I looked around the living room. Wooden floor, stone walls, a fireplace blazing away merrily in the corner as it snowed outside the window. Not very furnished yet, but... nice.

"This is a very nice place," I said and turned to Sparks and Midnight, "How did you manage to get it so quickly?"

Sparks smiled, "I was already looking before the expedition. I had it down to three possibilities, but I wanted Midnights and Sunsets input before picking."

Midnight nodded and looked around, "I liked this one the best," she said, "It's solid, well insulated and has plenty of room. Spike and Claw can both have their own bedrooms if they like."

She was looking better from when I saw her last. I think getting back helped a lot.

"He's finally picked a name then?"

"For now anyway," Midnight said and sighed, "I suggested some others, but he thought they sounded too 'pony'. I'll check again in a couple of months. But this will be good, I think. Not needing to share a bedroom with me or Twi."

Sunset smiled and moved closer to my side as she whispered into my ear, "And all the bedrooms are at the corners of the house and have thick walls."

I glanced at her and couldn't help but grin as I gave her a small nuzzle before looking around again, "This place can't have been cheap."

Sparks shook her head as she sat down, "It wasn't. And... technically..."

"Technically we didn't buy it," Midnight admitted, "Princess Celestia did. We're renting it from the crown at a rate of one bit a month for the next hundred years."

"Ah," I agreed and nodded.

Twilight quickly got up and facehooved, "Oh! I'm sorry, you're our first guest! I should have offered you something to drink. Would you like some tea?"

"That'd be nice, thank you," I admitted with a smile and Sparks quickly trotted into the kitchen.

Midnight moved over to me, "Page, I heard about the memorial next week," she said quietly, "Would it be possible for me to... say a few words?"

I nodded, "Of course," I told her seriously, "Grey Velvet is organizing the schedule, I'll let her know about it."

Midnight nodded and forced a small smile, "Thanks," and then quickly looked up as there was a bang of wood against stone outside, "They are here already!? Buck it, they weren't meant to be here with the furniture until this afternoon! I'll go help them carry it inside."

"I'll come," Sunset said and stood up.

Midnight shook her head, "It's fine, Sunset. It's just a couple of beds, we can handle it," she said before she smiled, "Besides, you're a guest."

Sunset stuck her tongue out at the alicorn, "Barely. I'll spend as much time here as I'll do in Pages tower. You know I'm going to basically live here, right?"

Midnight grinned, "Why did you think I picked this place? It has the bedrooms spread out!"

"I thought that was because of Tempest," Sunset countered with a smirk.

Midnight turned slightly red at the cheeks, "We-we're not..."

"Mhmm."

"...I'll go help carry things inside," Midnight said and quickly retreated, "You two, stay."

"Not like I wouldn't be mostly in the way anyway," I admitted and put my wing around Sunny.

She frowned slightly and looked at me, "What did the doctor say about your horn?"

I shrugged, "Another couple of days until my next checkup. I mean, it feels fine, but I'm not taking any risks with this. Until he says it's alright, I'm a thestral not an alicorn," I said and then frowned slightly, glancing towards the door outside, "...How's she doing? Really?"

Sunset shook her head, "Difficult to say," she whispered back, "I think she's doing a bit better, but... it's hard on her. Both the expedition and being stuck here."

I nodded, "It's good that she's found somepony thought. Having somepony to love... it helps a lot," I said and turned my head, giving Sunset a small kiss.

"...I so wish my camera had survived," Sparks said as she exited the kitchen with a tray of cups and a teapot.

I looked over at her in surprise, "Huh?"

She grinned, "It's just... you two are so cute together," she said and moved to put the tray down on the floor before us before moving around to give Sunset a small kiss.

Sunset blushed but grinned, "You should see him and Luna, they're adorable. Big bad alicorn of the night, warrior princess of equestria and the terrifying dream lord of shadows... they look like a colt and filly on their first date."

"I know where you're ticklish," I grumbled as the mares giggled, "And I bet I can guess some spots on you too, Sparks."

Sunset grinned, "Oooh, can I watch?"

Sparks blushed and I rolled my eyes before the door suddenly opened in a flurry of snowflakes and freezing cold as Midnight backed inside, a bed floating along with her.

"Somepony, get the doors," she said as she slowly maneuvered the big piece of furniture inside.

"I'll help!" Sparks said and quickly got to her hooves.

Sunset looked at them for a moment before she facehooved, "Hey! Sparkle twins!"

They both looked at her.

"You can teleport things!"

Midnight blinked, "Oh!"

Then they both disappeared in flashes of light, the bed going along with them.

Sunset quickly lit her horn and pushed the door closed, "I love her, but sometimes I don't know where she keep that massive brain of hers," she said and settled down next to me again, reaching up with her hoof to brush rapidly melting snowflakes from my coat, "Midnight is the same too."

"High int, low wiz?" I suggested teasingly as the warmth started to return to the room.

Sunset rolled her eyes, "Nerd. I used to steal lunch money from people like you."

"Yeah, I be-" I started before I blinked and then grinned at her.

"...What?" she asked with a hesitant look.

"Me... Sparks... your type is nerdy ponies! I thought it was alicorns, but clearly not!"

"I- I'm... that's not it at all!!"

"Sunny likes nerds, Sunny li-gak!"