>The afternoon passed by as expected.
>The work gets done, you make serious headway on the table and chairs.
>Some detailing and it'll be done.
>The ponies who came to get their orders from yesterday expressed some interest in it.
>You'd have relished the compliments any other day than this, however.
>Being caught between two ponies in a romantic dilemma...
>What would Mom say?
>Probably tell you how your cousin was going to med school back on Earth...
>Seriously, fuck Earth.
>You glance at the clock.  It was almost 8pm by now.
>You head to the workbench to grab a cigarette.
>The table really did look good.  Despite your mood, it looked great.
>Some of the designs needed some polish, but this was going to turn out well.
>This was a good place to stop.  You had somewhere you needed to be, anyway.
>You needed a stiff drink and someone you could count on for advice.
>Unfortunately, all you had was Barley at this hour.  It'll do.
>Bits, smokes, passport.  Checks all around.
>Exiting the shop, you are met with another of Equestria's cooling summer breezes.
>It felt amazing.  Even helping wash some of the stress from today's events.
>You make your trek back to the city circle.
>The tavern comes into view soon enough.
>You open the door to the tavern, noticing the usual crowd and your favorite bartender.
>”Hey!  Good to see you stud!  Come on in!”
>You trundle to the bar and sit in the stool, plopping your cigarettes on the counter.
>”So, how'd the concert go.”
“Cider first, please.”
>Barley's face goes straight.
>”Sure thing, kid.”
>He leaves to get your mug ready as you light another cigarette on the lamp.
>”So how bad did you screw it up?”
“Pretty bad, I think.”
>Barley grows concerned in a hurry, placing a hoof on the counter in front of you.
>”Anon.  Tell me you didn't do something stupid with the princess last night.”
“Not with Luna.  Lyra.”
>Barley pauses for a second, then throwing the bar rag over his shoulders.
>”Lyra?  That mare that used to play here back in the day?  The one who played the concert?"
“Yeah.  Seems she's got a thing for me.”
>Barley looks at you straight.
>”Alright kid.  Give me the whole story.”
>You take a moment to explain the situation.  Lyra coming to see you the other night, the date with Luna, Lyra running off, the whole nine yards.
>Barley listens closely the entire time, switching between nodding and wincing when appropriate.
>2 mugs of hard cider and 4 cigarettes later, your yarn is finished.
>Barley takes a deep breathe before a smile comes across his face.
>”I'm proud of you, kid.”
>You snort into your mug.
“Excuse me?”
>”Well, you've been here a while now and I was starting to get worried about you.  Always burying yourself in work and all that.  That's usually not a good sign, especially for someone who came here out of the flippin' blue.”
>You swirl your mug.
>”I mean, it's just nice to see you have a little heart, too.”
“Thanks, Barley.  I'm just not sure what to do at this point.”
>Barley heads down the counter, coming back with 2 fresh mugs.
“Dude, I'm not really trying to get hammered tonight.”
>”This one's for me, kid.  Drink up.”
>You smile heartily.  This fucking guy...
>”Kid.  you know why me and Hops fight so much?”
“Cause you can't remember to leave the seat down?”
>Barley let's out a mighty laugh, raising his mug, inviting you for a toast.
>”Cause she's worth it.”
>You're about to take a swill before you pause.
>”Between her mother, her nagging, asking me to lose weight, and hiding my personal stock of booze, it's all worth it.”
>You proceed with your swill.
>”I aint gonna tell you what to do at this point, kid.  Ponies like to pretend they know everything these days.”
>He downs the mug in one go.  Color yourself impressed.
>”...  All I'll say is, think of the one that you wouldn't mind leaving the seat up for.”
>He gives you a wink.
>Seems you haven't given him enough credit.  Fucking guy knows what he's talking about.
>You pause, letting your cigarette reduce itself to ash.
>Between the two...
>The way you saw it, Lyra was fun, but Luna...
>You polish off the mug with a rejuvenated spirit.
“Thanks Barley.  You'd be a man among men back on Earth.”
>He responds to your compliment with a wide grin.
>”Anytime, Anon.”
>You figure that by now, you have a better idea of what needs to happen.
>You check the clock.  Close to midnight by now.  Perfect.
>Reaching into your pocket, you take out a fistful of bits, dropping them onto the counter.
>Barley looks at you shocked.
>Anon...  100 bits is a little much for some cider.
“You got any more of that Chateaus Warmblood?”
>Barley picks up the hint and motions for the bottle, placing it on the counter in front of you with a sly grin.
>”You're 50 bits short.”
“Bill me.”
>You grab the bottle and your smokes.
>”You got it, kid.”
>Making for the door, you give Barley a wave.
>Mental note.  New stools for Barley for Hearth's Warming Eve.
>You open the door.  The cool night breeze seems a little more comfortable than when you started.
>It only serves to feed your drive for what you plan to do.
>First things first.  You need that stone.
>You walk back to the shop.
>Not in joy or depression.
>It's pure motivation.  There was something that you needed to do tonight and you planned on getting it done.
>You enter the shop and grab the stone from the cabinet, as well as a bag you typically used for groceries.
>Placing the wine in the bag along with two wine glasses, you make for the door.
>Anxiety is washing over you like a torrent.  You were excited, but the knowledge that there was no going back still permeated you.
>As you enter the city streets, you ponder the last week.
>It was a serious deviation from the plan...
>You were supposed to just work.  Make some friends.  See this fucking insane world.  Grow old and die.
>Funny how shit can change.
>You walk the streets.  That same blue glow begins to emit from the castle walls as you get closer, as if to invite you in.
>There really was no going back.
>Before long, you find yourself in familiar territory.  The castle gardens.
>You case the location, finding a bench close by and walking to it.
>You place the bag of goodies behind you, doing your best to keep it from obvious sight.
>Then, taking the stone in hand, you bring it to your mouth.
“Luna.  You there?”
>Wait a minute...
>There's the glow.
>”Anonymous?  Is that you?”
“No, it's your conscience.  You free?”
>Another minute passes before the glow returns.
>”Give me a moment.”
>You pocket the stone and turn your attention to the balcony.
>Luna eventually appears, taking notice of you and making her signature dive.
>She flutters to your side, deft as ever.
>Game time.
>”It's good to see you, Anon.  However, I didn't expect to see you so soon.”
“I wanted to talk to you.  You have a minute?”
>She looks at you with a puzzled look before taking a seat on the bench next to you.
>”I do.  What did you want to discuss?”
>You take a deep breathe before proceeding.
>”It's about Lyra.”
>Luna's expression shows a little more surprise.
>”Oh?”
“Yeah.  I found out why she ran off like that.”
>”And?”
“Well...  It seems she was upset that I took you on a date to her concert last night.”
>She pulls back, widening her eyes and bringing a hoof to her mouth.
>”Anon... I had no idea!”
>You notice that a look of genuine concern is growing on her face.
“Honestly.  Neither did I.  Remember that first song?”
>She nods nervously.
“Apparently she wrote it for me...”
>You notice a sad expression from behind her hoof.
>You're heart is racing like a fucking rabbit right now.
>There is a pause.  Your quick wit is unusually absent right now.
>You turn your attention to Luna who catches your gaze.
>She turns away, noticeably distraught.
>”I understand, Anonymous.  I wish you the best of luck...”
>She jumps from the bench motioning to return to the balcony.
>The fact that you were about to screw this up snaps you to action, reaching for the nearest hoof.
>You snag her rear leg just as she begins liftoff.
“Wait, Luna!  I want to leave the seat up for you.”
>...
>God damnit...
>Words.  You try to remember your words.
>She falls back to the ground, landing on her hooves.
>She looks back at you with a look somewhere between”What the fuck” and...
>It's actually all “what the fuck” right now.
“I mean I want to leave your seat up!”
>Son of a bitch.
>A second passes by as you try and gain some composure and a little dignity.
“J-just hear me out for a minute.”
>You feel the tension leave Luna's leg, letting go and bringing yourself back to the bench.
>Luna stares at you, her blue eyes glassy from tears yet to be shed.
>You take a second to make sure the next bit doesn't sound so... idiotic.
“What I'm trying to say is I want to keep seeing you.”
>Luna's eyes widen sharply.
“Lyra is a great friend, and she's important to me.  She makes me laugh every time I see her.”
>Luna remains stunned.
“But you make me happy.”
>She begins to walk over to you.
“What I'm trying to say is...”
>Out of nowhere, Luna lunges at you, wrapping her fore legs around your neck, pressing her lips firmly against yours.
>The action leaves you stunned.
>It's only from reflexes that you manage to keep yourself on the bench, laying back as she presses into the kiss.
>Eventually, you drape your arms over Luna's back and head, your mind fogged in joyous ecstasy.
>This was a hell of a turn of events.
>You enjoy the feeling for a moment as Luna pulls back, staring at you.
>Her large blue eyes draped in happy anxiety.
>You take the hand from her head and fish around the bench for your bag.
>Picking it up, the rustling of glass catches your ear.
>It seems in all the commotion, you knocked the bag over, causing the glasses to shatter.
>You grab the bottle alone and bring it up for Luna to view.
“We need some glasses.”