Starlight found herself in her childhood home’s private library; sitting at the reading desk over a book about cutie marks. Because of the way the room was set up, she was surrounded by the tall shelves decked with books- the exit was a couple rows down, obscuring her view of the door.

Creeeak!

And that door always creaked terribly and grated on her ears- stroking one of her twin-ponytails for comfort, she asked-

“Who, who’s there?” Her voice sounded small and weak- which made sense. She is a filly, after all.

“Just me.” She heard her mothers voice before she saw her, the filly’s chest filling with dread and anxiety. She subconsciously swallowed when her mother turned the corner- bringing the ambient scent of cigarette smoke and booze with her like a demon spreads the foul odor of sulfur with its putrid steps.

Starlight forced herself to sit up straight and return her mother’s twisted caricature of a caring look with a ‘smile.’ “Hello, mother. Is it already past my bedtime?” She asked flatly, being cautious to not show too much emotion; dealing with her mother was like juggling lit firecrackers.

“You know, I wish you were more interested in earning your cutie mark instead of just reading about them. Maybe you’d make some new friends that way?” She spoke in a caring voice in an attempt to lull Starlight into a sense of security. “Unless you’re trying to get a cutie mark about cutie mark’s?” She asked with a snarky giggle, speaking in a tone that reeked of… elitism. Superiority.

“Maybe. But don’t get me wrong- I’m desperate to earn a cutie mark. I just don’t know how.” She stated plainly, avoiding eye contact. More than anything- Starlight wanted to earn her cutie mark purely because her one good friend in this town… moved away. Sunburst had moved somewhere else- all because of a fucking cutie mark. “I’m good at magic, too! Better than him, even. We’re practically the same- so why can’t we move out with him?” She sniffled, and her mother rolled her eyes.

“Because I told you- Admissions to CSGU are difficult these days. Sunburst earned his Cutie Mark- so he was allowed to enroll, and got accepted. There’d be no point in you moving out. What’s wrong with Sire’s Hollow?” Her mother asked with a grin, and Starlight clamped her eyes shut.

“Why can’t I write to him then?” She had to strain her voice to keep from raising it accidentally, while her mother rolled her eyes with a groan.

“Are you gonna ask me that every night!?” dropped to her flanks, holding her hooves to her hips. “I don’t want his skank mother in our town anymore! She and her cronies want to corporatize our little village into some dirty big city like Manehattan; or worse, some degenerate vice sanctuary like Las Pegasus!” Starlight squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to keep her tears from falling. She was shaking terribly as her mother went on- “And his… disgusting father knows better than to show his fa-”

“IT’S NOT FAIR!” Starlight burst out, eyes shooting open as she clamped her hooves to her mouth. She stared up in horror as her mother wrapped her hooves around her shoulders in a fast, jerking motion-

“WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU’RE SPEAKING TO!?”

“I’M SORRY!” Starlight yelled, curling up under the covers and almost knocking Trixie off their bed; her wife sprang into action immediately, tossing the blanket off to give her breathing room and holding her hoof gently. She was sweating bullets and near wheezing from hyperventilation.

“You’re alright. You’re safe. Trixie’s here for you.” Trixie’s gentle voice and hoof around her arm helped her to steady her breathing. Her wifes heart pounded from the icy adrenaline in her veins, feeling uncomfortably awake and alert for being eight in the morning. Trixie wasn’t saying much- but she’s been around her wife long enough to know that the silence is how she preferred it.

“Wanna talk about it? I’m awake now, too.” Trixie said, gazing lovingly at her wife, who was staring at the ceiling in thought… and nodded slowly with a blank expression.

“I needa smoke… After…” Starlight muttered, sliding off the bed and shakily walking to the door. “Thanks, baby…” Trixie just gave her a wide grin, mentally preparing herself to hop out of bed.

“Give me a moment. I gotta get ready.” She said, rolling on her back and stretching. “Let me know when you’re feeling less overwhelmed- I’ll cuddle you as much as you want when you’re ready.” she reaffirmed on instinct, though she knew it wasn’t really necessary.

Starlight didn’t even bother throwing a bathrobe on as she made her way to the living room. She turned on the electric lights, since the curtain-girdled glass sliding door let in very little sunlight from her balcony this morning; but since the balcony had a mesh outer-door installed, she could leave it open without worrying about bugs flying in.

She wordlessly flung that door open and turned the ceiling fan on, appreciating the cooling air on her sweat-matted mane and fur. Heading to the back kitchen, separated by a wall, she acquired a carton of cigarettes and a lighter, put her wifes coffee on, and cracked open a soda. She sat at the recliner facing straight at the window, hearing the sounds of birds or the occasional passing car outside; she took a long, deep sip from a bottle of Tangelo- something that Leona herself got her hooked on months ago.

She tore the carton and a pack open and sat it on the coffee table in front of her, yanking the reclining-lever on her chair with a sigh.

Tick-Tock-Tick-Tock-

Perpendicular to her left was their loveseat, and their grandfather clock was on the wall faced by the couch. A glance told her she had about ten minutes until her wife was done brushing her hair and waiting out her morning erection; not that Starlight was made to feel uncomfortable by it- it’s just something Trixie has always been self-conscious about…. That, and walking around with an erection just sucks overall.

She grabbed the lighter in her magic; a gold-plated lighter engraved with her name on it, received as a gift from Leona. Clink! TTchh! TTchh! TTchhh-

After a few seconds of struggle, she got her lighter to work-

fweeeee…Clink!
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock

She inhaled slowly and closed the lighter, held for a few ticks, then exhaled gently.

Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock

That cigarette was done before she even knew it, and she crushed it out on the empty ash-tray on the coffee table. She couldn’t even be bothered with the lighter, simply opting to spark it with a simple Seething Flame spell.

Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
…

“Starlight?” She heard Trixie say as she walked in the room, coughing slightly. Seeing that Starlight smoked half a pack already, she sat on the couch with a worried expression. “What’s wrong? Take your time. I won’t rush you.” Trixie’s magic shut the pack and the carton just as Starlight crushed her last out.

“Mother, again.” she replied plainly, Trixie’s ears drooping sympathetically; she knew that was the answer, but was hoping deep down that it was something different… something that Trixie could actually answer. “Can… can I make a confession? Maybe that’s the problem.” Trixie nodded without a hint of hesitation- she hated seeing her wife hurting like this, and hoped that talking would help, even a little.

“Please, honey. You’ve been having these nightmares ever since Leona snapped at you.” She half-begged, but Starlight could only give a hollow giggle in response… then fell into a silence. Wordlessly, she scooted closer to the edge of her chair and spread her forehooves out.

“Please… I… I’ve never confessed this to anypony. Can… can we cuddle while I talk?” Trixie grinned, hopping off the couch to snuggle against her wife's side, wrapping her hooves around her shoulders and nuzzling her wife’s cheek.

“Whenever you’re ready, darling.” She coo’d softly, gently rubbing her wife’s chest fluff in a circular motion. Starlight took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling.

“A few months after that night in the library, my mother died from what was chalked up to be genetic illness.” She couldn’t wipe the smirk off her face. “I had an alchemy set in my room that I got for my birthday; and after all that time, not a single pony bothered to look at what I was using it for; For months, I offered to make Mother her breakfast as a way to ‘apologize’ for snapping at her.” Trixie’s eyes widened while Starlight's smile turned neutral. “I transmuted castor seeds into ricin- just a tiny amount, slipped into her coffee hidden in a spoonful of sugar. Three days later, she was dead.”

After a few moments, Trixie asked- “Did… is that why you feel so guilty?” but Starlight chuckled, and deep down, Trixie couldn’t help but feel that she needed to give Leona a stern talking to.

“I… I honestly don’t. It was a beautifully executed plan on my end. I never even had to talk to the cops. No one suspected the precious little filly with the bows in her mane…” She snarled in apparent disgust at the perception of her. “My whole life, I’ve been underestimated; and Leona was the first other person to recognize my talent for what it really means. The day Mother died, I was all my Father had left in his family- and when he hugged me and cried, my Cutie Mark appeared. And the worst part?” Starlight snickered quietly, “I hated having a cutie mark for a while, because I was paranoid it’d make me a suspect somehow!” A few moments of silence passed, where Starlight continued gazing at the ceiling blankly while Trixies gaze never left her wifes face- until she couldn’t take it anymore-

“I’m not Cutie Marks; I’m not Trotsky. I’m Starlight. Glimmer. And no-one speaks to Starlight Glimmer that way. Nopony threatens Glimmer.” She resolved, magically opening her pack of smokes again and popping another in her mouth.

Trixie’s eyes widened slowly, having to crane her neck up to see her wifes scowling face, nearly biting the cigarette. “Think about what you’re doing- you can make a lot of enemies if you get caught- and they won’t be as forgiving as Twilight and her friends. You’ve told me yourself the price of betrayal in Griffonia.” Starlight giggled… somewhat cartoonishly evilly- doing little to ease her wifes worry.

“Once, I stalked Twilight for a year, documenting her routines while simultaneously listening for any word about me. They were none the wiser; but my plan to erase Twilight and her friends from existence failed… and I met you.” She looked down with a smirk, gently stroking her wifes mane.

“We only had the opportunity to meet because you never told her the full extent of your planning and attempts, and she forgave you. I don’t judge you for any of this- You’re the love of my life, and I worry about you!” Trixie begged, but Starlight understood her concerns.

“I won’t get caught this time; it’ll be like the sense of victory I felt, standing next to my weak, near-unconscious mother. I smiled hearing her shallow breathing through that mask and the loud respirator pump; after months of cultivating that perfect daughter persona… pretending to give her the weak-willed servant she always wanted me to be.” Starlight was… beginning to scare Trixie a little. “She expected a tearful final goodbye from her wonderful daughter, thanking her for the last few months together; I saw her eyes widen and break when I told her the truth of what I’d orchestrated. I’d won, and she lost- and nopony would ever know except me… and you, now.”

Trixie squeezed her wife silently as her grin turned into a scowl. “I’ll keep cozying up to Leona; she’ll be none the wiser as I look for a hint of weakness! Could take months, could take years- but some day, she’ll learn that you don’t talk to Starlight Glimmer that way.”

While Starlight giggled to herself, Trixie resolved to speak to Leona in private the next chance she got; why lose such a good thing over flared tempers?

Starlight let out an unexpected sigh. “You wanna know the worst part about all this?” She mused aloud, Trixie nuzzling her side gently. “Ten years ago, I learned that my father cheated on my mother with Sunburst’s daddy- He got caught, and that’s why he hung himself… and I can’t help but wonder…” Trixie was just at a loss for words, allowing her wife to take as long as she needed to vent, puffing away at the cigarette. “In retrospect, my parents always had a rough relationship- and my Mother never yelled at me that loud before.” She paused to reflect, allowing her cigarette to run its course.

Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock

She crushed out the cigarette- “I can’t help but wonder which of us snapped first- and worse still, I never had the opportunity to ask Father why he cared for Mother so much, even after he cheated…” Starlight lit another smoke wearily. “...Stroke… what a nasty way to go…” She took a deep puff for her beloved father- who passed away a little over six years ago, now; he would always be a pillar of the Sire’s Hollow Historical Society. He was the founding member, after all.

Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock
Tick-Tock-Tock-Tock

Trixie spoke up- “Dementia is a worse way to go; I was the only pony around to help Grammy until...” She already felt the lump in her throat forming- “Even… even when she couldn’t even remember to call me Trixie anymore, I stayed with her. It’s a cruel way to go.” Trixie sniffled, burying her face in her wife's side.

“Honey, I understand completely.” Starlight said to console her wife… but internally, she was sticking with what she said.

Of all the ways to go, the idea of dying of a stroke alone was… probably the most terrifying. Being found dead, laying on the floor in a puddle of her own piss was not how she wanted to be remembered…

‘Better focus on the smoke…” she muttered to herself, using the smokes to distract her from her worries.

It was a nice half-our or so to ruminate on each other's concerns for each other; their want for reparations and my want for them to get their shit together. Celestia and I discussed where we wished to take the meeting from there; and when the call was made that the tables were set, we could send the servants away and begin the real secret part.

Emmie and I were left several bottles of Tangelo in a bucket of ice; Cadence had magic-frosted bottles of snowberry juice; Celestia had a kettle of tea with a magic warmer in the base; Twilight had bottles of apple juice, the glass having the logo of Applejacks conglomerate bulging outward; Luna had a pot of black coffee, with a similar warmer to Celestia’s teapot; and Thorax was drinking… something green.

“First and foremost…” I said still grinning from my first bite of homemade lasagne. “This lasagna is fuckin incredible.”

Cadence covered her mouth and giggled, in the middle of taking a bite out of a giant Blue portobello, smothered in onion-gravy with a heap of snow-white mashed potatoes and peas with a silvery, reflective surface; evidently, it's a dish heavily based in Crystalian-native extremophile breeds, stemming from many of the same ancestors as Equestrian equivalents… but allegedly, something about the Crystal Heart made their crops sweeter and softer in comparison. But one thing that was likely- is that those crops were grown in some sort of prison-farm outside the Bubble. She finished chewing-

“To think- this poor mushroom had a family.” She said with a giggle, poking at my carnivorous nature harmlessly-

“The cow was a drunk and beat his wife- the pig lost his wife and kids because of gamblin’ debt.” We shared a laugh, and I poked my fork at her- “Don’t feel bad, they’re in a better place- my lasagne.”

Skrr!

Our chuckling ceased and I flinched, hearing the sound of a knife scraping a plate.

“S-sorry!” She stuttered, also recovering from the sound- she was in the middle of cutting a fresh hayburger in half… one out of several on a wide platter in front of her; each decked with tomato, lettuce, onion, ketchup, and mustard… mimicking the classic Hayburger Works that my wife used to order for lunch everyday in Manehattan; served with a basket of cheesy hay-fries.

I couldn’t help but giggle- “What’re you cutting them for? They’re gettin’ cold! Just eat ‘em, ya’ got napkins! Who’s judging?” She just gave me a level stare… and chuckled after a few seconds-

“Oh, whatever. You win.” I was certain by her improved disposition that she was at least a little tipsy- she seemed less on edge so far.

Much like Twilight had a tray of sandwiches, I had a tray of lasagna in front of me, already cut into squares with a spatula for serving; Thorax pointed at the tray and asked-

“What’s in that?” He retracted his hoof shyly- “I-if you don’t mind me asking, that is!” I smirked, peering down at what he had for dinner- he had a large stoneware platter with covered in bite-sized sushis, of some orange fish wrapped in seasoned rice and tied together with some crisp-looking vine… upon closer inspection, the fish was actually just… a whole beetle of some kind, and each bite topped off with a dusting of… nutmeg, I think. Finishing the dinner was several vegetable garnishes and small bowls of runny dipping sauces.

“My mothers recipe-” I replied eagerly, glad to talk about anything but the beetle sushi. “It doesn’t just have beef- the secrets in the sweet sausage, cut into little pieces- with fresh chopped basil under the top cheese-layer. Spatula’s right there if you’re interested- whatever I don’t eat tonight’s just gonna be my lunch for the next week.” Since the table only rose to about my lap, I had to lift my plate up to keep from dripping sauce on myself. “I can’t stand wastin’ food- it’s gonna get eaten either way.” Thorax gleefully made room on his platter for a scoop of lasagna.

While I was enjoying the first bites of my dinner slowly in silence, Luna spoke up-

“If this long life has taught me any valuable lesson, it’s that not even food can be taken for granted.” She was blowing on a spoonful of garden vegetable stew; served with a ladle from a black cauldron, shared with her sister. I could identify potatoes, carrots, beans, onions, farfalle’, probably whatever else they could find in the garden and the kitchen sink… figuratively, of course.

I nodded, half a lasagna settling my appetite for now; I set the plate down gently and wiped my beak. “It took me hustling non-stop to scrape up a living for even the smallest amounts of food to realize how precious it truly was. But truthfully? I look at those days fondly, before it all became unmanageable.” Between me and Emmie was a loaf of slightly-toasted fresh bread, already sliced and with a dish of warm butter; and contrasting my hearty lasagna was his salad of fresh lettuce, sliced tomato, cheese, olives, onions, and thick-cut steakfries, doused in a healthy dose of Mamma’s vinaigrette dressing. “Mamma and I would spend hours after each paycheck, calculating whatever I’d earned by pushing cigarettes or picking pockets into our budget and planning out meals- getting creative with what little we could… but it’s probably just rose tinted glasses, huh?”

Celestia and I shared a giggle while I cracked open a Tangelo, the glass dripping slightly from the insulated ice bucket. “Isn’t that the truth…” Celestia muttered to herself, looking down at her spoonful of vegetable stew. She looked up somewhat sheepishly and shook her head slowly- “Can… Goodness, I got a story I wanna tell but, we… we should-”

thunk

“Fuck that!” I thumped the table lightly with my palm, startling Thorax. “The whole point of having this little feast is to just all sit down and have a civil chat; a little heart to heart, for the good of Equus’ Crown Jewel.” The ponies, excluding Celestia and Thorax, looked at me in muted surprise; the latter of which was happily chowing down on lasagne with a fork, borrowed off Luna. While Celestia took a casual sip of her tea to try and hide her grin while I looked around and continued- “My Syndicate is a monument built on the ruins of the failed Confederacy and a cultural unification and nationalization of greater Fellrock Culture; but Equestrian history is beautiful and ancient. I’m always up for a story.” I opted to munch on my buttered bread in silence, having said my piece; and truthfully, the dialogue of this meeting has been very much extemporaneous- off the top of the head, that is. Celestia and I agreed on a few key talking points and alternate directions- but whatever happens, happens.

Twilight was nodding rapidly- “Yes, yes, yes, yes! You’re the best primary source there is!” she blurted out, distracted from the fact that Cadence stole one of her hayburgers; Twi glared at her briefly before smirking while Cadence just held her tongue out with a smile. Twilight's subtle nod was all the permission she needed to chow down on that sandwich.

“Agreed! I wanna hear a story!” Thorax said, wiping tomato sauce off his chest carapace… He was kind of adorable, in an orange-cat-energy sort of way.

Luna snickered behind her hoof, “Gramma Celestia has another story to tell! Gather round, gather round!” She croned sarcastically, the whole table having a laugh- including Celestia.

“Damn right. I’ll make a movie out of words, like an old woman knitting a yarn.” Because of her Alicorn Prime-Youth as she called it, she couldn’t care less if you poke fun at her literal age. She’s aware that her mannerisms could be likened to a regular old woman- but we discussed it plenty over our less productive dream chats- we’re like regular penpals! We all picked away at our dinners slowly, listening while Celestia prepared herself with a sip of tea. And being honest- her opening up about her personal history in my presence is a sign that she trusts me- and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the impression that no-doubt imparted on others.

She spoke deliberately yet full of emotion- genuinely passionate in her retelling of an important time in her life- “This was a long time ago; Pre-unification… neigh, pre-Discord. I was twelve, Luna was eight years old at the time- we were just fillies. Unicorn fillies. For a little context-”

“Upupup!” Luna interrupted, smirking at her sister when she turned to cock an eyebrow. “You better not make me look bad.” Celestia stuck her tongue out in retaliation while Luna returned to her dinner… Flipping Celestia off with a wing behind Twilight’s back; I covered my beak to hold back a snort of laughter while Luna just wiggled a cocky eyebrow at me. I had to think fast, as I didn’t want to be smiling while-

You used to be cool, Mamma!

Ohh, yeah. Thanks, Annie- smile gone in an instant… focus on delicious lasagne. “Due to a typical cycle of succession crises, the Unicornia empire had long been reduced to a shell of its former self. Mismanagement of natural lumber sources had reduced the heart of Unicornia to an awful dustbowl.” As she told the story, Luna gestured towards my loaf of bread politely- I gently shoved the plate forward with a nod, setting my butterknife off to the side. As Luna helped herself, her sister continued- “The Everfree was still magical back then- just not as cursed. It didn’t feel as… haunting as it does today. The weather was still uncontrollable, and any lumber harvested would rapidly warp beyond use, or releasing a deadly odor when burned; only to regrow instantly.”

In case you didn’t realize, the Everfree is like a Magical Amazon forest nestled around the western base of Mount Canterhorn… and if Central Equestria was a desert, then the Everfree must’ve surrounded the mountain’s base like pubes around a di-… Just as that thought came to mind, Cadence decided to help herself to some of my bread, and I struggled to keep a level face… does it sound rude when I lead a sentence with In case you didn’t realize? I hope it doesn’t- I say it all the time, it’s how I talk casually.

“Surprise, surprise… all we had to eat was plain hay. Dried grass we could preserve for the cold, dry winters. It was too dry to grow grain anymore, so bread was off the table… but there was a decently sized clearing in the Everfree that Luna and I liked to play in, as a home away from home; a rapid freshwater stream brought drinking water through that, by some miracle, grew a small clearing of wheat… and in that time, the occasional fruits of the Everfree weren’t so hostile to the senses… even if the most edible part was mainly the grass.” I appreciated her filling in the details- it’s a wonderful reframing of history that almost distracted me from the fact that Twilight decided to gyp a slice of bread off me… I just tried to appear un-annoyed as I chowed down on my fourth helping of lasagne.

“It was our secret- and one day, I made it my sole mission... to make a loaf of fresh bread, no matter the cost! First, we needed an oven- and I knew how to make concrete.” Her father was an architect… her human father, that is. I suspect I know what she wants to segue into after this- and now Thorax decided to have a piece of bread, munching on it with a look of wonder that probably matched my own… but I paused to reflect for a moment.

I was happy we could all just sit down and be civil after all these years; and hearing Celestia speak was… nice. Calming, even. Her voice was angelic, full of inflection and enthusiasm that was… captivating.

…Why am I blushing? I… I’ve been staring at her zoned out. My eyes shot down, and I decided to focus really hard as I used the bread to mop up sauce off my plate… But why am I blushing? While I was zoned out, I didn’t even see when Emmie yoinked a slice of bread… but… I couldn’t pin what I was fe-

…I know this feeling. In prison, I would lie awake in bed- having imaginary philosophical discussions with Napoleon or Mussolini on whatever hypothetical was keeping me up; I’d imagine listening to their ghosts share their regrets, becoming friends with them in my mind. Some nights, I imagine myself as Il Duce’s consiglieri, helping to guide Fascist Italy towards becoming the new Roman Empire; some nights, I was one of his many mistresses to be used and abused for raw pleasure, cuddling my pillow in the afterglow and hearing him whisp-

Scratch that thought; I’m now realizing how terribly lonely I was in prison. But the point I was getting at- it was a familiar sense of longing wonder, imagining what stories someone from history might tell; and in this case, Celestia was someone from history… and I was glad to call her a friend- it’s currently giving me the opportunity to set myself up for something big down the line, involving the governance of Equestria.

But back to Celestia’s story- the gist of it is that she and her sister dug out holes in the ground under her instruction to mold out concrete bricks, using mortar made from mud and sand from the clearing. She used them to make an oven; then, she painstakingly ground the wheat down until she had enough that she could roll into a rudimentary dough; she left it on the flat mantle of the unfired oven over a windy afternoon and night, so airborne natural yeasts could turn it into a sourdough.

“After many months of effort, we had our prize; a sourdough bun not much bigger than a muffin-top. Even with the occasional shreds of grain in the bread, I’m gonna be honest-” She spoke with pride, wrapping a wing around Twilight casually- a gesture she seemed to appreciate greatly. “I’ve never, ever savored a piece of bread so… so sweet. Even though I know the bread was somewhat dry, that curious old spice called hunger made it so, so… soft. Delicate.” She had a soft smile on her face, sighing gently; the inflections with which her voice rose and fell sounded like she was close to tears- and despite this, her voice never cracked or faltered. She turned to her student- “Twilight, what do the history books say happens next?” She asked, casually returning to her stew. Without skipping a beat, she obeyed-

“After spending so much time in that natural clearing, close to the roots and the heart of the soil, you came to the epiphany that trees were the answer to stopping the dustbowl- leading to the eventual formation of the original Equestrian Republic!” She explained, and Celestia nodded with a giggle. “I’ve seen the oven myself! It still stands today in the Everfr-” Twilight stopped abruptly when her mentor cleared her throat softly… looking off to the side with a blush.

“Very good, Twilight. That’s wonderful to hear.” She looked down with a proud grin, throwing an arm and a wing around Twilight’s back… looking a little awkward, since Twilight was as tall as Luna, now… but Twi genuinely seemed to enjoy it. “But thinking back, the most memorable part was when I handed the roll off to Luna after a single bite.” Luna rolled her eyes with a faint groan while Celestia looked at her with a grin- “You ate it in two bites… then cried because it was gone so soon.” While we all shared a quiet giggle… Celestia cleared her throat after a few seconds.

“But the point of this story- is the simple fact that if I didn’t have the prerequisite knowledge that I did… We might not be speaking today.” After the Equestrian party had a moment to glance amongst themselves, she continued- “There is something that Leona and I have in common that we wish to reveal, as was previously discussed. Luna already knows the secret, but that's because I told her long ago.” I just cracked my neck and took a sip of Tangelo while she spoke, thinking of what I wanted to say next. “Anything you’d like to add, Leona?”

I nodded, grabbing a butter knife and a piece of warm bread- the rind toasted gently, the inside perfectly soft- “Yeah. There’s one last order of business.” I buttered the bread swiftly and reached as far as I could toward Celestia with it- “I’m honored that we’ve all finally got the chance to sit down and break bread.” Celestia giggled as she took the bread in her golden aura, freeing up my hand to grab myself another slice, mopping up sauce from my lasagna with it. “That’s all I gotta say- cheers!” I toasted with the slice of toast and popped it in my mouth;I looked around the table with a genuine smile while Celestia happily chomped her slice of bread. Slowly but surely, they all seemed to relax- I couldn’t have hoped for a more receptive meeting group.

Celestia opened her mouth to speak… but was interrupted when Twilight cleared her throat politely- mimicking Celestia almost perfectly as she poked a hoof in the air; she and I locked eyes briefly-

“Maybe I misjudged you, Leona.” Twilight admitted, looking down at her dinner plate… sitting up and straightening her tie, Celestia moving her arm and wing back to her own seat. She looked me in the eye- “I’ll play ball- but don’t think we’re not discussing reparations for the legitimate harm you’ve done to Equestria… But I’m willing to put this personal vendetta aside for now.” She smiled politely- and I grinned.

“Hold on, vendetta is my people’s word!” I chuckled, Luna giggling while Twilight rolled her eyes. “And yeah. I’m one of the many axe strikes that slowly infected the tree, by exploiting a system that gives free axes to the rich- we’ll discuss terms later. Let’s just have a friendly discussion.” Twilight huffed, shaking her head with a smirk.

“If I could get used to Starlight's snarkiness, I’ll get used to yours. So- what did you have in mind? Just a hint?” She asked, casually bringing a forkful of hayfries to her mouth. I just huffed-

“No more spies, but I recommend that you keep the rivalry illusion going. No point going back on all that propaganda now, it’ll seem disingenuous- like you sold out to Griffonia or something, that’s how your free press’ll try and frame it.” I swiped a fry off Emmie’s plate, one end dry while the other dripped with dressing over the edge of the plate, popping it in my mouth.

“Hang on, what? What’s that, like… form an alliance in secret?” She asked incredulously, indulging in more hayfries while I was in the process of swiping another frenchfry.

“Maybe. Be upfront and honest about each other's plans, listen to constructive criticism, negotiate and be civil… just without telling anybody.” I held the fry over my plate, using it to gesture- “Your remaining loyal citizens hate me- with good reason… Admittedly, you’ve made me into an effective scapegoat. We’ll keep the information divide between our continents and wait until the time is right to bring things out into the open.” I flicked the fry in the air and caught it in my beak while Twilight rubbed her chin in thought.

“How… how can you just assume as much will happen?” she asked, looking me in the eyes apprehensively. “I mean, what… what proof do you have?” I could only huff with a grin.

“That’s precisely why I need to reveal this secret; the context behind it is vital to explaining the full extent of my background in education.” I leaned forward into the table… and winced, feeling a pain in my lower back. “You know what, scratch that. Any way we can get some sofas in here? My back’s killing me.” While I rubbed my back, Celestia spoke up-

“Why not just move to the lounge? It’s comfier anyway, I think.” And without skipping a beat, I threw my hand in the air.

“I’m all for it.” I reached into my pocket, popping a cigarette in my beak and biting on it- “Chew wif’ your mouf clothed ‘n shwallow before ya’ shpeak.” I lisped, lighting the end and taking a puff- “I got no problem eatin’ on a couch.” After a few moments of silent contemplation… they nodded their heads in approval.

“Before we go-” I heard Thorax say as I prepared to get up, feeling his hoof poke my shoulder. “S-since you let me try your lasagne… did you wanna try the Cinnabug Nigiri I brought?” I looked down with barely-concealed repulsion at the red-shelled burgundy-speckled beetle wrapped in rice and vine. “It tastes like an apple-cobbler dumpling, except you don’t gotta worry about the ‘cobbler’ part getting soggy!”

I turned and looked him in the eyes… his shiny purple compound eyes. “You serious?” I pointed at the sushi’s and asked incredulously while everyone around us was packing for the move.

“Uh-huh!” He nodded his head. “Honest! I’ll even eat one with a griffon’s tongue to prove it!” Before I could react, his jaw lit up with a green flame to replace his green-carapaced muzzle with a griffon semi-keratinous beak of the same color. I just sat and watched, clearly able to see a green griffon’s tongue in his mouth as he opened it wide to pop a bug in there. He looked at me and smiled as he chewed casually. When he swallowed, his mouth lit up green and turned back to normal. “See! They’re delicious, even with your tastebuds!”

I held my smoke in my left hand as I picked up one of the little nigiri’s- don’t get me wrong, I love sushi… but this was… Well, the beetle had a large smooth body reminiscent of an apple slice, with a tiny head to boot. I lifted it slowly- “Dip it in the caramel sauce, trust me!” he scooted the bowl closer to my hand- and who am I to deny an expert opinion? If you’re ever eating something, and your friend says- hold on, dip it in the sauce first. Trust me… Well, you’d better trust them.

I just took a deep breath, staring at the table blankly as I lifted the morsel to my beak.

“Just don’t look at its head! That’s a rookie mistake, you can’t think about it too hard!” Thorax warned, just as the beetle was near my beak, causing me to look down that very second… I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw its flat face that was part of the body and tiny, beady, fiery-orange eyes; this wasn’t a beetle… it was a fucking isopod. I had to force myself to set the bug down on Thorax’s plate gently, though I couldn’t stop the shudder that racked my body when it left my fingertip-grasp.

“S-sorry…” I took a puff of my smoke and forced myself to smile- “There’s a reason I eat my fish in filet’s- I don’t like it when I can accidentally look my meal in the eye, you know?” I tried to play it off… but Thorax gave me a sincere look.

“Lots of people deal with entomophobia- even changelings, sometimes!” Talk about self-hatred… “No one would’ve thought less of you if you said no!” he tried to console me… but truthfully, that wasn’t the problem.

“They’re right, you know!” I heard Twilight yell deliberately from near the exit door… now, I wasn’t totally sure whether to call Thorax he, she, or they… fucks sake.

I turned to look at him with a smile. “I genuinely appreciate the offer- but I’ve had bad experiences with… isopods particularly… and I wasn’t lying about the other thing I said, either! Looking my food in the eyes just… disturbs me.” I can’t help but see innocence in an animals eyes- maybe that’s where I get hung up?

Either way, it was time to get packed and head downstairs… again.

Knock, knock, knock.

A griffon woman with an owl-like appearance turned her head to look at the motel door… directly behind her couch; and with the radio playing soft music while she swirled a martini in her hand. “S’open.” she slurred lazily, already being a few drinks in after a long day of work.

Creeeeeak!

“Sure thing, officer!” her fellow agent whisper-yelled, quickly ushering herself into the small open-floor plan motel room. There was a bed, with a tacky painting above it and flanked by radiators to the right side of the room; a cheap dresser and standing wardrobe with a radio around the door to the tiny bathroom to the left; the back wall had an icebox and cheap kitchen countertops, with a sink and a gas camp-stove providing the bare-minimum to sustain habitation.

Slam! Click! Clack! Slamming the door and locks closed, “The treason happens right here.” She snarked sarcastically… while Syl just looked at her with a smirk, the agent unaware that her body was still facing away from the door.

“Of course, Agent G!” she said to her visitor, making the fellow agent’s heart skip a beat when she saw her partner salute… from the wrong side of her body; because she was too concerned about what was happening outside the door, the strange detail of the couch being moved to face away from the door never clicked.

“Eeeuch! I hate it when you do that neck thing!” deliberately avoiding looking at her friend’s neck as she made her way around the couch, throwing her overcoat off before taking a seat to her right.

“How ya’ been, Gigi?” She leaned and snuggled into the bigger, slightly more butch griffon and wordlessly handed the martini off; she chugged it in two gulps, setting the glass on the counter to her right. “Damn, that bad?” Gigi responded, staring ahead blankly.

“You take all the normal precautions?” As usual, Syl had checked the motel room for bugs… and told her bodyguards that she wanted to be left alone with her private escort for the night; as far as Leona’s private guards are aware, she’s been infatuated with some whore for months; While at the same time, Gigi took up ‘private escort’ work at the Union of Griffonian Pleasure Workers local 134- that was their backstories. “Sorry for asking- I’ve been let down by well meaning friends before, you know?”

Syl just looked at Gigi with a wide grin- “It’s like my driver Joey said; Listen, you’re more than welcome to keep the rest of the motel awake- I’m sleeping in the car.” In other words, they were totally safe, and have been for months; Leona’s guys didn’t like standing outside when the two of them were putting on a show of making it sound like they were having fucked up sex… In reality, the two would rhythmically shove the bed into the wall, fake-moaning like they were in a shitty porno, shouting out whatever hilariously perverted obscenities came to mind- it was like a game where they’d try to one-up each other!

As usual, Gigi gave a relieved sigh upon getting the all-clear. “It’s our last meeting together for a while, Silly - call me Gilda… Grimfeathers- not to be confused with Grimfeather, as my family name comes from a totally different Nalotian duchy than… well, you know.” Syl just looked up at Gilda with a smile, as she always did when she heard the nickname based on her undercover name. “I didn’t even know that for certain until Gallus had other spies do the genealogical research in secret.” She added, the two bumping fists and chuckling.

“Nice to meet ya, Gilda. My name is Jane- Jane Bond… Call me Bonnie, though.” The two shared a smile as Bonnie continued- “Seeing as we’re both getting sent home next week… why not stay for a few drinks?” Because of the high cost of getting caught, they spent a decent amount of time together- but they’ve never really unwound, either; but Gilda just gave her an unsure look.

“There’s… something you gotta know.” She admitted as Bon nuzzled her side patiently, legs dangling off the side of the couch. “I know the contract is up, but… but Gallus has one more task he required of you specifically.” As usual, it would be in the form of a manilla folder, stitched into the lining of the Gilda’s overcoat; those Union coat’s are meant for totally covering up a prostitute's actual ‘work clothes’; inside the lining was a spool of thread and a needle, intended for clandestinely returning messages back to the handler. “It shouldn’t take more than a month! You know why I trust the handler?”

Said handler would simply send a messenger to the club Gilda primarily worked at to request a private stripdance; just some Equestrian-griffon jagoff with a suitcase and a tie, supposedly ‘just off work’ from ‘a long day at the office’. The two would exchange what words needed to be said, swap folders, restitch her overcoats lining… and read quietly and independently for twenty minutes behind the closed doors of a strip-booth.

“Because the handler… is Rainbow Dash- the element of Loyalty. She’s my oldest friend- she wouldn’t fuck me like this; she’s smart enough to not make the same mistake twice.” Gilda muttered darkly, and Bon just chuckled softly, straightening her back and walking towards the motel’s complimentary icebox.

“I’ve been thinkin’...” She snatched a bottle of green liquor and a pitcher of ice water out and set them on the cheap countertop, reaching into the duffel bag she brought with her and unwrapping two strange wine glasses. “This is absinthe, by the way- and I believe you wholeheartedly, honey. I really do… but you wanna know something? Because I’m tired of keeping my beak shut.”

Gilda nodded sincerely, noting that the odd wine glasses had a bulb-shaped reservoir at the bottom. The bottle had two strange leaf-shaped spatulas of sorts tied to it with twine, each one being set across the rim of the glass. “Leona’s wife is fucking nuts.” She mused aloud while Gilda listened and watched curiously; Bon grabbed a dish of sugarcubes and poured the absinthe- filling the reservoir bulb in each glass with the verdant emerald liquor; Gilda felt her throat tingle, her many shots of the stuff being her main experience. “I’m pretty sure she gave her a black eye once… Leona… she gave Leona a black eye, all the while she was spouting out some lame excuse about falling into the bedframe in a stupor.”

Gilda nodded along, grinning wistfully in thought; during their time together, Bon had become a bit of a close friend- having to take up prostitution to make herself seem legit has been… challenging. She would always listen and keep her mouth shut- seeing as her line of work revolved almost solely about the most crucial part of this intelligence mission, that was probably a good thing… but Gilda’s conflicted feelings would soon come to an abrupt halt, being replaced with…

Sheer, utter mirth, crescendoing while Bon tore the newspaper wrapping off another glass from her duffel bag. Surmounting an ornate stem-and-base and encased in a frame of ornate silver was a reservoir made from pale-yellow glass; each side had a small silver spigot, and the top was removable to fill with ice-water. Ice cubes clinked and tinkled against the side-walls of what Gilda recognized as Uranium glass, its authenticity being demonstrated by the faint glow it radiated in the dim motel room. While some doctors are coming out and saying the stuff might cause cancer, Gilda wasn’t concerned; the only people who can afford them are the ultra-wealthy anyway, because of the exorbitant sales tax on uranium and other -ium metals… but what harm could a little glow really do?

No, the main thought that crossed Gilda’s mind was ‘sweet holy fuck how much does Don Leona pay her?’

“I mean, she works hand-over-fist to please her… and you know how her wife repays her?” Bon asked, distracting Gilda from that thought- “She cheats on her with her oldest best friend, and to make matters worse?” Gilda was just cackling softly as her friend ranted, never realizing that any of this had been happening. “The best friends husband was some fat kid the three of them bullied in school and lost weight as an adult- and however the fuck that relationship blossomed, either way- Diamond Tiara’s fucking her best friend and her best friends husband- and recently, at the same time!”

While the two of them were cackling, Gilda forced herself to ask- “Hold on, hold on, isn’t Leona on the heavier side these days?” Both of them realized how awkward that must’ve been between the two; the fact Equestria’s most feared enemy is getting cucked under her beak was hilarious to them.

“Oh, she gets real mad if you bring up how fat she is… or if she thinks you're making fun of her!” As the two laughed, Bon turned and slid the absinthe glasses under the spigots- making sure the sugar cube was directly under the drain. She turned each faucet on- cold water dripping slowly overtop the sugarcube. “And now we wait.”

Bon hopped on the couch- Gilda throwing an arm over her shoulder as she leaned happily into her friend… but her eyes shot open, not expecting to hear-

“So, how’d you meet Rainbow Dash?” She blinked in surprise, not expecting to hear such a personal question… but staring forward at the slow-dripping water, and seeing how little of the sugarcube has been dissolved into the drink so far… she didn’t mind talking, she realized; opening up about her work life to her friend so much has gave her a yearning to open up about more… personal matters, perhaps.

She smirked, unable to take her anxious eyes off the dripping water as she spoke plainly. “Back in the mid nine-eighties, she and I happened to get accepted into Cloudsdale Flight Academy- we were little kids back then, around eight-or-nine.” Gilda stayed silent and reserved, glaring trance-like as the glacially slow water-drip began eating away at the sugar, little by little… while Bon chose to remain silent- either as a deliberate means of interrogation… or… perhaps, genuine interest? ‘Get a fucking grip, Gilda. We are not doing this again. I… I can’t. No.’

“Must’ve been difficult- they didn’t admit too many griffons in those days.” Gilda was brought out of that line of thought by her friend's soft, calming voice. “Believe me- I tried.” She looked down, distracted momentarily the water drip-

“No kiddin’? Hey, we might’ve crossed paths during the auditions! There were a few others like us, but I… I was the only one to get accepted.” She offered up, the two of them snuggling silently until-

clink!

The sound of ice settling in the absinthe fountain drew Gilda’s attention back to the drinks- She wasn’t sure why she felt like a moth to a flame seeing the water drip gracefully… but it relaxed her. “The school was nice but… a lot of those kids had parents who could just pay for their kids' admission, and… they weren’t very nice.” After a few moments of silence, she watched the sugarcubes as they slowly melted and deformed… only starting again when she felt Bon nuzzle her side. “Rainbow Dash was different. She didn’t tell me to ignore them, or go to the teacher and risk getting my ass beat.”

Gilda’s smile grew wide, rubbing her friends back as she hugged her side. “We found out where this one prick lived; she and I spent an hour chasing him, flying through the neighborhood to tire him out and make it easier for Dash and I to corner him and tackle him close to the ground.” The sugarcube was more like a mound of wet sugar on the metal spatula, the absinthe having a curious oily-sheen within as it rose above the bulb slowly. “She held him down while I broke his jaw… then we took him to the hospital, told the nurses he ran into a wall while we were playing air-tag. He told the nurses the same story, as did the several witnesses who saw us flying around town that afternoon… no one saw the crash, but we were basically free by then.”

Gilda noticed something odd- one of the glasses of absinthe started turning… pale, the liquid losing its sharp-emerald color gradually. Only one of the glasses, though. “We were best friends well into our teens- I was gonna ask her on a date around that time but… she moved away before I could ask her- with another friend of hers, no less.” while one nearly flattened sugar-cube became impossible to describe with its namesake cube; the glass below with the fading green liquor had near-simultaneously begun to show a hint of increasing opacity as the water and sugar gently teased the real magic of absinthe out… What was at one point little more than a harsh, gag-inducing shot of liquor had left its perfectly equal and terrible counterpart behind, beginning the slow transformation into something beautiful. “I tried to reconnect, but… she grew up, and I didn’t.” More silence- awkward, terrible silence… While Bon listened as patiently as ever, Gilda swallowed and felt her eyes welling up… but instead of crying, she scoffed.

“If you want me to talk, just tell me to. I’ve been a cop since my mid-twenties; I was an interrogator for the Guardians Of Prosperity and Harmony under Guard Captain Gallus himself. I know the aim of the silent game. You don’t…” She paused and looked down with a scowl… which softened when her friend looked up with that same warm smile- “You don’t need to play these stupid games with me, alright?” but Bon only tilted her head as a lazy shrug.

“I trust you enough that… that I can’t help but feel …a little hurt that you think I’m playing games- but that’s too harsh of a word…” Gilda felt her heart skip a beat against her will, and she felt those butterflies in her chest hearing her friend giggle. “See, that’s why I don’t talk- so many things to say, my brain’s running itself over to get words out. So, I just listen instead.” Gilda couldn’t help but feel that twang of guilt in her chest- having pushed away a good friend once in her life, the thought of potentially doing it again stung all the more potent. “I’ve just been listening- You chose to use that opportunity to share what was on your mind. I don’t have an ulterior motive, and I already knew from the reports that you worked for the Gophers’ as an expert interrogator.” It didn’t even phase Gilda when Bon used the derogatory form of the agency she was loyal to… but unable to take her eyes off Bonnie, slowly scooting and sitting up straight; and what Gilda would hear next, would make her forget about the little quip.

“One who listens a lot and speaks little, thinks exponentially.” The two turned to face each other on the small couch, Gilda staring deep into Bonnie’s glassy-red pupils, dumbfounded like a deer before headlights… headlights, as bright as her snow-white feathered face. The two held each other's hands gently, knees bent and nudging into each other freely. “I’ve… thought of you more and more outside our time working together… There's… much I wish to say, if only you’ll let me.”

Gilda’s senses were screaming at her- screaming that she’ll ruin everything. Screaming in joy, urging her to go for it… Screaming how she can’t handle the heartbreak, but unable to forget the utter bliss she felt leading up to… to when she was abandoned. After much straining threatening to boil over into a growl of frustration, she finally twitched her head up a little- but that foot in the door made her clamp her eyes shut and take a deep breath, nodding properly.

Bonnie just looked at her with a wide grin… Leaning in and nuzzling Gilda on the cheek. “I don’t mind, sitting and listening to your woes.” Gilda felt her feathers standing up, a blush spreading across her cheeks; her arms went limp, allowing Bon the freedom to stand up slowly, Gilda’s eyes permanently locked in her direction. “It gives me more time to appreciate the way the light sparkles off your eyes, dazzling and precious as gold.” She mused softly yet passionately as she turned off the absinthe fountain… to keep the glasses from overflowing; and in her utter concentration, Gilda failed to notice how the drink changed. “And you wanna know something else?” Bonnie asked, Gilda nodding some more, allowing Bonnie to bring her face as close as she wanted…

And subconsciously, Gilda let Bonnie get intimately near. “Despite venting to me so much about the compulsory makeup you despise so much, I’m desperate to convey how utterly beautiful, how stunning it truly makes you look.” Gilda’s heart skipped a beat and now matter how hard she blushed, she couldn’t stop her feathers from fluffing up; since she didn’t even bother with the lingerie tonight, her chest and neck puffed out adorably. “I’m not just going to say you look good so you can shrug it off as false praise; I’m telling you that the care and effort you put into making your beak sparkle shows… But not just that.”

Bonnie tenderly held her palm to Gilda’s left cheek, who couldn’t resist holding on to the other’s arm gently; she was so lost in Bonnie’s eyes that she didn’t even notice the tears forming between her own. “Your vibrant purple eyeshadow matches the tips of your headfeathers perfectly; the care which goes into your eyeliner and mascara turns your eyes from pretty… to drop-dead gorgeous.” Heart racing at a mile a minute, Gilda eventually forced herself to speak out… or, barely squeak out-

“I… I… m-m- I- Sniff…” She blinked as tears threatened to spill, unable to bring the words to her beak.

“Stop calling yourself a cheap crayon-face whore- the care and effort you use to highlight your natural beauty is something you should love- just…” For the first time, Bon felt her tongue caught in her beak. “Love the way you look- just like the rest of the world and-and me love the way you look… is that fair?” Both of them felt their hearts racing as their faces inched closer; mind racing with incomprehensible thought… She wrapped her arms around Bonnie in a bearhug, vocalizing a faint whine and struggling to keep the sobs back, tears spilling down her cheeks as Bonnie rubbed her back.

It took her a few minutes, slowly regaining her composure and muttering- “Great, now my makeup’s running!” the two pulled apart with wide grins, looking deep into each other’s eyes and holding each other.

“And yet, here you are; beautiful and brave for what you and I are accomplishing here.” Gilda resisted the urge to protest audibly when Bonnie waltzed over to the counter, bringing the glasses of greenish-pearlescent, almost milky cocktails over and handing one off to her.

Gilda just stared in dumbstruck infatuation with the woman, only one thing that she could think to ask-

“Promise me we’ll see again.” she said as Bonnie took her seat, swirling the glass of absinthe in her hand playfully. “I know I’ll be leaving first- but please tell me that you… you won’t be hard to find?” The tears threatened to return, Gilda unable to even stand the words she had to ask.

“I promise- I’ll visit you in Equestria the second I’m able; I’ll be keeping you in mind every second of the way, looking forward to that magnificent second where we may meet again.”

Clink!

Staring into each other's eyes lovingly, they clinked glasses. Bonnie waited patiently with a smile- wanting to see her girlfriend’s reaction to the drink; seeing her eyes widen brought immense joy.

“Fuck, that’s good!” she said, unable to resist taking another sip, swirling it around as Bonnie giggled and had her first sip… first in a while, and the first of many more tonight.

By sunrise, the two would have to part for a little under two months… Two more months of putting up with Leona’s wife until she can go home, enjoying her high-ranking promotion with the woman who might one day be her wife; conversely, Gilda has fallen for this girl completely, already unable to resist imagining their long, domestic lives together, living in real happiness, finally.

“Dweeb!” Gilda booped her girlfriend on the beak, who giggled away the childish ‘insult.’ “There was a time in my life I’d invite you over to have some knuckle sandwiches for lunch, using all those ‘big words!’” While the two shared a laugh, Bonnie cocked an eyebrow curiously- “Long story short, I was a massive douche in my early 20’s, and… never got over it until I was like, 26… sort of…” Gilda replied, tapering off quietly at the end and taking another sip of her absinthe.

Once again, Gilda was leaning back into her side of the couch; on instinct, she wrapped a wing around Bonnie’s back as she leaned into her, each able to hold their drink in a free hand.

Bonnie took a sip, and Gilda couldn’t help but grin wearily. “You got anything more… casual? I wanna keep sipping this, but I need something to drink.” Bonnie was a girl who was nothing if not thorough; and from their casual conversations, knew exactly the type of booze Gilda would love. She was good at listening- that’s why her job was to listen around Leona and her family for anything noteworthy; it’s how she knew to bring Gilda-

“A fifth of rotgut!” She almost squealed in joy, Bon standing by so Gilda could crack it open.

ttHUNK!

She threw the cork at the wall and exhaled gently, taking a few dirty glugs from the bottle… setting it next to her absinthe and the empty martini glass from earlier, spreading out so the two could return to their favorite, comfy position.

Bonnie savored another sup of absinthe as Gilda spoke- “I was a total piece. Of. shit. It was-” she sucked in a breath of air, shuddering as the liquor caught up with her. “It all starts around after Luna comes back from the moon, and without a single word between Dash and I because I didn’t know where she moved to- I only found out where she moved to when I saw her face all over the Bittsburgh Post-Gazette, bolting home and trying to find out where the fuck Ponyville was.”

Already feeling moderately drunk, she decided to enjoy a small sip of absinthe. “At the time, I hated her friends unfairly- I thought they were taking her away from me. Long story short, I got… angry. Really angry at them, and… Rightfully, Dash told me to fuck off.” Gilda took a deep breath… and shrugged. “So, I did; all the way back to Griffonia… just before the first waves of the recession hit.”

Bonnie cringed sympathetically, as any survivor of those days would. Gilda chuckled- “Yeah, I know. Fantastic timing. My only marketable skills were that I could fly fast, do cool tricks, and bake bread; naturally, I could only find work hopping between failing bakery to failing bakery… but at least people liked the scones while they could afford them.” she deadpanned with a shrug, taking a swig of the whiskey and shuddering. “It was uh… humbling. Had to work to eat- and if I yelled at customers for being assholes, I couldn’t work there anymore.”

Gilda’s internal fuming was quelled when she felt Bonnie nuzzling her cheek. “I… I got fired more often than the businesses closed down… Everytime, I’d bottle my anger, keeping it all to myself until I couldn’t fucking take it anymore. Repeat until it all becomes too much and all you have left… is all that anger and self hatred.” Despite what she was saying… She felt calm, collected, and comfortable in her girlfriend’s presence. “When I was at my lowest, I realized- I was the problem… and I’m scared that… that-”

Gilda felt a hand gently caress her cheek… followed by silence. “I love you, Bon.” she said with a smile.

Click!

Twilight sighed in relief upon hearing the lock of the bathroom door. Without skipping a beat, she used the privacy allowed by the quiet stall to quickly open a hoof-sized portal to a pocket dimension.

‘Thank you, Leona.’ she thought sarcastically, unscrewing the cap on a fifth of vodka.

Glug, glug, glug, glug, glu

Author's Note

Okay, so… after all this time, I realize I’ve accidentally named my main character after a side character in Fallout Equestria… and at this point, I’m attached to the name so… We’ve gone full circle!

Apologies this meeting arc is taking so long- it’s meant to be a bit of a retrospective on how we got here, all the while Leona slowly smooth talks Equestria into doing… something… And more retcons from the canon show! I love doing deep dives into the alt-universe equivalents of these characters and their stories- it’s like a short story within my fic!

And, you know… maybe prison wasn’t as easy on Leona’s mental health as she initially led on? It’s funny- for the last 20 years of her life, she became more and more isolated… falling in love with a dictator in her head- little more than an imaginary friend.
Wife’s note: OH BOY MAYBE LEONA IS PLURAL

Or maybe she’s just cripplingly alone, clinging onto a power fantasy that inspired her current rise to po

OR MAYBE SHES PLURAL IDK :3

Anyways… I hope you enjoyed reading! Likes and comments are greatly appreciated :3