//------------------------------// // S-Ranked Support // Story: A New Dimension, A New Threat // by ZeroChill //------------------------------// Shining Armor and Cadance lied next to each other on the couch in their home, gazing at the hologram of a young pony couple gazing into the stars. Cadance stretched out her right front legs and wrapped them around Shining Armor. “You know, Shiny, this is the first time that the both of us are at home together in a long time.” “Right? Working for H.O.R.S.E. seems to drain the time away. I’m glad that we can spend this evening together.” Shining Armor responded, looking with a dazed expression into Cadance’s eyes. He placed a pecked on her cheek. “Remember that day when you declared your love for me? Six years ago? It was the day that brought a silver line into the bleakness that was the war we are engaged in.” “I remember very clearly, Mi Amore de Cadenzia. The survivor rate from Trottington was grimmer than we had hoped and we lost many troops that day. Nothing cheered you up and, errrm, I thought that would have been the perfect time to confess to you.” Cadance pat Shining Armor on his head and cracked a meek smile. “Normally, that would have been one of the stupidest things any stallion can do to a mare, but it worked out very well. You cheered me up and surprised me with a kiss. I’m glad that, if I ended up with someone, it was you.” Shining Armor flashed a lewd smile with half-lidded eyes directed towards Cadance. “You know, I’ve been very anxious to spend the day with you. But… even if the sun is still shining, want to call it an early night? Lying next to you like this is getting me excited.” “I have no objections to that, Shiny. We both need a bit of a stress relief, after all.” A knock echoed from beyond the front door. Cadance looked into Shining Armor’s eyes with a frown. Shining Armor nodded, bringing a smile to her face. Cadance got up from the couch and walked towards the door and opened it, revealing a blushing Custard who is twiddling his hands together. “Oh… ummmm, hi Commissioner Cadance.” He said with a nervous tic. “Hello, Custard. So what brings you over to my home?” Cadance asked with an upbeat tone. “You did say that you are the Patron of Love, right?” Custard asked, his voice muting near the end. “If there are any love-related problems in your life, then you have come to the right mare. Come inside and sit down. I’ll prepare some warm tea for you.” Cadance responded, standing out of the doorway. Custard walked inside the dimly-lit home, eyeing Shining Armor lying down on the couch. A soft smile appeared on his face. “Hello, Shining Armor. I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.” “It’s alright. I was just going to spend the day with my wife is all.” Shining Armor responded with slight agitation leaking in his voice. Custard leaped back from his spot. “S…sorry.” He whispered. “It’s not your fault, Custard. You came to the right couple in your time of need.” Cadance walked into the living room with an ornate cup of black tea on a dish and passed it across the table to Custard. “I find that Bittermelon Tea is a great way to relax, but it is a bit on the bitter side.” Custard sat on the floor and held the tea in his hand, sipping it and letting its flavor swish around in his mouth. He sighed with a content smile on his face. “I always liked my food and drinks bitter, Commissioner Cadance. Thank you very much.” Cadance sat down on the floor across Custard and placed her front knees on the table, positioning her head on her front hooves. “Please, just call me Cadance on my days off. So, what love emergency can the Patron of Love help you with today, Custard?” “Ummm… it’s a bit embarrassing to say with your husband around, but I will try my best. For the past month, I’ve been having some very… sensual dreams about Gnasher. More than I would like to admit. But this morning, this particular dream left me feeling… stickier than usual.” With the red on his face growing and slime on his body becoming thinner, Custard explained. Cadance lifted her front legs and head away from the table and placed her left front hoof on her chin. “So you were having erotic dreams and this recent one was a wet dream?” Custard squealed and reeled back. “Don’t say it like that! It’s… embarrassing…” “There’s nothing wrong or embarrassing about what is natural, Custard. What you are feeling is completely normal. If we want to get through this situation, tell me about Gnasher. What do you like about her?” Cadance asked. “That’s very easy. Underneath the gruff and rough exterior lies a caring heart. Ever since the first stages of our lives, she protected me from some of the other Pokémon bullying me. Even if she does like teasing others, she does it in good fun. She absolutely hates those that pick on others because of how they are.” Custard explained. “That’s a good start! So she cares for you greatly and you like her back because she can look past whatever problems others say you have. So what else attracts you to her?” “Well... she has the cutest snout and knows how to throw her power around. The stripes on her add a layer of mystery to her and she has the nicest shades of colors.” “Mmmhmm. You two already have a good established history and you love her for what she is, but the bigger question is this; what made you realize your feelings for her?” Cadance asked. “Well, it would be an understatement to say that we came into this world with guns blazing from both sides. But… when I saw that mechanical monstrosity devour Gnasher, I felt something tear my heart apart. For the first time, I genuinely felt angry. I would be able to keep a level head if it happened to others, but I literally blew a gasket when she was devoured like that!” “At that point is when you discovered your anger, is it not? So is it safe to assume that the protection she had given you has given you the urge to protect her?” “That’s exactly what it is! And on that night, we danced to the Rumba of Love.” Custard responded, closing his eyes and clasping his hands together with a serene hum. “After that night, the dreams kept happening and I couldn’t stand to be without Gnasher in my life.” Cadance placed her left front hoof on her chest and cocked her head with a heartfelt smile. “Awwww! Isn’t that adorable, Shiny?” “I was pretty concerned when I heard that you said you liked her, but now I see that you genuinely do have feelings for her.” Shining Armor commented. “The good thing is that I can help you out with your situation, Custard. But, you will have to trust me with every step I give you. Is that alright?” Cadance asked. “I guess.” Custard ambled towards door towards Gnasher’s apartment with his body quivering in anxiety. He looked at the door and held his right hand next to his face, bringing it over to the door with hesitation in its movement. Each knock on the door filled his intestines with butterflies. The doorknob twisted open and the door opened. On the other side stood Gnasher. “Hey, Custard. What are you doing here on our day off?” She asked. “Ummmm…. do you mind if we go hunting for rabbits today, Gnasher? I mean, if you aren’t busy or anything.” With his voice breaking and his forehead pouring out sweat, Custard offered. “Are you sure you want to do this? It involves killing living things.” “I’m positive. I want the two of us to do something you enjoy doing.” A grin appeared on Gnasher’s face. “Let me first go to Razor Wind’s apartment first. I’m going to need to borrow some of his hunting gear.” Gnasher walked outside and shut the door, walking down to the stairs to another building. Custard twiddled his right arm and reached down to the watch, revealing a hologram of Cadance’s head. “H-how am I doing, Cadance?” He asked. “You’re doing very well so far, Custard. But… seriously? Gnasher’s activity for a good time is hunting rabbits? Even if that gives us food, it still is a barbaric activity for fun.” Cadance asked, with her eyes lidding and her mouth forming a straight and deadpan expression at the other half. Custard shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve been meaning to see what the fuss about hunting rabbits is. Now I can do that.” “Eh, fair enough. I won’t judge any further.” Gnasher walked up the stairs towards Custard, carrying oval-shaped racks, nooses and cages in her claws. Custard squealed and deactivated his watch. “I got the gear. Are you ready, Custard?” Gnasher asked. “Most certainly, Gnasher.” Gnasher and Custard traveled outside of the city walls. Gnasher dropped the gear in her arms and brought a deep inhale through her nostrils, taking in the fresh air of the plains. “To be out here on my day off is refreshing!” She said, grasping a noose and handing it towards Gnasher. “You see that hole over there? That’s a prime spot for rabbits to come out of. I want you to set this to the north of that hole. Just bang it into the ground to the left and I do the rest.” “Alright, Gnasher.” Custard said, running over to the hole. He took the wooden peg and banged it near the ground, setting the noose forward through the instructions of Gnasher. “So what next? I don’t expect rabbits to come out at any time right now.” “You just leave that to me.” Gnasher slammed her fist into the ground, causing an Earthquake. A stream of panicked rabbits popped out of the hole, running away from the epicenter of the rumbling. Two rabbits tripped over the rope and the force tightened the noose around them. The rabbits squealed and squirmed their legs and the noose tightened with each pull. “We got two!” Custard shouted. Gnasher sprinted towards the rabbits and lifted them by the rope. The rabbits hung upside-down, screaming at the sight of the hunter before them. A dark chuckle escaped from her mouth. “So Custard, how do you feel about rabbit for lunch?” “Rabbit sounds nice. But, do you mind adding a bit of bitter sauces over mine during preparation?” Custard requested. Gnasher’s face grimaced and a sound of revilement escaped her mouth. “How do you even like your things bitter, Custard?! That’s a nasty flavor.” “I don’t bash your taste for spicy foods, Gnasher.” Custard said. “Fair enough. Right now, I’m going to set up this rung so that we can have some fresh meat to bring back to my place.” Gnasher stuck a rung into the ground and placed a rabbit’s head into the grip. She handed the other rabbit to Custard. “So I am supposed to hold this?” “Yep. Make sure it doesn’t flee. Shouldn’t be hard since you have some very sticky fingers.” Cadance and Shining Armor poked their heads outside of a tree, eyeing the two. A shade of green overcame Cadance’s face and her eyes quivered with queasiness. “She’s actually going to kill and butcher those rabbits here? Shiny, I don’t think I can bear to watch.” Shining Armor chuckled at Cadance’s reaction. “Remind me to never take you hunting with me and the guys then. What Gnasher’s doing is the proper way to kill a rabbit. Watch and you will be amazed with how intriguing the anatomy of a rabbit is.” “Shiny, you can sometimes be really terrible. Did you know that?” “Yep.” Gnasher shook her head in disbelief and slammed her claws underneath her eyes. Custard walked into Gnasher’s apartment, patting the rabbit in his right arm on the head. The rabbit smiled and looked up towards Custard’s face. “You’re amazing sometimes, Gnasher. You already bonded with what is supposed to be food and didn’t want to hand it over.” “Well, the poor thing looked so terrified and she looks so adorable. Besides, you killed one rabbit and got its choice meats. That should be enough for a full meal.” Custard rationalized. “It is, but geez Custard! Have some hunter’s dignity.” Custard stopped in his movements. His nerves froze up and his throat clenched on himself. “I… didn’t do anything wrong, did I?” Gnasher placed the rabbit meat on the cutting board. She let out a sigh. “No… I should have expected that much from how you are as a Pokémon. But, I guess that’s part of the appeal that you have.” She said, tearing her claw through the leg of the meat. The rabbit in Custard’s hands looked away and dug her face into Custard’s chest. “There there, Delilah. You’ve been through enough today.” Custard cooed, stroking Delilah’s head. Gnasher stifled the giggles erupting out of her mouth, imprisoning them with a veil of seriousness. “You named it ‘Delilah’. A Pokémon having a pet is literally one of the greatest oxymorons I have ever heard.” “You don’t have a problem with it, do you?” Custard asked. “Nah. How about you and Delilah take a seat while I go get the lunch ready?” Cadance looked down into her watch, which contained a hologram of Custard’s head. “First of all, Custard, I want to thank you for sparing that rabbit. Shiny and I were watching from the background and seeing the actual slaughter take place still has my hooves shaking.” “I’m sorry you had to see that, Cadance. But, what else can be done about it? I am just following with what you told me to do.” Custard said. “Yeah, but that probably didn’t earn you any points with Gnasher. She was looking forward to cooking two rabbits instead of one.” “I understand, Cadance. But again, I wish to apologize for spoiling your day with Shining Armor. You must have looked forward to this day for a long time.” “Don’t worry about it, Custard. My duty as the Patron of Love outweighs my own personal desires. I’ll be with you through every step of the way.” Cadance responded with a warm tone brimming with assurance. “Don’t forget that I am here as well, Custard. If you ever need some male to male advice, I’m the one to talk to.” Shining Armor stated, looking at Custard. Custard smiled and looked towards left. His eyes perked up and he gasped. “She’s coming! Bye.” Custard’s hologram disappeared from the watch. Cadance looked towards Shining Armor and smiled. “Despite your little stunt with forcing me to watch that horror unfold before my eyes,” She began saying, stretching her front legs and wrapping her right front leg around Shining Armor’s neck. “Do you still want to snuggle up in bed with me?” Shining Armor grinned. A sated smile appeared on Gnasher’s face. She picked her teeth with her right index claw. “Rabbit turned out to be much better than I thought, Gnasher. However did you do it?” Custard asked. “The secret is to create a moisture lock by grilling it in some olive oil. It’s a technique that I use for any meats I cook.” “I’ll be honest; this is my very first time eating meat. Now I see why you like this food. The rich flavors and moisture are definitely in balance.” Gnasher looked toward Delilah, who nibbled on a head of lettuce before her. She stroked her head. “You know, she’s much more adorable than what I gave her credit for. But, I still will keep hunting rabbits you know.” “I can’t change that, Gnasher. It’s in your blood as a predator Pokémon. In some strange way, it makes me feel like I can be safe around you.” Custard said. “Safe around me, huh?” With a smile creeping on her face, Gnasher asked. “It seems like things between us haven’t changed at all. You were always the one picked on by the others and I was the one to always bail you out. Heck, each of your forms had a new reason for the other Pokémon to pick on you.” “Gah, don’t get me started. When I was a Goomy, the Pokémon picked on me for my funny appearance for a Dragon-type. Then, I got made fun of for being blind when I was a Sliggoo. You actually scared off some of the Pokémon for teasing me like that. And even in this form, Pokémon still thought I was too soft for a Dragon-type.” “You don’t need to be intimidating to be a Dragon-type. That’s just a typist approach that others see in Dragon-types. You can be very scary whenever you want, but I like the sweet you. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to some of the other male Pokémon flaunting around their masculinity. They are usually the ones that end up running away when they see me.” “Isn’t that the truth?” Custard and Gnasher broke out in laughter. Gnasher pounded the table before her and Custard’s lung exploded from laughter. “But yeah, don’t ever change the way who you are. Who cares about what a few chumps say about you? You will always be better than them.” She said. Custard twiddled his stubs together, looking towards the left with a blush on his face. “Gnasher, do you like me?” Gnasher’s eyes widened, looking at Custard with curiosity flashing in her eyes. “Of course I like you. You’re literally my best friend that doesn’t include Mono.” “No, as in, do you like-like me?” Custard asked with a red blush on his face and his eyes looking away from Gnasher. A light shade of red appeared on Gnasher’s face. Her words muddled underneath her voice and she twiddled her claws together. “Ummm… kind of.” Custard turned her head towards Gnasher with a face that is redder than her body. “C…Could you repeat that again? I didn’t think I heard you properly.” “I like-like you, Custard. I’m not sure when, but I have been attracted to you for a while. I just kept it under wraps because… well, I didn’t feel like you would share in my feelings because I am a bit of a rough croc.” Gnasher explained, crossing her arms together, tilting her head away and focusing her eyes on Custard. Custard smiled and stood up, lifting his chair and moving closer to Gnasher. He treaded his left hand below Gnasher’s snout, feeling her scaly skin brush against his slimy exterior. “It might be hard to believe, but I’ve been attracted to how rough you tend to be. After all, it makes your golden moments shine even brighter. You have such a beautiful heart that I feel inclined to be with you.” A soft smile appeared on Gnasher’s face. “So going hunting with me was a way for you to admit your feelings to me, eh?” “I’ll admit; I had a bit of help from Cadance on what to do. But, I knew you would enjoy hunting today.” Custard explained. “She must be one hell of a love doctor if she can set you on the right path to admitting your feelings for me. Speaking of which, do you want to take this date out into the city?” Custard grinned. Custard and Gnasher sat around a clothed table under the dim lights. Around them are other tables, each filled with a majority of changelings followed by a slew of other Equusian varieties. Several Pokémon were also seated at their tables. Carapace walked onto the stage in the back of the room, clearing his throat. “I thank you all for being at Club Chitin today. Making his debut in the singing scene today, please, give a warm round of applause to Rondo!” He pointed towards the silver wall behind him and backed away from the mic. Rondo flew his way over to the stage, pushing the microphone stand down to the floor. A tranquil round of clapping ran throughout the audience. “Thank you for the applause, Neo Canterlot. Now, the song I will be singing is one you more than likely never heard before since I might have made it on the spot, but I hope you enjoy it regardless.” Rondo stated, turning his gaze towards a gray earth pony mare with a black mane and tail, pink eyes and bowtie at the piano with a tilted head. She began touching on the piano, and a somber melody shined its way throughout the room. “I feel lonely even in a crowd I feel that my voice isn’t even loud I wondered how my life will go on Simply being life’s pawn Somebody knocked on my door ‘I will be with you’ that’s what she swore And she left me Oh how days have passed for I Wondering how fast time can fly And she left my heart on the floor She walked the door My life is in pieces So tell me why I must be the one to cry I need life’s releases!” Rondo closed his eyes, wailing into the microphone with passion exuberating from his voice. A heartfelt smile appeared on Gnasher’s face. She grasped Custard’s hand with her left claw. “You now, Rondo has a wonderful singing voice.” “I know right? That song of his is pretty good.” Custard responded. “Even if it isn’t entirely original, I still like his rhyming scheme.” Gnasher commented. Custard glanced towards the left. A frown appeared on his face. “Gnasher, do you promise to never leave me?” Gnasher’s eyes blinked twice. “What makes you think I would leave you?” “Well, Rondo is singing about how love can end in pain. I don’t want to go through the pain of losing anyone I care for, especially you.” Custard explained. “You oaf! I may be cold-blooded, but I would never do something as tear apart your heart like that. Even if we are in the midst of a dangerous war, we will make sure to spend our long lives with each other.” Gnasher assured. Rondo opened his eyes. “And I say Everything about you You go your way I will take my view Tell me why My mind is hazed with you By and by I will wade it through.” A roar of cheers, whistles and clapping emerged from the audience. Gnasher and Custard scratched their heads. “Ummm… how long were we talking for? It feels like we missed two thirds of the song.” “Maybe about two minutes?” Custard responded. Carapace walked onto the stage with a smile on his face. Rondo flapped his wings and took the air. “That was a wonderful song, Rondo. My heart called out to the melody of your voice.” Carapace stated. “Thank you very much for the compliment. I was happy to sing to everyone in the crowd today.” Rondo stated. “Aaaand that’s what we came here for.” With a fulfilled smile on her face, Gnasher stated. “So we got to see Rondo’s performance, so what else is there to do?” Custard asked. “We could walk by that canal that Stereo and Fleur De Lis like walking by. I hear that is a romantic place.” “That’s a good idea.” Gnasher and Custard stood up from their seats and walked towards the door. Mono turned his head to see the two leaving the door, humming with suspicion. He glanced towards Lith and tapped her shoulder. Lith turned her attention to him. “What’s up, Mono?” She asked. “Custard and Gnasher just snuck out of the club for a mysterious reason. I wouldn’t have much of a problem with it, but Rondo has two other songs after this and it feels kind of rude to just ditch him like that.” Mono stated. “That is a bit weird. Maybe we should just follow them?” Mono and Lith leaped out of their seats and pushed in the chairs. The two walked out towards the exit, feigning calm exteriors. “Oh Shiny, it was a brilliant idea to have a relaxing gondola ride after roughing it in bed.” Cadance stated with a sigh. “I could make a lewd comment about this, but that would ruin the moment. I’ll just let the waves rock us back and forward.” Shining Armor said, poking his right front hoof into the water and swirling it around. Cadance’s eyes glanced towards the couples on the railings, looking into each other’s eyes with no focus on anything else. Her eyes glanced towards Gnasher and Custard, who held each other’s hands and looked into the water. “Awww, look at those two finally together! They look so adorable.” She commented. Shining Armor eyed Mono and Lith, who stormed towards the couple with hazy anger within their eyes. His eyes widened. “Uh-oh! It looks like they have trouble coming their way.” He stated. “Gnasher!” Mono shouted. “Custard!” Lith screamed. Gnasher and Custard jolted upwards at hearing Mono and Lith’s voices. “M-Mono! Lith! What are you two doing here?” Gnasher asked with a shaky voice. “You two are just going to abandon Rondo after a single song? Didn’t you forget that he has three songs to perform today?” Lith scolded. “Oh… shoot. That passed my mind completely.” Custard admitted. “Anyways, what are you two doing at the canal here? It seems like a very suspicious place for two Pokémon to sneak off to if you ask me.” Mono questioned. “T-that’s none of your business, Mono!” Gnasher lashed back with her face red in embarrassment. Cadance and Shining Armor sprinted towards the group of four. “Alright, what is happening over here?” Cadance asked. Mono and Lith’s eyes jolted open and their words stammered. “C-Commissioner Cadance! What are you doing here?!” The two said in unison. “Well, I was enjoying a gondola ride with my husband here when I suddenly saw you two storming up to Gnasher and Custard to scold them. Now, is there any reason why you are scolding this couple?” “Couple?” Lith asked, looking towards Gnasher and Custard. Gnasher groaned and smacked the top of her snout. Custard looked away with his eyes gazing towards the floor. “They kind of abandoned Rondo after they promised to watch his complete show today. But, I can now see why they wanted to come out here after hearing that they are a couple now.” Mono stated. Lith cooed and ran towards Gnasher, hugging her by her waist. “Awww! How adorable it is to see you two finally together as a couple!” “Well… he kind of dropped many hints today when he decided to go rabbit hunting with me today. Speaking of which, where is Delilah?” Gnasher asked. “I released Delilah back into the wild. She is much happier there than being cooped up in a home.” Custard responded. Rondo flew towards the group with a scowl on his eyes. “What the heck? The four of you abandoned my performance to come out over here?” He stated with a pained voice. “I didn’t abandon you, Rondo.” Mono responded. “I know, Mono. I was just kidding. I kind of saw Gnasher and Custard holding hands and speaking romantically to each other while I was singing. I decided that one song was enough and I came here to congratulate the new couple here.” Rondo smiled and turned towards Shining Armor. “You know, we still have to do our fated match. I will beat you in the game, you know.” Shining Armor grinned in response. “Sure… but I have my day off with my wife today. Can it wait some other time, Rondo?” Rondo let out a cry of frustration. “Geez, everyone seems to have a significant other. I need a girlfriend of my own.” Everyone in the area laughed, including Rondo himself. Gnasher and Custard looked at each other. Gnasher trickled her claws up to Custard’s shoulder. “If you want, we can call it an early night and head back to my place for some… private time.” “I appreciate the suggestion, Gnasher, but I would like to wait before our relationship goes into a sexual one. I like to take things slow and easy.” Custard responded. “Fair enough. I didn’t expect you to go through with it anyways.” Gnasher and Custard locked their hands and claws together and gazed at the canal before them.