It appeared small in the distance, but they were approaching it. They were sailing back towards Maretime Bay, where they had started. The trip was mostly over.

Allura sat by the bow of the ship, looking ahead at the land that would become her home for however much longer it took to get back to her own homeland. She let a low hiss out. "I don't want to go back." She glanced around, seeing she was still alone for the moment. "I never thought I would hate the idea of a return, but it's boring."

Amber looked aside at the great feline. "Boring? I rarely get a break from what I need to do there. Boring isn't the word I'd use. What do you do?"

Allura waved her paw in the air in circles. "Find things to pass the time with. I have a few hobbies." She grinned widely. "I do like a good game. It can be difficult to find a suitable opponent. Mostly, I look for ways to get back home. That takes most of the time, and I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked. Perhaps I will be able to make a breakthrough now." Her tail lashed once. "I will be spending time with you, won't I? You can help."

Amber laughed softly. "Yes, yes I will be helping you. At least, I do have a full library to search through for any hints of your kind of creature. There has to be something written somewhere by somepony, and then we'll have a much bigger hint."

Allura leaned in closer. "And if there isn't?" she asked, her voice soft. "If there is nothing to be found, then what? You will give up, and I will be left alone once more."

Amber held up a hoof. "One thing at a time. We research. If there really isn't a single book, in the whole city, that means nopony has ever run into your kind, ever, and wrote about it. Fantastic to consider. Means I should write about you, to fix that." She tapped at her chin. "I have a lot more experience caring for books than writing them, but I don't know who else I'd call for this."

Allura hissed, but it was faint and she was facing away from Amber. "Wonderful. I shall be an exhibit, to show off to eager young faces." Her ears flattened to her skull and her wings came up, blocking her face. "I am not here to amuse ponies. When this ship stops, our truce is at an end, to remind."

Amber shook her head. "I'll only write what needs to be shared. There will be details that need to stay hidden, but I'm not going to write about things you want to keep personal." She made a writing motion with a hoof. "In the end, it will be written with you, not just about you. How does that sound?"

Allura turned to face Amber. "Better. Much better." She rose to her feet. "Now, I must prepare for the next phase. You may not see me for a time." She leaped quietly, as only a cat could.

Amber considered the space that had Allura in it a moment ago. "Working with her is going to be an interesting challenge."

***

Misty gazed up at the library's exterior. There was an extra floor, just sitting there, like it had been there the whole time. There was a sign hanging on that new floor, 'Constructed by Comfort Crew, doing it fast and quietly!' She tilted her head left and right at it and reached up to ruffle through her curly locks. "Wow. They really did it, just like that."

Amber trotted out to join her. "I know! Pretty cool, right?" She glanced towards Comforting, who was watching the two. "Thank you, again."

Comforting zipped over the hug both unicorns close. "Anything for a friend. Besides, I live and work here too." She waved up at it. "Also, one of my finest cheats. I figured a way to slip one past the universe in a whole new way that won't fall apart in an instant."

Misty's eyes roved to take in the whole structure. "You sure did, and you sure did." She shuffled out of the embrace. "You said there were books up there?"

Amber followed Misty. "There will be books up there. We have to put that floor to work. We should get on that, I've been waiting for a chance to expand our collection."

"Really?" Comforting leaned in. "You have been? I admit, I did it more on a personal hunch that we might like a whole lot more space." She chuckled softly. "And I wanted to have fun."

Amber nodded to them both. "Of course. We can't keep up with every new book coming out, but we can do better at collecting older works. And, like you said, a little more proper space for our magic and flying lessons will be nice. We can move them up to the third floor and return the first floor to being books only." She gestured over. "And I do like the glass ceiling above that garden area. It's very nice for reading in, even more than I thought."

Comforting pointed out over the bay. "We live in a wonderful area. No reason to blot out sight of it all. The windows help." She shrugged. "I do like having the view."

Misty looked out towards the water, sparkling and shimmering in the light of the sun. "We really are lucky. It's beautiful." She tilted her head aside. "If only we could get more books about creatures like Allura." She turned back to Amber. "Is that all of our job now, or are you doing that alone?"

Amber waved that off. "If you're willing to help, I'll gladly take it. There are a lot of books to root through and Internet catalogs to check. I think the magic section may have something relevant." She frowned in thought. "And we should look up legends, I think. If they have been here before, some pony had to have noticed."

Comforting looked around. "Speaking of, have either of you seen Allura since we got off the boat?" She shrugged lightly, arms spread. "I don't think she's been to the library yet."

"No." Amber's frown turned into a smile, though with effort. "But I don't expect her to spend all day, every day, here. In fact, it may take a while before she does. I hope to have something for her when she works her way up to that."

Comforting nodded slowly. "I get that, yeah. Not exactly the easiest kitty to work with. But still worth it." She paused a long moment. "Do you think she'll be alright?" Both unicorns shrugged. "Well, she has two friends at least working for her." She hugged the two. "Now, I should get home. Dinner and breakfast, that's what I promised." And, with that, she casually hopped into the next scene.

***

Comforting landed besides Toots. "Finished unpacking?" she asked.

He nodded. "Sure am." He looked around slowly. "Something the matter?"

"Not really, just worried about Allura, a little." She shrugged lightly. "She's a big girl, but still sort of stranded." She hugged Toots, wielding her official hug license. "And I wanted to say how much I enjoyed that trip, with you in it. That was wonderful."

He patted her back. "It sure was. I'm glad you had fun. I sure did." He smiled up at her. "Want me to look into Allura? I could ask around a little."

Comforting considered that with a soft hum. "I appreciate you being willing, but where would you look? I don't know that you'll find anything Amber or Misty can't."

"I know a few creatures that owe me some favors." He shrugged. "Maybe I can dig something up."

"You sly pony!" She elbowed him lightly. "Well, it can't hurt to look. Share whatever you find with me and Amber so we can all stay on the same page." She shook her head. "Actually, you just need to tell me, and I can play telephone." She held up her hand to her head like a telephone receiver.

Toots lifted his phone. "I can text you both as easily as texting one of you." He poked her with the phone. "You're still getting used to them, huh?"

"I forgot!" She threw up her hands. "I spent quite a long time without them. I used to know how they did their things, honest." Laughing at her own follies, she tickled at his sides, hovering over him. "Now, what's for dinner today?"

Toots squirmed, trying to speak between laughter. "I-I was thinking, w-we order in tonight, s-since we're still tired out from the ship." He managed to grab her wrists gently. He kissed one of her hands, and was soon nuzzling into it.

She gave up on the tickles, instead rubbing over his held snout. "That sounds fun. Tomorrow though, I want something that has your love cooked right into it. They're the best."

"Agreed!" He snorted softly. "And you do a mean meal, yourself." Toots turned to kiss her palm. "So, I'll order something, and we can relax after."

A quick few taps at his phone, and food was on the way. "How are things at the library? That's where you hopped off to, right?" he asked, sitting on the bed.

"Yeah, it is." Comforting flopped back onto the bed. "I gave them a new third floor to fill up with more books. Amber's already got ideas, but that'll take a long while." She waved a hand in the air above her. "But, right now, it gets to be the new home of the magic classes, and that'll be great."

Toots snuggled in with her the two sharing heat and space without complaint. "So, how'd you do it? I thought your magic was only good for a little while."

"Oh, yeah." She chuckled softly. "The big trick was cheating the system. I went through all the steps you'd expect of a building. I consulted a lawyer, put up signs, covered it up for a few days. The surprise of a new floor coming out of it in the end was a lot less, even if it was suspiciously quiet and fast. Cheating the system." She snapped sharply. "And got it done. Slow, for me, but way faster than doing it by hand or hoof."

Toots curled in under her arm. "That sounds very clever. Good idea." He nuzzled in closer, resting his cheek against hers. "Why not put a whole house there?"

She stroked along his cheek, the other hand rubbing over his chest. "Cute idea, but it's still a library. How would a house on it help?"

He lifted his hoof slowly. "It would give you a place to live. It's gotta be lonely to spend all your time in this room." He gestured around them. "I do worry, you know."

She grinned down at him. "You're so sweet, but I'm not actually living here, remember? This is a place for me to visit, not spend all my time." She nuzzled at him. "Not like you stay here all day every day either. Like you, a very comfortable place to recharge, and get some time with my favorite pony." She hugged him as she slid up atop him. "I'd say it does a pretty good job."

He squirmed in the embrace, laughing. "Ah! Alright! I give, I give!" After a few moments of squirming, he relaxed with her weight on top of him. "You do a very good job at keeping me happy."

"Right back atcha." She lifted an ear at a knock. "And I think dinner just arrived. I'll get it!" She hopped out of the room to collect the delivery.

Toots laughed and rested back. "Hurry back, please!"

Comforting returned, taking up a seat beside him and putting the food down. "You don't have to tell me twice!" She began laying out the trays right there on the bed. "Already smells great." She popped them open, releasing more of those smells to tempt the two of them.

Toots breathed it in, eyes shutting with a sigh. "That's the good stuff. Thanks for dinner, Comf." He leaned in to kiss her cheek before beginning to dig in. "Ah!"

"Silly pony, you ordered it." She grabbed a disposable fork that had come with the food and joined Toots in enjoying the food. "Mm, not bad at all. Not as good as Toots-made, but close enough." She swayed her feline tail, watching him a moment. "After dinner, what do you want to do?"

Toots chewed slowly in thought. "I dunno." He tapped his chin. "How about a movie? We could rent a movie, watch it together, and relax."

"Ha, I have you beaten for a change." She wielded a remote that hadn't been there a moment before. "We have the Internet. Almost infinite movies are available. How about we start with something simple, like a musical?"

Toots smiled. "Sounds good! What sorta musical?"

"A charming classic." She began tapping at the remote until the screen displayed 'A Charming Life' in bright colors and high detail. "This one had a great song and dance routine in it." She played the movie and set the remote aside, eyes watching the television and the opening credits.

The two leaned on one another, nibbling their food and enjoying the show at the same time. "Thanks."

Comforting perked. "For what?"

"For keeping your promise. For being home for dinner." He took a fresh bite. "It's, um, really nice. It's something to look forward to, and you're always here, just like you said." He wrapped his arm around hers. "I like it."

"I promised." She returned the half-hug with one arm, squeezing him gently. "Breakfast and dinner. Sorry for that trip to the griffons. Ruined that for a few days."

"You did warn me before." He nuzzled her cheek gently. "And made up for it after. I'll forgive you this time."

She rubbed his cheek. "How generous of you." She kissed the tip of his nose, then turned her attention back to the screen. "We're about to reach my favorite part."

Author's Note

Slice of life? Nah, cake time!

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