Close Combat: The Love Life of Marybelle

Chapters

Chapter One: A Misunderstanding
Chapter Two: Entryway
Chapter Three: Closer
Chapter Four: Pick-me-up
Chapter Five: Recovery
Chapter Six: Knowing and Loving Anyway

Chapter One: A Misunderstanding

Marybelle trotted through the cold cobblestone streets of Ponyville back to her cottage on the South end. She was a Pegasus and had wings, but she didn’t like to fly at night because she couldn’t see that well in the dark and her cottage was only a block over anyway. She has a red coat and a short neon blue mane with a longer flowing tail of the same color. She trotted slowly and cautiously. She thought she heard something behind her earlier, but she couldn’t see anything when she looked back there. She finally makes it home to find a note taped to her door. The note says, “I know you!”

Marybelle spins around and shouts out, “Where are you?”

She waits silently for about 30 seconds before sighing and then fetching her key from her saddlebags and using it with her mouth to unlock her front door and shoving it open with her left forehoof.

She then trots inside when she hears a twig behind her on the road snap. She thinks it’s maybe 4 or 5 feet behind her just to the left and so she quickly turns around and leaps using her wings to guide her in the air and comes down on somewhat smaller and darker pony body striking her left forehoof against it.

Once her strike lands, she’s pretty sure she struck the side of his chin and so she then twists her body to spin with her other forehoof and strike upwards to the other side of his face thinking that she can disorient her enemy using this sort of attack.

The dark figure ducks down to avoid the attack and begins to scurry off.

Marybelle sees this as an opportunity and leaps on the ponylike figure as it tries to get away slamming it face first into the ground. She then drives her right forehoof into what she believes to be the back of it’s head as she screams, “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

The figure could only moan pathetically as Marybelle sees something red over to the right of the now prone body she’s on top of.

She asks the figure, “And what the hay was that? Answer me!” as she slams her left forehoof back in to back of his head driving it into the ground once more.

The figure pants and whimpers and Marybelle suddenly realizes that she can’t keep beating this poor pony into the ground like this. She finally asks in a somewhat lower and more commanding tone, “Again, tell me who you are and what you’re doing here?”

The figure lets out a low whimper and Marybelle just rolls her eyes and gets off of the pony before trotting back towards her door and turning around. She then says, “You know, you really shouldn’t sneak up on a cage fighter? That’s a great way to get hurt!”

The figure then gets up and she can sorta make out that it has dark blue leathery wings and is basically a pony. She sees some distortion around the ears and the figure is the same dark blue color as it’s wings only a little lighter. It stumbles over to the side to try and pick up the red object it dropped to the left during the scuffle and tries to bite it. It fails to get the object on the first try and tries again before finally succeeding. It then slowly trots towards Marybelle with the object in it’s teeth.

Marybelle squints and sees what looks like a disheveled and disarrayed bouquet of roses. She then widens her eyes to stare at the now injured figure standing before her and says, “Wait! Y-you wanted to give me a bouquet of roses?”

The figure then slowly nods it’s head while it’s little pony body still sways just a bit from the beating it just took.

Marybelle just stands there stunned and says, “Gosh! I thought you wanted to attack me or something? Um, hey look! I’m really sorry about beating the snot out of you. Uh, would you like to come inside? I have bandages and first aid stuff in there?”

The lone pony just silently nods his head and Marybelle rolls her eyes again and as she turns to trot inside, says, “The couch is on the left! Sit there! And close the door!”

The pony slowly trots inside, shuts the door slowly with it’s right forehoof, and then sits on it’s haunches on the couch to the left as Marybelle trots to the closet, opens it with her mouth, and then starts to get a white box with a big red cross on it with her teeth and she then trots back to the pony on the couch.

She then gets out some supplies out with her hooves and she says, “Hey you’re a batpony! Like the Luna Guard!”

The pony nods his head.

She then asks the pony, “What’s your name?”

The pony opens it’s mouth and points to it with it’s hoof.

Marybelle then says, “Um, can’t you speak?”

The pony then shakes it’s head.

She then begins to use her mouth to dab ointment on the pony’s now swollen left cheek while saying from behind the ointment with her mouth, “Well there’s no way I’m gonna learn your name by playing 20 questions?”

She saw the batpony. He was dark blue with bluish black hair in a sort of short pompadour hair style with small fangs coming out of the top of his mouth. He also had leathery wings that were a slightly darker shade of blue than the rest of his body and he wore a sort of harness around his chest with two pockets on it. She’s not sure what he keeps in there.

She thinks for a second and then gets an idea! She says, “Okay whatever your name is, wait right here! I got something for you!”

The batpony’s eyes grew wide and she then says, “Don’t worry! It’s not another beating! Yet…”

The batpony looks down as she trots back to the closet and starts digging through the stuff in there with her hooves. She finally says, “Ah! Here it is!” And grabs a small green object with her mouth and takes it back to the batpony. She says to him, “Okay this chalkboard used to be used to keep score between rounds in the announcer’s booth. Thing is, he wanted a bigger one and I took the old one. Look! We can put this string here on it around your neck and now all we need is chalk.”

The batpony shrugs at her and she puts the chalkboard down before saying, “Yeah I got chalk! Just uh, gimme a minute! Funny true story! If I hadn’t beaten the crap out of you earlier, you probably never would’ve made it this far!”

And then Marybelle’s heart flutters as she then says, “W-wait? Why would you be trying to give me roses unless?”

The batpony looks around frantically not knowing what to do when finally he just puts his hooves over his heart and stares at Marybelle with a wide eyed expression.

Marybelle’s mouth gets small as she then considers what this could mean. She then says, “Okay fine! I guess we can have a date? I mean, I did hurt you and so I guess I owe you that much? You’re really lucky I beat you up you know that?”

The batpony can only smile and shrug weakly.

Marybelle then says, “Yeah I don’t fight again for 3 more days and uh, okay you’re a batpony right? Guess that means I gotta meet you in the evening?”

The batpony looks up before shaking it’s head yes.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Well okay! Wait right there! I’ll get you some chalk!” She then trots back to her closet and digs through the stuff with her hooves for several minutes. She then says, “Yeah I know I got chalk in here! It’s just uh, kinda far down! Hang on!”

She finally widens her eyes when she sees a small wooden box towards the end. She then grabs it with her mouth and sets it down in front of the closet before using her mouth to open it and snatching a white piece of chalk out and handing it to the batpony. The batpony then grabs the chalk with it’s mouth before Marybelle says to him, “Okay mystery batpony! First question! What is your name?”

The batpony takes the chalk in it’s mouth and writes out something onto the chalkboard. It then shows it to Marybelle and it says, “Guyrin”

Marybelle frowns and says, “Oh! You’re a batpony so of course you have a weird name! Okay I’m calling you Guy from here on out!”

Guyrin smiles and nods his head slowly.

Marybelle looks at the injured batpony’s head and says, “Well it’s a gnarly bruise, but I don’t think you’re gonna need a bandage? Just uh, avoid getting hoofed in the face over the next couple of days okay?”

Guyrin nods his head and smiles.

Marybelle then trots over to the other side of the couch and sits down and asks the batpony, “Okay so you had roses. I guess that means you wanted a date? Um, why?”

Guyrin then jots down on the chalkboard with his mouth. A minute later, Marybelle reads on the chalkboard, “Pretty! Seen you fight! Wanted to know!”

Marybelle frowns again and says, “Wait, you wanted to know me?”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

Marybelle then asks him, “Why in Equestria would you want to be with me?”

Guyrin just points to his heart with his right forehoof and looks at Marybelle with a serious expression.

Marybelle frowns and says, “That’s probably the best answer I’m gonna get? Okay fine! Get out of here now and meet me here at my cottage at 7 tomorrow. I’ll go wherever you want and we’ll have a “date” or whatever!”

Guyrin then has a concerned expression on his face as he jots down another message. “Why mad?” The chalkboard says held up in his hooves.

Marybelle then has an irritated expression on her face as she says, “I’m not mad!” She then breaths for a few seconds and then says, “Okay you wanna know the truth?” She says as she leans back on the couch.

Guyrin shakes his head yes.

She sighs and continues, “I’ve been hurt a few times and I just don’t know if I really want to open myself up to anypony like that… Why do you like me again? I mean, me? What’s wrong with you?”

Guyrin then makes a peculiar on and off screeching noise as his mouth smiles and he rocks back and forth. Marybelle can only assume that’s a batpony laugh. He then picks the chalk up off the floor again with his mouth and starts to jot down a message. He presents it to her with his forehooves and it says, “U pretty and kind”.

Marybelle scrunches her mouth and says, “Okay well, just because I gave you first aid doesn’t mean I’m nice! I mean, I did kick your flanks after all?”

Guyrin smiles and points his right forehoof at her heart and looks at her and smiles.

Marybelle narrows her eyes and says, “Seriously! Get out of here before I beat you up again!”

Guyrin then makes the weird screeching noise again as he takes off the chalkboard and puts it on the couch. He then slowly gets off the couch and trots towards the door. He looks back at Marybelle hopefully.

Marybelle then sights and says, “Yes Guyrin! I will still go out with you if you show up here at 7 tomorrow night! Uh, should I eat first or?”

Guyrin then looks up and then at Marybelle before shaking his head yes.

Marybelle then says, “Okay so whatever you have in mind, it’s not a dinner date! Now get out of here!”

She can hear the batpony making that same screeching noise very lowly as he leaves the cottage. This only irritates the Pegasus mare even more.

Since she’s already eaten dinner, Marybelle decides to read a book for an hour or so until bedtime. She then curls up on her big blue squishy mattress in her room and peacefully falls to sleep.

The next day is pretty uneventful. She feeds her cat and eats breakfast and lives her life normally. Guyrin did cross her mind a couple of times, but by this point, she was sure she had scared the poor little batpony off and that he wouldn’t show up.

Eventually, the evening comes on a nice fall day and she hears a hoof knocking at her door. She looks at the clock and it says 6:58. She then says, “Wow! He did show up!” before trotting over to the door, getting on her haunches, and using her left forehoof to open it.

She sees Guyrin there again with his sleek dark blue hair and holding another bouquet of roses in his teeth. She says, “Oh hey! Flowers! A lot like the ones I destroyed earlier!”

Guyrin smiles and nods his head yes.

Marybelle sighs and says, “Okay well since I don’t want to be limited to yes or no questions for the night, I guess I’ll just give you the chalkboard! Well, it’s not like I was doing anything with it?”

She then trots over to the closet while Guyrin slowly trots in with the flowers in his mouth. She opens the closet with her mouth and then stands on her haunches to fetch the chalkboard and piece of chalk from the top shelf where she left it yesterday and then puts it in his mouth as she walks back to Guyrin.

Guyrin looks over and drops the flowers on the table to his right before getting on his haunches and grabs the chalkboard with his forehooves and puts it around his neck and grabs the chalk and uses his mouth and right forehoof to put it in the top pocket of his harness.

Marybelle said, “Well I guess that’s a good place for it? So where are we going?”

Guyrin just smiles and walks toward the door and opens it with his mouth and points outside with his right forehoof.

Marybelle then says, “Okay I guess it’s a surprise?”

Guyrin nods his head yes and starts trotting outside. Marybelle sighs and reluctantly fetches her saddlebags and then steps outside before shutting her door on her haunches with her forehoof and then fetching the key from her saddlebags with her mouth and turning it in the knob to lock it. She then puts the key back in her saddlebags before trotting towards Guyrin.

Marybelle says to Guyrin, “I don’t like to fly at night… So where are we trotting to batpony?”

Guyrin points North towards the market square and begins to trot that way. Marybelle just follows him and says, “I hate walking in the dark!”

Guyrin slows down to let her catch up to him on his right and he looks over at her.

Marybelle sees this and says, “Still don’t know why you want me?”

Guyrin looks back and smiles and Marybelle can faintly make this out before saying, “We’re going on a date and you’re actually happy about that?”

Guyrin nods his head.

This only irritates Marybelle more when she says, “I was really close to just saying, forget about love you know that? I mean, I kept getting hurt… Don’t know why this will be any different?”

Guyrin stops in his tracks and turns to face Marybelle.

Marybelle looks at him startled and says, “Oh crap! I said too much didn’t I?”

Guyrin gets just a little bit closer to her and points his right forehoof at her heart and then at his heart. Marybelle rolls her eyes and says, “Fine! We’ll go to the mystery place together!”

Guyrin then looks down sullenly before looking back at her and nodding his head. Then he trots further North and Marybelle follows him when she sees one place still open coming up on their right. She sees it’s a coffee shop.

Guyrin trots up to the patio with Marybelle in tow and he then goes to a table and uses his head and teeth to pull out a chair and then motioning towards it with his right forehoof.

Marybelle then says, “Well obviously you want me to sit there.” before trotting over and sitting down at the chair on the patio.

Guyrin then trots around the table, pulls out his own chair, and sits down before smiling at Marybelle.

Marybelle then says, “So tell me again why we’re here?”

Guyrin writes on the chalkboard, “I like coffee good place”.

Just then, a dark pink unicorn waitress trots over to the table and says, “Oh hello Guyrin! Your usual?”

Guyrin just smiles and nods before pointing at Marybelle with his right forehoof.

Marybelle just says, “Well what would you recommend?”

The unicorn smiles and says, “Well I’d recommend the triple amaretto cappuccino! It’s really good!”

Marybelle then says, “Okay fine! Bring me one of those!”

The waitress uses her magic to jot a couple of things on her pad before saying, “Alright! Two triple amaretto cappuccinos coming up!”

Marybelle then looks at Guyrin and says, “So you like the house special?”

Guyrin smiles and nods his head yes.

Marybelle frowns and says, “So why do you wanna date me again?”

Guyrin writes on the chalkboard. “Pretty and kind” it says.

Marybelle then says, “You keep saying I’m nice, but I only patched you up after hurting you? How’s the chin by the way?”

Guyrin writes on the chalkboard, “Better thanks!” it says.

Marybelle says, “Okay but, why do you think I’m nice?”

Guyrin writes on the chalkboard, “Saw you at park with old lady” it says.

Marybelle then has an irritated expression on her face as she says, “That’s my Aunt Shale! She was a friend of my mother’s, well before the accident… I still talk to her all the time, but what are you doing spying on me?” She then hits both of her forehooves against the table. The patio is vacant except for them and so nopony notices.

Guyrin then frantically writes on the chalkboard, “Wasn’t spying. Saw you there.”

Marybelle then flares her nostrils before saying, “Okay but you’re still not off the hook mister!”

The batpony just hits both of his forehooves to his heart and pretends to be hurt.

Marybelle snarls and says, “Being cute won’t save you when I whip your flanks again later!”

Guyrin just does his weird batpony chuckle as the waitress returns while carrying a tray with two large coffees on it. She then uses her magic to set the tray down on the table before giving each pony a coffee. She then levitates the tray back up and says, “Enjoy!” as she trots off while carrying it away.

Guyrin then happily grabs his coffee in his forehooves and begins to slurp down some of it.

Marybelle then stares at her coffee.

Guyrin then sets his coffee down, picks up the chalk with his teeth, and writes on the chalkboard, “TRY! GOOD!”

Marybelle then grimaces as she picks the coffee up with her forehooves and tries it… It’s surprisingly tasty and explodes with amaretto flavor in her mouth! She then sets it back down and says, “I never really drank much coffee before? But this is actually pretty tasty!”

She notices Guyrin look off to the side for a moment before he motions to the sky on his left. (Her right) She stares out there and says, “What am I looking for?”

Guyrin then writes down another message. “Wait for it!” says the chalkboard.

Marybelle sighs and then moves to take another sip of her coffee with her forehooves when suddenly, she hears a loud explosion coming from out in the sky where Guyrin had just pointed. She sets down her coffee and stares on in wide eyed amazement as fireworks of many different colors explode out there. She saw cascading colors and shapes of green, blue, red, yellow, and orange and the explosions made beautiful shapes in the sky. The fireworks show lasts for a good 5 or 6 minutes as different shapes and colors explode in the sky.

Marybelle then looks astonished at the smiling batpony right in front of her. She finally says, “Y-you had a fireworks show just for me? How?”

Guyrin then scribbles on the chalkboard, “I know people!”

Marybelle then has an expression between a frown and a grimace. Her mouth is both scrunched and curved somewhat down and her eyes are wide. She then says, “W-wow! Nopony has ever really done anything like that for me?”

Guyrin then scribbles on the chalkboard and it says, “I (heart) U!”

Marybelle frowns again and says, “You’re insane!”

Guyrin then moves closer to her face and for some reason, Marybelle doesn’t feel much like punching him in the face anymore… The tip of his snout eventually touches hers and she feels her heart begin to flutter and race. She then feels the heat of his breath on her face as he nuzzles her and she feels him press his lips against hers slowly as he kisses her deeply.

Her eyes grow wide and she stares to see his are closed in a passionate kiss. The feelings that suddenly swell inside her only annoy her as she feels her resistance to this onslaught of romance disintegrating.

He finally pulls back and stares at her smiling…

Marybelle then says to Guyrin, “Y-you! You’re a dick you know that?”

Guyrin then has a shocked expression on his face as Marybelle continues, “Doing that big display just for me and making my heart flutter like that! And then actually kissing me! Bucking kissing me! You’re a dick!”

Guyrin has a confused look on his face as Marybelle fumes on her haunches in the chair. She finally says, “You’re a dick and I kinda wanna kiss you again! Get over here butthole!”

Guyrin then freezes in his chair as Marybelle stares and says, “What’s the matter? Don’t have the guts to do that twice?”

Guyrin then shakes his head and leans forward to kiss her again while opening his forelegs for an embrace.

Marybelle decides to try it again closing her eyes this time as she feels his breath on her face once again followed by his lips against hers. She soon feels his forelegs wrapped around her tight muscular body. The loving embrace lasts for awhile before Guyrin returns to his seat and his haunches and Marybelle slowly opens her eyes…

She finally says, “I can’t believe I just did that! And after all this time? You come out of nowhere, a batpony no less, and you actually want to be my coltfriend?”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

She frowns before saying, “Okay fine! I’ll be your "marefriend" or whatever, but I reserve the right to buck you up!”

Guyrin then jots on his chalkboard, “You wouldn’t!”

She closes her eyes for maybe a second and opens them before saying, “I don’t think you wanna test that Guy!”

Guyrin then does his weird batpony laugh again before taking another sip of coffee.

He motions to Marybelle’s coffee and she then looks at it and finally takes a couple of hearty swigs. She then says, “This is actually really good! I don’t usually travel out to this part of town?”

Guyrin smiles and nods before staring into her eyes.

She then says, “You really are sweet on me aren’t you? I mean, me? A fighter in the Ponyville MMA underground?” Guyrin’s eyes narrow as she continues, “You really are a butthole you know that?”

He giggles as she finishes up her coffee. Guyrin sees that she’s drinking again and does the same. She then gets off her seat and says, “Okay! Time for me to head back!”

Guyrin looks at her and scribbles, “I walk U home?”

Marybelle frowns and says, “Well I don’t exactly have any problems taking care of myself, but…” Her eyes narrow, “Okay fine! I’ll take the romantic walk home with you or whatever! Bleh!”

She looks at Guyrin’s confused expression and she finally sighs and says, “Okay it’s been years alright? I’ve had to focus on me and my fighting all this time and well, I never really had a special somepony in mind and here you come? Uh, to think all of this would probably have been avoided had I not beaten you up earlier? Kinda funny since all the training made me able to do that?”

Guyrin continues to annoy Marybelle with his funky laugh as he gets off his seat, fetches two bits from his lower pocket to tip the waitress, and trots over to her and nods towards her house in the distance.

Marybelle then asks him, “Aren’t you going to pay for the coffee we just drank?”

Guyrin then scribbles out, “TAB” on his chalkboard and shows it to the Pegasus.

Marybelle then frowns and says, “Oh! You have a tab! Of course!” Before getting off her seat and trotting towards the batpony.

The batpony begins to trot with Marybelle and she then says, “Well since we’re trotting and you can’t write, I guess that means I’m limited to yes or no questions? But before we get further away from the downtown lights, I just gotta know! How long have you had a thing for me anyway?”

Guyrin stops and then jots on his chalkboard, “3 months”.

Marybelle then begins trotting towards her house again and Guyrin follows as she then says, “We’re gonna have to go slow Guy… I haven’t done this in awhile!”

Marybelle notices that Guyrin is beginning to trot a bit closer to her and he then looks at her and she’s pretty sure she can make out a smile on his face.

Marybelle then says, “I still think you’re nuts!”

Guyrin then trots even closer to Marybelle and she resists the impulse to hook hoof him across the face as she feels his warm breath on her cheek and he nuzzles her.

Marybelle then whispers the word, “Dick!” under her breath.

Guyrin then begins to move his lips onto hers and kisses her in the street. She feels her knees begin to weaken before she regains composure.

Guyrin then pulls back and stares at her. She then says, “Why did you do that?”

Guyrin can only shrug and then begins to scrawl something on the chalkboard. He presents it to Marybelle on his haunches, but she can only squint and say, “I’m sorry Guy! I don't think I can make that out?”

He then gets back on all fours and looks down.

Marybelle then gets closer to him and he feels her breath on his face as she then says, “Hey! I like you too…” And she smiles at the little batpony.

She thinks she sees him smile back as she sighs and says, “I still think you’re a butthole! Doing all those things for me and making me kiss you like that!”

She then hears him giggle as she sees her front porchlight out of nowhere next to the dark outlines of what she’s pretty sure is the grove near her house.

They both finally trot to her light and she turns to face him and says, “Well look Guy, I uh, really had a good time with you… Um, did you enjoy yourself too?”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

She then looks at Guyrin coyly and says, “Well?”

Guyrin knows this signal and gets close to Marybelle and nuzzles her before one final passionate kiss. Marybelle’s eyes are closed and she finds herself enjoying this again, perhaps a bit too much. She actually considers opening her mouth this time, but decides not too just yet.

They kiss like this for a bit before breaking and Marybelle says, “Well I guess this is goodbye for now Guy?”

Guy then has a shocked expression on his face and he begins to scrawl, “Again?”

Marybelle actually giggles as she says, “You just can’t get enough of that can you?” And then she moves in and kisses Guyrin one more time as the batpony has a startled expression as his eyes begin to grow more shut.

They then break and Guyrin then takes a breath and scrawls on the chalkboard, “No, I meant another date” and presents it to Marybelle.

Marybelle then looks astonished as she says, “Oh! You wanna go out with me again? Well I guess you also had a good time? Uh, tomorrow evening is right out because I got that thing and I have to fight two nights after that, but the evening after tomorrow is open? Uh, seven sound good to you Guy?”

Guyrin nods his head yes and smiles. Then he turns around, spreads his leathery bat like wings, and takes off to fly away in the distance towards the West. Marybelle then shakes her head before using her mouth to fetch the key from her saddlebags and uses it to unlock the door all with her mouth. She then kicks the door open once more and walks inside before putting the key back in her bag and using the same forehoof to close it.

Marybelle goes back to her bed and can’t really decide what to think of the events of tonight before she slowly drifts off to sleep on her blue mattress once more.

Chapter Two: Entryway

Marybelle hears a knock as she’s sitting on her couch. “Hang on!” She calls. Looking over to her clock, it is 6:58. She thinks to herself, “Well he was just a little early last time as well.”

She opens her front door to see a smiling blue batpony there in a short pompadour.

Greeting him, she says “Oh! My favorite butthole! Come in! I need to have a chat with you…”

Guyrin’s eyes widen just a little bit as he trots in, holding roses in his mouth.

Marybelle says, “Set the flowers down on the table over there and sit down on the couch across from it. I don’t know what you have planned for tonight, but it needs to wait a few minutes...”

Guyrin trots in and sets the flowers down, then calmly goes over to the couch on the other end of the room. Marybelle sits next to him before saying, “Okay look… I don’t really like to talk about it, but I got hurt pretty bad a few years ago and I really need to take it slow okay?”

Guyrin smiles and nods his head.

Marybelle continues, “Okay I’m glad you understand!”

But as soon as she finishes, Guyrin’s lips are firmly planted on hers. Her eyes widen as she resists the urge to uppercut him and smash his face in with a hammer blow. She can’t help but notice at that point that her knees are also beginning to weaken…

She draws back and she gets up and says, “You kissed me!”

He smiles and nods before going in for another soft sensual kiss.

She’s ready for it this time and maintains herself a bit better as the batpony embraces her in a loving hug while they’re kissing. He then draws back and gasps for air before he starts sensually licking and kissing down her neck. Marybelle is surprised by this, and yet all she can do is freeze as the batpony starts to kiss down her chest and goes lower to her stomach. And then suddenly without warning, she feels his snout against her opening…

Her eyes are as wide as saucers as she slinks back into the sofa and moves her rear end closer to his face while widening her hind legs as she feels his tongue then penetrate the opening of her lips. It begins to lick the lower sections before focusing more on the clitoris at the top and then she feels him as he begins to suck on her nub…

Guyrin eats her out for about 45 minutes and she enjoys herself very thoroughly.

She leans all the way back on the sofa as he gets out from between her legs and crawls up to kiss her. She can still taste herself on his breath when suddenly, she shoves him back, and violently smacks him across his chest hard while saying, “Pervert! You ate me out!”

Guyrin smiles and shrugs his shoulders.

Marybelle stares at him and says, “I just tell you I need to take it slow and you immediately eat me out… Are you insane little batpony? Do you perhaps want me to kick your flanks again?”

Guyrin reaches on his back with his forehooves and pulls off the chalkboard and gets the chalk out of his pocket with his mouth before scrawling down, “U didn’t complain!” on the chalkboard and showing it to Marybelle.

Marybelle squints before saying, “Dammit Guy! The more I think about you, the more I like you… And that only pisses me off even more!”

Guyrin smiles broadly at Marybelle and this only makes the Pegasus seethe with rage as she shoves him off her and yells, “Why did you eat me out?”

Guyrin immediately goes back to his hooves on the floor and shields his face with his left forehoof and shakes when Marybelle suddenly stops…

She takes a deep breath and says, “Guyrin! Do you actually think I’m going to hurt you again?”

Guyrin slowly lowers his left forehoof and solemnly shakes his head yes before looking down.

Marybelle frowns before asking Guyrin, “But…you’re still here? Why?”

Guyrin then puts his right forehoof over his heart and nods with a blank expression on his face.

Marybelle looks down and takes a deep breath again before looking at Guyrin and saying, “Look! I’m really sorry about what I did to you two days ago and uh…”

She trots over to Guyrin and hugs him while whispering softly in his ear, “I’m not going to hurt you anymore Guyrin… You’re safe with me! I promise okay?”

Guyrin smiles dimly and nods his head while in her embrace. She pulls back to all fours and says, “Okay and now I need to ask you… Why did you eat me out?”

Guyrin jots on the chalkboard, “I love U want please”.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Well I came 4 times and so I’d say you definitely achieved your goal… But you’re not getting off the hook that easy mister!”

Guyrin then stares at Marybelle wide eyed as she kisses him passionately and then whispers in his ear, “This isn’t over…”

She pulls back and Guyrin stares at her for a few seconds before scrawling, “What U mean?” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle smiles and says, “Oh you’re not the only one with plans little batpony! But that’s for later! Where are we going?”

Guyrin starts and then scrawls, “Dinner!” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle says, “Oh okay! Lemme guess! You know places open all night, right?”

Guyrin smiles and nods before trotting towards the door and motioning with his right forehoof for Marybelle to do the same.

She trots outside with Guyrin behind her before he shuts the door and then starts trotting towards the West when he stops and looks back at her.

Marybelle is sure she knows what this signal means and she trots up next to Guyrin before they both trot at a brisk pace to the West in the Southern area of Ponyville.

Guyrin stares at Marybelle and smiles at her as she stares back at this confusing little blue creature of the night.

Marybelle says, “I still don’t know what it is about me you like nor am I sure why I’m actually following you and going through with this?”

Guyrin stops trotting and Marybelle does the same. He then looks at her with a serious expression in his eyes and taps his right forehoof to Marybelle’s heart.

Marybelle looks down and breaths before looking up at Guyrin and saying, “Yeah I know I like you! I just…” She then looks down as the batpony stares on with an expression on his face that she can only barely just make out. She finally says, “I’m scared okay! There! I finally admitted it! Guess I’m not such a big tough MMA fighter after all?”

Guyrin smiles, then hugs her tightly. She feels the warmth of his body as the comforting embrace envelopes her. She is comforted like this for a few glorious minutes before Guyrin begins to lick her ear.

Marybelle then shoves Guyrin off her and says, “Oh no you little hornball! Not here! Not now!”

Guyrin smiles and shrugs as he tilts his head to the right.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Okay ground rule number one! If you wanna comfort me, that’s fine! But let it be understood that that has nothing to do with sex okay?”

Guyrin looks up before nodding at Marybelle.

Marybelle continues, “Alright! Awesome! Now before I go marching off to my doom at the mystery place, I just need to say one more thing…” The batpony looks at Marybelle with open eyes as she says, “I never wanted to have sexual relations with you! And while I’m sure that’s just the heat of the moment or whatever, I think we need to take it a bit slower from here on out okay?”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

Marybelle then says, “Okay! Glad we understand each other! Rule number 2! We don’t do anything sexual again until I clearly tell you that I’m ready okay?”

Guyrin smiles and nods his head again.

Marybelle says, “Excellent! Now that that’s out of the way, let’s go!”

Guyrin looks down before turning around. He slowly begins to trot to the West again as Marybelle follows and mutters to herself.

They’re trotting across the empty Market Square in the Southern area of town when Marybelle sees a light in the distance on the other block across the street. She then asks Guyrin, “Is that where we’re going?”

Guyrin looks at her as they trot, smiles, and nods.

Marybelle says, “Well after what we did earlier, it’s probably a little after 8 now. I hope they don’t close soon.”

Guyrin shakes his head no.

Marybelle trots towards the light with Guyrin and mutters to herself, “Oh of course! They’re probably open all night knowing my coltfriend!”

Guyrin smiles at Marybelle before making that peculiar screeching noise at a low volume and looks forward as he continues to trot beside her.

They walk up to the patio of the restaurant. Marybelle knows she’s seen this place before but can’t recall ever seeing them open. Guyrin walks up to a table and pulls out a chair with his teeth and then nods at it and smiles.

Marybelle then says, “And you’re also a perfect gentlepony! Of course!” As she trots up to the chair and sits down.

Guyrin trots around the table, pulls out his own chair with his teeth, and sits down before smiling at Marybelle.

Marybelle looks at Guyrin carefully before saying to him, “You really love and care for me, don’t you? And for some reason, this seems to piss me off…”

Guyrin looks down before back up at Marybelle and silently nods.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Until two days ago, we never even met. And yet, I beat you up and here we are!”

Guyrin smiles before jotting down, “I know U and wanted 2 know more!”

Marybelle then says, “All you know is what you’ve seen of me in the ring little batpony. You don’t really know me!”

Guyrin then scrawls out, “I read UR bio?”

Suddenly, Marybelle has a shocked expression on her face before she says, “R-really? Only 11 copies of my biography were ever sold!”

Guyrin writes out, “U interesting!” and smiles at her.

Marybelle looks down and says, “Well the rest of Equestria didn’t seem to think so?”

At this point, she notices that they are not alone. A light blue Pegasus with a yellow mane and tail is standing at their booth now and she asks him, “Can we help you?”

The Pegasus smiles and says, “Oh I’m Tim! I’ll be your waiter for this evening! And what would the lovely couple like to drink?”

Marybelle then says, “Uh, berry juice please! Guy? What would you like?”

Guy scrawls out, “Black coffee!” on his chalkboard.

Tim smiles, “Thank you! Your menus are in the center of the table!” and then trots off.

At this point, Marybelle suddenly notices that there are indeed small menus at the center of the table. She collects one with her forehooves shortly before Guyrin does the same and looks at it. After a few minutes, she decides on hay cakes as Guyrin can’t stop staring at something on his menu.

The waiter eventually trots back to them on Marybelle’s side while balancing a tray with a clear cup of red juice and a cup with black coffee in it on his snout and then lays it down on the table before standing on his haunches and using his forehooves to fetch everypony’s drink and get it to them. He finally says, “Is the lovely couple ready to order?”

Marybelle looks up and says, “Uh, yes I’ll have the hay cakes please!”

Tim says, “Excellent choice! And would you like your usual Guyrin?”

Guyrin puts his menu down and points with his hoof to the apple and orange plate there.

Tim sees this before saying, “Ah! You wish to try the apple and orange plate tonight instead!” Guyrin happily nods his head and smiles as he continues, “Excellent choice sir!” And then trots off.

Marybelle finally looks at the batpony again and asks him, “Okay Guy, I have to know the truth right here and now… What do you see in me?”

Guyrin scrawls down on his chalkboard for a few minutes and shows it to her. It says, “Wanted interesting companion! U pretty and sweet!”

Marybelle frowns and says, “Well I got my cutie mark earlier and enrolled in martial arts classes because of it. Later when I got good at it, I was accepted in the Royal Fighting Academy and then fought as an MMA fighter for a few years… And now I’m dating a batpony!”

Guyrin smiles at his date as she stares on. She then asks him, “It must get lonely all by yourself at night?”

Guyrin solemnly nods his head.

“So you wanted to find an interesting companion and you chose me? Was that before or after reading my bio?”

Guyrin the scribbles on the chalkboard, “After.”

Marybelle narrows her eyes and asks him, “What was it about my bio that caught your attention?”

Guyrin scrawls down, “Pretty strong brave. Wanted tough pony!”

Marybelle says, “You realize I’m not the only female MMA fighter ever to enter the ring though? So I ask you again, why me?”

Guyrin looks down for a few seconds before writing, “Wanted 2 help U” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle scrunches her nose and pauses before saying, “What do you mean, help me?”

Guyrin stares down and then up before scrawling out, “U been alone 4 awhile”.

Marybelle stares at the batpony while squinting her eyes and says, “So? What business is that of yours?”

Guyrin stares at her shocked before his face begins to visibly loosen and he then scrawls, “We don’t need 2 B alone” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle has a wide-eyed expression as she then says, “Just because we’re both single is not a good reason to get together!”

Guyrin jots down, “I know! But I chose U!”

Marybelle scrunches her nose and frowns before asking Guyrin one more time, “Okay so if you know me being single isn’t a reason to hook up, that would mean you have another reason for wanting to be with me…”

Guyrin scrawls out, “U pretty!”

Marybelle says to Guyrin, “I still don’t think that’s the only reason…”

Guyrin looks down and sighs again. He stares blankly into space before Marybelle finally asks him, “Guy? What are you doing? Weren’t we just having a conversation?”

Guyrin looks at Marybelle carefully before getting off his chair, trotting over to her, and then moving his face closer to hers.

Marybelle asks him, “What are you doing Guy?”

Guyrin tilts his forehead to touch Marybelle’s before she sees an explosion of realization in her mind’s eye. She then immediately understood everything the batpony was doing. She knew that every batpony has powers and that this was his. She knew it hurt him to use it and that he could only do it for maybe a few seconds every few days. She also knew that Guyrin’s father had died 5 years ago and that he lived alone on the West side of town where he worked as a grave digger.

These facts however were not nearly as interesting as what Guyrin then thought about batpony mating procedures. She then knew that when he pleased her, he was extending a contract of courtship to her. She also knew that if and when she pleased him, she would be accepting. And she also instantly knew that she also had the option of sending him away.

All these thoughts flooded Marybelle’s mind in the space of about 6 seconds before Guyrin moved his forehead away and only then could she breath again.

She stares at Guyrin with a furrow in her eyebrows and says, “Butthole! You knew when you did what you did that we’d have to be together after that!”

Guyrin is panting on the table by this point as she stares at him wide eyed and says, “And uh, you just hurt yourself doing that! Be careful!” Marybelle then breathed for a bit more before saying, “And now we have a contract…”

Guyrin then puts his forehooves on the table to bring himself back on his haunches at the chair before slowly picking the chalk up with his mouth and writing out on his chalkboard around his neck, “U can send me away?”

Marybelle then says, “Well I do have that option from what your thoughts just told me? Okay fine! I guess you get a pass this time!” as she then stares at the table and huffs.

They suddenly both become aware of the blue Pegasus currently balancing a tray of food on his snout standing right next to the table. He then gets everypony their food while saying, “You two were having such an interesting conversation that I really didn’t want to interrupt!” He then gets the tray back on his snout with his forehooves and trots off while saying, “Enjoy!”

Guyrin then stares at his fruit plate and begins to hiss as his wings come out of the sides of his body before he stops, stares at Marybelle, and then quietly picks up an apple with his forehooves and begins to calmly munch on it.

Marybelle smiles and says, “I heard you batponies have a ravenous appetite for fruit, but until I saw that, I didn’t know if it was true or not.”

Guyrin stares at the table before grabbing his chalkboard and writing, “I control it well!”

Marybelle says, “Well I don’t think viciously attacking every fruit in sight is normally considered polite behavior for a pony no?”

Guyrin smiles, shakes his head no, and then raises his right forehoof.

Marybelle says, “But you control it?”

Guyrin nods yes. He then looks up and writes on his chalkboard, “Why U call me butthole?”

Marybelle giggles and says, “Well like I told you, I was ready to give up on love. And then you started doing all of these romantic things and that only annoyed the piss out of me! Hence the title “butthole” now belongs to you!”

Guyrin squints at Marybelle as she says, “What? It’s a cute nickname butthole! Wear it with pride!” She looks down before finally getting one of her hay cakes with her forehooves and calmly eating it as Guyrin then grabs an orange with his forehooves and does the same.

They eat like this for a few minutes before Marybelle grabs her glass, takes a big gulp, and sets it down before asking Guyrin, “Even your thoughts weren’t enough to tell me why you love me though?”

Guyrin writes out, “They can’t!” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle says to Guyrin, “Well if your thoughts can’t do it, why do you love me Guy?”

Guyrin sighs again, gets off his chair, trots over to Marybelle, moves his face close to hers while looking directly into her eyes with his yellow slits, nuzzles her softly, and kisses her.

Once again, there’s an explosion of realization in Marybelle’s mind, but she knows this is no batpony power. She can feel the passion, fiery and vibrant burning within her. She moves her forehooves around the small blue night creature as he passionately kisses her lips. She then finally understood that there are some things words cannot express.

Guyrin pulls back in her loving embrace and smiles at Marybelle.

Marybelle takes a couple of breaths and says, “I love you Guyrin… I’m not sure why, but I love you… Although I still think you’re a butthole!”

Guyrin does the weird batpony laugh again before Marybelle continues, “That freaky batpony power couldn’t do it, and yet this kiss did? Uh…” She begins to tear up as Guyrin stares at her wide eyed. She takes another breath and says, “I’m sorry Guy… It’s just been so long…”

Guyrin then leans back over and hugs the Pegasus as she sheds a few more tears and says, “Is this real? You really love me Guyrin?”

Guyrin moves his face to hers and nuzzles her before nodding yes and smiling.

Marybelle rests her head on the shoulder of this sweet little blue fruit sucker as he holds her tightly. For just a few minutes, Marybelle felt at peace and like she didn’t need to be vigilant and protect herself. For just a little while, she felt safe and secure in her new lover’s hooves.

Guyrin lets Marybelle go and goes back to all fours and stares at Marybelle directly in her eyes. She can see that at this point, it doesn’t really matter. The batpony has chosen her and she is what he wants. Also, at that point, her eyes begin to water up and the batpony stares at her wide eyed once more as he pats her head with his right forehoof and makes odd chirping noises.

Marybelle sobs out, “I’ve…been…alone….and now you?” before looking over at the night pony.

Guyrin embraces the Pegasus in a loving hug while nuzzling her neck and she eventually calms down…

Marybelle whispers to the batpony, “Okay Guyrin… I’ll give you a chance now… And yes I’m starting to like you too…”

Guyrin moves his right forehoof from her shoulder to just under her chin and uses it to raise her to face him before kissing her softly and passionately.

Marybelle decides to let him in this time and opens her mouth to invite in his forked batpony tongue. As he enters her mouth, she feels excited once again about being with the batpony and she can’t for the life of her figure out why.

They break their kiss and stare deeply into each other’s eyes. She sees nothing but love and acceptance in the narrow black slits of this night pony’s eyes. She smiles and says, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I love you Guyrin… I finally get it now!”

The batpony then squeals with what Marybelle can only assume is delight as he then hugs her tightly and rests his head on her shoulder while embracing her. She can’t see Guyrin, but he’s smiling at this point.

They finally break their embrace and Marybelle says to Guyrin, “I guess we really should finish our food? I mean, we’ve been talking this whole time…”

Guyrin looks up with a start and then down at his plate before happily grabbing an apple and munching down on it.

As Marybelle stares on, she suddenly realized that she made a batpony forget about fruit for a short period of time. She then starts to realize that maybe she does have something to offer.

She thinks like this to herself for a few minutes before she realizes that Guyrin has already eaten most of his plate and she’s barely finished just one of her hay cakes. She then starts to eat her food aggressively to catch up with him.

They both eat like this and finish at about the same time before Marybelle looks at Guyrin and says, “Hey! We finished at around the same time!”

Guyrin smiles and nods at Marybelle.

Marybelle sighs and says, “So did you have a good time Guy?”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

Marybelle then looks down for a few seconds before looking back up at Guyrin and saying, “I guess you should go pay and we can walk back to my place now?”

Guyrin smiles and nods again before getting off his chair and trotting up front to pay. For the next few minutes, Marybelle is left alone with her thoughts. She keeps wondering if this is actually what she needs, but she eventually just decides to throw caution to the wind and go for it… She patiently waits in her chair as Guyrin eventually trots back up to her.

He motions his head towards Marybelle’s house in the distance and smiles at her.

She suddenly thinks he’s so cute just sitting there on all four of his legs with his little fluffy ears and leathery wings smiling at her, but quickly banishes the thought. “No!” she thinks to herself, “I can’t fall for him! Not right now! Not yet!” She then gets out of her chair and back to her hooves and trots up to Guyrin who’s patiently waiting for her with his adorable batpony smile.

Marybelle then says, “Okay Guy! Ready when you are!”

Guyrin starts trotting forward and Marybelle follows him.

She stares at him and asks, “So you love me and that’s all there is to it?”

Guyrin smiles again at her and nods.

She then mutters, “Don’t know why I find that so irritating?”

Guyrin then does his weird batpony laugh.

Marybelle then says, “And that’s also irritating! You annoy the piss out of me and I love you! And that just makes it even more annoying!”

Guyrin then stops and turns to face her.

She notices this and stops as well.

Guyrin then puts his right forehoof over her lips and looks at her with an open and genuine look in his eyes.

She knew then that she really should stop talking.

Guyrin then looks down before turning back towards Marybelle’s place and trotting that way. Marybelle follows a moment later and they once again trot through the empty market square in Ponyville at night.

Marybelle suddenly thinks about how busy this place is during the day and then she sees clearly that it’s dark there and nopony was around. She then understood exactly why Guyrin was so lonely. After losing his father, the only family member he had, he’s been living alone for several years. As she stared at all the empty booths and vacant walkways, she realized that this was Guyrin’s world. A solitary and isolated existence… She then knew more than ever what she had to do…

They silently walk through the vacant town and Marybelle then starts to become less irritated and more sympathetic as she thinks about things. She hates to admit it to herself by the point they’re almost back to her place on the other side of the market, but she really does care for this little batpony.

They finally reach her place with her porchlight on just past a grove on the other side. She looks at Guyrin and says, “Thanks for showing me what love is Guy… Would you like to come inside?”

Guyrin then looks at her wide eyed and points to himself with his right forehoof.

Marybelle smiles and giggles as she says, “Yes you silly! Would you like to come inside?”

Guyrin then looks down for a moment before looking back up at her and finally nodding his head yes and smiling.

Marybelle then says, “Okay! Now let me get my key and we can go inside.” She sees the darting looks from Guyrin’s eyes and realizes that he’s nervous. This tells her she has the little batpony exactly where she wants him.

She finally reaches into the left side of her saddlebags with her mouth, fetches the key, and uses her mouth then to operate it in the door before just kicking it open with her left forehoof like usual. She then walks inside before looking back at Guyrin and saying to the nervous little shadow creature, “Come on in sweetie!”

Guyrin slowly walks inside. He’s almost past the door when suddenly he remembers to shut it with his hoof and does so.

Marybelle notes how he’s acting and giggles before saying, “You okay Guy? You seem kind of out of it?”

Guyrin just looks at her, smiles, and nods.

She then trots over a few feet to get near him and softly whispers, “I’m ready Guyrin…”

Guyrin then looks at her wide eyed as his mouth begins to quiver.

Marybelle smiles and says, “What’s the matter batpony? Not so brave anymore?”

Guyrin then squints at her with his right eye before adjusting himself, walking over to her, and passionately kissing her.

She opens her mouth once again to invite in his tongue and feels it exploring her mouth as she licks it inside. She also feels something burning between her rear thighs. She knows what that is. She then embraces Guyrin in her forehooves and finally pulls back before saying, “We should probably go to my bedroom for this you think?”

Guyrin gives a weird batpony chuckle again before nuzzling her.

Marybelle says, “Well we’re never gonna get there if you keep being affectionate you know?”

Guyrin looks down and sighs before looking back up at Marybelle and nodding while smiling.

Marybelle then says, “Don’t worry batpony. I know you’re nervous and we’ll go slow…”

They then trot back to the bedroom together and for half the night, they make passionate love. It’s different this time for Marybelle. She’s bucked other stallions before, but Guyrin is so sweet, gentle, and caring. He’s actually the most giving lover she’s ever had and then she finally understood him and who he was. Through his love, she finally understood why…

Author's Note

Special thanks to my new editor!
https://www.fimfiction.net/user/355221/Lunar+Fury

In this chapter, Marybelle is finally deciding to let the little batpony in...

Chapter Three: Closer

Marybelle opens her eyes and hears a soft gentle snoring. She glances over and sees a batpony happily snuggling the pillow next to her. She knows he had a good time last night, but now she’s wondering what’s next. She suspects that she let Guyrin in too quickly and now she’s worried that he’s gotten this far.

Guyrin turns over, yawns as his fangs protrude out the front of his mouth and then opens his eyes at Marybelle. He widens his eyes suddenly and begins to scoot away from her.

Marybelle smiles and says, “Where are you going, little batpony?”

Guyrin looks down and then back up at Marybelle with a wide-eyed expression.

Marybelle then decides he needs some reassurance and so she moves her body forward and says, “Oh no! You’re not getting away that easy!” And then hugs and cuddles Guyrin tightly.

The batpony starts at first, but quickly begins to relax in Marybelle’s hooves.

She whispers in his ear, “It’s okay Guy… I love you now...”

The batpony snuggles silently in her hooves as she holds him.

“You seem to need a lot of affection? I guess you didn’t really get much of that earlier?”

Guyrin slowly nods his head into Marybelle’s chest floof.

She holds Guyrin for a few glorious moments as the batpony rests on her chest. She pulls back and asks him, “Are you okay now Guy?”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

“Okay well if we’re gonna be together, that’s gotta stop honey. You can’t be afraid of somepony you’re in a relationship with okay? I already told you that I’m not gonna hurt you anymore…”

Guyrin looks down and back up before silently nodding.

She hugs him tightly again and says, “It’s okay Guy… I'm not going to hurt you because I love you!”

She can’t tell, but Guyrin is smiling in her chest floof at this point.

Marybelle then pulls back from the bleary eyed batpony next to her and asks him, “Now I know I wasn’t imagining things last night, but I don’t think you came did you?”

The batpony shakes his head no.

“And by batpony mating procedures, that would mean I haven’t yet accepted the contract, or? Well do you need “more” pleasure than that is what I’m asking?”

Guyrin looks up and then back down at her before nodding yes…

“Guy… It actually pisses me off that I can no longer blame this on the “heat of the moment” but lay on your back and spread your legs!”

Guyrin stares at her wide eyed.

“Did I stutter? Go on! Do it now butthole!”

Guyrin continues to stare at her confused.

“Look! I decided to accept your funky “batpony mating contract” or whatever last night and I’m not going to let you leave without fulfilling it!”

Guyrin stares at her wide eyed and taps her heart with his right forehoof before tapping his own.

“Yes Guy!’ I love you and want to do this!”

Guyrin looks down and then back at Marybelle before kissing her, pulling back, and shaking his head no.

Marybelle scrunches her mouth and stares at this obstinate little batpony with a piercing expression as she says, “What do you mean no? The contract was for me to pleasure you IF I accept right? Well I accept! What’s the problem?”

Guyrin softly giggles and points at her alarm clock with his hoof.

Marybelle ponders on this for a moment before saying, “You mean it’s not the right time?”

Guyrin nods and smiles at her before gently nuzzling her snout with his.

Marybelle’s voice then gets lower as she says, “So the agreement was for me to please you if I accept. I finally agree and now you’re telling me it’s not the right time?”

Guyrin smiles and nods at her.

“For such a little batpony, you are a huge butthole you know that?”

Guyrin laughs as she scowls at him.

“So how do I know when it’s the right time anyway?”

Guyrin looks at her and taps his right forehoof to Marybelle's head

She scowls again and says, “So what then? I’ll just know or?”

Guyrin smiles and nods again.

Marybelle twists her mouth before saying, “You know what? It’s time!” as she grabs Guyrin in her hooves and kisses him passionately.

And after the best seventeen minutes of Guyrin’s life, the two lie on their backs together in bed. Marybelle looks at Guyrin and says, “Guyrin, I just pleased you with my mouth just like you did for me… And I guess it’s symbolic in a way? I’m not sure? But I do know that at this point, I believe in us…”

Guyrin looks up at her attentively.

She continues, “At first, I found you irritating, but later I realized that was because I was scared. I realized that the best way to get through that fear was to know you and so that’s why I chose to have sex with you last night. I felt that if there was anypony in Equestria worth a shot, it would probably be the one pony who tried so hard to be with me!”

Guyrin smiles and closes his eyes as he giggles softly.

Marybelle then says, “You’re a weirdo Guy! You’re a weirdo and I love you!” She then kisses him. Guyrin can only close his eyes as he too begins to weaken to a romantic onslaught.

They kiss and cuddle in bed for awhile after that. There’s no sex or any real words between the two lovers by this point. They don’t need them.

Marybelle finally looks at Guyrin and says to him, “Okay now I have a fight tonight. This means there’s no training today and I always take a nap in the afternoon to make sure I’m fresh. Um.” She then stares down at her bed before looking back up at the batpony and saying, “Would you like to spend the day together and I can get you access to the fight with backstage privileges if you like?”

Guyrin smiles ear to ear and nods excitedly.

Marybelle smiles and says, “Of course you’d like that! You’re an MMA fan! And” she nuzzles the batpony closely, “your favorite fighter happens to be fighting tonight!”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

“And you even get to spend the whole day with her! Great! You must be super excited?”

Guyrin smiles and nods even more excitedly this time.

“So, is that why we’re together? Because you wanted MMA show tickets and backstage privileges, not to mention you get to bang one of the fighters?”

Guyrin’s eyes widen and he begins to shake his head no.

Marybelle sighs as she looks down and says, “Okay um, I’m sorry Guy! I guess I just have trouble believing you really like me for me you know? It’s been a very long time…”

Guyrin smiles and hugs her tightly. She knows at that point that she really just needs to stop talking… She knows this, but instead, says, “Why do you like me? What’s wrong with you?”

She hears that same weird screeching coming from the batpony as he embraces her. This irritates Marybelle slightly before she decides that there’s just no use and just shakes her head lightly as she embraces the night pony with her own forelegs and they cuddle like this for a bit before continuing.

Marybelle says, “Well I think it’s about brunch time? How does apples and milk sound? Yeah that’s a little secret! You drink milk before your fight so the slower acting proteins in there can help your muscles during combat!”

Guyrin’s eyes widen as she chuckles and says, “Well I’ve been fighting for awhile now and I picked up quite a few tips and tricks you know? Hang on!” She gets out of bed and trots towards the door as the batpony stares at her. She looks back and says, “Well we’re not eating in here! You coming or what?”

Guyrin nods and gets out of bed before grabbing his chalkboard with his mouth which had been thrown to the side during last night’s festivities before heading towards the door with it around his neck.

“I guess you don’t wanna be limited to yes or no responses? Hey why can’t you talk anyway Guy? Are you mute?”

Guyrin shakes his head no and gets out the chalkboard and chalk from his top pocket to scrawl down, “Can’t make right sounds” on his board.

Marybelle frowns and says, “So you can’t make the right sounds to talk with me?”

Guyrin nods his head and points to his mouth with his right forehoof and makes a weird chirping noise with it.

“Everything about you is annoying and yet I’m starting to love you anyway!”

Guyrin screeches with what Marybelle can only assume is happy amusement as both ponies trot into Marybelle’s kitchen.

She looks back at him and asks, “Aren’t batponies nocturnal? Does the sun hurt you or?”

Guyrin shakes his head no, again before using his mouth to write, “Don’t like it! Hurts eyes!” on his board.

Marybelle says, “So if at all possible, we should avoid getting you in the sun then? I mean, it’s too bright right?”

Guyrin smiles and nods.

“Okay good to know! I mean, if I’m gonna be dating a batpony, I should learn about your quirks and habits. Anyway, like I told you, I won’t fly at night because I can’t see very well at that time of day. I’ll just cool down as I walk back home instead!”

Guyrin nods his head.

“And another thing! If you’re gonna keep getting me flowers, you should probably know I like lilacs!”

Guyrin nods again. He then gets close to Marybelle and nuzzles her again while smiling.

“Okay anyway, let’s go eat Guy!”

They both trot into Marybelle’s kitchen area. Guyrin sits at the table while Marybelle goes to the pantry on the other side of the room, fetching a big bag of apples with her mouth. She then goes to her fridge and balances two glasses of milk on her snout, setting them down gently as well.

Guyrin claps his hooves, impressed.

Marybelle smiles and says, “Part of my training was balance and coordination and so I’m able to do things like that! Don’t try this at home!” She then gets two apples out for her and two for Guyrin on his side with her forehooves.

She starts to munch on hers when she notices Guyrin beginning to voraciously tear into one of his apples with his fangs. He stops once about half the apple is destroyed and looks at Marybelle with a wide-eyed expression.

Marybelle smiles and says, “It’s okay to be vicious with your food around me honey! I actually think it’s kinda cute!”

Guyrin just picks up the apple with his forehooves and begins to munch on it less aggressively as she smiles and giggles while eating her own apple.

Guyrin finishes his second apple before Marybelle could even get to hers. She finally picks up her second and says, “Wow little batpony! You have quite the appetite! Are you still hungry?”

He shakes his head no.

“Well I guess I need to catch up then? Oh, I’ll be eating 3 more apples so get comfy and let me know if you need any more milk!”

Guyrin silently watches Marybelle as she devours her second apple and gets another out before eating it… And then another… And one more before finally gulping down all her milk.

“Well I am an athlete you know? I need to eat to power my body!”

Guyrin nods his head and leans over to kiss Marybelle.

She returns the kiss and pulls back a few inches to smile at him.

He moves closer to her and begins to lick her neck.

She says, “Rule two!”

Guyrin immediately pulls back to where he was.

Marybelle smiles and says, “Good! I’m gonna train my coltfriend yet!”

Guyrin looks at Marybelle stunned as she nuzzles him, smiles, and says, “Don’t worry Guy! I’ll take good care of you!”

Guyrin makes a weird yawning noise.

“You know, I can only understand about half of what your noises mean.”

Guyrin makes a chirping noise.

Marybelle grimaces and says, “Well I know that’s a laugh! Knock it off butthole!”

Guyrin looks down and sighs before scrawling down, “How was last night?” On his chalkboard.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Well I knew this was gonna come up today…” She then looks at Guyrin with open eyes and says, “Last night was wonderful Guy. I mean, I’ve bucked other stallions before, but you were different somehow? So passionate and giving?”

Guyrin scribbles out, “Making love!” on his chalkboard.

“Making love?” Marybelle smiles, tilts her head to the right, and says, “I guess that’s what that was huh?”

Guyrin nods and writes out. “I love U!” on his chalkboard.

“Okay I get it! I’ll let you in!”

Guyrin puts his right forehoof on her left shoulder and looks deep into her eyes with his black slits.

“I-I just don’t know what to say okay?”

Guyrin then moves his forehoof from her shoulder to over her mouth while staring deep with her eyes. He then removes his forehoof from her mouth and leans in and kisses her once more.

Marybelle decides to open her mouth again to invite his forked batpony tongue.

He lets out a low hum as they kiss. They hold for a bit before pulling back and staring at each other while sitting close to one another.

“I don’t know what that hum means either!”

Guyrin gives a low screeching batpony giggle.

She leans to him, nuzzles his snout, and says, “Butthole!” before moving in to kiss him once more.

Guyrin softly giggles while kissing her.

After enjoying his lips for a moment, she pulls back again and says, “Well, you have me now Guy… How do you feel?”

Guyrin jots out, “Wonderful!” on his board.

“Yeah I can’t believe I’m saying this, but after the fact, I’m actually kinda glad we’re together too!”

Guyrin then looks at Marybelle while tilting his head.

“Uh, what?”

He scribbles out, “Why?” on his board.

“Guyrin… Just knowing your there has been great and…” She then looks down before lowly saying, “I guess I just forgot that I needed love?” Guyrin stares at her blankly as she continues, “Well it’s been awhile and I was just so focused on myself that I guess I didn’t really think about it?”

Guyrin jots out, “U need me?”

“I’m uh, actually not sure Guy? But um…”

Guyrin looks at her attentively.

She looks down and finally says, “I do know that I’d rather not be without you now… Just um, knowing you’re there you know?”

Guyrin then looks down and sighs before scrawling out, “I (heart) U too!” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle smiles and says, “I guess you think that’s the best answer you’re gonna get for now? But tell me this Guy… If I wasn’t starting to love you, why would I accept your contract?”

The batpony looks at her with a sideways glance once more before jotting out with his mouth, “You really luv me don’t you?”

Marybelle sighs and says, “Yes I do love you Guy! I uh, just have trouble saying it okay?”

“Why?”

She looks down and sighs before saying, “Because I don’t like to believe that I’m getting close to you when I actually am?”

Guyrin points to the “Why?” on his board with his forehoof.

“Because that makes me weak now… Um Guy, you can hurt me now and I don’t like that!”

He quickly writes out, “I won’t!” on his board.

She smiles and says, “Yeah probably not? But I’m a warrior! I’m not supposed to be weak you know?”

He slowly writes out, “My big strong tuff marefriend!”

She giggles and says, “Yeah! The big tough marefriend who’s afraid of commitment and even love itself! I’m sure you really think I’m strong now!”

He screeches as he trots over and hugs her again and he can’t tell, but she’s smiling over his shoulder now.

He continues to laugh softly as she mutters out, “Why is it you never know how dumb you are until you actually talk about things?”

He pulls back and smiles as he writes out, “Don’t worry about ur past. I luv U!”

“Well I guess I’ve said all that needs to be said and there’s really no point in beating a dead pony? Okay Guy! Tell you what! None of that stuff matters anymore! I’m with you now!”

He nuzzles her before looking into her eyes with his as she smiles too and says, “Okay Guy! I love you too!”

They snuggle for a bit before she looks at her clock and says, “Oh wow! We’ve been loving each other all this time and it’s 1:22 now! Okay I fight at 8, but I need to arrive at 7. We’ll wake up at 4:30 okay baby?”

Guyrin nods.

She mutters as she lays on her side away from him, “And I’ll carbo load beforehand, same as usual!”

She closes her eyes and lays still for a few moments before she feels something holding her from behind. She starts at first, but soon remembers that Guyrin is in the bed behind her. She realizes then that he is indeed holding her and she’s not sure how to act as she says, “Uh, Guy? You’re holding me...”

He retracts his forehooves from her body.

She looks down before saying, “Guy… Um, you can hold me you know? Uh, if you really want to?”

She closes her eyes for a moment… She soon feels hooves and legs slowly going over her body again and this makes the fighter start at first before growing more calm and serene. She slowly begins to feel at peace in this night pony’s hooves and starts to smile as one slow tear of joy falls from her right eye. She starts to shake a little bit and Guyrin only tightens his grip from behind her to hold his love more firmly.

They sleep like this for hours before her alarm goes off and Marybelle starts. At first, she feels Guyrin’s forehooves around her and then suddenly remembers that he’s there. After that, she kicks her alarm clock off the table, and it shuts up. Then she gets out of Guyrin’s grasp as she makes her way towards the edge of her bed.

The batpony gives another fanged yawn and smiles at his new love.

“Okay Guy! I need to go eat now so it can digest, and it won’t weigh me down during the fight. I’ll be in the kitchen as there’s some apple brown Bettie there from the market.” She then touches her hooves to the floor and trots towards the door, opens it with her mouth, and trots out leaving the batpony alone with his thoughts.

Guyrin thinks about the relationship so far while his love his out of the room. The batpony considers how he's been by himself for so long now and suddenly, he found and successfully wooed a companion. And while he still has no idea what he’s doing, he does understand one thing at this point. What’s on the other side of that door is better than what awaits him at home. He also understands that until he has to work tomorrow night at 9, he has every intention of spending as much time as he can with his new love. He’s been alone for so long now and he doesn’t want to miss out…

He starts as he hears a gruff feminine voice from the other room yelling, “Guy! Are you coming out or what?”

Guyrin gets off the bed slowly and trots out the door.

(To be continued)

Chapter Four: Pick-me-up

As Guyrin watched the battle between the two athletes, he saw the remarkable way Marybelle could duck and dive during a brawl and then bring the pain back to her foe! He knew this is what made him curious about the fighter and he also knew about how much she had lost from reading her biography… From the way Marybelle acted tough though, Guyrin was also blatantly aware that he couldn’t talk about it, and yet, for some reason, this only fed the batpony’s empathy for her.… And then, she was pinned! The referee began his countdown… One… Two… Three… And then, it was all over…

Marybelle sat backstage and wiped the sweat from her brow as a lone dark figure approached her. As he trotted closer into the light, she sees that it’s Guyrin, her new batpony coltfriend. She smiles and says, “Hey Guy! What a fight huh?”

He scrawls out, “U lost! U okay?”

“Yeah I’ll be fine Guy! It was the opening bout anyway and you know those are never tournament rounds and so I won’t lose my standing in the trials anyway. Still, my ego actually stings worse than my cheek right now!”

“How is ur cheek?”

“Oh, it’s okay Guy! I took a brutal hoofing there, but it should be fine by the end of tomorrow!”

“Hugs?”

“Okay but please be careful! My spine is a little sore after that flying ax kick! Never could do one of those, but I’m trying!”

Guyrin slowly and tentatively hugs Marybelle. She feels his gentle embrace and counters by hugging him even tighter. The batpony’s eyes widen momentarily as he didn’t know she still has this much in her after what she just did.

Guyrin pulls back and writes out, “U wanna go?” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle starts and says, “But that was just the opening match! Don’t you wanna stay for the rest of the show Guy?”

“U matter more!”

“Okay well, that’s true I suppose? Um, since I didn’t win anything, I guess I could walk home now? Erm, with you…”

Guyrin extends his right forehoof to Marybelle to help her out of her seat and once she’s on all fours again, he writes out, “U OK?” on his board.

“For the last time Guyrin, yes I’m fine!”

Guyrin nods his head and motions towards the door with his right forehoof. Marybelle grimaces and starts trotting towards it as Guyrin trots forward and opens it for her. She trots outside with Guyrin just behind her.

He shuts the door behind him and stares at her as she looks onward and says, “Guess I’m not so tough now, huh?”

Guyrin slowly trots towards her and hugs her again before nuzzling her nose once more and smiling at her.

“Yeah I love you too Guy! Still…”

She can’t really tell his expression at this point, but he does nuzzle her. She can’t help but begin to crack a smile at this wonderful night creature that’s chosen her, but quickly regains composure and hopes he didn’t see. She says, “Well we’re not getting home with you being sweet like this Guy!”

Guyrin looks down while hugging her before nodding his head and releasing her from his embrace. He then starts towards her house slowly so his love will have no trouble catching up to him.

They walk in silence like this for the first few minutes across the empty market square once more. Marybelle finally says to Guyrin, “Okay so anyway, I think the real trick to beating this mare is reversals! If I can just counter her… Uh, what are you staring at Guy?”

Guyrin has stopped walking and is staring towards his left.

“What is it Guy?”

Guyrin points towards the left with his forehoof.

Marybelle frowns and says, “You want me to follow you that direction?”

Marybelle can only barely make out Guyrin nodding his head before he starts to walk in the direction he pointed.

She sighs and grumbles, “Okay Guy, but this better be good!”

They both silently trot in the direction Guyrin pointed when soon, Marybelle sees the lights of the same coffee shop from earlier. She says, “Okay so we’re going to the coffee shop again? Ugh! My batpony coffee addict!”

She hears that same screeching noise as they continue trotting.

They make it to the patio of the shop and Guyrin slowly marches off to the side and uses his mouth to pull out a chair for her.

Marybelle smiles and sits down on the chair.

Guyrin walks around the table and sits across from her.

Marybelle collects the menu from the center with her forehooves and says, “I suppose something to eat and a good smoothie isn’t a bad idea after a match anyway? Are you alright Guy? Did you enjoy the fight?”

Guyrin scrawls out, “U had good reversals!”

“I’m telling you Guy! Not good enough! That second time she had me pinned, I really should’ve been faster!”

“U got thrown off!”

“Yeah, it’s psychological huh? That would make sense!” Marybelle then looks up and sees a waiter coming.

This time, it’s a teal unicorn who uses her magic to float her notepad and pen in front of her as she says, “Good evening! I’m Bob! I’ll be your waiter tonight! What can I get for you?”

Marybelle smiles and says, “Well yes Bob! I’d like a cabbage and tomato sandwich with mustard and make me an orange and raspberry smoothie to wash that down with please!”

Guyrin looks at her bewildered as Bob jots all this down before looking at Guyrin and saying, “Yes and what would the handsome gentlepony like tonight?”

Guyrin starts before setting his menu down and pointing at something with his hoof.

Bob looks down and says, “Berry tarts! Excellent choice Guyrin! And would you like anything to drink?”

Guyrin flips the page and points to something there, and Bob says, “Ah! The caramel macchiato! Excellent choice! Would you like that single, double, or triple?”

He taps the menu again and Bob says, “Ah! The double it shall be then! I shall return with your drinks!” and then trots off while putting her things away in her saddlebags.

Marybelle snorts and asks Guyrin, “So you took me here after I lost. Why?”

Guyrin slowly writes out on his chalkboard, “U lost! Wanted make U feel better!”

Marybelle frowns and says, “So what then? You actually think a date with you would make me feel better?”

“Don’t U lov me?”

“Well yeah, but…” Marybelle looks down and giggles at herself while Guyrin looks on wide-eyed as his mouth gets smaller, “I guess it’s been so long that I forgot that a date is something I might actually enjoy?”

“Well don’t U?”

Marybelle looks at the batpony, “Yeah but…” she looks down, “I uh…”

“What?”

“I don’t know how to feel okay? I guess when you close your heart off like I did, you lose touch with the way a lot of things feel? I know you now, but you still feel distant?”

Guyrin looks down and sighs. He stays there for a few seconds before getting his chalkboard and writing out, “Time!”

“Yeah, maybe I just need more time?” Marybelle looks over to her side before saying, “You waiters have a bad habit of coming out of nowhere!”

Bob smiles while holding a small platter in her magic and says, “Sorry! You two seemed so into what you were discussing that I just didn’t want to interrupt! Here are your drinks!” and uses her magic to take each pony’s drink off and put it next to them on the table and says, “I’ll be right back with your cabbage sandwich and your berry tarts! Enjoy your coffee and smoothie!” before trotting off.

Guyrin looks at Marybelle for a brief, yet awkward silence before looking at down and writing out, “U order weird things!” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle starts and says, “What? It’s good!”

“I’m sure the funky smoothie is yummy!” As he shows the chalkboard to her with a cheesy grin on his face.

Marybelle starts, grimaces, and then regains composure as she says, “You’re silly Guy!”

“No U!”

Marybelle looks up as she feels the waiter beginning to approach again from behind her, this time levitating a platter. She approaches the table and says, “Told you it wouldn’t be long!” As she uses her magic to set down a sandwich on a plate for Marybelle and another plate with two pastries on it for Guyrin on his side. “Enjoy!” she says as he trots off.

Marybelle looks at Guyrin for a brief pause. She finally says, “Well this can get more awkward or we can just eat now?”

Guyrin immediately moves his face down to his plate and picks up one of his tarts with his mouth and starts eating it as he catches the rest with his forehooves.

“Good choice!” Marybelle says as she snags her sandwich in her forehooves and starts to devour it.

The two ponies eat quietly for a few minutes before Guyrin starts to tear into one of his tarts aggressively, but he stops after two bites and looks at Marybelle nervously.

“I already told you it’s okay to be savage with your food little batpony!”

Guyrin squints his eyes and start to eat slowly and tentatively as Marybelle giggles.

She can tell this annoys him. She imagines he doesn’t really want to be vicious, but it’s in his nature. This thought only makes Marybelle smile as the batpony picks up his other tart and she takes another hearty bite out of her sandwich before chasing it with her smoothie.

After their meal, Marybelle is drinking what’s left of her smoothie as Guyrin gently sips his coffee. She finally says, “So I guess you don’t have to work tonight then? When do you have to go back in?”

“Tomorrow at 9!” Guyrin jots down on his board.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Okay so after our date here, what are you gonna do?”

“Home lonely or with U? Don’t matter!”

Marybelle grimaces as she says, “Oh I see! Telling me you’re gonna be lonely just so I might take pity on you and keep you around? Is that it?”

“Um, no?”

Marybelle giggles and says, “Sure Guyrin! I’ll “tolerate” your presence near me if it so pleases you!” before smiling at Guyrin.

Guyrin squints his eyes and mouth as he stares at Marybelle.

“Hey! You were a huge butthole earlier and wooed me! It’s about time I got some payback!” She says as she smiles at the batpony.

“U act like u dont want?”

Marybelle frowns and says, “Oh I’m just teasing you Guy!” She takes a deep breath and says, “Okay fine! I would love it if you would spend some more time with my Guyrin!”

Guyrin looks down at the table before writing out, “I know. I luv U too!”

“Is anything the matter Guy?”

“Nothing. Just lonely.”

“Yeah I know how that goes. Hey look! Since um, we’re together and everything, I guess we can spend more time together?”

Guyrin writes out frantically, “Yes please!” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle giggles now because she knows she has him at this point.

The teal unicorn walks up to the side of the table and floats a check down on it. She smiles, “Here’s your bill, Guyrin and marefriend!” (Marybelle frowns)

Guyrin picks up the bill with his forehooves before using his mouth to fetch 6 bits from his top harness pocket and set them all neatly down on the table. Marybelle began to wonder how he kept so many things in there as he fetched a final bit for Bob, and set it down next to the stack, all with his mouth.

He scoots his chair back and gets down onto the patio on all fours before trotting over to Marybelle’s side and offering her his right forehoof to help her down.

Marybelle grabs his forehoof with hers and uses it to help herself down. When she gets back on all fours, she looks at Guyrin and says, “You don’t have to be so nice to me you know?”

Guyrin starts and gets on his haunches with his chalkboard and writes out, “Yes I do! Luv U!”

Marybelle sighs and looks at the ground as she says, “Yeah I uh, I love you too Guy!”

“What wrong?”

“I already told you! I’m just not used to this, okay? I just need time.”

She sees Guyrin nodding before he gets down to his hooves and faces his body towards her house in the distance. He looks back at her tentatively.

She smiles and trots towards him before looking at him and saying, “Lead the way my handsome stallion of the night!”

Guyrin starts at this point and looks at her as she giggles slightly although she can’t really make out his face at this point.

He turns back and starts to slowly trot towards Marybelle’s house. Marybelle starts trotting next to him seconds later and catches up.

She then says, “Well since it’s dark, I can’t read your chalkboard anymore? Gosh it sure is desolate here at night?”

She hears a grunt from Guyrin which she can only assume is an affirmative as they both trot in silence.

A few minutes later, she sees the familiar light of her porchlight in the distance. She starts to trot a bit faster and Guyrin speeds up to match her.

They eventually reach the front of her porch and she stares at him and says, “Okay you’re spending the night here tonight. But remember the two rules from earlier you horny little batpony!”

Just then Guyrin moves his face closer to hers. She starts and asks him, “What are you doing Guy?”

He begins to nuzzle her and purrs softly. Her knees begin to weaken before she quickly regains composure and asks him again more firmly, “Guy, what are you doing?”

And then an almost electric shock runs through her body has he softly presses his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. She can only let air out of her nose as he trots closer and embraces her with his forehooves.

She feels her knees weaken once more, but she also feels his hooves holding her up, so she knows it’s okay. She now feels safe and secure with this pony of darkness and soon begins to understand that he is very serious about them.

She gasps for air once they stop kissing and says, “What is wrong with you?”

He softly giggles and nuzzles her some more before gently nibbling her upper lip.

Marybelle soon realizes that he’s also making moves and that this will certainly be more interesting.

He begins to kiss her passionately and she slowly opens her mouth to invite in his forked tongue once more and soon, both tongues dance in their mouths as he holds her tightly.

He stops kissing her and pulls back to look into her eyes with his jet-black slits.

He looks so alien to her and yet familiar at the same time. Marybelle cannot understand why though? She nuzzles him and says, “Wanna go inside and snuggle each other to sleep on my bed?”

The batpony frantically nods his head as she smiles, knowing that she has control of the situation once more.

He lets her down gently and she trots to her door and retrieves the key from her saddlebags with her mouth and uses her lips to turn it in the keyhole.

The door clicks and she kicks it open with her left forehoof once more as Guyrin starts. He suddenly thinks about how he will soon be used to that.

She trots in and says, “Well come on in Guy! Let’s go to sleep!”

Guyrin trots in and shuts the door with his right forehoof and walks up to Marybelle who’s facing towards her room away from him.

She trots towards her bedroom door, kicks that open with her left forehoof as the batpony flinches slightly and says, “I had a good fight and now I’m tired! And my cheek and back both hurt…” Then she walks inside with the batpony close in tow.

Guyrin closes the door and stares at her now in the darkness of her bedroom.

She can just make him out trotting towards her bed and waiting for her there before she herself trots over near him and gets in. She looks at Guyrin and smiles as she says, “Well here it is lover! Snuggle time!”

Guyrin is smiling once more and once more, Marybelle can’t really tell. He softly gets in the bed and gets close to her. She feels the night pony’s body heat next to hers as he embraces her, and she closes her eyes in safety and security at last...

As Marybelle slumbers in Guyrin’s loving embrace, she finally feels at peace. She knows he’s there and this suddenly brings her great joy. She felt she was unlovable after what happened earlier, and yet this batpony loved her anyway! The nerve! The gall of this night creature! And yet, here he was! Holding her and nuzzling her softly in passion as she lightly giggles in her sleep…

Marybelle wakes up by herself on her purple sofa the next morning. She suddenly starts to look around and calls out, “Guyrin! Butthole! Where are you?”

She suddenly hears a screech coming from the foyer outside of her bedroom door. She shakes her head and takes a breath before starting to get off the sofa at the edge when suddenly, her door opens to show a batpony balancing a plate on his muzzle. He slowly trots in and sets it on her little table in front of the sofa.

She looks down as it and sees that it’s potato pancakes! She snorts and says, “Oh of course! He has a steady job, is a perfect gentlepony, is always nice to me, and he knows how to cook!” before looking down.

Guyrin stares at her wide-eyed before she looks back up at him and says, “Sorry Guy! I just can’t get over how perfect you are!”

Guyrin softly giggles once more when Marybelle then feels a sharp pain in the lower section of her neck. She starts and says, “Ow! Maybe I was more hurt than I thought?”

(To be continued)

Chapter Five: Recovery

“Ow!” Marybelle starts as Guyrin sets the pillows down under her neck.

The batpony nuzzles his love now that he knows she’s hurt.

“I don’t need you to care for me Guyrin!”

The batpony starts.

“Ugh! I’m sorry Guy… Usually, I’m alone when I’m recovering from a fight…”

Guyrin writes on his chalkboard, “Not anymore!”

“I guess not. I’m just not used to that!”

“Get used to it!”

Marybelle frowns at this obstinate little nocturnal pony and says to him, “Okay fine Guyrin!” She then starts to mutter lower, “I’ll let you help me and take care of me…”

Guyrin smiles and nods his head, now secure in his victory over the Pegasus cage fighter, he scrawls out, “Food?”

“Oh! I should probably eat my potato pancakes, right?”

Guyrin nods as she gets up on her haunches, rubs her neck with her left forehoof (while Guyrin frowns), and collects her plate from the table.

She starts to eat voraciously as Guyrin starts, grabs his plate, and starts to put his muzzle onto the plate and eats his pancakes the same way.

She finishes before he’s even halfway done, smiles, and says, “Power my body remember?”

Guyrin looks up from his plate, nods, and then finishes up his food in front of a giggling Marybelle.

After they’re done with their food, Guyrin collects both plates with his mouth and trots out of Marybelle’s room. Then he comes back and smiles at her while she can only stare at him, not sure what to think.

Finally, Marybelle breaks the silence when she says, “Well, I was supposed to go to the market for a few things today, but I’ll sit this one out and do it tomorrow!”

Just then, Guyrin reaches into the bottom pocket of his harness and pulls out a pair of glasses with his mouth and sets them on the floor. He uses his right forehoof to open the temples of the glasses and then puts his head to the floor to put the glasses over his ears. He then looks up at Marybelle and smiles. She can see the glasses are dark… Then it occurs to the Pegasus that these are sunglasses!

Marybelle’s mouth gets smaller as she squints and says, “You wanna go to the market for me, don’t you?”

Guyrin nods his head.

Marybelle frowns and says, “Okay fine! Uh, get the notebook on the top of my closet! It’s in the back up top!”

Guyrin then diligently trots over to the closet, opens it with his mouth, and crouches before using his legs to briefly take off with his wings to get to the top and holds himself there with his forehooves as he looks back into the closet. He spots something over on the back left and uses his left forehoof to slide it out over the shelf so that it falls onto the floor. Then, Guyrin releases his body with his forehooves so that he falls back to the ground and turns to collect the notebook with his mouth and trots over to Marybelle with it.

Marybelle giggles again and says, “Well, you’re not that big!” before collecting the notebook with her own mouth from Guyrin and setting it down on the sofa. She leans her body over to the table to get her pen with her mouth and starts to write down a list for Guyrin at the market.

“I’m big enough!” Guyrin writes on his chalkboard before showing it to a preoccupied Marybelle.

Marybelle looks up and says through her teeth, “Well you did indeed, get the notebook little batpony! Good job!” before looking down and writing one final word as she softly giggles to herself.

She finishes her list and shows it to Guyrin with her forehooves.

Guyrin sees that she needs more hay, oats, oranges, and tomatoes. He reaches out with his neck and uses his mouth to tear off the page and then stashes it in his top pocket with his right forehoof.

“I still wonder what all you keep in there.”

Guyrin smiles, nuzzles his love, gives her a soft kiss, and then trots out the door before closing it behind him.

Once again, Marybelle is left alone with her thoughts. She thinks about how her neck got hurt and thinks that it was probably that violent hoof to the face she took in the ring. Then, she thinks about Guyrin and all he’s done for her. He’s so sweet and kind and she really doesn’t know what to think. Could it be that he loves her and is proving it to her? She ponders on these thoughts as she slowly drifts off to sleep.

She wakes up hearing a sweet soft voice in the foyer say, “Um, so she’s in here? Where Guyrin?” Then she hears two sets of hoofsteps coming towards her door and then it opens to reveal Guyrin and a slightly larger yellow Pegasus pony.

They trot in and Marybelle sits up quickly and says to her, “Okay, who the hay are you, uh, wait I know you!”

The Pegasus smiles and says, “Um, hi. I’m Fluttershy…”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she says, “You’re the Element of Kindness! How the hay do you know Guyrin?”

She smiles as she looks to her back left at the batpony and says, “Well he’s friends with many of the batponies on Luna’s fireworks team and he met me through them one day. He seemed really nice! Anyway, I met him in the market, and he said his marefriend was hurt.”

Marybelle frowns and says, “Well, I am technically his marefriend and I am in fact hurt… So, the little butthole didn’t lie!”

“Um, butthole? Hey, I brought some things!” Fluttershy nervously says as she trots in the room closer to Marybelle, who can now make out Guyrin just behind her and trotting over to her right after he shut the door with his forehoof.

“Uh, I call him butthole… It’s a long story! Anyway, er uh, what did you bring Fluttershy?”

“Oh um, I brought some bandages and medical supplies and I wanted to bring a treat for you as well but uh… Well, Guyrin here said you liked weird things, but the only thing I had was some cheesecake from my pantry. I hope that’s okay?”

Marybelle glares and frowns at the batpony, who can only shrug at her with an idiotic look on his face as she says, “Yes, thank you Fluttershy! Cheesecake is delicious!”

Guyrin can only shirk slightly and tilt his head to the left at Marybelle as he grins like an idiot.

Fluttershy says, “Okay um, I guess I should get started?” before getting on the sofa on the far side and then saying to Marybelle, “Would you please sit up uh, Marybelle right?”

“Ugh!” Marybelle says as she slowly slides to an upright position on the sofa and turns to the backwall so Fluttershy is behind her. Then she says, “Yes my name is Marybelle and I suppose I love a batpony now!”

“Oh dear!” Fluttershy exclaims before saying, “Now, he said it was the back of your neck? Does it hurt when I do this?” and then barely tapping the back of Marybelle’s neck.

“Ow! Uh, slightly Fluttershy!” Marybelle says as she suppresses a grimace.

“Oh well, it would probably be better if I wrapped it then. It’s just for a day Marybelle!” Fluttershy says before using her forehooves to open her left saddlebag and pulling out a roll of bandages with her mouth and setting it down on the sofa. Then she says, “Okay, please be still!” Before picking up the roll with her mouth and unraveling it with her forehooves. She bites off part of the bandages and then proceeds to use her forehooves to start wrapping Marybelle’s neck. She says, “Now just one layer should be fine Marybelle. Please tell me if this is too tight!” before finishing the wrapping.

Marybelle giggles a bit before saying, “Actually, you should probably have it be a little bit tighter Fluttershy!”

“Oh um, okay. Just tell me if it’s too tight!” Fluttershy says before pulling a bit on the bandages around Marybelle’s neck with her teeth.

“Youch! Okay! Too tight!” Marybelle gasps out.

Fluttershy quickly lets go of the bandage and yelps, “Oh um, I’m so sorry! I normally just do this for bunnies and badgers. I’m not used to a pony neck!”

Marybelle gasps for air as the bandage loosens and then says, “Okay well, here’s an idea! You just pull on it slowly and I’ll tell you when to stop!”

Fluttershy snickers and says, “Oh! Right!” before grasping the bandage in her teeth and slowly pulling on it.

Marybelle finally says, “Stop!”

Fluttershy stops tugging and then gets closer to Marybelle to use her right forehoof and teeth to tie the bandage up behind her neck. Then she gets back down to her hooves from the sofa, looks up at her, smiles, and says, “Okay Marybelle! That will help keep your neck aligned and so you’ll heal faster now! That’s a little trick I learned from my vet friend!”

“Well I gotta admit, this really isn’t so bad now that it’s not tight anymore!” Marybelle says as she feels the back of her neck with her left forehoof.

“Okay you just rest up Marybelle and I’ll go clean your house for you!” Fluttershy says before trotting towards the door.

Marybelle starts and says, “No really Fluttershy! You don’t have to do that!”

Fluttershy turns to her left to look back at her, frowns, and says, “Well um, wouldn’t you be doing that if you weren’t hurt Marybelle?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she abruptly realizes how absurd this notion is before saying, “Um, of course Fluttershy!” and then smiling back at the yellow Pegasus.

“Right! But since you’re hurt, I’ll go do a couple of things for you so it’s not so bad when you get started tomorrow!” Fluttershy says before trotting out of the room and gently shutting the door with her forehoof.

Guyrin smiles at Marybelle as she glares at him and says, “Great! Now the Element of Kindness thinks I’m a slob!”

Guyrin trots closer to the sofa and nuzzles Marybelle as he smiles at her.

Marybelle slowly grows less tense before saying, “Alright, I missed you too!” And then she lurches forward and kisses him softly on the lips.

Guyrin’s eyes widen as he feels her lips against his. He often wondered if the fangs on his face made a difference in how they felt. The little batpony could only move his face closer to Marybelle’s as he enjoyed this brief taste of his love and then pulls his head back to smile at her.

“You’re so sweet and kind to me? Why is that Guy?”

He scrawls out, “Luv U!” on his chalkboard.

Marybelle softly giggles to herself and says, “I know Guy… I love you too…”

“Anything wrong?” Guyrin’s chalkboard says.

“No, I don’t think so? It’s just weird having somepony there now to pick me back up when I fall down.”

Guyrin nuzzles Marybelle some more as she softly giggles at him. “I love you too Guy. Hey! You should go see if Fluttershy needs any help!”

Guyrin widens his eyes at that moment as he hadn’t considered that. He nods, kisses Marybelle one final time, and trots out the door before closing it behind him.

Marybelle is alone again and begins to think… Well, he’s determined to help her and make her life better? Could it be that he does love her? It sure seems that way, even though she didn’t believe she could be loved earlier. She squints her right eye when she starts to think that maybe she was wrong? She moved her right forehoof behind her neck again and felt the brace there with her hoof. She starts at the now slight ache there and begins to think about how he actually brought a friend over, just for her! And the Element of Kindness no less! All these thoughts circle the Pegasus mare’s mind as she drifts back to sleep, with her neck now feeling better.

Marybelle awakens to feel something warm behind her. She looks back and sees a little batpony snoozing there comfortably. She starts at her first thought, which is, “How dare he sleep in MY bed!” Then she begins to think on it… He does have to work tonight. Okay, so it makes sense that he get some rest this afternoon. She thinks about all he’s done for her and how now, here he is, sleeping in her bed! The bed that she alone should be sleeping in! She then looks over to see that her door is slightly ajar and there is a yellow Pegasus pony staring at her tentatively from behind it. She asks Fluttershy, “Can I help you?”

Fluttershy starts and softly says, “Oh! Um, I’m sorry. I uh, made lunch for you. Guyrin said you liked cabbage and mustard sandwiches and uh, I don’t think I can make a smoothie?”

Marybelle smiles and says lowly, “Juice is fine Fluttershy!” before carefully getting off the bed so she doesn’t disturb the batpony and trotting over to the door and Fluttershy.

She trots outside next to Fluttershy and quietly shuts the door with her forehoof as she looks back and then turns to the rest of the foyer before trotting towards her kitchen area. Fluttershy sees this and follows her.

Fluttershy says, “Go sit down at the table Marybelle! Your sandwich is already there for you!” before trotting over to Marybelle’s fridge.

“Alright Fluttershy! Uh, thank you very much!” Marybelle says as she looks at the table, sees her sandwich on the right, and sits down in front of it.

Fluttershy soon trots over to the table and drops a glass of berry juice next to her sandwich from her snout before saying, “No problem!” and she then moves over to the other side and quietly scoots to the opposite end of the table. She then asks, “So, how long have you been seeing my little Guyrin?”

Marybelle looks at her sandwich and says, “Oh, about three days now. Uh, what has he told you?”

“Oh, nothing but good things Marybelle!” She smiles and continues, “He said your sweet, kind, loving, and um, well…”

Marybelle then looks carefully at the Pegasus as she asks, “And what else?”

“Um, it’s way too personal! So, what do you think of the weather we’ve been having?”

Marybelle’s eyes turn to daggers as she then slowly and lowly asks the yellow Pegasus once more, “What has the butthole been saying about me?”

Fluttershy looks at Marybelle and sighs before she says, “Um, well, he said you were afraid of him?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she yelps out, “WHAT?”

Fluttershy flinches before regaining her composure, looking back, and saying, “Well, he said you were hurt and um, that you needed some more time to uh, accept his love?”

Marybelle looks down at the table and sighs before saying, “Yeah I uh, don’t like to talk about it…”

“Well why not? You know, if you’re hurt or something is bothering you, you really need an outlet? A way to get it out!”

“Well, it’s just that, that makes me look weak you know. I’m supposed to be strong! I’m a fighter after all! And well, I guess fighting and training wasn’t enough?”

Fluttershy smiles as she puts her right forehoof onto Marybelle’s left and says, “Well, maybe that’s not what you really need Marybelle? I mean, it’s gotta go somewhere right?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right? Hey, why are you talking to me about this anyway? Why are you so interested in Guyrin?”

“Well, ever since his father died, he’s been very lonely, and I worry about him sometimes. But he really seems to like you!”

“Yeah, and I don’t know why!”

Fluttershy looks deep into Marybelle’s eyes as she says, “Sometimes, you don’t need to understand things Marybelle. Sometimes, you just have to allow yourself to be loved… You think you deserve love, right Marybelle?”

Marybelle looks down and says, “Um, I think so?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widen as she leans in and says, “What do you mean? I think everypony deserves love and happiness, right?”

Marybelle can only start at this as she says, “L-love?”

“Well yes Marybelle! Don’t you want love?”

“Um, I guess?”

Fluttershy tries to stay composed as she continues, “You guess? Marybelle, don’t you want somepony to be there for you? Somepony to love you and care for you? I mean, isn’t that important to you?”

Marybelle looks back at Fluttershy as she finally says, “Look! I’m just not sure if it’s really for me okay? A lot of things have happened, and I just don’t know why anypony would want to love me?”

Fluttershy smiles and replies, “You don’t need to remember?”

Marybelle grimaces as she says, “Yeah I guess that’s true?”

Fluttershy softly giggles with her hoof still on Marybelle’s as she says, “You won’t know until you allow him to love you Marybelle. I mean, calling him “butthole” is cute, but it also says something about your feelings.”

Marybelle grimaces even harder as she says, “And that’s exactly why I don’t talk about this stuff!”

Just then, Marybelle notices a batpony with a disheveled mane trotting out of her door. She looks at him, frowns, and yells back, “What are you doing awake? You need your rest! Go to bed butthole!” *

He trots forward and takes the chalkboard off his back and scrawls out, “U OK?”

Marybelle squints at this in the distance and says, “Yeah I’m fine! Fluttershy is here! Get some rest! Now!”

Guyrin looks at Marybelle with a shocked expression on his face, before regaining composure, nodding, and then trotting back to Marybelle’s room.

“And don’t take up the whole bed either!” as Fluttershy watches this and softly giggles with her right forehoof over her mouth.

Fluttershy looks back at Marybelle and says, “You do care about him!”

Marybelle looks at Fluttershy with stern eyes and says, “Well, he works tonight, and he needs to rest now! I uh…” she scowls once more and says, “I guess so? And it pisses me off!”

Fluttershy frowns and asks, “Well, why is that?”

“Because this wasn’t supposed to happen! I’m supposed to be alone! I’m supposed to be strong Ugh! Why do I need love?”

Fluttershy smiles again as she looks deep into Marybelle’s own purple eyes with her big green pupils and says, “Everypony needs love Marybelle! And well, love is something you don’t plan for. It kind of, just happens!” And her voice grows higher as she continues, “And now you care about him!”

Marybelle frowns and asks, “Tell me again why I don’t just beat up both of you and kick you out of my house?”

Fluttershy smiles even more brightly when she says, “Because you’re a kind and gentle soul who needs love, affection, and companionship?”

Marybelle sits quietly for a few seconds before finally saying, “So, maybe I’m not so strong after all?”

Fluttershy starts and says, “Marybelle! You’ll always be a warrior! Needing love doesn’t take away from your ability to fight!”

Marybelle curves her mouth and squints her right eye once more as she says, “Okay so uh, keep fighting and battle for the ring and just be happy and make nice nice outside of it?” before smiling at Fluttershy dimly.

Fluttershy giggles softly again and says, “Sounds like a plan Marybelle! Hey! You haven’t touched your sandwich yet!”

Marybelle then looks down at the lone cabbage and tomato sandwich and says, “You added tomatoes!” before picking it up with her forehooves and taking a big bite.

“Yeah um, I noticed you had tomatoes, so I added them to the sandwich. I hope that’s okay?”

Marybelle finishes the bite in her mouth and swallows before smiling and saying, “That’s fine Fluttershy! Sometimes I add tomatoes! I mean, that’s why I had him grab them earlier!”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Oh good! Now you just finish up your sandwich Marybelle! I need to finish mopping your kitchen now. Just take your glass of berry juice to the living room and wait for me there! Um, I saw magazines there. Is that all you need?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen when she remembers that Fluttershy is cleaning her house for her and she says, “Uh, that’s fine Fluttershy! I mean, a hurt neck shouldn’t keep me from getting anything I want right?”

“Well, probably not? But if you need ANYTHING Marybelle, you just let me know!” Fluttershy says before smiling and trotting out towards the kitchen area.

“Ugh! I’m not used to this! Usually, I’m alone!” Marybelle exclaims before eating her sandwich some more.

She finishes and looks to the kitchen. She sees Fluttershy is there now, surrounded by chirping birds as she cheerfully floats with her wings and cleans up the floor with the mop in her forehooves. Thinking she doesn’t want to disturb the other Pegasus, she then trots over to her couch in the living area. She sits on the couch and opens one of her magazines with her forehooves. In the latest issue of Equestrian Fighter, she finds an interesting article on zebra hoof-to-hoof fighting techniques and proceeds to read it.

Some more time passes, when finally, Marybelle notices Fluttershy closing her closet to put up the mop and bucket before trotting out into the living area. She cheerfully says, “Okay Marybelle! I swept and mopped your kitchen floor and did the dishes! Now it shouldn’t be too bad when you get started tomorrow!” and proceeds to trot over to the couch and sit there next to Marybelle. “Um, I hope helping you is okay?”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she then says, “Of course! Helping is good! I like help!”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Okay, good! Guyrin should be waking up for his work in a few more hours now. So um, what did you want to do?”

“Well, I’m not sure Fluttershy? Usually, I’m training, but my neck is hurt and well, you’re here now. Uh, what would you like to do Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Well, it’s a nice autumn afternoon and I did want to take a nature walk today? But you’re hurt and probably shouldn’t do that…”

Marybelle grimaces at Fluttershy and says, “Well I could go on a walk with you or talk some more uh, yes Fluttershy! Let’s go on a nature walk!”

“Well, you live on the outskirts of town here on the East side? I know there’s a small forest to the South and um, we can go as slow as you need to and you let me know if you need to go back home okay?”

Marybelle smiles and says, “I’m sure I can handle a little walk in the woods Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy says, “Well um, okay! As long as you’re sure Marybelle… Let’s go on a nature walk!”

(To be continued…)

Author's Note

*I actually say something very similar to my own special somepony! “Go to bed butthole! You need some rest!” Butthole or no, I guess I do care about him huh?

Chapter Six: Knowing and Loving Anyway

The two Pegasi trot into the woods just South of Marybelle’s house. Fluttershy looks ahead and says, “Marybelle! Do you see that tree over there?”

The other Pegasus looks to the tree and says, “Yeah, lots of them grow in this area!”

“That’s a Ponyville sycamore Marybelle. It’s a special tree with special needs.”

Marybelle scrunches her mouth and replies, “Okay?”

Fluttershy trots forward before pointing at the branches of the tree with her right forehoof as she says, “See how they’re pruned a specific way?”

Marybelle trots towards the tree for a closer look and says, “Oh yeah! They’re cut at an angle! Why do they cut it like that?”

Fluttershy turns to face Marybelle as she says, “Because that’s the best way for their branches to grow, Marybelle. There are a few Ponyville sycamore in other regions of Equestria, but they’re not as plentiful as they are here because we know how to properly care for them!”

Marybelle frowns while saying, “Are you saying that I need to take care of Guyrin by pruning his branches?”

“I’m saying he needs to be treated a special way, just like these trees Marybelle!”

Marybelle squints her right eye while saying, “Okay well, everypony has a specific set of needs? What should I know about him?”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Well, my little Guyrin is very emotional. He will get upset very easily and you need to know that he needs love and care when that happens.”

Marybelle picks up her voice, “Fluttershy, I am a fighter trained in hoof-to-hoof combat and an accomplished martial artist. Why in the hay is he looking to me for that? I’m not a nurturer!”

“Well, Guyrin obviously sees that in you, otherwise he wouldn’t have picked you!”

Marybelle frowns and says, “Okay so not only is he a butthole, but he’s obviously out of his little batpony mind! Great!”

Fluttershy starts and says, “Marybelle! You were hurt and who picked you up? Who gave you the helping hoof you needed to get better?”

“That’s beside the point! I can take care of myself!”

Fluttershy’s eyes grow inquisitive, “Isn’t it easier with him there for you though?”

“Well yeah… I guess?”

Fluttershy straightens her head and finally asks, “Marybelle, what’s wrong? Why are you so reluctant to accept what’s obviously a very loving and caring gesture?”

Marybelle looks off to her right, “I… I just don’t want to get hurt again…”

“Marybelle, Guyrin doesn’t seem to want to hurt you, you know?”

Marybelle looks back, “I know that! They never do! Not at first….”

Fluttershy tilts her head to the left and says, “Well, how do you know he’s also going to hurt you though? He’s not those other ponies.” She straightens her head and widens her eyes, “He’s his own pony after all!”

Marybelle turns around and trots a few paces, “I’m not sure you’d understand?”

Fluttershy trots up to Marybelle’s left side, looks over to her, and says, “Try me!”

Marybelle looks to the yellow Pegasus on her left and says, “Well, what else is there to say? I wasn’t the right pony and so they got rid of me… Then I decided not to trust anypony else… And then, he comes flying into my life with his leathery dark blue wings!”

“Well, Marybelle, I think you just need to give him a chance! What if he’s the one?”

Marybelle starts, “And that’s another thing! I wasn’t looking for love, or “the one”, or anything else when he came to me with flowers in his mouth! I wasn’t wanting anything!”

“Yeah, Guyrin was always the romantic type like that!”

“I beat him up!”

Fluttershy eyes widen as her head lurches forward, “You WHAT?”

“Well, I thought he was sneaking up on me. I tried to remember where he was for about a block until he was finally right behind me… And then I uh, roughed him up a bit…”

“Marybelle! He was only trying to be romantic!”

“Well, I know that now Fluttershy! But I didn’t at the time.”

Fluttershy frowns and says, “Is that why you agreed to go out with him in the first place? Because you hurt him?”

Marybelle sighs, “Well, if you want me to be truthful, yes… Yes, it was… Otherwise, I would’ve said no and this whole catastrophe could’ve been avoided!”

“Marybelle! Love is a beautiful, wonderful thing!”

“It is? Why does it always end so horribly though?” Marybelle says while squinting her right eye.

Fluttershy smiles dimly and says, “Because it wasn’t meant to be… What if it is this time though Marybelle? Don’t you want that?”

“I guess?”

“Marybelle!”

“Look! I don’t know if I really want to trust anypony anymore okay? Why can’t I just be by myself and be happy?” Marybelle says while looking over to her right.

Fluttershy starts again as she says, “Because you’re a sensitive creature who needs love Marybelle!”

Marybelle looks ahead, “And another thing! Why exactly do I NEED love anyway?”

Fluttershy smiles as she says, “Because you’re meant for special things Marybelle…”

Marybelle turns left to face the other pony and squints as she says, “Oh, you’re good!”

“Marybelle, Guyrin has said nothing but wonderful things about you!”

“I know…”

Fluttershy looks around on her left before spotting something and pointing with her forehoof as she says, “You see that mama bird up in that tree feeding the worm to her little ones?”

Marybelle looks in the direction she pointed, “Um, yeah?”

“Okay, well those little baby birds can’t get that worm by themselves…”

Maybelle frowns and says, “What are you saying Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy turns to Marybelle and starts as she says, “What I’m saying is, he can’t get love by himself, on his own! He has to get that from you!”

Marybelle turns her body to face the other Pegasus, “Okay, let’s just cut to the chase. What do I need to know about the little batpony?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widen, “Well, gosh! I already told you about his emotional state. You’re probably already aware that he needs snuggles and love right?”

“Umm…” Marybelle says as she looks down, “He is quite affectionate?”

“Oh, I know!” Fluttershy says while smiling proudly, “He always greets me with a warm hug!”

Marybelle thinks of something but decides not to say it before looking up to sky and says, “It’s getting later. You suppose Guyrin will be up by now?”

Marybelle sits across from Fluttershy at the table as she looks down on her plate and says, “Apple and hay mash you say? And he likes this stuff?”

“Oh yes! Batponies love fruit! Especially tree grown fruit such as apples, pears, and mangos!”

“Good to know!” Marybelle says as she grabs her bowl in her forehooves and starts to eat.

A bleary eyed batpony soon walks from Marybelle’s room with the disheveled remains of a bluish black pompadour on his head. Marybelle looks to him before he’s even three paces out the door and says, “Good evening Guy!” and then gets up and trots to greet him. She meets him in the middle and nuzzles him before saying, “I hope you slept well!”

Guyrin looks to Fluttershy and makes a few chirping noises. “Tell her, I slept well!”

Fluttershy smiles and says to Marybelle, “He says he rested very well, thank you!”

Marybelle looks behind her to the yellow Pegasus and says, “W-wait! You can understand him?”

“Well, I do speak bat you know?” Fluttershy says before smiling.

Marybelle grimaces at the yellow Pegasus before trotting back to her seat.

Guyrin shakes his head before following a few hoofsteps behind her and sitting at the table with Fluttershy to his left and Marybelle to his right. He chirps at Fluttershy. “Hey, is there anything to eat? I can cook dinner you know?”

Fluttershy answers, “It’s in the kitchen Guyrin! You just wait here, and I’ll get it for you!” before getting off her chair and trotting over to the kitchen.

Marybelle looks at the batpony and asks, “So you can talk to Fluttershy? Any other surprises I should know about?”

Guyrin shirks and shakes his head while the yellow pony trots back from the kitchen with a warm plate of food on her snout and drops it in front of the batpony.

Guyrin looks at it and hisses with his mouth open, revealing his fangs and spreading his wings while raising his forehooves in the air. Then, he looks over at a smiling Marybelle before closing his wings back around his body and quietly taking the bowl in his forehooves to somberly munch on his food.

Marybelle giggles at this before saying, “I love how you try to control yourself around me Guy! I think it’s cute!”

Guyrin looks over at her and faintly pouts while Fluttershy sees this and starts to giggle herself.

Fluttershy looks to Marybelle, “It’s cute that you already have a thing!”

The other Pegasus looks to Fluttershy, frowns, and asks, “What? A thing?”

Fluttershy smiles, “Mhm! He’s a batpony and therefore ferocious with fruit and he tries to control himself around you!”

Guyrin munches some more of his food before looking at Fluttershy while Marybelle says, “So let me get this straight! I didn’t want this, nor did I ask for it… But I have a coltfriend now?”

Fluttershy says, “Welcome to the world Marybelle! That’s how love is! You don’t control it! It just happens!”

Marybelle looks up and says, “Oh great! So, I have to follow him now, whether I want to or not!”

Fluttershy asks the cage fighter, “What do you mean?”

Marybelle looks at the other Pegasus while the batpony stares onward and says, “Well, like you said. What if he’s the one? I mean, let’s just say hypothetically that love is meant for me, right? Well, I wouldn’t want to miss this? At the same time, I’m annoyed that it happened now!”

Fluttershy’s mouth tightens as she looks at Marybelle soberly and asks her, “Well, there really isn’t a right time for this sort of thing either?”

Marybelle frowns and says, “So it’s now or never huh?” As Guyrin looks at her intently.

Fluttershy starts and says, “Well I don’t think that’s exactly…”

Marybelle doesn’t let her finish before looking at the batpony and saying, “I love you!” The batpony can only stare at Marybelle wide-eyed while she continues, “I love you and thank you so much for taking care of me Guyrin… You really do love me?”

Guyrin gives her a bright fanged smile and nods his head yes energetically.

Marybelle smiles as she says, “You know, your little, your mysterious, you’re annoying, and you’re helpful… And I love you, you little butthole!”

Fluttershy snickers and looks to Guyrin before saying, “That’s probably about as good as we’re gonna get for right now?”

Guyrin nods his head and chirps at her affirmatively. “Yeah, probably?”

The yellow pony looks to the crimson one on the other end of the table as she says, “He was agreeing with me!” while Marybelle frowns.

Marybelle looks at Guyrin and says, “I know you work at the cemetery Guy. But what time do you get off?”

Guyrin looks over at Fluttershy and exclaims a couple of chirps. “6”

Fluttershy looks to Marybelle and says, “He says he gets off at 6!”

“Also, good to know!” Marybelle says before taking her bowl in her forehooves and finishing up her food with her snout.

“I’m glad you liked it!” Fluttershy says while smiling and lightly giggling. Then she slowly and carefully finishes up her food herself with her bowl in her forehooves.

Guyrin sees all of this, shrugs, and starts to eat his food a bit more aggressively to catch up.

The three ponies finish their meals and Fluttershy looks to the clock on the wall before saying, “Oh Guyrin! It’s almost time for you to go to work! Hang on!” before getting up to trot back to the kitchen.

Marybelle looks at Guyrin who can only stare back and grin dimly. She chances a nuzzle and it’s reciprocated, and this causes her to smile and blush as she says, “I really do love you now, you know that?”

Guyrin smiles while silently nodding at the red Pegasus while she stares back at him with a repressed smirk on her face.

Fluttershy trots back to the table with a tall leather satchel on her snout. She sets it down near Guyrin before saying, “Okay Guyrin! I packed a berry and oat sandwich and some prunes for your lunch tonight! Be careful!”

Guyrin happily takes the satchel in his forehooves and swings it over his right shoulder. He looks over and nuzzles Marybelle only to be shocked when she kisses him slowly, passionately, and deeply.

She draws back her head before smiling and saying, “I love you, you little butthole!”

Guyrin gives a positive squeak and nuzzles her again before trotting towards the door.

He opens it and trots out before closing it behind him and Marybelle looks over at Fluttershy and says, “You can do it now, but I make his lunches from here on out!”

Fluttershy looks over and smiles as she says, “Of course! Because you love him!”

“Okay, fine! You got me! I do in fact, love this little pony of the night! So uh, Fluttershy? What were you gonna do after he left?”

“Well, do you still need me to take care of you?”

“Uh, I don’t think so?” Marybelle says while rubbing the back of her neck with the brace still there.

“Well, do you want some company?”

“Um… Yeah I think I do?”

Fluttershy looks at Marybelle soberly with her blue eyes before saying, “It’s hard for you to admit you need other ponies, isn’t it?”

“Well, I really don’t like that? I think of myself as strong and tough, you know? I don’t want to admit that I n-need anypony else in my life… I don’t want to be weak!”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Well, I already told you that relying on others isn’t necessarily a weakness? In fact, I’ve seen firsthand how strong that can be!”

Marybelle’s expression grows stern, “What are you saying Fluttershy?”

“I’m saying that you’re stronger with Guyrin than you are alone!”

Marybelle looks over to the left side and widens her eyes, “Well uh, I actually never thought about like that? You uh, got a point there actually!”

“And now, you have a special somepony to help you!” Fluttershy says while smiling more brightly.

Marybelle grimaces severely and says, “You know what? You’re also annoying!”

Fluttershy’s eyes widen, “Love is beautiful Marybelle!”

“So, I’m told?” Marybelle says before sighing, rubbing the back of her neck again, past her straight neon blue mane with her right forehoof, “You think this brace has been on here long enough?”

“Probably? Um, hang on!” Fluttershy says before getting off her chair and trotting over behind Marybelle to reach behind the brace with her right forehoof. She moves it around a bit and soon, the brace undoes itself and slides off her neck from the sides. She moves the brace over to the table and sets it down with her forehoof.

Marybelle stretches and pops her neck from side to side before asking Fluttershy, “So uh, what did you wanna do anyway?”

“Oh, I didn’t have any plans! Whatever you wanna do is fine!”

Marybelle looks up before back down and says, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but would you like to get some coffee? There’s an all-night café over on the East side of town that me and Guy have been to before…”

“So, is there anything you wanted to know about Guyrin?” Fluttershy asks as both ponies trot through the now empty Ponyville market square as the sun sets to their left.

“Yeah! How did his father die anyway?”

“Well, batponies have a sacred pilgrimage they need to make to the Everfree Forest at least once in their life… Guyrin’s father took him and he was heading back, when a roc plucked him out of the sky!”

Marybelle’s starts to trot a bit slower as she looks down and says, “So, his father was killed by a bird-of-prey?”

Fluttershy stops and says, “Yes Marybelle! And he’s been by himself for years after that!”

Marybelle stops to looks at her, “So extreme loneliness is the only reason he wanted to be with me?”

“Marybelle! You act like you don’t have any qualities that he enjoys! You are really sweet and caring, you know that?”

Marybelle starts and says, “I-I am?”

“Absolutely!” Fluttershy says while smiling.

“Ugh!” Marybelle says before turning to start trotting East as she says, “Come on Fluttershy! It’s this way!”

“Oh dear!” Fluttershy says while timidly trotting behind her.

Soon, both ponies see a light approaching them on the street to their left. Marybelle nods her head towards it says, “Yeah, that’s it up there!”

The two ponies approach the patio of the café when Marybelle asks, “Do you wanna sit outside Fluttershy?”

“That’s fine!” Fluttershy says as Marybelle trots ahead of the duo towards a chair. She pulls the chair back with her teeth and sits down, facing the café.

Fluttershy slowly trots over to the chair on Marybelle’s right and pulls it out with her teeth to do the same.

“So, why did you suddenly feel like coffee Marybelle? That seems like something Guyrin would want?”

Marybelle looks to the other Pegasus, and smiles as she says, “Well, I guess his ways are growing on me?”

A dark pink unicorn waitress soon approaches their table from the door on Marybelle’s left. She has her blond mane done in a single tight bun behind her head and a flowing blond tail behind her to match. She trots to the table and looks at Fluttershy on the other side of the table before saying, “Hello again Fluttershy! Your usual single mocha frappe with extra cherries?”

Fluttershy looks to the unicorn, smiles, and giggles before saying, “Yup! You really know me Cynthia!”

Cynthia smiles and says, “Well, you have been coming here awhile?” She looks to Marybelle on her right and says, “Not with your coltfriend tonight huh? What can I get you ma’am?”

Marybelle says, “Uh, caramel cappuccino please!”

Cynthia asks, “Single, double, or triple?”

“Make it a double please!”

Cynthia nods her head and says, “Okay! Single mocha frappe with extra cherries and a double caramel cappuccino coming right up!” before trotting back towards the door.

Marybelle looks back at Fluttershy and says, “Since it’s just us two out here, I guess she doesn’t need to write down anything? Seriously though, am I the only pony in town who doesn’t know about this place?”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Well, it’s a popular place!”

“I see… So, Guyrin is a grave digger? That’s a pretty grim job!” Marybelle says before frowning.

Fluttershy looks up brightly and says, “Well, his father was a grave digger and his father before him. They used to work together before um…”

Marybelle’s eyes widen as she asks, “He didn’t bury his own father, did he?”

Fluttershy is taken aback as she says, “Oh goodness no! I remember, they sent a courier to Canterlot to get a grave digger especially for that job! Although Guyrin was at the funeral… I still remember how pale and sullen he looked…”

“Oh wow! That sounds horrible!” Marybelle says as a pink unicorn approaches from her left with a small black tray carrying a tall, stemmed glass with whipped cream and lots of cherries on top with a little bent straw poking out of it on it next to a large frothy coffee mug in her blue magical grasp.

Cynthia sets the tray down on the table and then magically floats the glass to Fluttershy in front of her before the coffee mug to Marybelle on her right. She then floats the tray away to her saddlebags on her left and says, “Enjoy!” before smiling and briskly trotting away to the door behind her.

“So, what did he do after the funeral?” Marybelle asks curiously without even regarding the unicorn.

“Well um, I’m actually not sure? I know they gave him some time off from work after that and I don’t think he left his house? I went by to check on him two days later, but nopony answered the door.”

Marybelle gives a wide-eyed expression as she asks, “So, when was the next time you saw him?”

Fluttershy smiles and says, “Well, I saw him at the market earlier when he had his sunglasses on! When he was shopping for you!”

“Wait!” Marybelle sighs before continuing, “He didn’t go out into public, until I needed him to?”

“Mhm! I guess you make him want to do things again?”

“Wow!” Marybelle says before looking down at her coffee and tentatively using her forehooves to take a powerful sip. “Still kinda hot, but I can deal with this!”

“Oh good!” Fluttershy says before sipping her straw a bit.

Marybelle takes a smaller sip and says, “Okay, coffee junkie, grave digger, works at night, dead father, loves me, needs affection, and out of his mind! Anything else I need to know about this weird dark little pony of the night?”

“Um?” Fluttershy looks up and then says, “I think that just about covers all you really should know? He’s already done his batpony pilgrimage and after finding a mate, that pretty much covers his batpony obligations I think?”

“Wait! Find a mate?” Marybelle starts at the yellow Pegasus who flinches slightly before composing herself.

“Um, yeah! Tradition says batponies have to have a mate by a certain point. If they fail, they’re out of the colony until they return with one…”

Marybelle squints and says, “Was he kicked out?”

“Um…” Fluttershy says before shrinking, “I’m actually not sure?”

At that point, something snaps in Marybelle… She looks up calmly, sighs, and says, “You know what Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy timidly asks, “Um, what Marybelle?”

Marybelle suddenly looks down before an insane grin forms on her face, “I don’t care about that!”

“W-WHAT?”

Marybelle looks at Fluttershy wide-eyed as she says, “I suddenly get it Fluttershy!”

Fluttershy looks around and shrinks even more as she asks, “W-what do you mean Marybelle?”

Marybelle excitedly says, “There’s gonna be all sorts of reasons not to love him! The fact that he’s just lonely, the fact that he’s annoying, the fact that he has a dark job, and the fact that he can’t return home without me! All of these things say I should say no! But you know what? I’m just gonna love the little butthole anyway!” before nodding her head and taking another powerful swig of her coffee.

Fluttershy shakes her head, starts, and blinks her eyes a few times before smiling and shyly saying, “Oh okay! Th-that’s wonderful Marybelle!” And then slowly taking another sip of her drink.

(To be continued…)