Mistakes: Day off
Few hours after the train incident and back in Manehattan, the recruits were woken up by an Order guard knocking on their door and asking for Anvil. Much to the guard's embarrassment and the trio's amusement, Anvil paraded herself completely naked around the suite for few minutes before following the poor blushing pony outside in her tight white pants. By now, Astray was absolutely certain the minotaur was flaunting everything she had on purpose and her outrage at being called out was mostly fake. Anyway, he definitely wasn't going to complain.
Anvil returned soon after, informing everyone about today's morning training. No one had any objections. Bubbles loved messing around outside, and scaling Cross' crazy course definitely counted. Astray, while sighing internally, was seeing definite improvements the harsh training brought to him. The three left the mansion, Bubbles and Astray following uncharacteristically quiet Anvil.
"To be honest," said Astray, taking his white shirt off and tossing it over his bag in the mansions' shade while watching the now painfully familiar wooden obstacles, "I was kind of worried Contradiction would be here with shock collars again."
"Yeah, about that..." Anvil dropped her clothes as well, opting for wearing only her old loincloth she'd been using during every training happening in the summer sunlight rather than a skirt or something binding, "The morning call for me was from Cromach. He told me Contradiction is no longer our leader, and I am to temporarily take her place."
"Anvil's going up in the world!" Bubbles jumped, cheering, much to Anvil's hesitation and Astray's muffled chuckling.
"Congratulations," said the satyr, "I would have given the position to Bubbles, but her strategy would be to play fetch with the bad guys until they dropped and begged for mercy."
"CAN WE DO THAT?" the demoness' eyes practically glowed at the idea.
"No, we can't," Anvil smacked Astray's head, "Stop giving her ideas. Now, ehm, my official leadership statement is like this - since I didn't have the time to arrange any training with the changelings or other teams we're going to do the usual morning routine so that Astray here doesn't get lazy and complacent. Just two rounds, nothing insane, but try to finish as fast as possible. Then we'll switch it up and go to the mansion gym for a short interval training. You get the rest of the day off, I guess, and we'll meet up in the evening for the old pervert's group groping session."
"Hand-to-hoof combat," Astray corrected her, already heading to Cross' gauntlet, "The grabs and throws are important part of it."
"That excuse loses its meaning when the changeling or griffon specifically tells you he's doing it for the squeezing."
"You must admit he could wipe the floor with the three of us easily, though, just with his arms... forelegs."
"I'm not saying Antares is not a master of his arts, I'm saying that with where he usually grabs me compared to let's say you or Bubbly he should at least buy me dinner first," Anvil stopped and punched the first climbing wall with her both hands in a quick one-two, "Alright, save your breath for the training now. I want to see you break your record otherwise I'll borrow the shock collars for next time, lazy ass."
Astray just gave her a smile. At first he'd felt intimidated by the difficult course. Then, when he learned how much more murderous it really was, he'd been worried every time Connie was around. Now, though, with only Anvil and Bubbles, he finally felt pumped and excited.
He winked at Bubbles who was already jumping on the spot.
"I'm feeling like this could be the day I get you both."
"You wish," Anvil snorted, smashing her hands together.
"Pffblblff!" Bubbles stuck her tongue out at him.
"Hmph!" Astray crossed his arms on his chest, "If I end up last then I'm buying the winner ice cream or something."
Well, they were right, but for some reason Astray just felt relaxed and ready.
"Go!"
They all shot out at Anvil's call. Finally, both the minotaur and the satyr felt the joyful excitement of friendly, no-stakes, low-pressure competition of the world Bubbles seemingly lived in.
As expected, Astray finished the two laps last, much to the jeering and boo-ing of Anvil and quickly joining Bubbles. On the other hand, he did beat his record.
After the torturous twenty minutes, Anvil led them to the gym which the others had visited only once or twice after first day's orientation. Contradiction's scheduled training had always been more of the skill or outside body exercises sort rather than bodybuilding, but Anvil needed a bigger challenge so she came to the cellar gym daily.
Sweating and aching, the trio ended the morning in the common showers.
"Gotta admit, I'm a bit embarrassed here," Astray mumbled nervously as the hot water flowed over him from a nozzle on the wall, his main issue being the other two and several more mares and stallions in clear view, "I thought there would be separate showers."
"It's based on princess Celestia's Royal Guard rules," Anvil explained with eyes closed while lathering soap all over herself, "In the eyes of the law, there are no differences between males and females. There are only Royal Guards."
"The law needs better glasses," Astray turned his head away as a mare passed by, openly watching him bent over and washing his legs.
"Get over it," Anvil scrubbed the short horns on her head, "If you're worried about any accidents, heh, then look around at half of the stallions. Besides, I've seen you naked so many times..."
"Well, I'm easily forgettable, but you... not so much... with all that... umm, everything."
"Thanks for the compliment, now stop staring before your nose starts bleeding."
Astray realized he wasn't keeping himself to himself anymore and returned to his own scrubbing. He gave a quick peek to the nearby stallions and spotted that they weren't exactly 'keeping their professionalism' themselves.
"Glarblggalrgb!"
His head snapped to the side to look at the strange noise from below. Bubbles was sitting on the floor with mouth open, gurgling the water flowing from the nozzle. Damn, last time he heard something similar it was from an undead throat about to bite him. He shook his head, returning from the quick nightmarish daydream to reality. It was okay now, at least temporarily. Those were just his friends, several other ponies curiously watching Bubbles as well, and Anvil once again soaping her every nook and cranny. He recalled what she'd said and replied:
"That happens only in movies and comics."
"I assure you that I can smash your head into the wall so hard you'll be crapping tiles for a month."
"Aaand here's the minotaur we all know and love," Astray turned the water off and went to work on himself with the towel.
Bubbles nudged his hip.
"All done?"
"Just gotta dry out. Give me a second."
The pegasus mare previously eating every part of Astray's body with her eyes passed by on her way to the full-body dryers.
"If you're free tonight, give me a call. Room-"
"GRRRRWRR!" Bubbles gave the mare a 'wide smile'.
"Eeeeh, or maybe some other time," she rushed off.
"You suck with mares," Anvil sneered at Astray.
"Sorry," Bubbles' ears drooped, "It just slipped out."
The satyr shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. Master Antares would kill me if I missed his daily session. Anyway, there are a bunch of ponies better than me she can spend quality evening with."
***
The trio found themselves back in their room, and Anvil asked:
"So, what are you going to do with your day off?"
Astray shrugged.
"I'll just grab a spare bed sheet, some food from the cantine, and relax outside, I think."
"Wow, talk about boring."
"Fine, what's your great and exciting plan then?"
"I have to work out some schedule with Cross for few days in advance," she nodded towards the window, "As soon as he's done with the morning weapon training. Then I think I'll check the library for something."
"You know, for such a 'physical' minotaur you're a real bookworm."
"Healthy mind, healthy body. Anyway, I don't know what this leadership thing is all about and I sure as hay am not asking Contradiction, so I'll just bother some high-ups about what I'm supposed to do. I might take a stroll around Manehattan later when I'm done. Maybe finally buy some useful clothes."
Astray's eyes slid to the twin massive bulges of her bottom hugged by the white pants. Anvil noticed and added:
"I'll be sure to keep these just for the hilarity value."
"I have few bits saved up, maybe I'll go out for some big city snack or something. It might be enough."
"What do you mean?"
"I've got about twenty bits left or so."
"You can borrow mine!" Bubbles stuck her foreleg underneath her bed and pulled out a rather large jingling sack, "It's heavy like this anyway. I got it after you said we'd go out for ice cream. Umm, I don't really know how much this can buy."
"Where did you get it?" Astray's jaw dropped.
Anvil facepalmed.
"We're on a payroll, you idiot."
"Even I?" Astray was still confused.
"You. Work. Get. Bits. Buy. Stuff," Anvil rolled her eyes, "And they call me a dumb cow."
"I, umm, where-?" Astray's coming to terms with the situation wasn't going well.
"The nice pony in the cellars," Bubbles examined a one bit coin, "He had lots."
"That's the Order treasurer," Anvil explained, "Just tell him who you are, he'll inspect you and tell you your balance. So easy even you can do it... on a second or third attempt."
"I'll check it out," Astray, still in disbelief, stood up and left.
"Wanna play something?" Bubbles asked the minotaur looking out of the open window at the training recruits.
"Nah, I think Cross will be giving his trainees a break in few minutes. The sooner I sort this training stuff out the more free time I'll have later. Go outside with the idiot, Manehattan is a pretty lively city."
"A... lot of ponies?" Bubbles asked uncertainly.
Anvil ruffled her mane.
"You'll be fine. Just remember to stay calm, you are a citizen like any of them. If in doubt, ask Astray. He's just slightly less socially inept than you but it should be enough."
"Okay. I'll do my best."
"Just enjoy yourself, dummy."
Putting on even her shirt and a badge to look more official, Anvil took a deep breath and went outside, leaving Bubbles alone in the suddenly too big room.
When Astray returned carrying a hoof-sized pouch, he found the room empty of anything other than a round bump on Bubbles' bed. The bump moved when the door shut, and Astray peeked under the blanket to see two worried pink eyes staring back.
"Umm, is anything wrong?" he asked.
"T-there's ponies everywhere, right? Like more than here in the mansion."
"Where?"
"In Manehattan."
"Sure, millions."
Bubbles whimpered. Astray sat down next to her and patted her head. She eased into the touch, putting her muzzle on his lap.
"They won't scream?"
"Bubbly, you were in Canterlot with us and you didn't have a problem with that. How come?"
"That was on a mission, and Canterlot is smaller, and it was not the middle of the day, and ponies still stared."
They indeed had stared, just like Astray did now. Bubbles was scared and distressed by absolutely nothing, but how could he explain it right... or if not right then helpfully?
"You see... you know how I and everyone stare at Anvil, right?"
"Mhm."
"And you know well we don't hate her or are afraid of her... much, right?"
"You want her to help you sleep, don't you?"
Astray blushed, but... where was the harm in little imagination?
"I- I'm afraid my body wouldn't handle that well. The point is that I like her now despite how mean she was at first," he rubbed Bubbles' muzzle, "But I see where you're coming from. You have similar effect on ponies who know you."
"I know..."
"On the other hand, no one, and I really mean no one can dislike you when they get to know you. That means no good ponies can hate you, they just don't know you. And if they keep not liking you they are bad ponies, and what are we training ourselves to do to bad ponies?"
"Bite them!"
"Exactly. Still, if you don't want to go I'll stay here with you. We can do something in the gardens or, I don't know, whatever you want."
Bubbles shook her head and sat up with a determined expression.
"No! If Anvil can face the big words in the history books all the time I don't have to be spooked by loud noises and weird smells. I'll have to do it eventually, with you or alone if need be," she hesitated, "You're still coming with me, are you?"
Astray's heart nearly gave out at the sight of the mare with puffed cheeks and defiant glare whose ears nonetheless still lay flat against her head.
"Of course I am," he stood up and opened the chest which contained his belongings. Each of the trio had one in the room, plus since it had originally been for four ponies, there had been an empty one left which was now in the bathroom, filled with ice and various bottles. Anvil sometimes had excellent ideas.
"What are you doing?" Bubbles asked when she saw Astray put his armored greaves and gauntlets on, "Is it because of the evil ponies?"
"Huh? No, I just want to get used to the weight. I doubt the full suit will ever be for me, I just don't like how it slows me down, but I like the boots and heavy gloves. I think I'll use them along with some lighter armor."
"Okay," Bubbles dragged her bag of gold from under her bed again.
"You're not taking all that," Astray crossed his arms on his chest.
"Too much?"
"Definitely," he snapped his fingers, rummaged through Bubbles' bag, and ended up with a small pile of coins valuing hundred bits, "Go return the rest to the treasury and ask for a small pouch. This much will be more than enough."
"Alright, I'll be right back," she opened her mouth to grab the bag and stopped herself right before accidentally biting the cloth off, likely along with some gold. Then she muttered, "Use claws, not mouth."
Accompanied by the fading sound of the heavy bag being dragged on the floor, Astray tightened all the necessary straps, washed his face, and tried to persuade himself that he was ready for something completely new - going out with a real friend who might or might not be in voracious love with him.
"You just can't predict life," he shook his head. Then he recalled everything before this last month, "Or at least some bits."
***
The gate separating the mansion gardens from the big city closed behind Bubbles and Astray, leaving them alone with the two saluting Order recruits guarding it, a unicorn and an earthpony. The mansion, just like most of its kind, lay in a quiet high-profile part of the city which meant there were only occasional groups of ponies and griffons walking around on the street. A fact that was very welcomed by Bubbles who had arrived here in a cage inside a carriage and had been let out only when safely behind the proper walls.
"Remember, you've been through this once already, and there are not that many ponies everywhere. Canterlot was worse," she muttered to herself. Her confidence soared when she felt a warm palm touch her head and remain there. Soaking in its heat rivaling that of close-to-noon sun, she took a deep breath and followed Astray who started walking down the sidewalk towards where Bubbles heard far too much commotion to be comfortable.
The gated community they passed through was full of mansions and big houses belonging to nobility, each one cut off of the city by high walls guarded by ponies whose job was to look armed and menacing.
"Hello!" Bubbles, to combat her anxiety using the growing excitement deep down, greeted a looming unicorn guard they were passing. He looked at her, narrowed his eyes, saw the official Silver Sun badge on Bubbles' collar, nodded, and saluted.
"Greetings, ma'am!"
She gave him a wide smile. The guard paled. Bubbles' ears drooped again.
"It could help if you just smiled, not grinned every time," Astray commented and the corners of his lips moved up, "Like this."
Bubbles tried, but her teeth were simply too long, and even a faint smile showed a little of the deadly maw. She had to remind herself that all ponies she met after being brought to the mansion eventually liked her. Even miss Connie hadn't really killed her, only scared her a lot.
Everything was going to be fine, right?
She gulped when she saw the thick crowd of ponies on the street crossing the one they were walking on in the distance. The good part was that she could easily blend in and nopony would pay her too much attention.
Blend in...
...
...
"What if I get lost?" she asked.
"You're a smart pony, Bubbly. Just ask anypony not too foreign looking how you can get to the noble part of the city. That's what I'll have to do as well. It's not like I've been in Manehattan ever before."
"Oh, right. Just ask," she felt really, really dumb now, and then whispered, "You're not an animal, you don't need to panic, you just ask, you're a pony just like they are."
"So, got any idea what you want to do?" Astray pondered, not exactly sure himself.
"What is there to do?" Bubbles raised her voice as they stopped, giving her time to take in the sheer volume of loud ponies flowing up and down the street they were about to join.
So. Many. Colours. Scents. Sounds. Everything.
Bubbles' head spun and she sat down. This was nothing like Canterlot, but also nothing like what she expected. Nopony was paying her any attention other than a passing glance.
She grinne-
Ehm.
She smiled.
"You know what?" Bubbles stood up again, "Let's just go for a walk. Maybe we'll see something interesting."
"Sounds good to me."
They blended into the crowd. Well, she did. Astray stuck out like a sore thumb. That was a good thing, because after not even five minutes Bubbles regretted not having a leash around her neck. Thankfully, the satyr walked slowly, taking the milling life of the bustling city in.
And then it got even worse.
The street opened into a massive plaza the noise of which deafened Bubbles' keen senses at first.
"-"
She saw Astray looking at her and opening his mouth, but couldn't make out any words. He understood and leaned down to her.
"You okay?"
She nodded.
"MIDDAY DELIVERY, OUT OF THE WAY, OUT OF THE WAY! SPECIAL EDITION, MOUNT CANTERLOT CRUMBLING!" two screaming ponies riding a cart full of newspapers pulled by other two passed by.
"What?" Bubbles' eyes bulged.
"Tabloids..." Astray shook his head, "They make moutains out of molehills all the time."
"Oh okay. So the princess is all right."
"She has wings," Astray shrugged, then hummed to himself, "I've got an idea. How do you feel about a lunch?"
"Is it noon already?"
"Close enough. Do you smell something delicious around?"
"EVERYTHING!"
"Ooookay, let's slow down a little. Engage your nose and let's see where you get us."
Now that was something Bubbles could get into. While the city bubbled with scents and, to be honest, stenches, Bubbles sniffed around the whole plaza followed by the satyr and picked up a strange trail of something unknown which nonetheless made her drool.
A mare standing further down a narrow dead-end alley waved at Bubbles. For some reason she was wearing thin straps of red clothing on her backside and a see-through veil around her barrel. Bubbles was feeling the summer heat already, and couldn't comprehend why somepony would wear clothes willingly today. She didn't count Anvil, of course.
"Astray, that mare keeps wiggling her bottom and winking at me."
The satyr looked to the side-alley from which he recieved a seductive wink as well.
"Umm, you remember how you told us you used to help ponies sleep? She does it for money."
What happened next the satyr couldn't have expected in a thousand years.
"You're doing a great job, making ponies' lives better, and they like you for it!" Bubbles called out to the prostitute while beaming proudly.
"Yeeeeah, let's go," Astray picked up the pace to get out of sight, followed by Bubbles as happy as one can be, "So, how's the food search going?"
Bubbles took a deep breath again. It was closer, very close. Almooooost...
Two corners later and a street down, Bubbles stopped in front of a gruesome display, and Astray was immediately sure why this store wasn't on any main avenue.
It was a griffon bistro, and clearly a well-known one because it was packed. With fear quelled by growing hunger, excitement, and the delicious smell coming from the inside, Bubbles pushed the door open and entered. About twenty griffons, few diamond dogs, and one batpony turned their heads to them.
The two suddenly felt very, very alone.
A chubby griffon built like a mountain and wearing an apron walked over with a still bloodied cleaver in his talons. The wide, open room filled with tables looked like a place where the working class could just drop in for a meal or grab something for later at any time of the day and, if the batpony was any indication, night as well.
"Welcome to Scraps, name's Halstead!" the griffon announced with what had to be a combination of some griffon accent and Manehattan slur, "We don't get much of your kind here, little earthpony," he patted Bubbles' head, "And I have no idea what the heck you are, but if you eat meat you're welcome here," he offered his foreleg to Astray who shook it. The griffon refused to let go, stood up on his hind legs, and leaned towards the satyr, "But if you're the health inspector... then I'm sure I can add fresh selection of 'new' meat to my menu."
Astray went pale, and Bubbles growled.
"Just kidding! Just kidding," the griffon laughed heartily, slapping Astray's back. Leaning down to Bubbles with her mouth still open, he added, "Forgive my old eyes, you're no earthpony. Truth be told, I've never seen anypony like you either. Claws and teeth like a dragon crossed with a buzzsaw. If you're a herbivore then I'm a little chicken. What'll it be?" he stood up quickly and pointed to the blackboard on the wall covered in scribbles, "Drinks first?"
Astray and Bubbles, still taken aback by the greeting, exchanged glances.
"Got any juice?" Bubbles asked.
"Tomato, orange, apple."
"Tomato?!" she stuck her tongue out.
"Batponies love it for some reason. It gives me diarrhea personally."
"You know what?" the demoness came to the conclusion that today was about exploring new things, "I'll try it."
The griffon nodded.
"And you, half-minotaur or pony, half... I don't even dare to guess?"
"I'm a satyr, and I have no clue what the non-pony half is. Got some light beer?"
"Coming right up!" the griffon rushed off.
"That was... something," Bubbles breathed out.
"Yeeeeah," Astray said slowly, looking around for a free table. Thankfully, one opened in the meantime so that the two could keep to themselves. After an examination of the wall menu, Astray settled for something called chicken schnitzel with mashed potatoes and Bubbles went for spicy chicken wings.
Halstead arrived only few minutes later with the orders. Bubbles immediately chomped two of the crunchy blobs, bones included, much to the amazed clapping of surrounding griffons.
"AAaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" she coughed out a thin plume of fire, immediately chugging down her red drink which hissed inside her throat.
"Don't go too fast, little missy. Halstead's sauce is for real stallions," one griffon said amidst the laughter of others.
Astray, on the other hand, was carefully chewing the presented meat and discovering that, while most ponies found meat disgusting and were sick afterwards, he was definitely enjoying himself. He might regret it later in the bathroom, but that was a problem for future Astray, not present one.
The lunch was cheap, infinitely better than the Order stuff which was made by recruits on duty learning cooking under the supervision of a real cook, exotic, and filling. Astray made a mental note to come here more often now that he knew he actually had the money. Afterwards, he and Bubbles took a lazy, calm stroll ending in...
"Holy moly!" Bubbles watched the wide green areas with foals playing all over, jogging ponies, relaxing visitors, and many many more sights.
...an enormous public park.
Astray immediately located the nearest shady bench overlooking a pond and sat down. Bubbles jumped on the bench next to him, not letting her eyes leave the fillies and colts chasing each other.
"The lunch got me," he relaxed, "Whatever that griffon sells, we should feed it to anyone evil so that they can't run away. I feel as if I ate a lead ball. Delicious lead ball."
"Hmmmm," Bubbles hummed thoughtfully, "I could go for something," she sniffed the air, "Something sweet."
Astray looked around for what she could have been smelling, finding an ice cream cart nearby. He propped himself to stand up, but Bubbles stopped him.
"I'll try."
"Then get me a scoop of the chocolate one," Astray sat back down, "Might as well finish myself off completely for today."
"Okay," she trotted off to the vendor. The cart had a glass front part hidden in the shade of a makeshift roof where the sweet smelling, colourful tubs lay in uncharacteristically freezing air.
Magic? It had to be, but the vendor was a pegasus.
Bubbles didn't really think too hard about it. She knew she didn't know enough to come to a real conclusion so she didn't bother making empty guesses.
"Hello, mister, umm, salespony. Can I get a little of whatever this is?" she pointed to the labeled tubs.
"Sure thing, young lady," the middle-aged pegasus nodded, "It's ice cream. A bit for two scoops or two bits for five."
So this was the promised reward! Well worth the wait, at least according to Bubbles' nose.
"Umm, give me one chocolate one, and two... what's this mixed one?"
"Eeeerm, my ladle dropped into the wrong vat and I'm selling it cheaper as a cherry-kiwi mix. It's not bad, but kind of weird so not many ponies want it."
"I'll take the double one."
The vendor gave her a surprised smile which she requited. A moment later he presented two ice cream cones which she carefully grabbed. That left her with a difficult conundrum - she really wasn't used to walking on her hind legs but didn't want to slobber all over Astray's cone.
Oh god, the innuendo possibilities.
Astray watched the unsteadily wobbling mare for a moment before giving up and walking over to take his ice cream. Bubbles let out a sigh of relief and trotted along on three legs before sitting down on the bench and chomping off half of her cargo.
Her eyes crossed.
"Just like with the hot stuff, don't eat it too fast," Astray said after hearing the whimper.
Bubbles covered her head with one foreleg to stop the onset of brain freeze.
"Why does everything tasty try to hurt me?"
"As they say, take all good things in moderation. So, how did it go? Did the pony have a problem with you?"
Bubbles shook her head.
"No, he was nice like you. I even helped him by buying stuff nopony else wanted," she beamed proudly, presenting the remaining red and green mess rapidly melting on her cone, "Oh!" she noticed and shoved the whole thing into her mouth.
"Oh dear," Astray watched as she stuck her tongue out and tried in vain to clean her whole muzzle. He pulled out his money pouch and wiped Bubbles off with the cloth. He leaned in, taking a closer look at his inefficient work, "Meh, better than noth-"
And then he felt soft hair tickling his lips which met with Bubbles' thicker, rusty ones still tasting of fruit, followed by a wide, flat tongue entering his shocked mouth...
...where it stopped and waited for something?
Astray slowly pushed Bubbles away and looked into two puzzled pink eyes. He leaned in again and gave her a short peck on the lips.
She licked his face.
So much for romance.
Wiping the slimy trail off of his face, Astray grabbed Bubbles and she followed his lead, sitting on his lap and putting her forelegs on his shoulders.
"How was it?" she asked.
"Umm, the first time I wasn't called a monster whorse during it, so I guess that kiss was the best I've ever had," Astray's hand brushed Bubbles' neck and back, "What got into you?"
She gave him a short kiss again, just testing the waters, no tongue this time.
"I'm feeling good, nothing's wrong for once, everything is perfect, so I just went for it. Anvil said it was a good way to start. She told me if I tried too much too fast you might not like it with what happened to you before you joined."
Astray sighed. Still, maybe it was time to stop the Badlands caravan from burdening him, to deal with it once and for all. Cromach had been right, and maybe Bubbles was the little spark of hope to finally set him free. Like poison bleeding from the vein, he let the bad blood out.
"You know, I thought that was the best I could ever get. I was happ- content with it. I might have been wrong, or maybe this is just the little bright moment that will make anything bad to happen infinitely worse... but I guess it's worth it. How about we try things out and see where it goes?"
"Yessss!" Bubbles punched the air, missing Astray's head by a hair with her claw, "Oops, let me kiss it better."
Assaulted by an enthusiastic barrage of pecks, nips, bites, and kisses, Astray barely could give a few of his own. He expected Bubbles to get tired, but out of nowhere it was him who had to relax and try to catch a breath.
"Feeling... woozy..." he mumbled, "Must be... the griffon food."
"Oh. Oh?" Bubbles stopped, "Sorry."
"What?" Astray wanted to say it wasn't her fault, but as soon as Bubbles stopped laying on the love, he felt the fatigue fade, "What's going on?"
"Umm, promise you won't get mad?"
"Of course."
"Anvil said that might happen if I overdid it. She said I was part a, umm, suck-Q-buzz or something. That means super sleeper helper. I'm so good you want to go to bed right now."
A succubus, even Astray had heard about them. He would have guessed that Bubbles' demon half would be some kind of killer due to the claws, teeth, and resilience, but this would make sense as well. She was adorable, beyond adorable, and lovable in a way that would make anyone with a heart want to protect her. The real question was, though, which part was real?
And, of course, the answer was right there - all of it. The mare with the body of a half-succubus, the mind of a half-foal, and the killer instinct of a full murder machine was in love with him. The thing was that the more time he spent with her, the less he cared about the little details, or big details.
She was genuine, and she wanted him. HIM.
"Well, all that means is that you have to leave it for the evening, Bubbly."
"Really? I can't bring myself to do it more if it is hurting you."
Astray's fingers traced the rapidly fading smile on Bubbles' muzzle.
"As I said, all good things in moderation, heh. For both of us."
She pressed her suddenly boiling hot body against his and put her head on his shoulder. Astray was waiting for something, but nothing more happened. They just relaxed in the shade, surrounded by the sounds of ponies walking around, foals playing, the jingling of bells on the ice cream cart, and all the other sounds of a city during early afternoon.
"Does this change anything?" Astray asked carefully.
"I like you more."
"I mean... huh," he ran his hand down the side of Bubbles' hind leg, "Actually, I don't know what I mean."
"Wanna play fetch?" she pushed herself away and looked at his face, soft, near-toothless smile gracing her muzzle.
Astray let out a long breath. He realized he was making this needlessly difficult. Bubbles just wanted to spend time with him, that was all.
"Sure. Got anything to throw?"
She looked around, and Astray finally realized his shirt was completely drenched with sweat where Bubbles had been touching him. It indeed was a boiling day even here in the tree shade. Strange, the entire front of him smelled sweet. That had to be Bubbles' doing.
*CRUNCH!*
"Hewe!" Bubbles smiled at him with a piece of wood previously being a part of their protective tree.
"Come on, that's public property. You can't just bite off anything you need," Astray looked around nervously, "What are we going to say if somepony asks."
She spat it out on his lap.
"It was like that when I found it!" she beamed.
Astray gave the new deep claw scars leading up the tree an examining stare, then looked at Bubbles who whistled innocently and hid her forelegs behind her back.
He shrugged.
"Well, I guess that checks out," the satyr broke a short stick off of the branch, and looked for a suitable place to throw it, "Let's see if you can catch this one."
Standing up to take a good swing, Astray lobbed as hard as he could.
"Hah, eas-blrblrlgll!" Bubbles mindlessly following the tossed piece of wood went 'whoosh' straight into the pond. To her credit, she popped out of the water with the stick in her mouth and in few more tempos was out, rushing back towards the bench.
"Well done," Astray stuck his tongue out at her as she shook water off of herself in a doglike fashion.
An hour of messing around, and two ice creams, later during which Astray had to once again admire Bubbles' stamina, the two dried out and went home.
Back in the mansion, after taking a thorough shower to get rid of the sweat, Astray walked out of the bathroom and immediately fell asleep on Anvil's bottom bunk. The combination of griffon food, mental exhaustion from trying not to screw anything up, and long playtime exhausted him far more than any combat training before.
However, he still woke up when the door clicked open, letting a returning Anvil in.
"How was it?" Astray asked, pushing himself up on his elbows after carefully guiding snoring Bubbles down from him.
Anvil just shrugged.
"Too many timetables to keep track of, but we have everything ready for two weeks ahead. How about your afternoon off? I was expecting you two to still be outside."
"We had a crazy lunch and played in some park. I have no doubts she'll tell you everything later. Anyway," Astray scratched his head, "umm... thank you."
"For?"
"For telling her how to make the first move. I would have never done anything myself."
"Yeah, I know," said Anvil, turning away and taking her clothes off.
"Should we clear out?"
"No reason," she waved it off and nodded to Bubbles' bed, "I'll just stretch my back on hers."
With no more words, Anvil lay down on the free bottom bunk. Astray felt the minotaur wanted to say something, but she must have decided against it, instead just lying there, eyes closed. She wasn't sleeping, though. After so much time in one room, Astray knew the difference between her sleeping and just... thinking. In the end, he chalked her silence up to her being worried about Astray doing something to make Bubbles uncomfortable.
How wrong he was...
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
1,002 users online
2,115,556 hits today, 2,073,628 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Is it possible for you to accept an idea? A unicorn that's using black magic to stop the other dark casters? I haven't even read it yet, by that was an idea i got just from the description.
7827520 As an idea for a change in this story? No, this story is almost over so I can't really work in a major change.
As an idea for a new story? Maybe, although the theme of someone good being seen as evil is in a bunch of my stories about Blazing Light already. (just check my story list)
7827662 Ok! I was actually suggesting it as a kind of add in. Not someone who's seen as evil, bit is genuinely evil but swore an oath to someone he loved to help protect those that he could from black magic however he saw fit, and as such, is an antihero.
7827665 Then no, I can't. As I said, this story is almost over and a change of this magnitude is impossible to do at this point. I've had an idea for such a character, though, and I might use him in some new story later. Sorry.
7827672 Nah man, it's all good! So long as you already had an idea similar, or the exact same, as that then I don't mind!
7829129 I'm glad you're having fun.
7830434 You might want to read Dawn of the Silver Sun afterwards, or before, or maybe inbetween updates :P
All stories (with the exception of Happiness is What You Make Of It) are a part of a singular storyline, although Silver Sun stuff SHOULD be possible to read out of context, at least I tried for it to be, but you might lose a lot.
Noooo! When's the next bit...
7831705 Soon-ish, I hope. As I wrote before, though, you can check the other Silver Sun story in the meantime. If you're still interested, that is.
7832040 this one I must finish first before I move onto other bird of that multiverse.
7832531 Dawn of the Silver Sun happens before Shine. Plus, it'll be at least a week before next chapter.
7832634 don't care. I need to finish this off first before I read the previous and variation books. In the meantime, have a follower for getting using hook, line, and sinker.
7832701 Thank you. Have a nice New Year.
7832934 No problem! But now, I'm going to read each and every single one of your books until you update. Then I might just start trying to write, in my journals, a little side variation. Like Harmony getting sealed inside a pentacle and being used by a unicorn with enough willpower to suppress his madness.
Is it just me, or do a good chunk of names start with 'A', 'B', 'C', and 'S'?
Anvil, Astray, Antares,
Bubbles, Blaze, Bucket, Black (Shield), Blinding, Boss, 'Betty',
Cromach, Choking, Cross, Contradiction, Chill (Touch), Crowley,
Searing, Shadowstep, Scream, Sharp, Secret Seeker, Starlight, Skullcrusher/breaker,
...I mean, that has to be at least a good share of all your OCs.
You sure it's not literally? You know, half demon, and all...
I'm so proud of her...
...is he sick, or something?
How hard was it to hold that load? It's unbecumming of you to go so long without blowing out a few terrible sex jokes.
...I regret nothing.
They are taking their revenge on us for eating them.
I thought the one they did in the bathtub would be the first time he wasn't called a 'monster whorse' during it...
That doesn't sound ominous. No, not at all...
7827672
You ever get around to using that idea?
7832941
*two new years later*
...then how come I haven't really seen you commenting on the other stories?
I'm sure it will not going well actually.
Nah, not only. I'm sure Valhallan Imperial guards in Warhammer 40k had the same.
That she can find around every trashcan in Manehattan?
Aaah, batponies in places like this... classic.
Wait... Some of them drinks blood, but can the actually eat meat? Or here they serving blood too?
So, not A/A shipping, huh?
Clever girl.
Oh boy...
9383444
The last guy I remember, who said something like that, hang out on chain after that.