Brushed Away 2: By Hoof and Claw

by TheVClaw


Chapter One: Back in Ponyville

In the town of Ponyville, not many ponies were outside today. Even with the stunningly beautiful array of autumn leaves in the trees, which would eventually break free to dance along the windy skies with precision and finesse, the weather was already beginning to show the first signs of an especially cold winter. With the chilly air rushing along the houses and buildings in town, as well as the looming nighttime coming earlier with each passing day, it wasn't hard to see why the streets were so vacant this particular afternoon. With the near silence from the township intertwining with the falling leaves, Ponyville seemed absolutely still, as the day already began to turn into twilight.

However, the serene feeling of tranquility wouldn’t last too long. The sounds of steam engines began to be heard from the distance. At the Ponyville train station, the few ponies who were waiting watched as the train slowly began to come into view.

With each chug from its steam engine, the train from Canterlot began to slow down tremendously as it docked into the station. By the time the train neared a full stop inside the station, a large cloud of steam enveloped everypony who was waiting, leaving a fine mist of gentle warmth, which was welcomed in contrast to the bitter cold.

As the train doors opened and allowed ponies to make their exits and entrances, there wasn't much pushing or shoving from anypony, mostly because there weren't many ponies for this stop. However, of the few ponies that did exit onto the platform, there were two who seemed especially happy about their trip to Canterlot.

The first one to exit after everypony else wasn't exactly like the other ponies. In fact, he wasn't a pony at all. Instead, the aged wooden floors of the train platform creaked as a large Gryphon finally got off the train. The grey and silver Gryphon, known by most ponies around town as Troy, yawned loudly as he stretched in the station. Stretching out his back, which was part of a dark-grey feline body, Troy definitely gave off the impression of a common housecat through his long stretch. The large, yellow claws on his forelegs, along with the silver feathers that adorned around his chest and head, still showed the eagle features of his Gryphon body.

After his extensive stretch, Troy's talons dug into the platform floors below him as he lifted his body, stretching his back upward before he opened his wings. Due to the lack of ponies in the station, Troy knew he wouldn’t have to worry much about hitting anypony as he stretched out his massive silver wings.

Despite the fact that the Gryphon was a few feet taller and longer than the biggest ponies in town, Troy's wings were still longer than the entire length of his body. They shot outward for a moment before being pulled back in. As he brought his wings back to his body, Troy yawned once more before he slowly turned around. Seeing who was leaving the train behind him, the Gryphon grew an instant smile on his smooth yellow beak.

The pony getting off the train, who was also the last pony to exit, was an aqua stallion with a chestnut mane, who went by the name Canvas. While he wasn't exactly a large stallion (especially for an Earth Pony), the pony wasn’t feeble either. On the backside of his slender body, the image of a paint palette was engrained on his flank, which carried four different colors of paint above a red-tipped paintbrush at the bottom.

Also looking rather tired from the train ride, the stallion yawned as he lifted a hoof, using it to brush away a strand of his shaggy mane away from his blue eyes. And on his hoof, which stood out against his aqua fur beautifully, a band made of white gold wrapped around it and shone in the autumn sunlight.

As he tried to keep himself awake, the stallion didn’t seem to notice how much Troy was smiling, who was simply watching him with a light blush on his face.

"Uuuugh, man!" Canvas groaned in a feeble voice as he attempted to stand upright on the platform. "I thought that train ride was going to take forever!"

As the stallion put his hoof back down, the Gryphon merely kept his warm smile before he replied, "I know what you mean." Troy took another glance at the train, groaning a little before he added, "But hey, at least we're back home."

Behind the two, the steam engines from the train roared back to life before it began to make its ascent from the station. After making a quick stretch similar to the Gryphon's, Canvas smiled and looked back at Troy. "Yeah, that's true."

As he began to walk towards Troy with a smile on his face, Canvas winced as one of his hindlegs cramped up. Flinching a little from the discomfort, Canvas groaned to himself as he stopped and looked back. "Urrrrgh… I really should've picked a better position to sleep on that train."

Noticing how uncomfortable Canvas looked, Troy quickly walked up to him with a reassuring smile. "Hold on, let me try something."

Before Canvas could reply or ask what he meant, the Gryphon grabbed his rear hoof with one of his claws. Keeping a sturdy grip on him, Troy used his other claw to hold onto Canvas's back for leverage. "Alright," Troy said as he tried to keep focus, "just stay still for a moment."

Canvas, now slightly concerned about what the Gryphon was doing, tried to protest while under his weight. "Wait, what are you talki—"

POP!

In less than a second, Troy made a quick tug on Canvas's hindleg, making the pony gasp as he felt the pop in his joint. After the Gryphon let go of him, Canvas winced a little and rubbed his leg.
"Dude, what the heck?! Why did you do tha…"

Canvas's irritated words slowly drifted away as he felt his leg, which was now feeling way better. Realizing how quickly Troy fixed the strain from his joint, Canvas took a second before he sighed in relief.

"Ummm… thanks, Troy," said Canvas with slight embarrassment as he looked back at the Gryphon, "but you could've given me a little warning first."

"Well," began Troy in a more “I-told-you-so” tone of voice, "if I did that, then your body would've tensed up too much for me to do anything. It had to be a surprise."

Hearing his excuse, Canvas sighed a little and put more pressure on his hindleg, smiling as he felt how much better the joint felt. Keeping a light grin on the Gryphon, Canvas breathed in before he replied, "Well, I should've figured you would try something like that."

Canvas than lifted his left foreleg, boasting the golden ring on his hoof as he continued with a smirk on his muzzle. "I mean, you seem to have a thing for surprising me recently."

Seeing how happy the stallion was looking, Troy gave a warm grin back as he moved in closer. "Well of course," he said as he placed a claw on Canvas's shoulder, "isn't that what married couples should do?"

Canvas gave a cheeky grin as he chuckled under his breath. "Yeah, maybe, but it's not like we're married yet."

Keeping a warm smile on his beak, Troy's claw moved up to the side of Canvas's face, holding it there as he looked into his shimmering blue eyes. "I know," said the Gryphon in a caring tone, "but it just can’t come soon enough, can it?"

Giving a warm smile back to Troy, Canvas tried not to well up at the Gryphon's sentiment. "Oh, Troy…"

Closing his eyes, Canvas moved in toward Troy's face, angling his head in like he'd done many times before, as he positioned his lips to the Gryphon's open beak. Feeling the stallion's lips on him, Troy closed his eyes as well as he held onto him, savoring the pony's warmth while they kissed and stood against the chilly autumn weather.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For almost all the citizens of Ponyville, the sight of Canvas and Troy had been one that everypony had gotten used to a long time ago; despite the fact that interspecies relationships were quite rare in Equestria (especially same-gendered ones), the love between the stallion and Gryphon was something that most ponies saw coming. In fact, in the few months that the two became happier and closer as friends, it seemed that almost all the ponies in town knew they would become an item before they did themselves. However, despite how long it took for Canvas and Troy to realize how they felt about each other, barely anypony expected the two to fall for each other so quickly.

And as the two began to walk through the streets, both of them knew that nopony would expect that they would already be engaged.

However, as Canvas and Troy slowly walked through the town of Ponyville side-by-side, neither of them noticed anypony out and about. Although, from the way that the two new fiancés were walking alongside each other, with the Gryphon's wing draped around the pony's back, it didn't seem like either one really minded the surprisingly vacant state of the town.

Keeping his head rested against the Gryphon’s side, Canvas kept his eyes closed as he felt his warmth. "So, Troy…" the pony said as he slowly reopened his eyes, "what do you think we should do right now? Because I was thinking of getting some things so I can make dinner tonight."

Surprised at hearing that, Troy kept a skeptical eyebrow as he looked down at his fiancé. "Seriously? We just got back from Canterlot on our first day as an engaged couple, and you want to cook?"

"Well, why not?" said Canvas as he looked up to the Gryphon. "I like cooking."

Troy shrugged a little, knowing that Canvas really did enjoy cooking for the both of them. Nevertheless, the Gryphon kept his surprised tone as he replied, "Well, I just meant that after making history, you should probably relax a little. Maybe we could just get some take-out and rest at home or something."

Hearing that, Canvas smiled and thought it over. Even though he had a good recipe idea to try for the both of them, the pony knew that his fiancé had a good point. Just last night, Canvas's most recent painting was inducted into Canterlot Castle during the Grand Galloping Gala, making him the very first Earth Pony to ever do so. And after all the emotions he’d experienced from doing that, and also having Troy propose to him at the end of the night, having a calm evening back at home sounded rather nice.

"You know what?" said Canvas in a loving tone as he nuzzled the Gryphon's chest. "That actually sounds great, Troy."

"I'm glad to hear it," said Troy as he nuzzled the pony back. "Although…" He slowly pulled his head back. "I wouldn’t mind stopping at Lyra and Bon-Bon's shop first."

"Really?" Canvas said in a curious tone. Knowing that the two mares have been great friends to both of them, Canvas didn't need to know why Troy wanted to see them after their weekend. "I'm guessing you want to tell them the good news about us?"

"Well, yeah," said Troy in a more obvious tone of voice, "I did say I'd tell them everything as soon as we got back."

Remembering how excited Troy had been acting the past few days before the Gala, Canvas knew that his fiancé was probably anxious to share the news of their engagement with their friends. So, with a smile on his face, Canvas gave a light kiss to Troy's cheek, making him blush through his silver feathers before nodding in agreement. "Sounds like a great idea."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canvas and Troy stood outside of Lyra and Bon-Bon's sweet shop, the both of them looking surprised as they saw the sign on the front of the building. At the door of the sweet shop—a quaint little building that stood in the middle of town with a mix of pink and mint colors—a sign in front of the window indicated that the establishment was closed for the day. Surprised to see the mares' shop closed this early in the day, Canvas and Troy both sighed in defeat.

"Crap," muttered Troy under his breath. "I was really hoping they would be around."

"Oh, don't be like that," said Canvas in a more optimistic tone as he nuzzled his fiancé again. "They're probably out for a catering job or something."

"Maybe…" Looking at the shop, Troy groaned to himself as he closed his eyes. "But I was really wanting them to know about us first. And I just know that as soon as Pinkie Pie finds out, that she'll tell them at the first chance."

"Hmmm…" Even though Canvas was surprised at how insistent the Gryphon was at telling Lyra and Bon-Bon, he couldn't blame him for feeling this way. Thinking back to when he first came to Ponyville, Canvas remembered how the two mares were the first friends he made besides Troy. And after all that'd happened in the past few months, the stallion wanted to tell them the big news as well. "Well, don’t worry, Troy… I'm sure we'll catch them soon enough."

Canvas then looked back to Troy, keeping a light smile as tried to lift his spirits. "Let's just head back home." Lifting his hooves around the Gryphon's neck, Canvas stood on his hindlegs as he eyed his fiancé, with the smile on his muzzle slowly turning to a more sensual grin. "Besides, I really want to spend my first night alone with my new fiancé…"

Hearing that, Troy grabbed the stallion and flew off so quickly that several feathers shot from him and glided down in front of the sweet shop.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just a few miles from Ponyville, a large, white barn stood alone along the surrounding fields. While its white coat helped it stand out among the green fields and autumn forest behind it, what really made it unique was its other coats of paint.

Along several parts of the barn, large blotches of paint covered various areas. A mural was partially in progress, with dozens of different colors already adorning along the outside walls. Even though it was clearly unfinished, it still made the home look just as unique as the two who lived there.

Flying towards their home, Troy as moving at high speed through the fall skies as he neared his destination. While clinging to his back tightly, Canvas wanted to say something against how quickly his fiancé was moving; he should've known that the Gryphon would want to get back home as soon as possible, especially after enticing him like that back at the sweet shop.

Keeping his muzzle shut, Canvas just held on to Troy as they landed on the ground by their barn. Even though his landing was a little harder than he preferred, the Gryphon didn't care at all as he secured his footing before pulling his fiancé from his back and holding him tightly.

With a loud ‘whump!’ Troy held Canvas against the outside wall of their home with his claws, eyeing him lustfully before he moved his head in. Even though they were outside, Canvas knew that their home was secluded enough to not warrant much worry, making him carefree as he quickly took his fiancé in embrace.

As the sun began to set near them, Canvas kept his grip around Troy as they made out passionately by their front door. As their tongues began wrestling with one another avidly between beak and muzzle, Canvas was almost lifted off the ground as the Gryphon kept his grip on him against the wall.

Panting heavily, Troy broke off his kiss momentarily and spoke lustfully between pants, not noticing how his wings were fully open and shaking from stiffness. "So… you wanna… go up to the nest?"

Also breathing heavily, Canvas kept a devilish smile as he eyed the Gryphon. "You really think I'm going to say no?"

With his grin growing bigger, Troy's beak immediately went back into position against Canvas’s muzzle for another moment. With the two of them blushing heavily and becoming hotter with each passing second, Troy picked up the stallion before standing on his hindlegs.

Carrying Canvas in his forelegs, Troy made sure he was well-balanced on his rear paws before kicking their front door open, almost breaking it off the hinges from his sheer strength. With the inside of their home darkened, Troy carried Canvas in his claws as they kept kissing each other madly, making his outstretched wings bulge a little before being pulled through the doorway. Only thinking about heading up to the bedroom, Troy kept his attention on the stallion as he turned on the light.

"SURPRISE!!!"

Shocked by the sudden mass of new voices, Troy accidentally dropped his fiancé, making the stallion fall on his back in a loud 'whump!’ Even with the sharp pain in his back from that fall, Canvas quickly pulled himself up so his back was against Troy.

Looking ahead of them, the stallion and Gryphon both stared in shock as they saw the dozens of ponies in their home, and the large banner hanging from the ceiling that read “Congratulations on Getting Engaged, Canvas and Troy”.

In front of the large crowd of smiling ponies from town, a familiar pink mare was bouncing in glee in front of Canvas and Troy. Hopping as cheerfully as a bunny hopped up on a pound of coffee beans, Pinkie Pie kept her huge trademark smile as she looked at the couple.

"CONGRATULATIONS!!!" shouted Pinkie Pie, clearly wound-up as she continued to jump up and down. "I heard that one of you popped the question during the Grand Galloping Gala and the other said yes, so I got home and got my banner and told everypony about it because I knew it was a really big deal and I wanted to throw you guys a super duper 'Congrats That You're Getting Married'…"

Pinkie stopped momentarily as she took another deep breath.

"PAAARRRRTYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"

As the crowd behind Pinkie Pie cheered in agreement, Canvas and Troy were still frozen in surprise about everypony being in their home. Slowly, Troy's wings began to close back in as he tried to muster out a comment through his beak. Even with the million different questions he wanted to ask right now (starting with who the buck had a key to their house), the Gryphon was mostly grateful that his fiancé was propped in front of him, helping to cover his midsection from the happy crowd.

"I…" Even though his voice came out in almost a whisper, it was enough to help break Troy from his stunned state. He took another second before he spoke more clearly. "I… don't know what to say…" Troy looked down to Canvas, who looked back at him with an equally worried and surprised look before he added, "You certainly surprised us."

"YAAAAYYYYYY!!!" shouted Pinkie gleefully as she kept jumping around. "I knew it! IknewitIknewitIknewitIknewitIknewitIknewitIknewitIknewitIknewit!"

"Ummm…" Keeping a hoof raised up, Canvas finally managed to speak up in an attempt to slow down Pinkie's hopping. Noticing the stallion, Pinkie paused with a smile on her muzzle, waiting as Canvas finally asked, "How… how did you get in our house?"

Looking down at his fiancé, Troy was glad he wasn't the only one to wonder that. In an instant, Rainbow Dash flew up above the crowd, keeping a cheerful grin as she hovered by the banner. "Yeah, I might have to explain," said the mare, brushing a strand of her technicolor mane from her eyes before she continued, "Pinkie was wanting to throw a surprise party for you two, and she was pretty insistent on having it here. So, I… may have used the roof hatch to get in and unlock the door."

Taken aback a little, Troy started to look a little angrier as he replied, "Wait, you broke into our house?!"

"I'm sorry," said Rainbow Dash in a sincere tone, "I really am! But I'd rather do that than try to argue with Pinkie over there."

Looking back at Pinkie, who was drinking a large tub of frosting with a crazy straw, the couple realized that Rainbow may have had a fair point.

"Well…" Before Troy could think of anything to add to his statement, Rainbow Dash flew back down to the ground.

"I really didn't mean to break in," she said honestly, "but at least it's for a good reason." Growing a big smile on her muzzle, Rainbow Dash gave a light punch to Troy's shoulder as she added, "Congrats on popping the question, dude! I mean, seriously, that's really awesome!"

Remembering how everything went, Troy knew he couldn't stay mad at her right now. Especially considering that fact that Rainbow Dash was a big reason that the Gryphon was even able to propose at the spot he wanted to, he knew that nothing was going to mess with how happy he felt right now. And looking down at the stallion with him, who was carrying a grateful smile as well, Troy sighed before he looked back to Rainbow Dash.

"Th… thanks, Dash," said Troy with a smile, "I really appreciate that."

Looking around the rest of the house, Troy noticed all the ponies still standing around, making him realize that a party was going to happen no matter what he said. "Well… oh, what the hay?" said the Gryphon as he looked back at Canvas. "We might as well appreciate this, right?"

"Great!" Pinkie tossed her empty tub of frosting and jumped up on the dining room table. "Let's PARTYYYYYY!!!!"