//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty-Six - Summer Days // Story: A Daughter and her Dragon // by Level Dasher //------------------------------// “…and then we flew to the outer edge of the city, and I finally did another one of my air drops! Steadclaw had to clear away a few stray colts and fillies from my landing zone, but they all stayed to watch. One of them said I looked like a superhero,” Cotton chuckled, placing her damp, freshly cleaned hoof back on the floor. “I just can’t believe it took five days of summer before I got an opportunity.” “I hope your father knew where you were going, Miss Cotton. You know he—” “Um, Dawn, could you please drop the ‘Miss’ thing?” Cotton asked, slowly flaring her left wing so Dawn could give it a good scrub. “I know you say it ‘lessens the sense of professionalism,’ but when you’re cleaning somepony every morning, it’s already kind of personal. You can just call me ‘Cotton.’” Dawn chuckled as she brushed her charge’s wing. “Alright, but remember, Cotton, you only allowed me to begin your daily preenings within the past month. If anything, I would have thought you were trying to keep our interactions at a strictly professional level until now.” Cotton rolled her eyes. “Okay, I’ll give you that,” she conceded, “but still, the formality kinda bugs me.” “Fair enough, but don’t think you can change the subject so easily,” Dawn responded with a faint smile. “Did your father know where you were going?” Cotton groaned. “I told him we were at the park.” She turned around and fixed Dawn with puppy-dog eyes. “You won’t tell him, will you?” Dawn smirked. “It isn’t my place to flap my muzzle, Cotton,” she replied, “so as long as you don’t do anything reckless that will make my job harder, these lips are sealed.” With a relieved smile, Cotton responded, “Thanks. Besides, we really are going to the park today. We’re meeting the girls there to chill. Auntie Tia told me it was gonna be really nice out.” She ruffled her right wing before opening it. “Could you—” “Gentle with the right. I remember, Miss Cotton,” Dawn answered. “Whoops! Sorry—reflex.” “I’ll let it slide,” Cotton giggled. Ж “‘Kay, Ma! I’m going to pick up Cotton! See ya later!” Steadclaw called over his shoulder as he opened his front door. “Give her my regards!” “Thank you, Stella!” Cotton called back, standing in the doorway with a grin on her face. Steadclaw squawked, stumbling backwards. “Hey! I thought I was picking you up!” he laughed. “Gotta change the routine up every now and then,” Cotton replied, still grinning. “You get your grades back yet?” “Yeah. One A, two A-minuses, and a B-plus. I swear, Mr. Theorem’s got it out for me. What about you?” When Cotton looked down at the floor and rubbed one foreleg with a hoof, Steadclaw smirked. “All A’s?” “…Yeah. Mr. Turner wrote me a note saying he would’ve given me an A-plus-plus if he was allowed,” Cotton replied with a tinge in her cheeks. “Geez, I feel like such a teachers’ pet.” “Don’t,” Steadclaw replied, waving it off. “There’s a difference between sucking up and overachieving. Actually, I heard from the girls you annoyed Mr. Theorem and Mrs. Quill at one point.” “Yeah, because of Harmony and Flare being so nosy about our first date,” Cotton laughed. “Apparently Mrs. Quill’s lectures on the impermanence of high-school romances and their detriment to her studies almost put Flare to sleep through detention.” “Riiiiiiight,” he chuckled. “I don’t think Flare ever forgave us for that.” “Cotton!” Stella smiled as she approached the doorway holding a wet dish and a towel. “I thought I heard your voice. Lovely to see you.” “Likewise,” Cotton responded with her own smile, returning the hug Stella offered. “So did I hear correctly? A’s across the board? Well done! As far as I’ve heard, you’ll likely be valedictorian next year.” Blushing again, Cotton said, “Well, maybe. This was only my first year at UCHS, so probably not.” “Oh please,” Stella responded, flapping the towel in Cotton’s direction. “If you still have the highest average at the end of next year and the school doesn’t name you valedictorian, I’m sure at least one of your aunts will have something to say about it. Oh, but you don’t want to hear me flap my beak. Go on, you two. Have fun.” “We will, Mom,” Steadclaw said, rolling his eyes with another smirk. “Thanks, Stella,” Cotton giggled, as Steadclaw led her down the stairs. “And please don’t come back deep-fried after dropping the young lady off, Steadclaw,” Stella added. “Heh… I won’t, Mom,” Steadclaw said with a nervous laugh. “Stay out of trouble, stay off the streets!” she finished. Steadclaw let out an annoyed huff before turning around. “We will, Mom,” he deadpanned, before Stella stuck her tongue out at him and closed the door. Steadclaw put a claw to his face. “She is so weird.” “Pretty sure that’s a parental requirement,” Cotton chuckled. “Probably. C’mon, the girls are probably waiting for us,” Steadclaw responded, flapping his wings and rising into the air. “Hey, hold on,” Cotton said, grabbing one of Steadclaw’s hind paws and pulling him back down to the ground. “What’s up?” he asked her, landing on all fours. “I saw the way you reacted to your mom’s ‘deep-fried’ remark. I… can’t imagine they’re comforting, but you know all those cooking comments my dad makes are just jokes, right? I mean, I’ve told him they aren’t nice, but… are you like, legit scared of my dad?” she asked. “Well, more so than you should be anyway?” she added with a small smirk. Steadclaw rubbed the back of his neck. “Well… yeah, maybe a… a little,” he admitted. “I mean, before I left Griffonstone, my uncle told me, ‘Nothing makes a father happier than seeing his daughter with a smile on her face and her boyfriend with fear in his eyes’…” Cotton couldn’t help but giggle at that. “…but that, uh… Let’s say that puts it lightly.” Cotton’s laughing stopped short, leading into a sigh. “That bad?” Shuffling one of his paws, Steadclaw replied, “Well, it’s just… maybe I…” He finally hung his head and nodded as he let out a breath. “Yeah. I mean, let’s face it—your dad can be pretty scary even when he’s being nice. I honestly have no idea how I managed to keep myself from trembling when I was interviewing him for my paper.” He shrugged. “Well, actually, that may have been ‘cause we weren’t actually a thing yet. Now that he knows we’re together, your dad’s really been keeping his eye on me. I think the frequent reminder of his flame-breath possibly joining it just kinda freaks me out.” He turned around and looked at his front door with a huff. “The fact that my mom just goes along with it really doesn’t help either.” Cotton shook her head as she put a hoof to her face. “Dammit, I knew Dad was overdoing it. I’m sorry. I’ll talk with him when I get home later, okay?” Steadclaw smiled and nodded, but before he could give thanks, Cotton turned her head away, and he heard her mumble under her breath, “Figures, first boyfriend I get Dad’s gonna scare away before I even—” “Hey,” Steadclaw said, putting a claw to her cheek and turning her head back in his direction. “Your dad may scare the droppings outta me, but nothing’s scaring me away.” He held his smile as he slid his claw under Cotton’s chin. “I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to.” Cotton smiled back at him before taking his claw in her hoof. “Don’t go anywhere,” she responded, pulling him in for a kiss. After they parted, Steadclaw simply said, “As you wish.” Ж Harmony Wishes lay on the ground covering her eyes. Strange Catalyst stared awkwardly. Steadclaw held Cotton’s hoof, both of them blushing. “I know I’m the seventh wheel,” Daisy groaned, “but is this really necessary, Flare?” Flarechaser pulled herself away from the burly, aqua blue Earth pony she had been necking. “Hey! I need to show my Zora-bear some love. It’s, like, my civic duty.” Zora nuzzled Flare’s withers. “Yes, but do you really need to do it in public?” Harmony said from behind her covered eyes. “There is such a thing as common decency, you know!” Flarechaser groaned, pressing into Zora’s chest. “We can’t do this at home.” “Is it because as an Earth pony he would fall out of your house?” Strange asked. “You can’t say that!” Harmony dug her knee into his side. “It’s very rude.” “It is? I thought it was logical reasoning.” “You still shouldn’t say it!” Harmony hissed. “It’s not that—just Mom and Dad are being a bummer about us,” Flarechaser replied. “I guess he’s right, though. Unless Flare has a real tight lip-lock on him, he would fall through the floor,” Steadclaw said, nodding. “That—” Zora chuckled, eyes flashing green fire, “—would not be a problem.” “Madre de Solis!” Daisy gasped. “You’re a changeling?” “Wait… you’re not Flicka Ring, right?” Steadclaw asked. “You gotta tell us if you are. It’s like, the law or something.” Flarechaser glared at the griffon. “Like I’d put my tongue anywhere near that—” “It is through my little bro that we met,” Zora interrupted. “Homewrecker! Adulterer!” Daisy gasped. “I don’t think those words mean what you think they mean, Daisy,” Cotton snorted. “My little Zora—” Flare started. “Who is a full year older than you,” Zora corrected. “As I was saying,” Flarechaser continued, “Zora came to see me after the dance, to apologize for Flick’s stupid behavior—” “That was only two weeks ago! You’re already at first base?” Harmony shrieked. “Have you no sense of propriety?” Flare stuck out her tongue. “Third, actually.” “What would the princesses say?” asked Daisy, shaking her head with a wry smile. “Thou hat done thy goodeth job,” Steadclaw laughed under his breath to Cotton. “That’s not even close to correct…” Cotton whispered back. “Though Aunt Luna probably would say something like that. Followed by a hearty ‘Huzzah!’” “Hey!” Flarechaser shouted, unaware of Cotton and Steadclaw’s interchange, “Like I said, feeding Zora love is my civic duty.” “Literally,” Daisy responded before mock heaving. “Hey, don’t blame me, just because all of you are prudes,” Flarechaser said, waving her hoof at the group. “I mean, you can barely tell Cotton and Steadclaw are dating, and… wait. Harmony, does Strange even know what sex is?” “Sex: Noun. The sum of the structural and functional differences by which the male and female are distinguished, or the phenomena or behavior dependent on said differences,” Strange replied without inflection. “Celestia’s panties, you are all so boooooooring.” “If it makes your friends uncomfortable, Flare,” Zora started, “we can—” “I’m sick of changing what I want to do just to please somepony else,” Flare grumbled. “They’re my friends. If they don’t like it, they can lump it.” “Well, I guess I’m happy for you,” Cotton said. “You guess?” “Okay, I am happy for you,” Cotton amended, scooting closer and putting a wing around Flarechaser. “It’s just, well, not all of us are as brave as you are.” Flarechaser groaned, leaning lightly against Zora. “Sorry, Zorie, we’ll have to wait until later.” Zora planted a light kiss upon her forehead. “I am happy to wait for you.” “Oh pbbbbbbbt.” Flarechaser blew a raspberry at Zora. “So, what grades did you get, Cotton?” Harmony asked. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!” Flarechaser screamed. “So! Boring!” Ж “Well, that happened,” Steadclaw said with a chuckle, as he and Cotton landed in front of The Haybale, just as the sun touched the horizon. The few scattered patrons inside did not detract from the private atmosphere of the eatery. “Seriously,” Cotton giggled. “Looks like we started a trend. How long do you think until Daisy hooks up with Sprout?” “Pfft. I don’t think that’s happening. One look at his mohawk and her parents’d kick him out the door.” “Oh yeah, good point,” she laughed. “Shame the girls didn’t wanna join us, though.” “Eh, sounds like they all have stuff to do. And I’m pretty sure Flare and Zora just wanna neck.” Cotton suppressed a snort before whacking him with her wing. “You’re terrible!” “Am I wrong?” Steadclaw asked with a smirk. “Probably not,” Cotton admitted with a shrug. “C’mon, let’s go.” As they walked in, the host spotted them and smiled. “Good afternoon! Table for two?” “Yes please,” Cotton answered with a smile of her own. “Right this way.” The host led them to a familiar table looking out over Pastern Boulevard. “Here you are. Your waiter will be with you momentarily,” he said, laying out a pair of menus as the two of them sat down. “Thank you,” Steadclaw responded, the host nodding as he walked away. “Huh. Looks different during the day, but I’m pretty sure this is the same table we sat at last time. Think he remembers us?” “We’re pretty hard to forget,” Cotton chuckled. While Steadclaw looked at his menu, she gazed behind him intently. Deliberately looking down at her own menu, she casually asked, “So, who was watching us last time?” Steadclaw fumbled his menu. “Uh… what makes you think we were being watched?” Shrugging, Cotton said, “Just a hunch. Do you know if anyone was?” Steadclaw glanced back and forth before he asked, “How’d you know?” Smirking, Cotton answered, “Because you just told me.” Steadclaw proceeded to smack his face with his menu, causing Cotton to laugh. “That, and I’m pretty sure that’s our waiter from last time standing behind you, and it looks like he’s frantically looking around the room to see if anyone is paying extra attention to us.” “Dammit you’re good,” Steadclaw chuckled, shaking his head. “Thank you, thank you,” Cotton responded. “Were they wearing a mustache?” Steadclaw’s eyes widened. “Okay, stop it. That’s just creepy.” Cotton laughed again. “Ha! Aunt Luna. Figures.” “Since you’re on a roll, I’ll just tell you someone else was with her. Didn’t recognize ‘em, though,” Steadclaw said. “Pfft. Probably Aunt Cadance. She was in the neighborhood. Alright, that’s enough, let’s just eat.” “Thank you. Now I know I am never going to be able to surprise you,” Steadclaw said, eliciting a giggle from Cotton. The waiter finally approached them. “W-welcome to The Haybale. A-are you ready to order?” Cotton and Steadclaw looked at each other and both started laughing. “Relax, we’re just here for a late lunch,” Cotton told him. “Nopony’s watching us this time.” “So you say,” the waiter responded, casting his glance back and forth. A wry grin crept onto Steadclaw’s beak before he waved at a spot behind Cotton and said, “Oh! Hi, Princess!” Cotton turned around and the waiter’s head whipped over to face where Steadclaw had motioned, only to find nobody there. Steadclaw just snickered as the waiter let out an audible groan. “Don’t be mean!” Cotton chided him. Turning to the waiter, she said, “Sorry.” As she glared at Steadclaw, she added, “We’ll tip big.”