Chapter 15
“My new home needs a bigger chair,” Caleb declared. “I can deal with everything else for now, but I need something to sit on that’s human-proportioned.”
“Quills and Sofas might still be open,” suggested Vectrix. “We’ll have to hurry though. Davenport likes to close early on Saturdays if business is slow.”
“What about tomorrow?” the man asked.
Willow replied, “The only places open on Sunday in Ponyville are those that serve food and drink. Nopony else works that day otherwise.” The mare turned her head away, gazing at the floor. She muttered, “Even if they really wanted to.”
Caleb didn’t miss that and Vectrix felt a spike in her emotions, tasting of deep sadness. The mare turned back to them and realized that she had been indiscreet. She sighed.
“I used my job to keep myself busy and not think about the loss of Blazing Shield. Eventually, it became all-consuming. Sundays left me dangling, so I slept in as long as I could before heading to the bar and getting drunk. Honestly, this is the first time in years that I’ve broken out of my rut.”
The human understood all too well. He had seen too many colleagues in that self-destructive cycle. He put his hand on Willow’s head and scratched between her ears. “Time to put that behind you, filly. Now you get to stop me from doing the same.”
Willow nickered in pleasure at the feel of his fingers. She smiled and pushed her head more firmly into his hand. “It will be my privilege – just keep doing that!”
Caleb chuckled. “We’ll both need to test our restraint later. Vectrix is buying the drinks tonight and I plan to take full advantage of it.”
The mare looked at the changeling who cringed a little. Her eyebrow rose. “Oh? Why is that, Caleb?”
“I’ll tell you all about it on our way to the furniture store,” the man replied with a grin as Vectrix sighed in resignation.
Willow drew stares from the passers-by as she laughed uproariously. Caleb had embellished the incidents where the overconfident changeling had made a spectacle of herself, hugely amusing the mare. Vectrix had mixed feelings about it. On the one hoof, the humiliation still stung. On the other though, Willow’s attitude to his human alter ego was completely turned around now. The earth pony wanted to see ‘Vicky’ try to emulate a woman without messing it up.
“I’d like to see you try to pass as a human,” Vectrix grumbled.
“Maybe I’ll tag along next time Caleb goes to Earth,” she replied with a smirk. “I couldn’t do much worse.”
The human wondered what other disasters that would cause. At least the changeling had some ability to blend in. How would a mare with zero experience in that field cope? He tried to guess what sort of woman she would look like after the adaptation spell worked its magic. That made Caleb remember how the changeling had said that he could be a mare for him in the appropriate circumstances. He grinned.
“Hey, Vectrix – how about you try to redeem a bit of pride and show me how you can blend in as a mare instead?”
Both the man’s companions were surprised by that request, but the changeling nodded and complied. Magic green fire swept over his form revealing a yellow pegasus mare with a light-blue mane.
“I call this identity Butterfly Sky,” Vectrix said in sweet feminine tones.
“No cutie mark?” Willow asked.
“I haven’t seen the point of adding one yet,” Butterfly replied with a flutter of her wings. “This is a standby identity that I haven’t needed before now. If that changes, I’ll choose one to suit her.”
Caleb had not noticed the absence but he recalled how important they were to the ponies. “Maybe you’ll think of something appropriate while I take you two mare friends of mine shopping for furniture.”
Willow’s ears perked up at the ‘marefriends’ bit while Butterfly smiled brightly. The human remained blissfully unaware of the feelings that his choice of words had stirred. The two mares looked at each other as they followed Caleb, exchanging a grin and a nod.
The Quills and Sofas store was still open although very quiet. There was one pony couple in there already being attended to by an earth pony stallion – the proprietor Davenport, Caleb was informed. The man was happy to be able to browse for a bit before being bothered by the salespony. He quickly found a sturdy chair that suited his needs.
“That was easy,” Caleb said. “I thought it would be harder to find something my size and I’d have to resort to placing an order for one.”
Butterfly said, “With all the new species moving into Ponyville, this store has had to enlarge its selection. That chair was built for a minotaur or a moderately-sized dragon to use.”
“Well, it suits me fine. While we’re waiting, we might as well have a look at some of the other furniture. I noticed that the cottage is very sparsely furnished. You don’t even have a sofa.”
Willow looked abashed. “Blazing and I spent our remaining bits after buying the house on just the basics. We planned to get a sofa and several other items once we were settled in and could afford it.”
“Since I got my sign-up bonus in advance and Phil paid for everything while I was on Earth, I’ve got money burning a hole in my pocket. I might as well start contributing to my new home. Why don’t you two girls go decide on a suitable sofa? I’ll have a look at some other stuff while I’m waiting for the proprietor.”
Willow grinned. “Mom always used to tell me to find a good homemaker.”
“And my dad always advised me to let the women choose the furnishings if I wanted a peaceful life,” Caleb replied with a wink.
The two mares giggled and immediately turned their attention to the sofas on display. The man watched them for a while. He honestly would not have been able to pick Butterfly as a changeling by her current behavior. Perhaps once he’d been in Equestria for long enough he’d pick up some nuances, but he suspected otherwise. While Vectrix had been foolishly overconfident in his ability to emulate a human, no doubt he had ponies down pat. He wondered what the changeling’s pony stallion form looked like. Caleb supposed he’d find out soon enough – Butterfly Sky was trying her best to impress him. And perhaps Willow too?
The two mares were still discussing the merits of the various sofas on offer when Davenport finished with his other customers. Given that those items of furniture were part of the business’ name, it was unsurprising that there was a large range to choose from. If the proprietor was nervous about meeting a human for the first time, the earth pony stallion hid it well. Caleb purchased the chair before pointing out his companions.
“Once my mare friends decide on a sofa, I intend to buy that too. Do you deliver?”
Caleb saw the stallion’s eyes light up at the thought of an easy sale. “Certainly, sir! Would you like your items this afternoon? I am free once I close for the day.”
“We intend to go out for dinner – can you deliver before then?”
“I was considering closing up after attending to you anyway, so I could do so immediately.”
“Great! Shall we find out if the ladies have decided on something yet?”
The mares had narrowed their choices down to two and left it up to the human to select his preferred option. He tried both sofas out and they were both very comfortable and attractive. However, bearing in mind the ponies’ propensity for hugging and being close, he chose the larger one. He figured that he might as well be proactive about the inevitable.
After Caleb paid for the furniture and Willow supplied her address for the delivery, they headed back to the cottage. The earth pony mare insisted on carrying his new chair back with them.
“You ought to be able to sit down once we’re home,” she explained.
“You need any help with that?” Caleb asked.
“Are you kidding? I’ve carried stuff bigger and heavier than this all day on the job.”
The man wasn’t concerned about the weight – it wasn’t that big a chair. It was the awkwardness. And yet, the chair inexplicably stayed on the mare’s back as securely as if it was strapped into place. Once again, he could only put it down to magic. More and more, he was seeing how a race with hooves and no hands could build a civilization.
While Caleb did try out his new chair when they got back home, it was only briefly. Then he got to work putting away his new acquisitions. Fortunately, Willow did possess a wardrobe.
“For a race that doesn’t wear clothes much, that’s a big wardrobe,” the man commented.
“It had to be big enough for two sets of regulation armor, not to mention our dress uniforms. Blazing’s armor was returned to the armory while he was buried in the dress uniform. So, hopefully, that’s enough room for your clothes and shoes for now. There’s a bit of other junk in there.”
“I forgot to get a dresser for more clothing and underwear. And I haven’t even gotten the formal wear from the other Rarity yet.”
“Do you need to make another trip to the anthro world to get it?” Butterfly asked. “I’d be interested in paying her boutique another visit.”
Willow narrowed her eyes. “But you weren’t with us when Mark took Caleb there.”
The changeling smiled and held up a placating hoof. “I had some business of my own to take care of.”
Caleb glanced between the two. “Anyway, that world’s Rarity told me that she would deliver it in person. I suppose I’ll have to let her know where I’ve moved.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Butterfly was nearest, so she opened it. To Caleb’s surprise, he could see Davenport outside, blithely carrying their sofa sideways on his back.
The business pony smiled and said, “If somepony would care to help, we can get your purchase inside.”
Willow hastened to the doorway and, between the two ponies, they maneuvered the furniture through the door and into place against the wall.
Davenport nodded in satisfaction and then turned to Caleb. “Thank you for your custom, Mister Awad. I look forward to providing you with more furnishings suitable for your needs.”
The man replied, “Thank you for your prompt service, Mister Davenport. We’ll enjoy using the sofa tonight.” He then showed the stallion out the door. He turned to the others. “Well, I think it’s time we started thinking about dinner. Because I didn’t have to spend much of my money on Earth, I’ll spring for the meal. Seeing as Vectrix, or as she’s still a mare I should say Butterfly, is paying for the drinks, I reckon the three of us should go to a nice restaurant. Any suggestions?”
“I have the perfect place in mind,” Willow replied with a grin.
“You intend to take two mares to dinner?” Butterfly asked.
“Aren’t you the one who said you’d be happy to do that?” Caleb asked.
“Yes, but two? Tongues are going to wag,” she replied with a smirk.
The man shrugged. “Let them. I’m a focus for gossip anyway – might as well roll with it.”
The Fig Tree was located on the east side of town at the top of a low hill that afforded it great views of the surrounding scenery. It got its name from the enormous fig that grew in the courtyard at the center of the restaurant. Patrons had the choice of dining under the roof or the skies. Unsurprisingly, pegasi tended to prefer the latter but Caleb and the mares asked for a table near a window that overlooked Ponyville. From there, they were able to watch as the sun sank below the horizon and the street lamps lit the streets, giving the town a warm and welcoming glow.
Caleb ordered a walnut-lentil bolognese, Willow opted for a roasted sweet potato salad, while Butterfly selected a vegetarian burrito bowl with avocado crema and a bottle of wine that the server recommended.
“Want some bones with that?” Caleb asked the changeling with a smirk.
Butterfly’s cheeks pinked and she stuck her tongue out at him. “Careful, dear, or I might buy us some cheap booze for later instead of something nicer and more expensive.”
Willow gave her a keen look. “Speaking of expensive, your mention of visiting anthro Rarity again reminded me of where I saw the outfit that Vicky was wearing. Those were part of her Spring Collection on display in her boutique, along with their price tags. That was quite an investment you made to impress Caleb.”
The unicorn changeling shrugged. “I’ve already made it plain that I will do whatever it takes to get closer to Caleb. He’s my destined Companion.”
“Seems to me that you’re aiming for a little more than that,” Willow replied archly.
“How can there be more? A Companion bond is as intimate a relationship as is possible.”
“To the exclusion of all other mares?”
“That’s not the case, Willow. Companions do not dominate – they harmonize. If Caleb has any feelings for another, then I would too. I’m not competing for your stallion.”
Willow blushed and looked away. “Who said he’s my stallion?”
“Empath, remember?”
“Whoa!” Caleb said. “I’m not completely sure what’s going on here, but I’m here to have a nice meal with my two friends. Can we please have a civilized conversation?”
“Yes, Caleb,” the two mares chorused.
“Good. Now, let’s change the subject, shall we? What do you have in mind for us to do tomorrow?”
“Umm… I was thinking that we could work on fixing the garden,” the earth pony replied. “That is if you want to?”
The man nodded. “Sounds like a good idea. You in, Butterfly?”
“Vectrix will be, at least,” she replied.
“Excellent! Now – what did you have in mind for the garden, Willow?”
They spent about three hours at the restaurant enjoying a leisurely meal, good alcohol, and pleasant conversation. After cappuccinos all around, they asked for the check. When Caleb reached for his wallet, Willow bluntly told him that it was the mare’s place to pay for dinner when on a date. When the human had looked to the changeling for support, Butterfly sided with the Willow.
“She’s right – we two will split the bill.”
“I said it was going to be my treat, and you’re already paying for the booze!” Caleb objected.
“Not going to change things,” Butterfly said with finality.
Caleb ended up giving the staff an extra-large tip in defiance.
They ambled back to the cottage, a mare on each side of the human. Only when they got to the door did Butterfly thank him for a wonderful evening before resuming his natural form and flying away. Willow opened the door as Caleb watched him disappearing in the dark. She waited a moment before nudging the man.
“Are you coming in?”
“Huh? Oh! Yeah, I’m coming.” He turned and followed the mare inside. “It’s strange but I felt as if I had lost something for a moment.”
Willow nodded. “Sounds like that bond that Vectrix is always talking about is starting to happen.”
“I’m still not sure how I feel about that.”
“Neither am I, Caleb. I’m told it’s a wonderful thing and Vectrix tries to be reassuring, but it’s still a little scary.”
The man took a deep breath and let it out as a lengthy sigh. “No use getting stressed. Perhaps we should sleep on it.” He grinned. “Wanna see my new pajama shorts?”
Willow rolled her eyes. “Why would they matter to me?”
They had cartoon ponies printed on them. Caleb laughed as the mare face-hoofed.
Caleb slowly awoke, feeling the usual confusion that came from the bleary realization that he was in an unfamiliar place. He opened his eyes to see violet eyes staring into his.
“Thank you,” said the earth pony mare.
Caleb's brain kicked into gear, now remembering where he was and who was lying in bed with him. “For what, Willow?”
She replied, “For the first time in ages, I woke up in my bed with a smile.”
Caleb blushed, which caused the mare to giggle. The man coughed a couple of times to regain his composure. “Umm... glad I could help, although I think that I should be thanking you too.”
Willow’s eyebrow rose. “Why is that?”
“Because without you and Vectrix, I reckon that I’d be having a nervous breakdown. Here I am, stranded in a universe that is not mine and so very different from anything I’ve ever known. I should be massively depressed at the very least, but you two have been doing your best to keep me occupied and invested in all the changes in my life. You’ve even made me like the idea of going to bed with a pony.” He reached up to boop the mare on her snout with his finger. “You’ve made the unbearable a pleasure instead.”
The earth pony squirmed and giggled again. “It seems we’ve been good for each other, Faithful Kindness. So, let’s get up and begin this new phase in our lives.”
“I couldn’t agree more, Willow Branch,” Caleb replied with a smile. Then he rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. “Dibs on the shower first!”
“HEY!” Willow yelled in mock outrage while struggling to free herself from the sheets. “That wasn’t what I meant!”
# # # # # # # # #
Stats
Page generated in 0.016 seconds
Total duration
887 users online
85,638 hits today, 2,139,894 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.®
Couldn't come up with anything particular to write soooo...
Magnificent chapter. Im swooning in joy for their blooming relationship. There home sure feels fuller now. Soon it knows the benefit of three permanent owners. I wonder if Vetrix will have a Changeling theme room for him as a Ling doing Ling things.
A Ling got to Ling from time to time
Sooo... Do Love rations glow? Perhaps he could decorate his/her room with it. A decorative and delices retreat if he needs some room for himself.
How will there first time look like? Caleb on two mares? Caleb and Vetrix sandwitch Willow seven ways to heaven? Both? I just have to hear Chrysalis eye waggling moment at them. That herd while be a magnificent PR example/stunt ones Mark goes: "We come in peace, offer Friendship and love, as well as deliver ass kicking when eventually some idiot oversteps their boundrys. Guest are welcome, but they better know to behave inside and outside
Marksreigning everycreatures Empire. Future citizen will enjoy all privile, but better know to become a part of the hole, instead of become the extra that everyone invited for dinner and dreads all night..."One step for a men, a huge leap for a herd
Will Chrysalis give Caleb and Willow ' the talk ' or something? I could imagen a quite priceless trolling. Like Mark get from parallel Chrysalis about Changeling Queen copulation
11056914
Best romance development chapter ♡
Nice. I'm all for forging a soul bond with a changeling like that, but the implications in daily life and habits that are different for a human to a pony are where the dynamic will get a little weird. Are there any documented/written instances of changeling and non-pony species bonds, and how well in life they meshed? (I mean, it's pretty safe to assume they meshed near perfectly, with the bond being the way it is)
If they get that far, will caleb have a little freak-out when there's a blending of the two beings and for a moment, they couldn't tell where one stopped and the other started?
What's up with the kindness thing? Did I go and forget something that happened
11057008
Go back to chapter 4 and do a search for the word "faithful".
yep they are a couple.
Hoof in mouth Mister Awad - though I'm questioning how much isn't unaware.
Definitely intrigued to see how these relationships progress. It's honestly refreshing to follow a HiE story where nobody's being unnecessarily paranoid OR unrealistically blasé, especially regarding things like the changeling destiny bond thing.
Poor Caleb I'm sure the shower like the rest of the bathroom is designed for ponies not humans so I will be surprised if the shower head is tall enough for him to use without ducking. Though undoubtedly its not a small 3foot by 3 foot stall like some places have
11057644
Yeah, the shower something like measures like 8' x 8' x 3'
I leave it everyone else to guess which is the vertical dimension....
11058661 I will assume its one of the 8' is the vertical. Now how high on that 8' wall is the shower head, except for Alicorns how high up are the standard shower head for ponies. Sounds you have a shower/ tub combo rather than a stand alone shower.
11058724
"
"
Johnny Caballo: "Ooohh, so sorry! That's a wrong answer. Ed, what does our contestant get as a consolation prize?
Ed McHorse: "Da Fennec wins a genuine imitation virtual imaginary cookie! Thanks for playing.
11058885 My answer might be wrong but the idea still applies how high on the vertical would the shower head be for a pony compared to for a human
11059020
Yes, it depends on how tall ponies are--but there's no general consensus that everyone agrees with--other than they're not nearly as tall as Celestia.
11059020
11059363
For the purposes of my stories, see the cover art for Beginning Anew for a size comparison. And yes, she's sitting on something that brings her head up higher.
11059416
If the plumbing is like ours, it wouldn't be too difficult to add a second showerhead at the appropriate height with a diverter knob....?
Still remember how a parallel Chrysalis trolled Mark.
Good times... Good times...
A nice second date. It's rather telling how the event went from "a round of drinks" to that.
Now about that aluminum can...