[Ozzy’s POV, 5:50 p.m.]

I shook off the strange, ominous shiver down my spine and relaxed back down on the bench, looking up and enjoying the blending colors of yellow, orange, red, violet, and a little blue along with the pink clouds in the sky. It was quite a sight, perfect for me to relax and think about what happened over the day, and other things. I first thought back to the time I was at Fancy’s mansion, specifically near the end of my meeting with the attorney who’s prosecuting against Mascara next week.

[About 4 hours earlier]

“After I calmed down with Fleur’s and Shining’s help, and talked with Miss Autumn Winds, we left the building to grab dinner and head back to the hotel. We packed our things the next morning, met with Bubbles and his wife for lunch, and took the train back to Canterlot,” I finished my story.

A light gray pegasus stallion with a white mane and tail, wearing a suit and glasses, was writing down all the information I told him from the time I first met Mascara to after she was arrested. His name was Swift Justice, and he was the pony Fancy called in to help with the prosecution. He, Fancy, and I were in Fancy’s office with some tea and snacks on the coffee table between us.

After a few more notes, Swift fixed his glasses and looked up to me. “And that’s everything that’s happened in this trip?” he asked.

“Yep. From the call, to the trip, preparation, the interview itself, the break in between, the next call, me going in, and… well, that,” I answered. I didn’t give him the exact details as I was pretty sure he wouldn’t want to hear the awkward moments between the girls and me, especially considering one of them is Fancy’s sister.

Swift nodded and put everything in a suitcase that was leaning against the chair he was sitting in. “Well, thank you for coming in today and explaining everything to me, Ozzy. I know revisiting such an event can be uncomfortable for you, but any information you can provide will give us more leverage to put Mascara to justice. However, I am afraid that you’ll still need to come to the Day Court next week as a witness in case Princess Celestia has any further questions to ask you. Mascara, of course, will be in the same room, but she will be restrained by the Royal Guards that will escort her. Are you alright with this?”

I nodded. “I’ll do whatever it is that needs to be done. Is there anyone else that will be there besides Fleur and Shining?”

“I got word from Miss Winds that she’ll be attending the court as well. Since she’s the vice president of Vogue, I’m sure she’ll want to see how everything turns out for the soon-to-be ex-president.”

“Thank you very much for doing this, Swift,” Fancy said.

“No problem at all, Fancy. It’s part of the job.” Swift stood up with his suitcase in hand. “I best be going now. The court is scheduled for 3:00 a week from this coming Friday, but I suggest arriving at the Royal Castle a half-hour earlier, as it will take some time to get into the throne room and get approval from the guards.”

“I understand.” I nodded. “I guess I’ll see you that Friday?”

“Yep. I’ll see you then, Ozzy.” Swift walked over to the door of the office and left, leaving Fancy and me by ourselves in the room.

“Fancy, I can’t thank you enough for calling him to prosecute for this case. I just wish there was something I could do to return the favor,” I said.

“It’s no problem at all, dear boy,” he answered. “As long as you’re keeping my sister Fleury safe and happy, that’s all the security I need.”

Oh right, does he know about me dating her and Shining yet? I should probably get this out in the open.

“Um… About Fleur, Fancy,” I said. “There’s something I need to tell you about us. Shining too. It’s… How should I put it?”

“You’re dating the both of them, correct?” Fancy asked.

My body turned cold while my stomach dropped. “H-How did—”

“Fleury told me what she was going to do with you and Shining a few weeks ago,” Fancy interrupted. “Frankly, I had my suspicions about something like this happening since the three of you came to my birthday party. I just didn’t think she’d thought of forming a herd. Speaking of birthdays, may I ask when yours is?”

“Uh… August 17th.”

“Splendid! That’s around the time our trip to the Everglade Meadows is scheduled. Has Fleury told you some of the details to it?”

“Some of it, but hold on, please,” I said with my hands up. “Are you saying you’re alright with me dating Fleur and Shining at the same time? I know how polygamy is a negative discussion among the nobles around here, and from what I heard, you’re like the cream of the crop. Aren’t you against this?”

He shook his head. “Our parents have pounded the idea on us for quite some time now, but… with what I’ve learned from my experience, everything isn’t always black and white. My sister is the only family I have, and as long as she’s happy with the life she’s living right now, that’s all that matters to me. I’ll be keeping your relationship under ropes, of course, and as long as I know you’re taking good care of the girls, I won’t hold anything against you. Basically, you have my blessing, Ozzy Shore.”

“Whoa whoa whoa, you’re saying that like I’m getting hitched with them! We haven’t even known each other for that long yet!”

Fancy chuckled. “You know what I mean. Anyway, Fleur had already told me how the three of you made it official, so I have a little gift for you as my congratulations.” He pulled out a card from his pocket and passed it over to me.

I looked at the card and read aloud. “Mistress Silk’s Magical Pleasure Store and Services?”

“One of the nobles I used to talk to during my charities gave it to me,” Fancy explained. “He probably gave this to me because of how I was still single and may not be ‘taking a load off,’ as you’d say. From what I heard, they have… ‘special’ services and items that one needs on certain occasions. You won’t find the store in the higher class part of the city, I assure you of that.”

“And you’re giving this to me because…?”

“One of the services he mentioned is a spell that allows a stallion to be temporarily infertile for a certain time,” Fancy clarified, making my eyes widen. “From what I could remember, I believe the girls’ heat will be coming around soon, and from how agonizing that could be for a mare for only a week, I don’t think you’d stand by if you could do something about it, would you?”

“Well, if I don’t risk them getting pregnant unless further studies on human and pony reproduction says otherwise, then yes. How effective is this spell, though?”

“Let’s just say from what he had told me about his experiences, he’d practically be swimming in foals if he didn’t get their services. I think you understand why I haven’t talked to him very much since then.”

Yeesh, that sounds like a certain someone I know, scratch that, make that two if I counted Jude’s dating history. At least he’s more considerate to a person’s feelings than Robert, though he does still get tired after a bit and officially calls them off before moving on. Then again, that’s probably better than Robert just seeing multiple girls without any of them knowing. Ugh, I’m feeling conflicted about this subject just thinking about it.

“So you’re giving this to me to have an edge to help the girls in their most unpleasant of times?” I asked to clarify.

“Indeed. They also concoct potions that will keep you going for a time as well from what I heard, so I say take advantage of the services as you can. Within reason, of course.”

“Wow, well, thanks for this, Fancy. I’ll have to let the girls know about it. If you don’t mind me asking, though, how come you’re not seeing anyone?”

“… I’m rather busy lately, and I just don’t feel ready to settle down quite yet, but enough of that. Now, about the trip to the Meadows.”

[Present, 6:15 p.m.]

We then discussed the plans for the trip they’ll all be taking to the summer cottage. I told him what Fleur had told me, so there wasn’t much to add on into it except that since my birthday’s in that same week, we might as well celebrate it while we’re there. I questioned if it was okay, considering this was a family outing thing to visit their late parents, but he pretty much insisted. All that mattered then was for me to see Shining’s family since they’ll be coming along as well, and I did have to admit going on a trip with a couple people I don’t even know would be kind of awkward. So I put visiting Shining’s family down under my list of priorities.

I pulled out the business card Fancy gave me from my wallet and took in the design of the card that had passionate, lustful colors. Not only was there the name of the business and the building’s times of opening, but there was a phone number next to the name “Silk,” along with a list of dates and times she’s available at the store. Appointments in which she could visit the client’s home were available as well. I could only assume she wasn’t the only pony who works in the shop, and if one of their services included that, I can only imagine how much they actually charge somepony for even an hour of their time. I’m rather surprised this kind of business is even allowed in Equestria, as I remembered a vague memory of how such a thing was illegal in most of the states.

I’ll have to bring this up to the girls at some point soon. I’m not exactly sure how they’d perform the infertility spell on me, but they should at least know about it.

I put the card back in my wallet and looked back up in the sky. I had lunch after I left Fancy’s mansion, and I mostly walked around while I thought of what’s going to happen at the week of the trial until I came to the park. I had to wonder, how often does someone forgive another for something so cruel? Rape? Murder? Abuse? It’s usually the extremes like these that would usually be considered ‘unforgivable,’ but is it really impossible to forgive? Difficult, yes, but not impossible. If it was possible, that means I could forgive Mascara for her attempt at raping me, my dad for neglecting me during my growth, and Robert for nearly killing me because I called the cops on his drug dealings.

There’s so much to think about. Maybe it’s best if I take this one case at a time. Let’s start off with Mascara. In summary, she called Fleur in for a meeting in hopes of seducing me, and if what she said was true, make me her new secretary while at the same time giving Fleur a spot in the Fall design line commercial. Now, it’s true that I wasn’t the first person she handled in such a manner. Clearly, she could seduce any stallion she saw fit to fill her cravings. Even if I turned down the offer, she could always seek someone else, maybe give one of her past clients a call to come to her office later. Heck, there’s a chance she could run into another human male she could have her way with. She seemed like an intelligent enough mare to think that far ahead, or she wouldn’t even be the CEO of a company in the first place.

So why was she so desperate in getting me to the point of attempted rape? Did I gain that much attention from her compared to other stallions working with other models? Was me being human really the only reason why she wanted me so much? Had she even looked into my resume somewhere to consider hiring me as her secretary? The more I’m asking myself these questions, the more I think this case doesn’t have anything to do with me. Strange. If that were the case, then why did she do it? What was it about me that’s different compared to the stallions she saw before me (besides being a different species)? How long had she been doing this? How many stallions had she been with? Have any of them ever…

My eyes slowly widened as I thought that last question over repeatedly. That question, might just be the key that locked everything together. I needed this confirmed, and I can only go to one pony in particular to answer for me.

A ring suddenly made me jump, interrupting my thoughts. I reached for my phone that was making the noise and answered. “Hello?”

“Good evening, Oz.”

“Oh hey Silver. What’s up?”

“It’s almost time for our drinks. I just want to call and see where you are so I can pick you up.”

Whoa, that much time has passed already?

“I’m at Canterlot Park,” I answered.

“Splendid! That’s actually a few blocks away from the pub we’re going to.”

“Oh, then should I just meet you there?”

“If it’s not too much trouble. The place is called The Empty Barrel, and it should be right next to a few other themed restaurants.”

“Alright, I’ll look for it and see you there then.”

“Perfect.”

“Just one question, though.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know if the place has a phone book I could use?”

[Meanwhile, Shining’s POV, 6:15 p.m.]

“I see, so you’ve found this place because Charles sent you the address,” Fleur said.

Jude, Fleur, and I were having leftovers from last night’s dinner in the living room, warmed up thanks to what the humans call a ‘microwave’. I couldn’t help but think that such technology affected the taste of the food in some way before it was stuck in, but I could always ask Ozzy about it later. When the three of us got inside, I’d forgotten I left the book I was reading on the dining table, and from how this Jude was behaving, I’d rather not have him get any funny ideas. So I hid it in one of the kitchen cupboards as a last-minute resort before he even noticed.

“That’s right,” Jude said before taking another bite. “He came to my place first since he found it was the last home Ozzy lived in before moving out, and as soon as I had gotten word of his old man kicking the bucket, I had to ask him if he could give me his new address once he found it. As soon as I got it, I scheduled some vacation time back at my work for two weeks, got verified to go into Equestria, and here I am.”

“Wait, Ozzy had told us it took him two months to get everything settled before he moved into Equestria,” I pointed out. “How did you get in with half of that time?”

“It doesn’t take as long if you’re just visiting as a tourist,” he answered. “You just needed a passport stamped for approving interdimensional travel, and as long as you aren’t staying in Equestria for too long, you’re good to go. You still need a clean to decent criminal record to get it, though, so I’m just glad the only thing I was charged for in my life was speeding.”

“Speeding?” Fleur asked.

“Driving a car way over the speed limit? Has Ozzy told you about cars?”

“Uh, no, he hasn’t,” I answered.

But from the looks of this guy, I wouldn’t be surprised he ran into the police for at least once in his life.

“I’ll tell you about them later,” Jude continued. “So anyway, after I vomited from the trip, I checked in at the nearest, most decent hotel I could afford to stay for two weeks, unpacked my things in my room, and went to look for Ozzy’s place soon afterward. Then I ran into you two beauties.” He grinned and gave a wink at us.

“Okay, we could make do without the vomit part,” I commented, “but why did you want to see Ozzy so badly? He didn’t really tell us much about you until just recently.”

“I told you before, didn’t I? He’s one of my bestest buddies, even if he doesn’t feel the same way.” Jude shrugged. “I know I have pushed his buttons sometimes, and he can be a little distant, but from the three years he lived with me, he turned out to be one of the nicest guys I’ve known who’s been in a similar situation as I experienced.” He looked to the side with his smile disappearing. “I knew a little about what happened with his dad and older brother. I had some rough times with my own family, but I definitely didn’t have it as bad as he did. It’s sort of a miracle he’s still here today.”

“I know what you mean,” Fleur mumbled.

“I wasn’t sure how soon Ozzy would have gotten the news, but I needed to see if he was doing okay,” he continued. “Being a stick in the mud on the side, he’s an all-around good guy. He also needed to learn how to lighten up sometimes from how serious he was, too. So I decided to do it in the best way I knew how.”

“Which I’m assuming is that ‘charm’ you used on us earlier?” I asked.

“You got it, sweet cheeks,” he answered before taking a few more bites from his food.

I can certainly see why Ozzy would be so conflicted in talking about someone like Jude, especially to me. It’s a wonder how he was able to put up with all of it for three years.

“Man, this is delicious,” Jude said. “Did you two get this from a take-out somewhere?”

“Nope. I made it myself,” Fleur said with a smile. I whipped my head to her with widened eyes.

“No way, that’s impossible. You’re a terrible cook, and this is…”

“Scrumptious, I know,” she finished with a grin. “Don’t believe me? Talk to Ozzy. He guided me through the whole way and we ate it while watching movies last night.”

“That’s one thing I missed about Ozzy not being around,” Jude commented. “He may have shown me a few things, but his cooking tops even my own mom.”

“So what kind of place did you and Ozzy live?” Fleur asked. “He mentioned he grew up in… Ill-a-noy before moving out. Was your home far away from there?”

“It’s a bit of a distance, but not too far,” Jude answered. “A six-hour drive from there was our apartment in Lincoln, Nebraska. He had an office job while I worked as a bartender, and it was just the two of us living there most of the time.”

“Most of the time?” I repeated.

“Well I’ve seen a quite a few people back home,” he clarified. “Sometimes I bring someone over to our place and we finish the night off there, on a good note of course.”

Oh dear Luna.

“So we aren’t the first you’ve tried that ‘red string of fate’ thing on earlier?” Fleur asked with a raised brow.

“I’m surprised you actually took that seriously. Maybe that’s why those other mares earlier reacted a similar way. I was trying to get you girls to laugh.”

“With all due respect, Jude, if that was your idea of a joke, if I hadn’t met Ozzy before you came along—”

“Shiny,” Fleur interrupted with a furrowed brow.

“I didn’t use the exact same thing before you two, but trust me as I say that shit worked plenty enough back home,” he said. “I think the mares around this side of Canterlot just don’t have a sense of humor, mostly the spiffy dressed ones, though. I got a number from one casually dressed mare at the hotel. Maybe it’s just that the classes around here differ in sense of humor. Still, I guess I could see why Ozzy would fit into a place like this, and even if you’re his manager, Shiny, I could also see that you might be his type.”

I blinked a few times as I tried to process what Jude just told me before answering. “Okay, first, only Fleur here can call me Shiny. You will refer to me as Shining, thank you very much. Second, what was that about me being his type?”

Although, it would be nice to hear Ozzy call me ‘Shiny’ once in a while, too. Maybe I should bring it up to him at some point.

“What do I mean by you being his type, let’s see…” Jude set the plate down, crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and hummed. “Based on what I’ve seen from your first impression so far, you have that way of doing things seriously like he does, and may take your job just as so. That’s a few things you two have in common. Aside from being brash, you do have that attraction from being intelligent, but that could just be from you wearing glasses. Finally, along with being cute, from what I can see about your body, you definitely fit into what I call the ‘boobielicious’ category of girls. Wait, but Ozzy’s more of an ass man, isn’t he? Yeah, I can see how he could be into yours, but probably more in size while Fleur here has an edge with her perkiness. The way she walks especially adds into the allure, too.

“Actually, Fleur might be good for Ozzy as well. She was chiller with how we met earlier, and I kind of liked that. Open, definitely attractive in looks, and like her rack and trunk, quite perky. Ozzy needs some positive energy in his life, and I can practically feel hers all the way over here. I can also see her urging him to have a good time while trying to relax a little, and if they get that far together, he’s definitely in for a night of fun, and possible romance. And that is Jude Wesley’s Sexy Girl Report, Equestrian Edition. You can pick up my phone number on your way out.” Jude stood up and gave a bow with a smile, leaving me and Fleur speechless and red in the faces. He then sat back down with a sigh. “But that’s just hypothetical, though. I don’t know if Ozzy sees ponies here as attractive as human women and is basically a Furry in a closet. Oh man, the outbreak I heard from them when a world of anthro ponies was found. That was a conversation starter.”

“Uhh…” Fleur said. I leaned in close to her and whispered.

“Seriously, can I smack him just this once? I’m not even sure if he’s here for Ozzy alone. And come on, ‘boobielicious’? Who the fuck would even say that to a mare up front like that?!”

“While I do agree it’s a crude term, he does have a point with them,” Fleur commented in a whisper. “I mean you even used them to give him a boobjob, remember?”

“Well yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’d like my breasts to be addressed in such a fashion from a total stranger. Also, did he just told me my butt looks big earlier?”

Fleur shrugged and turned back to Jude who was finishing eating his food. “You seem so sure about your ‘evaluations,’ Jude. How could you know that when you’ve just met us?”

“When you bartend and talk to a lot of people, you pick up on a few things, but they don’t always stick once I really get to know them. I actually didn’t like Ozzy for a while because I thought he was a cranky asshole for the first month and a half. Even when he was decent enough to pay his half of the bills, we hardly ever talked and he basically did his own thing like I didn’t exist.”

That’s interesting. He wasn’t nearly as cold when he talked to us for the first few days he worked with us. Does he just treat boys differently than girls like I did before?

“So what made you change your idea on him?” Fleur asked with a raised brow.

“He got beaten up by even bigger assholes when they were about to go at it with me one night.”

Our eyes widened as we processed what he just said.

“Yeah, I was a little buzzed that time, but I was as shocked as you two are when he came up like that, especially when it was three against one. He put up a good fight, surprisingly, but he didn’t walk away without a scratch, I can tell you that much. We were just lucky the police weren’t around to get involved.”

“Why did he protect you like that?” I asked.

“I asked him the same thing after I took him home and treated his wounds,” Jude said. “All he said was ‘I wasn’t going to stand by when someone’s about to get hurt right in front of me. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I did for so long, and I don’t ever want to end up like someone I knew who could’ve stopped it.’ Then, he went to bed without another word. The next morning he called in sick for a few days to heal, and went on like nothing happened. After that, I had to rethink my thoughts about him.”

I suddenly remembered what I’ve known about Ozzy’s past. When he mentioned ‘someone I knew who could’ve stopped it’, I knew immediately he was referring to his dad, at least before he saw the will a few days ago.

I guess for someone who’d been in fights a lot, it makes sense to have that way of thinking.

“So after a bit, I figured I’d treat him to a drink or two as a thanks for helping me out,” Jude continued. “I introduced him to some of my buddies at the bar I worked, and they welcomed him with open arms. I could tell he wasn’t comfortable at first, but tried to go along to with it to not make himself look rude. I guess that’s when I knew he wasn’t an asshole, but just someone who didn’t know how to connect to other people, maybe even anxious to do it. So I tried to get closer to him from there to help out, and that’s when we became best buds, or at least in my point of view. He still got wound up at times, but he was slowly opening himself up to others. If that isn’t a good sign of improvement, then I don’t know what is.”

“I just have one question, Jude,” Fleur asked. “About those guys who were going to attack you, why would they do that? Did you somehow hook up with one of their girlfriends by accident?”

He chuckled a little. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case. Some just can’t get enough of me. But no, it wasn’t anything like that…” Suddenly, for the first time since we saw him, he grimaced and looked to the side while holding his arms tightly. “No, it was completely different. I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh… Of course we don’t. I apologize for bringing it up,” Fleur said.

I didn’t think whatever it was could be so personal to not bring up from this guy. I guess even someone like him still has some insecurities.

“It’s fine, you didn’t know.” He waved, took a sigh, and looked back up to us. “Anyway, you’ve heard enough about my side of things. What about you two? What exactly do you do with Ozzy?”

“Well as I’ve mentioned before, I’m Ozzy’s and Fleur’s manager,” I said. “I get Fleur appointments with other companies while Ozzy keeps track of them all in an agenda with other activities and events, plus notes of what they’re looking for from her.”

“Huh, and what kind of business are you three even doing? It sounds like it all depends on Fleur’s success.”

“We’re in the modeling business,” Fleur answered with a smile.

“WHAT?!” Jude exclaimed. “Are you telling me I’m sitting in the same room as a model?!”

“A supermodel, to be specific,” Fleur answered with a smug.

“Very well-known, I might add,” I said while matching Fleur’s expression. “Been in almost every fashion magazine that exists in Equestria at least once, and even won awards for it.”

“So that means… he sees you and others around doing this while in that and… That slimy bastard! He’s seeing more girls in their underwear at once than me! Maybe even nothing at all, and they aren’t even human! Has he even hooked up with one of them?!”

“Mm, none that I know of,” Fleur said. “He actually respects the other models quite well and one of the most professional males I’ve ever worked with. And before you ask, yes, he has seen me in many outfits, including nothing at all.” Her voice suddenly turned husky from there. “The first photo shoot he ever saw all of me in was for a soap advertisement, and he got to watch me wash myself very slowly, all while under hot, steamy water running down my body.”

Uh, Fleur? I think you’re pushing it a little too far. Jude’s practically shaking in his seat. Though I do have to admit seeing him riled up like this is more fulfilling than a slap to the face.

“That lucky son of a bitch,” Jude muttered. “He’s gonna have a word with me once I see him.”

“He won’t be coming back for a while tonight,” I commented. “He actually got a hold of his dad’s will just recently, and he’s taking today to think things over.”

“I see.” Jude sighed and scratched his head. “Still a little peeved about the score he hit, but that isn’t the main issue going on right now. What else happened while he was here?”

We then gave him a concise description of what went on since Ozzy came to Equestria. From saving Fleur’s life, all the way up to the point he got the will, including the upcoming trial with Mascara. We left out his nightmares, his meeting with Claire, the content of the will, our personal things we shared with Ozzy, and our relationship. One reason we did so was because they seemed like something Ozzy himself should talk to him about when he was ready, and the other was about how much shit our poor boyfriend might deal with if Jude found out that he’s dating the both of us.

“Dude… That totally blows,” Jude said. “For a place that’s so colorful, I didn’t think something that dark could happen here, especially with magic being used that way.”

“I think Ozzy might have thought the same thing for a bit,” Fleur said before taking a sip of her water. “Shiny had her suspicions, but it was a surprise for all of us what transpired that day.” She looked down with ears folded. “I’ve never seen him that afraid before. He was so vulnerable with what was on the line, and with Mascara having magic, I can’t even begin to fathom what might have happened if we got there later than we did.”

“He’s getting help from a therapist, though,” I added in. “He’s also taking anti-depressants to help with his recovery as well. What I’m worried about though is how he will act when he’s in the same room as Mascara again during the trial. There will be guards to watch over, sure, but…”

“I hear ya,” Jude said. “I saw him taking those meds back on Earth for a while, too. I didn’t think he’d take them again for something like this. Hmm… I’m not sure how he’s taking this with his dad’s death right now, and I think he wants a break from these surprises for a while. Would it be best if I left him alone for a couple more days and get back to him later?”

If Ozzy’s meeting with Jude is anything like that time with Claire, I wouldn’t blame him wanting to settle down from the surprises.

“I’m sure he’d be glad to see you, Jude, but I think some space is just what he needs right now,” Fleur said.

“In that case, could you not let him know I was here?” Jude asked. “I think he’d rather not have something else occupying his mind knowing I’m around. I’ll be staying in Canterlot for two weeks, so I’m going to make my vacation time useful and see what this place has to offer. If for some reason I bump into Ozzy by accident, I’ll just go with the flow from there.”

“Sounds good to us. Could you give us your phone number in case we need to call you for anything?” Fleur asked.

“Of course.”

With a pink aura surrounding Fleur’s horn and hand, she levitated a notepad and pen from the kitchen and placed it on Jude’s hand, whose eyes were widened from seeing her display of magic.

“So that’s unicorn magic, huh? Neat,” he commented. Jude then quickly wrote down the number on the notepad and passed it with the pen back to me. “If nothing comes up, I’ll check back in a week. That okay with you two?”

“Sure,” I said.

Jude then stood up and stretched. “Well thanks for the awesome food. It was nice meeting you two, despite starting off on the wrong foot… Or hoof, in this case. Hope we’ll be able to get along later. I’ll even treat you to some drinks with my amazing bartending skills.”

“That would be nice,” Fleur said with a smile. “And a bit of advice as a local; if you’re looking for new ponies to talk to, you may be better off starting with the West side of Canterlot. They’re more casual over there compared to over here; otherwise, you should probably think about wearing something sharper.”

Jude looked himself over and grabbed the hems of his jacket before chuckling. “Yeah, I get ya. Thanks.” He walked over to the front door, turned back to us, and grinned. “Until next time, I bid you lovely ladies adieu,” he said with a bow before opening the door and left.

The two of us groaned and rubbed our temples once the coast was clear. “So what do you think, Shiny?” Fleur asked.

“I can’t make heads or tails out of him,” I said. “Clearly, he’s objective and quite annoying, but it also seems like he cares for Ozzy’s well-being. I was this close to smacking him once, maybe twice for those crude remarks towards me.” I pinched a piece of air the size of a pea, making my point.

“Well if Ozzy’s okay with him around once he knows about it, we may just have to tolerate it.” Fleur shrugged. “I was actually wondering about him having any guy friends close to his age to spend time with, and as of right now, Jude’s the only likely candidate to play the part, at least for a bit. We’ll just have to hope that Ozzy asks him to take his so-called ‘jokes’ to a minimum once they meet.”

“I hear that.” I stretched and yawned before rubbing my eyes under my glasses. “Anyway, we get back to work tomorrow, so if Ozzy doesn’t end up coming home before ten, we’ll have to text him and see how he’s doing. You mind if I spend the night here?”

“Of course not. There’s a change of clothes for you in the closet to wear to work for tomorrow, so we’ll just relax for the rest of the evening until he gets home.”

“I’m down with that.”

We washed and put away the dirty plates before we settled on the couch to watch some T.V. As we browsed the channels to see what good shows were on, a scene of a cartoon that had bipedal animals in a secret agent facility brought something Jude mentioned in my mind.

“Hey, what do you think the word ‘Furry’ means back on Earth?”

[Ozzy’s POV, 8:45 p.m.]

“Wow, I didn’t know about that. I’m sorry for your loss,” I said.

Silver and I were on the booth in The Empty Barrel, having our second mug of hard cider with some food we just finished. I told him about how I was dealing with the news of my dad’s death along with my relationship with him and Robert. He was very attentive throughout my explanation, only taking a moment to either ask a question or take a sip of his cider as I talked. When I got to the end of it and asked him for his opinion on the matter, he told me something of a similar experience he had that Fleur and Shining hadn’t told me about, and actually answered a few questions that had been lingering on my mind for a while.

Turns out he had an older brother who also drove for Fleur’s family named Sturdy Wheel. Sturdy would be in charge of driving Fleur’s parents to places they needed to go while Silver would do the same with her and Fancy. They had worked together long before they were hired to be personal drivers, but even with their partnership, there were times when they get into an argument or squabble like most siblings would (but not to an extreme like me and Robert of course).

One day, they both fell in love with a mare, and when they found out each other’s feelings for her, their usual squabbles escalated to the point they feud at one another. The mare left after a while, but their rivalry still continued for quite some time to the point they stopped talking to each other, avoiding any contact whatsoever while doing their jobs.

Everything changed for Silver after that dreadful day. Sturdy was driving Fleur’s parents to a town over the mountains for another business meeting. The railroads were still in development during that time, and they didn’t reach their destination until much later. As Sturdy drove Fleur’s parents along the mountainside, there was an unfortunate rockslide during a storm. The three were reported missing in less than a week, and their bodies along with what was left of the carriage were found not too long after.

“Fancy, Fleur, and Shining attended their funeral with their own friends and families two weeks after their bodies were found,” Silver continued. “I was also there, of course. When I walked up to what used to be my brother in that coffin, I thought back to why we were so spiteful of each other. I found it so ridiculous to fuss over by then, and all that had done was made me regret that we had never mended our broken ties. Our fights aside, we really did have our good moments, and I loved my brother. I think he may have felt the same way.” He took a few big sips of his cider and turned to me. “When you watched the video your father gave you, how did you feel when you found out he had his own regrets for raising you and Robert the way he did?”

How did I feel? I was so overwhelmed during that time, I didn’t really think about it.

“I guess I’m still trying to wrap my head around it,” I answered. “I mean, it looked like his feelings were genuine, but I just wished he realized it so much sooner.”

“I’m sure he must have felt the same way,” Silver commented. “We all wished things would be different in the past at one point or another. What if I had done this? What if he did that? What could she have done during that time? We can keep asking ourselves these questions, but no matter what, we can’t change what has already been done.” He swirled his mug as he gazed at the amber liquid. “I think what matters now is what we already have in the present, and what we could do in the future. What happens from there is each person’s responsibility—pony, human, and other species alike—and the possibilities for what happens next is infinite. Even the smallest things could change the outcome for not only you, but for everyone else around you.” He glanced back towards me. “Tell me, Oz, even with all that’s happened to you, are you glad to be where you are right now? That you’re here in Equestria, meeting me, Fleur, Shining, Fancy, Bubbles, and everybody else?”

“I don’t know where I’d be right now if I hadn’t,” I answered. “When I think about it, if things did change in the past, would I still meet the girls? Would Fleur still even be here if I hadn’t saved her from that runaway carriage? Would Shining still despise stallions the way she did before? Maybe even more than ever? It’s true that my life sucked ass in the past, but if someone asked me if I could go back to change it…” I looked up to Silver with a small smile. “If it meant I’ll meet Fleur, Shining, you, and everyone else all over again, I wouldn’t even change a thing.”

“I understand.” He held up his half-empty mug with a small smile. “A toast to the future. Whatever may come, let’s cherish what we have today, and hope they’ll stay with us for the times later on.”

“Amen to that,” I agreed before we clinked our mugs and downed the rest of our cider. We sighed once we finished, almost refreshed from our drinks.

“Well, I think I had enough for one night,” Silver said as he stood up. “I’m still sober and awake enough. Shall I drive you back home?”

“I’d like to stay here a bit longer and think,” I answered. “I’ll walk back home when I’m ready.”

“Very well then.”

“Thanks a lot for the talk, and for treating me to the drinks.”

“It was a pleasure, Oz. We’ll have to do it again sometime.” Silver took out the required bits to pay for his food and the drinks, and shook my hand with a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Try not to stay out too late, now.”

“I won’t. See you then,” I replied with a small smile of my own before he walked out of the pub.

I asked the bartender for a glass of ice water and took a few big gulps. I sighed and spun my glass on the booth table as I thought about everything Silver and I talked about.

Looks like there’s a lot of stuff to think over after the trial, I thought. I guess the big question right now is what I’ll do when that time comes. I could take action on it soon afterwards, but a lot of stuff has happened already, and it’s only been about a month since I moved here, at least. Maybe I should—

“Is this seat taken?” a voice asked.

“Nah. Go ahead,” I answered without looking up.

Maybe I should just focus on settling down in Equestria for a while until I’m adjusted enough. Not to mention I’m dating two girls now, and I’d like to—

“Aren’t you that Ozzy guy who’s been on the news lately?” the same voice asked again. “Runaway carriage, morning after broadcast, Mascara, those things?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” I answered while still staring at my glass. “Gotta admit, I didn’t think I’d be on the news that many times in my life, to be honest. It’s calm right now, but I’m still not used to having such facts be made public.”

The guy next to me sighed. “I guess that settles it, then. Not sure why it’s you, but I’ve never seen Fleur so happy before I fucked up…”

What the? What’s he…

I slowly turned to finally see the man—or stallion in this case—that’s been talking to me the last few moments. Memories started to flash back in my head as I looked at him.

Well he’s a pegasus for one thing. He has yellow fur, white spiked mane and tail, amber eyes…

Each characteristic I remembered matched the guy’s description, and with him only wearing a tank top (his brown jacket sitting on a vacant stool next to him), I could see the last piece that put everything together.

And if he’s in little enough clothing, he has a pair of sunglasses with light reflecting on its lenses as his cutie mark.

“You…”

The pegasus turned to me and gave a small, but forced tight-lipped smile.

“The name’s Solar Flare. A pleasure to finally meet you in person, Ozzy Shore.”

Author's Notes:

... I'll just leave the chapter like this. Until next time,

This is Dudeler, signing off.

P.S. For the beautiful people who love cliffhangers.