The Second Time Around

Las Pegasus was anything but subtle. The city didn't sparkle against the gorgeous Equestrian backdrop in the deepening twilight; it glowed with a harsh, burning glare that tore through the darkness and peace of the surrounding countryside, all pretense of environmental concerns or sensibility abandoned in favor of a sprawling metropolis that teemed with nigh innumerable ways for ponies to spend, spend, spend their hard-earned bits (or illegally acquired currency, whatever the case may be). Magic-powered signs flashed with promises of fortunes and endless pleasures, and nearly half of the crowd that trotted the street as Celestia gave way to Luna consisted of ponies clad in garb befitting their places of employment, doing their very best to coerce the herds of tourists to come inside, unwind, and enjoy themselves for a little while. It was a city that sickened the advocates of modesty and integrity, drained every spare bit from the gullible, and left every pony that took a walk down its glittering avenues for the first time with their mouths agape, wondering how on earth anypony could experience a place so bold, so beautiful, so garish and hope to come away with any shred of decency left.

In other words, it was a one-of-a-kind city for a honeymoon.

Or in Plywood's case, a second honeymoon. The tan earth pony had toiled away for nearly thirty years at his carpentry business in Maneitoba, providing the citizens of that small, unassuming town with quality wooden furniture and accessories at prices everypony agreed were fair. His hammer-and-plank cutie mark attested to his talent revolving around toppled trees, and while his living was anything but fancy, it wasn't meager either, providing him with all he needed to get by. After such a long time in the trade, however, he finally felt entitled to a little “alone time” with Hazelnut, the unicorn mare who had been at his side since two years after his store had first opened its doors. Leaving the shop in the capable hooves of his young sons and apprentices, Ply had drawn from his substantial savings and forked over the bits necessary to procure round-trip airship tickets and a week-long stay in the City of Flights, booking a room at the “fabulous Chariot hotel, casino, and family fun destination” (at least according to the brochure).

It was at that very hotel, casino, and family fun destination that Plywood found himself on the first night of his vacation, staring up in slack-jawed wonder at the realistic representation of Manehattan's skyline. At least, he had to take their word that it was realistic, seeing as how he'd never been there to see it. Complimentary cloud-walking spells had been issued at the airfield with assurances that any unicorn staffer in the city could renew it at no additional charge, and as skeptical as Ply was about the whole idea of walking on condensed droplets of water, he had to admit that the light, fluffy feeling was comfortable against his hooves.

He tore his gaze away from the facade of the hotel and looked around him. Maneitoba was a town where everypony knew each other, where the foals all went to the same schools and grew up in safe, loving households, and where the crime rate was practically nonexistent. To be transplanted into a city like Las Pegasus was more than a little overwhelming for Ply. The streets around him weren't so much active as they were alive, overflowing with a multicolored sea of ponies fighting through one another, some destination or another on their minds as they walked by the earth pony without a second thought. Faces drifted past his vision in one second, and in the next, they had vanished, only to be replaced by a coat of a different hue, a doe-eyed stallion with his eyes following the flashing signs above him giving way to a mare who looked incapable of smiling, her gaze unwavering as she focused on the path before her. Plywood felt alone, even as the crowd trotted around him. Each of these ponies had a name, a family, someplace they called home, and yet, their stories would never be known to him; the mass of equines drifting by him without a second thought as he stood in front of the Chariot would only ever be one large, unsolved mystery.

Then, his eyes fell on one particular mare, and all his loneliness disappeared. Disembarking from the cart that had brought the vacationers to the Chariot was a light brown unicorn, her steps cautious and slow as she stepped out of the cab and gave the driver a smile and a thank-you. Ply sighed as she turned toward the cart and her horn glowed a pale blue, levitating their bags out of the back of the vehicle. The passage of time and three healthy foals had taken their toll on the aging unicorn's body, filling out her once-lithe form and giving rise to wrinkles and weakened knees, but as Plywood watched Hazel float their luggage in front of her, doing a quick double-check to ensure she hadn't left any bags behind, he let a smile creep across his face. She had never stopped being his beautiful mare, and here in this chaotic city filled with nameless, faceless ponies, the sight of her familiar face as she made eye contact with him and gave him a soft smile sent his heart soaring. Amidst the clamor, he heard her voice call out, “Ready to go inside, Ply?”

He nodded in response, then trotted over to the front door and swung it open. With a goofy grin, he bowed his head slightly and said, “After you, madame,” holding the door open as Hazel walked through trailing the airborne bags, rolling her eyes at him even as a chuckle floated from her lips. He simply grinned wider in his response, falling in beside her as she cleared the door.

His smile quickly morphed into a look of sheer awe as he drank in the sight of the hotel's interior. The outside had been fancy; this was downright lavish. Staircases with gold-trimmed handles rose to either side of the two ponies, leading to rooms on the upper floors. In front of them was the main lobby. An elongated desk to their left was apparently where they were to check in, judging by the sharply-dressed staff ponies, each of whom was attending to a guest. A tall door on the far side of the large room led to an area where ponies could lose large sums of bits, if the signs that read “Casino” were any indication. The floors were not made of cloud; rather, an elaborate tile pattern of swirls and colors of every hue danced beneath the hooves of the myriad number of ponies that were trotting to and fro through the main room. Two large banners hung from the ceiling, each one advertising an upcoming performance by Sapphire Shores and featuring different glamor shots of the celebrity singer dressed in a outfit that could not possibly contain any more gems. The ceiling itself was domed, reaching high into the interior of the hotel; the rooms were located along the perimeter of the rectangular building, and each one featured a grand view of some part of Las Pegasus (if the brochure was to believed). The fixtures, the trims, even the carpet that began at the base of the stairs: all of it was either lined or coated in gold, occasionally twinkling if it caught the light correctly.

The centerpiece of the room, however, was the fountain that sat in the center of the lobby. At the top of the fountain, easily reaching thirty feet high, a marble carving of a unicorn reared up on its hind legs, rendered in strikingly minute detail, emitted a steady stream of crystal-clear water from the tip of its horn. The liquid sparkled as if it really were magic emanating from the horn of a powerful spell-caster. The water cascaded down each tiered layer, the basins becoming larger and more beautifully decorated as Ply's eyes followed it towards the ground. Flowery patterns bedecked the sides of the fountain, their entrancing vines and blooms unobstructed by the transparent waterfalls that tumbled over the sides of each basin. The bottom container, the top of which was still just below Ply's shoulder, if he judged it right from where he stood, bore what looked like ancient carvings of ponies engaged in all manner of agricultural activities. It looked like a cross between modern and olden design perfectly formulated into a seamless mesh of grandeur that embraced and paid homage to both styles. The entrancing structure emitted an altogether eloquent appraisal from the lips of the earth pony:

“Wow.”

Hazel turned to him and said teasingly, “Wow? Is that all you can say, Ply?”

His response was the same dumbfounded stare and a whispered, “Yeah.”

She sighed and followed his gaze around the lobby, maintaining her magical grip on their luggage. Finally, after several seconds of silence, she added, “I guess 'wow' sums it up pretty well. It's...well, it's just beautiful. I've never seen anything even close to this.”

“Me neither,” muttered the earth pony. He turned to Hazel and smiled. “Well, I might have seen one thing.”

“Oh?” she inquired, turning to face him. “And what might that be?”

The softness of his gaze and his old, familiar smile told her the answer. For a while, a tan earth pony and a light brown unicorn simply gazed into each other's eyes, all the spectacular scenery and grandeur of their surroundings forgotten by Plywood as he sank deeper into those glistening orbs that had stared back at him through thick and thin, their irises always alight with love even when stained with tears or with brows furrowed in anger. He leaned close, allowing her to nuzzle against his neck, and relished in the softness of her face as she rubbed against him softly. Ply let his tension slip away with each sensation of Hazel's gentle touch, the chaos and hubbub of Las Pegasus replaced by a warm, familiar feeling that reminded him of home. No matter where they were, so long as Hazel was with him, he was home. He nuzzled against her one final time before drawing back, his mouth turned up in a smile that could only come from a stallion who had been in love for a very long time. “How about we go check in?” he asked quietly.

“I thought you'd never ask,” Hazel responded, her voice tinged with a sly tone that made Ply shiver. She began to walk toward the back of the lines that led to the desk, and Plywood quickly caught up and stood beside her.

The line moved quickly, a testament to the efficiency of the employees, and after only a few minutes of waiting, the two ponies were beckoned to the desk by a young unicorn stallion with a golden coat and a trained smile on his face. He recited, “Welcome to the Chariot in Las Pegasus! My name is Dandelion. How may I help you today?”

Plywood cleared his throat and said, “Yes, hello, my wife and I have reservations in one of your honeymoon suites. The name is Plywood, and my wife is Hazelnut.”

“One moment, please,” the young stallion replied cheerfully, levitating a list in front of him and perusing it quickly. Ply waited patiently, giving Hazel one more smile which she returned, before turning his attention back to the employee before him. His cheer, however, quickly faded when Dandelion lowered the sheet with a deep frown on his face and said, “You said the name was Plywood, correct?”

“Yes, Plywood and Hazelnut,” the earth pony said, an edge of concern in his voice.

“Well, sir, I'm afraid there's no 'Plywood' or 'Hazelnut' on this list,” the golden-coated unicorn said. “Are you certain you've already made your reservation?”

Ply's joy began to dissipate quickly. “Yes, of course I'm sure. I made all the arrangements by mail, and I've already paid for a week-long stay at this hotel. Are you sure we're not on the list?”

“I'm quite sure, sir,” answered the employee, his face developing a look of pity. “And you say you've already paid for your room?”

“Yes, I've already shelled out the bits,” Ply said, his voice rising slightly. “I sent in all the paperwork, made the reservation, and now I'm here to check into my honeymoon suite, just like I paid for.” The last two words came out with an almost-imperceptible growl, and Ply took two deep breaths to try to calm down. He felt a hoof on his shoulder and turned to see Hazel looking at him with pleading eyes. His rage, however, did not subside, and he whipped his head back around to Dandelion, who was giving the list another once-over. “Now can we please get our room key and be on our way?”

The young stallion looked up, his gaze sharp. “Sir, I'm afraid I can't give you a key if you don't have a reservation, and according to this, you do not have a reservation. In fact, all of our honeymoon suites look like they're booked solid for the next two weeks, and your name isn't next to any of those reservations.”

Plywood didn't usually lose control, and he struggled to maintain his composure as the conversation wore on. His voice was loud enough now that other patrons were looking over. Their gazes were lost on him as he said, “I don't see how that's possible. I've already paid in full for a week in a honeymoon suite, and now you're telling me I haven't? How can I not be on that silly little list if I've given you enough bits to cover a month's pay?”

“Sir, it's entirely possible that there was simply an error in the mail delivery, and we didn't receive your final confirmation of your reservation before today. I would be more than happy to provide you with a refund, or perhaps a discounted rate on a different room-”

“I didn't pay for a different room, and I don't want a refund!” Ply snapped. “I want to get what I paid for!”

“I understand, sir,” Dandelion pleaded, “but that simply isn't possible.”

“What's going on here?” The voice that interjected was youthful but deep and full of authority, snapping Plywood out of his fury. He turned to the source of the sound, expecting some sort of police pony, but his jaw fell open when he beheld who had made the statement.

There, only a few yards away, stood Shining Armor, Captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard, and just behind him was Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, his recent bride. Photos of the happy couple had circulated all throughout Equestria, and Ply recognized them an instant before remembering that their wedding had taken place the day before, though reports of the chaos surrounding their ceremony had not yet reached the ponies of Maneitoba. The stallion was garbed in his uniform, the red waistcoat providing a sharp contrast to his white coat, and Cadance – as she was known to many – wore the remnants of a wedding gown that seemed to flow like a river of lace down her body. A quartet of royal pegasus guards clad in traditional military regalia flanked the couple, and no other ponies were anywhere close to the married couple. Out of instinct, Ply bowed low to the ground, and as he did so, he realized that he was one of the last to perform the act of contrition; they must have come in while he was distracted by his anger at the clerk. His face flushed red with embarrassment. Surely now he would be thrown out of the hotel for raising a fuss, and his entire vacation would be ruined. He clenched his eyes shut, awaiting the judgment of the white stallion.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the young Captain said, “Please, rise.” Reluctantly, the earth pony obeyed, making eye contact with Shining Armor. There was no anger in his eyes, only curiosity as he said, “I asked, what's going on here?”

Plywood couldn't find his voice, but suddenly Hazelnut was at his side, her head still slightly bowed. “Begging your pardon, your majesties, but there seems to be a problem with our reservation,” the mare said, her voice shaky. Ply instinctively draped a hoof across her withers without breaking his stare with Shining Armor. His wife continued, “We paid in full, but it looks like something...went wrong.” She drooped her head low.

Cadance spoke up for the first time, turning to the wide-eyed unicorn employee. “Tell me, is this true?”

“I-it's true, Princess,” Dandelion stammered back. “If they did pay, they're not on the list. There's no record of their reservation anywhere. You can see for yourself if you like.”

The list in question was soon engulfed by a light yellow aura, and it floated in front of Cadance and Shining Armor, who looked it over intently. After a moment, Shining looked up at Ply and said, “What are your names?”

“I'm Plywood, and this is my wife Hazelnut,” the earth pony responded as he held his wife close to himself.

Cadance pointed a hoof at the piece of paper and looked at the golden-hued unicorn behind the desk. “What do you mean, they're not on the list? Their names are right here!” She floated the list back in front of the clerk. “See? It appears they'll be in suite #2.”

At first, Dandelion looked confused, but as he scanned the sheet of paper one more time, his eyes widened and a bead of sweat began to trickle down his forehead. He opened his mouth as if to speak, closed it again, then re-opened it and managed to choke out, “Um...well, it appears that their names...are, in fact...on the list. One week's stay...in honeymoon suite 2. How...er...fortunate.”

“A simple misunderstanding, then,” Shining Armor said, his voice bright and cheerful. “Glad to see that's all that happened here.” He turned back toward his bride. “Ready to go, then, Cadance?”

As a faint blush rose on her cheeks, the princess said, “Of course, dear.” The two regal ponies smiled at each other, and Shining Armor leaned forward and gave Cadance a peck on the cheek before they disembarked, the royal guards keeping pace with the young couple as they made their way through the lobby. Exclamations of awe and respect from the ponies that they passed followed them as they walked.

Plywood watched the newlyweds round the corner and begin to ascend the staircase, then turned back to Dandelion, fully prepared to apologize. He never got the chance, instead finding his vision filled with a key ring that dangled in front of him, suspended by a dark red aura of magic. From behind the desk, he heard the clerk's rapid-fire voice, “I am ever so sorry about that I don't know how I missed your names the first time how silly of me here's your key please enjoy your stay at the Chariot and have a wonderful day!” As Ply plucked the key out of the air with his teeth, he stole a glance behind the desk, where a quivering yellow form had shrunk down to about half his former height. The earth pony merely sighed and walked away, Hazelnut following close behind, their luggage still clutched safely by her magic.

Neither pony said much as they climbed the stairs that led to the honeymoon suites, all of which were located on the fifth floor. The experience at the front desk had left Plywood more than a little mystified, and a glance at his wife indicated that she felt the same way. As confused as he was, though, the earth pony was even more relieved that they had been able to resolve the situation with their room, thanks to the timely arrival of the royal couple. He flushed as he thought about how he, a simple carpenter from Maneitoba, had just been assisted by none other than a princess and her husband; this was certainly going to make for an interesting story upon their return home.

As they reached the final landing, Ply looked up toward their room and froze. There, standing before him and Hazelnut, were Shining Armor and Princess Cadance once again, the former of whom was having a discussion with their guards. From the positioning of the armored pegasi, it appeared that the newlyweds would be staying in the room directly next to the one for which Ply now held the key. The captain caught Plywood's eye and gave him a nod, and the earth pony, for the second time in a quarter of an hour, dropped down in a bow, his wife following suit beside him. A laugh from down the hall caused Ply to look up, and his face contorted into a confused look when he saw Cadance giggle, then whisper something in Shining's ear. He chuckled in response, then began to trot toward the elderly couple. Ply dropped his head back down in a respectful pose.

The same voice that had interrupted his heated exchange with the desk clerk now said, “Please, you don't have to keep bowing.” Plywood tilted his eyes up nervously and studied the white unicorn's face, seeing only a gentle smile. He rose from his bow and tried to manage a weak grin as the younger stallion continued, “I guess I'll never get used to that. I'd much rather have my soldiers salute me than have everypony throwing themselves on the ground when I walk by.”

Cadance had stepped up beside her husband, leaving the guards stationed at the door. She draped a hoof across his back and said, “Oh come now, Shining, it's a sign of respect. Everypony does it for the princesses, including me.”

“I suppose you're right, dear,” the white stallion said, nuzzling Cadance's neck briefly before turning back to Plywood. “You're the couple from downstairs...Plywood and Hazelnut, right?”

The earth pony nodded and attempted to talk, but the room key was still dangling from his mouth. A moment later, Hazel's magical aura encompassed the key ring, and with his mouth free, Plywood said, “I'm honored you remember, your majesty.”

That statement earned a hearty chuckle from the captain. “Please, Plywood, call me Shining. After all, if we're going to be neighbors for the next few days, we'd better get used to running into each other, right?”

Ply's face twisted up in confusion. “Neighbors? You mean you two are...”

“Taking our honeymoon in Las Pegasus?” Cadance finished. “Indeed we are!”

Hazelnut spoke up, “But I thought there was a special royal honeymoon suite outside Canterlot. Why aren't you staying there?”

Cadance stuck out her tongue and pointed her hoof toward her mouth, then said, “I've seen that suite...it's boring, old-fashioned. Shining Armor and I wanted to try something new and exciting, maybe a little unexpected.”

“A little?” Plywood said. “I don't think I've ever heard of royalty coming to Las Pegasus for a honeymoon.”

Shining countered, “That's why it's perfect. It's giving us a chance to be out among the common ponies for a little while, get to know them, take in the sights of the city. Neither of us have been here before, after all.” He nodded toward the elder couple. “How about you? What brings you to Las Pegasus?”

Hazel answered, “You're on your first honeymoon, but we're on our second.” She leaned her head on Ply's shoulder, and he smiled out of habit as he felt her weight press into his. She continued, “It's been a little over twenty-five years for us.”

Shining stepped forward and patted Plywood on the shoulder not occupied by his wife. “Congratulations!”

“Yes, indeed,” Cadance said. “Your love must be very strong, to have lasted all these years.”

Ply grinned and said, “Well, it certainly hasn't been easy, I'll tell you that much.”

Shining said, “I believe you.” A look of curiosity came over the young stallion's face. “Say, if you two wouldn't mind, could you tell us...how you did it?”

“Did what?” Hazelnut asked.

“Stayed together, in love,” Cadance answered before offering her own question. “What's your secret?”

Plywood grinned and said, “I don't think it's a secret at all. We just...” He thought over his statement before speaking, formulating the words carefully. “Well, first and foremost, we've always been honest with each other. If one of us has something to say, we say it, simple as that. We share our thoughts with each other, and if we disagree, then we have ourselves a little argument before deciding that I'm right.” That earned a nudge from his wife and a chuckle from all four ponies. After the laughter subsided, Ply continued, “Nah, she's right more often than I am. But we're always willing to talk it over, feel out our issues instead of just blowing up.”

“We're also faithful,” Hazelnut said. “I've not so much looked at another stallion in...that way since I started going out with Ply, and I know that he's not checking out the mares when we go out. He's the one for me, I'm the one for him, and that's good enough for both of us. No reason to go shopping around when you've already got what you need at home.”

Plywood nodded slowly in agreement before adding, “And in my opinion, the most important thing in any marriage is to remind the other pony that you love them every day. Don't just say it, although you should do that too. Show it, in any way you can.” He leaned his head down to rest against his wife's. “That answer your question?”

Both Shining Armor and Princess Cadance nodded, and Ply smiled as the alicorn and the captain shared a brief embrace, her head resting against his neck. The princess looked up once the hug had ended and said, “Thank you both.” With a nod to Shining, she turned and walked back toward their room.

The white unicorn said, “Well, it's been lovely meeting you two, but I need to get going.”

“We understand,” Hazel said, turning toward their own room and using the key to unlock the door. As she stepped through the open doorway, she said, “Ply, honey, I'm going to put our bags up.”

He said, “Be there in a moment, dear.” Shining Armor had already turned to go, but he stopped short when Plywood called out, “Excuse me, your ma-er, Shining?”

The captain turned his head and inquired, “Yes?”

Ply took a step toward the young stallion, remaining silent as he contemplated how to word his question. Finally, he decided. “Were our names...really on that list downstairs?”

Shining gave him a knowing smirk. “They certainly were, at least when Cadance and I read it.” With a wink, the stallion returned his gaze to the door before him and trotted toward the room where his bride awaited.

The earth pony shook his head as he turned toward his own room. As he stepped inside and shut the door behind him, he got his first look at the inside of the Chariot's honeymoon suite, and he paused for a moment to take in the sight. The circumference of Celestia's golden orb had dipped below the horizon, but the lights of the room were more than adequate to reveal all the intricate details. Just like the lobby, the décor was a testament to the skills of whatever ponies had done the interior design work, and everything from the heavy red velvet curtains that hung over the windows on the far side of the room to the matching sheets draped over the sizable bed to Ply's right had a lining of gold. The color scheme was pleasant, designed to make the room as comfortable as possible for the couples that had booked them, and Plywood felt at ease as he looked around his home for the next week.

Hazelnut, who had set their bags against the wall and was now sorting through them, broke the silence. “I have to say, dear, I wasn't expecting to be staying in the same hotel as royalty, much less in the room next to theirs.”

Ply chuckled softly and said, “To be honest, Hazel, I don't think this room was supposed to be ours.”

“No?” His wife turned toward him, one eyebrow raised in confusion. “What do you mean, Ply?”

“I think our paperwork really was lost in the mail,” the stallion answered. “I think Shining Armor and Princess Cadance put our names on that list in place of somepony else.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Call it a hunch,” Ply said with a grin. “But I'm certainly not one to turn down the generosity of royalty.” He stepped close to his wife and said, “What still needs unpacked?”

Hazel turned to him with a sly grin. “I think that can wait until later, don't you?” She closed the distance between them and nuzzled her head against his neck, a soft “Mmm...” escaping her lips. Ply felt his body relax as his wife gently rubbed against him, the familiar feeling conjuring up warm memories from their past, and he nuzzled back, years of experience allowing him to avoid accidentally scratching himself on her horn. He lifted a hoof and draped it around her neck, holding her close. For a while, the married couple stood there locked in a soft embrace; no words were necessary.

Plywood finally broke the silence. “I hope they made these walls thick.”

Beneath him, Hazel giggled. “Worried about what's going to happen next door?”

“Not exactly,” Ply replied with a wicked smile. He pulled Hazelnut tighter to him. “Besides, they'll probably be doing exactly what we did on our first honeymoon.”

The walls had indeed been soundproofed, a rather obvious choice by the architects considering what ponies would be housed in the rooms. If the Maneitoba ponies had been able to hear the sound from the royal couple's suite, however, Ply's suspicion would have been confirmed, and no doubt it would have brought a smile to the faces of the elderly couple.

It was the sound of two ponies snoring.