“Okay, why did you say we were here?”

“Because Maud is a dear friend who’s had a happy relationship for many years and her insight is something I’d appreciate right now,” Starlight replied matter-of-factly.

“Okay… And why am I here?”

“Because you are one of my dearest friends, too, Trixie, and you’re here for emotional support and to help me get out of any uncomfortable silence that may happen.”

“Okay.” Trixie nodded. “But why did you bring that?”

Starlight looked at the cardboard box hovering between them before turning to face forward once more. “Because I didn’t want to come empty-hooved, and spending two or so hours baking something would’ve made us come even later and I didn’t want to inconvenience Maud even more than I already will, so I just bought a few cakes from Sugarcube Corner.”

“Yeah, that I get,” Trixie said as she lifted the top of the cardboard box and peered inside. “But why did you compress them into little chunks?”

Starlight had to bite the inside of her cheek to suppress a groan. Taking a deep breath, she gave Trixie a sidelong glance. “I compressed them into small pieces until they achieved a rock-like consistency to show Maud that I’m being considerate.”

“Ooooh… I see.”

Trixie and Starlight remained silent for a couple of seconds, sitting in front of the round wooden door that marked the entrance of Maud’s subterranean home. They’d been waiting for a couple of minutes, and Starlight was starting to wonder if perhaps her friend hadn't heard her knock.

“So why—”

“Because I didn’t know any recipes with rocks. Because I didn’t want to risk not living up to her mom’s rock soup. Because Maud doesn’t like rock candy. Now will you please stop with the questions? You’re making me nervous.”

Trixie leaned back as she gave her an odd look. “I can tell. You know, one would think you would stop freaking out at some point.”

“Honestly, I don’t know how I’ve managed to hold on for so long.” Starlight huffed.

With a hum, Trixie lay a hoof on Starlight’s shoulders. Looking at her friend, Starlight saw that the other mare had a pensive look. But before either could say anything, they heard the door being unlocked. Once it opened, they looked down to see Maud Pie staring at them with characteristic nonchalance.

“Starlight,” Maud said as she looked at Starlight. Turning a few degrees to her right, she faced Trixie and greeted her as well. “Trixie.”

“Hi, Maud…” Starlight replied with an awkward wave.

“Hello there, Maud!” Trixie greeted, more jovially.

“What a pleasure to see you this evening,” the earth pony replied.

Maud was the kind of pony you learned to read over time. What seemed to be a never changing expression hid a whole gamut of emotions, as long as you knew what to look for. The light wrinkle in her brow that showed concentration or worry, the way her eyes sometimes widened just a few millimetres when shocked, or they way her lips stiffened when she was angry.

And then, half the time, she didn’t move at all and you just had to guess.

Maud looked a bit tired, but otherwise appeared to be in good spirits. When she didn’t say anything more, though, Starlight rushed to fill the silence. “Uh… Yeah! It’s been some time, and I thought I’d drop by to see how my favourite rock doctor was doing.” After saying this, she smiled once again. She had practiced this one before they left, so she hoped she was nailing the happy and non-threatening look.

Maud stared back at her, expressionless.

Starlight gulped and started speaking once more. “I, uh… I came to see, if you, well—”

Before she could gather her thoughts, however, Trixie quickly chimed in. “Hey, Maud! Guess what? Starlight got together with Spike! Isn’t that great?”

Starlight’s head whipped to the side as her well-rehearsed look morphed into a familiar disbelief. Trixie just shrugged. “What? You said you didn’t want awkward silences, and that was going to turn into one.”

That much was true. However, Starlight wasn’t sure if she should feel annoyed at her friend’s thoroughness, or at how easily she was getting cold hooves right out of the gate. Thankfully, Maud was quick to reply.

“Congratulations, Starlight,” the earth pony said and Starlight felt touched knowing the news of her relationship managed to make her stoic friend show so much excitement.

“Yeah, I wanted to let you know, since you’re my friend and all,” Starlight said, somewhat awkwardly. “I brought rocks!”

Smile, Starlight. Smile.

“Rock cakes!” Trixie added after a few seconds of silence. “Starlight came up with that just a while ago. Isn’t she a great and considerate friend?”

Maud blinked a couple of times before closing her eyes and nodding. “That does show a great deal of caring.”

Trixie shot Starlight a proud grin that the latter returned half-heartedly.

“Come in. It’s getting cold,” Maud said as she stepped out of sight to let them get in.

Smiling, Trixie hopped into the hole, leaving Starlight alone. She doubted for all of a second, looking around at her darkening surroundings. It was odd to imagine it was already dusk. Where had the day gone? Shaking her head, she gave herself some mental reassurances and jumped into the hole, closing the door behind her.

The entrance of the cave was mostly dark, with only the light of the main chamber bathing it in a soft glow. Even after all this time, she never quite got used to Maud’s living arrangements. Each visit was as breathtaking as the first. The crystals embedded in the cave walls emitted a faint glow that as a whole bathed the main chamber in a comfortable light. The water cascading into the inner lake made for enjoyable background noise while providing a stunning view. Part of Starlight wondered how many tax cuts Maud must have to afford living in a place like this.

Says the freeloader living on government property rent-free.

Oh, you’re one to talk about living rent-free, she thought, not bothering to mask the bitterness.

With a suppressed groan, Starlight caught up to her friends and, smiling, addressed Maud. “So… Like Trixie said, I’m in a relationship with Spike.”

Maud nodded and let out a slow hum. “It’s good to know you finally made a move on him, but I commend you on waiting for him to be of legal age.”

Starlight’s blood ran cold as she stopped dead in her tracks. She heard somepony snickering, but wasn’t sure if it was Trixie or her own mind. Regardless, she cleared her throat and asked in what she hoped was an even tone, “Wh-what do you mean, Maud?”

“It was obvious~” Trixie sang as she walked past them.

Starlight was about to turn and glare at her unicorn friend when, much to her dismay, Maud quickly agreed.

“Don’t feel bad, Starlight. It was only obvious if you knew to look,” Maud said.

Dropping the teasing for a moment, Trixie smiled back at her. “What she said. It’s not like you were openly pining for him or anything, but the signs were there, even if they were subtle.”

Both Trixie and Maud regarded her with a friendly look, and Starlight wasn’t sure which was odder, Trixie showing so much comprehension and empathy on a single day, or Maud actually emoting.

“Like how you always stared at him for a bit longer than anyone else,” Maud said.

“Or how you always smiled more when he was around,” Trixie added.

“Or how you always laughed at his weird jokes.”

“Or how you always tried to peek at his butt when he was cooking.”

“Okay! Okay, I get your point, no need to go overboard…” Starlight said, cutting off her friends before they could make her explode in embarrassment. Though they had thankfully stopped, the mischief in Trixie’s eyes was still evident, as was the very light upturn of Maud’s lips.

The rest of the trek down was spent making small talk. Starlight figured they could wait until they were settled. It was rather easy, considering it had been a while since she had last had the chance to talk with Maud, and despite what initial appearances may suggest, the humble rock doctor was always full of surprises.

“…And that’s how I managed to convince the Diamond Dogs to stay out of my cave,” Maud said as they reached the lower level of the cave. With a sidelong glance, she continued, “Diamonds may be forever, but they sure aren’t.”

Never a dull day in Ponyville.

“You are one crazy mare, Maud. Never change,” Trixie said.

“Technically, change is constant and can’t be stopped. And Maud changes for the better each day.”

The trio looked up and saw a lanky Earth Pony walk out of the private area of the cave, smiling down at them.

Smiling back at him, Starlight waved as she greeted him. “Hey, Mudbriar. We wanted to say hi.”

“Hello, Mudbriar! It’s a good thing you’re here,” Trixie said, walking up to Starlight and throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Starlight here wanted some relationship advice.”

You can do this, Starlight. Just smile.

“Hehehe… Yeah, I was telling Maud I’m in a relationship with Spike.”

“Oh, allow me to congratulate you,” Mudbriar said, but just before Starlight could reply, he continued, “it was about time you stopped beating around the bush.”

Starlight’s frail smile shattered in an instant. “Seriously? Did everypony know?”

“We’re your closest friends, Starlight. We could tell,” Maud replied.

“Technically, while I knew, I never thought you’d actually go through with it,” Mudbriar was quick to add.

“Okay, I get it!” Starlight said, perhaps a bit louder than necessary. “Can we move on, please?”

Trixie seemed to take this as a sign to intervene. “Right! Starlight has been having some confidence issues, and since you’re both here, maybe you could spare some advice for our dear friend.”

Maud and Mudbriar exchanged a quick glance before Maud spoke. “I’m not sure how much advice we can give, but we’d be happy to help.”

Starlight felt a surge of gratitude in her. She could scarcely imagine how she’d be faring without the help of her friends. Trixie, Rarity… Even just a few encouraging words from Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, they felt like a warm blanket on a cold day.

“I brought cakes,” Starlight said once more, bringing the box towards the couple. “Maybe we can talk while we eat.”

Maud and Mudbriar exchanged a quick look before the latter turned and walked away. “I’ll put the kettle on,” he said as he walked away.

The faintest of twitches of a smile flashed across Maud’s face. “Let’s sit down and you can tell us all about your new relationship.”

Trixie didn’t wait for Starlight, trotting towards Maud as they both walked deeper into the cave. “Just wait until she starts talking about Spike. It’s adorable.”

Starlight inhaled deeply before she started following them. “Thanks, Trixie.”

The three mares made their way to one of the stone platforms that had been adapted into a living room of sorts. It was fascinating what a little bit of effort could accomplish. Over the years, Maud’s cave had turned into a cosy—if rustic—home.

After settling on a small couch next to Trixie, Maud and Mudbriar sat across them on an even smaller couch. The steaming cups of tea sat alongside a large plate with the cakes Starlight had brought. As they drank, Starlight recounted the events of the past couple of days, with as much detail as she felt comfortable.

The earth pony couple just listened and occasionally asked for further details. On the other hoof, Trixie looked at her with eyes as wide as saucers and eagerly intervened every couple of minutes to ask for more information. Surprisingly enough, Trixie showed a lot of interest on the more mundane parts of her relationship with Spike rather than pressing on their more… Intimate moments. It was kind of adorable.

“Who hugged first?” the showmare asked with gleaming eyes.

“Well… I leaned on him first, but he’s the one who wrapped his arm around me. After that, well, we just cuddled for a while,” Starlight recounted, choosing to not bring up how they were abruptly interrupted by Twilight’s letter. Not yet, at least. After all, her audience was having a good time.

Trixie’s eyes widened, as did her smile. “Awww…”

“It sounds wonderful, Starlight. A romantic and very intimate date. No wonder you look so happy,” Maud said, leaning against Mudbriar a bit.

“There are fewer things more beautiful than a mare in love,” Mudbriar said as he turned to look down at Maud. “It’s like the intricate beauty of the roots of an Eastern White Cedar tree adapting to the crevices of a cliff face to grow strong.”

“Save that for later, stud,” Maud replied in a drawl.

Starlight couldn’t help but giggle at her friend’s antics. She wondered if Spike and her would act all lovey dovey in public, too. The thought alone was embarrassing, but she kind of looked forward to that if she was being honest with herself.

About time you started doing that…

Starlight cleared her throat and kept talking. “Y-yeah… It was actually very comfortable. I’m not sure how to describe it. It felt like all the times we would just hang out as friends but… Well, I suppose that now that we’re together as a couple, it’s different.”

“Like a sedimentary rock,” Maud said with the same certainty one says the sky is blue.

Silence fell upon the group for a moment before Trixie chimed in. “Could you explain that for those in the audience who don’t know geology?”

“Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of small particles and subsequent cementation of mineral or organic particles on the floor of oceans or other bodies of water at the Earth’s surface,” Maud recited from memory. Lifting a hoof, she pointed towards Starlight and continued speaking, “Over the years, you’ve gotten closer and closer with Spike, and every small interaction and moment spent together has built up the feelings in you until they blossomed into love. Now the things that on their own held little meaning beyond friendship feel different because they’ve become something different. What used to be just small signs of friendship are now a show of affection, comprehension, and love.”

For a while, only the sound of the waterfall was heard as Starlight stared in awe at her friend. She didn’t know how to react, Maud’s concise and clear explanation had hit the nail on its head. It was odd to be able to define how she felt about her relationship with Spike in such a concise manner, but on the other hoof, it felt comfortable to finally be able to explain it. She should’ve talked with Maud much sooner, and felt worse at the way she had almost gotten lost in her own worries and insecurities for the past few days.

Better late than never…

“I think you got it, Maud,” Starlight said when she realised she’d gone silent. Maud looked back at her with a serene expression that showed she understood.

Which is when Trixie chimed in. “Oh, right. Hey Maud, since you’re on a roll, maybe you could give Starlight some tips about, you know, being intimate and all that. I’m afraid she may have a panic attack with the way she’s been going.”

Starlight bit her lip and looked down, letting out a long exhale through her nose. Just as she pondered the pros and cons of Trixie’s friendship, she heard Maud clear her throat.

“Sure,” she said.

Starlight blinked a couple of times, looking up at the rosy-cheeked Maud and the somewhat flustered Mudbriar.

“Should I…?” he started, but was cut off by Trixie.

“Stay here? Yes, you should. It would do Starlight some good to have both perspectives,” the blue unicorn said.

Maud and Mudbriar exchanged a look. No words were spoken, but they seemed to come to an agreement. Looking back at her, Maud asked, “What is the problem, Starlight?”

Starlight shook her head. “I’m just… Nervous. I’m not even sure where to begin.”

Maud blinked. “Just say what comes to you.”

“Eh, right. Well, as Trixie so eloquently put, I have… Sexual desires about Spike,” Starlight said, forcing herself to speak as directly as possible. “It’s not just that, though. I really do love him, and I’m happy to be with him. He makes me happy, and I want to make him happy, too.”

The smiles on her friend’s faces were as encouraging as they were comforting, and made it easier to keep talking. Starlight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She’d just focus on how she felt and go from there.

“Which is why I want our first time to be, well, special. I’m just a bit unsure of how to… You know, actually get to the point where we’ll have sex.” Starlight did her best to maintain eye contact with Maud as she spoke.

“Are you afraid?” Maud asked.

“A bit…” she admitted.

“What makes you afraid, Starlight?”

That he’ll be too big. That even if he’s not, I won’t know what to do with his other dick. That I’m still not a hundred percent on taking it in my butt. That I’m still nervous about taking Spike’s virginity. That even though I’m certain he won’t mind I have a sexual history of my own, I won’t know for sure until he finds out. That even though Rarity helped a lot, I’m still not sure what to do if I start getting too aggressive during sex. That I may end up hurting him in some way. That even if I finally come to terms with all of that, I’ll manage to end up obsessing over something else.

“A lot of things, really,” she said. “Though most are just me getting too caught up in my own worries, to be honest… I guess that’s my biggest problem.”

“Starlight,” Maud said in a stern voice. “Have you talked with Spike about this?”

As a child caught doing a misdeed, Starlight averted her eyes and shook her head.

“I understand initiating intimacy with your significant other for the first time can be daunting, but you have to be honest with him and with yourself if you want your relationship to work,” Maud said. “Dragons can’t read minds, and they can’t read hearts either. Just like you won’t know what bothers him unless he tells you, Spike won’t know how you’re feeling unless you let him know. You’re a couple, that means you’re in this together, and things can only work if you trust each other.”

At those words, Starlight couldn’t help but think of Spike and how just a few days ago they’d had a serious talk and how better everything had been since then.

Until she lost focus of that. Again.

“Starlight,” Maud said, again. Though she kept her usual monotone, there was a subtle warmth to her words. A warmth that made Starlight look back at her friend. “Do you love Spike?”

“Yes,” came her immediate reply.

“Does he love you?”

She nodded. “I know he does.”

Maud smiled a—relatively—big smile and spoke once more. “Then you have nothing to worry about. Talk to him, and everything will be okay.”

“Communication is quite important in any relationship,” Mudbriar chimed in as he wrapped an arm around Maud’s shoulders.

Starlight returned her friend’s smile, and even let out a few giggles. She felt somewhat vexed at having to be reminded of things that seemed so obvious, but on the other hoof, the gratitude she felt at the moment overshadowed everything else. Coming here was the right decision. After today, there was no doubt in her mind that things would work out with Spike. Of course, that included—

“Of course, that includes sex.”

It took Starlight a couple of seconds to realise that her mind hadn’t somehow manifested in the real world, but that Maud had spoken instead.

“I… I think so,” she replied lamely.

Maud nodded, and kept talking in spite—or perhaps because—of Starlight’s meekness. “Physical compatibility is important, and communication is the only way you’ll make sure to know what each of you wants. You’ll get to know what he enjoys with time, but being open about your desires and what does and doesn’t work for you is the best path to a fulfilling sexual life.”

“I… Suppose.”

Perhaps stirred by her uncharacteristic timidity, Maud pointed a hoof at her and spoke with a stern voice. “I don’t recommend that approach. If you don’t know something, it’s better to ask and know for sure.”

“Won’t that make me look… insecure?” Starlight asked. And desperate, too, her mind added.

“There’s a difference between making assumptions and knowing someone well enough to know how they’ll react. You want the latter, but you’ll only get there with time, trust, and communication,” Maud replied. She then turned around and looked into Mudbriar’s eyes while smiling. Not a subtle twitch of the lips, not an eye-trick due to the shadows. A real smile. “Getting to share your most intimate parts and having someone you love know you at such a level is one of the most rewarding parts of a relationship.”

“And the process of getting to know what your special somepony likes is quite rewarding by itself,” Mudbriar said, holding Maud’s hoof and returning her smile. After a few seconds, he broke eye contact with his marefriend and looked at Starlight. “While I cannot speak for Spike, he seems like the kind of creature that would appreciate a direct and honest approach.”

Starlight pictured Spike in her mind, a wing draped over her body and herself leaning over his chest. He smiled at her, and with blessed patience waited for her to speak. She knew he would listen. She knew he would be understanding. She knew he wouldn’t be afraid to speak his mind. At that moment she couldn’t remember why she had been so worried, and wanted nothing more than to go see her dragon.

“Spike, he… I mean, I was the one who asked him out. I admit I put a lot of pressure on him by bringing all of that up out of the blue, but he was very receptive. I took the initiative early on, but he’s also done his fair share to make sure our relationship is off to a good start. Maybe I should have the same attitude I had when I first confessed and be more… Proactive.”

“It’s good to take the initiative. It shows your interest in your partner and that you’re invested in the relationship,” Maud said. Turning her head just a few degrees, she gave Mudbriar what Starlight recognised as a sultry gaze, and spoke in a voice just a notch higher than her usual monotone. “I know I couldn’t hold back my affection for Mudbriar for long.”

“Stallions like compliments too, you know?” Trixie added, breaking her long silence. ”In general, they don’t get as much praise as mares do. It’s so rewarding to see them get all happy and confused when you show a little appreciation. I’m sure Spike is no different. Like I said, I’ve seen how you look at him, if you let him know just a bit of how you feel about him, he’ll be putty in your hooves.”

Starlight laughed at that. Trixie was right, to a degree. She’d been open about her feelings for Spike, but perhaps she had focused too much on how happy he made her. She had told Rarity she wanted Spike to be as happy as he made her feel, and following Trixie and Maud’s advice and take the initiative in showing her affection towards him would be a good place to start.

“It’s also important to take initiative when it comes to sex,” Maud continued. “Sex is another way to express love and affection in a relationship. Whether it’s a special moment or something more casual and spontaneous, you’re showing your partner you care about him.”

“And like Trixie appropriately brought up, stallions like to feel desired, too,” Mudbriar added.

Deep in her chest, Starlight could feel her determination grow. It was reinvigorating to feel so sure of herself, even more so considering she had been a mess not twenty-four hours ago. She had to find a way to thank all of her friends. Before that, though, she had to make sure to show Spike just how much he loved him and just how much she wanted to have sex with him.

She was about to thank her friends, but Maud started talking once more.

“Being open about your desires also helps keep things fresh in the bedroom,” the earth pony said. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that any time soon, but exploring new avenues of pleasure with your significant other is a great bonding experience.”

“Heh… spoken from experience?” Trixie asked.

Maud’s hoof slowly moved to take Mudbriar’s, and after exchanging a quick glance, she looked directly at Trixie. “Mudbriar and I have a gratifying and healthy sex life, but it’s always interesting to experiment. Lately we’ve had fun inviting Twiggy and Boulder for some petplay.”

Starlight let out a giggle. “Well, I guess they have some practice with that already.”

“Technically,” Mudbriar interjected, “we were the pets.”

For a few seconds, only the sound of the waterfall was heard. Mudbriar reached for another small cake and popped it in his mouth.

“Don’t knock it ‘til you try it,” Maud deadpanned.

“Would you mind telling me more?” Trixie asked, leaning forward a bit.

“Actually, I probably should get going. I’ve got a lot to think about… Plus, I’ve got a date to plan,” Starlight said as she jumped off the couch. “Thanks for everything, you’ve all been a great help. Without you, I’d probably still be back at home quivering under my bed sheets.”

“Have Spike cook something for us as a thank you and we’ll be even,” Trixie said before turning to face the earth pony couple, “He’s been teaching Starlight how to cook and she’s gotten really good, you’ve got to try some of what she can do.”

“That’s not a bad idea… I’ll talk with Spike and see if we can have dinner later this week. I mean, Pinkie is probably already planning our get together party, but there’s no reason we can’t celebrate more than once,” Starlight said, smiling at the prospect.

“I’ll look forward to that,” Maud said, and Mudbriar nodded in agreement.

“I’ll catch you later, Starlight. I want to hear more of what these two have to offer, if you don’t mind,” Trixie said, turning to flash Maud and Mudbriar a wide grin.

“Sure, thing. Take care, everypony,” Starlight said, turning to walk away.

With a final wave, she left her friends behind and started making her way out of Maud’s cave with renewed determination.

“So! Have you thought of the possibility of turning your foursomes into a fivesome? The Great and Powerful Trixie knows a thing or two about treating pets with kindness!”

Starlight hurriedly left her friends behind and quickly made her way out of Maud’s cave with renewed determination and ears flat against her skull before she could hear more of that conversation.

She was greeted by the orange light of dusk. It was hard to believe almost the entire day had gone by so quickly… It certainly had felt much longer. Either way, she felt better, she knew what she had to do, and she had the rest of the day to figure out what to do for their date.

She wondered what were the best things they could do. They had spent quite a lot of time in the Castle over the past couple of days, so perhaps they could go out for a change. Of course, since her goal was to create a good mood to bring up the idea of sex, they probably shouldn’t do anything too tiring. That still left her with a good number of choices. She’d just have to consider what would Spike and her find enjoyable. Then again, if the weather was less than favourable, there would be less options. And with autumn right over them, the days would only get progressively colder, so that meant they probably wouldn’t be able to spend too much time outside.

She sighed. She was overthinking it. Spike wouldn’t care if they didn’t do something flashy for a date. Throughout the years, he’d been content with doing simple things as long as they had a good time, and having a good time was easy with him, because even doing something as simple as staying in and watching a movie, or read a book, or even cook was fun because he was with her.

Yes… She didn’t need to go overboard. She should focus on doing simple stuff they both enjoyed, and as long as they had fun, everything would be alright. She just had to think of things they both enjoyed. Things she enjoyed. Things he enjoyed.

“Is there a particular way you’d like to pass that time, Spike?”

“You. I have lots of things in mind, but mostly just you.”

She didn’t bother suppressing the playful laughter. She could barely contain her giddiness. While she pondered these thoughts, and almost as an answer to her concerns about the chilly weather, Starlight caught a colourful blur making its way through the sky towards Ponyville.

“Rainbow Dash!” Starlight cried out. She was apparently loud enough for the pegasus to stop mid-air and look down. Upon making eye contact, she waved and flew down towards her.

“Hey, Starlight, how’s it going?” Dash greeted her with a grin.

“I’m doing well, thanks,” Starlight replied. With a smile she puffed out her chest and got ready to break the news to her friend.

“By the way, congrats on getting together with Spike,” Dash said as an afterthought.

Starlight felt her left eye twitch. “Wuh—what? Who told you?”

Rainbow Dash just shrugged. “I was lending a hoof to some friends during the downpour yesterday, and I saw you two walking back to the castle all huddled together. It was kind of obvious you two are a thing with how cuddly you were.”

Silence followed Dash’s words. Starlight wasn’t sure how to react. She supposed she should feel relieved that all of her friends already knew and were so supportive of her relationship. Yeah, she was going to go with that.

“Good on you, Starlight. I mean, I’ve known you for a few years, and you really seem like you could use a good fu—”

“So! Rainbow Dash!” Starlight cried out, steamrolling the pegasus. Just because she had come to terms with her desire for Spike, it didn’t mean she was okay with others talk about it so freely. “I was wondering if you knew the weather schedule for the rest of the week.”

Dash blinked a couple of times before she scrunched up her muzzle in thought. “Well, after yesterday, I don’t think they’re planning on another heavy rain for a couple of weeks. It should be mostly cloudy skies but there’s going to be a few light breezes coming from the west, though. So… If you’re planning on going out with Spike, put on a scarf or something.” After saying that, Dash gave a small salute and started flying again. “I’ve got to get going, Starlight. Say hi to Spike.”

“Will do!” Starlight yelled, smiling despite the awkwardness. All things considered, today had been great. And if everything went well, tomorrow would be even better. Everything was going to be alright.

“Oh, and I hope Twilight doesn’t kill you for hooking up with her little brother while she was away!”

Starlight bit the inside of her cheek. She almost wanted to say something, but there was honestly no point in that. Better focus on the present.

She had a date to plan.

Author's Note

Did you know Rock Cakes are actually a thing? Quite simple, too. Try it yourself!

I originally wanted Starlight to bake these with Trixie and then go visit Maud. However, it made the intro much slower, and it detracted from Starlight's epiphany from last chapter by postponing Maud's introduction. So the alternative was cakes compressed to rock-like texture.

Speaking of Maud, is it just me or Mudbriar and her are the couple who are the most into each other out of the entire cast? With most couples in the show, you can tell they're in love. With the Cakes, you can tell they're a happy couple. Shining and Cadence love each other a lot. Rarity's parents are probably into some kinky stuff, and Fluttershy's parents kind of remind me of my own.

But with Maud and Mudbriar--especially in Student Counsel--it's the first time I've seen a couple in FiM and said "Yeah, they're so into each other." You could tell me they went straight to make love after the credits rolled and I would believe you. Just, damn.

On a related note, when I found out about Eastern White Cedar trees growing on cliffs, I knew they were perfect to illustrate their relationship. I want to write about them again sometime.