A young stallion sat on his bed as he finished brushing out his mane after a long day and a relaxing shower. The room he now occupied was not opulent by any means, but he exhaled like he couldn't be more comfortable.
"Officers quarters might not be great, but dang do they sure beat the barracks!" He exclaimed to nopony in particular as he fell back onto the bed. He didn't even bother getting under the covers in his moment of glee, he simply grabbed an edge and rolled, maneuvering to turn himself into a comfortable pony burrito as his head found his pillow.
"I..." he sighed in contentment, "have definitely earned this."
After a day of pointless ceremony and grueling preparations, he was definitely glad to have finally made it here. He felt his consciousness quickly drifting away as for the first time in a while he finally felt completely...
THUNKTHUNKTHUNK!!!!!
The sudden pounding on his door was enough to make him jolt and end up falling off the side of his new bed. Still being a burrito, he struggled to stand as another series of loud bangs seemed like they might knock the door from its hinges. The strength of the impacts left him with little question as to who it was. The shouting that followed confirmed.
"Morningstar!!! Don't ignore me! Get out here now, I'm calling a meeting!" The demanding voice of his commanding officer, Fizzlepop Berrytwist, echoed through the room.
She was clearly being way too impatient, but he still tried to untangle himself quickly. He made it to his hooves and made an immediate move to the door. He'd been dealing with his commanding officer for years and could usually handle her temper, but one fact still remained.
That mare scared the tartarus out of him.
He made it to the door and managed to open it quickly. "Commander. What's wrong? Do we need to..."
He was silenced with a hoof on either side of his muzzle. "Don't call me that, I'm off the clock."
Morningstar was taken aback by this, attempting to move back in shock but finding the grip too vice-like to do so. So he just started talking instead. "Ush tsh ofsl bnis?"
"Of course it's not official business you fool." She said as she let go of his face. "I'm already officially on leave and you should be resting before your first day as Captain tomorrow." She said this while releasing his face and allowing him to pull back.
"So what's this about than and why can't it wait until tomorrow?" He had by now calmed down, but an edge of annoyance was creeping into his tone as he rubbed his muzzle where she'd been holding him.
"I am having a crisis of indecision and I am in need of counsel from ponies to whom I am friendly with."
"Ok great, let me know how that goes." He said this nonchalantly as he turned away to go back to bed. He'd really done this to attempt to remove himself from range of any sudden lashing out his words might cause, but he realized too late that he'd left an opening. He felt a grip on his tail as he was suddenly yanked clear out of the door.
"That's an order soldier. Let's move." Fizzlepop growled this as she began dragging him down the hall.
"Oh come on, you don't even like me. And I'm in my pj's for Celestia sake." His complaints didn't seem to register as he looked over his shoulder at the mare easily pulling him even as he tried to dig his hooves into the crystal floors. "At least let me close my door or something. Will you be at least a little reasonable?"
Fizzlepop didn't respond, but Morningstar's attention was turned back to where they'd come from as he heard his door closing and some hurried hoofsteps. A butter yellow pegasus was catching up to them in the hall.
"Good evening Morningstar, sorry if we woke you."
"Hey Fluttershy. Not quite, but another minute and you would have." Fluttershy attempted to make some stuttering apologies and explanations, but he was already working out the situation for himself at this point. "It's Ok, just tell me what level of a freak out this is. Am I sleeping tonight or is she going full Shadow."
"Say that again and you lose this tail." Fizzlepop barked the words but kept walking.
Fluttershy winced at the implication but spoke. "I'm honestly not sure. She doesn't actually seem all that worried, but she told me she's going to need the help of all her friends to figure something out. Like Twilight does sometimes. It's where she apparently got the idea."
"Great," Morningstar responded dryly. "How long does a typical friendship council meeting go on for?" He asked this while looking over his shoulder and adjusting his hooves. They were leaving the friendship guard academy building and he would have to adjust to now being drug along a dirt path instead of crystal.
Fluttershy frowned at the question. "They don't really have a set time. Depending on the problem they sometimes turn into sleepovers."
"Great," Morningstar said even more dryly as he continued to watch his commanding officer from over his shoulder. "So I guess I get to show up to my first day as active Captain with no sleep."
Fluttershy gave a sympathetic look even though he couldn't see it at the moment. "I'm sorry, and I really hope that isn't the case. She made me leave Rainbow Dash tied up at my cottage to come with her."
That finally drew his attention away from the mare pulling him. His eyes were wide as he turned back to the pegasus. "She's freaking out so bad that she tied up one Element of Harmony in order to abduct another one."
Seeing his soldier instincts flare up, Fluttershy was quick to correct. "Oh no no no, Rainbow Dash was already tied up when Fizzlepop dropped in so suddenly."
"Oh..... oooooh." He felt a blush come across his cheeks at the words. However the usually skidish mare didn't seem to react as he'd expect. In fact, she seemed almost proud at her declaration. He was going to comment on this, but his words were replaced by a noise of shock as he was suddenly whipped around by his tail before it was released.
Managing to stay upright, he found himself standing in front of a familiar large neon sign shaped like a berry. Not being a weekend, the bar did not look too busy inside. Both ponies turned to their abductor. She was already storming off.
"Get a booth and set up a tab. I'll be back soon."
"You're just leaving us here?" Morningstar asked with a hint of indignance.
Fizzlepop turned to direct him a withering gaze. "Would you like to accompany me into the Everfree after dark?"
"Have fun. I'll set up the tab, how about you get the booth Flutters." He was already well on his way into the bar.
"Oh, ok. Be careful Fizzlepop." Fluttershy said this while both soldiers retreated in opposite directions.
"I always am." She flashed Fluttershy a confident smile as she went.
Upon entering the building Fluttershy spotted Morningstar already at the bar chatting with Berrypunch. "You really didn't want to go with her? The Everfree is dangerous at night."
Berrypunch smiled as Morningstar explained. "That was actually our dear former evil tyrant being the sweetheart we all know she is."
Fluttershy quirked her head at this. "How so?"
Morningstar gave a little shutter as Berrypunch started pouring their drinks. "After basic, I swore on my life I would never, ever, under any circumstance, set hoof in that forest ever again."
Fluttershy seemed surprised by this. "But from what Fizzlepop has told me you were the only reason your class survived the forest."
Berrypunch placed a Shirley Temple in front of Fluttershy before responding to that. "Didn't you once stare down a dragon and make it cry, but less than a year later absolutely refuse to go watch them? At a distance. From cover."
"Point taken," she acknowledged as she took up her drink with her wing. "Thanks Berry," she said as she followed Morningstar who had the rest of the drinks held in his magical aura. It seemed like Berrypunch had managed to keep a booth in the corner ready for them. A rounded one Morningstar was already sliding into, allowing Fluttershy to take the edge spot next to him. "Who's the fourth drink for?" She asked as they sat down.
"No idea. She just poured the drinks and I don't question the reality breaking weirdos in this town. They're on Fizzlepop's tab, so I don't care." Morningstar said with a shrug.
"Her regular tab or her secret tab? Because this situation has a very, 'Don't let Twilight find out' feel to it and you know how those two are about paying for each other." Fluttershy mentioned this with a hint of concern.
"Yeah, I was getting that impression too. Their anniversary is coming up soon. That's why I got my promotion when I did, so I could handle stuff while she's on vacation with Twilight." He took a sip of his drink, only letting a small sigh of contentment escape him. "I assume Berrypunch took care of it, she usually knows what's going on in her bar." He took another long, deep sip.
"So you're thinking this has something to do with their anniversary?" The timid pegasus asked as she took a sip of her nonalcoholic beverage.
"That would be my guess. I heard it was you that had to deal with this last year when she couldn't figure out a gift for her."
Fluttershy giggled slightly at that. "I handled the initial freak out, but it wasn't me who figured out what gift she would get her then. And it's a little funny, the other girls and I only just got done dealing with Twilight's freak out about their anniversary this year. Of course that was pretty easy in her case since that peace conference came at the perfect time. We more or less just helped her plan them a nice vacation."
"So we have to compete with a dream vacation to a tropical paradise." He grumbled. "Yeah, we're not sleeping. Who actually figured out a good gift for the princess last year? We could always just deflect this off on them." He grumbled this while taking another sip of his drink.
"It is I who aided dear Fizzlepop in her plight, though I do not believe that we'll help us on this night." Zecora and Fizzlepop seemed to have arrived, the shamare seeming only a little disheveled due to the late hour.
"Oh dang, it's her." Morningstar said this as Zecora slid into the booth. Fizzlepop slid in next to her across from them as he did his best to not look in the zebras direction.
Fluttershy was concerned by this. "Morningstar do you..."
"I don't have any problem with, her, being a zebra. My problem is with, her, specifically. The fact that her eyes always feel like they're drilling into my soul and telling her... stuff ponies don't need to know about."
Zecora smirked at the lone stallions distress. "Morningstar my dear friend, I never did wish to offend. If your secret lust for zebras you wished to keep, perhaps you should have been much more discreet."
Morningstar's light fur began to darken quickly at the words. "Like that, she should not have ever been able to figure that out, but the first time I met her she knew in like two seconds. What is with this town?"
"You get used to it, now stop complaining and don't ogle her too much." Fizzlepop settled into her place, taking a look at her drink as she did. She seemed to consider for a moment. "No, we need sweets too. Pinkie Pie!" She suddenly shouted.
"What's going on Fizzy?"
"Wha!!!???" Morningstar was the only one who seemed to react as the pink party pony suddenly slid out from under the table. Right next to him.
"We need cupcakes." The stoic mare declared this as if she were ordering a carpet bombing of an enemy position.
"Oh, that's great. I just so happened to have a few extra." From under the table again the mare produced a tray of four cupcakes. "I've been wanting to hear a true chocohaulics opinion on my new chocolate explosion cupcakes."
"They don't actually explode right?" Fizzlepop deadpanned, even as she was already reaching for the offered tray.
"Of course not silly." Pinkie now slid back down the bench of the rounded booth, but actually came out on the other side. "You all enjoy and let me know what you think. Oh, and just leave the tray. It'll find its way back to me."
"Thank you Pinkie," Fizzlepop now said casually as she was removing the paper from the treat.
"You're all very welcome," she said as she left the bar.
The air was only slightly awkward, as it typically was after a visit from Pinkie Pie. "Soooo, still no sign of the reason why were here?" Morningstar was over his shock at Pinkie's sudden appearance as he seemed to be annoyed again.
"Sweets first." There was no room for challenge in Fizzlepop's voice, and yet he found the resolve to.
"You already know I don't really like chocolate." He felt slightly put out as the only one not already taking up their treat.
"There's one for you too Morningstar." It was Fluttershy, nudging the tray to him in the hopes of keeping the peace.
"Pinkie Pie always checks her references, after all, it is not just i that can discern a ponies preferences." Zecora said this while taking up a cupcake that didn't seem to be made with any chocolate.
Morningstar eyed the remaining cupcake, then brightened. "It's not even fall, how'd she know I was craving pumpkin spice?"
An empty cupcake wrapper sat in front of a much more calm looking Fizzlepop. "You were there when I figured out how to use her abilities to sniff out an ambush. Just enjoy and try not to think about it too hard." He proceeded to do so, and immediately let out a hum of contentment. Acknowledging that her friends were enjoying their treats, Fizzlepop decided to proceed. "I'm sure you're are all wondering why I've brought you here tonight. I assure you it's an issue of the utmost importance."
Swallowing the bite he was eating, Morningstar decided to chime in. "I'd go with lingerie for your anniversary boss. It's both a serious and fun gift, and you both get to enjoy it. The princess will love it."
There was noticable shock from Fluttershy, and even Zecora seemed a little taken aback by the bold words. However, Fizzlepop seemed to not react as she took a sip of her drink.
"She has plenty of lingerie, thank you Morningstar." Fizzlepop betrayed no emotion with the words. Color seemed to come to Fluttershy's cheeks while Zecora seemed impressed. "But this is a few steps above what I'm getting her for our anniversary. Although I'm sure you're all correct in the assumption that this is about Sparky."
Fluttershy smiled. "I still think it's cute that the two of you still use those nicknames even after three years." Fizzlepop grunted, but couldn't keep a small smile from her lips. "But if that's not what you called us here for, what is it?"
Fizzlepop took another drink to give herself a moment. "That's just the thing. I know exactly what I'm getting her. It's ready even, and I put a lot of time and thought into it to make sure it's really special. I just don't know how to give it to her." She reached her hoof into a pocket of the jacket she wore. She then placed a small black box on the table before them. "I want to ask Twilight to marry me."