Pony Polka Power!!!

by Gpizano

Tell You What I Want

The last couple months leading up to summer certainly had been exciting. Reconciliations during spring break, a bit of drama and romance during Sunset Shimmer's senior prom at Los Pegasus High School, all wrapping up with the girl graduating and receiving her high school diploma. Her girlfriend and all of their friends had been there, the group ecstatically cheering her on as she crossed the stage and long after she stepped off to let the next graduate obtain their diploma. Bobby was of course as happy as the others, cheering, taking pictures at her request since her friends in Canterlot would want to see, and enjoying the party thrown in their apartment to celebrate the occasion.

What summer would mean for Bobby was basically a bit of time off before he delved headlong into another year of college in pursuit of his business degree, a chance to unwind and do something he'd been planning ever since the Friendship Games earlier that year.

"Soooo, you got everything? Keys to the apartment? Money? Wallet? Cell phone? Condoms?"

While he was putting the finishing touches on his packing, his roommate Jackie had been going over a check list for him. Although he saw and appreciated the guitarist's good intentions, Sunset still elbowed her girlfriend at the last item spoken.

"Jacks, I'm sure he's got everything covered."

"Hey, you never know. Don't want him to forget, do the deed and then bam! This Cinch lady hits him with a paternal suit or whatever and he's suddenly the baby daddy."

"Jackie..."

"Cause you know, even older ladies can pop 'em out. There was this story one time, sixty year old lady managed to have a kid. Dunno how, flipped the channel cause it's kinda ew, but-"

Sunset placed a hand firmly over her girlfriend's mouth, the guitarist's rambling muffled as she looked to Bobby.

"Call when you get there so we know you made it safe, and if you need any help you can call me or any of the girls in Canterlot, okay?"

"Yup, I got it Sunset."

"Good. And um, have a nice time."

Beaming at the two, the man moved forward and gave both of them a quick hug before turning to the door, picking up the suitcase with one hand and tossing the dufflebag over his shoulder.

"Thanks. I'll see you guys in about two weeks, have fun!"

Closing the door behind him, Jackie waited a couple of moments to make sure he wouldn't come back in before jumping back onto the couch and grabbing the remote off of the coffee table.

"Sweet! The living room is ours!"

With a smile and a shake of the head, Sunset moved over and sat down right on her girlfriend's stomach, careful not to knock the wind out of her but making sure this caught Jackie's attention.

"That. And we have the apartment all to ourselves."

The flirtatious grin from Sunset was returned with one from Jackie, the guitarist leaning up as Sunset leaned down, their lips connecting as they kicked off their alone time.

---

Being on a budget made it tough to save up for things, especially since the unexpected could happen. However since the Friendship Games, Bobby had started to scrimp and save for an idea that had come to mind. An idea that would require he take a bus to Canterlot and stay in a cheap motel during his time there. Ever since Abacus had given him her number after the Friendship Games, they'd been able to communicate with one another and he'd divulged his plan to come and visit for a bit during the summer!

Once he reached the bus station, he'd make his way to a nearby motel, but first...

Pulling out his phone, he dialed a very familiar number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Abacus. Just letting you know I'm almost at the bus station and I'll be checked into the motel soon. We still on for lunch tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"Alright. So I'll see you then?"

"Mm-hm. I'll see you then."

After hanging up, Bobby just had a smile on his face, feeling a bit jazzed about finally being here and finally getting to see Abacus Cinch again. While she had gotten a bit stiffer in their conversations recently, the twenty-three year old still enjoyed hearing her voice. When the bus finally pulled in, he practically sprang out of his seat and hurried off, collecting his luggage along the way before beginning his trek to the motel. It wasn't anything fancy of course, the college student couldn't afford much but it didn't matter! Tomorrow he'd have a lunch (maybe date?) with Abacus and then things could proceed from there! Where there was he wasn't exactly sure, but it seemed like a nice place to head towards.

---

After a good night's sleep, sans hearing a fight go on in the room next door and his own excitement making it hard to fall asleep, Bobby had arrived early to the coffee shop where they agreed to meet. He'd picked out his best slacks and a nice, black t-shirt. Casual but still clean and on the proper side, he was sure she would like that. He ran his fingers through his dark hair for yet the umpteenth time before checking the time on his phone. A little late, he wondered briefly why she wouldn't be on time but no worries!

It would be ten minutes later that he finally spotted the woman, his smile growing as she approached, not seeming to notice how distant Abacus seemed as he stood and pulled out the chair for her. A good look at her face had him feeling a bit concerned though, not even the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Bobby slowly took his seat, confusion clear on his features as he stared at her stony expression.

"... Abacus, is something wrong?"

Opening her mouth to respond, she was stopped as she gazed at him. Admittedly Bobby did look cute with such an expression on his face, sweetly concerned and confused. Instead of words a sigh escaped the woman before her resolve came back, folding her hands on the table as she fixed the young man with a stare.

"Luca. What do you honestly expect to gain out of this?"

The use of his real, first name threw Bobby for a moment.

"... another date? Probably to the movies?"

"And beyond that? In the future?"

"... more dates?"

This caused Abacus to take off her glasses and pinch the bridge of her nose for a moment.

"Luca. You're still in college. You're still in college and you're trying to pursue a romantic relationship with a woman almost twice your age. Have you even thought about what that means? Such an age difference? What people would say?"

"So? I like you and I want to keep dating you. And I thought you got over that whole 'reputation' thing? None of this seemed to matter when we were talking over the phone for the last couple months."

"Well obviously I haven't. I.... I thought I could, but I can't..."

Stalling, Cinch began to clean her glasses, focused on the menial task so she didn't have to look up at the other just yet.

"When you suggested you come to visit me, that we go on an actual date. It all started to rear it's head again. What would people say about me dating a younger man, the difference in age if we got serious, what expectations you would have that I could not deliver. I... I just can't, Luca."

Putting her glasses back on, it took all she had not to react to seeing how crushed Bobby looked. Even if he hadn't thought far into the future, his feelings for her were sincere. That was what made this all the more difficult. Still, she stood up, smoothing out her skirt as she prepared to leave.

"There's no need to be upset. We only knew each other a short time."

"So?"

As grating as Cinch found that response, it still stopped her as she watched Bobby rise to his feet as well, a determined look on his face.

"We talked about your students. Ever since the whole Friendship Games thing you've started to actually care more about them since you didn't want to be like Chrysalis. You told me how you liked Ulysses by James Joyce, yeah I never read it but I liked hearing you talk about it and explain the themes in it to me since you sounded so invested and even excited talking about it. And I know I've told you stuff about me too."

"Luca."

As Bobby stepped forward, Cinch tried to pull away, but a gentle grasp was on her arm, heavier than any shackle.

"Abacus, I haven't thought about the future or reputation or age or all that because I don't need to. I honestly like you, a lot. You're an attractive, smart woman and I want to know more about you. I mean, you're a woman I could really lo-"

"STOP."

The sudden, sharp and slightly loud command drew some attention from the tables nearby but for now they did not exist. It was just Bobby, staring back at Abacus, the woman's composure slipping as she stared back until she tilted her head forward and rested it against his chest, the college student slowly raising his arms to embrace her.

"... dammit..."

---

She was a coward.

There was no better way to say it. Abacus knew she was weak in the face of her peers and always had been. Self conscious as to what they thought of her, striving to achieve excellence so that she was looked upon with respect. She knew it stopped her from many things in life just as it was doing now. But for a couple of months she had allowed herself a fantasy where she felt the thrill of being desired and secretive. Now that he was here though, reality had come crashing back. Age difference. The future. Him being saddled with an old woman before his own life truly began. And watching as she grew old, repulsed by her as the honeymoon phase disappeared as he had to take care of her. There was no dignity in becoming a burden.

But for one night she could ease her loneliness.

Abacus awoke that early morning, nestled against a warm chest with fit arms wrapped around her waist. There was the faintest scent of sandalwood and sweat which served to summon memories of the night before as they engaged on the motel bed. She was careful not to wake him as she reached for her glasses on the night stand, putting them on and brushing loose locks of hair away from her face as she noted the time. Glancing to Bobby's sleeping face, guilt began to build in her stomach and she slowly escaped his hold before heading to the bathroom, gathering her clothes along the way.

It had been selfish to use him like this. It would be best if she just left before he woke up.

Yet it seemed this would not be the case as she emerged fully dressed from the bathroom, stopping dead in her tracks as she saw Bobby sitting up on the bed, clad only in a sheet for modesty, staring at her. He didn't want her to go. Abacus squared her shoulders and walked past the bed, not sparing him another glance as she reached the door.

"Abacus. You know, you can call me whenever you like. Right?"

The silence between them was filled with tension, a crossroads reached and one waiting to see which road the other would take.

"... goodbye, Mister Bookkeeper."

---

After having spent the rest of the day moping, Bobby called off the rest of his vacation in Canterlot and took the next bus home. During the entire ride he was morose, glancing to his phone every now and then for a call that probably would never come again. Yet he couldn't delete her number, not when he still held the smallest hope that she might at least want to stay friends.

When he finally arrived back at the apartment, Bobby could not recall a time he felt lower as she climbed the stairs up to his apartment. Hopefully Sunset and Jackie weren't in, he hadn't called ahead to tell them he was coming home since he'd just hadn't had the will to do it. Although that pesky hindsight kicked in when he opened the door to their apartment... and saw Jackie with her hands behind her back, blind folded and in her underwear with Sunset straddling her waist in a similar state of undress! Of course hearing the door open caught both of their attention, the two young women looking towards him (well, Jackie looking towards the noise), Sunset's eyes going wide.

"B-Bobby?!"

"GOD DAMMIT BOBBY!"

Author's Note:

Probably not the start you were all expecting but ehhhh, I wanted to explore Bobby and Cinch a bit more and see where it lead me. Apparently it wasn't to a happy ending. XD

Also, while the one shots take place with different people in different times (usually), there is a progression based on the season, going from Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring. Not quite covering the full year and a half but definitely hitting major events that would make for a good one shot (I believed).

Comments

[diablo4000]

NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

[Gpizano]

7727498 I know. I thought at first this'd end happy but... sometimes it just doesn't work out that way.

[Crepusculo]

Aww poor Bobby, hope he finds someone else down the line.

[Uria the Sacred Beast]

Eh, that ended about as well as I expected.