//------------------------------// // Part Three: Please Come Again, Dear! // Story: End of Days, End of Nights // by The REAL Mister Pkmn //------------------------------// Janice was glad she’d gotten out of there when she did. That was far too confining to her liking. She’d never liked it when arguments broke out, she was of the opinion that most, if not everything could be discussed in a crisp, clear-cut, civil manner. Of course, that wasn’t to say she’d never been in an argument; she just tried to stay out of them as often as equinely possible. Janice pulled herself out of those thoughts, reminding herself that she had someplace to be. She’d asked a few ponies around town where she could find Concerta, and most of them concurred that she’d be in the park practicing at this hour. Following her map, Janice soon found herself in the park, and what she saw amazed her. A topaz Crystal Pony mare was playing a cheery tune on a violin. She had amethyst and sapphire mane and tail that were spiked into several points. Her cutie mark was of both musical clefs intertwined as one. Janice was stunned. Very few Crystal Ponies escaped the ill fate of the Crystal Empire 1000 years back, so to see one in person was a rare treat, even with their population on the rise. The crystal mare stopped playing and opened her eyes, which blazed like rubies. She looked at Janice. “May I help you?” Her voice somewhat chimed in the wind. Janice blinked, and got a hold of herself. “*ahem* Yes. Would you happen to be Concerta Whimsey?” The crystal mare’s face lit up at that. “Ah, yes I am. And you’d be Janice Dazzle then?” Janice nodded. “Yes. I’m here to talk about your compensation for your contribution to the Extravaganza. It’s been approved!” “How much?” Concerta set down her violin and sat down. “400 bits, exactly.” Concerta blinked at this, and mouthed the number. Crystal Ponies weren’t often paid very well due to some lingering prejudices, even though such things were on a decline. “That’s… quite a lot of money…” “I know. You’re very lucky that the Princesses were overseeing the amounts given in compensation. They told me as such a few days back.” “Huh? Why would they tell you? You a noble or something?” Janice winced as if hurt. Nobles tended to have a very bad rep amongst common ponies, unless their name was Fancy Pants, Night Light, or the infamous Rubeus Obsidian Diamond who perished a few years back. “Let’s go with ‘or something.’ Most ‘nobles’ I know don’t deserve to be called that.” Concerta laughed good-naturedly. “Ah, good answer, mijn vriend. Stick it to those louts!” Janice blinked. She knew some other languages, but only bits and pieces. “We’re friends?” Concerta grinned. “Waarom niet? I say again, ‘why not?’ ‘Tis better to be among friends than alone, I say.” Janice smiled slightly. “I guess that makes sense. Sure, why not? I hope to keep in contact with you in the future.” The two shook hooves, and Janice left. Janice felt alive. It’d been awhile since she’d called anyone her friend. Last time, she’d let said friend fade into obscurity, and that was years back. Maestro, Aurora, Story, and Chessmaster didn’t really count; after all, even though they were family, she hardly knew them. And yet I just met Concerta, and I’m already friends with her. Why is that? Janice had no clue about that. Why could she connect so easily with Concerta and not her own family? And to be honest, she felt she might be willing to consider Zecora a friend, even though they hadn’t talked much. Janice decided to quell her growing confusion, and instead head to her next objective, Carousel Boutique. It didn’t take that long; she had traveled half way there while lost in thought. When she saw it, she was shocked. How many shades of purple does one pony need?! She caged those thoughts, and went inside. The inside was just as purple as the outside, if not somehow more so. She heard a bell chime as she entered and the door closed behind her. She then heard somepony say: “Rarity, I think our guest has arrived.” The voice was female, and was quite gentle, but firm. Another voice responded. “Ah! The time certainly got away from me. Thank you for that, Ms. Flora.” The voice was also female, and seemed almost silken in nature. Janice then heard two distinct sets of hoofsteps descend the stairs. One was light and graceful, the other was firm but careful. Then, two mares came into the main room. One was alabaster white with blue eyes and expertly styled purple mane and tail, and had a trio of diamonds as a cutie mark. The air about her screamed lady, so Janice pegged that one as Rarity. The other was pale yellow with green eyes, dual toned red mane and tail, and had a red rose as a cutie mark. The air about her was set at a calming level, making Janice peg her as a florist, and Roseluck. The one Janice pegged as Rarity spoke with the silken voice Janice heard before. “Oh! you must be Janice Dazzle! I’m Rarity Belle, it’s a pleasure to meet you, darling.” NAILED IT! Janice screamed in her mind. “Yes, I am.” She then looked towards the one she’d pegged as Roseluck. “And you must be Roseluck Flora, correct?” “Yes.” she proclaimed in the firm gentle voice. “So, how much has been approved to cover our expenses?” “Straight to the point. Alright, the amount approved was 500 bits.” Roseluck’s eyes widened, while Rarity barely blinked. “Only 500?” came Rarity’s reply. “Are you insane? That’s plenty!” Roseluck interjected. “I don’t know about you Rarity, but I hardly see that much money by the end of each month working with my sisters Daisy and Lily.” Janice decided to leave right then, not wanting to see a heated argument between those two. Rarity’s voice echoed out to Janice as she exited. “Please come again, dear!”