Prompt.

If the guys at work could describe you in one word, 'prompt' would probably be it. In a little over a year and a half of work with Pipe Wrench and his crew, you've never been late, not by a single second. Most of it likely came from old habits; being where you were told to be, when you were told to be there, was standard operating procedure in the Army. God help you if you showed up late.

Maybe you're on time so often due to genuinely enjoying your job, getting to work outside and build something with your own two hands. It beats sitting at a computer all day and running stress tests on the same structural schematic over and over again.

So when you show up fifteen minutes late, Pipe is understandably confused. You take no small relief in the fact that he doesn't seem upset, so much as surprised.

"Mornin', Pipe." You nod to the thickly-built earth pony as you don your bright yellow hardhat.

"Hey, there ya are! I was startin' to wonder if you were gonna show up, pal. Ain't like you to be late." Pipe is busy looking over blueprints for a large, condominium-style housing complex. Just from a quick glance you can tell that they're very much the 'traditional' style of Ponyvillian home, with thatched roofs and painted crossbucks across the fronts. Pretty, but not so easy to put together reliably.

"Yeah, sorry...it's been kind of a rough morning." You rub your neck nervously as the scene from less than an hour ago plays out in your head once more. Of all the disgusting acts someone could commit...

Pipe rubs his stubbly chin and looks up at you; it's obvious he can tell something's up, but Pipe's never been one to pry.

"Look...whatever it is that's botherin' ya, pal, you know you can always talk to me about it. I understand personal stuff gets in the way of work sometimes. I ain't gonna stand here and lecture ya on being on time and shit, you've always been a pretty punctual kind of guy, just...don't let whatever it is you're dealin' with get to ya, a'right? I need you focused on the job."

"Don't worry about it," you say dismissively. It's not that you don't want to tell him about the posters covering your home, it just feels like salt in the wound right now. Maybe in a while.

"Come on, ya can't tell me to 'not worry about it'. You know what happens when ponies...or people...get distracted." He points a hoof at the side of your head, where a still-healing scar now forms a jagged line over your left ear. "That right there is all the proof ya ever need, ya know?"

"Like I can forget. Probably gonna be there for the rest of my life. Dumbass nearly killed me." Slate is pretty high up on your list of suspects, but without some kind of proof you can't very well go running off and looking for him. Besides, he's not the only one with the motivation to be a complete asshole. That'll have to wait until after work, though.

"Yeah, the prick...hey, look on the bright side: Far as I know, he ain't never gonna work construction again. I made sure all the foremen from here to fuckin' Las Pegasus know about him."

"Good lookin' out." You motion toward the blueprints laid out on the long, rectangular table in front of him. "So, yeah, I should probably start earning my pay. Where do you need me today?"

"Hmm," Pipe pulls out a sheet of paper from a drawer, looking over a list of names, "looks like Fix and a new guy are workin' over on the south side of the site. Ya think ya can help 'em with some framework?"

"Fix and a new guy? Pipe, I love ya like a brother, but you gotta excuse me if I'm not so thrilled at the prospect of working with 'a new guy'. The last one didn't work out so well."

Pipe wives a dismissive hoof and tucks the list of names back into a drawer.

"Yeah, I get ya, pal, but trust me on this one. Don't worry; after what's-his-name's little fuck-up, I made good and damn sure that the new guys check out. He's a good guy, this one. No need to worry about him, a'right? He's one'a them fancy-ass unicorns, been a real boon to the work effort, or so his old foreman told me. Goes by the name'a Whip-Smart ."

"Haven't had a unicorn here in a while. What's he like?"

The big, brown earth pony shrugs his shoulders at you.

"Honestly? Guy kinda annoys me. That's not to say he ain't a good worker -- he gets his shit done -- but I dunno...just one'a them personalities that rubs me the wrong way. Not in a 'nearly kill my buddy' kind of way, though. You'll just...you'll see when ya meet him."

You're not entirely convinced, but there's not much you can do about it.

"If you say so, Pipe. But if he ends up being like Slate, you're never gonna hear the end of it."

"Yeah, yeah. If ya wanna bitch at me all day, there's already a line, startin' with the missus, heh heh! But yeah, you don't gotta worry about him, just his demeanor. He's kinda...high-falutin', if ya know what I mean." Pipe taps the hardhat on his head with a hoof, then makes sure his orange and black work vest is secure. "Alright, we've wasted enough time talkin'. I wanna get at least a quarter of this work load done by today, before the weather decides to turn to shit even further. Damn pegasi and their schedules, I tell ya..."

He's not kidding; it's still snowing, albeit just a light flurry that melts as it hits the ground, but you've no doubt it's going to intensify later.

"Alright, I'll see ya for lunch, Pipe." You bump his hoof with your fist and give a final check to your tool belt, then head off to join Fix and the mystery unicorn. Hopefully he doesn't have an attitude problem like Slate did...

You take a moment to gather your thoughts as you pass by the nearly-finished buildings on the north side of the complex. Just a few weeks ago, there was an empty lot there. Now it's the site of a couple of very nice future homes for some lucky ponies. And I helped build them, you think to yourself, smiling lightly. Getting to see the fruits of your labor is a definite perk of this job.

The mostly-completed northern side gives way to the significantly newer southern side, where three groups of ponies are busily working on the framework and scaffolding of a trio of condominiums. You spot the white coat and brown tail of Quick Fix as he carefully steps between a pair of crossbeams.

"Hey, Fix!" you call out to him. He turns at you and gives a wave before going back to his task.

"Mornin'. Was wondering if you were gonna show up at all. You feeling under the weather or something?"

"It's complicated," you say simply. "But I'm here now, so yeah...anyway, Pipe says you guys are doing some framework today?"

"Do me a favor and mark along the measure, would you?"

Fix sets a tapemeasure down on one end of a beam, pulling it the rest of the way with his teeth. You take out your pencil and make a series of hash marks along the length of the beam.

"Thanksh. But yeah, pretty mush. It'sh been...quite a bishy...mornin'...ptoo! Blech. Somepony forgot to remove the red chalk marks from this thing. Hate when that happens."

"Wouldn't be surprised if it was Haul. That guy always forgets to clean his tools after he borrows 'em."

"No kidding." Fix looks around for a moment before scratching his head in confusion. "I think we gotta cut these things down a bit, but I'll be damned if I can remember where that hacksaw went..."

You manage to find the missing tool after just a few seconds, returning with it in your hand. "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of 'em." Fix steadies the twin beams while you cut into them with a steady back-and-forth motion. It's a harder wood than you'd have thought, and you grunt with exertion as the saw's handle bites into your palm. At this rate, you're gonna be sweating up a storm by lunch time, despite the cold weather. Maybe a long-sleeved shirt wasn't a good idea after all.

"So where...is this...unicorn...who's supposed to...be helping us..."

"Oh, you mean Whip-Smart? He's off on the other side of the complex. Said he spotted a 'structurally incongruous mistake' with one of the outer walls on his way here." He laughs, adding, "So much for breaking the stereotype of the hoity-toity unicorn, huh?"

"Guess so. Sounds like...he might..." With a final shove you slice through the beams, leaning against the sawhorse to catch your breath. "...might actually be like Pipe said. Phew! I don't know who the genius was who thought of using such hard wood for something as simple as a support beam, but god damn."

"He doesn't strike me as a bad guy," Fix says with a shrug. "Kinda full of himself, sure, but he has a good head on his shoulders. You're probably a little wary of new guys after Slate, huh?"

To put it lightly. "Yeah, you could say that. I mean, besides you, of course. You've been here, what...a week now?"

"Just about."

"You're a pretty stand-up kinda stallion, I haven't regretted working with you. You planning on being here a while?" Quick Fix, while quieter than a lot of ponies you've worked this job with, has grown on you pretty quickly. He never really complains, he works hard, and he mostly keeps to himself. In a way, he reminds you of yourself, albeit smaller and more...pony-like. Even better, chatting him up gives you the chance to take your mind off the sickening attempt at slander someone obviously spent a lot of time working at.

He nods, readjusting the white hardhat on his head. "Sure. I mean, I've had a couple of jobs over the last few years, but none of them really stuck with me. I'm still not entirely convinced that I'm fully cut out for this construction thing, but it's been good to me so far. Started out a few months back, in Stalliongrad. That's where I met Slate, actually. Always had an attitude problem, even back then."

He looks around, and adds quietly, "Not to mention the fact that he really seemed to hate your guts because you're with that unicorn. What's her name?"

"Rarity," you reply.

"Yeah, Rarity. She's a real pretty one, no doubt about it. But being that obsessive over it? Freakin' creepy, if you ask me."

"You'll get no argument here. How'd you guys end up coming out to Ponyville, anyway? I'd always heard Stalliongrad was a pretty good place."

"Oh, it is," he says. You pick up the surprisingly heavy support beams and fit them together carefully, taking a long nail from your tool belt and hammering the two pieces together so that they meet at an angle.

"A little bigger than Ponyville, pretty similar feel to it, albeit a bit more industrialized. After that freak tornado dropped on us a few months ago, though, we were suddenly flooded with volunteers to help rebuild. I was out of work at the time and decided to pitch in, help set things right, that kinda thing. We ended up having way more volunteers than spots for workers, so some of us ended up getting shunted off to other places. Slate and I were sent to Ponyville."

"You didn't mind moving from home?" you ask.

"Not really. It's rare that I stay in one town for longer than a year or two. I move pretty frequently for work...just happens that the jobs I've taken have always wanted me to move here, or relocate there. Hoping to stay here for a while, though. I kinda like Ponyville. You folks are really...how do I put it...really friendly, even by pony standards. It feels like a small town, but with the amenities of a larger one. Does that make any sense?"

You nod, knowing full well what that's like. You've lived a few places like that yourself...before Ponyville, that is.

"Yeah, I understand what you mean. I've become pretty fond of this place, even if I stick out like a sore thumb." Fix gives your handy work a once-over before raising his right foreleg in the air -- the pony equivalent of a thumbs-up.

"Lookin' good so far. Now we just gotta do it, oh...eleven more times?"

"Can't wait," you say dryly. "You have any family out this way? If you're okay with talking about that, I mean. Don't wanna pry or anything."

"Nah, don't worry about it, I don't mind." Fix trots over to a pile of similar wooden beams and slides a few onto his back, carefully balancing them as he walks them over to the sawhorse. "Same deal?"

"Sure thing."

"Cool. But yeah, most of my family is back in Stalliongrad. Got a couple of brothers out here..." he places the tape measure back in his mouth -- but not before cleaning it of any remaining chalk dust. "Don't shee 'em mush, zho. It'sh kinda complica'ed. Alwaysh had muh work, and zhey had..." he spits the tape measure out, "...had theirs. Last I heard, they opened their own taxi service or something like that."

You struggle to remember the names of the stallions who pulled you and your more delicate companions up to Frostvalley. They looked very similar to fix, complete with amber eyes.

"Would their names happen to be...Pathfinder and Flat...Flat something or other?"

"Flat Out," he says with a laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, that's them. I gotta say, I'm more than a little surprised that you know them. You do know them, right?"

"Sort of." You explain to Fix how you and the mares headed up to the vineyard, pulled by a pair of white-coated earth ponies who could almost be identical twins. Or triplets, rather.

"Well I'll be damned...heh. Shows how long it's been, huh? But yes, Flat Out and Pathfinder are my younger brothers by a couple of years. Funny that you'd run into them. How are they?"

You shrug, saying, "I couldn't tell you, I just talked to 'em for a few minutes. They seem happy with their job, though. They wanted me to tell you that they say 'hi'."

Quick Fix's ears flatten out as he glances away.

"They did? Huh...feel kinda like an ass. You gotta understand, we've never really been close. Well, I've never really been close. Those two are like peas in a pod, though. Our mom's always berating me for not keeping contact with them. Guess I don't really have an excuse now that I'm living here, huh?"

You don't say anything back, simply giving him a shrug and a sympathetic half-smile. You'd like to offer something sagely, but you can't find the words.

"Sorry, I don't mean to involve you in my personal stuff."

"No worries," you reply. "We've all got our proverbial skeletons and all that. God knows I've got enough of my own. Difference is, those old issues I have can never be resolved. Far as everyone back in my old life knows, I'm dead. Those old wounds may be gone for them, but I gotta live with 'em for the rest of my life."

Sagely? Probably not. But it's something.

"Shit, I'm sorry to hear that. Guess you've got a point."

"I dunno, man. I'm just a guy who's trying to live his life, and all this ridiculous horse shit keeps popping up around me. Uh, pardon the phrasing."

"I'm a pony, not a horse," he laughs. "No offense taken. But yeah, maybe Ponyville can be the start of something good. Who knows? Keep a steady job, meet some friends, find a mare...maybe start a family and live in a house with a picket fence. All that happy horse shit." He chuckles with you and jabs you with a hoof. "If you'll pardon the phrasing."

"I'll let it slide this once. I think you'll be a fine addition to our team, Fix. You're a good guy."

"Hey, thanks, bud. Same to you, even if you are a weird-looking human."

"Says the white earth pony," you reply with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, at least I'm unique."

"You're a regular fuckin' special snowflake, Fix."

"You know it," he laughs. "Hey, would you look at that? Another set of cross beams already done. We'll have this whole frame done by lunch!"

"Or so one can certainly hope," an unfamiliar voice replies. You turn your head to look for the source and spot an unfamiliar unicorn walking up behind you.

"I must say, your progress thus far has been rather remarkable."

You cock an eyebrow at the pony making his way toward you. His brick-red coat and white mane with silver streaks certainly makes him stand out from most of the other, more earth-toned ponies.

"Ah, but where are my manners? The name's Whip-Smart, or simply Whip for short. Although if you'd prefer to refer to me as 'Smart', I wouldn't complain too terribly, hm-hmm."

"Uh, yeah...nice to meet you, Whip." You stick out your fist and wait for him to return the favor with a hoof, but he simply stares curiously at your hand.

"So you're this mysterious 'human' I've heard so much about, hmm? Fascinating. Fully opposable digits must be quite useful, if past experience with gryphons has taught me anything." He finally sticks his hoof out, bumping it against your closed fist. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Yeah, same. You don't seem too surprised by my appearance," you remark. Certainly it's a much more muted reaction than you're used to getting.

"Should I be? I've heard much about you, albeit with some rumors mixed in. One does not simply disappear into the crowd when one is nearly twice the size of most of a town's residents!" He laughs quietly, the small, frameless glasses with square lenses perched on his nose bouncing with the motion.

"You'd be surprised; a lot of ponies don't even pay me attention anymore. Still get the occasional gawker and all that, but nothing I can really do about it."

"So I imagine; I suppose it comes with time. BUT! I have taken up enough of our time as is; there is a heavy workload for us today, and the foreman will be quite livid if he finds us simply chatting it up instead of doing our jobs." You only now notice his eyes -- silver, like the streaks in his mane. Silver...just like a certain other pony you know. Could it be...?

"Hey, uh, Whip-Smart."

"Yes?" He looks at you over the top of his spectacles, floating a screwdriver from a tool belt slung around his torso.

"This is a long shot, but...do you happen to know an older unicorn stallion, probably in his fifties, by the name of Aegis? Runs a jewelry store downtown?"

The red-coated unicorn cocks an eyebrow, then smiles.

"Indeed I do! That would happen to be my dear father. I'm quite surprised you know of him. Furthermore, I'm quite surprised you even made such a connection!"

You're just meeting all kinds of relatives lately. Small world. Or maybe it's just a matter of most towns in Equestria being situated so close to each other.

"It was the eyes, never seen silver outside of your family." You point to your own eyes for emphasis. "He's actually working on...something...for me." No use in blabbing about your engagement necklace to everyone you see, lest one of them can't keep his mouth shut. "He's a great guy, really interesting history. He said he had a few sons, but never mentioned your names. I thought you helped out at the shop?"

Whip levitates another pair of wooden beams over to the sawhorse, straining slightly at the weight before setting them down. You and Fix grab either end and work the tape measure over them once again.

"We do, but it's mostly a part-time affair. Father keeps himself quite busy with the jewelry shop, and my brother is often out of town on business. I do drop by from time to time to help out, however. Last I'd heard, he was working on a magical gem! How marvelous. You should see him, it's like he's fallen in love with his job all over again. I think it was something the old stallion had missed over the years."

Fix sets a nail in place with a hoof, swapping places with you as you pull out a hammer and drive the nail home. He turns toward Whip, asking, "So how'd you get into construction, anyway? Don't take this the wrong way, but you sound a little too...proper...to be hauling lumber and such. I thought unicorns usually avoided manual labor."

Whip waves a hoof and chuckles, magically holding the crossbeams in place while he talks.

"None taken, I assure you. Yes, it's true that most unicorns would rather focus on the intellectual than the physical, but that's mostly due to societal pressures and traditionalist thinking. Simply put, it's what a unicorn is 'expected' to do. Not that there's anything wrong with focusing on one over the other, if it makes one happy. However, I've always held the belief that doing so limits one's potential. My father is a great example of this; as a unicorn he could have easily been accepted into the Arcane Ministries, but he chose to go with the Royal Guard instead, as a sword-and-shield defender. After he was injured in the line of duty, he retired his arms and armor and settled down here, in Ponyville, with the help of my dear mother, and opened his current business. I actually get my coat and mane from her, and my eyes and horn from my father."

"And you got into construction for a similar reason?"

"Quite so, yes. I was never with the Royal Guard, nor did I sustain combat-related injuries, but something about sitting around all day never never really appealed to me. Thus, I bounced from profession to profession for a few years before settling on construction. If I'm honest, I quite enjoy it. There's a certain satisfaction that comes with knowing you helped create something permanent." He chuckles, adding, "And I must say, the look on a physically stronger earth pony's face when you manage to do something he can't is priceless. Especially when said earth pony underestimates you because of your refined demeanor! Present company excluded, of course."

Whip turns around to find something, and only then do you notice his cutie mark -- a unicorn horn within a trio of horseshoes.

"Hey, Whip."

"Yes?"

"That symbol, your cutie mark...I've never seen that before. What is it?"

"Ah, that," he says as he turns back and glances at it. "That would be an old Equestrian symbol for intellect, dating back to the first era. Quite a unique thing, wouldn't you say?"

His specialty is intellect?

"So, what...you're really, really good at being smart or something?"

"Oh, no," he laughs, "it's nothing like that! I simply have a knack for remembering things. I can, for example, remember the names of every single pony I've worked with since I graduated Talent School, or the schematics for every building I've worked on. Comes in quite useful, if I do say so. You can see how it would be a valuable asset in this line of work."

No doubt about it -- he's like a male Rarity, down to the demeanor, albeit less obsessed with fashion. As far as you know. A bit full of himself -- just a tiny bit -- but he seems like a decent enough coworker, and his penchant for remembering details could be pretty handy.

"One more thing: Do you happen to know a pegasus by the name of Slate? Grey pegasus, maroon mane and eyes?"

The brick-red unicorn rubs his chin in thought.

"Slate...I don't believe so, no. Should I?"

"No, just wonderin'," you respond with a shake of your head. "He was a real asshole in the short time he worked here, you can ask Fix about it. He might not be done with it, either."

"Hmm. How unfortunate. Well, if ever I see this 'Slate' fellow I shall let you know. Is he prone to bouts of physical violence?"

Does almost killing you with rebar count?

"Kind of. Gave me this gash right here, courtesy of a length of iron he dropped." You point to the scar above your ear, causing Whip to cringe at the sight.

"How barbaric. Well, rest assured, I am no stranger to defending myself if need be. Father made sure to teach us self-defense from a young age. It helps to be well rounded and what-not, wouldn't you agree?"

"Couldn't hurt." You check your wrist watch and are surprised to find that it's been nearly ten minutes since you finished your last task. Pipe may be a good guy, but if he finds the three of you standing around and doing nothing...

"Let's get back to work, or it's gonna be our heads. But, you know, nice talking with you, Whip. Welcome to the team."

"Likewise, and thank you."

==========

The rest of the work day passes fairly quickly, all things considered. Fix and Whip-Smart managed to keep your mind off things most of the time, and the increasingly cold weather ensured that you weren't going to be worrying about Cashmere or Slate or whoever it was so long as the wind blew. You're going to have to start taking a jacket with you, at this rate.

As soon as that whistle blew to end the day, however...all bets were off. With a final wave to the guys, your mind shifted from work to less pleasant tasks -- namely, finding out who was responsible for attempting to embarrass you and Rarity. You hope she hasn't been beating herself up over it all day.

You quickly walk across Ponyville back to the boutique, arriving just as Rarity switches the sign to 'closed'. She looks bedraggled and worn out, no doubt from a busy day.

"You think you can make time for one more customer?" you call out as you approach your uniquely-shaped home. Rarity looks up and smiles warmly despite her apparent exhaustion, her eyes lighting up as she sees you.

"I believe I can find it somewhere within me," she answers back, trotting over to you and standing on her hind legs to give you a loving kiss. "I missed you, my love."

"I missed you too, baby." You run your hand through her mane and nuzzle her cheek with your own, relieved to be home again. "How'd the day go?"

She waves a hoof, motioning toward the Boutique.

"All things considered, I suppose it wasn't too terribly worrisome. We were absolutely slammed with orders starting around eleven, and it didn't stop until just an hour ago. I don't think I've done so much running about in quite some time. Fluttershy has helped me out quite a bit through the day, but she's had to repeatedly head down to her cottage to look after...whatever it is she looks after. Woodland creatures and such, one would imagine. She should be back shortly."

She embraces you tightly and rests her head against your chest.

"I've missed you so much."

"A lot on your mind today?" you ask. She nods softly, rubbing her cheek against your shirt.

"I'm afraid so, darling. Work has been hectic, but thankfully so. Still, I can't help but picture those vile posters displayed all over the walls this morning. Try as I might, they still rise to the forefront of my thoughts every so often. Celestia knows I wish they wouldn't."

"I know what you mean, hon. We kept busy at the job site, but I couldn't very well go telling everyone about our situation, you know?"

She looks up at you with her big, azure eyes, but the glow that's usually there is replaced by shades of worry.

"I would certainly hope not. Something so private should remain private. Our...stalker...would do well to remember such things." She glances away and bites her lip before looking back at you. "I don't suppose you found out anything about that, did you?"

You shake your head, replying simply, "Afraid not."

"Then I suppose we're still at square one, aren't we? That's somewhat disheartening to hear."

"Hey, honey," You tilt her chin up with you hand, "we'll find whoever did this, okay? There's always suspect number one." You jerk your head down the street, toward the partially visible facade of Elegant Expectations. "And if it's not her, we'll just go from there."

A sour look crosses Rarity's face as she considers the possibility of her former friend doing something so low.

"I must admit, I really hope it's not her, darling. She may be conniving and ruthless, but I've a hard time picturing her as some sort of...perverse slanderer."

"To be honest, I kinda do, too, but you never know. Either way, we'll get to the bottom of this. Promise." You caress her cheek with your palm, and she smiles despite the issue at hand.

"I sincerely hope so. I'm in no hurry to see a repeat of such malicious actions, no matter who it's from. I just want to live a happy, content life with my loving man and life-long friend." She laughs gently, adding, "I'd rather take a hundred complications from our rather unique situation over one instance of our current worries."

"You and me both, Rarity," you reply.

"Such things can wait for now, however. Cashmere won't be going anywhere for the next few hours, so we've ample time to get you out of those dirty clothes and into something more fitting. And clean."

"Couldn't very well argue that, hon." The front of your shirt is covered in dried sweat and damp dirt, your forearms flecked with wood shavings, and your palms blackened by grease...some of which is now staining Rarity's face. For once, she doesn't seem to mind.

"You could probably do with a shower yourself."

"I suppose a bit of a clean-up is in order, isn't it?"

You rub a fingertip over her nose, leaving a black mark along its path.

"Probably a good idea."

Rarity giggles and gives you another kiss, this one more passionate and lingering.

"I think a shower sounds wonderful, darling. Perhaps you'll join me?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," you reply with a wink and a smile. "I'm just happy to be back with you. It's been a long day."

"A feeling I very much share." Rarity drops back down to all fours and walks inside, checking to make sure the sign still reads properly. "It's good to have you home, darling. Let's get you looking like a proper gentleman again."

==========

By the time you get cleaned up and enjoy a nice, quiet dinner with Rarity and Fluttershy it's already well past six. The sun sets early this time of year -- or rather, Celestia lowers it early -- and it's nearly dark out, with just a hint of sunlight peaking over the distant Swayback mountains. With it comes a corresponding drop in temperature, which unfortunately means you're forced to don your Sweetie-branded jacket before stepping outside.

Your destination is just down the street: Cashmere's store. She has the motivation to slander you and Rarity, not to mention the financial means. Even if it wasn't her directly, you really wouldn't put it beyond her to hire someone to do it in her place. Rarity insisted on coming along with you, taking one of the posters with her in a small saddlebag. You invited Fluttershy, but you doubted she'd want to get involved. Sure enough, she decided to stay back at the Boutique and clean the place up a little.

"My, but it is getting rather cold out," Rarity says as the two of you close and lock the front door. She's wearing a different jacket than the one in the photo; she feels like the other one has been 'tainted'. Knowing her, it'll only last until she washes it. She loves that jacket far too much to be done with it forever.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say we brought the weather from Frostvalley back with us." The light flurries of the afternoon have subsided for the moment, leaving a very thin coating of snow over most everything. It actually looks pretty nice; you missed snow in Ponyville, even though it means more problems for work.

"If only the cold were the least of our worries!" She sighs deeply and looks up at you with a hint of sadness. "I truly hope this is not Cashmere's doing. I've been disappointed in her for quite some time, but this...this just goes above and beyond what I've come to expect from her."

"I guess we'll find out soon enough, honey. I don't know about you, but I just want to get it over with."

She nods in agreement, fixing the fluffy hat on her head.

"Very much so. I suppose I'm ready if you are."

It's only a short walk down to Elegant Expectations, but it feels much longer -- the possibilities race through your head. It could be Cashmere, you think to yourself. Or it could be Slate. Or Cashmere working with Slate. Or One of Fix's brothers...they knew you were there...or another guest at the vineyard...

"Darling," Rarity asks quietly as you pass by a lit street lantern, "suppose we do find the culprit. What then? Do we haul them off to the guards? We've no proof of who did it. All the poster shows is the two of us making love, with some vulgar language scrawled over it. It's hardly enough to indicate a particular pony."

The thought had crossed your mind; the guard won't just arrest someone because you say the pony in question did it.

"Honestly? I don't know, Rarity. I'm just kinda playing this by ear right now. We'll think of something."

"I do hope you're right..."

"Hey, don't worry about it right now, okay? First we have to find out who did it in the first place."

Rarity nod solemnly, mentally steeling herself for a potential conflict with Cashmere.

Elegant Expectations is mostly dark as you approach the storefront, with the sweeping, red letters glowing orange-red under the light of a nearby streetlight. You're not sure how much longer it's supposed to be open, but you'd guess Cashmere's nearly done. A few lights are still shining on the sales floor, and there's a smaller desk lamp near the back. No doubt she'll be in the back.

You take a deep breath as you and Rarity approach the door.

"You ready, hon?"

"As ready as I may ever be, darling."

You pull open the door and follow behind Rarity, unzipping your jacket in the pleasantly warmer air inside.

"Welcome to Elegant Expectations!" You'd recognize that too-happy voice anywhere...

"Good evening, Blossom," Rarity says with a curt nod and a friendly smile.

"Oh, Miss Rarity! It's so nice to see you again!" Her bright pink braces flash as she smiles broadly, similar in color to her coat and two-toned pink mane and tail. The only thing that isn't pink is her blue eyes. "I was hoping I'd see you again, I wanted to say thank you for those wonderful products you gave me and my friends!" she lisps, slurring her 's' sounds into 'sh', no doubt from her braces.

"Of course, Blossom, of course. I'm simply happy that you've enjoyed them." Rarity is smiling and talking politely, but you can tell she's not exactly in the mood for it. Still, if years of upper-crust society has taught her anything, it's how to be polite at all times, even when she'd rather not be. She's good at it, too.

"You know," she continues, "I've a shipment of some new products coming in soon. If you and your friends would like to come by, I believe I can offer them to you at a significant discount. Consider it a thank-you for your continued interest."

"Oh, really?! Wow, that's great, Miss Rarity! That shampoo and conditioner combination you gave me has been amazing! I even got that boy at school to notice me!" Between her bright coloring and super-bubbly personality, you wonder how anyone could not notice her...just not in the way she intends.

"Did you, now? Well isn't that something. Congratulations, my dear! See? A bit of self-confidence goes a long way."

"I'll say! We're going on a second date next week!" She giggles loudly, more than a little excited at the prospect. At least she's happy. Well...happier than usual, anyway.

"That's wonderful news, darling! I wish you only the best with your new-found gentlecolt." Rarity looks around for Cashmere before turning back to Morning Blossom. "Blossom, do you happen to know if Miss Cash is currently in? We'd like to speak with her on a rather urgent matter."

"Urgent?" Her eyes shrink down to pinpoints for a split second in surprise, accompanied by a loud gasp. "Oh, why didn't you say so? I wouldn't want to keep you from your business stuff! Yeah, Miss Cash is in the back office. You want me to get her for you?"

"No thank you, my dear. We'll just go back and find her, I'm sure she won't mind."

"Oh, okay then." Blossom adjusts the small name tag clipped to her collar-only work vest, adding, "I really like your hat, by the way. It's very...fuzzy."

"Why thank you, I'm quite fond of it myself. If you're interested in one of your own, Pearlesence sells them at her store across town. It shouldn't break your bank, I'd wager."

"That sounds great! Um, yeah, I'll let you get back to what you came here for! It was nice to see you again, Miss Rarity!"

"Same here, Blossom. Do take care of yourself."

Blossom happily trots off to a clothing rack across the store, finally leaving Rarity and yourself.

"Thanks for handling that," you say with a laugh. "She's way too perky for me to handle."

"Think nothing of it, darling," she replies, giggling at the bouncy earth pony. "I dare say that many of my beauty line's sales come from Blossom and her friends. Word of mouth is a powerful thing."

Rarity takes a deep breath and centers herself, her demeanor becoming more serious.

"Let's go do what we came here to do."

The sales desk at the rear of the store sits unoccupied, but an adjoining door is wide open; a light from the small room gives away Cashmere's presence. You don't bother with the bell this time, simply knocking on the opened door.

"Sorry, Blossom, I'm a little busy at the moment. Go straighten up the textile shelves or something."

Rarity steps inside the back office, not wanting to waste any time.

"I assure you, Cashmere, Blossom is working quite diligently already."

Cashmere looks up from her desk, cocking an eyebrow at you as she sets her floating pencil down.

"Well if it isn't my favorite mare in the whole world...and she even brought her lover-boy with her."

"Hello, Cashmere," you say flatly.

"I'm a little surprised to see you two already...come to admit defeat?"

"I am doing no such th--"

"Relax, Rarity, I'm just kidding." She laughs and brushes her poofy hair out of her eyes, looking you over.

"You'll forgive me if I'm in no mood for such nonsense," Rarity states. With a burst of magic she removes the hat from her head and folds it into the one-sided saddlebag hanging over her waist.

"So it would seem." Cashmere's own horn flares with emerald-green magic, levitating a pair of wine glasses and a small bottle from a drawer in her desk. "So what's eating you, babe? You look like you could kill an ursa right now." She pours a small amount in a glass for herself before raising it in your direction.

"Care for a little liquid relaxant? I'd say you could use some."

Rarity waves a hoof at the offer, obviously a little annoyed with her former friend's casual demeanor.

"Cashmere, I'm going to get to the point: I want to know what you know about this morning."

"This morning...this morning..." The cream-yellow unicorn swirls the wine around in her glass, staring up at the ceiling as she tilts back in her chair. "Well, let's see...I woke up at about four after going to bed early, then made myself some breakfast, aaaand then I started prepping the store at about five." She smiles over the rim of the glass before taking a sip, slowly licking her lips as she glances at you. "I'm curious as to why you care about the minutiae of a Monday morning, babe."

You answer for Rarity, who is busy pulling up a seat of her own.

"Because I think you're leaving something out, Cashmere. Something far less bland."

"Do you now?"

"I do." Rarity hops up to her seat and unbuttons her jacket with a brief flash of concentration, letting it fall open. Cashmere raises her eyebrows at the sight, laughing quietly.

"Funny how removing clothing is somehow sexier than just seeing everypony walking around nude all day, isn't it? Who woulda thought." She takes another sip of her wine before setting it down on the desk. Part of you is sure she's enjoying the attention, whatever her true motivations may be. "I suppose that's why we're able to make a living. You know, I heard someone say that 'dress making is the art of wearing more, so that it appears you're wearing less'. Pretty apt, wouldn't you say?"

"That's all well and fine, Cash," Rarity answers, "but I haven't come here to discuss such things. In fact, I'm going to mirror my darling dearest in saying that you left something out of your morning schedule. I don't think you're telling us everything."

Cashmere's facade slowly becomes more serious as she leans forward in her chair, resting her forelegs on the desk.

"Are you sure about that, Rarity?"

"I believe I am," she says in return. "Call it a hunch."

"Because I don't think you want to go down this road."

"Try me, Cashmere."

All of Rarity's suspicions are clearly visible, just below the surface. The idea of her former friend committing such a vile act is looking more and more like a reality.

Cashmere taps a hoof on the table, her eyes darting between the two of you.

"Are you really sure you wanna know what else happened this morning?"

"I've no time for your games. Be out with it already."

"Fine. You want the truth, Rarity? You got it." She leans forward on her desk, narrowing her eyes.

"The truth is...this morning...about four thirty or so..."

You brace yourself for the oncoming shit-storm.

"...I clopped off."

Her serious facade twitches with an attempt to suppress a laugh, but she quickly loses her composure and laughs as she leans back.

"Ah-ha-HAAAA! You...you should have seen the look on your faces! Baaahahaha!"

Rarity's eye twitches slightly as you look over at her -- she's staring off into the distance, an annoyed expression on her face. Well, that was...unexpected.

"What...what the fuck did you think I did this morning?! Murdered the Princesses?! Maybe foalnapped some poor kid and made them work slave labor?! Haaahahahaaaa!" Cashmere pounds a hoof into the desk as she laughs; it takes her nearly a minute to regain her composure.

"Oh...oh shit...that was good stuff..."

She downs the rest of her wine before refilling it, a final chuckle leaving her lips.

"You should really lighten up, Rares. Live a little. 'Stern' is just so...unbecoming on you. Totally clashes with your mane, babe."

"You have got to be shitting me," you say as you lean forward in your chair, your hand covering your eyes. "You have got to be shitting me..."

"No shitting here, boy-toy," she replies with a smile. "Gave myself a little...early-morning motivation. Does wonders for stress."

Rarity sighs deeply and sinks down in her chair, covering her face with a hoof.

"Somehow, Cashmere, you still manage to surprise me. I really don't know how, but you do. I should really expect such things."

"What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

"That's not the only thing you're full of," you mutter to yourself.

"But seriously," she says as she takes another long pull of her wine, "what the hell are you down here for? What happened that you think I did?"

Rarity looks over at you with an exasperated expression, then motions to her saddlebag. You unclasp the hook and reach in, pulling out a rolled-up poster from this morning.

"There's something I need to know about. I've still got my suspicions, but on the off chance that it isn't your fault, perhaps you'll know whose fault it actually is."

You gently toss the poster onto the desk, watching as Cashmere unrolls it. He eyes widen as she looks it over, and she lets out a low whistle.

"Holy shit, babe..."

"Yes, I'm afraid it's qui--"

"You came here to give me a picture of you and your handsome human hunk fucking each other? That's one hell of a gift."

Rarity's mouth hangs open for a moment as she struggles to find the words.

"You...NO! I did not come here to offer you pornography of our most intimate moments!"

"Really? Because that's what it looks like. Would you look at that...strategically placed jacket if ever one existed. I've seen some big ones, honey, but judging by your position, I'd say mister mysterious next to you has one hell of a c--"

"CASHMERE!" Rarity yells, stomping a hoof on the ground. "Perhaps you could politely refrain from speculating about such things?!"

Cashmere waves a hoof dismissively and laughs again.

"You're no fun, Rares." She flips her hair and bites her lip as she looks at you. "But you, boy-toy...you look like a lot of fun. It's been a long time since I had a real man...I bet I'd be awfully tight..."

You roll your eyes and sigh deeply, already tired of the fully-expected flirting.

"You can stop at any time, Cashmere. I'd say it's getting old, but I think we're well past that point."

She shrugs her shoulders and turns back to Rarity, adding, "Just having a little fun, babe. I don't think such a thing is out of the question when you basically just barged into my office and accused me of...this," she taps a hoof on the poster. "You're lucky in I'm such a good mood tonight, or I'd likely just toss your asses out of here."

"You could try," you answer, less than amused.

"Whatever you say, lover-boy."

"Are you quite done now?" Rarity asks, tossing her jacket onto a nearby coat rack. "Can we get to the issue at hoof?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm done, babe. So what's your big issue here? Someone took a picture of you two bumping uglies? Big deal. Hell, that's one of my turn-ons."

"The issue, Cashmere, is with what's written on that poster. I suggest you take another look...and this time, don't focus on my private matters."

"Fine, have it your way. Let's see here..." she looks over the poster once more, smiling in surprise as she notices the now-faded writing over top of the image. "What in the world...'Slut'? 'Whore'? Someone wrote this?"

Rarity nods at the question with a sickened look.

"Indeed they did. And this wasn't the only one; when we arrived home this morning, the front of the Boutique was quite literally covered with these vile posters! And not just attacking myself, either. A good number of them attacked my darling as well. You can imagine my surprise when we'd returned from a pleasant stay up in Frostvalley Meadows, only to encounter...this."

"Well no shit..." Cashmere shakes her head in disbelief, taking another drink from her glass. "That's just sick, Rarity."

"Yes, without a doubt. I'm glad you agree."

"I mean, really...'slut'? You're way too classy to be a slut. I'd use the term 'debutante'. Perhaps 'mare of the night'." She laughs under her breath at her own joke, glancing over at Rarity -- who is, not surprisingly, not laughing in return. "It was worth a try," she shrugs. "So anyway, when is this picture from? Must be pretty recent if it's giving you fits like this."

Rarity sighs and yanks the bottle of wine from Cashmere's desk with a burst of magic, taking a short swig from it.

"You'll excuse me if I sample some of your wine, Cash. Between you and the poster I find myself in need of some sort of relief."

"Help yourself, babe."

Rarity takes another drink before offering it to you, but you politely decline before she sets it back down on the table, sticking her tongue out at the taste.

"Ugh, I'd expected your taste in wine to be far more refined."

"Eh, it gets the buzz goin'."

"Indeed. But to answer your question: it was taken last night. You see, we'd decided to take a day trip up to Frostvalley Meadows, to a charming little vineyard. A vineyard, I might add, that produces far superior wine to what you're currently imbibing."

Cashmere motions for her to continue as she drinks straight from the bottle.

"It was a truly marvelous time, and an absolutely gorgeous place, run by two of the nicest ponies you'd ever hope to meet."

"Sounds real freakin' magical," Cashmere quips. "Bring me a postcard sometime."

Rarity ignores her, continuing, "At some point in the night, roughly around, oh...ten or ten thirty, wouldn't you say, darling?" she asks you.

"Around there, yeah" you reply. You're not entirely sure; keeping track of time was the last thing on your mind.

"At some point around there, we found ourselves becoming, well...intimate, as couples are wont to do. It was at this time that someone decided to take that picture of us through a window. Presumably they spent the rest of the night printing up dozens of these horrid things to tack up all around the Boutique. When we arrived home this morning, they were all over the door and the walls. Absolutely horrid."

"Well, shit, Rarity." The two-toned unicorn looks down at the poster again. "Sounds like somepony out there really hates you. And your man. Who the hell did you piss off so bad?"

"That's just the thing, Cashmere...I've no idea. Besides, well...you...I can't think of a single other pony who would do such a thing driven by hate."

Cash sits up in her seat, pointing an accusatory hoof at Rarity.

"Watch your implications, Rarity. 'Hate' is a very strong word. I don't fucking 'hate' anypony. Oh, sure, if I'm pissed off I may say otherwise, but I don't hate you. Don't get me wrong, you're by no means my favorite pony in the world, but it's not hate. More like...loathing. I can't stand the fact that you're so Goddesses-damned stubborn, but that's about as far as it extends."

You jump in to add your two cents.

"What about 'Cashmere doesn't fuck around', huh? I can recall that very clearly."

"Calm down, handsome. What I said was true: I don't fuck around, at least when it comes to my business dealings. Something you've apparently yet to learn. Don't worry, you won't be so clueless for long."

"Is that a threat?"

"A promise. But that's neither here nor there. Point is, I didn't do this, and I don't know who did. What the hell would I stand to gain from it, anyway?"

"Slander, for one." You wouldn't put it above her.

"Slander? To what end, exactly? Let me explain this as simply as I can, so that even you can understand it: Slander is not how you run a fucking business. Let's say I did decide to do this, I went through all the trouble to follow you up to Frostvalley, somehow staying out of sight for the entire duration, then waited until you and your marefriend got hot and heavy and took a picture. Hell, if I did somehow wind up catching you two in the act, I'd probably just watch and give myself a little rubbing, you know?"

"Charming," Rarity quips.

"Then once I have this picture, I take it home and somehow blow it up into several dozen posters, which I then tack up all over your little business. What would that accomplish? 'Hey, look, everypony!'" she mimics, waving her forelegs dramatically. "'Rarity and her long-term human fuck-buddy have sex with each other! GASP!' Pfft."

She pushes the poster away and laughs at the idea.

"Big fucking surprise. Couples have sex. Who woulda thought?" She takes a long pull from her wine before setting it back down, glancing in your direction. "The only thing that would come from that would be sympathy. Everypony in this town knows you two, or knows of you. Do you really think I'd gain a single damned thing from such an act? Come on, babe. I may be impulsive and hot-headed at times...among other parts...but I'm not stupid."

Rarity doesn't say anything for a long moment, simply looking her former friend over.

"I suppose I don't give you enough credit, Cashmere. I may not be overjoyed with the mare you've become, but one doesn't gain business by being so blatantly slanderous."

"No shit, Rarity. Remember that next time you want to point a hoof and cry wolf."

"Yes, well...for what it's worth, Cashmere, I apologize. I am not too proud to do such a thing." She may not be too proud to admit her mistakes, but you're sure it wasn't an easy thing for her to say.

"Forget about it," the cream-yellow unicorn says with a hoof wave. "So, the question remains...who did this? You're probably dying to find out, I'd imagine."

"To say the least," you answer. "You didn't happen to see anyone come by the Boutique early this morning, did you? I saw you wave to me when we were passing by, you had to have been here for a while."

"Hmmm...just the usual early-risers. And that flower-selling mare, you know, the one who operates the cart around the corner. Couple of random ponies...actually," she sits up in her chair, "I did see this stallion who looked pretty interested in your store. Thought maybe he was just waiting for you to open up or something. He walked around it a few times, but took off after a few minutes. I was in the back office or the store room after that, at least until you walked by. Couldn't say for sure."

Wait, took off? As in, flew?

"Cash," you ask her, "this stallion you saw...did he happen to have a dark coat? Like a charcoal gray kind of color? Maybe a lighter, reddish mane?"

She cocks her head at the question.

"Come to think of it, yeah. Kinda stood out...you don't usually see too many dark-colored pegasus ponies, you know?"

A scene suddenly plays through your head of a dark-grey pegasus scoping out the Boutique before flying off, only to return shortly with dozens of posters.

"I fucking knew it," you exclaim as you scoot your chair back, shaking your head. "I fucking knew it!"

"Something I should know about, handsome?"

You ignore Cashmere, placing a hand on the back of Rarity's chair. "Honey, it was Slate! He's the one who did all this!"

She gives you a confused look, unable to register the name for a moment.

"Slate? I'm not sure..." She gasps in recognition. "That horrible pegasus from the tea house?! The one who almost killed you?!"

"Yeah, that's him." You stand up and start pacing the room, suddenly feeling unable to remain still. "That obsessive motherfucker! I can't believe it!"

Cashmere trots out from behind her desk, standing beside Rarity.

"Look, I'm pretty lost here. Who the hell is Slate?"

"He's a god damned prick, is what he is!" you answer.

"He's...he's got some issues, Cashmere." Rarity is thankfully more clear-headed than you at the moment. "To make a rather long story short, I used to know Slate when he worked in a small tea house on the other side of town, but only as a customer. I maintained friendly conversation with him, as either of us would do with any customer, but he became a bit...obsessed, it would seem. I had no idea of this until last week, when my darling dearest here encountered him at his job. After an incident that may or may not have been an accident, my love was left lying on the ground, bleeding from a gash in his head."

You point to the scar over your left ear, causing Cashmere to cock an eyebrow at it.

"What, so this Slate guy almost offed you?"

"Just about," you admit. "If I hadn't had that hardhat on..."

"Shit, and I thought I had enemies."

Rarity hops down from her chair and stands next to you, resting her head against your side. You continue the story for her.

"So yeah, after that asshole nearly killed me, he refused to help me up. Then he went on this...fucking tangent about how I ruined his life, and stole his woman, and all this shit. Then he flew off, and that was the last I heard from him. At least, I was hoping it would be the last time. Can you imagine? I'd only known the guy for a few hours, but he hated me so much that he felt the need to tell me off."

You purse your lips, clenching your hand into a fist so hard that you're actually trembling.

"He's dead. He's fucking dead."

Cashmere gives you an odd look and points a hoof at Rarity.

"Rarity, tell your man to calm the hell down."

Rarity looks up at you and grasps your hand between her hooves.

"Darling, please...I am no happier about this situation than you are, but we mustn't lose our heads. We know the culprit now, to a reasonable degree. We're not going to storm off into the night to find him."

You take a deep breath and unclench your fist, resting it on her head.

"Sorry, hon. You're right. You gotta excuse me for being just a tad bit pissed off right now. Asshole nearly ended my life, and now he's trying to ruin yours. This isn't gonna stand. Not by a long shot."

"We shall deal with it as it develops, darling." She kisses your hand and gives you a reassuring smile, and you can feel the tension start to melt away. She certainly has a way about things like this.

"Look, you two...I'm sorry you're going through this, I am. If I were in your situation, I'd probably react the same way. If it really was this Slate guy, I hope he gets what's coming to him. Maybe you should just go home and relax, alright?"

"That's unusually...nice...of you, Cash."

"Honey, we may not see eye-to-eye, and Celestia knows we have enough issues with each other as is, but I'm still a pony. I'm not entirely heartless." She floats over the wine bottle, hovering it just in front of her."Besides, I still need to finish closing out for the night. Blossom should have locked up and left by now, but finances don't keep track of themselves."

Rarity smiles lightly.

"A fact I'm all too aware of."

"You see? We don't have to be at each others' throats all the time." She levitates the bottle in front of you with a bemused smile. "Still wanna turn down that drink, handsome?" You look at bottle for a few seconds, then begrudgingly grab it from the air with the familiar tingle of magical energy against your hand. You take a long pull from the bottle, not entirely enjoying the taste, but not really caring, either.

"Christ, that's awful," you say with a sour face. "You really should get some better wine."

"I dunno, I kinda like it," she grins.

Rarity grabs her jacket from the coat rack, slipping around her forelegs and over her waist before buttoning it closed. You help her out by reaching back into her saddlebag and pulling out her fuzzy cap, fluffing it a few times before setting it on her head.

"Thank you, darling. I do believe I'm quite ready to go."

Cashmere walks back to her desk, pulling the poster toward her. You'd almost forgotten about it.

"Does this mean I can keep this one?" she asks with a wry smile.

"Some things never change," Rarity says with a roll of her eyes, yanking it from the desk and rolling it back up. You grasp the offending poster and slip it back into the bag, giving her a quick kiss as you stand back up. "We shall take our leave now, Cashmere. I...I want to thank you. For helping us. Even if it wasn't intentional."

"Sure thing, babe," the other unicorn replies, "You two have a good night, now. Go home and have some more wild sex, and try not to get photographed this time."

Rarity scoffs and starts walking out the door as you nod to Cashmere, who is leaning back in her chair with the rest of her bottle. "Stay classy, Cash," you say as you walk out.

"You know me, boy-toy. I'm always classy."

The darkened interior of Elegant Expectations gives way to the pale streetlights as you head back outside; with a deep breath of cold air, you feel yourself gaining a bit more balance to your thoughts. It could have gone much worse, and despite her expected flirtations and annoyingly smug attitude for most of the conversation, you're at least happy to have a good lead on who your obsessive stalker is.

Despite the short walk to the Boutique, Rarity stops at a bench on the side of the road, halfway to your destination. She pats the spot next to her, clearing away a thin layer of snow with her hoof. You smile and park yourself next to her, putting an arm around her back and leaning your head against hers. Between the cloudy skies and the glow of the lights, the night is oddly calm, almost silent. You spend several minutes enjoying it in silence with the mare of your dreams, letting your mind drift away from Cashmere, and Slate, and all the nonsense that's been with you through the entire day.

"I'm glad we went together," she says quietly. "I couldn't have done it on my own."

"Of course, baby. We're in this together." You grasp a hoof in your hand and kiss it gently, staring into her deep blue eyes.

"I'm quite relieved that it wasn't Cashmere, to say the least. I realize she and I aren't exactly the best of friends, but still, the thought of her resorting to such baser nonsense was something I did not look forward to."

"I know. I was hoping it wasn't her. Though now we have to worry about that obsessive pegasus." You kick the snow at your feet, quietly adding, "That fucking prick."

"He can wait, darling. I doubt he'll disappear after such a stunt. We've plenty of time to find him."

"Yeah, but how the hell do you find a pegasus? He could be literally anywhere."

Rarity kisses your cheek and tucks her head into your arm.

"I may have an idea. But let's not worry about him for now, okay?"

"Yeah, you're right, hon. He doesn't have the most beautiful woman in Equestria sharing his bed. He can eat his heart out."

"Indeed he can, darling," she smiles gently. "I think it's about time we head home. Fluttershy must be wondering where we are after all this time. Wouldn't want to worry her."

"She does enough of that already," you laugh.

"Indeed she does," Rarity replies with a quiet giggle. "She should be in bed soon...perhaps then we can head downstairs and spend some time together. After Cashmere's place, I've a sudden urge to taste some real wine, not that five-bit swill she seems to enjoy so much."

You stand back up and offer your hand, helping Rarity down from the bench. The back of her coat is flecked with snow, and you brush it off as she checks herself over.

"I thought you'd had enough alcohol for now," you remind her with a grin. "Remember?"

"I can make an exception tonight, I believe. Celestia knows we've enough reason to partake in a little."

"In that case, it sounds just fine."

"I thought you might agree." She shakes the last of the snow from her mane, then lifts a foreleg up to you. "Let's go home, darling."