Suggested listening

"Take a right on Fern street and it'll be the red brick building," I said, my breath clinging to the air.

The couple smiled before saying their thanks, hurrying towards the shop. This seemed to be my job now. Never would have thought being a guard meant being a walking info booth, but I suppose it's better than getting sent to Saddle Arabia. At least it wasn't as bad as what the pegasi had to do, flying around in the cold must be absolutely exhilarating in an I'm freezing to death kinda way.

Granted, being stuck on the ground was a limitation, but the real kicker was the whole no magic thing. Being normal when most guards aren't is a good way to get the worst assignment. A whole regiment of Earth ponies was formed after the attack on the castle, part of a brute force play, which only served to alienate us further from the normal guards. I can't really complain, though. I'd much rather be out here in the cold, actually helping people, than stuck in the palace all day and forced to deal with snot nosed nobles.

Their holier than though routine was rather grating, and the highborn mares were too snooty to even glance my way. Not that I needed it, getting flank was never a problem. Every time a mare I knew came to town I ended up scoring pretty well. One of them was supposed to get here by noon, so maybe I'll head over and pick her up-

"Grey," I whispered to myself. There she was again, staring through the window of a coffee shop along my patrol route. She wore the same beige coat, the same pink beanie, the same joyless expression. But this time something new sat around her neck, a long purple scarf with a small embroidery snaked itself around her.

Say something, Vanguard, say something! Go say hello! Go tell her what you think, tell her she's beautiful.

My brain continued to scream, while my body just turned away and walked on my patrol, glancing back once or twice to see the mare leaning in and looking into the shop. I'd never had a problem talking to mares before, never like this. Not since I realized about the shortage of males back in school had I felt this nervous, mares lining up to see me and parents trying to hook me up with their kids. I got over it all, but... she did something to me, something I can't explain... something about the way she stands, the way she moves. Her very presence made her untouchable.

I lowered my head and walked on, a heavy weight fell on my shoulders forcing my head towards the ground as I walked. I felt low, like I had failed myself by not talking to her, like I had let someone die while on duty. I gave a final glance back, and the mare was gone. She had vanished in the few seconds I had taken to wallow in my own self pity.

I shook my head at my own stupidity. I needed to talk to her, I needed to at least know her name. With that final thought, I focused on making my way to the train station. Vinyl always found a way to cheer me up- mostly involving debauched sex, but sometimes by being funny or cute. Not often, but still it was something. I need someone to talk to, anyways.

"Vanguard! Hey!" Vinyl ran over and wrapped her arms around me, my hooves lifting up and off the ground. "Couldn't bare to let me find you?" She gave a tight squeeze before letting go, saying, "Just had to come to me, eh?"

I gave a single chuckle before shrugging. "What can I say, you really know how to warm me up." I wrapped my arms around her and gave her rump a quick squeeze.

She let out a loud gasp as her body pressed against my own. "Oh, you perv!" She pushed me off with a laugh, "Save it for later. Anyways, what's up? I haven't seen you since it snowed, and that was like, two months ago!"

I scratched the back of my head as the tiny mare stared at me. "Eh nothing much, people keep talking about the war. So far my card hasn't been called so I'm not too worried." I looked around, "Actually, can we walk and talk? I'm technically still on patrol." I laughed.

Vinyl quickly returned my laugh with one of her own before walking off. "Just couldn't wait, could ya? Come on then!" She grabbed my wrist and started pulled my off the platform, "So, they're already talking about it?"

I swallowed hard. We've been at war with Saddle Arabia for almost two years now, and each day it seemed to be getting closer. "Yeah...Pixel's brother came back in a box. Hit him hard. You'd think the whole gun thing would make us unstoppable, but those Saddle bastards love their flasks." I was nearly snarling as I recalled our training video.

Vinyl shifted uncomfortably. "Can we not talk about ponies getting vaporized? I just got here, and I'd rather talk about something else... anything else, really."

Things got quiet. I knew what she was hinting at, but decided to try my luck. "Hey Vinyl...you meet a lot of people, right? You ever meet a grey mare with a purple scarf?"

I felt her wrap her arm around my own. "What?! Am I not good enough for you?" She only managed to keep a straight face for a few seconds before giggling. "Black mane?"

"So you do know her," I let my arm pull out of her grip and land on her waist, slowly sneaking it towards her back pocket. "I see her every day when I walk past the coffee shop on Fetlock."

"Well...I wouldn't say I know her. I know who she is, she's a cellist. She doesn't ever talk to people outside her band, though. Why do you want know?"

"Well I- I see her every day and...she's rather...I would like to talk to her." My last phrase came out like a robot.

"Then go talk to her. Who knows, she might actually say something to you!" I felt her reach into my back pocket. "But if not, then hey! Still got me." Her hand quickly dug in, causing me to drag a hoof on the path, "Just... don't be sad if she doesn't say anything. She's got some issues, I think. From what I heard, she's been like this for a few years or so. But hey, even if you are sad I'm sure I can find a way to cheer you up."

I swatted her bum with my tail, causing a small gasp, "Sometimes I think you just hang around with me so you don't ever have to pay for a hotel... granted, I'm not complaining, but still...it's fun rolling around with you and all, but-"

"Damn right it is!"

"But, it's not great for a healthy relationship." I took a moment and looked at my watch. "Crap. Here, climb up." I pulled her hand out of my pocket and ducked down. "Gotta hurry, they find me late with a mare they'll dock my pay...again."

"You just like this cause-" She wrapped her arms around my neck as I lifted her thighs under my arms, "Cause my boobs land on your head."

Just as she said, with her height her chest sat heavy on my crown. "A little...doesn't help when I run." I laughed taking to the streets. Her breasts bouncing off my head with bound. "But I really am going to be late if I don't hurry."

"Dude, I don't mind if you don't. Ahh...feels nice when I'm not the one carrying 'em."

"Celestia help us. If you ever want me to help carry your boobs, just ask, but right now I'm really gonna be late."

I came to a stop at my route's start, where a deep navy bat mare stood leaned against a light post. "Sir!" She said, snapping to attention. "Ready to relive you!"

I set Vinyl down and walked over, giving her a salute in return. "Pommel, I told you, don't call me sir."

"But I-" she stammered. "Yes sir- I mean...uh...you know. Hello Vinyl. It's been a while."

Vinyl stepped forward, hugging the bat mare and causing a small blush from the presence of her breasts, "I can feel you fidget. I told you what to do, bananas and milk and you'll have em bigger in no time!" She gave another quick hug before breaking off and walking past me. "Stay safe Pommel!"

"Aye! Stay safe!" I yelled back as Vinyl and I left Pommel to her duties. "So what now?"

Vinyl returned her hand to my pocket, as did I. "Well I'm kinda hungry...you gonna feed me?"

I gave a devilish grin, "Depends on what you mean by feed."

"Hmm...how about we save the dirty jokes until after we get some real food? I didn't eat on the train."

"Well that's hardly my fault. I have some leftovers in my fridge, we can eat and then discuss the finer points of how I'm going to- ...going to...uh...." I trailed off.

"Dude, you okay?" She snapped in front of my view a few times before tracing my vision. "Oh," She caught the tail glace of the grey mare walking into a diner. "Wow, she's...hot. Amazing what a change of clothes can do."

"Tell me about it."

"Well you gonna go talk to her?" Vinyl smirked.

"Maybe another time. I don't want to seem creepy, and crossing the street just to talk to someone is kinda creepy."

Vinyl shook her head, "Whatever dude... let's hurry, gotta eat, then we can get down to me-" she groped herself, "-and you." She pointed at my groin with her free hand, "Two months is a long time without a good rutting, for both of us."

I could only laugh. "Maybe you should settle down... I mean, I won't always be around to satisfy your carnal desires, y'know. That said, I am looking forward to seeing how snugly you can fit me between milky thighs."

She lowered her glasses so I could see her pop her eyebrows. "We'll just have to see."

As we walked, I subconsciously looked back to the shop the grey mare had entered, where I could see her standing outside, soft steam rolling out of a cup of coffee in her hands. She looked so stoic, like nothing in the world could ever move her. Not happy, not sad, calm, or angry. A truly neutral expression that made me worry what was she hiding.

Author's Note

Expect 1:1 clop : story
(EDIT: Fixed some grammar throughout the story, will do the same with the other chapters.)