Coagulation

Lazuli,

I think we both know what this is about. It’s recently come to my attention that your profession has gone from highly respected hitmare to…whatever those ponies down in Ponyville plan to have you do. This came as a shock to me, personally, but I want you to know there aren’t any hard feelings.

However, I’m sure you understand that in my end of the criminal world I can’t exactly have a past contact working so closely with those who work directly against me. I wholeheartedly respect your reformation, and I’m sure the crushing weight of all of the lives you’ve ended will be fixed with a few quick tea parties and friendship playdates. Unfortunately it seems the assassin I used to carry out all of my hits is now the next one on my list – but I don’t have a replacement.

Well played, Dusk.

Yours cordially,

Sanctuary.

The letter had sat on Lazuli’s bedside table for nearly a week before she finally decided to read it. She had assumed it was just another contract that had taken a while to get to her, at first…but it had her real name on it. Upon reading its contents, she wasn’t sure what to think. Her first assumption was well obviously I wasn’t going to be allowed to have a normal life. However, she read further into it and realized that this ‘Sanctuary’ was right. Dusk had been the most well-known hitmare in Equestria, or at least she liked to think so. If she was gone, this unknown pony probably had no one else to turn to that would actually be able to take her out. She was fairly confident this letter was nothing more than a glorified severance message with the intent of making her nervous.

Her time in Ponyville had only been brief, thus far. Six days and about fifteen hours, she had to imagine – the party on the first day had taken a lot out of her. She always made herself eschew sweets and other confectionaries, but Pinkie Pie simply wouldn’t have left her alone if she hadn’t eaten some. Fizzlepop was a decent enough roommate. She was surprisingly understanding when Dusk- no, Lazuli…she told herself…when Lazuli sometimes was shocked awake by her dreams or she thrashed around and made noise in her sleep, mainly because she had done the same for quite a while before she got used to normal life.

She still hadn’t made that date with Twilight yet, and she figured now would be better than later. From what she had been told by Starlight and Fizzle, Twilight was a studious mare and quite stern when it came to research. Lazuli presumed all she would really need to do was sit still and let the purple alicorn poke and prod her where she needed to, and ask her questions. Hopefully, she thought, she’ll do the questions and skip the prodding.

Lazuli nudged open the doors to the meeting room…or was it a throne room? She still wasn’t sure what to call it, but it was set up like a meeting room.

A rather deep voice was audible as soon as she stepped in. It had a southern drawl to it, yet the owner spoke eloquently and calmly.

“Now I of course don’t mean to impose, your royal highness.” The voice said, clearly adding words that weren’t necessary just to increase the impact of his speech. “But I simply must stay in this lovely little town of yours a short while longer. It’s so cozy and calm, I can’t get enough! And my goodness, all of the ponies here are just so kind.”

Lazuli stepped fully into the room. Twilight was sitting at her seat at the table, while another pony sat beside her, in the seat marked with Applejack’s cutie mark. The Dracony blinked at the sight of him – he was a nicely dressed unicorn with white fur and a blonde mane and tail. He wore some small glasses on his nose that accentuated the bright green of his eyes, and a dirty-white suit jacket that helped to add flair to his immaculate coat.

“Well, it’s certainly no issue, Mr. Faith.” The princess smiled warmly. “You’re quite a nice stallion yourself, Ponyville is happy to have you! There’s no reason we’d say no to you staying as long as you’d like.”

Lazuli cleared her throat firmly. “Is this a bad time?”

“Hm?” Twilight glanced at the door, then gasped. “Oh! Lazuli! Perfect timing. I wanted you to meet somepony!” She stood up, and the unicorn beside her did as well. “This is Blind Faith. He’s a travelling erm…what was it you did, again?”

“A lawyer, darling. Not that it would be very necessary in such a perfectly calm town as yours.” He put a hoof to his chest.

“Right, a travelling lawyer. He doesn’t have a solid place to stay at the moment, which is why I’m permitting him to stay in the castle for a while!”

“…er…nice to meet you, then.” Lazuli stepped forward and held out her hoof. As Faith stepped forward, the Dracony felt her body shiver a bit. He had an air of charisma around him that was hard to shake off. “My name’s Lazuli. Lazuli Cutter.”

The unicorn shook her hoof happily, his pearly white teeth slightly visible past his lips as he smiled. “A pleasure to meet you! I’ve been reading in the news about Bellephron. I never thought I’d get the chance to meet a Dracony, but it’s truly an honour. You must have a lot to tell.”

“Er…pardon?”

“Well, princess Twilight was just telling me about you.” He smirked in a way that made Lazuli simultaneously uneasy and extremely calm. “I’ve always been interested in Draconies. My sincere apologies if that was an odd thing to say.”

Lazuli was going to comment, but something about him made it hard to do so. His eyes made hers practically entranced. “Oh, it’s no problem,” She said slowly. “A little odd, but I can understand if you’re curious.” She happily smiled back at him. “It’s great to meet you, too.”

“Say, Lazuli.” Twilight spoke up. “You wouldn’t happen to be open for that interview now, would you?”

“Oh, right. That was what I was here about actually.” She glanced at Faith. “Er, do you mind, sir?”

“Oh, not at all. My apologies.” The unicorn politely bowed to them both. “I’ll see myself out. I’ve been told I simply must try the sweets at Sugarcube Corner – I’ll be back later!”

As Blind Faith began to leave the room, Lazuli couldn’t help but notice how plump he was. His belly sagged slightly with extra pudge, and his flanks bounced with each step he took. Well fed for a traveller, she thought.

“Sorry about that.” Twilight smiled and sat herself down again. Lazuli took a seat where Faith had been sitting.

“So…who is he? You said he’s a travelling uh…lawyer, so what does he plan to do here?”

“Oh, he’s just passing through and staying for a few days. He hasn’t got that much money, so I figured it wouldn’t be any harm to let him stay here.”

“…a lawyer doesn’t have money?”

“Well, I don’t think he gets a lot of work out here in the countryside.” Twilight shrugged. “Now, shall we begin?” She asked, her tone going from serious to giddy.

“Oh, right. Sure. Just an interview, right?”

“Well, that and a few other things…”

“…oh…”

Equestria was starting to enter the autumn months. It wasn’t cold yet, but it was chillier than usual, and when Lazuili went outside she needed to wear a scarf. Most ponies didn’t – but Lazuli was cold blooded.

As of late, she had been styling her mane differently. She now wore it in a ponytail – the only ponytail she could have, funnily enough – and kept it out of her face. It felt better, she had decided, but didn’t look a lot like she used to.

Lazuli had just left the castle. As she made her way down the street, she was acutely aware that she had no real idea where she was going. She had just started walking for the sake of walking with no real destination, but she supposed it was good that way. She liked the feeling of the cool breeze running through her fur, even if it was making her a bit sluggish.

“Oh! Lazuli!” A familiar male voice called from off to the side. The Dracony lifted her head and turned, glancing at the source. Blind Faith was sitting on a bench near Sugarcube Corner, smiling widely.

“Oh.” Lazuli slowly trotted over to him. “Hey there. Didn’t expect to see you around.”

The unicorn smiled and patted the seat next to him. Lazuli shrugged and hopped up on it, sitting down beside him. “Well it isn’t hard to run into ponies in a small town like this, hm?” he chuckled, the sound deep and heavy. “But really, I do apologize for interrupting your walk. I was just dying to talk to you more.”

“You uh…really apologize a lot when it isn’t quite necessary.” Lazuli commented.

“Ah, yeah. It’s a bad habit of mine.” He put a hoof to his chest and bowed his head. “The gods would be happy, but a lot of ponies aren’t.”

Lazuli cocked an eyebrow. “Gods? Plural?”

“Well of course. You only believe in one?” He leaned on the bench, turning his upper body to face her.

“Well I don’t…really believe in any, but don’t ponies worship the Princesses?”

“Ah yeah, most ponies do.” He nodded. “But I found my calling in a much higher power. One that the princesses wouldn’t exist without.”

“I see…” Lazuli nodded. At this point with most ponies she would have passed him off as a lunatic, but something about the way he carried himself kept her listening. “So. What’s your game?” She asked suddenly.

The unicorn looked slightly taken aback. “Game? Who said anything about a game? Who talked?” He put an arm around Lazuli, pulling her close with a hearty chortle. “I kid, of course.” He patted her head. “But no, there’s no game here, darling. Just a down home country lawyer finding life in the exploration of religious teachings.”

Lazuli giggled softly, finding herself resting her head against his shoulder. “Come on, you’ve got to have some kind of trick up your sleeve. Nopony’s as smooth as this without a reason.”

“And I bet a mare like you knows that quite well, hmm?~”

“…what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, I could tell the moment I saw you. You’ve been through a lot, right? You’ve got a lot of experience packed into that cute exterior.”

“…cute?”

“Apologies if that word’s not appealing. I meant…er…what’s the term…”

He tapped his chin with a hoof. “Gorgeous. That’s the one.”

“G-…” Lazuli’s face turned slightly red beneath the surface of her white fur. “Um, I’m flattered and all, but…”

“Oh, my sincerest apologies, darling. You’re taken?”

“Well…no…” She idly trailed her hoof along the wood of the bench. “Not exactly. Just um…I haven’t had great experiences with stallions.”

Faith gasped in a manner that didn’t even seem exaggerated. “Oh, my darling I am so sorry.” He gently took her hoof between his, lifting it to his lips and kissing it tenderly. “I get carried away sometimes. Please, forgive me.”

Lazuli’s face turned slightly redder, but her fur hid it fairly well. “I-I really am flattered, though.”

“Well I don’t mean to impose myself. I suppose I’ll make my way back to the castle, it’s getting’ dark.” His accent seemed to come out more at some times than others, but Lazuli didn’t really mind.

“Er, I was going to head back there too…” She said slowly.

“Well, no harm in walking back together now, is there?” He stood up, slowly stretching himself out.

Lazuli smiled at him. He was taller than her when standing, but only by a few inches. “I don’t see why not.”

“Shall we, then?” He started walking, and Lazuli happily trotted along beside him.

He smells good, she thought to herself, idly.

“Okay, so…you’re telling me you know a dragon.”

“Well I don’t know him. I mean…like…I used to. I stopped talking to him like…uh…five, maybe six years ago?”

Fizzle’s eyebrow raised with quite a bit of skepticism. “And how big is this dragon?”

“He’s like, I dunno, he’s probably gotten bigger maybe. He used to be not that much bigger than me.”

“I doubt that.”

“Well you can doubt it all you want, but it’s true.”

Fizzlepop and Lazuli were sitting in their bedroom. Lazuli was on the floor stretching, while Fizzle was on her bed, one leg kicked over the other. “Still really weird. What did you even do?”

“I dunno. Talked a lot. Just about stuff.” Lazuli grunted as she laid flat on her belly, lifting her rear into the air and stretching herself like a cat. “I hardly remember a lot about him. Just that he was a jerk.”

“How so?”

“Well you know dragons, super boisterous and all that. It didn’t help he had some uh…” She cleared her throat. “Digestive issues.”

Fizzle cringed a bit. “I can only imagine what that’s like from a dragon.”

“You’ve never shared a tent with one.” Lazuli giggled. “Oh, by the way, did you meet that new unicorn?” She slowly lifted one hind leg up, stretching it out behind her. She got into a rhythm of kicking one leg out, bringing it back in, and kicking out the other.

“Blind Faith?” Fizzle turned her head to look down at the Dracony.

“Yeah, him.”

“I met him, he seemed…pretty nice actually. Why?”

“I dunno. Something kinda…like…” She kept stretching, but looked distant for a second. “Just, something doesn’t feel right about him.”

“Well everything looks right about him, you know?”

“Oh, don’t be gross.” Lazuli snickered and straightened up.

Fizzle sighed. “Do we really have to go?”

“So now you’re the one who doesn’t want to take orders?”

“Call it an act of defiance.” The unicorn snorted. “I’m reforming from my old self.”

“Come on, it’s just a meeting. I doubt it’ll be anything big.”

“But I want to do something active.”

“I’ve been stretching for fifteen minutes, you’ve just been lying there.”

Fizzle rolled onto her stomach, leaning off the side of the bed. “Could we try sparring after?”

“…I…what?” Lazuli looked at her in confusion. “That’s…really random.”

“Well I haven’t gotten to fight anything in a while. My muscles are itching.”

“Well…honestly I’m not really…” The Dracony paused and rubbed her chin with her tail. “…in the mood to kick your ass that badly.”

Fizzle sat up with a wide smirk. “Is that a challenge?”

“You’re the one who brought it up, I’d call it an acceptance.”

Finally, Fizzlepop got off the bed and stood next to Lazuli, bumping her playfully with her hip. “Then let’s hope this meeting’s quick. I want to see what you can do without sneaking around and poking ponies in the ass when they don’t see it coming.”

“Is there even a training yard around here?”

“We’ll just do it behind the castle.”

Lazuli shrugged. While she had been sure about not fighting anymore, a bit of sparring to keep in shape wouldn’t be a problem, she was sure…

The ‘meeting’ they needed to attend turned out to be a simple talk between the six friends, Starlight, and Lazuli and Fizzle to a certain extent. Neither of them were particularly interested – it was something about friendship and a problem they need to solve, but nothing that the two mares concerned themselves with much. Occasionally when they were called upon they just nodded and agreed as if they were school fillies pretending to pay attention, which was half true. Lazuli was at least attentive, whereas Fizzle had adopted her bored and disinterested expression.

“So Lazuli,” Rarity said suddenly. The Dracony’s head turned to look at the unicorn.

“Yeah?”

“Fabulous name by the way, darling. Lapis Lazuli is truly an exquisite gem. Absolutely fabulous.” She smiled. “But tell me, you seem a bit distant. Have you been listening?”

Leave it to the unicorn to call you out on it…Lazuli thought, looking around as all eyes turned to her. “Well, honestly, I just don’t really know why I’m here.”

Twilight spoke up quickly. “Right! Well, I thought the best way to help you along towards learning about friendship is by having you attend these meetings! We don’t have them that often, and it’s not like you need to come with us on friendship missions or wherever else we need to go, but it can be a great help, I think.”

“Plus,” Rainbow Dash spoke up, fluttering in the air above her chair to look at Lazuli. “You’re super distant. I’ve barely talked to you since the first day party, and you don’t really talk to anypony else either.”

“I dunno, not much to talk about.”

“Um…she’s…she’s only been here a week…” Fluttershy tried to speak up, but was overtaken by Applejack.

“It’s nothin’ against ya, sugarcube. We’re just tryin’ to make sure y’all feel like yer’ welcome around here.”

Lazuli raised an eyebrow. “It wasn’t really like I felt-“

Pinkie Pie didn’t permit the end of her sentence to arrive before she interjected, suddenly appearing in front of Lazuli’s face. “Don’t worry, if my first party didn’t work and make you feel comfortable, I’ll just throw another one! Oh, but now it won’t be a surprise since I told you, but still, wouldn’t that be fun? We could invite eeeeeverypony! Rarity, Applejack, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Lotus, Aloe, Lyra…”

As the pink party pony droned on, Lazuli felt herself zoning out. Sweet Faust, I have to do this on a regular basis? She groaned internally.

“Aaaaand if you really want, I could even invite your family!”

Lazuli was shocked back into focus, her pupils dilating as she turned her head up to stare right at Pinkie. “I…what?”

“Oh! Sorry, was that a bad thing? I get carried away a lot, my friends always say I just have a really active mind, but when I really think about it it’s more like they just don’t have the same imagination, you know? And when my imagination gets away from me I just kinda start rambling and nopony really listens but they kinda act like they are so I wasn’t really sure if you were listening but since you noticed that last part I guess you were! So do you want me to invite ‘em?”

Lazuli glanced at the floor, then up at Pinkie, then at Fizzle. The room was surprisingly quiet, the mares that were still at the table staring at Lazuli with a bit of concern.

“Uh…y’all okay?” Applejack asked tentatively.

The Dracony blinked a few times, her eyes fixated on a small bit of dirt sitting on the polished crystal floor. “The um…” She cleared her throat. “The floor’s…a little dirty here…”

“What…?” Twilight tilted her head.

“The floor. It’s got…uh…” She wiped it with her hoof. “Nothing. Um…meeting over, or can we get back to…friendship stuff?”

“My word darling,” Rarity spoke up. “Are you alright? You’re shaking.”

Lazuli hadn’t even realized it, but her muscles were tense. “I’m fine. Just...” She cleared her throat again.

“…” She stood up and started walking towards the door.

“Where are you going, Lazuli?” Twilight called after her.

“I need some air.” She replied, the door swinging shut behind her as she left the room.

Pinkie Pie glanced at the door, then looked back at her friends. “…was it something I said?”

THWACK.

THWACK.

THWACK.

The rhythmic beating of some hard object against wood was constant, echoing through the outer fringe of Ponyville.

Lazuli’s tail just kept whacking against the tree, the poor Oak having no way to defend itself as a tail with about 200 pounds of force behind it kept slamming into its aging bark. Leaves slowly fell to the grass with each hit, and Lazuli’s clenched teeth and narrow eyes portrayed about the same level of care that her tail’s movements did.

It wasn’t too long before Fizzlepop arrived. She walked quietly, but loud enough to make herself heard. “Hey.”

“…hey.” Lazuli replied slowly, then whacked the tree again.

“Doesn’t that hurt?”

“Hurts the tree more.” THWACK.

“What’d the tree do to you?”

“It looked too smug. Had all its leaves on still.”

“Dusk.”

“That’s not my name.”

“It’s what you’re acting like right now.”

“Fuck off.”

The silence that hung between them was only broken every few seconds by the pounding of Lazuli’s tail.

“She didn’t know what she was saying. That’s just how Pinkie is.”

“I don’t think it really matter who said it, Tempest.”

“Okay, fine. Your name’s Lazuli, got it.”

“No, no no no it isn’t.” Lazuli turned herself around, her tail slamming against the tree so hard it splintered the wood that had been stripped bare already. “That name’s a lie.”

“Don’t be like that.”

“Be like what? I’m pretending to be somepony I’m not. I haven’t been Lazuli for twenty years.”

“That’s always been your name. You were lying when you went by Dusk.”

Lazuli rolled her eyes. “Sometimes ponies change. I was Dusk longer than I was ever Lazuli.”

“I was Tempest longer than I was Fizzlepop. What’s brought this on? So Pinkie slipped up. She mentioned your family. You can’t just get like this every time someone mentions them.”

“I can if I want to.”

“No, you really can’t.” Fizzle stepped forward. “Laz, your past is gone. Forget about it. Never forget their memory, but forget about Dusk. Forget about being so angry about them.”

“You don’t even know what happened to them.”

“I feel like I might have a pretty good idea.” She heaved a sigh, trying to find a way to speak delicately.

“Look.” Fizzle leaned down a bit. “I get it. You suffered a lot. Probably way more than I did. You have ten times the motivation I do for being the way you were. But that’s not a good thing. You got revenge on the one who did it. You killed him. He’s gone. His legacy is tarnished. Your species is safe. Your life is better.” She smiled. “You don’t have to keep looking back on their memory like it was for nothing. Hell,” She let herself laugh slightly. “Think about it this way. Without their sacrifice, you would have ended up the same way. You’d never have become the mare you are, and you never would have ended Diadem’s regime.”

Lazuli winced, her eye twitching a bit. “I…” She bit her lip, her body starting to shake again. “I didn’t…get to…”

“Shhh.” Fizzle gently sat down and pulled Lazuli with her, hugging the Dracony close to her chest. “It’s okay.”

“I…I never…I never got to…s-say goodbye to them…” She sobbed into the unicorn’s chest.

“I know, I know.” Fizzle ran a hoof down Lazuli’s mane and back, stroking along her neck softly. “But you can’t let that ruin you. Come on.”

Lazuli sniffed and buried her face in Fizzle’s fur. She could feel tears wetting it.

“Damnit…you’re gonna make me cry too, Laz. But…let it out.” She kept gently stroking her head. “It’s fine.”

“I…c-couldn’t save them…”

“There was no way you could, Laz. No one expected it from you. You were a filly.”

“I…I…”

The two sat in relative silence for a few minutes. Lazuli’s face remained buried in Fizzle’s chest, tears dripping down her face and the surface of the unicorn’s fur. Fizzlepop just continued gently rubbing her back, holding her until the tears seemed to stop.

Lazuli slowly pulled away.

“You okay now?” Fizzle asked.

Lazuli wiped her eyes with a hoof, a small smile reaching her lips. She held back a laugh. “Gods…” She sniffled. “I must look like a wreck…”

“You could use a shower I think.” Fizzle smiled back at her.

“H-heh…” Lazuli took a few deep, shuddering breaths. “Let’s…let’s get back to the castle.” She started to walk, and Fizzle followed suit.

“Hey. Laz.” Fizzle said, falling into pace beside the Dracony.

“…yeah?”

“If you ever need somepony to talk to…”

Lazuli sniffled again, using her tail to wipe a few more tears away. “I know. Thanks, Fizz.”

The unicorn suppressed a snicker. “Fizz? Is that my new nickname?”

“Well you pulled ‘Laz’ out, so I’ve gotta match it…”

Fizzle gave Lazuli’s hip a gentle bump. “Fair enough.”