Sulfur Courtship

by GermanBrony_12

Cafe Visit

—-------One Week Later—-------

I want to leave. It kills me to stay here, to spend each second in this disgusting world. They act so certain, as if they’ve seen the corpse themselves; how could they know she’s dead? It doesn’t make sense, yet I’m sure that deep down, I too have that same certainty.

I can’t bear to open my eyes. I know that the second I do, I’ll be met with the smiling face of my sister, framed and decorated with snow-white roses. It feels a mockery to display such photos during so dismal an event. A cheerful grin borne by one who simply ceased to exist. Would they really act in such a way, had they the chance to return for but a moment and look back on their life?

Finally, I gain the strength to observe my surroundings. I can’t help but notice that few here look dismayed, few weep, and really, few care. The hall is filled with friends and family, all gazing on as if at some kind of “fun night out.” It’s sickening, really.

Attempting to clear the disdain from my heart, I head toward her memorial. As expected, she sat there, motionless and smiling as she stared into the void of death. I knelt down before her.

“Ah, Quill Weaver, must you smile at me so as I lament your expiration? You’ve left me alone in this world, so tell me, what am I to do?”

I ask her question after question, as though mad with grief, but no response could come from her: neither now, nor any point in the future. I wept at the centre of the hall, yet though I felt the puddle beneath me, none could spare a glance. The room was filled with life, and I, at the centre of it all, did naught but cast a pall over the event.

I left, for I could bear it no longer, and escaped to the cafe which I came to so often. The soft jingle of bells welcomes me as I walk into the building and take a seat. I look out the window at the busy town, every creature going about their lives and laughing. I try my best to distract myself with this, but something catches my eye. In the reflection of the glass, I see the barista, staring at me from table seven. As if compelled by some uncanny force, I jerk my head around in an instant. It was true, he really had waited there.

I once said I would laugh at this, but as I see it now, the only reasonable reaction is terror. It’s inexplicable, but this stallion feels wrong in every way. He smiled and gestured for me to come over. I suppose I could have been wrong about him, and I did need someone to sit with. I moved to his table and sat down across from him.

Before saying anything, the waitress arrived and took our order. Still saddened by my boba-less life, I asked for a cup of pink milk. Meanwhile, the barista ordered strawberry boba tea. I felt uneasy at this, and insisted upon leaving, but something in his eyes made me want to stay, as he had asked.

I sat down once again and at last, he made conversation, “I’m very sorry again about your sister. It’s quite tragic, what happened to her.”

“You’ve heard? But how?”

“Wasn’t it you who told me?”

I suppose I must have forgotten it with all the excitement around me. After all, there’s no other way he could’ve found out.

“...I-...I’d rather not think about it, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. I’m sorry for mentioning it”

I kept silent for a bit. The waitress arrived and gave us the drinks, however, the barista immediately switched them around, leaving me with the boba. I tried to give it back, telling him that I shouldn’t, but he insisted.

“Your sister would want this for you, I assure you.”

I hesitated, it was such an odd statement to come from him, but in the end, I succumbed to the alluring presence of the boba. Much as I tried to forget, my mind seemed incapable of distracting itself, and in the end, I couldn’t help but cry. I admitted everything to the barista: that I was terrified of living without her, and how I couldn’t bear this tragic fate of mine, but he only smiled at me as I said this.

“Fear. It is quite powerful, is it not? It can consume you before you even notice it's there. Only the strongest can overcome it; you ought to be careful.”

At this point I had finished my boba, and all I wished for was to spend my time in solitude. As I left, the barista turned to me and asked that we meet again next time. I ignored him; I felt like I shouldn’t, yet something still drew me to him.

“One day, you’ll find that you want nothing more than to return here.”

“...mm.”

“That reminds me, we’ve forgotten to introduce ourselves. Please, call me Steedplayer.”

“Poltroon Twirl.”

I left him, but on my way out I was interrupted by a unicorn at the door. Starlight Glimmer caught my attention and warned me, “Listen, you might not want to get involved with that pony. I can’t say much yet, but I’m telling you, avoid him.”

I looked back at the stallion and, for the first time ever, saw him glaring. This time however, it was not me, but Starlight Glimmer whom he stared at.