//------------------------------// // Picking Sides // Story: Griffon The Brush Off // by TheKing2001 //------------------------------// Sunset stretched out on the bed as sunlight broke through and Sunset sighed contently as she felt a hoof on her side. Sunset shifted to look behind her at a sleeping Shoeshine with a smile on her muzzle as Sunset smiled back faintly, gently moving Shoeshine’s hoof off her as she quietly climbed off the bed. Sunset watched as the mare rolled over to where Sunset had been sleeping as the unicorn quietly snuck into the living room as she paused, staring down at a small yellow filly. “Uh hi,” Sunset said as Noi stared at her. “Noi, right?” “Yeah. Why are you coming from Shoeshine’s room?” Noi asked as Sunset inhaled. “We were having a sleep over is all. Where did you uh get home?” Sunset asked nervously as she shifted on her hooves. She really hoped it wasn’t when they were busy last night. “About twenty minutes ago.” Sunset sighed in relief as she nodded, starting to trot to the bathroom to shower. “Are you dating Shoeshine?” Noi asked and Sunset froze. “What?” “Mom and Shoeshine both talk about you a lot. You heard me the first time. Are you dating Shoeshine?” Noi repeated as she crossed her forelegs. “We’re just friends,” Sunset answered as Noi nodded slowly. The way the filly stared at her made Sunset feel like she was in an interrogation room. “Okay.” Sunset watched as Noi wandered into the kitchen, listening to the fridge open as Sunset sighed and trotted into the bathroom, closing the door behind her and stepping into the shower. “Why so many shampoos?” Sunset muttered as she turned the shower on, yanking the curtain shut as she stared at the rows of shampoo bottles on the shelves. “This is why I always sneak out after getting laid, it’s aways awkward explaining to roommmates.” Sunset picked up the cheapest bottle of shampoo she recognized and squirted some into her mane, rubbing it in with her magic in an attempt to get rid of the evidence from last night. “I’m uh in here,” Sunset called out as the door opened and she listened to hooves on the tile as the door shut, a pony stepping in behind her. “I know,” Shoeshine said with a yawn as she stood in the shower and shook her mane. “Morning.” “Mornin,” Sunset said as she nuzzled Shoeshine quickly. “I hope I didn’t wake you.” “A bit. I got cold and well, you weren’t there,” Shoeshine admitted as she stuck her mane under the hot water. “Hope you don’t mind the company.” “After last night? Of course not,” Sunset smirked as she placed her head on Shoeshine’s neck. “Thanks for letting me stay the night.” “Anytime,” Shoeshine said as she rubbed the shampoo on Sunset’s mane. “So uh how often should I expect you staying the night? You’ve said only once yet this is the forth or fifth time.” “Who knows? I do like spending the night with you,” Sunset admitted as she hugged Shoeshine. “You’re definitely one of my better partners.” “Likewise. So we’re in a enclosed space together,” Shoeshine said with a grin as she traced a hoof over Sunset’s cutie mark. “Noi is home. We can’t do anything,” Sunset reminded her and shook her head. “I sent her to go play on the playground for a few hours,” Shoeshine said casually as Sunset kissed her before dropping on her back with a smirk. “Well, that was easy to convince you.” “I really love you, but you talk too much,” Sunset commented as she pulled Shoeshine down with her magic and kissed her. Sunset locked the bathroom to be safe and hugged Shoeshine. “You look relaxed,” Silverspeed noted as she leaned against the wall of Sunset’s office as Sunset continued writing. Mayor Mare sat in a chair across from Sunset, examining the office. She had only been in here a few times. “Yeah,” Sunset said as she shifted her weight and crossed her legs. “So what happened with you and Shoeshine?” Silverspeed asked curiously as she winked at Sunset. “I’m a guard, I’m trained to notice when things happen.” “Nothing,” Sunset said and Silverspeed gave her a flat look as Sunset sighed. “Fine, we had sex maybe once or twice last night but that’s about it. That’s all.” Mayor Mare turned red and looked away to look out the window. “Oh,” Silverspeed commented and looked away. “What’s wrong?” “N-nothing. I’m uh gonna go talk to Derpy and you can handle this meeting with Rainbow,” Silverspeed said hastily and flew out the door as Rainbow trotted in a moments after. “What was that about?” Rainbow asked as she jerked a hoof in Silverspeed’s direction. “I have no clue,” Sunset said honestly and stared at the space where Silverspeed had stood. “Anyway uh thanks for coming Rainbow.” “What’s up?” “We’re here to talk about Gilda,” Sunset said as she placed her forelegs on the table. “What about her?” Rainbow asked with a raised eyebrow. “She’s been raising hell all over my town,” Mayor Mare cut in from the other chair next to Rainbow. “Being an absolute menace to the townsponies, treating random ponies poorly, harassing them.” “That’s not Gilda,” Rainbow scoffed as she rolled her eyes. “She’s the nicest griffon I know.” “We have different definitions of nice,” Sunset cut in. “You need to control her before she hurts somepony and seriously.” “Gilda won’t hurt anypony,” Rainbow answered as she glared at the two. “I know her.” “Do you?” Mayor Mare asked flatly. “I’m not going to be held responsible if somepony is hurt.” “She won’t!” Rainbow slammed a hoof on the desk. “You’re already on thin ice Rainbow,” Sunset said quietly as the two glared at each other. “With your job. You’re on the clock right now, I’m not stupid and I checked the schedule. Don’t say anything you’ll regret.” “I would listen to her,” Mayor Mare said coolly. “Just talk to your friend. For us please.” “Fine I will talk to Gilda but I know her. She would never hurt anypony. She was the nicest griffon in flight school. I’ve known her my whole damn life. I hope you’re wrong about this,” Rainbow said as she stood up. “Me too,” Sunset said as Rainbow trotted out. “Me too. Thank you mayor.” “Anytime. Thank you Sunset,” Mayor Mare nodded and followed the pegasus out as Sunset sighed. Derpy and Sparkler watched as a arrow thudded into a tree as Silverspeed sighed, setting down her bow. “I don’t know why I feel so I don’t know, weird right now,” Silverspeed said as she sat down on the grassy hill. “Maybe you have feelings for Sunset?” Sparkler suggested as Silverspeed scoffed. “Absolutely not. She’s my boss and I’m her guard, that’s unprofessional. She could in trouble and I could too if it got out,” Silverspeed answered instantly. “It’s stated in the rule book, guards are not allowed to date or sleep with their representatives.” “She has a point Sparkler,” Derpy said as she looked at the two. “But so does Sparkler. You’re the closest of us to Sunset outside of Celestia, you live with her-” “She sometimes sleeps with me,” Silverspeed admitted as the two gave her stunned looks. “Not like sex, I mean I have uh nightmares?” “About?” Derpy asked as Silverspeed stared at her. “You know what.” Derpy sighed as she got up and wrapped a wing around Silverspeed, the silver pegasus leaning into the hug. “For how long?” Derpy asked as Sparkler stared in confusion. “Ever since the night of the summer sun celebration. Princess Luna helped me out and gave me an official pardon. Sunset suggested sleeping with me and that Princess Celestia did the same with Sunset as a filly when Sunset had nightmares of her own,” Silverspeed explained. “And now Sunset is well, sleeping with Shoeshine.” “And that upsets you?” Derpy asked though it sounded more a statement. “I don’t know. I love Shoeshine like a sister, we all went through a lot of stuff that night. I love Sunset like a sister too. You know that. I don’t know what I feel,” Silverspeed slammed her head into her hooves. “Let’s entertain the possibility you are ignoring the rules and you have feelings for Sunset. Which is perfectly okay,” Sparkler said hastily. “What’s that saying you always say mom?” “The heart wants what the heart wants,” Derpy recited as Sparkler nodded. “I look at myself as the mom of the group. So I’m going to give you free advice and I won’t even charge you muffin tax.” “Muffin tax?” “Don’t worry about that,” Sparkler told Silverspeed. “When me and Dinky’s dad was first introduced to each other by Pinkie, there was a lot of feelings going on. A lot that I didn’t understand at your age. I can tell you that just by spending five minutes with you and looking at you, you’re going through the exact same thing I did back then,” Derpy said as she placed a hoof on her thigh. “The more you keep this inside, the more confused you feel.” “I love you but I have no feelings like that for Sunset. It is a strictly boss employee relationship and a friend relationship off the clock. That is to the extent of our relationship,” Silverspeed said as Derpy raised an eyebrow. “If that’s true, then why are you upset about Sunset having a sexual relationship with Shoeshine?” Sparkler pointed out as the unicorn laid on her back. Derpy normally wouldn’t have Sparkler here for a conversation like this but Sparkler was growing up and wasn’t the same filly she had adopted years ago. Sometimes teaching them life skills like handling uncomfortable situations is important and Derpy was proud of how Sparkler was handling it so far. “I- I don’t know,” Silverspeed admitted as she picked up her bow, notching an arrow and the trio watched it fly through the air. “Sparkler, over here,” Derpy said as she jerked her head to the treeline. “What’s up?” Sparkler asked as she and Derpy watched Silverspeed continue shooting her arrows. “What’s your gut telling you?” Derpy asked curiously as Sparkler inhaled. Derpy had been encouraging Sparkler more to trust her gut for a while now and well, tests are important. “My gut is telling me there’s a lot more going on here than she’s admitting. Maybe she likes Sunset and is afraid of getting her in trouble which is admirable. Maybe Silverspeed is afraid of both of them getting in trouble but who knows. What about you mom?” “Same here,” Derpy agreed as Silverspeed flew to the trees to gather her arrows. “I’m proud of you. You’re done good today. Silverspeed is the element of loyalty so it does make sense she wouldn’t act on her feelings to keep Sunset’s job safe.” “I agree. What exactly can we do though?” “Nothing. We can’t force her to be honest to Sunset about it. Trust me on this one, only she can do that. Not us,” Derpy answered as she placed a hoof on Sparklers back. “Okay. Do we go back now or?” Sparkler trailed off as Derpy nodded. “Yeah.” The two glanced at the setting before joining the silver pegasus to help pick up the dozens of arrows.