Sapphire. It matched her. Both her and her name were very pretty.

"To give you the best shops around," he said, "I'd have to know the general area where you live. I mean, I'll walk you there, to your house, and then I'll mark on a map where the best, closest areas are. After that, I can show you where the castle is..."

He blushed only slightly, so it was barely noticeable, but if you looked hard enough, you could see it.

~

"Know where I live? Am I comfortable with that? Oh come on Sapphire it's only logical that he'd need to know that you stupid!"

"Well, Nightfall," His name was intoxicating to say, it was mysterious, which he definitely was, and manly and handsome like him. Like she'd hoped. "if you're sure you can retire from your shop today to show an new comer around town, I would be forever grateful."

"And the castle! I've never seen the castle and he offered as if he's been there a million times!"

"Oh and I would be ever so thankful if we were able to see the castle.Shall we away to my address then?"

She sauntered to the door to make her way out.

Flirting was definitely a new trait for her.

But she was loving it!

~

He loved his luck right now. He magically grabbed his keys and exited his shop, locking the door. He followed her as they made their way to her address. He hadn't forgotten his map, and he was making a slight line along the route they were currently taking.

"The castle is easily visible from all around, but I know a way to get closer that only few know about. Would you like that..?"

~

She was delighted when he rushed out of the store faster than she'd ever seen and was excited what the day might bring them

"It's just around here. Where I live I mean."

As they walked she thought about his comment about his shortcut to a better view of a castle.

"I would love to get as close to the castle as I possibly can! It's one of the reasons I moved here to Canterlot."

"Let's learn more about him Sapphire"

"How long have you lived here?"

~

He studied his map and made a small "x" where they were.

"I've lived her all my life. I've even stayed through the hardships I've been through..."

He sighed a bit, then walked so he was beside her. He showed her the map.

"OK, so we are here. 'X' marks the spot, I guess."

He moved the pencil and made a "G" at a building just about .2 miles away.

"There's the closest, best grocery store, and here," he said, making a "C" .1 miles above the "G," "is the closest, best craft store. Right next door is a large, really good cloth store."

~

"Wow, all your life? In this great city? I am so jealous right now!"

She thought about asking about his 'hard times', but decided against it since their "friendship" was so new.

"Thanks a lot for showing me where those places are. They're so close by, which is good when I go on a spree for new fabric. I'll have to show you one of my designs one day, they are simply divine! Would you like that?"

"Probably not, considering you're a guy and could probably care less about my clothing designs...but maybe, just maybe, you're different?"

~

"I know it may not sound 'manly' and all that to say I would, but yes. I've seen a lot of fashions out there and wouldn't mind seeing a new one."

"Hopefully she doesn't think I'm gay now... nothing is wrong with being gay, but I'm not gay..."

There was a bit of a silence.

"Do you want to go see the castle now..?"

~

"Really? That's great! Oh yea sure! I'm so excited!"

She jumped slightly in the air.

"Oh um sorry." She giggled

As they kept walking she was trying to think of something else to ask him.

She wanted to know more about him, but didn't want to come off as a prying pony.

'"Easiest way to do this is to...well, just ask I guess."

"Nightfall, would you please tell me about yourself. I think it best that you volunteer information instead of me prying by asking questions, because, well," she paused, "I would like to know more about you. If that isn't off putting I mean."

"You.Just.Blew.It"

"Nice job Sapphire."

~

He was a bit shocked, but laughed after a moment.

"Sorry..."

He finished chuckling.

"Right... About me... Ok... Well, I was born and raised her in Canterlot and have lived her ever since. However," he said, "my parents- well, they disappeared several years ago. I was able to take care of myself, and found a way to make enough money to start my small business. I'm making a decent amount, I guess. Not too much, but not so little that I have nothing to spare..."

He left out the part of not having too many friends, and none so pretty as Sapphire.

~

"Disappeared?"

That was so sad. How does anyone really disappear? Especially parents of a filly?

"I would assume you've gone looking for them and had alerted the respective authorities? What did they find?"

She was desperately hoping there was something done or that could possibly still be done.

No one should be alone like that.

"Well, he wasn't alone anymore. He has you now."

~

"Well, I did. Anyone would want to help an alicorn, even one who isn't exactly rich.. But nothing could be found. They've been pronounced dead, but we may never know if they did die or if they just... disappeared somewhere. As for me, well... Personally, I didn't look for them outside of Canterlot. I didn't really want to..."

~

"Oh, ok."

She decided to just leave it at that seeing as the topic was dampening the mood.

"So how did you learn about this shortcut to the castle?"

She was meeting his stride now and it was kind of cute, he was kind of cute...

She looked up at him demurely,

"Have you taken any other ponies to the castle?"

Silently the hope that he hadn't swelled, but how could a pony as handsome as he was not have a dozen ponies fawning over him?

~

"I was exploring one day, and I found it. I've kept it secret..."

He looked at her.

"No, I've never taken anypony else to the castle."

~

She silently squealed inside.

"You're the first pony he's taking to the castle on his secret route!"

It reassured her just as much as it excited her, because that meant that he wasn't some serial killer

"Giggle"

Oops!

"Oh I wasn't laughing at you dear, just flattered that I'm the first and only pony you've taken this way."

Nice save.

"So, what do you do for fun?"

~

Sapphire was growing on him fast.

"For fun? I try to figure out how to tune things I've made and how to make new things. I'm not so out going. But when I get a free day... I explore Canterlot and it's outskirts. It's all I really have to do..."

"Maybe, Sapphire, you can change that..."