Kai yawned as he reached over and turned the light off next to the bed. Twilight still hadn’t returned from Canterlot, so he just sort of… milled about Rarity’s place. Sure, the job provided ample distraction, but he was still a bit unsure to wander around on his own. Every time he’d gone out, he’d always had somepony with him.
With a sigh, he pulled the blanket up further. The nights here had started getting cooler. Apparently winter was going to be set up soon. He still thought that was odd, that they actually controlled the weather so precisely. A part of him thought that was a disaster waiting to happen. He glanced at a clock, frowning as he saw it was already 1am.
“Great, now I’m losing sleep too,” he muttered. He didn’t know why either. Sure, he tended to get bouts of insomnia when he was stressed or nervous, but… he wasn’t stressed here. So, what was causing it?
He suddenly yelped as a bright light filled the room like a massive camera flash. He could smell burned ozone and then the air evacuated his lungs as something heavy landed on his chest.
“Ohmigosh, sorry…” came the hushed, yet familiar tone. He opened his eyes, blinking away the spots and tears of pain before looking into a pair of familiar purple orbs.
“T-Twilight?” he asked, coughing lightly.
“Sorry, didn’t think you’d be in here,” she whispered. “Though… I kinda hoped. Ah, sorry for landing on you though. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just… wasn’t expecting you to literally drop out of thin air,” he mused, rubbing her head. “What are you doing here.”
“Well um…” Twilight blushed a little and giggled. “I guess I was a little impatient to get home. Spike is still coming home tomorrow, er well… later today I guess, on the train but…” She leaned against him, nuzzling his cheek. “I missed having you around.”
Then he realised what was causing his discomfort, that he realised he missed her too. Was that why he’d been losing sleep lately? He put an arm around her, stroking her back gently. “Yeah, missed you too,” he smiled. “Still, you couldn’t wait a few more hours… or you know, use the door?”
“It’s like… ridiculously late, I didn’t want to wake Rarity or Pinkie,” she said. “And well, I guess I was a little impatient.” She sighed contently as she rolled over to lay next to him. “At least I have some answers… as awkward as it was.”
“Oh?” Kai mused, keeping up his petting of her. He was finding it very soothing.
“Mhm, Princess Celestia must have apologised a thousand times about the confusion about the library,” the small alicorn said. “Between getting me back, you suddenly appearing and all that, it was just a detail that was… lost along the way. She apologised for hours.” She sighed contently as she closed her eyes. “It’s not like I was mad or anything. I was away from here for nearly a year, so I expected somepony to take over as librarian. The princess has offered to help find a new residence for us though. I don’t want to be a burden on Rarity and Pinkie forever.”
“I get the feeling Pinkie would disagree,” Kai mused as he ran his fingers through her mane. It was so soft, though her scalp was a little sweaty. Probably from the exertion of teleporting so far. “So, how’d everything else go?”
“Well it was interesting enough,” Twilight said. “Shining and Cadence returned to the Crystal Empire. They want us to visit them sometime. Oh, and Princess Celestia and Luna send their regards as well.” She leaned against him, closing her eyes. “So how about you? Get up to much?”
“Hmm, this and that,” he said with a small smirk, getting an annoyed snort from her. “Well, I think I helped Flash Step find a special someone?”
“Oh?” Twilight said and giggled. “Stealing Cadence’s job now?”
“Maybe it’s my true calling, helping little ponies find romance and stuff,” Kai mused as he ran his fingers through her mane. “Hey Twi?”
“Mm?” she murmured, her eyes closed as she enjoyed his gentle ministrations.
“You wanna go out on a date tomorrow… today, just the two of us this time?” her human asked.
“That sounds nice,” she smiled and angled her head up. She felt… warm, as their lips connected, the alicorn letting out a small sigh as they held the kiss for a moment before separating slightly. She licked her lips and looked at him, lightly chewing her lower lip. “H-Hey… Kai?”
“Mm?” he replied, booping her nose and smiling as she scrunched it up.
“Could um…” she started to blush, well… she thought she was. Her face felt like it was burning. “Could we…?” She couldn’t get the rest out. This was, kind of embarrassing. The books she read made it sound so… natural.
“I’ve been thinking,” Kai suddenly said, snapping her out of her little mental dilemma. “I know I’ve been… skating around this relationship. Dating a pony has… well, I guess it’s taken a little time to get used to.”
“I know, and I don’t blame you for it. Really,” Twilight said, before he put a finger to her lips.
“I know, but it hasn’t been fair on you,” he replied softly. “So, starting now, I’ll try and be better oka-mmpf!?” Kai’s words were cut off as the alicorn kissed him, one far from the chaste, sweet ones they’d shared a scant few times already. This one was far more passionate and… almost hungry.
And the human soon returned it, after getting over the initial shock as their tongues fought for dominance. The pair moaning softly into each other's mouths. Twilight rolled over, getting the human to pin her under him, the act making her heart race as her tail swished back and forth.
She was surprisingly strong despite the size difference. Kai let out a small breath as the sudden position change, though he was loathe to break the electrically charged kiss with the small equine.
Though eventually, Kai soon broke the kiss. His cheeks flushed as he panted, refilling his lungs as he stared down at the mare under him. “Wow…” he murmured.
“Wow indeed,” she shared the sentiment as she put a hoof to his chest. Okay Twi. You could do this! “D-Do you… want to keep g-going?” she asked, her blush showing clear through her fur as she stuttered out the question.
“Keep…?” His eyes widened, his own cheeks heating up as he came to a particular conclusion. “Twilight,” he said as he rubbed one of her ears gently, his thumb and forefinger running along the fuzzy edge. “Are you saying we could… well…” He just couldn't bring himself to find the words.
“Mhm…” she squeaked and nodded, even as her horn glowed softly, teasing the edge of his shirt. “O-Only if you want to though…”
“Oh,” he simply said. Well… okay then.
Rarity hummed a small tune as she tended to the stovetop, whipping up an omelette and some rich Saddle Arabian coffee to go with it. Her ear flicked as she heard the door open and turned to greet the other occupant of the house. “Oh, good morning Kai. How did… you…” She blinked and rubbed her eyes with a hoof as she saw the more equine of her houseguests. “Twilight?”
The purple alicorn practically floated into the room, her tail swaying and her wings flicking as she smiled and dipped her head to greet her friend. “Morning Rarity~” she practically sang as she spun the surprised unicorn in an impromptu dance, leaving the alabaster mare quite flustered.
“I uh…” Rarity shook her head to regain some composure. That was certainly… rather ‘Un-Twilight like’. “Twilight dear. When did you get in?”
“Oh, early this morning,” she hummed as she took a seat at the table. “I teleported in so as not to wake you and Pinkie.”
“I… see,” Rarity blinked. With that question out of the way, she moved to the next. Namely, what had put her friend into such a great mood. In fact, she was positively glowing right now.
Wait a minute.
“Twilight?” Rarity asked, her confused expression turning into a coy smile. “Did you… happen to wake a certain human last night instead?”
“Maaaybe,” Twilight giggled as her magic morphed some napkins to a pony and human origami, making them dance with one another.
“And perchance,” the unicorn continued. “Did the two of you make some… progressions in your relationship last night?”
Twilight’s fun paused as she looked at Rarity with surprising seriousness. “Rarity, a lady does not kiss and tell.”
The unicorn mare giggled into her hoof as she returned to her cooking. “No, I suppose one does not,” she smiled, immensely happy for the both of them.
“So…” Flash Step drawled as she reclined on the couch, talking with her human friend as he watched the store for Rarity. Apparently she had an ‘urgent appointment’ with Twilight and had dragged his marefriend off without another word. “You finally got some alicorn booty huh?”
“A gentleman does not kiss and tell,” he huffed as he hung a dress on one of the racks.
“Yeah right,” Flash snorted as she sipped her tea.
“Well, what about you and that little mare I left you with at the bar?”
“Cheerilee?” Flash asked. “Thanks for bailing by the way. You owe me thirty bits. Also, yeah… we hit it off. She talked a bunch about her work. I talked a bunch about mine. Apparently high stress jobs makes a pony want to unwind. Namely in her room… and her living room, and her bathroom, and her—”
“Yeah yeah I get it you little pony pervert,” Kai sighed and shook his head. “Well, I guess me and Twi took a… certain step.”
“Aaaaand?” Flash mused, grining widely as she leaned over the back of the couch. Her tail wagging back and forth as she giggled. “I want details!”
“And you’re not getting them,” Kai retorted as he hung a few more dresses. “Honestly…” He stepped back and admired his work for a moment. “Apparently Twi and I are getting our own place too. So that’ll be something.”
“Yeah, I’ve already been briefed on that,” Flash Step nodded. “For now, I’m still assigned as yours and her personal guard. I mean, it’s a pretty sweet gig. Nopony’s been a Princess’s personal guard as young as me. So that’s awesome.”
“Moving on up in the world huh?” Kai chuckled as he straightened a dress that was out a little. “Okay, that’s done so…” he looked around at the empty store. “Guess it’s a tad quiet around here today.”
“It’s Ponyville, quiet is the default for this place,” Flash sighed. “I mean, would it hurt to have something to do around here?” she said and flopped back onto the couch. “I’m booooored.”
“Well, that sounds like a personal problem,” Kai chuckled as he tried to recall what else he had to do. “Maybe something will find you? He said and snapped his fingers. “That’s right! I have to--” before they heard a loud scream coming from outside. Kai turned and levelled a stare at Flash Step.
“What? Don’t look at me,” she said as she got up. “We both taunted the universe this time.”
“Pony land needs a more ignorant god like the one back home,” the retorted as they headed outside.
…
Well… okay… that was a thing that was happening.
“What the hell is that?” Kai asked as they stared at the frankenstein creation. It was a large golem of sorts, around ten feet tall and made of everything; up to and including a kitchen sink. It was like a pile of junk came to life and now rampaged across town.
And did it have scooters for feet?
“What the fuck?” Kai blinked.
“I honestly have no idea,” Flash deadpanned as she watched it stomp around. “But I have to stop it before it hurts somepony.”
“Um… how?” Kai asked with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, it’s a giant garbage golem on rollerskates!”
Flash Step darted forwards, blindingly fast as she jumped into the air and spun, kicking it right in the head with a powerful blow, enough to make it stumble back.
“By hitting it really hard!” she answered.
The golem looked… less than pleased with that answer. And more so at the fact the little mare had kicked it in the face. It let out a sound that could be constituted as a growl before it reached over to the kitchen sink that made up a good portion of it’s torso and…
Okay, seeing something pull a part of itself off of itself was disturbing. Even more so when Kai had a wild thought about what it would do with that. He had a nasty premonition of the sink hitting Flash in the head as the golem started to take aim at her.
“Flash MOVE!” he yelled as the golem flung the ceramic object, the earth pony sliding under it and then digging her forehoof into the ground, lifting her hindlegs as she pirouetted and lashed out with a buck strong enough to snap trees, aiming for the golem’s left leg. With a loud bang, her kick scattered the junk that comprised it’s leg, sending it scattering along the ground.
The golem made a sound like a snort as it pulled some nearby junk over and pressed it to the part where it’s leg had been. The pony and human stared in shock as it started to move around, twisting, until the golem had a new leg comprising of an old sewing machine, a garbage can lid, and a twisted golf club.
“That’s cheating!” Flash yelled and looked back at Kai. “You need to get out of here. Let me deal with this!”
“I’m not gonna let you get squashed by this overgrown garbage tip,” he said back as he looked around for a weapon. He’d played Dark Souls, he had this…
“Idiot,” the mare sighed as she looked for another opening. “This kind of golem must have a magical core somewhere. If it was able to regenerate like that.” She simplified it. “Kinda like a big magical magnet.”
“Yeah, understood the first one,” Kai said as he pulled up a loose picket fence pailing.
The golem let out something akin to a roar as it lumbered towards another collection of junk. Some broken cart parts next to a store. Apparently it was more interested in growing larger than fighting her, if given a choice. Okay then, she could probably stall it by smashing it up. “Dammit, if we had a mage, they could just hit the thing with a null field!” she shouted.
Then Kai got an idea. “Stall it!” he said as he ran back to the boutique. Flash blinked, but nodded as she jumped up and kicked its head again. The golem growled again and ripped off the mixer from its shoulders, using it as an impromptu club to try and smash her with.
“Ohh so slow~” she teased as she ran between its legs and kicked it in the back. “Well, I guess your creator wasn’t too good.” She turned and prepared to buck it’s other leg off…
Only to squeak as the golem spun at the waist and actually caught her, holding her up to its face.
“Umm… parley?” she said with a nervous smile. Shit, this was bad.
Wait, no, it was worse. It was squeezing. She let out a small squeak as she tried to push back with her trapped limbs. This… this was going to be a really sucky way to die… Dammit… things were finally going good for her. And now a simple fuck up was going to get her killed.
“Hey asshole!” Kai called out as he held a pile of random stuff. “Eat up!” and then he tossed the stuff into the air.
The golem turned to track the junk, letting go of Flash as it tried to get to the trash fast enough. Apparently it was mesmerized by the stuff. Flash Step hit the ground, rollling a few times as she coughed and wheezed. And as the golem started to collect the junk…
Why was Kai smiling?
“Thanks for the save but…” Flash coughed. “That thing’s gonna get bigger…”
“Magic holds it together right?” Kai asked.
“Uh… yeah?”
“Well, good thing I tossed that magical Null Ring into the pile.”
….Waitwhat?
The golem let out something like a burp as it sat there for a moment...before falling apart, piece by piece. Sitting on top of the pile was a crystal blue ball, the spark of magic in it fading now that the null ring had touched it.
“Huh… that, was actually kind of genius,” Step said as she walked up to the ball, lifting her hoof and shattering it under her powerful blow. “But, where’d you get that from. How’d you know what it was?”
“Oh, Twilight had it last night. She wore it just in case her magic lashed out by accident when we…” he blushed and paused. “A-Anyway! I think that problem is dealt with now.”
“Pfft,” Flash giggled as she looked at the pile of junk. “I wonder who made this thing though…”
They heard a shout as the pair turned to see three fillies running towards their location. And they were arguing from the sounds of it.
“Ah told ya it was a plumb fool idea!”
“What? It was your idea to use all that junk to make it.”
“....I thought it was pretty cool.”
The other two paused to look at the little orange pegasus and shook their heads. “Well,” the white unicorn said. “It was working fine up until it suddenly took off like that. We need to find it before it…”
“Huh? Why’d ya stop Sweetie?” the earth pony with the bow said and followed her gaze to the pile of junk in the middle of the street. “Whoa…”
“What happened?” the pegasus blinked before they saw Kai and Flash Step standing there. “Ohh… we’re in trouble…”
“You’re damned right you are!” Flash yelled as she started stomping towards them. “That damned thing nearly killed me. And it would have if Kai hadn’t been quick on his hooves.”
“Feet,” Kai corrected.
“Semantics!” Flash yelled back, the human raising his hands in surrender as she turned her wrath back to the three fillies. “If you were my kids, I’d beat your flanks so hard they’d glow brighter than the sun. Lucky for you, you aren’t…” And before the trio could be let off the hook completely. “That’s why you lot are going to clean up all of this mess and apologise to everyone here.”
“But—”
“I’m a royal guard kiddo,” she leaned in closer to Scootaloo, making the filly gulp down the lump in her throat. “And you better believe your little feathered butt that all of your parents will be hearing about this.”
“Y-Yes ma’am!” they squeaked out.
“Good,” Flash said, standing back up. Now came the hard part…
Explaining this to the princess.
“You WHAT!?” Twilight yelled, Flash Step wincing under the force that last word emanated. “I… but…” Twilight spluttered, before her anger died almost instantly as Kai pet her head.
“Deep breaths,” Kai said. “No-one got hurt, well, aside from a few bruised ribs on Flashy here.”
“Say what you will… those kids made a hell of a golem,” she said, white bandages now adorning her barrel. That earth pony nurse was cute too. “I’d shudder to think if they used their powers for evil.”
“Equestria would be doomed in a week,” Pinkie, Twilight and Rarity said in unison.
“...that was creepy,” Flash shuddered. “So, where’d you ladies go anyway? Bet your day wasn’t as exciting as ours.”
“No, I’d wager not,” Rarity sighed and chuckled. “We were actually catching up with everyone, renewing the ‘bonds of friendship’ as it were.”
“We had a picnic in the Whitetail Woods,” Pinkie smiled. “Sorry we didn’t invite you two, but we wanted it to be just us six girls.”
“Hey, it’s cool,” Kai smiled as he continued to pet his alicorn. “I’m glad you’re patching your friendships up Twi.”
“Yes, I am too,” she smiled and nuzzled his palm. "And Flash Step? Thank you for keeping everypony safe.”
“Just doing my job your Highness,” she saluted. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my shift is up and I have a sexy school teacher to get some pampering from~”
“Yeah yeah,” Kai waved his friend off. “Hey, speaking of…”
“Ohh, you wanna know sexy details~”
“No,” he sighed. “I mean about your shift. What happens if someone tried anything during the night?”
“Oh,” Flash smiled. “Then they’d have to deal with your night guard.”
“We have a night guard?” Twi and Kai echoed.
“...Seriously, still creepy,” Flash sighed. “And yeah you do. You have since you guys got here.”
“But, we’ve never seen them,” Twilight said.
“She wouldn’t be very good at her job otherwise,” Flash said as she bowed her head. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date~” And with another salute, she left the Boutique.
“So, has anypony seen this Night Guard?” Kai asked, getting a shake of the head before Rarity and Twilight looked at Pinkie.
“Really dear, even you?” Rarity asked her pink marefriend. “I’d have thought your Pinkie Sense could feel them out.”
“Yeah...new pony, but I can’t find them,’ she said, sniffing around like a bloodhound. “Hmmmmm….”
“She’ll… be at that for a while I’d wager,” Rarity sighed. “Oh, how did business go today Kai?”
“Not too bad actually,” the human said, taking out a notepad. “You have a custom order for a one Lily Valley. And the shipment of Saddle Arabian Silk should show up by the weeks end.”
“Ohh, I can’t wait,” Rarity titted and smiled at the thought or working with that silk. “What are you two planning for tonight?”
“We talked about that last night actually,” Kai said. “Still wanna go out on a date Twi?”
“Oh… um, mhm,” she blushed cutely and nodded. “What would you like to do?”
Then they jumped as Rarity giggled and smiled widely. “Leave that to me darlings~”
“You know, this was actually a pretty good idea,” Twilight smiled as she felt Kai’s fingers wrap around her hoof. The pair were sitting at the local swimming hole. However, right now the water as as still as glass, reflecting the brilliant night sky above.
A veritable star ocean spread out above their heads. Kai still couldn't believe that it was all the work of Princess Luna. Magic was weird.
“Mhm, glad I thought of it,” the human mused as Twilight poked his side with a wing. Kai flinched and chuckled. “Hahah, okay okay. I'll thank Rarity tomorrow.”
“Good colt,” Twilight smiled as she leaned against his shoulder. “This isn't bad really. Just the two of us.”
“Mhm,” he agreed as he put an arm around her. He really did feel comfortable around her, just her presence was enough to keep him at ease.
“So, I heard about the incident,” Twilight said to him, making him stiffen slightly. The tone of voice she used wasn’t giving anything away about her mood. Though if Kai had to make an educated guess?
She was mad.
“Well to be fair,” he said. “It wasn’t like Steppy or I were expecting a giant golem made of garbage to suddenly show up.”
“No, but you could have left it to Flash Step,” Twilight said sternly. “She’s your guard for a reason Kai.”
“She also would have been killed!” Kai snapped back, a little harsher than he meant to. “She’s my friend Twilight. I wasn’t gonna run like some coward.”
Twilight exhaled, her ears turned back as she looked at him. “You have no idea how scared I was when I found out,” she said, leaning her head against him. “But, you also saved somepony from being seriously hurt. And… that made me really happy. I feel very conflicted.”
“I promise, I won’t fight any more monsters that pop up… cause that was hella scary,” he chuckled as he pet her mane. His fingers running through her silky hair, scratching her scalp gently as she gave a pleased hum.
“So, did you get pestered too?” she asked, her cheeks a little pink.
“Mhm,” Kai chuckled. “That pervy lil guard wanted details.”
“You didn’t…”
“Every last one,” he smirked. “Especially that thing you did with your—”
Twilight’s ears shot up and turned to look at him. “KAI!”
“Kidding, kidding,” he chuckled, raising his hands in surrender as she smacked his ribs with a hoof. “Ooow.”
“You deserve that,” the alicorn huffed and blushed hard. “Honestly… that was mean.”
“I suppose,” the human chuckled and pat her mane again as she settled down in his lap. “But you feel a bit better no?”
Well… damn. “Well played,” she muttered. “Now scratch my ears as punishment.”
“Oh no, such a dire punishment indeed,” he sighed as he rubbed her ears. “So, what’s next for us huh?”
“I don’t know,” the alicorn sighed. “I already mentioned our possibility of getting a place yeah?”
“Mhm, something about the sun pony feeling bad about getting rid of your old house yadda yadda.”
“And I said I expected that already,” Twilight said, booping his nose with a hoof. “They couldn’t keep the library closed because I moved away. But I do want to finish the portal to your home. I made a promise after all.”
Kai fell silent for a second and then picked her up, sitting the pony in his lap, her feathery back against his chest as he put his arms around her. “About that actually,” he said to her.
“Oh…? Oh no Trixie didn’t break something did she!?”
“What? No! At least… i don’t think so,” Kai said. “No, I was um… wondering something.”
“Oh?” The alicorn leaned her head back to look up at him. Okay… that was damned cute.
“I was wondering… if that I could stay here with you?” he asked, sounding slightly hesitant. He wasn’t sure how the alicorn would react honestly. “I mean, that is if you wa-oof!” he fell back as the mare pounced, kissing him deeply as she lay on his chest. A kiss that he eagerly returned as he put his arms around her. The pair of lovers remained that way for a while, or at least until they needed to breathe again as the embrace broke.
“W-Well,” he panted. “I uh… take it that’s a ‘I don’t mind’?”
“Yes,” Twilight giggled and nuzzled his neck. “Of course I don’t mind. I’d love it if you did but…”
“But?” the human asked.
“But are you sure? I mean, your job and…”
He cut her off with a boop to the nose. “Honestly, I’m happier than I have been in a long time. I have real friends here Twi. I don’t wake up, wishing for the day to be over as soon as I do. I have a beautiful girl that I love and…” he paused as that left his lips, Twilight’s eyes widening.
“You… you said…” she stammered, blushing cutely.
“Yeah,” he murmured and leaned in close, nuzzling her. “And I mean it too. I love you, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Oh Kai,” she smiled, sniffing slightly as her eyes glistened. “I love you too.” She giggled and kissed his cheek. “I’m still going to finish that portal. At the very least, we can use it to get your stuff. And well… an unfinished project would drive me nuts.”
“So, this is more about your OCD huh?” he mused, getting a small frown and a giggle in response. The pair snuggled close, turning to lay down properly and look up at the stars again.
In a tree not too far away, a chocolate-hued batpony mare watched them closely. Her emerald eyes shining in the low light. She’d been here the whole time, her ears flicking at the slightest sounds, her eyes taking in every last detail.
“Well, isn’t that just adorable?” she mused to herself. While she’d taken the Princess’s request to watch the pair during the nights… well, except for a brief lull last night, they’d likely have preferred their privacy and the mare was no voyeur… unless they wanted her too~
She’d almost stepped in earlier though. That golem’s arrival had been… oddly convenient. And some investigation showed traces of Chaos magic. Mind you, getting ahold of Discord to question was almost impossible unless you had the Element’s summoning spell. Still… it wasn’t his MO. No, something else was at play here.
“The question is what?” she hummed as she turned her gaze away from the pair. Seems things were getting a little more intimate. Honestly… She reached up with a hoof and snapped a twig, causing them to flinch and look up. Not long later, they were headed back to the Boutique.
She melted into the shadows, sticking to them as she followed thepair back. She’d give them a break once they were home safe and sound, then see if she could get ahold of the chaotic spirit.
“At least this is the only problem for now,” she muttered.
The unicorn trembled and slumped… drained of all power and strength as the wiry centaur gave a rasping chuckle, his near skeletal form increasing in size and mass ever so slightly. Oh how he’d missed this… this sensation of power… of magic!
“Soon my little ponies,” he chuckled as he turned, his cloak flowing in the cool night air. “Your one true lord will take back what’s his~”