Ex-Wonderbolts new job

by Jetto


10. And then life goes on

Chapter 10: And then life goes on

Soarin yawned and stretched his limbs. The sun was slowly setting, making place for its nighttime counterpart. No doubt Princesses were already meeting and discussing the change of the day cycle, which also meant that his job was done as well, which concluded the entire week. Soarin greeted his last client without bothering to leave his own, comfortable chair, trusting that Cloud Chaser will take care of the rest. Just as he was about to call it a day and start enjoying his well deserved break, he heard another knocking on his doors. Quick glance at the clock revealed that it was almost five PM, barely twenty minutes till closing hours. Not much to work with, but then again, he wouldn't feel good turning anypony down.

"It's open."

The door opened and a familiar, tan figure went inside, smiling at him.
"So I have this lovable fiance, who is perfect, always cares for me and I love him very much and never want to live without him. What should I do with him?"

Soarin leaned over his desk and winked.
"I'd say leave the guy and bang with the first super handsome Love Guru you lay your eyes on."

Sunny Rays chuckled "That has to be the worst advice given to a mare in the history of this occupation."

"Sounds good to me. So, you, me and my room, in ten minutes?"

"Tempting, let me think about it..." she put a hoof to her chin and hummed "...nah. Nice try, though."

"Oh well." he shrugged

The pair looked at each other for a moment, before bursting into laughter.
"Well, I was going to ask how's the company doing," Sunny continued, once she recovered from her fits of laughter "but I think I already can see the answer myself."

"It's going pretty good. There were some hurdles along the way, but nothing I couldn't solve with some help from my friends."

"Good to hear. Anyway, the reason I came today," she reached out for her saddlebags and produced a light pink envelope"You are cordially invited to the wedding of Sunny Rays, that's yours truly, and Silver Steed. Here's and invitation for you plus one!" she happily gave it to Soarin "I already gave Cloud Chaser hers."

"Why thank you kindly, Mrs Steed."

"Not yet. But in six months."

Both ponies smiled and Soarin motioned her to grab a chair. It was a hot day, so he didn't want to bother Cloud Chaser with another coffee but thankfully he had a fresh jug of juice with him. He proceed to pour a glassful for each of them, then raised his for toast.
"For love." he announced.

"Especially when it's making you cash." Sunny added. they clung their glasses and took a refreshing sip, before she continued "So, tell me all about it. What do you even do here all day?"

"Aside from sitting around and being handsome?"

"Yes, aside from that."

"Oh, you know. Just making sure everypony's happy with their lives. For example..."


"I'm gonna die a lonely virgin, that's a fact..." lamented the bespectacled, acne faced stallion. He wanted to only talk to himself and bottle of cider he ordered, but he wasn't alone enough to make that happen. He rarely was by himself when sitting in a bar, but this time, his company was a little bit different. He rarely had mares around in times like these and at first he was excited at the prospect, until he found out that both were not only taken, but also riding a different train. One he liked the idea of, but was never let on.

"Don't say that, Dex," Lyra patted her new friends back "I used to think that too, and now look at me! If I can do it, so can you!"

"Easy for you to say," answered Poindexter "You had somepony around you forever..." he took a sip of his cider for emphasis.

"And it only took her forever to spit it out," added Cloud Chaser "word of the wise? Don't wait ten years before saying you like somepony. Or you end up blueballed like somepony else I know."

"And another word of the wise," Lyra smiled, now looking Cloud Chaser right into her eyes "if you like to bang everywhere and anytime, be sure to do it when little fillies can't catch you red hooved."

"That only happened once and I said I was sorry!" Cloud Chaser groaned at Lyra "And at least I kept my roommate satisfied for this whole time."

"Satisfied? Pfft, filly please," she hoofwaved "I pity Flitter. Good thing Soarin was there to show her what a real pleasure feels like, at least once."

"Hmpf, big words for somepony jealous. If you love him so much, why don't you bang him too?"

"I'm all for that!" answered Soarin, smiling and extending his wings.

"SHUT UP!" both mares shouted, for once uniting in a single task, for about two seconds before going back to their fight. Soarin's smile faded, along with his wings. He shook his head and left the mares alone, instead concentrating on his drink and other company. Poindexter took his time recovering from the blush.

"Did I missed something?" asked the nerd.

"Ex-high school sweethearts," Soarin answered casually "apparently they came out of closet at the same time and hooked up for a day or so. It didn't end well." he shrugged and left the topic there. Poindexter nodded at him and looked back at the mares, still going at it, no signs of stopping, even escalating to some really spicy insults that shouldn't be quoted. Thankfully, it was a bar late night, so no minors were scarred, except those two guys that entered with fake I.D.'s, but that was their problem. Not.

"Are they gonna kiss?" asked Poindexter.

"I wish." he shook his head in disappointment. As much as he loved Ponyville and Horsetown, they weren't Manehattan, where such things happened quite often. Good times. "Say Dex, have you seen the others?"

Poindexter shrugged "Hemp and Bulk said they'll be here any minute and Blue went to little colts room, five minutes ago." as he said it, they nodded to each other and inspected a half full plate of hay fries. They eyed it suspiciously and decided that stealing food from friends was bad, and potentially lethal. Nirvana wasn't known for its food. Their pondering was interrupted by an arrival of a friend.

"Sup bros, sorry I'm late," Hemp waved to them happily, but he didn't sat on any of the seats like always. In fact, he wasn't alone either and beside him was a tall, red coated earth pony mare. While pretty on the face, her icy glare sent a shiver down their spines "Meet my date, Rosy Spark. Rosy, meet my friends, Poindexter, Soarin, Lyra and Cloud Chaser... who are about to kiss?" he asked.

"Nope." Soarin and Poindexter shook their heads simultaneously. Lyra and Cloud Chaser were still going at it, oblivious to everything else.

"Bummer."

"Hemp, I told you not to call me that!" Rosy Spark objected, giving a deadly glare to him instead. It didn't work as well on him.

"Oops, sorry. Well anyway, we were just gonna say hi and go, we have a dinner waiting for us," he turned to Rosy and smiled "Lets go, Ro--, I mean, Volcan."

"Pfft, whatever." with that said, the pair was gone. The only thing that stopped Poindexter from going back to his depression was terror he still felt from the glare he received.

"Well, they looked rather lovely together, all things considered," Soarin smiled, nodded and shed a single tear "they grow up so fast." he wiped the tear, while Poindexter shed a few of his own, but for a completely different reason.

Few minutes later, some more heated debate over own personal lives and few misplaced insults, Lyra and Cloud Chaser finally agreed to stop talking and sat far from each other, having Soarin and Poindexter between to help avoid more disasters. That's when another latecomer appeared.
"HI GUYS!" Bulk greeted his friends "I'M GOING ON A DATE TONIGHT!" he announced happily.

"Really?" asked Soarin, smiling.

"Seriously?" asked Poindexter, frowning.

"Hey, nice job big guy!" Cloud Chaser playfully smacked him on the back, somehow making the big stallion monster cringe from a single jolt of pain, which thankfully went unnoticed "Who is the lucky lady?"

"There you are, Bulky-woolkie-pulkie!" a familiar voice resounded, as an unknown blur slammed into Bulk Biceps. Normal ponies would fall and break a few bones after getting tackle-hugged by a living pony flying at such speeds, but Bulk was far from regular and only swayed a little before regaining his composure. His four friends looked a little shocked for a while, until they recognized the form to be that of a pegasus mare. Soarin and Cloud Chaser dropped their jaws as they recognized the average beauty of the assailant "Oooh, we're gonna have so much fuuuuuuun! We're gonna go to a dinner, then at the carnival, then we'll talk in a nice little cafe and it'll be all romantic and... oh, hi Soarin! Hi Cloud Chaser!" she waved to her two acquaintances. The pair waved her back nervously.

"YOU KNOW EACH OTHER?" asked Bulk, raising his eyebrow at Soarin.

"Yeah, we met, she... umm, she..." Soarin gulped. On one hoof, his last encounter could be considered a hilarity only knowing that it ended well, with nopony chopped to pieces and only his window and door destroyed (though venting the smoke from the room was a pain). On the other, he was yet to see Bulk Biceps with that kind of cheesy, wide smile. He looked at Cloud Chaser searching for some hints, but she shrugged, proving to be as helpless as himself. Eventually, he made a decision "...she was my client once. I'm happy to see you're doing better." he struggled to smile without having any morbid thoughts.

"Oh totally!" she replied happily, still latched onto one of Bulk's biceps, not letting go "You were right, some confidence and look at me now? Together, with a big, strong stud that will protect me and loooovee me for-ever and ever!"

"Can't argue with part of that statement." noted Poindexter.

"So, how did you two meet?" asked Lyra, looking for a non-awkward topic.

"Oh, we met at his gym," she waved a hoof, yet still held above the floor level on her dates muscles "I read in a magazine that gyms are places for potential dates, so I went to the first one I could find. I went there and what did I find? Dozens of buffed, amazing studs, all of them singles, with not one mare around the place. Whatever, their loss. So there he was, my Bulkster-woolster," her hoof went towards Bulk's cheeks, much to his joy "the biggest and manliest of them all! So I asked him out and the rest is history."

"And that was...?"

"This afternoon." she happily answered. She was met with a bunch of happy smiled, not at all confused, at least in her eyes "Well, it's been nice meeting you, but we're running out of time. See ya later!"

"YEAH!" that said, Bulk stormed out of the bar through the roof, his date still latched onto him as solid as glued. The group couldn’t decide what was more confusing- the fact that Bulk could fly so far with his not-so-impressive wings, the fact that the crazy mare didn't feel the rubble from flying through the roof... or the fact that the roof was just smashed and nopony seemed to notice. Then again, they had more pressing matters.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Cloud Chaser "I mean, I doubt Bulk would feel if all Tartarus fell on him during the sleep, but still..."

Soarin hummed for a moment "Well, he is a big boy, he can take care of himself. I think. I hope..." then he went silent and instead concentrated on his beer.

Poindexter hummed "Did we even get her name?" he asked. Cloud Chaser reassured him and waved a hoof.

"Oh yeah, her name's..."

"Hey, sorry it took so long," said Prince Blueblood, finally appearing back at the counter, after disappearing for almost over an hour "hope I didn't miss anything?" he asked. His friends raised their eyebrows, look up at the recent monstrous sized hole in the roof which Prince ignored, then shrugged.

"The usual," Soarin answered "where were you all this time?"

"Well, I had my hooves full with... oh, let's not beat around the bush, I'll introduce you," he turned around and waved towards one of the tables. Shortly after, somepony waved back and slowly but gracefully moved towards Blue. All four sets of jaws at the counter had to once again reach the floor as they inspected Blue's new companion. Even Lyra and Cloud Chaser couldn't help but blush, despite remaining in a stable, single partner relationship, though Cloud Chaser had it worse, being unable to hide her erect wings.
All kudos had to go to Prince, who managed to hunt a spectacular unicorn mare with impeccable, almost pearl white coat, but what truly made Soarin's eye twitch, was her long, straight, fiery red mane, flowing on the wind thanks to a well placed fan sitting on the table, taunting him with it's gingerness "Please meet Ruby Daze. Miss Daze came from Trotsland on a business trip to Horsetown and I promised to... show her the surroundings."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Ruby Daze answered with sweet, sexy voice, bowing gracefully.

"H-how did you..." Soarin only managed to mutter, but was ignored.

"As much as we would love to stay and chat, time is running out, so we bid you farewell, my friends." and that said, the pair left the counter.

"H-how..." Soarin once again tried, but failed to make a comment. He knew Prince was good, but he never felt this defeated in his own game, by a (third) best friend, no less. Poindexter patted his back. He couldn't help in any other form, but hunters stuck together and they were there for him, no matter how petty the sorrow was.

Meanwhile, the mares had different problems.
"Dat plot..." Lyra muttered, as she eyed Ruby when she was getting out. It took her a few moments to shake her head, wipe her drool and smack herself for thinking anything indecent. If only that happened few days ago, she would've felt only half as guilty for lusting over other mare. She turned to Cloud Chaser, who raised her eyebrow at her "One word to Bon Bon and I'll have your a$$. And not in a good way." she threatened. Cloud Chaser had her own problems, trying, unsuccessfully, to lower her wings with her hooves.

"Keep silent about the wings and I won't spill a word."

"Deal." the two contemplated shaking hooves, but realized they were mortal enemies, so just ended with acknowledging nod "But seriously, DAT PLOT!"

"I know!"


Meanwhile, outside Nirvana, after Prince Blueblood and Ruby Daze went a few steps, Blue waited for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"By my aunts plot, did you see the look on his face?" he looked at Ruby, whose smile faltered a little "Priceless! I can't thank you enough for your help with this little prank, Miss Daze. This really made my day, no, week!" he laughed for a moment later, until he noticed that Ruby Daze's humor almost disappeared, now slowly turning into a forced smile to hide her frown.

"So.. it WAS just a prank after all." she sighed and scratched her head "Figures, I shouldn't get my hopes too high."

"M-miss Daze?"

"No no, it's okay, I just," she pouted and started kicking the ground under her "when you said you wanted to prank your friend, I thought that, I dunno... it was just some weird pickup line, like in the movies?" Prince opened his mouth, but before he said anything, she raised a hoof and stopped him "No no, it's okay, I'll get over it. It's just, I was really flattered when somepony actually asked me out, which surprisingly, doesn't happen all that often, if you can believe that. I once overheard some stallions in my company talking, how they see me as a 'hot' and 'sexy' and nopony has the guts to actually hit on me, that I'm too good for them and stuff, which is of course not true... and now look at me, drowning in my sorrows for being too beautiful for this world, ugh, I make myself sick sometimes!"

Blueblood stopped for a moment. He looked at her, searching for any signs of dishonesty, trickery or illusions. He even concentrated his horn on silent casting, turning a simple illusion spotting spell into a strenuous activity, just to be sure she wasn't trying to lure him into a trap. Finding none of such things, he allowed himself to stop thinking and just feel the moment.
"Miss Daze," he extended his hoof "would you like to join me to a dinner?"

His date instantly recovered from her small depression and looked at him, bright eyed.
"I thought you'll never ask!" she gladly grabbed his hoof.

"I did promise to show you the surroundings. And I do know a rather nice restaurant in Ponyville."

"Really? What's it called?"

"It's... I don't even know, Miss Daze."

"Call me Ruby."

"Of course, Ruby."


Meanwhile, at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie gasped very loudly.
"Pinks, you okay?" asked Rainbow Dash, totally hanging out with her friend after work hours.

"I just... I just felt like some big injustice happened nearby!"

"A what of huh?"

"Like some cosmic force was making cruel jokes at my expense!"

"Yeaaaah... can we just start making the cupcakes already?"

"Okie-dokie! Let's go to basement then, I got everything we need already there."

And then they made cupcakes, which at no point included torture and murder of a certain multi-colored pegasi to turn her into pastries. We only mention that because some sick people will insinuate that something horrific happened, which it didn't. Silly readers, you think too much.


Back in Nirvana, after making an uneasy 'Plot-reliant Alliance' (a quickly made name that made them chuckle every time), Lyra and Cloud Chaser went back to consoling Soarin, whose sanity seen better days.
"How did he do this? She was ginger! Ginger!" then he got smacked in the head by Cloud Chaser and promptly calmed down a little.

"Guys," Soarin started after recovering from his unusual trauma "and gals, you know what we need to do now?"

Lyra scratched her head "Stalk Bulk and his date and make sure everything is alright?"

Short silence went over.

"I was gonna say order a bunch of booze and get smashed over Blue's superiority over me in my game... but your idea's better!" he grabbed his glass and emptied its content into his mouth in one big gulp, before slamming it right into the counter "Grab your stuff, everypony! Time to support one of our kin. After all, we hunters, we stick together!" he raised his hoof and all three joined in on the cheer.



Lyra leaned over to Cloud Chaser.
"But we're not hunters!"

Cloud Chaser just hoofwaved.
"Just roll with it!"