• Published 20th May 2015
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Shifting Melodies - Thadius0



He's a unicorn accountant in service to a smuggling ring. She's a high-ranking Thestral in the Day Guard. Together, they fight crime. Too bad one of them's lying.

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Chapter 86.1 - Snark and Sarcasm in Las Pegasus

Ledger whistled a happy tune as he led Scope past Fredrick’s, on the way to something completely different from his place or the Chop Shop.

“Okay,” Scope said as they passed by both places. “Where are we going?”

“Just a little place Middy and I found the other day,” Ledger said as he kept leading the smaller mare. “I’ve been meaning to try it out for a while.”

Hmm, well now she was curious. Mind you, she didn’t tell him what movie they were going to see either. So it was fair.

“Well, I’ll have you know that I have very refined tastes Mr. Secret. You’ll have to work hard to impress this cultured mare.”

“I just hope this place is up to your standards then,” Ledger teased back. Turning the corner, the restaurant was in view now, with it’s quite obvious difference from the buildings around it helping it to stand out even more. It wasn’t every day you saw a Nieghponese building in Las Pegasus after all.

“Huh?” she looked the building over and tilted her head. “I’ve never seen this place before… and what’s a ‘Neighpon’?”

“A country,” Ledger said as he walked up to the building and pointed at the words at the bottom of the sign. Namely, Diner, Grill, and Bar. “And our destination for tonight.”

Scope nodded as he held the door open for her. She giggled at the theatrics of his gentlestallionyness and walked in with her head held high. She’d used a little more power and crafted a disguise that was her pegasus form, only in a size similar to a standard mare. She didn’t want another father/daughter issue.

“Hello,” the greeter said, bowing his head slightly to the two of them. “Table for two?”

“Yes please,” Ledger said, bowing in turn, before each stallion stood up straight.

“Follow me,” the greeter replied as he pulled two menus from behind the podium and began leading the ponies to one of the open chefs.

Scope looked around the place, ponies sitting on small cushions instead of chairs and theer was some large metal plate set into each table.

“What a weird design,” Scope said aloud. Ledger just smiled that enigmatic smile of his as he took it all in. He was sure this was going to be interesting. And hopefully fun.

Eventually they were led to a pony who had two open cushions in front of him. The server bowed as he presented the pair with their chef for the evening, who also bowed. Ledger, caught up in the bowing-fest, did his best to reciprocate, before taking his seat.

“Well, this must be a familiar sight, Duke Secret,” Scope chuckled as she took a seat. Ledger just shook his head before their chef talked to them.

“Greetings,” the earth pony stallion said to them. “I am to be your chef for tonight. My name is Cutting Board. Have you eaten at this establishment before?”

“Nope, first time,” Ledger said as he perused his menu.

“Oh, you are in for a treat then,” Board said with a smile.

“So what’s with the metal plate?” Scope asked, as bluntly as a hoof to the face. “Seems like an odd choice in decor.”

“Why don’t you order something and find out?” Board asked.

“Okay…” Ledger said as he looked the menu over. “How about...Egg fried rice?”

Board nodded and ducked behind the counter, before pulling out an egg and cracking it on the plate. Instantly, the egg sizzled and started to cook. The stallion then added a few cups of rice to the mixture and pulled out a large, shiny, sharp spatula-looking object to help him stir up the rice and egg. There was even a moment when he had nothing better to do and flipped it in the air to his other hoof, before resuming cooking the dish in front of them. A moment later, the stallion nodded and put two plates in front of the ponies, before serving them each equal parts of Egg Fried Rice.

“So… you cook it right here?” Scope blinked. And dang that rice smelled delicious.

“That is the way of this establishment,” Board said with a nod. “Anything you order is cooked fresh in front of you.”

“Interesting,” Scope said. And the show had been quite enjoyable to watch. Now she wanted to order something complicated, if only to test his mettle. Still, eating this rice came first.

And she did so with all her usual grace and elegance. By diving in muzzle-first and scarfing it down. Ledger just rolled his eyes and used his magic to operate a pair of sticks into holding it for him in lieu of a fork. At least, he assumed this was how things were supposed to work. He had no idea how he’d do it with hooves.

He found that the chopsticks worked rather well with his magic, that he barely needed to make a conscious effort to use them. Scope finished inhaling her food and belched. “Ahh, that was delicious! My compliments Mr. Board~”

“Thank you,” the stallion said with a smile. “What next?”

“Hmm,” Ledger said as he looked at the menu. “What’s sushi?”

“Seaweed, wrapped around rice and a filling of your choice, more often than not, fish,” Board replied. “You can apply condiments to them to make them taste more savory or spicy if you like.”

“Ohh, I love spicy food!” Scope beamed, her tail wagging slightly.

“Shrimp sushi, and make hers spicy,” Ledger said with a nod. The order given, Board got to work.

Shrimps were pulled out and grilled right in front of them, right next to strips of seaweed that only took a second. Once they were done, they were given a coating of rice and had the shrimps put inside, before the whole thing was rolled up and placed on one of their plates. The process was repeated a dozen times, and the stallion pulled out a small bottle of some sort of orange sauce that he lightly spread over Scope’s sushi.

“Hmm, what’s that?” the pegasus asked. “You didn’t put a whole lot on…”

“Trust me, you won’t need a whole lot of the house sauce before you feel the burn,” the stallion said. “It’s no wasabi, but it’s plenty hot on its own.”

“Wasabi? Ohh, it even sounds hot! I wanna try that!” Scope declared.

“Why not try their normal stuff first?” Ledger offered as he picked up a roll with his sticks and popped it in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully before nodding and smiling.

“Oh fine,” Scope replied and took a bite. The sauce did have quite a kick to it, and she hummed pleasantly as she ate. “Not bad, not bad at all.”

“These are quite delicious,” Ledger said. “Still, I don’t think I’m full yet.” When had all of his sushi disappeared?!

Scope looked at the menu and something caught her eye. “Oohhhh, I want that!”

“Hmm?” Ledger said as he looked at the menu. “What is the spicy tuna roll?”

“Similar to the sushi you just had,” the stallion explained. “Only treated with our sauce in the middle of making and wrapped in panko for a crunchy exterior instead of seaweed. And if the miss does desire it, then wasabi is available for her to use for this dish…”

“Ohh, that sauce didn’t have enough kick, so lay some on me Mr Chef.”

“Two tuna rolls,” Ledger said with a nod. “She can have wasabi on hers, I’ll just take a normal one.”

The stallion nodded and pulled out two fillets of tuna, slapping them on the grill and showing off as he sliced them up into a perfect shape for the roll. With an application of sticky rice and spicy sauce on both of them, he rolled the tuna up into one long tube, before sprinkling a little of the breadcrumb substitute that they used here to make things crunchy. Each roll found its way to a plate before the stallion put a very small dollop of light green sauce on Scope’s plate.

“What the heck is that?” Scope said. “A foal would find that amount paltry.”

“Believe me, miss, it’s more than enough,” the stallion said. “A single drop of that can have seasoned stallions begging for milk.”

“Sounds like a bunch of simpering fools,” Scope scoffed. “Now, gimme more Chef!” The stallion gulped before doubling the amount of sauce on her plate.

“Scope,” Ledger said. “Maybe you should try a little before you say it isn’t enough?”

“Bah!’ Scope rubbed her roll in the sauce, giving it a generous coat and beamed. She opened her mouth and took a large bite and chewed…

Then… she chewed a little slower…

Then she stopped, as Ledger could see her coat turning red…

“I don’t suppose you keep any milk behind that counter of yours, do you?” Ledger asked the chef conversationally.

“Yup,” Cutting Board said as he pulled a pitcher and a glass out for Scope, pouring her a tall glass of the white stuff. She reached across and grabbed the pitcher, before gulping the stuff down as fast as she could.

“Told you~” Ledger said as he started eating his own roll, humming thoughtfully at the taste. It wasn’t bad, all things considered. A little spicier than he normally ate his food, but he could handle that.

Scope finally finished drowning her face in the milk and panted. That was… that was like sticking her tongue into the fires of Tartarus. That… that stuff wasn’t fit for consumption.

“Did the spice fiend finally find something she can’t handle?” Ledger asked as he finished up his tuna roll.

Oh he did not just bucking say that. She picked up the rest of her roll and stared at it, gulping and then shoved it into her mouth…

Oh Sweet Hives! The pain!!

“She’s...stubborn,” Ledger said to Cutting Board.

“I can see that,” the earth pony replied. “To not only eat it once, but twice…”

She gulped down more milk and sighed. Her mouth burned like hell, but she finished her roll.

“N-Never… waste food,” she said slowly. It sounded like her vocal chords lost a fight with a cheese grater.

“Still, I think we finally found something you won’t eat,” Ledger said. “Or can’t, I’m not sure which.”

“Oh this stuff is great,” Scope chuckled. “A worthy challenge.”

“Your total for tonight will come to forty-two bits,” Board said. Ledger pulled out some bits from his saddlebags and placed them on the table, while waiting for Scope to recover.

She took a few breaths and sipped more milk before she nodded. “Okay, I’m good now.” She got up from her cushion and glanced at a clock. “Oh, we’re gonna be late if we don’t move.”

“Well, let’s try not to be late then,” Ledger said as he stood up and bowed to Board. “My thanks for the meal.”

“Most kind of you,” the stallion said with a similar bow. With that, Ledger was following Scope to their next stop.


“Okay, we’re at the movies,” Ledger said as he looked at the theatre. “Will you tell me what movie we’re here to see?”

“You’ll see~” Scope giggled as she purchased two tickets and then led Ledger to one of the rooms. “You should like this. It’s right up your alley~”

The drone caught sight of the name on a poster as they entered the screening room.

~Crystal Vamponies. The Movie~

“You are joking. You’re joking, right?” Ledger asked. “I mean, I can think of three things wrong with the movie from the poster alone.

“The fact they couldn’t even come up with a title?” she said as she gave some bits to a serving colt to get them some popcorn and soda. “Come on Secret, this’ll be fun.”

“I fail to see how this could ever be fun,” Ledger deadpanned. “I’m going to have trouble holding in all the snark that I’m going to feel during this movie.”

“Oh? That’s the reason we’re here,” Scope replied. “We’re going to snark the ever loving Hives out of this travesty.”

“...Come again?” Ledger asked. “I’m pretty sure you just said we were going to completely ruin this movie.”

“We are going to destroy it,” Scope cackled like the teeny super villain she was. “We will unleash our snark upon this thing. None shall survive!”

“...Sometimes I think you really love me, you know,” Ledger said with a grin that was too wide to be sane. “Setting snark to maximum.”

“Of course I love you… stupid drone,” Scope blushed and muttered before shaking her head. “Right! Once our supplies arrive, we can start!”

As if on cue, the colt returned with a massive bucket of popcorn and two sodas. Scope smiled and tipped him, then he left and the theatre dimmed as the movie started.

Let the carnage commence~

The opening credits rolled as they were shown a misty forest, as the main actress gave a voice over.

“I’d never given much thought… as to how I would die…”

“Well no,” Ledger said right off the bat. “Otherwise you’d be seen as crazy and locked up, and then we wouldn’t have a movie.”

They heard a twig snap, as the camera panned around at a dizzying pace. Trees are dodged and weaved through as the pace picks up. And then they’re finally greeted with the prey they’d been chasing.

...A bunny.

“I’m sorry to say, bunny, but you’re doomed,” Scope said in a solemn tone. “We will inform your three hundred brothers and sisters of your sacrifice to bad movies everywhere.”

The bunny runs and the camera chases. A light can be seen in the distance and the bunny makes for it, as the pursuer comes to emerge from the darkness. The bunny suddenly leaps in a high arc, the white glare from the sun filling the screen as the voice over starts again as the white glares consumes the screen.

“But dying in the place of somepony I love seems like a good way to go…”

“Or, and this is just a theory, you could push them out of the way,” Ledger said. “And then duck yourself. Hey presto, no death!”

The camera opens on an earth pony mare. An alabaster coat with a dark mane and tail. She is quite lovely looking, aside from the blank slate expression on her face as the sun filtered on her.

“...So, I can’t bring myself to regret the decision that brought me here to die…”

“Pretty sure I’m regretting spending my bits already,” Scope said, “As they don’t give refunds.”

The camera turns and they see a quaint little setting of houses that all look the same. The mare leans down and carefully lifts up a little cactus plant.

“The decision to leave home…”

“And take my pet cactus, Boris, with me,” Ledger filled in. “As he would prove to be a traitor.”

“Ledger, y’know how the mistress keeps telling you to go buck a cactus?” Scope said before pointing at the screen. “I think she’s talking about that one.”

She stares the cactus in a state of reverie, three unicorns with bleached white coats and blonde manes and tail spoke up. They looked impossibly perfect.

“Bye Bell~ Have fun at your new school~”

“Yes, the new school where nopony knows you and you will be tormented for loving a cactus like you do,” Ledger spoke up.

“Forget the cactus,” Scope said. “What, did we clone the same guy twice? Once should have been crime enough!”

"Don't forget to write!" The stepford clones smiled. "Have a good--" *smack* Bell trips and faceplants the ground. "--life."

“I would have gone with trip, myself. Too obvious?” Ledger asked.

“Little bit, pass the chocolate,” Scope said.

Bell's mother appears, she looks like a stereotypical housewife. She hoofs over some sort of device.

"The telepathyphone won't work again Bell. Fix it?"

Here it seems to show that Bell is supposed to be wise beyond her years as she presses a few buttons. "You had and hold... and dialed Mexicolt..."

“Long way to go for traditional Mexicolt food, mom,” Ledger snarks.

“But I like my tacos!” Scope whines.

Bell's dad emerges from the cloned house. He's in his mid 30's, handsome and has an athlete’s body.

“Well, we found the originator of these clones,” Ledger points out.

“It’s too late, he’s already had kids,” Scope sighs.

After a brief exchange, the family part ways. Mom and Dad off on a romantic road trip as Bell goes off to a small town high school. Her face shows doubt, anxiety and regret, as she struggles to keep up the happy facade as the title rolls.

“Because we thought it worked well as a book and wanted to see this horribleness in movie form, it’s Crystal Vamponies, the movie!” Ledger says.

“Starring ponies that will never get another job after this!” Scope adds.

“And directed by ponies that could have done better if they cared!”

For the next fifteen minutes, the movie is nothing but rolling credits and a pegasus eye view of changing scenery, shifting from an arid desert region to a dense forest area.

“So we’ve gone from outside Las Pegasus to the Everfree in a blink of an eye,” Ledger muses. “That or we’re in two different movies.”

The credits ended and the scene shifted to the inside of a carriage, as Bell sat beside an introverted-looking stallion in a police officer's uniform.

"Your mane's longer," he said blandly.

"I cut it since I saw you last," she replied, staring out of the window.

"Guess it grew out again."

She just nods.

“Ladies and gentlestallions, we have found more bland topics than the weather,” Scope says.

"How's your Mom?"

"Good..."

More silence. They pass a sign that says. 'Welcome to the City of Spoons. Population 3246.’

“None of them interesting,” Ledger quips.

Several scenes play out, as Bell moves into her father's home. They share some stilted and awkward lines as Bell stares at a photo of a younger version of her parents.

“Oh look honey, it’s us when you weren’t around,” Scope says. “And when your mother was.”

A red carriage pulls up outside, as a ridiculously handsome native earth pony gets out and helps his father into a wheelchair.

"Hey Bell, you remember Bucky Black." For the first time, the stallion playing her father actually had emotion in his tone.

“Oooh, he must be important to warrant the use of dad’s ‘interested’ voice,” Scope said in a mockery of Bell’s voice.

The two stallions shared some banter and small talk as the son just stood around, blushing shyly every time he looked at Bell.

"Hey Bell, you remember my kid right? You and Wolf here used to play together as foals."

"...We made mudpies," Wolf said awkwardly.

“Aww, awkward friend you haven’t seen in years,” Ledger said with a sweet tone. “What’s the betting that he’s important in some way?”

“2 to 1,” Scope said as she passed the popcorn.

More conversation. Scene change to the next day as Bell arrives at her new school. All the sterotypes are there in force. The jocks, the nerds. Cheerleaders and the like. Bell falls in a puddle the second she gets there. And being the new pony in a small town meant that everypony was talking about her.

"This is my Tartarus..."

“Oh please,” Ledger said with an eye-roll. “She can’t muscle past a few rumors on day one? I was unaware we were watching the chronicles of the mare who wouldn’t try.”

She was interrupted by a nerdy-cute colt from the school paper, but brushes him off quickly and heads to class.

“Well, that was a smart move. Alienate the press so you can’t fix your image,” Scope quips.

After that, it cues to gym class. Bell shows that she can spike a volleyball and beaned the prettycolt jock right between the eyes.

“Match point!” Scope cheered.

“Remind me not to get on her bad side if she’s ever got a volleyball lying around,” Ledger added. “That looks like it hurt.”

The scene showed that the jock was completely fine with it. Even his pretty cheerleader marefriend was okay with the fact that the new girl nearly took her colftriend’s head off.

The scene soon shifted to the cafeteria, where the same cheerleader, still in her cheerleader outfit was introducing Bell to her friends and gossiping.

“There is no way this can possibly go wrong,” Ledger said as he took a hooffull of popcorn.

The double doors to the cafeteria swing open, as the four most beautiful pegasi walk in. Two mares and two stallions Their features are flawless, aside from their pale coats and dark rings under their eyes.

“Who are they?” Bell whispered to her apparent new friend.

“The Crystals. They’re the adopted kids of Doctor and Mrs. Crystal. They moved down here from the Crystal Empire about two years ago.”

“And if we use the word ‘Crystal’ any more, we’ll all start sparkling, and we can’t have that,” Ledger snarked. “It’d be impossible to tell us apart from your love interest.”

“Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt,” Scope added.

The Cheerleader, named Cheery, pointed out the first two. “That’s Rosy, and that’s Pellet.” Rosie was slender and beautiful, like a supermodel. Pellet was huge and brawny like a weightlifter, but had a playful glint in his eye.

“They’re a thing, I’m not even sure that’s legal.” Cheery nodded

“...And they’re related?” Bell asked dubiously.

“Not by blood… or so I hear,” Cheery replied.

“On a sidenote, do you hear that banjo music?” Scope asked.

“Just a little,” Ledger said before passing the popcorn back.

“So we’re saying thestrals are not only vamponies, but also promote incest?” Scope said with a raised eyebrow. “I’m beginning to see the Mistress’s point here.”

“Well somepony certainly is promoting it,” Ledger said as he pointed at the two that were said to be a thing.

The other two were now pointed out. A rail-thin pegasus in a goth loli outfit and a sickly-looking blonde stallion.

“That’s Wonder, the little one, and Whisper, the stallion,” Cheery said. “They’re also a thing. Their dad is kinda like an adopter-slash-matchmaker.”

“And suddenly it starts to make sense,” Ledger said. “Eugenics at its finest.”

One more stallion enters. He has a bronze mane and tail, and the same pale coat.

“That’s Featherward Crystal,” Cheery said as Bell refused to take her eyes off of him. He was gorgeous, perfect… “And he’s totally out of your league, or anypony else’s for that matter,” Cherry added. “So don’t even think about it.”

“Wasn’t planning on it,” Bell murmured as hers and Featherward’s eyes met.

“I’m just going to coincidentally plan to be around him for the rest of the day, see if he’ll even talk to me,” Scope snarked.

He continues to stare at her, a frown on his face. And when the scene changed to biology class, she walked past him, the breeze she created lifted a piece of paper on his desk. He inhaled sharply and stiffened, before scrunching the paper in his grasp.

No one must know what I write of,” Ledger intoned dramatically.

She must never see my changeling boy-love fanfiction!” Scope added.

The biology class continued, as Featherward got more and more angry, his rage-filled eyes never leaving Bell. And when the bell rang, he couldn't leave the room fast enough.

“Just accept that he’s not that into you and move on,” Ledger moaned.

Bell later finds the stallion trying to sweet talk a teacher into letting him change classes. And though it seems to be working, there are simply no other classes to take. When Bell makes her presence known, Featherward turns to her with a hate-filled gaze before storming off, leaving the mare to lean against the wall, hugging herself out of fear.

“Well this romance story is off to a rousing start,” Ledger said.

“Heh, a rousing,” Scope giggled.

“You are such a foal sometimes,” the drone replied with a sigh.

Later, Featherward is seen getting into a fancy carriage, while Bell is stuck with the dingy one her father gave her. You can see the hate in her eyes.

“Yes, hate him for having more, that’s mature of you,” Scope said with a roll of her eyes. “Seriously, how do you intend to win him? Personality is out.”

"Personality was in to begin with?" Ledger asked.

The scene shifts, and now we have a stallion, a civil worker. He's making small, frightened breaths, trying not to make a sound, but a shadow moves, blindingly fast and he bolts.

The camera chases him at insane speeds, to show how fast the thing is that's chasing him. He exits a door onto a stair railing, but trips and loses his footing.

“And we have found the second sacrifice of the evening,” Scope says with a cackle. Right before a hoof darts out and grabs him by the shirt, keeping him suspended in the air.

“I, uh, don’t suppose you could let me down?” Ledger asks, as though speaking for the stallion.

The hoof yanks the stallion up and you can hear a guttural scream as blood sprays the landing before the scene fades to black.

“Guess that’s a no,” Ledger says before taking a sip of the soda.

“High quality red paint there, but they really should have painted the whole thing,” Scope agrees.

The next scene is an awkward family dinner, Bell's dad's friend's reminiscing as Bell clearly remembers none of the stories. She soon gets a phonecall from her wayward mother, stuck at some podunk hotel in the middle of nowhere.

“Yes, because that doesn’t scream ‘trap’ at all,” Ledger snarks. “‘Come out to the middle of nowhere inn, where nopony will hear you scream.’”

"So how's school? Everypony treating you okay?" The mother asks.

"Yeah, just great," Bell lies. "Everypony's been pretty... welcoming." The look of rage returns to her face.

“Except for the colt I totally don’t have a crush on,” Scope says in a high-pitched voice.

The next is a montage of scenes at school over the next couple of days. Bell is ready to confront Featherward, but he never shows up for school like the rest of his siblings. And after hanging out with her new circle of friends, she finally seems to have forgotten about him.

“Well, I guess we’ll never see him again,” Ledger says with false confidence.

A few days later, in the school cafeteria. Her friends are discussing proma night, when Bell glances to one side and sees Featherward sitting at a table by himself. She nods to herself and strides over to him, dropping her books confidently on the desk, ready for a confrontation...

“‘Look, I want to know if you can help me with problem five or not,’” Scope says in that falsely high tone again.

“‘Would you cut it out, I have real work to focus on,’” Ledger replies in a gruff voice.

"Hello," he replies, precise and like it required a great deal of effort. "I believe I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Featherward Crystal."

Bell is too stunned to reply.

“‘Would you like to see my fanfiction?’” Ledger tacks on.

"You're Bell..." he tacked on, prompting the mare to actually say something.

"I...um, yes?" She said awkwardly and sat down as Featherward moved away from her.

“‘Don’t touch me, you’ll get your ‘New Girl’ness all over me,’” Ledger says.

“‘Well that’s going to make my plan a lot more complicated,’” Scope replies.

A few scenes later, during another Biology class, Featherward and Bell share a table, staring down a microscope.

“Enjoying the rain?” Featherward asks.

“Are… you seriously asking about the weather?” Bell replied incredulously.

“It appears so,” Featherward said plainly.

“‘It’s not like there’s anything else going on in this town, like, at all,’” Ledger says in that gruff tone again.

“And we’ve come full circle to the awkward small talk once again,” Scope observes. “Next he’ll say something about her mane.”

“Your mane would look better in a ponytail,” he said as he peered into the microscope.

“I bucking called it!” Scope said. Ledger groaned and gave her five bits.

Bell just stares at him, he was flawless. Those cheekbones, those lips, like a sculpture.

“So why did you move here?” Featherward asked.

“It’s… complicated.” Bell replied.

“I think I can keep up,” he smirked.

“‘Well, mom moved in with the creepy parade, and dad had an open room, oh...guess it wasn’t so complicated,’” Scope says in her ‘mocking Bell’ tone.

“Mom remarried,” Bell said.

“Oh, very complex,” Featherward barely held back the snark.

“Dammit,” Ledger said as he fished out five more bits to give to the smirking Scope. “It’s uncanny how you do that.”

“So you don’t like him?”

“He’s fine, a little young for her, but nice enough.”

“Yes, admit that you checked out your new stepdad,” Ledger said in a snarky tone. “That’ll win you points.”

“Well the rest of his siblings are doing each other, it actually might,” Scope replied.

“Seriously, I keep hearing banjo music in the background,” Ledger said before offering Scope the popcorn.

Later, out in the hall, the conversation continues.

“So why didn’t you stay with your mom and stepdad?”

“He’s a minor league hoofball player. So he travels around a lot. Mom used to stay at home, but… she was unhappy. So I decided to spend time with my dad.”

“‘And get away from my identical triplet stepsisters,’” Scope spoke up. “‘They do this thing where they speak in unison. Creepy~’”

“And now you’re unhappy…” Featherward said as Bell turned away, looking embarrassed. “I’m just trying to figure you out,” he continued. “You’re very hard to read.”

“Noooo, I’m pretty sure she’s about ten pages long, at that,” Ledger said. “Seriously, she’s the wading section at a pool levels of deep.”

She peers at the pegasus, “Did you get contacts?”

“...no.”

“Your eyes were black before, now they’re a golden brown…”

“It’s just the fluorescents,” he snapped before turning and walking away abruptly.

“Mental note, fluorescent lights are more effective on crushes than previously imagined. Also, don’t let Twilight subject us to weird light experiments,” Ledger says aloud.

“To be fair, you did the whole ‘Angst and eye colour shift’ thing as well dear Secret.”

“I at least had a legitimate reason,” the drone defends himself. “And I certainly didn’t sparkle in the sun when I was.”

“Yeah, you would have been much less edgy if you did.”

Later outside, the rain had stopped but the ground was pocketed with black ice. As Bell moves to her carriage, she can see Featherward in the distance, getting into his own when she hears a shout. A carriage barrels towards her, out of control. And in a split second, Featherward is on top of her, one hoof pressed against the oncoming carriage, stopping it cold.

“Faster than a speeding locomotive, more powerful than the guard-” Ledger starts, before Scope socks him one.

“He’s not SuperColt, you dolt,” she says with a roll of her eyes.

Later in the hospital, we meet Featherward’s father. A stallion in his 40’s and movie star handsome. There’s some tension in the air as scenes pass and she encounters Featherward once again and confronts him about the earlier incident.

“You stopped it. How?”

“No I didn’t, you’re mistaken.”

“I know what I saw!!”

“Can’t you just get over it and thank me?”

“So, first you did nothing, and now you’re wanting to be thanked,” Ledger muses. “Well, which is it?”

“Thank you. Now tell me.”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“No.”

“After all, you did just admit that you did something,” Scope points out. “Tactical error there.”

“Then prepare to be disappointed,” he replied and walked away.

“Well, tactical retreats are still tactical,” Ledger says with a laugh.

As the scene faded, Bell’s voice over layed again. ‘That night, I had my first dream about Featherward Crystal.’

“‘And I woke up to wet sheets,’” Scope filled in.

“‘It turns out I had one too many glasses of water before bed,’” Ledger tacked on. “‘Get your mind out of the gutter.’”

A few scenes later, Belle and her friends are at a beach. It looks cold and overcast, but hey seem to be having fun. Wolf is telling her of an old legend, that his family are supposedly tied to the spirits of the wolves and the forest, while the Crystal’s are… an enemy clan. But he quickly shrugs it off and laughs.

“Yeah, like that’ll ever be important,” Ledger says with a laugh himself. “Colts will say anything to get the attention of a filly.”

“Speaking from experience?” Scope giggled.

“I dunno, did it work?” Ledger fires back.

“Your application is still being processed.”

More pointless scenes… then we cut to a fisherpony on a mist covered lake. His dog is barking from the shoreline, before it yelps and falls silent.

“Sacrifice three has been offered up, sacrifice four is pending,” Scope says while making markings in the air with her hooves. “At this rate we’ll be in the low twenties for bodycount before the end of the movie.”

As he turns to investigate, he sees three thestrals standing on the shoreline, tossing aside a severed dog’s leg. The large stallion leaps, and lands on the bow of the boat without even opening his wings to fly.

“H-How did you do that?” the fisherpony stammers.

“Oh, very easily,” Scope says, timing it just right. “Like this!

The mare leaps and lands on the boat, followed by the younger stallion.

“Sir, you did not pay to use our lake,” Ledger says in a nasally tone. “I’m afraid you’ll have to pay right...now.”

“Always the same inane questions.”

“What do you want?”

“Why are you doing this?”

The mare smiled viciously and licked her lips. “What you should ask is… will it hurt?” And with that, she lunged and the scene darkened.

“Maybe if we sacrifice enough ponies, the bad movie will go away,” Ledger muses.

The next few scenes played out and we discover that the Crystal’s ditch school every time the weather’s nice, and it’s said that their family takes them hiking and camping. The prom is the talk of the whole school and later that night, Bell visits a bookstore before heading home. It’s already well after dark and it quickly becomes apparent that something is following her.

Gooooood evening Bell, and welcome to the Love Connection!” Ledger says in a hammy tone. “Now, we’ve found a few eligible bachelors that you can be dating during your high-school years, let’s bring our first contestant out now!”

It’s not vamponies, but rather, four drunk frat colts looking for a little fun. Bell freezes as she backs up a little and holds out her purse.

“L-Look, just take it and go,” she said.

“Oh, we don’t want your money,” one said and licked his lips as he ogles her flanks.

“Bachelor number one has his eyes on the prize and is refreshingly direct in his approach, will it woo over Bell? Let’s find out!” Ledger says in that same tone.

Bell shrieks as he lunges and smacks him right in the groin with her bag… laden with heavy books. He squeals and pitches over.

“De-nied!” Scope cackles.

“Oh, but bachelors two, three, and four don’t like that,” Ledger says. “They might just have a few words for the little lady.”

As they start to advance, a carriage pulls up and the door opens as Bell is yanked inside. She goes to attack her new assailant, only to find that it’s Featherward. He nods as the carriage pulls away, leaving the frat colts to eat dust.

“But what’s this? Bachelor number five, a surprise contestant from out of nowhere!” Ledger says in that hammy voice still. “Maybe he’ll sweep her off her hooves?”

She stares at him as he growls in rage. “I should go back and tear their heads off.”

“Yes! More sacrifices!” Scope cheers. “Blood for the blood god!”

“How did you find me?” Bell asks, still shaken up.

He just remains silent as they continue down the road…

“‘I’m trying to come up with a non-creepy response and failing utterly,’” Ledger says gruffly, in mockery of Featherward’s voice.

A few more scenes, and the two of them now sit in a cafe, though Bell seems to be the only one eating anything.

“So, how ‘bout some answers?”

“Yes, no. To get to the other side and 1 point 772453851.”

“Also, the two of diamonds is your card,” Ledger tacks on.

“I didn’t ask for the square root of pi,” Bell deadpanned.

“You knew that?” he asks, genuinely surprised.

“‘I’m not a nerd!’” Scope says in her high-pitched voice. “‘Anypony would know the square root of pi if you asked, really!’”

“Were you following me?” she asked. He remained silent and she got up to leave.

“No, please don’t go!” he said, seemingly torn by an internal dilemma.

“‘I swear I’m not that creepy!’” Ledger says gruffly. “‘Only mostly creepy!’”

“Then I’ll ask again…”

“I… feel very protective of you,” he finally admitted.

“‘That’s why I keep shoving you away instead of telling you important things,’” Ledger adds.

“Yes, I followed you. I was keeping my distance… until you needed my help.”

Bell thinks for a moment. Putting all that together with what he said last time. “So… you can read minds or something? You said you knew what those creeps from last night were thinking.”

“Bell, they were teenage colts with too much booze and too little sense,” Scope says with a sigh. “Everypony knew what they were thinking.”

“I’m thinking of getting a crystal ball,” he shrugged as Bell gasped.

“Okay, so you can read minds. Tell me what I’m thinking….okay, now!”

“‘I’m getting a large void from in front of me...wait, that’s your head,’” Ledger says before snickering.

“I have no idea. I can read every mind except yours.” He points around the room. “Money, sex, work, sex, sex, coltfriend… also sex.” He moves to her. “Nothing. It’s quite frustrating.”

“She’ll be taking offense to her mind being a void in three, two…” Scope predicts.

“There’s something wrong with me?” she asked, concerned.

“I tell you I can read minds, and you think there’s something wrong with you?” Featherward chuckles and looks out of the window.

“‘Well yeah, I can’t read minds as well!’” Scope says in that mocking tone as well. “‘Teach me!’”

“I don’t… have the strength to stay away from you anymore,” he sighed.

“Then don’t,” she said and went to place a hoof on his, but he shies away.

“‘I’m allergic to touch,’” Ledger says in that mocking-Featherward voice again.

“We should go, you’re getting cold,” Featherward said as he left before she could ask any more questions.

Inside his carriage, her hoof finally makes contact with his, and she finds him to be ice-cold…

“‘And I thought my mom was cold for remarrying so quickly,’” Scope snarks. “‘You’ve got her beat, hooves down!’”

When they return home, they see her father’s police wagon out front, along with a medical one. As the two approach, they find their fathers discussing something, and they soon learn of the attack on the lake, and the stallion that was supposedly butchered by an animal.

But as the body is being loaded into the wagon, Bell catches sight of the body, twisted at an unnatural angle.

“Well, there’s something you don’t see every day,” Scope quips.

Several scenes flash by, as Bell gasps, putting together the puzzle and she makes a break for the library, leaving behind a few confused ponies...

We soon see her leafing through a thick tome as she looks at pictures and texts.

“Ah yes, the bane of every secret-keeper in Equestria. Records and ponies that love to read,” Ledger said with a nod. “Seriously, why didn’t he move to get rid of incriminating evidence? That’s like step one!”

Several words leap out. ‘cold-skinned’, ‘speed’, ‘strength’... ‘Immortal’.

She gasps again as she sees a picture of a handsome stallion. Depicted with bat-like wings and pointed ears, biting the neck of a mare.

‘Blood drinkers’.

“And they also enjoy mangos,” Ledger added on. “Though, don’t try to distract them with one.”

She then pictures Featherward biting her neck and recoils from the book in shock. “It… it's not possible…”

“And she’s clearly progressed to denial,” Scope says with a nod. “I wonder when she’ll try and confront him?”

“I give it a day. Maybe two,” Ledger says before slurping on the soda.

The next day. It shows her watching him like a hawk. When the bell rings, the students rush to exit the school, except for Bell. And when Featherward notices, he stops and heads towards the forest bordering the school, Bell following him...

“‘Yes, I’ll just go and confront the possible monster alone without telling anypony or any sort of plan or backup plan,’” Scope says in that high voice again. “‘After all, it’s not like anything could go wrong.’”

When she gets there, she's the first to speak up.

“You're impossibly fast and strong. Your skin is pale and ice-cold, your eyes change colour and you speak like you're from a different time…”

“How old are you?”

“‘Don’t you know it’s rude to ask a lady her age?’” Ledger asks in that gruff tone.

“‘Oh yeah...hey, wait a minute,’” Scope replies.

“Seventeen…” he replied after a moment.

“And how long have you been seventeen?”

Featherward sighed. “A long time…”

“Even I do better hiding things from Midnight,” Ledger said with a sigh.

“I know about you…” she said and Featherward frowned.

“Say it… out loud,”

The sound falls silent as Bell's voice is scarcely a whisper.

“Vampony.”

“Now this is what you do,” Ledger said sternly. “You say no, you come up with several medical conditions, and you walk away.”

“Revea in three, two, one…” Scope countered.

Featherward stepped forward into the sunlight that shone through the trees as the illusion dropped. His ears were pointed as his pegasi wings were replaced with leathery bat-like ones.

And his coat shone and sparkled like glittering diamonds.

“And you’ve just blown your secret for a mare,” Ledger groaned. “Not even any extenuating circumstances or anything! Heck, I did better for longer!”

“Barely,” Scope giggled. “At least he didn't pop a boner~”

“We don’t know that one yet,” Ledger said. “And I don’t want to know either. I have no interest in the boners of the undead.”

“I'm a killer, a monster,” he said, pulling back into the darkness.

“You’re beautiful,” she murmured. “You're no monster.”

“...Ledger, is the Mistress as sappy as this with us?” Scope asked.

“No, but if she ever gets like that, don’t bring this up.”

“You have no idea how much I want you,” he said, drawing nearer to her. “Your scent, it's like a drug to me. I have to fight with everything to not just…”

“‘Lick you,’” Ledger said in his gruff voice again.

She moves closer, her neck near his lips as she draws him in for an embrace, and then he's just… gone.

“Featherward?” She looks around to see him over at a tree a few feet away.

“I've… never wanted a pony more in my entire life. I'm dangerous to you.”

“I trust you,” she smiled.

“Bad move, bad move!” Ledger calls out to the actors.

“We learned to control our urges, only hunt animals… but, around you… I… don't know if I…”

“It’s alright, I know you can,” Bell smiled.

“Come on, sacrifice five,” Scope said. “Let there be more badly-faked blood!”

“I wish I could understand this thing you see in me.”

“I am afraid you know,” she says and the stallion looks devastated. “Afraid of losing you…”

The look in his eyes is one of relief, elation… he draws closer as the camera pans upwards to the clear sky and fades to white.

“And act one done, we only have far too many left in this travesty of a movie,” Ledger says before shaking the now empty soda around and hearing the ice-cubes rattle. Upon looking at the popcorn, he sighs. “I’m gonna get a refill, you think you can handle the movie without me?”

“Depends, I think my soul has gone on hiatus,” Scope replied as she emptied the popcorn into her mouth. “Or we could go and find something else to do?”

“This was your idea, so I’ll let you call the shots,” Ledger said before kissing her cheek.

“The snarkfest is fun…” Scope weighed her options. Gods, this movie was only at its halfway point. “Screw it, let's find something else to do.”

“You lead, I’ll follow,” Ledger said as he bowed to her. She giggled and tapped her chin.

“A small part wants to go home and set fire to Ciders bookshelf,” Scope mused. “You got any ideas?”

“I wasn’t really a very social stallion growing up,” Ledger said, before a thought occurred to him. “Hey...silly question. Do you know how to dance?”

“Dance?” Well that came out of nowhere. “Well let's see. I was abandoned as a group, raised with a hundred others like me for the sole purpose of infiltration. So… no, I do not believe the fine etiquette of the ballroom was on the itinerary.”

“Then we can go home, and I can teach you how to dance properly,” Ledger said. “That’s a safe activity we can do together.”

“Aaaand, why do I need to know a sissy activity like that?” she asked, but still followed him.

“It’s traditional for the married couple to share the first dance,” Ledger said simply. “I have no idea how the five of us will manage, but you should at least know the basic steps if you intend to follow through.”

“...You're kidding, right?” Scope flushed red at that thought. “I am not dancing in front of everypony. Especially that mother of yours!”

“Which would be worse?” Ledger asked her. “Dancing in front of her like we should, or not and disappointing her?”

“I was planning to liberate some cake and hide under the table all night,” Scope said. “You haven’t seen the way she looks at me, all thanks to a certain Yellow…”

“Look at it this way,” Ledger said as he threw a hoof around her. “Becoming family means you’re off the list of ‘available targets.’ She’d never harm family, in-laws or not.”

“...Fine, whatever,” Scope pouted. “I'll learn this stupid dance…”

“You have a dedicated and kind teacher,” Ledger replied. “Now the only question is, do you want to dance as a pony, or as you? There are multiple different types of dances as well…”

“Well you're going as you… but,” she looked herself and sighed. “Everypony would think you're marrying a foal with me…”

“You can’t just use some of your stored emotions to make yourself a larger version of you?” Ledger questioned the nymph.

“I dunno, maybe?” Scope said. “It's just… I hate it. I hate being like this. I hate not being… normal.”

“Well I can’t promise you that I’ll manage a miracle before we’re married,” Ledger quipped. “But if you are really that disturbed by it, then I’ll look into some treatment options, or creating some, for your problem.” He already had one idea, thanks to their brief stint in the Crystal Empire.

“You can't fix genetics Ledger,” Scope frowned and walked ahead of him. “You can't solve everything.”

“Not on my own, perhaps,” the disguised drone replied. “But as always. I have a plan already.”

“You always do,” she sighed and with a flash of her horn, they were home. “Well, let's get this frou-frou crap over with.”

“Aww, don’t look at it like that,” Ledger said as he moved a few pieces of furniture in the living room so they’d have a big enough space. “You might actually enjoy this.”

“Yeah right,” Scope muttered. Ledger stood in front of her and bowed slightly.

“May I have this dance, milady?” he asked with all the due formality required of him.

Scope rolled her eyes, but nodded none-the-less. “If you insist, I suppose I could grace you with that honour.”

Ledger straightened before extending a hoof to the nymph in invitation. She took it, but had no idea what to do beyond that. Ledger drew her a little closer, pressing their fronts together as he started counting off beats in his head. “Follow my lead,” he said, before starting to step slowly and surely.

She did so, but the height difference was making it difficult. She sighed as her body shone with blue flames, and a taller version took her place. It was already straining her magic, but if she were a Noble, this is what she'd look like. She had a tall, slender figure like Chrysalis, and her mane shimmered with a light cobalt colour. She even had the slitted eyes of a Noble, the light reflecting off of them. Her horn was long and simple, like a unicorn’s, only it had a slight curve to it.

“Don't laugh,” she muttered and blushed. Ledger didn’t; if anything, he kissed her cheek and started radiating stored emotions for her to pick up so that her magic could hold out longer.

“You shouldn't give another Changeling emotions,” she chided him. “Alright, let's try this again.”

“Just doing my best to help out,” Ledger said as he started the dance off again. She was able to follow along much easier now, well, she stepped on his hooves a few times. Longer limbs could be a pain.

“Bleh, told you I'd suck at this,” she muttered.

“Took me months to learn, and my sister,” he replied. “I’m used to it. Let’s go a little longer and we’ll see what the problem is.”

“Mostly not used to being so tall, cept as a dragon,” she said. She was getting a little better. If anything, Scope was a quick learner.

“See, you’re getting the hang of it,” Ledger praised her. “I’m willing to bet you’ll put on a heckuva show at the wedding, no matter the form you take for it.”

“Well, get ready to be disappointed,” she smirked, stealing a line from that movie.

“Don’t think like that, and please don’t remind me of that garbage,” Ledger moaned. “As long as you keep learning, then I’m sure you’ll manage at least one dance. Now the question is, do you want to try a Changeling dance as well? If so, we’ll need to go outside.”

“Guess it couldn't hurt,” she replied. She'd heard that ‘ling dances were also mating displays. So that should be a thing that needs to happen.

“Let’s finish up in here first,” the drone said. “I’d like to get through one set with you performing excellently before we move on to a new dance.”

Scope nodded, she really was having fun… which was why she didn't sense it until the last minute. Her ear flicked and she turned towards the door and hissed! She tried to break away from Ledger as somepony knocked on the door. The drone sighed and stopped the dance before breaking away from Scope and moving to stand next to the door.

“Who is it?” he called out, wondering who it could be.

“I-It’s me,” the familiar voice of the Yellow nymph said through the door. Ledger quickly backed up, not wanting to deal with her now. He was getting married soon, for goodness’ sake. He looked over at Scope, wondering if she had any ideas for getting rid of her.

“I'll tear that bitch to shreds,” she snarled, baring her fangs. “There won't be enough left for worms to feed on!!”

“You can scare her off, then,” Ledger said as he got out of the way between her and the door.

Scope opened the door and before the Yellow could even get a word out, Scope slammed her with a concussive blast of magic.

“I hope your life was a good one, because it's over now,” the nymph said. Emotive magic was pouring from her. She was preparing something… big.

“Scope, the one rule this family has is no killing,” Ledger warned her. “Please don’t break it so close to the wedding.”

“Rules are made to be broken,” she said darkly as she shifted… And a cobalt Chameleos replaced her. “Snack time bitch~”

“I-I-I…” the nymph tried to find her voice. “Apologise...I…”

“Scope,” Ledger said sternly. “Even I was more welcoming of her than you, and I have more reason to hate her than you. Either let her talk…”

The threat hung there, unspoken, yet powerful all the same. Or else.

Scope looked at him and sighed, shrugging her shoulders. She shifted back normal and snuggled up next to him. “Fine… she probably tastes like crud anyway.”

Free Spirit looked at Scope, glad she was off the menu and sighed with relief. “Thank you Secret…”

You’re buying your continued existence with words, words that I’m not hearing,” the drone said sternly.

“I… I wanted to try apologising again,” she said with a dejected tone. “Please, I just… I want to make things right by us.”

“Things will never be right by us,” Ledger said firmly. “You can’t undo what you did. You can’t make up for it. The most I am willing to do for you is keep your name and location from my mother...because she nearly went to bloody war with the Yellow Hive because of what you did.”

That caused her to fall silent. Would the Silver Noble really have done something so drastic?

“I'll not give up,” she said with a nod of her head. “I don’t care how long it takes. What I have to do…” she fell quiet before she shook. “I left them you know. My family. They don't deserve a disgrace like me.”

“I have...an idea,” Ledger said as he smiled wickedly. “If you are capable of taking any and every non-lethal punishment the mares in my life want to give you and live, I’ll finally call us square.”

“I…” she looked at the little nymph and shuddered. She gulped and squeezed her eyes closed. “Fine.”

“Oh goodie,” Ledger said before kissing the top of Scope’s head. “Well, she’s here,” he told the nymph. “Just remember, she has to live for the others to have their fun.”

Scope grinned and Ledger could swear that it suddenly became overcast. The nymph stepped forward, her horn shining as she glanced at Ledger.

“I read your book you know. Including all those nifty biology notes~”

Oh did you now?” Ledger asked, curious as to where she was going with this.

Scope had a multitude of thoughts pass her mind. Could a nymph survive having her wings torn off? Maybe she'd peel off some non-vital chitin?

But as she reached the shaking nymph, she paused. Why… did she even care? Sure, this bitch hurt Ledger in the past. But then, who hasn't been?

Besides…

She leaned down and whispered something, just loud enough for Ledger to hear.

“I don’t have to hurt you. Because I have the one thing you never will. You're a perfect little nymph, rich, powerful...normal. Me? Look at me! I'm a runt. A tiny little defect that isn't worth anything… and yet…” She looked at Ledger. “I have his love. Willingly. And I didn't have to break or force him to get it.”

“You got it just for being you,” Ledger said with a nod. “You’ve earned it by now.”

“You’re… dating a nymph?” Spirit asked, hardly believing it.

“I’m marrying a nymph,” Ledger countered. “She helped fix me from what you caused.”

“I see…” Free Spirit turned away. “I'm… happy for you.”

“It took years, and multiple mares that wouldn’t give up on me, but I am back to what can be considered normal now,” the silver drone said with a nod of his head. “And almost all of them know of you. I don’t know if Cider does…”

“Doubt it,” Scope said. “Well whatever. Can you leave now? Ledger and I were having a moment.”

“Yes…” she turned to leave. “Also… I'm going to confront Madame Silver…”

“I wouldn’t advise that,” Ledger warned her quickly. “At least, if you like living.”

“Not much point to that anymore…” she said as she walked off.

“Dammit all,” Ledger said as he followed after her. “Look, the rule of the family is no killing. And letting you walk into my mother’s home, intending to confront her? That’d be as bad as killing you myself if I didn’t try to stop you. I might not like you. You might have to go through Tartarus for me to even consider forgiving you. But don’t you fucking dare throw your life away.

She paused, hearing him out and then continued her trek. “I'll consider it,” she simply said.

Ledger just watched her go and sighed. “Dammit,” he said softly. “Can’t I...save anypony?”

“Is she even worth it?” Scope replied. “Was Toll Taker? Or that Duke?”

“Nopony should die just because of their misdeeds,” Ledger said with a shake of his head. “They should always have a chance to atone.”

“This, coming from Mr. ‘You must pass my trials’?” Scope scoffed and her horn lit up, teleporting Free Spirit back as the Yellow nymph looked around, confused.

“Just because I have high standards, doesn’t mean that they’re impossible,” Ledger replied. “And...I know for a fact that the only way you’re going to survive meeting my mom, if you ever intend to, is if you actually have my forgiveness. Otherwise, she might just incinerate you.”

“And that makes me feel sooo much better about meeting her again,”Scope muttered. She was probably going to get hugged to death by everyone else.

“The way mom tells it, she rescued my father and step-fathers while killing more than a few nymphs in the same fight, with the same spell,” Ledger replied dryly. “Apparently, she aimed it juuuuust right.”

Scope and Spirit were now hugging each other out of fear, just muttering the word ‘Nope’ over and over...

“Aww, see, you’re bonding!” Ledger said, pointing at them with a hoof.

“Go buck a cactus!” they echoed, pushing each other away.

“And you all wonder why I’m still snarky, even though I love you all,” the drone mused. “I have to have responses to that line, after all. Can’t be outdone in the snark department.”

“L-Love!?” Spirit blinked and blushed.

“I was talking about my mares,” Ledger deadpanned.

“S’what you get for not being specific,” Scope sighed and looked at Free Spirit. She didn’t feel her anger anymore. Just… pity really. “You… I dunno, want some coffee or something?”

“It’s kinda late for that,” the drone pointed out.

“Good point. Can you come back tomorrow? Ledger and I are gonna go have sex now.”

Free Spirit had no idea how to respond to that. Ledger just sighed and rolled his eyes. Leave it to Scope to be that blunt.

“um, okay…” Free Spirit turned slowly. “Um, see you later then?”

“Yup,” Ledger said as he waved the yellow nymph off. “Feel free to come back and introduce yourself to the other mares when they’re here.”

“My joy knows no limits,” Spirit deadpanned as she walked off.

“Whaddya think her odds of survival are?” Ledger asked Scope once Free was out of earshot.

“I don't take bets I know I'll lose,” Scope said.

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