//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: House Hunters and Get Togethers // Story: Love (and other things) in Prance // by Phoenix Heart 27 //------------------------------// After an...interesting afternoon with Ocean Storm, Paint decided that it would be best to go on back to the collège before it got too late to take a tour. It was as they were walking towards the admissions building A rather important thought occured to Paint Smear, a thought he...unintentionally put off til the last minute. “I...am mad I just thought of something! I have no idea what I’ll do as far as housing….damn.”, Paint openly cursed his busyness and lack of remembering. Ocean just wrapped a forearm around his back and smiled, “Dude. Lucky for you, you’ve got a friend who’s more than happy to let you crash on his couch for the night!” At that Paint sighed in relief and thanked his friend as they grabbed two maps of the collège and soon left back to the central downtown area. 25 minutes later…. The colts arrived in a rather shady portion of town where there were more apartment buildings than houses and a lot less trees. They eventually turn and enter a rather large apartment building with four stories. The trek to the 3rd floor was hard because the stairwell was really narrow, but they eventually made it. After carefully walking around a broken cider bottle they made it to Ocean’s apartment. “Real classy place here, dude!”, Paint said sarcastically as Ocean opened the door to his apartment. “Thanks, but not for long it won't be.”, Ocean replied as he stepped around a open box and moved a few boxes out of the way so Paint could get in. After maneuvering through a maze of boxes they came upon the living room which was all but packed in boxes except for a matress and real nice futon couch. “Welcome to maison de Océan Storm! Take a load off and park it on the futon over there,” Ocean started happily, “ I got a couple sodas in the fridge and my coltfriend’ll stop for some take out. I hope you like Neighponese food, because there's this A-MAZING one right down the street.” he finished while grabbing two sparkling apple sodas and hoofing one to Paint. Paint took it and sat down. Happy to finally sit down somewhere after being on his hooves practically all day. Just then the front door locks clicked and in walked a rather tall, slightly bulky colt about the same age as them. “Oh that must be him now!,” Ocean yelled from the kitchen, “Hiya honey. How was your day?” he finished. The colt took off his hat and saddlebags to reveal a long red mane and piercing green eyes. He then replied in a rather deep voice, “Was good babe. Got your message and the food, and you must be Paint Smear! I must say when Ocean told me we’d have somepony over I wasn’t expecting someone so young looking!” “Oh now Brick! Quit teasing the dude.”, Ocean laughed as he came back into the room to hear both boys laughing. Brick laughed as he distributed the foreign food around, yet he couldn't help think that the new colt’s name sounded familiar...but from where? “Perhaps I should ask?”, he thought to himself before clearing his throat. “So, Paint Smear. Where ya from?”, Brick asked. “Ponyville!”, Paint said through a mouthful of noodles. Surprisingly Paint was thinking the same thing that Brick was. “Cool, cool ya know...I got relatives in Ponyville, a uncle. Maybe ya know him; Blue coat, Dark blue mane and tail, music note cutie-mark-”, Brick started but was interrupted by Paint Smear. “Noteworthy! Yeah I know him- wait!” Paint started as he took a closer look at Brick and his memory was jogged, “No way! You’re that little ‘Bricky' he always talked about! Ha! Oh Luna that is awesome, you know I was just talking to your uncle just yesterday actually as I was getting ready to pack.” he finished as the night wore on. The Next Day... Paint Smear awoke feeling a bit groggy but nonetheless he could claim that as one of the BEST nights of sleep he’s ever had. But of course, despite being in a whole different country he still managed to wake up exactly at dawn. Just as he always has every morning. Although he couldn't help but silently go ‘aww!' at the sight of his two new friends as they snuggled close on the matress. Eventually he had to get up and take care of “morning business” before heading out. By the time he was done taking care of all that, Ocean had already woken up and was startled to see that Paint was awake as well. “Well. I guess I’m not the only pony in history to like waking up early. Looks like somepony owes me 80 bits.”, Ocean Storm chuckled quietly. Both colts hoof bumped in agreement and decided to let Brick sleep in as they left. 1 hour later… Ocean and Paint decided to grab breakfast at the café that morning (mainly because Ocean practically had to beg Paint to try his maman’s breakfast crêpes avec confiture de fraise et de jus de pomme.) So they sat at the same table as before and since they already knew what they wanted, they just asked Ocean’s mom if she could make that. To which she obliged happily and the boys helped themselves to a true parisian breakfast. Afterwards Ocean payed and he and Paint were off in search of an apartment. After about 3 hours of searching and researching, it seemed like they weren’t going to find anything on the first try. So they briefly stopped and Paint offered to help the two lovers move into their new apartment. With that in mind they took off to continue moving. When They got there Paint was definitely surprised to see that those two were indeed moving up high (which made sense for the pegasus of the pair.) to a very nice cosmopolitan-esque 8 story apartment building. Their apartment was on the top floor, where the artists’ lofts were. There were only 12 apartments on that floor and theirs was the only one with a red door, making it very easy to find and get everything moved in. “Alright guys, looks like all that’s left is the couch and that we can get later on. But for now...Let’s celebrate! We’ve got a new apartment and soon Paint here will too!”, Ocean exclaimed as he got the kitchen together. “Hey guys, Do you know of any available apartments in the area? I know, Ocean and I have been looking for like HOURS and so far no luck.”, Paint asked tiredly. The others shook their heads in unknown sadness as Paint sighed and excused himself to leave. Paint Smear found himself walking around the theatre area and wound up in the park. Right as he got in the park he remembered why he came to this area in the first place. “Oh my lord! I totally forgot I’d meet her here today! *groan* I never told her what time and she’s probably waiting on me!”, Paint said suddenly scared and nervous all at once. Right as he said this, Roseblossom happened to walk in the park. She too was thinking the same things he was. “Oh mon dieu! How could I have forgot to ask him what time to meet!?! *groan* He’s probably already here and waiting on me!”, Rose said suddenly scared and nervous all at once. Both of them were so preoccupied with worry that they didn't even watch where they were going and they literally walked right into each other. “Oh my!- are you alright? I’m sorry I didn't see you- Hey wow y-you’re here!”, Rose said rather fast and rambly as Paint helped her up off the ground. “Y-yeah! I..kinda realized we never actually settled on a time to meet and I just happened to be walking about and...well I guess we both know how that ended up.”, Paint chuckled nervously. The two then found a nice shady tree to sit under and talk, which at first seemed...well awkward but soon became easier as they began to learn more about one another. “Wow! You seriously know how to play the violin?!”, Rose asked incredulously. “Yeah...I’m kinda self-taught. I also am a master swordstallion.”, Paint replied. “Amazing. Well I guess it's only fair to tell you that I’m a skilled marksmare in archery, plus I play the flute. Like you I am also self-taught.”, Rose said. “Incrédulité! That truly is anazing, Roseblossom.”, Paint replied. “Oh please, call me ‘Rosie' all my friends and family do.”, Rose said. Paint smiled and spoke, “Then you may call me either ‘Paint' or ‘Paintball', I go by either nickname.” Rosie smiled at that before her horn kinda did a bit of a “magical hiccup” causing the flower in her mane to disappear and reappear on her tail. “Oh damn! I am so sorry about that! M-my magic can sometimes ‘hiccup' whenever I get nervous or if I sense a really powerful form of magic nearby...thankfully it isn’t the latter but still equally embarrassing!”, Rosie yelped in surprise before turning rose red. Paint just chuckled and replied, “No it’s far from embarrassing it’s actually rather cute.” As he said that, Rosie’s face went from rose red back to light rose pink as she calmed down from her hiccups and genuinely smiled at this rather incredible colt who doesn't even mind her little quirk. About a few hours later they decided to just walk about the city and explore. Because Paint told Rosie about how he is an artist they somehow ended up on a tour of the Louve. Then they went on a nice stroll in the park before somehow ending up under the same tree they met under. Paint was sketching in his book and Rosie was laying next to him. “Hmm...what are you drawing?”, Rosie asked quietly. “Almost….and...there! It's done”, Paint replied as he showed her the portrait he did of her while laying down with a lily in her mane. “My goodness!...It is beautiful I love it!”, Rosie said. Paint blushed as he put his supplies away, “Merci. That means a lot. But this really isn’t my best work. Though it does mean a great deal that you think that it is good.” Rose smiled as they lay there, just enjoying each other's company. That is until Paint got a phone call from Ocean. “Hey dude, what’s up?”, Paint answered his phone. “Bro! You’ll never believe this. There’s an apartment next to ours that’s available!”, Ocean said rather excitedly. “NO WAY!...there’s gotta be a catch.”, Paint replied. Ocean sighed, “There is the small thing concerning the price...it’s 4,000 bits to rent. Then 400 bits a month for rent. It’s fully furnished and I really think you’ll love it!” “My goodness! This is amazing! Literally the best news I’ve gotten all day!”, Paint Smear replied happily while Roseblossom looked on in joy for her “crush”. After a few more minutes of excited talking, he hung up and looked over to Rosie. “Well...looks like I possibly have a new place here! I just need about 5,000 more bits to pay it off and be able to pay for rent….which means, I need to start job hunting.”, Paint said happily as he looked over to his “crush” and an almost overwhelming warmth filled his chest as he saw her smiling. Sometime later... Rosie got up along with Paint and both of them decided that they go to Ocean and Brick’s apartment to celebrate what would surely become an interesting next few weeks.