The bus came to a screeching halt in the shopping district. That land was flat, just like in Ponyville, but off in the distance skyscrapers stood -- large, still, and elegant as Celestia's palace. Three got off the bus and looked around.

Derpy's eyes went wide staring at the buildings in the far off distance. It was a good mile from them still, but their size could be felt even from there. Cloudfire casually looked around. The place looked errily familiar to him... he'd been here years before and he'd changed more than any of his surroundings had. Daddy Hooves was on a mission and therefore remained focused. He took immediate notice that they were right in front of the Surefire store, as he'd planned... his daughter being too hypnotized by the buildings and Cloudfire staring off beside her. All the older Unicorn had to do was whistle and point to get half their attention. Derpy's mouth hung agape staring up at the massive sign above the department store. Cloudfire smiled at his fiancées reaction.

Beaming at his daughter, the older Unicorn motioned confidently for her to follow him and she then focused. Daddy Hooves let them into mouth of the store and inside they went. Cloudfire marched behind looking around at all the change in total fascination. He sighed a happy sigh -- this place was alien even after this little amount of time. To Daddy Hooves... the building itself had been through multiple renovations since he was last there over ten years ago and it showed. The environment, still large and circuitous, was now even more so. It had dozens of new isles, all stacked with assorted items of multiple varieties. Inside was unnaturally bright and climate-controlled, mildly ambient... the rich colors of its stock were dazzling to Derpy, yet by contrast mildly overloading to Cloudfire. It would be easy to get lost, but that was the least of their worries.

Distracting all three ponies momentarily from their surroundings, a mellow stallion's voice boomed over the loudspeaker. Rich and clear, it delivered a message unlike anything commonly heard at a store back in Ponyville:

Daddy Hooves shuttered as the announcement went on:

"I feel bad for the pony who has to say that a couple times a day!"

Cloudfire murmured in agreement as the Unicorn began looking for a cart. Derpy stopped in her tracks and continued to listen, grinning ear-to-ear at the speaker's excitement and intonation. She giggled and spoke up when it ended:

"Let's check out the Surefire Deal Wheel!"

Cloudfire noogied her in response.

Daddy Hooves chuckled:

"We would, Derpy... if we were trying to put together a bookcase or a gazebo. What we want is camping supplies, good food that'll keep, and a few fun things... Come on. Let's find a cart!"

To the left of the door was a large cart corral. Cloudfire knew this already and pointed at it with a low smile on his face. The unicorn grabbed one, with the two close by.

Though distracted by their vibrant surroundings, the two ponies followed the Unicorn as he went through the first set of isles carefully. He came to his first stop rather quickly and looked back at the two smiling:

"Royal Wonderbolt Cola, huh? Have to send away for this in Ponyville... how bout it?"

"Yeah!" Derpy and Cloudfire replied, the former having more oomph in her voice, the later sounding distracted by everything around him.

Using his Unicorn magic, he levitated two 12-packs into the cart:

"Don't drink too many! It's got twice the caffeine as one of mine."

Good to know. Cloudfire thought, grinning. Might be fun to drink a few with Derpy before going on a hike... or jog.

The older Unicorn was too focused on shopping to notice the devilish smirk. He'd already moved on:

"You like noodles, Cloudfire?"

"Yup." Replied the stallion, his eyes elsewhere as Daddy Hooves levitated yet another package into the cart.

The two started to wander. Derpy looked at the shelves, Cloudfire his surroundings. Daddy Hooves thought aloud:

"Let me see... You are going to want potato chips, a cooler... gram crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate." As the items were levitated into the cart, he turned to Cloudfire. "These brands make the best Smores me and the Mrs. have ever had! I can't believe they still sell 'em after all these years. Original style, too!"

"Awesome, huh?" The earth pony replied, looking over into the next isle. He saw the back of a dark gray Pegasus Pony stocking the higher shelves.

It can't be...

"Ah! Getting impatient are we?" The cart was pushed up to the Earth Pony. "Aside from a container of oatmeal, some fruit and bread, which are in other isles, I think we're set for food... within the next few isles should be the tents!"

Cloudfire followed along with his fiancée, only to have Daddy Hooves make a sharp turn into the next isle and canter straight up to the working Pegasus:

"Excuse me? Do you know where we're liable to find the Surefire brand tents?"

The Pegasus lowered himself to the ground and began to answer:

"Sure as our names Surefire! What you're looking for is on on isle... 4." His eyes lit up when he saw who was right behind the older Unicorn. "Oh, wow... C-Cloudfire!? Is that you?"

Daddy Hooves and Derpy stared blankly at the dark-maned Pegasus. This flying pony knew Cloudfire? ... and was apparently excited to see him. The older Unicorn had a pretty obvious question to ask first, but couldn't get it out:

"Wh... what?"

The new Pegasus continued to smile... waiting for Cloudfire to respond. It took a second, but not long enough for his face to droop:

"This place has changed, Charon." He finally said. "I'm surprised you still work here. How have you been?"

Daddy Hooves was able to phrase his question a bit more succinctly this time around:

"You two... know each other?"

"Heck yeah," replied Charon, with a grin. "I helped train this Pony during our summer rush. Haven't had any pony pick things up things quite as quickly since. Though he wasn't here very long, I never forgot his face. He was really helpful and proved to be an awesome worker."

The Unicorn nodded, proudly adding:

"He still is. He and my daughter work for a littler pick-up service going all over Ponyville. They have their own team."

"That's awesome, Cloudfire... I'm an Assistant Manager now. Cool beans, huh?"

As Cloudfire nodded, Derpy cut in from the back:

"Introduce me to your friend, Cloudfire! I've never met any of your friends before!"

"Well, who's this lil lady?"

Cloudfire put his arm around Derpy, squeezing her tight:

"Charon... this is Derpy Hooves!" He held up the chains around their necks. "Soon to be Derpy Fire."

"Well, I'll be!" The dark-maned Pegasus's eyebrow raised up about half an inch. "Pleased to meet you Miss Hooves!" He stuck out a hoof. "You look like a, um... very nice pony. Very nice indeed." He turned to Cloudfire as she took his hoof, saying in a hushed voice, "Blond and Pegasus! Well, being like this... she must be very good for you, huh?"

Derpy smiled innocently. Daddy Hooves looked over at his future son-in-law... watching his face. At first he looked blankly at his friend, like he was processing what had just been said and then suddenly... a wave went over his face. He looked a bit pale, like perhaps he suddenly felt sick. It was barely noticeable, but Daddy Hooves saw it.

"What?" He asked blankly, staring down at the floor. "I, uh... don't get what you're trying to say."

"Oh... you know what I mean, Cloudfire. She's special. I can tell. Quite special, otherwise you wouldn't be with her... am I right or what?"

He looked up at his old friend with narrowed blue eyes:

"Come on, Charon. Don't say that..."

"Oh, come on now Cloudfire. You and Pegasus-- Oh, I get it." Charon put his hoof on the Earth Pony's shoulder. "Here I am being fooled... you're playing dumb, aren't you? You were always so good at that. Well, quit acting stupid and maybe I'll break it down for you. Don't tell me you're the special one here!"

In that instant, Cloudfire felt his insides quake:

He keeps saying "special"...? Does he mean it *that* way? ...I don't know what he means. Best to ask him. That's what he would have been thinking had he not felt a sudden dip in his energy... his mind going into a fine, fine needle point. He'd experienced something like what this was becoming at least a dozen times already in his mind. He froze, his eyes revealing no particular emotion.

What happened next Cloudfire processed only after it was done, and it was over faster than he realized. What had sealed it was what he heard to be that last bit of condescension in Charon's voice. Daddy Hooves and even Derpy it sounded only playful... the Earth Pony reacted to it, however, without thought. He reacted to it in a way which caused both Derpy and her father to take a step back. Energy spiking, he charged without warning:

In the blink of an eye Cloudfire had Charon pinned up against the shelves by his Surefire vest. Cloudfire's strength was surprisingly immense and as a result of their difference in power, the lighter Pegasus had smacked his face against a metal support, causing a cut to form. The Earth Pony smiled, his eyes wide and angry:

"Come on, Charon. Say what you really mean! Say it in front of her father."

"Cloudfire... What the heck..." He shook away the stars which had formed. "Buddy, get off me!"

In that instance, the Earth Pony released Charon to the ground. Putting his hooves up and he slowly backed away. Had it taken a few seconds longer, Daddy Hooves would have intervened. He was ready to. It had happened so fast that in less than 5 seconds... it all was over.

"Oh, Celestia... What have I done?"

As the warm blood began to trickle down Charon's head, Cloudfire sat on the floor. He shook his head, staring up at the florescent lights... hoping this was all a dream

Despite his being ready to break it up earlier, both Daddy Hooves and Derpy were still in shock, unsure of what had just happened or who to help. From the floor Charon looked up at Cloudfire... wondering what he had done to deserve that. A myriad of reasons and apologies ran through his socially awkward mind. Cloudfire should have been apologizing to him, but... both were silent.

An older Unicorn Manager who had just transfered stood in another isle. He' barely heard the commotion and came running, poised and ready... he expected to find a broken shelf at the worst, and prayed a customer wasn't injured. Seeing a dazed worker bleeding on the floor, two concerned shoppers, a third larger customer frozen in place with muscles flexed... he could deduce enough of what had happened without anypony even needing to open his or her mouth.

The family had been led to the employee break room in the far back of the store. It was a dark, out-of-the-way place for them to calm down... an adult pony's time out, so to speak. This was where the Manager had left them, surprisingly with no guard. They went along peacefully... Derpy and her father had insisted on coming with Cloudfire:

"We're family!" exclaimed the Unicorn.

"Okay. Who're you to him?" Asked the Manger.

"I'm his future father-in-law," replied Daddy Hooves. "He lives with me."

"Then you're technically not family," said the Manager with a sigh. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask that you both leave."

In that instant, Derpy started to cry. Tears run down her cheeks as she spoke, her voice quivering:

"But... I'm his fiancée! Please let me be with him..."

Though his face showed no expression, the Manager hated to see a young mare cry. He had a daughter of his own, about her age with a fiancée, too. The seemingly icy Manager had an unexpected change of heart:

"Fine... you both can come." He smiled briefly. "But if anything happens before I get this sorted out I'm calling the police!"

So they sat there, in uncomfortable chairs, for at least ten minutes. Derpy and her father sat on one side of a large table... Cloudfire on the other. Charon was not in the room, for obvious reasons. The Earth Pony sighed and quietly reflected on his time in the store about two years before... how little this place now meant to him and how much Ponyville had started to grow on him. He'd been in places for years before, but he didn't think so fondly of them as he did Ponyville. He wanted to go back so badly, but he knew he'd messed up. Would he not get the opportunity to marry Derpy this year? He didn't know for sure. They were all silent, until Daddy Hooves finally spoke:

"What in the world happened back there, Cloudfire? That was... unexpected."

"I'm sorry." Replied the Earth Pony, chuckling nervously. "I ruined everything."

"You didn't ruin everything, Cloudfire," replied the Unicorn, getting up and going around the table to sit beside his future son-in-law. "I am starting to think you could use some help, though... but I still I trust you. Prove me wrong, son. Tell me what happened and show me that it's all just a fluke."

"That was like my nightmares," said Cloudfire, looking towards the exit. "Over and over again, I'm haunted by this... I just never make it this far in my dream. I always want to defend Derpy from what they're saying... and it starts out so innocently, I just jumped on it. I know it just didn't mean anything this time. I knew Charon really well... he just talks and I read too much into it. Saw things that weren't even there. I'm sorry. You all must think I'm crazy by now."

The Unicorn put his foreleg comfortingly around the upset Earth Pony:

"So, you've been having dreams about ponies saying mean things to Derpy? These are the dreams you've mentioned?"

"Yeah. They say horrible things. Ponies I know... or at least knew."

"Okay... I understand now. I don't think you're crazy... just very, very stressed."

Having been silent the whole time, Derpy finally spoke up, staying on her side of the table:

"I don't understand, Cloudfire... ponies have been mean to me before. It didn't bother you then."

"The closer we get the more I'd like to be able to protect you from all that," he said, looking up at her. "You mean a lot to me..."

"You mean a lot to me, too, Cloudfire!" She now bolted up, going around the table to sit by her fiancée. "But I learned a long time ago that sometimes ponies are just mean. I can't help what they and neither can you. Your friend didn't --"

Derpy saw that her father was shaking his head at her from behind Cloudfire.

"I just go away from them if they don't stop it..."

Cloudfire beamed a smile at her:

"You're a lot stronger than I realize, Derpy."

She giggled, putting a foreleg around him. Daddy Hooves spoke up:

"Don't you forget it, son. She takes after me."

The Earth Pony laughed, hugging his Pegasus fiancée:

"I won't..."

They all fell silent for a moment, exhausted from the earlier events. Breaking the silence, Cloudfire chuckled and spoke up:

Dad?

"Yes, son?"

"Remember when you said you feel bad for the pony who has to make that stiff announcement?"

"Oh,yeah... what about it?"

"When I worked here that was me."

Daddy Hooves put a hoof to his face a second time on account of what Cloudfire said. Even Derpy laughed.

After 15 minutes of sitting in the dark break room, the Unicorn Manager came in... a focused look on his face. At least he didn't appear angry:

"Cloudfire, right?"

The Earth Pony turned to him, both ponies beside him looked up along with him:

"Yeah?"

"You're a very lucky pony, Cloudfire. Charon's not going to press charges. He wants me to..." the Manager cleared his throat in a forced way,"apologize to you for him. He thinks he said something that really got under your hide... it's between you two. I don't want to know. Well, he tells me you used to work here... correct?"

"Yeah."

"Then because of your service I'm going to be generous and not call the police... However, you are not welcome here anymore."

"I'm grateful that's all you're doing."

The Manager then turned to Daddy Hooves:

"Charon actually pushed your cart into the back with us. You can still pay for it if you want to... but," the Manager gestured to Cloudfire. "He's going to have to wait outside."

"Alright then..." Daddy Hooves got up, turning to Derpy, who he noticed didn't get up with him. "You going to come with me?"

"I want to stay with Cloudfire." She said.

"Alright, no problem." He turned to the Earth Pony, who could see a very blank expression as he spoke. "I'm going to just take what we have and leave... you guys can use the same old tent me and the Mrs. have. It's dusty and stained, but it'll work. If not, I'll just pick one up in Ponyville... won't be the same. See you in a bit."

Daddy Hooves slowly left the room, his head down... the day had not gone the way he was expecting it to, but... at least Cloudfire wasn't in trouble. Without looking back, he left them in the back with the Manager and did his best to clear his mind of what had happened. It's hard to believe not even a half hour before he was having fun. He'd never let either pony know it, but he was very disappointed in Cloudfire.

"Well, come on now," said the Manager, firmly. "I'm going to escort you both out of here. If I ever see you in here again, Cloudfire... I won't be so generous."

The Earth Pony got up, extending his fore hoof to Derpy:

"Understood. We'll leave quietly."

He and Derpy were then led back into the store and along a circuitous route towards the exit. It didn't seem as grand to the Pegasus anymore... if anything, the charm was lost and she just wanted to go home. Cloudfire kept his head down, wanting it all to go away. He knew they were passing workers, but he didn't bother looking up to see if they'd passed Charon or any other pony he might've known. It didn't matter anymore. All these places he'd lived... they didn't matter as much as Ponyville. He'd found home.

Keeping up with the leading pony's brisk pace, who was more than happy to see them out, they finally reached the end of the maze. The manager motioned him out, and that was that... he and Derpy waited for Daddy Hooves to emerge.

"I don't know when the bus comes," he said to Derpy. "But when it does and we go home... let's just tell mom the trip went well, okay?"

"Yeah."

They didn't talk anymore, both feeling out of their element. Daddy Hooves finally walked out through the large, automatic door... he was not smiling, the luster had completely gone.

"In about 20 minutes, there'll be a bus to Ponyville... let's just go home and put this all behind ourselves."

Everypony was in agreement.