Journal of William Zachariah Klaskovsky

I swear, my life becomes a little stranger with each passing day.

My time with Princess Luna is always well spent. I love being with her, it’s like she knows something about everything. I was even tempted to return Beckham’s Bedside Book of Botany before I had finished it just so that I could go see her again. Which is particularly strange, because I have never encountered a book which I have not seen from cover to cover. I worry about whether or not I should bring up the Book of Dreams’ inhabitant, to see if I could glean more information on the piece of herself locked away.

Which in turn leads me to fear that she will want the book back, and some strange part of me is very unwilling to let it go. I wonder if I should take to keeping it on my person at all times for safekeeping, especially knowing how important it is. It’s comforting, in a way, knowing that I have a piece of Luna herself with me. Even if it is not the Luna that I know, that just means that I have a whole new Luna to learn from.

She really is spectacular, I wish I could discover how she managed to fragment herself…

I have written letter after letter to mother, and still no replies from Scootaloo. I considered sending one to Miss Twilight as well, but I refuse to allow her to think of me as desperate. I have a reputation to uphold, after all. This of course brings me to my father’s progeny and the current bane of my existence. I swear it, sooner or later Eris is going to drive me absolutely batty. Everything about her irritates me on such a profound level, she is impossibly childish! I hate her I hate her I hate her I hate her I hate her I hate her I hate her I hate her stupid face I want to hate Eris, I need to hate Eris. I am obligated to hate Eris, and I am absolutely terrified of what I might think of her if I don’t.

And if I don’t stop writing about her, I’m not going to bring myself to stop looking at her, and if I look at her, she’s going to know what I’m thinking, I just know it.

I overheard Eris her and Velvet yammering something inane about boatloads of riches, and I sincerely doubt that this will end well. I’m surprised that Mrs. Trimming hasn’t overheard them as well, they’re both terrible at subtlety.

I wonder about Mrs. Trimming.

A part of me hates her, but not in the same way that I hate Eris, or in the way that I hate the taste of ungarnished salmon. It’s something that I am still attempting to decipher, and shall return with my findings.

The other part, though…

I wonder if maybe she’s right.

Maybe I am a freak. Nobody ever writes back to me. I think that I’m still genuinely surprised that Mother has never made an attempt to see me, I hoped thought that for sure she would visit. Maybe Mrs. Trimming is right, even though I point blank refuse to admit it to her face. Maybe the reason is because nobody wants me anymore. I would give anything just for someone, anyone to deny it, but no one ever seems to take the hint. I don’t want her to be right. It makes me feel queasy, I don’t like it. It escapes me who it was that said that insanity was doing the same thing over and over again. Maybe the old bat is really making me insane. If I were to go crazy- properly crazy, absolutely mad, I wonder if that might attract Father’s attention? Father Discord never comes, either. I caught Eris her arguing with herself in a broom closet the other day, as if she were really convinced that she could make Discord return with her words alone.

I wonder if she knows I heard her crying.

Breakfast, as per usual, consisted of porridge and toast. Velvet did not particularly care for the taste; she preferred oats when possible, and the sugar didn’t help her choke down the mysteriously grainy supply of nourishment at all. Eris, who sat glumly across from her at the little table in the maid’s ‘cafeteria’, which was really no more than a spare room with a few tables placed haphazardly about.

“This tastes like sweaty anchovy dick in turd flambé,” Eris glowered at the murky muck in her bowl, chin cupped miserably in paw as William scribbled ferociously in one of his books beside her.

“How d’you even know what that tastes like?” Velvet asked as she wearily buttered a piece of slightly burned toast.

“There are some things that you just don’t wanna know,” the draconequus said sagely.

Velvet jumped at the sound of William’s journal snapping sharply shut.

“For god’s sake, do you two ever stop talking?” he scowled angrily between them, not meeting either of their eyes. Velvet shrugged, taking another crunchy bite of her toast.

“Soundsh like shomepony didn’t ge’ enough shleep,” Velvet said through a mouthful of crumbs, to which William cringed and flinched in morbid horror with every syllable.

“Well, you know,” Eris grinned coyly beside him. “I’m surprised nobody else was kept up, what with all the noise.”

“Eh?” the filly finished off her toast, dunking the rest in her breakfast to hopefully soften it up. William appeared to have completely lost his appetite, which Velvet was even more interested in.

“Nobody heard?” Eris gawked in mock surprise. “Wow, and from all the groaning he was doing, we made some real racket.”

“Oh, god, Eris…” William pinched the bridge of his nose as Velvet slyly slid his breakfast over to herself. “Please, not in public.”

“Doubled over and moaning,” she grinned, blatantly taking delight in his discomfort as he tried to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible. It was clear from the attention of several other interested maids that he was failing badly. “Oh, you should have seen how he was, moaning and clutching the sheets on the edge of his bed…!”

“Hate you, Eris,” William seethed and rubbed his temples to hide the glowing color in his cheeks as the giggling grew louder. The black book in his lap suddenly seemed like a viable weapon the longer he glowered down at it. “I hate you so much.”

“I think them’s fightin’ words!” Velvet smirked, looking back and forth between the two. “C’mon, Willie, give the ‘Chaos Spawn’ a good kick or two. She’ll cut it right out, prolly.”

“Bah, Willie’s not gonna hit me,” Eris threw an arm over his shoulder playfully, oblivious to the darkening disgruntled look on his face. “Right, Willie?”

“Please stop calling me ‘Willie’. That is not a name. It is slang for genitalia.”

“See?” she cackled, tipping him friskily over as she stole his toast. “Willie’s cool with it.”

“My name is William!”

“Aw, leave ‘im be, Chaos Spawn…” Velvet brushed a long lock of her mane from her face, taking pity on the steadily reddening boy as the noise slowly died down. Numerous other maids were already leaving, preparing for a long day’s work. “I don’t think he’s likin’ it too much.”

“Well, he clearly doesn’t dislike it,” Eris leaned on his shoulder, causing his nostrils to flare dangerously again. “Otherwise he’d make me stop. I’ve given him, like, a bajillion opportunities.”

“Do I honestly have to harm you to get a message across?” William barked, making the draconequus jump.

“Yes,” she leaned over the table instantly, propping herself up on her elbow and grinning widely at him. Eris curled her tail around and tipped it back and forth, waving it hypnotically in front of him. “Then I can freely say that I was spanked by a Willie.”

“Really?” Velvet tittered, covering her mouth with her hoof. William did not seem anywhere near amused, however.

“Eris,” William deadpanned. “If I had to choose between spanking you and sandpapering my own bollocks, I would seriously have to consider it.”

“… ‘Bollocks’…?” Velvet asked in quiet confusion.

“Can we do both?” she winked at him teasingly.

“I need to go send a letter,” William scowled, snatching up his belongings as he rose.

“Mreah, I’ll come with ya,” Eris cracked her back as she stood.

“I’d rather you not,” he replied quickly. “It’s really none of your business who I’m writing to, anyway.”

Eris blinked, furrowing her brows.

“I didn’t ask who you were writing to,” she frowned. William looked away uneasily, his face slowly draining of expression.

“Good. Then you can leave me alone about it.”

Eris’s look of confusion slowly became one of concentration as she studied him, his blank face revealing nothing. It was obvious from his body language from the way that he clutched his book and tried very hard to look relaxed that he was tense about one thing or another, though.

“You know, you’re kind of defensive all of a sudden…” her brows furrowed further, the only noise the sound of Velvet slowly crunching toast as the scene unfolded before her.

“You don’t – I can’t – I mean, it’s not really something that – you wouldn’t understand,” William’s stern frown returned, his voice rising.

“Why not?” Eris shot back, crossing her mismatched arms. She found that their voices were slowly growing louder as they shortened the distance between themselves.

“Because you don’t need to!”

“Says who?”

“Says me!”

“Look, I’m trying to be nice n’ shit!” Eris threw out her arms to her sides angrily. “Everybody needs that now and again, alright?”

“Just – not right now, okay?!”

Eris detected the sudden spike of unexpected distress in his voice, the rare glimpse of worry breaking through his mask of indifference.

“… Tch,” she threw up a talon carelessly as she turned back to Velvet. “Later, I guess.”

William left without another word, and Velvet dusted her hooves as she watched him go. Eris, much to her surprise, was frowning with her chin in her paw, focusing furiously on something in the distance. Velvet could see that it had bothered her, though it likely wouldn’t do any good to point it out.

“What was that all ‘bout?” Velvet asked. Eris shrugged halfheartedly and shook her head.

“Doesn’t matter. Bigger fish to fry.”

“So…” Velvet ensured that they were indeed alone. “… Did you get your part?”

“Damn straight!” Eris’s ecstatic tone returned swiftly, and she eagerly peered around the room. “Don’t ask me how, but I actually did it. Oh, dude, this is gonna be so sweet!”

“Ah, you’re a wicked soul,” Velvet snickered as their ‘surprise’ was prepared.

“Takes one to know one, Vel.”

“Hey,” Eris snapped her talons together as if she were suddenly remembering something, although Velvet sincerely doubted such. “I, uh… might have forgotten-”

“Gonna go follow ‘im, aren’t you?”

“… Yes,” her head dropped sheepishly.

“Ah, go on ahead, then,” Velvet grinned. “Canterlot’s greatest prank has waited this long, I can wait a lil’ longer.”

“You’re a doll!” Eris hugged her with a giggle. “Be right back, just gotta check on something before this place gets interesting.”

“Don’t take too long!” the filly called after her as she slipped out the door. “Or I might get bored and start without ya!”

The halls of the castle were generally busy, and the hustle and bustle made it easy for William to long for quieter places. After making a quick detour back to the sleeping quarters to grab his envelopes, William glided past a couple of amicably chatting wealthy mares that didn’t even give him a second glance. Possibly on their way to some important meeting or another as the castle dwelling sort were wont to do, they didn’t even throw William a second glance. He supposed that after seeing something so many times it only became normal.

As far as things went, William didn’t necessarily consider anything currently ‘normal’, and it unsettled him to even think of what his definition of normal really was.

William was lost deep in thought when it occurred to him that he still had not washed from breakfast, regardless of how meager it had been. He absentmindedly brushed the crumbs off himself, uselessly flicking his fingers to no avail. It would have been easier to simply head back to the servant’s restroom further back, but then he would run the risk of walking into Eris and Velvet again, and he sincerely did not want to bother confronting her.

With a deeper frown, William carried on past one of the spiral staircases leading up to the second level. He was certain that there was a washroom nearer the guard’s barracks, as he had seen plenty of it already.

However, he was undoubtedly going to avoid Eris by going in that direction, and as such he continued along his not so merry way.

The washroom was thankfully empty from the looks of it, the dim light reflecting off of the rectangular mirrors in front of numerous stone sinks. William carefully dropped the letters on one of the sinks adjacent, wearily working the cold faucets and letting the icy water slip between his fingers.

A clattering made him jump, and William was relieved to realize that it was only one of the stall doors being shifted.

“Sorry,” came a voice from within. “Didn’t mean to scare nopony.”

“Oh. Uh, it’s-it’s fine,” William answered awkwardly, returning to lather his hands in soap. “I don’t mean to be jumpy.”

“Most jumpy folks have something to hide, you know…” the voice echoed a little inside the stall as a flushing noise came afterwards. “Might wanna work on that.”

“Er, sorry. I’m just having a little… some difficulties,” he admitted, his reflection staring oddly back at him.

“Hey, everypony has problems,” the stallion chuckled as the door slowly swung open. William didn’t bother looking up as he trotted to the sink next to him, where he had placed his letters for safekeeping. He started to reach for them instinctively, wet hands or no, when a flash of frizzy green mane reminiscent of bedhead caught his eye, along with a familiar grey coat.

“… Ah,” William paused as he met the stallion’s eyes, recognizing the stallion as the same one that had given him a sizeable amount of trouble on numerous occasions, and suddenly feeling very glad that he actually had pants on beneath his uniform. “You again.”

He still hadn’t even bothered to learn the earth pony’s name, and he wasn’t particularly keen to, either.

“That’s really not the proper way to speak to a lieutenant,” the stallion’s eyes narrowed a little, his small smile remaining.

“Very well lieutenant I really must be going,” William blurted as he made a grab for the letters, only for the stallion’s hoof to come down painfully on his arm and trap him against the sink.

“No, no…” the grey lieutenant grinned a bit wider, roughly dragging him back when William tried to jerk away. “Come on, tell me more. Stay a while, relax. Lemme… see what’s under that revealing little skirt of yours.”

“I don’t like this – stop-stop!” William yanked hard, pain singing through his arm as he tried to free himself.

“Will you just quit?” the stallion hissed sharply, using his other hoof to hook around William’s head.

“No! I said stop!” he yelped in fear as he was painfully yanked again. “Stop it, please, you’re hurting me!”

“Stop fighting, you little bitch!” the lieutenant growled through his teeth, his face barely an inch from William’s as his hoof coarsely tried to worm its way through his uniform.

“Please, just-! Mom, help me!”

“I said QUIET!”

William’s breath was knocked from him as he was bashed about the back of the head and roughly shoved against the sink. The stallion’s voice was bristly and uneven as he seethed viciously into William’s ear.

“Just shut the fuck up and let this happen!”

Never see the sun again

Can’t get out, it hurts so much

Wouldn’t leave me, of course not please hurry it hurts

I just want to go home. Just stop. They would never abandon me, any day now. Make it stop, please don’t do this to me anymore

The frothing turmoil of the storm around her billowed her mane chaotically, the powerfully whipping rain beating her eyes unexpectedly. The vicious unrelenting gusts blasted her about, leaving her utterly incapable of discerning which way was even up or down in the midst of the tempest. The fear of being unable to support herself as she was cast to the ground filling her chest, Rainbow Dash opened her mouth in a silent scream barely a moment before she made violent impact, the sickening crunch in her ear-

“-e first place, with the smelling salts, would you kindly?”

“Whuzzat?” Rainbow Dash blinked groggily, an unfamiliar ceiling staring back at her.

“Oh thank goodness, you’re okay!” Fluttershy eeped in terror, hugging her tightly. “I was so worried, did you hurt anything?”

Rainbow Dash let the flustered pegasus anxiously help her up as another pair of unfamiliar hooves lifted her simultaneously, giving her plenty of time to notice the milky white unicorn on her opposite side. Startlingly green eyes like polished emeralds gleamed intelligently from behind a pair of thick horn rimmed glasses, and the shoulder length two toned pink mane fell perfectly into place as she righted herself. Dash paid especial attention to the quite familiar skull and bones cutie mark, almost blending in completely with the milky coat.

“Are you quite alright?” Doctor White asked worriedly, extending a hoof to her. Her voice was quiet and almost melodic, which reminded her of Fluttershy for numerous reasons.

“Fine,” Rainbow Dash grumbled sorely, brushing the mares off of her and rolling her shoulders. Something was painfully stiff in the back of her neck and an aching lump was forming on her head from where she had hit the doorframe.

“Are you certain?” the unicorn asked, furrowing her brows. “You made a pretty nasty sound when that hit, would you be so kind as to stand very still for a moment please?”

Rainbow Dash started to argue, but felt Fluttershy’s hoof on her shoulder and held her tongue. A slight feeling of wooziness flashed over her when a light was suddenly glaring in her eyes, leaving spots.

“Hmm. No apparent signs of concussion, eyes appear to be focusing…” White mused aloud before speaking a little more loudly to make herself heard down the hallway. “Shelly, would you kindly fetch an ice bag?”

“It-it’s fine, really,” Rainbow Dash shifted uncomfortably as Fluttershy’s nervous grip loosened just a bit.

“Oh, dear,” Doctor White shook her head as the receptionist swiftly trotted in with a deep blue ice bag, which Dash gratefully applied to the painful lump. “Not much of a first impression, I’m afraid. You would be the infamous Rainbow Dash, I presume?”

“… You’re welcome,” the receptionist said, almost as an afterthought as she slipped back out the door and closed it behind her.

“Thank you, Shell,” White’s voice rose deliberately, and she gave a little smile as she sighed. “She’s new.”

Now that Rainbow Dash had a moment to actually analyze the psychiatrist’s (or psychologist, she wasn’t particularly interested) office, she found that she didn’t really like it at all. A couple of photographs of countryside images lined the bright puce colored wallpaper, a neat and tidy bookshelf with painted sun bookends directly behind a large desk opposite two high backed plush chairs. Thick shag carpeting made walking feel a little odd, and Dash didn’t care for the mismatching pink color either. It was like the whole place was far cheerier than it had any right to be, and she just didn’t like it.

“Gosh, please don’t scare me like that, Rainbow Dash… are you sure you’re okay?” Dash only nodded a few times. Fluttershy seemed immensely relieved that the pegasus was largely unharmed. She helped her wearily to one of the chairs before the worn mahogany desk, and White nodded o Fluttershy with another sigh.

“Alright,” Doctor White said deliberately, giving Rainbow Dash a slightly exasperated smile. “What do you say we take that from the top, hmm?”

“… Er, I think some introductions are in order,” Fluttershy batted a heavy portion of pink mane from her face absentmindedly. “Um, Rainbow Dash, I don’t believe that I’ve ever introduced you. Dash, Doctor Yolk White has been a therapist and good friend for a few years now.”

“White,” Dash repeated dully. “Yolk White. Doctor White.”

“Um… maybe you should get checked out,” Fluttershy chewed her lip worriedly, eyeing the pegasus.

“No – Flutters,” Dash rubbed her aching temples, glaring at the smiling unicorn. “I don’t have brain damage, I just – I don’t know a lot of other Doctor Whites.”

“Yes, not too many others,” Yolk readjusted her glasses calmly, tucking away a folder on her desk. “We seem to be one short as of recent years. Funny, that. Thank you for finally bringing her, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy looked back and forth between them awkwardly, looking suddenly as if she were regretting ever bringing her friend.

“I don’t think I have an appointment-” Dash began, but was cut off by the unicorn with a nicker.

“Absent for previous sessions, but I am perfectly willing to make up for lost time. I can squeeze you two in before my next appointment, what do you think, Fluttershy?”

“Hmm?” she looked up, as if she had forgotten that she was even there at all. “Oh, um, I don’t mind. But I’m really just here today to help out my friend, I think you could really benefit her.”

“I aim to please,” White smiled peacefully. “And tell me, Miss Rainbow Dash, what seems to be the problem?”

It was completely silent for a few moments.

“I can’t do this,” Dash stood abruptly.

“Oh, please don’t go already…!” Fluttershy pleaded urgently. Rainbow Dash started to argue, but was again silenced by Yolk.

“Oh, don’t feel pressured to stay,” she smiled slowly. “Although I would be as devastated as poor Fluttershy if you left, I’m sure we can manage. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do, I haven’t seen you since last month, Fluttershy.”

Dash watched the unicorn as closely as possible, attempting to glean something, anything from her. However, she could find nothing evident in her features. There was a twinkle in her eyes, one that made her seem as if she were right on the edge of a laugh from a secret joke that only she knew.

“Neither of us would really expect anything of you, really,” Yolk continued with the same practiced smile. “I certainly wouldn’t have a problem if you just occupied the extra chair, and I doubt that Fluttershy would mind the company. Some ponies don’t even talk at all for some sessions; be it embarrassment or anxiety or just something that they’re not comfortable with, sometimes it’s best to sit in silence.”

Rainbow Dash felt that she had an inkling of who Yolk was referring to, but Fluttershy didn’t speak.

“To be blunt,” Doctor Yolk readjusted her glasses out of habit. “I really wouldn’t expect Fluttershy to talk about her problems in front of anypony else. She certainly had difficulty enough coming out of her shell, but I think she’s shown some real improvement since.”

The pegasus blushed a little in a mixture of awkward appreciation of the recognition and embarrassment, and sank a little deeper into her chair.

“… Problems?” Dash asked finally, her curiosity getting the better of her. “I, uh… Flutters, I didn’t really think – I mean, you seem really normal.”

To her surprise, Fluttershy laughed. A quiet, muffled little laugh, but a laugh nonetheless.

“Oh, goodness,” she shook her head. “I really don’t think so.”

“I’ve known you since we were fillies,” Rainbow Dash frowned, feeling a little as if she were an insect being scrutinized by Yolk, but tried to ignore it. “We’ve been best pals since flight school. I think I know you.”

Her words sounded weak in her own ears, but she refused to back down. She felt an unexpected sliver of uneasiness when Fluttershy abashedly looked away, finding interest in her hooves.

“Do you…?” Yolk began, but Fluttershy quickly shook her head.

“No.”

“I understand. Miss Dash,” the mare turned to her suddenly. “I don’t think it would be fair, nor even sensible to try to get anywhere without really getting to know each other first. Trust is awfully important in my particular profession, so why don’t we all share a little bit about ourselves? Fluttershy, do you mind?”

The pegasus slowly shook her head, her awkward smile slowly returning.

“Oh, dearie me, where to even begin…” Yolk removed her glasses and peered through them out the window, checking for an imaginary spot. “I was born and raised in Manehattan, got my doctorate in Fillydelphia and moved- oh, shoot. Was it eight or nine years ago that I moved to Ponyville?” she turned to Fluttershy, thinking.

“Um, I think you said ten.”

“Ooh, if that doesn’t make me feel old,” Yolk laughed jovially, a couple of crinkles arriving at her eyes. As slow as it was, as much as she really would have preferred anything but, Rainbow Dash slowly but surely found herself sitting quietly in the seat next to her friend. She didn’t say a single word as a pleasant conversation took place between Yolk and Fluttershy, and wasn’t nearly the grueling interrogation that she expected. If anything, Fluttershy looked more at ease and relaxed than she had ever really seen her except of very few rare occasions.

Before she knew it, an hour had passed. And then another.

And Rainbow Dash slowly learned a few things about Fluttershy that she never had before, and doubted anypony else knew either. One thing was for certain, however.

They weren’t going to get a word out of her, no matter how good the cocoa was.

Probably.

Eris frowned, snapping her talons in frustration.

Could have sworn that she had seen the boy somewhere in this direction, but must have lost him at some point or another through the throng of socialites that passed her by. She found it particularly odd that they hardly paid her any attention any more, but shrugged it off. One could only see something so many times before it became somewhat normal, she supposed.

That, and she had seen far stranger, but that was neither here nor there.

Eris traipsed along in thought, grinning to herself. He had to be around somewhere, she was positive of it. It was his morning routine to deliver the letters, but she hadn’t seen him ascend the spiral staircase as he usually did. Of course, there were numerous other methods of getting to the second floor, and although Eris doubted that William would ever try using a dumbwaiter to avoid her, she didn’t put it completely out of the question.

And as it occurred to her, it stung just a tiny bit that he was trying to avoid her.

But this only made her more determined to discover why, her plans of the Great Equestrian Prank-ening on hold for just a little longer. It would be one that was the talk of the town for weeks, if not months, hopefully. Eris was already chortling from the thought of Celestia’s reaction, the sweet taste of retribution already tingling her smiling lips.

She was nearly ready to give up pursuit when she spotted him. Eris’s eyes lit up when she saw William hobbling down the hall toward her, weakly leaning against one wall for support.

“Hey!” she jogged up to him quickly, grinning. “There y’are, Willie! I was wond-”

Eris was rather surprised when William’s arms found themselves wrapped frailly around her midsection.

She started off with a quip about being missed, but something made the words die in her throat.

“… Will, are you okay?” Eris asked quietly, concern lining her voice.

“Eris, I’m sorry,” William replied almost inaudibly. His voice was shaky, and he didn’t look at her. “I’m sorry that I shouted at you, I’m sorry, you’re right. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted at you, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

There was something about the despairing, desperate tone in his voice that put her on edge, and it was then that Eris really started observing him. The disheveled off-colored hair, the dull bruises at odd intervals that it was clear he was trying to hide beneath his uniform. His shaking shoulders and quavering voice, his refusal to look directly at her.

“God, Will…” Eris’s paw tightened on his shoulder, and he cringed. “Are you-?”

“Fine,” he again refused to look at her, and something pulled at her as his voice slowly began cracking. “Look, I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong. I’m sorry. Let’s just-just, let’s just go, I’m sorry. Please, let’s just go, we’ve got things to do and we have to get it all done and do a really good job or we can’t go home and I’m sorry, please, I’m sorry I just want to go home.”

The grey stallion with a frizzy green mane stepping from the restroom ahead caught her eye. The way he slicked back his mane, the stiff roll of his shoulders, the other little ticks and quirks in his movements as he walked confidently away finally made it click.

“… Yeah. Yeah,” Eris repeated softly, her hold on William loosening. “Yeah. We’re going home. I’ve just gotta go… take care of something first.”

She snapped her talons together as if she were remembering something, even though it was fairly clear that such was not the case.

“Hey. Why don’t you head on back without me,” Eris’s voice seemed strangely distant. “And I’ll be right back, and we can go home.”

“… Home?”

He looked up at her at last, and Eris noted the growing blotch beneath his left eye.

“Yeah,” she answered quietly. “Yeah, it’s all good. I’ve got everything all wrapped up, practically paid off what we owe and everything already, sort of. I’m just gonna go talk to somebody real quick, okay?”

“Yes. Fine. Fine,” he repeated, and Eris gave up trying to look him in the eyes. “Fine. All fine. You do that. Fine.”

Although the stallion had long since slipped away out of her vision, Eris wasn’t concerned with where he went. There was a strong part of herself that genuinely wanted to hunt him down, but it wouldn’t be nearly as effective as she wanted it to be. She might have been all but powerless at the moment…

However, Eris wasn’t going to need any special power at all for what she had in mind.

She was clicking her talons together the entire way.