//------------------------------// // Separation // Story: Truth of the Heart // by Rose Quill //------------------------------// Everything hurt. Her head, especially. That’s what you get for going shot for shot with a pony that can tell the truth, she berated herself, trying not to move too much. Cracking open an eye, she found herself in a modestly furnished room, something a little homier than most hotels.  She woke up fully, ignoring the throbbing in her head as she realized she wasn’t in her suite. The window showcased the moon at a low point in the sky, putting it as several hours until dawn. “Oh, good! You’re awake!” Summer said, walking into the room. “How’s your head?” “Where am I?” Sunset asked, posting her hooves on the ground firmly. “My Aunt has a place she uses sometimes. It’s where I went after I broke it off with the cheating sack of crap.” She fluffed her wings and took a deep breath. “You were a little heavier than you look, and after you lost your lunch in the street outside the club, I figured it’d be better to sober you up first.” “I… I did what?” The Pegasus nodded sadly. “I probably shouldn’t have pushed that game. If I had known how badly it would have hurt you, I would have called it, Sunset. I promise.” Sunset rubbed her temples as her hangover began to make itself known again. Summer moved over to a closet and pulled out a towel. “There’s a shower just through there. By the time you get done, I’ll have some coffee for you.” Taking the towel, Sunset narrowed her eyes. “Why are you being helpful? We barely know each other.” “I know what you’re going through,” Summer replied, smiling. “Plus, you smell of booze and vomit, so even if you were to go back to your hotel room, you’d need a shower.” Sunset winced. Now that it had been pointed out, she could smell it as well. “Well,” she said softly. “I guess I’ll grab that shower then.” When the sound of the faucets had turned into the focused hiss of a showerhead, Summer walked out to the living room of the townhouse. Standing at the fireplace was a russet-colored Earth Pony stallion with a vivid green mane. The tails of his battered jacket hid his cutie mark, but as he turned to face Summer’s blue eyes, his hard grey orbs showed no humor. “You said she knows about the Fulcrum,” he grated in a Trottingham cockney. “She knows about it, yes,” Summer replied. “But I don’t know how much she knows. Give me some time and I’ll find out.” “Twenty-four hours, Summer,” he replied, turning to leave. “I’ll give you till then. After that, I’ll take over her questioning.” “Right. Um, sir?” “What is it?” “About my coltfriend,” she hesitated. “Could I talk to him at least?” The stallion stopped with his hoof on the doorknob. “I’ll see what can be arranged,” he grunted, meeting her eyes. As the door swung shut, she frowned. “Liar,” she gritted. Twilight was still staring out the window when Cadence came up behind her. “She’s still not back?” “No, not even a message left at the desk.” Twilight fretted as she started to pace, wings restless. “What if she’s hurt? What if some forgotten being bent on vengeance has caught her like when the Furies did? What if she-“ Cadence reached out and pulled her sister-in-law into a hug. “I’m sure she’s just blowing off steam somewhere nopony can see.” The older mare soothed as she ran a hoof through Twilight’s mane. “She’ll be back soon, and once she is, the rest of us can go give your Dad instructions on ‘How to not be a jerk.’ I’m sure Velvet will bring the slides.”  Twilight relaxed into the hug, but soon spun away to pace again.  “I still can’t believe him!” she fumed. “I know I’m his little filly, but I’m not a foal anymore! After all the things I’ve faced and done, does he still think I don’t know how to read ponies? That I don’t know the depth that romantic love can get over a mere hormonal passing fancy?” The purple mare snorted and stomped her back hoof impatiently. “Especially after that test you put together; I know that she and I love each other. She’s a massively changed pony, better than he realizes. Does he want witnesses? Oh, I can give witnesses! Princess Celestia and Eclipse for two, and at least twenty other sources besides!” Twilight’s face darkened as she pawed at the floor; ears flicking back tiredly, “Who am I kidding? He’s so convinced he’s right that even the Princess and Sunset’s own sister ‘wouldn’t be proof enough.’ By Celestia, I hate it when he gets like this!”  “He just —“ “Cares about me and wants what’s best, but not even parental concern should be that callous! He went too far!” “No,” a quiet voice said from the door. “He didn’t.” A very tired Sunset had entered the room. Her mane was damp and the dress she had worn the night before was neatly folded and hanging in her aura. Everything about her screamed broken, she even looked smaller, as though she had hunched in on herself. “Sunset?” Twilight asked hesitantly, taking a step towards her mare friend. “Not now, Twilight,” Sunset said in the same quiet voice. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”  Her dress was hung on the rack and her suitcases floated out to the bed. “I’m just going to head back early. No sense in me being around to rain on the celebration.” “Now Sunset,” Cadence started. “Just because —“ “If I wanted him to be excused and apologies to be given,” Sunset snapped, eyes flaring. “I would have asked when I came in.” She turned away and took a deep breath.  “Please,” she whispered, pleaded. “Just give me some space for now.” Twilight hesitated, not having heard such dejection in the mare’s voice for a long time. “If you think that’s best,” she whispered, blinking a tear away. “I don’t,” Sunset said as she opened the door with her suitcase. “But it might be the only way.” As the door closed with a click, Twilight just stared at it, anguish with her friends’ pain warring with anger over the pony that had caused it. Why is there never an empty train platform when you’re in a foul mood? Sunset thought as she tried to shimmy between two yaks that seemed unaware of their being in the exact middle of the way to the open car door. And why do I feel as though I’m making a mistake here? She sat down and stared out the window, something niggling at the back of her mind. She had missed something along the way, or had she?  “Probably just my feeling rotten at the moment,” she grumbled to herself. “Well, I know my coffee wasn’t the best, but I don’t think it would do that.” a cheery voice chirped up. Sunset looked up to see Summer slide into the seat next to her. “Why are you here?” Sunset asked. “Well, you were leaving, as I should have expected,” the Pegasus said. “But I didn’t think you’d be so deep in thought that you wouldn’t hear me calling from across the platform.” “It’s pretty lively today,” Sunset muttered. “Going to tell me some other truth shrouded in lies on the trip?” Summer pouted. “I don’t think that’s fair. Plus, no cute bartender to pour us shots.” Sunset groaned. “Please, no more shots.” Something pricked her in the ribs. She looked down in time to see Summer hide a syringe back under her wing. “What…” “Sorry, Sunset,” the mare said with a sad smile. “I really wish I could keep that promise.” Blackness closed in before Sunset could say anything else. Summer leaned her against the window and draped a blanket over her, staying with her as the train pulled out. “And furthermore,” the voice reverberated in the room. “I should think that after some of the operations you had to be a part of in the guard, you’d know that not every pony has a choice!”  Twilight stomped a hoof in annoyance. Her wings had spread as she berated her father, the scowl on her face becoming almost scary in its intensity. “All she wanted to do was meet you, but you had to treat her like she’s still a pariah! That is something you’ve never done before, Dad! Not with Moondancer or any of my friends in Ponyville! Why Sunset, and I refuse to hear it’s because she’s my marefriend.” Nightlight ran a hoof through his mane, clearing his throat.  “I won’t deny that I may have gotten a little carried away because of her involvement,” he allowed slowly, then narrowed his eyes. “But you don’t find it the least bit convenient that she shows up just after your coronation and works her way not only your confidence, but also your heart? No suspicions of that at all?” Twilight let out a scoff of disgust. “Furthermore, that’s how her father acted when he was part of the intelligence service." Nightlight stared at his daughter stubbornly. “He was unscrupulous and merciless in his job, and I can’t stand a pony that would use something as simple as patriotism to defend his actions. I doubt she’s any more honorable than he is, wherever he may be.” “Oh, for the love of -” Twilight’s tenuous hold on her temper snapped as magic started sparking from her horn. “He left their family when she was five, Dad. Five! I have a stronger connection to Dusty Pages than she does with her father. I can’t believe you!” The mare’s wings puffed up in anger as she started gesticulating with her hooves - many of them not polite - as disdain dripped from every word. “You’re going to accuse her of duplicity simply because of blood relations? Really?! Should I be certified to carry weapons and command troops because you were in the guard? Since your blood is so pure, should Shining have been allowed into the guard automatically? Hang all the hard work and study he’s put in; the fools should have acknowledged his great and powerful bloodline and just put the Captain’s helmet on him as a cadet! After all, since she obviously picked up some form of magical demon blood, certainly, we should have greatness dripping from our pores.”   Shining cleared his throat. “Let’s not bring me —“ “Hush, Shiny,” Cadence clamped a hoof over his muzzle. “She’s on a roll.” “Now Twily,” Nightlight began. “Don’t ‘Twily’ me, Dad.” She advanced on him, wings tucking in finally. “You owe her an apology, and you owe it to her in the worst way. All she wanted was to be accepted by you and you’ve not only forced her out of your anniversary celebration but out of Tall Lake as well.” The next words from her mouth were deathly quiet. “Don’t look for me at dinner tonight. I don’t feel like spending it near you right now.” Twilight Velvet, who had sat nearby quietly as her normally calm daughter had called her father to the carpet, stood up. “Twilight,”  “I hope you have a good anniversary, Mom,” the Princess of Friendship said quietly, glancing back at her. And then she walked out of the room without a look or a word to the occupants.