//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: A&E: The Case of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorderer // by Doccular42 //------------------------------// AMETHYST BREEZE’S HOME, PONYVILLE, 7PM Amethyst trudged down the dirt road known as ‘Mane Street’, dragging her hooves every step of the way. It had been a long day. After their discovery of Frank’s escape, Amethyst returned to their office to try and clean up the mess Frank made. She made very little progress, and afterwards she had to write up more paperwork pertaining to Frank’s escape. Needless to say, she was very, very tired. Ember left in the middle of Amethyst’s cleaning spree, spouting something about needing to ‘get ready’. Amethyst suspected it had something to do with Roseluck, but she was too tired to really care. Though she may have acted otherwise, Ember was a grown mare and could take care of herself. As long as she didn’t do anything stupid and get herself hurt or worse, Amethyst wasn’t worried. Her horn gave a bright flash and the door to her small home opened. She quickly stepped inside, and as soon as the door closed behind her, she let out a long overdue sigh. Amethyst levitated her ever-faithful fedora to the coat rack just beside her door, then trotted into her living room. As far as she was concerned, there was really only one thing she was interested in doing. Amethyst reached her destination, closed her eyes, and then face-planted onto her couch. She revelled in the softness of the furniture. She wished she could just lay here and never have to get up for anything again ever, but she knew that couldn’t happen. She inhaled the sweet aroma of home, then sighed again. That was for another time. For now, she could relax. She was alone. Amethyst had just began to drift off into the blissful embrace of sleep when a knock at her door caused her ears to perk. She sat up onto her rump, glaring with disdain at the door before she yawned. “I’m— “ She yawned again, and slowly pushed herself onto her hooves. “—coming.” The knocking persisted, and Amethyst gave an annoyed snort as she made her way to the door. “Ember, if this is you, I’m not in the mood for anymore antics tonight. It’d be much appreciated if you could save them for tomorrow.” Amethyst jerked open the door, then all of her annoyance, as well as any more hope for a pleasant evening, faded away instantly. Beyond the doorway, a stallion stood. He was tall, taller than she was, and his dark green eyes bore into hers. Amethyst had never seen this stallion before, but she had seen that look before. It was the same look a dragon who was looking for dinner gave to a pony. A single look, and Amethyst knew exactly why he was there. “Oh…” Amethyst’s face fell into a frown. “I’m… I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else.” He wasn’t amused. He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Well, as you can plainly see, Ms. Breeze, that is not the case. I can assume that you know why I am here?” “Is it due so soon?” Amethyst shifted in place uncomfortably. “I paid you two weeks ago. The deadline isn’t here yet.” The corners of his mouth tugged upwards into a devious smirk. “There’s been a change in plans. New supplies are coming in soon, and we’ll need the money to make all of the purchases we need.” If that isn’t the most half-flanked excuse I’ve ever heard… Amethyst bit her tongue. “Right...I assume you’ll be wanting the pay now, then?” His smirk faded, replaced with a dissatisfied frown. “What did you think I came here for? To say hello?” He sighed. “I am losing my patience, and I am on a tight schedule. Do you have the money or do you not?” “N-no, I do, it’s just… “ Amethyst stammered, then glanced off. “Just what, Miss Breeze?” Amethyst closed her eyes. “Nothing. I’ll go get it.” She quietly closed the door and made her way over to the saddlebags she’d unceremoniously tossed onto the floor when she’d entered the house. As she began counting the bits, the faces of those who’d paid her and Ember flashed into her mind. Ember… Would she be able to hide the loss of this much money without her noticing? After she made sure she had all of the bits she needed, she opened the door and laid the bag of bits into the pony’s outstretched hoof. “There, take your money and leave.” “You’re in no position to make demands.” The stallion gave her another smirk before he began to count the bits. When he was satisfied, he lowered his hoof. “How did you come up with this?” Amethyst blinked. “I-I’m sorry?” “We are not dumb, Miss Breeze. We protect our investments, and we happen to know about your lack of funds as of late. We were not expecting you to make the payment this time.” The stallion stuck the bag of bits into his own saddlebag before turning back around to face her with a curious stare. “You’ve been spying on me?” His smirk told her everything she needed to know. “That wasn’t part of the agreement! You said—” “The agreement that you broke, Miss Breeze.” Amethyst’s ears splayed backwards and she looked down at the floor. “I… I—” “Save your excuses, Miss Breeze. They mean very little to me.” He re-counted the bits in his hoof before putting them away in his saddlebag. “The next payment is two hundred bits.” Amethyst raised her head, eyes wide in shock. “You cannot be serious! That’s more than double this week’s!” Her sudden outburst drew the attention of some passing ponies, who looked towards the two in curiosity. Amethyst realized her mistake and cleared her throat, quieting her tone. “I thought we agreed on a set payment?” “We’ve changed our minds.” The stallion adjusted the hat on his head idly. “And if you want to keep things the way they are, I think it’s in your best interest that you comply.” The stallion nodded. “Good evening, Miss Breeze.” He turned and trotted away, his silhouette joining the other ponies’ in the dark of the night. Amethyst watched him go for a moment more before she quietly closed the door. She lowered her head, so her mane fell over her eyes. “I will not cry… “ Amethyst’s hoof fell away from the door. “I will not cry… “ She began to shake. “I will not… “ Wetness streamed down her face from under her mane. “O-oh… “ Amethyst sat on the floor, covering her face with her hooves as sobs racked her body and tears streamed from her eyes. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” She pounded her hoof onto the floor with each iteration of the word, her sobs becoming less and less as she began to think. Two hundred bits… where on Equestria am I going to get that? She jerked her head up with a gasp. She clamored back to her hooves and galloped for her study. She knocked over a lamp and some furniture on the way, her sight marred by tears. Once she reached her study, she began to yank out drawers with fervor. She levitated a file from one of the drawers, then quickly set it down on the desk and opened it. “What can I get rid of?” she mumbled to herself. Looking over the documents, it appeared that she could reduce pay. Maybe she could ask Ember about that? No, that wouldn’t be an option. Ember would ask questions, and she couldn’t afford that. She could cut her Air Conditioning, or maybe her electricity. They were all things she didn’t need anyways, she was hardly ever home. Home. She gazed at the house around her. She didn’t really need her home. She was hardly ever here anyways. That was it, she could sell her house. She might make enough bits to cover the next payment. In addition to whatever she and Ember earned from their next case, she might even make a surplus. With a sigh, Amethyst closed the file and leaned back into her chair. Her eyes slowly drifted to a close and she smiled. Everything was going to be fine. MAPLE STREET, PONYVILLE, 9PM “... So then I told him, ‘No! That’s the carpet cleaner!’” Roseluck stamped her hoof on the ground and howled with laughter. Ember threw her head back and guffawed. “Oh, no. What did he say next?” Rose gasped for breath. “Nothing! He just kept rubbing it into his mane and started glaring at me.” Ember’s laughter echoed off the buildings lining the side of the wide road. A passing stallion and mare shot the two mares disapproving glares, but they didn’t care. They kept walking down the lane, enjoying the moonlight and each other’s company. “Rose, your family sounds great.” Ember adjusted her scarf and smiled at her date. Rose returned the grin. “They really are. Even if my brother-in-law is a bit kooky.” “Well, every family has one or two of those. I mean, I have Ammy, after all!” Rose nodded. “I don’t know Amethyst well enough to see that part, but I’ll take your word for it.” “Oh, you should see her with her siblings. You’d see what I mean.” Ember shook her head with a chortle. “I bet. Every family does have one, though.” Rose cocked her head to the side. “But what about your family, Ember? We’ve talked about mine all evening, and about you and Amethyst, but you haven’t said anything about your family.” Ember’s grin faded a bit. “Well… let’s just say that Ammy and her family are a lot closer to me than my own.” She shook her head. “Rose, I had a great evening, and I really want to end it on a fun note. Can we talk about something else?” Roseluck nodded immediately. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to bring up a touchy subject.” She smiled at Ember. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk later, I hope.” Ember grinned lopsidedly in return. “Yeah… I had a lot of fun tonight, Rose.” “Me too, Ember.” Roseluck nodded at a house surrounded by a beautiful garden. “Well, this is it.” Ember gazed at the cottage. It wasn’t the largest house on the street, but it was very well kept, and it had a pleasantly homey air to it. Ember didn’t know how else to think about it. The picket fence around the small yard was covered in perfectly white paint, the garden was immaculate, and the house itself had all the charm of Roseluck and Ponyville. It was perfect, and it was so completely Roseluck that Ember could practically feel it. “Wow! Your house is gorgeous! I love the garden!” Ember exclaimed. Rose blushed in the pale moonlight, and it brought a smile to Ember’s face. The beautiful earth pony twirled a lock of her hair around her hoof. “Aww. I know it’s not too much compared to what you’re used to in Canterlot or Manehatten, but I love it.” “No, really.” Ember met her eyes. “I mean it. It’s great.” Rose giggled. “Well, maybe you should see it in the daytime, then!” Ember grinned. “I’d like that.” “How about on Tuesday? Would you be busy that afternoon and evening?” Rose flipped her mane. Ember smirked. “Well, that depends, Miss. What are you suggesting?” “Hmm… I happen to know of a beautiful meadow just outside of Ponyville… There’s a lake so peaceful that you can see your reflection as well as if you’d used Rarity’s best mirror and so clear that you can see all the way to the bottom at any time of year. The hills around it have the most magnificent trees that you’ll see south of the Surewould Forest. And when the evening comes, you have the most amazing view of the stars… So long as the sky’s clear.” She leaned in and whispered in Ember’s ear. “And I happen to know that the weather team has scheduled a perfect sky on Tuesday evening…” Ember stood still, entranced. “Wow…” “And, best of all, Fancy Fare has a to-go menu… So we can have a perfect picnic…” Ember felt Rose’s breath on her ear and shifted somewhat. She looked right at the other mare. “That sound’s perfectly lovely. How could I possibly say no?” The flower mare backed away and giggled. “I was hoping that you’d say that.” “So, when would you get off work?” “For this, I can close early. Meet me here at, oh, say, four?” Rose fluttered her eyelashes. Ember nodded. “It’s a date.” “It certainly is…” Roseluck pushed her gate open slowly. She kept eye contact with Ember the whole time. Ember didn’t look away. For what felt like an eternity, she stared into Roseluck’s beautiful eyes. The glimmer of her irises in the moonlight… The soft curve of her mane… Her flawless eyelashes… The smell of her perfume… The smell of perfume… The smell of perfume... Ember’s eyes went wide, and she laughed nervously. The two broke eye contact. “Well… I guess this is good night then…” She softly shut the gate behind Rose. “I suppose so…” Rose said quietly. Ember shot a charming smile. “Have a good night’s sleep, beautiful. I’ll see you very soon.” She was slowly backing away when Rose interrupted her. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Ember cocked her head to the side and trotted back up to the gate. “Umm… I don’t think so, but I don’t exactly have the best memory, so it’s a distinct possibili—” Her next words were cut off by Roseluck’s lips. The other mare smelled like roses, but she tasted like nectar. Ember’s eyes went wide, and panic filled her body as memories came flooding back to her. Roseluck broke the kiss only a few seconds after it had begun. She blushed and looked down. “That’s how I like to say goodnight…” She smiled coyly and gave Ember another peck on the lips. “Goodnight… Ember.” Ember felt herself smile and say something that she assumed was witty or romantic or both, but she didn’t really know what it was. As soon as Roseluck turned around and walked into her house, Ember started to shake. Her legs trembled, she felt lightheaded, and all she could smell was the perfume that brought back memories of cologne… Ember wiped her face, her eyes unblinking. She robotically turned around and walked forward numbly. Her footing was unsure, the world spun, and all she could smell was perfume. She closed her eyes. She squeezed them as hard as she could. Not again, not again, not again… Ember shook her head. Her jaw clenched tightly and she walked forward, step by step. All she could smell was perfume. Ember felt water on her face, and she looked up. The clouds in the sky weren’t storm clouds, so where was the rain coming fr… Oh. Of course. She wiped away the tear, but she still didn’t feel anything. All she could smell was perfume. He shoulders shook. She could hardly walk straight. The wide open air closed in around her and seemed to choke her… And all she could smell was perfume. “Oh, p-p-ponyf-f-feathers…” She stuttered, and that was the last straw. She choked back a sob and took off running down the street to the only place that she knew that she’d feel safe. To the only pony who would make her feel safe. And all she could smell was perfume. AMETHYST BREEZE’S HOME, PONYVILLE, 9PM Amethyst’s eyes opened again, and her gaze traveled down to one of the drawers of her desk. She took a deep breath, then magically opened the drawer and drew out what was inside. A plain white sheet of paper. Amethyst gently set the paper down onto the desk in front of her, then levitated a quill and an ink container onto her desk as well. She leaned forward in her chair, trying to think about the words she was about to write. Once she was certain she had a rough idea of what she wanted to say, she carefully placed the tip of the quill to the paper. Dear Mr. Breeze, The quill stopped. Amethyst pulled it away and went over the words in her head again. After another moment, she shook her head and crumpled the paper up, throwing it in the trash. She got another piece of paper from her drawer, and tried again. Dear Daddy, The quill stopped again. Amethyst chewed on the inside of her cheek, then drew the quill away from the paper. She released another sigh and threw the sheet in the trash. One more sheet of paper, one more try. She carefully set the tip of the quill onto the paper once more, and began writing anew. Dear Father, Amethyst nodded. How are you doing? Things have been a bit crazy around here, but I’m still keeping my head up high, just like you told me. The quill drew away from the paper again. Amethyst squinted and re-read the first line, before nodding to herself and continuing. Canterlot is beautiful this time of year. Did you get to go to the Summer Sun Festival? It’s always breathtaking to watch Princess Celestia raise the sun. Just be sure to be kind to the guards in that event. I ran detail one year for that and let me tell you, much different from being a civilian. Amethyst chuckled to herself. Lots of ponies liked to use fake tickets. Luckily, it was relatively easy to tell the fake ones from the real ones, if you knew the right spell. A smile slowly spread across Amethyst’s face How is Mom doing? I know she’s got her hooves full with Whiplash and Abacus. Just let Whiplash know that if she doesn’t make good grades, she’ll never get into Wonderbolts academy. That’ll straighten her out pretty quick. As for Abacus… The smile faded. Wow, I haven’t been home for longer than I thought. How is Abacus doing? I don’t even know if he’s in school or not yet. The frown persisted. Ember keeps telling me I should visit home more often, but I’m so caught up in work here lately. Just yesterday we caught a unicorn mare who liked to turn things upside down. And no, I’m not kidding you. She would break into ponies’ homes and/or shops, grab everything (and I do mean everything) in the store with her magic, flip it one hundred and eighty degrees, and set it back down again. The way we caught her was almost just as ridiculous, if not even more so. Sometimes I think Ember treats this job more like a game than an actual… job. A wet spot appeared on the letter. I miss you all so much. It’s so difficult running your own business and living on your own, but I’m managing what I can do. The OCD’er (That’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorderer. I came up with the name. Of course, Ember decided to call her ‘Frank’. She actually thought that was better!) case rewarded us big, and I’ve got some money to keep me going for a while now. Another wet spot. Her writing became messy. I hope you’re doing alright, Father. I really do want to come see you soon. I love you all. Love, Amethyst Breeze Amethyst sighed and released the quill from her magical grasp. She set the letter aside and wiped her eyes. She could seal the letter and mail it tomorrow. She stretched out her forelegs and rubbed her neck. With a quick application of telekinesis, she put her desk back in order and stood up from her chair. Amethyst slowly walked over to the lamp to turn it off before heading into her room. She reached up toward the switch and— “Ammy? Are you in there? Ammy?” The familiar voice of Ember was accompanied by a frantic knocking at the front door. Amethyst groaned and lowered her hoof. Grumbling, she trotted over to the door. “Ember, I swear to Luna, if this is about you wanting tomorrow off, I will…” Amethyst used her magic to grip the door handle, then jerked open the door. Amethyst’s voice trailed off when she saw Ember beyond the newly opened door. The mare’s normally cheerful demeanor was replaced by sagging shoulders. Her usually immaculate mane was disheveled as if she had just run a marathon. Her lightly applied makeup ran down her face in wet lines. Her scarf was tangled, her beret was askew, and Amethyst’s heart nearly stopped when Ember opened her eyes. Her eyes were the same as they’d been the last night that she’d banged on Amethyst’s door so late at night. “Ammy…” Ember whispered. She threw herself at Amethyst and grabbed her into a fierce hug. Sobs wracked her body, and Amethyst could feel Ember’s wet face pushed into her mane. “Hey, hey.” Amethyst hugged her friend back. “Come here, sit down…” She led Ember to the couch, and the two sat down together. Ember didn’t say a word. She just held on as if her life depended on it. Amethyst stroked her mane and let her cry. Finally, after several minutes, Ember cried out, “What’s so d-damn wrong with me, Ammy?” Amethyst flinched at the words, but she didn’t back away. She pulled her best friend closer and replied softly, “Ember…” Her words failed her. “I can’t do it!” Ember sobbed. “I j-just can’t any more! I j-j-just w-w-want t-t— Ponyfeathers! I can’t even t-t-talk!” Amethyst slowly pulled away a little and looked Ember in the eyes. “Hey. I’m here. You can do this. Now, do you remember what we used to do? How you used to close your eyes and count in your head?” Ember met her gaze and nodded. She shut her mouth, closed her eyes, and she and Amethyst both counted to thirty. “Good,” Amethyst said with a smile. “Now, breathe in…” She and Ember both took a deep breath before Amethyst continued. “And breathe out… And breathe in… And breathe out…” Ember’s breathing slowed, but when Amethyst felt hot tears spill onto her legs, she knew it hadn’t been enough. “Okay, Ember. Can you open your eyes?” Ember’s eyes opened slowly. Her mascara had been smeared all over her face, and her curly hair was knotted. Her beret had fallen at some point. Amethyst restrained herself from showing any emotional response to how Ember looked. Instead, she forced out a smile. “Good job. Now, do you think you can tell me what happened?” Ember sniffed. “Yeah, I think so…” “Good, good. Take all the time you need.” The pegasus mare wiped her snout and tried to blink away her tears. “I’m so sorry, Ammy…” Amethyst’s eyes went wide. “Why are you sorry?” “You don’t need this… You’ve been working all day, you told me this would happen… I should have listened.” Ember met her eyes once more. “I’ll just go, okay? I c-can deal with this.” She put on a wide smile, but a treacherous tear betrayed her facade. “What? No, silly.” Amethyst grabbed her back into a hug. “No. You’re going to stay right here, and you’re going to talk to me. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone. I won’t let you be alone, ever. Do you hear me?” Ember returned the embrace, and Amethyst heard a raspy laugh. “Yes ma’am…” Amethyst released her. “Can you start from the beginning?” Clearing her throat, Ember began, “Well, Roseluck and I went out for dinner, like we planned on, and… It was great, Ammy.” She sniffed. “Like, really, really good. I haven’t felt like this in a long time. She laughed, I laughed, and it was almost perfect.” Ember smiled weakly. “Okay… what happened next?” Amethyst nodded. “Well, we were walking home and flirting and all that, and we got to her house and… And… And…” Ember’s words stopped short, and her sobs returned. “Hey. Hey, hey, hey.” Amethyst pulled her into a hug again. “Did she hurt you, Ember?” “No! She didn’t do anything wrong! Nothing!” Amethyst stroked Ember’s tangled mane. “It’s okay…” “She just kissed me, that’s all. A kiss! I’m freaking the Tartarus out over a motherbucking KISS!” Ember’s voice cracked, and her tears fell into Amethyst’s mane. “I’m here, I’m here.” “She kissed me, and it was nice, and I liked it and then, bam! I was right back in Manehattan in that room and they were there, and I was there, and I could smell it, and see it, and hear it… A-and…” She cried out and her whole body trembled. “Ember.” Amethyst tried to interrupt her friend, but she wouldn’t stop. Her whole body shook with tears. “Ember.” She didn’t respond. “Ember.” The pegasus clung to Amethyst with a vice-like grip. “Don’t let them take me! Ammy! Ammy! Ammmmmmmy!” she screamed. With a flash of light, Amethyst illuminated the entire room with a brilliant white glow. All the shadows fled, and Ember’s eyes shot open. “I’ve got you… I’ve got you…” Amethyst cradled Ember gently. “No more, no more, no more,” Ember muttered over and over. “Hey, hey. They can’t hurt you. They’re gone. We’re in Ponyville, remember? With all the silly country ponies, and the small streets, and the ‘detestable lack of a fashion industry,’ as you put it. You’re safe. Safe…” Ember pulled even closer, which barely seemed possible. “Ammy, can you sing for me?” Amethyst breathed in sharply. “Ember, you know I—” “Please?” Amethyst looked down at those pleading eyes, and she smiled softly. “Okay…” She grunted, feeling the tight grasp holding her chest.. “Hey, I do kinda need to breathe…” Ember loosened her grip, and Amethyst cleared her throat. Hesitantly, she began to sing. “I’ve got sunsh—" Amethyst’s voice broke, and her cheeks flushed dark purple. Ember looked up at her. “It’s fine, Ammy. Please.” Taking a deep breath, Amethyst began again. “I’ve got sunshine… On a cloudy day… When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May…” Ember whispered along as Amethyst’s cracking voice reached the chorus. “I guess, you’d say, what can make me feel this way?” “My girl…” Ember sang softly. “Talkin’ ‘bout, my girl..” Amethyst continued. “Bum, bum, bum bum…” Ember sniffed and giggled. “Do you remember the time that you sang for that colt in school? The pegasus?” Amethyst groaned. “Eww, Soarin’? Don’t remind me. That was so embarrassing.” “Yeah. He thought you were awful.” Ember chuckled raspily. Amethyst glared. “Well, thanks. That makes me feel good.” “I thought it was beautiful though.” Amethyst held her friend. “Thanks, Ember.” “No. Thank you, Ammy. I love that song.” Amethyst patted her back. “Okay. Are you feeling better now?” “I don’t know,” Ember said. “Do you still want to talk?” “Yeah. No. I mean…” Ember’s voice faded. “I hate this…” She whispered. “I… I just want to be old-Ember again.” Amethyst stroked her mane once more. “You are old-Ember. You’re still you, and you’re still my best friend. They can’t take that away, and nopony ever will. Not Rose, not those other ponies, and not even you.” “I don’t feel like me, though,” Ember muttered nearly inaudibly. “I feel like… Like… Like they stole part of me, and I can’t find it any more. I can’t even touch anypony any more.” She looked up at Amethyst, who still held her close. “Well, except for you, ya big lump.” Amethyst giggled and placed a soft kiss on the top of Ember’s head. “Yeah, except for grumpy old Ammy.” Ember smiled weakly. “Yeah…” Her smile faded. “Ammy, I really like Rose. It’s not been long that I’ve known her, but I really want to try again. I don’t want to be like this forever. I want to move on. I want to… I want to…” She sighed. “I want to be normal again.” Amethyst sighed. “Okay, Ember. You know what you need, and if it’s time to try again, then it’s time to try again. I might complain a bit, and I might say stuff I don’t mean, but it’s just because I worry about you. I don’t want her to break your heart like the last mare. Or stallion. Or the other stallion. Or the one before that. Or the one before that. Or—” Ember punched Amethyst lightly in the shoulder with a giggle. “Okay, okay, I get it. I get it.” Amethyst returned the laugh. “But seriously. I care about you. You’re my best friend in the whole world, and you’re like family. So I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you.” “Thanks,” Ember said with a smile. She wiped her face. “Gosh, I got you all covered in nasty Ember tears, didn’t I? Sorry.” Amethyst ruffled her mane. “It’s fine. It’s not exactly the first time this has happened, ya know.” “Yeah, I think I noticed,” Ember quipped. She finally pulled away from Amethyst. “Well, I think it’s time for me to hit the sack,” Amethyst said. “Do you want to stay here tonight? My couch has been lonely, you know.” “Well when you put it that way…” Ember began. “I certainly couldn’t let a beautiful couch like this suffer! I guess I’ll have to stay for tonight.” Amethyst smiled. “Thanks, Ember. You don’t know how much he’s been complaining.” She winked. “I’ll grab you some pillows and blankets.” Amethyst grabbed a few items from her closet, and she returned to see Ember sitting on the couch staring at her hooves. “Here you go, silly.” Amethyst tossed her the pillows and blankets. Ember barely caught them, and one of the pillows hit her in the face. “Oof!” she cried. “Oww…” Amethyst snorted. “Aw, come on, Ember. We chase down masked villains in the late of the night, stalk the dregs of society, and face off against the worst of the worst on a semi-weekly basis, and you can’t even take a pillow to the face? Ya need to up your game, Emb—” Thwack! The same pillow hit Amethyst in the face, and the unicorn spun to the floor with the force of the blow. “Hey! Why did you do that?” Ember lay on her back on the couch. Her forelegs were crossed over her belly, and her scrunched up face barely contained a giggle. “Hrmm? Were you saying something, oh mighty and wise detective? Please, do continue, and regale me with thy wisdom!” Amethyst pulled herself up and muttered under her breath. “What was that?” “Nothing...” Amethyst growled as she blew feathers out of her face. Once more, Ember let out a filly-like giggle. “Well, I’m going to bed now. I’ll see you in the morning. Night, Ember!” Amethyst turned to leave the room, but Ember’s voice interrupted her. “Ammy?” The unicorn turned around. “What?” “Thanks. Nopony else is ever here for me, but you care. You’re my best friend, and I love you.” Ember smiled at her. Amethyst couldn’t help the huge smile that crossed her own face. “Hey. You were there for me too. It’s not just a one sided thing. I do care. I love you too.” “Well then, since you love me, can I maybe have a tiny snack? I’m feeling kinda hungry, and—” “Ember…” Amethyst shut off the lights. “Don’t push it. Good night.” A chuckle echoed through the dark. “Alright, alright. Fine. Night! See you in the morning!” Amethyst trotted over to her bed, her path illuminated by her nightlight. As she pulled the covers up over her body, all her uncertainty, her fears, and the dark memories faded. Tomorrow was another day. Another chance. Another case.