Eternal Flames had just gotten back home from his usual running exercise and started his daily push-ups in the backyard. Of course, he kept challenging himself with the push-ups by adding a few haybails to his back. He always did this in order to keep up with his training in case a new evil should occur. All the while, he was thinking about how lucky he was now that he was married to Sunset Shimmer. He continued his daily push-ups routine in the backyard until he heard Sunset calling out to him.
"Honey, it's almost time for lunch." she said.
"Alright, just let me get myself cleaned up and I'll be right with you." Eternal replied. He then threw the haybails off of his back and stretched out his entire body. After that, he shook the sweat off him and went inside only to be greeted by Sunset's cry of disgust.
"You really need to shower, babe. I can smell it from all the over here." she said, covering her nose.
"I know, I know. Like I said, just let me get cleaned up and I'll join you for lunch."
"Alright, but don't be too long." Sunset got a chuckle from her loving husband when she said that.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're starting to sound like my mom rather than my wife." he said before disappearing up the flight of stairs where he then entered the bathroom.
Sunset resumed with cooking up the food, which were hayburgers, a side salad and fruit punch. She learned how to cook the hayburgers with a little help from one of Eternal's friends. Sunset felt proud of herself, knowing that her cooking was a job well done. She grabbed the food and placed it on the table. Just after that, she saw a pair of white hooves descending down the stairs. She saw that her husband, Eternal Flames had finally freshened up after 15 minutes of showering. She could clearly smell the difference.
"Much better. Care to join me?" she asked, taking a seat.
"Don't mind if I do." he replied, taking his seat next to her.
Just as they were about to start eating, they heard a knock on the door. Eternal got out of his seat and walked towards the door to see who was stopping by. By opening the door, he froze with shock to see a familiar white stallion with a black mane, brown eyes and a cutie mark that showed two lightning bolts over a drum.
"THUNDER DRUM?!" Eternal shouted.
"Yes, it's me, Eternal Flames." Thunder replied. Eternal hunched back like he was ready to attack.
"What are you doing here and how'd you escape Tartarus?!" Eternal asked, aggressively.
"Eternal, is everything okay?" Sunset asked, turning around. She caught sight of the stallion that Eternal once fought months ago and gasped, then teleported towards the entrance. "I don't know what you're doing here, but after what you did to my husband all those months ago, I'm not going to forgive you if that's what you're here for!" she said violently.
"Calm down, you two. Look, before you chew me out, just listen. I'm not here to fight. Not anymore, that is. My days of fighting against the innocent are over. Especially since I've walked down a certain new path." Thunder explains.
"What do you mean?" Eternal asked.
"Why don't I just show you." Thunder then turned his head to look behind him. Eternal and Sunset caught sight of who Thunder Drum was looking at and made Eternal become wide-eyed. Behind Thunder Drum was an elegant white unicorn mare with a soft pink mane and tail and had purple eyes.
"Salutations, young prince. I see you've met Thunder Drum. Although from what I've heard, you two already knew each other long before I got to know him." she said.
"Eternal Flames, this is...my...my new fiance...Fleur De Lis. We're getting married next month." Thunder said, looking at the ground trying to hide his blush.
"Wait a second, I thought she was dating Fancy Pants. You didn't force her to get engaged, did you?" Eternal asked.
"For Celestia's sake, no! Look, how about we go inside and talk about it. I don't feel comfortable chatting when we're outside, having watchful eyes and ears listening in on us." Thunder said.
"What do you think, Sunset?" Eternal asked.
"I'll be keeping an eye on him, even though it might be pointless. Come on in. I even made lunch." Sunset said.
Thunder Drum and Fleur were escorted inside the house by Eternal, who then closed the door behind them and locked it. All four sat near the table and served themselves. Fleur didn't eat anything other than the salad.
"Now how is it that you two got engaged." Eternal asked.
"Well, young prince, you see, It all started about a week after you and Sunset got married. I was walking home to get some much needed beauty rest with my coltfriend, Fancy Pants. I got there late at night, but I saw that he was having dinner with another mare and he even kissed her right on the lips. I was heartbroken at what he just did and apparently when he saw me, he did nothing but give me nothing but a nervous chuckle. I grabbed my stuff and left home after I gave him a slap on the face. I went back to my own home and wouldn't even talk to the locals for days. I then decided to head to a restaurant in order to calm down the growl in my stomach and to get my mind off of that cheating scum. I just minded my own business until I saw Thunder Drum walk in and sat at a different table across from mine. I could tell he was going through some troubles as well. I don't know why, but I offered him a seat next to mine. We just talked and talked until finally...something clicked between us. I offered to let him stay at my house because he told be he had been living in a cardboard box in one of the alleys." Fleur explains. After she finished, she placed her hoof on his own and gave him a warm smiled. "He's made me feel like a whole new mare." Thunder blushed at what she just said, turning away, not even showing a tiny little smirk.
"I-I'm glad you that way...hun." Thunder replied. He cleared his throat and began his version of the story. "Now, as for me, I didn't escape from Tartarus again, they for some reason just let me go, due to some strange "change of heart" in me, whatever that meant. The portal opened and they threw me out of Tartarus and I ended up in an alley. Luckily no pony was able to see that. I walked out of the alley and noticed that I was in a place much different than Ponyville. I looked around to see if I could find out where I was, and I found a sign posted that said "Welcome to Canterlot." Now that I knew where I was, I had to find a job and then a bite to eat. I would've started a ruckus, but I didn't want to risk getting thrown in the Tartarus slammer again. I found a job a a local restaurant, but it wasn't the one I met Fleur in, but I applied to be a waiter there. I barely managed to convince the manager to let me work and I got to it. My check came in a few days later for some reason instead of a month later, but I found out I had started my job during the last 4 days of the previous month. I used up most of my bits to get some food, but the rest, I used to get something to eat at a restaurant, just to see what it tasted like. I wasn't in the mood to converse with anypony who was stuck-up, but for some reason, one of them was. You already know that it was Fleur De Lis that offered me a seat next to her. Anyways, she just tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I wanted to join her at the table she was sitting on and I didn't refuse so I wouldn't be rude." Thunder explains.
Eternal and Sunset became wide eyed at what Thunder and Fleur just said. Eternal felt like he wanted to offer sympathy to Thunder Drum since he was sure that Thunder had decided to change for the better. Sunset was no different after hearing their stories.
"Jeez, you must've gone through a tough time. I suppose congradulations are in order. I wish you both the best of luck on the day you two become husband and wife." Eternal says.
"Oh thank you, young prince." Fleur said, happily, hugging Thunder Drum warmly.
"Jeez, do you enjoy trying to embarrass me?" Thunder asked, blushing
"Why not? I think it's simply adorable when you blush, honey." Fleur says, smiling and nuzzling her stallion.
"Thunder Drum, this isn't easy for me to say this...but I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier." Sunset said.
"Don't be, it was a natural reaction. It'll probably be the same with your friends if they find out about this." Thunder said.
Their conversation was cut short when another knock on the door was heard.
"Here, let me get it." Thunder offered, getting out of his chair. He walked to the door to see a white stallion with a fancy blue mane, blue eyes and wearing a black tuxedo.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Ms. Fleur De Lis. Have you seen her, good sir?" he asked in a Canterlot accent.
"Who might you be?" Thunder asked.
"I am Fancy Pants." he replied with his head held high. "Who might you be, good sir?"
"I'm Thunder Drum. But why exactly are you looking for Fleur, anyway?"
"I have my reasons. She is my marefriend, after all."
"Well, from what she tells me, you cheated on her for another mare and to make matters worse for you, she's already engaged to be married to another stallion."
"Pff, what nonsense. I'll have you know, I am a stallion of high quality. How can she resist and leave me, a stallion who's got highly successful businesses and riches beyond anypony's wildest dreams, for a mystery stallion who's asked her hoof in marriage? What does this stallion have that I don't?"
"I'll tell you why, so you'll understand more clearly, my so-called fancy ex-coltfriend." Fleur says, appearing next to Thunder. Fancy Pants reached out for her hoof, but Thunder Drum swatted his hoof away.
"Don't even try it, Fancy. Let her speak." Thunder growled.
"As I was saying, when I first met him, he was just a homeless stallion. He was let out of Tartarus and had a fresh start at life. The only problem was that he didn't have any food, shelter, or bits to help fend himself. He went for days without food, working non-stop as a waiter at a local restaurant back in Canterlot in order to pay for groceries. I noticed him at another restaurant and he looked like a ghost stallion, he was pale and starving. I offered to help him out of the goodness of my heart and he repaid me by helping me cast my sadness and sorrows aside and even helped me to be a strong mare. But the moment he walked me home and was about to say his good-byes..." Fleur was about to say what happened, until Thunder intervened.
"I just gave her a simple peck on the cheek. I don't know why, it just happened. Next thing I knew, she pulled me into a passionate kiss, which felt like she wanted this to happen. Then she offered to let me stay at her house. During the weeks I spent with Fleur, we became a couple and after getting my monthly paycheck, I managed to get more than enough bits and bought a wedding ring. I'm pretty sure you can guess what happened after that."
"You...did...WHAT?!" Fancy shouted in anger. "How dare you lay your lips on my Fleur! She is my marefriend, not your betrothed, you disgusting tyrant commoner!"
"Looks like this was one of the reasons why she left you! You just can't take no for an answer! Listen here, ya spoiled snob. Love is something that can't be bought. A real stallion doesn't have to be rich to make his mare happy. It's all about the heart and soul! It's similar to being a great leader and I've learned that the hard way when I was trying to take over Equestria. When I got banished to Tartarus for the 2nd time, I felt like I needed to think about my past mistakes. Take a look at yourself in the mirror, do you really think anypony is gonna want you if you start acting like that? NO! Now listen to me, Fleur has moved on, she's not interested in anything you have to offer and it's time for you to move on with your life as well." Thunder explains.
"Babe, did you just hear what I just heard?" Sunset whispered to Eternal.
"Yes, apparently, he's becoming more and more of a real stallion of high quality." Eternal whispered back.
Fancy Pants felt like he had just been slapped in the face after Thunder Drum just said that to his face. "Mark my words, stallion, I don't care if you ARE engaged to her, I will have her back." Fancy Pants quickly turned around and walked away.
"Good luck with that, because I'll be sure to file a restraining order on you if you even try to any of your futile tricks. That's no bluff, I can promise you that, Fancy Pants." Thunder says to himself.
"Y-you'd do that for us?" Fleur asks all shocked and surprised.
"Yes, Fleur." Thunder replied with a straight face.
"Darling, I...I don't know what to say." Fleur says.
"Keep your head held high. You're stronger than you think, Fleur. Never forget that." Thunder said. He then closed the front door and sat back down with the others to continue eating their meals.
"Thunder Drum, if you want, I can try to-" Eternal gets cut off.
"Don't bother trying to get me a home here in Ponyville. Fleur's letting me say at her place back in Canterlot. Besides, I have a job as a waiter over there to boot. I've caused enough trouble for you and your friends as it is." Thunder says.
"If that's how you feel, I wish you both the best of luck."
"Thank you, young prince." Fleur replied, before pecking Thunder Drum on the cheek. He blushed but didn't smile. "Oh, darling, you could a least smile for a change. I never even saw you smile, not even a smirk."
"I could try...I haven't smiled in a while, though." Thunder struggled to stretched his lips across his face, surprisingly it took a few seconds for him to hold his smile, making Fleur blush.
"Oh, you truly are a handsome stallion." Fleur says, making Thunder stop smiling and started blushing, looking away. Fleur couldn't help but giggle at how "cute" her fiance was when he's embarrassed.
'Jeez, I wish she didn't do this to me all the time. But whatever, if she's happy about it, I'm happy. Thunder thought to himself.
Everypony had finished their meals and with that, Thunder Drum and Fleur thanked Sunset and Eternal for the meal. Thunder and Fleur had immediately bought two tickets at the train station and left for Canterlot readying themselves for their wedding day.
