Locking the door behind her, Sireen smiled at the letter she'd received from Mrs. Fuzzdrought and deposited it in her side saddlebag. Trotting down the hallway, she exited into the stairwell and traversed the several stories to the ground floor. As she exited, she ran into the cafe owner, a short old stallion by the name of Hot Soup.

The stallion always wore a clean apron with a ladle hooked to it's side pocket. His cutie mark was of an old style cauldron with some kind of liquid spilling out the side. He was gray in coat and had an almost military styled mane and tail, cut short and trimmed neatly. He was gruff and quiet to most, only talking when he wanted to or when a customer ordered something. When Sireen had seen him, he'd looked her up and down and snorted, holding the door open for her.

She'd raised a brow and promptly gotten out of his way. She half expected him to say something negative, but once he was back inside he'd merely waved to her and then closed up shop. She'd waved back, after a second or two, not even sure if he had seen the return gesture.

Crossing the street and slipping through the gate with her private key, Sireen made her way over to the door and checked the knob. Sure enough, Fuzzdrought had left it open for her. Slipping inside and closing the door behind her, Sireen called out to the house.

"Hello? Mrs. Fuzzdrought?"

A few moments later and the sound of hooves on carpet came from down the hallway. Mrs. Fuzzdrought appeared from the dimly lit hallway, her eyes lighting up as she saw Sireen.

"Oh! Alicorns above, it's you, Sireen. When I heard a voice I worried it might be someone else." The mare blushed and put a hoof to her chest. "Lately things here have been, well wonderful. Come to my office, we'll chat there."

With that, the excited mare spun on her heels and practically hopped away, even humming as she did so! Sireen giggled and nodded. Following behind her at a more sedate pace. Once inside the main office space, Fuzzdrought locked the door behind her and gave off a long sigh, a big smile on her cheeks.

"Sireen these past few days have been like a dream come true." She sighed again and leaned into the nearby bookshelf, her hoof stroked the firm wood that made up the side of the shelf.

"Sounds like you're absolutely smitten for this griffon, Mrs. Drought." Sireen remarked, waggling her wing at the older mare. Fuzzdrought laughed, a genuine laugh and then giggled back.

"Smitten for the bird and the kitten, the peach shall fall from her cherished tree, and in golden talons grasping high, I shall catch her and set her free." Fuzzdrought sang as she hopped up to Sireen, grasping the surprised mare's front hoofs in her own. Sireen firmly tried to stop the happy giggle that was escaping her muzzle, but it refused to be defeated.

" Heheh, wow, Mrs. Drought, did you come up with that on your own just now or--"

"Nope! He wrote it for me." She practically fell into Sireen's arms, swooning. Sireen laughed, and grit her teeth as the mare's extra weight nearly dragged her to the floor.

"Woah! W-well is this same "he" the griffon you previously were all over?" Sireen had to push back firmly to get the other mare into a standing position. Fuzzdrought didn't seem to notice, lost in her own little world.

"He reads and writes poetry in his spare time, and for several of his best works, he professed that I was the inspiration behind them! Oh it's magical I tell you!" Proving her size wasn't an issue, Fuzzdrought leaped up onto her desk in a single jump, again surprising Sireen once more.

"We've been doing all sorts of things too! He has taken me dancing, and out on dates. He is a very gentle griffon. I used to think they were rather brutish but he's shown me they have a softer, more caring side." Here, she sat and curled her tail around to rest in her hooves, petting the fibers with her fore-hooves. A heavy blush on her cheeks as she looked away sheepishly.

"And he's so strong...we went flying once, did you know?"

Sireen shook her head, smiling and blushing happily with the mare as she regaled her with the romantic tale.

Mrs. Fuzzdrought slowly clambered down from her desk to the floor, sitting in front of Sireen . "Oh you should have been there, Sireen. I just about died when he asked me to fly with him. I thought he was joking! Honestly..." She looked away with a smile. "Me flying? Are you kidding, mares would have their children running inside thinking a bomb was being dropped on Canterlot! HAH!"

She giggled and Sireen found herself picturing it and smirking too. It wouldn't be that far from the truth I imagine.

"Oh it was glorious. I brought to his attention my corpulent form and he laughed, hoisted me up onto his back, and told me right to my muzzle, "I'll be the tree trunk then and you be the peach. I will hold you up so we may fall together through the sky."

She swung her hoof rapidly across her front with a noise from her mouth, "And then WHOOSH! Without so much as a warning he leaps into the sky, we were flying through the air!"

Sireen was taken aback when Fuzzdrought gripped her good wing and gently opened it. "I...I have no way to describe it...like freedom itself? I've heard some pegasi use that to explain, but even then that falls short of what i felt, in here." She tapped her heart. Sireen blinked and slowly she arced her wing out and looked at the individual joints, the membrane, and the little fur atop the back.

She smiled and refolded it. "That is a good way of putting it, I guess." She murmured.

"What is it like for you, Sireen?" Fuzzdrought lowered her hoof and scooted closer to the younger mare, her face awash with genuine curiosity.

Sireen immediately thought back to her recent flight with Iron crest, and her own hoof lifted to her heart. She was silent for a time. Fuzzdrought tilted her head and let an ear go askew, "Is...Is that too personal? Should I not have--."

"Love." Sireen whispered.

Fuzzdrought blinked, perking her ears up and leaning in. "Pardon?"

Sireen looked up past the desk to the window, where outside she could see the moon appearing through some faded milky white clouds. "It's like love, Mrs. Fuzzdrought. Love holds you, and lets you feel like everything is alright. Nothing in the world can tear that feeling from you once you've felt it. Love is nebulous and without borders. It has no laws, and is ruled by no one...so is the sky. There are no boundaries, save those we make ourselves. Flying is the same, I feel."

Fuzzdrought nodded, smiling warmly. "I suppose I can agree, very eloquently put, Sireen."

The two mares fell silent, the ambient ticking of the clock filling the room.

"So, he's a good partner then yes? This Gustov Griffon?" SIreen asked, shuffling her hooves into the carpet. Fuzzdrought laughed.

"So far he's wonderful, I love every minute of our time together."

The thestral nodded, her eyes darting left and right around the room, "Uh huh, so where is he now?" She almost pinned her ears back when the mare across from her winced. Fuzzdrought rubbed a hoof into her chest nervously.

"He is um...he is sleeping."

Sireen blinked in realization as a crucial piece fell into place.

Fuzzdrought wrung her hooves together in anxiety. "That may be the only bump in our relationship we've hit so far. You see, he's not adjusting well to the um, nightly side of my life, as it were. Gustov has lived his whole life as a diurnal creature, where as I've lived most of mine as a nocturnal."

Sireen opened her mouth and mimed the "oh" sound with it, while looking away.

Fuzzdrought began pacing. "So far he's tried everything there is, caffeine doesn't do a thing to him, pills to help his sleep cycle adjust don't have any positive effects, we've even tried magic." Fuzzdrought sighed and bonked her head into the desk gently. "On top of this, most of his customers are diurnal, so he can't just switch over. It's gotten to the point that I may have to switch my schedule for him instead."

She looked to Sireen, worry on her face. "But then I run into a similar problem. I'd lose you and several of my business partners who are nocturnal. I'm stuck between love and business and it...Well quite frankly it sucks."

Sireen smiled coyly. "Oh, you've tried magic have you?"

Fuzzdrought lifted her head from the desk an inch or two and squinted at Sireen, "Yes...why are you smiling at this?"

Sireen stepped forward, leaning in and draping a wing over Fuzzdrought's back conspiratorially. She whispered, "Have you tried Princess Luna's magic?"

Fuzzdrought opened and closed her mouth several times. "...N-no? I heard she is...still rather abrasive to the nobles of canterlot. Why? Are you saying she can help?"

Sireen smirked and started marching out the office, with Fuzzdrought in tow under her wing.

"W-wait, Sireen! Where are we going?"

"We are going to see Princess Luna, you are getting yourself an amulet of the night."

Luna grimaced, her stare locked downward at the board near her feet. Her king was literally cornered. "I cannot believe I fell for that."

Across from her, her opponent grinned proudly. "It isn't everyday I use such tactics, but in this case, I figured the element of surprise was best suited to gain me a victory."

The Alicorn of the night frowned up at her enemy, and then magically lifted the chess pieces off the board, replacing them to their original spots. "True, and here it played me right into a corner, but do not be so proud. We Alicorns learn from our mistakes and such under-hoofed tactics will not be successful again."

Across from her, a young griffon in newly minted night guard armor chuckled and waved a talon through the air as if shooing away a fly. "Oh I beg to differ, that was only one of my many cards I can utilize against you, and my deck is far from empty."

Luna feigned intrigue, resting her chin on her hooves and smiling sweetly. "Oh really? was there perchance a reason you didn't use any of those options when I beat you the last twenty times this evening?"

When her guard blanched, his puffed out feathers flattening, Luna laughed lightly. "I imagine you would like some time to reanalyze your "deck of options" before we begin new game?"

Her guard growled and nodded. "Yes. I would."

Luna left him to his thoughts and looked out the nearby window, its light tinging the floor a crystal blue as the moonlight fell on the marble floor. Outside the world was at peace, white clouds danced across her sky, sometimes obscuring her moon from view, only for it to playfully pop back into the open, like a foal playing peek-a-boo with the mother. Luna hummed in happiness.

Tonight the court room was yet again empty save for her two door guards and her new sergeant, Dawnclaw. The griffon had been appointed several moons ago by her, when he'd outranked his current platoon leader but couldn't be placed elsewhere. Luna had appointed him to be her house sergeant and things had gone along seemingly fine from there.

Until she'd hit a snag. Her eyes fell to his tawny colored chest plumage, where a small bead of iron hung from his neck. Being a griffon, Dawnclaw was diurnal, and kept falling asleep during his shift, no matter how hard he tried to stay awake. She'd fixed that rather quickly with a night amulet. They weren't very hard to make, but each one was custom attuned to the user, and thus required her specific talents to create one. This way if it was stolen, the amulet would be nothing more than a chunk of iron around a creatures neck.

Luna was brought out of her musings by one of her door guards. "Princess, we have a petitioner who wishes to see you."

She blinked, her mind not catching up with the words until the doors at the end of the hall began opening. Quickly teleporting the chessboard away, Luna stood and almost fell when her legs protested the sudden movement. She should have stretched first, but lacked the time to do so, as the citizens were already entering the room.

Resetting her rump onto the flat surface her sister dared call a throne, Luna made herself look graceful and relaxed. She must look the part for her night court, so that slowly over time, the room would have more ponies filling the space. Sergeant Dawnclaw seated himself lower down the Dias, on her right, resetting his bat winged helm atop his head.

She immediately recognized both ponies as they stepped forward and bowed. Sireen wind had been a bit of a celebrity among her guard recently, having successfully snagged herself a mate. Luna was proud of the mare for striking out on a branch and going for a better life. Many of her guards were a bit too zealous in their devotion to their jobs, and thus whenever new recruits came into her guard, the veterans tried to make it seem like guarding her was their sole purpose in life.

The other mare made Luna blink in surprise. Mrs. Fuzzdrought was a name she knew only by two things. she was ruthless in her business dealings, and apparently wasn't very trusting of others. The few guards she'd requested over the last few months had said she was a pain in the flank to work with.

So it came with no normal amount of surprise to see the two together, and happy no less. Sireen bowed, as did Fuzzdrought. Luna calmly waited a moment as decorum demanded she do, and then smiled.

"Arise, my subjects, and and fellow night guardian, what brings you here tonight?"

Both mares stood, albeit Sireen did so slowly, making Luna smile. "Your highness, we come to request the use of your magical talents to help with a potential courtship issue." Sireen tilted her head to Mrs. Fuzzdrought, who was nervously looking at Luna and her griffon guard with both anxiety and excitement.

Well this wasn't expected. Luna thought. "A potential courtship issue, Guard?"

Sireen nodded and nudged the peach colored mare at her side, "Go on, she won't bite." Luna heard Sireen whisper. She inwardly laughed, many nobles like Mrs. Fuzzdrought thought Luna's bite was worse then her bark, and Luna liked to believe they weren't inaccurate.

"My guard is correct, if all is well, Miss Fuzzdrought, then please step forward and make your request. I am here to listen, and if possible, help my little ponies."

Mrs. Fuzzdrought chuckled nervously and looked at her side, "I um, I am hardly little, b-but thank you, Your Majesty. I came here tonight to ask for an amulet of the night?" she seemed unsure of the item she spoke, because she looked back at Sireen for conformation. When the mare nodded with a smile, Fuzzdrought looked back at Luna, "Yes I came to request one for my partner."

Luna looked down her nose at the mare, "And what do you need it for? Mrs. Fuzzdrought."

Retelling her tale to the Princess of the night seemed a lot harder than it had been with Sireen, but she eventually got to the end and wrung her hooves, nervously looking at the floor. "I don't want him to lose customers because of our relationship, but at the same time I can't lose mine either, it would deeply affect both our schedules and business heavily."

Luna nodded but frowned. "I think, while your request is a reasonable one, and one I would normally grant rather quickly, there is a slight problem with this arrangement."

Sireen quirked her brow, and Fuzzdrought looked up at her in worry.

Luna gently took Dawnclaw's amulet and lifted it off his head, he warbled nervously as it left him, and then to Sireen and Fuzzdrought's surprise, he instantly flopped to the floor, deep purring could be heard from his beak as his sides slowly rose up and down. Luna floated the amulet over to herself and gently ran a hoof over the polished iron.

"Each amulet I create allows the user to stay awake during the night, but it ceases to work the moment they remove it." Fuzzdrought went to speak but Luna stayed her reply with a raised hoof. "Further more, if the user wears it for too long, it can be dangerous. My Sergeant here is also a diurnal griffon, Mrs. Fuzzdrought, and he can only wear this for four hours of the night. if he takes it off, his body instantly recognizes that it should be sleeping and well..." they all looked to the sleeping griffon who had curled up like a cat, with his tail curled around his paws and his beak under a wing. little chirping snores escaped his mouth as he slept.

Luna held it back out with her magic. "That however, isn't the main problem I see with this strategy. Even if I gave you one of these, Your partner, Gustov, or you should you wear it, will be cutting several hours from your day, and you must take at least a week and a half to become acclimated to my magic. It seeps into your wellspring and forcefully fights your sleep cycle, flipping it on it's head."

Luna floated it over to the griffon and clipped it back around his neck. The mares leaned forward to see if he would wake up but when he didn't and they looked perplexed, Luna spoke once more. "Another downside is that the moment you take off the amulet, you fall into a deep sleep to regain the lost hours you held back with the amulet. you cannot be woken from this, and are vulnerable until you wake. A user who doesn't take it off at regular intervals will have this happen to them, and the consequences can be dire."

Mrs. Fuzzdrought frowned and put her hoof to her lips in thought. Luna continued.

"I see that you care about this partner, but even if both of you were to wear one, you'd be asleep during the day to make up for the time lost at night."

Fuzzdrought sighed, looking to the side at the floor tiles. "So then, what would you recommend we do, your highness? I'm at the end of my rope."

"A business merge."

Fuzzdrought's eyes widened. "I...I had thought of this, b-but his business and mine are--"

"Both in the food industry, if my memories serve me correctly." Luna interjected. "Chances are, Mrs. Drought, you and he share at least a few benefactors, customers, and suppliers, yes?"

Fuzzdrought nodded slowly. "T-that's true...I suppose we could try it..." She then looked up to Princess Luna and bowed her head. "Thank you, your highness. I'll speak with him about this when he wakes up."

Luna nodded and smiled. "Good, now If I may inquire, why is my injured guard, who is supposed to be off duty, still working? Last I checked, Sireen, you are on medical leave."

Sireen and Fuzzdrought frantically looked to one another and then shook their heads. Sireen spoke up first. "I'm not guarding her, your Grace, I am..."

She paused, realizing something important at her core.

"I'm...with my friend, Princess Luna. She invited me over to chat, ya know..."Sireen looked to Fuzzdrought and felt a warm smile breach her lips. "Girl talk, and stuff."

Luna's eyes squinted between the two mares, and she found their expressions true. They genuinely had a connection. "I see, never mind my inquiry then. Carry on citizens, and get well soon, Sireen. The night sky misses her wardens."

Fuzzdrought blinked at that, confusion on her face. Sireen chirped happily and bowed. "I will do my best to heal properly and quickly, your Majesty! We shall take our leave now."

Luna watched them go, a motherly smile gracing her face. "Hmm, friends huh? Seems Twilight's influence reaches ever farther as time marches on."

She looked around the empty throne room and then went to summon the chess board once more, when she realized what she'd done and looked to her sleeping guard. His tail flicking and his foot kicking every so often as he dreamt. She frowned.

"Ah ponyfeathers...Now who will duel me?"

***

The Golden Rod Restaurant was special in many ways. Besides being a VIP only club, it catered to every species. One could enter the establishment and suddenly be mingling with yaks, griffons, the occasional Alicorn, should the Princess be present, or even a couple of cat folk or hippogriffs. This meant that upon entering the dining hall, scents and sounds of every nature could be taken in. The diversity allowed for open minded thinking and good natured conversation.

The facility both served foods and was set up for large group meetings. It wasn't common to find the place vacant. Getting a slot in the busy guest schedule was hard. Even harder, was being invited to the place from an outside source. Sireen and Iron Crest had never been inside or even remotely close to it.

Crisp had only wanted to know if they served fancy ice cream or not.

"Their all nobles, so the food has to be too! That means fancy ice cream!" Crisp said while sitting atop his father's back. The foal waved his front hooves around energetically. His little bow tie wiggling around his neck as he began a lengthy explanation of how food became fancy. It had to do with how the fancy ponies talked, a sort of word magic that seeped into the food and made it change from normal to fancy". Iron had rolled his eyes and Sireen had giggled and told him that he could ask for it.

Sireen and Iron were dressed in nice outfits. Nothing too posh, but just enough that the pair wouldn't seem out if place in the crowd. Sireen was wearing a simple merlot red dress, with a shimmering see through star patterned shawl around her shoulders. Mrs. Fuzzdrought had loaned it to her, saying it would help 'accentuate her neck line'.

Her eyes drifted to Iron crest. He looked rather fetching in his grey and white business vest and tie. He hadn't had any fancier clothes and chose to wear it because he knew it fell in place with the financial side of the noble lifestyle. She'd kissed him and said he looked like a million bits.

Still, she spotted the nervous biting of his cheek as he walked, the twitch of his wings as he tried to hide his anxiety. Iron had told her more times than she could remember that he didn't like it when nobles knew about them. His fears were fair, considering how his last encounter with them had been.

She frowned slightly and leaned over to nuzzle him as the restaurant came closer. He fell out of his thoughts and looked to her. A light blush danced across his cheeks before he look forward again. "S-sorry, can't help it."

She hummed and looked back to Crisp who had stood up and leaned against his father's neck to see the building as it loomed closer. "Is that where we are meeting the spy?" He asked.

Sireen chuckled and nodded. "Not a spy, but yes. Now, be on your best behavior okay, Crisp?" She leaned over and nuzzled his mane gently. He nodded, nuzzling back. "Okay mom." He said it a smile that warmed her heart and she caught the gentle sigh escape Irons lips as he heard it too.

It was quiet as they reached the doors. The sounds of conversation were completely blocked out by a couple enchantments warding the building. In front of the black double doors to the building was a podium and a younger unicorn mare in a dark grey dress uniform. She looked them up and down and Sireen caught the ever present frown that graced her lips for but a moment before she cracked a fake smile and greeted them.

"Welcome, do you have an invitation or a VIP card, sir?"

Iron didn't smile back. He frowned at her and reached into his vest pocket with his wing and withdrew the letter. Handing it over to her, he refolded his wing. "We were told to present this to you."

She took the and furrowed her brow as she unfolded it. "A letter, sir? I'm not sure I..." Her eyes flowed back and forth across the letter as she read and then her eyes widened. "Oh, ehhrrm, sorry." She hoofed the letter back and started magically flipping through the book in front of her. "I don't recognize those initials. One moment please."

Iron shared a glance with Sireen who shrugged. "Eh, worse case scenario we take it to Luna." She rolled her good wing and noted how the mare winced as she brought up the princess. "If it is a fake, and some one is fooling with us then their in big trouble."

A few moments went by, and the mare turned a couple more pages before she blinked in confusion. She lifted a hoof, went to speak and then thought better of it and looked up. Her magic clapped the book shut and she smiled a little more genuinely this time.

"Sorry about the wait, I had to verify your patron. Please," She opened the doors with her magic and music drifted out. "Follow me."

They fell into line behind her and entered the building. The inside of the restaurant was both opulent and not. Certain key features, such as a central water fountain made from bronze and shaped to look like a sea pony breaching the surface of a wave, and a triple pair of ornate crystal and silver laced chandeliers that floated chainlessly above them, made the place feel royal. Then simple things like the generic black carpet that blanketed the floor, or the basic fabric used to cover the booths where patrons at and mingled, felt like it was out of place.

Yet, it felt right. Like the owner of the establishment was trying to mix the two to make things feel real while adding a hint of flourish to it all. To be fair, it worked. Sireen both felt out of place and at home. Around them, booths could be seen with closed russet red currents blocking the patrons from view, while others had them open. The few that were, Sireen could see families dining together. She saw a group of crystal ponies and their foals seated a few spots away, and when she caught the stallion glancing her way, she smiled gently and nodded. He did the same and went back to his meal. Another pair was seated nearby and Sireen watched as the two zebra seemed to be chuckling at something together. She smiled. the place felt good.

The mare ahead of them brought them to the far back of the restaurant to a door labeled 'private' and unlocked it. She smiled as they entered into another entirely separate part of the building. This side was completely different. The booths were curved around the half circle room, white phaux leather with gold studded caps pulling the seams tight and made the cushions seem almost bouncy. The seats could easily fit two yaks or Alicorns comfortably and the tables between the seats were cherry finished solid wood. The windows beyond showcased a well kept garden filled with multiple types of flowers and shrubbery. The floor was solid marble tiling of black and white, with gold flecks speckled throughout each tile. Above them, another crystal chandelier twice the size of the previous three hovered not twenty feet above the patrons. It's crystals shimmered, sending prismatic rainbows around the room as the amber light danced through them.

To her right side, curving in a half moon counter top that connected on both ends to the wall, a private bar with dark finished wood chairs and top, and a wall of different drinks, both alcoholic and non, were flush against the backdrop. The bottles rose all the way to the ceiling as two unicorn mares worked the selections. Sometimes a bottle would come floating down and one of them would either pour it into a glass, or check its contents before marking down a note on the clip board.

She looked around the room and found no one else present. The mare lead them to an empty booth and once they were all seated she popped out a note pad and a quill. "Your guest shall be arriving in but a moment, for the time being, can I get you any drinks? We have non alcoholic beverages as well." Here she smiled at Crisp who was still ogling the space.

Sireen looked over at the bar and grimaced. "I don't suppose you have portocaliu sângeriu in a non alcoholic form would you?"

The mare blinked and glanced over her shoulder at the bar maids. When one of them nodded, she did as well. "Very well, one portocaliu, no alcohol. For you sir?"

Iron crest was staring at Sireen in confusion, but he shook himself and grinned. "I'll have one of whatever she's having."

Sireen sucked in her teeth. "Um, Iron, are you sure about th--"

The mare cut her off and scribbled it down. "Got it, and for the little one?"

Before any of them could reply, Crisp leveled the most serious expression he could possibly have at the mare and said in a deadpan voice "I'll have a short trip to hell."

The mare's eyes bulged in shock and she very nearly dropped the quill and pad. Sireen and Iron stared at Crisp open mouthed aghast. Behind them, the two bar maids burst out laughing. One of them pointed a hoof at the kid and smirked

"Kids got balls."

"E-ELOQUENCE!" The waiter whipped around and stared daggers at the bar maid who shrugged and kept smirking. She turned back around and found Crisp giggling. She smiled firmly. "Would you like anything on the kids side of the menu?"

Crisp giggled and nodded. "Sure, I'll have some apple juice."

When the mare had jotted it down and trotted away, Crisp sighed and smiled. "Ahh adults are fun." He looked up and found Both his parents looking at him with a mixture of emotions. Iron leaned in and nudged his son with a hoof. "Where did you learn that drink name?"

Sireen nodded emphatically. "Yes, you little scamp, where did you learn that. that beverage is...very potent. Almost as potent as what we are about to drink." She leveled a glare at her partner and Iron flinched, chuckling nervously.

"What? I didn't know what they had so I figured whatever you ordered would be safe!" He put his hooves up defensively and Sireen huffed with a short smile.

"Well, in any case the non alcoholic version should just be the mixing ingredients with some fruit juice. Now back to this "short trip to hell drink." She looked back at Crisp expectantly. He shrugged and crossed his hooves over each other.

"I learned it from the two guards at the gate to the school, apparently it's a strong beverage that has a real kick." He smiled confidently and puffed out his chest fluff. "I snuck up on em while they were chatting and overheard it was a drink the stallion liked to have on his days off but I didn't know it would be that interesting."

Sireen sighed and rolled her eyes before noticing the doors opened on the same side they'd entered. A very recognizable mare and stallion entered the room. Fancy Pants and Fleur de lise walked across the room to stand at their table.

Fleur leveled a sultry gaze on Sireen and the mare blushed and felt her ear tips heat up. "Oh, hello again, Mademoiselle Wind, what a pleasure to see you again." Her heavy Prench accent floated off her tongue perfectly and Sireen felt her chest tighten. This mare...

Beside her, Her husband Fancy Pants chuckled and took off his monocle with a genuine smile. "Good to see you again Sireen, and you as well, Iron Crest."

Iron Crest tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Fancy, Fleur. I wasn't aware you came here."

Fancy and Fleur gave each other a look and then Fancy nodded. "You'd be correct. We don't. At least not under our actual names."

Before any one could reply to that, Fleur lifted a familiar dented soda can in her magic and set it down in front of Sireen. "Does this look familiar to you, Mademoiselle?"

Sireen stared between them and the can. "You can't be serious. You are FD? But I asked you if you were!!!! you said no!"

Fleur chuckled and sat down in the booth with Sireen and Crisp on her right with the foal in the middle. The colt smiled up at her and then he sniffed and sneezed. "Wow, you smell funny, miss." Iron Crest blanched and Sireen sighed.

She giggled into her hoof and then waved it at him playfully. "Zat is called perfume, little one, it makes us more..." Her eyes danced to Sireen for a moment and she licked her lips slowly, "More approachable to possible partners." Sireen gulped and looked away.

Fancy gently swatted his wife. "Oh alright, stop teasing the mare, Fleur, we came to talk not flirt." He looked at Iron and gestured to the seat. "May I?" When Iron Crest moved over, he seated himself next to the pegasus and sighed. It was mares and foal on one side, and stallions on the other. Iron looked pointedly at Sireen and then to Fleur as if asking, and Sireen shook her head and mouthed 'later'. He shrugged in return.

Before Fancy could speak, the waitress came by and collected their drinks, while depositing the previous order in front of their current owners. Fancy ordered a smoking bishop, and fluer ordered a simple glass of red merlot wine. When the waiter disappeared once more, Sireen leaned forward to Fleur.

"You lied to me."

Fleur giggled again and rolled her eyes. "Non, I do not lie. I told you ze accurate answer to your question. you asked if it was me who was FD, and zat is incorrect." She gestured between her husband and herself. "Ze correct answer, is we are FD."

Sireen stared at the two ponies, and nodded. "Uh huh...and...why are you both FD?"

Fancy spread his hooves out. "Why because if our name were to be used for everything we did, there would be a trail of sorts, and we don't exactly like how the newspapers seem to twist everything we do. Even now, in this circumstance it has value. We arrived here via private teleportation, so the photographers outside our home still believe we are there. The restaurants workers are paid to keep quiet about who they see enter it's doors. So perchance if the mood struck me and I wanted to invite friends to a little get together, the news ponies would be none the wiser."

Force of habit made the stallion pull his monocle from it's side pocket to be cleaned yet again, even though it's surface was polished to a shine. "Say I wanted to take my lovely wife here on a date without tomorrow's paper scandalizing it by commenting on every little thing we did, this way allows them not to snoop too deeply. If they do come here and ask to see the registry, which they can, all they will find are the initials FD."

he smiled at Sireen and Iron, "Further more, if I wished to buy something and not have my name attached to it I can use this as my alias."

"So it allows you freedom of movement without the backlash of society spitting in your face every time you do anything not considered 'noble like'." Crisp said aloud and the adults all looked to him once more. The two nobles seemed more shocked that the foal had contributed to the conversation. The foal was staring at the table with his glass of juice in his magic, sipping it lightly. "I guess that is smart, but it's not full proof."

Fancy opened his mouth to speak and no words came out. Fleur giggled into her hoof and nudged Fancy, whispering something in full Prench into his ear. He then smirked and leaned over the table, mirth and curiosity in his eyes. "Oh? Alright then. Do tell us, lad, how could this tactic be better?"

Crisp set the glass down and reared up his front hooves onto the table, giving Fancy Pants his full attention. Sireen thought Crisp's serious face was adorable. "For one, it was too easy to figure out. You used the first initial of your name, Fancy. Then you took your wife's last name De lise and put them together. Any pony with a brain could attach the two if they caught on to where you were or had been. So change the letters. It would have been far more confusing to an outsider if the initials were 'AG' or 'ZH'."

He sat back down. "For another, the staff here are only bound by their word and the promise of keeping their jobs. If someone were to give them a better incentive, well I imagine the staff of any establishment are kind of like mercenaries really. If you pay them more, their loyalty shifts and changes."

When Crisp picked his juice back up and continued drinking, with that foalish expression of joy, Fancy sat back down. The wind seemed to have gone out of him. "I...well I suppose that is fair. Hmm, I seem to have been derailed by a devilishly clever colt. Ha!"

He laughed, and it felt good. Sireen relaxed a little bit. Crisp seemed to have helped break the ice between them. She leaned over to tussle Crisp's mane playfully. He giggled and pulled away, careful not to spill his drink. "We call him the scamp."

Iron smiled and nodded. "My ex-wife named him too well." He whispered.

And just like that the mood fell backwards. Fleur splayed her ears back with a worried gaze. Sireen lowered her gaze to her drink, still untouched. Fancy grimaced, and he put a hoof on Iron's shoulder. "She was a good mare, Iron, the few times I was able to meet her, she had a good heart." He listed his gaze over to Sireen. "But, so does Sireen, Wouldn't you agree?"

Sireen felt Iron and Crisp's gazes latch on to her and she felt the need to stand taller, hold herself more gracefully. Iron nodded firmly. "I do. Sireen is a wonderful partner, and I see so much good in her."

Crisp scooted over and hugged her side, nuzzling his little snoot into her belly. She stroked his mane as he spoke. "She's my mom and no one can take that from me."

Sireen noticed how Fleur winced and looked away for a moment. Was that envy in her eyes? She dared to ask.

"Do you two have any um, plans like this for the future?" She pointed at Crisp and found the mood fell a little more. Fleur shrank back and rubbed her arm with her hoof. Fancy seemed disturbed, a subtle tightness came into his eyes and a tensing of his jaw line gave it away. He reached over and hugged Fleur gently. She smiled weakly and nuzzled her stallion just under his chin for comfort.

"Not for lack of trying..." Fancy said quietly. Fleur touched her stomach for a moment and Sireen felt horrible.

"O-oh...I'm so sorry, I wasn't meaning to be rude." She lowered her gaze to the table. Crisp looked between the two mares and seemed confused. He was wise enough to say nothing though. Iron, awkwardly shuffled his wings, and then decided to pick up his drink. He went to take a large gulp, seemingly lost for words, but Sireen blanched.

"Wait! Iron don't gulp--"

Iron's eyes bulged as the liquid poured down his throat and he began coughing really hard. It was like liquid fire had been dipped into his mouth. His tongue caught the gentle fragrance of oranges, mulled spices, and maybe a hint of strawberry. From there though it quickly devolved into fire. Fire, fire ,fire was all he tasted.

Fancy started smacking him across the back with a hoof, and Fleur waved for the bar maids who brought over a pitcher of water. Iron gasped and pounded his chest with a hoof as his eyes watered until a few leaked and fell down his cheek. He coughed for several seconds more before a glass of water was given and he downed it. Sireen watched as Fleur picked up his drink and sniffed tentatively. To her surprise, the mare barely flinched, in fact she looked intrigued and took a sip.

Sireen watched the myriad of expressions jump across Fleur's face before she settled on a soured puckered face. "W-well, zat is certainly...something." She coughed once into a napkin and looked at Sireen with a quirked brow and pointed at the beverage. "You batfolk dare to drink zis?" Her face, so prim and proper a second ago, looked like it had been smooshed into a lemon.

She couldn't help it. Sireen laughed. She laughed and chirped and Fancy ended up laughing with her when he looked over and saw Fleurs face. Crisp looked confused, Iron looked like he was ill, and Fleur looked close to it. Iron pushed the drink away and waggled a primary feather at Sireen, his eyes still watery but he was smiling.

"That is the last time I order from your side of the bar!" The group began laughing together. The negative mood was forgotten and the smiles around were genuine.

"Hey! If its that funny, I wanna try it!" Crisp said, suddenly enveloping the drink in his magic.

All three adults, the two bar maids, and the waitress all frantically shouted "NO!"

The drink was promptly removed.

The conversation settled back down shortly thereafter. Fleur and Fancy mingled with Iron Crest and Sireen for about a hour or two, catching up on how they had been. Fleur and Fancy were very good conversationalists, steering the topic from business, to work, to politics, and even throwing in some chit chat for crisp to jump in on. Sireen could tell the foal enjoyed being connected to the adult talk.

Sireen was fascinated to learn more about the modeling trade from Fleur, and even had to gently turn her down when the mare said the thestral should try out at the Canterlot model agency. Even with Fleur backing her as support, Sireen wasn't sure it was something she wanted. It was one thing to have a positive body image, and another to see it on a billboard in your own home city. Iron and Fancy talked politics and work related stuff mostly. The two stallions laughed at a personal memory between their agencies, and an apparent debacle with mixed up paperwork. Apparently the dislike of Canterlot nobility fell inside their group as well, as Sireen heard the two males grumble their agreed dispassion at a certain blonde maned prince and his terrible hoof work.

Crisp asked questions where he could, showing insight and wisdom beyond his years every so often, before the group finally ordered food. The gourmet chefs whipped up a wonderful banquet of mixed dishes. Sireen was surprised to find that Fleur had a palate for fish and the two swapped recipes they'd heard of and tried while eating similar seafood dishes. Fancy seemed surprised when his wife showed her knowledge and she replied while spearing a chunk of sauce covered cod on a fork. She'd ordered a seafood platter of some kind, and then offered to share it with Sireen.

"I wanted to know more about Sireen and her culture, so I studied where I could. Fruit is not ze only thing ze eat." She'd said coyly, licking her fork while looking at Sireen like she was the main dish. Sireen had blushed furiously and Fancy had swatted her shoulder.

Crisp had ordered "Whatever was the closest thing to mac and cheese but fancy." What he got was the most extravagant looking dish of macaroni and cheese that Sireen had ever seen. The bowl it sat in was probably worth more than her entire monthly pay. Gold inlays on the side made leaves and vines spiral around the object. The little garnish on the side was shimmering, like it had just been dipped in crystal. It had been quite the sight to see Crisp ooh and ahh at his food before proclaiming it perfectly fancy, and devouring it. She'd never seen golden cheese before.

Iron crest had ordered the house salad and was not displeased with the proportions or tastes. It was a Mediterranean dish, with lots of fruit and some spices she was unsure of off the top of her head, mixed in. Fancy had ordered some kind of vegetable linguini topped with a light vinaigrette. Together they ate in silence before Fleur suddenly grimaced, gripping her stomach and politely stepped out of the booth.

"Pardon me, I need to use the restroom, I'll be but a moment." She stood and Crisp leapt to his feet too.

"I gotta go too!" Iron went to protest but the foal had already shimmied down under the table, and exploded out from the cloth a second later. They watched as he scampered up to the bar maids and they pointed to two doors off to the right, clearly visible. The foal seemed falter for a sec before sheepishly disappearing inside the colts room. Fleur giggled before leaving the table, glancing back, she licked her lips again at Sireen. The taller mare sashayed her hips as she walked and Sireen blushed and quickly looked away.

Fancy noticed and sighed as his wife vanished behind the mare's door. Sireen noted he seem bothered. "Please forgive my wife, she is...very playful. She was raised within a herd style family with three mothers, two fathers, and several foals in between them. She believes she has an opportunity with you Sireen, or rather through you."

Sireen smirked and took a sip of her drink, the powerful liquid warming her throat and she breathed a sigh "Haaa...I hadn't noticed." She said sarcastically. "She seems very bent on getting me alone..."

Fancy shook his head. "No, I think you misunderstand. She doesn't see you as a plaything or a one off of sorts...My wife is barren, Sireen." His tone dropped and he looked saddened to say it. There was still hope in his eyes though but it had dwindled.

She frowned. Next to her, Iron sighed lightly. "We are sorry to hear that, that can't be easy on you. Fleur keeps watching Crisp, and I had wondered... but how does she believe Sireen can help?"

Fancy finished his drink, and blushed. For a few seconds, he didn't speak, simply looking at his empty glass with a contemplative expression before setting it down. He took a moment to smooth down a crease in the table, his apprehension growing. "Fleur, has always had a high interest in the exotics, griffons, thestrals, changelings, you name it, She probably has a list of...activities she wishes to try with each of them. However, there is something she has always wanted, and that is a child...but with her condition, it's simply not possible. So, she believes you Sireen, could sire a foal for us..."

Iron growled suddenly and Fancy pinned his ears back, as a look passed between stallions, and Sireen felt the tension spike suddenly as her stallion stood taller, placing a hoof on the table. She watched as Iron slowly opened his wings defensively. Fancy Pants seemed to flinch slightly and he scooted away from Iron when the stallion bared his teeth.

"She's mine, Fancy Pants." He almost snarled it.

Fancy was quick to reply, his hooves shot up and he shook his head, breaking gazes with Iron. This seemed to make Iron lean forward a little, his teeth flashed once more under his lip from Sireen's angle. Fancy's ears splayed back submissively.

"I'm not contesting that, Iron, and I acknowledge the claim. She is your mare. You are her stallion. I will always respect that."

Fancy gave a few seconds of silence before he looked back up. Iron had cooled off but his wings remained up. She felt this odd sensation in her chest. It was weirdly exhilarating. These two stallions were...were fighting over her? Was that what was happening? She was pretty sure that was what was taking place. Iron was asserting himself in Sireen's herd, and letting Fancy Pants know it. A knicker of approval escaped her lips before she could stop it and the two stallions seemed to take that sound as a universal good thing. Iron sat back down, and removed his hoof from the table.

Fancy breathed deeply and relaxed slightly, picking up his glass once more and waving the bar maid over. She filled his glass and Sireen declined a refill of hers.

When she left, Fancy spoke up once more. "I am merely letting you know that Fleur may ask Sireen. It is a very high possibility, and stallion to stallion I didn't want you in the dark about it."

Sireen huffed. "I would have told him about it anyways, if any one wants to join our...thing, they have to go through both of us."

Both of them shared a glance and Iron reached a hoof over the table to rub her shoulder. "It's not that I wouldn't trust you to do so, but this...is a stallion thing, love. It's primal for us...kind of more about respecting each other's authority."

Sireen thought about it for a moment and then looked over at Fancy Pants. "So this is all new to me, I've not been in a real relationship before...if Iron said no to you now...hypothetically what happens if I say yes to Fleur?"

Both Iron and Fancy grimaced and again Fancy took the submissive action and leaned away. Iron spoke up first. "Mares always have the final decision in those events. We are a matriarchal society after all. If you wanted to sire his foal, I'd accept that, but then we would be...sharing mares..." He grit the words between clenched teeth.

Fancy spoke up, swiveling his drink gently and watching the olive inside it bob around. "We would be a temporary herd. I would have access to you, for the purpose of siring a foal that Fleur would then raise, legally the foal would be ours. Biologically you and I would be the parents. Likewise Iron would have access to Fleur, and could pair up with her while we are bonded. Usually when this happens we live together for a time, and we share beds and partners, almost casually."

She blushed far hotter than she liked to admit, picturing Fancy and Iron doing...things to her and Fleur. For several seconds her mind was entertained by the possibilities, and none of them spoke. Before any of them could voice their opinion, Crisp words exited the bathroom and came over. Fancy whispered quickly. "A chat for far later but I thought you should at least be aware."

He nodded to Iron who in turn seemed conflicted. They stared at one another before Crisp scrambled under the table and hopped back up into his seat. He went to grab his drink and then caught the stallion's expressions. He looked between the adults for a moment before he sighed.

"Mom is blushing, dad's glaring daggers at the fancy pony and the room is quiet when the foal returns. Gee I don't know," he threw his hooves up in the air. "I bet some one told a really rude joke or I missed something adult again." He mumbled folding his arms.

All of them chuckled quietly. Sireen kept blushing. "Y-yeah, something like that."

Fleur came back out and shook her mane free of droplets of water. She smiled at Sireen, but when the mare turned away, She looked confused. Then her gaze fell on Fancy Pants who also looked away. She looked between all three of them. Her eyes grew worried. " Oh no...Fancy, did...did you tell them?"

He softly nodded and she put a hoof to her lips. "Fancy!" She genuinely punched his shoulder and growled. "I told you ze weren't ready!" She pinned her ears back, huffing at him. For several seconds she stood there unsure of what to do. Eventually she slowly sat down next to Crisp. Sireen instinctively pulled him closer and noted how Fleur looked more upset by that. She looked to him a for a few seconds before sighing and lowering her head to look at her hooves.

"I am...unable to have foals, Sireen. I have tried and tried. Fancy is the best stallion I know, and I love him dearly, but we cannot have an heir without help. The nobles around us are not trustworthy, nor are they bloodlines we wish to continue." She slowly, and very cautiously reached out and touched Sireen's hoof and when the mare didn't flinch away, she held it. Sireen felt her weakly squeeze her fetlock.

"I have always found your race to be beautiful, graceful, and you are very attractive. Your bloodline would be something I would gladly wish to help grow."

"Why not adopt?" Crisp asked bluntly. Sireen quickly wrapped her good wing around the foal and told him to hush. Crisp went to speak but the gentle shake of her head shushed him and he sat quietly an listened. Fleur smiled softly at Crisp.

"Non, zat is a fair question, but Fancy and I we...we want it to be from at least one of us. That way one of our bloodlines continues and we have an heir. We also want it to be from some one we trust. Sireen you've earned that with us. You are kind, and a good mother to Crisp. He adores you, and I want to feel ze same thing, as closely as I can for the foal..." Her gaze locked on Iron who was still tense. "Still, it was too early to ask this of you or Iron. I wasn't planning on bringing it up tonight or even after inviting you guys out for more events...I am sorry the topic was broached."

Iron sighed heavily and nodded. "No, I understand why it was brought up. It's even considerate of you to offer, but for me personally it hits way too close to home." He glared at Fancy Pants for a moment but then his gaze softened. "Crisp was born out of this same situation, not the same exactly, but close enough to be...uncomfortable. I wouldn't want that for your family, Fancy, Fleur."

Fancy sat up and nodded solemnly. "Well, I see your point, and I accept that I overstepped my place. For that I'm sorry. For me...seeing Fleur so hurt by this situation, every time we tried and the results were the same... it made me jump the cannon persay, I had hopes, and they were a bit too high. I'll try to be more considerate about it in the future."

Fleur let go of Sireen's hoof and smiled gently. "Just, please consider it? We wouldn't be bothered if you said no, but it would leave us with alternatives we do not wish to take if we have to."

The room lapsed into silence before Crisp poked his head out from under her wing and slowly he shuffled over to Fleur. Sireen felt her defensive nature rise up and she noted how Fleurs eyes darted between her and Crisp.

The foal looked up at the taller mare for several seconds. He tilted his head, waggled an ear, and then in a very foal like action, reared up and gently wrapped his hooves around her midsection. He squeezed as firmly as he could, gently rubbing his cheek into her side fur.

"Well I think you'll make a great mom." Crisp murmured. Fleur's cheeks flushed warmly and for a second or two she didn't move, clearly afraid of what Sireen would do. Sireen for her part, felt her mind go to the protective side, but only for a moment. Fleur was a safe mare, she wouldn't hurt him. She looked up to Fleur and nodded gently urging the mare on. without a second glance Fleur curled around Crisp and held him close, hugging and nuzzling him. Warmth flushed through Sireen and she watched them. Fluer would be a good mother figure. She just wasn't sure if it was a good idea to sire Fancy's foal...

For now, simply watching as Fluer fussed over Crisp, and the foal in return played with her was...nice. It lasted about twenty minutes, where in Fancy and Iron both went and chatted at the bar, drinks in wing and magic. Their territorial spat forgotten for the moment. Sireen snagged another morsel of cod off the platter, intent on finishing her share before Crisp sat up in surprise, startling Fluer.

"Oh! I almost forgot!"

The adults all looked expectantly at the foal who raised his hoof high and waved the waiter over.

She eyed him curiously. "Yes, little one?"

"I would like to formally request a bowl of some fancy Ice cream, please?"

The adults burst into laughter. The waiter just twitched.

Author's Note

We get into the thicker side of the lives of our characters, and Sireen is given an off she may not refuse.

due to my job I barely have any time to write, so I'm doing what I can. I have editor so if you spot any errors please point them out ^^ and I'll fix em when I get the chance.