Day by Day
Lovey looked at the newspaper in her hoof, at the door in front of her, and back at the paper. Yup! The numbers matched! This was most definitely the place! Her wings fluttered with excitement as she knocked twice, once, and twice again.
A few moments later, a crystal unicorn answered the door. She had a shimmering coat like black onyx that contrasted with her silver mane and tail. Her expression was somewhere between calm and empty as she raised one brow. "Hello. May I help you?"
"Oh, I certainly hope so!" Lovey raised the newspaper. "Are you the pony who put this ad in the paper for a roommate?"
The mare blinked slowly. "Is the ad for a room at this address?" She lifted a hoof and gestured Lovey inside. "The answer is yes, so therefore, yes, I am that pony. I assume you're interested in answering the ad. Please, come in."
Lovey pranced past her, pausing to look around. The layout was similar to Magnate's, but bigger. There was an extra door off to the right, the kitchen was a full kitchen instead of a little one, and she had a couch, a loveseat, and a recliner in the living room! Most of the available wallspace was taken up by shelves and shelves of books. More books than Lovey could even comprehend!
"My name is Derelict Apathy," the mare said, shutting the door and taking a seat on the chair. "Why don't you tell me about yourself?"
"Sure!" Lovey hopped onto the couch and hugged a throw pillow to her chest, her wings ruffling before settling in at her sides. "I am Lovey Dovey, matchmaker extraordinaire! Well, I was up until, like, this morning. This morning I quit my job so I could move here to move in with my coltfriend, but he says it's too soon for that, so I have to find my own place. I think this would be an absolutely perfect place, because it would make me his two-floor one-door neighbor, which is practically living together!"
Derelict blinked slowly. "I see."
Lovey giggled as she fell over onto her side. "I'm so very, very excited! Once he's ready—and I'm sure that won't take too terribly long—then I can move in and we'll start our life together as very special forever someponies!"
"Uh-huh." A notepad and pencil lifted in Derelict's magic and she started to take notes. "And how does your coltfriend feel about this?"
"Magny? Oh, well, he and I are very different ponies." She nuzzled the pillow. "He wants to take things slow. And that's okay! I can wait! Because I know he's the best for me and I'm the best for him. I've waited so very long to find my special somepony and if I have to wait a little longer, well, that's okay! He'll realize it eventually!"
The pencil worked furiously to keep up. "I see. And how does it make you feel that he wants you to wait?"
Lovey inclined her head to blink at Derelict. "Huh? Well, I suppose it made me a little sad at first!"
"And how do you know you two are right for each other if you don't view your relationship as at the same stage as each other?"
"Because of the love lines, of course!" Lovey giggled. "They told me so!"
One eyebrow raised, Derelict continued to write, though she was able to maintain eye contact with Lovey while doing so. "Tell me about these love lines."
Lovey wiggled with excitement as she sat upright again. "Love lines are the wonderful forces that connect ponies together! They're kind of like love destinies, except less rigid. More like love suggestions. Really strong love suggestions!"
"Mmhm. And you believe you can see these love lines?"
"Believe?" Lovey sputtered into laughter and waved a hoof. "Oh, I more than believe! I can see that I can see them! In fact—" She paused and looked at Derelict's chest.
It took a moment for things to come into view, but she saw them eventually. The little lines in varying shades of red and pink that crisscrossed and zigzagged amongst all the other love lines that flowed through the air. They stood out against the mare's black onyx coat, but it was hard for her to tell them apart with how they were muddled and blurred.
"Aww… You don't know what you want?" Lovey sighed, shaking her head. "You poor thing! I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually, though!"
Derelict glanced down at herself, then back up. The familiar look of skepticism Lovey had seen her whole life was plastered on the mare's face. "Mmhm. Interesting."
"Yup!" Lovey tried to smile, but her heart had started to race. Now that she had looked for them, she saw them everywhere. Love lines drifted all over the room, slipping in through a window over here and disappearing into a wall over there. Some were strong, some were weak, and some were aimless.
The furniture was dark. The floors were dark. It was too easy to see them. Lovey's gaze darted about in a fruitless search for somewhere to look where they faded away. Her heart pounded all the way into her ears.
"So!" she blurted out and clapped her hooves. "Can I be your roommate?"
"Can you?" Derelict finished up her last note and snapped the notebook shut. "You can, and you may. In fact, I insist. I haven't—" She furrowed her brow when Lovey jumped into the air and flew toward the door. "Where are you going?"
Lovey responded with the only word at the forefront of her mind: "PINK!"
♥ ❤ ♥ ❤ ♥
Prench toast was the breakfast of lovers, and Lovey was determined to make it. She had snuck into the kitchen extra early to ensure she had enough time to practice the dish, and boy, did she need it! What was she on, her third or fourth attempt? No matter! Love would guide her hooves into making the best Prench toast in Equestria.
A door creaked open and hoofsteps started to draw near before their owner went still. After a moment of silence, a groggy voice asked, "Lovey?"
Lovey spun around, her frilly pink apron flaring out before settling back into place. "Good morning, Magny!"
Magnate pushed his glasses up to rub at his eyes, then squinted at her. "What are you doing in my apartment?"
"Making you breakfast, of course! And I think I almost have it this time!"
"'This time'?" He walked over and frowned at the trash bin, which was full of discarded Prench toast mishaps. "I see. And let me guess. You got in by 'singing a song in your heart'?"
Lovey booped him on the nose with one hoof, giggled, and spun back around to check the skillet. "How else, silly?"
Magnate sighed and tried to smile. "Okay. We'll talk about that later. Did you find a place to stay?"
"Absolutely, my two-floor one-door neighbor!" Lovey winked. "I have a roommate, too! She's great! Actually, she reminds me a lot of you!"
"And why is that?" he asked idly, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.
Lovey's wings ruffled as she giggled. "Because she asks lots of questions like that! And 'how does that make you feel?' She's really concerned about my feelings, which is awfully nice of her!"
He just stared at her while he slowly drained the glass. "Did you find a roommate, or a therapist?"
"A roommate, of course! That was what it said in the newspaper, anyway. Why would the newspaper lie?" Lovey waved a hoof. "It wouldn't! But, here, I think this one's right." She flipped the skillet over to drop the toast onto a plate—along with all the butter and grease that it had been cooking in.
"Lovey!" Magnate's magic grabbed a hooftowel and quickly worked on the mess. "What were you thinking?"
Her ears drooped. "Well, I was thinking about how silly it would be for a newspaper to lie, and then how excited I was for you to try what I made…"
Magnate opened his mouth to speak, but bit back his words. Her ears drooped even further. He was going to scold her, wasn't he? No, he was going to, but he was such a gentlepony that instead, he was breathing in and out in a frustrated sigh. Well, that was a step above scolding.
"I don't need you to make me breakfast. I appreciate it, but it's fine. Orange juice and some cereal is fine." Just as she started to spring into action, he put a hoof on her shoulder to stop her. "And I've been making that for myself for years. So, why don't you go back to your apartment?"
"What?" She blinked a few times. "But… If I'm at my apartment, how can I give you a kiss and tell you to have a good day at work and then make your bed and clean the kitchen?"
His brow furrowed. "You don't have to do any of that."
"But I want to…" She sighed. "Please?"
"Lovey, just—" He sucked in another breath, then leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I appreciate it, but I don't need it. You just got here yesterday, so why don't you get settled before you worry about things like that?"
Oh, how was she supposed to feel? A kiss on the cheek—wonderful! Him not needing her—awful! While she struggled with what expression she should make, Magnate filled a bowl with cereal and took it over to the small dining table.
"Okay," she mumbled, settling on a half-smile. "I'll go get settled. But can I still give you a kiss and tell you to have a good day at work?"
Magnate looked over at her and, after a moment of thought, he replied in a cautious tone, "You can this morning."
"I'll take it!" She flew over the table, kissing him on her way past, and chirped as she sailed out the door, "Have a good day at work, honey!"
Once she was out of sight, the half-smile fell. Oh, Magnate had no sense of romantic adventure! But that was okay. She could be patient. She was the most patient pony ever! After all, how long would she have to wait, anyway?
"Welcome back, Lovey Dovey," Derelict said from the recliner, where she was looking over a Scientific Equestrian Mind magazine. "I see you decorated last night."
Lovey giggled as she landed in the middle of the living room. "I did! I hope you don't mind. I just really, really needed a bit more color in here."
Derelict lowered the magazine and made a show of looking around at all the pink additions to the room. They had been carefully chosen based on their shades' proximity to the color of love lines and placed around the apartment so she always had somewhere safe to look.
"Well, I suppose one more color is, by definition, 'a bit more color' than what there was before." Derelict returned her attention to what she had been reading.
Lovey pranced her way over to the kitchen. "Do you want anything for breakfast?"
"Are you offering to make something?" She flipped to the next page. "If yes, then I suppose you would have to tell me what you can make with what we have."
"Oh, um... I hadn't thought that far ahead!" Lovey hummed to herself as she rummaged through the fridge. "What do you want?"
There was a small pause before Derelict replied, "I reiterate: what can you make with what we have?"
Lovey peeked around the fridge door. "I'm actually not sure! I just learned how to make Prench toast this morning. Juniper usually took care of breakfast… and lunch… and dinner… Or I'd just eat out!"
"Is that so?" Derelict shifted in the recliner to look at her. "And who is Juniper?"
"My best friend!" Lovey beamed as she trotted over and sat down, the feathers of her wings ruffling with excitement. "Juniper and I have been friends ever since I moved to Ponyville. I had to have an office that had a central location that all ponies could reach, and Canterlot was too expensive. So I moved to Ponyville and met Juniper." She giggled. "Her first words to me were, 'Are you lost?' She was always so funny!"
Derelict's notebook had returned, the pencil already hard at work. "Interesting. And when you say office, do you mean a place of business?"
Lovey puffed out her chest with pride. "Oh, yes! I am the best matchmaker in all of Equestria!" She blinked a few times, then started to deflate. "Or at least, I was until I quit to move here so I could be with Magnate."
"You quit your job to be with him? I see." Derelict nodded slowly. "I'm starting to understand your relationship a bit better."
"Understand my relationship?" Lovey rose to her hooves, shaking her head. "Oh, there's nothing to understand beyond that he and I are going to be very special someponies! Anyway, I think I saw some fruit. Fruit is a breakfast food!"
Derelict clicked her tongue in thought. "If there's any cantaloupe, I wouldn't mind some of that."
"Coming right up, Derry!" Lovey hummed while she sliced the fruit and started to arrange the pieces on a plate. Derelict was super smart, but she didn't know anything about love. Lovey, on the other hoof, knew everything there was to know about love. Her relationship would be just fine once Magnate was ready to accept it!
Stats
Page generated in 0.026 seconds
Total duration
1,024 users online
434,109 hits today, 2,156,967 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
I wanted to hug lovey when she got turned down about breakfast. But atleast she jumps back quick. and Derelict seems she may be an interesting wild card to the story, But I liked this chapter! Im happy to see the story updated.
Oi! Why do you have to be so apprehensive Magnate?
Derelict is a rather interesting contrast to Lovey. I can't wait to see how their relationship is going to turn out, especially with her being so analytical.
Derelict is going to be an interesting character in the future.
Oh dear god Crystal what are you doing? where is this going?
Alright then. Might I have her phone number or address? Perhaps Lovey shall help me find where my love lines lead me after all...
But, seriously, I'm intrigued to see where this story is going.
PINK!
Okay, if I were a pony in Equestria, THAT would be the name I would want to have. Best. Name. Ever!
Oh, Magnate, where are your manners?
If a beautiful and lovely lady makes you breakfast... you eat that stuff no matter how awful it is, you number-crunching ninny!
And then, you offer to make breakfast the next time, and then the next time, and then the next while explain that making breakfast is one of your favorite things to do.
A therapist as Lovey's roommate? That might be a useful combination. Just gotta convince her about those love lines first.
Also, Lovey, retirement is clearly not working.
I think I'm going to love this Derelict and how she works with Lovey.
I think that lovely quote sums up Lovey's new roommate quite nicely. Boy oh boy are you going to have fun with those two.
It's gotta get worse before it gets better!
Also I see Lovey as a stranger version of Azurite with a pinch of caffeine...if that makes sense
*Is gasping for air*
W-wait! I'm still be-hind...
I can't keep up with this little mare!
No n-no, no please. My body isn't ready!!
waverunnersfastpitch.net/hnnnng-gif-38.jpg
rip me
This chapter gave me ar subtle darker vibe. Lovey's actions surrounding the love lines didn't seem quite so random as I've thought they were so far. The hammering heart sequence sounded more like anxiety. The pink items are color-coded to help with distracting her away from the love lines (or at least that's how it read). It almost seems like she has trouble not interacting with love lines, and maybe - just maybe - much of what she does is her way of normalizing her world.
It's kind of scary to think that matchmaking may be her talent but love lines, the things that assist her so strongly, are also almost like ever-present radio interference for her. She will see them, and her body and mind will react to their status, whether she wants to or not. Unless she does certain things to lessen the impact.
Super late on these responses, sorry guys!!
So thrilled to finally introduce Derelict Apathy, OC of disuser, super kind and super patient supporter.
7178130 It's hard to keep Lovey down! I was happy to finally update, too.
7178154 He's spent his whole life alone, and suddenly in less than two weeks he's got a mare
breakingsneaking into his apartment and making breakfast for him! It's a lot to take in.Derelict and Lovey are definitely two peas from different pods.
7178876 That's for sure!
7179468 Where, indeed!
7179513 Hahaha. Does Gulhy spy something he likes?
7179593 PINK!!
7179688 It got some giggles from me when disuser submitted it!
7179962 Well... that's what someone who isn't Magnate might do. But Magnate has no idea how to be! This is all completely new territory to him!
7180166 I've been dying to put these two together in a scene. They just struck me as a perfect yin and yang match from the moment I saw the character information.
7181120 Me, too!
7181716 I hope we all have fun with these two.
7189960 And it will get better... right?! I'm not that cruel, am I?
7192767 hehehe. Happy to have you in the comments, given how much you seem to enjoy the first story.
7200089 YUS. I was hoping someone would comment on this. I tried not to overplay it, because I didn't want it to dominate the chapter, but... this is a very important aspect of Lovey's character that we don't see except through her eyes.
7207193
"Gulhy"... "Gulhy"?! How dare you?!
:grumbles, hiding back in the shadows: It is hardly my fault that I seek companionship in my abandonment...
7207207 Don't worry, Gulhy. There's a Derelict Apathy out there for you, I'm sure.
7200089
... oh... oh my god....
7207210
... I do wish there to be someone out there for me. Thank you for the uplifting.
... but you call me like that one more time and I am telling Anzel that you're becoming too comfortable with me around!
7207193
"Yus"? "YUS"?! You aren't Puppy Smiles! ([not so] obscure Fallout Equestria reference)
That's what I get for being nitpicky. "Hmmmm, this sounds a certain way to me..."
7207240
Crystal is a big meanie-pants to her characters. And it's all for our enjoyment (and the greater story)!
7207274
You get Derelict and I get Au? I think I want my money back from Lovey...
7207588
Nah, let the cherub do her work and have her profits. You are not obliged to follow her advice, after all.
Lovey is too cute for my poor cold heart.
Derelict apathy is an awesome name :D
Derelict apathy being a therapist seems odd to me. Her name implies that she wouldn't care about others.
Reminds me of vinyl and tavi with how there opposites. Apathy being the complete opposite of love... Can't wait to see how derelict turns out later :P
It be funny if mag and derelict end up having matching love lines...
I worry for poor lovey, quitting her job for love seems extreme. especially that mag isn't so certain himself. Cant she work from anywhere really?
How do people not believe her about love lines?
Equestria is a land powered by a magic of interpersonal connections. That's all Harmony is. The core tenants of ponykind are Friendship/Magic, Honesty, Generosity, Laughter, Loyalty, and Kindness. Friendship and Love are both quantifiable types and sources of magic that are almost unfathomable in their extent and uses, used to protect Equestria from evil creatures.
It's like the very concept that someone could be attuned to love magic is an insanity to these ponies.
7661147 Well, to be fair, as far as I recall, the only ponies we've seen doubt their existence are Magnate and Derelict Apathy. Magnate has since grown to believe her; he just doesn't believe they're connected. Derelict doesn't not believe Lovey can see love lines. She's just never heard of love lines before, and she's an analyst-type personality, so she's gone into research mode.
It's a relatively rare ability; really the only way you'd know about it is if you ran into a pony who could see them that talked about them. That said, she's got 2,000 matches under her belt, so the average pony clearly does believe in her talent!
So Lovey's rooming with Derelict, eh? Ohhoho this'll be good.
So she...doesn't not care about stuff?