Adventures in Homeownership with Sunny Skies and Dusky Sparks

by Honey Mead

Degrade

Adventures in Homeownership with Sunny Skies and Dusky Sparks: Degrade

Evening was just starting to set as Sunny Skies stepped through the little iron gate to the cottage. She took a moment to marvel at it, same as she did every day. A streetlamp across the way blinked on.

It needed a name.

For any other building, it would have been a ridiculous notion. Houses don't require names, don't deserve names. Some buildings do, of course, but those are almost always large buildings with almost as much history ground into their walls as into her skin. This little cottage though...

With such whimsical thoughts occupying her attention, Sunny trotted to inside. “Sparky, I'm home.”

The lack of an immediate response did not surprise her, Dusky was notorious for falling hoof over horn into a book. Then the door closed and cut off the last bit of noise pollution from the outside.

The distinct sound of running water could be heard from the kitchen.

Sunny's ear twitched.

“Dusky?” she called out, a small tremor in her voice. She sloughed off her saddlebags and the school work they contained as her hooves dragged her unwillingly deeper into the cottage.

Sunny froze. Her hoof was wet.

A thin trickle of water snaked down the hallway, disappearing into the kitchen.

Her eyes closed in a futile attempt to forestall the deluge of images her traitorous mind was conjuring up. She did not open them as she walked down the short hall to the kitchen's entrance. They remained shut while all four of her fetlocks sopped up the standing water.

“Dusky, I know you're in there.” A small whimper confirmed it. “When I open my eyes, am I going to find that there is,” her hoof wiggled, “an inch of water covering the whole floor?” Another confirmatory whimper. “Am I also going to find that this water came from you trying to fix the leaky faucet I specifically told you to call a plumber to fix?” A final whimper.

Sunny sighed. She could already picture the scene perfectly. Dusky was undoubtedly curled up in a corner, soaked from head to tail. The cabinet under the sink was most assuredly open, all its contents stored safely on the counter. Without fail, the faucet would be damaged in someway, if she were really lucky, the pipes wouldn't be.

Her eyes opened. Dusky sniffled and cowered deeper into her corner.

Long-suffering, but still full of love and neigh limitless patience, Sunny smiled, crossed the flooded floor, and wrapped her sopping wife into that special hug that only she, filled with the warmth of a summer afternoon, could. Dusky fell instantly into the embrace, burying her muzzle into Sunny's pink locks. She sniffled and sobbed, but never quite made it all the way to crying. After a minute or two, her composure returned.

“So,” Sunny started, “do you want to tell me what happened?” Dusky shook her head, still buried beneath a sea of pink. “But you're going to tell me anyways, correct?” Dusky nodded, though with a definitive reluctance.

Sunny repositioned them until they were nose to nose. With a slow, purposeful movement, she drew her tongue up Dusky's muzzle, between her eyes, and ended at the base of her horn. It wasn't a light, sensual lick meant to excite the other mare. Rather, it was a firm lap that pull at the hairs of her coat and left them drier than they had before. All the tension fled Dusky's body. More licks followed, Sunny grooming her in the old way. The practice had fallen out of favor more than two generations ago, but Sunny had many fond memories of being groomed by her mother and even her sister. She'd just started on Dusky's mane when she spoke again.

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't be.”

“I just… I feel…” Dusky slumped, every ounce of energy carried out of with the harsh whisper of, “Useless. I can't cook. I can't—I don't do anything. All day, I just…” She sniffed back a sob. “I thought… I wanted to help.” She fell silent for a few seconds, then whispered, “It wasn't supposed to be like this.” Her whole body sighed. “This was my idea, and I’m just…”

Celestia’s magic filled the room, and, for a short few seconds, it became a sauna. Then the window opened and all the steam fled out into the cool evening air, leaving the kitchen as dry as it had ever been.

By the time Celestia realized her mistake, it was too late, and there was a sharp flash of magenta magic…

And Twilight Sparkle was gone.

Comments

[Toratchi888]

CURSE YOU! THE FEEEEEEELS!

[Pokekid543]

Wait what