Speak Up Please

by Living Madness

A Streak of Pink

Special thanks to The Cake Devil for editing this chapter.

---

*Sigh* The things I do for her." Dixon moaned to himself, analyzing and critiquing his newly adorned attire in the mirror. Twisting his curled mustache around and around, an inveterate twitch he had picked up many years ago and a sure sign of his discomfort and annoyance.
Dixson hated ties.

Staring at the ruby red (noose) tie, around his neck with contempt, he straightened out his black buttoned up shirt, pushing the loose threads of the fabric back inside his trousers, and following its completion with another sigh.

Dixon was also not a fan of tucking in.

Scanning the side of his bed, he grabbed his wallet and keys, before taking one last look at his appearance. Black trousers and polished black, laced dress shoes, that matched his shirt and trousers perfectly, only offset by the tie that stood out and complemented the black canvas it rested upon. Silver cufflinks linked the shirts wrists together with white stripe pattern in an x formation on his wrists. Dixon grabbed a gravel gray waist coat with a silver pocket watch tucked into the pocket and slung it over his left shoulder. He would wear it after seeing Spitefire. It would spoil the joke. he couldn't help but smirk cheekily at his choice in colour.

Dixon was at the very least a fan of annoying his friend.

---

The walk did not take long, his comfortably sized apartment was only a stone's throw away from the Eques Cantel; also know as the richest area in Canterlot. Of course, that was if you discounted the castle grounds themselves. Each house was at least twelve acres long, which may not have sounded like much for pony's as rich as the ones who dwelled there, but for a city hanging off the side of a mountain, space was a rare commodity. Something the upper class dwellers in this neighbourhood failed to understand, or perhaps, paradoxically, knew all too well.
The joke among all who were aware of the Eques Cantel was that if the council would allow it, the streets would be literally paved in gold. It wouldn't be too much of a hyperbole to think it could be true.

Whistling a unstructured tune to himself, with each hand in his pockets, Dixon proceeded casually, but with a sense of purpose towards his chosen distinction. Finally after the seventh manor on the street, he found what he was looking for.

"There's the old labode, hasn't changed a bit." He announced to himself, walking over and buzzing the bell by the enormous Iron gate.
"Who, may I ask, is at the door?" A deep but well spoken and eloquent voice answered crisply, as though it had been waiting at the receiver for some time.

"It's me, Steelwing."

A pause followed.

"I see...Wait there one moment please."

Dixon scrunched his lips, he did not like the cadence in Steelwings voice, something about it seemed off. An ill sense of foreboding suddenly found itself at the pit of Alex's stomach.

"Um... okay, sure." Dixon answered, there was no reply.

Stepping a little away from the buzzer, Dixon waited patiently at the gate, wondering why he wasn't just buzzed in like he had been accustomed to.

Dixon furrowed his brow. He had surmised that that incident between him and Spitfire back in the day must have had some effect on the staff...But perhaps, he did not expect a grudge or whatever this was to still be in effect for this long, not after peace was made between him and her.

Slightly more nervous as the time went on, Dixon waited patiently outside, pacing against the gate like dog in a cage.

Finally he saw the matured pegasus stallion, making his way crisply from the manor door and down the long winding path towards him. The stallion walked with perfect precision his whole form was one of purpose. From the short buzz cut greyish hairdo, to the formal black butler suit, with twinned tailcoats wrapped around a white shirt underneath, cleaned and cut to perfection, the stallion was the living embodiment of gentlecolt. Though the steel resolve in his eyes, (which matched the name all to well.) suggested trouble at a moment's notice.

Dixon gave a curt and friendly wave. However Steelwing did not respond, nor break the neutral expression from his face, as he approached the gate.

"Greetings Master Dixon, I hope you are in good health." The stallion finally spoke as he reached the gate, giving a small nod of greeting before scanning Dixons whole body with a critical eye. Before looking straight up into Dixon's gaze.

"Hello to you to Steelwing, is uh, is Spitfire home?" Dixon asked, now unsure of himself.

"My lady, is in her room, ruining my perfectly well laid out sets of attire, in search of a one suiting this occasion, if that is what you are inquiring?" The stallion asked his voice momton his pauses calculated and deliberate.

Dixon smiled again, imagining the morose pegasus throwing every manner of clothing around the room. It was an unusual thought, considering how curt and fairweather, she was about her cloths. Shorts, sports bras and tank tops were all she ever need to go out.
Even in the colder seasons she wore almost the same attire. But still, the idea that she looking for something a bit more formal was no less entertaining to imagine. And for a quick moment, he let his thoughts dwell on what it was she had decided to wear, he seemed to already have guessed, but it didn’t stop him contemplating the idea.

Another pregnant pause followed, as the stallion stood unmoving from his position at the middle of the gate "Can I come in, we're supposed be going out to this club night thing?" Dixon finally asked.

"Yes I know, her idea I expect?" he asked, answering Dixons question again with one of his own. Making no effort to move towards the gate as he stood with his hands behind his back.

"Yeah mostly, I agreed to the going out for drinks part and she suggested in her usual Spitfire way." Dixon smiled again, this time using it to over compensate for the awkwardness between them presently.

As it happened, the Spitfire way was never a suggestion.

"I see... very well then." The stallions stated, matter-of-factly, turning on the spot towards the middle of the iron barred gates and unlocking them with a large gilded bronze key.

At his best Dixon was terrible with awkward conversations or confrontation, it was a surprise to nobody that Dixon looked for the most immediate exit. Not too quickly, he nearly jogged through the tight gap between the gate and into the courtyard. Only to feel a large muscular hand block his path, making it demonstrably clear the torturously, awkward conversation was far from finished.

Steelwing coughed to garner Dixons attention, but at this point it was in unneeded. Even if he hadn't just blocked Dixon midstep, the stallions enormous presence was enough to get anypony, or in this case anyone's attention. "Now, forgive me for speaking out of place sir, but my mistress is not currently in the vicinity. So I will be frank and curt, at least this once." He paused, letting the gravity of his next sentence take hold.

"I know you and my lady are again close and renewed friends once more. But myself and the staff...Perhaps, we did not make it clear last time, but we we are very, very, concerned with our lady's welfare. Both physically and mentally. We all owe a great debt to her family and I myself wIll see it repaid, even if they are not still around, bless their souls."

Dixon frowned at that. Turning fully around towards Steelwing. "Whatever you're getting at, I don't see where this is going, I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. You know that better than anyone."

Steelwing nodded solemnly. "I know that Mr. Dixon, which is why I'm letting you in at all, just consider this a friendly warning. Though it was not as catatonic as most partings are, it left my lady in a terribly misanthropic state, that was heavy on my heart to watch. Especially considering her... disability, and it is something I do not wish to see ever again. She is not as strong as she makes herself out to be, but believe me on this account, if it is for her protection, I most certainly am as strong as it needs to be." Steelwing preferences the thinly veiled threat in a darker tone, taking a small step forward towards Alex.

Though taller than Steelwing by a good foot, the hulking beast kept behind the well tailored suit and bowtie, let all know that this stallion was not your average butler. Something Dixon already knew very well, having seen pictures of Steelwing back in his youth. Adorning the royal golden armor of the Celestial guard. Though he had aged much since then, it only seemed to harden his physique. The notion that he was perhaps smuggling watermelons in his biceps was not something that would be deemed an over exaggeration.

However, even knowing this, Dixon took also one step closer to the stallion, meeting his eyes and judging gaze with one of fiery determination.

"Now listen here Steel, I know how much it hurt her, I know all too well. Because if you think not seeing her for all those months was like pissing in the wind, you’re very sadly mistaken! I thought I had lost my best friend and one of the few ponies who treats me with any kind of normality. So don't even say that I don't care about her, and don't even think that I would even dream about hurting her! Now if you’re done slandering me, are you going to let me see her or are we going to have a problem!?" Dixon growled through his clenched jaw. Though mortified that he was most likely going to be shown just what happens when someone threatens a veteran Ex-guard of the princess, he was was not going to back down from this.

The silence in the air was palpable, as both man and stallion stared at one another, just inches from each others faces. Neither moving nor showing any sign of backing down.

It was after a few moments that Dixon decided enough was enough. Finally sick of confrontation, he decided to make the first move. Stepping past the butler, he took two steps forward before the thick vice like grip, grabbed ahold of his right arm.

"What now!?" Dixon bellowed back with anger and a tiny amount of terror.

The stallions did not look at him, but slumped his stand-offish posture down with a sigh. "Wait Mr Dixon, it is only right that the butler should escort the gentecolt to his mistress." Steelwing finished turning round and showing Dixon his trademark disarming smile, one Dixon had missed seeing in the usually happy, if stoic butler.

Matching his smile, and feeling the anger dissipated inside his chest, Dixon allowed the butler to take the lead. The two of them made their way towards the door in silence, before once more the butler stopped him.

"Oh, and Mr Dixon, before I forget..."Steelwing called out again turning round to meet the man.

"Yes Steelwing?" Dixon added his own voice matched with a hint of trepidation.

"It's nice to see you again, turely."

"Same here Steel it’s been far too long."

---

The mansion was as quiet as usual, broken only by the sounds of distant shoes on marble inside the manson or the enormous grandfather clock at the corner of the grand hall as Steelwing lead Alex through the Entrance hall. They moved up towards the left flight of stairs, as far as Dixon remembered, the mansion was as it had always been, a warm brown and cream colour across the walls with gilded patterns of ivy and leaves adding to the gravitas of the interior.

A golden behemoth of a chandelier hung on the roof in the middle of the room, the decorative jewels, imports from the crystal caves beneath the surrounding caverns of Canterlots mountain range, shon brilliantly and warmly, creating a calming and vibrant feel, to the already eloquent room.

And of course, the piece de resistance, and Dixons favourite part of the house by any mile, was the staggeringly big hand painted portrait at the top of the wall. Behind the banister between the two twin stairs.What stood at the back of the hall in all its six foot tall five foot wide glory was a hand painted picture of Emerald Diver, Spitfires mother and Orange Dawn, her father, in all his bright green fur irony.

But the colour of his coat was not what caught Dixons mirth, it was the filly, their only child, in the middle of both proud parents. There, in a frilly and painfully fluffy dress, stood a child with a moopy face, so impressive, it would have given manic depressant a run for his money. The look of annoyance in her eyes seemed to follow anyone across the room and the cherry on top, the large pink and white bonnet fixed on top of her head, made it hard for Dixon to climb the stairs without curling up into a ball of laughter on the floor, every time his eyes were blessed with the living embodiment of art itself.

In fact, when Dixon had first seen this, he almost just about fell down the stairs from laughing, something that would have been seriously dangerous, as the only one who could have taken him to hospital at the time, was dying of embarrassment next to him, as she tried to shoo him away from the painting.

Another giggle left Dixons mouth, as he did his best to not stare at it in all its glory. If Steelwing had noticed Alex’s chuckle, he chose not to acknowledge it.

"My lady is still in her room, I'm afraid she's not been out since she returned from work, I do hope she's remembered to eat the food I left for her. She can be terribly forgetful when it comes to that, especially when she's focused on a task."

Dixon shook his head, as he scanned the long hallway towards Spitfire room. "You're telling me you know? I keep a spare lunch in my office every day, because I know she won't make one."

A tiny smile broke from Steelwing butler mask. "Oh, it is made for her, Mr. Dixon, but she always forgets to eat them."

"It's probably why her office smells so badly of rotten food."

Both of them chuckled at that, as they approached the large wooden doors.

"Wait here Mr Dixon, I'll be a minute, let me just check if my lady is ready."

Steelwing knocked crisply four times, as Dixon always remembered him doing, before talking. "My lady are you decent? May I come in?"

"What now Steelie!? You've been on my wings all day. Can't you tell I'm busy! He'll be here any minute and I've not even got this bucking bra to stay on!" The voice of Spitfire chided with a bellowing groan, as she was obviously having trouble with the under garment.

Steelwing blushed, both at the nickname he always disliked hearing in public, and the lack of decorum his mistress was showing. "Well you see, my lady, the clock has struck the 'any minute' part."

An awkward pause followed, as the noise from inside stopped.

"What!? Where is he? Shit is he down stairs now? Bucking bastard can't even give me an hour? Gah buck this stupid bra!" She finished with another bought of moaning and groaning like a rabid dog behind the doors.

Dixon smiled, now was his cue "Actually, I gave you one and a half, but it's nice to know you still talk about me when I'm not here like you do when I'm in front of you."

Again silence reigned, before the door unlocked just wide enough for a yellow hand to reach out of the door and pull the humongous butler in like she had plucked a leaf from a tree, before it shut again.

Not wanting to miss a word, Dixon leant into the door, hearing the harsh whispers and none too pleasant swears that accompanied them.
Dixon was about to press his ear right to the wood, when the door launched open, revealing Steelwing head and nothing more.

"My lady is indisposed at the minute, um, if you wouldn't mind making your way to the dining room. I'm sure somepony can provide you with some refreshments, I’m sure you know the way?"

Dixon nodded. "Downstairs turn left?

"Uh, yes exactly. Oh, and if you see Miss Dusty anywhere, could you tell her that my lady requires some help with, um, uh, some ill fitting item of clothing."

"Leave Dusty, she’s ages away, you'll do it right now. Come one Steelie, you told me about the horrors of boot camp training with a bunch of stallions, yet you can't hook a mares bra on? Celestia, maybe I should swap Dusty and your jobs around, she's far less of a sissy than you are."
Steelwing sighed looking up at Dixon with a tired glare. "You'd have thought that in her time spent with the Wonderbolts, one would of been taught how to place a simple undergarment onto oneself."

"I heard that Steelie!"

Fighting a grin, Dixon bit his lip, before taking a step backwards and walking towards the stairs. This was going to be an interesting night, he'd put bits on it.

---

Dixon stood by the grandiose bookcases that lined almost the entire drawing room. A half a tumbler of whiskey in his hand, which he sipped conservatively, as he gazed over the titles of the books. The number of relics and coveted first editions was something to make any librarian green with envy.

Spitfires family had been avid readers, unlike herself. Her mother was especially versed in all manner of literacy. Dixon was especially envious of the first rendition of ‘The rise and fall of the Minoutoillanempire by MarewoodGritson.’ One of his personal favorites, even if some of his hypothesis and theories had been disproved by later revisionist historians. It was still high bragging rights for any historian worth his salt.

He had always dreamed of spending a week pouring over the family's books. But he knew that just wouldn't be the case. Spitfire had many talents and passions but unfortunately reading was not one of them and if she wasn't going to sit and read, then that meant that Alex sure wasn't.

Hearing the door hand turn, Dixon did so as well, glancing over to the other side of the room, the figure that appeared almost made Dixon drop his tumbler on to the floor.

There, with a sultry smirk on the side of her muzzle, was his best friend Spitfire. Or perhaps it was better to call it a fantasized, fetishised version, of his best friend. For it hardly seemed real to him, that his usual fashion alof friend, could look like this. Fitted in a stunningly pitch black dress, as dark as the night sky, the dress cut from the bottom rim all the way to the top of her thigh on both sides, showing off her stunning, slim and muscular yellow legs. The dress sewn perfectly, to show the slim figure of the mare, and just loose enough at her chest to show off her impressively sized feminine attributes, in all their voluptuous capacity.

Her muzzle was awash with small hints of makeup accentuating all its natural beauty especially around her amber eyes, where a small amount of mascara and eyeliner allowed for the golden bronze gems to shimmer and radiate perfectly.

Taking Alex's stunned silence as a reward for all her hard work she fluffs out her feathers nonchalantly, letting him see them for all they were worth. Plucked to perfection and dotted with small, shining, bronze artificial primary feathers, slotted between her wings, were a conception of the divine. Perfect in all ways for a pegasus and as possibly intended it easily distracted from the ugly chrome coloured metal brace, fixed on, and into, her wing joints on her right wing. Even that could not take away from her beauty.

Dixon, for all the weapons in witty arsenal, was left with nothing more than to leave his jaw open, an impressively stupid looking expression slapped across his usual countenance. Spitfire could practically feel the smugness radiating off her own body, but she didn't care, she loved getting a rise out of Dixon. His cute dopey look, almost made up for the droll that was about to drop from his mouth.

She chuckled.

"Not too shabby 'ay?" She asked, strutting over to Alex who's cheeks were now an impressive crimson colour.

"Y-yeah not too bad, not too bad at all, could have told me this club was the Gala."

Spitfire rolled her eyes but her smile remained as she sultered over.

A strong aroma invaded his nostril, a scent of roses and dandelions, carved its way into him, until it hit an enormous feeling of nostalgia both the sent and the feeling joined together and shot right up into Dixon's brain, feeling now more like a slap in the face, than anything subtle. Dixon cursed quietly in his mind and under his breath. She was pulling out all the weapons tonight, it seemed.

Her calculated feminine strutting broke as she looked over his body, stopping just short of arms distance, She put her hands on her waist tutting and walking around Alex, like he was a Wonderbolt rookie up for some dress code inspection.

"I told you not to wear the same shit, didn't I?" She asked behind him, before rounding back to his front.

"And I listened, look, I even have this tasteless tie and everything." He quipped back, fidgeting with the tie in between two fingers eagerly.
"You're wearing black, you always wear black, I told you not to wear black."

Dixon lifted one of his finger in front of Spitfires annoyed expression. "Correction, you said not to where the same shit. This is totally different shit, and besides, black complements my complexion, so I'm told." Dixon answered with an impish smirk that had Spitfire rolling her eyes once again .

"Your an ass. I know you did this to spite me, didn't you? You knew I was going to where black and you did it anyway.”

Dixon put his hand on his heart, "I can assure you Flamy, it never crossed my mind."

"If you were a recruit I’d have you running laps for a week." She deadpanned, wanting to hold her muzzle in her hand, but not wanting to smudge all Dusty’s hard work. The mare was a genius in cosmetics. If a pony should ever have deserved two cutie marks, it was her.
"Lucky me then. And if you were my student, wearing that, I'd have you in detention for smoking."

Spitfire looked at him with a confused expression, smoking? Oh right because she was...Yeah of course he'd say something that lame.
Despite that, however, her body betrayed her and Spitfire chuckled shaking her head. "Wow, that was buckin’ cheesy even for you."

Alex grinned, cheesy? She didn't know the half of it. "Are you a library book, because I'm checking you out?"

Spitfire cringed. "Oh Luna stop, that's awful."

"You look pale Flamy, I think you’re suffering from a lack of vitamin me." Dixon finished with an enourmous smirk.

"Is it too late to bail out of this now?" Spitfire wailed mockingly, yet still giving into Dixon’s risible speech with a chuckle, as she looked for any means of escape.

Dixon groaned in jest and taped her side with his elbow. "Ahh, come on, I was just getting to the dirty ones." Dixon cackled setting his drink on the table. "So you ready to go?"

"Damn Alex, somepony’s eager."

"Sorry, forgot mares take hours to get ready, you grow up in a house full of stallions you tend to forget these things."

Spitfire raised her eyebrow "You wanna talk about stallions, try training them and sleeping in a hall full of them, then you get to talk. At least let me have something for the road, the carriage won't be here for another twenty minutes anyway. " Spitfire stated, snatching Dixon's glass from the table and taking a more than generous sip.

"Jesus, slow down filly, let's get inside before we get trashed, unless you want me to carry you there?"

"Can it pinky, if I'm going to listen to you babble on, I would have gone to one of your lectures."

"Aww, I thought you adored my babbling Flamy." He teased poking her in the shoulder.

The glass left her lips, she immediately pushed it back into Alex's chest. He eyed the glass, a small smudge of red lipstick stuck to the top. Chantera lipstick, her most used. Dixon knew the make without any examination, he had even tasted it more than a few times.

"Alright, that's enough of that, the nickname stays in the house where it belongs, got it?" Spitfire stated from across the room moving to grab a glass for herself, from the drinking cabinet, while Dixon’s mind day dreamed,Looking up from the glass, Dixon took a swig of it, savouring the burning taste in his mouth before smirking down at the disgruntled, cutely and dangerous pegasus. "As long as you stop the Pinky talk, I'll call it quits." Dixon stated, capitulating to Spitfires demands.

Spitfire taped her jaw in mock thought. "Hmm, you do drive a hard bargain. Alright I'm sure I can think of something else."
"Already have my replacement... Spitball."

Spitfire looked at the large mahogany grandfather clock at the edge of the room that had shown that it had only been five minutes with a similar expression of nostalgia and amusement. "Oh this is going to be a long night."

---

The carriage was parked outside, in the warm spring night. Diligently awaiting its charge, who were both now in a merry mood, laughing all the way to the carriage door. Both a little red in the face from drink, they had been challenging one another to take a drink every time they relapsed back into calling each other by their nicknames.

Evidently, it had been a hard habit to break.

Both man and mare sat side by side in the open carriage as it moved towards its destination, swaying with the bumps of the cobblestone, that quickly became more soothing, than distracting. They gazed, with passing amusement, at the flashing lights of uptown casinos and over priced clubs, commenting on an interesting event they had experienced there, or insulting the horrific standards of the establishment, both with amused mirth in their tones.

Every pony it seems, was out tonight. Which wasn't too surprising, a Thursday in Canterlot was always jam packed with those eager for a liquid embrace, especially considering the majority of the students were trying to get in one last blackout drunken bash, before the foreboding exams loomed their ugly heads.

As he scanned the scenery, Dixon felt a warm sensation on his shoulder, peering over he found his friend Spitfire, resting on his arm, eyes closed and a pleasant content smile on her face.

For a moment, perhaps because of the lighting or simply that the drink had gone to his head. Spitfires coat was replaced with a lighter more creamy yellow, her mane with pinkish tones. Dixon messaged his eyes and looked back, Simply seeing his tired best friend. He smiled resting his head on the back of the seat, Wondering why that image had popped its head into his mind.

He resigned himself to the fact that he was simply overworked. The conversation with Gilda didn’t help much with that. He rubbed his eyes again, before twisting his flamboyant curled mustache. This was his night of rest, No time for thoughts like that.

Dixon shook his head, it would be another thirty minutes until they reached the heart of the Canterlot scene, the traffic was impressive tonight. He would let the mare rest where she was. It had obviously been a trying evening on the mare. She would be fine as soon as they got there, and he had to admit, he missed the long lost feeling of someponys warmth by his side, it had been too long.

An image of a pink mane made its way to the forefront of his mind again and he shook his head, more violently this time.

---

Spitfire opened her eyes, rubbing the sleep from them. She shot her head up then hissed in pain, grabbing her right wing and massaging it carefully around the chrome hinge.

Looking around, she saw the carriage still in traffic, but as her sleep addled mind began to wake up, she noticed that they were within spitting distance of the club she had in mind.

Looking back at her side she saw the position she was in, body pressed against Dixons, the small stray orange hairs of her mane on his coat. she almost jumped up in shock, but the look on his face as he caught her eyes made her relax. Friends slept on each other all the time she assured herself.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." The masculine voice announced, at her return.

"What happened, when did I fall asleep?" she inquired, turning around and rubbing her eyes, before turning back.

Dixon looked down at his watch, a strange figure made of blocks held its claw like hands towards the times. What did Dixon called it? A logcolt, no a logoman? Ah something human, she thought. It had been on his wrist for many many years, she knew that at least.

"About ten minutes into the trip."

"You could have woke me you know." She said with a small cheerless pout, wiping yet more sleep from her eye.

Dixons characteristically impish grip, returned in full force. "And risk waking the greatest threat in Equestria, a grumpy Spitfire? Methinks not my fair maiden."

"I am not grump when I sleep, I used to take five hour nights back at the academy for weeks and nopony ever complained."

"No, I'm sure if you were grumpy the recruits and cadets would have defiantly told you to calm down or take your tail out your ass."

Spitfire opened her mouth to retort, but shut it again, cursing under her breath. Not wanting to be bested, in this little battle of wit, she quickly change the topic. "We’re basically here now, let's get out, no point sitting in traffic."

Dixon nodded in agreement, fishing into his pocket, where a large bulging sack of coins sat.

"How much will it be?" He announced, loud enough that the driver knew to answer.

"All taken care for mate, laddy at the house already fronted the bill." The stallion answered looking through the mirror back at them both.
Spitfire scratched her chin. "Ah, should have know Steelie would have paid, that wall of muzzle really does have a heart of gold."

Dixon didn't comment, Spitfire didn't need to be privy to the less than joyful confrontation from Mr 'heart of gold' just an hour ago. "Here sir, for the trouble." Dixon flashed a twenty bit coin and flicked it towards the driver, who caught it mid air.

"Cheers mate, you and your marefreind enjoy the night, ya hear?"

Dixons eyes almost bugged out as he sat more to attention. " Oh ah, no we're not, I mean, she's not my--”

"Oh I get ya." The driver said with a wink, as he parked the carriage on the curb unhitching himself from the front of the carriage he had been pulling, and walking towards Spitfires door who had chosen to remain silent during it all.

Dixon frowned as he struggled to get the coin purse back into his pocket. "Look sir, it's nothing like that, we are just friends, we're not together. At all."

"Okay, okay, sorry chief, didn't mean nothing by it." The stallion pleaded, teasingly, as he held both hands in the air in his own defence.
Alex grumbled something under his breath but said nothing more as he opened his own door.

Once both were outside on the curb the carriage road away leaving both in an awkward silence as Dixon chose to loosen his tie and chuckle absently at nothing.

"Ha... eh can you believe that colt, thinking--

"Come on let's get inside, it’s getting chilly." Spitfire interrupted, abruptly.

"Oh eh, yeah I guess lead the way." Dixon added redundantly, as even before he finished the sentence, the mare was walking towards the large neon glowing establishment. Leaving Dixon pondering both why she seemed so in a rush all of a sudden and why she had stated it was cold on one of the hottest days of these last few months.

---

Rainbow tapped her foot impatiently, before standing up on the balls of her feet and peering over the stallion in front of her head for the twelfth time in two minutes. It was true she had many virtues, she was healthy, fit, loyal, faithful and a blast to be around on almost any occasion. But she also had the potential, if pressed, to be the most annoying pony to have ever graced Equestria, and in a queue, that talent shone brighter than a thousand suns.

"For the love all on high! Rainbow Dash will you please stop your incessant moving, you look like you're going into a seizure!" A prim and eloquent voice beseeched behind her, causing rainbow to turn back to her friends with a exacerbated huff as she slumed her shoulders down along with her wings..

"This queues taking forever, it'll be closed by the time we get to the front!"

The orange pony behind, her raised an eyebrow. "Uh sugarcube don't ya think you're exaggeratin’' a tad much?"

"Applejacks right Rainbow, if the basis for the queue is four ponies every ten minutes then by simple mathematics, we will be inside in no less than fifty minutes give or take." The lavender pony beside Applejack spoke, smiling aloofly.

Rainbows eye twitched. "Fifty minutes! Who's idea was it to come here anyway!"

Four of the five sets of eyes turned to the pink Earth pony, sheepishly smiling at the stares from her friends as she shrunk into her own neck. "Heehee, don't look at me, it wasn't my idea, it was the pony who wrote the leaflets idea. I just read it and showed it to you, blame him, not me."

Rainbow rolled her eyes again. Looking back up at the entrance, so near her, yet so far away. " It would have been easy if somepony wasn't so afraid to pull out the 'I know the princess card.'"

Twilight gave her a deadpan look in response. "Rainbow, we've been over this, I'm not going to use my status with the princess as leverage over anything unnecessary, especially to get into this silly club."

"But you never use it ever, what's the point of being her student if you don't get the chance to rub it in ponies faces once in awhile!?"

"You know, R.D's got a point in her own twisted way. Usin’ that letter you got, just this once ta’ get into some club ain't the end of the world, I can't imagine she'd mind, so long as it’s just this once, I rekon, I mean, wasn't she the one who told you to go in the first place?" Applejack asked turning to Twilight.

Twilight sighed. "Girls please, I told you, I don't feel comfortable doing it, so please stop asking me."

Hearing the plea in her voice, Rarity thought it best to step in to help. "Quite right, if Twilight does not feel at ease with the idea, then as her friends, we should respect her request and drop the subject hence fore, right Applejack?"

"Me!? It wore Rainbows idea."

"Yeah, well it was Pinkies idea to come here!”

"I keep telling you it was the leaflet, I knew I shouldn't have picked that up, that evil leaflets tearing out friendship apart, with its three page, laminet, times new minotaurian fold out evilness! Damn you leaflet, damn you all to hell!" Pinkie screamed, falling to her knees with her fists raised in the air.

Most of the crowd stopped talking to stare, before going back and pretending like that never happened.

“Pinkie get up from there, I didn’t make that dress so you could colour it with grime!” Rarity scolded picking her friend up from her knees.
Twilight shook her head. "...Anyway, enough of this, it won't be long, once we're inside, we can have all the time in the world to have some fun, and besides, from what I read up about this establishment, this place is said to have all the big names coming to it, like Hoity Toity and Sapphire Shores.”

"And Ms Spitfire.” Pinkie chirped in over Twilight shoulder.

"Exactly, and Ms Spitfire... Wait what!"

Applejack fixed the brim of her hat whistling at the figure in question. "Well I’ll be the son of mule, that is her alright. She at the VIP entrance.” She pointed onwards, as the rest of the group followed the trajectory of her finger. “Hey Twi, ain't that teacher you know, the hermen one Fluttershy's always on about?"

Twilight scratched her cheek in thought, not taking her eyes from the duel figures. “I think it's actually pronounced human and yes that's undeniably him. Wow he looks really smart.”

"Oh my word, how scandalous. I never knew him and Ms Spitfire were a couple, quite the unusual pairing, if I say myself. But there have been weirder I suppose and love finds a way. Oh would you look at her dress, my it's practically hand stitched by the gods. How stunning, I must find out the brand!”

All the girl began gossiping in their own way about what, where and why the two teachers had invested their night in the club, all except Rainbow Dash, who cringed at the sighting, and looked down towards the floor, unable to stomach the sight for very long. "Wow, this ain't going to sit well with Shy if it’s true." Rainbow Dash muttered to herself, keeping her eyes off the pseudo-couple.

"What was that Rainbow?" Twilight asked flicking an ear towards her friends muttering.

Rainbow stood up further, smiling sheepishly. "Err, I was eh, agreeing with Rarity, her dress is really good... and stuff."

Applejack raised a brow. "Huh, since when did you like all that filly stuff Rainbow, y'all got something you want to tell us?" She finished with a smug smirk, leaning in towards her blushing friend.

"I'm sure it's just some of my craftsmanship rubbing off on her, she's offered to model for me you know. With Fluttershy to boot."
"She did!?" They all gasped in shock.

"I did!?"

Rarity noded, peering very quickly to Rainbow Dash, reading all that her friend thought she had hidden in the reaction. But only for just a second, before her face lit up into a flamboyant smile. "Yes, I presume that's what you were mumbling, right Rainbow."

"Uh...yeah sure, I love sewing and junk."

The rest of the group fell into an odd silence, as they contemplated the discussion with different and varying ideas.

Oh Rainbow, eyes for another have we? I pegged you for a girl who batted for the other team. But it seems I was mistaken. Rarity smirked sadly, eyeing the human again. She had read enough romance on the topic of students to tell where this was going. Still, she now had her cornered for the whole day tomorrow. To refuel all her gossip and teasing tanks. Which were severely dry this month.

As the group was left to pontificate what they saw in mutual silence. It was left once more for Pinkie to start the fun back up even if it was in her absence.

"Hey where did Pinkie go?" Applejack asked, looking around before spotting her answer.

Twilight eyes followed her friends with a gasp. "No, Pinkie! Leave them alone, that's my teacher!" Twilight beseached, racing from the line towards Pinkie.

---

(A few moments beforehand)

The VIP section was, as Spitfire had predicted, short and rapidly getting shorter. Though short in number the pony's inside of it was still noteworthy. The ponies doted in the rapidly decreasing line were a myriad of nobles and celebrities and in some cases both. Each dolled up in their best. Mares with the latest Prada dresses, stallions similarly with the latest tasteful three piece black suits and ties, many of them, as she came to realise, lived on the same street as her. Though with houses as big as hers, one didn't tend to have neighbours in the traditional sense, so she kept her greetings to a simple nod of recognition. One that cut any sort of mundane conversation out, which both parties would find bothersome.

Spitfire was not in talking mood now anyway, which was both annoying and troubling Alex at the same time.

"Hey fire, is something the matter?" He asked blatantly, the whisky they had pre-drank before the event cutting away some of Dixon's smoother tendencies he usually prided himself on.

"No, why would anything be the matter." Spitfire growled rhetorically back, somewhat colder than even she wanted.

"I know that face Flamy, I've seen it many times before, something bugging you."

Spitfire wings twitched, sending a lightning bolt of pain she really didn't need right now. "Well if I'm already being bugged do you think bugging me with your silly questions is going to help!?"

Alex rubbed his forehead. "What did I do this time!"

"Why do you think it's you, is your ego so big it absorbs all of my problems as well!" She turned back to him her voiced raised to the point those around her began to mutter to one another, she eyed the crowd quickly before bringing her voice to a harsh growl.

Dixon laughed venomously. "Ha, right, my ego, your one to talk, it has to be me otherwise why are you mad at me."

"I'm just... mad at something, I was thinking about, don't butt in!"

"Well are you going to be pondering this angry moment in your past all night. Because let me know now, so I can get appropriately inebriated to deal with it."

"Oh buck off Alex, you know ponies say I was a hard ass but you can be a real sheath sometimes!" She yelled through her clenched jaw poking him in the chest with every other word.

"Me!? Me? I’ve literally done nothing wrong here, I don’t understand you sometimes Spitfire, nice one minute, bite your head off in the next. You know, times like these I'm just glad we don’t--

"Heya Ms Spitfire, heya Mr Dixon!" The enormously loud, high pitched voice called out behind both of them, making Dixon bolt upright in shock and gaining the same effect from Spitfire in a more literal way, as her natural pegasus instinct unforced her to extend her wings and flee.

Unfortunately, even a master at the art of flight, her take off was sloppy and the sudden launch made the, usually well oiled wing brace jam and stick, stopping her wing from moving mid flap.

Spitfire nearly nine feet in the air let out a enormous and long hiss, as the pain shot through her joints and down her spine. Falling back, she tried to gain her balance in time, but being so close to the ground it was impossible.

She braced for the crash.

Instead of the cold harsh concert however, Spitfire was meet with a large and much more comfortable body, as it wrapped itself around her before colliding with the floor.

Turning, she gasped as she saw Dixon on the floor holding her in a damsel-esc fashion as he groaned in pain.

A swelling of passion filled her and her frown changed from rage to concern, for just a moment. She looked down at the man, who was catching his breath that had been knocked from his lungs, to see if he was okay.

Still though fought with the feelings of before, the man she landed on was an ass, but it wasn't his fault she felt this way. This was supposed to be a good night for both of them, why the buck was she doing this now!?

She was about to brood further on when she heard a cough from beneath her.

"Um, Fire? As much as I appreciate you using me as your own personal recliner, were starting to draw a crowd."

Spitfire raised her brow, then noticed what she was doing, a faint blush creeped into her cheeks, but they were full of red rage from before, so thankfully most of it was not noticed.

She heard a muttering and a few gasps from the more hoity mares as they surrounded her. A giant robust stallion with a hardened beer gut walked through the crowd towards them. The tag on his shirt indicated that he was the lines bouncer.

"Ma'am are you alright?" He asked sincerely, extending his hand.

She grasped onto it, using it to hoist herself up. "I'm fine, I just...slipped"

The bouncer raised his brow, then looked down at the man with a puzzled expression, likely he had never glanced at the creature on the ground before in his life. His lips twisted in suspicion.

"This bothering you, ma'am ." He stated painting to Dixon.

"*cough* This, has a name! *cough*"

Spitfire growled again. "I said I'm fine, I slipped alright?" She wanted to follow it up by borrowing one of Dixon's famous phrases, Jesus I didn't need this right now. I needed a drink.

She spun on her heel marching through the crowd as they parted to make way for her. The bouncer by the door quickly stepped out of her way, as she thrust a pair of tickets into his chest, before bolting through the doors.

The crowd quickly dissipated as Dixon got up on his own two feet, still winded from the fall. He dusted off his trousers and what he could of his back. Before turning in the direction of the door.

As he reached the threshold of the premise, he went to push open the door.

Only for the bouncer to push him back.

“Tickets please?" The unicorn grunted out, looking at him through blackened sunglasses.

"She just gave you them." Dixon stated with confusion and befuddlement pointing to the door Spitfire had stormed through.

"I don't think she did.” The unicorn stated in the same monotone voice, shaking his muzzle.

"She had two, she handed you two. I don’t have time for this let me through, please!"

Again the Unicorn shook his head. "If she entered alone, then she only had one ticket please, move along sir, for other guests." He stated a hint of aggression in his voice. It was only when the second bouncer from before came up behind Dixon, did he decide this was not something he was going to win.

Dixon stormed away from the bouncers fuming, and venting. "That's ludicrous, we were both just in line toget--

"Mr Dixon, sir?"

Dixon turned upon hearing the familiar voice. a part of his greased back hair slipped down to his eye level making his face looked more crazed than perhaps he was. Twilight? Oh this is just perfect to him, she probably saw all of that, what type of example did I just set for her. Dixon grunted, mentally kicking himself.

"Twilight, uh hello. I hope you didn't see that, any of that."

"Did you guys just totally have a fight, you better not have hurt Ms Spitfire!?" Rainbow blurted out looking up from the group as she hovered over with her wings.

"Oi, no flying near the entrance." The bouncer by the door yelled.

"Alright, horseapples, keep you horse shoes on!" Rainbow bellowed back hovering back down to the ground.
"Is everything alright, sir?" Twilight asked worryingly.

"It's, yeah, its.*sigh* I'm not sure, and please, outside the office it’s just Alex."

"Ya'll okay over there?" Applejack yelled over on the other side of the line peering up from the crowd along with Rarity.

"We’re fine, nothing to worry about." Twilight called back, though she wasn't sure she had just lied. Dixon looked far from okay, compared to how she usually knew him.

"It seems I'm in a bit of a pickle. damn it I'll have to wait for Spitfire to come down and realise her mistake. If she even gives it a second thought, Jesus what did I do to deserve this now?" Dixon grumbled mostly to himself as he paced back and forth.

"Wait, you need to get into there." Rainbow asked, pointing towards the door.

"Yes, evidently, um, sorry I don't know your name?"

Rainbow puffed out her chest in a hubris fashion. "None other than the Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria."

Twilight's eye twitched as she looked between them. "Rainbow! Haha, don't mind her Mr Dix-- Alex she's just a bit excitable."

If Dixon was phased he didn't show it. "It's fine it’s fine, look you mares go enjoy yourself, leave this old man to his own troubles."

"Wait you're only like twenty seven right, that's not that old."

Dixon would have laughed at that, if he was in any mood to even pretend to be amused.

Again Twilight shoot her friend a hideous glare. "Are you sure? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Ha you are an incorrigible altruist Twilight," Twilight blushed at the comment while Rainbow simply cocked her head not sure if he just insulted her freind or not. "Really it’s fine, unless you could somehow get me inside of the VIP section, there's not much that can be done. And I don't think it would be in anyway right for me to pressure you into producing that amount of coin."

It was when Rainbow looked at the VIP sign and then to Twilight that a wicked grin snaked its way into her lips, acting as casual as she could she put her arm around Twilight's shoulder looking down at her nails as if she was inspecting some dirt on them.

"Weeell, I'm not sure if it would help, but Twilight's got a letter that could get us inside the club for nothing." She almost sang the last part.
Dixon lifted his brows up in shock, that was quite the tall order if it was true.

Twilight growled angrily, her left eye twitching as a vein in her forehead looked almost ready to burst. "I'll get you for this Dash, just you wait." She whispered to her friend.

Rainbow simply smirked, that sounded like a challenge, she could do challenges. She would suffer from the consequences later, sure but hey, she only lived once.

Again Twilight looked back at her Teacher and scholarly friend with a sheepish smile. "I, well I, I mean I could, it wouldn't be too hard. and if it’s for you Mr-- Alex then I'll do it."

"Well I don't know what to say except, thank you, Twilight, thank you very much."

"Don't mention it" Twilight started, opening up her purse and pulling out a magically protected letter, from none other than the princess of the great land of Equestria. Only to have it snached out of her hands by an athletic friend.

"Hey guys, come here we're going in the VIP way."

"Wait ya'll for real?"

"Yippie!"

"Oh, well, if Twilight’s offering?"

Rainbow cackled turning to Twilight, who looked like she was about to see if she could get away with strangling a mare in the middle of a public venue and get away with it.

"So let's get this party started!" Rainbow screamed loudly, as her and the other girls raced towards the door.

Dixon looked at Twilight gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulders, before extending her is hand to lead the way.

If Dixon night could go from bad to worse, he would have challenged the notion avidly. Unfortunately for Alex the night was young and the hands of fate were fickle creatures.

Author's Note:

I have always maintained the notion that pre-drinking can only lead to a bad night.
Sorry about the long delay. I have been focusing on different stores, I'm quite the fast reader, but I'm a terribly slow righter. An annoying conundrum for all, believe me.

Comments

[Moongaze14]

It's nice to see this story again. I got to say that I didn't expected Dixon to have connections to Spitfire's family, but I liked that he's willing to stand up for her and stand up against an ex-Guard for the sake of being her friend. I also liked the teasing that Spitfire did with him, but e guy seems to be oblivious that she possibly has feelings for him. The tidbit with the girls also going to the club was entertaining and it was a nice way to save Dixon from being excluded from the party by those racist bouncers. Anyway, thanks for the entertaining chapter. Hope to see the next chapter soon. BTW, you might want to have a proofreader as there are a few spelling mistakes and chopped sentences.

[HIEfan]

Meh, sure they have been friends for quite awhile, but Spitfire just seems like a whole bag of issues, hanging around her just seems more trouble than it's Worth.

[TheTownCrier]

It has definitely been quite awhile since I've read this story. It did not disappointed.

That being said I would like to offer my services as an editor.

[mtf0330]

An image of a pink mane made its way to the forefront of his mind again and he shook his head, more violently this time.

If it weren't for this line, I would have been very pissed upset with this chapter, I thought tho was a human x fluttershy fic, not human x spitfire fic.

Glad to see an update though, some typos too.

[Deltaspartan122]

"It's nice to see you again, turely."

truly

"Your an ass. I know you did this to spite me, didn't you? You knew I was going to where black and you did it anyway.”

Wear

"You look pale Flamy, I think you’re suffering from a lack of vitamin me."

i.imgur.com/WKwRl6Q.gif

[Deltaspartan122]

Some seem a bit agitated because the connection between fluttershy Dixy-cups isn't obvious yet; it isn't supposed to be. I personally thought it was nice that you put together some deeper character development. Bring on the complications.

With that in mind, more backstory for Alestache and Sizzlespit would have been welcome beforehand (maybe as a flashback at the header, or a chapter in between), as the relationship between the two was the primary focus of this chapter. I get the feeling that it might come later though.

"I know you and my lady are again close and renewed friends once more. But myself and the staff...Perhaps, we did not make it clear last time...
...Though it was not as catatonic as most partings are, it left my lady in a terribly misanthropic state..."