Their meal concluded, the trio exited the cafeteria and began walking in no particular direction through the castle corridors. Somehow Thomas found himself leading the way with Talon strutting to his right and Moonlight sauntering to his left. “So, Tali,” Thomas began.

“What’s up, chimp?”

“What exactly do we do on our day off?”

“Haven’t you ever had a day off before?” Talon asked curiously. “Do they even have days off back where you came from?”

“They do,” Thomas assured. “But I always spent that time watching TV or maybe surfing the net.”

“How do you surf a net?” Moonlight asked.

“I’ve never been surfing,” Talon added. “But the beach is too far from here. We’ll have to save up some days off if we want to have a proper beach trip. It’d be a great opportunity to show off my sexy new swimwear.”

She’s walking around topless and in a very revealing loincloth and she has swimwear… that’s sexy? Thomas thought. “It’s not actually real surfing. It’s… never mind. The point is I can’t do it here, so I’m at a loss of things to do.”

“I always enjoy a quiet day of reading,” Moonlight suggested.

“I read all the time while I’m on duty,” Thomas countered. “Whenever Luna doesn’t have me doing stuff, I’m usually either chatting with her or making my way through something I checked out from the library. I’m actually up to the seventh Daring Do book.”

“Course I need sexy swimwear to show off, first,” Talon mumbled to herself.

“Oh, that one’s my favorite,” Moonlight perked up. “Have you gotten to the temple yet?”

“Should probably get a few other things while I’m at it,” Talon continued to mumble.

“I just started that chapter. Please don’t spoil anything.”

“That’s it!” Talon exclaimed, startling her traveling companions. “We can go shopping.”

“Shopping?” Thomas parroted.

“Shopping,” Talon said again. “Be honest with me. Do you have any clothes other than your uniform?”

Thomas looked down at his loincloth and shook his head. “I did have the clothes from my old world, but they kinda got ruined after… well, I’d rather not say.”

“See what I mean,” Talon nudged his shoulder with hers. “We gotta get you some duds so you can fit in with the locals.”

“Most of the locals go around naked,” Thomas countered, trying not to blush at what he was saying. “Besides, what about you? You said you’ve been in Canterlot for ten years. Don’t you already have stuff? If so, then why are you still wearing your harem uniform on your day off?”

“In order: true, true, yes, and because it looks damn good on me,” Talon bragged while placing her hands on her hips and thrust forward. “Besides, shopping doesn’t have to only be for clothes. We can go get something from the local bakery, check out the music shop, see a show, just walk around enjoy the sights, or maybe take a stroll down the red light district and see what catches the eye,” she concluded with a wink.

“Um, that’s a nice idea and all,” Thomas said as he searched for a way to change the subject. “But I don’t really have any money.”

Talon frowned at him, her feathers ruffling angrily. “You mean you haven’t been paid yet?”

“Oh, no. I have been paid,” Thomas assured the griffon. “I just don’t have any money with me right now,” he gestured to his waist. “No pockets.”

“So where is it?”

“Luna’s secretary deposits everything directly into my account at the bank. But I do keep a few bits handy in case of emergencies.”

“Then let’s go get that money,” Talon said matter-of-factly.

Thomas looked back in the direction they had come from and remembered the encounter earlier that evening. “Um, I really don’t want to go get it right now.”

Talon leaned in uncomfortably close and glared at the human suspiciously. “Why not?”

“Blueblood solicited him for sex earlier,” Moonlight said bluntly.

Thomas whirled around at the mare, staring in shock at how she’d just blurted out something that embarrassing.

“Ah,” Talon said understandingly then put her claw on his shoulder. “We’ve all been there.”

Thomas frowned at the griffon. “You… slept with Blueblood?”

“What? Buck no!” Talon recoiled at the thought. “I might just be a whore with a fancy title, but I still have standards for Faust’s sake.”

Faust was the name of a deity worshipped by ponies, even back before they migrated to Equestria. Most of the knowledge of this religion had been lost in the migration, but ponies still kept the faith here and there with what little they could. Most viewed the alicorns as Faust’s last great gift to the world before her departure, thus making them the primary focal points of worship these days. Needless to say, even by the more secular standards of the modern era, worship of Luna was all but abysmal compared to that of Celestia and even Cadence.

“I was just saying he solicited me back when I first came to the castle… Nothing happened,” Talon asserted forcefully.

“Me thinks the lady doth protest too much,” Moonlight whispered in a teasing sing-song voice.

“Keep talking, smarty-corn, and I’ll show you what we learned in the RGR about subduing unicorns,” Talon said through a gritted beak.

Moonlight averted her gaze while wearing a guilty smile. “If you insist.”

“ANYWAY… since we can’t get your money, I can just give you a loan,” Talon offered.

“I guess, but it doesn’t look like you have any pockets either,” Thomas gestured down at Talon’s loincloth.

“Peh,” Talon scoffed. “You’re just not looking in the right place. Check this out,” she said before heading over to the edge of the hall and began making uncomfortable gagging noises followed by a long “gaaaaah!”

Thomas flinched while Moonlight brought her fist to her muzzle to suppress her own gag reflex.

Eventually Talon turned around and held out a large brown bag in one claw. She jingled it a bit to emphasize the gold coins within. “Us griffons have a little pouch in our chests for storing food,” she gestured between her breasts. “It’s the ultimate pocket,” she bragged.

Moonlight groaned in revulsion at seeing the juice soaked bag. “Thanks, but I don’t think any pony’s gonna want bits that have been… ingested.”

“No worries,” Talon shrugged before tossing the bag over to Moonlight, who had the misfortune of having military grade training compelling her to catch it. “The bags waterproof, so the shop-keeps shouldn’t mind. And since you’re the only one with anything to tie it to, you can carry the bag while the chimp and I shop.”

Moonlight seemed to shake in a mix of anger and disgust. She clearly wanted to say something in protest, but as the gears began turning in her head, it became clear that the griffon’s logic was sound. The guard was the best choice to carry the money, and likely any purchases her charge made. This was one of the things she’d been warned about back in the academy, royals assigning her to particular VIPs and expecting her to act as a pack mule in addition to protector. It was not a guard’s place to complain about such things, so she sighed in defeat and tied the wet bag to her waist where it rested grossly against her cutie mark.

“Why don’t you use your magic to wipe away the spit?” Thomas inquired.

Moonlight froze, aghast at her oversight. Her horn glowed and a small pool of slime fell to the floor from the bit bag.

Talon then turned her attention down to the human. “And don’t you worry about paying me back right away, chimp. I’m certain we’ll be able to…” she began stroking her claw sensually against his chest, “work something out.”

Thomas took a step back with a forced smile. “Thanks, but I think I’ll just give you the bits once we get back.”

Talon momentarily frowned in disappointment, but it quickly faded. “We’ll see,” she said suggestively.

**********

The trio eventually made their way out of one of the servant’s entrances and grabbed a carriage for the short trip to the Canterlot market district. Somehow they got back in the same position with Thomas in the middle, Moonlight to his left, and Talon to the right.

“So what’d you think about eating with us commoners in chow hall?” Talon asked as she leaned against Thomas. “Not nearly as fancy as eating with the Princesses in the royal dining hall, is it?”

“It was alright, I guess,” Thomas shrugged. “Besides, you’re no commoner and it’s not like you don’t eat with the royals too.”

“Maybe, but that was mostly for your benefit,” Talon answered. When there was no response, she continued. “It is pretty normal for the Senior Concubine and the rest of us to eat at the same table as the Princesses; this much is true. However, Celestia thought it’d be nice if you had some more ponies there your own age to talk to so she asked us to spend more time at the table eating with the family during the night shift.” She paused to let her words sink in. “Don’t you feel special.”

Thomas gave the griffon a light shove. “You don’t need to make it sound like I’m a little kid or something.”

“Foal,” Talon corrected as she shoved right back, though with her chest instead of her claw. “But you are. You’re easily the youngest one in the room; almost half my age to say nothing about the Princesses. Not to mention you’re the smallest,” she cooed as she pinched Thomas’ cheeks. “You’re our cute wittle human and we wuv you for it.”

Thomas slapped her claws away and the pair began a childish slap fight. Moonlight folded her arms and rolled her eyes in annoyance. “You’re both children,” she swore under her breath.

The group decides what to do next, which will lead to a trip through Canterlot. Not much else happens, to be honest, but I'll try to make up for it next time.