"Exile." Hurricane spat the word with all the venom she could muster. "After all I've done for them, this is how my people repay me." She took another swig from her mug. "Ungrateful whelps. I brought them summer and these children throw me out for it."
It hurt to see the once-mighty ruler reduced to this. Smart Cookie had taken a week to make it to the Isle of El Baa after finding out about the forced abdication, and it seemed as if Hurricane had spent the entire time deep in her cups.
"Even my army has deserted me," she muttered. "Should never have agreed to the dumb unification. Now I don't have anything or anyone left." With her trademark quicksilver temper already fading, there was nothing left for Hurricane but to sag down deeper into her seat, completely oblivious to the mare approaching her.
"You have me," Cookie said softly.
In her drunken stupor, it took Hurricane a few seconds of squinting before she recognized the newcomer, at which point her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Cookie," she said slowly, slurring out the name. "What're you doing here? Did those cowards back in Everfree send you to finish the job?"
Smart Cookie shook her head. "I told ya ages ago that I'd stick with ya until the end, and I meant it."
Hurricane chuckled bitterly. "You were always a stubborn one. Wouldn't even let Time herself claim you."
"I also ain't one to give up on a pony I love." Once again, Cookie prepared for rejection to tear her heart apart, but she couldn't help but make the declaration again. Even in her despondent state, Hurricane was still the most beautiful mare she'd ever seen, and she could still see the passion that burned bright beneath her depressed stupor.
"You've still got it bad for me, huh?" Hurricane set her mug down before staring at Cookie with unfocused eyes. "Well, I guess you're almost easy on the eyes, and I don't have any other options anymore, what with those fools taking away everything I had for no good reason." She shrugged. "Sure, why not? Let's see if you're any good at kissing."
"I... do you really mean it?" Cookie's heart was pounding in anticipation, and she could hardly breathe in her excitement.
Another shrug. "You're the only pony who gets that I should still be Commander, so yeah, I guess I'll take it."
Cookie didn't need any more prompting. She nearly leapt forward in her haste to finally fulfill her dreams, and lost herself in the kiss as she finally felt herself become whole for the first time in her life.
Fiddlesticks found her sitting at a bar, as usual. This time she was a green pegasus with a yellow-and-orange mane, downing a glass of wine as she slouched into her seat.
"Howdy," Fiddlesticks said, pulling herself up onto the stool beside her. "A pretty mare like you shouldn't be drinking alone."
The mare snorted. "Yeah, well, tell that to all the people I've scared away."
"Well, I don't scare easy." Fiddle waved at the bartender. "I'll have whatever she's having."
That got her new companion to raise an eyebrow. "You sure about that? You don't even know what I'm having."
"Eh, can't be that bad if you're gulping it down like water." Fiddle reached out a hoof. "I'm Fiddlesticks, by the way."
"Lightning Dust." In a single, smooth motion, Lightning downed the rest of her drink. "Hate to disappoint you if you're looking for a quick lay, but I'm not really interested in being with anyone right now."
Without even batting an eye at that, Fiddle smirked. "Don't worry, I like going slowly, darlin'."
Lightning Dust rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just don't blame me if you go home alone tonight."
Patience was a virtue that Fiddlesticks had cultivated over a very, very long time, so she simply smiled as the bartender set down her drink. "As long as I can help a pony get something off her chest, don't matter none where I end up after this. You seem like you could use an ear to listen to your sorrows."
With a sigh, Lightning motioned for the bartender to bring her another drink before she continued.. "I lost everything, twice," she said simply, her voice almost eerily devoid of emotion. "Kicked out of the Wonderbolts Academy, and then my stunt team got shut down. Every time I tried to reach for something, it just..." She shook her head. "Why do I bother trying anymore?"
"You sound like one extraordinary mare," Fiddle said, patting her gently on the back. "Gettin' into the Academy ain't easy, and then founding yer own stunt team? You sound like a pony worth hanging out with."
"It all turns to shit anyways, so who cares?"
"I do," Fiddle said. "Even if we fail, what's important is that we tried." It was a line she'd used many times before, and one she hoped to believe in one day. For now, she hoped it would ignite some of the fire back into Lightning's soul.
Unfortunately, the pegasus mare just sank deeper into her seat. "Sure, whatever." She stared at Fiddle. "You can go now, if you want. Don't need me harshing your vibe."
Fiddle shook her head. "Naw, I still got a drink to finish." Maybe things would be different by the time she finished it, maybe it wouldn't, but either way, she'd taken the first step, and all that was left was to let Destiny play out as it always did.