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Post by Low Key on Oct 17, 2014 20:17:42 GMT -5
At long last, the moment he had been waiting for was nearly upon him.Ever since his latest run in with Saline, Low realized more than ever that he, as well, needed to move on. Not only was it time to stop blaming himself, but it was time to stop blaming Midnight, too. Still, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but constantly bugged by two simple questions: Why did she do it, and how did she brush him off so easily? He wanted answers, and his mind would never rest until he got them. So it was immediately after Low and Niara had left the park that he began formulating his plan to confront Midnight Mind. Of course, one could argue that the two had reached a mutual understanding during their encounter at the book store, but that was an unfortunate misconception. With everything on his mind, it would have been easy for Midnight to believe that Low had reconciled himself, and in a way he did. However, the truth was that he was just too distracted: he was still riding the adrenaline wave of fear brought on by running into Midnight, the mare who had so publicly humiliated him; he was also distracted by her apology. He hadn't thought that she would apologize, and he surely didn't expect her to give him so many gifts in return. In a way, he owed her, although the same could be said for Niara. Speaking of her, Low realized that he couldn't get her involved in this. He had put the mare through enough of his crap already and he was hesitant to even tell her what he was planning. Still, he made her a promise, he knew he had to keep it. Low told her of the plan, and then barred her from involving herself. She was a little indignant about that at first, but Low told her it was for the best. He didn't want to make her into an emotional crutch; he was a big stallion and he was going to finish this personally so that she would never hear of it again. If she needed any motivation, Low made sure to tell her that he was planning something big for her later in the week. After giving her a large amount of bits, he told her to go to the market to buy herself something nice. Whatever she bought, he told her that it was important that he not see it until the big date comes. With her away, the stage was set. Just yesterday, he had used one of the many spells taught by Midnight, herself, to sneak a envelope into her saddlebags. Whether or not she sensed him or his magic was of no concern, he gave her no illusions as to whom her mysterious host was. Inside the envelope was a letter written as such: Ms. Midnight Mind
Your presence is required. Meet me tomorrow at 14:00 at the Seaside Apartments, Block B, Room 15.
There are a few things I wish to discuss.
Low Key
P.S.: If you harbor any dirty thoughts, I highly suggest you stow them for the duration of your visit. It was 13:30 now. With any luck, Niara would still be at the market for another few hours. On the coffee table in the middle of his living room, he had made sure to set out two chairs and refreshments for Midnight when she arrived, namely black tea with sugar and cream as well as a few tea cakes from the local store. He had already helped himself to one cake and was sipping away his first cup of tea. Holding the teacup aloft in his magic, he sat in his chair and watched the door with a growing anticipation. He had thought long and hard about how Midnight would react to his invitation, and he had to expect anything from her. No doubt she would probably read his mind as to why he had requested her presence, but he was beginning to get ahead of himself. This mare was going to give him the answers he wanted, and if she resisted, he was going to make her. Even though Midnight could easily outfight him, he knew that she would not risk something so brash unless she was under stress. So long as Low kept his head clear and acknowledged her body language, he would get his answers.
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Post by Midnight Mind on Oct 17, 2014 21:06:57 GMT -5
Walking through the neighborhood she chuckled some. Key wanted to see her and no...dirty thoughts. He thought she would try something with him again? He already had a chance and failed. She had left her cart off at the ruins with a friend she met there just keeping her saddlebag with her with her prized objects in it. Wearing a new set of ear rings she got from Spirit from the ruins she went up to the place the note told her of. Making her way to his room she came to a stop before room 15 and sure she was a bit early but, thought it would be best to get this over with he obviously had stuff on his mind that had to do with her..more then likely the bar incident
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Post by Low Key on Oct 17, 2014 21:10:18 GMT -5
When Low heard the knock on the door, he nearly jumped. She was here. Making sure that his appearance was in no way betraying his internal anxiety, he said "The door's unlocked," just loud enough that Midnight would be able to hear it. No turning back now, it was happening.
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Post by Midnight Mind on Oct 17, 2014 21:20:02 GMT -5
Hearing Key she used her magic to open the door, going in she shut the door behind her. "I know I am a bit early but, I think waiting would of been a bad thing. Anxiety and all that you know." she tilted her head a bit "So are you gonna offer me a seat or anything?"
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Post by Low Key on Oct 17, 2014 21:24:18 GMT -5
Low Key had been practicing for how he would react when Midnight came in through the door. His face remained passive, his eyes focused on her own, and his voice calm and collected. His horn lit up and the chair across from his own slid out.
"You are free to sit," he said. Despite the bluntness of his words, there was no trace of malice in them. "If you desire refreshment, I have tea and cakes."
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Post by Midnight Mind on Oct 17, 2014 21:30:58 GMT -5
"Thank you." she looked into his eyes as she held no emotion in her eyes. Walking over to the chair she sat upon it "Ooo tea and cakes. Dont mind if I do." she said using her magic to pour herself a cup of tea "So let us cut to the chase why did you suddenly invite me over..by sneaking a note into my saddlebag?"
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Post by Low Key on Oct 17, 2014 21:38:31 GMT -5
A part of Low had wished that Midnight had been in one of her playful moods. Perhaps he wanted to talk about pleasantries, if not out of courtesy then just to get a bearing on her emotional state. Judging by her insistence, though, it seemed she had reservations about this meeting. He would have to tread carefully.
He finishes the last few sips of tea and gently floats it down onto a coaster. Sitting back in his chair, he brings one of his hind legs up and lays it over the other, his fore hooves sitting in this lap pressed together.
"I brought you here to talk," he monotones. "I forgave you for your actions long ago, but I have not forgotten. I still have questions that I either forgot to ask or couldn't ask you in public. So, I would ask that you answer them now.
"My first question is as such: what exactly gave you the prerogative to publicly humiliate and assault me? I have my own theories, but I wish to hear you explain it."
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Post by Midnight Mind on Oct 18, 2014 8:18:02 GMT -5
Using her magic she poured a little cream into her black tea along with two spoons of sugar. Stirring it with the spoon she began leaned back in the seat a bit. Her right hind leg coming up to go across her left one "Hm I sorta guess it was to talk..one does not sneak a note into somepony's saddlebag. Which I knew you did you almost got away with it." she smirked a bit before closing her eyes "You need to work more on masking your magic." Sipping her tea she heard about questions then the first one that he had.
"Jumping head first into the deep end are we?" she said opening her eyes to look at him. Setting the tea down she thought a bit "Got a chess board?" she said looking around the place before she settled on the way to answer it best "It was anger and depression..and a bit of feeling unsatisfied." she began to roll her head a bit cracking her neck "Leaving my home, the ponies and others I love...during a war. Unable to find out if they are ok..to know you could go back and find it all snatched away from you. To know the reason you are not there is cause you were overpowered and nearly taken advantage of by a stallion just to cause mess with another."
She sighed a bit before looking at him "To have no pony to snuggle with at night when it was an every night occurrence. When you used to have sex you are used to three hours being a..light night." her head tilted as her eyes looked at Key's as if staring into his soul like when she did the reading "Your sorrow was unjustified..had I known you were well let us say a virgin I would of dragged you back. However a mare needs to be released not just the stallion. You ever do that you should feel shame from now own." she kept staring into his eyes and then away "All I ever see are ponies around me with..souls that have pain scars from the past or present. Yet I am unable to see my own and try to fix it. Amazing isnt it?"
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Post by Low Key on Oct 18, 2014 11:12:05 GMT -5
Unpredictable as ever. Either that, or Midnight was becoming more comfortable in the situation.
As she talked, Low levitated the teapot over and poured himself another cup. He added two spoonfuls of sugar and some milk. As he stirred, he took the opportunity to speak to her as she supped, "It was not my intention to keep you in the dark. If it was, I would not have put my name on the invitation. As it is, though, I know better than to underestimate your abilities."
He took a sip of his tea as he listened to her talk. A chessboard? Sure, he had one, but when was the last time he had used that? He wouldn't say that he was terrible at chess, and it would certainly help the two of them stay on topic, but he knew that he had little chance of winning. Midnight would most likely anticipate his moves and win by prophylaxis. Still, he looked over to a nearby closet and used his magic to open it, pulling out a small chess set in a cardboard box. He levitated it over to the table and began setting it up, out of way of the tea. He felt like asking her what color she would want, but he instead simply gave her the black pieces.
"We are somewhat equal in that regard," Low responds. "You were the first mare whom I had met that gave me an attention that I admired. I was no stranger to having mares and sometimes stallions come on to me in an attempt to get free drinks, but you...I respected you. You helped me in ways I couldn't imagine, and I wanted to get to know you better."
His face relaxes as he remembers, "You were so gentle and loving with me. For the first time in years, I felt safe...and loved. If you had taken me home just to sleep next to me, I would have gone a full night without satisfaction for that."
Then the other part of his memory comes up and his face returns to its impassiveness, "When I took you aside, I had no idea what I was doing. I felt that you had a plan and simply let you have your way with me."
He diverts his eyes from hers and looks at the board, his magic envelopes a pawn and moves it forward two places, "When all was said and done, I felt like a pariah. I simply didn't understand what you expected of me, and I felt humiliated and used.
"I was angry as well. Everypony else was mocking me behind my back, and I nearly quit my job several times. I was emotionally compromised and wasn't thinking. All that mattered was I wanted revenge on you; I wanted to show you that two could play at this game, that I could hurt ponies, too."
Low takes a sip of his tea and looks Midnight straight in the eyes, the pain becoming evident, "And I succeeded."
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Post by Midnight Mind on Oct 18, 2014 19:41:07 GMT -5
"Trust me if I wanted to hurt you I would of. I was under so much stress and other things that was the straw that broke the camel's back sort to say." she sipped more tea as he set up the chess board. When he moved his pawn forward she took her left knight and moved it up and over a spot to the right "I didnt mean to hurt you the way I did. Again you were a virgin I didn't know that I just thought you were...well." she began to chuckle softly saying "A miserable excuse for a stallion in the bedroom."
Moving her eyes to his she still even after talking about her resent setbacks in life and all that she held no emotion in her eyes. She knew how to keep her emotions in check. "I do consider you a nice stallion who does have a bright future when you open your eyes to it." as he spoke of feeling safe and how he respected her she smiled some "Thanks but, you probably would of fell in love with me and that would of been a very bad idea. You would of been in more...pain then you are now."
As she heard of him being mocked, nearly quitting and then how he wanted revenge on her she shook her head a bit "Get revenge on me? Dear Key you realize not knowing me nor how I think means your revenge could of failed without me so much as finding out?" when he spoke of hurting ponies she looked into his eyes as he showed pain in them and how he succeeded "Hmph."
"You hurt an innocent to try and teach me a lesson? My my it seems you were thinking that was the best way to get at me or at least be me." she stared into his eyes and didnt blink "You failed in that regard."
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Post by Low Key on Oct 18, 2014 19:51:51 GMT -5
Low had already cried a river of tears already, so thinking of Saline simply gave him a sense of a sadness. In an attempt to calm himself he took another sip of his tea, "In that regard, you are correct. However, in the regard that I ruined some stallion's life, I succeeded."
He set the tea down again and moved another pawn next to the one he had just moved out one space. As he did so, he mused, "I know you are a mystical mare, Midnight. We differ in that respect, but I have my own philosophies."
He picked up the carton of milk and held it over his teacup, "Every action has a reaction. Like tossing a stone out into a pond, everything that we do sends ripples out into the community." To punctuate this, he quickly pours a drop of milk into the tea. The drop splashes into it, sending waves rippling out to the sides, bouncing off of each other.
Low sets the carton down and picks the teacup back up, looking Midnight in the eyes, "The longer an action is left unresolved, the more time there is for a disastrous consequence to emerge. In this case, one young stallion happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. I can explain it all to you, but I know of a spell you possess."
His horn lights up and the cupboard opens. A quartz-crystal glass floats out and lands next to Midnight, "Remember when you looked in my eyes and saw my memories regarding Claire? I'm sure you can do the same for the stallion known as Saline-Base."
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Post by Midnight Mind on Oct 18, 2014 20:15:14 GMT -5
Watching him make his move she used her magic to move her knight over to the right and up one to take the pawn he just moved "So you have your theory of how things go? Intriguing." she pointed at his cup as the ripples went on "You speak as if the ripples never stop. Yet they eventually stop, whatever caused the ripples in the first place in this case you. Can do one of two things." she said as she began to finish off her tea and pour herself another cup
"You can cause more ripples to continue the pattern or leave them to disappear. Seems you choose the first option to try and bring the ripples back." she poured some cream and sugar into her tea again as he spoke of seeing Claire she smirked a bit "Well well you act like you want me to see it. Yet let me ask you this." she said sipping her tea as her eyes closed "What makes you think I would care to look? You are pushing your own issues onto another to deal with. You did the deed I never told you to do it. You thought it would be get at me or make you like me." she sipped her tea again setting the tea cup down "Why should I fix your mistakes?"
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Post by Low Key on Oct 18, 2014 20:30:17 GMT -5
Low's eye twitches. He hadn't thought about it quite that way. She had the right to refuse to take sympathy on him, but that wasn't why he had brought her here. If he wanted a pity party, he would have invited more ponies.
"I was not intending for you to take sympathy on me," he said. "I've had my fair share of self-pity as well as self-loathing over the issue, and I have done my best to fix my own mistakes.
"The reason I summoned you here was not so that I could hope to inspire pity or guilt in you. I know better that you are incapable of that. The real reason I wished to talk was to ask of you one ultimate question: What was your reaction when you saw the seed that your actions had sown? I will tell you my reaction, if you so wish."
He picked up another pawn that was diagonal from that knight and captured it, "I cried. Before, I had taken pity on myself, thinking that I was the victim. That was what drove me to see what it was like to be the one doing the seducing. After the act, though, that pity was replaced by anger, a self-loathing for the thing that I had become.
"I had the opportunity to meet the same stallion once again, and I could not have offered enough apologies to absolve my soul. Had it not been for another mare present, he would have beat me. As much as I wanted him to, it wouldn't have done me any good; I would only have been bruised on the outside as well as on the inside.
"I did what I could to help him, but he refused to listen to me. I wanted him to do better, to see the thing that I had become and take a different path, one that didn't lead down the road to self-pity and victimization, but he did not. To this day he refuses to move on, and the more I think on it, the less and less I feel that it is my fault.
"Is that how you dealt with me so easily? You identified that my pain came from self-indulging pity and that the suffering I was living was self-inflicted?"
Low's face begun to portray more than just a bland mask, and his eyes were shining with curiosity. This was what he wanted: answers.
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Post by Midnight Mind on Oct 18, 2014 20:54:29 GMT -5
Seeing the eye twitch she smirked a bit as he seemed to have the crystal still. Using her magic to grab it and move it around a bit "You sure have a weird way of making it seem you didnt want sympathy or pity from me. You got my sympathy this is true but, I am gonna flat out tell you how it is. You brought this upon yourself cause you wanted me to feel something yet..it back fired in more ways then one."
"You however the way you said that...makes it sound I am unable to feel anything at all. Emotionally dead which isnt the case. You see me that way cause I didnt pity the path you chose." she used her magic to move the crystal around more before bringing it before her face and tapped it with a hoof "The reaction of what my actions brought?" she looked at him as she tossed the crystal towards his lap.
When he took her knight she moved the pawn diagonal to his right bishop and moved it forward a space so her bishop could move next turn "My action was brought upon with your equal reaction. Do you remember the night we were at the bar? I gave you the chance to not do anything which I would of been fine with." she sipped her tea once more as she then used her magic to take some cake up hearing how he was almost beat up by another stallion
"I see...this Saline tried to get revenge then snuffed your apology? Seems to me he was hoping for you to give in and want you to take him on as a relationship." she began to eat a bit of the cake before tilting her head a bit "My reaction to what is going on with you?" she thought a bit before closing her eyes "In truth? It's hard to say, the only pony I know that is involved in this is you. Though.." she opened her eyes looking into his own "This mare..are you together are you happy?"
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Post by Low Key on Oct 18, 2014 21:21:57 GMT -5
Low caught the crystal in his magic and set it down on the table, a bit disappointed. As he considers what piece to move next, he responds, "Not with her, no...but there certainly is a mare in my life." His face almost seems to light up as he thinks of her, "She was there, though. I told her everything and she forgave me. She's...amazing."
The light begins to fade away as his thoughts turn darker, "She didn't have to forgive me. I tried pushing her away, you know? She's the most beautiful, kind, and intelligent mare I have ever met; she deserves some stallion who isn't like me.
"And yet, she stayed. She willingly volunteered as my emotional crutch and let me cry on her shoulder. I owe her everything for that." In spite of himself, his mask finally shattered and he smiled, small tear drop falling from his eyes as emotions flood through him. "I have no idea how I got so lucky to find a mare like her."
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