Night in Town

"You just make it further and further difficult to decline your offer and remain polite about it." He said despairingly, eyes following the mare as she made her rounds about the room to apply careful attentions to the atmosphere it provided the guests. He had the strangest feeling he was to remain here as Victoria's only guest however, despite her convincing attempts to make them all remain for the evening.

"More? Goodness, your geniality simply goes above and beyond, doesn't it? Unless of course, you just enjoy making me go red in the face," He said in a perhaps unexpectedly sly tone of voice. His eyes fell to half mast, stallion taking full advantage of their close proximity with one another.

"Hmm?" he hummed curiously, nearly pressing their snouts together. But of course, it wasn't to stay, his face so dangerously close to hers. His head slowly retreated, smile of mischief transforming to one of joviality. Azure's eyelids shut as he smiled to his hostess, accompanying the look of joy with a wholehearted laugh.

"I believe there is little more that need be offered. As it stands, just accepting your initial proposal is enough to make me feel humbled. If I must, I shall; however, else could I possibly request that wouldn't make me seem like an ungrateful, asinine fool? Lodging and your company are more than enough for me. You have my gratitude."

(Sorry, just some IRL troubles stopping me from doing stuff, back now obviously.) Gemini blinked as Star fled, then looked at the clock himself." Well, I suppose I don't have much choice in the matter, since it'd be a bit hard for me to make my way home at this time of night...I guess I could take you up on your offer." Though he still felt a bit suspicious of the mare, he figured that staying the night wouldn't hurt." Thank you, it's very kind of you."

She chuckled with pretensed humility. "How like a poet you are." As if Victoria could not resist the touch of the stallion, she swiftly leaned to close the gap between her and his receding self before brushed her cheek against his breast.

All too soon, however, she was restored to her former posture. Starcatcher had apparently evaded her faster than she could protest. Instead, Victoria trailed the mare with her eyes as the latter eagerly took out the door. With her head turned away from the stallions, none would ever deduce the subsequent look upon her face.

"Well." She dipped her snout, drifted to the right of Azure in a few leisurely steps, and leveled her head. Intact was her complacent expression. "Wherefore my offer dismayed her so, I cannot say. But, for what Circe I may be, you two are brave and delightful wanderers, and you both shall stay with me," the mare cajoled. Suddenly, her foreleg was linked with Azure's.

"And consider it my pleasure, Gemini," Victoria added succinctly and with marked acuteness. If his appearance had not betrayed him, his choice of words provided sufficient indication of his lingering doubt. Having perceived this, she retained a cautious approach in conversing with the pegasus.

"A poet? You flatter me." He curtly shook his his head, mind enticed to stray from the task at hoof, and think back critically to what little writing he'd down throughout his life. The writer is his own worst critic, he once heard; how true that was. For the small while the thoughts lingered within the recesses of his mind, he viewed them with disdain, for they were not weaved just so, the words didn't combine how he'd like, the thoughts didn't flow smoothly together.

The short while Azure stood there, laconic, ended as swiftly as it'd begun. As he came to, the pony took quick notice of his lapse in attention. As much as his thoughts may have wrought disheveled and unpleasant feelings within himself, he knew he was of stoical personality by nature; chances of anything seeming wrong was nil and nix. Hopefully.

His once more attentive gaze rested softly upon Victoria, who was having no trouble at all cozying up to him. This was both pleasant and mildly disturbing. The sharing of affections was something Azure could almost always jump right into without hesitation, be it with a long time friend, or a recently acquired acquaintance. However, his reasons he felt differed very greatly from Victoria's. His was solely for the reason of... well, sharing affection. That was usually the point, after all. This pegasus, however, was formal, well trained in the ways of proper etiquette. He'd be surprised if she wasn't doing it for politeness' sake, or to give cover to some ulterior motive--hell, it could easily have been both. Regardless of the reasons, he couldn't help but feel what she was doing was anything but genuine.

"We're brave and delightful too? I could easily say the same for you, Victoria McFlattersalot." His attention turned to the crackling fire some odd distance off for a brief moment. "The night is still quite young, and I feel it would be a waste if we simply slept it away. Perhaps we could all settle by the warm fire and come to know each other more intimately. What say you two?"

"That's a great idea. I for one would like to know more about our gracious hostess." Gemini says, wanting to take the opportunity to see just how trust worthy Victoria truly is. Despite his now slightly growing suspicion, he figured he might as well stay to learn more about these two. Especially Victoria, since nothing seems right about her. She reminded him a lot of one of his older sisters, and that only made him more weary of her.

"And you shall," Victoria returned. "Over a drink, of course."

With an utterance so simple, she was once more in motion, displaying without hesitance the elasticity of her youthful demeanor as she went about preparing the unrequested refreshments. She idly hummed a pretty tune as she proceeded, but was always listening, and never quite looked away from her company.

"You shall find 'zat I always keep something special for my beloved guests. To be fair, I do admit 'zat solitude does not beget 'ze most pleasant toast," One could hear from her as she disappeared around the corner. "Ah, Cabernet Sauvignon, aged a thousand and thirty-eight moons and brought o'er 'ze Smokey Mountains by cart." The humming resumed, now accompanied with the almost rhythmic trickling of bright crimson.

At last, the pegasus returned with three glasses balanced one on her left wing and two on the other; and as the liquid contents swayed in synchronization with her undulating hips, they glazed the sides of their bulbous prisons with blood. She placed the glasses gently on a coffee table which stood between an assembly of chairs and the hearth, and was the first to be seated. "Join me, if you please, and we may become better acquainted with one another." Victoria sincerely prompted.

No matter what he or Gemini might have suspected of this mare, she truly stopped at no expense to go above and beyond when it came to treating guests like they were nothing short of royalty. Regardless of what suspicions he could have picked up since meeting Victoria, he harbored a sort of respect for her. He was inclined to reject her offer to what sounded like an absurdly expensive luxury, but doing so would likely have him come off as asinine and rude; that was an image he was shooting to have for himself.

Azure saw no reason to hesitate with joining the pegasus, and had soon cantered over to seat himself beside her, in front of the fire. Their flames alluringly swayed to their own, unheard rhythm, and he watched as the bright red blaze lapped at the logs of wood resting within, as though a dog might its master's hand.

There were several things he could think to say to this, their grey hostess, but as to which was another story. He simply sighed, letting his eyes fall shut. "Who would like to begin?" he asked once everypony had seated themselves before the fire. Better to break the ice like that, than for an ugly fit of silence to plague the room as it had several minutes ago. Perhaps Gemini would have liked to go first, considering his generally chatty nature. Then again, the very same stallion was the one who expressed such curiosity in Victoria; of course, it was equally likely that Azure himself would be urged to share first.

Gemini nods, sitting down on the other side of Azure, so that he's between Gemini and Victoria." I don't really know. I'm curious though, Victoria, is that how long have you been here for, and for that matter, how old you were when you left Prance? If you don't mind me asking, of course. If you do have a problem with my curious nature, just tell me and I'll stop."

Now within a tail's length of Gemini, Victoria confidently rested a hoof atop his. Perch upon her other hoof was the bulb of the wine glass from which she stole minuscule sips on occasion.

"A considerate friend does not withhold 'zat which her counterpart seeks, Monsieur. Ask of me what you wish, and I shall answer to the best of my ability," she courteously answered with a benevolence which obscured the accusatory context of the statement.

Then, folding her right hindleg over her left, lifting her snout, and parting her lips to speak, Victoria devised a second minimalistic iteration of her past. As she did, her silhouette glowed red in the firelight.

"In truth, I have not been here for long. I come and go in my travels about Equestria, and I merely keep 'zis room reserved for my stays. I left my place of birth amidst a particularly violent uprising of the Prench proletariat, at which point I had been in the very last years of my fillyhood. Ponies tend to be rather curious about 'zese years; and I, in turn. shall simply confess 'zat our political machine was less 'zan ideal. Of course, if you were to visit now, you'd find Prench life to be quite lovely -- comparatively, to say 'ze least."

With determination renewed, Victoria promptly reciprocated his inquiry. "Now, as I have 'zoroughly introduced you to my misfortunes of days gone by, will you find courage to share your own?" A patient smile adorned her cheeks.

Azure gave a sigh that was hardly audible. He settled in, having begun thoughtlessly sipping at some of the wine provided to them all. Things had become relatively quiet to him as he was sucked into his own little world of thought. His movement grew sullen, face calmed for the most part, a hint of melancholy buried somewhere within. For all that could be told, he'd slipped into a sort of oblivion. Shadows lazily danced on his face, eyes blankly staring into the cozy red fire.

Shortly before zoning out, Azure had been aware that Victoria and Gemini were sharing what seemed to be a conversation that was rapidly evolving into something local, something involving those two exclusively. I'm sure they won't miss my lack of participation for a while, was likely his last thought before he'd been swallowed away into the more philosophical portion of his mind.

Time wore on ceaselessly, as it always had. He became vaguely aware of the effects the palatable beverage was beginning to have on him. The stallion's thoughts turned to the stars up above. He couldn't help but crack a sad smile; it was amazing how it was possible to accrue feelings of loneliness when in a world absolutely bursting with happy, bright, pastel colored individuals.

It was some time he speculated about things that may, or may not ever happen in his life. The smile had faded from his face gradually, and his thoughts shifted gear. Eventually his conscious was hovering around the nightmares he was often plagued with during the evenings. Suddenly he was reminded of the true reason he'd decided to spontaneously "explore Ponyville without a plan." Why he'd coincidentally stayed here far too late to feasibly traverse home.

The events of the entire night up to now replayed inside his head. He closed his eyes, and the memory projected itself on the back of his eyelids. Leaving his house. The hour or so long walk to Ponyville. Meandering about Ponyville until dusk. Meeting Starcatcher and Gemini. All of them all being intercepted by Victoria and subsequently invited to spend the night.

Azure's thoughts were all over the board it seemed. In moments, the idea of romance hung within his mind, and he very nearly laughed at himself for thinking of something so horribly and terribly irrelevant; just the hopeless romantic within him acting up. It was a reasonable train of thought, though. At least, that was what he reasoned to himself.

Another quiet sigh, he began wondering how long he'd be able to keep to himself before somepony took notice of how little he was contributing.

"Very well, if you want me to." Gemini says with a hint of a reluctant sigh." How should I put it? Hmm.." He takes a moment to think of how he should bring up his past." Well...I'm the son of a noble, but have been 'kicked' out of the family for having very different views with my father, especially on certain..Circumstances with one of my brothers. After that, I moved here, began a life on my own, and began working with a friend at her veterinary office, but she moved away. After that, I just sorta started doing odd jobs to earn bits, and so on, but I must admit, I find having such a relaxing life much more fun than when I was supposed to be high class." He finishes with another sigh, hoping not to press into it anymore, instead turning his attention to Azure." Got anything you want to say or ask, Azure?"

She dipped her snout in acknowledgment, silently attributing his actions to that which a supercilious observer would naturally suspect. Oh, a self-righteous schoolcolt. Without giving him as much as the benefit of her doubt, she placed him among the ranks of the egalitarian idealists whom she had gazed upon and abhorred in her filly days. How fruitless their Quixotic calls for class equality proved to be, Victoria recalled. They were only to be answered by the coming of Death himself -- every one of them, bound in his black sheaves. Could he not see as she did, whereby society begged to be exploited in its inevitable descent into the fiery depths?

Her lip twitched. "'Zat is quite interesting," Victoria commented. "I do apologize for subjecting you to the perils of my curiosity, dear. It is evident 'zat you are not entirely comfortable with 'ze topic," she added in an unconvincing fashion. Having made of him what she did, the mare returned her attention to the rather disengaged Azure. Her eyes almost seemed to accost him for departing from her dialectical arena.

"Yes, sweetheart, I entreat you to acquiesce. Have you something on your mind?" On her hooves yet again, Victoria retrieved the bottle and automatically began about replenishing what trace amounts of wine Gemini and Azure had drawn from their glasses. Upon filling the glass of the latter, she remained with her breast upon the arm of his seat and her forelegs folded underneath. Her eyes, as bright and impassioning as ever, once again assaulted his.

She would not allow him any space as she proceeded with her inquiry.

"He who speaks not shall be inclined to compensate with his 'zoughts. Surely I would enjoy a taste of 'zat which you contemplate."

It was some time ago that he'd once more become aware of those around him, and when addressed, he turned his head in acknowledgement to either of them. "Then I shall provide, if you are so eager to hear about that which occupies my thoughts." His voice was relaxed, much the same as he.

"Victoria," he began, turning his head, so that he might truly face the mare. "What does the Via Galactica mean to you?" He complimented the mildly vague question with a small gesture up towards the ceiling. "Have you ever taken a night to simply sit outside and watch it? It and all the other wondrous things in the night sky?"

He offered ample time to answer, should the grey pegasus choose to. "I'm aware of how learned you are; how your poise is perhaps unmatched by any other pony I may meet in my lifetime. Yet, I know nearly nothing of what you enjoy. You're a very mysterious figure in my eyes."

Azure let his eyes come to a close, and the stallion took yet another sip of the wine which lay to his side. "Are you philosophical? Do you enjoy long walks on the beach? Do you believe in romance? One can only assume so much when perusing another's literature." He expected no answers to any of these questions, being as the speech they accompanied was meant to be rhetorical--simply to make a sort of point about how little he truly knew of his hostess.

"Your past is not my current area of interest. I want to know about you, Victoria. What might you be able to share with us, we ignorant pair of stallions who sit here with you this fine evening?

Gemini listens with rapt attention, not wanting to interrupt as he sips his wine.( I got nothing. XD)

"Such profound questions, my dear." the mare extemporized automatically, perhaps even perceptibly taken aback by the nature of his inquiry.

Lest she suggest hesitation, Victoria remained with her brilliant irises facing his, even as her body shifted in slight undulations. She had not gazed in wonder at the glimmering celestial sentinels since her filly days. In truth, it had been years since she had endeavored to dream. This, she dismissed with a chuckle which was, despite its inherent warmth, startlingly obscure in intention.

"Well," she resumed after some silence. Forgoing her initial energy, Victoria now assumed a more meditative character. "Shall I profess my beliefs, as intemperate as 'zey may be? 'Tis fair, attests the philosophe of moons gone by, to reflect upon one's own existence; for it is 'zat which makes us ponies among beasts. May 'ze mystery 'zen be solved," prefaced she. "For I have known love -- 'zat it is enrapturing, tantalizing, excruciating -- 'zat no bond is more sacred, and more damning, 'zan 'zat which exists between 'ze love-struck wanderer and his beloved mare; whom he serenades from below the rose-trellised bower in which she stands, the most delicate bud of 'zem all." Such saturated rhetoric rolled from her tongue with tasteful ease.

"Your acuity delights me. Yes, one may safely assume 'zat 'ze literature for which you and I undoubtedly share a passion must have imparted some sort of nature upon me. Perhaps I am so eager to ingratiate myself with you lovely stallions because I long to find meaning in the glistening night sky. Perhaps I desire -- and I imagine such sentiments to be within the domain of your empathy, dear Azure -- to know the climax and resolution of my own story." Very rarely had she offered some semblance a true glimpse into her mind; and having subsequently recognized thus, Victoria fostered even more interest in her company.

A courteous smile returned to the face of the hostess. "Do you suppose it is worthwhile to live life in such a manner, Monsieur Azure? Monsieur Gemini?" She inquired loftily.

"I have to say, I don't believe I've ever viewed my life as though it were a story of its own unfolding. Yet, it seems rather obvious that such a view would very accurate. I'm not sure if I would make for a good book, however; The Misadventures of Azure Cloudburst." He tried, and failed to refrain from laughing, for fear of coming off as foalish. No, no, laughter seemed quite appropriate here.

"The way that one lives their life is certainly not something that is within my power to judge. Despite this, I am an imperfect creature, and judge when I should not anyways. Much like many other individuals in this world. Should the way you live your life lead to your happiness, then I see no reason as to why it wouldn't be worthwhile."

His lips met with the fringe of a crystal wine glass, and a minute amount of the scarlet liquid within escaped into his mouth. "At least, until it involves bringing harm to somepony else." A few moments of silence passed as he reflected on those words which he'd so recently exchanged.

"So, Victoria." His eyes drifted shut a moment. They opened, and Azure was once more allowing his thoughtful gaze to rest on the winged mare. "Does perfection exist in this world?" He accompanied his question with a minor raising of his eyebrows. The expression on the pony's face was nothing short of quizzical. He might as well have been a school filly asking a teacher.

He loved to see how other ponies viewed the world around them, what their beliefs were, why they did what they did. He was not, however, fond of doing it directly. He chose to instead prod their minds with innocent, philosophical questions.

Gemini sipped at his drink while he listened to the two talk, forming questions and likely answers in his head before moving onto other trains of thought, mostly about recent memories, and how most ponies seemed to disappear throughout his life. Sure, he made some great friends, but those friendships never lasted. Soon he was contemplating a variety of things about his past friends, only somewhat paying attention to the other two ponies in the room.

Victoria giggled politely. Intriguing was that both she and Azure appeared to believe that the most effective way of capturing the essence of an individual was to examine his or her ideology. She swiveled around to return to her seat and thus addressed her reply to the opposing wall.

"Perfection," supposed she, "is as real as the world itself; for all entities -- be 'zey qualities or objects -- are perceived. It exists out of need, and not out of reason. 'Zat is to say, 'ze observer either longs for complacence or is a genuine fool."

She reacquired her wine glass and sipped from it conservatively. "And if I were to label you my perfect stallion, would it be a mere assertion, small and unfounded? Maybe perfection is ignorance and desperation."

"Or maybe it is more 'zan 'zat. Maybe we would have affected one another in some remarkable manner. One cannot know until one has seen his or her story through," Victoria concluded regressively, but with a suggestive flare in her eyes.

"Now I can't help but imagine 'zat whatever is passing through Monsieur Gemini's head is nothing short of enlightening. What have you two to say on 'ze matter, hm?"