Flying in the Wrong Lane

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 1
Chapter 8

Chapter 2

Flying over Ponyville I couldn't help but notice the layout of the homes across the landscape. It wasn't that the houses themselves were very interesting, it was all the ponies that lived in them. We are taught during the Hearth's Warming celebration that once the three pony tribes hated each other. But, they came together in a time of crisis and formed lasting friendships. They said that an individual tribe no longer looked down on any other and that they saw each other as equals. I never really bought that.

Just looking at Ponyville you could see there was still some hostility. The unicorns mostly lived around the heart of the town, centered around town hall. The earth ponies lived in the north end of town and the pegasi lived on the outskirts. It wasn't deliberate. I don't think anypony ever really though about it. It's one of those things that ponies chose unconsciously. Besides, I think we all look to others like ourselves for comfort. The pegasi are the worst. You have to be harboring ether a major superiority or inferiority complex to build a city like, Cloudsdale. A city that only pegasi can visit without a bit of spell work.

Spotting my house I dropped in altitude and landing just outside my door. My house wasn't anything special just a single floored bungalow. If it was daylight I could have made out that its exterior was panted rustic red with white trim. The lights were still on so I assumed that somepony was still awake, more than likely just the colt-sitters. That's right I said sitters. I had left Cloudchaser and Flitter to watch after my brother but I seldom came home to just the two. They had a habit of inviting others over to make things more interesting. I didn't mind. It wasn't like I was paying them to watch Rumble. They still ate my food stores but I was just as guilty of doing the same at their house.

Opening the door the first pony I spotted was my friend Cloudchaser leaning against my fridge trying to open the beer she had in her hoof with her eyes.

"Hey, I thought told you no drinking while looking after my bro!" She looked up at me as I closed the door behind me.

"Hey! Hey, its my colt Thunderlane!" she sounded off as she walked my way,

"I wasn't going to drink this until you got home. But your home now so, here to staying young forever."

She popped the top and started to chug the ice cold beer. Watching the lavender blue coated mare chug my beer was more than enough to make me thirsty so I headed for the fridge to grab one of my own.

As I passed my sofa I heard the sound of snoring so I turned around to see who was the culprit. Laying on my sofa was Chase's twin sister Flitter. At first glance the twins looked almost identical except for their differences in hair style. Chase's hair was high and spiky. Flitter's on the other hoof was long, silky, and was usually held in place with large bow. Which she wasn't wearing at the moment. But if you were to set back and really look at them you would notice they were as different as night and day. Chase's body was toned from head to hoof from the rigorous exercise routine that she put herself through. She is every bit the athlete that our rainbow manned weather manger was. Flitter was sylph like and had much softer features. She was what a stallion would want in a mare. Flitter would often wear makeup and would curl her eye lashes. The only makeup Chase wore was mascara and if she was really getting dolled up, eye shadow.

Flitter was wearing a black t-shirt that hung loosely around her. It had some bald earth pony with a comic talk bubble saying, "Who loves you baby!". Laying in Flitters arms was a mare with watermelon colored hair. She was very cute in an adorkable kind of way. Her eyes were swollen and puffy.

I swear to Celestia if that punk Dumbbell hurt her I'll kill him. Blossomforth had a date tonight as well. She and Dumbbell were supposed to go out dancing but seeing as Blossomforth was here I knew that something must have happened. But, I wasn't about to wake her up to find out. I can always find out latter.

She was still wearing her date clothes. She had on this long sleeved frilly top and a short pleated skirt that matched her mane. I really felt for the little mare. She had only been a resident of Ponyville for a little over a year now and unlike many of the other pegasi residents she didn't move from Cloudsdale. She came out here after she graduated from some college in Fillydelphia. She was the only member of the weather team that actually had a degree in meteorology. The rest of us were just ponies with high school diplomas with more than a fair share of seminars under our belts.

Reaching the fridge I pulled out a cold beer, popped the top and took a swig. I had a mouthful of the hops flavored liquid when Chase broke the silence,

"So you're back kind of early. I take it that you didn't stick your stick in the marshmallow."

The statement caught my off guard and I sprayed the beer that I was just about to swallow out into the air,

"No! It was our first date. I wouldn't dare! And besides I'm not about to go into the intimate details of my love life with-you." I said before wiping off my dripping chin.

"Oh, come on Lane! Me and you were like so four years ago. We weren't even a couple. We were just buck buddies, that's it."

Blinking at her, I thought that I might just be over reacting. Chase was my best friend. And even given our history if I couldn't talk to her, who could I talk too.

"You dared during my first heat! And we weren't even dating," she added with a devious grin.

"You started that, not me!" I said pointing a hoof at her.

"What ever!" she said with a snarky smile, "So, uh, what did you do?"

"All I did was take her out to a nice rest-"

"You took her to a nice romantic restaurant. Chatted like you were old friends! Flirted and played hoofsies under the table. And then you took her back to her place like a gentlecolt and gave her a sweet kiss goodnight! It so romantic, Laney!" squealed Cloudkicker as she bounced out of Celestia knows where.

Sighing I pointed a hoof at the bouncing romance novel gorging mare in front of me,

"Chase! Your little sis, is right. What she said was pretty much how it went down."

Chase shot me a bored look,

"Sorry, I didn't know you were looking for Mrs. Right! I just knew that that frou frou mare was going to give you some. You practically had her at first catch," she replied sarcastically.

Knowing that she was referring to the incident with the balloon I couldn't help but wonder if that is why Rarity had asked me out in the first place. Perhaps it was just her way of thanking me for helping her out of tight spot or that she might have a crush on me for saving her. I don't know. I don't care. I just want to be happy.

"I don't know what I'm looking for, I'm just looking." I answered flatly.

"What ever makes you happy. Well I don't know about the rest of the girls but I'm heading home. I got a early morning workout session planned so I'm going to bounce,' said Chase as she waved and headed for the door. I watched her leave and then turned to CK, Cloudkicker.

She looked like she was about to explode. Her eyes were bulging and she had a hoof pressed against her mouth. I assumed that she was trying not to talk.

"Well, CK?" I asked as a turned my hoof in the air, motioning for her to speak her piece.

"I'm sooo glad you had a fun time with Ms. Rarity! She is like one of my best friends. We always catch up on the latest gossip and sometimes I go to the spa with her and Fluttershy. You wouldn't think it but Fluttershy loves to hear gossip, and she even spreads some. Well, only to me and Rarity. But, that's besides the point." she rambled on.

Raising my eyebrow I had to put an end to this before she talked my ear off,

"Get to the point, please." I groaned.

"Oh! The point is... I never thought you and Rarity would hit it off. But you did and it makes me like sooo happy!" she chirped.

Rarity and I were different. I was a weather pony who spent most of his off days bowling or playing horseshoes or some other recreational game. I spent quite a bit of time at the gym with my only real stallion friend, Snowflake. Me and Chase would often set up impromptu races between the two of us. Sometimes we even got Flitter and Blossomforth to race. And if we were really lucky and if she wasn't too busy we would hang out with Rainbow Dash. And it was no secret that me and Dash had started arranging little play dates just the two of us, my little brother Rumble, and Dash's protégé Scootaloo. It was Dash's idea. She thought that it would do the filly some good to hang around other pegasi. I giggled at the promise I was keeping for Scootaloo.

One day I had discovered her and this fragile looking pegasi colt named Featherweight having a little picnic not far from Fluttershy's cabin. I asked them if it was a date. Scootaloo insisted that it wasn't but Featherweight said that it was with a huge grin on his face. Ever since then I've kept it a secret. Scootaloo didn't want her friends to think she was into anything, well fillish.

"We are different, but opposites attract!" I rebuffed.

"I don't care if they do or don't. I'm just glad to of my best friends are dating," she said with a smile.

It wasn't long before she left to go home as well. Blossom and Flitter were still a sleep on the couch so I left a note taped to the front door telling them that if they woke up sometime during the night they could just stay here. And if the couch got uncomfortable they could crash in the spare bedroom. I don't even know why I bothered with the note. They would have stayed anyways.

I walked down the hallway to my little brother's room. He was snuggled up in his Wonderbolt pj's in under a Wonderbolt themed bed spread. He was smiling in his sleep. I did my best for the little guy. It was hard sometimes being a parent. Mom had died of cancer over seven years ago and dad a few years after that. Looking over at his bed side table I spotted two pictures. The first was a family portrait. It was the last one we took as a family.

Dad stood behind us with a foreleg wrapped around mom's waist. His hoof was laying gently over my shoulder he wasn't looking at the camera like the rest of us he was gazing down at me with the biggest smile on his face. That was a great day. Before we went to the camera shoot we had just come from a Wonderbolts show, and I still had my flight goggles dangling from my neck. Moms smile was faint she was happy but the smile hid that she was in almost constant pain and she had a turban wrapped around her head that hid the fact that the chemo had left her once beautiful mane nothing more than a few ragged locks. Rumble was almost too big to be toted around by then but Mom had him cradled in her arms anyway. He was wearing a onesie styled after the wonderbolts' flight suits. His smile was forced and hid how grumpy he was about having to stay up past his nap time. I had a duplicate of the picture on my night stand. I loved it because it reminded me of the time when we were all together, when we were all a family.

The other frame held an autographed picture of the Wonderbolts Co-captains, Soarin and Spitfire. Me and Rumble had to wait for five hours in a line after a Wonderbolts show. It was hot and it was sticky but Rumble didn't seem to mind. He was grinning ear to ear and he didn't complain at all. When we finally got up to the autograph table he handed them the picture and the two athletes signed it and asked him if he wanted to be a Wonderbolt one day and his answer took the two ace's by surprise,

"Nope! I love watching your shows but I'm going to be paramedic pony like my mommy," he pointed up too me and then added, "But watch out cause my big bro here is going to be the best Wonderbolt ever!"

Spitfire eyed my and then shot me a cocky smile,

"Is that true, kid!"

I nodded yes.

Jumping over the table she rose up on her tippy hooves trying match my height and barked,

"You will address your superior officer correctly or you will be doing laps around the colosseum! You got that cadet!"

How on earth the sexy mare laying across a cloud wearing her Wonderbolts letterman jacket with such smoky eyes on my pinup at home was actually this fiery mare in front of me was beyond me. Not wanting to disappoint one of my idols I raised my hoof and saluted her sounding off,

"Yes, Sir Capitan Spitfire, Sir!"

She relaxed and placed a hoof on my shoulder,

"That's better kid, now what's you name?"

I gulped and then answered,

"My name is Thunderlane Cloudstorm."

Behind Spitfire, Soarin looked up from his latest signed work and asked,

"Are you Hammerthrough Cloudstorm's son?

"Yes, Capitan Soarin," I said as I saluted him.

Smiling at my gesture he got up from his seat and walked around the table. Holding his hoof out he said in a voice sounding like it was about to break,

"I want to shake the hoof of the son of my hero!"

I gazed at his hoof and then up to Soarin. I didn't know how to react to his words. I could feel tears start to pool at the corner of my eyes. I knew he didn't mean anything by it but he had poked at a still fresh wound.

"Laney? Aren't you going to shake cap'in Soarin's hoof?" asked Rumble innocently.

I looked down to Rumble and he was giving me a look that mirrored my own. I shot my eyes back up to Capitan Soarin and then reached out and shook his hoof.

"Our job as Wonderbolts is to encourage other ponies to join the military. It's ponies like Sergeant First Class Hammerthrough Cloudstorm that makes me continue to do my job. I had the pleasure of serving with your Dad during the boarder disputes not long after I graduated from the academy. If there ever was a pony that I would want to have my back it was him. If you ever need a reference letter or anything let me know. I'll be glad to put in a good word for you."

After he shook my hoof he offered Rumble the same. By this time I was crying. Spitfire didn't look so hot. Her wings had drooped and she couldn't even look me in the eye. All she offered was a weak apology and that she was sorry for my loss.

It was a hard day but it was one I would never forget. I looked down at Rumble as I sat down on the edge of his bed. I lowered myself down and nuzzled his cheek. It must have been cold because he shivered. I edged back and then I ran my hoof through his charcoal mane. He was going to be a handsome stallion one day. He looked so much like dad that sometimes I thought I was looking at some of the old pictures Grandma used to show us of when dad was just a foal. The only difference was that Rumble had mom's eyes.

After dad died I stepped up and raised my little brother. I was just out high school then and although I wanted to go to college I had other responsibilities. Grandma and Grandpa Cloudstorm tried to get us to move in with them but I felt that I had to do this on my own. I had more or less raised Rumble since mom died and I thought that given that dad was rarely at home anyways that it would be any different now that he was gone. For the most part it wasn't but Rumble would sometimes get sad and I would do my best to console him. But, Rumble didn't have as much luck consoling me.

I leaned over and kissed his forehead and then headed off to my room. It was simply furnished, just a bed, a couple of side tables and a few other odds and ends. After brushing my teeth I slid into my bed. In those fleeting few moments I thought of my friends, my little brother, and finally my most recent date, Rarity. She was everything I was looking for in a mare. She was smart, beautiful, and hard working. She had great taste in food and clothing. I could honestly imagine myself spending the rest of my life with her. As my mind gave way to sleep, a lone thought escaped into my head. Still something was...missing.

Chapter 3

It was the same bar. The same damn bar that had started it all. I sat there sipping on my frothy topped beer chatting with the bar keep. The bar keep was one of those kind of ponies that you could just talk to without feeling like you are boring them to death with your life story. She was a plum colored mare by the name of Berryshine and if you stayed late enough you could watch her drink more than she sold. She held her liquor well and usually you could never tell she was the least bit intoxicated.

A few beers and confessions later a golden brown stallion slipped onto the stool beside me. Berryshine's face lit up with a warm smile.

"Hi yaa! Caramel!" she greeted him.

Caramel was a common sight around Ponyville. He was a clownish colt that was comicly forgetful. I don't know if it is just his nature or if it was his act. But he was likeable enough.

"Where's Sassaflash?" she asked him.

"She's gone to Las Pegasus. She landed a little modeling gig, something about being a model for some casino's pamplet."

"Ooo!" whistled Berryshine.

I listened to them talk back and forth for a few minuets and just when I was starting to get board I reached for my pint of beer. My hoof brushed against another's and my eyes shot down to see that I had my hoof over Caramels. I slowly looked up and saw that Caramels face was painted a deep shade of red. I quickly pulled back and gave him a nervous grin,

"Sorry I thought that was my beer!"

He opened his mouth and then closed it. I watched his eyes cross as he was trying to find something to say. Finally he spoke up,

"I think it was, I'm the one that should be sorry, bud."

Meanwhile Berryshine stood there grinning like a fool at our awkward exchange. I had the sudden need to do something hyper masculine so I let out a loud, belch.

Giggling, Caramel let out one of his own. I could feel eyes bore into my back side as I heard some of the other patrons whisper about how uncouth the two of us were being. Caramel must have heard them too, because he turned in his seat and told them off,

"Come on, Ladies and Gentlecolts! This is a bar! We come her to let loose and get out from the scrutiny of the public eye. Berryshine tries so hard to make this like a second home. And I'll be a rotten apple if I don't do that!"

A Stallion in a rhinestone shirt lifted his glass and said,

"Here, Here!"

With a grin Caramel turned back around asking,

"Uh, where were we?"

We talked and drank for a while until we were both on the verge of being drunk. He and I walked outside and I followed him to his house. I wasn't going to let my new friend pass out on the way. So, we got to his door and were to the point that I should have left him but he invited me in for another drink.

I was sitting on his couch when he brought a bottle of gin and two shot glasses. We talked about past marefriends and the stupid stuff we had done. After a couple of shots, he learned that I was a sad drunk.

"I'm never going to find the one. I'm going to be alone, HICK, forever!" I wined.

"Ponyfeathers! You just hadn't found the right right one, bud." he reassured me.

I motioned to my body and said,

"Just look at me! Don't no mare want this!"

Smiling he leaned closer and said,

"Bud, your just taking nonsense! Your pretty enough to kiss!"

I don't know what made me think it much less do it but I took that as a invitation, so I pressed my lips hard against his. When I realized what I was doing I started to pull back but I found that I couldn't. He had his hooves wrapped around the back of my head. I mentally said, "Buck it!", letting out a low moan. He lowered his hooves down from my face and put them around my waist and pulling me into his lap. I teased his lips with my tongue and he let me in.

After our little waltz we broke our kiss and he laid me down on the couch and the two of us proceeded to make out. In the fog of drunken breath I ran my hooves down his back taking in every little contour of his taut body. I didn't know what he did to stay get in such good shape but I didn't care. I wraped my tail around his and pulled him closer and he let out a moan in agreement at where this was heading. Rolling off the couch we landed in the floor with a combined,

"Oof!" Taking a moment, I looked at him laying beneath me. His mane was a mess and he was wearing a goofy grin only made sillier by his glowing face. I didn't know if was the alcohol or if has actually blushing at our actions. I lowered my head and planted a kiss on his neck. He gasped as I placed several more of them down his neck. He pushed me back and croaked,

"Are we really going to do this?"

I pouted and then replied,

"We don't have too, if you think it is too uncomfortable."

He responed with a hollow,

"But, I'm not gay!"

I smiled and said with bravado,

"Me neither!"

He giggled at my faux confidence and then raised up and bit the end of my ear and pulled me down on top of him. And just before we started up again he whispered in my ear with his warm breath,

"I don't know what this is but, if your game I'm willing to get to the bottom of this," as he reached up and smacked me on my flank.

As I woke up the first thing I noticed was that I was going to have to wash my sheets again. That dream always got me. It was just a stupid memory. Or that was what I had tried to convince myself of, but every time I had that dream a little more of the memory came back to me. I was so drunk at the time that I didn't really remember much at all about that night. I just knew that I woke up laying in the middle of Caramels living room floor with my butt hurting and his coffee table pushed all the way against the wall. The room smelled faintly of sweat, alcohol, and sex. My mouth was filled with a mixture of morning breath, alcohol, and some other salty sweet flavor that I couldn't place. Caramel was laying just a foot or so from me and his fur and mane were filthy with Celestia knows what with a half empty jar of petroleum jelly cradled in his hooves. I panicked and ran out.

Latter we met up and we agreed to never talk about what happened ever again. It was just a bad experience that the two of us didn't want to be repeated. I tried to forget it but with each dream I was made more aware that he had made me in just one evening feel more alive than I have ever have.

Shifting in my bed I brushed up against something warm. I could feel a blush crawl across my face as I realized that I wasn't alone in my bed. I looked over at my clock and saw that it was a little after five in the morning so I mentally checked off the possibility that it was Rumble. Getting Rumble up before six-thirty was like a battle royale. That left only two possibilities. One was very possible. Flitter would often do strange and sometimes inappropriate stuff just to buck with me. That was just part of who she was. Whereas Chase usually would only tangle with me verbally, Flitter would go right for the juggler. And would get all touchy just to make me stutter or blush or get very angry. I was ready to get this over with so I turned over to face my challenger.

I kept my eyes closed trying my best to feign sleep. I didn't want Flitter to realize that I was awake aa I snuggled against her chest. She let out a pleased,

"mmm mmm."

I felt her snuggle closer. I freed a wing and then started to feel around clumsily trying to find her face. When I found it I slowly moved my muzzle towards hers and then I planted a soft kiss on her lips. Something about this wasn't right. She didn't back up and make any gagging noises nor did she leap off my bed and try to wipe off what ever boy germs I might have had. What she did do was gasp,

"Oh, Thunderlane! I knew you had feelings for me."

My eyes shot opened as I realized who I was sharing my bed with and whose voice I had heard. Blossom lay there all snuggly and warm under my blanket with a bright blush glowing across her muzzle. I watched as she licked her lips in satisfaction. I wanted to kick her but I recognized that her breathing wasn't the wakeful irregular breaths of the conscious world. It was the slow and steady cadence of sleep.

I lifted up the sheets to see if she was still dressed, thinking that if she was she probably had just mistaken my room for the guest room and stumbled in to finish out her nap. I flinched at the sight of her with out her clothes. Dropping the sheets I sat up and looked around the room for her clothes. I spotted them crumpled up in a pile beside my armoire. The next thought I had was how I had messed the sheets so I got out bed and went to wash up. I returned a few minuets later with a wet towel and a spray bottle of air freshener. I scrubbed the spot clean and then sprayed the air with the freshener trying to get rid of the smell of my accident.

It was still very early. Too early for an off day so I got back into bed and tried to go back to sleep. I thought about how Blossom had looked when I came home. Her eyes had been puffy from crying about something that had happened. She must have fallen asleep in Flitters arms as Flitter tried to comfort her. I felt guilty.

I was going to ask her out and had all ready planed out how I was going to ask her when Rarity caught me looking over Roseluck's flower arrangements. I was just about get a price on a bouquet of Daisies, Blossom's favorite flower, when Rarity walked up and started making small talk. Before I knew it she had shanghaied me into a date. Not that I was adverse to the idea, Rarity was a very pretty mare and was interesting to talk too. There is no rule that said a stallion couldn't date more than one mare. It's not like we were exclusive or anything. But after the date I knew one thing for sure and that was that I couldn't do that to Rarity. And that brought me back to the mixed feelings I had while laying next to Blossom.

I turned over to face Blossom. I gave her sleeping form a smile. I decided to do something that could be
reasoned as being inappropriate. Reaching towards her I wrapped my hooves around her waist just above her hips and pulled her towards me. She giggled at my touch. I wiggled closer to her and rolled on to my back I then tilted her my way with my wing until she her head fell on my chest. immediately she started to nuzzle my coat. Her hoof reached out and wraped around my middle as she squeezed my slightly. Her wing then slid under the cover stopping only after it was draping over me. Letting out a pleasant sigh she smiled in her sleep again.

Laying there I watched her sleep. Dancing beneath their lids her eyes had began to give off the tail tail signs that she was in deep rem sleep. She was like a angel laying gently against me. And just as I was drifting back to sleep another thought crossed my mind one that would add to the soup of strange feelings and thoughts.

"Damn it! Between thoughts of my forbidden acts with Caramel, the awesome date with Rarity, and the cuteness of Blossom, I don't have a clue what I want." I mentally hissed.

Chapter 4

I woke up for the second time to find that Blossom was still in my bed. She hadn't moved an inch from where I had placed her. Gazing over at my clock I noticed it was a little past eight so I wiggled out from underneath her and made my way down to the kitchen. Rumble would be up by now and I had promised him a hot breakfast before I left for my date with Rarity.

As I made my way down the hall I could smell something cooking. It smelt like pancakes, and they smelt burnt. Panic set in and I ran down the short hall to stop Rumble from getting any further in his crimes against cooking. I looked over at the stove to find the culprit wasn't Rumble, it was Flitter struggling to flip a pancake that was obviously stuck to the skillet.

"Curse you, flapjack of evil!" she spat. Her face was set in a irate grimace.

I watched this for just a few moments before I had enough,

"Flitter!"

She turned to me wielding the spatula like a battleax. I walked over to the stove and turned the heat down. Removing the skillet from the heat source I shot Flitter a warm smile,

"I'll take it from here."

She reluctantly handed over the spatula and walked back to the living room. After cleaning the dishes and throwing away the crusty hard excuses for pancakes I started over. While I was cooking Rumble walked over to the fridge and poured himself a glass of OJ. His mane was a mess and he still had little crusty stuff in the corners of his eyes.

"Did you sleep good," I asked.

"Uh huh" was all he managed to say as he walked back to the living room. I laughed at his near zombie like gate. He was not a morning pony. Flitter made her way back into the kitchen. She had clearly composed herself from her earlier exploits.

"So, how was your date with Rarity?" she asked in a silvery tone.

"It was great!"

"If it was so great then why did you bed Blossomforth?" she asked sounding very accusatory.

"I...I didn't sleep with Blossom," I replied before facehoofing, "Ok, I did sleep with Blossom but we didn't do anything but-sleep."

Sashaying to my right she leaned against the counter and gave me a hard look,

"You lie."

She was starting to irritate me,

"What proof do you have?"

Giving me a mischievous grin she started to list the evidence,

"One, when she and I got up last night I told her that I was going to crash in the your spare bedroom. She told me that she would be right behind me but she never came. So when I woke up this morning I started to look for her and when I didn't find her on the couch I looked in your room. I found the two of you laying there all cuddle up together and you were wearing a post-coitus grin."

I gulped, that first one was a little hard to explain. I did cuddle her and I may have been wearing a post-coitus grin given the dream I had beforehoof.

"Two, your room smelt of your vile acts. Or, well all I could smell was air freshener and the slightest hint of male musk. So you were hiding you debaucheries."

Ok, I had to admit that it was looking like Judge Flitter was about to throw the book at me. The room smelled because of my wet dream there was no denying that and I should have known better than to try to cover it up with air freshener although I hadn't considered that Flitter would walk in on us sleeping.

"And three, Blossom isn't the kind of mare to just sneak in to a stallions room just to sleep beside him. She isn't that creepy. So, you must have seduced her you vile male. I would never treat any mare in such a matter."

The last bit was absurd and just as I was about to give Judge Fillyfooler Flitter a piece of my mind she pointed to the now smoking skillet,

"Uh, its not supposed to do that right?" she added meekly.

I turned to my now ruined pancake and I fished it from the hot skillet. I turned back to Flitter after pouring another patty and gave her a hostile look,

"We are not done with this conversation. But, we will have to call a truce until I'm done cooking."

She gave a haughty laugh and replied,

"What ever you say master baker!"

She started to walk away but was her path was blocked by Blossomforth.

"Uh! Hi," she peeped. Turing to get a better look at Blossomforth I noticed that she was glowing three shades of red. Her wing tips met in front of her and she was tapping her primaries together.

"I..."

Flitter sat back on her haunches trying to figure out what the scrunching up of Blossom's muzzle meant. After flipping the pancake I looked back at her trying to figure out what she was about to say.

"I..."

"I what?" impatiently asked Flitter.

"I... am one of those cr...creepy mares that would sneak in too a stallions room and...gulp, sleep beside him," she muttered.

Flitter deadpanned. And then started to shake her head.

"And me and Lane didn't have coitus although that wouldn't have been that bad of an-" Blushing she didn't finish her sentence.

Empting the skillet I poured another pancake, it wasn't as pretty as the others. The conversation was far more interesting. When I turned back around from my cooking the only mare that was still in the kitchen was Flitter. Looking at me over her shoulder she gave me a thin smile,

"I'm sorry, Laney! I shouldn't jump to conclusions."

As she finished her sentence I heard a door slam. It sounded like it was the door of my room. Sighing I knew that before I had any breakfast I was going to have a talk with Blossomforth. I wasn't looking forward to that.

Flitter had the table set by the time I finished cooking. I set the pile of pancakes in the middle of the table and then went to the fridge to grab some fresh fruit. After dicing up some strawberries and bananas I added it to the list of possible variations that were already possible given that we had maple syrup, ribbon cane syrup, honey, chocolate sauce, and blueberries. Flitter and Rumble had already started to make their plates. I washed up and then walked back to my room. I still had a chore to do.

Blossom was sitting on the edge of my bed gently rocking back and forth. She didn't even look up as I entered the room. Sitting down beside her I noticed that she had been crying, again.

"Blossom?" I asked softly. She turned to me. I saw that her eyes were full of tears and she was biting her bottom lip. Reaching around her middle I pulled her into a half hug. Laying her head on my shoulder she finally started to speak,

"I'm... sorry for sneaking into your room and sleeping beside you. I such a bad pony."

I hated when she did this, Blossomforth had this annoying habit of belittling herself if anything when wrong. Sometimes even when it had nothing to do with her.

"Look, I'm not mad." I said as I raised her chin up with my free hoof. She just gave me a blank stare.

"Do I look mad?

Sniffing she replied, a bubble forming across her lips as she spoke,

"No."

Giving her a smile I nuzzled her cheek. Then I sighed,

"What am I going to do with you?" I asked sweetly. She looked down and started to fidget her hooves that rested in her lap,

"I don't know. I'm just so mixed up. I try to make friends and I try to get stallions to pay attention to me. But, they never do. And even if they do notice me as soon as I open my mouth they write me off as being an egghead or a book worm."

I gave her a squeeze,

"I think that maybe you just haven't met the right one yet." I blinked a couple of times and giggled as I realized I had just paraphrased Caramel's words of comfort.

Rolling her hooves she looked up at me,

"What if I have found a stallion that I think is the right one. How would I go about telling him?"

"Well tell me what makes him special to you," I asked. I figured it would be harmless to find out just what Blossom's taste in stallions were.

"He's brave and he is always willing to help anypony that asks. He's kind and caring. He can cook and sew. The way he makes me feel is just amazing. I feel like I can do anything with him around. And when I'm down he can always help me to feel better about myself. He's smart. Sometimes I think he is smarter than me. But he isn't like me. Sometimes I tend to use my education and big vocabulary in ways that may come across as being prude. He would make a great dad one day." she said with each sentence she became more exited.

I thought for a minute trying to imagine the stallion she was describing. Once I had a firm picture in mind I tired to sift through all of the stallions I knew that had those qualities. Needless to say the list was small. I could only think of three stallions that fit that criteria, and they were Snowflake, the Apple families pride and joy Big Mac, and myself.

"Well you have quite a few options," I answered.

"Oh, really like what?" she asked.

"You could just tell him or you could write him a love letter or you could just walk up to him a plant a kiss right on his lips if you were feeling bold," I said with a smile. She wiped away her tears and then turned to look at me. Her pupil's had become huge as she leaned in. I just knew she was about to kiss me but she stopped just shy of my lips when she squeed and squeezed me tight,

"You give the best advice, Laney! I think I'll write him a letter."

I mentally let out a sigh of relief. I liked Blossom but I didn't want her crushing on me and making me feel like I was letting her down by dating Rarity. Bouncing up from her set she looked at me with an impossible wide grin,

"You were cooking breakfast so I assume you are done because you came to talk to me."

I gave her a weak smile,

"Yep, I finished a while ago."

She shot out a hoof and poked me in my belly and then said,

"That's good, because I'm starving. And by the rumbly grumbly sounds your belly was making I think you are too."

I looked down to my stomach. I was so focused on trying to make Blossom feel better I hadn't even noticed my stomach shouting profanities at me for not feeding it sooner.

Chapter 5

Stretching I found that I was actually alone in my bed this morning. I tried not to stretch to far because my muscles were still tight from my work out with Snowball. Yawning, I rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom. After my morning whiz I stumbled into the kitchen to fix some coffee. Like Rumble I wasn't really a morning pony, but after a couple of cups of coffee I could do just about anything. The clock on my stove read seven-seventeen. Yawning again I poured a cup of coffee. The inky blackness's aroma flowed over my nose as I took a sip. I was just about to melt into a world of caffeine bliss when I heard a creak come from some where near my front door.

Laying on the floor just inches from the door was light blue envelop. Any other day I would have dismissed the letter as a delivery from Ditzy. Today was Sunday and the mail didn't run on Sunday. Waltzing over to the door I scooped the letter up and then I opened the door. Looking outside I saw there weren't too many ponies on the streets. I spotted Dizzy Twister across the way. She must have noticed me because she lifted her hoof and waved at me with a big smile on her lips. Returning the wave I headed back inside. Sitting on the couch I eyed the letter suspiciously. Burning with curiosity I ripped it open and unfolded the contents. I could feel my eye twitch as I came to the conclusion that it was a love letter. My mind flashed back to my conversation with Blossomforth the day before and begrudgingly I began to read the letter,

My dearest Thunderlane,

You are so delightfully cruel, my love. Stealing from me the opportunity to gaze upon your waking eyes. Oh, how I wanted to kiss you and breathe into your lungs my first breath. Doth thou find leaving me cold and aching, waiting like the fallow grounds of winter for the spring thaw, a pleasure. For you my love I would wait till judgment day. I would suffer a thousand deaths or a thousand years upon the lovely moon. I bask in the radiance of your smile and I burn in your kindness. Please! I beg of you, do not make me wait. Don't make me suffer this intolerable hollow that stands agape in place of my heart. Fill me with your love and make me yours. Let our souls eternally dance arm in arm, cheek against cheek. I await your tender lips that you so gently placed against mine in my dreams.

Eternally yours,

The pony who waits.

The letter was eloquent and its tone alluring. I wished it was hoof written but alas it was not. Somepony had taken the time to cut out each individual letter from other works, more than likely from magazines, and pasted them on the page. Like I wouldn't know who wrote it. It was a good effort on her part but the letter screamed, Blossom. I promised myself that after services I would go and find her and let her know that I couldn't date her and Rarity. It was going to be a hard thing to do but it had to be done.

"What's for breakfast?" asked Rumble with a yawn.

Folding the letter up I turned to greet my still sleepy brother. His front hooves were stretched out in front of him and he had his back arched looking like a big cat.

"How does oatmeal sound?" I asked.

Raising an eye brow he said flatly,

"Are you crazy?"

Rumble stood there admiring himself in the mirror. He was wearing a charcoal black blazer, and a collared purple dress shirt with matching tie. He looked uncomfortable. I watched him roll his shoulders as the tried to get comfortable but ultimately he gave up with a sigh. It wouldn't be to much longer before he had to have new service duds.

"Your still a growing stallion!" I mused.

Looking up at me he let out a groan,

"Why do we have to dress up to go to services? Why can't I just go plain?"

Slipping my tie snugly against my throat I gave him a disgruntled look,

"You only have to get dressed up one day a week. You can survive a couple of hours of being uncomfortable."

Stomping his foot he turned back to the full length mirror. Looking up from him to the mirror I looked myself over. My blazer was the same color as his but instead of a purple undershirt I was wearing a light blue-green shirt with a silver tie. Rumbles clothes matched his mane and eyes. Mine matched my coat and mane. I tried once to match an article of clothing with my eyes but I gave up trying. Amber just looked so tacky. It made me look like one of those dance crazed stallions that frequented establishments like, Disco's Discount Dance Club. Don't get me wrong I love to dance but I don't want to put the disco ball to shame.

Looking over my wings I noticed that in putting on my clothes a few feathers had wiggled out of place. A few quick adjustments and my wings were perfect. I gazed down at Rumble to see him lick his hoof and then run it over his mane, giving it a more laid back look.

"You look almost perfect," I said with a cocky grin.

He smiled back but then as he realized what I was saying he frowned and then tried to get away.

"Oh, no you don't!" I half shouted as I grabbed hold of him and pulled him back towards me. He tried in vane to get away. But he wasn't about to get away from the preening extraordinaire, Lane. With a grunt he gave up. Dropping his shoulders he started to sulk.

Gently I pressed my hoof at the base of his wings and they immediately fanned out as the nerves sent an involuntary signal out commanding them to open. Taking the wing closest first I began to straighten up his feathers. It took them between my lips and gently layered them to give his wing a smooth look. My hot breath washed over the delicate skin underneath and I watched his shoulders rise back up in relaxation. I don't know why he runs away because every time I do this he becomes so relaxed and sometimes it even makes him droopy eyed. Moving to the next wing I noted the silly expression he was making. His eyes were indeed droopy and his tongue hung out of the corner of his mouth. He loved it, he just like playing hard to get. As I finished I wrapped in a big hug. He allowed me to hold him in my hooves for just a minuet before he let out a complaint,

"All right! All right, that's enough being mushy."

I let one arm fall away and then I gave him a noogie, messing up his mane. He squirmed and tried to wiggle free but just like trying to run away it was in vain. I dropped him to his rump and then walked away leaving him a bright red.

We walked over the fire place and looked over the our little families shrine that sat atop the mantle piece. We had pictures of mom, dad, and Grandma Silverwing. We also had little brass and silver figurines of the royal sisters. They weren't very ornate just the forms of two alicorn mares, one with a stylized sun above her head and the other with the triple moon above hers. I lifted Rumble up and let him light the two candles that sat up there with the altar pieces. After that the two of us sat back down and bowed our heads. I glanced over toward Rumble,

"Do you want to lead us in prayer?"

He shot me a huge grin and said,

"Really? You never let me lead the prayer."

I nodded, yes. And then he began.

"Honored Spirits of the land, sea, and sky. Our blessed sun and sanctified moon. Watch over and protect us. Guide our lives and help us seek harmony. Princesses Celestia and Luna, children of the first spirits and guardians of the faith watch over us and lead our great nation into times of peace and prosperity. Ancestor spirits we give praise to thee! Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed and we shall ever hold vigil. We swear to pass on the way of harmony onto our foals and our foals, foals until time in memoriam." he trialed off.

We sat there heads bowed for a few quite moments before he added an impromptu prayer of his own,

"Please watch over me and my brother Thunderlane. Bless my friends and their families. I thank you for giving me such good friends. Thank you for such nice teachers and other nice grownups like Flitter, Cloudchaser, Cloudkicker, Blossomforth, and Snowflake. Thank you Rainbow Dash for getting my big brother a good job."

I cringed at the mention of Dash. She was a great boss and even before she got the position she was responsible for helping me get on. But she was a hardflank to work with sometimes.

"I hope that mom, dad, and grandma are doing well and that you spirits are keeping them happy, ahmare!

He looked up to me with hopeful eyes. I didn't really smile but I could feel that my eyes were,

"I couldn't have said it better, squirt."

After that we headed out for the public services that were held at the large Shrine out in the White Tail Woods. And I briefly wondered who was going to be our prayer leader today and what they were going to offer. The week before it was Lyra Heartstrings. And she had lead us in a hymn to the spirits. She always added a bit of humor to the otherwise dull monotony of the usually drab event. The prayer leader was always chosen at random, but no pony had to do it if they didn't want too. I just hoped that it wasn't me.

Chapter 6

"Hey, Rumble! Looking sharp, little guy!" said Chase with gusto as she crouched down to his level. She looked to be admiring his suit. She had saw him in his little suit more than a dozen times but she always made over him. It was better than what Flitter usually does. As if on cue I heard her start to gush over my little brother,

"Eeep! Oh, my gosh you are so cute!" she shrieked. A look of panic crossed his face as Flitter crossed the distance between them. Chase held out a hoof to protect him from her advance but she with a flap of her wings she was over the obstacle and was baring down on Rumble like a hawk trying to catch a mouse. Chase covered her mouth with a hoof and was wearing a sly grin when she let out,

"He He!"

Rolling my eyes at her my attention returned to Flitter and Rumble. While I was looking away she had caught him and was currently twirling him round and round. After a few more revolutions she ceased spinning like a top and brought him in to nuzzle his cheek. He looked like he was drunk. He quickly sobered up as she rubbed muzzles with him. He wiggled his way free of her vice like grip and was running back towards me. Running underneath me he pointed a hoof at his arch nemesis,

"Keep her away-" he tried to say but was cut off by the wet sound of a smooch.

Looking down I watched him turn three shades of red. CK had snuck up on him whilst he was trying to threaten Flitter. Her lips was still pressed against his cheek. I couldn't help but laugh. Pulling back she started to snort and laugh. Rumble was true to his name he was shaking in anger from head to hoof and it was adorable. Finally he calmed down enough to react. Walking out from underneath me he stuck his nose in the air and walked on toward the gathering crowd. We all shared a fit of giggles before the three sisters huddled together to give me a chorus line of greeting,

"What's up!"

"Hello."

"Hiya!"

Looking over the mares I took note of what they were wearing to service. Chase was wearing a black blazer with purple pin stripes, a solid white dress shirt, and a purple tie. Flitter was wearing a cyan sun-dress with a matching short coat. Her hair was tied back with her signature bow. CK was wearing a halter top dress that matched her mane. They looked amazing.

Spotting Rumble I walked over and took a seat on the grass. Flitter sat down to my right on the other side of Rumble. I could tell by the look on his face he didn't like that at all. Chase sat to my left with CK next to her. Snowflake and Blossom found their way to our spot and sat on the other side of CK. Leaning forward Blossom looked over at me with blush. It looked funny against her white suit top with matching undershirt and green tie over a watermelon colored pencil skirt. When she realized that I had noticed her she backed up and became rather stiff looking. I was so focused on my not so secret admirer that I gasped in surprise as a pair of hooves wrapped around my neck and pulled me back.

"Good morning, Laney!" purred Rarity into my ear. It was a pleasant surprise as I felt a goofy smile start to inch its way across my face. Her blue eyes sparkled like twin sapphires in the midday sun.

"Good Morning, Rare!" I said with a squeaky voice. I could feel a blush start to form on my face as my friends gawked at the two of us. Taking the chance to claim me, she planted a kiss on my cheek. I could feel my ears burn hot from the simple sign of affection. I heard a little laugh to my right and after Rarity let me go I looked down to see a wicked smile on Rumbles face,

"Not so funny when somepony is kissing you is it." We all laughed at the joke, all accept for Rarity. She wasn't privy to our earlier exchange. Turning around I decided to talk to Rarity a little before the service started.

"How have you been?"

"Oh you know, just keeping my hooves busy." she answered in a sing song voice.

"You have always got something going for you. I wonder how you have the time to make yourself so, ravishing," I said.

"Oh, stop!" she said with a wave of her hoof, "Your making me blush."

"Ahem!"

Looking towards the interjection I spotted Snowflake. He nodded toward a now sulking Blossom. Mentally I started to berate myself. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I felt a hoof reach out and touch my shoulder. Following the hoof up I noticed that Rarity was wearing a concerned look. Hearing the distinctive fwoop! My eyes shot back to Blossom. She wasn't there so my eyes shot skyward. I watched her fly off. Turning to Rarity I apologized for what I was about to do. With a flap of my wings I was airborne and I was giving chase.

I followed her on a winding course above Ponyville. I thought she was heading home but as it passed underneath us I knew for sure she was going somewhere else. She flew on until we came upon Froggy Bottom Bog. Slowing down I watched her curl into a spiraling descent. After she landed I followed suit.

The water logged soil felt spongy under my hooves. It was covered in moss and sprigs of wire grass. The air was moist, earthy, and stagnate. I pealed my service clothes off and hung them on the branch of a nearby willow, I didn't want them to become filthy in this atmosphere. And besides if Blossom decided to take flight again I wouldn't be so restricted and I could chase her in earnest. I hadn't walked but a few feet when an angry voice called out,

"GO! AWAY!"

Flattening my ears I turned to the source of the out burst. Blossomforth was glaring at me with nostrils flared. Her mascara was running and she looked like she would fight me if I stepped closer.

"Blossom?"

Stomping the ground she rushed forward and bumped chest with me. Lowing myself I tried my best to show her that I wasn't a threat. All this seemed to do was make her angrier. Baring teeth and lashing her tail from side to side I could see the whites of her eyes. She was furious.

"Listen Blossom!"

"Shut up!" she spat. I looked her over and I noticed that she must have tore at her clothes in anger because a sleeve was missing and her skirt was ripped up the side. Sitting down I held out my hooves motioning for her to calm down. All I got in return was a smack to the face as she whipped her tail around raking it across my nose and eyes. Raising a hoof I cleared the mist from my vision.

Blossom had her wings out wide, typical pegasi intimidation technique. If I tried to reason with her I knew that I was going to get hurt so I decided to try a different tactic. Rising to my feet I threw my wings out wide and rushed over to her bumping my chest against hers. Pressing my head against hers, I let out a loud blow from my nostrils. Glaring into her eyes I watched as her anger melted away and was replaced by, fear. Oh, no. I frightened her. I thought. Her wings sank and she fell to her rump and started to sob.

"Why? Why, does it have to be you?" she said between sobs.

Sitting down beside her I sighed,

"I don't know." I said earnestly.

Sniffing she looked up at me,

"Why are you with her, when you could be with me." She had to ask the question that I didn't have the answer too. Or maybe I did but I didn't want to admit it.

"Look I had planed on asking you out, ok. If you don't believe me just ask Chase. I even went to buy you flowers and I had it all planed out. But while I was shopping Rarity came up to me and started talking. Before I knew it she was asking me out. I couldn't say no."

"Oh, so you couldn't say no. So, what? Did you just put me off on the backburner thinking that if things went south between you and Rarity you could have a back up date." she spat as her anger started to resurface.

"No, never." I replied sounding breathy.

"What do you want, hmm!" she said as she stood up, "when you get it figured out- don't tell me."

She started to prance away. I ran over to my clothes shouting over my shoulder about what she had wrote,

"In your letter you said you would wait till judgment day!"

Whipping around she gave me a venomous look,

"I'm not done writing my letter to you yet and be... you got a love letter?" she trailed off in surprise.

Those words didn't even get out of her mouth before I realized that I didn't have the letter. My eyes drew to pin pricks as I realize the only place it could came out of my pocket was when Rarity...

"Oh, no!"

After an introduction from Mayormare the Service had gotten off to a smashing start. They were currently being led in prayer by the solemn tones of Big Mac. Rarity hadn't heard so much come from the farm ponies mouth before. His words were straight to the point and the prayer had ended just as quickly as it had began. Before leaving the pulpit he reminded everypony,

"Yaw know that 'membrance day is coming up. The Ponyville cemetery could use a little TLC. So, don't you forget to volunteer your support. If yaw got any questions go and talk to Mr. Greenhooves."

Sweetie Belle had been chosen to lead the choir and it made the little fillies day. She was mid way through "Ode to Harmony" when Rarity looked down to see a blue envelop laying on the ground where Thunderlane had been siting. Willing her magic to life she encased the parchment in her aura and levitated up in the air. When it was close enough she placed it in her little armareni hand bag. She promised herself that she would get it back to Laney latter.

After a few moments her curiosity kept drawing her eyes to the envelop. So she figured it wouldn't hurt to take a peak at it. The two of them were dating after all. She reached in her purse and pulled out the letter and carefully removed it from its envelop. She poured over the contents. A blush flooded her face and she raised a hoof to fan herself off. The letter was magnificent. Thunderlane was burning with desire for her. It was so sweet and heart warming. She was just about to faint from her over indulgence in his romantic writing when she noticed the header,

"My Dearest Thunderlane?" she spat. Turning right then left she felt her blush die away. Her insides boiled and her face twisted in anger. Somepony was trying to steal her prince. She screwed her face up trying to figure out what whore was responsible for the atrocity. She remembered Blossomforth flying off after seeing her and Thunderlane together. It must be her she thought. And when she flew away he had followed her.

"That two timing, bastard!" she hissed as she engulfed the letter in flames. The flaming letter drew more than a few warily eyes.

From her spot by the Cakes Pinkie Pie started to bounce up and down like a jack hammer followed by really itchy hooves.

"I never had that combo before! Hmm, I wonder what it means," she looked around and then smiled, "It'll come to me."

Chapter 7

"You know what I don't even care that somepony wrote you a love letter. I see you for what you are, a user." angrily yelled Blossom as she ran up to poke my in my chest.

"I'm not I user!" I pleaded.

"Yes you are! You are just like every other stallion around here. All you are interested in is the plot. You are not nor will you ever be staking off my acreage. I'm not for sale so go drive your claim spike someplace else!" she spat before taking to the air.

Sitting there slack jawed I watched her fly out of sight. She was wrong. I wasn't that kind of stallion. The last time I bucked a mare was almost two years ago. It was how ever just a one time thing. The only other plot I got was what ever went on between me a Caramel. But, even that was over seven months ago. I wasn't that kind of stallion, was I?

Reaching up to fetch my clothes I looked at them and what they represented. What had I done to deserve this? My temper started to spark and I could feel all the emotions that I had laying around in my heart like a cord of dry wood ignite. Throwing my Sunday best on the muddy ground I stomped it and ground it into the soil. After I worked out my frustration at Blossomforth. I took off into the sky.

The wind felt good under my wings. I felt like my worries and emotions float away as I soared. Gaining altitude I broke through the cloud mass and was greeted by endless sky in all directions. This was the top of the world. If you were to believe the superstations of the ponies that lived south of the Macintosh Hills this was where they believe heaven existed. Looking around I knew for a fact there wasn't any heaven up here. Just endless sky and dead air.

Everything life had thrown at me I had taken with pride. Yeah life for the most part had bucked most of my teeth out but I always shot life a bloody grin. It took mom. It took dad. The only thing I had going for me was my little brother, a handful of good friends, and a job that paid the bills. I had all kinds of mares to choose from but I still couldn't make a connection. I had Rarity but for how long. If she found that letter that was as good as over with too.

I didn't take my time getting home. When I got there I found that no one was at home. Chase and Flitter had probably taken Rumble out for Ice cream or something. I don't know what I would do with out them. They were giving me time to talk with Blossom. Walking back to my bed room I fell out across my bed. I didn't stay there long before I went to grab a quick shower. After which I headed back out into the world.

First I stopped by the girls place to check on Rumble. I didn't even get in the door good before Chase was shooing me out.

"Come on, featherbrain. You and me have gotta have a talk," was all she offered as she led me away. She lead me to our favorite bar, Berry's place. We didn't sit at the bar like we usually did she ushered me into one of the booths. It was still early and there wasn't nopony in there except for Berryshine and her marefrined, Minuette. Chase left me sitting there as she walked over to the bar and paid for a bottle. She came back and set a bottle of ice berry flavored Smarenoff on the table along with two shot glasses. Sitting down across from me she let out a long sigh,

"Your bucked, man!"

Gulping I could tell by her tone that wasn't going to be a friendly chat over a shot or two. This was going to be a tough talk. So I uncorked the bottle and poured the two of us a shot. Raising the glass up I splashed the spicy blueberry flavored drink into my maul trying to miss my tongue and then slammed the glass down,

"So tell me how bucked I am."

Chase downed her shot and then poured us both another shot. She leaned closer to me and reached out and tapped my cheek lightly,

"Well, I will be willing to bet that by tomorrow there won't be a mare in Ponyville that will be willing to date you."

"What? All because of the fight me and Blossom had," I said in disbelief.

She shook her head no and then said with a diabolical grin,

"Nu uh. Blossom is the least of your worries. Although I would lay low for a while because Flitter wants to throttle you. No where you bucked up was leaving that love letter that she wrote you out for Rarity to get her hooves on it. You should have seen her. If looks could kill. Half the town would be dead by now."

Running my hoof through my mane I could feel my face tighten in panic,

"Damn it! Rarity's mad at me for carrying that stupid letter. She's more than likely thinks that Blossom was the author of the letter. And Blossom didn't even bucking write the letter."

Spraying me with the shot she had just tried to down Chases eyes widened,

"Wait! It wasn't a letter from Blossomforth?"

Looking down at my glass I answered,

"No. When I confronted her about it she said she had been working on a letter but it wasn't finished."

"ahh ha ha!" laughed Chase as she pounded on the table making her glass and the bottle hop up and down on the table. She laughed so hard that she started to cry.

"It's not funny Chase!" I wined.

"Oh it so totally is!" she added between laughing fits. She was holding her sides from laughing so hard. Looking away from her I tried to focus on the other two mares in the room. Berryshine would occasionally look up while she wiped off the bar. Minuette however was looking straight at me. She had an amused look on her face and a glint in her eyes. She was sucking on a blow pop. Pulling it out of her mouth she curled her tongue around the red ball of sweetness in a seductive matter and then shot me a wink. Oddly enough I wasn't the least bit turned on. I was actually kind of disgusted. Maybe because I knew she was just bucking with me. Minuette was strictly into mares.

Turing back to Chase I noticed that she had just about calmed down. Her sides still shook in after shocks of her mirth. Reaching up she wiped her eyes out with a hoof,

"So, after burning the little letter from your secret admirer Rarity disembarked on the slander express and she didn't even wait until service was over. So, if I was you I would cash in on some sick days and get out of town until this blows over. If I was you I wouldn't show up for work because between hurting Blossom's feelings and Rarity's. Rainbow Dash is going to kill you."

Fidgeting with my hooves I weighed my options.

"I can't leave town. Thursdays is the anniversary of dad's death and Friday is Remembrance Day."

Giving me a half smile I knew she was trying her best.

"How bout me and Flitter watch out after Rumble for a couple days and you take some time off. You don't have to go anywhere just stay at home and take it easy. Or you could go and crash at Snowflake's in Cloudsdale. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Shrugging I took another drink,

"I'll take you up on the offer to watch Rumble. But, I think I'll just stay at home. I don't want to kill Snowflakes chances with a mare by harboring a fugitive."

"What ever dude!" she said as she rested her chin on the end of a hoof.

"What is my problem? You sorta dated me. Can you give me a hint!" I asked wanting to know why my love life was a big pile of manure.

Sniggering at my question,

"Your problem is that your looking for the perfect mare and your too bucking impatient."

"Why wouldn't I want to find the perfect mare? And how am I impatient?" I asked with a slightly raised voice.

"She doesn't exist. You gotta find a mare you can stand and give her some time to grow on you. Everything evens out and over time if the two of you can work through your problems you'll find love. It won't be perfect. But, you won't care. And she won't care about your little quirks and shortcomings. You never give a mare a chance to grow on you. You just go on a few dates realize that she doesn't meet your high expectations and then you move on." she said in her best imitation of a therapist.

She had just blew my mind.

Downing another shot she quickly filled up again and drank again,

"Got to drown this damn therapist before she takes up permanent residence," she said gasping for air.

"I am one of those stallions."

"What?"

"Blossomforth said I was a user. I am. Only I'm not looking for a mare to buck I'm looking for a mare to make me feel whole. For the past two years I've dated over thirty different mares and I never dated any of them over a month. Most of them didn't even get a second date. I'm horrible." I groaned as I banged my head on the table.

"No your not! Your just misguided," she said as she reached over and patted me on the back. All I did was groan again.

Hearing her hooves hit the floor with a loud, "Clop!" I raised up too see what she was doing. She was shooting me a grin I hadn't seen in a while.

"Oh no!" I peeped.

Pulling me out of my seat she said almost giddy,

"You need to get laid, Laney! And I'm feeling frisky."

Chapter 9

Twilight stood there like a statue on my threshold glaring at Rarity with a look that was somewhere between anger and awe. Likewise Rarity looked like a foal who had been caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. Helping Chase up I had to ask the most important question in the world right now,

"PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WHY THE BUCK ARE YOU AND RARITY IN MY HOUSE?"

Both mares flinched at my out burst. Twilight walked in like she owned the place and sat beside Rarity. She then looked over to me with an apologetic look,

"Your name is Thunderlane, right?"

I nodded yes.

"I'm truly sorry about this but I came when I felt a magical surge come from this area of Ponyville. I didn't expect to find Rarity throwing a tantrum in your house. But be glad that I did because Rarity here," she motioned to Rarity, " was about to do something she would latter regret."

"I would never do something as undignified as throw a temper tantrum!" said Rarity as she dropped her meek façade.

"Rarity just look at this place," said Twilight as she pointed out various destroyed and ruined objects, "If this is you not throwing a tantrum I would hate to see what you could do when you were."

"Ok, perhaps I did throw the tiniest temper tantrum but you need to know why."

"Ok, please explain."

"Bwahaha!" laughed Rainbow Dash from her seat on the floor. She wasn't holding out on making us all feel like were a joke. Rolling on her back she was crying from laughing so hard. After she got the majority of the ridicule out of the way she sat up.

"So let me get this straight," said Dash while trying not to laugh, "You and Thunderlane went out on Friday. And then he and Blossomforth had a fight about why he was dating you instead of her Sunday morning. Then You, Flitter, Blossom walk in on Cloudchaser and him bumping uglies this evening?"

"I'm not talking about this Rainbow Dash!" said Rarity as she folded her forelegs over her chest.

Eyeing Blossom Dash posed the same question to her.

"I um... We um... Ugh!" said Blossom in frustration before she raised a wing to cover her beet red face.

"Ok, what about you Cloudchaser?"

Chase didn't even look up she just kept preening her wings,

"Leave me out of this I'm just the friend."

Dropping her wing Blossom shot Chase a cold glare. Rarity didn't just stop with a glare her face twisted up in anger,

"Just the friend! What kind of friend screws another friend when she knows that he is romantically involved with another mare."

Raising an eye brow Chase spat,

"He and I just screw around sometimes, what the big deal. Its not like I'm trying to steal him away, sheesh."

Sparks started to fly from Rarities horn as her anger boiled to the surface.

"What kind of friend are you?" yelled Blossom at Chase. Stopping her preening Chase looked up at Blossom and blinked.

"Uh, what did you say?

"I said what kind of friend are you. You slept with him knowing that he was involved with Rarity and knowing full well that I had feelings for him too. So, what kind of friend are you?" Growled Blossom.

"The best, duh!" she answered flatly. Blossom reached up and started to pull at her mane in frustration. This situation was spiraling out of control and if I didn't do something blood was going to be spilt,

"GIRLS!"

They all turned to me with a different expression. Rainbow Dash looked like she was going to start laughing again. I was actually kind of relieved that all she was doing was laughing because when she first invaded she looked like she was going to peal all of my skin off one strip at a time. Chase just looked board. Blossom looked like she was about to start crying and Rarities face was red in anger.

"I'm done!"

They all looked at me confused.

"Darling, what do you mean by done?" asked Rarity.

"I'm just done. I've done my best here. Raising Rumble and trying to just get by has taken everything out of me. So, I'm going to take him to my grandparents and see if I can get him to stay with them for a while. I don't know who I am or what I want. I like each of you. You are all amazing ponies and I don't want to hurt you more than I already have."

"What are you saying, Lane?" asked Chase with a hint of concern.

"I've been offered a Weather Managers job down in Appaloosa. And I'm going to take it." I said resolutely.

"But, you can't! I don't know about the other two here but even though I hate your guts right now I don't want to see you go," wined Blossom.

"And you were going to tell me this when?" added Dash.

"I hadn't even considered it until now," I answered.

"Your just running!" said Chase as her face tightened up, "Don't be a coward Lane. You have never backed out of anything before that mattered. Why are you starting now?"

"I'm not discussing this because I've already made up my mind," I answered as I got up from the couch. Looking around the room I couldn't help but admire how it now looked. Twilight had cast some kind of repair spell and it now looked better than it did before Rarity trashed it.

Hearing the door open I turned to see that Twilight had returned,

"So I've been going through my books and apparently this is something called a domestic dispute, and it is a misdemeanor. Under-" said Twilight before she was joined by Blossom.

"Section eleven thousand one hundred and sixty subsection D of the Equestrian Penal Code" finished Twilight and Blossom in unison.

Turning to Blossom Twilight had to ask,

"How did you just quote that from off the top of your head?"

Rolling her eyes Blossom answered flatly,

"Before I changed my major to meteorology I was studying prelaw."

"Egg heads," muttered Dash as she left clearly not wanting to stay for the study group.

"It doesn't matter Princess Twilight," I sighed, "I'll pay what ever fine there is and I'll go."

"Go?" she asked puzzled.

Sighing again I looked over the girls that I had treated like garbage, well all except Chase. Rarity was mad again and Blossom was slouching on the couch with her lip stuck out. And then there was Chase who was looking at her hooves like they were the most interesting things in the world.

"I'm leaving Ponyville, Princess."

She looked me up and down and then sighed herself,

"Girls would you give Mr. Thunderlane and I some privacy please."

Blossom was the first one up, she seemed to be relieved that she didn't have to sit through any more arguments or interrogations. Rarity followed close behind her. Her eyes never left me as she walked over and out the door. I looked at Chase. She didn't move.

"Ahem!" grunted Twilight. Chase ears laid back and she slid of the couch looking droopy. Watching her go I felt my heart in my throat. I tried to convince myself it was just post-coital longing but that didn't seem to help any. Before walking out the door she looked back over her shoulder and gave me a week smile just before she closed the door behind her.

"Thunderlane I don't know much about you and to be frank I know even less about relationships beyond friendship. But what I do know about you is that your not a quitter. I've seen you with little brother Rumble and besides that one time the pegasi of Ponyville had to deliver water to Cloudsdale for the weather factory I've never heard of you running. But, that's what you are doing now." she said.

I sat there with my back to her and I knew deep down that she was right,

"Listen Princess-" I said before she cut me off.

"Just Twilight will do!"

"Ok, Twilight. I've bucked up. I have amazing friends and an amazing little brother but even with all of them I feel- lonely. I feel like I'm alone and I've felt this way for such a long time. I thought if I found somepony that I wouldn't feel so lonely and all I managed to do was make some pretty amazing mares hate me."

Feeling a wing brush against my shoulder I turned to see that Twilight was siting beside me,

"I've felt that way before but I didn't want to admit it. I found friends and all of that changed. But you, you have friends and no matter what you've done to them if you give them time I believe they will forgive you."

Nodding I didn't really want to talk anymore.

"Have you ever heard of Depression?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah, that some kind of head sickness that makes a pony feel down and unsatisfied." I answered.

"Well it's more than that but you got the gist of it. Look every year around this time quite a few of Ponyville's citizens start to fell sad. There are more than a few families that have had a family member or a close family friend that died while serving their country. Others are sad but they temper that sadness with pride because they are proud of their love ones sacrifice. Now I don't think that is the only reason that you are trying to self medicate on the good feelings that accompany a budding romance or the after affects of coitus but I think the problem lies in your sense of loss."

Pulling away I gave her an angry look,

"I don't want to talk about this. That isn't my problem. I'm just a stupid stallion who tried to juggle to many mares is all. It's not like I'm the first slime ball."

She shook her head,

"No, a slime ball wouldn't have cared what a mare thought of him. A stallion like that wouldn't run because he doesn't think he is wrong. But you do."

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" I spat.

Twilight threw out her wings and stood up. Her eyes glared at me and I felt like she was about to spontaneously combust.

"I didn't want to have to do this but, Thunderlane you broke the law. You were involved in a domestic dispute that got so out of hoof that you neighbors filed complaints about the noise. So you stand guilty of breaking noise control laws and participating in a domestic dispute so I will now pass sentence." she yelled said in the most serous tone.

"You can't do this," I complained.

"I am a Princess of Equestria it is within my full right! I sentence you to, therapy!"

Chapter 10

"I don't need therapy!" I spat while looking at Twilight like she was crazy. Raising a hoof I poked her chest and added,

"You don't even know me!"

She looked down to the hoof that was still pressed against her coat and then looked up,

"Your right! I don't know you. But I can tell that your hurting, I didn't become the wielder of the Element of the Magic of Friendship by being unobservant. And if I was to ask your friends or your little brother they would tell me that you have moments when they can't cheer you up no matter what they try."

Pressing harder against her I added,

"They don't know anything of the sort, I'm not unhappy. I don't need their help and I don't need yours!"

Pushing off of her I walked toward my room wanting to get as much space between me and Twilight as possible. Opened the door to my room which still smelled from my earlier escapades with Chase I was met by purple eyes,

"Do you know what your problem is Thunderlane!" Spat the purple mare as she got in my face.

"No, but we are about to have one!" I warned.

Poking me in the chest with her golden shoe she backed me up across the hall pinning me to the wall. Her sudden show of strength caught me off guard.

"Your just like my friend Applejack! You are too stubborn to admit you have a problem and when somepony tries to help; you more or less tell them to piss off. You try to forget you underlying problems by creating new ones. Dash tells me that you and her are always at each others throats. She even went as far as to use Scootaloo as an excuse to try to force you to spend time with her so she could figure out what put the bur under your saddle," She finished as she let me down.

"She said that the little play days were about getting Scootaloo to hang out with some other pegasi. Pegasi that were just as flightless as she was so she wouldn't feel so bad about her underdeveloped wings. Are saying that Dash did that because she wanted to help me?" I asked in disbelief.

"Dash is loyal. What she did was tackle to problems at once. She was trying to help two ponies she cared about the only way she could. I think now that she took on too much." Said Twilight as she turned away.

"I never really thought Dash even cared about me anymore than a boss cares for her employees," I muttered.

"You so thick, Thunderlane," answered Twilight exasperated, "Who do you think pushed Rarity to ask you out?"

"She didn't. She wouldn't."

"Yes she did and she would. When Dash heard that you weren't just looking for some mare to buck that you actually wanted to have a relationship she went to one of the only mares she knew that was looking for the same thing. She went to Rarity. Well I say that but first she tried to get Blossomforth to ask you out, but Blossomforth isn't the type of mare to ask a stallion out. She's the type that wants to be asked." replied Twilight.

"You mean all this mess is Dash's fault?" I stammered.

"No, Dash only tried to help you. Your the one that bucked it up." she said flatly as she shook her head, "And Rarity was actually excited about it. You did save her from falling to her death during the balloon incident."

Sliding back against the wall I looked up at the ceiling.

"These are mares that aren't even your friends yet. What have your friends done to try to help you?"

"Look, Lane. You don't have to do anything, but pumping iron helps me to not have to think about anything except what I'm doing. I think your problem is you think too much." said Snowflake as he loaded the squat bar with a few plates.

I gazed around the gym. It was full of exercise equipment. From chin up bars to squatting machines to tread mills. The gym had just about every piece of equipment that a fitness freak could want. And the ponies, most of them were like me. They were healthy but they weren't ripped. A few of them were real fatties and then there were the ponies like my friend Snowflake. Ponies with body fat percentages so low they looked like solid blocks of muscle.

"Well? Are you going to give it a shot or not?" asked Snowflake between reps. I nodded yes and walked over to one of the chin up bars and started to give it a shot.

After our work out me and Snowflake found ourselves in the sauna. The air was thick with warm moister and the smell of perspiration. It was glorious and it felt good on my now tired muscles, I let out a pleasant sigh.

"See, what I mean. It's great not having to think about all the crap that we have to deal with from day to day. I know that you have some problems but who the hay doesn't. The more you put off facing them the bigger they become. I find that if I tackle my problems a little at a time I can work my way through them and I'll be stronger for it. You know what I mean?"

"Am I doing this right?" I asked Flitter.

"There isn't a right way or a wrong way to meditate. You just stay quiet and still. Just focus on your breathing and let all of your thoughts flow out like water down a stream." she said in an irritated tone.

Crossed legged I sat there with my eyes closed. Trying my best to just focus on my breathing but I couldn't let my mind flow. For some reason it wanted to flow into place I didn't want it too and it ended up pushing emotions to the surface that were too uncomfortable to express,

"I hate this!" I hissed as I opened my eyes to look at Flitter.

"Laney! You just being silly," said CK from the other side of Flitter, "How hard is it to just think of nothing."

"Harder than it sounds," I grumbled.

Uncrossing her legs CK walked over and set down behind me. I felt her hooves reach out and start to caress my wings. I blush escaped and flooded my cheeks.

"What are you doing?" I moaned as she pressed the bundle of nerves that lay between my wings. Flitter peaked at me from her spot and then seeing how uncomfortable CK was making me stepped over to join her little sister. Before I could even complain the two of them had me laying face down on the bamboo mat. Another set of hooves started to pass over my wings and back.

"Lane you are so tense," remarked Flitter as she started to knead a particularly knotted muscle, "What have you got to be so tense about?"

"I don't want to talk about it?"

"Come on Laney! Your with friends, if you can't tell us what's bothering you who can you tell. And besides I'm not going to stop until you spill the beans," said CK just before she started to preen my starboard wing.

Moaning in pleasure at the massage I tried my best to hold back the flood of emotions. But after a few minuets of message and preening I broke like twig under a hoof,

"Rumble gets upset sometimes. I find him crying in his room about missing mom or dad. Sometimes he has nightmares and he screams out their names. I do my best to calm him down. I show him every kindness. I read to him. I hug him. I even kiss his forehead like mom used to do. He always gets around to asking why did they have to die. Every time he does I die a little inside. It's hard to explain to a colt that death is just a natural part of life. That ponies get sick or ponies die while serving their country. I tell him that when, I don't want to believe if myself."

I didn't realize that while I had my eye's closed trying to fight back my own tears that the two of them had pulled me up. Not only that they were hugging me and I didn't realize it until their warmth started to radiate into me.

"You and me get along like oil and vinegar but you are still my friend. I still love you and Rumble. You don't have to be alone." whispered Flitter into my ear.

"That's right, Laney! You are like a big brother to me. And I'm not going to let you be sad." added CK.

"Damn you Thunderlane! I want to love you but you won't let me in. What happened to us? Your dad died and it hurts, I get that. But, don't use that as an excuse to shut me out!" yelled Chase as she slammed her hoof on the kitchen counter.

"I don't want to talk about it, Chase!" I retorted as I walked away from the kitchen.

"Don't you walk away from me, dude. I haven't said my piece." she said as she clopped after me. Whirling around I looked her dead in the eyes,

"Chase just leave me alone!"

"I'm not going to leave you alone until you admit that you need help. If I can't help you at least let me take you someplace where they can." She pleaded.

I shook my head and cantered to my room slamming the door behind me. My room was quiet for all of about ten seconds before Chase started to franticly beat the door with her hooves.

"You can't hide for ever, dude! You can't keep doing this to yourself! she yelled. She continued to beat the door on and off for close to three hours yelling some variation of what she had yelled earlier. It all stopped when Rumble came home from playing with Dinky.

I barely heard his voice over Chase's sobbing,

"Are... Are you two fighting again?"

I heard Chase suck snot and then answer in a hoarse voice,

"Yeah."

I heard him paw the floor and then start to cry himself before he screamed,

"Why do you do that to each other? Don't you love each other. Why can't you too be like mommy and daddy?

His words struck my heart like a hammer and I started to bawl. Warm tears cascaded down my cheeks as his little hooves clip clopped to his room. Like me he slammed his door. I laid there in shame. I couldn't be what he needed me to be. I had to fix this. I had to make it right. So I sat up and opened the door.

Chase must have been leaning against it because she fell towards me as her prop gave way right into my hooves. Holding her there she looked up at me with puffy eyes and a tear stained face. Just as I was about to pull her to her feet she stretched up and kissed me. It was soft warm and wet. An over whelming fear gripped me as her lips quivered against mine. Pulling back from the kiss she sat up under her own strength and sighed,

"I won't do this to Rumble anymore. I won't do this to you. I'll always be your friend Thunderlane but, I can't be you crutch. You won't even let me be that. This is a choice you will have to make for yourself. I won't watch you destroy yourself."

That day I watched the only mare that I had ever loved walk out of my life. I didn't see her again for almost two years. And when I did I knew that the two of us would never be the same.

Leaning against the wall I remembered everything that my friends had did for me. I realized for the first time that I had a problem. That I needed closure. I needed them and more than that they needed the real me.

"Ok, Twilight. I have a problem," I admitted as I bowed my head.

"And what are you going to do about it?" she asked softly.

"I'm going to get help," I said lowly. She reached up and ruffled my mane. Looking up at her I saw her for the first time not as a pony but as a princess just as wise as Celestia and just as mystical as Luna. Her eyes spoke wonders about her and the smile on her face was one of genuine care.

"My job is very simple Thunderlane. I am here to help my friends and if you would let me I would love to be called your friend." she said as she held out a hoof.

Bumping it I returned her smile,

"I would very much like that."

Her smile grew wider and then fanned her nose. Laughing at her antics I realized how bad I smelled. In that narrow hallway all I could smell was sex, alcohol, and sweat. She gave me a look like my mother used to give me when I came in the house filthy. She laughed and then said,

"First things first, my little pony! You need a bath!"

Chapter 11

Watching the clock I sat there on my couch counting the minuets trying to work out exactly what I was going to say to Rumble. The world seemed to be a different place. More had happened over the weekend than had happened to me since Chase had walked back into my life. I regretted that more than anything. I should have faced this back then. I should have listened to her. If I had I done that the two of would have been married my now. I wouldn't just be waiting on Rumble to get home I might have been waiting on a foal of my own. Shaking my head I knew I didn't need to focus on what could have been. Right now I needed to focus on breaking the news to Rumble.

"I'm glad your finally going to nip this in the bud, son." Said a hoarse voice from off to my left. Turning to him I gave him a weak smile. The light gray coated old pegasus sat on the end of the couch opposite of me. The lines that crossed his face looked like trenches and they might as well could have been. Grandpa Cloudstorm was a veteran, every scar and wrinkle he had come by honestly in his years of service to the crown.

"I should have listened to you," I admitted.

He laughed and held out a hoof,

"It isn't your nature to listen to anypony."

"Your right. I don't listen to anypony. I'm too darn stubborn." I muttered.

The clinking of dishes alerted me to the approach of my grandma. Making her way to the living room she sat the patter down that she had been carrying on my coffee table. She offered me a warm smile and then a cup of tea,

"One cube of sugar and no cream is how you used to drink it. I assumed you still did if not let me know so I'll know the next time."

Taking the cup I took a sip and then set it down on the little saucer and looked her over. Grandma was a cyan coated mare with a silver mane. Unlike grandpa she had aged remarkably well, the only wrinkles that adorned her face were the spiderlike lines falling away from the corners of her eyes.

"You remembered," I said with a happy smile.

With the tip of a primary she poked me on the nose and winked,

"Your granny is many things, forgetful isn't one of them."

Sitting between me and grandpa she let out a pleased sigh. Looking at them I could help but feel guilty. This was the first time they had visited in almost three years. The reason for them not visiting was me. After dad died they wanted me and Rumble to move in with them. I was dumb and I made the decision to strike out on my own with my little brother in tow. They never tried to take Rumble from me even though they could have at anytime. It would have been better for him. I had to live with the fact that I had done them wrong and I done Rumble wrong.

After this past weekend I wanted to do better. I had a long road of ahead of me and I was scared to death of it. They weren't the only grandparents that I pushed away. I also broke contact with mom's dad Grandpa Silverwing and now it was too late to really get to know him. He was laid up in a retirement home in Cloudsdale with advanced stage Alzheimare's. Despite that I was going to visit him as soon as I could.

"So, where are you going?" asked grandpa between sips of tea.

"Chase is taking me to a mental health facility in Canterlot tomorrow morning," I answered noticing how bad saying that tasted.

"Why haven't you married that mare yet?" asked grandma with a raised eyebrow.

That question caused me to swallow my tea sending the hot liquid down the wrong path and I began to cough. After my little coughing fit I struggled to speak,

"Its... ugh... complicated."

"Complicated?"

"Yeah, complicated."

"Its not nice to make a lady wait!" said grandpa as he gave me a hard look.

If there was anything I wasn't going to talk about right now it was my love life. After the weekends shenanigans that was the last thing I wanted to talk about. What happened between me and Chase was nice though particularly the second go around.

"Well?" asked Grandma. I was just about to spout out some lame excuses as to why I hadn't already asked Chase to marry me when I was saved by the opening of the door. Rumble didn't even register the three ponies that were sitting on the couch as he came in. It wasn't until he had shut the door and turned around to walk back to his room that his face light up in recognition.

"GRANDMA! GRANDPA!" he squealed as he ran to them. The tool elderly ponies pulled him up between them each taking turns hugging him and in grandma's case kissing him. It was heart warming to see him like that. Caught up in the moment all blushes and full of joy. Feeling tears start to well in my eyes I turned away from them. I wasn't allowed a moments piece as a wing wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me towards them. I found myself laying across all of their laps and looking up at all six pairs of smiling eyes I felt at home. And yet I also felt like I didn't belong.

The didn't hold me there too long before I was allowed to get up. Rumble was still full of excitement but as his mind made connections he had to start asking questions and it was the start of a very awkward moment.

"So why are you here?" asked Rumble.

"Me and Grandpa are going to be staying with you for a couple of weeks." said Grandma as she reach out and stroked his cheek.

"That's awesome!" he squeaked, "Did you hear that Laney! Their going to be staying for a..."

My face was held in a grimace and I could tell by the way he trailed off that he had noticed.

"What's... what's wrong?" he asked his voice breaking.

Climbing off the couch I reached out and pulled him into a hug and then let him go. With a sigh I told him,

"They are going to be looking after you here for a while."

"Why can't you look after me?"

"I can't right now. I'm going to see a doctor in Canterlot. Rumble I'm sick." I said with the straightest possible face I could muster. I watched as tears well up in his eyes and his wings droop. He then rushed forward and wrapped me in a hug and started to squall. Rubbing his back I sat there with him wrapped around my neck.

"Please tell me your not sick like moma was?" he pleaded in my ear. Hearing that I sat back on my haunches and wrapped my hooves around him. Tears started to flow down my cheeks.

"No Rumble. Celestia No." I murmured. Looking up at our grandparents I could see this was hard for them too. After a moment Rumble let go and backed up.

"If you not sick like moma. Why can't you just go to the hospital here in Ponyville?" he asked as he rubbed his hoof across his snotty nose.

"The Ponyville hospital doesn't have the kind of Doctor I need to see. My sickness is a head sickness and head sicknesses need head doctors." I tried to explain.

"So your like Screwloose?" he concluded.

"No, I don't have what she has; what I have causes me to be sad. Really sad. Its what me and Chase used to fight about."

"Oh, so its not bad."

Giving him a weak smile,

"No, it isn't bad and I'll only be away a few weeks."

"I'll hold you too it, Lane." he said trying to act strong.

I had never traveled by train before. Watching the scenery pass by I wanted to fly. I had never been to Canterlot either, it was never a place that I really wanted to see. Dad took Rumble once but I didn't go. And now here I was going to place that I never cared to see to get a problem checked out that I was having trouble believing I even had. My friends believe that I had a problem and I was going for them.

Looking away from the window I looked down at Chase's head laying gently in my lap. She was sound asleep. With a hoof I stroked her mane smiling while I did so. What I done do deserve a friend like her. She tried the hardest of all of them to make me happy. And when she realized that I wasn't going to change she left me alone to find out for myself that I had a problem. When she came back she was different. She was harder but under that hard exterior I knew that the Chase I knew was still there. She didn't show it often but I knew. I also knew that I was the reason she changed and I hated myself for it.

We arrived in Canterlot around midnight and we headed out to find a hotel to crash in for the night. The old city looked nothing like Ponyville it didn't even look like Cloudsdale. The streets stretched out looking like they would go on forever. I wanted to go and grab a drink but Chase wouldn't let me. We finally found ourselves a hotel, some dump called The Hare's Hearth. It was cheap and that all we cared about. It's not like we were staying long. Chase was just staying in Canterlot to see me committed and then she was heading back to Ponyville. Dash had only given her a couple days off to make sure I got the help I needed. I was out on sick leave. I thought back to Dash's words,

"Thunderlane you take as long as you need. If you take any short cuts or comeback here still bucked up in the head I'll send you back the hospital with a few more injures for you to have to pay for, you got that!"

Walking up to the counter to talk to the hotel clerk who looked half asleep,

"Do you have any rooms available?"

Lazily he blinked and then looked down to his books,

"Yeah, one bed or two" he asked looking at the two of us.

"Tw-" I began to say before Chase covered my mouth up with a hoof.

"Just one!" she said. Blushing at the thought of sharing a bed with her I almost started to protest when she gave me a hard look.

"We shared a bed long before we started sleeping together. Besides a single bed is cheaper." she said flatly. Rolling my eyes I followed suit.

We were escorted to our room and the two of us made a bee line for the bed. Sliding under the covers I looked over at Chase who had her back turned to me. After shutting off the lights I got nice and comfortable and just as I dosed off she rolled over. Opening my eyes I saw that she was looking at me. I noticed that she was biting her bottom lip. In the dim light I could tell she wanted to say something,

"What is it Chase?"

"I'm sorry that I left you." she said.

I didn't know how to take that. Reaching over I wrapped my hoof around hers. Looking down at our hooves she smiled.

"I'm no where near as classy or sophisticated as Rarity. And I'm not adokrable like Blossomforth. I'm just me and its hard to find a pony who likes me for who I am. I'm not a lady and I'm kind of slob. But, after this if you want to I would like to give us another chance."

I squeezed her hoof and then pulled her closer. She laid her head on my chest and sighed,

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"How do you make me feel like a mare."

I sighed and then squeezed her hoof again,

"Being around you brings out my stronger qualities so I guess we just even out."

Chapter 1

Looking down I spotted the sauce covered dish. It was simple. Just boiled spaghetti noodles served al dente with tofu-balls covered with a tomato puree, with a little luck I could have cooked it. I took a bite from the bitalian dish trying my best not to slurp the noodle that didn't quite make it into my mouth. It dangled from my lips tickling my chin.

"Your so cute when your being messy, Darling," said the silky voice of my date.

Looking up I saw that the white unicorn was wearing the same expression my mother used to give me when I was little. The look that just screamed, let my clean you up sweetie. With a quick, "Slurp!" I sucked the offending object into my muzzle and swallowed. Still wearing the ridiculous look I watched her as a napkin floated my way cloaked in her blue magical aura. Flashing her a smile, I reached out and snatched the napkin and wiped my chin. Stealing from her the chance at such an intimate gesture. Her lips drew into a pout,

"You don't give a lady a chance to treat you like the gentlecolt you are."

"Nope, I'm not going to give you the chance my lady," I teased.

The waiter interrupted us to refill our glasses. She looked at the red liquid in her glass with a greedy glint in her eyes. Looking down to my own I couldn't help but entertain a similar thought as I raised the fluted glass to my lips to take a sip. Swishing the wine around in my mouth I delighted in the faint flavors of black cherries and plums. As I sat my glass down I noticed that Rarity had already set her's down and had taken another bite of her dish.

"How do you like the wine?'

"Oh, it is just marvelous! I didn't know expect you to have such a fine taste in wine. It is a merlot is it not?"

Shooting her a coy simile I couldn't help but tease her,

"Yes, it is." After waiting for few moments I added,

"I don't know weather to be insulted or flattered about your off hooved comment on my tastes."

Squirming in her seat she gave me a faint almost apologetic smile,

"I didn't mean to insinuate that you were uncultured or anything of that nature. You just don't strike me as the type that would be a connoisseur."

Laying my chin on my hooves I watched her take another sip of her wine. I could tell she savored the flavor. After she sat the glass down, I let out a small giggle. Perking up she had to ask,

"What so funny?"

"Nothing really, I was just thinking how scandalous you are; saying a prench world like, connoisseur in a bitalian restaurant."

She let out a courtly laugh at my joke. I would be lying if I said I didn't like her because I do. She wasn't like any mare I have ever dated before. She wasn't even like any of my friends. Rarity was an aristocratic kind of lady without the pomp that usually accompanied those used to the finer things in life. My friend Flitter could be as cultured as Rarity but she had a tendency to push the envelop too far.

After dinner I escorted the mare to her home which was also her workplace. Carousel Boutique as it was named was a interesting building. At one time it was an actually working carousel that foals of all ages enjoyed riding but years of disrepair had cause the town to condemn the property. Just when they were about to bulldoze the eye sore; Rarity and her parents bought the property. The breathed new life into it and they removed the innards making it into the grand building it is today.

Rarity stood there in just a step away from her front door. The light of the waxing gibbous danced across her ivory coat its light was also throwing delicate shadows across her face. Her mane seemed to glow as if it had a light of its own. Looking in her eyes I watched her well practiced act melt away. She wasn't Rarity the esteemed fashion designer. She wasn't Rarity barer of the Element of Generosity. She wasn't even Rarity the mare. Her eyes looked like the eyes of a filly a moment before her first kiss, full of hopes and dreams. I couldn't not kiss her goodnight.

Leaning in I brushed her mane aside and gently placed my hoof under her jaw pulling her lips towards mine. I watched as her eyes closed in anticipation. Her hot breath washed over my muzzle and tickled my face. She smelled faintly of lilac. Inching forward I planted my lips on hers as I closed my own eyes. It was warm and comforting. I had expected that she would be forward and I patiently awaited for her tongue to bush my lips as if it was asking for permission, but it never did. Her heart sounded like a jack hammer beneath her breast. The kiss broke and I heard her take a breath as if I had left her breathless. Well maybe I had because I had to take a breath myself.

I noticed that she hadn't yet opened her eyes. Focusing on her relaxed facial features I realized that I hadn't removed my hoof from her jaw so I pulled back and set it on the ground. She shuttered as she came back from where ever she had gone opening her eyes, first one and then the other. Her soft beauty had caused a warmth to flow into my face. I knew I was blushing but that didn't matter because she was blushing too.

We smiled at each other and then I leaned forward to give her a hug. Urging my wings to wrap her in a feathery embrace I could tell they were angry at me. I had focused so much time and energy trying to keep them tame that now they weren't obeying me at all. I still managed to get them around her. We broke the hug and said our goodbyes.

She turned to her door and went in leaving me to fly home. Just before I took off I thought I heard a faint fillish squee come from somewhere inside her house. It was a welcomed sound. It had made the night worthwhile knowing that I had made her so happy. I just hoped I could keep it up.

Chapter 8

Sitting across from me was Chase with her hair wrapped up in her towel. She was still glowing from the hot shower we had just shared. She was casually munching on a mouth full of cereal. We were enjoying a long uncomfortable silence. In three hours she had gotten off five different times. Me I barely got my relief one time. I had never had such a hard time in my life. But, to look at her you would have thought I was a stud.

"Where the buck did you learn to do that thing you did with your tongue? That wasn't something you could do when we were together." she asked still in awe of my strange discovery.

All I could offer was a shrug.

"I hate that it wasn't good for you but, damn. Now that I know you can do that I am seriously considering opening up negotiations for that on a regular basis." she said with a seductive bat of her eye lashes.

Taking a bite from my own cereal I kind of zoned out. I could hear her talking but I wasn't listening. Replaying the event the date with Rarity, the fight with Blossomforth, my wild sex with Caramel, and my busted attempt at sex with Chase I had to ask,

"What do you know about Caramel?"

Raising an eyebrow she leaned closer to me,

"Caramel Apple?"

Nodding yes I watched her give me a confused look. Looking lost in thought I got up and put my now empty bowl in the sink. I could still feel a little woozy from a combination of alcohol and our recent activities.

"He and Sassaflash have been going out for forever. Uh, he sometimes goes to Berry's place. He is friends with that Shinning Armor dude. He and Sassaflash have sort of an open relationship." she listed off.

"Open relationship?" I asked.

"It means they are mostly each others special someponies but neither gets mad if the other buck's somepony else."

"I know what it means. It was just rhetorical" I answered.

"Why the sudden interest in Caramel?"

Looking over at my best friend I decided that I wanted to tell her about what happened,

"I went to Berry's place one night a few months back. Me and him got drunk and I ended up at his place. And we ended up bucking."

She gasped,

"No. Bucking. Way. Dude!"

I was blushing at my own admission and she just looked shell shocked. After a minuet she started to furiously chow down on her cereal. Finishing it off she turned the bowl up and slurped up the milk. Setting down the bowl, she shot me a bemused look,

"Ok that is like way out there. But, details. I need details."

I told her everything that I remembered and how I seemed to keep dreaming about it. With each word her smile grew.

"Ok I think I know what your problem is now. You were looking for the perfect mare when you should have been looking for the perfect stallion. It make so much sense."

"I am not gay," I answered flatly.

"Says the stallion who couldn't get up for a awesome mare like me for the love of Celestia!" she teased.

I shook my head,

"No. Just, no."

By then she was cackling like fool.

"You are so gay! Admit it, dude. You wouldn't keep having that dream and you wouldn't be getting off in your sleep if you didn't like it."

I had to prove to her that I wasn't. So I did the only thing I could I raked the table clean and pointed to the center of the table with a hoof.

"Here! Now!"

Shrugging she gave me a smile,

"Alright, I'm game."

Our shower ended up being a waste. Collapsed atop her both of us were letting out ragged breaths. Her mane was sprawled out behind her. The little turban hat had been wrapped around her head was unfurled and was laying in the floor. I could still feel her after shocks and she quivered with each one as they trailed off. Her body was again glowing. Dear Celestia why did I ever let you go I thought. We lay there in each others hooves for a while. Nuzzling against her chest I heard her let out a pleased,

"mmm mmm."

She ruffled my mane with a hoof and sighed,

"Lane you are the perfect stallion. But, could you get off me, babe."

Raising up I heard the click of my front door and in horror both Chase and I turned to the door. There was a loud gasp. Standing in the door way was Flitter and Blossom. Flitter looked pissed and Blossom looked like I had just killed her puppy. She let out a squeak and the ran out.

"Wait! Wait, I can explain." I yelled out as I pulled myself up from the table and off of Chase. Hearing another voice my eyes drew back to pin pricks as I recognized it.

"Explain what? I'm sure it isn't anything to be worried about. I'm so sorry, Darling. I over reacted. I thought you and Blossom had gone behind my back and... what is that smell?" rambled Rarity. As it finally dawned on her I gave a nervous chuckle,

"Uh, hi Rarity."

She exploded into a fit of rage as her horn's aura roared to life. She hurled several of my umbrellas at the two of us. Knowing full well what a unicorns magic could do I grabbed the edge of the table and rocked it back dropping both me and a wide eyed Chase to the floor. I tried to keep her under me so that she wouldn't be hurt from the fall. As she fell into a heap on top of me she gave me a hard look,

"What the hay are you-" her words were cut short as a umbrella struck the table and pierced through it. It came to a halt just inches from her muzzle. Looking down with her bed mane she gave me a dumbfounded look.

"You! Underhooved, manipulative, bastard! How dare you! How dare you!" screamed Rarity as she pelted our makeshift fort with Celesta knows what. I heard a something hit the table that almost rung as it shattered.

"Damn! She just broke mom's tea cozy," I cursed. More and more stuff bombarded the table. Looking a my partner in crime. I couldn't help but laugh at her almost whimsical expression. The barrage died away and I chanced a look. Rarity was now standing in the middle of my now wrecked living room. My couch was turned over and my t.v. lay busted on the floor. My drapes had been torn to shreds looking like some great cat has took a swing or two at them with its giant paws. Rarity was dripping with sweat and her mane was plastered to her coat. She seemed to be breathing very heavily. Looking down I could see just about every knife and piece of silver wear I owned was embedded in my kitchen table.

"Well? Are you through with your fit now?" I asked sarcastically. Her head jerked up and she let out a primal scream. Her aura spread out from her horn and incased her entire body. With a flick of her horn she sent the table flying out my dining room window. The floor beneath me started to rumble and I gave Chase a worried look. She gave me a nice knowing you look just before the rumbling came to a halt. Something or rather somepony had blew her aura, which previously was roaring like a giant blue sun around her, out like it was a birthday candle.

Standing in my door way was Princess Twilight with a very grim look on her face. Looking back at Chase she said exactly what I was thinking,

"Well if we weren't' bucked before, we are now!"