Libel rolled over in bed, bumping into Color with a sleepy snort. She cracked open an eye. It was early morning and quiet. Color was awake, his eyes already open, but he hadn't moved. "Lazy day?" she asked, snuggling up to him.
"Do I look like Day?" He rolled in place, facing her with a little smile. "Good morning, Princess."
She blushed softly and laughed. "I'm not one of those." Her wings reached out, stretching on her back. "Did you hear?"
"Hm?"
"Day and Bottom... They're getting married..." She inclined her head faintly, a hoof tracing along his side. "They beat us."
"Was it a race?" He kissed her right between her eyes. "Not fair, only telling me after they won."
Libel smiled at the kiss, drawing him in gently. "It wasn't, just makes me think... I mean... we... are getting along as well as they are, aren't we?"
Day twitched up an ear. "You're being jealous, and it's adorable." He nuzzled gently between her ears. "It's really not a race."
"I know that..." She pushed up, sliding into perching on her haunches. "I should wash up, change, you know... Could you clean up while I do that?"
He made a soft affirmative noise and got to tending to the sheets. As it turned out, she had made a little mess, a little one, still a mess. He dutifully took care of it, cleaning and swapping bedding to make it all crisp and ready for another day. "It's what a partner would do." Being squeamish about Libel's medical conditions would have hurt her, and been a sign of a terrible partner.
It only occurred to him with a twitch of an ear that he hadn't really noticed the smell until he was actively thinking about it. "I'm getting used to it." He wasn't sure if that was good or not, but it meant not acting oddly around Libel, so that was good, right?
He could hear her showering with little splashes of water and the tinkling of the hot spray. She had a full day ahead of her. He actually didn't. Color tapped his chin thoughtfully. His projects were complete, and he had been paid well. He could... retire, though that sounded criminally boring, and would mean budgeting out an entire lifespan without income.
Nah.
"I should help." He trotted free of the bedroom and descended the stairs. Bottom Line was already there, quietly typing with a big mug of coffee beside her. "Good morning, Bottom." He smiled gently. "I'm not used to waking up to so many mares, not complaining. Where's Day hiding?"
Bottom gestured with a toss of her head. "At the castle, trying to get permission for a little thing."
Color blinked as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "He should have asked me to come along. Oh, congratulations! You two are... a lovely couple."
"Was that hesitation?" Her hooves did not show any of the same, click-clacking away.
"It's strange." He sat down beside the table. "I always knew him as my brother, I mean... There he was, always there, but now... I mean, he should! He really should, completely. I'm not going to stop him! I'm just wrapping my head around it. My problem, not his."
Bottom lifted a hoof, the other dancing back and forth between the two pedals awkwardly. "You won't get rid of him that easily. He may live with me, but he'll come and take a nap in your lawn, or propped against you. We're still neighbors. Actually..." She lowered her hoof back to the typewriter. "We may be more than that, soon."
"What do you mean?" He wandered towards the kitchen. "Want some breakfast? I'll make something up."
"If you'd kindly," she agreed with a little smile of her own. "When Libel secures the manor from her mother, she will have more rooms than she has any idea what to do with, and she wants Day there, and she requires my services as well. Why not have us as the first two servants of the house that live on the property?" She floated up her mug to sip softly. "It would certainly improve my finances if she increases my pay by the boarding she would provide."
"Don't say that." Pans and other clanging noises of preparing to make breakfast came from out of sight. "You're not her servant, you're a partner, and that sounds great! I wasn't... entirely happy about living in a huge empty place. At least it'll have friends in it. I'd like that."
"I think I would like that as well."
The household slowly roused for a day of activity.
Day had gone alone. He had wore his serious suit, as gifted by Color. He smiled thinking about it. He wasn't exactly alone, with that reminder of how his friend cared about him. "Hey," he greeted the first guard, walking past him.
That guard simply nodded, allowing him past.
"Yo," he tried with the second ones by the actual door.
Spears crossed. "Business?"
Well, that didn't go as smoothly as he had hoped. "Here to talk with Princess Celestia."
"You have an appointment, mister...?"
"Dreamer. Day Dreamer. It'll put a smile on her face, I'm sure of it."
The guard squinted a little at Day. "If you don't have an appointment, you'll have to get one."
"Alright."
He stood there, quietly. They stared back at him, the silence dragging on.
One of the guards raised a hoof to cough into it. "You should come back after that."
"Oh, where should I go for that?" He sat on his haunches, not looking like he was going anywhere.
One guard looked across to the other, their eyes meeting a brief moment. "You should speak to her secretary." One pointed up. "Raven Inkwell. She decides appointments."
"Cool." He rose and moved to trot past them. The spears raised, and he was inside. It was not the most robust of securities, not that he was much of any real threat.
He wandered through the halls, unsure which way to find Miss Inkwell. A dark shape bumped into him. "Sorry."
The larger pony tilted her head with a loud yawn. "We are... retiring for the day, please..." She blinked, realizing who she had bumped into. "Is that the curious pony who coveted the armor of mine guards?"
"Best Princess!" he exclaimed, smiling brightly up at her. "Do you know where Raven Inkwell is?"
"Ah, yes." Luna softly nodded. "She is quite cherished by sister, and has proven useful to me at times. You will treat her with the utmost of respect, Day Dreamer."
"She sounds like a cool mare."
"She attempts thus." Luna yawned as she walked around Day. "Follow me, Dreamer. I will see you to your destination, then get deserved rest."
Day trotted along after Luna, having to trot to keep up with Luna's long strides. "You don't have to. Directions would work. You do deserve your naps."
"Your thoughtfulness is appreciated, but I do not trust myself to give--" She suddenly yawned, barely raising a hoof towards her mouth before it was over, "--reliable instructions. This way."
He dutifully kept up with her as they navigated some stairs. "Say, between you and me, what would it take to borrow some of that armor?"
Luna cracked a bit of a smirk. "You really do covet it, as we surmised. You will have to work harder to earn such a favor from me, Dreamer." She pointed down the hallway. "She is... the second? Around there... Mmf." She lost all faith in her directions and began walking down to find it herself.
Soon they found the proper door. "Here we are." She willed it open, poking her head inside. "Raven, there is one Day Dreamer with me, please see to his needs." She drew her head back out and gestured inside. "Go on. I will surely see you again."
Day waved at her departing form. "Sleep well." Soon he was walking into Raven's office. "Hey."
Raven perked an ear at him, looking him over intently. "You are not what I would imagine a pony brought here by Luna herself to be, I will admit." She canted her head to the right. "How may I be of service?"
"I want to get married."
Raven's horn glowed as her glasses adjusted. "I'm married to my work, I'm afraid. Thank you for the compliment."
Day blinked softly before it clicked and he smiled. "I want to be married to another pony, in the Canterlot gardens. I wanted to ask Celestia for permission."
"Ah." She reached for a book that floated to her and flopped open. "You'll want to fill out a few papers."
Day tilted his head. "I have to fill out forms to ask Celestia a question?"
"No." She pushed forward a few sheets. "The forms forward your request for the use of the gardens to other ponies, who will determine the validity of your request, appropriate fees, and if the request should be allowed."
"Oh... But... what if I just want to ask Celestia?"
She leaned forward with the subtlest of frowns. "Does she know you?"
"Um..."
"Then you should fill these forms." She floated the papers towards Day. "There is a five bit filing fee."
Day felt his path being blocked. He could just fill out the forms... What would Color do? "It involves Color Splash, her artist."
"She has many artists." She reached a hoof towards a rolling file and began flipping quickly. "Color Splash, Color Splash... Here we are. Ah, I remember him." She pulled a card free with her magic. "Hmm." She was clearly reading something on the card. "It seems Celestia can see you."
Day's face broke into a bright smile. His friend had come through for him without even being there. "Great. Where?"
Raven pointed sharply to the right. "Go to the room at the end of the hall and wait. She'll be with you when there's an available moment. She is a very busy pony, as I'm sure you can understand. Now, I have my own work to return to. Good day."
"Later." He turned and ambled out of the room, light on his hooves. He was getting closer to his goal!
"You have a floating appointment."
"Mm?" Celestia inclined an ear towards Raven. "I don't recall such a thing, but that is why I have you around." She smiled gently. "What is this unexpected responsibility?"
"An associate of one 'Color Splash' seeks a private conversation concerning the use of the Canterlot Gardens for a wedding. I believe he may be using Color Splash's name. I can have him ejected if you wish."
Celestia was not that sort of princess. Her ears perked right up. "A wedding, you say? I would like to know more. Where is he now?"
Raven pointed the way. "The waiting room at the end of the hallway my office resides on. Are you going to entertain his request?"
"Whyever wouldn't I?" She rose to her considerable hooves. "Weddings are such lovely things, and one between two common ponies could be pleasantly low-key compared to the usual grand spectacles we hold in the castle." She trotted off to see who had come to make a request of her, a smile on her face.
Day glanced up as golden magic wrapped around the door. It swung open, allowing Celestia to step in at a regal walk, her mane and tail flowing with a breeze he didn't feel. There she was, in all of her sun-blessed glory, ruler of Equestria and decider of his fate.
He waved at her. "Hey. Celestia, good to see you."
"It is good to see you as well, Mister...?"
"Dreamer. Day Dreamer." He dipped his head towards her. "Thanks for making time... You must have like a million ponies that want your attention."
"I won't argue that." She would have to lie to do so. "But I am here now." She willed the door closed and moved to sit across from him. "What is it you desire?"