Irrelevant

by Undome Tinwe

I'd be anything for you, but I'll never fit the bill

"Hah, I should have known after you took that fall with nary a scratch!"

Fiola winced at the memory. "That still stung, lemme tell ya. But yeah, it's better than dyin'." They were sitting in the kitchen of her house, and she took another gulp of her cider as she waited for her friend to respond.

After finishing her own drink, Storm Front shrugged. "You should not have been in the way if you didn't wish to be blown away. Still, would that I had ponies like you under my command rather than those weaklings that caused my defeat."

Fiola held her tongue as she went to refill their glasses. It took some effort not to point out that it was clear the duke had sent her on a suicide mission, but instead she simply said, "You've lived a tragic life, Storm, but it's helped you grow stronger, like a forest regrowing after it gets set on fire."

Storm Front snorted. "Save your platitudes, Fiola. I had everything taken from me after that campaign failed, but I am not so foolish to believe it to be the work of a higher power."

A pang of guilt lanced through Fiola's heart. "I guess we all make our own decisions."

"Quite." From behind, she heard Storm Front stand up and trot over to her. "My troops chose to fail me, and died for it. But you won't, will you, Fiola?"

A hoof brushed against Fiola's withers, and the earth pony mare shivered. "I won't leave you like they did," she promised with all her heart.

"I've seen the way you look at me," Storm Front whispered into her ear. "I know of your desires. Once, I thought you weak, but now that I know your secret, I see that you are the only mare who can see my true glory."

It was getting hard to think, and Fiola's breath caught in her throat. "You ain't wrong about that," she mumbled under her breath, though still loud enough for Storm to heat.

"Come, let's continue this conversation somewhere more comfortable." Storm's hoof guided Fiola out of the kitchen and towards the bedroom. "I have nothing left but you, friend, but perhaps you can make the rest of my days less miserable."

"I'll do my best," Fiola promised. And she meant it. Until the end of Storm's days, she would be there for her, just as she had once been there for Hurricane until her end.

---

"Huh, so you're immortal but still an Earth Pony?"

"Yup." Fiddle nodded, bracing herself for Lightning's reaction. This part always played out a little differently once they processed the revelation, and it wasn't always pretty. Part of her was already cringing on the inside in anticipation of Lightning's anger at her for not doing more with her eternal life. That was always the accusation that stung the most, because it was more true than any of them would ever know.

"Umm, okay then." There was an awkward pause as they both sipped at their cider, staring at each other over the rims of their cups. "Huh, honestly not really sure what to do with that information. I guess for me you're still the same Fiddlesticks who decided to talk to a random mare in a bar a few months ago."

Suppressing the familiar guilt that now resided full-time in her heart, Fiddlesticks gave her a weak smile. "Just because I'm old doesn't mean I don't know how to have fun."

Lightning rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah." She sighed. "Honestly, the biggest question I have is why you're hanging out with me of all ponies? You probably know all sorts of famous and powerful creatures, but here you are, sitting in some run-down house in the middle of some run-down city talking to a run-down mare."

"You're far from run-down, darlin'," Fiddle drawled, trying to avoid the question.

With a scoff, Lightning leaned back into her worn-down sofa. "Compared to the Princesses? I'm nopony."

"You're somepony to me," Fiddle said with more emotion than she was expecting. She was used to her companion being despondent, but it was never this bad. "Even if nopony else sees it."

"Well, I guess I should just consider myself lucky that you put up with my shitty housecleaning enough to come over."

Fiddle chuckled. "I've seen worse. You should see what an Apple Family barn looks like after a reunion."

"Guess you've been to a lot of those." Lightning shook her head. "Just when I thought my life couldn't get any weirder, I find out that the only friend I have left is gonna live for-freaking-ever. Got any good stories?"

Fiddle smiled. "Lemme tell ya about what really happened during the Manehattan Succession Crisis a few hundred years ago. That one's a real hoot." With that, the tension began to fade away, and Fiddle simply enjoyed the company of Lightning as she let this opportunity pass. There'd be other chances to make her move, but now wasn't the time, and that was okay.

After all, she had all the time in the world.