It all started in a little Café in Stalliongrad ... [OPEN]

[Twimsy]

Persnickety crinkled her nose as she cast her glance elsewhere. She didn't know why, but the more and more he poured his broken little heart out to her with the tears and cracked voice, the more she felt totally responsible. Wonderful.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have pried. I shouldn't have said anything, really..." Why does this always happen when I try to talk to ponies, anymore? It always happens. What's wrong with me? I'm such a fool. Now was not the time for how she was feeling, though. She did her best to swallow her guilt - a process made easier by the last statement he made.

"Now, that's just silliness. You are a pony. A living, breathing, feeling being. I cannot speak from experience on romantic matters, but what I can say is that you will never truly be able to hamper your feelings for good. And why in Canterlot you'd ever want to hamper the good feelings is...well...puzzling. From an acting point of view, I can sympathize. Losing someone close to you is will-breaking. It's...it's utterly crushing, and nothing says that you have to throw yourself back out there and risk it again so soon." Careful, Persnickety. You're rambling, again. "...I suppose what I'm simply trying to say, is that you should not build up walls. That is the recipe for a very lonely life." Her own heart was starting to feel worlds heavier.

...If anyone knows that, it's me.

[QDiscord]

*grins a cheshires pony grin at all the negativity that seemed to permeate itself everywhere this evening, he would hopefully get his chocolate milk." Cider.... flavored.... milk? "he raises a brow, a mental whisper echoing to her in tormentious tease.~ Dolt... it was chocolate... cant you get anything right? ~" Aaahhhwell. Thisell do. "he takes it and starts to sip it." MMmmm. Well. "he looks over to the last one yelling." I think this is yours. "he gives a most malicious wink.

[NeilWacaster]

He took a few deep breaths, thinking hard about what she had said.

He could read between the lines. She thought that she was responsible for this outburst. Little did she know how long this had been in coming, and that seeing her holding the picture was just the straw that broke the pony's back, as it were.

Was it just minutes ago that he had said that talking to other ponies helped him work through his problems? It seemed like hours, days. He should have taken his own advice years ago, and gone to see a counselor, or at least discussed this matter with a close friend. And now he was just dumping it all on a complete stranger, not calmly, but violently.

Emotions are fickle like that sometimes.

When you least expect it, your heart tells you yes, even though your mind is screaming no.

She's right, you know, a quiet voice said, seeming to come from somewhere deep inside him. The more you wall yourself away, the more you will lose. You'll come to the end of your life filled not with joy, but with regret of what could have been. Why continue to stew over what is past? That is something you cannot possibly change. What you can change is your future.

Ever since that fateful night, he felt as if he had a hole in his heart. He tried to fill it with work, or money, or entertainment. Nothing ever changed. But this time was different. He felt his heart being filled to bursting with an entirely new sensation. Hope.

His expression began to change. First, his lip stopped quivering. He began to look ahead with steely determination. Then, a faint smile teased at one corner of his mouth. He straightened, and looked straight at Persnickety with a look of the utmost gratitude in his eyes. He still couldn't speak, but this time, it was from pure joy.

[NeilWacaster]

The barista ran about the room like a chicken with her head cut off. This time, she had the foresight to grab an order pad. She frantically scribbled down the correct orders, apologized profusely, gave refunds, and took special care to make sure that the orders were correct. When everypony appeared to be somewhat satisfied, she collapsed behind the counter from pure exhaustion. She knew that she shouldn't have gone to that barn dance last night.

[Twimsy]

Emotional bouts certainly had a way of making ponies who were complete strangers into individuals who were much closer to one another, whether they liked it or not. It was a clumsy and awkward sort of bonding, in a way. She didn't know how or why, but for the first time in a long time, Persnickety was starting to feel connected in some way with the pony sitting beside her. Their reasons for depression seemed so different, but perhaps they were more similar than either of them even knew.

When he smiled at her, she couldn't help but return the gesture, if a bit meekly. It was contagious all the same. Maybe she'd finally done something right. "If I may, that expression looks much better on you than tears." She adjusted her spectacles, "Are you feeling a bit better, now?"

[NeilWacaster]

He took a deep breath of the spring air and let it out slowly. The smell reminded him of being a foal in Solstice Heights. Do I feel better? You bet your sweet apple butter.

"I am indeed, Miss Persnickety. Your words lifted the weight of the world off my shoulders." He smiled, a genuine, happy grin. "You're right. I was letting the past hinder me from making the most of what little time I have left in this world. My fear of repeating my past mistakes kept me from even trying to love anypony else. It's not that I couldn't get over my past, but that I chose not to." He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "If only I had realized this years ago, my life would have been so different."

[DeepBass]

[[Well, apparently, you haven't read the sequel to my fic yet. xD]]

Bass looked back at Syd, and grinned. "Thanks. It's good to know that somepony appreciates my music. I just like to unwind with a nice glass of hot tea or coffee before my shows. Although this place doesn't carry the tea that I like, I HAD a cup of coffee..." Bass shot a glance at Midsy. "But what comes must also go. So, tell me. Is it always this... Crazy around here? Or did I just choose the wrong night to play Stalliongrad?"

[tacobob]

"This looks about right.", a white unicorn wearing an overstuffed saddle pack stumbled into the cafe. He glanced around for a moment as he tried to find a good seat, "Rather busy place I see.", he did not seem to be talking to anypony in particular and sighed somewhat dramatically once he found a seat. It took him another second to find the overworked barista, "Oh good. Help! I would like something quick and simple. Just an extra-large white chocolate mocha frappuccino light blended coffee with an extra shot of espresso, one pump of sugar free raspberry flavoring, and no whipped cream on top. Actually, make that whip cream, but not the runny kind, the fluffy kind, like a newborn cloud, but not too puffy, and an pumpkin muffin. If you have any.", he smiled at the poor mare, "And make sure the muffin isn't too dry, but not too moist either. Nopony likes muffin soup!" Once the order was finished, he turned back to the crowd that was assembled in the cafe and started to study each and everypony, "Interesting crowd we have here."

[NeilWacaster]

The barista glared at the newcomer menacingly. She HATED stuck-up nitpickers. "Whut ya git is what ya git, buster," she said under her breath. She made the mocha frappuccino in the way she always did, adding expresso, raspberry and whipped cream. Unfortunately, she had just sold the last pumpkin muffin, so she substituted lemon poppy seed cake instead. "That'll be six bits, stranger," she said, sliding him the drink and the muffin.

[sevofthesands]

not noticing his hello going unnoticed, Wind watched the hyper white pegasus with purple hair leave forgetting that he was talking to the other pegasus that the black stallion called Deep Bass. he could not explain it but he felt like he needed to go outside just now. he quickly finished his cider and tossed the bits towards the barista then he dashed past the unicorn that just walked in and out of the cafe to see the mare was playing with what Windy assumed was her pet bird. at that moment he felt the wind shift again in a way that was strange for Stalliongrad this time of year a way that his wind charts that HE drew said were impossible unless magic or some supernatural forces were involved.

"Horse apples" he said to himself as he saw what he feared would happen, the mare that was clumsily playing with her bird did not notice Windys hot air balloon which had moved with the wind into her path and in a moment she was going to ram right into the side of the basket. Windy Daze unfurled his wings and stretched them, while he did not use them as much as his balloon he was no slouch when it came it flying he just hoped he could be fast enough to stop the mare from hurting herself.

"The winds of Change have a funny sense of humor today" he said as he started to fly to his balloon

[QDiscord]

*would make a distraught Bleegh face the other direction from the rest of the ponys. The happiness, the amending and friendship. It was making him nauseous. HOWEVER he slowly looked to the blue pony. Oh.. oh would he be in for a ride of his life later. A smile formed on his face as he plotted inside his mind the details to that foolish wish of his." be careful what you wish for. "he raises a brow glancing breifly at him. But for now hed return to the matters at hand. As the silly pony that was wind, was, playing with wind. The wind would start to grow in strength and the wrong direction. And meanwhile with the barrista hed fill her with amplified hate to the ponys nit pickyness while trying to make his nitpicks, all the more picky. A newspaper flys across the view of the window.

[tacobob]

"Buster?", the unicorn, who apparently had a really good sense of hearing or at least could lip read made an expression similar to one who had just smelled rotten cabbage, "My name is not Buster, although I do have a cousin named Bluster. The name is Pocket Change. From Canterlot Commons. You might have us confused.", he glanced as his drink and muffin was presented, "Poppy seeds? But don't poppies make you sleepy? And the cream?", he sighed, "Maybe I should have said 'creme' with an extra 'e' and no 'a', but I guess this will do, I am 'roughing it out' so to speak.", he used the most basics of unicorn magic to levitate the proper coins, along with a decent tip towards the barista, "Many thanks.", he took a short sip from his cup which left him with an extra helping of cream (or creme) on his lips.

[NeilWacaster]

"Naw problem, city slicker," the barista said, glad to have finally made a customer happy on the first try. "So, whut brangs ya ta the Cider Cellar?"

[MarchingHammers]

((Oh I did read your sequel, I just set it to the fact that Syd has known that Deep Bass had settled down, but not what transpired after.))

"I really don't go to this cafe very much. I am a traveller at heart, and I rarely stay in one place for long, except when i'm touring or... well I'm with my special somepony. I really can't tell if this is normal fare, and even more apparent is how chaotic it is here." Syd quickly looked at the stallion with a glint of inspiration in his eyes. "I have a proposition for you. Are you going to be in this town tommorow night? I will be playing here as part of my tour. I would like you to do some guitar work and singing with me. I always enjoy having people on stage with me. In return, I will play with you at your concert tonight. How does that sound?"

[DeepBass]

Bass listened to the new pony, not even noticing Midsy exiting the cafe. He frowned slightly at the mention of a special somepony, but then the stallion grabbed Bass's attention. "Yeah, I'll be here tomorrow night. And yeah! That sounds awesome! Just give me a time and place, and I'll be there." Bass then waited for the barrista pony to come back over, and offered her a kind smile, speaking in the kind of polite tone that only a pony raised by an opera singer, and a jazz musician could muster. "Beg pardon, ma'am. I'm terribly sorry for my outburst over the tea, earlier. Is there any way I could trouble you for a fresh cup of coffee for myself, and my new friend, here?"

[NeilWacaster]

The barista squinted at the blue-haired pony. "Having trouble keepin' yer coffee in the cup, I see." She kept grumbling as she wiped up the sticky mess, and brought out two more steaming mugs of coffee. "So ya'll are music types? I can pluck a mean guitar, myself."

[DeepBass]

Bass smiled innocently. "Sorry about the last cup. My friend, he-" Bass looked over at the empty chair where Midsy was sitting. "Um... right. Yeah, I used to play in a band, back in Fillydelphia, but that's the past. How much do I owe you for the coffee, ma'am?"

[NeilWacaster]

The barista replied, "Two bits. And don't you try ta make no excuses. Just be more careful with this here mug, y'understand?"

[DeepBass]

Bass smiled sheepishly, and placed two bits on the counter. "But of course, ma'am. Again, I apologize for the spill." Bass reached into his saddlebag, and pulled out a small, leather hardcase. He set it on the counter, and opened it up, revealing a pair of eyeglasses with transparent yellow lenses. He then grabbed the small cloth from under the glasses, and wiped the lenses off, then put the glasses on. "By Celestia, I hate these things."

[PonyHooves]

((Hope you don't mind me cutting in))

Paw Print, the green earth pony stood infront of the cafe. The mare looked down beside her elderly compantion dog Tricks, a scruffy looking terrier cross. "Finally... A place ta' get some grub. These folk might even let ye' in ol' boy. After all, ye' are trained an' all that fancy stuff. Fer' a stray I found when I was almost a filly, ye' sure are loyal." Paw Print's dog collar cutie mark shone brightly in the light of the day. The mare had decided to go on an adventure with her dog. It made a change from staying in Appleloosa all of the time. She swished her brown plaited mane to the opposite side of her neck so that the single red stripe in it caught the light of the sun. "Stay out here Tricks... I gotta' ask if they'd be willin' ta' let ye' in first." She spoke to her scruffy old terrier mix, who sad down at the door and waited. Paw Print smiled as she calmly trotted into the cafe.

The young mare trotted up to where the barista stood. "Do ye' allow dogs in here? My dog is trained an' all that fancy stuff. He's mighty old too an' I'd think he'd feel much happier by not bein' out in the sun while i'm restin' up an' enjoyin' myself in here." She enquired in a friendly tone.

[NeilWacaster]

The barista was right in the middle of making three lattes when, who should appear but ANOTHER customer. Normally, she would be glad for all the business she could get, but it seemed all the ponies in Stalliongrad had picked this precise afternoon to show up at her little shop. "Can't y'all see I'm busy?" she responded, obviously frazzled. "As long as y'all can find a spot ta sit, you and the critter are welcome."

[PonyHooves]

"Thank ye' fer' ye' kindness." She spoke greatfully. Paw Print moved away to allow the barista to do her job. She whistled once and the scruffy dog pushed open the cafe door. He calmly walked up to his owner. Paw Print smiled, she rubbed his head with her hoof before taking a seat. The elderly dog instantly lay down on the floor. He was panting heavily because he was a little hot and tired from travelling. But he had his eyes fixed on Paw Print as if he was waiting for her to tell him to do something. "Tricks ol' boy, do yer' self a favour. Go ta' sleep. Ye' earned a rest." Paw Print spoke kindly to the mutt. Tricks rested his head on the floor and fell asleep. Paw Print knew the barista was busy, so she waited patiently.

[Twimsy]

A small shard of relief had formed a gaping crack in her guilt. Newsworthy did seem much happier, now. "I'm glad, then," she said to him, slipping from her spot on the bench to stand. "Nothing says you ever have to forget what happened - it is the bad that makes us stronger and allows us to appreciate the good - but, it seems that the both of you also had a wonderful time while you were together. You should hold onto those feelings and memories. Not all ponies can boast experiencing such happiness." She grinned at him. "If you'd known this ages ago, I wonder if we ever would've met. The final draft of life's script holds mysterious twists and turns, indeed."

Speaking of scripts, however, she reached up to adjust her saddlebag...and realized that it was not there. Horsefeathers, she probably left it at the Cellar. "Blasted...I have to head back quickly, I think I've left my things back at the cafe. Hopefully nobody's seen fit to pilfer through my them." Even if they did, they wouldn't be finding much: some miscellaneous notes about pirates, a half finished script on them, some inks and a book from the library. Exciting stuff.

[QDiscord]

For now the mysterious pony had slipped on off while everyone was all busy and what not. Everyones head not facing him just at the wrong time and floomp. The storm that wind got caught up in started to grow in size, as did the clouds. However... those clouds looked slightly pinkish. And the aura of ill intent and mischief was still all around the place, growing ever so slightly stronger. Something strange was going on, or was about to.

[DeepBass]

Midsy, who had quickly slipped out, while nopony was looking, stood outside, and watched the mysterious pony come outside, and look at the clouds intently. She stood for a moment, wondering what the pony was looking at, then decided to look up at the clouds herself. She gasped dramatically as she saw the pink, fluffy clouds. There had only been one other time that she had seen those kind of clouds, before, and she knew what that meant. Yep. CHOCOLATE RAIN! Midsy, somewhat excited, yet somewhat uneasy, galloped over to the strange pony.

"Hey, Mister! Why are the clouds all pink and fluffy? Is it gonna rain chocolate milk like that one time, cause that would be SO AWESOME!"

Yes, Midsy was a cheerful one. Her personality was always that way. To some, it reminded them of a bubbly pink mare that they had said that they had met in a place called Ponyville.