Chapter 8: A Moment’s Peace
"Are you sure this is alright?" asked Fluttershy as she slipped into her dress with Rarity's help.
The alabaster unicorn smiled at her friend's nervousness. "Of course it is. Come now, no delays. Caramel is waiting for you downstairs."
At the mention of the stallion she was to spend the evening with, Fluttershy's cheeks flushed brightly and she ducked behind her mane. "Oh dear!" she squeaked, "It's just that...with everything that's going on...that whole thing with Cloudsdale...Don't you think that now might be a bad time?"
Rarity used her telekinesis to give the dress a few delicate tugs to position the garment so that Fluttershy's wings could slip out through the holes sewn for them. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about dear." A pair of brushes flew up and went to work on Fluttershy's mane and tail at the same time. "Twilight has assured me that she has the whole situation well in hoof."
Stepping away and looking over the results of her handiwork, Rarity grinned excitedly. "Oh Fluttershy darling, you look simply fabulous!"
Fluttershy wore a gossamer skirt of pale green that seemed to swirl about her body like mist. Along the length of her back was a streak of light pink that seemed an extension of her mane. The dress draped artfully over her shoulders as well as along her chest, joined together at her throat with a pink butterfly pin. When Fluttershy took a step, the whole affair drifted away from the ground, giving her an ethereal look. Rarity's treatment had drawn Fluttershy's mane back away from her eyes and draping it along the back of her neck, giving a full, unobstructed view of her face.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Fluttershy couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart as she thought what Caramel might think when he saw her. Rarity drew alongside her friend and gently prodded her shoulder.
"Come now dear, it's time for your debut. Let's not keep your stallion waiting."
Caramel's tail swished in agitation as he directed another look at the stairs leading up to the rooms where Rarity was preparing Fluttershy for their date. Dressed in Rarity's creation, a rather dapper looking dark gray suit and red tie, Caramel made a surprisingly handsome picture.
He was not alone. Sitting nearby was Fluttershy's newly adopted son. Dawn was as calm and composed as ever as he waited for his mother to descend. He had instead occupied himself with examining the stallion that she seemed so taken with. Caramel had been intrigued by the young colt. He'd found Dawn's eyes to be quite striking, intimidating even, but he had to force himself to look away to keep from staring too much. Dawn's presence was unnerving because it hardly felt like it belonged to a colt his age. Still, Dawn was important to Fluttershy and, while his presence made Caramel uncomfortable, it was something he could see himself getting used to.
Feeling the colt's intense gaze upon him, Caramel turned and directed a nervous grin at Dawn. "So. You're Dawn Lightwing."
"I am," admitted the colt.
Caramel winced at the rather abrupt answer. It gave him no real idea where to take the conversation from there. "It's nice to finally meet you," he said, "I heard a little bit about you from Fluttershy."
Dawn bobbed his head slightly. "Likewise."
Again the conversation stuttered to an awkward halt. Caramel gave the stairway another look. "Um...I want to thank you for saving Fluttershy that night."
Dawn shrugged. "I understand you put forth a great effort to help her that evening as well. If anything, I should be thanking you."
"Why would you say that?" asked Caramel, blinking in surprise as he leaned back from the colt.
"You gave her the chance to make it within my sight, or I would have never realized that she would have needed saving," explained Dawn, "And, because in the end, she is the one who saved me."
Caramel found himself blinking at that, not sure of what to say. He decided to steer the conversation in a necessary, but, he felt, ultimately uncomfortable direction. "By the way, are you okay with this?"
The ebony colt tilted his head. "That depends on what you mean when you say 'this.'"
"I mean, are you okay with me dating Fluttershy?" asked Caramel, looking away, "She's your mother after all."
To Caramel's surprise, Dawn displayed an overt sign of emotion as he frowned pensively. "I am not certain," he replied, "In part because I don't really feel that I have a right to infringe on her decisions in this area. Mom has a right to pursue her own happiness. I don't believe those decisions should concern me."
"But they should!" exclaimed Caramel, "Whoever your mother takes as a special somepony is ultimately going to be a part of your life as well. That's why it's important that you're alright with this. If your mom is going to be with somepony, it should be somepony you're able to accept as family too."
"Does that mean you are asking permission to be a part of my life?" asked Dawn.
A hitch in his throat killed Caramel's voice before he had a chance to utter another word. The realization of what Dawn had suggested struck him completely dumb. To be a part of their life... Caramel wondered when he had started to look so far ahead. It was true that he and Fluttershy were good friends. Now they were taking that a step further. But when all was said and done, this was only their first date. There was no telling just how far their relationship would go. Was it right for him to make such presumptions so early on?
Dawn's eyes never left Caramel as the stallion mused over his dilemma. Gradually, the colt's frown reversed itself into the smallest of smiles. After he had enough of watching Caramel's deliberations, he decided to voice his opinion. "If that's the case, I can't help but approve."
"Huh...what?" Caramel's head snapped upright at Dawn's words. "What do you mean?"
"Even I can tell that things are uncertain at this stage," replied Dawn, "Watching you reminded me of when mom first took me in. I was uncertain, not sure if I could truly stay in that place, much less call it home.
"But even though you are uncertain, your mind is already that far ahead, thinking about what it would be like to truly be a part of her life. It shows just how much you care for her. And because of that, I can only approve of this."
Caramel opened his mouth, but realized he couldn't think of what to say. Finally, he settled back down and returned Dawn's smile. "Thanks."
The soft clop of hooves turned the two males' attention to the stairs. Both Dawn and Caramel's eyes widened at the sight of Fluttershy as she came into view. Caramel felt heat burst across his face as he took in the sight of her, his heart beating erratically as she smiled demurely in his direction, her blush coloring her cheeks the faintest shade of pink, which only added to her appeal.
"F-F-F-Fluttershy," stammered the stallion, "You look beautiful!"
Wings fluttering slightly, Fluttershy shrank back a little at the compliment, her blush intensifying but her smile revealing a pleased acceptance of the compliment. "Thank you very much," she replied, "You look very handsome too."
For a long time, the two smiled awkwardly at one another. Their feelings aside, this was a rather foreign situation to them. Neither had the experience to really know how to conduct themselves. It was then that Fluttershy noticed that Dawn was staring at her in stunned awe. Giggling at his shock, Fluttershy turned to address her son. "What do you think Dawn?"
Dawn's mind fished desperately for the words to describe the things he felt. After a moment, he was able to arrive at a suitable expression. "You look amazing mom."
"Thank you," cooed Fluttershy as she bent down to nuzzle the colt, who returned the gesture. Caramel looked on, a fond smile gracing his face as he watched the expression of affection between the two, marveling at how natural it seemed, given that Dawn had only joined Fluttershy's family a short time ago. At a moment like this, Dawn looked much more like a colt his age should and the genuine affection he had for Fluttershy was on full display, more than enough to counter the unease Dawn's presence had inspired earlier.
"Good gracious! Are you two still here?" Rarity followed her friend down the stairs and now stood at their base, watching the ponies before her. "Come now, your reservations at the Golden Horseshoe are for seven-o-clock sharp. You mustn't dally." As Fluttershy pulled away from Dawn, Rarity began to herd her and Caramel towards the door. "Come along now you two, off with you." She made a shooing motion with her hooves, urging the two adult ponies out of her boutique and into the night.
When the door swung closed, Rarity turned with a smile to Dawn. "You seemed impressed with my work. Did you have trouble recognizing your mother dressed like that?"
Dawn blinked and turned his eyes towards the door that Fluttershy had left through. "No. In all honesty, it was almost as though she was more herself than usual."
"Oh?" Rarity raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
"It seemed as though you took the things that were wonderful about her and put them on fuller display. Mom was beautiful because she appeared more like herself than ever."
A pleased smile spread across Rarity's face as she studied the colt with an appreciative eye. "My my, aren't you full of surprises. It seems that you also have an eye for fashion...or at least beauty in any case."
She turned her head up in thought. "Well now, what to do now that our lovely couple is off on their little date?"
"I was going to return home," replied Dawn softly, "I don't really have anything to keep me around here."
He froze as Rarity's head snapped around to fix him with a determined look. "Absolutely not, simply sitting alone in that cottage just waiting for your mother to return home, I'll not hear of it."
Rarity leveled an imperious hoof at Dawn. "You will stay here with me. I've been waiting for the opportunity to do this. I've had the most marvelous idea for a suit ever since I saw those eyes of yours. This is the perfect chance to start working on that, don't you agree?" The grin on her face was positively predatory, making Dawn shrink away from her.
She can be every bit as intimidating as Red River or Storm Front... thought Dawn as he gulped, ...in her own way.
"Jeez, I'm in the hospital for a little while and I come out to find that a whole bunch of stuff has changed," remarked Caramel as he and Fluttershy strolled through the streets of Ponyville.
Fluttershy giggled at his consternation. The two of them had attracted quite a few appreciative looks as they made their way to the restaurant. Ponies dressing up were rare and generally only done on special occasions. On top of that, Rarity's treatments had assured that their appearance was second to none. Even though these clothes were a step down from what they might wear to an important event like the Grand Galloping Gala, they still drew the eyes of everypony in the vicinity.
Fluttershy was already considered an attractive mare by many stallions throughout the town. Rarity's efforts to groom her only ensured that their eyes lingered on her all the longer and with much greater intensity. On the other hoof, Caramel found himself drawing quite a few eyes as well, as the mares they passed tried to connect how he looked now with the rather bumbling and average-looking stallion they were used to seeing around town. Quite a few were cursing their ill fortune that they had missed their chance. Both ponies, however, were quite unbothered by the stares as they were too busy basking in one another's company.
"A lot has happened, I suppose," admitted Fluttershy softly.
"I'll say. I'm in there for about a month and I come out to find that you're suddenly a mother," said Caramel with a grin.
"You don't mind Dawn, do you?" asked Fluttershy, giving him a slightly nervous look.
Caramel's expression softened. "I was a little surprised at first. I tried to think what it would be like for..." His voice trailed off as that hesitation he had felt in front of Dawn returned to the fore. "...would be like for us." His ears flattened as he glanced over at Fluttershy. "You know...if things went that far."
Fluttershy blinked at the unexpected turn in the conversation as she realized what Caramel had been getting at. He was looking into the future that they would have if they followed this relationship to its ultimate conclusion; being a family, becoming a part of Dawn's life, living together. Her cheeks grew uncomfortably hot with the implications of it all as she understood the reason for his hesitation. This was just the beginning after all. Thinking that far ahead was a difficult thing to do in such a young relationship.
For a moment, they walked on in awkward silence, each struggling with their feelings as they tried to sort out just what this meant for them, both now and in the future. As Fluttershy pondered, certain things about Caramel's way of thinking began to slide into place. "Are you okay with Dawn being there?"
"Yes," replied Caramel as he leaned over, brushing his cheek against hers, "Because he's an important pony to you."
A smile spread across the mare's face and she turned her head and planted a kiss on Caramel's cheek. Caramel froze, absently reaching up with a hoof to touch the place she had kissed, his eyes wide.
"Thank you so much Caramel," said Fluttershy, gently leaning up against him.
"For what?"
"For being you," replied Fluttershy, "I think...most other stallions would have tried to forget about Dawn, at least for tonight. They would try to ignore him or date me in spite of him." She turned to meet Caramel's eyes with her own. "But you're thinking about him, even though you're with me. You're already thinking about the things and ponies that are important to me."
She leaned in close and whispered into his ear. "And that's what I really like about you." Leaning back, both of their faces blazed crimson as they stood stock still for a moment, their shyness briefly causing their higher cognitive functions to break down.
Finally shaking himself out of his daze, Caramel smiled and nuzzled up against Fluttershy. "Come on now. Rarity's right, we don't want to be late for dinner."
Spike yawned as he watched his older sister pace back and forth, muttering impatient exclamations under her breath. Already, the floor was beginning to show signs of wear as Twilight's hooves mercilessly ground it down. The little dragon frowned, not having seen Twilight Sparkle this agitated since she had gotten that aborted warning from her future self to not worry about the future, only to actually cause herself to worry about the future because she hadn't actually heard the part to not worry about it and...Spike shook his head. Time travel was a pain in the neck and he never wanted to have anything to do with it ever again.
"Twilight, worrying yourself sick isn't gonna make a reply come any faster," he counseled, although keeping himself at a distance, given that Twilight's temper could be explosive when she was in this state.
The lavender mare paused and let out a defeated sigh. "I know Spike, but I'm still worried. This is a serious problem that could have severe repercussions for the rest of Equestria if we don't handle it right. Not only that, but Rainbow Dash's future is on the line. None of us want her to end up being put in prison in Cloudsdale. That would be bad enough, but having a criminal record would ruin her chances of getting into the Wonderbolts."
"I'd think that given how much she's impressed them, they might be able to overlook a few things," said Spike.
"If they did, that would be a serious breach from their usual standards," answered Twilight, "The Wonderbolts are an elite organization separate from the standard Guard organizations. Their standards are higher than the Royal Guard's."
"It won't happen," assured Spike, raising his hands in a placating gesture, "Your brother will come through for you, I'm sure."
Twilight gave her little brother a small smile. "Thanks Spike."
A second later, Spike's cheeks ballooned outward and, with a massive belch, he released a burst of flame that congealed into the much anticipated letter. Twilight quickly opened the scroll and read it carefully.
Twily;
I just got back from dispatching a pair of my guards on the next train to Ponyville. With any luck, they should be there sometime tomorrow afternoon. I'm also sending someone else with them who should be a big help if things go south. Don't worry, they'll make sure that a fight doesn't break out.Love, Shining Armor.
P.S. Cadance has been saying that she wants to come visit you soon.
Twilight rolled up the scroll with a relieved sigh. "Shiny's sent the guards we need."
Spike patted her shoulder sympathetically. "So...no more wearing holes in the floor?"
The jibe drew an amused smile from Twilight and she leaned down to nuzzle her little assistant. "No, none of that," she agreed. Looking up, she noted the time. "I should go tell Rarity. She's been worried about this whole thing for a while. Do you want to come with me?"
Spike thought about it, but a heavy yawn escaped his mouth. "Naw, I think I'll turn in for the night. Watching you get all worked up wears me out."
"Hey!"
Dinner had been delicious, the ambience of Ponyville's premier restaurant having helped the young couple relax and converse, whiling away an hour or two as they basked in each other's company. Fluttershy spent the time filling Caramel in on all that had happened since she had last visited him in the hospital, detailing Dawn's adoption, his experiences with school and even his battle with Red River and Storm Front.
Caramel had enjoyed the stories, although he was growing more and more uncertain as to what role he could possibly play in the colt's life. Dawn was already mature enough to not truly need a father figure. Fluttershy already supplied all the familial affection Dawn could ever want. In spite of Dawn expressing his approval of the stallion earlier, Caramel couldn't help but wonder if he would still approve of Caaramel becoming a fixture in his daily life.
He ended up posing this question to Fluttershy, who pondered it thoughtffully before answering. "I think he could use a father," she said.
"You do?" Caramel was surprised by the response. "But you've already told me about what a self-sufficient and mature colt he is. What can I possibly offer to him as a father?"
Fluttershy reached out and rested her hoof atop his. "Dawn is very good at taking care of himself. Actually, he's too good at it." She giggled at the tan stallion's evident confusion. "He's gotten very used to not needing other ponies to get by in life. I've been trying to help him get used to being around others. But he needs other ponies to act as an example of how to live in Equestria, not apart from it."
Caramel frowned, wondering just how he was supposed to do that. But Fluttershy reached out and pressed a gentle hoof to his lips. "Don't," she said softly, "Don't worry about it for now. I'm so glad you're willing to think about Dawn's well-being, but that can come later. Let's talk about something else for now."
Caramel nodded. Fluttershy decided to introduce a new topic. "By the way, I was wondering why you were in the hospital so long. Normally ponies go through there very quickly."
A sigh escaped Caramel's lips as he shrugged. "It's a family thing. Apparently, my body has a higher resistance to unicorn magic than most ponies. My dad had that problem too. Because of that, healing spells don't do as much for me as they do for most other ponies, so I have to spend more time in the hospital and get more of them."
"Oh dear," gasped Fluttershy, "I'm so sorry to hear that."
"It's not so bad," admitted Caramel, "Yeah, it means that if I get hurt, I have to spend more time in the hospital than most ponies, but I actually have a stronger resistance to unicorn magic in general. It's actually helped me out a couple of times."
"Really? How so?"
Caramel turned his head to look down the street and smiled wistfully. "Before I came to Ponyville a few years back, I used to work in a shop in Manehatten. One time, this unicorn came in and tried to rob the place. He hit me with a telekinetic blast."
Fluttershy stifled a horrified gasp. She had seen such a spell in action. Twilight had used it extensively during the changeling invasion of Canterlot. It was one of the few truly violent spells in her magical repertoire and, indeed, one of the few combat spells civilian ponies were permitted to learn. According to Twilight, the spell was simplicity itself, condensing the telekinetic magic unicorns used to manipulate objects into a burst of pure kinetic energy and unleashing that at a target. With sufficient power, a unicorn could easily shatter stone. The canary-colored pegasus shuddered to think of what such a spell could do to an unprotected pony's body.
Caramel continued, calming her down. "The officers on the scene later said that with anypony else, that spell would have knocked them across the room, maybe even broken some ribs. Instead, I just felt like I'd been given a hard shove. I managed to kick him and knock him out."
Fluttershy let out a relieved sigh. "Oh thank goodness."
"You see," said Caramel, patting her hoof reassuringly, "I don't just have bad luck. Sure, when I get hurt, it takes longer for me to get better. I'm clumsy and difficult to work with sometimes. But I have good luck too. I'm not as easily hurt by magic as some ponies and..." he looked deep into Fluttershy's teal eyes, "I got to go out on a date with one of the most beautiful mares in all of Equestria. I'd say I'm pretty lucky."
A bright blush spread across Fluttershy's cheeks as she shied away. "Thank you," she whispered softly.
"Hey Rarity, I just got a letter back from Shining and..." Twilight's voice trailed off as she saw just what she had walked into upon entering the Carousel Boutique.
Rarity had paused in the middle of her work, several tools hung suspended in her magic. Standing on the stage in front of her was Dawn, who remained statue-still with several pieces of cloth being applied to his body.
"Um, what's going on?" asked Twilight as she took in the scene before her.
A light tittering laugh escaped the alabaster mare as the tools of her trade floated aside, taking the cloth she had been experimenting with them. "Oh, I was just taking the opportunity to fit Dawn while I plan his suit. I must admit, he's one of the finest models I have ever worked with. I've never had a pony stand so still while I work on him."
"I have extensive practice in that," remarked Dawn, who had decided to meditate while Rarity worked her magic on him. Free from the confines of the unfinished suit, he spread his wings as far as the bandages around them would allow, rolling them slightly to loosen them in their sockets.
"I see," said Twilight simply, "And the reason Dawn is here is...?"
"We're waiting for Fluttershy and Caramel to get back from their date," explained Rarity, "I didn't want Dawn to sit alone all evening in that cottage, so I decided to ask him to spend the evening modeling for me here while we waited." She turned to face Twilight directly. "So then darling, what is it that you wanted to share with me? Something from your brother?"
Twilight nodded fervently. "Yes. He's sending some of the Royal Guard down here to help us deal with our Cloudsdale problem. With any luck, they'll be able to prevent any conflict from breaking out."
"Wonderful," said Rarity, settling on one of the cushions she had set out in the store for customers to use when they waited for her to finish one of her designs. "If I may say so, it's past time somepony in Canterlot did something about this. It's utterly abominable that this drought has been allowed to continue for as long as it has."
Twilight and Dawn settled on cushions of their own. "It's not that simple," said Twilight.
"Surely the ponies in Canterlot are suffering from the drought as well," Dawn pointed out, "If the center of Equestria's government is being affected by this, then they would be obligated to do something."
"It's not that simple," Twilight repeated, "Canterlot lies in the boundaries of the Cloudsdale Distribution Zone, but it's exempt from the general weather laws because it's the center of Equestria's government. Canterlot is pretty much the only city in Equestria that's allowed to produce its own weather."
Rarity frowned and tapped her chin. "Still, it seems odd that Princess Celestia and the parliament have done nothing to address the situation. Our current straits are no deep secret." Her comment elicited a hum from Twilight as she mulled it over before something clicked in her head.
"I think I get it!" she exclaimed.
"Get what?" asked Rarity.
"Remember all that commotion with Applejack and Dawn?" The two members of her audience grimaced at the memory and Twilight winced, realizing that she had dredged up something unpleasant, but forged ahead anyway. "The reason Princess Celestia couldn't intervene right away was because the nobles of the Court were keeping her occupied."
"But what does that have to do with the situation in Cloudsdale?" inquired Rarity.
"I see," mused Dawn, "You think that the nobles in Canterlot were trying to obstruct Princess Celestia from taking action."
Twilight nodded. "You see, each of the three tribes has its own share of hardcore tribalists, ponies who would just love to see the peaceful relationships between the three tribes that we have today go to Tartarus because they're so absolutely convinced that their tribe is superior. Luckily, earth pony tribablists tend to inhabit the most backwater of rural towns and are too diffused throughout Equestria to really put up an organized front. On the other hoof, pegasi tribablists are concentrated in places like Cloudsdale, inhabited by some of the oldest pegasus families in Equestria. And the primary refuge of the most die-hard unicorn tribalists..."
"...Is the Noble Court in Canterlot," finished Rarity, finally figuring out where Twilight was going.
Of the three tribes, the unicorns had been the only ones arranged around a monarchy with a supporting feudal social structure. The pegasi had originally been structured in a military dictatorship, while the earth ponies formed a representative government. As a result, the Noble Court of Canterlot was composed entirely of unicorns descended from those same feudal aristocrats that served the unicorn kings and queens of the past, the oldest unicorn families in Equestria.
"But why would they try to hinder any response to the drought?" asked Rarity.
"Because that makes the pegasi look entirely like the villains," said Dawn calmly, "Because of their more direct role in the problem, they will take the majority of the blame while the unicorns who worked in the background will be overlooked."
Twilight nodded sagely. "And, to make matters worse, the ones most affected, financially at least, by this drought will be earth ponies. From the perspective of the tribalists in the Noble Court, this is the perfect opportunity to set the other two tribes against each other."
The three ponies mulled this over for a moment.
"There's something else that bothers me darling," said Rarity, eying Twilight nervously, "I know it seems unlikely...but suppose the magistrate finds that we are in the wrong on this."
"Don't worry, it's not gonna happen," said Twilight cheerfully, "Because I have these!" Her magic flared, summoning a stack of twenty-seven eight-by-ten color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining what each one was to be used as evidence against Cloudsdale.
"My...that's certainly...comprehensive..." mused Rarity, looking rather flabbergasted by Twilight's evidence. Glancing over at her clock, Rarity's eyes widened as she realized what time it was. "Oh my goodness! This is no time for such grim talk Twilight dear! Fluttershy and Caramel will be back any moment now. We absolutely don't want to spoil their evening now do we?"
Fluttershy sighed happily as she basked in Caramel's warmth, leaning against his side as they made their way back to the Carousel Boutique. After dinner, the two of them had strolled through the park, enjoying each other's company and chatting lightly. As far as she was concerned, the date couldn't have gone better. She had always enjoyed the tan stallion's company before and truly relished the opportunity to be even closer to him.
On the other hoof, Caramel was practically on Cloud Nine. His anxiety regarding how Dawn figured into their relationship and the relative newness of the whole thing had been pushed into the back of his mind. He was on a date with the most beautiful mare in Ponyville (in his mind, at least, a claim which had little dispute to be sure, the only other contender for the title being a certain fashion designer). During their friendship, Caramel had always pined after the canary-colored mare, one day hoping that their relationship could be something more. However, seeing how Fluttershy had shied away from romantic overtures by other stallions in the past (mostly due to her crippling shyness in many social situations, much less being approached by a stallion she hardly knew), he was afraid that any effort on his part to move things beyond friendship would only drive her away. In part, he had partially resigned himself to watching from the sidelines as somepony swooped in to steal her heart while he remained ever the "good stallion friend" Fluttershy could turn to for help and advice.
Fortunately, that had all changed now. The two of them had truly enjoyed their night out and neither wanted it to end. But as the Carousel Boutique loomed ahead of them, neither could ignore the fact that the night was about to end regardless.
It was with great reluctance that Caramel reached up and knocked on the Boutique's door. The portal immediately swung open and Rarity ushered them inside. "Welcome back darlings, I hope your evening has gone well."
Fluttershy smiled at her friend. "It was even better than I could have imagined." Her words nearly sent Caramel's heart rocketing out of his chest in joy.
A merry twinkle flashed in Rarity's eye. "Ohoho! You can tell me all about it at the spa tomorrow Fluttershy dear. But for now, I think you have a colt who is eager to return home."
Looking over, Fluttershy saw Dawn reclining on one of Rarity's cushions next to... "Twilight, what are you doing here?"
A sheepish look passed over Twilight's face as she averted her eyes and fished for some excuse to justify her presence. "Ah, well...you see..."
"She had just come to appraise me of the situation with the Guard," explained Rarity. While there was no need to delve into the more troubling aspects of their earlier conversation, she saw no reason to not tell the truth either. "Her brother has dispatched two members of the Royal Guard to help us deal with the situation."
"Oh, I see," observed Fluttershy, "That's wonderful."
"And Dawn here was modeling for me while I designed a suit for him. I really do wish I could keep him darling, the only pony I've ever had stand that still was a ponyquin." Rarity let out a sigh while Dawn coughed a little uncomfortably.
Fluttershy smiled, noting the ebony colt's desire to return to the comfort of their little cottage. "I suppose it's time we went home then...if that's alright with you Rarity."
With a chuckle, Rarity turned away and trotted towards the stairs. "Of course it is darling. When you're finished undressing, feel free to leave your clothes in the changing rooms, I'll deal with them later."
"Oh thank you," said Fluttershy as she and Caramel moved to the two fitting rooms available to the boutique customers. While ponies normally went out in a state of undress, the act of dressing and undressing was considered rather personal and thus, something to be done in private.
A few moments later, Fluttershy and Caramel emerged, leaving their clothes behind. As they headed for the door, with Dawn in tow, Caramel turned to Fluttershy with a smile. "I'd be happy to walk the two of you home," he offered.
A blush spread across Fluttershy's face as her wings fluttered excitedly. "Oh you don't have to if you don't want to..." she demurred.
Dawn raised an eyebrow at the couple before turning to Twilight with a questioning look. The lavender unicorn merely gave him a sheepish grin and a shrug. Having never truly witnessed romantic interactions before, Dawn had to admit that he didn't know what to make of the awkward situation before him.
Still, Caramel insisted on joining them on the walk to Fluttershy's cottage. Dawn trailed behind them, watching their interactions with the intensity of a scientist trying to discern the behavior patterns of a newly discovered species. Conscious of their audience, both Fluttershy and Caramel kept a slight distance from each other and avoided overt gestures of affection, too shy to express their feelings naturally with such intense attention on their every move.
Arriving at the cottage, Caramel and Fluttershy stood in front of her door, neither sure of what to do or say. By this point, Dawn was more or less aware of the fact that he was the third wheel in this situation.
"I think I'll go ahead and go to bed," he announced softly, going into the cottage and closing the door behind him.
For a moment, the two adults were speechless, both staring at the door in silence before Caramel spoke.
"Is it just me?" he asked, "Or is Dawn more used to the idea of Us than we are?"
Caramel's comment triggered a stream of giggles from Fluttershy, the tan stallion joining in, his deeper chuckles resonating through the night. The previous awkwardness was forgotten as the two closed with each other, pressing their necks together as they prepared to part for the night.
Pulling back, Fluttershy smiled at her date. "I want to do this again," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
"Me too," agreed Caramel, "How does Saturday sound?"
"That sounds wonderful," said Fluttershy, thinking about the possibilities, "We could do something during the day. Oh! It doesn't have to be anything formal either, so we won't need clothes. Maybe we could bring Dawn with us...if that's okay with you..." Fluttershy lowered her gaze, averting her eyes slightly.
Caramel reached out with a hoof and pressed it against her cheek so that her head turned to allow her eyes to meet his again. He gave the mare an encouraging smile. "Of course it's okay with me. I wouldn't want to leave your son out of this."
Fluttershy let out a giddy squeal and threw her arms around the stallion, pulling him close. After a second's hesitation, Caramel reached up with his own forelegs to return the gesture, the two ponies settling on their hindquarters for stability as they pulled each other close. After a moment, the two pulled back, staring into one another's gaze. It was Fluttershy, in one of her rare (but increasingly less rare) moments of assertiveness, who made the first move. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against Caramel's, who reciprocated the gesture and pulled her tight against him.
It was a fair bit longer before the two reluctantly separated. Standing up, Fluttershy gave Caramel one last peck on the cheek before bidding him a nearly inaudible "good night" and retiring to the cottage for the evening.
Caramel sat there for a moment, his mind still trying to process what had just happened. Once he had regained his mobility, Caramel got back on his hooves and trotted back towards his own home, a wide grin on his face. Even though he was an earth pony, Caramel was fairly certain that, at that very moment, he was flying.