22 - Relationships
Terra had found Mahogany, who hadn’t even moved from the bar, and for the first time in while, I was surprised. However, I should have known their desire for drink would eventually override their various reservations. Knowing that they were relatively fine, I was content to leave them be.
I’d considered staying for a cider or two. However, with my nerves already subdued by my training, what I needed more than anything was a shower.
And so Star and I departed, discreetly making sure we got an elevator devoid of anyone else. It was a bit strange, since neither of us had anything to say, but we might have. If nothing else, there was something very reassuring about being on the same, cautious wavelength as her.
As the elevator doors opened, the faint scent of sweat touched my nostrils. My eyes followed the trail, straight to my door, where Night was standing.
He knocked. “Um… Dusky? You in there?”
I trotted up behind him, expecting him to turn. He didn’t. Trying not to be too amused by his preoccupation, I spoke as gently as I could. “Oh, hi, Night. Did you need something?”
He froze, but at least he didn’t jump. “I… um, wh-whoa… I, um… y-yeah! Hey, Dusky. I was, um... downstairs, looking at all the stuff and, um… well, I had... we had this idea.”
A sigh escaped his lips as he tensed up.
With a smile, I met his eyes. “Oh? Find something interesting?”
“Kind of? It, um… Mahogany and Terra and—” he paused, then started a little as his eyes fell on Star, “—a-and Merri and Starshadow, of course! Well, um… they want to do a little get-together. Just… all of us, there to hang out. So… I, um… I wanted to ask you.”
I fought back a frown as I tried to parse Night’s meandering thoughts. Normally, it wasn’t a problem, but this time, I had to work to uncross his two lines of thought. There was something oddly charming about him being so nervous about proposing a date that wasn’t a date as a follow-up to us already agreeing to go on a date.
Sneaking a glance back at Star, I wondered if she was miffed that Night had to throw her and Merriweather in as last-minute additions. She seemed more amused than anything.
Meeting Night’s eye again, I let out a giggle. “That sounds like fun. Count me in.”
He relaxed a little. “Okay! Um... Terra said she'd get a private room and, um... Mahogany said he had drinks taken care of... so... they said I just needed to be sure to bring you.”
I couldn’t help but grin. Terra was clearly feeling better if she was back to the meddling game. Still, if we were to call this a proper first date, we needed some one-on-one time.
“How thoughtful. Do you want to go out and get some food before we meet up with them?”
“Err... d-do I? I mean, yeah! Sure! Mahogany had mentioned drinks, but nothing to eat. A quick bite would probably be for the best if we'll be spending the night in the bar. Did, um... you have anywhere in mind?”
I shook my head. I’d only seen the resort restaurant so far and that certainly wasn’t going to be my first choice. “I haven't really looked around town yet.”
“I... I haven't, either.” Night frowned. “I guess we'll just have to find somewhere close. Wherever you'd prefer.”
That was probably more or less for the best. Myrtail was still fairly foreign to me and I wanted to make sure our choice of eatery was safe before I let my guard down at all. “I'll find us somewhere nice. We can head out a little earlier, before we meet everyone at the bar.”
Merriweather poked her head into the hall. “Did somepony say 'Bar'? Count me in!”
The barest of smirks crossed Star’s lips. “If you heard that, then you know we were invited, Sister.”
“Right! Perfect! We'll see ya then!” And then Merriweather was gone, the door shutting loudly behind her.
Night’s ears drooped. “She, um... said she wasn't going to listen in…”
“Sister sometimes has difficulty with her word.” Star shook her head before turning toward her room. “We shall see you both later.”
“Have a good night, Star.” I gave her a quick wave, then looked back at Night. “I'm going to shower off and get ready for bed.”
“Um... yeah. Me too.” His cheeks flushed.
A thud, followed by a muffled “Moof!”, drew my eyes back to Star. She stood outside her door, tapping her hoof, until it finally moved aside.
Merriweather appeared again, rubbing her head with a forehoof. When Star gave her a stern look, she batted her eyes. “What? He said he'd be more nervous if I was standing there listening in! What?”
Star sighed. “Come, Merriweather. Leave them be for tonight.”
“Fiiiine! I already learned what I needed to know, anyway~.” Merriweather winked at Night with all the subtlety of a neon sign. I smirked after her until her door was completely closed.
Night gave me a sheepish look, his face even redder than before. “A-all right, then. See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” I said, pushing my door open. Glancing over my shoulder, I added, “I'll come get you once I'm ready.”
“Then… i-it's a date.”
I grinned. “So it is.”
---
This is silly.
The thought rolled through my mind several more times as Merriweather and I left the first restaurant—and this was just the start of the day. There was just something extremely awkward about scoping out a restaurant for escape routes and suspicious factors. Although, at least I had the excuse of inquiring about the menu; this particular establishment happened to specialize in quesadillas.
As we reached the side of the road, I paused, taking a moment to calm myself. My eyes drifted over the mix of shops and restaurants. It was a tourist strip, all right, with the building line running right up to the horizon—and likely far beyond.
However, the street was currently quite quiet, which was hardly a surprise. We were wandering around a good two hours before noon, so the crowds would all be at the beach.
I stole a glance at Merriweather. “Thanks again for coming along.”
She grinned. “You say it like it’s a chore to check out all these cool places.”
“Well, it’s not that. It’s… you don’t think I’m being excessive?”
“Maybe, if I was a normal Equestrian talking to another normal Equestrian. But you’re practically an honourary Ostfriesen.”
“Um, thanks? I think?” As it occurred to me that, once upon a time, I would have been thrilled beyond imagination by such a designation, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle.
“Back home, we think of that kind of stuff all the time. It doesn’t come up very often in the city, but it’s just a thing we’re trained for. Sure, you didn’t grow up with our regimen, but you’ve obviously seen things that give you a reason to think that way. So if you ask me, you get a pass.” She smiled at me, but it wasn’t the usual, goofy smile. It was more in line with the seriousness I’d seen in Fetlock.
With a nod, I returned the smile. “Thanks.”
“Happy to help~.”
We continued from restaurant to restaurant. As I realized just how similar most of the layouts were, both inside and outside, my quest became more about the food and presentation.
There was a Griffon establishment that had enough gold decor to rival those in Canterlot, but their specialty was fish, something clearly not suited to the average pony’s tastes. Another served artisan salads under a heavy palm tree theme. One that particularly caught my eye was a pasta house with a house and hearth atmosphere.
We’d just finished up with a gourmet hayburger joint when I noticed that the street was suddenly overflowing with tourists. Somehow, I’d lost track of time. In any event, we’d covered enough restaurants that I felt confident calling off the hunt.
As I turned to survey the crowd, I spotted a familiar sun hat.
“Excuse me a second.”
Merriweather’s eyes followed mine. “Huh. Okay. I’ll just be checking out the scenery~.”
Mint Creme stared at me as I approached. It wasn’t until I was halfway there that I realized she might think I wasn’t happy with her. I stopped to wave, feeling a bit better when she replied in kind.
“Hi.” I put on my best friendly smile.
“Uh, hi?” Mint Creme tilted her head. “How did you find me?”
I tapped a hoof to my head. “Not exactly inconspicuous.”
“Oh. I guess it is a little big, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” I gave her a short nod, my mind focused on choosing my next words as carefully as possible. “Anyway, that’s not why I came over. I’ve been thinking and, I’m willing to talk about the thing, if you’ll do me a favour.”
Mint Creme’s expression brightened. “Name it.”
“I want you to tell me about you and Night.”
“What, why?” She frowned.
“Like it or not, I’m in the middle of… whatever it is that's hanging over you and your family. If I’m to trust you—any of you—I need to understand what I’m getting into.”
“I…” Mint Creme’s ears drooped in a way that reminded me of a certain stallion.
“It doesn’t need to be the whole story, just enough to help me understand. I’m just not in a position to let this kind of thing slide.” I looked her straight in the eyes.
She nodded, determination filling her face. “All right. When do we talk?”
“Tomorrow, at thirteen hundred hours. Meet me in the lobby and we’ll go from there.”
---
Supper was quickly approaching and I needed to get moving. I stole one last look at the mirror, paying particular attention to my forelock. Despite the sheer volume of things Twilight had packed for me, not a single one was a nice outfit or accessory. Not that that was a surprise—I was going into hiding, not sight-seeing.
With a quick trip to the gift shop and some effort, I had been able to rig up a non-tacky hairband fitted with a plastic lily. It’s certainly not what I’d prefer to wear on a first date, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Thanks to the hairband, I could leave my elastic behind, letting the rest of my mane fall semi-free, without fear of, should a situation arise, it getting in my face. And, of course, the whole ensemble wouldn’t be complete without my scarf.
As I stepped out of the bathroom, I glanced at Merriweather, who grinned back.
“You suuuuuure you don’t want me to come along~?” she asked for the fifth time that night.
“I just need a safe zone, not a chaperone.”
“You sure you’re sure? I hear that Night fellow is a pretty rowdy guy~.” Merriweather’s grin grew wider.
The only appropriate response to that was to stick out my tongue.
“Fine. Fine. I’ll be waiting around the corner. But you’d better tell me all about it afterward~.”
I rolled my eyes. “We’ll see.”
The hall was empty as I made my way to Night’s door. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. It wasn’t because of the date itself, but because of the step we were taking. To take a friendship beyond a friendship always risks the whole thing. I could only hope my gut was right.
I took a deep breath and knocked. Unsurprisingly, the door opened immediately, revealing a grinning Night. What was surprising, was that he wore his flight satchels. While the night was going to be relatively informal, I couldn’t help but think he was planning something.
“H-hi, Dusky!” he half-said, half-exclaimed.
“Hi, Night.” I gave him a smile of my own. “Ready to eat?”
He nodded several times. “A-absolutely!”
“Let’s get going, then.” I trotted toward the elevator, glancing over my shoulder to make sure Night was following.
He shifted side-to-side as we waited for the car to arrive. “S-so, um, you found someplace to eat?”
The doors slid open and I nodded as I stepped inside. “I think I found someplace fairly simple. Hopefully that's all right with you.”
“Y-yeah. Simple is good. Whatever sounds good to you.” His eyes wandered the elevator.
“I'd prefer not to pay a small fortune for Canterlot portions.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “I found someplace a little homelier.”
After some debate, I’d settled on the pasta house. It sounded good, was a rather substantial type of food and was only a couple blocks away from the hotel. Plus, there was just something about the atmosphere that was relaxing.
The restaurant was even more inviting at night, with the stylized metal lanterns above the windows and the door lighting it up like a beacon. A softer, warmer glow filled the interior, spilling out just enough to give passersby a small taste of what they could have. This was accompanied by the faint, but sweet, scent of alfredo.
While both the street and restaurant were bustling, we didn’t have to wait for a table. We even got one right in front of a thick, stone hearth. Almost as soon as we sat down, a rather proper looking mare in a blazer came by and took our drink order. Night, of course, went for tea, while I settled for water; there would be plenty enough cider waiting for me later.
“I... you... Dusky. You, um... you look good tonight. Y-your mane, that is. It's... nice.” Night fumbled with the menu as he squirmed under his own words.
“Thanks, Night.” I looked him over, searching for something to compliment in turn. While he hadn’t dressed up, his coat and forelock were obviously groomed. “You’re looking pretty good yourself.”
He turned beet red as he let out a nervous laugh. “I... I barely did anything. But, thank you.”
Our drinks arrived and as Night sipped his tea, he stared into the fire. After a few moments, he looked at me. “This is nice.”
I leaned back, shifting my weight so that I sank a little further into my cushion. It certainly was more comfortable than I expected. “Just being in here makes me feel like I'm relaxing on a sofa.”
Night mirrored my movement, and as he let out a chuckle, I swore I could see the tension floating out of his body. “Not fancy at all. We should tell Terra about this place.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. “Yeah. Finally, a place where we can get her to eat without being on the verge of a heart attack.”
He was suddenly quiet, his eyes drifting back to his flight satchel. “I... I, um... I wanted to do something else for you. I mean... it's our first d-date. So…”
Hurriedly pulling one of the bags closer, he dug his muzzle in and produced a small box. I stared at it as he pushed it across the table.
“You got me a present?” I raised an eyebrow as I placed a hoof on the box. It couldn’t be my knee-jerk reaction—it was too big for a ring; plus Night wasn’t that impulsive and forward. Yet, I couldn’t fully shake that nagging feeling.
He shrank a little. “Its um... its nothing special. Just, something I found.”
“Still, you shouldn't have.”
His ears turned down as he looked away. “I know... just... it made me think of you.”
Slowly, carefully, still unsure what it could be, I opened the lid and instantly felt bad. It was a sand dollar, not unlike many that I’d seen, but also with no equal. It was a pleasing white, its etched, five-point flower almost perfectly proportioned.
He continued talking as I examined the sand dollar. “I found it on the beach. And, that was a first. The beach, and ocean. The world. It's something beautiful, and there's so much I haven't seen. That's just a little piece of it. So... I wanted to share it with you. As... as a thank you.”
“It’s very pretty. Thank you, Night.” I smiled as wide as I could. He didn’t deserve that kind of suspicion.
“L-like I said... just something I found. I mean, it's probably nothing to you. I'm sure you've been to beaches before.” Night was looking everywhere other than at me.
“I have.” I eyed the sand dollar again. “But every beach is different. And everyone sees them differently.”
He perked up. “Oh? Really? Well, what was it like for you? This beach. Or... or the first beach you ever saw?”
I tried to think back, but I’d seen so many beaches, that I really wasn’t sure which was the first—or even many details, for that matter. “Well, I was just a foal, so I don't remember much, but I think it involved a lot of splashing.”
Amusement washed over Night’s face, eventually overflowing into a short chuckle. “It's hard to picture you like that, just... an over-excited filly.”
“I guess that’s just how curious, young people do it.” I smirked. “Just try it out and see what happens.”
The server returned again, steam still coming out of each of our bowls. As I worked on my penne, I watched Night dig into his linguine. Now seemed about the right time to start asking the more personal stuff.
“So, tell me a bit more about yourself, Night. Besides your Dad, I don't know much about your family. What are they like?”
“My... family? Well... I mean, you met my Dad. He's fine. So's my Mom. And... my sisters are... complicated.” His ears fell a little further with each word.
I tilted my head. “How so?”
“Well... I was the youngest, and the only colt. And... kind of a waste.”
“Night?” I raised an eyebrow. Seemed the wounds were already much deeper than I’d originally thought.
He shook his head, continuing as though he hadn’t heard me. “I mean... Sun was already moved out when I was born. Mint was always my friend, but once she joined the Guard, I barely saw her... and Diamond and Spring didn't want me around.”
Definitely deeper than I thought. If he and Mint Creme were so close, why did she react so negatively? I forgot about my pasta entirely as my focus turned to Night. “They didn't?”
“Well, that's what I thought. But... that night. When you got...” he trailed off before I could interrupt him. From then on, his words were more carefully placed. “... i-injured... Spring was there. She said they all missed me.”
I smiled as reassuringly as I could. “Aw, I guess that's the thing about family. Even if they're rough on you at times, they still love you.”
“Y-yeah... I suppose... I kinda miss them too. I didn't realize it until I saw Spring again.” A smile crept across his face, but quickly fell away. “But, I don't know if I can ever open that door again.”
This was my chance. “Well, why not? You said Spring came looking for you, right? What about Mint? You said you two were always friends.”
“I made a promise to her... the day she left to join the Guard. One day, I promised I'd join her, and we'd fight side by side.” He tried to shrug, but his shoulders fell far below where they started.
I chewed on a penne, trying to come up with just the right words to give him a prod without cutting him. “Do you think she holds that against you? You know your father doesn't.”
“I... don't know,” he mumbled. “Maybe someday…”
… you’ll ask? I nodded. “I'm sure you will. You're stronger than you think.”
I watched him carefully. Maybe he wasn’t Guard material, but he had the conviction to stand by his friends and that’s a quality not everyone has. Now, if only he could apply it to his past.
Slowly, but surely, he smiled. “Dusky... I, um... I'm glad that I met you.”
I met his with one of my own. “Likewise, Night Light.”
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Please never stop being a dork, Night Flurry.
Thaaaaaat's Twilight! <sad trombones>
I don't quite know how to phrase this, after having read both the necromancer's ambition and this. I liked both stories, though I'm not sure that they liked each other. Strangely enough, the sequel didn't feel much like the original. Both were well made, interesting stories, don't mistake my intent here. Honestly, both were good reads and I'm happy that I spent the time reading both of them. It's a shame that more people haven't seen them.
6287463
Hehe, don't worry. Night's got plenty more where that came from.
6299794
Yeah, I think I see what you're getting at and it's pretty much intentional that they have a different feel, since there's a pretty big scope change from the TNA to FDTN. That is, the first being pretty immediate and contained as a shorter adventure that demands Dusky's full attention, whereas the second is more her simultaneously trying to live her life and playing (or, at least trying to play) long-term games of Chess against multiple opponents.
Thanks for your kind words and taking the time out to comment. Is there anything you especially like or dislike about either story?
6308572 Whilst it seems sort of redundant to admit to having nothing to say, I can't say that I can pick out any details that I dislike in your stories :). Some of the early transitions felt like they had pacing issues, but at the cost of character development I see that to be beneficial. My only regret is that I don't have more to say, thanks for the read! :D
It's interesting enough reading about these crazy, wonderful ponies just being with each other that you caught me off guard with how suddenly things escalated. Well done.
Shouldn't Mint have her dad's seal with her? Dusky wouldn't recognize it since she was asleep, but Star would know about it. And now I'm wondering if Lyra is related somehow....
6328418
Hehe, thanks. As for the seal:
Watsonian answer: Yes, Dusky doesn't know and Star had a practical reason not to bring it up (stay tuned).
Doylist answer: It maaay have slipped my mind, since Dusky's suspicion runs deeper than what the seal would solve. >.>
6335352
Thanks for taking the time to give me feedback. I definitely find it interesting how much his faults grate on you. What do you think of him trying (whether he fails or not) to improve, even if it's not as pronounced as when he's forced into action? If you stick with, I'd appreciate hearing what you have to say after he has some more time to develop.
6308572
I actually have something. Are we ever going to see Ivory Hope again? She was the character that really drew me to The Necromancer's Ambition.
6352927
There's good news and bad news. The good news is that yes, Ivory will definitely make a return. Several, in fact. The bad news is that I'm going to have ask you to be patient. Rest assured that Dusky will making efforts to see her in the future, though.
6354995 Alright.
Also, did we ever get a reference for what any of Dusky's friends look like? 'Cause I think their physical appearances are mentioned once and never again.
I have no idea who any of these characters really are. I know Terra likes to drink and that's about it.
...Maybe I should try re-reading it from the beginning before I pass judgement though.
6355049
It does come up here and there, but I do acknowledge that I'm usually pretty sparse about those details. As for a reference, it's in black and white, but the cover art has Mahogany and Terra to Dusky's left and Merri and Star to Night's right.
For the personalities, I guess that's a weakness of both the serial way of writing and my lengthy process of getting a chapter ready (as well as dealing with a relatively large cast, such that not everyone appears in every chapter). If you do decide to reread it all at once, I would definitely be interested in hearing if you still think the same.
Funny in retrospect: