When Scootaloo arrived at Sugarcube Corner, Diamond Tiara was already waiting for her, sitting alone at a table for two. Arms crossed, shoulders set. Tail swishing.

The pink filly had a small glass of hot chocolate with a tiny crown of whipped cream sitting in front of her. And she was frowning so hard into it, it was like she was trying to will her drink to turn into mud from the sheer vitriol of her glare. Scootaloo felt her wings twitch in a subconscious desire to take her away from a potential threat, but she pressed them down flat on her back. There was no going back. She’d promised.

Diamond Tiara didn’t react when Scootaloo clip-clopped over to her table. Her sitting down only got her the Earth Pony’s ears rotating in her direction, while the rest of the her remained stony. Scootaloo scooted the chair she’d claimed closer and propped her arms on the table. She chanced a look down on Diamond Tiara’s drink. The cream was slowly dissolving into the chocolate, while the filly looked on like an evil god watching a ship-wrecked pony drown in the ocean.

Scootaloo was torn from the gruesome imagery by the sour-sweet voice of her… partner-in-crime, she guessed.

“Well?” She still wouldn’t look up. That normally cute face was a rigid mask of general displeasure trained on the tiny tragedy playing out in her drink. “Did you find out anything? What did you find out?”

Scootaloo took a deep breath and released it through her nose. She glanced about for a moment—not like anypony was listening in, the only other customer, some brown stallion she’d seen around town now and again, was currently chatting up Pinkie Pie, and it didn’t seem like they were going to stop any time soon. Besides, they weren’t doing anything illegal. She thought.

“Silver Spoon and Snails hooked up about the same time Apple Bloom and Snips did.”

Opposite her, Diamond Tiara finally looked up. Her muzzle scrunched up fiercely.

“That’s it? Nothing else? Seriously?”

Scootaloo felt her brows crease up. She tapped a finger against the tabletop. The tone in Diamond Tiara’s voice, she didn’t like it. Too pushy. She was always pushy. It was getting on her nerves. A lot.

“She did tell me about how their relationship started,” she relented. “One day, Snails came to her with—”

Diamond interrupted her with a dismissive snort. “A Fire Snail shell. I know that one. What a waste of time!” She stuck out her tongue, crossing her eyes and making a ‘blegh’ sound. Scootaloo stared at her, struggling with her growing irritation at the pink filly’s antics. She had the urge to get right back up and fly out the door. Literally.

You knew? You knew, and you didn’t tell me you knew? Scootaloo ground her teeth together. The nerve of this little—!

“Okay. So, what was the point of siccing me on Silver Spoon,” Scootaloo asked with a calm she didn’t feel, and she was sure she didn’t show cause her wings were flaring up, “if you already knew?”

The Earth Pony met her glare with a wave of her pink hand. “Eh, I thought maybe you could find out something new. Something that actually matters. Fat chance, right?” She crossed her arms and huffed, as if she was putting up with her, and turned away. “Should’ve known better.”

“DT, if you’d just told me in advance what the hay you knew or didn’t know, I could’ve made sure to ask for the thing you actually wanted me to find out in the first place! Don’t blame me for your plan not working if you don’t tell me the entire plan!”

Diamond Tiara scoffed. “Why should I tell you all the details when I’m the one doing all the thinking?”

Scootaloo’s tail lashed the air. She was this close to planting her fist in the other girl’s muzzle. She didn’t, because her vision was suddenly obscured by a small mountain of a hazelnut-and-chocolate meringue cake. She reeled back, blinked in confusion.

“Here you go!” Pinkie Pie’s shrill voice was in Scootaloo’s ear, sending it twitching away from the source. She turned her head to the mare and the horizon of pearly-white pony teeth that was Pinkie’s smile. “Sorry about the wait, just had to wrap up that last order, I was all set to get this one to you but they came in, and you weren’t here before they were done, but now they’re gone and you’re still here, so enjoy!” She giggled and winked. “Have fun, you two!”

Scootaloo, a little baffled, watched her pronk away, ‘la-la’-ing to herself and generally seeming happy as only a Pinkie Pie could.

“I was wondering when she’d finally bring you that,” Diamond Tiara said from across the table. She was still turned away and pouting. If she sensed the questioning look Scootaloo sent her, she didn’t show it, but she did shrug and kept talking. “I had enough time to order for you too before you showed. Honestly, you almost made me think you wouldn’t.” She closed her eyes, letting out a long-suffering sigh.

“No need to thank me. It’s quite alright. I don’t need your gratitude or something. I’m just doing this because you did something for me. That’s all.” Diamond Tiara waved her away again. “Go on. Eat. I’m not hungry.”

Scootaloo let her gaze drop to the delicious desert. It looked good. Really good. Sugarcube Corner made some of the best cakes in Equestria. The Cakes were famous for their… well, their cakes, even in places like Canterlot! She sneaked a glance at Diamond Tiara over the little hill of sugary, hazelnut-and-chocolate-y goodness. Perhaps this made for a suitable peace offering. For the time being. “Thank you, Diamond Tiara.”

The other filly reacted only with another huff. Scootaloo smirked to herself. Maybe it was ungrateful, but this opened up a golden opportunity. She could have a little fun at Diamond Tiara’s expense, couldn’t she? It wasn’t like she didn’t dish it out herself! And maybe she did promise Miss Cheerilee to try to get along with her, but a little ribbing wouldn’t be too bad... Flipping her small fork between fingers, Scootaloo put her tone as nonchalant as she could.

“You could have just asked me out if you wanted a date, but this will do, I guess.” And she took her first bite.

She shuddered with pleasure. Mostly from the awesome cake that set her tastebuds dancing, but also from the now-sputtering, increasingly red filly snob who looked like somepony had punched her in the stomach.

“Wha—you—I—tha, that’s, no, you can’t—!”

Scootaloo couldn’t help it. She broke into a full-body laugh, sending specks of chocolate and nuts flying. Diamond Tiara hastily pulled up a napkin to shield herself, then hid her flushed visage behind it. Just her eyes glowered murderously over at Scootaloo, who grinned with her mouth full.

“You’re disgusting.” Diamond Tiara’s voice was a growl. “In every sense of the word.”

“Up yours!”

“Find new material already.” Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes, lowered her impromptu shield and sighed to the heavens. “Celestia, why do I even try?”

Scootaloo ignored the barb. She got the better of her enemy, to her, this day was already somewhat a victory in and of itself. Even if they weren’t that much closer to any real answers. Then again, they weren’t done talking yet. She swallowed down another mouthful of cake and then pointed the fork at Diamond Tiara. “Seriously, DT. Why did you want me to grill Silver Spoon if you knew the reason they got together? You think she lied to you?”

“No. She wouldn’t.”

Diamond Tiara put her arms down on the table, leaning forward on them. The blush had mostly receded from her face, but traces of it were still there. She looked tired, all of a sudden.

“I really did think you might find out something I hadn’t seen,” she murmured, quietly. Almost as if Scootaloo wasn’t there. Just loud enough that Scootaloo didn’t need to strain herself. “It doesn’t make sense. Silver Spoon is classy, she’s as high society as Ponyville gets, outside of Sweetie Belle’s sister and the princess. Her family is very much invested in her future. She has the best tutors money can buy. She’s excellent in school. She’s clever, she’s studious, she’s one of the prettiest fillies in the whole town. So why, then, throw all of that away? To be with that… that mouldy hay fry?”

Scootaloo slowly closed her mouth. Swallowed down what she had between her teeth. “Do you really think being with Snails is throwing her life away?”

Diamond Tiara snorted, but it lacked the bite she usually had. It was more frustrated than angry, Scootaloo thought, and probably not directed so much at her.

“Well it’s certainly not helping her move forward with her life, now is it? What opportunities does Snailsquirm offer, huh? It’s a waste. A mistake. A tragedy in three acts. Because that’s as high as he can count.” She glared at her drink before picking it up, blowing on it, taking a sip and grimacing. “Nnn! She… she could do so much better!”

“Like who?” Scootaloo said the words before her muzzle caught up with her brain.

The pink filly opposite her stretched out her tongue from her muzzle. Scootaloo’s temper flared, but deflated pretty quickly when Diamond Tiara proceeded to wave air to the slightly-deeper shade of pink appendage.

“Ugh,” Diamond made her displeasure known. She went cross-eyed, staring down her own muzzle. “Hoght! Sthill hoght!”

Scootaloo couldn’t help herself, the sight was just too ridiculous. She snorted a quick laugh, earning herself an angry glare coupled with an angry blush that was simply too adorable not to crack an even bigger smile. For her part, Diamond Tiara didn’t seem to be in the mood to bite back. She just glared some more, then glared down at her hand. Drawing her tongue back into her mouth, she gave it a few experimental lip-smacks. “Getting burned too much today,” she groused.

“Kay.” The Pegasus didn’t quite know what that was about, and frankly, she was more interested in something else anyway. Even if the other girl’s antics were really funny... She took another bite of her treat, twiddled her fork in Diamond’s direction and steered the conversation back to the earlier question. “You said she could do better.”

Diamond Tiara looked up, blinked. “Who?”

“Silver Spoon.”

“Oh.”

Diamond fell silent. Her hand shook a bit, most likely to chase the pain away while its owner thought up her answer. Scootaloo busied herself with her desert in the meantime, waiting for the questionable nuggets of insight the Earth Pony was sure to hand her. Only, she didn’t, not right away.

Diamond Tiara carefully picked up the little spoon she’d gotten with her cocoa, dipping it into the rich dark brown drink. She appeared to try out a different approach, after burning her tongue on the drink directly; now, she brought the chocolate-filled spoon to her muzzle, blew gently on it, making it ripple like a soft breeze across a lake, then eased it into her mouth.

The pink filly gazed absent-mindedly at the table as she suckled on the sweet treat. She made a low ‘mmm’ as she did, and her eyes fell a little more closed. Still holding the spoon pinched between two fingers, she let her mouth open; the tip of her tongue lapped at the small shallow bowl with slow, deliberate movements. It moved to the underside next, and above again, circling the head of the spoon. As she teased the eating utensil, while Scootaloo stared at her with wide-open eyes, Diamond Tiara made a pleased-sounding little sigh before bringing her lips together and giving the head of her spoon a kiss.

Scootaloo gulped. Her throat felt a little dry. Which was not surprising, the room felt a little hotter too. “DT..?”

“Hmm..?” Diamond Tiara’s gaze snapped back to her.

“You,” Scootaloo began. She had to cough once. “Ahem! You wanted to tell me who you think Silver Spoon could do better with. Before you started, erm, doing all that… with your silver spoon…”

She grimaced internally. Smooth, Scoots.

“Well…” Diamond Tiara furrowed her brows. “Well, if it has to be one of the doofus twosome, why not go with Snips? At least that one has some actual business acumen! Now that would make some sense!”

Scootaloo found herself lowering her fork slowly. Never in a hundred years she had expected to hear Diamond Tiara actually praise one of her favourite bully targets. The sheer surprise at this statement left her staring open-mouthed at the pink filly like she’d grown a second head. A head reciting Ancient Ponish poetry.

“What?” Diamond noticed her shock quickly and didn’t seem pleased by it. She bristled and leaned across the table aggressively, an unspoken challenge to go along with the worded one. “What?! Stop that! You know I’m right!”

Scootaloo tried to wrap her head around what she just heard. Before her mind’s eye, she saw the colt in question with his mouth opened in a wide grin, a gleam of light reflected off of his exposed front teeth with a faint ‘pling’. “Snips? You think being with Snips makes sense?”

“Compared to Snails, yes!”

“We’re talking about the same colt here, right?” Scootaloo drilled on. “Short and chubby? Bushy eyebrows, buckteeth?”

“Yes!”

“The class clown? Biggest jokester in school? Has a history of making kinda silly plans to get stuff he wants?”

“Rich coming from you, but yes!”

“The guy called Snipsy Snap? That one?”

“Yes!”

Scootaloo paused. For a second or two, she pondered, and finally, mostly against her better judgement, asked: “Do… you like Snips?”

“Ye—NO!” Diamond’s eyes went wide while her face went pale… followed by a flush of crimson. She looked upset. No… she looked furious.

“Would you, please, take this seriously!?” she yelled. Diamond Tiara hammered the palm of her hand on the table, almost tripping over her hot chocolate and making Scootaloo jump in shock. It was the same hand she’d glared at just a moment ago, and when it slammed down on the wood the angry filly winced and hissed in pain. The murderous glare that followed told Scootaloo she was blamed for the pain… and she supposed it really was her fault just a tiny bit. “I try to explain something, and you just keep making these… these dumb jokes! I’m not here to amuse you, Scootaloo! Celestia’s Sake! First you say this dumb, dumb stuff about you, and now Snips! What’s next, are you going to bring up Babs Seed or something? You know what? Forget it. I’m done wasting my time with you.”

She made to rise. Only to have Scootaloo grab her dress to hold her back. Diamond Tiara flashed her teeth, but before she could unleash another angry tirade—and she looked very much like she was about to—Scootaloo cut in.

“Wait! Wait, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry.”

The glower stayed frozen on pretty pink features, but instead of the harsh tongue-lashing Scootaloo expected to get, there was just a long exhale. Taking her chance, she continued; Scootaloo’s head lowered almost by itself, but she kept her grip on the dress.

“It wasn’t meant as a joke. I’m sorry. You normally don’t have anything good to say about either Snails or Snips, so I didn’t expect this coming from you. And it sounded like, well, like you actually had something you liked about him.”

Diamond Tiara gradually lowered herself back into her recently abandoned seat, stopping for a moment so that Scootaloo could let go of her clothes. She steepled her slender fingers in front of her face, taking another deep breath to steady herself. Over the tent of her fingertips, Diamond Tiara sent the Pegasus a calculating look. She remained quiet for now, nodding for Scootaloo to get on with it.

She did. “Even Silver Spoon admitted you two picked on Snails and him. Almost as much as you did with AB, Sweetie and me. You two wouldn’t give them the time of day. What did Silver Spoon say about Snips once? ‘Teeth like something that should be squeaking rather than whinnying’?”

That got an amused snort out of the other girl. “Yeah, that sounds like something she said once.”

Scootaloo allowed herself to relax a little. She felt her wings settle behind her. They’d begun spreading when Diamond shouted at her, but things seemed to be calming down again. Good. Trading a few blows with DT is one thing, but her flipping out like that made me feel like I’m the bully. “Yeah. So, when you said something nice about him, I was surprised. I’d be surprised too if you said something nice about, heck, me.”

Diamond Tiara’s features turned dark for a moment. At least that’s what it looked like to Scootaloo, because Diamond Tiara ducked behind her fingers again, leaving only her deep blue, piercing eyes, silently judging her.

“Well… I haven’t always been… very forthcoming with praise towards you and the other Crusaders…” she allowed with some noticeable reluctance. She looked away, towards one of the windows, and shrugged. “As for your question, let me reiterate: No. I don’t like Snips that way. I have zero interest in romantic matters, myself. Frankly, this whole ‘dating’ business can’t be over quickly enough so I get my bestie back.”

Scootaloo just about told her Silver Spoon was still there and she should just get over herself and accept Snails was a part of her friend’s life now, but shook her head instead, keeping it to herself. That wasn’t her battle. Diamond Tiara would learn, or keep up her little tantrum and lose her one true friend in Ponyville for good… if they had ever really been friends.

Scootaloo almost missed Diamond’s next words, when she kept on in a nonchalant tone. “Besides, even if I did like-like Snips—which I don’t—he’s taken. Last time I saw him, he was rubbing cheeks together with Apple Bloom like an overfed rabbit that thinks he’s a cat.”

Scootaloo raised her brow. “Not if you do the thing Tootsie did.” She met Diamond Tiara’s suddenly suspicious gaze with a neutral one of her own.

“What do you mean?” Diamond cocked her head to the side. “Did she get her nipples pierced with cheap rings? I hear he likes that.”

“How would you even—no. Well, not that I know.”

“Good.” The Earth Pony glanced down at herself, stroking the palm of her hand down over the curve of her top. “I’m not going to. And if I did, I’d make it more expensive.”

Scootaloo chuckled, brought her arm up and poked her in her chest. It was soft, and sort of squishy. Her finger sunk into the cloth-covered flesh a fair bit; somewhere next to it, she could feel something a bit harder… and turning harder still. “Like little diamonds, eh?”

The look Scootaloo earned for this, she couldn’t place. Diamond Tiara’s expression tightened up but relaxed so quickly, she wasn’t sure it wasn’t a trick of the light.

“I suppose,” Diamond Tiara almost-purred. “Now, what was that thing in the place with Tootsie Flute?”

Scootaloo sobered up quickly. “Something’s going on with Tootsie, Twist and Truffle, DT. It’s about the three of them,” she said. She shook her head again, took a last bite of dessert to give herself time to think. The fork plink-ed on the now-empty plate when Scootaloo put it down and licked her lips. “When you distracted Snails on his date with Silver Spoon and I talked to her, those three came in together.”

“Three friends going out for ice cream? Together? Oh no. Hold the presses,” Diamond Tiara threw in flatly. “Never seen that before. Never knew anypony who ever did something so heinous. Have you looked in the mirror lately?”

Scootaloo snorted, narrowed her eyes. “I never stuck my head down my friend’s cleavage while my coltfriend watched us.”

The other filly opened her mouth for another retort, but froze as the words sunk in. Her expression went from snarky to confused and questioning and curious, all without any apparent muscle movement in her face. Scootaloo thought she deserved a little smirk for that one, so she did.

“Yeah. They were very close.” Her smirk collapsed into itself. “The weirdest thing about it is, Tootsie spoke to me during recess. She wanted some advice. I think it had something to do with whatever’s going on between them. I feel… kind of responsible.”

Diamond Tiara stared at her with half-lidded eyes. “What did you tell her?”

“Uh…” Scootaloo shrugged helplessly and smiled. “Sharing is caring?”

“Because it is!!”

“Gah!”

Pinkie’s suddenly popping out of nowhere nearly sent Scootaloo tumbling off her chair. She barely managed to steady herself with a few flaps of her wings, which, fortunately, left her hand free. She needed it, to clutch her chest where her heart seemed to be wanting to jump out of her chest by her throat and explore the world without the rest of her. A quick glance showed Diamond Tiara was exactly as surprised as she was, leaning away from the older pink pony and flailing.

“P-Pinkie Pie!” Scootaloo wheezed. “Please… please don’t scare us like that!”

“Hah hah, oh yeah, sorry.” Pinkie scratched the back of her neck and grinned apologetically. “I just heard you saying that when I came over, and I totally know that one, and it’s totally true!”

Diamond Tiara had managed to calm down somewhat, judging from her slowly getting her breathing back under control. She blinked at Pinkie suspiciously. “Why did you come over anyway? I already paid. I’m not giving tips after I already paid.”

“Nothing like that!” Pinkie Pie waved her concerns off. Her smile, however, dimmed a tiny bit. She looked almost serious, even spoke less overly excited. “There was some yelling earlier. I wanted to check on my guests, because yelling ponies are usually unhappy ponies—unless it’s Bulk Biceps—and unhappy ponies can always do with a teenie-tiny dose of Pinkie Pie to turn their frown upside down!”

Scootaloo and Diamond shared a look. “Er… n-no need,” Scootaloo stammered, “No unhappy ponies here! We had a little disagreement back there, but it’s all cleared up now.”

Pinkie Pie stared at her for a long moment, Unmoving. Then she brightened.

“Okey-Dokey-Lokey! You two have fun! And remember to try not to disagree so loudly, everypony else stops having fun!” She waved, her arm turning into a pink blur, and pronked off again at the same time.

The two filles left in their seats both sighed. And Scootaloo couldn’t help but snigger. “Well,” she told Diamond Tiara, “at least she didn’t tell us to have fun on our date.”

Diamond Tiara sent her a dirty look. It only made her snigger harder.

“I really don’t like it when ponies make jokes about that at my expense.” Diamond Tiara’s nose twitched, and her eyebrows nearly touched, so hard were they drawn together.

“Don’t worry, last one for today. So, DT, what’s next?” Scootaloo asked. She earned herself a blink from the other filly.

“Next?”

The Pegasus gave her the cockiest grin she could muster. She felt a lot calmer now. Yet also excited. More focussed. “Yeah! Don’t tell me you’re not curious about what’s going on? You were all raring to go just a few hours ago!”

Diamond Tiara blinked again. And slowly, she began to smile herself. She leaned forward, elbows on the table. Behind her, her two-toned tail wagged side to side.

“I think you should go and ask your friend Apple Bloom next, about why she likes Snips.”

“Maybe it’s his ‘actual business acumen’?”

“Hush, you.”

Sweetie Belle had almost made it all the way up to the entrance of Carousel Boutique before her sister even noticed her. Instantly, the stormy clouds darkening the older Unicorn’s face lifted, making way for a radiant beaming. She could see Rarity’s gem-blue eyes light up like stars in pure, sisterly joy.

“Sweetie Belle!” she cried, levitating the glass of wine back inside her boutique without looking and spreading her arms wide. “Am I glad to see you! Give your big sister a hug, hm?”

“Who was that guy who just left..?”

“Unimportant!” Rarity shooed the question from her presence. “What is important, is you and your date! Come in, come in! You need to tell me ALL!”

After a brief but welcome embrace, Sweetie Belle was ushered inside by a smiling Rarity, who took the lingerie she carried under one arm with her magic, folded it and put it away for a later wash. Sweetie Belle watched on as Rarity fussed about in her shop, all the while talking excitedly and firing off rapid-fire questions:

“How did it go? Did it go well? Was he late? No, no, that wouldn’t fit Spikey-Wikey, he was early, wasn’t he? Did he dress nicely? Did he like your dress? Oh, I hope he liked your dress!”

“He did,” Sweetie said. She felt a hint of annoyance at Rarity bringing it all back to her dresses, but with a wry grin and a shake of her head, she decided to let it go.

Rarity is always going to be Rarity, that’s why I love her.

“He liked the dress you made for me.” Sweetie Belle nibbled on her lower lip. With a conspiratorial tone, almost wickedly so, she added: “And he liked the surprise you made for me, too. He liked it very much.”

Rarity paused, then she returned with well-concealed glee. “Oh, did he, now? Well, I am glad to hear that.”

Another pony might’ve missed it, but Sweetie Belle had no problem picking out how pleased her sister truly was. There was a happy, content warmth in her voice, a pride both about a job well-done, and, perhaps, pride for Sweetie Belle herself as well. She would have liked to think so.

Rarity’s smile slipped from her, though, and she cocked her head to the side to look at the younger Unicorn closely again, her lips pursing and a finger tapping against them.

“However, I did notice you were not actually wearing all of the surprise when you came back.” The smile came back to her, now teasing. It made Sweetie Belle blush and feel a little hot all of a sudden. “Just how far did your little date go, Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle scratched her neck, still blushing. It wasn’t quite as easy with the big kitty mittens on. “N-not that far,” she stammered. “We talked a little, and I showed him the outfit, and then we cuddled a bit…”

Rarity’s eyes positively glittered. “Did you kiss..?”

Sweetie Belle made a face. “No,” she admitted.

Her big sister blinked, obviously surprised. “No? Whyever not? You were so looking forward to it, were you not?”

Now, Sweetie Belle crossed her wrists behind her back. She dragged her hoof in little circles on the ground, feeling embarrassed. “I was. I chickened out.”

“Oh, Sweetie Belle…” Rarity shook her head and reached out to hug her again. Sweetie stopped her with a raised mittened hand.

“But, we have a plan to solve that!”

“Oh?

“Uh-huh!” Sweetie Belle nodded, her mood lifting. “We asked Twilight for help! She’s going to give us pointers on that, and other things!”

She saw her sister grimace for some strange reason. “Pointers on kissing..?”

“And other things.”

“By Twilight Sparkle.” Rarity sighed, rolling her eyes. She sounded long-suffering, and Sweetie felt like there was a joke there she didn’t know. “Well, then. I wish you and Spike luck. And Twilight, too. You’ll need it. All of you.”

Shaking her head, she gave Sweetie Belle another once-over. “It’s really unfortunate you didn’t get to kiss Spike, or do more for that matter. I’d have thought with the top falling off…”

Sweetie Belle’s ears snapped straight up. “Wait. How did you know about that? I didn’t tell you yet.”

Now it was Rarity’s turn to blush. “Ah-hah-hah,” she laughed, in a way that sounded more than a little forced, raising her hands and shrugging helplessly, “you see, I might, perhaps, have put in a bit of a, shall we say, ‘weak point’, in order to facilitate your courtship. Only with the best of intentions, I assure you.” She swallowed, backed away. “Now, Sweetie Belle, I can see you are upset… ack!”

With a war-cry, equal parts girl and meow, the younger Unicorn jumped at her older sibling, paws stretched out and hitting her in the shoulders; barrelling into the mare sent them both tumbling to the ground, thankfully into a pile of unfinished—and un-needled—clothing, exactly as Sweetie had calculated. She was on top of Rarity now, growling and not just not laughing out loud, and bit at her sister’s dress, right at her neckline. Rarity shrieked but was powerless to stop her from pulling it down in one go!

Rarity’s creamy-white breasts popped free from their confines; they bounced with her heavy breathing, still held up from below by her dress but otherwise uninhibited now. The soft white fur on her chest was extremely smooth, Sweetie Belle found, as she pressed her own breasts down on them. Rarity’s breasts were as generous as Rarity herself, more than a handful each, heavy without sagging at all, the envy of many a filly in Sweetie Belle’s class and probably a lot of Ponyville’s mares. Their nipples brushed, sending a quick pulse of pleasurable energy up to Sweetie’s brain, and to her mild but delighted surprise, her sister’s pearls went stiff just as much as hers reacted to the stimulation.

Sweetie Belle spat out the dress’s fabric still in her mouth and smirked from one red-flushed ear to the other. “Now we’re even!”

Her sister gaped at her. Then, she broke into a giggle, Sweetie joining in quickly. “W-well, I guess we are! And I guess I do, sort of, deserve this after playing that little trick on you, though, again, with the best of intentions. Plus, this isn’t so bad. Freeing, in a way.” She emphasised that by wiggling her upper torso in place, sending her breasts jiggling side to side, and again rubbing their nipples together.

Sweetie suppressed a gasp, and after taking a long look and a deep breath, she pointed her nose down. “Rarity? Do you think I’ll get as juicy tits as you?”

“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity gasped. “Language!”

“Sorry. Do you think I’ll get as attractive tits as you?”

Rarity rolled her eyes, though she did also smile good-naturedly. “Honestly… but yes. I do believe you will. You’re well on your way, I’d go as far as to say. I can see that. He will too. Trust me.”

Both sisters shared a smile. Sweetie Belle brought her head down to brush her cheek against Rarity’s and tried to embrace her, somewhat awkwardly, since neither their position nor those paws made it particularly easy. They did their best, though, and it made her happy. Very happy. This was easily the second happiest she’d felt today, so much so that she only reluctantly moved away again when her neck grew a little stiff.

Still smiling cheerfully, she looked over her shoulder. And realised something. “Hey, Rarity? We left the front door open.”

“WHAT?!”

Sweetie flinched from the sudden point-blank scream. Beneath her, Rarity scrambled in place but couldn’t free herself with Sweetie Belle on top of her.

“Oh no! Oh no, no, no, NO! I’m halfway naked! Exposed! What if anypony sees me?! What if a stallion comes to visit my shop and I am lying on the floor, flashing my bosom in his face?!”

“Would that really be so bad?” Sweetie Belle looked back to her sister. “I don’t think he’d mind. You have a very nice bosom.”

Rarity stopped. Slowly, the tension bled out of her. “It wouldn’t be, would it?” she murmured, and relaxed completely, to the point where she was like when she had been fully dressed. She turned her head away. Lost in thought, it seemed, her right hand went to give its corresponding breast a gentle squeeze. “Maybe he would’ve wasted less of my time as well, if I had shown them…”

“Who?”

“Unimportant.” Rarity closed her eyes, and after a while, opened them again, to look Sweetie Belle right in her. “I take it you’re no longer upset with me sabotaging your outfit?”

“No. Like you said, it was with good intentions.” Sweetie Belle thought back to when it happened. “And it was kinda fun, really. I couldn’t put it back on by myself. So I took off the bottom too, and walked back buck-naked.”

“Except for those adorable kitten paws and ears.”

“Yeah, except for those. I like those the most.”

“I’m glad.” Rarity raised her head up to rub her nose to Sweetie Belle’s. “If you want, I can make more things for you to entice Spike with. Maybe with more surprises, if you like the thrill. Do you?”

Sweetie Belle tittered, rubbing her nose right back. “I do! I like it!”

“Good!”

There was a moment of silence between them.

“Hey, Rarity?”

“Yes, Sweetie Belle?”

The filly leaned her head to the side. She licked her lips.

“Can you teach me how to kiss..?”

The white Unicorn was sitting alone at his table when the newcomer took a seat next to him. Without asking, he noted, and by turning the chair around so she could lean her forearms on the back, which he found almost as rude as just sitting down unasked. He stilled his blond tail which was threatening to twitch in annoyance and kept his ears strictly forward and trained towards his drink, no matter how much the intrusion into his wished-for solitude irritated him. And it irritated him. A lot.

He did not look at her. He’d only seen she was a mare because her flight suit clung quite tightly to her, no matter the bomber jacket hanging openly from her shoulders. He vowed not to let himself be drawn into some inane, time-wasting chin-wag. He had better things to do. Like enjoying his drink. One could trust the spirits, at least.

“Never seen you in Ponyville. What brings a fellow like you into a backwater dump like Ponyville, big guy?”

“Matters of the heart, if you must know,” the Unicorn said. And immediately cursed himself. Darn this deceptively mild-tasting, but potent brew! It had led him astray!

“Really, now? A stallion like you?” He could feel her weighing him with her eyes. Under different circumstances, he would have appreciated the attention. But he still refused to look at her, faintly hoping she would poof into thin air if he just ignored her hard enough. “I’m guessing you weren’t booked into Ponyville hospital, so… a mare. Or a stallion. I ain’t judging. Could be pretty hot.”

He groaned, put his face in his hands. “If I buy you a drink, will you then leave me be? I have better things to do than… whatever it is you’re trying to get out of me.”

She smirked in response. He just knew she smirked.

“And what if what I want out of you is a drink?”

“Then you can count yourself lucky to be getting that much,” he told her through gritted teeth and spread fingers, “and don’t push it further than that when you did. My patience has been thoroughly tested as of late. I would prefer if you did not add to the count.” He finally looked up at her.

She grinned, waved over the proprietor with a wing and brushed a hand through her scruffy, spiky mane.

She was a rather aggressive teal. Her two-toned, blond mane had the windswept look that came natural to many Pegasi. She was athletic, no doubt about it. Feminine, but with some well-defined muscles that made her look more streamlined rather than bulky. A racer, most likely, but her posture and demeanour betrayed the shameful lack of discipline too many of them evinced.

“Name’s Lightning Dust.” He mentally filed it away. It was apt, he supposed. “Fast as lightning, I let others eat my dust. What’s your name?”

“Charmed,” he said without meaning it, or answering her question. Either she didn’t notice, or she didn’t care, as she lazily held out a hand for him to grasp. He did so, because it seemed like the appropriate thing to do, and she might leave quicker then. Her fingers rested thin in his far larger hand, but he could feel a strong grip press down on his rings.

“Likewise! Now tell me a little about yourself, big guy.”

He snorted his displeasure. “I thought the agreement was you would not push it when I buy you a drink?”

“Drink’s not here yet.”

He opened his mouth to retort. His brain fired blank, however. Technically, she was right, her drink had yet to arrive. A quick look to the bar showed the purple mare who ran the place—Berry Something-Or-Other—was in no hurry to come to his rescue, even if she waved a raised thumb in the direction of his new table-mate. Finding no aid on that front, he relented. He cleared his throat, drew to his full height… or at least stopped sitting slumped over. He could project at least a modicum of dignity if he was to suffer her presence for any longer than a heartbeat.

“Well… I came to Ponyville in search of… a relationship.”

“Hah! I knew it! Now that, I have to hear.” Her grin grew wider. “Who was the lucky girl who broke your heart, chief? Or unlucky?”

“I wouldn’t put it quite in those words myself,” he said, flipping his mane. “And I think I told you enough, as it were.”

“Oh come on, don’t be a spoilsport!” Lightning Dust shook her head, spreading her arms in pleading. Or mocking, he couldn’t tell. “There’s a story there. Tell ol’ Lightning Dust what’s eating at you, you’ll feel so much better, chief!”

He glowered at her. “I don’t think that’s true. I think I may have to ask you to drop it, or that promised drink is void. So, no more, if you please.” Raising the tall glass of clear liquid in front of him to his lips with deliberate slowness, he sipped. It went down the wrong pipe, sending him into a coughing fit. It burned quite terribly; he clutched at his throat, doubled over. She just laughed, him managing to glare at her through the tears turning his vision watery, but she eventually did pat his back to help. It took a little, but the burning in his throat settled.

If only that infernal harridan in the guise of a Pegasus would stop laughing at him!

“Can’t hold your liquor, chief?” Lightning Dust’s head bobbed on her slim neck. “You Canterlot types are such lightweights! I bet chugging the whole glass in one go would knock you out cold, just like that!”

Something about what she’d said didn’t sound right to the stallion. He decided it was the comment about his ability to handle his drink that didn’t sit well with him. Nostrils flaring, he raised his chin defiantly.

“Oh? You believe this is too much for me?”

She shook her head. The smirk didn’t go away, exactly as much as the mare herself refused to. “Nah. I know so.”

His teeth ground together. He felt muscles in his arm bulge, one of his fists clenching. He narrowed his eyes to dangerous slits.

“Oh, it. Is. ON!”

His horn flared; a wreath of golden magic picked up the glass. Less chance of spilling any on his pristine, ivory suit that way. It floated to his lips, the stallion never taking his glare off of the offending Pegasus mare opposite him. Even now her cocky grin remained fixed in place. Challenging him. Daring him to put his money where his mouth was. He would. He was!

At the very least, he was putting his drink where his mouth was. He poured it down his throat in one go.

He blinked. Somehow, everything had become slightly… blurry.

Without any difficulty at all, and in a move that was definitely not letting his head drop forward and barely catching it in time before it pulled the rest of him from his seat, he fixated the annoying teal mare with a triumphant smirk.

“Shee! I—hold on, shome… I mean, something’s not quite right.” He pressed his eyes closed, opened them again. It only made him slightly dizzy. He didn’t feel quite as steady anymore. Had… had he not noticed the floor being built at an angle when he came in..? He licked his lips, tried again. “I meant to say, see? I am NOT a lightweight at all. I am, in fact, a very skilled… drink-person. Thing. Whatever that’s called. So there.”

Lightning Dust swayed before him. Or maybe he did. It was hard to tell. She’d raised a brow, but looked to the side to greet the bar’s owner with a lop-sided grin. The other mare shook her head and put down a glass in front of Lightning Dust. And after taking his now empty glass away, she put another one in its place.

He stared at it. Had he ordered another one… and forgot? Before he could ponder this particular mystery any longer, Lightning Dust’s scratchy voice drew his gaze up at her. She’d picked up her own drink and emptied it halfway like it was water. And she slurped as she did. “So, chief. You were telling me about this girl who caught your eye. Who was it?”

“I was?” he asked. She nodded casually. So casually, it was probably true. He picked up his drink—his new drink—with only the slightest bit of trepidation. No. He shook his head—regretting it a bit when the room swam. He did not feel any trepidation at all! He pursed his lips, sipped, resisted the urge to cough, and gave his answer. “Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

That, finally, drew something resembling a proper reaction from the mare. She whistled, poured the rest of her drink down her throat, and waved to the purple barmare in a hurry. “Holy hay, I need another one for that! You’re buying, right, chief?”

“Um…”

“Great!”

It didn’t take long for her ‘another drink’ to arrive. One for her, and one for him. They ended up nursing them for a little while, the stallion trying to remember if he had actually wanted another drink. Or when Lightning Dust had moved her chair. She was sitting next to him now, staring him in the face with open curiosity. She smelled of peaches and a hint of sweat.

“You want to get with Princess Twilight Sparkle,” Lightning Dust eventually said, breaking the quiet. She was looking him over, horn to hooves. “Who are you, anyways?”

“I didn’t mention? That’s so strange. I ushually—excuse me, I usually announce my name. ” The stallion wiped an errant strand of gold mane out of his face and gave his best regal look. “I’m Prince Blueblood.”

Lightning Dust’s eyes went wide as saucers. This, coupled with all the bright, shiny teeth he could suddenly see, reminded him of something. Something he’d seen years ago. When had he seen it..?

“Prince. Blueblood. What a lucky meeting! Let’s celebrate. More drinks, hmm?”

Oh. Blueblood finally remembered. She looked like one of those deep-sea fish he’d come across in a marine biology book. The kind with the glowy bobby things on their heads. It had taken him a little, but now he could place it.

She’d already waved for more drinks.

Author's Note

Special thanks to Sirius Face, Pone Peddler 9, Brony-wan-kenobi and O for helping me get this chapter on the road!

Stay safe, everyone!