Taking Chances

It was a typically beautiful sunny Friday morning in Ponyville. The weather pegasi had worked hard and cleared the azure blue sky. Ponies went about their business; families had picnics in the parks, merchants opened their stalls in the marketplace. Everything was right in the small sleepy backwater town.

Almost everything.

One earth pony mare, who was busy warming a bench in the near side of the town’s south park, wasn’t right at all. She cracked open an eye and yawned, quickly waking from her sleep on the impromptu bed. She stretched and swore, cursing to nopony in particular at how yet another night under the stars had left her aching more than when she fell asleep the night before.

At least there hadn’t been any rain.

The mare slipped off the bench and, prompted by the rumbling in her belly, decided it was time to eat. This presented her with a problem. Nopony in this wretched little town would serve her. If she was honest, they didn’t even look at her. That though was a problem easily solved, when she looked around at her surroundings. The park she had chosen had in it many fruit trees in it, and they were all filled with apples, oranges and pears.

Hunger wouldn’t be a problem, then.

Shelter, or lack of it, was a problem. Still, she decided to worry about that when it was more of a problem than it currently was, The summer day was pleasantly warm, and the shade of the apple tree she had taken several apples from made it all the better.

Better still was that the locals seemed to be avoiding the park she was currently calling home, though she knew that was down to her presence. Whatever the reason, at least she didn’t have to worry about awkward questions and the like. No, all she had to contend with was the looks she was being given. Looks ranging from nervous, to worried, to scared and to downright hostile. All were levelled at her in equal measure, even cast at her from over the low hedge that separated the park from thoroughfare beyond it.

She shook her head and sighed, instead turning her attention from the townsponies to her apples. As long as they left her alone, they could throw all the looks at her they wanted, for all she cared.

One such pony, who was busy casting the strange mare a look of an inquisitive nature was none other than Cloud Blossom. To say the pegasus was having a strange morning would be an understatement, and a big one, at that. Hours earlier, she had been happily cleaning out her sculpting studio in her home in Canterlot, when the mailmare had delivered quite the perplexing letter from her Aunt Pinkie Pie.

The letter in question had directed her to Ponyville, to collect a certain item of clothing from her Aunt Rarity. Though unexpected, Cloud had learned long ago – like every other resident of Ponyville – not to question her aunt. She wasn’t the only one to be surprised. When she had arrived at Carousel Boutique, she found her Aunt Rarity had indeed crafted the item she was there to collect, though the fashionista had no idea why she had made it, only that Pinkie Pie had told her to.

And ponies didn’t question Pinkie Pie’s Pinkie Sense.

So here she was, stood at the hedge border of South Park – affectionately known as Apple Park – using the wide brim of her white sunhat to hide the fact that she was staring, no ogling was a better word, the sky blue earth pony eating the apples that gave the park its name.

She was perhaps a hundred feet or so away from her target. Even at that distance Cloud Blossom could tell the earth pony was incredibly attractive. That was what had caught her attention. What held it was the details. The shockingly unruly, almost scruffy, magenta mane and tail, the definite musculature under the sky blue coat, to say nothing of the various tattoos that covered almost her whole body.

The more she stood and looked, the more Cloud Blossom was sure it was these markings that was causing the ponies walking past her to give the strange mare such nasty looks.

Prison tattoos didn’t bother Cloud Blossom in the slightest.

After another few moments spent admiring the unknown pony, Cloud Blossom made up her mind. Spreading her powerful wings, the pegasus flapped twice, and she was over the fence and landing carefully on her three legs.

Hearing the loud snap of several twigs on the ground nearby, the earth pony looked up sharply from her ‘breakfast’ of fruit and immediately she zeroed in on the source of the sound. She eyed the pegasus as she neared her with suspicion, but let out a derisive snort when she saw the pale green mare had just three legs. Deciding she wasn’t a threat to her, she went back to eating the last of the apples she had picked from the tree.

“You are lucky my mother gave those trees to the town,” Cloud Blossom selected her very best upper crust, prim and proper accent for the greeting, smiling broadly as she got closer. “It means you don't owe anypony anything for the apples you took.”

“Wow,” the earth pony said dryly after taking the time, slowly, to finish off the last of her morning meal, “how magnanimous of the town for that. Only decent thing to happen to me so far in this miserable place.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Cloud Blossom, who defensively smoothed an imaginary wrinkle from the long white sundress she wore.

A bitter laugh was the earth pony mare’s reply. “You're the first pony here that has done more than turn their nose up at me.” She adjusted her seated position on the park bench so that the pegasus could see her cutie mark.

“Two musical notes,” Cloud Blossom noted the cutie mark, at the same time she admired the mare’s toned tight looking flanks. Not a hint of fat there or anywhere else on her body for that matter. She smiled her warmest smile and took note of the extra tattoos and, in her finest Canterlot, asked, “You are a musician? I think ponies are avoiding you because of your extra cutie marks. Perhaps they are worried you have the cutie pox?” she rolled her eyes though when she saw a ‘buck life’ tattoo that went from the mare’s jawline all the way down her neck. “I do hope I'm not being too forwards, but what is so wrong with life that it needs bucking?”

“Right,” the mare snapped sharply, her voice carrying with it a thick Vanhoovan accent to it, “for one, I'm here because nopony knows me. So two, to chase you off, I've been bucked by my bucking life, having finally gotten out of prison!”

Instead of being scared away though, Cloud Blossom hopped up onto the bench and stared intently at the various crude tattoos. “Hmm,” she studied the mare’s left foreleg, “you served fifteen years inside, if I am reading the meaning of these chains correctly, and at Vanhoover State Penitentiary too no less. Not an easy stretch. This is supposed to chase me off?”

The sky blue pony was amazed. In fact, she was stunned. “How in Tartarus do you know that?” she asked bluntly, looking warily at the newcomer.

“You are not the only mare I know who has served time for a mistake she made,” replied Cloud Blossom, saying no more about the misadventures of her beloved sister for the time being. She simply pointed to the shark fin tattoo lower down her left foreleg. “Only Vanhoover uses the shark. That, plus your delightful north western accent, tells me where you are from. May I ask, how long have you been warming this bench?”

“There’s more than one bench in this town!” exclaimed the earth pony, before a pronounced red tinge coloured her blue cheeks. Quieter, she muttered, “This park is my current home going on three days.”

Cloud Blossom couldn’t help but giggle, both at the exclamation and at the blush that followed. “I do apologise, for the lack of hospitality shown to you. I am on my way home, as it happens. If you think you can survive roughing it in Canterlot, I have a spare room available if you would like it?”

“Right,” the earth pony deadpanned, “are you stupid, ignorant, some do gooder out to save Equestria or a mix of all three?”

“I have been accused of being too naive, in my time,” conceded Cloud Blossom with an incline of her head. “Forgive me, and perhaps I have misjudged you, but you looked like you could use a little kindness and generosity, is all.” With that, she hopped off of the bench and smoothed out her sundress. “The express leaves for Canterlot in an hour. I will be at Sugarcube Corner until then, if you should change your mind.”

The name meant nothing to her. “What in Equestria is a Sugarcube Corner?”

“You see the large candy covered building, just there on the corner of Mane and Canter?” Cloud Blossom pointed out the building not far away with a wing, “there will be a maple and haybacon donut and a coffee waiting for you, if you are bored of apples.” Saying no more, the pegasus walked off, her yellow tail swishing side to side with each carefully measured step she took.

Not quite under her breath, not that it mattered, the sky blue mare muttered, “yeah, like they will let me past the door…”

As it happened, Cloud Blossom did hear the mutter. Just. Instead of going back though, she just looked back, smiled over her shoulder and winked as she walked, giving her tail a bit of an extra swish. She knew if it weren’t for the dress she wore, the mare would have a treat of a view.

Still on the bench, the earth pony stared at what she knew to be a crazy mare until the pegasus was out of sight. She watched her fly over the hedge and disappear, leaving her sat alone. “What the actual buck was that?” the mare said to herself. Try as she might, she couldn’t work the mare out. Did she have an angle? Was she a Celestial do gooder? Was she just mental? She had no idea. What she did know, she reflected with a sigh, was that she was the only one in three days who had approached and spoke to her like she was a pony, and not trash. “Donut and coffee does sound good, though,” she admitted to herself, convincing herself to do…something.

With a snort of defeat, she stood up, swung her saddlebags over her back and she headed for the weird looking building.

As she entered the bakery cum diner, Cloud Blossom couldn’t help but wonder if she had done – and was doing – the right thing. After all, she had invited a strange mare into her home, and all she knew about her was that she was a homeless ex-con. She didn’t even know her name! Still, she’d cast the die now, hadn’t she?

Thankfully, Sugarcube Corner was almost empty. Cloud Blossom couldn’t recall a time when the place was as empty as it was. There was no trouble finding an empty table over at one of the large windows that gave a decent view of the town. “Good morning, Aunt Pinkie!” she called out.

Where there had been nopony behind the counter, all of a sudden there was Pinkie Pie, like she had been there all along. “Hi Cloudy!” she waved energetically. In a flash and a blur of sheer pink energy, Pinkie all but teleported over to the window table. “Here are your two haybacon maple donuts, one milky coffee with two sugars, and an ice tea for you. Enjoy!”

Cloud Blossom watched her Aunt stow the tray back in her huge poofy hair and snickered, then she laughed to herself, knowing she judged right, and marvelling at how her Aunt just knew things she shouldn't possibly know.

A few moments later and the front door opened. A moment after that, and the sky blue earth pony nervously walked in. She ignored as best she could the open stares from the couple of diners and when she saw the pegasus, she moved over to the table looked down, pointing at the steaming hot coffee. “What's that?”

“That,” Cloud Blossom ruffled her feathers as she took a sip of her ice tea, “is definitely yours. Zebran coffee with two sugars, how you like it.”

The mare tilted her head, trying and failing to work out how the pegasus knew how she liked her coffee. “Um, okay…” giving up trying, she sat on the vacant seating pad opposite her and took a hesitant sip. “Wow,” as soon as she had ‘the taste’, the sip became a drink. “Hmm, real coffee,” she then took a bite out of the donut. “That is real good.”

“My name is Cloud Blossom,” the pale green mare introduced herself after daintily setting her tea cup down, “and I am very pleased to meet you.”

Awkwardly, the earth pony swallowed her mouthful of donut. “I’m Claves. Um,” her voice was thick from the maple syrup, “I guess it’s a pleasure to meet you, too.”

“A beautiful name,” ‘For a beautiful mare,’ Cloud thought to herself, feeling a blush colour her cheeks as she lifted her ice tea up for a second sip. “Have you considered my offer?”

“Does Canterlot have parks with better fruit trees?”

Cloud Blossom shook her head. “There are no better fruit trees in Equestria than Apple family trees. It does however, have a warm bed and a shower, if that can sway you.”

In all honesty, Claves didn’t know what to think. Bewilderment and confusion warred with suspicion at the strange pegasus and her even stranger offer. For inspiration, she looked around the diner. Curiously, she saw a middle aged pink earth pony nodding like a certified mad mare. “Why?” was all she could think to say. Ponies didn’t go out on a limb for her. It just didn’t happen. “Why me?”

“Because I believe everypony deserves a second chance,” explained Cloud Blossom after a third – longer this time - sip of her tea. “You made a mistake. Unless I am very much mistaken, it is a mistake you do not intend to repeat.”

“Sweet Celestia no,” Claves affirmed definitively, “but you have no clue who I am, what I did or what I can do.”

“The same can be said for you,” shot back Cloud, setting aside her now empty tea cup and favouring her donut. “Also, if I may make an admission, I find you a very attractive mare, so I am 'taking my shot', I think is the right term.”

“Maybe you're just...” as she spoke, a very big, very golden bit slowly began to drop in Claves’ mind. “Aaaah!” the bit at last dropped all the way. “Three legged pegasus, Cloud Blossom. You're that sculptor!” when she had been good enough to earn privileges inside, Claves had read Vanity Mare magazine. Now she recalled seeing the mare on the cover a few times.

Without warning, Pinkie appeared out of nowhere with refills for their drinks and another donut for them both. “She's a smart one, Cloudy!” gleefully, Pinkie vanished as quickly as she had arrived.

The broad smile had returned to Cloud Blossom’s face. “Indeed, I am that sculptor pony.” She then took a large and very un-dainty bite out of her second donut and hmmm’d her pleasure at the flavour hit.

In contrast to the pegasus’s happy look, Claves let out a most despondent sigh. “I'm a con artist, a grifter, and I’m all out of options. Canterlot it is.” That said, she started on her second donut and coffee like somepony was going to take them away from her. “This is a good place,” she judged the diner, now that she wasn’t being stared at.

“Ponyville is a good place, and it has good ponies in it. They are just wary of new arrivals, is all.” Cloud Blossom then took another, more ladylike bite of her donut and giggled, “It also has the best MiAC store around.”

“Pfft,” snorted Claves, who had drained almost all of her coffee, “I'm not into self pleasure. So, how do I get to Canterlot? I doubt you can fly me there.”

“I could fly you there,” Cloud Blossom was in no doubt her powerful well used wings could do the job, “but I believe we would both be more comfortable in the first class car of the Friendship Express, no?”

“So, I'm more than a charity case to you?”

Cloud Blossom tried her best to not show the offence she felt on her face. “I do not think you are a charity case, Claves. I am attracted to you and, I hope you feel likewise. If you do not, then the offer of the spare room still stands.”

“Okay,” Claves made up her mind, though she was still uncertain about the mare and her intentions towards her. “I can commit to that.” After that, they both finished off the donuts and their drinks, Cloud Blossom paid the cover and they left the diner together.

As they walked side by side along the street, Claves did notice a distinct change in the townsponies they passed on the sidewalk. Namely, there weren’t nearly as many hostile stares coming her way. Correctly, she attributed that to the mare beside her. They walked in comfortable silence until they entered the train station. “Cloud, I have like, fifteen hundred bits to my name.”

“Then it is a good thing my private car is already paid for,” Cloud Blossom summoned her nerve and, as the colourful steam train pulled into the station, she laid her left wing on Claves' back. “Do not worry. I am not after you for your money, Claves.”

Instead of the smile she was certain the pegasus was expecting, Claves rolled her eyes and shied away from the hug, leaving the mare to take her wing back. “No, I think you just want what’s under my tail. Am I on the street once you get it?”

“I may live in Canterlot,” Cloud Blossom retorted with a sniff and her nose in the air. She didn’t even try to hide the hurt she felt this time, “but I am not that shallow just to want ‘what is under your tail’, as you so delicately put it.”

As they alighted the train, Claves did feel a little guilt at causing that look to cross the other mare’s face. After all, she had done nothing but be kind to her and tell her exactly how she felt. And, if she was honest, the pegasus was very, very easy on the eyes. “Sorry, not sorry. I thought it was best to squash that thought right away. All right, miss sculptor pony,” she said with a warm, genuine smile on her face, “I'm your live in guest till you kick me out.”

“That's better. You have a beautiful smile. Come, the car is this way.” Cloud Blossom was still offended at the thought that she would take advantage like what had been suggested, but she stomped on that thought and shoved it all the way to the back of her mind.

Following Cloud Blossom’s yellow tail, Claves was feeling far more cheerful than she had been since she had left Vanhoover almost a week ago. It helped the mare she was following was a cutie. “This will be my second visit to Canterlot,” she remarked as they passed cabin after cabin.

“Oh?” Cloud Blossom glanced back over her shoulder on the way to the first class car. She was most pleased to see Claves staring at her rump and her tail. “Do tell.”

“My release officer got me a ticket to Canterlot or Manehatten. My choice. I thought I could do better at the capital. The guard that greeted me…” she trailed off with a deep, sad sigh, before she continued, “she said I'd have to wear a fetlock bracelet. I never left the station. I took the next train out, didn’t care where it was going. Ended up in Ponyville.”

Cloud Blossom was appalled. “Whyever would you need to wear such a ghastly unsightly thing?”

“I was to report to a parole officer, wherever I ended up. I didn't know about the bracelet. Got my flank down to Pony town and I reported to the Mayor Mare there. She looked at me once, said 'good luck', then had her security show me out.”

“Wow. Just, wow.” Cloud Blossom shook her head in disbelief and she led the way to the front of the train and into her large luxurious fist class cabin. “Claves, I am sorry you've had such a rough start.” As she dropped her saddlebags, she pointed with a wing to the selection of seating pads arranged around a low table. “Please, get comfortable.”

Claves shrugged off her bags and allowed them to drop to the floor where she stood. Not that there was much in them. “I guess Ponyville was okay. Nopony messed with me, until you came along. I think that Mayor thought me harmless there. Only guards I saw was around that fancy castle. I stayed away and that was that.”

“That sounds like Ponyville, alright.” The pegasus was about to seat herself on the nearest seating pad, when an idea occurred to her. “Do you want anything to drink on the way?”

“Um, yeah,” Claves then blushed hard, for she realised she’d gone a decade and a half since she’d last had any alcohol. As such, she knew exactly what she needed. “Aah do you have any semi-sweet wines?” she asked hopefully.

“Uuum...let me check the mini bar, here…” Cloud Blossom quickly turned her back to her guest so she wouldn’t see her sweat and she checked out the little fridge’s contents. “Uh, there's a few…” she recognised words from her reading classes. Some were easier than others. Obviously she knew beers from wines, that was easy. The wines though all had strange names. Ultimately she picked one and hoped for the best. “They have a Moscato,” she said after practising the word silently several times, “Is that satisfactory?”

Fortunately, for her, she had guessed right.

“Oh, yes!” Claves was so excited to have a taste of her favourite wine in so long that she was clapping her forehooves together.

“Then here you go!” happily she removed the small bottle and accompanying glass from the fridge and passed them both over to Claves. “I think...this red will do nicely for me.” All the other wines had strange Prench names she wasn’t even going to try and read. She knew hers was red due to the colour of the label. That would have to do.

“Thank you,” Claves treated her host to a second warm smile as she watched the pegasus take a seating pad next to hers. “Thank you for your kindness.” She couldn’t wait any longer. She just had to pour herself a glass and have a long overdue sip. “Ahh, the good stuff!”

“I couldn't look my mother in the face if I did not show you kindness,” Cloud Blossom giggled at the image of Fluttershy admonishing her, “So,” she decided to try and make small talk, “what is there to you besides hot tattoos and Moscato?”

It took all of Claves’ self restraint, but she managed to drink her wine with small sips like a lady. “I thought I told you, already. Con artist, grifter and gang runner. Oh, I can play a piano better than most.”

“You told me of your past,” Cloud Blossom pointed out, “but that does not have to be your future,” she added with a smile. “I have a piano at home. Perhaps you'd like to give it a try?”

“I shall do my best to entertain you,” laughed Claves, who felt more and more at ease, particularly when the train began moving. “When I came to Canterlot it was with a vision of playing piano in an upscale club. A silly dream, but your place sounds nice.”

“I certainly hope so. I think it is a good make. Bluthner gifted it to me in return for a statue I made of him.” Cloud Blossom took the time drinking from her glass to organise her thoughts. She wanted to flirt, and to help, but it had been a while since she had done either, so she didn’t want to make a donkey’s ass of herself. “You know, there is always Trixie's Place. It is not the most upmarket club, but there are musicians that perform there on the ground floor.”

“I did say 'sort of' I think. Trixie’s has other avenues to follow,” Claves added, with laughter in her voice, “but I don't know if I want to be employed there for that. Can never be sure of who the client might be.”

“You do not have to work the upper floors to work at Trixie's,” said Cloud Blossom with a smile, for she believed she was helping still. “I must admit, I do like to frequent the establishment, on occasion.”

At that, Claves narrowed her eyes and looked her host over with a most critical eye, like she was sizing her up. “I got word of the place while on the inside when the Vanhoover branch opened a few years back. Upper floors pay more. She has subs and doms on staff. Can you guess which I'd be hired for?”

“I am rather hoping you would be a dominant, to be honest.” Cloud Blossom didn’t know how she got her words out, she was blushing so very, very hard.

Claves nodded once to confirm she would indeed be a dominant pony, she had her own suspicions about her kindhearted host. A suspicion she decided to test by setting down her now empty glass. “Fill that,” she ordered simply in her finest ‘dom’ voice.

“O-Of course…” Cloud Blossom, oblivious to Claves’ heart beating out a tattoo in her chest, scooped up the empty glass in her hoof and duly filled it with the bottle held in her wing before she passed it back.

Claves took care to keep her face neutral as she took a sip of her refilled Moscato. Internally she was cheering. “Thank you,” she kept her voice even, “Is that what you were hoping for when you walked up to me?”

“One can hope for many things. At first, all I wanted to do was help a pretty mare.”

“You must like the tomcolt look then. I can style my mane, but...” Claves gave up on the clearly ridiculous lie. Her mane had never ever been styled in her life. It wouldn’t allow it. “Nope. Okay, we can talk boundaries on the ride. I don't want your charity, but I'll be happy to work you over for my stay.”

“Your look is most attractive, Claves. And, it really is not charity. I am...lonely. And, you are hot,” she felt her cheeks getting warm, and Cloud Blossom wondered if she had ever blushed so many times in one day, ever.

Claves looked around where she was sitting, making it obvious what she was doing. “Kind of lonely over here,” she said as she sipped some more wine.

“What?” Cloud Blossom blinked once, while her brain processed the earth pony’s words. “Oh...oh!” admittedly not the quickest on the uptake, the pegasus got it and she flapped her wings. In an instant she was over by Claves’ side, sharing her seating pad.

“That's better. Now, let’s talk boundaries. You are a mare of importance, and I don't want to be the idiot.”

Cloud Blossom didn’t see any reason to blush or be embarrassed any longer. The cat was out of the bag, as the saying went. “Well, I enjoy being tied up. And spanked, with hoof and crop, and hairbrush. Also, I really like hooves. Being pinned under them, and held down by them, and being made to worship them…” she paused for a much needed breath, her chest heaving.

Claves was on board with the rope play and the spanking, but hoof worship was a new one to her. Not that she would ever kink shame, she just didn’t see her hooves as good for anything besides walking about. To test what the pegasus had said, she reached over and dipped her left forehoof deep in Cloud Blossom's wine glass. She swirled it there, watching as flecks of dirt and bits of grass swam in the red liquid. After a minute she pulled it out of the soiled wine and looked at it. “Hoof worship? Really?”

“Yes, really. But not that one, not yet. Forgive me, but it is frightfully dirty.” Cloud Blossom flew over to where there was a small towel on top of the mini bar. Snatching it up, she came back and reverently wiped Claves’ hoof clean. “Much better,” she declared once it gleamed, and she placed a kiss on the toe of the hoof.

That sealed the deal as far as Claves was concerned. She was worried the pegasus was one of those spineless submissives who did whatever was ordered of them, no matter how much it hurt or damaged them to do so. “Okay, I'm in. You should empty the glass too. I like boundaries. I don't want to cross a line. It is lonely on the inside, and I’m not going back.”

“I know it is,” Cloud Blossom went over to the small sink in the corner of the cabin and upended her glass, draining the soiled wine and swirling the glass out with water to make sure it was clean. “I am really not a fan of bodily fluids. Blood and uh...vomit, and scat, are a hard no, for me.”

“Okay, I accept that, but a spanking can break a welt. I'll try to be careful.”

“Is there anything you are interested in that has not been mentioned?” asked Cloud Blossom as she once more regained her place beside Claves and refilled their glasses.

“Sweetie, you had me at bondage. A pony like me can appear invisible in society,” Claves went on, “so I do like to do things in public. You, I don't think an invisibility spell can do that to you.”

“No,” Cloud Blossom agreed, then she countered with, “but it is amazing what can be hidden by a dress. A sundress, for instance, like the one I am wearing. And I do like to wear dresses.” As she spoke, further gears were turning in her head. Gears connected to her Aunt Pinkie, the letter to go to Ponyville and the item she had to collect. “I did not just get this dress on my visit to Ponyville. My aunt Rarity made me this fetching bridle too…”

Claves’ eyes went ever so wide and she leant back to take stock. “The only Rarity I know of in Ponyville is the element bearer. Generosity, I think. Like who lives near that fancy castle.”

“Please forgive me, but I did not want to be a name dropper. Fluttershy and Applejack, the elements of kindness and honesty, are my parents. The other elements, I consider them to be my Aunts.”

A deep sigh escaped Claves’ mouth. “Okay,” she breathed, “so I don't think you're out to get me. You passed that test twice. Celestia knows what will happen to me if I cross the line again.” She burst out laughing, “Does Tartarus have any cells with a pool, by any chance?”

Shaking her head, Cloud Blossom giggled, “I am afraid not. You will have to make do with the pool at my place.” That said, she got very brave and kissed Claves on the cheek, before looking away. “Can I show it to you, the bridle, I mean?”

Tenderly, Claves lifted the pegasus’s chin, and pulled her in close to her side. “What you can show me is a peaceful ride, more good wine, and a nice meal.” She placed a soft and gentle kiss on her host’s lips. “Your wine is dry, but your lips are sweet.”

Cloud Blossom’s blush intensified, to the point she felt her whole face was on fire. She was sure she was red as a tomato. Slowly she extended her wing out over Claves’ broad muscular back. “I can do all of those things for you.”

“I know,” Claves kissed her mare affectionately, “and I believe you think you could do more. Let's keep this at first date level for now. Anypony going to be waiting for you at the station?”

“No. My mothers are busy back in Ponyville with the Apple farm, and my sister has her life over in Manehatten, so it's just me.”

Claves rolled her eyes in such a manner she made sure the action was heard. “I meant your staff.”

“Oh, I see.” Much, much too late, Cloud Blossom saw her error. “Again, no. It is my maid's day off. Dusty, I mean, Feather Duster, is taking in the opera tonight at the Sun and Moon theatre.”

“You have a staff of one?” Claves was incredulous. “I just thought...” she shook her head. “It’s nothing. Must be your kindness to give your maid a day off and sneak out of town.”

“There are mansions in the Upper Noble Quarter staffed by armies of servants waiting hoof and tail, and populated by nobles happy to let them.” Cloud Blossom sniffed, “pretenders, every last one of them. I have a villa, I live comfortably, but I am not an alicorn in waiting. Dusty cleans for me and keeps me company.”

“Hey there, I meant no offence,” Claves kicked herself and offered up a nuzzle to say sorry. “I thought you'd have at least five. Maid, Cook, Butler, Gardener, and a Personal Assistant. Not an army. Your sculptures are like, everywhere.”

“Blame Dusty.” Cloud Blossom couldn’t be mad when she was being nuzzled like that. Especially when she was being nuzzled like that. “She takes pride in being my one mare army. I honestly would be lost without her. She cleans, cooks and organises my days for me. She chose the gardener and pool cleaner for me too.”

“So in reality she is your Personal Assistant but one who wears many hats.” Claves understood, and she leant in close so she could whisper in her mare's ear. “Do you think she'd like to watch?”

“You could say that,” before she could say anything else though, Cloud Blossom was struck by an instant wingboner. “I am absolutely sure she would,” even her yellow tail flagged upwards at the thought, making the pegasus look like she was in heat.

Claves’ laugh was bright and clear, like the finest crystal. “Well then, Lady Blossom. I shall prove my worth to you. And…oh my, it seems that my glass is empty again. Oh, the donuts seem to have worn off, too.”

“Might I then suggest the dining car? Or, if you would prefer, I can have food bought to us.”

“I would like to be served here,” Claves’ confidence seemed to waver momentarily, then she giggled brightly once more because a wing stretched over her and hugged her tight in a feathered embrace she was starting to become enamoured of. “The world isn’t ready for my presence just yet,” then she added, “I've had enough stares lately.”