The party kept thumping along in the night. The dark Canterlot air was damp with humidity from recent rain but kept from being unbearable due to the cooling weather. A multitude of colored lights both from Songbird Serenade’s performance stage as well as the fairgrounds helped give a unique afterglow to the balcony just outside of the party bustle. A certain mare of deep orchid watched the rainbow of the distant lights shift on her own forehooves, which were draped over the balcony’s white stone railing.
A life, she thought. That’s what she had behind her. She was young in pony terms. No older than the youngest of the four princesses, but it felt like a lifetime she was moving on from. Had it all been wasted? She didn’t know how to feel. Glum over the waste? Happy that she had a better life to look forward to? Would it be happy, though? As her thoughts went on in her self-seclusion from the crowds of the Equestrian megaparty, she failed to realize her thoughts had moved to words.
“What is there for me now?” she asked the full moon that the balcony faced, suspended over the perilous depths the railing prevented ponies from falling into. “I’m just a pawn without a queen.”
“No.”
The different voice caught her off guard. She had thought any pony with even the most remote interest in her was still absorbed in the endless schedule of “the best festival in the history of Equestria.” She returned her surprise, however, when she turned her head to see who it was. Of course.
“Princess,” she acknowledged but said no more. She didn’t know what to say even.
“You’re not a pawn,” Twilight continued as she walked up to the other mare, joining her at the scenic view. “You’re an amazing pony all on your own. But I don’t want you to feel like you ever have to be alone. I meant it when I said we were friends. I also meant it when I said I hope you’ll stay...”
“Where? I have nothing.”
“You can stay with me,” Twilight leaned closer with a face ever more eager for a yes. “I’ve got way more rooms in the castle than I know what to do with. You can have one, Fizzlepop!”
The combination of the alicorn’s closeness and use of her real name made her heart skip a beat. Her gaze averted back to the moon as she wrestled down a blush that was far beyond her ability to manage. Even her horn sparked a bit more than usual thanks to her racing feelings.
“Where are you staying tonight? Do you have a place?”
Fizzlepop opened her mouth but couldn’t lie. She hadn’t figured any such details out. It was so recent that things had changed for her. She might be able to sleep on the ship again but the Storm King’s old army was trying to sort itself out as well. Nothing was certain.
“Well that settles it then!” Twilight decided herself and brought Fizzlepop in for a warm hug. “You’re with me! I wouldn’t dream of skipping out on my duties as the princess of friendship, but I kind of just want to get to know you better. Oh, I’ll try not to keep you up if you’re tired but I just have so many questions!”
“About my horn,” the still-armored mare felt a tad self-conscious about it.
“Well, yes,” Twilight admitted with a slight blush. “But I was also thinking of your travels. What you’ve seen and experienced outside of Equestria. And, of course, who you are more personally.”
“Personally?” Fizzlepop felt the distraction over her horn ebb to make way for the return of her nervousness. She had never felt close to anypony since her early foalhood, after all. She was feeling vulnerable to say the least.
Not wanting to lose her chance to get the once-villain to continue opening up, Twilight pressed her advantage. “In fact, we should get started right away. The festival may have some hours left but there’s nothing left I have to attend to.”
“Are you sure-”
“Of course I’m sure!” Twilight insisted in an almost crazy tone. She used her head to gently push Fizzlepop towards Canterlot Castle, where her guest room was. “Besides, my head is starting to pound from all the music and sugar. I could use a peaceful break. Come on!”
Fizzlepop nearly tripped over herself as she attempted to walk in the direction Twilight was pushing her in. “Okay! Okay!”
The castle guest room was big, decorated in all manner of plush comforts, and lit well amidst an otherwise dark Canterlot. Or perhaps Canterlot only seemed dark around the castle in comparison to the blinding lights of the festival grounds. In any case, the enormous private bathroom attach to the bedroom was the first place Fizzlepop was pushed to.
“Um, why are we here?” Fizzlepop asked, standing on the warm tile of the grand bathroom. It was warm only due to the guest wing’s heating system that kept the guest quarters from matching the naturally cold climate of Mt. Canter’s upper reaches.
Twilight merely hummed happily as she set about preparation.
“Are we going to...bathe together?” Fizzlepop could do nothing about the blush on her face this time.
“Oh no. Of course not. That’d be crazy. I’m just here to keep you company,” Twilight replied with a persistent but also rather suspicious smile. “Here. I’ll sit here next to the bathtub so we can talk while you relax.”
“I thought you needed to relax too,” the unicorn turned confused.
“I can wait. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”
Too late for that, the dark mare thought instantly.
“I’ll just get it started for you,” Twilight said before using her purple aura of magic to get the hot water flowing into the bathub. She even added some gentle bubble bath mixture that was under the sink, sudding it up to give the filling tub an inviting appearance. To encourage her new friend, she also dimmed the bathroom lights and gave them a more moody purple hue using her magic. “All you need to do is get in. After removing that armor, of course.”
Fizzlepop gulped, her blush remaining. She hadn’t been without her armor before others in a very long time. Even longer if she counted her black body covering. But maybe this was necessary. After all, she was given friendship so freely by this pony and, in that moment against the Storm King on the balcony, she had decided it was worth risking her life for.
With a deep breath, her blush released and her nerves calmed. “Okay,” she spoke aloud her decision and stepped up to the tub beside Twilight. With a nearly serene expression thanks to her mustered resolve, the armor plates detatched as she removed them manually. Any other unicorn might find it difficult to do without magic, but her horn was unable to channel such focused and specific spells. The black body suit still clung to her after the armor had been set against the near wall of the bathroom.
ZIP.
Twilight’s breath stopped without her realizing. This was it!
Fizzlepop Berrytwist finished with the hidden zipper and slid the suit off, revealing her bare coat.
And the cutie mark adorning both of her flanks.
The emblem of a sundae glass was filled with a purple and blue ice cream. A strawberry was on the lip as well as a dark rainbow of sprinkles that were crowned with a miniature array of exploding light – much like Fizzlepop’s unique magical ability.
It was both cute and awe-inspiring all at once. Twilight had never seen a cutie mark like it before!
“Oh my Celestia!” Twilight cried out in her excitement, rushing forward.
Fizzlepop Berrytwist gasped and turned stone still in place as her new friend grabbed her flank. She could feel Twilight’s hooves cupping her cutie mark while she inspected it closer.
“It’s so...so incredible!” Twilight enthused with stars in her eyes. “And the ice cream! Do you know how to make it? Oh, I wonder what it tastes like! Maybe like your name?!”
“Um,” Fizzlepop blushed and tried to wiggle away. The feeling of Twilight’s hooves was not unpleasant at all. On the contrary, she was surprised how much she liked the touch. But she was still embarrassed and, knowing little of how to proceed in friendship, turned into a practical Fluttershy as she retreated to the bathtub.
“Oh, do excuse me, it’s just such a wonderful mark,” Twilight bopped herself on the head and had her tongue sticking out. She quickly recovered to the side of the tub, though, where Fizzlepop settled into the warm water with the sound of water parting for her. “You really are such a wonderful pony. Do tell. Do you like ice cream?”
Fizzlepop sunk until her mouth was just below the surface. The blush on her face was now aided by the heat of the bath. Hot but not so to the point of discomfort. She might have muttered a response but even the bubbles that came up because of it were lost in their kin.
Twilight knew keeping up too much energy and talking might make her into Pinkie Pie but she was determined to make Fizzlepop comfortable. That and also develop some manner of relationship. This was her chance to be close friends with one of the most powerful unicorns beside her pupil, Starlight Glimmer. This unicorn was worlds apart, though. Everything really, but her size for sure.
“What’s it like being tall?”
“Huh?” Fizzlepop rose enough from the water to ask.
“I mean, you are a bit taller than I am,” Twilight made a semi-nervous chuckle. “Not as tall as Celestia for sure, but more than most ponies I know...”
The dark mare started to take on a pouting look and sink back down. Was it a bad thing to be tall? It used to give her an extra sense of superiority over other ponies, but she didn’t care about that now. She just wanted a friend, which this princess was more than eager to do. Maybe she should be more proactive.
“Do you like tall?”
The bluntness of the question from Fizzlepop caused the tables to turn on Twilight.
“Oh,” the purple pony princess stuttered, “I g-guess I do. I mean it looks great on you. I mean, you look great. I mean...gosh it sure has gotten hot in here, hasn’t it?”
Seeing the red face and nervous sweat on Twilight’s face somehow made Fizzlepop smile. Perhaps she just felt more comfortable when she was the one leading the moment rather than the other way around. So she made an offer.
“The heat is at least enjoyable in the water. Come on in,” Fizzlepop reached a forehoof out of the bubbles and touched Twilight’s.
That was all it took for the overwhelmed alicorn to nearly pass out. If Fizzlepop had focused magic, she would have just levitated the mare in, but she had to pull her into the water instead. The splash was enough to send some water onto the floor, but the room was designed to drain overflow.
Now soaked and sitting in the warm bathwater with her previous opponent, Twilight was left speechless and not knowing what to do.
“Yes, Princess,” Fizzlepop smirked. “I do like ice cream and I can make it as well. Berrytwist is my speciality with fizzy rocks on top. Though it is a pain to make sometimes because I have to wear an apron to prevent berry stains.”
This time it was Twilight who was sinking down to hide in the bubbles. “An apron?”
“Yes,” Fizzlepop confirmed and then thought to jest. “A frilly pink apron with hearts on it.”
A long silence before Twilight replied.
…
……
“Hot.”
