Lost Without Love

Chapters

Shadow Of The Day
Bugger Off
Angel of the Morning
Street Fighting Man
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Last Train Home
Heal Me
Lost Without Love
The Absence Of Truth
Shot In The Dark
Good Morning, Starshine
What’s On Your Mind

Shadow Of The Day

It was always at that certain time of day that the sun shone directly into Princess Luna’s bedroom. The light from the glass balcony doors stretched across the floor, up the sheets of the royal bed, and onto the sleeping form of the lunar princess, filling her with its warmth.

Luna groaned as she opened her eyes. Though restful, her night after arriving back home had been at once busy. It was always a perplexing thing when she dreamed. Ever since she went to sleep after her day was done, her mind was filled with a jumble of confusion, doubt, dilemma, and worry. And yet, no matter how many times she dreamed, she never remembered what it was about. Nor did she ever dare to look at her own dreams, on the rare occasions that she was able to find them. In time, they always faded away into the aether, never to be seen again.

A low sigh drifted from Luna’s lips as she propped herself up on her elbow. To her surprise, her pillow was cold and wet. She touched a hoof to her face and found her eyes were streaked with tears. It was then that she recalled her own dream.

Sickness overtook Luna’s body. A dull, low sickness that sapped all of the energy from her. She hugged her knees and tried to put it all out of her mind. It was so long ago that it all had happened. If only she could move on. If only she had somepony who she could tell about it. But, no. It was her burden to deal with. Hers alone to persevere and resolve in her own way.

Mustering what strength she could, Luna reached over to her nightstand and retrieved her sketchbook. She flipped through the pages, looking over the pictures that she had drawn there over the last year. Partway through, she found the most recent picture that she had drawn.

Looking at it reminded her of that beautiful song that she loved from her foalhood. The one she shared with Capper on the night of the gala. And then the song that Capper shared with her. His own special song that he let nopony else hear. A smile spread to her face as she laid against the gigantic stuffed panda that she shared her bed with, and she could almost feel Capper’s paw around her shoulders again. Smell his cologne. Feel his fur.

A glare of sunlight from the balcony doors drew Luna from her fantasy. Suddenly aware of the light, she looked at her clock and saw that the time was just before 2 in the afternoon. The low rumble in her stomach reminded her that she hadn’t eaten since her date last night and felt the listlessness and lethargy leave her. A quick hop and she was able to force herself out of bed to make that slow hobble over to the bathroom. After only a splash of water on her face and a dab of a towel, she was ready to face what was left of the day.

The trip to the dining room was somehow different that day. Luna saw very little of the usual palace staff. She could hear them going about their work somewhere, but she didn’t actually see any of them on her route. Once she creaked open the door to the dining room, she was surprised by who she saw there.

Sitting at the table was Celestia, eating her favorite buttered pasta with a zesty cheese sauce. As usual, she had a large glass that was filled to the brim with iced tea. Luna quickly opened the door, making it creak loudly, getting her sister’s attention. Luna had to stop herself from laughing at her sister, whose mouth was filled with dangling noodles. Curiously, her gaze that day seemed somehow both amused and puzzled.

“Good morning, Sister Slop,” Luna said with a sly grin.

“Mm?” Celestia answered, before glancing at the noodles in her mouth, then slurping them down. “Morning. Or, afternoon, to be precise.”

Luna hummed a little laugh as she trotted over to her seat across from her sister and rang the service bell.

“It would seem that your schedule has been altered slightly?” Luna asked

“Yes. One of my appointments was canceled today, so I’m going to spend my time off doing something I haven’t done in a long, long time,” Celestia said.

“Gorging yourself on the foods that mother would never let us eat as fillies?” Luna said as if she didn’t know the answer.

“There’s a triple layered banana split being constructed in the kitchen as we speak,” Celestia giggled.

One of the palace wait staff trotted over to Luna’s side.

“Spicy buffalo cauliflower and a side of fried potatoes. And some celery with peanut butter for dessert,” Luna said.

The waiter trotted back off to get the royal order filled.

“Stepping back to our fillyhood too, I see,” Celestia said, recalling her sister’s favorite snack from when they were young.

The answer was a girlish giggle that Celestia hadn’t heard since her sister returned from her banishment to the moon. A sound that she had all but forgotten in those thousand years. And the more that she looked, the more she could see something else had changed in her sister. As if a completely different mare had taken her place on the night of the gala.

“What’s that look?” Luna asked, noticing her sister’s smile

“What look?” Celestia innocently asked.

“That way you’re smiling.”

“Oh, this? I only use this particular smile when I’m happy to see you this way.”

“What?”

“Lulu, you’ve been so different as of late. You trot in here as bubbly as a schoolfilly. You ask for one of your favorite meals for lunch that you haven’t had since we were foals. You dress yourself up for a late night appointment. Why one of the maids even said that you were extra jumpy about being seen drawing in your sketchbook last night.”

“I–I–” Luna hyperventilated as she began sweating profusely, “Can I not be so happy just because?”

“I suppose so,” Celestia conceded. “I was just wondering if you suddenly had a reason to be so happy.”

“I’ve just been in such a good mood lately,” Luna said.

“Mm-hm. I guess there really is nothing more to it.”

“Heh…when is that cauliflower coming?” Luna weakly asked.

She was just about to dismiss herself before her sister spoke.

“Luna,” Celestia began, “I don’t know if this is the right time to ask. But…Did you learn anything about those guests from the gala? The ones who started that fight?”

“Nothing that I can say is important. So far as I can tell, they were a group of noponies who crashed the party,” Luna said.

“I don’t think they were just ‘noponies,’” Celestia said. “I was informed by one of the guards last night that there was an attempted robbery.”

“Goodness! Where?” Luna gasped.

“Just in town, not far from the palace.”

“Was anypony hurt? Did they see who did it?”

“The victim survived. Although she was stabbed.” Celestia paused to allow her sister to take in the information. “And yes. They were seen. A pegasus matching the description of the one who fought with Rainbow Dash was seen fleeing the area.”

Luna silently cursed herself. Capper had told her that they would be no trouble to anypony. And she had believed him.

“I’ll continue my investigation into the matter,” Luna said. A terrible thought suddenly occurred to her. “Do you…blame me for this? For letting them go?”

“Dear Lulu! No. Not for a second. All I mean is that whoever they are, they’re going to be more trouble than we had anticipated. So, the sooner we find them, the better,” Celestia said.

Luna turned over that night in her mind. Now of all times she hesitated to ask Capper about anything that had happened. If there was even a chance to have anything real with him, the last thing she wanted was for him to think she was just using him.

A light turned on in her mind. Somepony else was there who had a close encounter with the strangers. And Luna knew where to find them.

“Excuse me. I just remembered that I’m needed somewhere,” Luna said, abruptly standing up.

“Where?” Celestia asked.

“Somewhere outside the palace.”

“What about your lunch?”

“Have it,” Luna said, quickly making her exit.

Celestia watched her sister leave until the door slammed shut behind her. She was left alone, thinking that she wouldn’t say no to a platter of cauliflower with buffalo sauce.

It had been a long, hard day for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. At least, it had been for two of them. There was Scootaloo, sprawled on the clubhouse floor with her week’s worth of school assignments laid before her. All of which was due the very next day

“Come on, Apple Bloom! I just need one more word on my vocabulary list,” Scootaloo pleaded.

“It’s just one word. Figure it out yerself,” Apple Bloom said.

“Are you serious? The word is ‘hamartia!’ Nopony’s probably said that in a thousand years! How am I supposed to know what it means?”

“How about this? ‘Slacker (slack·er, slăk′ər) Noun; Scootaloo.”

“I didn’t slack! I was busy with Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo indignantly growled.

“You were playing ninja with her all week, instead of helping us or doing your school work. That’s called procrastinating,” Sweetie Belle said.

“An’ that’s what slackers do,” Apple Bloom authoritatively said.

“You guys suck,” Scootaloo groaned, turning back to her paper. “I mean, really. When will knowing what any of these words mean do me any good? Especially ‘hamartia?’”

The sounds of flapping wings rapidly approached, and the clop of hooves sounded on their deck.

“Sounds like we got us a customer,” Apple Bloom said.

“I’ll get it,” Sweetie declared as she ran to receive the guest.

Instead, she received a bump on her head when she ran headlong into the guest’s shins.

“Your exuberance is appreciated. But, perhaps you could dial it back a little bit?” said the guest.

“Princess Luna!?” Apple Bloom said.

“Indeed it is,” Luna said. “I’m sorry to intrude like this. Applejack told me that you three would be here at this time of day.”

“Best place to hang out in all of Ponyville,” Scootaloo proudly proclaimed. “Ooh! Princess, you’ve been around, like, a thousand years. What does ‘hamartia’ mean?”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rolled their eyes.

“It’s a fatal flaw. Usually used in a literary sense to describe something that leads to a protagonist’s downfall in a tragic drama,” Luna said.

Scootaloo stared blankly. “...I’ll just write ‘a hero’s bad accident.’”

“Anyhoo,” Apple Bloom interjected, “What brings ya here to our clubhouse? ‘Sides helpin’ Scootaloo cheat at her homework.”

“I’ll ask for a royal pardon,” Scootaloo said.

Luna ignored the fillies’ bickering and ducked her head to step inside.

“I actually need to ask you all something rather important,” she said.

“What is it?” Sweetie Belle asked as she and her friends gathered before Luna.

“I wanted to ask you about what happened at the Grand Galloping Gala.”

All three fillies squirmed uncomfortably and averted their gaze.

“I know it was a terrible thing that happened there, but it’s important that you tell me what you remember. Even what may seem insignificant,” Luna gently urged them.

“Sorry, Princess. I told ya everything I knew on that night. They just asked us why we were there without an adult, an’ Rainbow Dash started arguin’ with ‘em,” Apple Bloom said.

“But, what did they do exactly to make Rainbow Dash so aggravated?” Luna asked.

Sweetie Belle’s ears folded at the memory before Scootaloo answered.

“It was that creepy griffin that was with them,” she snapped. “He was watching us like a hawk, staring all weird at everypony else there. Dash just didn’t like the way he was looking at us and asked him what his problem was. That’s when that uppity pegasus bitch got in her face.”

“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle chided.

“There’s no other way to say it. That mare was a total bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!”

“That’s about when she pushed Rainbow Dash?” Luna said.

“Yeah!”

“I see,” Luna said, taking a moment to think. “Is there anything that any of them said?”

“I don’t think so. Then again, I didn’t hear much,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Wait a sec’,” Apple Bloom said, getting everypony’s attention, “There was somethin’ they said that seemed weird.”

“What was it?” Luna asked.

“That pegasus said she had a little sibling…or maybe it was her cousin…Whatever it was, she said they went to Celestia’s school.”

“Did she really?” Luna said, trying not to sound as excited as she felt. Now, she had no need to confront Capper.

“It was her sister,” Sweetie Belle said.

“What?” Luna asked.

“She said it was her little sister. She’s going to the kindergarten at the castle.”

“You said that you didn’t hear much,” Scootaloo said.

“Well, I heard that. I remember because I thought it was really weird for a pony who looked like she beat up foals for lunch money to have a sister at a royal school,” Sweetie retorted.

“Was there anything else?” Luna asked.

“That’s all I got,” Apple Bloom said.

“Same,” Sweetie followed.

“And I was still away with Rainbow Dash when this all happened,” Scootaloo finished.

“If any of us remembers somethin’ we’ll have Spike send ya a letter,” Apple Bloom said.

“I would appreciate that. Thank you all so much for your help,” Luna said.

She turned around to leave but was stopped by one last question.

“Is it okay to ask why you want to know? Did something bad happen?” Scootaloo asked.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Luna replied.

She spread her wings and flew off from the deck, leaving three confused fillies behind her.

Author's Note

Well, one chapter down. This story is going to have more chapters than the first one. I am so excited for you all to read this one. As always:

Till Next Time!!!! :pinkiehappy:

Bugger Off

A savory aroma filled the kitchen at Capper’s house that evening. The last few ingredients were dropped into the bubbling broth, and a lid was placed on top of the pot.

From her seat in the living room, Luna inhaled the fragrance that was drifting in. Admittedly, it was nowhere near the grandiosity of the meal that she and Capper had at the restaurant before, but it was still sweet of him to offer to take her to his place for a home-cooked meal.

“It won’t be long now,” Capper called. “Feel free to occupy yourself how you like.”

“Of course, I will,” Luna called back, before stepping off the couch to examine the shelf of cassette tapes that she had been eyeing for the last five minutes.

She browsed the tiny library, finding not much that she knew about. There were some that had symbols from far off lands that she almost thought she recognized. Others were written in fonts that she could barely read. One she found made her raise a curious brow when she saw the image of a boar’s head made entirely of chrome. Putting the odd one out back on the shelf, she found one that she recognized immediately. A single that made her heart flutter.

“You have it? I don’t believe this,” Luna said.

“Have what?” Capper asked from the kitchen.

He heard the click of a play button, and the sounds of a ukulele filled the room. Capper dried his paws and walked into the living room, where Luna was back on the couch, smiling sweetly at him.

“You must really have liked this song to get it for yourself,” Luna giggled.

“Well, yeah. Before you showed it to me, I never heard anything like it. I guess they don’t make music like they used to back in your day,” Capper said.

“Yes. So many sweet memories are attached to this song. Don’t you think?”

“I don’t know about that,” Capper said.

Luna silently watched as he walked to take his seat next to her on the couch. When he sat down, there was somehow a different look about him. Like a cat who suddenly realized exactly why he chased mice and played with yarn.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“You’ve been listening to this song a long time, haven’t you?” Capper asked.

Luna nodded.

“Then you probably understand its message. The brutal honesty about what love really is and what it does to creatures. How sometimes love isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Like, instead of blossoming into something beautiful, there’s a chance that whoever you love isn’t the hero you hoped for, and it all just withers away. But if you never try, you’ll never find who really may be that hero,” Capper said.

Luna smiled, silently admiring his perspective. Not many others who listened to that song had such a deep understanding of it, only taking in the pretty words of the simple story of young love that it told.

Slowly, she shifted over until she was pressed right next to Capper and rested her head on his shoulder. Capper in turn put his paw around her shoulder.

“Do you remember when I told you about this song? How it’s traditionally sung as a duo by lovers?” Luna asked.

“Yeah,” Capper curiously said.

“Incidentally, the original couple who sang it split up shortly after the song was released. It makes the whole song a bit of a farce, don’t you think?”

“I think it just validates the message that they’re conveying.”

Luna mumbled something that Capper couldn’t understand as she sank deeper onto his shoulder. A smirk twitched onto her face when she felt Capper gently brush away her mane from around her ears.

“You changed your mane again,” Capper said.

“Yes. I thought I’d try it short,” Luna replied.

“Still got that ‘starlight silver’ color.”

“Of course. After a few hundred tries, I finally found a color I liked.”

“You know something? I really like it too. It brings out your eyes,” Capper said.

Luna bit her lip and blushed. There was one more question that she wanted to say, but feared to.

“Erm…After our dance in the garden…Oh, never mind,” she said.

“What is it?” Capper wondered.

“It’s nothing.”

“Come on, Luna. What’s on your mind?”

The feel of Capper’s paw stroking her mane put her mind at ease.

“It’s just that…I thought for just a moment…maybe you were going to kiss me. And then again on the boardwalk.” She sighed and turned her head away from Capper’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. It’s such a stupid question.”

She gasped quietly when she felt Capper’s paws start rubbing her shoulders and her neck.

“It’s not as stupid as you think. I really did want to,” Capper said.

“So then, why didn’t you?” Luna quietly asked.

Capper ran through all of the other times he had kissed a molly. Every honeypot scam he had ever run never ended with real love like they did in the stories about dashing con artists who crossed paths with a feisty pigeon. Then, he met Luna. The one creature he ever met who stirred something inside of him that he never thought any creature could.

“I…I don’t know,” Capper said.

His paws slowly stalled as he saw Luna glance over her shoulder at him. In time, he leaned Luna back against the couch and stood up.

“I’m gonna check on the food,” he said.

Again, Luna silently watched Capper leave the couch as he walked back to the kitchen. A small part of her was greatly disappointed by what had transpired. Then again, there was that thing her sister said to her once upon a time. How the first time counted the most, and how once it was gone you could never get it back.

A loud knock sounded from the door.

“Oh! For–Would you get that?” Capper tersely said.

Luna grumbled to herself, turned off the music, and walked to the door. Putting on the most pleasant face she could, she magically opened it.

“Princess Luna!?”

“Hello, Trixie,” Luna sighed.

“And Pinkie!” Pinkie said, peering out from behind Trixie.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Trixie said with a knowing smile.

“The hell you weren’t,” Capper whispered to himself. “So, what brings you here? I’m sure you mares have something else to do tonight.”

“It so happens that there is,” Trixie began. “You see, we were just in the neighborhood–”

“Actually, you dragged me onto the train from Ponyville to here, then we hiked for, like, thirty minutes to get here,” Pinkie said. Her nose began to twitch. “Ooh! What’s that smell?”

“Probably the dinner I made for me and Luna. The two of us,” Capper emphatically said from the kitchen.

“That, or the tobacco/vanilla cologne he’s wearing,” Luna joked.

“Tobacco/vanilla? Sounds exotic. Seductive,” Trixie suggestively said.

“Really? Glad you think so,” Capper said, peering into the living room, his claws dug into the door frame.

“Anyway,” Trixie interjected, “What we came to say was that there’s a little festival going on in Ponyville. Just a little fun to celebrate the beginning of the fall season.”

“And you’re both invited,” Pinkie said, “There’s going to be games, and dancing, and as many cupcakes as you can cram down your throat! And at eleven o’clock, when all the little foals have gone to bed,” she giggled deviously, “That’s when the real drinks come out to party!”

“It would be a shame to miss such a thing,” Trixie said.

“It does sound fun. But…” Luna wracked her brain to think of an excuse.

“Oh, no, no, no, noooo!" Pinkie said. “Nopony misses a party like this. Especially not when they’re invited. You’re gonna haul your hiney down there. No ifs, ands, or buts!”

Without either intruder noticing, Capper stepped beside Luna and put a paw around her.

“Actually, it’s been a really long day for the princess. Raising the moon for the night really takes it out of you. So, if you don’t mind,” Capper said, as he reached for the door.

“We don’t need to do anything too extreme,” Trixie said, jamming the door with her hoof. “We can just go to Sugarcube Corner for a cupcake. Or just one drink.”

“One drink? Right,” Capper said.

“I’ve been to enough of these parties to know that ‘one drink’ is never just one drink,” Luna added.

“It will be this time. Pleeease! Just come for a little bit. Everypony was really disappointed when your sister said she couldn’t make it because of a severe brain freeze,” Pinkie begged.

Luna cursed quietly to herself. Why did Pinkie have to mention the disappointed ponies? She gently removed Capper’s paw from the doorknob and opened it to face the two mares.

“Very well. One drink,” Luna said.

“One drink,” Pinkie affirmed.

Capper crossed his arms and doubtfully glowered at the two intruders. “Remember: one drink.”

The bell in Sugarcube Corner jingled as what must have been the two-hundredth customer trotted in that night.

“Welcome,” Mrs. Cake greeted the guest.

“Hi. Can I get a box of baklava and a–”

The rest of the customer’s order wasn’t heard when a loud, cacophonous retching sounded from the back.

“I…think I’ll try some of those muffins the mailmare’s been selling,” the customer said, before trotting off.

Another loud retch and another customer put down the cupcake that she’d been offered as a sample.

Mrs. Cake winced at the noise and called into the kitchen, “Pinkie?”

“I’m on it,” Pinkie said.

She trotted out of the kitchen, down the hall, and into the bathroom. There, she found a grisly sight. Capper was on his knees with his paws on Luna’s back, while the lunar princess herself was keeled over with her face hovering over the toilet bowl.

“How is she?” Pinkie asked.

The question was answered with Luna heaving loudly as the contents of her stomach burst out of her mouth.

“Ooh. That was a bad one,” Pinkie said.

“We’ll have to thank Trixie for her big idea later,” Capper said. “Where the hell did she go anyway?”

The sound of hooves rapidly approaching came from down the hall.

“It’s alright. The Great and Powerful Trixie has conjured up a remedy for our inebriated princess,” Trixie said as she arrived, presenting her find.

“Coffee!?” Capper incredulously said.

“Black coffee with four aspirin mixed into the brew. Nothing better for a bad night of binge drinking,” Trixie said.

“Which we wouldn’t need if you hadn’t stuffed all those jelly shots down her throat!” Capper said.

“Yeah. Coffee’s not even good as candy,” Pinkie added.

“How many times must I say I’m sorry? Besides, it isn’t often you see Princess Luna enjoying herself so much. Why, after the third shot she was standing on her front hooves and drinking them with only her lips. At any rate, let’s get our princess some much needed relief,” Trixie said.

Before she could ever get the pot of coffee near Luna, she vomited loudly into the toilet.

“Wow! You got some range on that one!” Pinkie said.

“And to think that I haven’t eaten yet today…” Luna weakly said. She groaned and keeled over the toilet again. “Some–pony n-needs to tell–my sister I-I’m going to be–late toni–”

Whatever she said next was cut off by a heavy downpour from her mouth.

Capper patted her back, helping along the purging process.

“You okay?” Capper asked, getting a nod from Luna. “Okay. Trixie. Coffee.”

Trixie magically passed the pot to Capper’s waiting paw, then he tipped the pot to Luna’s lips.

“Alright. Honey, you’re gonna have to take this slowly. Just little sips,” Capper said.

Luna grabbed the pot, threw her head back, and guzzled it down.

“For the love of–” Capper snapped.

“It’s a good thing I let that pot cool before I brought it,” Trixie said.

“Wh-pch…! Hi-ch…!” Luna convulsed.

The pot fell from her hooves and was caught by Pinkie before it ever hit the floor.

A nightmarish stream of blackened bile cascaded from Luna’s mouth, filling the toilet almost an inch more.

“That’s why I never touch the stuff,” Pinkie said, placing the coffee pot on the counter.

“Aw, crap! Now look!” Capper said.

“In the bigger picture of things, she did this to herself,” Trixie said, earning a reproachful glare from Capper. “So, who wants to tell Princess Celestia about her sister?”

Nothing more could have been said, as Luna pitifully moaned one last time. Her head swiveled around on her shoulders before her body slid back from the toilet. And there she laid on the bathroom tile.

“Luna?” Capper asked. He jostled her shoulder. “Luna?”

A hot, foul breath blew from Luna’s mouth as a response, making Capper’s nose wrinkle.

“Great. We got the princess of the night completely blotto in the bathroom. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.” He looked Luna over, not even daring to lift her up on his own. “So? Who’s going to help me carry her?”

“Er…The Great and Powerful Trixie is not quite so great and powerful to lift an alicorn,” Trixie said.

“And I think I hear my cupcakes calling me,” Pinkie added.

“Okay. Fine. I’ll just ask Princess Celestia to help me out. It would be the responsible thing to do to tell her sister what happened, after all,” Capper said, draping one of Luna’s forelegs over his shoulders.

“Oh, no! Actually, I’ve just remembered lifting an alicorn once upon a time in another kingdom,” Trixie said.

“You know, it sounds more like coffee bonbons calling anyway,” Pinkie hastily said.

Author's Note

Oh boy. Luna really outdrank herself. This was a fun chapter to write. Inspired by a love teen drama I watched a while back. Hope you all liked it. As always...

Till Next Time!!!! :pinkiehappy:

Angel of the Morning

Hangovers were not something that anypony hoped to wake up with. The dizziness. The nausea. The throbbing headache that felt like your head was being used as a trampoline by a herd of minotaurs. Truly, it was one of the worst partners to wake up with after a wild night.

The moment that Luna’s eyes cracked open, the glaring light sent a wave of pain through her skull. She shielded her eyes with one hoof as she clumsily sat up and fumbled her other hoof around for the cord to draw the blinds. She batted something with her hoof and tried to use her magic to pull the blinds, only to find that using her magic made her headache even worse. Instead, she reached out with her teeth and pulled the blinds that way.

With the room darkened, she was able to put down her hoof. Once her vision cleared, she realized that she was not in her own bedroom. She was in a strange apartment that she didn’t recognize, where the blinds were drawn by pulling a shade down over the window, instead of the drapes she was so familiar with. The bed was clean and the room was tidy. But what drew her attention the most was the familiar cat who was sleeping in the armchair next to her bed.

Capper slept contently, curled up like a lapcat on the seat of the chair. And it all came back to Luna. Everything that had happened last night. She tried to recall what had happened. She was at Capper’s place for dinner. They were listening to that beautiful song, when Trixie and Pinkie showed up…There was a lot of alcohol. A lot of vomiting afterward. And then…

Luna’s eyes widened with shock as she started examining her bedsheets. They were clean, as if newly washed. Not a stain or a wet spot on them. A quick look at her reflection in a glass of water that was left on her nightstand, and she saw that her lipstick was still even. Carefully, she craned her neck over to Capper, and examined him as best as she could. No lipstick marks anywhere on his face or his collar.

A long sigh issued from Luna’s lungs. She had been careless last night. But not that careless. Or had Capper not allowed her to be?

It suddenly dawned on her that the sun was up. That harsh light that had almost blinded her was the sun peering through the window! How long had she overslept? How angry was Celestia going to be when she hadn’t come home last night?

Too hungover to teleport, Luna opted for the old-fashioned method and slowly crept out of bed. Her hoof touched the floor, making it creak ever so slightly under her weight. She glimpsed over to Capper, who didn’t even twitch an ear at the sound. It seemed that she was in the clear. One more step toward the door. Two more steps. Three.

“Taking that trot of shame, Princess?”

Luna jumped slightly and held her head when she did. She turned around and saw Capper gliding to the floor, before standing before her.

“Can’t say that I’d know anything about it. Not that I’ve never done it before. I just never felt ashamed,” Capper said.

Luna managed a laugh, before she had to stop her head from throbbing again.

“How are you feeling?” Capper asked, putting his paw on her forehead.

“My head has been cleft by a jelly shot. And I think a swarm of parasprites has used my stomach as an outhouse…” Luna groaned. She sighed as she rubbed her forehead against Capper’s paw. “Your paw feels good, though. Nice and warm. And soft. Just what I need.”

“Have you thought about how you’ll explain this to your sister?” Capper asked.

“Oh, heavens. Don’t bring her up so early in the day,” Luna said, not realizing it was nearly ten o’clock. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle the riot act she’ll read me when I get home.”

“Next time, we’ll do something without Pinkie and Trixie. We’ll go to another kingdom that they aren’t allowed to enter. One with strict prohibition laws,” Capper said.

“I can think of two places like that,” Luna said, as she nuzzled Capper’s chest, taking in the scent of his tobacco/vanilla cologne that still lingered.

Capper rubbed his paws up and down Luna’s back, massaging her lightly to ease her into the morning.

“I love the way you smell,” Luna mumbled. “Your paws feel so good.”

“Just call me angel of the morning,” Capper quipped.

“That’s another song,” Luna giggled, before she had to stop to keep her head from throbbing.

They stayed like that for the first part of the hour, holding one another, knowing what came next could only be amazing.

“I have to go now, Capper,” Luna said. “If it’s alright, could I please go down by myself? And could you wait a while before you–”

“Say no more, Luna. I understand. You don’t want anyone to think there was a beast with two backs in the foggy dew,” Capper said.

Luna giggled again, recalling the vulgar limerick that she had heard during a trip she had taken to Trotland. Capper truly was a cat with a wide cultural palate. One that she was eager to dip into and taste for herself.

Trixie sat at one of the tiny tables in Sugar Cube Corner, a plate of cupcakes and a cup of coffee set before herself. Only minutes ago did she see the tail end of Princess Luna trotting out of the shop, leaving her no time to ask her what had happened or if she was going to mention her name to her sister.

There was a sound from the nearby staircase, and Capper’s voice carried along with it.

Mother, father, please believe me,

Ev’ry word is true,

I saw a beast with two backs rollin’,

In the foggy dew,

“How did he know!?” a stallion sharply whispered to the stallion next to him.

Capper danced a little jig as he crossed the floor to Trixie’s table, spun the chair across from her on one of its legs, and sat down before the chair ever landed back on the floor. The moment he was seated, he helped himself to one of Trixie’s cupcakes.

Trixie looked at him as he contently ate the pastry that hadn’t even been offered to him. There was definitely something different about him. Those twinkling eyes. That cocky gait. And that smug smile that looked like he had just fleeced a thousand suckers out of their life savings.

“So,” Trixie said.

“Sew buttons,” Capper replied with a shrug.

“So,” Trixie emphatically repeated as she pretended to be reading the newspaper next to her, “It seems that you’ve gotten a little buck in your apple.”

“Nope. Better than that.”

“Pardon me?”

“I said it was better than that,” Capper said as he licked the frosting from his paw.

Trixie folded up the newspaper.

“Perhaps I lack the imagination,” she said, “But, I find it difficult to believe that there is anything better than sex and cupcakes.”

“That’s because you’ve never had it before,” Capper said, helping himself to another cupcake.

“Sex, or whatever you say is better than that?”

“All of the above,” Capper said. “Where’s Pinkie?”

“Oh, you know. Making more cupcakes. Frosting black-and-white cookies. Sterilizing the bathroom of vomit,” Trixie replied.

“I’d say it was more like alcohol with a little vomit in it,” Capper replied.

Trixie rolled her eyes away from Capper as she leaned back in her seat.

“You’ve forgiven yourself for that, haven’t you?” she asked.

“For what?” Capper wondered.

“For letting me and Pinkie get your marefriend drunk.”

Capper swallowed his next cupcake wrapper and all. He pointed a finger at Trixie as he gagged on the paper.

“You–You got her drunk all on your–own!” Capper choked out. He hacked and heaved, until the cupcake wrapper shot out of his throat like a hairball. “And she’s not even my marefriend!”

“Really? No wonder there was no post-hangover sex,” Trixie smugly said, sipping her coffee.

“Will you forget about the sex!?” Capper tersely said, before he noticed that he was being watched. “Hey, kid. How’s it going?”

The colt who had been listening for who knew how long quickly turned around walked away.

“All I’m saying is that you seem to be taking your sweet time with it,” Trixie said once the foal was gone.

“Quit prying into who I’m dating? It’s perverse!”

“So, you are dating?”

“Argh! Why don’t you get your own coltfriend, so you can keep your snout out of my business!?” Capper snarled.

Trixie serenely sipped her coffee, before she blinked innocently at Capper.

“I believe–” she trailed off. “--I believe that if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have this business for me to nose into to begin with. If anything, you should be crediting me, the Great and Powerful Trixie, as the entire reason you’ve even been able to do whatever it is you’re not doing with the mare you’re dating, who isn’t even your marefriend.”

“I…I…” Capper sighed and lowered his head. “I just don’t want to mess this up. After all these years, I think I finally have something real. My biggest fear is that some old habit of mine is going to ruin it for me, but I don’t want to just let it go.”

Trixie nodded as she took another sip of coffee. “And you shouldn’t. Perhaps it’s my mare’s intuition, but I think that she’s somepony who likes you. Regardless of your history or past transgressions.”

Those words resonated to Capper. Somepony she liked? And it was him? Even if he couldn’t be her hero, he could be her special somepony.

Without another word, Capper stood up and began to leave.

“Where are you going?” Trixie asked.

“I want to check on something,” Capper said, as he left.

Trixie stood up and guzzled down the rest of her coffee, and took the last cupcake from her plate. As she left, she passed by the colt who had been eavesdropping on Capper.

“Mom? What’s post-hangover se–Omp!!” the colt was saying, just before Trixie magically jammed the cupcake into his mouth.

She left Sugar Cube Corner and quickly picked out the one cat in the crowd of ponies. Putting aside the other things she had to do that day, Trixie decided to follow after Capper, until she was right beside him.

Capper continued to walk with Trixie by his side. His eyes slowly rotated to glance at her, while she kept her gaze straight ahead. Somehow, it irritated Capper even more.

“You’re going to the train station again?” Trixie said, more telling than asking.

“So?” Capper said.

“If you pick up your pace, she may still be there. Perhaps there was a late arrival, and she’d be ever so happy to see you,” Trixie practically sang.

“Drop it,” Capper said. He continued walking, trying to ignore his intrusive company. His eyes slowly rotated toward her again. “You know, if you keep hanging around me like this every time I try to meet her, she’s going to think you and I are dating.”

“Perish the thought. Everypony knows how a wingmare works. I’m just doing my job to make sure you’re not going to back out,” Trixie said.

“You’re not exactly doing a bang-up job,” Capper grunted.

“Certainly not. Otherwise, you may have at least kissed Luna by now.”

“That’s Princess Luna to you, missy,” Capper admonished. “And maybe I would have if certain someponies hadn’t intruded at my house last night.”

Trixie mumbled unintelligibly and kept walking.

Capper was at least grateful for her silence. But it was what he saw next that made his spine shiver.

Further down the path was the pegasus from the gala. She was alone, without her griffin companion or Needy anywhere in sight. Her face was a completely blank slate, clear of any emotion or expression. Whatever she was up to, she was simply standing idly by, her eyes wandering aimlessly about.

“Isn’t that–” Trixie began.

“Yes,” Capper interjected.

“Should we do something about her?”

“I wouldn’t get involved,” Capper said before he started to take the long route to the train station.

Trixie followed hastily after him.

“But, you’ve surely heard the news. They said she tried to stab somepony!” she said.

Capper slowly stopped walking and looked over his shoulder. The pegasus was looking at him. Her face had changed to a look of confusion.

There was no getting around it. Capper turned around and faced her. The moment he had, the pegasus’ eyes widened. And as soon as she realized who she was looking at, she ran off in the opposite direction of him.

Before he could even worry about what the pegasus was doing, Trixie ran after her.

“Hey! Wait!” Capper called as he ran after her.

Author's Note

Just a nice sweet chapter to write. Hangovers are no joke. I would know. :rainbowlaugh: Next chapter is when things really start picking up. And as always...

Till Next Time!!!! :pinkiehappy:

Street Fighting Man

The last thing he ever wanted that morning was to chase after old faces. Relics from the past that should have stayed where they belonged. Now, with one of his friends chasing after a dangerous criminal, Capper had little recourse in the matter.

The pegasus ran through the crowded morning commute, pushing and shoving her way past everypony with little room to flap her wings and get liftoff.

Trixie chased after her and flared up her magic to push a parked cart in her way.

The pegasus simply ran up the cart’s sloped bed and jumped into the air, flapping her wings and getting liftoff.

Though she was pulling ahead, Trixie and Capper kept their eyes on her. It was only when the pegasus veered into a nearby alleyway that they had lost her.

Trixie kept up the chase and ran into the alleyway, breaking from Capper’s line of vision.

Now, she was in danger. As long as Trixie was alone with her, Capper knew she didn’t stand a chance, no matter how great and powerful she thought she was. Picking up his pace, Capper skidded as he sharply changed direction and charged into the alleyway.

There was only one way to go from there. Through the winding, narrow passages between the buildings, Capper saw Trixie ahead of him before she disappeared through some other bend in the alleyways.

A sharp turn. A near miss from hitting a wall. Eventually, he could only follow Trixie by the sounds of her bumping into boxes and following trails of overturned trash cans. Finally, she was in clear view.

Trixie stood in the middle of a loading area looking rapidly around. As he ran up to her, Capper heard the sound of flapping wings.

“Trixie! Move!” he shouted.

There was no time for Trixie to do anything as the pegasus they were pursuing divebombed her and rolled across the ground like a large, technicolor tumbleweed.

They stopped with the pegasus lying on top of Trixie gripping her horn in her hoof. In her teeth, she held a knife to Trixie’s neck.

“You should’ve kept walking, cat! Now I have to drive the point home!” the pegasus said, poking her blade into Trixie’s neck.

“No need for that,” Capper said calmly, though his paw rising quickly betrayed him. “We both got it already. Stay out of Verko’s whiskers.”

“Verko? Psh. That fat cat doesn’t even know you’re here. I’m talking about Needy’s message.”

“Capper…” Trixie said, her eyes on the blade.

The moment he heard that name, Capper’s eyes narrowed. Of the two of them, Needy was the one he wished to be skinned, gutted, and made into violin strings.

“What the hell does Needy want?” he asked.

The pegasus chortled heartily as if she had just remembered the best joke that she had ever heard.

“Oh, man. The shit Needy says about you. All the trouble you caused just to pay a tab. One you haven’t even cleared yet,” she said.

Capper stepped to his right, and the pegasus forced Trixie to her hooves and circled around with Capper’s steps.

“It’s been years since then. You’ve probably made five times what Verko’s wanted. Why don’t you just pack up your friends and trot back to wherever you’ve put up base,” Capper said.

“You know that business ain’t done that way. With all the interest you’ve built up, we got you for the rest of your sorry little life. Lover boy,” the pegasus said.

Capper stopped pacing when he heard that. How long had she known about Luna? Could she somehow be a part of some horrible scheme that Verko was planning?

There was a ramp behind the pegasus. At the top of it, was a trolley loaded with boxes. A small, loose brick rested next to Capper’s paw on the ground. Without the pegasus’ notice, he stood it on end.

Trixie gasped as the blade pushed against her neck.

“Needy’s message is simple: get with the fucking program,” the pegasus said.

The blade slowly dragged across Trixie’s throat.

Capper’s paw lashed out and the brick flew through the air.

The pegasus only barely dodged the brick, held back by Trixie. At the same time, she dropped her knife.

“Bastard!!” she shouted.

The sounds of squeaking wheels made her ears twitch. The brick had done its job. The trolley full of boxes went rolling down the ramp and crashed into the back of the pegasus.

Trixie hit the ground and rolled out of the grip of her opponent. The moment she was free, she magically retrieved the knife and held it up before herself.

Totally unfazed, the pegasus batted the weapon out of the way with her wing and charged Trixie.

Trixie was shoved into a shutter and was bucked in the face.

Capper grabbed the pegasus from behind and tried to pull her away.

The pegasus flapped her wings pushing herself back into Capper who stumbled backward. She flapped her wings again and rocketed toward Trixie, smashing her against the shutter. Another flap and she shot back to Capper, who took the full brunt of the attack.

Trixie saw the pegasus coming back to her, ducked, and magically opened the shutter behind her, letting the pegasus fly right in.

There was a loud crash when she landed on a pile of wooden palettes. Shaking the splintered wood from her feathers, the pegasus picked up a broken piece of lumber and swung at Trixie’s head.

Trixie backed away, then slammed the shutter down on the pegasus, who dodged and swung again. Trixie circled around the blow to the opposite side of the shutter and pulled it down as Capper leapt at it, allowing him to bounce off and kick the pegasus in the face.

The pegasus swung again, missing Capper and dodging an attack from Trixie. She swung low and swept Trixie’s legs out from beneath her.

Once Trixie was on the ground, the pegasus pulled the shutter down on top of her, pinning her there as she battled with Capper.

Capper attacked the pegasus, pushing off of Trixie’s back, though she still kept the shutter closed with one hoof as she attacked. Trixie flared her magic and slid a palette out of the storage space.

The pegasus jumped as a palette nearly crashed into her ankles.

Capper’s claws unsheathed as he swiped at her, missing twice before he too had to jump over an errant palette. He sidestepped out of the way of a downward swing. He gripped the shutter with his claws and kicked the pegasus in her face.

Capper yelped as Trixie magically lifted the shutter. Now that she was free, she lifted the two palettes that she had sent flying and orbited them around herself as she spun them like a pair of buzzsaws.

The pegasus jumped on top of one of the spinning palettes, then jumped from there to take a swing at Trixie

Trixie clapped her opponent between the two palettes then slammed her to the ground.

Capper pounced on top of the pegasus, and was clubbed out of the way by her. She spun between the blows Capper and Trixie rained down on her, striking with her hooves, wings and lumber.

It was becoming clear why Rainbow Dash had been having such trouble with her. Capper backpedaled as the pegasus swung over and over at him. Then, she took to the air and started flying circles around him, beating him with each pass from all sides.

Trixie conjured a whirlwind into the pegasus’ flight pattern, sending her spiraling upward. She then lifted several of the palettes at varying heights, allowing Capper to hop up to each one. He tackled the pegasus to the nearest rooftop and pummeled her face.

The pegasus kicked him off and clubbed him again with her plank.

Trixie magically threw a palette up to Capper, who grabbed it with both paws to shield his opponent’s blows.

Over and over the pegasus struck, cracking Capper’s shield with each hit. Finally, Capper thrusted it forth, breaking it over the pegasus’ head.

The pegasus got herself aloft and swooped at Capper, who jumped over her attack. He grabbed a broken piece of wood and started parrying her blows.

The pegasus rushed in for one last attack.

Capper swung his weapon and struck home.

Both weapons broke as they impacted one another.

The pegasus swooped past Capper and landed on a vent, panting and huffing.

Capper stared her down, his claws and fangs bared to attack.

“Whatever. You know what it means,” the pegasus said, before flying off abruptly.

“Bitch…” Capper muttered, before spitting out some blood that had collected inside of his mouth.

A nearby drainpipe allowed him to climb back down to the ground, where he regrouped with Trixie.

“Perhaps you would like to inform me, the Great and Powerful Trixie, why strangers seem to want you and your friends dead?!” Trixie said as she fixed her hat and mantle.

Capper’s only answer was a low sigh as he fixed his coat. He then motioned for Trixie to follow him.

“You know her, don’t you?” Trixie knowingly said.

“Nope. I’ve never seen her before the Gala,” Capper curtly answered.

“I see. Yet she seems to know you. And you seem to know this Verko. And Needy?” Trixie replied. “Is that who was with her at the Gala?”

“Just Needy. Verko almost never leaves Kludgetown. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for.”

They continued walking through the alleyways back to town. Trixie tried to walk beside Capper, but the narrow paths prevented her from doing so.

“Are you going to tell Princess Luna?” she asked.

Capper slowed to a stop, blocking the way onward. A small, yet violent war was raging in his mind over his next move. So far, Trixie hadn’t done him any wrong. What harm was there in trusting her any further?

“You already know about my time in Kludgetown, don’t you?” he asked.

“Yes,” Trixie replied, having known about his time as a con artist and thief for some time.

“Verko was my boss. I got in with his crowd because I owed him money.”

“How much?” Trixie wondered suspiciously.

“Let’s just say it was more than a lunch meeting,” Capper said. “Anyway, I put my trust in the wrong creatures. And–well–I got stuck with the bill.”

The pieces of everything slowly started drifting together in Trixie’s mind. In moments, she thought that she was able to create a picture of what had been hidden from her.

“And after helping Twilight and the others escape from Tempest Shadow, you decided to cut your losses and come to a kingdom where nopony knew your name. To start over and make a new life for yourself,” Trixie said.

“Oldest story there is. After the one about star-crossed lovers,” Capper said, before he continued walking.

“For what it’s worth, certain someponies are glad that you wrote your story this way.”

Capper smirked as his paws slid into his pockets.

“It really was worthwhile, wasn’t it?” he said.

“Everything in life is worthwhile, Capper.”

Capper stopped as the path widened, allowing Trixie to step next to him.

“Did you just quote a villain from a horror story?” he asked.

“What of the source? It’s true. And to make it matter, we must do something about your predicament,” Trixie said, before walking ahead.

“What do you mean ‘we?’” Capper asked.

“After everything that’s happened, do you think I, your Great and Powerful Friend, Trixie, can sit idly by? Or did you forget that I just now had a knife in my neck? Which means that the first thing we do is let the highest authority we know about what has just happened,” Trixie said.

“Don’t even think about bringing Luna into this,” Capper said.

“Wh–! Have you gone crazy? There are dangerous criminals out here! Very dangerous!”

“Who don’t want us, or anypony we know getting into their business. Or did that feather duster not make her message clear enough?”

“Capper, I’m disappointed in you. The goddess of luck was made into our personal pigeon, and you’re going to be scared off by some mare with an attitude problem?” Trixie said.

“It’s bigger than that,” Capper said. “Eris was what you call an abstract. All you had to know was how she operated. She was so sure that she could win anything that she had no idea that she was dancing to our tune the whole time. But these guys? They change. They adapt. Needy, Verko, and even that pegasus bitch? They’ll be different every time we see them. Next time we see old Mary 2 x 4, she’ll be packing a cannon, or something worse. That’s why we have to lay low.”

Trixie nodded slowly. She knew Capper was right. A goddess had nothing to learn. She couldn’t have learned everything, having been an embodiment of her abstraction. These criminals were something to be feared even more in that respect.

“Does Twilight know any of this?” she asked.

“No. Not that it would matter. It’s bad enough having you involved,” Capper replied.

“Just what is that supposed to me–” Trixie began, before a sudden thought occurred to her. “Luna…”

“What about her,” Capper said, his voice gradually growing in alarm.

“Spike said that Celestia wanted her to investigate those assaults from before!”

“What!? When!?”

Not that it actually mattered when it was learned. With or without his knowledge or consent, Luna was going to know what was going on. It was only a matter of time. Did anypony else know? Had Spike clued Twilight in to what was going on? Did Needy perceive something from their brief interaction?

“We can’t let anypony else know,” Capper concluded.

“But, Luna–”

“Not even her,” Capper interjected.

“Capper,” Trixie frimly continued, “you may lie to everypony else to keep them safe. But Luna isn’t just anypony. Not to you.”

The exit from the alleys laid before them. The light of Ponyville waited beyond, welcoming them back into the embrace of a world of civility and reason. Only mere steps away, Capper grumbled to himself.

“Okay,” was all he said.

“Okay,” Trixie repeated. “Now what do we do?”

“Do what we always do. Fly by the seat of our god damn pants.”

And that was the truth.

Author's Note

This chapter was made possible thanks to Wingdingaling who helped me write the fight scene since I am not the best at it. As Always...

Till Next Time!!! :pinkiehappy:

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

The morning was no more kind to Luna than the night had been. The clattering of the train tracks pounded her head each time it happened. The walk through Canterlot was met with confused stares by the upper class nobility who wondered why their princess of the night now looked like she had just come from a sorority house bender. And the flight up to her window was clumsy and off course, more likely drawing attention to herself than the discreet entry she had meant it to be.

Her balcony was growing ever nearer. Just a few more flaps, and she was in the clear.

Unfortunately, her vision was not that clear, and she bumped hard against the concrete railing.

Hooves fumbled and flailed as she tried to keep her grip on the rails. Finally, she was able to pull herself up, panting as if she had just run a marathon. Her muscles spent, Luna allowed herself to go limp and slide over the top of the railing, and landed with a satisfying thump on the marble balcony.

She was home free. Safe from any gossiping castle staff or nosy guards. Most of all from her overbearing, overprotective, over-being-the-big-sister sister.

“Wheeeeeewwwwwwww…” Luna sighed, every ounce of air flushing from her lungs.

As carefully as ever, she picked herself up and walked inside of her room. Everything was as it should have been. And it was still at least an hour before the usual time she woke up from her nightly work. Except for that tapping sound that made her head throb, she was feeling better than she had all morning. At least, as good as she could have felt when she didn’t have Capper’s paws rubbing up and down her back. Her snout nuzzled against his chest.

Tap…Tap…Tap…

Luna smiled as she recalled the scent of Capper’s cologne mingled with his own natural scent. Strong and sweet. An aroma she would have had perfumed all over her room if she could have it so.

Tap…Tap…Tap…

That sound. Those damn jelly shots were still working their black magic on her brain. Even the taste wouldn’t leave her alone. Luna went into her bathroom and filled her mouth with mouthwash, gargled loudly and spat it out.

If Capper could have seen her that way, would he think of her so highly? Was it like a princess to go through a hygiene ritual so roughly?

Tap…Tap…Tap…

Of course it was. Everypony did the same thing every day. At least, she hoped they did. Keeping up with the rituals of hygiene, Luna took up her brush and plowed it through her mane to get out the many knots and tangles that she had gotten from the night’s misadventure.

As she looked at herself in her mirror, she saw herself becoming more and more the mare that she was on the night of the Gala. Only, she wasn’t that same mare. She couldn’t put her hoof on it, but there was something different about herself then. Whoever was looking back at her, she thought that the stranger in the glass could have gone to the Gala with the expected poise and confidence of Equestrian royalty.

Tap…Tap…Tap…

That incessant tapping took Luna from her thoughts, and she put the brush down. The return trip to her bedroom was blocked by some large wall of something white and fuzzy, but she pushed past it without much heed. For now, she had to get to bed.

Luna opened up her wardrobe and started looking through it for something to wear for her brief respite. The usual frilly nightgown seemed so old-fashioned all of a sudden. But the silk gown with the spaghetti straps suddenly started speaking to her. Then again, how would she look in something saucy? Short and see through? Luna giggled at the thought of wearing that to bed. Or possibly for something else. For somepony else.

Tap…Tap…Tap…

“RRRRGH!!” Luna growled, picking up the nearest chair to smash whatever was making that ungodly noise. “TO HELL WITH Y–”

Luna dropped the chair the moment she saw the source of the noise.

There was Celestia standing in the doorway of her bathroom, tapping her hoof on the floor, scowling in a way that Luna couldn’t decide was admonishing or confused.

“Hitting the sauce a little hard tonight, are we?” Celestia asked.

“I…How…” Luna stammered.

“I smelled you before you got in. Could you at least have dove into the moat before coming indoors? You smell like a stallion’s room floor.”

Luna sniffed her own side and recoiled, realizing only then how terrifically horrid she smelled.

“I suppose you’re irritated with me?” Luna weakly said.

“Irritated, am I?” Celestia said. “After having to lower the moon, raise the sun and wait for you to come home at a reasonable hour, why would I be irritated? Did I mention doing all of this with a lingering brain freeze?”

“I’m sorry,” Luna said. “I didn’t mean to sleep in..”

“Sleeping in, were we?” Celestia suggestively asked. “Where?”

“I was…Out. Just out,” Luna replied.

“Out where?” Celestia rolled her eyes.

“Just out,” Luna firmly repeated, before having to hold her head. She moaned as she trotted over to her bed and sat down.

“Luna,” Celestia said as firmly as her sister, “don’t get smart with me.”

“Sister, would you please drop it,” Luna begged as she stuffed her head beneath a pillow. “The sun is risen. It’s not as if the ponies need me to wake them up.”

“And just how do you justify shrugging off your own royal responsibilities? Can you even begin to try?” Celestia said.

Luna rose from beneath her pillow, her bloodshot eyes wide and her mouth stern.

“You, dear Tia, are a woodpecker,” she said.

“I don’t follow,’ Celestia replied.

“You ram your hardened nose into everypony’s business, tap-tap-tapping your way in until you break through to all the details you can learn. And if you find nothing, you simply move on to somepony else’s business,” Luna explained. “I was out at the Fall Festival in Ponyville, making memories, having fun, and having a life outside of this castle. Taking all of your own advice that I’ve only seen you follow once every blue moon. Now, while you kindly fetch a fork to eat your own words, may I finally get some rest?”

Celestia grumbled as she recalled the very words that she had spoken to her sister repeatedly. The very same words she had said to convince her to go to the Grand Galloping Gala. For that, she couldn’t fault Luna.

“I suppose I should be glad that you’ve put yourself out there,” Celestia said through her clenched teeth. “But, I don’t feel like I should have to tell you not to let it get in the way of your responsibilities.”

“Yes, mother,” Luna sarcastically said.

“Don’t you–Ooh! I could just–” Celestia said. If anything pushed her buttons, being compared to their mother rated at the top of the list. It was no matter anyway. Luna appeared to have learned her lesson. And so, Celestia walked over to the door. “I hope you have a pleasant day.”

TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP

Luna had to hold the pillow over her ears to drown out her sister’s cacophonous tapping. Finally, she was alone. Only, some part of her wished that she wasn’t.

There she laid on her bed, placing that naughty little nightgown over her torso, feeling somewhat silly for even considering such a notion. Yet at the same time daring herself to go through with it.

Even still, Celestia was right. She had been careless. Nothing could come between herself and her responsibilities as a royal. Not even Capper. And the idea broke her heart ever so slightly.

In those quiet moments, Luna had often wondered how other ponies had managed such things. She had spent her life looking at the dreams of ponies. Their lofty aspirations and future promises to themselves. And yet, they always had more. Friends that they spent all of their best and worst times with. Families that sometimes seemed to grow without end. Ailing parents who needed constant care. Education that demanded nothing but all of their time. Through it all, they always kept their eyes on their dreams. The only ones that were never fulfilled were the ones that had been given up and left to be forgotten in the grey aether of the space between sleep and wakefulness.

Could she allow her own dreams to slip into that dreary abyss? Would she allow it? These thoughts drifted through her mind as she snuggled up to the stuffed panda that she now shared her bed with.

Somewhere in Canterlot, a bell rang. It was a tone Luna knew by heart, signalling the end of the school day for the foals of the kindergarten.

Kindergarten…

“The kindergarten!!” Luna gasped, before having to hold her head once more.

Any plan that she had would have to wait. Nothing could be done with a hangover that wouldn’t quit.

The sight of his dingy little home never looked better to Capper as he walked into it. Right after hanging up his red jacket, he walked to his bathroom, where he looked over himself in the mirror.

Patches of fur were missing on his chest. Bruises were all up and down his arms. And his left eye was faintly blackening.

“Damn!” Capper hissed as he started looking for something to cover that up.

Too many questions would arise if anypony saw him that way. Yet, there was nothing that he had that could have discreetly covered up his black eye. All he could do was ice down the swelling and hope that it would blend with his own natural coloring.

It seemed that the pegasus had been right. He should have just kept walking. Now, he was paying for his intervention.

The ice was taken from his freezer and packed up in a cloth. As Capper applied it to his eye, he walked back to his living room where he unconsciously pressed the play button on the cassette player he had lying on his coffee table.

The sweet strums of a ukulele started playing, and the song he and Luna shared began to fill his room.

His body cried out to him to lie down. His arms and legs were almost spent for the fight he had gotten into. Yet, he remained restless. Capper paced all around his living room, thinking more and more about the hole he was digging himself into. He had wanted his old life to be erased. To stay where it belonged in the dark abyss of time gone by, where it could be forgotten. Yet, time was a whimsical thing. It was said that time would wash away all pain. What was never told was how the current of time carried that pain along its winding course, and how that tumultuous tide would often find you once again.

Still, it was that same tide that had brought him to the sunny shores of Luna. And Trixie. And Rarity. Even that brain-dead street performer from the boardwalk. Really, any pony who he hadn’t even glanced twice at as he walked the city streets.

On that river of time, he felt like he was trapped under ice. Only, he was comfortably cold in its overwhelming embrace. Carried along by it, looking at a world that he could see, but never touch. A dream that he could never know. Until he met Luna.

Luna was what made him want to be a part of that. From the time he decided to put everything on the line and speak to her, he let her see more of what was inside of him than he wanted to show. Even when he told her such cold words, his love shone through.

Love…

Could it have been? Was it what he wanted?

Yes. And no pegasus thug was going to take it from him. Not even Verko. And especially not that rat bastard, Needy.

With any luck, it would be some time before he and Luna saw one another again. They could find a way to keep up their correspondence. But it was likely going to be a few days before Luna allowed herself to try anything beyond her royal duties. By then, his bruises may have healed.

Even by then, Capper doubted that he would have the nerve to tell her what had happened. Luna was not the kind to sit idly by while her friends were in trouble. For him, Luna may have gone off the deep end to protect him. And likely do something even stupider than Capper would have ever done. More so than risking a serious injury to bust a carny. But, that was just one of the best and worst qualities about Luna.

The ukulele he had bought was leaning against the couch. Capper laid down with the ice pack over his eye as he began plucking the strings. Idly at first, he began to play along to the tune of the song on the cassette, until he got to a part that he didn’t know.

It would come in time. For now, it would just be him and his special song.

The start of the school day was announced by the ringing of the grand bell at the schoolhouse. The sounds of student chatter, trotting hooves and flapping textbooks didn’t bother Luna in the least, now that her head had stopped pounding. How good it felt to be able to walk those halls without having to awkwardly explain why she was holding her head, or why she looked so tired. Still, would she be able to fool who she was going to see? Would she be able to keep her composure and glean the information that she needed?

Inkwell was one of the oldest teachers at the school, having been there the longest of any current staff member. If anypony knew the students of the school, it was going to be her.

There was her classroom. And Luna arrived at the door, which was half opened to allow the foals entry. She stopped to look inside, and saw the many foals cramming in as much playtime as they possibly could before the lessons began. And at the front of the room, there was Inkwell setting up to begin the day’s lessons.

Luna heard a step to her side and looked to see one last colt who was running late to class. He stopped at Inkwell’s door and looked up curiously at Luna. Luna smiled at the colt, and opened the door for him to allow him inside of Inkwell’s class. The moment she had, Inkwell looked up from what she was preparing and saw the unexpected visitor at her door.

“Princess? Well, I’ll be,” Inkwell warmly said. “Foals, eyes on me, please.”

The fillies and colts of the classroom all looked at their teacher.

“ We have a very special guest today. Everypony, say hello to Princess Luna,” Inkwell said.

“Hi, Princess Luna,” the class greeted.

Luna couldn’t help but smile at the mass greeting from the group of young foals. Seeing their bright eyes and eager smiles made her recall her own days in school, and the feeling of accomplishment with each project passed.

“Hello, foals,” Luna greeted back. “Actually, I came today to speak with Miss Inkwell. So, if she wouldn’t mind stepping out into the hall?”

“Er–Well, yes. Of course,” Inkwell said. “Cherry Blossom? Would you look after the class a moment?”

A mare who looked old enough to have just graduated from high school nodded as she gathered the foals around a table in the classroom, and started passing out papers to them.

Inkwell stepped out into the hallway with Luna, who closed the classroom door behind them.

“Luna, dear. I must say that this seems very unusual for you. May I ask what this is about?” Inkwell asked.

“Yes. Of course,” Luna replied. She thought carefully about her answer. “I’m looking for a filly.”

“A filly, you say? There are dozens of fillies here in kindergarten. Or is there one in particular that you’re looking for?”

“Yes. There is a filly here that I need to have a talk with,” Luna replied.

“Is something wrong?” Inkwell wondered.

“No. Nothing is wrong. Only–” Luna faltered again, wondering how she was going to be able to explain what was going on gently. If she hadn’t been in such a hurry to get to the kindergarten that day, she may have been able to have thought up a rehearsal. “There is a personal matter that I must speak with her about.”

“I see. A friendship problem?” Inkwell wondered.

“No. Er…It’s a little closer than that.”

“Oh. A family issue,” Inkwell said, the gravity suddenly dawning on her. “Princess, I think I may know the filly that you’re talking about.”

Luna’s eyes glittered unknowingly.

“It was about nine months ago that a little unicorn filly was enrolled in one of the afternoon classes. I’ve never seen her parents picking her up. Only her older sister. But, between you and me, I don’t like the look of her sister. She seems…unseemly,” Inkwell said.

Luna nodded.

“That’s what I was afraid of,” she said, keeping up with her cover. “I suppose I’ll have to come back later to talk with her.”

“That’s another thing,” Inkwell said, “Even though she attends the afternoon classes, she’s always dropped off in the daycare early in the morning. I’ve asked her why she always seems to be the first one there, but she can’t even tell me what her family does that they need to drop her off so early.”

“Hmm…” Luna hummed to herself. “If it’s alright, may I speak with her now? I’d like to help her as quickly as possible.”

“Of course,” Inkwell said. “She’s usually in the daycare’s library if you want to talk to her. Ask for Rosy Flower. That’s her name.”

“Thank you. I’ll be off now to take care of this business. Thank you for your time,” Luna said, before taking her leave.

Inkwell said her goodbyes and returned to her classroom. As she walked, it occurred to Luna just how long these thugs had been in Canterlot. For nine months that pegasus had been skulking around her home. And with her sister in tow. The idea of bringing such a young filly into her vile business was enough to make Luna sick. All the more reason for her to see through this matter as soon as possible.

Luna knew the way to the daycare by heart. After being asked to go there to visit the foals so many times by the staff and by her own sister, the walk there was practically second nature to her. She walked through the doors to the daycare’s library, and asked the adult there where she could find Rosy Flower. She was directed to a table in the back, where a filly with a teal coat and a red mane sat.

The filly sat quietly at her seat, looking at a picture book and putting together the story that its pictures told. She had so few books at home, and relished it greatly whenever her sister brought home a new one for her. This one was completely new to her, showing the lengths that a pet dog would go to keep his filly safe. The dog looked big and vicious, but no matter what trouble his filly got into he was always putting himself on the line to make sure she got home safely. She wondered if maybe there was already a dog like that in her own life. Somepony who wasn’t quite a dog.

“Pardon me. But is your name Rosy Flower?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

The filly looked up and her jaw dropped.

“P–Prin-Princess Luna?” she asked.

“I am,” Luna chuckled, “But, who are you?”

The filly stared a moment, before she realized what she had just been asked a moment ago, “I’m Rosy Flower.”

“Do you mind if I sit with you?”

Rosy Flower shook her head and allowed Luna to sit beside her.

Luna took her seat next to Rosy, looking the filly in the eye. She felt slightly uneasy, knowing how fragile and mercurial the emotions of a foal so young could be, and made a mental note to be particularly careful with her words.

Slowly, her eyes drifted to the book that Rosy was reading.

“What is this book you have?” Luna asked, starting gently with the filly.

“Um…it’s about a filly and her dog. The dog follows his filly and keeps her safe from a bunch of things that might hurt her,” Rosy answered.

“It certainly sounds exciting. I wish that I had a dog like that when I was a filly. Do you have any pets at home?” Luna wondered.

“Not anymore. We used to have a cat. But, that was before my sister moved away with me,” Rosy answered.

“I see,” Luna said quietly. “Why did you not take the cat with you?”

“Because it was my mommy and daddy’s cat. They didn’t come with us when we moved.”

Luna tried not to look confused at the filly’s words, but something must have given her away when she saw the way that Rosy was looking at her anxiously. Clearing her throat quickly, Luna resumed their conversation.

“You must have left in a big hurry if you forgot to pack up your own parents for a move,” Luna said, deciding to break the ice with a joke.

“I don’t think we forgot,” Rosy replied. “I heard my sister telling mommy and daddy that she was going to leave a bunch of times. She doesn’t yell as much anymore after we did.”

“Your sister yelled at your parents a lot?” Luna asked.

“Yeah.”

“Do you know what about?”

“No. I was always in my room when they were fighting. Then she’d come in and slam the door,” Rosy answered.

The picture of what had been happening was slowly forming in Luna’s mind. What life had been like for Rosy Flower and her sister was likely not the idyllic foalhood that she and Celestia had, where the only gripe she had while growing up was when Celestia would come into her room and use her makeup whenever she ran out of her own.

It wasn’t infrequent that Luna had to deal with dysfunctional families. In fact, many ponies who were having family problems came to her over Celestia, because she seemed to have a better insight to the workings of a family and how to help them get over their problems. Sibling rivalry was something of a specialty of hers. The family that she was learning about now was deeper in that terrible darkness than she had seen before.

Partly for her own sake, Luna decided to change the subject slightly.

“I heard the bell ring not too long ago. Shouldn’t you be going to class right now? You don’t want to be late, do you?” she said.

“I don’t take the morning classes,” Rosy replied.

“Then why are you here so early? Most fillies who take the afternoon classes come closer to noon,” Luna gently said.

“My sister always drops me off right after we eat breakfast. And we always get up early. I don’t see her for a lot of the day, but she always has something ready for dinner when I get home,” Rosy said.

“That’s nice of her to do.”

“She is really nice.”

“Tell me, Rosy. Do you ever have any friends over for dinner?” Luna asked.

Rosy looked at Luna as if her parents found out she had been stealing from them. Luna waited patiently for the filly’s reply. Not wanting to pressure her, she was just about to dismiss the subject.

“No,” Rosy answered. “Nopony comes to our house when we have dinner. All of my friends have dinner with their family. And I never meet my sister’s friends.”

“Alright. I was only wondering,” Luna said. She hoped that would be enough to settle the filly’s nerves, and decided that another change in topic was called for. “You seem to spend a lot of time with your sister. Does she go to this school as well?”

“No. She’s not a unicorn, like me. She’s a pegasus,” Rosy replied.

The change in topic did little to ease Rosy’s nerves. That much, Luna could see in the filly’s face.

“Princess? Is my sister in trouble?” Rosy asked.

“What would make you think such a thing?” Luna said, trying to sound incredulous.

“Just before we moved some city guards asked me a lot of questions like the ones you’re asking.”

More of the picture of Rosy’s life before Canterlot became clearer to Luna. What sort of trouble had her sister gotten into to make her leave her home? How was her younger sister the only one that she cared enough about to take with her?

“Rosy,” Luna began, knowing now that she had to be more delicate than ever, “if it’s alright for me to ask, what is your sister’s name?”

“Um…Uh…”

Rosy stammered as she looked back at her book. The picture of the gigantic dog standing protectively beside his filly met her eyes.

“I have to go now. Ms. Loose Leaf likes to have me help her put books back on the shelves,” Rosy said, slowly standing up from her seat.

“Bu…Very well. Don’t let me keep you from your duties,” Luna said.

She watched Rosy Flower leave, and found herself with a few answers, but with more questions. Who was this pegasus stranger? And what was her business with Needy and his gang? Moreover, had anypony else seen her or learned her name?

Even with all of that, Luna had a lead. With what she knew, she could find out who Rosy’s parents were, where she came from, and how to get her older sister on the right path. Perhaps it would be too much to think that she could make up with her parents, but not to get her out of a life of crime.

The biggest complication would be if the pegasus found out about her meeting with Rosy. If she did, it was likely that she would run off with her sister again and Luna would lose the chance to apprehend a wanted criminal and protect a filly who was at risk. At the moment, she had no actual reason or solid proof to call upon Foal Protection Services. But a quick investigation of her own might have warranted a good enough reason.

It was for the good of Rosy Flower that Luna decided upon her next course of action and stood up from her seat.

“Did my sister do something bad?”

Just as she was halfway to the door, a filly’s voice stopped Luna. She turned around, and there was Rosy Flower, looking more frightened than Luna had seen her before.

“Rosy, dear, I already told you that she wasn’t in any trouble,” Luna said. She paused when she saw the look on Rosy’s face change once more, looking more frightened than ever.

“I heard what happened at the Gala…” Rosy said.

Luna heard the choking in the filly’s voice and looked around for any curious eyes or ears that were upon them. As quietly as she could, she guided Rosy over to one of the shelves where no other foals were.

“Rosy,” Luna began, “you must understand that even if she was, you wouldn’t be at any fault.”

“But it wasn’t her fault. She just gets mad sometimes and gets in fights. It was the other pegasus’ fault!” Rosy said.

“It was nopony’s fault. I only want to make sure that everything will end with nopony getting in trouble,” Luna replied.

“But, she never hurt anypony!” Rosy said, more distressed than ever.

It was then that Luna realized how little Rosy Flower knew of her sister’s business with Needy’s gang, or any other shady business that she was involved with. She would have to be more careful than ever now. If her sister crossed anypony, Rosy would be in danger. If anypony found out their relation, Rosy was an easy bargaining chip.

“Rosy? Have you ever had to do something that you didn’t want to do, but had to in order to help somepony you cared about?” Luna wondered.

“What?”

“I mean, did you ever have to do something to help somepony, even though it felt bad to do it?”

“You mean like telling on a friend?” Rosy asked.

“Yes. Or something similar,” Luna replied.

Rosy was silent again, and that look of terror returned to her face.

“Are you going to tell my mommy?” she whispered.

“No. Not yet, at any rate. Although…” Luna paused a moment, wondering if she should continue. “Although, I feel I must ask for your own sake, where are you and your sister staying?”

“I’m not supposed to tell that to strangers…” Rosy mumbled.

“It’s so that I can keep you and your sister safe, so you won’t get into any trouble.”

For a long time, Rosy said nothing as she stared at the books on the shelf. Among them, she saw a book that her sister had recently given her. One about a cat, who whenever his family was away he would get into all manner of trouble. But he would always make things look like they were okay before his family ever found out with the help of his friends.

“We’re staying in a motel far away from the school,” Rosy said.

“That must be a long walk,” Luna said.

“It is. But, my sister said that she got a new job that can help her pay for a house closer to the school.”

“Did she say what job she got?” Luna asked, though she felt she already knew the answer.

“No,” Rosy said. “She just said that she was going to work for some other creatures. And that she’d be out of our room a lot, so I couldn’t go with her. I think she said she’s staying with a friend for a while.”

“You mean that she’s leaving you in your room alone?”

“No. The maid is really nice. She has a granddaughter the same age as me, so my sister asks her to watch me when she’s not around,” Rosy said.

Luna nodded to herself. “When did your sister leave?”

“A couple of days ago. Right after the Gala, she said she had to go on a business trip,” Rosy said.

It didn’t take much to guess what ‘business trip’ actually meant. However, after the attempted murder of a pony, it seemed that Rosy’s sister had trouble laying low.

“Rosy, thank you for your time. You may return to helping your librarian now, while I go about my day. Farewell,” Luna said. “Although–”

“Although what?” Rosy wondered.

“I know that I’ve already pried much, but I would like to know your sister’s name.”

Rosy was silent again. And Luna completely understood her reluctance to speak. She turned around to leave.

“Skylar Rose.”

“Is that her name. It’s quite lovely,” Luna said.

“It is. I like to call her Sky.”

She had a name and she had a location. The motive still eluded her, but Luna was beginning to think that Skylar and Rosy needed as much protection from Needy as Capper did.

Capper. What would he have thought if he knew that she was investigating the criminals that he had once been connected with? Would he react as violently as he had before? Would everything that she had worked towards blow up in her face? If it did, would she ever find it with somepony else?

Luna shook her head slightly, trying to keep her focus on the situation at hoof.

“Rosy, can you do something for me?” Luna asked.

“Like what?” Rosy wondered.

“If you want to keep your sister out of trouble, I will have to ask you not to tell her that we spoke to each other,” Luna said.

“You mean keep a secret?”

“Yes. Can you do that for Sky?”

“I can for Sky,” Rosy astutely said.

“I knew you could,” Luna chuckled. She motioned for Rosy to come closer, and the filly obeyed. When they were close enough, Luna lowered herself to speak privately with her. “If you ever need help, you let me know immediately. Tell anypony at the castle that I have given you permission to speak directly with me, and they’ll let you.”

“Okay,” Rosy said.

“Very good,” Luna said, standing back up. “Have a good day at school.”

“Thank you. Bye,” Rosy said.

Luna left the library and trotted back to the school’s entrance. The moment that she was on the street, a long, heavy sigh blew past her lips. Never before had she found herself involved in a family issue with such gravity. Not even her own descent into Nightmare Moon was as bad to her.

As she made the journey back to the palace to catch up on the sleep she had missed, she began to reflect on the highly eventful week that she had been having. From facing her fears of attending the Gala, breaking up the fight in the garden, Capper confronting Needy, separating and reconciling with Capper, their wonderful first date, their disastrous second date, and the conversation she just had with Rosy Flower. It was a surprise to her how much could have happened in such a short time. Then again, time had a way of making things happen all at once.

Luna’s ear twitched when she heard a familiar tune. A pattern of notes that rang like a bell to her ears. It seemed that her walk home had taken her by the Canterlot record shop, and the music that played softly on the public speakers was playing a tune that nopony would have heard in years.

“No…It couldn’t be…” Luna thought to herself.

A low chant was sung, and a quiet synthetic tune was played beneath it. Slowly at first, the chant became faster and more passionate and the music matched its fire. Luna’s mouth slowly dropped open as the words of love lighting the skies and finding paradise overtook her like a warm blanket, and a smile bloomed across her face.

It was exactly what she needed to make up for the rough week she had been having. Something that she knew would make a special somepony’s day. Or night, as she figured it.

There was no hesitation at all in her mind as she walked into the shop, ready to complete what she knew would be the greatest night of her life.

Author's Note

Plot thicken. This chapter took some time for me to write out. It could have gone in many directions and I wasn't sure which way I wanted to go. I am hoping the way I choose is good. As Always...

Till Next Time!! :pinkiehappy:

Last Train Home

In one of the darkest parts of Manehattan, a train hissed to a stop. Steam sighed from the locomotive’s vents as the door lethargically opened up, the flickering light guiding the way to the dark streets beyond to the weary passengers aboard. That night, only one passenger disembarked at that dreary platform.

Skylar Rose stepped off the train to the platform and looked around herself. There was nopony else there. Not even a conductor or a guard to guide the passengers along. Not that she didn’t know where she was going. After only a moment of getting her bearings, Skylar was on her way.

Though she had done the walk many times over the cracked pavement and past the dull neon signs, it was made more difficult by the turmoil that raged within her. She didn’t dare go back to Ponyville for a while after what she had done. And she certainly didn’t dare to relocate her sister from Canterlot. It would seem suspicious. Questions would be asked. Too many things could go wrong.

She was getting closer. The streets were getting more disrepaired as she walked, and the sign at the crossing was missing half of its paint. At the far end of the crossing, she could see two ponies. But she could tell they weren’t on friendly terms. A unicorn was holding a knife to the neck of a hapless earth pony, who was shakily giving his wallet to his assailant. With that, the unicorn ran across the crossing toward Skylar.

It was no matter to her. It happened all the time in the city. But as the unicorn passed her, he saw a flash of metal just before the tip of his horn was sliced off.

The unicorn skidded to the ground and pulled out his knife. Sky turned her head, showing that the blade she held was at least twice as big as his. Not wishing to push his luck, the unicorn hurried away.

After her first step, Sky stepped on something and found that the unicorn had dropped the wallet from the pony he mugged. Except that the owner of the wallet was nowhere to be seen. She jostled the wallet, finding that it was filled with bits. Smirking, she stuffed it into her saddlebag.

The windows and doors were boarded up as she passed them now. In any of the homes that were inhabited, the ponies kept their lights on all through the night. From one window, a silhouetted pony watched her warily as she walked down the path, a silent sentry for those who remained.

There was a light ahead of her. One that gave her pause. A tiny light that flickered brightly, before it snuffed out. She had arrived. Swallowing her disgust, Sky walked onward toward the light.

A thin plume of smoke trickled from beneath the brim of a hat, the face of its owner hidden beneath its shadows. The only sign of life within the motionless cheap suit was the glowing end of a cigarette.

Sky walked to the stoop where the suit laid upon the concrete steps. The end of the cigarette lit up brightly, illuminating the wry smile of the avian features of the creature on the steps. The cigarette dimmed, and a cloud of smoke blew in Sky’s face.

“You late, girly,” the bird croaked. “Why ain’cha been here by mornin’ like we say?”

“I had to take care of something,” Sky said.

Smoke billowed from the beak of the bird as he scoffed cruelly.

“Sweetheart, whatsa low-grade gutter rat like you gotta get took care? You ain’t zactly runnin’ a bed n’ breakfas’ on’na side,” he said.

“It’s none of your business, jaybird! I’m here now, so what do you care?” Sky spat back.

The bird laughed more heartily, his cigarette falling from his beak and landing on its butt on the tip of his finger. Smoke poured from his mouth with each guffaw, choking Sky and making her turn her head from the bird.

“I ain’t give a damn if you here or suckin’ off stray dogs in Appleloosa. Needy’s ‘a one y’got worry about,” the bird said, twirling his cigarette between his fingers before balancing it on his thumb. “If he know you late, Verko know you late. Juss’a way o’ th’ rat to keep’a cat’s claws at bay.” He flicked his thumb and the cigarette flipped back into his beak, where it flared up and illuminated his face again. “But rats is known most’ta get them claws point at weaker rats.”

Sky didn’t dare yell or lash out. Blue Ricky was one of the few creatures that Verko seemed to value, if only for his underworld connections. She clenched her teeth as she stayed her hoof from loosening his beak from his face.

“You gonna let me in?” Sky asked.

“Heh. You soun’ ready to git what’s comin’ to ya. ‘Mon this way,” Ricky said.

He traipsed up the steps and opened the door to allow himself and Sky inside. The hall beyond was even drearier than Sky had remembered with it’s bare, dim bulb and dry-rotted floorboards.

“How you get that on you face?” Ricky asked, tapping the ash from his cigarette.

Sky gasped internally when she realized that the fight with Capper had left her with several visible cuts and bruises.

Ricky smirked as the reason for her being held up was starting to make sense.

“Fights jus’ follow ya, don’t they?” he asked.

“Fuck off. Where’s Needy?” Sky asked.

“Ain’t here. Who you fight with?”

“Forget it.”

“Not that peg’sus at the Gala? You ain’t let go, huh?”

“Look, it was fucking Grieco who looked like he was stalking foals! I just wanted to know if the unicorn knew my sister!”

Sky caught herself from exploding completely and listened for any unwanted eavesdroppers. Slowly, her ears drooped.

“You haven’t told anypony about Rosy? Have you?” she asked.

Ricky took another puff of his cigarette and shook his head, sending a spray of smoke around himself.

“The way you keep blowin’ care to th’wind, you gonna do that you’self,” he said.

“Have you told anypony!?” Sky tersely repeated.

“Not now, as ‘ey don’t need’a know,” Ricky answered, walking past Sky.

Sky followed him into the dingy living room at the end of the hall, where they found their griffin companion surrounded by empty bottles of some unknown devilish brew. His breath alone as he snored away his alcoholic coma was enough to send both Sky and Ricky running to open a window.

Finding Grieco in such a state wasn’t uncommon. Even less common was when he left any for anypony else.

Ricky watched in morbid fascination as Sky took one of the bottles from Grieco’s talons and hefted it slightly. There was no time between the moment she put the bottle to her lips and Grieco jabbed his talon against Sky’s neck.

“One more sip, and I repossess it through your throat,” the griffin growled.

“Try it and you’ll be pissing out both ends,” Sky retorted.

Ricky took another drag on his cigarette and fanned the smoke toward the others with his hat.

“How I end up work wi’you freaks?” he wondered aloud.

Sky locked eyes with Grieco, who glared reproachfully at her. The bottle in her hoof tilted toward the floor, and Grieco’s eyes widened. The bottle tipped more, and the contents within started pouring out.

Grieco’s famously fast talons lashed out and whipped the bottle from Sky’s hoof. But there was no saving the lost booze.

“You’re pushing your luck tonight, missy. You show up late looking like you’ve been squeezed through an engine block. Then you steal my booze. You got a death wish or something?” Grieco asked.

“You sound like I’d be the dead one here,” Sky retorted.

“Needy can make it happen if you try the same shit on him.”

“Why don’t you quit hiding behind Needy and do it yourself?”

“Eh?” Grieco asked, pausing in the middle of pouring himself a new drink.

Sky swept her hoof across the table, clearing away all of the empty bottles.

“Do me in. Right now,” Sky dared him.

“Oh, you don’t want do that,” Ricky said, the brim of his hat filling with smoke.

“Butt out, bird. I’m talking here,” Sky said.

“Aww, ain’t this cute. This little yearling thinks she’s a big, tough draft horse,” Grieco said to nopony in particular.

“You can’t even hit me.”

“I don’t bother with little teetotalers like you,” Grieco said, pouring his drink.

“Hit me,” Sky dared him.

“Oh, boy. Here we go,” Ricky muttered, taking a drag on his cigarette.

“Filly, you don’t want that,” Grieco said, swirling his drink in its glass.

“Maybe I do. Maybe I don’t believe the ‘stallions can’t hit mares’ bullshit. What do you say?” Sky goaded him on.

Grieco finished his drink and put his glass on the table, keeping his talon on top of it.

“I say if you even flinch, you buy me a new case of booze,” he said.

“Fine,” Sky said.

“Okay.”

Ricky rolled his eyes and let his cigarette balance on his beak. He watched as Grieco deliberately took one of the bottles from the floor and poured the remainder of its contents into his shot glass.

Grieco swirled the drink again, never once looking at Sky, who was growing more and more impatient as the seconds passed.

He sipped on his drink, letting it burn sweetly in his throat.

Sky clenched her teeth as she watched him. She could wait no more. Before she ever began to lunge at Grieco, the glass flew from his talon right to Sky’s head.

Her hooves raised quickly to block the flying glass as it whizzed past her. She was hardly aware that it had even missed her as she felt Grieco’s talons jab into her chest.

“You flinched,” Grieco simply said.

“Ugh! Grab your own chest, perv!” Sky shouted, throwing Grieco’s hand back to his side.

Ricky threw his head back and laughed, catching his cigarette in his mouth as it flipped into the air.

“Is that the melodious guffaws of a certain smoked turkey I hear?” a familiar voice sang from the hallway.

Everypony went silent as soft steps were suddenly heard coming toward them. Sky’s chest clenched when she saw Needy enter the room, looking like a rancher who was looking over his prize heads of cattle.

“Why, so it is!” Needy said in mock surprise, “Ricky, you thieving magpie, you. You’re supposed to be in Kludgetown right now.”

“Know why I ain’t?” Ricky said, pointing his cigarette at Sky.

“Oh, Ricky, my boy. Don’t be so hard on our filly. She must have been busy nursing her wounds this morning. After all, one doesn’t walk away from a fight with the Bearer of Loyalty without a few scrapes,” Needy said.

Ricky gasped so hard that his cigarette was burned down to half its length.

“You been fight with’a Bearer of Loyalty!?” he choked out as clouds of smoke blew out his mouth with every word. “You gon’ get it now, girly!”

“Don’t give her so much credit. She can only take a punch, but she can’t dish it out,” Sky said.

“My goodness, but she gave you such a lovely little beauty mark,” Needy said, pointing to Sky’s face.

Sky tried to subtly turn her face from Needy.

“Come to think of it, I don’t recall you having that before. You haven’t been having any get-togethers without us, have you?”

“I went to Ponyville like you said,” Sky answered.

“And you stabbed somepony else?” Needy wondered.

“No. It was…” Sky halted herself from speaking, silently considering the consequences of the truth. “It was him. Verko’s little stray.”

Needy’s face changed completely when he heard that.

“Surely you don’t mean Capper!?” he said.

“He and his friend saw me and followed me when I was in Canterlot. He tried to fight me, but he still got your message,” Sky said.

“My, my. How things change,” Needy thought to himself. In all the time he had known Capper, he hadn’t so much as lifted a whisker to fight. Something had changed about him. And if it was what he thought, it would be all the easier to exploit. “Did he say anything else, I wonder?”

“No. But he looked like he was about to piss himself when I told him. I think he hates you more than Verko,” Sky said, feeling somewhat proud of herself in that moment.

Needy began pacing around the room, rubbing his hands, tapping his chin and twitching his ears. Sky, Ricky and Grieco all followed him with their eyes as he passed by each one of them.

“This may be a problem…” Needy muttered

“What do we do about it? Neuter him?” Grieco asked, leaning back in his seat.

“Oh, no. No, no, no, my good griffin,” Needy said. “Has it not occurred to you that our stray struttin’ alley cat has not told anypony about us?”

“How you know that?” Ricky wondered.

“Because he is in the company of the Equestrian royalty. Yet there hasn’t been a single hoof raised against us. As far as they know, we are just tourists who got a little rowdy at the Gala,” Needy explained.

“So he’s not talking. Seems okay to me,” Sky shrugged.

“It is, my filly. And it’s going to pay off so well for us.”

Author's Note

Just thought you should get to know them a little.

Till Next Time!!! :pinkiehappy:

Heal Me

“No!”

A page was torn from a notebook, wadded up, and tossed into a pile.

Capper ran his fingers through his fur atop his head and nibbled the end of his pencil. For almost an hour now, he had been sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, stooped over his coffee table with the pages laid out before him. His sunflower seeds had been spent, lying in a pile of empty shells like some kind of tiny monument, and his notebook was growing thinner with every passing minute.

Days had passed since the last time that he had gone to his favorite spot in the woods, beneath his favorite tree. There, he could write anything that he wanted. Now that he was actually trying to find the right words, he found that inspiration was a lot more difficult to come by. Especially when he had to say something so meaningful.

Talking with others was always Capper’s strongest point. As a kitten, he could convince any vendor to give him an extra piece of fish with just a few pretty words. And he had only gotten better at it since. As he thought more and more about the words he wanted to say, each one of them sounded more hollow than the last.

“Damn…” Capper sighed as he leaned his back against the front of his couch.

He reached a paw out and blindly grabbed for his ukulele. Once he had it, he began strumming the strings slowly.

“Let’s see,” he whispered to himself.

He played the music with only himself as the audience. His claws plucked the strings gently, allowing them to sing their many tunes to him. Capper’s head began tilting back and forth in tune with the music, and the words came again.

You make me feel safe like we could fly away to our escape.

Go to a magical place where no one can tell us what to do or say…

The strings squeaked loudly as he scratched his claws across them.

“Aw! It sounds so god damn sappy!” he groaned, putting the instrument on the couch behind him.

He stretched his legs out, and his toe touched one of the wadded up pieces of paper that he had torn from his notebook. Each paper was like a tiny grave marker for an idea that he had scrapped. And each grave was more deserving than the last. If anything was going to stick, it had to be something that meant something real. Not just a bunch of words that sounded nice.

The tape with the song that Luna had shared with him laid on the table. Capper reached out and grabbed it, studying the case. How had two ponies written something so meaningful? So purely genuine? The most accurate depiction of young love that he had ever heard, where both of them knew that things may not work out but they hoped for the best?

Capper sung the lyrics to himself, having memorized them by heart at that point. There was a verse from the male vocalist that always struck him. How he couldn’t be what his lover expected him to be, but he could only try his best. Slowly, his eyes widened as the words came to him. The ukulele was back in his paws, and he began to strum the strings.

Cuz I want to be your hero even though I've not been the one to fight.

I don't think I'm strong enough but damn I would like to at least try.

“Ah! That’s damn good! Damn good!” Capper said as he hastily wrote down the words he had sung.

No sooner did he stop writing was there a knock on his door.

The notebook and the ukulele were swept under his couch.

“Nopony’s home!” he yelled.

It was only then that he realized that Trixie would have long since gone to bed. And that there was only one other pony who would call on him so late at night.

“Isn’t there? What a shame. I suppose I’ll take my special surprise elsewhere,” a familiar voice sweetly called.

“Oh, crap!” Capper hissed.

He quickly gathered up the wadded pieces of paper and clutched them in his arms. Terror struck him as his door started cracking open. As quick as he could, Capper hopped over his couch and jammed the door with his foot.

“Capper? What are you doing?” Luna asked.

“Luna. Could you wai–Just wait right there a second!” Capper hastily said.

He started running off with his papers, backed up to grab his jacket with his teeth, then darted around a corner just as Luna let herself inside. She looked curiously in the direction that Capper had gone, then sat down on his couch.

Capper quickly dumped his scrapped papers into the garbage and hurried to his bathroom, locking the door behind himself.

“Why now? It had to be tonight!?” Capper hissed, hastily putting on his jacket to hide his bruises.

Luna sat down on Capper’s couch, and from her mane took the cassette tape that she had bought earlier that day. She smiled as she glanced down the hall where Capper had run off, knowing he would love it.

Capper searched madly through his cabinets for something that would hide his black eye. Nothing was found. The closest thing that he had was some brown shoe polish that had been under his sink when he moved in.

“Yes!” he quietly cheered.

Luna touched up her lipstick and eyeliner. Her eyes were dazzling. Her lips were tempting. And her mane? Styled and colored to silvery perfection. She closed her compact and teleported it away, before she glanced over her shoulder to the hall, smiling eagerly.

“Come on! Come on!” Capper said to himself as he applied the shoe polish. But there was nothing that could be done about that pungent smell.

Unless…

Capper shuffled through the many bottles that he had taken from his cabinets until he found the one he wanted. His trusty tobacco/vanilla cologne. With a shaking paw, he started dabbing it over the polish, hoping it wouldn’t run too much.

The tape was put into the player. Everything was almost ready for Capper to arrive. Except for one last thing. Luna examined the garment she had brought with her. The racy little thing made from ebony silk and white gossamer. Did she dare?

Capper’s breath was rapid and shallow as he finished dabbing his cologne. With any luck, Luna wouldn’t notice the smell of the shoe polish.

He slapped a paw to his forehead and ran his fingers through his hair. Slowly his breaths steadied. When he was able to face his reflection once again, he wondered how he was going to get through the night unscathed.

His ear twitched when he heard a low synthetic tune playing from his living room. After that, a slow, steady chant hummed.

The bottle of cologne nearly slid out of Capper’s paw when he heard the opening crescendo that he hadn’t heard since he was a kitten. As if in a trance, he drifted out of his bathroom toward his living room. When he arrived, he saw the shock of his life.

There was Luna draped across his couch, wearing a nightgown that left nothing at all to Capper’s imagination.

The lyrics to the song began, conveying the beauty of love enough to light the skies and steal the stars as Luna batted her eyelashes at Capper.

“Ah…Luna? What are you doing…?” Capper asked.

“Just repaying a favor. You were kind enough to be my angel of the morning, so I’ll be yours for the evening,” Luna suggestively said.

Capper slowly turned his back and exhaled quietly.

“Don’t leave me here all alone. Join me,” Luna sweetly called.

“Oh, boy…” Capper whispered too quietly for even himself to hear.

Putting on his most pleasant face, Capper turned back to face Luna, who was extending her hoof out to him. Capper reached out and took her hoof, and allowed himself to be sat down on the couch. Luna took her hoof from Capper’s paw and rested it on his lap.

“Uh…” Capper said, struggling to keep his voice steady, “It…I guess things went okay with your sister this morning?”

“Let’s not talk about my sister,” Luna said.

Capper was taken completely by surprise when Luna pulled herself toward him. The weight of her body gradually settled upon him as he laid himself down on the couch. He wanted to protest. He wished nothing more than to talk some sense into Luna. But between the softness of the cushions and the warmth of Luna’s body, something within him was stopping him from doing anything. As he laid his paws on Luna’s back, a smile began to grow on his face.

Luna rested her head beneath Capper’s chin and sighed contentedly.

“It truly is a lovely song,” she whispered.

“How did you find it?” Capper asked, rubbing his paws on Luna’s sides.

“Somepony turned in the single to a record shop in Canterlot for three bits in store credit. It’s a shame how little ponies appreciate it.”

Memories of his early life returned to Capper as he listened to the song. A flood of hopes and dreams and cares that he had long since forgotten, all returned to him as the music filled his ears. He felt Luna’s breath on his shoulder, and her hips rubbed against his as she shifted her position. Capper bit his lip slightly when she put pressure on one of his bruises.

“You’ve gone a little heavy on the cologne tonight,” Luna said.

“Er…I just know how much you like it,” Capper said.

“Yes. It’s delicious.”

Something about the way Luna said that made Capper’s spine shiver in a way he almost wanted it to again.

“You seem tense,” Luna said as she rubbed Capper’s shoulders. “Have you had a rough day?”

“No more than usual,” Capper said, trying to sound casual.

“Oh, don’t sound so coy, darling. As it so happens, I know one of the best ways to help you unwind.”

Darling? He was ‘darling’ now? Had he not been so at peace, Capper would have squeezed his claws into Luna’s hip in utter shock.

“Dare I ask what it is?” Capper wondered.

His answer was a low exhale from Luna, who raised her head to look Capper in the eye.

“Why don’t I show you?” Luna said.

Her snout drifted closer to Capper’s.

“Lu–Princess? What are you doing?” Capper asked.

“No, no. You call me Luna,” Luna said, as she rubbed her nose against Capper’s “Now sit still. I’ll take care of everything.”

Luna’s nose drifted from Capper’s, and down to his cheek. Capper’s eyes rolled almost completely backwards as her snout nuzzled up and down against his face. His paws rubbed ritualistically up and down across Luna’s back, the feel of the fabric tickling his fingertips until he found the hem of her skirt and glided his fingers across her bare hip.

The sound of Luna’s giggling mingled in Capper’s ears as beautifully as the music that played. Heaven truly was a sweet complication, and there was no better time or place to find that sweet, fabled paradise in his heart. How many times hadn’t he learned such a thing, just to leave himself shattered and lost in the aftermath?

Luna kept finding new places to nuzzle Capper. Behind his ears. Across his hairline. Beneath his chin. Along his jawline. Around his eyes.

It was there that Luna felt something that she knew she shouldn’t have. Like some malodorous fluid had dried onto his face.

“Capper? What’s this?” Luna asked.

“What?” Capper asked, his senses returning like an unpleasant crash.

“Has something happened?”

“I’m alright. I promise,” Capper hastily said.

“I didn’t ask if you were alright. I asked what had happened,” Luna said.

Capper was silent. Luna recognized that silence. The very same as when she had come by his place on that foggy morning so long ago. And she wasn’t going to allow it to ruin anything for her.

“Let me see it,” Luna said.

“There’s nothing to s–”

“Capper,” Luna interjected, “I don’t want to have this same argument with you again. Let me see what’s hurting you.”

Capper saw the way Luna was looking at him. Concern and budding fear were painted all over her face, and it hurt him more than the bruises Luna was laying on.

Without a word, Capper rested his head on the arm of the couch, and Luna flared up her magic just as the song on the player ended.

With a gentle light, the polish that Capper had applied to his face was washed away. Capper had closed his eyes to allow Luna to work, until he heard her speak.

“Oh, my stars…” she whispered.

Capper’s eyes cracked open to see that same look of fear and concern expounded.

“Darling, what happened to you?” Luna asked.

“It was…just a stupid accident,” Capper weakly said.

“Capper, please,” Luna said, her voice choking slightly, “Why do you do this? Why do you not allow anypony who cares about you to help?”

As Capper listened to her, he could feel something within him give way. As if some key that had been left in a door to rust over had suddenly been turned, those terrible days of his life came back to light from the dark recesses of his memory. Things that even he had long since forgotten.

“I’m sorry…”

Luna stared back, any emotion wiped from her face. Capper pulled her close to his heart and stroked her mane.

“I got myself into trouble a long time ago. And I don’t know if I can ever get out,” Capper whispered.

“Tell me what happened,” Luna answered.

Capper held Luna more tightly as his heart began to shudder.

“I was so young when I lost my parents. I don’t even remember their faces. The closest thing I ever had to a family was another kitten at the orphanage. Chummer…”

Luna put her hoof on Capper’s shoulder when she heard his voice choke.

“I was always looking up to him…He taught me so many things. No matter what I did…No matter what I thought…He never even called me by my name…I guess in the end he didn’t feel anything about me…”

Luna felt a single tear trickle into her mane. She brushed it away and squeezed Capper’s shoulders.

“You don’t have to say anymore,” she said.

“No. I…I want to,” Capper said, his chest heaving like a dying stallion’s.

The time passed, and Capper told Luna everything. How Chummer had set him up with Verko’s gang, and how the creature’s he had trusted the most took him for a fall.

In time, he confessed about the fight with the unknown pegasus from the Gala. How she had attacked Trixie and conveyed a message from Needy to him.

Luna held onto Capper, feeling as if she never wanted to let go. After her talk with Rosy that morning, she realized how serious things were becoming. Part of her wished to tell Capper about her investigation. But the part of her that didn’t wish to cause any more anguish to Capper won out.

“It must have been difficult. Growing up as you did,” Luna said.

“Heh. I get by,” Capper replied, rubbing Luna’s sides.

“No. I mean living in a world where you couldn’t trust anypony. And then carry that with you for the rest of your days. It must have been terrible to be alone, but never realize you were lonely.”

Capper swallowed his tears at that moment. That one sentence summed up his entire time at Klugetown, and it made him realize how much of his life he had all but wasted.

“I’m not going to let you face it alone,” Luna said.

“Luna, no. I understand how you feel, but this is my issue,” Capper said.

Luna hushed him with her hoof placed over his lips.

“I won’t allow you to be hurt anymore. I promise you.”

Capper doubted it, but he stopped himself from saying so. Luna seemed so resolute. Like she would keep her word and keep him for the rest of her days.

He answered Luna by embracing her as he rubbed his paws along her sides, across her chest and around her shoulders, before allowing them both to sink into the couch. From there, they both had a view of the outside from the window.

“You outdid yourself tonight,” Capper said, looking at the night sky beyond.

“I was feeling a bit inspired,” Luna said, nuzzling Capper’s ear.

“I have an idea,” Capper said, “Why don’t you put on something a little more decent, and we’ll go out and enjoy the night for a while?”

“You mean go to the boardwalk again?” Luna asked, sounding somewhat enthused.

“I have something a little different in mind.”

“Like what?”

“Only one way to find out,” Capper said with a sly smile.

Author's Note

This was a weird chapter write. This one took a few tries to write out before I was satisfied with how I wanted it to be. I won't lie, the way this chapter turn out wasn't the original intent but I will see how I can work it into the story in the future. But I think it was cute and overall I had fun writing it. As Always:

Till Next Time!!! :pinkiehappy:

Lost Without Love

A chill autumn breeze blew down the wooded trail, blowing the mane of Princess Luna this way and that. To her side, her feline guide pulled his red coat a little closer to himself.

Though she had lived in Canterlot her whole life, Luna had never seen that particular part of the forest that Capper was guiding her down. Most of their trip passed in silence, with only the occasional word exchanged between the two. From time to time, Luna saw something that brought a smile to her face. There was a row of mushrooms, each one getting smaller, like members of a tiny family. An owl flapped down to a branch to curiously watch the pedestrians on the trail.

From around one of the trees, a pair of soft, curious eyes peered out at them, and Luna was delighted to see that it was a possum. And it wasn’t alone. From the other side of the tree, a small turtle appeared alongside it. And from beneath the nearby bushes, a skunk and a porcupine peeked cautiously out. It was as if they had all gathered for some secret jamboree, and were just waiting for everypony to pass by in order to continue.

Another breeze blew, and Capper clutched his coat a little tighter. Luna’s wing wrapped gently around him, and his shivering stopped.

“For somepony with all that fur, you seem to get cold easily,” Luna said.

“The better to hold you close,” Capper said, putting his paw around Luna.

Luna leaned closer to him and rubbed her head against his shoulder.

“We’re here,” Capper said.

When she looked ahead, Luna saw a park that she had never visited before. The grass grew with a bluish tint, waving slightly in the breeze as if to welcome the newcomers. Flower gardens bordered the pathway to guide the creatures along. In the middle of it all was a large tree stump, which Capper guided Luna towards. When they took their seat upon it, Capper hugged Luna a little more tightly before the world before them illuminated with a hundred fireflies, which hovered above a small pond. At one end of the pond, a choir of frogs sat upon the rows of stones to sing their nightly serenade. Luna smiled as she watched them hop up to gulp down the fireflies in one bite. All that under the night sky that she had created made it greater than any treasure or magic spell in all the world.

“I have no words for this,” Luna whispered as she snuggled closer to Capper.

“Beautiful,” Capper answered.

Luna glanced up and saw that Capper was looking at her. And it made her smile. With nopony else had she shared such a moment of unimaginable sincerity and closeness. Something beautiful that she could keep for herself forever and always. And even if she may have one day never share it with Capper again, it was hers.

For some reason, Luna remembered what Capper had said to her that day in the donut shop. About the experiment of destiny. But there was no way that she was going to tell him that it had gone well. Not yet at any rate.

A gentle humming from Capper caught Luna’s ear. A tune that she didn’t recognize and allowed him to continue for a moment.

“What is that song?” she wondered.

“I don’t remember the title. But, it’s about a stallion whose best friend is leaving him, and he’s trying to get him to come back to him. Kind of an inappropriate thing to have on my mind right now, I guess,” Capper answered.

“Not really,” Luna said. “Do you come here often?”

“Only when I really need it. But, I’ve always wanted to bring somepony else up this way to show it to them.”

Luna rested her head on Capper’s shoulder.

“So, I’m the first who’s seen this place with you?” she asked.

“I wanted the first time to be with somepony special.”

Luna nuzzled his face again, breathing in the smell of his tobacco/vanilla cologne.

“I’m sorry, Luna,” Capper said.

“Darling, you’ve already apologized,” Luna replied.

“I mean about everything. And everything else…I…How do I say it?”

A silent moan from Luna quieted Capper’s voice.

“I know you don’t mean to hurt anypony. Especially not me. But you aren’t defined by your beginning. In any story, it’s the page you’re on that matters the most,” Luna said, her soft, warm breath wafting through Capper’s fur as she nuzzled him.

“But…What happens next? What if nothing ever changes?” Capper whispered.

“You’ve changed.”

Capper had no idea what she had meant. Whatever she saw, he never noticed. But it was only knowing that he did that made him smile.

In his most private moments, Capper would lose himself in a sea of what-ifs. How would his life have turned out if he had never lost his parents, never met Chummer, never had to put up Needy, never went deep in hock with Verko, never had to associate in any way with the seamy underbelly of his home. Now, he was wondering if any of that had never happened if he would have met Luna.

“I guess so,” Capper unsurely said. “I guess I’ve always had a problem with letting anypony in.”

Luna scooched a little closer to Capper.

“That’s me as well. Only, I’ve had trouble letting anypony go,” she said.

“How do you mean?”

“Well, when you live as long as an alicorn does, you tend to lose every friend you’ve ever made. Whether you want to, or not,” Luna answered.

“I see…” Capper said.

He and Luna were both silent for many moments, huddled together atop the stump as they held one another and watched the fireflies on the pond. After so long, Capper decided to break the silence.

“Do you remember what you said on our first date?” he asked.

“Mm?” Luna dully murmured.

“You said that no dream was too big, and that it was never too late to achieve it. Wellll…”

Luna shifted her head atop Capper’s shoulder, looking him in the eye.

“I kind of started writing something,” Capper sheepishly said.

“Oh? Have you really?” Luna asked, smirking.

“Yeah. It’s just a song that I started writing when I was thirteen, but I never actually finished. I don’t know if it’s any good, but I kind of like what I have so far.”

“I think it would be lovely,” Luna said.

“How do you know?” Capper asked.

“Because I’ve heard you sing before.”

Capper scoffed and rolled his eyes as he rubbed Luna’s shoulder.

“That’s really nice of you to say, but you’ve only heard me singing somepony else’s song. Not what I wrote,” he said.

“Then let me hear it,” Luna said.

Capper saw Luna’s silent plea in her eyes. The earnest desire to hear him sing the song that he had written. To hear something that he had been holding in his heart since he was a kitten. He put his paws on Luna’s shoulder and allowed her to scoot away from him as he stood up.

With the lighting of the fireflies and the choir of frogs at his back, Capper almost looked like a singer on a grand stage. To Luna’s amazement, his ratty red coat seemed to have fixed itself in those moments that he stood before her, his paw across his chest as he bowed to her.

This was it. The moment where Capper would let his heart spill forth for Luna. His eyes closed and his mouth opened.

"Maybe I will when I'm finished with it,” Capper said suddenly.

Luna tried to answer, but all she could do was wheeze out a silent laugh. After such a grand buildup, everything had fallen flat.

“Don’t seem so disappointed,” Capper deadpanned.

“It’s not that. It’s–” Luna never did finish her sentence as she got ahold of herself. She motioned back to the stump beside herself. “Won’t you come back? It’s cold here by myself.”

“Don’t you need to wear a sleazy nightgown to say things like that?” Capper asked.

“Next time, perhaps you could wear it?” Luna joked.

“You put on something pink and frilly, and you got a deal,” Capper said, pulling Luna close.

They looked over the pond, and a wondrous sight met their eyes. A raft made from a slab of tree bark was drifting across the water. Aboard it were two passengers, the porcupine and the skunk that Luna had seen on the trail before. The porcupine held a short stick in his paws, which he used to make the raft glide across the water. Behind him, the skunk watched the tiny fish beneath the ripples the boat’s wake made, the tip of her tail dipped into the water.

If Luna didn’t know better, she might have guessed that somepony had set it all up for them. Perhaps their possum friend had arranged for it all, the same way that Trixie had arranged so much of her own time with Capper. Of course that would be silly, but the idea made Luna giggle. Although, watching the tiny animals on the pond made her wonder.

“Capper?” she carefully began. “Um, it’s alright if you don’t answer this, but…erm…Where are we in this r…this relationship?”

For a moment, Luna was sure that Capper wouldn’t answer her. Of course it was a bit of a personal question. But it was one that she knew she had to ask.

“I’m sorry, Luna. But, I can’t answer that,” Capper said. “This is the first time that I’ve ever had anything real, so I don’t know the usual steps or stages.” He ran his paw through Luna’s mane. “But, for what it’s worth, I like where it’s going.”

“Me too,” Luna said, nuzzling Capper’s face again.

“Just imagine the headlines: ‘Equestrian princess involved in a cross-species relationship with an ex-con.’ In other news: ‘Storm King weds Bigfoot!’”

“Maybe I should start paying off the tabloids to keep quiet now,” Luna joked.

“Speaking of scandals, how’s your sister handling this?” Capper wondered.

“Oh. Celestia?” Luna said, her ears drooping slightly. “I haven’t exactly told her yet.”

“Alright,” Capper dismissively said. It seemed only natural for Luna to be hesitant. After all, it would only be a matter of time until everypony found out anyway. “Um…When do you plan on telling her?”

“I would like to tell her before she finds out from Trixie or Pinkie,” Luna said. “I suppose I’ll tell her when we find out where we are.”

“I think I’ll be ready by then too,” Capper said. He put his free paw into his pocket, wondering if this is what it felt like to be a kitten at the schoolyard talking to his crush. His head rested atop Luna’s, her ear tickling his fur as it twitched. So many words were kindling within him. Things he wished to tell her. All he had to do was say them. “I really like you, Luna. A lot.”

Damn! Why’d it have to be those stupid, simple words?

Luna returned to nuzzling Capper’s face. “And I like you too.”

For Luna, it felt like the strangest thing that she had ever said to anypony. Her stomach tightened when she realized that she had never said that to anypony ever. If she had to describe it, it was like being liberated from some room that she had never known the door was open the entire time. In so little time, Capper had made her feel so many things that she never knew she was missing. And like the characters in her favorite book, she was going to make her own way in her life and live it.

There could be no more waiting. A choice had to be made. There would be no reward or bounty to reap for all the passions that Capper had left behind and only now reined in. Waiting so long had been his crime, and now fortune and virtue smiled upon him.

I say we're done. You say we're near,

You tell me "Look how far we come,

When you choose not to live in fear"

Luna’s eyes went wide when she heard those words sung from Capper. She didn’t need to ask what song it was, knowing in her heart where those lyrics had come from.

“Is that about us?” Luna asked.

“Some of it. Some of it about Trixie and some of it about everything else.”

Cuz I want to be your hero even though I'm not the one to fight,

I don't think I'm strong enough but damn I would like to at least try,

As long as you're there by my side,

Luna nodded along to the words. If there were any flaws in the song, she couldn’t hear any of them. Capper’s sweet voice rang clearer than any bell or chime that she had ever heard.

Capper stood up with his back to the pond, the light of the fireflies illuminating him in elegant silhouette. A performer in his spotlight, Capper sang on.

I see the light,

That shines within your eyes,

You and I,

Could dance under the moonlight,

Cause you make me feel safe,

There was power in his voice. Luna’s chest began to swell with the reverberations of his words, and her mind focused completely on the words between the words. Where they had come from and what they meant to him. What he meant to her.

Like we could fly away to our escape,

Go to a magical place where no one can tell us what to do or say,

Just give me a reason to stay.

Are you that somebody,

Are you that somebody that I need to love,

Capper’s voice slowed to a halt and his featureless silhouette peered at Luna from the light of the pond. A firefly passed near him, illuminating his feline eyes for just a moment.

“And that’s just the first verse,” Capper said.

“You wrote that?” Luna asked, her eyes widened.

“Well, you can’t expect it to be perfect. It’s still not finished.”

“That isn’t what I meant,” Luna giggled. “I really like it.”

“Yeah?”

“Indeed. You’re talented. It’s a beautiful gift. And I’m glad you shared it with me.”

Capper had to bite his lips to hide his smile. Doubts had been tumbling in his mind like a boulder down a hill. But as long as Luna liked it, that terrible avalanche would never bury him.

Luna’s eyes were back on the pond. She recalled the sight of the porcupine and the skunk on the makeshift raft, thinking how wonderful it was to be sharing the special night with other creatures. Across the way, she saw something that made her face light up with glee.

The possum that she had seen was carrying what looked like a tray of food on its back. Fancy mushrooms, sweet grass and pieces of bark were laid out like the portions of a meal. Through the reeds and grass, she thought that she could see the porcupine and the skunk sitting at a tiny tree stump.

Luna stood from her seat.

“Need to stretch your legs?” Capper asked.

“There’s something that I want to see over there,” Luna whispered. “Come. Let’s go watch.”

“Er, why don’t you just go? I’m feeling a little bit…inspired right now,” Capper said.

“Inspired? Oh,” Luna said, the reason dawning on her. “Then, don’t let me interrupt your delicate genius.”

“Thanks for understanding.”

Luna walked off on her own, careful to make as little noise as she could when she walked. Just as she walked beneath the shadow of a willow tree, she turned around to give Capper one last word.

“You know, if I had been Chummer, I wouldn’t have abandoned you. You’re a hell of a thing to lose.”

And she disappeared in the shadows of the tree.

Capper’s paw rested on his chest as tears threatened to flood his eyes. It was the simplest thing that was said to him, but he never knew how badly he had wanted to hear it. There was no more doubt in his mind. Luna was the one. And nopony was going to change that for him.

His eyes turned up to the stars. Their light poured down upon him like some sussurant wind. Beneath the welkin lights of the sky, the words came to him:

I want to make sure you’re okay and I can take you to our hideaway.

We’ll make a magical place where our stars will never ever fade.

You are my reason to stay.

How easily they came to him in that moment. He reached into his coat and withdrew the notebook and pencil that he never left his home without.

“Oh! Capper, my boy! That was beautiful!”

The voice made Capper’s pencil drag sharply across the page, and he whipped his head around to see the beady-eyed visage of Needy peering out at him from the shadows of one of the trees behind him.

“You don’t need to be here, Needy,” Capper caustically said, slamming his notebook shut.

“Now, now. There’s no law against a lowly pedestrian taking a stroll through a public park,” Needy said.

Capper eyed him like the rat he was, wanting to claw the legs off of Needy as he practically skipped toward him. Once he was as near as he dared, Needy started circling around Capper, humming to himself.

“So,” Needy began, “You and the little, old princess? Now, who’d have thunk it? It’s the stuff of fairy tales, it is.”

“If you come any closer, you’re going to have a very unhappy ending,” Capper said.

“Oh deary, oh my. That is quite the caustic wit you’ve developed, Capper,” Needy guffawed as he stepped closer to him. “Pray tell to those not in the know: how does it feel to wake up knowing that you’ve stolen the heart of the Princess of the Night?”

“She’s got a sister if you want to find out,” Capper dared.

“Now, how could a lowly rat like me claw my way into royalty’s good graces? Suffice it to say, I never had the way with others that you do. As pleasant as I try to be, I always end up rubbing others the wrong way. Although, if you would like to help an old friend out, you could tell me how you managed to pull it off…”

“Nothing was ‘pulled off.’ We were friends before, so I didn’t need to do anything that you would,” Capper said.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were accusing me of something,” Needy said, stepping closer again. “Regardless, I don’t think ‘friends,’ as you put it, nuzzle like you two do.”

It took all of Capper’s restraint to keep the shock he felt from reaching his face. As his brain slowly returned to function, Needy stepped well within arm’s reach of Capper.

“Don’t misunderstand me, my boy. I just thought it was a beautiful thing for you to find somepony you like. Although…” Needy trailed off, pretending to be in deep thought. “Although, what would your princess think about little old you if she knew the crowd you run with? Maybe, if she knew the things you did, would she still find you to be such an upstanding feline?”

Sweat perspired on Capper’s forehead, as he began to dread the direction of Needy’s conversation.

“For a price, these things can always go away,” Needy said, cocking one eyebrow.

He smirked as Capper stared silently at him. As he was, Capper wasn’t able to do a thing. And Needy drove the point home by stepping ever so slightly closer to Capper. A decision he immediately regretted.

A sharp pain stuck into Needy’s abdomen. Looking down, he saw Capper’s paw, claws unsheathed and stabbing into him.

“You’re not dead yet, Needy. The cuts aren’t as deep as they feel,” Capper said, tightening his grip on Needy’s abdomen.

“You never do fail to impress,” Needy said, trying to keep his wry smile. “That’s why Verko always liked you. Unlike the rest of us, you didn’t need money, prestige, or an intimidating personality to get what you wanted. Somehow, you always knew what to say and what to do. And it’s all paid off big for you. Now that you got Princess Luna as a nuzzle-buddy, nopony would dare mess with you.”

Needy tried to laugh, but stopped when Capper pushed him backwards, his claws still stuck centimeters into his stomach.

“I know what scares you, little man,” Capper said. “Everything you do is to try and please Verko. Because the second you stop being useful to him, you’ll have nothing. That’s because you’re no value to anypony honest.”

He shoved Needy hard, releasing him from his claws. Needy held his bleeding stomach, watching Capper with that impish grin and a fury in his eyes.

“Whatever game you have going, I’m not playing,” Capper said. “It’s all behind me now. Klugetown. Verko. And especially you, you crumb-sucking sewer rat. Anything you want with me is a waste of your time. I thought your pegasus friend would have sent you that message. So get out of here, before I call Luna back over.”

To say that Needy was unsurprised would be untrue. How much Capper had changed was a blow that felt like a knockout punch.

“I suppose an apology is in order. I never meant any offense to you or your little ladyfriend. So, I suppose I’ll take my leave,” Needy said, carefully pacing backwards. “Have a nice life, won’t you?”

Capper glowered at Needy, until he disappeared down the path. Everything the little rat had said put him on edge. Because if Needy knew, it was only a matter of time until Verko knew. Unless Verko already knew, and that was why Needy was tailing him!

“Damn!” Capper silently cursed to himself.

He looked at his paws, the tips of his claws dappled with red from Needy’s stomach. In all his life, he had never resorted to physical coercion to get his way. Whatever Luna had said before about how he was changing, perhaps there was something else in him that had transformed. Something that Luna wouldn’t have liked if she saw it.

Sometime before, Trixie had mentioned talking to Luna about Needy. And Capper supposed that the time to do so was drawing near. For the moment, he wished nothing more than to enjoy the rest of the evening with his beloved princess. And that time was nearer than he thought.

A faint rustling of hooves through the grass drew Capper’s attention, and he quickly wiped the blood on his paws onto his red coat. And there was Luna, newly arrived from her expedition to the other side of the pond.

“Find what you were looking for?” he asked.

“Yes! Capper, you missed quite the show,” Luna giggled. She smiled broadly at the memory of seeing the possum leave the makeshift table, then return with another course of the meal, and at how the skunk and the porcupine adorably nibbled their food as they looked at one another from across the little tree stump. “And did you find what you were looking for?”

“What?”

“Your inspiration. Did it come to you?” Luna asked.

“Ah, yeah. It came to me,” Capper replied.

Capper’s chest clenched when he saw the way that Luna was looking curiously at him in the very same way that she had when she discovered his black eye.

“Are you well?” Luna wondered.

“I’m fine,” Capper said.

“You seem flustered.”

“It’s nothing. I was just trying to force a few more verses out, but I couldn’t think of anything. I got a few more lines. Although, I don’t think they constitute another stanza of the verse,” Capper said.

“Now, Capper. As an artist myself, I can tell you that these things shouldn’t be forced,” Luna said, returning to nuzzling Capper’s shoulder as she rested against his chest. “What do we do now, darling?”

“Erm…” Capper thought about what else there was to do next. Something that they could do far away from where they were now. “I don’t know about you, but I’m in the mood for something sweet right about now.”

“Thank goodness. I thought it was just me,” Luna said. “If you don’t mind a bit of a train ride, I know where we can go. Hopefully, Pinkie will have drank everything there is to drink by the time we get there.”

“Don’t worry. If she insists, I’ll take a shot for you,” Capper said.

“So gallant,” Luna chuckled as she started nuzzling Capper’s neck.

Capper smiled as he embraced Luna, his paws tracing beneath her wings and tickling her feathers, making Luna giggle quietly. He knew that if anypony knew about them, there was going to be an uproar. But he didn’t care. He had gotten what he wanted, and it was real.

For just a fraction of a second, Capper swore he felt Luna’s lips against his cheek, and his fur stood on end. As though enchanted, he put his paw on Luna’s back and escorted her down the path just the way that he had that night in the royal gardens.

The trees that bordered the path seemed to grow larger, their branches swaying menacingly as the wind blew through them. The moon was hidden behind a cloud, and the shadows beneath the trees grew darker still. And as Capper watched the shadows, he knew that they were watching him right back.

“Luna!” Capper said, more urgently than he had meant.

“What is it, darling?” Luna asked.

Capper watched the darkness beneath the trees, feeling that needle-sharp smile upon him.

“It’s a bit of a walk to the train station from here. Could we just magic ourselves there?” he asked.

Luna looked curiously at Capper, seeing something different in his eyes. Except she couldn’t understand what it was.

“Very well. You do make a good point. After all, we don’t want our night to end so soon because of a silly commute,” Luna conceded.

Her horn glowed and Capper held onto her. In a flash, they both were gone, and the shadows continued to peer out from beneath the moonless branches.

Author's Note

A cute, weird chapter. Not sure how to fully feel about it but I think it turned out alright for the most part. As Always:

Till Next Time!!! :pinkiehappy:

The Absence Of Truth

The day had been long and difficult for The Great and Powerful Trixie. After the fight she had been involved in that morning, she had been on edge for seeing that pegasus again. To her, it was any given moment that her life could come to an end with just one ill-timed surprise attack. Her entire body trembled as she remembered the feeling of the blade against her neck, and how it had just begun to drag across her jugular. Even against Eris, she felt no such fear. What bothered her the most was Capper’s fear of telling any authorities about it.

Her own friend was willing to dismiss such a thing, and that was more disturbing than anything that she had encountered. She thought that she could understand it, but it still didn’t sit well with her. The best thing that she could do was to go straight to the princesses herself and tell them everything. Even an anonymous tip to Twilight would be adequate. Still, it would come back to her that she was involved. And that would end anything she had with Capper. Worse still, it may end anything that Capper had with Luna.

Trixie reflected upon the week, feeling as if lately the nights had grown more vibrant and beautiful than they normally had been. And it made her smile to know that she may have had a hoof in it by convincing Capper to ask Princess Luna on a date. It was all because of The Great and Powerful Trixie. No…Trixie, the Great and Powerful Matchmaker of Equestrian Royalty! It had a ring to it.

As Trixie mused to herself during her walk home, she spotted something that made her smile as brightly as the moon above. There was Capper, padding merrily toward Sugarcube Corner. And he was escorting Princess Luna. How truly wonderful it was to see them together. And it was all because of her. As she watched them, Trixie’s hoof inched in their direction.

“No,” she resolutely told herself. “This is not the business of Trixie, the Great and Powerful Matchmaker of Equestrian Royalty. She shall not intrude.”

Trixie grimaced when she heard her new title spoken aloud, and silently decided to go back to just being ‘great and powerful.’ Her mind made up, she turned to leave.

Even though her body turned, her face remained fixated upon the happy couple. Capper had just opened the door for Luna to enter first.

“What is it that they do on a date, anyhow?” she wondered. “No! It is none of my business. There are more important things to attend at home.”

Like sorting decks of magic cards and polishing her wands.

“Perhaps if I were to stop in for a slice of chocolate fudge cake…”

Fudge cake was tempting.

“No! As of now, Trixie the Match– The Great and Powerful Trixie is on a diet!”

But what about Capper? Would he be safe with a band of violent criminals on his tail?

“That does it! For the sake of her friend’s safety, the Great and Powerful Trixie shall eat cake!”

And that was that. Trixie boldly trotted over to the bakery and opened the door so forcefully that the bell above practically rang the hours.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie has come to eat cake!” she announced.

“Yet she never seems to want anything we’re not having,” Capper grimly muttered to Luna.

“Capper! Fancy seeing you here. Had a late night craving for something sweet as well?” Trixie pleasantly asked.

“Yes. Luna and myself, just the two of us, wanted to have something sweet,” Capper said. If it wasn’t one asshole, it was another.

“Then, let’s not wait to indulge ourselves. Fret not. The bill is on me. The Great and Powerful Trixie,” Trixie said.

“Just say the word, and it’s made,” Pinkie announced as she popped up from behind the counter. “Hiya, Princess. Nice to see you’re feeling better.”

“Can we not talk about that?” Luna uncomfortably asked, suddenly aware of the other customers there.

“So, the bill’s on you?” Capper asked Trixie.

“Indeed,” Trixie replied. Her heart sank when she saw Capper deviously rub his paws together.

“Let’s start with a half dozen cupcakes,” Capper said.

Trixie’s spirits lifted ever so slightly.

“A box of biscotti,” Capper continued. “A tube of those colorful, little cream cookies. Lemon squares. A dozen bear claws. Devil’s food cake. And a slice of apple pie.”

Trixie began to regret her decision to hoof the bill.

“Lulu, honey, what looks good to you?” Capper asked.

Trixie bit her lip.

“Oh, nothing much,” Luna dismissively said. “A box of baklava. White chocolate molten lava cake with a mint filling. Ruby chocolate brownies. Hot chocolate, Baja style. A platter of churros with extra cinnamon. Two caramel apples. Cannoli with a traditional sweet ricotta cheese filling. And a whole tiramisu, sprinkled with toffee bits.”

Trixie’s ears drooped gradually with every word.

“You heard her. Get the mare some chocolate,” Capper said, clapping a paw around Luna’s shoulders.

“Comin’ up!” Pinkie declared. “Capper! What happened to your eye?”

“I fell and landed on my face,” Capper said, trying his best to not turn his black eye away from Pinkie.

“That looks like one serious shiner,” Pinkie said.

“Pinkie,” Luna interjected, “do you think it wise to keep your Princess of the Night in chocolate withdrawal?”

“Back in a minute,” Pinkie abruptly said, before leaving for the kitchen.

Trixie was left with Capper and Luna, who only stared at one another. After what felt like minutes, Trixie broke the silence.

“You know, after that accident you had,” she said.

“It’s alright. Luna knows,” Capper said.

“You…She does?” Trixie asked.

“Yes. Capper told me everything,” Luna replied. She noticed the way that Capper and Trixie were tensely watching one another and stepped toward the counter. “I think I’ll go help Pinkie in the kitchen.”

“Honey, you don’t have to go,” Capper said.

“I think some of my orders are a bit beyond Pinkie’s level of skill. After all, I don’t want actual rubies in my brownies, do I?”

“Don’t you?” Pinkie asked from the kitchen.

Case in point. Luna trotted around the counter and walked with Pinkie into the kitchen, leaving Trixie and Capper to find an open table.

“You told her everything?” Trixie asked.

“Everything,” Capper affirmed.

“This is perfect! She can send the authorities after that pegasus and her gang, and–”

“I don’t even know if she’s going to do anything about it yet,” Capper said, holding up a paw to stop Trixie.

“What?! After what happened!? You told her about…You know,” Trixie said, dragging her hoof across her throat.

“Yeah. I told her. Except what can she do, besides tell the guards to keep an eye out for a pegasus who’s probably skipped town and then some?” Capper said.

“But we know she’ll be back. Needy wants you! And he won’t stop until he has whatever he wants from you,” Trixie said. “You did tell her about Needy?”

Capper bit his lip and shook his head, “Not yet.”

“Just when do you plan on doing good for yourself and putting that hooligan in prison?”

“I think the reason things have gone this well for so long is that I haven’t told her about Needy,” Capper said. “If I ever need to, I will. Until then, it’s on a need to know basis.”

“Is that it? Are you going to base the best thing that ever happened to you on ‘need to know?’ If so, you’re doomed, Capper Dapperpaws,” Trixie spat back.

“I’m sensing hostility here,” Capper said.

“At least not all of your senses have left you!” Trixie snapped.

The ponies at the nearest table decided to take their late night snacks to go and shuffled out the door as Trixie’s bitter words reverberated through the shop.

“I never had to put myself on the line for you. It would have been easy for me to turn around and let you do things your own way. The same way that would have led to you sitting in your home with a bowl of sunflower seeds and your notebook in paw. At least you would have been happier that way, doing all of the same things that you always did.”

“So, why did you?” Capper asked.

Trixie seethed quietly, remembering that rainy day when she arrived at Capper’s house.

“Because I wanted to see you happy,” she finally said. “I saw the way that you two talked before we went to face Eris. It was a way that I had never seen Princess Luna before. Even if you didn’t see it, I could. As your friend, I wanted you to have it. Even if it meant putting my life in danger, which it has.” Her teeth clenched and her eyes narrowed. “And the worst of it is that you don’t even seem to care!”

“You can’t say that. Because I do,” Capper sternly said.

“What have you done to show that you care?”

“I told Luna about what happened this morning, didn’t I?”

Trixie opened her mouth to rebuke Capper, but the words never came to her.

“I didn’t save your ass either? You didn’t seem so ‘great and powerful’ with that death grip on your horn,” Capper said. “How about going along with fighting Eris?”

“You can’t fool me, Capper. You didn’t have Princess Luna in mind when you accepted that quest,” Trixie said. She saw the way that Capper was clawing the tabletop. “Or was it this that made you think you were more like Needy than you would like?”

She gasped as Capper’s paw slapped down atop her hoof.

“You don’t have any idea what Needy’s like,” Capper caustically said, his voice low and steady.

“I know you, don’t I?” Trixie said, removing her hoof from Capper’s grip. “I know all of this, because I’ve been there myself. And if you don’t start doing some serious self-evaluation, you’re going to hurt Luna in a way that you won’t be able to take back.”

Trixie collected her hat from where she hung it on the back of her chair and withdrew a pouch full of bits from it.

“For your order. Let me know how this turns out.”

With those last words, Trixie made her exit from the bakery.

The scenery rapidly shifted past the window of the train as Skylar Rose stared blankly into the darkness beyond the glass.

Hoofsteps were heard in the aisle beside herself, making her jump to alertness. Her eyes glanced to the aisle, and she was relieved to see a stallion she wasn’t familiar with walking past the empty seats to the next car.

Sky dared to sigh in relief, though she pulled her hood a little more tightly over her face.

It was a bold thing that she was doing. Nopony in their right mind would ever make the decision that she was making. But for the good of her sister, she was going to risk it. She was so close now. With every passing second, she was drawing ever nearer to the most dangerous moments of her life.

Sky returned her gaze to the window. Even though she had taken that route so many times, it seemed like hours longer to her. What was supposed to be the quickest way back to Canterlot was now the longest journey she had ever taken. Her worst fear was that somepony who recognized her had taken the same train. If she was seen, her life was over. With hers, Rosy’s was too.

There was no time for regrets for bad decision, or doubts for stupid ones as the train hissed to a stop. Sky turned her face from the window, fearing that somepony on the platform may recognize her. At the end of the car, she saw a pony stand up and disembark the train. She glanced up at the clock near the door. Ten more minutes until the train started moving again. Ten agonizing, dreadful minutes.

A dreary, acrid smell filled Sky’s nostrils as she became aware of soft steps coming towards her.

“Seem like you made a big leap,” a low voice croaked.

Sky jumped when she recognized the voice and stared wide eyed at Ricky, who flicked the brim of his hat upward to flash his orange eyes at her, his cigarette flaring brightly in his beak. Her throat paralyzed as she desperately tried to decide whether she should run from him and take the long route to Canterlot.

Ricky sat down in the seat across from her and rested his feet on the seats next to her, blocking Sky’s exit.

“What are you doing here?” Sky finally said.

“I’m here make sure you not do somethin’ stupid,” Ricky said, puffing on his cigarette.

“I–I already know not to start any more fights…” Sky weakly said.

Smoke spewed from Ricky’s beak as he took his cigarette between his fingers and laughed. With a flick of his thumb, the cigarette flipped into his other hand and he took a pair of tickets out of his pocket.

“Ya drop these before you leave. You lucky I find ‘em first an’ put them on you table,” Ricky said. “‘Tween that an’ stealin’ Grieco’s wallet when he passed out, it weren’t hard to figure out what you up to.”

Sky clenched her teeth as she swiped the tickets back from Ricky.

“What makes you think this is any of your business?” she angrily hissed.

“Oh, it my business, girly. When Needy find out you gone, he gonna be mighty pissed. An’ when he find out about you, he gonna find out about little Rosy too. Don’t ask me how, but he got ways. An’ when he do, he gonna find out I keep her secret from him. Af’a that…Well, you get’a picture.”

Sky sighed heavily to herself, now realizing how serious her decision was.

“Where is Needy now?” she asked.

“He not far from here. Somewhere up Can’alot way. So if we get off now, that give us twenty minutes for ‘nother train come an’ take us back Manehattan. Needy never gotta know. I even let you keep Grieco’s money,” Ricky said.

It was a tempting offer for Sky. Everything could stay the same as it was for herself and the others. Nopony had to risk getting hurt that way. But, what about everything else?

“It’s not worth it to me,” Sky said. “This is bigger than just paying off a few guards to get into the Gala. That fucking cat’s messed everything up!”

“How that?” Ricky wondered, his cigarette drooping in his jaw.

“We both know he’s not going to stay quiet forever. It’s all a matter when he finds his balls and rats us out,” Sky replied.

She turned away from Ricky and looked out at the night sky. It really was beautiful that night. First thing she was going to do was take Rosy camping once they were safely out of the city.

A cloud of smoke puffed from Ricky’s beak.

“I ‘mit, you ain’ wrong. All hell gonna break loose when’a princesses find out,” he said. “Still, i’s a stupid thing’a run away. Didn’t work the first time for you.”

Sky’s eyes went wide when she heard that. Nopony knew that.

“How?” she asked.

“You got it writ all over you, girly. Li’l baby pegasus with a bad attitude come rumblin’ with buncha lowlives like us? It not like you daddy sign a permission slip to do that.”

There was a swish of metal as Ricky’s cigarette was sliced in two by Sky’s knife.

Sky glared at Ricky from her seat, her teeth clenched hard enough to crack her weapon’s handle.

“Alright, Mr. Know-It-All. What do you think I should do?” she said.

The stub of the cigarette was pulled into Ricky’s beak. In a second, a brand new cigarette poked out between his teeth, and it was promptly lit.

“You can do what I say before: go back. Stay you course. Keep you head down, an’ you mouth shut,” Ricky said, his cigarette flickering. “Or, you go anywhere ain’t here.”

Sky watched as more ponies boarded the train, all of them ready to begin their journeys to a new place. Time was running out for her to make a decision.

“I ain’ gonna tell you what’a do. Just remember if you do run, it ain’ about you no more,” Ricky said.

His cigarette dimmed to a dull glow, and he stood up from his seat to depart the train.

Sky looked at the tickets in her hooves. Would it actually be worth it to try and run? She and Rosy could find a place where nopony knew them, and they could put everything behind themselves. Unless they found her again. Just like they had done with the cat!

“Fuck!” Sky groaned, and grabbed her luggage.

She stormed off the train, and the first thing she saw was Ricky’s back turned to her, a cloud of smoke surrounding him in the night breeze.

“Heh. Seems you reasonable after all,” Ricky croaked.

“I’ll do what I said I would. Then I’m out,” Sky said.

“That’s what Verko pay you for. When you done here, you might find a livin’ where you stab ponies. Bet you like that?”

Sky felt she had half a mind to stab Ricky right there, but put it aside when she realized she was only driving home his point.

“Let’s just go,” Sky said. She hiked up her luggage, but stopped after only a few steps.

“Don’t tell me you wishin’ you back on’a train?” Ricky said.

“Is that Princess Luna?”

A stack of pink pastry boxes balanced atop Luna’s back as she walked beside Capper, who held his own share of the bounty as they walked the late night streets of Ponyville. As she walked, Luna sipped happily from her piping hot cup of hot chocolate and dipped her churros into it, taking in the sweet flavors of chocolate and cinnamon.

“Pretty good haul for a night out,” Capper said, taking a bite of one of his bear claws.

“I don’t know if we really needed so much. I think we got a little carried away with our orders,” Luna said. She dipped another churro into her chocolaty drink and swallowed it whole. “Not that I’m complaining.”

“Of course not. Who’d be upset by leftover biscotti? That’s when it’s the best,” Capper said. “Speaking of which–” he dug through his boxes, until he found the one with the biscotti in it and took a bite. “Oh! Lemon pistachio! How does that mare do it?”

Luna finished the last bite of her churro and the last sip of her hot chocolate, before she teleported the empty cup to the nearest trash bin. For many moments, the two of them walked in silence. When Capper looked over, he saw Luna staring straight ahead with her eyes unfocused.

“Something on your mind?” Capper asked.

“Not really,” Luna answered.

Leaves blew on the path ahead of them, swirling like the many thoughts and conundrums that plagued a pony at any given time.

“How did things go with Trixie?” Luna asked.

“Good enough. She was kind of bitter about paying the tab that she offered to pay, but she’ll get over it,” Capper said.

Luna nodded to herself.

“Isn’t it funny to think that without her, we wouldn’t be here right now?” she asked.

“Funnily enough, I have thought about it. I guess she just saw something that neither of us did. And I’m glad she did.”

Capper nearly lost his balance as Luna leaned her side against him as they walked together. With his free paw, Capper steadied the boxes on Luna’s back while clutching his own parcels beneath his chin. He slowly removed his paw from Luna’s boxes and put it around her shoulders.

Their steps slowly halted, and they both put their boxes on the ground, holding one another one last time for the night.

“Do you remember when we first met? The first words I ever said to you?” Capper whispered.

Luna thought for a moment, until the words came back to her, “‘Well, if it isn’t the princess of my favorite time of day,’ was what you said.”

The moment he heard it spoken aloud by somepony else, Capper felt embarrassed. It was like he was suddenly possessed by a dumbass teenager who was speaking to somepony else for the first time in his life when he said that.

“Yeah…Ah…I’ve been thinking alot about our first meeting since that dance in the garden. It made me think that maybe you were somepony I liked for a lot longer than I thought,” Capper said.

Any way that Luna could have responded would have sat well with Capper. Anything but the quiet laughter that she was suppressing into his shoulder, that made her back quake and her legs wobble.

“Just wait until you hear the punchline,” Capper dully said.

“I’m not laughing at you, Capper. Only–” Luna raised her head to look Capper in the eye, “It was after you left the Gala that I started to think that you might have been flirting with me. And, silly me, I write it off as a normal interaction between us!”

Luna’s laughter subsided as she nuzzled Capper’s chest again, inhaling his cologne and tickling her nose with his fur.

“Hold me,” Luna whispered.

Capper traced his paws up Luna’s back and pulled her closely, never meaning to let her go again. Some twisted prank of fate had brought them together, and he would thank every lucky star in the sky that it had happened.

“Darling?” Luna began, “I think we should be going home now. If I’m not home before sunup, Celestia is going to have a fit.”

“Aw, what’s an aneurysm to an immortal?” Capper said as he stroked Luna’s mane.

“A hefty hospital bill,” Luna giggled.

Capper heard Luna sigh as she pulled his head nearer to her and brushed her lips against his ear.

“You don’t have to be afraid anymore, darling,” Luna whispered, her voice barely heard by even herself. “I will see to it that nopony will ever hurt you again. Say the word, and I can make your hurt go away.”

Capper gripped Luna’s mane, before he placed a shaking paw to cradle her head. His heart slowed nearly to a stop, and his eyes welled up as he held his own personal miracle close to him.

“Make your hurt go away,” Luna repeated.

It didn’t even feel like he had to make it go. For all Capper felt, it was as if it left him on its own every time he felt Luna’s heart beat against his. As Luna’s lips retreated from his ear, they met with Capper’s.

Luna moaned as she felt her body melt away. She could feel a fire pass from Capper onto her. It warmed her very being with a thousand flames that burned away all but her heart and her soul. And they were now Capper’s.

The fire dwindled, and Luna was left staring into Capper’s eyes. Her chest heaved passionately. Her lips quivered, eager for more. A delicacy that she would have to wait for, however.

“You…You don’t mess around…” Luna breathed.

“Not for you, Luna. Not anymore,” Capper said.

Luna licked the inside of her lips as she and Capper stared at one another.

“Erm…Why don’t I send our boxes directly to our homes? That way, we don’t have to worry about them during the train ride,” Luna said, teleporting the boxes of pastries to their respective homes.

“If it’s alright, I’d like to stay here a little while longer,” Capper said.

“More inspiration?” Luna chuckled.

“Something like that.”

“Then I wish you the best,” Luna said. “Goodnight, love.”

She rubbed her nose against Capper’s, and turned to leave toward the train station.

Love. That’s what it was. Without it, he had been broken down, torn apart, shattered and burned. Now, with love on his side, he was going to put everything behind him for good.

As she trotted to the train station, Luna thought about all of the wonderful things that laid ahead for her. Most of all, how was she going to tell Celestia that she was the first of the two of them to have a coltfriend? How jealous she was going to be! Or maybe it would be more fun to let her figure it out on her own?

Both Capper and Luna had left, unaware of the small audience that had seen everything that they had needed to.

Author's Note

Ok. This was probably one of my favorites chapter to write and one of the easiest. As always:

Till Next Time :pinkiehappy:

Shot In The Dark

The walk home seemed even more pleasant after Luna departed the train. For the first time in a long while, she felt as if she finally had the time to enjoy the night that she had created for everypony. And she was going to enjoy every last moment of it.

She skipped her way home, not caring a bit about the way that some of the ponies were watching their Princess of the Night acting like a filly who had gotten her first formal dress. In all her life, never had Luna felt such a wonderful mixture of happiness and uncertainty. Yet, she knew that how she felt about another was felt about herself.

The memory of Capper’s lips upon hers made Luna tremble, nearly tripping over the curb as she crossed the street. After collecting herself, she resumed her walk home. A small part of herself was embarrassed at how long it had taken to find somepony. But for Capper, it was worth the wait.

Ahead of her, the castle loomed into view. Luna spread her wings, ready to fly the rest of the way home. Before she ever flapped her wings, another pedestrian bumped harshly against her wings.

“Excuse me?” Luna irately said as the stranger walked on as if she wasn’t there.

There was no time for her to berate the stranger for their rudeness. Past the rude stranger was an even more unpleasant sight. A rat face that she hoped she would never have to see again, who disappeared into one of the alleyways as soon as their eyes met.

No mistake, there was trouble in Canterlot. And she was going to end it. For the kingdom. For Rosy Flower. Most of all for Capper.

Luna quickly trotted after the shadow, following it into the winding alleyways of Canterlot. Even though she could barely see anything she followed. When she shined a light down the alley, the shadow had gone. But, she would not be deterred. Steeling herself, she marched onward into the darkness.

The shadow traipsed lightly through the dark passages, moving as if it had lived there in the dark all its life. Its steps were deliberate and slow, knowing what was behind it was coming ever closer. A smile spread across the face of the shadow, just as there was a flash of light before it. Light filled the alleyway, illuminating the shadow to reveal Needy’s impish grin.

“Princess Luna!? Goodness, you gave me a fright,” Needy said.

“Why were you following me?” Luna demanded.

“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to ask?” Needy said. “Suffice it to say, you made quite the spectacle of yourself, galavanting around town like you just won the lottery.”

“You didn’t answer me,” Luna sternly said.

“Now, Princess. What is wrong with a tourist like me going out to enjoy this lovely night that you’ve granted us? One might almost think that you were particularly inspired tonight.”

“Yet, you walk away when I see you,” Luna said.

“So I did. I meant no offense,” Needy shrugged.

“Or perhaps you’re on the run. Like your pegasus friend,” Luna said.

“You’ll have to be more specific. I know many pegasi in this neck of the woods,” Needy replied.

“She tried to mug somepony. They were stabbed by her,” Luna said, her voice seething with low contempt.

“You can’t think it was one of my friends,” Needy said, clapping his paws innocently.

“Are you aware that harboring a fugitive is a crime? What am I saying? Of course, you do,” Luna said, standing taller before Needy.

“Oh! Princess! That is a very serious allegation. As it is, I have no knowledge of any wrongdoing by any of my associates,” Needy said. His eyes narrowed, and his smile shrank to a devious smirk. “Or is there something else that you wanted to discuss?”

Something unpleasant fizzled in Luna’s brain, like so many times before when a topic she didn’t want to discuss came up. It was now or never.

“Whatever your business is with Capper, you need to leave him be,” Luna said, trying to sound resolute.

“Capper? How is that old tomcat?” Needy said, feigning surprise.

“You can’t hide behind your duplicitous smile this time. I know how you’ve been tormenting him since the Gala. This is the only warning that you’re going to get from me, so heed it well.”

Needy eyed Luna curiously. She thought she was a towering fortress before him, but he had just found the one crack in her defenses.

“You do care about Capper, don’t you?” he said. His smirk grew ever so slightly when he saw Luna tremble for just a moment. “You know, for the longest time, I never thought he would open up to anypony. Not after what happened with his friend.”

“Well, I’m not like Chummer,” Luna said.

“Oh! He told you about that? You must be very special to him,” Needy said, smiling broadly. “Then he told you about what happened next?”

“He left him,” Luna replied knowingly.

“He left him with a mountain of debt to pay,” Needy scoffed, spreading his paws wide and raising them over his head. “He owes Verko big. And when Verko doesn’t get his due…Well–” Needy illustrated by smiling widely as he dragged a claw across his throat.

As the moments passed, Luna was more and more disgusted with the cat before her. She scoffed loudly, “That’s it, then? It’s all about money.”

“Verko is a businesscat,” Needy matter-of-factly said, his smile shrinking to almost nothing. “When money is not made, business is bad. Capper is bad for business. If he is not an asset, then he is a liability. And you know what happens to business liabilities.”

The inside of Luna’s mouth bled as she clenched her teeth. Losing Capper wasn’t something that she was willing to do. Not when she had come so far. After everything he had done for her, she felt she had become a better mare.

There was one thing to do. Something that would save Capper, put Rosy on a better path, and possibly take her to Verko.

“If that’s all, then I’ll pay it,” Luna said.

“Say again?” Verko said, his smile vanishing.

“I’ll pay Capper’s debt,” Luna repeated.

“You understand that this is no mortgage or cart payment. This is an entire life of bad mistakes we’re talking about,” Needy said, squeezing his paws.

“I don't think it’s you who understands. I said I’ll–Pay–It,” Luna said, enunciating each word.

Needy’s eyes lowered as a thoughtful frown appeared on his face.

“Is that not enough? I’ll even allow you and your entourage free passage back to Kludgetown, on the condition that you leave behind Skylar Rose,” Luna said.

There was a flash from Needy’s eyes, and his needle-toothed smile slowly grew from one ear to the other.

“I suppose that’s fair,” Needy replied. "We will have to take a small trip to Manehattan if you wish to find Skylar Rose."

The sun was supposed to come up in only a few more hours. Some of her wondered if she should wait until the next night to go with Needy. She knew if she wasn't back that her sister would have a lot of questions, especially since she had already done it once already. She didn't want to have any more problems with anyone else. But does she really want to wait any longer for this to be resolved? She could see how miserable Capper was because of them and how much he was trying to move on from it and they weren't allowing him to.

Maybe it was better to wait. The more she thought of it though, the more she saw that there was no point in waiting. Capper had waited for so long to get his life back in order and they were the ones preventing it. She needed to stop them all for Rosy, for Capper, and in some cases maybe even for Skylar.

"Very well," Luna said. "Take me to her."

Author's Note

Not going to lie, I have like three different ideas for where this story could lead to. Not sure which one I want to take it. But we'll see. As Always...

Till Next Time!!!! :pinkiehappy:

Good Morning, Starshine

Everything was sparkling golden as Celestia’s carriage arrived fashionably late to the opening premiere of her latest film. The carriage door was opened by her attendant and out stepped a muscular mountain of a stallion. The four-time bodybuilding champion, and last year’s winner of the title, Mr. Equestria, Iron Boss. Boss smiled widely and gave only a small wave to the crowd before he helped out of the carriage who he knew the crowd had really come to see. Out of the carriage stepped Princess Celestia, dressed in her absolute finest, looking as glorious as the breaking sunrise over the horizon.

Celestia strutted down the carpet, showing off every glorious asset of her ensemble. The crowd swooned and awed at her. Stallions wanted her. Mares wanted to be her. And as she ascended the last step before entering the movie theater, she gave the crowd a double take, winked, and spread her wings as a glamorous aurora gleamed around her. She was fabulous. She was magnanimous. She was–

SKRAAAK–*NYACK* *COUGH*

“No! No! Nooooo!” Celestia groaned as she buried her face deeply into her pillow.

There were no more lights. No more fans. No more movie premier. And no more Iron Boss. Instead, there she was in her bed with only a squawking, hacking, wheezing phoenix as her audience.

From her perch, Philomena coughed so hard that she molted at least ten more feathers.

“Oh, just burn up and be done with it, you stupid bird brain,” Celestia groaned, half-considering to throw her pillow at her pet.

Philomena’s answer was to loudly belch up a beakful of embers, which smoldered onto the carpet.

Celestia rolled over to scowl at her balcony doors, longing for the day to come where she would be able to get a good night’s sleep that wasn’t interrupted by Philomena’s histrionic fits. The dream had already long departed her, and there was the beginning of the daily grind winking her in the face. Unable to face such a dreadful thing, Celestia covered her eyes with her hoof, taking solace in the last few moments of darkened solitude. A smirk inched onto her face as she thought she could see herself being bench pressed by Iron Boss.

HWOO-HAA-HACK!! A-HACK!!

“Alright, already!!” Celestia snapped, kicking off her sheets and rolling out of her bed. Her hooves wobbled slightly as she hit the floor with a mighty clop, and she shambled over to her bathroom with her head low and her eyes squinted.

It would have surprised anypony to learn that the beloved solar princess was anything but a morning pony. No matter how bright and chipper she tried to present herself, her desire to be back in bed always shone through even more brightly. It was only after she had a chance to ease into her morning that she appeared as the benevolent princess the kingdom knew and loved. But as she rifled through her medicine cabinet with her eye half-closed and her teeth clenched, not even the serving staff would have dared to bother her.

She found it. Avian cough syrup. Phoenix Phormula. Guaranteed to make the sorest throat sing like a canary. Celestia rolled her eyes after scanning the label and trudged out to treat Philomena.

There was a loud clack as Celestia slammed the bottle of cough syrup onto the table next to Philomena’s perch.

“Open,” Celestia demanded.

Philomena’s beak opened wide.

Celestia opened the bottle and dumped almost a quarter of its contents down Philomena’s throat.

The phoenix’s eyes watered from the intense bitter flavor that gushed into her mouth. Before she could spit it out, Celestia’s hoof clamped over her beak, and Philomena was forced to swallow.

“Good girl,” Celestia said, capping the bottle and absentmindedly flinging it onto her bedside table.

Now that her bird was taken care of, Celestia could begin her day’s work. Without even bothering to step out onto her balcony that morning, she flared up her magic and directed her horn toward the horizon. Moments later, the sun rose up. Since her heart wasn’t quite in her work that day, Celestia decided to use a sunrise that was her usual go-to whenever she wasn’t feeling up to snuff. The sun was risen, and she was able to move on with the rest of her schedule.

First stop was back to the bathroom. There, the sink was filled up with cold water, and Celestia dunked her entire head beneath the surface. The shock of the cold water snapped every one of her nerves into working gear, and she yanked her head out of the frigid sink. With a spurt and a sputter, Celestia got the water out of her eyes, nose and mouth, then grabbed the nearest towel to dry herself. All those years of staying up late and sleeping for only three or four hours a night were beginning to catch up with her. But at least she wasn’t covering Luna’s duties again.

As she brushed her mane, Celestia’s mind wandered back to when they were fillies. Even as a young princess, Luna wasn’t much for socializing or making a spectacle of herself. Despite that, she was always the one who broke the rules and led the charge. When Celestia was sitting obediently in the classroom with Starswirl the Bearded, Luna had cut class to go exploring the Everfree Forest. Sadly, that side of Luna seemed to wither away as she got older. And it diminished even further after her return from the moon. Inviting her to the most recent Grand Galloping Gala was just her most recent attempt to coax that side of her out again.

Much to Celestia’s surprise, Luna had agreed to join her. And it seemed to have done her a world of good. She had been spending more time out of the castle, seemed to be making new friends, and had even dyed and cut her mane into a new style. Something that she had always wanted to do as a filly, but their parents had never allowed. As for herself, no such thought had ever crossed Celestia’s mind. She was always happy to have her aurora-patterned mane the way it was. That and the thought of what her mother might have said if she saw her mane bleached inhibited her from doing so.

The rest of her morning ritual was completed without incident, and Celestia walked onward to the dining room. The moment that the doors were open, she was met with a surprise guest. Sitting at her usual spot at the table was Luna, who looked up from her meal with a mouth full of spicy buffalo cauliflower and fried potatoes.

“Aren’t you usually asleep still?” Celestia asked as she rounded the table to her seat.

“Normally,” Luna said. “And what about you? Aren’t you supposed to be doing your morning duties?”

“Oh, let the fiduciary papers lay on my desk until they turn yellow and brittle,” Celestia said, taking her seat and ringing the service bell. “Service!” she snapped.

The kitchen staff had expected Celestia to be in one of her morning moods, and quickly delivered a prepared plate of toast with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, beans, and a serving of blueberry buckle. As quickly as they set it up, they disappeared, never once daring to make eye contact with Celestia until at least ten o’ clock.

“Now, on to business,” Celestia said, before taking a forkful of the toast.

“Business?” Luna wondered.

“You don’t change your schedule at all unless there’s been some development. Because unless you had something to tell me, you wouldn’t be awake already,” Celestia said.

“Not awake already. Awake still,” Luna corrected.

“What?”

Nearby, one of the waiters noticed that a single glass of orange juice had been left on the serving trolley. Just as he was about to deliver it, he heard Celestia’s sharp admonishment from Luna’s confession to staying awake up to then.

“I don’t know. I just felt I couldn’t sleep. So I decided to treat myself,” Luna said, indicating her fillyhood favorite meal.

“Couldn’t sleep indeed. After the night you had, I’m sure you’ll be wired well until sunrise tomorrow,” Celestia said.

The waiter balanced the glass of orange juice on his snout as he stealthily crawled beneath the table.

Luna chomped off nearly an entire crown of cauliflower when she heard her sister’s aspersion. Her mouth filled with an overload of the sour, spicy heat of buffalo sauce, before she spat it out into her napkin and dropped it onto her plate.

“Eh-heh…Wha-What night I had?” Luna innocently asked.

“Don’t play dumb, Lulu. I had hoped to check on you last night to make sure you weren’t going to come home drunk as a skunk again–”

The waiter’s ears pricked up when he heard that. Then he quickly resumed his mission.

“--And what do I find? Your room empty, and none of the castle staff has seen you since the moon went up!”

Celestia pounded her hoof on the table, making the waiter flinch. The glass wobbled atop his snout. He moved quickly beneath it, steadying it to a precarious perch on the very tip of his nose.

“Erm…Well…There are other things to do at night. Besides staying cooped up in one’s room to watch over the dreams of sleepers,” Luna weakly said.

The orange juice slowly rose up to the table.

“What, Luna? What are these things?” Celestia irately asked, swinging her hoof wide.

The waiter had to duck to keep the orange juice from spilling.

“I…I…” Luna said biting her lip and averting her eyes from her sister.

Celestia waited impatiently, tapping her hoof on the table as she glared at Luna.

The glass of orange juice was nearly on the table, but began to wobble heavily as the waiter tried to slip it onto the tabletop.

Completely unconsciously, Celestia magically retrieved the glass from its expected place on the table and drank it without looking in the waiter’s direction. Now that he was in the clear, the waiter scuttled away from the grumpy princess.

“I…found a potential lead into identifying that strange pegasus,” Luna finally said.

“Oh, really?” Celestia said, her mood suddenly seeming to brighten with intrigue.

Luna sighed internally, taking a bite of her potatoes to mask her relief.

“Just what did you find out?” Celestia asked.

“Skylar Rose,” Luna said through her mouthful.

“And? What does this mean?” Celestia said, motioning for Luna to continue.

Luna swallowed quickly, “That’s her name,” she said. “More than that, I learned that she has a younger sister.”

“Does she now? Do tell,” Celestia said, noticing then that her glass was empty.

The waiter had almost crawled back to the kitchen when he heard the dreaded dinging of a fork on Celestia’s glass. Before him, a trolley with a carton of orange juice slowly rolled to a stop against his hoof. The other wait staff waved him back toward Princess Celestia, and the waiter’s ears drooped as he realized his path that morning led back to the lion’s den.

“We have a name for her as well. Rosy Flower. And, brace yourself, she’s a student at your school,” Luna said.

“This is incredible!” Celestia said, leaning eagerly toward Luna and creating an opening for the waiter to quickly approach, “What else did you learn.”

“That was about all,” Luna said.

“That’s all!!?” Celestia snapped, jabbing her fork into the table.

The waiter had to move his neck out of the way as he reached for the glass, just before Celestia’s fork came down.

“What about a location? A motive? Accomplices? Criminal history? Can we pinpoint her older sister as the culprit in that stabbing? Honestly, Luna! Where is your mind on these things?” Celestia fumed.

She magically reached for her glass again, finding it was still empty. Once again, she tapped her fork against the glass, more aggressively this time. The waiter kept a low profile, slowly rising with the carton of orange juice.

“I had already questioned little Rosy about all of these matters, but I didn’t see it necessary to press her. Not when she was clearly already so distressed by them,” Luna said.

Celestia opened her mouth to speak.

“And I would advise against sending any city guards to question her either. She’s already had a bad history with them,” Luna said.

Celestia closed her mouth and grumbled. For a second time, she reached for her glass of orange juice, and this time found herself drinking heavily from an entire carton of the stuff. For a moment she looked quizzically at the carton, then shrugged, then placed it beside her plate.

“Do we at least have a record of residence on either sister?” Celestia asked.

“I’m afraid not. They seem to be changing residences faster than we can track. Not any official residence, that is. I’ve learned that they’re going between motels. As there is no constant record of their stays, it’s easy to assume they’re using false names,” Luna answered.

Celestia rolled her eyes and thought that she saw something move to her side. When she looked, she saw nothing but the empty room and turned back to her sister.

“And what do we know of her accomplices?” Celestia wondered.

Luna’s mind flashed to the one name that she knew for certain. Needy. An associate from Capper’s days in Kludgetown who she had tried to investigate. Only, there didn’t seem to be any record of him on file in any kingdom. As far as anypony was concerned, he was just a civilian with a clean slate. And that was far from enough to do anything to incriminate him or any of the others.

“Nothing,” Luna muttered. “But I feel that once I get a lead on Skylar Rose, I’ll be able to identify the others that she was with.”

“Then it’s only a matter of time,” Celestia grimly said, taking another bite of her toast. It was not a pleasant subject for the morning, so Celestia decided that a change of topic was in order. “Since you’re going to be awake, what do you have planned for the day?”

In a very mechanical motion, Luna stopped herself mid-bite of her meal. She couldn’t quite put her hoof on it, but there was some intention beneath Celestia’s words. Something that she was keeping to herself for the time being. But after so many years of being the younger sister, she knew ways to coax it out of her.

“I’m not quite sure just yet,” Luna said.

The moment she finished speaking, she thought about Capper. Whether he would be too busy to meet up for a short excursion that day, or what he was thinking after their kiss the night before. And she quickly stopped herself from smiling the moment Celestia refocused into her vision.

Luna sat silently as she casually took another bite of her breakfast, feeling the gaze of Celestia bore into her. But her mind couldn’t shut out her thoughts of Capper. She knew that she wasn’t his first, and that he had probably tomcatted around with loads of other mares back in his home. Or were the females of his species called mollies? Whatever the case, it was a comfort to Luna that he seemed genuine in his affections for her. In fact, he seemed like a teenager who was falling in love for the first time ever since their date at the restaurant. And she felt no different during their time at the boardwalk. Everything had been mutual between them. The euphoria of something real. The affection of blossoming love. The bristling of nerves on the first date. Especially the nerves. In fact, the one thing that relaxed Luna more than anything was knowing that Capper was nervous too, and that he did nothing to hide it. The purest form of honesty had presented itself in his vulnerability, and her heart began to melt inside of her as she remembered.

Celestia reappeared in the corner of her vision, silently appraising her. Waiting for her to give something away.

She was hooked. But she still needed to be teased. Luna picked up a nearby spoon and looked at her reflection in it.

“I think,” Luna said, turning her head slowly to each side. “I think that I’d like to add some highlights to my mane. Trixie told me I’d look cuter with black highlights.”

The reaction from Celestia wasn’t what she expected. Instead, her sister began laughing, holding a hoof over her mouth to keep from making a scene.

“Really, Lulu. I don’t exactly follow style trends, but I know that what you’re trying for has been outdated for at least twenty years,” Celestia said, holding her sides with her free hoof.

Luna’s face soured in an instant, delivering a bemused glance to Celestia.

“And just what’s wrong with that? Perhaps I want to try something different, instead of the same old style some of us have been wearing for the past millennia,” she said.

Celestia stopped laughing immediately and her face turned a slightly brighter shade of red. “Some things just never go out of fashion,” she said.

“Only in one lifetime,” Luna quipped, taking profound pleasure in her sister’s agony. “Is it dawning on big sister just how old she’s become?”

“You’re no spring chicken either!” Celestia snapped. “Two years makes no difference in the eyes of the ages!”

“No. But in these modern ages…” Luna provocatively said.

“Oh, give it a rest,” Celestia said. “I’ve spoken with Twilight, and she says you’re still at least three hundred years behind the times.”

“Twilight? Dear, dear me. Have you seen the bangs on that filly? There’s at least a century between her mane and the rest of her ensemble,” Luna said.

Celestia’s answer was to take a heavy drink from the carton of orange juice. As irritating as Luna could be, Celestia recognized something through the fog of her morning mood. Ever since the most recent Gala, Luna’s behavior had changed drastically. Lunchtimes in the city, instead of the palace. A surge of creativity that filled up her wall with more pictures from her sketchbook. Nighttime appointments that kept her out until odd hours. Coming home drunk from parties. It all formed pieces of a picture that was beginning to drift together.

One last gulp and Celestia put the carton on the table.

”That’s it,” she said.

“What’s it?” Luna wondered.

“Who is it?”

A nerve crackled and frayed somewhere in Luna’s spine as she asked, “Who’s who?”

“Whoever you’re seeing that is making you so happy. That’s who.”

A feeling like a thousand tiny firecrackers going off at once rattled in Luna’s skull as beads of sweat perspired on her forehead. Anxiety settled itself upon her shoulders, making her wobble slightly in her seat, before it felt as if her seat steadied itself without any effort from herself.

“Th…There is nopony,” Luna managed to say.

“I don’t need the Element of Honesty to know that that’s a steaming load of horse apples,” Celestia said, jabbing her fork at Luna. “I’ve seen Cadance make dozens, if not hundreds of ponies swoon like you are with just one flick of her eyelashes. So tell me, and be truthful about it: who is this stallion you’re seeing?”

Luna strained her lungs as she tried to surreptitiously take deep breaths in through her nose. Slowly, her mind began to conjure up a way to tell the truth, but without actually telling the truth.

“I’m not seeing any stallion,” Luna said, feeling the anxiety drift from her, knowing that technically there wasn’t actually a stallion to speak of.

Perhaps there was some way that she had said it that confused her sister, because Celestia was giving her a very odd look.

“What? What’s that face you’re making?” Luna wondered.

“It’s not a mare, is it?” Celestia asked.

There had never been such a spit take seen in the royal palace in centuries. Especially when Luna hadn’t been drinking anything. As she watched her sister sputter, Celestia took Luna’s napkin and began mopping up the mess that she had made on the table.

“Wh…How can–What made you think–What?!” Luna stammered.

“I’m only saying that I’ve never seen you spend any significant time with any stallions, but you always seem to be in the company of Twilight and any of her friends. I just thought that–”

“Oh my stars, Celestia! Give it a rest!” Luna incredulously said. “I spend time with them because they’re the only ones who don’t think I’m going to blot out the sun again!”

“Ah,” Celestia concisely said, realizing that she knew that perfectly well. “Sooo…You truly aren’t seeing anypony at all?”

“No!” Luna adamantly said. “Can a mare not just be in good spirits for finding other things to do with her time? Instead of the same old grind we’ve been doing for thousands of years?”

“Calm down, Lulu. I was only asking,” Celestia said, standing up from her place at the table and magically picking up her platter and the carton of orange juice. “I’ll be finishing my breakfast in my office. As it stands, the paperwork will make for more pleasant morning company than you.”

Celestia left in a huff, leaving Luna huffing at her spot at the table. Of all the ponies she could spend the morning with, Celestia was the last pony anypony at the castle would have wished to do so with. The image they all had of a bright, perky, bubbly Celestia at the crack of dawn was such a skewed fantasy that it almost made Luna laugh. Still, she was gone, and the peril of revealing her social life had passed.

As she took another bite of potatoes, she reflected on her blossoming relationship with Capper. Most of all, her thoughts were haunted by the idea of whether or not Celestia would approve. She knew all about Capper’s shady past, his nature as a pathological liar, and how he had once made a living by scamming people out of their life savings. That wasn’t to mention his attempt to sell Twilight and her friends into slavery. But Luna had seen another side of him. One that grew from leaving his checkered past behind him. Or perhaps it had always been there, waiting to come forth once again. And he would never have attempted to bring her into it. If anything, Capper was trying to make himself into a better cat for her.

Luna gently squeezed her hooves together on the table, and she smiled to herself. Because of her, the lowliest creature she knew wanted to make himself worthy of her. And he had come so far since their first meeting. And every time since then, she could see something that she hadn’t before. Each time, something new appeared to her, though he was still the same cat she knew. Always the same, always a surprise.

Luna jumped as Celestia’s chair wobbled on its own. Shuffling out from beneath it came the waiter who had served her undercover. He cracked the stiffness out of his joints, then shook himself loose.

“For what it’s worth, Your Highness, I think it’s great that you found someone. Love is love, no matter who it’s from,” he said.

“Bring me more potatoes, and I’ll forget about your eavesdropping,” Luna said, pushing her plate over to him.

Author's Note

It has been way too long and the funny thing is that this chaper had been done for a long time. I just never posted it until now. Let's hope I can slow down a bit and finish this.

As always, Till Next Time!!! :pinkiehappy:

What’s On Your Mind

The doorknob stood as still and silent as anything else that morning. All but the distorted reflection of Capper, which flexed its outstretched paw indecisively as it hovered over the surface of the door.

Capper bit his lip and sighed through his nose. Surely it wouldn’t be so bad to follow through. He had already swallowed much of his pride long ago, but found himself regurgitating those old feelings as he began to pace quietly across the threshold of the porch.

He turned his back, crossed his arms and tapped his foot as he looked at the path before him. Nopony would ever know he was there. He could just slip away back to his home and everything would be the same as it was. Capper grimaced to himself when he thought that. After all, he hadn’t had such a friend in years, and knew he would regret losing her. Of course, it would all be moot if she wouldn’t bother speaking to him again.

Gritting his teeth, Capper turned around and knocked on the door, probably more loudly than he had meant to.

There was the sound of shuffling inside, and Capper rolled his eyes at what was about to come. The sound of hooves across a wooden floor grew louder with the passing seconds, until they stopped at the door. Capper nearly raised his paw to knock again, when he heard a sound like jingling coins in a glass jar.

“Stay where you are,” a voice on the other side of the door said.

Capper shook his head in dismay as he listened to the metallic cacophony, until he heard the familiar cranking sound of a key in a lock. There was a click, and the top half of the double door swung open to reveal the face of Trixie, already dressed in her hat and cloak.

“Welcome to the Wagon of Wonderment. How might The Great and Powerful Tr–” Trixie’s usual spiel ended when she saw who had come visiting. “Well, well, well. What have we here? A mangy stray who’s come begging for scraps. Perhaps you’d like a saucer of milk? And a heaping side of horse apples?”

“Nice to see you too, Trixie,” Capper replied. “Keys in the coin jar? Tell me, what’s the first thing an intruder would take with them if they broke in?”

“You would know, wouldn’t you, you one bit burglar. What do you want?”

“You know why I’m here,” Capper said.

Trixie’s eyes narrowed suspiciously before she disappeared behind the lower half of her door. There was a click, and Capper had to quickly step backwards as the door swung open and Trixie stepped out onto her porch.

“No, actually. I don’t know why you’re here,” Trixie said. “Why don’t you tell me?”

Clearly, Trixie was intent on making things difficult. And it became more uncomfortable as Capper became aware of the townsfolk beginning their morning commute around him. Nopony had acted like they had noticed him yet, but his cloak of anonymity wouldn’t last long in a couple of more minutes.

“About last night,” Capper said, rubbing the back of his neck, “maybe I was a bit out of line.”

“A bit?” Trixie doubtfully said. “Tell me, O Humble Feline, just how much is a bit on planet Capper? Because it seems like a hell of a lot more than what the rest of us call ‘a bit.’”

“Look, I’m sorry,” Capper said, “I didn’t mean for anypony to get involved in my problems, but you just butted your way in.”

“Just what did you expect?” Trixie asked. “That I leave everything to you? Let you drown in your own self-inflicted sea of troubles as you flail vainly against your own outrageous fortune?”

“Shakespony?” Capper said.

“My point, Capper,” Trixie continued, “is that you have others that you may rely on. Others who will not stand idly by as you do only bad for yourself. Can you guess why?”

Indeed, Capper thought he knew the answer to that question. “You aren’t going to make me answer out loud again, are you?” he asked with a smirk.

Trixie returned Capper’s smile, “No. Not this time.”

A tiny laugh was shared between them, before Capper leaned against the wall of Trixie’s wagon and slowly scooted down to her level.

“It just all seems so…I don’t know. Unreal,” Capper said. “It’s something that I never knew I wanted until I had it there in my paws. But I never realized how fragile it all was until I felt like it was going to be taken away from me.”

Trixie took a seat beside Capper and leaned against his shoulder.

“That’s what makes it so valuable, Capper,” she said. “Everything you have seems so small and precious, and so incredibly vulnerable. That’s why you’ve already gone to such lengths to protect it. And your friends have seen it too. That’s why we help you to protect it. And if you’ve been paying attention, you may have noticed that Luna would do what it takes to protect what you have as well.”

The memory of meeting Needy at the park flashed into Capper’s mind. That needle-toothed grin. Those beady eyes. It all confirmed his worst fears of Luna getting involved in his affairs. Or worse, if they involved Luna. Every advantage and opportunity would be exploited by Needy. And there would be no way for Capper to take Luna out of it on his own. But there was somepony just to his side who he could rely on.

“How did you, a terminally single mare, learn so much about these things?” Capper asked.

“From reading Shakespony,” Trixie giggled.

“Of course,” Capper chortled.

The two sat in silence, watching as the town slowly woke up around them. More ponies were on the streets, beginning the day that Princess Celestia had granted them, feeling that she must have been in a particularly good mood that cheerful morning.

“I feel like I should ask you what you think you’ll do next,” Trixie said.

“Don’t know,” Capper said, standing slowly back up. “Needy hasn’t made a move yet, besides sending one of his goons after me. But I doubt he’s here to see the sights and meet the ponies.”

“In that case, I think I’ve had an idea about where to start,” Trixie said.

Capper’s ears twitched as Trixie continued to let herself into his business.

“Recently, the newspapers have revealed a name for the victim of that recent stabbing. She’s alive and well, and discharged from the hospital. So…” Trixie said, walking onward into town.

“So, you’re going to stick your nose deeper into this hornet’s nest by taking us to her,” Capper knowingly said.

“Goodness, no. We’re going to Sugarcube Corner. And you’re paying this time. Then we'll pay her a visit.”

The world beyond Capper’s window was only a blur of muddled passing fancies as he rode the train to Canterlot once more. For a million times for a million days, he had done this, and for the first time since he made his move to his new home, he felt apprehensive about what he had to do next. As he watched the indistinct phantoms of the nearby trees, bushes, boulders and other nature whiz past him without so much as a chance for a second glimpse, those things in the distance seemed to linger. A fitting notion, Capper thought. Much like the stone on top of the faraway hill that he could see through the entire train ride, Kludgetown seemed to always be there with him.

In those days, Verko would always have Capper run the negotiations with difficult marks. Unlike the rest of the vermin in his employ, Capper had a trustworthy face, and it proved to be his greatest asset. No matter how stubborn, cats just seemed to agree with him, and put their faith in him wholeheartedly. And now this dubious skill of his would be put to use once more. But Trixie was right. For the good of himself and Luna, they couldn’t stand by idly, doing nothing as Needy and his gang were loose in Canterlot, somewhere.

A tug on his sleeve pulled him from his thoughts, and he realized that the train had stopped.

“We’re here,” Trixie said from the seat next to him.

The two disembarked the train, and passed through the station just beyond. Once again faced with the town that had become his home, Capper sighed and glanced down at Trixie.

“So, what now?” he blankly asked.

“This way,” was all Trixie answered, as she led the way.

The path he was led down was unfamiliar to Capper. For as many of the neighborhoods, boroughs and districts that he had toured, this one had somehow escaped his notice. And as he walked further along, he began to wonder why. The path itself had become a mosaic of cobblestone patterns, and the pavements were lined with blossoming rosebushes and reddened oak trees. The homes were all designed with equally patterned roof tiles as the cobblestone path, and sported delicate dormer windows on their upper floors. But the one that drew Capper’s attention was the house at the end of the road that was painted with a soft cream hue. The kind of home that invited those with less-than-neighborly intentions to help themselves to the treasures within.

Once he had gotten closer, Capper noticed that it appeared much more modest than what he was led to believe with its wrought iron gate, manicured lawn, vibrant flowerbeds and an arched wooden door. The only thing that he would have called unsettling was the completely inexplicable pang of nerves he felt as he reached for the knocker, which was held in the mouth of a polished brass lion’s face.

“Wait,” Capper abruptly said, “are you sure this is the place?”

“Positive. Through my own investigations, I found out where the survivor lived, and tracked down her home address,” Trixie replied, sounding almost proud of herself.

“What does that mean? ‘Investigations?’”

“It means that I took matters into my own hooves, learned who the mare was, and made it a point to pay her a visit.”

“How?” Capper doubtfully asked.

“There’s a lot that you can learn from only a pony’s name. Now, quit balking and knock,” Trixie impatiently pointed at the door.

They had already come so far on their way, so Capper decided that it was worth following through. But before his paw ever raised the knocker, the door opened only a crack, and a single blue eye glared through the opening.

“What are you two doing squabbling on my porch?” a low, yet stern voice asked.

Not wanting to let any of his nerves show, Capper deliberately removed his paw from the knocker and straightened his posture.

“Hello,” he greeted pleasantly, “Are you, by any chance, Winter Breeze?”

“You know damn well who I am,” was all the mare said.

“Yes,” Capper replied, keeping his composure, “I apologize for this disturbance so early in the day, but–”

“You want to ask me about me getting stabbed,” the mare interjected. “If you want to know, ask the rest of the cops, tabloid muckrakers, and looky-loos who came before you. I don’t care what you’re after. I already said everything I needed to the rest of the circus that started because of what happened to me.”

Trixie knew this tone. And before she even knew what he was doing, her hoof reached out into the door jamb, keeping it from closing completely.

“Maybe we should introduce ourselves first,” Trixie suggested.

“Don’t bother with petty introductions. I know who you are. You’re Capper Dapperpaws and Trixie Lulamoon. Liars. Frauds. One-bit hoodlums who never earned an honest living a day in your lives. I don’t care that the higher ups in the palace trust you. You aren’t getting another second of my time!”

And with those last words, Trixie’s hoof was pushed out of its place by the door sharply shutting, and the force blew the hat off her head.

Trixie stared in appalled awe at the audacity of the mare who had just slammed the door in her face. Beside her, Capper smirked emptily.

“What do you know? We’re famous. Looks like our reputations as the two biggest grifters in the kingdom precedes us,” he said.

“You would think she’d be more open to talking with Princess Luna’s trusted companions,” Trixie huffed, dusting off her hat, before putting it back on. “I suppose we’ll have to try again when she’s decompressed a bit.”

Before she had a chance to turn, Capper’s paw on her shoulder stopped her.

“You didn’t hear what she didn’t say,” Capper said.

“And I suppose you did, Zen Master?” Trixie retorted.

“How did she know we were trusted by the palace elite?”

Only then did Trixie realize what Capper was getting at. Also then did she realize that she never heard Winter Breeze walk away from her door.

Capper’s eyebrow twitched, silently signaling the understanding between them, before he turned his attention back to the door.

“We’re here on official business. On behalf of Princess Luna,” Trixie called through the door.

Capper winced, knowing that not only was Trixie taking advantage of their connection to the princess, but turning her into a loose end.

“With your cooperation, she hopes that we can put an end to this ugly business for good,” Trixie finished.

The two waited, but there was no answer from beyond the door.

“I understand this situation,” Capper called next. “You want to move on from this, but it seems like no matter how much you run away or isolate yourself, you can’t escape it.”

He paused for a moment, before he heard a quiet shuffle behind the door.

“My friend was attacked by the same pegasus,” Capper continued. “We have reason to believe that she’s not working alone. Somebody who I used to know, who crashed the Gala. As long as she’s out there, the same thing could happen again. I know that we both want to see them caught, and I already have a lead on who she might be with. But, unless you help us, we can’t assure anything concrete.”

Another stretch of silence. Not even a scuff of a hoof from beyond the doorway.

Trixie glanced up at Capper, and shrugged impatiently.

Capper responded by holding up a paw with three fingers raised.

Then two fingers.

Then one.

Then he pointed to the door.

The click of a latch heralded the opening of the door, revealing the mare in full. True to her name, her coat was as white as the winter snow. What Capper hadn’t expected was how young she was, despite the sound of her voice. From what he could guess, she was no older than Rainbow Dash. More surprising than that was how her mane looked almost the same as Luna’s did, with its sparkling silver gloss and pale blue highlights. In an effort to distract himself from the shock, he shot his eyes to her cutie mark, which was equally unexpected, sporting an open book with a calculator and a pen lying on top of it.

“That hasn’t been made public. About her working for somepony who crashed the Gala…” Winter Breeze suspiciously said.

“I know,” Capper lied, “I was there when it happened.”

“He was actually with Princess Luna when she broke up the fight,” Trixie added.

Winter Breeze’s face slowly shifted from suspicion and fear to a calculated concern. The gears in her mind were turning, and she didn’t like the idea that was being revealed to her.

“You’d better come inside,” she muttered, stepping away from the door to allow Capper and Trixie to enter. “I don’t know what more I can say that can help you, but I’ll answer your questions.”

“You’re in luck. We’re experts at catching the little things that everypony else misses,” Capper replied, just before the door closed.

Author's Note

Once again, most of this chapter had been done for a while, and it wasn’t until recently. I finally finished it. Working on the next chapter now. As always

Till Next Time!!! :pinkiehappy: