Her favorite food...

Though Shala felt like she wanted to talk more about herself, it was proving to be rather difficult, and her interest in Intel was only growing more. She never usually cared for any other pony so much, save friends, but this was getting to feel like more to her.

"Can't say i have seen that monument. You are lucky to have a family like that. She must really care for you to send letters." Shala let out a sigh and moved in closer to Intel, hesitantly leaning into him. Again, she felt obligated to relate.

"...I only get letters from one pony....I call him Grampy...He took care of me and got me back on my hooves when I bailed out of the mob after a close call." She smiled just thinking about him. It had been a while since she had gotten a letter from him last.

"...You sound awfully happy with your sister."

"How kind of him," Intel said when hearing about Grampy, "Good to see some more good things about your past. There's not enough kindness in the world, despite our best efforts."

He rolled his eyes at the comment about his sister. "Of course. She's a Design. We all have to be excellent at what we do, lest we let ourselves down. Courts and nobles be damned, we are our harshest critics. So it is rather excellent when we surpass even our high expectations."

"'Ever Improving' is the motto written under our coat of arms, Shala, and every single one of us tries to outdo the one before. To have surpassed our parents in one precise glorious strike is amazing, and what can I say? I'm proud of her. So very proud."

Subconciously, he started to lean back. "I don't know, it was one of the things I thought was universal. You can always rely on family to rely upon and compete against. That everypony has the opportunity to be the very best they can be. I'm not so sure now."

Shala smiled as he spoke highly of Grampy. She had to see that old coot again sometime. But as the conversation moved to Intel's family, she lost her smile. Intel spoke well of his family and their motto, but Shala had nothing to draw from. Nothing she could do to relate. Nothing to rely on and better herself. No one to feel proud for.

She coughed meekly before reaching into her mane and pulling out her flask, drinking a fair amount. Enough that she had to take a breath in between. "Sounds real nice." Her voice being slightly higher pitched than before. She resumed her drink, sputtering a cough and spilling some in the process. She kept her eyes away from sight.

"I apologise," he said, before lapsing into silence, "I'm not that great with feelings."

He yawned. Suddenly he felt tired. Oh so very tired. He looked around for the time before remembering Shala didn't have any clocks. From his vision, the world revolved. When was the last time he had more than three hours sleep?

A week ago?

"Shala, when I finally get to go back to Canterlot..." he said, voice wavering and unsteady, "Will you come with me?"

Shala sighed at his apology. She knew he meant well, but had a hard time getting any better by it. "Yeah..." She said, adding to the awkward silence.

His yawn made her nearly sigh again. She wanted this night to end with something special, but now it was quickly going anywhere but there. Shala was just about ready to suggest maybe ending the evening, but it seemed Intel had a few more words to speak.

...
...
...

"....Really!?" Shala said, more surprised than excited, but excitement was starting to catch up. "I...You mean...Like a visit or something or...more permanent?" She hesitated on the last part. Perhaps she was getting too eager and assuming too quick. In any case, her face was again beaming at Intel, a hint of a twinkle in her eye from a few moments ago.

He couldn't mean living with him, could he? Surely he is not that bold and ready....Is he?

"Well, that depends on your opinion of me when I finally go back," Intel shrugged, "For I will return, and when I do...I'd like you to be with me, in any case. Whether you choose to stay, I can't force you, but I would like you to. Maybe I can introduce you to some ponies that can really help you. And I'm sure your gift would be appreciated by many academics."

Shala's attitude was contagious, as Intel smiled back at her with genuine pleasure. "And, if you would accept it at that stage...possibly, maybe...I can introduce you to my family, and who knows what will happen from there. If it can help you, I want to do it."

He sighed. "But I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I? Far too ahead of myself..."

Despite all the mumbo jumbo Intel gave for an answer, she understood it enough. Beaming, she grabbed Intel in a hug. "I would LOVE to!" She said, almost reaching her highest pitch in voice at the use of those words.

The mention of possibly learning more things and furthering herself had her really looking forward to it. Getting over her problems would be something else though. Most of all things though, Intel was suggesting something she thought she would have to spend a lot more time on to get.

A commitment to a potentially permanent relationship.

Shala backed off the hug to give things a moment to breathe. "So...umm...Are you telling me you would want to take this...Take us to...'full relationship' status?" She couldn't care to find a better way to say it. She knew that it was probably not necessary to ask him like that as well, but she was very caught up in her emotions and had to hear it with her own ears.

"Ack..."

Intel was caught off guard by Shala's sudden strike. She was he happiest he had ever seen her being. That was good. That was very good. Not quite to the point of perfection yet, but getting there.

He wondered how his family would react to her, considering certain...things, but he was sure that Shala would be able to hold her own. She had wistood far worse than a noble's criticism.

Intel blinked when she released the hug, and blinked again when she asked a question. He just looked at her confused, conveying the fact that he didn't fully understand. He decided to retread over what he said.

"When I return, I'd like you to be with me?" he said, uncertainly.

Shala laughed to herself. It should not surprise her that he was absolutely clueless to what she meant.

"You are so socially inept that I just want to hug you even more." Which she did, and gave him one big squeeze. "I will definitely go with you. But I hope you got a decent bar in Canterlot and a good bed to crash on."

She scooted up close to him after the hug, meeting flank to flank with him. Smiling generously into his eyes, she batted her eyelashes a few times at him. "How about you stay here with me for tonight?"

"Wasn't that the plan?" Intel asked, tilting his head, "I was sure that it was the plan."

He was, sure enough, completely oblivious to any other intentions Shala might have had.

"Well," he continued, magically removing his glasses, "I think I'm going to sleep. Haven't slept decently for a while. I'm assuming my bed is the couch?"

He smiled at Shala, but his eyes, now not covered by glasses, revealed his weariness.

Shala smiled at him. She had been looking forward to this. Sure, the alcohol and leading up to the moment made her forget that she had indeed told him he would spend the night here, but she didn't care. She wanted him here.

"No no. I have a place for you. Very comfortable." She got off the couch and was already pulled Intel off to follow her. She hardly gave him much a chance to stop as she nudged him toward her bedroom and to her bed.

"Go on and get comfortable..." She said with her bedroom eyes. Using her magic, she untied the ribbon at the end of her mane and threw her head around, spreading her mane about around her neck.

Despite everything, Intel was aware of what could be called 'recreation'. Even more amazingly, he had engaged in such before, involving graduation, too much wine, and fireworks. It was agreed by both parties never to speak of it again. Looking back, he didn't really see the romance in it, it was more a spontaneous release of stress.

By now, he had figured out what was probably going to happen, but he didn't feel that excited by it. Yes, Shala was pretty, and there was an element of arousal from the more animalistic sides of his brain, but it didn't seem that special, just the beginning of a process.

He had talked about this with his friends and colleagues, and they suggested the possibility of him batting for the other team, as it were. That was an experiment that he would most definitely want to forget. It evoked vomiting, even as a mere memory. It was all the disgusting elements of recreation, with none of the estacy from lust.

Maybe it was just something from his upbringing. That sex was just a way to make foals. 'Lust is for the common, love for the noble,' or something. Oh, well. There was at least one thing he did enjoy...

"There was one thing I forgot to do," he mumbled. He leant forward.

And kissed her.

She hardly missed a beat as she moved onto the bed with him and took his kiss. The first kiss that Intel had ever given to her. Shala found herself again surprised by Intel. Maybe he did know a thing or two about this. It had her feeling butterflies all over.

There was no question to how ready Shala was for this. Already, she was making her move onto Intel.

"I'm glad you remembered it..." She said after breaking the kiss over him.



-Fin-