The next day, Bed Time roused them with breakfast in bed. Joe sat up and blinked at the plate of eggs and odd-looking bacon in front of him. "Wow, thanks. I wasn't expecting this."

Brad snorted, currently a blue pegasus mare. She pointed at me. "She's buttering up her boy toy."

Paul, wearing the body of Blank Slate, tilted her head a bit. "Brad, can you try to be polite? Thanks, Bed."

Bed hopped up next to me, and I had an apparent cuddle partner while eating. Her affection was nice, but also a little worrying. On one hand, she was being clingy, on the other, that was such a pony thing to do. I couldn't muster anger at her properly and accepted the snuggling as the warm gesture it was meant to be. "Are we boyfriend/girlfriend now?"

Joe recoiled a little. "Wait, you mean that wasn't Brad shitting around?"

Brad laughed a little. "You should have seen it. He was--" His words were interrupted as Bed hurled her pillow at him, striking him across the face. "God, fuck. Don't get stressed out."

Joe cleared his throat. "Well, uh... congratulations?"

Bed flushed gently. "I would like to be?"

I rubbed behind my head. "I'm going to go home after the adventure, and you belong here. How is that going to work?"

Bed nuzzled gently at the side of my face. "You'll stay with me, or I'll stay with you. For now, we're together. It'll work out."

Paul nodded softly. "Your faith in destiny is humbling."

Joe joined in agreement. "That's kind of amazing. Look at her, she's completely certain. I wish I had that kind of faith."

I pulled her closer and she snuggled in against me, putting off an oddly pure sort of love. She didn't seem to need to own me, like the stereotypical clingy girlfriend, she just knew she wanted to be with me, forever. The last word made my more human sensibilities get wonky. "Would you be happy as a human? We only just met! I'm not trying to be a jerk or anything."

Bed slid down to the floor. "We'll figure it out. For now, how about I show you around?"

Brad waved a hoof dismissively. "Ponyville we know."

Paul shook her head. "I have a feeling we should explore the area."

Joe hopped up to his feet and started getting dressed. "If the GM says explore, I agree."

I rose a hoof. "I'm in, lead the way, Bed Time."

Bed Time moved for my armor and brought it over. She helped me into it without a word, then sat on her haunches. "I should get some of that too."

Joe looked at her and me. "What, armor?"

She nodded quickly. "It helps against monsters and evil things, and you plan to fight those, right?"

Paul raised a hoof as she walked towards the door. "If you're true to your class, nothing heavier than a chain shirt is advised."

She quickly led the way downstairs, and we followed her through town. She seemed to know a lot of ponies, waving to them as they passed by, at least until we ran into Pinkie. Pinkie Pie took one look at her, then all the new ponies around her. She gasped dramatically and took off running.

Bed Time looked over her shoulder at us. "Expect a party before the end of tomorrow. You've entered the crosshairs of Pinkie Pie."

As Bed Time strolled along ahead of us, Joe came trotting up beside me. "Hey, are you cool with this?"

"With what?"

"You know, her." He pointed at Bed Time's butt. "I mean, I'm trying not to judge. I'm sure she's, uh, nice and all... But she sounds ready to exchange rings and vows."

I wasn't sure how I felt, and I said as much. "She's pretty nice, but this is super fast. Maybe that's how ponies do things? They don't... fuck... if they aren't ready to commit?"

Brad came up on my other side. "So which will it be? You going to break her little pony heart, or accept that fragile thing and do your best with it?"

I paused in place, making the other two stop. "Holy shit, Brad. That was... genuinely thoughtful."

Brad shrugged. "It happens once in a while. You know I'm just fucking with you, right?"

I felt some of the anger towards Brad fading away, reminded of why I tolerated him. "Yeah, so, uh, what do you suggest?"

Brad pointed at Bed Time. "Tap dat flank for all it's worth."

I sighed, the moment broken. I suddenly had an idea and trotted to catch up with Bed Time. "Hey. Can we stop by Carousel Boutique? Maybe Rarity could put something together for you, and I had a question for her."

Bed Time quickly nodded. "Of course. Good idea! She's the best at clothes." She turned directions and guided us to Rarity's shop in short order.

On the way Apple Bloom scurried past, stopped, and turned to face us. "What're those fancy-armored ponies wit' ya fer, Bed Time? You on official Canterlot Business?"

Bed Time tilted her head at the filly. "Something like that. They're adventurers, looking for wrongs to right."

Apple Bloom clopped her small hooves together. "Super cool! Well ah gotta get to tha girls. Good luck!" And off she went in a quick-legged gallop.

Joe watched the little filly go. "Well, that was adorable."

Brad snorted softly. "We're here." He pointed ahead at the carousel, from which Sweetie Belle emerged and ran off in the same direction Apple Bloom had just gone.

Paul went limp, and a voice spoke. "The Crusaders were up to their usual mischief, but what trouble would result? Nothing, for now..." Paul came back into Blank Slate, jerking awake.

Bed Time shook her head. "That is still very strange. Does... Does that pony have a heart?"

Paul raised a hoof to her chest and went still a moment. "I think so."

Bed Time snorted. "Not like that! I mean... a mind? If you weren't here, what would she be?"

Paul shrugged a little. "I don't know. I'm not sure she existed until I made her up."

Bed Time turned away from Paul with a disquieted expression. She mouthed open the door to Rarity's shop. "Rarity! Are you in?"

Author's Note

Emotions were shared and the plot advances at its own strange rate.

I think Sweetie Belle was smuggling a few typos!