Another day in Canterlot, and as usual it started out rather uneventful.
But if I had known that morning what I know today, then I would have never have believed a single thing about it. After all, it promised to be a simple regular day of work!
I didn’t know how wrong I was. It began with an inconvenience.
A far too bright and energetic voice breached the barrier between the waking world and that of a very pleasant dream. You know, the kind that you don't talk to your friends about and that makes your parents wonder if they raised you correctly? Well, at least no carrots were harmed this time.
Anyway! One of those before mentioned friends was right outside my bedroom door, yelling for my attention for some reason or another. In any case, it was way too early.
"Snowy!?" a mare's voice called. I tried to ignore her by rolling over onto my other side. "Snowy? are you awake?"
No I'm not, leave me alone whoever you are.
"It's nine in the morning Snow! You're going to be late for work!"
Oh is that all? My brain started doing the math. Add responsibility then subtract laziness and that equals…
"WHAT!?" I startled with a jolt and half-jumped, half-flew out of my bed. Sadly my ceiling lamp disagreed with my uncouth antics and decided it was time for some lamp-on-face interaction as I smacked right into it bruising my muzzle. "Ow! Bucking horsefeathers!" I screamed while the lamp and I crashed to the floor.
My bedroom door was smashed open with a resounding thud as a pair of light green back hooves nearly bucked it off its hinges. Light poured into the room, silhouetting the body of my would be rescuer in a heavenly halo that made think an angel had just broken down my door. After blinking a few times, I realized it was my close friend and colleague Autumn Breeze, who was just as good.
Autumn Breeze was a truly beautiful pegasus and often the subject of my dreams — yeah yeah fillyfooler, I know, but truly is that very surprising or awkward if you consider the huge difference in male to female ratio here in the magical land of Equestria? Anyway, she had a smooth, almost apple green coat that complemented her luscious dark brown mane. But the best part? Her eyes. Her warm hazel brown eyes. Sometimes I'd forget to breathe if I stared into them for too long.
Those very same eyes were regarding me with pity and concern as I got to my hooves.
"Ohmygosh are you alright!?" sweet Autumn yelled in my ear, not noticing that her indoor voice had taken a vacation. She rushed over and lifted my sore muzzle with her forehoof. "Sweetie, you're bleeding," she mumbled before helping me make my way to the bathroom that connected to my bedroom. At least I think that’s what she said. It was kind of hard to tell with how bad my ears were ringing.
Once there, she flicked the faucet on with her wingtips while grabbing a clean washcloth with her mouth. She soaked it in the cold water before swabbing my nose and lips with it in soft, feather-light touches. The gentle tickle of her breath on my cheeks made me sway on my hooves a little and my wings threatened to pop open more than once as she finished. Satisfied with her administrations, she nodded and set the bloodied rag on the counter.
"Are you dizzy or nauseous Snowy?" she asked me, keeping her tone calm and level as she looked me in the eye concerned.
Shaking my head, I murmurred. "No Autwum, wust a pwained smout." I scrunched my nose up in an attempt to get some feeling other than throbbing pain back into it. It honestly didn’t help much.
Luckily, Autumn understood idiot-hit-her-face language and gave a soft chuckle. I scrunched up my face and gave her the best stink eye I could muster.
"Well." she said playfully. "At least now we found an excuse as to why we showed up late for work, huh? Or rather, you since I'm here on the clock."
I shrugged my wings helplessly and nodded. My likely one sided love interest had a point there.
Some time later we were soarin through the cloudless blue skies of Canterlot. It was a beautiful morning and the accursed sun made sure that nopony could argue about it. Autumn Breeze was streaking ahead of me as I beat my wings hard, struggling to keep up.
How could that pegasus have so much energy at a mere half past nine in the morning? Did she have caffeine coursing through her veins instead of trusty good old blood like us normal morning hating pegasi?
If I didn't know any better, I'd swear she did it just to tease me into eyeing her.
Whether reality really hated me, or had an inopportune sense of timing and wish fulfillment was something I could debate later. Regardless, I found my face planted firmly against the back of Autumn's flank the second my brain had distracted me with that notion. Autumn let out a surprised whinny and turned back to deliver a wilting glare in my direction.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, abruptly shifting my gaze to the ground and my cheeks burned like small little bonfires on my face.
Autumn released a long-suffering sigh as her gaze softened up. "Look, I know you like me Snowy. You aren’t what I’d call subtle. Not by any means.” A wicked grin grew across her lips as a predatory glint sparkled in her eye.
From where I was hovering, she looked much like a cat getting ready to pounce.
“But foreplay in public? That’s a bit forward don’t you think?" She flicked my nose with her tail. It was hard to not enjoy her touch too much.
Shaking my head, I glared back. Or as much of a glare as I could manage considering how utterly embarrassed I was. "W-well you just stopped right then and there and I wasn't really paying atte-"
The rest of that sentence died in my throat as my lips met another set of warmer lips, owned by a muzzle that had just now complained at me about being too forward. Hypocrite much?
After a second, she pulled away and rolled her eyes. She pointed a at a roof below us where my parcels lay waiting.
"That might be because we arrived at the drop off point maybe?"
Alright, alright, Miss Snarky Pants, I get it. I was too busy paying attention to you instead of looking where we were going. Well, might as well add sexual harassment to the list of reasons for being late to work I suppose.
After a quick discussion about where we would go for dinner tomorrow, it was clear she was not opposed to my view of things. I waved to my not-flustered best friend.
Not fair. Why was I the only one blushing here?
Finally losing sight of her, I soared down to the small stack of parcels.
There stood a stallion next to the stack of parcels that I knew all too well. Judging from the way he looked at me, this stallion was not happy to see that I was late for my deliveries.
Flicking my ears back against my head, I did my very best to look as miserable as possible as I landed. "I'm so sorry Boss!” I started to apologize, making sure he had a good view of my still sore poor little nose. “I was hurt this morning and that caused my whole schedule to run amok." I hunched down a little, trying to look as respectful and pitiful as possible.
The blue coated stallion looked down at me, transfixing me to my spot before him with a stern gaze. Eventually he sighed, running a hoof through his thick black mane.
"I can see that Miss Haze.” He kneaded a spot between his eyes before softening his gaze. “You are excused this time but moving forward, make sure that this doesn't become a habit. Okay?"
I nodded wildly as my inner pony started prancing around and chanting, “Off the hook! Off the hook!”
Thunder Gale, apparently satisfied with his reprimand, turned around and took off. Probably on his way back to the main office.
After placing the parcels into my saddlebags, my work day could finally get more productive, kissing minty green mares not included. Checking my list, my very first stop of the day was an alchemy supply store called the Phial and Filly. Which strangely enough, sold both alchemical products as well as the best mare care products in the whole of Canterlot. It didn’t look very busy when I landed, which meant this would be quick. Nothing was more annoying than when you had to wait to deliver a package.
The bell over the door gave a little dingle as I entered the store. Everything looked normal except for instead of the inventor and proprietor of the shop, Runic Phial, standing at the counter, some other pegasus had taken his place.
The green pegasus in question barely spared me a glance when I placed one of the packages addressed to the store on the countertop and instead seemed entirely preoccupied in his book.
I nosed the order acceptance form on top of the page he was reading. “Package for you.”
Sighing, he scribbled down his signature and mumbled, "Place it over there in that corner, thanks."
A derisive snort escaped me as I picked up the package and set it in the corner he had gestured to. I stole a glance back at his stupid face so completely absorbed in his stupid book.
Who does-
I squinted at his nametag.
-Rossby Waves think he is? Making me do his work for him? It’s not my job to - OH LOOK! They have a new shampoo scent!
I took the strawberry lemon shampoo in a wing and trotted back up to the counter.
“I’d also like to purchase this,” I said, putting the bottle in front of him.
“Mmmhmm.” He turned a page.
I tapped a hoof on the floor. “Sooo...how much is it?”
He shrugged. “Just put some bits on the counter and go away.”
I huffed but placed what I figured was a fair amount of bits on the counter and walked out. For some reason I couldn’t shake the feeling I recognized Rossby from somewhere. That sort of ‘customer service’ isn’t easily forgotten.
The warm rays of the sun tickled my wingtips making them flicker and excited to take off. My next stop was a bar that I frequented now and then on the weekends. During weekdays though and especially in the late morning hours, the Mare Contraire was all but deserted. As I entered the all too familiar building, the bar's owner, a familiar pink unicorn mare made her way towards me as I grabbed a stool at the bar.
"Strawberry fizz with a bottom layer of orange cider dear?" she asked with a devious look as she accepted the parcel I hoofed to her.
I snickered and shook my head, declining her offer. "Favorite drink or not, I'm kinda working Dolly. Besides, why would I get tipsy if there are no cute mares around to sweep me off my hooves and take me home?" I realized my mistake far too late.
She frowned a little at that and gave a soft huff, sashaying down to the opposite end of the bar to put down the package., Just when I thought I was in the clear, she turned around batting her eyelashes all doe-eyed.
"So I'm not cute then? that it?" She sauntered back to me, her gaze keeping me transfixed. I was doomed.
Swallowing, I flicked my ears and stuttered an explanation. "I g-guess you are b-but you're so old.” I felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of my neck. “Dolly you could be my m-mother."
Smooth talking there Snowy. That's totally the way to handle that.
The temperature around us seemed to rapidly drop below freezing point as the pink mare raised an eyebrow, regarding me with a stern devastating look. "You did not just call me old, did you filly?" Her voice was laced with venom and I worried that my bladder would betray me at any moment now.
I squeaked in fear and cringed. "N-not old in a b-bad way, I mean.. just motherly?" I hoped they would free my ashes over the city of Canterlot as the mare reached her hooves out towards me.
And hugged me to her chest, cradling me in her forelimbs with a cheerful laugh. Her nose was making a mess of my mane. The rush of blood in my ears told me that my heart had finally decided it was a good idea to start beating again.
"Dear Celestia, you are way too easy to tease Snowy." The elder mare laughed before she released me, giving me a nuzzle to the cheek for good measure. "Maybe a drink on me later hmm?"
Breathing out in sheer relief, I nuzzled her back and gave a flick of my tail in annoyance. "Don't scare me like that you bully, you might scare me off!" I neighed and gave her my game winning trembling lip before turning around to resume with my work.
Lashing forward like a viper Dolly smacked me on the rump with a resounding smack that caused me to let out a soft yelp. "You'll be back." she grinned wickedly before patting me instead.
I stood there a moment, dumbfounded by what just had happened, then turned my head and stuck my tongue out at her. But the second I saw her raise that hoof again though, I galloped out of there before she could get another swat in.
I smiled to myself as I trotted through the castle, my courier pass bouncing on my chest and my freshly emptied saddlebags hanging limply at my sides. With everything delivered, the rest of the evening was mine to enjoy.
I paused abruptly in the courtyard and stared out an archway overseeing Canterlot.
What do I want to do now?
My eyes wandered in the direction of Mare Contraire.
Well, Dolly offered to get a drink on her tonight…
An involuntary shiver ran down my spine and I dismissed the idea. With the way she teased, she may have meant that literally.
“OH COME ON!”
My ears zeroed in on a window above me where a peal of muffled laughter rang out. A quiet whine escaped me as I dancing on my tip hooves.
Don’t go looking other ponies windows..
But I want to look and see what’s going on!
It’s not polite…
Just this once, and I swear I’ll never do it again.
Liar...
Stealing a glance around to make sure nopony saw me, I hovered over to the window and peeked inside.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, but seeing Princess Luna playing a board game with other ponies was definitely not it. She was carefully removing some pieces from her side as a bulky pegasus leaning back, a tiny smug grin playing along his features. My guess was that he’d just won or something.
I leaned in closer to get a better look when my nose bumped the window. I winced as a few sets of ears popped up and began swiveling. I backed away from the window and swiftly beat my wings away from the castle. I needed to fly home before a guard spotted me and arrested me or something for peeking into the windows of royalty.
Once home, I was surprised to find my lights on. My parents never visited this late. I sneaked through the front door and closed it behind me, only to get jumped by a green blur as soon as the latch clicked shut. Squealing in fright, I coiled up a hind leg, preparing to buck my assailant. I turned my head to line up the shot, only to find those very eyes that entranced me every time. I dropped my hind leg and whispered, "Autumn?"
She smiled softly and trapped me against the carpet, giving me a peck on the nose. "Well we agreed to have dinner tomorrow,” she breathed, delivering a batch of gentle kisses down my neck. “Yet I still have your house key and nopony has said anything about me not barging into your home unannounced and sampling some forbidden fruits tonight."
I giggled in response and lost myself in the warmth of her body. Tonight would be good and all in all, life was starting to look pretty good. Though it wouldn't hurt to find more friends. Luna's meeting had looked quite fun.