"He did what?!"

You weren't expecting Pipe Wrench to take the news of Slate's little stunt very well. The only reason you told him in the first place was because you needed something from him, and he's not likely to divulge such information without a little convincing. So far, you're hoping that your 'convincing' hasn't backfired.

"Just like I said, Pipe: Dozens of 'em, all over the walls."

Rarity likely isn't going to be very happy when she finds out that you told Pipe about the situation, but you can't really see an alternative; you need evidence of Slate's guilt, and you're not likely to get it without knowing where he lives. You know Pipe has to have a record of Slate's address, at least at the time of his joining up...you're just trying to get access to it.

"Goddess damnit, pal..." Pipe puts a hoof over his face and rubs the side of his head. "Look...it ain't that I don't think the scumbag has it comin'. That's not it. He can tie his wings together and jump off a cliff for all I care. What I don't want happenin' is you stompin' off with some kind of vigilante justice thoughts in your head. You're a good guy, and the last thing I need is for your ass to wind up in a prison cell because ya killed him or somethin'. You understand, right?"

"Come on, Pipe," you try to reason, "I'm not gonna kill the guy." Severely wound? Maybe. But not kill. Depends on how much time you have with him. "What, you think it's okay if he just gets away with this?"

"You know that ain't what I'm thinkin'," he replies with a stern look. "If this sick bastard really did follow you and Miss Rarity all the way up to Frost-whatever, and stuck around until you two was gettin' all personal-like, then yeah, he's got some answerin' to do. No doubt about it. But what if it ain't Slate, huh? You gonna barge into the guy's house, only to get the guards called on you in return? Hear-say from this Cashew--"

"Cashmere," you correct him.

"--Cashmere, whatever. Hear-say from somepony who is an open enemy a' yours ain't likely to be the best evidence, ya know? You'd need solid proof."

"Which is exactly why I'm asking you in the first place," you remind him. "You've got his address on record, I know you do. I've seen that big rolodex you keep in the office trailer. You added my name to it the day I was hired, remember?"

"Shit, I didn't think you'd remember that..." Pipe sighs and removes his bright yellow hardhat, placing it on the table next to him, covering up part of a blueprint for the next section of condos you've been working on all morning. "Fine. I'll help ya out with this, okay?"

"Great," you reply with a smile of relief. Your celebration is cut short by Pipe's foreleg firmly jabbing you in the chest.

"Listen ta me for a second, a'right? We've been friends for a long time now. You know I ain't usually serious like this. But what you're plannin' here...it's pretty fuckin' serious, ya understand?"

You match the big, brown earth pony's gaze, and it's clear that he means something more.

"There's somethin' you're not telling me, man. What is it? I understand your apprehension, but for Christ's sake, Pipe, I'm twice that asshole's size."

"This ain't about any kind of worry for Slate. Ya break both his wings and three of his legs and I'd gladly break the fourth, but this pegasus you're after ain't one for goin' quietly. He's violent, pal."

You set down your coffee thermos, briefly glancing at your watch -- there's still fifteen minutes left until lunch is over. With any luck, you'll have Slate's address before it's time to start busting ass again.

"Yeah, no shit. He tried to 'accidentally' jam a three-foot piece of iron rebar through my skull, remember? There's something more to this."

"Look," Pipe says as he sits down in a chair, "I didn't wanna say anything, because I thought he was gone -- outta sight, outta mind and all that -- but that little spat he had with you wasn't his first. He's been fired from two previous jobs for violence against coworkers. Guy's got a fuckin' hair-trigger, ya know? Flips his lid fast."

Pegging Slate as violent isn't surprising, but hearing that he has a history of it in similar jobs? That's a bit more of a shock.

"Wait, wait...are you saying you hired him on even with that kinda record? That doesn't sound like you, Pipe. I mean...what the hell?"

"Hey, ain't nopony perfect," he objects. "It's like this...the guy came to me and practically begged for this job. Said he'd been unable to find work for weeks, said he was livin' on borrowed bits. Shit like that. He asked for a chance to start over. I mean...am I really supposed to turn a guy down when he's on his last leg?"

"Well, yeah!" You sit up in your chair, not really feeling like relaxing right now. "When that guy nearly offed two of his coworkers!"

"He didn't 'off' anyone, ya understand? He got in a fight with some guy at his first job, some petty bullshit. Then at his second job, he ended up goin' off on his foreman and punchin' a hole in a sheet of drywall. Did that make him an asshole? Yeah, absolutely. Did it make him a friggin' killer? No, it didn't. That's why I was willin' to give him a chance. You know me...I'm all about starting anew." He points a hoof at you, adding, "I think you can attest to that one, can't ya?"

As much as you want to argue the point, to call him out for hiring Slate despite a history of violence, you really can't say anything. He's right; if it weren't for Pipe, you'd likely have had a much worse start to your new life in Equestria. Hell, you probably wouldn't have ever been able to afford that first date with Rarity. You could have lost your chance.

He'd never agree to such a thing, but you wouldn't be far off in saying that you owe him your life.

"Yeah," you begrudgingly admit, "yeah, you're right. You were the only one to offer me a job, even though you knew nothing about who -- or what -- I was."

"Listen. Pal. Buddy. You've been a good friend for the last year and a half. You're like the taller, uglier younger brother I never had," he chuckles as he jabs you with a hoof, "not to mention the missus thinks the world of you and Rarity. You're like family, ya know? That's why I'm hesitant to give you this information. What if you run out and end up getting yourself hurt? Or killed? How am I supposed to face Rarity and tell her 'He's in this state because of what I told him', huh? I don't want anything to happen to ya. Slate's a crazy, violent asshole...I tried to give him a chance, and you saw how that worked out."

"No kidding," you add, feeling a little more solemn than a few moments ago.

"If this poster thing really is his fault, then he's got hell to pay. I just...I don't want ya losin' ya head, figuratively or literally, ya understand? If you intend ta...I dunno...chase after this guy, or bust into his home or somethin', I just don't want ya gettin' hurt. Okay? Promise me."

"If I do, will you get me his address?"

"Promise me, pal."

"Alright, alright." You stick your fist out and wait for Pipe to return the favor with a hoof. "I promise, Pipe. I'll be careful." Pipe sticks his hoof out, and you grasp it between your hands in the closest approximation of a handshake you can manage.

"Good."

"Don't forget, I know how to defend myself. He tries something on me, he's likely to end up with some missing teeth. I may be ugly, but I'm twice his size," you laugh.

"Be that as it may, don't underestimate him. Pegasi may have their heads in the clouds, but those suckers can be agile as hell. Just watch your back, a'right? He's already shown himself to be crazier than a bag of cats. I wouldn't put anything beyond this guy."

"So does this mean you'll give me his address?"

"Yeah...yeah I'll give ya the damn address. You're nothin' if not persistent." Pipe jerks his head toward the office trailer behind him. "Come on, let's go find it."

You stand up from your chair and tuck your thermos back into your lunch pail, cringing as Pipe calls out across the lot.

"Hey, Whip! Fix! Come over here and watch over the prints for a minute, will ya? Last thing we need is some prick waltzin' on over and stealin' 'em!"

The white earth pony and brick-red unicorn quickly trot over, a pair of lunch pails hovering in front of them in a field of silvery magic.

"Of course, sir," Whip says, glancing at the table. "It won't be a problem."

"Hey, what'd I say about that 'sir' crap, huh? Just call me Pipe. I work for a livin', just like you guys. The day I'm a 'sir' is the day I lodge a stick up my ass and keep it there."

"Erm, right...sorry, s--Pipe." Whip smiles nervously and sets the lunch pails down beside him and Fix. "We'll be out here if you need us."

"Good, it shouldn't be too long. Just gotta take care of some business with my old buddy here. And thanks." The two ponies sit in their chairs and look around, obviously a little disappointed in their lunches getting cut short.

"Well? You two gonna eat or what?" Pipe says with a smile. "You're foalsittin' some paper, not guarding a criminal. Eat ya lunches already, ya nutjobs."

He nudges your arm and dramatically waves a hoof in their direction.

"Can you believe these guys? Starvin' themselves on my job site. What's the world comin' to?"

"I dunno," you chuckle, looking down at Fix, "maybe if they eat enough it'll fill in the empty space between their ears." Fix looks up at you and laughs, shaking his head.

"You two lovebirds hurry up and do whatever it is you gotta do. I'll be out here."

You knock him on the hardhat as you pass by.

"Thanks, Fix."

The office trailer is only a short walk from you...and thankfully heated. It's the first chance you've had to remove your jacket all day. Even Pipe is starting to notice the cold, and you'd normally swear he's part pegasus judging by how little he seems to care for weather extremes. His usual orange and black work vest has been replaced by a similarly colored light jacket that wraps around his neck and down to the middle of his torso.

It's a style you've seen on many ponies before, but it's always puzzled you how it keeps them warm. Don't their hindquarters get cold? At least Rarity has the sense to wrap up completely if it gets too cold out. Maybe it's an earth pony thing...

"A'right, let's find this prick's address, huh?" Pipe opens up a cabinet and lifts out a large rolodex full of registration cards, the same ones he makes everyone who works for him sign. He sets it down on a table with a heavy 'thud'.

"Ya know, one 'a these days I need to find a better way to do this."

"What if he gave you a fake address?" you ask.

"It's possible," he replies while flipping through the pieces of paper. "I dunno, though...our boy may be an asshole, but he ain't a very smart asshole. If I had to take a guess, I'd say he really was lookin' to stay here for a while. Just so happens that you were here, too. Seein' you obviously sent his crazy ass over the edge."

"Man, I didn't even know he existed until he joined on with us. Finding out that he had some whacked-out revenge fantasy against me was just a little surprising. I mean, if he had something against just me, I wouldn't really have cared. I would have told him to get bent and been done with it. But he had to go and involve poor Rarity in all of this! She doesn't deserve this shit that's happening to her."

Pipe nods as he continues to sort through the roll.

"I hear ya, pal, I hear ya. Rarity's a great gal. Always goin' outta her way to help others, ya know? Hell, Dazzle thinks the world of her."

"Imagine if this was happening to you and Dazzle, Pipe. What would you do?"

"Honestly?" he looks up at you. "I don't know. Probably the same thing you're doin', I imagine. Tryin' to bring the law down on him. Much as I'm sure we'd both prefer to snap his scrawny neck and be done with it, we can't do somethin' like that. You and I? We're family men now. Maybe fifteen years ago I woulda told ya to introduce him to the business end of a crowbar, but that ain't gonna solve nothin'. Gotta go in to this with a clear head and all that shit."

"What exactly can we peg him with? If he's arrested, I mean. I want his ass locked up and kept away from us."

"Hmmm...stalking, for one. But that's obvious. You could also go with slander. Maybe nail him with assault for that rebar incident. He had the motivation to do it, after all."

Stalking and slander probably won't get him busted for very long. Assault might, but that's iffy...he can easily say it was just an accident.

"Is it possible to get him sent away? You know, to another town or something? I just want him to keep away from us."

"You mean like a restrainin' order? Probably. But come on, the guy followed you up a Goddess-damned mountain and waited around ya damn cabin for hours, just to get a picture. You think he'd listen to a damn restrainin' order?"

"No, probably not..." This isn't as easy as you were hoping it would be. You just want him gone. "I don't know, I'll worry about it once I track him down."

"Fair enough," Pipe replies. "I think I might have...ah-ha! Here we go. Found the damn thing." He unclips a registration card and pushes it toward you. "Slate, twenty-two years old. Pegasus. Address of four-one-seven Solar Grace road."

"Solar Grace?" you ask as you pick up the card and look it over.

"Hey, I don't name the streets here. Chances are, neither does the Princess. Celestia would probably roll her eyes at the street name. But whatever, there's your address."

You repeat the address to yourself several times to commit it to memory.

Four-one-seven Solar Grace. Four-one-seven Solar Grace...

"So now what?" Pipe asks you.

"I dunno, man. Gonna go pay him a visit after work, I think. Preferably alone. I'd rather not risk something happening to Rarity if he turns violent."

Pipe rubs his chin with a hoof.

"Hey, if ya wanna head home early, I'll understand. But I won't be able to pay ya for it; payroll was on my ass last time that happened. Fuckin' bit-pinchers."

You tuck the address card into your jeans, shaking your head.

"Thanks for the offer, but the extra money is more important. Besides, Whip and Fix are counting on me to help them finish up this condo.""

"Alright, whatever ya say, pal. Just do me a favor and keep focused out there, would ya? Can't have this Slate thing gettin' in the way and makin' ya lose track of what ya doin'."

"Don't worry about it," you reassure him, knocking on the table as you stand back up. "I can keep work separate from home life."

"If you say so."

You give Pipe a nod and start heading back to the door, but he calls out to you as you touch the handle.

"Hey, buddy. Look...just be careful out there, a'right? With Slate, I mean. I expect to see your ugly ass back here tomorrow mornin', not laid up in some hospital bed. That shit's a nightmare 'a paperwork anyway."

"I'll be alright, Pipe." You give him a smile and pat him on the shoulder. "I can't wind up in the hospital. After all, someone's gotta make ya look good out there."

"Yeah? If you find out who, you let me know," he laughs. "Hey, tell those two bums out there to get back to work. Lunch break's over."

You snap off a crisp salute, accompanied by a "yes, sir!"

"Spare me the theatrics, ya nutjob. Go on, ya got a job to do."

You give him a final nod as you walk out, shutting the door behind you. The cold air instantly reminds you of why you were wearing your orange work jacket in the first place.

"Hey, Fix! Whip! You ready to get started again?" you call out.

"I suppose we are," Whip answers, floating his small, rimless glasses onto his nose. "You were in there quite some time. Is everything alright? If you don't mind me asking, that is. Forgive me if I seem prying, I assure you it's only out of concern."

"Yeah, it's fine," you reply. "Just a personal matter is all. Nothing to concern yourself with. Besides," you straighten out your jacket and tighten your tool belt, "we've got a building to finish."

==========

The final whistle to mark the end of the work day couldn't come soon enough. You feel worn out, beat down by lifting plank after plank for hours on end. What was supposed to be a quick finish turned out to last several hours, and you ended up getting soaked with sweat despite the cold air. Work certainly keeps you in shape; arguably better shape than you were in the Army, even. Most of your typical day was spent behind a desk, not hauling around two-by-fours for hours on end.

It's probably a good thing, given your propensity for the sugary sweets cooked up at Sugarcube Corner.

On the way home, you stop by the outdoor market and pick up a small purchase -- two strawberry torte slices, made with fresher berries than even Pinkie would normally use. 'The benefit of owning your own greenhouse' the mare at the market stand said. You tuck the two carefully-wrapped slices into a small paper bag and thank her, leaving four bits for the slices plus another bit for a tip.

Fluttershy is out front as you approach your home, hovering half-way up the front of the Boutique's tall structure. A long, brightly-colored banner is hanging from her mouth as she pulls it tight, tacking it up with a hoof. You wave to her as she turns around, smiling when she returns the favor. Once she clears out of the way you can finally get a good look at the banner -- it's a large, rectangular design with a snowy background and big, red and green lettering exclaiming 'HEARTH'S WARMING EVE FORMAL WEAR NOW AVAILABLE!"

It's certainly eye-catching. And big. It easily drapes from one rounded corner of the Boutique to the other. You'd guess it to be a good five feet tall.

"Hey, Fluttershy! Looks like quite the project." You motion toward the banner behind her, to which she smiles and flaps over to you, giving you a quick kiss after briefly looking around.

"Hi," she says cheerfully. "I've been helping Rarity decorate the Boutique for Hearth's Warming Eve...though I guess you could probably tell that from the banner."

"You could say that. When did that come in? I don't remember it sitting around Rarity's 'inspiration' room."

"Oh, no, it came in just this morning! Rarity custom ordered it a few weeks ago. She said she wanted to get the word out early, since it would help give her a leg up over Cashmere."

"That it would. You girls been busy today?"

"Mm-hmm. Rarity's been inside handling the fittings and the register for a while. I've mostly been putting up decorations." She giggles, adding, "I tried to convince her to wear her 'Princess Platinum' outfit for the rest of the month, but it didn't work out."

You've seen pictures of Rarity's gaudy, royal outfit from her seasonal play, but sadly she's never worn it around you. It's something you'd definitely like to see...complete with upside-down crown. You laugh just thinking about it.

"What about you? How was work?"

"It was alright," you shrug. "Another day, another bit. You know how it goes. Is the shop closed for the day?"

She nods, looking over her shoulder at the large, purple door.

"We closed up an hour early, just so we could finish up. Rarity was right -- it's been getting busier. But, um, I'm all done out here now. We should probably head inside."

You open up the door for the hovering mare, grasping a hind leg as she flaps through the doorway. She gives you a quizzical look, but doesn't say anything.

"Just a second," you tell her, shutting the door behind you and locking it. You set the paper bag on the floor and stand back up, wrapping your free arm around her back and pulling her into you with a smile.

"Oh, my..." she says quietly, blushing under her butter-yellow coat. You press your lips into hers and squeeze her tightly, catching her carefully as she lets her wings fall loose against your arms. She pulls back after a few seconds and smiles nervously, glancing away.

"What was that for?" she asks.

"I don't know...I just feel really glad you to see you today, I guess. Not that I'm usually not glad to see you any other day, of course. You know what I mean."

"I'm glad to see you too," she replies with a giggle. "I'm happy that you're, um, warming up to me a little more. I was hoping you would after we, you know..shared that moment in the cabin."

"I said I'd start spending more time with you, and I meant it. If you don't have anything planned for, say, this time next week, maybe we can go out for dinner somewhere? Just you and I. Rarity thought it would be a nice gesture."

"Really?" her big, teal eyes light up at the thought. "I mean, um...of course we can do that. I think it would be very nice. Thank you," she smiles and gently kisses you again, then lets herself down to the ground with a soft 'clop' of her hooves.

Truth is, Rarity's been urging you to be a little more personal and caring with Fluttershy after your trip up to Frostvalley. 'Not that you're rude or distant, darling,' she'd said, 'I simply believe you would do well to perhaps share some of your time with her. Get to know her better, that sort of thing.'

It was a sentiment you could hardly argue with -- even though you've been welcoming and friendly to the feathery addition to your lives, you really had to admit to yourself that you'd hardly done much to spend time with her. It honestly left you feeling a little guilty. You're always going out of your way to spend time with Rarity and shower her with little gifts and shows of affection -- why shouldn't you do the same for Fluttershy? As much as you'd never have believed such a thing less than two months ago, she's become a big part of your lives. And so far, it hasn't been unpleasant or unwelcome. Simply...different.

You follow Fluttershy past the entrance way and through the business area, looking around at all of the green, red and white decorations strung up and spread about. It reminds you very much of Christmas, and the sight of it instantly lifts your spirits. Slate can wait. For now, you just want to spend some time with the two mares you've been fortunate enough to have in your life.

"Hey, honey," you call out as you round the corner to the living room area, "you home?"

There's a rustling from the back office area.

"Is that you, darling?"

"Who else?" you reply. "You gonna come out and say hi, or do I have to drag you out?"

You wait a few seconds as the light from Rarity's office clicks off, followed by the sound of the door being shut. The white unicorn you've so fallen for finally comes into view, her yellow measuring tape hanging over her shoulders.

"You could try to drag me, my dear, but I assure you such a thing is ill-advised. Think of my mane!"

Rarity smiles broadly and walks over to you, standing up on her hind legs to give you a warm kiss.

"Hello, darling. I missed you!"

"I missed you too, baby. It's good to be home. Getting cold out there."

"So I imagine. You're not still cold, are you? I could help warm you up..."

"I'm getting warm just thinking about it," you add with a quiet laugh. "Though you might want to wait until I've changed. You wouldn't think you could sweat buckets when it's fifty degrees out, but leave it to Pipe to find a way."

Your work jacket's zipper goes flying down as Rarity yanks on it with a burst of magic. She arches an eyebrow at your undershirt, now discolored and stained with dried sweat.

"Oh, dear. You weren't exaggerating, were you? That simply will not do. Perhaps you should head upstairs and take a nice, hot shower. Dirt is so...unbecoming on you."

"Oh I plan to, hon. Believe me. But first..." you set the paper bag down on a small coffee table, "I thought you ladies might enjoy something."

Rarity levitates the bag over, removing the push pins holding it closed.

"Something for us? How thoughtful!"

"I didn't know that bag was for us," Fluttershy adds. "I didn't want to intrude and ask what it was."

You motion toward the bag.

"Yeah, I saw Fluttershy when I got home. She was hanging up that banner out front. Pretty neat, if I do say so. Didn't know you had something like that on order."

"Oh, it was nothing, really," Rarity answers. "Just a matter of picking the proper way of getting a message across. And since we have it up first, Cashmere can't hold such a thing over our heads." Rarity looks in the bag and smiles, tossing it aside as she floats the wrapped slices in the air. "Another layer of wrapping. Mysterious."

"Gotta live up my 'mystery man' nickname somehow."

"I suppose it's better than 'boy-toy', isn't it?" she laughs.

"Just a little."

"Oh, but I've forgotten my manners! Here you are bringing us these...whatever they are...and I'm tearing into them like an impatient child! I must look ridiculous."

"Nah, it's fine, honey. It's for you and Fluttershy. Just a little something I picked up on the way home. I'm a little surprised Fluttershy didn't ask about it, but, uh, I think a little paper bag was the last thing on her mind." You look over at Fluttershy and she blushes in embarrassment...which doesn't go unnoticed by Rarity.

"Really, now? Do tell, darling."

"Hey, a gentleman does not kiss and tell. Or is that saying supposed to be for ladies..."

"Kiss and tell? You know you can't leave it at that now, don't you? Come, come, no need to be bashful. There must be details given." Rarity gives you and Fluttershy a wry smile, a look you've come to know as her 'high-class gossip' smile. You're pretty sure the word juicy is floating around in her head.

"Well, uh..." you idly rub your shoulder as you speak, "I came home and gave Fluttershy a quick kiss, like usual, but when we went into the entry way I kind of...pulled her into me and did it again. Just, you know, a little longer this time. And with more...feeling. Heh heh..."

Rarity flicks her tail as she looks the both of you over, each of you looking away with a nervous laugh.

"...how adorable!" she finally says. "Oh look at you two, nervous about eye contact, stealing a kiss when nopony's looking. You're like a couple of teenagers. I must say, it reminds me of when you and I first started dating, wouldn't you agree?"

"I guess so, yeah."

"Oh, no need for such modesty! I think it's simply wonderful to see you warming up to her after all this time. Perhaps our little trip up to the vineyard really was for the best."

"Yeah, I think it was. Like I said before -- it's taken some time, but I'm pretty happy with how things have been going."

"You realize now that you must make things even, don't you? I'm afraid I won't be able to let you take that shower until you return me the favor..."

You laugh and run a hand through her mane, jerking your head in the direction of the wrapped slices.

"Oh I will, baby. But first you and Fluttershy need to open those."

"Of course! I wonder what they could be..."

Fluttershy walks over to hers and starts unwrapping it, having to tug at it with her teeth while she pulls a corner away with a hoof. Rarity's is much simpler; a brief flash of magic and it's open.

"Goodness!" she exclaims. "I've no idea what this is, but it looks delicious!"

"Strawberry torte slices, hon. Stopped by the market on the way home and saw these. Thought you two might enjoy a little snack after all of your hard work."

Fluttershy lifts the slice between her hooves, using the parchment wrapping to avoid getting dirty.

"This looks like something Pinkie Pie would make," she says with a giggle. "And it's strawberry! I love strawberries. Angel always wants me to bring him some, but they can be kind of expensive." She takes a cautious bite -- though cautious of what, exactly, you have no idea. Maybe she just doesn't want to appear too eager. "Oh, my...this is good. Very good."

"Mmm, yesh, I shimply musht agree, Fluttershy." Apparently it's good enough that Rarity doesn't mind talking with her mouth full of it.

"Swallow first," you laugh. "Remember your manners, darling."

"Nonsense, a momentary lapse of grace is forgivable when it tastes this divine!"

"Good! That's good. I know you ladies have been busy with the shop and all that, so I thought I'd get you a little something. Glad you enjoy it."

"Thank you, darling. That's very thoughtful of you." Rarity smiles as Fluttershy echoes the sentiment before taking another bite. And then she simply...stares at you for a moment.

"...somethin' up, baby?"

"Well? Aren't you going to make a 'swallow' joke?"

"Uhmm...I wasn't really planning on it..."

She cocks an eyebrow at you.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. Thought didn't cross my mind."

"...who are you and what have you done with my man?" she giggles, setting the remainder of the slice on the table. "I'm honestly impressed! I thought for sure you were about to do so."

You shrug, replying, "Maybe I'm just learning to be a little less...lurid. Cashmere kinda ruined that for me, I think."

"Mm-hmm. Or perhaps you're just tired from work."

"That's also possible. We kept busy most of the day."

"At least a busy work day tends to pass quickly, hmm?"

"Yeah, thankfully. Oh! I nearly forgot: I have some good news in regards to our stalker situation."

Fluttershy perks up in her chair at the mention of it.

"What kind of good news?"

"Yes, do tell, darling," Rarity adds.

"Well...maybe it's best if I just show you." You reach into your pocket and pull out the registration card Pipe gave you earlier, gently tossing it onto the table between the three of you. Rarity floats it over as you sit down on the couch next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Slate, twenty-two years old, pegasus...address four-one-seven Solar Grace?" She looks up at you with an unsure look, glancing back at the card every so often. "Darling, is this...what I think it is?"

"That it is," you reply. "That right there is the most recent home address of one Slate. Got it from Pipe this afternoon."

She looks it over for several more seconds, as if there's something she hasn't noticed.

"Pipe Wrench? How did you convince him to give you Slate's address?"

You rub the back of your neck with your hand, not too excited to admit the truth.

"I, uh...I kind of told him what happened with us. The posters, the cabin, everything."

"...I see. While I admit that I would have preferred this information stay confidential, I suppose such a thing was necessary to attain the relevant information."

"I'm sorry, hon. I didn't really see any other way. Besides, look at it this way: Who would you rather trust with this information? Pipe, or Cashmere? And we've already told Cashmere."

"Point taken, darling. I doubt any harm could come from telling a trusted friend over a rival, hmm? While telling Cashmere was by no means something I was looking forward to, we didn't have much choice. At least she's turned out to have something vaguely resembling a heart, even if it is buried under countless layers of sleaze."

"You can say that again." For all the trouble she's given you, Cashmere at least had the sense to not take the information for personal gain. Yet.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected. Perhaps now we can finally get the authorities to do something about Slate."

"You know where he lives now?" Fluttershy asks. "What are you going to do? I mean, um...he's a pegasus, after all. He could just fly away if he knows you're coming."

"I'm not entirely sure yet," you admit with a shrug. "We have to get some evidence, right? So...I dunno. I'm just playing this by ear for now. As much as I'd like to find him and shove those damn posters down his throat, I can't very well do so just yet."

Rarity places a hoof on your chest and looks up at you.

"Surely you must have a tentative plan. I know you too well, my dear. There's something kicking around in that head of yours right now."

"Oh there is, it's just not much of a plan."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I find his address, bash down his door, and storm out with Slate in one hand and a fist full of posters in the other."

"Of course. Always one for subtlety." She puts a hoof over her face and sighs at the thought. "I was hoping you'd have something more...cautious."

"Like what? I'm open to ideas."

"Hmmm..." Rarity floats the remaining half of the strawberry torte slice over and takes a bite, working out some sort of plan. You're not sure if you're gonna like it, but she's far more likely to be devious about it than you are.

"Well, let's start from the beginning, shall we? What do we know about our obsessive pegasus follower?"

"That he's a jealous, violent, psychotic, angry sack of worthless shit?"

"Yes, well...while I'm hesitant to use such phrasing, you're far from wrong. That's not what I was trying to get at, however. We know that he is like that, the question is why he's like that."

Fluttershy answers for you.

"Because, um, he thinks you were stolen from him, Rarity."

"Thank you, Fluttershy. Yes, that's exactly it. Slate holds the bizarre view that I was somehow meant to be his. The fact that you are now in my life, darling, has led him to believe that you have snatched me away. Hence the root of his previously mentioned psychological issues."

You're not sure what she's getting at -- the fact that Slate hates you for 'stealing' Rarity is very much known to you. You have a scar on your head to prove it.

"Okay, but what difference does that make? We know he's obsessive over you."

"Well, I believe that we should play to that. Use it to our advantage."

"I'm not sure I like where this is going...but go on..."

"I propose the following: You and I shall head off to see Slate together. When we find his address, I shall approach his door while you stay out of sight. I will then attempt to draw him outside and away from his home, so that you can get inside and find the evidence we're looking for. Once you do, it's a simple matter of calling the guards and having him arrested."

"Honey, are you saying you want to set yourself up as...bait?"

She looks away briefly.

"Well, yes, in a matter of speaking. I'm sure we coul--"

"No," you interrupt. "Rarity, NO. That's insane."

"I thought it was quite a good plan," she answers.

"It is not a good plan! Your plan is to walk off alone with this psychotic asshole?! NO. I am not going to put you in that situation. Don't even think about it." You were expecting something more...sane...from Rarity. Going off by herself with a pony who has done nothing but obsess over her for the last two years? No god damned way.

"Really, darling, there's nothing to worry about! We'll be in public, there's always a guard around, and it leaves you in the position to search his home. I'll be fine, I promise you."

"And what's to stop Slate from just, I dunno, grabbing you and flying off? How the hell am I supposed to stop that? That is not a good plan. Not in the least."

Rarity runs a hoof along your cheek, trying to ease your tension.

"I assure you I can handle myself, dear. I'm more than capable of drawing him out."

"This isn't about you drawing him out, honey," you tell her as you grasp her hoof in your hand, "this is about putting you in harm's way. I can not, I will not, go along with something like that. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, and neither should you."

Fluttershy finally speaks up, adding her two bits to the conversation.

"Rarity, I think he's right. This is dangerous. I mean, you know...Slate has already done these horrible things. Imagine how he'll react when he finally sees you."

Rarity tries to object, but you speak up before she can say anything, which only leads to her growing increasingly impatient.

"I am not a child!" Rarity yells out with a stomp of her hoof. You jerk back at the outburst, as does Fluttershy. "I...I appreciate your concerns, truly I do. But you must understand: I am not some delicate flower that needs to be coddled and segregated from the rest of the world." She presses a hoof against your chest for emphasis as she continues.

"I have helped banish Nightmare Moon! I have faced dragons and changelings and the very embodiment of chaos itself! I am the bearer of an element of harmony! I am not a helpless damsel in distress!"

Rarity looks you in the eyes as your mouth hangs partially open, but her expression soon softens again.

"...I may be a lady," she says quietly, "but that does not stop me from also being courageous in the face of adversity. It never has, and it never will. If that weren't the case, I would not be here right now, in the business --the home -- that I've earned, sharing it with the man that I love and the friend I've put my life on the line for, time and time again."

She places her hoof on your cheek again, looking at you with shimmering eyes.

"All I ask, darling -- my life's love -- is that you allow me to help you solve this problem. Together. We've faced adversity before, and I'm sure we will in the future. Please...have some confidence in me."

You take a deep breath and place your head in your hand, staring down at the couch cushions, thinking things through. As much as you don't want to admit it, she's right. She's arguably faced more dangerous circumstances than you have. No...she has definitely faced more dangerous circumstances. You may have been in combat, fired upon fellow human beings who were trying to kill you in return, but she's stared down a literal Goddess and held her ground. She's gone through trials and challenges you couldn't even wrap your head around, even when she told you about them.

She's completely right.

"If I say 'no'," you finally speak up, "you're just going to do it anyway, aren't you?"

"But of course, darling," she replies with a slight smile.

"And you promise me you'll be careful, right?"

"With Celestia as my witness."

"...alright." You look back up at her and caress her cheek with your hand. "Alright, we'll do this together. I trust you."

Rarity smiles warmly and kisses your cheek.

"Thank you, darling. I know this isn't an easy thing for you to accept, but I assure you I am more than capable of handling myself should the need arise. One does not save the world without picking up a few tricks along the way."

You kiss her forehead and hold her against you, hoping you've made the right choice. If something happened to her...

"I, um...I'd like to go too."

Rarity turns and looks at her friend, who unfurls her wings and flaps over after a few seconds.

"Are you sure about that, Fluttershy? You don't have to if you don't want to, I'm sure we can handle this."

"No, it's okay. I do want to. What you said is true...you're a bearer of an element of harmony...and so am I. I don't really like conflict, but this is something that's very important to both of you. And since I care for both of you, it's important to me as well. So...if you're brave enough to go, then...so am I."

You look over at the two mares, Fluttershy resting her head on Rarity's shoulder.

"If that's what you wanna do, Fluttershy, then I won't object. I'm pretty sure Rarity wouldn't let me anyway," you chuckle. You lay your arm across Rarity and gently grab Fluttershy's foreleg. "Thanks."

"So," Rarity says quietly, "now that that's taken care of, we should probably decide when this is all going to happen."

"Yeah, I suppose so." You glance out the large windows off to one side; it's already dusk. Chasing after an unpredictable pegasus -- and a dark-colored one at that -- is likely not a good idea, especially if it grows dark before you can find his address.

"Tomorrow morning, maybe?"

"We both have work," she reminds you. "Not to mention Fluttershy's own duties with her veterinary business."

"We could get up early."

"Darling, we already wake up at six in the morning on most days. As is, that doesn't leave us much time to shower and have something to eat, even when there's nothing else going on. Besides, what if it takes a while to find Slate's home? What if you're unable to apprehend him quickly? Pipe Wrench may be a good friend, dear, but he's also your boss. I doubt he'd be particularly happy if you show up an hour or two late."

She's got a point. You'd really love to have this over and done with as quickly as possible, but life comes first. Besides, in a way, you'd be giving Slate the satisfaction of disrupting your lives. Best to carry on as usual until you have enough time to devote to finding his dumb ass.

"Alright then, I suppose that doesn't leave us much choice. This weekend. That's when we'll make our move."

"I do believe that's for the best, darling. I know it's going to feel like a long wait, but in the end it's the more intelligent decision."

"Saturday?" Fluttershy asks. "That's not for four more days...what if he, you know...comes back?"

"He won't. He's a coward. Doesn't have the guts to face us in person. That's why he tacked up those stupid posters."

Rarity puts a hoof on your leg and looks up at you.

"I do hope you're right. And I do hope we've made the right decision."

"I'm certain of it," you reassure her, running a hand through her mane. "We'll be alright, hon. It's just gonna feel like a long wait, but I'm going to try and not think about it too much."

"Then I shall do the same," she replies with a smile.

"Me too," Fluttershy adds.

"Good. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." You push yourself up off the couch and stretch with a loud yawn, working the kinks out of your back. "For now, I'm gonna go take that shower. I'll see you girls in a bit. Oh, and don't forget about the rest of your slices there. If you don't eat 'em, I probably will."

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