Harmony University: Blind Streak

After Serenity and her driver had taken their leave, Wildfire spent a good deal of time exploring the room she had chosen as hers more thoroughly. The walk in closet was big enough that she could stand in it with her arms out to the sides and not touch the walls, and it was easily able to accommodate her clothes.

Once she had organised her clothes by feel, denim, dress, hoodie, tee shirts, Wildfire moved onto the desk in the corner of the room. There were three drawers on the left side, and a cupboard on the right, into which she stored the laptop that was provided for her in favour of her own.

Not that she didn’t appreciate the gesture by the university, but a quick feel of the keyboard confirmed to her that their machine didn’t come with braille keys, where hers did. She figured that was kind of important, to know what she was typing.

With that basic moving in done, Wildfire decided it was time for a coffee. Out came her trusty braille labeller and she investigated the kitchen in the main room she had explored earlier. She was thankful the university had provided a carton of milk and a small amount of tea and coffee.

Wildfire even left one of her beepers next to the kettle, so it would be easy to find it in future. Taking her coffee back into her room, she set it on her night stand and flopped onto her wide double bed. Checking the time, her phone informed her it was five p.m., late in the afternoon.

“Alrighty…” Wildfire wondered out loud, “What can I do now?” she supposed she could get all her books out on her bookcase, then she decided that could be Future Wily’s job. She hadn’t spoken to her parents in a couple of days so, with coffee in hand, she dialled her mother’s number and set her phone to speaker.

Kneeling on her pillow next to the couch at home, wearing nothing but her collar, Fireflight saw her phone ringing on the coffee table and for once she broke her character before the second ring. “Heatwave!” she called out, “Wily's calling!” quickly, she answered, “Hi, are you there?”

“Hey mom!” Wildfire called out after hurriedly sipping at her steaming coffee, “Just letting you know I got to Canterlot alright.”

“Were the people on the train nice?” asked Fireflight who, as Heatwave entered from the kitchen, was well and truly in ‘mom’ mode. She did think to put the call on speaker for her husband’s benefit.

“Yuppers, they were.” Wildfire thought to the conductor, to Sandman, and to Sugarcoat and Lemon Zest, but mostly she thought about Serenity. “I met this nice girl called Serenity. She let me share her cabin on the way here.”

“Oh, that is nice,” Heatwave smiled as he took his seat on the couch right next to his wife, so he could reach a hand over and stroke her black hair, “Did you put our training to good use?” his smile became a laugh when Fireflight slapped him playfully on the arm.

“No dad,” Wildfire giggled, because she could tell from the sound that came down the phone line that her mother had thwapped her dad’s arm. “She was a sub, and well, I am too.”

“How did you meet?” asked Fireflight as by her side, Heatwave was busy looking up ‘Serenity’ on his own phone.

“I’ll tell you, but don't you dare laugh…”

Of course, the very moment she said that, Wildfire heard her dad immediately start laughing. She also heard her mother roll her eyes at him, before she said, “It’s okay, dear, I won’t laugh.”

“Well...when the train started,” Wildfire explained, ignoring her dad’s laughter, “I was feeling really small, so I took out Raid's old shoe and had a good old sniff to calm down. Serenity was walking past and she saw me, and said hello. I think she was hoping I'd be a dom, but we got on just fine anyway.”

“Nothing says ‘dom’ like smelling a shoe,” snickered Heatwave as he showed Fireflight his phone and he mouthed, 'too many people called Serenity in Manehatten'.

Realising what her husband was doing, Fireflight knew she had to keep her daughter talking and wheedle more information out of her, “So you stayed in a sleeper berth together?”

“Yuppers mom,” Wildfire upended her coffee and emptied it down her throat, “She went to this real exclusive all girls private school in Manehatten, so she had this cabin all to herself.”

Hearing that, Heatwave narrowed down his search and again he tried to locate the mystery girl. “That was kind of her,” Fireflight grinned, unable to resist a little tease, “Did she sniff the shoe too?”

“No,” Wildfire replied after setting her empty mug on the night stand, “But she didn't mind me doing it. She was cool with me sniffing her feet too. While I was doing that, she was practising her singing, which I didn’t mind either.”

“Bingo,” with the added parameters, Heatwave found the right Serenity. Quietly, he showed Fireflight the picture of the tall teal skinned girl with her burgundy hair in a ponytail in a school uniform. “Must have made the journey a lot more enjoyable. Are you in your dorm room now?”

“Yuppers dad, I’ve just got settled in,” Wildfire smiled and tasted the coffee lingering on her palate, “I’ve had me a coffee and I'm on my huge new bed.”

Fireflight, still in her ‘mom’ mode and having seen and approved of the look of the girl’s picture, asked, “How's your roommate?” she wanted gossip, something proper she could share with her team mates at the firehouse.

“No idea, mom, I haven't met her yet. I know her name's Darkstar though.”

Since his daughter hadn’t given him a city of origin, Heatwave didn't bother to search that name. It would’ve been completely pointless. “I'm proud of you honey,” he smiled instead, “You’ve taken a big step to take control of your life.”

“I'm proud of you too,” added Fireflight quickly.

“Thanks you guys!” Wildfire had a huge grin on her face that could be clearly heard in her voice, “You'd like Serenity. It would've been a longer ride without her keeping me company.”

“You should write her a thank you card,” suggested Fireflight with a playful giggle.

“So,” Heatwave asked, “How are you really doing, kiddo?”

“What, my chipper tone wasn't convincing?” Wildfire’s smiley voice wavered a little, “I'm...okay.” she knew she couldn’t pull the wool over her parents’ eyes, “Scared, nervous, excited, all of the above. I need to thank Serenity mom, she knows a lot about bondage, and I think she saved me a bit. I uh, I asked her about The Scene...”

The instant those two words hit her ears, Fireflight gasped audibly. Even Heatwave was shocked. “Believe us now, then?” he asked, perfectly seriously, because The Scene wasn’t something to joke about, “I would strongly recommend Lulamoon's place over that.”

“That's what Serenity said,” Wildfire responded, taking note of the deadly serious tone in her dad’s voice, “Apparently I wasn't extreme enough for her.”

“I honestly hope you never get that extreme,” Heatwave replied sincerely, “If you do, don't ever go there alone.” He caught the worried look that Fireflight sent his way and he nodded, for he shared her feelings, “I’d rather you didn’t go at all. We can always take time to visit you, you know.”

“You don't need to worry dad,” even as she said that, she knew they would both be worrying from now on, “Serenity said more than enough on the train to put me off The Scene for life. But, I'd love you to come visit.”

“We'd love to come over, dear,” Fireflight put in, it was her regret that they hadn’t been able to get the time off from the fire service and make the journey with her, “Let us know when you have yourself grounded and you can stand a visit from us.”

“Alrighty mom, I will,” Wildfire promised, and she meant it too. “You be good for dad, okay?”

Fireflight sniffed and pointed her nose up into the air, “I’ll have you know, I'm always good for your dad.”

Smirking, Heatwave bopped his slave on her upturned nose, “Especially when she's naughty.”

Giggling, Fireflight playfully swatted his hands away from her nose, “I love you, sweetie.”

“Love you too!” Heatwave added as he got his fingers like a nose hook and turned his wife into an adorable piggy.

“Love you guys loads!” Wildfire laughed, “I’ll feel you soon!” Still laughing at how dorkishly childish her parents were while at the same time being Master and Slave as well as embarrassingly all over each other, Wildfire cancelled the call and made up her mind to go get herself a refill.

A short time later, after Wildfire had consumed a second mug of coffee, she was feeling distinctly sleepy. Even though she was tired, try as she might, she couldn’t sleep. She put that down to the unfamiliar bed and no hot girl to sleep with. So, she sent to her shoe box and took out Air Raid’s old running shoe for comfort.

Naturally, now she was laid in bed with the ripe old running shoe held to her like it was a treasured teddy bear, she thought about her best friend. “I should call her…” she thought out loud, and she fished for her phone on her night stand.

Air Raid, who had just left a shop in the mall, parked her ass on a food court seat and silently ordered herself a coffee as she answered her phone. Irritation at the call swiftly became a broad smile. “Hey Wily, your room is really nice and the bed is sooooo comfortable.”

Wildfire snickered, “And what? Your parents don't mind you staying at my old place with my parents?”

Pleased, but not surprised, that Wildfire had bit, Air Raid burst out laughing, “Nah, I haven't moved in. Have to wait till everyone is sure you're not coming back right away. I'm at the mall right now, where are you?”

“You mall rat,” giggled Wildfire, who stretched out on her bed and loved the way she couldn’t touch the sides of it from the middle. “I'm holed up on my new bed, your socks in one hand, your shoe in the other.”

“Oooh,” Air Raid chose to neither confirm or deny the mall rat accusation. Instead she went on the attack. “I'm wiggling my toes right now; can you feel it?”

“I'm imagining it, you tease!”

“That's me!” Air Raid declared proudly just as a really hot cute guy bought over her large Zebran coffee to her table, “Your journey go well?”

“Yuppers, it went okay, way better than I expected. I met this cute girl; I shared her cabin and worshipped her feet.”

Smirking, Air Raid put on her best most dramatic voice, “I've already been replaced!”

Laughing, Wildfire could just imagine her best friend’s hand up to her head as she said that. All that was missing was a fainting couch. She was sure the mall didn’t have one of those. “As if, you dummy. I did get laid though!”

“Oooh,” Air Raid breathed, simultaneously blowing the steam from her coffee, “Well that is interesting. No offense, I’m not sure if I want the details, though.”

“Restraint, Raid, from you?” Wildfire giggled, “I’m shocked!”

“I've read enough and seen enough to know that rubbing your girl bits together or sucking on titties isn't for me. I'm happy that you're happy.”

“Aww thanks bestie! How's it going with you?”

“I’m still with Windcharger’s racing team,” Air Raid replied with a warm smile in her voice, “But I’m not driving yet. I'm okay with that as I am a bit young. Getting plenty of experience helping out the pit crew though, so it’s all good.”

“You'll be awesomes, Raid, I just know it. So, any hot boys caught your eye on the team?”

“Yeah, that's not happening,” Air Raid commented reluctantly. Hoist was admittedly both hot and cute, but… “The youngest guy on the team is in the pit crew and he’s three years older than me. Windcharger caught me giving him the eye and she told me fraternization is the fastest way off the team. So it’s me and my lady fingers getting it on.”

“You know what they say, Raid,” Wildfire said completely unsympathetically, “Mrs. Right Palm and her five daughters will never leave you.”

“I sincerely hope not,” Air Raid shot back, “Or I'll have to learn to be left handed.”

As she laughed, Wildfire audibly choked and she ended up gasping for air like a fish out of water until she got it under control. “Th-Thanks, R-Raid, for that!”

“Always there for you bestie,” Air Raid casually inspected her nails and considered that a job well done. “It is good to hear your voice, though,” she added seriously, all teasing gone from her voice, “I’m missing you already.”

“I'm missing you too, Raid,” Wildfire matched the serious tone of her best friend, not something she often did. “Hey,” a thought occurred to her, “I had a thought for that Wasteland story we started writing. You know how we have Holly running from the Military and the Church? What if she’s running to something, like the last natural forest, rather than just 'away from stuff'?”

Air Raid considered that for a few moments, swilling a mouthful of coffee around as she mulled it over. “I like that idea for Holocaust. Are you going to add from that story you told me, when you got lost that one time?”

“Oh, yuppers, I will,” Wildfire replied, “I thought I might do something with the essence of the trees leading Holly, or something like that, so that she's not running blind.”

“I'm all for tossing in some fantasy in the story. It can be the world fighting back against the warring factions, or something like that. As long as Holocaust gets a happy ending, I’ll be happy.” Air Raid refused to call their main character ‘Holly’.

“It stops it being a weary grind of grim dark with no relief for the reader, y'know?”

“I know,” Air Raid commented, “And I agree. When you get settled in proper, you can start sending me bits and I'll see if they pass the vision we started together. You're almost as fast on the writing as you are on the track so it should work out.”

“You bet, Raid,” Wildfire then let out a bit of a loud yawn, “Oh, damn, I’m sorry!”

“You'll have to pretend I'll tuck you in for your nap time, Wily.”

“Already on it,” Wildfire sniggered, “I got a shoe and a sock in bed with me, ready for my sleepsies!”

“Alright Wily,” Air Raid swallowed the rest of her coffee, “Give me a call next Saturday, or earlier if you need me, no matter what time it is. I’ll pick up.”

“I promise,” Wildfire said as she tried and failed to stifle another yawn, “And the same goes to you too, if you need to.” She blew a big wet kiss down the phone, “Love you, Raid!”

“Loves you too, Wily.”

~ ~ ~

Wildfire woke from a dreamless sleep on Sunday morning. She didn't bother with the alarm as she had nowhere to be. If her roommate came back in the night it didn't wake her and the silence now probably meant she hadn't. Wildfire reached out to tap the clock and it responded with six ten am. "Go me, I slept in ten minutes late." Nothing else to do, she got out of bed and started her morning exercise program.

Fresh out of the shower, Wildfire put on some jeans and a t-shirt. 'Coffee first,' she thought as she exited her bedroom. 'Too early to knock on my roomie's door, but not too early to let coffee wake her up.' Wildfire giggled at the thought and unerringly made her way to the coffee pot. With a fresh cup and some sugar packets she had packed, Wildfire sat at the table. "Now what," she muttered. She worked to keep her thoughts from how far she was from home, and focused on what she could do now. Inspiration struck, "Shopping!"

Coffee cup cleaned, Wildfire returned to her room and fired up her laptop. "Let's see, some groceries would be good. Don't want to randomly swipe my roommate’s food." She found a convenience store on campus and a grocery just two blocks away. She programmed both locations into her phone. 'That won't take much time and I have to fight off the boreditess,' she thought as she started random searches. "Furniture! I need a bean bag chair, because I do." She found what she wanted just four blocks away. 'I should be able to carry it that far with no problem,' she thought. Being a track star had built up her entire body.

As she left the building a woman at the front desk wished her a good day. Wildfire thanked her and wished the same. 'She was really quiet, as I didn't even know she was there.' Outside she had the phone's earbud in her ear to follow directions. She also had her stick which was more to warn others she was blind, but it did help her if there was something unexpected in her path. The streets in this part of town were a lot like Stallion Island. Most intersections didn't have any traffic control. Like back home they had the knobby pavement at the crosswalks. She stepped to the edge of the street to let traffic know she was crossing, but still listened for any vehicles close by. Near the store was a light, and the crossing signal had the same tones as the ones back home.

She did use her stick to find the door and entered, 'The Past is Forever' furniture store. The website said they had beanbags, and a lot of other retro furniture. 'I guess I'll wonder a bit till someone asks what I want,' and she moved on into the store.

After a few minutes, a voice asked, "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

With a sigh of relief, Wildfire turned towards the voice. "Yes, I'm looking for a beanbag chair, please."

"We have several in stock. My name is Chaise." He walked over to the girl, "May I take your arm to guide you?"

"Yes please. Thank you for your help."

"Not a problem." He led the girl to the beanbag section. "Is there a colour you'd prefer?"

Wildfire giggled, "Coffee colour would be good to hide the stains."

"You're in luck," responded Chaise. "We have black, brown, and tan. Depends on how you take your coffee."

"Black, most definitely black," stated Wildfire. "Is it around four feet in diameter?"

"Yes ma'am, that would be a large. It's one hundred and thirty dollars," said Chaise.

"All right, my first big purchase for collage!" Wildfire was happy at the price. She had some moving in money, and saved a lot of money on the train.

"We can have it delivered on Tuesday. I just need an..."

Wildfire interrupted the salesman. "I'll take it home now please."

"Okay, let's get you rung up." He led Wildfire to the cash register and she used her card to pay. "I'll be happy to help you put this in your car."

Wildfire waved him off, "That's okay, I'm walking."

Chaise looked at her, "But... It's..."

"As big as me? I know. I'm rather strong for my size."

“Okay.” The salesman moved around the counter. “It does have a carrying handle, um, which hand?” She held out her left hand he touched the handle to it.

Wildfire hoisted the beanbag over her shoulder, “Is it off the ground?”

“Yes, about ten inches. I’ll help you out the front door.” Chaise followed the girl and made sure the bag didn’t get stuck on the door. He watched her walk off down the sidewalk. “That’s one independent woman.” He returned to the store.

Wildfire let the phone guide her the reverse route back to dorm. Once through the front door she said, “Back from a successful shopping trip.”

“Good for you, Ms. Wildfire,” said the woman at the desk.

Once in her room she put the beanbag between the two chairs close to the coffee table. It wasn’t like she needed to face the TV to listen to it. ‘Break time for me,’ she thought. With her book she put a Wily size depression in the chair. “This is the life.”

~ ~ ~

With a chapter finished it was time to get the groceries. The walk to the store just off campus was rather easy until she got there. “I smell coffee. Good coffee.” A quick check of her phone told her there was a coffee shop across the street from the grocery called ‘Stripes Cup of Java’. “That does sound like Zebrican coffee. Coffee first, groceries second.”

Wildfire entered the coffee shop and it seemed rather busy by the noise level. ‘If this is going to be my favourite place I’ll need to get the layout down.’ She moved forward into that shop.

When something tapped his chair the man turned to see a short girl with a white stick. “Oh, hey there. Are you okay?”

“No sir, I’m in despite need of caffeine. Could you direct me to that life giving substance?” Wildfire said with a straight face.

The man laughed, “Sure, let me help you get to the fountain of life.” He took the girls free hand. “After you walk in about five feet you turn right to get to the counter. My name is Tracer, by the way.”

“Wildfire, and it is good to meet you Tracer.” She still used her stick and the conversation around her had died down. That meant they were looking at her, but she was used to that. “It seems my beauty has gotten everyone’s attention.”

Tracer laughed some more, “Yes, that must be it. First time here, then?”

“First time to Canterlot. I’m over at Harmony University,” responded Wildfire.

“Most of the people in here are students,” said Tracer. “Let me introduce you to the leader of the coffee cartel. Hey, Caffeinated, you have a new customer lured in by your drug of choice.”

“Ah yes, my coffee is true. Few can resist its dark brew.” The tall zebra behind the counter said. “Caffeinated my name be, and it seems you cannot see. A menu I have here in braille, and it will lead you to a choice without fail.”

“Oh my, that is very poetic, Caffeinated,” Wildfire said as she took the braille menu.

“Whatever,” said Tracer. “Once you’re a regular he’ll talk normal. I’m back to my table. It was good to meet you, Wildfire.”

“Thank you, Tracer.” Wildfire felt the menu. “I’ll have a medium coffee with three sugars and a chocolate muffin, please.”

“One brew sweet as you, and a muffin too.” Caffeinated got busy making the drink.

“Do you always rhyme?” asked Wildfire.

“Not really, but I was working on that one when I saw you walk in,” said Caffeinated as he set the drink and muffin on a tray in front of the girl. “I do try to do so when new people walk in.”

Wildfire took the tray, “So, can you direct me to an open table?”

“Do you mind sharing a table,” the zebra asked. Wildfire shook her head. “Okay second one down on the left. Firebrand!” A girl turned to face him. “Make room for my newest acolyte of caffeine, Wildfire.”

“Sure thing, Caffy,” Firebrand called back. She watched the blind girl make her way back towards the entrance. “Okay, turn left, table is less than a foot and the chair just to the left of the table.”

Wildfire turned and moved cautiously till her belly bumped the table. She sat the tray down and moved around to sit in the chair. “Thank you, Firebrand.”

“No trouble. When the coffee pusher speaks, we listen,” she said with a giggle. “I heard you’re starting here at Harmony U?”

“Yes, I’m here on a sports scholarship and studying sports medicine,” said Wildfire as she took a sip of her coffee. “Oh, this is the good stuff.”

“Why it is popular with the non-alcohol crowd,” said Firebrand. “I’m in my second year studying forestry. Across the table from you is Pirouette, and from me is Time Stop.”

Pirouette reached out to touch Wildfire’s hand and shook it when she took hold. “I’m third year and in theatre.”

Time Stop did the same, “I’m second year also and in transportation.”

“Good to meet you all. So for a beer I take it there is another location?” asked Wildfire.

Time Stop answered, “Most of the athletes go to Goal Line, and the other pub of choice is Red Rover.”

“Good to know, but I think this is going to be my favourite place,” Wildfire said as she relaxed and let the conversation flow.

~ ~ ~

Wildfire walked into her dorm room and set the bag of groceries on the counter. It had been a good day. The girls at the coffee shop gave her a detailed layout of the store which would make future visits a lot easier. The grocery store owner had one of the workers walk with her to get what she asked for. He didn’t even complain when she asked for things out of order of the store layout. ‘Note to self, bring a shopping list next time.’

She got out the labeller and marked all her items and put them away. Wildfire was careful not to mess up what was already in the cupboards and refrigerator. “Time to relax with a coffee and a good book.” Soon she was in her beanbag chair. Coffee on the table and The Tempest in hand. “I think I’m going to be okay.”

Wildfire was just at her favourite bit of The Tempest, the bit with Prospero and Miranda on the island, and part way through her latest mug of black coffee, when there came a knock on the door. “Come on in!” she called out, not wanting to get up from her bean bag as she was comfortable, “The door's open!”

In the hall, 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, “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, who had accompanied Darkstar to the college dorm room, 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.