"You are surprisingly deft with those fingers," complimented House, her ears turned towards Angel though her body remained facing away. She could feel her mane being worked on, and see it in the reflection of the same mirror Angel and Trash had used. "You took right to how to make pony tails and knots with barely a mistake to be seen. I'm jealous!"

Angel felt her lips turning up, pride swelling at the compliments. "Why pony tail?" The thing she had made in House's mane was surely no tail, though it was on a pony?

"Because it sort of looks like one. We know it isn't really one." She glanced over her shoulder, her head still mostly forward. "And you make them so well. I see you have a mane, a little one." With that she finally turned all the way around, her magic reaching up and flipping up some of the hair that threatened to one day grow enough to cover Angel's eyes. "We should brush that. It's a bit short to do anything too fancy with it, but that's alright."

Angel's eyes crossed to focus on the part of her hair that glowed with House's magic. "Not fancy?"

"We'll make it fancy," assured House as her magic grabbed a comb and a few hairclips. "It's my turn. Sit back and let me work."

"House good groom," she practically purred, relaxing in place, eyes resting on House with trust. "Good pony."

She hadn't grabbed basic black pins, of course. With how much glittering metal hung from Angel, her tastes were clear. Gently combing the mop of hair into proper place, she worked in each new clip, arranging a rainbow across her brow of gems on metal bands that held the hair in place even as they made her all the more lustrous. "Now take a look."

Angel leaned right over House to get a better look at herself, eyes locked on the reflection of her forehead where the new touches rested. "Good groom! Yes, good." She raised her hands, gently feeling over the clips and the hair they were attached to. "Not think of... Good groom!" She had somehow become even more shiny! Were all the ponies of that magical place a source of shinies when treated well? It would behoove her to be on her best behavior...

House stood up, one leg stretching out behind her, kicking lightly. "I must return to my duties now, Angel. You be good and await Gol--Trash's return." She leaned in, whispering conspirationally, "Don't tell Celestia I said that name."

"Not tell." She canted her head at House, not understanding any of the dynamics going on there. "Good pony."

"And you are a good tsuki." She trotted right out of the room, her job complete. Angel was at least proficient with a brush.

This left Angel alone. She settled in place at first. Surely, the prince would be back soon? But minutes ticked on by without a sign of him. There was no food in the room, and nothing to do other than stare at at the shinies she wasn't sure she could actually touch. Sure, some were hanging from her. She felt confident she could touch those at least, and she did just that, running her hands up and down her ears as she admired each attached bit.

But she was getting hungry, and even shinies could only be admired so long in one sitting. She rose and stepped awkwardly to the door. The door was closed, but she knew how a knob worked. She took hold of it and gave it a turn and it turned just like that. Sometimes a door knob would refuse to turn, she knew they could do that. If this one turned, it meant she was allowed to go through it. Easy logic.

With building confidence, she pulled the door open, stepping around it as it swung to pop herself out into the hallway. A guard was there, watching her, but he didn't say anything. She decided that was probably for the best. The guard ponies could put her in a cage, or catch her in a net. The guards were not to be trifled with. She walked past him, trying her best to look calm and collected. She was Trash Prince's friend, her glittering jewels said that, he had assured. He wouldn't bother her, right?

He didn't stop her, she was past him, in a big long hallway that led away from the room. The ceiling was high enough and she was nervous enough, she stopped walking and instead sprang forward, sailing smoothly over the heads of other ponies. Some didn't notice her, but others gaped up at her airborne form. She landed lightly right in front of a well-dressed stallion. "I say..." He looked over her. "You did give me a fright, miss...?"

Angel's ears twitched softly, lifting for just a moment. The pony was talking to her and not screaming. Things were already looking up. "Angel," she provided, pointing at herself, then reaching for the pony. "What name?"

"Fancy," he assured, his horn glowing and gently warding her reaching paw. "Fancy Pants, at your service. Are you a delegate from the tsukis?"

Those sure were some words she couldn't quite assemble into a thought. She decided to forget them and focus on what she wanted. "Food. Fancy know food?"

"Looking for a snack?" He turned in place before reaching out a hoof, catching a passing guard. "Sorry to bother, chap, but I think the lady Angel here would appreciate a guide to the nearest available sitting room with some refreshments."

Angel felt her hairs standing on end. He had invoked a guard! Were shouts coming? But he just nodded at Fancy. "This way," he said calmly and began trotting away.

She gave him a soft thanking pet, and his magic didn't stop her in his moment of distraction. "Good pony."

He gave off the softest little snort. "And a good day to you, miss." With a bit of his own smile, he trotted purposefully down the hallway.

She let him go, instead bouncing behind the guard, letting him get ahead just far enough for a leap to bring her to just behind him once again as if she were hunting him in the least efficient way possible. They had to go down some stairs and through several more halls. She wondered if they had gone the wrong way, but he approached two other guards and opened a door they had been standing in front of. "In here, Miss."

Angel was quick to poke her head in to see a table emitting the most wonderful of scents. There were other ponies there, enjoying the spread of food, each seated properly on a little cushion and looking like they didn't want to be bothered. But who cared about them? Food! "Good pony." She wriggled her way into the room and hurried towards the table.

"Ah ha, so you are what 'Trash Prince' has been talking about." One of the ponies, male, was watching her intently. "I thought he was having a fit of fancy, truth told. Good to see he hasn't taken complete absence of his faculties."

"Blueblood, don't be like that," gently chastised a mare that was sipping from a floating cup of tea. "Hello there. Here for a snack?"

"Yes." She sat down at a place that seemed open. The cushion was large enough even for her larger rump and she settled on it, reaching a big paw towards a plate of glistening brussel sprouts that appeared to be glazed in something. It smelled great, which was all she really focused on. "Hello."

"You may shine on the outside... but the inside is still... rough, I see." Prince Blueblood was appraising her, examining intently as she pulled the entire tray over and began to pop sprouts into her mouth several at a time.

"That is why Princess Celestia said to lend a hoof," reminded the mare.

"I know our little golden boy. He will be cross if we assume he can't do what he's set his heart on, and he didn't ask us to help." He floated over a little hotdog and popped it in his mouth, chewing quietly a moment.

"Trash good pony," added Angel, trying to join the conversation. "Good mate."

The mare's face went a bright red as Blueblood roared with sudden laughter. "Has that boy forgotten that he's... ill-equipped for that?"

Angel blinked softly at him. "He good mate," she firmly corrected, reaching one hand to brush over her ears and then over the dangling chains around her neck. "Look what give. Good mate. Groom."

"I-I suppose that would make him a groom, yes." The mare was looking away, her face still bright red. "How... recently did you two meet? This is the first I've seen you."

"Yes, when did you and Goldie become mates?" prodded Blueblood, watching Angel fixedly.

Angel set down the tray, only to snatch up a pot of something hot but clearly filled with liquid. She put her lips right on its spout and sucked out hot tea. Her tongue reported that it was just as hot as she expected and the next pull was far more gentle, but she was nursing the tea right out of the pot. All the ponies in the room had begun to stare at her.

She could feel their eyes, judging, and not kindly. She lowered the kettle from her face a few inches. "What?"

A stallion from the other side of the table cleared his throat with a raised hoof. "You may as well finish it now... In the future, you really should pour a cup."

The mare from before grabbed another pot in her magic. "Like this." She tipped it, refilling her cup before setting it back where it started. "So we aren't all putting our lips on the same tea pot."

"What are we, earth ponies?" joked Blueblood, getting soft laughter from around the table.

The mare thumped him suddenly, swatting his shoulder with a hoof. "You know Princess Celestia would skin you alive if she heard you crack that joke."

"Just a little joke, between friends." He inclined his head towards Angel. "Were you listening? No more drinking from the pots."

Angel nodded slowly as she looked around. There was a cup just in front of her, next to the plate she wasn't using. She angled her pot and poured out the tea, overflowing a little as she got the timing off. She put the pot down even as she dipped her head and sucked off the top few inches free of the cup without seeming to actually touch her lips to the glass itself.

"At least she... listens," noted the mare with a cocked brow. "You are a curious one... The one other tsuki I met wasn't nearly as... unrefined... But listen to me go on. You're learning, and that's good."

Angel heard the important word. She sat up, looking to the mare. "Angel good pony?"

"Getting better," she held up two hooves close together. "One step at a time. You must tell me, having enjoyed most of them, how are the sprouts? You seemed to quite enjoy them."

Angel tilted her head silently.

A glowing arrow appeared over the abandoned platter, bouncing up and down gently. "Those."

"Oh!" She snatched one and gobbled it right up, chewing thoughtfully a moment. "Good. Very good. How make so good?"

"I didn't make them," demurred the mare. "You'll have to thank the chefs, but I'll be sure to pass on the word if you prefer."

"Where chefs?" What was a chef, for that matter, but she left that question sit.

Blueblood suddenly stood up. "I'm going to cut this off right there. They don't need a large well-meaning rabbit bouncing around the kitchen. You're looking for Trash, aren't you?"

Her attention snapped to Blueblood. "Know where Trash?"

"Yes, and I'll even show you. This way." He turned for the exit. "Enjoy your meals, everypony. We'll talk again later."

"Enjoy your walk," called the mare. Conversation began to slide to other things as the most interesting thing there left.

Author's Note

Angel enjoys a moment on her own and gets to try new food and make new friends. Angel is a happy tsuki for the moment.

What challenges would you like to see her face?

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