Wayward Love

Shadow Eyes. Analise thought of the mare’s name all day. It was unique like her own name, but Shadow’s seemed to hold mystery to it. Why was she given that name? As far as Analise could tell, Shadow Eyes didn’t seem like a mysterious pony.

Analise’s thoughts took her away from her work and into the recesses of her own head where she could destress and have privacy. While she did that, Analise was still very much conscious and aware of her current environment.

She didn’t need to have her undivided attention focused on her job since she’d been doing it for two-years straight now and knew it like she knew the back of her hoof. What was there to really know anyways? She worked at the Manehattan Cryobank, for Celestia’s sake! There wasn’t much more she really needed to know how to do that she didn’t already know.

Her job was fairly simple after all: stallions came in, she gave them paperwork to fill out then handed them a cup in return, and led them to a vacant room where they did their thing. And then when they were finished and they handed her their full container, she took care of it by labeling it correctly and filling it all out like she must before placing it in the freezer. That was it!

And having reminded herself of just what exactly her job as the receptionist of such a place was, Analise let herself slip further into her thoughts. She now thought more on her encounter earlier today with Shadow Eyes, taking into account the event that had occurred and how the unicorn mare looked.

Aside from the height difference between the two, this unicorn seemed to be something else. Call it a mare’s intuition, but Analise got this feeling that this mare was something other than ordinary; she just couldn’t place it yet. But that all didn’t matter since what really caught her attention was how the vibrant pink hair of this unicorn made her unique. While most ponies’ mane color usually went well together with their coat, Shadow Eyes’ seemed to contrast her blue coat. Analise had never seen a pony with vibrant pink hair and a deep blue coat, well she has many a time, but never on the same pony. She smiled at the thought and just found that to make Shadow Eyes that much more of an interesting pony.

At the sound of a chime, Analise shook her head and returned to reality. When she did, she looked at the clock then sighed. She had only been working for two hours and still had four more to go. Needless to say that the day was dragging on and all Analise wanted was for it to be over with already.

Kling-kling! The sound of the door jingling got Analise’s attention. She looked up with a big smile.

"Hello! Welcome to Manehattan's Cryobank, I'm Analise..." she stopped when she saw two stallions in police uniforms staring back at her, "...How can I help you today?" she finished with a meek voice.

"Have you seen this pony?" The senior officer asked as his partner held up a flier of a blue unicorn mare with a pink mane. Analise's eyes widened when she saw who was on the paper. It was Shadow Eyes.

Analise played ignorant with the cops as they took notice of her surprise, “Nope. Can’t say I have, officers. Sorry.” She lied to them, using her charm and beauty to her advantage, “Is she in trouble?” Ha! Ignorance all the way! Analise thought to herself.

The stallions both looked to each other then back to Analise, "She's a wanted mare, miss. If you happen to see her, call us."

His partner left a card on the desk for her then the two of them left. Analise let out a sigh of relief once they had left out the double doors. That was too close, Analise. She told herself before closing her eyes and taking in three deep, calming breaths, letting them out slowly.

"Why is Shadow Eyes a wanted mare?" She asked herself, Now I really need the day to end. I need a drink now.

/~/~/~/~/~/

Out on the crowded streets of Manehattan, Shadow Eyes was just minding her own business when her magic field relayed to her the sight of two police stallions exiting a building. Her instincts kicked in and out of her Fight-or-Flight, flight won; she hid in the nearby alley and watched from the shadows as the cops slipped into the crowds as they went about on their daily patrol.

“They’re looking for me.” She said to herself, biting her lip.

"Well what do we have here?" Said a voice that sent a chill down her spine. Shadow Eyes looked behind her with her field and saw a stallion standing there, a knife in his telekinetic grip as he wore a lecherous grin that made her grimace.

This is going to get bloody. Shadow Eyes thought to herself as she thought up a course of action.

"What a pretty mare. Maybe she is looking for a real stallion to spend some time with?" he said as he moved the knife against her throat.

Shadow Eyes didn’t move, but instead smiled to herself as she fancied an idea of what to do to the stallion.

"No. I am not interested in your small dick, but I will have your life." Said Shadow Eyes as she twirled around and shot a blast of concentrated magic into the stallion's chest, causing it to implode inwards; shattering his bones and causing his heart to explode inside.

The knife fell and she bolted out of the alleyway and down the streets. There was no need to be caught near a dead body. That wouldn't help her any in her quest to keep a low profile. She ran passed the door to the cryobank. As she did, she had fake tears running down her face. Shadow Eyes knew she had to keep up the act in case she ran into a beat cop who might just decide to help her, or was not in the loop that she was a fugitive.

After the police had left and were nowhere in sight, Analise decided she'd take her lunch early—very early—so she did and the moment she stepped outside onto the streets of Manehattan, she saw the mare from earlier run past.

“Shadow Eyes?” Analise muttered as she tried to confirm if it was indeed Shadow Eyes, or just somepony who looked like her. Wait, that couldn’t be possible. She took another look at the running mare and blinked. “Shadow Eyes!” Analise ran back inside and grabbed her saddlebags, punched out, and bolted out of the doors and towards the unicorn.

“Shay!” She called out as she caught up without much effort, “Hey,”

Still in Fight-or-Flight mode, the moment Shadow Eyes heard somepony calling out to her, she whirled around ready to defend herself, when she saw Analise. Her fur laid flat again and she gritted her teeth. “Why are you following me?”

Analise reared back at the irritated question and she saw Shadow Eyes’s horn sparking and tears in the unicorn’s eyes streamlining below her shades. Shadow Eyes was debating whether or not Analise was a threat, or simply interested in her. Shadow Eyes hoped for the latter.

“Why are you following me?” Shadow Eyes repeated herself, doing the best she could to fight back the tears that just would not stop coming.

“I saw you running. You looked like you were in a hurry,” Analise answered back, “So I took lunch and wanted to say something to you.”

“Like what?” Shadow Eyes asked Analise back, now standing relaxed, her horn no longer powered up with magic as she tried to blend in with Analise and the crowd around the two of them.

Analise smiled at seeing the docile action, “Thank you.”

Shadow Eyes blinked behind her shades at Analise’s words. “Didn’t you—”

“—For fixing my dress. I didn’t get to properly thank you earlier, so I hope you will accept my invitation to lunch.” Analise invited with a friendly smile.

Shadow Eyes could not find the words to say to this mare, and she desperately wanted to. Why was this Analise being so kind to her? All she had done was fix the mare’s torn dress. It’s not like she saved this mare from being mugged, or something. So why was she being so kind?

“I,” Shadow Eyes started to say as Analise’s golden yellow eyes seemed to glint back at her.

“You, what?”

Shadow Eyes shook her head, “I don’t know where I’d want to go.” She told Analise.

“Is that all?” Analise asked back before giggling and nudging Shadow Eyes to follow her, “Come along. I know the perfect place. My treat.”

Shadow Eyes and Analise trotted along through the streets of Manehattan as Analise led the unicorn to the restaurant she had in mind. On their way, the mares passed by a couple of stallions who opted to take a look at her. A very intensive look, at that, as they watched Analise trot alongside the blue unicorn, and how her voluptuous flanks popped side to side.

The two stallions whistled at her after they got a good look, “Hey baby! How ‘bout you flash us that plot of yours?”

Analise ignored them the best that she could while trying to hide the faint tinge in her light hardwood brown coat also. She flipped her copper mane around to the other side of her face to block her view of the lechers in hopes that would deter them from making anymore crude and intrusive comments towards her.

Shadow Eyes scoffed at the lechers, "I am sure she can do much better than you two." She said with a little more force than necessary back to both stallions then she nodded to Analise. Entertaining the thought that she would be able to get a decent meal for once helped brighten up her dank day, "Some stallion tried to have his way with me. He didn't get very far." She said in a way to discourage further comment.

Analise couldn't help but to giggle at Shadow Eyes's comment back to the two stallions and how they shut right up as if they'd both been smacked. But the mare's remark only worsened her own burning cheeks. Shadow Eyes said that Analise could do better than they could. Her attention was quickly brought to a different topic when the mare told her why she was crying, making it very clear that Analise did not want to inquire anything further.

"Alright. Well, at least he won't be a problem?" Analise said with an uncertain and puzzled look upon her face. A sign that she didn't know how to react to what Shadow Eyes had just told her happened to the stallion she'd encountered, "Well, you didn't say no to the thought of a good meal, so where do you want to go? My treat." Analise offered to Shadow Eyes as a last attempt to see if she had a place in mind and to try and break the cloud of awkwardness that Analise felt was now about them both.

"You pick," Said the mare,Though I doubt I'll get passed the door. She thought as she kept an eye out for any police ponies. The last thing she needed was to be accosted by them right now.

Analise picked up that Shadow Eyes was on the prickly side so she thought quickly about where they could go to eat and that’s when the perfect place popped into her mind.

"Rosalia's!" Analise said excitedly, "This way," She told Shadow Eyes as she turned right on the corner and kept to a slow trotting pace.

Analise figured that a lot of the apprehension was because Shadow Eyes, or Shay as she had started to call her, was a wanted mare; a felon, maybe? And while she had been taught by her father not to mingle with law-breaking ponies, Analise found herself strangely attracted to some of them. Then again, her father considered a pony not leaving a tip to be breaking the law. Maybe that was why she never understood his lessons that well.

"I'm Analise," Analise introduced to Shadow Eyes after the thought had hit her in the back of the head that she'd never introduced herself, "So... What brought you to Manehattan?"

Shadow Eyes shifted uncomfortably at the question, opting to remain cryptic in her answer as she was very uncomfortable of this newfound conversation.

"I was trying to get away from some things," She responded as she trotted beside the mare on their way to the restaurant known as Rosalia's, "What about you?" She asked the taller mare.

"Oh, okay. Sorry for imposing," Analise apologized, rubbing the back of her head as they arrived at the fancy restaurant, Rosalia's. The hostess at the door greeted the two mares and showed them to a booth near the very back.

"I am Rosa, and I'll be your hostess today. Can I start either of you off with a drink, maybe an appetizer?" Rosa asked the two of them as she laid out a menu in front of Analise and Shadow Eyes.

"I'll have water, please." Analise spoke up first with a happy smile, happy to be sitting down someplace other than her boring job.

Rosa took down the order on her book then looked to Shadow Eyes and patiently waited for a response. Her time working at Rosalia’s had nurtured a serene sense of patience within her as well as a keen eye to being able to spot frequent customers as well as first-timers; Shadow Eyes being the latter, a newcomer.

"Water as well, thank you." Shadow Eyes ordered nervously. She didn't like how the waitress was staring at her. Did she recognize her from the wanted posters, or was she being overly dramatic again? Again, Shadow Eyes shifted uncomfortably at the attention given to her. "So why are you here in Manehattan?" Shadow Eyes reiterated hoping to forestall any more uncomfortable questions.

Once Rosa left their booth to retrieve their water, Analise opened up her menu using her magic and shrugged at the repeated question. It wasn’t that she wanted to be rude to Shadow Eyes, it was just that she really didn’t know what had actually made her move to Manehattan other than the job she held.

"Suppose I didn't want to work in Canterlot." She answered, "Though some days I ask myself if I'm in Manehattan or Canterlot anyways." She said with a sigh, lowering her menu and closing it up. "So, can I ask how you got your name? It's unique and I like it." Analise blushed while she tried to figure out why asking her acquaintance’s name seemed more like something other than just general curiosity.

There it went again. Analise felt uncomfortable again, but not because she was in a romantic setting with a mare she'd only just met in the most awkward of ways, but because this mare was giving off vibes she'd only ever felt once before. To take her mind off of it, Analise reminded herself of why she really disliked her job all the time, and her appearance sometimes.

Shadow Eyes turned her face away from the mare, "I like your name as well." she complimented in an attempt to ward off any other questions about herself. And even if this mare was being kind to her, there was no need to make her an accessory when Shadow Eyes fled the city soon but noticing that the mare seemed intent on having conversation with her, she sighed deeply,

"I am blind,” Shadow Eyes stated plainly, “My eyes were clouded over when I was born so my parents named me after that."

Even if she was used to it, Analise smiled at the compliment until Shadow Eyes answered her question about how her name came to be. The Saddle Arabian mare then frowned and rubbed her forelegs together.

"I am... Sorry, Shay. You're such a nice mare that I can't believe such a thing would happen to you." Analise felt genuinely sad for the mare but hid it behind a smile once Rosa returned with their drinks and two bowls of haytons.

"On the house, ladies," Rosa said to them after she set the bowls down on either side of the table, "Now what can I get you ladies?"

"Oh, right. I'll just have the Manehattan Caesar Salad." Analise ordered and the earth pony, Rosa, wrote it down.

"And for you, miss?" Rosa waited for Shadow Eyes. As she did she looked behind her and saw two off-duty police mares walk on in, being seated at the nearest vacant table. She knew the mares and smiled inwardly, unaware of what was stirring among the restaurant now.

"I-I'll have the same. Thank you." Shadow Eyes said, swallowing carefully before levitating her glass to herself and gulping down the water in one go.

Shadow Eyes stiffened as she was able to tell that two cops had walked in. If they recognized her she would have to do something she didn't want to do but luckily she remembered that the key to not getting noticed was to act like she belonged. So she took a look at the menu and before realizing that it was smooth, she was unable to read it.

"Alright. I will return shortly." Rosa told the two mares as she collected their menus and walked away.

As soon as she did, Analise frowned again. She didn't need to know Shadow Eyes personally to know how crappy she must have felt, being blind and all, and unable to read the menu.

"Do you have a home?" Analise asked curiously, now smiling sheepishly as she had no idea how to hold a conversation with anypony she didn't already know.

Although she was trying to hold conversation with her new acquaintance and keep her attention on the blue mare, she did not forgo the two cops ordering their meals at the very front of the restaurant. Analise glanced back at Shadow Eyes then back at the cops and felt her heart beat faster. What would she do if the cops knew Shadow Eyes was there? What could she do? She didn't know what Shadow Eyes had done to become a fugitive and she sure as Celestia did not want to be an accessory either so she took a sip of water.

"Your heart is beating faster," Said the blind mare absentmindedly as she started to nibble on one of the rolls at the table, "Did you catch on that you are with a fugitive? Are you waiting for someone so I can be taken in?” Shadow Eyes asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at Analise.

Analise squeaked when Shadow Eyes pointed out that her heartbeat had increased followed by what she would've thought to be a pre-interrogation question denoted by the mare's tone of voice. The last thing Analise wanted now was to be on Shadow Eyes’ bad side. She had no idea why the mare was wanted, after all. Knowing she was not being kind right now, Analise had to give the mare an answer right? After all, she wasn’t exactly mean in her questions, but not nice either.

"Huh? No--no!" Analise sipped at her water again before inhaling slowly and exhaling even slower; trying to catch her breath and calm herself, "I just don't want anything bad to ruin this day." She told Shadow Eyes as her head lowered and she stared blankly off into her water glass.

After a minute, Analise looked back at the two mares and noticed that they were not asking questions or waving around fliers with Shadow Eyes’s picture on it either. She thought it weird, but at the same time, she was happy. Maybe it was because whatever Shadow Eyes did was too recent to be widespread public knowledge? Analise accepted that thought before she cringed when two familiar stallions entered Rosalia's.

Analise facehoofed herself and took her gaze off the ponies and back to Shadow Eyes. The way she was looking at the mare could have been misconstrued with the expression of a mare in love, but really Analise was thinking—pondering—really, of what she could do to help this mare who helped her out.

"Can you change your mane color? Maybe hide your cutie mark—if you have one?" Analise giggled, embarrassed at the thought of not having her cutie mark. Just another reason why she wore coltshorts anytime she wore a skirt.

Without even asking for an explanation on Analise’s part, Shadow Eyes charged her horn and with a small flash, her fur was a much darker shade of color; her mane and tail turned red instead of pink and her cutie mark changed to that of a sun similar to that of Sunset Shimmer’s but without the squiggly line.

"Is that better?" She asked flatly as she waited for the waitress to return with more water and their meal. This mare was beginning to concern Shadow Eyes. Why was Analise helping her?

Analise was intrigued by Shadow Eyes's ability with magic. She had changed her coat, mane, and cutie mark with relative ease and after she had changed, Analise's horn gave off a faint fuschia light just as the two police officers started to look around the entire room, even drawing eyes upon Analise and Shadow Eyes, before one of them started towards her.

When they stopped before her booth, the gruff-looking stallion with a buzz cut looked at her and how the table was set to represent a table for two.

"Excuse me, miss, have you seen this mare?" he asked holding up the wanted paper to Shadow Eyes.

Analise held her breath for as long as she could, and that wasn't helping since she was beginning to run out of air to hold already just after twenty seconds. Shadow Eyes would have been able to see Analise so she hoped to Celestia and Luna both that Shadow Eyes could keep her cool with Analise making a funny face as she tried desperately not to give herself away to the stallion.

 "Excuse me, but how am I supposed to see that? I'm blind." The mare said to the officer, who sputtered sounds instead of words, "Now if you'll excuse me, me and my friend are trying to enjoy ourselves before I have to leave for a business trip in a couple days." Said Shadow Eyes dismissively.

 The officer sputtered again as he was now confused by what the mare meant when she said 'her and her friend'. He didn't see anypony at the table other than her and it never occurred to him to think that maybe her friend was in the filly's room either, probably because he was feeling like a buckhole for being rude to a blind mare.

"I--I'm sorry, miss. Enjoy your afternoon." He stuttered before trotting away with his partner, both exiting the restaurant.

As soon as they had left, Analise let out her held breath with a loud PAH! followed up by a ravenous sucking motion to inhale as much oxygen as she could to replace what she had used up.

"Good one, Shay." She said with a giggle, "Now you can revert back before anypony notices." Analise suggested with a quick look around. Analise didn't see Rosa anywhere which was a good thing since she'd probably say something if she came back to see Analise with a different mare sitting at her table.

"Alright." Shadow Eyes acknowledged. She felt like she was being used for entertainment but nevertheless did so just as Rosa returned with the food and a fresh glass of water for the blind mare.

"Here you go, ma'am." Said the waitress and Shadow Eyes smiled sweetly to her. Rosa blushed slightly as she mumbled something about being busy.

"It's alright. Thank you for getting my drink." Shadow Eyes told the waitress and she shuffled in place before rushing off. Shadow Eyes was not used to being in the spotlight at all, especially by a mare in the company of a mare that most obviously had to be a model.

Analise watched how Rosa acted suddenly around the two of them, particularly seeing how Shadow Eyes had smiled at her, then she blushed when Rosa had given her a not-so-subtle look over right after Shadow Eyes. Strike three about her appearance being a curse.

After Rosa left them alone, Analise couldn't help but to act foalish as she looked down at her salad and haytons, playing with the tomatoes by manipulating her fork with her magic.

"Thank you, Shay. I'm sorry for bossing you around." Analise spoke up finally with a hesitant laugh. Why is it the mares that seem attracted to me the most? Analise wondered to herself as she recalled how Rosa had just acted in her presence. As she did that she also looked at how Shadow Eyes had acted towards her a couple hours ago. Am I cursed?

"You know, you are a very attractive mare," Shadow Eyes said, again complimenting Analise, as she took a sip of her water, "You could pass for a model if you tried." she continued before sampling the salad. Taking off her glasses for a moment Shadow Eyes revealed her clouded blue eyes and sighed, "It's sad that I won't be staying much longer. I had a feeling you and I could have been great friends." As soon as she said that there was a huge explosion not far off and Shadow Eyes went wide eyed. She grabbed her glasses and hastily put them on her face before rushing out in shock.

‘You are a very attractive mare’ Analise nearly choked on the water she sipped from her glass and looked at Shadow Eyes the moment she had removed her glasses to reveal her cloudy blue eyes.

"T--thank you. You're--you're pretty yourself," She stumbled over her own words and then hid her face in her hooves when Shadow Eyes had commented that she could be a model. "Oh, no, no...heh heh heh...I could never. I'm notthat good-looking, Shay." She argued. Nor would I ever be caught in the same spotlight as Fleur de Lis.

Analise blinked and looked at the mare. Shadow Eyes had said she wouldn't be staying much longer. Why? "Why is that?" She asked, "We could be friends, you know,"

Just then she had heard the explosion too and was hot on Shadow Eyes's tail as they both darted outside to see what had caused the shockwaves.

"What happened?" Analise asked of nopony in particular as she tried to survey her surroundings for any signs of where the noise had come from. That was a fruitless endeavor as pandemonium was around her and her lunch pal.

More explosions. These ones shook the very ground beneath her hooves as the building across the street from her crumbled, having its foundations reduced to ashes. Police were running around looking for the perpetrator as another building caved in. This one took out the cryolab, Analise’s place of employment. Shadow Eyes winced at that. It looked like her new friend would be out of a job for some time. While she worried about that though, the sun seemed to have stopped in place as the moon rose in front of it causing a solar eclipse. Not that the blind mare could see it.

Analise's ears pinned back at the next set of explosions; one she watched the building collapse from some distance away, and the other, as she saw when she looked down the road towards her workplace, was the Cryo Bank collapsing as well.

Shock came over her face at seeing her job crumble and smolder. She wanted to cry, but inwardly she was happy to know she didn't have to worry about putting in her two week resignation now.

Woo-hoo! I'm free! But her air of happiness was then crushed at that very same moment, Oh ponyfeathers. Analise thought.

And to top it all off, after the distractions and destruction, Analise looked down at her hooves only to see her shadow fading away. Even through the dustbowl of debris kicked up by the fallen structures Analise could notice her shadow fading away. She looked up immediately to witness the sun standing still and the moon rising—sitting in front of the sun—which caused a solar eclipse. She shuddered when that happened. Her hooves buckled and her breathing became ragged.

She had heard the stories, and even read in the Canterlot Daily, about what had happened on the 1,000th year, the same day the Summer Sun Celebration had fallen on, and now she was witnessing a repeat.

Is this really happening? Is Nightmare Moon rising again? Crossed her mind even though she had no idea what was really going on.

"What? Is something wrong?" Asked Shadow Eyes turning to the mare worriedly as she turned her body towards her and attempted to calm her.

Analise, still shaking and not watching where she was going, stumbled over Shadow Eyes. She tried to speak, but her voice was drowned out by the shrieks of the crowd of ponies:

"NIGHTMARE MOON IS BACK!"

"NIGHTMARE MOON HAS RETURNED!"

"WE'RE ALL DOOMED!"

Analise picked herself up and held herself close to Shadow Eyes, "We need to leave. Now. Anywhere but here." Analise was frightened and she wasn't afraid to let her new friend know it, but where would they go? Manehattan was under attack, or at least it seemed that way as the dust clouded all chance of visibility.

Shadow Eyes froze in place for a moment. Nightmare Moon back? No, no, no, that couldn't be what was happening! No! Shadow Eyes thought quickly and with a flash of light, covered both Analise and herself. They disappeared from the street, and reappeared several blocks down within view of the city limits. Though now she could barely see, her magic was so low she was also having a hard time standing.

"We've got to go!" She said as she stumbled forward.

 Before Analise could react to what was happening, she found herself and Shadow Eyes at the city limits. Analise hadn't teleported them away so how had they just done so? She then looked at Shadow Eyes and saw the mare, weak and barely standing.

"Shay!" Analise quickly dived in front of Shadow Eyes to catch the mare on her back, "You're impressive,"

Analise, once she was confident that she had Shadow Eyes on her back and secured, turned tail and left Manehattan at a canter. "Nearest city is Phillydelphia," Analise said talking to herself, "But that's a day away. Oh right, there is a station stop a few hours away. I'll head there then I can get us tickets and get to someplace safe."

Though Analise wouldn't speak her mind outright, she could already imagine what would be on the front page of every newspaper in Equestria: Shadow Eyes' face followed by some nasty lies. Analise's heart skipped a beat and her stomach churned at the negative thoughts. She wanted to believe the mare on her back wasn't a bad pony and since she had run away with the mare now, she could only imagine she'd be tossed in the mix of whatever Shadow Eyes's life is really like.

So much for working and saving bits to move out of Manehattan. Analise thought to herself, I made a friend though. That's a plus, right? Right?

Feeling—more than seeing—herself being carried, she forced another spell, causing her appearance to change to the way it was before with a grunt of exertion.

"There," She said tiredly, "Now you won't get in trouble carrying a fugitive around." And with that Shadow Eyes passed out.

 Analise felt the sparks of magic being cast but before she could say anything, Shadow Eyes had cast the glamour spell on herself, changing her appearance to the one back in Manehattan before she passed out.

"Shay," Analise didn't like that the mare on her back felt the need to cast such a spell, but then again, what did Analise know about her? She was a wanted mare, that was it! So how was Analise to know just how widespread this news was? She didn't.

"Sleep well, Shay. I'll get us someplace safe. Someplace you won't have to worry about running away from."

The train station Analise was heading to was two hours away—at a fast canter for an athlete—and Analise was anything but the like so she was figuring three, maybe four hours, tops. If she could carry on without stopping to rest.

 About an hour away from the train station now, Shadow Eyes jerked awake and fell off of Analise with a thump but soon pushed herself up. After her painful fall and self-recovery she blushed.

"Sorry," She managed to say as she turned her face away and attempted to stand. Succeeding in doing so, she shook out her legs to loosen them back up and turned her clouded eyes to the tall mare, answering the unasked question, "I'm fine, I promise. Where are we going?”

"Are you," Analise stopped midsentence when she heard a THUD! Analise had grimaced at the painful-sounding fall before turning around and checking up on Shadow Eyes.

Shadow Eyes answered the very question she was about to ask. With a sigh of relief, Analise shook her head and nudged the mare playfully. She wouldn't point it out to Shadow Eyes, but Analise had seen the blush of embarrassment on the mare's face before she had turned around.

"We're going to a halfway station, Shay. We're about an hour away now. We'll take a train to either Phillydelphia, or maybe Baltimare. I haven't decided yet." Analise lowered her head slightly in defeat.

She wanted to help Shadow Eyes, she truly did, but she was at a loss for their destination much less how much of Equestria knew that Shadow Eyes was a wanted pony. And with her own track record, the places she suggested were the only two she could think to go where they'd be safe for a long time. Of course, they could always travel to Las Pegasus too… Nopony would ever find them then.

 "Wherever you feel is safest." Said Shadow Eyes as she trotted beside the taller mare, "I trust you."

Three words that she never thought she would say again and yet, she just did.

Analise gulped as she looked at Shadow Eyes. Something about the ominous solar eclipse high above in the sky made things seem even more dreary than they really should be, especially right now with just herself and Shadow Eyes.

"Wherever I feel is... ulp ...safest?" Analise whimpered. Suddenly she felt like the fate of her newfound friend rested on her shoulders, more than it did a few hours ago now, or maybe it was the foreboding thoughts of Nightmare Moon returning and plunging all of Equestria into an eternal night?

Analise slapped herself and gulped again, but this time she had an air of confidence about her as the two trotted alongside each other.

"Baltimare it is then. I know a mare there who can help us out." Analise said to Shadow Eyes with a smile, knowing her friend was blind she still smiled since she had caught on that the mare had some way of seeing without actually needing the ocular sensors of her eyes.

One thing at a time, Analise. You both have only just met, these things take time. She thought to herself, reminding herself how trust was built and what she had to do to show Shadow Eyes that she wanted such a powerful thing.

/~/~/~/~/~/

Analise laid down on the ransack pile of straw, nearly hyperventilating as her heart pounded in her chest and her body quivered as the adrenaline spike in her veins started to subside.

“Analise, will you be fine?” Shadow Eyes asked the panting mare.

"I'll be fine," Analise panted, closing her eyes and resting her head against the large pile of straw.

Analise knew better but the muse of perfectionism inside her always pushed her to go beyond her limits, and this time was one such time. She recalled Shadow Eyes and herself reaching their destination, the train station, only to find out the last train for Baltimare was completely full and that no more tickets could be sold.

Knowing they had to get to Baltimare immediately, she had used her magic to make herself and Shadow Eyes invisible to anypony's eyes, then together they had stowed away in the caboose of the very train that was about to send off. But her body couldn't handle the burden of casting the spell on another person and herself, so over-exertion struck, leaving her weakened and sickly. A minor price to pay to help Shadow Eyes out, nothing more.

Shadow Eyes rushed over to Analise’s side and lightly pressed her nose to the mare's neck to check her pulse. After finding it not be life threatening she proceeded to sit on her haunches and worry.

"You foolish mare!" She scolded the weakened mare, but her voice lacked any conviction as she looked on with worry. Cleric spells were not one of the fields she had studied in before all this happened so she felt useless to help Analise now.

 Analise forced her eyes open as much as she could, which wasn't more than a half-lidded expression with a forced smile to her friend. "Always am, always… Will be." She coughed twice then shuddered.

"Is it, Is it cold in here?" She murmured, letting out a deep sigh.

The caboose shook as the train steamed forward to its destination without problem. That was, until the rooftop hatch sprang open; the rusted latch falling and hitting the steel floor with a loud CLUNK!

Analise nearly choked on her own breath at the sudden sound but then quickly returned to a very docile state as her body reminded her that it needed to rest and regain its lost strength.

Shadow Eyes sat there, feeling helpless as the piece of rusted ceiling fell, so focused on the mare in front of her she didn't notice a pair of officers enter, both having heard the piece of metal fall.

When they had entered the train car and took sight of two mares, one awake and aware, the other unconscious, they approached.

"Is she alright?" One of the guards asked in a worried fashion. Shadow Eyes turned to him with a confused look on her face,Of course Analise is alright! Crossed her thoughts but she couldn’t say that to them and risk causing an altercation.

"I'm sure we can worry about that after we've dealt with these two stowaways," Said the other officer as he moved closer to Analise and prodded the sickly mare with his baton, "Hey, you, time to get up. No ticket, no ride."

"Please, my friend isn't feeling well, and we are escaping from the destruction in Manehattan, please!" begged Shadow Eyes and the older guard shook his head even as the younger guard seemed to think about it.

Analise opened her eyes and saw that the two new stallions were both cops. Her heart froze and she closed her eyes once more before either of them took notice that she was awake. As soon as they had, she heard them exchange conversation with Shadow Eyes. Even with her pleading, the stallions still showed no sympathy for the two mares. It really showed when the senior officer, the one in charge, poked her with his baton in her ribcage followed up by him telling her to get up and get off the train.

Analise just laid there, coughing harshly from the intense jabs by the round-topped steel pipe. She stilled herself even after hearing the younger stallion crack a joke about her:

"Hey boss, doesn't she look hot? She reminds me of that model, Fleur de Lis!"

Always with comparing me to that mare. Analise thought to herself, her inner thought very much exasperated now, If I could move, I’d kick you so hard.

"Yeah, you don't say," The cop replied as his eyes checked her out; first, they started at her head, entranced at how sheen her coppery mane was even with the speckles of dust and debris in it. Then they moved down, admiring how her skirt seemed to hug her perfectly-curved hips as his eyes soon traveled to her plot. He discreetly licked his lips as they focused on how refined it was, and how he could imagine just undressing her to see it in the buff.

The younger stallion then looked at Shadow Eyes and cocked his head, "What pony wears sunglasses indoors?" He asked her as he approached her.

"Hey, hey! Apprehend her while I arrest this fine mare." The veteran said lecherously.

Analise's heart stopped again as his perverted voice reached her ears and his words drilled into her head. She was much too weak to fend him off, both physically and magically—she was helpless!

No, Celestia, don't let this be my fate. She screamed inwardly as fear rose up in her.

"Touch her and die." Snarled Shadow Eyes as she started channeling dark magic into her horn. Her horn pulsed and bubbled with the magic, causing black crystals to spread like ice along the bottom of the caboose.

"You want to take her place?" Asked the older guard and Shadow Eyes smirked.

"You couldn't keep up." She taunted. The younger guard scoffed at her and moved to take Shadow Eyes up on that challenge when his superior made the fatal move of lifting Analise's skirt and peering up it despite Shadow Eyes’ threat.

Next thing anypony knew he was pinned to the wall, a black crystal jutting out of his barrel. The sheer force of his hitting the train car’s wall caused it to tip slightly as a crystal formed out of the guard's blood and pierce his heart then breached the skin soon after. Turning sharply to the younger guard and with a flick of her head, his body flew one way while his head flew another.

"She isn't yours, you pigs." Shadow Eyes snapped.

Analise heard only what sounded like a scene out of a horror flick as she heard—and felt—the stallion molesting her with his eyes was tossed into the side of the train car, tipping it slightly enough she had felt it while hearing him scream in agony at the same time.

She wanted to open her eyes and see what was happening around her, but she was frozen still by fright. And it wasn't until she heard Shadow Eyes tell the two stallions that "She isn't yours, you pigs" that she had to see now, and when Analise opened her eyes, they fell upon a scene that was surreal: black crystals lined the floor and as she followed it, she watched the younger stallion's head and body twist in opposing directions, and a sickening bone-shattering noise coming from him as his corpse hit the crystals.

"Sh--Shay?" Analise managed to whimper out as she looked upon the mare whose horn was now swirling with black magic. She gulped and shuddered, her breathing becoming panicked, "Shay!" She cried out before passing out from the sight of everything and the smell of blood overpowering her sense of smell.

The torrent of power stopped just as suddenly as it began and Shadow Eyes scurried over to Analise and curled up close to her resisting the urge to whimper. She was the only pony aware in the caboose. After a few moments she stood and, while levitating Analise, made her way to the next car on the train as soon as they were in it, the carriage car to be precise, Shadow Eyes unhitched the caboose which was quickly left behind as the train sped off.

"Come on, Analise, wake up," Begged the mare, shaking Analise with her hooves.

While unconscious, Analise groaned. When she opened her eyes, a blinding light forced her to wince before it diminished completely.

/~/

"What?" She jolted upright to find herself in a most familiar place.

"How in the buck did I wind up back in Canterlot?" She asked out loud. She slammed herself back onto her haunches and rubbed her eyes with her hooves, blinking afterwards as she looked around. She was still in Canterlot. "How is that possible? Wasn't I just with..."

Hurry up, Analise, or you'll be late! Analise turned around to find an older stallion, dressed in a business suit, a top hat, and a monocle, three paces ahead of...Herself?

"What in the buck?" Analise repeated to herself. She knew something was strange now because here she was—back in Canterlot—a place she had since left behind, watching herself and her adoptive father as they made their way down the streets. Analise recognized what was happening and screamed.

"No! No! I refuse to relive this again!" Analise fell to the ground and covered her face, cowering and crying, "Stop. Go away. Why do you haunt me still?"

She stopped, though, when she heard a muffled voice call out to her by name. She listened again and heard her name a second time. Analise distinguished the voice as a mare's, then she sat up quickly. "Shay? Shay!"

/~/

Analise's eyes shot open and she jolted upright, nearly pushing Shadow Eyes away from her, while she looked around in a panicked state. When she saw that she was no longer in the dark train car, the caboose, she looked down to see Shadow Eyes.

"Shay!" Analise hugged the mare, "You're alright!" She yipped gleefully.

Shadow Eyes was stunned for a moment when Analise hugged her, but after that moment she returned the hug before gently pushing the taller mare off of her.

"I take it you are going to leave now? After all, who would be friends with a dark mage." said Shadow Eyes in a self-defeating tone.

After Shadow Eyes returned her hug, Analise released her; Shadow Eyes also helping by gently pushing her away. "What?" Analise blinked, tilting her head to the side to the mare's question.

The look on Shadow Eyes' face was one of sadness and defeat, but Analise had no idea why, until she heard the two words:dark mage and then it made sense. Was Shadow Eyes testing her? Was Analise being tested by this mare for some reason?

Analise brought a hoof up to her mouth and giggled at the mare, "You're so cute, Shay!" She laughed again, not noticing she had basically made a pass at the mare instead of a compliment like it was meant to be, and muttered to herself in-between each cackle, "Dark mage—pfffft, hahaha—good one, Shay!"

After she had calmed down and rested herself, Analise smiled at Shadow Eyes, "I'm glad to see you're alright, Shay." She said sincerely, "So...How did we get here? Weren't we in the caboose?" She asked before holding up a hoof and shaking her head, "Nevermind. Don't answer that. I was probably hallucinating from overusing my magic." Analise dismissed quickly before returning her hoof to the floor.

Shadow Eyes looked at her sadly as she hung her head. "I am a dark mage. That's why I'm wanted. I practice forbidden magic." She said then she smiled faintly at the pass and even had to take a second to register that the mare had actually did such a thing. A blush burned beneath her coat until she heard the mare cackle. Shadow Eyes frowned but before she could do anything, Analise smiled at her sincerely and told her she was, "glad to see she was alright".

“I mean it! I used dark magic to take care of the two guards that tried to rape us. I then got us off the car and let it loose. If you looked out the back you would see that there is no caboose anymore." She explained quickly, assuming that the mare wouldn't want to be near her once it sunk in, she then nuzzled Analise, "I would never hurt you, I promise."

Analise saw Shadow Eyes's sad face and looked at her curiously and before she could ask what was wrong, Shadow Eyes told her again that she was a dark magethen told Analise how she had taken care of the cops who were trying to rape them.

"Shay, you're kidding," Analise stopped herself then ran to the door and looked out the window. Though the caboose was no longer in sight, she did confirm that what should be the caboose behind them, was not there at all.

Suddenly, a sense of realization set into Analise's mind. Shadow Eyes was telling her the truth. She was a dark mage. Analise shook the shock from her face before she turned back around to find Shadow Eyes nuzzling her, promising she'd never hurt Analise.

She's wanted for practicing something forbidden. A form of magic that was meant to cause pain and fear and... Death. Analise thought to herself as she gazed sweetly down at Shadow Eyes as her thoughts continued to speak to her, Those who practice such magic are viewed as evil, hateful, and unruly. But Shay... Shay is none of those things.

"Shay," Analise lowered her head and nuzzled the mare back; a sign of kindness, "I would never leave a friend." She whispered, "Now let's get to Baltimare. My friend will help us lay low."

Analise then flashed a happy smile at Shadow Eyes before nudging her over to an empty seat. So long as nothing else out of the blue happened, Analise figured their ride would be uneventful. Something she wished for now because she'd had way too much excitement for one day.

At Analise's nudging, Shadow Eyes followed the mare to an empty seat and sat beside the tall mare then leaned up against her. Shadow Eyes took that time to revel in the fact her friend hadn't left after learning about what she was, she was overjoyed. Nuzzling the mare more, she remained quiet, though the smile on her face betrayed the wondrous emotions she was feeling. But all good things must come to an end. And they did as a new guard entered the car looking for his fellow officers. At first he ignored the pair of mares as he went to go to the missing caboose until he decided to speak with them.

Analise froze stiff when the new guard had entered their train car. She thought they were both about to be busted because they were alone, but no, he nodded his head to them and greeted them with a smile before he saw straight through the window of the door.

"What in Tartarus?" He galloped to the back of their car and right past them, looking out at a sunny sky when he should have been met with only a dark, metallic box. "Where's the caboose?" He freaked.

"Umm...I think the hitch broke," Analise answered him, offering up a reason instead of telling him that her friend had killed two guards earlier and detached the caboose to throw out the evidence of a double homicide.

He turned to Analise, and when he did, got a good look at her model-esque physique. She could have kissed Celestia's teets by the glint in his eyes when they had fallen upon her. But Analise could have also just as quickly bucked the man right through the door.

I swear to Luna, I am going to stop primping myself. Analise thought to herself before she was brought out of her stupor by one of the worst pickup lines she’d never thought of hearing again.

"Hey, how you doing?" The guard said as he tried to hit on Shadow Eyes, "What's a couple of mares like yourselves doing all alone back here?"

His question held such a tone that Analise was tired of hearing already that she began to seriously think about just bucking him unconscious, or out the back door. What was it with all the stallions she'd encountered today? Seriously.

 "We're on a trip, obviously" Shadow Eyes answered him. She turned her face towards him and made a show of checking him out, even if she couldn't see him. "What's a stallion like yourself doing back here?" She asked back.

"A trip? You two are going to Baltimare?" The young stallion asked Shadow Eyes next as he trotted up to her, "Oh me? I was looking for my pals who were on board." He answered her.

Analise, though he wouldn't have noticed her right then, cringed and reared back at the stallion's answer. What would he do if he found out that Shadow Eyes had killed his friends then released the caboose? Would he try to kill them? Arrest them, maybe?

Not wanting to think of what Shadow Eyes might do to him, Analise decided to spare his life. Her horn lit up that vibrant fuschia color and caught the guard's attention, throwing him into a state of alert, when he suddenly took up his casual stance again, turned back to Shadow Eyes, and smiled.

"So what's say you lovely ladies and myself get to know each other on a more...Personal level, hm?" He suggested with deviant intent in his eyes.

Analise lowered herself into her seat and turned her head away from the two. She started to pant; taking in deep breaths after each exhale, and put a hoof to her forehead to fein that anything was wrong.

"Oh Celestia! Is she alright?" The stallion pointed out to Analise, "Miss, miss! Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Analise waved him off, "I'm...Sorry, I," She choked down her pride of forgetting what had just almost happened back in the caboose, "I get panic attacks easily."

"What? Was it something I said?" He looked worried and confused now, almost certainly feeling bad if it was from something he had said.

Shadow Eyes nuzzled Analise worriedly. After a little bit the guard seemed to get more worried while the whole time Shadow Eyes was checking on her.

"I wonder if a handsome stallion like yourself could do me a big favor and bring us some food and drink?" Asked Shadow Eyes as she smiled sweetly, pulling away from the mare, "Maybe you'll get something more than a kiss," She said in a suggestive tone while lowering her glasses to give him a wink, "At least I might give you something."

The guard nodded his head and looked to Shadow Eyes with a curious glint in his eye now from her suggestive tone and even more suggestive words. She even winked at him! And it was that wink that sent him off to fetch the two mares some food.

After he'd left, Analise sat straight up and looked at Shadow Eyes blankly. "You'll give him something more, huh?" She asked blatantly, her monotone voice signaling that she knew what Shadow Eyes was hinting at.

"Whatever. As long as he doesn't expect me to do something so lowly—I mean, so absurd." She corrected hastily.

"It's just sex." Responded Shadow Eyes with a shrug, "I enjoy a little bit of physical pleasure every now and again. Which is hard to come by when you are a wanted criminal." She enlightened and turned her face towards Analise before nuzzling her lightly. She then stood up and stretched out her legs a bit by walking around.

"It's just sex" Analise's face contorted as she met Shadow Eyes's deadpanned look with one of her own, "Just sex? Shay, did it not occur to you that both of us were nearly used by two lechers?" She asked as calmly as she could.

She's messed up. Analise thought to herself before looking out the window again, feigning that she was still calming down from a 'panic attack' just as the guard had returned pushing a cart of food and drink down the aisle, stopping it a row before where herself and Shadow Eyes were seated.

"Here you are, ladies. It's all fresh and hot." He said to them as the smell of hayfries, hayburgers and even pizza filled the air. "Hay fries and burgers, pizza, and water." He told them before looking back at Shadow Eyes with that glint in his eye still. The twinkle of hope that he'd get laid now.

Analise, faking still, bit her lip and tried not to let it get to her to know that Shadow Eyes did not seem to care that she was demeaning herself by engaging in such activities outright, and with anypony that would accept her invitation.

"This is great, but I wonder, do you think you can help me out over here?" Asked Shadow Eyes as she stopped in front of the bathroom door, "It seems to be a little stuck." Said blue mare before she winked at him once more and she put her forehooves on the door and pushed on it, even though the door said ‘pull’ in indented lettering.

As she pushed she shook her rump to entice him a little, her tail flitting back and offering another enticing view of her wet marehood. The guard stumbled over himself as he made his way to the bathroom and pulled it open for her and on her way in she flitted her tail across his nose and with her magic she tugged at the front his uniform and pulled him inside the bathroom with her.

Analise covered her ears as she listened to Shadow Eyes flirt with the stallion, pulling not a single punch as the guard agreed and trotted his way over to the bathroom and opening it for her by showing off how manly he was. After that, Shadow Eyes had pulled him into the bathroom with her magic which made him gasp by the sudden yank as he was not expecting it. He closed the door behind him once he was inside with her and smiled, waiting for what he had been promised.

Analise kept time and after a few minutes, got curious as to why they were taking so long. She knew how sex worked, especially such promiscuous sex like what Shadow Eyes was most likely engaged in now, so why haven't the two of them finished up yet?

Curiosity got the best of Analise so she slipped out of her seat and made her way over to the bathroom after casting a spell to make her hoofsteps silent, and put her ear to the door just for a moment. After such, she made her way back to her chair and pretended she knew nothing of what had happened between Shadow Eyes and the stallion.

 It was at least an hour afterwards that the door opened revealing Shadow Eyes with her hair messed up and a small 'I know what you did' smile on her face as she glanced at Analise, with a small gait when she walked. She seemed completely clean as she walked out while the stallion had a stupid smile on his face as he walked out behind her and and then beside her kissing her on the lips before leaving the two of them alone.

"I saw you" Shadow Eyes whispered, motioning to the fact the door to the bathroom wasn't flush to the ground as some doors. In fact it was a couple inches shorter. "I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable, but... In my defense, he was actually really... No, wait, you don't want to hear that, do you?" Asked the blue mare, shaking her head. "It's not just sex," She corrected herself from earlier, "It's times like that I can pretend somepony loves me, and I can pretend I love them back. It isn't perfect, but it's what I have."

Once the guard had left them to be alone once again, hopefully for the rest of their ride, Analise turned her head and looked at Shadow Eyes as she was spoken to—being called out on having been peeping. She shrugged and looked back out the window as the eclipse held its shadow over all of the land.

"It's fine," Analise told Shadow Eyes in response to the mare's apology about making her uncomfortable. But something in her voice told a different story.

Analise, upon hearing Shadow Eyes correcting herself about sex, looked at the unicorn again with sad eyes as she listened to what her friend had to say.

"it's times like that I can pretend somepony loves me, and I can pretend I love them back. It isn't perfect, but it's what I have" Analise bit the inside of her cheek then got up and pulled Shadow Eyes against her, hugging the mare. "It's okay, Shay. I do understand," She whispered before the train came to a halt. "Now let's go find a place to lay low."

Analise let go of Shadow Eyes and moved past her, winking her eyes closed in an attempt to blink away the tears that fell from them. She opened the door and waited for Shadow Eyes to follow since the conductor had just announced their arrival to Baltimare.

I know the feeling, Shay. She thought to herself as she waited for her friend to join her, I wish to be loved too.

"We have arrived at Baltimare! All for Baltimare!" The conductor shouted as he announced to the train's passengers that they had arrived at Baltimare, this time more clearly heard by the open windows in the next car.

Shadow Eyes trotted out of the train slowly behind Analise as the tall mare walked off the train. She did not like it here one bit. There were too many guards around and it did not help when the guard that she had just been with trotted up and gave her a quick nuzzle and wishing her well before he did something had surprise her. He kissed her on the cheek and caused a blush to form on Shadow Eyes' cheeks. She had not expected the stallion to give a shit after they had bucked, but apparently he did.

With Analise right behind Shadow Eyes, she saw the guard that had brought them food and played with Shadow Eyes, trot up beside the unicorn and nuzzle her then said something that made the mare blush before he took off.

With a curious brow raised, Analise shook off her question to Shadow Eyes and instead turned her attention to how Baltimare wasn't in too much ruin, or chaos, from the fact that an eclipse had occurred and had now doomed all of Equestria.

"This way," Analise said taking a sharp right turn off the train station dock after fooling the pegasus pony that she and Shadow Eyes had tickets. "First thing's first, we need to find a stylist."

Shadow Eyes nodded absentmindedly as she sped up so she was walking beside Analise and she pressed her side against Analise's side.

"He wished us luck... He knew my name," She whispered to Analise just after Analise said they needed to find a stylist. "He knew who I was and didn't care."

Analise smiled at the action of Shadow Eyes pressing herself up against her. "He did?" Analise blinked and felt her stomach knot, "He didn't care? Well...Good, right?" She smiled awkwardly as her thoughts began to assault her with negativity.

Great. He knows Shay, bucked her, and wished us luck? This can only end so well. She thought to herself, the pessimism festering within her stomach as the two trotted along side-by-side.

Analise led Shadow Eyes through the streets of Baltimare like an experienced tour guide who knew every path, both long and short, and every sight worth seeing, as they headed for a barber shop she needed to find.

"Hope you won't mind getting a haircut," Analise said to Shadow Eyes in an attempt at joking just to distract herself from her own thoughts about what might happen now.

Shadow Eyes had a small happy smile as she nodded. She was, to be honest, on cloud nine; she wasn't thinking about any negative ramifications—she was thinking of the possibility that maybe he really did care.

"Whatever you say, Analise." She cooed and pressed herself against her before nuzzling into Analise happily.

Analise could only smile at how happy Shadow Eyes seemed to be so suddenly. Not that it was a problem since both of them had been in less-than-happy moods the past few hours, but Analise could not figure out what happened to make such a drastic change in her friend.

It couldn't have been getting bucked. Analise thought to herself as they slowly trotted up to the shop she was looking for: [A Mare's Hottest Wares]. A rather misleading title, yes, but Analise stopped asking that question some time ago.

"Here we are. Now just let me do the talking, alright?" Analise told Shadow Eyes as she pushed open the door.

"Welcome to Mare's!" a heavily-Bronx-spoken mare greeted Analise and Shadow Eyes.

"Long time," Analise said in return. Upon hearing her voice, the stylist swung around, her deep magenta bangs flipping from one side of her face to the other. The gold ring in her ear and the silver one in her nose told Analise who it could have been, but it was the white freckles on the mare's cheeks that confirmed her thoughts.

"Anny!"

"Babs!"

The two hugged then did some sort of hoof bump that looked more like a secret code before Babs smiled at Shadow Eyes.

"Who is she, Anny?" Babs asked, leaning in, "She your marefriend?" The mare whispered quietly.

Analise's face blushed and she looked away in embarrassment. Babs laughed then held out her hoof to the blue mare, "I'm Babs Seed. Owner of Mare's."