Dark Alleys, Bright Hearts

I lean back, taking a sip of cider as I stare out a nearby window.

Mark sighs, taking a drink of his own, “So, Love... what happened to your kids?”

I pause, not daring to look at him, “That’s not for you to know, Mark.”

He places down his cider, “Love, keeping it pent up isn’t going to help you. All it will do is harm you. Believe me, I know.”

I shake my head, “You don’t know anything, Mark. Nothing about loss, nothing about me.”

He nods, “Then tell me. I’m ready, and I’m willing, to listen. To understand.”

I frown, “And I’m not willing to speak. Let it go, Mark.”

He shakes his head, “No, Love, I’m not going to let this go. You are letting your mind be filled with sadness and anger.”

I scowl, “Let it go, Mark. We are going to kill Celestia, and then I will be content. I will have my revenge.”

He leans towards me, “Your rage is going to screw you over. You aren’t going to think before you act, and you’ll let emotion take you over. Your state of mind could put this entire heist in jeopardy, Love. If we get caught robbing the Royal Vault, then we will be put in jail for life, or even executed. We can’t let you get us caught, alright?”

I look over at him, glaring, “I won’t.”

He sighs, “Love, you’re being an idiot. You want revenge? Fine. The current path you’re taking won’t lead to revenge. It will lead to you being tossed into a cell and never seen again. You are jeopardizing your own revenge over nothing.”

I pause, “Nothing? You think this is nothing!?”

He nods, “Yes, it’s nothing! Boo-hoo, your kids died, who gives a shit?! You aren’t special, Love, and it’s about fucking time you realize that!”

I stand from the couch, and glare at him, “You have-“

He interrupts, “I don’t give a shit what I have! You think you’re the only one who’s lost?! My entire species is gone from me, forever! My brothers and sisters, the assholes and good people, all gone! And I have no fucking way to get back to them! You think you have the right to mope and stew in anger over a maximum of four fucking kids?! Sit the fuck down and pull your head out of your ass.”

I pause, “You have no idea, Mark, what I’m going through.”

He throws up his hands, “Then fucking tell me!”

I stomp my hoof down, “Fuck you, Mark! I don’t owe you anything, much less an explanation!”

He glares, “What the fuck happened to friendship, Love? What happened to the gal who was witty and sarcastic?” He stands from the couch, towering over me, “Where the fuck did she go? You’ve sat around and drank cider for a week, barely a quip coming out of you! Who the fuck are you and what did you do to that gal?”

I glare back, “We were never friends, Mark. You think I liked being around you? Pathetic. You were exotic, a way to get free cider, and that’s all you’ve ever been good for. And now, you’re a witness and an accomplice. I stayed because I loved hearing you talking about your old life. To see you think you know what loss it. It was funny. I heard you talk about your friends being gone, and I laughed. You are nothing but a pathetic, naive child. You want to know where that mare is? She never existed.”

Mark takes a step back, but remains silent.

The door to his house opens, and Smith trots in, “I’ve got your gear ready.” He pauses, looking between us, “Did I come at a bad time?”

I shake my head, trotting over to him, “No, you didn’t. Mark, grab your set. We’re going to do this tonight.”