Lemon Tart awoke to the sound of his alarm at 3:30 PM. It was Wednesday afternoon in the city that never slept and all he wanted to do was prove that saying wrong. Sadly he couldn't it was the 15th of June or as he knew it, his 23 birthday. No doubt his mother would be calling within the hour to talk to her little colt and tell him to have some fun and hang out with some non imaginary friends. He of course would tell her that he had no friends and she would be sad so he would have to tell her he was fine with it then talk to her for several hours before he could do what he really wanted.
Spend his one day off that week reading, watching TV on his computer and draining the bottle of Apple family single malt whiskey he had saved for the day shot by shot in verious concoctions. Landing on all fours and swinging his head back and fourth a few times to wake up he started walking to the cupboard to grab the bottle and his coffee press. If he was gonna break open the bottle he might as well start with a Connamarian Coffee. Setting the kettle to boil he messured out two shots of the amber liquid and poured it into the coffee press.
"Happy birthday to me, I want my whiskey, please leave me alone, and hang up the phone." He sang to himself.
It was of course at this moment that Merphneigh's law kicked in and his phone rang.
"Uhhhhg Luna why? Why?"
Slowly he trotted over to the phone hoping it was a wrong number but knowing better. Sure enough a glance at it told him it was his mother. quickly he flipped it open and held the device to his ear.
"Hi mom."
"Happy birthday Lemon Tart! How's my foal?"
"Fine I'm making coffee."
"Twenty three years old today! It seems like just a day ago I was changing your diapers. I wish you lived closer to home I could have you and all your friends over for dinner and make one of my famous six layer chocolate cakes! Aunt and uncle Cake could come to Canterlot and bring your niece and nephew."
"Ya that would be great." He said trying to hide the sarcasm in his voice.
"Really? Then next year I'll set it all up so we can do that!"
"Shit what did I just do!" He thought wanting to face hoof himself hard.
"If only your father were here. He'd be so proud of you!"
"Mom I'm a bar tender. It's not exactly a note worthy accomplishment." He said near monotone.
"Oh don't be so grumpy honey! Your dad would still be proud to see the stallion you've grown into."
"Yes he'd be thrilled to have a grumpy, single, collage drop out, bar tender for a son." He said internaly rolling his eye's. "So mom how's the shop doing?"
"Oh it's going great dear. Sales are good and we got a big catering order recently. Oh that reminds me I sent you a check in the mail for your birthday for 200 Bits. I want you to buy yourself something nice like a TV or a music player."
"Thanks mom I'll probably save it for a rainy day."
"Don't you have anything you want?"
"I've got just about all I want and need."
"Honey I've seen your appartment there's nothing in it exept that twenty year old couch and a desktop computer."
"Well that's all I need."
"Honey..."
"Ok I'll try to think of something."
"Good colt. So what are you going to do tonight?"
"Oh no here comes the 'You need to make friends speech! Please not now she'll go on for hours about Twilight Sparkle and the new castle in aunt Cake's town!"
Lemon was about to panic when he recieved a notification for another incoming call from an unknown number. Making a split seconed decision he quickly responded to his mother so he could skip the lecture.
"Hey mom I'm getting another call I need to answer it I'll talk to you later bye!"
"Oh well goodbye honey!"
With that he switched to the new call asuming it to be something about his cell plan on an automated system.
"Hello?"
"Hey Lemon!"
"Oh come on! All I wanted to do was drain a bottle of whiskey!"
"Hi Glow."
"Call me Glowy I like it better it's more friendly! Anyways I wanted to see if you were free today? I thought we could hang out and go see a scary movie or something! Oh or we could go to a music performance there's a karaoke bar I know that I like! No wait I've got a better Idea we could go to the movies first than go to the karaoke bar!"
"I uh was going to take it easy today I've got a bottle of good whiskey I was saving for my birthday so-"
"Wait it's your birthday? I'll be right over! We have to do something really fun to celebrate oh what do you want or do you want it to be a surprise?"
"I don't want any-"
"Surprise then I'll be over in an hour give or take I'm gonna get a taxi this time so it won't take so long, more direct than the bus! Bye see you soon!"
The call ended leaving Lemon confused and speechless. After a few minutes he regained his faculties enough to mutter a curse before going over to his kettle to pour the water into the Prench press. He had a feeling he was gonna need a full pot of coffee to make it through today.
/l\---)O(---/l\
Pacific was walking through the mall as fast as she could while looking for a gift for her newest friend. It had taken her ten minutes to get to the mall so she had about thirty to browse before she had promised to be there.
"Hmmm what would Lemon Tart like? I've never asked about his cutie mark but it looks like a lemon bar so maybe he likes baking? Oh he did say that on the bus didn't he? But he's got pleanty of baking utensils if I'm remembering right."
She stopped and looked around the area she was in when she noticed a music store to her right. In the window she saw a new modle of a CD player that came with a rack and five CD's of choice according to the add.
"Oh he said he liked just about any kind music but he doesn't have a player! It's perfect!"
Excitedly she clopped her hooves togeather before trotting into the store and going to the front desk where a rather bored looking cashier was flipping through a Power Ponies comic book. He glanced at her briefly before putting the book away and leaning forward on the counter.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes I'd like to buy that CD player in the window that comes with the CD rack."
"Sure that's 199 Bit's and you'll get five CD's of choice from that shelf over there."
"He pointed to the corner of the store where there was a number of disks ranging from Of Monster's and Mares to Quillex. Reaching into her purse she pulled out a pouch of Bits and quickly paid the pony who was obviously suprised to see she carried that much cash at one time. Once paid he quickly set about grabbing and packing the device as she went to pick out five CD's to go with it.
"Hmmm So many to choose from. Well I guess the new Ra-Ra album would be a good one so I'll get that. Ooh this looks good Apple Lambet hmm."
After a few minutes of picking out music Pacific returned to the front desk where her gift was finnished being packed. Grabbing the bag in her teeth she found it heavier than it looked but still carriable without help. With a smile plastered on her face she made her way towards the exit where her carriage was waiting.
"I hope Lemon likes his present! She thought as she climbed in and the driver started trotting again.
While waiting for her cab to arrive at Lemon's house she began digging around in her purse in order to organize it a bit. As she did so her hoof brushed against a pill bottle in the bottom. Looking down at it but not taking it out of her purse she started to contemplate taking one. She had promised herself it was only for special occasions since she didn't want to get too reliant on Joy to function but if she only broke the rule this once was it really that big a deal?
" Well if I took just one pill it would still lighten my mood quite a bit. It's not like i'm swallowing the whole bottle..."
"We're here ma'am."
The cab driver stopped outside the multi story appartment complex waiting for his Bits. Quickly stuffing the bottle as fast as she could into the bottom of her purse she climbed down and paid the cabbie.
"Thank you sir I'll be off now."
She climbed down from the cab and paid the driver before making for the stairs. Taking a deep breath she began her ascent.
/l\---)O(---/l\
Lemon had just finnished the last of the coffee he had made when he heard a knock on the door. Heaving a sigh he made his way to the wooden barrier and opened it to see a pink double ponytailed mare with a large bag laying beside her.
"Happy birthday Lemon!"
"Ya thanks come on in."
With an excited spring in her step Glowy grabbed the bag again and once again entered the apartment setting her gift down on the coffee table. Glancing around it was obvious that nothing had changed since she was last here so she sat down on the old couch and tapped her hind hooves on the ground as she waited for Lemon to have a seat. When he did she noticed he had brought a bottle of amber liquid and two glasses with him and set them down on the table in front of him. It looked mostly full. Once he was comfortable in the chair the scruffy yellow stallion gave a quick sigh before speaking.
"I supose a polite pony would offer you a drink. Your twenty if I'm taking a guess since you got into the club."
"Twenty one."
He nodded and poured two glasses halfway with the liquid before pushing one to her.
"Carefull this will buck you to next Tuesday if you drink it too fast."
He downed his glass with a tilt of his head while she took a sniff and scrunched her nose up at it.
"So how old are you today Lemon?"
"Twenty three."
"Well happy birthday again."
"Thanks."
"Here why don't you open your present." She said as she pushed the wrapped package towards him.
"I'm not really big on presents you didn't have to do that."
"I know but your my friend and I wanted to, everypony should get a present on their birthday."
Glowy could almost swear she saw him crack a smile at that. Leaning forward he tore off the tape holding the brown paper in place before his eye's went wide.
"Glowy this is a CD player, and not a cheep one."
"Ya, you said you like music and I remembered you didn't have one so I thought it would be a good gift."
"Glowy this is way too much I can't take this it must have cost like two hundred Bits!"
"Don't worry it's fine my moms rich and I get a generous allowance weekly."
"Still this is..."
"Happy birthday."
Realizing he wasn't going to win this Lemon sighed before looking back at the pink mare.
"I...thank you Glowy it's the best birthday present I've ever gotten."
"Yes score one for Glowy!" She did a rather enthusiastic hoof pump to further celebrate her triumph at gift giving.
"Well I supose I should try it out shouldn't I?"
"Ya It came with five disks. I didn't know what you liked in particular but you said you enjoyed most music so I just picked out some good ones I thought you'd like."
"Let's see ok how about this one?" He held up a disk labled Apple Lambert "Galloping".
"Sure I got that one because the cover looked cool and I liked some of the song names. I never heard it before though."
"Alright then I'll put it in."
Glowy smiled. It seemed that the orange maned stallion was becoming less grumpy and maybe even having fun for once! Lemon put the disk in and after a second it started playing. The first song started slow but picked up as it went on and soon Pacific was dancing in her seat, bouncing and swaying. Lemon was just bobbing his head slightly but seemed to be enjoying himself too.
"I kinda want dance now!" Said a cheerful Glowy standing up from the couch and trotting towards the center of the room.
"I supose you can if you want let me just put the whiskey away so we don't have any accidents.
"Well there's one problem..."
"What?"
"Dancing alone isn't any fun."
"Ah no no no I don't dance."
"Sure you do everypony dances! Even if they just sway to a beat from time to time alone in their home while doing dishes I would count that! Moving to music is dancing and you said you like music."
"Well ya I do but I don't dance."
"Please."
"No."
"Please!" This time she made her eye's bigger and stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.
"Nice try but-"
Her eye's got bigger.
"But I don't-"
Even bigger.
"Damnit."
Defeated by the power of adorable pouting faces of which none can withstand against he placed the bottle on the top shelf before walking over to Pacific and trying to pick up on the beat. He began stepping awkwardly from hoof to hoof in an attempt to copy her moves earning a smile from her and as he got worse laughter.
"Hey this isn't as easy as it looks give me a break!" He grumbled.
"Your doing it all wrong. Your trying to copy me and that's not how you dance."
"But you are dancing how is copying you wrong?"
"Because each pony will interpret music differently and when they dance they're moving to the music in the way they hear it. Don't dance like me dance like how you want to because of how the music makes you feel."
"But what about dance routines and stuff like that?"
"There's a difference between dancing for fun and dancing professionally. We're dance for fun so it doesn't mater how foalish you look or feel just have fun!"
Doing the best he could to take her advice he stopped copying her and took a minute to listen to the music. As he got a feel for it he started to feel his hooves moving on their own and shortly after he reached a sort of rythmic step going side to side and back and fourth. He even added a few other movements as it went on.
"See what I tell you! Having fun yet?"
"I *ehem* Guess ya."
"We'll make a friendly pony out of you yet!"
Glowy knew she saw a smile that time.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves Glowy."
"We shall see!"
Before the two knew it they were both dancing with abandon moving about and swaying like idiots but it didn't matter. They were having fun and enjoying each other's company. Lemon even gave a small chuckle when he tripped over his own hooves but caught himself. Glowy got up on two whooves and started doing some of her more adept moves that only an experienced pony could do easily. She smiled, this was fun and even if Lemon Tart was grumpy most of the time it was worth putting up with it if it got him out of his shell for a little while.
Unknown to her he was having similar thoughts and to his own great surprise he found himself resenting the Idea that he didn't do this more often. "I must be going crazy because I think I'm having a decent time." The two continued to go about their own styles of dancing as the song came to it's close and the next one on the disk started to play.
This one had a steadier more pronounced beat to it and Lemon had an easier time picking it up. Mixing backstepping, forward and side stepping into his movements him and Glowy slowly fell into a rhythm without even noticing it. Soon though she saw that their movements were working togeather rather well and started to put effort into keeping them in sink. She almost laughed out that they were dancing togeather now but decided not to should it spoil the moment.
Lemon had closed his eye's and had a strange look on his face as if he was trying hard to concentrate on the sound of the beat to aid his movements and having trouble. Still he kept a good pace and good movements for an amature as they continued their dancing duet. Then the music picked up and the beat got harder and more fast paced. Seeing him start to struggle Glowy got beside him using her side to guide him a bit as they kept moving. Taking the hint the yellow stallion moved where she guided keeping his own movements and style (or lack there of) at the same time.
Glowy broke out into full laughter seeing that he was getting the hang of it. At first Lemon thought she was laughing at him but when he opened his eye's and noticed she had her eye's shut and was simply dancing next to him he realized she was just having a good time. Come to think of it he was too. After all why wouldn't he? He was spending time with a friend. His first at that.
/l\---)O(---/l\
By the time the CD came to an end Lemon was tiered and sat down where he stood. Glowy having spent many a night at the clubs was still full of energy but for his sake took a break as well. The pudgy yellow stallion whiped a bit of sweat off his brow before giving half a smile.
"Hey Glowy?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks for comming over. It's been a better birthday than I thought it would so...ya thanks."
"We're friends Lemon! Hanging out is what we do, especially on birthdays!"
"Ya well I wouldn't know. I'm pretty new to the whole friendship thing but I guess it's worth a try at least. Thanks for the birthday present by the way."
"You already said that."
"Oh ya I di- Hey! You can't quote me!"
The pink mare burst out laughing.
"I just did!"
"Huh kinda stinks being on the receiving end of that statement."
Glowy just laughed harder.
"Ok ok I get it friendship is magic blah blah blah please stop laughing before you hurt yourself."
"I-Can't-too-funny!" She was no longer laughing at this point it was a feminine cackle.
Lemon's face took on a sour expression.
"Fine die from lack of oxygen then."
The mare kept laughing for another few minutes before she got a hold of herself. When she finnaly did she removed the tears that had appeared in her eye's from her fit before turning back to the stallion a huge smile on her face. It proved to be infectious as he cracked a smaller version in return.
"Ok I'll tell you what. Friends are suposed to comprimise on things right?" He asked.
"Ya friends help each other and do things for each other."
"Ok so you got me a great gift and you mentioned the movies earlier. I suppose if you want we could go see one and we can keep hanging out. Wednesdays are my day off so I don't have anywhere to be."
"I'll pay for the popcorn!"
"I'll pay for the tickets. Come on let's go before I change my mind."
"You got it mister grumpy sir!"
The mare gave a mock salute as they departed out the door.