> Pacific Glow's Gaze
>  by Scribblesheet The Scribe
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Lemon Tart
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ok Lemon Tart seeing as how it's your first night on the job I'll do what I can to help you. Tommorow your on your own though so pay attention got it?"

"Yes mister Top Up." Replyed the bright yellow colored and orange maned earth pony.

To most ponies a full time job at a club bar would not be that apealing. While ponies were dancing he was pouring drinks, While ponies were laughing he was calling cabs for those too hammered to drive. To him though this is the best job he could have landed in Manehattan. The club known as The Club Pony Party Palace or the C tripple P was often host to some of the best DJ's in Equestria DJ Pon3 herself was setting up shop as Lemon was being shown around the bar he'd be stationed at.

To him this job came with it's own benifits. Sure he couldn't go out on the dance floor or sample the Ciders for sale but he still got to enjoy the best part all night, the music. While he by no means had any skill with any instrument that did not stop him from loving the sounds of pounding bass or the singing of a Violin. All night from 6 PM to 4 AM he got a front row seat to the best bass in the city all Lemon Tart had to do was pour drinks and he even got paid for it. A quick glance at the clock showed him that it was fifteen minutes until the doors opened and outside he could already see ponies gathering in line.

"Your resume said you worked at a club prior to this one?"

"Yes sir." he replyed slightly peeved at having his thoughts interupted.

"So I won't have to show you how to mix drinks then, good that makes this easier. Now I know I just need to show you where everything is and where to get fresh barrels


/l\---)O(---/l\


Pacific Glow once again found herself outside CPPP with her friend Azure Velour at her side. Her mane was done up in it's usual double pony tail and she was once again adorned in her yellow hoof sleeves. As always when she was out on the town her pacifier was strung about her neck along with her favorite necklaces. The Blue maned and purple furred earth pony beside her was adorned in her favorite faux leather jacket but rather than sweatpants tonight she had decided to wear jeans that hugged her flanks well in hopes of bringing a mare home by the end of the night.

"Five minutes until the doors open Glowy then we'll be jammin to Pon3 again!"

"Please your here because your hoping for a flank spank before the nights over. You and I both know you never come for the music."

"Of course I do! Without the music I wouldn't have a reason to get down and if I can't do that then how am I gonna reel a pretty mare in?"

The blue maned mare bounced her eyebrows suggestivly while Pacific simply rolled her eyes. There were days she wondered why she put up with the borderline sex addict to her side but she always came to the same answer. Azure for all her antics was there when she needed her whether she was having a bad day or just wanted a wing mare for a night out. She had changed a great deal since they were filly's and not all for the better but she was still Azure Velour and Azure Velour was a friend who always had her back.

"Hey um by the way Glowy you got spare bits by chance?"

Even if she was a wallet leach. The pink earth pony rolled her eyes again this time in a joking maner before pulling a small pouch out of her purse and hoofing it over to her companion.

"Please just don't spend all of it on drinks. Save some for tommorow when we go shopping at the mall."

"I'll try but don't get your hopes up!"

Glowy sighed with notible sarcasum as the doors to the club opened. The bouncer recognizing them from the previous nights they'd been there let them in right away. Once she was out of eye sight and her friend was on the floor mingling Pacific made for the filly's room. With the door closed behind her and no pony in sight she pulled a small bottle from her bag and took out a pill. In seconds it was down her throat and chased with a bit of water from the sink. With this done she made her way back out.


/l\---)O(---/l\


For his first night on the job things were going pretty well. Lemon had a little trouble with one of the pump levers sticking but that was easily fixed with a bit of effort. Aside from a few drink orders building up in the time it took to fix it he was doing fine. The DJ was playing her heart out tonight and Lemon Tart relished every bass wave that hit his ears. About half an hour into his shift things slowed down a bit. Having woked in a club before he knew the explanation. The ponies who had come thirsty had gotten their drinks and the others were dancing but would be over later when they needed to wet their throats. Lemon was in the process of putting some glasses in the freezer to frost them when he heard a hoof tap the counter top.

"Just a moment."

"Take your time the view is nothing to complain about if you ask me."

The obvious pass at him caused the yellow pony to lift his head before he could think resulting in a loud thunk as he banged it on the counter above above him. Pulling back with a hiss of pain while rubbing the spot the suffering pony was greeted by the apoligetic smile and feminine laughter of a pink pony with sky blue eye's. She was covering her mouth with one hoof and laughing while unsuccessfully trying to hide her amusement.

"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you!" She continued to giggle.

"It's fine miss..."

"Pacific Glow."

"Pleasure to meet you miss Glow now what would you like to drink?" He said hiding the strain in his voice best he could.

"A Mango margarita please on the rocks."

He set about his task as she watched crushing the Ice and salting the rim of the glass while mixing the tequila and mango togeather. She continued to smile while the stalion worked the lights flashing behind her and the bass flooding the room.

"So when did you start working here sailor?"

"Umm this is my first day on the job miss Glow."

"Oh stop calling me miss Glow. My freinds call me Glowy and I make it a point to be friends with all the bartenders at my favorite clubs."

"Well...thank you... but I'd prefer to call you miss Glow." He replyed begining to feel uncomfortable under her low lidded gaze.
"No need to look so nervious I'm only messin cause your kinda cute."

Lemon swallowed a large lump forming in his throat.

"So *Ehem* miss Glow what brings you to the CPPP tonight?"

"I come here once a week with my friend over there."

She pointed a hoof in the direction of a purple furred earth pony with blue hair who was currently kissing another mare with tongue obviously included.

"I see." Said the bar colt slightly embarrassed by the public display.

"We've been best friends since grade school so we hang out all the time. Whenever I need somepony to go somewhere with me she's just a call away."

"It's always good to have friends you can trust." He said trying to move the conversation to a close.

"It is."

The pairs eye's met and try as he might it was hard for Lemon Tart not to get lost in them. Blue eyes were far from uncomon but there was something special about her's. The perfect shade of sky blue and the way she looked at him with them was border line hypnotic. Shaking his head free Lemon finnished making Glowy's drink and placed it in front of her.

"This mare is very what's the word...Open? We've been talking for a few minutes and she's chatting like we've known each other for weeks at least." He thought to himself.

The mare reached for her drink but then she clentched her teeth rather suddenly as if not of her own will causing her to reach for her pasfier around her kneck and bite it between her teeth.

Oh sweet Celestia she's high on Joy. I've worked this scene long enough to see the signs especialy when their hidden this poorly.

"There you are miss Glow. Is there anything else I can get you?" He said in an even less enthusiastic tone than a moment ago.

"Hmmmm not right now but maybe later tonight."

With that she departed leaving him alone again much to his relief.

Thank Celestia. Last thing I want to do on my first day is foalsit a high mare.


/l\---)O(---/l\


Many hours dancing and drinking later saw a rather drunk and wobbly Pacific Glow making her way towards the bar. It was closing time now and she was looking for her wing mare who unkown to her was enjoying a tumble in the sheets back at her place with that nights lucky mare. She had told her she was spliting but poor Glowy had been too busy dancing to notice.

"Azurrrrrrreeee!" She called out wobbling her way towards the bar "Azurrrrreeee Velouuuuurrrrrr! where *hic* are youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu?"

It was at that moment that the drunken mare tripped over her own forehooves and took a stuble foreward only to be caught by something before hitting the ground. Looking up in her blurry drunk  gaze at her savior she could make out just enough to recocognize the bar pony who had served her earlier. The same pony who had cut her off so that she had to bum drinks off of others to get her fill.

"Hey HEY! Your the party pooper who stopped letting me drink!"

"Yes miss Glow that's me put a hoof on my shoulder and I'll help you to a booth."

"Your-you such-a Gentlecolt."

The pink mare proceeded to ruffle up his mane and nearly fall off of him in the process. Anoyed at the action Lemon considered complaining breifly but decided against it. A drunk pony was a pony that didn't care about you opinion. Once sitting somewhat comfortably in a booth the mare was released and the stalion produced a phone from his pocket.

"Do you have anypony I should call? A brother a sister a room mate?"

"Nope! My mom wouldn't care if I fell off a building onto the street and got hit by a carriage!" She said in a slurred and whimsical manner.

The stalion only half paying attention began dialing a number in. After waiting for a few moments he put the phone away an unhappy look on his muzzle.

"The Cab service is closed for the night. Great just great. Look can you just wait here while I close up? I'll be back in a minute when I figure out what to do about getting you somewhere safe."

"Safty's overated."

"Not when your alone and drunk in the city."

With that the stallion trotted off to close up the bar


/l\---)O(---/l\


As Lemon was closing up shop he continued to think of what the best thing to do with his drunk and likely in his opinion high 'friend' in the booth. She was clearly off her nut at the moment and there were no cabs to get her home right now. That essentialy meant he could either trust her drunk mind to lead him to her door step Celestia knew how far away from his flat or he could give her a place to crash at his flat and deal with the awkward morning where he would have to explain that he had been a complete gentlecolt over eggs and toast. Even if Lemon asumed that she would steer him properly for all he knew it would be time for work again before he got her to a safe place. Being honest with himself he would rather get some sleep tonight.

"Awkward breakfast it is then." He said reluctantly to himself.

Lemon Tart proceeded to close the club for his first time all done while cursing his 'Superior' for skipping out two hours early on him for an 'Emergancy' and leaving him with the keys. Having finnished locking up the stalion made his way to the semi conscious pony in the booth. With a bit of effort and some poking to the shoulder he was able to bring her to enough conciousness to get her to walk partialy on her own. Lemon sighed resining himself to an uncomfortable night on his old couch in his single pony flat...two whole blocks away.

Uhggg I'm going to have to guide her the whole way there! He thought to himself grumply.

With the pink mare using him as a living crutch Lemon guided the drunk mare down the sidwalk using all his spare breath to mutter curses at his luck in life. he was interupted from his whispering tirade when he felt a slightly toothy sensation on his ear.

"Ouch! Hey stop that!"

"You're grumpy." She mumbled.

"Yes I am and with good reason! I'm about to spend a terrible night on my decades old couch because I had the missfortune to be raised by a mother who taught me to be responsible even when other's arn't!"

Before he could continue his rant he was nearly forced to the ground when the remaining weight that Glowy had been carrying was dumped on him as she fell asleep. Regaining his balance Lemon Tart moved so that she was laying over his back.

"Just-one-more-block!" He sighed. You just had to make it...One. More. Block."


/l\---)O(---/l\


Further effort and sailor grade cursing found Lemon Tart placing an asleep pink mare on his bed. He took a moment to catch his breath as he was not an overly active pony before looking at the clock on his apartment wall. 5:23. It had taken nearly fifty minutes to make it two blocks and up three flights of stairs thanks to that drunk mare! Shaking his head in anoyance he crossed over to the couch in the corner by the window. He considered throwing a blanket over his 'house guest' but decided since she was already asleep as well as the fact he was risking eviction having another pony spend the night at his flat he had done enough. Flopping on his couch he placed a pillow between his forelegs and dropped his head on it. He was asleep in seconds.



>  A Hurting Head and an Unknown Bed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ooowwwww. My head." Muttered the pink mare.

Somehow despite waking like this rather often Pacific Glow was not spared the pain of hangovers. More often than not a good night out resulted in a bad next morning but despite this inconvineance she still found the evenings worth it in the end. Cracking an eye open she gazed aroung the room she inhabited or more accurately the left side of the room she inhabited as she was still too sleepy to be bothered to move her head about. One thing that was instantly clear was that she was not in her own room. "That's unusual. I guess I'll have to rely on the report of the homes owner to find out what had hapened." She closed her eye's again bit's and peices would likely come back to her as she woke up more. Then she jolted awake.

"Wait I'm in another ponies bed? Oh Goddesses what did I do!"

Taking another more frantic glance around the room now with both eye's showed her some pecular sights. This must have been the first studio apartment she had seen that wasn't in any sense of the word cramped. There were five bookshelves a couch a coffee table with an old desktop and an armchair. That was it. No pictures no posters not even a rug graced the floor nothing to tie the room together! This was the blandest apartment the pink pony had ever seen.

Who in equestria goes to clubs but doesn't so much as have a phonograph player in their own home? Crap focus Glowy! Please tell me I didin't screw somepony!

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a whistling kettle shortly followed by a hiss of pain and profanity.

"Bloody Tartarus! Cerberus take this damn kettle and smelt it down into scrap!"

Glowy quickly rolled over to face the source of the noise and saw a slightly plump yellow stalion with orange mane sucking on his hoof to alleviate the pain from the burn. He hadn't seemed to notice she was awake yet and instead was glaring at the iron device like he wished it could feel pain. Her mystery host proceeded to lift the pot and poor the boiling water into a coffee press before turning back to a pan and grabbing a spatula which was used to flip an egg on toast.

"Good morning." Said a slightly nervious Pacific as she climbed out off of the bed.

The pudgy stallion turned around the spatula still in his mouth.

"Gofd morming yerf serlf." He mumbled around the cooking utensil.

"So your the grumpy morning type then?" She asked as she glanced around more awake but still confused.

He placed the spatula down on the counter after flipping the egg on toast again before speeking.

"I'm not grumpy in the morning I'm-"

"Could have fooled me." Said the mare.

"I was saying I'm grumpy in general." He frowned at being interupted.

"Oh lighten up. Oh and by the way whatever is in that pot is burning."

"What? Oh son of a-!"

Before he had finnished his own sentance that no doubt would have ended in profanity he grabbed the pot by the handle and placed it on a small pot holder acting as a makeshift heat pad. Glancing down at whatever was inside his ear's drooped and he frowned. Glowy by now had made her way to the couch and was sitting on it watching with amusment feeling a bit more relaxed.

"Damn it, Damn it DAMN IT! Damnit it all to Tartarus that pourage wasn't cheep!"

Begrudgingly he spooned some of the burnt yet still edible goop into a bowl before pulling out a plate from the cupboard and flipping the toast and egg onto it. Grabbing the edge of the plate in his teeth he made his way over to the coffee table accross from the couch and set it down in front of his 'House guest'. Once done he grabbed the bowl of burnt pourage in a similar fashion before sitting down in the arm chair to eat.

"By the way miss Glow it's not good morning it's good afternoon."

The mare was looking curiously at her egg on toast when he spoke making her look up at him.

"Oh what time is it then?"

"3:32 PM now please eat your egg in a basket so I can do the dishes."

"Why are you so grumpy? You slept with me and now your all upset?" She said in a raised and irritated voice.

The yellow pony choked on his burnt porrage before coughing violently for half a minute.

"What? No! I slept on the couch because you drank too much and I couldn't leave you in the bar overnight!"

"You had me drunk in your bed and didn't sleep with me?"

"NO!"

Oh thank the mercifull goddessess! She thought internally relieved. Then on a more sour note she thought Wait so I'm not good enough for him? Who does this guy think he is! Wait no this is good for Luna's sake Glowy stay focused and find out what happened!

Glancing back at the stalion she saw him noticably frowning at his food.

"So...nothing happened?"

"No."

"Promise?"

"What are you so worried about? Your the one who was drunk and high in a club and your worried about sleeping with somepony? You were practicly wearing a I'm easy billboard around your neck!"

"I'M NOT A SLUT!" Yelled the mare.

The stallion recoiled slightly shaking his head to snap out of it. He was about to retort back with a rude comment like 'could have fooled me' or 'that's not the message I got' but closed his mouth when he saw her looking at the ground and a few small water stains on his carpet floor.

"Shit."

Standing up he made his way over to the crying mare before sitting down in front of her. He looked back and fourth a few times trying to figure out what to do when a small sob came out from her and he said the only thing that came to mind.

"I'm sorry Glowy." It was wrong of me to say that."

The mare sniffled for a few moments before sitting down again on the couch and speaking.

"You're a jerk."

"Ya I get that a lot."

"I bet."

The stallion opened his mouth than closed it then did it again before speaking.

"Your egg is going to get cold if you don't hurry up and eat it. I'll call a cab when your done."

With that he walked back over to his bowl of burnt goop and proceeded to dump the remainder into a trash bin before placing the bowl in his sink. Glowy took a bite of the egg in a basket and finding it perfectly cooked finnished the thing in three more large bites. Looking back over at the yellow pony she spoke again.

"What's your name?"

"Lemon Tart."

"Thank you for breakfast and letting me use your bed Lemon Tart."

"MMhhmm."

"Is that all your going to say? MMhhmm?"

"I wasn't planning on saying anything else no."

"You're very strange."

"I get that almost as often as the jerk accusation...So what were you on last night?"

"Nothing!"

"Ya and I'm prince Blue Blood."

"It's none of your buisness."

"It was Joy wasn't it?"

"What? N-n-nooo what makes you say that?"

"Let's see. The pacifier, the teeth grinding and the blatant flirting in contrast to your behavior this morning are dead give aways."

The mares ears drooped in shame.

"Word of advice. If you don't want to wake up in a stalions bed the morning after get off that stuff. It will only make it easer for regretable things to happen."

"I don't think what I do is any of your buisness!"

"No it isn't but that doesn't change facts."

"Goddessess you're a jerk!"

"Yep."

There were a few moment's of somewhat awkward silence before a grumble from the mares stomach broke it. Her cheeks flushed and Lemon spoke without turning away from the dishes.

"There's milk in the mini fridge and a box of Honey & Oats in the cabinent."


/l\---)O(---/l\


An hour later saw a less hung over Glowy waiting at the bus station with Lemon Tart. He was waiting for the bus so he could do a quick bit of grochery shopping before work and Glowy was waiting for the bus so she could go home. Lemon had offered to call a cab but she had refused thinking she should be polite and give her host some company before leaving. The slightly plump stallion to her right was stairing straight ahead while tapping his rear left hoof impatiently as they waited.

"Soooo..." Started Glowy.

"So what?"

"Umm..."

"You don't need to make conversation. In case you hadn't noticed I'm not very good at it."

"Ya..."

They stared ahead.

"Thank you though."

"You already said so back at the apartment."

"Well I can say it again if I want to."

"Why?"

"Because...I can?"

"Well you're welcome."

Silence again.

"Is the bus always so slow?"

"You could have got a cab."

"I know!"

"Why didn't you then?"

"Because I thought the least I could do was give you some company while you waited for the bus."

"Why would you want to? I'm basicly the living embodyment of unpleasant."

"No your not."

He gave her a questioning raised eyebrow glance.

"Well your friends must not think your unpleasant."

"I don't have any friends."

"Huh?"

"I don't have any friends."

"Everypony has friends!"

"I'm not everpony."

To prove the point he pulled out his phone and pushed his contacts button. Their were two contacts. One said mom and the other said CPPP.

"Holy crap you don't have any friends." Said the mare staring dumbfounded.

"Nope."

"Why?"

"I like my privacy."

"Don't you ever get board or lonely?"

"Not really."

"Everypony needs at least one friend!"

The two of them paused before Pacific had an Idea.

"What's your phone number?"

"665-876-9900 why?"

Seconds later his phone rang.

"Add me to your contacts."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to be your first friend!"

"Uhhhhhhh..."

"Their I've added you to mine now we can call each other when we want to hang out!"

"Uhhhh..."

"Oh look the buss is here!"

A few seconds later the buss parked, opened it's doors and the pink mare climbed in. Lemon followed shortly after a confused look on his face as he sat down on one of the seats.

What just happened? He thought.

"So what are some of your hobbies?"

It was only then that he noticed he had sat down next to Glowy.

"What do you like to do? I like dancing and singing, listening to music Oh and I love scary movies! So what do you like to do?"

"Well I can bake and I read I like music too."

"Oh what kinds of music?"

"Pretty much all of it."

"Ok then so the first time we hang out maybe we could go to a music performance or something?"

"Ya. Sure."

"Well don't get excited all at once." She laughed lightly.

The bus came to a stop at the down town area and the doors opened up while the four stallions up front pulling it caught their breath and drank from bottles of water.

"Well this is my stop." Said Lemon as he quickly climbed from his seat eager to depart.

"Alright well I'll see you around Lemon Tart!"

Shortly after the bus started moving again and a more pleasant and over all happier Pacific Glow watched the city go by through her window. She was looking at one of the sky scrapers when her phone gave it's text alert noise.

"Hey Glowy what's going on girl? Sorry I'm texting so late but that mare last night wore me out!"

She giigled at the message.

"It's ok I'm just now on my way home."

Holy crap you slept at somepony's house! What was he like? Is he cute? Oh how big was he?

Blushing deeply at the message Glowy typed back franticly.

"No no no no nothing like that! I passed out and he gave me a place to sleep! Nothing happened were just friends!"

"You're kidding."

"Nope I made a new friend that's all."

"*Sigh* :(.

"Not all of us want to party like you Azure."

";D I'm just having fun untill I find the right one is all. It would be a crime not to share this flank with the world before settling down!

You couldn't settle down if you life depended on it and you know it.

"So is he at least cute?"

"In his own sort of way I guess. But were just friends I don't think he's even had a marefriend before. He doesn't really seem very social.

"Maybe you could be his first! ;).

Azure Stop it!

"Glowy and-What's his name?

Lemon Tart.

"Hmmm I can't really work with that. Oh somepony's waking up I got to go can't send her home without a proper goodbye can I? ;) TTYL.

Giving a relieved sigh Pacific went back to watching the city and thinking.

"Azure is totaly nuts! But she's still a good friend. I wonder how her and Lemon will get along? Oh oh oh! Maybe she can come with us when we hang out! Then all three of us can have fun togeather!"


> A Mother's (Lack of) Love
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was five PM when Pacific made it home. The bus had dropped her off at a station about half a mile away from her house and she had walked the rest of the way. There before her was the Iron gate that boardered her home. Four stories, eight bathrooms six bedrooms, lounges, kitchens, dumb waiters the whole nine yards. Her mother's mansion was painted in a titainum white with gold trim and the hedges were trimmed to perfection twice weekly. She could have just about anything she wanted at the clop of her hooves from one of the several buttlers in the house. Oh how she hated her home. With a long sigh she buzzed the intercom and within  seconds there was a reply on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Taffington it's Glowy, can you open the gate please?"

"Of couse miss Glow right away."

The gate buzzed and swung inward almost immediately. With down cast eyes she trotted in through the front doors. When she stepped inside she was greated by a short hall and walls covered in expensive paintings. She began trotting for her room as quick as she could but knew it was unlikely she would be able to avoid Taffington. It was almost creepy how fast he could move about the house. She was only half way down the hall when he met her at the end of it.

"Welcome home miss Glow."

"Thank's Taffington." She grumbled slightly.

She tried to move passed but he didn't move out of her way.

"Miss Glow your mother wishes to see you in her study."

"Damnit!" She screamed internally. "Thank you Taffington I'll go there now."

With that she trotted down the left cooridor as slowly as she could trying to delay her arival as long as possible. Still she found herself outside the Oak barrier to her mother's private study. She sighed pressing her head against the door in a frustrated manner as she steeled herself. Why her mother wanted to see her was beyond her. All she ever did was ask a question or two then tune her out until she left and went to her room.

"Why am I even living here if she has no interest in talking to me or even being in the same room!"

Glowy inhailed sharply before looking back at the door again finnaly she raised a hoof and knocked.

"Mother?"

"Come in Pacifica."

Glowy pushed the doors open and as she'd expected her mother hadn't even looked up from her business reports. She was still there scribbling away holding the pen in the pink light of her horn. Pacific waited for the older pink mare accross from her to speak some would say she was the spitting image of her mother but she hated beeing compared to her. As far back as Glowy could go in her mind there was no memory of a hug goodnight or being tucked in by the mare before her. There were times where she had even referred to her as a surrogate rather than a parent when talking with Azure. In truth it was a more accurate description than mother in her opinion.

"Where were you last night?"

"I went to CPPP. I told you I was going."

"Why didn't you leave a note on my desk?"

"I told you before I left..."

"How many times do I have to tell you that you need to leave a written note? I don't have time to discuss things with you every day and letter's make it much easier as I can read them when I have the time."

"You'd have to discuss things with me once a week before it could be every day!" Glowy bit her tongue "Sorry mom."

"There was no trouble with any of the authorities or business proprietors?"

"No."

"Well you can go now and have one of the Buttlers prepare supper for you then."

"Actualy I've already eaten."

She waited for a response but none came.

"Arn't you going to ask where?"

Silence. Her mother had finnished listening and tuned her out again. The whole time they talked she hadn't even looked up from her papers. It shouldn't have bothered her at this point but it still always did. Every talk with her mother went like this. A brief exchange of a few words then a dissmissle with no hint of tact. Pacific had often found herself wondering why she hadn't been simply placed in an orphanage when she was born. Her mother at most spent an hour with her a week and it was always to scold her or ask a simple one or two sentence long question. In fact this talk had been one of their longer ones.

"Bye mom..."

With that Glowy left the room. She knew once her mother stopped talking back she would have better luck getting a stone to have a meaningfull conversation with her. With nothing left to do for the day until she could get ahold of Azure again she made for her room so she could have some privacy. Doing her best to dodge the buttlers as she went she soon found herself in her room and quickly locked the door behind her. She sighed out of boredom before falling back first onto her bed and looking up at the celling. The mural she had painted there with her allowance showed impressionistic renditions of stars, birds and tree's. In the center of the painting surrounded in an oval boarder was a near perfect copy of Prancent Van Show's Stary Night her favorite painting by her favorite artist.

She spent the next seven minutes simply staring at it her eye's tracing all of the lines until they blurred togeather. Soon she found herself crying for no reason she could discern. She was simply sad all she felt was the unpleasant emotion with no rhyme or reason as to why. She simply felt and it hurt. Crawling under the cover's of her princess sized bed she burried her face in her silk feather pillow and wept. Salty tears stained the fine fabric but she didn't care. To her household silk pillows were common place, they could be replaced at the clop of a hoof.

She didn't know how long she cried, she didn't know how long she mourned, she didn't even know what she was mourning. She simply felt and she felt pain. She was just begining to dry her eye's after an unknown amount of crying when her phone rang. Glancing down at it she saw the name displayed on the screen. Azure. Sniffling once more she held the phone to her ear as she pushed the answer button and gave her most convincing attempt at a cheery voice.

"Hey Azure. How are you?"

"You sound like I should be asking you that."

"I'm fine."

"Lier."

A sniffle "Ya."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know I'm just..."

"Depressed?"

"Ya I guess."

"Why don't you come over? We'll watch the Princess Bride and I'll make us some popcorn. That always cheer's you up. Also maybe you can meet Show Stopper before she leaves."

"Show Stopper?"

"The mare I slept with last night."

"Oh?"

"She's well...Nice. I'm gonna see her next wednesday at the coffee shop before we screw again. Nothing big just a Latte and some fun later."

"So you have a date then?"

No it's just a...meet up ya a meet up."

"Now who's a lier?"

"S-shut up!"

Glowy cracked a small smile.

"So what makes her different from your passed encounters?"

"She's just different? No she's well...She's nice and cute and...She has a great flank and *Ehem* She likes Dragons & Dangers."

"Oh my Luna! You mean that game with the dice and roll playing?"

"Hey it's freaking fun and you'd know if you ever tried it! Look we're just gonna meet up and see how it goes nothing is set in stone."

"Well I'm glad to hear that. She sounds nice."

"Ya well she is. Oh she's getting out of the shower I got to go see you in twenty?"

"Ya sure thanks Azure."

"Hey that's what friends are for, just get over here and I'll get the shit ready."

"Ok see you in a few."

Pacific hung up the phone  before climbing off her bed and bursting the intercom in the hall outside her room.

"Taffington? Could you get a carridge ready please? I'm going to Azure's place and I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"Of course miss Glow, right away."


/l\---)O(---/l\


Azure sat up from the couch before making her way towards the wet mare coming out of her shower with a subtle smile.

"Hey. I uh had a good time last night."

The bright blue mare with two toned gold and white mane smiled at her.

"Is that your way of saying your looking forward to Wednesday?"

"Uh ya I guess."

"Your new to actually dating huh?"

"*Ehem* A little ya."

"Cute." Smiled the mare "Well I need to go soon thanks for letting me use your shower."

"After last night I couldn't really let you go without one."

"Ha ha I'll say! I can still smell you on me and I used soap, shampoo and conditioner."

"Ya sorry about that."

"Not a problem I like a mare who's not afraid of a little adventure."

Azure turned beat red before scratching the back of her head with a hoof and laughing awkwardly.

"Ya uh...Listen my best friend is comming over in twenty minutes and I was wondering if you wanted to meet her?"

"I would but I have work in an hour sorry."

"That's cool so I'll see you Wednesday?"

Show Stopper smiled before giving the mare a soft peck on the lips.

"Count on it."

With that the mare turned on a dime and flicked her tail into Azure's nose making her sneeze cutely as she grabbed her wool coat off the rack along with her black beret. Once dressed she walked out the door without a glance but instead a small sway in her hips leaving a blushing Azure behind.

"Dad always said I should stay away from actors but when they look and act like that..."

Azure gave herself a quick sniff before scrunching up her muzzle.

"Uhg I gotta shower before Glowy gets here. I smell like sex."


/l\---)O(---/l\


Glowy let herself in with the key hidden under the floormat in front of Azure's appartment. The room wreaked of air freshener. "She must have gone crazy last night if she used that! She hates the stuff." She thought to herself. Looking around the room she saw an empty pizza box in the corner of the room shoved there with some other left over's of her friends activities last night. She didn't have time to tidy up much I guess." Glancing at the coffee table she saw a bottle of soda and the remote next to a bowl of popcorn.

"Azure? You in here?"

"I'm in the kitchen? Could you start the movie? I'll be out in a sec."

Glowy hit the play button as the commercials played while she waited for the start screen. Azure came out shortly after with a small jar of caramel sauce that she had pulled out of the microwave. With very little grace she dumped the entire contents of the glass onto the popcorn.

"Now we're ready."

"So where's your mare friend?"

"She had to leave early-Hey she's not my marefriend we just slept togeather and we have one date planned! It's not like it's super searious."

"I'm just teasing you Velly come on have a seat."

The movie started shortly after and the two friends watched while eating the homemade caramel corn. They had reached the scene where West Lover was fighting with Avenging Blade in the ruined castle on the cliffs of Insanity.

"Who would you be if you could choose a character to be from this?" Asked the pink mare.

"Hmm Avenging Blade. He has mad fencing skills. You?"

"I don't know. I like Gental Giant but I can't really see myself as him. Maybe Lunatic?"

"You? Lunatic? Inconceivable!"

"You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."

The pair burst into laughter at the same joke they often made in one form or another when they watched the movie togeather.

"Hmmm actually I think you did use it in the right context that time though."

The two burst out laughing agian. When they stopped and caught their breath Pacific wrapped her hooves around her friend in a tight hug.

"Thanks for this Azure. You're a great friend."

"Your welcome Glowy."

The pair continued to watch the movie laughing where it was funny and smiling when it was touching. As the night went on she began to feel better as a whole and even managed to loose the urge to cry the rest of the evening. Glowy might not have been born into the best of homes but she had more than a lot of other ponies could say. A best friend who truly deserved the title.



	

> First Dance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Lemon Tart awoke to the sound of his alarm at 3:30 PM. It was Wednesday afternoon in the city that never slept and all he wanted to do was prove that saying wrong. Sadly he couldn't it was the 15th of June or as he knew it, his 23 birthday. No doubt his mother would be calling within the hour to talk to her little colt and tell him to have some fun and hang out with some non imaginary friends. He of course would tell her that he had no friends and she would be sad so he would have to tell her he was fine with it then talk to her for several hours before he could do what he really wanted.

Spend his one day off that week reading, watching TV on his computer and draining the bottle of Apple family single malt whiskey he had saved for the day shot by shot in verious concoctions. Landing on all fours and swinging his head back and fourth a few times to wake up he started walking to the cupboard to grab the bottle and his coffee press. If he was gonna break open the bottle he might as well start with a Connamarian Coffee. Setting the kettle to boil he messured out two shots of the amber liquid and poured it into the coffee press.

"Happy birthday to me, I want my whiskey, please leave me alone, and hang up the phone." He sang to himself.

It was of course at this moment that Merphneigh's law kicked in and his phone rang.

"Uhhhhg Luna why? Why?"

Slowly he trotted over to the phone hoping it was a wrong number but knowing better. Sure enough a glance at it told him it was his mother. quickly he flipped it open and held the device to his ear.

"Hi mom."

"Happy birthday Lemon Tart! How's my foal?"

"Fine I'm making coffee."

"Twenty three years old today! It seems like just a day ago I was changing your diapers. I wish you lived closer to home I could have you and all your friends over for dinner and make one of my famous six layer chocolate cakes! Aunt  and uncle Cake could come to Canterlot and bring your niece and nephew."

"Ya that would be great." He said trying to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

"Really? Then next year I'll set it all up so we can do that!"

"Shit what did I just do!" He thought wanting to face hoof himself hard.

"If only your father were here. He'd be so proud of you!"

"Mom I'm a bar tender. It's not exactly a note worthy accomplishment." He said near monotone.

"Oh don't be so grumpy honey! Your dad would still be proud to see the stallion you've grown into."

"Yes he'd be thrilled to have a grumpy, single, collage drop out, bar tender for a son." He said internaly rolling his eye's. "So mom how's the shop doing?"

"Oh it's going great dear. Sales are good and we got a big catering order recently. Oh that reminds me I sent you a check in the mail for your birthday for 200 Bits. I want you to buy yourself something nice like a TV or a music player."

"Thanks mom I'll probably save it for a rainy day."

"Don't you have anything you want?"

"I've got just about all I want and need."

"Honey I've seen your appartment there's nothing in it exept that twenty year old couch and a desktop computer."

"Well that's all I need."

"Honey..."

"Ok I'll try to think of something."

"Good colt. So what are you going to do tonight?"

"Oh no here comes the 'You need to make friends speech! Please not now she'll go on for hours about Twilight Sparkle and the new castle in aunt Cake's town!"

Lemon was about to panic when he recieved a notification for another incoming call from an unknown number. Making a split seconed decision he quickly responded to his mother so he could skip the lecture.

"Hey mom I'm getting another call I need to answer it I'll talk to you later bye!"

"Oh well goodbye honey!"

With that he switched to the new call asuming it to be something about his cell plan on an automated system.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lemon!"

"Oh come on! All I wanted to do was drain a bottle of whiskey!"

"Hi Glow."

"Call me Glowy I like it better it's more friendly! Anyways I wanted to see if you were free today? I thought we could hang out and go see a scary movie or something! Oh or we could go to a music performance there's a karaoke bar I know that I like! No wait I've got a better Idea we could go to the movies first than go to the karaoke bar!"

"I uh was going to take it easy today I've got a bottle of good whiskey I was saving for my birthday so-"

"Wait it's your birthday? I'll be right over! We have to do something really fun to celebrate oh what do you want or do you want it to be a surprise?"

"I don't want any-"

"Surprise then I'll be over in an hour give or take I'm gonna get a taxi this time so it won't take so long, more direct than the bus! Bye see you soon!"

The call ended leaving Lemon confused and speechless. After a few minutes he regained his faculties enough to mutter a curse before going over to his kettle to pour the water into the Prench press. He had a feeling he was gonna need a full pot of coffee to make it through today.


/l\---)O(---/l\


Pacific was walking through the mall as fast as she could while looking for a gift for her newest friend. It had taken her ten minutes to get to the mall so she had about thirty to browse before she had promised to be there.

"Hmmm what would Lemon Tart like? I've never asked about his cutie mark but it looks like a lemon bar so maybe he likes baking? Oh he did say that on the bus didn't he? But he's got pleanty of baking utensils if I'm remembering right."

She stopped and looked around the area she was in when she noticed a music store to her right. In the window she saw a new modle of a CD player that came with a rack and five CD's of choice according to the add.

"Oh he said he liked just about any kind music but he doesn't have a player! It's perfect!"

Excitedly she clopped her hooves togeather before trotting into the store and going to the front desk where a rather bored looking cashier was flipping through a Power Ponies comic book. He glanced at her briefly before putting the book away and leaning forward on the counter.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes I'd like to buy that CD player in the window that comes with the CD rack."

"Sure that's 199 Bit's and you'll get five CD's of choice from that shelf over there."

"He pointed to the corner of the store where there was a number of disks ranging from Of Monster's and Mares to Quillex. Reaching into her purse she pulled out a pouch of Bits and quickly paid the pony who was obviously suprised to see she carried that much cash at one time. Once paid he quickly set about grabbing and packing the device as she went to pick out five CD's to go with it.

"Hmmm So many to choose from. Well I guess the new Ra-Ra album would be a good one so I'll get that. Ooh this looks good Apple Lambet hmm."

After a few minutes of picking out music Pacific returned to the front desk where her gift was finnished being packed. Grabbing the bag in her teeth she found it heavier than it looked but still carriable without help. With a smile plastered on her face she made her way towards the exit where her carriage was waiting.

"I hope Lemon likes his present! She thought as she climbed in and the driver started trotting again.

While waiting for her cab to arrive at Lemon's house she began digging around in her purse in order to organize it a bit. As she did so her hoof brushed against a pill bottle in the bottom. Looking down at it but not taking it out of her purse she started to contemplate taking one. She had promised herself it was only for special occasions since she didn't want to get too reliant on Joy to function but if she only broke the rule this once was it really that big a deal?

" Well if I took just one pill it would still lighten my mood quite a bit. It's not like i'm swallowing the whole bottle..."

"We're here ma'am."

The cab driver stopped outside the multi story appartment complex waiting for his Bits. Quickly stuffing the bottle as fast as she could into the bottom of her purse she climbed down and paid the cabbie.

"Thank you sir I'll be off now."

She climbed down from the cab and paid the driver before making for the stairs. Taking a deep breath she began her ascent.


/l\---)O(---/l\


Lemon had just finnished the last of the coffee he had made when he heard a knock on the door. Heaving a sigh he made his way to the wooden barrier and opened it to see a pink double ponytailed mare with a large bag laying beside her.

"Happy birthday Lemon!"

"Ya thanks come on in."

With an excited spring in her step Glowy grabbed the bag again and once again entered the apartment setting her gift down on the coffee table. Glancing around it was obvious that nothing had changed since she was last here so she sat down on the old couch and tapped her hind hooves on the ground as she waited for Lemon to have a seat. When he did she noticed he had brought a bottle of amber liquid and two glasses with him and set them down on the table in front of him. It looked mostly full. Once he was comfortable in the chair the scruffy yellow stallion gave a quick sigh before speaking.

"I supose a polite pony would offer you a drink. Your twenty if I'm taking a guess since you got into the club."

"Twenty one."

He nodded and poured two glasses halfway with the liquid before pushing one to her.

"Carefull this will buck you to next Tuesday if you drink it too fast."

He downed his glass with a tilt of his head while she took a sniff and scrunched her nose up at it.

"So how old are you today Lemon?"

"Twenty three."

"Well happy birthday again."

"Thanks."

"Here why don't you open your present." She said as she pushed the wrapped package towards him.

"I'm not really big on presents you didn't have to do that."

"I know but your my friend and I wanted to, everypony should get a present on their birthday."

Glowy could almost swear she saw him crack a smile at that. Leaning forward he tore off the tape holding the brown paper in place before his eye's went wide.

"Glowy this is a CD player, and not a cheep one."

"Ya, you said you like music and I remembered you didn't have one so I thought it would be a good gift."

"Glowy this is way too much I can't take this it must have cost like two hundred Bits!"

"Don't worry it's fine my moms rich and I get a generous allowance weekly."

"Still this is..."

"Happy birthday."

Realizing he wasn't going to win this Lemon sighed before looking back at the pink mare. 

"I...thank you Glowy it's the best birthday present I've ever gotten."

"Yes score one for Glowy!" She did a rather enthusiastic hoof pump to further celebrate her triumph at gift giving.

"Well I supose I should try it out shouldn't I?"

"Ya It came with five disks. I didn't know what you liked in particular but you said you enjoyed most music so I just picked out some good ones I thought you'd like."

"Let's see ok how about this one?" He held up a disk labled Apple Lambert "Galloping".

"Sure I got that one because the cover looked cool and I liked some of the song names. I never heard it before though."

"Alright then I'll put it in."

Glowy smiled. It seemed that the orange maned stallion was becoming less grumpy and maybe even having fun for once! Lemon put the disk in and after a second it started playing. The first song started slow but picked up as it went on and soon Pacific was dancing in her seat, bouncing and swaying. Lemon was just bobbing his head slightly but seemed to be enjoying himself too.

"I kinda want dance now!" Said a cheerful Glowy standing up from the couch and trotting towards the center of the room.

"I supose you can if you want let me just put the whiskey away so we don't have any accidents.

"Well there's one problem..."

"What?"

"Dancing alone isn't any fun."

"Ah no no no I don't dance."

"Sure you do everypony dances! Even if they just sway to a beat from time to time alone in their home while doing dishes I would count that! Moving to music is dancing and you said you like music."

"Well ya I do but I don't dance."

"Please."

"No."

"Please!" This time she made her eye's bigger and stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.

"Nice try but-"

Her eye's got bigger.

"But I don't-"

Even bigger.

"Damnit."

Defeated by the power of adorable pouting faces of which none can withstand against he placed the bottle on the top shelf before walking over to Pacific and trying to pick up on the beat. He began stepping awkwardly from hoof to hoof in an attempt to copy her moves earning a smile from her and as he got worse laughter.

"Hey this isn't as easy as it looks give me a break!" He grumbled.

"Your doing it all wrong. Your trying to copy me and that's not how you dance."

"But you are dancing how is copying you wrong?"

"Because each pony will interpret music differently and when they dance they're moving to the music in the way they hear it. Don't dance like me dance like how you want to because of how the music makes you feel."

"But what about dance routines and stuff like that?"

"There's a difference between dancing for fun and dancing professionally. We're dance for fun so it doesn't mater how foalish you look or feel just have fun!"

Doing the best he could to take her advice he stopped copying her and took a minute to listen to the music. As he got a feel for it he started to feel his hooves moving on their own and shortly after he reached a sort of rythmic step going side to side and back and fourth. He even added a few other movements as it went on.

"See what I tell you! Having fun yet?"

"I *ehem* Guess ya."

"We'll make a friendly pony out of you yet!"

Glowy knew she saw a smile that time.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves Glowy."

"We shall see!"

Before the two knew it they were both dancing with abandon moving about and swaying like idiots but it didn't matter. They were having fun and enjoying each other's company. Lemon even gave a small chuckle when he tripped over his own hooves but caught himself. Glowy got up on two whooves and started doing some of her more adept moves that only an experienced pony could do easily. She smiled, this was fun and even if Lemon Tart was grumpy most of the time it was worth putting up with it if it got him out of his shell for a little while.

Unknown to her he was having similar thoughts and to his own great surprise he found himself resenting the Idea that he didn't do this more often. "I must be going crazy because I think I'm having a decent time." The two continued to go about their own styles of dancing as the song came to it's close and the next one on the disk started to play.

This one had a steadier more pronounced beat to it and Lemon had an easier time picking it up. Mixing backstepping, forward and side stepping into his movements him and Glowy slowly fell into a rhythm without even noticing it. Soon though she saw that their movements were working togeather rather well and started to put effort into keeping them in sink. She almost laughed out that they were dancing togeather now but decided not to should it spoil the moment.

Lemon had closed his eye's and had a strange look on his face as if he was trying hard to concentrate on the sound of the beat to aid his movements and having trouble. Still he kept a good pace and good movements for an amature as they continued their dancing duet. Then the music picked up and the beat got harder and more fast paced. Seeing him start to struggle Glowy got beside him using her side to guide him a bit as they kept moving. Taking the hint the yellow stallion moved where she guided keeping his own movements and style (or lack there of) at the same time.

Glowy broke out into full laughter seeing that he was getting the hang of it. At first Lemon thought she was laughing at him but when he opened his eye's and noticed she had her eye's shut and was simply dancing next to him he realized she was just having a good time. Come to think of it he was too. After all why wouldn't he? He was spending time with a friend. His first at that.


/l\---)O(---/l\


By the time the CD came to an end Lemon was tiered and sat down where he stood. Glowy having spent many a night at the clubs was still full of energy but for his sake took a break as well. The pudgy yellow stallion whiped a bit of sweat off his brow before giving half a smile.

"Hey Glowy?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for comming over. It's been a better birthday than I thought it would so...ya thanks."

"We're friends Lemon! Hanging out is what we do, especially on birthdays!"

"Ya well I wouldn't know. I'm pretty new to the whole friendship thing but I guess it's worth a try at least. Thanks for the birthday present by the way."

"You already said that."

"Oh ya I di- Hey! You can't quote me!"

The pink mare burst out laughing.

"I just did!"

"Huh kinda stinks being on the receiving end of that statement."

Glowy just laughed harder.

"Ok ok I get it friendship is magic blah blah blah please stop laughing before you hurt yourself."

"I-Can't-too-funny!" She was no longer laughing at this point it was a feminine cackle.

Lemon's face took on a sour expression.

"Fine die from lack of oxygen then."

The mare kept laughing for another few minutes before she got a hold of herself. When she finnaly did she removed the tears that had appeared in her eye's from her fit before turning back to the stallion a huge smile on her face. It proved to be infectious as he cracked a smaller version in return.

"Ok I'll tell you what. Friends are suposed to comprimise on things right?" He asked.

"Ya friends help each other and do things for each other."

"Ok so you got me a great gift and you mentioned the movies earlier. I suppose if you want we could go see one and we can keep hanging out. Wednesdays are my day off so I don't have anywhere to be."

"I'll pay for the popcorn!"

"I'll pay for the tickets. Come on let's go before I change my mind."

"You got it mister grumpy sir!"

The mare gave a mock salute as they departed out the door.



> Cutie Marks and a Good Start
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The two ponies stood outside the theater looking up at the front billboard that displayed the movies currently playing. There were a few action movies some comedy's and a horror film. Lemon swallowed hoping that she wouldn't want to see the latter. The grumpy stallions hopes were dashed when he heard her gasp in awe upon reading the title of the movie out loud.

"The Legend of the Headless Horse the movie! That was one of my favorite stories growing up! Can we see it can we can we?"

"I-uh..." He sighed. Ya sure you get the popcorn I'll get the tickets."

The mare quickly trotted inside a happy smile on her face as he trudged up to the front desk and pulled ten Bits from his saddle bags. The line seemed to move slower than a snail as he inched his way foreward. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Glowy talking with the vendor as he poured butter on the popcorn seemingly overwhelmed by her strangly high enthusiasm.

"I know the feeling. Still there are worse ponies."

He scrunched up his nose at his own internal comment in displeasure. That wasn't fair to her, she had been kind to him and being honest with himself she had made an otherwise boring birthday fun. Well as fun as it could be given his temperament. While he had been initially hesitant he found himself warming up to the idea of having a friend more and more as they hung out togeather.

"Ha me having friends, never thought I'd see the day I'd meet somepony willing to put up with my perpetual grumpiness."

Finnaly his turn to purchase tickets came and he slid his Bits accross the table as he pointed to the poster of the movie he wanted to see. The slips of paper were hoofed over to him and he went into the main room to join Glowy. The pink pony was sitting on a waiting bench chewing on small hoofulls of popcorn from an extra large bag. When she saw him approaching she gave him a wave as greating.

"I got the tickets."

"I got the popcorn!"

"Cool so which theater is it in?"

"That one, come on let's go get our seats before the good ones are taken!"

"Oh joy." He thought to himself.

With dread in each step Lemon followed his new friend into the dark room expecting her to go strait to the front row. Instead he found himself pleasantly surprised when she went to the back and took a seat in the center Isle. Sitting down next to her she turned to him and hoofed the bag of popcorn in his direction. Taking a small hoofull he chewed it quickly before whispering to her.

"I thought you would want to take a front row seat rather than back here."

"Normaly I would but this is our first time going to the movies as well as our first time hanging out. I thought sitting in the back would make it easier for us to talk without bothering anypony." She whispered back.

"Ah. So what do you want to talk about?"

"Hmmm oh how did you get your Cutie Mark?"

"It's not a very interesting story."

"I still want to hear it." It's not like we have a movie to watch yet they're just playing adds right now."

"Well ok I suppose. When I was ten I was one of the last blank flanks in my class and didn't have any friends so I spent a lot of time with my mom and dad. Mom was a baker by profession and dad was a Corporal in the Royal Canterlot Gaurd. Things were usually pretty quiet but mom couldn't afford to hire anypony for her bakery yet since the business was still new so I helped how I could. She taught me pretty well and I even started to enjoy it so I started doing it in my free time too. When my school was having a bake sale to raise money for the animal shelter as part of a Hearthswarming drive I made some Lemon bars."

"How many did you bake?"

"Twenty batches."

"Wow so what happened?"

"Well I went to the bake sale and helped the teachers run the stand and my lemon bars sold out in two hours. When I saw how much everypony loved them I felt proud and decided that I really liked baking because my treats made everypony happy and then my flank lit up and there it was."

"That's a really sweet story."

"Is that a joke?"

"No. Well actually I guess it's kinda a pun but I meant it, it's a nice story."

"It's nothing special I just baked some sweets and got a Cutie Mark."

"Ya but think about it. You like baking because your sweets make ponies happy."

"And?"

"So when you think about it you got a Cutie Mark for liking to make ponies happy not just for baking."

"I guess."

"Why can't you take a compliment or smile more often?"

"Because I'm just another pony and I don't need to."

"Everypony needs to smile and I think your special."

"How so?"

"Not just anypony can bake twenty batches of lemon bars in one day! Let alone make all of them so well they sell out in two hours!"

"I guess. So what's yours?"

"Huh?"

"How did you get your mark?"

"Oh well when I was nine me and my best friend Azure were hanging out at her house during her birthday party. Her mother had hired some local tallent to make an illusionary dance floor with their magic and a DJ to play some of the music. Me, her and some of our friends were dancing while we were waiting for the cake and we were all just having fun. Her mother even got some glow sticks and I just got lost in the music. Before I knew it the cake was there and I hadn't even noticed that everypony had left I just kept dancing and loved it. When the party was over I begged Taffington to sign me up for dance lessons and he did."

"Who's Taffington?"

"My moms head buttler he pretty much raised me for as long as I can remember. Closest thing I've got to a dad."

Her face soured a bit but she shook herself out of it and continued her story.

"Well anyways I trained and trained and just kept loving it and eventually my teacher asked if I wanted to enter a competion and I said yes. When my turn came I danced my heart out and I ended up getting a blue ribbon for first place. I was so happy I didn't even notice I'd gotten my Cutie Mark until my teacher pointed it out."

"Your story is way better than mine."

"Hey yours was interesting too. Thanks for telling me."

"Your welcome."

"Oh! Shhh the movie is starting!"

The two turned towards the screen, Glowy excitedly and Lemon the opposite. The opening scene was of a pony galloping throught the woods after dark breathing heavily and glancing over his shoulder with a horrified look on his muzzle. The sound of echoed cackling filled the theater as the unknown assailant chased the terrified stallion towards a bridge. He exclaimed in joy as if it was his salvation and was about to start his crossing when he made the most cliche of movie mistakes, he tripped. Now crawling for his life the sound of the cackling got louder as the villian approached the demise of the terrified stallion inevitable. He rolled onto his back and screemed!

The sounds frankly hurt Lemon's ears but more worring to him was the fact that he was shaking in his horseshoes. To his left Glowy was staring in wrapped fascination as the scene came to an end and a tranquil daylit forest fly by took over the screen. Lemon slowly relaxed and thanked Luna that Glowy hadn't noticed his fear from the film. He had never told anypony but he hated scary movies. After seeing his first one he couldn't sleep for three nights in a row. Now he was likely to suffer a similar fate for the next few days.


/l\---)O(---/l\


As the movie went on Glowy started to figure out more of the plot. Though part of why it was so easy was because she had heard the story before, though the movie had some differences. For one the pony she suspected of being the one masqurading as the headless horse seemed to be in love with the same mare as the protagonist so he would have had the motive for a 'Crime of passion'. Currently the protagonist Willow Weaver was talking with the love interest Song Bird.

"Must you go Willow? There is talk of strange happening's on that road after dark. You should stay here tonight.

"You know I would love to dear heart but I have responsibilities to see to at home. My work is close to complete and when it's finnished we'll have all the time in Eques."

"Wow this is cheesy isn't it?" Said the pink mare giggling.

"I think it's kind of sweet actually."

"You're kidding!"

"Hey stallions can have a heart too you know!"

"Awwww little Lemon Tart got hit right in the feels by a bunch of mushy gushy romance!"

"I did not, I just appreciate that despite the terrible lines the actors are doing a good job of making it sound...heartfelt."

"Dawww you're cheesy." Said Glowy loosing a bit of her whisper.

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Shut up back there!"

Both ponies attention was turned forward towards an unhappy mare with a purple coat and blue mane who was sitting next to another mare with a beret atop her head.

"Wait Azure?"

"Glowy?"

"Oh Azzy is this your friend you told me about?"

Pacific smiled like a cheshire cat.

"Azzy?" She asked with a cocky smile.

The mare turned so red you could see it in the dark of the theater.

"Uhhh-I-Uhhh."

"Azzy what's wrong?" The mare had caught on to what was happening and was now smiling deviously.

Glowy was having trouble containing her laughter at this point.

"I swear, one word and your gonna need a pine box!"

"I didn't say anything." Smiled the pink pony.

"Oh ya well is this the stallion you've been talking about so much?"

"You've been talking about me?" Lemon looked at her quizickly.

"No! Well yes but not like she's saying!"

"Well what's she saying?"

"Wow he's thick isn't he?"

"He's not thick he's socialy inexperienced!"

"Hey!-wait no that's true."

"So you two are watching a scary movie, in a dark theater, alone, in the back row, because your friends?"

"Yes actually."

"Bullshit."

"It's true she wanted to see a movie and I'm trying to get the hang of being a friend so we just kinda came here."

"Wow that's...really disappointing."

"Would you four shut up! Someponies are trying to watch the movie!"

They recoiled slightly at the angry ponies statement.

"How about we talk later at the Hayburger?" Said the mare beside Azure.

"Good Idea." Replyed the pink pony.


/l\---)O(---/l\


A few hours later saw the four ponies at the local Hayburger sitting on opposite sides of the table. Azure was staring at her food with a blush while Pacific giggled at how embarrassed she was. The mare she now knew as Show Stopper was doing everything she could to tease her marefriend from sensualy licking her Ice cream with low lidded eye's on her, to hoofzy with her hind hooves under the table.

"So you two seem to be a good match so far." Smiled Glowy.

"We are indead said a saucy Show Stopper nuzzling Azure lightly. Just as she hoped it got a reaction out of Azure who's face heated up and eye's fluttered slightly before shaking her head and glarring at her.

"You're the Cerberus you know that?"

"Ya...I've been a bad mare." She fluttered her eyelashes.

Glowy burst out laughing like a maniac and even the stoic Lemon choked on his hayfries when he chuckled. When she noticed it was lodged in his throat Pacific slammed him on the back a few times until it popped out and landed on his burger wrapper leaving him gasping for breath.

"Sweet Celestia don't do that when I'm eating! You're gonna kill me and I want to live!"

The pink mare resumed her laughing  much to the chargrin of her best friend and the amusement of Show Stopper.

"Ya ya laugh while you can." Said Azure as she folded her hooves.

"So I take it you two are going out again?" Asked the pink mare when she finnished laughing.

"Well...Ya we are. We had a good time at the coffee shop and the movie so if she want's to..." The purple pony cast a glance to her left.

"I'd love to."

"Cool so ya I guess we're a thing now then huh?"

"If you want to be."

"Ya I think I'd like that."

Show Stopper planted a kiss on Azure's cheek. before placing the rest of her wrappers in the Hayburger bag.

"Well Azzy I think we should head back to my place I'm feeling like it's time for bed."

With wide eye's Azure scrambled out of her seat and made for the door holding it open for her new marefriend following after her with a goofy smile on her face. Glowy laughed at the display before frowning slightly as she rested her hooves on the table followed by her head.

"You ok?" Asked the yellow stallion.

"What? Oh ya I guess."

"If I'm correct friends are supposed to ask whats wrong right?"

"Ya kinda."

"Ok then what's wrong? Oh and uh is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well it just kinda occurred to me that with Azure in a real relationship for once she's not gonna be able to spend as much time with me."

"You two have been friends since grade school if I'm remembering right."

"Ya and I mean I'm happy for her it's just it's gonna suck being bored all the time with no pony to hang out with."

Her frown deepened and she found herself thinking about how she wished she had taken some of the Joy in her purse to make her feel better. Sure it was a quick fix but any fix was better than being broken in her opinion. While She dwelled on that Lemon swallowed before speaking again, unaware of the want of drugs in his new friends mind. Had he known how much his next words would mean to her he might have said them sooner rather than wait for a couple minutes to think it over.

"Well you can give me a call when you need somepony to spend time with. I work 6 to 4 on weekdays save wednesday and 5 to 5 on weekends but if you want to stop by when I'm off you can."

With a few small tears in her eye's that had welled up unknown to herself Glowy looked up at her knew friend.

"Really?"

"What are friends for? That's the saying righ-"

He was cut off by a bone crushing hug from the mare next to him as her tears of sadness turned into happy ones.

"Thank you Lemon! Your a good friend!"

"That's uh...good to know." He said awkwardly patting her mane in what he hoped was a comforting manner.


/l\---)O(---/l\


The two spent the rest of the evening togeather walking back to Lemon's home and even watching neightflix on his desktop for a while. Lemon was so wrapped up in Pony Pythons Holly Tea Cup that he didn't notice Glowy had fallen asleep on his shoulder. When he heard a light snore though and noticed she was asleep he prodded her shoulder rousing her to a minor state of semi conciousness. It wasn't much but it was enough to get her over to the bed. This time he tucked her in after all she was his friend now. With her lightly snoring in cute whinnies he made his way over to the couch to sleep with the dawn. He was going to need his rest for work that night.
> The Low Point
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sunday night saw Lemon working behind the bar again, he was two hours into his shift and the end of the night seemed like a distant dream in an unreachable futer. The club was beyond busy and he found himself moving behind the bar from spot to spot at such a rate he was sure he was sweating. Two of the passed four nights were spent in the company of his first and only friend listening to music and attepting but failing to teach her to cook.

On her first try at boiling an egg she had somehow managed to not only scold the bottom of the pot but also cause the egg to spontainously cumbust and redecorate the stove and wall. She faired better on her seconed attempt though. She managed to boil the egg in the water successfuly, of course then it boiled over but it was still progress even if the egg was cooked to a state of tasing like rubber.

In turn she had been helping him unwind by them dancing togeather or sitting on the couch and watching TV into the wee hours of the morning. One of those nights they fell asleep on the couch togeather and woke up with the great pain only one who has slept on an old couch can know. It was becoming all to familar to Lemon as she stayed over the next night as well and he slept on the couch while she once again got the bed. She'd tried to convince him to take it but the stubborn stallion had none of it.

Lemon Tart sighed with frustration as he placed a set of glasses in the freezer to frost them. "I just want to go home and take a nap right now. This is the first night for two days Glowy isn't comming over so I'll get my bed back. Alas I'm stuck here another ten hours." The stallion closed his eye's for a moment and listened to the music that Pon3 was playing. She was going to be in town for the next month so she had signed a temperay contract with the owners of CPPP to work three nights a week as a celebrity guest DJ.

When he lifted his head back up from the freezer he saw in front of him a white Unicorn pony with purple lensed glasses and an electric blue mane. Looking at the stage he saw that she had put a record on loop to keep the croud moving. It was a temporary fix but if she just wanted a drink than it would do for a minute. She waved him over and as quick as he could Lemon obliged.

"Good evening miss Pon3! What can I get you tonight? Whatever it is it's on the house."

The mare pulled out a small notepad and scribbled on it breifly before showing it to him.

"Vodca Tonic please."

"Right away."

Setting about mixing her drink he moved his whooves with the fluid motion of a practiced though not expert drink maker. Luckily Vodca Tonics were't that hard to make for him. His father had been partial to them before he passed and he had learned how to make them by observation and even made them for his dad from time to time when he was too tired to do so himself. Completeing the drink he passed it to the white mare accross the bar with his best attempt at a smile.

"There you are miss Pon3. Anything else I can get you?"

She shook her head before taking a sip. Pointing at the drink she smiled before giving him a hooves up and going back to her post to continue the set leaving him to continue to serve the other patrons in the increasingly extending line. It was going to be a long night.


/l\---)O(---/l\


Glowy awoke to the sound of her alarm going off marking the time as 6:00 PM. With a yawn and a resentfull groan she arose and began her mornig (Or in other ponies minds) Evening routine. While brushing her teeth she got a look at her mane in the mirror and had somepony else been in the room she would have been mortified. Her mane at the moment looked as if somepony had tried to make some sort of traditional style manedo with no training. It was at that moment a pink Alicorn in the Crystal Empire felt an itch behind her left ear.

A quick shower and a good brushing of her hair later saw a more presentible twin ponytailed mare stepping out into one of the many halls of her home. With the goal of obtaining some food in the forefront of her mind Glowy made her way towards the dinning room expecting that given the time her mother would have retreated to her study leaving what remained in the hot tins for her as she usualy did.

No sooner had the buffet like setting appeared in her vision then one of the many buttlers in her mothers employ stepped forward holding a small plush bag that ginggled.

"Maddam Scenic Glow has asked me to give you this purse of bits so you may eat at one of the establishments you come accross on your nightly outings."

"What? Why?"

"The lady of the house had to take dinner later this evening do to a long running meeting so the dinning room is currently occupied."

A glance over the stallions shoulder told her that the room was empty save her mother. With a sigh and a lowered head Glowy took the bag and made her way out towards the front doors. She wouldn't be taking one of her mother's carridges downtown tonight she wanted to walk so she could be alone.

"My own mother couldn't be bothered to even eat in the same room as me. The worst thing is I should be used to it by now but no! No matter how many times my own mother treats me like a pestilence it still hurts! It still upsets me! It still infuriates me!

With an audible pout she stomped her forehooves on the pavement in frustraition before falling on her haunches and entering a fit of angry tears.

"If she hates me so much we can hardly be in the same room then why am I here! She could have dumped me in an orphanage or something but instead she kept me around! Why? Why didn't she just get rid of me?"

Glowy continued her weeping as she sat there alone in the street of the private drive that connected her home to the city. Normaly when something like this happened she at least made it through the gates before she broke down in tears but today she hadn't even made it that far. When she was in her teens she had told herself the comforting lie that her mother did love her and she kept her because of that but as she got older that lie became less and less believible to her and the truth became more apparent.

The reason her mother hadn't thrown her in an orphanage or kicked her out was for her own shallow superficial reasons. As the CEO of the Manehattan O&H Import services abandoning her daughter would have caused her loss of face among many of the upperclass ponies. The one night stand that had resulted in Glowy's existance had already done enough damage so to save face she had kept her daughter and spent five years running damage control. As far as Pacific could tell her mother just wanted to pretend she didn't exist, to pretend that night had never happened.

Getting back to her hooves with a shudder from stess she continued out the gates towards the corner where she could hail a cab. The sooner she got away from her house the sooner she could put the painfull memories of neglect out of her mind for a little while. Rumaging around in her purse for Bits so she could pay the cabbie when he came her hoof grazed against a plastic bottle. Hesitantly she pulled it out before undoing the cap. With a quick glance to either side she popped two pills and swallowed, right now all she cared about was making it through the night so to her the ends justified the means.


/l\---)O(---/l\


Azure sat on her couch with her gaze scrutinizing the written words in the book between her hooves. However despite her best efforts The History of Medieval Equestria was a book that used words she was none too familiar with and she was having trouble making heads or tails of it. On her date with Show Stopper last night the history of Equestria came up when she asked about one of the plays she was auditioning for. Turns out Show Stopper wasn't just a mare with looks that could kill. She was a nerdy mare with looks that could kill. So in an attempt to get into her marefriends interests she had asked for a book recommendation which led her to her current predicament.

Sighing she sat the book down on her coffee table and rubbed her eyes. She was not making much progress with the book. Maybe if she studied it with Show Stopper she'd do better? After all that mare could make the phone book interesting in her mind. Shaking her head Azure did a double take. Smiling at the invading thoughts.

"Wow if I didn't know better I'd say I'm falling for her."

She chuckled at her thoughts though only half as a joke. Before reaching for her phone to make a call. The phone rang a few times before she heard Show Stopper pick up on the other end.

"Hey sweety how are you doing or should I ask what your doing...to yourself."

"Baby why do you think I'm calling you?"

"Hahaha! I see. Sorry Azzy but I can't come over tonight I'm busy with some research for the play I'm auditioning for. Maybe the day after tomorrow?"

"Oh that kinda sucks but I'll take you up on meeting in a couple days. I was thinking we would go to this nice Prench place I know, I'd buy of course."

"Sounds great Azzy. Is it just me or are you trying to impress?"

"Maybe."

"Ha! Well it's working. Trust me when I see you next your gonna need a new bed by the morning."

"Between that and the Prench dinner you might have to pay for the next few dates."

"Hmmmm...It'll be worth it."

Azure was about to follow up with further teasing sexy talk when she noticed another call waiting from an unknown number.

"Hey babe I'm getting another call I got to let you go."

"Parting is such sweet sorrow. I'll talk to you tomorrow to set up the date ok?"

"Gotcha bye."

With that Azure answered the next call to see who would be brave or stupid enough to interrupt a call with her marefriend.

"Hello?"

"Is this miss Azure Velour?"

"Ya who am I talking to?"

"I'm nurse Tender Care from the Manehattan regional hospital. We have a miss Pacific Glow here who I'm afraid is a little rather the worse for wear. You were her emergency contact.

"What happened? Is she ok?" Azure exclaimed sitting bolt upright on her couch."

"She's not awake right now but she should be ok. She's lucky though she was so dehydrated and ill she passed out at a dance club. We have her on an I.V. right now to get some fluids in her system."

"I'll be right down! Thank you for calling me."

"Of course miss-"

Azure hung up as she bolted for the door down to the sidewalk to dial a cab. If her suspicions were correct things were a lot worse than just a sick Glowy.

"Oh Celestia please tell me she didn't OD! She promised she had it under control! She promised she'd quit as soon as she could!"

By the time the cab arrived she was hopping from hoof to hoof from anxiety. She wasted no time in climbing in and giving a destination.

"If her mother finds out there will be the Cerberus to pay!"


/l\---)O(---/l\


Show Stopper sat in her dimly lit room looking at a computer screen laughing at the sight of some of the insane theory's that conspiracy nuts had come up with. While researching details to better act the part of the lead roll of Luna in an upcoming play she had found a link that led to one of the nutter sites and was now enjoying a good laugh at their expense.

according to the history books 43 B.L.B. was when the mage known as Meadow Brook was born in the now ruined city of Everfree which now in the year 2 A.L.R. is surrounded in the forest of the same name. 21 B.L.B. seems to be when Meadow Brook became Luna's personal advisor and shortly after Luna turns on her sister. Coincidence? I think not!-

Show Stopper closed out of the page laughing but feeling guilty about it. Sure it was funny but there was somepony out there crazy enough to believe that. Shaking her head free of the thought and giving a few last laughs she returned to her research. Being the nerd she was she spent the next several hours reading through public historical documents describing the battle between the two sisters from the perspectives of the city ponies and of course mention of the now famous Elements of Harmony. Much to her surprise she even found a newspaper article detailing the celebration of her return with a number of pictures of a small light blue Alicorn. Show Stopper couldn't help but sqwee.

"Dawwww she looks like a little Alicorn filly! She's so cute! "I wonder if me and Azure will ever adopt a sweet little filly like that?"

She laughed out loud before taking a deep breath.

"Whoa there Show your getting a bit ahead of yourself I think...

Shaking her head free of that idea (Or at least as much as she could) She resumed her studies. Still though in the back of her mind she had to admit she would be lying if she said she hated the Idea.


/l\---)O(---/l\


Lemon Tart gave a sigh of relief as he sipped his cup of whiskey outside of CPPP. He'd made it to his break and had snagged himself a small bit of his preferred drink under the table to cool off. If he was gonna make it through the night he was gonna need something to take the edge off. He watched the cabs go by likely on they're last runs of the night as they came to the four way stop. Then he did a double take to make sure he saw what he thought he did.

"Azure is that you?" He called out to the anxious looking mare on the cab seat.

"Lemon? Lemon! Come here quick before the light changes and get your flank in here now!"

"Why what's wrong I've still got several hours left on-"

"Glowys in the hospital get the buck in!"

Dropping his beverage on the ground Lemon hurried over to the carriage just after hoofing the cabbie some bits for the fair before he could complain. No sooner had he gotten in his seat than the light changed and they were off down the road.

"What happened is she ok?" He asked.

"I-I don't know!"

Lemon gave her a skeptical gaze and she began to wither beneath it.

"Azure what's wrong with Glowy."

"I-I..."

His gaze hardened.

"I honestly don't know...for sure."

"What do you think?"

"I think... I think she might have overdosed on Joy."
	

	

> What Friends Are For
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Do to the urgency of their situation Azure had nagged the poor cabbie unfortunate enough to be their driver into a gallop. Lemon hadn't stopped her but he did have the decency to at least give him a larger tip than usual upon their arrival at the hospital. Once he'd paid Lemon followed on Azures figurative coat tails to the front desk. By the time he caught up to the crazy galloping mare he was a bit winded from the speedy jog. With both hooves placed on the front desk Azure began dinging the table bell to get somepony's attention. When a rather peeved looking receptionist appeared she vocally attacked her.

"What room is Pacific Glow in?"

"Miss Glow is in room 236 now please cease your-"

"Thanks!"

Lemon who had just caught his breath looked in the direction Azure had run and followed at a brisk trot throwing an apologetic glance the receptionists way. The mare simply rolled her eyes and made a shooing gesture with her hoof. When he arrived at the door to Glowys room he braced himself against the door frame before stepping in and falling on his haunches.

"I-hate-run-ning!" He finally breathed out before looking up.

Glowy who was sitting back in her bed glanced their way and gave a week sad smile upon seeing them.

"Hey Azure, Hey Lemon."

"Don't play innocent with me Glowy! I was scared to death when I heard you were here! What were you thinking?"

"Azure I'm sorry please don't yell at me..."

"You know damn well what I think happened and I'm right aren't I?"

"Azure please-"

"No! You said you were going to quit! You said you'd be done and now here you are in a hospital bed because you didn't listen to me!"

"Azure please stop I'm sorry I know I should have listened but-"

"No excuses damn it! You are going to listen to me right-"

"Azure shut the buck up! Barked Lemon from his corner much to both mares surprise.

"Now is not the time! She's sick, she's stressed and your making it worse! Look at her!" He gestured with his right hoof in the bed ridden mares direction.

Azure took a moment to look at her pink friend and saw her sobbing into her forehooves loudly and sloppily. She had a runny muzzle and couldn't stop heaving. Azures ears fell to the side of her head instantly.

"I'm sorry Glowy! I was just so worried when I got the call! I had all these idea's of what could have gone wrong and I just..."

"Azure sit down. Glowy take some deep breaths do as I do."

Lemon made his way to the side of her bed and began to demonstrate the breathing he wanted her to emulate. After a few moments Glowy was able to do the same and gradually her breathing steadied.

"Better?'

She sniffled. "Yes."

"Good now what happened? Start at the beginning and take it slow."

Lemon pointed to a set of cushions on the other side of the room and Azure took the hint. The two of them sat down as Pacific got her nerves back together.

"My mom was being...her again. I don't know why but it got to me more than usual and so I took some pills. When I got to the club I was going to that night the music was very energetic so I started to dance and I lost track of how long it had been since I drank so..."

"You got so dehydrated from the drugs you passed out." Finished Azure.

"Ya..."

Azure seemed to understand but Lemon wore a look of confusion.

"What did your mother do that upset you so much?"

The pink mare sniffled again before speaking.

"My mother hates me. She always has and she always will. When I woke up I was heading to the dinning room for some food but my mother was in there so she just had one of the butlers give me some extra Bits and as good as shoved me out the door."

Her fortitude was beginning to break again and she heaved a few dry sobs.

"when I was a filly she never hugged me or tucked me into bed. I never had a bed time story or a kiss goodnight. We never ate together and if I had a nightmare she just sent a servant and a sleeping pill."

She glanced over to Azure and Lemon out of the corner of her eyes.

"I just wanted her to say just once that she loved me but she never did. In fact I'm lucky if she talks to me once a week for more than five minutes. I'm just so sick of hurting! It's not fair! It's not right! I spent years trying to please her and impress her! She didn't care she never even bothered to punish me when I acted out because I wasn't worth the time to take care of and teach! My whole life I've just wanted her to say something anything that I could take as a sign I was more to her than genes but it never happened!"

At this stage she was close to breaking down again.

"Whenever I asked who my father was she just sent me away. Whenever I asked her to spend time with me as a filly she sent me away. For years I told myself she loved me and that's why she kept me around rather than dump me in a foster home but...One day I dug around in some of her files and I found my birth certificate. She had crossed out my fathers name with black ink. The paper was in her hoof writing but my first name was in somepony else's. After a little more digging I found out the nurse on duty was who gave me my name because my own mother couldn't be bothered with writing an extra word. The other files I found regarded the social shame that came from getting pregnant after a one night stand and I realized she kept me to save her own image. After that I gave up trying to make her love me. I knew it was hopeless because I was the daughter that never should have been born."

Glowy went back to quietly crying while Azure looked at the floor with mournful eyes. to her side she could see Lemon had gotten up and gone over to her. He was sitting by her side and pulling some tissues from a box on the bedside table. Glowy took them with a limp hoof and blew her muzzle like a kazoo.

"Azure why don't you go home and get some rest. I'll call my job and tell them I'm going home sick. I'll stay here with Glow."

"I can stay too."

"I know but I need to talk with Glowy about some things I'm not comfortable discussing with you around so please for my sake go home and sleep."

Azure was about to protest but Pacific spoke up.

"It's fine Azure, I'll be ok if you go home."

Sighing in defeat Azure walked over and Gave the pink mare a tight hug before leaving the room. Lemon pulled over a cushion from beside the wall and sat down next to the hospital bed before taking a deep breath and speaking.

"Did I ever tell you about how my dad died?"

"No."

"He was a member of the royal guard. He was a Corporal. He didn't die on the job or anything he was just walking home from the bakery when a brick fell from a construction site and hit his head. Simple and random as that, It could have happened to anypony but it happened to him. When the medics got there he was already gone. The brick had killed him the second it hit."

"That's terrible I'm sorry Lemon."

"Thanks but I'm not telling you this for my benefit." After a pause he continued. "I was just a colt so when my dad died I didn't know how to cope. I stopped eating, I stopped leaving my room and I let myself wallow in pictures of us and the things he'd left behind. My room looked like a dump yard and I stopped doing just about any kind of grooming. It was the lowest point of my life...But guess what?"

"What?"

"Things got better, slowly but things did get better, because I let the ponys who cared about me help. Pain from things like this never go away Glowy but if we let the ponys we care about in they can help share the burden. You don't have to carry it all by yourself when you have others who are more than happy to help you."

Glowy looked down at her bed sheets which Lemon took as a sign to continue.	

"Azure loves you like a sister, she was worried sick about you. She wants to help and she can if you just let her in. I can too if you want."

The pink pony sniffled again and took a deep breath before facing the orange manned earth pony.

"Do things really ever get better?"

"Never perfect but ya they get better. Take it from somepony who's been there before."

There was a long pause as Pacific sat and thought over what Lemon had said. The stallion simply sat quietly letting her take it in and think about what he said. After a few moments Glowy whipped her muzzle before turning back to him and giving her answer.

"Ok...I'll try."

"Good, now give me your bag."

"What?"

"Just do it Glowy please."

She did as he asked and in a matter of seconds he had pulled a small bottle from it and turned towards the bathroom.

"Hey what are you-"

Lemon wasted no time in tipping the contents into the toilet and flushing the pills away.

"Hey!"

"Drugs are not the answer to your problems and I don't want to see you in here again!" He kept his voice quiet but stern as were his eyes.

"No more Joy, No more hiding your problems. You are going to sit back in bed and I'm going to get the nurse to bring you some water and a bowl of vegetable soup. Then after you eat your going to get some sleep and I'm going to sit right here so you wont be alone...Ok?" His gaze softened a bit but remained determined. There was no hint of doubt in his eyes, he was not going to take no for an answer.

"I...Ok."

Lemon Tart made his way over to the door and poked his head out. Once he'd asked for what he promised he returned to his post at the pillow beside Glowy's bed. The mare layed back on the mattress before speaking again.

"You know for being new to friendship you're pretty good at it."

"I have a good teacher." He said smiling at her.


/l\---)O(---/l\


"Miss Glow we have news for you."

"What is it Taffington?" Replied Scenic without so much as a glance from her papers.

"We have received word that Pacifica is in the hospital. She-"

"Very well thank you for bringing this to my attention you may go now."

"Miss Glow Pacifica could use your-"

"You are dismissed Taffington! Leave the papers detailing the matter on my desk and depart before you further over step your bounds!"

"Yes miss Glow my humble apologies."

She looked up from her papers long enough to make eye contact with the stallion.

"Remember your place in my household. You are a servant and how I choose to take care of my offspring is not your concern."

"Yes miss Glow of course." He was having trouble with his teeth grinding.

He made his move to depart but stopped when he heard his employer clear her throat.

"I said leave her hospital papers here."

Taffington made a hard swallow as he looked at the papers in his grasp.

Patient Pacific Glow has tested positive for the substance MDMJ more commonly known as Joy. We believe this to be the cause of her Dehydration and loss of consciousness.

He swallowed again as he looked at the bill. 2859 Bits.

"The papers now Taffington." Her tone was final.

Reluctantly the elderly stallion placed the papers in front of his employer. Adjusting her reading glasses She scanned the document briefly before folding it twice and sitting it on the side of her desk.

"Bring me the papers detailing Pacifica's Inheritance."

"Ma'am?"

"Do it now or you are relieved of your position! I can ruin your resume and see you never work again in five minutes time if I want to!"

That was the last he could handle. There were moments to be quiet and there were moments to stand your ground. He had to choose which to do now so he did.

"I quit." He said flatly.

The mare looked at him for a moment then made a shooing gesture with her left hoof. It was done he was no longer her servant and so he made for the door immediately. Once out of sight and earshot he sighed heavily. He was well aware of why his cold hearted ex-master had asked him to fetch her will.

"I will need to tell miss glow that I'm no longer in her mothers service."

Then the household intercom burst. "I need mister White collar to bring me my documents detailing the distribution of my belongings and as a warning to all household staff anypony who lets Pacifica Glow onto the premise will be sacked within the hour. That is all."

"So that's it then." Thought the elderly pony. "She's leaving her own daughter alone in the world."


/l\---)O(---/l\


Glowy awoke to the sound of light snoring from her bedside. A quick glance revealed that Lemon Tart had fallen asleep some time after she had and he was giving out small snores with every other breath or so. She smiled briefly at it. In a way it was kind of cute, her thoughts became more serious though as she woke up more.

"He stayed here all night just to make sure I was ok. For somepony who's antisocial, always grumpy and in a bad mood more often than not he's awfully sweet most of the time."

The more she thought about their time together the more she noticed how kind he had been. The day they met she had awoken to him making her a home cooked breakfast. He had offered to call her a cab for a ride home right after and he had been a gentlecolt the whole time...well most of the time. He might not always say the nicest things or be much for conversation but actions spoke louder than words and his actions were often very kind ones.

Glancing at the clock she noted the time was ten AM. She had slept for ten hours and he had spent an uncomfortable night on the cold hospital floor out of concern for her. In fact he had spent several nights on an old couch so she could sleep well. She knew he was always sore the next morning though he tried to hide it from her. Suddenly a knock at the door drew her attention.

"Come in."

When the door opened she was surprised to see a grim looking Taffington in the doorway.

"Taffington?" She said confused.

"Miss Glow I'm afraid I have some ill news."

"What's wrong?"

He swallowed hard. "I came because I thought it better somepony broke the news to you in person rather than you finding out when you left this morning but-"

"Hey...who's this guy?"

The two other more conscious ponies turned their heads to see a sleepy eyed yellow stallion waking up from his place on the floor.

"Oh your awake Lemon. This is Taffington my mothers head butler."

"Was. I hoofed in my resignation an hour ago."

"What? Why?"

"That's part of why I'm here miss Glow. Your mother won't be paying your hospital bill. She changed her will this mourning and left everything to somepony else I don't know who. You are no longer her heir and she told the staff you are no longer allowed on the property if they value their jobs."

Glowy's eyes became pinpricks as it set in. She had been disowned. She had no home to go back to, no money, nothing! Everything her mother had been supplying her with was gone. She had nothing left and no way to pay her way, get an apartment or even eat a meal a day. Her breath got ragged and soon she lost control of it and started to hyperventilate. Lemon got up and lightly pushed her back into her bed.

"Glowy breath deep just calm down do as I do!"

Her breathing only got worse as Taffington left to get a nurse. Lemon not sure of what else to do grabbed a blanket from a table in the room and wrapped it around her withers. Gradually as he continued to show her how to breath while lightly patting her back she got her breathing back under control.

"Calm down Glowy it's going to be ok."

"No it's not!" She yelled. "I have no money, no food, no home I have nothing left now and I'm nearly three thousand Bits in debt!"

The pink mare broke into a fit of hopeless tears as her situation hit her like a bus. She was ruined she had no livelihood no place to go nothing! No less than nothing she was in debt and she had just been left on her own! A nurse came into the room followed closely by a distraught looking Taffington.

"Please miss Glow calm down-" the nurse began but was cut off by the pink mare.

"Go away! I don't want anymore help from doctors get out! Get out! Get out!" She said screaming the last two words.

The poor nurse backed away before seeing Lemon nod to her and against her normal judgement she left the room quietly. Pacific fell back into her bed and buried her face in her pillow sobbing. Lemon quickly made his way over to Taffington and whispered to him. Concern was clearly written on his face.

"Stay here with her I'm going to go take care of the bill. Don't tell her or she'll try to stop me."

"Sir I'm not sure that you can cover this charge."

"I've been saving for the past five years for a rainy day. If this isn't one I don't know what is. Just keep her calm while I handle this and think of a plan."

"If your sure sir."

"I am now go take care of her."

With that Lemon left out the front door as he pulled out his pocket book. He had a lot to think about and only a short walk to do it in.


/l\---)O(---/l\


Taffington sat at Pacifica's bedside a book between his hooves and a pair of large glasses on the bridge of his muzzle. The pink earth filly to his right was snoring softly sound asleep. While most nights he was too busy he preferred to make sure she slept well and when he could he would see her off to dreamland with a story or two. He was well aware her mother wouldn't do it so if not him than who? He sighed as he set the book down on the small desk beside his chair Hay Carts Treaties on Ponies was a long read and it was getting too late to keep reading. With a quick glance at the lightly sleeping filly he found himself wondering what life might have been like if he had married. Would he have a foal? Two, three maybe? Would they be like this creature or different?

He sighed. He was old, too old for that kind of talk besides he didn't have enough to his name for a family anyhow. Still with old age comes regret and truth be told he found himself regretting not finding a mate. He had long ago come to terms with the realization that the reason he remained in the employ of the awful Scenic Glow was because he saw in Pacific the daughter he never had. The life he never had but maybe, just maybe being able to see Pacifica grow up and being able to help guide her would help with the regret of never having a filly he could call daughter. Though he supposed he could call Glowy that in a sense he'd cared for her since before she could walk and in truth he was her parental figure. Yes perhaps it was enough, maybe more than enough.


/l\---)O(---/l\


When Lemon returned he found a still obviously terrified Glowy and a sad looking butler doing his best to comfort her. When he got to her bedside he let out a short sigh before speaking.

"Come on Glowy we're going home."

"What home?"

"Our home you need a place to stay and I've got one."

"But! No Lemon I can't do that! You'll get evicted if your landlord finds out! You said so the day we met!"

"I can take that risk for a friend until I find better housing for us."

"But-No Lemon-"

"Don't worry about the hospital bill I payed it for you now come on you need a cup of tea and something to eat."

"What?" She nearly yelled.

"Glowy can we not do this now please just get out of the bed and we'll get some breakfast. The nurse says your good to leave once you sign some papers."

"Lemon I can't pay you back! What in Tartarus were you thinking? You can't do this for me it's too much!"

"Pacific stop!" His voice was raised and again he wore an uncompromising stare. "It's done and It's not being undone! You don't have any debt and your coming home to live with me until your at least up on your hooves! This is not a debate it's a fact so get used to it and get out of bed so we can get some food. Or do you want to see how cranky I get when I'm hungry?"

The pink mare instantly teared up again filled with conflicting feelings. Guilt, Happiness, Sadness she felt too much and simply acted. Jumping out of her bed she flung her fore hooves around his neck in a nearly painful hug.

"Why would you do this for me? I just-I just...I don't..."

"My father joined the guard because he wanted to help ponies. How could I dishonor his memory by leaving my best friend to deal with this by herself?"

Still crying a little bit she looked at her stoic yellow friend for a brief moment before leaning in and giving him and angry but grateful kiss on the cheek before hugging him again. After a moments pause she felt one of his hooves wrap around her back.

"It's gonna be ok Glowy...I'm your friend and I'm gonna take care of you. It's what you'd do for me if you could so how can I do any less?"

"How can you be so kind that it frustrates me? You're so...so...Stupid you wonderful, Sweet, jerk!

Unknown to Glowy Taffington had departed now knowing she was in good hooves and not wanting to spoil the moment. Lemon continued to pat her back lightly to keep her calm.

"It's gonna be ok. Things always get worse before they get better. Things are gonna go up from here Glow, It's gonna be alright."

"You horribly, wonderful jerk!" She muttered into his shoulder crying happily.




	
> Oh Crap I Screwed Up Today!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Two PM saw Lemon Tart and Glowy sitting in the corner booth of a small café that was a favorite of the yellow stallions. Pacific was browsing through a menu while Lemon sat comfortably his mind already made up.

"I don't know what to get. What would you recommend?"

"I usually just get pourage and a cup of Pict tea."

"What's Pictea?"

"No not Pictea it's Pict Tea two words."

"Oh ok so what is it?"

"It's type of tea traditionally brewed by the Pictony. It's made from leaves native to Gaullop."

"Where's Gaullop?"

"It's what Prance was called a long time ago...Like forty three hundred years ago give or take a decade or few, historians are still trying to figure it out."

"Wow."

"Yep."

"So it's east of Griffonstone?"

"Well boarders change a lot over time but most of Prance was part of Gaullop though some of the land south was part of it as well. Now it's owned by the dragons."

"How do you know all of this?"

"I'm two fourths Coltic the other two fourths are Pegasus and Unicorn. I researched my ancestry that's all."

"So the Pictony were earth ponies?"

"Yes and no they considered themselves separate from the three tribes but not a lot is know about them. The ancient clans didn't leave many records behind and most of what's left of them live in the Grittish Isles now."

"Huh your nerdy."

"When you have no friends and a lot of books you tend to learn things."

"All right, so what then?"

"Huh?"

"What should I get?"

"Oh well I'd get the tea and pourage but if you don't want oats then you should try their broccoli pot pie. It's pretty damn good."

"All right I'll get that then."

After a few more minutes the waiter came over with a notepad and two water glasses in his horns blue glow. He was a lanky colt who likely was working his first job and it showed in his poor note pad writing as he scribbled down their orders. Once he had collected their menus he went about preparing the two tea's they had ordered while the chef worked on their food. Once the tea was delivered they had nothing to do but sip at it and chat.

"So..." Began Glowy.

"So...?"

"Umm..."

"We seem to be making a habit of this huh?"

"Ya." She giggled.

Silence.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did."

"You jerk."

"I know. Anyways ya sure."

"Why do you care about other ponies so much when you don't want to spend any time with them?"

Lemon sighed and looked at the celling briefly before speaking.

"I guess because of my dad." He sighed. "He was an optimist and always looking for the best in ponies. He wanted to bring it out in others but when he died I started putting up walls. I had no interest in making friends but honor was something he valued. Dad thought that honorable ponies try to put others before themselves because he thought it would make Eques better. I guess I just wanted to do right by  his memory and let him live on through me but keep my privacy too."

"That's..."

"Cheesy?"

"No...sweet. I think your father would be proud of you."

"I'm a collage drop out with a dead end job in a night club." He said near monotone.

"I see his optimism didn't rub off on you though." Said Glowy frowning humorously at him.

"Not even a little."

"Haha!"

Lemon gave a small smile as he sipped his tea absent mindedly. He almost immediately regretted his decision.

"Ouch hot hot hot!"

He hissed in pain as his quick recoil from the drink resulted in some of it falling out of the cup onto his chin burning it.

"Oh come on Lemon don't be a foal."

"Hey that's easy for you to say! You didn't just burn your taste buds off!"

Giggling at his display Glowy took a napkin and dipped it in her ice water before pressing it to his burn with a hoof. Lemon froze up for a moment  but relaxed a bit as the pain died down.

"What are you doing?"

"You burned yourself so it seemed like the thing to do."

"Ok then thanks mom." He said sarcastically.

"Don't get snippy with me! Your the one crying over spilt tea!"

"You sounded like a Zebra I met in ponyvile just now."

"How so?"

"She always talks in rhyme I don't know why but she does."

"Odd. So you've been to ponyvile?"

"A year ago, I have family there."

"Who?"

"My aunt, uncle, niece and nephew. They own a small bakery and coffee shop business called sugar cube corner there."

"Sounds nice."

"It is though their choice in employee's and baby sitters is a bit..."

"What?"

He tapped his chin in thought.

"Strange is about the most polite word that comes to mind."

"You? Polite? Don't make me laugh."

"Hey!"

"I'm kidding you dumby."

There was a brief pause as Glowy stopped dabbing at his burnt chin with a napkin. Neither one had noticed she was still doing it until she stopped though neither seemed to care. Their eye's met and again Lemon felt himself being pulled into her orbs of bright sky blue. As the moment continued a small smile spread across Lemon's face as did Glowy's. It was one of those moments where nopony wanted it to end but sure enough the waiter came back and placed a steaming pot pie in front of the pink mare and a bowl of ground oats in front of Lemon.

As Glowy dug her knife and fork into her meal she began to notice that her cheeks were flushed pink. Shrugging it off as a side effect of laughing and smiling too much she cut the pie open so it would cool a bit faster. As Lemon ate his pourage across from her she took a sip of her now cooler tea. Her muzzle scrunched up at the taste. It wasn't bad just bitter. When she looked back across from her she saw the yellow pony giving her a knowing look.

"Too strong?"

"A little ya."

"Pass me your cup."

She did as he said and Lemon proceeded to dump a few spoonful's of sugar from a near by pot and a little of the milk that came with his meal. Once stirred he passed it back to her.

"Try it now."

Glowy took a sip again and found the taste completely different. She still could taste traces of the leaves but now it was smooth and sweet too. Quickly she took another larger drink.

"I could get used to drinking this!"

"My mother used to tell me tea is the answer to all of life's problems."

"Really?"

"Yep. Headache tea, got beaten up tea, too cold, hot tea, too hot, ice tea she had a tea for every problem you could think of."

"What about a broken heart? I bet she didn't have a tea for that." Glowy said jokingly.

"She probably did I just never got to that one."

"Ya right you liar! everypony has a broken heart after their first break up or at least they think they do."

"I wouldn't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I've uh...never had a special somepony."

Glowy looked up from her food with a shocked expression and folded ears.

"You're kidding?"

"Umm...no I'm not, I spent my free time with books and cult classic TV shows. Firefly, Pony Trek stuff like that."

The stallion had stopped eating and now was just poking at his food casually with his ears drooped. His eyes were focused on the pourage like he thought the number 42 was in there somewhere waiting to be found.

"So...you've never had anypony ask you out?"

"No."

"You never went to a school dance?"

"*Ehem* no."

"Have you even had your first kiss?"

No answer. Glowy slumped in her seat with wide eye's, Lemon was twenty three years old and had never even kissed anypony special to him. The stallion was no longer poking at his food now he was simply staring into it with a bright red face and a look of shame on his muzzle. Glowy too had lost her appetite upon this revelation. Even she had her first kiss and several special someponies over the years but lemon hadn't even had one! She felt incredibly guilty all of a sudden as she realized she had embarrassed and humiliated her friend with her questioning.

"I'm sorry Lemon I shouldn't have brought it up." She said red faced.

"It's fine it's not like I haven't tried. There was a waitress at a coffee shop once and a few mares at collage but none were really...interested."

"Well they doesn't know what they missed it's their loss. Your a great stallion Lemon."

"Ya." He made a light scoffing noise. Thanks..."

He went back to casually eating his meal though any sense of enjoyment he had shown prior was gone. If anything he was eating to conserve fridge space. Glowy was now doing the same, her food was good but the flavor died on her tongue. She felt incredibly sorry for him and angry with herself for not having the sense to shut up. Thirteen or more hearts and hooves days with nopony to share it with, No awkward School dances, no getting scolded for sneaking out to see his marefriend, no hoof holding in the theater. It was enough to make her feel sick for bringing it up. The rest of their meal was spent in an awkward silence as she scolded herself and Lemon frowned at his food.


/l\---)O(---/l\


After lunch Lemon brought Glowy back to his (now their) apartment and had promptly fallen asleep for a few hours of rest before work. He left shortly after telling Glowy she had run of the place and the fridge as long as she promised not to use the stove. She had readily agreed not wanting to burn his home down and now found herself starring at his computer screen watching The Princess Bride on Neightflix. She was still mad at herself for humiliating Lemon at their meal and was sulking at herself more than watching the movie. She was interrupted  by the loud ringing of her phone and soon saw that Azure must be checking up on her.

"Hey Glowy how are you doing?"

"I'm...fine." She sulked out.

"Huh then I'm princess Luna. Tell me what's wrong?"

"A lot of things."

"I've got time."

"Well first I'm worried about getting Lemon kicked out of his apartment because he's only supposed to live here himself. Oh and also I'm broke now so I'm just the littlest bit terrified for my future."

"So that covers the obvious but there's something else too I can tell, what else is wrong?"

"I embarrassed Lemon in public today."

"Well friends do that to each other all the time, as long as you didn't go to far or apologized it should be fine."

"That's not what I meant Azure. The subject of special someponies came up and I said some really stupid stuff that upset him."

"What does he still have his V card?" Azure chuckled out.

"Azure it's not funny! He hasn't ever even had a special somepony! He hasn't ever even been kissed before."

The line went silent.

"Well I guess there's nothing wrong with that though I admit I'm surprised even for him that's well..." Azure's words drifted off.

"The part that bugs me was the look on his face. I should have shut up but I just-I couldn't I don't know I just kept asking questions and he kept answering and now I feel like a jerk because the look on his face was..."

"What?"

"He was lonely, I think it's the first time I've ever seen him look like that. I've seen him get mad and sad even happy but I've never seen him lonely even when he told me he didn't have a single friend he seemed fine but when I asked if he'd ever had a marefriend or anything he just looked...depressed."

"That's, harsh."

"The poor colt never had anypony to spend a single hearts and hooves day with even you and me hung out when we were dateless and ate Ice cream and stuff but he was always alone just him and his books."

"Shit Glowy that's pretty heavy stuff."

"I feel terrible for asking those questions now it was really dumb of me."

"Everypony does stupid stuff from time to time. Don't beat yourself up. Maybe he just doesn't want a marefriend?"

"No that's not what I saw in his face and he said he'd tried to ask a few different mares out but they all shot him down."

"well that might explain a little bit. He never had a marefriend and the only times time he even so much as tried to put himself out there he got rejected. From what I've seen of him he seems the type not to really say things unless he really wants or needs to so I'm guessing getting shot down wasn't easy for him. I mean it never is for anypony but I bet it was a bit more difficult for him since he's well, Lemon."

"I'm such an idiot." Mumbled Pacific as she buried her face in the nearest pillow.

"No your not Glowy you just made a mistake."

"Ya a big one."

There was silence over the line for a moment before Azure spoke again.

"How would you describe Lemon?"

Glowy sighed before pulling her face from the cushion and replying.

"I'd say kind, Sweet, funny even if he's not necessarily trying to be in fact sometimes that's when he's funniest."

"You like him?"

"Ya he's a great friend."

"Is that all he is to you?"

"Well what else would he-wait Azure what are you getting at?"

"Maybe you should think a little bit about what he means to you in a bit more detail. Who knows you might be pleasantly surprised at what you realize."

"Azure I'm not sure that-"

"Oh I'm sorry your breaking up! How inconvenient that as soon as I get some thoughts into your head the line starts to die."

"Azure I know that just paper!"

"I'm-sorry-can't-here-you!"

"And when the line drops you shouldn't be able to hear full sentences!"

"Bye bye!"

"Azure!"

The phone turned to a dial tone as Glowy set it on the table after ending the call. Usually when Azure called and she was in a bad mood it helped now she just felt pissed at her friend. But as the night went on the effect she was sure Azure meant to have seemed to set in. The more she tried not to think about it the more she did. Lemon had been kind to her, he'd opened up his home to her, he was funny and in a way kind of cute even if he was a little pudgy. She liked spending time with him and she hated seeing him sad or upset. Finally she arrived at a conclusion, she liked Lemon, and as more than just a friend. She actually found herself enjoying the idea of sitting down next to him at diner and holding his hoof under the table to see the inevitable blush that would occur. She even smiled broadly when she thought about being his first kiss.

"Maybe I should talk to him when he gets home from the club and see if he likes me too? It's not the middle ages anymore a mare can ask a stallion out."

She nodded thinking it was a good Idea. Lemon was a nice colt and she cared about him. With a faint smile on her muzzle she reclined on the couch and continued to watch her movie with a bit more peace of mind.


/l\---)O(---/l\


When lemon returned home in the early morning to his small apartment he found Glowy was asleep on the couch with the computer having shut itself off. The flat looked a bit cleaner so she must have done some tiding up at some point for which he was grateful. That said he was also glad she had kept her promise and not burned his home to ash.

"She must have fallen asleep watching some TV. Well I can't let her sleep on the couch she'll break her back by morning."

Quietly he trotted over towards her sleeping form and gently prodded her to semi consciousness.

"Come on Glowy lets get you to bed." He whispered.

"Leave me here." She mumble out nearly inaudibly.

"No you won't sleep well here come on."

Gently and trying his best not to rouse her more than necessary he guided her to the bed and helped her in. Once she fell onto it he used his teeth to pull the blanket over her before tucking in the edges so she would be warmer. The idea was a bit spur of the moment but he thought it a good one since she had mentioned her mother never doing it. Once the sheets were well tucked in place he made his way over to the couch before falling down on it.

"Sweet dreams Glowy." He said to the mare across the darkened room.