It's a Foal's Book

The Bell above the door to It's a Foals Life stopped on a few rare occasions. When it was closed, when a foal swung the door too wide and broke the bell, and when Ink Stain reached up to silence it as she entered. Instantly the speckled pony was tackled by twin colts, and to the floor she went, laughing.
"What are you two up to?" She asked, ruffling their manes. They laughed, and spoke in turn, continuing each others sentences.
"We heard you come in through the back way, and somepony else."
A filly half the size of the twins came up to the pile of ponies and placed her small hoof on Ink's
"Was he your special somepony?"
Ink laughed it off, moving out from under the pile and pulling off her hat and scarf. "No, no, he was just the stallion whom works at the shop down the street. You boys might like him, he's also a guard." She answered, her white cheeks turning a light pink at the question.
The owners of the shop, a hefty mare and a thin stallion, both married and middle aged, called to Ink from the back of the store.
"Would you mind reading to the foals again? We promised them that you would if they kept their rooms clean."
Kneeling, Ink looked into their eyes, smiled, and nodded. Thus, as usual she took her spot on the floor by the window and selected a book from the pile to read out loud. Sometimes she would read the whole stack, and have only 2 foals listen, others times she read just one picture-book, and dozens would come.
Tonight, would be in-between. Anything to keep the foals out of her mane while she looked over what she had show Switchblade earlier that day.

Pale walked around ponyville, bored out of his mind. There was little to do- he wasn't in a flirting mood and shopping wasn't really his thing. He looked over to the darkening clouds from the bench he sat on, knowing well that this would be pretty heavy rain in a while.

His thoughts were interrupted by a filly walking up the path, looking lost. Pale trotted over, smiling gently.

"Hey, are you alright there? Shouldn't you have somepony to watch you?" He asked.
"It's okay- I know where I'm going. Or at least where I have to be."
"You're lost, aren't you?"
"...yeah."
"Tell you what- you tell me where you need to be and I'll show you there. Looks like rain and you shouldn't catch anything."

She nodded, and Pale listened to her. There was a book reading by her favourite author, and she'd gone out to attend. Pale walked with the filly. She was certainly old enough to manage herself away from her parents, but she had a terrible sense of direction. She'd often just diverge randomly, Leading to a few times where she simply drifted away for a bit. Eventually they found their way to the establishment and he led the filly in.

"Erm...excuse me? This filly says she's....here...for..."

Pale's voice trailed off, as he saw who it was reading. The mare who had helped him. The filly who'd given him support when he first came to ponyville. That mare, who'd helped him to adjust to running away. His old friend, Ink Stain.

He hadn't seen her in years, yet here she was perfectly happy. True, her mane was a little different and she certainly looked more mature but this was her, no doubt. Pale stood in the door, the filly galloping to Ink while he stiff and tried to form a coherent introduction.

Ink Stain looked up from the book to show the foals the images, and spotted none other than Pale Moonlight, a stallion she hadn't seen in years. She gave him a smile and a nod in greeting, but she would finish the book before going to talk to him, she was nearing the end anyway, and the story was similar to the one behind their friendship.

((mind if I drop in?))

(Yeah, it's cool. You go after me Switchy, oksies?)

Pale was at first confused by her reaction- he thought she would be more vocal. Then he realised- she was reading to the foals. Naturally, she'd want to finish for them before reuniting with him. Smiling, Pale trotted over and sat with the half dozen or so foals listening to the story.

(Sowwy, but I'm assuming this story will explain the background. Dramatic effect, y'see so I'll keep it short.)

Switchblade checked his store, everything was in order, he then noticed something that didn't belong there, Ink's coin purse, quickly he picked up the purse and walked down towards where the toy shop was located, he wanted to be quiet as possible so he snuck up to the main door and opened it as quietly as possible. He forgot about the bell, it rung out as he walked in, he sighed "Of course there's a bell" He noticed she was reading so he stood next to Pale, still attempting to be as quiet as possible.

"Then, the little filly looked over the bush, oh so nervous she nearly turned mush! But what did she see through those leaves? Another little pony, just like she! 'Hello!' She said, a smile on her face. 'Who are you? I'm Daring Pace!' And with that exchange a friendship was gained. So she invited the colt over for dinner that day. Through conversation she discovered he was alone, so she offered to him 'Come to my home!' Fast were they friends, as they thought, it'd never end, as she supported him and he supported her again and again." Ink looked at the foals and smiled, and carried her smile up to Pale, now noticing Switchblade next to him. Setting down the book, she stood, announcing to the foals. "That's all for today, Ms. Cherilee told me you all have a project coming up, you all need plenty of rest!" As the Foals dispersed, a few lagging behind to hug Ink, she walked up to Pale and Switchblade.
"May I help you two Gentlecolts?" She said, pretending as if she didn't recognize either of them.

Pale listened to the story with a small smile on his face. That was how they met- he'd just ran away, and was sleeping in the park. He heard somepony approaching, and out of terror that it might've been the guards he hid in a bush. Ink found him, coerced him out of the bush and the two became friends. He lived with her family for a while, until they finished school. They went their seperate ways then- she went to try and become a writer in manehatten, he left to become an engineer. Pale loved her books- often as a filly she'd write them and Pale would read them, always loving the little stories. He held no resentment for her leaving- he missed her, but he was sure she'd soon return. He'd had to focus on getting set up, which he thankfully managed after earning enough to buy himself a house.

Pale snapped out of the little walk down memory lane. Ink was walking towards him, and he was already preparing a grin to welcome the mare who was practically a sister. Ink seemed to have forgotten him. Puzzled, Pale went:

"Erm, it's me- Pale? Y'know, the stallion you saved from the streets and practically kept him as a brother?"

He hoped to Celestia she was faking it.

Switchblade stood still for a few moments, his brain trying to figure out if Ink was being sarcastic or not, he had never understood sarcasm and it seemed the stallion next to him was having the same trouble with this. "Are you joking around with us, Ink, because if you don't remember me from this morning then you might have the slightest case of amnesia." He said, sounding genuinely worried, "Oh, and you left this at my shop earlier." He said, passing her coin purse to her. He looked at Pale with recognition, but could not figure out where he knew him from.

Ink Stain laughed. "I'm just messing with you two! Thank you Switchblade. Pale, it's been so long my friend, too long indeed. How have you been!?" She said, taking the coin purse, focusing her attention mostly on the long lost friend.

Pale sighed with relief- it would be horrible if Ink had forgotten him. The other stallion was looking at him, so Pale felt it would be best to introduce himself.

"Alright? I'm Pale Moonlight. Nice to meet you."

He turned back to Ink.

"I'm good, Inky. Nothing of note, aside from the engineering is working out pretty well. Great to see you again too! How have things been working out for you then?"

Pale remembered Ink's dream to be a writer. He'd given her encouragement and such but he'd never heard much about what she was up to.

Switchblade sighed with relief, he realised where he knew the other stallion from. "My names Switchblade." he introduced himself to Pale before sitting down, letting the other two catch up with each other.
((You guys use as many replies as needed to catch up, I'll respond if asked a question or am needed for a part, but until then take your time.))

"That's great! Up in Manhattan I actually had quite a bit of luck, I befriended a few publishers, and was able to get my first set of books on the market. " She smiled. "I'm sure you recognize the one I just read. It's the first one I made sure was published. "

Pale shook his head.

"To be honest, no. I like foals but I don't have much reason to be around them so I don't really catch wind of this stuff. Still, I'm glad you published that one. It was really sweet of you."

(Sowwy if a touch late, workload increasing again. Also, thanks for doing this Switch. Real nice of you~)

Ink Stain shrugged. "Makes sense, my work has never really reached most ponies. Though, how could I not? I believe the beginning of our friendship was more interesting than half the foal's tales in Equestria." At that point, Ink began to notice the fact that the three of them were just awkwardly standing in the center of a toy store. "How about we head up stairs? I can fix some dinner for us, the Wiz's are eating out tonight so I'm on my own."

Pale smiled- it was great to see she'd remembered everything. At her question, he realised just how hungry he was.

"Yeah, I could really go for something to eat." He said with a grin. Pale looked over to Switchblade, and called: "Hey, Switch? You want to eat with us, mate?"

Switchblade seemed nice enough- a straightforward stallion, which was always a good kind of guy to have around.

(GAH STUDYING BEEN A NIGHTMARE SORRRY!)

Switchblade smiled kindly, he usually just ate alone at restaurants, perhaps being social over a meal would be nice. "I think I shall take the both of you up on that offer, I don't have anything else planned." He wondered how well blessed with luck he was to have moved to Ponyville.

Ink beamed happily and closed up the shop for the night. Flipping around the sign, and turning out most of the lights before leading the Stallions up to the second floor. The Wizs had already left, but thankfully the kitchen and living rooms were clean enough that she wouldn't be embarrassed.

Pale trotted happily alongside Ink and Blade. He looked around the house, noting the slight mess. It didn't really bother him- being an engineer, he saw tons of muck and rust daily. Besides, it added a bit of personality to the place. He was getting a little hungry, and it would be great to spend time with Ink again considering how they had been as foals. Also, it would be good to get to know Switchblade. He seemed a nice enough guy.

"So, what're we eating tonight, Ink?"

(Studying blech plus a pretty hard week)

Switchblade smiled, noting the lived in appearance of the house, he was walking alongside the other two but his mind was drifting elsewhere, this day had reminded him of memories that he tried to forget, he had learned that his unit was easily identified by the public and was worrying about anypony else being close to finding him out. "So, what're we eating tonight, Ink" Switchblade was snapped out his trance by Pale's question, he was glad of that.

Ink stain rummaged through the pantry, mentallying scrolling she knew. Her hoof landed on a box towards the back of the pantry, and she pulled it out with a feminine grunt. "Looks like waffles, how's that sound?" She asked, smiling.

Pale grinned, licking his lips. (Do ponies have lips? I don't think so. WORK WITH ME HERE PEOPLE). He felt a pressure coming on, and excused himself to the bathroom.

(Right, I don't want to keep holding this up. You guys go without for now, until the actual dinner or something. Sowwy about all the late posts, so I hope this can remedy that a little.)

(Sorry about my late reply too, just got sidetracked)
Switchblade nodded casually "Sounds great."

Switchblade looked towards Ink and smiled "Got this for you as well." he said, handing her a file titled 'The fall of Lt Switchblade'. "I think you might like it, it is the case file of my unit's biggest failure, one that I took full responsibility for. Just don't judge me based on what you read in that file." He said, his voice taking the form of a plead at the end. Switchblade then took his guard permit out of a armor compartment and took a crumpled photo out of the wallet, he stared at the photo with a look of sadness on his face, he heard a noise behind him and turned around quickly, dropping the photo in front of Ink accidentally. Oblivious to the photo's absence, he put the permit back into his armor.

Ink smiled and took the folder, "Thanks, I'll be sure to read it later." Then, the batter bowl fell on the floor, spilling the remnants of the waffle batter. Ink turned to clean the mess taking no notice of the picture. She immediately grabbed a towel and some water, picking up the bowl.

Switchblade flinched as the bowl hit the floor, he rushed over and asked politely "Do you need any assistance, Ink" he still had not realised that his photo was missing.