Midnight Mistress

“Miss, are you oka-”

“I’m fine, thank you,” I managed to say as I rushed past the hostess behind the counter, levitating a pouch of bits to her, not forgetting my Element even in what was becoming one of the worst nights of my life. I didn’t skip a beat as I dropped the bits and then used my magic to swing the diner door open, the chilling air blasting into my fur as I slammed the door closed and used the nightlights to navigate through the small town. The perks of living in your own business location was that I didn’t have to search for a house that looked like a clone of all the others, it stuck out like a sore hoof. I barely glanced over my shoulder, letting out a deep breath as I saw nopony behind me. Even though the breakup came from my mouth, it made little difference in regards to the circumstances.

The stallion, who isn’t even deserving of a name, had initially been a pony that swept me off my hooves and took me out to dinner several times. Each time he had kissed me with intensity afterwards, wanting to follow me back to my boutique. I had told him no, after all a lady doesn’t sleep with another stallion until the moment feels right. But the problem was that tiny little voice inside my head, telling me to wait on going all the way. It clicked when over half a year into a relationship, the stallion had stopped visiting my boutique everyday, or week for that matter. Dates were only once a month, and it was only the night before that Fluttershy had come to my door telling me that he had tried to sleep with her. And if Discord hadn’t been there to send my ex-coltfriend running for the hills, what would’ve happened then?

And so this colt who couldn’t keep it in his sheath confessed to sleeping with multiple mares, saying that if I had only done what a proper marefriend was supposed to do, we wouldn’t be in this mess. I responded in kind by standing on my hind legs and using my magic to launch the soda from my glass and all over him. I had attempted to go to dinner in hopes that this was all a big misunderstanding, but now I was storming away into the night. But what if the pig was following me, and I didn’t notice? I had to spend the night elsewhere, the alternative of crying into my pillows while the darkness preyed on my thoughts sent a chill throughout my body. I broke into a full gallop towards Sweet Apple Acres, trying and failing to muffle my own sobs as I reached the barn door. After giving myself a few moments to calm down, I lifted my hoof to knock on the door. Before I could, the door swung open and Applejack’s green eyes were wide as she stepped out of the barn.

“Rares, what’s the matter?” Applejack wrapped one foreleg around me, then the other as she hugged me. “Now now, we don’t want to wake everypony else.”

“Y-You’re right, sorry,” I stuttered. “He was cheating on me...he made a move on Fluttershy. Several moves possibly, before Discord sent him running.”

“He…” Applejack’s nostrils flared as she gritted her teeth, her hooves shaking. “Where did you last see him?”

“Applejack, it’s not worth it,” I placed my hoof on her shoulder, and her expression completely softened as she glanced at my hoof. “He technically didn’t commit any crime, and when he does, his own actions will catch up to him. Plus, I don’t want to see him again. Ever. So the most you and the others can do for me, darling, is to keep him away. Okay?”

“Alright,” Applejack sighed. “Don’t walk back home, ah would hate for you to be alone right now.”

“Well, if you insist,” I nodded, not admitting my intentions to her. I stepped into the building as Applejack led me to her room. I walked inside, noticing the apple designs on her pillows and on the door and wall behind me. It was Applejack’s room alright. But the only resemblance of something to sleep on besides her bed was some purple cushion on the floor, I glanced at it with my muzzle curled up, and Applejack walked in front of me. As she glanced at the same object I was staring at, Applejack let out a barely restrained laugh as she waved her hoof.

“Celestia’s sake, ah’m not gonna make you sleep on that!” Applejack assured me. “That’s Winona’s bed. We can share mine, sugarcube. After all, we’ve done it before, remember?”

“Ah yes, that sleepover,” I remembered, but that was many years ago when we simply couldn’t see eye to eye on anything. And now she was the friend I ran to in the wake of such a horrific turn of events. I smiled for the first time that night, and waited for Applejack to hang up her hat and climb into the sheets of her bed before I joined her.

Sure, it felt a lot more stiff than the mattress I slept on every night, but smelling Applejack’s earthy scent beside me as she gently rested a hoof on my shoulder brought a warmth that valiantly fought away the angry thoughts and tears that escaped me. In the almost-year that I had dated that pitiful colt, I had rarely seen my four dearest friends in Ponyville, always consumed in my work or when I would see him next. And now, among the tears and anger, came a new feeling glowing inside of me. A feeling that with the stallion that was no longer in my life, caused me to be unchained from the shackles around my hooves. Tomorrow was a new day, not only without him, but with my best friend beside me for whatever the day brought to me.

I wiped the stained makeup off my face with my hoof, closing my eyes and allowing myself to succumb to the darkness that eagerly welcomed me.