A Guy, A Lyre, and a Park Bench -Chapter 5-

>"And make sure that the leaves in the salad are all facing vein side up. I can't eat it if a single leaf is facing in the wrong direction."

"Yes ma'am."

>"Do you have honey? I want honey on the salad. Make sure you take some honey and put it all over my salad."

"Yes ma'am."

>"Did I mention the roasted almonds?"

"Yes, ma'am, you did."

>"Make sure they're a golden brown after the roasting. I brought color swatches, so I'll know if you overcooked them."

"Yes ma'am. Anything else."

>"Berry punch."

"We don't serve-"

>"Bring me your manager. Now."

"Ma'am I can just give you a different drink. How about apple juice, we have plenty of-"

>"I cannot believe that an establishment like this would NOT have berry punch. It's unacceptable."

"Yes, but-"

>"Honey. Make sure there's honey on the salad."

"You already told me that ma'am."

>"I was reminding you. You seem to be the slow type."

"Letting that slide. Anything else?"

>"Berry punch."

"Like I said, no berry-"

>"UNACCEPTABLE."

>The magenta mare flips her table and storms out of the restaurant, silverware tossing about as she does so.

>Roseluck just stands behind you, dumbstruck.

"We need to ban her from the cafe."

>"Agreed."

>Today was dragging on at an extremely slow pace.

>Not many customers today, but the ones that do show up all have incredibly complex orders for you.

>So far you've made twelve different types of dandelion salad, each one having something needlessly complex about it.

>The only solace you took was the fact that after you got done with your shift, you'd have the rest of the week off.

>And then, you'd go out to dinner with Lyra on Friday.

>All in all, a good time was on your way.

>Roseluck had to go out of town to visit family, so the cafe would be closed for the time being.

>At the moment, you were picking up after a very rude, very drunk mare that came in and flipped her shit.

>Kind of literally.

>Roseluck sighs and shakes her head.

>"I'm sorry Anon, really. I had no idea you were getting hounded like this from her."

"It's fine, boss. I don't let it get to me."

>"Well, that's good then. In any case, I think

we'll close up shop for now. You've had a rough day as is."

"Thanks, Miss Luck. I appreciate it."

>She politely nods as you get up and get your apron off.

>Waving one last time to Roseluck, you leave the store.

>You bump into something as soon as you exit the cafe.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see-"

>Oh.

>Bon-Bon.

>BON: "Hey."

"Hi. What's up?"

>BON: "More re-runs. Slow day at the Chocolate Mane. Got hungry. Came here."

"You had work today?"

>BON: "Mmhmm. Like I said, business was slow."

"Same here."

>Bon-Bon leans her head past you and looks at the cafe."

>BON: "Closed?"

"Closed."

>BON: "Well. There goes my dinner."

"I can make something back at the house. Walk back with me?"

>Bon-Bon shrugs, but trots next to you as the two of you make your way back home.

"Did Lyra have band practice today?"

>BON: "Yeah. She should be home soon."

"Cool. I was thinking spaghetti tonight. You like pasta?"

>BON: "I despise pasta in all it's shapes and forms."

"Oh wow. You lose a point."

>"I thought I was the one keeping the point system?"

"You are, but how could someone NOT like spaghetti?"

>BON: "I despise pasta. That is all,."

"I'm not getting any answers?"

>BON: "No."

"Okay, well, what do you like then?"

>BON: "I like what I like."

"You know there's being deadpan and lovable, and then there's being what you're being right now. It's not very endearing."

>BON: "I am too endearing."

>She gives you her usual deadpan stare.

"You know, you're right. Why didn't I see it before?"

>She rolls her eyes.

>The walk gets quiet as the two of you continue down the cobblestone sidewalks.

>Eventually, Bon-Bon speaks up.

>BON: "Hey."

"Yeah?"

>BON: "You like Clopton Tarintino, right?"

"Yeah."

>BON: "Just checking."

"Uh-huh."

>...

>BON: "His new movie comes out tomorrow."

"Really?"

>BON: "Yeah."

"That the one that takes place in PWII?"

>BON: "Yeah."

"Cool. I saw some commercials for it but I forgot it was releasing that soon."

>BON: "Yup."

>...

>BON: "Do you want to-"

>LYRA: "BOO!"

>You jump a few feet in the air as Lyra sneaks up and spooks the two of you.

>Well, just you.

>Bon-Bon looks content and bored as always.

"Love of god, Lyra, what the hell?"

>LYRA: "Haha, sorry about that. I couldn't help it, really! I just saw you both and I figured... you know, 'Scare em"

>You runs a hand through your hair as you calm down, and notice that Lyra isn't alone.

"Who's you're friend?"

LYRA: "Anon, Vinyl Scratch. Vinyl, Anonymous. Bon-Bon already knows her."

>BON: "Hey Vinyl."

>VINYL: "Sup."

"Nice to meet you. Cool shades, by the way."

>VINYL: "Dude has an appreciation for classy eye-ware. Good catch, Lyra."

>LYRA: "Well I have good taste, I suppose."

"So I take it from the treble clef on your butt, that's you're a part of Lyra's band?"

>Vinyl nods, her spiked mane bobbin slightly as she does.

>VINYL: "You know it! Mixing and editing, that's me. I do some DJing and house mixes on the side too."

"Cool."

>VINYL: "Want a listen?"

>You shrug and nod.

"Sure, why not."

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KnkL_owKTE&feature=relmfu

 

>The beat.

>Good god this beat was... was...

>Perfect.

>You all sat on the couch in your house, and Vinyl played a small mix tape she brought with her.

>You speak up to her over the sound of the music.

"You made this all by yourself?"

>Vinyl is bobbing her head to the beat of the music, so you can't tell if she's nodding or just getting lost in her work.

>VINYL: "Hell yeah! The miracles of computer software!"

>You weren't about to argue, it was a good song.

>If this is the kind of stuff Vinyl made on her own, then you had high hopes for whatever the entire band could make.

>LYRA: "So, impressed?"

"Absolutely. It's pretty damn good."

>LYRA: "We practice tomorrow night, by the way."

"I thought you guys don't practice on Wednesdays?"

>LYRA: "We don't but we finally got a gig for next week, so we decided to put in an extra session."

"Makes sense."

>LYRA: "You want to come? You can finally see us in action."

>You think it over.

>That'd actually be pretty cool. A chance to see how they made their music.

>Out of the corner of you eye, you can see Bon-Bon glance away.

>...

"You know what, I can't. I think I have plans tomorrow night."

>Lyra looks disappointed, but she sighs and shrugs it off.

>LYRA: "You're loss, handsome. We're still on for Friday, right?"

"Yup."

>LYRA: "Then I can let it slide for now."

>All of you go back to listening to Vinyl's music, but you turn to Bon-Bon and give her a thumbs up.

>She smiles.

>Huh.

>That's new.

 

~END~