"So, Gizmo," Fleur began in an attempt to coax conversation out of the shyest members of our party. "Shawn tells me you're an engineer."

"Um, yes ma'am…" Gizmo murmured, trying to hide behind his glass of iced tea.

"Ma'am?" Fleur asked with false indignation, topping off her performance with a somewhat cross expression. "Just how old do you think I am?" I chortled to myself; Fleur was a troll, and a talented one at that. A cool, funny, sexy troll…

A-hem.

"I-I didn't mean anything…!" Gizmo exclaimed, waving his hands defensively.

"Relax, my dear, I know you didn't," Fleur assured him with a crafty smile. "I was just having a little fun. Now then, you were telling us about your work?" Nice one I thought. Way to catalyze the conversation. We'll get these two talking yet.

"I was?" Rolling my eyes, I discreetly elbowed the young stallion seated beside me. "Um, yes, o-of course." He took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm an engineer, and right now, I'm in charge of design and application of all magical and technological cross-engineering here on Helios. My, er, official title is Chief Engineer." Fleur's eyes widened, Coco blushed, and I nodded appreciatively, glad that my new friend was finally starting to emerge from under his rock. To his credit, Gizmo looked up and surveyed the table, noting our reactions. "It's…not a big deal…"

Hmm, I thought. This isn't the same Gizmo who was bragging to me about his position an hour ago. Being around mares must send his mind into meltdown.

"Well, it sure sounds important, doesn't it?" Fleur replied, giving a blushing Coco a small nudge, much like I had to Gizmo. "I mean…to be able to imagine what it takes to build something like this and to actually pull it off…you must be some kind of prodigy."

Seeing Gizmo open up a little via Fleur's words and conversational maneuvering, I couldn't help but wonder what her line of work was. The conversation was still young, so we'd have plenty of time to get there but I still speculated. A spokesperson…er, spokesmare, for some kind of company perhaps? Maybe she was in advertising or marketing or something else that required the gift of gab. Or maybe it had nothing to do with her occupation and she was simply polite and adept at reading social cues. In any case, I decided to help.

"Didn't you say that you invented the flying technology on the train that brought me here?" I asked.

"Really?" Fleur said with a gasp. "Do tell!" To my surprise (and relief), the barest hint of a smile appeared on my shy friend's face. I knew it I thought. If he's gonna get anywhere with anyone, mare and otherwise, he's gotta be in his element, at least a little bit.

"Um…if you're sure…" Gizmo took another deep breath and continued. "The technology that keeps this island in the sky, as well as allows non-magical vehicles to fly, is an invention of mine."

"Wow, when did you come up with that?" Fleur asked.

"Um, when I was…nine…" At that, Fleur and I exchanged slightly worried glances. Was he on a level that would still allow him to relate to anyone, an important factor in any relationship?

"Wait…you were nine when you came up with this?" I asked in confirmation. "Who was your homeroom teacher, Pony Stark?" Ha.

"Who?"

"Never mind. Please go on."

"Um…okay. I had just turned nine when I had a strange dream. In this dream, I saw a formula and woke up in the middle of the night to write it down. I-I'm not really sure what made me do that but something told me I should." Fleur and I nodded in understanding. "A-anyway, when I woke up, I studied the formula but couldn't figure out what it applied to. Some of the symbols weren't even actual mathemagical symbols, so I had no idea what it meant, only that I couldn't get it out my mind."

"So how did you figure it out?" Coco asked, literally making the rest of us jump in our seats. "I-If you don't mind sharing, of course."

"N-no, not at all!" Gizmo assured her, his cheeks reddening as well. "Well, as the weeks went by, I kinda forgot about it. I mean, I didn't forget about it but I basically put it on the back of mind while I tried to figure out which university I wanted to go to. Then, I was studying up on the properties of stored magic and how it relates to this world's inherent magical field. That's when I had a brainstorm. I realized that by compressing and storing magic in specialized crystals, I could shift the polarity relative to the surrounding magical field!" By this point, he was speaking rather animatedly; realizing it, he simply cast furtive glances at our confused expressions.

"Okay, it's like this: this island floats in the air, right?" We nodded. "Basically, Helios uses giant special crystals to create a 'bubble' around the island. This 'bubble' is essentially a magical field with a different polarity than the surrounding magical field of the planet. It's like…placing two magnets beside each other. If they're both the same pole, they'll repel each other but by applying a magical field, the amount of pull, and push too, can be adjusted. It's the same thing with magic. By changing the polarity of the field, you can manipulate objects with it as long as the object can store the magic." Gizmo explained, even adjusting his glasses for good measure.

"So…by sticking magically-charged crystals on things, you can make them do things they couldn't normally do, like making trains fly?" I asked, feeling somewhat…insignificant.

"Essentially, yes," Gizmo confirmed with a nod.

"But you said that you also designed the human train that brought Shawn here," Fleur pointed out. "How can you apply magical technology to human technology?"

"It was rather simple, really. I realized that all I had to do was integrate magic-retaining crystalline fibers into human constructs, then connect that to a special interface I created especially for the task. It converts magical pulses travelling through the fibers into electromagnetic pulses, which are then read by a human computer. The computer can then send its own pulses back through the system, giving it operational instructions. The train you rode in on contains no less than 1200 magic-to-electromagnetic pulse conversion boxes, which is necessary for anything to work."

"So…if one or a few of those were to fail, then…what happens?" I asked, almost dreading the answer. Gizmo shrugged.

"It's not any more dangerous that any of your technology. Compared to a lot of human vehicles, what I've described is actually rather primitive. Anything is prone to failure, although the only danger to magic-electromagnetic conversion is the physical destruction or removal of the storage crystals. As long as they're intact, the system can't fail." I hoped he was right; he seemed to know what he was talking about but it was way over my head.

"Is that why…"

"Yes, that's why any vehicle travelling from Earth to Equis must utilize electromagnetic propulsion." Gizmo finished, correctly anticipating my next question. "If not, the portal wouldn't allow anything through it. Whatever comes through must possess a magical field that matches the frequency of the portal in order to get through. Tactile contact with the ground immediately breaches the field, so the only way to keep the field intact is for whatever it is surrounding to be airborne or at least suspended off the ground."

"But then…how did the original portal explorers get to Earth?" Coco asked. "I mean…they visited Earth about 15 years ago, right? If you didn't invent this technology until a few years ago, how was it possible?"

"I may have invented the formula necessary to manipulate the frequency of magical fields and apply it to objects and technology but that's the extent of my involvement," Gizmo explained. "You see, as Equestrians, we each possess an inherent magical field but it's within our bodies, meaning that we can step through the portal without a problem. That was relatively old knowledge; it was simply allowed to be forgotten because at the time, nopony knew there were other dimensions accessible by magical portal. Neither humans nor anything originating on Earth has that capability, which is why the rules that limit the nature of their access to Equis don't apply to us. Basically, in order to cross over, humans need something that imitates a magical field in order to traverse the portal, which is where my technology comes in."

"Okay, I think I understand," Fleur mused, nodding slowly. "So…that discovery must've made it really easy to get into university."

"I was granted a full scholarship to the Canterlot Academy of Arcane Design almost immediately after I published my work, which coincidentally happened to be when the engineering community was searching for a way to stabilize the portals that had begun popping up. Unfortunately, since I was considered too young to officially enroll in the Academy, I had to wait until I turned 14, during which time I provided consulting services for the arcane engineers and studied the human technology that started trickling through about two years later."

"I remember that," I interjected. "My parents talked about that a lot. I think pretty much everyone was at that time, though. Lending our technology to Equis wasn't something a lot of people agreed with."

"Let's just say that while I'd like to think that most of our 'acquisitions' were obtained through legally sanctioned means," Gizmo said, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "We were far too excited to put much thought into how we got it. All we knew was that we were on the brink of an incredible breakthrough, both with my magical field theory and the world of Earth. The New Harmony Express is a testament to that kind of dedication and enthusiasm."

"So…how old are you now?" Fleur asked. Faced with a more personal question, Gizmo once again took on a tense persona.

"I, uh, turned 18 yesterday…" he answered nervously, prompting Fleur to smile and gasp.

"Oh? And what did you do to celebrate such an important milestone?" she asked with the hint of a smirk.

"Um…I, well you see I was extremely busy inspecting the primary core, so I didn't really…have time to…do anything." Gizmo finished sheepishly, prompting Fleur to gasp once more.

"You mean…you didn't do anything to celebrate your 18th birthday?" she asked incredulously.

"I-I guess not, but…"

"Well then, if you're willing, I have a proposal: why don't you let your new friends take you out tonight? It would be a belated birthday celebration!" Fleur suggested excitedly before glancing between Coco and I. "How about you two? Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Hey, I'm game if he is!" I agreed, wrapping an arm around my friend.

"I-I suppose it could be fun…" Coco said with a shy smile.

"So? What do you think?" Fleur asked, her gaze settling on the blushing young stallion beside me. "How do you feel about spending a fun-filled evening with a couple of smoking-hot mares and a handsome alien?" While the 'alien' comment normally would've elicited, at the very least, a raised eyebrow courtesy of yours truly, the addition of 'handsome' simply made me smile, rendering me silent as we waited for Gizmo to render his verdict.

"I-I suppose that would be acceptable…" he answered after a few tense moments. Regardless of his apparent trepidation, Fleur practically beamed.

"Great!" Fleur exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Why don't we exchange mobile numbers so we can stay in touch and make sure we all know what the plan is? After we've made them, of course."

"Absolutely," I stated with a firm nod, placing my phone on the table. While it was useless as a phone in Equis (given the obvious lack of cellular service towers), Helios's Wi-Fi allowed guests to communicate via the messenger function of the official Helios app, much like how Skype can call a cell phone from a computer. We were basically making phone calls over Wi-Fi.

I made a mental note to ask Gizmo how that worked.

"Sure," Coco said, placing her mobile on the table next to Fleur's. Although seemingly reluctant at first, Gizmo eventually did the same. As we helped ourselves to each other's devices, Gizmo's reluctance was apparent; his list of contacts was all business-related. I might've been wrong but I couldn't see any contacts that looked like 'friend' contacts. They were all very formal and official-sounding, making me wonder if that was the source of his reluctance. Clearly, the majority of his life had been devoted to studying and making remarkable breakthroughs. Friend-making had almost certainly gone by the wayside.

I couldn't quite place it but the situation sounded familiar for some reason.

"Alright, do we all have each other's numbers?" Fleur asked, putting hers back in their beach bag.

"Sure do." I confirmed. Both Coco and Gizmo simply nodded.

"Perfect," Fleur said just as our food arrived. "We can discuss our plans after lunch. I'm starving!"

***

It wasn't until after we finished our lunches that talks regarding the evening's festivities began to manifest. Ever mindful of our guest's sensitivities, Fleur attempted to coax a suggestion out of Gizmo. Unfortunately, he wasn't very forthcoming with suggestions, and simply deferred to Fleur's expertise, stating that "he'd be okay with whatever".

"Well, I'll be sure to find something fun for all of us," Fleur assured him, patting his hand. "And if at any time one you're not having fun, just let us know and we'll find something you enjoy, okay?"

"I-I guess that's fair."

"I'm glad you think so," Fleur said. "Because I have an idea that I think we'll all enjoy. It's one of Helios' most famous attractions. It's actually so cool that I'd like it to be a surprise until tonight, if that's okay with everyone."

"I trust you," I replied with a smile. "I'm sure that whatever you have planned will be a great time."

"Cousin Fleur knows what she's doing," Coco agreed, smiling as well. "If anypony knows how to have fun, it's her." We all looked at Gizmo, who seemed to be weighing the pros and cons in his head.

"Sure. What've I got to lose?" he mused with a sigh.

"That's the spirit, buddy," I exclaimed, gently clapping him on the back. "I think we're in for an awesome night." Blushing, he simply nodded, just as his phone rang.

"Um, I've gotta take this…" he muttered, getting up and making his way just outside the restaurant. It wasn't long before he returned.

"I'm sorry to cut lunch short but I'm needed down at Core Control." Again, the change in tone made me take note. Business equaled confidence, while pleasure equaled anxiety. I hoped that whatever Fleur had planned for us that night might help to alieve some of that anxiety. He turned to leave, paused, and then turned back. "T-thanks for lunch," he added, audible only to Fleur, Coco, and myself. "I-I guess I'll see you all tonight."

"You bet," Fleur said with a nod. "How about meeting Coco and I in the main lobby of Palacia Crystalia at, say…7?"

"Works for me," I said with a shrug, trying to hide the excitement building inside me.

"I-I suppose that's fine…" Gizmo agreed.

"It's a date, then," Fleur confirmed. "See you later!" she called after a retreating Gizmo. To his credit, he paused and gave us a small wave before disappearing. "So…what do you two feel like doing in the meantime?"

"Actually, I was hoping to take a nap back at the room," Coco said as we got up to leave, having paid already. "I'm not used to all this heat yet. It's making me sleepy. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all, dear. Take as long as you need." Fleur assured her before turning to me. "In the meantime…how about a walk? I'd still love to hear about your life on Earth, if you wouldn't mind sharing a few tidbits." My heart immediately began to race as images of romantic beachside strolls danced in my head.

"Yeah! Um, sure, that would be great!" Oh, you smooth-talkin' lady-killer, you.

"Guess I'll see you later then?" Coco asked.

"Looking forward to it." I said, smiling at her.

"O-Okay. See you later, Cousin Fleur."

"Later!"

With that, we were off.

On a walk.

Just the two of us.

Hoo boy.

As we walked, it dawned on me how long it had been since I had last spent any considerable amount of time with a girl, especially like this. When was the last time anyway? It must've been during college at some point. I shook my head; now wasn't the time for such musing. I had a gorgeous Equestrian to regale. About my life.

Okay, I know I said "no more musing" but seriously; she wanted to hear about my life? As far as lives go, mine was pretty par for the course for a fellow my age. It wasn't bad, just average. It's a different world, sure, but surely there are similar positions in life on Equis and young people filling those positions. I made a mental note to ask Fleur about positions at some point.

Don't look at me like that, you know what I meant.

"So…that was something, huh?" Fleur began as we made our way through the bustling square, heading towards one of many walking/biking paths available to Helios guests.

"You can say that again," I agreed. "It almost made me wish I had the slightest idea of how physics and engineering work." Fleur nodded. "He's a nice kid, though." I stated. "I mean yeah, he's definitely not the typical 18 year-old but I think his heart's in the right place, even if he's a little…"

"Eccentric?" Fleur finished for me.

"That's one way of putting it," I said with a laugh. "It's amazing how someone can be so brilliant in some ways but practically clueless in others."

"Oh, I don't know about clueless," Fleur mused thoughtfully. "He's definitely out-of-practice but if there's anything I've learned through my job, it's that confidence is everything. Didn't you see how Coco was blushing around him? If he'd noticed early enough, it could've been them on a romantic stroll." Seeing my content expression fall momentarily, Fleur was quick to add, "Not that I'm not enjoying your company! I'm having a nice time with you. I only wish that Coco could experience that too, you know?"

"I'm with you on that one," I agreed, relieved that Fleur was enjoying her time with me thus far, even though it had barely been a couple of hours. "Everyone deserves companionship, right?"

"Absolutely." Fleur said with a smile.

"So…what is it that you do, anyway?" I asked after a brief pause. "I mean, for work. If you don't mind sharing, of course."

"Not at all," Fleur answered. "I work in the fashion industry. I'm actually a model."

That…actually made a lot of sense.

Jesus Jetfuel Christ, I was on a date…er, excursion, with a model.

"Oh, uh, wow," I stammered. It's weird, right? Four seconds ago, I was chatting her up like we had been best friends since childhood. "My Best Friend, Fleur", I thought with a small grin. Wouldn't that make for an amusing short story?

The simple fact of the matter was that Fleur being a model changed the context of the conversation. It's like when someone reveals that they're involved in something you don't know much about or is regularly sensationalized; it makes them seem a lot more 'exotic' (different species notwithstanding) which, quite frankly, can be intimidating. Add on to how models or really anyone in the fashion industry back on Earth is portrayed, and you've got a new monkey wrench in the works to deal with.

To my surprise, Fleur simply smiled and laughed.

"It's okay, that's almost half of the reactions I get when I tell someone," she said, trying to make me feel better. I wasn't pleased with myself; even if she was a model, that didn't make her any less human than anyone else.

Human. Equestrian. Whatever. You know what I meant.

"What about the other half?" I asked.

"Hey baby, how was heaven when you left it?" Fleur answered in as gruff a voice as she could manage. I couldn't help it; upon hearing such an outrageous expression, I doubled over with laughter, and it wasn't long before Fleur joined me. "And believe me, that was one of the classier ones!" she added as we finally started to settle down again.

"Fleur…I have to apologize," I confessed, finally down from my laughter-fueled high.

"Why?"

"Because of my reaction. I didn't mean to…" Fleur waited patiently as I searched for my words. "I didn't mean to make you feel awkward just for telling me what you do for a living. Truthfully, I think it's really cool. I don't know anything about the fashion industry so I guess I was just surprised. N-Not that you're not beautiful! I can definitely see how you're…" Somehow, I had the good sense to stop and try again. "I'm rambling and for that, I apologize."

"Relax, I know what you mean," Fleur assured me, even giving my hand a quick squeeze. "The fashion industry is so far-removed from the average pony that most simply don't know what to expect or how to act when I tell them."

"That's…exactly what I meant to say."

"I had the feeling."

"So…what do you specialize in?" I asked, trying to salvage the situation. "Anything in particular? Jackets…hats…power armor?" I added with a laugh that even Fleur shared in.

"No, nothing quite like that, although I did get to wear Royal Guard armor for a special calendar photoshoot to raise support for the troops over in the Gryphon Territories." Fleur explained. "I actually don't have a specialization. I model everything from business suits to lingerie." Forcing any lewd thoughts back down into the depths from whence they came, I simply nodded.

"Cool. What's your favorite thing to model?" I asked.

"Anything loose and comfortable," Fleur answered. "A lot of clothes that I have to model aren't the most practical things, certainly nothing anyone would wear on a day-to-day basis, so any time it's something simple, that's when I'm happiest. I especially like pajamas! There's something about them that's…freeing, I guess would be the right word."

"A mare after my own heart," I replied without thinking, going red when the implications of what I'd said dawned on me. For her part, Fleur simply smiled and giggled. "Um, I was just saying that I really like pajamas too. They're super-comfortable and you can wear them almost anywhere and no one will bother you over it. Like sweatpants, I guess. And I totally get the 'freeing' part. Anything that restrains sucks, especially when it comes to clothes."

"I guess that's always been really important to me," Fleur mused as we walked, now in near solitude save for the occasional other guest. "Like, even before I started modelling, I always valued freedom and independence a lot." I wasn't 100 percent sure but I thought I saw her smile falter momentarily. "Anyway, that's enough about me. I'd like to hear about you."

"Sure. Where do you want me to start?"

"Hmm…" she thought, putting a finger to her chin. "How about the beginning?"

"Fair enough," I said with a shrug. "Let's see…I was born on November 5th, 1994 in a small town about two hours away from my current home of Neo Capital."

"Wow, you live in Neo Capital?" Fleur asked, sounding impressed.

"Yep, ever since I started university. Even though I was used to a small town, I really grew to like the city, so I decided to stay after graduating. Have you…been there?"

"I have, actually. A few times, in fact. As one of Equis' top models, I was selected to travel there as a "representative of Equis fashion and design", which was their way of saying "eye candy"." Fleur explained, finishing with a laugh. "I didn't mind, though. It was really exciting! I couldn't believe how big the city was, and when I saw all the lights in the night sky...the fact that none of it was because of magic was really hard to accept."

"I'll bet." I said with a nod. "I guess when you're used to something being there all the time, to go somewhere that lacks it completely must be pretty hard to take."

"Is that how you felt when you first got here?" Fleur asked.

"When we were hurtling off that cliff to take off, I honestly thought I was gonna have a heart attack," I confessed. "After that…it wasn't too bad. Seeing the island for the first time was trippy but it's got enough recognizable aspects of Earth that it didn't feel completely alien. I mean, it's got electricity and lots of Earth food and other humans around so it wasn't too much of a shock."

"Well, I'm glad that the experience has been positive for you," Fleur said with a smile. "I know that humans have travelled to other parts of Equis, and a lot of what they experienced made them really uncomfortable. Minotaurs, dragons…vegetarian options."

We both cracked up at that.

"It's been different but definitely a good thing." I assured her.

"So, Shawn from Neo Capital, what do you do for a living?"

"Oh, I'm actually a famous business man, kind of a tycoon, really. I decided to invest everything I have into building and running a large city under the ocean, free of anyone's rules and restrictions." I answered as seriously as I could. Unsure of how to react, Fleur looked at me incredulously. Finally, after a few seconds, I burst out laughing.

"You're terrible!" Fleur exclaimed, playing slapping my shoulder. "I almost believed you!"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!" I said, trying to calm down. "I'm nothing like that, not even a little. I'm the assistant manager of a local electronics store. I sell cellular phones and video games for a living."

"See, now I'm not sure if I should believe you…" Fleur teased with a smirk.

"Well then, here's my card," I replied, digging out my wallet and handing her one of my spare cards.

"Shawn Martin, Assistant Manager/Sales," Fleur read. "Cool. Mind if I hang on to this?"

"Sure, no problem, I've got lots." I said, surprised that she wanted to keep it.

"I guess my next question is, what do you do when you're not selling cell phones and video games?" Fleur asked after tucking the card into her bag.

"I hang out with friends, play video games, surf the net, go on drives," I listed. "I've found that when I have nothing to do, a drive around the city in the evening when the traffic's not insane is a great way to clear my head. Oh, I also take Muay Thai lessons three nights a week. It's a form of martial arts on Earth."

"Muy…Thai?" Fleur asked.

"Oh, it's a form of kickboxing invented in the country of Thailand," I explained. "It combines kicking and punching while using elbows and knees to fight."

"So…you like to fight?" Fleur asked a little nervously.

"Me? No, not at all," I assured her, raising my hands. "Sure, it's good to know a little self-defense but I like it because it's a great exercise and it gets me out of the apartment on a regular basis. Believe me, I'm not tough guy. In fact, we're taught to never use what we've learned except in competition and in dire emergencies."

"That's…interesting," Fleur replied somewhat hesitantly, as if still unsure of what to think. "Don't worry, I think it's great that it keeps you active, it's just that I don't know anything about that kind of stuff."

"It's fine, most people don't even where I come from," I said. "It's catching on but it's not exactly a household sport yet."

"What is the most popular sport on Earth?" Fleur asked.

"Quidditch." I replied without any hesitation.

"Oh shut up! No it's not!" Fleur exclaimed. I did a double-take.

"Wait…you know what that…"

"A book series about humans using magic? I don't think there's a foal in Equis who hasn't read those." Fleur said with a smirk. "Nice try, though. I'm not completely clueless about your world. And yes, I know what the 'internet' is. I spent time on it last time I was in Neo Capital, actually."

"Yeah, the internet can really be something," I said, nervously scratching the back of my neck.

"Yes, well, I may have run across a few…ahem, illustrations of myself after my first photoshoot on Earth…" Oh bugger.

"Oh dear…"

"Some people have very strange imaginations," Fleur continued as I inwardly cringed. "I mean, I wasn't really offended, Goddess knows when you're a model, certain things are bound to happen, but I certainly wasn't expecting the sheer amount of illustrations. It was like they just popped up overnight!"

"Well, all I can say is that it looks like you have a lot of fans on Earth," I replied, hoping that wasn't the end of our budding friendship.

"Yes, it would appear so," Fleur said with a small sigh. "Oh well, no harm done I suppose. I'll just…take it as a compliment."

"That's the spirit," I agreed. "If it helps, I can't draw to save my life."

"Don't worry, you don't really seem like the type," Fleur replied. "Why would you need to draw me when you don't seem to have a problem simply getting to know the real thing?"

"That…is an excellent point," I respectfully conceded. "I dunno, you just seem…really down-to-Earth…er, down-to-Equis."

"You mean I'm nothing like you were expecting, right?" Fleur asked. She was right, of course. As enlightened as I like to pretend I am, certain stereotypes still stick out for me. One thing was certain, though: Fleur was no vapid, stuck-up, self-absorbed model, as gorgeous as she was. She knew she was hot but didn't let it determine how she treated people.

"That's for sure," I admitted. "You're different, but in a really good way. And I have to say that I'm really glad to have met someone like you. It's made the whole trip so much better, and it's not even the second day yet."

"Awe, what a gentlestallion…I mean, gentleman," Fleur cooed, leaning up and kissing my cheek.

"Um, thanks…" I mumbled as my face heated up.

"You're welcome." Fleur replied. There was a pause before she continued. "In my line of work…you need to be a good judge of character. A lot of people get swept up in the glitz and glam of the industry and forget where they came from, what's really important, and how to treat people."

I listened with rapt attention.

"I was fortunate to have a great manager when I started off. He never tried to cheat me or use me to further his own interests, which happens to a lot of up-and-comers. He always tried to teach me what was really important and to stick to my values, even if it wasn't always easy."

"He sounds like quite the guy."

"He really is. Fancy Pants genuinely cares about everyone he manages and always tries to look out for us."

"I'm sorry…did you say his name was 'Fancy Pants'?" I asked, stifling a laugh.

"Yes, I realize how strange Equestrian names can sound to non-ponies," Fleur said. "But trust me when I say that even though the name suits him, the stereotype doesn't. You've said that I'm "down to Earth". He's the one who taught me the importance of living like that."

"I should probably send him a coupon for 20 percent off his next cell phone purchase then, huh?" I suggested with a smile.

"That's a nice idea but…how about joining me for dinner instead?" Fleur asked, making my heart skip a beat. "Fancy's always saying how I should hang out with ponies…people from all walks of life and backgrounds. Besides, I'm enjoying our time together. What do you think?" I smiled.

"Does Paul McCartney play the guitar?"

***

By the time we made it back to civilization, we had talked about everything you can imagine. In fact, Fleur had plied me with so many questions, she probably knew me just as well as my own mother. Even though our walk had only been about an hour and a half, we fit a lot of conversation into that relatively small amount of time. If anything could convince me that I wasn't crazy and that there was a connection between us, it was the great time we'd had.

"Phew!" Fleur exclaimed as we finally emerged into the bustling arrivals sector where I'd first arrived. Separated from the actual platforms solely by other walkways, we could see train after train arriving and departing. "I'm not normally this tired after a walk but then again, I don't do a lot of walking in this kind of heat. I love it but I can see why Coco decided to take a break from it."

"I'm with you," I agreed, wiping my brow. "How about finding a place to cool down before dinner?"

"What do you suggest?"

"Um…one sec…" I replied, retrieving my phone. I opened the Helios app and was just about to search for something relaxing when a familiar voice reached my ears.

"Shawn! Hey, Shawn!" I looked up to see Sven walking over to us, waving to catch our attention. I smiled and waved back.

"Sven! How's it going?"

"Excellent. One of my coworkers asked if he could take my shift today, so I decided to start my weekend early."

"That's great!" I exclaimed. "Guess that means you get to see Evening Breeze earlier than you thought, huh?"

"I was just on my way there, actually," Sven explained before noticing Fleur at my side. "Excuse me…but aren't you Fleur De Lis?"

"Why yes," Fleur replied, clearly surprised at being recognized by a non-Equestrian.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. De Lis," Sven said with a smile, shaking her hand. "I'm sure you get this all the time but my fiancé is a big fan of yours. In fact," he continued, taking out a magazine from his bag. "Would you be so kind as to sign this? She'd love it!"

"Why of course, it's no trouble at all," Fleur replied with a warm smile. "What's your fiancé's name?"

"Her name is Evening Breeze. She works the front desk over at the Astral Resort."

"Oh! So she's a…thestral, right?'

"She is," Sven confirmed. "Is that…strange?"

"I think it's adorable," Fleur assured him, signing the magazine with a large, looping signature. "That's the beauty of friendship and cooperation. It can lead to good things you never thought were possible."

"Well-put, Ms. De Lis."

"Thanks but please, call me Fleur. There's no need to be so formal, especially for a friend of Shawn's."

"I'll remember that," Sven said with a nod as he put the magazine away.

"Hey, I have an idea, if you're both okay with it," I piped up, seeing the opportunity to strengthen the bonds I'd created. "Would you and Evening Breeze like to join us for dinner tonight?"

"Oh, and they could join us for Gizmo's birthday celebration after!" Fleur added animatedly. "We'll ask him first of course, but I think it's a great idea!"

"Really?" Sven asked, his eyes widening with excitement. "We wouldn't want to impose."

"Nonsense, it wouldn't be an imposition at all," Fleur assured him. "Shawn and I can have dinner together another night, maybe tomorrow?"

"You bet." I said with a smile. How could I be disappointed? Not only was I still having dinner with Fleur, but two of the kindest people I'd ever met were joining us. This was shaping up to be one Hell of a night.

"Then it's settled! We're meeting tonight at 7 in the Palacia Crystalia lobby. Are you two okay with dinner at 5 at, say…the Crystalia Gardens? It's a rather lovely eatery just perfect for our group."

"Evening Breeze finishes her shift at about 5:30 but we'll hurry over as soon as she's done." Sven said. "Of course, when I tell her what's happening, she'll probably drag one of her sleeping coworkers out of bed to cover the rest of her shift just so she can escape early!" We shared a laugh.

"Well then, I guess we'll see you two between 5 and 5:30," I replied.

"Count on it. Thank you both so much."

"It was no problem at all," said Fleur, shaking Sven's hand once again. "Enjoy the rest of your day off!"

"Will do! Later, you guys!" With a final wave, Sven departed, heading north towards the Astral Resort with a spring in his step.

Author's Note

I felt bad for releasing such short chapters, so I decided to make it up to you guys. I know there's a lot to take in in this chapter but I was really pleased with how everything unfolded. I think I've finally nailed Fleur's personality (for this story, anyway), and things are starting to come together.

Funny story: During my second year in university, I became acquainted with an actual lingerie model. She was several years older than me at the time and decided I would be a good lab partner (I'm a terrible scientist, I just happen to look like one in a lab coat). We became friends and although nothing ever happened (which was fine, she was 7 years my senior anyway), she was very friendly and intelligent, and we got great marks on pretty much everything. So, the moral of the story is don't judge a book by its cover 'cause you never know.

By the way, Flammenwerfer, if you see this, you know what to do.

Also, Dudeler, let's do this, man. You're one of the premiere Fleur writers around, and if you'd like to work on something together, I'd be more than willing to.

Don't forget to show my other works some love too! Keep it classy, guys & girls.