//------------------------------//
// A Dream Come True... 
// Story: Shattered 
// by Zeck 
//------------------------------//

	Sea Swirl mumbled something unintelligible as she felt something stir against her chest. A moment later, a tickling sensation sprang up at the tip of her nose. She made a face, trying to make the feeling go away so she could go back to peaceful slumber, but it didn’t work. Without thinking, she started to pull her foreleg up to her muzzle—
And immediately stopped when she felt something clamp down on it. It wasn’t painful in any way, but the sensation was still enough to snap her awake with the sudden rush of the unexpected. 
As soon as Sea Swirl’s rose-shaded eyes opened, they were greeted by a mass of purple hair and a hint of yellow fur hiding beneath it. Her heart calmed down instantly as her brain finally woke up enough to process what was happening to her. 
Symphony was snuggled up against her, using the Unicorn’s foreleg as a makeshift pillow. While the mare had always slept with her back to Sea Swirl, after that night, Sea Swirl often woke up with Symphony facing her instead, occasionally even with her own forelegs gently wrapped around Sea Swirl.  In fact, in the four days since that night, Symphony often fell asleep in this position, burying her face in Sea Swirl’s chest before gently dozing off as Sea Swirl stroked the back of her neck. 
The two mares had only had sex that one night—Sea Swirl still got tingly just thinking about it—and the following morning had been nothing short of strained for both of them. Breakfast had been eaten in silence, and while Sea Swirl had attempted to make small talk, Symphony had refused to look her in the eye for most of the morning. For most of the day, Sea Swirl had worried that she had ruined her friendship with the mare, but when Symphony had said she was still spending the night at the Unicorn’s home, her fears had been relieved. 
The two had not spoken of that night since. For all intents and purposes, things were back to normal now. The only physical difference was that Symphony now snuggled back. There was no kissing, no touching beyond Sea Swirl brushing Symphony’s neck and mane as she fell asleep, no longing looks, and there was certainly no sex. Sea Swirl was too terrified to even ask if the music pony wanted to try it again, and Symphony had made no move to indicate that she was up for it. 
So…what are we? The thought had been ringing in Sea Swirl’s mind for four days now. She was extremely grateful that Symphony still wanted to be around her, still showed up for work—not that there was any, seeing as it was still Hearth’s Warming break—and still spent the night every night. But that was all she did. She made no effort to kiss Sea Swirl, showed no sign of affection when they were out in public, and she made no moves in the bed beyond burying her face in Sea Swirl’s lavender chest and holding her tight. 
Were they a couple now? Were they just friends who had lost themselves in one night of passion? Were they friends with benefits? 
Sea Swirl sighed as she ran over the possibilities. She knew she should have turned Symphony down that night. There was no doubt she was attracted to the mare, and the sex had been beyond amazing—it had been a while, after all—but it had opened a box of cats in the Unicorn’s mind, and they had been clawing at her brain ever since. 
“What is bothering you?” a voice asked.
“Huh?” Sea Swirl pulled her head back a little and looked down at the mass of body snuggled against her. A single crystal blue eye, with the small hint of green mixed in, was staring up at her through a tangled mess of purple mane. It blinked once, but did not break eye contact.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.”
The eye narrowed slightly. “That is not an answer to what I asked. Something is bothering you.”
“Er…” Sea Swirl tried to squirm away, but she was stunned when Symphony wrapped her forelegs around her, pinning her in the bed. “It’s nothing. Just…thinking.”
“Share,” Symphony whispered. The movement of her mouth on Sea Swirl’s chest made the Unicorn tense. Whether she had done it knowingly, Sea Swirl couldn’t tell. 
“Are you…happy? With this?”
“Are you not?” Symphony shot back. 
Sea Swirl bit her lower lip for a moment. “Well, um…I was just kind of wondering…I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like having you here, and I like having you sleep next to me, but are we…?” Sea Swirl managed to free one of her hooves and scratched the back of her neck as she finally managed to look away from the lone eye. “Sorry, kind of having trouble putting my thoughts in order.”
“You are my Unicorn.”
Sea Swirl blinked so hard that it hurt. “Huh?!”
“That is what you said, correct?” Sea Swirl’s mind was racing so fast that words were an impossibility. “That night, you said ‘your Unicorn’ twice. Is that true, or were you lying?” 
Sea Swirl swallowed the lump in her throat. She vaguely remembered uttering those words, but they had just been part of the mood, right? 
“Well, yeah, but…”
“So you are not my Unicorn?”
The question was devoid of emotion. There was no threat, no icy tone, no fear of rejection. It was a question, plain and simple, but to say it was a loaded question would be an understatement. 
“I…I’d like to be?” Sea Swirl offered sheepishly. 
“That was a question, not an answer,” Symphony countered. “Are you my Unicorn? Yes or no.”
Sea Swirl took a deep breath. “Yes. I mean, if you’re okay with it?”
“I find the idea of owning a Unicorn…appealing.”
Sea Swirl smiled. “And she’s a pretty good one, if I do say so myself.”
“Mm.”
So that's it then, right? I mean, we’re a couple now, right? That’s what that whole thing was about. Sea Swirl pushed the rabid thoughts away and instead went with a much easier question. 
“Breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Sea Swirl carefully wiggled herself out of bed, a goofy smile slowly forcing itself onto her face as Symphony groaned in protest. Once she was free, the yellow mare flopped over and buried her face in Sea Swirl’s pillow, her tail swishing beneath the covers. “I’ll call you when it’s ready, so you can just stay here and rest.”
Symphony made a noise and Sea Swirl left the room. She walked down the hall, her hooves feeling lighter than usual, and stepped into her kitchen. She immediately started pulling out all sorts of things she’d need to make pancakes. As she did, she looked outside and smiled at the sight of Canterlot covered in a blanket of thick snow. Her life, for all intents and purposes, was now straight out of a fairy tale. She had a budding relationship with a beautiful girl who was half asleep in her bed at the moment, she was in the kitchen fixing them both a lovely hot breakfast, and they could sit on the couch together while they ate and watch the snow outside. 
Sea Swirl felt a swirl of joy that had been absent from her being since Yukari. Sure, the two ponies were still in the beginning stages, and maybe this wasn’t going to work out after all, but right now everything was perfect, so she was going to enjoy the moment to its fullest. 
Before long, the kitchen was filled with the comforting scent of baked goods. Sea Swirl dumped the pancakes onto a plate and then poured maple syrup over their tops. She made sure the sticky liquid flowed over each one before setting the bottle aside. She then pulled some berries out of the fridge, cut them up, and placed them in a small bowl. Finally, she poured two glasses of juice and set the pitcher on the counter. 
“Breakfast!” the Unicorn called as she levitated the entire meal into the living room. She used her magic to pull out a standing tray and then placed the dishes on top of it. She went back into the kitchen for the juice and some plates, and when she came back out, she couldn’t help but smile at the sight before her.
Symphony, her purple mane a slight messy, was lounging on the couch with a blanket from the bed wrapped around her. She looked back at Sea Swirl, her eyes half closed but looking warm, and then turned back to the food after a small smile. 
“Hope you’re hungry,” Sea Swirl said as she walked over and set the remaining dishes on the tray. 
“It smells delicious,” Symphony whispered. “Your cooking always does.”
“Eh heh, I’m really not that great,” Sea Swirl said as color flooded her face. She could cook for sure, but she hardly considered herself a world-class chef or something. But still, Symphony always seemed to enjoy her food, and that was more than enough for the Unicorn. 
Sea Swirl sat down next to Symphony on the couch, making sure to leave just enough space so that they weren’t touching—Symphony seemed to only show affection when they were in the bedroom, so Sea Swirl didn’t want to push it—and started to load up her plate with pancakes and berries. As soon as she was done though, Symphony whipped the blanket open and wrapped it around the Unicorn. She scooted just close enough so that their thighs were barely touching, and then started to fill her own plate without once looking over at Sea Swirl. 
The Unicorn froze for a moment as her body warmed, and it wasn’t just from the blanket. Her eyes darted to the mare sitting next to her, wrapped in the same blanket, but when it was clear that Symphony was not going to acknowledge what she had just done, Sea Swirl smiled and went back to filling her plate. 
The two ponies ate in silence, just like they always did, and when they finished, Sea Swirl started to rise to put the tray and dishes away, but Symphony stopped her by placing her hoof on the Unicorn’s chest. Startled, Sea Swirl leaned back into the couch once more, and a moment later she nearly jumped as Symphony leaned her head on her shoulder.
“I…do not think I am doing this correctly,” the Earth pony said as Sea Swirl tried to get her heartbeat under control.
“Er…” was all Sea Swirl could say. She didn’t understand why she was acting like a grade school filly because of a simple gesture. She had slept with Symphony just a few nights ago. They had explored each other’s bodies in the most intimate ways possible. And even before crossing that line, Sea Swirl had spent many nights just snuggling next to the yellow mare. Something as simple as this shouldn’t be tripping her up this much. 
Symphony adjusted her head a little and then sighed. “I do not understand this.”
“What?” Sea Swirl asked as the mare shifted closer to her, her soft yellow coat now tickling Sea Swirl’s body. 
“The shoulder is…hardly ideal for laying against. Am I doing it wrong?”
Sea Swirl had to stop herself for laughing. “You’re not supposed to lean on my shoulder, exactly. See? The bone digs right into your head.” Sea Swirl moved her shoulder a little to prove her point. 
“Then how did you and that…griffon do it?”
Sea Swirl could hear the tone shift in Symphony’s voice as she spoke and she couldn’t help but feel a small swelling of happiness. While she doubted Symphony would ever admit it, she could tell that the mare was jealous of Yukari. 
“Like this. Here, move your head a little…” Sea Swirl slowly lifted her foreleg as Symphony removed her head, then the Unicorn put her outstretched limb behind Symphony’s neck and pulled her in close. She guided Symphony’s head until it was nuzzled in the joint between Sea Swirl’s shoulder and chest. “Better?”
“Much,” Symphony replied as she rubbed her muzzle against Sea Swirl’s chest. They sat in silence for a few moments before Sea Swirl started to stroke the back of Symphony’s head and neck with her hoof. Symphony’s only response was a small sigh of contentment. 
The two mares sat on the couch for nearly half and hour, neither saying a word as they both stared out the front window and watched the snow. It hadn’t been snowing when they had first awoken, but now a small flurry was beginning to fall, slowly adding to the scenery. It was probably the weather ponies finishing off what they had from last night, and Sea Swirl was grateful for it. She could sit on her couch with Symphony like this for the whole day for all she cared. There was no work to do, there were no errands to run, it was too cold to go diving, but most importantly, she had company that made her feel—
Bang! Bang! Bang! 
Both ponies jumped at the noise. Sea Swirl hadn’t realized how close she was to falling asleep until the knocking, and judging by how badly Symphony had twitched, she was willing to bet the Earth pony had fallen asleep completely. 
The knocking on the front door sounded again, and this time a voice came with it. “Miss Sea Swirl? Are you in? It’s the Royal Guard.”
“Ugh…” Sea Swirl groaned. “Talk about horrible timing. Sorry, Symphony.”
“It is fine,” the mare responded as Sea Swirl untangled herself from the blanket they were sharing and stood up. 
“One sec,” Sea Swirl called as she rubbed her eyes and made her way to the door. She opened it just enough that she could stick her head out. “Can I help you, sirs?”
Two stallions in winter uniforms—Princess Celestia didn’t want them wearing their armor right now because metal was hardly conductive to keeping them warm—stood on her doorstep. They both nodded in unison, and then one of them took a small step forward.
“Pardon the intrusion, Miss,” he said as he took off his wool cap and placed it on his chest. “But…Princes Celestia has asked that you come to the castle.”
Sea Swirl made a face. What in Equestria could Celestia want with her on such a peaceful—not to mention cold—day? “Now?”
The stallion nodded and then looked back at his comrade. “She said it was urgent. Something about…helping her decide on the entertainment for the New Year’s Party? She said you would know what that means.”
Sea Swirl’s eyes went wide and a chill that had nothing to do with the freezing air rushed over her. She quickly looked back inside to where Symphony—who had ducked down behind the couch—was still sitting as she remembered her conversation with the Princess several days ago. 
Horse apples! I completely forgot! Sea Swirl had been so happy, delusional, and downright exhausted from her and Symphony’s first time together that she had completely spaced the fact that she had promised to find out if Symphony still liked playing. Worse, she had told Celestia that she would let her know the day after Hearth’s Warming, and that had been three days ago! The New Year’s Party was in two days! 
“Right!” the Unicorn said as panic threatened to overwhelm her. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe she could somehow still convince the Princess to let Symphony play. Assuming, of course, she hadn’t grown tired of waiting for Sea Swirl and gone with Vinyl or Octavia instead. “Tell her I’ll be there in twenty minutes! Just need to get dressed!”
“Of course, Miss Sea Swirl,” the stallion said as he put his cap back on. “Have a pleasant day.” 
Sea Swirl closed the door as soon as the stallion finished speaking. “Sorry, Symphony,” she said as she rushed down the hall and into her bedroom. She pulled out her boots, stuffed her hooves into them, and then threw a scarf and earmuffs on before dashing back into the living room. “I, uh…have to step out for a bit.”
“Where to?” the mare asked as she watched the Unicorn race around the house. 
“Um…special order that I kind of forgot about. Just need to drop it off. Shouldn’t take more than an hour or two. Key’s on the hook if you want head out while I’m gone.”
Sea Swirl closed the door without waiting for Symphony’s reply and began dashing through the snow as fast as she could manage. 
Please be in time! she thought as the cold air bit into her body and chewed on her eyes. 

*                                                  *                                                  *

Symphony sat on Sea Swirl’s couch, her mind still keenly aware of the Unicorn’s lingering warmth, and stared out the window at the falling snow. Whatever business had come to the door had clearly shaken Sea Swirl, but Symphony found that she didn’t care.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care about Sea Swirl. As much as she hated to admit it, ever since that night, the Unicorn had been at the forefront of her mind more than she liked. No, she didn’t care because Sea Swirl had done nothing that caused her to worry. Yes, the mare had dashed out in a frenzy, but she had said she would be back in an hour or so and that it was nothing more than a late delivery. 
Her haste and panic seemed odd at first, until Symphony reminded herself of Sea Swirl’s cliental. The Unicorn worked in Canterlot, and her services were in high demand. With the New Year’s Party coming up in two days, the whole event was probably caused because some important pony was wondering when their order from the jeweler would arrive, and Sea Swirl was on her way to fix it. 
And so, Symphony sat on Sea Swirl’s couch, wrapped in Sea Swirl’s blanket, eating Sea Swirl’s food, and wondering what had happened to her life. She wasn’t a fillyfooler. She wasn’t attracted to mares. She didn’t get a quivering in hindquarters or feel her heart skip a beat whenever a mare walked by her.  She was just…comfortable around Sea Swirl. She liked the mare’s company. She like the way the mare made her feel. She liked that the mare treated her like a pony of equal status.
And she liked what Sea Swirl could do with her tongue. 
Symphony blushed and squeezed her thighs together as memories of that night flooded her mind. She wanted to have sex again. She wanted to feel Sea Swirl pressing against her, feel the rush of her fluids surging out of her body again, but she was terrified of asking for it. What if Sea Swirl said no? What if Symphony had been so bad that the mere idea of the two of them having sex again repulsed Sea Swirl? After all, the Unicorn had made no move to indicate that she wanted a repeat of that night. The most she did was hold Symphony every night and stroke her neck as she fell asleep. 
“Why am I thinking about this?” Symphomy mumbled and she pulled the blanket closer. She wasn’t a fillyfooler. If a stallion came along and offered everything that Sea Swirl was giving, Symphony would jump to him without a second thought. But until that happened, she would stay with the Unicorn and the warm feelings she stirred.
Symphony nibbled on a few more sliced berries and then decided to get up. She had not been back to her own apartment for a few days, and she hadn’t spent the night there for even longer. Seeing as Hearth’s Warming Eve had come and gone, she decided that she should probably head home to at least check up on the place. 
The mare walked to Sea Swirl’s bedroom and into her closet. She took her purple bowtie off the hook on the wall, put it around her neck, and then looked around for a scarf. Sea Swirl had told her that she was welcome to wear any she wanted, so she settled on nice white one with purple trim, the same shade as her mane. She tied it fashionably around her neck, a faint hint of the Unicorn’s—her Unicorn, she reminded herself with a smile—scent tickling her nose as she did. 
With the scarf firmly in place, Symphony looked down on the floor at the four boots sitting in the corner. Sea Swirl had offered to buy her a set once the snow had really started, but Symphony had refused her. She wasn’t a charity case, and she had used the pay she earned from Sea Swirl to buy her own boots. They were nothing fancy, being made of simple brown fabric with white wool lining the inside, but they did their job well enough, and Symphony was proud of the fact that she had bought them. 
Symphony walked back into the living room, put on the winter hat the Sea Swirl had insisted on buying her, slung her saddlebag over her backside, and pulled the key off the hook by the door. She went outside, shivering as the cold air sank into her body, and locked the door behind her. She slipped the key into her bag and began to make her way through the snow. 
Canterlot was deathly quiet for its standing. The streets were far from deserted, with ponies bundled up against the cold, but considering how busy the city usually was, it was extremely silent as the snowfall continued from the dark clouds overhead. 
Symphony found the quietness relaxing, and focused on the sound of snow crunching beneath her booted hooves. She allowed her mind to drift as she walked, until her thoughts were so lost that she found herself walking in a daze. She thought about Sea Swirl, about her duel-colored mane, about the feeling of her horn in her mouth, about the way her tail swished when she walked, and about the two dolphins that made up her cutie mark. 
Symphony scowled and pushed all thoughts of the Unicorn—I need to stop thinking of her as mine!—out of her mind. She was already walking a dangerously fine line with Sea Swirl, and dwelling on her physical appearance was not going to help anything. Instead, she focused solely on making it to her apartment. She picked up her pace until she was practically stomping through the snow. 
Ten minutes later, Symphony found herself standing outside of a building complex that felt like it was from another life. While her apartment was still technically her home, she rarely stayed there nowadays. She couldn’t remember the last time she had spent the night in her own bed, and as she approached the door to her dwelling, the steps felt familiar and strange at the same time. 
Symphony pulled her key out and unlocked the door. She was surprised that it didn’t squeak as she pushed it open. She was about to look behind it to glance at the hinges, but she paused when she saw a single piece of paper on the floor. She bent down and picked it up. 
The note was a message from Complex, her landlord. All it said was for her to stop by the office when she got the chance. For a moment, panic burned in her heart, but then she calmed herself. She had been keeping up with her rent payments, and had even managed to pay her back rent off, ever since she had started working for Sea Swirl. So the idea that Complex wanted to throw her out was unlikely. 
And even if he does, Sea Swirl will—
Symphony shoved the thought from her mind. She wasn’t a charity case, and she certainly wasn’t about to move in with her—The!—Unicorn. So what if she already spent nearly all her free time there, and ate her food, and slept in her bed? She wasn’t living there. Her clothes weren’t taking up space in Sea Swirl’s—
Symphony looked down at the boots on her hooves and swore under her breath. 
“Symphony?” a familiar voice asked from behind the Earth pony. 
Symphony took a deep breath, calming her nerves, and turned around to face the pony behind her. “Yes, Complex? And before you complain about my rent, I have paid back every bit I owe, and am current on my payments.”
Complex blinked his purple eyes and cocked his head for a moment. “What…? No, I know that.” 
“Then what is this about?” Symphony asked, holding the note out. 
Complex looked down at it and then up at Symphony. “You’re just getting that now? Sheesh, no wonder I never heard back from you. I just wanted to ask you if it’d be okay to do some repairs on your apartment.”
Symphony blinked. “Repairs? Why, has something happened while I was—” Symphony was about to say ‘staying at Sea Swirl’s’, but she caught herself “—away?”
“You have been gone for a while,” Complex said. “Where have you been?”
“That is a private matter,” Symphony said coldly. 
Complex blinked and nodded. “Fair enough. May I come in? It’s rather chilly out here, and I’ll show you what I mean. Or, well, what I did.”
“Did?” Symphony asked as she stepped into her apartment and allowed Complex to follow her. 
“Yeah, sorry. Got tired of waiting for you to answer that note. And I figured you wouldn’t mind. I’m sure you noticed the door doesn’t creak anymore? Fixed that. Also, replaced that windowpane in the bedroom, so the crack is gone. Got the leak in the sink fixed too. It’s going to take a bit longer to paint the walls and redo the ceiling, which I didn’t want to do without your permission.”
Symphony’s mouth fell open as she processed what her landlord was telling her. He had fixed all of those things? “How…much is that going to cost me?”
“What are you talking about?” Complex asked as he stood in the middle of the Earth pony’s living rom. “Symphony, I wouldn’t dream of charging you for repairs to my building. In fact, I’ve taken a few hundred bits off this month’s rent because of it! Why didn’t you tell me your place was in such poor shape? I mean, a sheet for curtains? I know I’m not running a five-star resort here, but this is still Canterlot and I still have my pride. I like to keep this place comfortable, even if it’s not the best.”
“S-Sorry…” was all Symphony could say as she hung her head. Had she misjudged Complex this whole time? The landlord pony was certainly a tough character, but the more Symphony thought about it, the only time he ever came after her was when she was late with her rent. And even then, he had been generous enough to give her extension after extension. 
“Water under the bridge now,” Complex said with a wave of his hoof. “So, can I schedule the workers to come in sometime soon? It won’t be until after the New Year, since everypony is busy with celebrations, but I want to get this done soon, and I wanted to make sure you’re okay with it.”
“Yes,” Symphony said.
“Great! You have a place to stay, right? It should only be for a few days.”
Symphony’s mind immediately jumped to Sea Swirl and her warm bed and comfortable home. “Yes, I have a…friend whom I can stay with.”
“Got it,” Complex said. “I’ll hammer out the details later. Anyway, that was all I wanted to talk to you about. Did you have a nice Hearth’s Warming Eve?”
The memory of Sea Swirl’s tongue and her hooves rushed into Symphony’s mind. “Y-Yes…”
“Well, I hope you have a nice New Year’s too,” Complex added as he opened the door, allowing the winter air to come rushing in once again. “Oh, you might want to check your mail too. Some important looking pony stopped by two days ago and dropped a letter off for you.” 
Symphony watched the stallion go and then closed her door. Checking her mail was a good idea, but first she wanted to check her apartment. The first thing she did was check the sink in her small kitchen. Sure enough, the constant leak was gone, and Complex had even gone so far as to have the sink cleaned. While there was still a hint of a water ring around the base of the faucet, it had clearly been cleaned up.
Next, the mare walked down her short hallway and into her room. The place was still the same as she left it, save for the fact that the blanket she usually used as a curtain was now folded up on her bed. On the wall, in place of where the blanket had been, was a brand new curtain. It was nothing fancy, simply some off-white blinds, but it was far beyond what the Earth pony had been using before. 
Still, as Symphony stared at the new display, she could not help but draw comparisons between her place and Sea Swirl’s. The Unicorn’s hallway was bigger than Symphony’s bedroom. Her bed was large enough to for two ponies to sleep in with ease, while Symphony’s was barely big enough to hold her if she didn’t toss and turn. Their blankets and covers were made of entirely different material, and the presence given off in Sea Swirl’s bedroom was one of warmth and comfort, something Symphony had never felt at her own place. 
Symphony stood in her bedroom and stared into nothingness as her mind lost itself. How could she ever go back to living in this place after she had seen what a real Canterlot mare lived like? She simply could not do it. Sea Swirl and her generous nature had spoiled Symphony to the point where she needed to have plush pillows for her head, soft blankets for her body, and Sea Swirl’s hooves wrapped around—
“No I do not!” Symphony protested before that final thought could materialize. The comforts of wealth were what she was addicted to now, not her Unicorn’s…pleasantries. 
Symphony blinked once and left her room. In three steps, she was once again in her living room, which barely held a small loveseat, and had no hopes of holding a couch as grand as the one in Sea Swirl’s home. She thought about sitting down on it, but decided not to because she knew she would be getting up again in a few moments. 
Instead, realizing her boots were still on—and that she had tracked water in because of it—the mare decided to go check her mail. She was curious about this letter that Complex had mentioned. She rarely received mail, and when she did, it was usually a bill or some other annoying article. 
The music pony once again walked out into the snow, making her way through the soft white powder until she came to the apartment’s mailboxes. She found hers, unlocked it, and looked inside. Sure enough, an envelope was sitting in her mailbox, and it was unlike any of the mail that she usually found waiting for her. 
The first thing she noticed was that the envelope wasn’t the typical shade of white. It was a sort of cream color, and the seal on it was dark purple instead of the usual red. As she reached in and pulled it out with her hoof, she noticed that it was also larger and thicker than a normal letter. Curious, she examined the wax crest on it. 
Symphony’s eyes narrowed instantly and, despite the cold air, her entire body burned. She wanted to drop the envelope in the snow and bury it, letting the weather ruin it beyond recognition. The sight of her family’s crest, several musical notes woven together, brought back all the burning insults she had suffered when Sea Swirl had accidently dragged her back to her parents’ home.
The only thing that stopped her was her curiosity as to what was in the envelope. No doubt it was some long-winded letter about how much better her life was now that she was a workhorse for Sea Swirl, but as Symphony placed the letter in her mouth to carry it back to her apartment, she noticed that it didn’t feel like a single package. It seemed like there was something else inside the envelope. 
Still fuming at the very idea that her parents had contacted her—and curious as to how they even found her address—Symphony stomped back to her apartment, the envelope in her mouth. Once she was back in her room, she tore the envelope open and tossed it on the floor as she pulled out the letter. 
The first thing she noticed was that she had been correct. The envelope contained more than just a letter from her parents. Another envelope fell to the floor as she unfolded the letter from her parents. She paid it no mind, believing it to be another scolding or something similar from her mother and father. 
Instead, she scanned the letter, immediately recognizing her mother’s astute writing style. It took her less than twenty seconds to read the thing, and she came to the conclusion that it was fifteen seconds too long. Her mother had a long, insufferable way of wording, ‘This letter was sent to you and we forwarded it’ in a way that it took up nearly an entire piece of parchment. 
Narrowing her eyes and debating whether it was worth the effort to crumple the letter up and toss it in the waste disposable, Symphony set the letter aside and bent down to pick up the other envelope. She noted that it was not the same style as the one her parents had used. In fact, it was even fancier. It was pure white to the point of being blinding, and the edges seemed to have a floral designed indented right into the paper, as if it was some sort of watermark. Her name was scrawled on the front in a style that rivaled even the best ponies in Canterlot, along with her parents’ address underneath it. 
Even more curious now—why would somepony of apparent importance send her a letter?—Symphony slowly turned the envelope over in her hooves and looked at the crest on the back. Her mouth fell open as she recognized it as the official royal castle crest. Somepony from the castle had sent her a letter? 
Numb from shock, Symphony opened the envelope and pulled the letter out, her hooves shaking as she did. She didn’t look at the words on the paper, but instead tried to look through the letter itself. She was too terrified to do anything else, and for a full minute, she just stood in her living room, the letter resting on her shaking hoof and her eyes trying to burn holes through it without reading it. 
Finally, the mare regained enough self-control that she was able to force her eyes to focus. They carefully scanned each wavy, flowing quill stroke that made up a letter. She then looked at each letter’s placement until they formed a word that she understood. She strung the words together on the paper so that they formed sentences, and she slowly read the letter in her mind.
Once she finished, she read the letter again. 
When she finished the second time, she read the letter a third time.
And a fourth.
And then a fifth. 
On the sixth attempt, Symphony’s mind faded from reality. The letter fell from her hoof and settled quietly on the floor next to her parents’ letter. For a long time, she stood perfectly still, staring at nothing as her mind shut down. It wasn’t until water began to swell in her blue-green eyes that even a semblance of activity returned to her body. It wasn’t until the first tear slowly rolled down her yellow coat, tracing her cheek and then sneaking down her neck until it caught on her scarf, that her body began to move once more, although it was nothing more than her lips quivering. Her sniffling was the first sound she heard after what felt like a lifetime of silence, and it was only then that she reached up and rubbed her eyes with her hoof.
And then the tears flowed. Her eyes felt as though they were about burst from their sockets as the pressure pressed against them. She felt her nose begin to run, and a small part of her thought of how unseemly she must look now, but she didn’t care. No longer able to stand, she collapsed on the floor and rested her chin on her forelegs. She stayed there for a long time, sniffling as tears streaked her face. She cried and gasped for breath until she was completely exhausted, and then she just stayed there, her heart pounding nearly as hard as it had the night Sea Swirl had given her such a wonderful experience. 
Sea Swirl! Symphony rubbed her face and eyes and forced herself to stand. I have to tell her! She will be able to help! She’s…my Unicorn, after all. 
Symphony flung open the door to her apartment and dashed outside. She was nearly out of the complex before she spun around and dashed back to her home. She stuffed the letter into her saddlebag and then tore out into the cold winter air once again. It bit into her tear-stained eyes, but she didn’t care. She needed to get back to Sea Swirl’s place as fast as possible. 
She needed her Unicorn’s help. 


*                                                  *                                                  *


Sea Swirl did her best to sit quietly and pay attention to the light show happening on the stage in front of her. She figured other ponies in her position would be nervous to the point of convulsions. Princess Celestia was sitting on her left, and Princess Luna was sitting on her right. They were the only three ponies in the audience, sitting in the front row and watching a pony Sea Swirl recognized all too well perform tricks on the stage before them. 
Sea Swirl had been told that the event was a tryout for the entertainment at the New Year’s Party coming up. Somehow, she got the feeling that this was more of a rehearsal, and that the pony currently launching fireworks—indoor safe ones, of course—was just going over her routine before the big night. 
And so, while other ponies would no doubt be freaking out to be with the two Royal Sisters in a private showing in their grand theater where the party was going to be held, Sea Swirl was surprisingly calm. True, the Sisters were the most important ponies in the land, but she was close friends with one of them, and while she didn’t know Princess Luna nearly as well, she was still comfortable enough around her to not lose her composure.
No, Sea Swirl was nervous for an entirely different reason. She had rushed to the castle as fast as she could in the snow, and once she had arrived, she had bolted straight for the throne room. The guards had apparently been made aware of her coming, because they had simply opened the doors and allowed the snow-covered pony to dash right inside.
Princess Celestia had been waiting for her, sitting patiently on her throne. Sea Swirl had offered an informal bow as she had approached, but before she had even raised her head, the Princess had jumped off her thrown, landed in front of Sea Swirl, and told her to hurry along. 
They had arrived at the theater chamber to find Princess Luna waiting for them. Sea Swirl had attempted to ask what was going on, but Celestia had hushed her and told her to hold all of her questions until the end. 
A final firework went off, flooding the darkened room with a flash of light, and then the pony on stage bowed, taking off her purple wizard hat as she did. Princess Luna began clapping her hooves together in excitement, and Celestia soon joined her. Sea Swirl looked at both of them and then slowly began to clap her own hooves. 
“Trixie thanks her royal audience,” the showmare said, her voice filled with its normal bravado as she raised her head and placed her hat back over her white mane. “Trixie hopes she preformed to expectations.”
“Well, Trixie,” Celestia said as she turned to her sister, completely ignoring Sea Swirl yet again. “That is what we are here to discuss.”
“Indeed,” Princess Luna chimed in. “Come forth.”
Sea Swirl saw Trixie swallow the lump in her throat as she walked to the edge of the stage and hop down. She now stood directly in front of her three audience members, and Sea Swirl could see that, even though her chest was puffed out and her face was beaming, she was trembling. 
“Trixie, do you know who this is?” Celestia asked, gesturing to Sea Swirl. The pony’s blue eyes shot to Sea Swirl for a moment, uncertainty blazing in them, before returning to the older sister. 
“Trixie…does not believe she has had the pleasure.” 
“This is Sea Swirl, Trixie,” Princess Celestia said. “She is a friend of mine. She’s a jeweler of sorts, and her work is in high demand here in Canterlot.”
Trixie once again looked at Sea Swirl, and Sea Swirl felt she saw her own confusion reflected in the blue Unicorn’s face. “Trixie is pleased to—”
“She is also a resident of Ponyville,” Princess Luna added.
Trixie came up short. Her mouth fell open as her blue eyes went wide. Her gaze darted like a trapped animal’s, and Sea Swirl couldn’t help but feel a little bad for the poor mare. Trixie’s history in Ponyville was hardly a secret, and Sea Swirl had witnessed it herself both times. While the mare had done her best to make amends for her actions, it was pretty clear that not only had not everypony forgiven her, but that she was still feeling rather terrible about her actions as well. 
Trixie finally seemed to regain some amount of her composure as she locked eyes with Sea Swirl. “Trixie…is not sure what to say, Sea Swirl. She feels bad for her deeds, but she understands if her apologies are not accepted.” 
“Well, Sea Swirl?” Princess Luna asked. 
“What do you think?” her sister added. 
“Uh…” Sea Swirl looked first at Princess Luna, then at Princess Celestia, and finally at the blue Unicorn standing before her who was struggling to keep her head up. “I…never really hated you, Trixie. I mean, you were kind of a jerk, taking over our town like that, but Twilight said it wasn’t really your fault, so…”
Trixie’s lips quivered for a moment and then she bowed her head, the brim of her purple hat covering her face. Sea Swirl wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard the Unicorn sniffle a few times before she looked up once more. 
“That’s great, Sea Swirl,” Princess Celestia said, “but that’s not what we were asking about.”
“Huh?” both Unicorns said in unison. 
“Indeed not,” Princess Luna added. 
“Then why was Trixie—?”
“Then why did you want me—?”
Both Unicorns asked their questions at the same time, and then stopped when they realized they were talking over each other. 
“We wanted to know what you thought of her performance,” Princess Luna said. 
“Do you think her show would be acceptable entertainment for the New Year’s Party?” Princess Celestia asked with a smile. 
Sea Swirl slow blinked so hard she worried she might pull a muscle as she stared at the two Princesses. Were they messing with her on purpose? She knew Celestia had a bit of a mischievous side, but this was the first time she’d ever received it from Princess Luna as well. 
Sea Swirl’s eyes eventually turned to Trixie and her heart swelled with pity. The Unicorn had already given up on herself. She was still standing on the stage, but her stance had changed. Her chest was no longer puffed out, her head was titled down just a bit more than usual, and while her eyes were hardly swelling with tears, they were refusing to look at Sea Swirl. The smile on her face was so forced that it actually caused Sea Swirl’s cheeks to burn a little. 
Which made it even harder for Sea Swirl to say what she had to say. 
“Um…are you sure you want Trixie?” she said, and then quickly added, “No, I don’t mean it like that, Trixie! Honest. I like your silly little magic shows.”
“Silly?” Trixie said, a fire igniting in her eyes.
“No!” Sea Swirl said again. “I don’t mean it in a bad way. But…come on, you have to know your shows a bit over the top in some ways. And I like that. You go so big that it…adds a level of entertainment that other shows lack.”
Trixie made a face, her eyes shifting between Sea Swirl, the floor, and Princess Luna for some reason. Finally, she glared at Sea Swirl one last time and said, “Trixie will choose to accept that as a compliment.” 
“That is very kind of you, Trixie,” Princess Luna said, and Sea Swirl got the feeling that there was something she was missing as the showmare blushed a little and raised her head higher for a moment. 
“Anyway,” Sea Swirl continued, “what I meant was that Trixie’s show and her talents aren’t very…Canterlot? Ponyville, maybe Manehattan, and especially Las Pegasus, her show fits right in. But…” Sea Swirl looked at Princess Celestia and sighed. “You know what ponies in Canterlot are like, Your Highness.”
To Sea Swirl’s surprise, the Sun Princess smiled and clapped her front hooves together. “Excellent!” she said as she turned to her sister. “You heard her, Luna. Trixie is perfect!”
“Huh?” Sea Swirl said as she turned to look at the other Alicorn sitting next to her. 
“My sister has an…interesting character flaw, as I’m sure you’ve no doubt noticed, Miss Sea Swirl,” Princess Luna said as she rolled her eyes. 
“Says the Princess who once used our subjects to play a live game of chess,” Celestia countered and color instantly flooded Princess Luna’s dark blue face. 
“A-Anyway,” the younger sister said as she cleared her throat. “It appears thou has been accepted, Trixie Lulamoon. If thou would follow us, we shall make sure thou has everything needed for a grand performance. We thank thee for thy assistance, Miss Sea Swirl.”
“No problem,” Sea Swirl said as she returned Princess Luna’s bow. She watched as the Princess and the magician leave the room before turning back to Celestia. “So Princess Luna still talks like that?”
Celestia rolled soft purple eyes. “Only when she thinks she has to act all official. To tell you the truth, between the two of us, she’s the more mischievous.”
Sea Swirl looked at the door Princess Luna had left through and found Celestia’s comment hard to believe. While the Princess of the Night had loosened up considerably since her return, Sea Swirl still felt like Princess Luna could give Symphony a run for her bits in terms of stoic—
“Symphony!” Sea Swirl sat up straight on her chair and whipped her head back to Celestia. 
“It is a lovely form of music, yes,” the Alicorn said. “Why do you bring it up?” The Princess stood up and started to make her way toward the exit, following Trixie and Princess Luna’s path. 
“Uh, well…” Sea Swirl stumbled for words as she followed Celestia. She had promised she’d contact Princess Celestia immediately once she found out if Symphony was skilled enough to play, but things had happened that night. Things that had pushed Sea Swirl’s promise out of her mind. So how was she supposed to bring it up with the Princess now, especially on such short notice?
“You will be attending the New Year’s Party as well, I hope?” Princess Celestia said as the two ponies entered the hallway. “I always enjoy your company at these events.” 
“Um…yeah, sure,” Sea Swirl said. “But listen, I really need to talk to you about Symphony.”
Celestia stopped and put her hoof to her chin. “Yes, you keep referring to a symphony. May I ask why? It never struck me as your style of music, if I am honest.”
“That’s not what—”
“Although,” Celestia continued as she once against started walking, heading toward the throne room “I do admit that I enjoy it. There’s nothing quite like listening to a gathering of ponies, all playing in perfect harmony, their music echoing through the room and trembling in your very bones. Perhaps I should—”
“Celestia!” Sea Swirl jumped in front of the Princess and planted her four hooves squarely on the stone floor of the hallway. 
The two guards who were standing at the far end both jumped in surprise, but Celestia waved them off as she glanced down at the Unicorn blocking her path. “Oh dear,” she said. “Is something troubling you, Sea Swirl?”
“Yes! I need to—” Sea Swirl glared at the Princess, but then she saw the smug grin on the white Alicorn’s face and her frustration vanished, only to be replaced with annoyance. “…You know perfectly what I mean, don’t you.”
“Hm…” Celestia tapped her hoof against her chin, but the look in her eyes made it clear that Sea Swirl’s statement was on the mark. “You would not happen to be talking about that lovely Earth pony musician that you have been following around like a puppy, would you? The one you refused to speak about in detail when I visited your shop? The one which has been spending the night at your home, and whom you insist nothing special is happing with?” Celestia gasped and her grin turned into a full malicious smile. “Do you mean to tell me that something special has happened?”
“Uh…that’s not really important…” Sea Swirl stammered as her eyes fell to the floor.
“Oh my. I thought you had a little extra bounce in your steps.” Celestia leaned in close so that her pastel shaded mane threatened to swallow Sea Swirl’s entire body. “Was it nice?”
Sea Swirl curled her lower lip and sunk her teeth into it as her ears slammed against the sides of her head. Memories of Symphony’s hoof stroking her flashed in her mind and she found it hard to stand. Her fur bristled as her tail swished violently and her face felt like hot water had just been poured on it. 
“That good, hm?” Celestia asked. “Well, I’m glad for you, Sea Swirl. It’s nice to see you smile that way again.” She pulled away, freeing Sea Swirl from her flowing mane. “Now, if you don’t mind, I must get back to work. There is much I need discuss and plan for the upcoming party. Do give my regards to Symphony.”
“Music!” Sea Swirl stammered, forcing her body to relax enough for words to form. “What about the music for the party?”
“Oh, we have—” The Princess stopped and quickly looked back at Sea Swirl, this time her face showing genuine shock. “Oh. Oh no. That is what you meant?”
“I’m so sorry I forgot to get in contact with you!” Sea Swirl said, the look on the Princess’ face causing panic to rise in her heart. “But believe me! She’s really good!”
Celestia hung her head for a moment, and when she looked up at Sea Swirl again, the Unicorn’s hopes dimmed even further. “I’m sorry, Sea Swirl, but I’m afraid I cannot grant what you want to ask of me.” 
Sea Swirl felt her ears droop as she tried to hold back tears. “But…Celestia, she’s amazing! I know I’m not the biggest music freak, but I’ve never heard something so incredible. It was like…I don’t even know how to describe it. Please! You have to let her play! She’s perfect for Canterlot’s ponies!”
“I am sorry, Sea Swirl,” Celestia said, putting her hoof on Sea Swirl’s trembling shoulder. “Truly, I am. But after I did not hear from you, I had no choice. I had to find somepony to play for the party.”
“But…Symphony…” Sea Swirl whimpered, her head falling. 
“I waited as long as I could,” the Princess said. “But cheer up. Now that I know, thanks to your recommendation, I will be sure to ask her for the next Canterlot event we have.” Celestia leaned in close once again, her mane tickling Sea Swirl’s neck. “Plus, now you can bring her to the party, if you wish. Or…you two can spend the New Year together…alone.” 
“Yeah…” Sea Swirl said, but her heart wasn’t in it. “Thanks.” With that, Sea Swirl turned and made her way toward the castle’s exit. She gathered her clothing at the entrance and then walked out into the freezing air. She barely noticed it as she trudged through the snow.
The Unicorn’s entire body felt numb, and it had nothing to do with the cold. She had messed up pretty bad this time. She knew about Symphony’s dream and she had the perfect opportunity to make it come true. She had a direct line to the most important pony in Canterlot, and she had seen firsthoof that Symphony was more than worthy to play.
And yet, she had blown it. She’d been so caught up in what Symphony and her were now, and how happy having the Earth pony next to her each night made her, that she had completely forgotten to think about Symphony. She had been so focused on her own bliss that she had failed to consider Symphony like she should have. 
The only bright side that Sea Swirl could see was that she had never mentioned any of this to Symphony, so she wouldn’t have to tell the mare the disappointing news. But that didn’t ease the pain of her failure by much. 
Sea Swirl didn’t realize she had reached her home until she found herself standing outside of it. She peeked inside and saw that her lamps were on, and she was pretty sure she could make out the shape of a pony sitting on her couch. So Symphony was still here then. 
Sea Swirl hoped she had enough courage to face the mare as she opened the front door. She stepped inside and quickly closed the door, turning to face the wall as she hung up her scarf and shrugged off her boots. It wasn’t until she pulled her earmuffs off and hung them on the hook by the door that she turned around to face the mare. 
“Symphony, I—”
“Silence!” Symphony said, stunning Sea Swirl. The mare hadn’t used that tone of voice with her—seriously, anyway—for a while now. “I…need to speak with you.”
“Um…okay,” Sea Swirl said. She was too terrified to move, but when she saw Symphony move over on the couch enough to make room for her, Sea Swirl found her legs moving on their own. She carefully sat down next to the beautiful mare and waited.
“I…” Symphony trailed off and Sea Swirl looked at her.
“Symphony, have you been crying?” the Unicorn asked when she saw the mare’s red-rimmed eyes. “Is everything okay?”
“I…need your help.”
“Anything,” Sea Swirl said in a heartbeat. 
“I…need to buy a dress.”
“What?” Sea Swirl spoke before she had a chance to process the odd statement. The tear-stained eyes in the shaking face looking back at her had prepared Sea Swirl for something tragic. Something like Symphony leaving her,  and that that one night had been a mistake, and that Sea Swirl was going to go back to being alone again. 
Hearing the music mare ask for a dress had been akin to kicking a brick through a glass window in the royal palace. 
“I said I need a dress!” Symphony snapped. Her eyes went wide for a moment before they looked away, afraid to meet Sea Swirl’s gaze. 
Sea Swirl stared at the mare for a long moment, trying to figure out what she should do. Eventually, she took a risk and scooted closer. To her small delight, Symphony didn’t back away. She didn’t acknowledge Sea Swirl’s movement in any way either, but Sea Swirl decided to take her victories where she could. 
“Okay, so…do you want to borrow one of mine?” Sea Swirl asked. She still wasn’t quite sure what Symphony was so upset about, so she had to be careful with her words. “I’m sure I have some that will look great on you.”
“No!” Symphony said quickly. “I…” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I need to get a new one. And…”
“And…?” Sea Swirl prompted after Symphony remained silent for several seconds. 
“I…I am short on bits, and I promise I will pay you back with the money I earn from this, and I—” 
Sea Swirl leaned in and kissed Symphony, silencing the pony’s rambling instantly. To her joy, Symphony didn’t recoil. She jumped a little, but Sea Swirl decided that was more from surprise than disgust. 
Still, the Unicorn pulled away quickly before she wore out her welcome. 
“Of course,” she said, and then a grin came to her face.
“Thank you,” Symphony said, the red in her cheeks mixing beautifully with her yellow coat.  “I—”
“But!” Sea Swirl said quickly, tapping Symphony’s mouth with her hoof. “I have a condition.”
Symphony’s beautiful eyes narrowed a bit, but the mare nodded. 
“I get to pick out the dress.”
Symphony removed Sea Swirl’s hoof and glared at the mare. For a second, Sea Swirl was afraid she had crossed a line with that demand, but the rare sight of Symphony’s smile told her otherwise. 
“I was counting on my Unicorn to do just that,” the yellow mare said. She leaned in close, pressing her forehead to Sea Swirl’s. The move was very forward for Symphony and it caught the Unicorn by surprise. She leaned back and Symphony followed until Sea Swirl was in danger of tipping over backward. “My Unicorn finds me…attractive, correct?”
Sea Swirl nodded as she tried not to get lost in the two crystal blue-green spheres bearing down on her. 
“Then it would only make sense to trust her judgment in what I would look best in.” Symphony gave Sea Swirl’s chest a little tap with her hoof and the Unicorn fell on her back. For a second, Sea Swirl’s mind race with excitement, hoping that Symphony was about to take her right there on the couch, but her hopes were dashed when Symphony didn’t follow her down. 
“That was for the kiss,” the mare said instead as she returned to her sitting position on the couch. 
“Tease,” Sea Swirl said as she sat back up. She nuzzled Symphony’s shoulder, and tried not to giggle when she felt Symphony rest her head on top of Sea Swirl’s. “You know, you don’t have to pay me back for the dress. I can pay—”
“No,” Symphony said with an edge in her voice. “I will pay you back.” 
“Right,” Sea Swirl said quickly. Even after all these months of knowing the Earth pony, she found that she was still tripping over her personality. She had to remind herself that Symphony saw nearly all acts of kindness as something coated in poison. She was bent on the belief that no pony in Canterlot helped another unless they stood to gain from it. Sea Swirl was fairly certain she was tearing that belief down piece by piece, but she didn’t want to end up reinforcing it by mistake.
For several minutes, the two mares sat on the couch in silence, Sea Swirl enjoying the feeling of Symphony’s head resting atop her own. She wanted to wrap her foreleg around the mare—or better still, have Symphony do it to her—but she was content with the moment. Their relationship was still on new, unfamiliar ground. Every touch sent of shiver through Sea Swirl; every look made her heart race. Even the simple brush of Symphony’s tail on her back leg was enough to brighten the Unicorn’s face, so resting together like this was plenty for now. 
But eventually, the silence had to end and the world had to move forward once more. 
“Can I ask what the dress is for?” the Unicorn whispered, breaking the silence and saving herself from falling asleep. She smiled to herself when Symphony twitched. Apparently, she had fallen asleep.
“I…” Symphony took a deep breath and Sea Swirl felt the mare’s body begin to shake. “I have been asked to perform at an upcoming event. Here is the letter.”
“Hm?” Sea Swirl reluctantly pulled her head away as Symphony fished an envelope out of her saddlebag. The Unicorn grabbed it with her magic and pulled the letter out. Her eyes skimmed the writing. 
“It is at the Royal Palace for—”
“WHAT?!” Sea Swirl jumped up on her couch. Her back arched in the air as her tail beat the cushions. Her eyes were wide as her nostrils and cheeks flared with each furious breath. How dare she! How DARE—
“Sea Swirl?” Symphony whispered, snapping the mare back to reality. 
The Unicorn blinked a few times before looking at the mare next to her. The confusion and worry in the eyes staring back at her instantly made the Unicorn shrink. She flopped back down on the couch and hung her head. 
“Uh, sorry about that,” she whispered as she looked at Symphony out of the corner of her eyes. 
“What was ‘that’ all about?” Symphony asked, her worry now replaced with the all-too-familiar annoyance and dash of anger. 
“Um…” Sea Swirl scratched the back of her neck. “I’m just…really excited. For you. I mean, this is what you’ve dreamed about, right?” Sea Swirl looked at the letter once again. “Getting to play at the royal palace. And for the New Year’s Party, no less.”
I wonder what the punishment for regicide is, because when I see Celestia again…!
“Yes…” Symphony said, clearly not believing Sea Swirl’s lie. “It also says I may bring a guest, as you can see.”
“Yep,” Sea Swirl said, then added in her mind, Oh, you are DEAD, Celestia!
“Will that be you?” 
Sea Swirl’s anger at her royal friend faded. She had already suspected—hoped, even—that Symphony would ask her to accompany her, but hearing the mare actually do it made her swoon. 
“If you want it to be,” she whispered, too shy to look Symphony in the face all of a sudden. 
“I promise to wear the dress you buy,” Symphony whispered, nuzzling Sea Swirl’s shoulder. 
“Did…did you just make a joke?”
“Maybe.”
Okay, first I will thank her. Then I’ll kill her.