I woke up to the sound of my alarm going off, and I remembered why I never really had one when I stayed in the castle. Alarm clocks in Equestria were annoyingly loud. I could have it set to play whatever news station was on at the moment, but I wasn’t really sure how. This only left me with the good old buzzer sound, but that only made the situation much worse. Thanks to the magic crystal that helped power the infernal machine, it also helped to make the alarm sound. Instead of waking up to a normal beep like I was used to, it turned into a loud hum.

The hum wouldn’t have been so bad if I had remembered to turn down the volume a little. Once the alarm started going off, I was wide awake. I tried to turn off the alarm as fast as I could, but I couldn’t do it because of the loud hum that it was giving off. Using only one last solution that could solve most alarm problems, I chucked it at the wall. Thankfully, the clock broke on impact, and I could take a second to relax. I laid in bed for several seconds, my heart hammering in my chest as I tried to take in my surroundings.

I left the curtains on my window open so the small amount of light that would come in could give light to my room. Rubbing my face, I rolled out of bed. I was only half dressed and as I neared the dresser, I remembered that I didn’t have any clothes. I sighed heavily as I hit my head lightly on the dresser. I could try to do a quick wash for my clothes in the shower, but it wouldn’t get rid of the stench entirely. Plus I would have to wait a while for them to dry I was about to take a quick shower and hopefully head back home to get a fresh pair of clothes when someone knocked on the door.

There were only a few ponies that would be up this early in the morning and I went to see if it was either one of them. I ignored my shirt on the floor, not really caring how I was seen from the waist up since most of these ponies have seen my entire nude form before. Giving a huge yawn, I opened the door to allow whoever was standing outside to enter. I didn’t even need to open my eyes to know who entered the room. The sound of her joyful trot, the smell of her vanilla shampoo, and her motherly humming gave it all away.

“Morning… Celestia,” I greeted between a yawn.

“Good morning, Mark. I trust you had a wonderful night’s rest?” Celestia asked happily.

I rubbed the back of my neck, my mind still asleep and unable to filter what I was saying. “I wish I had slept great. I didn’t get to see Luna at all to talk with her more, and I’m about ready to lose it with those two mares.” Once I registered what I had said, I looked at Celestia with wide eyes.

The cat was out of the bag and I was starting to freak out. I tried to say something to hopefully avoid any incident, but she stopped me by raising a hoof. Her calm gaze became a little serious, but she spoke with a caring tone. “Twilight has already told me about your job with Spitfire and Fleetfoot. I’ve also finished the paperwork to show that you work with them. Luna has also mentioned that you seemed a little off when you spoke with her privately.”

My only response was a groan as I rubbed at my eyes. I could continue with some sort of lie to make it seem as if everything was okay, but I was just getting tired. “Of course I’m a little off. Kind of hard to keep a cheerful attitude when you overhear someone insulting you.” My voice was raised a little bit, but I needed to release this energy before causing another incident.

Celestia gave a soft frown, her voice quiet as she placed a hoof on my shoulder for comfort. “I’m sorry to hear that, Mark. Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

I moved away from Celestia’s hoof, moving towards the bed and sitting on the edge. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t really think anything of it. I had my suspicions, but I wanted to hope that I was possibly overthinking it.” I fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling as I heard Celestia come closer to me.

Celestia sat on her haunches, her eyes showing concern as she continued to speak in her motherly tone. “May I ask specifically what you heard them talking about?”

I let out a loud groan, making sure Celestia knew how frustrated I was. Sure, I was ready to try and face these mares, but after saying something I kept buried, I had to explain myself. “It was the end of whatever their conversation was. They mentioned something about getting a monthly allowance for housing me. Fleetfoot even admitted to not really liking me at all. They’re only looking after me just to make sure I don’t get hurt.”

I sat up from my bed so I could look Celestia in the eyes. “What exactly am I signed up for?”

Celestia looked away for a second, her features showing concerned as she pondered something. Silence filled the space for a few seconds before the alicorn turned towards me. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you this sooner, Mark, but I wasn’t sure how you would’ve handled it. Please understand that I wouldn’t have let it gone this far if I had paid more attention earlier.” Celestia looked at me with very sad eyes, her mistake weighing heavily on her shoulders.

I gestured for Celestia to continue, curious as to exactly what she was talking about. I needed to know the full story before possibly yelling at her and creating a fifth incident. Celestia looked between me and the window, her face scrunched in thought.

After a few seconds, she turned back to me, her expression hopeful as she spoke. “Do you mind if we go get something to eat? I promise that it will just be me and you in the dining hall.”

I crossed my arms as I gave it some thought. I was getting kind of hungry and Celestia would make sure that our conversation would remain private if I wanted it to be. Getting up from the bed, Celestia let a small smile appear as she stood up. I nodded to her and gestured for her to lead the way to the kitchen.

We neared the door before she stopped and turned towards me. “I almost forgot the other reason I came here.”

I raised a brow in confusion at what she meant. Her horn glowed its signature golden aura and she summoned a pair of clothes. She floated the clothes over to me, and I accepted them. Giving a small nod to the mare, I went to the bathroom to change. I was only gone for a few seconds before coming out of the bathroom in clean clothes. I threw my dirty clothes with my shirt that was on the ground. Celestia didn’t seem to mind as she smiled and headed for the door again. Neither the princess nor I said anything as we walked to the dining hall.

I gave my greetings to the few maids and guards that were going about the castle, going straight to work. It wasn’t long before we finally reached the dining hall. Celestia opened the door and allowed me to enter first. She closed the door behind her, erecting a sound proof barrier around it. I sat at the middle of the table, wanting to at least eat something before continuing my conversation with Celestia. I was expecting Celestia to sit at the head of the table like usual, but I guess today was a different kind of day.

I wasn’t sure if it was because she was feeling sympathy for me, or if she wanted to make sure I was fine, but she sat next to me. The next thing that surprise me was that she removed most of her royal regalia. I’ve only seen the princesses a few times without their regalia, and that was only because they were either relaxing while off duty or in their bedrooms preparing for sleep. I didn’t bother pushing the princess away, her presence not entirely unwelcome. I heard the princess let out a soft sigh of comfort, glad to be free of her regalia. I couldn’t blame her. All the jewelry that she possessed was heavier than she made it look.

I was pulled from staring at her bare form as the doors to the kitchen opened. The pony and griffon chef walked out, coming towards us to take our orders. Neither the pony or griffon said anything about Celestia without her regalia, so I could assume this wasn’t the first time she took it off during a meal. Celestia ordered two fruit parfaits and a cup of coffee. I ordered some sausage and bacon, needing something delicious to help ease my mind. The two chefs nodded before walking back to the kitchen and starting on our food.

Celestia didn’t say anything, allowing the silence I kind of wished for. She gave a motherly smile as she stretched out in her seat, a wing draping over my back. Her soft feathers and warm aura helped calm me a little. I hadn’t even realized I was tense until Celestia started moving her wing up and down my back. I closed my eyes as I breathed softly, hoping to keep some of my cool until we started the conversation and I go back to yelling about everything. The chefs returned from the kitchen with platters on their backs as they came towards us. They deposited the platters on the table in front of us, pulling the lids off.

Steam rose from my plate of meat, my mouth watering at the succulent meal. The pony and griffon bowed to the princess before going back to the kitchen. Once they were in the kitchen, Celestia silently erected another barrier over the kitchen door. The alicorn took a few seconds to make sure she had everything covered, moving on to her meal once everything was secured. Celestia hummed happily as she ate her parfait, her small smile turning into a bright and warm one as she enjoyed her food. I couldn’t resist my own hum of pleasure as I bit into my sausage. The juices and flavor of the meat filling my mouth as I enjoyed the delightful taste.

Celestia started on her second parfait, looking at the doors to see if anyone was about to come in before turning to me slightly. “I would firstly like to apologize for letting things get so out of hoof.” Celestia looked at me with slight worry.

I gave a gentle scratch to the mare’s neck to show that I accepted her apology. She gave a small sigh at my fingers scratching her neck before continuing. “I can’t tell you why they took you in because it does relate to personal issues. I can, however, tell you about the whole monthly payment deal.” I nodded as I started chewing on my bacon.

“Finding somepony to house you was actually quite difficult. There were some that were willing to house you, but it just wasn’t a safe environment for you. Luna and Twilight were at a loss about what to do with you as well. We actually feared that we wouldn’t be able to get you somewhere to stay.” Celestia’s smile turned into a frown as she thought back to that day.

“That is until you found Spitfire and Fleetfoot,” I added, filling in what I understood.

“Precisely. I had forgotten that they were looking for somepony to rent their place out to. I went and talked with them about the situation, but I apparently came at a bad time. They were having a few personal issues at the time. One of those you already know about since they’re getting a monthly allowance.” Celestia looked at me to make sure I was still following along.

I nodded my head so she could continue. “They were having a few financial problems that arose because of another problem. I thought they would be good enough mares to look after you, so I promised to give them a monthly payment so they could house you and pay off their financial problem.” Celestia went quiet as she stared into her steaming cup of coffee.

So far, I was getting what she was trying to tell me, but there was still something that was left out. “What about the whole ‘making sure that I stay safe’ agreement?”

Celestia took a sip from her coffee before turning fully to face me. “It was more to protect you from one of their personal problems than anything else. From what I’ve seen so far, the clause shouldn’t be there anymore as that problem has been dealt with. I’ve actually informed them that everything has been settled and they don’t need to keep such a close eye on you.”

I looked back at my empty plate, my head swimming with this new information. I never really thought much about them having some sort of problem, but the pieces to the puzzle were beginning to make sense. Still, it doesn’t entirely excuse their behavior. There was only one question left that I needed an answer to. What problem do they have with me? I didn’t know how deep in thought I was until Celestia pulled me from my thoughts.

Celestia placed a hoof on my shoulder, her delicate wing draping over my back. “I know this is asking for a lot, Mark, and I’ll understand if you choose not to,” Celestia took a deep breath before steeling herself. “Can you find it in your heart to forgive them?”

Celestia’s eyes pleaded that I do, but I wasn’t sure if I could. “I don’t know, Celestia. I want to, but after taking a few minutes to think about it, I don’t think I can. If I even want to forgive them, then I need to get some answers.”

Celestia smiled as she gave a few pats to my shoulder. Her horn flared to life again and the sound proof barriers were taken down. Once the barriers were down, the griffon and pony walked out of the kitchen and took away the platters. The pony bowed to Celestia while the griffon shook my hand. The two chefs retreated back into the kitchen and disappeared out of sight. Celestia grabbed her regalia and started to put it on. After she placed her crown on her head, she got up from her chair and headed for the door. Seeing there was nothing left to really do, I got up from my chair to see if Spitfire and Fleetfoot were out training.

The two of us neared the door, but Celestia stopped before opening them. She turned around to face me, her face having a serious expression. “May I offer you some advice?”

“Sure…” I said with slight uncertainty.

Celestia held her air of seriousness as she gave a knowing grin. “Spitfire and Fleetfoot didn’t make it to where they are now by being soft. If you want those answers, you’re going to have to stop avoiding conflict. Make yourself assertive and show that you’re tough.”

I raised a brow in confusion. “What are you trying to get at?”

Celestia turned back to the door, leaving as she spoke. “I never had to pick Spitfire and Fleetfoot to look after you. If everything works out, you will get along very well, but that’s only if you’re still willing to live with them.”

Celestia left through the door, leaving me very confused. I was ready to leave for the mares when I decided to act on Celestia’s advice. Opening the door, I ran down the hall, chasing after Celestia. It seemed she planned this very scenario as she slowed her trot so I could catch up with her. I ran past her, stopping a couple feet in front of her. Celestia smiled up at me as she waited for what I had to say.

I held a serious expression, pointing an accusatory finger. “What plan are you plotting?”

Celestia’s smile never faltered. “I’m looking after my friends that could use extra friendship, but if you wish to leave, then I’ll see to it that you’re moved back here.”

I was still confused about what she was trying to get at. “Stop making me run in circles. What exactly are you trying to get out of this? Why are you keeping secrets from me that only seem to make the situation worse?”

I seemed to have asked the right questions as Celestia sat down, speaking in a lecturing tone. “Mark, you need to remember that you haven’t been the only human here. Each human has gone through something similar, but have all had varied results. They do reach the same conclusion in the end as they find happiness.”

I lowered my finger as I stood up straight. “So is this supposed to be some sort of lesson?”

Celestia nodded her head as she smiled brightly at me. “Exactly. There is only so much that you can be taught from my sister, myself, Cadence and Shining, or Twilight and her friends. Twilight had the same problem, but she finally learned everything on her own, away from books. You need to learn things that we can’t teach you, and the secrets were to see how you react.”

I stood in front of Celestia, dumbfounded at her explanation. She did all of this just so I could learn more about pony society. I wasn’t sure what she was trying to teach me exactly, but I guess that was for me to find out. I looked at Celestia, nodding to her as I stepped to the side. Celestia trotted past me, stopping to give me a quick hug. I happily returned her hug, returning the small nuzzle that she was giving me.

As Celestia pulled away, she whispered something in my ear that confused me. “Just remember, interspecies dating and marriage is allowed here.”

Once Celestia was on her hooves, she trotted back to the throne room. I stood stock still at her statement, confused over what she was trying to get at. I was aware that interspecies dating and marriage was allowed, so I wasn’t sure why she reminded me of this. There was absolutely no way that any creature in Equestria was interested in me, except for Lyra, but we easily established our boundaries. Plus, it would be awkward having sex with something that barely reached my waist.

Shrugging at Celestia’s statement, I turned away from her, heading for the practice field. I took the long path to the practice field, needing time to process everything Celestia and I talked about. Even though I was still slightly scared of how badly Spitfire could hurt me, Celestia was right. I needed to stop avoiding confrontation like I always did so I can get my answers. It wasn’t going to be a fun confrontation, but it had to be done. I also thought about pulling Fleetfoot into the conversation, and ultimately decided I was going to.

As I continued my walk, I ran into Steel Wing. The griffoness saw me walking and flew over to me. The griffoness landed next to me, joining me on my walk. She smiled up at me as I gave a small wave. The two of us walked in silence, enjoying the familiar company of each other. Steel Wing was dressed in her form fitting outfit, something I wasn’t entirely thrilled to see. It wasn’t that I didn’t find her attractive, but I really didn’t want to make is seem like I was ogling her or having perverted thoughts.

I was pulled from my musings when Steel spoke. “See something you like?” Steel stretched her body a little, showing how tightly the uniform hugged her body.

My cheeks burned lightly, and it wasn’t lost on the griffoness. “Must you be so sexually crude? I’m not interested in you like that.”

Steel gave a hearty laugh as she turned around, walking backwards as she looked up at me. “I do it because I’m such a tease. You also don’t have to worry about me jumping you. My wife wouldn’t like that.”

I raised a brow at the griffoness. “You’re married, but she allows you to walk around, teasing everyone that you meet?”

Steel continued to laugh as she turned to face forward. “I only tease the ones that I know I’ll get a reaction from. You’re literally too easy.”

I rubbed at my temples, fighting back an oncoming headache. “Please tell me your sister isn’t anything like this. I really don’t need that kind of tension when shopping around.”

Steel was able to get her laughter under control, wiping away a tear that had formed. “You don’t have to worry about that. Razor likes to be the kind and caring griffoness. That’s not to say that I’m not the same, but I like to have a little fun sometimes.”

We took a left as we started to near the practice field. “Do you not find you sister fun?” From my one interaction with Razor, she seemed like she could be fun.

Steel shook her head at my question. “That’s not what I’m saying at all. She’s the best sister I could ask for. She knows her limitations on fun and helps me because I don’t know when to stop. Probably doesn’t help since my wife acts the same way.” There was a small hint of laughter behind Steel’s tone.

“Who exactly is your wife?” I asked with a raised brow.

Steel went to answer my question, but I felt something jump onto my back, screaming loudly into my ear. “SURPRISE!”

I did the only sensible action that any human would do when facing the unknown. I dove to the ground, screaming loudly. “Holy fuck! What was that?!”

Whatever was on my back let go. I heard the sound of wings flapping before the clopping of hooves on tile. Steel was having a great laugh at my expense as I laid on the floor, looking for who jumped me. I looked forward to see a pair of white hooves. My eyes traveled up the legs to see the pony in front of me had a white coat. Her mane and tail were very poofy like Pinkie’s, but the difference was in their color. The white pony in front of me was a pegasus, as I noticed her wings, and she had a mane and tail color that was blond. Her eyes were a light purple like Fleetfoot’s and she had a wide grin.

I slowly got to me feet, and when my beating heart had finally calmed, I spoke. “Who is this?” I asked as I pointed to the mare.

Steel was clutching her sides as she roared with laughter. “She’s… my wife.” Steel answered between laughs.

I looked at the pony with a raised brow before crouching and extending my hand. “Hello. What’s your name?”

The pegasus gave a bright smile as she took my hand and shook it like Pinkie did when she first met me. Looks like I’ll be going to the hospital for a dislocated shoulder. “Surprise.”

I looked between the pony shaking my hand and Steel, waiting for a name. “Yes, you did surprise me, but I would like to know your name.”

Steel recovered from her laughing fit, but remained on floor as she gasped for breath. “That’s her… name… silly.”

My expression fell flat as I looked at the mare. “Of course it is.”

Surprise started giggling as she spoke. “Why else would I yell my name?”

“Maybe to give me a heart attack. I nearly have them every time Pinkie visits, I don’t need a second one doing it.” This caused Surprise to stop giggling as she stared at me with wide eyes.

The pegasus stepped closer, her eyes wide as dinner plates as she started to shake my leg. “You know my cousin Pinkie?”

My eyes went wide when she put ‘cousin’ and ‘Pinkie’ in the same sentence. I just couldn’t comprehend there being a second Pinkie, so I had to make sure. “You’re really related to Pinkie?”

Surprise raised her hoof, shaking it in between like a human would. “Kind of. I’ve been removed and put back in several times.”

I honestly wasn’t surprised by this. One Pinkie is bad enough, and I remember Twilight telling me about the mirror pool incident where there were hundreds of Pinkies. I could only think about how many parties were probably thrown as each Pinkie greeted the new one. No wonder party stores in Equestria are able to stay in business. I took a calming breath as Steel finally stood up and brought Surprise into a deep kiss.

“Thanks for that, Surprise. I don’t think I could have gotten him out of that funk any better,” Steel said as she gave another peck to Surprise’s lips.

I shook my head from everything related to Pinkie and looked towards Steel Wing. “What ‘funk’ was I in?”

“This awkward funk that you were in since I joined you in walking to the practice field. I don’t know what has you so down, but anypony can see it from a mile away,” Steel said with a knowing grin.

I rubbed my temples as I closed my eyes. “It’s a lot of things, Steel. I’ve got a lot on my mind and I need to talk with Spitfire and Fleetfoot.”

Surprise gave a loud gasp as she floated up to my face. “Oh my gosh. I forgot to welcome you to the team. Welcome to the team, Mark, and I hope we have lots of fun together.”

I smiled at the mare’s antics as I petted her mane. “Thanks, Surprise. Are you part of the Wonderbolts as well?”
Surprise nodded her head enthusiastically. “Of course I am. I’m part of Spitfire’s team.”

“Any reason why you aren’t in uniform for practice?” I asked with a raised brow.

Surprise giggled at my question. “That’s because I’m on maternity leave, silly.”

I gave the mare a confused look as I leaned to the side to look at her belly. It show no signs of expansion, but then I remembered her relation to Pinkie. This actually raised a question for me as I remembered she was married to Steel Wing. “How are you pregnant?”

Surprise seemed really excited to talk about it. “Well, you see, there’s this spell that Cadence knows-”

I immediately cut the mare off, having a good idea where she was going. “Never mind, forget that I asked. I get the picture and it’s very disturbing.”

Steel Wing gave a small nod of her head. “You have no idea how weird it was.”

“I think I can make a few guesses,” I said as I tried to burn the image of Steel Wing and Surprise together out of my mind.

Surprise poked my shoulder a few times to get my attention. “I’m not sure if this information is helpful to you, but Cadence has been teaching Twilight a spell that can help with interspecies breeding.”

I honestly had no idea what to do with that information. “Thanks, I guess. Not really sure where that’s going to play in my life, but I guess it’s good to know.”

Surprise smiled as she floated towards her wife. The pegasus whispered something into the griffoness’ ear before kissing her on the cheek and flying away. Steel waved goodbye to the pegasus before gesturing for us to continue walking. The griffoness seemed to have an extra spring in her step, and it probably had something to do with what Surprise said. I gave a small chuckle at how cheerful the griffoness was acting.

My chuckle wasn’t lost on her as she turned her head to look at me. “What’s so funny?”

I got my laughter under control as I gave a small shrug of my shoulders. “Nothing, but you seem really happy compared to when we first started.

Steel seemed to get a little embarrassed as she controlled her walk. “I’m just happy that Surprise was able to get you out of your funk. I may also be a very excited mother as well.”

I gave a playful grin as I pressed for more. “Does it have something to do with the baby?”

Steel gave a warm laugh as she smiled. “Surprise is actually having twins. A colt and a filly. The colt is actually a griffon and the filly is a pegasus.”

I smiled as I patted the griffoness’ back. “Well, congratulations! I hope you, Surprise, and your children have a happy life together.”
Steel stopped in her walk, rearing on her back legs and giving me a quick hug. “You have no idea how happy I am. We weren’t sure how our children would turn out. Surprise wanted a pegasus, and I wanted a griffon. We really lucked out that we got what we both wanted.”

I could feel a few tears damp my shirt as the griffoness let loose a few tears. I returned Steel’s hug with a caring one. We held each other for a couple of seconds before Steel finally let go and dropped to the floor. I didn’t press for any more conversation, letting the griffoness enjoy the wonderful news. We finally reached the practice field and went our separate ways. Steel went to another group of Wonderbolts and guards that were going on after Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s show. I looked up to see the two mares flying around, practicing a few tricks. Fleetfoot noticed me and waved.

I gave a small wave back, not really feeling up to actually giving one that meant something. Seeing the mares were busy, I went to a bench that had a box filled with paper. Guessing that was something for me to work on, I headed for the bench to get started. I moved the bench under a nearby tree so I could get some shade as I grabbed at a few papers. There was nothing much to the paperwork. Most of the papers were either reminders of performances, payments needed to be made to the other Wonderbolts, and a few recruits up for review.

Grabbing the pen in the box, I gave one final look into the sky to see Spitfire directing the guards. Seeing that she and Fleetfoot were busy with their own thing, I went to signing the papers. I went through the recruit paperwork first since there was only a handful. Most of the recruits were trying out for the Wonderbolts and needed to go through an audition before moving on to the academy. Finishing off the reviews, I moved on to the performance reminders. I looked at the dates of the planned shows, comparing them to a calendar in the box to make sure everything was set up accordingly.

Seeing there were no conflictions and that everything was set in stone, I placed those papers with the reviews. I looked at was left of the paperwork and sighed at how much there was. I was probably only through a quarter of all the paperwork and still had much to do. Looking up to the sky, I saw a few other Wonderbolts join Spitfire and Fleetfoot in their practice runs. Sighing heavily, I went back to work. Grabbing the first paper, I skimmed over its contents. It wasn’t anything overly too hard, but it was more math than I was really wanting to deal with. Grabbing my pen and a piece of scratch paper, I started to balance their payments.

A few hours had passed as I got through half of the payment papers. My hand ached from all the writing that I was doing, but thankfully I had a chance to relax. A maid brought me a tray of food that contained a peanut butter sandwich and fries. I thanked the maid as she handed me my food and trotted away to get back to her duties. I looked up from the tray to see Spitfire and Fleetfoot eating with the guards and other Wonderbolts. They all seemed so happy together, that I actually lost my appetite. Pushing my food to the side, I grabbed at the papers and started to work through them again.

I decided that the sooner I could finish, the sooner I could head back to the house and leave without them knowing. I really didn’t need to put up with their awful attitude towards me. An hour went by as I neared the last of the papers, my hand feeling slight relief at the thought of finishing. Spitfire and Fleetfoot were back in the air, this time practicing their own stunts. Taking my eyes away from their spectacular stunts, I grabbed the next paper. Everything seemed normal on payment, until I reached the bottom.

My eyes widened in surprise at how much they owed the Mareiott. “How the hell does someone owe 100,000 bits in damages?”

Putting the paper down, I looked up at the two mares. They were spiraling around each other dangerously close that if they even touched wingtips, they would come crashing down. Shaking my head, I started rifling through the papers. Thankfully, they were all dated when the payments were due and when they were paid off. I looked through the remaining papers until I found one that was the date I had moved out. Skimming through it all, I reached the bottom to see that Celestia had paid off the 100,000 bit fine. Looking between the two papers, I gave a harsh frown. I folded the papers and pocketed them away.

Now I was needing some answers more than anything. I’ve been walking in a very tight circle this entire time, letting others keep me on the path. I stood up from the bench, packing away the other papers as I finally decided to choose my path. Once the papers were packed away, I turned around and headed for the middle of the field. I was so distracted in my own thoughts about how I was going to confront the mares that I didn’t see something flying towards me.

“WATCH OUT!” a Wonderbolt mare yelled at me.

I turned towards the mare with a raised brow, trying to see who she was yelling at. It started to get dark around me, but everything away from the darkness was still glowing with light. Turning towards the direction I was walking, I looked up to see Spitfire and Fleetfoot falling towards the ground. The two mares were coming in fast, their wings and bodies tangled together from a failed execution on one of their tricks. I didn’t move as I stood my ground, arms spread wide. I knew I shouldn’t be doing what I was, but a part of me felt a sense of pride for not turning into a total asshole.

The mares crashed into me, the wind getting knocked out of my system as I wrapped my arms around them. The three of us tumbled on the ground, my body taking most of the damage as we rolled on the ground. The mares hit me with a surprising force as they sent me back into one of the pillars. I felt the impact of the pillar against my back, pain racing up my spine as I gave a loud scream. I could hear the screams of other ponies as they went around looking for someone that could help us. I wasn’t sure what happened next, but I felt a magic aura envelop me before everything went black.

Several Hours Later

Time went by as I saw nothing but blackness. When I finally came to, I took quick note of my surroundings. Through the small amount of candle light I could see I was in a bed, but not a hospital bed. If anything, I was in a regular guest bed in the castle. It clearly wasn’t my room as there wasn’t any shattered remains of my alarm clock, or even my dirty clothes. Slowly sitting up, a small throb of pain ached at my sides. I removed the covers to see there were a few bandages wrapped around my midsection. Groaning as I rolled to my side, I picked up the candle holder and walked towards the window.

I pulled the curtains aside to see that night had come along, and it was still early in the night. Remembering one important detail, I felt around my waist. I gave a relieved sigh as I felt my pants right where they belonged. I moved my hand towards my left pocket to feel the payment papers still there. Pulling out the papers, I unfolded them and held up the candle so I could read through them again. It was still baffling to see how much the mares owed the Mareiott, and then for Princess Celestia to pay it off, I had to know what happened. Breathing deeply, I gave a small wince at the pain that shot through me as I headed for the bed.

As I headed for the soft bed to take a nap, I heard some shuffling. Avoiding the bed, I walked around to see there was another only several feet away from mine. Not far from the second bed was a bathroom. I moved the candle light to the second bed, and froze at what I saw. Spitfire and Fleetfoot were in the bed, their wings slightly bandaged. Spitfire gave a low groan as she tried to flex her wing. Setting the candle light on its stand, I moved closer to the mare. I looked at her wing to inspect the damage, and it didn’t seem terribly bad.

At worst the mare probably suffered a sprain. Looking around the room, I saw a nightstand near the front door, a bottle of pain pills sitting on top. I moved to the nightstand, keeping quiet as to not disturb the mares. I looked at the bottle to see that it was for the two mares and myself. I read the instructions that were labeled on the side of the bottle. Taking out two pills, I placed the bottle on the stand again and headed for the bathroom. I closed the door behind me so I could turn on the light.

My eyes strained as the bright white light burned my retinas. Giving a few blinks, I walked to the sink and looked at my bandaged body. Not really able to see the damage that was done, I decided to go against the doctor’s orders. I started unwrapping the bandages, noticing the large bruise on my back. Seeing where the pain was located at, I gave a few twists and turns. I took note of the pain radiating from my sides and the side edges of the bruise. Giving a few final looks at the bruise, I wrapped the bandages around me again and used the toilet. As my contents were flushed away, I grabbed one of the upside down glasses and filled it with water.

I dropped the pills in the water, watching them bubble up as they dissolved. Taking pills this way was much nicer as I got to avoid choking on the large pills. Grabbing the handle of the door, I opened it and turned the light off as I exited. I walked back towards my bed, but stopped as I watched Spitfire’s form quickly turn on its side. Giving a flat look, I went back to the bathroom and grabbed the small chair that was in there. Ignoring my bed, I walked towards Spitfire and set the chair to the side. I sat in the chair, watching the mare’s side rise and fall as she slept. She actually would have been convincing if her snoring didn’t give it away.

I set the glass on the floor next to me. The mare gave a slight flinch at the glass clinking on the tile. Once the glass was on the ground, I sat up straight in the chair. I didn’t say anything, hoping the quiet would coax the mare to turn around again. A few minutes passed, my back growing sore as I tried to avoid moving. The mare seemed determined to be keep facing away from me. My eyes grew heavy, the pain in my side a dull ache as I tried to keep myself awake. Several minutes passed and the mare still hadn’t moved. Thinking that she probably had fallen asleep, I moved to head for my bed.

I stopped my movement when I saw Spitfire move. Her body turned to its other side, and her eyes met mine. The pegasus’ eyes went wide as she saw me staring at her. Her surprise turned into a small scowl. Spitfire adjusted herself in her bed, wincing a little as she put slight pressure on her wing. After a few seconds of fighting the covers, she was finally comfortable.

She spoke with a slight growl. “What’re you doing watching me?”

I grabbed at the glass next to me, offering it to the mare. “I was waiting for you to stop fake sleeping so I could give you this.”

Spitfire looked at the water quizzically, taking it from my hand as she swirled it around. “You watched me fake sleep so you could give me a glass of water.” Her tone was still harsh, even in her whisper tone.

I held back my anger, trying to keep my voice calm as I explained what I did. “I put some painkillers in there to help with your wing sprain.”

The mare looked at the water again, her gaze showing uncertainty. Seeing that she was probably not going to believe me, I got out of my chair. Spitfire’s eyes followed me as I walked towards the nightstand. I grabbed the bottle and tossed it near her. The pegasus gave a small scowl as she grabbed at the bottle and read the label. Opening the lid, she counted out the painkillers to see two missing. Seeing that I might be possibly telling the truth, she gulped down her water. Once the glass was empty, she placed the bottle inside the glass and set it on the floor. Getting comfortable in her bed a little more, she looked back at me.

“I’m going to sleep now. Just because Fleetfoot and I are injured doesn’t mean you’re free to slack off.” Her voice held authority as she gave me a piercing glare.

I was ready to submit to her slight command, but then Celestia’s advice rang loudly in my head. Steeling my gaze, I walked back to my chair, Spitfire’s eyes following my every move. The pegasus seemed ready to pounce as I sat in the chair. I didn’t look up for a few seconds, but when I did, Spitfire flinched a little. I don’t know how many ponies have ever given a harsh look at Spitfire, but I could assume it wasn’t many. Her gaze held up though, even after her little flinch, as she waited.

“How’s your wing doing?” I wanted to start a little casual conversation before laying into her.

“It’s just a light sprain. Those painkillers and a good night’s rest is all I need before I’m back in the air again,” Spitfire said as she gave a cocky grin.

I nodded my head as I picked up the glass. “That’s good to hear. I was a little worried that the damage was a little more serious than that.” I wasn’t entirely lying, but my anger outweighed most of my worry.

Spitfire gave a nonchalant wave of her hoof. “We’ve had worse.” Spitfire made to try and get some sleep, but I stopped her.

“May I ask you a question?” I asked as I reached for the papers in my pocket.

“You already did. Now go to bed,” Spitfire said with slight annoyance.

I ignored her as I moved forward in my chair a little, her eyes fixing on me as I closed the distance. “How much are you getting paid for housing me?”

It was a simple little question, but it caused the mare to freeze a little. Her eyes widened in surprise for a few seconds before becoming cold. “Go to bed, Mark.”

The command wasn’t lost on me, but I wasn’t really going to back down. “Not until you answer my questions.”

This seemed to upset Spitfire as she threw her covers off, causing Fleetfoot to stir. Spitfire spoke with a strong, if slightly threatening voice. “This doesn’t concern you. Go to bed and never speak of this again.”

Seeing this was how the mare wanted to play, I put the glass on the floor and stood up from the chair. I crossed my arms over my chest as I glared down at the mare. “I’m not backing down from this, Spitfire. We are going to talk about this, even if this has to turn into a shouting match.”

Fleetfoot gave a loud yawn, causing Spitfire to turn towards her. Her eyes went from me to Spitfire, her sleep addled mind trying to process everything.

“What’s going on here?” Fleetfoot asked as she rubbed at her eyes.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Fleet. Mark was just heading to bed-”

“Don’t you dare pretend this isn’t something that needs to be addressed!” I yelled, causing both mares to look at me.

I never thought it would happen after seven months of living here. All the time I spent with Cadence and Fluttershy to control my temper was finally flushed down the toilet. Spitfire and Fleetfoot looked at me with surprise, probably because they’ve never heard many ponies yell at them before. Their eyes were wide as they breathed softly, my own breathing heavy as my anger just continued to burn. Seeing that my anger was in control of my actions now, I wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

Grabbing the papers from my pocket, I threw them in front of the mares. “Care to explain to me what this is?”

Fleetfoot grabbed at the papers, quickly looking them over before handing them to Spitfire. Spitfire grabbed at the papers and looked through them. The golden mare’s eyes went wide as she set the papers down. She looked up at me with a mixture of emotions. Anger, surprise, and confusion all passed by quickly, but a few were more intent on staying. Regret, sadness, and guilt painted the new features on Spitfire’s face. Spitfire shook her head before hardening her gaze again and looking at me.

“Get out!” Spitfire yelled, pointing a hoof at the door. “Get out before I decide to kick your flank out the window!”

I stood my ground as Fleetfoot rolled to her hooves, grabbing Spitfire by the side as she stroked her mane. I refused to move, looking at Spitfire with my own glare that told her I wasn’t leaving.

“I want answers to my questions. I’ve put up with your crap for five days, and this is the quickest I’ve lost my temper after learning to control it.” I lowered my arms to look less threatening, but my glare remained. “What happened at the Mareiott that caused you to deal 100,000 bits worth of damage?”

Fleetfoot held Spitfire closer to her chest as she addressed me. “It’s nothing to worry about, Mark. The payment is squared away and it’s in the past. There’s no reason to open any old wounds.”

I looked Fleetfoot directly in her eyes. Her eyes were pleading that I dropped this, but I needed to know. “If it wasn’t something to worry about, then Celestia wouldn’t have paid it off. I know you saw that other paper. Why exactly is she paying you to look after me after she paid for the damages? Why was such extensive damage caused?” My voice had calmed a little, but still showed my frustration.

Neither mare said anything as they looked at each other and me. They seemed to be having some quiet conversation with each other that only years of friendship could form. Spitfire looked down at her bed before looking up at me. Her glare was gone as her eyes now filled with tears. The pegasus seemed so hurt at this moment that I fell back in my chair, letting out a deep sigh as I rubbed my temples. My body shook as I tried one of Cadence’s breathing techniques to clear my mind.

I was pulled from my calm state when Spitfire finally spoke up. “We get paid to look after you because those bits are meant to help take care of you. All that money is stored away for emergency use if we ever need it.”

I looked up at the mare as she wiped away a tear with her hoof. Fleetfoot was stroking her mane, whispering something in the mare’s ear. “So it’s just an emergency fund in case something happens?”

Spitfire nodded her head as Fleetfoot explained a little more. “You’re an exotic creature, Mark. Not trying to say that as an insult or anything, but that’s how you’re labeled. You have extra needs that ponies can easily look over. Clothes, food, and living quarters have to be taken into account to make sure you don’t become sick. Hospital visits are another thing as well since we still aren’t sure what magic and medicine can do to you.”

Spitfire turned her head from Fleetfoot’s chest, looking at me with her tear filled eyes. “None of that money is allowed to be touched unless needed. There is a limit to how much can be stored into that account before we can’t earn anymore. Once it gets spent, and that’s only in case it needs to be for emergency, then we can get more.”

I looked at the two mares, nodding my head slowly at the information. That much made sense to me since even most of the unicorn doctors hesitate to use any medical magic on me. That just left only one thing to be answered. “Why did Celestia have to pay off the 100,000 bits you owe so that you can look after me?”

The two mares looked at each other worriedly before turning to face me. Fleetfoot was about to answer before being stopped by Spitfire. Fleetfoot looked at her friend with worried eyes as the fiery mare looked at me with determination. Spitfire was easily fighting back tears that were threatening to spill forth as she took deep breaths.

After a few seconds to collect herself, Spitfire looked at me with a determined gaze, her voice for once calm instead of annoyed. “The damage that was caused at the Mareiott was my fault.”

I raised a brow at Spitfire as Fleetfoot placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Are you sure you want to talk about this, Spits? You’re still trying to get over her and I don’t want you having another outburst again.” Fleetfoot’s voice showed her concern as she looked between Spitfire and myself.

Spitfire nodded her head as she continued to look at me. “I have to, Fleet. He’s obviously not going to let it slide, even if he leaves. He deserves to know after how I’ve treated him.”

The room fell silent as I grabbed the glass on the floor. Spitfire watched as I got out of my chair and headed for the bathroom. I wasn’t sure how long this story was going to be, and I wasn’t even sure how much it was going to be painful for her. I filled the glass with water from the sink and headed back to the two mares. Fleetfoot was holding Spitfire’s hoof as she stroke her mane. I offered the fiery pegasus the glass of water and she happily took it. Spitfire took a small sip of her water before setting it on the bed.

“As you saw from the date, the damages to the Mareiott were done around the time you arrived here.” I nodded my head. “For the past couple of years I was dating a unicorn mare. Her name was Ember Glow. I met her after one of my shows and she seemed pretty interesting to hang around. I took notice of her a little more as she appeared at more of my shows. After about the tenth show, I finally went to talk to her.”

“We got to talking and she asked me out for some drinks. I accepted her offer since I wanted to get to know her better. After that, we started going out more. It was casual get-togethers, but after a couple of months, I asked her out on a real date. At first she didn’t seem to take me seriously, but after several seconds of laughing, she saw that I was. She accepted my date and we started going to more areas.”

“We did everything we could together when we met up. I would take her to some nice pegasus places that I knew and she would take me to some nice unicorn places as well. I grew closer to her as time went on and I thought about having a future with her. I was actually ecstatic to find somepony that was generally interested for me as a pony instead of my title as a Wonderbolt. Now we near about the time you show up.”

“The entire Wonderbolts group had a show to do at the Mareiott to celebrate its brand new expansion. I ordered a room for Ember and myself so I could speak with her. She didn’t know it yet, but before I went out to perform, I had a jeweler make me a ring that I could propose to her with. I paid him extra so it would be finished by the time night came. After the show finished, I went to the jeweler and picked up the ring.”

“I was so excited that I was pretty much jumping with glee. I couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel room, propose to the mare that had stolen my heart, and possibly settle down. All those dreams came crashing down as soon as I opened the door.”

Spitfire grabbed at her water and looked into it. She gave casual sips as her body trembled. Her tears had fallen from her eyes and Fleetfoot was trying to wipe them away. Fleetfoot was close to crying as well, but she remained strong for her friend’s sake. I had a good idea of what was next, but I had to make sure for certain. As much as this pained her to talk about, I couldn’t jump to assumptions without hearing it from her.

“What happened once you opened the door?” I asked.

The reaction from Spitfire was one I kind of guessed would happen. Spitfire threw the glass against the wall, shattering it on impact. She was breathing heavily as Fleetfoot tried to reign her in. If it wasn’t for her wing being bandaged up, I was sure Spitfire would have flown out of the room. Thankfully, Fleetfoot was able to calm her friend down a little. Taking a few calming breaths, the fiery mare looked at me with the most hurt in her eyes that I’ve ever seen.

“I found her having sex with some stallion,” Spitfire said as her head hung low.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said.

I hesitantly reached out to Spitfire and placed my hand on her mane. The pegasus didn’t fight back as she allowed me to stroke her mane. I could only guess how much that hurt Spitfire. I’ve only had a few bad girlfriends, but to see someone that you loved with all your heart, and about to propose to, having sex with another? It must hurt immensely.

Spitfire spoke again, but her voice was in a soft, hushed tone. “That’s not even the worst part.”

Lowering my hand, I cupped the mare’s jaw, lifting her head so she could look at me. “What made it worse?”

The mare didn’t fight back as she started whimpering, tears free falling from her face and staining the bed. “The stallion she was having sex with was her husband. Apparently, they had been married for about four years. They go around, seducing those that are really high celebrities for a sick thrill and bragging rights to their friends.”

“I felt my heart shatter in my chest as I learned that I was a plaything for their sick game. I promptly kicked them out of the room, but I was just furious. I went on a blind rampage, breaking everything that was in the room. Once everything was broken, I flew out the window and went back to Cloudsdale. I stopped by Fleetfoot’s home and told her everything that happened.”

Spitfire let out a huge breath as she slumped on the bed. Fleetfoot slowly stroked her back as Spitfire took a few relaxing breaths. A lot of things were starting to make sense now. Celestia had asked them to look after me because she knew everything that happened between Spitfire and Ember Glow. Celestia needed someone else that was more of a third party so that Spitfire didn’t do anything drastic again. That only left one question that begged to be answered now.

“What was with both of you hating me so much?” My voice was calm as I looked between the mares.

“I have no proper justification other than the fact that I just didn’t have much trust for you. I actually forgave you for that shower incident, but I just wasn’t sure about you as a pony. I had no idea what kind of motivations that you might have had for when you moved in. I was also still venting some of my anger from before while trying to make sure you knew that you couldn’t do anything to harm me,” Spitfire explained as she looked at the floor.

I heard Fleetfoot give a heavy sigh as she looked at me. “I guess I don’t have a great reason either. I was looking out for Spitfire’s safety. I just couldn’t stand seeing her get hurt in some way. I’ve never seen Spitfire so distraught that I just had to do whatever it takes to look after her.”

“So where does that leave me?” I asked as I looked between the mares.

“Well, now you know everything. You decide what you want to do from here on out. If you do leave, can you at least tell us and not just disappear. We would at least give you a proper goodbye, even after everything that has happened,” Fleetfoot said as she helped Spitfire into bed.

I nodded my head as I got up from the chair. I picked the chair up from the back and carried it back to the bathroom. I walked out of the bathroom to see Fleetfoot give Spitfire a kiss on her head before settling in on her side. I went over to the candle and picked it up, heading for the door.

I was stopped at the door when Fleetfoot spoke up. “Where’re you going, Mark? You need your rest to help heal up.”

I turned my head slightly so I could look at the mare. “I’m just going for a walk, and this injury is nothing compared to when Spitfire sent me to the hospital and what happened to me back on Earth.”

I could barely see anything in the room since I was holding the light, but I could make out Fleetfoot nodding her head. I gently closed the door behind me as I looked to my left and right. I was correct in assuming I was in one of the many visitor rooms as I made note of all the rooms. Taking a deep breath, I turned to my left and started walking. I was left with much to think about now, and I really didn’t have any guidance. I decided to stop by the throne room and see if Luna could offer me any advice.

I walked through the halls, greeting many of the bat ponies that I passed. They were an interesting breed of ponies with their slitted eyes, fangs, and cute little tufts of fur on the ends of their ears. Their membranous wings really helped to show the differences between them and pegasi. There were only two thestrals that I would say that I was really good friends with, and they were Luna’s very personal guards. I reached the throne room and saw the two mares I was thinking about.

“Echo, Moon, how are you two doing?” I greeted as I ran towards the mares.

“Mark, it has been such a long time. You need to visit more before Moon drives everypony up the wall with her whining,” Echo teased as she gave me a hug.

“I do not whine, Echo. If anypony is going to drive somepony up the wall, it’s going to be you because you do nothing but complain about Mark not stopping by,” Moon shot back as she joined in on the hug.

“Sorry about that. I’ve been kind of busy for the past while,” I apologized as I let the mares go.

“It’s fine, Mark. We’re just giving you a hard time,” Echo said as she gave me a warm smile.

“Are you here to see Luna?” Moon asked.

“Yeah, I have a few things I would like to ask her,” I said.

“Good, because I think Luna is getting bored with nopony to talk to,” Echo said as she started pushing the door open.

I raised a brow at the mare’s statement. “She doesn’t have any night court duties today?”

Moon shook her head as she spoke. “Not for the next couple of days. Not many ponies have issues to address her with and she seems so bored in there. I think she’ll enjoy your company.”

“I guess I’ll go make her day then. I’m sorry still for not visiting. I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” I said as I gave the two mares a final hug.

“You better, or else Moon and I will have to drag you out of your bed to talk with us,” Echo joked as she let me go.

Laughing a little at Echo’s small threat, I walked into the throne room. The door closed behind me and I was left in an empty room. Knowing exactly what was going to happen next, I closed my eyes as I opened my arms. Not long after had I opened my arms, Luna had me wrapped in a hug. I felt her nuzzling my neck as she gave a warm laugh. I wrapped my arms around the mare, stroking her back as I gave a small smile. We held each other for several seconds before she finally released me.

Once Luna was on the floor, she looked up at me with a cheery smile. “How’s your night going, Mark? Are your wounds doing fine?”

I laughed a little at Luna’s concern. “My wounds are fine, Luna. My night, though, is something I would like to talk about.”

Luna took on a serious look as she looked at me. “Would you like to talk about it?” Luna gestured towards the thrones and I followed her.

“I actually would, but only if you have the time. I know you have a long list of ponies that you need to see,” I teased.

Luna laughed a little, her expression becoming joyful as she spoke. “Please, Mark, I will gladly push aside any appointments to speak with you. Now let’s see what is troubling you, shall we?”

I nodded as I stood in front of Luna. Luna sat on her throne, giving me her full attention. “I spoke with Spitfire and Fleetfoot about everything that happened.”

Luna gave a small frown. “And what do you think?”

I scratched my chin in thought. “Honestly, I don’t really know. I was hoping you could give me some advice, or even a push me in some type of direction.”

Luna nodded as she placed a hoof on her chin. “There are many courses of action that you can take. Each one has a different outcome, but it depends on what you really feel.” Luna placed her hoof back on the cushion as she looked at me.” How do you feel?”

I gave a big sigh as I looked at the floor. “I’m not really sure at this moment. Before I was hurt and irritated by their actions. I actually lost my temper with them, but I didn’t do anything like I did the last five times I lost my temper.”

Luna gave a sigh of relief as she relaxed a little. “That’s good to hear. Glad those lessons with Cadence and Fluttershy have paid off.”

I nodded my agreement as I continued. “After hearing their story, I’m more confused than ever. I feel sorry for what happened to Spitfire and I can slightly see where Fleetfoot was coming from. That doesn’t entirely mean their actions were justified, but I still understand. I’ve also figured out that you and Celestia are having me room with them because you think I can help Spitfire in some way.”

Luna nodded her head before turning to the window and looking up at the moon. “Celestia was telling the truth though when she said that it was also to help you learn what we can’t teach. We also thought it would help Spitfire get over her pain. You can think less of us if you want, but we never wanted any of you to get hurt.”

“Why have me help her, though? What exactly can I help her with?” I asked with my arms spread wide.

Luna looked at me, her eyes showing a slight determination. “It’s because you’re a kind person, Mark, but that’s only if you’re not avoiding confrontation. Spitfire has been through much to reach where she is now, and the same is easily said for Fleetfoot. Those two mares need a very close friend they can lean against for support. You’ve had your fair share of problems as well, and it seemed like you would be able to relate on some level.”

“Those two mares have so much together that I would hate for any of it to be ruined. You’ve always made sure that you adapted to some of our culture as we allowed to adapt some of yours. We thought that maybe if you could break through Spitfire’s hard shell, then she could finally be the mare she used to be.”

“But the choice is up to you. You can decide to try and forgive Spitfire and Fleetfoot, and try to become friends, or you can pack up your bags and leave. This choice is ultimately yours to make, and we’ll respect whichever you choose.”

I looked at the floor as my head swam with many different feelings and thoughts. One choice was easy to follow through with, but Luna was right in what she said. The choice was mine to make and I had to think it through. Picking up everything that I owned and moving out seemed so easy, but it just didn’t feel right. Giving forgiveness to the mares was difficult as well since it wasn’t that easy to forgive and forget. Looking up at Luna, I nodded my head as I turned to leave the throne room.

I stopped walking as I heard Luna call out to me. “Make sure you pick the choice that makes everyone happy instead of just yourself.”

I gave a thumbs up to Luna as I walked out of the throne room. Moon and Echo looked up at me with cheerful smiles. Their smiles made me think back to the ones that Spitfire and Fleetfoot gave me. Even though theirs were fake, I kind of wondered what a genuine smile would feel like. Crouching down so that I could look at Moon directly, I smiled at her.

“Hey, do you know if the flower shop is still open?” I asked.

“Are you asking about the one that has the rare and exotic ones?” I nodded my head. “It is, but why do you need to know?”

“I need to see if I’m willing to follow through with something,” I said as I turned to Echo. “Hey, Echo, you mind doing me a favor?”

Echo jumped into the air, her wings keeping her afloat as she grinned at me. “What do you need me to do?”

I went into my pocket and pulled out a key to Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s house. “I need you to fly over to Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s house and get my money pouch. It’s in the top drawer of my dresser. Once you’ve grabbed it, meet Moon and I at the flower shop, got it?”

Echo gave a small salute as she grabbed the key and took off. I looked down to Moon as she grinned up at me. “You mind leading me to the flower shop?”

Moon nodded her head as she jumped into the air. I followed the mare out of the castle and headed towards the flower shop. I had only seen the shop in passing, but it did have some interesting flora that I kind of thought about getting. It didn’t take long to get to the shop and it was open like Moon said. I wasn’t sure why I thought it would be closed since it was a shop that liked to stay open throughout the night. Echo had already beaten us to the shop as she leaned against the front of the building, juggling my bit bag.

“Took you two long enough. I could have flown to the house and here three more times before you finally arrived,” Echo joked as she tossed me the bit bag.

I could only shake my head at the mare as I entered the store. The two mares followed behind me and went about looking at all the flowers. I saw a mint green earth pony mare behind the counter, reading a flower magazine. She looked up from her magazine as she saw me walking over. She quickly put away the magazine as she gave a warm smile. I waved to the mare as I started looking through the front case. I heard about two flowers that were extremely rare that only this shop carried and sold. I looked through the case for a couple of minutes before coming up short.

I looked up at the mare with a slight frown. “Do you not have any of these flowers in stock today?” I pointed to the two flowers that I was looking for.

The mare smiled as she jumped off her seat. “Actually, you’re in luck. Our shipment came in and my friend should be finished preserving them. Would you like me to get them?”

I nodded my head as the mare retreated to her back room. While the mare was gone, I looked back to see Moon and Echo trying out different flowers. I watched the mares mess with different combinations of flower before finally stopping. They both gave small frowns as they walked up to me.

“What has you two so down?” I asked as they jumped up on the stools.

“We’re trying to find a flower that would look good for Steel Wing’s foals,” Moon answered.

I slapped myself on the forehead for forgetting something like that. “That reminds me, I should probably get those two something.” I looked around the flowers up front before seeing something that caught my eye. “How about this one?”

The two mares looked at the flower I was pointing to before giving huge grins. The flower I had suggested to them was a rare earthlily. A few ponies talked about this particular flower giving good luck to those that were becoming parents. The two mares nodded as they carefully pulled out the small container holding the flower. The earth mare walked out from the back room with the two flowers that I had requested. She placed them into their own glass containers before setting them in front of me.

“Are you sure you have enough to pay for these? They aren’t really cheap flowers,” the earth mare said.

I didn’t say anything as I looked at the flowers. Echo and Moon took this chance to buy the earthlily as I made sure I wanted to follow through with this. Money wasn’t a problem for me since I never really had much to go out and buy. Echo and Moon finished their purchase and watched me as I lifted my bit bag. Giving one final look at the two flowers, I gave a quick imagination of the mares wearing them. I gave a small smile as I turned towards the mare.

I dropped the bag of bits on the counter as I spoke with certainty. “I would like to buy these.”

The mare nodded her head as she grabbed the bits. Her eyes went wide as she counted through the bits, taking only the amount needed to pay for the two flowers. Looking at the amount of bits that were left, I looked at a couple more flowers. Seeing three that I liked, I pointed to them as I spoke to the mare.

“I would like this moonlily, icelily, and lightninglily.” The mare nodded as she took more of my bits away.

Giving back the last of my bits, she grabbed the three flowers and gave them to me. I wished the mare a goodnight and left the store with Echo and Moon behind me. The two mares gave me curious looks as they looked at the three extra flowers that I purchased.

“What did you get those for?” Echo asked.

“Well, I got the icelily for Surprise since the earthlily is going to be Steel Wing’s,” I explained as I handed them the icelily.

“What about those two?” Moon asked as she gestured to the other two flowers.

I smiled at the mares as I handed them the two other flowers. “These are for the happy bat ponies that have finally started their relationship.” The two mares blushed as they took the flowers.

“How did you know that?” Echo asked as she opened the moonlily case.

I gave a slight shrug of my shoulders. “I might know a lot about flowers, but the few that you tried on I recognized from a magazine. I’m actually kind of glad that you two got together.”

Moon raised a brow at me as she put the lightninglily in her mane. “Why’s that?”

“You two just seemed like a really good pairing. I’ve hardly seen either one of you separated, so I guess there was some sort of budding romance,” I answered calmly.

“Can you at least keep it quiet for now? I don’t want other ponies knowing yet,” Echo asked.

I ruffled the bat mare’s mane as I gave her a big smile. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”

Echo gave an amused laugh as she batted my hand away. We reached the castle and the mares waved goodbye to me as they headed back to the throne room. Waving goodbye to the mares, I turned and headed for Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s office. My walk to their office turned into a sprint as I wanted to get these flowers dropped off. I reached their office and grabbed the key that was in the plastic bin. Opening the door, I grabbed the two flowers and placed them on the desks. Making sure the flowers were properly placed and they were still in good condition, I closed the door and locked it.

I threw the key back into the plastic bin and headed back for my own room. Opening the doors to my room, I walked over to my bed and slid under the covers. I was prepared for whatever tomorrow would bring. I fell asleep quickly, glad with the decision that I made.

Morning

I was disturbed from my sleep by a series of knocks at my door. Groaning as I got up from bed, I searched for my alarm clock. Not finding it anywhere, I wondered what I did with it. My mind slowly came to and I looked towards the wall when I remembered what happened to it. Giving a small sigh and chuckle, another set of knocks rang out. Stretching my arms as I got up, I walked towards the door. I opened the door and was greeted by the one pony I wasn’t expecting to see yet.

“Hello, Mark. I just came by to check up on you. Are you feeling any better?” Celestia asked as she trotted into my room.

I scratched the back of my head as I spoke. “I’m feeling slightly better. I assume that Luna talked to you about what I talked about with her?” Celestia nodded.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do?” Celestia asked with slight concern.

I walked over to my bed and sat on its edge. “I have,’ I answered as I scratched at my bandages.

“What did you decide on?” Celestia asked as she trotted over.

Celestia’s horn glowed its golden aura as she gripped at my bandages. She slowly took off my bandages, giving small apologies for every time I winced. “I think I’ve went with the best choice that I could.”

Celestia looked up at me, but didn’t stop unwinding the bandages. “And what choice would that be?”

“That’s going to be a surprise later today,” I answered as I gave her a small smile.

Celestia only shook her head playfully as she finished taking off the bandages. She winced a little at seeing my large bruise. She carefully pressed around the edges of the bruise and my sides to see my reactions. Most of the pain in my sides had subsided, but the area around my bruise was still a little tender.

Celestia continued to check on my bruise as she spoke. “I’m still amazed that you only suffered this bruising after impacting that pillar.”

I gave a small laugh as I spoke. “If this weirds you out… sore… then you should have seen what happened to me on Earth that left the doctors baffled.”

Celestia raised a brow, her hoof no longer prodding at my bruise. “What happened?”

I looked up at the roof as I thought back to that day. “Pretty much what happened was that I was returning home from work. I was minding my own business when a car hit me.” Celestia gave a loud gasp at that, her eyes looking at me with a little worry. “I go to the doctor’s to get checked up and they were surprised to see that I hadn’t really suffered any serious damage. They really couldn’t explain how it happened, but they placed it with sheer luck.”

Celestia let out a small sigh of relief. “I remember you telling me about vehicles from your world. I’m very glad that you didn’t suffer any serious injury.

“Thanks,” I said as I gave a smile to Celestia.

Celestia summoned another roll of bandages and had me stand up. I really didn’t see the need to wrap me up in bandages since I wasn’t bleeding from anywhere, but I wasn’t going to argue. After hearing Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s explanation about everything, I really couldn’t find a reason to argue. After Celestia finished wrapping my torso in the bandages, she got rid of the roll and gave me a fresh pair of clothes. I went to the bathroom and did a quick change before coming out and throwing my clothes to the side.

“So, what’s the plan for the day?” I asked as I made for the door.

“Well, it’s noon right now, and I have no meetings for a couple of hours, so I was thinking we could have lunch at the practice field,” Celestia suggested.

I stopped at the door after she told me the time. “It’s noon? Why didn’t you wake me up earlier? Why hasn’t Spitfire barged in here to yell at me for still being asleep?” I wasn’t sure where that last question came from, but I asked it anyway.

Celestia gave a gentle smile as she guided me out of the room. “Mark, take a few deep breaths.” I did as she said. “Good. I didn’t wake you because you, Spitfire, and Fleetfoot are to take it easy until your injuries are healed.”

I nodded my head as she led me to the practice field. Once we were at the field, I saw that there was no one there. I guessed they either moved practice somewhere else, or cancelled it since Spitfire and Fleetfoot were out for the day. I wondered if they had gone to their offices yet to see what I left them. Shrugging my shoulders, I joined Celestia under a shady tree as she summoned a blanket and a picnic basket. I took a seat next to her, leaning against the tree as she filled a small cup with tea.

I gave a small snicker that caused Celestia to look at me with a raised brow. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, except how much you ponies like your tea,” I said as I grabbed a bottle of water.

“There’s nothing wrong with a good cup of tea every now and then. You would be doing the same if you actually tried it,” Celestia said as she turned her head with a little humph.

“Did you forget what happened the last time I drank your tea?” I asked as I continued to laugh.

“You meant that time you over-reacted?” Celestia asked as she gave a small smirk.

“If you call vomiting all over your dining table over-reacting, then you’re right,” I said as I laughed at the memory.
Celestia shared in the laughter as she started giggling at the memory. “I really should’ve made you clean it up.”

“I warned you what would happen if you had me try it. You have nobody to blame but yourself for that,” I said as I grabbed a sandwich from the basket.

Celestia could only shake her head at me as we ate in silence. It was a pleasant morning where it wasn’t too hot to be outside. There was a gentle breeze that felt soothing against my skin as I closed my eyes. Everything just felt peaceful at this moment and I didn’t want it to end. After Celestia and I finished our lunch, the princess decided to pass the time with one of her new favorite activities. Celestia laid her head across my legs and I gently scratched her neck. The princesses enjoyed this very much as it gave them a great deal of relaxation.

Celestia let her eyes close as she enjoyed the feeling of my fingers scratch across her neck and mane. I looked around the empty field, relaxing the small quiet that I was gifted with. I didn’t really notice it before, but those five days I spent with the mares and that night where we finally got everything out in the open had me drained. I looked down at Celestia as she breathed peacefully, dozing off under my touch. I heard the soft flapping of wings and looked up to see Steel Wing and Surprise coming down. The griffoness and mare landed in front of me and I held my fingers to my lips as I pointed to Celestia.

The two nodded as Steel spoke in a whisper. “We just came by to thank you for getting these flowers for us.”

I looked at Steel’s talon to see she had the earthlily clipped to her left and Surprise had her icelily placed on the right side of her mane. Both of them seemed really happy to have those flowers as they smiled brightly at me.

I gave a small shrug of my shoulders as I answered back in my own whisper. “Think nothing of it. You should actually thank Echo and Moon for reminding me about it. I would have forgotten at the last minute and gotten you a very crappy gift.”

Surprise moved next to me as she gave me a soft hug. “You being there would be enough of a gift for me, Mark. These must have been really expensive.” Surprise fiddled with the flower in her mane.

“It was worth it though. I wasn’t really spending my bits at the moment and I had enough to get two flowers as well for Spitfire and Fleetfoot,” I said as I lightly nudged Celestia awake.

The princess slowly blinked her eyes a couple of times before giving a huge yawn. She slowly lifted off my lap as she rubbed at her eyes with a hoof. Once she wiped away the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes, she waved to the new arrivals. Steel and Surprise waved to the princess as they looked back at me.

“So what did you get them?” Steel asked.

“That is something you’re going to have to wait and find out,” I answered as I leaned against the tree.

Surprise and Steel gave each other a curious look before joining Celestia and me on the blanket. The pegasus and griffoness were leaning against each other, playing with their flowers as they whispered to each other. They both looked really happy together and I hoped they had a wonderful life together. An hour passed as we continued to sit under the tree. I was worried they weren’t going to show up, or I did something stupid, but was given relief as I saw them trotting from one of the hallways. The mares looked around the practice field before spotting us under the tree. I waved them over and they happily trotted towards us.

I heard Surprise, Celestia, and Steel Wing give a surprised gasp as they looked at the mares. I could understand why since I was generally surprised as well. The two mares were wearing their flowers in their manes, and it paled in comparison to what I had imagined. The firelily in Spitfire’s mane stood out proudly, glistening in the sun and showing off its fiery petals for all to see. The snowlily in Fleetfoot’s mane was subtle, but still impressive as it glittered in the sunlight like a snowflake would.

I don’t know what it was, but I could possibly chalk it up to my slight lack of sleep, because the mares looked gorgeous as they trotted up to us. Their coats and manes radiated beauty as the sunlight shimmered off of them. Their manes were still in their messy state, but the flowers finished off their elegant beauty. I couldn’t help but stare at them as they neared us, but I was thankfully pulled from my gaze by Celestia. I shook my head from the thoughts that ran around my head, hoping the mares didn’t notice my stares.

Once I had my head clear, the mares stopped in front of us. Their wings were no longer covered in bandages and looked ready to fly. Spitfire walked up to me, her face showing slight anger before calming down into a relaxed smile. Fleetfoot joined Spitfire in standing in front of me, her features expressionless at the moment, but there was a subtle hint of happiness.

“You wouldn’t happen to know where these came from, would you?” Spitfire asked as she messed with her firelily.

“I got those as a sort of apology,” I said as I rubbed the back of my head.

“So, you forgive us?” Fleetfoot asked with a little hope.

“Not entirely,” I said as I crossed my arms and looked at the mares.

“Then why did you get us these?” Spitfire asked as she pulled the firelily out of her mane.

“I would like to think of it as a new start. We’ve gotten everything out in the open, and I think we can try getting along again. I’m still very pissed about everything you did, but if you’re willing to accept these flowers, then I’m willing to try and start this friendship again,” I said as I looked between the mares.

Spitfire and Fleetfoot looked at each other before speaking in a hushed whisper. I looked at Steel Wing, Surprise, and Celestia to see them blushing slightly and conversing silently with each other. I wasn’t sure what had those three slightly flustered, but I was more focused on Spitfire and Fleetfoot’s answers. The two mares continued to converse with each other before giving small grins. I shuddered lightly as they turned to me, their grins looking a little predatory. Spitfire’s was a little more predatory because of her lioness attitude that she took when she grinned.

“Very well, Mark. Let’s start a clean slate with each other, and get to know each other,” Spitfire spoke in a slightly sultry voice.

My face grew a slight blush at hearing Spitfire speak, but I quickly shook away my embarrassment. “That’s great to hear. I hope that we can be great friends now that we can finally get along.”

Fleetfoot nodded as she gave a slight smirk, her voice going a little sultry as well. “Then we accept your offer of a date and look forward to it.”

My mind froze at hearing that. My mouth opened and closed, trying to figure out a proper response. I wasn’t given a chance to respond as the mares turned around and walked away. The mares gave a little sway in their hips, their tails slightly swaying side to side. They looked back at me, smirking at my stunned expression as they unfolded their wings and took to the air. I watched in stunned silence for a few seconds as the mares disappeared from sight. I looked at Steel Wing, Surprise, and Celestia to see they were holding back their laughter.

I finally found my voice after processing everything that happened just now. “What just happened?”

Celestia was able to control her laughter first to answer me. “I didn’t think you were that fast in asking a mare out.”

“I’m being serious here. I have no idea what I just did,” I said as I gestured to where the two mares were before.

Steel Wing walked next to me, draping her talon leg around my neck. “Dude, if I had known you got something like that, I would have warned you about what you were doing.”

“What did I do? Can somebody just tell me that?” I asked.

Surprise jumped on my back, her voice full of cheer as she explained. “Well, it’s not used as often, but ponies would usually give either rare or exotic gifts to show they had interest in pursuing a relationship. Flowers were usually a more common gift since a pony would get one that matched the pony’s personality or mane color.”

“So I pretty much asked out a mare without actually having to speak with them?” I asked as I laid on the ground.

Celestia smiled as she placed a hoof on my shoulder. “I’m very happy for you, Mark. You’ll be able to learn something that I wouldn’t be able to properly teach you.”

I looked up at Celestia with a slightly irritated expression, but I just let out a deep sigh as I softly banged my head on the ground. Steel Wing and Surprise gave me a few comforting pats on my back before getting up to leave. I waved goodbye to the two as I stared deeply into the ground. I could hear the two fly off before rolling onto my back to look at the sky. I could barely make out the small forms of Spitfire and Fleetfoot flying through the air.

“Why does this always happen to me,” I mumbled into the ground.

Celestia gently lifted me up with her magic so I could look at her. “Cheer up, Mark. I’m proud of you for getting out there. You should take this opportunity to see what you like in a mare and try to find one you might want to settle down with.”

“This isn’t making me feel any better,” I said as I gave a small frown.

Celestia continued to smile as she spoke calmly. “How about this? Take the day off to think everything through. Go around the city and just have a peaceful walk. If you don’t want to walk, then go back to bed and sleep on it. I really think you should give it a chance, but if you don’t, then they’ll understand. They might also be messing with you since you probably didn’t know what you were doing, and if you explain it to them, then you all can share in a laugh.”

I thought about what Celestia said for several seconds before nodding my head. Celestia smiled as she released me from her magic hold. I brushed off my pants and shirts before turning around and leaving.

“I’m going to sleep on this,” I said as I went for my room.

“I hope you sleep well, and either Luna or I will talk to you later,” Celestia said.

I waved goodbye to Celestia as I headed for my room. Celestia waved goodbye as she cleaned up everything and left for the throne room. I went straight to my room and slipped under the covers of my bed to sleep on my decision. I stared up at the ceiling as I let my mind process everything that has happened in these past couple of hours. I saw Spitfire and Fleetfoot quickly pass by my window as they flew around happily.

I laid in my bed, my mind racing at what I’ve just done. I was still trying to get over the initial shock that I had just apologized to and asked out two mares. They also weren’t any ordinary mares. They were both Wonderbolt superstars and that they even said yes to me was still a little surprising. The only thing that bothered me was did I really want this? I’ve been here for several months and haven’t really thought about dating or finding a relationship with anyone. Could I even have a normal relationship with a pony?

I looked out the window and saw Spitfire and Fleetfoot flying around. They seemed to not have noticed me as I smiled. Both mares looked positively happy now that everything was cleared up. I slowly entertained the thought of dating the mares and it didn’t seem entirely that bad. The idea seemed fun and it probably would be nice to get out in the dating world again. Looking back at the mares as they flew through the sky, I decided to give it a shot. If it didn’t work out, then we could still remain good friends. I was about to sleep when another thought occurred to me. Who was I going to go out with first, and who would I ultimately decide upon if I wanted to pursue a relationship with either one of them? I sighed heavily as it was going to be a long date with those mares.