Gabriela, the Batpony

by Betty_Starlight

Chapter 13: Rethinking

The two batponies lay on the grassy ground with Gabriela to the right and Dusk Shine on the left. They both stare up at the bright starlit sky as Gabriela asks, “Why do you love me again?”

“Ugh! Do I have to constantly tell you how great you are, Gabs?”

“I dunno?” Gabriela says while lowering her eyes towards her body. She lifts them back up to the sky, “I just don’t understand why anypony would ever actually want love at this point?”

“Um, wow… Well, there’s lots of ponies in love, right? And they all seem to think it’s great?”

Gabriela points her eyes skyward, “You sure about that Dusk?”

Dusk starts, “Well, what do you mean? Why would they stay together and keep being affectionate to one another if they didn’t?”

“Well, think about it!” Gabriela starts to say analytically, “Society says that love and togetherness is SO important! Yet, there are lots of ponies who do just fine all by themselves!”

Dusk blinks, “Well, I did try to kill myself because I needed more?”

“That may be true Dusk… But there are other things in life, you know?”

Dusk turns her head towards her love on the right, “Gabriela, are you trying to tell me that there’s things that can be just as fulfilling as loving you?”

Gabriela shakes her head and looks back at the sky, “I dunno? Probably?”

There’s a silence before Dusk says, “Wow! You really don’t think much of yourself, do you?”

Gabriela frowns, “Um, I guess not? I was just going to be alone and happy when you came knocking at my door!”

Dusk sighs, “Gabriela, are you happy that I knocked on your door a few days ago?”

Gabriela blinks, “I think so?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well…” Gabriela says as she closes her eyes. She opens them back up to the night sky, “Like I said, I was just going to be by myself… Now I keep wondering when this is all gonna go south and I’ll have to break up with you?”

Dusk briefly pauses before chittering, “Pessimistic much, Gabs?”

“Uh, a bit I suppose?”

“Look!” Dusk says emphatically as her bright yellowish green slitted eyes gaze firmly at the heavens, “I want my dope smoking book-pony of the night and you want your… Ugh!” She closes her eyes before opening them again, “I can’t believe I’m saying this! But you want your nocturnal leather clad spiky rabble-rouser… And this is fine for now! You ever think that your thinking makes things WAY more complicated than they need to be?”

Gabriela giggles slightly, “Yeah, I do have a bad habit of overthinking!”

“Right!” Dusk nods, “And that’s why I’ll be here to sit you down, make you puff some dope, and actually think about why you’re thinking about things so much!”

“Wow!” Gabriela says with a wide-eyed start at the black nothingness above, “You really do love me!”

“Now who’s being stupid?”

Gabriela giggles slightly, “Shut up, idiot!”

Dusk snickers, “Moron!”

“Fucktard!”

“Dipshit!”

At this point, both batponies can only stare at the sky and laugh!

Dusk Shine finally asks, “What do you wanna do after this Gabs?”

“Buck would I know? Just sit back and enjoy the sky now baby!”

Dusk chuckles again, “Right! Live in the moment!”

“There we go!”

<*****>

As Gabriela sits at the café table underneath the awning outside, she stares at Dusk across the table and asks, “Was that illegal, what we just did?”

Dusk giggles in her chair, “I dunno? Probably?”

Gabriela snickers, “Yeah, it’s irresponsible chaos tonight, right?”

Dusk raises her right forehoof high in her chair, “Anarchy in Ponyville!”

Then, both batponies giggle hysterically as Gabriela begins to feel the effects of the devil weed she had just smoked on the way there.

Gabriela soon notices a teal unicorn waitress standing behind Dusk to her right and waves her right forehoof above her head to signal her and the waitress soon trots alongside Dusk to get between the two batponies on the side of the table, to the right of Gabriela. She turns to them, smiles, and says, “You two again! What can I get you this morning?”

Gabriela looks at the waitress as the wind blows her blond mane and squeaks before opening her menu on the table and points with her right forehoof at Double cappuccino written on the right side before squeaking again at the waitress and moving her forehoof to where it says, Peppermint chocolate before giving an affirmative chirp!

The waitress smiles, “Double peppermint chocolate cappuccino! Nice choice!” She looks at Dusk on her right, “And what would you like Dusk Shine?"

Dusk moves her forehoof to the right side of her menu where it says, Single latte, squeaks, and moves it to, French Vanilla.

The waitress smiles and says, “Single French vanilla latte! Alright, I’ll have your coffee out to you soon!” before turning and trotting away towards the door, behind Dusk.

Dusk smiles at Gabriela and perks her fluffy ears that way, “So, we’re having coffee again!”

Gabriela smiles, “Yeah, and it was your idea I might add!” She grins wider, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re starting to like coffee because of me?”

Dusk starts as she shakes her head slightly, “No! Maybe! Shut up!”

Gabriela’s eyes widened, “That’s my line!”

Dusk smiles, “I don’t see your name on it?”

Gabriela frowns, “That doesn’t make any sense! You can’t put my name on a line!”

“Exactly!” Dusk leans forward and widens her eyes, “Free reign!”

Gabriela widens her eyes even more as a thought occurs to her, “Uh, Dusk… Have you read any books recently? Even a novella or maybe a short story?”

Dusk leans back and frowns, “Uh, no not really…” She squints her right eye, “Why do you ask?”

Gabriela shakes her head slightly, “Uh, well it seems like we’re becoming more like each other now? I mean, you’ve been smoking dope and barely drank a glass of wine the other night and I’ve been breaking rules! And now, you wanna drink coffee with me!”

Dusk giggles, “Yeah, we’re becoming a lot alike now, right? Hey!” She leans forward, “Wanna spike your mane? Or no, buck that! We should buzz the sides and mousse up the rest! And add some neon blue swirl highlights to your purple color!”

Gabriela giggles, “Now you wanna make me all punk rawk?”

Dusk nods slightly and grins, “Hell yeah!”

Gabriela can only glare at this punk rock batpony, “Uuuuuhhhh…”

Dusk widens her eyes, “Come on Gabs! It’ll be badass!”

Gabriela finally grins again and giggles slightly, “Uh, we’ll put that down as a maybe for later…”

Dusk fixes her eyes and continues to smile, “I’ll get em next time!”

Gabriela sighs, “Okay, before we did what we did on the way up here…”

Dusk cuts her off, “Smoked a bowl!”

“Uh, right!” Gabriela raises her right forehoof beside her head before pointing it at Dusk, “That!” She lowers her hoof, “Before we smoked on the way up here, we were talking about love and why I’d want it?”

Dusk nods, “Right!” She mimics an ancient earth pony emperor as she throws her hooves out to her sides, “Well, are you not entertained?”

Gabriela snickers, “Right! Living in the moment! Uh, I still think you’re a jerk for making me love you!”

Dusk smiles her fanged grin and tilts her head to the right, “Well, what are you gonna do about it?”

Gabriela leans forward, “I’m gonna love you back!”

Dusk straightens her head and puts her forehooves to her mouth, “Oh no! I’m so scared!”

Gabriela leans more, “And then, I’m gonna take ALL of your hugs and snuggles!”

“The horror! The horror!”

Then, Gabriela notices the teal waitress standing at the table to her right while holding a tray with two coffee mugs in her white magical grasp closer to Dusk. Even though she doesn’t think the waitress can understand her, she chitters inquisitively, “Uh, how long have you been standing there?”

The waitress just snickers and begins to float a medium sized white coffee mug in front of both Dusk and Gabriela before the tray turns vertical and floats to her right side.

Gabriela looks forward blankly and blushes towards Dusk while the punker snickers back at her. The waitress soon turns right to trot off back to the door, behind Dusk.

The two batponies sit in silence for a moment as Dusk silently giggles and Gabriela can only stare forward vacantly.

Finally, Dusk widens her slitted eyes and perks her fluffy ears at Gabriela before asking, “Uh, you okay Gabs?”

Gabriela snaps and looks at Dusk, “We were just cute there uh, weren’t we?”

Dusk frowns, “Are you surprised?”

“Yeah…” Gabriela looks down to her right, “I didn’t think I could well…” She looks back at Dusk, “I truly love you, don’t I?”

“Whoa!” Dusk gasps with mouth agape, “It does happen! She gets it now!”

Gabriela leans forward again, “So uh, we’re marefriends now, right? Does this mean we’re gonna go on dates and kiss and talk and snuggle?”

Dusk smiles, “Well, when I’m not messing with those flanks anyway!”

Gabriela frowns and blushes, “You’re gonna pay for that!”

“He he he! Puffy Cheeks the batpony is at it again!” Dusk giggles before taking a powerful swig of her latte.

Gabriela shakes her head slightly and looks down to magically lift her cup in a blue glow to take a strong sip herself. Her eyes widen as she realizes that it’s still very hot! She swallows quickly and lowers the cup back to the table and looks at Dusk, “So um, I guess this means I should sit with you at lunch when we’re working at the plant together?”

Dusk frowns, “If we get the same lunch that day, sure!”

“Uh…” Gabriela stammers out, “What about the other workers?”

Dusk leans forward, “What about them? I mean, they’re not in a lesbian relationship! We are!”

Gabriela shakes her head, “It’s not that, that I’m worried about Dusk…” She leans forward wide-eyed, “I mean, we’re coworkers, right?”

Dusk nods, “Right! Coworkers who happen to love each other!”

Gabriela’s eyes widened more, “Right!”

Dusk narrows her eyes to Gabriela, “In fact, I’m gonna do you one better Gabs… I’m gonna request that we always have the same lunch break!”

Gabriela brings her head back and frowns, “Y-can you do that?”

Dusk smiles and says, “Well, worst case scenario, they say no, right?” She leans forward, “But I’m tired of you sitting alone all the time… I’m gonna change that baby…” before using her forehooves to take another powerful swig of her latte and setting it back down.

Gabriela dreamily stares at the spiky maned batpony with a big grin on her face, “That would be really nice, Dusk!”

Dusk frowns, “Seriously though, you ever think maybe you should make some friends?”

Gabriela narrows her eyes and frowns, “This is the part where you tell me I should read The Friendship Journal, isn’t it?”

Dusk starts and widens her eyes, “It’s a really good book! It’s uh, life changing!”

Gabriela smiles and giggles, “Obviously!” before magically taking another strong sip of her coffee.

Dusk uses her forehooves for another gulp of her latte before setting it back down, “You’re cute when you drink coffee!”

“What?” Gabriela starts before frowning at Dusk, “How am I cute?”

Dusk leans forward and smiles at the unicorn of darkness, “Just you! My sweet night unicorn!”

Gabriela frowns, “Do I need to start throwing cutesy pet names at you again?”

Dusk giggles, “Only if you want me to start talking about that ass of yours!”

Gabriela smiles and giggles, “And, the battle continues!”

Dusk smiles, “Always!” before grabbing her mug with her forehooves and taking another strong sip.

Gabriela starts as she stares at this batpony before she looks down at her cup and makes it glow blue and floats to her mouth and sips it. The minty flavor of the peppermint excites her tastebuds as she smiles and causes the cup to float back down to the table.

Dusk grins, “Well, we got THC and caffeine now! Good and drugged up baby?”

“Oh yeah!” Gabriela says back with a smile. “Honestly, I almost forgot what it’s like to be on a date…”

Dusk giggles, “Yeah, me too!”

Gabriela leans forward as her mouth changes to normal, “What do you mean?”

Dusk sighs, “Well, sure me and Nightshade did things and stuff, but it was never anything like a relationship, exactly? Truth be told…” Dusk frowns, “Truth be told, all I wanted from you was friendship,” She starts and widens her eyes, “in the beginning… I didn’t rule you out as a potential sex partner, but I didn’t know we would ever be going on dates and kissing and all that lovey dovey junk, you know?”

“I see…” Gabriela frowns, “So, would you say I fulfill a role or need for you then?”

Dusk says back sternly, “Knock it off and sip your coffee Gabs! We’re not having any of that analytical crap on our date!”

Gabriela giggles, “Oh! Right! Yes, of course!” Before looking down to her coffee mug and causing it to float to her face for another sip.

Dusk takes yet another strong sip of her latte and sets it down, “Hey, this is almost cashed! You about done Gabs?”

Gabriela looks up to Dusk and says, “Yeah, just one more good swig and I’m through!” before floating her cup to her mouth for one final gulp.

Dusk smiles, “Well, it’s almost dawn and we both work tonight! You wanna get freaky and snuggle before bed?”

Gabriela shakes her head slightly as she starts and looks at Dusk wide-eyed and inquisitive, “You wanna stay at my place, again? Is this why I’m not getting any reading done?”

Dusk giggles, “Yeah, probably?” She straightens herself to the unicorn and nods, “But yes, Gabs… I want to sleep with you this morning and since we both work at the same place, I’d also, very much like to walk you to work this evening…”

With this revelation, Gabriela can only frown and ask, “It’s like you want to spend time with me and” she gulps, “be with me now?”

Dusk giggles and says whimsically, “Almost got it, but not quite there! Maybe if I say yes, it’ll sink in?” She leans forward, “Yes! Yes Gabriela, I like being with you and spending time with you!”

Gabriela giggles, “Oh, right! Of course!”

<*****>

Gabriela snuggles Dusk behind her as she’s held lovingly in the punk’s hooves on her bed. She smiles when she feels mane gel on the back of her neck and asks, “Something tells me that since you’re gonna be doing this a lot, I should get more pillows?”

Dusk giggles, “Pillows! Yes! Pillows are amazing Gabs! You need more of them!”*

Gabriela giggles as she cuddles the stuffed tan bear to her chest while deeply under the covers inside a cocoon of love with this other batpony. She smiles and says, “I love you so much Dusk Shine!”

Dusk smiles and chirps, “Yay! I own a nerdy nocturnal book-horse now!”

Gabriela snickers, “Stupid!”

Dusk smiles and clutches Gabriela tighter, “Alright moron! Let’s not start that again!”

“Okay idiot! Just hold me now!”

Dusk giggles and moves her body closer, “You got it bunny brains!”

The two batponies snuggle affectionately and fall asleep together, deep under the covers in Gabriela’s small bed.

<*****>

Gabriela emerges on her hooves in her backyard. She sees two small imprints to her left where she and Dusk were laying down and staring at the night sky earlier while the luminescent glow on her right seems far more interesting. So, she turns her body that way and beholds a dark blue alicorn princess staring down at her from about 10 feet away.

Luna smiles and says, “You two are adorable together!”

Gabriela frowns and squints her eyes, “Yeah, maybe?” She widens her eyes again,” Uh, what’s up, Luna?”

Luna continues to smile at the night unicorn, “Surely, you see what’s happening, yes?”

Gabriela turns her body to Luna, “Yeah! I fell in love with Dusk Shine!”

Luna giggles, “Well, yeah! And what do you suppose is going to happen next?”

Gabriela’s eyes widened as she hadn’t considered that, “Well, I guess we’re gonna go on dates now and snuggle and kiss and all that mushy stuff?”

Luna laughs more, “Obviously! But where do you suppose Dusk will want to be now that you two are in love?”

Gabriela frowns more, “Probably with me more often now?”

Luna just snickers as she replies, “Well, technically correct!”

Gabriela squints her right eye, “Did you just call me here to tell me I’m cute and tell me I’m gonna be with Dusk Shine now?”

“Not exactly child…” Luna looks down at Gabriela with narrowed eyes, “Are you aware of what this means?”

“Yeah! I’m in love with a punk rock batpony now!”

Luna shakes her head, “That’s not what I meant.” She leans forward, “Being with Dusk Shine! What does that mean to you?”

Gabriela looks up at the princess with her blue slitted eyes, “Well, it means that we’re gonna be spending time together and snuggling and kissing and being together and uh,” she gulps, “doing sex things together too, right?”

Luna frowns, “You really are hardheaded, you know that?”

Gabriela starts and widens her eyes at the princess, “Okay, just spit it out already! Uh, please Your Highness!” She shakes her head, “I’m uh, apparently too dense to get this!”

Luna looks down deep into Gabriela’s eyes, “I just don’t think you want to!”

Gabriela starts and widens her eyes, “W-what?”

Luna smiles, “Think about it Gabriela! You haven’t been in a relationship in a very long time, right?”

Gabriela scrunches her mouth and narrows her eyes, “Well, rub it in, why don’t you?”

Luna shakes her head, “I mean, it’s been a long time for you! And you’re in a new town now and everything here is strange to you, correct?”**

Gabriela frowns, “Well, yeah! I don’t really know anypony here and would much rather just stay by myself…”

“Do you truly think that’s what’s best for you, Gabriela?”

Gabriela stares blankly at the alicorn’s body before saying, “Well, what choice do I have? I have so much trouble relating to other ponies, and I never know what to say?” and then looks back up to her.

“So, you just give up, right?”

Gabriela cringes as her eyes narrow and mouth tightens, “Now, you sound exactly like Dusk!”

Luna frowns, “You think maybe if more than one pony is saying these things to you, they might have a point?”

Gabriela turns her body to the empty open field behind her as she stares at the starlit grass with her night vision, “Everypony is against me!”

Luna quickly trots to Gabriela’s left side and looks over at the batpony as she stares into the distance, “Why do you say that child?”

Gabriela frowns, “Because I just wanted to be alone and by myself…”

“And Dusk wanted to be by your side instead…”

Gabriela starts and widens her eyes as she says vigorously, “Yes!”

Luna frowns, “And why would that irritate you, Gabriela?”

“Because…” Gabriela winces and closes her eyes deeply before opening them back up to the field, “Because this isn’t what I wanted!”

Luna leans closer to Gabriela, “But, don’t you think it’s what you need?”

“I don’t know anymore, okay? I don’t know what I need…”

Luna leans closer and says imperatively, “Maybe, you need Dusk Shine now?”

“I hate this!”

Luna widens her eyes and leans back slightly, “Why would you hate this, Gabriela?”

“Because it’s confusing okay!” Gabriela turns her head to Luna on her left, “Because I don’t know what to do anymore!”

Luna smiles, “It’s not so simple anymore, is it?”

Gabriela turns her body to the alicorn, “No! It’s really not!” she sighs and looks up at the princess, “This is why being alone is better! Nothing is complicated and I always know exactly what I need to be doing! It’s not like that in a relationship…”

“Because there’s another pony with you!”

“Exactly! I mean, how do I know Dusk is gonna like what I wanna do?”

Luna leans forward slightly, “Maybe, try asking her?”

Gabriela rolls her eyes, “Oh, here we go! See, this is why it’s better to be single! Because I get my freedom and I can do whatever the buck I like! I haven’t been reading much right now because I’ve been so busy smoking and having sex with Dusk Shine!”

Luna corrects her neck and smiles at the night unicorn, “So Gabriela, you’d rather read than have fun with your love?”

Gabriela starts and widens her eyes before saying lowly, “Oh, you’re good!”

Luna giggles softly, “You can read anytime you wish Gabriela. Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to spend time with Dusk Shine whenever you can?”

Gabriela normalizes her eyes and frowns, “Owe it to myself?”

Luna sighs, “Do you or do you not believe that spending time with Dusk Shine is good for you, little batpony?”

“Uh...” Gabriela looks up with her eyes before back at the princess, “probably?”

“Probably Gabriela? Don’t you feel better with somepony by your side that you can be with?”

Gabriela gazes up sternly at the alicorn, “I know it’s been awhile, but I really don’t recall love ever being this annoying?”

Luna laughs as fog begins to envelope Gabriela once more.

“Hey! I wanted to ask you something! Dammit to Tartarus!” Gabriela says as she returns to the waking world once more…

(To be continued…)

Author's Note:

*I’ll admit that Dusk Shine gets this from me. I love pillows and I sleep inside a “nest” of them on one end of my twin bed. The plushophilia of Gabriela is also from me as I also sleep with many stuffed ponies. They make me feel secure and not alone and I know I can freely play with them and talk to them and they won’t judge me. Suffice it to say, I’ve been in some horrible relationships with awful people in the past…

**”Being in a new town” is my allegory for transgender transitioning. The truth is, while I have had a couple of sexual encounters since I got onto hormones, I haven’t had anything resembling a relationship since that point and I don’t really understand what the dynamics would be anymore or how they might be different from before. I’m exploring a lot of these concepts in my writing. The fact that this happens to be a lesbian romance is irrelevant however, since I appear to be omnisexual. As in, I can take virtually any lover I may choose, or not at all if I prefer.