Chapter 31 - Fair-ly obvious
Eventually, the next day dawned. Ledger woke up again, this time on top of the pile of mares. Except for Scope, she was on top of him.
The whole room smelled like sweat and musk. Gods, Housekeeping would be giving him hell for this one. With as little jostling as possible, the stallion slid out from under the small nymph and moved to take a shower. One that actually would end with him being clean.
Too bad that might not happen as a certain nymph snuck into the shower with him, giggling cutely. “So,” she asked. “I’m guessing an eighth round is asking too much~”
“I would like to be able to attend the fair today, yes,” Ledger said as he paused in his cleaning to hug Scope. “That being said, ask again when we come home, and I might oblige. Might.”
“Nah, I’m just screwing with you,” she giggled. “Still, this is...weird, being like this. Being...loved.”
“I know,” Ledger nodded as he started cleaning Scope. “Felt weird to me too, when I caught the first whiffs of it from Midnight. But it also feels...right, y’know? Like it was how we were always meant to be, and just didn’t know we could be until right that moment.”
“Heh, imagine if Chrysalis met Midnight Song that day?” the nymph giggled as Ledger scrubbed her. “We’d prolly have her in our harem as well...”
“Assuming I didn’t strangle her until she turned Violet,” Ledger said, his tone the only indication of his feelings on the subject. He was doing Scope’s wings, and those were delicate. No need to be all rage-y when those were in his grasp.
“True enough,” Scope chuckled. “A small part of me would love to see Midnight and Chrysalis in a room together. Just to see what happens...y’know, for science~”
“We’d need a bucket to take one of them out with, and it wouldn’t be the one I buck on a regular basis,” Ledger predicted as he scrubbed gently between Scope’s wings. No need for an exciting morning...
She still purred lightly as her wet tail slapped against his rump. “Ahh, dammit. We can’t stay in here, or we’ll both be walking funny today.”
“I think I already am going to be walking funny,” Ledger said as he stretched his hind legs and winced. “...Bet you ten bits that Cadance notices, no matter how far away we might be.”
“I’ll not take that bet thanks, I’ve lost enough for one trip.... speaking of...I still have two kisses for you to deliver on~”
“With tongue, as I recall,” Ledger said as he finished cleaning the small mare.
“Yup, and none of that Thestral stuff either, just Secret-Hoarder.” She smiled and raised her chin a little. “You may deliver on one of them now.”
“Aww, but I’m good with the thestral tongue,” Ledger mock-pouted before bending down and proceeding to give Scope a deep, passionate kiss. She hummed happily as she accepted, giving Ledger a taste of his own medicine as she poured all the love she received from him yesterday into it.
The drone was suddenly holding her tighter, and the door to the shower was swinging closed in a silvery aura. “Fuck the others,” he said as he came up for air. “You want a round eight? I’m good if we keep it quick.”
“Hmmm,” Scope tapped her chin and grinned. “Nah!” she smiled wickedly and then teleported from the shower. Ledger sighed but finished off his shower.
Today was gonna be long…
“Okay, so, refresh my memory on what the actual ‘plan’ is that we’re going to try to adhere to,” the stallion of the group said as the four of them walked down the street. Midnight to his right, Cider to his left, and Scope riding him ‘for a change’.
“Well, there’s no real plan besides, ‘have fun’.” Cider replied as the walked. “None of us ain’t ever been here before, so it’s not like we know what’s going on here...”
“Jousting, lots of carnival food, a parade of the Crystal Guard and the Princess, heaps of smaller events and stuff...” Everyone paused to stare at Scope, how had just rattled all that off.
“What?” she replied with a cute head tilt. “I like to be informed.”
“As don’t I,” Ledger said with a nod as he recalled reading about most of that. “My real question was, did any of you have anything you wanted to do?”
“Well, the jousting sounds fun,” Scope said, as Midnight and Cider vehemently agreed. The sights of well muscled stallions beating the tar out of one another? Yes please!
“Hmm,” Ledger said as he attempted to recall a schedule he’d read. “Doesn’t that start...right after the main ceremony? It was either right after or when the fair opened.”
“Sounds like we need a timetable,” Scope nodded as she took wing and flew off to find one. “Wait here, I’ll be right back!”
Ledger did as she bid and moved to one side of the street while he waited, so that he wasn’t in anypony’s way.
Midnight sort of swayed on the spot, humming something under her breath. She had a song in her head and it wanted out dammit.
“Going to the Fair, with ones for whom I care,”
“On this fine day we sing, as we go on to the Fair~”
Cider smiled as she felt the Music of Harmony stir, and she opened her mouth to join in.
“Ah reckon we’re all havin’ fun, singin’ in this fine weather.”
“It doesn’t matter where we are, as long as we’re together~”
Midnight moved up next to her as a crowd of ponies joined in.
“Going to the Fair, with ones for whom I care,”
“On this fine day we sing, as we go on to the Fair~”
Ledger had felt the magic stirring within him, and its pull could not be denied. Nor, once he realized what he was about to sing about, did he want to deny it. With a quick step to the side to join the mares, he pitched in his lines as well.
“Though our lives may have been different, when this all did start,
Our time together has helped us share the same heart.”
Song and Cider smiled widely as they hugged him, drawing him into the massive group dance that had taken over near half the city now. It was all coordinated, with Ledger, Cider and Song right at the centre.
“Going to the Fair, with ones for whom we care,”
“On this fine day we sing, as we go on to the Fair~”
“We’ll dance and sing and drink and play,”
“Our happiness will last all day, with the ones for who we careeeee.”
On this fine day we sing, as we go on the the Faaaiirreeeeee!”
As the song finished as everypony resumed whatever it was they were doing before, Scope flew down with a baffled expression on her face.
“Okay...what the buck was that?”
“One of the perks of living in Equestria,” Ledger said with a grin as the excess magic and good feelings ebbed away. “Sometimes, magic and somepony with a musical talent mix in just the right way, and you get spontaneous musical numbers.”
“Equestria is so weird,” Scope shook her head.
“Preaching to the choir,” Ledger said as he cracked his neck. “So, did you find that schedule?”
Scope nodded and took four pamphlets out, handing one to each of them. “This is pretty neat actually. None of the major events overlap, so if you wanna see all of them, you can.”
“Mmm, while normally I would be all for doing everything, there are a few events I think I can stand to miss,” Ledger said as he looked the list over. “Plus, there are such minor things like physical limits and needs to take into account.”
“Yup, can’t forget the almighty need to pee,” Scope giggled as Cider blushed lightly.
“Scope, don’t be so crude!” she said with an exasperated sigh. “Honestly, a mare shouldn’t be makin’ potty humour.”
“Would you rather she be lewd instead?” Ledger asked as he continued to look the schedule over. Hmm...that all seemed to work and leave him more than enough free time to get from one end of the fair to another...Then a thought struck him and he looked at the mares with a smile. “So, would any of you like my company on this fine day?”
He got his response as all three mares crowded him, Scopey on top and Song and Cider on either side.
“Where you go, we go,” Song giggled. “Today is the first time we’re all together as a family, so we should spend it together.”
“So which plan are we following, then?” Ledger asked as he enjoyed their closeness. “Cider’s, Midnight’s, or Scope’s?”
“Well, the jousting isn’t on til later, and I’m sure we can skip the boring opening ceremony...” Scope grinned evilly, “Wanna see if we can outscam the carnival games?”
“With the stipulation that all prizes be donated to either the crowd or Cider and Midnight, not a problem,” Ledger told the nymph on his back. “We’ll not do it for personal gain, little treasure.”
Cider and Song blinked at the name. “What’s with the treasure nickname, not that it isn’t cute,” Song asked.
“Maybe we’ll tell you one day,” Ledger said with a grin. “We earn our names. The full story behind mine is fun, for a Silver. Hers was born of a wish to no longer be Discarded. So maybe after the fair, we’ll tell you.”
Song and Cider looked at one another and shrugged. It was something to look forward to anyway. “Well, what do you say we just look around to start with, learn where everything is.”
“Fine by me,” the drone replied as he turned in a completely random direction. “The first thing I want to see doesn’t open for an hour anyways.”
The Fair was fairly standard, stands selling carnival food and drinks. Crystal empire merchandise and some weird-looking musical horns. (Midnight bought one to annoy Ledger with later) Ledger, for his part, seemed more interested in the traditional arts and crafts sections...though not for the reasons one might initially suspect.
“Fascinating,” the brown unicorn said as he eyed the ponies in charge of the stall. “To think they had access to such materials and techniques a thousand years ago.”
“And we’re glad to see somepony appreciating our art,” the stallion behind the counter smiled. “We have some smaller pieces for sale if you’re interested.”
Ledger hummed and tapped his chin with a hoof as he eyed the pieces. “Now, don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate the art, but from an academic perspective: A snapshot into how things around here were so long ago. My sister is the art buff in the family. That being said, if it ever comes up that I was here and didn’t get something…” Ledger just shook his head and chuckled at the imagined response.
“If you’re here as a tourist, we can deliver it to your hotel later,” the stallion informed him. “Save you having to take it there yourself or lug it around all day. Totally free of charge of course.”
“Of course,” Ledger said. “Well, that saves me some trouble indeed. What can I get for...oh, twenty-five bits?” Even as he asked, his horn was alight as he grabbed ahold of his bit-bag within his saddlebag.
“Hmm, let’s see,” he rummaged around until he produced a rather nice piece. A landscape of the Crystal Empire as it was a thousand years ago. “Does this one take your fancy?”
“Oooh, it does indeed,” Ledger said with a spark in his eye. “It tickles my curiosity, and from all the lectures I would get from my sister when we argued, I can tell it was very well-made, so she’ll like to look at it as well. It almost feels like I’m ripping you off, paying only twenty five bits for this. Just from the way the artist captured how the castle looked when the light hit it…”
“It’s that, or it sits in my attic and collects dust like it has ever since I painted it,” he chuckled as he wrapped the painting in a cloth. “I’m just happy that it’s going to somepony that will appreciate it.”
“I will treat it like an heirloom, sir,” Ledger said as he paid the stallion thirty bits instead of the agreed-upon twenty five. “Though, fair warning: My sister will weasel out where I got it from me eventually. Expect her arrival sometime in the future, and I’m sorry in advance.”
“Can do,” he smiled. “I’ll have a few more done by then perhaps. She can have a gander at my first pieces in more than a thousand years...gods I feel old when I say that.”
“Might work in your favor though,” Ledger said with a wink. “She has a thing for older stallions.”
“Is that so?” he chuckled. “Heh, I haven’t been on a date in a thousand years. So that might be a thing.”
“Level Ledger,” the unicorn finally introduced himself to the crystal pony, sticking out a hoof to the stallion behind the counter.
“Painted Palette,” the stallion replied, shaking his hoof. “It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Ledger.”
“Mmhmm, and I’m sorry for my sister again in advance, Mr. Palette,” Level reiterated as he dropped his hoof and tipped an imaginary hat to the artist. “Word to the wise? She loves sugary things.”
“Noted...” he responded. “Also, please enjoy the Fair, especially at the end. It’s quite the spectacle.”
“Will do,” Ledger said as he then gave Palette his hotel name and room number, so the stallion could deliver the piece. After that bit of business, Ledger was off again...this time looking for something for his three younger brothers.
Knowing them, they’d love something from the jousting tournaments...which is where he suspected all the mares had vanished to…
Midnight and Cider cheered as the burly stallions charged at one another, the sound of metal and flesh meeting in a high-speed collision sent chills along their spine. Scope just watched, but after what she’d been through, this just couldn’t compare.
Until she started to picture Ledger in that Crystal Armour and blushed. Okay, now she could figure out why Cider and Midnight liked this so much. She gave a cheer when one stallion soared through the air, slamming into one of the walls with a loud crash.
“So do you think it was okay to leave Ledger behind?” Scope asked as she oggled the new stallion that stepped onto the field.
“Well, ah reckon he knows where we are,” Cider said, gulping slightly as she watched the firm muscles ripple under that armour. “Oh mah stars...”
Midnight was silent...mostly due to the fact that she wasn’t there. One could almost see the dotted outline where she once was. At that particular moment in time, Ledger appeared from behind the mares, having spotted them on his way over to the vendors and deciding to pay a visit.
“Hey there Scope, hey there Cider,” the unicorn said with just enough volume to get their attention. They turned and waved at him though one eye was still focused on the battle.
“Hey Ledger,” they said, though it was clear where their interests lay.
“Hmm,” the stallion said as he noticed their...subdued reactions. “Have you seen Midnight lately? I wanted her take on what the vendors are proffering so I don’t end up giving trash to the trio.”
“She’s right...here?” Scope turned and saw the empty seat. “What the? Where’d she-”
“And now, fillies and gentlecolts!” the announcer spoke over the speaker system. “We have a special guest for our next bout. All the way from the City of Sin. The exotic mare of the night. The avatar of Princess Luna herself. Midnight Sooooonnng!!”
“Found her,” Scope said helpfully.
“If she wanted to wrestle a burly stallion, all she had to do was ask me to change into one,” Ledger sighed. “Fine, let’s watch this farce they’re trying to call a fight…”
Her opponent was somepony they knew as well as the crowd erupted into cheers. “And her opponent? Our very own Prince. The Shining light of the Empire. Princess Cadence’s personal cuddletoy. Prince, Shining, AARRMOORRRR!”
Shining groaned at the announcement but stepped out anyway. He’d been a little surprised at the sudden challenge by Midnight, but this was going to be fun regardless.
Midnight finished adjusting her armor, the gleaming crystalsilver looked quite nice against her chocolate brown coat, and her mane seemed to shimmer with a pale light. She wondered if they’d let her keep it afterwards?
“Well,” Ledger said with a sigh, “there goes the neighborhood.”
“Ah hope she doesn’t get hurt too badly,” Cider said with a small whine. Why was Middy doing something so reckless?
“Pah! Ten bits says that Prince Pompous gets knocked on his flank,” Scope said adamantly. Upon hearing that, it sparked a tidal wave of conversation among the crowd, everyone placing small bets on who would win. Scope wasted no time in playing bookie, taking the bets and grinning when almost everyone bet on Shining.
“Somepony seems to have very few believers in her,” Ledger pointed out. “Their loss.”
“Yup, and my gain~” Scope giggled as she hefted the sack of bits. This was gonna be great.
On the field, Midnight and Shining stared each other down. While one had yet to make a move, the battle was already going on in their minds. How would each move? What way would they duck or parry? When the horn sounded, they took of like a bullet, their hooves kicking up dirt as they lowered and levelled their spears at one another. Midnight had to raise hers a little, to compensate for her smaller stature. But that also played out to her advantage, as she was harder to hit.
When they struck, her spear veered off course, as Shining’s parried it, but failed to hit also, a shower of sparks flying from their armour as the spears grazed them.
“Ooohhh!” the crowd murmured as Cider covered her eyes with her hooves.
“Ah can’t watch this,” she cried.
“I can’t not watch this,” Ledger rejoined, having purchased some popcorn from a wandering vendor.
The two passed by and reached the end of the rail before they turned. Two colts made a check of their armour, to make sure nothing was damaged to the point of impeding their ability, before the horn sounded again. The two charged again, their lances levelled...
And as the spears collided, the tips struck one another, shattering the lances as both ponies were thrown from the recoil. Cider covered her eyes again and whimpered as Scope chanted for blood.
“Okay, I know why I’m into it,” Ledger said as he raised an eyebrow at the small pegasus. “And I’m pretty sure you do too. So why’re you so interested?”
“I just wanna see Midnight wipe the floor with the prince,” she cackled. “Come on, you can’t say the the sight of our mare kicking ass isn't a major turn on...well, when you’re not on the receiving end of it anyway.”
“You do know how most ‘disputes’ over males are settled back home, yes?” Ledger said. “It becomes an ingrained response after a while on my side. Let’s just say if Midnight pulls through without any major injuries, I know what I’ll be in the mood for tonight.”
“So we are on the same page then?” Scope chuckled. The horn blasted as Midnight and Shining charged once more. By now, Midnight was used to this form of combat and she steadied her spear, but as Shining drew closer, it appeared that she seemed to lose her grip. Shining smiled as he lowered his lance and prepared to make Midnight airborne...before the Thestral raised the lance suddenly, colliding with Shining’s to send it off course and the momentum carried it straight into his chestplate, sending the stallion sprawling across the ground. His lance had struck near her face though, a small wound opening up on her cheek.
“And the winner is...MIDNIGHT SONG!!” the announcer cheered as the crowd fell silent. One particular Pegasus filly was now very rich. As was a rather pink Alicorn Princess.
“And that, mares and gentlestallions, is why you do not bet against the bat,” Ledger said as he tipped an imaginary hat to the crowd. “If you’ll pardon me, I have to go retrieve her.” With that, he left Cider and Scope to the grumbling horde, who were now realizing they’d been taken for fools.
Song sat in the field as a colt tended to her face wound, cleaning it and placing a gauze patch on her cheek. She smiled widely when she saw Ledger approach and waved to him.
“So, there a particular reason you felt like making Scope rich?” he idly quipped as he examined her sweaty, victorious form with his eyes. “Or was this more of a grudge match between you and Shiny?”
“Well, I don’t really know,” she shrugged. “This looked like fun, and the fight would be on equal terms. No cheating shield spells...”
“Meh, as long as you had fun, we’ll deal with the consequences,” Ledger said, coming close enough to pull Midnight into a hug once he was done talking, for the moment anyway. “Now I have three troublesome brothers to shop for,” he whispered into her ear. “I’d rather have a gift for them if they show up than not. And they all love fighting. Think you can help me pick out some good souvenirs?”
“I can do that,” Midnight giggled. Maybe if she just trotted off, she could keep her sweet ass armor...
“And you can leave the armor here Song,” Shining called out.
“Dammit!” Midnight swore.
“Nice try though,” Ledger snickered. “But at least I know what to get you for Hearth’s-warming~”
Midnight reluctantly shed her armor, wincing from the cut on her cheek, but elated that she finally one-upped Shining at something. If anypony had stuck around, the look on his face when he found out that Cadence had bet against him, it was priceless.
“So, souveniers huh?” Midnight looked around until she saw a stand selling replica weapons. “How old are they?”
“Sixteen, fifteen, and fourteen,” Ledger said. “Red, Yellow, and Blue respectively. Red is the brute of the trio, Blue is the tank, and Yellow is clever and nimble. Thankfully they mostly fight each other. The few times they have teamed up have been...memorable.” They still hadn’t replaced that shed...or the garden it went with.
“Hmm, I have...ideas~’ she giggled. She pointed at three things and the burly mare behind the counter got them for her. A set of wingblades, some bulky foreleg shields and a greatsword. Why these were being sold at a carnival with foals around was anypony’s guess. But hey, they were a thousand years out of date.
“If they come visit,” Midnight cackled. “I will...train them~”
“...Well, it was a nice city,” Ledger sighed. “We might have survived. And then you offered that. Better get my insurance in order.”
“Oh come on, it won’t be that bad,” Midnight said, bumping his hip with hers. “What’s the worst that could happen hmm?”
“They blew up a shed that had nothing flammable inside it,” Ledger deadpanned. “And they were only getting into double digits at the time.”
“Sounds like fun then,” Midnight giggled as she put the weapons on her back. She looked like she was ready to go to war now. “Shall we go and find our mares?”
“Sure thing, my littlest sister is impossible to shop for anyways.”
“Fair enough,” she hummed. That raised an interesting thought actually. “Will...I ever get to meet your family?”
“Maybe if they decide to visit,” Ledger shrugged. “I sent a letter the day after the attack through the right channels, detailing everything that had happened and where I was staying now. I’d be surprised if they weren’t coming over for a visit by the time we get back, actually. Mom was always very concerned for my well-being, and dad and my step-dads always saw me as proof that mum wasn’t lying when she said she cared about them.”
“Aw, that sounds so sweet,” Song cooed. Heavens help them if her parents showed up as well. That was a nightmare waiting to happen.
They didn’t have to search for their significant others either, as Cider and Scope approached them, the latter hefting a bag of bits almost as big as she was. Ledger eyed the bag, then the filly. “Need help with that?” he offered.
“If you want,” she said. “I would have had more, but somepony else bet on Midnight as well, so half went to her.”
“Eh, can’t fool all the ponies all the time,” the unicorn shrugged as he lifted the bag off of Scope and shouldered her burden of avarice.
“Still, I wonder what Cadence is gonna do with her share?” Scope wondered as she hid underneath Ledger and once the crowd was thick enough to obscure her, there was a blue flash.
“...You mean...Cadence bet against Shiny?” Ledger asked with a wide smile. “Ooooh, I think I like this Princess~”
“Yup,” Scope nodded as she stepped out in her unicorn form, finally having enough energy to make an actual transformation. “Ahh, much better. Illusions just don’t cut it y’know?”
“Yeah, I always feel safer with both,” Ledger admitted. “Redundancies to keep myself safe.” Apparently the meaning of the words hadn’t quite sunk in.
“Well, you could say I’m much ‘safer’ now,” Scope chuckled. “Midnight may have to take me shopping at some point as well, since we’re apparently a thing now.”
Ledger blinked a few times before slowly turning his head to look at the smaller unicorn. “You...didn’t transform after?” he asked in a whisper. “Were you trying to…”
“No, I couldn’t focus and I didn’t have the energy to transform,” she retorted. “I mean geez Ledger, cut me a little slack huh?”
“You could have asked,” Ledger sighed. “I would have shared.”
“I think you shared plenty,” Scope winked. “Don’t worry. I’m not and it’s fine. No need to worry eh?”
“Worry about what?” Cider asked and Scope gave her an evil grin.
“Nothing really, the hotel’s ceiling wasn’t right for hanging a cluster of eggs from.”
“Apparently Scope couldn’t use our all-natural birth control until right this second and neglected to tell me,” Ledger said while not looking at the small mare. “I’m sure she won’t make that mistake again.”
“Remind me again, who turned me into a living water balloon,” Scope snarked back. The problem was solved now anyway, so what was his issue?
“Okay, I think everypony needs t’calm down,” Cider said. “Why don’t we go and get some lunch? Doesn’t that sound good?”
“Sounds fine,” Ledger said with a smile that didn’t go past his mouth.
Well, so was this their first domestic? Midnight shrugged and decided that it was time for Midnight to be Midnight. “So, does anypony wanna tell me how utterly awesome I was at kicking Shiny’s flank?”
“Let’s just say if we weren’t in public, you would be feeling my appreciation for your display,” Ledger said, a bit more at ease with both the topic shift and the promise of food.
“Well, I’ll hold you to that,” Midnight nodded as they found a small eatery. And lo and behold, Fredrick and Narrow were there, sharing a single drink that used a straw in the shape of a heart. Midnight snickered lightly and poked at Ledger, pointing at the pair.
“Aww,” he cooed. “Wish I had a camera.”
Scope offered hers up, just as Narrow turned her gaze and saw Ledger there, reaching for the device. The look in her eyes promised nothing but endless pain should he continue that course of action.
Unfortunately for her, Ledger had great faith in Midnight’s abilities, and the picture of the cute couple was snapped. The flash garnered Fredrick’s attention and he looked at the group.
“Ah, Ledger my boy, how are you?’ he greeted. “And I trust I’ll be getting a copy of that?”
“Of course,” Ledger grinned. “Once it develops, I’ll be sure to send you a copy!”
“Perfect!” Fredrick hummed happily as he pulled his mare into a hug, her stare still trying to set Ledger on fire. So far it wasn’t working, but she still held hope that Celestia would immolate the bastard.
“So, who’s this cute little one?” Fredrick said as he looked at Scope. He’d only seen her Pegasus form, so her Unicorn one was new. “Did you and your mares decided to adopt Ledger?”
“You could say that,” Ledger said as his mind whirled. He didn’t have a name for the little unicorn form for Scope. He started to panic and hoped that Scope had a plan. Or at least something resembling a plan.
“I’m Ledger’s little sister,” she replied with a small smile. “My name is Bookmark. It’s nice to meet you Mr. Griffon~”
“What a well-behaved little filly,” Fredrick said as he gently patted her head. “Are your parents?...”
“Alive and well,” Ledger said smoothly. “They just had a business trip to conduct, so they charged me to look after her. I’ll admit, the timing could be better, but letting Bookmark see the Crystal City is something I’m sure she’ll remember.”
“Yup,” Bookmark nodded. “Thanks for taking care of Ledger by the way. I know he’s a real pain in the flank sometimes.”
“Like you’re any better,” Ledger said without missing a beat. “I told you not to read my book. Now mom and dad are going to blame me for corrupting you when I tell them they need to give you ‘the talk’.”
“I know all about the birds and the breezies,” she retorted with a smile. She was going to have fun with this. “Staying with you and and your mares has taught me oh so much~”
“And that’s why I told them that I shouldn’t take you on vacation,” Ledger finished. Fredrick seemed torn between laughing at Ledger and pitying him.
“Ledger,” Narrow said with a warning tone. “I do hope that you haven’t been doing anything untoward with a little filly in the room.”
Scope looked at Ledger, her grin threatening to split her face.
“I did not knowingly do anything in front of my little sister,” Ledger said with a nod. “Whether or not the little brat snuck a peek on her own or figured out how to cancel my soundproofing spells is on her. I swear she’s going to become a right little delinquent when she grows up.”
Scope’s eyes shimmered and then she sniffed. “Y-You’re so mean...big brother,” she pouted, as Narrow just glared at Ledger. Fredrick just laughed at his friend's plight, glad he had no little ones of his own.
“You know that stopped working on me when you were ten and used it to get me to cover for you during that playground debacle,” Ledger said, not even looking at the filly. “She’s smart too, don’t let her looks fool you. She will play you like a fiddle if you let her. She knows she’s cute and will use it against you.”
“Ledger keeps using big words to make me look like a bad filly,” she whined. “I’m not a bad filly. I promise.”
Cider and Midnight joined Fredrick in on his ritorious laughter. Narrow just shook her head as she leaned down to Scope’s ear.
“Having fun...Scope Lens?”
The filly squeaked and looked at the Captain. “Ohhh, you’re good.”
Ledger just looked at the pair of them before looking at Fredrick, wondering if one of his best friends would now have to be read into his secret...
The Griffon hadn’t heard though, still laughing as he wiped a tear from his eye. Midnight and Cider finished also as the Griffon looked at the Unicorn stallion.
“Ahh, you have quite the family my friend. Should you still be around when you get home. Come by my restaurant, I’ll serve you a meal fit for a Princess.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ledger said with a smile. “So, what’s on the menu here?”
“Usual carnival fare, but they have a few dishes that have piqued my interest,” he replied, getting an exasperated sigh from Narrow.
“We spent all day yesterday, just going from restaurant to restaurant, just so he could compare dishes and swap recipes. It. Was. Exhausting.”
“Oooh, did you pick up something new?” Ledger asked with a wide smile. “We are gonna have to compare, I managed to get a few fish recipes from the hotel.”
“Did you?” Fredrick beamed. “Bah, they wouldn’t share with me, since they had just parted the info to somepony else. Seems we’ll have to barter later.”
“I’m always open to negotiation,” Ledger said. He hummed as he spotted a table for four and motioned towards it with his head. “What do you recommend while we’re here, then?”
“Hmm, I don’t know seeing as we have yet to eat also,” Fredrick hummed. Meanwhile the four mares had already taken the table and were now discussing things that a stallion would only tilt his head at.
Hmm, some of these dishes seem quite intriguing,” the unicorn observed. “Perhaps we should attempt to get the mares in on this? Have everypony taste-test something?”
“Don’t see why not,” Fredrick shrugged. “My little Peach Blossom has been getting better at nitpicking her food, and your keen eye is always appreciated.”
“Well then,” Ledger said as he motioned towards the mare talk that was clearly going on. “After you.”
“Into the lion’s den it is,” Fredrick sighed. He stepped closer as the girls all hushed as they stared at the two males, all wearing knowing smiles on their faces.
Things had been discussed. Things had been...compared. Fredrick felt...uneasy as all the mares stared at him, but he cleared his throat none-the-less. “Ladies,” he began. “Ledger and I would appreciate your help in determining if the interesting dishes we observed upon the menu are any good.”
“Well, I guess we could do that,” Song nodded, licking her lips at the information that Narrow had provided. Now she really regretted not taking Fredrick up on his offer when they first met. Ah well.
“More taste-testing, yay,” Narrow sighed, but smiled none-the-less.
“Ah reckon ah could provide y’all with some help,” Cider agreed, Scope just shrugged as she looked at the menu, nothing in particular catching her eye, not when there was so much love and happiness in the air.
That said, she’d gotten her fill of Loyalty from the Guard show earlier. That had been a delicious and profitable venture.
“My thanks, ladies,” Fredrick said with a bow before he turned to grab ahold of some menus, so that he and Ledger could introduce the mares to the dishes that had caught their eyes. Speaking of whom, the unicorn in question just trotted up to the table when he observed Fredrick leaving intact.
“...I had kinda meant to have lunch with you,” he mock-complained.
“What, we can eat together whenever we want,” Midnight said. “Besides, aren’t you happy to have lunch with friends?”
“I suppose so,” the unicorn sighed as he found a nearby small table and sat at it instead, waiting for the griffon to return with the food. “I know I’m not going to get to know, but would I want to know what you were talking about earlier if I could?”
“Comparing notes,” Song explained as Scope used her magic to drag Ledger’s table and chair over to them. Combining the two so everyone could sit together. “You really don’t want to know dear.”
“I can live with not-knowing,” Ledger said, surprising those that knew what he fed on. “I get the feeling that knowing would just make me miserable somehow.”
“Not really, you’re doing pretty well,” Cider smiled at her stallion.
“I suppose that’ll do for what little curiosity I have,” the unicorn said with a shrug. The Griffon eventually returned with some menus and some complimentary breadsticks. One look could already tell that while well made, they paled in comparison to the master chef at their table.
“Hmm,” Ledger said as he looked over the menu. “Stuffed pasta shells? Sounds...interesting. Yes, that’ll do nicely for me.”
Midnight drooled a little, before licking her lips and looking at the menu. “Maybe I’ll try this veggie pizza then?”
“I’ll have the gado gado salad,” Cider nodded. It was a salad that had green beans, neighponese cabbage, bean shoots, fried shallots and coriander along with egg and peanut sauce.
“Thankfully, there is a fellow griffon on-staff today,” Fredrick said. “He and I have arranged my meal already.”
“Oh?” Scope asked as she perused the menu. “Anything good?”
“He does the meat products that they do not typically serve on the regular menu,” the griffon explained. “When I said I was looking for something exciting, he said he would make me some ‘five-alarm ribs’.”
Scope gulped when he said that. “That sounds...delicious~ Ledger! I want those!”
Everypony fell silent as they just stared at the little unicorn. “You...do know what you’re getting yourself in for?” the larger unicorn asked carefully.
“Aw come on! I haven’t had meat in like, ages!” she whined. Her horn glowed as the next part went right into Ledger’s brain. ‘Well, except your meat~’
Ledger did a remarkable job of not blushing as he looked at Fredrick. “Apparently my little sister is a bit of an omnivore,” Ledger sighed. “Do you think you could put in a second order?”
“Easily,” Fredrick replied. “And for you, Pea- Narrow?”
She rolled her eyes as she smiled at him. “My real name is fine. These four know better than to let word get out.” She turned and looked at them with a glare so cold it made the tundra outside seem warm and inviting. “Don’t you?”
“No problems here,” Song shrugged. Honestly, she was used to ponies having more than one name. She paused and blinked, wondering how weird had become her new normal.
“We can keep a secret,” Ledger agreed.
“Very well. So, my delicate Peach Blossom, what would you like to order?” If the grin on Fredrick’s beak could be measured, it would be somewhere between ‘pranking’ and ‘I’m completely innocent!’
“You’ll get yours,” she said with a small smile as she looked at the menu. “I think I’ll have their Crystal Chrysanthemum Sandwich,” she replied. Have fun saying that five times fast..
“So a crystal sandwich, the stuffed shells, veggie pizza, gado gado salad, and an extra order of ribs,” Fredrick rattled off. “Oh, nearly forgot drinks!”
“Just water please,” Ledger added right away. The ponies nodded in agreement, a pitcher of water to share would be fine.
“Got it, I’ll go drop our order off with the griffon in the back and rejoin you for lunch,” Fredrick said before giving Narrow/Peach a quick peck. The mare blushed lightly as he walked off, before Midnight giggled.
“So, Peach Blossom huh?”
“Cram it Song,” Narrow growled. “My parents decision, not mine. I was born on a farm.”
“Ah think it’s a fine name,” Apple Cider said with a nod.
“Aren’t peaches those little pink fruits with the fuzzy butts on them?” Scope asked.
“I hope you enjoyed living, because I’m not sure you’ll be doing it for much longer,” Ledger said as he observed Narrow’s reaction.
“You may just have a point there Ledger,” she replied in a low tone. “I still have her cell all warmed up for her if she feels like going back.”
“Suddenly, I feel the need to not talk for a while,” Scope nodded to herself and decided that looking anywhere other than the table was a good idea.
“Nah, she just needs to learn a few things. Like how to actually interact with ponies. And tact. And...okay, she’s a work in progress, but she’s come a long way.” Ledger chuckled a little at the idea.
‘And you’d know all about me ‘coming’ wouldn’t you Ledger?’ she giggled into his head and nodded. “I am trying to be a ‘model citizen’ or at least as close to one as I can get.”
“Personality aside, as long as you don’t do anything illegal, I have no qualms,” Narrow said and then looked at Ledger with a raised eyebrow. “You alright there Ledger? You’re looking a little red.”
“I’m fine,” Ledger said with a forced smile. “Must just be warm where I’m sitting.” Where is Fredrick with the-
Arriving just in time to interrupt that thought, the griffon returned with a huge pitcher of water and six glasses. Taking the time to put them all in front of the diners and fill them, the half-avian rejoined them for lunch. “The food should be here within ten minutes or so,” he helpfully informed.
‘Really saved you there huh?’ It was a different voice this time, the familiar one of the Crystal Heart. ‘I take it you don’t handle pressure well?’
‘Not when it’s coming from a nymph like Scope,’ Ledger thought back. ‘Given time to analyze any situation, I can react appropriately. She, naturally, doesn’t give me that time.’
‘Ah, so its just the females that throw you off your game? Hmm, that’s some valuable data. Mmmmm, oh that is the stuff. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE today. Oh, speaking of today! Please tell me you will be sticking around until the end?’
‘We...were planning on it,’ Ledger replied as he started paying more attention to the mental conversation than the physical one. He was outnumbered anyways. ‘Why, what’s happening?’
‘Oh, right, well the finale is quite the spectacle. But you and that snarky little nymph miiiiight want to double your personal shields, or you might reveal more than you want to the general public.’
‘Got it, thanks for the heads up,’ Ledger thought back as he returned to the conversation at hoof only to realize he’d been asked a question while chatting with the Heart.
“Um, sorry, I wasn’t listening. What?”
Scope giggled as she spoke up first. “It’s a simple answer ‘Big Brother’ Yes? or no?”
“Can you repeat the question?” the bigger unicorn asked after sighing.
“Told you he wouldn’t fall for it,” Midnight replied with a smile. She looked at her stallion and kissed him on the cheek. “You just kinda zoned out there. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, fine, just thinking about things,” he said, while looking at Scope during the ‘thinking’ part of his sentence. Hopefully his meaning got across...
“Ah, fair enough,” Scope nodded as she closed her eyes for a moment. She suddenly smirked as she looked at Midnight and a plan came to mind. “Oh, and Midnight?”
“Mmm?”
“You should stick close to Cider today, it’ll get busy during the finale.”
Midnight blinked, but nodded, draping a protective wing over her marefriend.
‘That’s actually what I wanted to “talk” to you about,’ Ledger thought, trying his best to direct his mental ‘voice’ at Scope...not having a clue as to how this sort of spell actually worked. Scope looked at the stallion staring at her and frowned, before realizing what he was trying to do and giggled.
“I’ll teach you that spell later,” she said as she opened the link. ‘You were saying?’
‘...The Heart says we should either double down on our personal wards, or prepare to reveal to everypony that there are ‘lings in the city during the finale,’ Ledger said with a hint of a pout.
‘I was just told as much, as well as something ‘very’ interesting. And I figured that if I’m riding on your back, we can combine our shielding.’
‘Might work,’ the larger unicorn mused. ‘Do I get to know the interesting thing?’
‘Mmmm, nope!’ Scope chuckled. ‘However, let’s just say that Cider is about to become one happy mare, or a terrified one~’
Ledger considered the implications of that sentence for all of a minute before the did the most logical thing he could do.
He passed out.
“LEDGER?” Cider rushed to his side as Midnight raised an eyebrow.
“DId he get heatstroke?” Narrow asked as she filled a cup with the chilled water and splashed his face with it. The splash of water woke Ledger up for a moment, and once he caught sight of Cider, he nearly passed out again.
However, the sight of Scope made him set his jaw as he glared at the smaller unicorn. “Please say you were joking,” he said aloud, not caring who heard. This was important.
Everyone blinked as they looked at the pair, even Fredrick was starting to worry about his friend.
“Well, it’ll probably happen,” she shrugged. “Maybe...”
“...I am not risking a maybe, Bookmark,” the stallion said firmly, keeping to her cover name. “Things like that are important and shouldn’t be treated flippantly. Yes. Or. No.”
She looked around at the table and smiled sweetly. “I think my brother is feeling out of sorts, would you please excuse us,” she said and her horn flashed, teleporting the two from the table.
“I am quite confused,” Fredrick said.
“So am I,” Midnight agreed as she looked at where they previously sat. “What the heck is going on?”
About a half mile away, quite near the Crystal Heart actually, two Unicorn winked back into existence.
“Okay, you can flip the hay out now,” Scope said. “Help me out here Heart.”
‘Is there a problem?’
‘Is. Cider. Pregnant?’ Ledger ‘thought’ at both of them. ‘I want a definite answer before I react.’
One could almost see the Heart stare at him. Scope just stood there slack jawed at him, before both erupted into uproarious laughter.
“O-OhmyHives!” Scope giggled like mad. “H-How the...did you...cometothat?”
“...You didn’t give me a lot of context to go on,” Ledger sighed. “With so little information, my mind jumped to all sorts of places.”
‘W-What my snarky friend is trying say...is that once this festival reaches its peak, something truly magical happens. And it has quite the effect on non-residents of the Crystal Empire. But, I do not know if it will work on a Thestral. Never met one before now.’
‘...okay, just...she’s been joking about such a thing happening to her, so...it wasn’t that big of a leap,’ Ledger thought. ‘I’m...better now. I hope.’
‘That was friggen hilarious, but I think you scared some ponies by fainting like a filly there,” Scope giggled.
‘Do try and be nearby when it happens,’ Heart said as he chuckled. “For some reason, I really want to see if a Crystal Thestral can be a thing or not.’
‘Fine,’ Ledger nodded, before looking at Scope. ‘And while we have a moment...maybe you should teach me teleporting? I’d like to take us back and practice it myself.’
“There is no way I am letting you teleport me without practice first,” Scope shook her head. “I’ll teach you that and ‘Hive Mind’ when we get home.” Her horn flashed again and the two were seated at the table once more, though Scope looked a little dizzy.
“Bleh, I hate teleporting somepony else.”
“False alarm,” Ledger chirped, right before their food was brought out to them. The sight of half-a-dozen stuffed pasta shells on a bed of delicious smelling red-sauce…
The first one lasted all of two seconds. The rest got a brief respite while their friend was savored, but there would be no survivors.
“Hungry?” Fredrick chuckled as he watched Ledger annihilate the pasta with a vengeance. The carnage was both beautiful and terrifying.
“I have found a new favorite restaurant,” Ledger said after the last shell was devoured. “And I will have that recipe!”
“Good luck, that Griffon was pretty tightbeaked,” his friend smiled as the ponies had similar reactions to their own meals. Soon, their content was almost visible as they sat there patting their stomachs and sighing happily.
“Perhaps I should date that Griffon instead?” Narrow chuckled.
“I am going to barter,” Ledger said as he got to his hooves. “Wish me luck.”
Fredrick just huffed at both comments and folded his arms, even as Narrow laughed and hugged him.
“Oh don’t worry, you’re my favourite birdbrain.” She reached up and kissed him on the side of the beak. “Love you?”
Fredrick grumbled a little more, but gave her a kiss back. Though, it wasn’t really her he was paying attention to, but Bookmark and her...extremely spicy ribs.
The Unicorn tore into the meat with furious abandon. Several ponies walking past turned green and ran as fast as their hooves could carry them.
“Mmmm, so good,” she purred as she stripped the meat from the bone like a piranha. And then she started to taste the spice it had been flavored with. Her eyes widened as the spices burned like hellfire that spewed from Tartarus itself.
“Ohmygosh! My brain is on fire! I LOVE IT!!!” Scope cheered.
“First time I’ve seen a non-gryphon like the way a gryphon spices their food,” Fredrick observed as he cleaned his own ribs.
“Ah cam feel mah tum!” Scope breathed, and Midnight waved a wing as even her breath scorched the fur on her nose. “Shoo gud!”
“This family is sooo weird,” Cider sighed.
“Life is weird,” Fredrick retorted. “Try growing up as a gryphon in pony lands with a zebra godfather.”
Narrow looked at him with surprise. “You never told me that.”
“Ohh, storytime!” Midnight clapped her hooves.
“Not much to say,” Fredrick shrugged. “He was a good friend of my parents, and when they immigrated, so did he. Uncle Zethy was a good source of wisdom when mother and father were...less than knowledgeable about some things.”
“Why do I get the feeling your...personality is somewhat his doing?” Narrow replied with a small sigh.
“The fact that Zethy knew how best to flirt with every race and had an illicit copy of the Pony Sutra have nothing to do with how I turned out,” the griffon asserted. “I chose to follow his teachings.”
“Dear...see those Crystal Ponies there? The see-through one?”
“...Yeeeees?” the griffon replied, wondering where this was going.
“You are even clearer than they are,” she replied. “But still, I like you for you, so...I guess I owe this ‘Zethy’ of yours a thank you.”
“Sadly, he followed mother and father inland when they left, and left the house to me.” With a quick check, the griffon made sure his claws were clean of any residual sauce and nodded “Still, he taught me the value of respecting other walks of life...because no matter your species, a mare is a mare is a mare. A female to be respected and wooed into bed.”
“Is that so?” Narrow chuckled. “Well, consider me wooed then. And, I’m surprised you have no lovelorn hearts here in the Empire. Not a city you’ve conquered yet dear?”
“It’s only been back for so long,” Fredrick said with a wink. “I’m not so old as to have been around when it first was.”
“Hmm, coulda fooled me Grandpa,” Bookmark giggled. “Still, you remind me of Ledger. I’m surprised you don’t have a herd of your own yet.”
“I have paramours and lovers and bedmates, but none truly wanted me for me, merely what I could do. I wasn’t wanting for company…” here Fredrick sighed and looked at the bones on his plate. “But I was wanting for love.”
Midnight looked at him, then to Narrow. “Then, have you found what you’re looking for yet?”
Narrow blushed lightly and looked at him, wondering what his answer would be.
“That depends on my little blossom here,” the griffon said as he trailed a claw down Narrow’s spine. “Love and trust are two-way streets, if hers says NO ENTRY, then I’ll not continue down that road.”
Narrow shuddered at the touch and sighed. “I...wouldn’t be...adverse to you taking a trip down that road.”
Midnight withheld her squeal of joy. Fredrick was not so restrained. With a quick motion, the griffon was kissing the unicorn mare full on the lips, holding her close, and even slipping her a little tongue.
Midnight’s squeal was no longer withheld as she bounced in her seat happily. Her coat seemed to shimmer for just a second as her eyes sparkled. This was the best thing ever!
Scope and Cider smiled widely as well, as Narrow just blushed a deep red and returned the kiss. This time, though, it wasn’t Scope that ruined the moment.
“I return triumphant!” Ledger proclaimed as he returned from the kitchen.
“Goddammit Ledger!” all three of his mares said as the moment was ruined.
“What? What’d I do?” the confused unicorn asked.
“You totally ruined that moment,” Midnight pouted.
“Congrats Ledger, you’re the new me,” Scope nodded, folding her forelegs.
“Don’t worry, ah know you didn’t mean it,” Cider smiled. “Yer timin’ is still terrible though.”
“...You lot aren’t getting any cool food when we get back,” the stallion pouted. “Except Cider.”
“Awwww,” Scope and Midnight pouted.
“You were successful?” Fredrick said with widened eyes, letting go of Narrow.
“Mmmhmm, gave him mine and the stories behind them in exchange for his,” Ledger said with a smile. “I figured the stories might help loosen his tongue. Turns out I was right~”
“A Griffon worth his feathers loves a good story,” Fredrick nodded and he hugged his mare again. “Oh, and it seems I have a marefriend now. How about that huh?”
“Congrats!” Ledger said before he looked at his herd. “I have two,” he said, not wanting to blow Scope’s cover.
“Quality over quantity my friend,” Fredrick chuckled as he kissed Narrow again.
The PA system buzzed as the announcer from earlier came back. And Ledger finally recognised him as Flash Sentry.
“If everypony is ready, It. Is. TIME!”
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Man, watching Ledger talk about his siblings, suffer from pregnancy scare, the jousting/betting, and Ledger ruining a romantic moment made me laugh.
I can just see Pinkie doing a instant art on the wall of two changelings in suprise, which is only noticed when Ledger and Scope manage to recover and move away.
I don't remember Scope getting filled in the lost stanza... maybe I need to reread it or it's a really 'lost' part.
6739125
Lost Stanza is updated Friday. Tune back then for the latest~
6739597 Looking forward to it.
Ooh, the Heart is experimenting! Curious as to why she doesn't think the crystal effect won't similarly affect Changelings? Surely it never did the event with them around back then? It would be uber cool if it worked, and maybe another detection method if it doesn't and illusions can't replicate it....
Keep going! ;)
6739685
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Well the changelings in question are friendly towards the Heart and are much more receptive to love based magics..... so crystal changelings might be a thing. Oh I hope it is a thing
Lel. The Crystal Heart is such a tease.
that singing scene and the explanation made me think of this:
"who ELSE wants a Fluglehorn?"
oh...this reminds me of a funny story called "cooking Roach", starring a Changeling named "Rochelle", who enters a cooking contest...despite having NO TASTE BUDS...
Huh... the male CMC
CADENCE bet AGAINST Shining?!
This is a most beautyful chapter. Its the first story without constant conflict in the length to lighten my heart in passion for a cast of characters.
Beautyful work.
Most delightful vaccation.
Im quite surprised even re-reading why Secret Horder dont revealed himself to his best Griffon friend...
Ah, Crystal Thestral
It is time... To read the next chapter
This group of friends are amazing. Magnificent story ♡