Taming a Tempest

by XD-385

With the erasure of Ruin, Equestria is at peace once more and its heroes rest. But the shattered soul known as Tempest Shadow still searches for her place in the world in the wake of her crimes. The one who defeated her, and chose to help her, may be the only one to heal her scarred soul.

3. Blowing Through the Vale

Being a Saturday, I had to work at the local spa. My mind was not on my work. I was already thinking about my visit to Canterlot tomorrow to see my dear Nightshade Holly. I really cannot find a better way to address her. She is just so precious. When would I depart? Should I bring a gift? Would I take her out to dinner? Should I stay the night this time? Should I bring more vinyl records to give her music library more variety?

Question after question flowed through my head even as customers began to file into the spa while I waited at my workstation by the massage tables. Even though most of the Canterlot refugees have returned home with Canterlot's reconstruction making some serious headway, some have yet to return home due to their housing having not yet been restored. Thankfully, they have long since adapted to life in Ponyville. Many of the few remaining Canterlot elite have taken quite a liking to the spa since it seems to remind them of home, thus providing quite a bit of extra business. Some of the more frequent revisiting clients are among my best customers and have grown to love the massages I can provide that my coworkers cannot imitate.

With my many questions having run themselves through my mind until I could think of no more, I took the time to read a magazine and review my personal list of clients with sensitive cutie marks. Boy, did I have to warn my newest customers about that quirk just so they would not feel offended upon finding out whether or not they share that trait. However, before I could get my first customer of the day, I heard a familiar voice call out from my left. "Papa!"

My eyebrows perked up as I instantly recognized that voice. I turned to my left and promptly put my magazine down as I saw little Gladesong galloping towards me. "Hey, there's my girl! Whatcha up to today?"

My firstborn daughter jumped right into my waiting hands before I lifted her into the air as her little wings fluttered. Some of the customers at the far ends of the room seemed to look on with endearing smiles as the adorable little filly was held high in her father's hands while she flapped her wings to pretend to fly. I then asked again, "So, does your mother know you're here?"

"They most certainly do!" I heard a beautifully elegant voice call out from the curtains leading out into the lobby. I looked to my left and saw none other than Rarity walk in with Fluttershy close behind her. My gorgeous friend then waved at me and said, "Hellooooo, darling! Sorry if we're visiting late in the week."

"Oh, I always have time for you ladies." I replied as I smiled towards my beloved wife and our daughter's dear godmother. I stepped up close to one of the massage tables as I expected one of them to approach for a massage while adjusting my grip to hold Gladesong to my chest with her back against me.

"Hi, Mama! Hi, Mama Rarity!" Gladesong then said while waving her little hoof at her two mothers. Well, she at least seems to think she has two since Rarity has mothered her just as much as Fluttershy has, resulting in her imprinting onto both of them. And Rarity could not be happier about it. However, Gladesong then asked, "Is she coming in too?"

She? What, did they meet someone out in the lobby? Fluttershy seemed to confirm this by looking towards the small gap in the curtains that led out into the lobby and said softly, "It's OK. You can come in. He's here."

I cocked my head to one side in curiosity while also smiling. It sounded like a customer had come looking just for my services. I stood patiently while waiting for the timid customer to pass through the curtains. But when she did, I saw that the customer was the last person in the world I was expecting to see as a feeling of disbelief came over me. "Holly...?"

Nightshade Holly stood before me as a look of uneasiness came over her. She had broken our routine by coming to see me instead of me going to see her. But as I came to realize that she was outside of Canterlot, I immediately felt a sense of alarm come over me. I quickly approached her after setting Gladesong down on one of the massage tables and asked, "Wait, are you sure it's safe for you to be here? Does the royal guard know you're down here?"

Thankfully, she nodded and said, "Yes, they know. I talked to my parole officer and it was agreed that I've been on enough good behavior to be allowed a day down here in Ponyville. As long as I'm being supervised."

She looked towards the lobby, prompting me to take a peek out there and see what she was glancing at. One of the royal guard was seated in the lobby while looking through a magazine. And not just any member of the guard. I recognized that black and white color scheme as being Estoc's. Even with Holly being very cooperative in her incarceration, Shining Armor would only trust one of his best to supervise her. He seemed to notice me and showed me a quick salute while I waved back. I then looked down at Holly upon feeling my concerns fade away. "OK then... Well..."

I paused when I saw her starting to reach up to me with one hoof. As if she wanted to stand tall and embrace me. I glanced at Fluttershy and Rarity, knowing how supportive they have been of her while they watched patiently. Seeing no reason to deny her what she wanted, I held out my arms for her. Holly responded by rising up on just her hind legs and held me in a tender embrace while I did the same with her head resting against my chest. I then whispered to her, "It's good to see you here..."

"It feels good to be here..." Holly whispered in response, mirroring my thoughts. Holly has always enjoyed her time in Ponyville during her occasional visits. Despite having roots in Canterlot, she really does prefer the humbler and friendly atmosphere a town like Ponyville exudes. Maybe when things change and she is finally a free mare, she will move here as a citizen.

Before long, little Gladesong hopped down from the massage table and walked around me before tapping Holly on the leg. "Miss Holly? Are you OK?"

"Mmhm..." My friend mumbled with her head still nestled against my chest. She cracked one eye open just enough to actually look down and see the darling little filly looking up at her. "Your father is...a wonderful man..."

I noticed Rarity and Fluttershy smile warmly and comfortingly in response to such tender words. They have not had the luxury to spend as much time with her as I have recently, so I am sure they took such a claim as a good sign that she was recovering emotionally at a steady rate. Gladesong, too innocent to comprehend Holly's plight, could only smile and let out a giggle. "Uh huh! Doesn't he give the best hugs?"

"He most certainly does..." Holly muttered quietly while we just stood there and held onto each other. In hindsight, I am surprised no customers came over to my workstation and interrupted us for a massage. Maybe they were taking their time or were just respecting such a special moment.

Finally, I felt the urge to inquire as to the nature of Holly's visit. It was the first time she had ever set foot inside the spa on her own accord. "So... What brings you down here today?"

Holly's words were direct and sincere. "I wanted to be with you."

I had nothing to say to that. But I could relate to the sentiment. I was looking forward to being with her too tomorrow, but she brought that time together a day early. Gladesong, finding us to look a bit too cute together, then spoke up. "Are you friends?"

This question raised a look of uncertainty in Holly's eyes. Her head shifted a bit as she gazed down at the floor instead of Gladesong herself. Her eventual response was quite somber. "I don't know..."

Fluttershy and Rarity immediately showed looks of concern with the former even asking, "What do you mean? You're both happy to see each other, so how could you not be friends?"

"But...we..." Holly muttered in quiet confusion. She then looked up at me while I immediately recognized that pleading gaze in her eyes I have seen many times before. Giving the wrong answer would likely have very unpleasant consequences. "Are we friends now...?"

I did my best to soothe her troubled soul and smiled just slightly while resting my hand on the back of her head to make her feel secure and safe. "Yeah... We are."

Just like that, the fear in her eyes melted away to reveal a look of sincere relief. Holly rested her head against my chest once more while Gladesong giggled in delighted approval. However, Rarity then stepped forward and said, "So sorry to interrupt, but shall we get started? Lotus is waiting for us."

Holly turned to look at our beautiful friend and replied in some minor confusion, "Get started? But I'm only here to see... Wait. When you said 'The usual for three', you meant... Wasn't that for you two and Gladesong?"

Fluttershy smiled sweetly and said, "Oh no, she's much too young to really appreciate the spa's services. Although she does like the hot tub. That third one was for you. I mean... Have you never actually come to the spa before?"

My friend's eyes opened wide at such a gracious offer while she dropped back down onto her hooves. "Um... No... I could never afford it and... You don't have to do this. I just wanted to see James and..."

I crossed my arms while also glancing at Gladesong to make sure she was staying out of trouble. She was just looking through the magazines I had at my workstation. I then spoke, "Hey, it's not often you get to indulge like this. Go on, you'll like it. And you'll eventually come back to me for a massage anyway. I'm not going anywhere."

Rarity then added, "Oh, you really must at least try his massages. Those magic fingers of his get every single kink out. I advise you save him for last, darling."

Surrounded by friends egging her on, Holly finally relented with a sigh. "All right... I'll try anything once and you've always been so kind to me..."

Fluttershy reached out and took Holly's hoof while still showing that tender smile. "We promise you'll love it. Gladesong, come along please."

"OK! Can I have some of the seaweed again? It always tastes so good!" Our daughter asked while trotting back over to them.

"Hey, make sure you ask Aloe or Lotus first. That stuff's for the customers to wear. Even if it does taste good and is good for you..." I retorted while also being guilty of snacking on that stuff now and then. I know Gladesong just loves munching on it and it has gotten Fluttershy and I in trouble at times. Thank goodness my bosses are very patient with her.

I just stood by my workstation while I watched them head over to the sauna and continued to do so even whenever a customer approached for a massage. I have long since refined my methods since I started working at the spa, using my elbows as much as my hands for the areas with more muscle to save time while saving my hands for the more delicate joints. It has really made my job easier for the burlier customers like Applejack and Big Macintosh. Still cannot seem to effectively massage Maud though. That mare is a lost cause.

I watched with delighted curiosity as the three mares and my daughter made their way to the facial station. I almost laughed when Holly's face was covered with the green facial cream for the first time in her life before having a pair of cucumber slices being placed over where her eyes were. She seemed very confused while she looked around, being unable to open her eyes. "Um... Am I supposed to be blind for this?"

Rarity then explained as Aloe gave Gladesong a pair of cucumber slices to snack on. "Well, it is good for getting any bags under your eyes smoothed out. The cucumber juices also help rejuvenate your eyes as well."

"Wait... I have cucumbers over my eyes?" Holly asked while sounding quite perplexed at the notion of vegetables being on her face.

"Yep! And you look adorable!" I called out while Fluttershy and Rarity giggled at my praise. Holly just seemed embarrassed as she seemed to bite her hoof while letting out a high-pitched yet muffled whinny. I think she enjoyed the compliment, yet was so unused to it that she seemed incredibly timid about it.

The next spot was the horn filing section. Lotus got to work on filing Rarity's horn, but Holly responded with a displeased gasp the instant she felt something start to grind against her horn once Aloe got started. "Huh?! Who's there?! Don't!"

Aloe paused in confusion at Holly's almost hostile reaction. I hurried over to Aloe and quietly explained, "Hey, um... Don't bother with hers. It got broken a long while back and she only recently got it restored. It doesn't need any filing."

"Oh! So sorry, Miss Holly. May I at least file your hooves?" Aloe said in a sincere apology. I rubbed my fingers over Holly's horn to check for any uneven surfaces, but that quick brush against the file left no discernable changes. She also seemed to be aware I was the one touching her since her head tilted towards my hand.

"My hooves? Um... All right." Holly replied before holding out a hoof. Aloe held it up on her own upturned hoof and began to rub the file in her mouth against it to iron out any uneven edges.

Before I left, I walked up beside Holly and gently patted her back to get her attention. "Sorry for the little scare there. How's everything so far?"

I heard Holly let out a relaxed sigh while Aloe rotated her hoof. "It's...very nice. The sauna was completely new to me and... This weird cream. It tingles in a good way."

"I never really understood what they do, but they do seem to work. Anyway, just head on over to the massage tables when you're ready. I'll be there." I then said before starting to turn to walk away. However, I noticed Holly sticking out her arm as if trying to grasp something she could not see. I suspected she was looking for me, so I reached down and held her hoof in my hand. "I'll be nearby. I'm not going anywhere."

"OK..." Holly muttered quietly before I let go of her hoof so Aloe could start on that one. I passed by Fluttershy while she was talking sternly with Gladesong, who had managed to get into the seaweed stash in the closet nearby. She was all but wrapped in it, making me snicker under my breath as I walked by.

Once Rarity and Holly had all their filings finished, their facial cream was washed off while leaving the cucumber slices over their eyes. How they did not fall off like unsupported monocles is beyond me, but they were then led over to the mud bath tubs. The three mares were wrapped up in seaweed before descending into the soft wet mud. Gladesong just snacked on more seaweed that Lotus provided her while her mothers and Holly just engaged in idle chitchat. I just watched calmly while occasionally dealing with our customers.

Once everyone had rinsed off in the nearby tubs and had their cucumber slices removed, I watched as everyone came to the middle of the chamber and climbed up and into the hot tub. Holly let out a delighted sigh while she submerged herself in it, idly bringing herself to the edge nearest my workstation. Fluttershy and Rarity stayed near her while Gladesong, who is too small to actually sit or stand in the tub, just swam laps around the pool while occasionally stopping to rest like a swan floating on the surface.

With no customers to tend to, I approached the edge and leaned over it to talk to the three beautiful mares. "Is everything to your liking, ladies?"

"Oh, you should know by now that this spa never disappoints, darling. Everything has been exquisite as always. Right, Fluttershy?" Rarity retorted before turning her gaze to Fluttershy.

My beautiful wife nodded calmly and replied, "Mmhm. Everything's been wonderful. It's why we keep coming back every week. What about you, Holly? Has your first time here been nice?"

We all turned towards the spa's newest customer. She looked back and forth at us, looking rather uncertain all the while. After a moment of silent thought, she managed to crack a small smile. "It's...very nice. I've never done anything like this before."

"Oh, we both know you're just saying that. You haven't had the full experience yet! Just wait until James gives you... Oh? Well hello up there!" Rarity began to say before being interrupted by Gladesong climbing up onto her head. "Careful up there, darling. Mama Rarity isn't the best vantage point."

"But I'm so high up now! I can see Papa from here." My daughter replied as her dripping coat started to get Rarity's mane wet. Thankfully, she had long since learned to not be so fussy over her hair getting wet since she can always restyle later.

I just waved at my child to make sure she knew I could see her before turning my gaze to Holly. "I'd be happy to give you a massage. Just let me know when."

Holly just nodded in relaxed silence while starting to scoot closer to me. She had her back to me, but I still reached past her and cupped her jaw on each side. I instinctively began to rub and knead the flesh over the bone. The lovely unicorn let out a delighted sigh while crooning her neck to give me easier access. Fluttershy found this display of affection to be adorable as she said, "He's just giving you a sample."

"And I love it..." Holly mumbled in maybe a bit too much relaxation. My fingers rubbed down her jaw and over her neck. I was just so into feeling her up that I was not even sure that I was massaging her or not. I just wanted to hold her. To feel her in my hands and to make her happy. Finally, she turned her head to look at me and said, "May I...have that massage now?"

"Absolutely. Just come on over." I replied before stepping back towards my workstation. Holly pulled herself out of the tub at the far end and used her magic to wrap herself up in a towel before she went down the steps and over to me. She seemed nervous, probably due to not even really knowing what a massage is. I patted the nearest massage table and said, "Just hop on up and we'll get to work."

"Will this feel just as good as that one you gave me a minute ago?" She asked while pulling herself up onto the massage table. She lied down while facing me, not knowing which direction would be best to face.

"It should. Anyway, you should turn around first." I replied while also reaching for a hair comb. Sometimes, I have to comb the tails of my customers when they get out of the hot tub to straighten them out before they dry.

Holly did not seem to notice the comb and did as she was told. Once she was facing the hot tub, I started stroking the comb through her tail. "OK, so... Huh?"

"Just getting your tail. Need to straighten it before it dries." I replied while running the comb's teeth through her long rosy red fibers. It was a good thing Holly does not seem interested in styling her tail up in any way since I only know how to straighten wet hair. I cannot style it.

My friend patiently waited while I ran my comb through her long tail. It took no more than a few minutes before I was done. Still a bit moist, but it had regained its natural form. "All done. Ready for my magic fingers?"

Holly did not reply. If anything, I suspect she thought I was trying to use a metaphor that left her a bit confused. I removed her towel to allow me to have full access to her body, even though her coat was still a bit moist. I walked up alongside her, trying to figure out how I would begin. "So... Is there anywhere in particular that has been especially tense?"

"Um... I think my hind legs. They get a lot of use while at work." She replied while still not entirely sure of how the whole process works. She was quite ignorant, not that I could fault her.

"Hm... I seldom work on the legs. Could you try extending one as far back as you can?" I asked while stepping towards the back end of the table. Holly did what I requested without a word, sticking her left hind leg out as if she was trying to kick something. I took her leg in hand and started to feel along it to get reacquainted with the bone and joints.

Holly let out a long sigh as I kneaded the tender muscle along her leg as well as the tired worn joints at her knee and ankle. My dear friend let out a long and delighted sigh as I helped ease her weary limb. "You really are good at this..."

"Hence why I've been employed here for the last eight years. I'm good at what I do." I said in an attempt to make a witty retort. I must have succeeded since Holly let out a brief giggle. I lastly massaged the soft spot behind the curve of her hoof. This got another giggle out of her, probably because it is ticklish. I then released my grasp on her leg and went to the other side of the table. "Next leg please."

The process repeated as I took her leg in hand and firmly kneaded the muscles and joints in her long limb. Once she retracted her leg upon having all the kinks ironed out, Holly looked over her shoulder at me. "That was really nice too... Um..."

"Yes?" I asked upon noticing her pausing in hesitation. I was sure she wanted me to massage her more, but did not want to seem too needy or to impose too much upon me.

With a moment of hesitation, Holly finally put words together to ask me for what she wanted. "Could you...please give me the full treatment?"

"Gladly. Just relax and I'll get everything else." I said while watching Holly relax even further. I climbed atop the massage table and straddled her before going to work with my hands kneading the muscles in her neck. She lifted her head to raise her neck's elevation so I could grasp it more easily, but I could not help reaching my hands up to her jaws despite not being a place I could really massage. I heard my friend let out a delighted sigh and even seemed disappointed when I stopped to move the massage down to her back. That sigh of disappointment was soon replaced by long deep breaths of relaxation as I dug my hands and elbows into her vertebrae to relieve tension. I was apprehensive about massaging her flanks since I had no idea what it would be like for a grown mare without a cutie mark, but she voiced no noticeable feedback when I started.

"How's everything so far?" I asked once I finished up the massage and got down from the massage table. But once I did, I noticed Holly turn over and lie on her back. "Uh... What're you doing?"

She looked at me without showing any signs of confusion. "Aren't you going to massage the rest of me?"

"Um... I guess I could... I mean I normally don't massage the undersides of my customers, but... I guess I could if you really want it." I replied while feeling very uncertain of how to go about this unorthodox request.

"Please?" Holly asked while remaining on her back. She just looked so sincere as if she did not see anything odd about what she was asking of me.

"Well... OK." I then climbed atop the massage table and straddled her once more. I was left uncertain of where to start, but decided to start on her pectoral muscles first. "All right, I think I see where to start."

Holly just smiled at me while expecting me to do a good job. However, as I reached for her chest, a bizarre feeling came over me as I began to feel very awkward about touching her there. With how she tends to walk on just her hind legs more often than not and carries herself more like a human woman, I felt rather uncomfortable about reaching for Holly's chest. It gave me the impression that I was about to start groping a human woman's breasts. The way her ribcage pushes her chest out further than her lower torso was not helping either. Still, I forced myself to go ahead and began to knead the muscles right on her chest.

"Mmmm... Right there..." Holly mumbled as she closed her eyes. It still felt awkward to touch her there, but I soldiered on and made sure to give her exposed underside all the attention it needed. It was all in my head. I had to refrain from using my elbows, lest I risk breaking a rib.

I eventually slid my hands down further and was debating on whether or not to massage her belly muscles since she may have been ticklish. "Should I get your abs too?"

There was no response. I looked up at Holly's face. "Holly? Would you like..."

She was fast asleep. I guess the massage was proving to be so relaxing that she passed out for a nap. I snickered loudly while climbing down from the table. "Haven't had a customer fall asleep on me since that time I gave Scootaloo a massage..."

When I looked back to the hot tub, I noticed that Fluttershy and Rarity had been observing me from the edge while Gladesong had gone for another paddle around the pool. I noticed that look of intrigue they were showing and asked, "What's up? It wasn't my idea to massage her chest like that."

Fluttershy quickly replied, "Oh no, no, it's not like that at all. It's just... It never occurred to me that our undersides could be massaged too like that. I wonder what gave Holly the idea to try that?"

Rarity then added, "Still, I think I would like to give that a try. May I, darling?"

"You? Well, sure. Just come on down when you're ready." I replied, only to see Rarity immediately make her way to the edge of the pool to climb out. But not before bumping noses with her goddaughter while passing her. I watched as Rarity wrapped her tail in a few curlers to help it get its natural curls back, but winced in surprise as she looked at me over her shoulder and gave her hips a flirtatious wiggle while Gladesong was not looking. I really am the only man she will ever love and she was just reminding me of that fact. If it was not for a number of factors, she and I would be much more open with our love for each other. But I digress.

Rarity soon bounded up onto the massage table besides the one Holly was napping on while allowing our friend to rest. She turned to face the hot tub before lying down and allowing me to get to work. My fingers dug into her silky smooth and slightly moist coat before I eventually straddled her on the table to more effectively massage her shoulders and neck. She cooed and sighed in delight at my touch while resting the side of her face upon her crossed arms. Once I was done with that, I turned myself around to focus on massaging her flanks and lower vertebrae.

My hands grasped and dug into the firm yet soft flesh of Rarity's full motherly hips. Even though she has never had a foal of her own, that spell she used in the past to help induce lactation for the sake of little Gladesong due to her aversion for baby formula really caused her body to become more like that of a mother mare with its unexpected side effects. One must always be sure to read the fine print, although Rarity hardly minded that unexpected development. If anything, she feels more beautiful than ever before and I heavily agree with her.

I carefully weaved my fingers around the baby blue diamonds on Rarity's flanks to avoid triggering a pleasure point. At least for the time being. Only once I was finished massaging everything else at the back end of her body did I tenderly trace my fingers over those beautiful diamonds. I felt Rarity sharply inhale under me in quiet delight. I looked over my shoulder to see her look back at me. She smiled lovingly at me with those beautiful azure eyes displaying her approval of my tender touch. She whispered quietly while Gladesong was preoccupied with her swimming, "Go ahead, my love. Just for a little while."

I could only smile back at my beautiful life mate before turning my attention to my work. I dug my fingertips firmly into her cutie marks to massage the flesh and muscle underneath. In response, Rarity sighed and quietly moaned as I caressed and touched her sensitive cutie marks. This went one for maybe half a minute until Rarity lifted her tail. This was a sign to stop before I could arouse her too much. If anyone could see that I was giving a customer a very erotic massage, I could get in a lot of trouble. It is something I only do to the mares I love most in my life.

With her massage complete, I stood up to allow Rarity to climb down from the massage table. I had completely forgotten what she wanted and was surprised to see her flip herself over for a massage on her underside. "Huh? Why are... Oh, right."

"Forgotten already?" Rarity asked while sticking her tongue out at me in a playful gesture. Not wanting her keep her waiting, I quickly climbed back atop the massage table and straddled her. As I placed my hands upon her chest, Rarity whispered to me with such a loving gaze. "Be gentle, please."

I tenderly felt through her silky smooth coat for her underlying pectoral muscles and began to knead them softly before being a bit firmer in my caress. Rarity closed her eyes while letting out a very delighted sigh, letting me know I was doing it right. This continued on for a few minutes before I began to scoot back to move down her body. She winced and giggled when I rubbed over her ribs. I suppose I was being too light and my touch ended up becoming ticklish.

I finally began to massage her soft belly. I found a noticeable difference in Rarity's muscle mass compared to Holly's. Rarity's, and probably most other ponies, have a greater concentration of muscle around their body while ponies of Holly's body structure seem to have less when it is just the same amount being a bit more spread out to cover their lankier frames. Although I still had to stop prematurely since Rarity could not stop laughing with how ticklish she was.

"OK, I think that's enough. Hard to do this when you're laughing this much." I finally said after massaging her for as long as I could. She just could not stay still.

With a little whine of disappointment, Rarity rolled off the table and onto her hooves. "Awww... And it was so pleasant too. So sorry if I was ticklish, darling."

"It's OK. Better luck next time. Fluttershy, you ready for yours?" I replied while Rarity went back up to the side of the hot tub to keep an eye on Gladesong.

"Oh, yes. I'll be right there. Gladesong, you stay with Rarity." My wife replied while making her way to the side of the hot tub to climb out.

"OK, Mama!" Gladesong replied as she swam after her before climbing out together. Rarity went to work with a comb to get Gladesong's mane and tail straightened out while they were still wet.

I stood beside the empty massage table while Fluttershy bounded up onto it. I then straddled her and went to work like before, only getting back down when I had to use my elbows. Once I massaged her flanks, I also traced my fingers over her adorable butterfly cutie marks. Fluttershy let out a long delighted shy as her husband caressed her sensitive spots. Like Rarity, she raised her tail a bit to signal when she had enough. I went back to massaging her flanks again for a bit, admiring the lovely motherly hips she had gained after giving birth to Gladesong. "You really do have the lovely hips, honey."

I heard my wife giggle behind, cherishing my praise. "Well... You gave me this body, you know."

I got down again to allow Fluttershy to roll over. I then got back up onto the table and began to feel along her chest for her pectoral muscles. But as I began, I noticed Fluttershy giving me a very amorous stare. "Um... Something up, dear?"

"Oh... Not really... It's just... Feeling your hands there is bringing up some old memories... You remember that day a while ago when Pinkie Pie helped Twilight come up with that potion that turns ponies into humans?" Fluttershy asked quietly while trying to not draw attention.

I stopped massaging her right as she said that, my thoughts going back to that night when I came home to find that Fluttershy had taken an extra dose of that potion with her after volunteering to help Twilight develop a reversal for its effects. I could still remember those heavy milk-filled breasts as she was pregnant with Gladesong at the time. And I could almost see them on her chest, firmly in my grasp. "Oh man... I do remember that day..."

Fluttershy smirked lovingly as she put her hooves on my hands, helping me rub her chest. "Did my chest look nice? You really liked rubbing and holding them."

"Yeah, they were... You looked so hot that night. I never imagined how you would look as a human, but you were gorgeous..." I whispered back to her as I massaged her chest, imagining those soft heavy breasts being firmly grasped in my hands.

"Mmmm... I didn't think this would feel so good... Oh, and... James?" Fluttershy moaned quietly before she lifted her lips to my ear. "I'm in heat."

I felt my body temperature spike upon hearing those words. Fluttershy and I have been trying for some time to have more kids and now was another chance to make another foal. While luck has not been on our side, probably due to that frustrating compatibility factor, we never miss the chance to try and make another baby whenever she is in heat. Fluttershy really enjoyed her first pregnancy and would love to have more of my children and I would be honored to sire more with her. "Honey... You mean..."

Having massaged her chest for a few minutes, Fluttershy pushed my hands down her body and forced me to back up. She did not stop until my hands rested upon her belly as she gazed up at me with such a loving gaze while a noticeable blush adorned her cheeks. "Let's make Gladesong a sister tonight..."

Just the thought of it was getting me excited. I adored Fluttershy's pregnant form and now that she and I have become more experienced with children, we were definitely ready for another baby. As I massaged over her precious womb, I smiled back at her while I whispered sweet words to my wife. "Make me a daddy again, honey..."

Fluttershy then whispered back to me with just as much love in her voice, her hooves resting upon my hands. "Make me a mommy again, dear..."

We tried so hard to not let ourselves get carried away as I tried to stay focused on the massage. Fluttershy handled herself much better than Rarity, either just not being that ticklish or just managing to resist the urge to giggle at my touch. For a final treat, I brought my hands even lower and massaged Fluttershy's soft puffy teats. They still remained visibly plump, a sign of her past pregnancy and the effects it had on her body. They would only swell more once her next pregnancy took hold.

I finally got down from the table to allow Fluttershy to get up. She rolled over without getting down from the table and performed a few stretches. "Mmm... My goodness, that did feel good."

I could only look on in surprise as she stretched in such a way that raised her rump into the air. And she unsubtly faced her rump towards me to give me a perfect unobstructed view of her marehood. Her vulva visibly winked at me, a sign of her estrus cycle being in full force. She wanted me and she was making sure I knew it. Once she had finished stretching, I watched my wife bound down from the table before looking up at me. "I think that's it for our visit... You want to get some lunch?"

My thoughts of our impending lovemaking being brushed aside to stay focused on the matter at hand, I looked over at the nearest clock to check the time. A little past noon. Good time for a lunch break. A number of the other customers had already departed, leaving me with almost no one else to massage. Hopefully those who wanted one could wait until I returned. "Sounds good, dear. Rarity? Gladesong? You ready for some lunch?"

"Absolutely, darling! Gladesong, come along. It's time to eat." Rarity replied before nuzzling her goddaughter and going down the steps beside the hot tub with Gladesong in tow. Excited at the thought of lunch, Gladesong hopped down the steps much like how Pinkie Pie would. I know she got that springy hop from her fun-loving aunt. But when they drew near, Rarity's eyes glanced at one of the massage tables. "Should we wake her up?"

Nightshade Holly was still fast asleep right where I had left her. She was snoring quietly, looking very much at peace. I knew she should not stay there, but I felt hesitant to wake her. "Um... Not sure if we should."

"I'll do it!" Gladesong replied before hopping up onto the massage table and carefully stepping around Holly until she was standing beside her head. She then extended her little wing and startled tickling her feathers over our friend's nose with the feathers. "Miss Holly, it's time for lunch!"

"Mmph..." Holly grumbled before lightly smacking herself on the nose with her own hoof. Good thing no one had put whipped cream on her hoof beforehand. Our friend sprung awake upon smacking herself and spoke out, "Huh?! Who's there?! Who... Huh?"

"Wakey wakey!" Gladesong said while beaming at our friend. She then hopped down from the table as Holly looked at us in confusion before realizing what had happened before she fell asleep.

With some embarrassment, she asked, "Um... Was I asleep?"

I just crossed my arms and said with a smirk, "You were only the second customer I ever had who did that. Am I that good?"

"I guess..." Holly muttered while averting her eyes, still a bit groggy. I was tempted to just let her go back to sleep, but I knew that was not the place to do it.

Rarity then asked, "We were just about to head out for lunch. Would you like to join us?"

Holly seemed hesitant to respond, but she soon rose to her hooves while looking rather hungry. "Sure... I ate light for breakfast."

We all headed into the lobby so Rarity and Fluttershy could provide payment for the spa services while I also informed my employers that I was taking my lunch break as I grabbed my coat. Estoc did not seem to be in the lobby anymore, but I found him waiting just outside the door. Probably because he caught wind that we were about to head out. Fluttershy and Rarity led on while talking to Gladesong, who was mimicking Pinkie Pie's signature hop. Holly and I followed close behind.

I noticed right away that Holly seemed more reserved than she had been during the last time we were together. The fact that she was staying on all fours instead of standing tall with a bipedal stance beside me led me to suspect she was not entirely relaxed, even after such an enjoyable time at the spa. She leaned hard into me as if expecting me to protect her. I responded by placing my hand on the side of her head while subtly stroking my fingers up and down the side. This seemed to help, but not by much. Holly remained very silent, as if she was afraid.

This was not like her. After my last two visits in Canterlot, I was concerned about how silent and rigid she seemed. At least until I glanced around and noticed a sight behind me. A good fifty paces back or so, I saw Estoc tailing us. I immediately assumed that his presence made Holly uneasy. I then whispered to her, "Does he scare you?"

Without even looking up at me, Holly just quietly muttered, "He's always watching me... I feel like he might..."

I quickly hatched a plan on how to deal with this. "Hey... You go on ahead a bit. Stay close to them. They'll take good care of you. I'll catch up in a little while. I promise."

Holly looked up at me immediately with a gaze of uneasiness. She did not want to leave my side, but she soon reluctantly nodded. "Please don't stay back for too long..."

I stopped walking to let Holly go on ahead. She instinctively stopped for a few seconds, but then trotted along to get between Rarity and Gladesong. I then turned around to look at Estoc as he approached me. He seemed to pay me no mind at first. At least up until I took a step to the side to get in his way. "A word with you, sir?"

Estoc seemed surprised that I had suddenly interfered with him. "Not now, James. I have orders to follow."

He tried to get around me, but I stepped before him to block his progress. "Your orders are exactly what I want to discuss."

"James, I..." Estoc grumbled as he tried to get around me again, but froze when I grasped his horn to make him understand I was not going to wait for another time. He glanced past me as I also looked over my shoulder, the two of us watching as Holly and her escorts disappeared around the corner of a house at the edge of the town square. Having lost sight of Holly, Estoc looked up at me with a look of mild irritation. "All right... I suppose I can spare a minute."

I released my grasp upon his horn now that I had his attention. "Your orders... If I had to guess, you're to watch over her at all times and make sure she obeys curfew to insure she gets back home to Canterlot in time?"

"More or less. The captain charged me with escorting her down here for the day she requested she be allowed to leave Canterlot. She's been on good enough behavior for a while to warrant a visit down here, but the weight of her criminal history requires that she be monitored at all times." Estoc explained while seeming like he really wanted to catch up to her.

"Thought so... Well, you can take a break. I'll keep an eye on her for you." I replied, hoping that my own contributions to Equestria's security would be enough to sway him.

No such luck, unfortunately. Estoc remained steadfast in his mission. "I'm afraid that's not an option for me. If I go against my orders involving a high-risk inmate, I could wind up reprimanded for it."

I tried my best to get him to consider taking a break since I knew Holly is nowhere near as dangerous as her criminal history makes her out to be. "Unless he's looking over your shoulder, I don't see how he would know if you allowed someone else to fill in for you. I know you're just doing your job, but you're making her very uncomfortable and that is undermining the entire purpose of her visit. She's here to relax and have a good time with friends she trusts. Please, for the sake of her emotional well-being, cut her some slack. I promise you have nothing to fear from her."

Estoc sighed as he seemed to mull over my words for a moment. "James... I know you've been a big source of motivation for her and have helped her stay on the straight and narrow, but..."

Seeing he would not be swayed so easily, I decided to try playing my strongest hand. "OK... Let's try this. I don't like playing this card, but as a hero of Equestria, I sincerely request that you allow me to watch over Nightshade Holly in your place for the day. I assure you nothing will go wrong."

His eyes opened a bit wider, probably knowing me as a guy that doesn't like to flaunt stuff like that. Still, he tried to maintain his position on the situation while showing respect all the same. "Look... I'm well aware of your deeds for the good of Equestria alongside those of Kendra and the fallen Godslayer, but... I'm afraid you still have no real authority in this matter..."

I did not relent. "Please... I know her better than anyone else. And I'm the last person in the world she would ever dare disappoint. She's far more afraid of doing something to displease me than she is afraid of rousing the ire of the royal guard. If she's with me, she will be on her best behavior. No questions asked. Let me watch over her and this visit will go by much more smoothly. She won't run. She won't lash out. Can I ask you to trust me on this?"

Estoc spent a good twenty seconds thinking things over. His eyes wandered, his expression seeming conflicted. Finally, he let out a sigh of exasperation before he gazed up at me. "Ugh... If this was coming from anyone else, I wouldn't even entertain the thought. But considering the influence you've had on her over the last two years... All right. You are to remain in her presence at all times until her departure."

Relieved that I got him to really listen, I cracked a smile. "Thank you. I promise you won't regret this. Anything I need to know?"

He nodded and said, "Yes. Aside from what I just told you, there's no real restrictions on where Nightshade Holly goes so long as she remains in Ponyville. Just make sure she is at the train station no later than 8:20 PM. The latest train she can catch home leaves around then. And... I'm trusting you on her not becoming a problem, but you are to subdue her using any means necessary if she becomes belligerent. That about covers it."

"Will do. So... Whatcha gonna do until departure time? I'm pretty sure she'll want to stay as long as possible." I replied while wondering exactly what an off-duty royal guardsman would do in Ponyville.

Estoc just looked around for a moment, apparently not sure of what to do with his new free time. "Well... Any recommendations?"

I guess he does not visit Ponyville often. "Well, we've got Sugarcube Corner if you want some gourmet pastries, there's a bowling alley at the north side of town, there's the Golden Oaks Library where the captain's sister can help you out, there's an arcade not far from here, and I guess you could head back to the spa if you want some relaxation."

"Bowling, huh? Sounds fun. Anyway, I better not keep you. Remember, Nightshade Holly is to be in your company at all times until she departs for Canterlot." Estoc replied before giving me a sterner gaze than before.

Having a good idea of where they were going, I bid Estoc farewell and turned around before jogging ahead to catch up with everyone. My assumption was that they were heading to the local café for a bite. My guess proved correct as I saw Holly stepping inside once the place came into view. With winter being on the verge of arriving, nopony was eating outside. I then hurried along to get out of the cold myself.

I looked around once I had stepped into the café. They always have a busy lunch rush on Saturdays. I saw Fluttershy, Rarity, Holly, and Gladesong sitting at a table in the far corner, so I made a beeline to them to join them. "Hey there, ladies. Hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"Hi, Papa!" Gladesong said in greeting while I patted her on the head. She had been provided a coloring page and crayons to keep herself entertained. I took a seat between Holly and Fluttershy as it was the only chair still open.

"Whatever kept you, darling? We didn't even notice you weren't with us until we arrived." Rarity then asked as she sipped from her glass of water.

I looked over my menu briefly before saying, "Just had to talk to Estoc for a minute. He was tailing us and it was making Holly uncomfortable."

Holly seemed embarrassed that it had been brought up. She then asked, "So... What happened?"

I looked at her with a small smile on my face. "He's taking the rest of the day off. On the condition that I remain in your company at all times."

That got a very bashful smile out of her. "That...sounds much better."

"Is it really that bad that one of the royal guard has to be keeping an eye on you?" Fluttershy then asked, still largely ignorant to Holly's criminal past. I know she knows what she did, but understandably has a hard time believing it. I too would likely not be convinced of her actions myself had I not seen her as she was before.

Holly did not respond, looking visibly disheartened by the topic. I tried to defuse the conversation by saying, "Say, can we change the subject? We've been trying to move on from that for a while now and it doesn't really need to be revisited."

"Perfectly understandable. I'm certain we all have skeletons in our closets we would like to forget about." Rarity replied before looking over the little kids menu set in front of Gladesong. Our little filly was too distracted coloring in the lines on her coloring paper to really notice the menu before her. "What sounds good, dear? Maybe a pizza?"

Gladesong glanced up immediately and looked over the menu. It was much smaller than ours, but it was varied enough to satisfy a child. "Yes! With mushrooms! And a salad!"

Holly could not help but smile at our daughter. "She's not very picky... That's good."

Fluttershy whispered to her, "I've been trying to get her to eat a balanced diet. She's been very good with vegetables."

"It helps that she's an herbivore to begin with." I added while smirking. I have never seen a single colt or filly be a picky eater when it comes to fruits or vegetables. Always a good thing too.

Holly just looked endearingly at our daughter as she went back to coloring in the picture before her with a crayon in her mouth. "She's grown so much over the last two years."

"Yep... She'll be starting school next year. Hard to believe, in all honesty..." I replied while looking at my daughter. It really is amazing to see your own child go from being in diapers to an independent little kid who is about to start school. Cheerilee will love having her in class.

My train of thought was interrupted as I felt Holly lean into me. I instinctively put an arm around my friend and looked at her, seeing that her eyes were closed. Fluttershy and Rarity were distracted with each other and Gladesong to pay us any mind for the moment. I whispered to her, "You OK?"

"Much better now that he isn't following me..." She whispered back before letting out a long sigh. "I missed you so much... I couldn't wait until Sunday..."

Her words touched me in a way I did not expect. My heart swelled upon hearing how desperately she wanted to come see me. I decided to be honest as well and whispered to her, "I couldn't stop thinking about you all morning either."

Holly looked up at me in surprise, just looking into my eyes as she processed my words. She sighed as her moment of shock passed while I slid my hand down to her waist and gently pulled her closer until she was at the edge of her seat. I felt her arms wrap around me as she pulled me into an embrace and just closed her eyes. I glanced over at Fluttershy and Rarity, who just gave us understanding and quiet smiles.

This did not go on for much longer since the waiter came over to take our orders. Holly reluctantly released her grasp on me so she could give hers, but went right back to cuddling with me when the waiter departed. However, Rarity then directed her attention towards our friend, "So, Holly... What are you up to these days? Are you staying busy up there?"

Holly almost did not even notice that Rarity was speaking to her and rose to a proper sitting position while her head lifted away from me. "Me? Um... I'm a performer at a jazz club."

"Really? Do you sing? Or dance?" Fluttershy then asked with a look of surprise in her eyes. Little Gladesong had gone back to coloring on the picture the café staff had provided for her and was paying us no mind.

Holly, looking somewhat embarrassed, squeaked out a response. "A little of both... I think I do a better job at dancing than singing."

I then added, "She's not kidding. She's got some good moves, but her voice is awesome to listen to as well. You should've seen her when I stopped by to dine in."

My friend cringed and buried her face in my chest to hide her embarrassment. She just was not used to the praise, especially since it involved a profession she did not enjoy. Rarity seemed especially impressed and spoke up, "Oh, I can imagine! I could always sense an air of grace around you, darling. I bet you really know how to pull the audience."

"You have no idea..." I heard Holly mutter. Probably because while she does a great job at what she does, it tends to attract the wrong kind of attention from the audience. Hopefully she will find a better place to work at before long.

Fluttershy then changed the subject. "Well... How are you holding up in Canterlot? Are things OK up there?"

Holly hesitated for a moment as she seemed to regain her composure. "Well... Things have gotten a bit better over the last two weeks... I think my weekends are the best time of the week."

"Why's that?" Fluttershy asked in curiosity as even Gladesong looked at Holly to listen in.

"Because..." Holly muttered before I noticed her look at me out of the corner of her eye. A small smile crept across her face along with a noticeable blush. "Because James is usually there."

"Awwww... Does Papa give you lots of hugs when he visits?" Gladesong asked innocently while just looking so cute all the while. Her mothers could also not helping looking at us with endearing smiles.

Holly, trying to not hide her smile, leaned against me while I put an arm around her. "Yes... He does. And they're the best hugs in the world."

"But how did you and Papa meet?" Gladesong then asked while leaning on the table. It was an innocent enough question, even if the answer was difficult to explain to a filly so young.

However, I noticed Holly tense up as her eyes wandered. Her gaze became more unsettled, her breathing becoming much deeper. I recognized that panicked look in her eyes. Gladesong's innocent question had stirred up old memories that were better left buried. She seemed to notice something was wrong and asked, "Miss Holly? Are you OK?"

"Uh... Yeah... Excuse me for a bit... Bathroom..." Holly replied while struggling to keep a straight face. As she left her seat, I noticed her look at me with a pleading gaze as if beckoning me to stay with her. Regardless, it was my duty to accompany her everywhere for the day as detailed by Estoc, so I stood up and followed her anyway.

Holly did an admirable job of keeping her body language in check as we headed to the restrooms at the back, even if her face told a very different story. She hurried into the unoccupied restroom while I waited outside. I thought she just needed to splash some water on her face. Instead, I heard my friend wretch and heave somewhere beyond the door. Had it come from anyone else, it might have sounded almost funny, but I knew otherwise. I waited patiently and worriedly until Holly finally staggered out of the room with a fatigued expression as she panted heavily. Water dripped from her gaping mouth, probably from rinsing any lingering vomit from her tongue. "...You OK?"

As I dropped to a knee to bring us closer together, Holly just fell into my arms. I could tell she wanted to sob, but she was too tender and weak to bring herself to cry. She remained silent, waiting for me to speak to her. Like so many times before, I held her in my arms and whispered into her ear. "It's OK... You're not Tempest Shadow anymore... What happened back then doesn't define you now..."

Holly let out a long relaxing sigh as she tried to take in my words. She put her arms around me and held on as if she was afraid to let go. Words failed her, even as I expected her to say something. Regardless, we would have to explain things to Gladesong once we returned to the table. I quickly thought up a plan. "Hey... Let me tell Gladesong how we met. I think I can whip up a tale for it."

My friend looked up at me in concern and even a bit of confusion. "A tale...?"

"Yeah. Not entirely true, yet not entirely false. Just leave it to me. You might even like it." I said to her with a bit of a smirk. I was already thinking up the plot.

Now more curious than disturbed, Holly seemed to relax enough to at least stand on her own. "All right... Just please be careful what you tell her..."

"Will do. Let's head back over. We don't want to miss our orders." I began to step away from the restrooms while Holly stayed close to me with an unsteady and tired shamble in her step. All three of our companions looked at Holly with concern. They could see how disheveled she was. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Is Holly OK?" Gladesong asked, not really understanding how her question had upset our friend. Fluttershy and Rarity had a good idea of what happened, but not her.

I decided to speak for Holly. "Just bad memories. We didn't exactly meet under happy circumstances. It all started with a really bad mare called Tempest Shadow somewhere out around Vanhoover."

Holly tensed up instantly as she heard that name, but did not try to stop me. I continued while carefully thinking up my words. "Poor Holly here had been kidnapped by that monster and the royal guard had launched a rescue operation. Kendra, your Uncle Black, and myself were asked to help out too."

Upon hearing my words, Holly started to look more confused than disturbed. "Wait, I was...?"

"Yeah, did you forget? She had you shackled inside her own airship when we found you." I lied, trying to separate the truth from my tale as much as I could.

Holly just looked at me like she could not comprehend what I was getting at. Eventually, she understood what I was doing and rolled with it. "Ooooh, now I remember! Yeah, I guess I was... I wasn't conscious through most of it..."

Gladesong looked like she was starting to get excited. "You were kidnapped and Papa, Auntie Kendra, and Uncle Black came to rescue you? That's amazing!"

"Yeah, Tempest Shadow was surprising tough. It took the three of us to take her down. Tempest fell overboard and into a canyon and we never saw her again. Holly's been living in Canterlot ever since." I then explained while trying to keep the tale from getting too long.

No sooner had I finished did our orders come. The waiter set out our food around the table, Holly looking famished as she beheld her sandwich. All conversations were put on hold as we started eating, but soon resumed as Fluttershy, Rarity, and Gladesong chatted together. I just watched Holly eat as she used her magic to bring her sandwich to her lips. She seemed to be in better spirits after that little tale helped separate her previous identity from her current one. She ate rather quickly, probably due to her stomach having become more empty after that trip to the restroom. She even gave herself the hiccups.

I enjoyed my half sandwich and side of pasta salad at a more leisurely pace while pausing to listen into the conversation at the other side of the table. They seemed to be talking about the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Gladesong's activities with them. Ever since they got their cutie marks, those three turned the team into something of a cutie mark counseling service on the side to help other younger kids who may be having trouble figuring out their talents. They have their own unique talents as their cutie marks show, but it is nice that they have taken steps to keep the Cutie Mark Crusaders relevant in their lives. I am sure they are not the only fillies struggling to figure out their specialties.

While I paused in eating, I felt something lift my hand under the table. I glanced to my left and noticed Holly looking at me. Her hoof was lifting my hand as she tried to quietly get my attention. I knew what she wanted and closed my hand over her hoof. She once again leaned against me without a word and silently nuzzled against my chest. I tilted my head down to rest my chin atop her head. She just wanted some reassurance and I was more than happy to provide.

I noticed that Fluttershy and Rarity were watching us in respectful silence. They knew of Holly's struggles during her incarceration and were very supportive of her during the times she was permitted to visit along with the rest of our closest circle of friends. Rarity then whispered while Gladesong was preoccupied with her pizza, "I must say... The way you've been so tender with her today is quite a change of pace from how you've always been towards her, darling. What happened? You were always so...distant and cool while still being supportive."

Holly leaned even more firmly against me upon hearing Rarity's words. Indeed, I have always kept a very cool disposition when in Holly's presence for the last two years. Simply as a defense mechanism since I was uncertain of how easily she would move on from the criminal she had been before. With a long sigh, I tried to be as honest yet brief as possible with my answer. "I guess...I just stopped keeping my distance... And I'm glad I did."

"You both look a lot happier around each other now too." Fluttershy added while smiling so warmly at us. She has easily been the most caring towards Holly out of everyone in Ponyville, showering Holly with kindness and warmth and really making her feel welcome during her past visits. Only Pinkie Pie has really rivaled her.

Before long, we all finished up our meals and set a pile of bits on the table. Rarity insisted on handling Holly's part of the bill, much to our friend's reluctance. We all made our way to the lobby while I fetched my jacket. Gladesong was starting to look pretty tired and was probably in need of an afternoon nap. Holly stayed by my side at all times, looking quite satisfied after such a refreshing meal. Fluttershy then asked, "Thank you for coming with us, James. Do you need to head back to work soon?"

"Yeah, I should. You ladies have... Wait..." I was about head on out, but only then remembered what the conditions were for Holly to not be supervised by Estoc. "Right, almost forgot. Holly needs to stay with me at all times while she's here if we don't want Estoc breathing down her neck. Should I go request that my bosses let me off work early?"

"I don't want you to miss work because of me... Could I just stay with you during the rest of your shift?" Holly asked in return while looking quite concerned. She really did not want to be a burden.

"Well... What about you ladies? Would you mind Holly sticking with me for the next four hours?" I then asked our companions, hoping they would not mind having to take a short hiatus from their day together.

Both my wife and my beloved life mate seemed quite understanding of the conditions regarding Holly's visit. Fluttershy then said, "That sounds fine. We can meet up at the Carousel Boutique when you finish your shift. Gladesong, would you like to go to Rarity's house for a little while?"

"Yes! I wanna play with Opal! And maybe try on new dresses?" She replied while trying to stave off her fatigue. If one looked closely, you could see that she was looking vaguely drowsy.

"Well, we won't keep you. You have a lovely rest of your shift, darling. And we'll see you both again soon. Let's be off now!" Rarity then spoke as I reached out and hugged the two lovely mares. They responded to my embrace by placing a kiss on both cheeks. I saw them off before looking down at Holly, who seemed to be smiling at the adorable farewell between me and my family.

"So... You ready?" I asked as I reached for the door.

Holly nodded as she approached it. "Mmhm. Let's go together."

Once I had stepped outside as well, I was surprised to see that Holly had assumed a bipedal stance. Definitely a sure sign she was feeling better already. I instinctively reached out and grasped her hoof in my hand before we began to walk along. She leaned against me as we walked, finally looking completely relaxed for the first time since her arrival. Estoc was nowhere to be seen as we walked under the gloomy autumn cloud cover. It felt like it was just us like before. "Feeling better, Holly?"

"Very..." I heard her mutter while noticing a gaseous aura starting to surround her horn. I knew what was coming. A bubble of sorts began to grow from the tip of her horn, taking on the shape of a heart before it detached and floated up. While I would not have been concerned in Canterlot, seeing this happen in my hometown of Ponyville filled me with a new type of anxiety. I snatched it out of the air and stashed it in my jacket while Holly was none the wiser.

This went on for a while as we walked back to the spa. Completely unbeknownst to her, Holly's magic was leaking out on its own and generating more of those bubbles. I got some funny looks from bystanders who probably know me as I stashed every one she produced into my jacket. I think she produced twenty by the time we got back. I thought the bubbles had all popped inside my jacket since they are quite fragile. What with them being bubbles and all.

As soon as I got back into the spa, Holly returned to a quadruped stance while I approached some coat hooks. I turned to Aloe as she sat at the front desk while unzipping my jacket. "Hey, Aloe? Holly's going to be sticking with me until the end of my shift. A request from the royal guard. Is that all... Uh..."

I felt something give as I unzipped my jacket and opened it for removal. A large mass of magic heart bubbles fell right out and gathered at my feet. Not one of them had popped. I stood frozen in place while looking down at the glowing teal bubbles before looking at Aloe and Holly as they looked on in bewilderment. Feeling like I had been caught with something I should not have, I then muttered, "I swear I am not smuggling anything in here for a client..."

Finally, Holly just burst into laughter as the bubbles began to pop in succession until none were left. "Were you stashing those in your jacket the whole time?!"

"Uh... Yeah. They made for some comfy padding." I retorted while hanging my jacket up. The awkwardness of the situation quickly faded as I headed over to Aloe. "Anyway... Barring that weirdness... May Holly just hang with me until the end of my shift? I kinda promised to not let her out of my sight while she's in town."

"That's fine, though her session has ended, so she can't use any of the spa's services aside from whatever you can provide with your hands." Aloe replied as another customer stepped in behind us. Knowing I might have a customer to massage soon, I hurried back in and returned to my workstation with Holly right behind me.

I took a seat on the cabinet behind the massage tables while my eyes scanned ahead of me. A number of clients were using various parts of the spa as music played from the local sound system. Holly sat beside me and soon began to lean against me. I reflexively put my arm around her. "Finally got some time alone, huh?"

"Finally... I'm not used to having others around us this much." She whispered in relaxation, finally feeling completely calm for the first time that day. She snuggled up to me with her eyes closed, resting her head against my chest. I too was not used to having so many distractions whenever Holly and I are together now that we had really become closer after two years.

Trying to break the silence, I spoke up while my hand slid up and down her torso. "So... How're things treating you up there since last week?"

"Things are OK... More or less." She replied quietly, not sounding very happy about whatever thoughts just came to mind.

"Well... Come to think of it, what do you tend to do with your time when you're off work up there?" I then asked, having never really thought of such a topic.

"You'll think it's silly..." She mumbled almost in embarrassment while trying to hide her face against my chest.

"I won't. Really. I promise." I said while rubbing my hand up and down her back. "I swear."

With a long sigh, Holly began to speak softly while I felt her arms slowly reaching around me. "I stay at home... I go shopping when needed and when I can afford it... I listen to the music albums I have and..."

She paused for a moment as I felt her arms firmly wrap around me. "I...think about you... I wonder when you'll knock on my door... What we'll do together while you're there... When I'll feel your touch and hear your voice again..."

I felt my heart grow heavy as her words reached my ears. Such touching words speaking of untold loneliness and longing. I nuzzled my nose and lips against her ear before I whispered, "There is nothing silly about that. I've been longing for you too."

Her embrace tightened while I heard a muffled haggard breath coming from her shuddering body. Holly soon became still, just holding me in her arms while keeping her face pressed against my chest. I knew this could not go on for much longer and could see that one of our customers, a Canterlot stallion who had not yet returned home, was climbing out of the hot tub to dry off. I have seen him in the spa often enough to know his routine. The hot tub is always his last stop before he comes over for a massage. "Holly... I've got a customer approaching. I'm gonna need my hands for a massage in a minute."

My friend let out a disappointed mumble before she lifted her head to look at me with those beautiful opal eyes. "May I stay right here?"

"Of course. I have some magazines in the cabinet under us if you need something to pass the time." I replied while the stallion combed his tail with a brush in his teeth.

"Actually..." Holly mumbled as she released her grasp on me. "May I play on that little...thing you have? The thing that doubles as a camera? If you have it with you, that is... It's OK if you don't want me to."

"My DSi? I think I have it..." I said before reaching into my pocket. After my last visit, I started to try and keep it on me at all times so I always had a camera on hand. Sure enough, I had remembered to bring it with me. "Yep. Here you go."

Holly's eyes lit up as I flipped it open and turned it on. My copy of Super Mario 64 DS was still in it, which she clearly wanted to play. Holly took it into her magical grasp and started up the game while my customer came over to the massage tables for his turn. He only cast a brief glance at Holly while she sat on the cabinet nearby before climbing upon the nearest table so I could get to work.

My client and I did not engage in much chitchat while Holly silently played away on my DSi. I kept hearing Mario's yelps and grunts as she controlled the red-capped plumber. She seemed focused on the action on the screens and was always smiling. But I started to become concerned when I heard the cackling of Boos being serenaded by the chirping of birds breaking an otherwise still silence.

No sooner had I finished massaging my client and wished him well as he headed for the lobby, I heard the world start-up jingle before howling wind and a spooky drone began to emanate from the DSi's speakers. I quickly went over to Holly and sat beside her so I could monitor what was happening on the screens. "Spooky, huh?"

"Uh huh... I wasn't expecting it to get this way..." Holly muttered before I watched her make Mario enter the giant spooky mansion before her. Once inside, she made him enter the first door on his left.

I immediately knew what was coming and grabbed the DSi by the lower half's backside. "Lemme hold this for a minute."

"Huh? Well... All right." Holly replied in minor confusion while her magic aura faded from the device even while she still used her magic to press the buttons. As she made Mario walk towards the foreground, a black grand piano showed up in the corner. "Huh? A piano? What, am I suppose to AGH! AGH! IT'S GONNA EAT ME!"

Right as Mario got close to it, the piano suddenly came to life and started clanking around loudly with its lid flapping open to reveal a gaping maw lined with menacing sharp teeth. Mario ran right out the door he entered through before Holly backed up against the wall behind her while trying to catch her breath. I rolled my eyes, not at all surprised by her reaction. "Yeah, that's usually the first reaction one gets when players first meet that piano. Good thing I was holding this, huh?"

Holly immediately huddled up to me while every customer I could see was looking at us. Most likely in response to Holly's shrieks of terror. She was completely oblivious of the attention she was getting while clinging to me. It was rather childish, but then again... I am sure some parts of her psyche have been in arrested development for roughly half her life. I just waved nervously at all of the gawkers to let them know nothing was amiss before I closed the DSi and set it aside. "Sheesh, you probably would've tossed that clear across the room and into the hot tub if you had been holding it. You OK?"

"Uh... Yeah... Just... Really wasn't expecting that..." Holly muttered while steadily calming down. She was shaking off the shock rather quickly, but she still seemed hesitant to open the DSi and continue playing. She eventually eased back into it when my next customer showed up, but she sounded like she was trying to stay as far away from the piano room as possible. "And now books are trying to eat me... At least hitting them turns them into blue coins."

By the time I had finished the next massage, it sounded like Holly had gotten around to checking out the star door that led to the first real boss of the game. I peeked over her shoulder right as Mario fell through a folding floor and into a dark world held over an abyss. I stayed silent as my friend seemed rather engrossed in what she was playing. Eventually, she went down a green pipe and met the boss as he lumbered towards her and cackled deeply. "Oh boy... This guy looks tough."

"You read the sign before going down the pipe, right?" I asked while watching the action over her shoulder.

"Yeah, I did... Something about grabbing his tail?" Holly replied as she tried to get Mario behind the lumbering boss to pick him up like a crate. She succeeded with the boss letting out a yelp. "Ha! Got him! Now... Huh? Why isn't it going that fast? I'm rotating as fast as I can..."

I looked at the D-pad and saw the four points being pressed in order as quick as she could. "Unfortunately, that was a problem with the control emulation. You just can't rotate a D-pad as quickly as you can with a joystick. Try rubbing a circle onto the touchscreen. That should work better."

"I can play it that way? Um... OK? Hey, it is going faster now!" Holly said before trying it and seeing that she was indeed spinning the boss around in fast circles like it was nothing. She then pressed the button and hurled the boss clear off the stage. Only to watch as he came jumping back up and crashing onto the stage and making Mario shudder. She then had to run around avoiding fireballs until she could get close enough to grab him again. "Hey, that didn't work! What am I doing wrong?"

"Try hurling him into those mines around the stage." I said while pointing to one such mine in the distance.

"Those? I thought they were just part of the boundary." Holly replied before she grabbed the boss and started twirling him around. Her timing was a bit off and he just ended up getting tossed off the stage again, but she got him the third time. The mine exploded in a huge flash of fire, sending the boss flying back into the center of the stage and onto his back. He let out a groan of defeat and spoke through text boxes when Holly made Mario draw near. He then exploded in a flash of pixels and left a key behind. Holly was quick to snatch it up and seemed quite proud of herself. "That was fun! Where to next?"

"Try looking around the castle for a door with a keyhole in it. Or you can go looking for rabbits instead." I explained while watching her continue to play. "Trying swapping back to Yoshi and go back outside. You'll find something out there."

"You mean the green lizard? OK." Holly retorted before heading back to the character room and swapping Mario out for Yoshi. But when she left the castle and cross the moat's bridge... "What?! There's a lot of them!"

Roughly five yellow rabbits scampered away when she drew close. They were much faster than the first one she saw and had a hard time catching them with Yoshi's tongue. She still got a laugh whenever they would yell at her whenever she caught them, but she became intrigued when they would give her a key to unlock a new mini-game from the collection.

Once she had caught all the rabbits in the area she paused for a while to go enjoy some of the new mini-games. I recognized the sound of the 'love me not' mini-game as Holly began to pluck the flower petals. However, a profound frown fell across her face as I recognized the depressingly sad sound of her getting stuck with the 'love me not' result. She closed the DSi and set it side while wrapping her arms around herself, looking quite depressed. I scooted closer and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." She muttered without even looking at me. She sure was taking that little thing more seriously than she should. She really is not used to video games at all.

I flipped the DSi back open and restarted the mini-game. "Maybe you just got unlucky. Try again."

Holly did not even hold the device in her magical grasp as I held it up before her. She still focused on the screens and began to use her magic to slowly pluck the flower petals one by one. Much to her surprise, she got the 'loves me' result with her eyes opening wide in shock. I suppressed a laugh while her eyes glanced at me before she looked away in embarrassment with a blush settling into her face. I then whispered to her, "Don't let a random number generator decide what happens with yourself. Stuff like that isn't meant to be taken seriously."

"I know... It's just... It feels good to know someone loves you... And it hurts to think they don't anymore..." Holly muttered while shaking off her bad mood. Or she at least tried to.

"Yeah... But why are you so bothered by it? Is there...someone you like?" I asked in return as the notion hit me that she would not be that upset over such a thing unless there really is someone she deeply feels for.

Holly could not even bring herself to look at me, though I could not guess the reason. She turned her gaze to the floor as a long sigh escaped her lungs. "I don't know... I think I do, but... I just don't know. And even if I really did, I don't think he'd ever want me as I am..."

I grunted in disagreement before trying to perk her up with my own opinion on her. "Opal eyes, you've got nothing to worry about. You're beautiful, you're earnest, you're caring, and so many other things I'm sure I'm overlooking right now. I'm sure there are lots of stallions out there who would want you if they got to know you."

Once again, she blushed deeply while covering her face. She grit her teeth as an adorable quiet whinny wheezed from her maw. "Oh, James, you flatter me so much..."

"Just being honest here." I replied while stroking her shoulder. Before long, another client began to approach. "Oops, got another one here. Feel free to keep playing if you want."

Things just kept going back and forth like that up until the end of my shift. Massaging customers while Holly played on my DSi, watching her play during breaks, and engaging in little chitchat. Finally, the clock struck 5 PM. Closing time during late autumn and winter hours.

"Well, time to close up. You ready to head out and catch up with Fluttershy and Rarity?" I asked after my current client hopped down from the table. The remaining customers were finishing up with whichever section of the spa they were using before leaving for the day.

Holly suddenly looked up from my DSi with a look of surprise. She must have really lost track of time. "Time to go already? Um..."

I noticed her look down at the DSi again, the battery light now in the red. I would have to charge it when I got home. After a moment, she then looked at me and asked, "Before we go... May we make another memory?"

That term she used. Just like before. She wanted to snap a photo to remember this day later. I saw no harm in doing so. "Sure. You want to do it here?"

"Please... Maybe with you massaging me?" She replied while she closed the game and activated the device's camera function.

"Heh, perfect. Hop on up. I'll leave it to you to take the shot." I replied while standing aside to let her climb atop the nearest table. I soon straddled her as she lied upon the massage table. I played along, massaging her shoulders while focusing on the back of her head. I soon heard a click, the camera having snapped a photo of us. I quickly climbed down and stepped forward to take a closer look. It showed us a bit off to the side with Holly basically winking at the camera while I was looking directly at her. "Nice shot. I love that little wink."

"Oh, I wasn't really winking. I was just keeping an eye closed." Holly replied while she closed the DSi and passed it to me. "You think Fluttershy and Rarity are waiting for us?"

"Most likely. Come on, let's get outta here. We've spent enough time in here for one day." I said while heading out into the lobby to clock out. Holly gleefully trotted along beside me as she looked forward to getting out of there and spending more time with some of her most supportive friends in Ponyville.

The weather was gloomy and chilly with the sun all but set over the horizon. Typical for this time of year. I hardly noticed with Holly staying close by my side. Especially once she took a bipedal stance again and walked beside me with her hoof in my hand and her head resting against the side of my chest. It really amazes how tall she is and how much grace she exudes when she walks more like a woman than a mare. I could not help asking, "Feeling better?"

"Mmhm..." She mumbled while she held onto me. I released my grasp on her hoof and put my arm around her to help shield her from the cool wind. Holly's relaxed sigh showed me that she appreciated the gesture. "Barring the gloomy weather... Ponyville feels much more welcoming than Canterlot... I hope I can live her after I finish my sentence."

"It'll be great to have you here when that day comes. You've already got friends here, so you'll always have people you can depend on." I replied while looking around at our surroundings. No one wants to be out in such weather unless they are going out for dinner, so there was not many ponies out and about.

"I know... And I really appreciate Ponyville's hospitality... But..." Holly said before she turned her head to rest it against my chest as if we were lying down. "I value yours the most... You were the first to care..."

"I'm...honored to hear that." I said softly, unsure of what to feel. Especially after keeping such a cool disposition towards her for a full two years.

I felt tempted to wander off in a different direction than where we were going so I could serve as Holly's guide to Ponyville. It was unnecessary, of course. She has been in and out of Ponyville a number of times, so she is somewhat knowledgeable of the area by now. All I could do was guide her along to Rarity's home so we may be reunited with her friends that were waiting for us.

As we drew near the Carousel Boutique, Holly's gaze rose as she scanned Rarity's home. "I forgot how elegant Rarity's home is."

"She's always been a mare of class. I think the color scheme is meant to invoke the feel of Canterlot." I replied as I released my grip on her. She continued to look up at Rarity's home while I approached the door.

"I think I can see the similarities..." Holly added before quickening her pace to catch up to me. There was a sign hanging from the door claiming the shop was closed for the day, so we would not be finding any customers inside.

The bell hanging beyond the door jingled as I pushed it open. Rarity's voice called out from the far side of the room and down the hall. "We're in the kitchen, darlings!"

Holly was momentarily distracted by the many unfinished dresses and ensembles set about on mannequins in the main workroom. She quickly caught up to me right as I peeked into the kitchen to find Rarity, Fluttershy, and Gladesong gathered around the table for tea. Although instead of tea, Gladesong was drinking apple juice. "Evening, ladies. Hope we didn't keep you waiting."

"Hi, Papa! Hi, Miss Holly!" Gladesong immediately spoke up as she paused from consuming her drink. Holly just smiled and waved back at my daughter while holding back a giggle. She really is good with kids and adores their innocent cheeriness.

"Did you have a good day at work, dear?" Fluttershy asked while sipping her tea.

"Yep. Holly made it a lot better than usual." I replied while glancing at Holly out of the corner of my eye. She grinned bashfully while trying to avert her gaze. She really was not used to receiving praise.

Rarity passed the two of us cups of warm spiced apple tea with a touch of honey mixed in. Perfect to boost our spirits in cold dreary weather. Fluttershy and Rarity talked to each other while I joined in when spoken to along with Gladesong. We discussed varying topics such as Gladesong's upcoming schooling. Fluttershy has been teaching Gladesong through the preschool phase, but she will be undertaking a proper curriculum under Cheerilee's tutelage next year. Holly just sat there and respectfully listened, although I suspect it was partially because she did not have much to contribute to the conversation that did not involve topics she did not want to speak of.

Eventually, we finally reached the most obvious topic. What to do with the rest of our time during Holly's visit. We had barely three hours to go before she would have to depart. Rarity then asked, "All done with our drinks? Well then... What to do next? Is there anything you'd like to do while you're here, Holly? Maybe something you haven't tried yet?"

Holly's eyes glanced at me while she stayed close by my side, even while seated at the table. She scooted a bit closer without a word, probably her way of saying that the only thing she really wanted to do was stay close to me. However, Fluttershy then came up with a suggestion. "Why don't we go bowling? That's always fun in groups, right?"

Gladesong really liked the sound of that as she hopped out of her seat and to the floor. "I always wanted to try bowling! Can we go? Pleeeeease?"

Such an adorable display was enough to get Holly to grin and giggle a little bit. Her mothers looked at each other before looking at Holly and I. My gaze fell upon our friend as well while she provided her answer. "Actually... Bowling sounds fun."

"Then shall we be off?" I asked while rising to my feet. Gladesong cheered and started imitating Pinkie Pie's hopping as she left the kitchen and hopped all the way to the front door with us in tow. Soon, we were on our way to the bowling alley.

Gladesong was a constant source of entertainment as we walked along. Scampering ahead in excitement and hopping around us as it was her first time to the bowling alley. Holly just could not stop smiling in her presence and even let my daughter ride atop her back for a while. Still, we were in for a surprise once we actually got there. Just as I was reaching for the door, it opened to reveal Estoc on his way out with a trophy in his arm. "Oh, sorry! I... Huh? Oh, hello there!"

Holly instantly displayed a look of alarm upon seeing her escort, but that look of shock turned into one of confusion when she noticed the gold trophy in his grasp. I could not help asking, "Heya, Estoc... Uh... Where'd you get the trophy?"

"Oh, funny you ask. I decided to stop by for some fun only to find a tournament was underway. So I signed up to see how'd I do. Shame you missed it. I won by a single point. It was quite the upset!" Estoc explained while adjusting his helmet.

"Oh, such a shame indeed! Anyway, pardon us. It's our turn to have fun at the lanes." Rarity replied before she stepped forward with the rest of our companions behind her. Estoc stepped aside while I held the door. Holly still kept an eye on Estoc until she was inside, still visibly uncomfortable around him.

Before I could follow, Estoc whispered to me. "So, how's she been? Any signs of trouble since you started watching her?"

I could only smile. "Not one to report, sir. She's been having a good time and has been on her best behavior."

"Good to hear. Well, I won't keep you. Just remember. Have her at the station before 8:20. That's the last departure we can wait for." Estoc then replied before he trotted off for a hot meal and I went inside to catch up to everyone.

We all signed up for a lane and fetched some bowling balls. I could see signs of the tournament stilling linger. Especially in the form of three sharply dressed regulars who looked quite bitter over having narrowly lost. I suspect Estoc won by a stroke of sheer luck. Rarity took the time to order us some snacks from the bar while the rest of us carried our balls over to an empty lane among the clamor of rolling balls and scattering pins. Gladesong, still not the strongest flyer, struggled to hover across the floor while clutching her bowling ball right under her body with the use of all her legs. "Sooooooo heavy!"

"Uh... Gladesong? I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to carry it like that..." I said while finding her little fluttering form to be quite hilarious to watch. She set down her ball with a clunk while catching her breath once she was at the lane while Fluttershy went ahead and set up the game for five players. We waited for Rarity to return, who soon trotted our way with a number of snacks and drinks in her magical grasp.

"Me first, me first!" Gladesong spoke up as she started to push her ball along to the lane. She is still just a little girl after all.

Fluttershy then spoke up a bit more sternly, "Now, Gladesong. I think we should let Miss Holly go first. She doesn't get to come to Ponyville very often, so she's a special guest."

However, Holly spoke up with a bemused yet patient smile. "It's all right. She can go first. I've never bowled before either, so I'll go last after watching all of you try."

"Thank you!" Gladesong replied while bowing gratefully. She is still learning manners, but she has learned to always say thank you when given a favor. She then pushed the ball to the middle of the lane's opening and stared down the pins at the end. She then looked over at Fluttershy and asked, "What do I do?"

Holly let out a chuckle at Gladesong's sudden show of clueless understanding of the sport. So excited to play, yet knowing nothing about how to actually do it. Thankfully, Fluttershy was more than happy to teach her. "You just give the ball a nudge and send it down the lane to knock down the pins. You get two tries each turn. If you knock them all down in one roll, you get a strike. If you do it in both turns, it's a spare."

"Oki doi loki!" Gladesong said in a blatant imitation of Pinkie Pie. She really does love her Auntie Pinkie. Fluttershy stood by her daughter while she walked up to the ball and gave it a hard nudge with her snout. It rolled at a decent pace, but roll into the gutter halfway down the lane. "Awww... But I get another try, right?"

"Yes you do. Just wait a moment and... Here comes your ball." Fluttershy then said while Gladesong's ball rolled back down the side of the and into ours. Rarity used her levitation spell to set it on the floor so Holly would not have to struggle to get it down herself. "Try again. Maybe you'll get a spare."

Gladesong tried moving the ball to the edge of the lane, apparently expecting it to veer to the side by before. It did, but not as sharply as before. Instead of falling into the gutter, it sent seven pins scattering at the end of the lane. "Ooh! I got seven! Lucky!"

"How about you go now, Holly? I think you've seen enough to know what you're doing?" I then asked once the pins were reset and Gladesong trotted over to a seat while looking quite proud of herself. I had started to snack on a grilled carrot that was basted in barbeque sauce on a pretzel bun. Man, that stuff is good.

"Um... I guess I can." She replied while stepping over to the lane and grasping her ball in her magical grasp. But instead of preparing to roll it with levitation, she assumed a bipedal stance with her ball resting on her upturned hoof with her other hoof steadying it. "It's heavy..."

"It's supposed to be, darling. If you want, we can find you a lighter one." Rarity explained while we all looked on.

"No, it's fine. I can get used to it. Now..." Holly retorted before lining up her shot. She took a step forward to build momentum and then tossed the ball forward with it low to the ground. It did not so much roll as it did slide down the lane's very smooth surface while slowly rotating on an irregular axis. Much to my surprise, she got a strike!

"Beginner's luck!" I called out in jest as I applauded our friend. Gladesong shrieked in disbelief while Holly visibly blushed bashfully in response to her amazingly lucky first roll.

Fluttershy went next while we all sat back and snacked. She gave her ball a solid nudge and sent it rolling down the middle. It veered off to the right towards the end and knocked over most of the pins on the right side. But when her ball came back for the second roll, Fluttershy bowled a successful spare. Gladesong burst into applause, making Fluttershy show a big smile when she turned to face us.

Rarity glanced at me as if telling me that my turn was up, but I just extended my arm towards the lane. "Ladies first."

"Much obliged, darling." Rarity replied while giving me a peck on the cheek. She fetched her ball with the levitation spell and took her position at the edge of the lane while Gladesong cheered for her Mama Rarity. I tapped her on the head to remind her to not shout while indoors, Holly chuckling next to me as she watched everything going on.

"Now then, let me show you how it's done." Rarity said as she took her position with finesse. Her ball soon flew right down the middle of the lane and bowled a perfect strike. She always did have an excellent sense of precision. Gladesong just started clapping her hooves together to applaud her godmother. "Thank you, thank you, you are too kind."

"She's good..." Holly muttered as Rarity trotted past us proudly as she returned to her seat.

"Oh, Rarity has always had an eye for fine details. Her level of precision has always been top notch." I replied while I stood up to take my turn. Gladesong called out to me in support while trying to keep her voice down. I took my ball in hand and, being mindful of the twist of my wrist tending to send my ball off to the left, managed to bowl a spare.

This went on for a while as we just enjoyed ourselves while partaking in the snacks Rarity bought for us. Holly really seemed to be having a good time along with Gladesong. In the end, I placed right in the middle of the scorecard with Holly and Gladesong being right behind me while Rarity took the lead. If Applejack had joined us, it would have been a very close game.

"Good game, everypony! Fluttershy, you've really improved!" Rarity said while checking the scorecard. Fluttershy completely outperformed me, although she may have just gotten lucky. Gladesong was in last place, unsurprisingly. Holly still did better, but not quite as good as me due to lack of experience.

"Thank you... You did well too, Holly. And this was your first time?" Fluttershy then said while looking at Holly. Gladesong was busy slurping down a smoothie.

Holly seemed a bit embarrassed from the praise she was getting, but smiled regardless. "Yes... This was my first time. I never got to try bowling up until today."

While they chatted as we returned our balls to the rental counter, I glanced around for a clock. What time was it? To my dismay, I saw a clock over the bar. 7:45 PM. Not even an hour to go before Holly would have to depart. As much as I did not want to bring it up, I was forced to tell my companions. "Hey, ladies? I think Holly and I should start making our way to the train station. She needs to be on the next train out of Ponyville."

Holly immediately looked at me with a gaze of protest, but no words came. I knew she did not want to leave, but her parole conditions required it. It was a privilege for her to even come to Ponyville at all. Gladesong, mirroring her thoughts, asked, "Awww... Does she have to?"

"Yes, sweetheart... Holly needs to go home." I replied quietly. I did not want to give Gladesong any specific reason as to why. Lord knows she would not be able to comprehend the complex nature of her being allowed to visit. Nor did I want to give her a reason to be afraid of Holly.

"Oh..." My daughter muttered in resignation. Still, she looked up at our friend and at least tried to smile. "It was nice to meet you, Miss Holly. You'll come back soon, right?"

"I'll try... It was a pleasure getting to know you as well, Gladesong." Holly replied while trying to smile. The two shared a heartfelt embrace, Holly cradling my daughter against her as if she was her own filly.

Once Holly released her grip on my daughter, Fluttershy and Rarity stepped forward and held her in a tender embrace. Fluttershy then whispered tenderly, "It was wonderful seeing you again. Let's catch up again soon, all right?"

Rarity then added, "Don't be a stranger now, dear. You'll always have friends in Ponyville. Take care."

"Thank you... You always make my time down here worthwhile." Holly whispered before turning her gaze up to me. Without a word, I held my hand out to her. My friend then rose up as she took a bipedal stance before placing her hoof in my hand. "Well... Shall we go?"

"Yeah... I'll catch up to the rest of you in a while." I then said while bidding farewell to my family for the moment. I led Holly out of the bowling alley and towards the train station beneath the glow of the autumn moon.

Holly leaned hard into me throughout the walk as if she was afraid. I could see why. She desperately wanted to stay. I tried to find some words to say that may settle her emotions, but nothing came. The most I could do was prolong our arrival by slowing down my pace. Holly buried her face into my jacket as I put my arm around her shoulder. All I could do was try and keep her comfortable during her final minutes in town.

When we reached the train station, the next train to Canterlot had already pulled in and Estoc was standing on the platform with his new trophy in his arm. I could not help but smirk as I looked at it. "Just what are you gonna say to your boss if he catches you with that trophy?"

Estoc did not notice us step up onto the train platform and even stepped back in surprise. "Huh? Oh, uh... I guess I'll swing by home real quick to drop it off. And if anypony asks, I'll just say I...found it in a dumpster while passing an alley?"

"Likely story." I retorted with a snort. I glanced at a clock hanging on the wall by the ticket counter. Fifteen minutes until departure.

"So... How'd everything go? Did she misbehave?" Estoc asked sincerely, clearly just doing his job.

I felt Holly turn away from him as she buried her face into my side, but I just held onto her and gave an honest answer. "Not once. She had a great time and was on excellent behavior. She gets a perfect score from me."

"Good to hear. I may as well let you watch over her every time she's allowed to visit." Estoc replied with a relieved smile. I am sure he must have had his doubts when he passed that responsibility onto me, but I know Holly better than anyone else. She would never betray my trust.

I looked down at Holly, who was still hiding her face from her escort. Even though she had no reason to fear him. I suspected that she viewed him as a symbol of her incarceration and her past self. "Say... Could you give us a little more time alone? I think she isn't ready to board yet."

"All right. But when the conductor makes his last call, she needs to board." Estoc retorted as he boarded the nearest train car and took a seat by the window to keep an eye on us. I lead Holly over to the ticket booth and the awning the stretched out over it to protect us from the chill of the wind.

Apparently feeling safer and more isolated from her surroundings, Holly looked up at me with that pleading gaze I had come to recognize. "I don't want to leave..."

I could not help frowning upon hearing that. And the feeling was mutual. I tightened my grip around my most precious friend and spoke softly, "I don't want to see you leave either."

"Then... Let me stay with you. Please. I don't mind where. Just..." Holly whispered in desperation, trying to bargain with me however she could so as to prolong her stay in Ponyville.

"You know I can't do that... I have no control over Equestria's judicial system. You'll just get in trouble if you stay here... But I swear I'll see you again soon. Just be patient, all right?"

Holly did not provide a response. All she could do was close her eyes and hold onto me. Not a word was said for the next eight minutes. At last, we heard the conductor make the last call to board. With not much time left, I walked towards the car that Estoc was seated in to see Holly off. With a sigh, I took her hoof and led her away from me and towards the open door. "It was a wonderful time, Holly. Feel free to stop by whenever you have the... Eh?"

As I tried to let go of her hoof, I found I could not. A quick glance at my hand revealed that Holly's hoof and my hand were wrapped in her magic aura and were being bound together. I could not let go of her hoof. "Holly...?"

"I don't want to go..." She muttered while showing me that pleading gaze. I felt conflicted, knowing that denying her while she was giving me that desperate stare would undoubtedly have dire consequences. I needed to let go, but I felt I should not.

Estoc must have noticed something was wrong since he soon stepped out of the train car. "Is something wrong here? Miss Holly, you need to board now."

"Please... Let me stay..." She pleaded to both of us without ever once looking away from me. I could not speak. I had no idea how to respond.

Apparently trying to do so for her own good, Estoc grabbed Holly's entire body in his own magic aura in an attempt to try and pull her into the train car for departure. And yet, her magical grasp would not release. Her gaze became tearful as she sounded on the verge of panic while trying to pull away from her escort, "I don't... Please just... Don't let him take me away! I want to stay!"

Estoc grunted in some frustration as his magical grasp faded from Holly's body. His next words alarmed me. "Ugh... James, get back. I'm going to have to subdue her."

Taking this as a threat, I reached out and snatched Holly up in my arms and pulled her away, turning my body to partially hide her while giving Estoc an intense gaze. "Don't."

Estoc froze. Not a word escaped his lips. But after a moment, I glanced at Holly before looking back at him with a more sober stare. "Just...give us a few minutes. I'll get her on the train soon."

Still remaining silent, Estoc could only give me a nod before stepping back inside and returning to his seat. I then looked down at Holly, who then looked up at me with tears flowing down her cheeks. "I don't... I don't want to leave you."

"But you have to. You need to get on the train." I replied bluntly to try and make her understand. I know she understood, but she could not bring herself to go back up to Canterlot. Her mountaintop prison.

She buried her face against my chest, embracing me tightly in her arms. "But I don't want to! Ponyville feels so different... So...friendly and hospitable... And best of all, it's where you live... I don't want this feeling to end..."

I could only let out a sigh as I stroked her mane. "I know... Ponyville is a wonderful place with wonderful people. But... You are bound to Canterlot for the time being. But even if you're stuck there, you know I'll always stop by and see you when I have time. Please believe me. You'll see me again very soon."

With great reluctance, she turned her gaze up at me. I then asked, "If I promise to come see you again like always, will you get on the train?"

She bowed her head, understanding that she really had no choice and was only delaying the inevitable. "All right... I'll...miss you..."

"Me too... Take care, OK?" I muttered before leading her over to the train car. She stepped into it backwards, never taking her eyes off of me. I managed to crack a smile and said, "See you soon, opal eyes."

With that, the doors closed. My smile quickly disappeared as the train began to lurch forward while Holly took a seat while still watching me from the window. A sense of alarm came over me as she began to roll down the tracks away from me. I walked along the train as it moved. And then I began to run.

My eyes never looked away from Holly even as I jumped from the train platform and began to run through the grass, even as she placed her hoof on the window in concern. As the train sped up, I began to sprint to keep her in my line of sight. But it was all for naught. The train soon outran me and rolled down the tracks in the distance, leaving me to catch my breath. Feeling wholeheartedly disappointed, I turned and walked home for the night.

Fluttershy has been trying to keep my spirits up by staying near me and has brewed me some tea. She has even been hugging me from behind for the last fifteen minutes and... Wait, where did she go? She...

Oh boy... I forgot she is in heat. She slipped under the desk my typewriter is on and is grinding her rump against me. Trying to get me ready for our time in bed.

Well, back to the topic at hand. I really am glad Holly has such good friends in Ponyville and it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing how much closer the two of us have become over the last few visits. Why did I wait so long to lower my guard? She is a wonderful mare with a beautiful heart. And oh my god...

Fluttershy... She just... She pulled my pants down and is now sucking me off. God, she is just so distracting right now... You know what? I am done writing for the night. I could use a boost to my mood after that somber farewell at the train station. I will be heading up to Canterlot tomorrow to see Holly as promised anyway. As for now, my wife needs me in bed. Time to see if I can put another foal in her.