Fire watched the scenery roll past them. The train was, at least, more comfortable than the carriage. It shook less and had nice plush seats for her bottom. "Fancy." She peeked to see he had turned an ear at her. "I want to apologize."
Fancy inclined his head. "While I am always pleased to accept such a sentiment, what are you apologizing for?"
Fire rolled a hoof. "I was being a bit... dramatic." She stuck out her tongue a little. "Not getting any won't kill me. Maybe she was right." She tossed her head towards Blue, who pricked at being mentioned. "I'm a little, just a little, jealous."
Fancy nodded, the tension fading. "Ah, I see, yes. Your closest ally is to be wed. If it helps, I do already consider you a part of my circle." He offered a hoof. "You are not being tossed aside."
Fire darted in and smooched the hoof with a mischievous grin. "Not sure you want to use that phrasing."
Blue poked Fire right in the side of her snout, brushing her away from Fancy. "Stop that. This stallion is claimed. Perhaps we can find one for you."
"Not gonna lie, wouldn't fight that." She flopped back against the window, watching the scenery. "But they better be interesting, or handsome, or both? Both would be nice..."
Fancy coughed into the hoof that had been kissed. "I should imagine there are a few other desirable traits, but will not speak them out loud."
"But you know them." Fire looked pleased at the admission. "Good."
Blue inclined her head faintly, hat shifting an inch. "Have you been to other places?"
"Hm?"
Blue pointed at Fire directly. "We are going to a small town, Ponyville. Surprisingly metropolitan in its pony tribes, but still quite small as they go. Have you been to such a place?"
"Are you kidding me?" Fire flopped against the wall, facing Blue with a lazy smile. "Country bumpkins are considered a free pass when they put out the call for one of us. So easy to corrupt, to twist around our whims, make them think it was their idea. They have no idea what they're in for, and they march right into it."
Blue crossed her arms at the report. "Which is something you won't be doing."
"Ugh, right." Fire rolled her eyes with an annoyed grunt. "Look, if I get an impressionable boy, gonna corrupt them." She flashed a smile. "That's a thing mares do. Don't lie and think you won't do it too, Miss Betrothed."
"Not... in the way you're implying." Not that Blue was entirely certain which way Fire was implying. "Would your corruption attract the attention of the Royal Sisters?"
"Not that kind of corruption," assured Fire, waving it away before she just as suddenly flopped around to look back out the window. "Is that where we're getting off?" She tapped at the window.
Fancy leaned to the left a bit to see past Fire. "I should think it is." His horn glowed as he gathered his bag and rose to his hooves.
Blue joined him, moving for the door despite the train not having stopped just yet. "Now, we are visiting a filly. She is not to be exposed to any tawdry talk." She turned her head to look at Fire pointedly. "Do you understand?"
"I have limits." Fire slid to her hooves off her comfy bench. "Besides, the young ones don't know what you're saying. May as well pick on a rock, a loud rock."
Fancy skewed an ear to the side. "I am uncertain that thought comforts. I should think foals are of higher regard than an inanimate chunk of granite."
Fire's brows fell. "Reminder, we don't do foals. We're never little 'adorable' hoof suckers, and we don't make messes, well, unless we want to." She waggled her brows with the implications. "Either way, I'll be good."
Blue let out a sigh that turned into a little chuckle. "Dear, you are incorrigible. Please don't embarrass me."
As a unit, they departed the stopped train among a few other ponies that scattered to the wind. "There you are." Rarity approached them with a smile, a smaller unicorn trailing behind her. "Darlings, right on time."
The smaller one with her had her eyes not on Blue or Fancy, but Fire. "You look... familiar."
Fire raised a brow at the foal she had been planning on ignoring. "Do I?" She leaned in towards the little pony with a smirk. "In what way."
Sweetie's nose twitched and she nodded. "Yep." She turned to Fancy and Blue. "You are walking with a demon. Don't panic, my sister's a hero and will take care of this." She gestured as if surrendering the stage to Rarity.
Rarity laughed in a distressed nervousness. "Sweetie! My, what interesting things fillies get in their heads, hm?" She turned away. "Now come along this way and I'll show you to the rooms I have prepared for your stay."
"She isn't wrong," noted Fire, following with the others, though her eyes were on Sweetie. "What a smart little filly. I'm impressed."
Blue hurried between Fire and Sweetie. "So, the other Belle. Charmed to meet you."
Sweetie raised a hoof to wave wildly. "Hiya! Huh, never thought I'd be part of a Belle club, but that is interesting." She curled the hoof to her chin. "Blue Belle, right?"
"Too right." Blue elevated a hoof up to point across herself towards Fancy. "And this is Fancy Pants, my fiancé." She leaned in suddenly. "That's Prench, which is a real language, believe it or not."
Sweetie blinked softly at that. "Oh, yeah, of course." Her eyes darted towards Fire. "So... how did you end up with a demon, and why are you pretty calm about it?" She rubbed behind her head. "I'm being rude, sorry. We've made friends with a lot of interesting creatures... but a demon?"
Fancy adjusted his monocle with his magic. "I must confess some amount of admiration that you know of them. It is far from a well known topic of discussion."
Rarity fanned herself with a hoof. "That's my Sweetie, always reading up on interesting things and sharing it with the world." She laughed with audible tension. "Don't let her bother you."
"Bother me?" Blue set a hoof down on Sweetie's back. "She is why I came here, or did you forget? I would like to hear all she has to say."
Fancy accelerated mildly to be at Rarity's side. "Actually, there is something we were hoping you could assist with."
"Whatever might that be?" Rarity smiled at the important socialite. "If it's within my means."
"I hope it is." He threw his head back at Fire. "She desires a friend." His voice lowered. "--of a romantic nature."
"Stallion please," called out Fire, clearly listening in. "And no prudes!"
Rarity's cheeks colored. "Oh dear." She looked over her shoulder at the demon with a great big sneer on her face. "I see... Now, forgive my ignorance, but you are a pony that knows many ponies. Surely... you know more than enough to find an appropriate match?"
Fancy set a hoof at his chest. "We were hoping to find a pony not on our social strata. You are more familiar with ponies closer to her social standing. No offense intended, I assure."
"Of course..." Rarity turned her head back towards the front, to her home and place of business coming up. "I will put some proper amount of consideration into it."
"Did I hear you call me?!" Pinkie landed in front of Rarity as if she had jumped off a building to be there. "Because I am so ready to help with this."
Rarity inclined her head. "Actually..." An escape, right there. "Fancy, dear, Pinkie is our town merry maker and as much as you are the pony everypony must know in Canterlot, she is the pony everypony must know in Ponyville." She gestured in a deferring way to Pinkie. "I bet she could find the right pony with scarcely a moment of effort."
Fire hurried up towards Pinkie, eyeing her up and down. "Hey, so let's talk details on my ideal fu--"
"--fudge? Yes, let's talk about that." Pinkie threw an arm over the top of Fire, guiding her away. "And your boyfriend."
Rarity let out a relieved noise. "Well, here we are." She pointed upwards once they were inside. "Your bedrooms are up there. I wasn't... I wasn't sure if they were all to be separate or not, so I made them separate, since consolidating would be a trivial matter, hm?"
Sweetie inclined her head, looking from one adult to the next. "Why do adults share a bed sometimes with their special someponies but not other times?" She suddenly threw a hoof, a bright smile on her face. "Oh! It's a married thing. All the married ones share a bed. That's kind of funny though. Oh, wait, I get it." She hopped in place, looking quite triumphant. "It's a symbol of your bound hearts. Aw, that's romantic!"
She turned on Rarity without delay. "They aren't married yet, so separate beds."
Fancy chuckled good-naturedly. "Miss Belle has it completely figured out. Yes indeed, separate beds would be far more appropriate."
"Marvelous." Rarity resumed her tour, showing them to their individual rooms. "How long did you plan to stay, just so I can plan properly?"
Blue gave a thoughtful hum. "That depends on two things." She pointed to Sweetie. "First, we have to complete our introductions and conversations. Second, your pink friend has to complete her assigned task. I really am uncertain how long that will be."
"Good luck," huffed out Sweetie. "I tried playing a matchmaker once... It was hard! Way harder than it looked at first, let me tell you." She waved away the idea, done with the duty. "And Big Mac was such a nice stallion."
Blue inclined her head at that. "Is he still in search of somepony? Perhaps he--"
"--Got a girlfriend," cut in Sweetie with a fit of giggles. "They're super happy together, all lovey dovey." She pressed her hooves together just under her chin. "Like you two?" She glanced between Fancy and Blue questioningly.
Fancy put an arm around Blue, drawing her closer even as she tittered. "We are quite fond of one another, yes. We've known each other for most of our lives."
"It's true," eagerly joined Blue. "It was like discovering your best friend was also your special somepony."
Sweetie blinked, crashing to her haunches as she thought about her best friends. "Wow, that... would knock me for a loop."
Rarity laughed nervously. "Sweetie, dear, have no fear. You'll find your special somepony when the time is right. You're already so sociable, I can't imagine it will take long when your heart is ready for it."
Sweetie inclined her head. "Only when we're all ready."
"Pardon?" Rarity had not expected that answer, her ears dancing. "When who is all ready, dear?"
Sweetie pointed to the nearest window. "All of us. I've read enough books to know what happens if one pony goes and gets a special somepony in a group like ours. Either we all go for it together or we'll be happy right where we are. The crusaders will not be broken just because one of us got hearts in their eyes." She stuck out her tongue in the easy defiance of childhood.
Fancy laughed in jolly agreement. "I can appreciate that you've given this proper thought, young miss. I assure, I've not lost friends in this." Well, he'd be testing some of them, perhaps... "But it is a good thing to be mindful of."
"Too true," joined Blue with a nod. "Very good of you."
Rarity nodded along with the conversation. "Very good then, dears. My home is your home." As Blue went off with Sweetie, the two chatting amiably, Rarity moved to cut off Fancy. "A word, if I may?"
Fancy inclined an ear at Rarity. "If you were wondering, we had not formed any romantic bonds at the time of our last meeting."
"Well, yes, that was one thought I had." Rarity glanced off nervously. "But not the primary. Darling, I mean the best for you, but you are, and I say this with the utmost of respect, an extremely eligible bachelor, as they say." She raised a hoof to her chin. "Are you sure?"
"Without a shadow of a doubt." He smiled a bit thinly. "Though answering that specific question does tire."
"Oh look at me." Rarity gestured off towards his room. "Pardon me. You are a guest in my home and I am not going to ruin that with my silly thoughts."
His hoof landed on her shoulder and their eyes met. "I accept your concern spoken with kind intentions, but Miss Belle and I are betrothed, both with understanding of what it means."
"Of course!" blurted Rarity, coloring in that moment. "Sorry, truly... I wish you the absolute best." She raised a hoof. "Between you and I, you have been a good influence on her. You two will be fabulous, this I am certain. As if you could avoid it."
"Hardly." He smiled gently and moved off to retire in his room.
"Way to shove your hoof in," sighed out Rarity, trotting off back to her work.
Pinkie worked a hoof down her filing cabinet, one of many. She had a lot of facts of a lot of ponies to keep straight. "So, stallion."
"Yep." Fire was perched on a table, not really a seat, that, but she was loafed on it with all the ownership of a cat. "One that isn't put off by the real me."
Pinkie looked over her shoulder. "Well, you're going to have to show me the real you before I can judge that." She turned away from her filing cabinet, crossing her arms. "You want me to find the best match."
"Right, fine." The magic faded away like falling ashes away from her, revealing her true demonic form, still wearing a dress and ribbon. "Terrified?" Pinkie was not terrified, easy to see. "Well, good!" Maybe a little scared would have been nice.
Pinkie tilted her head left and right. "Huh, reminds me of what Twilight was talking about."
"Who?"
Pinkie pointed up and to the right. "Friend of mine, princess, super smart, and she's been to this crazy world where the ponies have no tails or fur."
Fire's eyes glinted. "Ah, humans?"
Pinkie clopped her hooves sharply. "That's the name! I forgot. Wow, you've seen 'em before?"
"A much more easily seduced race." Fire tapped at her chin lightly. "Got any of those?"
"Fresh out." Pinkie turned back to her cabinets, sifting through them. "Now name three things you like to do for fun."
"Magic." She raised a cloven hoof, sparkling with fell intent. "People watching. Fu--"
"--Fudge! Oh wow, me too." Pinkie giggled wildly.
"That is the second time you've cut me off, with the exact same thing." Fire rolled her eyes. "Are you a prude? I want to mash my feel goods against something else's. Sex. I want that. Are we being clear?"
"Crystal." Pinkie sat and tapped at her cheek a moment. "But I wasn't really keeping track of that. That does not help me throw parties for ponies, or put a smile on their face."
"Then you haven't been using it right," chastised Fire with a victorious smirk. "Fine, whatever. At least avoid the ones that seem to have intimacy issues. I don't have the patience to tease out a wall flower right now or a pony that'll look ready to cry because I touched them."
Pinkie shoved an entire cabinet away. "Gotcha! Those kinds of ponies can be hard, I'm with you there." She resumed her sifting. "So magic, wants to be close and physical and a real extrovert..." She suddenly twirled, a folder landing in front of Fire, flying open on impact.
Fire inclined her head at the image there of a pony. "A doctor? Really?"
"Doctor Horse." Pinkie approached on light hooves, a smile on her face. "When he isn't helping ponies feel better, he's a hoot to be around. He isn't scared about meeting new ponies, and you'd be hard pressed to gross him out. He is a doctor after all, he's seen it all."
"Huh." Not who she would have thought of originally. "Do you have any idea what his love life is?"
"Available." Pinkie nodded with certainty, as if that was all that mattered on that front. "I can hook you two up on a date so you can get to know each other." Her eyebrows began to waggle. "Maybe even get some smooching going on."
Fire flashed with heat, resuming her disguise. "I wouldn't complain, if it strikes me right." She clucked her tongue against her teeth. "Alright, worth at least a try. Set us up, and we'll see how good you are at this." She paused an instant after she finished. "Wait, one thing. Does he live here?" She wobbled a hoof about. "Because I'm in Canterlot, with Blue Belle, my boss."
"Doctor Horse can be wherever he wants." Pinkie pffted at the idea. "He is a doctor, and a good one too. I'd be kinda sad if he left, but he could."
Fire sat up tall. "So you're inviting me to take what is yours, getting myself a stallion and denying the entire community a pillar?"
Pinkie blinked slowly. "I wouldn't put it that way--"
"--I accept." Fire clopped her hooves. "Let's see what kind of stallion this doctor is."
"Okey Dokey Lokey." Pinkie gathered her folder back up and tucked it away in her seemingly endless mane. "I'll drop by Rarity's when a date's set."
"Make it fast." Fire started for the exit at an energetic trot. "I doubt they'll want to hang around for too long."
"On the case!" Pinkie's sharp salute was the last thing Fire saw before she closed the door on Pinkie's private lair.
"Still, she has a lair." +1 point in Fire's book, she figured.
"And you all ended up with the very same cutie mark?"
Sweetie pointed back at her displayed rump. "Not the exact same cutie mark, but all very close, sharing the same theme, like that shield." She drew with a hoof along the outside of her crest. "It was a magical moment."
"I should imagine so!" Blue clopped her hooves with a grand smile. "How very rare, and special, to have a trio of unified cutie marks. I would be beside myself with pride."
Sweetie burst into giggles, blushing a little at the praise. "Aw, it wasn't as if we planned it. It just... happened."
"That makes it more impressive, not less," argued Blue, brows raised. "For a young pony, you have already made notable accomplishments. As befits a Belle."
That got Sweetie into a new fit of giggles. "It's just a name. I bet there are some perfectly regular Belles out there."
"I challenge you to find one before you say that." Blue inclined her head faintly. "Until that day, I choose to assume all Belles are special ponies deserving of the praise given to them."
"I humbly submit." Sweetie dipped her front, sweeping a hoof in front of herself in an overly-ornate bow. "Your logic is without flaw until and unless I find evidence to the contrary. So what about you? You've done some great things, right? You must, or you'd be proving your own theory wrong."
Blue was all too happy to start extolling her accomplishments. "And they were making bread with actual stone, can you believe it?"
Sweetie let her head flop to the side. "Wow... My teeth are glad you fixed that."
"As are mine," Blue eagerly agreed. "Now they're making proper and tasty bread! Oh, I really do need to sample it... Ah, yes. I performed an act of great and astonishing magic, the likes of which had Luna befuddled."
Sweetie sat up at that. "Luna knows a lot. She wouldn't even try a spell unless she knew how to do it."
"Or the need great enough," argued Blue. "And I succeeded."
"Stop with the suspense," laughed out Sweetie. "What was the spell?!"
Blue gestured at herself. "Once I was a stallion, but you can see the result."
Sweetie blinked, dumbfounded in that moment. "Huh."
"Huh?" Blue inclined her head. "Hardly the admiration I was expecting."
"No no!" She thrust up a hoof at Blue. "It's impressive, really it is. I'm just... Wow. I thought Twilight and Trixie were just joking!"
"What joke is this?" Her ears erect and directed at Sweetie, Blue leaned in. "Please do share."
Sweetie laughed nervously a moment. "There was this time... Twilight claimed she could make a mare into a stallion. She played a trick to do it. Um, which means she didn't really do it." She moved a hoof behind her head. "Unlike you, who went the other way... on herself! Wow... That is kinda impressive. I'm still... learning the basics."
She fixed her gaze on a brush on a cabinet, Sweetie's horn glowing in fitful sparks and jumps as the brush danced and quivered, just to flop off the cabinet. "I got it!" assured Sweetie, forcing it up off the ground, hovering unsteadily towards them. "There we... go..."
And suddenly she was grabbed, face pinned between two hooves as Blue gushed, "You adorable little thing!" The brush fell, the magic gone. "You're still learning how to use your horn. Have no fear, we've all been there." She rolled her eyes suddenly. "Unless you're Shining Armor."
Sweetie blinked with multiple sources of confusion. "Shining Armor?"
Blue released the filly. "Oh, yes. I hear he was a natural with that particular talent." She inclined her head. "He wasn't any stronger, but he skipped right over those awkward first steps. Cheater, if you ask me." She chortled at the idea, clearly not really holding anything against Shining Armor. "But you, my dear, don't be discouraged." She turned a hoof on herself. "I was there once, and look at me now, a true and proper wizard!"
Sweetie's confusion took a turn. "Wait, you're a wizard, not just 'ha ha, I can do funny tricks' wizard, but a real, bonafide, wizard?"
"As bonafide as they can be," assured Blue with a confident smile. "I know over a dozen spells and know how to read magic so I can learn more, or just cast one on the fly, if I so desired." Her horn glowed as she plucked up the abandoned brush and brought it over to Sweetie Belle. "So don't be discouraged, not at all. You'll get past that."
Sweetie took the brush in her arms, wrapping them around it. "Gee, thanks." She smiled a little, but it grew with time. "That means a lot... Um..." She glanced away and back. "So... Since you're a wizard and really good at it and all... Could you..."
"It would be a pleasure," assured Blue. "I was told my cutie mark is guiding ponies. It would be an honor and, no, a privilege to lend a hoof to your future magic mastery."
Sweetie suddenly burst into giggles. "Me too!" She presented her rump anew. "We cutie mark crusaders help ponies figure out their destiny."
"Maybe it's a Belle thing," mused Blue with a little joking smile. "I can think of worse traits to have."
"Well, you don't need our help." She pointed at Blue's compass rose of a mark. "You found your purpose quite well." She nodded with certainty. "And I am very proud of you."
Blue burst into chortles at that. "We will have to see which of us is more proud of the other." She reached for Sweetie and met no resistance, the two soon giving a warm hug of bonding. "Here's to the Belles' bright and noble destiny."
"Now I kind of hope I don't find a disappointing Belle." Sweetie grabbed a cup of juice, floating it into reach of her hooves without making a mess. "But I'll drink to that!"