Single Parent Seeks Special Somepony

by angelofrombelow

Chapter 3

The journey back to Horte’s restaurant passed by without Berry really noticing. She was too preoccupied with thoughts of Lyra and Bon Bon, and the fact that their relationship could be ending at that very moment.

Poor Bon Bon. She deserved better than that, she truly did. They had seemed so happy together.

Berry pushed open the door and went inside, her head hanging forlornly as she made her way to the bar. She only looked up once she reached the counter.

Horte was there, showing concern as he saw her downcast expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to go into it. Let’s just say that my plans for tonight have taken a considerable turn for the worse.”

She looked at the row of bottles behind him and decided that was probably her best option. “Pour me a drink, Horte. Something strong,” she said, her voice weary. “I don’t care how early it is. I’ve got time to talk, if you’ve got time to listen.”

He sighed, saddened to see her in such a bad mood. “This sounds like it’s going to be a long story.” He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “But it’s one that’ll have to wait for later, and you need to pick yourself up. There’s somepony here who wants to speak to you.”

Berry raised her head, turned slowly and scanned the other patrons in the room. Her heart flipped when she saw who he was talking about.

Twilight Sparkle was quietly and contentedly reading at one of the tables by the window – apparently she hadn’t realised Berry had entered yet.

The sight of her left the earth pony unable to speak coherently for a couple of seconds. “She wants to speak to me?” she repeated, then cursed herself. “That’s the second time I’ve walked in here without noticing her. How is it possible to miss a princess twice?”

“Your poor powers of observation notwithstanding, you should go over and talk to her,” said Horte. “She came in earlier this afternoon, believing she would find you here. Then she came in again about an hour ago and said she’d wait for you this time. She wants to speak to you about last night. I offered to take a message but she insisted on delivering it herself.”

“Right.” Berry could feel her heart beating. Bon Bon’s pep talk this afternoon had raised her hopes of success and this had the unfortunate result of making her nervous. “Quick, get me a drink. I need liquid support.”

“You’ll be fine,” he said with a wink. “She’s clearly already made up her mind, whatever it may be. Wait to see what she says – and if she says yes, then you can worry.”

That remark helped to clear her head a bit. She exhaled, then walked on over to meet her destiny.

She shone a smile and the princess returned it, but with less enthusiasm. “Hi Berry! I’m glad to see you,” she said, her voice betraying her nerves. “I’ve been wanting to speak to you all day.”

“You have?” A spark of hope lit up inside Berry’s chest but it was quickly extinguished when she saw the apologetic look in Twilight’s eyes. “Oh. You have,” she repeated.

“I was thinking about you all last night.” Twilight raised her hoof, her tone almost as if she was reciting a memorised speech. “Going over what we said and the way we left things. And then I started worrying about it and I got myself into a state, because I came to the conclusion I was stringing you along. I realised that the longer I left it, the more chance there’d be that I’d end up hurting you and that’s the last thing I want to do.”

“Right.” Berry lowered her head momentarily, then forced herself to brave through it.

“I’ve been asked out before and haven’t had any trouble with it. It’s easier with stallions – I can tell when it’s coming and I have no difficulty in letting them down gently. But last night threw me a little, I just wasn’t expecting it.” Twilight smiled self-consciously. “I did think about it, about what you said. I did a bit of soul-searching and… and to tell you the truth, I’m still not sure what I discovered. I believe there’s more I need to find out about myself, whether there really is something there that I need to come to terms with, that I need to accept.”

Berry looked at her with fresh eyes, realising this was something that couldn’t be hurried. She cast her mind back to when she first discovered she was gay and the upheaval it caused her. A revelation of that sort was life-changing. Twilight’s reticence was completely understandable.

“And I’m afraid to say it’s not something I want to tackle any time soon,” said Twilight. “I’m only just getting used to being a princess and the responsibilities that brings. My life’s too hectic now to allow anypony else in it. I can make time for my friends but that’s about all I can manage at the moment. Trying to start a relationship now just wouldn’t be fair on the other pony.”

Berry nodded. “I understand. It was much the same for me when Pinchy – my daughter – came along. You have to make time for yourself.”

The princess relaxed and smiled gratefully. “Thank you for being so understanding. I was dreading this talk all day, I didn’t know how you’d react.”

“Hey, you’ve got no reason to watch yourself around me. At least when I’m sober.”

Twilight tittered. After a moment’s consideration, she outstretched her hoof. “Friends?”

Berry lifted her hoof to meet hers. “Of course. And if you ever need somepony to speak to about this, let me know. I’m probably the only pony round here who can relate.”

“Is there nopony else?” she asked in surprise. “There are so many mares in Ponyville, surely there has to be.”

“Not that I know of.” Berry took a second to reconsider, then grimaced. “Well, there’s Bon Bon, but she’s probably not going to be willing to talk for a while. In fact, it’d be wiser not to go to her for advice at all. You might find her a bit overwhelming.”

Twilight looked at her blankly, not quite understanding what she meant. “I’ll take your word for it,” she said. “I’m heading back to the library. Have a good night, okay?”

“Not much chance of that, I’m afraid,” she replied glumly. She corrected herself hastily: “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that. It’s not you, just something else that happened earlier.”

She had stepped in quickly enough to stop Twilight from becoming distressed, but the alicorn was still unhappy to know that something was wrong. “Anything you want to talk about?” she asked.

Berry shook her head. “Thanks, but no. I have him for that.” She nodded in Horte’s direction. “Barpony. Useful creatures. They’ll listen to anything you have to say, as long as you let them ply you with drink.”

Twilight nodded, satisfied that Berry would be well looked after. She said her goodbyes and the earth pony headed back to the bar.

It was evening now and the restaurant was beginning to fill with customers. Berry had to wait for Horte to serve other ponies before he could get back to her.

He took one look at her and swiftly poured her a shot of whisky. She downed it neat, shuddering slightly as it warmed the back of her throat and rinsed out some of her deflated mood.

“I take it we’re not going to see another royal wedding any time soon?” he asked with sympathy. She shook her head. “A pity. I could have been your bridesmaid.”

“Oh, shut up,” she said, taking it in good humour. “You never let me just feel sorry for myself, do you? Always have to make some sarcastic remark.”

“Of course. You’re no fun when you’re depressed. So, what happened?”

She shrugged. “She needs time to find herself. I can live with that. Another drink?”

He poured another shot, this time adding a mixer so it wouldn’t go down so quickly. “What about Bon Bon and Lyra? You came in here looking like the world had ended. Or at least, somepony else’s.”

Berry told him the whole story, talking quietly so nopony else would hear. The great afternoon the three of them had spent together, chatting away, followed by Lyra’s revelation that she was having second thoughts about her relationship with Bon Bon.

Horte listened attentively but there was little he could offer except his disappointment.

“What are you going to do tonight?” he asked.

“I have no idea. I was all geared up for a wild night out with those two. Now I can’t stop thinking about what she must be going through.”

“Perhaps it’s for the best. Better to know the truth than live a lie,” he said. “Besides, you may have had a lucky escape. Who knows where the three of you would have ended up? Bon Bon might well have invited you to share their bed.”

“Knowing her, I’d say that was a distinct possibility,” she said. “I couldn’t do it, though. I’m a one-mare pony.”

Horte cast a glance at his other members of staff, who were being kept busy by a constant flow of customers. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to go,” he said. “But I’ve got a suggestion to keep you busy. That pegasus I told you about, the one who was asking after you? She walked in here just a few minutes ago.”

“What? Where?” Berry scanned the room, suddenly alert.

“I can’t see her now, but I assure you she’s in here. Good luck,” he said, nudging her shoulder. “Second time’s the charm.”

Berry considered finishing the rest of her drink but decided she didn’t need it. A white-coated pegasus with a blonde mane, that was how he’d described her. She had no idea who she was, but if she was looking for her then that was all she needed to know.

The place was busy now, typical for a Saturday night. It took her a while but finally she spotted her, standing alone by a back wall.

The other pony’s eyes lit up when she noticed her and she trotted over, full of smiles. “Hi!” she cried enthusiastically.

“I hear you’ve been looking for me,” said Berry, her tone cautious but sly. “Now you’ve found me. What did you want me for?”

The pegasus cast her eyes upward, a nonchalant grin on her face. “That’d be telling, wouldn’t it? I’d prefer to keep it a surprise. Shall we find somewhere to talk?”

“That’d be great. I…” Just then, Berry saw something that left her unable to finish her sentence. Her good mood immediately dissipated. “Oh no.”

Bon Bon and Lyra had walked in and they were in unexpectedly high spirits. Almost as if they hadn’t had a conversation that could spell the end of their relationship.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” asked the pegasus.

“I’m really sorry about this, but there’s something I need to sort out,” Berry said unhappily. “Can we arrange to meet up some time? I think this is going to take a while.”

The other pony was disappointed. “Sure, I guess. This place’ll be open at lunch time tomorrow, won’t it? Can’t it wait, though? I really wanted to chat.”

“It’s not a good time, I’m sorry. I need to sort my friend’s life out – it’s kind of a matter of life and death.”

“I don’t think you know what that phrase really means,” she said in a mumble, before forcing herself to brighten up. “Okay. Tomorrow. I’ll be hanging around here though, so if you get free tonight…”

“I will if I can,” Berry promised, then walked over to meet the other two ponies.

“Hey there!” said Bon Bon, raising her leg for a hoof bump.

Berry returned the gesture, forcing a grin. “Hey guys, glad you could make it. You took a while getting here, what kept you so long?”

“Oh, that’s for us to know and you to fantasise about,” she replied. “I noticed you were talking to somepony. Who was that?”

Berry hesitated a moment, realising she hadn’t even asked the other pegasus her name. No matter – this was too important. “I’ll tell you everything, but we should get some drinks in first. Lyra, it’s your round.”

If the unicorn was worried about leaving the two earth ponies alone, she didn’t show it. She took their orders – Bon Bon had a creamy vodka cocktail, Berry a double whisky – and trotted over to the crowded bar.

“So who was that pegasus?” asked Bon Bon. “A friend? Something more?”

“I’d only just met her. She’d been looking for me, apparently, but when I saw you guys come in I had to come over and speak to you.”

“You what?” She held a hoof to her head. “Are you crazy? This night is all about finding you a mare. You’d found one. Forget us, go over there and get talking to her.”

Berry shook her head. “I wanted to speak to you first. Just make sure everything’s alright in your world.”

She frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about? Of course it is. I’m with the mare of my dreams. Business is going a bit slow, but it’s fine. Everything’s good with me.”

The purple pony sighed. “What did you and Lyra talk about after I left?” she asked.

Bon Bon smirked. “About you, of course. Though I couldn’t possibly repeat anything we said.” She noticed her friend’s expression drop and felt a pang of guilt. “Hey, I’m kidding. Well, we did talk about you but we were discussing which mares you could chat up. Which ones seemed likely targets.”

Berry didn’t respond, so she continued. “We thought Derpy Hooves might be worth a shot. She’s a single mum like you, doesn’t seem to have any time for the stallions in town. You’d probably have to drop any pretence of subtlety in order to make your intentions clear, but I’m sure you could handle that. If you’re willing to set your sights higher, you could try Rarity. Sure, she’s shown interest in the stallions before. But, although I’m not one to make sweeping generalisations, I’m convinced that everypony involved in the fashion industry is secretly gay…”

“Bon Bon, I want to talk to you about your relationship with Lyra. I want to make sure everything’s okay with you guys,” Berry interrupted.

The other pony stared at her, taken aback by her choice of subject. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her tone wary.

“I hope you’ll forgive me for this but I’ve got your best intentions at heart,” she said. “It’s just… this is a pattern I’ve seen before. The transition from friend to lover changes everything and it’s not always simple. You look at each other differently and sometimes, when you’re that much closer, you notice things that you hadn’t before. I’ve seen the way you look at Lyra and it’s clear that you need her in your life. Are you sure she feels the same way about you?”

Bon Bon was silent for a while. When she spoke, her tone was more careful and considered than usual. “It’s nice that you’re worried about me, but everything’s fine. I dote on her, sure, but she cares deeply about me too.” She smiled weakly. “Trust me, I’ve analysed our relationship more than anypony. I’ve learned that I have to stop being paranoid, otherwise it’ll just bring up bad feelings.”

Lyra reappeared at that moment, alcoholic drinks levitating around her head.

“You love me, don’t you Lyra?” Bon Bon asked jovially.

“Sure do!” she replied, setting the glasses down on the table. “Now let’s get drunk.”

Berry looked at her through narrowed eyes, then raised her shot glass and downed her whisky in a series of slow gulps.

“Oh look at that, I finished already,” she said, ignoring the roughness in her throat. “Lyra, would you mind getting me another? I promise I’ll go slower this time.”

The unicorn was a little perturbed, but relented after Bon Bon gave her a nod. She trotted back to the bar.

“Berry, what’s with you?” Bon Bon asked. “I’m not happy about the way you sent her off like that.”

The other earth pony winced, realising that if she continued behaving this way she’d force a confrontation. Bon Bon had already dismissed the concerns she’d raised. If she took the matter any further, it would become increasingly clear that she believed there was something wrong. That she knew something was wrong.

She wasn’t comfortable with doing that. She didn’t know the full circumstances. Perhaps Lyra had intended to speak to Bon Bon when she went back home but couldn’t find the words. Maybe something else had come up.

In any case, a crowded bar wasn’t the place for a conversation like this. Better to leave it for tonight and put on a civil face.

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m not in the best of moods. Spoke with Twilight earlier and she kinda nixed any idea of us going on a date.”

“Ah.” Bon Bon lowered her head in sympathy, then flashed a smile. “Well, no need to give up on her just yet. Give her some time, she may come around. That’s how it happened for me and Lyra. Until then, there’s plenty more to talk about.”

The pair began chatting, the conversation quickly turning to the single mares in town and whether they would be interested. Lyra returned with another double whisky and, true to her word, Berry took it slower this time.

She laughed with the others and paid attention when they spoke, but she was unable to fully give herself to the conversation. There was a nagging voice at the back of her mind that grew louder the more she drank, and something yanked at her heart every time she saw Lyra treating Bon Bon with affection. After what the unicorn had told her earlier, it just didn’t seem right.

And the uneasier she felt, the faster she downed the whisky.

A couple of hours passed without incident. Several drinks had passed by and Bon Bon and Lyra had grown markedly more interested in each other than with Berry’s problems. They were courteous enough to try to disguise it, but intoxicated enough that their efforts were doomed to failure.

She excused herself and headed to the bar. Her head was foggy and it felt like she was walking through syrup. Horte went to serve her and immediately saw the state she had gotten herself into.

“Berry.” His voice was akin to a kindly parent disappointed in their child. “Berry, how much have you had to drink tonight?”

“Don’t remember. I’m fine. Give me another.” She was slurring her words and using one of her forelegs to hold herself steady against the bar.

He shook his head. “You’re not fine and I’m not serving you. You only ever get this drunk when there’s something seriously wrong. What is it? Is it Bon…”

“Okay, don’t serve me. I don’t need it,” she replied peevishly, turning her back and walking away.

“Berry, don’t…” Horte was interrupted by another customer demanding service and had no choice but to let his friend go.

The mare looked back at where she had been sitting and saw Bon Bon and Lyra kissing each other, oblivious to anypony around them.

It was time to leave. She was in a foul mood and if she stayed any longer, there was a danger she’d do something to regret. She began making her way to the exit but was forced to stop when another pony stepped into her path.

“Oh hey, it’s you again!” It was the white pegasus from earlier, as enthusiastic as ever. Berry suddenly fell forward and she moved in to keep her propped up. “Wow, you’ve been hitting the booze, haven’t you?” she asked, her voice inflected by the faintest note of concern.

Berry didn’t answer. The other pony looked up, as if checking to see if anypony else was paying attention to them, then leaned her head down to her. “We didn’t get to finish our chat. Heck, I didn’t even get a chance to introduce myself. My name’s Surprise. Wanna talk?”

Berry perked up slightly. Despite her drunkenness, she could see the other pony was interested in her and she wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass her by.

“Sure,” she said, wincing at the slur in her voice. “I mean, okay. Let’s find a table.”

The two of them moved over to an empty spot by a side wall, with Berry trying to ignore the ache in her head. Horte was right, she’d had way too much tonight.

“What’s wrong?” asked Surprise. “I presume it’s related to the reason you rushed off earlier.”

Berry groaned. “Two of my friends. They’re together, but one of them’s told me she’s not interested any more and she won’t talk to her partner about it.”

“Relationship stuff, eh?” she said. “Sounds pretty rough. It’s not up to you to worry about other ponies’ problems, though.”

“I know. I mean, I guess so. But I can’t help it. Bon Bon dotes on Lyra and it looks like her world’s about to fall apart.”

Surprise’s smile flickered downwards for a brief second. “Things always get so complicated when you get your heart set upon somepony. There’s something to be said for sticking to short-term fun.”

Berry frowned, a tang of disappointment in her chest. Was Surprise only interested in her for a one-night stand? That wasn’t what she wanted at all – she hoped for somepony who wanted something deeper.

“How long you in town for? Haven’t seen you around before,” she said.

“Oh, I live in Manehattan,” Surprise said quickly. “Not a very interesting place. Everypony’s very stuffy. I decided to go travelling and I heard Ponyville was the place to go. Apparently there’s no party like a Ponyville party.”

“That’s very true. Are you looking to stay?” she asked guardedly.

The pegasus appeared reflective for a moment. She spoke earnestly: “I hope so. I really do. I’ve been looking for a home where I can live – really live – ever since I was born.”

That reassured and intrigued Berry in equal measure. Surprise seemed like a pony who had difficulty finding her place in the world and Berry wondered about her past, what had made her like that.

Surprise grinned and leaned forward. “So, I heard you like to party,” she said. “And I’ve been looking for some entertainment.”

Berry edged back slightly, perturbed by this sudden change in tone. It was a bit too aggressively keen for her liking.

Surprise continued regardless. “You’re going to have to invite me to one of your famous parties. I hear you’re even on good terms with the princess, is that right?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” she replied, caught off-guard. “I mean, I wanted to be. I asked her out but she… can we talk about something else?”

The other pony appeared to be upset by this revelation but, like before, she quickly re-adopted a cheerful expression. “You were attracted to her? You wanted to be more than friends?” She tapped the side of her head pensively. “Huh. Love. It’s a good, wholesome emotion but I can’t say I understand it. Difficult to earn but easy to steal away.”

“Tell me about it,” said Berry. She wasn’t feeling particularly happy. She wasn’t feeling much chemistry between her and Surprise and she wasn’t able to read her intentions. She got the idea that the pegasus intended to go home with her tonight, but that wasn’t what she wanted. She hoped Surprise would understand that. She also wished that they had delayed this conversation until tomorrow afternoon.

“So,” she said, reaching for a topic of conversation. “Surprise. That’s an interesting name. Where did you get that from?”

The other pony was hesitant. “It’s simple, really. My parent didn’t believe she would ever have children. It’s rare for… uh… rare to conceive when you have the condition she has. So, when I came along it was a complete surprise. Hence the name.”

“Oh. That’s actually kinda sweet,” she said. “It was the same for me when my daughter came along. She was a surprise too. Though as far as surprises go, she was…”

“You have a child?” The smile dropped from Surprise’s face again and this time, it stayed off. She appeared to be outright dismayed.

Berry took stock of her reaction and came to a final decision about her suitability as a partner. “Forget it,” she muttered angrily, turning her back and walking away.

“Wait! I’m sorry. You just threw me off guard,” Surprise called out, but she wasn’t listening. “Damn it!”

Berry heard the other pony cursing herself. She sounded truly regretful, though that did nothing to change her mind. Anypony who reacted that way to the thought of children was not somepony she wanted in her life.

She was about to leave the bar when she took one last look back at Lyra and Bon Bon’s table. The unicorn was alone for the moment, sitting on her hind quarters with a carefree smile.

The sight of her infuriated Berry. The earth pony marched over, her mouth locked in a snarl. Lyra noticed her approach and was somewhat concerned by the expression on her face. Before she could ask what was wrong, Berry launched into a verbal assault.

“You! You don’t know how lucky you are!” she cried, causing the other pony to shrink back in shock. “Do you realise how hard it is to find somepony like Bon Bon? Somepony who truly cares about you? And you don’t even have the common courtesy to talk to her, tell her how you’re feeling!”

“What, what are you talking about?” asked Lyra, her voice shaking as much as her body. “I don’t… talk to her about what?”

Berry had to hold herself back. “About what you said to me earlier! You promised that you were going to speak to her. Tell her you were having doubts. But seeing you tonight, it’s clear that you haven’t said anything!”

A very confused-looking Lyra was becoming acutely aware of a gathering crowd. “I don’t understand, where are you getting this from? I didn’t say anything, I didn’t… I would never leave Bon Bon.”

“What was that? What’s going on?” At the mention of her name, the other mare appeared. She went to Lyra’s side, predisposed towards protecting her.

Berry pointed at the unicorn. “She has something to tell you. She’s been lying to you, Bon Bon.”

“I haven’t!” Lyra was becoming upset now, unused to such outright hostility. Her partner moved forward to act as a barrier between her and Berry.

“What’s going on?” she repeated. “You’ve been acting strange all night. What are you trying to do?” A flash of realisation sparked in her eyes and she became angry. “Are you trying to split us up?”

“She’s lying to you. Bon Bon, she’s not right for you.” Berry’s original energy was starting to fade and this was beginning to feel like a huge mistake.

“Lyra’s not a liar. She cares about me,” she said. Her expression was still aggressive but her eyes were starting to water. The alcohol in her system was acting as a catalyst to her emotions.

Berry shook her head, her rage dissipating to be replaced by sympathy. “Bon Bon, you don’t understand.”

In a sudden impulse, Bon Bon wrapped her front legs around Lyra and held her close to her, apparently too frightened to let her go. “No, you don’t understand! We love each other, we belong together – no matter what you other ponies think!” She directed that last sentiment at the staring crowd.

“She’s MY Lyra!” she cried. The unicorn was too astonished to respond, her eyes wide open and staring. “She’s my Lyra. My Lyra.” She became tearful, her words growing incoherent. “She’s Myra.”

Horte stepped past the gathered ponies and gently laid a hoof on Berry’s back. His disappointed expression told her that she had overstepped the mark.

“Berry, I think it would be best if you left,” he said softly.

She bowed her head, ashamed. Bon Bon was snivelling snottily into Lyra’s coat, and the unicorn was looking at Berry with hurt bewilderment.

“Do you want me to see you home? You’ve had a lot to drink,” said Horte.

She shook her head. “No. No, I’m sorry. I… I’ll see myself out.”

With that, she headed through the restaurant doors and began her journey home. Her mind was consumed by a slow tide of sadness, her drunkenness descending back on her like a fog. The simple act of walking took up most of her attention, but she couldn’t help reflecting on the disaster today had been.

Later tonight, Bon Bon would question Lyra about what had just happened and the truth would come out. In all likelihood, Berry had hastened the end of their relationship and lost two friends in the process.

They would be alone again, just as she was now. Her hopes with Twilight were postponed indefinitely and Surprise had only been interested in one thing. It was a lonely walk home.

Her front door was a welcome sight when she finally arrived there and she blundered her way on through, leaving it to slam thoughtlessly behind her.

All she wanted to do now was collapse into bed and hope the morning wouldn’t hurt as much as she knew it was going to. She considered drinking some water to lessen her hangover but dismissed the idea, realising it was going to be bad no matter what she did.

Just as she turned to go to bed, there was an urgent tapping at her front door. She let out an aggravated sigh, not wanting the company. She couldn’t think of anypony who she’d be happy to see. At best, it could be Horte – he would be more inclined to lend her a sympathetic ear but she wanted sleep more than anything else.

Reluctantly, she opened the door to see a white-coated pegasus waiting for her.

“You? What are you doing here?” Berry grimaced. “Look, I’m not interested, okay? I’m sorry.”

Surprise wasn’t smiling and her movements were awkward. She seemed ashamed of herself. “I just want to talk, that’s all,” she said. “Let me in. Give me a chance.”

“Maybe tomorrow. Leave me alone, I’m going to bed.” Berry went to shut the door but Surprise raised her hoof, preventing her from closing it all the way. “Hey, what are you doing?”

“It has to be tonight,” she said, her voice low, her head bowed. “I don’t have much time. From what I understand, the town’s fillies and colts will be returning by the end of the weekend. Finding out you had a daughter made things so much more difficult.”

“What are you talking about?” Berry tried to force the door shut but the other pony was incredibly strong. She couldn’t budge it an inch.

Her heart began beating faster and her breath caught in her throat as she realised that she was in trouble here.

“Please, leave me alone,” she said. “I don’t know what you want, but whatever it is it’s not worth…” She swallowed dryly, the first tinges of true fear prickling her skin – Surprise wasn’t listening to her.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” the pegasus said, “I promise you that. Once this is over, you won’t even remember this happened.”

She began to force her way inside. Berry yelped, then took a breath to cry out for help.

Surprise’s mouth curled briefly in anger and her eyes momentarily flashed, changing colour to a milky blue. “Don’t shout.” That was her only warning.

Berry struggled against the door before realising it was no use, then scrambled backwards as Surprise entered the house.

She was greatly disturbed by the change she had witnessed in the pegasus’s eyes. It was unreal, unnatural – like nothing she had ever seen in another pony. But it reminded her of something else.

It was then that she realised what Surprise was. Those eyes matched the description of a creature that had invaded Canterlot several months ago, a malevolent species that had tricked the royal family and sought to feed on the fear of their subjects.

Lyra’s confusion at Berry’s accusations in the bar suddenly made sense. She wasn’t the one who claimed to be having second thoughts about her relationship – it had been someone who adopted her form. Someone who had been stalking Berry all weekend.

A changeling.

Comments

[Kail]

Holy shit. Way to crank the suspense up to 11.

[Zennyth]

Reaction to chapter 3....[youtube=http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OT4B-NJUcZE]

[theblueblur92]

Hmmmm....Something screwy is going on around here. Ah....the joy of conflict.

[Exuno]

wow that is a sudden change of genre

I can't say I'm not intrigued, though. You've done a good job of setting up a bunch of interesting plot points, I'll be looking forward to watching you resolve them just as well.

[Phantom5niper]

At first I was thinking berry was going to be raped then it got worse.

[Atom Smash]

"Huh. Love. It’s a good, wholesome emotion but I can’t say I understand it. Difficult to earn but easy to steal away.”

You're starting to sound like a changeling, darling.

[Atom Smash]

“What, what are you talking about?” asked Lyra, her voice shaking as much as her body. “I don’t… talk to her about what?”

Oh, I thought that was weird.Yup, I'm convinced now. Changelings!