Another x on the calendar marked off another day. Over a hundred days were marked off, hundreds more remained. Midnight put down the pencil and trotted back to the stove. It was his turn to cook tonight, carrot and coriander soup. He stirred the pot several times, releasing an inviting aroma into the room.
His attention was drawn to a window. Outside, Hoofly was being hammered by a rainstorm, causing the cottages window panes to rattle as waves water battered it. He then gazed at the to a wall mounted clock, as it ticked round to half past seven in the afternoon. Foxtrots shift ended at seven.
Foxtrot had returned to her duty as a royal guard when Midnight starting taking lessons from Blessed Beard this last moon, though her status as chaperon meant reduced shift times.
The storm was showed no signs of abating, probably slowing Foxtrots return. Midnight turned back to the soup, slowly stirring it with his magic.
The sound of the front door swinging open drew his eyes away from the pot. Foxtrot in her guard uniform stepped in soaking from head to hoof. Taking off her helmet and restoring her mane and coat colours to their natural state, Midnight trotted up and offered her a towel. She gave a warming smile and took the towel in her magic. Midnight returned to the pot and took it off the stove.
“Dinners ready,” He said, looking around for a ladle.
“I Know,” She giggled. “I can smell it.”
She wrapped her towel in her mane and started drying it. She wandered over to the calendar and examined the many x’s on it.
“Hey Midnight,” She called over her shoulder. “Whens your birthday?”
Midnight had just finished pouring the soup into two bowls and stared at the calendar. Human months and pony moons were not interchangeable’and Midnight had to work which day his birthday was on. He moved over to Foxtrot with a bowl of soup, exchanging it for the damp towel.
“I think it was three days ago,” Midnight answered.
Foxtrot looked up from blowing on her spoon with surprise. “Really!?!”
Midnight calculated again and nodded a confirmation, returning to the kitchen for his bowl.
“Happy Birthday” -Foxtrot gave a cheery smile-.
“Thank you,” He said’ following her to the table.
“So how old are you now?” She asked’ taking another spoonful.
“Er.. sixteen now,” He replied’ blowing on his spoon.
Foxtrot looked up at him with even more surprise. “That makes you a full stallion now!”
This took a moment to translate in Midnight’s head. “Heh’ I guess it does,” He half chuckled.
“It's a major milestone in a pony’s life,” She added’ seeing that he didn’t grasp the significance of this birthday. “We need to celebrate it.”
A wave of rain battered the cottage and leak suddenly appeared. Dripping large droplets onto a rug by the door.
“Not tonight were not,” Midnight chuckled pointing to a window.
Foxtrot smiled, swallowing more soup. She got up from her seat and walked over to an old small cabinet in the corner, from it was retrieved two glasses and floated them onto the table. She also pulled a bottle of wine from the oak cabinet and walked back to the table.
“what's this?” Midnight asked, trying to read the label.
“A Southern Dragoon N.o. 4,” She enlightened, pouring the bottles contents into the glasses. “Perfect for a late birthday party”
He chuckled as she raised up her glass. With a golden glow, he raised his and the glasses touched with a satisfying clink.
Midnight glanced up at the clock, its hands chiming round to even in the evening. He took another swig from his glass and turns his eyes back to Foxtrot. They were sitting on her couch in front of the fireplace.
Unlike Midnight, she really couldn’t handle her drink. With rosy cheeks and tendency to giggle at anything, she was entertaining to watch.
“Ya know,” She said, gently poking his nose- “Ya gonna go get a job soon.”
He smiled, trying to keep her hoof off his nose.
“Well’ speaking of that,” -Midnight had to lift his head to avoid his nose getting poked- “You know I help the professor get his train today.”
“M’hmm,” Foxtrot nodded’ smiling ear to ear.
“Well before Blessed Beard’s train departed,” He said’ Foxtrot giggling at the professor's name. “He asked’ that after his trip and my studies are over’ that I’d become his assistant.”
“Yay!!” Foxtrot yelled aloud, arms stretched out as wide as her grin.
Midnight laughed at this, which intern sent Foxtrot into a fit of giggling.
“Did you take it?” Foxtrot managed to say between giggles.
“Well, he wouldn’t take my answer till he got back…”
“TAKE ITTTTTTTTTT……..Hic,” Foxtrot interrupted.
“If I say yes, will you stop trying to shove your hoof up my nose?” Midnight managed to say through said hoof.
Foxtrot nodded furiously, sending her emerald mane in all directions.
“Then I’ll accept,”
“YAAAAYYY!!!” Foxtrot yelled before falling beside Midnight.
Midnight smiled at Foxtrot’s antics, who was now trying to refill her glass. As she continued to miss, Midnight’s gaze drifted onto a photo sitting on the mantle piece. It was of Foxtrot when she was a filly, standing next to a royal guard.
“Foxtrot, can I ask a question?”
“H’hmm,” She replied’ happy that she’d managed to refill her glass.
“Why are you in the royal guard?”
It was a question that was on his mind for a while. To Midnight, Foxtrot didn’t seem to be the military type. Kind, nurturing and a non-violent demeanor’ she just didn’t the type he’d seen in his world.
“Well, truth be told, hic,” -Foxtrot then downed her drink in one gulp- “I followed in my father's hoof steps. He was a new Lieutenant in Celestia’s service before Luna returned.”
She used her magic to wobbly put her empty glass down on a side table.
“My mother didn’t approve. She always intended for me to go to Celestia’s school of gifted unicorns, but I was never really talented in magic.”
Midnight nodded, looking back at the photograph and at the royal guard stallion in it. Wondering if it was her father.
Where are they now?”
When no answer came’ he looked down at Foxtrot now fast asleep beside him.
Midnight grinned, then tried to gentle move. He was prevented in doing so by Foxtrot, now cuddling his front leg as if it was a stuffed toy.
Well I’m going nowhere tonight He thought. Still’ there are worse places to be stuck.
He took another sip from his drink’ and settled in for the night, watching the rain outside continued to pour down.