A place to rest.

Blackberry followed Shala through the housing area of Ponyville. He knew the place like the back of his hoof, but he did not know which house Shala lived in. With each house he passed he thought about the pony he remembered living there. Half of them seemed to have new ponies living in them. He'd only been gone a couple years, yet everything had changed.

He stopped and stared at a house, looking it over. It was just as he had remembered it, the home he grew up in with his mother. She had gone now as well, moving to, somewhere... He didn't even know where she had left to-- he had a hunch it was Appleloosa.

He kicked a small rock on the ground, glancing back up at the house before turning back to Shala, "So which one of these houses do you live in?" he asked, scanning the varied pony homes.

Shala was quiet for a few moments, looking carefully at the houses. "Well...I have found it more often when i was drunk than sober, but I'm pretty sure its this one." She said, heading to a home with some decent yard spacing around it. For living alone, it was not a bad house. She opened the door with her key and walked right in.

Inside things were decently clean, save the several empty bottles that had stacked on the floor near the trash. The kitchen, dinning room, and living room were all one area, and a hallway in the back led to two bedrooms and a bathroom.

"Your room is the one in the back on the right. Should be untouched. Feel free to snack on anything, but ask for alcohol."

Blackberry blinked a little in surprise at Shala's uncertainty at the location of her own home. That, mixed with the surprise that it was only a few houses down from where he grew up made it all the harder to take in. He strained to remember who lived in this house when he was growing up... Memory seems to recall an older couple-- He began to wonder what happened to that couple before reaching the grim conclusion that they possibly passed away...

He hung back a few paces as Shala went up to the door-- on the off chance she was entering the wrong house and the old stallion was inside waiting for them with a golf club. Upon it appearing that Shala had chosen correctly, Blackberry caught up to her. He noted the empty bottles near the trash and shook his head slightly. This filly needed help with her drinking. He had drank some himself, but was never in a near constant state of inebriation like Shala was.

"You have a very nice home..." he spoke softly, not exactly sure what he was supposed to say. The last home he was brought in to had three stallions living in a studio with a leaky roof and no heating... this was luxury for him.

He trotted down the hall and turned to enter the room Shala instructed, "I'll try to get my own food," he told her, "I wouldn't feel right eating someone elses food-- luckly I don't eat much lately anyway..." he explained.

Shala shrugged. "Suit yourself. I got the bits to spare." She threw herself onto her couch and watched him go back to his room.

"So, you gonna be painting things and all right? Try not to get it on the carpet and your good....You said your a painter right?" She said, pulling out her flask and taking a small sip.

Blackberry sighed as Shala forgot the whole story he showed her and Heartsong with his easel, "Yes... I'm a painter..." he reminded her as he tossed his saddlebag from his back onto the ground, using his magic to set his easel into the corner gently. He surveyed his surroundings, it was simple, but it was clean-- and didn't have a hole in the ceiling. that was a big plus...

Blackberry walked lightly back down the hall to see Shala stretched out on her couch, "the good thing about using magic to paint is it pretty much goes exactly where I want it all the time," he explained, "there won't be any on the carpet..."

Blackberry stood awkwardly at the end of the hall, looking around a little but not taking in the whole place, feeling it a little awkward to be in a slightly strange mares home. He mainly ended up just looking at the floor, "I'm thankful for the room and the offer of food-- but you must remember I've been used to fending for myself the past few years," he told Shala, "it's hard to just getting stuffed offer to you for nothing again..." he said lightly

Shala nodded slowly, remembering her time on the streets in Manehattan. "Yeah...I know that all too well. I spent a lot of time taking care of myself on the streets. Manehattan can kill you if you are not too careful."

She stared off into space for a while, running a few memories through her head, sipping her flask. It took a while before she pulled herself out of it. "Yeah, lots of ponies would would put you under for a few bits more. Fortunately i got myself some connections eventually and they helped take care of me."

Blackberry watched Shala take another drink from her flask and sighed as he sat at the end of the hallway. He looked down and then back up to Shala. He just met her today and it really was none of his business. She bought him food, offered him shelter... Who was he to criticize...

"Shala..." Blackberry said, biting his lip a little, "Why do you drink?" he asked, hoping that perhaps he could lightly bring up the subject without causing too much of a problem.

He shook his head and got to his hooves, he was too far in, "I know we just met today and all, but with all you've already done for me, I feel like we've already become close friends..." he said as he looked at her, "but I hate to see friends just throw themselves away by doing nothing but pour themselves into the bottle."

Shala froze for a moment as she was asked a question that surprised her.....Actually it was not surprising, but she never expected anypony to ever be so forward. She was the only pony she knew who was that blunt, and it put her on a whole level above on awareness.

She stared at Blackberry. A rather intimidating stare. She looked to be stuck between trying to stare off the question, or just express resentment. But after a few moments of silence, she gave up on it and looked away with a sigh, her expression collasping into mild irritation.

"I drink...cause i feel like it." She grumbled and took another drink from her flask. "....And to forget the damn ticking in my flipping head." Again, she took a drink.

Blackberry frowned as Shala glared at him, he didn't want to upset his new friend, but he felt it was something that needed to be addressed. He looked down a little but raised his eyes back up as Shala looked away with a sigh.

He opened his mouth to speak after her first reason, but stopped as she continued. He raised an eyebrow as she spoke of the ticking. He got a puzzled look on his face as he tried to figure out what exactly what Shala ment by that.

He decided it was time to abort the topic and maybe try to get more into Shala's head the more he got to know her. "So... Shala..." he trailed off, looking around the room a little, trying to come up with something to talk about, "what do you do around Ponyville?" he asked blandly.

Shala seemed to lighten up at the change in topic. She could tell that her earlier line of questioning would possibly come back though. She had been so used to just being with her initial friends she made here that most other ponies ended up filling them in.

As for employ, she did not have much of an answer as fancy and extravagant as Blackberry. "I became a bartender when i moved to Ponyville. No other pony seems as competent with drinks as I am so I was chosen pretty fast."

"Ah," Blackberry said, unable to really avoid his next response, "that sounds like an appropriate job..." he said semi quietly.

Blackberry looked back up to Shala, "I think I'll head back into town some..." he said "it's been a while since I've been in Ponyville and I'd like to take a look around to see whats changed" he explained.

Blackberry began to walk for the door before turning to look over his shoulder, "Shala..." he said, trailing off for a second, "I really appreciate you letting me stay here... I'm sure its as weird for you having a stranger staying here as it is for me to stay in a strangers home..." he admitted.

Shala waved a hoof at the thought dismissively. "No thanks or fretting. I got a soft spot for helping ponies. I was a guest in every place I stayed up until I got to Ponyville so nothing new to me."

She lazily laid over her back on the couch, feeling like a nap. "Have fun in town, and if you see some white pony with crazy wack brown mane, punch him in the face for me."