Blue bowls

"Sir, your lane will be about 45 minutes and you'll have to share it with someone else." The receptionist said Silly lowered his head, trying to hid his his frustration. He had hope to just have some alone time with himself, but it seem he'd be sharing the lane with somepony. Likely they were one of the ponies here for the weekend tournaments and would make him look like chump.

He sat between two strange looking ponies as he sipped his dollar cup of mountain dew. He had all week be trying to save his money to pay for rent, and finally he reached his goal, making what he had left his own.

He had become bored with just staying at home. Also thoughts he'd wish to avoid kept surfacing and being in dark apartment didn't help.


He sipped his drink again waiting for his turn.

Iris strolled in to the bowling alley.
"Hey Iris" said the receptionist, "Same pair?" he asked
"Yeh." Iris replied with a flip of her mane. The receptionist handed her her regular shoes. She came here often, if you couldn't figure that out.
"Your lane is full today. you all right with lane 15?" the receptionist asked.
"Yeh, sure, whatever." she said as she strolled down to lane 15. She grabbed a soda already prepared for her from the food court and dropped two bits on the counter for it, she sat down across from somepony. She sat and sipped her drink as she waited for her turn. She flipped her short black mane out of her face and rolled her eyes as the ponies took forever to finish.

He had the feeling of being on the verge of crying as he sat waiting for the pony in front of him to land his perfect strikes. He hated there was so many ponies and they were all better him. Constantly he had to feel inferior to them. They only thing that kept him from storming out was the hope that his song would play. He was lyricist and had wrote a small little tune to play when someone got a Turkey. A Turkey is when you get three strikes in a row in bowling. He was hoping to just buy a lane and try all night to get it.

Now there was barely a chance he'd even get to play, much less out beat a pro. He clenched his teeth in frustration as the old colt finally decided to grace him with the lane. ( https://2img.net/h/i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc437/grailmaelstorm/re_done_heartsong_by_kilecroc-d4a74gc-1_zps7d944d92.png )

Silly Symphony stood, brushing off his white coat before grabbing the ball a pound too heavy for him with his wing as he tried to have good form on his approach, only to fail in the last moment as it flew from his wing's grasp. Surprising this flux made the ball hit at just the right angle and knocked all the pins down but one that remained spinning for a while before falling over. He breathed a sigh of relieve as he fell to his knees.

The pins slowly were set up again as he turned back to get his ball.

Iris's eyes widened as the stallion who had been sitting across from her stood an bowled a strike, after tripping. She couldn't help but laugh a bit, but stopped before he saw.

"Nice shot." she conragulated him as he sat, "hey, are you okay? You look a little....down."

When she had arrived, she had noted how the stallion's eyes looked sad..

Silly's mouth bunched up a little as he turned his head away from her, not even being able to face another pony. Let alone someone who just called him out like that. He had a hard time even containing himself already then she mocking him. He had heard a few snickers when he fell, but when she said 'Nice shot' he couldn't help, but feel she was mocking him. Even though it was very unlikely that was the chance. ".....maybe your just too high up or something. Try not being so perky." He sat down with thump as he hoped his sharp comment would make think twice about talking him.

Iris snorted, "if you think I'm mocking you, I'm not. Sorry if that was how it came across." She laughed, standing up. She picked up her ball and strolled arrogantly up to the alley. She aimed and rolle the ball, knocking all of them down but two. Two that sat across from each other.

Iris groaned, but smirked. "This'll be fun." she expertly rolled a second ball down the alley, hitting the one on the right. The ball fell out of view, but the pin went flying. It hit the second one, knocking them both down the chute.

The purple Pegasus turned around victoriously, her hooves up in the air. "Woo! Did. You. See. That??" She cheered to nopony,

Silly watched as the mare just said she was sorry, making him look like he was over reacting and he was the one who deserved pity. Then just to stamp on him she hit a spare with ease. His strike was pure luck and now when he stood to shoot he would be watched. Her cheering had gained her attention and thus drawn it to him. How long before he could hear the theme music he wrote and he could just rush out? He was so embarrassed now he didn't care if he got a turkey. He just wanted to be home in bed, away from everypony watching him. Judging him.

He ignored the mare, picking up his bowling ball passing her as he watched the pins line up. He thought about how the mare threw it, trying to do the same he threw, but was off by a large margin and it knocked only one pin down. His mouth hung loose as he tried to hold back the tears before opening his wings and speeding for the door, flying out into the street before falling to the ground as he sobbed, trying to stand up to get away from the bowling alley.

Iris raised an eyebrow as the stallion zipped out of the alley quick as he could. Iris followed suite, she didn't know why, she just did. She swiftly stepped outside to find him crying on the ground.

"Need some help?" she asked kindly, offering her hoof. "Come on, it's just bowling, no biggy." she added with a light laugh, trying to relieve tension.

He brushes her hoof away as he crawled back a little, turning with his face puffed red and tears flowing from his eyes. "You-sob-just DON'T GET IT!" He cried as he stood up, wiping the dirt from himself. "It's not even about bowling! I don't care about bowling!" His wings flapped out as he wiped his face, leaving a bit of dirt on his cheek. "Stop trying to be so friendly like you know me! Like you could even understand how I feel! I'm just a stranger to you!"

"So? Is it a crime to want to be nice? Jeez, this isn't normal for me. Sorry I even tried." she rolled her eyes, turning to go back into the alley.

"But, I would suggest talking about what happened, if something did. I would say I can help, but only if you let me. Or go see a psychiatrist. Wallowing in pain and depression is not going to help, it's going to hurt. A lot. Tell me, would you rather mope about, sad all the time, or tell somepony and work through it? I say the latter, trust me, I would know."

"Talking about to other ponies won't help. Last time I 'talked' about how I felt I didn't get anything from it, but pain." He tucked the back of his hat, before taking a few soft breathes in. "My is Symphony, just that." he said quickly. He hated ponies knowing his full name. "I was upset that no matter how hard I try I'm never good enough. Everypony in there was better then me. Also will all the lanes full there was no way I'd get a Turkey before someone there."

"Well hello Symphony, my name is Iridescent. Or Iris, whichever." Iris replied with a smile, "and it's okay to not be as good at something as others. Like, bowling. So what if ponies are better? It's just one thing out of a million things. Most of the  ponies in there, including me, have been bowling or a long time-that's why we're good at it. Things take practice. I'm sure there's something you're good at." 

Iris offered Symphony her hoof again, "come on, let me be nice for once."

Symphony felt a bit strange at the gesture, considering he was already standing up, but decided to take her hoof in his own. "It's not about the bowling. It's about getting the Turkey..." he said, trying not to reveal why he wanted the turkey. It would be much too embarrassing. Maybe even more so then what had just happened.

Iris rolled her eyes, shaking his hoof. "There, now we've officially met." She smiled kindly, tilting her head. "So would you like to go back in? I could teach you some techniques if ya like." she asked, not bothering to ask why he wanted three strikes-it seemed like a touchy subject. She was getting rather curious though. 

She gestured for Symphony to go back in.

He took a deep breath in as he let it out softly, looking over at the neon blinking bowling alley. He shook a bit to push off the last feeling fear before nodding softly. "....I guess I could try to learn how.. and your offering to help me out." He avoid eye contact, but he slowly began walking towards the alley, trying to not look like he was just crying.

Iris followed slowly, trying to seem casual. She walked back into the building, apologizing to the counterpony for leaving with the bowling shoes on. She chose an empty alley, and picked up a ball. "Well, right then. It's slowed down a bit." she grinned, waiting for Symphony to return. When he did, she took the ball and showed it to him. "Aight, you know how to hold it then." she assumed.

Symphony set a long breath up, lifting the ball up with a annoyed look. "Yes. I know how to hold a ball. Throwing is my problem." He should have assumed he was going to be babied through like everyone always did to him. What was the thing his father always said. 'If you act like you don't know anything then I'm going to teach like your a baby.'

"Okay, I didn't mean to offend." Iris apologized quickly, "Okay, now, aim it where you want to go, but slightly off. " she ordered in a soft voice. "Now, let it roll. Lightly throw it onto the alley, and it'll slide to where you want it to go. Like so." Iris took another ball and aimed it slightly off center. She tossed it carefully onto the alley and watched it glide down to the pins. It knocked them all down in one blow, and dropped into the hole.

"There, see? Remember, aim almost where you want it. So first look directly where it is to go, but then turn just slightly! And that's how it's done. Your turn!" she squeaked excitedly, pushing him up to the alley. "Don't worry, you'll do great! Just try it. It's okay if you miss, I did too when I was little. And don't be embarrassed, nopony's watching anyhoof!" 

She smiled reassuringly, trying to be quiet. She could tell something was upsetting him, but decided against asking. "Go on!" she said encouragingly

Silly shook her off him as he picked up the ball, gulping a bit as he walked up to the lane. Only now did he see how shiny the floor was, how hot the lights made him feel. How sensitive when he thought someone was watching him. He lifted the ball, letting himself be at ease and tossed the ball, letting it roll down the track at a slight angle, where it bashed into about half the pins, sending them into the pit behind. "Great," He said sadly before turning back to get his bacl from the shooter. He'd only be able to get a spare now.

"Eh! Not bad!" Iris called to him, "just remember to aim!" she grinned, chewing on a stick of gum. "Hey, I'll be right back. Want anything?" she asked as she stood, looking back at him. She was getting  but hungry, and decided on ordering some food. Probably a pizza or something.

"Anything? They got some good stuff here"

"I not spending my money on that. I got to pay rent." He picks his ball up, about to throw before turning back. "Don't buy me anything....I'll take a water." He turned back and aimed, or whatever he thought that meant and it sailed across the lane into the gutter. His expression was even more of a frown then before.

Iris returned shortly, handing Symphony his water. "You know, I was gonna pay." she said, taking a sip of her soda.

"Okay, now, tell me what you did wrong this last time." she ordered quietly. oh great, I sound like a teacher now. she whined to herself. She took another sip from her drink and a bite from her pizza.

Symphony just a upset look before walking over and taking it, half defeated as he took bit of his water down, leaving the cap on the bowling operating table. "I'm not homeless or someone your taking out. So I don't to be bought for. I can take care of myself." He said sharply before aiming his water bottle at the lane. "I haven't even thrown my ball yet. So I haven't 'done' anything yet"

He set his water down, readying himself as he walked quickly forward, letting the ball fall from his hooves. He hadn't meant to let it go so early, but as luck would have it went cleanly down the lane and gave him a strike.