Harmony University: Strawberry Moon

Sunday for Darkstar was a big day before the big day. The big day in question being the start of college. It was finally here! Slate walked her down the stairs carrying a small suitcase full of clothing – and the set of butt plugs - that she hadn't already moved to her dorm room. “Get your hugs in before we go, Darkie.”

Darkstar went for Rockslide first, though she was careful with her hugs not to squeeze too hard in case her piercings were still tender. Her own were, just a little. “Don't miss me too much, sis.”

Rockslide wished the hug could’ve lasted forever, but alas it was over all too quickly. “I’ll manage. I have photos to look at.”

“Call me whenever you need encouraging, okay?” Darkstar placed a chaste kiss on the zebra’s cheek before she stepped back and looked at her new Skull Cruncher tee shirt she had bought for a concert at the Canterlot Sport’s stadium later that day. “I hope you get lucky tonight.”

“Thanks Darkie,” Rockslide grinned, “Let’s hope my light up skulls get me a cute girl to bring home.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you,” Darkstar then went to Sea Salt and she hugged the matriarch tight, “I'm coming back for hugs and curried goat, momma.”

“Hugs always,” the old woman beamed, “I'll be sure to let my boy know when goat will be available.”

Squeezing her ever tighter, Darkstar said, “You know I'll be back for hugs!” she held the hug until she herself needed to breathe, the eldest zebra seemingly unaffected by the tightness of the hug, “Thank you for getting me this far, momma.”

“Family,” was all Sea Salt said to that.

In her very best zebran, Darkstar replied, “Familia yote kila kitu,” which was family is everything.

That earned Darkstar an extra tight hug from Sea Salt that threatened to make her pass out, thankfully it was eased up before it went too far. “Now go,” Sea Salt said, “So you can return.”

“Okay, I'm gone!” Darkstar snuck in one last hug with Rockslide before she skipped outside into the midday sun. She had on her stretchy skin tight pink leggings and a small belly revealing top that only just afforded her decency by barely covering her breasts. Completing her ensemble was her collar, of course.
Once they were seated in Slate’s battered old truck, he asked, as he reversed onto the main road, “Do you need to get any groceries before we get there?”

Tying her long grey hair up into a ponytail, Darkstar mulled it over. “We did stock the fridge yesterday, but I suppose I could get a few extra essentials in, make a good impression with my roommate.”

“Okay,” Slate agreed, “We'll do that after lunch. I'm thinking Burger Joint.”

“Then you read my mind, Master,” Darkstar grinned a wide grin, “I was thinking that too!”

As he drove along, Slate smiled, “Some things are consistent, and that is nice.”

“Not as nice as getting text messages from you will be,” Darkstar gave the terracotta zebra her best cheeky wink, while she imagined all the sexy things he might make her do during the weekdays at college.

“And I look forward to the replies,” Slate smirked back at her, knowing full well that he would be sporting a non-stop erection at work from now on, “You can always start a text too, if you ever feel just a little bit lost.”

Darkstar was so grateful for that. “Oh, don't you worry, I will.”

After Slate had parked up at the Burger Joint, they got out the truck and he pulled his pet in close to him. “You can order for the two of us. Quarter pounder with cheese, large fries and a chocolate milkshake.”

Darkstar took the twenty bit note he gave her and folded it in her hand. “Thank you Master,” she tip-toed and kissed his nose, “May I please have the same?”

“You may, pet.”

“Yay!” Darkstar figured she would, but it never hurt to ask and make sure. Better that than be punished for misbehaviour. With that in mind, she skipped off into the restaurant and she got in the mercifully small line.

Walking in behind her, Slate quickly found them an empty by a window table, where he sat, content to wait and watch his pet from a distance. He saw a small woman in front of her turn to face her, then look her up and down.

The lady in front of Darkstar, who was half a head shorter than her, looked Darkstar up and down, then she looked at the teenager’s rounded belly. “Not to be rude, miss, but are you, um...”

“Pregnant,” Darkstar finished for her with a smile on her face, “Yes ma'am.”

The short woman mirrored Darkstar’s smile, “Congratulations. I've had three, and it is a joy.”

As a youth at the counter got served and the line advanced a few steps, Darkstar giggled, “I'm sure it's more fun when eviction finally day comes.”

“That is the truth!” the lady, when it was her turn at the front, turned to make her order for four.

“Believe me, I can't wait!” Darkstar giggled and she was so excited, she bounced on the balls of her feet in the line.

“I wish you well, miss,” when she had her number, the lady walked over to a table with three waiting teenagers, whom Darkstar assumed were her three kids.

“Hi!” Darkstar flounced up to the serving counter when she was at the front with a bounce that made her top rise up just enough to show off the underside of her modest B cup breasts, “Can I get a quarter pounder with cheese, large fries and a chocolate shake, twice, please?”

“Check,” a man working the counter processed the order, “Number three large, chocolate shake for the drink, twice. That’ll be sixteen forty, please miss.”

“Here you go, sir!” Darkstar passed over the twenty that Slate had given to her, he rang it through the register and gave her the change. He then gave her a number.

“Thank you!” Darkstar took the money in her hand along with the number. Then, she turned and skipped her way over to where Slate was sat at waiting the table. “Food has been ordered, Master!”

When she got to the table, Slate patted the empty seat next to him. Darkstar took the hint straightaway and she obediently sat by his side. “Are you putting on your brave face, pet?” he asked when she was seated.

Darkstar glanced down at the table top, knowing he had seen through her just like Sea Salt was able to. “Perhaps a little, yes.”

“That's okay, it's a cute face.” Grinning, Slate pulled a pill case out of his jacket pocket. It had several compartments on it labelled Monday - Sunday and only the Saturday one was empty. He opened up the Sunday compartment and took out the tablet within it. “You will text me when you take one of these. It will always be at lunch, or as close to after as you can.”

“I will, I understand the rules, Master,” Darkstar took the Sunday pill in her slightly shaking hand.

Confidently, Slate tapped the table. “Some food first, pet. I'm just happy you're holding more of it down now.”

“Believe me,” Darkstar laughed, “So am I.”

A few moments later, their food was delivered to them by an enthusiastic young teen. When he placed the tray on the table, Slate pointed at the change. “For you, thank you.” As he expected, the teenager didn't hesitate to take the change.

“That was nice of you, sweetie,” Darkstar looked at her food like she was ready to devour it instantly, and she was, because she had been refused breakfast. But, obedient pet that she was, she waited until he gave her permission to start.

Picking up his burger, Slate decided to take one of Darkstar’s fries first. He ate that, along with a large bite out of his burger. While he ate and swallowed, he watched her with interest. As he expected, she opened her mouth like she was about to protest, then she closed it and bit her lip, looking at the fries like she could taste them. “Poison check, I can't be too careful with the twins,” Slate laughed, “You may eat, as the food seems safe.”

“Thank you for keeping us safe, Master,” permission given, Darkstar dived for the fries like he might change his mind at any moment. When she had polished off the fries and was half way through her burger, Slate pointed out the pill to remind her. She swallowed the pill along with a slurp of her chocolate shake.

“I do want to keep control of you,” Slate spoke thoughtfully, “But I don't want to strangle you with the leash.”

“You won't, Master.” Assured Darkstar, though she was so grateful that he took the time to even voice such a worry that she didn’t have words to express how she felt. Loved, cared for, respected, didn’t seem to cover it. “I do want you to control me, and to push me with the things you text me to do.”

“It is hard for me to express just how much your trust means to me,” and it was true. Then, Slate was never deft with words. So, he let his actions speak for him and he leant over, taking her in a deep kiss.

After the burger flavoured kiss, Darkstar placed his hand on her growing bump, her hand on his. “I know how much, Master, you trust me the same.”

“I have a short list of instructions for you,” Slate said as he set aside his burger, “I didn't write them down, so remember them. Are you ready?”

“I'm ready, Master.”

"Ask your roommate if you can take her picture,” Slate started, “If she agrees, I want you to send it to me. That way Rocky and I will know you're not two timing us when we see her,” he had a big smile at his own joke.

“Got it,” Darkstar committed that to her memory, “Shouldn't be too hard, Master.”

“Tonight,” he continued, “You may eat what you like, as long as it’s three items, and one of those items will be ten peas, no more, no less. Take a picture before you eat. You may drink as much water as you wish. If your roommate offers something else to drink, you will text me for permission first.”

As she listened to Slate, Darkstar visibly shivered with excitement. This was everything she wanted! “I will Master. I understand, three items, ten peas. I'll be sure to send you a picture.”

Slate gave her a sly grin, “If you want to take notes, it's okay.”

“I got this, Master.”

“Tomorrow for breakfast, you may have oatmeal with one spoonful of brown sugar and milk, and one cup of milky coffee.”

As he continued to give her the list of orders, Darkstar reached into her purse and, blushing, she took out a small notepad and quickly she made some notes. “And what about the butt plug, I mean…what should I wear?”

“That’s a good question, pet.” Slate pondered it for a second, “Nothing in any hole. Dress sensible for the first day of class. We need to know the lay of the land before we get adventurous.”

“Good idea, Master,” Darkstar mulled over ‘sensible’ and decided what it meant. “Sooo...short skirt, shirt and panties?”

“I see you understand 'sensible' to mean underwear. Good pet.” Slate patted her head as a reward, “I want a pic of each of your teachers. I want you to be at the class a little early. You may not sit in the front, back, or side. I want others around you. Exception will be assigned seating. I don't know if they do that.”

Darkstar smirked, for she knew why he wanted her in the middle of a class. If he ordered her to be revealing, he wanted as many people as possible to potentially see her. “I am sensible,” she pointed out, “With my short skirts panties are essential, unless I'm being punished.” She giggled as she wrote the notes, “We've already met one teacher, but I'll get a picture of him anyway.”

“This next will be harder,” Slate warned, “So don’t get too anxious over it. Talk to those around you, see if you can make a friend or more. I don't want people you trust, but ones you can turn to if things go wrong. I'm not there, and it will take time for me to be there. I don't want you to be alone.”

The pen that Darkstar was holding paused and hovered over the notepad. “That is one of the things I'm most scared about. Obviously, I'll tell my roommate everything, I mean, it'd be hard to hide the collar from her, and I guess she deserves to know about my illness.”

“I've not asked that of you,” Slate beamed and squeezed her thigh with his hand, “But I'm proud of you that you are forward with it. As for this,” he ran a finger along the collar, “It’s part of you, and part of me. I don't want you hurt over it, but I really don't care if others don't understand.”

“Likewise, I mean, it's a collar,” Darkstar pointed out, “It’s not like I'm walking around in a leather bondage hood and an armbinder writing with my mouth.” she kissed his nose, knowing full well that image was now in his head.

“Well,” Slate shot back, “You are rather good with your mouth.”

“Oh,” Darkstar smiled innocently, “You noticed?”

“Once or twice, maybe more. For lunch,” Slate said, “Which I'm guessing will be at the cafeteria, you will text me with your choices. Then I’ll tell you what you can have.” Once she had scribbled her notes, he continued, “After class, before dinner we will talk about your day, and instructions will follow.” He kissed her again, “I do love you, and I love my power over you.”

“I love you,” Darkstar kissed him back, as hard, and passionately as she could, “And I love your power over me.”

“Toss the trash,” Slate ordered when they had finished their meal, “And we’ll go to the grocery store. I need to make sure you have peas.”

“Yes Master,” Darkstar was up and carrying the tray of trash to the bin with a completely necessary sway to her ass as she walked.

Outside, Slate took hold of her hand as they walked to the truck. Once they were inside, Slate drove them to the nearest grocery store, which was one they had used before, as it happened. “You may shop for food and perishables. I know you’ve got cold cereal and instant oatmeal, and some boxes of crackers and cookies in your room.”

“Thank you Master, oooh they have Zebran food and snacks!” Darkstar happily skipped down the aisles of the store until she found what she was looking for. To her immense joy, she found the store had banana chips and mandazi donuts!

Unfortunately for Darkstar, the only thing Slate denied her was sweet desserts like cake, pies and, of course, the donuts. Despite her best puppy dog eyes, he made her put them back. Pouting mutinously, she took back the donuts, and she came back with chapati bread, akara fritters and sauce dips instead. “I think I've got everything with this, Master.”

Slate paid for the groceries at the checkout then, after the truck had been loaded up, he drove them the short distance to the Harmony University campus. “Want me to help you move in with the groceries?” he asked as they parked up.

“Yeah, come on.” Darkstar accepted the help immediately. On her own she guessed it would take her at least three trips, but with his strong arms helping, she figured they could do it in one. “You can meet my roomie.”

At the entrance, they were greeted by a young female student, “Hello, and you are?”

“Hi, I’m Darkstar, a student, and this is Slate, my temporary moving helper.”

The student checked her list and her smile lit up, “Oh, you're Wildfire's roommate. Okay, you’re in Room 106, down the hallway to your left, 106 is third on your right. The visiting hours end at six p.m. While he’s in the room, the door must remain open. You, and your roomie have the right to request a visit run short.”

“That's fine,” Slate spoke up, “I'm just helping with the move in of last minute groceries.”

“Thanks miss!” Darkstar beamed and, after the student had admitted them inside, she walked along with Slate by her side. “Wildfire, huh?” she mused out loud, “She sounds hot..”

Slate snorted out a laugh, “Maybe a little wild, too.”

“You'll miss my puns,” Darkstar playfully wiggled her bubble butt, “Or my buns.”

“Buns to be sure,” grinned Slate, “I may be able to survive without the former.”

“You deserve a medal for tolerating me.”

“I know!” exclaimed Slate, happy to play along, “But momma and Rocky think it should be the other way around.” When they arrived at the door to the dorm room, he said, “Best to knock first. She may be doing the horizontal tango.”

“Good idea,” after giving Slate a kiss, she knocked on the door.

“Come on in!” came a voice with a very distinct Manehatten / east coast accent, “The door's open!

Since she had her key card in hand, Darkstar swiped it nudged the door open with her foot. “Hi,” she greeted the yellow skinned girl who was sat on a bean bag in the large living area. She was wearing black jeans and a flame decorated hoodie, which was unzipped, a white tee shirt, and she was obviously chilling out with a book and a black coffee. “I'm your roomie and got my fiancé with me to carry groceries. I'm Darkstar and this…” she trailed off to silence when she realised the girl was blind.

Slate took the girl’s milky white eyes in his stride, “I'm Slate. Pleased to meet you.”

“Hi! Gimme a mo…” Wildfire set her book down on the floor by her bean bag, a book Darkstar saw was 'The Tempest' and she got up to her full height, which was a mighty four foot nine inches. “You sound like you're near the door,” she walked over and held her hand out in a vague direction of the newcomers, “I'm Wildfire, call me Wily, I'm your roomie too!”

Both Darkstar and Slate got to see Wildfire’s eyes up close, and how she unerringly moved around what little furniture there was in the dorm’s living space. Moving forward, she intercepted the hand and shook it. “Hi, um,” she said awkwardly, “So you're blind?”

Wisely, Slate decided to put himself to good use, “I'll put the groceries away.”

“Ooh, you caught me!” Wildfire giggled at Darkstar’s question. It didn’t surprise her, she’d heard many like it in the past, “And here I thought I was being super sneaky undercover. Yuppers, I'm blind. That's not gonna be weird, right?”

Darkstar took a deep breath. She had said she’d be upfront about it, but now she was here, it was harder than she had thought. “I'm mentally unstable and I take meds. So, no, it’s not weird.”

Over by the kitchenette, Slate put in, “No putting yourself down Darkie. You have permission to kick her butt if she does, Wily.”

“I wasn't putting myself down, Master, I was just being up front.”

“Mentally unstable huh?” that intrigued Wildfire, for she had some experience dealing with that, thanks to her mother, “What are we talking, depression, anxiety, bi polar, any or all of the above?”

Quietly, Slate moved up and he put a supportive hand on Darkstar's shoulder, “She has depression and borderline schizophrenia. The last hasn't shown yet, and she is seeing a doctor for that, and taking pills for the depression. Of course, that is the least of her traits.”

“Oh,” Darkstar giggled at the afterthought, “I'm pregnant too. Want to have a feel?”

“Yuppers I wanna feel!” suddenly very excited indeed, Wildfire allowed Darkstar to steer her hands down to the teenager’s pregnant belly. She was so short she didn't need to kneel. “This is you, not your mental illness. That's not you,” she said assertively, before she looked towards the distinct sound of Slate's voice. “You're a zebra, right?”

“Are you taking languages too?” asked Slate.

Darkstar put in, “I'm majoring in three languages.”

“Nopes,” Wildfire shook her head, “I'm doing sports science, athletics, and literature. The last one's for fun. You're looking at the holder of the Equestrian record for the one hundred metres and the Manehatten record for the two hundred.” While she spoke, her hands never left Darkstar’s round belly. “I can tell by your accent, sir, you're zebran.”

“After seventeen years in Equestria, you'd think I'd have lost that by now,” Slate snickered.

Darkstar elbowed him in the ribs, “Momma will make sure you never do,” she giggled, “You run track?” she asked the short girl in front of her, “I can't imagine doing that blindfolded.”

“I have a pacer who runs with me,” explained Wildfire, “Not allowed to lead, just make sure I don't veer off the track.” To Slate, she said, “You shouldn't lose your accent. It's part of you. Sir Slate,” Wildfire’s voice took on a most serious tone, “May please I see your pet's face?”

Slate looked mystified. How had this girl caught onto the fact that Darkstar was his pet? “I didn't even say the word, ‘pet’…”

“I did say ‘Master’, though,” suggested Darkstar, impressed at how matter of factly her new friend took the fact she was a submissive in her stride. “Of course you can, Wily.”

“Mom and Dad are big into the BDSM game in Manehatten,” explained Wildfire, “I grew up with it all my life.” She continued to feel her way up Darkstar’s body, barely missing her breasts and no higher up than her neck, “My...you just keep on going, don't you? You're gonna have to come down here.”

Laughing, Darkstar knelt on the carpeted floor, “I'm only five eleven, wait till you try the zebra.”

“I'd love to,” Wildfire snarked back quickly, “But I like girls.” Reaching the taller girl’s face at last, she carefully ran her fingers over her features, starting with her cheeks and nose.

While he watched Wildfire explore his pet’s face, Slate laughed and it was at that moment he made his mind up that he liked this girl. Darkstar though heard the laugh and pouted, “Master!”

“What,” Slate said as innocently as he could, “I was just thinking about Rocky.”

“Sexy,” Wildfire declared her verdict on Darkstar, “You feel sexy.” After a moment, she pulled her hands back. “Can I call you Sexy?”

Slate snorted out a laugh, “My sister does!”

“Yeah,” Darkstar agreed readily, “My big sis likes girls too.”

“Cool. You tease her, right?” Wildfire asked rhetorically, before she turned to where she was certain Slate was standing, “Your turn, big fella.”

Without question, Slate squatted down so he was at eye level with the short girl, “Go for it. See if you can feel the stripes.”

Giggling, Wildfire reached up and she felt all over Slate's face. “Strong.” She said after barely a few seconds had passed and she had explored less than half of his face. “I think Sexy needs Strong.” Following that, she was very thorough in her examination. “Strong enough to be kind, right?”

Slate was certain this girl had met his mother in a past life. “I try,” he said humbly.

“He does!” exclaimed Darkstar, not quite as humble as her fiancé.

“You do know,” Wildfire grinned, estimating their heights and judging them to be vastly taller than she was – then again everyone was vastly taller than she was – she was used to it by now, “When we go out together, I'm gonna look like your child!”

“Um…ahh…”

Fortunately, Slate was on hand to squeeze Darkstar's shoulder in support, “She's really nervous about being pregnant. Besides,” he smiled, “It would be more like a younger sister.”

“Oh...have I done a stupid?” asked Wildfire as Darkstar struggled to get her breathing under control like Requiem had taught her, “I am so sorry!” she blushed and looked down at the floor, “I don't know when to shut up, never have, um...sorry.”

Slate tried to wave it off like it was nothing, then he remembered that Wildfire was in fact, blind. “Don’t worry about it, Wily. No harm done. Now, I think two ladies with plenty of quirks should make for good roomies.”

“Part of my depression is anxiety attacks,” commented Darkstar, “But I have work arounds for them.”

“You mean the deep breathing, right?” Wildfire had heard it, and now she understood why she had done it. “If I set you off again, you just tell me, okay?”

“You will let her know if she does, pet. Politely.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Sort of like chilling with a younger Rocky all day,” Slate smiled warmly at the two girls, hoping that his smile showed in his voice, “No problems if you flirt with her Wily, but you'll have to touch her face to see the blush.” As it happened, Darkstar was blushing so hard her face was practically all red.

“Yuppers,” Wildfire giggled, “I think I can feel the heat right now. I'm gonna guess not a lot embarrasses Sexy, right?”

“I'll leave the two of you to figure that out,” wisely, Slate determined that was the right time to make himself scares, “Good to have met you Wily. Don't forget your list, pet.” After giving Darkstar a parting, passionate kiss, Slate saw himself out, closing the door behind him as he went.

The silence in the dorm room was deafening following the zebra’s departure.

“So...” Wildfire started, albeit a little awkwardly, “Tell me about yourself, Sexy,” she said as she felt her way back to the bean bag and sat down with a loud flumf.

“I want to work for the embassy as an interpreter,” said Darkstar as she walked over to a comfy looking armchair and sat down, “I'm nineteen and graduated from Canterlot High. I’ve known Slate for two years, and I'm twelve weeks pregnant. Your turn.”

“Hmmm let's see,” Wildfire crossed her legs and tapped her chin, “I'm nineteen, the fastest shortstack over two hundred metres, I graduated Manehatten High, I suck at math, and I really want to find a dom as loving as yours.”

“That's also a girl, right?” giggled Darkstar brightly.

“Yuppers!” exclaimed Wildfire with a ready smile, “A big strong girl who won't treat me like I'm made of glass would be really nice.”

“So,” said Darkstar after a moment’s thought, “I'm guessing we need some ground rules. You’re the first blind person I've interacted with. I’d really like to keep us friends.”

“Yuppers,” Wildfire agreed, “I like rules. Rules would be good. You have a lot, right?”

“Not really rules,” Darkstar corrected her, “I have orders. And they are subject to change. By the way, do you like peas?”

“I like peas, sure. Can I ask, what's it like, to have a dom, to be a sub?” she had her mom and dad’s perspective on the lifestyle, and she had her friend on the train’s outlook on it, but this was a girl her own age.

“Oh wow, Requiem asked me that,” Darkstar replied, “I really wasn't sure how to say it, but she is into that scene too. I have control when I give up control and take it back. But when I give it up I'm free of worries as I know my love will keep me safe.”

“You are so lucky to have someone who loves you that much.”

“I'm lucky to be alive because someone loves me that much,” Darkstar moved the chair closer to Wildfire on the bean bag and she took the short girl’s hand in both of hers. “Feel my wrists.”

“Oh...” Wildfire ran her fingers over Darkstar’s skin and she felt the many, many scars that criss crossed her forearms. It was her mother all over again. “Darkstar, if you need to, you talk to me, okay?”

“You don’t need to worry,” Darkstar assured her, “They are months old. I do need someone here to talk to, if you're willing to listen. I see my doctor twice a week, and Slate is about a thirty minute drive away now.”

“I'll be happy to listen,” Wildfire said earnestly, “I promise, any time of day, I'll listen. Mom, she's a firefighter, like dad. She got in a really bad place when an incident she attended went bad.”

Darkstar nodded somewhat solemnly, “My whole life has been a bad place but Slate and his family put me in a good place. I let him have total control over me. I asked about peas, because for dinner I can have three things on my plate one of the things is ten peas.”

“Mom gave dad that amount of control after the incident. And I'm cool with any veggies, unless it's celery,” she smiled broadly, “Can I get you a coffee? You sound like you need a coffee.” As everyone knew, coffee was magic and could solve many of life’s problems.

“Um…” Darkstar paused, “I do, but I need to ask permission first. She reached for her phone and texted Slate, ‘Wily offered me coffee, Master’, “I was told I could only drink water tonight.”

“Then it’s a good thing there's plenty of water in the tap!” Wildfire got up and she took her cold coffee to the sink, where she poured it away and boiled the kettle for a fresh refill.

It didn’t take Slate long to reply, ‘Yes you may, with milk only. No sugar’.

“Hey,” Darkstar called out, “I can have the coffee after all, if you please. Just milk. Um, do you need any help with that?”

“You can indeedy!” Wildfire laughed. Over at the kettle, she got busy making the two coffees. “No, it’s okay, I got this, I know where everything is. So,” she asked as she got an extra mug from a cupboard, “What rules do you need, Sexy?”

“Well,” Darkstar considered that, “Things that don't mess you up. I know Slate just put stuff in the cupboards and fridge, but we didn't think how you must have to have stuff organized. Should I have a cabinet for my food and part of the fridge?”

“That'd be an idea, oh, hang on,” Wildfire bustled around the small kitchenette and, when the two coffees were prepared, she carried them both over to a low table between the bean bag and the arm chair, where she set them down. “I have a braille marking thingy, you can use that to mark your stuff.”

Darkstar laughed, “As a language major, I guess I could learn another language.”

“That's really all I need,” Wildfire said as she sank back into her bean bag, “I don't have a special blind fridge or anything like that.”

“I do see how easy you move around,” commented Darkstar as she sipped at her coffee, “This is good, by the way, up to zebran standards. So, I won't move or add furniture without you knowing.”

“Oooh that'd be great, thank you!” smiled Wildfire, who had taken up her own mug, “High praise indeed. As for the moving around, call it nineteen years of practise. Just so you know, I'm useless at body language and visual cues. And I have been known to take things way too literally sometimes.”

Lightly, Darkstar laughed, “I have that literal problem too. I will say 'look at this' a lot, but that's me. I'll try to let you know or touch what I want you to look at. So, you've always been blind, then?”

“Yuppers, always. It's really not stopped me much, because mom told me not to let it. But, as I say, I can be literal and blunt sometimes, and it's cost me friends in the past. I think you get it though.”

“Can I ask a question? Um,” Darkstar paused a fraction too late, but she realised she’d already gone too far along that route, “I don't mean to be rude.”

“Yuppers, of course you can, Sexy.”

Darkstar inhaled deeply and then she took the plunge, as it were, “What do colours mean to you?” then, she found herself starting to babble, “I mean I'm white with grey hair and you're yellow with black hair…”

“Well,” the nature of the question gave Wildfire cause for a long pause, where she drank her coffee and mulled it over, “I can tell you about yellow. Yellow is the faint heat from the sun on a cool day. It is the pages of a book that have been touched by a thousand hands over a hundred years. I like books. Black is the rich taste of chocolate. It is the moment after just waking up when reality has yet to assert itself, and everything feels heavy, peaceful, and safe. So,” she followed up, “I have chocolate hair, and everyone likes chocolate. White is the sound of the wind blowing steadily through pine trees overhead. It is the faint sound of snowflakes touching down onto the earth and Gray is the feeling of the world after it has rained. It is the heaviness that feels as if it is blanketing everything. It is the smell that precedes and follows a storm.”

“Wow,” Darkstar was incredibly impressed, “That is so cool. I never thought of colours like that.”

“Do you go to the theatre often?” asked Wildfire, somewhat out of the blue.

“No,” Darkstar replied, “There’s too many people. I do watch movies with my family.”

Wildfire was undeterred, “I was going to say there's a showing of The Tempest at Canterlot Royal theatre at the weekend if you're interested. It's kinda my favourite play.”

“That’s Shakespeare, right?” asked Darkstar and, when Wildfire nodded eagerly, she said, “Um, I planned on being with family for the weekend, but I'll ask Master Slate about it. Ah, do you mind a plus one for me?”

“Nopes!” Wildfire beamed and bounced with delight on her bean bag, “You can bring whoever, or give it a miss, it's cool. Should've known you'd rather be with Strong. Bet you've never been apart from him for so long, right?”

Darkstar’s voice lowered to a barely audible whisper, “No. Never this long.”

“Darkstar?” Wildfire’s own voice trembled with emotion she was struggling to keep in check, “Would you mind if I asked you for a hug?”

Darkstar looked at Wildfire and, if she was any judge, she estimated the short girl was ten seconds away from crying. “I would love to give you a hug,” she scooted over and she tried very hard not to wet Wildfire's shoulder with her own tears.

Wildfire felt the girl she had only just met crying next to her and she really struggled to not join her. “My mom and dad are a thousand miles away and I've never been apart from them before, either.”

“I-I g-g-guess I'm n-not really alone after all,” sobbed Darkstar, not caring now if she wet the other girl’s hoodie.

“N-No-Nopes!” Wildfire’s dam had burst and, like her new friend, she was crying as well, and she didn’t care either that it got on Darkstar's top. “I’m sorry, mom said to be strong, and I tried, I really did! But I just can’t!”

“Slate said to call him if I was lost,” said Darkstar once her tears were all cried out, “I'm glad you're here, Wily.”

“It's all just so new, y'know, and I don't do 'new' very well…” Wildfire sniffed for a few more moments before she was done, and both girls were content to just hold each other and give each other the comfort they needed. “I'm glad you're here, too.”

“Well,” Darkstar smiled as she wiped her eyes and her nose on the back of a hand, “I do hope you find a girlfriend out here, and I guess my next thing won't matter a lot to you.”

“Ha!” Wildfire barked out a brash laugh, “I don't know what I'd do with a girlfriend if I had one. That's right, virgin alert, right here!” she giggled sadly, “What thing do you mean?”

“I'm a nudist,” Darkstar explained, “And I was afraid my bare beauty might. Um…” she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly, “Wow, that sounded a whole lot better in my head.”

“It feels strange wearing clothes, right?”

Darkstar nodded her head, only too happy that the subject had changed. “Yes, it does. Can you believe it, I have to wear panties to class! Panties!”

“You poor thing!” Wildfire snickered; her mood instantly lifted as she cheered up. “I can’t imagine what it’s like, having to endure such hardship!” she giggled and patted Darkstar’s head, “You know, if you want to go ahead and get naked, by all means.”

“I believe I’ll take you up on that, Wily,” Darkstar stepped back a few paces and she quickly shed her clothing. Admittedly, it didn’t take her very long, all she was wearing were her leggings and her top. After slipping off her sandals, she folded her things up so she could put them away in her room. Coming back, she giggled, “Do you need another hug?”

"Um, while we're being all open and such," Wildfire paused for a moment, but Darkstar said nothing, nor could she tell that the girl has a smile as she waited. "Um, I like feet. Especially sweaty feet, and I have…well, my pacer partner had to stay behind but she gifted me with her old athletic shoes, and I like to sniff them now and again." Wildfire blushed, "They are a bit smelly, so sorry if you smell them."

"Slate likes to play with my feet sometimes, but I'm guessing you're talking about something a bit more serious than just occasional tickling."

Wildfire nodded, "Yeah, more like worshiping them. Feeling, licking, and nibbling the toes. You uh, you think it's gross?"

Darkstar knelt in front of the bean bag, "No, I think it’s something you want and something you enjoy. Not much different from me wanting and enjoying being naked. Still want another hug?"

Wildfire really did need a hug, “Yuppers, I mean, yes please, Sexy.”

Now completely naked, but for her brick red collar, Darkstar swiftly crossed the large living room and this time the hug they shared on the bean bag was a non-tearful one. “Welcome to Canterlot, Wily.”

“Thanks Darkie,” feeling a lot more comfortable, Wildfire relaxed into the hug and she rested her head on her naked shoulder. Both girls were sure that whatever was to face them at Harmony U, they were both ready for it.