A few weeks closer to the time when Winter would have to be wrapped up, there was a knock on Aspect’s door. Which in and of itself was surprising. Twilight had a very...precise knock, and Lyra never did. This one was new.

After checking to make sure he was in his pegasus guise, the stallion walked to his front door and opened it. “Hello?” he greeted.

What stared back was a pony he hadn’t met yet. She had a soft pink coat and a long, three-toned mane. A small golden crown sat just behind her horn and over all, she was stunningly beautiful. Large amethyst eyes looked him over and she blinked in confusion.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, even her voice was what perfection would sound like. “I thought somepony else lived here? I um, don’t suppose you know a ‘Balanced Aspect’?”

“That’s me,” the stallion said as he looked her over. “And you would be Mi Amore Cadenza. Do come in, I’ll put the kettle on. We can have tea or coffee, whichever you prefer.”

“Tea please,” she found herself replying. “I’m a little confused. Aunt Celestia said I was to expect an alicorn stallion. Though, I get the feeling she was pranking me…”

“Oh?” the stallion said as he led the way to the dining room. “How so?”

“Well, only three alicorns exist, so I found it odd she mentioned an alicorn stallion,” Cadenza said. “Oh, and please call me Cadence. My full name is a bit of a mouthful.” She walked inside and he noticed that each step was refined and dainty. The very image of a perfect little princess.

“The full story would require a bit of a history lesson,” the stallion said. “I take it she didn’t explain anything about Yggdrasil or Aspects before she sent you here, either.”

Again, that adorable confused look. “Yigdraseel?” she mispronounced horribly. “And what do you mean Aspects?”

“You would think,” the stallion grumbled, “That one of the oldest, living Aspects of the world, would learn to be a bit more mature…”

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I offend you somehow?” Cadence asked with a slightly panicked tone. “I’m sorry, I’m still walking on eggshells after dealing with the Griffons. Oh, not literally of course. Why would I step on eggs…” She sighed and thunked her head on the table. “Sorry… I’m kind of a scatterbrain.”

“Here, let me help you focus a little as to the matter at hand,” the stallion said, before there was a flash from his forehead and a horn was suddenly there. “Useful little disguise I use to keep my real nature hidden,” he said. “I figured you deserved the whole story.”

She looked up and gasped. “You really are an alicorn? It’s not an illusion, Celestia wasn’t teasing me?” With her royal facade down, Aspect could see the mare was exhausted. She must have come straight here from the delegations.

“I rather think you might need coffee instead of tea, if we’re going to be discussing as heavy a topic as I’d like to be,” the stallion said. “You look positively bushed. Did the children of the wind really give you as much trouble as that?”

“It was impossible to deal with them at first,” Cadence sighed as her wings unfurled a little. “They wouldn’t even so much as listen unless I paid them gold. They won’t agree unless I paid them. They wouldn't let me leave unless I paid them…”

“Well, I guess that explains why Yggdrasil said he was waiting for a noble one to arise before he would try giving them a ruler,” Aspect mused. “How strong would you like that coffee?”

“As black as Tartarus,” she groaned.

“Coming right up,” the stallion said as he absconded to the attached kitchen and started brewing the stuff. “Be with you in a few minutes.”

“Let’s try this again,” the mare said and straightened her mane up with her magic until she looked a little more reasonable. “I am Princess Cadence, the Princess of Love. Love is my talent and I love it~” she giggled a little at her joke. “Well, to be specific, I specialise in spreading love. Helping remind couples in what they have, or helping ponies first discover that special spark.”

“I see,” Aspect said. “My story is a bit more complex than that, and we can get into it when I’m back with the coffee. Two minutes, by the way.”

Cadence nodded. “Well, mine is a little longer as well. I wasn’t born an alicorn for instance. I actually used to be a pegasus.”

“Yes, Yggdrasil told me as such,” Aspect said. “I wasn’t born an alicorn, nor am I Celestia’s and Luna’s father by blood, but they still call me father for my role in raising them.”

“You keep mentioning this ‘Yeegdraseel’,” she said, greatly butchering the pronunciation again. “Who is that?”

“Also a long story, but one I can get into now that the coffee is done,” the stallion said as he floated a tray out with a pot and two cups poured of the wonderful elixir. He sat opposite the mare and considered how best to start, before shrugging and deciding to go for it once she’d been caffeinated.

She sipped the beverage and let out a moan that would have anyone with a functioning libido standing at attention. “Ahhh, that’s the stuff,” she sighed happily. “Gods I needed that.” She nursed the mug and sighed again. “Gosh, the things I wanted to say to those feathering ingrates…” Cadence gasped and put a hoof to her mouth. “Oh my goodness. Please don’t tell my aunt I said that!”

“Dear, you’re talking to her father,” the stallion chuckled. “My version of diplomacy is far more old-school than yours. I think I can forgive you for thinking something like that when negotiations are done.”

Cadence nodded. She just wanted to go home and snuggle her Shiny. Still, this sounded like something she needed to hear as well. Something important. “Okay, so let’s talk then. How about you explain all these strange words you keep using.”

“Okay, so,” the stallion said before sipping at his coffee. “Around...let’s say, two to three thousand years ago. Sometime in that timeframe, when Equus’ magical field was still wild and carefree. There was a fountain not far from here, with runes engraved around its basin. ‘Whosoever drinks of my water shall have life everlasting and powers untold.’ It was the Fountain of Eternity, and it had a sword stuck into it near the top, with another, smaller set of runes around the point where the two met. ‘I choose my wielder,’ it said. Anyone who drank of the fountain would be an immortal Aspect of the world, vulnerable only to the one who could wield the sword.”

“It sounds like a foal’s fairy tale,” Cadence giggled. “I think I remember reading one like that to a filly I used to foalsit.”

“Yes, well, it was more than just a tale. I drank from it to slake my thirst, and when I heard a noise in the bushes, I pulled the sword out of the fountain and prepared to defend myself. And when it turned out to be just a mare, I slowly backed away as she advanced and drank as well. She was known as Written Script, and is the one who bore Celestia and Luna, even then. And then the fountain dried up.”

“Wait, so not only did you break a fountain of immortality, you also drew a sword against the mother of Princess Celestia and Luna?” Cadence raised an eyebrow, not quite buying his story.

“I calmed down eventually,” the stallion chuckled. “And she won me over into being her friend as we made a journey to where the last concentration of ponies was, safe from the monsters of the age, or so they thought. Dream Valley, it was called then. I accompanied her and got to know her along the way. So much so that when it came time for her foals to come into the world, she naturally asked me to to help me raise them. Something I was hesitant to do at first...but eventually accepted the honor of her calling me their dad.”

“Aww, that’s so cute,” Cadence cooed. “Oh! Did you end up marrying her?”

“Not before…” he shook his head and refocused. “That’s a story for later. Anyways, you wanted to know about Aspects. I slowly learned what it meant to wield the sword. The monsters found Dream Valley, and they seemed, for all intents and purposes, unstoppable. That was until I slew one with my sword, and realized that even immortal terrors had a weakness. The very thing designed to stop them. It and it alone can kill an Aspect. I became ponykind’s sword against the darkness, and I slew every foe that dared to threaten them. Well, nearly every one.”

Cadence visibly paled as she moved back from him. “Y-You killed…”

“Half a dozen or more creatures that had nothing but their own interests at heart,” Aspect said. “Lavan would have thrown the magical field into even more disarray as he became a crystal being. Squirk would have reigned supreme over the flooded remains of Dream Valley with his Flashstone. Crunch would have turned all the ponies to stone. Somnabula would have trapped the ponies in an illusion and fed on their life-force while they withered away. Arabus would have eaten all their shadows. The witches would never have stopped trying to rule over the valley. The Boogeyman would have never stopped trying to torment them. And Grogar would have slain them all and raised their corpses to work and fight for him. I did what had to be done.”

“They were real?” Cadence gasped and he saw her shaking. Actually, forget that. The mare was terrified! “I thought… they were only dreams… nightmares conjured by my imagination…”

“They were the previous Aspects,” the human said. “I didn’t kill them all, but the ones that were unreasonable, I slew. King Charlatan, I spared. But that’s because he and his son surrendered. Turns out, I don’t have to kill an Aspect if it surrenders.”

“What… happened to them then?” she asked hesitantly. She could already feel her stomach churn from the mental images that wouldn’t stop bubbling to the surface of her mind. “The Aspects you… removed.”

“There came a day when I felt, for lack of a better word, magically bloated,” the stallion said. “I realized then that their energy, everything that made them an Aspect, had to go somewhere, and it went into me. So I used that energy to make something new, to spread blessings amongst the ponies or other beings around then.” He took a sip of his coffee and smiled. “One of my projects, one that I am quite proud of, was a single seed planted over the ruins of the fountain, fed an amalgamation of magic, along with two powerful artifacts. It trembled for a little bit, before a crystalline tree sprouted. Yggdrasil, tree of magic and the world.”

“A crystal tree?” Cadence blinked as she had the strangest sense of deja-vu. Why did that sound so familiar? “So, this… Yggdrasil? Is a tree? That you talk to?”

“Considering the amount of magic I fed him, he better damn well be capable of talking to me,” the stallion said. “I gave him a duty, like I gave all the new Aspects I formed. His was taming the magical field, making sure the world’s magic would be more orderly. I made more than one new Aspect with all the energy I’d absorbed, or in a few cases, a new species.”

“This is sounding more like you’re some sort of god, than an alicorn,” Cadence frowned slightly and took a long sip from her coffee mug. “So, what are these new Aspects then?”

“First of all,” the stallion said with a wing raised. “I am not a god. I had to give up the power I’d acquired. I didn’t get to hold onto it when I was done. I still retain a small, tiny fragment, more of a memory of what I once had, from everything I’ve ever killed, yes. But I can be hurt. I can be tormented. I am not infallible or all-knowing. I know my faults. I was made...painfully aware of them.”

“I’m sorry,” Cadence's ears flattened and she offered him a sheepish look that was eerily reminiscent of Luna’s whenever she got scolded. In fact, she seemed to have a few similarities to Luna. “I didn’t mean to offend you sir.”

“Cut the sir, as far as I’m concerned, you’re a granddaughter of mine, and you’ll see why in a minute here.”

“Granddaughter?” Cadence blushed and smiled. “Well, thank you for the sentiment… grandfather.”

“So the new aspects,” Aspect said. “Neptune is the Seapony King, Aspect of the Oceans. Mortal Coil is the Grim Reaper, Aspect of Death. Celestia and Luna, I had nothing to do with, they simply are the best Sun and Moon Aspects we could ask for. I gave Luna her dreamwalking when she complained she had nothing to do at night, so she’s also the Aspect of Dreams. Gelgeth is the Windego king, they live in the frozen north guarding Niflehiem, and as you might expect, he’s the Aspect of Ice. And then we have Yggdrasil, the World Tree. And this is where the relations get a bit tricky.”

“I believe we passed ‘tricky’ a while ago,” Cadence chuckled.

“Yes, well…” the stallion sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “I used some essence of fire to create the Phoenixes, but not a leader for them. Yggdrasil elevated one, making her Pyroclastia, the Aspect of Fire. He’s looking into finding a noble griffon so that he can have an Aspect of Wind. As well as a suitable Diamond Dog so that he can really be hands-off with an Aspect of Earth. And you, my dear, are a result of his meddling. Which is why I see you as a daughter of his.”

“Wait, me!?’ Cadence blinked and shook her head. “No, when I was a young mare, still a filly really. I reversed a love-stealing spell used by a unicorn named Prismia. When that happened, I was transported to a strange plane, where Princess Celestia turned me into an alicorn and adopted me.”

“Yggdrasil is the world tree,” Aspect pointed out. “It is not beyond him to have had a hand in what occurred to you for him to test a theory of his, that he could just...help more Alicorns come into being.”

“So… it wasn’t me?” she said, placing a hoof to her head. “It wasn’t because I helped Prismia change her ways, learning to accept love instead of stealing it? I’m just… the test of some tree!?”

“I could have worded that better,” the stallion said. “Okay, let’s try this: your actions are your own. How you reacted to the situation, is all you. But how the situation came to be? He’s very good at reading into what might be if some minor thing here or there changed. He probably orchestrated Prismia coming ever since he saw that you would be born.”

Cadence wasn’t sure how to process this information. So, her entire life had been dictated by this Yggdrasil? Or, was it more than that? She groaned and put her head in her hooves.

“Yeah, I know,” Aspect said. “Once I learned the depth of Yggdrasil’s seeming powers, I was like that as well. He can’t influence thinking beings, but any random chance, any minor thing that could happen one way or another? He might affect. Chance and fate are iffy things when he gets involved. But he did make me a pair of promises. One of them helps me get to sleep at night.”

He cleared his throat before quoting what the tree had said, word for word. “Father, I promise I will only ever affect the weave of Fate to bring about the best of all possible worlds when it is necessary for me to intervene. No more, no less.”

“And… the second?” Cadence just knew she’d need something stronger than coffee by the end of this.

“Ah, well, the second is a bit more...personal,” the stallion said before blushing and looking away.

“Ooh, sounds juicy~” Cadence giggled. Wait, what was… was that? It was~ “Aspect… Grandfather? Remember what I said about my special talent?”

“All right, fine, I’ll tell you,” the stallion said, before quoting his son’s second promise. “Father, I promise that I will look into ascending ponies into alicorns so that, if you ever do fall in love, they won’t need to leave you in a hundred years time.”

“Ah… well,” Cadence blushed and fidgeted in her seat. “That’s… flattering and all. A little inappropriate given our new relation. And, I already have somepony I like so…”

Aspect rolled his eyes. “Like we’ve already established. You’re the proof it can be done. He’ll probably test it a few more times over the years, to see if anypony can become an Alicorn. And then there will come the day when I actually do fall in love with somepony, and he just claps his metaphorical hands together, and poof, I’m dating an alicorn.”

“But I felt the spark…” Cadence’s eyes widened and she smiled. One that reminded him way too much of Twilight when she became fixated on an idea. “You like somepony~”

“There...might be a pony,” Aspect begrudgingly admitted. “Might.”

There was a high pitched noise, something between a tea kettle and that ringing in your ears you got when standing too close to an explosion. It took a second to realise that it was coming from Cadence and her impossibly wide grin.

“Down, girl,” Aspect said. “We’ve not even had a date yet. Something I’d been meaning to fix today.”

“A date?” She’d somehow said while still making that high-pitched squeal. “Wait, I need to ask you something very important. When… was the last time you went on a date?”

Aspect blinked before looking at the ceiling. “Does... does never count?”

Cadence blinked. Okay Candy, facts time.

One, he has admitted to being nearly three times Celestia’s age.

Two, he has a date with a mare. Need more information there.

Three, has never dated. This… could be a problem.

She took a deep breath then gulped down her remaining coffee. “Alright Mr. Aspect. What you’ve told me, I have to process this. Aspects, destiny altering trees… It’s going to take me a night or so. But the fact that you’re dating? That’s something I know inside and out. So…” She leaned across the table as her eyes twinkled. “Let’s start with what you’d consider a date.”

“I...haven’t ever been on one,” Aspect said with a shrug. “I never got the chance to. No pony ever showed that sort of interest in me before. I was always the defender. Not the one looking for love. And yet, it would seem…”

“Love can find you quite unexpectedly,” she smiled warmly. For the briefest of moments, it reminded him of a mare long since lost to the ages. “It’s rather good at it really. But you didn’t answer my question. Say you take this mare out. What will you do?”

“...Okay, something that very few people know, Cadence,” Aspect said. “I was ripped from my world when I was an adolescent by the wild magic of Equus. I have never had the chance to take a female for a date, nor do I know what I would do on one.”

“Your world?” Cadence knew the existence of other worlds, her aunt had told her as such. Apparently Starswirl and herself would visit dozens of them. “So… are you really a pony then?”

“I wasn’t when I started, but being a pony is comfortable to me now. Helps me blend in. I have half a dozen other forms I could take,” the stallion mused. “Sakes, my old form used to be just a curiosity in the time of Dream Valley. So was sorcery. Now both have fallen by the wayside.”

“Hmm, you aren’t suffering an Identity Disorder, well, you’re not displaying any of the usual symptoms anyway…” Cadence tapped her chin. “And this unknown mare? Is she aware of this?”

“Her friend and housemate is one of the few who are interested in the old history of ponies,” Aspect said. “I showed it off to both of them, and they barely bat an eye.”

“Well, points in your favour already,” Cadence smiled, well beamed more like it. “If she accepted a date, even knowing what you just told me…” She tilted her head back and forth, “Still haven’t told me what you’d consider a date. Or do you simply have no idea at all? If so, just what were you planning on doing?”

“I hadn’t even had time to ask a female from my world on a date before I found myself in this one,” Aspect said. “I’m flying blind into a thunderhead here, Cadence. Twilight Sparkle tried to help with books, but…”

“Twilight Sparkle? You know my little Twiley?” Cadence hopped up out of her seat and then coughed into her hoof before calming down. “Right, sorry about that. But still… quite the pickle you're in hmm?”

“Just a bit,” the stallion sighed. “I want to do right by her, but that’s sort of impossible to do when you don’t know what right is.”

“Don’t fret, it’s actually not as hard as everyone makes it out to be.” Cadence smiled as he felt a little magic rub his head. “Let’s start with what you shouldn’t do, the biggest one is asking for sex on the first date. That will effectively kill any chances you have with this mare if you’re looking for something serious. Well, unless she’s specific type of mare that…”

“I think I got it,” Aspect dryly replied. “What else?”

“Just be yourself. Unless you put on some sort of act or ruse to get her to date you… then I’m going to have to stop you right here.”

“No, nothing of the sort,” the stallion said with a shake of his head. “She knows everything about me...well, nearly everything. You’re one of the few that know as nearly as much about me as my daughters.”

“So you’ve trusted her with that much already?” Cadence mused, so he could be quite open with his feelings around those he trusted. Shiny could learn a thing or two from him. “And this mare, what of her? What about her do you know?”

“Besides the fact that she’s an amazing cook, and capable of putting up with all manner of insanity?” the stallion asked. “She’s also kind and loyal to her friends. I don’t know a whole lot about her personally…”

It was interesting that he mentioned her cooking first. “Okay, so now we know that you shouldn’t take her out to dinner. Home cooking is fine, but might suggest you want to be intimate afterwards.” Cadence tapped her chin. “I have an idea, not a typical date, but it would knock a few things off your to-do list at the same time. Practicality with a purpose.”

“I like the sound of that,” Aspect said.

“I can tell you’re the practical sort, and I’ve known you for an hour,” Cadence nodded. Well, she was also really good at reading ponies. “Now, Hearth’s Warming is coming up in a week and a half. Have you done any shopping for it. Gifts for friends… family?”

“I wouldn’t know what to get for half of them,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “The only one I know anything about, really, is Twilight. I think I might have a book in my bags on sorcery from Dream Valley. I’d have to check and make sure it’s not the witch’s manual for magic instead.”

“Yes, let’s not give my favourite filly a dangerous book,” Cadence said with a sudden amount of sternness. “But, back to my original idea. You’re something of a pony out of time it seems. So, why not ask her to accompany you for your gift shopping? You could have coffee at a nice cafe, see the sights and sounds of the festive week. Maybe even make it a day trip to Canterlot?”

“Not the last one,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “She’s had some bad experiences up there. Enough to leave her with a bitter taste in her mouth when she says its name.”

“Hmm, well, Manehatten is only a few hours by train. Shorter if you can charter a chariot…” But then, he was in relation to Celestia. He could probably pull some strings there. “Well, those are some ideas anyway.”

“And a good few ideas they are,” Aspect agreed. “I might be able to get gifts for the Bearers here in town, but something for my daughters might take extra effort.”

“I’d imagine they’d like whatever you got for them,” Cadence said and nodded her head. “Tis the thought that counts after all.” Another question had been bugging her, and while they were on a high note, she decided to ask.

“So… if Celestia is the Aspect of the Sun, and Luna the Moon. Does that make me the Aspect of Love?”

“Actually,” the stallion said, “Yggdrasil said that when you properly come into the fullness of your power, you’ll probably be known as the Aspect of all emotion, not just love.”

“All emotion?” Cadence did that cute head-tilt again and moved on to her true question. “So, does that mean you had to… kill the last Aspect of Emotions?”

“Actually, no,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “I had nothing to do with your ascension. It was all you. Well, Yggdrasil might have pulled a few strings to create the situation, but it was all you ascending. He wanted to prove to me that more could be created without the old being slain.”

“That tree and I are going to have words one day,” Cadence muttered and wished her coffee cup was full again. “Well, that was my main concern. Now…” Her eyes shone and she smiled at him. “If you’ve never had a date… I take it you’ve never been intimate with somepony before?”

“Never had the time to,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “It was mostly ‘go here, stop the monster, enjoy your downtime, rinse, repeat.’”

“Never have time,” Cadence giggled flirtatiously at that. “I do so love that excuse. Shiny tried it on me once… so I snuck into the barracks shower room and—”

“You do realize how old I am, yes?” Aspect asked dryly. “Back then in the bad old days, I really never did have time.”

“Ah… well, then I have little choice then it seems.” Cadence took a deep breath and smiled.

And for the next hour and a half, Balanced Aspect got a lecture on the do’s and don’t’s of intimacy from the pretty pink princess. She held absolutely nothing back in terms of details and… oh sweet Yggdrasil, she even had diagrams! She was like the Twilight Sparkle of sex.

“—And that should about cover mares for all four species types,” she said. “Now, did you want to know anything about others? Perhaps Griffons or dragons?”

“You know,” the stallion said as he shook his head. “I went up against Grogar the Necromancer Ram. And even that fight was less soul-crushing than this.”

“I am just trying to help you get up to speed with modern dating and relationship ethics,” Cadence pouted and frowned. “At least you didn’t run screaming from the room like Auntie Luna…”

“You subjected my daughter to this?” Aspect said. “No wonder she cringed when I asked if she’d found a special somepony in the few weeks she’d been back.”

“Auntie Celestia asked me to,” Cadence defended herself. Celestia herself would look back on that day and smile. Best. Prank. Ever. “Besides, I never even started on some of the more stranger kinks…”

“There’s more?” the stallion choked out.

“You’re not old enough for the Advanced Classes,” Cadence said with a serious tone. “Though, if this mare asks if you have a ‘safeword’? Call me first before saying anything.”

“Got it,” the stallion said, glad that the lecture was over. He wasn’t sure he would be able to unhear the things he’d heard.

Cadence yawned again, the coffee in her system wearing off. “I suppose I should be getting back to Canterlot…”

“I have more than one bedroom in this place,” Aspect offered. “You could stay and rest up if you needed to.”

That did sound appealing… for more reasons than one. Staying here would let her ~~interf~~ keep an eye on her new Grandfather in the dating game.

“Yes, I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” she smiled politely. “Thank you for your hospitality Grandfather.”

“And in the meantime,” he said as he got up from the table. “I have a mare to take out on the town.”

“Have fun on your date, she smiled and waved him off. “Just remember my advice, and you’ll be fine.”

“I’m pretty sure I won’t need ninety percent of it for a good, long while,” the stallion muttered as he left. It was just a simple walkabout to look for Hearth’s Warming presents for the mares that had saved his daughter. And eventually, a longer trip to get something for his daughters, but that could qualify as a second date in and of itself. Assuming he made it that far.

How complicated could this possibly be?

Aspect walked up to the new and rebuilt home of Bon-Bon and knocked on the door with one hoof. Hopefully she was in and in a mood to go on a date.

When the door opened, it wasn’t Bon Bon that greeted him, or the ever-exuberant Lyra.

Instead, a little cream filly with poofy red hair and thick blue glasses looked up at him.

“Oh hello mithter!” she said with a pronounced lisp. “Ith there thomething I can help you with?”

“Well hello there sweetie,” Aspect said with a smile. “Is miss Bon Bon in?”

“Oh?” she turned around and like the sweet, innocent child she was…

“Auntie Bon Bon, your ‘thpethal thomepony’ ith here to thee you~”

The stallion merely smiled, though he grit his teeth behind it. Ah, from the mouth of babes…

“Twist, what in Equestria are you—” Bon Bon froze in her tracks. She had walked out of the kitchen, a cute frilly apron covered in flour, sugar and Celestia knows what else. Her mane and tail were up in curlers and she wore some sort of green paste over her face. Her eyes locked with Aspect’s and she froze like a startled deer.

“Oppth, I think Auntie Bon Bon ith broken,” Twist pointed out.

“If miss Lyra is here, then she’ll be able to fix her,” Aspect said as he slowly edged to one side of the door. “I’ll just sit out here and wait for her until she’s ready.”

Bon Bon practically vanished from her spot, the only evidence showing she was even there was a trail of flour dust leading upstairs.

He could hear muffled voices from upstairs as Twist invited him in. One sounded panicked while the other sounded sleepy.

“Do you want thome tea mithter?” Twist asked him, utterly unfazed by the transpiring events.

“If it wouldn’t be imposing,” the stallion said. “I wouldn’t mind a good cup.”

‘A good hotht alwayth offerth a warm beverage,’ she recited and trotted from the room, returning a moment latter with a pot of apple spiced tea and a plate of candy canes. “Do you wanna try one? I made them mythelf.”

“Oooh, those do look good,” the stallion muttered. “Tea first, sweet after,” he said. “Both should be good.”

“Mith Lyra liketh thith tea ath well,” Twist said as she poured him a cup. More muffled voices and a few loud thumps echoed through the ceiling. “Thee liketh to thleep in though.”

“Ah, a mare I can relate to,” the stallion said. “Whenever I’m not adventuring, I loved sleeping in. I probably sleep in later now than I ever have before.”

“Thounds like fun,” Twist nodded as she placed a small lemon slice on the lip of his teacup. “Her you go mithter. Apple Thpithed tea.”

“Thank you,” the stallion said as he sipped at it. It was sweet, and yet packed a light citrus kick from the lemon. And he felt it warm him as it slid down his throat, the perfect solution to a cold winter’s day.

“That was lovely,” he said with a smile to the filly. Then he reached for a candy-cane and popped one into his mouth. The flavour of peppermint just exploded in his mouth. But not in an overpowering way, just… flavourful. It had a rather nice cooling effect after drinking the tea and this could easily be mistaken for one of Bon Bon’s works.

“You are very good at this,” he praised Twist. “I can easily see you opening your own candy-store in ten years, maybe less.”

“Wooow, really!?’ the filly gasped as a tired-looking Lyra stumbled down the stairs.

“Uurgh! Coffeeeeee~” she moaned not unlike one of Grogar’s creations.

“Sad to say, I didn’t bring any with me,” Aspect said with a wave of one wing. “You should try this tea, though, it’s invigorating.”

“Teeeaaaaa~” Lyra moaned and Twist giggled, giving the silly mare a cup and she knocked it back in a single hit.

“P’wwwaahhh!’ she gasped and wiped her mouth. “S’no coffee, but it’ll do for now.” She looked at the couch and gasped. “Ooh! hey Aspect! So that’s what Bonnie was freakin’ out about.”

“I heard as much,” the stallion chuckled. “I finally came by to take her on that date that I should do, and I got greeted with what looked like early-morning Bon Bon.”

Lyra blinked and looked to Twist for help.

“Mane curlerth and mathk.”

“Ah…” Lyra snorted, then fell sideways as she rolled around on the floor laughing her flank off.

“I take it Bon Bon won’t be ready for some time?” the stallion asked as he took another sip of tea.

“Three… two… one…” Lyra stopped her giggles long enough to count down before a perfectly radiant Bon Bon descended the stairs.

“Right, now that absolutely nothing happened this morning,” Bon Bon said. “How can we help you Aspect.”

“Well,” he said with a smile. “I have had it made plain to me that I should in fact, purchase some gifts for the mares that helped my daughter in her darkest hour. Would you care to accompany me on a day on the town? You likely know most of them better than I do.”

“Hearth’s Warming shopping!?” Lyra gasped and bounced up and down excitedly. Why was the grown mare in the room more excited about it than the filly?

“Just so,” the stallion said with a nod. “Well miss Bon Bon? The ball is in your court.”

“Ball? What?” Bon Bon was confused for a second. “O-Oh? You want me to accompany you?”

“Are you going on a date Aunty Bon Bon?” Twist asked with a cheesy smile.

“Yeah Bonnie~” Lyra joined in and wiggled her eyebrows. “Going on a date huh?”

“S-Shut up!” Bon Bon blushed and grabbed Aspect’s arm, hauling him out of the room. Though he did manage to snag another candy cane before she fled with him.

Once outside, Bon Bon blushed and sighed. “Geez…”

“I take it the answer is yes,” the stallion teased. Bon Bon pouted and pushed his shoulder lightly.

“W-Well, I did agree to a date so…” she continued to talk, but it kind of dissolved into an incoherent mumble. Aspect merely got close enough to touch her shoulder with his by way of reply.

“W-Well, shall we go?” she squeaked. Gods above that blush was cute.

“Do let’s,” the stallion said. “I barely have any idea where anything in Ponyville is. I need to know what the Bearers like, where it’s located, and what a good price for it is. And you’re the only mare I can count on.”

“Well… I don’t know that much about some of them,” Bon bon said. “Like Twilight for instance. Or Fluttershy, she tends to stay out of everypony’s way. The rest will be a lot easier than you’d think.”

“I’m sure I can dig up an old, safe book for Twilight in my collection,” the stallion said. “She seems the sort to like that.”

“She lives in a library, so that’s probably a safe bet,” Bon Bon giggled as they walked. “Hmm, now Pinkie Pie is easy. Anything candy or baking related. I do recall her saying something about liking this particular type of piping nozzle that I have. I can show you where I bought it from.”

Unknownst to the two ponies, a set of eyes watched them from the rooftop, Cadenza was wearing a thermal body suit and held a pair of binoculars in her magical grasp.

“Cadence?” she turned and saw a familiar minty unicorn on the roof as well, in a very similar getup.

“Lyra! It’s been a while,” the princess smiled and then looked at Bon Bon. “Your friend?”

“Mhmm,” Lyra looked at Aspect. “Relation?”

“Mhmm, grandfather apparently,” Cadence smiled. “His first date. I have to make sure it goes well.”

“Yeah, this is Bonnies first date in a looooong time. Gotta look out for my best friend after all.”

The two nodded and bumped hooves. This now became a joint operation.

“So that’s two covered,” the stallion said. “Hmm. Miss Dash?”

“Also easy. Anything Wonderbolts related. She wouldn't even care if she has it already. But I don’t know if you’re going to be able to get anything here in Ponyville. Cloudsdale or…” she paused for just second. “Canterlot, would be your best bet.”

“Yeah, I’m not setting hoof in Cloudsdale until I can do that without it turning into a massive storm front,” the stallion said dryly. “And I’m also not going to drag you to Canterlot. I could always ask Tia, she might be able to get something from them…”

“...Sorry,” Bon Bon sighed. “You know you don’t have to worry about me right? And I’m sure the princesses would love to see you.”

“I’ll worry about that city when we aren’t on a date,” Aspect said. “Let’s focus on the next in line. Miss Rarity. What could I possibly give the Bearer of Generosity?”

“Rarity could be a tough one,” Bon Bon sighed. “She’s a fan of the upper echelon, high society and all that. Kinda like Ponyville’s own little slice of Canterlot, minus the blind pretentiousness.” She chuckled weakly and shook her head. “I never actually cared for Rarity much, until we spent that time together in your house and I really got to know her. The way she worked her hooves to the bone to help everypony. She has my respect, that’s for sure.”

“Hmm, maybe I could get her some fancy fabric up in Canterlot while I’m picking up something for miss Dash, then,” the stallion mused. “That could work. What about miss Applejack?”

“As long as it’s heartfelt, you could get whatever you want,” Bon Bon said as her mind wandered to her fellow Earth Pony. “Family means a lot to her, so maybe something pertaining to that?”

“You know,” the stallion mused, “I think I have something from the original Applejack back in Dream Valley. I’ll have to look. But if that plan falls through…”

“It is snowy this time of year,” Bon Bon said. “I bet a nice set of boots would go down a treat. Just make sure they’re practical as well.”

“I’ll look into it,” the stallion said. “How about you lead the way to where you got that frosting nozzle you’re sure Pinkie would like first? I can start there at least.”

Bon Bon nodded as she walked with him, and she was walking quite close as well, her shoulder occasionally bumping his and she was trying so hard not to make it look intentional.

“Do you know if miss Fluttershy has any particular favorite among her pe- sorry, animal friends?” the stallion asked. “I got the chance to visit her house once.”

“Hmm, I think her pet rabbit?” Bon Bon asked. “Sorry, I just really don’t know all that much her. Heck, I don’t think I’ve even spoken more than a sentence or two to her the whole time I’ve lived here.”

“A private mare?” he asked. “I can’t fault her for that. Still, I suppose we could see about getting her some fine carrots for her friend. I’m sure they’d go down a treat in the middle of winter and all.”

“Maybe,” Bon Bon shrugged. Her ear flicked as somepony shouted in the distance. Both of them turned to see a sled racing towards them, three fillies clinging for dear life as they rocketed down the street and straight towards them.

“Grab hold of something,” the stallion warned her as he spread his wings. Even at that movement...the air began to stir around him.

Bon Bon grasped a nearby Hearth’s Warming decoration, a large candy cane. The stallion flapped his wings, each time stirring up a larger and larger gale. Before the sled hit either of them, the wind was powerful enough to blow the tops of nearby trees as it did its damndest to slow the sled down.

It slowed and came to a stop as the gale died down, having kicked up a ton of snow and doused half the ponies in the street with it.

“Coooool,” Scootaloo said, pulling down her snow-covered goggles. “That was awesome!!”

“That, was reckless,” Aspect said as he pointed a hoof at them. “You nearly hit somepony.”

“We’re sorry,” the trio echoed as Bon Bon released her grip on the candy cane.

“Scootaloo thought it’d be a good idea to use her wings to make it go faster,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Hey! You two said it was a good idea to get our Sledding cutie marks!” Scootaloo shot back.

Before they could argue, Bon Bon put a hoof between them and broke the fight up before it could even start. “Now look, that was reckless, but it was a mistake. Why don’t you girls go to my shop? Lyra will make you some cocoa. Get yourselves warmed up, then apologise to everypony.”

“Really? Thanks Miss Bon Bon,” they cheered.

“Good luck on your date,” Sweetie Belle giggled as they ran off. Bon Bon blushed and put her hoof to her face.

“Shall we continue before something else happens?” Aspect asked. “I swear, more things happen in this town than should, for it being a ‘sleepy little town,’ like my daughter assured me.”

“We have those fillies and Pinkie Pie,” Bon Bon sighed. “Trust me, this town is anything but quiet.” They eventually made their way to the store, Barnyard Bargains. “Well, this is the place. Owned by a stallion called Filthy Rich. Nice sort, kinda of whipped by his wife though.”

“Ah, I know the feeling,” Aspect said with a shake of his head. “Sort of, anyways. Whatever Written Script wanted, she got. And if I argued, it only ended up worse down the line when she turned the daughters against me.”

“Oh?” Bon Bon giggled. “Married somepony that knew how to crack the whip huh?” Then she remembered his story about her and gasped. “Oh, I’m sorry… that was insensitive of me.”

“I made my peace with it a while ago,” the stallion said with a soft sigh. “It...hurts to think that I couldn’t do anything to help her then. But then I remember her, and I keep going.”

“You’re a far stronger pony than I,” she mumbled and wiped her eye. “W-Well, enough lollygagging around here. Let’s get those cake nozzles.”

“Yes, lead the way ma’am,” he said, bowing his head to her.

Outside, Cadence watched and shook her head. These two were utterly hopeless.

Lyra soon returned, panting that she had to run halfway across town, just to beat the Crusaders to the shop and then make them cocoa.

“So, what’s happened so far?” she asked the alicorn. “Anything juicy?”

“All they do is... talk,” Cadence sighed. “I suppose they’re still getting to know one another, but still…”

“Urgh, Bonnie’s always like this,” Lyra groaned. “Think we should offer… a little divine intervention again? The sled didn’t work out so well.”

“Yes… I believe it’s my turn now,” Cadence smiled.

For a little town, this store was freaking huge. It really hadn’t taken long for the stallion to get lost and now he was in the section for… mare’s undergarments?

“I think I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque,” he muttered. “Where in the world is the baking section?”

“Oh, hello sir!” a sales clerk greeted him chipperly. She was a rather leggy unicorn with a dark blue coat. “Here to buy your special somepony a little something on her naughty list perhaps~”

“Sorry, no,” the stallion said with a shake of his head. “I think I got lost on my way to the baking department. One of the mares I’m getting something for is a confectioner, and it’s her I’m shopping for right now.”

“Hmm, well we have plenty of ‘tear-away’ aprons and book on using food as a… behind closed doors activity~”

“Fantastic,” the stallion deadpanned, “But I still need to get some actual Hearth’s Warming presents. Those mares deserve no less.”

The clerk sweated with nervousness. ‘Ah ponyfeathers, he’s not here for Bon Bon…’ She smiled and nodded in a direction. “I believe the baking section is that way sir.”

“Thank you,” he said with a firm nod, before making his way towards, hopefully, the baking section.

Once he left, the clerk sighed as Lyra moved up next to her.

“Well, what the heck was that?”

“I panicked,” ‘Cadence’ replied from under her disguise. “Dang it, this calls for a gentler hoof perhaps. He’s old-fashioned. We have to appeal to that.”

Aspect had crossed a few aisles and saw Bon Bon looking at a wall of products, before reaching up for a nozzle kit on a high shelf. Standing on the tips of her hind hooves, she was able to reach it, but the sudden weight started to tip her backwards.

“Ahh-”

And suddenly, Aspect was there, acting as a balancing agent for her. “Steady now,” he said. “You wouldn’t want to fall.”

“T-Thank you,’ she blushed, getting back down onto all four hooves. “Quite the saviour aren’t you?”

“I try to be,” Aspect said with a smile. “So, that’s it there then?”

“Y-Yes,” she blushed at him being so close, peering over her shoulder like that. “Where did you go? Find anything interesting?”

“Got lost,” the stallion said as he looked around before flaring one wing and flapping it lightly. The box on the shelf jiggled a little in response. “I’m much more used to straightforward paths. I took a wrong turn and ended up in an underwear department.”

“Oh?” Bon Bon giggled as she pictured that. “Did the feminine wiles of the modern era make you uncomfortable?”

“More like the insistence of the modern store clerk,” Aspect muttered as he flapped his wing again. This time, the box tumbled down, and he caught it with his hooves. “There we are, one present for one Pinkie Pie.”

“Thank Celestia there’s only one,” Bon Bon giggled as they headed for the hoofware section to get boots for Applejack. “Could you imagine two… or three?”

“Surprise,” Aspect said. “She was a good friend. And Pinkie reminds me of her. She would pop out of everywhere, saying her name. Getting the kids to follow her on pranks and mischief in general. Sometimes it felt like we had three of them running around.”

“Wow, must have been an interesting place. Certainly not quiet at least. S-So...um, is… there anything…” she started mumbling again.

“My hearing isn’t that good, Bon Bon,” he said.

“It’s… It’s nothing, nevermind.” she said and shook her head. “Um.. hmm, the problem is that I don’t know Applejack’s hoofsize.”

“Hmm, that is a good point,” Aspect said as he looked at the boots. “Too small would pinch, too large would slip off. ...Idea!”

“Idea?” Bon Bon looked at him. “When powerful magic-user says it like that, my first instinct is to run away from the blast radius.”

“We could ask Rarity!” Aspect said. “She measured me for a suit. Surely she would know Applejack’s hoof size.”

“That’s true,” Bon Bon nodded. “So, to the boutique then?”

Just then, there was a grumble. More of a low roar. And when they finally placed it, Aspect looked sheepishly at her.

“Maybe lunch first?” he offered.

“Was that your…” Bon Bon blinked and laughed. “Oh dear, have you missed my cooking that much?”

“I can’t help it,” he said. “You’ve ruined all other food for me. But I wouldn’t make you cook on a date. Maybe you can pick out a place to eat at?”

“Yes, there’s a nice cafe not far from here,” Bon Bon giggled. His praise about her food never failed to make her smile. “I’ll admit I’m a little hungry too,”

“Oh good,” the stallion said. “So, lunch, talk with Rarity, then come back for some boots for Applejack.”

“Hearth’s Warming isn’t for a little over a week, so there’s no need to rush,” Bon Bon smiled. Once they paid for the things they bought, they exited back outside into the cold and the mare shivered slightly from the sudden change in temperature.

“Why can’t the holidays be in the summertime?” she grumbled.

“You mean like the Summer Sun Celebration?” Aspect asked. “I was actually thinking about giving Luna the idea for some sort of winter solstice celebration, to keep things even between them.”

“Well, there is Nightmare Night,” Bon Bon said.

“That...is not the proudest of celebrations,” Aspect whispered. “At least, not as it began, as I understand it. It’s only because of Celestia’s influence...that it is as...tame as it is now.”

“Yes, I know the origins of it as well,” Bon Bon said with a somber tone. “Sorry I brought it up. I seem to have come down with a rather severe case of hoof-in-mouth disease today.”

“Though the wound may be relatively fresh in comparison, I got over it recently as well. Funny what hugging your daughters will do for you.” He smiled and shook his head, to remove the bad memories. “It’s fine, I forgive you. But I still want to know where this cafe is, miss.”

“I thought we moved past titles, Milord,” she sniped back as she pointed to a cafe on the corner of the street. “Here’s our stop. Now, shall we procure the weapons needed to slay your great hunger?”

“Forsooth, indeed, verily,” he sniped back, enjoying this now.

“Spoils and great victory await,” Bon Bon laughed as they entered. “Greetings fair innkeep. We require sustenance for our adventures.”

“...what?” the gangly teen colt blinked at the weird pair.

“Just… give us some menu’s,” Bon Bon blushed and sighed, a little embarrassed that she got carried away like that.

“Ah well, it was fun while it lasted,” the stallion said wistfully. The colt led them to a booth and passed them a pair of menus before telling them a server would be with them shortly and vanishing himself.

“So miss Bon Bon, tell me a little about yourself while we decide what to order,” Aspect said. “You already know a great deal about me.”

“Ah well… not a whole lot to tell really,” she said and smiled. “I hardly have a three thousand year long life to excite you with.”

“Still, I would like to know a bit more about you,” the stallion said. “Everything I’ve ever done is ancient history. Heck, you could classify all my old homes as ruins. I’d like a little dose of current events.”

“Well… where to start?” she hummed. “I was born here in Ponyville. The shop I run now was inherited from my parents actually. Well, was… until those bugs ate it.” She sighed, that loss still bugged her. But, she got to meet a handsome stallion because of it so… silver lining? “After I finished school here, I moved to a university in Canterlot, where I majored in History, Anthropology and Xenobiology.”

“So basically, all the things that might be of use in examining a history as long and varied as mine,” Aspect summed up. “And I assume you met your good friend Lyra in one of those classes?”

“Yes, the Xenobiology one,” Bon Bon nodded. “I believe Twilight Sparkle took that class too, but I doubt she remembers me. Anyway, I travelled around a bit after graduation, got to see a lot of places… and my fair share of ancient ruins too. I even got to accompany Princess Celestia on one such trip.”

“See? You are exciting, in your own way,” the stallion praised her.

“I guess,” Bon Bon replied, only blushing slightly this time. She was getting better at it. “I moved around a lot, then… some things happened and I wound up back where I began, right here in Ponyville.”

“Still, at least you came home in the end,” Aspect said. “You had some adventures, were probably enriched by them, and got to come home to tell them to others.”

“Not everyone,” she sighed. “But yeah, I guess I did. And my time as a student, that’s where my… dislike for Canterlot comes from. The ponies there, aren’t so nice to earth ponies.”

“The tribes were always meant to mingle, be more together than they ever were apart,” Aspect muttered. “Bigots bring all of ponydom down.”

Bon Bon nodded. “Look, let’s not sour our date with that kind of talk. And you’d best decide on how you're going to fulfil that voracious appetite of yours.”

“I could think of a few ways,” Lyra and Cadence echoed from their bush. Luckily nopony heard them.

“These pasta dishes look filling, and I think I’ll ask for some non-alcoholic cider,” the stallion said. “What about you?”

“I’ll go the same. I could use something to warm me up,” Bon Bon nodded as she looked over the rest of the menu. “Might settle for some coffee though.” She summoned a waiter over and he took down their order before heading off to prepare it.

“So…” Bon Bon asked. “Do you… have a favourite dish?”

“Tia and Lulu will kill me for this,” Aspect said, “But it’s actually not dessert. I really like a nice, simple sandwich, shared with someone I care about at lunch, while we discuss the matters of the day. It reminds me of the times when I didn’t have to run around in Dream Valley slaying things. It was...nice.”

“A sandwich? That’s it?” Well, Bon Bon sure was surprised at that answer. “Well, guess I’ll have to make you more sandwiches then. No more fancy stuff.”

“Oh believe me, the fancy stuff is tasty, but the sandwich is best shared with someone during a warm summer’s day, out on a picnic, just watching the other ponies go about their business.” He sighed and looked around with a happy smile. “There’s just something about...knowing I had a helping hand in all this peace. Even if it was only a minor one. It just makes it all the sweeter.”

“So one of our next dates should be a picnic then?” Bon asked, a hopeful tone in her voice.

“Only if you think you can wait long enough for a picnic to be seasonable,” the stallion teased.

“I suppose I’ll have to at least put up with your for that long,” Bon Bon sighed dramatically.

“True, I have no intention to not come calling for more of your sweets,” Aspect nodded.

“So that’s it, you just want my candy,” Bon Bon said with mock-accusation.

“You have to admit, your talent is remarkable,” Aspect pointed out. “At least I’m not as shallow as to only want you for your looks. Though looking at you, I will say that you aren’t an unattractive mare either.”

That did it, Bon Bon blushed hard and hid behind her menu.

“Ooh, he’s good,” Lyra whispered.

“Mhmm,” Cadence nodded and sneezed, causing the bush to shake.

“And you’re adorable when you blush,” the stallion added. Of course, that only made her blush harder as she made that adorable squeaking noise.

“Would you stop that,” she finally said. “Geez, I feel as though I’m going to turn permanently red around you.”

“Stop being adorable, then,” Aspect quipped

“Stop calling me adorable,” She sunk lower into her seat and he could see the tips of her ears were red. Full Blush Mode achieved.

“Of course, to me, all ponies are cute,” he said matter-of-factly. “I have long theorized it was a defense mechanism made to get me to fight for you.”

“Fear your adorable overlords,” Bon Bon giggled, the silly statement helping her regain some composure. It wasn’t long after that, that the colt returned with their orders.

“Oooh, this looks delicious,” the stallion said as he eyed the pasta.

Bon Bon looked at the food and had to agree with his sentiment. The coffee also had a nice rich aroma.

“Mmm, it’s been too long since I’ve had food that isn’t my own,” she said with a soft hum. “Perhaps I should eat out a little more often.”

“Your food is well and good and all,” the stallion said as he picked up a fork with one hoof. “But there’s something to be said of a meal made by someone else.”

“Yup,” Bon Bon smiled and took a bite. Hmm, the pasta was a little softer than she liked it. But it was still tasty. “Nmm, not bad. Not bad at all.”

“I’m probably biased, but I would still rank this as only the second greatest food I’ve eaten,” Aspect said with a nod of his head.

“Oh dear sweet Aspect. Remind me to take you out to the Apple Family farm one day,” Bon Bon said. “I’m good, but even I can’t compare to then when it comes to apples.”

“Sounds like a date for another time then,” Aspect said. “Oh, remind me to ask Applejack for a favor one day. I still need to plant that sapling, I’d appreciate it if the inheritor of the name Applejack was there to give her honest opinion about where to put it.”

Bon Bon nodded. “So, no Bon Bon’s from your past then?”

“Not that I can recall,” Aspect said with a shake of his head.

“Ah well, at least I don't have a predecessor to compete with then,” Bon giggled. “So, what’s it like having the Princesses as daughters?”

“They’re constantly mischievous and trying to outplay their dad by forcing him to take things he doesn’t want,” Aspect said with a roll of his eyes. “If there were a way to give back the house and not be homeless at the same time, I would have. But now with the perfect ballroom in it, I don’t want to.”

“Rarity and Twilight really pulled out all the stops with that one,” Bon Bon said, and looked at him, tilting her head.

“What?” he questioned, tilting his own head in confusion.

“Just hold still,” she said and leaned closer to him, one of her hooves reaching up to touch his cheek.

Lyra and and Cadence gasped, leaning closer as well. No way! Was… was she really going to…

Aspect merely froze still. Funny how this mare could get him to do that which no other pony ever had. Sure, he’d set down roots before, but he’d never, ever, held still for very long.

Time seemed to pause, her muzzle only a scant distance from his as their eyes locked. She smiled and licked her lips… before pulling back.

“You had some sauce on your cheek,” she smiled innocently.

“Then I thank you for removing it, milady,” Aspect said with a bow of his head.

The bush outside erupted as Cadence jumped from it. “OH COME ON!!!” she screamed out before Lyra pulled her back out of sight.

“You, ah,” Aspect said, before using his hoof to also indicate that she had some sauce on her muzzle as well. “Right about here.”

“Huh?” she wiped her cheek and smiled. “Oh thanks, that would have been embarrassing.”

“ARE. YOU. KIDDING ME!?!?” Lyra screamed this time, before Cadence reined her in. The meal was finished in short order, and the pair of ponies were standing outside the restaurant, before Aspect did something he’d only done once before.

He pecked Bon Bon on the cheek.

The mare squeaked and her face shone crimson once more. “W-W-What was that for?” she managed to get out.

“For being delightful company during lunch, and for aiding me in my quest to procure presents for the Bearers,” Aspect said. “If you think it is undeserved, you could always return it.”

She kissed his cheek back. “H-How about I share it instead?”

“I can work with that,” the stallion said with a happy hum as they continued their quest to get presents.

In a nearby bush, two mare had utterly missed that little display due to their squabbling. Ah well, their loss.

Author's Note

First impression with the new setup and...

I like.

Edit: Okay, minor errors here and there, and sometimes it’s...half the time the options buttons fuck off, so...Maybe not so much like.

So here we have a history lesson. Sorry, there was nothing I could do. There was all this plot there and it just got in the way...

Like the story? Consider dropping Aus and me a dollar on my Patreon. It goes a long way.

Half of all tips will not be spent on the new version of pokemon. Nope.