The three of them rinse off one last time before turning the water off. Stepping out onto the rug, Silk hands them each a towel she had gotten out before they go through the process of actually drying themselves. Afterward, Rhino looks to the two females. "Would you mind if I did what I need to do in here first to get ready? I shouldn't take long, and that way you two can take as long as you want."
Gel blinks, tilting her head to one side. "You think we..." She trails off and laughs brightly, shaking her head. "R-Rhino, my kind doesn't need to do that!"
He tilts his head to one side. "You don't need to come your mane or brush your teeth?"
She squeaks, embarrassed. "Um... w-well, no, I don't need to comb my mane, either... I can shift it into the right style... I should brush my teeth, though..." She stands in silence before backing out of the room, towel around her hips. "I-I'll just wait out there..." She turns and leaves, her cheeks bright blue with embarrassment.
Rhino turns to Silk, his eyes motioning towards the main reason ponies have bathrooms. She gets the hint and nods, backing out and shutting the door behind her. As she walks over to Gel, the sounds of the stallion using the porcelain throne can barely be heard, a small sigh of relief accompanying it. "I guess he finally calmed down enough to let that all out. At least he was polite enough to let us leave first."
"Yea..." She shudders, shaking her head. "I don't think I could handle having to do that..."
The thestral looks at her curiously. "What do you mean, hun?"
"I, um, don't have to use the restroom." She giggles sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. "We don't exactly eat food to survive, after all..."
"But..." Her leathery wings shuffle. "But you ate those snacks last night... and you just had a snack of another kind in there..."
"True..." She blushes, averting her gaze. "I kind of... expel the food as a gas..."
Silk gasps dramatically.
She appears to roll her eyes, bopping the mare on her head. "As a burp, you silly filly."
"... but I haven't heard you burp once..." She narrows her eyes at the nymph. "Are you just that sneaky about it?"
"I exhale it through my nose." She sticks her tongue out at her.
"Oh, you are sneaky..." The mare blinks a moment. "Wait... if you don't, that, then why do you have..." She waves a hoof towards her nethers. "Everything?"
"To provide for the kinks of ponies." She shrugs, turning to the bed and picking up her toy from the floor by the bed. "Some ponies just like anal..."
A sly smile grows on Silk's face. "From what I heard last night, some changelings do too."
Gel pokes her in the chest with the tip of the rubber shaft, eyes narrowed. "And some thestrals. Don't forget that, sugar."
This just makes her grin more. "Well well, look who's got her fangs in more than looks now." She paws playfully at the nymph's chest, giving a sexy growl.
"You know it." She pulls her close, pinning the mare's wings against her back with the embrace. She kisses her deeply, pressing her up against the wall next to the bathroom door. "And you love it, don't you?"
Flicking the towel off Gel's waist with a finger, the mare grins. "Well, I did initially fall for that sweet innocent mare, but I don't mind this side of her." She starts kissing her back, letting herself be pressed against the wall.
She puts the toy up against the thestral's slit, purposely brushing it just a bit with each pass. "Glad to hear that... though you might want to take that potion, before Lucky comes... shame, really..." She leans down as she releases a wing, nibbling the upper edge of it. "I love the real you more... if only just a bit..."
"Am I interrupting something?" Says a voice from the now open bathroom door.
Gel glances over, the fake phallus dropping to the floor in her surprise. "Um, n-nothing big... just a little teasing, love..."
He stares at the two of them a moment before walking over to his bag. "Bathroom's open if you need to use it."
Silk taps Gel to ask her to let her go. "I actually do kind of need to use it myself..."
The navy nymph pulls away, turning to Rhino curiously. "So... you ready to go shopping, sweetie?"
"Well, as much as I hate to disappoint you, I probably do have to put some clothes on." He pulls an outfit out of his bag, setting it on the bed. Looking at her, he has a strange look on his face. "I guess you have to go back to being Angel?"
"I do, yes..." She smiles walking over and gently kissing him. "Don't act like that. I can always change back when we're by ourselves, you know. I just... have to get clothes that won't burn."
He nods, wrapping his arms around her, something he has been doing with great frequency this morning. "I just... like seeing the real you." He nuzzles her, trying to put all his feelings into it. "This is the face I waited so long to see again..."
Gel pushes him back so he sits on the bed, putting herself on his lap. "You know you can see me like this, when you want... maybe I could even go visit you where you're staying, on the weekends..." She kisses his forehead, purring softly. "Doesn't that sound fun?"
He peppers her neck with affectionate kisses. "That sounds wonderful... I'll have a hard enough time be away from you as is."
She coos softly, tilting her head to present her neck to him. "So will I... it was hard enough to keep myself quiet when I found out who you were..."
"Glad to see I'm not the only one who was missing that friend from childhood." His hands feel along her back as he continues planting kisses on her neck, punctuating them with the occasional lick.
"Missing you..." She takes his head in her hands, turning him to her and gazing into his eyes. "I felt like my heart was torn asunder... when mom took me away."
Staring at her, he smiles. "I'm sorry to say, it was only after you got taken away that I realized how much I would, and did, miss you. Still, I kept hoping I'd find you again, looks like it paid off. You know, your eyes are even more beautiful than I remembered... "
Gel giggles, playfully tapping his nose. "Do you really like them that much? Is that all you remember about me from back then?"
"No, I remember a lot of things." He kisses her once. "I remember your mane, what your hand felt like, your laugh, that way you always liked to be near me, how cute you were, how nice you were, and I even remember that dress you had." With each item on the list he gives her another kiss.
Gel closes her eyes, letting herself get lost in the memories and affection. At that last item, however, she blushes brightly, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips. "Too bad my dress got shredded, huh?" Her hands fall to her lap, fidgeting slightly.
"Yeah, too bad... do you still wear dresses?" He asks curiously.
"Well... yes, but I... I don't have any on me..." She sheepishly smiles, shrugging slightly. "I left them all at the hive, since, you know... none of them would fit Angel..."
"I see..." He hugs her to him, nuzzling her as they speak, fully expressing that he doesn't want to let her go. "Do you think we should get you one at the shopping center?"
She quietly sighs, leaning into his embrace. "I'd like that..." She giggles softly, tracing small circles in the fur of his chest. "Maybe you and Silky could help me try them on, too..."
"Hmm..." He sighs quietly. "We three still need to have that talk once she gets back out here..."
The nymph pulls away slightly and quirks an eyebrow at him, confused. "What is there to talk about, love?"
He smiles at that last word, but it falls a bit as he looks towards the bathroom. "...All of us, and what we are I suppose. I want to make sure we are all on the same page."
She slowly nods, unsure. "I... I guess that makes sense..." She taps his nose, a stern expression on her face. "We are not going to hurt her, though. She trusted us with her secret, and we're trusting her with... well..." She gestures to herself, her conviction melting away to reveal shame. "This."
His expression is soft. "Gel, I won't hurt a friend. Especially since, if nothing else, she helped me get you back sooner." He tilts his head, having seen her look. "What's wrong with 'this'?" He gestures to her. "I'm fairly certain you can feel how I feel about it."
"Well, yes, but..." She quietly gulps, turning her gaze to her lap. "I... I hid from you for five days... three of which we've been intimate... three days I believed you were you, but held back due to uncertainty..." She closes her eyes, her ears folding against her head. "I-I thought you'd be mad at me..."
"To be completely honest, I really don't care." He gently rubs her sides. "All I care about is that I have you. It's a simple but powerful thought."
Gel shivers at his touch, biting her lip to contain the coo on the tip of her tongue. She smiles shyly at him, cupping his cheeks in her hands. "You sure know how to make a nymph feel special..." She slowly leans up, pausing with her lips an inch from his, just long enough to whisper to him. "I love you, too."
Their lips meet gently, enjoying the other's presence. His arms snake around her and pull her in, enveloping her in their warmth and that of the stallion's love. His fingers trace along the edges of her chitin plates.
The nymph sighs softly, relaxing a bit more into his embrace. As he traces the plates along her shoulders, she can't help but giggle, shifting her weight slightly and breaking the kiss. "R-Rhino, that's ticklish!"
"Oh are they now?” He says with a sly smile, wiggling his fingers menacingly at her.
She squeaks, her wings flaring out in alarm. "Y-you wouldn't dare..."
"I would." He suddenly lunges forward, grabbing her and bringing her close, only to nuzzle her. "But some other time. I'm enjoying this too much right now."
She sighs in relief, happily hugging him back. "Thank goodness..." She glances at the bathroom door, curious. "How long do you think we have until she comes back out?"
Rhino shrugs. "I can never tell. It takes me five... maybe ten minutes to get ready. For other ponies it tends to vary, mares especially so depending on how much they decide they want to fix up. Why? Have something in mind?"
She smirks, gently nipping the tip of his nose. "Just a little surprise... we can't do anything big, anyways." She nods towards the door, apprehension clear on her face. "Lucky's coming over, remember?" She glances at the clock, concerned. "I hope nothing bad happened to her..."
"I'm sure she's fine. It's probably best she hasn't got here yet anyway, considering..." He motions to their bare bodies.
"Oh, right..." She starts to stand but pauses, looking into his eyes. "You... you won't treat me different as Angel, will you?"
He tilts his head as he thinks. "Well... a small part of me will be missing seeing you in your normal form, but, I'll probably mostly just treat Angel like I've been treating you since I realized it was you. So... expect puppy eyes, affectionate gestures, the occasional snuck kiss, and a protectiveness for not wanting to lose you again."
She blushes softly, embarrassed by his words. "That... that's so sweet..." She slowly stands, kissing the tip of his horn. "I wonder how our study sessions might change from this..." She winks right before her form is briefly enveloped in her blue fire. It disperses to show the bubbly blonde unicorn from last night, bare as before. She stumbles forward a step, eyes wide in surprise, catching herself before she could fall.
The stallion simply lounges on the bed, offering a shrug. "Still lovely of course, but I know there's a delicious center inside that sugary coating."
She giggles brightly, leaning forward and playfully tapping his nose. "Thanks, stud, but that didn't answer my question..." She cups a hand to his cheek, smiling coyly as she glances at the bathroom door behind her. "Do you want to give Silky a little surprise?"
"Oh, umm... sure." He nods. "I'm interested to see what you have in mind."
"Nothing big, for now. Just a surprise group hug." She backs up to the wall between the closet and the door, nodding to the other side of it. "It's a bit silly, but hey, that's Angel - silly, scatterbrained, and seductive... you know?"
Nodding again, he slides off the bed, going to the other side of the door. "I look forward to seeing what Gel is like all these years later."
"Sadly, that'll have to wait until we're alone together, again." She sheepishly shrugs, tucking a stray lock of golden hair back into her mane. "Angel isn't exactly the same as my true self... and others would notice the difference, right away..."
"I see..." His ears flick as the doorknob turns from the other side. The door opens and out steps Silk, looking much more put together than she had earlier.
Without a word of warning, Angel hugs the now-pegasus, happily nuzzling her neck and purring. She looks at her lips and frowns softly, gently touching them with a hand. "Aww... I'm gonna miss your fangs, Silky..."
The hidden-thestral giggles, kissing the fingertip. "Same to you, hun-" Whatever else she was going to say is cut off by the stallion enveloping them both in a hug. Finding herself in the middle of a pony sandwich, Silk coos delightedly. "Well, this is a nice surprise."
"I knew you'd like it." She giggles, gently pecking her friend's cheek before turning to the other unicorn, smiling warmly. "Do you like it, too, sweetie?"
"It's nice." He says simply, but honestly.
"Well, I've never been one for turning down 'nice', so thank you." She snuggles into the warmth of the hug. "Did I miss anything while I was getting ready? Sexy or not?"
"Just some kissing, a little reminiscing..." She snaps her fingers, pointing to Rhino. "That's right, you had something you wanted to talk to both of us about, right? Can we do it while we get dressed?"
"Sure, that'll work." His voice and expression go serious as he lets go and heads over to the bed, starting to get dressed.
Silk blinks at the sudden shift in mood. "What's got him all mopey, hun?"
"I... I'm not entirely sure..." She sighs, bringing a few things from her closet out onto the desk and reaching into her dresser. "I think it's about last night... and how he promised to wait for me, when we were young..." She blinks, tilting her head to one side. "Wait, that means we didn't break our promise, right? I mean, he was my first... and I believe I was his..." She turns to the pegasus, curious and confused. "Right?"
The mare shrugs. "We all have different details and rules for promises in our minds, hun. Though if I remember right, he did stop at one point even though you asked him to go all the way."
"I... yea, he did, didn't he?" She giggles, turning her gaze to the stallion. "I wonder if he'd have held back if he knew who I was... which is better?" She holds up two sets of lingerie for the other mare, smiling warmly. "Hot pink or sky blue?"
"Hmm..." The pegasus taps her chin with a single yellow finger. "Well, admittedly both colors look lovely on this form, but... I suppose it would depend on if you're going to turn into your changeling form in it. Pink doesn't really go well with your shade of navy."
Angel frowns, shaking her head. "I wouldn't dare change forms while wearing this... I don't want to chance my flames ruining your work..." She pauses, a small smirk tugging on the corner of her mouth. "Though... I could always give you a private show, if you really want to see me in them..."
Surprisingly, Silk's face forms to one of shock. "You really never stop going, do you? I swear you're a bigger tease than I am... and it's my name!"
She shrugs, blushing slightly. "Sorry... I get in character and forget about everything else..." She clears her throat, holding up the second pair. "S-so... blue, then?"
"I think those will work nicely, yes." Silk looks over to the bed to see a fully dressed Rhino sitting sitting on the edge of it, starting at his hands in a thoughtful expression. "Well he certainly gets ready fast."
"Yea." Angel rolls her eyes playfully as she finishes slipping her underwear on. "Stallions tend to not need to coordinate their outfits." She turns her back to her friend, moving her hair out of the way. "Help me with this latch, Silky? Please?"
"Of course." She snaps the back of the bra into place. "So... does this mean you really don't have any clothes that fit your normal self?"
"Aside from my panties? No." She sighs, heading over to the desk and picking up the shirt. "I have a few dresses and my uniform back at the hive, but that's it... well, that and some clothes from my childhood, but those don't fit, anymore..."
"So... if either I or he want to hang out with the real you, you have to be all but stark bare to the world?" She asks. "I mean, I'm sure neither of us will mind, but still..."
She smooths out her shirt before responding. "Well, yes, but... I don't think I'll be changing in public, or anything..." She glances at the necklace on her nightstand, frowning slightly. "I... I'd have to leave, if I do... if news got out that I was a..." She pauses, her eyes snapping to the window, and breathes a sigh of relief when she sees it's closed. "A changeling... not because of what ponies might do... but because the General would demand I do so..."
A deep aggressive growl comes from the stallion on the bed, his eyes glaring at the floor.
The pegasus remarks quietly to Angel. "He started paying attention when you said you'd have to leave... he's not taking it well."
"I just... have to be careful, is all." She gestures towards the heart-shaped locket. "It's off, now, but my superior can hear me through that..." She rubs her hands against the fabric of her skirt, her gaze distant. "I... I messed up an earlier mission, and, well... now I have to wear that..."
Slipping on her own clothes, Silk responds. "Alright dear, we'll keep our lips sealed. I don't want you leaving any more than he does."
The white unicorn smiles, leaning over and gently pecking her cheek. "Thank you..." She turns to Rhino, taking the few steps to reach him before pulling him into a gentle kiss. "Both of you..."
The stallion lets out a quiet sigh as they kiss, relaxing as his tension drains away. He looks up at her as they break the kiss. "Ready to talk?"
"Almost!" She sits down next to him and lights up her horn, the collar from last night soon floating up into her hands. She drapes it around her neck before turning to him, holding the ends in her hands and smiling sweetly. "Would you like to help me with this, sweetie?"
Surprised that she didn't just do it with her magic, he complies nonetheless. "Umm... sure." He takes the end in his hands, gently fastening them together around her neck.
"Thank you." She kisses him once more before patting the spot on the other side of stallion, looking at the golden pegasus. "Would you like to take a seat, Silky? I'm sure he won't mind!"
Finishing pulling her top over her head, the mare nods. "Alright then." She takes a seat.
Angel nods appreciatively and turns to the stallion. "So, love..." She gently takes his hand in hers, tenderly nuzzling it. "What did you want to talk about?"
He grips her hand a moment before speaking. "Well... it's the state of things. you, me, us, Silk...everything. I'm trying to make sure we all realize where the others feel we are at this point."
The white mare blinks, confused. "I... okay... how do you feel about us, then?"
"I've... been thinking on that." He lets go of her hand, looking back over to Silk for a moment before sighing and leaning forward. "Try to understand, all my life my head has been filled with the notion that I would find my special somepony, singular, and that would be that. Details would need to be seen, but we would be happy with each other. Adding to that, that one particular female has been in my mind for nine years, so much so that I became fixated on her in some ways that made her almost my ideal mate."
Silk's ears fold down slightly, but she continues listening.
The stallion goes on. "Gel, when you were only Angel to me, I saw you as a friend, and specifically told you that even though we did more than I would ever have thought I would with a friend, we would never be in a relationship because I was still looking for 'you', remember?"
"Yes..." She frowns, starting to feel concerned. Her free hand reaches around behind him, gently taking one of the other mare's own and squeezing it softly. "Where... where are you going with this, Rhino?"
"Well... to be honest, I just don't see Silk in the same light as you. I would gladly be in a relationship with you, and for all intents and purposes, think I already am." He turns to the slightly sullen pegasus. "Try to understand, you pretty much came out of nowhere for me, and while I do think of you as a friend now... Gel essentially is nine years of my thoughts ahead of you..." As he sees her shoulders sag, he continues. "I'm not saying there isn't a chance, goddesses know ever since I met Angel my limits have been expanded, but I just don't think we're at that point."
"Then... where are we then?" She asks.
"If anything, I suppose if I had to put it into a good comparison..." He waves his hand a bit. "I suppose we would be dating, while Gel and I would be already together. Sort of... a way of getting to know you and letting things develop, you know?"
She blinks, thinking on this a moment before shifting a bit so she can see Angel around him. "Are you sure he hasn't done the herding concept before? Because this sounds oddly accurate to one of the usual ways one is established."
"I'm fairly certain... he kind of acted shocked when I first brought it up..." The white mare tilts her head, her eyes shifting to the stallion as an eyebrow raises in curiosity. "Did you... do research or something, love?"
"No, why?" He looks between the two, confused now but slightly relieved at how they are taking this. "What did I say?"
Silk simply looks to Angel again. "Do you want to explain or shall I?"
"No, you can..." She lets go of her hand, using her own now-free one to scratch the side of her head. "I'm still trying to piece everything together..."
"Alright then.” Silk clears her throat to get the stallion's attention. "The reason I'm taking this well is because what you proposed is actually quite the standard arrangement in situations like these, which make it more surprising that you thought of it on your own. You see, while some herds are formed all at once, others start with a single couple." She points to him and Angel. "One of them has a close friend or somepony else that they get close with, and eventually pitches the idea of letting them in on the relationship. This is meant to be understood that it's not saying they like the initial pairing any less, just that they feel close enough to this new pony that they don't see why they can't bring them to the highest level of closeness if their previous partner agrees. If said partner agrees it usually proceeds just like this, the newcomer essentially courts both ponies of the already existing relationship until they both agree to add them into the fold. It's dating plus one."
Rhino stays silent for a moment as he processes the surprising but comforting parallels of the situation. "Oh."
"That's why I was confused." Angel shrugs, sheepishly smiling. "I kind of thought we were doing it already... a-anyways, this is alright with you, right?" She gestures to their little group. "The three of us?"
He hesitates a moment before responding. "The dating... also serves as time for me to wrap my head around that concept as well."
She quirks an eyebrow at this. "I guess that makes sense... I still feel like we should include her, but it is up to you, in the end..." She faces forward and taps her chin, smiling playfully. "I wonder if another group bonding session would help you decide? Ooh!" She claps her hands, turning and facing Silk, grinning excitedly. "Maybe he could help out in your store! You know, so there's always somepony up front!"
"Umm... what kind of store?" The stallion asks hesitantly.
Ignoring him, the pegasus thinks. "Hmm... I don't know... I wonder if he has the right attitude for talking to ponies about my products. He seems like he tends to avoid private things like that. I don't deny a male wearing some of my outfits for advertisement would be good for sales. Of course we can't have you working the exact same hours though, that would just be a waste of resources and leave me times to run it alone... there might be times where we work all at once though... Hmm, do I have the funds to hire another pony beyond my newest employee?" As she thinks of all these things, the business pony turns to Angel. "What do you think on all these points I'm bringing up?"
"They're all really good points..." She taps her chin, thinking a bit. "He has some classes with me, so that might be an issue, if you don't want to leave yourself alone at times... though I'm sure he'd help your sales by working there." She giggles, gently pecking the taller unicorn's cheek. "After all, he's a handsome stallion... and I know you agree with me on that." She winks at her, sticking her tongue out playfully.
"Of course." Silk winks back. "The big one though is how do you think he'll be at actually doing the job? I mean being a salespony alone is fine and I have no doubts he can do that, but if someone asks him a question about the product or for recommendations... I'm not sure he has it in him right now... perhaps he can grow into it?"
"I think that's likely..." She smirks coyly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "After all, he's going to be around us."
"Very true..." She giggles. "Of course, we don't want to completely desensitize him and lose our ability to see that cute blush of his."
"Absolutely!" Angel laughs, shaking her head. "It one of the things I love most about him!" She hugs his arm, happily cuddling up against him. "What do you think, sweetie? Would you like to work in Silk's boutique?"
"I guess I do need a job..." He begins, slight wariness in his voice. "But what kind of things does she sell?"
"I think you know. After all..." She winks, nodding towards the closet. "You saw them before!"
"Oh dear..." A small blush comes to his face as his thoughts wander. "I'm not sure..."
Silk places a hand on his shoulder. "If it helps, you don't have to work on the sales floor yet. I could do it for the first few weeks or so while you're there, and you can just run the register."
"I guess it would be foolish of me to deny a job that's offered before even trying it..." He concedes.
"That's the spirit!" The pegasus exclaims, patting his back. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll grow into the position. Plus, maybe you can tease Angel there with some of the outfits I'll lend you to wear while you work. Just so you can turn the tables on her." She winks at him.
The mare in question quirks an eyebrow, bemused. "You know I'm right here, right? Besides, he already wore the outfit that'd work best on me..."
Silk narrows her eyes and grins. "Hun, I made every single one of those outfits you have and he only wore a coat. You think I can't make something that will make you jump him the instant you see him in it?"
"I don't know. I wouldn't doubt your talent..." She smiles sweetly, tapping her nose. "Though I'm more interested to know if you can make one that'd make him jump you."
The grin only gets wider. "Hmm... now that sounds like a good challenge... I'll have to pay close attention to exactly what he likes..."
Rhino can only gulp as the mares literally plot behind his back before a series of knocks come from the door.