Chapter 38: Cake and Whiskey Don't Mix
CHAPTER 38
"OK... Now if I were an angry adoptive father who's daughter just got back together with a deadbeat, what bar would I go to?
There were only about three bars in Ponyville, and I'd just checked one of them. I felt a little guilty, because Mr. Cake storming off was kind of my fault. I was some deadbeat who came into town, and pretty much swept Pinks, who is practically his daughter, off her hooves, and barged into their lives. I did a lot of messed up things, and I got Pinks involved in it all, and I expect him not to be mad? Really, he has every right to be angry. For all he knew, I was taking her out and getting her to do drugs and drink, and do all sorts of terrible things. Of course, I don't, and I'd never do that, but he has reason to believe so.
"I don't know what it is... But part of me is telling me that he's right. I've done terrible things. I'm a deadbeat. But at the same time... Some other part of me is telling me that I was forced into all of that, because it was the only option that I had, and that I'm a good pony... I don't know what to think of myself... What am I? I mean, if I concentrate, I can become invisible, but I'm not a unicorn! That's not natural... I don't understand my own body. I guess I'm a monster in both the literal and the metaphorical sense... I really shouldn't be thinking like this."
Luckily, I didn't need to, as a familiar voice caught my attention. "Hey, Shadow! How are you?" It was Hot Coffee, I smiled, and gave her a little wave. I was standing right outside of Pony Joe's, and Hot was wearing a waitress' apron, with her hair tied back in a bun.
"Hi, Hot... Not too good. I'm looking for Mr. Cake. Have you seen him?"
She cocked her eyebrow. "Yeah... What's wrong? Is something going on?"
I closed my eyes, and let out a long, stressed sigh. "Yeah... Mr. Cake ain't too happy with me. He's out at some bar washing out all of his worries with booze." I shook my head.
"Well, what'd you do?"
I shrugged. "I dunno. He was upset at me for that little spat everypony and I had, because I just left Pinks there, and Pinks must've run home crying or something... He should be mad at me, really. I guess I just want to apologize."
Hot nodded. "Ah... Well, I saw him heading down the street a few minutes ago. I think he was headed for that bar down there at the end of the street." A customer sitting at a table a little ways away waved for Hot. "Well, I gotta get back to work. I'll catch you later... Good luck."
I gave her a thankful nod. "Alright. Seeya."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The little bell above the door jingled when I walked into the bar. It smelled of cigarette smoke, and strong liquor. I was never one for drinking, but I'd been in bars before, and this was the kind where old ponies went to drink the last of their days away. There weren't very many patrons, and I could see Carrot pretty easily among the small crowd that was there. I trotted up, and took a seat at the bar next to him.
"Hey, Carrot..."
He looked at me, and grimaced. "What the buck do you want?"
I looked down at my hooves I had resting on the bar. "To apologize."
He took a swig from his whiskey, and slammed it down. "For what?"
I looked him straight in the eyes, and he froze in place. "For barging into your life the way I did, and upsetting Pinks. I never meant to do that. I hope you know that. I'd never do anything to purposely hurt her. I was just... Stressed out. If you want me to stay away from her, I understand. I know that you think I'm a scumbag, and I can't blame you for it."
He stared at me for a moment, and took another swig from his bottle, and then patted me on the back a bit. "No, Shadow... I'm the one who should be sorry. I was acting like a foal who's parents just took away his favorite toy. I should have just talked it out with you instead of coming here..."
I chuckled a bit. "Well, at least you're not the kind who gets angry when they're drunk. Thanks, but really, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper in the first place. This is all my fault, really."
He shook his head. "Shadow... No, it isn't. I just... I don't know. All I know is, you're a good stallion, and I'd be glad for you to marry Pinks. You two make each other happy, and that's all that matters." He tilted the bottle towards me. "Drink?"
I shook my head. "No thanks, I don't drink."
He chuckled, and took another swig. "Good... I like that. I'd love to stop drinking, but I just can't. It feels like the bottle is my only escape sometimes, you know? It's like if I don't drink, I'll kill somepony."
Those last few words made me flinch. He noticed this, and cocked his eyebrow. "Something wrong, Shadow? Is it something I said...? Maybe about killing?"
I closed my eyes, and swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "You've killed somepony before, haven't you?" I nodded again. I heard him sigh, and I opened my eyes, and I saw him chugging down the last of the bottle. "Care to tell me why?"
I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding, and took another deep one. "Well... He was attacking me, and I just... Reacted. I really didn't mean to. I don't wanna talk about it..."
He nodded in understanding. "It's alright. If you feel like you can't talk about it, just don't try to. I don't want to be the reason you dig up painful memories."
I smiled a little bit. "Thanks, Carrot." I stood up, and turned to the door. "I think I'm gonna get going. I'll leave you to your drinking."
I trotted towards the door, but Carrot's voice rang through the bar. "Shadow, before you go..." I looked behind me, and Carrot was looking at me with a smile on his face. "Thanks."
I smiled, and nodded, and headed out of the bar.
"Things are finally looking up. Who knows, maybe things will actually keep getting better for a change."
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Nope, things wont get better
First?
331233 I FINALLY DID IT!!!!!!
Oh, please don't let what I think is gonna happen, happen.
whoop
finally things are looking up
yay
Maybe things will actually get better.
Eeenope.
And he jinxed it.
Short chapter was short! ME WANT MORE!
First off I resent that chapter title mate.
Whiskey and Cake DO in fact go together just fine.
Your just gonna drop me like a bad habit when I get my hopes up for things to turn better all of a sudden, I KNOW IT! And I always get confused with Carrot Top And Carrot Cake! Confusing
Knowing how your cliffhanger paradox endings work, I have a feeling that fate will be unkind for a while....
ugh
things never get and stay better
336558
He can't help it, that's how he is. He's grown used to everything being his fault, because everything really WAS his fault in the past, and it's like a habit to blame himself.
You just had to go and jinx it dident you!
"Maybe things will keep getting." It's a tragedy. They never get better tell the chapters end. Honestly in his shoes I would be asking, "Something nice? Ok what's going to go wrong now?"