Nightshade

The cold evening air greeted Nightshade as she stepped outside, sending a shiver down her spine. She began trotting towards Misty’s home. It wasn’t that far of a trip, and she wagered that she could find out more about Lucky’s actions from Misty.

The activity in town was beginning to wind down, given the time of day. Shops were closing up, ponies were heading home for the night, the clamor that was ever so present midday had ceased, and she found that she kind of missed the noise.

When she arrived at Misty’s house she knocked on the door. Nearly a minute passed with no response.

“Misty? Are you home? It’s me, Nightshade.” She knocked once more.

What the hay could she be doing this time of day? I thought the weather team was off duty by now. Guess I could go look for her in the meantime.

She headed back into the town at a leisurely stroll, enjoying the first bit of moonlight that was beginning to shine, but also trying to keep a look out for Misty. As she was looking around, she suddenly found herself colliding directly into a stallion who also was not watching where he was going.

“Oof!” they both exclaimed in unison. Both of their saddlebags were knocked from their backs from the impact; herbs fell from Nightshade’s and apples from the stallion’s.

After coming back to her senses she looked up and saw the large stallion standing over her with an emotionless look in his eyes. Suddenly, memories from the night of her attack were triggered and she fell down and coverered her head with her hooves like a scared filly.

“Woah there, I didn’t mean to startle ya miss! Ah’m sorry, ah shoulda been payin’ attention,” he said in a deep voice. The stallion began picking up what had spilled from Nightshade’s bag and placed it all back inside for her. “There, good as new!” He grinned bashfully and pushed the bag back towards her.

Nightshade was speechless for a moment, but then trepidatiously lifted the bag back onto her back with her magic.

“Thank you,” she managed to say to the stallion.

“Yup.” He began to pick up the apples that had spilled from his bags. He was startled for a moment when Nightshade’s magical aura placed each of them back into the saddlebags and back on his back. He turned back to her. “Thank ya kindly ma’am.” He nodded to her and headed back on his way. Nightshade continued searching for Misty.

Well, Lucky was definitely right about one thing. Somehow, the way ponies have always treated me was all because of my own actions, nothing to do with any rumors or curses, or they’d still be avoiding me for sure.

After a few more minutes of wandering, Nightshade saw the familiar pegasus mare dash by her, seemingly oblivious that she was even there. She called out to her.

“Hey! Misty wait up!”

Misty brought herself to a sudden stop, almost causing herself to fall. She turned around and began looking back and forth before spotting Nightshade.

“Heya! What are you doing out in town this time of day?” Misty enquired.

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Nightshade offered with a slight chuckle.

“Oh, I had to cover somepony’s shift today so I ran a little overtime with the weather team. C’mon back to my house and we can talk there; I’m bushed.”

They made the short trip to Misty’s house and went inside. Misty prepared some tea and tarts for them to snack on before sitting down with Nightshade to talk.

“So ‘Shade, you never told me what you were doing out in town.”

“I was looking for you actually; I’ve got more questions to bother you with I’m afraid.”

Misty looked worried. “Did you talk to Lucky? I told you that you could believe what he was saying.”

“Oh no no, it’s not that, we got that all sorted out. It’s something else about him.”

Misty released a sigh of relief. “Well, what about him?” she questioned.

Nightshade tried to think of a tactful way to approach the question.

“Did he ever talk about me?”

Misty raised an eyebrow, seeming a bit a puzzled by the question.

“Well of course he talked about you, you’re practically his job, and since you’re alone so much you’re pretty much the only thing he had to talk about most times.”

“I don’t mean like that, just…. What kind of things did he say about me?”

“Why is it you ask?” Misty enquired, raising an eyebrow.

So much for tactful, just gonna have to tell her now.

“I ask because...” Nightshade could already feel herself blushing before she could even finish the thought. “He kissed me.”

Misty continued staring at Nightshade for a moment but then looked to the floor and giggled knowingly.

“N-not on the lips or anything! It was just a peck on the cheek,” Nightshade shot back, embarrassed by her vague choice of words.

“It’s not that,” Misty began. “I’m just terribly unsurprised.”

“What do you mean?”

“In the years I’ve known him I’ve never seen him show interest in any mares. I knew that he had somepony that must have been more special to him, and it doesn’t really surprise me it was you. When you spend that long observing somepony, you’re bound to find things you like about them, maybe even start to love them. On the other hoof I’m very surprised at you.” Misty giggled again.

“Me? What about me?”

“I didn’t think you’d be swept off your hooves so easily. I never thought of you as a romantic.”

“Whoa whoa, hold on there, you think I like him or something?” Nightshade asked, shocked that Misty would assume such a thing. “On the contrary, I find it quite appalling!”

“O-oh. I just assumed that-” Nightshade cut Misty off before she could finish her thought.

“Well you assumed wrong, how could he expect me to just fall in love with him when I know it’s been his job to stalk me for the past few years? You can call it guarding or whatever you like but the idea of having any romance with somepony who’s been secretly watching me sleep for years is a bit unsettling to say the very least!”

Misty winced at the harshness of Nightshade’s words.

“I, I didn’t mean to...” Misty’s voice trailed and she looked to the floor.

Well that didn’t go very smoothly.

Nightshade released a deep sigh to try and calm her nerves when she realized how rude she must have just sounded.

“Misty, I’m sorry.”  She put a hoof around her friend’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to go off on you like that. It’s just with all that’s happened... I just find it hard to see the good in anypony anymore.”

“No, you’re right. I shouldn’t have assumed,” Misty sniffled and cleared her throat. “I know you’ve been through a lot and I shouldn’t be trying to force even more emotions on you. I’m sure any intentions Lucky had were completely innocent. I’ve known him long enough to believe that.”

“I’ve got to tell him he’s barking up the wrong tree with me. It may be his job to keep me under surveillance, but it’s not his job to try to romance me and I’m not having any part of it.”

“I suppose I can’t blame you.” Misty replied, slowly nodding her head. “Just, go easy on him, he’s not a bad pony.”

“No promises. I’m a bit on edge from this whole ordeal, as you probably could tell from my little outburst.” Nightshade said regretfully. “It’s not my intention to hurt anypony’s feelings though.”

Misty smiled and relaxed a little.

“I know that more than anypony. No matter how much you’d been through you were always there for me back in school. You always were quite blunt though.”

They both laughed.

After a little while Nightshade said her goodbyes and headed back to her home. Once she was about halfway there she heard somepony trot up next to her and turned to see Lucky following her at a close distance.

“Heya, what were you and Misty up to?” he asked playfully.

Nightshade didn’t want to make a scene in the middle of town, but she didn’t want to ignore Lucky either. She chose to attempt to silence his questioning.

“I don’t really see why that’s your business, as long as I’m safe,” she said to him coldly.

Lucky took the hint and backed off a little, returning to the shadows he so perfectly blended in with, but Nightshade could still hear him following her. Her response had come across ruder than she had planned, but it was effective for the time being.

When they arrived at her home Nightshade tried to go in and shut the door behind her, but it was stopped by Lucky’s head, which was sticking halfway through the doorway.

“Ow... Good thing I wear a helmet,” Lucky joked.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Nightshade attempted to close the door again, but Lucky stopped it with his hoof.

“What’s wrong Nightshade, why the cold shoulder all the sudden?” Lucky asked, a worried look on his face.

“I think you know perfectly well.” Nightshade replied, hoping to draw some answers out of him.

“I know, I was just being stupid, I didn’t mean to come on so strong it was just...I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile so much in one day. You looked so perfect. I meant nothing wrong by it.”

“Well you can watch me from afar from now on.” Nightshade closed the door, this time unhindered, and locked it. She heard Lucky shuffling about outside the door a minute before finally hearing him trot off slowly.

Nightshade was conflicted about treating Lucky the way that she was, but she felt with the situation that it was the only solution. She wanted to get her point across and that was the only way to manage it, she thought.

Hopefully that will keep him off my back for a while, or at least get any thoughts of romance out of his head.