Stress Relief

Stress Relief Chapter 3 – Strange Feelings

When life throws you a good card, do you take it or think it is to good to be true?

"Lyra?"

Bon Bon looked around the marketplace. The mint-green mare who was by her side a second ago had simply vanished. The marketplace was abuzz with every colour of ponies, who were enjoying the sunny day for shopping and socializing.

“Lyra?” Bon Bon trotted through the market square, calling for her partner and lover. “Lyra!”

A rustling bush caught her attention. She stepped closer to inspect it, her curiosity wiping out any reasoning. The bush rustled again before a pair of forehooves came out and dragged her in.

“Lyra!”

Lyra stuck a forehoof into her mouth. “Ssshhh! Be quite, Bon Bon.”

Bon Bon pulled the unwanted forehoof out of her mouth. “Lyra! Just what are…”

The same offending hoof was shoved back into her mouth in an effort to keep the volume down. “Don’t you know the meaning of shush?”

Bon Bon’s only response was a distorted mumble. She tried to pull the hoof out, but was no match for a clearly more determined Lyra, who was busy staring out of the bush at something. “I’m trying to hide from her.”

Now free of the hoof in her mouth, Bon Bon could sate her curiosity at last. “Just what are you…”

“We,” Lyra interrupted.

Bon Bon let out an exhausted sigh before correcting herself. “What are ‘we’ doing in this bush? And who are you spying on?”

Lyra grabbed Bon Bon around the neck and dragged her head forward so they were cheek-to-cheek. Both were looking at a mare out in the market place. “Colgate. I know her and Rose are an item. I intend to prove it,” Lyra said, giving her lover a smirk.

Bon Bon freed herself from her lover’s grasp. She got up and dusted herself off a little, getting ready to trot out of the bush. “Fine! Just leave me out of whatever crazy ideas you have planned this time.”

Lyra didn’t take her eyes of the pony she was spying on. Her smile grew as large as her mouth would allow it. “Two weeks’ worth of chores says I’m right!”

Bon Bon quickly returned to her old position next to Lyra, slowly crawling back beside her. “Oh, you got a deal,” she said, pulling her flank back a little. Lyra did the same with her flank, bumping their cutie marks together to seal the deal.

“Good! Now follow my lead, and play along.” Lyra subtly made her way out of the bush, followed by Bon Bon, who couldn’t help but snicker a little. Both made their way towards Colgate, who was shopping at the celery stand.

Colgate was just about to put her bits on the counter for the ten sticks of celery she was buying when she heard a voice call her name from behind. She turned to see a happy Bon Bon and Lyra coming towards her. “Hey guys! How are you two today?”

“We’re wonderful thanks, Colgate,” Bon Bon said.

Colgate quickly turned and put the bits on the counter with her magic while she used her forehooves to swipe up her celery. “What brings you two out here on a Saturday? Lyra leading you on another one of her silly ideas again?”

Bon Bon dawned a smug smile, giving her lover a seductive look. “You could say that.”

“What?!” Lyra protested. “My intentions are purely innocent… this time, I assure you.”

Bon Bon sat down on her flank and folded her forehooves, giving Lyra ‘that’ look. Lyra began to sweat. She looked every which way, except for directly at Bon Bon.

Letting a large gulp down her throat, she finally worked up enough courage to address her not impressed lover. “Bon Bon, whatever… are you talking about?”

Colgate couldn’t take it anymore, rolling on the grass road with laughter. “You two are hilarious.” She continued to laugh a little more as all attention was now drawn to her. “Lyra, you will have to be extra nice if you wish to have any fun tonight.”

Lyra took this as the chance she had been waiting for, giving Bon Bon a knowing nod. She quickly trotted up beside a still laughing Colgate and put a hoof around her shoulder. “You’re one to talk, Colgate. I bet you have your own fun planned tonight. That means you have to be extra nice to Rose, right?”

Colgate was still a little lost in her laughter. “You’re kidding! I plan on making her scream…” Colgate quickly stopped laughing and shoved her forehooves in her mouth faster than a Sonic Rainboom.

“Sweet! Two weeks of no chores!” Lyra shouted, jumping up and down on the spot.

A defeated Bon Bon dropped her head in shame, “… Wonderful.”

“Just what are you two doing?” Colgate asked, rather annoyed at the sudden turn of events.

Lyra settled down and took a seat next to Colgate. “Oh, nothing really. I just had a little wager with Bon Bon that you and Rose were an item. And, I’m happy to announce I get the next two weeks free of chores.”

“Wait! Me and Rose, an item?” Colgate’s face was blushing rose-red and she started to sweat.

“Well, duh. Who do you think you’re kidding?” Lyra asked.

Bon Bon closed in from her right. Lyra was right next to her with a hoof around her shoulder. Colgate was barely able to form a sentence; panic had set in with the truth about her secret relationship becoming not so secret. “No… um. I mean… Rose? I’m not doing anything with… Rose.”

Lyra got all excited, clopping her forehooves together. “I knew it, I knew it!”

“I, ah… I meant… that… I was going to make her some cream… Yeah! Make her some cream for the cake she is baking later this afternoon.” Colgate put on her best smile and giggled a little.

Bon Bon and Lyra gave each other knowing looks before giving Colgate evil grins. “Not buying it!” they both said.

“But I… um… I mean.”

“Come on, Colgate. Why don’t we shout you some lunch, and you can tell us all about it?” Bon Bon gave Colgate a genuine smile to help ease over her proposal.

Colgate slowly gazed down into the grass. Her face couldn’t be any redder. She mumbled something quietly enough that nopony else could hear it.

Bon Bon giggled at Colgate’s embarrassment. She put a hoof around her neck and used her other forehoof to lift her face up. “What’s there to be embarrassed about? You don’t see me and Lyra ashamed of being in love, do you?”

Colgate sniffled a little, wiping away some tears with a hoof. “Well… no.”

“See!” Lyra yelled, scaring Colgate and Bon Bon as she interrupted.

Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Lyra, honestly.” She turned her attention back to the embarrassed lover. “Despite Lyra’s over-the-top-antics, you can see we are in love, and would not have it any other way.”

Colgate took a moment to think about the proposal. She was still nervous, and couldn’t look Bon Bon in the eyes.

“Bon, you don’t have put it that way. I’m not always so over-the-top.”

Bon Bon giggled. “Yes you are.” Lyra went to protest, but was cut off when Bon Bon propped her chest out and spoke up. “Don’t say you don’t, Lyra. Because if you insist on changing the Lyra I love, there will be some harsh words to be had.”

Lyra smiled as she made her way to her lover’s side and gave her a huge hug. Bon Bon let go of Colgate to return the affection, snuggling her and rubbing their noses together.

A little whisper broke the moment. “Sorry. What was that Colgate?” Bon Bon asked.

“I said… why not.”

“Why not? Colgate, why not what?”

Colgate finally was able to look Bon Bon in the eye, though she kept drawing circles in the grass with a forehoof. “Why not go to lunch with you?”

Lyra and Bon Bon smiled as they turned and motioned for Colgate to follow them.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Daisy, Rose, I’m back!” a voice from outside the flower shop called.

Lily trotted in the front door of the flower shop. She was carrying loads of luggage and was very tired. That did not stop a flash of red and cream from spear-tackling her to the floor, sending all those bags flying across the flower shop.

“Lily! It’s so wonderful to see you. You’re a week late you know.”

Lily was a little shocked. Her friend was sitting on top of her and being all hyperactive like she had not seen her in years. “Rose, it’s okay, you can settle down. I was only a week late.”

“But two weeks has been way too long, Lily.” Rose was acting like a little over-excited filly, huge smile and all.

“Okay, okay! It’s good to see…” Rose gave Lily such a strong hug it was choking her. Lily tapped Rose on the back, trying her best to grasp for some air.

Rose quickly let her vice grip loose. “Sorry, Lily!”

Lily was left gasping for some life-giving oxygen, happy to fill her lungs with the precious gas. “It’s quite fine, Rose.” Lily was finally able to stand up with some help from Rose and dust herself off. “But tell me. What has gotten you so excited?”

Rose tilted her head slightly, looking confused. “What do you mean? Can’t I just be happy my good friend is finally home?”

Daisy poked her head in through the door that leads to the green house to see what all the ruckus was about. She giggled, seeing the mess of bags on the floor, and her two friends having a funny argument. “Was wondering what all the noise was. Should have known it would mean you’re home, Lily. You always make quite a scene.”

“And why wouldn’t I?” Lily followed her comment with a raspberry directed at Daisy, who simply rolled her eyes in response.

“Some things will never change.”

Daisy started to pick up some of the bags. “Come on, Lily. I’ll help you unpack this stuff out the back. Rose, you got the shop?”

“Yup,” Rose replied, a hop, skip, and a jump in her step as she made her way behind the counter, rubbing Lily’s mane along the way.

Lily and Daisy picked up all the bags and made their way out the door to the greenhouse. “What’s with her?” Lily asked.

Daisy looked a little confused. “What do you mean?”

“Rose, she is a lot more… how do I say this? Excited! Less gloomy than normal. Just what happened while I was out of town for two weeks?”

Daisy’s face went all smug, her cheeky attitude returning. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Finally making it into the shop’s kitchen near the greenhouse, Lily and Daisy unloaded all the bags onto the floor in the corner of the room.

“Try me!”

Daisy trotted over to the kettle sitting on the bench and flipped the switch to start it boiling. “Trust me, Lily. This one you won’t see coming.”

“How many guesses?”

“Hmm, how about we make it three this time? Sound good?”

Lily pondered the offer for a few seconds. “Yeah, okay! I will get this in three guesses. I know her as well as you do after all.”

“Not this you won’t!” Daisy giggled, almost dropping the mugs she just got from the cupboard, the kettle whistled the offending noise that startled her.

“Careful, clumsy. I don’t want my favourite mug smashed.”

Daisy poked her tongue out like a little filly in response. “Just start guessing already!”

Lily took a seat at the table, putting her forehooves on the table to think a little, constantly tapping away. “She won a great prize?”

Daisy laughed. “You could say you’re partly right with that guess. But, no!”

Lily stroked her chin with a forehoof, deep in thought. Daisy watched on as she poured two cups of mint lavender tea. “You will never get it,” Daisy teased in a singsong tone.

Lily’s expression went from concentration to determination in the blink of an eye. She jumped out of her chair and quickly moved in on Daisy, stopping just a hoof length from her face. “That a challenge?”

“Yup!” Daisy stood tall and proud.

“Sunday’s shift says I can get it in two more guesses!”

Daisy raised a forehoof in the air and offered it to Lily. “You’re on!”

Lily did the same, giving her competitive friend a high hoof. “Accepted! Prepare to eat those words!”

Daisy took her tea, as did Lily. Both making for the table, and a comfy seat while the challenge continud. “Okay then, she made a new, popular line of perfume?”

Daisy giggled. “Nope. One more guess.”

“Well, that can only leave one thing. Hope you like working the Sunday shift this week. She got herself a good looking stallion?”

The smug look on Daisy’s face said it all. She had another sip of her tea while Lily was left confused. “Okay, I give. Just what is it then? Tell me!” she begged.

Daisy started to explain a little when a shout from the shop caught their attention. “Girls, little help please!” Rose called out.

“We better go help her,” Daisy said. She quickly gulped down the last of her tea and started making for the door.

Lily followed suite, hastily trying to finish her tea while protesting. “Hey, Daisy. Come on, you can’t leave without telling me!”

Daisy purposely ignored Lily’s demands, countering with one of her own. “Hurry up, Lily. Rose needs our help, so move it girl!” She quickly trotted out the door before Lily had any more time to object.

~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a quiet day in the flower shop, until a sudden surge of customers suddenly appeared. Rose was struggling to handle the numbers by herself, so called out to her friends and co-workers for a little help.

“Rose, how much are the daffodils, please?”

“Where do you keep the perfumes?”

“Rose, could I get a few extra seeds on my order?”

Customers were all demanding Rose’s attention and it was a little more then she could handle at once. “Hold on everypony, my friends are on their way. We can get to all your questions in just a minute.”

Daisy trotted into the store, quickly followed by Lily, who was still putting on her apron. “We’re here, Rose. Where do you want us to start?”

Rose was talking with Carrot Top over her order, and pointed to the line behind the counter. Rose tried her best to sort Carrot Top out while Daisy manned the counter. Lily made her way to a few customers in the isles who had questions on their products.

The commotion in the shop quickly begun to die down, the girls once again working their magic as a team, proving they could be just as good as any well-oiled machine. Rose finally finished up with Carrot Top, seeing the happy customer finally leave the store with her purchase. She was just about to head behind the counter to help daisy file through the customers faster when a special blue customer trotted in the door.

“Colgate!” Rose happily called out.

“Hey, Rose. How has your…” Colgate was cut off from a crash tackle by Rose.

“What are you doing here silly?” Rose asked, happy and puzzled at the same time to see Colgate.

“Came to see you about tonight. Mind helping me up first?”

Daisy finished off the last of the customers as Lily joined her behind the counter. They watched as Rose helped Colgate up, both of them laughing and having a good time while they were at it. “Isn’t that Colgate?” Lily asked.

“Yup.”

“Rose seems really happy to see her. It’s almost as if something is going on between those two.”

Daisy turned to Lily, a smirk on her face. “No, really?” Lily asked.

“Mmmhmm.”

Lily looked at Rose and Colgate, then back to Daisy, before going back to Rose and Colgate again, her mouth agape the whole time. “I’m not sure on the whole love thing; Rose has been rather vague about it. But I know she has definitely been happy lately. I mean, I would be if I got to bang a cute unicorn like that.”

Lily was simply stunned, her face saying it all. “Well, I must say I certainly wouldn’t have seen that one coming.”

Daisy nodded in agreement. “Makes two of us. Why do you think I made that bet with you?”

“Least our Rose is happy now. I can’t remember the last time I saw her like this.”

“Come on, let’s go meet her then,” Daisy said, taking her apron and proceeding towards Rose and Colgate. Lily threw her apron off and quickly caught up to Daisy.

“Wait, wait, wait! You’re organising tonight?” Rose asked.

Colgate smiled, not hiding anything of her sinister plan. “Yup! After you got me good a while ago I say it time for some revenge.”

Rose looked puzzled. “Revenge?”

“Ever since you got some advice from your friend Daisy, you have been dominating and doing most of the planning every Saturday since. Now, it’s my turn.”

“Would you say it was good advice?” Daisy asked, sending shivers up both Colgate’s and Rose’s spines. Daisy and Lily were now on either side of Rose, both waiting for Colgate to give her answer.

“Ah… hey guys… what are you two… doing here?” Rose managed to ask in between mumbling and losing her ability to speak.

“We came to meet your new friend, Rose,” Lily said, poking Rose seductively in the side.

“Yeah, so how was my advice?” Daisy asked, closing in on Rose for an answer.

Rose started to blush and sweat. She began to mumble and answer when Colgate did for her. “It was wonderful advice. Thanks, Daisy. We had loads of fun. Right, Rose?” Colgate now joined Lily and Daisy in closing in on Rose, waiting for her to answer.

Rose was blown away. ‘Since when does she have that much confidence? And since when is she so open about us having fun in bed?’

To everypony else Rose was lost to the world; unresponsive to any question, comment, and even a touch on the shoulder.

“She okay?” Colgate asked.

“This is not normally like her. She is not normally so easily… broken,” Lily said, waving a hoof in front of Rose’s face.

“I know what might snap her out of it,” Colgate seductively offered. She pulled out a breath mint and tossed it in her mouth.

Seeing the mint snapped Rose out of her little daydream. “Colgate, what are you doing?”

Colgate began to chew, letting magic seep into her mouth as she built up the fresh breath spell. She gave Rose a seductive look and a wink of her eye. Rose slowly backed away. “Colgate… what are you doing, and in front of my friends?”

“Rose, got yourself a fine mare there, don’t you?” Daisy asked, prodding her friend seductively in the side of the hips.

Rose continued to slowly trot back, Colgate matching her step-for-step. “Come on, Colgate. Not here. Not now,” she whispered.

Rose slowly kept backing up until she had no more space to move, bumping into the counter. Colgate took every step in sexy stride, swishing her tail and giving her eyes several seductive winks towards Rose.

Daisy and Lily could hardly believe what was going on in front of their eyes. “This isn’t the Rose I remember leaving here two weeks ago. What did you do to her?” Lily asked.

“Would you believe, nothing,” Daisy said, too focused on the show in front of her.

Rose had little choice left, she took a big gulp and resigned herself to her delightful and embarrassing fate.

Daisy and Lily watched on as Colgate grabbed Rose roughly around the neck with a forehoof and dragged the embarrassed mare towards herself. Rose was lifted slightly off the ground as she went flying towards Colgate. Their lips slammed together as Colgate seduced her partner in a passionate and long kiss.

Rose lost all control of her body, her limbs flopping to the floor. Her eyes were entranced as Colgate kissed her like never before. She wrapped both forehooves around Rose tightly. She let her tongue explore the inside of Rose’s mouth along with the alluring, fresh breath. This drove Rose crazy, her body starting to shake from pure entrancement.

After only thirty seconds of what Daisy and Lily could describe as pure love, Colgate and Rose shot up, the effects of the cool fresh breath filling both their bodies.

Rose fell to the floor, completely spent, much like she had done a hard day’s work. She was breathing heavy and looking around, trying to get her senses back. Colgate simply stood there and looked into her sparkling green eyes.

“Wow!” Daisy said, all attention in the room now on her.

Lily was lost for words, unable to even tell if this was reality or a dream. She slapped herself across the face to make sure this was not some kind of weird dream she was having.

Rose looked to her friends, their stunned expressions saying everything. She looked back to her partner, smiling and simply inviting her for some more. “Damn it, Colgate!” she yelled, before quickly jumping up and connecting her muzzle with Colgate’s again for another kiss.

For another awe-inspiring minute, Rose’s friends watched on as she kissed Colgate with all the passion and love they had ever seen, filling the room with such drive Lily and Daisy looked at each other in a seductive way for a second before coming to their senses.

“At least that answers the question of what made her so happy while I was gone,” Lily said, watching on as they broke from each other’s embrace.

Colgate let Rose drop to the ground, releasing her from her loving embrace. She cheekily turned around and swished her tail in Rose’s face. “Meet me at Shotty’s tonight at seven, okay?”

Rose did her best to nod. It was good enough for Colgate who took that as her cue to leave the shop, teasing rose a little with her tail on the way out.

Lily and Daisy waited for Colgate to fully leave the store before rushing to their friend’s side. “Rose! Rose, you okay, girl?” Lily asked. She picked up Rose in her forehooves and shook her a little; in an attempt to snap Rose back to reality.

“Sure am,” Rose replied, sitting right on cloud nine.

Daisy marched up to look Rose in the eyes. “Okay girl, start explaining, we want answers.”

“Yes, we want an explanation,” Lily said, joining Daisy in ramping up pressure on their friend.

Rose struggled for a moment, unable to form any words at all. Worry covered her face, and her nervous, fiddling forehooves didn’t help either.

“Well?” her friends both asked.

“I’m not sure how to explain this feeling. I never felt like this before… for anypony. It’s like I can’t get by without her. I want her… no, I need her… Oh! I don’t know anymore.” Rose started to cry, confused beyond belief.

Lily and Daisy gave each other comforting smiles, followed by an affirmative nod. Lily sat down next to Rose and picked her up to look at them both. Daisy put a forehoof around her neck to comfort her. “Rose, you’re in love,” Lily said.

Rose was shocked, was she falling for another mare? Her head was running a million scenarios with different outcomes. She was unable to comprehend the situation. “I am?”