> Pureblood
>  by Toraka
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It looked like yet another fine day in Canterlot. The Sun was already high, awakening the blooming nature in and around the castle with the blessed warmth of an invigorating spring morning. Many ponies were out enjoying the national holiday, playing, talking, or just having a walk in one of the many parks around. There were a few clouds in the sky, but those coming too close to the Sun quickly evaporated, no hint of them remaining except for a rainbow trail going away from where they used to be. On a clear day like this one, or the many like it before and after it, the sight available from Canterlot was simply marvellous. A certain pegasus whose tan coat was accompanied by a red mane and matching tail, both of which were just in the right length for him. They were just long enough for what he needed them to do, but no inch longer. Or maybe they were two inches longer than that. He never put too much effort into his looks, insisting that everything he liked that simultaneously got the job done was sufficient. His determination to himself had once proven itself when he had appeared back in class after the holidays with a mane so long it could reach past his shoulders. Inexplicably, his hair had been cut to half length the day after, even though or maybe because most of the fillies in class had expressed how cute he looked like that. But that was long past. He sank further down into the grass, spreading his wings to catch as much of the wonderful warmth as possible.

"Oi, bloodstain!" If there was one thing that filled him with even more happiness than seeing mornings like this one, it'd be doing so after a period of rainy days. If there were two things, they would be the aforementioned one plus being with Passion Fire. They were just the perfect match, balancing out each other's weaknesses. Not to mention that she was the prettiest pony he had ever seen. From hooves to head, she was covered in uniform yellow, which culminated into a straight mane much like his own. That was probably the reason why ponies said they were twins roasted to different degrees. He could spend hours just adoring her cutie mark, which consisted of a small flame, as well as what it was inscribed into. "Eyes don't have a compass. Let them go too far south and they'll get lost." And she always knew what he was thinking.

"Yeah, Passy?" he said, slowly awakening from his sun-induced haze.

"Second name. You know I hate it when you use that one."

He rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes and sat up straight in order to look into hers, "Why, anyway? You never explained that to me."

"Because it's one lett- you know what, I'll explain it later." Selected spots in her face grew orange. It was something that occured rather often with her, which was especially proficient for her because he found it so cute he always forgot why it had happened in the first place. "Anyway, why are we here again?"

"Enjoy our day off with a bit of fun in nature? Though, we can go wherever and do whatever you want. What's important for me is that we're doing it together. Heck, we could visit the dumps and you'd still make it the most beautiful place in the world."

The orange darkened. Mentally, he high-hoofed himself. It was so easy to bait such a reaction out of Passion Fire that he had made a game out of it. It wasn't a record by any means, but the shade she had right now was still considerable. She levitated a nearby flower up to her face, smelling it. "I can't believe I let a romantic like you be my coltfriend," she murmured while tossing the flower somewhere out of sight.

"Me neither. How did we even hook up again? Anyway, that's not important right now. When you start with such a question already, is there something you'd like to do?"

"Well, there's a temporary exhibition in the art museum..."

Of course. Many ponies expected the exact opposite from her lively nature, but Passion enjoyed art. Very much so, in fact. He couldn't necessarily say the same, but he had learned very early in their relationship that you can have either your will or a filly by your side, never both at the same time. "So you'd like to invite me there? How kind of you."

Suddenly, she pounced him with the grace and fury of a wild cat. It was never quite clear whether she had in mind to massage or mutilate him when she did that, so he braced himself for the worst. Fortunately, she had chosen the peaceful option, "You idiot! Adorable cute little idiot!"

"Help, I'm being hugged without consent! Yeah, I guess we could go. I honestly can't afford paying for you, though," he said, softly pushing at the bonds surrounding him until she submitted and stepped off of him. "I hope you understand."

"Yeah, I understand. Whatever it is you spend your money on, I guess that's not my problem."

"I'm glad you do. Life isn't being all too easy on me right now." That wasn't entirely true. While he did in fact have limited funds at his disposal, they would easily be able to stand two entry fees for the museum instead of just one. He simply didn't like spending money that he could also pull out of Passion. Sometimes he wondered if she was aware of that fact and played along because of their love or if she genuinely believed him. While sitting, he stretched, his feathers rustling from the few beats that he did with his wings to warm up before taking off and hovering above Passion's head. "Because I can, that's why. So, wanna go?"

"Now?"

"Of course now. That is, the after we get our things now. Unless you've finally learned Magic Passage and can break us in, though I guess that'd be illegal. Perhaps you could summon fake coins or hypnotise the cashier. But that'd also be illegal. You know, all those tricks that you can do. And I can't. On the other hoof, I can fly, which you, well, I guess you can also do that. Am I doing it again?"

She giggled. His goal was fulfilled for now. "Elementary, my dear Ignatius. I just wanna stay for a second longer. Um, you know, stand up properly and all that."

"In other words, you want to enjoy nature a bit more. Ah, i donne, che sa, che sa. Coming to think of it, why are you allowed to use my first name when I'm not?"

Without a word, she laid down and closed her eyes. Until she was ready to go, he flew slow circles above her, occasionally tugging lightly on her mane or tickling her with a feather. To his displeasure, he couldn't elicit more than small hisses and sighs from her. Finally, she rose up again. "Alright, Pestatius Verne, let's go."

"Yaay, staring at two lines on a piece of linen that cost more than the average pony household!"

"What do I have to give you to make you shut up?"

He flew down so that his face was just in front of hers, though upside down, "A kiss might do."

She accepted the trade. He wouldn't have expected that, but it was more than favorable for him. The only thing he regret was that he now had to keep his end of the bargain.



After a brief visit to their respective rooms, Ignatius and Passion Fire arrived at the museum, both carrying saddlebags with some money and a few other necessary things. In his case, that meant just a few extra bits to pay for her unpredictable, but certain to happen, wish somewhere along the way, and nothing else. Somehow, she had managed to fill up her bags to the point that some of that which was inside was visible from the outside. Such a topic was always fun discussing about, but the only outcome Ignatius could get out of it was another confirmation that fillies and logic originated from different realities altogether, so he let it be this time.

"Two scholars," Passion said to the cashier pony.

"That'll be twenty bits please," he replied, entering the amount into his register, which confirmed him with a ding.

"Of course, just..." Passion Fire turned her head to call Ignatius and make him pay his share, but found him fascinated by a butterfly on the outside of the window. Thus, she instead turned back and pulled out a twenty bits bill. "There ya go."

"Thank you," he said while taking the money and ripping off two tickets for them. "Enjoy your stay."

"IV! Your flank, over here," she called for him, but when she looked to see where he was, he had suddenly vanished to then surprise her out of the air from behind. "Funny, pipsqueak. You owe me for that one."

"For what?" Ignatius asked with the most innocent face he managed, hoping she'd buy it.

"The entries, you... ah, forget it." She signalled for him to follow and walked into the exhibition. For a second, she thought she heard something like repressed snickering behind her, but she figured it couldn't be interesting for her since Ignatius was currently floating above her.



"Now, my darling, what does this tell you?" Passion Fire asked. She and IV were currently looking at a particular picture that blended together various shades of green and yellow to create a highly expressionistic collage.

"That I should be concerned for the health of me, at least partially, since you've suddenly decided to call me names a normal mare would use. Okay, okay. Looks like somepony's had some good breakfast."

"Just one day without you and your silly responses. Wait... Morning Hours by Starlight. Techniques used: Cereal, eggs, and a hay sandwich," she read from the plate next to the picture. Of course, with his strong pegasus eyes, he had been able to read that even while they had been just approaching. "Huh. Seems like not every artisan is a pony of art in the classical sense."

"You're so classy when you're like that."

The look on Ignatius' face gave Passion an accurate depiction of his opinion on that pun. Determined not to let him beat her, Fire said, "I guess we gotta class until a winner emerges then."

"Look, my love. Somepony built a statue out of cheese over there. Wait, that's just your puns."

"At least I can produce my own cheese, other than you. Uh, I mean..." The way she reacted to herself amazed Ignatius. That was sure to be a new record, and he hadn't even done anything for it.

"I doubt that'd work. Though you're free to try. Want me to help you with it?"

If IV had deserved a high-hoof for his previous records, then he should now have all four of his hooves bumped simultaneously. Passion's mane now only slightly surpassed the adorable little strip that had expanded across her nose. She gave IV a rather strong jab into his side and refused any further conversation as if to limit damage taken.



Only when her face had returned to uniform yellow Passion Fire accepted Ignatius' attempts to talk to her. Up until then, he had been quietly commenting on the things they saw on their way through the exhibition on his own. When they came to a statue of a mare without any fur in a position of simple innocence, she broke the her own silence, "That's an interesting one. What do you think about it?"

"So that's how they look like. Hum."

"Don't you already have a perfect model for everything you'll ever see of a filly?"

"Well.." IV, instead of finishing his response, began to obviously compare Passion's features to the statue's.

"Careful what you say next, squirt. I said everything you will ever see. Nothing more," she said, moving in close and putting a hoof around his neck, tightening it more than necessary. In response, he just squeaked and took his refuge in the skies or, failing that, somewhere she couldn't reach him. "Someday, I'll take those wings off and then you'll finally love me like a stallion!"

He shrugged, "Eh, too obvious. Try and give me a setup I can actually take credit for."

"I hate you," she whispered.

He landed next to her again, "I'd rather that than whatever tough love you've got in store for me."



At long last, IV could stretch out his wings and enjoy his natural freedom again as he stepped out into the sunlight. With one giant, wing-amplified leap, he jumped to a nearby rooftop, sitting on the edge as he looked down upon the puny mortals below.

"I know pegasususes are bird-brains, but drop it. We've been inside no three hours and you already act like that. It's embarassing."

"I need my airspace! When you're one like me, you need to use your wings once in a while, or they get bored and itchy and force you to think about how great flying would be all day," he called down to a disappointed looking Passion Fire.

"I can imagine that. That's not my matter however, as with all like it."

"You know," IV said, gliding down until he stood directly in front of Passion, "with how you always act embarassed of me and tell me to grow up, I have to wonder why you're still with me. Do you really love me? Or do you just want something of me? Are you," he did an overdrawn gasp, hinting at a lack of seriousness in his current statement, "are you just in heat and want my body?"

Passion Fire sighed and looked at the floor, but came back up with a smile. "Sugar, if that were true, you'd have had plenty of riding lessons already. No, that's not up for..." Passion ran her hoof across an imaginary table in the air, "surprisingly little time. Anyhow, you wouldn't have our relationship any other way, would you?"

He chuckled. "Never."

She gently kissed him. "Thanks for coming, though. It really means a lot to me to have you by my side."