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             Beyond Infinity: Fangs of Desires             
                -by Commander Shadowblade-                 
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                          Part I                           
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Part I
Fangs of Desires- Part I
At the Castle of Friendship, Twilight had invited Faerie Tail to work with her in a special project involving the famous Heart’s Desire flower. Faerie Tail had to admit how impressed she was by the young princess’s alchemy lab, along with some computers and technological equipment Twilight had access to.
“Being the Sun’s favored foal must really come with some perks,” the unicorn commented in a casually awed manner.
“It does from time to time, but a lot of this was old equipment I had back in Canterlot,” Twilight replied. “I just didn’t have a lot of room to bring it until the castle was formed here in Ponyville.”
“Fair enough. So! What exactly are you aiming to do with Heart’s Desire?” Faerie Tail glanced the flower, potted and looking beautiful in the middle of one of Twilight’s work tables, “From what I hear, it’s not well-known on what sort of properties it has, partly because it’s so rare and not many ponies are willing to brave the Everfree Forest to find it.”
“I am actually looking to utilize it for healing properties for Princess Celestia,” Twilight answered. “From what we know about the Heart’s Desire, its magical properties as the name suggests grants whatever your heart desires within reason. An incident involving my friend’s little sister actually used it to try and get her cutie mark, believe it or not!”
“Mmm, I don’t know, Twilight,” Faerie Tail regarded the flower, “If it were that easy, don’t you think Heart’s Desire would be more widely known? What exactly happened with your friend’s sister trying to use the Heart’s Desire to get her cutie-mark? You said that she tried, meaning it didn’t turn out as she’d hoped, I take it.”
“Well… when she used the Heart’s Desire, she ended up getting a case of the Cutie-Pox and it got out of control,” Twilight answered, wincing a bit at the memory. “She’s learned her lesson, but I think the flower could be used for something else. Such as healing or even curing diseases like the Feather Flu. Which is why I invited you to help me today!”
“Well, alchemy isn’t my favorite subject, but I’m adequate enough in the general study of it, why not?” Faerie Tail shrugged before asking, “So, where do we start?”
Grinning excitedly, Twilight levitated a pair of goggles towards the unicorn. “We’ll start with boiling the flower’s petals while mixing in some licorice roots.”
“We should do this carefully,” Faerie Tail cautioned, “For starters, we only have a limited amount of Heart’s Desire, not to mention something unexpected could happen during our research.”
“Don’t worry, I’m aware of that… It’s why I only plucked a few petals from it to start with. Everything is going to be fine, besides… We’re only working with a few of them until Five O’clock today,” Twilight explained. “It is almost Heart’s & Hooves Day after all and I’m sure you have something special planned for a certain colt, right?”
Faerie Tail raised a brow at Twilight but the look on her face warned her to watch it. However, before she could offer an apology for assuming anything, the sound of knocking on the door caught their attention. “Twilight darling~ It’s us, we got some more ingredients like you asked~”
“Perfect! You can bring them in, girls, the door’s unlocked!” Twilight invited, causing the unicorn beside her to frown as the girls all came in carrying various jars with different chemicals, potions, and other ingredients.
“Sorry we’re late darling, it took a little longer than we expected, but that should be everything on the list,” Rarity said, passing the list over to the alicorn.
“Thank you, Rarity, again I’m sorry I had to ask you all to get these for me. Normally Spike would be getting these for me, but after getting summoned to Canterlot to help Celestia with taking notes for the griffon ambassador. It’s been a little difficult getting everything on my own.”
“It was no problem at all, Twi!” Pinkie assured. “The only one we had trouble getting were some bat fangs from some bats, but we got them for ya!”
“Well I appreciate it regardless, girls and- Wait, where’s Rainbow Dash?” Twilight noticed the absence of the most colorful member of their circle of friends.
“Heheh, Rainbow said she got a ‘private trainin’ session’ with Soarin,” answered Applejack while bobbing her eyebrows, “If’n she weren’ so insistent on tha’ bein’ wha’ it is, not t’ mention all th’ blushin’ she did, she might’a fooled me int’ thinkin’ so.”
“She was really excited to go,” Fluttershy added, trying to stifle her giggles.
“Which is why I invited my dear cousin to come and assist us!” Rarity declared excitedly. “Twilight, Faerie, I’d like for you to meet Sugar Belle!”
Twilight then noticed an unfamiliar unicorn. She had a coat of magenta and her mane was a pleasant eggplant purple, curly, and had mane ties in her mane and on her tail. Her eyes were a similar shade to amethyst purple while her cutie-mark was a cupcake with a cherry on top.
“Hello, Sugar Belle, it’s nice to meet you,” Twilight greeted pleasantly, “I wasn’t aware Rarity had a cousin.”
“We’re maternal cousins, Princess Twilight,” Sugar Belle replied with a friendly yet respectful demeanor, “Our mothers are sisters, but we live in different parts of Equestria and don’t visit each other as much as when we were younger.
“Not to mention, I enjoy baking delicious baked goods while Rarity likes to make dresses and such.”
“She really knows how to make tasty snickerdoodles!” Pinkie added, licking her lips after recalling the baked goods Sugar Belle had shared with everyone.
“Oh, they were just some treats I thought I’d share with everyone. They aren’t that good,” Sugar Belle said sheepishly.
“Oh, darling, they were divine, no need to be modest,” Rarity assured her. “Anyway, what are you two ladies working on now?”
“Well, before you all arrived, we were discussing how we might ascertain the properties of the Heart’s Desire flower,” Faerie Tail spoke up, sounding like she wanted to get back to work in peace, “and how we might be able to use the flower to heal injuries and cure afflictions.”
“Right! Back on track,” Twilight perked up with drive before asking her friends, “Would you mind setting everything over on that work table there?”
She pointed the table out, and Rarity nodded, “Not at all, darling, not at all.”
As the girls began to set everything on the table. Rarity couldn’t help but ask. “By the way darling, did you ever ask out that colt? What’s his name… Midnight Blaze?” Rarity asked, wiggling her eyebrows at the alicorn as her cheeks started to turn red. “Hearts & Hooves Day is right around the corner~”
“I, Um… I was planning to ask him out… today actually,” Twilight replied nervously.
“WHAT!? Twilight! Hearts & Hooves Day is two days away!”
“She’s righ Twi, it only comes once ah year,” Applejack added.
“Well- I… I’m just trying to figure out the right moment, is all,” Twilight responded lamely.
“Twilight… is this research on the Heart’s Desire your way of procrastinating your asking the guy you like out?” Faerie Tail asked knowingly, and Twilight froze up at the word ‘procrastinating’.
“Twilight! For shame! Oh, just imagine how devastated he’ll be when the mare of his dreams refuses to ask him out,” Rarity dramatically stated.
“Yeah, it’s why… I got plans of my own for Hearts & Hooves Day,” Pinkie blushed when she said that. “I even went out and got a gift for him!”
“Who are you talking about?” Faerie Tail asked in a tone that sounded like she didn’t really care as she examined a leaf from the Heart’s Desire.
“Oh, I’m talking about Coal! Coal Obsidian!” Pinkie answered.
Almost immediately, Faerie Tail froze at the mention of that name, as did Fluttershy, the two mares peering over at Pinkie Pie through the corners of their eyes.
“Really! Oh Pinkie, I'm so happy for you!” Rarity hugged the party pony. “Can you believe it, Sugar Belle? My hooves are shaking, I’m so excited for them!”
“Umm… Yeah, I can tell,” Sugar Belle said sheepishly, before she touched the tips of her hooves together, and asked, “By the way, does anypony here know of this large red earth pony stallion with a green apple cutie-mark?”
“Well shut mah mouth an’ paint me red, y’all like mah big brother, Macintosh?” asked Applejack with an interested smirk. “If ya like, Ah could introduce y’all tuh each other.”
“Oh, I’d like that very much,” Sugar Belle blushed. “I… I tried introducing myself to him when I saw him in town earlier, but… I lost my nerve…”
“Anypony else have something special planned for Hearts & Hooves Day?” Rarity asked, enjoying all this romantic gossip.
“Oh… Um… N-Not really…” Fluttershy muttered, looking away from the group shyly, trying to hide her blushing face. Looking down at her saddle bag, a red envelope peeked out before she pushed it deeper into her back. Something Faerie noticed when she saw the name “Coal” on the envelope that made her eye twitch.
“Well, in any case,” Twilight cleared her throat as she started boiling a pot of water on a fire crystal-powered burner, “Faerie Tail and I need to focus on our research, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, come on Twi! You have to go ask out Middy before it’s too late!” Pinkie popped in front of the alicorn, surprising her. “I mean, if I can ask out Coaly on a date! Then I know you can too!”
“Wait ah sec! When didja ask him out?” Applejack asked. “Was it when he was hangin out with Caramel?”
“Yeah? You were there when I asked him out, AJ!” Pinkie reminded her friend.
“But ya didn’t Pinkie…” Applejack said.
“HUH!?”
“Would you care to explain darling, I’m a bit confused now?” Rarity asked, unaware of the quiet sighs of relief coming from both Faerie and Fluttershy. “Did Pinkie ask Coal out or not?”
“Well… it's like this…”
It was five days before Hearts & Hooves Day, Pinkie and ah were on our way over tah Caramel’s job site he was workin at because Coal was helpin him out. Pinkie was gonna ask him out that day.
“Oh, I don’t know if I can do this AJ, I’m so nervous right now?” Pinkie’s face started turning red.
“Heheh, Come on now, Pinkie, you worked hard to save up for tha’ gift for him. Ya got this, an Ah’m right here tah help ya,” I told her honestly. It was down right adorable how lovestruck she was.
When we got there, both Coal and Caramel had just finished for the day. I remember them boys were wearing construction vests and helmets, the two were drenched in sweat.
“Thanks for helping me out today, Coal, I didn’t think the other two would call out today!” I heard Caramel say.
“Hey, it’s not an issue, I used to do some construction work back home when I needed the extra cash,” Coal said. “Nothing new for me,”
“I thought you were trying to be a Firefighter?”
“Yeah, but you kinda need money to apply for the academy, which I didn’t have,” Coal explained.
I couldn’t help but chiming in on their conversation. “You know if you two enjoy sweating, you could have come over tah work at the farm,”
“Hey AJ!” Caramel called out ta me.
“Oh! Hey girls!” Coal said to us.
“H-H-Hey C-Coaly,” Pinkie said nervously, I could literally see her face turning red as a cherry as she was gawking at Coal like a highschool filly with her first crush.
“Ah take it you boys finished for tha day?” I asked them.
“Just about, we were just about to head home now,” Caramel said. “Hey, Pinkie, think I could ask for Coal’s help again tomorrow if you guys aren’t that busy? He’s been a big help today and I could always use the extra muscle.”
“For sure~” Pinkie swooned I tell ya.
I didn’t swoon!
“Well, as long as you don’t mind Pinks,” Coal said to her, chuckling a bit. It’s kinda funny how he couldn’t tell she was crushin on him.
“Not at all~”
“Ahem… Pinkie, wasn’t there something ya wanted ta ask Coal?” I reminded her,
“OH! R-Right, right! Um… Coal… I um… I…” She stuttered a lot as she kept gawking at him in that vest an helmet.
“Um… you okay Pinks?”
“SHE uh… Wanted ta ask if ya had any plans for Hearts & Hooves Day!?” I asked for Pinkie, seein as she was unable to speak to the oblivious fool.
HEY!
“Hearts & Hooves Day?”
“It’s like that Valentine’s holiday you told about where you are from,” Caramel explained and thankfully made it easier to explain.
“Oh! Oh, well not really, I was just going to hang out at the bar-”
“WE SHOULD TOTALLY HANG OUT AT THE BAR ON HEART’S & HOOVES DAY!” Pinkie blurted out suddenly that it took even me by surprise.
“I mean, if you are okay with joining Caramel and I that day, It could be fine,” Coal said.
“I’ll join in too!” I said, I couldn’t exactly let Pinkie go alone.
“Well I think it’ll be fun to have a few drinks with some friends,” I remembered Coal saying at the time.
“We can meet at the Long Silver after work!” Caramel said. “Let’s say… six o’clock?”
“Sounds like a plan, see you girls then!”
“Annnnnd that’s pretty much how it all went down,” Applejack explained as Faerie and Fluttershy let out quiet sighs of relief. Hearing this come from the farmer was like a huge weight lifted off their shoulders.
“No! Nononono! I-I know I asked him out for-Oh gosh dang it!” Pinkie cursed, recalling that same day now clearly.
“Pfft…” Faerie snorted, earning a glare from the party pony as her cheeks were flushed red. “Guess even somepony like you can get cold hooves,”
“Now, come on darling, no need to sulk about it. You still have time to ask him out properly, but first we need to finish helping Twilight organize these vials and herbs she asked us to get and then we can get going, okay?” Rarity assured the sulking party pony.
“Yeah, yeah you're right!” Pinkie smiled, ignoring the intense glares coming from Fluttershy and Faerie Tail. The fact that the object of their affection was still within reach meant that they still had a chance to confess their feelings to the alicorn. However, that didn’t mean the others would make it easier for the other to reach him in time and ask him out.
“Um… s-since there's enough ponies here to help out, m-maybe I can head out early to… um… feed my animals,” Fluttershy said quietly while carrying the jaw of bat fangs, trying to set it down on the counter near the boiling pot of hearts desire.
“Don’t worry, Shy!” Pinkie shouted, appearing next to the shy pegasus. Fluttershy let out a “Eeep!” while accidently dropping the whole jaw of bat fangs into the pot. “Once we finish here and I talk to Coaly, I’ll help you out with feeding your animal friends so it can go by faster!”
“O-oh… thanks Pinkie,” Fluttershy said gloomy, her eye twitching when she emphasized that she would talk to Coal.
“You act like you’ll get to him before me,” Faerie muttered quietly as she examined some of the petals she had plucked from the Heart’s Desire through a microscope.
“Huh?! What did you say?!” Pinkie demanded, glaring at the icey blue unicorn.
“Oh nothing, nothing at all,” Faerie said coyly.
“Well, I think that should be about everything for now girls, the potion should be ready for us to try out tomorrow. There’s still some things we need to take care of, but it shouldn’t take us too long, if you girls don’t mind?” Twilight asked, unaware of the tension forming between the three mares.
“Not at all Twilight darling, besides, I think Sombra spending some time with the boys will do some good for him. Especially after all the progress he’s been making during his reformation,” Rarity mentioned.
“I know what you mean, he’s improved so much… except when he’s around Coal,” Twilight sheepishly said as she rubbed the back of her head. “Those two can’t stand being near each other.”
“I know right! Coaly is always complaining whenever they go out drinking with him! I just wish they’d get along with each other!” Pinkie added, before the scent of something sweet started to hit her nose. “Ooooh! What’s that smell? It smells good!”
Faerie rolled her eyes, “And I thought stallions always think with their stomachs…”
“Okay, now that was uncalled for! What’s your deal?!” Pinkie demanded, her eyes narrowing.
“My deal? I have no deal… except, perhaps, that you are entirely too presumptuous for your own good,” Faerie Tail responded dryly, as though she were lecturing a child.
“And what’s that supposed to mean?!” Pinkie yelled.
“Hey, girls, maybe this isn’t the time to be arguing-” Twilight started before Faerie interrupted.
“Oh, only how you are so blissfully unaware of how inconsiderate and selfish you tend to be,” Faerie Tail answered, sounding more on edge as she and Pinkie Pie started glaring into each other’s eyes.
“Oh Ho! That’s rich coming from the mare who literally tried to steal from Coaly! If anypony is selfish here, it’s you!” Pinkie argued, reminding the unicorn of the times she’s tried to steal Coal’s Infinity Stone.
“That was just business. I mean, it’s selfish and inconsiderate of someponies to just waltz in, stick their snoots where they’re not wanted, help themselves to other ponies’ foods, and eat them out of house and cupcakes like big fat pink gluttons!!” Faerie Tail started butting her head against Pinkie’s who butted back. “But then you’d have to have a brain to even notice how rude and uncivilized and immature such behaviors tend to be!”
“Who are you calling fat!? I look great! At least I’m not a controlling, cold, judgmental jerkface like you!” Pinkie snarled, shoving the unicorn away from her, who in turn shoved her back.
“Umm… girls, maaaaaybe we should take a breath and relax for a moment? I-If you don’t mind-” Fluttershy tried to intercede, hoping to moderate the rising tensions.
“STAY OUTTA THIS!!” both mares snapped at the butter yellow pegasus… only for it to have the opposite effect.
Indeed, Fluttershy’s face was hurt and appalled, at first. But then… it sank, as though depressed, before twitching and pulling back into a grimace that then hardened into a fury the likes of which was rarely seen upon the Element of Kindness.
“I will NOT stay out of this! I WILL HAVE MY SAY!!” Fluttershy shouted, her face reddening with an anger and emotional build-up on the verge of cataclysmic emotional eruption.
“Fluttershy, this is between the two of us! You don’t GET a say in this!” Pinkie yelled back. Pinkie wasn’t sure what made the timid pegasus snap at them, but whatever the reason, it was keeping her from what she really wanted.
“I absolutely have a say in this! I know what you’re doing, both of you!” Fluttershy accused, pointing at them with her primary feathers.
“Oh? And what would that be…?” Faerie Tail sighed tiresomely.
“Yeah!? Everything was fine until Miss. Jerkface here started this!” Pinkie added, poking the unicorn in the cheek, before her hoof was swatted away.
“She started it, but you’re just as guilty! And frankly, she’s right! You are selfish sometimes and you don't even realize it!” Fluttershy argued, “Like that time you came over to visit, without asking if you could or giving me any forewarning, and ate all the cookies I made for my critters!”
“Umm… Shouldn’t we stop them?” Sugar Belle whispered to the other girls.
“Hush, cousin! This romantic drama is just getting good!” Rarity quietly said, while she continued to watch the three mares bicker amongst themselves.
“An tah be honest… Even I don’ wanna get in between that!” Applejack added.
“That’s greeeeeat… Everyone is ganging up on me now,” Pinkie mumbled, her face turning a bright cherry red as she glared at the two mares. “Ugh! I didn’t even do anything wrong this time! I just wanted to go out and see Coal!”
“EXACTLY MY POINT!!!” Fluttershy and Faerie Tail both said at the same time, causing the three mares to gasp in holy realization.
“YOU LIKE HIM TOO?!” the three of them all shouted incredulously while pointing their hooves at one another.
“Wow… Didn’t see that coming,” Twilight said aloud with a confused look and flat tone.
“I knew it!” Rarity cheered with a gasping swoon. Oh, the drama!
“Sniff… Sniff… Hey, does anypony smell that?” Sugar Belle asked, but everypony was preoccupied by the drama unfolding in front of them.
Pinkie wasn’t sure how to react in this situation, all three of them like Coal, but she’s known him longer, so by that logic, she should be able to go out with him. At least that’s what made the most sense to her at the moment.
“Well… I… I… I have no idea what to say now?” Pinkie mumbled, confused by this turn of events.
“Neither do I…” Fluttershy replied, meekly as her riled up emotion started to deflate.
“Perhaps we went too far…” Faerie Tail sighed, sounding apologetic, “I’m sorry for my words.”
“Same, here… I just… I’ve been wanting to ask him out for awhile now, I just didn’t think anyone else wanted to as well. It’s usually just him and I and I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you girls liked him too,” Pinkie explained, her ears folding down as her gaze was fixated towards the ground. “And- Sniff… Sniff… Is something burning?”
Burning? …!!!! Twilight immediately turned her eyes to the potion, her heart jumping into her throat when she saw it was bubbling with a red frothy substance while letting off a squealing hiss like a teapot but also like that of a flying rodent.
But before she could say or do anythi-
KABOOSH
“Cough… Cough… Cough… Is everypony okay?” Twilight asked, her eyes flashing red for a moment.
“Yeah… We’re okay darling,” Rarity replied, helping Sugar Belle to her hooves, their eyes turning red before turning back to their original colors.
Applejack climbed to her hooves, her eyes twitching a bit, flashing red for a moment before she finally shook it off.
Pinkie Pie, however, had something sneaky in mind as her own eyes flashed red for an instant before she made a light swoon, “Ohh… I- I think I need to go home and take something for this headache…”
“Oh my, Pinkie” Twilight came over, concerned, “Are you alright? I can get you some tea.”
“No, no! I just… I think I’ll be good if I just get home and rest this off,” Pinkie assured in a ‘didn’t want to be a bother’ kind of way.
“Well, if you’re sure…” Twilight sighed a little, but didn’t try to stop the pink party pony.
Thus, she failed to notice the devilish smirk on Pinkie’s face as she left, thinking, Marky oughta be at Berry Punch’s juice bar. He’s there with his guy friends at least once a week.
However, this didn’t go unnoticed by two certain mares whose glares were aimed at the party pony while flashing red as she exited the room. Both looked to each other before nodding in agreement to follow her.
Berry Punch’s Fruit Bar was unexpectedly a great place to hangout at if you were craving some alcohol. Marcus never imagined that the friendly town of Ponyville had a bar, and he never imagined that he’d be sharing drinks with a couple of guys he’d befriended.
“CHEERS!” Everypony yelled, clanking their mugs together.
Marcus sat in a rounded booth with Big Macintosh, Caramel, Midnight Blaze, and unfortunately Sombra. The five of them would meet up twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays to have a few drinks, talk about mares or vent about stuff that frustrated them. Normally for Marcus this was the only time he’d really get to have where it was just him and the guys. No girls, just guys being guys.
“Man, I can’t tell you how relieved I am to be done working on that new office building. I’m never working with you again, Caramel,” Marcus groaned, taking a big swig of his mug of ale.
“Hey, it’s not like you worked for free!” Caramel argued.
“Well, ah say you both did good, the place looked mighty fine,” Big Mac commented.
“If the owner is willing to pay, I could place some security wards over the property,” offered Midnight with a smirk, seeing a potential opportunity to make some quick bits.
“I honestly don’t know whether you’re truly a pony or a dragon,” Sombra commented dryly at the sapphire stallion, but strangely liked him for some inexplicable reason.
“Well, as far as I’m concerned, I say he’s a pony through and through!” Caramel grinned, taking a sip from his drink. “By the way, I have been meaning to ask, but you said you aren’t from Equestria, right?”
Marcus paused, not expecting to be asked this question. “Uhh…Yeah… Not from around here, why do you ask?”
“It’s just… you don’t really talk about your past, so I was just curious is all?!” Caramel waved his hoof, not trying to offend.
“It’s fine… I just… it’s a personal subject is all,” Marcus replied. “I’ll tell you guys about it… someday. Ahem! Anyway, Midnight, did you finally ask out Twilight or are you really going to let her be the one to ask?”
“I’m… working up to it,” Midnight responded lamely while rubbing the back of his head. “I mean, c’mon! She’s a princess, perhaps the most talented scholar in magic of her generation, and I’m… ugh, I’m just me…”
“Mmyes, I can understand why being a little fat might hold you back,” sniped Sombra although there was some degree of good-natured teasing to his words.
“Huh! I’m not fat…” Midnight huffed before flexing some unexpectedly impressive muscles that contrasted rather appealingly with his gut as he confidently declared, “I’m… husky.”
Caramel and Macintosh both gaped at the unicorn with mixed feelings, some of which included awe, envy, and perhaps a bit of inadequacy.
“Psst… Still think he’s going to ask her out? Last chance to back out now?” Marcus quietly asked Big Mac, who shook his head in disagreement. “ANYWAY! Midnight, you do know Valentine's day is two days away right?”
“Val-What?” Everyone asked as the charcoal alicorn mentally facehooved himself.
“Right, different place, um… Hearts & Hooves Day,” Marcus corrected. “It’s two days away and you still haven’t asked her out.”
Almost instantly, Midnight’s flex faded, his muscles receding and his girth becoming more apparent as he groaned into his hooves, “I… want to! I really do, I… just don’t know how to approach her, or-or what to say! How can I convince her to say yes?! Some witty repartee?! Magical trivia!?! What if I spout some random fact, she corrects me, and suddenly decides I’m not smart enough for her?!?!”
“Down, boy, down!” Marcus said with firm dominance that was laced with understanding. “Midnight… you’re winding yourself up with too many doubts and thinking too much on what could go wrong. But the real question is, what could go right?”
Midnight eyed Marcus with hesitant skepticism, and the dark alicorn assured, “All you ever have to do, is just be yourself! Because yourself is who Twilight will want to get to know.”
“Coal’s right, haystack,” Macintosh nodded in approval, “it’s one thing t’ be honest with somepony else, but sometimes it’s a whole `nother rodeo t’ be honest wit’ yerself.”
“Either way at the end of the day… It’s either going to be Twilight or you who asks who out.” Caramel chuckled, slurping his ale as he started mumbling about “winning a bet”.
“From the sounds of it, you act like you’ve dated before?” Sombra commented, his eyes meeting Coal’s as they both glared at one another.
“Yeah… and?” Marcus asked, annoyed by the dark unicorn.
“If you have the experience, why is it that you aren’t trying to swoon the pink menace? Especially since it’s clear as day you are infatuated with her,” Sombra added, smugly.
“Just because I dated in the past, doesn’t mean I’m interested in dating right now, besides Pinks is just a friend, love ain’t something I’m looking for right now,” Marcus explained, rolling his eyes.
“What does that mean?” Caramel asked. “I thought you were into her, since you keep-”
“Caramel! All I said was she looked good, that’s it! Besides, love ain’t something that’s for me. I learned that the hard way,” Marcus said darkly as his eyes narrowed while taking a sip from his drink.
The other stallions, even Sombra, were put off by Marcus’ words, and wondered what could possibly make the young stallion have such crazy thoughts.
“Uh… You want to talk about it?” Midnight asked.
“Four years ago!” Marcus started immediately. “I thought I had finally found the right girl for me. I thought she was the absolute sweetest per-pony that I have ever met. We dated for two years! TWO YEARS!!! And during that time she was cheating on me with this shrimp douchebag who smoked nothing but weed! Not to mention she always made me pay for everything!”
“I really thought I knew her… Didn’t help that after I broke up with her… she… she started stalking me, and I didn’t find out about it until my sister told me. Still… two years I wasted on her and she just… I felt so humiliated and it didn’t help that I found out in front of the entire school I used to attend,” Marcus sipped his mug. “After that… every other girl I dated ended with break ups, and I’ll always blame her for that.”
Midnight, Macintosh, Caramel, and even Sombra found themselves utterly dumbfounded by what they’d just heard. Granted, they’d heard similar relationships with similar bad results. But this was something else.
The fact Marcus sniffled and even shed a tear at the bitter memories of it all made the moment feel all the more like thin ice. While the other three tried in vain to think of something to say, it was Sombra who finally broke the ice, leaning forward onto the table, eyeing his half-empty (or perhaps half-full) glass as he sighed, “I loved somepony once, somepony I thought would… be with me always.”
Marcus gave Sombra a poorly-veiled look of skepticism, but the dark unicorn shrugged and chuckled, “Yeah. And, uh… what she and I shared, I thought it was truly special. But then… I saw we were destined to take very different paths, and I… wound up embracing mine.
“I thought I could secure my future and intertwine it with hers, so we could be together. Instead… I drove her away, and she betrayed me, though I suppose it’s more accurate to say that… I betrayed myself.”
Marcus was surprised. For perhaps the first time since meeting him, Sombra was being real. His words were genuine, lacking any spite or edge of cruelty or hot air of unwarranted hubris.
“So, I… I know what it’s like,” Sombra went on, “to… regret the choices made, and… knowing you can’t take it back. I shouldn’t even be here. I should have paid for my sins long ago, and yet here I am, yoked to some infuriating mares, dead-set on ‘reforming me’ despite everything I did and do.”
“Are you going somewhere with this?” Marcus huffed.
“Look, kid,” Sombra gave Marcus a look that said ‘shut up and listen’, “you got screwed, there’s no sugarcoating it. But you’re still letting what this mare did to you screw with your head and your heart.
“Don’t make choices you think are right, but will only leave you wallowing in regret. In fact, I’ll give you the same advice somepony told me, a long time ago: Maybe you should stop looking for love… and let love find you.”
“Pfft! Yeah… that ain’t happening… In case you forgot, despite the ass beating I gave you when you tried to destroy the town… Everypony in Ponyville, aside from you guys and the girls, still hates me!” Marcus groaned, placing the mug towards his lips only to realize that his mug was empty. “Hell, you have better chances of getting with Rarity than me hooking up with any mare here! The only reason I even get served here is because you guys are here with me.”
“Coal, c’mon, he’s trying to help, and you can’t just give up,” Midnight urged encouragingly, “Actions speak louder than words, and it was your actions that saved Ponyville! Some might still have doubts or whatever bull reason to dislike you, but I know there are some who are realizing they’ve misjudged you. Including that idiot mayor, no matter what she may say or do to deny it.
“Just keep at it, and everypony here will see you for who you really are. A pony I’m proud to call my friend, as well as my student.”
“Thanks… And thank you, Sombra, I’m honestly surprised that underneath the cold, dark, black, depressing, doucheness, there's actually a heart. I almost got all tingly inside,” Marcus teased, spurring a round of laugh from the guys aside from a growl that came from the dark unicorn.
“Bah! How’d I ever get stuck with this band of scoundrels?” Sombra grumbled, but they could easily see the smirk on his face.
“Because we’re the only scoundrels who would have you,” Midnight chuckled before standing and raising his glass, “To us! May we all reach achievement and win our fair ladies’ hearts.”
“Hear, hear!” All of them raised their glasses as well, joining in Midnight’s toast, before they down the remainders of their drinks in the biggest gulps they could.
“Speaking of winning ladies' hearts… You’ve been awfully talkative, Big Mac… more than usual I mean. Something you’d like to share with the group, my friend?” Caramel asked, giving a teasing grin towards the large earth pony.
“Uh… Nnnnope… No idea whatcha talkin bout,” Big Mac denied, his cheeks turning a bright shade of pink.
“You sure about that buddy?” Marcus asked while raising a knowing brow. “Has nothing to do with that new mare who showed up in town three days ago?”
“Ah don’ rightly know wha’ y’all `r talkin’ about,” Mac maintained with a look almost as stoic as he normally appeared. But there was some kind of chink in that look that hinted otherwise.
“Mac, you’re almost as bad a liar as your sister,” Midnight teased, spurring more laughs from everypony else while Mac sighed.
“Okay, okay, Y’all are right, I think I might’ve got bit by the lovebug, okay,” Mac confessed. “Her name’s Sugar Belle, and it’s hard to explain, but the moment I laid eyes on her… I couldn’t help but fall for her.”
“Well, from the sounds of it, you guys have only two days to ask those girls out before Hearts & Hooves Day arrives,” Marcus reminded them, shaking his head with closed eyes as he smiled. Ale in hoof. I’m pretty sure the girls said they’d be on there way over to ask these guys out… It’s almost 5:30 now… So close to getting those bits from Caramel.
There was a loud bang, alarming almost every patron in the bar, as all eyes turned to the door and they saw three mares squabbling to be the first one in.
Pinkie Pie was wrestling with Faerie Tail who was yelling at Fluttershy to stop pulling her mane and Fluttershy’s hind leg was pinned under Pinkie’s sizable plot. As they continued to fight, they became a literal dust cloud of violence, their limbs and heads sticking in and out at random, pulling anything (or anyone) that got too close in before throwing them out (such as Clover who was dazed after being chucked out of the violence and asking, “The hay? Did I just get laid?”) while Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Sugar Belle brought up the rear.
“HEYHEYHEY! What’s going on here!?” Marcus demanded, rushing up towards the three mare and getting into the dust cloud and grabbing both Fluttershy and Pinkie by the scruff of their fur in the grasp of his magic. “Can someone please explain what’s happening right now?”
“I have something I want to ask you!” The three mares said simultaneously, surprising the charcoal alicorn.
“Uhhh… ooookay?” Marcus back up a bit while setting the two mares down. The three mares looked at each other before turning their gaze towards the object of their affection.
“WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME?!” The three shouted together, their eyes turning red briefly. A chill ran up the alicorn’s spine for some odd reason, his heart started beating faster as his face started to turn a bright shade of red.
“Uhhhh…” Marcus could not answer.
“Ahem! Sorry to interrupt your moment darlings, but I believe Twilight here had something she’d like to ask, Midnight,” Rarity motioned with her eyes for the princess of friendship to make her move.
“Thanks Rarity,” Twilight strained as she nervously approached the blue unicorn.
As always, Midnight was stupefied with a tender yet confusing mix of admiration, enthrallment, and puppy love, as he gulped at the sight of the lavender princess approaching him, Twilight looking bashful as well, yet she was able to say, “H-hello, Midnight! I’m just curious, but um… I don’t suppose you have any… plans for today? Or tomorrow? Or even the rest of the week?!”
Any sane stallion would have picked up on Twilight’s behavior in this moment. Even Marcus, Mac, Caramel, and Sombra noticed. But unfortunately, Midnight did not, as he shook his head nervously but also earnestly.
“T-Then would you like t-to… g-go on a date for Hearts & Hooves Day? W-With me, I mean? I-If I wasn’t being obvious, I mean of course you know, why can’t I shut up right now?” Twilight rambled as her face started to get very red as she started to sweat.
But then Twilight stifled a gasp as she felt Midnight take her hoof into his, the two of them staring into each other’s eyes for a long moment, before Midnight smiled, feeling all was right with the world, and he said, “Twilight Sparkle? I would love nothing more.”
Then he held out his foreleg invitingly, and Twilight put hers through his, and the two walked out with casual confidence along with barely-contained elation.
“Whoa, Midnight’s got game when he puts his mind to it,” Marcus couldn’t help but chuckle in respect. “Which reminds me… CARAMEL! YOU OWE THE THREE OF US TWENTY BITS!”
“Dang it…!” Caramel whined a little in defeat.
“Ya shouldn’t have made tha’ bet, haystack, s’only fair ya honor yer agreement,” Mac added, giving the earth pony a cheeky grin.
“With that taken care of, I believe you were about to answer my question now, C-Coal?” Faerie reminded the charcoal alicorn, her cheeks flushed as she meekly smiled towards the stallion, but that didn’t last as she was shoved out of the way suddenly by none other than Fluttershy?!
“S-Sorry Faerie, um… C-Coal, um I hope you don’t mind, but would you like to go out-” Fluttershy started, only for Pinkie hop on top of the yellow pegasus as she gave an annoyed groan towards the party pony.
“Soooo… Coaly~ Wanna go out with me on Hearts & Hooves Day?~” Pinkie asked seductively.
“Uh… I thought we had plans already Pinks? You know, us hanging out with Caramel and Applejack?” Marcus reminded her, confused as to why the three girls were asking him such a question. “Anyway, sorry Faerie, Fluttershy, I have plans on Hearts & Hooves Day with Pinks and the rest of our friends. You can join us if you want? It’s always more fun with friends. The more the merrier, right?”
“Huh?” All three mares said simultaneously, a single word ringing in their minds that left a bitter taste in their mouths. Friends is what he called them, despite all three of them asking him for Hearts & Hooves Day, he referred to them as friends!?
“Oh yeah, speaking of friends, who’s this?” Marcus asked, his gaze turning towards the new mare he had yet to meet. Something that began to infuriate Faerie, Fluttershy, and Pinkie as their eyes began to change color.
“Oh, this is my cousin, Sugar Belle, Sugar, this is Coal Obsidian, he’s a good friend of Pinkie’s,” Rarity introduced the magenta unicorn who smiled at the charcoal alicorn.
“Nice to meet you,” Sugar replied, offering her hoof, which Marcus grabbed and shook in return.
“Nice to meet you too! Oh! You should meet my buddy, Big Mac, if you don’t mind meeting him?” Marcus asked, watching the red earth pony to freeze up suddenly.
“Oh, I’d like to very much~” Sugar said, her eyes flashing red for the briefest moment as she gave a sigh that went unnoticed by the alicorn.
“Hey, Big Mac, get over here!” Marcus motioned with his wing to come over. The earth pony nervously approached the magenta unicorn as he sheepishly smiled at her.
“H-Hi…” Mac shyly said.
“Hi Mac, it’s nice to meet you,” Sugar smiled as the farmer began to giggle, unaware of her eyes changing red.
“Well, it seems like the flowers of romance are in full bloom with most of our friends right now. Let’s go Sombra, we still have some work to do at the boutique~” Rarity ushered the dark unicorn out the door, giving him a devious smirk that he found oddly out of character for the mare, but rolled his eyes as he followed suit.
“Well, after everything that’s happened, I’m glad some of the guys managed to get themselves a date,” Caramel whispered to the alicorn as the two stallions watched their friends leave with one of the girls.
“Well I’m happy for them, well for now, we all should be getting home, got a big day tomorrow, right Pinks?” Marcus asked, but he did not receive a reply from her. “A-Anyway… See you all on Friday here at the bar!”
Marcus immediately rushed out the door and made his way towards Sugarcube Corner. After being confessed to by not one, but three mares was honestly more surprising and embarrassing for him. It was hard to turn them all down considering how special they have become to him as friends. He didn’t want to jeopardize his friendship with any of them.
His heart pounded very hard in his chest as he made it back to Sugarcube Corner, trying to calm his burning face and other parts of him.
Meanwhile, Pinkie, Faerie, and Fluttershy eventually snapped out of their shock and became infuriated that the stallion they wished to make their own had outright rejected them. It was unacceptable, unreasonable to friendzone them. Hearts & Hooves Day was around the corner, meaning there was still time. The three looked towards each other as their eyes began to change fully red and fangs started to come out from their mouths.
He will be mine! They thought angrily.
Author's Note
Happy Late Valentines Day or Happy Hearts & Hooves Day everyone! I want to thank my friend, Wolven5 (https://www.fimfiction.net/user/100585/Wolven5) for helping me write this first part of the story.
So for those of you wondering, this isn't canon to the main story, but there are references to the main story of Beyond Infinity.
This was a lot of fun to write, and I apologize for the delay on this story, but a few things happened that were out of my control. However, I hope you all enjoy this story and I hope you all had a wonderful Heart's & Hooves Day!  
- Pen Dragon