“I can’t believe you. I cannot believe you!” Case Study was fuming, pacing Cheerilee’s apartment as he let out a series of frustrated swears. “I should have seen this coming. I should have known you would do something stupid!”

Cheerilee swallowed a lump in her throat. The moment she had entered her window, Case Study had burst into flames, giving her an angry earful. Vinyl Scratch sat on her couch, still staring at Cheerilee through her sunglasses. The purple mare looked towards her friend, hanging her head at the disapproval that the corners of her mouth displayed.

“And will you take that damn mask off, already?! It feels like I’m talking to a mannequin!,” Case Study snapped, making the purple mare aware of the fact that she was still clad in the Mare Do Well costume. She placed her hat on the table, before pulling away her facemask, remorse evident on her features.

“That’s better,” Case Study spoke softer, but no less angrier. He stared at Cheerilee expectantly. She swallowed, all moisture drained from her mouth and throat.

“H-how did you know?,” she croaked quietly. She had to fight to maintain eye contact with the two. As a result, she focused on Vinyl more than she did on Case, as she couldn’t see the other mare’s eyes through her sunglasses. The DJ was the first to answer.

“I didn’t until just now. I tried to call you last night. Several times, actually. I got worried when you didn’t pick up. You never told me of any reason you wouldn’t be home, and well, neither of us live in the greatest neighborhoods. I know what can happen.” Cheerilee grimaced. Her friend’s worry wasn’t exaggerated, which made her feel guilty. “I got in with the key you gave me and decided to wait. I guess I fell asleep. When I woke up, this guy was banging on your door.”

Cheerilee turned her head to Case Study, doing her best to look him in the eye. He snorted, before taking out a newspaper and tossing it on the table, revealing a picture of Mare Do Well in action. She had to give the photographer credit, the picture was good.

“I don’t understand,” she began, before noticing her position. She was suspended from a balcony using her climber claws. She looked down at her front hooves, then back up at Case Study.

“There aren’t many who use those,” the stallion began. “I was worried when I saw the picture in this morning’s newspaper. I guess I was right.” Case Study stared at her for a moment longer, before turning towards the exit.

“Case, wait! You don’t understand!” Cheerilee called out after him.

“You damn bet I don’t understand!,” he snapped back. “I taught you martial arts because I thought you wanted to protect yourself in a dangerous environment. I thought you wanted to take the trials because you needed a goal. Because you needed confidence. Damn it, in all my years I haven’t made such a stupid mistake! Tell me something, Cheerilee, and be honest. Was this your plan all along?”

The purple mare sat on her haunches, her eyes directed on the floor. She swallowed before answering, almost whispering. “Yes.”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve been doing? Any idea what you got yourself into? You’re in a personal vendetta with the entire Manehatten underworld! People want your head, Cheerilee! And what about the people next to you? What if they find out I trained you? That we’re friends? Do you think these types you’re waging your one-mare crusade against won’t come after us if they find out?!”

“I-I just-,” Cheerilee choked, tears starting to sting her eyes.

“You just what?”

“I couldn’t just do nothing!” Cheerilee shouted, tears really starting to flow now. “I had to do something to help. Something, anything!”

“And at what cost? To what end?”

“I-,” Cheerilee began, but was immediately cut off.

“Save it. I’ve had enough of this. I don’t want to see you anymore, Cheerilee. Not near me, or my family.”

Cheerilee’s eyes went wide, snapping her head up to look at Case as he walked away. “Case, wait! Please, just-.”

“Look at it this way, Cheerilee. One less thing to worry about.” With that, Case Study closed the door behind him, his hoofsteps producing a series of dull thuds down the hallway.

Cheerilee gritted her teeth. She wanted to cry and scream, throw a tantrum. She wanted to fall to her hooves and beg for forgiveness. Instead, she just sat and watched the stallion she looked up to, one of her only friends, walk out of her apartment, and her life. She turned her head to Vinyl, who had been silent until now. The DJ had propped her glasses onto her forehead, looking at her with an expression of doubt.

“Vinyl, please-,” Cheerilee began, but was cut off by a hoof gesture by the white mare.

“Cheers, just-.” Vinyl began, struggling to form the words. “Why? Why all of this, why didn’t you say anything?”

Cheerilee sniffed. “I wanted to protect everypony. I wanted to protect you. I didn’t want you to have to carry my secret. I didn’t…I didn’t want you to worry.”

“And that worked out just fine, didn’t it.” Though Vinyl’s tone suggested it was a playful jab, it made Cheerilee cringe.

“I’m sorry. I’m just…I’m sorry.”

Vinyl lifted a hoof to Cheerilee’s cheek, gently wiping away a rolling tear. “It isn’t too late to quit, Cheers. Just bury that suit in some dark corner and get on with your life.”

Cheerilee shook her head. “I can’t.”

The DJ’s hoof dropped slightly, a frown forming on her face. “Why not?”

“It’s just…It’s what I’m meant to do.” Cheerilee turned her head to look at her flank, still covered by the suit she was wearing. “There are so many ponies who need my help, and so many more who need to learn.”

“This again? Cheers, surely there’s another way you can-.”

“No!,” Cheerilee snapped, before frowning apologetically. “I mean, no. I tried. They won’t let me. Anywhere.”

“Isn’t there something else you can do? You don’t have to-.”

Again, Cheerilee felt her anger flare. “That’s easy for you to say,” she growled. “You could get right back to your passion. Nopony cares about the drug abuse of some DJ in the world you come from.” Cheerilee’s eyes widened as she slapped her hooves in front of her mouth. The hurt expression on Vinyl’s face was like a punch to the stomach. “Vinyl, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean-.”

“That hurt, Cheers.”

Cheerilee swallowed difficultly. She suppressed the urge to scream in frustration at her outburst.

The DJ let out a heavy sigh, before continuing. “I should go.” Vinyl got to her hooves, moving towards the door.

“I witnessed a carriage full of foals being abducted tonight.” Vinyl stopped in her tracks as Cheerilee spoke. “At least twenty. I must have stumbled across some kind of operation of the ponies that are behind the recent disappearances. They were frightened, locked in chains. They had bribed the authorities. I was their only chance, and I failed.”

Vinyl turned around and sat down. “You can’t help everypony, Cheers. Trying will only drive you mad.”

“You don’t understand, Vinyl. There was nopony else. Nopony who would have helped them.” The purple mare swallowed, rubbing a hoof across her eyes before continuing. “I may have a lead. I think I can put a stop to this. I have to, Vinyl.”

There was silence for a while. Vinyl had lifted her sunglasses to her forehead again to make eye contact with Cheerilee. She could read every emotion on the DJ’s face as she processed the information. Eventually, her eyes spoke only one thing. Pity.

“You’re right, Cheers. I don’t understand.”

Cheerilee hung her head, staring at the floor. She could hear the DJ move again. She expected Vinyl to leave, but instead Cheerilee found herself wrapped in an embrace, the white mare’s head resting on her shoulder. She let out a shuddering sigh before wrapping her own hooves around her friend.

“I just need some time to think about all this. It’s a lot to take in, and I just don’t know how I feel about all this.”

Cheerilee buried her muzzle into Vinyl’s mane. “M’sorry,” she mumbled.

“I know.” Vinyl smiled slightly as she broke away the hug. “Just give me some time to think about all this. I’m just confused. Confused and worried.”

Cheerilee just nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.” Vinyl repeated. She leant forward and planted a kiss on Cheerilee’s forehead. “I’m still your friend, okay? I just need some time.” The white mare stood up and turned towards the door, closing it behind her with a soft click. Cheerilee, feeling well and truly drained, dropped herself on her bed and fell asleep.

*****

Cheerilee felt strangely serene, considering what she was about to do. The clock showed it would be only minutes until eight o’ clock. She sat on her couch with crossed forelegs, facing the door. The curtains were drawn, and several candles were lit throughout the room, creating just the right atmosphere for what she had to do. In addition, she was wearing a sky-blue see-through gown, with a set of socks in matching color on each of her legs. She never fully understood what made stallions go wild about attires like that, but looking at herself in the mirror she had to admit the outfit did seem to make her more appealing. It gave her an air of mystery that brought confidence.

It was also somewhat helpful in hiding all the cuts and bruises on her body.

It was now several minutes past eight, and Cheerilee started to wonder whether her appointment was going to show up. She didn’t know whether such a development should make her happy or annoyed. Perhaps a bit of both. It seemed she wasn’t going to find out. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she listened to the stream of knocks on her door. Steeling herself, she walked towards the entrance and swung it open.

“You look pretty,” came the voice of exactly whom she was expecting. “One would almost think you’re looking forward to this.”

“Get in,” Cheerilee said curtly, stepping aside to allow the tramp entrance. As he moved past her she wrinkled her nose. As she closed the door, she felt the stallion’s breath on her neck as he whispered.

“Shall we get to it then?”

Cheerilee pushed him away. “You smell like trash. You’re washing up first. The shower is through that door.”

“Oh, don’t be like that.” The tramp let out a snorting laugh. “I thought you didn’t mind getting dirty.”

If looks could kill, Cheerilee would have a body to hide. “Shower. Now.” To her relief, the stallion complied. Hearing the running water, she proceeded to pour two glasses with an expensive red. She was no connoisseur, but she had no doubt that her guest wasn’t either. She took a tentative sip, letting the liquid roll over her tongue. The taste was powerful, almost sweet. While she sat pondering the wine, her guest had finished washing up and now joined her on her couch. Without the filth and stench, his coat looked almost smooth. He had a handsome build, and if it weren’t for most of the stallion’s other characteristics he would have been attractive.

As it was, the stallion unceremoniously downed his glass of wine, belched and grinned at her with his rotten teeth. Cheerilee swallowed, trying to keep the revulsion from showing on her face too much.

“Is the wine to your liking?,” the mare asked as sweetly as she could muster.

“When you live a life like mine, you stop tasting most things after a while. I’ll take your word that it’s good.” He took the bottle and filled up his glass again, nearly to the brim this time. Taking another gulp from the liquid he scooted a little closer to Cheerilee, pressing his body against hers.

“Before we begin,” Cheerilee started, “I want to know a few things.”

“Dustbin.”

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow. “What?”

“That’s my name. I like wine, poems, long walks on the beach, lah dee dah. Isn’t that what you were getting at?” He grinned and snickered a little too loudly at his own joke.

“Uhu,” she replied curtly, “and no. I want to know whether this investment is going to be worth it. Tell me what you know about the people I’m after.”

Dustbin feigned a hurt expression. “Won’t you tell me your name first?”

“No.”

“Really? I’m sure it’s quite lovely. I won’t laugh if it isn’t. Really, I don’t care.”

“The mare with the piercings. Talk.”

The tramp snickered, before sitting upright. “The mare you’re looking for is part of a big network. Many people, many funds. They’re like ghosts, never staying in one place.” His eyes fell on a stack of newspapers. “I doubt it’ll surprise you if I tell you last night wasn’t an isolated incident. It happens a lot. Usually foals, but older ponies too.”

“Anything else?”

“No. Nothing worth mentioning. Unless you’re interested in her smell.” He grinned, downing the glass in his hoof and leaning towards Cheerilee again. She put a hoof against his chest, stopping him, before getting off the couch and moving to the bed. She stretched her limbs and swallowed her revulsion to give Dustbin her most convincing ‘come hither’ look. His breathing became panting, the wine combined with the situation bringing a fierce blush to his cheeks. Clumsily, he climbed up on the bed and on top of Cheerilee. He pressed his lips against hers in a sloppy kiss, opening his mouth to lick at the mare’s lips. Cheerilee, for her part, kept her mouth firmly shut. Carefully, she snuck a hoof under her pillow, reaching for the object she hid there. Finding what she was looking for, she rapidly brought up the hoof to jab an injection needle into the stallion’s neck. Within seconds he went limp and out cold.

Cheerilee couldn’t suppress a cry of disgust as she pushed Dustbin off of her. She spat, thoroughly wiping her mouth with her foreleg. The traces of guilt that she had felt at her plans before now had all but vanished.

She had a few things she needed to do to make her lie convincing. First, she flushed the remains of the wine bottle through the sink, and tossed several more empty bottles in a pile on the floor. She had also prepared a condom, closed with a knot and filled with a yellow-white liquid, tossing it on the floor next to the bed. Finally, she needed to make sure Dustbin’s nose wouldn’t give her away. She lit a special stick of incense that would overwhelm every smell in the room, hopefully making it impossible to smell anything else without damaging the stallion’s senses.

Closing her eyes and letting out a sigh of relief, she began to regret her decision to empty the wine bottles before taking another good swig herself. She crawled back into her bed and, reluctantly, into Dustbin’s hooves. Forcing herself to imagine she was anywhere else, she managed to fall asleep while she waited for the outcome of her ruse.

Author's Note

Had ya going for a while, didn't I? What, you didn't think I was going to have Cheerilee do -that- to that guy, right?