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                         Seedling                          
                   -by GrizzlytheMedic-                    
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                         Chapter 1                         
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Chapter 1
Petty Officer First Class Gold Anchors stood outside the command building of Naval Station Manehatten. He was stuck at another Celestia forsaken door guard job when he should be on a ship floating less than 500 yards away in the sparkling green waters of Manehatten Sound. But his commander had other ideas. All he wanted was to get on one of those ships and go out on patrol of the open waters. He just grumbled and stared forward at parade rest with his .45 caliber pistol strapped to his side, knowing full damn well he would never use it.
“Petty Officer Anchors!” A loud gruff voice echoed from the doors of the building.
Gold snapped to attention and saluted.
“At ease. You’re dismissed for the day. Gather your gear and go home. Captain Harpoon wants to see you first thing tomorrow morning.” Lt. White Cap said to Gold.
“Yes sir.” Gold said half-heartedly.
“Ah cheer up Goldy. Maybe you’ll get into the next patrol destroyer.” The Lt. tried to cheer Gold up.
“With all due respect sir, fat fucking chance.” Gold grunted.
“The day will come buddy.” The white uniformed stallion chuckled as he trotted off back into the large concrete building.
Gold followed suit and grabbed his wallet and things from his locker in the barracks section of the building.
As he stepped out once more into the cool spring air, Gold let the breeze blow through his always slightly askew brown mane.
“Babs had that date this afternoon. I oughta go check on her.” Gold thought aloud as he saluted the guard at the station gate and he was let back into the city of Manehatten.
He spread his wings and took off into the clear blue sky.
A part of him loathed the uniform because he couldn’t feel that glorious breeze on his soft white fur and see his cutie mark. Even though the bronze anchor was nothing much and sort of ironic and contrasting to his name, he still missed that feeling a little bit.
Babs climbed the stairs to her apartment in midtown Manehatten.
“Of all the stallions out there, I had to pick Mirror Mage!” She grumbled quite audibly.
Her “date” turned out to be some asshole who had no respect for personal space until Babs sank a hoof quite forcefully into his pride.
She smiled at the thought of the poor bastard not being able to walk right for a long time and not produce more clingy offspring.
She unlocked her door and stepped into her apartment, flopping down on the sofa in exhaustion.
“Where in Equestria is my knight in shining armor? Seems to me like every other mare in town had one and she was the odd one out.
Gold’s face came to her mind. Wait, why was she thinking of her best friend as her knight? His messy mane, his broad and muscular shoulders, the way his wings flexed and twitched when he got antsy. Babs shivered with a mixture of fear and desire. Gold had been there for her since she was a filly. She could hold her own, that was quite well known by anypony that crossed her, it was just that, she felt that nopony actually liked her because she was so uptight. Gold had been the first stallion to actually talk with her without being a dick. They became fast friends, Babs and Gold versus the world.
They had only ever been friends, right?
Babs continued to think on the matter. Her mind drifted to when Gold left for Navy Boot Camp 2 years ago. She had never felt so lonely and vulnerable in her life. When her father died, Gold was right beside her with a wing draped softly over her shoulders. When her mother died, Gold was there in her bed, holding her close as she sobbed away the night into his strong shoulder. Babs had become a big old softie when Gold was around.
Babs’ heart suddenly ached for Gold to be there with her so she could snuggle up to him and have him wrap her in his warm, soft wings. She needed to vent to him badly.
As if on cue, there was a knock at the door. Babs looked through the peephole and saw the white pegasus in his full digital blue uniform. Babs felt a strong pang in her chest as Gold stood at the door, a bottle of alcohol in his hand.
Babs hastily unlocked the door and opened it for the exhausted stallion.
Gold smiled as he saw Babs’ face.
“Hey Babby.” He said.
“Hey yourself Sea-Pony.” Babs’ giggled with a blush.
Gold was making her turn into a real girly mare.
“You’re acting weird today. You sure you’re ok?” Gold asked, a look of concern in his face.
“Yeah, the date went terrible. Too clingy for me.” Babs groaned.
“Ah well, lets drink. I’ve had another long and boring day.” Gold cracked the seal on the bottle of wine and took a swig.
“No glasses? What a gentlecolt you are.” Babs teased him, walking into the kitchen, swaying her hips a little more than necessary just to get her latter point across.
She saw Gold’s eyes shoot to her ample flanks as she smiled to herself.
She wanted him so badly. Wanted him to lay and snuggle with her all bucking night.
Babs reached into a cabinet, pulled out two wine glasses, and set them on the coffee table in front of her couch.
Gold poured a generous amount of the clear yellow-greenish liquid into each glass.
Babs took a drag from hers and loved the taste. A bit sour but it was quite balanced for a white.
“So Goldy, how’s your love life?” Babs asked the stallion as they both sat back on the couch.
“About the same as yours Babs. Mare’s love the uniform, just not the stallion in it.” Gold sighed.
“Ah cheer up bud. You’ll find that one for you soon.” She said encouragingly
Babs and Gold spent the entire afternoon and evening talking together, all the while, Babs slowly inched closer until she was right up against Gold’s body.
“Babs, do you mind if I get out of this damned uniform?” Gold asked her.
“Getting a bit hot?” Babs asked with a soft laugh.
“Yeah.” Gold said as he rose and stripped himself of his digital blue pants, jacket and hat. Exposing his exquisite white fur and bronze anchor cutie mark.
His wings flexed and twitched. Babs knew this meant he was antsy. But Gold sat back down where he had lifted himself up.
“Ah, much better.” Gold sighed.
Babs took the chance and pulled her legs up to her body. She nestled her head into his shoulder so that her face was half buried in his fur.
“Uh, Babs...” Gold mumbled.
“Yes?” She looked up at him, her caramel colored eyes looking into his own sky-blue ones.
“You ok?” Gold asked.
“To tell you the truth, No Gold. I’m not ok. No stallion will take me and the ones that do are just assholes that want a quick rut. I can’t find anypony that is compatible with me.” Babs said angrily, a few tears slipping out of her eyes and dripping onto Gold’s fur.
“Babs!” Gold’s head shot up and he wrapped his hooves around her in a comfortable embrace.
“Gold! I can’t fucking take the dating and constant rejection anymore! It’s too much! Nopony seems to care about a steady relationship anymore!” Babs trailed off and looked into Gold’s worried blue eyes as tears streamed down her face.
“Babs, come here.” Gold pulled her close and brushed her pinkish mane out of her eyes.
“Why are you even still my friend Gold? I mean, I’m just another outcast-” Babs sobbed.
“We are just another pair of outcasts” Gold stopped her.
Babs looked up at her best friend.
“What do you mean? You’re in the Navy. You’re trained to not be an outcast.” Babs argued.
“Do you really think that boot camp changed me that much? Sure I became less of a delinquent but Babs, you’ll always be stuck with me and my antics until the day I die. No camp or job can ever strip me of my personality.” Gold said running a hoof up and down her back to comfort her.
Babs sighed as she felt his hoof glide along her silky caramel fur. She made her mind up, she would finally make her move.
“Gold, would you be willing to go out with me. It’s ok if you say no...” Babs said hastily.
Gold felt a whole load of butterflies drop into his stomach. He knew the answer in his gut was the right one.
“Of course Babs. We can work out the details tomorrow.” Gold smiled at her and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
Babs blushed as his lips made contact with her skin.
After a few more minutes of snuggling with each other, Gold stretched himself out and got to his hooves.
“I best be going Babs.” He said making to put his uniform back on.
“Wait!” Babs shouted.
Gold looked back startled.
“Could you stay the night. I just need someone to snuggle up to tonight...” Babs kept her eyes glued to the floor.
She saw Gold’s shadow approach her and his hoof lift her chin up so she could gaze into his eyes.
“Of course I will Babs. You seem like you need the company.” Gold smiled.
“I do feel about seven times safer when you’re around too.” Babs mumbled.
“Then that gives me much more encouragement to stay now doesn’t it?” Gold beamed as he shut the main room lights off and led Babs to her bedroom.
He placed her under the cover before climbing in next to her.
Babs scooted closer to Gold and nestled her head into his shoulder. Gold wrapped his forehooves around her and Babs felt his right wing pop up and cover her form in its silky soft texture.
Babs cooed in delight as she kissed his cheek and had the most delightful night of sleep in ages.