//------------------------------// // Hope Dies Last: Closer // Story: Imbalanced // by Nameless Narrator //------------------------------// [Choking's Entry] I think I'm falling for Void. He is completely different from anypony else I've ever known. Wise, calm and fatherly (I don't mean it like that), he is like the pony of my dreams. [End Entry] My now familiar black pillow is snoring weakly and my waking up earlier than him shows that Void's use of power yesterday was more of a blow than he let show. He's usually been up early and making breakfast, speaking of which... I could make something for him. I mean I'm no cook but some omelettes shouldn't be too difficult. With my experience ranging from nothing to absolute zero, I remember there is a cookbook stashed somewhere in the kitchen, a gift from some thoughtless coltfriend who believed our fling would last. Finally finished with my morning bathroom rituals, I begin the search for the fabled manual of cookery which proves elusive for the longest time and I whistle at the realization that all Void's previous cooking was done from memory. "Oh, there it is," are my final words before entering the state of extreme concentration required to make eggs sunny side up. With the book in front of me, I look for a second like a griffon grandmaster getting ready to fight a pack of hungry lions with his paws and talons. The lions seem an easier opponent though after finding out that there are enough eggs for only one attempt. Braving the unknown world of basic cooking, I set out on the path of enlightenment. A scream wakes up Void, making him slightly disappointed it wasn't Scream but after revising his exhausted body his libido gives up and returns thinking privileges to the brain. A strange smell lingers in the air but worries about his safety aren't the order of the day. The alarm clock is showing nothing after yesterday's fatal encounter with his grumpy morning self but the light coming through the window proves that the day is already in full swing. There is no sign of Choking anywhere around and a smoke reminiscent of him using his own power is billowing through the living room. Void rushes to the kitchen which seems to be its source. My cooking attempt is going fine until it's suddenly not going fine. I just don't know what went wrong. When Void barges into the kitchen I'm just sitting there in crushing despair, covered in white goo and sobbing quietly. Clouds of smoke are originating from the bubbling black mess on the frying pan and there is a small, black creature patting me on the back, trying to make me feel better. It stops when it sees Void. "How did you manage to summon a lesser imp by COOKING?" says Void in disbelief, still trying to understand the situation. "I-I just wanted to make something nice for you and... and... WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" my sobbing turns to open crying. Void grins as his memory shows a golden alicorn casting fireballs at a loaf of bread to make toasts faster. "There there," he hugs me and then turns towards the little demon sitting on the cooling stove, "and you get out!" The demon disappears in a puff of smoke adding the smell of sulfur to whatever miasma is already floating in the apartment and leaving Void to deal with me, fortunately he has got enough experience with such situations. "Come on, let us get you clean... and scrubbed," he says. I'm stuck between sulking and depression but when Void levitates me on his back and carries me to the shower I just sqeak surprisedly and let him get on with it. With warm water flowing on us, Void begins trying to get out the goo from my coat, with very little success. "What IS this stuff?" he asks when his repeated attempts only cause me to yelp in pain. "It was supposed to be your breakfast." "I am sorry to tell you I do not eat industrial grade adhesives." "I just wanted to do something for you for once." "I did not think I have angered you enough to feed me this," he takes a stab at me with a smile. "Come on, the eggs were going just fine before... stuff happened." "Speaking of which, do you have anything to get the... ehm, eggs out?" Despite his careful attempts, my coat is still sticky. "I would tell you but I intend to get a bit more dirty first," I turn towards him and wrap my hind legs around him and my front legs around his neck. I've never experienced something like this with any of my young coltfriends who were useful only for one thing and then usually fell asleep. My kiss attempt is answered and his hooves begin answering every call of my body and when it all becomes too much to handle, I bury my face in his chest and refuse to let go until even the smallest shivers die down. I'm not selfish though. Answering in kind, I go lower and focus on his nether regions with enough gusto and experience to make him moan and respond to my every move. In the end he just makes my mane messier and stickier than before. "Well how am I supposed to clean that?" asks Void after breathing out. "Let me worry about that. Can you make something to eat in the meantime? I'm afraid my cooking could make a zebra witch doctor cringe." "I can teach you to cook something simple, we have enough time." "Maybe later. I'm not gonna waste my day off by doing something useful." "So what do you want to do today?" "Rest a bit and then we could continue out little... activity." "I am a stallion, not a machine." "Don't tell me you and Scream have never done it the entire day." "It HAS been a while though." "It's no use resisting. I'll be calling the shots today." Void sighs in fake resignation. "Fiiiine, just give me five minute breaks from time to time." "Can't promise!" "Just clean yourself up and I will see what can be done about the kitchen." And so the mighty avatar of death sets on his own path of advanced cleaning and alchemy required to dissolve some eggs. "When you said you wanted to read something I did not think it would be this," says Void, skeptically looking at a small book I pulled from my sad and almost empty bookshelf. "Scared?" I grin at him. "I do not think legs can bend that way," Void's ears splay back as he opens the 'Ponesutra' at random and examines a picture on the page. "Oh c'mon. Don't tell me you've never done anything like that with Scream." "I have to admit she is pretty flexible but this might require a threesome, preferably with a chiropractor." "I like the way you think, know anypony interested?" Void keeps exploring the limits of pony body presented in the book with horrified fascination. "Perhaps somepony with the knowledge of baking pretzels? This is not physically possible." "Don't be such a baby, I think I'm good enough to make shattered spine worth it." "Well somepony has high opinion of her opinion," Void takes a stab at my impenetrably good mood. "Too bad. My place, my rules." Void shakes his hoof theatrically. "Damn you, need for shelter and food!" I burst out laughing. "It's time to pay your fair share, mister stallion!" The positions in Ponysutra keep on increasing in complexity as the book goes on so an exploratory flick of a page towards the end of the book just makes Void gulp. He shows the picture to me. "Just not this one, please." My wide eyes resembling a filly opening her birthday presents warn him he might have made a terrible mistake. Twilight Sparkle gets out of the noon train to Canterlot and stretches her wings. It's one of the things she dislikes about them, they have their uses though. Through flying sessions with Rainbow Dash every morning she is now able to cover a fair distance faster than on hoof and without the unnecessary expenditure of magic through teleportation. Few ponies on the platform are watching her but there is no unwanted attempt at conversation. Perhaps the princess thing is somewhat useful after all. She takes to the skies and heads towards the castle. Two guards stop her at the castle entrance for the first time in her memory. "Identification, please!" "Eeh, Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia's student?" "Have you got anything to prove that?" Twilight spreads her wings and her horn glows. The guard step back nervously. "Sorry, princess. There has been some trouble recently involving purple unicorns." "Really, what sort of problems?" asks Twilight with interest, remembering her Nightmare festival. "I don't really know but some of our guys were attacked by you... I mean, eeeh, your Highness' lookalike." "You don't have to be so nervous. It wasn't me." "I know, your Highness." "Could you stop with the titles? Now you're making me nervous." "Of course, your- ehh, majesty, princess..." the guard trails off having no idea how to correctly address royalty who doesn't want to be addressed correctly. Twilight just sighs. "Can you let me pass then? I'm here to meet princess Luna," she asks, noticing the other guard on duty disappeared. "I'm sorry, princess. You have to wait until my colleague comes back with an escort for you," says the guard, looking more and more depressed. "It's alright. I promise not to go evil in the meantime," tries Twilight to uplift the nervous guard's spirit with a smile. Through the guard's eyes, the smile seems like one of a shark ready to devour its prey. He begins shaking. "You don't have to be nervous around me. I probably have less experience with being close to a princess than you." Her second attempt is better than the first one but just barely, leaving the guard somewhere between dread and pure terror. Fortunately the other guard returns soon with a batpony. "Sorry for making you wait, princess," the guard and the batpony bow, "Biscuit here will show you to the princess' chambers at once." "Thank you," says Twilight, "Good job, guys." The two golden guards just bow again and the batpony gestures her to follow him. "Why were they so nervous?" asks Twilight when they are walking up one of many castle stairways. "The gate guards are usually newbies or low rank ponies. You are probably the first member of royalty to speak with them, princess," says Sharp Biscuit in calm voice. "What happened to the security here, anyway. I've lived here most of my life and it's never been like this except for the changeling invasion." "I don't really know but there was some commotion in the throne room yesterday and some guards were hurt. I suppose that's why princess Luna asked for your presence." "Probably." They pass a pair of silver-armored Nightguards who salute. Biscuit returns the gesture and Twilight, unsure what to do, waves at them as graciously as she can. Compared to the others, Biscuit feels different and familiar to Twilight. "Have we met before, what's your full name?" "Sharp Biscuit, princess Luna's personal bodyguard. We met at the Nightmare festival in Ponyville, your Highness." "I'm sorry, I really should remember these things now, right?" "It's fine. Your duty puts you in contact with many different ponies. You can't remember every single one so just do your best and-" he stops, realizing who he is talking to. That's just what Twilight needed though. "Thanks." "You're welcome, princess," he knocks at the ornate door appearing just as they round a corner. Biscuit bows, Twilight nods back at him and waits until Luna comes out.