The day after our trip to Canterlot was slow. So much so that I didn’t really do anything other than hang around the castle and play cards with Swift. I had managed to get my playing deck back from Twilight’s lab when she wasn’t looking, although that wasn’t all that hard when she was still working on making her own dehydrated food. She was adamant that figuring out how to store produce like that could revolutionize the way ponies kept their food from spoiling. It might even remove the risk to small villages if a crop went bad and they ran out of fresh produce during the winter. I let her be and tried to teach Swift how to play poker, and she did a pretty good job once she got the different hands memorized. It didn’t help my case that she had the best poker face I had ever seen since leaving the Corps.

The next morning I woke up to the bright morning light like always, although without anything to do I was tempted to roll over and go back to sleep. As far as I knew, I didn’t have to do anything for my training other than memorize the next ‘spell’ and try to get my aura up to strength to perform it. The only way to make my reserves larger and my casting stronger was to channel my energy for long periods of time, which I could do at any time during the day while doing anything else. Needless to say, it was shaping up to be a very long and dull day.

I forced myself up and tossed on a random set of clothes with little rhyme or reason, pausing for only a minute to brush out my hair in the bathroom and slip my phone into my pocket before making my way down to the dining hall. Swift was already there, although she looked about as run-down as I felt, with faint bags under her eyes and a lack of focus in her gaze. I sat down across from her and watched Spike deliver our breakfast, pancakes with a side of over-medium eggs. I got a slight kick out of the idea the first time I saw a pony eat eggs, when they got sick at the very smell of cooked meat, but apparently even they needed some protein in their diets. It just so happened that eggs were used in most pony baked goods like back on Earth, or could be eaten plain like Swift was doing now. The logic of that still made my head hurt when I thought about it too much, so I simply adopted one of the age-old quotes from literature back home.

“It's magic, I ain’t got to explain shit.”

I devoured my food with some mustered fervor, hoping to eat it while it was still hot and delicious, although once I cleared my plate it left me with nothing to do but watch Swift finish off her own food. Spike cleared our settings and walked back into what I assumed was the kitchen, leaving Swift and I in a comfortable silence for several moments.

Swift was the first to lift the blanket of quiet that had settled over the room, clearing her throat before speaking, “So, any plans today other than working on your Auramancy stuff?”

I shook my head, “Not really. The more advanced ‘spells’ require more skill and raw power than I have at my disposal right now, so I’ll have to get stronger before I can tackle any new ones.” I cast a hopeful look her way, lifting an eyebrow, “I don’t suppose you’d be up for some sparring with the swords while the sun’s out?”

To my disappointment, Swift shook her head, “I pulled one of my legs yesterday whipping those poor excuses for guards into shape.” She rolled her left shoulder and winced as the joint popped, “I’ll be out of commission for a day or two until it heals up.”

I narrowed my eyes in confusion, “But can’t you have a unicorn use a quick healing spell to fix that in a few seconds?”
She gave me a look like I had grown a second head, “Would you go to the doctor if you had a sprained leg? I would hope that a soldier would take a little more pride in her station than that.”

I conceded the point with a wave of my hand, “Point taken. So if you’re out of hard duty until that leg heals up, there isn’t anything you could have me do in the meantime?”

She pondered that for a moment, taping her chin with a hoof, “Not really, other than the usual runs and physical exercise that you do everyday anyway. Anything more complex would need both of us, and I don’t trust those two idiots to do any kind of proper training with you anyway. You’d pound them into the dirt faster than Princess Celestia demolishes a cake.”

I snickered as my lips pulled into a grin, “So is it true that old sun-butt can’t control herself around sweets?”

Swift’s expression hardened for a moment, “Watch what you call Princess Celestia. She might be an immortal, but it’s for that very reason that she deserves your respect.” Her serious look immediately fell apart as she glanced over her shoulder at the door, “In all seriousness, I saw the Princess eat an entire triple-layer cake in under a minute.”

“Shut up.” I replied, “There’s no way that’s possible.”

“It’s the truth!” Swift countered, “I was on duty in the dining hall when it happened. Some noble thought he could bribe Her Highness with a monster of a cake, and I watched as she ate the entire thing before thanking the noble and sending him on his way.” She struggled to continue as she tried to contain her chuckles, “You should have seen the look on his face when Celestia sent him off in the middle of a formal dinner. If I had a camera with me I would’ve framed it and hung it on my wall for every time I needed something to laugh about.”

I joined her in her laughter as my mind conjured up the image of some stuck-up noble getting his ass snubbed by Celestia right after she finished destroying a triple-layer cake. I winced as a cramp started forming in my ribs, and forced myself to calm down as Swift did the same.

“Ah, thanks for that, Swift,” I said after taking a breath, “I needed that to get my blood pumping.”

Swift threw me a sarcastic salute, wincing as her shoulder reminded her it didn’t want to be moved right now, “Anytime. So, what’s your plans for the rest of today, now that you know there’s not any homework coming from me?”

I rubbed the back of my neck with a hand, staring at the table in front of me, “Well, I haven’t really had a chance to see the rest of Ponyville since I arrived on this planet. I mean, I walked through it to get to Rarity’s house, but other than stopping off at the market along the way I never saw much else.” I glanced back at Swift, trying to gauge her reaction as I spoke, “Maybe I’ll just wander around and explore? Maybe stop by Rarity’s to commission some more clothes? Heaven knowns I need more before my current set gets too dirty.”

Swift nodded, “Then I’ll join you. Need to keep this leg moving or else the joint’s going to get stiffer than a rusted armor set.” She hopped out of her seat as I stood up, “Well, shall we?”

I nodded, sweeping my hand to indicate the door, “After you. You are my escort after all.”

Her lips pulled into a smirk as she walked in front of me, glancing over her shoulder with a lidded gaze, “Careful with that word there, you wouldn’t want ponies to get the wrong idea about us.”

I lifted an eyebrow as we walked into the castle foyer and approached the front doors, “What word?”

Her eyes took on a smoldering light, one I recognized from having other soldiers checking me out on base, “Escort. We ponies like to use that word when somepony takes another out on the town for a date. Usually it’s the stallion who gets called that, but it can be used for mares too.”

Her grin grew into a full smile as I stopped mid-step to stare at her, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn’t mean it like that. No offence, but I’m not really into that whole xenophilia thing.”

Now it was her turn to raise an eyebrow, “And why not? I’ve seen several stallions looking you over while you were doing your training behind the castle, mares too. Interspecies relationships aren’t all that common, but they do happen from time to time. I can think of several ponies that we might meet today that wouldn’t think twice about getting to know you better, at least so far as asking you to a first date.”

I crossed my arms under my chest, pushing my breasts together in a deliberate play on my companion’s emotions as I lifted a matching eyebrow, “And would one of those ponies be you?”

Her eyes were drawn to my chest like a fly to an electric zapper, and I grinned as a soft flush came over her cheeks as she visibly forced her gaze back to my face, “W-Well I don’t think it would ever work out if I tried to ask you on a date. You’re beautiful and skilled in combat, but I don’t think we would mix too well. Two alphas in one pack and all that. Besides, I like my mares a bit more on the submissive side.”

“Like Fluttershy?” I asked as I walked past her and up to the doors.

Now her blush was raging at full power and she tried and failed to hide her reaction, “Yes,” she swallowed thickly as she mustered her self-control, “like Fluttershy. If she wasn’t ten miles out of my league and I wouldn’t have to fight Rainbow Dash to get close to her, then I might think of asking her out. The only problem is that crippling shyness of hers. I like them submissive, not doormats. If she had a few more bones in her spine then I might think about it, fame and such be damned, but unless she learns to stand up for herself a bit more, then I’m not going to waste my time on something that will never work.”

I smiled as I opened the doors and led her out into the morning sunlight, “I wouldn’t be so sure. I’ve seen Fluttershy do some brave things in the time I’ve known her. You just need to know where to look.”

Swift rolled her eyes as she fell in on my left side, “I’ll take your word for it.”

We entered the town proper and I was immediately taken aback by the number and variety of ponies milling about. Every color under the rainbow assaulted my eyes as we made our way down a random street, and I had to blink a few times when I spotted a couple sitting at what looked like a table made from an oversized mushroom.

For a while I simply let the sights come in and didn’t really do much other than gaze about in wonder. I noticed that the locals were aware of my presence, although the fear and mistrust I was expecting was surprisingly absent. I hesitantly waved to a wall-eyed pegasus mare as she somehow flew by overhead, a big smile on her face as her waving hoof threatened to cause a crash. Now that I was looking for it, I saw that a lot of ponies were waving friendly hellos, even though I had never seen them up until this point.

I leaned down next to Swift as we rounded a corner and entered what looked like a public park, “Why is everyone being so friendly to me? Shouldn’t they, I don’t know, be suspicious or maybe frightened of something like me walking through the middle of town?”

Swift kept her eyes roaming as she replied, her expression calm with a hint of a smile behind her eyes, “Word travels fast around here. Most ponies have heard about the brave creature that saved Lilly Valley from a horrible monster.” She snorted once in amusement as said mare waved to us as she and two others walked by going the other direction, “Not many believe the whole idea of a zombie walking around, which is good for us, but they do know that you helped her even though she’s a bit prone to overreacting to things.” We paused as we came up to a park bench, and I took the opportunity to sit as Swift climbed up onto the bench with me, “You’re a bit of a celebrity around here now, so don’t be surprised if ponies act a bit more friendly towards you on first meeting.”

“Huh,” I replied as I crossed my metal leg over my real one, “learn something new every day.”

I leaned back and rested my hands behind my head as I lazily watched the clouds roll by. I could see the odd pegasus working on the weather every other minute, but for the most part the sky was devoid of life save for the occasional bird.

My quiet contemplation was rather abruptly interrupted when a loud gasp emanated from the walkway to our right, and I turned my head to see what the problem was. Standing there, her mouth agape and her eyes wide, was an aquamarine unicorn with a minty mane and tail. Here golden eyes were locked on me, and I felt a slight shiver of foreboding run up my spine as our impromptu staring contest continued. I broke my gaze from the mare and glanced at her companion, who seemed more exasperated by her friend’s antics more than anything else. This mare was a soft beige in color, with a two-tone pink and navy mane that fell in soft curls over one shoulder. Her tail was the same and looked almost like spun taffy if one saw it from the right angle.

Swift shifted from her stomach into a sitting position and glanced around me at the pair, “Ah, this aught to be good. Seems you’ve attracted the interest of the local head case and her marefriend.”

I turned around to raise an eyebrow at Swift, “Head case? That’s a bit more insulting than what I’m used to hearing from you ponies. What’s so weird about her?”

Swift indicated for me to lean closer, so I did with slight hesitation. She whispered into my ear with one eye trained on our guests, “For years now Lyra has been spouting nonsense about how ponies used to live with bipedal creatures that taught us how to make all the modern tools we use. I never met her in person before, but I’ve read some of the reports from our two bumbling idiots and their friends about some of the, ahem, ‘research’ she’s tried to do over the years to prove that these creatures really existed. She’s a bit of a local legend, and not in the good way.”

I glanced over my shoulder at the pair, noticing that Lyra’s friend was trying to snap her out of her shock by waving her hoof in front of her face. When that didn’t work she began shaking the unicorn about the shoulders with both forehooves. Yet the mint mare remained frozen as she continued to stare at me, and I began to feel slightly sorry for the poor thing.

I turned back to Swift, “But I’m sitting right here. I know I’m not from this world, but if creatures like me exist elsewhere, then could it be possible for them to have existed here?”

Swift shook her head, “Most ponies don’t know you’re not from this world, part of the whole secret dealing with why you’re here. As far as the general populous knows, you’re just a creature from a far-off land that just recently arrived in Equestria. Anything beyond that would be simple rumor, no matter how accurate it might be.” Swift glanced over at the duo, where the beige mare was now tapping her friend on the tip of her nose in yet another attempt to snap her out of her funk. “Seeing you sitting here has just validated every crazy theory Lyra has ever made, and I think you might be in for a bit of a rude welcome once Bon-Bon manages to snap her out of her shock.”

“So that’s the other mare’s name.” I mused, noticing the trio of wrapped candies on the mare’s flank for the first time, “I was just about to ask who her friend was. You said she’s Lyra’s marefriend, is that like a friend-friend or romantically involved kind of friend?”

Swift smiled as she stood up and jumped off the bench, “Why don’t you ask her? I’m pretty sure she’s not going to snap Lyra out of it unless we go over there and force the issue.”

I nodded, following her lead as we walked over to the now slightly nervous Bon-Bon. She turned to face us as we walked up and sighed in what looked like relief, “Thank goodness. I was running out of ideas on how to bring Lyra back from whatever shock-induced place she got herself into.” She smiled brightly and offered her hoof, “Hello, my name’s Bon-Bon, and the frozen unicorn at my side is Lyra Heartstrings. Pleased to meet you.”

I knelt down and shook the offered hoof with my hand, returning her smile with one of my own, “A pleasure to meet you as well, Bon-Bon. I’ve heard a thing or two about your friend, but I don’t know much about you. What do you do around here?”

She retraced her limb and lit up a bit as she spoke, “I run Bon-Bon’s Sweet Delights just down the road. My special talent is making candies so I’m one of the most popular stops for the little fillies and colts. Can’t compete with Sugarcube Corner in the baked goods department but I’ll never let anypony out-sell me in candy.” Her expression shifted to one of interest, “I’ve never seen a creature like you before. What are you? Where did you come from?”

I glanced at Swift, who gave me a subtle shake of her head, and I turned back to face Bon-Bon with slight trepidation. I never was the best liar, so I hoped I could pull something out of my ass that she would believe. I was just about to answer her when I noticed that Lyra was still frozen in place. An idea came to me and I indicated the unicorn with one hand, “Do you think we could unfreeze your friend so I don’t have to give introductions twice?”

Bon-Bon rolled her eyes before turning to face her minty friend, “I don’t know what to do about her. I’ve tried everything I can think of and she’s still frozen like that. I just don’t know what to do.”

I felt a bit of my devilish side come to the forefront as I walked up to the duo, “Let me take a crack at it. I think I know what might snap her out of it.”

Bon-Bon and Swift watched as I knelt down in front of Lyra, taking a moment to crack my knuckles before gently wrapping my fingers around the bases of her ears. Her left eye twitched slightly at my contact, but otherwise she remained in her shocked state. Seeing that I had no other choice, I began to run my fingers through her fur and mane, massaging the base of her ears before working my way up and down her neck and jawline.

The effect was immediate. Her eyes grew from their pinprick size until they were almost all pupil, her lids dropping halfway as a deep and throaty moan escaped her lips. Her eyes only hung on for a few moments before she closed them completely, leaning into my ministrations as her hind legs folded like origami, dropping her hindquarters onto the ground with no resistance. I could hear Swift snickering as I worked my fingers over Lyra’s head, enjoying the smooth texture of her fur and mane for a moment before pulling away. She swayed in place for a moment more with a blissful expression glowing on her face. Bon-Bon took that moment to walk up and tap Lyra on the shoulder with a hoof, her expression one of intense interest mixed with slight concern.

“Lyra, are you alright,” she asked as her friend began to come around.

“Oh Bonnie,” Lyra hummed as she turned to face Bon-Bon with a lidded gaze, “where did you learn to do that? It was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.”

Bon-Bon cleared her throat as a slight blush took up residence on her cheeks, “It wasn’t me Lyra, it was her.” She pointed at me with a hoof as her expression morphed into one of trepidation.

Lyra’s gaze followed Bon-Bon’s hoof and settled on me. For a moment I thought she was frozen again, but I was quickly proven wrong when a loud gasp escaped her mouth. Her front hooves rose to cover her muzzle as she looked me up and down, her eyes wild with pure, unadulterated joy.

Her mind seemed to go into overdrive, because she couldn’t seem to process what was going one around her other than me kneeling two feet from her face. Finally, she managed to get her little spaz moment under control, spinning to face Bon-Bon and taking her by the face with both hooves.

“Bon-Bon, please tell me that there is a human sitting right in front of me. Please tell me I’m not seeing things.” Her near-panic tone nearly had me in stitches, although I was barely able to contain myself as Bon-Bon extracted herself from the unicorn’s grip.

“While she does resemble your theories on what humans look like,” the restrained patient expression on the mare’s face could have put my commander to shame if he were here, “don’t get your hopes up for something that probably isn’t true.”

“Actually,” I interjected, much to Bon-Bon’s surprise, “I’m human. I just arrived in Equestria a little while ago, and my homeland is very far away, so it’s not all that surprising no one has ever heard of us until now.”

Bon-Bon looked like she had been slapped with a fish while Lyra simply squealed like a little girl and leapt to her hooves. Bon-Bon remained rooted to the spot as Lyra began circling around me, her face lit up like the fourth of July as she inspected every inch of me.

“Oh my goodness,” she managed to say as she made her third circuit around me, “I can’t believe I’m really meeting a human for the very first time.” She gasped as she came to a stop in front of me, understanding igniting in her eyes as she seemed to piece something together. “You wouldn’t happen to own the items Princess Twilight has in her castle, would you?”

My brow furrowed in slight confusion, “Umm, yeah, she’s been going over my stuff while I was in the hospital, I just haven’t asked for it back yet. How did you know?”

“Yes, do tell Lyra,” Bon-Bon added as she stepped up to Lyra’s side, “what exactly are you talking about?”

“It’s her music!” Lyra spit out with a manic grin, turning to face Bon-Bon as she bounced up and down, “Remember when I came home from visiting Princess Twilight after getting called in for a super-secret assignment?”

One eyebrow rose on the beige mare’s face, “Yes, I also remember you telling me that it was so secret that you couldn’t tell me anything about it other than it had to do with the mysterious arrival at Ponyville General.” It took a moment for her to put it together as well, but as it hit her she turned to face me with wide eyes, “Wait, you said you were in the hospital after your arrival in Equestria?” I nodded, “So the super-secret mission Lyra was given, had to do with you?”

I rubbed the back of my neck with one hand, “Well, given how I showed up in your kingdom, I guess it might make sense that Twilight called in experts to look over my things. After all, none of you had ever seen a human before, save for Lyra’s theories I guess, so it would be the logical thing to have a foreign being’s belongings looked at before allowing it to run free.” I turned to face Lyra, who was managing to contain her excitement to some extent, “What exactly did Princess Twilight call you in for?”

Lyra bounced once more before making a physical effort to restrain herself, “Well, my special talent is all about harmonics, plus I can play the lyre like nopony else, so Princess Twilight called me in to listen to some new music. She got Octavia and Vinyl Scratch to come in as well to give differing opinions. I never imagined I’d hear something so new and yet so familiar coming from that tiny little box.” She turned to face Bon-Bon again as she spoke, “Oh you should have seen it Bonnie, it was only a little bigger than my hoof, but it could hold over sixteen hundred songs and play them all without having to plug into a speaker. It was unbelievable.” She spun back to face me with an even more manic grin, her gaze hopeful as she did her best puppy-eyes at me, “You wouldn’t happen to have that little box with you, would you?”

My mind immediately went to the phone resting in my pocket, but given who I was talking to, I wasn’t fully convinced she wouldn’t steal it from me if she got her hooves on it. So, I opted to perform another time-honored Ranger tradition.

Redirect the civilian.

“I do know what you’re talking about,” I drawled, “but how do I know you aren’t some government agent sent to keep tabs on me?” I chose to ignore Swift’s indignant huff behind me as I continued, “Give me one good reason not to just walk away and pretend this meeting never happened.”

Lyra’s joy quickly morphed into outright horror, as if the idea of us simply parting ways was like a threat to her family, “Please, don’t go! I’ll prove I’m not a government agent, I-I-I’ll take a lie detection spell, I’ll do anything, just don’t leave me after finally meeting you!”

I glanced over at Bon-Bon, who was rolling her eyes at her friend’s melodrama, “Do I really have to sit through this?”

She just shrugged as Lyra continued her pathetic rambling, “Best to just give her what she wants or she’ll never leave you alone.” She spared a glance at Swift, nodding respectfully with a sincere smile, “Major.”

Swift nodded back, a matching smile on her face as she tipped her head at me, “Just trying to keep this one out of trouble. Don’t mind me.”

We all chose to ignore Lyra as she continued to spout sentence after random sentence in the hopes of making me stay.

Bon-Bon tilted her head slightly as she inspected Swift, “An earth pony in the Royal Guard, and a Major no less, you must be quite skilled.”

Swift nodded, a hint of pride shining in her eyes as she stood a bit taller, “Well, not to brag or anything, but I’m third in command of the 85th Royal Battalion and I’ve trained most of the current rabble that pass for military these days.”

Bon-Bon’s eyebrows rose in admiration, “You’re quite skilled then, it is a pleasure to meet you. Would I dare ask for your name?”

Swift nodded, “Major Swift Blade, at your service, although my friends call me Swift.”

Bon-Bon chuckled behind a hoof, “I think I’ll call you by your rank. A pony of your regard must be given the respect they deserve, after all.”

While Swift and Bon-Bon engaged in small-talk, I turned my attention back to Lyra, who had just finished her spiel and was sucking in a breath to start anew. Not wanting a continuation of the one-mare-word-mill, I interrupted her by placing a hand over her muzzle. Her eyes widened in shock as my fingers clamped her mouth shut, and I heard the others stop their conversation as I looked Lyra in the eyes.

“Now,” I said slowly as I matched Lyra’s gaze with my own, “I’m going to let you listen to my music. If you want to talk about it then that’s fine with me. We can head back to the castle or we can head to a little café if you like. When I let go of your mouth, I expect you to talk like a normal pers – er, pony. If you can’t do that, then I’m going to have Major Swift Blade knock you out, let Bon-Bon carry you back home, and you’ll never get to speak with me again. Is that understood?”

Her eyes widened, followed by as much of a nod as she could manage with my hand holding her face.

I nodded in return, “Good. Now, remember what I said. No freaking out or I’m never going to speak with you again.”

I slowly removed my hand from her mouth, taking a step back and standing up to my full height. I fixed her with my most stern commander’s glare as she opened her mouth to speak, causing her to close it again, take a deep breath, and then look up at me with the most normal expression I had seen from her yet.

“I would be honored if you would play your music for us.” She said with a slight bow of her head, “Please, would you like to join Bon-Bon and I at our place so we can listen to it without interruptions?”

I glanced back at Swift, who nodded her consent, before turning back to face the duo. “I think that will work. Lead the way Ms. Heartstrings.”

Lyra nodded, keeping her face completely calm as she turned around and began walking. Swift fell in step next to her, leaving Bon-Bon to walk at my side as we made our way through the western side of town.

I noticed the look Bon-Bon was giving me, and decided to answer the obvious question, “I shut her up by making it impossible for her to argue with me or to do anything other than what I asked. It’s an old trick from the Corps we use to keep unruly cadets in line.”

She nodded dumbly, her gaze moving to Lyra’s hindquarters as she mulled over my words, “I need to learn how to do that. I’ve been trying to get her to calm down for years and it’s gone nowhere.”

I smirked as Lyra led us up to a quaint little cottage next to the aptly-named Bon-Bon’s Sweet Delights. Must have been nice to live directly next door to her place of business. Then again, I’d seen a couple of other businesses that had a second floor where I assumed the owners lived. I guess she chose to live in a separate building because she didn’t live alone.

Lyra led us into the little hovel, revealing a tidy living room complete with a large sofa and a wooden coffee table. A pair of high-back chairs took up the space between the sofa and the wall behind us, leaving just enough room for the table between them. A fireplace took up space on the left wall while an opening in the rear led to what looked like the kitchen and dining room. A hallway exited on the right side and led to several doors, most of which I could guess what resided behind by simple common sense. At least one had to be a bedroom, another was the bathroom, and the last was probably a storage room of some kind.

Lyra plopped down onto the couch while Swift took up a chair. I sat in the second while Bon-Bon walked past us towards the kitchen.

“Anypony want some tea?” She asked, glancing over her shoulder at us.

Swift nodded, “Chamomile if you have it, please, with cream and sugar.”

Lyra poked her head over the back of the couch, grinning at Bon-Bon as her tail wagged back and forth like a dog, “Could you make me that special blend that you made for me on my birthday?”

Bon-Bon rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the grin that spread her lips, “I’ll see if I can find any left. It is a special day after all.” With that she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the three of us in a comfortable silence.

Too bad it didn’t last all that long. Lyra spun around to face me with that all-too familiar gleam in her eyes, “So did you bring you little magic box so we can listen to some of that cool music?”

Swift let out a long-suffering sigh but didn’t comment, letting me handle the excitable mare as she did her best to look like a kid in a candy store, “I have it with me, but I need you to promise you’ll behave or I won’t let you listen to it.” I swore it was like talking to a six-year-old the way I had to simplify things around this mare. “Can you do that? Can you be a good mare for me?”

Either she didn’t notice the way I was talking down to her, or didn’t care, because she nodded, schooling her expression into a more neutral one as she crossed her forehooves over each other in a more dignified pose, “I’m ready when you are.”

It was a at that moment that Bon-Bon returned, a silver platter resting on her back with a teapot and several cups. She gripped the edge of the platter in her teeth and slid it onto the table before climbing onto the couch next to Lyra.

Swift reached over and grabbed her cup, taking a moment to smell the rose-colored liquid before taking a small sip, “Ah, just how I like it.” She tipped the glass in Bon-Bob’s direction, “My compliments to the server.”

Bon-Bon’s cheeks flushed as she ducked her head, “Oh it’s nothing, just some tea I got at the market the other day. It’s really no big deal.”

Swift nodded but chose to say nothing as she drank a larger sip. I decided that now was as good a time as any to get things rolling, so I slipped my phone from my pocket and turned it on. All eyes turned to face me as the screen lit up, bathing my face in its soft glow as I selected the music app. Lyra looked excited, but that was nothing unusual. The real kicker was seeing the looks of complete awe and wonder on Bon-Bon and Swift’s faces. Bon-Bon I expected to react that way, but to see Swift breaking her normal cool and collected manner was a bit surprising. It was also quite funny, and I had to stifle a laugh as I caught her face out of the corner of my eye. I’d make sure to let her have it later for her priceless face, but right now I had more important things to worry about.

I slid through my playlists for a moment before looking up at the others, “So, what would you like to hear?”

Lyra opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Bon-Bon, who seemed a bit more eager than she had been a moment before, “Umm, you wouldn’t happen to have anything that reminds you of me, would you?”

My eyes narrowed slightly in confusion, “Reminds me of you in what way?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know. I know we just met and everything, but I was thinking there might be something related to who I am or what I do. I know it might be a bit much to ask for that right away, but if you really have sixteen hundred songs on that little thing, then surely you must have something.”

I was a bit taken aback by her words, but in all honesty, I couldn’t really blame her. Still, it left me in a bit of a tight spot finding the perfect song to go with her personality or occupation. Then, as my gaze moved over her cutie mark, I realized I knew the perfect song.

Before I could think about it too much, I selected the song at the very top of my playlist, the rhythmic drums bouncing along right out of the gate. All three mares’ eyes widened as the sound echoed around the room, and I spotted Swift catching her cup as it slipped from her grasp as the first lyrics rang out.

As the song worked its way through, Lyra turned to face Bon-Bon with lidded eyes, “I’d like to have some of your candy too, if you want to sample some of mine after dinner.”

Bon-Bon was so wrapped up in the music it seemed like she hadn’t heard the aquamarine mare, but the vibrant blush that arose on her cheeks told a different story, “Lyra, I will deal with you once our guests have gone. Now kindly butt out so I can listen.”

With the biggest shit-eating grin I had ever seen, Lyra simply nodded before settling back in to listen. We sat in silence as the music slowly wound down, leaving us once again in a comfortable silence. Once the song came to an end, Bon-Bon pounded her hooves against the couch, Lyra and Swift following suite soon after. I smiled as I flipped through to another playlist, hoping my next selection hit just as well as the first.

“Glad you liked it. I hope it fit well enough.” I turned to face Lyra, “Lyra, this one’s for you.” I hit play, allowing the swing beat to mosey on its way into the room as the mare in question’s ears perked to attention.

As the jazz and swing moved and swam through the house, I saw both Lyra and Bon-Bon swaying to the beat, even going so far as to join in with the chorus in the latter half. Swift simply grinned as she hummed along, her tea forgotten on the table in favor of the music.

Once the song came to an end, Lyra wasted no time in jumping up and wrapping her hooves around me in a tight hug. “It’s perfect. I don’t know how you did it, but you found the perfect song to match me in every single way.”

Bon-Bon smiled but thankfully remained seated, “Indeed. You’ve matched both of us with wonderful songs, although I still have trouble believing that little box can make all that wonderful music all by itself.” She fixed me with a questioning gaze, “Is that kind of magic available to all of your people, or just a select few?”

I shrugged, disengaging from the mare wrapped around my middle with some difficulty, “It’s a tool that most everyone has access to, although I used mine for mostly music storage. Not really all that much more it can do unless you have the right infrastructure.”

She nodded, scooting over to one side to let Lyra climb back onto the couch, “Well then, what else do you have for us?”

I was just about to answer when a series of knocks sounded off from the front door. All eyes turned to the disturbance as Bon-Bon climbed off the sofa, “Now who could be calling? I don’t remember anypony saying they were visiting today.”

I heard the door open, and a distinctly British-sounding voice managed to reach my ears, “So sorry to bother you, Bon-Bon, but Vinyl used up all the sugar again and I was hoping you could spare a bag or two? I know you have lots on hoof for your shop, so I was hoping you might have some extra we could use?”

“Of course, Octavia,” Bon-Bon replied, “I can go and get some right now. Do please come in. Lyra and I were just listening to some rather interesting music. You can stay for a little bit if you would like.”

I glanced around the back of the chair, spotting Bon-Bon talking with a dark grey earth pony mare with a black mane and tail. She seemed to be of a more proper sort, with a white collar and pink bowtie around her neck. Her gaze leveled with mine as Bon-Bon walked into the kitchen to presumably get the sugar, and I saw the mare’s eyes widen as our gazes met.

“Um, Bon-Bon,” her voice had taken on the most slight of shakes, “you are aware that there is a strange creature sitting in your living room, right?”

Bon-Bon glanced over her shoulder at us, taking note of Octavia’s gaze, “Oh, I forgot to mention, we have guests over right now.” She turned to face me and Swift, “This is Major Swift Blade, and, oh, how silly of me, in all the excitement I forgot to ask your name.”

I grinned, waving off her concern with one hand, “It’s alright. I forgot to tell you. My name is Sarah Lovegood, but just Sarah is fine.”

“Sarah,” she seemed to roll it around in her mouth for a moment, “An unusual name, but not unpleasant to the ears.” She turned back to face Octavia, “You can take my seat if you like Octavia, I’ll be a minute getting the sugar from the back room.”

With that she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving us in a rather awkward situation. Lyra was oblivious to the tension it seemed, humming the last song under her breath as she tapped her hoof to the beat. Octavia seemed frozen in the doorway, unsure if it was safe to come any closer.

Finally, Swift glanced around her chair and addressed the poor mare, “I can assure you that Sarah is quite safe to be around. You have my word as an officer in the Royal Guard.”

Her words seemed to take the fight right out of Octavia, the poor thing’s shoulders slumping in relief before she collected herself, “Well, if a Royal Guard says it’s alright, then I guess I have nothing to worry about.” She walked up and sat down on the couch facing Swift and I, her poise straight and mannered as she looked me up and down, “Well, you certainly are an interesting creature. What exactly are you?”

Lyra beat me to the punch, “She’s a human! I knew they were real but nopony would believe me. She even brought her little music box so we could listen to more songs!”

Now she had captured Octavia’s interest, “The same music box that Princess Twilight asked us to come over and listen to a while back?”

Lyra nodded, “The same. She’s already showed Bon-Bon and I two songs that fit our personalities exactly. It was amazing, it was like listening to myself put to music.”

Octavia turned back to face me with a raised eyebrow, “If that is true then I would be delighted to hear whatever you think fits me. I understand that we just met, but I would like for you to go off first impressions only. It might make for an interesting look into how others see me on first meeting.”

I nodded, feeling like this was going to become a regular thing if ponies kept asking for theme songs. I took a moment to inspect her from head to tail, taking in her straight posture and her confident demeanor. I had a pretty good idea what song I wanted to play, but like she had said, this was based off first impressions. I hoped I didn’t offend her on accident if I got the song wrong.

The somber piano started off the song, and I noticed that Octavia’s ears were erect and alert while Lyra and Swift seemed a bit disinterested. That all changed when the vocalist’s first words came into being. All ears and eyes were fixed on my phone, and I held back a grin as the look of wonder and awe once again graced the faces of those present.

The song picked up more and more, coming to a climax just as Bon-Bon got back with a bag of sugar over her back. She stopped dead in the doorway to the kitchen and stood in rapt wonder as the music began to wind down. Finally, as the song ended, she managed to snap herself out of her surprise and make her way back to the couch. She dropped the bag next to the door and then climbed onto the sofa between Octavia and Lyra, her eyes locked on me as silence fell over us.

Octavia was the first to speak, although she had to clear her throat before she could get it out, “Well, I must say I make a good first impression if that is what you think of me. How did you ever come up with a song like that to describe me?”

I rubbed the back of my neck with my free hand, “Well, I thought you might be one of those more sophisticated mares that liked to do things over talk. I might be completely off the mark, but I also thought you might like to listen to more classical-style music.”

She nodded, “I rather enjoy listening to classical music, I used to play with the Canterlot Symphony Orchestra before I moved to Ponyville. Do you happen to have any more like that? I listened to some of your music when Princess Twilight called us in to give our opinions, and I would be lying if I hadn’t thought about asking to hear more since then.”

I smiled, “Well then I have something you might enjoy. It’s a theme to one of my favorite shows growing up, done in an orchestral style.” I moved through my music and found the song I had been looking for.

Octavia’s eyes widened as the racing violins immediately captured the attentions of everyone present, although she quickly schooled her expression as she closed her eyes and began waving her hoof like a conductor. Lyra and Bon-Bon were resting against each other, simply enjoying the music as it played. Swift looked like she was slightly bored, and I began to understand how she might feel. Sure, I enjoyed music as much as the next girl, but if I didn’t like the song then it could quickly kill my mood.

As the song ended, Octavia sucked in a deep breath before letting it out in a slow gust, her eyes closed and her lips curled into a small smile. She opened her eyes and looked up at me, “That was beautiful, yet powerful and driving at the same time. You said it was the theme for one of your favorite shows growing up?” I nodded, “Then I approve of whatever show it happened to be on basic principle. Anything with an opening theme this grand must have been a sight to behold.”

I smiled, “I’m glad you liked it. That song holds a lot of sentimental value for me, so hearing that you enjoyed it means a lot to me.”

Bon-Bon opened her mouth to add something of her own, only to be interrupted by another loud string of knocks on the front door.

“Tavi,” a raspy voice called through the wood, “you’ve been gone for almost an hour. It doesn’t take that long to get a bag of sugar.”

Octavia groaned as a hoof impacted her face, “For Celestia’s sake.” She got up and opened the door, revealing a white unicorn mare with a two-tone blue mane and tail wearing purple shades. “Vinyl, what have I told you about manners?”

Vinyl tilted her head to one side, seemingly disinterested in the subject, “Yeah, yeah, be polite and all that junk. So, what’s the hold up, Tavi? You get lost in Bon-Bon’s place looking for a bag of sugar?”

I could tell that Octavia was managing to restrain her frustration, if only just, “No, Vinyl, I was taking some time to listen to music with my new acquaintance Sarah.” She indicated me with one hoof, “She was kind enough to share some of her music with us now that she’s no longer confined to the hospital.”

The shades slid down Vinyl’s muzzle, revealing a pair of violet eyes as she inspected me from top to bottom, “Sweet bod. Mind if we do the two-pony shuffle back at my place?”

“Vinyl!” Octavia cried, cuffing the other mare over the head with her hoof, “Really?! You’re faced with a new creature that is the source of the amazing music we listened to earlier, and the first thing you do is ask her to sleep with you?!”

The shit-eating grin that was flashed back at her was all the answer she needed, “Can’t argue with what I like, Tavi. If she’s got half the skill as her bod’s got looks, then I’d tap that for half a million bits.”

For the first time in a long while, I actually felt myself getting flustered by this crude and crass mare. No one in the Corps had said such about my body before, and even less so in that way. I was a little flattered that Vinyl had the balls to say something like that after just meeting me, although I stood by my earlier words about not getting involved with the local populous. Right now I had a mission, so relationships would have to be put on hold until after the dark sorcerers had been destroyed.

Vinyl walked right past Octavia and plopped down on the couch, effectively taking Octavia’s seat before propping her shades above her horn. “Well, if you got music, then I want to hear it. I am the famous DJ Pon-3 and I will not stand for silence when jams are to be had.”

Octavia rolled her eyes and sat down next to the sofa, “Oh brother.”

I smirked as I locked my gaze with Vinyl, “So you’re a DJ are you, well then, I got a song that will blow your freakin mind.”

Her grin grew wider as she leaned forward, “Now you’re speaking my language. Lay it on me hot stuff.”

Octavia facehoofed as I struggled to hide my blush, and I managed to click the right song after a moment of fumbling. The shuffling drum line immediately caught everyone’s attention, and I chuckled as Vinyl began taking notes with a pad and quill that she pulled out from somewhere. I chose not to question how he got them and simply listened to the song as the pounding beat reverberated around the house. All too soon, the song came to a halt, and I laughed out loud as Vinyl leapt to her hooves and raced out the front door.

Octavia gave me a long-suffering look, “You do realize she’s going to be locked in her music room for the next week after all that, right?”

I shrugged, “Well, not like it was all that hard to find something she liked. DJ’s are all the same when it comes to beats, the louder the bass and the faster the song, the better.”

She conceded the point with a nod, “Well, it was a pleasure to see you all, both old and new friends included, but I really need to get back before Vinyl tears the house apart.” She picked up the sugar in her teeth and slipped it onto her back, “Goodbye everypony. I hope to see you all again soon.”

We waved farewell as she walked out the front door, leaving Bon-Bon, Lyra, Swift and I in the living room.

I stretched my arms over my head, “Well, I think that’s enough for one day. I need to get back for dinner or else Spike’s going to kick my rear into next week.”

Swift nodded agreement as she climbed out of her seat, “Yeah, I’d better check back in with the post to see if any new information has come up concerning my mission. Never know if we might catch a break.”

Lyra and Bon-Bon stood up, cracking their backs in cat-like stretches. Lyra let out a large yawn as Bon-Bon hid hers behind a hoof, turning to face me with a smile in her golden orbs, “We should hang out again sometime. You doing anything this weekend?”

I glanced at Swift, but she simply shook her head, “I think I’m free. What did you have in mind?”

Bon-Bon shared a glance with her partner before answering, “Well, we were thinking of going out to have dinner together at the Goût de Plaisir. It’s a Prench place just down the street from Berry’s Punch.” She leaned into Lyra and nuzzled against her neck, “We haven’t been out to a fancy dinner in a while, so we planned on going this Saturday evening.” She returned her gaze to me with hope gleaming in her eyes, “Would you like to join us, as a token of our appreciation for sharing your music with us?”

Now I felt slightly uncomfortable. This was obviously an expensive place if they had a name that sounded about a grand higher than my last paycheck, and it was going to be a special night for Bon-Bon and Lyra if their interactions were anything to go by. I was reminded once again about my choice to avoid dating the civilians until after we dealt with the necromancers, but there was nothing I could say that wouldn’t come off as either rude or an excuse. I glanced at Swift but was quickly given the patented ‘you’re-on-your-own’ look. I let out a sigh before turning back to face the duo, who were waiting with expectant gazes that made my heart twist in my chest.

I let out another gusty sign, “Fine, I’ll go with you.” I interrupted Lyra’s cheering with a raised hand, “I just need to know one thing.”

Their expressions shifted to slight worry, “What is it?” Bon-Bon asked.

I fidgeted in my seat slightly, “Am I going to need a dress?”

The nods mixed with Swift’s chuckles were all the answer I needed, and I felt like I had just taken a step into the ocean without a life jacket as my guard and I left the mares’ cottage. We made our way back to the castle with little difficulty, and I managed to eat Spike’s wonderful baked salmon without making a fool of myself. Swift’s gaze never left me for long, and I figured she knew I was unsure about this whole thing, but other than some encouraging smiles and a nod or two, she kept her muzzle out of it.

I went to bed that night knowing that I had basically been asked on a date by two mares, and I was troubled by the rather chaotic muddle of thoughts that were running through my mind. Should I cancel the date? Should I go and simply make it clear that I wasn’t interested? Was I willing to try dating, and with two mares no less?

I shook my head to clear that last thought out of my head, “You’re not a lesbian, Sarah. And you’re especially not a xenophile who would get involved with something that looks like a little girl’s coloring book character.”

Now if only I could get my heart to believe it.

I fell asleep that night with troubled thoughts, and it wasn’t such a surprise that I had another flashback. Thankfully, it was over quickly, leaving me in that familiar cold sweat at three in the morning that I had come to know quite well. Now if only I could get my mind off of those two mares.

Author's Notes:

Hello everypony!! I'm not dead!! I know, I've been bogged down with work and terrible hay fever for the last several weeks and I haven't had time nor energy to do any writing. Well now the wait is over!! I got this lovely chapter for you all and I can tell you right now things are going to start picking up here pretty quick.

Also, the next Interlude is coming up next! I hope you guys are ready for more of our newest Canterlot Castle furniture cast. Also, Discord Carpet has a new name!! Not going to spoil it here, but for those of you that are interested, my good friend Josh came up with the perfect name for him. Keep an eye out for the next Interlude, because things are about to get interesting.

So, without further ado, I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.