Two days have passed since my stay at Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s house. Nothing has really changed much, but I’m not being rudely awakened anymore. Spitfire got tired of dumping water on me and ended up getting me an alarm clock. The only downside to having the alarm clock is that I don’t know how to use it. Spitfire set the alarm so I would wake up early enough to eat breakfast and join them in their training sessions. I’ve also taken the time looking around Canterlot for any kind of job.

During my job search, though, I found a flyer for one of Vinyl’s parties. I only met the mare a few times, along with her roommate, Octavia. I wondered exactly how they could stand living together since Vinyl was such a party mare and Octavia seemed like she was part of some criminal organization. Either way, it seemed like they were getting along well. The last thing I heard about them was that they were looking for a third roommate. I really should go to that party because I could use that time to relax.

Thinking back as well, I should probably check on Lyra. Even with her human obsession, she isn’t that bad of a mare. She lives with her marefriend, Bon Bon, at her candy shop called Sweetie Drops. Last thing I heard from Lyra was that she was going to confess her plans for the two of them to get married. I hoped that Bon Bon would accept her confession because those two always looked so happy together.

I actually would be doing a lot of this if it wasn’t raining outside. Actually, that isn’t even true. I’m still willing to go, but the two mares didn’t want me going out with all the rain. Spitfire and Fleetfoot were sitting on the couch while I just stared out the front window. Seeing the two mares were distracted with their reading, I grabbed an umbrella and quietly opened the front door. I wasn’t planning on heading for the train station, but I wanted to enjoy some of the weather. Stepping outside, I could see why the mares told me to wait on heading out to see some of my friends.

The rainfall was pretty heavy so the train wouldn’t be going anywhere for the day. Taking a seat at a nearby chair, I opened my umbrella and looked out at the city. The sight of the gray city would seem gloomy to most people, but I found it quite relaxing. Listening to the pitter patter of the rain all around me helped to ease my mind. I enjoyed rainy days like this as it would always allow me ample time to think. The smell of the rainfall brought back pleasant memories of when I would play with my friends back home.

I was too distracted with my own memories that I didn’t hear, or even notice a certain golden mare walk out. The only thing that brought me to her presence was when she poked at my leg. I looked down to see the mare looking up at me with a confused expression. Her mane was flattened because of the rain and I offered her the umbrella. She took the offered item as I enjoyed the cool feeling of the water against my skin. I heard a few wing beats from the mare, before she settled on the chair next to me. Silence filled the space between us, the two of us just looking at the city in front.

A couple minutes of this peaceful silence passed before Spitfire finally spoke up. “Any reason why you came out here?”

I gave a slight raise of my brow as I looked at the mare. Out of the few times that I’ve spoken with her, this was the first time her question seemed genuine. I gave a small shrug of my shoulders as I answered. “Just came out here to enjoy this weather.”

Spitfire turned towards me, her brow raised in confusion. “What’s so great about this weather? It’s gloomy, depressing, and nopony is really doing anything.” Spitfire gave a small pout as she went back to looking out at the city.

The two of us sat in silence again, the sound of rain hitting the ground was the only noise that filled the empty space. Spitfire could have left whenever she wanted, she could even leave with the umbrella if she wanted. I was starting to get soaked from all the rain, but I was glad for the relaxing feel of the water. I closed my eyes, breathing lightly as I let my mind wander again. I thought back to my three oldest friends. Will, Chris, and Maurice were the first friends I ever made, and we were closer than most others.

I was pulled from my trip down memory lane when I heard the door open. Spitfire and I looked at the door to see Fleetfoot coming out. She looked at both Spitfire and me, and without saying anything, she took a seat next to her friend. She stared at the gray city with us, listening to the calming rain.

Fleetfoot turned towards me as she spoke. “So, what are we doing out here?”

“Mark found it relaxing out here and I wanted to make sure he didn’t end up getting sick. I don’t have time to nurse him back to health since we’re so busy,” Spitfire answered.

I knew the small peace that Spitfire and I had was going to be short-lived. At least the moment was nice while it lasted. I didn’t say anything as I went back to relaxing in the rain. The two mares were silently talking to each other while I just leaned my head back. My mind went back to the last time I was with my friends, and I was glad that it was a good memory. The four of us were just out in the town, going to see a late night movie.

I was pulled from my thoughts again when I felt a hoof prodding against my side. “Hey, Mark, how come you like the rain?”

I scratched my chin in thought, trying to think of the best answer. There were hundreds of reasons on why I liked rainy weather, and the next reason I would think of was better than the last. Going through the multiple answers, I decided on one that probably made the most sense. “It just reminds me of the things I did with my friends.”

Spitfire handed the umbrella to Fleetfoot so she could turn towards me fully. “What exactly could you and your friends do in this situation?” Spitfire gestured towards the rain covered city.

I gave a shrug of my shoulders as I stared at the gray clouds. “It’s a silly thing, but we would go out and try to find a rainbow.” This earned me a confused look from both mares.

Fleetfoot spoke up as she turned in her seat to face me. “Why would you go looking for a rainbow?”

“We just thought they were cool looking. Seeing the sun reflect through the moisture in the clouds, making seven colors arc through the sky, it was truly beautiful.” I gave a huge smile as I thought back to chasing a rainbow.

I heard a gentle flap of wings, and the rain that was soaking my body ceased. Fleetfoot was closer to me, the umbrella she was holding covering all three of us. She had a slightly nervous look as she spoke. “I guess you might get this a lot, but what were your friends like?”

“Their names were Will, Chris, and Maurice. We’ve been together since we were children, and I was surprised to see us stay so close, until,” I gestured to everything around me, a small bit of anger beginning to form. “Until all of this happened.”

“What was the last thing you did with them before ending up here?” Fleetfoot asked with slight concern.

I gave out a big sigh at having to recall my last memory on Earth. “We went to see a cheesy horror movie that was playing. The theater was doing a special showing of the first four Paranormal Activities before showing the fifth one. It was as bad as we expected, but then again, horror movies aren’t what they used to be.” I let out another sigh, letting silence fill the space between us.

“What happened after that?” Spitfire asked, listening closely to my story.

I adjusted myself on the seat, getting comfortable so I wouldn’t have pain later. “After that, we headed to our old hangout. It was an Italian restaurant we loved, and after we ate, we all left on our separate ways. I was halfway to my apartment when everything went dark. Next thing that happened was that I woke up here. You know the rest after that, I’m sure.” I left out a few things, but what I did remember really didn’t make me comfortable to share with the two mares.

I was a little surprised when I saw a golden hoof gently pat my shoulder. “The explanation was brief, but we could fill in some of the blanks.” I was certain that I saw her give a genuine smile for the first time.

I was pulled from my moment of happiness at getting Spitfire to be nice when Fleetfoot cut in. “Hey, Mark, would you like a job?”

“I kind of would, but most of the places I visit just aren’t hiring.” I gave a dejected sigh as I thought back to the last twenty places that turned me down.

Fleetfoot smiled as she placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Well, how about you become our assistant?” I had never seen Spitfire turn around so fast.

The golden mare’s jaw was open, her eyes wide as she stared at her friend. It seemed like the idea of me being her assistant wasn’t very well liked as her surprise turned into a pout. I was certain that if I wasn’t near them, she would have very choice words about what her friend offered. Fleetfoot seemed to have noticed her friend’s stare, but didn’t say anything as she patiently waited for my answer. I have thought about seeing if I could work as something for the two mares, but it just didn’t seem right. The only problem I saw with working under the two mares was payment.

Fleetfoot took notice of my hesitance, her voice taking a reassuring tone. “If you’re worried about payment, you don’t need to worry about it. We won’t be able to pay you, but the two of us have enough income to support all three of us. Your payment for working for us would be allowing you to stay here.”

I rubbed my chin in thought as I pondered her explanation. From what I’ve gathered between these few days, the mares do have a pretty steady income. I also have been kind of mooching off of them without really doing anything to at least earn my keep. Sure, I’ve kept the house clean and made a few meals, but that would at best only cover a part of my expenses.

I gave a small sigh before turning towards the mare, a smile on my face. “I’ll accept your offer.”

Spitfire’s eyes went wide as she looked at me. Not only did she probably have choice words for Fleetfoot, but now she probably had a few for me. I watched as Spitfire opened and closed her mouth a few times before giving a slight shake of her head. The golden mare jumped off her seat, heading back inside. Fleetfoot and I gave each other a quick glance before following after Spitfire. I caught a glimpse of Spitfire’s fiery tail as she rounded the corner upstairs. I looked towards Fleetfoot, who gestured for me to take a seat.

I nodded as I watched the mare retreat upstairs. Once she was out of sight, I walked over to the couch and took my seat. I looked at the two books that were placed on the coffee table. They were a couple of cheesy romance novels that I could probably get a good laugh at. I placed the books back on the coffee table as I lounged on the couch. The sound of the rain hitting the window filled the empty space as I closed my eyes. My body started to relax and I was sure I could get some rest before I had to cook lunch.

Sadly, my peaceful rest was disturbed when I heard a loud crash from upstairs. My eyes shot wide open as I jumped to my feet. My brain was still trying to process what might be going on upstairs, but I was already moving for the stairs. I was skipping every other step, trying to reach the mares’ room as fast as I could. Once at the top, I made my turn too sharp, causing me to slide into the wall. I slammed against the floor after making contact with the wall. A loud thud could be heard around the house, and the door to Spitfire’s room opened.

I cracked one eye open to see the two mares looking at me with raised brows. I chuckled lightly as I rolled onto my back. The mares moved closer as I stared at the ceiling, the pain from my fall keeping me from getting up. Spitfire was the first to come into my view, her eyebrow raised in confusion. Fleetfoot came up next, her face showing a mix of confusion and worry. After giving a small smile to the two mare, I went back to staring at the ceiling.

Fleetfoot’s voice pulled my attention back to them as she spoke softly. “Are you okay, Mark?”

I gave a warm laugh as I shrugged my shoulders. “Kind of hurt my back, but everything else seems to be okay.”

“What exactly caused this to happen?” Spitfire asked as she gestured to my prone form.

“I heard a loud crash from up here and I tried to come up and make sure everything was okay.” I looked at the two mares. “Is everything okay?”

Fleetfoot went to answer, but was swiftly cut off by Spitfire. “Everything’s fine. A few things fell from my bookshelf and ended up breaking a picture.”

There were times that I was glad when I hung out with Applejack, even though it was hard to always tell the truth around that mare. Thanks to being around her for a decent amount of time, I was able to see subtle signs when a pony was lying. I wasn’t entirely great at it, since most ponies were really good at hiding the truth, but I was able to see her upturned desk in her room to show that she was lying. I could only assume that she lied about what really happened because she didn’t want to talk about it, and I decided to leave it at that.

“Well, I’m glad that you’re all okay,” I said as I smiled at them.

Fleetfoot gently pushed her friend to the side as she offered me her hoof. “Thanks for the concern. Now follow us.”

I shook my head as I tried to figure out what she was trying to say. “Follow you where?”

Fleetfoot didn’t stop her stride, making me have to chase after her so I could get an answer. “We’re heading for the castle.”

I raised a brow as I looked at Spitfire, quickly turning back to Fleetfoot. “What’s at the castle?”

I heard Spitfire let out an exasperated sigh as she shook her head at me. “We’re going to the castle so we can fill out the proper paperwork to show that you’re our new assistant. Thankfully, the rain has calmed down enough so we can get there without getting drenched.”

Confused at when the rain possibly could have slowed down, I looked out a nearby window to see that Spitfire was correct. The strong rain had turned into a gentle drizzle, possibly giving us enough time to get to the castle, fill out the paperwork, then come back home. I gave a slight nod to no one in particular, waiting for the mares to get their coats on. I’ve questioned many times why they bothered wearing clothes for rain and cold, but have no problem walking around naked the rest of the time.

That was a question that I regretted forever after hearing Rarity drone on about fashion statements. Twilight made it slightly uncomfortable as she went to ‘teacher’ mode and also explained the sexual appeal to it. Remembering that latter conversation caused my cheeks to tinge a light red before I quickly shook it off. Now that I actually thought about it, I owe Twilight a few samples that she can study. Actually, that could possibly wait. I really didn’t need another pony cupping my balls.

I gave a heavy sigh, really wanting that part of my memory to be pushed into the deepest parts of my mind to never see light again. I was thankfully pulled from my embarrassment when Fleetfoot pressed my leg. I looked at the raincoats that both mares were wearing, and there wasn’t anything really different about them compared to an Earth raincoat. Fleetfoot grabbed the umbrella with a hoof, a feat that still amazed me, and handed it to me. I nodded my thanks to the mare as I walked past her and opened the door.

I gestured for the two mares to head out first and they each gave me a curious look. I completely understood their difference in cultural norms, but I was still human and I was going to do things like I used to, somewhat. Thankfully, neither mare argued about what I was doing and left through the open door. I closed the door behind us, making sure it was locked before opening up my umbrella and following after the mares. The walk to the castle was quiet, and the soft patter of the rain made it very peaceful. It felt kind of weird to use the umbrella since there wasn’t any harsh storm at the moment.

Wanting to enjoy the walk a little more, I closed up the umbrella and let the slow drizzle land on my skin. I shivered a little at the cold feeling of water running across my face, but it helped to bring back pleasant thoughts. I saw the two mares quickly turn their heads away, probably only looking at me to see what I was doing. We made it to the castle quicker than before, but that was only because the mares were trying to get out of the rain. I waved to the two guards stationed outside, and they happily waved back.

I would have stopped to have a small conversation with the guards, but it seemed the mares were really wanting to get this paperwork business finished as fast as possible. Once we were in the castle, a maid trotted up to us and offered to take the umbrella and their raincoats. The mares did a quick shake, splattering me with a little water. The maid seemed to get a good laugh out of it as I gave a small frown. Spitfire and Fleetfoot showed their own enjoyment as they laughed along with the maid.

Their shared laughter lasted longer than I wished it would before the maid gave a final bow and left with our stuff. The two mares continued to laugh for a few more seconds before finally getting themselves under control. With the last of their jitters out, they took to floating in front of me again, probably well aware how much this bothers me. Spitfire and Fleetfoot led me through a part of a castle that I hardly ever walked through. I could tell that I was in the pegasus wing of the castle for new recruits, but I never really got to see what goes on in here.

There were a few new guards hanging around, their looks of curiosity at my presence a dead giveaway. The only thing that surprised me was that they weren’t entirely freaking out about my presence. I assumed that one of the princesses probably had an orientation that talked about my existence here. Some of the new guards were nice as they waved to me, but there were always those few that showed disgust. I happily ignored those guards as the mares led me through a few twists and turns, finally reaching the Wonderbolt office.

Spitfire grabbed a key from a file box that was hanging on the wall. She opened the door and allowed Fleetfoot and myself inside. I looked around the office, and I was actually surprised with its look. From the way the mares looked, even though it’s possible their manes and tails come out messy, I kind of assumed their office space would be an entire mess. The office was actually well kept with papers placed in their proper folders, no dust was collecting anywhere, and their awards were neatly framed behind their desks. Spitfire threw her key on the desk as she opened her filing cabinet, mumbling under her breath as she searched through the many folders stuffed inside.

Fleetfoot jumped behind her desk, pulling open one of her drawers and pulling out a bottle of scotch. She grabbed three glasses and filled up two of them. She looked at me and gestured to the bottle and glass. I wasn’t much of a scotch man, probably not much of a drinker as well, but I could probably use one. I nodded my head and she filled the third glass. She put the cork back into the bottle and passed my drink across her desk. I took the offered shot as she carried over Spitfire’s, the mare giving a small ‘thank you’ before taking the shot. Seeing that she hadn’t even flinched from the drink, I assumed that it was a pretty calm one.

I was so wrong after I took that shot. I almost coughed up a lung at how powerful the scotch was. The drink burned the entire way down my throat, and even with the nice little warm feeling it gave, the burning pain was the only thing I was focused on. Spitfire seemed to get a good laugh from it as she covered her muzzled with a hoof. Fleetfoot gave my back a few final pats before laughing herself. Fleetfoot trotted back to her desk, pulling open another drawer and grabbing a large stack of papers. She let the papers fall to the desk, hitting it with a loud thud as she slammed the drawer closed.

The two mares seemed busy with what they were doing and I decided to take a seat near the door. I wasn’t sure what Spitfire was looking for in her cabinet, but a few glances at the papers Fleetfoot was going through showed they needed to be sorted. Fleetfoot saw me sitting in the chair and cut her stack in half. She placed the stack on her back, carrying it with great balance to make sure none of the papers fell. Once the pegasus was in front of me, she took the papers off of her back and placed them in front of my feet.

“Mark, I assume you know your way around the castle, correct?” Fleetfoot asked as she placed a hoof on the paper stack.

“Yeah, I’ve been in the castle long enough to know where everything is.” Spitfire gave a sharp snort at my answer, mumbling something under her breath. I could easily guess what she was saying and thinking from the way she looked at me.

Fleetfoot got my attention back as she prodded my leg. “Anyways, I need you to deliver these to their proper places. They’re already organized on where they need to go, so all you really need to do is look through what belongs in what area and drop them off. Once you’re finished, you can just come back here and we should have your paperwork finished.”

I looked down at the stack of papers before looking back at Fleetfoot. The mare gave a small smile as she removed her hoof from the stack of papers, leaving to go back to her desk. Getting up from the small chair, I grabbed the stacks of papers and looked at the location. I headed for the door, but stopped as I turned to face the mares.

“Thanks for this. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I said as I backed out of the room.

Spitfire gave a lazy wave while Fleetfoot waved me away happily. Once I was out of the office, I looked at the top paper again to make sure what my destination was. My first stop was at Shining Armor’s office. I couldn’t really understand why this paperwork had to be sent to his office. He was the Captain of the Guard, but he did live with Princess Cadence, co-ruling the Crystal Empire. Celestia probably saw no need to get a new Captain yet since it was probably easy to get him to come from the Crystal Empire to Canterlot.

As I walked through the hallway, I passed the few guards that didn’t really like my presence. I could hear their quiet whispers, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. I had a few ideas of what it could be, but continued on. I walked through the large castle, taking a few shortcuts to get to Shining’s office quicker. I reached his office and started leafing through the papers until the destination location stopped saying his name. Taking those papers, I stuffed them into the plastic box next to his door and looked at my next location.

My next stop was the culinary section, and I really wished not to go there. The chefs here were able to understand my unique diet, but they had to hire a griffon to cook my meat. I offered them that I could go without meat, but they assured me that everything was fine. None of the pony chefs really disliked me, but conversation was tough to have when their mind understood what I could eat. I easily made my way to the culinary wing, and began leafing through the papers again. My next stop was the throne room, and I was kind of happy to go there.

My eagerness might have been a little much as I took the quickest route to the throne room. If I remembered correctly, Twilight should be looking over the day court right now. Celestia, Luna, or Cadence would be there as well to teach Twilight what her responsibilities entailed. She did have a castle of her own, but since she lived in a small town, she never really got to have many court meetings. Twilight was eager at first to learn something new, but after seeing how the court worked, she really wished she was back at her castle.

As I continued to walk to the throne room, I looked through my papers to see what my possible last stop was. I read the destination and it was actually on my way back to the throne room. I made few left turns, heading down the trainee wing. I saw Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s office up ahead and picked up my pace. As I neared their office, I caught the ending of Spitfire’s conversation.

“… job here?!” Spitfire yelled angrily.

“He needed a job, and even though we don’t really need an assistant, we need to keep an eye on him,” Fleetfoot explained, but her tone was different. Instead of the happy tone that I was used to, it was flat, uncaring about whoever this topic was about. The painful part was that I knew exactly who they were talking about.

“Then we could have gotten him a job somewhere else,” Spitfire retorted.

“What would we do if he ended up hurt during that job? He needs to be kept safe so we can keep getting that monthly allowance for housing him,” Fleetfoot explained, her voice still remaining flat.

“I don’t remember signing up to be a babysitter. He seems to be able to take care of himself,” Spitfire shot back.

“I’m not risking a chance with him getting hurt! If he ends up in the hospital by anypony, not including the time you did, we are going to be in a lot of trouble! We’re already dealing with enough problems as it is!” I jumped back a little as I heard Fleetfoot yell. I didn’t think she had such a strong voice for yelling, but then again she was friends with Spitfire.

“I understand that we have a few problems, but he’s shown that he’s smart enough to take care of himself,” Spitfire said, her voice a little more calm to avoid a yelling match with her friend.

“Look, I’m not entirely happy about having to look after him myself. All we have to do is make sure that he’s safe and healthy. As long as he stays that way, then we don’t have to worry about anything else. I’m ready to lose my bucking mind at having to fake kindness towards him, and your antics aren’t helping,” I could hear Fleetfoot panting heavily.

Things were quiet in the office. I wanted to go see if they were fine, but after hearing what they thought about me, I really didn’t see a need to. I gripped the papers for their office tightly, the paper crumpling under my harsh grip. Being careful to make sure they didn’t hear me, I placed the papers into their bin and headed for the throne room. I fought back my tears as I walked past a few friends, ignoring their cheerful greetings. I was about ready to have an outburst, but of what kind, I wasn’t sure. I needed some form of comfort, and it would only seem I would get it from maybe one of my true friends.

I reached the throne room, placing the papers into the bin and standing outside. The two guards looked at each other before looking back at me. The guard on the left opened the door, gesturing me to enter. I was able to keep my anger in check as I gave her a slight nod. The guard returned my nod, closing the door behind me when I entered. I looked at the two thrones and I was glad to see who was here. Twilight was sitting in Celestia’s throne, bored out of her mind as was Luna. The two alicorns looked at the throne room door, and when they saw me, they perked up quickly.

Twilight jumped from her throne, galloping towards me as fast as she could. She apparently decided that galloping wasn’t fast enough, so she jumped to the air and used her wings to propel her faster. Thankfully, I was more prepared for this flying hug than the others before it. I spread my arms open, planting my feet firmly in the ground as the lavender mare shot towards me. As she neared me, her hooves quickly went around my neck as I wrapped my arms around her back. Twilight gave a soft nuzzle to my cheek as she sighed happily in our embrace. I heard a loud pop next to me and felt Luna offer a hug of her own.

The three of us enjoyed the shared embrace a few seconds before we finally let go, Twilight’s excited voice already making me smile. “Mark, it’s so great to see you. How’ve you been since we last saw each other?”

My happiness died as quickly as it arrived as I tried to think of the best answer. “It has been going pretty well. I actually got a job not too long ago.” I rubbed the back of my neck nervously, unsure how I want to talk about what I just heard.

Hearing that I got a job made Luna smile as she joined in the conversation. “You must tell me where you work. I have all sorts of pranks to plan out now that you’ve found a job.”

I could only shake my head a Luna’s antics. “I’m actually working for Spitfire and Fleetfoot as their assistant.”

Twilight seemed to explode with excitement while I noticed Luna gave a slight wince. There was something I was missing from the way Luna reacted and how Spitfire and Fleetfoot spoke about my housing condition. I wished to speak with Twilight a little more, but apparently there was an appointment. I saw the noble walk in, and Twilight gave a slight eye roll as she went back to the throne. Luna was about to join, but I stopped her with a hand on her back. She looked back at me as I gestured for her to come off to the side.

Luna nodded as she turned around and followed me to one of the ornate columns. Luna gave a confused look as I looked around the throne room. It didn’t seem anyone was really listening, but I had to make sure.

Once I finished looking around, I spoke to Luna with a calm tone. “What’s wrong with me working as an assistant for those two mares?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you working for Spitfire and Fleetfoot as their assistant. I’m very happy that you were able to find a job with them.” Luna had many years to build a perfect poker face, but the wince she gave before was all I needed to know something wasn’t right.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, refusing to run around in a circle for an answer. “Look, I already spoke to Celestia and she gave me somewhat of an answer. There’s apparently something going on if you wince about me working for them. Now, please, just tell me what’s wrong with me working for them.”

Luna gave a soft frown as she looked at me. She never really liked to upset her friends, especially keeping a secret from them, but she had her reasons sometimes. “I really wish I could tell you, Mark. Spitfire and Fleetfoot are wonderful mares, but I can’t give you the answers. The only ones that could would be those two mares.”

I let out a heavy breath as I ran a hand through my hair. I was only given another ambiguous answer and I didn’t want to pull the information from her. The princesses and Twilight’s friends would probably be the only ones that I would trust to give me the truth if I ever asked a question. Nodding to Luna, I stepped aside so she could join Twilight. She offered me another frown as she trotted for the other alicorn. I followed behind Luna, watching the noble leave so I could say goodbye to Twilight.

Once the stallion was gone and the heavy golden doors closed, Twilight turned to me with a bright smile again. “Sorry about that, but I’m glad to hear that you got a job with Spitfire and Fleetfoot. I’m afraid that we will have to cut this meeting short as I have a few more appointments after that one.” Twilight gave a small frown at not being able to talk.

I ruffled the lavender mare’s mane a little as I offered her a smile. “Don’t worry, Twi. It’s not like I’m going anywhere anytime soon. You’re free to stop by if you ever want to chat.”

Twilight playfully batted my hand away as I stood up. She busied herself with fixing her mane as I gave Luna a hug. Luna gave a little more force behind her hug, hoping to make me feel a little better. I returned her intense hug with one of my own. Luna gave a few pats to my back before finally releasing me. I’m sure she didn’t mean it, but she may have hugged me a little too tightly. I felt my spine pop as I turned towards the golden doors, heading towards them so I could find the garden and relax in the rain.

As I neared the door, a loud echoing of hooves clopping against tile was heard. I turned to see Twilight galloping towards me. I raised a brow as she seemed worried about something. I know Luna didn’t say anything about what we talked about, so I was curious to see what had Twilight all flustered. The lavender mare came to a skidding halt in front of me, her horn glowing its dark purple aura.

“Before you go, Mark, I need something from you,” Twilight said as she tried to get her breath back.

I looked at Twilight curiously as I lowered myself to my knees so we could see each other eye to eye. “What do you need?”

Twilight hovered over a plastic cup and I knew exactly what it was for. “I’m going to need a sample at some point.” Twilight gave a wide grin as she placed the cup in my hand.

My expression became flat as I stared at Twilight. “Really, Twilight? You need me to give you sample after I’ve given you at least twenty so far?”

Twilight gave a loud gasp at my words, her eyes going wide like I stabbed one of her favorite books. “Of course I do. I need all the data I can get to see what your body can and can’t do in Equestria.”

I lowered my head, giving a slight shake before looking back up at Twilight. “What are you doing with all of them? Eating them?”

Twilight’s expression turned flat as she stared at me, unamused at my small humor. “You know that I don’t do that. That’s just wrong, and I need them so I can learn more about you.”

I jumped in on the open joke that Twilight left me with. “You know spitters aren’t fun, right?” Twilight became a little flustered before her expression went flat again.

Luna seemed to enjoy my little joke as I could hear her laughing from across the room. “Very funny, Mark. Just get me the sample and drop it whenever you get the chance.”

I gave a mock salute, earning a headshake from Twilight before she pushed me out the door. Her magic enveloped the door, closing it before either guard had a chance to. I gave a few more laughs before turning around and heading for the nearest park. It was still raining outside, so it was nice enough to get some relaxation in. I found the nearest park and walked outside, heading for a bench that was dry. I took a seat on the bench as I watched the rain cover the entire garden, the plants looking very healthy from all the water.

I did nothing as I watched the water fall from the sky, landing on the plants and the ground in front of me. I pocketed the sample cup that Twilight had given me and decided to lay down on the bench. I listened to the water hit the roof and plants, letting my mind wander as I tried to figure out what to do. I really didn’t know what to think of Spitfire and Fleetfoot. I thought that I could possibly become friends with them, but from what I’ve heard, I’m just some sort of annoyance. I rolled to my side so I could watch the rainfall, pushing away the mares’ conversation. I was so distracted by the rainfall that I didn’t hear someone coming up behind me.

I felt a claw poke me in my back. I turned around to be met with a griffoness in a Wonderbolt uniform. The griffoness had dark orange feathers around her body, leading up to her wings where they turned brown. Her neck feathers were white, but the tips were pink. The feathers around her eyes and beak were a deep purple. The colors were easy to recognize as they were the opposite of Razor Wing’s.

“So, you’re the new recruit that’s joining the team?” The griffoness asked as she looked me up and down.

“Sure am. The name’s Mark, and judging by the coloration of your feathers, you must be Steel Wing,” I answered as I extended my hand.

Steel smiled as she gripped my hand with her talon, giving a few hard shakes. “That’s right. I guess you’ve met my sister?”

I smiled as we let go. “I did. Compared to other griffons, she’s really nice.”

Steel smiled as she spoke in a cheery tone. “She better be. Our parents raised us better than to look down on the ponies.” I could hear the dislike she held for those type of griffons.

“Well, I do hope to meet her some more since she’s the only one that sells food that I need,” I said.

“That’s good to hear. Razor likes meeting new ponies and tried to be friendly to them,” Steel explained. The griffoness looked around the park before looking back at me. “Hey, do you mind if we continue this conversation as we walk? I need to change out of my uniform.”

I nodded to the griffoness, gesturing for her to lead the way. Steel walked forward, already starting to take off some of her uniform. Once she had the zipper down, she pulled her wings out of the holes and gave them a few flaps to stretch them out.

“If they make these uniforms any tighter, I’m afraid I’m going to have to find a way to make a censor bar real,” Steel spoke openly.

The way she said that caused my cheeks to flush a little. “I take it that these uniforms hug in areas that aren’t really desired?”

The griffoness turned to me, smiling as she spoke. “Exactly. I don’t have anything against my body. I just don’t want to be showing off.”

I nodded to Steel’s explanation, understanding exactly what she meant. I remembered that I had a question about the Wonderbolts and Steel seemed like she could give me an answer. “Hey, which part of the Wonderbolts are you with?”

“You have the main Wonderbolts that are led by Spitfire and Fleetfoot. They do the more big shows around Equestria while I, which I belong to the secondary unit, do some of the smaller shows,” Steel explained as we rounded a corner, nearing one of the changing rooms.

I nodded my head at Steel’s explanation. “That makes sense. If the entire main unit went to every show, then they would end up tiring themselves out and getting hurt.”

Steel nodded at my assumption. “We’re actually just as famous as the main unit, but just in those smaller areas. We do get to switch off every so often so we all have a chance to be at different shows.”

We reached the changing rooms and Steel headed to go inside. Her talon was placed on the door before it fell to the ground. She turned around to face me, a smile on her face. “It’s nice to know that you’re also staying with Spitfire and Fleetfoot. Those two mares are really great to hang around.”

“Oh, are they?” I said sarcastically.

My sarcasm wasn’t lost on the griffoness as she hung her head down, shaking it at me. “I take it that you’ve heard their rougher side?” I nodded. “Believe me when I say don’t take it personally. Those two have a lot to deal with than most ponies know about. Just give them some time and you’ll see that they’re not so bad.”

“Sure,” I said with a slight eye roll.

Steel saw me roll my eyes and punched me in the leg. “I’m serious. Those two really aren’t as bad as they seem. If they weren’t dealing with their own problems, I’m pretty sure the three of you would be good friends.”

After that, Steel turned around quickly and entered the changing room. I rubbed the spot of my leg that she punched before walking away. I didn’t really have a set way to go, so I decided to just walk around. The halls were quiet as the maids turned in for the night, the Lunar Guards taking up posts around the castle. I was headed back to Spitfire’s office when a maid trotted up to me.

Her smile was warm as she greeted me, giving the same bow that every other maid gave. “Hello, Mark. I’m here to take you to your room so you can turn in.”

I raised a brow at the mare. “Why am I staying at the castle?”

The maid looked up at me, her smile never faltering. “The storm is about to get strong again, so Luna requested that you and the mares stay here tonight. Spitfire and Fleetfoot have already been escorted to their rooms for the evening. Shall I take you to your room?”

I stood in place as I scratched my chin in thought. Bed sounded like a nice thing to have right now so I could sleep and figure out what I’m going to do. I nodded to the mare and gestured for her to lead the way. The maid gave another bow as she trotted past me and I followed behind her. The mare seemed to know her way around the castle as she led me the quickest way to my old bedroom. We arrived at my room and the maid gave a small curtsy before heading off for her own room.

I moved towards my bed, a huge yawn escaping me as I kicked my shoes to the side. I sat on the edge of the bed, throwing my shirt to the side and sliding under the covers. Sleep would help me figure out how to handle my current situation, and if I was lucky, I might be able to speak with Luna. It wouldn’t be about anything that’s going on, but just a way of just catching up and talking.

Several Hours Later

I let out a heavy sigh as I rolled onto my side, trying to find a way to get comfortable in my bed. It was nice to sleep in my old bed at the castle, but it seemed really empty without my usual stuff in here. The conversation that Fleetfoot and Spitfire had still spun around in my head, causing me to give a small frown. I thought that I wasn’t hurt by what Fleetfoot said, but I guess I really had hoped that she cared about me. It seemed like I was back at square one at trying to figure out these mares.

I don’t know what was really compelling me to try and befriend these two mares. I could leave whenever I wanted and find another place to live, but I could either end up in three different situations. The first situation would be that everything would be better than what I’m dealing with. The second situation was that everything would stay the same, only causing the cycle to repeat entirely again. The final one would turn out worse than now, and I probably would never leave the castle again.

Those scenarios probably weren’t the only reasons why I’m trying so hard. My determination was pushed forward by Celestia’s and Luna’s ambiguous answers, along with my want to see what exactly the mares had a problem with me specifically. Staring at the ceiling a little more determined, I found a spare clock and set it to the appropriate time. I was going to show these mares that I’m not what they think I am and I’m fully capable of doing any of the work they would give me. Once I had my alarm set for the early training session, I set the clock on the shelf above my bed and closed my eyes to get some sleep.

Author's Notes:

I've made four references in this chapter, and if you can point all four of them out, then you're awesome.

Fun Fact: Scientists say that indigo is no longer part of the rainbow.