Wakefulness was less than gentle in its coming. Normally it gently knocks upon the door, and allows me to welcome it in with all the pomp and ceremony it is due. It is, after all, the single most important activity one can perform in the morning. Honestly, without the waking part, there is no morning. That morning, though, it was thrust upon me as a sudden pressure on my chest forced a violent expulsion of air from my lungs. The sudden change in my situation caused me to jump to nearly full awareness in a moment, and it was with no small amount of irritation that I looked up at Pinkie sitting proudly on my chest.

Her eyes sparkled with mirth at the situation, and her genuine smile quickly defused the small anger that had swelled in my chest. With gentle motions she slid down along my chest until she could put her chest on mine so that her head was level with my own. She planted a feather light kiss on my lips before she slid down a bit more so that she could rest her head just below my own. “I wanted to talk to you some...”

I gently ran a hand through her hair, lightly scratching her scalp. “And it couldn’t wait until a reasonable hour?”

A faint giggle escaped her as she adjusted her position a bit. “It could’ve, but I didn’t want to wait... I woke up awhile ago, and I’ve been thinking.” Her voice seemed to shift a bit, losing some of the normal giddiness it carried. “About what you said. What you’ve done. All sorts of things.”

“Oh? And has a revelation appeared?”

“Kinda. Do... Do you still remember that one time when I was babysitting for the Cakes?”

“The first time, or --”

“No, not the first time.” A quiet giggle escaped her as she let her mind wander back to the instance I was talking about. “No, when you came by and helped. When I had to run the shop as well as watch the little ones.”

I raised an eyebrow for a moment as I struggled, for a moment, to remember which instance she was referring to. “The time when you were at your breaking point?”

“Yeah... That time...”

Together we recounted what happened that day, and we shared some laughs over a few of the more outrageous moments that had taken place. At the time none of it had really been all that funny, but, such if the gift of hindsight. As we finally finished the day’s events, I let out a small sigh. “And, so, you put down that pile of bits, and I left them there, not wanting to take your money.”

“You left the bits there on purpose?”

“Yeah, I did. But I still can’t make the connection. Why were you thinking about that day now, at...” I glanced at the clock. “At four in the morning?”

“Well, I wasn’t really thinking about that as much as I was thinking about you.” She gave me a quick kiss. “And what you mean to me. See, I think that was the first time you did something for me, something so totally selfless. I needed help, and you were there for me.” She laid her head down on my chest once again. “That was probably the first step you made towards forging a spot for yourself in my heart. It took more than that to make me feel for you like I do now, but that was what got it all started.” She rolled off of me and grabbed my arm, pulling me into an embrace.

“Pinkie, as much as I love reminiscing, where is this going?”

“I wanted to say I’m sorry, Icarus. What I feel for you isn’t something I should’ve risked over a stupid bet. None of us should have played with your feelings like we did. It’s just...”

I brought a hand to her cheek, gently lifting her lips to mine. “I was so damn thick and stupid you couldn’t see any other way to make it work?”

She giggled softly as she looked at me. “I suppose that’s one way of phrasing it.”

“That’s the best way of phrasing it. I couldn’t see what you and the others were offering because I was too busy wallowing in my own sadness. A sadness that I did nothing to alleviate. Honestly, it’s funny how, now, I can see that the only times I really enjoyed myself was when I was out doing things.” I let out a yawn as Pinkie pulled herself closer still, her head nestled against my chest. “But now let’s try and sleep some more. We’ve got a big day ahead of us, and I can’t help but feel like something big is going to happen.”

I sighed as Dash continued to rant about the Wonderbolts and the kinds of tricks that she’d show them to impress them all. While she took in a breath to continue I butted in. “Dash, relax yourself and eat your thrice damned breakfast. We’re not even supposed to meet up with the Wonderbolts until --”

“But we’re meeting them! It doesn’t matter when, we’re going to see them! Today!” The other girls rolled their eyes and just ate their breakfast as normal while I was the chosen target of Dash’s ranting. I only half listened while she babbled, trying to eat my breakfast while making the expected rote responses to Dash’s queries. This continued all through breakfast, and persisted even after I had finished cleaning up all of the dishes.

Finally, when I could take no more, I turned to look at Dash whose wide smile seemed to take all the wind from my sails. “Dash... Please. We’re going to meet up with them in...” I glanced at the watch on my wrist. “An hour and a half. Maybe you could just let the suspense build. Maybe they’ve got some new moves to show, rather than the same old routine you’ve got memorized.”

Her eyes widened, and I realized in a moment of insight that I had only made things worse with my commentary. “Ohmygosh! You think they might have new moves? Imagine all the possibilities! They could...” And so she launched into a renewed rant, quickly trying to cover all infinite possibilities for aerial maneuvers.

She followed me into the living room after I was done in the kitchen, and when she finally stopped to draw a breath I jumped in once again. “Just let it go, Dash. There’s no possible way you can guess what they’ll do, since there’s a limitless number of possibilities. Instead, let’s just enjoy the gentle tranquility of the morning. You know, quiet --” A loud crashing sound punctuated my words, and I gently sighed as I put my head in my hands. “Or that. I mean, ya know, of course. Why would things go how I want them to?” I stood up slowly and made my way towards the stairs.

A second, louder, crash sounded from upstairs, and I hesitated for a moment before I began climbing the stairs. “Girls? What’s --”

“PINKAMENA DIANE PIE! You put that down this instant! If you break one more --” A shattering sound cut off Rarity’s fury, and the soft sound of an apology seemed to echo in the silence of the house. Several long moments of quietude seemed to reign over the house after the outburst, and I decided that it had lasted long enough.

“Hey, don’t mind me, but I think that Dash and I are going to head out a bit sooner than planned. I’d rather not be here for when --”

“No! That’s fine. I’ll come with you.” Rarity stormed from her room, her cheeks flushed and no small amount of frustration was visible in her eyes. “I need to get some fresh air. And an escape from a certain pink haired friend of mine.” She stopped when she reached where I was on the stairs, and her eyes met mine. “Now, Icarus.” I moved to the side so that she could walk past, and I made no move to stop, or slow, her descent. I looked to Dash for a moment, but she was just shaking with silent laughter.

I gently lowered my head into my hand once again. “Alright, fine, this is good.” I turned to look up the stairs once more, a tiny sigh escaping me. “Alright, the rest of you, Dash, Rarity, and I are heading out early. Meet up with us in town, or... Or something. We’ll figure it out, I’m sure.”

I swear these girls are going to be the death of me... They’re all amazing, but sometimes I feel like they’re, at times, dumber than should be legal. And when they aren’t acting like children they’re trying to get me to talk about my feelings.

I closed the door behind myself as I stepped out onto the stone path that led to the road and I took a deep breath of the fresh air, already feeling a bit better after the tension of the house. Rarity and Dash were both already on the road, looking back at me, but neither of them really seemed comfortable. Rarity, I was certain, wanted to think some before she would talk about it, and Dash was just showing outwardly how I felt.

Once I reached them I motioned for us to get going, and I took the lead as we started down the long and winding road. The silence lasted for almost ten minutes before Dash couldn’t keep her enthusiasm contained any longer. Without a willing audience she hopped back and forth between Rarity and I, her gushing praise incessant and quickly growing repetitive. When she saw that neither of us were willing to entertain her antics she slowed a bit, until finally, blissfully, stopping. After a few minutes she matched my pace, walking beside me. I pulled her a bit closer, after several minutes, eliciting a surprised gasp from her. I didn’t do anything more than that, though, and yet it seemed to be enough for her.

I glanced over my shoulder at Rarity and gave her a smile, waving her closer. She didn’t return my smile, but she accelerated her pace just enough to catch up to Dash and I. I did the same with her as I did Dash, and the three of us just walked down the road in companionable silence as I held the two of them close to my sides. When the town came into sight I relied on the girls to lead me to where we were going to meet up with the ‘Bolts, or wherever we were going to go, since we still had more than an hour until we were meant to see them. After just a short walk we wound up in front of the store of the same owner I had helped with the thief. He happened to be inside, and as we entered he waved me down, a wide smile on his face.

“Icarus! You’ve come back!” His eyes roamed over the girls, and his smile seemed to widen just a bit. “And you’ve brought along two of the finest women to ever grace my store. Save for mine own blushing brides, of course!” He let out a weak chuckle after he spoke, and then he walked over, his smile never faltering. “So, what brings you by today, my friend? Anything in particular, or are you just here to peruse mine wares?”

Before I could respond Rarity took a small step forward. “I’m actually the one who brought us here, on Icarus’ insistence. We... Well, I am looking for some ingredients for a certain dish that I’d like to make, and we seem to be lacking those back at the house we’re staying in. I was hoping that you, my good man, would have those ingredients for me.”

“Of course! And if I don’t have it I’ll be sure to get it for you.” He pulled a pad out of his pocket and he pulled a pen from behind his ear. “Now, what do you need?”

I aimlessly wandered off while Rarity rattled off a list of ingredients, all in specific quantities and sizes. The store was impressively sized, and I simply ambled up and down the aisles as I waited for Rarity to finish up. As I looked at some of the items on the shelves I marveled at some of the more bizarre items I spotted. When I reached the end of one aisle I turned to walk along the next, and I simply repeated this over and over. As I turned to walk down yet another aisle I spotted an employee walking up towards me, a small tag on his shirt identifying him as an assistant manager.

He gave me a small smile when he saw me, and he quickly approached. “Hey. Do you need help finding anything?”

“Eh, not really. Just here with a couple of my friends, waiting for them to finish up so we can get going.”

“Ah, okay. So, you got dragged along, or what?”

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. “Sort of. We’re going somewhere, and one of my friends decided that she wanted to come by to place an order for some specific items. Your boss seemed really eager to do what she asked.”

“Yeah, some silly policy of his. If a customer asks for something and we don’t have it, he, or to be more accurate, I, will go and do whatever it takes to get that item.” He let out a small chuckle. “He’s really lucky I’m a damn fine employee, or he’d be up shit creek.”

I raised an eyebrow. “There’s no one else here?”

“Oh, no, not at all.” He rolled his eyes as he gave a small shrug. “I’m just one of the only ones to actually do what I’m told. Speaking of which, I need to get up front before ‘boss-man’ blows a blood vessel. Again.” I fell into step beside him, and he gave me a small smile. “Not often I find a personable customer here on the island. Most of the types we get are either stereotypical tourists or stereotypical Canterlot snobs. Mixed in with the locals, who are, sometimes, no better.”

I shrugged, and was about to speak when a voice sounded out over the intercom. “Quill to the front ASAP! Quill, to the front end!”

A sigh of epic proportions escaped the man beside me as he quickened his pace. “Once again, duty calls. Come by again, sometime. Good conversation is a valuable commodity in this store.” He broke into a jog as he made his way to the front of the store, and I let him go, content to walk at my own pace down what was left of the aisle. Just as I made it back to the front of the shop Rarity seemed to have finished her list, and now Quill and the manager were speaking and gesturing wildly.

I watched for a moment, and then the manager turned to look at Rarity once again. “We can get you all of what is on your list! Would you like it delivered,” Quill visibly paled at this mention, “or would you like to pick it up?”

Rarity clearly noticed because she flashed the assistant manager a small smile. “Oh, we’ll come and pick it up, don’t you worry. What time would be good for you?”

The manager looked over the list one last time before he frowned a bit. “Probably not till this afternoon. Some of this is a bit more special than what I normally deal with. Around... Four, I’d say. Is that acceptable?” Rarity just nodded, and then Quill sighed before walking over to grab a cart. “Quill, here’s the list! Get started!” The assistant manager’s shoulders slumped a tiny bit as he grabbed a small cart and began walking the aisles. “Now, as a courtesy to you for what your good friend Icarus did, I’ll be taking off ten percent. To be calculated when you pick it up.”

“Of course.” Rarity flashed a wide smile at the manager before she glanced at the elegant watch on her wrist. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we do have some other things to take care of.” The manager gracefully led us to the door, and he gave each of us a hearty handshake as we stepped out, and as the door shut behind us Rarity grabbed my hand. “Time for us to make our way to the field. Oh, and you’ll be preparing dinner for me today. I’ve already taken care of the others, so it’ll just be you and I tonight.”

“What?”

“Icarus, she’s making you make her a fancy dinner.” I looked over at Rainbow Dash who had a cocky smile on her face. “Jeez, even I picked up on that.”

“Well, yeah, I got that. I’m not that slow, Dash.” I turned to look back at Rarity. “What I can’t quite figure out, aside from the obvious reason, is why.”

“Let’s just say that I want things to be different tonight, and I’m not going to let anything, or anyone stop it from going how I’d like it to go. Also, you owe me a dinner.”

“I do?” She gave a quick nod before she let her gaze drift. I nodded as we lapsed into silence. We soon wandered to the edge of town, and then along a few different trails in the jungle until we came upon a fairly large clearing. It was at least a hundred yards across to the other side, and roughly circular in shape. Up above, hanging from cloud tethers, were several dozen rings and other contraptions that the Wonderbolts would be using in their upcoming show. I could see the forms of the ‘Bolts dashing about amongst their various props and tools as they made sure that everything was okay, and ready to go. One member seemed to spot us, since they quickly dropped into a dive, leveling out just before hitting the ground and performing a fairly impressive landing. The wing color made it clear that we were speaking to the esteemed captain, and she quickly lifted her goggles, holding out a hand towards Dash.

“Welcome to the show, Rainbow Dash.” She gave Rarity and I a nod as well before she and Dash started walking over to the stands that we’d be occupying for the show. One other form descended from the sky and landed before us, far less dramatically than did their captain.

Soarin shook his head when he glanced over at Spitfire. “Sorry about her. She and Dash sometimes forget about the fact that life isn’t all about the show. Anyway, you’re here early. Any reason why?”

I offered a small shrug and a smile. “Needed to get out of the house, and get some air. Figured that we’d come here, and see what’s going on.”

“Oh, that’s fine. We’re just about ready. Care to head over to the stands so that you can get comfortable?” Rarity nodded, and soon we were on our way to the stands. “Fire and I have been planning this show for a few weeks, now, and we figured that we’d let the seven of you, once the others get here, be the first to get a glimpse of it.”

I nodded before glancing skywards for a moment. “Are the rings new? I, uh... Since the accident I’ve kind of been missing out. Hence why I wasn’t there for the Young Flyers Competition.”

Soarin just nodded before he and Rarity joined me in looking towards the suspended devices before he decided to respond. “I understand. Frankly, I can’t imagine how you deal with it.”

“Not helping.”

“Sorry.” Soarin stopped looking up as he continued on towards the stands. “Anyway, yeah, the rings are new. Specially crafted and enchanted by some of the best unicorns available. I think that you’ll be suitably impressed when we do the show.” By the time we reached the stands the other Wonderbolts were all swooping down to the ground, and generally finding comfortable places to stretch and relax before starting the show. Dash, unsurprisingly, was acting like Pinkie did whenever she went to visit Bon Bon’s shop back home; like a child in a candy shop with no fear of cavities and an allowance that would make Silver Spoon envious. However you looked at it, she was ecstatic.

After that it was just a matter of waiting for the others to arrive while Dash fangasmed with the ‘Bolts. I let my gaze roam the clouds as I waited, but it wasn’t meant to be as soon I found a hand resting on my chest, and a pair of rose colored eyes gazing into my own bluish gray eyes. “And this is him, Icarus Phaethon.” I looked between the Wonderbolts and Dash a few times before I offered a feeble wave. “He’s the one I was talking about. His dad’s a great inventor, Daedalalulus, or something. I can’t really remember.”

“Daedalus, Dash.” I gritted my teeth as I spoke, yet Dash seemed not to notice. “His name is Daedalus.” She glanced at me for a moment before she started back towards the Wonderbolts. “Dash!” Again, no response. Finally, having had enough, I stood and walked to catch up with the rainbow haired athlete. She was, already, busy bragging to the Wonderbolts about how amazing she was, and she failed to notice me as I came up behind her. I gently grabbed her arm and turned her to look at me, and her irritation vanished in a moment as she saw my own expression. “Dash. We need to talk.” I could see the pleading in her eyes, but that only prompted me to speak again. “Now.”

A few moments later, and we were at the base of the bleachers, Dash following just behind me as I led her around the bleachers and out of the sight of her mentors. When I finally stopped I turned to look at her, and she looked at me. She looked contrite, but I couldn’t tell if it was genuine, or just some act she was putting on so she could get back to the Wonderbolts. “Icarus, look, I know. I’m sorry. I just wanted to impress the Wonderbolts.”

“I... What? Do you even know why I’m angry with you?”

She furrowed her brow for a moment as she seemed to sink into thought. “Because I was using your dad to boost my own ego?”

“As horrible as that is, no. I’m upset because you claim to care about me, and you can’t even remember my father’s name. I’m upset because you didn’t even wait for me to bring up who my father is. What if I didn’t want them to know? What if I don’t want to go around publicizing who I am, and what happened to me?”

Dash opened her mouth to speak, but then she quickly closed it. She repeated the action a few times over before she finally stopped trying, and her gaze sank to the ground. “I didn’t even think about that, Icarus. I was just so busy trying to impress the Wonderbolts that I didn’t think about how you might feel about what I was doing.”

“And therein lies the problem, Dash. You’ll think about yourself without end, and then, when someone else finally gets hurt, you realize your mistake. But you never learn from it. You keep doing the same thing over and over, never seeing that something needs to change for the outcome to change.”

“I do learn from my mistakes!”

“Yeah, sure, but what about everyone who gets hurt in the process? What about them, Dash?” Dash recoiled slightly from my tone, but her gaze remained steadfast.

“I’m not perfect, Icarus. I know that I fuck things up, and when I see that I’ve fucked up I’ll apologize. But I’m not going to make it out like it’s all my fault when I know it’s not. Maybe you should just toughen up and accept what happened, rather than hiding it from everyone. The six of us know, and what changed? Nothing! What in the name of Tartarus are you afraid of that keeps you from talking about what happened?”

I felt my entire frame drain of tension as I looked away from Dash, my anger replaced with regret. “Enjoy your show, Dash. I’ll see you back at the house.” Without another word I turned away from her, quickly making my way across the field and back to where we had come in. I heard my name called out a few times as I walked, but I ignored them, instead opting to try my best to tune them all out.

She’s right.

That simple thought rang out in my head as I walked, and just as I was exiting the field I heard the telltale sound of teleportation. I didn’t slow my pace as I walked, figuring that either Rarity or Twilight could catch up to me. I had been walking for nearly twenty minutes when I finally just stopped walking. Nothing was forthcoming from whoever was following me, and I didn’t have it in me to turn and look to see who it was. “I fucked it up again, didn’t I?” My shoulders slumped as I brought my hand to the bridge of my nose. “I’m faced with my past, and I just lash out, desperate to keep anyone from even trying to get close.” I whirled around to find myself looking at Rarity, her gaze level with my own. “What the hell is wrong with me, Rarity?” I motioned past her, towards where the field was. “She wants to get close to me! Hell, I want her to be close to me! But I just can’t stop myself from... From acting like a complete asshole.”

Her gaze softened for just a moment. “Icarus, it’s not --”

“It has to be! It has to be me that’s the problem! I’m not young, Rarity. I’ve tried, in the past, to get with women. Back in Manehattan I tried, at least. Four times I tried, and every single time I fucked it up. And, as if to prove that it’s me that’s the problem, there wasn’t even any accident that I could try and pin it on for those three women.” I found myself panting from the exertion of my tirade. “And now, when you’ve done nothing wrong, I find myself shouting and screaming at you.”

Rarity slowly approached, her gaze still as soft as before. “Icarus, dear, you really need to lose some of that tension that you’re carrying with you everywhere you go.” She took my hands in hers, her fingers gently wrapping around my own. “I’m sure that Dash didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, or to offend you. She’s simply being herself.” Her gaze moves away from my own for just a moment. “At least, as much as she will let herself. Now, it’s not my place to say, but there’s quite a bit more to her than you see. Things she refuses to talk about outside of our usual weekly spa trips.” I only nodded as Rarity released one of my hands, her other using my hand to lead me along. “Now, we’ve got the whole day ahead of us, and I aim to spend it in your company. And there’s nothing you’re going to do about it.”

I said nothing as she began dragging me along, my feet at first unwilling to follow. After just a few moments, though, I gathered my wits, and I began walking beside her. We walked about the town without any real destination in mind, but the silence that persisted between us killed any attempts at a normal or comfortable walk. After a while of walking I started recognizing where we were walking, and soon we were on the road back to the house. Rather than go in, though, Rarity turned us off the road and towards the beach. When we got onto the beach she led me towards a nearby palm tree, and then she sat down beside it, leaning back on it and enjoying the shade. I sat down next to her, and she quickly adjusted her position so that she was leaning into me.

“I was thinking some while we walked.” I looked down at her, meeting her gaze and raising an eyebrow. “About a lot of things. My sister, for one. For so long she looked up to me as a role model for everything she did and does. She so much wanted me to be proud of her. Given how rarely mother and father are around, it’s not really a huge surprise. But now? Now she’s grown so much more independent. Often she’ll come back to the boutique in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes a bit more intoxicated than she should be.” Rarity trailed off slowly, her gaze becoming unfocused.

“She’s at that age, Rarity. It’s just something that she’s going to do until she grows out of it, or finds someone that she doesn’t feel the need to impress, or whatever her reason is.”

“Yes, I know. I just wish that it hadn’t been me that she learned it from.” A deep sigh escaped Rarity as she took one of my hands in her own, her fingers working at mine and playing with my digits. “When I was younger, before I had the boutique really going, I often would spend a night out on the town, leaving Sweetie alone in the house for hours on end. More than once I came back so drunk that I couldn’t even make it upstairs to my bedroom. My sister... My sister had to come down at one, two, or even three, in the morning and take care of her older sister. The one person who should be taking care of her.”

“You were young, Rarity. You were just doing what kids do when they’re young and impressionable.”

She gave a sharp shake of her head, her hands clenching mine a bit tighter. “No. No, I was supposed to be better than that. And it wasn’t until I nearly hurt Sweetie that I finally realized what I was doing to her. I never once hit her, I couldn’t live with myself if I had done that. No, it was just a few years ago, about two years before you came to Ponyville, that Sweetie finally confronted me about what I was doing. About how I was ruining her life, and that she hated me.” Rarity lapsed into silence for a few minutes and I just waited, not wanting to ruin whatever she was thinking. “Have you ever wondered, Icarus, why my sister and I are so far apart in age?”

“It’s crossed my mind a few times. But I never wanted to ask about it.”

“She was... She was an accident. My parents were celebrating their anniversary, and... I assume you can figure out the rest?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I can.”

“She knows, now. But at the time she didn’t. I came so close to telling her. So close that I promised myself I wouldn’t ever drink so much again. And I lasted quite a while.”

I felt a cold touch of realization. “Blueblood?”

“Yes. It didn’t even hit me until several months after the event. I found what I thought was the perfect man, and then I saw what the ‘perfect man’ really was. I tried my hand at winning you, but you seemed so distant. You never seemed to acknowledge any of my attempts. And then, when you finally were forced into a situation that put us together, you simply brushed off my attempts.”

I felt a tiny smile tug at my lips. “And what about now?”

She returned my smile, her eyes sparkling with no small amount of delight. “Now I’ve got you right here, and I’m content to just leave it at that.” I wrapped my free arm around her shoulder, gently squeezing her. “Of course, you’d just have to find some way to make it better, wouldn’t you?”

“Necessity is the mother of invention, Rarity. Not totally applicable here, but I think that, somehow, it can be used. Something about creativity, and seeing a way to make things better, or something.” Rarity didn’t say anything back, she simply pulled herself a bit closer to my side, her head resting gently against my shoulder. For quite some time the two of us simply enjoyed the serenity of our own silence and the gentle sounds of the waves lapping up on the shore. I closed my eyes as we basked together in the sun and silence, the feelings of warmth slowly working the tension and stress out of my frame.

After quite some time I felt Rarity gently stir. “You’re so much more comfortable when you’re relaxed, Icarus. And I mean that as both a pillow, and a person.” I looked down at her azure pools, and she looked back up at me. “It’s just a shame that you’re almost always so tense.”

I looked away from Rarity, a flash of sadness running through me. “I know. It’s just that it’s hard to just... To just change my way of life. I spent all that time in Ponyville trying to put distance between myself and the world, but it didn’t work. And, now, I’m here. With at least three --”

“Four. Twilight has her eyes on you as well.”

“Four girls who are after me.”

“It’s nothing really new, though, Icarus. I know that Rainbow Dash has had her eye on you for more than a year, and the same is true for Twilight and Pinkie.” She fell silent after that.

“And you?”

“Since Blueblood. After the Gala you helped me to vent. You were, somehow, always there when I felt at my worst. You remember at Berry’s bar? When I was there on my own?”

“Yeah, I remember that time. You were already halfway to drunk when I got there.”

“That was my worst moment. I really didn’t want to talk to any of the girls about it anymore, since I couldn’t bear to heap more onto them. And then, lo, you arrived. And all you did was listen. You sat there and listened to me as I went on and on about all of my problems, never once complaining.” She stopped playing with my hand at that point, her fingers interweaving with mine. “If you had pressed it right then, I probably would’ve slept with you. There you were, a pillar of strength that I used to weather the storm of my own emotions. That was when I decided that I wanted you for my own. Or, at the very least, to be a part of your herd.”

I turned in place to look directly at Rarity, the soft blush on her cheeks only growing at my direct attention. “And a place you shall have, Miss Rarity Belle.” I put one hand on her cheek, gently pulling her in for a quick kiss. What started as only a gentle kiss soon took on a more passionate edge, and she put her arms around my back, pulling me closer to her body. The kiss still only lasted a few moments, but both her breathing and my own were a bit quicker after the kiss broke. “A place not only within my herd, but within my heart.”

Rarity’s smile vanished in an instant. “You are the most cliched person I’ve ever met.” I fell back from her, laughter bursting from me. “I swear, if you weren’t as amazing as you are that one liner alone would’ve ended any chance you’d have with me.” She joined in my laughter, and just a few minutes later we were both seated back where we had been just a few minutes ago.

I spared a quick glance at my watch, and then I looked over my shoulder over the trees towards the spot where the Wonderbolts would be performing. “I think that the Wonderbolts are probably done by now. You want to do anything, or is just sitting here fine?” She didn’t respond verbally, instead choosing to pull herself as close to me as she could. I was content with that as an answer, and soon I was gently dozing, my consciousness drifting in and out with the ebb and flow of the winds and tides.

When I finally roused myself from my quasi slumber I saw that the sun had traveled a good portion across the sky, and a glance at my watch put the time at just a bit after four. Rarity, during my state of unawareness had moved herself into an adorable position, her entire body flush against my side and my arm tightly held against her chest. Through the thin fabric I could feel the gentle and steady beat of her heart, and the measured rise and fall of her breathing. With excruciating care I removed myself from her grip, taking extra care not to rouse her from her sleep. Once I was out of her grip I took a moment to stretch out my joints before I stooped down to gently pick her up.

She was far lighter than I expected, and so it wasn’t too laborious a task to take her from our spot on the beach to the beach house. I made sure to put the key to the house in my hand before I started picking up Rarity, so it only took a few awkward moments of fumbling before I had the door open, and the two of us inside. The first thing I did after gaining entry was to put Rarity down, gently, on one of the couches in the living room. As soon as I put her down I took a moment to look around, and ponder just where all the other girls were.

I took a quick trip up the stairs, glancing in each of the girls’ rooms to see if they were there. When my brief search yielded nothing I paused at the top of the stairs, a pang of brief worry shooting through me. I made my way back down the stairs, still striving to keep quiet, and I went to the kitchen. A small note rested on the counter, and it drew my attention. I unfolded the note and I quickly took in the contents, clearly written in Twilight’s neat handwriting.

Icarus,

Rarity asked that we leave the two of you alone this evening, at least, until midnight, so the rest of us are spending the rest of the day with the Wonderbolts. You really need to talk to Dash. She needs to talk to you just as much, so I hope that the two of you can put aside your differences for at least a little bit to get these issues resolved. Preferably before one of the two of you says something that you’ll really regret.

We’ll probably be

There’s a distinct change in the handwriting, and I chuckle softly as I imagine what happened.

Twi’s super good with words and stuff, but I think I know what to say better than she does right now!

I really hope that you and Rarity have fun together! Oh, and remember her favorite flower! I know that the two of you will get along just great. Rarity’s been talking about you for a while, and I just know that it’ll be great when I get back tonight!

I hope that your bed is big enough for the three of us. Wait, is that coming on too strong? I’m sure that you won’t mind when it comes time for bed, so we’ll just have to see!

Lots of Laughs and Love,

Pinkie and the rest of the girls except Rarity who you’re already with!

I rolled the note up into a tight roll, and then I slipped it into my pocket before grabbing a new piece of paper and a writing implement. I wrote a note of my own to Rarity, quickly outlining what I had learned, certain omissions made, of course, and where I was going before I put it on the table in front of the couch where she was lying. Just as I was about to leave, an idea came to mind, and I ran up to my room to fetch my small stash of extra bits for those ‘just in case’ situations. It amassed to a small fortune, but I was fairly certain that it’d be a worthwhile expense.

I quietly slipped out the front door of the house, locking it as I stepped out, and then I started making my way down the road towards town, a small spring in my step as my plans for the evening began taking shape. Dinner would be both the easiest and hardest part of the evening. The actual preparations for the meal would be difficult, since I had only made Beef Bourguignon once before, and it came out in a less than spectacular way. And by that I mean that it was only edible in the loosest sense of the word. Still, learning by doing is the best way to do it.

As my plans continued to manifest in my mind, I entered the town, my destination already set in my mind. First to the grocer’s to make sure that everything that was needed would be available, and then to the same mall as I had visited a few days ago. As I walked into the grocery store a few employees that must’ve recognized me looked over at me before giving a half-hearted wave. I only nodded as I scanned the storefront, looking for the manager, or Quill.

I spotted Quill first and I approached him. He noticed me as I walked over, and he got a smile on his face. “Oh, you’re back. I just finished up getting your order together about twenty minutes ago. I’ll go get it for you.” He started for the back, and I watched him for a moment before I heard someone shout my name out. It only took a moment of searching for me to find the party in question, and I offered a smile to the manager approaching me.

“Icarus, you’ve returned! I take it that you’re here for your groceries?”

“Actually, I’ve got a couple other stops I need to make first. I was just here to make sure that you’d gotten everything, and that I’d be able to pick it up.”

A flash of hurt appeared on his face before it vanished. “You doubted me? HA! It’s okay, it’s only natural. But, yes, I got all that you asked for. You are certainly an ambitious one. I recognize most of the ingredients, and I have to ask who the chef is going to be.”

“That would be me. Second time making the recipe, so I’m hoping for the best. Anyway, I do have a few more stops to make, so would you be able to hold onto that order for just a bit longer?”

“Of course, Icarus. Please, take your time. I’ll make sure that it is ready for you when you return.” I gave a quick nod and my thanks before I turned and headed from the store, a new destination in mind. It didn’t take me all that long to make it to where I was headed, and the gentle chime of the bells above the door heralded my entry into the small shop. The plethora of display cases offered countless distractions for me to look at, but I didn’t allow them to sway me from my course. My objective was a simple one, but its simplicity did nothing to alleviate my coming expense.

When I reached the back of the shop I found myself face to face with an elderly unicorn who appeared to be either lost in deep thought or asleep. I waited patiently for a moment before a surprisingly loud snore escaped her, and I resolved that she was, in fact, asleep. I tried several times to get her attention by speaking at a normal volume, but, when that failed to get her attention I hefted a small sigh. It seemed that, after several shouted attempts, that she was a deceptively heavy sleeper.

I muttered several rather colorful terms under my breath and the woman’s eyes snapped open. “Watch your language in my store, sonny. I’ll not have you tainting my air with that kind of sailor talk.” She stared right at me for several moments before she leaned back in her chair, boisterous laughter escaping her. “The look on your face! Oh, Creator, it never gets old! At least, not as old as me. I’ve got no problem with that kind of language, boy. My husband always said that he enjoyed bantering with me the most of all his wives. Claimed that my choice use of vulgarities was probably what attracted him to me the most.”

I raised an eyebrow. “It wasn’t your looks?”

If I thought her first bout of laughter was loud, this one just showed me that I didn’t really know what loud was. “Boy, he was blind! And I don’t mean that he had bad eyesight, I mean that he really couldn’t see. He never let that hold him back, though. Always made jokes about how we were all the most beautiful things he’d ever seen.” She pauses for a heartbeat, a look of longing flashing across her face. “And now, here I am, the purveyor of jewelry that he could never appreciate. Bah, don’t let me weary you with my lamentations. I take it you’re here for something?”

“Actually, yes. Several somethings. At least two. Probably more.”

She adjusted herself in her seat, her gaze settling squarely on my eyes. “Oh? And what might these somethings be?”

“Amulets and necklaces to go with them.”

“Cutie marks?” I nodded, and a small grin spread on her face. “Traditionalist, eh? It’s fine. They’re a bit cliched as far as gifts go, but it’s still a fine sentiment. Now, you have a picture of the marks, or are we going to work on some vague description?”

“Neither. I’m hoping that you’ve got paper and a pencil I can use.” She provided the requested items, and soon I had near perfect recreations of Rarity’s, Pinkie’s, Twilight’s, and Dash’s cutie marks. “For now, I just need these two,” I pointed at the triple diamonds and triple balloons. “If you can get those done as soon as you can, I’d be most grateful.”

The elderly unicorn looked at the two designs for several long moments before she offered me a small smile. “Does the name Moirai mean anything to you? Or, perhaps, Atropos?” I shook my head slowly, the word resonating strangely within my mind. “I didn’t think so. It’s of little consequence. Still, wait here for a moment.” She went into the back room for several minutes, and when she emerged she had two small boxes in her hands. “Creator knows why I made these when I made them. But, here they are.” She opened up the two boxes to display the amazingly crafted amulets. “They’re yours, for now. I’ll expect payment when you come for the second set of two.”

I looked at the jewelry, my mind reeling slightly at the obviously staggering amount of time that had gone into crafting the items. “I don’t know what to say.” I looked up at her, my mind refusing to work in sync with my mouth. “This is one of those rare times when I genuinely don’t know how to respond.”

The old woman just shrugged as she put the two boxes into a small paper bag. “Sometimes saying nothing is preferable to saying something stupid. A wise man once said; ‘Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.’”

I accepted the bag of jewelry, the weight seeming much larger than it actually was. As I lowered my hand to my side a flash of realization passed through me. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to come back when the time is right, since I’m guessing that you’ll somehow know when that is.” I offered a small smile. “Fate’s a strange thing, isn’t it?”

Her own face broke into a smile. “The strangest thing I’ve ever seen. The strangest thing I’ll ever see.”

“I swear to the Creator, I really hate carrying bags of groceries.”

“Yeah, Quill, I’m sorry. I really didn’t want for you to be dragged all this way just to help me.” A huge sigh escaped my companion, and I offered him a small smile. “We’re almost there, at least.”

“I know. Whenever Celestia or Luna comes to take a vacation, a blessedly rare event, we at the market have to make frequent trips to bring them their stuff. Celestia’s a great tipper, though. She usually goes for a two hundred percent tip. Luna not so much. Still, she makes up for it.”

As we reached the door I realized that I didn’t have a hand free to get the key out of my pocket. Luckily, the door opened just as I was about to begin fumbling around to get the key, and Rarity was standing there in an amazing looking dress. It was, by no means her finest garb, but it was still quite impressive. “Oh, Icarus, you’re back. And Quill, you came to help him out?” He gave a sheepish smile and a nod. “Excellent. You two can just put the bags in the kitchen. I’m actually still getting ready, so you can get started as soon as you can, Icarus.”

She quickly made her way back up the stairs, leaving Quill and I to deal with the grocery bags. It only took a few minutes, with Quill’s help, to get everything sorted and put away. There was a slight flush on his cheeks, and when I tossed him a small bag of bits he barely reacted in time to catch it. “Enjoy, Quill. Do like I did. And am doing.”

He barely seemed to acknowledge the fact that he was now significantly richer. “She’s beautiful.”

“I know. But I’m sure there’s someone out there for you. Find her, Quill.”

He looked down at the bag of bits in his hands, and he held it tightly for a moment. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll see you around, Icarus.” He was silent after that as he walked to the door, and left.

As soon as the door shut behind him I turned to regard the kitchen I would be working in for the next hour or so. My actions seemed to meld together as I worked on each part of the meal, and it was with a tiny jolt that I remembered the most important thing that I had picked up at the grocer’s shop. Quill had put them in the fridge to keep them fresh, and I gently put the alstromerias into their vase, making sure that they were elegantly arranged and that they would compliment the table setting.

As soon as I had that done, I truly immersed myself in the cooking, each step being followed as best as I could remember, in order to make sure that everything came out as perfectly as I could manage. About halfway through the cooking Rarity came back downstairs, her attire the same as before, but, somehow, she seemed far more attractive than she did before. The open side of the dress ran up her leg high enough to show her cutie mark, and I had to fight with myself to keep from staring. She seemed to enjoy the attention, though, as she let out a lighthearted laugh that drew my eyes up to her face.

“I take it that you like it, Icarus? It’s just a little something that I whipped up a few weeks before we left home.” She did a quick pirouette, showing me every amazing side of her in a single quick move. “It took me days to get all the curves just right in order to have it accentuate without overwhelming.”

“Beautiful isn’t a strong enough adjective.” She just blushed at my compliment, and I gave a quick start as I realized that I still had food to prepare. That, and I was woefully underdressed for our meal. “Um, I’d love to keep heaping on well deserved compliments, but I still have a meal to make. So, if you’ll give me a few minutes...” I trailed off as I continued working the various ingredients together in order to craft our dinner. Time passed in a blur of activity as I brought our dinner closer and closer to a state where it would be edible. Each time I took a small taste of what I was crafting I was rewarded with a sample of edible bliss, and a bit of confidence began worming its way into my mind.

Once I was certain that the food could stand on its own for a short while, I dashed up to my room, eager to dress up in as fine attire as Rarity had on. It only took a moment for me to liberate my suit from the confines of my closet, and then a few moments later I was dressed up in the suit. I ditched my usual rugged watch for a more ornate golden watch, and I slipped Rarity’s gift into the coat’s inner pocket, wondering just when the perfect moment would present itself. Just as I was about to depart from my room I cast a quick glance at myself in the mirror. The man staring back at me from behind that pane of glass seemed so familiar, and yet so different from the man I thought I was. Before I could grow philosophical, I left my room, the hall vanishing before me as I walked back down it towards the stairs.

When I got to the kitchen it took me only a moment to take stock of everything that I still had to take care of, and I went at it with gusto, each step still to go flowing with an ease that betrayed how much focus I was really putting into the act. No true thoughts passed in my mind as I worked, each move a part of a larger machination in which I was a mere pawn. As I completed my meal, and my mind returned to my full command, I realized that this was yet another moment of magic within my life. I looked over my shoulder at Rarity and I saw a massive smile on her face, along with a slight flush on her cheeks. “Did I... Was that another one of those Magic of Harmony moments?”

“Yes, Icarus. And I have to say, it was really quite good. I even got a few singing parts.” She walked over to me, just the right amount of sway to her hips to get all of my attention. “It’s just a shame that you never seem to really remember them. If you did I’m sure that you’d change your opinion of them.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I just don’t think I’m much of a singer, or anything like that. Still, it got the job done, and now we have a wonderful meal ahead of us.” I elegantly turned as I spoke, my blush fading from my cheeks, and I picked up the two plates of food that I had prepared, each one perfectly portioned and plated with pinpoint precision. “For dinner, Beef Bourguignon served over rice. Dessert is yet to be decided, but I figured that I’d just whip us up some milkshakes, or something.”

I put the plates down at our respective places and then I pulled out Rarity’s chair, waiting for her to be seated before I sat myself. Once she was seated, and so was I, we started eating. I waited for Rarity to take the first bite, and the flash of pleasant surprise that passed over her features was enough to bring a smile to my face. The meal passed in relative silence as we simply enjoyed the fruits of my labor. Once the two of us were done eating, I took the initiative to take both her plate, and mine, to the kitchen. I put them in the sink before running some water over them. When I returned to the dining room I found it empty, but I heard Rarity call me from the living room.

When I walked into the living room I saw her reclined on one of the couches, a space left open on that same couch for me, as evidenced by her gesture towards said spot. At my approach she adjusted her position slightly, and once I was seated she returned to her position, her side leaning against mine. After just a moment I adjusted our positions to something more palatable, and soon she had her back resting against my chest while the two of us both reclined on the couch.

“Tell me something about you that I don’t know, Icarus. Something big and secret. Maybe something that no one else knows.” She took one of my hands in hers and she began playing with it just like she had when we were on the beach.

“A secret?” She just hummed her assent as she continued marveling at my hand. “Oh...” I lapsed into silence as I struggled to think of something that would meet the criteria Rarity had set forth. “I don’t really have any big secrets, Rarity. The biggest one I had is something that you already know about me.”

“Really? There’s nothing else to know about you?”

“Well, there’s my personality. But aside from what happened to my wings there’s not much to tell. Well...”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been working on making a set of wings. They’re still too heavy to work, but with the right magical spells woven into them they’ll let me fly again.”

“Why would you keep that a secret, Icarus? Isn’t that something that you’d want all of us to know about so that we could help where we can?”

I let out a small sigh. “I don’t want to get my hopes up, really. The six of you have this infectious positive attitude about you. And I don’t want to get my hopes up for a project that will probably never come to fruition.”

Rarity shifted her position until she was seated on my legs, her head just a bit higher than mine, forcing me to look up at her. “Are you really that worried about failing, Icarus?”

“A bit... A lot, actually. It’s kind of a part of why I never tried anything with you. Or Pinkie or Dash, or anyone. I don’t want to deal with the rejection. Or the failure. And, at the same time, I’m afraid of success. That elusive moment of happiness that comes when you finally get it right. I’m afraid that when I finally get that satisfaction it won’t live up to what I hope it will be. So I just play it safe, and I don’t do anything I don’t already know I can do.”

Rarity’s arms came down around my neck, and her eyes sparkled with mirth. “If you only do what you already know you can do, how do you expect to do all the things in life that are the most fun?” She leaned in quickly, her breath teasing across my lips. “How can you expect to live and learn when you do neither part?” Her sparkling blue eyes looked deep into my own, and I leaned in for a quick kiss, a satisfied hum escaping her as our lips locked for just a moment. As I broke the kiss Rarity leaned back just a bit. “So, you can do new things?”

“Yeah, I can. And, sometimes, those new things I do are the most fun. I’m striving to change some things about myself, and that’s one of them.” I made no further motions as I contented myself with just looking at the beautiful woman in my lap.

“You know, Icarus, most men wouldn’t be quite content with just looking.” Her eyes sparkled with mirth at her words, and without a moment of hesitation she swept her leg over me, elegantly dismounting my legs while nearly flashing me a pleasing view. “You said something about making some milkshakes for dessert?”

“Yeah, I did. You’re interested?” She nodded as she sauntered into the kitchen area. I followed just behind her, and just a few minutes later I had the blender running with a good helping of chocolate ice cream and milk forming the concoction. As the blender did it’s gruesome work upon the ingredients, I got out some glasses and straws for us to use. “I’m, honestly, surprised that you didn’t comment on the flowers, Rarity. I seem to remember you saying that they’re your favorites.”

“Oh, they are. And I appreciate it. I’m just hoping that this isn’t the entirety of what you had planned for the evening. Flowers and a fancy meal are one thing, Icarus. A full evening spent with a... With one you love should be far more refined than this.”

I smiled at her as I filled the glasses with the now finished milkshake. She gladly accepted the glass from me as we moved from the kitchen back to the living room. “When we get back to Ponyville you, Pinkie, and whoever else I wind up with, is going to get a week with me, and no one else. And, for that week, you can expect plenty of pampering and pleasantries.”

“I’m looking forward to it, darling.” As she finished her milkshake she used her magic to levitate the empty glass over to the coffee table. “As you are likely aware, I’ve spent a good amount of time looking at your hands today, and I must say that they’re quite impressive. When I think of all the things you do with them, I can only imagine what you could do if you put your mind to a quality massage.”

I gave her a flat stare. “That’s probably the worst way you could’ve asked for a massage, Rarity. Did it occur to you to just ask?”

She flushed for a moment, but then quickly regained her composure. “I couldn’t possibly be so direct.” She lets out a small laugh before she turns towards the stairs. “Why don’t you take care of the last of the dishes, and then come upstairs to your room. I’d like to see how good you can be when you put your mind to something new and different. Maybe after the massage we can see where things go.”

Without another word she started going up the stairs, and I was left staring at what was probably one of the more enticing views of the evening. The plunging backline of the dress provoked all manner of thoughts, and it took a measure of self control for me to tear my gaze away from that long enough to not chase her up the stairs. I took my time with the dishes, allowing thoughts of what was to come to permeate my thoughts only intermittently.

With Dash it was just sex. With Pinkie it was more than just sex. And, now, I think this is going to be the first time where it’s really something that I’m going into it knowing what’s coming...

Once the last piece of silverware was away, I started for the stairs. Once I got to the top, I saw that the door to my room was closed, even though I know that I had left it open when I came down earlier. I approached it slowly, and I took a deep breath before I knocked on the door.

Author's Notes:

Quill, in this chapter, is probably the closest I'll ever come to a real proper self insert in this story. I might decide to make another appearance, but it's doubtful.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the words.

And we all know what's next, right!?

... It's clop. I have a sequence going on.