Shadow, Love and Pride

XIV

Decisions and Solitude

Bellz still couldn't get the fear out of her mind. The glowing red eye staring at her, remembering it caused her to shiver. It haunted her sleep, it haunted her day to day. She couldn't hunt successfully due to her lack of sleep, she couldn't focus or when she had to deliver the killing blow something inside made her stop. She hasn't seen the werewolf in over a week now, but she felt him near.

She was alone now. She couldn't return to her sisters in such shame. She didn't even prove if she could become immune to the ponies magic, she chose to counter the spell. She knew all too well the conditions for immunity, sacrificing for the rest of her life being able to use magic herself. A trade she refused to make even under the Mistress's orders. And worst of all she surrendered in combat, begged for mercy in tears to ponies, the werewolf's friends, for him to spare her life. Unforgivable.

Now on top of a hill, she was hugging her knees thinking about what to do. She had to decide soon. She was hungry and didn't want to live with this fear any longer. But no matter what, she knew what had to be done in the end. She had to find and face him.

ZZZ

“The closest thing I made to a friend all these years, before coming to Ponyville, was the chef I told you about who taught me how to make the mushrooms as a replacement for meat. Afterward he apologized and then asked me to go and not to contact him again. I understood his reasons. It still hurt nonetheless.” Kido confessed his reason for drinking alcohol frequently to Twilight. After his escape from Tartarus he found himself alone. The two of them were in the lobby of the Ponyville Guard Headquarters. Kido was still sitting behind his desk, Twilight next to him. She got closer and rested her head on his right shoulder. Kido was looking down as he spoke, when he felt Twilight's gesture he rested his own head on hers.

“You don't need that stuff anymore. I know someponies still and may always have a difficult time trusting you. But you're on the right path. You already made some friends. I'll help you end the loneliness now.” Twilight said still resting her head on her friends shoulder.

“I promise I won't bother you too much.” He giggled.

“It's all right. Hey for a big scary werewolf, you're pretty sensitive.”

“I trust you. You're the first friend I made in a long time... and I'm drunk.” They laughed and Twilight lifted her head.

“Can you walk?”

“I can try.” Kido made to stand up, supporting himself with the chair. “I got this.” He tripped. Twilight made a quick catch and let her friend support himself on her.

“I'll help you upstairs.”

“Thanks but there's still one thing...” Kido clumsily walked to Derpy's desk and picked up the tin bottle and glass. Twilight wanted to say something. He then walked behind the desk and a crashing sound was heard. Kido dumped the brandy in the trash. “Now we can go.” Twilight smiled and walked to her friend to support him. He put a hand on her back and they walked to the door that led upstairs to his living quarters. They laughed all the way upstairs as Kido kept tripping on his own feet.

“Good thing you're not armed.”

“Almost there.” They reached the top. They walked to the hammock, Kido sat in it and started removing clothing. He started with his boots and gloves. But to Twilight's surprise he removed his shirt and dropped it on the floor. Her cheeks turned wild cherry but she couldn't help but look. “You hungry, thirsty?”

“Maybe... I should go... Isn't Derpy gonna be back soon?”

Kido laughed. “Poor girl will be back tomorrow, she is the liaison between this department and the Canterlot criminal courts.”

Twilight for some odd reason felt joy. “Well, I in good conscious cannot leave you alone in such a state. You hungry?” She walked to the small kitchen.

“There's a small container with some of my special mushrooms. Haven't bought any juice, there's only water.”

“You're fridge only has mushrooms and cupcakes.”

“I know.”

“Mind if I have one?”

“Mushroom?”

“An uncooked one.”

“Be my guest.”

Twilight proceeded to then serve glasses of water, a plate with Kido's mushrooms and another with a raw one. She magically carried them to her friend still sitting on the hammock and still shirtless. She handed a glass and the special mushrooms to her friend, then magically moved the couch to sit facing Kido.

“Are you babysitting me?”

“Maybe I am.” She smiled. “I wanted to ask you something.”

“Shoot.”

“Since your escape you rarely exposed yourself. But when I first met you, you were at Sugarcube Corner where anypony can see you, what changed?”

“As you may suspect, the solitude was taking a toll on me. I was drinking almost everyday to fight off the stress. I stayed alone and avoided contact as much as possible to be safe and not scare anypony.”

“You decided to take a risk here.”

“Yes... I thought to myself “”Maybe there's a chance it could be different.”” It was either that or drowning at the bottom of a bottle again.”

“How did you afford such a habit?”

“I would solve some mysteries and those grateful would commonly reward me. But I mostly would use my sense of smell to find jewels to sell. The money would always end up at the same places. Mushrooms and... you know.”

“You told everypony that you encountered you were a Diamond Dog?”

“Yes.”

“You think you can just quit cold turkey?”

Kido sighed. “I don't really have a reason to drink now, except to satisfy an addiction I developed. But if I ever have urges, I'll look for you.”

“You better mister.” She looked at both their plates. “Oh you're done too, give it here.” Kido made to hand her his plate and glass, Twilight magically placed them in the sink.

“There's an advantage to being able to use magic, you don't have to get up to get a midnight snack.” He laughed. “I'm sorry for keeping here for so long, Spike must be worried.”

Twilight made a sad face as she started to lay comfortably on the couch. “What if... That is if you don't mind... Could I stay longer... Would that be a problem?” She then looked at her friend in the eye.

Kido looked confused but then gave a big smile. While he still looked at Twilight, he laid down on his hammock. They didn't say a word, they just rested comfortably looking at each other smiling, until sleep took over.