The Shine, Glitz, and Glamor of Feather Bangs
Love is something that’s always eluded me. Not the acquisition of it, of course, but the mechanics of it. The underlying layer of emotional interplay and mutual understanding that everyone desires deep down. Don’t get me wrong, I can get things started. After all, I’m smooth--it’s not an exaggeration to say I’m the smoothest pony in town. I can get any mare, and I’ve had most of them. The problem I have is holding on.
My name is Feather Bangs, and this is the story of my broken heart.
----
Her name was Sugar Belle, and she was the sweetest pony I knew. We’d come together in Our Town when it was built, tricked and trapped by Starlight Glimmer and her cult. Our time under Starlight’s spell was the same as anypony’s--that was the nature of the spell of course. Once we were free, most of us decided to stay and try to make Our Town really our town.
Sometimes I wonder if Starlight didn’t have it right. In a way, I was much happier back then. Even though the light was gone from my life, at least my heart didn’t ache with unbidden desire. I was flat back then, exactly like the rest of Our Town. And so was Sugar Belle. There was nothing to notice about her during Starlight’s reign, so I didn’t notice anything. I didn’t need her then, because she was nothing special. Anypony would do.
Then Starlight left, and our magic came back. Each of us began to grow, some more beautiful than others. There were two ponies that stood out from the rest, myself and Sugar Belle. Sure, I experimented with other mares before I realized it. Quite a few, actually. But I was just trying to understand the raging torrent that was my heart. I’d see a pretty set of eyes, and then the music would start playing in my mind. Soon, my entourage would follow, creating the perfect scene for me to woo the mare.
We’d have a whirlwind romance, and our souls would reach out and touch each other, only to realize that it would never work. It was the same story, over and over. We’d meet, I’d fall for them, they’ed get pulled in by my glamor, and then we’d quickly drift away, both hurting and confused. I knew the lines, I knew the songs, and I had the tricks. But once they saw through my glamor and shine, they saw what was underneath. They saw the hurting, lonely stallion that so desperately wanted to just be loved. And that… that twisted the illusion around into something terrible. Then they’d leave me.
Oh, I’d play it cool. That is my magic after all. I’d scoff and waive them out of the bedroom as they left with this disgusted look in there eyes. I always knew what they were thinking.
“How could I have done that?”
“With him? Of all ponies?”
“What came over me?”
“I’m never drinking again...”
“I can’t believe I thought he was the one.”
“I need a bath.”
“Nopony can ever know.”
Sometimes they’d tell me their thoughts while I pretended to ignore them and focus on my brushing my mane. Sometimes, they’d threaten me. I’d almost always shrug it off. I never meant to hurt them, and if they wanted to keep their “disgraceful” liaison with me a dirty little secret, well, that was their business.
I never let them know how much it hurt me. I never let them know how much pain I was in. My glamor is my magic after all.
I couldn’t be destined to live a lonely unfulfilled life, forever watching the ponies around me find love. Even still, I knew that I’d forever be half a dirty secret in an otherwise happy couple’s past, or worse, their relationship. That’s happened to me a few times as well, and it hurts more than ponies realize. I never wanted to hurt anypony. I just wanted the pain to stop.
And one day, it did.
I was buying an apple fritter from our local baker when she smiled at me and said, “Have a nice day.” It wasn’t the words that got me. It was her smile. She genuinely wanted me to have a nice day. Whether or not she was affected by my glamor, she wanted me to be happy. And for a moment I was.
I left the shop in a daze, not realizing Sugar Belle’s effect on me until I’d stumbled back into my apartment. My entourage had followed me, and had also began to sing. That’s when I knew. I was in love, and this time it was serious.
Gripping the apple fritter tightly, I cleared all the junk off the top of my dresser, just pictures and affects from Strawberry Swirls. I had thought I was in love, but now all that was in the trash. She’d left me this morning, tearing another hole in my heart as she stormed from my apartment in a fury.
I lived in the basement level, below the Dustys, a friendly lesbian couple. There were no windows in my apartment, and their heavy carpeting muffled any noise from my parties or other loud activities. They didn’t mind the parties, and had on occasion slipped down for some fun. I’d slept with both of them, not at the same time, but they had a big fight over it and made it very clear it would never happen again. I think they’d decided to pity me after, but that’s a different tale of heartbreak.
Still, Dusty Hooves had opened her door to the hallway, watching Strawberry angrily march out. She’d even offered the mare a chance to freshen up before she left the apartment. Strawberry had been rude.
What was it she’d said?
“Don’t bother. Everypony knows what’s happened when a mare stumbles out of this house with her tail tucked. I’ve got to go to work, and if that creep is following me, let him know I’ll bash his face in if I see him.”
Dusty Hooves had tried to defend me then, mentioning that “He couldn’t control it, and that it wasn’t exactly his fault.” She was a nice mare, and usually tried to help me. If Dusty Breeze had been watching, well, the conversation would have probably gotten a little more hostile towards me. She… wasn’t very sympathetic to my plight. Especially after she had angrily stumbled up the stairs from my apartment one morning with her tail tucked.
But that didn’t matter anymore. Strawberry Swirls was just another mare, another notch in my bedpost as I climbed towards true love. And I’d finally found it in Sugar Belle. After Strawberry Swirls spent love fell in the trash, I placed the apple fritter from Sugar Belle. It was the first layer in my shrine to her. The first layer of my magic. Next, I needed a picture.
I could hear my entourage hum a dark but exciting tune. Soon, so would Sugar Belle.
----
It was nightfall, and I was casually wandering the streets, playing it smooth. I had my crew with me. I was never sure if they were part of my entourage or not, but they always played along with the songs and schemes. Maybe they were somewhere in between, real ponies of Our Town that had become so ensorceled in my magic that they had been absorbed by my entourage. Either way, it didn’t matter. We were loitering at the cafe across from Sugar Belle’s shop and Glowstone was holding the camera at the ready.
I was posing, pretending to do glamor shots while the rest of the crew moved props, lights, and set pieces. It happened so smoothly, so efficiently that nopony would ever be the wiser. Most of my crew doesn’t know how my magic works, but to be perfectly honest neither do I. I think the pictures help, and I think the shrine helps, but I don’t actually know. All I know is that I’m driven to do it. I’m driven to build the shrine, and driven to capture a picture of my love.
Sugar Belle, in all her innocent beauty, had stepped through while we were shooting, and we’d captured her in the pictures. Simple as that, I had a backdrop for her shrine. But one picture wasn’t enough. It never was. I’d need to see her from every angle, to know what she looked like when she was angry, when she was sad, and when she was sleeping. This was the second step, but it was far from the last. Luckily, I had both plans and means.
This is after all, how love works, right? Love is devotion.
----
It had been a week later, and I was growing concerned. She’d ordered apples again. I’d thought nothing of her first shipment of apples. Particularly since it had allowed her to make the delicious apple fritters I’d originally went to her for. The second shipment only made sense, she’d needed more apples. But the third, and fourth shipments had not made sense. Sugar Belle’s stockroom was overflowing with apples now. I’d seen it. One of my crew sneak in and take pictures of it while she was out.
I had amassed enough pictures by then. Pictures of her sleeping, eating, showering, working, and smiling. My favorite were the pictures of her in her house, with her hair let down and her tail frizzy and free as she happily backed sweet treats. You had to know your lover, after all.
So I decided to figure out the mystery of her apples. Was she working on a special treat? Had she realized that I’d been buying an apple fritter every day and had a grand apple fritter planned for me? I couldn’t be sure. My crew was helpful as always, and had come up with a plan for me to find out.
We were stacked next to her store room, one pony ontop another, as they held me up. I had at least three ponies underneath me, each holding the next pony on their shoulders with their front hooves. Glowstone was under me, with Closed Curtains under him, and Heavyweight under her. Absentmindedly, I figured they, at least, were real.
Closed Curtains was curious, as always, as to what I saw. “What’s going on in there, boss? What can you see? What’s she doing with the apple shipment?”
I peeked through the window as we wobbled unsteadily. “She doesn’t seem to be doing anything. She’s just making the delivery pony unload them, barrel by barrel while she watches.” I could see Sugar Belle standing comfortably in her storeroom as the big red delivery pony picked up barrel after barrel. All she did was stare, not offering to help at all. That struck me as odd. She was the nicest pony in town.
Curtains spoke up again, sounding like she didn’t believe. “She’s just watchin? For real? Sugar Belle? Are they big barrels or something? She has magic, right?”
I scrubbed the window with my hoof, trying to get a clearer view. Her horn didn’t look hurt, and she really was just watching. In fact, she seemed to be watching the delivery pony more than the app…
That’s when I realized that I had competition. “She… seems to be watching his flanks. His big, red, apple marked flanks.” Was she actually drooling?
Heavyweight grumbled. “Boss… maybe you should let this one go.”
“What?” I violently pushed us away from the window, causing the stack of ponies to wobble. “Let Sugar Belle go? How could I let my soul mate go? My one true love? My destiny?” I struck a pose, silhouetted by the fading sun. “Love is always worth fighting for, team. Never give up. Never surrender!”
Glowstone, the lovable idiot he is, let go of my legs to clap excitedly. “Yeah! You say it, Boss! True love! Wohoo!”
Of course, this made us all tumble down.
As I fell, I planned. I’d have to move quickly. I’d show this apple pony how Feather Bangs fought for love. After I dealt with the coming concussion.
----
Sugar Belle’s shrine wasn’t complete, but I didn’t have time to finish it. I still needed some of her hair, anything from her body really, and something that she’d chewed. Gum was great, but really anything would work. It was late, and my team had gone off. Curtains promised to look for something of Sugar Belle’s in her shop, but I wasn’t hopeful. Sugar Belle kept her work clean.
I was lamenting my situation to the Dustys over some cherry wine coolers they had in their fridge. “And she’s just so beautiful. And nice. And she’s the one! I know it!”
Dusty Hooves nodded. “If she’s the one, you can’t give up.”
Dusty Breeze looked at her in shock. “Really, Hooves? Don’t fucking encourage him!”
I ignored them. “Oh Sugar Belle! How I love thee!”
Hooves frowned, gesturing towards me. “But he’s lonely! Just look at him! Nopony should be that unhappy.”
“~Sugar…. Bellle!” I was trying to sing, but my songs were never very good when I was drunk.
“He’s dangerous, and you know it. He’s going to hurt her.”
“But what if this one’s different? What if she really is his soul mate? I’d be so unhappy if I missed you in my life.”
“Remember how unhappy you were after he got to me? Remember how unhappy I was?”
“Sugar! Your name is sweet, like… Sugar!” I thought I had a perfect rhyme. Hmm… Maybe too perfect.
“That’s not fair, Breeze! You know he can’t help it.”
“Just because he’s a love drunk idiot doesn’t mean what he does isn’t horribly wrong, Hooves. We let him get by in this town because we’re all a little messed up after Starlight, but he’s… Well...”
I started to cry. Why couldn’t she love me now? Why was I so alone? “I’ll die alone!”
Breeze sighed. “He’s really fucking dangerous, Hooves. You have to understand that, right? What he does is not okay on any level.”
Hooves angrily stomped, a little dust devil swirling up and dissipating with the action. “Dangerous or not, he’s lonely and in pain. Nopony should have to go through that.”
Dusty Breeze grumbled and sat back down, sipping her drink. “You’re gonna hurt her, you know that, Feather Bangs?”
I drunkenly looked up. There were four Dustys now. I had a hard time addressing the right one. “I’d… I’d never hurt. Herrr…. I’d neever hert Sogar Bull.”
Two of the four Dustys squinted angrily at me. “Yeah, fucking right. You don’t have many mares left in this town that you haven’t hurt yet. You gonna start recycling more often after this one? When you gonna go after me or Hooves again? You need to get your fucking act together. If you go after me or Hooves again, I’m going to fucking wreck you afterwords. Hell, I’ll wreck you while, if it’s Hooves.”
I blinked at them in confusion. What was she talking about? I loved Sugar Belle. “Nooo? You’re friendsssh. Dusty Friensh. I Love Sogar Bull...”
The world grew dizzy as the Dustys faded out. The last thing I saw was Breeze glaring angrily at me and Hooves looking nervously uncomfortable as Breeze dangerously muttered. “Sure. Friends...”
Everything was dark, and I passed out.
----
I woke up in my bed with a painful headache. They’d drug me back to my room, and tossed me unceremoniously in my bed, like usual. I don’t know why, but whenever I drink with the Dustys, I’m always out half way through one drink. Luckily, they’re nice ponies and make sure I make it back whenever that happens.
I don’t know why I never hung out with them before I had my heart broken by Breeze, but ever since we drink together once or twice a week. The first time was an apology night after Breeze had smashed my mirror, and we’d kept up the tradition since. Hooves usually tries to make me feel better, while Breeze is usually a little mean. She means well, she’s just not the kind of pony to be nice to an old lover. Even if he was just her lover for one night of kinky passion. And Breeze had been incredibly kinky…
No, I needed to focus on Sugar Belle. She was the only mare for me, and traitorous thoughts about Breeze’s nimble tongue would get me no where. Plus, I felt like she’d threatened me recently, well, the night before, and that was decidedly unflattering for her.
Grumbling, I looked over Sugar Belle’s shrine. There was the picture wall, with lipstick circles around flattering shots. I’d gotten Closed Curtains to steal her pink lipstick, but unfortunately it was unused. Still, it made a great pen for circling attractive pictures of her face. And her sweet looking flank. I had a few shots where you might be able to see under her tail a bit, if you squinted.
Sugar Belle was too decent, too pure for me to get a good shot underneath her tail. She was perfect. Which is why I had also put up one of her recipe books, and had her horn shine on the table too. Not to mention a sock, a hat, some tail beads, a cookie tin, and a small collection of things she’d touched recently. Even some change she’d given me when I’d bought that first apple turnover, or whatever it had been. The decaying plate in the center of the shrine smelled slightly moldy, but you could tell it had been some kind of baked good. I didn’t have her hair yet, but this would be good enough.
Today was the day. It was time for Sugar Belle to fall in love.
---
I couldn’t have picked a better day, as Mr. Big Red Apple was in town. My Glamor was running full steam, and had helped my entourage get me a full bouquet of beautiful roses in a heart shape. When I found her shop, I saw why.
Big Red was standing in front of her door, holding a droopy blue flower and shuffling nervously. Oh hell no. Not on my watch. I ran, turning my glamor up to knock him out of the way, just in time to answer the door.
Sugar Belle opened it as Red flew to the side, where he belonged. Her face was shining, a visage of happiness, and she seemed to sparkle in the morning light. My glamor knew what to say, and I let it run me. That’s love right? You don’t need to think about what you say to a pony you love, the right words just come out. What I said didn’t matter. It never does when I’m glamored.
What mattered was her eyes. My shrine was working, I could see it. I don’t know what she saw in that red doofus, but now she was looking at me with those same hungry eyes she’d been looking at his flanks with. I wanted to spend forever in her eyes, I wanted right there to profess my undying love to her. But that wouldn’t have been smooth, so my glamor prevented me. It always knew exactly the right thing. Just what to do for love. I wish I knew how love worked.
For a minute or two we talked. About what, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that the hole in my heart was filling with her, joy seeped into my being. I wanted to shout, to scream her name to the world. Sugar Belle the lovely. Sugar Belle my savior. Sugar Belle the wonderful. I stayed and talked, charming her with my glamor until Red was out of sight. We laughed. We bonded. It was magical.
One meeting wasn’t enough. I planned on bagging her today, but you still couldn’t rush these things. So I left once the coast was clear. I left her, longing in the doorway as I sauntered away. I’m sure she watched my flanks as I walked. I’m sure there was drool.
That was part of it. You had to leave them waiting for a bit. A little anticipation goes a long way. It helps their minds wander, and the glamor set in. It allows love to bloom. It’s one of the rules of love, after all.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
---
I waited for lunch, watching her door from a distance. I just needed to meet her during her lunch. It didn’t matter how, the Glamor would ensure it worked out for me. My entourage waited nearby, and some of them were my crew.
Curtains seemed excited. “So, you gonna strike, boss?”
I nodded.
Heavyweight frowned. “I don’t like this one, Boss. I think she’s into the red guy.”
I stood up on the table. “All is fair in love and war, Heavy. And this is war!” Posing dramatically, I waited for Glowstone’s inevitable question.
“War?”
“The most important war, Glowstone. War for Love.” I looked down at him sadly. “You’ll understand one day when you find true love.” Hopefully he never did. The pangs of love would destroy poor Glowstone.
Closed curtains snorted. “That’s our Boss. Hey, uhh Boss? I got a question.”
I sighed. “Is it the usual?”
“Yup.”
I rolled my eyes. Who was I to judge? “Sure. I don’t mind. And I’m sure that Sugar Belle won’t either.”
Closed Curtains rubbed her hooves together in a devious show of anticipation. “Don’t worry, boss. She’ll never know unless you tell her.”
Heavyweight grunted in disapproval but didn’t say anything. He knew it was none of his business either. I climbed off the table, and eased into my seat, watching the door to Sugar Belle’s bakery closely.
An extra set of eyes wouldn’t matter. True love is blind, after all.
---
Red’s plan was interesting, I’ll give him that. It probably would have worked, too, if it wasn’t for my Glamor. Instead, he was surrounded by his three little stooges as I walked off with the mare. He didn’t know it, but that had been his last chance. This wouldn’t be the killing blow for love, but it was the real first strike, and first strikes always left an impression. Always.
My glamor had had time to set in, to work its way into her mind and spread thoughts about me. Even if she’d heard of my reputation before, it didn’t matter. She’d gloss it over, thinking about how nice I am, and how suave I was being. She’d spent the morning fantasizing about my flank, after all. Now it was time to put all those naughty thoughts to good use.
I left my crew, at least the ponies that I could leave, and took her to a nice diner with private rooms. The staff knew me as a regular, and I even recognized a few mares. Strawberry Swirls scowled at me when I came in with Sugar Belle draped across my arm, but still saw us to a private little nook with limited access. Strawberry always takes her job seriously. That’s why I fell for her the first time. And the second.
But I wasn’t here with Strawberry. Not today at least.
“Sugar Belle, you make my heart ring. I’ve never felt like this before.” I smiled at her. My crew was gone, well, I was pretty sure Curtains was nearby from the snicker I’d heard, but my entourage was still around. The glamor kept the light just right, a gentle musical piece built up, and I could see Sugar swoon and sigh. I just loved those soft eyes.
She smiled softly, leaning forward in her seat. “You know, Feather, I’ve been thinking about you all morning. Bringing me those flowers was very sweet of you.”
“Girl, I get nothing but the sweetest for my Sugar.” I grinned confidently. The glamor didn’t have to help me with that one. Her name was a treasure trove of lovey dovey sayings.
“Oh… You.” She was blushing, hiding her face. “And this is the nicest restaurant in Our Town. Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Hey. It’s no problem, girl. I come here all the time, and I’m friends with the owner.” I winked at her. More accurately, she’d begged me not to tell anyone what we’d done that night, and I begrudgingly accepted her offer of a regular discount. It didn’t hurt that her father was the town cleric. I was usually reluctant to take offers like that, but she was pretty adamant. I spent three straight nights numbing the pain with alcohol afterwards. I had been so sure she was the one. Of course, I had been wrong.
But not this time.
The lights dimmed, and the music slowed as the waitress came in. “The regular for this stallion, Tunia.”
Petunia sighed and looked sadly to Sugar Belle. “And for you, Miss?”
Sugar Belle picked up the menu again, and nervously flipped through. “I forgot to read it! I’m sorry. Do you have any suggestions?”
Petunia rolled her eyes. “Yes, leave. Go home and have a sandwich. Everything here tastes awful if you’re eating it with….” The music from my entourage rapidly grew to a loud pace, and a swirl of sweet deserts was paraded by Sugar Belle, distracting her from the irate Petunia.
Sugar Belle chose to ignore what Petunia was trying to say and instead focused on a particularly fluffy looking pastry. “Ooh! I want that! It looks creamy.” Petunia glared angrily at me before walking off with the order.
As the music died down and she left, I could hear her muttering. “Of course she picks something cream filled.”
I was never sure why it worked that way. I could never tell if it was my glamor working on her mind, or maybe my entourage drowning out the harsh words. Either way, it was the magic of love. When ponies said something bad around a pony that I was in love with, everything worked to drown it out. Inevitably, the pony would ignore what was said. Maybe she heard it, and just chose to ignore it. I’ve never asked, and I probably never will.
“Hey girl, don’t worry bout Tunia. She’s just mad she can’t have me.” Petunia had cried when she left me the morning after I’d had her. She hadn’t said anything when she woke up. Just cried and cried and cried as she gathered her things and left. I hadn’t known what to do, and the glamor kept me acting cool while she walked away from me. I was pretty sure it had been her first time. You could just tell sometimes. After she left, I had spent a week in my room, refusing to come out. If it wasn’t for Curtains poking her head in to check on me, I probably would have kil...
Sugar Belle was beautiful in this light, and she was just staring at me with those beautiful big eyes, and her soft hair. She seemed to glow in the restaurant, radiating light. I could feel the glamor kicking in as my heart ached. I needed her to love me. And love, well.
Love is pure.
Sugar Belle was blushing, and she spoke first. “Can I… umm... have you then?”
I smiled and gestured at the table. “Girl, you can have me any time you want. All you gotta do is ask. And the best way to ask…” I winked at her, gesturing down under the table, “Is with your mouth.”
Sugar Belle turned bright red, and opened her eyes wide, but didn’t say anything. She looked nervously to her left, then to her right, then back at me with those large, wonderful eyes. She was thinking it over. Mulling it as an option as the glamor put the details in.
I leaned back in my seat, and got comfortable, letting my still flaccid cock hang out between my legs.
She continued to blush as the thought ate into her brain. I could guess what she was thinking. “I’m not that kind of girl. I’ve never done anything like that! But he’s so dreamy… and it would be exciting.”
Her eyes dipped to a half lid, and she slyly grinned. She tilted her head sideways in one last questioning gesture, raising her eyebrows. It was a silent, “Are you sure about this? Because I’m more game than I thought I was.”
I reassured her without saying anything. Instead, I raised both my eyebrows and nodded gently in approval while making a quick kissing gesture towards her. Smiling, I slid down in my seat slightly, and spread my legs just a little more as I made it obvious that it was all hanging out under there. Just waiting for her attention.
Love is attentive.
Sugar Belle took a deep breath, looked at me one more time, and slid under the table as she turned bright red.
There was a quiet moment, and then I could hear her awkwardly shuffling under the table as I grew more erect. Soon enough, I felt her hooves on my thighs and her breath on my stomach as she settled into a comfortable position.
I couldn’t see her, but I felt her. There was no rush, it would take a while for our order to come, the wait staff knew my routine. And if Petunia tried to interrupt, well, she’d be glamored out. No one else there ever tried to stop me anymore, but Petunia got sung out sometimes. So we took out time, and Sugar got cozy.
I heard faint heavy breathing, which meant Curtains was nearby somewhere. I could never see her, but she liked to watch. It was sort of her thing, and it didn’t bother me. Besides, she was my closest friend, and friends shared what they could.
Love should be shared.
And Sugar Belle had lots of love to share. Her breath was warm as I relaxed in my seat, letting her explore my lower half. This is the part of love that is left out of the story books. The physical, the actual loving. You always read stories of knights saving damsels, but you never heard about the knight and the damsel’s exploratory activities. How they got to know each other, how they learned each others body language.
I always thought that was important. I couldn’t see Sugar Belle, and she could only see a growing part of me, but we still knew what the other was thinking. Body language, mutual understanding, it was all important to the nature of love. Why would a fairy tale obscure this?
I wondered about the efficacy of fairy tales as Sugar Belle wondered if my cock would fit in her mouth. She didn’t wonder for too long.
The inside of her mouth was hot.
Just like most mares.
Sugar Belle worked slowly, gently licking and stroking my cock as she played with it. She toyed and nibbled around it, gently testing its give and feel. Her hot hooves cozied up next to my balls, and the air from her breath was trapped down there, spreading warmth across my inner thighs.
She was so sweet, loving and caring. She was perfect. I let one hoof drape below the table, and gently stroked her cheek as she licked the underside of my cock. Groaning, I leaned forward on the table, not hiding my pleasure as I let my other hoof lay haphazardly in front of me and rest my head on the wooden surface. No one would bother us but the servers, and I’d already done this with all of the servers here anyways. Small towns had their problems and finding love was one of them for me.
I could hear Curtains breathing pick up, keeping in time with mine. She loved this part, and that was important, right? You tried to give friends things they loved. It was why Curtains stuck around after I’d tried her. She and I just weren’t compatible as lovers, but she hadn’t been bothered by what happened. Instead, she’d seen opportunity. And I had been desperate for…
I mean, she was a good match as a friend. I could tell her everything, and she never judged. Never asked the wrong questions. Never cried. Never hurt me. Curtains was the best friend I had, and always tried hard to help me in my endeavors of love. So why shouldn’t I let her have a little fun? Sugar Belle didn’t have to know. She seemed to like a little adventure, so I reasoned that it might even excite her.
Not that she could get much more excited right now. I glanced up from the table to see Petunia watching with a scowl on her face. Tunia met my eyes as Sugar Belle put my tip in her mouth, and my eyelids fluttered. Petunia spat on the floor in disgust, and turned around. She thought I was less than dirt, I could see it in her eyes.
Tunia didn’t matter. No, that wasn’t quite right. Tunia couldn’t matter. I was with Sugar Belle now. I whispered a silent apology, and then promptly forgot about the mare.
Sugar Belle choked my cock down, her soft velvet lips encircling my medial ring, and I gasped and groaned in pleasure. Her mouth was tight, I almost didn’t fit. Sugar Belle found a way though, and it stayed at almost. I could feel her gagging as she muscled forward, sliding and easing my cock down her throat. Spit leaked down my cock, and her breathing stopped as I plugged deeper in.
Slowly, I felt my cock keep going. I was surprised, most mares gave up on deeper about now, but Sugar Belle was determined to get the whole thing. It was love.
Love is determined.
Sweetly, impossibly, her lips wrapped around the base of my cock. I don’t know where she put it, I must have been halfway down her throat. All I could say was that it felt amazing. She was still gagging, her throat convulsing as she made cute little choking noises. I groaned, luxuriating in her throat.
This wasn’t the end of our courtship by any means, but it was sure as hell further than Red was getting today. He was probably trying to come up with some hair brained scheme with those three miniature ponies while his crush was choking on my cock. Like I’d said earlier, first strikes were important. And this strike was a heavy hitter.
I started to pump slowly into her throat, feeling her loosen up around me. The mare was probably in extreme pain right now, but she kept going. I never wanted to hurt her, but sometimes mares under the Glamor didn’t know when to stop. It wasn’t me that pushed her this far. She wanted it. She did it herself. I was just letting her take it as far as she wanted to. Unfortunately, that’s just the way it is.
Love hurts.
Groaning, I pushed a little deeper, and she let me. Her tongue massaged the base of my balls, and then the moment was over. She dipped backwards to where she could breathe, and gasped for breath. I sweetly stroked her cheek while she recovered. Sugar Belle was turning out to be much more aggressive than I had anticipated. I wondered if it was a surprise for her as well.
She pushed deeper again, and we started a slow system of throat fucking, where she did most of the fucking with her throat. I just did that last ten percent or so when she ran out of energy. It was wet, it was noisy, and it was obvious. Anypony watching could tell exactly what was happening under the table from my heavy breathing or maybe the lewd, sloppy slurping sounds. Closed Curtains wasn’t hiding her breathing either, I could hear small moans as she got more worked up.
Maybe the strangest part is the smell. That’s something you’re never prepared for when getting a particularly heavy blowjob. It’s a strange mixture of musk, bad breath, and sweat. Maybe a little bit of ass thrown in there. And in this particular case, I could smell Sugar’s excitement as well. The sweet, delicate mare was probably dripping on their floor under the table. I briefly wondered if it would be Petunia or Strawberry cleaning it up.
I wasn’t going to last much longer, and from the sound, neither was Curtains. Sugar and I were both covered in a light sweat, and spit soaked my neither regions. I could feel her mouth squeezing around me as she throat fucked my dick. I heard a noise and looked up to see Petunia standing by the table, holding our order.
It was time to eat, and I was almost done anyways.
I grabbed the back of Sugar’s head with my hoof, and forced my cock deep down into her throat, choking her, and causing her to lightly press back from my abdomen. As I did it I, I smiled congenially at Tunia. She looked sad in a way, but I didn’t let that interrupt me. I confidently stared Tunia down and smirked as my groin convulsed in Sugar’s throat, painting her stomach white with my love. Tunia tried to look away, but couldn’t help meeting my eyes as I came. I just continued to smile, trapped as much by my glamor as anyone else had ever been. What I wanted to say to Tunia didn’t matter. Sugar Belle was who I loved.
I heard a satisfied coo as Curtains finished, somewhere in the room. Nopony else noticed her, my orgasm was center stage. Just like I liked it.
Love was selfish.
Tunia stayed frozen for a moment, and then looked ashamed as she quietly left the food on the table. Her silence was curious, I expected vitriol, but I didn’t think too much about it. Instead I jerked twice as I spurt, and then eased Sugar off my cock. After Sugar’s performance under the table, I was sure Red wasn’t on the table anymore. My first strike had been quite lethal. Maybe I’d send him a wedding invite. Sugar wouldn’t be able to wear white, not after tonight, but I’d get to see her covered in white on the regular, in private. I’d make sure of it. Maybe I’d send him a picture as a consolation prize.
Sugar Belle eased back and coughed, catching her breath and clearing her throat. It took quite a while, her voice was hoarse when she did speak from under the table. “Oh… Wow… ”
I grinned, stroking her cheek without looking. “Damn girl. You got the moves!”
A rough cough answered, followed by some retching. The poor girl might have thrown up. A meek voice followed. “Thank… you? Oh… wow. I can’t believe I just did that. What do I do? It’s so messy… Ohh…”
“Hey. It’s cool. I know the owner, remember? Just leave it. They’ll clean it up after we leave.”
Sugar Belle didn’t sound happy. “That doesn’t seem right.”
“Hey, this is about us, Baby. Not them. For real. Don’t worry about it. I’ll leave Tunia a tip. I know her. She can be cool about this.” She certainly wouldn’t be, but she could be. She had a choice, unlike me. I just waited for the glamor to do its thing as I slowly tucked my business back up. I’d be a little wet down there, but it’d dry quick.
Sugar Belle peeked from underneath the table, a giant messy grin on her face. She looked wrecked. Her hair was all frizzy, and drool mixed with a milky white froth was smeared all over her face. Tears had wet a trail down both of her cheeks. I winked at her, and she blushed as she chocked back another cough. “Oh… Fine. I can’t believe I just did that!”
“Yeah, girl. You are one sweet filly with all the right moves. You know I wanna get more of that later, right?”
Sugar Belle blushed hard. “Oh… yeah. Later. Well, I uhh… I might have some more moves to show you.”
“Well, I guess I can check it out. I particularly like magic tricks. Know any?”
She winked, licking the spittle and cum off her lips. “I might know a couple different disappearing acts. We’ll have to try them all and see what your favorite is.”
I grinned coyly at her as she slunk back under the table to get to her side. While I wanted her right now I could wait a bit for the glamor to dig a little deeper.
Love is patient.
---
“I can’t do it, Boss.”
“Heavy, my man, come on! It’s love!”
Heavyweight looked at me in frustration. “Boss, look. This just isn’t right. I know you think it’s love, but you always think it’s love. This mare was waiting for somepony else. It’s one thing to go after a gal that’s not doing anything, but this one had eyes on somepony. It ain’t right.”
I sighed and rubbed my head. Why wasn’t he getting it?
Closed Curtains shuffled up next to me and put a hoof around me in support. “Heavy, dude, it’s the Boss. We gotta help him out, and this is for love. L-O-V-E. The big one. This one might be different, I saw it. She could be the real thing. You never know. It’s always a possibility.”
Heavy looked at her incredulously, raising an eyebrow. Clearly Curtain’s opinion on this was not something he valued.
Glowstone went to my other side. “You can’t fight love, Heavy. Love always wins!”
“Are you on my crew, Heavy? Or are you gonna leave me hanging?”
Heavy hung his head in defeat. “I’m on your crew, Boss. Fine. I’ll get the carriage. But just so you know, I think this is gonna be another Petunia.”
I decided not to think about that, and instead focused on my objectives. Sugar and I had a great lunch. We connected, deeply, and I wanted to connect more. She had a long lunch break, most of her goods were resting, and she didn’t have to open her store until later in the evening. We decided that she’d take a short nap to recover, and then I’d take her on a romantic ride in the afternoon. After, we’d have a few hours to do whatever we wanted. I had plans to explore our connections deeper, and I was pretty sure Sugar Belle was on board. Besides, only Dusty Hooves would be home right then, and she wouldn’t get in the way like Breeze would.
I wasn’t worried about Red anymore, last time I’d seen him he was moping about in a funny looking suite with his three dwarfs, and that was after I’d put some batter in my Sugar. Poor guy was probably losing it, but there was no way I was gonna just let Sugar Belle go now. She probably wouldn’t even want to. After our connection was over, she’d confided to me that she’d always wanted to be more wild, but had been too shy. Until now, for some strange reason.
I wanted to tell her how I felt, I wanted to share how I was always feeling kind of shy, and I wanted to tell her how the Glamor worked on me, and on her. But I couldn’t. That wouldn’t have been cool, so instead I just…. Played it cool. Like always. She ate it up though. I don’t know why it works so well, but I gave up understanding my glamor ages ago.
Love is complicated.
---
I almost didn’t intervene. I wanted to see what happened when Red kissed Sugar Belle while wearing that ridiculous getup. She sure didn’t look impressed. Instead, I let the glamor take over, and my entourage pulled the cart rapidly in the way. Red fell back, and Sugar looked briefly confused.
I smiled, calming her confusion by gently touching where her heart was. She looked back, and smiled warmly, then let her eyes lower into a more appropriate look. She knew where this carriage was going. Rather, the glamor had filled her mind with thoughts about what we were going to do. Silently, she climbed on board, and gracefully took my hoof. I glanced slyly back at Big Red. I’d saved him the embarrassment of facing her in his getup, but still, he could see it in my eyes. He could see what was going to happen to her.
I watched him as he glanced between Sugar and I.
That’s right, Red. Drink it in. You can see it in her face. That’s love right there, that’s hunger and desire. And on my face? Satisfaction. Here was what you were missing, Red. Right here. You can leave now. We, that’s right, WE don’t need you. We’re already one. You just don’t know it yet.
He just looked confused, failing to read my mind.
Whatever, he didn’t matter.
Sugar Belle and I held hooves, drove into the sunset, and leaned onto each other.
It was perfect.
The whole time my Entourage kept the music playing and the lights perfect. She didn’t say anything, she just leaned on me, and I leaned on her. We didn’t need to talk. We’d already connected. We already knew.
Love was understanding.
---
As I lead Sugar Belle down into my apartment, out of the dying light, I noticed that my room was unlocked. Chuckling, I realized that Curtains was already inside, probably in her hidey spot in the closet. Of course, she had a few nooks she liked, so I couldn’t be sure unless she told me later.
I did, in fact, find out later. It was the closet.
Sugar Belle looked around the room, seemingly impressed. “Wow. I didn’t know you were so… interesting, Feather.”
She was looking at my dream catchers and my crystal collection. “Yeah, I collect a few things. It’s pretty swag, right?”
She chuckled, walking right by her shrine. They never notice the shrines. Curtains can see the shrines, at least when they aren’t for her. I’m pretty sure the Dusty’s can, too. But I wouldn’t need to change the shrine ever again. This was right. Sugar Belle was perfect for me. We would be together forever. I’d probably move in with her. She lives in her own apartment room, a rarity in Our Town.
“So I gotta ask, Feather. I know all the rumors. Are you… doing magic on me?” Sugar Belle looked at me with those eyes, those beautiful eyes. I froze. I didn’t know what to say, and the Glamor wouldn’t help with this one. This was a different one. A nervous cough came from the closet, outing Closed Curtains to me. Sugar didn’t notice, she was staring at me intently.
I pawed the floor nervously.
“Because I don’t mind. This just feels right, you know? Everypony says you’re some kind of monster, but that just isn’t true, is it?”
I swallowed dryly. There were rules. The Glamor wouldn’t, couldn’t help me here. At least with my answers. “I’m.. I’m an earth pony.” But it could do other things.
“I know. And that’s just amazing, at least if you were doing magic. I’m a unicorn, and I bake. That’s usually an earth pony thing, you know. We’ll make a cute couple. An earth pony that can do magic, and a unicorn that bakes. Won’t it be nice?” Her eyes got glassy as she thought about our future.
I wasn’t sure what to do. What should I say? I could talk to mares with the glamor all day, but as soon as it shut off, I was at a loss. I realized that I didn’t know how to talk to her. I didn’t even know what I could say. So, I went back to what I knew, I tried a line. It was a simple one, but whether it worked or not wasn’t important. What was important was changing the topic, so I could use my Glamor. “So, about those tricks. You mentioned a disappearing act? I’ve… uhh… got something I’d like to see disappear.”
The line was clumsy, ill delivered, and poorly thought out. But it did it’s job. Instantly, I relaxed as the Glamor washed over me.
Sugar Belle breathed deep, and smiled. “I’ve never done this before, you know. I’m a little nervous.”
I eased next to her. “It’s fine, girl. I won’t judge, and I’ll help you practice till that trick is smooth.”
She leaned into me. “That would be nice… You smell nice…”
She was sniffing my neck, and I let her. Slowly, I ran my hoof down her back. “Girl, you love me, right?”
She shivered. Love. It was a hard word, a hard emotion, and right now, a hard organ. Love. Love means the world to me, and yet, I just do not understand it.
“I… I…” Sugar was blushing, looking anywhere but me. Quietly, I heard her whisper. “Maybe?”
She needed to love me. I needed her to love me. Love was why I still lived. Love was everything. “Sugar, would you do anything for me?”
She didn’t hesitate. My glamor had gotten her deep. “Feather, Yes. I want to do so much for you. Please, I’m aching.”
“Then, can’t you love me, Sugar? Can’t you love me, girl?” I held my breath.
“I… I’m sorry. I really don’t know. This is all happening so fast.” Sugar seemed distressed. She looked like she was going to cry.
I faltered. She… wasn’t it. She wasn’t the one. My heart broke, but the glamor held me. I wouldn’t cry. I couldn’t. Not as long as her shrine was there.
I gave into the glamor. Why fight it anymore? I let it consume me, trying to bury the pain under the magic that burned within me. It wasn’t enough. It was never enough.
“That’s fine, girl. That’s fine. Love is a four letter word here anyways. Lets worry about the here and now. Why don’t you get down on your front knees and flick that tail to the side. Just relax, and let me take you on for a sweet little ride.”
She blushed, chuckling slightly. I ignored my heart, instead choosing to feed the glamor. Sugar Belle, her soft, beautiful face and all, wasn’t for me. But I’d still have her. Red could pick her up later. Let him have his sloppy fucking seconds. I’d make sure they were fucking sloppy all right.
She smiled as she bent forward, muttering to herself. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. This is so wild!”
“Imma show you wild, Girl.” I roughly climbed on top of her, and bit the back of her neck, causing her to startle.
I didn’t worry about warming her up. The Glamor would take care of that for me. It took care of everything, all the time.
A frustrated sigh escaped from the closet followed by the resigned sound of wet hooves rubbing together. Closed Curtains was getting warmed up, she’d probably brought a bottle of lube or something.
Whatever.
I’d give her a show. She’d get to see all of Sugar Fucking Belle. Unceremoniously, I slid into Sugar’s pussy.
The Mare “meeped” in surprise as I started to roughly fuck her. “Ow! Oh… Shit… This kind of hurts, Feather.”
Like I cared anymore. She didn’t love me. They never did.
“Shut up, Sugar. Just be a good little bitch and let me fuck you.” I pulled on her tail with one of my hooves, causing her to shout and squeeze me tighter with her pussy. She was hot inside, and I got to remembering her mouth. As I slipped in and out of her depths, she mumbled to herself in disarray.
“Why are you angry?” I thrust violently into her a few times, staying silent. She moaned loudly, before asking another question. “Why am I doing this? What’s happening?”
I chuckled darkly, the glamor in full control now. “I’m fucking you. Doesn’t it feel good?”
She looked up, tears in her eyes. “No? Sort of?”
I pressed deep, connecting us fully as my tip kissed something deep inside of her. She shivered at the thrust. “Ow… Feather… It hurts… It… Oh… Oh my…” I could feel the tension leave her as she started to relax as her body became mine.
“Liked that, Didn’t you, whore?”
Sugar bit her lip and strained as she tried not to answer. “Nnn…. Yessss….”
“You do like it bitch. You wanted to know if I cast a spell on you? Well I fucking did. It was supposed to make you love me. Didn’t fucking work, did it?” I pulled her tail again, causing her to squeeze me. This time it hurt when she squeezed me, it hurt good.
She moaned in response as I thrust through her tightened pussy, “Oh yes! Feather, I… I… could, I just need more… Ohh! Yes!” She quivered as I bit her again, before letting out a ragged reply, “But not yet.”
“Of course not. I’m a fucking earth pony. I can’t do magic. The spell didn’t work.” I wrapped my forelegs around her, and plugged her deep, causing her back legs to quiver.
“So… why am I.. why am I… Ooh… Fuck…” Sugar Belle pressed back hard, meeting my onslaught.
I chuckled, biting her ear and letting the Glamor run wild through me. “Because you’re a slut. Everypony in this Celestia forsaken town is screwed. We are all fucked up after Starlight raped our minds, raped our talents, and raped our magic. Every single one of us. And you...” I dropped a hoof under my cock, stroking her clit as I fucked her. “You are a fucking slut.”
Sugar Belle shook, a wet squirt coating my balls as she came. “That’s it, Sugar. Give it up. Give it up to me. Cum, Girl. Cum like the little bitch you are.”
She squealed then, closing her eyes and holding her breath as her breath ran out, her pussy coating my dick in squirt after squirt. I held her body tightly, squeezing the marecum out of her like a wet towel. Slowly, the squirts stopped, and I slowed my pumping. Instead of the hard fast ride, I took long, slow strokes as I gently molested her clit.
“Whaaa… What are you doing… to me?” She took shaky breaths, having a hard time catching back up with herself after her orgasm.
I guess maybe I was angry. If so, then it was my fault. I really shouldn’t get angry. Not when I’m glamored. Bad things can happen when I’m Glamored. “I’m giving you a ride. And once your ride is over, I’m going to cum inside of your slutty pussy. Probably knock you up. After that, you’re gonna let me fuck your asshole. And that’s gonna hurt like a bitch.” I pinched her clit, causing her to twitch her pussy and squirm uncomfortably.
Sugar Belle smiled, tears in her eyes. “Oh fuck. Yes. Do it. Make me your bitch.”
Fucking glamor.
After that, well, I made her my bitch. I touched her inside, like she’d touched my heart. Red was gonna be getting damaged goods, but he wasn’t gonna find out for a few months. Not until she started showing.
I stayed on top of her as I pumped her full of my cum. She might not love me, but she was going to fucking remember me. The Glamor would make sure of it now. I hadn’t ever used it like this, I hadn’t ever wanted something like this. Hell, usually it was the opposite. But this mare… I grunted as I squirt one last shot deep into her hot, dripping cunt, and she groaned in satisfaction.
I needed this mare to remember me forever.
We both stayed like that for a little, breathing heavy as my cock shrank in her abused hole. Then, she suddenly started to laugh.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this! What the fuck is wrong with me, Feather?” She was smiling, chuckling like this was some amazing joke that only she understood. Stopping her laugh, she turned to look at me with sly eyes. “What if it didn’t take?”
I wasn’t laughing. I wasn’t smiling. I just pushed her over on her side, roughly rolling her onto her back. I dropped down on her body, putting our lips together in an awkward, forced kiss before I spoke. “Then we try again. And this time, make sure it takes.”
She grinned like she was drunk. Beautiful, elegant, nice, polite, kind, loving, Sugar Belle opened her mouth in a twisted, alien smile. “We are so fucked up, aren’t we? We’re deviants, huh? Normal ponies don’t do this. Normal ponies fuck ponies they love. But I don’t love you. And you don’t love me, do you? Something’s wrong, isn’t it? You’re right. I don’t love you. But I love this thing that you’re doing to me. And I’ll do anything, anything you want, Feather Bangs.” Sugar pulled me into a hot kiss then, a wet sloppy one that was eager and two sided.
I wanted to fight the glamor then, I tried. I sort of did. All it got me was an awkward line once our defiled tongues left, soaked in each others spit. “I know.”
I fucked her again. Face to face, that time. She smiled the whole time, excited to be doing something so bad, something so wrong. I just let the Glamor drive, and soon enough, she was too exhausted to hold me anymore. She’d been wracked by the Glamor as it did its thing and made her cum over and over again. I tried to not pay attention. I tried to ignore it.
It wasn’t me. It wasn’t me. This wasn’t me.
But she just smiled that twisted, fucked up smile and ground her cum filled pussy against my shrinking dick after we both came again.
I wanted this to end. It felt so good. Her body was wet, soaking fucking wet, and she was beautiful. I begged for the glamor to make it stop.
I grabbed one of her legs, and violently flipped her over. She giggled, landing on her stomach. Her back, tail, and mane were still wet from laying in a puddle of our cum. I didn’t care. No, it didn’t care.
The Glamor grabbed her tail, and spread her ass. She laughed when I fucked her ass. She laughed between pained screams. I didn’t laugh, but I couldn’t scream. At least on the outside.
Love hurts.
---
We were tangled together in a pile of filth, marinating, stewing in our debauchery.
“Oh Feather… That thing you did with your tongue, and my horn and… oh wow. How have I never done this before? What the hell was that? We started with sex, but everything else was… just wow.” Sugar Belle held me tight. It didn’t matter what parts of ours were touching. Everything had touched everything, several times by now. We were a singular pile of flesh.
“Feather knows the way to bliss, Sugar.” I hated it. I fucking hated the glamor. I had watched and felt and done everything to Sugar Belle. I’d lied, of course. Of course I fucking loved her. I couldn’t even fucking talk right. Sugar didn’t know, all she knew was the Glamor. She was completely under its spell. My spell. The entourage was singing a victorious song, dimming the lights. We were supposed to go to sleep. She was going to miss opening her shop tonight, lost in passion with me instead.
And in the morning it would be over. That’s how it worked. The Glamor would thoroughly defile the mares I loved, and then in the morning they’d wake up and know what had happened. Sometimes, well, usually, I put up with it. I was a reluctant participant. But today, with Sugar Belle, I hated it.
Then they’d leave and hate me. Most of them, at least. Curtains stayed around because she was a fucking pe… Curtains was a good friend who cared for me. And the Dustys still talked to me. Deep down, I knew they didn’t really like me. Hooves just couldn’t be mean to anypony, and Breeze was just watching out for Hooves. But they’d talk with me. Treat me like a real pony for a few minutes before getting me blasted on whatever they kept in their wine coolers.
As the light dimmed, I watched Sugar Belle drift off into a content sleep, knowing what she, what we, would wake up to. Struggling, I slipped away from her, stumbling to the closet door and forcing the spotlight on me to stay on for just a few seconds longer. Curtains wasn’t Glamored. She could keep me awake.
The spotlight dimmed, and my vision faded. It wanted me to sleep. “Help… “ I muttered to the closet, desperate for anything to push back the suffocating glamor.
Slowly, the door opened an a face peeked out. I ignored Curtains’ red face, her wet hoof, and the strong smell of feminine musk coming from the closet. We all knew what Curtains was doing in there. Instead, I begged her. “Please...”
She sighed, and stepped out of the closet. Slowly, the entourage faded. The glamor faltered.
“Well, boss, that was… umm… satisfying to watch. But I think maybe Heavy might have been right. She gonna be another… Petunia?” Curtains nervously covered part of her face and looked to the side. Tunia was a sore subject. But I was too tired and angry at the glamor to care.
“Yeah. When she wakes up, when it turns, she’s gonna be… well. Some things happened that can’t un happen.”
“I saw. So what do we do about it?”
“I don’t know. I… I can’t do another Petunia.”
Curtains sighed. “I remember. I’ll help. I can take her out. She’ll wake up somewhere else, and at least spare you the heartbreak.”
I shook my head. The Glamor liked drama. It needed a show. “Won’t work. She’ll come back as long as she has a shrine.”
“Then just get rid of the shrine.”
I balked. “Get rid of the shrine? That’s impossible. I’m still in love. I can’t get rid of it. I can only replace it if I fall in love again.”
“What if I just tear it down?” She looked curiously at the shrine. “She doesn’t love you. They never do. We’ll just put up another.”
Still no good. “Sorry. I’m pretty sure you’d get sung out if you tried.”
She sighed. She’d seen other ponies get sung out plenty, and even had it happen to her a few times. “Yeah. You’re right.”
“What can we do? I really don’t think...” I looked back at Sugar Belle, sleeping soundly in the remnants of our debauchery. I still loved her. I’d still love her in the morning. Fuck. “I can’t do this again. Not like this.” I started to cry.
The problem wasn’t that she would leave, it was how she would leave. What she would say. The Glamor had another side to it. Once it was done, once it had had its way, it would find the most effective way to hurt me. And I still loved her. I had hoped I could burn the love out, snuff with disgust once she’d said she didn’t love me, but it hadn’t worked. She was even more beautiful now that I’d seen her, felt her, tortured her…. I deserved to die.
I had gambled on true love, and lost. True love was the only thing that could free me, and it never has. If I could have lost my feelings of love, I’d have been okay. That’s how I handled it most of the time. I couldn’t care less what happened to them once they didn’t love me. But with Tunia, and now Sugar, it was different. I still felt, I still had that one sided love. And that’s what the Glamor would punish me for. I had failed to find love, and failed to not feel it myself. That wasn’t “cool,” and it would make sure I knew.
It was better if I never woke up. If Sugar Belle woke up without me. Forever.
Curtains cursed. “Shit. I know that look. Boss, it hasn’t happened yet. I ain’t gonna let it happen okay? I got a backup plan.”
I glanced at her, thinking it through. “Naa. It’s fine. I gotta take a walk, You be good, Covers. Be good.” I knew a bridge nearby. It was about twenty stories over the river. That would be enough.
Covers stared at me with wide eyes and then shook her head. “No. No. You stay right here, Boss. I got a plan. I told you.”
I blinked. “Oh?”
“Just... build a shrine to me again. I’ll be fine. I got everything you need. Feathers, spit, blood. Hell, there’s some of my juice in there. I got a few pictures of myself, and this hairpin. It’s enough, isn’t it?”
I almost cried that she was willing, but it wouldn’t work. “Curtains, we can’t. We’ve done that. It… it didn’t work out in the end. We don’t love each other. Remember?”
She snickered. “Of course I remember. But Love’s more complicated than that, Boss. Look. You build the shrine, I’ll ditch Sugar Belle in her shop. Maybe she’ll think it’s a dream. Actually, I can nip some of the Dusty’s roofies, three or four and she might forget enough to think it was a dream. And I’ll come back and we’ll do your little drama tango, and have a fight in the morning. We’ll be back to normal by lunch.”
One thing she said stood out to me. “The Dustys have roofies?”
She looked at me curiously. “You didn’t know? I thought you had worked out some kinda deal with them and were addicted. Well… Now I don’t feel bad nipping them at all. Just build my shrine. Here’s some pictures.” She pulled out a wallet and dumped about thirty pictures of herself on the floor. Some of them were… spicy, to put it mildly.
Then she hopped over to Sugar and started to pick her up. “Heavy for a unicorn...”
This was insane. Why would she do this for me? And why did she have so many pictures of that? “Curtains… why do you have so many pictures of yourself. And why are most of them of your… activities?”
She looked at me with a silly grin. “I told you. It was my back up plan. I always have a back up plan, Boss. I made sure they were… heh… good for your shrine. If you, you know, ever needed one.” She blushed as she settled Sugar Belle between her wings.
I smiled, holding back a hopeful laugh. Strangely, replacing Sugar Belle’s shrine didn’t seem like a fantasy. It could work. Tomorrow was a mystery, but one thing was sure.
Love was sacrifice.