Fleeting Flames

Fleeting Flames
By: Duelist96
Chapter 6: Clover’s Bar

The sun came rising over the horizon and I was thankful that the mares and I had the day off. Spitfire was kind enough to show me how to work the clock and I was able to change the alarm. I messed around with what I would want to listen to when the alarm went off, but found nothing of interest. I kept the annoying buzzer to wake me up, but I did make sure to keep the volume down so I wouldn’t have to smash it again. I could hear a few birds chirping in the early morning sun and it was comforting to wake up to.

I rolled out of bed as I stretched in the few rays of light that penetrated my room. I looked at my clock to see that it was eight in the morning and decided to get cleaned. Grabbing a fresh pair of clothes, I left my room and headed for the shower. I reached the bathroom and saw that the door was closed. I looked over at Spitfire’s room to see the door closed, and since there was no sound of water coming from the bathroom, I went on in. I instantly regretted that decision after I saw who was currently occupying the bathroom.

My eyes were wide as Fleetfoot looked at me, a towel covering her plot and her eyes narrowing. I quickly put my arms up, readying myself to receive a tackle from the mare. I stood there for several seconds, hoping the pain would be quick, but it never came. Being careful, I lowered my arms to see Fleetfoot continuing to dry herself off. I couldn’t do anything but stare as she went slow with drying off her body. The mare made sure to stretch her body, showing off her lithe body with her eyes locked onto me, giving me a sultry gaze.

I actually had to give it to the mare as she caused a deep blush to form on my face. Fleetfoot looked absolutely sexy like Spitfire with her body covered in water. Her mane was down, sticking to her face as her wings gave little flaps to get rid of excess water. The mare seemed very aware that I was staring and seemed to make the most of it. She moved the towel up to her head, covering her backside with her tail. I shook my head after a few seconds of staring at her plot, trying to get out of this awkward situation.

“You know, you’re going to have to get up a lot earlier than eight if you want to shower with either I or Spitfire,” Fleetfoot said huskily, her eyes giving a few flutters.

“Whoa, I was just coming in here to take a shower. Spitfire’s door was closed and I assumed that either one or the both of you were asleep or gone,” I defended as I avoided the mare’s gaze.

Fleetfoot gave a hearty laugh as she finished drying off and threw the towel to the side. Her voice went back to its normal tone as she trotted for the door. “You’re too easy, Mark. I thought you were told about how ponies work?”

I let out a heavy sigh as I tried to control my blush. “I was given only generic information. There are still things I don’t know that Celestia believes I can only learn from by being out in the world. I wouldn’t doubt that since I did read some of the books about what she wants me to learn, and it doesn’t even compare to actually having to deal with it.”

Fleetfoot gave a soft giggle as she patted my back with a wing. Only shaking my head, I ushered the mare out of the bathroom as she closed the door behind her. I headed for the shower when I heard the mare call out for Spitfire, causing me to hang my head in embarrassment. It hasn’t even been five minutes since I got up and I was already not looking forward to going to the bar. Giving a few hits of my head on the shower wall, I turned on the water and set about cleaning myself.

I was in the shower for a good amount of time before shutting off the water and drying myself off. I ended up using three towels since I haven’t grabbed my old ones that were made specifically for me. Getting dressed, I opened the bathroom door and walked downstairs. I turned into the kitchen to see both Spitfire and Fleetfoot sitting at the table, empty bowls in front of them as they drank their coffee. Once I stepped foot in the kitchen, Spitfire lowered her cup and looked at me with a raised brow.

“Do you plan on walking in on every mare as they shower?” Spitfire gave a neutral expression.

I raised my arms as I tried to defend myself. “It was an accident, okay! Can we just pretend this didn’t happen and move on?”

Spitfire crossed her hooves and closed her eyes as she hummed in thought. I really couldn’t believe that she was taking her time to think about this, but I kept quiet to avoid making things worse. “I guess we can put this behind us since we’re going to be heading to that bar here soon to get to know each other.”

I gave a sigh of relief as I gave a few mental fist pumps. Glad to avoid any confrontation in the morning, I moved to the refrigerator and opened the door. I gave a few glances at what was inside before finding a container with my name on it. I pulled out the container and opened it to see a few muffins inside. Closing the door to the refrigerator, I sat at the table, happily munching away at my muffin. Spitfire went back to drinking her coffee, giving me a few glances after every few sips. I finished off my muffins and cleaned my dishes as the mares finished off their coffee.

While the mares finished cleaning their cups, Fleetfoot turned her attention towards me, giving a small smile. “After we finish cleaning, we’re going for a flight around town. You can do whatever you want. We will meet you at the bar sometime around five.”
I nodded to the mare as I headed for the front door. “Cool, I think I’ll go see Razor for a bit.”

I waved to the two mares, who actually waved back to me with small smiles as I headed for the market district. I walked along the sidewalk, giving a few greetings to a few ponies that greeted me. During my walk, I ran into the two foals that followed me from the last time I was in the market. Both the foals were fillies and seemed to share similar traits. They each had dark blue fur while their manes and tails were white. The two foals were different in their mane and tail styles as the one on the left had a messy look while the one on the right had hers combed neatly. Their eyes were a light fuchsia and they each had small wings.

I continued walking, hearing the hushed whispers of the two foals. I could hear some of their whispered conversation and I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. They were both trying to figure out what I was. I was able to push away the mention of hairless ape and naked diamond dog since they were only kids. The filly with the neatly combed mane gave a small mention about finding me exotically cute and I just found it adorable. The filly with the messy mane gave a gagging gesture as she playfully pushed at the other filly.

As I continued to walk, I heard a stallion call out two names. “Summer Wind, Tiger Lilly, please leave the nice human alone.”

I heard the two fillies give a loud moan of disappointment before trotting off. I looked back to see a stallion with two mares on either side of him, and they were all pegasi. The mares were similar to the fillies, except for the coat, mane, and tail color. The older mares had a light blue coat color and their manes and tails were a pale opal. The older mare with the neatly combed mane and tail had on a pink bow. The stallion had a dark gray coat and his eyes were a light gold. His mane and tail color was a light cyan and done up in a Mohawk.

I raised a brow in confusion as the mares nuzzled the two fillies before turning to the stallion and giving him a kiss. I wasn’t really sure what to make of that since I thought most relationships in Equestria were monogamous. I put away the thought for later asking with either the princesses or the mares. I could only shrug my shoulders as I continued onwards for Razor’s stand. I walked for a few more minutes before arriving at the market district and easily spotting Razor’s stand. The griffoness seemed to notice me from afar as she waved me over.

Chuckling to myself at how energetic she was, I made my way towards her stand. As I neared Razor, she was just finishing wiping down the counter before flipping her sign. I stopped in front of the stand and waited as Razor came from around back. Razor immediately gave me a hug once she reached me and I was happy to return it. Even as awkward as it was to get hugs from people that were still slight strangers, I found it be common as it helped to establish some bond. Pulling away from me, Razor continued to smile as she gave one final glance at her shop before giving me her full attention.

“So, what can I do for you, Mark?” Razor asked as she gestured for us to walk.

I followed closely to the griffoness, returning her smile with one of my own. “Nothing, just thought I would come by and say hi. I’ve gotten to know your sister better and I wish to get to know you more as well.”

Razor giggled lightly as she slightly pushed against me. “Thank Celestia. I was kind of getting bored without seeing you for so long. My sister, though, was kind enough to keep me up to date with everything that has happened to you.”

I gave a nervous laugh, worried about what exactly Steel had told her. “What exactly has Steel told you?”

Razor gave a small shrug as she faced forward. “Just that you, Spitfire, and Fleetfoot finally had a talk with each other. She also mentioned that you ended up asking out both of the mares on a date.” Razor turned back to me, giggling as I shook my head.

I lifted my head to look at Razor. “You have no idea how much I was freaking out because of that. Thankfully, Steel came clean about what I actually did and I was able to calm down.”

Razor nodded her head as she smiled. “Yeah, that usually happens when she’s around Surprise. Those two really don’t know when to tell a joke at a proper time, but they really do care about others.”

I nodded my head in agreement as we continued to walk. As we walked down a sidewalk, I took notice of Razor’s body. The griffoness had the same build as her sister and I was curious about something.

“Hey, Razor, can I ask you something?” I asked, getting Razor’s attention once again.

“As long as it isn’t something sexually crude like Surprise likes to ask, then you may,” Razor said as she gave a slight shudder.

My own body shuddered as I remembered how her sister acted as well. “If Steel was anything to go by, then I get where you’re coming from. Also, my question doesn’t have anything to do with anything sexually crude. How come you aren’t a Wonderbolt?”

Razor gave a slight shrug as she turned around and headed back to the market. “I just didn’t much care for being in an aerobatics show. Nothing against my sister, but I just couldn’t see myself doing it. Plus, I enjoy cooking a little more.”

This perked my interest as I tried to keep up with the griffoness. “You actually like to cook?”

Razor nodded her head as she continued her explanation. “Being from the Griffon Empire, I kind of had to make a few of my own meals so I could have something decent to eat. I also find it very relaxing for me, and the few that have tried my cooking said it was really good. I’m actually thinking about opening a restaurant once I have enough bits.”

I smiled at Razor as I gave her a little nudge. “Let me know if you ever get that to happen. I would love to try some of your cooking!”

Razor smiled up at me as we started to near her stand. We reached the stand and Razor entered from the back, flipping the sign again and taking quick stock. I leaned against the stand, watching the ponies mill about the market. Compared to the few areas that I visited, the middle section of Canterlot was very friendly towards me. None of the ponies gave me any weird looks and they treated me like I was any regular pony in their community. The foals were the most adorable as they would watch me with wide eyes, whispering to each other about me.

The foals’ whispers didn’t seem to do anything to cause fear as they would sometimes come up to me and just stare. I would wave to them and they would happily wave back. A couple hours went by as I left Razor to her work. I looked around at the other stands and took note of what they were all selling. Compared to Ponyville’s market district, there wasn’t really much of a difference. All the vendors sold some type of flowers, hay, fruits, or vegetables. Taking note of the things I could possibly buy for a meal that I would like to make, I headed back to Razor.

I watched as a pair of griffons grabbed a bag and left as Razor waved back to them. As I neared Razor, I remembered there was something I would like to get. “Hey, Razor, do you have any bubble wrap that I could use?”

Razor looked at me with a confused expression before looking around her stand. “What exactly do you need bubble wrap for?”

“I need it for a prank that I have planned,” I answered calmly with a smirk as Razor pulled out a few rolls of bubble wrap.

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to prank Spitfire and Fleetfoot. All three of you are now just starting on a good hoof and you already plan on ruining that?” Razor fixed me with a flat stare.

I raised my hands defensively as I tried to explain myself. “The bubble wrap isn’t meant for them!” Razor visibly relaxed a little as she started bagging the bubble wrap. “It’s actually meant to prank Luna.”

This seemed to cause Razor to do a double take as she dropped the bag on the ground. “Are you insane?! Who in their right mind would prank a princess?” Razor looked at me with a slight scowl, mixed with a little bit of concern and fear.

“No, I’m not insane, but Luna brought this upon herself,” I explained as I grabbed at the bag of bubble wrap.

Razor looked at me, her brow raised as she shook her head slowly. “I guess you’re the one to get away with this since you’re friends with the princesses.”

I gave a slight shrug as I looked at back at Razor, giving her a few bits to pay for the bubble wrap. “Contrary to what most people think, the princesses actually like to have fun like anyone else. They wish to be able to interact with everyone normally, and they sometimes get that through a few people, but it’s not that often.”

“Aren’t you the same pony that punched one of those princesses in the face?” Razor asked as she gave me an incredulous look.

I looked at the griffoness surprised at how she knew this. “How exactly do you know this?”

Razor shrugged as she put away the bits I gave her. “Rumors spread like wildfire in Equestria. Almost everypony knows about the stuff you’ve done.” Razor looked at me, giving a concerned frown. “You may also want to explain some of those things with Spitfire and Fleetfoot so they don’t get the wrong idea.”

I actually had to give it to Razor’s subtlety. I knew what she was saying and she was kind of right. Looking up at the griffoness, I did have something on my mind. “How come your sister never said anything?”

Razor gave me a serious expression as she stood on her hind legs, leaning on the stand’s counter. “Steel likes to be the sexually crude, fun, and a loving sister, while I like to be the calm, forward, and helpful sister.”

I nodded my head as the griffoness fell back to all fours. “I guess that’s why you both are the best sisters there are.”

Razor smiled as she let a little giggle escape her beak. “Despite our stark contrasts, we really wouldn’t trade each other for anything.”

I nodded to the griffoness as I slung the bag over my shoulder. “Hey, do you know what time it is?”

Razor looked to the side and I could only assume there was a clock she was looking at before turning to me. “It’s three right now.”

“Thanks. That gives me enough time to drop this off at the house and head over to the new bar.” I smiled to Razor as I waved her goodbye.

Razor gave a little gasp as she called out to me. “That’s a really nice place! It has a great selection of drinks and really good food.”

I gave a thumbs up to the griffoness as thanks for the information. If Razor thought that the new bar was a good place, then I might have a good time. I walked back to the house, waving to a few ponies that were out and about. I reached the house and entered it. I walked up the stairs and placed the bag in my room. I walked out of my room and looked at Spitfire’s closed door. Steel’s words echoed in my mind as I placed my hand on the door. I was supposed be a friend to those two mares and be someone they could open up to, but I just couldn’t see it.

Letting my hand slide off the door, I turned around and headed down the stairs. Looking around, I didn’t see either mare anywhere. I assumed they would stop at the house to eat something or even clean themselves, but I guess they went straight for the bar. Exiting the house, I locked the door behind me and headed for the bar. It wasn’t hard to find the bar as there were ponies gathered around a building. The entire building was black and there was a sign hanging off the top. On the sign in big, neon flashing green letters was “Clover’s Bar”.

I easily spotted Spitfire and Fleetfoot amongst the crowd and they waved me over. I pushed my way past a few ponies, who all seemed to ignore my presence as I tried to reach the mares. After a few tries of getting around the ponies, I gave up and steam rolled them out of the way. This seemed to get the ponies’ attention as they finally moved out of my way. Spitfire and Fleetfoot greeted me with a curt nod before turning around and trotting into the bar. I followed closely behind the mares, continuing to steamroll the ponies in my way.

Once we were inside, we were greeted by a pony hostess. The hostess was a pink pegasus mare. Her mane and tail was a swirl of blue and lavender and her mane was pulled back in a ponytail. The mare had a cutie mark that was a bell over a platter of food. The hostess gave a beaming smile before her eyes fell on me. She seemed a little nervous about me, so I could only assume that she was new around here.

Thankfully, her attention was pulled away from me when Spitfire spoke up. “Hello there, I have a reservation for three under the name Spitfire.”

The pink mare looked away from me as she pulled out a clipboard. She scanned the paper quickly before looking up at Spitfire. “Please, if you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to your table.”

The mare grabbed three menus before hopping out of her stool and floating in the air. The three of us followed her to the back of the bar, where a table was separated from most of the other patrons. The pegasus placed the menus on the table before floating to the side and letting us take our seats. The mare pulled out a notebook and pencil as she gave us a smile.

“My name is Cinnamon Spice and I’ll be your waitress today. What can I start you out with to drink?” Cinnamon Spice looked at Spitfire first.

“I’ll take a spicy piña colada,” Spitfire answered as she opened her menu.

Fleetfoot looked away from her menu to look at the mare with a smile. “I’ll take a sea breeze.”

The pink mare wrote down the two drinks and turned towards me, her smile faltering for a little before she was able to recover it. “What about you, sir?”

There was a chance that Spitfire was probably going to poke fun at me for this, but it would be worth it. “I’ll just take a water.” I made sure to speak in a calm voice, hoping to help ease the mare.

My calm voice seemed to help a little as she nodded at my order. Cinnamon Spice was about to leave when Spitfire stopped her. “Hey, tell Clover that I’m here. I’m sure that she would like to say hello.”

The pegasus nodded before flying away. Once the mare was gone, I picked up my menu to see what they were offering. I was actually surprised to see the wide assortment of food. The bar apparently catered to every species in Equestria and it was getting hard to decide what I wanted to get. Continuing to look over the menu, Cinnamon Spice returned with our drinks. Taking a few seconds as the mare floated next to us, I decided on what I was going to eat.

“Have you decided on what you would like, or would you like a few more minutes?” Cinnamon Spice asked as she looked at us.

Spitfire and Fleetfoot placed their menus in the center of the table as the former answered, “I would like a daisy parmesan noodle salad.”

The pegasus nodded as she turned towards Fleetfoot. “I’ll take a hay noodle salad with marinara sauce.”

Cinnamon Spice turned towards me, seeming calmer than before as she waited for my order. “I’ll take a strawberry and watermelon salad.”

The pegasus nodded as she wrote down my order and ripped the paper off. “I also let Clover know that you’re here. She said she’ll be here in a few minutes.”

Spitfire nodded as Cinnamon Spice retreated towards the kitchen. I took a couple of sips of my drink while the two mares easily downed half their drinks. A part of me worried that this was going to end in disaster, but at the same time, I kind of believed they wouldn’t overdo it. Neither of us said anything as we looked around the bar, noting things about the place. There was a sit-in bar near Clover’s door. All the lights were covered in a black glass that kept the lights in a nice dull glow. The subtle illumination was kind of nice for anyone that would possibly be nearing their drunken stupor and avoid getting a pounding headache.

The dull light also gave a nice darkness to the bar that made it feel calm. Booths ran along walls while tables were evenly spaced apart. The tables could seat at least four ponies and each table had a flower vase in the center. The flowers in the vases were varied and added a little class to the building. I was pulled from looking around the building when I saw a dark green unicorn mare walk toward our table.

The mare had a messy mane and tail like Rainbow Dash had as they were a lighter shade of green compared to her coat. Her eyes were a subtle ocean blue color as she walked with a little sway in her hips. I looked at her flank to see that her cutie mark was a four leaf clover. I was kind of hoping to see it not related to her name somehow, but I guess it’s just a hapless dream. The mare, that I guessed was probably Clover, was carrying our food as well. I noticed Spitfire and Fleetfoot finish off their drinks as the former waved enthusiastically to the mare.

Spitfire spoke in a loud, happy tone. “Clover, it’s so great to see you after such a long time!” Clover gave a nonchalant wave as she reached our table. “It’s good to see that you were able to get your bar running as well.”

Clover only shook her head as her mint green magic grabbed our food and set it on our table. “Then I guess that means you’re here to ruin it,” Clover playfully teased as she refilled the mares’ drinks as well.

Fleetfoot downed her entire drink again before looking at Clover. “Please, we’re just here to add a little spice to this establishment. If ponies hear about us being here, then you’ll get more business.”

“Plus, you’ve asked us to come here when you got it up and running so we can see how well you did,” Spitfire added as she downed her second drink.

I was apparently wrong in my assumption that the mares wouldn’t get themselves drunk. They’ve already downed two of their drinks and Clover was more than happy to fill them up again. I was tempted to try and get them to ease off before this went south, but at the same time, I kind of wanted this to happen. Them being drunk would give me an excuse to completely mess with them in the morning as they suffered from their massive hangovers.

I started eating my salad when Clover directed the conversation to me. “So who’s this lovely stallion that you brought with you? Are you all on a date?” Clover gave a playful grin as I choked on my salad.

Spitfire gave a small frown at Clover as she spoke. “This is Mark. He’s our assistant and we’re just getting to know each other as friends.”

Clover rolled her eyes playfully. “Sure, and I’m the luckiest unicorn in the world because I have a four leaf clover as my cutie mark.”
Fleetfoot downed her third drink as she turned towards Clover, a bit of her salad hanging out the side of her mouth. “It’s true. We had a few problems in the beginning, but now we’re trying to fix them.”

Clover turned to Fleetfoot, a playful smirk adorning her muzzle. “If I choose to believe that, and I don’t, I think you both got yourselves a good stallion. I mean, if he has been able to handle the both of you at the same time, then he’s a keeper.” Clover gave a slight waggle of her eyebrows that caused me to cough harshly.

Clover was kind enough to pat my back as I took sips from my water. Clover refilled my water as well when I finally got my coughing under control. Spitfire and Fleetfoot looked at Clover, bits of their food falling from their mouths or continuing to stick to their muzzles. Clover gave a quick glance at me to see if I was okay, and seeing that I was, turned around and headed back to her office.

Clover stopped a couple of inches away from our table, looking over her shoulder as she grinned at us. “Word of advice, Mark, they both have really sensitive wings that will make them melt if you hit the right spot.”

My mouth dropped as Clover faced forward again and disappeared into the crowd of ponies near her office. I looked back at the two mares who had heavy blushes on their faces. I was busy trying to process what had just happened there.

“Why is it that most of your closest friends act like this?” I asked as I prodded my salad with my fork.

Fleetfoot shook her head before answering my question. “Actually, that’s the first time that she has ever been that way. She’s usually a very calm mare.”

The three of continued to stare at the area the mare disappeared at before returning to our food. We didn’t say anything as we let the awkward silence comfort us. It didn’t seem like either of us could really say anything to help this situation. Spitfire and Fleetfoot were already done with their fifth glass and were already succumbing to the alcohol’s effects. Both mares had a bright crimson blush on their faces as they swayed from side to side. The two mares were also giggling uncontrollably, but thankfully they finished their food before reaching this point.

I kept eating my own food as I let the mares enjoy their drunken shenanigans. It wasn’t long before Cinnamon Spice returned to gather our plates. The pegasus noticed the slight buzz the two pegasi had and removed their glasses from the table. The mares didn’t seem to notice as they were busy trying to figure out how to get out of their chairs. I couldn’t control my laughter as I watched the mares try in vain to lower themselves to the ground. The mares slowly grew frustrated at not being able to reach the ground and started flapping their wings.

I already knew this was going to be a bad idea, thanks to Rainbow Dash, and I wasn’t going to let them try and fly. I reached Fleetfoot first since she was the closest to me and wrapped my arm around her barrel. Fleetfoot gave out a giddy laugh as I held her against my side, the mare probably believing that she was flying. I reached for Spitfire next, who swatted my hand away as she continued to try and fly. I tried to reach for her again when she gave a small growl like a lioness would.

Continuing to watch the mare attempt to fly while drunk, I softly bounced in place. This didn’t seem to help Fleetfoot as she grew a slight shade of green. Stopping my bouncing, I was struck with an idea. This idea was terrible from the beginning, but hopefully Spitfire wouldn’t remember when she woke up. I waited for Spitfire to look at the ground again, and when she did, I pressed the area Steel told me about. The reaction I got was expected, but I was really hoping for that lucky chance of at least pulling it off on the first try before having to practice it.

Spitfire let out a loud moan, causing the other patrons to look at us. My face burned intensely as I grabbed Spitfire around the barrel. I felt something wet press against my arm, along with a certain spicy musk. I knew right then what I was feeling and accepted my fate. I knew exactly what I was getting into and needed to man up to the consequences. Carrying a mare in each arm, which probably didn’t look that great since all the ponies were staring at me, I grabbed at my bit pouch and paid whatever I thought our total was.

I assumed if it wasn’t enough, Clover would be kind enough to probably let it slide since she knew Spitfire. With our meals paid and the mares lost in their drunken thoughts, I moved towards the front of the bar. Thankfully, the ponies moved out of my way so I could get the drunk mares home. I took a deep breath as I surveyed the town in Luna’s moonlight. Adjusting the mares as I turned towards the direction of home and started walking. I wasn’t far from the bar when I heard a pony call out my name.

“Mark, wait up a second.” I turned around to see Lyra galloping towards me, Bon Bon following close behind.

“Hey, Lyra, Bon Bon. How are you two doing?” I asked as Lyra stopped in front of me, giving me a big smile.

“We’re doing great, Mark. We’re actually here to celebrate,” Bon Bon said as she smiled up at me.

I adjusted the mares again as they squirmed in my grip a little. “What’re you celebrating?”

“Bon Bon said yes to my proposal,” Lyra said giddily, clopping her hooves together.

I smiled at the unicorn. “That’s great to hear!” I looked back at Bon Bon to congratulate her, until I saw a white spider on her back. “Bon Bon, you know there’s a spider on your back, right?”

Bon Bon raised a brow at this before realization struck her. Giving a little shake of her body, the spider crawled up to her mane, burrowing a little to make itself comfortable. “Yes, this is Scary. He’s our pet.”

I raised a brow as I looked at the spider. “I thought that you were afraid of spiders?”

Bon Bon went to answer, but Lyra beat her to it. “She was, but after I locked the two of us in my parents’ cabin to gain the courage to ask her, she was able to deal with her fear.”

I shook my head from what Lyra said. “I’m sorry, did you just say that you locked yourself and Bon Bon in a cabin?”

Bon Bon rubbed the bridge of her muzzle as she let out a deep sigh. “Yes, my lovely little unicorn thought it would be a good idea to lock the two of us away in a cabin for two weeks. She’s lucky that she’s adorable, or that would have really ruined her entire plan.”

I shook my head since that sounded like something Lyra would do. “I want to ask more about this, but I feel like I might regret asking.” The mares gave a slight side to side with their hooves. I was about to continue the conversation when I felt Spitfire and Fleetfoot stir again in my arms. “Listen, I would like to continue this conversation, but I need to get these two home.”

The two mares nodded in understanding as they each gave me a smile. Bon Bon trotted towards the bar while Lyra stayed back to tell me something. “We’ll stop by the castle later where we can catch up then.”

I nodded my head to the unicorn. “That sounds like a plan.”

Lyra gave a bright smile as she trotted after her marefriend. I gave a small chuckle at how those two acted. Lyra was so childish while Bon Bon acted like a grown adult, but it seemed to work out for their relationship. I watched the two mares disappear into the crowd before I decided to continue on for the house. The sidewalk was void of any ponies, and I could only assume they were trying out the new bar. It was actually kind of nice to walk in the darkness, or it would have been if I wasn’t listening to two mares dry heaving the entire walk to the house.

I was able to return home with both mares. Spitfire and Fleetfoot fell asleep in my arms about halfway to the house and were sleeping peacefully. Adjusting the two mares in my arms, I was able to unlock the door and walk in without disturbing them. I silently closed the door behind me before carefully ascending the stairs. Spitfire gave a soft stir and mumble, and I feared that I may have woken her up. I gave a sigh of relief as she buried her muzzle deeper into my neck, the mare giving a soft sigh.

I reached the top of the stairs and looked at Spitfire’s closed door. I actually thought about putting them in my room and I take the couch, but it seemed like a bad idea. Going into Spitfire’s room was a bad idea as well, but at least there wouldn’t be any confusion as to why they woke up in my bed. Taking a deep breath, I hefted Fleetfoot onto my left shoulder and opened Spitfire’s door. Once the door opened, I was greeted with utter darkness. Adjusting Spitfire on my right shoulder, I searched the wall for a light switch.

I found the switch after several seconds of searching and flipped the lights on. I was actually surprised to see how much more furnished the room was. I saw a bed, desk, and bookshelf from before, but there were a few other things. There was a closet that was next to the bookshelf, and there were a few articles of clothing. I saw their flight suits, a few exercise clothes, and dresses. The dresses threw me off and as I tried to imagine the mares wearing a dress, it just didn’t seem right. There was something else in the closet, though I couldn’t make out.

Setting the mares on the bed, who quickly cuddled close to each other, I went closer to the closet. I knew that I should have left the room after placing the mares in bed, but my curiosity to know a little more about the mares was getting the better of me. Looking back at the mares, I saw they were still asleep before reaching deep into the closet. I felt around for a few seconds before feeling something against my hand. Whatever I was touching was smooth to the touch and was separated into two distinct pieces.

Grabbing the hangers, I pulled out whatever was hidden. I really wished I hadn’t as I blushed profusely. In my hands I held two separate sets of lingerie. Not wanting to even trail down any thoughts about this, I quickly hung them back where I found them. I closed the closet door and looked back to the two mares. My blush was still heavy on my face, but I couldn’t help but smile at the mares from how peaceful they looked. Finding a spare blanket on the lower shelf of the bookshelf, I threw it over the mares.

As I tucked the two mares in, I glanced at the desk to see a piece of paper on top. The top of the paper had my name and it was clearly in Spitfire’s handwriting. Looking at Spitfire, I finished tucking the mares in before heading for the door. I could have read that note, but I had already invaded enough of their privacy and decided to leave. I was about to turn out the lights when I saw the shattered picture frame from before. The picture had Spitfire and Fleetfoot together, smiling brightly.

I smiled at the picture since it seemed like they were really happy. As I looked at the picture, I saw there were two frames face down. Against my better judgement, I grabbed the two frames and lifted them slightly. My eyes widened a little at what I saw before placing them face down. I looked back at the mares as I gave a small frown, wondering how long they had to deal with that kind of problem. Turning out the light, I returned to my room to process what I saw exactly in those two pictures.