Life's Left Hook

It's not going to be easy to get out of this one...

You sink back into your seat, hiding your sweaty hands under the table covers.

Your face is red again.

God fucking damnit.

Cadance looks at you and sighs.

"Are we having 'problems' again, Anonymous?"

"U-Uh..."

"Because we can't have problems. Not here."

Octavia gives you a sideways glance.

"She's right, you know."

You want to scream, but you know you can't.

And, just now, you notice you have a boner.

Why the fuck do you have a boner?!

Cadance leans back, resting against the back of the chair.

You don't dare move, in fear of embarrassing yourself.

You can feel Trixie's glare on you...

No bathroom breaks, or else you know she'll kill you.

You just sit back and pray for it to end.

It has to end.

It has to end well.

It can't end.

Not like this...

There's always a happy ending, right?

Suddenly, Octavia slides the menu over to you.

"Take a look, Anonymous. I have to... Go to the mare's room."

Her tone was a bit off.

She quickly shuffles out of her seat, and walks away.

Right towards the bar.

You see her walk out of sight, towards the bathrooms.

And Trixie hops off of her stool to follow her.

You shit a couple of bricks, but you maintain your composure.

Cadance looks at you.

"Still need help with your problem?"

Yes.

YES YOU DID.

But you can't.

There are bigger problems at hand.

You lean in towards Cadance to whisper.

"Cadance?"

She sensed some panic in your voice, and raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

"We have a very, very big problem."

Her eyebrow raises another inch, and her eyes widen a bit.

"Explain?"

"There's someone... A mare... She's out to get us."

She gives you a skeptical look.

"Yeah, okay, Anonymous."

"No, you don't understand. There's a mare that wants to tear us apart, all three of us."

"What are you talking about?"

You shuffle around worriedly.

How do you explain this?

"Look, she's blackmailing me. She got ahold of my swe—uh, suit jacket, from the orchestra ha--"

"SHE WHAT?!"

Cadance, thankfully, did this in a whisper.

Although it was still loud.

"She got the jacket, as well as pictures of us in the Prench hotel—"

"You didn't close the blinds?!"

"No, none of us did! She caught pictures of you smacking me up, too! And someone else heard us, evidently."

Cadance's face is bright red and glistening with sweat.

"Wh-What?!"

"Yes, I know, it's very, very bad. She blackmailed me at the hotel after bucking me. That's why I was bleeding. I didn't actually—"

"THE BITCH HURT YOU?!"

You let out a short, exasperated sigh.

"Damnit, Cadance, just keep your head, we need to—"

"No! I won't stand for this! This is a conspiracy against the crown! This is blasphemy! This is madness! This is--"

"No! Dooon't!" you say, covering her mouth.

"You do that, and everyone from here to the Crystal Empire knows!"

By the look in her face and in her eyes, you think she just died a little inside.

She doesn't say anything, defeated.

It's depressing, and it kills you inside.

"Look. I know what she wants."

She looks up at you.

You think there are some tears in her eyes.

"She wants me to break your heart and leave you both."

Her jaw hits the table in shock.

"She what?! B-But, Anonymous, you can't—"

"And I won't! But, look, we just have to—"

Immediately, you shut your mouth.

You see them.

Trixie and Octavia both round the corner.

Trixie looks like a peacock, chest and chin high.

Sheesh, her ego was almost as big as her hat.

If she had it on, that is.

Octavia trots over to your table, glancing at you both and then at Trixie.

You and Cadance both put on a convincing 'cool face', and look up at Trixie with a smile.

Octavia smiles back, and nods.

"Cadance? Anon? This is... This is Trixie," she says, gesturing to the mare.

"She's a fan and a follower. We know each other... Rather well, actually."

She turns to Trixie. "Take a seat next to Cadance. I'll sit next to Anonymous."

Immediately, a very, very prideful smile shows on Trixie's muzzle.

"Trixie will. Sitting next to royalty; even Trixie must say, it's an honor."

With that, she plops her haunches down across from Octavia.

You wanted to kill your enemies before...

But now you're going to dine with them, it seems.

You sit in silence for a moment, until Octavia brings up some idle banter.

"So, Trixie," she says, gaining the attention of everyone at the table, "what brings you to Detrot? Another one of your shows, I assume?"

She shakes her head. "Trixie is here for pleasure, not for business. In fact, Trixie isn't doing her shows any longer; all of the crowds have been... Swept away, by not only a certain violet alicorn, but also by another popular circus act taking place in Ponyville..."

Ouch.

That was one hell of a gut shot to you.

Octavia gives you a forgiving glance, and turns back to Trixie.

"That truly is a shame. I did enjoy your spectacles. But, pray tell, what brings you here?"

She smiles and lets out a huff. "Actually, you do. Trixie plans to attend the CSO concert tomorrow afternoon."

"I'm flattered," Octavia says sincerely.

The two make smalltalk while you and Cadance sit back.

Cadance is, undoubtedly, disgusted by this mare; not a word has been said, and the look in her eye is easy to read.

Arrogance isn't flavorful, especially not with this one.

Eventually, the waiter comes by.

Cadance and Octavia order some sort of fruit pizza, you order a sausage pizza, and Trixie is content with nothing more than a blueberry muffin.

He takes his leave, and Trixie and Octavia continue their idle talk.

"So, Trixie," Octavia says, "where have you been recently? I haven't talked to you for some time."

"Yes, not since you left Trixie on the Potawney Ledge outside of Canterlot," she says, some scorn clear in her voice.

Octavia sighs.

"Don't be bitter, now. We've discussed this."

She remains quiet, but then speaks up after a moment.

"Trixie... Has been in Canterlot, living in her luxurious home with her two servants," she says.

Shit, really?

Did this mare make that much money from her shows?

"Oh, good. So I'd assume you're ready for retirement?"

"You could say so. Trixie has it all; money, a house, good food, anything she could ever want... Well, almost."

There's a short silence before Octavia continues.

"Well, that's excellent. Sounds like you're living the life."

"Indubitably."

After another short, awkward silence, you feel Octavia wrap a foreleg around you.

"This is, erm... Anonymous. He's my..."

You look down at her.

"Title?"

Fuck.

"...Boyfriend."

"Boyfriend," she says, smiling her best.

"Trixie is well aware," she deadpans.

Octavia lets out a little sigh. "Trixie, honestly. Don't be so bitter like this."

She snarls in response.

"Life is bitter like that. It's bitter, and scalding hot if you spill it on yourself. A lot like coffee."

That was surprisingly depressing.

And amazingly philosophical.

"Speaking of coffee, Trixie needs some. Waiter?"

She waves over the waiter and orders a cup of coffee.

After he hurries off, the room seems to go silent.

It's tense, and you can feel it...

"How rude of Trixie. This whole time, Trixie has bothered not to ask questions herself. Let's turn the conversation; Octavia? What have you been doing, as of late?"

Octavia looks up from the table. "Moving and performing with the CSO, making new friends in Ponyville... Other than that, not much."

"I have a feeling you're forgetting to mention something."

She nods. "Yes, and I've been getting to know both Anonymous and Princess Cadance better as well."

"Quite well, I presume?"

Octavia blinks.

"Uhm..."

"That is our private matter," Cadance interjects. "Please leave it be."

"Oh? I believe I have just as much to do with it as anyone else here," she says, half glaring at the Princess.

Cadance blinks at the rude interjection, and Octavia reaches over to touch Trixie's shoulder.

"Trixie, please, calm down—"

Immediately, Octavia's hoof is swatted off of her shoulder.

"Trixie, will do as she pleases," she retorts, glaring at Octavia.

You cover your face with your hand out of embarrassment, and you wait for their exchange to end.

"Please, Trixie, don't start a ruckus."

"A ruckus? A ruckus is a mere pebble compared to the giant boulder of issues Trixie is facing. You just seem to add on to the rockslide, as well, Octavia."

She glares at Octavia, snarling.

"Care to explain yourself, Miss -Philharmonic-?"

Her tone was so bitter and sharp you felt it stab at your heart.

You notice how much emphasis she put on her last name...

"P-Please, Trixie, just... Just calm down..."

"T-Trixie isn't going to calm down! Trixie c-couldn't believe! Couldn't believe this could happen to her!"

Cadance raises an eyebrow, and looks wearily at the two as they argue.

Octavia sighs and shakes her head, placing a hoof on her temple.

"Look, I'm certain it's not easy, Trixie, it's just that I—"

"You 'tried to do the right thing'. Yes, you did—for yourself! Did you ever think of Tri—..."

She gulps, and you see some tears come to her eyes.

"Did you ever think of me? Even once? Or did thoughts of Mister Anonymous's phallus cloud your mind more than any performance of mine ever could?"

Octavia took a shot to the heart at that one, and sits back.

Trixie leans in, glaring daggers.

"Y-You never thought of me, did you?! Do you even know what you've done to me?! I'm alone! I'm all alone in this forsaken world! And I-- I can't--! I can't do it!"

She snarls, choking back tears without much success.

As much as you despise this mare, it hurts to watch.

She looks down at the table, her head low for the first time you've seen.

"I'm a wreck... I-I'm a fake... I-I'm not living in my house anymore; I had to sell it to save myself! I-I live in th-the alleys! The gutters! I have to scrounge e-everything, a-and even then I barely get by!"

You gulp.

Octavia's eyes are glazed at this point, as well.

Trixie adapts a low, soft tone, quite the contrary to what she normally has.

"D-Do you have any idea what you've done?! What I've had to do?! I've resorted to everything for food. ...Y-Yes, everything..."

Octavia's gaze is set on her glass of water, distant and lost as she thinks.

Trixie, meanwhile, continues her rant.

"I... I couldn't go on. I just couldn't muster the strength or the courage to do anything without you. And... And that's... That's the hardest thing to do now, without... Without someone to lean on..."

Tears are dripping from her muzzle at this point, and her eyes are clenched shut.

"I... I needed you, Octavia... I needed you, and you just... You just dropped me on the cold, unforgiving sidewalk, like I was just some trash waiting to be swept away... And... I... I..."

She sniffles, and her head collapses onto the table.

She starts sobbing, and no matter how deep she stuffs her head into her forelegs, nothing muffles it well.

Octavia hops out of her seat to pat Trixie on the back, and for once, she isn't pushed away.

You sigh, and cover your face.

There's a lump in your throat, too.

You look at this poor mare, and wonder.

She tried to blackmail you.

She almost killed you, even.

Why do you feel so sorry for her?