[6:50 p.m.]

After Fleur and I finished organizing my room and put away my clothes, she and I talked more about what things I should be careful with mares if I decided to go out with them. Turns out the mares here go into heat every two to three months, and that lasts about four days to a week, which leaves them much more likely to get pregnant once they mate with stallions. They don't exactly have red days like human females (with the bleeding and all that), but their heat cycles get more intense than menstruation. Not only that, they get more… Frisky and active with sex than usual, and it’s also harder to hold in the urges when a stallion is just within their presence. To avoid any unwanted pregnancies and rape, mares were required to stay within their households for the week while a flower symbol is hung on their front doors, letting passerby know that they’re not available for speaking unless it’s with another mare, or their significant others. On the bright side though, is that when they’re not in heat, especially right afterwards, they’re not as likely to get pregnant than human girls do as far as I can gather.

Though heat cycles differ from menstruation cycles in terms of timing, it's still thankfully possible to keep record for when the next time it hits. With Fleur and Shining, they keep track of their times for when theirs start, so that they won’t schedule any appointments that coincides with them. The signs of when they come sometimes show sooner however, which can be quite inconvenient depending on the time and place. Fleur’s ended just last week, and Shining’s was a couple days before I got here, as far as what the former has told me. It may not be the best idea for me to be around the girls when they’re in heat, considering whether or not reproduction between humans and ponies was found possible yet. The three of us will have to discuss that at some point soon considering the circumstances, like how Shining’s not comfortable enough to allow me in her home yet. In the meantime, I’ll have to look into this further so I can help keep records of their heats as well, and schedule accordingly.

When the evening was near, Fleur and I went to clean ourselves up, and get ready for the night out. After a shower, I put on an undershirt before putting on a black suit jacket with a white dress shirt, matching slacks, and a black tie with stars scattered around it, fitting for where we were going for the night. I then styled my hair with pomade, used a handkerchief to clean my glasses before putting it in my coat pocket, spritz some cologne, shined my dress shoes, slipped my wallet and phone in my pockets, and waited downstairs for the girls.

The doorbell rang, and I assumed it was Shining before I walked up to it, opened the door, and confirmed my suspicions with widened eyes. It’s quite amazing how colors can change one’s outlook towards people, or ponies in this case. Last night, Shining wore a white silk dress that made her look beautiful, and practically innocent. Tonight, she was wearing a black dress that made her, dare I say it, drop dead sexy, and almost mysterious. She also still had the white framed glasses she usually wears that not only contrasted the colors, but they somehow gave the pale green eyes behind them a sense of purity. The V neck shaped neckline was low enough to accentuate the cleavage of her practically bouncing D cup sized breasts, while the straps that held it up looked comforting, yet open enough to still show the cutie marks on her shoulders. Like the last dress, there was also a slit up the side of the skirt that perhaps showed more leg than before, making her bolder than she was last night, but also giving her more room to walk. Finally, she had a matching black purse to go along with the ensemble, black slippers that glistened in luster, and her pale light blue mane was down and styled as before. If I thought Shining was intimidating enough just in her business attire during the day, this just brought that scale to a whole new level.

“Hello Oz,” Shining greeted with a small smile.

“… Hi,” I practically squeaked. “Fleur’s not ready yet if you’d like to come inside and wait.”

“I’ll do that, thanks,” she replied before I moved aside, and allowed her entry. As she passed by, I noticed a familiar scent… Something that was strong, and practically cleared my nostrils as I took a whiff.

This smell… Was this the cinnamon kind of soap from Mare de Fur’s brand? When did she get this?

I closed the door without thinking about it too much, and took a seat across from Shining while trying not to ogle her new look. “So uh… That’s certainly a nice dress,” I complimented.

“You like it? It was actually something I just bought today,” she answered. “When I tried it on, I didn’t even need a second approval to know how good I felt wearing this. Since we’re going to a jazz club tonight, I thought this was a great opportunity to dish this out.”

I swear to god, it’s like the colors she wears are changing her personality. I don’t think I’ve seen Shining this confident before, and I think I’m getting more nervous with this than when she was in business mode. I just hope Fleur wears something outlandish like last night that would help balance things out.

“Is everypony ready?” Fleur’s voice called from the top of the stairs. Shining and I looked to her direction, and I just gulped from the sight I wasn’t expecting. She too had a black dress, only her neckline was a sweetheart type without the straps that gave her a cute, yet devious demeanor. Not only that, but the skirt was more frilly and free compared to Shining’s. It stretched down to just above her hooves that were wearing black slippers, which had one black flower blooming from each side. She also had black gloves that stretched up to her elbows, a matching black purse of a different design than Shining’s, and was still wearing the same eye shadow color as usual. The ensemble altogether made Fleur look more enchanting than seductive, but it still gave that mysterious vibe as well that was probably a little higher than Shining’s.

… Okay, different than what I expected, but still intimidating all the same. I was hoping to not be as nervous as last night, but I think I may be more than twice as so tonight.

“Sorry for the wait dearie, but I had trouble finding the right dress for the evening,” Fleur apologized.

“I-it’s fine… You’re good,” I replied.

“Well if we’re all ready, shall we get going then?” Shining asked as she got up.

“Yes. Let’s get Ozzy’s welcoming celebration started!” Fleur exclaimed before the girls went for the door, and she turned her gaze to me. “You coming along Ozzy?”

“Y-yeah… Sure,” I replied as I got up, and followed them out.

Silver was out front right on time, and the sky was in the middle of its twilight from day to night. After a greeting and a few compliments, he opened the door to let the girls in first before I went last. He shut the door before he got on the carriage, and started driving to our destination.

… You know, I’m starting to wonder why I’m getting so nervous over this. I mean it’s not like there’s something from this I should be expecting. It’s just a way for the girls to welcome me to their team that I’m grateful for, and that’s all it really is. I mean it’s not like these two have some kind of interest with me right? Shining’s trying to treat stallions better, clearly not ready to go out in the dating world yet; and Fleur, well, she’s a generous, goddess-like supermodel. She only seeks companionship with me as a friend to support and be there for her. Not like I’ll ever have a chance with her, or Shining for that matter. We’re all just friends here that are about to spend a fun evening together, and I’m content with that. I’m sure Shining’s dressed the way she is because she knows how intimidating that dress looks on her, and wants to toy around with me because of that. Same goes for Fleur when she teased me earlier, as it was just some payback for me laughing at her expense before. Plus, I shouldn’t even be worrying about dating and relationships right now. I’ve only been here for at least two days, and I want to make the most of my time here before I start settling down.

With that thought in mind, I slowly gained back my composure, and tried to come up with something to talk about with the girls that will help me relax more. “So Fleur, did you get that dress while we were shopping today too?” I asked.

“This was actually something from my last shopping spree,” she answered. “It looked really cute when I got it, but I couldn’t find a good occasion to pull this out until I found it for tonight. Speaking of shopping, it looks like you picked out something that surprised the both of us Shiny.”

“I thought that since I’ll be trying to change my ways since the past five years, it would be a good start to get some new things for my wardrobe,” Shining replied.

“What kind of attire did Shining wear for these occasions before anyway?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Her business suits,” Fleur answered while rolling her eyes. “Sure it’s formal to wear, but you’re stiff as a board during the occasional outings. I thought you’d never cut loose until last night.”

“I am not stiff as a board,” Shining argued.

“I’m with Fleur on this one Shining. You can be pretty uptight,” I commented.

“I concur,” Silver added in.

“Shut up Silver,” she huffed while crossing her arms before Fleur, Silver, and I chuckled a little at her pout.

Not too long later, we stopped in front of a swanky building where there was a small line forming from the entrance, consisting of ponies in formal dress get-ups.

“Here we are everypony, the ‘Canterlot Swank,’” Silver announced before getting off the carriage, and opening the door for us. Shining stepped out before me, and Fleur came out last. “Are you sure you don’t want me to pick you up later tonight?”

“Don’t worry about us Silver, just enjoy yourself tonight,” Fleur answered.

“Have fun at card night. Good luck, and win big,” I added in.

“Thank you, I’ll be sure to do that,” Silver answered with a nod before getting back up on the carriage. “Have fun you three, and Ms. Star, please control your alcohol intake tonight.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Shining answered before Silver drove off. “Alright, shall we head inside? There’s an entry fee, but Fleur and I will pay for yours since we’re holding this for you Oz.”

“Thanks Shining, I appreciate that,” I said with a smile.

After paying for our admission, we went inside, and music (Smooth Jazz Chill Out Lounge [Full album]) was playing with a smooth tune that filled the entire building. The atmosphere made the tensions in my body I didn’t know I was holding loose enough for me to relax, and pushed any concerns I had earlier to the side. While the band was performing on stage, there were tables and booths scattered around the area with only candles on top to light up the dimmed building. There was also a bar on the side that looked to be busy, as the ponies running it were quickly making drinks that the wait staff brought to the house guests. Same goes for the kitchen across from it as ponies were bringing out food for the guests as well.

“Wow, this place is great,” I praised.

“Good evening, and welcome to the… Say, aren’t you Fleur de Lis? The same one that almost got hit by that carriage two days ago?” The hostess pony asked.

“Yes, yes, that would be me. Could we get a table for three please?” Fleur asked with a smile.

“Absolutely! Please, right this way,” she directed as she grabbed three menus, and led us to an open round table that was just perfect for us to chat at a normal, comfortable volume without the band playing over us. I sat with my back to the band, while the girls were evenly spread out on each side of me to where we made a small triangle. “Somepony will be with you shortly. Enjoy your evening,” she said as she passed us the menus before heading back up front.

“I guess that news is still going around huh?” I asked.

“Well with only her remembering, and not having the entire club mobbing us, I think it’s safe to say that it will pass over by tomorrow or the next,” Shining said while fixing her glasses.

“That’d be a relief. It’s getting kind of bothersome wearing a hat and sunglasses I don’t need to wear,” Fleur commented.

“Come to think of it, I’m surprised there weren’t many ponies that recognized me since I didn’t have a disguise on, especially since I’m human. I guess I’m just easily forgotten since I was probably ‘the hairless monkey in a suit that saved Fleur’s life’ or something like that,” I said with a shrug.

“Well besides being a human, you don’t really stand out that much,” Shining said. “Probably because since more of your species are starting to move in here from your world.”

“Somehow I’m kind of glad,” I replied. “I’m not used to getting so much attention.”

“Hello, I’m Evergreen, and I’ll be your serving you tonight,” the waitress mare greeted as she approached our table. “Can I start you off with something to drink?”

“We’d like some wine please. Any preference to what kind Ozzy?” Fleur asked me.

“Not really. I’m good with whatever, but I’d like some water with my wine,” I replied.

“Do you have merlot?” Shining asked.

“I’ll bring it right out. Be right back,” Evergreen said before she walked off.

I then looked at my menu to see what kind of food they have, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Though some of the selections were expensive, it certainly wasn’t as bad as the Golden Crown’s.

“Pick whatever you like dearie, it’s on us for tonight,” Fleur said with a smile.

“You know I’m going to be doing the same with you two for your birthdays right?” I asked. “Heck, I could probably try and make you something special myself if that’s what you want.”

“… You know? I actually would kind of like that,” Shining replied.

“Me too. Cooking something at home would just make the evening all the more special than going to even the most expensive of restaurants,” Fleur commented.

“Do either of you two cook?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I could only make something that’s easy to make. Like spaghetti and soup,” Shining answered. “Don’t try Fleur’s cooking though. Eat her meals, and you’d need to get your stomach pumped like poor Fancy did.”

“Hey, that was only one time,” Fleur interjected with a pout.

“With grilled cheese nonetheless, probably one of the easiest to make out of everything else,” Shining argued. “How you were able to make it that unhealthy is as questionable as the princess’ actual ages.”

… Okay, putting down ‘never let Fleur do any of the cooking’ on my mental note list. I didn’t think she’d mess up that badly with only grilled cheese. I can’t fathom how things would be if she tried to make anything else.

Once Evergreen brought back our drinks, and poured the wine for us, we made our orders for dinner before she left once more.

“I propose a toast,” Fleur said with a smile as she held up her wine glass, which Shining and I followed suit. “To Ozzy Shore, for successfully passing Shiny’s initiation, despite the drawbacks, and making it to the team as our new secretary. We wish you’ll work at your hardest, and having some fun with us every now and then for the times to come. Congratulations Ozzy, and welcome to the group.”

“To Oz,” Shining said before the three of us clinked glasses, and took a few sips.

“Thanks girls, and I promise to be a good friend to you both as well,” I said with a smile. “I don’t think I could be any happier or luckier to have you two playing a part in my life.”

“Awww, you’re such a sweetheart,” Fleur said with a slight hint of red in her cheeks.

“Yes, well… Um… Thanks for joining us,” Shining added in while looking to the side with a blush of her own.

[9:15 p.m.]

For the next few hours, the three of us chatted idly, getting to know each other while we shared a few chuckles from telling some of our embarrassing stories, enjoyed the music, and getting buzzed from the wine we drank until our food arrived. I had a fettuccine alfredo while the girls had dishes that contained vegetables and hay. I almost cringed having the thought of what eating hay tasted like, and I don’t think I could digest it if I tried.

After we were finished, and the girls paid the bill, we walked out of the club, with me being slightly more impaired than last night due to the wine, but I did make sure to drink plenty of water though.

“H-hey, thanks for the night out girls, I really appreciate this,” I said. “I had a good time tonight.”

“I’m glad you did Ozzy,” Fleur replied with a smile. “Now let’s grab a taxi and—“

“Hello there, what’s a beautiful thing such as yourself doing out here?” A male voice interrupted.

We turned to the source, and saw that it was a burly, dark orange earth pony stallion with a military cut blonde mane, giving Fleur a flirty smile that irked me from the cockiness it radiated.

“I treated my friends out to dinner, and now we’re heading home,” Fleur answered with a deadpanned tone.

“Why the sudden rush? The night’s still young, how about I pay for the ride back to their place, and you and I can share the rest of the evening together over a few drinks?” He asked with a smirk.

“Thanks for the offer, but no,” Fleur answered, still in deadpan.

“Come on, give me a chance, I’ll make your night worthwhile,” he persisted.

“Sh-she said no dude,” I replied as I came up to him.

“Was I talking to you bud?” He asked.

I took off my glasses and slipped them in my coat pocket before looking back to him. “No you weren’t, and the fact that you didn’t acknowledge my presence, AND can’t take a hint for when a mare says no to an offer, you probably haven’t exercised that common sense in that pea-sized brain of yours as much as the rest of your body.” The girls turned to me with widened eyes at what I had just said.

Okay, I was probably a little drunker than I thought when I talked to this guy, but someone had to say something to get through his thick headed skull.

“Are you calling me stupid you hairless monkey?” He asked while standing over me.

“Oh yeah, s-sure, like I haven’t heard that name before since I got here,” I scoffed. “You know I still have the hair on top of my head right? If you can’t s-see that, you probably have worse eyesight than I do, and I don’t even need glasses to see how much of a jackass you’re making yourself right now.”

“You’re making a bad move sounding cocky right now bud, you better step aside before I move ya myself,” he threatened.

“Hey, I may be a little drunk to s-sound cocky right now, but that’s nothing compared to how you think you have a chance with a beautiful flower as her with that attitude of yours,” I replied as I pointed to Fleur behind me with my thumb. “Seriously, that was so cocky, I thought I mistook you for a giant walking dick before I took off my glasses, and now you’re just making a bigger one out of yourself right now. So unless you want to make yourself look worse, I suggest you—“

POW!

I was interrupted by a large fist that acted a force of pain on my left eye, and muffled screams were the last thing I heard before I hit the ground, and blacked out.

[11:55 p.m.]

“Ugh… My head and eye hurts,” I groaned as I tried to force my good eye open. I was greeted with the sight of a worried Fleur, at least that’s what I thought her expression was since my vision was blurry without my glasses. When I awoke, she sighed and her expression changed to a small smile.

“Thank Celestia you’re okay. I was worried that you might never wake up,” she said.

“Where are we?” I asked tiredly.

“Back at my place in my room,” she answered. “We took you to a hospital before bringing you back here. Though the punch knocked you out, the doctor thankfully said you only came out with a black eye.”

“How long was I out?” I asked.

“Three hours,” a familiar voice answered in a deadpanned tone.

I tried to turn my gaze to the source, which was Shining with a slightly messed up mane. She came over with an object wrapped in a towel before handing it to Fleur. Fleur then set the towel over my bad eye, and I winced at the sudden tinging of pain before it turned into a cool, soothing feeling.

“Honestly, I know you were impaired, but agitating that bastard was a foolish thing to do Oz. I thought you had walked in with some sort of death wish,” Shining scolded as she took a seat in a chair across from me.

“What happened to that guy anyway?” I asked.

“Shiny pretty much beat the crap out of him, excuse my language,” Fleur answered with a slight giggle. “After he knocked you out, she was on him almost immediately to the point of making him cry like a foal before he ran off. I haven’t seen her that pissed for a long time.”

“Wow… I wish I was conscious enough to have seen that. It must have been hilarious,” I said before I looked down with a disappointed sigh. “Still… How pathetic was I? Getting knocked out by just one punch for taunting him like that. I must have looked as much of a jackass as he was, and embarrassed the two of you for it… I’m sorry I ruined a good evening.”

“Ozzy, you weren’t a jackass,” Fleur rebutted while lightly shaking her head, and brushed my hair to the side with her hand while still sporting that small smile. “It was a little brash, yes, but you stood in for me when I said no, and he didn’t leave it at that. You weren’t even fazed by his size either, which would probably make smaller ones run away with their tails between their legs. No stallion has ever done that before, not even my ex. What you did back there was brave and chivalrous.”

“More like stupid and foolish,” Shining scoffed while looking directly at me. “You could have gotten yourself killed you idiot. We could have just walked away while calling the cops on him for harassment, but noooo, you just had to egg him on yourself. How do you think things would turn out if I wasn’t there, huh?”

“Shiny, please don’t,” Fleur pleaded.

“No, Oz needs to hear this,” Shining argued while still looking at me. Though it was hard to see with one eye without glasses, I could have sworn her eyes looked slightly red and puffy. “Something you should know about us ponies if you haven’t read it in your guidebook yet. Though we earth ponies can’t cast spells or fly like unicorns and pegasi, we make up for it with our strength depending on how much we maintain our physical prowess. You’d pretty much be asking for trouble if you’re taking them on in a brawl unless you have something to take advantage over them. You were lucky to come out with a black eye, but things could have gone a lot worse, for you, and for Fleur here.

“I don’t know how often you’ve gotten into fights back on Earth Oz, but don’t even think about walking into one around here when you know you can’t win. Sometimes walking away from a fight isn’t a cowardly thing to do when the stakes and circumstances aren’t high. Burn that lesson into your brain, and don’t make me repeat myself when something like tonight happens again.” She then looked to the side once more with her eyes squinting, and her muzzle scowled almost mournfully. “I don’t know what I… What we would have done if we lost a secretary like yourself, and I don’t want to find out anytime soon... You got it?”

… I see. Though she tried not to show it, she was probably really worried. The firmness in her voice kind of shows how much she cares for me, if it really means anything. Then again if she didn’t care, she probably wouldn’t be staying up this late in Fleur’s room right now… It’s funny, I would think this is something a parent would have done with their kids if they did something wrong. Not being angry with them, but telling them up front why something they did was wrong so they would learn from it, and move on while trying not to repeat that same mistake again in the future. The harsh name calling at the beginning aside, she was only looking out for me in the end…

If only there were more people like her that existed in my life back on Earth.

“… Yeah, I got it. Thanks Shining,” I replied with a small smile.

“You think you’re going to be okay Ozzy?” Fleur asked with her ears folded.

“I think I’ll live another day,” I said as I grabbed the ice pack over my eye, and sat up. I didn’t realize it until then, but my head was laying on something soft, but firm at the same time.

… Was I on Fleur’s lap the whole time? It felt nice, but I don’t think she needed to do that. Eh, I won’t think on it too much.

“Am I still allowed to work tomorrow? I could probably use some of Fleur’s make up to hide the colors if we don’t want to make it too noticeable,” I said.

“Should he even be working tomorrow Shiny?” Fleur asked.

“If he feels fine enough to work tomorrow, I won’t stop him,” Shining replied as she stood up and wiped her eyes under her glasses while sniffling a little before crossing her arms. “If he’s like any other stallion around here, he’s probably pretty stubborn and hardheaded enough to keep going. Just keep that ice pack on for the next half hour or so before heading to bed. We’ll be leaving tomorrow morning at 9:30 with, or without you. Have Fleur help you apply the make up over the eye if you’re planning on going, and try not to sweat enough to make wiping it off a breeze.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said before I gave Shining a light hug, making her shiver in surprise. “Thanks for what you’ve done for me tonight Shining. I really appreciate it.”

She sighed in slight defeat before returning the gesture. “Just don’t do anything stupid like that again alright? I’m not one to let my coworkers get into any danger.” She pulled herself back, fixed her glasses, and grabbed her purse. “Well if there's nothing else, I'm heading off for the night. Oz, Fleur, have a good evening,” she bid with a nod before leaving the room.

“Well that’s certainly something new,” Fleur said as she stood up with widened eyes. “That’s the first time I’ve seen Shiny that comfortable with a stallion in a long time. You must be putting more of an influence on her than I thought.”

“If you say so. There are times I don’t know what goes on in her head though,” I said with a shrug.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, but did you know you were going into a fight once you took off those glasses?” She asked.

“Partially,” I answered. “I’d like to take it off when I talk to someone that looked intimidating, more so than Shining, as a way for me to not get scared as much. I don’t know why that is, but I think just blurring out some of the worrying parts helps me not tense up so much. That’s why you didn’t see me so nervous tonight if being impaired didn’t add into it.”

“Are you sure you want to work tomorrow Ozzy?” Fleur asked.

“Of course. Eye aside, I’m as healthy as I can be,” I answered as I stepped out of Fleur’s room. “As long as I’m still mobile and can tolerate a couple coughs, work’s no problem with me.”

“Just try not to overexert yourself okay?” Fleur then did something unexpected that I didn’t see coming. She came up, held my chin, and gave me a brief kiss on the cheek that was just below my good eye. After a few seconds, she pulled back with a warm smile. “Thank you for standing up for me tonight Ozzy. Have a good night,” she said before she gently shut the door while I stood there frozen with heat rising up to my cheeks.

“… Yeah… You too,” I mumbled before I went to my room, and prepared myself for sleeping tonight.

[12:20 a.m.]

After I grabbed a bowl to put the ice pack in overnight, I changed my clothes to boxers and a t-shirt, washed the pomade out of my hair, and brushed my teeth. I then sat on my bed with the ice bag over my swelling as I played back the events of the evening in my head.

As far as I know what happened before this, Shining was probably being tough with me because she cared, and Fleur only gave me that kiss to show her appreciation. The qualities they displayed is part of what having friends is like right? I can’t say I know for sure, since I haven’t grown up with many close ones, and I’m still new to the whole friendship thing. Strange how big of a deal that is around here now that I’ve thought about it. I don’t think they’re hinting anything with me showing those qualities either, in a romantic kind of sense anyway. I probably shouldn’t look into this too much right now, I’m a little too tired to worry about that.

What I should worry about however was how things turned out in that very short fight. Shining was right on one thing, if I ever get into any of those fights again in the future, they have to be for really good reasons, and I need to prepare myself for what the ponies here may bring. If most earth ponies are as strong as she said, who knows what pegasi and unicorns may bring to the table? If anypony attempts to harm Shining and Fleur in any way, I need to keep my promise to Fancy and protect their well-being like I unfortunately didn’t do well tonight, if not at all. If I can’t even protect the girls from harm’s way, then what good am I as their friend? If I want to change this, there’s one thing I can do that will get me started in the right direction.

“… I need to go to a gym and train.”

Author's Notes:

Yep, I added a hint of violence in this, because what's a dramatic life of working with a celebrity without it?

I guess even Ozzy can make some big mistakes every now and then. At least he tries to learn from them though. How will things go for him when he tries putting exercise in his daily routine? Guess that will be revealed in the next chapter.

Until then, let's give our condolences to the bastard who got beat up by a mare, and ran home crying for it while we drink his tears.