//------------------------------// // A lesson in love. // Story: Love's many directions // by Lunasservant1985 //------------------------------// Looking down into the streets of Canterlot, everything looked a lot...better. I mean; you had the lovely sun shining down on everything casting a halogen like glow on the white cobblestone streets and sides of buildings, the morning breeze crisp and cool as it made the flag of the regal sisters flutter in the wind, I saw ponies leaving their homes ready to face the day and open up their shops, even the people leaving their apartments for work and crossing the bar (like the ones you go through to get into a parking garage/lot) that separated their district by guards constantly watching the other sides seemed perkier, the Pegasus guards even offering up warm smiles and hearty good mornings as the residents walked out to their side of the city. I got the hoof stitched grey and pinstriped suit out of the bag and slid into it; I tucked a pair of aviator's into the breast pocket, made sure my shoes (thanking Celestia while wondering if I should have been that I only needed two) where air-freshened out and shined of course, and made my outside to the train station. The stand owners opened the umbrellas to their stands selling fruit and nick-knacks; hooves waving , warmly smiles on their faces, I returned those smiles to each and every one of them. I didn't look at the equine inhabitants with resentment and they were just as warm and welcoming to me as well. "Good morning sir, fresh hot coffee to start your day, and the Equestrian Daily?" A bright orange stallion with a jelly purple mane and a mark of a steaming mug and a poppy seed bagel; who was running a cart loaded with an assortment of breakfast foods, and a large red metal device that even with all the hot water and steam dripping from the pipes connected to the main part that looked like an old torpedo shell, I hoped was a steam powered coffee machine. "Just a coffee would be nice, decaf. light and sweet if you please...and a good morning to you too my good stallion. " He twisted a few Valves and some PSI gauges went to the MAX then down again as steam hissed from the pipes and a cloud of it was vented from the machine. Making me wonder how the papers of his stayed crisp and dry and the fruit didn't go rotten quickly from all the humid steam. As he filled a paper cup with cream and sugar and placed it under an orange handled tap and filled it up nice and steaming for me. "There you are sir; just as you ordered it." He said as his Wacky brewer gave one final blast of vented steam to the ground. "Thank you, but isn't that a bit a much for a coffee machine you got there Mr.?" I asked noticing just how the thing was almost like something out of a Dr. Seuss book, but than again; almost everything in this world was. "It's the design that makes the brew all the more tasty to the last drop Mr." He replied giving me a look that suggested I questioned the quality of his life's work, which I noticed. "Oh I meant nothing by it sir, it's just; you see I'm not all that familiar with the way the design in the machines and gadgetry of this place, I think it's actually pretty nifty the way you got it all set up with all those pipes and gauges and all the other things it does. I mean most of the machines in my world that make coffee....well they pale in comparison to yours." I said in my best apologetic way if I had insulted his shop. He almost seemed to be sizing me up as he looked at me; almost as if he was "evaluating" my words. "Why thanks Mac, I don't compliments like that too often. Here have another donut on the house." He said handing a chocolate frosted with sprinkles wrapped in plastic too me. "I...I don't know what to say except...thanks." "Anytime." he said with an ear to flopping ear smile. The Walnut tree cafe was just a short walk away from the train station. True to its name; the cafe was built from a hollowed out walnut tree that in its prime must have yielded a haul of the nuts, as the tree was several times thicker and bigger than any walnut tree from home, the trunk stretched as high as the adjoining houses but the branches were long since dead and lifeless. As I made my way to the tree; I stopped and looked at the bark. It had a solid; glossy shine to it and felt as smooth as glass, the whole tree was petrified; a fossilized tree. I opened the door and stepped past the threshold; the place was quaint and simple, but I think that's what gave its charm as I went in. Wicker lattice tables and chairs had all been set up and where seating a mostly equine clientele; the floor and walls like the bark of the tree, gave off a very shiny look with a mirrored gloss, ponies sat comfortably at their tables, among the faces on the first level, I couldn't find Octavia. I made my way across the room looking from table to table, at first I felt a sudden fear that She wasn't here; had she changed her mind?had this all been a ruse from the get go? "Ow!" I cried out a bit as I bumped my head into the winding gold bar of a spiral staircase. It was in the very center of the room to save space, given how the cafe was built in a circular structure. rubbing the pain out I heard a soft giggle come from up above. "It's about time you got here, I was begging to think you canceled our luncheon together." The grey and black mane minx called down to me me with a hoof over her mouth in a fruitless attempt to hide that adorable giggle she let out. "Come on up luv, the food here is just divine." ''Not as divine as you''. I said inside my head and went around the winding stairs up to the second level of the cafe; it was noticeably less crowded than the first. Octavia sat at her table just next to the stairs; a mug of earl grey tea and a plate of shortbread cookies, just how she liked them right there on the wicker surface, her friend Vinyl right next to her; and very close to her. "Hey girls," I said casually taking my seat and helping myself to a cookie; as I did however A mare with a poofy purple and pink mane and a cream coat trotted up to the table a cordless handset (or hoof set if you prefer) cleared her throat and placed it on the table next to me. "Excuse me? But I have a call for a Mr. Harris, first name Jack; the caller said he's human and given your the only one who walked in here today I presume that's you." she said handing me the phone. "Yes, that's me, thank you miss." I thanked her and answered the call; just work confirming my day off. "Yeah, uh huh, That's right sir off today, yes we agreed on it, Ok sir, I'll see you monday, thank you goodbye." I hung the phone up and the mare who brought it, took it away. "Sorry bout that girls, These things always seem to happen at the strangest times." I said taking my coat off and resting it on the back of my chair. "Eh I've seen worse." Vynil said with a casual flick of her hoof. We all sat back and mostly chatted casually; sipping drinks and chewing on the treats the girls saw fit to order for the occasion. I finally cleared my throat and a almost reluctantly, asked. "What do you two think of me?" the question passed through my lips as I felt inside my backpack for those tickets. Both of them turned their heads to each other in a bit of confusion before letting out hearty laughs, my face turned bright red as I got ready to only hand them two tickets. Vinyl was the first to break the silence. "Well, I think your cool, have a great personality, even if it's a bit...strange at times, like yesterday in the park, but I think you're overall a cool guy, better than most guys...well human ones anyway." She said with an ear to ear smile. "What do you mean most human guys Vinyl?" I asked nervously looking into my cup even though it was empty. "Well Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to make any harsh generalizations or nothing. It's just; most guys I've know mostly the one's that hang around my performances, they only do so because they...well think just because my life's calling is DJing and because I'm a pony i guess that makes me..." she pauses trying to get it out. "Easy?" I finish for her hoping with everything I have, she won't take offense to the notion. "More or less yeah; they pissed me off so much,always thinking I was an easy mare to snag" she huffed a lock of her mane softly and folded her hooves across her chest. "You, I'm glad you're different dude, you're actually cool because you are who you are, not what you think you need to be to be cool. That, and the fact that you're like the first human guy I've known to actually treat me and Octi with some decency for once." "Did...did you always have a disinterest in guys?...not just human ones I mean" I said this with almost a sense of regret in doing so; after all, who in their right state of mind would ever ask such a thing only a second meeting. "Who said I was uninterested in guys Jack?" She replied lifting an eyebrow at a mix of puzzlement and curiosity. "I don't mind guys so long as they mind themselves and not make presumptions about the sorta mare I am, and from what I've seen not a lot of human guy's mind themselves around me." I couldn't beat around the bush anymore but i had to put it as delicately as possible. "Vinyl? please don't take what I'm about to ask the wrong way, and don't think I was BEING presumptuous." I solemnly rested my hands on the table and took a deep breath. "It's about me and vinyl isn't it Jack?" Octavia asked taking a nonchalant sip from her tea, "you're curious about if we're "an item" aren't you?" "Please, I don't mean for it to be like this; Octavia, I've liked you, really liked you since that night I saw your performance and heard your singing, I've wanted to know you for who you are ever since, beyond just a voice with a skill for dulcet tones." "Well I'd be lying if I said I'm not a bit flattered at your approach Jack," She said with an adorable blush and cute giggle. "I saw you and vinyl and you both looked pretty close to each other, and please don't be mad at me for thinking you too are like that and it turns out you're not.' "And if we are like?" Vinyl asked with a soft chuckle, clearly getting some kinda enjoyment out of my awkwardness. "I won't think of either of you in any different way, but I'll be honest with you both in saying I wouldn't be a bit...disheartened at it." The girls both let out hearty laughs and gave their sides a soft slap with their hooves; before both mares slid close to their sides and rubbed their cheeks together, soft cute little sounds emitted from their muzzles, and they each softly kissed each other with soft pecks on the lips, soft but enough to give me my answer. Then just as I was about to hand them both two of the boardwalk amusement tickets; Octavia placed her hoof in my hand and looked at me with her soft set of amethyst eyes. "Your something, you know that Jack?" she asked me giving my hand something of a grip. "I think I like you too, and I admire how you were honest with both yourself and us; so if you must know, I love Vinyl, she's been a good friend to me ever since I was a filly, and she really loves me, but you see me and her, we..." "Have an open relationship," her no questions about it anymore "marefriend" said finishing for her. "Octi and I have felt that just because there was this...spark between us, its something special nopony else can really come close to feeling, but at the same time, We agreed that what we have is a new way of thinking, like you don't just pick that one special someone and stay with them for your whole life, know what I mean Jackie boy?" she said giving me a sly little amused smile. "I kinda don't to be honest." I said with a tilted head and look of my own puzzlement. Another set of hearty laughs and giggles from the mares. Vinyl got her laughter under control and continued."It means that if you're cool with us and you more than are in my book," "and mine as well," Octavia finished for her. "Then I think maybe there's something of chance that somewhere down the line...we could...go places in our relationship." The White DJ said now with a playful hint of deviousness in her voice but only momentarily. Before she let out a happy sigh into her marefriend's ear. "Well...I don't know what to say to be honest girls." I said rubbing the back of my head and chuckling nervously. I never heard of your way of thinking and putting it that way; but I think I like it. I said blushing trying not to look like a fool. "Now come here and join us in a group hug cutie." Octavia said with a soft giggle. "Yeah, I always wondered what that skin of yours would feel like sandwiched in pony fur." Vinyl added with a chuckle. They didn't have to tell me twice, I cuddled between the soft coats of the two ponies and blushed red as an apple, they let out soft cute little sighs and the world of the cafe just died away under the warmth of the mares as they held me close in their hug. I was so elated in the borderline softcore cuddling that the tickets sat in my backpack on the floor; ''I'll tell them once the novelty wears off.'' I said happily inside my head.