In a tall building known as Eminence Tower, overlooking the bright city of Manehattan, Magnate was sitting in his office, sorting through paperwork. His ear flicked at the sound of hooffalls growing near and he looked up.
"Starting the week off drowning in paperwork already, eh?" one of his coworkers asked, leaning against the doorway, grinning.
"Must you ask that question every Monday?" He rolled his eyes.
The stallion's grin fell and he straightened up. "Well, if you'd give me a proper answer, maybe I'd give you a new question."
Magnate lifted his gaze from his desk to watch the stallion through the glass wall that separated him from the rest of the floor. He had wanted to put up blinds, or to paint over the glass entirely, but his supervisor insisted that it was good for him to see other ponies.
The stallion's name was of little consequence; it was some simple name such as Deal Maker or something similar, not a proud family name like his own. Magnate. It was the only thing his father had given him that he still kept.
'Deal Maker' joined up with a group of their coworkers and they all filed out of the main office together. Magnate frowned at this and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was lunch time already. Where had the morning gone?
He snorted and returned his attention to the paperwork in front of him. The quarterly reports were due at the end of the week and he couldn't waste any time on distractions. Besides, he always had his lunch delivered.
Eventually, the cubicles in the main area were emptied one by one until he heard no sounds outside. He sighed, contented to know that they had all left and he was finally alone.
Magnate worked through the papers, his magic alternating between an adding machine and a notepad, until a pain began to grow behind his eyes and he had to take a break. He looked out the window at the bustling streets below Eminence Tower. A busy, pointless world buzzed by and he acknowledged it all with a disapproving frown.
Walking about, doing some shopping, or partying: all of that precious time that could be spent working toward a real goal. Every second he wasn't working, he was slipping behind another, harder-working pony desiring the top position in the company.
He rubbed his eyes with both hooves and turned back around. As he did so, his gaze immediately landed on a bright collage of various pinks. Sitting on his desk was a light, creamy pink pegasus mare with a tri-pink-colored mane and tail. Bright pink hearts adorned her flank, a few wandering down to rest on her thighs.
He could only describe what he saw as absolutely horrifying and he fell backwards off his bench in surprise.
Lovey giggled, spread her wings, and stretched out her forelegs. "Hello!" she squealed in a sugary-sweet voice.
Magnate shook his head abruptly and frowned, one hoof raised in demand. "Exactly who are you? How did you get into my office? And for that matter, how did you get past security?"
"You mean those handsome ponies downstairs? Oh, they let me in when I said I had this for you!" She gestured to a brown paper bag in her lap. "Your lunch! I decided to deliver it to you so that poor delivery colt didn't have to suffer."
"Suffer... ?"
Lovey hooked her hooves together and looked down at him. "Yes, certainly! He's overworked enough as it is without having to climb all those stairs or wait for an elevator!"
Magnate stared at her with a blank expression. "It's his job to deliver my food." He started to right himself and stood onto all fours. "Nevertheless, that doesn't explain who you are and why you're in my office."
"Oh, right!" Lovey giggled. "I'm Lovey Dovey and I've been hired to be your love guide!"
"My..."
"Love guide."
They stared at one another, Lovey smiling brightly, Magnate nearing a scowl. Silence ticked by before he groaned.
"I don't know what this is all about, but you can tell whoever put you up to this task to kindly shove it right back wherever this idea festered."
Lovey slid off the desk to instead sit on the bench, no longer seeming to listen to him. "All right, Mr. Magnate. Let's discuss your love journey. I've already found a potential—"
"No." He shoved his face in hers. "No, we certainly will not discuss anything of the sort. Get off my bench and out of my office."
She scooted to the edge of the bench and gestured to the empty space. He shook his head.
"Get out."
Lovey hummed thoughtfully before she stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow, then!"
Magnate grumbled as he sat down. "You will not."
"Will, too!" she singsonged as she trotted out of his office. She moved almost silently, her hooves barely touching the floor as she pranced. "Good afternoon, Magnate!"
Magnate waited until she had disappeared around a corner. Slowly, he leaned forward and buried his face in his hooves. "What the hay is going on... ?"
♥ ♡ ♥ ♡ ♥
Magnate made the same journey from his apartment to the office every morning. He walked down the flight of stairs, bought a copy of the morning news from the colt at the corner, and took a moment to glance over the headlines while he waited to cross the street. Taxi carts were always zooming by at that hour. They buzzed around town at every hour, but particularly in the morning.
He stopped by a small, curbside coffee station for his usual morning cup of joe. There were no pleasantries exchanged between him and the clerk. He stepped up after standing in line, nodded in silent greeting, and read a few more headlines as his cup was poured. Black, no sugar.
Before he could pay, however, a pink hoof reached around his peripheral vision and dropped a couple of bits on the counter. Dread filled him as his gaze followed the hoof to its owner. He jumped when he discovered a beaming smile much too close to his face.
"You," he grumbled, irritation dripping from the single word.
"Good morning!" Lovey chirped.
Magnate rolled his eyes, levitated the coffee cup, and started to walk away. He heard the gentle flap of wings as the pink nightmare followed him.
"So, based on my encounter with you yesterday, and following you this morning when you left your apartment, and—oh! Yes, also the information your sister gave me." She paused, seeming to have lost her own train of thought, then giggled.
He tried to quicken his pace, but the much-too-cheerful voice remained just behind him.
"Yes, yes! As I was saying, I've put together a good profile of you, I think. I have a candidate lined up, but I don't know your preferences in a special somepony, so if you'd just stop for a moment?"
The doors to his office building were in sight and at first he was relieved, but a wave of horror washed over him at the thought of her following him inside. If his colleagues saw them together...
"What?!" he yelled as he turned to face her. "What do you want?!"
"Oh, no, Magnate, this is about your wants, not mine!" Lovey smiled brilliantly at him. She pulled out a clipboard from Celestia knew where and raised a pencil, attached by a string, with her mouth. She took a quick note, then dropped the pencil to continue, "I've prepared a couple questions so I can get to know you better. Then I'll be on my way!"
"You'll leave if I answer some questions?" She nodded, and desperation pushed the words out of his mouth faster than he could think them through. "All right, then. Make it quick. I haven't got all morning."
Lovey floated to the ground and sat on her haunches. "Great! So, then, first thing's first: mares, stallions, either, other, or undecided?"
Magnate stared at her.
"Hmm..." She tilted her head as she waited for an answer, then picked up the pencil and mumbled, "Unbefibeb ib is..." She dropped the pencil to continue more clearly, "Next: do you consider yourself romantic or practical?"
He just continued to stare.
She returned the stare with a thoughtful squint. "Practical." She made a note of this. "What is your ideal first date?"
Slowly, his hoof raised and started to rub his temple. Lovey didn't seem to pick an answer for him this time, however, so he grumbled, "None."
Lovey pursed her lips. "None? Hmm... Tricky, but on my honor, I'll make it happen!" She smiled. "Customer satisfaction is my policy, after all."
"Great." He took a step back. "I would be very satisfied if you would let me go to work."
"Oh, but—" The glare he shot her gave her pause and she sighed. "Well, I suppose I have enough to work with." She smiled and waved. "Have a good day at work, Magnate! Cross your hooves!"
"For what?" he asked as he turned to walk away.
"That I find more candidates for your heart before the week is through!"
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course. Hooves crossed. I can't wait."
♥ ♡ ♥ ♡ ♥
"The quarterly reports are done, sir," Magnate said as he dropped a folder full of papers on his boss's desk.
"You still have until Friday if you want to double-check them, Magnate." Rare Chance eyed the stack of papers barely contained in the manila folder.
Magnate kept his gaze steady and forward. "Already did that, sir."
Rare Chance chuckled and pulled the folder toward his side of the desk. "Don't know why I even question you. Hardest working pony in the company. First one to get your reports in, too." He winked. "Good things are coming your way, I'm sure of it."
Magnate allowed the faintest of smiles. "Thank you, sir." He turned and walked out of the office. He even added an extra step to his gait in proud victory. A promotion was likely on its way and he'd be in senior management soon. He could almost smell the... espresso? He blinked a few times as he turned the corner into his office and halted.
The unfortunately familiar pink bane was there, but this time she had company. A blonde and chestnut mare stood beside her, holding a little serving tray with a thermos and a cup on it.
Her cheeks were red and Magnate heard her whisper to Lovey, "Is that him?" When she nodded, Cocoa smiled at him. "H-Hello!" She held out the tray. "Would you like some espresso?"
Magnate remained where he was in the doorway. He acknowledged Cocoa with a scowl that sent her wilting, then turned his piercing gaze on Lovey. "What is this?" he asked in a cold, even tone.
Lovey smiled. "Your potential soulmate!" She gestured at Cocoa with both hooves, wiggling them for dramatic effect. "Ta-da!"
Magnate released a heavy sigh through his teeth. "Get out of my office." He stepped out of the way and pointed. "Both of you. Out. Now."
Cocoa, in her panic, dropped the tray. The thermos bounced on the floor harmlessly, but the cup of already poured espresso spilled onto the carpet. "Oh, I'm so sorry!"
"Forget about it. Just, please, get out. I'm sorry that this pest of a mare has dragged you all the way here and wasted your time, but I'm not interested."
Cocoa looked to Lovey for help, but her gaze was fixed firmly on Magnate. Embarrassed and confused, Cocoa bowed her head, mumbled another apology, and fled the room.
The silence was tense. Magnate kept his hoof pointing toward the door. Her wings trembled until they suddenly unfurled like tightly coiled springs and she yelled, "How could you act like that?!"
Magnate opened his mouth to respond, but his ear twitched at the sound of nearby murmuring. He looked out into the main office area to see all eyes on them. He growled and shut the door before looking back at Lovey. "This is a place of business. My place of business."
"I don't care whose place of business this is! You don't treat a pony like that!" She stomped her front hooves against the floor. "Okay, so perhaps I was mistaken and you like stallions, but you could be more polite about it!"
He stared at her with his mouth open. It took a few moments to regain his composure. "That's what you think I'm upset about?" Though he didn't want it to show, he almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation. The laugh came out as a strangled chuckle. "You're just a simple-minded mare, aren't you?" He walked over to his desk and sat down. "I have work to do. Get out of my office and don't come back."
Her wings started to fold back to her sides. "I have work to do, too." She pouted. "Just because you don't respect it doesn't make it any less important of a job!"
Magnate sighed. "Then do your job elsewhere."
"As you wish! Toodles!" she said in a suddenly chipper tone and he realized he should have thought his words through a little more carefully.
Before he could stop her, she left his office and trotted through the main area, all eyes following her. The pit of his stomach knotted up with unease as many of the eyes returned to him, most accompanied by grins. He tried to shake his head, but their minds were already made up about what they saw, and that filled him with a sense of dread.
♥ ♡ ♥ ♡ ♥
Magnate allowed a stifled yawn as he walked out of the building to head home. It was finally Friday, and he was looking forward to a relaxing weekend. He planned to stay inside as much as possible to avoid more encounters with Lovey.
Unfortunately, a pink blur seemed to have other plans as it buzzed past him, grabbing one of his forelegs and nearly dragging him down the sidewalk.
"L-Lovey?!" He tried to struggle against her, but she was surprisingly strong. "What are you doing?"
"I'm doing my job elsewhere!" she exclaimed cheerfully.
Rather than dislocate his shoulder, he quickened the pace of his other three legs to match her speed. "And where, exactly, is elsewhere?"
"A bar, of course!" She smiled, quite pleased with herself. "I thought about it, and where do business ponies go after work? To a bar! So clearly that's where I need to take you. I can feel it in my hooves!"
He rolled his eyes but, having no real choice with her tight grip on his foreleg, he followed alongside her. She took them to a building he didn't recognize and sat him down at the bar.
"Have a drink, Magnate." She fluttered her wings in excitement. "I'm going to scout out the candidates in the room!" With that, she pranced away.
Magnate sat there for a moment, then turned to face the bartender. "Cider. And make it hard."
"Comin' up, sir," the bartender replied and walked away to retrieve a mug.
He hadn't even had any of his drink when a mare sat next to him.
"Here you go!" Lovey said from behind them. "This is the stallion I mentioned, he—"
"Next," Magnate interrupted.
"Next?" Lovey and the mare asked at the same time with the same confused tone.
He nodded. "Yup." He took a quick sip of the hard cider. It hit the back of his throat and burned a little, but he didn't let it show on his stoic face. "Not interested. Next."
"Oh... Sorry!" Lovey grabbed the mare's hoof and pulled her away. She returned a few moments later with another mare. "How about—"
"Next." He tried not to smile. He could keep this up all night if necessary. Though she was rather persistent, as evidenced by several more attempts that he dismissed, he was stubborn and patient. She'd have to give up soon.
Lovey must have brought him every single mare in and just outside the building over the course of the next hour. With a heavy sigh, she dropped down onto the stool beside him.
Magnate glanced at her and then flagged down the bartender with a wave and eye contact. "Something with strawberries for the mare." He nodded his head toward Lovey.
"How... How did you know I liked strawberries?" She looked at the glass of dark pink, almost red liquid that was set down in front of her and sniffed it curiously.
He frowned. "It was just a guess."
"Oh." Thirst from having been walking around the bar for over an hour seemed to overtake her and she downed the whole thing. "Another!" she exclaimed, waving at the bartender. The second drink she sipped more slowly to enjoy the flavor.
After they had sat in silence for a while, he asked, "Why won't you just give up?"
Lovey jerked her head to the side to pout at him. "Because I refuse to give up on you, Magnate!"
"But I don't even want your help. It's not giving up if I ask you to stop."
"Don't you want to fall in love?" she asked softly.
"I've gotten this far without it." He took another sip from his glass. "I'm happy with my life as it is."
"But..." She swallowed before turning to face him, her expression as serious as a pink pony's could be. "Magnate, I've been a matchmaker for years now. I've seen the magic of love. It's... It's such a wonderful thing that every pony deserves!" She tapped her hooves together almost bashfully as a blush somehow managed to show against her already pink cheeks.
"Love is a kind of warmth that never fades," she mumbled. "Having somepony to come home to. Having somepony there to enjoy the simple moments with. Love is..." Her gaze didn't meet his. "wonderful, never having to be alone again."
Although he did listen to every word, he couldn't help but roll his eyes and snort after her monologue. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I have no interest in any of that. You can stop wasting your and my sister's time now."
"No!" She put both hooves on his shoulders. "Magny, I know you don't believe in love, but I can feel it. There is a very special somepony waiting for you right now. I know you're a nice pony, because you put up with me tonight, and you're looking me in the eyes, and your eyes are really pretty."
"I— What?" His mouth wiggled as he tried not to grin. "Are you drunk from a fruity little drink?"
Lovey squinted. "Strawberries can't make you drunk."
He lost the battle and finally grinned. "No, but alcohol can."
"You put alcohol in my drink?" She gasped and leaned back, wobbling slightly. "You're not a nice pony at all!"
A short laugh escaped him. "You're the one that brought us to a bar, Lovey!" He shook his head. "I think you've had enough fun for tonight. Let's get you home."
She pursed her lips. "But I can't go back to Ponyville until you fall in love!"
"Not that home, I meant... Where are you staying here in Manehattan?"
"Oh, your sister is super nice! She's letting me stay at the manor." She tilted her head to one side. "You should stay at the manor. It's big enough for you and your special somepony!" She paused, then asked, "Why don't you stay at the manor?"
Magnate slid off his bar stool and gestured for her to do the same. "I refuse to take you there. We'll find you a nice hotel to stay at instead."
"Okay!" She slid off her stool and right down to the floor. She blinked when she found herself eye-level with his hooves. "Nope!"
"What do you mean, 'nope'?" He frowned down at her. "Get up."
Lovey wiggled all of her legs helplessly, resembling an octopus out of water. "Can't."
"What do—oh." He sighed. "Are you serious?" His horn lit up and lifted her off the ground. He braced himself as he lowered her onto his back, then blinked when he hardly felt her added weight at all. For how surprisingly strong she had been dragging him to this loud, dim, and crowded bar, she was just as surprisingly light.
"Oh, Magny, I'm fine." She wiggled her legs, then gave up the struggle and slumped. "I'm not fine."
He couldn't just dump her at a hotel like this. He did have a couch... With a sigh, he started toward the door. "All right, I'll do it."
"Hmm?" She shifted to sit more comfortably on his back and buried her face against his short mane. "Do what?"
"I'll take you to my place."
Lovey was silent for a moment, then asked quietly, "You put alcohol in my drink so you could take me to your place?"
Magnate rolled his eyes. "I can assure you that I have no malicious intentions. And, again, the bartender put alcohol in your drink, at the bar you took us to."
He walked down the sidewalk and around the corner. Thankfully, it wasn't a very long distance back to his apartment, though getting her up the stairs without her sliding off his back was a carefully orchestrated climb. Once inside his apartment, he gently set the plastered mare on the couch, then went into his bedroom to retrieve a pillow and a spare blanket.
"Magny?" Lovey called.
Magnate sighed, trying to decide between two pillows. She seemed like the type that preferred softer pillows to firm ones. "What?"
Her voice was softer, almost muffled. "I'm scared."
His brow furrowed. "What?" he repeated, this time less absently, and returned to the main living area. Lovey was sprawled out, one wing draped over the edge of the couch. "Why?"
Lovey's face was buried against her foreleg where he couldn't see it. "What if I can't find your special somepony? What if you and I are alone forever?"
"I..." Magnate's thoughts reeled as he tried to process both questions. He set the pillow and blanket on the coffee table, then sat in the unoccupied space beside her. "What?" was all he could finally come up with to say. He cursed himself under his breath.
Her shoulders were trembling as she mumbled, "I've never been in love. That's why it's so important to me to help other ponies find it, because I know how terrible it feels to be lonely."
Magnate rubbed his temples with both hooves. He knew this situation called for tact, but he didn't have much experience with mares at all. "Can't you just... do that thing that you do? Find your 'love line' or whatever?"
She shook her head. "I've tried, but it doesn't work. I don't know if I just can't see my own love line or if... if... if I don't have one!" She raised up to look at him, her eyes shimmering with tears. "I don't want you to be alone, Magny! You can't just go to the stock market and do a business for the rest of your life!"
"I'm not... what?" His hooves lowered and he stared at her incredulously. "That's not how it works." He shouldn't have considering she was nearly crying, but he laughed. "That's not how it works at all!"
Lovey sniffed. "Huh? It isn't? But you're a business pony! Business ponies do business!"
He tried to smother his laughter against the crook of his foreleg. "You're so... so stupid!" He laughed harder.
Her wings ruffled and she stuck out her tongue at him. "Don't call me stupid!" She grabbed the blanket, threw it around herself, and curled up into a little ball. "If you're just going to laugh at me, then I'm not going to talk to you anymore!"
Magnate sat there for a moment longer until his laughter subsided and he was able to think more clearly. He reached out to place a hoof on what he guessed was her head. He hoped it was her head, anyway; it would be weird to be actually massaging her elbow. The movement of ears twitching underneath the blanket confirmed his hope.
"I'm fine being alone. I have no interest in following my sister's or my parents' wishes. I won't live in the lap of our family's wealth, and I won’t become complacent like my sister, who's never achieved anything on her own merit." He stood up off the couch. "I'm making a life for myself. I intend to live for me, not some old stallion whose name I share." His magic flicked the switch and the lights turned off, leaving the room in pale, moonlit darkness. "Good night, Lovey."