Shipping Thread for Masky

Cranium skeptically looked through different bouquets of flowers at the plant cart in the marketplace. He was planning on getting flowers, and maybe some kind of book like those romance novels he loved for a certain pony, then leave it on her doorsteps.She would never even know it was him, and it sounded quite romantic to him. The flowers had to be pefect, however. No mere rose would ever suit her. Rusty had almost tagged along, until Cranium had mentioned Stargazer, the mare he had originally met at a quiant Tavern. He had seemed rather upset again, muttering something about "cooties."

" No, no no!" he cried, tossing bouquet after bouquet on the ground.

" None of these are at all perfect. I thought you were a florist, don't you have an ounce of a good idea what kind of flowers to sell?" the scientist snapped. This Ponyville was full of imbeciles, and it seemed each one was even stupider than the next, though he didn't dare mention that out loud after a very close call in the tavern. Suddenly his eyes widened as he saw Stargazer across the marketplace, and he quickly leaped into the nearest bush to hide. She can't see me! She's supposed to get the gift from a secret admirer, not me!

Stargazer was strolling along the marketplace. She came to a stop at an odd booth, selling trinkets of sorts. She halted to admire them, the intricacy of the details, and the randomness of a few. She smiled kindly at the mare attending the stand, and asked how much they were.

"The larger ones're 5 bits, the smaller're 2." She replied smartly, giving Star a similar grin.

"Okay, I'll take this one!" The cyan unicorn responded happily, dropping 5 bits on the counter. She walked away happily with a miniature telescope-shaped toy, wondering what she could use it for. Probably just a decoration she told herself, smiling all the same. She heard a sudden outburst from behind her, and saw a white unicorn who looked familiar...Could it be? she pondered, wondering why he was looking at flowers.

She turned away again, continuing on down the street. She heard a rustle from behind as well, and turned to look again. All seemed well, but Cranium was no where to be seen. With a thoughtful frown, Stargazer trotted back again.

Cranium let out a tiny sigh of relief as the mare turned to go. Thank Celestia, it would have been terrible if she found me. Suddenly the stallion suddenly hiccuped. Very, very loudly. He attempted to cover his mouth, but another hic escaped. This is getting ridiculous. How come she always, I repeat, always finds me in humiliating situations! Well, not this time! The unicorn quickly squirmed out of the bush, pretending this was indeed perfectly normal. Suddenly he realized he had a huge bouquet of flowers in his hooves, and swiped them behind his back.

" Oh... hello... Stargazer! Lovely weather, isn't it! Heh heh heh.."  the unicorn let out a nervous laugh.

He had originally intended to converse with Stargazer, but clearly an issue had come up. He had part of his "secret admirer" gift in his hooves. Behind him, but still. She couldn't know! Besides, there was no way she could know about his feelings for her. And what if she didn't feel the same about him? Oh no, being anynomous was much better.

" Ha ha! Well... I'll be going now!" Cranium said nervously, giving another high pitched, nervous laugh.

" I'll see you later, Starlazer! I mean, Rainbowtazer! That is... oh, never mind," the stallion sighed. Why? Why am I such a blubbering fool around her?

"Oh!" Star gasped when Cranium slipped out of the bushes, laughing something about the weather. After recovering from the shock, she replied shortly, "Uh, hello goodbye?" She said questioningly. She watched him awkwardly, and noticed he was holding something behind his back.

"Cranium?" She asked curiously, still holding the odd trinket in the air, "What are you doing around here?" She gave him a warm smile, choosing to ignore his failure at her name. Stargazer was wondering quite a lot why he was still in Ponyville, after all, he had voiced his opinions loudly enough at the tavern what he though of the town. Stargazer found herself hoping he wouldn't leave already.....What? No, what do I care? I need to get back to my Misfit anyways But something held her there.

The unicorn blinked for a moment. " I... uh..." his eyes darted to the nearest stall, stocked with veggitables and fruits.


" I was... grocery shopping," he said finally. He awkwardly stared at the ground, and quickly looked back at Stargazers, kind, soft pink eyes.

" Yes. Grocery shopping," he added again. Cranium looked behind him, at an ice cream stand. He hated ice cream. Despised it's overly sweet flavor that melted all too quickly. But maybe she would like it...

" Are you interested in any ice cream?" he asked, gesturing to his leftover bits. Cranium had more than enough bits left to buy her something, if she liked. In truth, he was a rather well off pony for living in a town so quaint as Ponyville. But, he was from Canterlot.

"Grocery shopping huh?" Star laughed, unbelieving. But she shrugged it off without thinking about it too long.

"Oh you don't have to do that," Star smiled sweetly, pulling out a coin purse from her saddle bag. "I have plenty to buy my own. You're welcome to join me though." With that, the cyan mare began to stroll towards the ice cream stand.

" Oh, I insist! Because of your... um, assistance with me in the tavern, and the Everfree forest," he said quickly, trotting to catch up to her. Not to mention your the most beautiful, talented, sweet,perfect, clever- Suddenly, he realized he still had the flowers. How could he have forgotten? Cranium winced, and briskly shoved them under the nearest bench by the stall.

The unicorn gave a deep frown, staring at the different flavors on the menu. Mint chip, Chocolate, Strawberry Swirl... Pineapple... Cranium shook his head. He didn't even know what to think about the pineapple... oh, well. I'll just go with vanilla.

" So... what flavor will be you getting?" he asked.

Stargazer watched him for a moment, before turning back to the ice cream stand. She noticed movement out of the corner of her eyes, but brushed it off as a trick of the light. Cranium seemed distracted, but Star couldn't decide why it could be. After a little bit, she realized he had asked her a question.

"Oh, um...I suppose I could get strawberry swirl, or lemon sorbet." She replied after thinking for a bit. "What about you?" For the first time, she turned to look at him carefully. Instead of analyzing everything about him, she saw him as a whole. His coat was such a faded color of grey, and his white and blue mane, so neatly styled. With a tiny shake of her head, Star returned her attention to the booth.

" Ah," he said, unsure of how to reply. He really did hate sweets, but he had never really tried vanilla ice cream, not to mention any of the flavors Stargazer had suggested. He may as well try them. How bad could they be?

" I'll... get one of those as well," he said, giving Stargazer the tiniest smile. The flowers could wilt and die for all he cared. Cranium would just buy more later.

Star gave him a warm smile in return, ordering for them. "Can I get two smalls cones? One Strawberry Swirl and one Lemon Sorbet?" The attendant nodded, scooping out two scoops of each and plopping them into cones. Turning to Cranium, Star added "You can try a bit mine, if you like." She smiled kindly, watching his reaction with her sweet pink eyes.

"Thank you." Star grinned, taking hers and waiting. "I can pay for my own." She added to Cranium, dropping a few bits on the counter for hers.

" I..... sure," the unicorn sighed, and gave the cone a tiny lick. A flurry of sweetness filled his mouth, and it didn't taste quite as bad as he remembered. Perhaps it was because of Stargazer. It seems she has a way of making things better.

Cranium lay his bits on the counter, and silently stared at his cone. " Would you like to sit down?" he asked, gesturing to a nearbye table.

"Sure." Stargazer smiled, trotting slowly over to the table he had pointed to. She quickly slid into the seat, and took a lick of her ice cream. Randomly, the cyan mare yawned, then licked her lips. "Heh, guess I didn't get quite enough sleep last night." She laughed quietly to herself, resuming eating her treat.

"How's yours?" She asked a little louder.