Wednesday passes without incident. Pipe is relieved that you're still in one piece, but less relieved after you tell him that you're waiting until the weekend to take action. Thursday and Friday go by in much the same way, with the notable exception of Rarity having a dramatic breakdown over not knowing what to do for a pair of outfits. Even as she trudged around the Boutique in a poofy, pink nightie, curlers in her hair, exclaiming how it was certainly 'The. Worst. Possible! THING!', you'd seen her in a similar state enough times to know that it would pass within an hour at most.

You had to force yourself to not laugh at her theatrics, lest it drive her further into the pits of panicked self-doubt. Even Fluttershy simply rolled her eyes and carried on about her business.

No one ever said Rarity's dramatic streak was completely gone.

Saturday morning, then, has not been something you've been looking forward to. You'd love to have Slate out of your lives for good, sure. You'd like nothing more than to know he won't be bothering you any more...but as the time has drawn closer, you've thought about it more and more, and come to the conclusion that your plan isn't likely to go down as easily as Rarity has been making it out to be. 'No plan survives first contact with the enemy', as the saying goes. You're pretty sure it applies to conflicts with obsessive ponies, too.

Rarity, though, has been optimistic, as has Fluttershy. You're hoping that you're just being overly worried. After all, they've both had their fair share of conflicts and battles over the years, with all manner of mysterious and dangerous enemies. One asshole pegasus can't be that big of a problem.

Right?

"I know I've said it already, but you're sure this is the best way to go about this?"

"Darling, I doubt your nerves are going to calm themselves if you keep asking me that. Really, now, we've been over this quite a few times."

"I know, I know," you say as you adjust your new black-and-green baseball cap -- courtesy of Rarity's 'inspiration' day. "I'm just trying to set myself at ease for this."

Fluttershy hovers alongside you as you walk from the Boutique, adjusting the collar on your jacket

"It's okay, Rarity knows what she's doing. She's used to stressful situations, like that time she made a dress for Twilight's birthday while she was away in Canterlot. She always has a grasp on handling things like that."

Rarity quickly glances over as she hears Fluttershy mention the old event in question. She laughs nervously for a reason that eludes you.

"Ah, yes...always, ah...always have a grasp on things indeed, my dear. Why, I had plenty of time to work on Twilight's dress! That was my top priority. Of course. With the dress. Heh heh...but anyway, yes, I do believe we should be able to handle this situation quite well between the three of us."

"Right." You pull out the information card with Slate's address on it, reading it again just to make sure.

Four-one-seven Solar Grace...

"So, Fluttershy and I will stay out of view while you knock on Slate's door and attempt to bring him outside. Once you draw him away--"

"To a public place," Rarity emphasizes.

"To a public place, yes. Once you draw him away, I'll head into his home and see what I can find. While I'm doing that, Fluttershy will keep an eye on you and Slate, so that if anything happens she can get the guards to help."

"That's correct, darling."

"Then once we have what we need, we wait for him to go back inside and we contact the guards to arrest him. At least, that's what we're hoping for."

"You make it sound as if it's something beyond our control. Yes, it's true that a bit of luck is going to be involved -- we don't know if he'll be home at all -- but I believe the plan is as sound as we can make it."

"I still don't like it, but I don't suppose we have any other option at this point."

It turns out to be quite a walk to the area of Slate's home; down Mane street and past the redecorated town hall, through Withers and up past Lunar Awakening -- a new part of the town, having opened only recently recently thanks in part to your construction crew. Rarity motions to a building off to your left as you turn onto Harvest street, the major business area of Ponyville. The streets are filled with ponies, even at this early in the morning. You glance down at your watch -- just past nine. Hopefully Slate is a late sleeper.

"See that coffee house, darling?" she asks you.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"That used to be the Soothing Leaf tea house. The same one our pegasus friend used to work at." She frowns at the throngs of ponies coming and going from the business.

"Many fond memories came from that place. Some of my finest ideas for designs came to me whilst sipping a nice cup of chamomile with a bit of honey. It's a shame that it's gone, I think you would have enjoyed it."

Fluttershy lands softly next to you and tucks her wings in, walking up alongside Rarity.

"I was there a few times myself, Rarity. When Angel was just a little baby bunny, I used to carry him on my back and bring him in with me. He was certainly mischievous, but for some reason he always behaved when we went in." She giggles, adding, "maybe it's because I always got him a slice of carrot cake."

"I imagine it couldn't have hurt," Rarity replies with a laugh of her own. "I enjoyed that place very much. It's strange...back then, I knew Slate as the nice stallion who took my order. If only I'd have known what he actually thought..."

She shakes her head, clearing the thoughts away.

"No matter. One of the days I should try to find a new establishment that serves a proper cup of tea, hmm?"

"You do, and I'll buy the first cup," you tell her, offering a reassuring smile.

"That would be quite wonderful." She gives one last look at the coffee shop before turning away. "I'm sorry, dear, nostalgia is a strange thing. Perhaps it's best if we just move on."

From the coffee house it's only a short walk to Solar Grace road, though you did have to ask for directions from a neighborly pony. The entire left side of the street is occupied by several rows of apartment buildings, built in the same thatched roof style as many other places in Ponyville. The one thing that sets them apart are the crossbucks on the front of each building, painted a bright yellow -- no doubt to match with the name of the street. Off to the right sits a small, indoor market and a few modest homes, decorated with the same color scheme.

A pulled wagon passes by you, the stallion pulling it giving you a polite nod. You return the favor, watching him head off down the cobblestone road.

"Well, at least this place is relatively busy. Especially that market." You point to the location in question, where several ponies are sitting around a collection of small tables -- a restaurant, you'd guess.

"If we do have to get Slate away from his home, then it's probably best if we keep him a short distance away."

"I concur," Rarity says. "If I can get him to agree to it, I'll join him at that cafe." Rarity takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I find myself suddenly feeling a little more...cautious...about the whole thing."

You crouch down slightly to bring her to eye level.

"Hey, honey...if you don't want to do this, I'm certainly not going to make you, alright? We can come back later, or I can go by myself if you prefer. I know you want to help, but if you're having second thoughts about it..."

"I appreciate your concern, darling," she touches a hoof to your cheek and smiles at you, "but I said I would contribute, and I fully intend to make good on that promise. It's simply a little strange, that's all. After all, I've faced my share of conflicts in the past, but this is the first time it's been with somepony who had a vested interest in myself, and a disturbing one at that."

Rarity gently kisses you, quietly adding, "I'll be fine. I promise."

"Alright, hon. I believe you. Just...be careful, okay?" You look around for a guard, but there's none in sight. "I'd feel a lot better about this if we knew there was a guard nearby. You think you can spot one for us, Fluttershy?"

"Oh, um, okay. Just a second...." The shy pegasus unfurls her wings and flaps up into the air, far above the nearby rooftops.

"You see anything?" you call out to her. She doesn't respond, focused on her surroundings.

"I do hope the Royal Guard haven't forgotten about Ponyville," Rarity says.

"Why would they?" You crane your neck to keep track of Fluttershy, who has started flying off to the north.

"Perhaps I should rephrase that; I hope the Royal Guard are around at this time of morning. Ponyville isn't exactly the most dangerous of places. You're likely to find more guards in one area of Manehattan than you are the entirety of Ponyville. Not to say that Manehattan is dangerous, of course. Simply more...densely populated."

"I'm sure she'll find someone. Keen eyesight and all that. In the mean time, we should probably look for this address."

The rows of apartment buildings to your left are all numbered, which gives you a good start...until you realize that the numbers have no particular order to them. Each building seems to have its own numbering system, with each apartment changing number accordingly. The first two sets jump from 315 to 350, then back down to 220. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

"Who in Equestria decided to number these buildings so strangely?" Rarity takes note of each number as you pass it, but she's obviously as confused as you are.

"I don't know, but--" You come to a small recreation area in the middle of a set of buildings, and mentally facepalm at how oblivious you've been. The buildings aren't set out from left to right -- they're set out in a circular pattern. The jump in numbers came from an entirely different complex.

"Okay, yeah. I'm an idiot." Rarity looks up at your inquisitively. "We're going about this wrong. We're in the three hundreds. The complex we're looking for one over."

"It is? Then why have we...oh. Oh, dear! I feel like a complete foal right now!" She laughs and pokes your side with a hoof.

You take off to the area behind the first set of buildings, and are relieved to see the first number: 400.

"I swear, I couldn't find my own ass with two hands and a map!"

"Well that's an interesting metaphor," she quips. "Where did you pick that one up from?"

"I'm...not actually sure," you laugh. "Heard it from my grandpa a few times, I think. Don't quote me on that." You look up toward the sky, but can't see Fluttershy anywhere. She must have had to search pretty hard. "I hope Fluttershy can find us back here. Maybe we should wait on the street for her."

"I'm sure she'll spot us," Rarity reassures you. "Now...let's see about these numbers."

The first set of apartments starts at 400 and ends at 406; the one after that, 422 to 428. Tucked away in the corner, though, is exactly the one you're looking for.

"Four one seven." You feel your stomach churn at the realization that you're actually here. It's just an apartment, but it feels wrong somehow. Probably just nerves. "This is it. The home of our psychotic pegasus. You sure you're re--"

Clack.

Your eyes widen at the sound, and you and Rarity rush to the side of the building, out of sight.

"Shit..."

You peek around the corner, where Slate is just stepping out of his home.

"I think we have to push our plans up."

Rarity quickly takes a look and ducks back behind the side of the building, taking a deep breath to control herself.

"Well, I suppose there's no time like the present. Wish me luck."

You quickly embrace her and give her a kiss.

"I love you. Be careful, okay?"

"I love you too, darling. Keep an eye on me until we get to the cafe, just in case."

With a final moment to gather herself, Rarity walks out from behind the corner. You watch her as she does, staying low to avoid revealing yourself. Slate is just emerging from his apartment, a pair of brown saddlebags slung over his back. Your blood boils at the sight of him; you'd love nothing more than to rush out and pound his face in until he's unrecognizable, but fortunately you have more self control than that.

"You'll get what's coming to you," you whisper to yourself. "Just you wait, asshole."

Rarity cautiously approaches the door, taking tentative steps toward the maroon-maned, charcoal-coated pegasus. His eyes go wide as he spots her, and he drops the door key from his mouth after locking the door.

One way or another, this is going to end once and for all.

"...Rarity?" His jaw works up and down as he struggles to find the words, but after a moment he simply stares at her.

"Hello, Slate," she says politely.

"What are you...how did you know where I lived?"

"Oh, I saw you, ah, coming home one day. From work. Or rather, I assume it was work. Heh heh..."

Slate eyes her suspiciously.

"I see...why are you here?"

"Because I've been...catching up with old friends lately. Work has kept me terribly busy, and I've come to realize that I've been neglecting some of you. Them. Some of them. Which includes you."

You cringe at her excuse; Rarity's never been the best liar, especially when she has to do so on her feet. Hooves. Whatever. She can usually manage little white lies for the pompous events she attends for business gain, but beyond that, not so much. Maybe you just know her too well, and she's better at fooling others. You hope.

"Oh..." Slate's demeanor shifts rapidly, overcome by the realization that the object of his long-standing desire is standing in front of him. "That's great! I've been thinking about you a lot lately, Rarity. I think about you all the time."

Yeah, no shit. Creep.

"Well isn't that sweet?" She replies with a feigned smile. "I was hoping I would run into you, actually."

"You were?!" His eyes light up, filled with a shimmer of hope. Something tells you he's more likely to buy Rarity's story than you'd previously thought.

"Indeed I was. I thought perhaps we could, ah, catch up for old times' sake. You know, reminisce and all that."

"Really?! I mean, uh, yeah! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for something like this! You...you're alone, right?" Like flipping a switch, his attitude shifts once again. He looks around frantically, and you have to duck back behind the corner to avoid being seen. "You didn't bring him, did you?"

"Him? Oh, no, no. I am my own lady, I can venture off unsupervised, you know. After all, it's only Ponyville, and surely he'd have no interest in hearing me talk with such a good friend as yourself. It's just us."

"Just us..." he repeats. You venture another quick peek, and see a smile slowly spreading across his lips. It's absolutely terrifying, like you can hear him coming unhinged at that very moment. "Just us sounds good."

"Fabulous!" Rarity looks down at the ground, floating Slate's apartment key in a field of blue magic. "Oh dear, it appears you've dropped your key. Allow me." She magically lifts a flap on Slate's saddlebag...and scrapes the key against it, carefully pulling it away while she closes the flap once again. The key is gently placed in a potted plant next to the door, tucked under a wilting leaf.

"Nice one, hon," you say quietly. Now you'll have easy access to the interior.

"Would you believe somepony decided to deface the walls of the Carousel Boutique? Simply unbelievable."

Slate looks away for a moment and kicks a hoof in the dirt.

"Deface? I'm, uh, not sure what you mean."

"Yes, it was quite horrific. Somepony had taken a picture of an...intimate moment...and plastered it all over the outer walls of my home and business."

"Oh...that's, you know, terrible. Wh-who would do that?"

"I've no idea," she says dramatically, throwing a foreleg over her head. "But I knew it couldn't have been you, Slate. After all, we shared so many moments together in that delightful tea house. In fact, that's why I came here. I thought I might catch up on old times. Would you like to, say...join me for a light breakfast? Perhaps some tea, just like it used to be?"

"With honey and a cube of sugar?" He answers enthusiastically.

"Yes...I'm quite surprised you remember that."

"Oh, I remember it, Rarity! You came in twice a week, or three times a week once a month, and ordered a chamomile tea with honey and sugar. And you had half a daisy and daffodil sandwich with it." He lowers his voice and leans in slightly closer. "I remember so much about you..."

Rarity takes a half-step back and puts on a forced smile.

"That's...nice of you to remember."

"And if I ever found that pony that put up those posters, I'd fucking kill him. For you."

This is a bad situation, your mind screams at you. He's completely lost it. You force yourself to push the thoughts away.

"Yeeees...that's...my, but breakfast sounds delightful, doesn't it? I was thinking of that charming little place across the road. You know the one, by the market."

"Sounds good to me, Rarity. As long as I get to be around you, I don't care. I've missed you. A lot."

"Perhaps we sh-should be off then, hmm? No point in delaying."

"I'd like that. I'd like that a lot. Come on, I know the way." Slate steps in front of Rarity and starts trotting off, leaving Rarity enough time to look over at you and cringe at his attitude. Follow me, she mouths.

You jump out from behind the building as soon as it's safe to do so, quickly moving up to the next building so you can follow them from a moderate distance. You can hear Slate talking about something or other as he walks; it's rapid and excited, but Rarity doesn't say much. You can't blame her; you'd talk as little as possible to that freak, too.

Slate stops in mid-step and twists around, forcing you to duck down.

"....always following me..." is all you can make out, but it's enough. Great. He's psychotic and paranoid. Even better.

Rarity tugs at his saddlebag and points a hoof toward the cafe, now visible beyond the next set of apartment buildings. Slowly, he starts walking away again.

You glance up at the sky for any sign of Fluttershy and a guard, but there's still nothing. Did she get lost? Pegasi have always been known to have a great sense of direction, but maybe if she was worried or scared...

One last building passes by, and you watch Slate and Rarity take a seat at a small table, one that's thankfully surrounded by other tables full of ponies. At least he's less likely to try something in public. Probably.

A waiter pony comes out from a set of double doors and passes them both menus, which Slate immediately starts looking over. Rarity takes the opportunity to look in your direction and wave a hoof, mouthing go, go. You give her a nod, and with a final, lingering stare at the pair of ponies, head back to the building.

You run the entire way back, coming to a halt just outside of his front door. You reach under the leaf of the potted plant and pull out the small, silver key, your heart still racing from the run back as well as your nerves. Your hands fumble with the lock a few times before you finally manage to fit the key in with a quiet swear. The lock clacks open, and with a careful look around you step inside Slate's apartment.

You shut the door behind you, quietly, and lock it again. The apartment is dark, and you fumble around for a light switch. You grope at the walls until you feel the switch under your palm.

"Alright, Slate, let's see what you're hiding."

The lights flick on, revealing a moderately decorated, one room apartment. It's not outwardly messy or untidy, like you'd have figured. In fact, the place seems to be impeccably clean, with just a few framed photos and some personal belongings sitting on a small table.

The kitchen is just as spotless, definitely not something you're used to seeing in the home of a single guy.

"Maybe I can add 'OCD' to his list of issues..."

Hung up on the wall is a picture of Slate standing with a group of ponies wearing some sort of work uniform. You have to squint to read the tiny text on their vests -- Soothing Leaf. Looks like Slate really enjoyed that place...if only for Rarity. Maybe the picture reminds him of her. Or maybe you're over-thinking things.

It's too...neat. Too clean. Too tidy. He's hiding something. You intend to find out what that is.

The only other door besides the entrance is just off to your left -- Slate's room. If there's anything to be found, it'll be there. You test the handle, but it's locked. Of course it's locked. You try the front door key, hoping it'll work on this lock as well, but to no avail. The key doesn't even fit halfway in.

Well, there's the easy way, and there's the hard way.

"I've always wanted to do this," you say to no one in particular. You line the door up with your right leg, and with a burst of power send your booted foot right into the door...

...only to fall over in pain as the door doesn't even move an inch.

"Fuck! Argh!"

The door hardly moved, but you'd swear you broke every bone in your leg.

"Fuckin' STUPID DOOR!" you shout, wincing in pain. "IT ALWAYS WORKED IN THE FUCKIN' MOVIES!"

You grasp your leg and hope for the pain to subside, laughing at your own stupidity. Who the hell did you think you were, Jason Statham? Maybe Arnold Schwarzenegger? It always worked for them. They'd bust down a door and gun down everything that moved on the other side, and none of them ever ended up doubled over in pain next to a still-intact door.

"Christ I'm an idiot," you laugh, tossing your hat to the side with your free hand. It smacks against a chair and falls against the floor. "Hey, baby, I not only managed to destroy my ability to ever walk again, but then Slate came home and beat the shit outta me!"

You slowly feel the pain subside, relieved that you haven't actually broken anything. Your leg will probably be sore for a few days, though. As you attempt to right yourself, you reach up and grasp the handle of the door, using it to pull yourself up.

Click.

"...what?"

You look up in disbelief -- the door slides open part way. You swing it back and forth several times, watching it move without any sort of lock. Something in your mind finally snaps, and you fall back onto the floor in a fit of laughter, ignoring the remnants of pain shooting up your leg.

"It...it twists the other way!" You say to yourself between disbelieving laughs. "It wasn't fuckin' locked in the first place! Ahaaahahaha!"

You finally push yourself back up, angrily grasping at your hat.

"I hate you so much, Slate. Haha..."

With the 'impenetrable' door finally bypassed, you step inside Slate's room and flick on the lights. Or rather, the only light -- a single, bare lightbulb hanging by a chain.Your mouth drops open the second the room comes into focus.

"Hoooolyyy shit."

Staring you in the face is a giant, nearly life-sized poster of you and Rarity; the same image that literally covers the walls of Slate's room. Dozens of them, hung up everywhere. WHORE, SLUT, BITCH, the posters scream at you. I HATE YOU, yells one poster, where a red marker has been used to circle and then cross out your head.

"Well, there's our evidence..."

The corner of the room closest to you is taken up by a dirty, unkempt bed, its sheets and blankets tossed around. A ripped sheet hangs over the bedpost. From the look of it, it's been torn in anger, then tossed against the bed.

A cautious couple of steps leads you to a work desk, which is covered in pictures of Rarity taken from all angles and heights. This has been going on for far longer than you'd thought....

You pick up one of the images, a side shot taken from partially behind a wall, or maybe a low fence.

Most disturbingly, a pile of tissues is stacked on the floor next to the desk...and they've obviously been used. Next to the desk, taking up an entire corner of the room, is a set of black-out curtains and a desk, where rolls of film sit undeveloped.

"You sick fuck," you mutter. "You creepy, obsessive, sick fuck."

You hope Rarity's okay. A mental image of Slate dashing off with her runs through your mind, but you shake your head at it.

"Rarity can take care of herself. She's alright."

There must be close to two dozen pictures of Rarity spread on and around the desk -- a few of them are of her back, where she's floating a tea cup in the air next to her. No doubt taken from inside the tea house he was working at. Another one shows her talking to Fluttershy. Blurred leaves fill part of the picture.

The most recent photo shows Rarity in her winter coat and hat, carrying a sack of groceries in a saddlebag.

"Groceries? Well that was just...yesterday."

Even with the picture in your hand, your brain refuses to process it. Slate took this picture of her yesterday, when she headed off by herself for a short run to the market. How long has he been stalking her?! What else has he seen her -- and you -- do by now?!

You take the photo and stick it in the pocket of your jacket, feeling something building inside of you. Anger? Regret? Maybe you just feel violated for her.

"God damnit!" you slam your fist down on the table, sweeping the pictures off in a fit of rage. "What gives you the right?!" You look around the room once more, all of the posters sloppily hung up on the walls seeming to mock you. "That's it, I've seen enough."

You rip a pair of posters off the wall and grab a few more pictures for initial evidence, stuffing them into your pockets. You reach up to the lightbulb's chain and grasp it...only to have something catch your eye from the closet. You'd completely forgotten to check there.

With a grunt of annoyance you throw open the closet door, and immediately stare at the sight within with a mixture of disbelief and genuine shock.

"You have got to be shitting me."

Sitting in the walk-in closet is an entire printing press, with barely enough room left for anything else. It's definitely been used; the various rollers and mechanical bits are covered in layers of black ink. Some of it isn't even dry yet.

There's no mistaking it, it's all there. In fact, it looks very similar to the kind that Sweetie and her friends used back when they worked on the school's newspaper, as Sweetie was more than happy to show you in a picture she'd had taken back before you arrived.

Compared to the what Slate's been using one of these for, you'd call the girls' little 'Gabby Gums' column a harmless drop in the bucket comparatively.

"Well, now I've seen everything. I'm done here."

With a renewed sense of urgency you quickly walk out of the disgusting room, flicking off the lights to the bedroom and living room as you go. You give a final once-over to the place, eager to leave it behind you.

Rarity's voice stops you in your tracks, your hand half way on the door handle. It's coming through muffled, but it's definitely her.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like to have another tea, Slate? Perhaps a coffee? You know I hear they--"

"No more drinks!" you hear him shout in return. "Get out of my sight!"

Oh, shit.

"Look, I understand you're upset, but--"

"Upset? UPSET?! I wanted nothing more than to be with you, Rarity! And you can't even give me that! Fuck you!"

"Slate, I assure you I--"

"Shut the fuck up, you whore! Fucking human-loving tramp!"

You ball your fist up, shaking at the insults he's throwing at her.

"Where the fuck is my key?! What did you do with it?!"

Damnit!

"I didn't touch your key, you ruffian! How dare you! How dare you insult me so! I am a lady, not your pet!"

"You're nothing! And you never will be!"

That's it. That's it!

With an angered grunt you unlock the door handle and swing the door inward. Slate turns at the sound, his mouth dropping open as he sees you standing over him. His shock quickly turns to hatred, and he narrows his eyes at you and points an accusatory hoof.

"You! What the fuck are you--"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence. With a surge of adrenaline you swing your arm out, connecting your fist squarely into the side of his jaw. In the rush of the moment you can feel every little detail; his dark coat against your knuckles, the feeling of his skin against your fingers, the hard resistance of teeth and bone.

He falls over immediately, blood beginning to seep from his mouth. He lays at your feet and groans, coughing at the sudden surge of pain.

Oh yeah. That felt good.

Rarity gasps and steps back, but you keep your attention focused on the pegasus for the moment.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" you shout, flexing your hand. You must have hit him harder than you'd thought, if the throbbing in your hand is any indication. "Why can't you leave us alone, Slate?! Why do you have to be such a worthless piece of shit?! Wasn't it enough that you almost killed me?!"

"I...I don't know what..."

"You don't know what I'm talking about, huh? Really?! BULLSHIT! You pull one of the pictures from your pocket and dump it on the ground in front of him. "Do you see this?! This is YOUR doing!"

Rarity levitates the picture away, hovering it just in front of her. She gasps again, this time at the image.

"This...this is just from yesterday!" she exclaims.

"Yeah, it is. He's been following you for a long time, Rarity. Years. You should see this sick fuck's room..."

"Was it that bad?" she asks.

"You have no idea. No freakin' idea. You thought he was obsessive before? You haven't seen anything yet."

Slate coughs and works his way up to one knee, spitting blood and grimacing in a hatred you can only imagine.

"Fuck you..."

"Fuck me? FUCK ME?! No, no, Slate. Fuck YOU, you sick bastard. What the hell was going through your mind, huh? Did you really think we wouldn't catch on to you? This is all because you have some...sick idea in your head that Rarity belongs to you. She doesn't 'belong' to anyone. Especially you."

Slate spits again and starts laughing quietly.

"You set me up for this, didn't you, Rarity?"

"I'm sorry," she says after a few moments. "There was nothing else I could do. You've brought this upon yourself."

"I...I just wanted to be close to you. I thought you loved me..."

"Loved you?" she jerks her head back. "Slate, when you worked at that tea house, I considered you to be a friend. You were always very nice to me, and I appreciated that, but I no more 'loved' you than I loved anypony else who worked there. It was friendly conversation, nothing more. I'm sorry you twisted it into...this."

You can see tears starting to well up in his eyes -- good, let him realize what he's done.

"But...but I thought...and then he came along and...and you were gone..."

"You need help, Slate. Psychological help. I think you have the capacity to be a good pony, deep down inside. But you'll never be that pony if you continue to carry on like this."

You let out a deep breath, ignoring the pain in your leg and hand.

"Honey, I think we should get the guards now."

She nods, then looks around for any signs of Fluttershy.

"I agree. Though I still don't see her anywhere...perhaps she did get lost..."

You take a half step outside to look for yourself. It's all the time Slate needed.

Before you can react you feel him slam into you with a burst of power, his wings flapping rapidly as he pushes you back inside and slams you against the low wall of the kitchen. The impact knocks the breath out of you, and you fall over on the floor. Absentmindedly, you notice that your hat has been knocked off your head by the impact.

"You...you wanna get me arrested?!" He yells, he words coming out slurred from the left side of his face starting to swell up. A hoof enters your vision and you put your hands up to block it, deflecting the blow to your forearm. Another joins the first, and you barely manage to knock it out of the way with an elbow.

"I am not...letting you...leave here!"

A flurry of blows starts coming your way, and you do your best to block them all. A few get through, smashing into your chest or stomach, one hit impacting the left side of your head, exactly where the still-healing scar from Slate's 'accidental' attempt on your life left you battered. You can feel the wound partially reopen, and the warm rush of blood flowing down from it.

Your years of training kick in, and you start looking for an opening, any opening. Finally, it comes -- as he lifts his forelegs up for another blow, you lift your knee up and connect right between his ribs. You hear the rush of air leave his lungs, and bits of blood from his mouth spatter across your face and neck.

"Rarity!" you yell out, rolling the pegasus off you. "Rarity, get the guards!"

"Oh, Goddesses!" she yells as she rushes into the doorway, catching a glimpse of your battered self. "Oh no oh no oh no! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine!" you reply. "If Fluttershy can't find them, then you have to!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Hurry up! I can't keep this up all d--"

A pair of hind legs connects with your side, sending shooting pain through your body.

"I think...you're right, Rarity!" Slate yells back over his shoulder. "You should stay here! Then you can see...just how...augh...worthless this fucking human really is!"

"You get your hooves off of him, you insufferable excuse of a stallion!"

"Ha! Or what, exactly? You gonna...throw a fuckin' dress at me? Heh heh..."

You throw a hand out and grasp a hind leg, pulling him off balance and causing him to crash down on the floor.

"Get off me!"

He thrusts a leg out at you, just missing your head by inches. The impact leaves an indentation in the wall.

One more time, you tell yourself. Do that one more time.

Slate tries to wrench his other leg free, but your grip is solid. He throws his leg back again, and you dodge out of the way, momentarily letting go of his other leg as you grab the one closest to your head.

Firm grasp, twist the limb, hard thrust to the joint.

In one quick, practiced motion you twist his leg around as far as it'll go, focus on your attack point, and hit his knee with everything you've got. There's a muted 'crack' as the bone breaks. Every ounce of resistance immediately drains from his body, and he falls to the floor in screaming pain.

"You...you broke my fucking leg!" he shouts, tears running down his cheeks as he grits his teeth. "I'm gonna kill you for that, you prick! You fucking woman stealer! I hate you!" His words start coming out as sobs. "I hate you..."

You push him away from you with a grunt of exertion, propping yourself up against the low wall. Your encounter has left you feeling utterly depleted, worn down. Rarity rushes over to you with tears in her eyes, desperately embracing you. You throw your arms around her and hold her as tight as you can, whispering reassurances in her ear.

"It's okay, baby...I'm okay...I promise."

"I never thought it would come to this!" she sobs. "I just wanted him to go quietly. I never wanted any violence..."

"I know, honey. I'm sorry it had to come to this. Between what I saw in that horrible room and the disgusting things he was saying to you...I couldn't take it any more. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," she says as she pulls back, wiping tears from her eyes -- and yours. "At least it seems to be over." She lets go of you briefly and walks the few steps to where Slate is lying on the ground. He looks up at her with utter hatred and contempt.

"And as for you, you terrible, foul...HORRIBLE stallion! What is wrong with you?! Why can't you leave me -- leave us -- alone?! Did you really think that stalking me for nearly two years would somehow make me want to be with you?! Disgusting. And now to hear you making these terrible threats..."

Her lip trembles as she speaks, looking down at the pony who has caused her so much grief.

"You sicken me." She kicks out a foreleg and connects with his unbroken leg; not hard enough to actually do any damage, but enough to get the point across. "You're a pathetic excuse for a man. Look at you! None of this had to happen! You could have just let us live our lives!"

There's a sound of several ponies landing outside -- Fluttershy and the guards have finally made it.

"And now you're going to spend a long time thinking about what you've done."

A soft voice calls from outside.

"Rarity? Are you in there? I found the guards! I'm sorry it took so long!"

"I'm here, Fluttershy! Don't worry, we're fine! Relatively...please hurry!" Rarity yells back.

"Wha...guards?" Slate pushes himself back onto three legs, the fourth one hanging limp.

"That's right. You're going to pay for what you've done, Slate."

"No...can't go with them...I won't..." He grits his teeth and tries to put pressure on his broken leg, but quickly realizes he can't.

"I suggest you don't resist any further. You can get medical treatment once they've taken you."

"I'm not going...I'm not going..." he shakes his head. "I'm not going!"

With a surprising burst of speed Slate lifts himself off the floor and dashes for the door. You try to leap out at him, but your fingers miss his tail by mere inches. You push yourself off the low wall and chase after him, reaching the door just in time to see him take off into the sky.

"Stop him!" you shout at the guards, a pair of identical, white pegasi in gleaming gold armor.

The pegasus in more extravagant armor -- you'd guess him to be some sort of higher-ranking officer -- looks up at the charcoal-grey pony attempting to get away.

"Alaris, cut him off!"

The other pegasus unfurls his wings and quickly salutes.

"Yes, Legatus!"

The lower-ranked guard quickly takes off into the sky, hot on the heels of Slate. His speed is astonishing -- you've only ever seen Dash fly as fast as he is.

"If you'll excuse me, citizens. Please stay here."

The commander pony joins the first, and the air above quickly becomes a spectacle of darting, twisting pegasi. You and Rarity stare up in awe at the display. Fluttershy's voice makes you look away for a moment.

"Oh my goodness...are you okay?" she asks, putting a foreleg over her mouth at the sight of your ripped jacket and bleeding gash over your ear.

"I'm okay, Fluttershy. It's a long story."

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for it to take this long, but I couldn't find a guard anywhere! I had to fly out to the wilderness between here and Stalliongrad to find one! I flew as fast as I could to get there and back!"

Rarity walks up to her and places a foreleg around her neck.

"I'm sure you did your best best, darling. We'll be alright. Thank you for bringing them as soon as you could." Rarity gives her friend a loving kiss, nuzzling her nose against Fluttershy's cheek. "I do believe you may have just saved us quite a bit of trouble. Goodness knows I can't can't fly."

You look back up at the aerial display over your heads, surprised that Slate still has it in him to resist after what you've done to stop him. You begrudgingly admit that he's tougher than he looks.

"Thank you," you say out loud, grasping your sore side. "Both of you. We've got everything we need to get this asshole sent away for a long time. I was worried there for a while, especially for you, hon."

"I appreciate your concern, darling. To be honest, I was starting to worry a bit myself."

"What happened at the cafe?" Fluttershy asks, lifting up your shirt to reveal a pair of large bruises over your ribs. "Oh, my..."

Rarity sits down on her haunches next to you, while you ease yourself down and sit against the entrance way, picking your hat up off the ground and placing it back on your head.

"Initially everything was going fine," she says. Fluttershy walks over to your side and rests her head against your arm. You run a hand through her long, soft hair as Rarity continues.

"We ordered two nice cups of tea and talked about the days of the tea house...though his knowledge of minute events during my time spent there was rather discomforting."

"So I imagine," you quip. A jolt of pain shoots up your side, but you get through it with a quiet grunt.

"After a few short minutes, it started to become obvious that he was...how do I put this...not quite in control of his mental faculties."

"You mean he's bat-shit crazy."

"Yes, basically. He started rambling about his old employers, and how things would be different if he'd run the place. His mood alternated between 'jovial' and 'vengeful' at the drop of a hat. One minute he'd be laughing about this or that, and the next he'd be pounding his hoof on the table and swearing at those who'd wronged him. 'Wronged' being subjective, of course."

You reach into your jacket pockets and pull out several of the posters and photographs, setting them down on your legs.

"While you were doing that, I was looking around his apartment. Nice trick with the key, by the way."

"Thank you, I thought it was rather good myself."

"Didn't seem like anything was off at first, but once I kic--erm, opened the door to his bedroom...well, you have to see it for yourselves. Or maybe it's best you didn't. Posters covering the walls, dozens of pictures of you, a friggin' photo developing stand...and an entire fuckin' printing press."

"He fit an entire press in his room?"

"His closet, no less."

"I suppose that explains how he was able to make all of those dreadful posters."

"He wasn't just obsessed, honey. He was completely out of his god damned mind."

Fluttershy gently prods your leg with a hoof, being mindful to avoid touching anything sore.

"So then what happened? I imagine something set him off, or made him very angry..."

Rarity speaks up.

"I believe I can answer that one. After, oh...ten minutes or so, Slate became increasingly agitated. He said that he wanted to spend his life with me. Told me he could give me so many things that 'that damned human' couldn't." She scoffs at the idea. "I told him I'd simply wanted to catch up on old times, but that wasn't enough for him, as I knew it wouldn't be. He flat-out demanded that I leave you, darling. Of course I told him that was a ridiculous notion, and that's when he stormed off. I left an appropriate amount of bits for the waiter, along with a few extra for the cup that Slate knocked onto the ground when he left, and followed behind him. I knew you were likely still inside, since the key was missing, so I tried to delay him, but...well, you heard the horrid verbal berating he gave me. At that point all I could do was watch and hope."

You give her a warm, reassuring kiss and place a hand on her back.

"At least you're safe, hon. I'm just glad you're okay. I know you're not some damsel in distress, but still...I couldn't help but worry. Leaving you alone with Slate was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

"I assure you it was no simple task for myself, either. He genuinely scared me a few times with how he was acting." She laughs bitterly, adding, "To think he fancied me a lover. Disgusting."

Fluttershy pulls your shirt down from your shoulder -- there's another bruise there, almost perfectly hoof-shaped.

"How did all of this happen?" she asks. "You were in a fight, weren't you?"

You let out a deep breath, wincing at the pain in your side.

"Yeah...that I was. A real knock-down, drag-out fight at that. As soon as he opened that door and saw me standing there, I socked him right in the fucking jaw. He had it coming." You look down at your right hand and laugh to yourself at the cuts and bruises on it. "I thought it would be enough, but he got back up and threw me into a wall. Little bastard can fight, I'll give him that."

She moves from your shoulder to your neck and upper chest.

"Does anywhere hurt more than the others?"

You place your hand on your side and nod.

"He bucked me right in the ribs. Hurts more than my back. Or my arm. Or my leg. Haha..shit."

"I know it's cold, but um...could you take off your shirt? If there's anything serious I should know about it."

"Uh, yeah, sure...I didn't realize you were a doctor and a vet, heh."

"Part of my caretaking duties involves learning basic first aid, in case I ever need to help a pony I find in the forest. It's not too different from your own body, just a different skeletal structure mostly. Internal and external injuries still manifest in mostly the same way."

You raise an impressed eyebrow at her, and she giggles in response.

"Um, that is, I think I can help you."

You remove your tattered jacket -- now you really will have to get a new one -- and lift up your dark blue shirt, throwing it off to one side. The cold washes over you, but for the moment it feels thankfully cool against your skin.

"Oooh, take it all off, darling," Rarity teases.

"That'll have to wait until later, hon." You chuckle and grasp your side. "Ouch. Laughing hurts, too. Go figure."

Fluttershy immediately starts looking you over, running a hoof over your bruised side and sore chest, then checking your back and your arms. After your fight with Slate you're feeling more tired than you have in a long time, and the feeling of Fluttershy's soft skin and coat against you lulls you into a relaxed state. You could probably fall asleep here without too much trouble.

You laugh quietly as you feel Fluttershy plant a kiss on your chest, then another on your neck.

"You're bruised pretty bad, and you'll be sore for a while, but there's nothing serious that I can find. I think you'll be just fine."

You smile and place a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, 'Shy. Uh...you don't mind me calling you 'Shy', do you?"

"Not at all," she laughs quietly. "I kind of like it."

"Good. Shy it is, then."

You lift your head slightly and pull her toward you, kissing her as genuinely and comfortingly as you can. She throws a pair of legs over your bare chest and pushes into you, letting her tongue slip into your mouth with a quiet moan. You return the favor and she wraps her forelegs around your neck, only pulling back once she has to catch her breath.

"I'm glad you're okay," she says while breathing heavily.

"I should get in fights more often, if this is the end result," you joke, laughing with her as she blushes. "Oh man, I gotta calm down now..."

Rarity kisses your arm to get your attention, and nearly pounces on you as you turn your head.

"This...is much better...than worrying...about you..." she says between kisses. "In the future, do try and avoid stalker ponies. I'd much rather spend my time blowing your mind, as it were, than chasing after irate pegasi."

"No kidding, hon. You don't have anyone else who could carry a long-term grudge because we're having sex, do you?"

"Not that I can think of, dear. Celestia knows one is enough!"

Fluttershy pokes a hoof against your chest.

"Look," she says as she points to the sky.

You'd nearly forgotten about Slate and the guards. They're still up there, surprisingly, but it looks like the guards are finally gaining the upper hand on him. The two shimmering guards are tightly circling Slate, who keeps getting stopped in mid-air every time he tries to fly off in a different direction.

"Looks like they've got him."

He completely stops, looking around frantically, before diving straight for the ground. The move catches the guards off balance, though they regain their bearings after no more than a second.

"What's he doing?" Rarity asks.

"Last ditch effort to escape, probably. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll make like a lawn dart and plow into the ground."

"What's a lawn dart?"

"Nevermind. Let's just see what he does."

The three pegasi are now going fast enough to leave colored trails behind them, matching their manes. It's impressive to watch. The two guard take positions on either side of Slate, but he makes a sharp turn up at the last moment, his distant dot getting closer and closer.

"Is he heading back this way? That's not a very smart thing to do."

"Add it to the pile," you quip.

In fact, Slate's closing alarmingly fast...and he's not breaking course. From the looks of things, he's decided to make a last-ditch effort alright...right at the three of you.

"Honey," you tap Rarity's arm as you scramble to stand back up. "Honey, he's still coming this way! We have to get inside!"

Rarity gasps at the realization; if he plowed into you at that speed, you'd very likely break something, or even shatter your skull against a wall.

The grey dot trailing a maroon streak is rapidly becoming more and more defined, and you realize that he's going to be on top of you before you can do anything. In desperation you throw yourself on top of the girls, hoping to absorb the impact for them.

"No," Rarity says as she struggles underneath you. "No, I will not let him hurt you! I won't!"

"Stay down!" you tell her, but she manages to get her head out from under your arm. A thin layer of blue magic is shimmering around her horn, tingling against your skin as it brushes past.

"I...have had..." she shuts her eyes and focuses, so hard that she's shaking. A second layer of energy overlaps the first, and small sparks start shooting from around her horn. "...ENOUGH!"

Bright beams of light spread out from her focused magic, and you have just enough time to spot Slate speeding toward you. You watch in almost slow motion as he charges at you with gritted teeth, his leg still hanging limp. You brace yourself for the impending impact...

...and stare in disbelief as he disappears in a flash of blue light, followed by a loud crash from inside the apartment a half-second later.

"What...where did he..."

You lift yourself up and look around, still not entirely sure what just happened.

"You ladies okay?"

Fluttershy nods and picks herself off the ground with a brief flap of her wings, but Rarity doesn't respond.

"Rarity? Honey?"

She finally fidgets and lets out a groan, rubbing her head with a hoof.

"Ughhh...I feel as if I've been hit by a wagon. A very large wagon."

The two guard ponies land next to you, looking around confusedly. You can hardly blame them.

"Where did the suspect go?" the lower-ranking one asks. A pained groan comes from the bedroom inside, and you jerk your thumb toward it.

"Probably in there."

They look at each other and shrug, then head inside.

"You worried me there for a second, hon. You alright?"

"Yes...I do believe so. Oh dear, my jacket, it's all dirty now..."

You laugh and pick her up, helping her brush the dirt off her red and white winter coat.

"What the hell just happened? One second he's careening toward us, and the next, he's...gone."

You start to piece together what you saw, and it finally dawns on you.

"The magical focus, the flash of light...you...you teleported him, didn't you?"

Rarity winces at the pain in her head, but nods slightly.

"I did, yes." Perhaps the pain has dulled her reactions, because the look in her eyes as it slowly dawns on her just what she's accomplished is unmistakable. "I actually...I teleported someone. It worked. It worked!" She bounces happily in place, a look of utter joy and accomplishment on her adorable face. "I did it! Oh, this is wonderful! I can't believe it! All those months of studying about it and attempting it, the lessons with Twilight after work...and it finally happened!"

You embrace her tightly and laugh with her, overjoyed at her accomplishment. Especially at such a dire moment!

"I'm so proud of you, baby! I knew you had it in you! Oh man, and that was just about the best timing I've ever seen. How did you do it under such pressure? Last time I saw you do it, it was when we were considerably more...relaxed."

"I think being under pressure was what pushed me over the edge, actually...when I saw Slate flying at us, with murderous intent in his eyes, I felt something come over me. Determination, I think. I was not going to let him hurt you, darling. Not after what he's already done. I focused every ounce of ability in me, and somehow it worked. It was rather taxing, to say the least."

"Wow, Rarity," Fluttershy says, "I didn't know you could do that!"

"I didn't think I had it in me, darling! Goodness, but that was quite the rush."

You think back to the last time she tried to teleport, and the unique 'sensation' that came afterward. Out of curiosity you run your hand along her horn, but to no avail. You're kind of disappointed, to be honest.

"Sorry, my love, but I'm afraid an overly-sensitive horn is simply not in the cards this time."

Fluttershy looks at you curiously. Right...she wouldn't know about the horn thing.

"Overly-sensitive horn?" she asks. "What are you talking about?"

"It was, ah...a rather unique situation, my dear. It's a long story. Perhaps some other time."

"Oh, okay...um, Rarity, where did you teleport Slate to, anyway?"

"The first place I could think of that wouldn't result in his death: his bedroom. More specifically, his bed."

"You could have teleported him straight into a wall for all I care," you grumble.

"I'd be lying if I said the thought wasn't briefly there, but ultimately I'd rather have him properly face justice for his crimes. You understand. I caught a glimpse of Slate's room, and more specifically his bed, when I ran in to check on you, darling. With that image in mind it was a matter of focusing on it, and then, well...poof."

"Poof," you laugh, "you make it sound easy."

"Well, I don't like to brag, but I am the most talented, beautiful, and amazing unicorn in all of Equestria." You and Fluttershy give each other an aside glance, and Rarity giggles at your reaction. "I'm just kidding, my dears. Madame Rarity is more humble than that."

A few moments later the Royal Guard ponies walk back out, the senior officer carrying Slate across his back. A small rope is looped across both of Slate's wings, tied in a complicated knot. He's not flying anywhere now!

"Our apologies for taking so long to arrive, citizens. I'm afraid we were the only patrol stationed around Ponyville today. We'll be sure to increase guard activity after this incident."

"Hey, at least you guys made it. Better late than never."

The junior guard points a hoof at Fluttershy.

"This mare led us to you as quickly as we could fly. I must say, your friend here is quite the flier. Brave, too. We were struggling to keep up at some points! She told us all about this 'Slate' fellow on the way here."

Fluttershy blushes under her yellow coat, shying away from the praise being heaped upon her.

"Oh, um, it was nothing...I just wanted to help my friends..."

"Well I'd say your friends are in good hooves, ma'am. You've done well today."

You point to Slate, who has completely given up by now. He stares back at you dejectedly, quickly breaking eye contact to stare at the ground.

"What are you gonna do with him?"

"This suspect will be joining us for a bit of a talk," the senior guard states. "I'd say this is a pretty open-and-shut case. We've more than enough evidence to convict him of, oh...stalking, slander, invasion of privacy, assault...he's going to be paying back his debt to Equestria for a good while. Isn't that right, Slate?" He looks over his shoulder at the pony slung across his back.

"Ughhh..." is all Slate can reply.

"We'll get him fixed up and on his hooves within a few days. Then he'll have a nice, comfortable cell to look forward to. Anything you'd like to say before you start breaking rocks into smaller rocks, suspect?"

"I'm sorry," Slate groans out.

Rarity steps forward and looks him directly in the eyes.

"The only thing you're sorry for, Slate, is getting caught. Had we not found you, you would have continued your ridiculous practices for months, perhaps years more. To think I once counted you among agreeable company! You need help, and now you're going to get it, whether you want it or not."

The charcoal-grey pegasus looks away in something resembling shame, and doesn't say another word.

"Again, my apologies for arriving as late as we did, madam. As a bearer of an Element of Harmony, you've no excuse for waiting so long." He bows his head deeply, a sign of respect to Rarity.

"You know about me?" Rarity asks.

"Of course, madam. I was part of the procession the day you defeated Discord. You and your pegasus friend here. Equestria owes you a great debt, many times over."

"Oh, nonsense," Rarity says in response, blushing lightly, "I am simply a pony who does what she needs to. I just want to live my life and all that."

"Very noble of you, ma'am," the younger guard says.

"Indeed so," the older adds. "We'll be on our way now. It's a short flight to a guard station, and then a wagon flight to Canterlot proper. If you're comfortable with it, we'll send a representative down to speak with you in a few days and take an account of the day's events."

"That will be fine, yes," she replies.

You force yourself to stand back up, picking your shirt and jacket off the ground, along with your new baseball cap. Again. The adrenaline from your near brush with death has started to subside, and you can feel all of the sore, battered and bruised places on your body in painful detail. You grimace as you stand up to your full height.

"Do you require medical assistance, ah...creature?" the older guard asks.

"Human," you correct him. "No thanks, I think I'm alright. I could probably sleep for the next twenty hours, though."

"Very well. As always, we are at your service, citizens. I wish you a pleasant rest of your weekend, and a prosperous future."

You nod to the guards as they turn around, unfurling their identical white wings. With a labored flap the senior guard lifts into the air, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the 'suspect' is still on his back. His subordinate follows behind him, giving you a crisp salute as he lifts off. The three of you watch them lift up over the nearest apartment building, then fly off out of view.

"It's over," you say with unfathomable relief as you lean against the wall. "It's finally over."

Rarity places a hoof on your thigh and smiles up at you.

"That it is, darling. And not a moment too soon. I must admit, such worries were starting to grate on me."

"We could tell," Fluttershy giggles. "Unless you usually walk around the Boutique proclaiming how everything is 'the worst possible thing', hmm-hmm."

"Perhaps I was just a tad bit stressed. But! No matter. It's over now. One less thing to occupy our thoughts, my loves. All this leaves is a business enemy, and I'd much rather deal with a hundred Cashmeres than one Slate."

"I'll drink to that, honey." You smack your lips, suddenly aware of how dry your mouth feels. "As soon as we get home, I'm downing two Sparkle~Colas. And a beer. Two beers."

"And here I thought I'd purchased enough at the market the other day. Sometimes I wonder about you, darling."

You consider putting your dirty shirt back on, but ultimately decide against it. You doubt anyone will care if you walk home without a shirt when they're all naked for most of the year anyway.

"Ugh, I feel like shit. My arms, my back, my side...not to mention my damn leg."

"Your leg?" Rarity gives you an odd look. "I don't remember you hurting your leg in the confrontation."

"I'll tell you about it when we get home," you reply with a pained laugh. "Thanks for everything today, girls. I mean it. Thank you. You're more than I could ever ask for."

Fluttershy and Rarity both smile up at you, placing a hoof in each hand.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to spend the rest of the weekend in bed."

"I can think of worse ways to pass the time," Rarity says, nudging you with an elbow. "I'll be sure to join you for that, if at some point you feel up to it, darling."

"Can't think of a better way to recuperate, hon." You look down at the mares on either side of you, a surge of joy coursing through you despite the aches and pains from your encounter.

"I've had my share of drama for the day. Let's just go home."