Chapter three: Café Berry
I walked beside Berry, who seemed to be in quite a rush. With every second that passed by, she accelerated, even though she assured me that the café wasn’t far. We just had to follow the road down from her house and then to the right after the town square. The walk didn’t take more than five minutes.
“There it is. Oh, thank Celestia, there’s no customers waiting for us. I hate being late!” Berry exclaimed and breathed heavily as she leaned against one of the tables that stood outside the café.
It was quite lovely, the outside was mostly the same design as her house, including the plum blinds, only that here there was some green added. The café already looked nice and cozy from the outside. Berry rustled around in the bag that hung around her shoulders until she reappeared, a bunch of keys in her muzzle. She tried to open the door several times, but failed as the keys fell to the ground.
“I'm sorry, I guess I'm just so nervous about what you’ll think and how the day turns out and... argh sorry!” she muttered, still breathing hard.
With a reassuring smile, I unfolded my right wing and grabbed the key from the ground, opening the door with ease. Berry looked wide-eyed before laughing.
“You know... those wings of yours might come in handy from time to time.”
“Well, I'm glad to have them,” I replied, joining in her laugh.
Berry trotted inside first and I followed her. The café wasn't too big, just half a dozen tables with double as many chairs around it. It seemed like most of her customers would sit outside, which was no wonder considering the beautiful weather during the day.
“So... what do you think?” she asked as we settled inside.
I took another look at the old-fashioned, cozy design, “I love it, Berry. It reminds me a lot of you, if you compare it to your house.”
Happy with the answer, she hopped behind the counter and looked around, “We have to prepare coffee, tea and cakes. I will prepare the cakes, you can take care of the coffee and tea, okay? You know how it works?”
I nodded and she smiled before walking through a door behind the counter. It wasn't really a problem, I still knew how to brew tea and coffee from my time at home, despite the fact that it was a long time ago. As I turned to the coffee machine and grabbed the filter with my wing, something came in my mind.
I could use my magic so it would be faster. It would also help Berry some more. No... bad idea. If somepony caught me, a pegasus using magic, there would be no end to the questions.
With a sigh, I prepared the coffee machine and went to the teapot, filling the small boiler with water before putting it onto the small cooking place. It would take a while without magic, but using it would put Berry and I in potential danger.
I wish I could tell her everything, but at the same time I know that she wouldn’t understand. She’d throw me out.
I blinked and concentrated on my work. Thinking about such things was quite unusual for me, I was always the shy and hidden mare that was never that good with words.
What is this mare doing to me? If somepony would’ve told me a few days ago that I would want to tell a mare who I am, I would have just laughed and killed him. Thank Luna those times are over.
Shuddering, I noticed the boiler whistling and took it from the plate, preparing some mint and apple tea in big pots. I hoped Berry would be happy with my work and would consider letting me work full time at her place.
Why is this important now? Only a couple of hours ago, my plan was to get stronger and then flee.
I was more than a little confused about my own thoughts, but maybe this was normal. I had a new friend, and somehow a new life. Well, at least it was the start of a new life. Everything was new to me, I had been in the swarm long enough to have missed a lot. The recollection of our fights in the swarm made me shudder. The Queen had made me her breed partner, and I was happy that I never had to use that privilege. I was still unsure how that breeding stuff would have worked between two mares.
Stop thinking about it! It's over! The swarm is dead, and so is the Queen. Or at least she's gone!
A soft touch on my shoulder made me jump. Looking behind me, I saw Berry carrying two cakes.
“Mind giving me a hoof or wing here, Aurora?” she asked, muffled behind a muzzle full of spoons.
“Of course! Sorry, I was lost in thought,” I replied before grabbing the spoons and one cake from her, “Spoons? I haven’t seen any unicorns walking through here,”
“You wouldn’t believe what customers I’ve had. Pegasi, unicorns, griffins! Even the Princess was here years ago. Also, unicorns aren’t the only ones that use spoons or forks,” she said as she placed a soft looking strawberry cake onto the counter.
I looked at her wide-eyed, as if asking if it was true. She just nodded before preparing the last few bits. With a look at the coffee and tea I prepared, she smiled and patted my back with a hoof.
“Great work! Mint and apple tea? Excellent choice, if I might say so! You really do have a hoof for such things. I hope you will stay here and help me, I usually take a lot longer to prepare!” she said before she hugged me, nearly immediately breaking away with a blush, “Sorry, I should ask before doing that.”
Don't let her go...
I had no idea where that thought came from, but I unfolded my wings and turned her into a soft hug with them. Mother told me years ago that if a pegasus hugged another pony with her wings, it meant that the pegasus liked that pony a lot. At that moment, I didn't care about any meaning, I just enjoyed it.
After a while, I broke away with a soft blush on my cheeks, “I'm sorry. It's just that... it's some time since anypony hugged me... since anypony cared about or liked me.”
I had tears in my eyes as I noticed that Berry hugged me again. Somehow, I felt safe. It was something I hadn't felt in some time. As we broke apart, I gave her a thankful smile and she blushed.
A true, true friend.
A bell rang and we looked towards the door, startled as a yellow earth pony with a green mane walked through. She walked straight to the counter, smiling awkwardly.
“Hello and welcome to Café Berry. What can I bring you?” Berry asked eagerly and smiled brightly.
“Uhm... Howdy... Just wanna see if this is a nice place for me and some... company to hang out, ya know? I would like to try your apple tea, and some strawberry cake if ya don't mind,” the yellow mare said, rubbing her forehoof sheepishly.
She is pretty nervous...
“Of course, right away. Please, take a seat!.” Berry seemingly didn’t notice the behaviour, or just tried to ignore it.
She nudged my side softly and pointed towards the pot with tea while she cut a slice of cake, the mare sitting down as she waited. I filled a big cup with some of the tea and was about to serve it as something came to my mind, something my mother told me a long time ago.
Before you serve somepony coffee or tea, always ask if they want something in it like sugar or milk.
With a smile, I turned towards the yellow mare, “Would you like some sugar in your tea?”
The mare shook her head in response before I served the tea pure while Berry placed the slice of cake on her table. As we were returning to the counter, the yellow mare took a small letter out of her saddlebags and laid it next to her plate with the cake. As she read it, I felt something familiar and knew that I was in trouble.
Hunger.
While she was reading the letter, the mare was spreading copious amounts of love around herself. My mind teased me with the hunger, dangling it in front of me as my stomach growled. I knew it wasn’t my stomach that was starving, but it added insult to injury nonetheless.
“Berry, where's the restroom?” I asked before the mare pointed to the door behind the counter.
“Through there and then the second door on the right, you can't miss it,” She replied before turning her attention to some novel she seemed to be reading.
I rushed through the door and into the restroom, locking it behind me. Even here I could still feel the love, and it invited me with it's sweet taste, promising to take care of my hunger.
You know that you can't refuse much longer. I warned you.
Oh no, not that again.
Look, nopony said that you have to feed from Berry or drain a single pony. You could take just a little bit from that mare outside and then continue another time. You will feel better, trust me.
I'm different!
Of course, keep telling yourself that. We both know that you will die or snap sooner or later without any love to feed on. I'm presenting you a small solution, and you should be happy about it.
Somepony could notice.
You could die.
Only a bit?
Just a small bite!
You know it doesn’t work like that.
It's just a saying!
So I don't have to take much, just a bit from time to time?
Exactly. Just enough to keep you full of energy. Nopony will notice.
I couldn't deny it anymore, even if I was fighting myself in this argument. I hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened myself to the emotion and sucked it in, not too fast and not too slow. I let the emotion wash through my soul and satisfy my hunger until I had enough to keep myself sated. As I slowly closed the connection, I indeed felt much better.
You were right.
Of course I was right. I’m you.
I sighed and shook my head, splashing some water from the sink onto my face. After drying it, I stepped back into the room and behind the counter, joining Berry. I took a look at the yellow mare to make sure that she was okay for a few moments before I turned my attention to the novel Berry read.
“What are you reading?” I asked, trying to peep a bit into the book.
She blushed and closed it, “Nothing... why?”
“Just curious,” I said with a wink, which seemed to make her blush even more.
She moved her hooves so I could take a look at the cover. It was the novel from Sinestry, a story of two mares in the old times when same-sex relationships were forbidden. You were arrested and thrown into jail at that time for it. It explains how they survived with their relationship until Princess Celestia made same-sex relationships and marriage between them legal.
“I know this book, I've read it as a teenager. It always fascinated me,” I said with a smile.
Berry looked surprised, “So you're not against such things?” she asked and I shook my head, “I'm glad, I already thought you would judge me because of my former marefriend.”
“I would never do that. As long as you love each other, it doesn't matter what gender or race you belong to.”
“Aww, that's sweet. You ever had a relationship? Are you into mares or stallions? Or into both? Would you--” Berry started to ask question after question and only stopped as I began to laugh.
“One question at a time, Berry. To the first; no, I never had the privilege for such a thing. Two, I don't know, but I guess more into mares. Three, I don't know, but maybe more like my second answer,” I looked at her, still snickering a bit, “Anything else?”
“No...” she mumbled and blushed furiously.
“Hey, don't worry. I'm used to a lot of questions,” I reassured with a shudder.
She raised an eyebrow questioningly and I just shrugged, “Maybe another time, Berry.”
Berry nodded and went back to her novel until another pony stepped in, this time a young, brown stallion with a star on his chest.
“Good day, Sheriff! How may I help you today?” Berry smiled and the stallion nodded at her before focusing on me.
“Good day, Miss Berryshine. Just looking to see if everything is alright. Who is your friend here? I've never seen her in town before,” he spoke while eyeing me suspiciously.
Oh buck, that could be a problem.
“Don't worry, Sheriff, that's an old friend of mine. She's visiting me for some time,” Berry quickly said before giving me a small wink.
“Oh... Well, she surely reminds me of Snowbreeze. Except the mane, of course,” he replied, causing Berry to look down at the ground with a small sigh.
I went to her and she looked up, shaking her head while the Sheriff still eyed me.
“Well, if everything's alright, I'll be heading to my patrol again. Stay well, Miss Berryshine. And you too, Miss...?”
“Blue,” I quickly replied, “Aurora Blue.”
“That's a wonderful name, Miss Blue. Be sure to help Miss Berryshine here, she overdoes it from time to time in the attempt to run this place alone,” with a smirk he went to the door and left.
After the Sheriff left, we had a lot of costumers in the afternoon. The yellow mare left shortly after lunch, but promised to be back soon. It was quite refreshing to help Berryshine, and I was doing something that distracted me from the past. Besides, I liked the work.
If she asks me to stay, I will be happy to do so.
“Aurora, come over here, please,” Berry motioned for me and I eagerly approached her as she covered something with a small plate.
The day had been quite busy after all, and we had nearly ran out of cake, tea and coffee for the day. I looked at Berry with a smile as she raised the plate and revealed a soft, red and white coloured piece of cake.
“This is my homemade cake. The Berry Special. Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. I thought you might want to try a piece before it's out. This here is for you,” she exclaimed as she raised a small fork for me.
I looked at the small piece of cake, eying every shape. It was made out of different layers, each one seemingly containing a different berry. It looked absolutely delicious. Unfolding one wing, I grabbed the fork and took a chunk of the cake to my muzzle, trying to savor the taste.
“Oh.. my... This is absolutely delicious, Berry!” I gasped after gulping down the bite.
Berry clapped her hooves together in excitement and squealed, hopping around a bit.
This is cute...
After a while, she recognized what she was doing and blushed furiously, “Sorry, but this means a lot to me!” she murmured before giving me a quick hug.
I glanced towards the clock and she followed my gaze, “Oh! It's time to close the café, Aurora. Would you be so kind and take this to clean the tables? If you could also mop the floor when you’re done, that would be great!” she hooved me a small, wet towel.
With a smile and a nod, I went to work cleaning tables, chairs and the floor until everything was clean. In the mean time, Berry was taking care of the mess on the counter and was busy cleaning the dishes that had been made during the day.We both did our respective jobs relatively quickly, and as soon as we were done we shut off the lights and left the building. I closed the door and locked it before sliding the key into Berry’s saddlebags.
“What a day,” She sighed and smiled at me, “Thank you for your help!”
“Yeah. And no problem,” I just replied.
We walked in silence for a few moments, her house coming closer and closer until I got the topic in my mind again.
I want to stay.
“Berry?” I started and she looked at me.
“Yes?”
“I would like to stay. Help you whenever you need me,” it was barely a whisper, but the crushing hug the earth pony drew me into was evidence enough that she had heard me.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, Aurora! I hoped you would say that!” she squealed.
“Berry... breath.. c-can't breath!” I coughed and she let go, looking at me sheepishly.
“I guess that means we are officially roommates now!” she said and her smile returned.
“Yes, Berry, roommates. And friends!” I replied and she jumped a bit into the air.
I didn't know if it was the right thing to do. At the moment, it just felt right, and that was enough for me to at least try it and see what might come out of it.
Another unknown step, but this time I'm not afraid. No, I'm looking forward it!