Mayor Mare sat at her desk with her cheek propped up on a hoof. Cheerilee paced the room, flustered and complaining about the issues flooding her life. 

"I just don't know what I'm gonna do, I swear, these girls are going to be the end of me." She said as she stopped mid step and glanced over to the patiently sitting mare. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to drag you into my problems, I've just been so stressed this past week." 

"It's no problem dear, your problems are my problems as far as I'm concerned, and I'll be glad to help you with whatever you need." Mayor muttered as she placidly twirled a paperweight on its side. 

"Thanks, I don't mean to bore you, mom." Cheerilee smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, don't call me that, you make me feel so old. Your father and I split up long ago, I'm not even that much older than you." Mayor raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Cheerilee laughed and was glad to have changed the subject. "Old enough," She scoffed, "but I'm glad we became friends after the whole ordeal, at the very least. Come on, lets go get a drink. Celestia knows I could use one." 

"Very well, it's not as if I have a town to run or anything. I'll take the rest of the day off." Mayor winked and stuck her tongue out in a unusual display of playfulness. 

Cheerilee took her apparent good mood as a blessing. "So, my place or yours?" 

"Didn't they just build that new joint downtown? A restaurant, I think its open now. We can get drinks there and have dinner, maybe catch up on a few things." Mayor shrugged as she suggested. 

"Are you sure? What about your public image and all that? You've always been so concerned about it, and this is an election year." Cheerilee scratched her chin and looked towards the calendar. 

"I thought you'd say that, we'll talk about it when we get there." Mayor tucked a few papers away and trotted towards the office door.

The two mares cantered side by side down the street. Mayor was busy working out exactly how to say what she wanted to say and Cheerilee's worries were remembered as she saw Sugarcube Corner in the distance. She shuddered as she walked past it. Soon the pair made their way into the newly opened restaurant. 

They were immediately greeted and seated, and before they even began to look over the menus, a large formally dressed stallion approached them. "Its an honor to have you here Miss Mayor, your meal will of course be complimentary, and don't hesitate to let me know if anything at all isn't to your liking." 

"Thank you, and I appreciate the offer but that won't be necessary. I'll pay and receive your services as anypony else would." Mayor said with a modest smile. 

"As you wish ma'am." He bowed and backed away. 

Cheerilee wore a suspicious grin. "Really? Since when do you turn your perks as a mayor away? Something bothering you?"

"Well I said we'd talk about it when we got here and here we are. I've been thinking a lot about this, but, I'm going to step down as Mayor of Ponyville this year." Mayor looked down at her menu, avoiding eye contact.

Cheerilee wasn't sure whether or not to be sympathetic, the underlying cause would make all the difference. "You're sure about this? Why, if you don't mind me asking." 

"I have my reasons, but lets talk about you. What has you so stressed lately?" Mayor changed the subject, talking about her situation didn't come as easily as she had hoped.

"Oh my, where do I start? Last week a few of my students poisoned me with some elaborate potion they somehow whipped up, causing me to fall in love with an oaf of a stallion. During that fiasco, I apparently destroyed the front door to Sugarcube Corner and the Cake's are threatening to sue if I don't repay them for the damages. Before I received that news, I had to help Big Macintosh repay a jeweler for an expensive ring he purchased while under the influence of the poison. He's poor and his family could never afford it. Me, being the wonderful mare I am, decided to help cover him, but now I'm broke and can't pay the Cake's back or I'll risk falling further behind on my mortgage payments and lose my home. The jeweler won't accept returns, and Big Mac is trying to sell it so he can repay me, but that's not working out too well. Luckily for me Rarity was nice enough to forget about the damages to the Boutique. I just don't know what to do." Cheerilee placed her hooves on her forehead and attempted to rub the stress away. 

"Well well then, somepony certainly has had a busy week." Mayor raised an eyebrow and flicked her mane out of her face. 

Cheerilee laughed and narrowed her eyes. "And to think, I nearly forgot. One of my problem students, likely the evil little mastermind behind the poison, has been spreading awful rumors about me." 

"Rumors?" Mayor looked up, curious.

"Yes, Rumors. I'm not sure where it's coming from, but she wrote several explicitly detailed diary entries about her and myself in some sort of fantasized relationship." Cheerilee groaned and buried her face in her hooves.

"Explicit you say? That's interesting indeed." Intrigued, Mayer urged her friend to continue.

"Very, in fact. Her mother brought the diary in after class about a couple days ago and the three of us had a long talk about the contents. I'm very concerned as to where she learned of the things she wrote about. She's far too young to be so knowledgeable in that area. I'm willing to bet by right hoof that Rainbow Dash has something to do with it. She's such a terrible influence on the poor girl." Cheerilee looked thoughtful for a moment and let out a painful huff.

"Well if you don't mind, I might like to take a look at this diary." Mayor's eyes shifted nervously before she cracked a smile.

"Supportive as always I see."

"You know me." She winked.

The two shared a laugh and placed their orders after their waitress arrived. "So tell me, why are you stepping down? I thought you loved your position." 

The thoughtful mayor stared at the drink on the table and rested her cheek on her hoof as she often did when contemplating. "I do, believe it or not. I'm tired of my responsibilities, and I'm tired of being held responsible for everything that goes wrong in this town. Call me foalish, but I'd rather spend my days relaxing and doing the things I enjoy. I'm tired of that office, those dreadful meetings, and the papers to sign, the decisions to make. All of it's been pushing me over the edge, so I've saved every single bit I could get my hooves on and now plan to retire quite early." 

"Well I'm happy for you, I just hope you don't regret this decision in the future. Also, I can't help but wonder if there's more to your decision than that." Cheerilee smiled and began sipping on the drink that had been recently placed on the table. 

"Look, I'm getting old, I realize that okay? I was considering running for Governor, but I had dreams, plans for a different kind of life. I don't want to waste away as a bitter politician." She downed her drink and slid the glass towards the edge of the table, implying she was ready for another. 

"I can relate, you know that. I used to be quite the little dreamer, but the world has a way of putting you in your place. At least you're doing something about it. You're not that old, and you have the resources to do anything you want. To be perfectly honest, I'm a bit envious." Cheerilee let a small blush creep onto her nose as she continued drinking. 

"Are you now? Well you shouldn't be, although I do suppose you're in a bit of tight spot aren't you..." Mayor felt guilty for throwing her problems on the table like that, Cheerilee had enough to worry about and she knew it. She took another drink for her newly refilled glass, this time more conservatively. 

"I am, but I'll pull through somehow. I always do." The mare smiled and realized their waitress was bringing their food out now. 

"It's about time." Mayor whispered with a mischievous grin. 

"Tell me abou... Oh hello there." Cheerilee cut herself short and greeted the waitress. 

"Good evening ladies, is there anything else I can get you?" The waitress asked with a bright smile.

"No, I think we're fine." Mayor said.

"Speak for yourself, I'll have another chocolate martini please." Cheerilee smiled and slid her empty glass across the table. 

"Well I suppose I'll have another as well." She laughed and stared into her friend's eyes.

The two began to eat their delicious meals, still happy to be in each other's company. Cheerilee's expression was settling to look at. She seemed peaceful, as if her worries had all been set aside thanks to this lovely night out. Mayor began to recall a more worry free version this mare, a filly of herself,  as she downed her drinks faster and faster.

"You know, we should do this more often, I'll have so much more free time once I step down. This brings back good memories and we hardly see one another outside of my office. " Mayor said as she continued watching her old friend.

"Are you kidding? I visit you at least once a week and we usually spend all night talking at your place. What's got you acting so weird lately?" Cheerilee sat her fork down and placed her hoof on the table with a frown.

"Bah, that's not what I'm talking about!" Mayor sighed and looked away. "This is different. When you visit we always talk about work and the like. I mean we should get out more and do things as friends. I was just thinking about the past, before I became mayor. We used to go out and eat at that one place every weekend, what was it called... Oh, Topside Bar N' Grill, was it? I miss those days, you were still in highschool and I had just met your dad." Mayor began losing herself in thought. 

"Those were, interesting times to say the least. I do remember Rarity almost always joining us, it's a shame I hardly see her these days." Cheerilee twirled her fork around in her salad, her eyes lowered.

"You know, I'm not surprised she waved those damages. I think she still has a thing for you, even now." Mayor rested her chin on both hooves, deviously looking Cheerilee in the eye with a raised eyebrow. 

"That's not it and you know it." She rolled her eyes. "She's just kind and generous. Not to mention she's a great mare and I'm glad to have her as a friend." The defensive earth pony took an angry bite of her meal and stared at the mayor. 

"I was only joking, dear, you really are too tense lately. Lets get out of here and settle down at my place for a while. I don't want our day together to end quite yet." Mayor smiled and brushed Cheerilee's attitude off.

"Sorry about that. I'd like to go back to your place for a while, I'm not ready to get home and deal with grading those awful essays. Damn them all to the moon..." Each laughed once again, the mood quickly lightened.

"Waitress, please bring us two boxes and the bill." Mayor pulled out a paper-note representing a large number of bits and set it on the center of the table.

Cheerilee's eyes widened on the note. "Since when do you carry paper bits around? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Not if you're the mayor. I mean really, who'd mug the mayor?" She let out a arrogant laugh and leaned back in her seat.

"Don't tempt me."

"You wouldn't..."

Each mare locked eyes for a moment, a bit of a staring contest ensued. They were soon interrupted by their waitress delivering the check along with two carryout boxes.

"Oh, thank you very much." Cheerilee decided to be the more mature mare and ended the silly game.

She held her hoof up to help her friend out of her seat. "Wouldn't want you to throw a hip out or anything."

"You'll have to try a lot harder than that to break me." Mayor winked and stumbled forward.

"What?" Cheerilee blushed and looked her friend over.

She soon noticed the absentminded look in Mayor's eyes and the way she struggled to keep her balance.

"You're as much of a lightweight as ever I see." Cheerilee teased.

"I'll take that as a compliment!" Mayor blurted out.

Cheerilee nervously looked around to see several seemingly important eyes closely observing their mayor's actions. Well, she won't be winning this year's election even if she wanted to...

"Alright you. Let's get home."

Cheerilee walked the inebriated mare back into suburban Ponyville. She realized her own home was much closer than her friend's and decided to take her there until she could more easily walk on her own.

Pushing through the front door, she placed her friend down snugly on the couch, then headed into the kitchen.

"Here, drink some water." Cheerilee trotted back with a full glass.

Mayor nodded and took the glass. "I suppose I got a little carried away, yeah?"

"A little." Cheerilee winked and headed over to her desk.

"I don't want to, but I really need to get started on these papers." The tired pink mare sighed and grabbed the stack, spreading it out on her desk and wiping her eyes.

As she looked them over, all the words began to blur in a single mass of ink, and a headache was induced. "I hate my job sometimes."

"I've been there, hehe." The mayor laughed and slammed the empty glass down on the coffee table in front of her. "Another!"

"Yeah get it yourself ya old hag."