“Life," A familiar voice behind me said softly. I turned around on my barstool at the Salt Lick, adoption papers momentarily forgotten.
I saw the last pony in Equestria I ever expected to see. “Div?”
“So apparently, after touring all over Equestria you decided to make a special trip here? Of all the places you’ve been?” Div asked, wiping sweat from his brow with one hoof as he sat down next to me. “It’s night and it’s hot. Not to mention the dust.” I couldn’t help but notice the purple-hued armor he wore. That was Princess Luna's mark on the breastplate, wasn’t it?
I set my questions aside to tease him, falling into our old rapport with surprising ease. “Appleloosa is a burgeoning community. The relationship this town has fostered recently with the bison is nothing short of historic. The life that has been lived here…well, it’s been a rush.”
Div looked at me sidelong. “Your parents are on their way. They told me about your letter. Lovely had some business with her publisher that she couldn’t get away from, so I took an emergency leave. My c/o is disappointed, but there are things more important than advancing in the Guard.”
“I bet.” The bartender took Div’s order and disappeared again. “How are my folks?”
“Worried about you, of course.” Div looked down at the pile of paperwork. “What's that?”
"Just some business I'm taking care of while I'm here." I answered, unsure of where to start when it came to explaining Bruiser.
"Why are you here?"
“Why would you care? I pushed you away.” I said, crossly. He was being much too nice to me considering how I’d treated him last time.
"Do you really want to talk about that?" He asked, regarding me seriously.
"Are you going to arrest me if I don't?" I asked, feeling distinctly foalish.
Div turned his head away, his shoulders shaking. Had I gone too far? Was he crying? "Div, I..." I reached out and he turned around with a grin, one hoof failing to cover his mouth. The jerk was laughing. "I don't see what's so funny."
"Only you would be worried that I became a royal guard and took time off just to arrest you!" He laughed. In spite of myself, I smiled.
He gazed into my eyes and spoke. “You know I actually waited at the station when the tour came back? No, of course you don’t."
I winced. I hadn't counted on Div being there when I got home. Perhaps that was a part of why I'd decided to help Bruiser; to avoid everything. Had I just meant to delay the inevitable?
"I had to ask the ponies getting off. Curiously, no pony knew your name." Hardly surprising, I thought. The only two ponies who knew my real name had come along with me. "I tried describing you and finally, this grumpy old doctor said you were headed to Appleloosa. I was about to book a train to get you when your mother showed up at the station.”
“What did she say?” I asked.
“Not much, like I mentioned. Basically, she told me you'd gone to Appleloosa and she said something about a foal. And she…well she reminded me of something I had to do before I could go haring off after you.” He said nervously, adjusting his breastplate.
“I take it had something to do with this?” I said, gesturing at the armor.
He nodded. “I enlisted about two weeks after you left. I was pretty upset.” Div stated. I nodded numbly, unable to look at him as he spoke. “Finally Mamma Pro cornered me. She told me to pull myself together and move on. I quit the delivery company and enlisted in the royal guard. My scores were good enough to earn me a commission in Princess Luna’s House Guard.”
“Bet all the other messengers at CCC are glad a certain earth pony isn’t around to make them look bad. So, you ran around Canterlot in full armor?” I smiled.
Div smiled back and nodded. “I really shouldn’t be in uniform, but I ran straight to my C.O.'s office, filled out forms while waiting in a remarkably long line, and ran to the station as soon as my leave was approved.”
"You could leave Canterlot just like that?"
He shrugged. "My conversation with the lieutenant took the longest. Lieutenant Knight was...less than pleased. To be fair, he had just gotten command of the palace practically dumped on him. He's a good stallion, though."
“I missed you.” Div said as we sat in silence.
I looked down at my drink. “I’m sorry.”
After a pause, he asked, “Why?”
I pretended to misunderstand. “Why am I sorry? I made everyone worry.”
“You know what I meant.” Div huffed. “Why’d did you leave?”
I was confused. “What do you mean, why? Didn’t you…” I bit off the end of that sentence. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to know about Div's faceoff with Genuíne Article. “Div, I don’t know what you did, but…”
“You don’t need to know.” He said, cutting me off.
My stomach curdled at the tone. “Div, she’s a dangerous pony.”
“You don’t have to tell me that.” Div replied.
I had to leave. Div was getting tangled in things better left undisturbed. “Well, it was nice catching up with you. If you see my parents…” I picked up the papers and turned to exit, but Div barred my way.
The stallion held his temper, barely. “Life Story, I didn’t come here for your parents. I came here for you.”
I moved to sidestep him, but was blocked. “Well, you’re just going to have to leave without me.”
“I’m not leaving.” Sogni was resolute.
“Welcome to Appleloosa.” Life said drily. “How long are you staying? I’m sure Lieutenant Knight would love this!”
“I’m not leaving without you.” Div
“What do you mean, you’re not leaving without me?” I asked, irritated.
He sighed in frustration. “How dense are you?”
I stomped a hoof. “Get to the point, Div.”
“I ran around Canterlot, took time off from work as a palace guard, and the first thing we do is fight. Only you could be this infuriating! Why do you think I did all that?” He asked, throwing a hoof up.
“Who asked you to? I’m fine! I’m an adult and I have business here. What do you want from me?” My voice rose. The barkeep appeared again, summoned by the noise of an argument.
Div had enough. “I came to tell you I love you! Everything I've done is because I love you, you stupid stallion!” He shouted.
The bar fell silent. I stood in shock at his deafening proclamation.
"If you two gentlecolts would like a room..." The barkeep began, but I rushed around Div and out the door.
"Life, please wait." Div said as he jogged in his armor.
I should know better by now than to think I could outrun him, but I kept up the attempt. "Div, I can't handle this right now."
"I've wanted to tell you for so long, please talk to me!" He pleaded.
I stopped. He overshot me and turned around. "Div, I'm sorry."
"No, Ly, I should..." He began; I cut him off.
"Let me say it, though." He sighed, but relented as we faced one another. "I shouldn't have thrown things at you, I shouldn't have shoved you out the door. I regretted it immediately. I still regret it. You deserved better."
"Hard to argue with you." He said with a smile.
"Thanks for making me feel better." I said cynically, narrowing my eyes.
He grinned back, the picture of playfulness. "Anytime." I folded my ears down and started walking again, a bit slower. Div stayed by my side.
I scrambled my brain for any argument against us becoming closer. "Div, you could have anypony..."
He shook his head defiantly. "I don't want anypony. I want you."
"I'm not...I can't...It's just..." I struggled for words. How could I convince him to go away?
He practically pranced. "You're not getting rid of me so easily again. I don't care how many things you throw at me. I. Love. You." He punctuated each of the last three words with a playful stomp.
I turned to him. "I don't deserve..."
He placed a hoof over my mouth. "Life Story, you need to stop bad-mouthing my best friend. The pony I love is a kind, considerate, trustworthy pony who deserves all the best things in the world. I can't give him all those things, but I can promise to try to make every one of his days better."
Tears rolled down from my eyes. "I'm not that pony. I'm selfish, irrational, and prideful. I hurt the ponies closest to me without thinking about it and what makes it worse is how much they do for me, even after I've broken their hearts or lost their trust."
Div moved suddenly and without warning his lips were on mine. His forehoof on my neck kept me from scrambling backwards in shock. The contact wasn't like in my mother's books; there weren't fireworks. Instead, I felt warmth all over, radiating from where our lips touched outward. It was like diving into a warm bubbly pool. When he pulled back, the heat ebbed, although my face felt hot.
"I said, don't bad-mouth my best friend. You might have done things you're not proud of, but who hasn't? Why should you punish yourself? Why do you have to face it alone? I want to be there with you, just like I've been before. I've seen you panic, I've seen you at your worst and still I can't imagine life without...well, you, Life."
I buried my face in his neck. My tears fell on his armored shoulder. "Will you be my special somepony, Life Story?"
I cried. I'm sure it attracted attention but I didn't care. Even after everything I'd done, even after fighting and the months of separation, he still wanted me. I couldn't help but to trust in my best friend, and, although I still felt selfish, I managed to get out a half-muffled, "Yes."
A third pony bumped into us. I cried out in surprise, but Div caught me before I could lose my balance. The offending party scrambled to pick up the bags he'd been carrying. His coat was entirely and unpleasantly familiar.
"Mr. Tannin?" The pony in question's head shot up. It definitely was Bruiser's former 'sire.' The paint pony took one look at me in Div's embrace and his expression soured.
"Just when I thought trash like you couldn't be more disgusting..."
"Hey!" Div barked, stepping in front of me.
Bitter sneered. "So they let sickos into Nightmare Moon's guard, eh?"
"What in Tartarus did you just say to me?" Div thundered.
Whether Bitter was oblivious or suicidal, he pressed on. "It makes a certain amount of sense. Only a sick pervert would fit in with nightmares. I warned my children about weird, unnatural ponies like you. Most of them were smart enough to listen." Bitter tilted his head up haughtily and smirked as he passed by. Div likely would've made the exchange physical, had I not held him magically.
Only when Bitter disappeared did I release Div. His body shook in anger. "Who was that?" His tone was calm, but his face and stance were anything but.
I sighed and headed toward the FPS office. "He's part of why I'm here. There's somepony I want you to meet."