Ivory

by Sir Hat

Chapters

• I Bought Her Coffee
• I Stood Here Waiting
• I Work In The Mud
• I Spoke To Her Friends

I Bought Her Coffee

The air was crisp, the smell of wood ash drifted lightly overhead as a fire billowed smoke from one of the many stone chimneys. I took a deep breath and looked down the long dirt path into the town. I hopped in place once and stretched my fingers. I stepped off towards the way onto the ground and started walking. The slightly damp ground tried to give way under my shoes, but I managed to move quick enough to keep from getting stuck.

A set of ponies walked past, sizing me up as they went. I stretched my arms and slapped my pockets. I had ten bits. I had ten bits and nothing else to my name besides the clothes on my back, and a few useless skills. I walked down the street, listing aimlessly as the sun wavered high over the clouds.

Cold started to sink in as I walked. I coughed roughly and parted to the right side of the road. I pulled my coat's collar up and coughed into it. I stopped on the road and watched a red maned mare walk down the street. Her hooves were muddy from the fetlock down, but she walked into a normal looking building without a second thought.

I looked down at myself and sighed. "Well, if they let her in, why not me." I brushed off my slacks and walked towards the building. I stepped through the soft wooden door and into the empty shop. The thick smell of coffee clung to the heated air as I stood in the doorway, letting the cold draft slip under my arms. A pony at a table looked at me and motioned for me to close the door. "Ah, sorry." I closed it gently. A loud snap saw it closed, and set me off towards the red mare waiting at a waist high counter.

I looked over the mare's head. "...How much?"

The mare looked back up at me, then turned to face me. "Oh, hi. Five bits." She looked me up and down. "Oh, neat. I haven't really seen any of you up close like this." She smiled at me wide as could be. Her voice was sweet as could be, and her muddy appearence did nothing to take away from her.

I reached into my pocket. "Five bits even?"

The mare nodded. "That's all. Pretty cheap for good stuff if you ask me."

I hummed and pulled the coin out. I walked next to her and tapped the coin on the counter. The mare behind the counter wore a deep nutty brown mane and a white streak running down her side. "Yes?"

"Make it two." I slid the coin to her and stepped back.

The mare looked down at the coin and nodded. "Sure, two coffees."

The red mare bumped my hip with her flank. "You didn't have to do that."

I stuffed my hands in my pockets. "I wanted to."

The mare smiled and nodded. "Roseluck."

"Vincent A. Arroyo." I rubbed my now empty pocket. "Poor computer engineer."

The mare looked up at me, her smile faded slowly. "Not going well?"

I shook my head slowly. "No job, no home, but I have coffee for the next few minutes."

Roseluck cocked her head. "That was it, wasn't it?"

I shrugged. "Money well spent. It wouldn't have gone any farther."

Roseluck took a deep breath. "So you going to come over?"

I looked down at her, then sharply back up to the counter. "I don't follow." I grabbed the coffees and turned to watch Roseluck walking towards the door. "Hello?"

"It's getting late. Are you going to just stand there, or are you going to stop fishing for help?" She whipped her tail around and turned around to face me. "There aren't any homeless in Ponyville, and we've all got our part to do." She laughed gently and lead me out into the cold winter afternoon. "Besides, I have a free room. And you did pay for the coffee."

I mumbled to myself and walked alongside the red mare. "You don't have to lie--"

"I'm not lying." Roseluck took a sharp turn towards a path towards the more grassy part of the road.

I sighed and rubbed my head with my wrist. "Well, you don't have to humor me--"

Roseluck smiled and shook her head. "Not humoring you."

I shook my head. "I don't need--"

Roseluck spun around and walked backwards down the damp path through the small rural town. "Do you have a place to stay?"

"N--"

"Do you have a job?"

"I suppose not--"

Roseluck nodded, her eyes flashed open to me. They were an extremely bright shade of soft green. "Would you rather sleep on a bench, or take advantage of some pony hospitality?" She swung back around. "Not like you really have a choice. Its either going to be me or the Apples, and you did buy me coffee." She laughed softly and swung onto a long lawn up to a single two-story house standing before a small grouping of trees.

I looked up at the house and watched my breath curl around my face. The deep dark green around us felt all the darker when placed against the large patches of white snow. "I wouldn't feel right. Hospitality or not, I'd rather not take up spac--"

"You'd be taking up more space on the street." Roseluck turned to the door and pulled a key from around her neck. "Besides, I'm sure you can help me if you're feeling guilty."

I licked my lips and walked up to Roseluck's porch. "You don't have to do this--"

Roseluck reached out and swung her hoof around one of the coffees. "I want to."

I lowered my head and looked down at my coffee cup. "Then I guess I can't say much, can I?"

Roseluck shook her head. "You can come inside before it gets dark."

I nodded. "Okay." I stepped up onto her porch and looked inside. "...Your hooves are muddy."

Roseluck looked down at her hooves. "I was working in the garden."

I held my arm out. "Stand on my shoes."

Roseluck cocked her head. "What?"

I pointed to my feet. "Stand on my shoes."

Roseluck looked down at my feet, then up to me. "I don't think--"

I held my arm out. "Stand on two hooves, and step onto my shoes. Please."

Roseluck smiled nervously and nodded. "Alright, I guess." She walked up to me and leaned against my chest. She pressed her hooves against the tops of my feet and settled in.

I shuffled forward into the house and let the warm beige interior welcome me. I was in a small living room with two halls leading out straight ahead and to the left. "Bathroom?"

"Left hall, second door on the right." Roseluck held her coffee against her chest as I waddled her forward. "This...this is weird." She laughed softly. "Feels like I'm dancing."

I walked her down the hall and into the second door. The room was tile and covered in the usual feminine ways. Soaps, bottles, brushes, all covered with hair or residue. "Alright." I set her down and backed up.

Roseluck turned to the shower. "Hey...so, that was still pretty weird, but thanks."

I nodded and sipped my coffee. It was still rather hot, and had a heavy creamy flavor to it. "I'll just wait here."

Roseluck nodded and slowly closed the door. "Hey, welcome to Ponyville by the way." The door clicked shut, and I was left alone in a strangers house. Yet in all my years of living in LA, I'd never felt more at home, more relaxed.

I sipped my coffee. It was sweet.

I Stood Here Waiting

I stood in the hall and sipped my coffee. I looked down the hall at the door, left wondering how long I could keep this up until I left again. I walked down towards the door outside. I took a quick drink and swirled my cup around. I rubbed my head and pulled the door open. I stepped out into the cold air once again. "Where you going?"

I stopped dead on the last step of her porch. I took a deep breath and turned around to face Roseluck. "I'm not really sure."

Roseluck cocked her head. "Oh? So you're not even going to say goodbye?"

I rubbed my arm. "I'd rather leave on good terms and politely see myself out."

Roseluck stepped out onto her porch. "Without saying goodbye? Without saying sorry?" She smiled and shook her head. "That's a little rude."

I took a deep breath and backed away. "I just don't feel comfortable taking up space. Thank you for your offer, and your house is lovely, but I just wouldn't feel right." I swung around and took a drink. "Sorry, but it's not really right for me to stay--"

Roseluck walked out and cut me off. "So you're just going to walk away? Where?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "I've been in worse positions, I'll find a way."

Roseluck pouted and turned to look at one of her neighbors. "Alright. Tomorrow?"

I finished my coffee and switched the cup to my other hand. "What about tomorrow?"

Roseluck rolled her eyes. "I still have work to do in the garden, and I'm going to guess you're not doing anything. So, if you've got time, I'd appreciate some help." She looked me up and down. "You're big, you can lift things."

I rubbed my patchy upper lip with my thumb and sniffled. The wide open ground before the row of houses was empty, and the cold wind drifted quickly past and stole away my warmth. "Fine. If I can find this place again, I'll drop by and see if I can't help."

Roseluck nodded. "Alright...I'd really appreciate it if you'd find someplace to stay--"

"And I don't want to be an inconvenience." I nodded down at her and stepped around her. "I'll be around, don't worry." I walked down onto the dirt path back into town and put my free hand in my pocket. "I should have stayed," I mumbled to myself as I wandered back towards the tight collection of buildings. I set my empty cup on the side of an alley wall and jammed both my hands into my pockets.

The streets were slowly emptying out, some strange ponies started peeking out and hitting the street. The darkening sky overhead saw the pastel inhabitants heading home and locking up, while a few darker coated inhabitants dripped into the streets. I stopped in the street as a purple maned mare walked around and cut me off.

She looked me over and frowned. "I thought you ponies slept at night."

I nodded at the strange toothy mare. "Normally speaking. But normally people have beds."

The mare cocked her head. "You don't have a bed? Bummer." She walked around me and trotted back around to my front. "Hmm, no-pony let you stay?"

I sighed and looked around as more of the toothy bat ponies gathered around. "They did, but I declined."

A bat pony with a red mane walked to my side. "Uh, why?"

I shook my head at him. "Because I'm not a parasite. I'm not going to leech of someone else just because something bad happened to me." I crossed my arms and looked around at the small crowd. Ten or so bat ponies were standing around me, talking to eachother or looking me over. "What, the whole town come out to say hello?"

The purple mare nodded. "Well, us. We're about it for the thestrals in Ponyville."

I licked my lips and looked about the ponies. "You serious? Canterlot had quite a few, never spoke with them, but they seemed--"

The red stallion shook his head. "Yeah, most of us are from Canterlot. I mean, we're all from Canterlot, but Ponyville fits well enough for us." He looked around the small patch of road we'd stopped on. "We should probably move, somepony is gonna think we're planning something."

The purple mare looked up at me as the rest of the group started off down the road. "You still don't have a place to stay?"

I shook my head. "Things haven't changed in five minutes." I walked past the mare and towards the path back towards the coffee shop.

"Well, we've got beds we're not using." The purple mare walked around to my side. "If you want, you could--"

I stopped dead and turned to her. "Are you not worried I'll steal from you!?" I held my arms out and finally raised my voice. "Are you not worried I'll do something bad while you're away! Even if you're there, I could have a knife, I could have a weapon! Why are you inviting a perfect stranger into your home!?"

The mare shrugged. "Do you have a weapon?"

"Well, no." I put my hands on my hips. "But--"

"Are you going to steal from us?" The mare asked again, face still calm as ever.

"Where would I put it." I patted my pockets. "Look at me, this is all I have!"

The mare nodded. "Well then follow me. And you won't be alone, Course is watching the foals."

I shook my head hard. "Stop." I put my hand out. "I'm not going to go into a strangers house, and I'd appreciate it if you stopped!"

The mare turned around with a frown. "But--"

"I don't want to! I don't want to take up space, and I don't want to wake up worse off than I was!" I let my arms flop against my side. "If I sleep on the ground, I wake up in pain but I'll have my jacket." I tugged my shirt. "I'll be as warm as I was when I went to sleep. If I get screwed while sleeping on my own, it's my fault." I patted my chest. "I don't need charity! I'm fine! Stop trying to act like I need help!"

The mare backed away with her ears turned down. "Okay...." She slowly turned around and walked away. "Okay."

I took a deep breath and scratched my head. I felt a deep churning in my gut as I turned away. I sighed into my hand and rubbed my face. I walked along the road as the sun finally left us, and the streets grew pitch black. I was alone with the street lanterns. I was left cold and alone with a single bench outside of a shop.

I plopped down and held my head in my free arm. The first day I'd been in Equestria and I was being bombarded with false kindness. And even if it was real, it was kindness I couldn't accept. I'd made a choice to come to Equestria, and I couldn't let anyone else get me out of it.

I closed my eyes and leaned back into the bench. I counted back, only making it to five before I drifted into an icy sleep. Something touched me, something jostled me as I slept, and I couldn't bring myself out of my uncomfortable sleep.

I Work In The Mud

I woke up to the sound of hooves on dirt. I tried to rub my eyes. My arms met resistance, a thick soft blanket had been draped over me, and a large warm hat was hanging sloppily off my head. "What?" I looked around, the ponies on the street went about their day without even acknowledging me. "...Who's hat is this?"

I sat upright and looked around. The blanket over me felt soft and completely plush. I stood up, clutching the blanket around me as I oriented myself. "What happened?" I rubbed my eyes and stretched my neck. "I don't...know what happened." I swung the blanket over my shoulders and looked around. "Anyone? Blanket?" I rubbed it between my fingers and looked towards the path to Roseluck's. "No one?"

I sighed heavily and started off down the road. It was becoming painfully clear I wasn't going to escape the goodwill of the ponies, and Roseluck offered me a chance to pay her back. It seemed a good a place as any to start. I walked quickly down the path, ponies either ignored me or tried not to stare at me. I must have looked drunk, with the hat barely held onto my head and a blanket swung around me like a cloak.

I stayed focused on not slamming nose first into the ground and made my way towards Roseluck's home. Her street was lined with long green lawns covered in patches of snow, some ponies out were shoveling, some were playing with their foals, but even in the depth of winter they were outside and living rural agrarian lives. For a moment, I felt envy.

I walked past the other homes and towards Roseluck's home. The lights were off, but a loud rustling could be heard from beyond a neck high stone wall that bordered off the back yards of each home. I walked slowly to a gate buried into the stonework and waited. I flexed my hand and tapped my knuckles lightly against it. "Roseluck...hello?"

The door creaked open before I could knock again. "Oh, hey." She smiled at me, her hooves muddy once again. "What's with the hat?"

I peeked up at the thick black cap. "I don't know. I slept on a bench and even then you ponies just won't let it be." I reached up and took the hat off. "This is a pony hat too...." I poked my fingers into the ear slots and wiggled them around.

Roseluck nodded and held the gate open. "See."

I sighed and stepped into her back yard. The entire place was clear of snow and bright green. "I don't get what there is to see." I took the blanket off and hung it on the wall. I took a deep breath and rubbed my face. "I'm sorry, but I'm not." I turned to the little mare and shook my head. "Back home this kind of stuff wouldn't happen. I'd have drinks thrown at me and lose my spot in a shelter to a jabbering mental patient." I stretched my arm. "Kindness isn't exactly a big thing back in the Golden State."

Roseluck hummed and let the gate snap shut. "Sounds kinda crappy."

"It really is." I rubbed my shoulder. "It really, really is." I looked around at the bright green plants lining the wall and the small planter box set into the middle of her lawn. A large greenhouse stood at the intersection of the right corner of her wall. It was a long rectangle that joined up the four houses behind her and to her right. "Hmm, friendly with your neighbors?"

Roseluck looked to the greenhouse. "You could say that. This wall is kinda old, but it helps some times." She lead me along towards the greenhouse. "So, you don't like charity, what made you come back?"

I bit my tongue lightly. "Well, first off its not seven at night. Probably most of it was the fact that it was night." I huffed into my hands and tried to warm up. "I'm not opposed to taking help, I'm opposed to taking sketchy help, and no offense but if you showed up in Vienna and someone offered you a night in their house, you probably wouldn't take it."

Roseluck turned around and smiled at me. "Actually, I probably would. I think its you that wouldn't."

I sighed again. "Cultures.... But even in Canterlot they seemed a lot di--"

"It's the difference between a unicorn heavy city, and an earthpony heavy city--err, town." She laughed and smiled yet again, warming my heart with each breath. "I guess yeah, I could see why you'd be worried if you spent some time in Canterlot."

I nodded. "Its urban, I come from an urban place, and if an urban place offers you a way out, you should always take it with a bit of salt."

Roseluck cocked her head and pressed her hoof against her cheek. "I guess. Either way, I'm glad you decided to come help." She pulled her hoof away, leaving a large mud stain on her cheek. "I could use the help carrying fertilizer and soil."

I hummed softly and rubbed my neck. "Like I said, I'm not opposed to help."

Roseluck walked to the door into the greenhouse and looked me up and down. "Sure--"

I scratched my head. "It was late, I was tired, and it was the first time I've been in Equestria, not just Ponyville." I stretched my fingers and held my arms out. "Excuse me for being cautious."

Roseluck flicked her tail into the wall. "Well, are you going to stay the night?"

I huffed. "Given the fact I slept in town without anyone--any-absolutly no one, telling me not to or harassing me to move. I don't think you're going to beat me or try to hurt me."

Roseluck frowned hard. "I wasn't going to do that in the first place--"

"And I didn't know." I made a small space between my thumb and index finger. "This is about as much as I know about this place. But I know it can't be worse than skidrow." I let my arms fall to my sides. "I'm sorry if you think I'm being mean...I'm really not trying to be, but this is the first time I've been in a situation like this, and the first time I've traveled outside the country. Things are...they're nerve-racking."

Roseluck sighed and nodded. "Well...alright." She put her hoof up onto a bag of soil and patted it. "Can I help you feel better?"

I felt my jaw clench. "You are already, but it takes time."

Roseluck nodded with a stern look on her face. "Feel things out?"

"Exactly." I clapped my hands together. "Now, you want those moved?"

Roseluck's frown turned to a beautiful smile. "There are more bags in the shed over there, I need two more of the soil for the spring planting."

I nodded. "I'll go-- I'll...." I stopped myself as she looked at me. I caught myself just looking at her, staring at her.

Roseluck's smile widened slightly. "What?"

I shook my head. "Mud on your cheek." I flicked my finger across my cheek.

Roseluck frowned lightly and rubbed her cheek with her fetlock. "I get it?"

I lost focus for a moment. "...Yeah. You got it." I turned away and started off towards the shed by her home. She was beautiful. I had no idea why. I couldn't explain it. Or perhaps I could, but didn't want to. Someone like her offering help to me felt wrong, like it was a trick. I held my breath and turned to watch her as I reached the shed. She was a pony, strong, short, but she wore something about herself like no other pony I'd seen.

Charm perhaps, wrapped with a real kindness I didn't believe existed, but was staring dead in the face. Charity unheard of, and earnestness that was apparent with everything about her. "Roseluck!" I yelled across the yard.

She swung around before she dipped into the Greenhouse. "What?"

"... You're.... You're beautiful!" I felt my stomach twist as I punched out of my box. It made my chest tighten and skin heat up as I turned away to grab the bags. Everything I did seemed to make it all the worse, yet for that brief moment like before, as I picked up the bag of soil, I felt at home and all the apprehension and nervousness faded away if only for an instant.

I Spoke To Her Friends

I carried the bags back towards her. Roseluck laughed and looked up to me. "Did you really have to yell it?"

I bit my lip and looked down. "Well, pony or not, it is a fact at least from my perspective. And you're being nice to me. It's only fair I reciprocate."

Roseluck nodded slowly. "Uh huh...sure."

I walked past her into the greenhouse. The long rectangle room had a pair of colorful ponies at the other end of a long binned table. "I can appreciate the beauty of things regardless of race or species.... Mostly." I tossed the bags into the bins of the table and stretched my arm. "Either way, maybe I overdid it, but you are rather pretty for a pony."

Roseluck walked in as the two mares at the end of the table started laughing. "You said beautiful--"

"Same difference where I'm from. And you are a pretty pony. Again...for a pony." I put my hands on my hips and looked to the laughing mares. "...You heard me, didn't you?"

The two mare stopped laughing and coughed. Roseluck walked beside me and pointed to each. First a pink coated, green maned mare. "Daisy." She moved her hoof to the other, a hot pink mare with a blonde mane. "Lily."

Lily waved her hoof at me. "Hi."

"Hello." I raised my hand and waved gently. "How are you?"

The mares laughed to eachother. Lily cleared her throat and walked over. "I'm fine." She smiled at me and walked around me. "I've only ever seen two of you, now three I guess."

I grunted softly. "We're not all that impressive. Normal compared to ponies."

Lily cocked her head. "Huh?"

Daisy walked over and nodded. "What do you mean?"

I scratched my nose and looked down at Roseluck. "Color wise. Same reason I called her beautiful." I laid my hand flat and pointed to her. "Shades of red in her mane and the shade of green in her eyes brings it all together nicely against the base of beige or cream coat."

Roseluck's eyes opened wide. "Um--"

"I was a painter for a-- Uh Hmm." I shook my head. "Maybe a story for a later date. It gets far too grim too quickly." I rubbed my chin. "At any rate, I know colors and I can appreciate the look of ponies." I looked back down to Roseluck. "Happens that I enjoy the color red more than others." I put my hands in my jacket pocket. "Red is my color, always has been."

Roseluck coughed into her hoof and turned away. "Oh. Hmm. Thanks?"

I nodded. "Welcome." I dusted my hands off on my lap and looked to the two mares. "Not to say you two aren't beautiful, I'm simply a fan of the blood red color, especially when used well."

Daisy bit her tongue. "How do you mean?"

I placed my hand along the end of the metal bin. "With a good pale brown or khaki, smooth pales or juxtaposed with greens is a good start, but I prefer the clean look you can get with white and red." I pointed to Roseluck. "That cream adds a bit of rustic quality, like drawing on parchment." I rubbed my chin and smiled. "Always did like parchment more than--" I started to mumble. "-...hmm, always soaked in better. Held the color better too, didn't fade out brown."

The two mares looked past me. Lily started giggling as Daisy peeked towards Roseluck. "I thought you said he was quiet."

I leaned against the table. "I am quiet. I generally don't raise my voice unless its necessary."

Daisy smiled to no one and turned to me. "She said you didn't talk much."

I nodded. "Well, feeling a bit more settled in the day." I pointed to the roof of the greenhouse. "Its amazing how much better disposed I am in the sunlight. Almost like humans are day dwelling people, and we can get rather edgy in the dark." I scratched my arm. "Either way, I think its pretty apparent I'm feeling a bit...well, not exactly better, but more relaxed."

Daisy just stared at me. "Your voice is funny."

I nodded. "Um...Dutch, very clean accent, even English accents sounds muddy when you compare it to a Dutch speaking English." I cleared my throat. "A Dutchman speaking English is a bit odd, isn't it?" I coughed into my wrist. "Nederlander...nieeederland." I sighed. "I really don't like that word much." I looked down at the mares. "I feel like I've been talking too much.... I don't think I've given you a chance."

Roseluck walked around and stood between her friends. "Its alright--"

I crossed my arms. "As alright as it is, I'd appreciate it if you told me about yourselves."

Roseluck smiled. "Florists--"

Daisy bumped the red mare. "Well, that's not all I do."

I nodded. "We all have lives outside of what we do as work. But I suppose a trio of florists makes sense. Sharing a greenhouse and whatnot."

Roseluck stepped forward. "We own a shop and help keep Ponyville's gardens healthy." Roseluck raised her hoof. "Earthpony work is muddy, but its always fun."

I covered my mouth with my hand and nodded. "Well, for the most part it doesn't show." I looked down at Roseluck's hooves. "Mostly."

Roseluck frowned and looked down at her hoof. "Well, it's not fun unless you get dirty."

I stared at the mare. "Are you making a point?"

Roseluck cocked her head, her hoof still raised. "What?"

I shook my head. "Must mean something more literal here...."

Daisy rolled her eyes. "He's talking about sex."

The room went quiet as we all looked at the green maned mare. "...Well, that is the reference."

Roseluck scrunched up her muzzle. "Also not what I meant." She looked at me then laughed. "Oh my gosh, that's dirty."

I pointed to her hooves then up to her cheek. "No...literally, you are dirty."

Roseluck's smile slowly faded. "I know."

I shrugged. "Okay."

Lily looked up at me. "So...what now?"

I shrugged again. "Roseluck? Still have things for me to do?"

She nodded. "I'm sure we could figure something out. Probably hungry though, if everypony wants to go grab lunch we could do that."

The two other mares looked to me. Roseluck joined in soon after. "...I'll adapt."

The mares looked back amongst themselves. Daisy looked up at me. "Fish?"

I flung my arm out limply. "I can eat fish."

The mares nodded and talked amongst themselves. Lily cleared her throat. "I'll go get it, everypony else just give me a second and I'll be back."

I watched her leave, offering me up to to two remaining mares. I ran my hands through my hair. "...So...." I looked over to Roseluck as she walked over and put her hooves against the bin. "At any rate, before we started talking to them. Yes...I blurted out a thought I had." I shrugged. "That's me being...what's the word.... Energetic."

Roseluck started to snicker. "Okay, sure."

"It was."

Roseluck nodded and dug her hoof into the plastic bag. "Okay--"

"Stop it." I put my hands on the bin.

Roseluck turned to me with a shit eating grin. "I'm not doing anything. You're the one who yelled it out--"

I held my hands up. "Yes, yes I did. Are you going to hound me about it forever? I said something stupid to try and get some sort of umph into my words. Would you rather--"

Roseluck turned to me and shook her head. "It was funny, okay? You were just standing there and you shouted, you're beautiful."

I rubbed my face. "Consider it a sign of appreciation or something like that. Or an apology--"

Roseluck looked up at me with a soft grin. "You don't talk to many ponies, do you?"

I licked the back of my teeth. "I don't talk to anyone for very long really."

Roseluck nodded. "It shows. But, we can fix it. Just maybe don't call me beautiful."

"What? Would doll be more apt?" I turned to the door. "...I really did make an ass out of myself, didn't I--"

"A little, but who doesn't?" Roseluck tore open the bag of soil and stepped back. "It was nice though, awkward and weird, but nice."

I turned to her and nodded. "My thought process was, she's being nice to you, be nice back! Then it all spiraled downward from there." I rubbed my arm. "Social situations in public were never my greatest gift, I much prefer more formal settings." I looked to Daisy. "Case in point, small groups I'm a songbird, but you put me outside I-- well, I yell stupid things."

Roseluck walked over and put a hoof on my thigh. "It's fine. Seems like you're the one who's stuck on it now."

I shrugged. "I suppose I am. But I meant what I said, as lacking in eloquence as it was, I meant it."

Roseluck beamed at me and nodded. "Thank you. I don't think I've had many gentleponies call me beautiful."

I laughed. "I'm hardly gentle, and I'm sure I'm not a pony."

Daisy let out a long groan. "Ooooh my gosh!"

"Hmm." I looked towards the door. "Probably right. It is getting a bit old." I stepped outside and looked towards the shed.