Author's Note

Hello everypony! I was able to finish my chapter early so I decided to post it early! I hope you enjoy it!

Velvet Applause

Heat Wave and Sporty sat in one of the booth seats of the restaurant, each stallion was sitting across from each other looking at menus.

“This place has burgers!? That are actually made of meat!” Heat Wave said, Sporty looked up from his menu.

“Yeah, I’ve never tried them though. You’ve tried them?” Sporty said,

“Yep, but I’m sure they won’t be nearly as good as the ones back home.” Heat Wave said. Sporty raised an eyebrow his wings twitching in excitement and anticipation. Sporty had never seen Heat Wave’s home, however, he had met his friends parents. He remembered that when he was a colt him and Heat Wave would hang out, but it was always Heat Wave meeting up at his home. Never the other way around.

Heat Wave never really talked about his home despite the fact that he obviously loved his home. It just didn’t add up, Sporty also knew that Heat Wave was a different type of pony then he was. Ponies weren’t able to eat meat, and unless the pony had gained a tolerance for it….then they we’re in for some serious digestive issues.

“Heat, what is your home like? Where is it?” Sporty said, Heat Wave’s good mood faltered.

“Sport, I told you I’m not supposed to tell you.” He said,

“But—” Sporty tried to argue.

“I’m sorry Sporty, but no. Let’s just enjoy our time together.” Heat Wave interrupted, a few seconds went by as Sporty just looked at his friend. And with each and every passing second Heat Wave grew increasingly nervous as his wings twitched ready to force the stallion to take off. Finally Heat Wave met his breaking point,

“Will you please stop staring at me like that? It’s creepy. You know how much I hate that.” He said.

“Then tell me, I’m your best friend.” Sporty said,

“Just because I’m your best friend, doesn’t mean I’m inclined to tell you everything about me. But, I will tell you something.” Heat Wave said. Sporty smiled as his wings opened halfway out of excitement.

“Really!? Well spill!” He said, causing a few ponies to look at the stallions. Heat Wave put a hoof over the side of his face, as his cheeks turned pink and his flame mane grew bigger and burned brighter.

“Sporty please contain yourself, we’re in public.” Heat Wave muttered, Sporty chuckled sheepishly and calmed himself closing his wings.

“Sorry dude.” He said, but in truth he found Heat Wave’s behaviors and mannerisms completely ironic and hysterical. When him and Heat Wave first met as colts the poor thing had been so shy. And as Heat Wave grew up he learned to defend himself and keep his bashfulness under wraps. He also got used to being in the spotlight and (somewhat) got over being camera-shy. But, whenever he wasn’t racing he would always hate having his picture taken she being in the spotlight.

It was kinda funny in Sporty's opinion and he couldn’t help but wonder more about Heat Wave’s life in his birthplace. Heat Wave let out a sigh of relief as ponies began to look away. His body visibly relaxed along with his wings as they fluttered slightly to relax their muscles.

“Thank you, now as you’ve probably have guessed I’m not like other ponies. You see the thing is, is that I’m a—” Heat Wave said, before he was interrupted by a pony clearing their throat. Both Heat Wave and Sporty looked to see a pony waitress. The waitress was a unicorn and had a light grey coat and a pink and white mane put into a bun, her tail matching her mane. She wore a waitress uniform that had a red vest and a grey skirt that was much too short for Heat Wave’s liking. Sporty craned his head and saw that the waitress had a cutiemark of mini-triangle sandwiches literally being served on a silver platter.

The skinny stallions wings rustled while still closed. The waitress saw this and used her tail to cover her cutiemark. Heat Wave shot a disgusted, annoyed, and embarrassed look at his friend and Sporty merely shrugged with pink cheeks in response. The waitress glared as well at Sporty before clearing her throat and speaking through clenched teeth.

“Welcome to Chez Gourmand, what will you be having today?” She said in an obviously annoyed tone, Heat Wave cleared his throat nervously hoping to Celestia that she didn’t complain to the manager. A pegasi with a flaming mane was hard not to notice in these parts.

“I will have the double cheese, deluxe, bacon bit sandwich with extra mayonnaise.” Heat Wave said,

“I’ll have the deluxe fruit cocktail with extra sugar sprinkled on top. And for the drink I’d like brachetto d’acqui rosso.” Sporty said. The mare wrote down the orders still looking quite miffed.

“Your orders will be along shorty, also you have a guest. A filly came saying she is supposed to meet you two here. She also said she’d be eating from whatever her Heat-sy would be eating. Good day.” The waitress said and as she walked away she muttered something under her breath.

“I swear I’m going to quit today. I’m so sick of these perverted stallions….” The waitress mumbled as she left revealing to Sporty and Heat Wave that his number one fan was their supposed ‘guest’. Sporty’s jaw clenched as his wings opened halfway, his feathers spreading as they twitched aggressively. Heat Wave just looked incredibly stunned as he was trying to figure out how a filly had managed to keep pace with them. The filly suddenly jumped into Heat Wave’s seat and snuggled up against the stallion.

“Hi Heat-sy! I’m so glad I could catch up with you.” The filly said, Heat Wave bit his lip as his the snuggling from the filly was resulting in his left wing being snuggled as well.

“Hey Heat, can I talk with you? Alone.” Sporty said through his clench jaw with an obviously forced smile, Heat Wave chuckled nervously nodding his head.

“Can I come?” The filly said, getting out of the booth seat to make way for Heat Wave.

“No.” Sporty sternly said, shooting the filly the coldest glare he could produce. The filly huffed in response as she watched Heat Wave walk away with Sporty intently.

-X-X-X-

Heat Wave and Sporty had stopped in the nearest colt room and made sure to check for other stallions before talking.

“That’s it, she’s creepy. You need to get a restraining order.” Sporty said,

“I wouldn’t say she’s creepy.” Heat Wave said with a nervous grin. Sporty just glared at his friend before slapping him so hard he left a hoofprint on Heat Wave’s right cheeks. The other stallion yelped rubbing his stinging cheek,

“What the hel—heck was that for!?” Heat Wave said his temper surging slightly before he calmed himself again. But even when he did his mane sparked almost as of begging him to cook Sporty alive.

“Weren’t you the one to say, and I quote: ‘I’m the fastest stallion on the circuit. She can’t outfly me.’?” Sporty said, Heat Wave's mane calmed as the stallion went into thought.

“Well…..yes. But what does that have anything to do with this?” He said,

“Heat Wave, I can’t even keep up with you. Nor do I have your stamina. Not even Love, Valentine, or Cozy Quilted can keep up with you. And we’ve all been training and trying for years. So….pray tell, how can a filly manage to track us down and still have energy!? She should be completely worn out! She shouldn’t have this much stamina or endurance, something is seriously up with her. You need to get that restraining order, and possibly a taser.” Sporty said. The flame-maned stallion chewed on his lip. His friend did make a very valid point,

“Sporty, as much as you would want me to, I can’t get a restraining order on that filly. She adores me, I can’t break her heart like that. But, I will tell her to reign it in a little and try to respect my privacy.” Heat Wave said he then began to walk to the coltsroom door. Sporty felt worry overcome him,

“But dude, what if she….does something.” He said. Heat Wave stopped and turned to his friend his cheeks flushing pink.

“You don’t mean…” He said,

“I’ve heard stories dude, racers, fashion icons, rich ponies, celebrities, etcetera.” Sporty said, Heat Wave’s look hardened.

“She’s a filly.” He said,

“But I’ve heard them get kidnapped, tortured, ra—” Sporty tried to argue,

“She’s a filly!” Heat Wave said his voice raising to a booming tone as his mane and tail turned into a torrent of burning flames. Sporty gasped and took a few steps back, shielding his eyes. Suddenly though the flames died down and Sporty uncovered his eyes to see Heat Wave calming himself again. The stallion took deep breathes while mumbling some sort of chant under his breathe. Once he was done he allowed his wings to stretch out, resounding cracks and pops filling the air.

Heat Wave’s wings then closed gently at his sides, his expression changing to a look of guilt and certainty.

“I apologize for my outburst. But, Sporty, she’s a filly. I am aware she must know these things at her age, but at the most she appears to be a hyperactive, clingy, and needy filly. Nothing more, nothing less. I will be sure to watch for warning signals. But please, let me deal with this my way.” He said, Sporty sighed as he looked at the ground.

“Okay, I just can’t help but worry. Sometimes, I still see you as the bashful little colt you once we’re.” The white pegasus muttered his red cheeks extremely visible through his coat, Heat Wave felt a warm smile cross his lips.

“You really are a good friend, but remember I’ve grown-up and changed just like a certain sissy little colt I remember.” Heat Wave said winking towards Sporty, the white stallion blushed even redder as a good-natured yet embarrassed chuckle escaped his lips.

“Alright, you’ve made your point.” Sporty said, him and Heat Wave then left the coltroom but the white pegasus still couldn’t push away the uneasiness he felt about that filly.

-X-X-X-

When Sporty and Heat Wave got back to their table, they saw there piping hot food was waiting for them. Well….Sporty’s was anyway, the filly had eaten half of Heat Wave’s sandwich and fries that went with it. Heat Wave's mane fizzled slightly as his stomach rumbled, reminding him of his famished he was.

‘Hopefully dessert can fill me up.’ Heat Wave thought drearily, he then sat in his spot and the filly immediately snugged up next to Heat Wave. Much to his discomfort, and to the annoyance of Sporty. Awkward silence rained as the filly simply snuggled further into Heat Wave’s warm form. The stallion scraped his mind for a good conversation starter. He hadn’t talked to a filly since his children had been her age.

And while that hasn’t been too long ago all his children had just graduated collage and his eldest child (that being Boom) was just nearing his twenty-first birthday. So Heat Wave was a bit out of experience, finally the stallion decided to ask the most obvious question first.

“So….what’s your name?” He said,

“My name is Velvet Applause. But you can call me Velvet for short.” Velvet said as she put a hoof on Heat Wave’s flank stroking his cutiemark. The stallion felt his cheeks burn so bright he thought his body might catch fire. His tail and mane burned bright as his wings twitched nervously. Heat Wave suddenly didn’t feel so hungry. Sporty picked up on this,

“So Velvet, where are your parents?” He said through clenched teeth.

“Oh! Well my parents are both working today. And my curfew isn’t until eleven, so I’ll be sticking around with Heat-sy.” Velvet said, Sporty shot his friend a glare. Heat Wave sighed before he looked around seeing if the cost was clear. He then spread out his right wing it over the filling bringing her into a huddle. Sporty heard hushed whispering as he couldn’t easily piece together that Heat Wave was telling the filly to tone it down and not invade his privacy like that. Heat Wave then brought the filly out of the huddle and put his wing against his side.

Velvet held a pouting expression as she crossed her forehooves. Suddenly she flew over Heat Wave landing on the floor by her booth.

“Fine. Seeya next race Heat-sy.” Velvet said, she then trotted away as Sporty watched dumbfounded. Heat Wave took a fry and put it in his mouth and wore a smug grin as he chewed.

“What did you say?” Sporty said, the flame-maned stallion swallowed still holding his smug grin.

“I told you; let me do this my own way. I got this handled.” Heat Wave said, as he began to eat the half of his sandwich that hadn’t been devoured. Sporty simply nodded as he took a sip of his brachetto d’acqui rosso, trying to use the alcohol to calm his growing anxiety.

-X-X-X-

Heat Wave and Sporty both flew from the restaurant full (for the most part). The orange stallion licked his lips, appearing extremely satisfied.

“Was it as good as from back home?” Sporty said,

“Nope, but it was delicious.” Heat Wave said with a yawn. The white stallion yawned as well,

“Well I’m glad you liked it. Now, I’m gonna get going. Be careful, Heat.” Sporty said. He then gave Heat Wave a quick hug before flying away. The orange stallion chuckled as he flew back home, his mane glowing in the might sky.

-X-X-X-

It had took Heat Wave only two minutes to get back home as he landed on the paved, uphill walkway to the castle. The castle was painted a red with a very pale pink (almost white) roof tops. As the stallion lazily trotted up to the entrance of the castle he saw a pink box was waiting at the two front doors. Heat Wave stopped and looked at the box as he saw a ribbon was tied all around the box. The stallion picked it up with his mouth and entered in the password on the security system they had on the castle.

You see, unlike most royals, Cozy Quilted didn’t like having her guards, maids, or chefs work at night. So, she would allow all staff to leave at seven sharp and come at six to seven in the morning. But Cozy Quilted wasn’t stupid she had set up a security system that was connected to every room in the castle especially the royal family. The security system activated at seven and deactivated at six and the only ones who knew the password was the royal family. So no distrustful guards, chefs, or maids could steal from them.

Heat Wave watched as the doors opened inwardly and he walked inside. The stallion the shut the door and waited for a beep sound to be heard, signaling to him that the security system had locked the door once again. Heat Wave then trotted into the kitchen and put the box in the fridge as he already knew it was some sort of pastry. He then walked through the castle, the walls we’re painted a pale, serine blue. White the floor was made of pink and strawberry pink marble.

The hallways in the castle all had a pure white carpet on the floors, and thus they often needed to be cleaned and bleached every week or so. Heat Wave finally reached him and Cozy Quilted’s room and quietly walked in. Cozy Quilted’s room was huge and had magenta colored walls as they we’re covered in framed pictures. Cozy Quilted herself slept peacefully on her bed as she hugged a Heat Wave plushie. It was so badly sewn together that stuffing was seeping from a few cracks in it.

Heat Wave blushed as he had no idea why Cozy Quilted kept that monstrosity of a stuffed pony he had made. He then quietly walked towards the restroom and opened the door. And just as the stallion turned on the shower his mane and tail immediately went out on instinct. Heat Wave let out a sigh as the water warmed up the blistering temperatures. The hot shower was what he needed to loosen his muscles.

Heat Wave then stepped in and reached for the shampoo to give his mane and tail a good scrubbing.

-X-X-X-

Meanwhile back in Heat Wave’s and Cozy Quilted’s room. Velvet somehow fazed through the curtain-draped window of the room. A golden glow then surrounded the filly as she crept into the restroom. She then flew over the shower curtain and stayed in the air as she watched Heat Wave.