The slow rise of the sun cast the room into an ever brightening light. I groaned softly as I shifted my head in such a way as to keep the sun out of my eyes. Sadly, having woken, I was unable to fall back to sleep. I rubbed my face as I swung myself out of bed, a cavernous yawn escaping me as I slowly rose to my feet. Half stumbling over to the lone chair in the room, I grabbed my jeans, and a moment later they were secured, however loosely, about my waist. I also grabbed a shirt, and with a semblance of acceptable attire I began the trek to the kitchen.

As I entered the kitchen I was already starting to reach my normal level of mental awareness. I could be, at times, very quick to rise. This was, luckily, one of those days. With a quick glance into the refrigerator I knew that I didn’t have enough supplies to make my ideal breakfast. Instead of having pancakes and bacon I’d have to make do with just some pancakes. Nearly an intolerable sacrifice, but I was certain that I’d be able to make do. Somehow.

Moments later and I had a bowl sitting on the counter, my ingredients laid out before me. Before I got too involved with mixing the ingredients I made sure that I had a couple of pans ready to go, and the table laid out with the basics. After that it was a cooking marathon.

The process was just dull enough for me to lose track of time, and before I knew it I had created enough pancakes to satisfy everyone in the house two times over. I felt a sheepish grin come to my face as I looked at the massive piles of pancakes.

Looks like no one will starve on my watch.

As I moved to take a seat at the table I heard the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs, so I turned around to see who it was. I let a smile come to my face as I saw Rarity, but, more notably, her unkempt hair. I couldn’t keep from staring, and when she noticed she just rolled her eyes. Those same eyes, though, went wide when she saw the veritable feast laid out before her. “How long have you been cooking, Icarus?”

“Dunno. A while, I guess. Not that these take long to make.” I started waggling my fingers in a mysterious fashion. “Old family recipe, and all that jazz.”

She let a small smile come to her face. “Oh, like that cake you and Pinkie made?”

I snorted. “I told her that the recipe called for chocolate. It was her suggestion to use ground cayenne peppers instead.” I gestured out over the pancakes. “These, though, are by the books. Or, at least, as by the books as they can be, given that the recipe has never been written down.”

She walked over to the table before taking a seat. With all the elegance she could muster she began taking some pancakes, and putting them on her plate. After she had made herself a sizeable pile of food she looked over at me, almost as if asking permission.

“Eat, Rarity. I didn’t make them so we could gawk at them.” And with my permission, she started eating. While she ate the others all came down, equally surprised at both the meal I had made, and Rarity’s unkempt appearance. All the girls were impressed with my culinary skills, limited as they were, and before long the veritable mountain of pancakes I had crafted had been demolished. With the meal complete, I turned to face the mess I had made of the kitchen.

Well, this could’ve been quite a bit messier than it is.

As my gaze continued to roam across the landscape of the kitchen I caught sight of the small mountain of dishes I had left in the sink.

Okay, a bit worse than I thought. Still manageable, though.

As I started approaching the pile in the sink I felt a distinct pang of disgust run up my leg as a faint crunching sound came from my foot. Lifting the offending appendage revealed a -- now crushed -- egg. And, almost as if looking on in horror I saw several other eggs sitting on the floor.

Alright, yeah, it’s bad.

It’d take quite some time to clean, but I wasn’t too put off by that. As I got started I heard the girls all head upstairs so they could get ready for the day. With another stretch of silence sitting before me, I sank into a bit of contemplative thought.

I took the pan I had used in my hand, and as the water began pooling in the pan I found myself slipping into the monotonous work without any real effort. This didn’t happen too often, so I took advantage of the freedom of thought to enjoy some mental acrobatics. Sadly, such thoughts failed to hold me, and soon I drifted towards other, more pressing, matters. Like, for instance, the kinds of things we could do today. With all the time we still had on the island, there was no real pressure to do anything amazing, so I pondered the matter as I finished with the dishes, and started heading up to my room so that I could take a shower.

The hot water ran down my body as I cleaned off what little dirt had accumulated since my last shower. When I finally finished washing, and I had dried off, I walked into my room, a towel wrapped loosely around my waist. Within a few minutes I was dressed, but still none the wiser as to what we could do today. With a shrug, I headed back down the hall to the living room.

Maybe one of the girls has an idea about what we can do today...

To my surprise I wasn’t the first to finish getting ready, as both Twilight and Pinkie were already down there. I couldn’t keep the grin from my face when I saw that Twilight was reading one of the many books she had brought along, although this one was at least a bit appropriate for the location. Firefly Island: Romantic Spots to Visit was the title of the book, and as I approached Twilight looked up and blushed just a bit.

“Oh. Hey, Icarus. I thought you’d be a bit longer getting ready.” Her voice showed her embarrassment, but I didn’t harp on it. Doing that would only make things worse, so I didn’t even mention it.

“Nah. My hygienic needs are quickly taken care of, and it takes me even less time to pick something to wear.”

“But, like usual, you manage to pull off a pleasant look.” I turned to see Rarity coming down the stairs, and she just shot me a smile. “Really, though, it’s a bit impressive how well you put yourself together.” Her voice trailed off as she spoke, and I knew the criticism was on its way. “But I do think that you could do with something... new. Something with a bit more style.”

I looked down at my shirt before I looked back up at the fashion obsessed woman. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? You, literally, just said that I looked good.”

“But it could look better. Look at Twilight, for instance.” The bookworm blushed even more under Rarity’s scrutiny. “I picked out the clothing she’s wearing right now, and you’d be hard pressed to come up with something more flattering than what she’s got on right now.”

Clearly thinking she was missing out on something, Pinkie quickly stood up, spinning in place. “What about what I’m wearing, Rarity? Do I look super-duper stylish too?”

Before Rarity could answer I held up a hand, cutting her off. “If you wanted to go shopping, Rarity, all you had to do was say so.”

A coy smile came to her features as she looked at me. “Why, Icarus, that’s a wonderful idea! I’m so glad that you thought to suggest it.”

“Icarus suggested what?” All heads turned to see Dash and Fluttershy as they came down the stairs.

“Icarus suggested that we go shopping!” Pinkie was quick to answer. “Rarity came down and was saying that Icarus looked good, but that he could look better. So then she started talking about how Twilight looked, and how good she is at picking out stuff to wear. Then she got Icarus to suggest shopping, even though she’s actually the one who wanted to go shopping!”

Everyone had turned to look at Pinkie as she spoke, but I was the first to turn back to look at Dash. “Yeah, what Pinkie said? That sums it up. You interested?” The tiniest of blushes flashed across her cheeks before she nodded. “Really? Wouldn’t you rather do something more... athletically inclined? Shopping doesn’t really seem like something you’d want to do.”

As she recovered from her blush, she let a sly smile come to her face. “Nah, I think I’ll tag along. If only to see you regret suggesting a shopping trip.”

“Look, I didn’t... Fine. So that makes... You, Rarity, and I? Pinkie, Twilight, Fluttershy?” They all shook their heads as I looked at each of them. I turned to look up the stairs once again, and there was Applejack, her trademark hat in its usual spot. “AJ, we’re heading into town to do some shopping. You interested in coming along with us?”

“You realize who you’re talking to, right? I only go ‘shopping’ when Rarity drags me to her boutique and forces clothes onto me. And since we’re not in Ponyville you’re not going to see me anywhere near a clothing store.”

“You sure, AJ? Maybe a new hat, to replace that old mangy one you’ve got on.” I quickly leapt over the couch behind me as AJ rushed down the stairs after me. “Oh, did I hit a nerve, AJ?”

“No, you didn’t! But I certainly won’t miss yours when I get you!” She chased me down the road for a few minutes before she finally slowed her pace, and stopped. Unaware of this little fact, I kept up my pace for several minutes, nearly making it to the town before I glanced over my shoulder. With a light sheen of sweat on my body, I moved over to a nearby tree, seeking refuge from the sun until Rarity and Dash caught up to me.

Assuming, of course, that they followed just behind AJ and I.

Luckily, they were following just behind AJ, since they showed up about ten minutes later, amused grins on their faces. I stood from under the tree, and I started making my way to them. “So, AJ couldn’t keep up with me?”

“No, she chose to stop. Although I don’t know why she has such a problem with you talking about her hat like that.”

“It’s not really a problem, Rarity. Just a little joke between her and I.” I quickly brought up a hand. “An inside joke. If you want to know more, you’ll have to ask her.” That was enough to mollify the two of them, and then we continued on our way towards town. The two of them were silent along the walk, and so I decided that I wouldn’t break the silence, instead using the time to let my mind wander as it would from topic to topic.

Allowing my mind to wander did wonders for passing the time, and soon enough we were approaching the town, the streets a bit busier than they were last night. As we grew nearer to the town we could hear the sounds of stall vendors trying to convince the shoppers to purchase their wares. Some of them had fairly creative calls to lure in customers, but since we weren’t really there for anything that could be purchased at a market stall we passed through without a fuss.

This brought us to the main street of the town which was lined with all manner of shops, big and small. About four blocks long, running nearly the full length of the town, the mall, as it was called, was the best place to go on the island for all your shopping needs. The area we had just passed through was an unofficial extension of the mall, and it only added to the charm of the town. Before we walked even a dozen feet Rarity let out a gasp. Without a word to me she grabbed Dash and ran into one of the stores that we were close to. I looked through the windows to see that it was a clothing store, and I just shook my head.

Luckily there were benches scattered about, so I took a seat on one of the benches that was nearby. A smile tugged at my lips as I realized that I had the chance to just sit back and people watch. While not quite the sprawling metropolis that was Manehattan, Firefly Island certainly offered up a large diversity of people. Pegasi and Unicorns both seemed to be a bit rare in town, but they were still present.

As I was really starting to get into my little hobby, someone took a seat on the bench next to me. I glanced over to see who it was, and I offered the stranger a little smile. “Morning.”

He looked over to me, and then he held out a hand, a smile on his face. “Good morning. Name’s Donut Joe, but my friends call me Joe.” He looked around for a moment before he looked back at me. “Who’re you with?”

I hesitated for a moment, before I answered, unsure of just how to classify the two of them. “Couple of ‘friends’ of mine.”

An eyebrow went up. “Friends?”

I waved a hand in an intentionally vague way. “Yeah. I, uh...”

“Courtship is hard, I know. Trust me, they’ll let you know if they’re interested. Then it’s just a matter of letting the pieces fall into place.” He let out a chuckle at my look of disbelief. “Look, I run a little donut shop in Canterlot. Open all night, so I see my fair share of strange people with even stranger stories. I’ve heard them all, and you’ll be hard pressed to surprise me. And you fall perfectly into the category of the confused male in the midst of courtship.”

I let out a small laugh. “Do you offer counseling in addition to donuts?”

“No, only coffee. But it’s really good coffee.” I looked back towards Casual Flair the store that the girls had gone into, before I looked back to the unicorn beside me. “Trust me when I say that you’ll know what to do when the time comes.” He lapsed into silence for a moment, before he motioned his head towards the shop. “Those two with you?”

I looked over to the shop to see Dash and Rarity emerging, walking over towards me, several large bags hanging from Dash’s hands. “Yeah. Rainbow Dash, and Rarity Belle.”

“Rainbow Dash and Rarity Belle? The Elements of Harmony?” I nodded. “You have quite a knack for attracting the ladies.” He glanced at me for a moment, and then he smiled and made a rather crude gesture with his hands. “Are you... ya know?”

I just rolled my eyes, and looked back to the girls. “Yes. But only one, and only once. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” As I spoke, I stood, and started walking over to the girls. Rarity was beaming as I approached, and without a word Dash shoved the bags into my arms. “Nice to see that your first stop was a success. Now, based on past experience--”

“I’m just getting started, Icarus. The day is young, and I’ve got bits to spend. And, maybe, just maybe, I can convince Dash to buy something.”

“Pfft. Not gonna happen, Rarity. I’ll only get something if it’s at least ten... No! Twenty percent cooler than what I’m wearing now.” Rarity rolled her eyes, and then Dash smiled. “Besides, I look awesome no matter what I’m wearing.”

I couldn’t resist the bait she’d given me. “Especially when it’s a bikini.” In anticipation of the violent physical response, I hopped away from the girls, a wide smile on my face. Sadly, burdened by Rarity’s purchases, I couldn’t get away from Dash as she pursued me. To my surprise, though, there was no immediate physical reproach from her. Instead, she looked me right in the eyes, a slight blush on her cheeks.

“I’d be more careful if I were you, Icarus.” She leaned in closer as she spoke. “Ten bits says I can make you blush twice as much as I am without breaking a sweat.” I tried to take a step back from her, but she just matched my motion. One of her hands moved to my side, and, with a voice that would’ve made a priest break his vows she continued. “Are you up for round two, Icarus?”

Unable to keep myself controlled, I felt my cheeks growing incredibly hot as Dash stepped back and started laughing uncontrollably. Even Rarity joined in, having been close enough to hear what Dash said.

“Creator take you, Dash! That’s not funny! That’s just cruel.” She only laughed harder at that, and I just watched as the two of them slowly recovered from their laughing fits. When they finally recovered their wits, I offered them a small smile. “Are we done?” They both nodded, and I abruptly turned away from them, facing the direction we were headed originally. “Good, now let’s continue before you two continue trying to embarrass me.”

We walked for a bit longer before the girls wanted to stop again, but, luckily, this one wasn’t a clothing shop, so I decided to go along with them into the shop. It turned out to be a little knick knack shop, and it was filled with some of the most interesting little devices I’d ever seen. None of them were particularly practical devices, but they were interesting nonetheless.

A small metal puzzle caught my eye as I browsed, and within seconds I was entranced by the intricately linked rings. Without even pausing to think about it, I purchased the puzzle, and then I walked out of the shop. The girls would probably be out in just a few minutes, anyway, and it’s not like they needed me there to help them shop. They’d shown, quite clearly, that they were capable of buying things without my moral support.

As I stood outside the shop, my mind occupied with the intricacies of the puzzle I didn’t notice when the girls emerged from the shop. A sharp rap on my head shattered my concentration, and I looked up to see both of them with smiles on their faces. “So, shall we continue, ladies?” They rolled their eyes, and I picked up the bags while they started leading the way. They pointed at many of the shops that we walked past, but it until a few minutes later that we finally stopped.

“That... That... That vile... She has a shop here?” Both Dash and I looked at Rarity, our puzzled expressions telling Rarity all she needed to know. She raised a hand, and pointed at the shop before us. Princesse Tam Tam’s Lingerie.

I was thoroughly confused by Rarity’s near loss of composure. “Um... What’s the big deal about a lingerie shop? I mean, it’s not like it’s competition for you, Rarity. You don’t make lingerie. Or, at least, not that much.”

A small blush blossomed on her cheeks. “That’s not the point! The point is, Princesse Tam Tam is... She is... Well...” She looked about for a moment, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. “Oh, there's no polite way to say this... May I be blunt with you, Icarus?”

I shrugged, not really seeing a need for her to ask. She knew that I was a fan of candid speech. “Sure, Rarity. I don't mind.”

She met my gaze. “Princesse Tam Tam is a bitch. She’s a cruel, vile, manipulative bitch. The only reason she’s so successful is because she models all of her lingerie herself, and she’s got a figure that many women would kill for.”

Dash let a grin flash across her features. “Are you jealous of her, Rarity?” She nudged Rarity in the side. “Eh? Wish you were as successful as she is?”

“I do, actually.” She looked back at the shop, for a moment. “But I’d rather get there through the use of my talents, not the use of my body.” She paused for a moment. “Still, as much as I dislike the woman, there’s no denying that she makes good lingerie.”

Feeling a bit bold, I piped in. “Oh? Do you have... experience when it comes to lingerie?”

As Rarity started making her way towards the shop she let out a quick laugh. “More than you might think, Icarus.” She stopped a few steps later, and she looked over her shoulder. “Come on, you two. I want to pick some stuff out for you and I, Dash, and I’d like Icarus’ opinion on it.”

I let out a groan as I followed the girls into the shop, my mind already filling with images better left in the bedroom.

Then again... With Dash, there’ll be room for some fun. Lingerie screams girly, and Dash and girly...

My posture changed just a bit as my thoughts raced through my head, and it was with a minimum of effort that I got ahead of Rarity just in time to open the door for the two of them. “After you, Rarity, and you, Dash.” Rarity smiled at me, but Dash just stared at me for a moment. “What’s wrong, Dash? Are you out of your element in a lingerie shop?”

“Five bits says you leave first.”

I smiled as she walked in, and I followed her. “You’re on.” As I entered the shop I realized how large my disadvantage really was. The mannequins that dotted the sales floor were all wearing lingerie, and I could already see Rarity browsing through some of it, her eyes sparkling with a spark that only came out when she was working or shopping. A special focus that would take a catastrophe to shatter. But that wasn’t the source of my disadvantage. My disadvantage was the fact that Dash was pointing at the changing rooms at the back, a smile on her face.

I didn’t let my worry show, though, and soon I was watching as Rarity discussed with Dash the merits of a good piece of lingerie. I tried to zone out with my newest little distraction, but I kept on hearing various words and phrases that shattered my concentration. What felt like mere moments later I felt a hand on my arm, and then it pulled me along. I looked up to see Dash with a nervous smile on her face. “Come on, Icarus. Rarity and I want your... opinion.”

“That is cheating, Dash.”

“All is fair in love and war, Icarus, and I play to win.” As we neared the changing rooms I noted with just a bit of trepidation that Rarity was nowhere to be seen. We waited outside the changing room for a few minutes before the door opened, and Rarity stepped out. While I had seen her in some fairly revealing garb before, just a couple nights ago, in fact, there was something distinctly different about seeing her in lingerie.

The lacy bra and panties that she was wearing was just see through enough to hide very little, but still be concealing. When she saw me staring a blush came to her cheeks, and she took a half step back, as if she was embarrassed by my presence. Dash was still just looking at me, judging my reaction, and I could tell she was pleased by what she saw.

“So, Icarus, Dash... How do I look?”

I found myself responding faster than I could think. “Sexy. Seductive. Really damn hot.” One of my hands came up to my mouth after I spoke, but I could tell that it was the reaction Rarity was looking for when a smile came to her face, and her blush deepened. “Although I have seen that particular ensemble before.”

“Well, maybe you’ve seen something like this, but I do think that some of the other garments I’ve picked out are a bit more risque.” And, with that, she turned around, quickly disappearing into the changing room once again.

“Dude, Icarus, you’re not gonna make it through what Rarity’s picked out, let alone what I’m going to be showing you.”

“I’ve seen you naked, and I’ve had sex with you. What makes you think anything you can do will get me to leave?”

“I can use that voice you love when I’m wearing something provocative and clinging to your side while batting my eyes at you.”

“Cheater.” Still, it was an appealing prospect, and I lent it a bit of thought before the door opened once more, revealing Rarity in yet more provocative attire. Gone was the lace and frills, and, in its place, was a corset and a thong. Both were midnight black. Both were unbelievably sexy. “Wow.”

“You like it, Icarus? It’s not really something that I’m all that into.” She slowly turns in place, looking at herself in a conveniently placed mirror. In my amazement I find myself at a loss for words, so I simply continue staring at her. “Really, Icarus, try just a bit harder to keep your composure. We still have to see how Dash looks when she really tries to put on a more seductive air.” With that, she turned in place, her long legs accentuated by the high heels she’s wearing.

Dash punched me in the arm after the door to the changing room had closed, but there was no reproach in her gaze. “Just wanted to see if you’re even still alive. You were just staring without moving a muscle.”

“I’m... Yeah, I was just enjoying the view.” Dash only rolled her eyes, and then she averted her gaze, a blush suddenly coming to her cheeks. “Something wrong, Dash?” She didn’t look at me when I spoke, and that was all I needed to see in order to know that there was a problem. “Rainbow, I know you well enough to know that something's wrong, so why don’t you just tell me what it is, rather than trying to act like you’re ignoring me?”

“Just nervous. I’ve never worn lingerie before.” She let out a weak, forced chuckle. “I’ve never even thought about it before.”

“Are you worried about how you’ll look?”

Before Dash could offer an answer to my question the door to the changing room opened, and Rarity came out, her normal attire back in place. She had a confident smile on her face, and she quickly grabbed Dash’s arm, and moved her into the changing room. “The blue one first, dear. And make sure it’s all sitting properly before you come out. The point of lingerie is looks, not speed.”

The pegasus simply grumbled as she closed the door, a quick glance shot my way as the door closed. A few minutes passed in silence before the sound of the latch opening was heard. Before the door could open, though, a heavily accented voice sounded out through the store. “Mizz Rarity? Iz zat you?”

I searched for the source of the voice for a moment before my gaze settled upon a woman whose very appearance was the pinnacle of wet dreams for many men. Her every aspect screamed out sex and desire. Still, even with all of her beauty there was something... off about her. Something in her eyes that just pushed me away even as her body tried to draw me in.

“Oh, Princesse Tam Tam. What a surprise to see you here. On Firefly Island. When I just happen to be on a vacation here.” Rarity’s voice clearly showed that she was, in fact, quite upset to see her here. “I didn’t know you made visits to the individual branches of your company.”

“But of course I do, Rarity. I mustn’t let mine employees grow lax in zeir duties.” She looked away from Rarity to look me over, and a predatory smile came to her face. “And who, might I ask, are you, my delicious little morsel?”

“I’m Icarus. Why do--”

“Icarus... Phaetheon? Zee son of Daedalus Phaetheon? Zee inventor?” Her eyes widened for a moment. “My, zee zings I could do... Rarity, what are you doing with someone of such immense class and distinction? Zurely you and he aren’t... involved? Not zat it would matter. Such a small timer as you has nothing on me.”

“Actually, Miss Tam Tam,” I put an arm around Rarity’s waist, drawing her closer. “Rarity and I are going out.” As I drew in a breath to speak once again, the door to the changing room opened, and Dash stepped out. It took all of my self control not to look at Dash, lest my resolve fade. “And this beautiful woman is also with me.” I put a hand around her waist as well, marveling at the silky feeling of her skin beneath my hand. Whatever she was wearing, it was revealing as hell. “So you can go right on ahead and buzz off. Because this man is perfectly happy with what he’s got right here.”

Princesse Tam Tam’s eyes widened as her gaze flicked over the three of us. “I think, Icarus, that you are making a mistake. What can zese two give you that I can not give you ten times over?”

I smiled back at the slowly flushing designer. “What can these two give me?”

Creator above, let this not come back to bite me in the ass... And I hope that Rarity is okay with my forwardness...

I glanced at the girls beside me, and I was pleased to see they were both looking at me. That would make things easier. “These two can give me,” I turned and gave Dash a quick kiss, praying to whatever deity would grant my prayers that I don’t screw this up. “Happiness.” And then I turned and repeated the action with Rarity, eliciting the tiniest of gasps from her. “And love.” I looked back at the nearly livid lingerie designer. “Two things that you don’t know anything about. I can tell this not only by the fact that you tried to steal me away from these two, but by the way that man behind you seems to cringe with every word you speak.”

Her face flushed crimson at my words. “Out. Get out of my store right zis instant!” Her voice quickly rose to a deafening shriek. “If I ever catch you in another one of my stores I will see to it that you will never walk again, in addition to your inability to fly!” Her words bit deep, but I didn’t let it show. Without a moment of hesitation, I led both girls out of the store, ignoring the protests from Dash.

As soon as we stepped out of the shop Dash managed to escape my grasp and run back into the store. I simply let her go, my adrenaline finally slowing enough for me to realize just what I had done, and what had happened. I slowly looked over to Rarity to find her staring at me with a mixed pot of emotions flickering across her face. Finally, though, her feelings resolved themselves, and anger was clear on her features.

A stinging pain in my cheek followed just moments after her emotions sorted themselves out, and I raised a hand up to my cheek, finding it hot and sensitive. “Don’t you ever... Without even saying anything... You...” Rarity’s face had faded back into a mixture of expressions, and I just let her puzzle it out, knowing that I had deserved what she had just done. Then she surprised me with a soft kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.”

“You’re... welcome?” Rarity didn’t respond to my puzzled answer, and so we simply stood outside the shop, uncomfortable awkwardness forcing us to avert our gazes from each other. We weren’t forced to wait for long; when she did emerge from the shop her cheeks were flushed nearly as bright as the lock of red hair atop her head. She avoided both my gaze and Rarity’s, instead opting to storm off ahead of us, her head angled downward to spare herself some measure of embarrassment. “I don’t get it... Why did she go back in?”

“Dear, she was still wearing the lingerie she was modeling for you. And then you just went right ahead and dragged her out onto the street.”

It took a moment for Rarity’s words to register, and, when they finally did, I brought a hand to my face, resting my head in the palm of my hand. “I’m willing to bet that waiting won’t solve this problem. Nor, do I think, will this be solved by talking to her. So, Rarity, could you talk to her for me. I’ll... I’ll go find a coffee shop, or something.” I looked around for a brief moment before my gaze settled on a coffee shop just down the block a short distance. I pointed to it, and a humorless chuckle escaped me. “At least some things are easy. I’ll be in there.”

“It’ll be fine, Icarus. You worry too much.” Despite her reassuring words there was a measure of concern on her face. “I’ll bring her by once she’s calmed down some.” I nodded, and then we went our separate ways. As I approached the shop I glanced at the sign. Coffee Thyme’s Coffee and Spice Shop.

At least it’s better than selling sofas and quills...

The interior of the shop had a warm and cozy feel to it, a feeling that, at the time, sickened me. Not only did I not deserve these comforts, I had no desire to feel them. I’d just fucked up royally, and it left me feeling like crap.

I know that Dash has little problem running through Ponyville in her, admittedly, skimpy running attire... but this? This was different.

If I hadn’t told Rarity that I would meet her, and Dash, here, I’d have left in an instant. I quickly found a table near the back of the shop, and then I dumped all the bags I still had on the floor by my feet. Then, without much thought, I pulled out the small puzzle that had become a valuable mental distraction.

I could only fiddle with the brain teaser for a few minutes before even that failed to keep my mind off of what I had done just a short while ago. A waiter approached the table with a smile on his face, and I looked up to regard him. “Welcome to Coffee Thyme’s Coffee and Spice Shop, what can I get for you?”

“Hot chocolate.” My tone didn’t seem to affect the smile on the waiter’s face, but I could see a change in the way he looked at me. “Sorry, just a bit... distracted.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get that drink out to you in a few minutes. Do you want anything to eat, or just the hot chocolate?”

I pondered for a moment, before I decided. I placed an order for a muffin, and then I went back to messing with my puzzle. As the minutes dragged by I grew more and more frustrated with the puzzle, until, finally, I simply tossed it onto the table, looking at it with venom in my eyes. The waiter came back just after I tossed the distraction onto the table, and he put the cup down on the table, and next to it the muffin I had ordered. “You waiting for someone?”

His query surprised me, a bit, and I was slow to answer. “Yeah. Two someones. Unicorn, purple hair. And a pegasus, blue wings, rainbow hair. If they come in send them back here?”

“Sure. That’ll be six bits.” I quickly counted out the money before handing it to the waiter. A soft sigh escaped me as I grabbed my cup, pulling it closer and slowly rotating it before me.

Just as I was about to take a drink of the hot beverage I noticed Rarity and Dash entering the shop. I waved to them, but they didn’t spot me. The waiter did notice them, though, and he directed the two of them back to me. Moments later and they were taking their seats across from me. Dash still had a blush on her cheeks, but it wasn’t quite as prominent as before. Without a thought I pushed the muffin towards Dash. “Sorry, about... Ya know.” I faltered as I spoke, and then I motioned at the muffin. “It’s your favorite.”

She took the muffin, but made no moves to start eating it. “Did you even see what I was wearing earlier?”

The question surprised me, and I shifted my gaze from my hands to Rainbow Dash. She wasn’t looking at me as she spoke, and I could see that her blush had returned. “No, I didn’t.”

She looked up at me, a smile on her face. “Well, you will. Oh, and one more thing.” She dug in her bags for a moment before she pulled out a five bit coin, sliding it across the table. “You won. Not for the reasons of the bet, though, but because, based on what Rarity told me about that prissy bitch, you just stood up to one of the most influential people in the business.”

I raised an eyebrow, looking at the coin but making no moves to take it. “So, I didn’t win, and you didn’t win?” Dash shook her head. “Then keep your bits, and get something to drink. I’ve just about had my share of shopping for the day.” Dash pulled the coin back over to herself, and then she put it in her bag. Rarity caught my gaze as Dash began messing with her stuff, and she just nodded at me, smiling.

A short while later and both girls had steaming cups of coffee, and a muffin in the other hand. I, on the other hand, was busy carrying all of their purchases, in addition to my own. As we traveled back along the mall, towards the road home, I insisted on stopping by the marketplace. While we weren’t running out of anything back at the house, I wanted to get some food fresh for dinner that night.

I ended up with a small bag full of some fresh produce, and a rather bulky package of freshly cut meat. There was a rather disappointing lack of bacon at the butcher, but I figured that I could make do, since I put in a request with the portly butcher. After I had my newly bought goods secured the three of us started making our way back to the house, the afternoon sun steadily beating down upon us.

Author's Notes:

Well, things certainly went well on Icarus' first shopping trip. Maybe next time he'll fare a bit better.