Gemini – Chapter 12: Life Goes On
#13 of Gemini - Book 1
The twelfth part of Clover's adventure.
I don't own MLP
Clover had started to grow tired, a hoof connected to his muzzle and another landed on his face. Sweating and gasping for air, Clover fell to the ground. His muscles ached and his body felt heavy, and there, lying on the floor of the library's basement he passed out.
A hoof nudged at the side of his head as he roused from his unconscious state, "I just finished my weekly shop only to find a group of ponies standing outside your shop and shouting at it. Would you have any reason why?" asked a lavender blur that took up most of his cloudy vision.
It took him a while to figure out what she said, never mind to think on an answer. "Oh no, I haven't opened my store in a couple of days. I have to go." He took off, stumbling in his groggy stupor.
"Clover, wait!" Twilight screamed, but it was too late, he had already left.
He raced on forward, trying desperately to reach the store before ponies started to leave. He had ran towards the group to try and apologise, but when he had reached them they turned and had almost begun shouting at him when it suddenly became eerily quiet. Some whispered, some gasped and some just stared awkwardly at him, he then realised that he was still in the skin tight full body suit and covered in sweaty matted fur. "I'm sorry everypony but I've had some... issues in the past couple of days that have caused me to neglect my store. Once again I'm sorry, now I'm going to go around the back and set the shop up." Nopony said a word until he passed out of sight, then he heard many voices whispering about him.
As soon as he came from the back room he took off the sweaty rag and unlatched the front door, allowing the masses entrance to buy their heaps stationary and the odd sofa. Every now and then a brave or possibly foolish customer would ask him about the suit and the reason he was wearing it, these questions weren't given a dignified answer and were only met with a harsh look.
One customer remained till the last of the remaining customers had left before he had decided to speak up "Umm, yawl wouldn't happen to sell beds her, by any chance?" the voice was deep and smooth, and was obviously recognised as Big McIntosh. "It's just that mines err, broken."
"Well yes we do. So what kind are you looking for?" Clover asked, not wanting to know how it had happened after the 'incident` with his cousin.
"A nice big sturdy one, if that's O.K." Big Mac said without looking at Clover. "Don't worry about delivery I've got my cart out front."
After he had sent the red stallion off with a bed he waited for another customer to come in as he had already angered enough of them today, but nopony came by so he decided to close up and go home and have a well-deserved rest before Twilight and he became their vigilante counterparts.
As he walked home ponies glared at him and whispered loudly to each other, each time the story would trail further and further away from the truth. One pony called him homeless, and another said that he was into some strange indecent activities. He just ignored them and walked on home knowing that these rumours would blow over, eventually.
As soon as he got home he went to his room and fell asleep, praying to Celestia that this night would not be as bad as the last.