//------------------------------//
// Getting Settled 
// Story: Cold Days and Warm Hearts 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 2:  Getting Settled

"Now then," said Rarity, as she led Flaxseed past the Carousel Boutique's showroom and back into the building's living quarters, "Go ahead and leave your things in the kitchen.  I need to go prepare the guest room for you.  In the meantime..." she gave the stallion a critical look, carefully assessing his sullied state, "...you should help yourself to the amenities in the bathroom.  You are in serious need of some grooming."
"Yeah, you mentioned that before," said Flaxseed in a sullen tone.
"Well, it happens to be true," replied Rarity, turning her nose upwards, "There is no denying the fact that you are currently quite filthy.  How long has it been since you last had a bath, or even a shower that didn't simply involve you wandering outside in a rainstorm."
"Uh...well...I haven't had much opportunity," admitted Flaxseed reluctantly.  When you bounced around from place to place, getting uprooted at a moment's notice and were unable to hold down a job for more than a few months at most, it was hard to afford housing and pay for amenities like running water.  Furthermore, he had been on the move the past few days, with no time to settle down or even seek out a convenient lake or stream for bathing.  The seasons weren't helping either, as taking a dip in a lake or stream during the late fall was like sending hypothermia a monogrammed invitation.
"But now you do," said Rarity, lowering her nose again so she could look Flaxseed straight in the eye, "You have a place to stay and that place has convenient facilities.  I simply insist you take advantage of them.  You should take a bath and get yourself clean and..."  She smiled and raised a hoof, stopping as Flaxseed flinched back form her, prompting her to lower it.  "...you should make it a nice long soak.  You need to relax dear.  I can tell how tense you are.  You have nothing to worry about while you're staying with me and my sister.  Take a good, long, hot soak and let your cares slip away.  Then you'll be able to sleep easy in a comfortable bed."  She gave Flaxseed a pleading look.  "Please."
Flaxseed let out a sigh.  There was no way he would say "no" to that face.  "Alright, you win," he said.
"Good," declared Rarity, "The bathroom is upstairs, second door on your left.  I'll take care of getting your room ready in the meantime."
Flaxseed nodded and headed up the stairs, following Rarity's directions.  She checked to make sure that the stallion had left his saddlebags on the kitchen table before following him up the stairs.  As she passed the door to the bathroom while heading towards the guest room, she heard the water running and smiled to herself before continuing on to the guest room.
She made sure that everything was clean before laying out a fresh set of linens for the bed.  For a mare of her talents, it was foal's play to make sure that everything was ready.  A few minutes later, she was down in the kitchen, working on dinner for three.
"Rarity!  I'm home!" called Sweetie Belle as she came in the door.
"Welcome back dear," said Rarity, turning to look at her sister.  However, she was surprised to see who had accompanied Sweetie home.
"Arkenstone?"
"Hello," said Arkenstone with a small smile as he followed Sweetie into the kitchen, "I decided to walk your sister home from the teahouse."
"That was very kind of you," said Rarity, "But I assume that isn't your primary reason for being here."
Arkenstone nodded.  "Dawn told me about your decision to offer Flaxseed a place to stay.  I wanted to share some advice to you."
"What advice?" asked Rarity as she took a seat at the table.
"You too Sweetie Belle," said Arkenstone to the filly before she could leave the adults to their conversation, "You need to hear this as well.  You're going to be sharing your home with this stallion too, so these are things you need to keep in mind as well."
"Okay..." said the filly a little uncertainly as she took a seat at the table as well.
"So what is it about Flaxseed that you wanted to talk about?" asked Rarity.
"I'm sure you noticed that Flaxseed is a stallion of some interesting foibles," said Arkenstone wryly.
"No," replied Rarity sarcastically, "I hadn't realized at all."
"Exactly," said Arkenstone, "He is a traumatized stallion, somepony who is used to having to hide himself away, who has grown afraid of when others approach him unexpectedly.  It is easy for him to feel threatened and, when he feels threatened, he lashes out, often violently."
"I don't understand," said Rarity, "Didn't Dawn have many of the same problems?"
"In a sense," replied Arkenstone, "But Dawn was sufficiently well-trained that he was able to maintain his self-control...most of the time.  And when Storm Front and Red River thought that said self-control was weakening, they were forced to take drastic measures to avoid it."
Sweetie Belle shivered, remembering the fight between Dawn and the two mercenary stallions.  It had very nearly ended in her friend's death.
Arkenstone continued.  "Flaxseed is a different matter.  He is nowhere near as potentially dangerous as Dawn was.  The main issue is that, where the two of you are concerned, he is dangerous enough and he has less control.  However, I have some advice which will help you avoid any...mishaps."
"And what, pray tell, is that?" asked Rarity.
"First, since he reacts negatively and violently to to surprises and unexpected occurrences, you must avoid those at all costs.  If you are entering a room that he is already occupying, make sure that you announce your presence clearly.  If he's distracted, make sure you secure some manner of acknowledgement before approaching him.  It will be best if you move carefully and deliberately.  Avoid sudden movements as much as you can."
Rarity nodded.  That made some sense at least.  Flaxseed was clearly going to be jumpy at the best of times.  It was good to know the things she could do to avoid making him jump.
"Second," continued Arkenstone, "Do not approach him while he's asleep.  If you need to approach him, you need to make sure that he is awake first.  I know it may seem impolite, but ponies in Flaxseed's position are very much aware of how vulnerable they are when asleep.  He will most likely try to attack you if you come near him while he's sleeping, possibly even lash out uncontrollably."
"I see," said Rarity, nodding again.
"Finally, make sure that you get his explicit permission before you try initiating any kind of physical contact.  Make sure that he can see what you're doing and, again, make sure that you move slowly and deliberately.  So no surprise hugs from behind."
Rarity and Sweetie nodded wordlessly.  Rarity had known that having a guest, particularly one like Flaxseed, would require some adjustment on their part, but she'd never figured how much of an adjustment it would be and to things that she and Sweetie Belle likely did without much thought.  They would have to think very carefully about how they were behaving themselves around their guest if they wanted to be sure that he would feel safe and secure.
"Uh..." interjected Sweetie, "Speaking of surprises...Isn't there a pony we should be worrying about?"
Rarity turned her gaze to Arkenstone, whose ears went flat.  "You mean Pinkie Pie, right?"
Sweetie Belle nodded.  "She'll get really excited when she finds out there's a new pony staying here.  And you know how much she likes surprise parties."
"I'll see if I can talk to her," said Arkenstone, "I haven't interacted with her much, but I think I can keep her in one place long enough to listen to reason."
Rarity nodded, though her expression was rather dubious.  "I wish you luck in your endeavor.  I think you'll need it."
With a hollow chuckle, Arkenstone left to visit Sugarcube Corner, leaving Rarity and Sweetie alone in the kitchen.  The two sisters shared a look.
"Well then, shall we finish working on dinner?" asked Rarity.
"Sure," said Sweetie.  Now that she was starting to get the hang of her magic, Sweetie was becoming a bit more reliable when it came to domestic chores, like cooking.  Well...her cooking still had a ways to go, but she no longer reduced the final product of her efforts to a charred black paste and the kitchen was still intact after she used it.
They both stood to get to work.  Out of the corner of her eye, Rarity noticed the shadow of a stallion standing in the doorway.  "Is there something else you needed to talk ab-"  She cut herself off when she realized that it wasn't Arkenstone standing at the door.
Flaxseed was there, looking at them with an unreadable expression on his face.
"Oh, it's you," said Rarity, not sure if she should feel unnerved or relieved, "I thought you'd be in the bath longer.  Come right in.  Have a seat.  Dinner will be ready shortly."
Wordlessly, Flaxseed did as he was told, sitting himself at the table.  Rarity had to admit that the stallion was a much better sight after he'd cleaned himself up.  His mane and tail were combed out, a fair difference from their original knotted and tangled state.  The gray streaks were more visible now.  Rarity wondered if they were part of his natural color or if the continued stresses he had been subjected to had been causing him to go gray early.  She sincerely hoped that it was the former.
Just as she suspected, now that he'd cleaned the dust and grime out of his coat, his fur practically shined beneath the kitchen lights.  Rarity almost wished she could just haul the stallion out of the boutique and get a look at him beneath the light of the sun.  However, two things stopped her.  The first was that it was evening, which wouldn't allow her to get the full benefit of the sun's illumination.  The second was that she remembered Arkenstone's warning about treating Flaxseed carefully and knew that he probably wouldn't take to being marehandled well.
For a few minutes, Rarity and Sweetie worked in silence.  The silence was broken when Flaxseed raised his head and stared at Rarity.  "I heard you talking with that stallion about me."
Rarity froze slightly and gulped.  "Oh...you heard that?"
Flaxseed looked down at the table.  "I guess I can't blame you.  I'm a basket case.  It'd probably be safer if I didn't stay..."
"Don't be ridiculous," said Rarity, spinning around rapidly, her sudden movement making Flaxseed flinch before she remembered Arkenstone's advice.  With a sigh, she walked carefully to the table and sat down across from him.  "I understand that this is going to be a difficult adjustment for all of us.  But it's the right thing to do."  Lifting a hoof, she rested it on the table and slowly slid it across towards Flaxseed.
It took the stallion a moment before he realized what Rarity was trying to do.  Hesitantly, he raised his own hoof and did the same, sliding it across the table until their hooves met.  Gently, Rarity curled her fetlock around his own, interlocking their forelegs, giving his a squeeze.
"You deserve this," said Rarity, with a smile, "You deserve a place where you can be at ease, where you don't have to worry about ponies turning on you over something as silly as a superstition over your eyes.  I want this town and this home to be that place for you; a place where you can rest and recover, where you don't have to spend every waking minute looking over your shoulder; where you don't have to sleep so lightly that you wake up at the slightest provocation, fearing for your life.  So...even if it is a little tricky for us at first, it's still worth our while to make the effort.  Please...stay."
Slowly, the corners of Flaxseed's mouth turned upwards and he began to smile.  Finally, he returned Rarity's gesture and gently squeezed her foreleg back.  "Thank you," he said softly.
"You're welcome," said Rarity.  She let go of his leg and turned back to preparing dinner.  "By the way," she said, "I'd thought you'd be in the bath longer.  You would probably benefit from a nice soak."
"Maybe," said Flaxseed ruefully, "But by the time I finished cleaning myself off, the bathwater had turned gray and I didn't think it would be a good idea to soak in that."
Rarity shuddered at the thought of just how much filth had to have been on Flaxseed's body to turn the water's color, as well as the thought of soaking in such water.  She certainly couldn't fault Flaxseed for his decision.  It was also very polite of him to not simply drain and refill the tub, which would have used more water.  "Oh well," she said, "Perhaps next time."
"Perhaps," agreed Flaxseed.



Dinner was a pleasant affair.  Flaxseed wasn't much for conversation and Rarity suspected that many of the things they could have potentially talked about would have simply turned the conversation towards the more unpleasant experiences in the stallion's life.  Instead, she talked to Sweetie about her day, how things were going at the teahouse, how things were going with Rumble...  Fortunately, Flaxseed's presence was a sufficient distraction that filly forgot that she was currently distraught over her lack of cutie mark...for the night, at least.
The night had been a rare experience for Flaxseed.  He was able to eat his fill of some delicious food, cooked for his sake by other ponies.  After brushing his teeth and seeing to other needs, the stallion retired to his room, where he found himself looking over a queen-size bed that had been made up with soft sheets and a warm down comforter.  Flaxseed stared at the bed, feeling slightly overcome by the feeling of it all.  Part of him wanted to climb on top of the bed and start jumping, just like a foal, and experiment with how bouncy it was.  However, he realized that such behavior wasn't appropriate for a guest.
Flaxseed was pulling up the covers and preparing to climb in when he heard a light knocking on his door.  He turned and used his magic to open it, finding Sweetie Belle standing there.
"What is it?" asked Flaxseed.
"Um..."  Sweetie scuffed the floor a bit nervously, "Rarity and Arkenstone were saying that you might have some trouble sleeping so..."  She lit her own horn and lifted an item into view.  It was a fair-sized stuffed brown rabbit with long ears, "This is Flopsy.  I used to cuddle with him when I needed help getting to sleep.  I thought he might help you."
Flaxseed used his magic to take the stuffed animal from Sweetie, floating it over so he could get a better look at it.  The rabbit was clearly well-loved.  But any damage from wear and tear had been repaired so well that it might as well not have happened at all.  It was clean, as Flaxseed had come to expect from anything Rarity permitted in her home.  He looked over at Sweetie Belle, who was watching him intently with a hopeful expression.
"Thank you," he said, smiling at the filly, "I think this might be exactly what I need."
Sweetie burst into an exuberant grin.  "You're welcome!" she said in her most cheerful tone, "Good night, Mr. Flaxseed."
"Good night," said Flaxseed, closing the door as the filly rushed off to her own room.
For a long moment, Flaxseed simply stared at the rabbit.  Already, a warm feeling was gathering in the pit of his stomach as the stallion wondered at his good fortune to have found such generous and caring ponies.  More importantly, they knew the truth about him and didn't care one bit.  Since he'd been forced to move out of his parents' home, he'd never felt so welcome, so safe, or so cared for.  Maybe I really can be safe here, he thought.  However, the uncertainty that had dogged him throughout his life was still there in the back of his mind, like an itch he couldn't scratch.
Well, one last thing, thought Flaxseed, reaching out with his magic.  The latch turned on the door, locking it.  He then followed it with a spell that had saved his life several times in the past, a locking-spell that secured the door even further, also serving as a barrier that would keep another unicorn from using her magic to manipulate the lock from the other side of the door.  The barrier also blocked the keyhole on the other side, ensuring that nopony could get through without at least causing enough of a ruckus that Flaxseed would be awake and ready by the time they managed to work around his spells.  No matter how nice these ponies had been to him, Flaxseed didn't feel that he could truly trust them.
However, as he climbed into bed, he took one last look at the rabbit.  With a resigned sigh, he wrapped his forelegs around it and hugged it to his barrel.  No, he thought, I can't trust them just yet...  He hugged the rabbit tighter.  But I'd really like to.  Those were his final thoughts as he drifted off into one of the soundest, most untroubled sleeps he had in a long time.



"There we go," said Fluttershy as she settled a dust cover over the last chair in the room.  Turning, she looked around until her eyes found Dawn.  "Is everything ready?"
Dawn looked over his shoulder and nodded at her.  The two of them had been preparing to move out of the cottage and into Caramel's home for the season.  Already, the place seemed strangely empty without Fluttershy's usual menagerie of critters.  Most had already moved into their dens with their winter stores or left on the southward migrations.  The last remaining non-pony resident of the cottage was a determined Angel, who followed Dawn around, using gestures and other body-language to guide the young colt through the various tasks that needed to be completed before he and Fluttershy could leave.  Before long, the little rabbit would be joining the rest of his kin in a snug den for the season.
Of course, moving out of the house for a season was not as simple as it sounded.  The icebox needed to be cleared of any food that would spoil over the coming months, along with the pantry.  The furniture would need to be covered, pipes drained of water, and a host of other tasks that were needed to prepare the house for a period of being uninhabited.
But this was it.  It was their final day.  Already, two pairs of loaded saddlebags waited at the door, having been loaded with the necessities that they would have to bring with them to Caramel's house.  Once they finished the last of their chores and saw Angel into his den, the two of them would head into Ponyville and to Caramel's house.
"Alright," said Fluttershy, giving one last look around, "Everything seems to be in order."  She regarded her rabbit.  "Angel, it's time for you to go to bed."
The rabbit looked as though he wanted to argue (if only for the sake of arguing), but was stopped by a wide yawn.  Closing his mouth, Angel gave Fluttershy a resigned look and bounced towards the cottage door.  At the threshold, he turned and gave Dawn a stern look.  The colt merely nodded in response to the rabbit's wordless instruction.  Looking somewhat reassured, Angel bounced out the door and was gone.
Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle as she watched the interplay between her beloved pet and her son.  "Let's go," she said, hoisting her own saddlebags as Dawn did the same next to her.
The two of them set off at a light canter down the path.  The sun was already dropping past the horizon as they made their way into town.  The air was getting chilly as the season progressed.  Fluttershy shivered and pulled her scarf tighter around her.  Dawn seemed unfazed by the cold though.  It was to be expected, given that he'd once spent an entire year in the Everfree Forest, including the winter season, without so much as a single thread to keep himself warm.  His training helped him to endure the late-autumn chill with nary a shiver.
Their journey carried them past warmly lit houses where other families were already inside, enjoying warm meals and basking in each other's companionship.  Before long, their eyes found their destination, a house that looked much warmer to their eyes than any other, not in the least because a certain stallion was waiting for them at the door with a smile.
"Welcome back," said Caramel as he ushered them inside, shutting the door behind them.  He led the pair into the living room so that they could warm up beside the fire.  "Did you guys eat already."
Fluttershy nodded.  "Yes, we made an early dinner.  We had to use up the last of our food after all."
"Okay," said Caramel with a chuckle.  He and Fluttershy curled up on a set of cushions in front of the fireplace, settling Dawn between them.  "I'm glad I didn't make anything for you then.  I thought that's what you might have been doing."
"I'm sorry," said Fluttershy, giving him a sheepish smile, "We should have told you so that you knew for certain."
"It's not a big deal.  I could whip something up fairly quickly," said Caramel, "It's no onion soup, but it's not too hard to come up with something Dawn would like."
"You shouldn't worry about me," replied Dawn, "By now my body can probably handle most foods.  It's simply a matter of preference.  You needn't take too much trouble on my account."
Caramel chuckled.  "Seeing as the list of foods you have an aversion to tends to consist of stuff most foals would love to eat to the exclusion of all else against the better advice of their parents, it's not that bad.  You could be a lot worse as far as picky eaters are concerned."
"That's right," agreed Fluttershy with a lilting giggle, "You'll probably spoil me for my next foal, seeing as you don't bother me constantly about sweets."
"Which is rather ironic, considering my potential father is a candy-maker," quipped Dawn, who smirked as the cheeks of both his mother and her coltfriend exploded with bright-red color.
For a moment, the two adults lay flummoxed by the colt's words.  Caramel gave Fluttershy a stunned look, which she returned with a coy smile.  Looking down, Fluttershy watched her son.  "Do you really like Caramel?"
"Yes," replied Dawn, nuzzling against his mother's shoulder.
"And you'd be okay with us...that is...all of us living together?"  Fluttershy gulped, her cheeks not able to get any redder, though not for lack of trying.
"I certainly am," replied Dawn, "Though, knowing Angel, he might have some objections."
"Does that mean you're going to call me dad from now on?" asked Caramel.
Dawn hummed for a second.  "Well...we're already living together, giving the family a trial run as it were.  I don't see why I can't do that too...dad."
Caramel sucked in his breath sharply, suddenly being addressed like that shocking him.  He turned to give Fluttershy a wide-eyed stare.  The yellow mare couldn't help but giggle at the stallion's stunned expression.  Seized by a sudden impulse, she leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips.  "I think I could get used to this," she said as she pulled back, giggling again at the now blissfully vacant expression occupying Caramel's face.
"So could I," said Dawn, laying his head on his forelegs, snuggling down between the two adults and basking in their warmth.
With a happy smile, Fluttershy laid her head across her son's.  At the same time, she extended a wing and draped it over Caramel's back, humming with pleasure as Caramel laid his head over hers.  There they stayed, late into the night, basking in the fire's warmth.



"So your room is right here," said Caramel, gesturing to a door at the top of the stairs.
Dawn nodded and took his saddlebags inside.  Meanwhile, Caramel was leading Fluttershy down the hall to the next room in line.  "Yours is right here," he said, pushing the door open and holding it to Fluttershy.
Caramel was surprised to see that Fluttershy didn't budge after he'd shown her her room.  "Is something wrong?" he asked.
Fluttershy ducked her head slightly, causing her mane to fall over one eye as her cheeks began to color.  "Um...well...I-I w-was wondering...uh...i-if I could...um...m-maybe sh-share y-your room..."
"Uh..."  Caramel wasn't sure what to say as his cheeks blushed to match Fluttershy's.  He would have been lying if he'd ever said he hadn't considered the possibility.  He'd spent many a minute dreaming of spending winter nights in his bed, Fluttershy snuggled up against him and wrapped in his arms.  He would have been lying if he'd ever said that his daydreams hadn't occasionally taken on a more racy quality.
However, what worked in fantasy didn't often work in real life.  Caramel was too much of a gentlecolt to consider anything that might be construed as taking advantage of Fluttershy.  As it was, the tan stallion was amazed by her boldness and her willingness to ask.  Sure, they had shared a bed that one night that Dawn had been in Cloudsdale, but they hadn't since then.
"If you don't want to, that's okay," said Fluttershy, averting her eyes.
Swallowing hard, Caramel stepped forward and used his forehoof to tilt Fluttershy's head up so that her eyes could meet his.  "Are you sure about this?" he asked, "Is this want you really want?"
Fluttershy's eyes widened and she smiled gleefully.  "Yes!" she exclaimed, "I r-really do want to s-stay with you."
Caramel gulped again.  "If you're sure...I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything if you're not ready."
"Uh...well...I-I'm not ready for anything l-like...like..."  Her voice dropped to a whisper.  "...sex.  But..." her volume began to rise again.  "...but I really do want to stay with you through the night, if you'll let me."
Caramel tilted her chin up a little further and brought his lips to hers in a kiss.  They held the kiss a moment before Caramel pulled away.  As he did, Fluttershy turned her head so that she could rub her cheek up against his hoof.
"Nothing could make me happier," said Caramel.  He led Fluttershy to the door right across the hall from the room he'd originally set aside for her.
He led Fluttershy into his bedroom, where she could set down her things.  Fortunately, being the master bedroom meant that Caramel's room had its own adjoining bathroom, which allowed Dawn to freely use the bathroom in the hall.
It took the pair of them a few minutes to get ready to bed.  Caramel climbed in, Fluttershy following suit.  The stallion pulled the covers up over the two of them before wrapping his arms around Fluttershy and pulling her tight against him.  The yellow mare sighed happily as she nuzzled in under the stallion's neck, her wings extending to wrap around him.  Glancing down at her and the content expression on her face, Caramel's body filled with incredible warmth as he realized just how right this felt.  If I could wake up to this every single day, I'd die a happy stallion, he thought.
"Fluttershy..."
"Hmm?"  Fluttershy tilted her head up so that her teal eyes could meet Caramel's own gaze.  The slight smile on her face and the look of hopeful expectation nearly made Caramel's heart seize up.
He knew exactly what to say.  Ever since they had begun dating, those words rose to the back of his throat whenever he held her, whenever he met her eyes, whenever he kissed her.  The words lingered there, always trying to force their way out of his mouth.  But he'd always held them in check for a number of reasons: it was too soon, they weren't ready...
But here and now, in his own house, in his own bedroom, with her in his arms, Caramel had never felt more ready or more determined.  "Fluttershy, I love you."
Fluttershy's eyes widened and her mouth opened in a slight O of surprise as his words hit her.  For a moment, Caramel was worried that maybe he'd pushed things too far.  But then, to his relief and everlasting happiness, the look of astonishment faded from Fluttershy's face and was replaced by the most radiant smile he'd ever seen her wear.  She pushed against him, rolling Caramel onto his back as she laid down on top of his chest, sliding up slightly so she could bring her lips to his with an unbridled passion he hadn't seen in her since that evening ride of the Ferris wheel.  Caramel returned the kiss with equal vigor as he pulled Fluttershy tighter against him.
When they finally parted, Fluttershy stared down at Caramel, still wearing that same exultant smile.  "I love you too," she said.
She laid her head down, tucking it under his neck once again, letting out a catlike purr as she nuzzled up against her stallion.  Caramel couldn't resist the urge to lean down and gently nibble one of her ears, making Fluttershy giggle lightly.  "Good night," he whispered into the ear he'd just nibbled.
"Good night," Fluttershy whispered back.
The two of them drifted off to sleep, holding one another tightly.



Rarity hummed a cheerful tune as she laid out a plate of pancakes and eggs for her younger sister.  Sweetie Belle was trying her hardest to stifle a yawn as she came down the stairs.
"Good morning Sweetie," said Rarity as the filly took her seat at the table.
"Morning sis," said Sweetie, finally finding her focus.  She quickly levitated her fork and began to dig into her breakfast.
"I saw what you did last night," commented Rarity as she loaded up her own plate.
Sweetie's fork froze halfway up to her mouth.  "You did...?"
"Yes," replied Rarity, taking her own seat at the table, "And I must say, I am very proud of you.  That was very generous and kind.  I'm sure that Mr. Flaxseed appreciates your gesture."
Sweetie gave her elder sister a delighted smile.  "Thanks."  She looked around.  "Is he up yet?"
"No, I don't believe so," said Rarity, "I haven't checked in his room.  However, the lock charm he placed on the door is still there, which at least means that he's inside.  I wasn't about to try and disturb him just to check."
"What if he snuck out?" asked Sweetie.
"I doubt that," said Rarity, "Or, at least, I hope he didn't.  I believe he's still in the room.  Most lock charms expire very quickly when the pony who cast the spell leaves the room, even if her egress is through somewhere besides the door she locked.  There are versions that can last beyond that, but they are much higher-level spells and more difficult to learn."
"So, he's still asleep then?" asked Sweetie.
"I believe so," replied Rarity, "And I intend to let him keep sleeping.  After everything he's been through, I certainly believe that our guest has earned at least one lie-in, if not more.  I'm happy to let him sleep as long as he wants to today."
"But what about when he wakes up?" asked Sweetie.
"Simple, I'll make his breakfast when that happens," replied Rarity, "I have no plans to go anywhere today, so I'll be working here.  I can make him breakfast when he comes down."  She certainly had plenty of work to keep herself occupied with.  With Nightmare Night fast approaching, she had plenty of orders for various costumes, not to mention the commission she also had from Sapphire Shores.  As it was, she'd planned to work through the day anyway.
The two of them continued eating.  By the time the sisters had finished, Flaxseed still hadn't come down the stairs.  Rarity saw Sweetie off to work at the teahouse.  Before she started her own work, Rarity went upstairs and checked the door to Flax's room.  It was still locked and warded.  She had no idea if the stallion on the other side was asleep or not, but decided that it was better not to invade his privacy.  He would come down when he was good and ready...at least, she hoped he would.
Rarity lost herself in her work.  Fabric flew, scissors snipped, needles jabbed, pulling thread, and the sewing machine ran in a near-constant drone as the alabaster mare worked her way through outfit after outfit.  Fortunately, Nightmare Night costumes didn't require nearly the same level of skill or precision that her typical commissions required, although they did sometimes require some extra creativity on her part depending on what features her customers wanted on their customers.  As a result, Rarity was able to finish several outfits in short order.
Though she was engrossed in her work, Rarity still kept an ear out, which helped her pick up the sound of somepony softly making his way down the stairs.  She began to set down her implements, shutting off the sowing machine so that she could make her way back to the kitchen, where she found Flaxseed, looking around, seeming slightly dazed.
Rarity was about to step forward when she remembered Arkenstone's advice from the previous day.  "Good morning," she said from her position at the door, "Did you sleep well?"
Flax jumped with a startled yelp at the sound of her voice, whirling around to face her.  It took the gold-colored stallion a few seconds to get himself back under control when he saw that Rarity hadn't made a single move towards him.  "S-sorry," he said.
"It's fine dear," said Rarity, finally making her way into the kitchen, casually moving past Flax so that she could reach the counter and work on the stallion's brunch, seeing as it was nearly noon.  "So...did you sleep well?"
"Y-yes," said Flaxseed, settling himself at the table and taking a deep breath as he tried to calm himself down all the way, "That was the best sleep I've had in ages."
"I'm very glad to hear that," said Rarity, smiling as she made a short stack of pancakes for the stallion while scrambling some eggs.  She set the dish in front of him and waited politely, watching Flaxseed as he ate.
"Do you have any plans for the day?" asked Rarity, folding her hooves so that she could rest her chin on top of them.
"Uh...not really," admitted Flaxseed.  He was used to taking things a day at a time.  Making plans ahead of time usually didn't work out very well because any plans he did make were frequently disrupted.
"I see," said Rarity, "I was wondering about that.  You'd probably be bored out of your mind if you tried to spend the entire day in here."
"Th-that's true," agreed Flaxseed, wondering what she was getting at.
"That's why I was thinking that, perhaps we should take a walk around town," said Rarity, "I would very much like to introduce you to my dear friends.  They are all very nice ponies whom I think you would get along very well with."
Flaxseed's ears perked up.  "W-we?"
"Of course," said Rarity, "I'm not about to leave you to wander about an unfamiliar town filled with ponies you've never seen before on your own.  At the very least, I should accompany you.  It's much easier when you're in the company of a pony that you're familiar with."
Flaxseed mulled over her words for a moment.  "I guess you have a point," he admitted.  The pessimist in him still suspected that she was simply offering to show him around so that she could keep an eye on him, which, ironically enough, was also what his more optimistic thoughts were suggesting.  After all, she probably simply wanted to keep him at ease so that he wouldn't panic if something unexpected happened.
"I can tell that you don't quite trust me," said Rarity, using her magic to whisk away Flaxseed's empty plate, "And I understand.  You don't have to trust me completely, but I would still very much like to help you feel more at home here in Ponyville.  I think that you'll like the ponies we're going to meet today."
Flaxseed gulped, but nodded resolutely.  "I hope so," he said.
"That's the spirit!" said Rarity as she finished cleaning the dishes.  She'd made considerable progress through the morning, so there was certainly no reason she couldn't set some time aside to take a stroll through Ponyville with her new friend.



After closing and locking the Boutique behind her, Rarity and Flaxseed set off down the street.  Rarity already had her first destination in mind.  It would probably be the most stressful of the encounter she had planned for Flaxseed today, but it was best to get it out of the way as soon as possible.  So she led Flaxseed toward the building that looked like a life-sized gingerbread house.
Flaxseed gazed up at the building in awe.  As he did so, his nose twitched at the various smells emerging from within.  To be frank, the entire place smelled heavenly.  Even though he'd just enjoyed a hearty breakfast, Flaxseed's stomach began to rumble, tantalized by the sweet aroma wafting out from the building.
From the amused look on Rarity's face, she heard his stomach too.  "My my," she said playfully with a merry twinkle in her eye, "Ponies are going to think I don't feed you properly if your stomach keeps growling like that."
Flaxseed couldn't help but blush and rub the back of his head.  "Sorry..."
"It's alright dear.  I must admit, I'm no slouch in the kitchen, but I can't hold a candle to Pinkie Pie...even if almost all she ever makes is sweets."
"Is that your friend that you wanted to introduce to me?"
"She is," replied Rarity, "I'll have to warn you in advance, this could be a little difficult for you.  Pinkie Pie is a bright, beautiful, wonderful pony who dedicates almost every waking moments to making others smile and enjoy themselves.  That said, she can be a little insensitive, even at the best of times."
"I'm...kinda used to insensitive," replied Flaxseed, "I've lived in Manehattan."
"True," agreed Rarity, "The problem is that you aren't fully in control of your reflexes, that if you're caught by surprise or startled, you can do things that might be dangerous."
Flaxseed lowered his head.
"It's alright," said Rarity, resisting the urge to pat Flaxseed on the shoulder, Arkenstone's instructions always at the back of her mind, "The problem is that Pinkie is extremely energetic, highly unpredictable at the best of times, and she happens to specialize in startling and surprising others."
"Somepony can specialize in that?" asked Flaxseed.
Rarity nodded.  "Her favorite parties are surprise parties and she is one of Ponyville's premier pranksters.  She'll never do anything malicious, but her surprises are probably more than would be healthy for you right now."
"Then why are you introducing me to her?" asked Flaxseed, his ears going back.  The more he heard, the less he wanted to do with the mare that Rarity was describing.
Rarity sighed.  "Because Pinkie, for all her faults, is a dear friend of mine, who would like nothing more than to make your life brighter and happier.  And I believe that she truly can...if she can rein her impulses in.  The problem is, the longer I take to introduce you to her, the more likely she is to pop out of nowhere and scare the color out of your coat.  I know that Arkenstone went to talk to her last time.  I can only hope that he has succeeded in convincing her to relax a little."
Flaxseed gulped an looked at the Sugarcube Corner again.  The building looked much more foreboding now.  However, he decided to place his trust in Rarity.  She had yet to steer him wrong, even though he'd only known her for all of a day now.
"Well then, here we go," said Rarity, heading up to the door and pushing it open.  Flaxseed followed her inside, his eyes nervously tracing around the shop.
The building was pleasantly warm compared to the chill of the outdoors.  Several tables dotted the interior room, many of them occupied by ponies in pairs or larger groups.  They were nibbling pastries or taking sips of warm drinks.  Hardly any of them bothered to look up when the bell over the door tinkled.  The few that did quickly returned to their previous conversations, hardly expressing any interest in the two new arrivals.
The only exception was the pink mare who waited behind the register.  As soon as Rarity had stepped through the door, the pink mare's eyes began to glitter and she burst into a positively radiant grin, her teeth seeming to reflect every iota of ambient light within the bakery, practically a source of illumination in and of themselves.  This must be Pinkie Pie then, thought Flaxseed, Her parents certainly knew what they were talking about when they named her that.
"Hi Rarity!" chirped Pinkie, beginning to hop in place, "How's your day been."
"Simply marvelous Pinkie," said Rarity demurely before stepping slightly to the side so that Flax was no longer behind her, "By the way, I've come to introduce you to a new friend of mine.  This is Flaxseed.  He will be our guest for the foreseeable future."  As soon as those words left her mouth, she began to steel herself against the inevitable.  Please be gentle.
To Rarity's shock, Pinkie's wide grinned softened into a gentler smile as she turned her attention to Flax.  "Hi there."  Her tone had softened as well and she was speaking more quietly.
"Um...hi..." said Flaxseed, not knowing what else to say.
"It's nice to meet you," said Pinkie, the corners of her mouth twitching rather violently.  It was clear that she was fighting like mad to keep from going into another ear-splitting grin.  "I love meeting new ponies.  I'm friends with everypony in Ponyville, so I'm sure that we'll be really great friends too."
"Uh...yeah...sure..."  Flaxseed glanced sidelong at Rarity, only to see that the alabaster mare was gaping unashamedly at Pinkie Pie.  It was clear to the stallion that Rarity was even more astonished by Pinkie's behavior than he was.  Flaxseed had to admit, that, while he was glad that Pinkie wasn't acting nearly as erratically as Rarity had warned him about, it was just as obvious to him as it was to Rarity that Pinkie was behaving seriously out of character, and he'd known her for all of a few seconds.  Everything about her gave him the impression of a kettle being on the verge of boiling over.
"Oh...uh..."  Rarity began looking back and forth between Flaxseed and Pinkie.  It was clear that Pinkie's restraint was hanging by a thread and not even Celestia knew what would happen once that thread snapped.
"Oh!  I have an idea.  Want to try something?" suggested Pinkie eagerly, "Since you're a first-time customer, it's on the house."
"That'd be great," said Flax, relaxing a little.  His stomach was still growling from the delicious smells wafting around the shop.  The array of treats behind the counter was also making his mouth water.
Before Flaxseed could make his decision, Pinkie's body went rigid and her eyes widened to the point he was sure they would simply pop out of her head and start rolling across the store.  "I've got it!" she exclaimed, "I'll be right back!"
Flaxseed blinked and his jaw dropped.  Before he'd closed his eyes, she'd still been at the counter.  When they opened again, she'd vanished, the only sign that she hadn't simply teleported out was the back-and-forth flapping motion of the doors leading to the kitchen.  A second later, Flax's ears picked up some surprised shouts coming from the kitchen, accompanied by what sounded like the laughter of infant ponies.  Shortly after that, Pinkie Pie came exploding out of the kitchen, effortlessly jumping the counter and skidding to a stop in front of Flaxseed and Rarity.  The suddenness of her appearance had set the stallion to backpedaling, his eyes frantically searching for the door that he'd come through.  As he did, Rarity saw a flare of red from those eyes.
Seeing that Flaxseed was on the verge of bolting, Rarity swallowed and hoped that what she was about to do wasn't going to get her clocked, seeing as it was going against Arkenstone's instructions.  Moving as slowly and carefully as she could, she raised a hoof and, very gently, rested it on the panicky stallion's shoulder.  Flaxseed's gaze immediately jumped to her as she felt his muscles tensing under her hoof.  Even though she was sure she was about to be hit, Rarity still mustered an encouraging smile.  "It's alright," she cajoled, "Pinkie isn't going to hurt you.  You're safe."
Flaxseed looked at her, his frightened expression softening as his eyes met hers.  Slowly, he began to relax.  Seeing that she'd managed to calm him down, Rarity let out a relieved sigh before turning to regard Pinkie, doing her best to keep from glaring at the other mare.  However, her anger evaporated when she saw that Pinkie was all too aware of the effect her actions had on Flaxseed.  Pinkie's ears laid flat against her skull and and her eyes were watering.  She looked as though she wanted to apologize, but her mouth was currently blocked by the handles of pink and blue gift-bag she'd been carrying.
Rarity politely took the bag with her magic so that Pinkie could speak.
"I'm so sorry," said Pinkie, slowly backing away from Flaxseed, looking more like a puppy that had been kicked than a pony at the moment, "I didn't mean to scare you.  I just get so excited whenever I get to meet new ponies.
Flaxseed took a deep breath and gave Pinkie a shaky smile.  "It's okay," he said, "I-I've just been through a lot and I get worked up pretty easily."
Rarity nodded in agreement, though this was already a sizable improvement over yesterday, when the stallion had been willing to attack her even though she'd been going out of her way to not appear threatening.
"Can we be friends?" asked Pinkie, her tone still nervous and a little sad.
Flaxseed couldn't stop his smile from widening as his heart warmed at the sight of her.  "Yeah," he said, "We can."
The reversal of Pinkie's mood was nearly instantaneous as she grinned exultantly.  "Yay!" she squealed, bouncing up and down excitedly, "I'm so happy.  I love making new friends."
Rarity let out the breath she didn't even realize she had been holding.  It looked as though things were going to be alright.