STRIKE!

Crimson Inferno went into the Bowling Alley. Not because he bowled, no he was terrible at bowling, but to pass the time. He was extremely bored, and surprisingly, not very tired either. He checked out the alleys, one by one. He saw a mare bowling in number 7. While he normally wasn't a fan of bowling, he couldn't resist his luck at flirting with mares. Once she knocked down some of the pins, Crimson shouted to her.

"'Ey! Nice shot, hottie!"

Crimson stood, clapping his hooves continuously, watching the mare bowl.

Jim had decided to have a go at bowling. He had a day off (he swore the secretary kept slipping extra days off into his schedule) and had thought of trying something new. He had wanted to do it with sunny, but she was out on an interview so he was on his own. He paid his way in and took a ball.

He was assigned to lane 6. He had a few shots and was alright- a spare, an 8, nothing big. While waiting for the ball to return, he looked around. There were a few ponies around, but it was still pretty quiet. He heard a shout and saw a rather obnoxious looking pony yell over to a mare. Jim kept watching- this let him judge them both. Was the stallion one of the many twats he'd had to put up with? Or was he simply rather outspoken? And was the mare going to flirt with him back, or actually have some dignity? Jim just watched, waiting to see this unfold.

Crimson scratched his head. "Was it somethin' I said," Crimson asked himself. He thought this mare thought he was joking around with him calling her a 'hottie'. "Nah, I mean it! You really're hot," shouted Crimson.

Rather than continue yelling, he trotted over to the mare. "Ma' name's Crimson! Crimson Inferno! And who might you be," asked Crimson, trying to sound cool. He made sure he had a smile on his face, while doing so.

Jim rolled his eyes. The mare was clearly unimpressed- she was laughing her head off. This idiot didn't seem to notice. Jim couldn't stand ponies like that. All confident and self cantered. Jim didn't necessarily have an issue with confidence but he hated ponies that behaved like that. Just calling her "hot" wasn't going to get her to like him- he had to appear sincere.

Of course, his intelligence didn't appear very high, so Jim was probably going to get some entertainment from watching him either cock it up even more or trot away in failure. He loved it when that happened- these idiots getting their just desserts for how they were, their stupidity, their ignorance!

Jim's vision was flashing red- memories were flooding back of school, of those ponies.....celestia, he felt so mad! This idiot was no different! He didn't give a darn about that mare as a pony- he saw her as an object! They always did, the misogynistic wankers! Jim ought to have decked him right there!

Jim stopped himself. This pony was doing no harm. That was then, and he couldn't keep living in the past. This stallion was probably perfectly nice. He simply had no other way of communicating properly. Jim sighed, and went back to bowling.

Crimson chuckled to himself, blushing, thinking he was on the right track to this pony's heart. Once she scored, Crimson cheered with her.

"Nice one! Y'know, I neva' really 'ave bowled. Is it 'dat fun," asked Crimson. Crimson put his hoof on the back of his head, awaiting his answer.

Jim continued to bowl, his heart not really in it anymore. He could hear the other two yelling, and he was getting more annoyed by the moment. He calmed himself. He didn't want to intrude on eejit's feeble attempt at romance and it would be pretty funny when he messed up. And he had come here to enjoy himself. If he couldn't let go of what had been, it will just come back in what will be. He remembered his grandad had helped him deal with the problems at school. A swift hoof to the muzzle did the trick.

Of course, punching twattycake would just get him arrested. He'd got in trouble for that before. He focused on his bowling. He aimed carefully, like using a needle. He rolled the ball along the lane, and it sailed through the skittles. He smiled at this- he'd got a strike. He was definitely improving. Heck, mabye he could do this more often. The other two wouldn't always be there, so he'd enjoy it even more next time. Sunny would tag along as well- they'd help each other get better. That would be perfect. He laughed at himself; how quick did his emotions change?

Crimson was about to pick up a bowling ball, per Ember's request, but once she hurt herself, he put his down to check up on her. "'Ey! You okay? Man, times like 'dis when I wish I wasn't only limited ta' fire," said Crimson, he checked the wound. "Hmmm... I wish 'dere was a way ta' 'elp... You dun' need a docta', do yas'? I mean it ain't 'dat big," explained and asked Crimson. The sprain wasn't that bad or anything, so he thought a doctor wouldn't be needed. Crimson conjured up a bag of ice and put it over the sprain. "'Dere. I ain't a docta', but I ain't a moron eitha'. Just wait a few moments before takin' 'dat bag off," Crimson explained to Ember.

Once he seated the mare down, he got a bowling ball, then rolled it down the chute. He knocked down around six pins. "Man, only a handful," Crimson said to himself. He got another bowling ball, and through it. He actually knocked down the last few standing.

Crimson cheered, jumping in the air in a fashion similar to Apricot Ember. "Oh yeah! Am I cool 'er what," shouted Crimson, not really keeping notice of his volume. He looked at Ember. "Man, you were right! 'Dis game is pretty fun! 'Ow's 'dat sprain of yer's, by the way," asked Crimson.

Jim ignored their yelling, but it was starting to get really annoying. He didn't want to complain and it was nearly the last round, so he could leave the idiot to do what he felt like and Jim to happily go off to the clinic or somewhere with sunny. Thoughts of her calmed him down, and the red on his vision was subsiding. He looked over to them to see how they were doing.

He saw the mare had hurt herself, and being a doctor Jim felt the need to check if she was alright. He walked over to their lane, not looking at the moron and asked politely;
"'Scuse me, sorry to bother you but it seems you sprained your hoof. It's been patched up I see, but I just want to know if it's swelling or not? If it is, it means you're healing but if not we may have a problem..."

Crimson saw the green stallion try to check up on Ember. He decided to pay his respects for caring for her. "Thanks, man. Aldough' I've already put ice an' everyding' on 'da swellin'. 'Danks fer' yer' concern 'dough. Not bad ta' care fer' othas'." Crimson chuckled a bit, then looked back at Ember. "Man, I should've played 'dis game a long time ago. You weren't kiddin' were ya'," laughed Crimson. "If ya' need anydin' just call," assured Crimson, heading back to the bowling lane, and trying his luck again.

He rolled the ball, and only knocked down two pins this time. "Aw, man! Well, beginnas' luck ain't permanent," laughed Crimson, rubbing the back of his head.

"Er... Yeah. Anyway, glad to see everything's fine. Keep off it for another 10 minutes then try getting some weight on it to support muscle renewal. Then that'll be you fixed up."

Jim walked back to his lane and resumed bowling, ignoring the idiot and getting a strike. Grinning. He must be getting better. He felt a lot calmer now that he had got to practice his profession. He could even push that red cretin out of his mind. He happily went again, this time getting a 7.

Crimson eventually stopped bowling, looking back at Ember. He chuckled to himself. He thought he would be able to get Ember in his hooves. He trotted over to Ember, blushing a bit. "So, Emba'... Sometime soon... Wanna go out on a date 'er somethin'," asked Crimson, trying to hold on a confident smile.

Crimson was still blushing, He hoped he'd have a date on his hooves, obviously. And he thought he did pretty good so far getting on Ember's good side.

Jim rolled his eyes. He could picture two possibilities: either she accepts, they go on a date and he cocks it up, or the more likely she rejects him. Jim wouldn't wish rejection on most ponies, but it was these cretins that got Jim rejected. In everything. Little friendship. Little acceptance. They made out ponies to be a happy bunch but from the experience Jim had, most ponies were cruel, sadistic and neurotic idiots. He even wondered at times why he became a doctor- he became one for the reason of his cutie mark. However, was the cutie mark predetermined or was it simply a matter of it recognising what a pony wanted to do in life?

Jim went back to reality, getting a spare, then an 8. He couldn't help but listen in on the other two.

Crimson chuckled a little bit, before speaking again. "Well... Not really as friends," Crimson blushed. Being able to tell he may not have a chance on becoming more than friends. He sighed out of disappointment, but decided not to let it bother him, as he didn't want to seem like a bad pony. Besides, there were many fish in the sea, he thought.

"Well... It's okay if ya' still want ta' remain friends. I dun' mind" Crimson chuckled again.

Hm. Well, at least he was being mature about it. Certainly more admirable than most of the idiots Jim had met.

Jim finished up with his round, and had to go. He'd probably come back some other day to learn more. He handed in the shoes, put back the balls and trotted for the door. As he passed by the other two, he turned to the mare.

"Sorry, I don't think I caught your name. I'm Jim- if you need anything for that leg just come by the practice in Main Street. It seems fine, but I hate it when ponies get hurt."
At the back of his mind, he heard a little voice go 'So, all those times you hit bullies.....'
Hey. I didn't enjoy those.
'You enjoyed it fine. Made a helpless colt feel big after being stepped on for so long.'
Those were all provoked. I never hurt anypony who was innocent. That was partially the reason I wanted to be a doctor: heal unless who were wronged. He could even do a bit mentally as well as psychologically.

Back in reality, he turned off and trotted to the door.

Crimson blushed furiously. It was even quite noticeable, even with his red coat. He thought he still had a chance.

"W-Well, any place is fine really," said Crimson shouting, while faking a laugh. "I-I dun' see why no one would like a pony as beautiful as you!" Crimson rubbed the back of his head again.

"I-If ya' want, maybe we could meet at Suga' Cube Corna' wheneva' yer' ready! Yeah!" Crimson said, nervously. He normally wasn't nervous around mares, unless he thought he was close to getting that mare to like him. That's when he got nervous, frightened on messing up.

Crimson levitated Ember upwards. "Want me ta' levitate you ova' 'dere?" Crimson was still red. Only this time he had a tad of sweat falling, next to his blushing. He rarely sweated, mostly due to his massive resistance to fire, but he did sweat when nervous. "I-I dun' mind! I'll do anythin'!" Crimson broke out into another fake laughter, his eyes closed this time.