Author's Note

Hello everyone! I'm not dead!

I apologize for having such a long gap between posting there. I generally try to get things out at least 1-2 times a month, but I've been distracted by a lot of things like my mental health, my current obsession with another fanfic I'm doing, and just life in general.

Since I haven't really been feeling up to doing a full-length chapter recently, here's a little snippit of Nyceris and Orchid to tie you over until I get back around to Forbidden Flowers for real. There may be more of these, there may not be. Either way, enjoy.

INTERLUDE

“Hey Nyceris.”

“Hey Orchid.”

The two sit together on the park bench they have become increasingly familiar with, trying to act casual in case a passerby spots them. It has been a day since their rather intense second first-impressions, and both of them had agreed to meet here in a more friendly manner.

Orchid still finds being around the changeling officer rather uncomfortable, but she had promised both Nyceris and herself that she would be here, and she intends to keep her word.

“So… um… you work at the café right? What’s that like?” Nyceris posits, awkwardly scrambling for conversation topics.

Orchid shrugs. “It’s… fine. It keeps a roof over my head at least.”

“Doesn’t sound like you like it there very much.”

“Yeah, well, I would like it a lot more if I didn’t have to work 12-hour shifts…” Orchid waves her hoof dismissively. “It’s fine. I’m used to it at this point.” She decides she wants to shift the topic before her conversation partner digs into her too deep. “What about you? You’re um… military right? What’s that like?”

She watches as Nyceris adjusts her hat and tie within the grasp of a green aura. “Well, it’s not quite what I imagined it would be. The war is over, so I expected mostly paperwork, which is what I got, but I’ve also had to watch all you ponies be terrified of me all the time.”

A little confused, but also just wanting to press the matter out of curiosity, Orchid raises an eyebrow. “Isn’t that what you changelings want out of us?”

Nyceris’ face contorts in a slight frown. “Yeah… it is…” She actively avoids eye contact with the earthpony staring at her. “I’ve tried so hard to want that too, but instead all I get is bad dreams and this unbearable tightness in my chest, like something is telling me this isn’t what I want.”

Orchid quickly pieces together the meaning of her words, and risks commenting on them. “That sounds like guilt.”

“What?” Nyceris says, finally meeting her gaze with a puzzled expression.

“Guilt. You know… when you feel bad about things you did?”

Nyceris glances around awkwardly. “I um… I’m going to have to think about that one.”

Orchid laughs, almost finding the changeling’s complete lack of self-awareness endearing. Nyceris only looks at her incredulously in response while she calms down with a sigh.

“Did I say something weird?”

Orchid shakes her head while still smiling from the laughter. “No! Not at all. I just thought it was funny.”

“O-okay…”

A moment of silence befalls them, as the awkwardness settles in once more. Orchid takes the opportunity to actually admire their surroundings for once, realizing that she’s been too scared the previous times to do so. “Huh, this park is actually quite nice. How have I never really gone here before? It’s literally right down the street.”

After a moment more, Nyceris breaks the quiet, once again changing the subject. “So, who is that pony you work with? The yellow unicorn?”

Orchid takes a deep breath. “That’s my coworker Sun Lily.”

“What’s she like?” Nyceris asks genuinely.

She finds herself becoming stressed just thinking about her coworker, but tries her best to respond anyways. “She’s kinda annoying to be honest. She’s really bad at her job so I’m constantly having to do her work for her, and I’m almost certain my boss just keeps her around because she’s pretty.”

“Well that doesn’t really seem fair.” Nyceris forlornly raises her hoof and touches the badge on her hat. “Though I suppose I can’t really be one to talk on that.”

Suddenly Orchid feels a slight pang in her stomach. She reaches out a hoof and places it consolingly on Nyceris’ shoulder, though no words manage to formulate in her head to accompany the gesture.

Nyceris turns to look at her, then at the purplish-red hoof resting on her. “What are you doing?” She asks, equal parts confused and uncomfortable.

“I… Sorry.” She retracts her hoof. “I guess we’ll get there.”

They continue their often awkward conversation for as long as either of them can bare, with Orchid trying her best to keep her fears and preconceptions to a minimum. She finds that Nyceris is actually rather okay for a changeling, and seems open to speaking with a pony like her on roughly equal standing, though both of them find that difficult to conceive.

As the flow of topics begins to dwindle once more, Orchid realizes how late it is, and bids Nyceris a quick farewell. They agree to meet here again, the same time tomorrow, and part ways for the night.