//------------------------------// // Sweets After Midnight // Story: Why Did I Choose to be Trixie? // by Mike the Red //------------------------------// It was while I was sleeping in Celestia's bed that I was awoken in the middle of the night by somepony climbing into the bed with me. I was unsure of who it was, though I initially thought it might be Trixie. I had given her permission to join me whenever she wanted and had also given her free run about the castle with just a few exceptions. Whomever it was snuggled very close to me, wrapping a foreleg around my midsection. "Mmm, Trixie, I'm trying to sleep," I mumbled. I turned over and pulled the cover a little more tightly over my body. I felt a certain heftiness make a deep depression into the bed, causing me to sit up and cast an illumination spell to see who it was. I was quite surprised and shocked to see the obese dark brown pegasus mare having scooted very close to me. "Sweets? What are you doing in here? How did you get in here?" "Ah di'n't wanna sleep alone, Star -- Ah saw that sun on the door an' thought you were in here -- there wasn't no pony guardin' th' door, so Ah thought Ah'd jes' sneak on in here so Ah could snuggle with ya!" she giggled. "Remind me to have a pair of guards posted at the door from here on out. Sweets, this is Celestia's bedchamber -- she's away on vacation, so as her substitute, I'm sleeping in her bed while she's away. I didn't expect you to come in here, though," I mused, though a smile crept onto my face. Truth be told, I kind of missed her. "Ah'm sorry, Star, Ah di'n't know. Ah'll go back ta mah bedroom if'n ya want," she offered, her head and ears lowered. "Don't call me Star anymore, Sweets -- my name is Amethyst Flame -- Flaming Star was a stage name, one I won't be using anymore, so please don't call me that anymore. What I want to know is why you don't have any money and how you lost your home. Please explain." "Amethyst Flame? Oh, that's right, ya did tell me that Flamin' Star was jes' a stage name. Well, ya remember that room in the Visage? The one where yer blue unicorn mare attacked ya? Ah was under contract with that casino and when I fled in terror and returned ta mah home in Neigh Orleans, Ah got a call t' come back t' Las Pegasus -- Ah told 'em Ah wasn't goin' back, no way, no how, an' then they told me if'n Ah di'n't come back, they was gonna sue me fer breach o' contract -- they took everathin' Ah had -- mah home, mah money, EVERATHIN'!" she wailed as fresh tears threatened to spill over her cheeks again. I held her close to me, wrapping my wings around her. "There, there, it's gonna be all right, Sweets. I'm glad you told me what you did -- those ponies in Las Pegasus don't like me very much, and they're about to find out just how much I don't like them in return. Tell me something, Sweets -- how would you like to own your own casino?" I asked, beaming a big toothy grin. "Ooh! Which one?" she asked, grinning broadly. She dried her tears and looked at me expectantly, fluttering her wings in excitement. "The Visage," I replied nonchalantly. I watched her face light up with a big smile before she considered what I had said. "Um, how're ya gonna do that?" "As the acting Solar Regent, I am empowered to take certain actions which can not only reverse your loss, but I can also impose punitive measures upon that casino owner, stripping him of his title to it and awarding it to you. Of course, I'll need Luna's approval for that, but I have something she wants and she's willing to give me what I want in return for it. I'm sure if I provide her with a few favors, she'll reciprocate in kind," I said, a mischievous grin on my face. "Um, does that mean ye'll give me the Visage because of what I suffered? How'm Ah s'posed t' run a casino by mahself?" "Actually, you'll be listed as the owner of the property, but I will ensure the current employees are retained and their payroll covered by the Royal Coffers -- the casino profits will be apportioned so that you receive a hefty amount on a monthly basis. I will ensure that you can return to doing what you love and I will also ensure that no harm comes to you." She hugged me very tightly and kissed me on my lips, crying tears of happiness and joy. "Oh, thank ya so much, Amethyst! Ah'm so happy! Is there anythin' Ah can do t' repay ya fer yer kindness? Anythin? Just ask!" "To be honest, Sweets, I don't like sleeping alone either -- I'm tempted to let you sleep with me, but if Trixie were to return, she'd be furious. She's off with Twilight doing who knows what, but there aren't any guarantees of when she might return." "Ooh, would ya let me sleep with ya? Ah'll do anythin' ya want!" she exclaimed excitedly and turned over onto her back, spreading her hind legs wide for me. "Sweets, you seem to know me too well," I chuckled and extinguished my illumination spell. I pulled her close to me and the cover over both of us as we lay next to each other, cuddling and wrapping our legs around each other. I let my concern about Trixie melt away as I succumbed to the temptations of the chubby pegasus.