“Are my ears still bleeding,” I asked Thunderlane later that day.
“Just a little from the left, you know, from where she bit you. You know a good, discrete, doctor for wings?”
“Nah, I don’t think you have the clout, money, or favors to get Doctor Stable to patch you up with one of his borderline malpractice treatments.” Don’t get me wrong, Stable’s a great doctor. It’s just that he’s completely out of his mind. The only reason I can ever see him is that I know the right ponies to convince Ponyville Medical to let me see him. “Are you sure you don’t just want to find somepony else? She will be the death of you one of these days.”
“Why do you-”
“I’ve already been saved from death Thunderlane and I think she’ll be the end of me if you remain with her. I’ve already used my ‘get out of the morgue’ card and I think the next time will be for keeps.”
“Even if we break up don’t you think she’ll suspect that you’re behind it?”
“What, so I’m one of those ponies trying to stop an event but just hastening it? That’s what you’re saying right?”
“It’s nothing like that, it’s just-”
“Please, as a friend, I just don’t think it’s a good match if she just bosses you around. It has nothing to do with the fact she beat two fully-grown stallions to a pulp and one of them just happened to be me. If she wants to stay with you, you’ve got to put your hoof down and set some ground rules so you don’t have to come up with an excuse to tell your doctor.”
Thunderlane hung his head in defeat. “I guess you’re right. I don’t want to yell at Blossomforth, or any other mare, but she’s gone too far this time.” He rested a hoof on my shoulder, causing me to wince in pain. “I just want you to know that I consider you my best friend.”
*****
“Geez Al, who beat you up today,” was the first thing that I heard when I finally made my way home. My guess is that it was just what’s left of a defense mechanism Rainbow had from some time before I met her.
“Not as important as my ability to convince Thunderlane that it’s high time he lays down the law with Blossomforth,” I replied. “She didn’t just rough us up; she beat us to a pulp when I tried to lay down the law. The clock tower’s my responsibility again, not Thunderlane’s, and she can’t dictate his every action. It’s not fair for him if it affects other ponies like this.”
“At least you managed to walk away from it right?”
“How about we stop talking and get to dinner alright?” I leaned forward and let my nose do the thinking. “Smells like it’s just about-”
“Dinner’s ready,” called Twilight from inside.
“Lousy super senses,” grumbled Rainbow as she helped me along to dinner.
*****
After the expected questions about my condition, things seemed to settle back to something we had been lacking for too long: a semblance of normalcy. Given who lives in this house, normal seems like such a strange word to even consider.
Twilight took a calm sip of tea as she calmly applied her magic to retrieve thirds. “You weren’t here last time Alex, but it’s almost time for the Summer Wrap-Up Festival.”
I cocked an eye. “Is it anything like Winter Wrap-Up?”
“It’s more laid back, especially since the Running of the Leaves is only a few days after that. It’s a lot more like a carnival but with some work after that.”
“Yeah, but the real work comes with the race,” commented Rainbow. “We can really kick back and enjoy the games and rides and stuff.”
“A few of my friends from Canterlot will be here to say hi, but I still want us to have a good time as a family.”
I smiled. “So when does it all start?”
“Tomorrow,” Rainbow replied. “I’ll have to get up early and do all my work so we can all enjoy the carnival.”
Twilight nodded, “I think we should all get to bed early tonight. I don’t think any of us want to miss something like this.”
I glanced from Twilight to Rainbow, each wearing the same expression that made my skin crawl. “Why are you both so enthusiastic about a carnival?”
Spike rolled his eyes before getting up from his seat and began clearing dishes, much to the pale look on Twilight’s face.
*****
“Somshing ou need to hell me,” I asked Twilight later on that night when that look on her face returned to me. As these things often do, this returned to my mind when I least expected it to: halfway through brushing my teeth at half past midnight.
“I lost track of time when you were in the hospital for too long,” she replied as she flossed. She seemed far more focused than me, not exactly something I would find out of place, but that felt rehearsed.
I cocked an eye as I spat out my toothpaste. “It’s not like you to go for thirds though. Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”
“I just knew what was in store for me after dinner. Look back in there and tell me Rainbow’s awake. She only had one helping at dinner,” she grinned mischievously as she tossed her floss in the trash, “but she still got thirds ten minutes ago.”
I rolled my eyes. “I think you girls will be the death of me. First you, then Dashie, this whole summer’s been exhausting in the bedroom.”
“Doubling the mares means you need to be prepared for doubling their fun,” she replied with a suggestive wink.
After finishing up myself, I returned to see both Twilight and Rainbow almost completely opposite from each other. Dashie was taking up as much space as she could on one side of the bed, snoring with her mouth wide open. Contrary to that, Twilight seemed to shrink on the other side of the bed as she slumbered silently. The instant I hit the bed though, I was met with both latching onto me like a vice. Yep, I thought as I tried in vain to sleep, they’re going to kill me.