The couple made their way off the train as soon as they could. Shadow just wanted to get out of the crowd, while Long Shot was eager to get this vacation started! The two walked out into the bitter Manehatten winter air. Shadow Strike shivered and used telekinesis to pull his scarf tighter around him.
He turned to his fillyfriend and said, "Ugh. Winter Wrap-Up can not come soon enough."
Long Shot chuckled, "I hear that. And I thought it was cold back in Canterlot!"
The pair laughed and continued on. They walked around in circles for a few minutes, trying to get a sense of direction before heading off to the Hy-pony-on Corporation's HQ to pick the parcel that Long Shot had mentioned. When they felt they knew where they were going, Shadow Strike and Long Shot trotted down in the direction of their destination. The building itself was tall enough to spot from where they were once they knew what to look for, and it seemed it was only about a fifteen minute walk.
Out of nowhere, Shadow tripped and fell face first into the pavement. Behind him, a soft, nasally voice cried, "Omigosh, I'm so sorry! Here, let me help you up."
Shadow accepted the helping hand and looked at his benefactor. It was a familiar face, at least to Shadow Strike. A small, purple baby dragon with green spines. "Spike? Is that you?" The silver unicorn asked.
"Wait... Shadow Strike! I haven't seen you in months! It's good to see ya man." Spike responded.
Long Shot, utterly confused at this interaction spoke up, "Um, Shadow? Do you know him?"
"Oh, you haven't met Spike?" Shadow inquired. "He's was kinda hard to miss. I've never seen anypony down as much donuts as this little guy.He always came to Joe's every friday for a game of Chess. Speaking of which what happened to ya buddy? You just kinda vanished a few months ago."
The dragon looked the stallion. "um.. well... You see, I...kinda moved to Ponyville."
"Really?"
"Um... yeah. My friend that I lived with and was always telling you and Joe about, Twilight, she was sent there to organize the Summer Sun Celebration and afterwards she decided to move in permanently." Spike explained.
Long Shot spoke, "Wait... Didn't Nightmare Moon return in Ponyville on the Summer Sun Celebration?"
Spike chuckled nervously, "Yeah... It was a crazy night. Heh." The dragon looked at the sniper and quickly changed the subject. "So Shadow, who's the lucky mare?"
"This is Long Shot, we met to weeks ago"
"Nice to meet you mister Spike." Long Shot said
Spike shook her hoof and spoke, "The pleasures all mine Miss Shot. Any friend of Shadow's is a friend of mine. So what brings you to Manehatten?"
"Long Shot and I are on vacation" Shadow explained. "A little R&R y'know? What about you?"
"Oh, well I'm here helping a friend carry some-"
"Spike, there you are." a posh sounding voice rang out from behind the group. "You really need to be more careful darling. Twilight would have killed me had I let you wander off and get separated."
The pony generating the voice stepped forward. She was a unicorn, as white as the snow falling on the street with a purple mane styled in a way the radiated eloquence.
"Now come, Spikey-Wikey. we need to get-" The mare paused when she laid her widened eyes upon Shadow's scarf. "You there sir. If I may ask... where did you get that scarf?."
Shadow grabbed the end of the scarf with a hoof. "This thing? A friend bought for me for Hearth's Warming a couple years ago. Why?"
The white mare eyes glistened with excitement, she lifted a hoof to the scarf and felt the fabric. "I remember making a few scarfs just like this! I spent hours working on the template because my little sister kept bringing me the wrong colored cloth! Even when I got the color right I didn't expect it to sell at all, it just looked so... so... tacky."
The small dragon tugged on the coat of the exuberant mare and attempted to speak, "Come on, Rarity. We should stop bothering these-"
"RARITY!?!?" Long shot asked. "As in THE Rarity? The up and rising designer from Ponyville? Omigosh, I LOVE your dresses! Just the way you make them so breathable is amazing! I have one of you older Fall Equinox Designs in my closet back in Canterlot."
Shadow just stared at his fillyfriend. "...Damn Long Shot... I didn't know you were into that kinda thing..."
Long Shot looked and Shadow, then back at Rarity. She backed up and laughed nervously. "Oh my...Sorry about that. Got kind of carried away there, Didn't I?"
Rarity chuckled in a friendly tone. "Oh, theres no need to apologize, darling." She assured the shaken sniper. "It's always nice to hear from a fan." The pure white mare looked at a clock adorning the window of a nearby shop and let out a small gasp. "Well it was nice to meet you two. As much as I'de love to stay and chat, I'm afraid Spike and I have to get back to the train station. Come Along now Spike."
The miniature dragon looked at the two bounty hunters and spoke, "It was nice to see you again, Shadow Strike. Say hi to Joe for me!"
"Can do" replied the silver stallion as he watched Spike scamper back to Rarity's side.
"Man. Talk about serendipity." Shadow Strike said. Long Shot just hung her head in embarrassed silence.