Awhile had passed since Twilight started her job with Rarity’s kitchen and now it was finally nearly completely restored. Soul and Rarity have been preparing the Boutique and managed to settle everything so Rarity could open her boutique again which she had already done. She has even had a few customers already.
Soul walked down the stairs as he carried a box full of manesprays with Twilight walking with him.
“A translation error?” he said and scratched his head.
Twilight nodded with a bright smile. She tilted her head up and explained with closed eyes, “Translation error. Originally the cutie marks were called destiny marks, talent mark or symbols of destiny, but when they were translated to our language, well it became ‘cutie marks’.”
Soul stretched his neck and made sure he wouldn’t misstep the last step. “Somepony sure wasn’t a perfectionist,” he said and shook his head with a grin. “Though it would be weird to suddenly start calling them talent marks. It’s a name we’ve been born and raised with after all.”
Twilight nodded and placed a hoof on her cheek looking up. “Yes, it’s just an interesting fact. The more you know.”
As they entered the boutique through the hallway, Rarity was interacting with a customer. They made their way over to her quietly, keeping quiet and professional.
Soul pulled out a can of manespray his magic, presenting it to the unicorn. “Here’s the spray you asked for.”
Rarity turned her attention toward Soul. “Oh, wonderful! Thank you very much darling,” she said with a smile and took the bottle and gave it to the customer, swiping her mane. “Here we go miss, this is the spray that I’ll throw in free of charge with the order. It will make your mane perfectly styled for a fabulous look.“
The customer’s eyes grew and she gasped putting her hoof over her mouth. She wiggled as she took the can looking over the design. “Yes, finally I get to try this! I can’t believe you already have this even if the best stylist store in Ponyville still doesn’t. How is that possible?”
Rarity raised her snout and swiped her mane. “I have my ways.” She batted her eyelashes and flipped a hoof out facing downwards. “It was a pleasure to meet you and take your order. I will make you a dress so beautiful it will simply leave you dazzled! Have a wonderful day now.”
As the mare gave a pleasant response and exited the boutique, Rarity gave a pleased nod with a smile and wave, then she walked over to Soul. “And that’s how interacting with customers works here.”
Soul tapped his head. “Note planted.”
Rarity nodded, moving her order book to a nearby desk. “Good, you’ll be assisting me out here soon enough. Thank you again for bringing the box, Soul.” She stopped beside the stallion and pointed at a shelf next to one of the mirrors. “Could you be so kind and go set them nicely on that shelf?”
Soul looked at the shelf and then nodded, moving towards the shelf. “You got it, Rarity.”
Rarity smiled and bent her hoof at the stallion. “Merci,” she said and turned her attention to Twilight, she pulled a tissue from the table and dabbed at her forehead. “Whew, Twilight darling I can’t thank you enough for doing all this, and just in the nick of time!”
“No problem, nopony could ever even guess that this kitchen had ever been burned,” Twilight said with an upbeat, unwavering tone. “It was also great practice to read up on that restoration spell again and put it in action.”
Rarity listened as her eyes browsed her shop and she moved mannequins slightly and made minor adjustments, fluffing bows and pulling curtains back further with her magic. “You could say that again. I’m most definitely going to make some nice cups of tea for us.” Placing the last mannequin in it’s proper place she turned to face Twilight and called over her shoulder. ”Soul! Would you care for some tea.”
Soul had just placed the last can of manespray on the shelf and had his I.M. book open beside him. “Sure. Maybe making it four would be good.” Soul waved his I.M. book before sliding it back into his saddlebag as he walked towards the mares who were moving to the kitchen. “Noble just messaged me he’s on his way here.”
“Sure! Any luck with the job search?” Rarity asked as she grabbed a tea pot and took it to stove.
The stallion walked into the kitchen with the empty box in tow and gave Rarity a shrug. “Didn’t mention anything.”
Twilight turned around and walked towards Soul. “Excuse me. Noble is this friend of yours, right?”
Soul nodded. “The poet, yes.”
Opal who had decided to come inside again had just finished drinking some water. After giving Rarity a glare she was about to leave the kitchen when she saw the box hovering over Soul’s back. She leapt for it, missing her mark and landing on Soul’s back.
Soul jumped a little from the sudden jump but turned to see Opal and blinked. Though his face almost immediately eased and he gave the cat a warm smile. “Well hey there little one.”
Opals fur immediately rose. She looked over at the stallion she sat on with a glare. She raised a paw and drew out three razor like claws with a metallic sound leading to her scratching his face repeatedly as she hissed and snarled even if she hit only couple times while Soul let out a mild yell. After that the cat jumped into the box that Soul dropped.
Rartiy’s hooves pressed against her cheeks and she gasped loudly and ran over to the box, looking back at Soul. “Opal! My goodness, Soul are you alright?” She leaned in over the box looking in with a slight glare. “Opal, it’s not ladylike to attack others. Would you be a dear and not to do that again? Soul is our guest after all. Won’t you behave? For mommy?”
The cat simply gave her owner a glare then closed her eyes and with a flick of it’s tail fell back down into the box to slumber.
The stallion dabbed his hooves against the cuts on his face wincing as he did. “Those were the sharpest claws that have ever sunk into my face.”
Rarity walked over and wet a clean washcloth as Twilight silently stepped out of the way grimacing. “I’m so so sorry Soul, Opal isn’t usually a hostile cat. The trauma from this is still fresh, I’m sure it makes her nervous.” Rarity rang out the washcloth a bit and gave it to the stallion. She squinted her eyes at the cut. “Oh that looks really nasty, I’ll get disinfectant.”
He waved his hoof smiling with closed eyes. “No worries, this isn’t the first time a cat has shed my blood. It’s just a small cut, no need for any more disinfectants.”
“Nonsense, if bacteria gets into that it could become very unpleasant and you’ll be sorry you didn’t treat it right away, and that will be frightful.” She waved the warm wet rag up and down in front of the stallion giving him a stern look. “Looking good never hurts, right?”
“Can’t think of any reasons why it would.” Soul took and folded the washcloth in his hoof and dabbed at the wounds gently giving a small grunt at the initial contact.
Rarity’s expression softened again as she gave a nod. “No worries darling, Opal will grow to like you in no time. After all, you share some similar... traits.”
With one eye open while he dabbed at a cut on his right cheek his eyebrows arched. “What do you mean by that?”
Rarity opened a cabinet door and grabbed the disinfectant, walking back to Soul. “Well, you both dislike physical contact, that’s one subject to bond over,” she said with a giggle while she covered her mouth with her hoof.
Soul took the bottle and poured a few drops on the rag and continued to dab at his cut, and leaned back against the table. “Well, I’m a cat person so liking a cat isn’t hard for me. My cat back at Manehattan isn’t exactly the easiest case either. What he considers playing is grabbing and nibbling my hooves almost all the time.”
Rarity’s eyes widened and she brought her hoof up to her lips. “Aww, you have a cat too! What kind of cat, what is his name?”
“Filos.” Soul’s mouth corners crawled even higher and he leaned against the table. “A pure black one with tiny white spot under his neck.” He leaned back with his eyelids lowering and his muscles relaxing while he looked off into the abyss. “Always when I visit home, he crawls up to my neck and purrs like a little angel looking up to me with those adorable little green eyes which are telling me ‘Soul you are my best friend, I love you don’t go away anymore. I’m sorry I make you sneeze---’”
Rarity and Twilight sat in silence. Twilight had already sunk into reading a book but Rarity was staring at him trying to hold a giggle in her mouth.
Soul’s eyes blinked and he immediately flushed bright red and cleared his throat. His heart rammed against his chest like crazy. “I-I… I like cats that is.” He didn’t dare to even come close to making eye contact with the mare as shivers were running through his entire body. He quickly walked over to his saddleback and dug up his laptop extremely clumsily. “A-Anyway, anything else I need to do?”
“Rarity, I’m done!” Sweetie Belle’s voice called and soon the filly stood there in the kitchen doorway. “All the stuff is now in place.”
Rarity, who’s ears were down as Soul closed himself off perked up and greeted Sweetie Belle with a forced raise of her nose and still a professional sounding tone, though it was growing more pleasant. “Excellent dear, well done.”
“Wow Twilight! I almost can’t believe you managed to restore all this. It’s like I---” The filly’s head darted around the room as she walked into the kitchen just a tad. “Like I… never burned this… Soul!” She trailed off and lifted up a hoof at the stallion, walking over to him.
Soul dipped his head to the side raising an eyebrow and an ear again.
The filly placed a hoof against his side and leaned against him. “Everything good? Rarity isn’t getting on your nerves, is she?”
Rarity’s eyes narrowed at the filly.
Soul immediately took a big step away from the filly to make himself unreachable for her. Though a little distraction was just what was needed; inside he let out a humongous sigh of relief. “Yes sure, all good,” he said as he swiped the spot where Sweetie Belle touched him.
Rarity stepped forward with her head and eyebrows up. “Soul, still about that cat of yours---”
Soul crossed his hooves and opened one eye wide while glaring with the other focused on Rarity. “I’m not a crazy cat lady.”
“Excuse me? No, I was going to ask about---” Rarity was cut off by the boutiques door hitting the bell. She immediately snapped to attention and a big smile grew to her face, she had already started to walk towards the boutique. “Ooh, a customer! Come Soul, you should spend time at the boutiques side as much as possible and observe.”
Sweetie Belle, who had been sitting quietly to the side of the door cleared her throat. “Rarity! Can I go? I have a meeting with the crusaders and-”
“Go ahead, sweetie! There’s no reason for me to occupy you anymore now that the damage is undone,” Rarity replied as she walked by her.
The filly’s eyes lit up and she lept to her hooves hurrying through the door before Rarity. “Good, thank you! Bye Soul, it was great meeting you!”
“Like---” The stallion barely got a single word out. The door already slammed closed. Soul pulled his hoof back and blinked. “...wise.”
“I will watch the tea,” said Twilight as she walked over to the oven and sat down looking around the room hunkering down a little even if her eyes were glued to her book.
The unicorns left the kitchen though Rarity looked back at her alicorn friend and gave a nodding smile. She walked out of the hallway speaking loudly with a hoof above her head. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique! How may I help you mister---” As she recognized the glum tan stallion that entered she dropped her hoof and relaxed. “Oh, Noble!”
Hearing the familiar name Soul squeezed through the doorway so Noble was in sight. “Noble? Wow, that was quick.”
The earth pony’s tone was low, soft and somber. “Hey there Soul, Rarity. I managed to find this place after all.”
Rarity batted her eyes as she smiled and took a step forward to turn to the side. She extended a foreleg towards the hall. “I told you it wasn’t hard to find, now didn’t I? Welcome to my boutique, I had just started making tea.”
Soul stepped forward out of the doorway and raised an eyebrow looking at Noble. “Hmm…” He walked forward looking closer and saw the glum look on his friends face. “Noble…”
“Yes?” The stallion raised his head looking at Soul with glazed over eyes.
The horned stallion turned his head and wrinkled his brow, speaking softly. “What’s wrong? That gloomy mood your face emits radiates all the way back to Canterlot.”
Rarity placed a hoof on her cheek patting it gently. “Indeed, your face could use a few relaxing cucumber slices.”
Without saying a word, Noble’s ears dropped along with his head and he let out a deep sigh.
Putting a hoof on Noble’s shoulder Soul frowned, looking him in the eyes. “Hey, what’s going on buddy? Tell me.”
“Well, you see…” Some light returned to his eyes when Soul’s words reached him. He looked up at the ceiling. “I… I saw a celestial maiden today; a true angel who captured my heart. But she---”
Soul let out a big sigh of relief and swiped his forehead. “Whew! You threw me off guard there for a moment.” He turned to look at Rarity with a grin and small friendly laugh. “No worries, he’s completely fine here.”
Noble’s eyebrows drew narrow. “Thanks for the support.”
“Come on buddy, we both know this formula already.” He nudged the poet with an outstretched hoof. “How about after we get to our apartment, we order pizza and just kick back? Well, after unloading our stuff and straining our backs during it and such but… Well the point is you’ll have other thoughts before you even know it.” Soul turned his head calling back to Rarity. “Ponyville has pizza right?”
Noble lifted a hoof and chuckled. “Soul, what kind of place wouldn’t have a pizzerias?”
Soul bulged an eye at the earth pony leaning forward and angled his head upward. “Nothing’s obvious Noble. Nothing’s obvious.” He pulled back to a normal stance but put a hoof against his chest with his knee out. “And it’s on me by the way.”
A faint smile appeared as a few heightened puffs of air came from Noble’s nose and he looked Soul in the eyes. “Alright then but no olives.”
Soul gave him a piercing look with a grin. “Definitely olives.”
Noble reached his head in and turned it to the side with a raised eyebrow. “With tomato sauce?”
Soul pulled his neck back and formed a cross with his hooves, clenching his teeth. “Not in a million years.”
“Alright. Two separate pizza’s then at a safe distance?” The earth pony turned his head leaning in the other way. He had to force his lips to stay together while he was ready to explode.
“Deal,” Soul said and extended a hoof which was met by Noble’s which clopped together.
Rarity nodded though she put a hoof on her cheek and wiggled the front of her body. “Oh I don’t believe there will be a need for you to get food tonight.”
Soul rose an eyebrow at her.
The artisan let go of her cheek and flipped her hoof at them. “You’ll see.”
Twilight stepped into the room, her book was still open and in a light purple ray of magic off to the side of her. “If pizza is what you want in the future then I suggest Peynir’s. Pizza’s in Ponyville won’t get better than that.”
With a flip of his ears at the new voice the earth pony quickly looked for its origin. When Noble saw the wings and horn together on the mare who entered the room his body stiffened up straight, his eyes widened, and his heart and breathing became slow and strong though inaudible.
She looked the stallion up and down scrunching her left eye and raising her right eyebrow, though her expression softened as she began her introduction. “Noble Poet, right? I’m Twilight Sparkle, nice to meet you.”
The earth pony was speechless and could only breath slowly as he stared at Twilight as if he was facing the end of the world, his legs trimmered as his muscles stayed firm.
Twilight gave a mild frown and closed her book, and started walking toward Noble. “Are you… alright?” she said and waved a hoof.
Noble instantly took a few steps back which caused Twilight to a stop and bring her hoof back as not to take another step. She turned to look at Soul with arched eyebrows and darted her eyes between him and Noble.
Rarity waved a hoof before Noble’s eyes and then leaned to whisper to Soul. “Is it one of those… ‘starflight’ crushes like he got on me too back at Canterlot?”
Soul shook his head and walked over then pointed at Noble’s eyes. “Nope, his pupils are too small and his body is far too tense, he has no smile and his eyes are wide, not mellow.” He gave an unexpectedly awkward laugh. “I suppose that’s just the so called shock reaction; he’s never seen a real princess before.” He turned to look at the earth pony. “Right buddy?”
No words came from the earth Pony, which made Soul bump him with his knee. “Hey, snap out of it already.”
Twilight smiled with gritted teeth and a bead of sweat on her forehead as she waved a hoof. “Don’t worry, it’s quite understandable. I’m kinda getting used to this... princess thing myself too.”
Noble blinked and held his head low, rubbing his neck as his eyes scoured the ground. “I-I see…”
“Oh my, the tea!” Rarity gasped as she heard the whistling sound and trotted to the kitchen.
Moving out of the way for Rarity, Twilight walked closer to Noble and stood up straight looking him directly in the face. “Noble Poet it was, right?”
Noble stood up straight pressing his legs together and saluting. “Y-Yes Princess, at your service.” His eyes darted to the hoof on his forehead which he immediately drew away and gave a bow instead.
Twilight waved the book before her and shook her head rapidly with closed eyes and a half mouth smile with gritted teeth. “No, no no, please; just Twilight and formalities like that are unnecessary.”
“R-Right,” Noble said and gave an embarrassed laugh, he quickly pulled his front hooves apart relaxing them and clenching his teeth in his mouth as he swallowed deeply, his head preventing Twilight from seeing it.
Soul sported a grimacing grin on his face though he tried to make it go away. He dropped his flank to the ground and crossed his forelegs. “Soooo how was the search for a money source? Any luck?”
Noble’s eyes bulged slowly as they shifted to Soul. “Soul… there’s a princess before us. Why are you so calm, I expected you to be as thrilled as I am?”
Soul’s eyes narrowed and his lips drew to a point as he stared down Noble, until he took exhaled deeply and tapped his head. “Too big of a thing to properly compress and cause emotions for this small brain of mine.”
The earth pony gave his friend a single wide eyed glare with a smile. He waved a hoof as he exclaimed, “Dang it Soul, give some emotion!”
Soul didn’t speak a word, he just continued his stare at the earth pony without any expression whatsoever. “I might tell Mineral and be a bit braggy about it after a long period of convincing her I’m not lying but that’s about it.” Soul scrunched his eyebrows and looked up. “Maybe I should take a picture…”
Noble sighed. “Fine.” He rolled his eyes then walked off to the side near a rack of dresses. He turned his head and looked out the window.
Twilight vigorously shook her hoof as she hunkered down trying to back up. “Please. I think you might be making a bit too big of deal out of this…”
“Sorry,” Noble replied looking down.
The unicorn pranced through the door with a plate of tea filled cups gracefully following her. “Tea is ready!”
Everypony took their cups when the levitating tray came to them.
The unicorn stallion put the the under his muzzle taking in the aroma. “Thanks, this smells good.” Blowing on the tea he looked back at his fellow stallion. “Now um… about that job.”
Rarity looked up at the clock on her wall. “Go ahead Noble, I need to start closing up my Boutique. Soul, mind lending a hoof? The sooner we close the sooner I get the pleasure of introducing you to your new home.”
Soul nodded and trotted over to the door with her. “That’s what I’m here for.”
Twilight raised a hoof as if she were in a classroom. “Mind if I... tag along? It’s one of the only parts of Ponyville I haven’t seen myself so it would be one more place to add to my ‘Places visited in Ponyville’ collection.”
“Are you sure Spikey won’t mind, darling?” Rarity asked with a tilt of her head.
The alicorn rolled her eyes happily with a smile, ending looking up and to the right. “I’m sure he’s just happy to get some alone time.”
“If they don’t have anything against it, then of course you can come.” She looked at the duo with her nose in the air and eyebrows raised.
Noble looked over at the stallion as Soul nodded and locked eyes with Noble. Noble turned back and nodded slowly at Twilight as well.
“Perfect!” Rarity turned back at Noble. “So Noble, I sure hope your hard search has been fruitful.”
The earth pony’s eyes eased, he hung his head and the edges of his lips turned up. “You… could say that.”
A smile crawled up to Soul’s face and he placed a hoof on his chin. “I already like the sound of that.”
“Well…” Noble’s voice trailed off as he continued looking at the ground happily. His tail began to wag. He lifted his head up smiling widely. “Guess who got a job... THIS PONY!” He beamed pointing toward himself with a hoof.
Noble’s sudden burst caused everypony to leap backwards with their eyes bulging.
Noble leapt at Soul placing his hooves on his friend's shoulders and even gave a little shake. “I GOT A JOB SOUL! Oh my gosh I got a job! I got a job on my first day, can you believe it?”
“Judging by that hype it’s hard not to believe.” The unicorn’s eyes locked on Noble’s left hoof, on his right shoulder. He gently slid the stallion's hooves off before he continued. “But wow, that was extremely quick which bumps it up all the way to impressive. Some big congratulations are appropriate now!”
Rarity clapped her hooves together. “Bravo. Most certainly! I told you there would be exceedingly high chances of you getting a job, now didn’t I? Where did you get it?”
“Well, this is the interesting thing, since it happened through lots of coincidences. I met this pink pony who tried to get me a job from…” Noble stopped to think for a moment tapping his hoof rapidly. “Sugar corner, I think it was, or something like that; but got no luck there.”
Rarity’s eyes lit up and raising a hoof she interjected, “Oh you met Pinkie Pie!”
The earth pony’s eyes widened for a moment. “You know Pinkie too?”
Placing a hoof over her lips Rarity drew her body in, leaning toward the tan stallion. “What do you mean ‘too’?”
“You see, when I was about to leave, inside ran a filly in a hurry. Her sister had hurt her leg and I offered to bandage it. Before I bandaged it she was trying to pull a heavy carriage which she insisted that she needed to take back to her farm. I of course couldn’t allow her to do that so I pulled it back for her. As we talked it turned out she actually knows you. Her name is Applejack and thanks to her, here stands a new rancher.”
Rarity and Twilight looked at each other, their eyes bulged. “Applejack gave you a job from her farm?”
The stallion’s ears withered, looking at the two with widened pleading eyes he spoke, “Yes. You… You sound quite surprised...”
As she brushed her hoof over the ground Rarity avoided eye contact. “Yes, I mean... you must’ve done something quite impressive for her to give you a job from their farm after just meeting you. She’s very… attentive, of who gets to work in her orchard.”
“She was extremely stressed since there was nopony at the farm to do her work… So I, kinda offered to help. And after I was done… well she was pretty impressed. I did well I suppose…” he said as he lowered his head and dragged a hoof back and forth on the ground, only giving small glimpses up.
Soul looked down at the earth pony with bold eyes and a confident, kind grin. “Hey, you got a job. In my world, that’s telling a lot.”
Rarity cleared her throat and clapped her hooves on the ground. “Well ladies and gentlecolts, I’m afraid I need to ask you to step outside. It’s time for this Boutique to get her beauty sleep.”
“Right.” Soul grabbed his saddleback and started digging through it making sure everything was there, and it was. He grabbed his water bottle and opened the door. “But really, be proud of yourself Noble.”
“Absolutely. Getting a job from Applejack is a marvelous achievement,” Rarity exclaimed returning to face Noble and giving her head a soft tilt and a satisfying close eyed smile.
“I concur with Rarity,” said Twilight with a hoof raised.
After taking a step forward Rarity perked up, raising her head quickly and holding her cheek with a hoof. “Oh goodness, one thing before we go!” She walked to the door to the hallway and looked back. “Twilight, I completely forgot I still have that book I borrowed from the library. I’ll just get that and we can go.”
Wild Soul nodded, walking to the front door with Noble following him. “We’ll be waiting outside.”
Twilight and Rarity both gave them a nod and the stallion’s stepped outside.
Noble looked up at the sky which caused his ears to drop once again and he let out a sigh.
Soul sighed, shaking his head at the stallion. “Still holding up that mood huh?”
While he still watched the sky he put a hoof over his heart then looked over at the unicorn. “I can’t help it; my heart is soaring for that pony.”
“Yeah, Of course it is.” Soul’s lips drooped a little on the sides but he still gave the stallion an empty stare. Even though he didn’t believe it Soul patted the crush struck stallion on the back and gave him a warm smile.
“It is!” Noble then stood up and walked a few paces, his eyes never left the ground. “I just… I just feel bad because… well because I almost scared her to death and I didn’t get a chance to apologize…”
The grin Soul had immediately started to ease. He knew this was just puppy love but that it probably intensified because of the moment. “Oh, you… Well if she lives in ponyville I’m sure you get a chance sooner or later to make it up. What does she look like anyway?”
Noble’s lips drew small and he looked up, hunkering his head down and smiling awkwardly. “Umm, well… The thing is. I never really saw her. She was just a shadowy figure throughout the sky. Eclipsed by the light of the heavens she came from.”
The unicorn couldn’t help it. He smacked his face with his hoof with a heavy grunt.
The stallion turned, glaring at his friend. “I’m serious! I just want to apologize, I wouldn’t ask for anything else. Except a perfect date, perfect marriage, perfect kids---” Noble’s eyes grew wide and he slapped his cheeks. “Oh no… what if…”
Soul tilted his head.
The earth pony rushed Soul, grabbing the unicorns shoulders and looking him right in the eyes. His face said it all, wide eyes, eyebrows angled outward, mouth drooped. “What if... what if she likes girls?!”
Soul drew his neck back. “What?” He looked down at the stallion’s hooves and quickly brushed them off.
The earth pony walked about in a circle ruffling his mane and forcefully brushing through it. “What if she thought I was a girl but isn't comfortable with the fact she likes girls and ran away because of that?!”
“Uh… Noble--” The unicorn lifted a hoof to the side of his face.
“Oh goodness I can’t imagine how it must feel for her! Leaving her husband like that simply because she thought I was a girl and being uncomfortable with herself! I should help her no matter what!” He kept pacing faster, his eyes darting back and forth as his mind raced.
“Noble, I---” Soul followed Noble with his eyes and tried stepping forward each time he passed.
As his pace quickened he shook his head with each idea and reached the point where he was practically shouting. “I tore her heart apart! I was so selfish, I’m the worst girlfriend ever! If I just got a chance I would make her comfortable and be the best girl for her there's ever been---!”
Soul pulled out a plastic mug and his water bottle from his saddlebag. He poured some water in the cup immediately brought the water mug over Noble’s head and let the waterfall pour.
The love struck stallion stopped and shook his head and pushed his mane aside trying to get water out of his eyes so he could see Soul. “That was… harsh.”
Finally given an opportunity the unicorn cleared his throat. “Noble, you could give me a month and I still couldn't list down all the things that are wrong with that method of thinking there.”
As the sound of hinges were heard Rarity and Twilight walked out of the Boutique, both wearing their saddlebags. Rarity pulled the door closed and made sure it was locked. “All set, we’re good to go.”
Twilight looked at the dripping stallion. “What happened to you?”
Noble simply gave huff and glared Soul. “Downpour... Rarity um... could I borrow a towel please?”
The white mare sighed and pulled her keys out again but was stopped by the alicorn. “Hold on Rarity.” Twilight turned at Noble. “I think I know just the spell that can clean you up. You don’t mind do you Noble Poet?”
Twilight’s horn glew magenta and a glow formed around Noble as warm air began swirling. In a matter of seconds he was dry and warm again.
The earth pony exhales after breathing slowly through the drying and reached up feeling his mane and gently brushing it with a hoof ensuring it was dry throughout. “Wow, that is some A-class magic you have there. Thank you.”
Twilight “Thank you for the compliment though it’s nowhere near ‘A-class’. Even a filly could cast it.”
“Excellent. Thank you very much dear, that saved some time looking for a suitable towel. Now if you will follow me I will lead you to your home.,” Rarity chimed, passing the ponies and looking back ready to continue on.
Twilight and Soul nodded and began moving but Noble’s eyes winced at the mention of “Suitable towel”. He kept his eyes narrow as he looked at the mare looking over her and looking back at her boutique. He returned them to normal and continued to move on.
While they walked Twilight pointed out some of the buildings and store signs explaining a little more about Ponyville. “I really should give you both a proper tour of the town tomorrow in the light.” Her tone lowered and sharpened, “I at least think that’s a princess's duty.”
Soul looked over at Noble who was looking around at the shops and homes. “That would be neat, though I’m sure we can find our way around. Thanks though.”
Twilight flipped her head and tilted her head up smiling in regal fashion. “Oh it would be my pleasure. I should welcome you to Ponyville after all. So where are you from other than both from Canterlot? Sometimes I almost completely forget I’ve lived there myself.” She let out a chuckle.
The pale stallion nodded and nudged his head, pointing at Noble. “We’re both from Eastern Canterlot.”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh! I used to live around that part when I was a filly.” She slowed her pace to get next to Soul while she was talking to him. “I’m not willing to sound offensive but I’m just curious; what made you start searching for a tutor outside of Canterlot, Soul?”
Soul tilted his head to the side, facing Twilight as he walked. His left eyebrow was raised. “What are you trying to say?”
After she bit her lip for a moment she started again wincing and speaking carefully, “It’s just that, Canterlot is one of the biggest fashion cities in Equestria. Rarity has told me you haven’t lived there that long in general, so what made you not look for a tutor closer to home?”
“My boss recommended not too. Said they have a mindset that is too… unorthodox,” Soul responded quickly and wavered as he spoke the word ‘unorthodox’.
Rarity’s ears twitched and turned her head to the side calling back. “Pardon me but I would be lying if I claimed I wasn’t at least a little happy you never considered Canterlot”
Soul shook his head. “I got no reason to disagree with that so far,” he said and gave a small laugh. “And it’s not like everypony gets tutored by an element of harmony soooo that’s a nice bonus, not that it affects my studies anyway.”
At the words ‘Element of harmony’ Noble and Twilight’s ears twitched and they simultaneously became transfixed on the mare.
Twilight quickened her pace gradually as to look natural as she got next to Rarity and nudged her then whispered, “Rarity, you told him?”
“I might’ve mentioned a thing or two about it. It’s not like it’s ever been a secret, darling.” She flipped her wrist to discard the worry. “There was no harm done, just some simple introductions between teacher and student.” She replied slowing her pace as she looked forward with her head towards Twilight.
Soul frowned and gave a little grin. “Simple and common, sure…”
“Of course…” Twilight’s eyes transfixed back to Soul for a moment and then back to Rarity, she had become so tense that her wings tightened in. “That’s all?”
Rarity looked Twilight in the eyes. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
Noble turned quickly to the white mare with wide eyes. “W-What? You are an element of harmony?! A bearer of one of those things that can blast a huge rainbow?!”
Twilight clenched her teeth looking around every pony. “I would rather drop the subject already! It’s not something you or Soul should be concerned about.” There was a silence for a moment and as Noble opened his mouth to speak again she cut him off before he began. “Oh is there anything… more you would like to tell about yourselves?”
The stallions blinked at Twilight and then looked at each other not sure what to say for a moment, but eventually simply moved to talk about how they came to the conclusion on coming to Ponyville and some of the events that transpired as they transitioned there. Noble left out lots of details about his last boss and the true reason for being fired.
After a few minutes of walking and talking in the starlight, lights started appearing throughout the town creating rather beautiful scene for them to look at. Many ponies were walking in the streets most likely on their way home since they had grocery bags with them. Maybe some were heading to eat out or maybe even to a theater. Though they didn’t get to admire it too long before they arrived at a path that seemed to lead out of all the civilization of Ponyville. It was surrounded by many trees though not enough to make it a real forest, but enough to cover things in the distance.
The path unfortunately didn’t have any lights but since it’s not a hard trick for unicorns to create some, Twilight, Soul and Rarity easily lit up the path. They started walking again. There were fewer businesses and more homes, between the unicorns’ lights and the light of the mood the group could see how lights formed around the trees giving short shadows. It was a quiet and peaceful area that captured a mix of community and nature. It took them a good ten minutes of walking till they finally saw a glimpse of the house. More and more of it unraveled as the branches were spreading. There they now stood, before a white house with brown patterned framing, which was typical for Ponyville’s architecture. It had three floors and was shaped like an H horizontally split in half.
Soul and Noble were aware of the fact that the house was a little old and in worse shape than the picture’s they saw suggested, but it still looked quite livable.
Twilight looked at it and gritted her teeth a little. “So this is the place. Looks quite... private."
Soul was nodding with a pleased smile. “A place with peace and quiet. I can hear my thoughts here. I don’t think there would’ve been any better environment than this.”
Rarity drew up an eyebrow while she raised a leg turning around. “A place with lots of lovely neighbors who bring you a welcoming cake and always greet you?”
Soul started digging through his satchel for his key. “Sounds like a nightmare,” he said with a grungy voice.
The earth pony shook his head. “That’s Soul for you…”
The ponies entered the lobby door. Like expected, the hallway and staircase looked quite old yet still looked sturdy enough that nopony would fall through it. Everything seemed solid as they stallions tested it. Everything was decorated with wood that gave a warm homey feel, which really helped the traditional atmosphere which was a real treat to Soul who loves warm colors.
It could be seen how the house had still been taken care of since there was not even one dust particle in sight which was good but it also raised a question for Soul. He turned at Rarity as they proceeded up the stairs. “I can’t help but wonder what’s going on with the two other floors. Are they just… empty apartments?”
Rarity shook her head and batted her eyes before speaking elegantly. “Storages, actually. I’ve gotten a chance to take a look inside of them when the owners have been bringing or taking stuff from them. I hear they come here quite rarely though.”
The pale stallion leaned in twitching his ears. “But they did use to be apartments too, right?”
Rarity nodded and smiled, raising a hoof presenting the interior of the apartments. "Sort of, this used to be a very popular motel for rich business ponies, but when the owner… passed away, it was turned into apartment building.”
Twilight cut closing her eyes and putting a hoof on her chest as she spoke with her head held high. “But considering that Ponyville doesn’t have many tourist attractions or events. The motel didn’t last.”
Soul looked around nodding at the designs inside, noting the dust and cobwebs from lack of use. “Still hard to believe such a big place would get such a high rent dropped just for not being popular.”
Rarity hung her head and looked up at the poorly tept walls. “Yes, it’s a such a shame.”
As the group stopped at the front door, Soul rose the key. The moment was there now, Soul pushed the key into the keyhole and heard how the small parts were clicking into their place. He turned the doorknob, as Soul and Noble stood on the tips of their hooves Rarity and Twilight sat back.
With a final click, Soul reached up and turned the door handle opening it slowly. Before they even got a chance to reach for the lights they flicked on and a loud bang erupted and streamers flew at the stallions’ faces.
Soul clenched his chest and Noble jumped as the curly haired Pink mare lead the group of ponies filling their apartment yelling, “Surprise!”.