Mr. Green? What Mr. Green?" I asked, sticking the card back into it's envelope.
"Mr. Pea Green, the colt who's going to donate a generous 1 million dollars to a card business? The one you're supposed to convince to grant us the million?" she reminded me.
"Oh, that Mr. Green! Sure," I looked up at the clock, "12 you said? If I'm going to make it, I'll need to get ready right now. Goodbye, dear!" I gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
"Remember!" she shouted after me, "Let Mr. Green win!"
"I will, dear, I will."