Morning came by again, and it was relatively peaceful. I got showered and dressed for the day as I went to check in on Spitfire and Fleetfoot. Their door was still closed, so I assumed they were still asleep. I headed for the kitchen, wanting to give a few more minutes to the sleeping mares. Heading down the stairs, I made sure that my footsteps were quiet to avoid waking them. I reached the kitchen after my slow descent and got started on cooking. I made sure to grab two bottles from their cupboards and filled them with water.

The mares were going to need the extra water to help with their hangovers. I looked through their pantry to see the small amount of food they had. Looking over the small selection, I was glad they had enough of what I was looking for to make them a decent breakfast. I grabbed the pancake batter, blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate chips before heading over to the stove. I was glad that Chris was able to teach me how to cook. I still couldn’t make anything big or extravagant like he probably could, but I learned enough to stop living off of that fast food crap.

One nice breakfast food that I learned to cook was muffins and I thought the mares would like to try some. I smiled as I started humming to myself. It wasn’t any particular song that anyone would know, since it was just me making my own melody. As I hummed and moved around the kitchen, making sure not to create a big mess, I let my mind wander to a particular cooking flop. I was learning how to cook a whole chicken and about halfway through cooking it, the entire oven caught fire.

At first we thought it was just a fluke and tried it again. The same results happened, but I believed that the third time was the charm. Chris kept me away from any chicken cooking after that attempt. The most fun part was explaining to the fire department how I could set an oven on fire every time. I honestly didn’t know what happened, but after that, I decided to stick to more simple stuff. Coming out of my thoughts, I heard the tell-tale sound of hooves clopping against the stairs. It took the mares a while to get to the kitchen, since they stopped every few steps, probably rubbing their heads from the loud noise.

I didn’t turn around, keeping my eyes on the batter that I was mixing instead. I heard the mares pull the chairs away from the table, a couple of groans escaping them as the chairs scratched the floor. I put the bowl down and grabbed the bottles. I placed a bottle in front of each mare and they gave a lazy wave of thanks as they placed their heads on the table. I moved back to the bowl and gave a few more stirs before grabbing for a muffin tray. I really wished that Twilight took up my idea of a muffin button, but she thought it was silly to have such a thing.

Once I put the muffin tray in the oven, I set the timer for twenty minutes and joined the mares at the table. Spitfire and Fleetfoot lazily drank from their bottles, rubbing their temples to stave off the headache. Silence settled between us, but thankfully it wasn’t uncomfortable. This silence was welcomed as it gave peace to the two mares and allowed me to think how I was going to use the bubble wrap to prank Luna. I had a few ideas, but I probably wouldn’t decide on one until I got to the castle.

Spitfire seemed to have slightly recover from her throbbing pain as her whispered voice pulled me out of my thoughts. “Mark, how did we end up in our room?”

I could have lied to her about how she got there, but I didn’t really see any point in trying. “After the two of you passed out while I was carrying you, I put you in your bedroom.”

Fleetfoot stopped mid-drink as she looked at me with wide eyes, while Spitfire’s gaze became angry. Spitfire was about to open her mouth and say something before being quickly cut off by Fleetfoot. “You didn’t see anything in there, did you?”

Now this was a question that I was willing to lie about. Granted, I would deserve a buck or two for snooping a little, and I already felt bad enough about it. “Nope. I entered Spitfire’s room, placed the two of you on the bed, and then covered you with a blanket before leaving your room and going to sleep in my own room.”

Fleetfoot nodded her head as her eyes showed a little relief. Spitfire on the other hand didn’t seem happy about it, still. “Why didn’t you just put us in your room?”

I raised my brow a little at her question, unsure if she realized how exactly that question could have actually been taken. I was about to answer her, when the timer went off. I cursed under my breath as I ran for the timer, muttering curses about not paying attention to the time to avoid this situation. Both mares let out loud groans as I fought with the timer to shut it off. After several agonizing seconds, I got the timer to stop ringing and pulled out the muffins. I took a deep breath as I looked back at the mares, who were currently holding their ears down with their hooves.

Letting out a slight cough, I grabbed a large plate and placed the muffins on it. Giving the muffins a couple of minutes to cool down, I cleaned up the dirty dishes. Once I had the dishes cleaned, I took the plate to the dining table and placed it in the middle. I apologized to the two mares as they lifted their heads from the table, rubbing their heads to fight off a strong headache. The mares each took a muffin after rubbing their heads for a few seconds. They each gave their muffin a cursory look before turning towards me.

“They have blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate chips mixed together,” I said as I reached for one myself.

The mares looked at their muffins a few seconds longer before each taking a bite. Their chewing was slow as they made sure it was filled with what I described. I smiled as their eyes widened before scarfing down the rest of their muffins. I enjoyed my own muffin as the two mares switched between eating a muffin and drinking their water. It still couldn’t cure them of their hangover, but it would be enough that they could probably get through the rest of the day without having too much discomfort.

As I ate my muffin, Spitfire spoke up between her bites. “You still didn’t answer my question.”

Spitfire looked at me, chewing at her muffin again as I finished off my second muffin. “I didn’t put you in my room because I thought it would be better if I put both of you in yours and you didn’t think I did something to either of you during the night.”

Spitfire looked at me with a raised brow before giving a small smile and nodding her head. My answer seemed to satisfy her as she didn’t question me about my actions any further. The three of us said nothing as we polished off the plate. Both mares were a little more lively than they were when they arrived, but the evidence of their headaches was still slightly present. Fleetfoot took the plate to the sink and started cleaning it as Spitfire grabbed their saddle bags. While Spitfire grabbed their bags, I headed upstairs and grabbed the bubble wrap. I walked down the stairs to see the mares grabbing their flight suits.

I’m not sure what really caused me to do this, maybe it was because of the pictures, but I grabbed the flight suits and pulled them away from the mares. “Not happening.”

Spitfire and Fleetfoot gave me small glares as the former trotted up to me. “We have practice to attend, and we need to wear those. Now hand them back to us.” Spitfire continued to speak in a whisper, but the authority in her voice still maintained as she held out a hoof.

I shook my head, holding my ground as I hung the suits on the back of the couch. “I’m not going to let two pegasi fly around as they suffer through splitting headaches. I don’t care if you’ve done this before, I’m not allowing it.” I made sure that my voice was kept at a whisper while being slightly rough to show my stance.

Spitfire didn’t seem to like this as she trotted up to me and poked my leg with her hoof. “Who do you think you are telling us what we can and can’t do?”

“Someone who isn’t going to let a friend hurt themselves because they can’t take it easy. I may be an assistant for the two of you, but if I have to, I’ll get one of the princesses to back me up on this.” I glared at Spitfire, demanding that she try to push back.

Spitfire and I glared at each for a few seconds, neither one of us backing down. I was still really unsure where this slightly protective side of me was coming from, but right now it didn’t matter. Fleetfoot trotted up as Spitfire and I continued to stare at each other and placed a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. Spitfire’s head shot around to look at Fleetfoot, her glare lasting for a few seconds before diminishing to one of understanding. Fleetfoot gestured for her friend to the door and she complied. When Spitfire passed Fleetfoot, the latter looked back at me and mouthed the words ‘thank you’.

My glare softened and was replaced with confusion at what Fleetfoot said. Shaking my head, I grabbed the bag of bubble wrap that I had dropped and followed the mares outside. The two mares didn’t hover, but stood to either side of me as we walked towards the castle. I noticed the two mares keeping their gazes towards the ground, trying to avoid any strong light from hitting them. We walked at a faster pace so they could get inside the castle. We arrived at the castle and the guards allowed us to pass. Once inside, Spitfire and Fleetfoot headed for their office while I left to find Luna’s room.

As I walked through the halls, I greeted a few maids and guards that I passed. A couple of them gave me a curious look from the bag I was holding. Some maids and guards knew about the few pranks that Luna and I pulled on each other, and thanks to Pinkie, I had learned to do some of them better. I knew my way to Luna’s bed chambers since I had some conversations with her there. Those visits really caused some scandals as the press went around saying that I was having ‘nightly adventures’ with the princess.

The thought of those lies made me feel slightly sick, but thanks to Celestia, it was handled before it got out of hand. Still, though, many ponies in Canterlot don’t like taking the sticks out of their butts and continue to spread some of those rumors about Luna and me. Before my thoughts were able to go any further into my fourth outburst, I reached Luna’s bed chambers. Echo and Moon were standing guard outside her door and waved as I approached them. The two thestrals left their positions and trotted up to me.

As the two mares neared me, Echo took quick notice of my bag before giving a sly grin. “Seems like somepony has something planned for Luna.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her as I spoke. “Indeed I do, Echo. Is Luna in her bed right now?”

Moon grinned cheekily as she gestured for me to follow her. “She’s sleeping right now. Had a long night at court and needs her rest.” We stopped in front of the door as the two mares opened them enough to allow me in. “Please try to not make such a big mess.”

I nodded to Moon as she and Echo closed the doors behind me. Once the doors were closed, I looked around to see that everything was the same like before. At least, I assumed everything was the same since it was incredibly dark in her bed chambers. I found the door to her luxurious bathroom that had a bath about half the size of a swimming pool. Her bed was big enough to fit ten ponies on it, more if they were closer, and had a starry see-through curtain closed around it.

She had soft black carpeting on the ground and to the sides of her bed were two nightstands. I continued to look around the room before finally making out Luna’s form in the bed. Setting the bag down, I grabbed the first roll of bubble wrap and headed for the sleeping princess. I pulled aside her curtains to see her sleeping peacefully. I climbed onto her bed, not even trying to be subtle since she was a very heavy sleeper. Grabbing her left forehoof, I set to work on wrapping it. I made sure to keep an eye on Luna to see if she would stir as I moved from hoof to hoof, wrapping them in three layers of bubble wrap.

When her hooves and her legs, up to where they bend, were securely wrapped, I moved on to her horn. I had to be careful touching her horn, Cadence’s biology lessons coming to mind again about the horn being an erogenous zone, as I slowly wrapped the bubble wrap around it. There were a few close calls as the alicorn turned in her bed, but she never fully awoke. Securing off the third layer, I tossed the used roll and grabbed another one. Now came the really hard part as I had to fight against her sleeping form.

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed at her side that was on the bed and lifted her. I carefully set her on my thighs as I held her wings in place. Being careful of another erogenous zone, I began to wrap her wings to her body. As I was about to finish the first wrap, Luna’s wing sprang out, nearly smacking me in the face. I felt my heartbeat against my chest as I worried that Luna was going to wake up. I think luck was on my side for today as Luna remained asleep and I gently placed her wing against her side. Taking a few calming breaths, I did two more passes before setting her down on the bed.

I climbed off the bed and went about the room, using the last bits of bubble wrap on whatever I felt like covering. Ten minutes later, I had finished my little prank. Luna was snug in her bubble wrap coverings, her toilet and faucet in her tub were wrapped, and I made sure to place a few strands in her slippers and crown. I gave a satisfied smile as I grabbed my bag and exited the bedchambers. Echo and Moon looked at me, their grins threatening to split their faces as they made a quick peek into the bedchambers.

Moon looked back at me as she tried to stifle her giggles. “This is going to be one interesting morning.”

Echo nodded her head in agreement as she closed the doors to Luna’s bedchambers. “It’s days like these that make me glad I’m part of Luna’s Guard. You’ve really helped liven things up when you arrived here.”

I gave a warm smile as I ruffled the bat pony’s mane. “Glad to make your day a little less boring. I wish some of the Day Guard would lighten up, though.”

Moon gave a small shrug as she moved back to her position. “We all do, but I guess they’re just going to have to miss all the fun then.”

I nodded my head in agreement as Echo moved back to her post. I turning to leave when I remembered something else that I wanted to do today. “Hey, do you know if Celestia is free at the moment?”

“Yeah, she’s currently at the dining hall. If you hurry over there you should be able to catch her before she leaves for the training fields,” Echo answered.

I nodded my head as I waved goodbye to the mares. Moon and Echo waved goodbye back as I jogged through the halls to meet Celestia. Making a few turns, while at the same time avoiding running into the maids, I reached the dining hall. Good thing too, since I saw Celestia exiting the dining hall. I jogged over to the princess, who saw me coming over and waved at me. I waved back as I caught up to her, panting a little as I tried to catch my breath. Celestia gave a light hearted giggle as she summoned a bottle of water and floated it over to me. I accepted the water and drank half of it down before taking a few deep breaths.

“What has you in such a hurry, Mark?” Celestia asked as she started trotting down the halls.

Walking next to her, I cleared my throat before speaking. “I actually wanted to ask you something. Do you mind if we were somewhere a little more private?” I rubbed the back of my neck in nervousness, hoping that Celestia wouldn’t see.

I was wrong as she took notice of my unease and gave an easy nod. We were silent during our walk as we reached a guest bedroom. Celestia’s golden aura wrapped around the handle of the door and opened it. The alicorn gestured for me to enter first, and I did. Walking into the room, I sat on the edge of the bed as Celestia closed the door behind her. Celestia grabbed a cushion from inside one of the closets and set in on the floor. Celestia sat on the cushion, being very close to me to show that all of her attention was focused on whatever I had to say. I know I could talk to the princesses about anything, but what I had to talk about really had me set to a state of unease.

I was slightly pulled from my nerves as Celestia spoke in a calm, motherly tone. “Take all the time you need, Mark. I have no appointments scheduled for the next couple of hours.”

I nodded to the princess as I thought about how I was going to word my question. This seemed so much easier in my head since I thought I was just going to get a few answers about Equestria I still didn’t know. Now that I was trying to ask the question, even with all the variations, neither seemed really easy to ask. I looked around the room, trying to keep my mind slightly distracted from any negative thoughts.

It seemed to work as I was able to get my mouth moving to form words. “How… how close… are families, usually?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow as she placed a hoof on her chin. “Most pony families are really close. Parents create such a strong bond with their foals that it’s very difficult to sever. Many ponies will go out to see family as often as they can because of that bond.” I nodded my head, but that wasn’t the answer I was looking for.

Taking a few seconds to think, I reworded my question. “Is it possible for pony families to disown a child for choices that they make?”

This seemed to get Celestia’s attention as she gave a soft frown. “As much as I would like to say that it doesn’t happen, I would be lying. They are very rare cases and there might be some that I don’t even know of.”

I raised a brow as I looked at Celestia. “How come you don’t know about them? Wouldn’t the parents have to go through some documents to show they are no longer responsible for that child?”

Celestia nodded her head as she looked out the nearby window. “There are, but when a parent does that, it causes a few problems. Cases like these are usually seen in more of the big cities. Small towns such as Ponyville rarely see them since they are a very tight-knit community.”

Looking out the same window Celestia was looking out of, I reached out and stroked along her neck to help ease the tension between us. “Does Cloudsdale and Canterlot have parents disowning their children?”

Celestia looked back at me, nodding her head. “They do, and they’re also two of the major cities that don’t report that they’ve disowned a foal. The nobles are too proud and don’t want to have their names run into the ground because of what they believe is a ‘failure’ foal. The foal usually ends up in an orphanage and by the time it reaches my ears, it’s out of my hooves. It pains me to see a foal, even a full grown mare or stallion, become disowned.”

A heavy silence settled between us as I continued to run my hand along Celestia’s neck. I saw that it clearly pained Celestia to think about this, and it hurt me to even think that ponies would do that to their children. Running my hand along Celestia’s neck a few more times, I gave a heavy sigh as I stood up from the bed. Celestia watched me as I walked towards the window, looking out into the skies. I looked out the window for several seconds before turning to Celestia and giving her a small smile.

“Thanks for that. I think you helped me figure out a few things.” I walked back to Celestia and gave her a hug.

Celestia returned the hug as she wrapped her wings around me. “Glad to help a friend. Is there anything else that you want to know?”

Even with the somber mood that was created during our last conversation, there was still one more thing I didn’t know. “Actually, there is one more thing I would like to know.”

Celestia pulled away from me as she levitated the pillow back into the closet, giving me a warm smile. “Ask away.”

“This was something I saw a couple of days ago. I was going to the market and I saw a stallion that had two mares with him,” I said as I thought back to that day.

Celestia seemed to understand where I was going as she perked her ears a little. “Oh, so you saw your first herd?”

I raised a brow to Celestia, confusion written all over my face. “What’s a herd?”

Celestia giggled softly behind a hoof as she spoke in a lecture type tone. “This was one of the things I wanted you to experience for yourself. Equestria has a stallion shortage. The ratio of mares to stallion is about five to one.” My eyes went wide as Celestia continued her explanation, holding up a hoof to hold off any questions. “To help combat this problem, stallions will court multiple mares to hopefully get a colt.”

I shook my head as I moved Celestia’s hoof out of the way so I could question her. “So it’s okay for a stallion to see multiple mares at one time?” Celestia nods her head in agreement. “Doesn’t that create problems between each mare that is involved?”

Celestia shook her head as she gave a reassuring smile. “Problems like that are not very common. Most of the mares give consent to joining a herd, and if they feel the need, they can leave if they want. There’s usually a lead mare in a herd that has at least six members so that everypony has at least some time with the stallion. Harems, though, are somewhat similar.” I nodded my head for her to continue.

Celestia gave a gentle cough before continuing. “Harems consist of seven or more mares. There isn’t a limit to how many mares a stallion can have, but a lead mare helps to keep it in check. Harems, though, will usually have more than one stallion and more than one lead mare. Harems are created by either bringing herds together or a stallion keeps adding mares as long as the lead mare is okay with it.”

“Still, couldn’t fights break out between either the stallion or mares?” I asked.

Celestia nodded her head. “There are fights between members, but they are relatively small at best. The point of the lead mare is to help avoid these types of situations. Everypony is free to speak their mind, and if they feel unloved, they can either tell the lead mare or leave the group.” Celestia’s eyes seemed to sparkle a little as she recalled something. “I believe that you mentioned once that your world has polygamy.”

I nodded my head. “Some countries practice it. It’s also not illegal, but no one really recognizes that you have more than one wife.”

Celestia nodded her head in understanding. “Some of the other kingdoms feel the same way, but it isn’t entirely unheard of that other species joined herds that are created here.”

“So you even have interspecies dating?” I asked with a raised brow.

Celestia nodded her head, her tone still in lecture mode. “Precisely. Granted, they are rare to see, but the process still works the same.”

I rubbed my chin in thought as I processed what she said. “Interesting. Thanks for clearing things up for me.”

Celestia smiled as we headed for the door. “Any time, Mark. If you have any more questions, don’t be afraid to ask me.”

Celestia opened the door and held it for me as I walked out. “I’ll make sure to come by if I have anything to ask. Again, thanks for answering all my questions. Also, sorry about the depressing subject from before.”

Celestia gave a gentle smile as she patted my back gently with her wing. “It’s quite alright, Mark. These are things that I want you to see for yourself before telling you anything. Do you finally see why I taught you what I did and left a few subjects off that list?”

“I do, and it has been an interesting learning experience. Did you do this with the other humans that appeared here before me?” I asked as I followed Celestia to the throne room.

Celestia shook her head as she led me through the hallways. “Not at first. You could say I had a few things to learn myself as humans appeared in Equestria. You’re the third human that I’ve done this form of learning with, and it seems to be working appropriately.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of the humans that came before me. There must have been massive confusion between each human and the ponies as they tried to teach each other. My laughter seemed to be infectious as Celestia started giggling herself, probably thinking the same thing I was. The walk ended as we finally reached the throne room. Celestia gave me a final hug that I happily returned before she retreated into the throne room. I waved goodbye to the two guards as I headed for my office. There was a chance that I would probably be chewed out by Spitfire later for not getting straight to work, but it wasn’t like I had much to do.

Most of the paperwork was the same like all the others. It was also made easy since they haven’t gone to any big shows yet. As I neared my office, I stopped by Spitfire’s to see the two mares working on their own paperwork. The big stacks I saw before were whittled down to nothing. Spitfire and Fleetfoot gave me a lazy wave as I stepped into the office. I walked over to the small fridge that Spitfire had next to her and grabbed a bottle of water from it. I threw away the one that Celestia had given me and headed for my own office. I turned the knob to see that the door was locked for some reason.

I raised a brow in confusion as I reached for my key in the folder box. Unlocking my door, I opened it to a big surprise. I stared, wide eyed and mouth agape, at my entire office. The entire room was covered in bubble wrap. Going inside, I looked around to see that, yes, everything was covered in bubble wrap. The sound of popping bubbles filled the room as I traversed to my desk. I was pulled from my shock when I heard Luna laugh.

“Ha ha, the fun has been bubbled,” Luna said as she appeared in front of my door.

I looked at Luna to see that she was still wrapped in bubble wrap. Luna had a big grin as she trotted towards me, the alicorn stepping on fresh bubbles to pop as she neared me. She seemed to notice my shock as her grin widened even more.

“How?” I asked, my mind trying to process covered my whole office.

Luna gave a simple answer by lighting up her horn. I let out a heavy sigh as I sat in my chair, loud pops echoing around the room. If there was still one thing that I found unfair in this world, it would be magic. Rubbing my face with my hands, I looked back at Luna and asked the next question that was on my mind.

“Why do you have yourself still wrapped like that?” I asked as I gestured to the areas that were still covered.

“So I can do this.” Luna laid on the ground and started to roll around, popping the bubbles around her barrel and floor as she erupted into laughter.

Luna kept at this for a few more minutes before standing on her hooves again. She grinned at me, declaring victory before trotting out of my office. Once the alicorn was gone, Fleetfoot flew in and took notice of my office.

“What happened in here?” Fleetfoot asked as she looked around the entire room.

I sighed again as I leaned back into my chair, bubbles popping even more. “Luna got me back with my own prank.”

Fleetfoot nodded her head as she handed me a piece of paper. “I see. I need your signature here so we can finalize some of our finances.”

I grabbed the paper and as I went to sign, I froze. I looked over the finances to see that about five thousand bits were going to an orphanage. Going down the list, I saw the name of the orphanage and felt my heart start to race. The name was easily recognizable. I probably would have continued to stare at it, if Fleetfoot hadn’t cleared her throat to get my attention. Shaking my head, I signed at the bottom of the paper. Before I handed the paper back to Fleetfoot, I grabbed a journal and wrote down how much was being moved so I could subtract it later. I gave the paper back to Fleetfoot, who looked at my signature, before nodding her head and turning to fly out.

Fleetfoot was about to leave before turning back to me. “You understand that you’re going to have to clean this up, right?”

I nodded my head. “Yeah, I know. I’ll get started on it right away.”

Fleetfoot gave a curt nod as she left my office. Rubbing my head, I took a quick drink of water and got started on my desk. The first of the bubble wrap to be removed was the layer that was covering my drawers. Once I had my drawers freed from their bubbly prison, I opened the bottom drawer and grabbed the box cutter. Pushing out the blade, I moved around the office carefully cutting around the bubble wrap to avoid breaking anything. After a couple hours of back breaking work, I finally was able to remove all the bubble wrap.

Spitfire and Fleetfoot stopped by my office, giving me my lunch. I thanked the two mares as we headed to a nearby field. The three of us ate in the field, enjoying the warm feeling of the sun’s rays. Compared to Earth, Equestria never got unbearably hot when the sun was out. The temperature was quite pleasant during the summer, and even with the rain, the humidity never got that bad. Spitfire seemed to really enjoy the sun, because after she finished eating, she rolled onto her side and breathed softly. Fleetfoot followed her friend and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the two mares.

Spitfire didn’t bother lifting her head as she addressed me. “What’s so funny?”

I easily got my laughter under control as I addressed the mare. “Nothing, just seeing the two of you relax like that is entirely new. I actually didn’t think you knew how to take it easy.” This seemed to get Spitfire’s attention as she rolled onto her belly and looked at me with challenging eyes.

“Oh, really? I never relax at all?” Spitfire asked, her eyes looking directly at me.

“Yeah, I mean all the time I see you either yelling at someone, or you’re always in just some rush. I actually thought you were too involved into your work,” I said honestly in a joking tone to help bring out some laughter.

Sadly, it had the opposite effect as Spitfire’s challenging gaze turned somber. “Is that how you really see me? Am I just a mare that yells at everypony and is more dedicated to work than fun?” She spoke in a soft whisper, but I easily caught the entire thing.

I went to answer her, but before I could, she stood on her hooves and flew back to her office. I went to stand up and go see if everything was okay, but I was stopped by Fleetfoot. I looked at the pegasus as she placed a hoof on my shoulder. I was expecting to see anger in her eyes for making her friend feel bad, but I all saw was sympathy. It seemed that Fleetfoot understood that I wasn’t trying to be mean to her friend, but actually trying to have a little fun.

“I’ll go talk to her. Do you mind cleaning up?” Fleetfoot asked in a gentle tone.

I nodded my head as I picked up the trash. As I cleaned up the remnants of our small lunch, Fleetfoot flew back to the office, closing the door behind her. I mentally chastised myself for saying something stupid. I didn’t think her problems were that bad from what I saw in the picture, but I guess there’s a difference between an old picture and the current mare. I threw away the trash and headed back to my office. I was tempted to check on Spitfire, but the back of my mind told me that was a bad idea at the moment.

Once inside my office, I grabbed my journal that I left the deduction note on and made a few alterations. I added an extra five hundred bits that were being sent there. I left the name as anonymous so I wouldn’t get questioned for my actions. I didn’t personally know what that orphanage was like, but it seemed like it was good to send money there if it was getting such a large donation. After finalizing all payments for later, I put the journal away and rested my head in my hands. I honestly didn’t think it was going to be this hard to try and connect with the mares. The only thing that made it easy was that I shared a somewhat of a similar past with them.

I could only guess that was another reason why the princesses thought it would be a good idea to get closer to them. I got through my past, barely, but I did nonetheless. I never left my office for the rest of the time, except to go to the bathroom or deliver reports. Spitfire’s office door was still locked and I felt worried for the mare. I continued on with the work, my worry for Spitfire growing even more as the day seemed to drag on. I hated it when a day turned out like this. It was fun to be able to joke and hang out with friends as it helped pass the time, but when you end up causing a slight problem, time just slows down.

Thankfully, after a few agonizing slow hours, the day finally ended. I put away the last bits of paperwork that could be held off and organized all my journals. Leaving my office, I was greeted by a slightly more peppy Spitfire and Fleetfoot, but I could feel the tension between us. I didn’t say anything as I let the mares lead the way. Spitfire and Fleetfoot took to the air, but remained close to the ground in case they decided to walk. As we made for the exit, Luna was trotting around the castle, still wrapped in bubble wrap. Luna waved goodbye to us and I heard the two mares let out a few giggles at the sight of the princess.

We left the castle and I waved goodbye to the guards as they changed posts with the Night Guard. The walk home was silent as the moonlight illuminated our path. We reached the house and Fleetfoot allowed us to enter first. The mares retreated upstairs after Fleetfoot closed the door, and that left me to make dinner. I didn’t make anything big for dinner tonight. I wasn’t up to making something nice. I made a simple salad using lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots. I called Spitfire and Fleetfoot down, and thankfully they showed up.

Dinner was a silent affair as we slowly ate our salads. Spitfire finished off her dinner first and cleaned her plate. Once her plate was clean, she retreated upstairs. Fleetfoot finished her plate and cleaned it, but instead of following her friend, she sat back at the table. Fleetfoot regarded me with a serious expression, but didn’t say anything as she let me eat. Part of me wanted to eat as slowly as possible to avoid the possible conversation, but if I’ve learned anything these past few days, it was better to get it over with. Finishing off my salad, I cleaned my plate and joined Fleetfoot back at the table.

The two of us sat there in silence for a few minutes before Fleetfoot spoke in a calm, even tone. “Mark, I know you lied this morning.”

I think Fleetfoot saw my eyes go wide, but I couldn’t be sure as she remained neutral. Every part of my being demanded that I deny what she was saying. I actually opened my mouth, ready to deny the accusation before she stopped me with a raised hoof.

“Don’t try lying to me, Mark. Pegasi have a very good memory and keen eyesight. The pictures were not in their original place and the closet door was closed,” Fleetfoot said in a matter of fact tone.

My heart started pounding in my chest as I didn’t know what to expect. My mind ran with many scenarios of what could happen. I could be kicked out, bucked in the face, but the pegasus didn’t do anything. Fleetfoot just sat in her seat, probably waiting for my side of the story. I looked around the kitchen, hoping to find something to hopefully distract her with, but it was to no avail. Looking back at Fleetfoot, I let out a heavy sigh as I looked down at the table.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your personal space,” I said, never looking up from the table.

“I would be very angry if anypony would go through our stuff, but with you, Mark, I feel like making an exception.” I looked up at the mare, confusion evident on my face.

“Why?” I could have asked any question, but this was the only word that would escape my mouth.

Fleetfoot remained neutral as she moved out of her chair. “I’m not really sure. Maybe it’s because you’re different from most ponies. Whatever the reason, I’ll explain everything tomorrow. Make sure you’re up by ten in the morning, and be prepared for a lot of walking.”

Fleetfoot started to trot out of the kitchen before I stopped her. “What about Spitfire? Isn’t she going to wonder where you’re at?”

Fleetfoot turned back to me, giving a small smile as she spoke calmly. “Spitfire knows that I go out around that time. She’s the only one that knows where I go and I’ll leave a note saying that I sent you on some errand.”

The last part caused me to frown. “You’re lying to your best friend? Why would you do that?”

Fleetfoot’s smile turned to a frown as she looked out into the living room. “Spitfire and I are the only ones that know the other’s past. She isn’t willing to talk about hers, but I’m willing to share mine. It might also help you understand a little more about Spitfire and her struggles.”

I nodded as Fleetfoot trotted off and headed for Spitfire’s bedroom. I gripped my shorts tightly as I thought about what Fleetfoot said. My mind raced with so many questions and concerns that were going to happen tomorrow. My running thoughts caused me to have a splitting headache and I decided to go for a walk. Quietly exiting the house, I breathed in the cool night air as I walked along the path. As I continued down the path, I saw Clover’s Bar was still open. Looking around, I headed for the bar and entered.

I was led to a single table and given a menu to look over. I ignored the menu as I ordered a hard cider. The mare brought me my drink and I started to chug it down. I felt the alcohol burn down my throat, as it helped to distract me from my current thoughts. I really wanted to get to know the mares more, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to learn it like this. It felt like I was only being shown some of Fleetfoot’s past, but the mare seemed genuine in wanting to open up to me some. Shaking my head, I slammed back more of my drink, only to cause me to start a coughing fit.

I was so distracted in my thoughts and my drink, I didn’t see Clover trotting towards me. The mare didn’t say anything as she pulled a chair up to my table and sat down next to me. Clover gave a small smile as she let me stew in my thoughts and slam my drink back. I finished off my cider, and before I could ask my waitress for another, Clover filled it to the brim. Giving the mare a small nod, I continued drinking my cider.

“Seems like somepony is having a little trouble,” Clover said, giving me a knowing smile.

“Everything is just so complicated,” I said as I slowed down my drinking.

Clover nodded knowingly as she continued to smile. “Well, when you’re around Spitfire and Fleetfoot, then everything is going to be complicated.”

I gave a small growl at the mare. “If you’re trying to make me feel better, it’s not working.” I didn’t want to sound harsh, but I wasn’t in the mood for jokes at the moment.

Clover, though, seemed to ignore my harsh tone as she continued on. “I won’t lie and tell you that everything is going to be fine in the end. Spitfire and Fleetfoot are probably the most closed off mares I’ve ever met, and I’m one of the very few closest friends they have. There are things that I still don’t know, but I have learned a few things to help you with whatever you’re going through.”

I set my glass down as I looked at the mare, gesturing for her to continue. “Whenever they wish to show you something from their past, there are no strings attached. You’re free to decline their offer, but that wouldn’t be the best choice. Getting them to open up to you is a great feat, and should never be taken for granted. They only share things from their past to ones they feel are trustworthy. So, for your best interest, join them if they invite you somewhere. If you don’t, then you’re bound to regret it.” Clover gave a sharp nod before hopping off her chair and heading for her office.

I stopped her when she was a couple feet from my table. “Are you sure you’re a bar owner, and not some sort of mind reader?”

Clover looked over her shoulder, grinning at me. “I’m not a mind reader, but I can tell when somepony has a lot on their mind and what they need to hear.”

After that, Clover trotted back to her office. Looking at the mass of ponies on the dance floor, I thought about what Clover said. Swirling my drink a little, I thought about the positives of going with Fleetfoot. If I denied Fleetfoot’s offer, I probably would never get the chance again to know more about her. The two paths laid before me had their own sets of consequences, and it wouldn’t be easy to cross. Swirling my drink a few more times, I finished off the last of my cider and paid what I owed. I walked by Clover’s office and dropped off a tip in her jar before exiting the establishment.

It was going to be a long day tomorrow, but I was ready for whatever that day held. I was determined to learn more about these mares, and I will go through whatever hardship I would need to. I wanted to see the two of them smile more, and if having to learn the dark side of their past was the only way, then I would help them through it. I reached the house and entered it. I moved up the stairs, two steps at a time, and entered my room. I set my alarm for nine in the morning so I could prepare for my journey with Fleetfoot.