I know this is sooner than later, but I figured it would be better to just get this over with. Late Monday morning, I got up at my usual time and prepped myself for a long and probably boring day. Once I was ready, I went and waited outside of Dew Star’s door for her to come out. To say she was surprised to see me is as accurate as it gets.

“Eep!”

“Relax, it’s just me.”

“H-huh?” she mumbled as she peaked from behind her hooves, “O-oh. Thank Celestia.”

“I wouldn’t, but whatever.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing. You’re going to work, right?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Mind if I observe-er, accompany you?”

“A-accompany? D-did I do something wrong?” she asked as she looked at me nervously.

“That’s what I want to find out.”

“W-well, I-I don’t know if they’ll let you into the library, b-but alright.”

“Great. Lead the way.” Thankful she never asks for any details, I followed her out of the building and down the usual dirty streets. The whole way, I stayed a few steps behind her and watched how she took the less busy streets to get to Canterlot Castle. I was less than thrilled to be back there so soon, but I guess it’s my fault I never bothered to ask what library she worked at. Like last time, getting in wasn’t difficult for me, but I could tell it was almost painful for Dew Star.

On the way to the library, almost every pony she came across would say hi and try to talk to her, but she could barely muster a greeting. A few guards passed by at one point, stopping and saluting us. I replied with a weak-wristed salute while Dew Star panicked and ran off. I tried apologizing for her, but they waved it off saying she always did that.

“Why’d you even bother doing it then?”

“Her reaction’s kinda funny,” one of them answered, making the whole group chuckle. With a shake of my head, I left them and caught up to Dew Star down the hall. A minute later, we were in the giant library where I watched her work for an hour, and what a painful hour it was.

There were only two other ponies working alongside her, a pink unicorn and blue pegasus, and the whole time they would help each other with their work that’s divided between them at the start of the day. The two were done with their work within the hour since they were both able-bodied and sat back with their hooves kicked up as they watched Dew Star struggle. I was pretty sure they gave her more than her fair share and I waited for her to say something about it when I was sure she noticed, but she didn’t; she just sighed and kept working. Getting tired of following her around, I sat down with the two for a while.

“Hey,” I greeted as I pulled out some parchment from my bag.

“Hi,” the unicorn greeted, “…Do you know Dew Star?”

“I’d like to think so.”

“Are you her friend?” the pegasus asked in a disgusted tone.

“No, I’m just obs-…watching her today.”

“Wait,” the unicorn said as she squinted at me with a hoof on her chin, “…Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

“I don’t think so.”

“No wait, I recognize him too,” the Pegasus said as she too thought about it.

“Oh! You’re that human that listens to ponies, right?”

“Oh yeah! Ponies pay you to listen to their problems, and you live in that shady part of the city. What do they call you?”

“The therapist,” I sighed as I tried to focus on my drawing.

“Ah, I get it now,” the unicorn said knowingly.

“Oh, do you?”

“Yeah, Dew Star is one of your customers, isn’t she?”

“…Yeah.”

“Huh, I knew that mare had problems, but jeez. She’s so lonely she had to bring her therapist to work with her,” the pegasus teased.

“Yeah, and for all we know, she’s probably sleeping with him too,” the unicorn said, both of them seeming to already forget I was there.

“I can believe it,” the pegasus commented with a wise nod of her head, “I heard that he sometimes does a little ‘extra’ for his female customers. I wouldn’t doubt that Dew Star’s that lonely.”

“…”

“Mhm. I mean, I don’t blame her to be honest,” the unicorn said strangely, making me glance up at her and see her staring at me with half-lidded eyes.

“Jeez, would you relax. He’s right there.”

“I know and I hope he heard me.”

“Okay,” I finally spoke up after pinching the bridge of my nose, “I think I’ve seen enough. You take lunch breaks, right?”

“Yeah, and if you’re looking for somepony to eat with,” the unicorn started as a hoof slid over to my hand.

“Thanks, but I've got Dew Star,” I said as I stood up and put my stuff into my bag, “if you’ll excuse me. Come on Dew Star, I’m taking you to lunch.”

“A-alright,” she replied as she quickly trotted over from a bookshelf a few feet away. Leaving the two nice mares behind, the two of us left the library, but not before I managed to catch the looks of embarrassment on both of their faces, satisfying me in some strange way.

“So, anywhere in particular you want to go?”

“N-no. I-I usually eat in the castle cafeteria.”

“Alright, I guess we’re both trying something new today.” When we made it outside of the castle, I picked a random street and we followed it until we came to a fancy restaurant with a few nobles going in and out.

“Table for two, please,” I told the hostess when we got inside. She looked the both of us over for a second before shrugging and leading us into the restaurant. Once we were seated in a corner of the place at my request, I noticed Dew Star looked like she wanted to say something.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I looked over the menu.

“…A-are you sure this is alright?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I-I don’t want to bother you…” she answered, making me sigh.

“I’ve told you before; you’re not bothering me. If anything, just think of it as me bothering you by forcing you to eat with me. That and I’m sorry for not coming over the other day”

“B-but…” she stuttered as she tapped her hooves together.

“What?”

“…I-isn’t this like a d-date?” she asked, making me freeze.

“…N-no. Of course not,” I answered after clearing my throat, “we’re just having lunch.”

“You two know what you want yet?” a waitress asked suddenly, startling both of us. After quickly giving her our orders, she left us alone again. Absorbed in my own thoughts, I failed to notice a certain pony approach us until Dew Star grabbed my attention.

“D-do you know the p-princess?”

“Princess?” I repeated as I looked up and found Princess Luna standing next to our table, startling me once again “Oh shit!”

“I believe the correct greeting is ‘hello Princess Luna, how are you today?’” she said with a small smirk, “And I would reply, ‘I’m doing just fine, but what are you doing here with this young mare?’”

“From what I’ve heard, everyone’s young compared to you,” I replied, having regained my composure when she was talking to herself.

“…You never cease to amaze me with your bravado, human,” she said through her puffed cheeks.

“Thanks, but I think the actual question is what are you doing here?”

“Can a princess not eat her lunch amongst her subjects?”

“No.”

“Well, excuse me,” she scoffed.

“You’re excused,” I said as I motioned away from our table. Her cheeks puffed up again before she turned with a huff and left us.

“I can never catch a break with these princesses,” I sighed.

“H-how do you know Princess Luna?”

“She came and saw me after that whole Brick incident.”

“S-she did?”

“Yeah, and she was a pain just like the other two.”

“O-other two?”

“Yeah, but enough about them,” I said as I straightened up and focused on her, “this day is still about you.”

“R-right,” she replied as she shrunk a little.

“Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble, but from what I’ve seen you don’t make much of an effort to change.”

“B-but-”

“That being said, it’s not your fault. I know you’ve made an effort at some point with the various ponies in the castle and it hasn’t worked out, but it’s because of them. You heard for yourself what your coworkers think about you. I have no idea why they’d think that, but it sounds like it might partially be my fault. If that is the case-”

“N-no! You didn’t do anything wrong!” she exclaimed quietly, surprising me.

“Uh… alright. My point though, was that you have been trying and that’s all I asked. It’s not your fault other ponies are douches.”

“W-what?”

“Asses.”

“O-oh.”

“So don’t worry about it and just eat this expensive food,” I said as it was placed on our table by the waitress.

“Enjoy, and I just have to say-”

“Please don’t.

“You two are the cutest couple!” she said anyway, making me face-palm.

“…Thanks.” We quickly ate our meal so Dew Star could get back to work and when we left, the princess gave me the stink-eye from her food covered table.

“Well, I’ll see you around,” I said once I walked her back to the castle.

“Y-you’re not going to s-stay?” she asked when I felt my pants leg being held.

“No, I saw what I needed to see. Besides, it looked like you still had a bit of work to do and I don’t want to distract you.”

“…B-but you’re a p-pleasant distraction,” she mumbled at the ground. My head flopped back as I groaned loudly and rubbed my face with both hands.

“Fine,” I sighed, “I didn’t have anything else to do today anyway.” Walking back to the library Dew Star stuck to my side happily, humming some tune the whole way. Distracted by her humming, I failed to notice a pony turning a corner at the same time as me, sending me to the ground.

“Ow,” I moaned as I rubbed the back of my head and sat up, “who the hell-oh. Princess.” The stonewall I ran into just happened to be Princess Celestia, the last one I expected to actually run into today despite walking through her castle. When our eyes met, I saw something strange in them for a split second before her irritating motherly smile was put on.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite human.”

“I’m the only human.”

“That just makes you that much more precious to me,” she replied as she stood me up with her magic.

“…Yeah.”

“Hello, Dew Star,” the princess greeted the pony hiding behind me.

“H-h-hi.”

“How’s the library?”

“G-g-”

“Could be better to tell you the truth,” I answered for her.

“Oh? What would you recommend I change?”

“Well, I’d recommend you change a lot of things first before the library, but what do I know?”

“Yes,” she said as her smile shrank a little, “what do you know?”

“A lot more than you, Princess,” I said seriously, making her flinch ever so slightly, “but if you’ll excuse us; Dew Star still has some work to do.”

“…Of course.” With that, we left the princess standing by herself at the end of the hall as we returned to the library. Dew Star went back to her work as I sat down and kept up my drawing.

“Oh, you’re back!” the unicorn from before said as she sat next to me and her friend across from her.

“Yep.”

“I’m sorry but I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Crystal Candy, but please, call me Candy.”

“Pleasure.”

“Yes it is,” she muttered, actually managing to make me a little uncomfortable.

“And I’m Jewel,” the pegasus greeted with a friendly smile and wink, “how are ya?”

“Hi.”

“Hmm, you don’t talk much, do you?” Candy observed as I’m pretty sure her seat moved closer to mine.

“I’m a better listener.”

“Well, what a coincidence,” she whispered in my ear seductively, “cause I’m a screamer.”

“Sweet Celestia, Candy! Would you calm down?!” Jewel exclaimed, thankfully pulling the horny pony’s attention off of me.

“What? I can’t help it; he’s just so cute!”

“I guess, but that doesn’t mean you have to pounce on him. Besides, he belongs to Dew Star, and I doubt-”

“I don’t belong to anyone.”

“Ah, so you’re available then,” Candy said as she ran a hoof up and down my arm, “muscular too. I usually have a thing for earth stallions, but you’re better somehow.”

“…Thanks?” I said before hearing a thud and what sounded like a few books falling in the distance, “…Excuse me.” Quickly standing up, I headed in the direction of the noise and found a pile of books with a blonde tail sticking out of it.

“You alright?” I asked as pulled Dew Star out of the pile.

“Y-yeah,” she answered as I stood her up, “I-I just slipped.”

“Are you going to be done anytime soon? That one mare is making me really uncomfortable.”

“W-well, I have to clean this up and when that’s done, I have to sort all of those,” she said as she pointed to a sizable stack of books.

“…This one time,” I said as I picked up some books and replaced them on their shelves, “this one time I’ll help just so I’m not with her.”

“T-thanks,” Dew Star said happily. Thanks to my height and hands, all of the books were sorted within half an hour and I was sitting back in my seat with the strange mare on my right and Dew Star on my left. There was a pleasant silence for a minute or two before Candy broke it.

“Hey, uh, could you come with me and help-”

“No.”

“Oh come on! Stop playing hard to get! Every stallion I know would line up for a piece of this!” she exclaimed with a slap of her flank for emphasis.

“…”

“Alright Candy, you and I both know that’s not true,” Jewel pointed out, “you’ve only bucked like, three times.”

“Shut up! He didn’t have to know!” she hissed at her friend before turning back to me, “Ha ha, ignore my friend.”

“I don’t know, it sounds like she’s onto something,” I replied, “please Jewel, go on.”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Well, we’ve been friends since we were foals and she mistakenly tells me everything, so I’ve got all the dirt you could possibly want.”

“Hmm, good to know. What was her last coltfriend like?”

“Coltfriend?”

“I swear to Celestia-”

“She’s never had one.”

“No! Shut up, shut up!”

“Then how has she had sex?”

“W-well,” Jewel stuttered, seemingly thrown off by my use of the actual word, “she was drunk at a party for each one and she’s said she’s slept with a stallion each time.”

“Oh, so she might be lying?”

“Yeah. I mean, I helped with her estrus once, but we don’t talk about that.”

“Ah.”

“…Are you done embarrassing me now?” Candy said into the table.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Great! So uh, you wanna go out sometime?” Candy asked as she wiggled her eyebrows at me, making me feel uncomfortable again. The obvious answer popped in my mind halfway through her question, but a glance at a seemingly happy Dew Star made me think otherwise.

“…Sure.”

“R-really?!”

“As long as these two can come.”

“I can work with that!”

“Great,” I said as I stood up, “well, I think that’s enough social interaction for one day. Just let Dew Star know when you want go out and she’ll let me know. Until then, I’ll see you ladies another time. Mind showing me out, Dew Star?”

“O-of course.” When we made it outside the castle, I let out my biggest sigh that day.

“Well, I’ll see you later.”

“…Why?”

“Hmm?”

“W-why did you agree to go out with her?”

“Well, I wouldn’t have said it like that, but if you really want to know, it was for you.”

“M-me?!” she exclaimed as her cheeks flushed.

“Yeah. Whether you know it or not, you are making progress, and I think this is the next step. You’ll get out there, socialize, have fun… It’ll be terrible for me, but that doesn’t matter. Like I said, today’s all about you.” She didn’t say anything as she stared at the ground, most likely thinking about something.

“Well, I’ll see ya.”

“Y-yeah. Bye.”

Author's Note

Well, there ya go: some comedic relief in the form of a horny mare. And if it wasn't obvious, she and Jewel will make a return in a later chapter, probably sooner than later. Until then, we'll stick with our usual dark stuff and possibly have a little more character development.