“You think I should enter the season tournament?” I asked Aegir from the guest side of the bar. I’d done some simple exercises in my room for the whole morning and into the afternoon, and was grabbing some food before going out to enjoy an off day.

“Yeah” Aegir said. “It’ll be a good way to wind down on the game, if you want, as you only have to play every other day, and there’s nothing to really do between matches. You can’t train, you can’t research your opponents, really, all you can do is look at the chart and organize your inventory. Once you enter, your Ultimate is locked, your stats are locked, your armor set is locked, and you can’t leave without being disqualified from the season, which makes it an easy win for your opponents. As a concession, your armor is fully repaired for free after every match, even when you lose.”

“Yeah, that’s great, Mr. Exposition. We can talk it over later. I’ll just have a grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese. And a side salad. Plain.”

“Drink?”

“Milk sounds good for some reason.”

“Coming up.”

While Aegir put in the order, I mulled over the idea of entering the tournament. I had gotten pretty good at boxing, and I was generally winning more than I was losing, especially after I’d managed to get the last of the materials needed to make the Ember Celica. Punching mechmail opponents had gotten much easier with them. I even won a rematch with Blizzard Knuckle thanks to the gauntlets, though it was very close.

The sound of my food being put on the counter brought me out of my idle thoughts. The sandwich and side salad looked good, as always. The milk was also there, though I hadn’t noticed it initially.

After enjoying and paying for my food, I collected my bag and went outside. It was another beautiful day in Ponyville. Over the nearest edge of the Everfree, I could make out Rainbow, dashing around and apparently teaching other pegasi how to handle the autonomous weather that came from there.

I could only imagine Rainbow having a dairy farm if she visited Earth, with no controlled weather anywhere. The image of Rainbow actually being a dairy farmer brought a chuckle to my day.

“Howdy, Yang” Applejack said as I passed by her stand. She’d been setting up not too far from my place after winter was wrapped up, and was apparently making a few more bits than at her old location. “Headin’ somewhere?”

“Not really. Just kind of walking around, enjoying the day and all that.”

“Well, aside from work, the Gamer Driver, and reading, there’s not much to really do at home.”

“You don’t even have to go grocery shopping since everything’s delivered for you.”

“Nope, but I pay well for it.”

“That, you do. Care for anything here?”

I didn’t have to look over her wares, I’d passed them often enough. “I’ll just take one, no, two, no, four-”

“Go ahead and figure out where you’re going and who you’re going to see. Ah got time.”

I did some counting in my head before giving an answer. “Still doing the dozen for ten bit deal going on?”

“Yup.”

“One dozen apples, please.” I pulled out a dozen bits from my bag for the apples and to give Applejack a little extra. My bag was big enough that the apples fit comfortably inside while leaving a bit more room.

“Thanks a lot, Yang. Have a good day!”

“You too.” I waved to Applejack as I left her stand, then pulled out one of the apples and bit into it. It was crisp, juicy, and delicious. I was kind of curious how she got apples that good that early in spring, but I didn’t really care enough to ask. There was probably magic involved.

My meandering around town brought me to Carousel Boutique, and I went inside. The apple had been finished and the core disposed of along the way.

Rarity promptly went into her line. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is - oh, hello, Yang. How have you been?”

“Quite good” I answered. “How’s business here?”

“It’s picked up a bit. Need anything?”

“I’ve been thinking about wearing my hair in a ponytail recen-”

“Say no more.” Rarity floated over a few purple bands. One of them went past my head, and I could feel Rarity’s magic putting it in place. “There we go. How does it feel?”

I gave a few experimental motions with it. “Pretty good. How much do I owe you for them?”

“Three bits.”

I got the three bits out, along with an apple, and gave them to Rarity. “Have a snack too. And another for Sweetie.” Another apple followed the first one.

“Thank you, dear. Anything else? Maybe we could work on a new dress for you?”

“I’m fine on dresses, thanks. The one I have is enough.”

“I see. Well, do come back if you ever want a new one. I would be more than happy to help.”

“On the other hand, I have taken more of a shine to the athletic clothes recently. Maybe it’s because winter’s done and I can wear them again.”

“Are you saying you want more of them?”

“Yes. Maybe, two sets of them, one with a base of black, the other set white, and then repeating the same pattern across both sets in different colors.”

Rarity looked at me, her imagination at work. “Let me come up with some pattern ideas and run them past you later. I have some other commissions to work on first.”

“I understand. I’ll see you later.” Just before I opened the door, a question came to mind. “Say, you never did tell me how you know as much as you do about human clothing. What’s the secret?”

“A lady never reveals her secrets. You should know that, Yang.”

“Except I don’t really have any secrets to keep. I must have really gotten absorbed in my work if I don’t have any after, how long have I been here?”

Rarity thought for a bit. “Almost a year, I’d say. Pinkie would know for sure.”

“Wow. Well then, I think I’ll just go back to walking.” After an exchange of farewells, I went back to meandering around Ponyville.

Derpy showed up with an envelope while I was walking. “Letter for you, Ms. Xiao Long.”

“Thanks, Derpy.” I accepted the letter and she flew off. The envelope I held was bright white, had some gold leafing on the corners, and smelled minty. The return address was in Canterlot, from a place called ‘Grill 32’. The number seemed kind of significant somehow, but I couldn’t quite figure out why.

After deciding that it could wait for later, I put the envelope in my bag and continued on. I had more important things to do, though I wasn’t sure what they were.

“Oh, hi Yang.”

“Hi, Fluttershy.”

“How’s Asada doing?”

“Very well. She still clings to me at times though. Is that normal?”

“Not really, but since she was orphaned twice and nearly killed, it might be a way of assuring herself that everything’s fine. Even in the hardiest of animals, those experiences at such a young age do leave an impact. Also, you did kind of hide away in the kitchen during winter, at least when you weren’t in Canterlot.”

“Yeah, that does make sense, I guess. And now that I’m out of there more often, that means she can spend more time with me. I really should spend more time with her.”

“Just don’t spoil her too much. She does need to learn to fend for herself, you know.”

“Of course. Apple?”

“Thanks.” Fluttershy accepted the fruit. “Sorry to cut the conversation short, but I need to get back to my cottage to feed my animal friends.”

“No problem. Have a good day.”

“You too.”

My walking around brought me to the spa, along with the realization that I didn’t actually know much of Ponyville’s layout, further driving home how much I’d been working. After getting over that thought (it was as tall as three stacked matchboxes), I went inside.

“Hello, Yang” Aloe said from the counter. “The ponytail looks good on you.”

“Thanks, but it was Rarity’s idea” I said. “I’ll have a hair wash today.”

“Usual scent?”

“Strawberry lavender.” Call it girly, but that stuff was awesome.

“Any facial treatment?”

“Just a hot towel.”

Lotus came by with a sigh. “One of these days, we will get you to have the full facial treatment.”

“Not today, though. Too busy meandering around aimlessly today.” Aloe lead me to my usual spot for the treatment, I set my bag down, and while she was getting the supplies needed, I undid the ponytail and lay down on the bench with my head in the wash basin. “So, anything new?”

“The flower trio suspect you’ve been replaced with a changeling because of how much more you’ve been coming outside.”

“Those are the panicky ones, right? The ones who look ready to shout and run away at a moment’s notice if something seems slightly off?”

“Yes.” Aloe put the warm and damp towel on my face, and it felt good. “I wouldn’t worry about it though. Everypony learned long ago to just let them do what they do.”

“Anything else about me?” My voice was slightly muffled by the towel, but it wasn’t anything new.

“Just some rumors from Canterlot about how you abduct, cook, and serve up ponies. We heard that from Fleur last Friday. She doesn’t buy it, of course, and apparently, neither does most of Canterlot.”

“Let me guess: they’re still after me and are trying rumors.”

“There are bets on when those nobles will give up on trying to get you. The lowest I’ve heard is three years.”

I thought a bit while she prepped my hair. “What’s being bet?”

“Bits, mostly. There are some willing to bet a life of servitude to you, or a whole mansion, or family heirlooms. One mare’s apparently willing to eat her own coat if she loses her bet.”

“Fur or clothing?”

“That was never specified, but I’d be willing to bet on clothing.” I decided to let that one be. “Fleur also told us about a small cult that found her, and they apparently believe you can do no wrong and are a paragon of how to live.”

“And here’s the kicker.”

Aloe started washing my hair. It always impressed and puzzled me how she and Lotus were able to do that with hooves. “They were both incredibly fit and very burned. Apparently, they take showers at scalding temperatures like you do to try and be like you.”

“Oh, that’s stupid.”

“That’s what your fan club in Canterlot said about them.”

“What do they do?”

“Aside from wearing some very well made costumes and dying their manes and tails gold, they usually just hold bake sales.”

“They sound better.”

“I agree.”

After getting the scoop on what was happening that was focused on me, I let the discussion fade away from the air and simply enjoyed the treatment. It was so relaxing, I felt myself descending into a nap, as tended to happen.

“Hello, Yang” Luna said from next to me.

“Hey, Luna” I responded, my voice not muffled by the warm towel over my face. “Checkup time?”

“Indeed. Have you taken my advice and started getting out more often?”

“Yeah. I’m at the spa right now. I’ve never had a bad trip here.”

“Nor have I in my few trips there. They treated me like a mare, not a Princess.”

“That’s good. Anyways, the checkup?”

“Right, right. Clearly, you’re out and about right now. Have you started taking more time off?”

“Yeah, and it feels good to get out more often.”

“That’s good to hear. Do you have any personal projects coming up?”

“Well, I do want to paint the shed Bumblebee is in, but I don’t know what color to go with. Oh, I am playing a game now.”

“Do tell.”

“Iron Ring. It’s a boxing game, and I’m having lots of fun with it.”

“Even though it’s a fighting game?”

“Yeah. You know of it?”

“Yang, I can visit any number of dreams at one time. The Gamer Driver is foal’s play. I can play, oh, seven different games at once. And I have all the games.”

“How?”

“Dream magic. And a royal budget. But what about you and Iron Ring?”

“Well, I am exercising more, and I’m also practicing the moves I’m learning in the game. Also, I look just like me in there. Combat outfit.”

“I am glad to hear that you’re training. You should be as strong and skilled as possible, even if only to protect those close to you.”

“But there’s more than just Ponyville on the line, isn’t there?”

“Indeed. We can talk further later. For now, it seems like it’s time to wake up.”

As Luna’s voice faded, Aloe’s came in. “And the shampoo is done.”

I took the warm towel off my face and stretched a bit. “Why do I always fall asleep while I’m here?”

“Would you like my theory on that?” Lotus asked as she expertly tossed the towel to its place and Aloe began rinsing my hair.

“Sure.”

“Your first time here, after you beat Tirek, you fell asleep, so you probably associate the spa with sleeping.”

I thought about it. “That makes sense. I’d need someone with me to keep me from falling asleep here. That, or just very bad and rough service, and that’s not going to happen.”

“Of course it won’t” Aloe said as she finished the rinse. As I’d done before, once I sat up at just a bit of an angle, the water was removed and they were quick to wrap my hair up in a fresh towel.

I fully sat up and the towel stayed in place. “You’re too good to do bad here.”

“Thanks.”

I moved over to a chair and sat down there to let my hair continue to dry. While there, I let my mind wander a bit, going from how Twilight was doing, to what the nobles might try to get at me, to that letter Derpy had given me.

Eventually, I undid the towel and my hair was freed, still slightly damp, but it wasn’t anything a bit of outdoor air wouldn’t fix. “Usual amount?” I asked as I came back to the desk, collecting the bag along the way.

“Usual amount” Aloe echoed.

I gave her the normal 40 bits that I usually did, but also tossed in an apple for each of them. I did have plenty of them with me, and they were good. Once farewells were exchanged, I left the spa, putting my hair back in its ponytail along the way.

A glance at the sun showed that it was getting late in the day already. The time had flown by really quickly somehow. I’d been looking at the sun for a bit when I realized something. “Why is it setting in the north?”

My answer came a few seconds later when I heard Twilight’s yell of “DIISSSCOOOOORRRRRRD!” from the castle.

“YES, TWILIGHT?” Discord responded from somewhere else.

“PUT THE SUN BACK ON TRACK NOW!”

“OKAY!”

“I’M CAPS LOCKING TOO!” Pinkie shouted from Sugarcube Corner.

I watched the sun move across the sky like a stunt plane with a plaid bubble contrail and settle in the east. Before anymore shouting started up, it moved across the sky and settled in place close to the west.

“What just happened?” I asked nobody. Nobody answered. “I’m going home.” And so I went home.

Fuzz was at the bar when I sat down at its one empty stool. “Hi, boss. Something got you down?”

“I just saw the sun go from the north to the east and the west.”

“At the same time?”

“Oh don’t give me that image. Just give me some plain burnt ends, a piece of toast, and a mug of apple cider.”

“Soft or hard stuff?”

“Hard.” Seeing the sun break my conceptions of how it should appear to move across the sky warranted the drink.

“One mug of cider” Fuzz said as she put the drink down in front of me.

“And keep it at one, please.” I drank some of the stuff as I tried to forget what I saw. “Any other cider, make it the soft stuff.”

“Got it.” A minute later, Fuzz set the burnt ends and toast down for me before going to another guest at the bar. As soon as I started on the meat, the stallion next to me finished his drink and exhaled a lot of steam, a clear sign of Fuzz’s fireball whiskey.

“I’m just going to do some power levelling tonight” I decided as I worked on my simple meal. “Ten more levels sounds good.”

After finishing the meal, the hard cider, and a mug of soft cider, I paid and went upstairs. After using the bathroom and changing to the caution stripe athletic outfit, I put on the Gamer Driver, put in the gashats, lay down, and went into Iron Ring.

Author's Notes:

Just a day off of work, and a break from the Iron Ring arc.

If you have any last minute changes to your characters that you want to make, do it now.