//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Equestria's First Human // by Ceehoff //------------------------------// Equestria’s First Human- Epilogue Written and Drawn by Ceehoff “Oh, heavens, no! Emerald is not an option for this dress!” Rarity tossed the gem aside. “What about rubies?” Connor suggested. “It blends in nicely with the violet flourishes. Plus, the dress is white. White does match everything after all.” “True… true…” she nodded in thought. “And, it matches the shoes…” he briefly added in. “Rubies it is, then!” Rarity’s face beamed. “My, my, Connor! You’re a good helper.” The colt shrugged. “I don’t know much about fashion as much as you do. I just thought it would look nice.” “Well, that was a good suggestion. I'm thankful,” the fashion queen smiled. The human could only smile for an answer. A lustrous ruby levitated from its box, floated over to the dress, and was placed right in the middle of the bosom of her work. “Annnnd, done! Ooh, and it does look ravishing with that ruby! Again, thank you, darling.” “No problem.” Rarity levitated her working glasses off of her muzzle and placed it back on top of her desk, shifting it side to side so it would be level with the edge. She sighed in relief, grateful that she finished the dress just before the deadline was due. She turned back to the colt. “So you are going to be staying here until your house is finished?” "That's right," he nodded. “When will it be finished?” “Finished? It hasn’t even started yet.” “Hasn’t started??" she exclaimed. "But it has been a week already! They should have started building it for you just a few days ago.” “I can't commission a house without any money, Rarity. The construction workers said they would do it for free, as an honored citizen's discount, I didn't take the offer. I still wanted to pay.” “But they were going to do it for free, darling! For free!” she emphasized as if he never knew the meaning of the word. “I know. It’s just that I don’t want to feel pampered like a prince or feel like some god or anything, just because I am... Well, was the only human to walk through here. It makes me feel a little uncomfortable, now that I think about it." “Well, dear, you don’t need to wait any longer for your house! Just tell me the price, and I will lend you some bits." Connor shook his head. “No, no, no, Rarity! You don’t have to do that! And see? That’s what I’m talking about!” “Are you sure?" "I am. That’s why I’m going to find a job today.” “A job? Oh no, darling, you don’t need to go through all that trouble," she shook her head. "I could just lend you the exact amount to pay for the house. It is generous, is it not?” “Yes, it is generous, but I need to do this in order for me to grow up and prepare. I won’t sit around and do nothing for the rest of my life. This is my new life, Rarity, and I need to work to make it more pleasant." Rarity grinned. Connor definitely had changed from the helpless human he was before. Also, she sensed determination in his tone, determination that would not be held down. "All right. As you wish,” she smiled. “Tell me, darling, what do you have in mind, or what are you looking for in a job?” The colt scratched his chin. “Welllll… maybe something like, uhhhh… You know, come to think of it, I can’t think of anything.” “Oh! How about working with me?" she grinned. "You can be my needle-colt, extra hoof, and a colt’s view critic.” “Thanks for the offer, Rarity, but I think I will have to pass. Like I said earlier, I don’t know anything about fashion as much as you. I'll just walk around and see what Ponyville has in store for me. Plus, wouldn’t Sweetie Belle help you?” The unicorn cried out in shock and she shook her head rapidly. “Oh nonononono! No, not Sweetie Belle. No…” “Why not? She’s your sister." “The poor dear always wants to help me with my dress-making, but when she does, things just always get worse.” “’Always’?" he winced. "You sure you not over-exagger—.” “ALWAYS…” she gravely spoke, nearly pressing her nose onto his. By the piercing and intimidating look of her eyes, he resolved that she was utterly serious. “Okay, I believe you. A little space, please?” he said. She backed away, now smiling and looking fresh as a blooming flower as if nothing had happened. “But, darling, why not work here? It’s always nice to have you around. Plus, your masculine insights would be useful." “Well… I guess,” Connor said, itching his scalp. “Tell you what, if I can’t find one, then I will definitely consider working for you.” “Splendid!” Rarity smiled. Connor stood up on all fours. “Well, I’d better get started. See you later." “Good luck, darling!" she waved. He walked out the door, and shut it behind him. Outside, he took a deep breath. It was time to face the world. ---------- “Oh, I'm just glad that you happen to come over!” said Mayor Mare. “Our intern just left two days ago, and we need somepony to fill in for him.” “What do I have to do?” Connor asked. “Stamp all of these documents!” She pointed a hoof to a sizable stack of papers, no higher than a loaf of bread. He shrugged. “That doesn’t seem all too b—.” Slump! A muscular stallion laid a higher pile of papers on top of the smaller pile, now the height of a broom. “Uh, still doesn’t sound all too…” SLUMP! SLUMP! SLUMP! SLUMP! Six more heaping piles of papers sat on top of the desk, all the same size. “Oh…” “Make sure you read them first before you stamp them!” the middle aged mare grinned. Nope… ---------- "I don’t think you're fit be a masseuse,” said a blue pony with a pink mane and tail. She had mascara and wore a headband that kept her mane out of her eyes. “Seeing how you performed on my sister, it’s best that you don’t be one." She gestured to her twin, who was pink and had a blue mane and tail. She also wore mascara and a headband. “Sister, I can’t feel my back…” she groaned. Connor scoffed. Nope... ---------- “Working at the gym, huh? I like your spirit, kid, but do you think you can handle it?” a gruff stallion at the colt like a drill sergeant would glare upon a newcomer. “Yyyyessss. I mean, yes!" “Good enough. You will be our laundry colt.” “Pardon?” “You will have to wash all of the used and dirty towels.” The stallion pointed to a heaping pile of towels, damp and fuming in a rank, sour scent. “Why are there so many towels??" he said as he covered his muzzle. "There are hardly any ponies here.” “They're all Heavyweight’s towels. Heh, my best customer…” he chuckled. “Who's..." “YEAAAAAAAAH!!!” snarled a hulky and burly pegasus on the other side of the gym. He was on the bench, pumping a two-thousand pound weight. Every rep he made released a flowing river of sweat, pouring out from all of his pores. An unlucky stallion who was walking by him slipped on the puddle and twisted his ankle. “And when he’s done, you have to mop up all of his sweat puddles. Make sure you wear a gas mask, because it's like walking in a vinegar factory." He paused to take a deep breath. "Ahhh! The smell of victory and hard work!” Nope… ---------- “Well, for this job, you have to clean out all of the public toilets—.” Oh, HELL no! ---------- He slumped onto a public bench, feeling limp as a noodle, sighing in fatique. What a day… He could not find one stinking job that he could enjoy. He combed the entire town just to find a job. The town was small, so there were fewer possibilities. What could he do? Should he be an artist? Sounded fulfilling, but he was not satisfied after hearing about how much they get paid. Not very much. Should he be a musician? He did know how to play the guitar, but he saw that more as a hobby than a job. Should he work for Rarity? He liked the idea, but he did not know fashion as much as she did, so what was the good in that? At some point, he was going to slip up, and Rarity would make a pretty ugly dress. He did not want that. Being a fashionista was Rarity’s dream, and he did not want to ruin that for her. “What can I do here??" he growled frustratedly. "I don’t even know what to do now!” He slumped back onto the bench, allowing his limbs to hang over the edges. He shifted his tongue in his mouth. His saliva felt pasty. He walked to and fro, trying to find a measly job, and he did not even stop to take a break. He was parched. “I’d better go get something to drink... My mouth feels like a desert." He slid his rear off the bench, beginning his search for a place to get a drink. Should he go to Berry Punch’s Place? Hopefully, she was not drowning herself in her own drinks again. Wait, hold the phone... He noticed a new building built within the skirts of Ponyville. It looked like one of those modern bars, sturdily and artistically built and ornate with sheet metal planes, flourishes and streaks. It definitely stood out from all the buildings made of clay, plaster, wood, and concrete. On top of the roof, there was a neon sign above it that read, “Guzzling Gallop.” A new bar in town, eh? Connor looked inside his small bag of bits, making sure he had enough. Luckily, he did. He had about eleven bits with him, enough get him a drink a size large enough to quench his thirst. Walking through the entrance, he saw a long bar, lit by some neon lights and colored lamps that hung over it. The stools were made of shining metal with red, leather seat cushions. The room itself was dim. The bar top was lined with smooth, glossy wood, reflecting blobs of bright neon lights. Standing at the bar was a lime-green mare with a red, bobbed mane and tail. Her eyes were ruby red. Her head looked up at the sound of the colt walking in. “Hello, sir!” she said. She sounded throaty, yet did not overwhelm the femininity in her voice, which sounded alluring. "Hello,” the colt replied. “Welcome to Guzzling Gallop! What can I get for you?” Connor sat himself on the cushion of the stool. As rigid and stiff as it looked, it felt like sitting on a cloud. “What do you have?” “We have apple citrus punch, tomato and hot pepper juice, blackberry punch, vanilla bean milk, grapefruit and cherry punch, cherry limeade…” “Ooh!, can I have the cherry limeade?” “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who the hay do you think you are? Some kind of pimp or something?” Connor stammered like a fool. What did he say? He did not even mean to offend her. “I don’t go off all that easy, young colt. I’m a dignified mare, you know! I’m not stupid, either! I suggest you think again about calling me like that…” The colt's face burned like fire. He just met a mare and offended her without even knowing it. Dammit, he felt like an... “Ahhh! I’m just kidding, you gullible stud!" she smiled all pal like. "Whoo, that look on your face was priceless!” Wait, what? “What was that all about?” he asked, put off and relieved at the same time. “Don’t worry about it! You’re all good! I was only teasing,” she winked. “Okayyy...” “So, a cherry limeade for you, then?” Connor nodded. “Yes, please.” “Comin’ right up!” she bent over behind the bar, digging around the cabinets for the right ingredients with her rear sticking up in the air. She bent back up and placed a bottle of lemon-lime soda, a gallon of limeade, a gallon of cherry juice, and a jar of cherries on to the bartop. She grabbed a stainless steel cup and poured in equal amounts of each juice into it. Then, she placed a stainless steel lid on top of it and shook it. The colt was impressed by her hooficoordination. She made it look like she had hands. The mare grabbed a tall glass, dropped some fancy ice cubes into it, and poured in a pinkish liquid. It sizzled soundly as bubbles flew out from the mouth of the glass. Finally, she skewered a lime and a cherry with a colored glass toothpick and dropped it in, allowing it to splash fashionably. “Here you go, sir! Enjoy your cherry limeade! That's my name, too!” she said with a smile. “Cherry Limeade? That's your name? Okay, then. Thanks!” He wrapped his lips around the straw and took a sip. Sweet Jesus… He was sipping his drink contently until he noticed the lime green mare craning her neck to one side as if she was staring intently at something. Judging by the direction her eyes were facing, she was staring at Connor’s rump. He tried to ignore it, but he did not enjoy anypony staring at him while he was imbibing, especially at a private area. "Getting a little frisky there, Ms. Limeade?” She snapped out of her trance, noticing his uncomfortable and slightly displeased expression. “Oh no! No, I’m not! I don’t go that way. It’s just… your cutie mark… It’s unlike anything I have ever seen before. How does it represent you?” “Well, I—.” “Wait! That actually looks familiar. I think… I think I may have seen that cutie mark printed in the papers.” “Papers?” “Hey, yeahhh…” She continued to stare at his special mark some more. Then, her face lit up. “Yes! Now I remember! That’s the cutie mark that belongs to ‘Equestria’s First Human'. Wait…That means you are ‘Equestria’s First Human’?” “That’s right,” the colt beamed. Cherry Limeade’s face beamed even brighter. Even Connor could tell that it was one of her few times she had crossed paths with a celebrity. “Wow! No kidding! This is so freaking cool!” Suddenly, she looked confused. “Wait… but, you look like a pony to me. Aren't you... human anymore?” “It’s a long story," he chortled as he shook his head. "I don't wanna bother you with it." "No, no, no! Tell me! I don't mind, really! I've got a lot of time on my hooves. Also, I like to get to know my customers better," she smiled half liddedly, placing her elbows on the bar to cradle her head in her hooves. The colt shrugged. "Well, okay then. Where can I start?" "Hmm," Cherry stroked her chin in thought. "Tell you what, why don't you tell me everything?" "Everything?" he asked in surprise. "Mm-hmm! Everything." "Like 'when-I-first-came-here' everything?" She nodded in response. "You sure you don't need to go to the bathroom first?" "No, but if I do, I can hold it," she winked. "Okay," he shrugged. ---------- "Annnnnd... That's pretty much it for now..." The green mare standing behind the bar in front of him shook her head, laughing in her breath. "Wow..." she huffed in awe. "That was amazing! The papers sure mentioned some of those things you said, but just hearing you say it from your perspective... I... Wow! That's all I have to say, wow!" Connor grinned. "And that fight with that Hellfire guy?" she continued to marvel. "That was so intense!" "It was more than intense. I had never gotten into a fight like that before in my life. Even I wonder why the hell I'm still alive right now." "Pfft!" she scoffed. "Who the buck cares? You still kicked his sorry flank. Better enjoy that victory." "I am, it's just one of those things that you would never expect. Must've been one of those desperate impulses out of fear. I dunno." "Can I be honest for a moment?" she said. "I started hating you when you were mentioning how lazy and wimpy you were before. But now, I like you alll over again. It's good to see a pony get enlightened after all of that junk." "I'm glad." "Wait..." she paused. "So all of that junk happened, and you returned home, never able to come back. But you did come back. How'd that happen?" "I died..." It felt as if she was slapped in the face from his blunt, unhesitant answer. Her head drew back about two inches. "You died??" she nearly squeaked. "Back on Earth. My Earth," he replied. "I died." She gingerly leaned forward, giving him a small poke on his shoulder. "But you're..." "Just before Princess Celestia was about to summon the portal back home, she gave me this," he said, shifting in his seat to point at the outer ring of his cutie mark. "She gave me a mark that looked exactly like that, excluding the figure in the middle. At first, I thought it was a permanent and omnipresent tattoo, until I died in a car accident." "Car accident?" she asked, looking confused. "(I'll tell you about that sometime later.) I died along with my friend, Joshua, who was ironically not supposed to be dead yet. Death told me all about Princess Celestia's little spell that resided in it, and before I knew it, I was back here, never able to say 'goodbye' to any of my loved ones. After finding out what she did to me, I was pissed off at her because I felt that she violated, having been hexed without my consent. I was brought back to the palace as a spirit and I gave her a piece of my mind, traumatized as I was. However, the one thing helped me change my attitude was the thought that she really cared about me. We exchanged apologies, smiles, hugs, then, viola! She and her sister, Luna, turned me into a pony." "Damn..." she whispered before leaning apologetically on the bartop, giving his hoof a pitiful pat. "I'm so sorry about that." "Don't be. It was all in the past. I am going to miss all of them, but I won't allow that to hold me back from my new life here. Time doesn't run out of batteries unlike a watch does. However, when it does, I just add in new ones." “Nice philosophy," she smiled. "Quite the poet, aren’t you?” The colt shrugged. “It’s like a switch; you turn it on or off whenever you please.” An amused breath escaped her throat. “Ha! You’re just playing with me now, aren’t you? You’re going all Confurcius on me! Stop, you’re making my brain melt!” They both shared a laugh, then it got silent right afterwards. The colt had to make sure of something. “So,” Connor broke the silence. “You said you heard me from the papers?” “Yup!” Cherry replied. “As a matter of fact, you’re in every single paper in Equestria.” The colt nearly choked on his drink. “What??” “Mm-hm! You’re popular now, boy. You’re like a celebrity! You’d be 'Sapphire Shores' famous if it were judged by a level, and that's pretty famous." "Holy shit..." he whispered loudly. “I know, right?" It was a good feeling to know that he was getting popular, but even for him, it was too much. Just having a whole town know him was all right, but the entire freaking nation? He felt a little dizzy. Then again, he used to be a creature that nopony else had even heard of before, so it was pretty inevitable. He counted to three and calmed down. He had enough of talking about him. “You said you heard me in the papers, and I have never seen you around here before. So, I guess that means you’re not from here?” he asked innocently. “Yeah, I came from Fillydelphia,” Cherry replied. "Just three days ago." “Oh, cool! If you don’t mind my asking, why did you move here? I’m sure that there are a lot of ponies up there, and they will help you with business with all the money coming in, after all. This is a pretty small, quaint town.” “That’s the problem," she sighed, glancing at the small, circular window on the front door. When I do business, I like to make friends and not just friends you could talk to, then never see again as soon as they exit the front door. No, I’m talking about friends who you can see on a daily, bi-weekly, or even tri-weekly basis. In Fillydelphia, it feels awkward working there, because most of my customers are complete strangers who I will never see again. It feels a lot better working around friends. With this small town, it will be easier to see certain ponies on a more constant basis. I’m just homey that way. But, in order for me to actually experience it, I need to attract them here." “Well, you succeeded," the colt smiled. "I’m here! Plus, this cherry limeade is really damn good. It'll be enough for me to come back for another daily fill." She turned from the window, flashing an appreciative smile at him. “You know what? I like you! You’ve got a good attitude. I can’t see why everypony was avoiding you before.” “I’ve heard that one before…” Connor scoffed. “But, now I’m fine. Everypony is fine with me.” “Awesome! So, if you don’t mind my asking, what brought you here to my humble little bar?” “I got parched after combing through the town to find a decent job. Plus, it was pretty stuffy outside.” “You’re looking for a job?” A dark, over-hanging bar light that hung directly over her head blinked on. “Hey! You could work here!” Connor’s eyes shot open in surprise. “R-really?” “Yeah! You can be my assistant bartender. But first, answer me this: do you know how to mix a drink?” The colt stammered. “Well, um… I-I made lemonade once, back on my world.” “Really? Your world has lemonade?” He nodded. "That's..." she paused to think. "That'sssssss good enough, yet not good enough at the same time. If you're going to be my assistant bartender, you'll have to learn how to mix drinks. I'll teach you. However, I'm not giving that position right now. It isn't free, you know. Until you know to mix, you'll be given a temporary job in the meantime. I guarantee you that it won't be something that'll make you hate me later. Let's sayyyyy, maybe liiiiiike waiting tables and sweeping floors. Does that sound good enough?" Connor scratched his scalp. That sounded promising. Back on Earth, he always thought being a bartender looked pretty convincing. He always enjoyed the artistry they displayed in concocting alcoholic drinks. However, he was not old enough to involved with alcohol. Then again, would it matter? He was on a different world, plus he looked like he was of legal age to drink. Plus, bars were good social spots. "Hmmmm..." he hummed in thought. “Annnd, staff gets a fifty-percent-off discount on drinks here,” Cherry added in. He beat the bartop with a firm, clenched hoof. “I’ll take it!” “Awesome! My first new staff member in the new location! Just for that, your next refill is on the house.” Oh, hell yes… ---------- BAM!! Connor kicked the door to Rarity’s boutique open in triumph. POINK! “Ow!” Rarity yelped. She rammed a needle into a soft spot on her hoof. After suckling it for two seconds, she whirled around to face him, put off by the unnecessary entrance. "Darling, would it hurt to knock before crashing in like that?" she chided, giving her hoof another pitiful suckling. "Sorry..." The unicorn shook it off, looking refreshed. "Now, tell me, darling, did you find a job to your liking?" "Indeed, I did!" "Oh, splendid!" she smiled, clapping her hooves at her housemate. "What kind of job is it, dearie?" “I’m going to be working at a new bar in town, called the ‘Guzzling Gallop’,” the colt replied triumphantly. “I’m going to be an assistant bartender! Well, not yet, but I will be. Right now, I’m just a waiter/mopping colt.” “A... A bar?” the unicorn lifted an eyebrow. “Yeah, but why with that expression?” She sighed. “To be honest, darling, I never enjoyed bars.” “You don’t??" he gasped in surprise. "Why?” “Bars can be so rowdy. I’m a lady with taste for more etiquette and sophisticated surroundings. Plus, those bars can get so dirty with spilled punch, unkempt and unruly stallions, and other sorts of things. It’s all just so…uncouth.” “Not being very supportive, are we?” Connor huffed, crossing his forelegs in disapproval. “I’m just being honest, darling. Forgive me, but it’s just not my kind of place to go.” “It’s not what you think, Rarity. This bar is a whole lot more classy than what you just mentioned. This bar has really fancy and classy drinks, like Bloody Mares and Pineapple Punch. Plus, I’m sure that it won’t get really rowdy. C’mon, Rarity! Just give it a try! For me? Pleeease? This is a big moment for me. This is my very first job!” The unicorn’s eyes traced uneasily around the room. She did not like bars, especially the run-of-the-mill kind. She did not feel like being harassed by some drunkard or getting puked on. (She just came back from the spa, so she did not want to ruin her perfectly white coat of fur.) However, at the back of her mind, she knew that she really was being prejudicial. She never even visited this “Guzzling Gallop”. Plus, Connor was practically begging for her to come. He was staring at her with pathetic puppy-dog eyes. The white unicorn could have sworn she saw the colt’s tail wag. Oh, what the hell. She was the Element of Generosity, after all. Plus, she thought the colt looked pretty irresistible when he was begging her like that. How could she say no? She did not want to burst his bubble. Even if it meant that she was going to a bar, it was a sacrifice she would have to make for her friend. “Okay, I’ll go,” Rarity smiled. Connor launched off of the ground and leapt around her, cheering. Even for his first job, he was pretty excited about this. “Thanks, Rarity! You won’t regret this!” the colt smiled brightly. “I’m sure I won’t. Tell you what, darling, do you mind if I bring Fluttershy? We could use a little extra company.” “Oh yeah! Suresuresuresuresure! You can do that! Now come on c’monc’monc’monc’monc’monc’monc’mon, let’s go! I'm starting tonight!" Rarity placed a hoof on his lips, shutting them.. “Ah ah ah! Not so fast, darling! I do need to tidy up, after all.” “But Rarityyyyyyyy!” the colt whined like an impatient child waiting to step into Disney World. “No ‘but’s, mister! If you want me to go anywhere, you must respect the fact that I must look fabulous wherever I go. Believe me, I won’t take long.” Connor sat on his haunches and pouted. “Okay…” She giggled. ---------- Fluttershy and Rarity were sitting at a tall table in the middle of the bar, surrounded by small chat. The bar was not even full. A half a glass of milk would look more plentiful. The room was dark, and the colored lights emitted spectral glows of liveliness. That was, if the rest of the surroundings were lively. “Well, at least we won’t have to worry about crowding,” Rarity said to the pegasus sitting across from her. “Besides, where is Connor? I haven’t seen him in while.” Suddenly, Fluttershy squeaked in surprise. Somepony was hugging her from behind. “Hey there, beautiful!” said a familiar voice. “Oh! Hi, Connor,” she smiled, closing her eyes, embracing her crush’s embrace. The colt pecked her on the cheek. “How are you doing tonight? Fine?” “Oh, yes! I’m doing fine,” she nodded. “Awesome! What about you, Rarity?” “Doing fine, dear,” she replied as she further scanned her surroundings. “I must say, darling, it’s pretty empty in here. Well, not like it’s a bad thing for me. I never liked crowding.” “Well, it is a new bar,” Connor said in an obvious tone. “Are you going to be our waiter tonight?” Fluttershy fluttered her eyes excitedly. “Oh, please that say you are!” BLUUAAAAARGH!! “Yo, Connor! Duty calls!” Cherry Limeade called. “We got ourselves a cookie-tossing drunk near the bathroom door! Ugh, and she couldn't even make it...” “I’m on it!” he replied. He turned back to the unicorn and the pegasus. “Sorry, girls. I gotta work. I’ll see you later!” The colt lifted up a mop with his teeth and trotted away. Then, Cherry Limeade walked up to the table. “Hey, ladies!" she greeted them. "So you two are Connor’s friends?” “Indeed, we are,” Rarity nodded politely. “Oh, um…yes we are.” As always, Fluttershy was shy around new ponies. “He never told me your names,” the lime-green mare pointed out. “Rarity, yours truly,” said the fashion queen. “Um… I’m Fluttershmumm…” “Pardon?” Cherry inched her head closer to her. “Fluttermshumm…” “What? C’mon, girl, you need to speak up.” The frail pegasus squeaked uncomfortably. “Her name is Fluttershy,” Rarity spoke. “As you already noticed, she is shy. Really shy.” “Obviously,” Cherry mumbled to herself. “She is also Connor’s little pegasus,” Rarity squeaked as she beamed proudly. “Oh, really? Aww, that’s sweet!" the green mare cooed. "Well, I could certainly see why he would fall for a graceful mare like her. Look at her with her long, pretty, pink mane and tail! Those big eyes! Almost every colt in Equestria would be after you, hun.” “Well, um… He came first, so I guess they need to be, um, quicker on the draw next time?” the yellow pegasus meekly smiled. “Their loss!" she laughed before flipping out a flipbook. "Anyway, what can I get for you girls?” “A Shirley Grapple, please,” Rarity said. “And for you?” Cherry turned to Fluttershy. “Um…can I have…have… apple juice?” she softly asked. “That is, if you don’t mind…” “Do I look like I mind? Of course, you can! You can get anything you want here, girl. The customer is always right.” “Th-Thank you…” “If you don’t mind my saying so, Miss Limeade, this place looks pretty empty,” Rarity spoke. “Well, it is a new bar,” the lime-green mare said obviously. “Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Not like I mind, though. I rather enjoy such space. It's so that I wouldn't muss up anything that I had worked on in the spa earlier today,” she said, bouncing a tongue of her mane in her hoof. “Well, you'd better enjoy it while it lasts, hun, 'cuz DJ Pon-3 is coming over to put up a show here soon, and I’m sure a crowd is going to swarm in at anytime.” "Oh, lovely..." Rarity slumped. Cherry looked at the clock. “As a matter of fact, she was supposed to come a half hour ago. Where is… Oh, ponyfeathers...” The DJ was hurling in a bathroom stall. Connor was mopping up the mess. So, that was the pony who tossed her cookies earlier. “Ugh! Tall Glass!!” She called over to another stallion working at the bar. “How many drinks did you give her?” “Only two!” “Of what kind??” “Tomato and jalapeno punch!” “Tomato and jala--?? But that’s one of the lightest drinks we serve here!” “That’s what I thought, but look at this!” The stallion pointed to a small flask. “This contained one-eighty straight proof vodka! She spiked her punch even further!” “Whoooo!! Wub wub wub wubwubwub! Wub wub wub wubwubwubBLUAAAAAGH!! (Cough) Whoo!! Let’s spin those buckers!!” the DJ mare hooted before her head fell back into the bowl of the toilet. “And did I mention it’s empty?” Tall Glass added in. “Horseapples! You’ve gotta be freaking kidding me! Oh crud, this isn’t good! Not good at all!" She clapped a hoof over her cheek. "These ponies are expecting a show! Now they’re going to get nothing! Then, they’re going to leave with their money back, and my business is going to go down in the gutter! Son of a mule! No offense…” “Non taken,” said a nearby mule. Connor overheard everything, and so did everypony gathering around the stage. Clamor started to ring. “DJ Pon-3 isn’t playing? Shoot, I knew I this bar was going to be a fluke!” “I just paid twenty bits to see her play! Now, I’m getting nothing. Check, please!” “Ugh, come on, Roseluck. Let’s ditch this house of Lame.” “I knew I didn't want those tickets in my baaag.” “What a waste…” First day on the job, and it looked like it was going to go downhill, all for nothing. He could not allow that to happen. Connor ran up to Cherry Limeade, willing to save his first day. “Quick! I need a guitar! Where’s one?” “Up on the stage, but what are you talking about?” “They came for a show, and that’s what they're going to get! “Connor, are you crazy?! Do you even know how--??” The colt was already up on the stage before she could finish her sentence and the guitar was strapped over his shoulder. The cherry-maned mare bit her lip. He was going to get toasted out there. “Hey! Hey, everypony, uhhh… what’s up? Sorry! Sorry, we are currently having a problem with the DJ here. She… had one too many, so I will be filling in for her, and…” A whole lemon that was thrown from the crowd nearly hit Connor’s head. “Ha, haaa!" he goofily smiled at the thrower. "A little to the left, and you could’ve gotten bonus points! Better luck next time! Anyhoo, here's the first song. It's called 'Margaritaville'.” Just before he was going to strum, a horrifying though crept into his mind, freezing him in his spot. He gulped. He didn't have fingers anymore... How was he going to play complex chords with round, inflexible hooves? It was like playing soccer with no legs. However, he did say that he was going to put up a show. And a show he was going to put up… He took a deep breath and started strumming... He finished. He looked up from his guitar to gaze upon the crowd. They were silent. It did not look very convincing. He was sure he played every single note right. Hell, he played the entire song perfectly! At first, he thought it was going to be impossible with hooves, but it actually felt like he had fingers. The damn crowd… What was their reaction? They cheered. The colt heard some ponies talk over the noise. “Good show, good show!” "Not what I had in mind, but I'm actually feeling okay with this." “That was catchy! And soothing! Felt like I was on the beach.” Amongst the ponies he gazed upon, he saw Fluttershy behind the crowd and sitting with Rarity at the tall table. Her azure eyes were full of approval and pride for him, applauding him for his act of bravery. "Thank you, ladies and gentlecolts! Thank you very much," he waved at the crowd. "Just so you know, it's not quite over yet. I still have another song to play." He lifted the guitar onto his thigh after he sat down on a short stool that was placed on the stage pre-handedly. "This song goes out to a very special pony I know. She's shy, but she is really kind. More than you could ever imagine. I love you, baby! This is for you!" he proclaimed before he readied his arms for another song. "I love you, too!" she mouthed, making sure that he saw it. And he did. He responded with a wink. "This song is called, 'See Me, Feel Me'." After he finished playing, he was met with louder cheering and applause. The colt embraced the positive feedback. He did it. He saved his first day of work! He saw Cherry Limeade standing behind the bar, smiling at him. She nodded in approval. Connor blushed, happy and proud of himself. Then, he saw Rarity cheer her heart out, acting a little more wild than he thought he would see her. Fluttershy folded her hooves over her heart, allowing love-struck tears to dribble from her eyes. "Thank you, everypony! Good night!" he called. ---------- “Congratulations, darling!” Rarity exclaimed. “You saved the bar from a bad business day, and you have been promoted to entertainer/assistant bartender! I’m so proud of you, dear!” “Thanks, Rarity! I just knew tonight was going to be a blast,” Connor smiled. “Yayyyyy!” Fluttershy cheered softly. “Oh, come now, Fluttershy, you simply must cheer louder than that! This was Connor’s big day!” the unicorn lightly chided her. “No, it’s okay, Rarity. I like it just the way it is," the colt said, winking at her. The yellow pegasus hugged him happily for his compliment. “Well, we’d best go home now, Connor," Rarity said. "It’s very late, and we do need some sleep. Tomorrow is another big day.” “Okay. I’ll catch up soon.” When Rarity disappeared in the night, the two ponies hugged, cuddling deeply into each other. They broke the hug and looked deep into each other’s eyes. The way the moonlight reflected off of Fluttershy’s eyes made the colt fly without having to leave the ground. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” Connor asked softly, his warm breath coating her forehead. “Yes… tomorrow,” she blushed. “Can’t wait…” They both leaned their heads forward, until their moist lips made contact. It was a light kiss at first, but as a few seconds passed by, their kiss went deeper, involving tongue action. He felt the vibration of her content moan run through his tongue, heightening the pleasure. They released, gasped softly for air, and looked into each other’s eyes again. Her azure eyes shimmered in the moonlight. The colt pushed a loose strand of her mane away from her face. “Goodnight, Fluttershy…” he spoke softly. “Goodnight, Connor…” ---------- The colt snuggled in his bed. Boy, did it feel softer than before! Especially after he worked so hard during the day, it just felt so much better. Connor stretched his forelegs and released a mighty yawn. As he stretched himself further, he felt his hoof push against something. He heard a small "klak!" following shortly afterward. "Shoot!" he hissed. He twisted himself around in his bed to pick it back up. However, before he set it back up again, he had to take another look at it. He smiled warmly as he gazed upon it. Deep inside, a warm fire burned within his heart. After what seemed about a minute, he placed it back in its original spot, rolled over underneath his sheets, and slowly drifted off to sleep. The taped up drawing of him and his new friends smiled warmly back at him as he drifted into his dreams. End. Actually... It’s not… Stay tuned for more stories! Some might even involve Connor... who knows? You will have to see for yourself.