A Second Chance at Love

Bombshells

Like the snow and ice of December, the cheer hadn't left just yet either. The harsh drafts from the north were nothing compared to the close togetherness that each and every pony felt this time of year. Though Christmas had come and gone, ordinary everyday life hadn't quite resumed yet because a new holiday was fast approaching; New Years Day.

It was a relatively new holiday because of Princess Twilight, it was her idea from the beginning. She saw it symbolically as a chance for a new start like with her friend Discord. The idea had immediately caught on and now it was an empire wide holiday.

Kuray enjoyed it most of all. He had had a rough time since he had left and lived detached from the world. He hadn't even known this holiday existed until Sweetie Belle explained it to him. He loved the idea of a fresh start. After all of the, exterminating he did he felt like he could use one.

Sweetie Belle on the other hand could not possibly have changed less in the time he was gone. She had always been responsible and hardworking as she was now. Right now she worked to finish cooking up dinner as the sun was currently setting over the horizon and Kuray was to be home any minute now with Dusk from the train station. She was just setting the last of the table when Dusk walked in followed by Kuray who was encumbered with a set of saddle bags that kept slipping down around his neck.

She couldn't help but notice the difference in Dusk. A mere few weeks away in Manehattan and he had seemed to grow not only a few inches taller but outward in the shoulders. He carried himself taller and had developed an air of confidence around himself. He was easily a head taller than Kuray now but nothing like as muscular though he has gained some of that himself.

"The stallion, the myth, the legend returns," Kuray said draping the bags over a sturdy wooden chair in the corner of the room. Dusk chuckled slightly and smiled and Sweetie Belle.

"A few weeks away from Ponyville and I already feel like I've left my home,and this isn't even my house." He said looking around the dining room as if taking it in for the first time.

"We missed you too Dusk," sweetie Belle said walking next to Kuray who folded his wing over his back and drew her close.

"It's like you're the long lost brother I never had." Kuray added.

"Aren't you all technically brothers and sisters in the hive?" Dusk replied.

"It's a compliment, just accept it." Kuray finished. They all laughed before Dusk's stomach rumbled slightly to which Sweetie Belle announced "let's eat!"

And eat they did. Sweetie Belle had truly outdone herself,cit was amazing all the things she had managed to do with potatoes and hay. It was looking like a fine evening up until they were all ready to go to bed.

"Rely though, I think it's time I hit the hay, it's a long train ride from Manehattan." Dusk said standing up and arching his back as though he were a cat and popped it several times before yawning contently and beginning to make his way up the stairs. "Oh right, my bag." He said quietly bit somehow Kuray heard him and stood up from the couch where he and sweetie belle had been talking quietly.

"I gotcha," Kuray said walking over to the small beige duffel bag that was still next to one of the chairs at the table. Kuray took the strap in his teach and heaved it up over his head but not more than a second later the bag tore open spilling what it contained onto the floor. It had waiting it some basic necessities like a tooth brush and other toiletries but also a dark blue coat that resembled a suit jacket folded up nicely with a pair of matching blue trousers and a light grey shirt.

Kuray picked up the jacket and held it infront of himself with his wings. Dusk stared at him from across the room his mouth shut and sweetie belle with her mouth agape had stood up from the couch. "Dusk where did you get this?" Kuray said softly.

"I swear Kuray It's not-"

"Dusk, what have you done?" Kuray said dropping the uniform to the ground and crossing the room to his friend.

"I've found my new beginning, my fresh start." Dusk replied somberly not dropping Kuray's gaze.

"But why this, why did this have to be your new beginning?" Kuray asked softer yet.

"What does it matter what I choose to do! I'm my own Pegasus and I can join the army if is so please!" Dusk exploded.

"Why does it matter?" Kuray shot back. His horn lit up and a magazine flew across the sitting room from the coffee table so it was floating right next to the two of them. "This is why it matters!" The headline read 'Changelings Executed: Three changelings accused of high treason and a plot to overthrow the princesses have been executed by the captain of the royal guard, Steel Wing.'

"Maybe some changelings need to be put down, isn't that what you were doing? You hunted down your entire hive." Dusk said narrowing his eyes at Kuray.

"My hive was the most war inclined hive to exist, why do you think I left, why do you think I did what I did. All the others were prepared to accept a peace and begin living amongst ponies." Kuray said angrily.

"What if you're wrong, what if the changelings aren't as domesticated as you think? What if you're not as domesticated as you think?" Dusk snarled. Kuray threw his shoulders back and crouched low to the ground prepared to spring but Sweetie Belle stalked up to Dusk and next to her colt friend.

"How dare you talk to him as if he was a common dog, as if all of the changelings were common dogs." She said coldly. Dusk seemed taken aback by herald Kuray lowered his guard. "You were a dirty lowlife drunk and my husband dragged you back here and sobered you up and you repay him by coming here and insulting him after putting him in danger." Dusk stood at the foot of the stairs his wings on the ground and his ears drooping. He opened his mouth to speak but Sweetie Belle spoke before he could. "Leave, now." She said coldly. This brought dusk back to his senses and he silently shoved between the two of them and picked up his bag and his coat and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

"So I'm your husband now am I?" Kuray said breaking the silence that had settled over the two of them. She turned to him, her eyes soft and the anger gone.

"You know what I mean," she said softly. "And no one gets to talk to my colt friend like that." She said kissing him softly. Kuray would have been angry with Dusk at the moment but currently thoughts of his marefriend were the only ones that were on his head.