Heh, I guess the gig is up. Rarity spilled the beans, and I have to play pick up. It’s astonishing, really. She went into full detail about everything about our little... date. Embarrassment aside, Ryan and I eat our food quickly and share a few laughs. I suppose I should be red in the cheeks by now, but I am a bit too busy thinking about how funny my whole situation is.
“And how long ago did this start?” Ryan says with that same smile on his face, as he mentions our relationship. Such a nosey person, this guy, eh?
“Uhh..” I mumble for no reason. It’s still a bit of a touchy subject it seems. “Two days ago..?” I reply, a bit unsure whether that is accurate enough. Well, when you think about it, our ‘relationship’ started the first day I woke up in her body. Anyway, I’m losing track of myself again...
“It feels like I’ve known you for a lifetime, darling.” Rarity adds in as she takes control of our body. “And besides, you can be a gentlecolt when you want to.” She giggles and raises a smoothie to her lips. All the while, Ryan is staring at us like we’re bat shit insane. It’s that same look that I want to smack off his mug. But where would that get me? Probably a ditch on the side of the road.
Ryan shakes his head and looks like he’s about to say something, but just so happens to be cut off by his phone ringing again. Lucky me. He looks down to his pocket and pulls up his phone. A smile replaces that neutral stare on his face. “Hey, I gotta take this outside, okay?”
Rarity nods and waves him off with a hoof. “No more questions, please.” She says, as though she’s talking to a swarm of paparazzi. With that, Ryan gets out of his seat and walks out the door. Then, as if on cue, comes that unicorn from earlier with what I presume is the check for our food.
“Hey there sweet cheeks.” She enthuses, dripping cheer and jumping up to where Ryan was sitting. “Enjoy your meal?” Her mane bobs up and down as she speaks. Which is weird, I didn’t think hair actually does that in the real word. Is that a pony thing?
“It was lovely.” Rarity returns and raises a napkin to her chin, wiping away the nonexistent crumbs, or whatever it is she’s trying to get at. “And please don’t call me sweet cheeks. I don’t think Anthonie would take that very kindly.”
The sudden blood rushing to my head is my cue that I’m back in control. How pleasant. “T-that’s right.” I stutter, trying to keep pace. A quick spark in my head makes me grin. “Rarity’s my mare and I don’t think I like how you’re talking to her.” With that, I sit up a bit more, trying my best to seem more dominant in the conversation.
A nervous smile slips onto the unicorn’s face. “Y-you are joking about that, right?”
I keep that same steely face I’ve been wearing for the last few seconds. “No.” I shake my head for the added effect. “She’s mine and I don’t plan to share.” I lean back into my seat and feel a bit achieved. Defending your mare’s honor ain’t easy, I’ll tell you that. Especially when you are that mare.
Sharing a body with me is bad enough, isn’t it Tony?
“Okay, okay, okay.” Pierce says apologetically. “No need to get snippy.” She/he whatever slides a slip of paper across the table. “Here’s your bill.”
v^v^v^v
“Hello?” Ryan says cheerfully as he flips open his phone and presses it to his ear. At first, there is no response, only static. “Jade?” He calls for his daughter with rising worry. “Are you there, sweetie?”
“Hello Andrew,” comes a rugged reply. Definitely not that of Ryan’s daughter.
Ryan’s eyes go wild, and immediately whip around to look at his truck, the thought of driving to his daughter flickering through his mind. “Who is this?!”
“Easy now, Andrew.” The stranger says with the casual tone of a businessman. “Let’s just say... I’m a friend. A friend who has something you want.”
“Jade!” Ryan yells, only hoping for his daughter’s safety.
“Now hold on, Andrew. A little birdie told me that you want custody of your daughter, is that right?”
A cold silence hangs in the air for a moment.
“Well, my employer and I are willing to make you a deal.” The stranger clears his throat and the tone of his voice turns from casual, to sinister. “So, whaddaya say, Mr. Ryan?”
Again, Ryan stays silent, letting the stranger continue.
“Good, I knew you’d be willing to listen. All you have to do is...”
v^v^v^v
I have already paid the bill and been sitting around for several minutes when Ryan returns. His expression is one of forced optimism, with a smile overshadowing creased eyebrows and worried eyes.
“Hey, what’s up?” I ask cheerfully, still basking in the glow of successfully fending off advances on Rarity by the waitress.
“Oh, just my daughter, she’s sick. Fever.” He says haltingly, his words clipped and to the point. I Foolishly interpret it as worry.
Rarity isn’t quite so blind to the implications.
He is lying. Possibly saying something he was told to say. Something isn’t right, dear.
I frown, making Ryan’s expression even more forced. I have to think that he wouldn’t do anything against me. He must have a good reason to lie.
“Well. I hope she gets better.” I say cheerfully, my own forced smile making the whole atmosphere feel slimy and fake, as though I am being doused in eels. I involuntarily shudder at the thought.
“You alright?” Ryan asks, his smile dropping to show real concern for me, which only reinforced my determination that he couldn’t be doing something malicious.
“Just the air conditioning in here, got a blast of it. Let’s go, got to keep good time, right?” I say as I hop down, not looking at my newest and closest friend.
“Yeah, got to keep good time.” He says from behind me as I pay the bill and we make our way out to the truck.
As he follows me out to the truck, I can’t help but imagine that I hear him repeating the phrase, though slightly different.
“Got to keep the good times.”
Then everything went dark.