My Little Phony

Fruit Punch: -is closing the bar for the night, finishing up his evening duties before he could lock up and call it a day. Pink Lemonade had taken the night off so he'd agreed to help babysit her son and finally let her relax. The unicorn was currently tidying up the bar counter, having Butter Beer help him with what tasks were deemed 'appropriate' for his age group without getting him into any trouble- Okay, I've got this end of the bar covered, little man. Do you want to take care of wiping tables for me to make this a team effort? If we finish up pretty quick, I might be willing to let you experiment in the kitchen? -knows BB well enough to understand he didn't 'work for free'-

Butter Beer: -rinsing the dishes, the grey foal had been deep in thought with many swirling ideas of how to start his own insanely profitable business when his uncle had piped up, his ears pricking at the mention of being allowed to experiment in the kitchen if he continued to help- Really?? -he couldn't keep the excitement in his voice contained, hurriedly (and carefully) setting down the last glass he had been toweling off, he took off with the rag in his hand, snatching the spray bottle under the counter so he could go scrub the tables clean. If Fruit Punch was offering him time in the kitchen, he was going to do his best work on those tables to possibly gain more favor, and by extension, more time being able to come up with a product that would capture the pockets of phonies across the world-

(https://mylittlephony.citycyb.org/phony/hellion.png)
Hellion:   Why is it that I got stuck with food duty today? It was supposed to be Hoax's turn. -He grumbled under his breath and his stomach rumbled loudly in response.  The foal traipsed down a street lined with shops and restaurants, hoping to find a satisfying meal for the group.  His nose tipped to the air as he scented something tasty from a dumpster in a nearby alleyway.  Wings aflutter, he lifted himself up to the dumpster's lip and peered in.-  Well...  It's certainly no banquet.  Hijinks likes banana peel, right...?

Knockout: -is doing a night patrol to check for any drunks or scoundrels that might be hanging around the alleys. He knew he was in the area of Cloud Nine but figured he wouldn't encounter anyone considering he'd be approaching the bar from the rear. He made his way closer and was surprised to spot a familiar colt by the dumpster- Hellion? What are you doing here?

Fruit Punch: -can't help smiling at his nephew, enjoying the company even if it was a bit of extra work to manage both the bar and a kid. He however, greatly enjoyed knowing he didn't have that type of long-term commitment in his life and could send BB home after a couple of hours- Yeah, as long as you don't make too much of a mess in there. -finishes wiping down the counter, sitting the cloth down by the small sink faucet.- Once you're done with tables and sweeping, I'll stack the chairs up and put them away. After that you should be good to play. -moves on to closing down the register, knowing this would probably take his attention for a little while to count the cash and balance the book-

Butter Beer: -buckled down immediately on his chores, brimming with excitement as his mind raced with what he could possibly try first back in the kitchen. As soon as the foal was finished polishing the tables, he made his way for the large broom and pushed it around the floor to collect dust and debris as thoroughly as he could. He was huffing slightly through his nose when he had finished, scooping up the remains and dumping them in the large trash can behind the counter. Looking up at Fruit Punch with his wide, determined eyes, he almost barked his declaration with the utmost enthusiasm- Uncle FP! I'm done! I'll be in the kitchen! -and without waiting for permission, the foal bolted into the kitchen to yank open the fridge door like his life depended on it-

Hellion: -He flinched mid garbage dive as a familiar voice called out to him from the gloom.-  Oh!  -He scrambled out of the dumpster with a sheepish look on his face as he turned to the familiar adult who had happened to catch him.-  I wasn't expecting to see you again.  Don't tell me, you're also guarding this dumpster?  -The colt laughed and fiddled with his mane with an idle hoof.-  I'm looking for some relatively untouched leftovers if I can happen to find them.  Although, realistically, I'm not unfamiliar with the taste of maggots.  They do have quite a bit of protein as they say.  -He smirks as he tries to gross out the stallion, although there was a twinge of bitterness behind his eyes.-  It was supposed to be my brother's turn to dumpster dive, but...

Knockout: -realizes that he'd probably called out to the foal at a moment the other pegasus would have preferred to avoid. He shook his head, all to familiar with Hellion's bitterness while searching for food- I'm not the Trash King but I know the family that runs this bar. -points with a hoof to the back door of Cloud Nine, the establishment that used this dumpster- One of them is the type of guy that doesn't care if you eat shit or die, but the others are alright, I guess. -wouldn't specify the exact details of his relationship to Hellion, but his tone suggested that he was 'in the same boat'- Let's see if we can get you something not covered in bugs, but I can't guarantee we'll get in.

Fruit Punch: -isn't keeping his eyes on Butter Beer, muttering softly under his breath as he continued counting the totals for the day, jotting down some notes in his books. He yelled over his shoulder toward the kitchen- Thanks, little man! Try not to break anything, will you? I'll help you work on the Perfect Pour once I'm done out here. -keeps on chipping away, sure that Butter Beer could entertain himself while he was busy-

Butter Beer: -was almost too busy to even hear his uncle calling back to him, but he let out an automatic "Uh-huh," just to satisfy the stallion behind the bar- Okay, last week I tested out different teas with different kinds of milk... The progress on that was good, but it's still missing something... -he sighed, pulling out the glass milk bottles that were kept in the fridge and staring intently at them like they were keeping secrets from him. What if he added herbs and spices to the milk to this time? It couldn't be that different from tea, right?-

Hellion: I don't think the title of trash king would suit you anyways.  You're too put together and clean.  -He chewed his lip as he listened to the stallion.-  Eat shit or die?  Not an uncommon thought from the restaurateurs to the likes of us.  I guess we do have grabby grubby little hooves.  -The colt relaxed a bit.  It would be nice to have an adult manage sorting a meal out for him for once.  They tended to have money and they had the added bonus of being able to use as a shield against other, angry adults.-  I suppose if we're barred entry I won't be any worse than I started at least.

Knockout: -looks appreciative of the compliment, leading the way over to the backdoor. It had been a little while since he'd come to Cloud Nine but he assumed that old habits for Fruit Punch died hard. He'd spent spare time as a foal observing the other phony from afar and had come to learn that if the bartender was on staff, he typically left the backdoor unlocked until he was completely done shutting the place down after hours. This wouldn't be his first time sneaking in to steal from the kitchen, but his personal honor code always kept him away from the till- If I can spare you the trouble I don't mind getting my hooves a bit dirty. -puts his ear to the door, listening for any telltale signs of the kitchen being occupied. It didn't sound like anyone was nearby. If his guess was right that Fruit Punch was alone he could always distract the other male while Hellion went to the fridge... He moved back to test the handle and sure enough, he was was able to crack the door open- Sounds clear, but keep your voice down and stay behind me. -opens the door wide enough to stick his head inside, checking for anyone in the immediate area-

Fruit Punch: -hears the foal's reply and that was a good enough confirmation in his mind. After a short moment he finished emptying the drawer. The redhead zipped up the cash, locking it away into the hidden safe built under the bar counter before turning to the restaurant floor- Alright, now that that's done... -turns back to the restaurant floor, going over to double-check each table and make sure they really had been cleaned sufficiently by Butter Beer-

Butter Beer: -though he was lost in the numerous possibilities in front of him with the milk and spices, he actually didn't miss the sound of the back door cracking open, his head peering curiously over in that direction. He knew only family used the back entrance, so he wasn't really alarmed, though he had thought his mother had clearly stated that Fruit Punch was going to be babysitting him today while the bar was closing down. Deciding to go check (maybe it was his Aunt Banana Creme?), the foal's eyes widened slightly in mild surprise that it was instead Knock Out... and someone much smaller behind him? Keeping his voice low as he'd been taught whenever KO entered through the back, he smiled at his cousin and the newcomer with genuine interest and surprise- Hey dude. What're you doing here? Need something? -he blinked toward the other foal behind his family- Who's your friend? Oh... And before I forget, Uncle Fruit Punch is here, so...

Hellion: -The colt trotted in behind the stallion, doing his best to stay as close (and hidden) behind the adult as he could manage.  If some angry adult was going to start throwing stuff at them while they screamed at them to go out he'd rather have KO between them.-  That is surprisingly kind of you given you're not one of my siblings. -He mumbled under his breath and glanced around the kitchen. Eyes alighting upon the other foal he pursed his lips. A foal wasn't as much of a physical threat, but that didn't mean he wasn't a snitch.-  I take it this isn't the one who lets people eat shit and die?  -He whispered and cast a glance up at KO.-

Knockout: -looks somewhat relieved upon seeing Butter Beer, the colt being one of the few phonies he genuinely trusted. He quietly closed the door behind them before responding by whispering to both foals- Hellion, meet my best friend, Butter Beer. He's helped me out a lot and never judged me. -reaches out to give BB an affectionate ruffle to the mane before he continued- Hellion is hungry so I thought I'd get him something good to eat. He needs enough to bring back to his siblings, so can you help him load up a bag to go? You know the kitchen better than I do. I'll stay here in case he comes by. -He didn't even like saying his donor's name, his distaste for the unicorn apparent even when whispered-

Fruit Punch: -is far enough away from the back of the restaurant that he didn't hear anything suspicious. He finished walking the floor to check BB's work and was pleased. While his nephew was always quick to start his own plans, he respected that the kid was definitely a hard worker. The bartender started taking up the chairs next to keep making progress toward closing shop-

Butter Beer: -listens carefully to his cousin, nodding in easy confirmation when he was told that the other foal needed a bag to go- Any friend of Knock Out's is a friend of mine, Hellion. Nice to meet you. -with a grin, he turned toward the kitchen cabinets to find a to-go bag, happy to help wherever he could. If the kid was being vouched for by Knock Out, it meant that he was definitely worthy of the same treatment as a paying customer- So, Hellion. How many siblings do you have? I want to make sure I get enough for everyone. -already reaching into the fridge for the boxed up extra orders from today, the colt meticulously placed the full meals into the bag, stacking them carefully to avoid any spilling. Hellion was going to have a feast, regardless of how many other mouths he had to feed; Butter Beer was determined. An idea struck him as he was packing, however. He could also make drinks for the foal and the others! A perfect time to test out his experiments with a new crowd!- By the way, do you happen like milk any?

Hellion: -His ears flicked as he listened, head bobbing along with their words.  Helped him out and didn't judge?  That was very interesting info that he would certainly take advantage of later.-  A pleasure to meet you, Butter Beer.  -He bowed his head for a moment, taking note of the mysterious he KO spoke of, the uncle.  Evidently he was the one who'd leave you to die on the streets.-  I have ... -He pursed his lips, pondering the virtue of revealing their numbers to essentially strangers.  If he said there were more of them than there were he could get more food...  But, if this kid was a sucker like it seemed, maybe it was better to just be honest about their situation.  Pity could go far.-  One brother and one sister.  We like milk if we can get it before it's gone sour I suppose.

Knockout: -is glad that the two were at least cordial with each other. While he couldn't exactly call Hellion more than an acquaintance he at least was fond enough of the dark pegasus to be willing to risk coming in Cloud Nine, one of the few places in Phonyland he tried to steer clear of- We'll take whatever we can carry out, but try not to make it too heavy, BB.  -He kept an eye on the entryway to the kitchen from the main floor while the younger two got the food and drinks together-

Fruit Punch: -sighs slightly while stacking chairs, his back a bit tired but he was almost done- Ugh, I need to take a day off soon, too... I'll have to ask Pink what's her schedule once I drop BB off tonight. -takes a moment to stretch before he went back to work-

Butter Beer: -ears pricking at Hellion's pause, his hooves only stopped for a second as he considered the other foal's manner of speech. Odd to have to consider the number of siblings you have, but Knock Out was here with the colt, and he trusted his cousin with his life, so...- Three it is, then. I won't make it too heavy to carry, but you're gonna have to help carry the drinks or something, KO. -wrapping up the boxed meals with deft hooves, he made quick work of producing three to-go cups and a carrier, setting them on the counter next to the spices and milk he had been trying to work with earlier. Sprinkling in some nutmeg and cinnamon into the cups before he poured the milk, he gave all the drinks a full stir before placing the lids on with a satisfying pop- I'll make one for you later, if you want, Knock Out. But everything should be good to go for now.

Hellion: -Evidently this was a time he should of forced his siblings to come along.  The more hooves the more stuff they could carry.  He made a note to periodically try the backdoor of this place from now on.-  All this stuff makes me wish I had one of those fancy backpacks with the cupholders on the sides. -He moaned and eyed the more hard to come by fruits and such in the fridge.  Produce went bad fast, even if it was often easier to pocket.-  Do you guys do this often? -The colt cracked a grin with one eyebrow raised before grabbing the handles on a packed to-go bag.  He was glad KO was going to be carrying the much harder to balance drinks.-

Knockout: Not really. I hate the guy who runs this place, but I can count on BB when I need it. -answers honestly while he made sure that Hellion had secured the food and he could get the beverages. He made his way over to the counter where Butter Beer had left the drinks but didn't notice the corner of a box sticking out from underneath the tabletop. The vigilante slammed his hoof against it and tripped forward, attempting to catch himself before he fell by grabbing the counter. Unfortunately the remainder of the milk bottles leftover by BB toppled over the edge upon his impact and hit the floor one after another, crashing loudly- Dammit! -grunts in anger toward the box that had been too low for him to see, but before he could do anything about that there was a growing puddle of broken glass and milk separating him and Hellion- Just book it outside, quick!-tries to tell Hellion to leave before this situation undeniably got worse-

Fruit Punch: -had just finished stacking the last chair when he heard a crash and splashing sound come from the kitchen. He was about to open his mouth and yell for Butter Beer to clean up his mess when he suddenly heard the unexpected sound of an adult phony's voice. Oh god, was this a break in?! His sister would KILL him if something happened to her son! Without thinking he sprinted for the back of the bar, spotting his nephew (who thankfully looked to be unharmed) with two strangers- What the hell is going on back here?! -unicorn horn starts glowing with magic, not immediately recognizing Knockout-

Butter Beer: -whips his head around to the side when Knockout had tripped, immediately tensing at the sound of the shattering bottles that sent the unused milk spilling absolutely *everywhere*. This... wasn't good. He opened his mouth to try and get Knockout to get the hell out of there too, but everything was happening too fast, and he could already hear Fruit Punch's hooves hammering the floor in the direction of the kitchen. Whirling back around to face his startled uncle, he was rather shocked to see the stallion ready to dole out some punishment on the two unfamiliar faces in the kitchen. Without thinking, he piped up, if only to dispel the immediate hostility in the room- I was packing up some dinner to go for myself, and I accidentally knocked over the milk bottles! They're just here because I invited them to come and taste the drinks I knew I could make at the end of the night. That's my friend Hellion, and... You know Knockout, Uncle Fruit Punch. -really hopes the other two would go along with his story, regardless of how they felt in the current moment-

Hellion: -The colt nearly jumped out of his skin as the glass smashed upon the floor. Instinct kicked in as he started to scramble, but he wasn't fast enough with the heavy food bag to make it out of sight before the strange adult came bursting in the room.- Rats. -He squeaked, trying to subtly drop the food bag to the floor without implicating himself.  He stated anxiously in Butter Beer's direction as the other colt managed to come up with a lie. He gulped and nodded along.-  Yes, the milk...

Knockout: -is pissed for a variety of reasons but he wasn't 100% certain that Fruit Punch was sober at the moment. He grit his teeth before agreeing to improvise with Butter Beer's lie - the last thing he wanted was for Hellion and BB to have to deal with his idiot donor- I didn't think you'd just let me waltz through the front door so I agreed to meet Butter Beer at the back. I didn't want to draw unwanted attention. -tries not to make the sarcasm too evident in his voice, but his annoyed glare was harder for him to hide-

Fruit Punch: -scowls, not ready for the situation to be glossed over so simply, but it was when Knockout spoke up that the redhead finally realized who had 'broken in'- Oh fuck, it's you! -slaps his hoof over his mouth realizing he shouldn't be swearing like that in front of foals, or at least his nephew. His cheeks heated up with embarrassment, not able to meet Knockout's glare from eyes that resembled his own a little too much for his comfort... He turned to BB, sounding more flustered at the situation than angry- You could've told me if you were inviting guests, Butter Beer! You have no idea what your mother would do to me if I kicked him out on the curb!

Butter Beer: Well, that's exactly why I didn't tell you that I was having friends over! It would be really rude to kick my friends out, you know? And they were just going to help me clean up the mess Imade. Imagine if you had really made a fuss over all of this and then my mom heard about it! -shudders with mock fear at the thought of Pink Lemonade almost terrorizing Fruit Punch for his lack of consideration for his own son and a new guest at the bar- I really think you should just go sit down, pour yourself a drink and relax for a minute. It would be bad if Hellion told someone that this is how Cloud Nine's staff reacts to family and friends, y'know. -turning to Hellion with a matter-of-fact look in his eye, he nodded at the other colt, glad that he was seemingly going along with the little lie he had spun- I mean, you'd tell, right, Hellion? Put it all over Yhelp n' stuff?

Hellion: -The colt chewed his lip, this new adult certainly was angry, apparently mostly at Knockout which boldened him a little.  Of course, he couldn't let this stranger just go treat his, dare he say friend, like that.-  Oh for sure.  My brother and sister would love to help too.  We're quite fond of running places out of business.  -He smiled, pearly whites flashing to emphasize his bold-faced lie.-  My sister is quite the prominent food critic. -Of course this was in the privacy of their cardboard home as she complained about the garbage they were eating for whatever meal.  But this stranger didn't need to know that.-  And my brother is a junior writer for the newspaper.  I'm sure he'd love to write about this.

Knockout: -isn't surprised that FP didn't know who he was right away; the last time they'd seen each other face-to-face he'd still been a foal. Knowing that the trio had the stallion essentially cornered he took the opportunity to put another nail in the bartender's 'coffin'- You've got three witnesses who can testify against you so take BB's advice. Go sit down somewhere else, shut up, and leave us alone back here. -moves around the spill to pick up the to-go bags for Hellion- You're good at pretending things never happened so you already know what to do in this situation. Pour yourself a pint and think about your reputation, the only thing that matters to you anyway.

Fruit Punch: -jaw drops a bit, not expecting to get dunked on by 'three kids'. He didn't know if Hellion was telling the truth or not but he hated the smug look on the colt's face. He wanted to defend Cloud Nine, his proudest achievement in life, from anything that might lead to unsavory press but his hooves were tied too tight now. His ears flicked back in annoyance as he stomped a hoof on the floor, deciding to bite his tongue and save his scathing remarks for Knockout later. That was their issue and he didn't need to get the bar or anyone else involved- ...I'm giving you all fifteen minutes to clean up this mess and then get out. Finish whatever you came here for and next time make sure you come in during business hours. -shakes his head before turning tail and going back to the front of the bar. He'd be picking from the top shelf to soothe his spirit now-

Butter Beer: -felt a little bad for ganging up on his uncle, but Knockout was his best friend, and Hellion seemed like he fit in well with their little group, so he had a duty to cover for them when trouble came knocking. When Fruit Punch had finally stomped his way to the bar again, the colt let out a little sigh of relief, letting his gaze settle on Hellion- Nice cover. Thanks, dude. Otherwise, Sir Trips-A-Lot over here would've gotten it big time. -turning his head to the said red stallion, his tail swished unamused at his cousin before he reached out and jabbed gently at his shoulder- You know I'd never rat you out, Knockout... But I'm gonna hear about this on the way home. You owe me something cool. And you probably owe Hellion something cool too, since he covered for your butt as well.

Hellion: -The colt let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when the other adult left the room.-  My siblings and I are quite skilled at lying to authority figures when we need to.  Part of growing up on the street.  -He gave a shrug then cast a concerned look towards KO.  That had certainly been a weird encounter between the two adults and he almost wondered what was going on there.-  I almost never say no to free stuff, but I think the food is enough for me since that's partly what started the trouble in the first place.

Knockout: -sighs with relief once Fruit Punch was gone, tossing his head back  and closing his eyes briefly to regain his composure. Once he'd given himself a split-second break he looked back down at the two colts, giving them a reassuring smile that they'd come out the other side fine- That was a real shit show, but thanks, guys. I don't think that would've ended so cleanly if you hadn't jumped in to save my skin. -reaches over to ruffle BB's mane again, proud of his cousin even it had meant telling a lie- I'll see if I can help you invest in a new toy or two, but I'll take it straight to your house when I get the chance. -gives Hellion a light pat on the shoulder, he was sure the pegasus was pretty startled from the exchange- I'm just glad we'll get you out of here with a full meal, that's all I was really after to begin with. Let's help BB clean this up then get out of here fast.

Butter Beer: Thanks for the help, but I can clean this up myself. You two just need to take the food and go, okay? We don't need Uncle Fruit Punch coming back and seeing that you guys are still here. -using what little magic he had, he began to pick up the larger glass shards to drop them in the trash, demonstrating his ability to take care of the mess on his own- You guys are welcome back any time... Just try and come during daylight hours next time. I can get something fresher for you then, Hellion. And my uncle won't be around, either. -he smiled as he began ushering the two out the back door again and on their way. Less hooves in the kitchen, the easier the cleanup anyway. And he definitely owed Fruit Punch a spick and span kitchen, at the very least-