Celestia's New World

November 10

Every morning I wake to the sight of her long, bright hair is another day added to my life. Her sleeping form has such beauty. My heart screamed at me to stay, but the world would not stop turning for our love, no matter how much I wished.

I slowly maneuvered myself out from under her, trying my best to let Celestia sleep soundly. I dressed myself in my work clothes before stepping into the front room, closing the basement door behind me. Red sat on the couch, controller in hand. She raised a hand, gesturing the controller to the kitchen.

Curious, I moved on, passing in front of the TV, much to Red's displeasure. To my surprise, Chrysalis was in the kitchen. She was reaching into the upper cupboards, trying to get a bowl.

"You're lively today." I mentioned, grabbing a bowl for myself.

"My legs are still giving me trouble." She was bracing herself on the counter.

"You sure you should be walking around on your own?"

"Red Shadow wouldn't help me."

"Red!" I called.

"I shouldn't have to deal with her!"

Hmm... I shrugged.

"Not going to defend me?" asked Chrysalis.

"Well, she's not wrong. If you need something, just call for me or Celestia."

"You have no idea how embarrassing it is to be cared for by my enemies."

"I thought you'd be a little more appreciative."

Her eyes narrowed.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You don't gotta think of us as enemies, Chrysalis. We're your friends."

"Celestia is not my friend."

"Well, I'm your friend."

"Hardly."

"You don't get to decide that." I said, brushing her off.

"Wh... Of course I get to decide that! I thought you ponies were all about your 'magic of friendship' nonsense. Forcing your friendship upon somepony isn't part of your prerogative."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a pony. Come on." I reached into the cupboard and retrieved a bowl for her. "You've been trying to get this since I got out here."

She grabbed the bowl from my hand before begrudgingly letting out a slow, "Thank you."

"Let's get you sat down." I lowered myself, offering her my shoulder.

She grabbed hold of me so I could lead her to the table.

"You should really take a break, Chrysalis. Let Celestia and I take care of you for a little while. I'm sure you'll like it."

"I already told you, it's embarrassing. Do you have any idea how humiliating it was to... to have to be taken to the bathroom?"

"I get it, I get it. You'll live, Chrysalis. Besides, I thought you'd jump at a chance to order Celestia around."

"Not like this. Not while... I'm the weak one. I don't want her pity."

I sighed. "What kinda cereal you want? I got Frosted Flakes and Lucky Charms."

"Lucky... Charms?"

I got out the bag.

"That doesn't say Lucky Charms." she said.

"Yeah, it's a knock off Lucky Charms that I get out of habit."

"And... what is it?"

"Same thing, slightly different taste."

"You aren't answering my question."

"Well... it's got charms. And they're lucky."

Chrysalis took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Have I told you how much I despise you yet?"

"I haven't been keeping count."

"You're mocking me."

"Without a doubt."

Red called out to us from the front room. "He does that to all his friends, don't think you're special!"

"You'll get yours, Red Shadow!" Chrysalis fired back.

"Try me, bug!"

"Oh, you little..." Chrysalis, in her infinite wisdom, pushed herself away from the table and began standing. Forgetting that not moments ago she had trouble even collecting a breakfast bowl, she began to wobble. Thankfully, she managed to catch herself on the wall before she toppled over.

"You alright?" I asked, holding back a laugh.

"I'm going to destroy her." Chrysalis growled, continuing on.

"Red, c'mon. You know she's gonna bite your head off when she gets her powers back." I said.

"You know what else bites your head off? A mantis! You know, a bug!"

Red's joke finally got to me. I let out an unintentional laugh before covering my mouth. Chrysalis shot me a dirty look.

"I don't know about that, Red. I don't think the two of you are close enough for that." I said.

"What? Oh! Oh, ew! No!"

"Come on, Red... Let me bite your head off." Chrysalis was slowly entering the front room with malicious intent.

"You stay away from me you buggy freak!"

I couldn't see what Red was doing, but there was movement in the front room, so I assumed cowering. There was a very nice corner near the door that I imagine she's taken refuge in.

I moved to Chrysalis. "Come on, that's enough. Quit pestering Red."

"Quit pestering Red?! After what she's said to me?"

"You can destroy her after you get your powers back. For now, you still need to rest." I placed my hand onto her shoulder, my firm grip preventing her from moving forward.

She looked at my hand for a moment before twisting away from me. "Fine. Once I regain my powers, not even your Princess will be able to protect you, Red Shadow."

"So you mean until then I can say whatever I want to you?"

"You infuriate me." she growled.

I helped Chrysalis back to the table so we could eat in peace. I poured her a bowl of cereal and got the milk out.

"Don't bite Red's head off, we need her."

"For what? It seems all she's done here is play her game."

"Exactly. She's doing it so I don't have to."

"I am going to enjoy destroying you."

I chuckled. "You know, you can be really sweet sometimes."

"What? I've done nothing but threaten you and Red Shadow since I've woken up!"

"Oh, you don't mean it."

"I assure you, I do."

"Maybe you do, but-"

"I do."

"But..." I repeated, "You're still having fun."

"In what way does that make me seem 'sweet'?"

I shrugged, giving her a smile. "Maybe I just think it's cute when you smile."

Her eyes narrowed. "I told you that I don't want you calling me 'cute'."

"Can't help it."

After my own bowl was prepared, I sat and began eating. Chrysalis watched me for a short while before grabbing her own spoon and joining me.

"At least there's one good thing about being in this world. The food is delicious."

When the two of us were done, I made sure the table was clear before helping Chrysalis up.

As I brought her through the front room, she said, "Leave me out here."

"Hey, no way!" said Red.

"Do you promise to play nice?" I asked.

"Oh, I'll play nice." she said, a sinister grin on her face.

"Come on, you're not just gonna leave her with me, are you?" Red complained.

"If she starts acting up, just bop her one. Or let one of us know."

"Oh, now you're talking."

Chrysalis glared at Red as I brought her to the couch. Red was mirroring Chrysalis's smirk from earlier. The two ladies sat at opposite ends of the couch. Red unpaused her game, trying to ignore Chrysalis.

I watched Red play for a little while longer before the time came for me to head to work. As I got ready, I went over what I needed to do today in my head. Namely, I needed to set up a time with Sarah. I didn't have a defined schedule, so any time worked. Celestia was still sleeping, so I left her alone before heading out.

As I opened the door, I looked back and said, "Chrysalis, don't attack Red while I'm gone."

Red stuck her tongue out at Chrysalis, who rolled her eyes.

"Red, be nice to Chrysalis."

"Hey, she started it." Red complained.

"No, she didn't. Be nice to her."

"You're not my dad, I don't have to listen to you."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "How mature of you."

"No fighting while I'm gone. And if something happens, Celestia can get ahold of me."

"I'll be on my best behavior." Chrysalis snarked.

"Cool. I'll be back whenever I damn well please."

"Ta-ta." She brushed me away with her hand.

I closed the door behind me and made my way to work, wondering how the day would go for the two of them. Physically, the two were no match for Celestia if things became physical again. Chrysalis could barely move in the first place and Red was a twig compared to my Princess.

Sarah greeted me with a smile as I arrived at work. We found an empty space to chat while we had time before the shift started.

"I told my parents that you're able to meet with them." she said, "They said they wanted to meet as soon as possible."

"Alrighty then. I don't got anything going on, any time after work is good."

"Great! I'll m-make sure they know. S-So... is... t-tomorrow alright?"

"Yeah, tomorrow should be fine."

"S-Seven o'clock?"

I nodded. "Fine by me."

"Good... Th-Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet." I said, "We still gotta actually get this over with."

"Right. Um... Phil... I... Th-This is... C-Can you w-wear something n-nice?"

"Nice? Uh... How nice? Are we going out, or..."

"No, no, nothing like that. Just... something nice."

I grumbled. "I'll find something."

"Not... It doesn't have to be especially formal, but... my father... He's very..."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, I got it."

"He... M-My father isn't mean." she said, "I... I know you were thinking he was. He loves my mother and I more than anything in the world."

"I was only thinking that a little. All you said was strict. It's not really my business how your family lives."

"Y... Yeah... Yes, you're right."

I paused. "Sorry if that came off as rude. So how are we gonna deal with the aftermath? I don't wanna keep this up."

"N-Neither do I. I can take care of that. I'll tell them we split up."

"Why didn't you just say that before now?"

"I was... I was nervous. I didn't know how they'd react. They might've thought you broke up with me b-because they invited you to dinner."

"Do they do this often?"

"They're just c-concerned for me, is all. They just want what's best for me."

I nodded. "Well, whatever. I'll make myself presentable. I'm sure it'll work out."

"Yeah, I... I guess you're right. T-Tomorrow will be an interesting day. Well... I st-still need to speak with them about the time. I'll c-call you after work."

I nodded. "Sounds good. So... other than that, how've you been?"

"I've been... good. It was nice meeting your... f-fiancée yesterday. I'm... I'm so sorry again for barging in."

"Ah, don't worry about it. Celestia wasn't mad, she was just testing you. I mean, it was pretty surprising. Got me out of talking to Chrysalis though, so that's nice."

"Oh... Is... Is she... I... I don't know her, so..." She trailed off.

"Chrysalis is... an interesting case. She's..." I chuckled, trying hard to relate Chrysalis's position in Equestria to our human world, "Celestia and her have been kicking each other around for years. It's really their deal, not mine. I don't really wanna say anything about Chrysalis when Celestia is trying her best. Anyways... Yeah, Celestia liked you."

"Is... Is your house always that full?"

"No, no. Until recently, it was just me. Then it was just me and Celestia. Then Red showed up. She's been staying there recently. Chrysalis is hanging out until she gets better."

"S-So... What happened to her? If... If you d-don't mind my asking."

"Ah, she's got... hydro... endo... cardio... spatula... itis... syndrome."

"Hydroendocardiospatulaitis syndrome?"

"Yes. She's very sensitive about it, so we don't mention it around her."

"I see..."

"She overexerted herself and is having trouble moving around." I answered slightly more honestly, "Celestia's the only person she knows that would help her, so she's super embarrassed." I chuckled. "Oh yeah, she doesn't actually like Celestia."

"That's... Um..."

"Ah, I guess I shouldn't have said that. It's not really something I should spread."

"Oh... I won't ask, then. She seemed n-nice."

"Lucky you. She's usually very mean-spirited. She was probably just tired. I'm sure if you stop by again, she'll poke at your insecurities like she did to me. She's a frustrating woman to maintain a conversation with. Man, I'm sorry I brought it up. This is depressing, can we talk about something else?"

She let out a small chuckle. "S-Sure."

We spoke idly throughout the day, parting after work, like normal. The rest of the day was calm and peaceful. With nothing else to focus my mind on, I began thinking about the upcoming meeting at Sarah's house. I didn't know a lot other than I needed to wear decent clothes. I wonder if I even have anything decent at home. Celestia would know. Geez... Relying on my fiancée to clothe me feels weird. I went home as I did every day of my life. Work, though long, wasn't hard. I just missed Celestia.

On the walk home, I took a deep breath. The air smelled nice. It was a brisk November day. There were leaves on the ground, the sky was getting dark, and I was warm inside my sweater. It was a pleasant walk home. With the weather getting colder, I'll have to dress more appropriately. It'll start snowing soon, too.

A pleasant greeting from the wonderful woman on the couch told me that I was home. Celestia was such a bright light in my life.

Also on the couch were the other two women currently living in my house. Celestia sat between Red and Chrysalis, separating them like children in the back seat of a car. Red was still playing Mario Kart and barely gave me more than a glance.

"Good news." I said, "Sarah's gonna give me a call tonight to let me know that her parents will be ready."

Celestia smiled. "That's great!"

"I gotta dress all nice, though. I'm pretty sure I have exactly one nice outfit."

Red snickered. "Sounds like you're more than ready then."

"Will you need formal wear?" asked Celestia.

"Nah, nothing like that. At least, I'm certainly not going to wear it if I did. I don't feel comfortable wearing formal clothing."

"I can't say I'm surprised." Another jab from Red.

"I gotta look at least somewhat presentable. I mean, it's the polite thing to do."

Celestia nodded. "I suppose if it's what you think is right."

"Hmm?"

"Well, I have quite a bit of experience in high society, so I know that it's not just your clothes that matter."

"I have a lot of experience in high society too, but you don't hear me bragging about it." said Red.

"Red, shut up." I said.

Chrysalis chuckled at my negative treatment of the little thief. Red was somewhat amused as well.

"Hey, didn't you say you got another game for this?" asked Red.

"Oh yeah, Smash Brothers." I said.

"I kinda wanna try that one out."

"Alrighty, then. Lemme grab it for ya."

As Red finished her race, I moved to the TV, sitting next to it. I opened my new copy of Smash Bros. 4, waited for Red to finish, ejected Mario Kart, and pushed in the second disk. Red selected the game when it popped up on the Wii menu. A loud fanfare played, announcing to the entire city block that we were playing Smash Brothers.

"Hold on a minute." I said, "I gotta get something."

Ever prepared for Smash, I collected a gamecube adapter and some controllers from the basement, where they were sitting on the desk.

"What's this all about?" asked Red, taking the controller I handed her.

"Better controller. Gives you a better handle on the... controls."

"I don't know about that. It feels really weird."

"You can use the other controller if you want. I'm using this one."

"Oh no, I'm not letting you get ahead of me by using a better controller!"

I gave the next controller to Celestia, then reached over the party to give one to Chrysalis. She didn't take it.

"Wanna play?" I asked.

She glared at the controller in my hand before turning her gaze to me.

I shrugged. "Suit yourself." I stood to the side near the door so everyone could see.

Celestia was experimenting a bit with the controller I gave her, turning it upside-down and examining the back.

"Alright, this game is totally different from the last one." I said, "It's a 2D fighting game instead of, you know, a racing game. Here, lemme start up a game for us. It's really fun, one of my favorite series when I was a kid. So was Mario Kart, though."

I brought us to the character select screen and by instinct chose Ike. He was my favorite from Brawl, which is the last Smash game I played. I then made a name for myself so I could keep track of how badly they'll lose to me.

"Oh, I recognize some of these characters from the other game." said Celestia, leaning in to examine them closely.

"Yep. This series is basically a mash-up from a lot of other different series-es. They take the most popular characters from other games and smush them all together into a fighting game. They all have their own special abilities and movesets, so each new character you play can be more interesting than the last. Hold on a second."

I changed some of the settings to make the game a bit more fun, especially for the new players. I made it a stock battle because timed battles were... less fun, and left items on because they were essential to achieve maximum fun levels.

"It really doesn't matter who you pick." I said, "They all have their pros and cons. I always just play my favorites."

"Some of these look very regal." said Celestia, navigating through the characters, "Are there more in high standing like Peach?"

"Yep. There's... uh... Princess Zelda, Lady Palutena, Prince Marth, King Dedede..."

She snickered. "What a funny name..."

"Ganondorf and Bowser, too. Actually, we don't have Ganondorf yet. We gotta unlock him. You know, Palutena kinda reminds me of you, Celestia."

"Hmm?" she turned her head to me.

"Oh hey, you can change their colors!" Red let out, interrupting our not so private conversation.

Celestia turned right back to the screen, captivated by Red's newfound power. "Really? How?"

"You use these buttons." said Red, showing her on the controller.

Celestia changed the color of Peach's dress a few times before finally deciding on the vanilla pink dress.

I waited for them to choose their characters. Celestia chose Peach and Red chose Link.

I picked a stage for us at random, choosing the option to remove stage hazards for their first few matches so it was easier to learn the controls. After we loaded into the game, I demonstrated the various movement options and attacks to them. They moved around a bit, learning the controls on their own.

I moved my character to the side of the stage. "Alright, try fighting against each other." I said.

"What, just us?" asked Red.

"If I join in, it won't be as fun." I said.

"I feel like you're challenging us."

Celestia chuckled.

"Hey, if you really wanna try it, go ahead." I said.

They both advanced on me and were quickly and utterly put in their place. Even Chrysalis seemed amused at how easy it looked.

Celestia laughed. "Oh, you beat us so quickly."

"Well, you've played a total of about two minutes combined."

"We were attacking each other, it wasn't fair." said Red.

"Well, I can make it a team battle, if you want."

"Yeah, do that."

"I'll even throw in an extra handicap."

"We don't need a handicap." said Red.

Celestia laughed. "Yes we do."

I gave them a level nine CPU to fight against me. Even though they were so new, their combined efforts made it difficult to properly deal with their powerful teammate. Plus, since I wanted them to learn how to play, I tried keeping them alive longer. It didn't work. Celestia kept rushing towards me to give me a hug and got blown away by Ike's sword. She would laugh every time it happened.

"That fighter you gave us was so good." Red said in awe.

"Yeah. I forgot the how good computer was in this one."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"In the earlier games, the computer was pretty manageable at the highest level. In this one, the computer is a monster with perfect reactions. Here, lemme sit out for a few matches."

"Aw, you aren't playing?" asked Celestia.

"How are you gonna learn how to play if I keep beating you so fast?"

Celestia shrugged.

The two of them started a game on their own. With the basic movement down, their skills could finally improve. It was a lot like watching them play Mario Kart for the first time. Red won two games in a row against Celestia.

"I want to try a different character." said Red, looking over them again.

"I'll do the same."

This time, Red picked Ike, I'm sure copying me. Celestia picked Palutena. They started their next match.

"So, what were you saying about this character before?" Celestia asked.

"Oh, right. Well, all of these characters have their different stories from their own game series. For example, Link is a hero who vanquishes evil with his legendary sword and Ike is a mercenary who fights for his friends. Palutena is the Goddess of Light and guardian of the human race."

Celestia chuckled. "I don't envy her. It's hard enough protecting my little ponies."

"Who's your favorite fighter?" asked Red.

"Hmm? Oh. Uh... Yeah, that'd be Ike." I replied.

"Why so?"

"'Cause he's so cool. And he uses my favorite kind of weapon."

"A sword?" she asked.

"A big ass sword. With one hand. The lad's built like a fridge and hits like a truck. When I was younger, I played the game he came from and really liked his character. He's super strong and has a heart of gold. As I got older, I grew to appreciate his character more and more. Aside from Ike, Link is a close second."

"He uses a sword and a shield. What's so special about him?" asked Red.

"His main... draw is his courage. No matter what, he never gives up. Also, I have a lot of nostalgia for him, considering I've played his games since I was... like... three."

"He sounds impressive."

"Oh, all of those guys are impressive." I said, "If you play the classic mode, you get trophies that tell you what makes all of these characters great."

"I'm starting to really like this game." said Red.

"You're getting better pretty fast. Maybe one of these days you'll be able to take one of my lives." I gave her a smirk.

Celestia burst out laughing. Red glared at me as if I had just wounded something in her. Chrysalis just seemed amused at my insult of my friend.

"Now Phil, be nice to her." said Celestia, "She's still a beginner."

"You're not any better!" Red snapped at her.

"No, perhaps not. Would you like to play again?"

Red grumbled. "Fine."

"There's all sorts of stuff you can do in this game." I said, "The classic mode even has a co-operative mode so you can play together."

"That sounds fun." said Celestia.

"I guess." said Red.

They had already started another game against each other. It was interesting watching them improve so quickly.

Chrysalis seemed content with watching for now.

"And Red, you'll like this..." I said, "There are a lot of challenges in this game. There's like... beating the game with every character, beating the game on the hardest difficulty..."

"Why do you assume I would like that?"

"You got all those stars in Mario Kart."

"Yeah, that's true. Beating the game with every character seems like a chore."

"It's pretty fun. I'd know, I've done it in every other game in the series so far."

"I bet you have."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, it sounds fun."

I squinted my eyes at her before turning back to the TV.

"Chrysalis, you should join us." said Celestia.

"Yeah, stop being a chicken." said Red.

"A chicken? I assure you, my unwillingness to play your childish game has nothing to do with cowardice."

"Bwak-bwak! Chicken! Bwak-bwak-bwak!"

Chrysalis's eye visibly twitched. For a moment, I thought I was gonna have to step in and prevent her from scratching Red's eyes out. Like a chicken.

Chrysalis took in a breath, letting it out slowly. "Give me a controller."

"Yeah, there you go!" said Red.

Celestia chuckled.

"If I can't defeat you as I am now, I can at least defeat you in this game."

As they started the next game, Celestia stood to the side as Red and Chrysalis battled. Chrysalis lost the first match given her lack of experience and Red's aggression towards her. After this, they seemed to be evenly matched. Celestia acted as cleanup, taking advantage of their low stocks and high percentage after one player was gone.

After a few games, Celestia said, "Do you girls think we can take Phil?"

"I doubt it." said Red. She grinned. "Let's do it."

I smirked, refraining from bringing attention to the innuendo that I'm sure only Red missed.

"Yeah, I'm sure you guys will do fine." I said, "Girls."

Another win for me. This was far easier without the challenge of the level nine CPU, though they did put up more of a fight this time. Maybe they were studying my very predictable play style. My little brother did the same thing and turned the tables on me for a while.

Our little group played a few more rounds until Celestia mentioned to me that she was hungry, which reminded me that I hadn't eaten since lunch. I retrieved the sacrifices to sate the beasts on the couch, namely Twinkies and Cosmic Brownies. She was also pretty happy to see me bring out some sandwiches for the group.

"Thank you." she said to me, taking one.

The other two were a tad more indifferent to my generosity, though did nod in appreciation as they each took one.

Though their skills improved, they were no match for my experience. My somewhat self-destructive game style did net them a stock, which they held over me until the match ended. Even Chrysalis seemed to be enjoying herself. Their skills improved further as we played through the night. It wasn't enough to beat me yet, but it was still interesting to see. Eventually, I found a comfy place on the floor to sit.

My phone began vibrating in my pocket. I took it out to check who it was.

"What are you doing?" asked Celestia.

"It's... Oh, it's Sarah." I answered. "Hello."

"Hello, Phil. M-My parents said that they were fine with tomorrow at 7:30. Is that alright with you?"

"Yep, that's fine. I'll be there."

"G-Good. Thank you."

"Yep. I'll make sure not to wear my Dethklok shirt."

"Uh... Thank you for that. I'll... s-see you then."

"Yep. See ya."

"B-Bye."

I hung up.

"What'd she say?" asked Celestia.

"She said dinner's at 7:30." I replied.

"Are you nervous?"

I shrugged. "Little bit."

She chuckled.

"How long have we been playing?" asked Red.

"Probably like twelve minutes." I erroneously replied.

"What? No, you idiot."

"Red, be nice to Phil." said Celestia.

"So how long has it been?" Red asked again.

"It's been about three and a half hours." said Celestia.

"Wow, really?"

"Perhaps we should start preparing for bed."

"You have fun with that." said Red.

"Chrysalis, you should rest." said Celestia.

"I don't need to rest. I need to put this insolent thief in her place."

Red turned, getting aggressively close to Chrysalis. "What was that, bug?"

Celestia sighed. "Suit yourself. Phil?"

I stood and stretched my legs. "Yeah, I gotta go to bed. I don't wanna be tired tomorrow."

Celestia chuckled. "Yes, you don't want to be tired for your big date." she joked.

"It's not a big deal. I just hope it's not awkward with her dad. Dads always hate their daughters' boyfriends. It's how they're supposed to be."

Celestia chuckled. "My father was very protective when it came to men in my life."

"I... wouldn't know." said Red.

"I was born without parents." Chrysalis offhandedly commented.

"Yeah, my dad never liked my sister's boyfriends." I said, "Then again, he never really liked anyone."

"Anyone?" asked Celestia.

I shrugged. "He wasn't the nicest guy in the world. But he got better after he stopped drinking."

"Your father was an alcoholic?"

I nodded. "Yeah. He's been sober for... I'd say four years, now."

Celestia smiled. "I'm glad he's taken such steps. I know that it's not easy, by any means."

"Addiction runs in the family, Celestia." said Chrysalis, "Perhaps there is something he is hiding from you."

Celestia turned to her in a huff. "I will have none of that, Chrysalis! You will keep silent on our relationship."

"Touched a nerve, have I?" She just chuckled.

Celestia looked back to me and in her sweet voice said, "I'm sorry, Phil. I didn't mean to raise my voice."

"You should've just told her to fuck off."

Red snickered before covering her mouth, holding in her laughter.

Chrysalis gave me a glare before looking back to the screen. "I suppose I deserved that."

"Hey, I didn't actually say it. I just felt it."

"Phil, do try to watch the... language around Red. She's still young." said Celestia.

"Stop saying I'm young!" cried Red, "I can swear if I want! Fuck!"

The three of us looked at her.

She returned our gazes before saying, "What?"

"No swearing in the house." I said.

"Then how come you can swear?"

"It's my house."

"Oh, there you go again with that. You're not my dad!"

"It's still my house."

"Perhaps you should listen to him, Red. A young woman such as yourself shouldn't be using such foul language." said Chrysalis, clearly amused.

"Fuck you!" Red shouted at her.

"Red!" Celestia tried to calm her.

Red laughed. "That felt good."

"Red, no." Celestia was doing her best.

"Fuck you, Red." Chrysalis replied with a smirk.

"Chrysalis!"

"Ok, that was really weird." said Red, "I'll stop swearing if you stop swearing."

Chrysalis chuckled.

Celestia let out a sigh. "I think it might be time for me to take a break."

She stood, joining me. The two of us moseyed into the kitchen to grab a bedtime snack before eventually retiring to the basement together. After brushing our teeth, of course. As we passed through the front room, we spoke briefly with Chrysalis on her bed situation. After a bit of discussion, Red begrudgingly said that she'll make sure Chrysalis makes it to bed.

Red and Chrysalis were big girls, they could figure out their own bedtimes. I didn't really care either way. They reminded me of my brother and I when we were kids playing Subspace Emissary together. Our insults were a little more aggressive, though.

November 11

It was raining the next morning. The gentle pitter-patter of rain on the roof was actually quite relaxing. I didn't know if it was going to get any better or worse, but I didn't mind. It would probably be pretty cold today.

Celestia was fast asleep, as far as I could tell. I got off the couch and dressed myself to exit the basement. I could hear the clacking of a controller in the front room. Red must still be playing.

I opened the door to get an interesting sight. Red was indeed still playing, but Chrysalis was asleep. On Red. I blinked a few times, wondering if I was really seeing this. Chrysalis's legs were laid over Red's lap as she slept. What the heck?

"Wh-"

"Don't ask." said Red.

"Red, how'd you let this happen?"

"I told you not to ask."

"Alright, fine. I won't ask. Do you need help?"

"N-No, it's... it's fine."

"Alright. If you say so. Anyways, moving through."

She paused to let me get through without interfering, unpausing after I passed.

I got myself a bowl of cereal, same as every day. My morning routine rarely changed. When I was finished, I returned to the front room.

"Quit staring at me." said Red.

"I'm not staring at you, I'm staring at Chrysalis."

"Well quit it, it's creepy."

"So..."

"I said don't ask!" She raised her voice.

"Fine, fine. Hey Red, if Chrysalis is making you uncomfortable, you can tell us."

"No, no, it's fine. Look... I lost a bet. Happy now? It's... It's just a little embarrassing, is all. Losing, I mean."

I shrugged "Looks kinda comfy. Heading through." I started moving past the TV.

"Nuh-uh."

"What?"

She pointed at one of the controllers. "Play."

I gave her a small smile as I took it. "Alright."

Red picked Sheik while I picked Ganondorf, who wasn't on the roster last night. Red's played so much that we had a good number of new characters.

With another win under my belt, neither of us was surprised. Red didn't seem bothered by my easy win. I think she was studying my play style. We played until it was almost time to go. After deciding that it would be my last match, I collected one more win before setting the controller down.

"Looks like it's time." I said, checking my phone.

Red made a noise to let me know she heard me.

I visited Celestia once more before leaving, kissing her gently on the cheek. I think I may have seen a smile, but it might've just been my imagination. Looking at her lying under the blankets like this... She was an angel. An angel with a nice, round bottom... Whoops, time to go to work. With that, I left the house. I made sure to put on a warm hat on the way out. It was still raining and still very cold. Thank goodness I had my umbrella.

Sarah and I spoke a bit about our upcoming dinner when we met at work. She reminded me once more that I needed to behave myself, which was a little embarrassing, to be honest. I was older than her and she was still telling me how to act.

"I'm not gonna go and ruin the dinner." I assured her.

"Y-Yeah... I just... I... I want it to go well. We can... have a f-fake break up from our f-fake relationship after."

"I'll be happy when all this is over." I said.

"Um... Ph-Phil?"

"What's up?"

"Wh-When this is over... Will... Will we still be friends?"

"Of course we will, Sarah. Celestia too."

She smiled. "Thank you. For... helping me."

"Yeah. Come on, let's get to work. We can put this whole mess behind us soon enough."

"R-Right."

Work was as normal as it always is. We had another complaint today, but I solved it with some good old fashioned free food. This person was much nicer than the last complainer. No doubt I provoked the last one, but still.

After work, I went straight home. It had been raining all day, but it was starting to let up. I had about an hour and a half before I had to be there. Plenty of time to clean up. As long as I can remember where she lives, I'll be fine.

"Hey, Celestia." I let out, walking into the house.

"Hello." she cheerfully replied.

"Hey." said Red.

No response from Chrysalis.

"Today's the day." Celestia said with a smile.

"Yep. Finally gonna get this over with."

"I'm just glad you're gonna stop complaining about this." said Red, "It's been pretty annoying, I gotta say."

"Nobody's asking you to listen, Red." I said, "Anyways, I gotta shower."

"I'll bring some clothes into the bathroom for you." said Celestia.

"Oh, thank you."

"Now that you mention it, it's been a while since I've cleaned myself as well." said Chrysalis.

"Ew, you're... Ah, same here." said Red. She giggled.

"Celestia?" I asked.

She just shrugged.

"Geez, we're all disgusting." I started walking past the screen.

"Hey, watch it!" Red let out, moving her head to look past me.

"Red, you're addicted to video games." I said to her.

"You're addicted to video games!" she wittily retorted.

"Got that right."

I went into the bathroom to take my shower. The warm water was a nice change of pace from the chilly rain.

A short while after I stepped in, I heard a knock on the door. "It's me, honey. I have your clothes." said Celestia.

"It's unlocked." I called out. I knew she would be the next one in, so I made sure to leave it open for her.

She entered the bathroom, setting the clothes onto the towel rack. She stood in front of the curtain. "It's just dinner, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, as far as I know." I replied, "Dinner, talking, that sort of thing. Then I get to go home with a full stomach."

"Are you nervous?"

"Didn't you already ask me that?"

"Well... yes. I'm nervous."

"You?"

"Well... you're having dinner with the family of a woman I barely know. It doesn't feel right."

"Yeah, I don't like it either. Feels weird. I'm sure it will be fine."

"Yes, I'm sure you'll do great. It's just come as a bit of a shock, I suppose."

"Same here. Maybe we could do something when I get back. I dunno."

"What kind of... something?"

"Maybe I could find a movie for us or something. Watch it on the computer downstairs."

"That sounds nice." she sounded distant, somewhat. Like she wasn't really paying attention.

"Is everything alright, honey?"

"Um... Phil? Can I... join you?" she asked.

"Join me?"

She was asking me if she could shower with me. With our relationship being what it is, it was a little more complicated than that. The two of us showering together could lead to any number of things. With Red and Chrysalis out there... well... I didn't really care what they thought.

"Yeah, that's... wait... You're not Chrysalis in disguise, are you?"

She chuckled. "No, it's me."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Would you like me to say something only the real Celestia would know?"

"Sure, that'd work."

"Hmm... What to say... Oh, I know!"

Through the curtain, I could see her silhouette begin to strip.

"Hey mister, you look kind of sad. Give me just a moment and I'll make you glad. If you don't want any help, just you say. You know, I've got a PhD in brightening days."

"No way." I can't believe this.

She pulled back the curtain, once more revealing her stunning body to me after so long. "You may not see what I see in you, but let me tell you what I see is true. My eyesight's fine and I'm rather... in my mind. I've got you in my thoughts all the time." She stepped into the shower with me, closing the curtain behind her. "If I could take your hand and kiss you... If I could hold you close and love you... And love you..."

I smiled. "I can't believe you remembered that dumb little song."

"It wasn't dumb to me."

The two of us shared an embrace, gently holding each other, foreheads pressed together, eyes locked.

"I've missed you." she whispered.

"You missed me?"

"I've missed your affection."

"Yeah. I feel the same."

"Oh! You're poking me, honey."

"I think you're gonna just have to deal with that for a little while."

"You might be right." She giggled.

I pecked my lips against hers before pulling away and proceeding to do the one thing you're meant to do in a shower, get clean. We had about an hour to spend together before I needed to leave. Seemed like we would be using a lot of that time here.

Though our history of tandem showers was a tad scandalous, today we were more reserved with our love. It was still a pleasant shower. Refreshing. The two of us cleaned each other and washed each other's hair. Celestia's big, plump body covered in a layer of soapy bubbles...

"My, what candor..." she said, her eyes directed downwards.

"It isn't easy keeping myself calm around you."

"Don't worry, honey. I know exactly what you're saying."

"C'mon Celestia, you think they'll ever let us live it down?"

She shook her head, smiling at me.

I returned her smile. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

"Oh honey, flattery will get you everywhere."

We held each other again as our eyes met. Once more, our lips pushed together. It was difficult to resist these temptations, especially for such a silly reason as trying not to offend our guests. It was comforting to know that Celestia felt the same way. Still, we had to hold out. For some reason.

"You're not gonna have to clean Chrysalis, are you?"

She giggled. "Get those thoughts out of your head. She has far too much pride to allow that. At any rate, she should be strong enough to bathe herself by this point."

"Do you think we made any progress with her?"

"I don't know. She has been acting kind, but she is a master of deception. It's impossible to say. Did you... notice Chrysalis resting on Red this morning?"

"Yeah, that was weird."

"I may need to pay more attention to the two of them. Chrysalis isn't one to get close without an ulterior motive."

"It's hard to trust her."

"It is."

"Think we should get out?" I asked.

"That's probably a good idea."

I suddenly pulled her close. She let out a whine as I held her tight. Her body went still as I growled something into her ear.

Her face reddened as we pulled apart. "Oh, you vile beast."

I smirked as I reached around her and turned the water off.

"Do you need me to grab you some clothes?" I asked.

"No, no, I brought clothes for myself."

"How thoughtful."

I reached up and began running my hands through my hair, squeezing the water from it. It's gotten rather long. I may need a haircut soon.

Celestia watched me for a few moments before doing the same with her own hair, bundling and twisting her knee-length hair. I tapped her shoulder to get her attention, then directed her so that her back was facing me. I grabbed her hair and started gently wringing out the excess water. With how much hair she had, a torrent dripped down.

Looking at her from behind like this... I raised my hand towards her head. She paid me no mind, assuming I was simply working on drying her hair. To her surprise, I grabbed tightly near the base of her hair and pulled. Her cry of surprise turned into a soft moan as I wrapped my arms around her and bit into her collar.

"Ph-Phil... Mmm..."

She kept still as I nibbled and sucked on her skin. I soon let her go, lifting my head. She turned back to face me.

She smirked. "How rude."

"Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"I shouldn't have let you go so easily." she said.

"A Princess shouldn't have such things in her mind." I said.

"Oh, you're just awful."

"And you're beautiful."

We shared a brief kiss before parting and stepping out of the shower. I grabbed a towel for myself before grabbing another and throwing it at her. She let out a yelp as it hit her face. It revealed a smile as it dropped. I looked at the clothes Celestia had picked out. Though I didn't own any truly formal clothing, these seemed fitting for the occasion. A plain, black shirt and a simple pair of blue jeans.

"Will those do?" she asked, drying herself

"They look fine." I said, doing the same.

Celestia waited for me to dress myself before going for her own clothes. She smiled at me as she clothed herself. "You're staring."

"Can't help it." I replied with a smile of my own, "It's like watching the sun set. It never gets old."

She chuckled.

I gathered our old clothing and the two of us left together. Celestia had her hair wrapped in a towel sitting on her head. As Celestia joined her friends on the couch, I threw the clothes downstairs to deal with later. Red once again complained that I was in her way. I checked the time on my phone before standing next to the couch and watching the game.

"Did you two have fun?" Chrysalis asked with a smirk.

"It was a rather pleasant shower." Celestia replied, "Will you be bathing tonight, Chrysalis?"

"Oh, I don't know if I could find the energy." She turned her gaze towards me. "If only there were someone big and strong to help me into the bathtub."

Though her tone seemed to be somewhat seductive, Red didn't pick up on it. Instead, she knocked Chrysalis off the stage while she was distracted.

Celestia maintained her smile, though there was a bit of a glare in her eyes. "I will be more than happy to assist you to do whatever it is that you may need, Chrysalis." she said in a cheerful, yet forceful tone.

Chrysalis looked back to her. "Perhaps I am... healthier than I realized."

Red let out a mocking laugh.

"And Red, you should shower, as well." said Celestia.

"I call before Chrysalis. I'm not running out of hot water."

"What makes you more deserving of the hot water?" Chrysalis asked.

"Because I'm better than you at this game."

"Have you forgotten your loss last night?"

"Oh, I didn't forget. Are you forgetting your loss just now?"

"You took advantage of me while I was distracted."

"Then stop getting distracted."

"Oh, you're going to get it."

"I don't think I've ever run out of hot water." I offhandedly commented.

"Seems the winner gets to shower first." said Celestia, stoking their rivalry.

"You're on!" said Red.

"No fair, you're so far ahead."

"Winner of the next game gets to shower first." I said.

"Fine. But only because I won't lose." said Red.

With Red winning this match, morale on Chrysalis's side was low. The two of them picked their characters and chose a map.

Midway through their match, I asked, "What happens if you tie?"

The two of them gave their answer at the same time.

"We'll play again. Duh." said Red.

"We'll shower together." said Chrysalis.

Red went silent, turning to Chrysalis in pure horror. Chrysalis, knowing exactly how her opponent would react, smirked as Red's fighter flew off the stage. Red didn't seem to notice her loss. She was still in a state of shock after hearing Chrysalis's proposal.

"Seems I've won. I shower first." Chrysalis set the controller down and began to stand.

"Do you need help?" Celestia asked, standing as well, offering a hand.

"I will be fine, Celestia." Chrysalis growled, wobbling as she took her first step. Though she needed to take some time to keep her balance, she slowly made her way to her destination, soon disappearing from our sight.

"Let me know if you need any help, Chrysalis!" Celestia called after her.

"I will be fine, Celestia!" Chrysalis shot back. We heard her turn on the water.

"Clothes, Chrysalis!"

Chrysalis let out a loud, disgruntled groan.

"Don't worry, I'll get you a set!" Celestia called, chuckling to herself. She stood and moved into the bedroom, then took a set of clothing to the bathroom. She returned to us shortly after, a smile on her face.

After a brief delay, Red finally returned to us. "Was... Was she serious about that?"

"Don't pay her any mind, Red." said Celestia, "It was likely nothing more than a joke."

"What do you mean, 'likely'?" Red was not convinced.

"Well, perhaps Chrysalis has taken a liking to you, Red." Celestia said with a chuckle.

"No way! That's disgusting! And I'm not into girls!"

"Ok, time for me to go." I said, not willing to continue this conversation.

"Goodbye, Philly." Celestia waved.

"I'll be back in a little while. Don't burn the place down while I'm gone."

"I'll wait until you get back." she replied with a smile.

"Phil, you gotta keep Chrysalis away from me!" said Red, scrambling to keep me here.

"You'll be fine. Just tell her the truth and I'm sure she'll understand." I said, going along with Celestia's joke.

"Try not to break her heart, would you?" Celestia seemed fairly amused by Red's problems.

"There's no way she likes me! You gotta be messing with me!"

"Love you, Celestia." I said, opening the door.

"I love you, too." she replied with a smile.

"Later, Red."

"Phil, no!"

Ignoring Red's pleas, I walked outside, shutting the door behind me. I got into my car and made my way towards Sarah's house. I'm sure Celestia would tell Red that she's joking at some point. She'll be fine. Either way, this was going to be an interesting night.