Pink Pony and I sat on the couch playing cards. I’m somewhat ashamed to admit it but she was winning. That didn’t seem possible given her relatively inanimate state. I laid down my cards and then flipped hers over with my magic. “How are you doing that!”
Pink Pony just stared at me with her pretty button eyes. Her three of a kind had beaten my two pairs. Soarin had been teaching me to play but somehow I wasn’t picking it up. Figuring out how many cards to pitch and how many to hold was confusing.
I grumbled and made a note. “Alright, so that is another three snuggles for you. I better quit while I’m ahead.”
The plush stared at me.
“No, I’m not afraid! A good gambler knows when to walk away.”
She stared some more.
“And when to run! It is time for me to run.”
Pink Pony’s eyes bore into me and I could have sworn her head turned down to look at the notepad.
“Hey, don’t count your winnings while we’re still at the table! There will be time enough for counting when we’re done... Although I guess we’re done. So count away.”
Behind me the door handle started to jiggle. I stood up quickly and faced it. Sweat beaded on forehead and the urge to hide kicked in. It could be Soarin and he could be angry. It could also be Soarin and Sunny and they could be angry
Then there was also the chance that it could be both of them but they were here to reward my efforts. Or a robber! What if it was a robber here to murder me? Robbers don’t murder Azurites, though. Oh! But a murderer does.
The door opened and that immediately narrowed it down to two options. It was both of them. Yay! It was both of them and not a murderer! Although… they didn’t look happy. They didn’t look angry, but they didn’t look happy.
“Hi, am I in trouble?” I asked softly.
Soarin had let Sunny in first like a gentlepony. He came around her and shut the door. “No, you’re not in trouble. Although I’m not sure lying to us was nice.”
“I didn’t lie! I misled and tricked you,” I replied.
The stallion waved a hoof. “Okay, we can discuss that later. For now though, we need to have a serious talk.”
The optimism I had been feeling was starting to rapidly deflate. My eyes flicked from Soarin to Sunny and for the first time I saw the look on her face. It wasn’t her usual, cheerful look. No, she looked sad and Sunny almost never looked sad.
Soarin was wearing a pretty serious face too. His was the kind you see on royal guards around the palace. Hard, even, and emotionless.
My nerves were starting to fray a bit. I took a few steps back. “What kind of talk?”
“It’s going to be okay, Azu,” Sunny said softly. “Your little ploy to get Soarin and I talking was pretty successful.”
My ear flicked and I looked from mare to stallion. “Okay?”
The pegasus came over and settled next to me. He looped his hooves loosely around my waist.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Sunny sat in front of us. “Just a precaution. You’re a runner.”
I glared at her and then over my shoulder at Soarin. “And why would I run?”
Soarin cleared his throat. “Sunny and I had an honest discussion about things. We talked over what she did and about whether she thinks she might do it again… and go further.”
“In all honesty it is possible. I felt horrible after I’d done it but I’m not positive that is enough. I’ve never been a commitment type of pony,” Sunny explained.
I shook my head. “No, you went months without doing anything. You just went to dinner and dancing. A mistake, against the rules, but not cheating. Maybe next time you’ll go even longer. You have to work at it!”
Sunny smiled, but it was that kind of bittersweet smile that shouldn’t even be called a smile at all, and then she looked at Soarin. “You were right.”
“Right about what?” I asked, squirming in Soarin’s grasp. He held onto me a little tighter. I put my hooves on his foreleg and tried to push out.
Sunny’s ears fell as she said, “You’d let me walk all over you if we were together. I’d see another mare, you’d be upset, but you’d stay.”
“What do you mean were together? We are together!”
Soarin squeezed me. “We talked about it and we think it is best if you stay with me. Only if you want to of course.”
Sunny nodded. “Soarin isn’t going to cheat on you. He’s going to be the sort of partner you need. We can still be friends though. It will just be easier this way.”
I put my hooves against Soarin and tried to push my way out. “No, no, no! This is crazy. Let me go! Easier for who? You? Don’t I get a say in this?”
“You couldn’t pick before so we picked for you this time. I’m sorry, Azurite, we talked it over like adults and feel like this would be the best solution for you. I will even look the other way if you and Sunny occasionally… well, be more than friends.”
My eyes found Soarin’s. His expression was firm. Quickly I turned to Sunny. She looked sad but equally resolute. “Sunny, you can’t be okay with this,” I mumbled as tears started to well in my eyes.
“I love you enough to want you to be treated with respect. I haven’t done that,” she replied.
Soarin loosened his grip on me and said, “You can still go with Sunny, Azurite. We just think it is best that you don’t.”
Now freed I pressed up against Sunny and peered at her. “Tell me you’ll be good and we can just skip all this horrible stuff. Please?”
The unicorn mare softly nuzzled my cheek and hugged me. “I don’t want to lie to you again sweetie, I’m sorry.” She softly kissed the spot behind my ears and pulled away. “I’m going to go. I’ll see you around the office.”
Sunny nodded at Soarin who returned it. Without another word she left.
Soarin softly stroked my mane. “If you’re mad with me I understand. You don’t have to make any decisions tonight but I still feel the same way about you I always have. I hope you’ll stay.”
I looked back up at him through my tears and just nodded. My body sank to the floor, devoid of all energy. It didn’t make any sense. Why couldn’t Soarin let it go this one time? Why didn’t Sunny understand it would be just this one time? Wouldn’t it only be this one time? She wouldn’t ever see another mare again. She was a good pony.
“Can I do anything for you?”
My head shook. “I just want to be alone for a little while, okay?”
He nodded. “Sure, sure.”
“Spitfire told me to make sure you got enough sleep for practice tomorrow,” I mumbled.
“Oh, yeah. I guess I’ll go to bed early then. I don’t much feel like eating. Will I see you tomorrow?”
I just nodded.
“Okay, goodnight then.”
I waited until the bedroom door was closed before I got up. My legs were a bit wobbly but I left the fancy dorm room to chase after Sunny. There was still time to convince her to change her mind.
When I got outside I couldn’t find her. Granted there were tears in my eyes making it hard to see, but she must have left in a hurry. Either that or I’d been on the floor longer than I realized.
I galloped out to and through the gates to look around the streets. There were hardly any ponies out this late in the evening and a beautiful golden unicorn mare would certainly stand out.
Which way would she go home, Azurite? Think! The fastest route was probably down Mane Street and then a left on Whinny Way. Sunny didn’t always go that way though. Sometimes she took Paddock Parkway across to Tack Trail and then down Amble Avenue. Pick one, Azurite!
The indecision paralyzed me for a few precious moments before I started galloping down Mane Street. Sunny wasn’t there. She was gone.
Tears started falling steadily and sniffling was slowing me down. Either that or the sadness. My hooves gave up galloping and shifted to a trot as I passed the various storefronts common to the area. They were all familiar to me. Most of their lights were out. These stores all closed around seven.
I gave up on catching Sunny but went a bit further to stop in front of a large, white stone store. Off to the side was a small blue door just big enough for one pony at a time. I went through it and up the stairs that laid behind. At the top was a landing with two larger doors.
Resigning myself to defeat I knocked on the one with the big A.
The muffled sounds of confusion followed by a pony getting up and coming over was to be expected. Especially this late in the evening. The door opened and warm light spilled out into the hall.
A middle-aged mare with a lovely lavender coat looked down at me and gasped, “Azurite, sweetie, what’s wrong?”
I leapt forwards and threw my hooves around her. “Sunny broke up with me, Mom!” I managed to get out before the tears turned into sobbing.
“Oh no… I’m so sorry to hear that. Come in, honey, come in.”
♦♦♦
My parents are good, honest ponies. Dad is a jeweler, Mom is a florist, and I’m their marginally unstable filly. They’d wanted more foals but it just wasn’t meant to be. They only had me and late in life.
I sat on the soft tan couch holding a mug of hot chocolate in my magic. My mom was nestled next to me with a hoof around my shoulders. Even with her blue mane up in curlers she looked classy. When she was younger she’d been a jewelry model.
Dad was completely different. He was a tall, lanky unicorn stallion with sharp eyes and incredibly well-controlled magic. Even in his middle age neither his pale blue coat nor his blond mane had even a remote hint of grey.
“Why would she break up with you, kitten?” he asked as he leaned towards me from his chair opposite the coffee table. “You’re a real catch.”
I just shook my head and sipped my hot chocolate.
Mom squeezed me and said, “Azurite said she was kind of wild. I knew mares like that back when I was her age. They didn’t really want to settle down and our little girl is the marrying type.”
That caused me to snort some of the hot liquid. The tears started again due to the combination of pain and my mom’s freaky intuition.
“I’m so sorry, dear!” She hugged me tighter. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Dad put in, “What about that nice stallion you were dating? What was his name? Snoring?”
“Soarin, dear. His name is Soarin,” my mother corrected. “Yes, what about him? You could consider that he might still be available. He certainly seemed to take the breakup well.”
My parents didn’t actually know about my situation. I’d been lying to them for months. They thought I’d picked Sunny, which they hadn’t loved, over Soarin. It wasn’t that they were against mares being together but they wanted grandfoals and never missed an opportunity to remind me. Plus I didn’t want to explain our little love triangle. I’m sure they’d accept it but it wasn’t typical.
“Maybe…” I mumbled softly, my head ducking.
Dad reached across the coffee table and softly set a hoof under my chin. “I’m sure this wasn’t your fault, kitten. Sometimes these things work out for the best. You know your mother turned me down three times before she said yes.”
“He wore me down,” Mom said.
“I wore her down!” Dad put in happily.
Mom softly laughed and nuzzled my mane. “And I’m glad he did. The years with him and with you have been wonderful. Love is tough, honey. It twists and turns but, in the end, it always seems to work out. Maybe you’re supposed to be with Sunny. Maybe you’re not. Only time will tell.”
I looped my hooves around my mother’s neck and nuzzled in tight. “Thank you. I just hope you’re right.”
“She usually is. Trust me, after 35 years of marriage I’ve learned that,” Dad said.
“Besides, you’re still young, sweetheart! You have plenty of time to find the right pony,” Mom added.
“Okay,” I whispered, my eyes buried against the crook of my mom’s neck. “Can I sleep here tonight?”
“Of course kitten. You don’t even have to ask. Your mother keeps your room exactly like you left it.”
That was good at least. Something in my life should stay the same.
♦♦♦
When I got to my office the next day I found the door unlocked and open. That was a security breach! I moved in to investigate and found Lieutenant Brook alone there.
He was peering into Mr. Peepers fish bowl. Wait, how did Mr. Peepers get here? Had Mr. Peepers broken into my office? No. That wouldn’t be possible. Or would it? He was a smart fish.
Mr. Peepers blew several bubbles and then swam a few laps around his bowl.
“Oh good morning, Azurite. I hope you don’t mind, I let Lieutenant Day into your office. She said you didn’t need a fish and plant sitter anymore and wanted to leave them here.”
Looking around I noticed that Plant, Plant, and Plant were also in the office in addition to Mr. Peepers and his basket of food and toys. I shook my head and fought back tears. Keep it together Azurite. “No sir, I don’t mind at all. Thank you.”
He nodded and smiled at Mr. Peepers. “He is really cute. I’ve never seen a fish with eyes so big.”
“Yeah, he is a good roommate. He doesn’t take much space, keeps a neat room, and isn’t very noisy,” I replied, forcing a little humor into my tone.
“Well, he is welcome here. Have a good day, Azurite.”
“Thank you, sir,” I responded before settling in behind my desk. “Oh, sir?”
Lieutenant Brook stopped in the door. “Yes?”
“I think I’m ready to give up the internal mail route. It probably should go to one of the newer ponies, right?”
He seemed to think about that a moment and then nodded. “Of course. A senior warrant officer carrying palace mail would be a bit odd. I’ll find another pony to do so, if you’re sure.”
“Yes sir, thank you sir,” I replied. Once he was gone I sighed and leaned back in my chair. “So that is it then?” I asked Mr. Clockerson.
“Tick, tock?”
I shook my head. “She gave up. Why shouldn’t I?”
“Tick, tick, ticky. Tiiiick!”
“What do you mean I’m stronger? I’m the smallest pony. If they wanted to make a decision then who am I to argue?”
Mr. Clockerson rolled his pointer. “Tick.”
“No!”
“Tick!”
“NO!”
“TICK!”
“Fine, I’ll fight! If you think that is best I’ll fight. I’ll go up and sort this out right now.”
“Tick, tock, tick.”
I got up and straightened my armor. “Right, I’m going. If she thinks she is just going to drop off my stuff without seeing me she has another thing coming.”
As bravely as I could I stormed out of my office, down the hall, up two flights of stairs, and across in Princess Celestia’s wing. When I got to Sunny’s office I knocked twice on the open door and went right inside. “Sunny, I—”
Sunny wasn’t alone. She was, in fact, with Silent Knight, Storm Rider, Iridescence, and that mean Miley Hooves. She lorded being taller over me.
“Warrant Officer Azurite, you’ll forgive me but I’m in a meeting right now,” Sunny said.
“Yes, ma’am. I apologize. Excuse me,” I replied as I back peddled out. The retreat to my office was hasty and without royal guard flare. When I got in I slammed the door and looked up at Mr. Clockerson.
“Your plan sucked!”
“Tick?”
“S. U. C. K. Sucked!”
“Tick, tock.”
“She was in a meeting and I made a fool of myself.”
“Tick, tick, tickity, tock.”
“Oh you’re not sorry. Look, I need to get to work. We’ll talk about this later,” I grumbled before going to the inbox and starting to work through the ponies. My love life might have been a wreck but I was still in line for a promotion.
I was still working through my normal duties in addition to going through Silent Knight’s task with a fine tooth comb. Work was one retreat to keep my mind occupied, at least.
♦♦♦
Sunny was occupied every time I tried to see her. She had kept the brief words we’d exchanged professional and was always on her way somewhere. I’m not sure I’d ever heard her say “Warrant Officer Azurite” so much in one day.
It was almost like she was avoiding me. Either that or she was just really busy. That happened sometimes too. Still, I didn’t like it and by the time Mr. Clockerson pointed to five I was worn out and sick of trying.
Mr. Peepers and I locked my office and left the palace. I wasn’t sure if I should head to the dorm or my parents’ place. After a bit of indecision I split the difference and went to Sunridge Sweets. A treat was just what I needed.
The sun was setting and I hurried through the streets of Canterlot. Even this late in the day it was hot. That was just the nature of summer and it wasn’t thrilling to me. A dip in the Wonderbolts’ pool was in order but it would have to wait!
When I got to Sunridge Sweets I burst through the door. “Sunbeam!” I called.
Everypony in the place turned to stare at me. Evidently it was a busy afternoon and now they were all staring at the little unicorn that was currently levitating a fishbowl and running into stores yelling. Right, I knew that most places stayed open after royal guard business hours and, more importantly, that ponies were sometimes in them.
Sheepishly I cleared my throat and whispered, “Oh, excuse me.”
Mr. Pepper Ridge chuckled and replied, “She’s in the back. Why don’t you and your fish head back there?”
“Thank you,” I replied quickly before hurrying around the counter and past him. Mr. Peepers sloshed a bit and seemed interested in all of the wonderfully colorful sweets.
I found Sunbeam in the back room holding Red Velvet in one hoof while decorating cupcakes with another.
“Azurite? Well this is a surprise… well, maybe not a surprise. You’ve been here a lot lately. How about, this is a treat! What brings you by?”
“I need help…” My eyes shifted to the cupcakes. “...and a cupcake.”
Sunbeam looked confused. “Help? Are you in some kind of trouble, sugarlump? And why a cupcake?”
I shook my head. “I’m not in trouble trouble. I’m in relationship trouble. A whole lot more than before.” I levitated Mr. Peepers onto the counter and he immediately caught Red’s attention. “The cupcake is just for me… because, you know, yours are delicious and you’ve effectively surrounded me with sweets.”
The older mare laughed and offered me a cupcake. “Maybe you’d better sit down and explain this all to me slowly. Will you hold Red?”
After accepting the cupcake in my magic and the foal in my forelegs I settled at the table. “Sunny and Soarin talked. Like we’d sort of planned but it went a weird direction. They decided Sunny couldn’t be trusted and that I was better off with Soarin. Plus Sunny ducked me all day and last night I snuck out of Soarin’s and went to my parents’ house. So now one or both of them are mad at me and neither seems keen on going back to the status quo!”
About midway through my spiel Sunbeam stopped decorating and turned to listen intently. “They decided? What about your feelings?”
“They decided. They sort of decide most things because I’m indecisive. They said I could still go with Sunny but she snubbed me today. It’s like she doesn’t want me.”
“And you believe that?”
I shrugged and bounced Red a bit on my lap. “I don’t know. She won’t look at me and we never had a conversation.”
“Well it’s only been a day, dear. Maybe she’s upset still,” she pointed out.
“That is a good point. I’m still not sure what I want. What about Soarin, he—”
“Mom, I’m here,” Velvet Step said as she came in from the front. Her eyes fell on Mr. Peepers. “When did you get a fish?” Then they flicked to me and Red. “When did you get an Azurite?”
Sunbeam smiled. “Hello, sweetcake. Azurite is having more relationship trouble. She and her fish came to visit.”
“More trouble? Azurite, I haven’t known you long but this seems to be getting out of hoof. What’s up now?” Velvet asked before sitting across from me.
“Oh no, please sit down. Don’t help with the cupcakes,” Sunbeam said to no pony in particular before I explained the situation to Velvet.
“So, I don’t know what to do. What should I do?” I asked.
Velvet nibbled on her lip. “Well, I’m not really an expert on romance. Shouldn’t you maybe tackle one at a time? Make sure Soarin isn’t upset with you?”
Sunbeam looked over her shoulder. “And give Sunny a few days to cool off.”
“That is pretty good advice. Both of you. I guess I’ll go deal with Soarin first. Then we can all figure out how to fix it between him and Sunny. Assuming she and I get fixed up, too.”
“We?” Velvet asked curiously.
Red wiggled in my lap and I nodded. “Yes, we. Do you really think I could do all of this on my own?”
Sunbeam and Velvet were silent. They exchanged glances as if trying to figure out a polite way to answer.
Velvet leaned closer and said, “You may want to invite your friend Sandy, too. Just in case we’re not enough.”
That made Sunbeam chuckle and shake her head. “Why don’t we all have brunch Saturday and see where you’re at?” she suggested.
I stood and gave Red to Velvet. “Alright, thank you both! I’m going to go home and see how Soarin is.”
“Good luck dear!” Sunbeam said as I hurried out to the front.
“Your fish!” Velvet called.
Oh, Mr. Peepers was never going to let me hear the end of this.
♦♦♦
When I got home Soarin wasn’t there. That wasn’t really concerning, though, because he often practiced past when I get off work on a normal day. Things had been less normal lately because the Wonderbolts had an “All Equestria” tour coming up. Sunny and I had been invited to go, too. For me it meant using most of my vacation days but it was possible. Sunny probably couldn’t go normally. Who knew now?
Mr. Peepers swam laps around his bowl. He was scoping out the living room from his spot on the coffee table. To placate him for forgetting him I’d swapped out the little desert island for the diver pony. They’d been on-again, off-again dating for a while. Currently it was on.
Pink Pony sat with me on the couch while I waited. She’d been a comfort lately. “How are we going to get out of this one?” I asked her.
Unsurprisingly she didn’t seem to have the answers. She was a card player, not a therapist. She was planning to head out to Las Pegasus to make her fortune when I went on tour with Soarin.
I heard the door handle start to jiggle out in the foyer and my nerves kicked in immediately. Quickly I grabbed Pink Pony and held her to my chest, putting her between me and the opening to the foyer.
“Don’t be nervous, he won’t come at you,” I whispered in her ear.
The door finally opened and Soarin came into the foyer. He groaned softly and headed towards the bedroom before pausing, taking three steps back, and looking into the living room. “Azurite!”
I was still holding my breath. “Soarin!”
He turned and trotted over to the couch. Before he got halfway there I could smell him. Why do stallions smell! “When you weren’t here this morning I thought that you’d gone with Sunny.” His tone was even, guarded. Not angry or judgy, but also not warm. His eyes then caught Mr. Peepers. “Oh, maybe you did… but you and Mr. Peepers came back.”
“I went to my parents’ house. Sunny dropped Mr. Peepers and the Plant triplets off this morning before I got to work,” I said softly.
“She did? Well, they’re welcome to live here as long as Mr. Peepers pays his portion of the rent.” He was forcing a little bit of humor.
“Mr. Peepers isn’t very good with money.”
Soarin shrugged. “I guess you’ll just have to pay his way then. Assuming you’re staying.”
I squeezed Pink Pony against me and looked up at him. “I would like to stay. Sunny doesn’t seem to want me. I mean she just walked out of here last night and wouldn’t talk to me today. Even if she did you may be right about what would happen. I don’t want to mess up two relationships, though, so maybe I need to focus on this one right now.” The words hurt coming out. Not the idea of only focusing on Soarin. I was crazy about him. It was the cutting of the other that wounded deeply.
The stallion stepped a bit closer and nuzzled my cheek. “You’re not going to mess up our relationship. I know you have feelings for her still. It isn’t like I don’t either. Sunny’s just in a different place, ok? You can’t keep blaming yourself or feeling guilty for trying to come to terms with reality, Azurite.”
Reality sucked and I wanted a new topic. Time to change the subject. “You smell,” I told him pointedly.
Soarin smirked but he got the message. “Well, how about I go shower and you start making dinner?”
“That seems like a fair deal to me.”
He headed for the shower and I went to the kitchen. Cooking for two was going to be weird.