Somepony to Love [Ended <3]

[Cat Napper]

"♫..Ohh Ohh Oh~♫" A single, soft note rose into the tranquil of the night. The solo voice of a lonesome pony sounded in song, Cat Napper swished her braided tail in tune with her song. She tapped a forehoof on the stone bridge in a blues rhythm, performing a lone piece there on the Lover's Bridge with nopony around to admire her striking voice. Looking out over the stream, glistening with bright lunar light from the enormous full moon above, the little pegasus sighed. In her silken dress of dark leopard print, splattered with bright paint and held close to her waist with a pink band, she was definitely a striking little mare who'd dressed up brilliantly for the occasion. She looked down on the necklace she'd crafted for herself, a little metal pendant with her cutie mark painted on it with amazing detail. Her shining black horseshoes amplified the tapping of her forehooves, her large grey eyes looked out over the serenity of Luna's graceful night and she continued her breathtakingly lovely song.

"♫Each morning I get up I die a little... Can barely stand on my four~♫

♫Take a look in the mirror and cry a 'lil.. feelin' lonely right through to the core~♫

♫I spend all my years in searchin' for you♫

♫I just can't get no relief ohhhh... ♫

♫Somepony, ooh somepony~♫

♫Can anypony find me~♫

♫somepony to love?♫"

Cat's strong voice rang out for a bit, and as she closed that final note, she halted her hooves and sunk to her knees. She groaned a little, being at the Gala was fun and all, but not when she was alone. "Where is my pony...?" She asked herself softly, she moved a silky straightened lock of her dusty brown mane out of her face and sighed. Might as well just enjoy the beauty of the night, don't let all that silly romantic nonsense get her down. She lifted her gaze out over the astounding landscape, even though she enjoyed the sight she couldn't help but wonder how nice it'd be to share this moment with somepony.

[Inkwell]

As Cat sang, another mare watched her, absent-mindedly levitating half an apple pie next to her. Rose Madder had heard that her brother Inkwell had also been invited to the Gala, and after buying a decent amount of apple-related baked goods from a vendor she found on the grounds with the most interesting accent. As it turned out, she'd overestimated her appetite, and found herself walking around the gala with a full belly and half a pie left. So she thought she'd give it to Inkwell when she stumbled into him, assuming she ever did.

But the sight of a pony singing sonorously by herself on a bridge grabbed her attention. Not many ponies were as confident as that, being able to sing at full volume in a public area with the risk of being discovered. Rose could do it, of course, but she had chutzpah uncommon to many ponies. So when this rather small filly finished her song, Rose couldn't help but applaud, stomping the front pair of her black slippers on the ground.

"Nice pipes, girl!" she said, approaching Cat with her pie floating behind her. "I guess you're looking for company, then? Can't say I'll fulfill all your needs, but I can spend some time with you if you want."

[Cat Napper]

Cat perked up with a slight jolt of surprise. She didn't know anypony was around! And that was a bit of an impulsive, private-ish song moment. "Oh! Heh, thanks much!" The little filly smiled and stood in her unusually fancy attire. She still couldn't believe how light her mane felt now that it was snarl-free and straightened, it floated in even the slightest breeze like a bolt of dusty silk. "I, ah, don't get a lotta time to practice. I was alone an I guess eh the full moon got to my head." She chuckled. Hm, pretty mare. Not what she had in mind particularly with her song, but company nonetheless. "Nothin's worse than not bein' able to share such a perfect night with somepony special. I don't really have anypony, 'case you couldn't tell by my lyrics." The filly sighed ad turned her gaze back to the luminescent moon. She shook away her thoughts and smiled back at her new acquaintance. "My name's Cat Napper, local artist of Ponyville. Nothin' special otherwise." The pegasus settled herself back on the bridge and hoped the stranger would introduce herself as well, maybe join her for a bit of friendly chit chat under the magnificent night sky.

[Inkwell]

Rose started walking over to Cat on the bridge. "Yeah, I know how that is," she says with a sigh. "I've been single for months now and it's really starting to get to me." Cat introduced herself, and Rose responded in kind. "Rose Madder, rising star of the literary world." Then she realized it might not be good form to boast to a new acquaintance. "I hope. Heheh.

"You're the local artist of Ponyville, huh? Funny, I thought that was my brother's job. He's here too, I think you two would probably get along great, just as soon as I can find him. He's got a beige coat, black m-" She looked past Cat into the distance and grinned. "Well well well, speak of the devil. Hey Inky, get over here! I got some pie for ya, runt!"

The pony she spoke of barely saw the bridge in the distance, and the sounds of her voice made him stand deathly still. He peered into the distance and saw her there, with his friend Cat Napper.

How would he handle this, he wondered? Though he maintained communication with his sister during his travels, he hadn't actually met her in person, not since their grandfather's funeral. Thoughts of how the two of them would react to each other and how they'd each changed in the intervening time rushed through his head, but he swallowed and put his best face on. Besides, she'd promised pie, and he was starting to get peckish.

"Hey Rose!" he called out, galloping up to the bridge. "So great to see you again!" The two of them embraced in a tight hug, before Inkwell turned back to Cat. "I see you've met Cat," he said. "Cat, this is my sister, Rose!"

[Cat Napper]

Cat perked up a bit upon realizing this was Inkwell's sister. And that Inkwell himself was here too. "Huh! Small world isn't it?" She lifted a forehoof to part a wavy lock from her face, the normally very messy little pegasus wasn't used to her hair being this light and felt odd when it tickled her muzzle like that. Truthfully, Inkwell was the only pony she could call a friend that she'd met since she left her home in Cloudsdale. She didn't have many friends in Cloudsdale as it was, she was very glad to see him here. Cat couldn't help but flutter her little wings with delight. Things seemed so much less awkward now!

"Great t'meetcha, Rose! Wow, each of you must take after a different side of the family, it seems. You look nothing alike!" Cat grinned at this little family reunion in front of her. "I take after my dad mostly, 'cept for the fact that he's massive and all." She buzzed her wings to create a little gust, one that shook the dust off of her silk dress and revealed the vibrant patterns. She smiled, the dress was her own design and she'd gotten a lot of compliments that day regarding it.

The little filly then trotted over to greet her friend Inkwell with a quick hug. "Nice outfitting, both of yah! Kinda out fancied me a bit even, can't beat these colors though!" Cat shot a toothy grin at them and admired the contrast of her bright paint splatters against her black leopard print. It was unusual, but the design fit her nonetheless.

[Inkwell]

"Looks like it!" Rose replied in the middle of her hug. "He told me that everypony in Ponyville apparently got an invitation to the Gala, and all of my friends in Canterlot did, too! I dunno what the Princesses were thinking, but I hope they think it more often!" She sighed with delight and rested her forelegs on the rail of the bridge, staring up at the sky with a look of complete contentment on her face.

Inkwell just smiled and leaned against the railing between Rose and Cat. "You really wanted to come here, huh?"

"Definitely!" Rose turned her head and gave Inky a smile. "You meet the most interesting ponies at these events, with the most interesting attire!" She looked past him and gave Cat a wink, noticing her own painted dress, a rather haphazard looking thing that no doubt gave the regular attendees of the gala serious cases of the vapors. The thought of that made her instantly like Cat's dress; perhaps if Rose was ever invited next time, she thought, she'd show up in a dress made of rusted metal.

Both siblings took an interest in Cat talking about family. "Your father, massive?" Rose asks. "I find that pretty hard to believe, shortstuff! Then again, our dad was pretty big too, and he sired Inky here!" She pointed a hoof at her scrawny brother and snickered, making Inky give her a little glare.

"Don't listen to her, she's just being obnoxious again. Honestly, it's like we never split up." He gently pushed her hoof away. "She takes off after our dad more, but I think I'm a lot more like Grandpa, rest his soul." Pleasant memories of the time he and Chiaroscuro spent together in his youth made him smile again, though it also kind of made him feel a bit melancholy as well.

"Say, Inky, where did you get that suit? It looks amazing!" Rose asked.

"Oh this?" He adjusted his beret. "I found the most talented fashion designer in Ponyville! Her name's Rarity, and believe me when I say you haven't even seen her at her best yet!"

"Hmm, really?" Rose asked, rubbing her chin. "Wasn't expecting anyone like that out in Ponyville..."

[Cat Napper]

Cat suddenly became very curious as to what the princesses intentions were with inviting so many ponies. All of Ponyville AND Canterlot? "..maybe all of Equestria was invited! How considerate of our Princesses." She grinned, feeling glad that the little people were given this once in a lifetime chance to see Celestia's magnificent castle. She folded her wings neatly over her pretty dress and adjusted her messy bun with a forehoof, sweeping her locks out of her face once more as well. "Well, I meant attitude-wise. I got dad's stripes, sure," She lifted a foreleg to admire her unique stockings. "But I didn't get his height." She grinned ear to ear and watched the siblings converse happily.. that is until Inkwell said that Rarity was Ponyville's most talented designer. The little filly's face blushed angrily, and her ears pinned against her head. The way he put it made it sound like he.. liked her. Cat had no clue why, as she'd never experienced this kind of jealousy before, but this struck quite the nerve inside her. With a small snort, she looked over her dress. It was completely thought out and designed by herself, a self proclaimed mastermind of the arts, and put together by the delicate work of her close friend from Cloudsdale. In her mind it was absolutely perfect! "Hmph, Rarity didn't design this awesome dress now did she?" She mumbled softly, hoping the two others hadn't caught this. Loud enough for them to hear she added on. "Rarity's pretty good I guess.." She kicked at a pebble with her fancy horseshoes and snorted again. Inkwell might be completely baffled by Cat's behavior, but the more experienced Rose might know what conflict was going on in the pegasi's big heart.

[Inkwell]

Inkwell blinked and tilted his head at Cat. He felt like he should know what was on her mind, exactly, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. "Yeah, she's really something," he confirmed. "But yeah, from what I saw of her boutique, that doesn't look anything like the sort of designs she comes up with. Did you make that yourself?"

"What my brother means to say," Rose interjected, "is that Rarity has a rather different aesthetic to her dressmaking approach than you do." She'd moved in front of Inkwell, partially blocking him from Cat's view. "He wasn't making any sort of judgment call or definitive statement of superiority by complimenting her. Really, it's like comparing apples to oranges." She nudged his head with her own, hoping he would understand the blatantly obvious signals Cat was sending him.

"Oh!" Inkwell said, finally making that last connection. "Y-yeah, she's right, she's absolutely right!" He gave Cat a comically large grin. ]"You know, when I said that I met the most talented fashion designer in Ponyville, I didn't mean that, you know, Rarity was the most talented fashion designer in Ponyville. I think." He struggled to come up with an explanation, and glanced at Rose again.

"It's a very high-class way of talking, darling," Rose explained. "For example, when I say that I bought the most delicious apple pie from a vendor in the courtyard with the most quaint, yet charming accent, it's just a way of intensifying those adjectives." She levitated her pie between the three ponies, giving Inkwell a good look at it. "No comparison is being made at all."

Inkwell brightened up at the sight and smell of the pie. "Wow, that does look delicious!" he said. "You said this was one of Applejack's?"

"Actually, yes. You know her?"

"Yeah, I met her the day I came into Ponyville. She sold me my first Ponyville meal!"

"Well then, have some deja vu!" Rose said, setting the pie tin down in front of Inkwell. "I couldn't finish the whole thing myself, so I thought I'd share the rest of it with you!"

"Wow, thanks Rose!" Inkwell took another look at the pie and notice how large it was, even with half of it gone. "Actually, I don't think I'll be able to finish this either." He was actually kind of surprised that there was anything left of it; when they were young, Rose was a voracious eater, and little suggested that anything had changed. Restraint in that regard seemed beyond her.

"Oh really?" Rose asked, in the tone of voice suggesting that a new idea had just crept into her head. "What about your friend there? Maybe the two of you can split it! You know, spend some quality time together. Poor girl's all by herself out here!"

Inkwell looked at Cat and shrugged. "Alright. That sounds like a plan." He nudged the pie tin over in Cat's direction. "Ladies first."

Gladdened to see her hunch pay off, Rose started to trot away from the happy couple. "Well, I've got a lot of ponies to mingle and hobnob with, so I'd best leave you two lovebirds alone! Let me know if you end up sharing anything else!" Her merry laugh echoed behind her as she left the garden.

"W-w-wait! Rose!" Inkwell shouted after her, his face turning nearly as red as hers. "It's not like... that." He rolled his eyes and groaned. "I swear, she can be so insensitive sometimes," he told Cat, slowly turning back to face her.

[Cat Napper]

Cat had to fight to keep herself from rolling her eyes as the siblings explained what Inkwell meant. Well, of course she knew he didn't mean it literally! It was just.. that unmistakable sound of such admiration in his voice that drove the little pegasus into jealously. But why was it bothering her so much?! The filly was so new to these feelings inside her.. she didn't love her close friend.. did she? She stuck her tongue out with a 'bleck' noise and wrinkled her little nose. She knew that was it, but that didn't stop her from denying her true feelings, not in the least!

She stayed silent while Rose and Inkwell continued talking, only half paying attention to them now. Alright Cat.. focus! Your emotions aren't gonna cause any good, only messes! Shape up and ignore it. That's the best you can do to keep from causing a conflict. Inside her mind the halfsized pegasus tried to give herself advice.. but none of it seemed to be registering in her mind.

Inkwell and Rose's conversation had all but faded into white noise. That is, until Cat's ear perked and caught Rose's final comment as she left the scene. "W-what?!" She blushed a deep crimson and hid behind her raised wings. As her new unicorn acquaintance left walked away, Cat sighed deeply again. "..Yeah, it's not like that." She repeated with a hint of disappointment in her voice. Knock it off, Cat! Don't let your feelings ruin the night for Inkwell, or you! She tried to reason with herself, again without any kind of outcome.

She got to her hooves to trot over beside her friend and sat down again, keeping her gaze away from Inky's. "S-sorry. I just.." She scraped her mind frantically for an excuse for her jealousy. "I didn't sit around and get my mane straightened for three hours just to be upstaged by a pony that isn't even here y'now." It was partly the truth, but still so transparent of a cover up that anypony could read Cat's true feelings like the page of a book. She decided to keep her mouth shut, there was absolutely no chance that Inkwell shared her silly feelings at all. Was there?

[Inkwell]

The pie that Inkwell nudged in Cat's direction lie forgotten on the ground as both ponies struggled with the awkwardness of the situation. Inkwell listened to Cat's halting, shoddily-conceived words and wondered just why she was acting so weird. It didn't take him long to come to a conclusion, though, as the hints Rose dropped weren't particularly subtle.

Cat had reacted even more strongly than Inkwell had, practically turning her entire body red in embarrassment. Why would she do that unless Rose had seen something that made her remark based in reality. It was just like her to charge straight through delicate issues like that, always telling Inky to shape up when he was being a wimpy little foal. Maybe this time it was the right thing to do, after all? And the suggestion that Cat and Inky keep each other company was entirely her idea.

She... liked him? That looked like the only answer. Why else would she exhibit jealousy of Rarity's dressmaking abilities when she wasn't even a dressmaker herself? As far as Inkwell knew, Cat never worked at making dresses before, so her complaint about being "upstaged" didn't make sense any other way.

"You haven't been upstaged," he said, standing next to her and putting a foreleg around her shoulders. "You're more important than the dress, and I think I'm more comfortable around you than Rarity. You're just better for me!"

What was he doing, burying Rarity like that? He'd have to try and be delicate about it, and honest besides. But the truth was, Cat was a more compatible friend than Rarity. He just didn't know if they were quite as compatible as Cat apparently hoped. One way to find out.

He finally looked down and noticed the pie, already getting a bit too close to lukewarm for his tastes. Since he didn't know how to heat it back up with magic, he just cut away a chunk and floated it into his mouth. "Want some?" he asked, levitating another mouthful within Cat's reach. "It's really good!"

[Cat Napper]

Cat felt herself stiffen up with nerves, but managed to calm herself before she did something ridiculous like fly away from this painfully awkward scene.

Subconsciously, she snuggled closer under Inkwell's foreleg. It just felt.. so nice. Her artist pony friend had such a remarkable calming effect on her that, quite honestly, Cat had never felt when she was with anypony else. As soon as she realized her blatant affection, she straightened up with a clearing of her throat and turned her head away again, blush returning to color her pale face again.

Waves of warm, fuzzy happiness pulsated from her heart as she listened to what he had to say. Her pegasus wings unfolded and gave a small, happy flutter. "I-I-It really had nothing to do with the dress making. It's just.." She hid her face behind an azure streaked wing again. "I'm just too soft. It's nothing you need to worry about, don't let me ruin your night." From behind her shield of feathers, the smell of that pie reached her senses and made her aware of how hungry she was. Applejack made the absolute best pies, no doubt! "Heh.. thanks Inky." She said, snatching the piece he'd offered her out of mid air and downing it in less than a few seconds. Her gaze flashed briefly over the remains in the tin, but she quickly decided against this. She didn't want to seem greedy in front of Inkwell, no way! Plus, her eating habits weren't the most mannerly. The filly shook her head slowly and took a deep breath. "Alright Inky.. I've got somethin' t'tell you. Please don't freak out on me..." She winced, preparing herself for any reaction he might give. "I... think I might like you. A-a lot. You're just so sensitive and sweet and... and I don't know why but you make me feel really calm too. You deserve to know that.. I just hope this doesn't change your opinion of me i-in a.. a bad way."

[Inkwell]

Yep. That was it. Inkwell felt his heart start to beat a little faster as Cat poured her heart out to him. He should have looked at her, but he just stared back down at the pie. As he tried to nibble it, he felt his skin get clammy and sweaty, so much so that his glasses slipped right off his muzzle.

Inkwell turned to look at Cat with a bare face, and he saw an adorable, demure, and slightly blurry young filly. But no matter how he tried to look at her, she was still the same old Cat he'd always known, a good friend and peer in the artistic world. What made Cat see him differently?

He opened his mouth, a speech practically prepared to leap off his tongue. It would be a conciliatory speech, telling Cat that he wasn't ready for a committed relationship, that he wanted the two of them to still be friends and nothing else. But he couldn't say it. He looked back down and levitated those glasses back onto his face, so that he could get a better look at her face. It was a cautiously hopeful expression, and he didn't want to be the one to dash those hopes.

Maybe they had a future after all?

"Um, can I... can I have some time to think it over?" Inkwell asked. He cut another two chunks of pie, one for Cat and one for himself.

[Cat Napper]

She should've waited. Yep, Cat now was fairly certain that her friend wouldn't want to be around her anymore so long as she kept these feelings up. Shouldn't have told, darnit! Cat's ears pinned down and she stomped her hoof with a little bit of welled up frustration, uttering a soft pony curse between her clenched teeth. "I'm so sorry Ink, I just- wait what?" She perked her ears at his response that previously the pegasus filly was too busy worrying about how this would affect their friendship to have heard. Wait.. think about it? She smiled a little, but very faintly. So he wasn't completely grossed out by his best friend's emotions? Well hey, that's a start! Cat's happy attitude washed over her, only to be stunted by yet another doubt. What if he'd only said that to make her feel better?

Alright Cat, now you're just being stupid. Inky would NEVER lie to you and you know it! She mentally scolded herself. After those few silent moments of internal debate, Cat spoke up again.

"P-please don't feel pressured by me at all.. if you don't want more than friendship then that's that. Don't let silly ol' me ruin your night." She said firmly. Cat was never one to upset a friend, and this time was absolutely no exception. She sighed and turned her gaze to the moonlight, the bright white beams from it setting her irises into a normally unseen blaze of colors, much like that of an opal. Lost in her own thoughts, Cat was becoming a bit unaware of Inkwell or her surroundings, her voice rose softly almost without her knowing into the second part of her song.

"♫ I work hard.. everyday,

Oh I try and I try and I try..

But everypony wants to put me down!

They say, they say I'm goin' crazy.

They say I got a lot of water in my brain,

Got no common sense,

I got nopony left to believe in...! ♫"

[Inkwell]

Inkwell just smiled and ate some more of the pie, watching Cat heat up because of his hopeful answer. She tried to deflect the conversation of their relationship in order to enjoy herself more. "Oh, okay," he said, shrugging a bit. "You're the boss. We can just enjoy the night."

He just lied down on the ground and relaxed, listening to the crickets chirp. But then he heard her voice, and he opened his eyes, slowly turning to face Cat and watching her sing. That just about did it for him. He blinked and just stood there, watching her sing, and feeling himself start to pine for her. He pined for her, and she was right there. But could he really do it, fall in love with her?

Cat finished her verse, and Inkwell took that as his cue to scoot next to her and give her a big hug, nuzzling her head. "You know," he whispered, "you're making it really easy for me to love you." He felt himself getting a bit warm from being right next to her body. "You've got an amazing voice, you know that?"

[Cat Napper]

Well, that was rather quick! Cat's blushing intensified, she wasn't expecting this kind of response so suddenly. She hadn't even expected Inkwell to share her feelings, and yet here she was being held in an affectionate hug by the colt a mere few seconds after Cat was sure she'd scared him away from her.

"I-I-I-I... uhh, I.." She stuttered incoherently for a few seconds before she finally seemed to realize what this meant. Either her singing had siren powers or Inkwell really did see value in her. The latter seemed much more likely, and shakily Cat reached up with her little forelegs and returned Inky's hug.

"Thanks so much.. you know, it means the world t'hear y'say that." She said, voice uncharacteristically soft and shy.

"Yeah.. I'll give you some time to think, 'course I will. I just hope y'won't forget about me if I do.." She smiled and rested her head on her close friend's shoulder, feeling the world around her go into a blur as his body heat radiated against her own. It felt.. nice. Cat had never experienced anything this nice, in her mind. It sent her heart into flutters and her mind in a blissful daze. "Let's just enjoy the night eh?" Smiling sweetly, she took in a deep breath and began to feel a lot more confident about the situation.

[Inkwell]

Wow, he certainly changed his attitude pretty quickly, didn't he? Inkwell smiled and blushed almost as soon as Cat did, not quite believing how forward he was. He supposed this settled the question of how he felt toward Cat. She was just as sweet and sensitive as she said he was and her paintings were absolutely beautiful.

He settled in next to her, sitting on the grass and watching the night sky. For some reason he thought of how magnificent it might be to see Luna raise the moon, but then he thought of the magnificent pegasus right next to him. "I won't, believe me. Even if we're not, you know, lovers, we'll always be friends." To show how unlikely he thought that possibility, he lifted Cat's wing and draped over his back.

Time slipped away from him as he spent the evening in silence with Cat. He couldn't think of anything else to ask for.