Out on the Town
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Exquisite Velvet

Out on the Town

Salty Lime was taking off his wig when Pinkie Pie burst through his dressing room door.

"Heya, Silky! Great show tonight!"

He sighed and placed his wig carefully on the wig stand. "Thank you, Pinkie Pie, but please don't call me Silky when I'm not in costume. It ruins the mystique for anypony that happens to hear you."

Pinkie's eyes went wide with sudden realization. She zipped around the room and back out. Then she came back in. "Whew! Nopony was around to hear. I will never refer to you by your stage name ,except for when you're performing, again." She went through her Pinkie Promise motions, causing Salty to laugh.

He started taking off his make-up. "So, to what do I owe this lovely visit from my favorite pink party pony?"

"Welllll," Pinkie wiggled her eyebrows, "I have somepony that would love to go out on a date with you. She's cute and energetic and likes weird things. Just like you!"

Salty paused and looked at Pinkie Pie through the mirror. "This isn't a regular date, is it?"

A nervous grin spread across Pinkie Pie's face as she tapped her hooves together. He turned to face the mare and looked her in the eye. "Just tell me, Pinkie Pie. I'm your friend and you can tell me the details about things without hesitation. Celestia knows I've seen my share of messed up shit." He turned back to the mirror and resumed removing the make-up.

Pinkie sighed and slumped next to him. "Well, she just had a nasty break up..."

"Oh, a rebound date. I've done those, Pinkie. They're not a big--"

"With a mare."

Salty halted the removal of his eyelashes and turned to look at Pinkie Pie once more. Her nervous grin returned and Salty could only scowl at her. "Pinkamena Diane Pie. Who in their right mind would think a lesbian would want to go on a date with a stallion?"

"Well," she swallowed hard, "I was kinda hoping you could take her out as Silk Stocking."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Salty was wondering why he had agreed to do this. He had never donned his drag persona off the stage and it made him nervous. It was acceptable when he was on stage. Ponies expected it when he was on stage. But now here he was walking through the snowy streets amongst the sounds of Hearth's Warming parties wearing his best dress and his sexiest make-up. He felt...excited.

Once the restaurant came into view, Salty Lime took off. Silk Stocking sashayed her way into the restaurant with her eyes seeking a certain mint colored unicorn. Spying her off in a corner table under a giant wreath, she gave the maitre'd a wink. "I'm with that fine minty mare over in the corner. I can see myself over, thank you." She tucked a menu under her wing and made her way to the corner.

She had to admit the minty mare was cute. As Silk approached, amber eyes turned to face her causing her breath to catch in her throat. They were intense but kind and followed her as she found her seat. As she seated herself, she stretched her hoof out to greet the pony across from her. "You must be Lyra. Pinkie told me to look out for your gorgeous coat and mane. I'm Silk Stocking."

Silk's smile quickly began to fade as Lyra simply sat across from her looking confused. Was it her dress? Sure sky blue wasnt typically viewed as a holiday color, but it looked so good on her dark brown coat. Just as it started to get really uncomfortable, Lyra spoke. "I know you. Bon Bon and I used to go see your show every weekend when we first started dating." Silk could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Why did Pinkie do this?"

Lyra stood and loped out of the restaurant. Salty threw some bits on the table and followed as fast as he could. He spotted her down the street outside and galloped to catch up. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." His voice sounded strange to him with the lipstick on. "If you want, we don't have to do anything serious. But Pinkie said to treat you well, and I'd like to try and keep that promise."

Lyra stopped and looked at him. "Did she make you Pinkie Promise?"

Salty nodded and tried to swallow and soothe his dry throat. Lyra sighed and stared at the ground. The sounds of carolers drifted down the street. He swallowed again and croaked, "I can get changed and we can just hang out. Do something that sounds good to you."

Lyra nodded. "I don't wanna make anypony break a Pinkie Promise." They started walking down the street toward Salty's house. Lyra was staring off at nothing, clearly thinking about...everything. Salty decided to let her be and started humming one of Silk's songs.

A half hearted chuckle from Lyra caught Salty's attention. "What's so funny?"

Lyra glanced over, a small smile beginning to play on her lips. "That's my favorite song of yours."

Silk Stocking smiled. "Oh really? Maybe I should just give you the show." Silk posed, giving Lyra the steamiest eyes she could muster. This drew a hearty laugh from the unicorn causing a genuine smile to grow on Silk Stocking's face. "Oh honey, I think you and me need to go tear up this town."

Lyra met Silk's eyes and nodded with a growing smile. "Okay. Let's go have some fun."

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"What? That's your fourth strike in a row!"

Lyra's reaction drew a chuckle from Silk Stocking. "I've been bowling nearly every day my whole life, honey. I know how to roll a ball."

Lyra slumped in her chair and folded her hooves across her chest. "I bet I could beat you if I had fingers."

"What was that?" Silk turned and found Lyra's eyes wide as saucers and her hooves clamped over her mouth. The Hearth's Warming Caroles playing over the speakers drowned out most of what Lyra said, but her face revealed something too delicious to resist. Silk Stocking watched as Lyra slowly lowered her hooves and tried to smile, only succeeding with a pained grin. She hopped out of her seat and muttered something about it being her frame and grabbed her ball. Silk Stocking watched intently while Lyra steadied and aimed her shot, seeing muscles in her foreleg tighten in very different ways from other ponies. When she rolled her ball, it twisted straight into the gutter and her entire body drooped to the floor. It was cute.

Lyra dragged herself to the ball return and waited for her ball. Silk sidled up next to her. "So Miss Lyra. What was that you were doin' with your foreleg?"

"What do you mean?" She was distractedly waiting for her ball, clearly oblivious to the fact that Silk Stocking had watched her so closely.

"Well, I noticed your muscles in your foreleg were working a little overtime."

Lyra stiffened and refused to face Silk. "You, um, saw that?"

Silk leaned in closer. "Dearest Lyra. I am a performer that lives and dies by the crowd. I watch nearly everypony very closely."

Lyra swallowed hard as she grabbed her ball. She turned and she was muzzle to muzzle with Silk Stocking, her eyes wide and afraid of something. "Can we j-just finish our game?"

Silk took a step back and threw her head back laughing. "I'm just messin' with you, girl! You don't gotta talk about nothin' you don't want to."

Lyra smiled. Then she grinned. Soon, she was laughing with Silk Stocking. She turned and confidently approached the lane. She lined up her shot and took the time to steady her nerves. She then proceeded to throw the ball straight down the gutter.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Sitting at the bar in the back of the bowling alley, Lyra Heartstrings and Silk Stockings were laughing and having a great time. They drank cider and watched ponies walk by. They played a few bar games and Lyra even won a Masked Matter-Horn doll for Silk Stocking out of the claw machine using just a hint of telekinesis. But the bowling alley had to close, so they made their way out into the dark streets of Ponyville.

Luna's moon was high in the sky and gave them enough light to see, especially with the light dusting of snow to reflect it. They walked and chatted about nothing, each enjoying the other's company. Soon, they were outside Lyra's house and the mint mare fell silent.

She stared at the dark windows as if looking for an answer. After a moment, she turned to Silk and caressed her cheek with a hoof. "Let's go to your place. I'm having a great time and I'd like it to continue."

Silk Stocking grabbed her hoof and held it. "You sure you don't wanna just head inside and go to bed?"

Lyra shook her head and started pulling her away from the house. The energy completely changed as they walked away. The easy camaraderie was replaced with awkward silence. The bouncy walk was replaced with nearly dragging hooves. Silk Stocking kept an eye on Lyra and saw the tears falling down her muzzle.

Silk bumped her shoulder and leaned in close. "Hey. Do you wann--"

"I like humans, okay?!" Lyra whirled on Silk, flinging her tears through the air. "I've studied and I've seen the evidence and I know they existed! And I'm not the only one. Princess Celestia herself let me look through some of the ancient scrolls that are on the verge of crumbling to dust. There are drawings of humans and their features. And Bon Bon...Bon Bon…"

Lyra collapsed in heaving sobs. Silk simply stood by and rubbed her back with a hoof. She stood there in the chilly air letting Lyra know she was there while she rode out her tears. Her sobs soon became shivers as the cold began to bite into their coats. Silk helped her to her hooves and handed her a handkerchief to wipe her eyes and nose.

"C'mon, honey. Let's go rest at my place. It's close." Silk Stocking wrapped a wing around the thin unicorn and guided her down the street. Lyra was shivering more and more and Silk was soon cantering to get her out of the cold.