My Little Fortress: Dawnpick

by Paaaad

68: Stiletto's long visit.

Stiletto knocks lightly on the door of Lady Virtue’s office. "Lady Virtue, I need to talk to you."

Virtue slowly looks up from the papers she'd been pretending to pay attention to on her desk. "Come in..." she says in an apathetic voice

Stiletto opens that door and trots in, she bows. "Lady Virtue. First I would like to ask how you are feeling, do not be afraid to say anything. I promised to be your support when you needed it."

Virtue looks up and sighs. "Terrible, really. I never thought I'd have to put somepony in jail..."

Stiletto clenches her jaw. "You will have to make many hard decisions. If it helps, I have read your laws, you did make the choice that they recommend."

Virtue nods and sits up in her chair, trying to collect herself. "Yes... I did what I had to, I suppose." She tries to even her facial expression. "Sorry... I didn't mean to get off topic. What did you want to talk about?"

Stiletto lowers her head. "I am sorry Lady Virtue, but this is what I wanted to talk about. I am requesting to be placed in the cell with Flux, this matter was caused by the way I choose to live."

Virtue is speechless "Wh-what?" She blinks in confusion a few times. "This isn't your fault Stiletto..."

Stiletto looks up trying to hold her tears in. "Yes it is. I am the one who has the 'Hedonistic life style'. If I had just lived like the rest of you, this never wood have happened, Flux and I could have been happy together, just the two of us, but that was not enough for me."

Virtue bites her lip and fights for something to say. "Stiletto... I... I'll admit that our cultures are different... and that I don't completely understand... your... love life... but, this is still far from your fault." She sighs. She wished she knew exactly whose fault it was, or if there really was something that could have been done to prevent it. "Glaive... shouldn't have spoken against you like that... and Flux shouldn't have attacked him." She chews her lip for another moment. "You're all adults... and whatever it was between you all was done willingly... I don't see the harm in it..."

Stiletto walks toward Virtue. "Then this is a request. It is selfish, but it will alleviate my guilt."

Virtue looks down at her desk for a few awkward moments. "I... won't stop you if you want to spend time with Flux, of course... but I'm hesitant to actually lock you up with him... what if you're needed? What if... what if somepony hears about this and takes it the wrong way? I... fear tensions are high enough as it is..."

Stiletto breathes out heavily "I should have thought of that before I drove these ponies into such a jealous rage. I wish to remain imprisoned with him until his sentence has ended."

Virtue shakes her head. "Please don't beat yourself up over this..." She stands slowly and takes a step toward her. "...but maybe we should talk to Flux, first?"

Stiletto shakes her head. "Lady Virtue, you have already taken enough pain from this. Please let me take some of the burden from you, spare you some pain. I can bare it, I swear to you."

Tempting as that was, this was Virtue’s responsibility. "I..." She lowers her head slightly. "Thank you for the offer... as I've said before you're a good example to everypony, even if sometimes some ponies don't see it." She looks over to the door and adds: "Let's go see Flux... and talk about what you want to do..."

Stiletto nods slowly. "You are much stronger than anypony knows."

Virtue leads her down to the cell where Flux is being held. "Flux? There's somepony here to talk to you."

Stiletto trots slowly toward the cell. "My kindest love."

Flux looks up at his new visitors, unable to suppress a smile as he recognizes Stiletto. Seeing her expression, however, makes him uncertain. Flux bows to Virtue before addressing Stiletto.

Virtue frowns slightly at the bow and looks down.

"My Beautiful One. How are you, uh, doing?"

Stiletto touches the bars with her fore hoof. 'nur ein wenig Druck und ich konnte ... NEIN!' "I am here to join you."

Flux looks shocked. "What?! No! What... what happened?"

Stiletto closes her eyes. "This is my fault. My choice of life caused this to happen. I must share your punishment, my kindest love, I have made you hurt another pony." 'Ein böses und eifersüchtig Pony unwürdig leckte meine, NEIN!'

Flux looks at her, confused and relieved. "It's not your fault he... said something he shouldn't have. And it's not your fault that I... um, hurt him."

Stiletto points at the lock, "Lady Virtue, if you would please."

Flux worriedly looks at the lock as if he could keep the cell closed with effort of will. "Stiletto, you did nothing wrong!"

Stiletto frowns. "If you believe that you are guilty then I have."

"I would have done that if he had insulted anypony I love. You don't control him, my Beautiful One." Flux reaches a forelimb through the bars to try to caress Stiletto's muzzle."You did nothing wrong."

Stiletto sighs "I control how I present myself, my kindest love, this would not have come about if you and I were a jealous couple, like everypony else."

"It's not your fault how he chooses to react to you. Or... how I chose to react to him."

Stiletto brushes the lock with her forehoof "Please Lady Virtue, before I rip these bars from their hinges."

Virtue hesitates a moment before raising the keys to the lock. "If... if that's what you really want..." She unlocks the door.

Flux looks concerned, but doesn't say anything.

Stiletto trots in slowly and lays down next to Flux and whispers: "I could not stand to be away from you this long."

Virtue frowns slightly. "P-perhaps I should leave you two. Stiletto, if you change your mind, you're free to go... of course..."

Stiletto opens one wing. "I will stay with my most kind love, Lady Virtue. I will not go until he forgives himself."

Virtue nods slowly. "I see. I'll come check up on you two later..." She turns to leave, trying to think of something to say, but fails and just lowers her head as she begins to walk away.

Flux watches Virtue start to leave. "Um, Virtue?"

"Yes?" she asks, looking back

Stiletto looks at Flux with longing eyes "Do not feel any guilt over this."

Flux: "It's... not your fault I'm in here, either."

Virtue sighs and looks away. "Perhaps not... but I can't help but feel responsible." She is silent for a moment. "Before... before Rose was born... before I had any children, I often looked at everypony here as family. I still do. Maybe it's silly... but I felt like some of you really were my children. I can't help but feel proud when you do well... or upset or concerned when something happens to you. I just worry about you... all of you... so much..."

Stiletto tries to pull Flux under her wing "Share with me your pain, and know that I still love you both."

Flux grudgingly accepts the embrace, though he still addresses Virtue.”That's, um, why you're a good leader, Virtue. Just... try not to beat yourself up when we make mistakes..."

Virtue’s expression softens a bit to a teary eyed smile. "Thank you Flux... I'll try." She thinks back to Brook and Barley's deaths and barely contains her emotions. Finally, she says, "I... I'll be upstairs in my office if you need me. I can hear you if you call me... and I'll come check up on you in a bit..."

Stiletto snuggles close to Flux. "Lady Virtue. You are one of the strongest leaders I have ever had the pleasure to meet."

"Th-thank you..." she says sincerely, tears finally forming in her eyes. Perhaps she'd done something right at some point. "Take care, you two. I'll send some food down in a bit... and do whatever I can to get you a proper place to sleep."

Flux can't help but snuggle into Stiletto, her strength and warmth helping him forget the dreary surroundings.

Stiletto lays her head on Flux "I can sleep fine here. Flux is the best pillow ever."

Virtue forms a small smile, nods and heads upstairs.

Flux nuzzles Stiletto, quietly chuckling."I don't think you quite understand how a punishment is supposed to work, my Beautiful One." Flux says, smiling.

"In my homeland, there is only redemption my kindest love."

"I don't think I'll feel very redeemed until either Glaive forgives me or my two months are up..."

Stiletto nuzzles Flux' mane. "One or the other."