Veil of the City

by BlueyWaifu

Chapter 12

Rain poured over the city from the gloomy clouds above. The streets and sidewalks grew empty after the initial scurry of ponies to find a dry place to take shelter. A disguised Faltic, being one of those ponies that needed to take shelter, found himself barely making it back to the hotel before the heaviest of the rain poured. Thankfully, the books he carried stayed relatively dry, being tucked under Faltic's chest.

Faltic shook himself off upon entering the main lobby of the Pegasus Cloud hotel. Wasting no time, Faltic trotted briskly through the room, straight for and up the stairs.

A few flights of stairs and a short hallway later, Faltic stopped himself at the door to their eighth floor room. The adrenaline and emotions that swelled through Faltic's body had begun to subside, gradually retreating, leaving Faltic with a sense of fatigue.

Not just a sense of it, the feeling of it assuaging through his limbs as he stretched, yawning in the process.

However, Faltic recalled the most likely reason for it, which didn't shock him. It was Cyril, she was feeding off of him, and he allowed it to drain his energy in the process. The peck on the cheek only sweetened the deal.

With half lidded eyes, Faltic invited himself into the room, finally having remembered his keycard this time. Faltic pushed through the door and quickly shut it behind him. The books were set down, and a flash of green flames reverted Faltic back to his natural changeling self.

"It better be who I think it is." A voice called out from the opposite side of the room.

Faltic tensed up upon recognizing who it was.

Restel...

A slight sinking feeling hit Faltic's chest. Restel could never know. The only reason the past was catching up to him now was because of Cyril suddenly showing up, but Faltic wanted nothing more than to pursue Cyril, as it would probably be the only opportunity he would ever catch.

"Well?" Restel's voice called again.

Faltic, shaking his head before responding, stepped into the room, putting his books on the bedside table. "Who were you expecting?"

From the other side of the second bed, Restel's head peeked over, a foam cube stuck to his horn. "Somepony cool, I guess."

Faltic raised a brow. "Consider your expectations met. What're you doing?" Faltic took a few steps around the bed to gather the whole scene. Restel was sitting in the midst of all the foam cubes.

"Killing time. In probably the most boring way ever." Restel pointed towards their window, which Faltic just now noticed was open. "Come watch this."

Faltic curiously approached Restel, who got up and hung his forelegs over the windowsill. "Good thing the rain doesn't blow into here."

Faltic stared out at the rain whipping in the wind, a light mist from the water in the air sprinkling against his snout. "So, what're you doing?"

Restel held out a foam cube and smiled deviously. "I think it's time to get rid of these, so I've taken it upon myself to make it somepony else's problem. Look how far I can chuck one." Restel reared up his foreleg before launching the cube into the outside. Both changelings watched as the projectile was taken off course immediately by the wind, plummeting down to the street below, where it slid off and away, carried by the wind.

"I'm surprised I didn't see one on my way here," Faltic said quietly. His shoulder was nudged, and he turned to see Restel looking at him, offering a foam cube. "Give it your best shot."

Hesitance took over Faltic briefly. Seeing Restel now put Faltic in a state of unease. The truth of what he had done was somewhere in Manehattan, and she only grew closer every day.

"I.. think I'm good," Faltic declined. Restel's face went from amusement to concern. "Alright."

Restel stayed silent as Faltic left the window, unceremoniously planting his body onto his bed. Scrunching his brow again, Faltic turned his head towards Restel, who only stared out the window now. "Where's Klaven at?"

Restel turned and spoke into the room, giving a simple response. "Work."

Faltic stared up at the ceiling. Work. He forgot that's what Klaven told him before doing the worst thing he could've with Cyril.

"How'd your thing with Cyril go? Klaven told me about your plan." Faltic turned again to find Restel laying on his side on the adjacent bed.

The foam cube still stuck on his horn made it hard to take him seriously.

"You're going to call me the biggest geek on the planet. I took her to the library Klaven and I go to." Faltic smiled awkwardly, and chuckled a bit at the end of his sentence. Restel soon joined in on that.

"You are the biggest geek on the planet. I knew that years ago." Restel and Faltic both shared a moment of amusement before Faltic broke it. "I mean, if it's any consolation, I found out she's not too interested in that sort of thing."

Restel blew a raspberry. "Go figure. So what're you thinking next time you hang out?"

Faltic held a hoof to his chin. "Y'know, I have no idea." Looking back at Restel, Faltic noticed he had a wry smile on his lips. "What?"

Restel seemed to snap out of something, and waved his hoof dismissively. "Oh, nothing! I just think she'll know what to do next."

"Hmph. If you say so. She's busy again tomorrow, so it'll be a minute until then." Faltic huffed.

"I guess you'll find out eventually," Restel assured.

Faltic turned and looked at the two unknown books on his table. Though, before he could put his curiosity at ease and actually find out what he'd picked, Restel started talking again.

"Say, the weather's supposed to clear up before the day's over, and Klaven and I are going to go to Celestial park. You in?"

Faltic saw Restel smiling again. That stupid foam cube on his head caused a contagious smile to creep onto his own lips. For that brief moment, his worries of Restel knowing any truth was set aside.

"Yeah I'll go, so long as you take that stupid thing off your horn." Faltic couldn't help but cover his smile with a hoof as he stared at Restel's horn.

"Fine, fine," Restel said as he plucked the cube from his horn, tossing it at Faltic, where it bounced off of his snout and to the floor. Faltic's snout scrunched in response.

Restel climbed out of his bed and made his way back to the window, taking a couple more foam cubes with him. Faltic laid still, and watched Restel stand there, chucking them aimlessly into the outside weather, and watching wherever the wind took it. It wouldn't be right to suddenly be so anxious around him. Restel had been his friend for as long as he could remember. With every ounce of hope, Faltic wanted to believe Restel would somehow be okay with what transpired at the Hive.

Restel was cheery, and had been for most of his deployment with Faltic, so there was a chance.

"Restel!" Faltic spoke loudly across the room.

Restel shifted his head. "What?"

"Move that big head of yours!" Faltic nabbed the foam cube that came to rest on the ground after colliding with his snout, and reared it up, waiting for the clearance needed to fling it out the window.

Restel turned fully to face Faltic, only to catch him turn the foam piece into a projectile towards his face. Before Restel had time to duck, the projectile had struck his face. While unharmful, it was enough to cause Restel to recoil, backing up to where his flank was against the wall.

Shaking his stun out of his body, Restel grabbed a few spare cubes off the ground. "Oh you-" Before finishing his sentence, Restel was already launching the foam pieces he held at Faltic, who was still laughing during the assault.

"I'm going to throw you out of this window, Faltic!" Restel boasted as he kept picking up and throwing what cubes remained. Faltic scurried under the blanket, shielding himself from any more projectiles.

From the dark fortitude of the blanket, Faltic felt the onslaught of the poking cubes cease, as he was suddenly heaved off in a random direction. There was a drop, and Faltic gasped as he came cascading down, coming to a hard landing on the ground. The blanket exposed his head after impact, and Faltic saw again that there were pillows to break his fall.

"How'd you even put them there so fast?" Faltic asked, collecting himself and rolling to lay on his stomach. Restel rounded the corner of the bed. "I'm just that fast. And be real, I wouldn't let you hit the solid ground." Restel quickly reared up a spare foam cube and chucked it at Faltic, bouncing against his snout into a random direction.

Faltic scrunched again, and fought against laughing with Restel, inevitably losing and then sharing a moment. After it died down, Faltic got to his hooves and began to re-make the bed.

"When did you say we're going to Celestial park?" Faltic asked as he spread the blanket atop the bed.

Restel had made his way back to the window, and just looked outside rather than littering it with cubes. "Well firstly, after the rain stops. Then after he gets off work. So, whenever both of those things happen."

"Right." Faltic climbed into bed after he had finished rearranging the blanket to be somewhat smooth. The two books on his bedside table caught his attention, as the question of what books he actually did get came to mind. Reaching over and picking up the top one, Faltic read the title. 'This Cruel and Random World.'

"Still can't believe you went to the library, of all places." Restel called back into the room towards Faltic.

"I can't either. I took Klaven's idea and ran with it until we ended up there and I had so many regrets. Trust me." Faltic defended himself. Of course, the regret only hit him once he realized the gravity of the situation when they had arrived.

"To be fair, it is a very you thing to do," Restel said sarcastically.

Faltic didn't look over to Restel, opting to read the synopsis on the back of the book, his brow scrunching up. "I know. At the very least, I still spent time with her, and found out she does not like that setting at all."

Restel scoffed. "Go figure."

Thoughts of Cyril started seeping back into Faltic's mind. His eyes stopped scrolling through the back of the book, and now stared blankly as if it were just an object.

Then he remembered asking Klaven about moving her in. Did a changeling really need the better living space? Surely it was appreciated, at the very least. Faltic couldn't imagine the three of them being harbored anywhere else in Manehattan. Admittedly, yes, Cyril's room was small, much smaller than theirs.

No. Nonsense. If Faltic was to seize this opportunity to make Cyril like him, even to just apologize for what happened, he was going to do it. Cyril would appreciate the extra room and better living space. Surely. Anything he could provide should help in some way.

Though, there was always the lingering consequence of Cyril inevitably seeing Restel. If that happened, Cyril would absolutely expose Faltic. Restel wasn't supposed to be here. Cyril knows this, and bringing her so close wasn't helping Faltic's nerves in the slightest.

Faltic inhaled deeply, giving a long exhale shortly after.

Pro: Cyril moves in close, and Faltic has an opportunity to make up for the past and even make a connection.

Con: The potential of losing his best friend.

Faltic rubbed his cheek and shook his head as he thought about it. This was as far as he would possibly ever be. Things were in motion. Who knows if Klaven had even made any progress towards appointing Cyril to the room?

Faltic was thankful that the sound of an opening door pulled him out of the grasp of his mind. In walked a garnet unicorn with a black mane. After closing the door behind him, the same unicorn vanished in the blink of an eye to a swirl of green fire, and reemerged as a changeling.

Faltic didn't see him throw it, but a foam cubed sailed over him into his view, as he watched it bounce off of Klaven's head. Behind him, Faltic heard chuckling.

"Hey!" Klaven yelled at Restel, picking up what had struck him and lobbed it over Faltic, hitting Restel in the body.

"Someone's got a little more accurate. You missed Faltic with two pillows last time I saw you throw something," Restel mocked.

"I'm also the one who hit Faltic with a frisbee. You should've seen how far away I was when I threw it." Klaven stepped more into the room. Despite Restel having tossed countless cubes out of the window, there were still a few strays lying about the floor. Klaven picked another one up, and tossed it towards Restel again.

"Yeah, I like measuring our accuracy by how well we can throw things at Faltic." Restel smirked, Klaven laughing alongside him.

"How's the weather looking?" Klaven asked after his laughter had subsided, already making his way to the window.

Restel's ear twitched. "I don't hear the rain any more."

Faltic had to wonder how long he had been laying in bed.

Klaven propped his forelegs over the windowsill, staring outside. "It's not raining, but it's still gloomy, gray, and dreary."

"Beautiful!" Restel proclaimed. "I'm ready when you are."

"Ugh," Klaven sighed. "Back to my work clothes." Klaven then shapeshifted back into his garnet unicorn disguise.

"C'mon Faltic," Restel said, getting off of the bed, shifting into his green earth pony disguise.

Slowly, with a bit of grogginess, Faltic climbed his way to all fours, stretching and shifting into Enthrall, the blue earth pony, and followed Restel out the door.

*****

Exactly as Klaven had described earlier, the weather was dull. No more rain, but gray overcast clouds still blanketed the sky. The ground was wet, and puddles littered the sidewalks and grass at Celestial park. Not many other ponies had returned outside since the rain fell, so for the most part, it was just the trio of changelings roaming the damp, gloomy park. Along with the gray clouds covering the sky, it was late afternoon, so the unseen setting sun was slowly waning whatever light was left in the day.

The three arrived at the same meadow that Faltic had shared the night with Cyril not too long ago. It was a stark contrast, as there was only a sliver of the amount of ponies before, and the sky was gloomy, hidden by the clouds. Tall, looming buildings still towered over the tree line in the distance, surrounding the meadow. Along the tree line that enclosed the meadow, street lamps were lit in one large circle, ultimately leaving the center with the least amount of light, which is where the three were headed.

"So how'd the time with your love subject go?" Faltic asked Restel as the three trudged along the damp grass of the meadow. For some reason, and from somewhere, Restel had brought a tennis ball.

Restel shook his head, shuddering. "Eugh. As well as you could expect. She's so boring."

Both Klaven and Faltic chuckled. As they walked, Restel kept himself occupied by tossing the ball he'd brought into the air, and catching it himself.

Faltic turned his head to Klaven now. "Didn't see you working on my way back in."

"Must've been out for lunch," Klaven simply said.

Restel turned his head to pay attention to Faltic and Klaven's conversation.

"Did that sandwich shop give you any more trouble?" Faltic suppressed a smirk on his face as he asked. Klaven didn't seem to notice as he put a hoof to his chin. "I've not had any issue with them since that one time. Weirdest day there."

In an attempt to not chuckle, Restel spoke up. "And how's that one chick you're with there?"

Klaven's ear twitched as he responded. "Candy? She's just fine. I'm fuller than a tick."

Everyone heard a sudden exhalation of air from Restel's nose, as he forced himself to not laugh. Klaven received a big shove on his shoulder from Restel, pushing Klaven out in front of the three. "Don't make stupid puns like that again!" Restel attempted to conceal the mirth in his voice as he nodded his head forward at Klaven, holding the tennis ball he'd brought in the air. Klaven took a few steps back and held up a hoof, and Restel tossed it towards him.

Faltic looked around, and saw nothing he hadn't already. Gloomy, damp earthy ground, and other ponies were scarce. "How come you've got us all out here?"

Restel stood up on his hind legs as he caught the returning ball from Klaven. Restel took just a second to toss it back before responding to Faltic. "Thought it would be nice. The rain cleared all the other ponies, so we've basically got the place to ourselves."

Faltic nodded in response, looking around once more. He could almost pinpoint exactly where he and Whimsy had watched the stars come out not too long ago. They were in the same meadow, after all.

Cyril. Not Whimsy.

A small, green object snapped Faltic out of his brief recession to his mind. Seeing Restel winding up to catch it, Faltic decided to slam his body against Restel's, pushing him out of the way and intercepting the pass.

Shaking his head, Restel grew a wry smile on him. "I see how it is." Restel then turned his head towards Klaven, who stood a fair bit away. "Klaven! We're playing jackpot!"

As Faltic threw the ball back at Klaven, a contagious smile spread to him as he heard the name of the game. "You're so old, wanting to play jackpot."

Before Restel could respond, Klaven shouted back at him. "What's jackpot?"

Restel blew a raspberry, and muttered to Faltic. "Kids-" Restel picked his voice back up again. "Throw the ball really high up for us! Whoever catches it gets to throw next!"

Faltic nudged Restel's shoulder. "That really got to you, huh?"

"Hah! Just wait. It won't happen again," Restel said back confidently. As both Faltic and Restel stood their ground, Klaven lobbed the ball high into the air, heading beyond and past where the two stood. Restel was the first to move, shoving off of Faltic and running to get a position under the ball. Faltic hurried to contest Restel, trying to push him aside as he was the second to arrive at the landing zone. Both disguised changelings rebounded off each other as the ball came cascading down. Simultaneously, both Restel and Faltic leaped in the air off of their hind legs, reaching for the ball. Faltic thought he had it, until Restel's hooves came in front of him.

Both Faltic and Restel came down to the ground, landing heavily after their jump. However, Restel had come down with the ball. "Easy catch," Restel joked.

"Oh pfft-" Faltic sarcastically huffed.

Restel and Klaven passed by each other, exchanging words as Faltic waited, Klaven soon joining him by his side, Restel now standing in the near distance. "You two ready?" Restel called out.

Klaven looked at Faltic, and only nodded. Faltic rolled his eyes sarcastically.

Restel reared up, and lobbed the ball higher than Klaven had on the previous throw. Both Faltic and Klaven's heads turned towards the sky, trying to track the ball as it was seemingly going to land exactly where they already stood.

"It's a bomb!" Restel shouted out to the two as the ball fell out of the sky towards them. Both Klaven and Faltic had a leg over the other's chest, nudging off of each other, vying for the prime position to catch the ball. Once it looked to have gotten close enough, Faltic made the first leap for it off of his hind legs. As soon as Faltic had caught air, he felt a shove on his side, as Klaven had pushed him aside, and contested the air space, intercepting Faltic's attempt at a catch, and inevitably, coming down with the ball.

Faltic grunted in frustration. "Aaagh-!" Klaven almost threw his head back with his laugh, tossing the ball in the air and catching it himself. "Gotta be quicker than that," Klaven smugly said as he walked towards Restel. As they passed, Faltic watched them exchange a hoofbump. Faltic stared at Restel with a lowered head, and a deadpan expression as Restel approached.

"Pfft. Gotta be quicker than that," Restel teased, chucking after repeating what Klaven had said.

"Get over yourself. He shoved me." Faltic tried to defend himself.

"Isn't that what you tried to do to me?" Restel's voice carried a hint of cockiness. It seeped under Faltic's chitin like venom. "Don't act like I won't do it again." Faltic tried to sound serious. However, it being Restel, Faltic couldn't maintain that status, as that small contagious smile pulled at his lips. Though, the adrenaline of wanting to shut Restel up still coursed through him.

Wordlessly, Restel already shoved his side against Faltic, causing him to recoil a step as he was unsuspecting. Usually, Klaven would've thrown the ball by now. Restel wasn't looking for it, so he assumed it wasn't in play yet. "Don't let Cyril find out you can't catch." Restel scoffed after saying that.

Faltic recollected his stance, and retaliated with a more forceful slam of his side to Restel's, now causing him to take a step back in recoil. "Don't even go there." The smile tugging at Faltic's lips only grew. Roughhousing with Restel was nothing he was unfamiliar with.

"Alright!" Restel yelled as he swiftly closed the distance, charging at Faltic. Both of their ears flicked as they thought they heard Klaven's voice, but they were too busy roughhousing.

However, it didn't last long before Faltic had taken the upper hoof. Faltic had thrown Restel to the muddy ground, not with all the strength he could muster. It was Restel, after all. Restel grunted as Faltic reached down, curling his forelegs under Restel's body. "Eugh- Faltic!" Restel tried to call out as he was lifted up. Adrenaline surged through Faltic as he hoisted Restel up above his head in a military press form, the mirth on his face at full force.

Still with Restel above him, Faltic turned around. Every drop of power and excitement Faltic wore on his face dried up as he looked down. There was a small filly standing there, watching them. A pink bubble of gum suspended itself from his mouth, and he wore a standard baseball cap.

Faltic and Restel froze for a moment. Though there were other ponies out at this time of day, and after such rainfall, neither of them suspected somepony else would be this close to them.

The bubblegum bubble in the filly's mouth popped. Faltic lowered, and set Restel back on the ground, relenting him to gravity for the last few inches to the ground.

"What're you waiting for? Get out of here!" Faltic shooed the small pony away, making sure he scurried off, which he did.

Restel had stood up, parts of him covered in grass and mud, brushing himself off with his hoof. "Was picking me up really necessary?"

"Well, I wasn't lying when I said I could pick you up." Faltic rolled his shoulder, stretching it out.

Klaven had come over to the other two during their play fight, but neither of them had noticed until now, when Klaven tossed the ball at Restel, as it bounced off of his head. Restel's ear flicked as he turned to Klaven.

"Did you hear me?" Klaven asked. Though clearly, neither of them did, as they both shook their heads.

"I said it's growing dark out here. Might it be time we head back?" Klaven suggested. Faltic and Restel looked around. Admittedly, it was a bit darker than when they had arrived. Being in the center of the meadow left them with the least amount of light from the surrounding street lamps. The overcast clouds were almost invisible against the dark sky, and the distant tall buildings were lit up from interior lights.

"Aw, but I wanted to play taps before we go," Restel said, picking up the ball from the ground.

"Yeah, just one round!" Faltic agreed, both him and Restel staring at Klaven as if begging a parent for a toy.

Klaven scoffed, rolling his eyes. "If you two stop looking at me like that, we'll play."

Faltic and Restel both pumped a hoof into the air, simultaneously exclaiming "Hooray!"

"You know how to play taps, Klaven?" Restel asked, taking a few steps back to make distance between him and the other two.

"Of course I do. I'm not that much younger than you." Klaven mocked offense in his response, also taking a couple of steps back.

"Just making sure. You didn't know what jackpot was." Restel held up the ball. "Alright. Quick game. One life each. No slip ups. Agreed?" The three disguised changelings had formed a triangle with themselves. Faltic and Klaven both nodded at Restel after he declared one life each, agreeing with the rule.

Without another word, Restel sprang into the air with a short hop, and flicked the ball towards Klaven.

Klaven, reacting quickly, leapt into the air, and redirected the ball towards Faltic, flying slightly off to the side. Faltic jumped, and reached for the ball. "Eugh-" barely able to rebound it and direct it back towards Klaven. Restel started chuckling after seeing Faltic get caught off balance. Klaven had returned the ball towards Restel, who caught some air and flicked the ball back towards Faltic. "Get'em!" Restel called out as he put Faltic back in the spotlight.

By then, Faltic had regained his balance, and was easily able to get to the air with a small hop, and flung the ball at Restel at a higher speed. With less time to react, Restel had just managed to get off the ground before sloppily directing the ball back to Klaven. Now Klaven started to scoff, playing along with Faltic. Catching a bit of air, Klaven served a fastball back to Restel in the same way Faltic had.

Restel, though managing to jump first, couldn't gain any hold on the ball as it bounced off his hooves.

"Agh-" Restel attempted to leap for the ball again before it hit the ground, but just missed it.

"Butterhooves," Klaven said through his small fit of laughter, Faltic joining along with it.

Restel scooped up the ball from the ground, tossing it for Faltic. "Haha, funny. Now I feel like going back to bed." Restel still wore his grin despite being targeted.

"Oh now he wants to leave." Faltic smirked, calling out Restel since he was the reason they were still here.

"I can actually sleep in a bed tonight, so I'm ready to feel that mattress again." Restel defended himself.

"Alright, we'll end this quickly," Faltic said, looking back at Klaven across from him, jumping up and lobbing the ball at him.

Klaven returned it with a pitch aimed directly at Faltic's snout.

Faltic just managed to get into the air before intercepting the pitch, saving his snout, but fumbling the ball into the air. As Faltic landed, he instinctively grabbed the ball, ruling him out.

"Oh come on!" Faltic said through his defeated laughter, spiking the ball into the ground.

"Yes!" Klaven exclaimed, pumping a hoof into the air. "Told you we'd end it quickly."

Again, Restel scooped the ball from the ground, carrying it with him as he started walking, taking the lead over the other two. "Well c'mon. I've got a bed waiting."

Both Faltic and Klaven fell in step beside Restel as they trotted along the dark meadow.

"Not like that. I'd bet you still have dirt on you," Klaven mentioned.

"Psh. Wonder who's responsible for that, huh." Restel slyly gave Faltic a side-eye, seeing him grin back at him. Faltic nudged Restel's shoulder. "Don't worry, it'll be your one shower a week."

"As if you shower any more than I do!" Restel scoffed as he retorted back at Faltic.

"On behalf of the hotel staff, it would be really kind to housekeeping to not get in bed covered in dirt," Klaven said with mock sophistication. Faltic and Restel both groaned at him. Restel turned to look at Faltic and gestured a hoof at Klaven. "Get a load of this guy."

The two shared a laugh before Restel lit up slightly. "Oh! Tell Klaven all about your first date with Cyril."

Both pairs of eyes suddenly turned to Faltic, who suddenly felt his chest grow heavy with the attention to Cyril and him. "Can you really call it a date if she doesn't know it's you?"

Klaven nodded. "I think so. What happened?"

Faltic sighed, looking sheepish as he explained, already facing Restel's sarcastic ridiculing. "I took her to a library. The worst possible thing I could do."

Thankfully, Restel didn't jut in this time. Instead, Klaven sounded more supportive. "How was it so bad? It couldn't have made her hate you."

Faltic shook his head. "Believe me, I've made her hate me in the past. I just think it was awkward, weird. I know for sure that the whole setting of it is not her forte."

The setting around the trio of disguised changelings shifted. They'd left the park, and had returned to the concrete sidewalks of Manehattan.

"Well, at least you found that part out, right? When's the next time you're together?" Klaven asked.

Faltic rubbed his brow with a hoof. "Day after tomorrow."

Klaven nudged Restel's shoulder. Restel was silent as he turned his attention to Klaven, who grinned an unprecedented amount. "What?" Restel mouthed silently. "Surprise." Klaven mouthed back, holding a hoof over his lips, gesturing silence. Restel went along with it, nodded his head gently before bringing his attention back down the lane of sidewalk they trotted along.

Klaven spoke back up. "Progress is progress, and even if you fail, you keep moving forward."

"Yeah, I guess," Faltic said, trying his best not to sound defeated. It was, as he said, awkward and weird. Even though he had the opportunity to make Cyril like him, it directly led to the consequence of Restel being exposed to Faltic's further past actions.

A heavy weight rested upon Faltic's shoulders, invisible to the eyes of his friends, and particularly the one he influenced the most. No matter how hard he tried to ignore it and act normal, it kept coming back to the forefront of his mind. It was a silent, long walk back to the hotel for Faltic.

Comments

[DullLight]

I'm willing to bet that that filly with bubble gum was Cyril in disguise. Wouldn't take it past her to spy on her "love subject"