//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10: A Hangup 
// Story: Photo Dash 
// by SS Nomad 
//------------------------------//

	The first thing to wash over Photo’s senses was the noise.  The chatter of ponies, the repetitive beat of the music, the gentle clink of glasses being set down, the occasional thumping of hooves on wood floor, and the low rumbling bubbles of the hot tub; it was loud, but not offensive, as all of the sounds added to one familiar chorus.  The party was already in full swing.
As her eyes adjusted to the warm, artificial glow that filled Spitfire’s well maintained courtyard, Photo was immediately surprised to see how many ponies filled the space.  The conversations slowed as ponies checked to see who had stepped through the door.  Easily a dozen faces had turned to look at her, and to her surprise she recognized the majority of them.
She had barely had the time to identify more than a few when she was interrupted by an excited holler. Whipping her head around to see what was happening, she immediately recognized the source.  Sapphire Shores, her longtime acquaintance and occasional business partner, had apparently abandoned her previous conversation on spotting Photo and was rushing over.
“Photo, sugar, how you been?” Sapphire asked with a quick hug, “I feel like I ain’t seen you in forever.”
Photo accepted the hug with a grin, “It’s only been a month, ve sat together at zhat runway show.”
“Exactly,” Sapphire explained, “it’s been an entire month since we’ve caught up.  That’s just far too long.”
“Jou were on tour, ja?” Photo remembered, “Zhat vent vell?”
Sapphire Shores struck a pose and waved the question off, “You know it, sweetheart.”
As it finally struck her, Photo became intrigued, “Actually, I’m surprised to see jou here.  Jou know Spitfire?”
“Oh yeah,” Sapphire quickly replied, “I met Spitfire through Rarity a while back.  Oh, she’s just a treat.  Always throws a good party.”
“Through Rarity, eh?” Photo repeated, interest more piqued than before, but instead she punctuated her sentence with an accepting, “Hmm.”
“Where is Spitfire, anyway?” Sapphire asked rhetorically, “I’m sure she’d want to know you’re here.”
Photo took the moment to scan the room again.  The hot tub sat there, unoccupied and gurgling, currently more a centerpiece than anything else.  Photo heard the sound of ice being shaken and turned to see a bar table on the edge of the courtyard, Rarity standing next to it waiting for her drink.  Otherwise, the room was full of all the assorted ponies Photo had grown used to seeing at the less stuffy Canterlot events.  The familiarity of it all was relaxing.
Suddenly, Spitfire came in for a landing at speed, descending from above the courtyard and touching down beside Rarity at the bar.  Almost immediately, Rarity looked to be peppering Spitfire with questions about something, but Spitfire was trying to play it cool.  Quickly excusing herself from her conversation, Photo moved to join them.
Before Photo could say anything, Spitfire had spotted her and turned to greet, “Hey, you made it.  I’m guessing you showed up while I was off at the store?”
“Ja, not like I vould miss zis,” Photo replied.
“Wait, I didn’t inv-” Rarity started in confusion before something occurred to her.  She gave Spitfire a knowing glance before turning back to Photo, “I mean, I didn’t know you were coming, Miss Finish.  Always good to see you.”
“You need a drink?” Spitfire asked, something in her tone sounding like she wanted to change the subject.
“Jou have peach schnapps, ja?” Photo assumed, “I hate ze name of it, but I’ll take a fuzzy navel.”
The mare behind the bar nodded in acknowledgement as she set down Rarity’s martini.
“Well, I suppose I’ll leave you two be,” Rarity said with a cheeky smile, lifting her drink and walking off.
Spitfire groaned quietly at the implications before putting back on the face of a host, “You want to go sit somewhere?  I’d like the chance to talk to you about something other than business.”
“Sure,” Photo replied with a smile, “Zhat vould be nice.”
The reality of the scene around them melted away as the moment hung in the air.  Spitfire looked happy, yet tense, and Photo couldn’t help but feel the same.  They just stood there, being next to each other, and waited for the drink to be made.  Each clearly searching for words, Photo collected her drink and they made their way to a high table overlooking the courtyard.
“So,” Spitfire finally broke the silence, “I gotta say, you’ve always kinda fascinated me.”
Surprised, Photo turned to look at her, “Really?”
“I mean…” Spitfire stumbled for an explanation, “There’s something strong and commanding in your presence, and I kinda see the same in myself, but we’re so… well, different.”
Photo chuckled lightly into her drink, “Probably not so different as jou’d expect.”
Spitfire smiled, “Yeah, maybe not.”
After a pause to take a sip of her drink, Photo looked around the room and decided to just ask, “So how did jou meet all these ponies?  I vas a bit surprised I know so many.”
Spitfire looked around and shrugged, “A bunch of them are Rarity’s acquaintances, so I met them through her.  I guess since you two are in similar circles, it makes sense.”
“How did jou meet Rarity?” Photo pressed.
Spitfire’s ears flattened in embarrassment, but she faked a chuckle and answered, “Yeah, oof, that was quite a story.  Maybe some other time.”
Shocked by the response, Photo quickly backed off, “Of course, no problem, I didn’t mean to pry.”
Rubbing the back of her head, Spitfire tried to move on, “How about my turn for a question?”
“Ja?”
“Why’d you decide to do the Wonderbolts shoot?” Spitfire asked plainly.
Oh, yeah, Photo was supposed to have come up with a reason for that.  Damn.  Quickly looking for an answer, Photo decided to just stick to something true, “Vell, it’s rather hard to grow up a pegasus foal and not be inspired by ze Vunderbolts.”
Quickly looking around to make sure they weren’t overheard, Spitfire put on a big smile, “Yeah, I know what you mean.”
“My turn, again?” Photo joked.
“What, we making a game of this?” Spitfire quipped back.
“Vhy did jou come to me with ze offer in ze first place?” Photo asked, leaning against the table to look at the mare beside her.
Spitfire looked like she’d been caught stealing cookies, “Well, I mean, I honestly didn’t think you’d agree to it.  I kinda just wanted a chance to meet you.”
Photo’s thoughts stalled out with the shock, “Really?”
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Spitfire started into what looked like an admission, “Yeah.  There’s just something about you that I-”
A glass of whiskey, held aloft with a blue glow, floated behind Spitfire’s head.  Seeing Photo abruptly turn to watch it, Spitfire reeled around to figure out what was going on behind her.  As the glass settled down on the table, both of them noticed Rarity a few steps behind it.
“I saw you didn’t have a drink, so I brought you the usual,” Rarity said, taking a sip from what must have been a second martini before walking proudly up beside Spitfire.  After a pause, she blanched, “Oh my goodness, I interrupted.  I’ll, um… be on my way.”
Wiping her face, Spitfire looked Rarity square in the eye, “Don’t worry about it.”
Rarity looked deeply apologetic, but there was something more.  She looked worried.
Spitfire put a hoof on Rarity’s back, causing her breath to catch, and spoke in a reassuring whisper, “I said don’t worry about it.”
Rarity finally exhaled and forced a smile, “Of course.”
As Rarity walked away, Photo struggled to process what she’d just witnessed.  She had come to terms with the two being secretly friends or something, but that moment felt… different.  As Spitfire let out a deep sigh and took a large swig of her drink, Photo wasn’t really sure where to proceed.  She took a drink as well.
Clearly struggling with the scene that just played out, Spitfire changed the subject, “I’ve always liked big private parties like these.  It’s good to be surrounded by ponies you know.”
“Ah… Ja,” Photo mumbled, her thoughts still bouncing between what she just witnessed and what Spitfire had been interrupted while saying.
Her first attempt to break the ice had failed, but Spitfire didn’t plan to stop trying, “You mentioned you already know a few of them, right?”
Photo slid her goggles up onto her forehead, looking around the now teal-tinted room more clearly, “Vell, I ran into Sapphire vhen I got here, and she and I go back.  Also, I swear I saw Hoity Toity in ze crowd at one point.”
Spitfire sighed in relief, happy to get Photo talking again, “Yeah, I swear those two have never missed one of these.”
“Really?  I’ve worked with Hoit before, zis…” Photo gestured in the air, “doesn’t seem like his scene.”
Spitfire’s bemused grin slowly grew, “Did you just call him ‘Hoit?’”
Photo stifled a laugh as she realized Spitfire was right, “Oh.  Ja.  He doesn’t like to be called zat, but his name has too many syllables.”
“Well I mean, you’re right,” Spitfire agreed, “I think I’ll start calling him that, too.”
As much as Photo wanted answers, she could tell Spitfire just wanted a stress free night.  The past few moments had been a stark reminder that she wasn’t the only one with complicated circumstances.  Better to just drop it and enjoy the night.
“You know, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen your eyes before,” Spitfire observed in a half mumble, “that’s a really pretty color.”
Photo tried to force back the heat from her cheeks, breaking eye contact in embarrassment, “I… thank you.”
Spitfire confidently looked out over the courtyard, “This should be a good night.”
Photo followed her gaze, eyes fixing on the still unoccupied hot tub, “I’m surprised nopony is in zhere yet.”
“Do you wan-” Spitfire started.  Remembering, she subtly nodded to the inconspicuous bulge of Photo’s wings under her dress, “Uh… how are you feeling about… that?”
Photo looked across the crowd, trying get a feel for the situation.  She had the option; she expected her disguise to hold in the water.  So many ponies would see, though.  Photo hadn’t anticipated this many ponies at the party, let alone ones she knew so well.  It could become a bit of a scene.  Well, at least in the time it took to get in the water.  Once she was in, her wings would be below the foamy surface, and things would settle down.  This could work.
With a look that betrayed her apprehension, Photo spoke, “Vell, I suppose I’ll need somewhere to put my dress.”
“Don’t feel obligated,” Spitfire comforted.
“I don’t,” Photo replied with more resolve.
Spitfire looked hesitantly hopeful, “Any way I could help?”
“Somewhere to change,” Photo reiterated.
Spitfire gestured towards the hallway casually, “You can change in my room if you want.  I’ve got hangars and stuff.  End of the hall.”
Photo thanked her and finished her drink before standing.  Nodding to a few ponies in passing, she made her way down the hall and to the bedroom door.  Her heart fluttered for a moment at the memory of what she saw the last time she opened this door, but she stepped in without hesitation.  Shutting the door and the sounds of the party behind her, Photo stood alone in a well-appointed bedroom and took the moment to wind down.
Lost in the feeling of the room’s unfamiliarity, Photo looked around for something to anchor herself with, something to make the space feel less foreign.  Failing that, she stepped toward the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror.  Seeing her face in the reflection forced her to realize that this wasn’t all a dream, and that she was really alone in Spitfire’s bedroom.
Photo steadied her breathing as she came to accept the situation.  It just felt weird to be invited into her room after they had been… Flirting?  It was the first word that had jumped to mind, and Photo was startled by it.  Had Spitfire seriously just been flirting with her?  Seeing the blood rushing to her cheeks again, Photo covered her face with a hoof in a struggle to settle back down.
It honestly made sense, though.  Everything she’d been saying right before Rarity-  Photo’s train of thought derailed instantly.  That scene with Rarity meant something, and it seemed important.  She’d have to come up with some way to figure it out without seeming like she was prying, but it was pretty clear neither of them wanted to talk about it.
No.  Drop it and enjoy the night.  Photo had already promised herself that much, and breaking a promise you made to yourself is just dumb.  Looking into her own determination filled eyes, Photo knew there was only one thing she cared about.  She wanted to spend time with Spitfire.
First things first, Photo slid off her dress and tossed them out the door toward the bed.  Seeing herself with wings, Photo felt so exposed.  If she moved quickly and avoided attention, she could probably sneak into the hot tub without incident.  Worst case, ponies would know she was a pegasus a few days early.  A devilish grin creeped across her face as she realized the magazine cover was almost certainly being finalized as she thought about it.
Quickly double checking her disguise looked okay, Photo tried to remember what Twilight had warned her about.  No strong magic around the disguise, and if it was starting to mess up it would overheat.  Pressing the locket to her chest, she couldn’t feel any warmth, but she was a little worried she wouldn’t be able to feel it through her coat.  Flipping the pendant up into her lips, she held it there for a second before deciding it was basically room temperature.  Nervously adjusting her mane, Photo decided this would have to do.
Stepping across the bedroom to pluck her dress off of the bed, Photo made her way over to the closet to find the hangars that Spitfire mentioned.  As she did, she heard the doorknob behind her rattle and she immediately whirled around to face the sound.
“Hey, everything alright? You’ve been in here a whi- Holy shit you look good,” Spitfire announced in surprise from the cracked doorway.
Photo unconsciously hid behind the dress held in her hooves, her face turning colors usually reserved for the fire brigade.  Spitfire stood in the doorway, a hoof raised as if she had something else to say.  Her expression jerked back and forth between looking like she had a good explanation and accepting that she honestly didn’t.  In the end, Spitfire just shut her mouth and slowly closed the door.  The only sign she was still out there was the muffled echo of her smacking her forehead against the wall repeatedly.
Quickly recovering her bearings, Photo forced a fake calm over herself and hung up her dress.  She opened the door to leave just as Spitfire was about to headbutt the wall once more, but Photo managed to get a hoof in the way before impact.
Spitfire pulled back and looked down at her hooves, “I… can’t believe I said that out loud.”
Photo couldn’t help but laugh, “But you can believe you thought it?”
Spitfire’s mood immediately bounced back due to hearing Photo’s amusement, “Well, I mean, shouldn’t I?”
Photo blushed once more, but this time she was in better control of it.  Yup, this was flirting.
Spitfire saw her opening to continue, “Like, I could tell you kept fit, but damn, you’re better built than most athletes I know.  How could you possibly be embarrassed by how you look?”
Photo couldn’t help but bask in the compliments, but still felt the need to come up with an answer, “I just… it’s now how I vant the public to view me.  I have zis whole image I try to keep, looking like a marathon flier kind of detracts from it.”
There was a flash of commiseration in Spitfire’s eyes as she nodded, “I get where you’re coming from. Having a public persona gets hard.”
Photo leaned around the corner to check her path to the hot tub.  There was one bundle of ponies chatting about something, but they seemed distracted enough with their conversation.  She felt comfortable that she’d get all the way without incident.
“You look like a little filly afraid to get on stage for the first time,” Spitfire teased.
“Oh, hush, jou,” Photo chided as she stepped back from the corner, “Shall we?”
Without any fanfare, Spitfire rounded the corner from the hallway to the courtyard, gesturing for Photo to follow, “No time like the present.”
As Photo stepped cautiously out from the hallway, she pressed her wings firmly to her sides, hoping they’d just blend in.  As she slowly came to realize nopony but Spitfire was looking at her, she strode forward with purpose, trying to make it into the water before anyone tried to get her attent-
“Miss Finish,” came a weak voice from beside her.
Photo turned to see Rarity standing there with what she hoped was still her second drink, “Miss Rarity?  Did jou need something?”
“I was…” Rarity looked deeply regretful, “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t think I interrupted on purpos- I’m sorry, wait, where’s your dress?”
Photo looked down at her forelegs and then back up to Rarity, “I took it off.”
“Ye- Obviously, but…” Rarity sputtered, looking Photo over once more, “wait, hold on, what?”
“Vhat, ‘Vhat?’’ Photo replied in equal confusion, “I think ze concept is rather straightforward.”
“N- Not that,” Rarity clarified, “It’s just that you have the exact same cutie mark as my friend.”
Photo stood stock still.  She’d never checked her flanks.  She had only thought to confirm that the disguise replaced her mane and tail.  Nervously turning to look back at herself, Photo’s heart raced.
On her flank was a familiar shape, but honestly not the one she expected.  She uttered a short, confused grunt as she saw a series of six pointed stars on her back side.  She wasn’t entirely sure why she had Twilight’s cutie mark, but it was a massive relief to not see a lightning cloud.  Still felt weird, though.
Looking back to Rarity, Photo just shrugged, “Zis… ist not unheard of.”
Spitfire trotted over to the conversation nervously, looking to serve as a distraction, “Hey, uh, hot tub.”
Both Photo and Rarity looked at her like she was from the moon, but Rarity was the one to vocalize it, “What?”
“Ach, scheiße,” Photo blurted as she understood, quickly making her way across the courtyard to hide in the tub’s waters.  With an amused sigh, Spitfire sauntered over to join her.
Stepping over the low wall of the pool, Photo slipped into the warmth and current of the waters.  Almost immediately she could feel her muscles slacken and ease, the heat flowing through her.  On autopilot, she slowly sank into a corner, forehooves draped over the edges like a huge armchair.  Worth it.
Spitfire dropped into the corner to Photo’s right, lounging sideways on the bench to face her, “Was everything okay over there?”
Photo looked up from the frothing water, dismissing the concern, “Ja, ja.  It vas nothing.”
“Alright,” Spitfire accepted, “I still have no idea how I can help, but I’m willing.”
“Just sit here vith me,” Photo replied with a smile, “ze more you act like everything is fine, ze more it will be.”
Spitfire mirrored Photo’s smile, “Sure.”
Photo shuffled her back along the side of the hot tub until a water jet was pressed firmly against the constantly knotted muscles between her wings, “Zis is heaven.”
Spitfire settled back, just happy to see Photo relaxed, “Best investment I ever made.”
Photo closed her eyes and was finally able to clear her mind of all of her assorted stress, at least for the moment.  Everything just felt so perfect for the first time in days.  She wanted this to last forever.  As she sat weightless in the water, a thought crossed her mind that both her inner optimist and pessimist could agree with.
The night was still young.